Torchwood/Dr Who: The Collar

Content:

Rating: Teen

Flavor: Drama

Language: none

Violence: no

Nudity: no

Sex: no

Other: no

Author's Notes:

In which the Doctor meddles. You didn't think he'd get away without doing so, did you? And he says bad things about humans. :X

Part 10: One Voice

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"Stop!" The Doctor pelted down the aisle of the fae amphitheater. "Stop the vote!" Alfar and ogres, goblins and pixies shied out of his way. An uproar followed in his wake.

He gained the central dais and stopped dead, panting. The angry gazes of Titania and Oberon were like ice-covered steel. Hurriedly, he made a deep bow. "Your Majesties. I beg leave to speak." He held up the magical leaf to forestall any protest. His possession of it proved he had been granted a vote. "All immortals here are allowed a voice."

"You are an immortal?" Oberon asked with a frown.

"Yes." The Doctor gulped another breath. "You can see I'm not human." His hearts galloped. "I am over nine hundred years old. I am as immortal as any of you."

"You are of this world?" Titania asked shrewdly. "Only we do not recognize you."

"I am the Doctor," he said. "I was here when Pompeii was destroyed. I was here when the Roman empire fell, and I was here when Britain stood strong." He didn't mention that he hadn't been on Earth contiguously, nor even in chronological order. But that was the trick with the fae; you told the truth, and if anyone misinterpreted what went unsaid, well that was hardly your fault, was it?

"Very well," Oberon said. "Speak."

He took one last steadying breath, then faced the multitude of creatures. "You are all making a mistake." The crowd didn't like that. "Now... listen!" he said over the hissing and growls.

"Are you advocating war?" a minotaur yelled.

"No." He held up an admonishing finger. "That would kill this planet. But this whole vote is wrong. You've only given yourselves two choices: fight and die, or flee and die. You can't divide everything into two sides."

"There is Light and Dark," Titania said. "Day and Night. Good and Evil."

"What about grey?" the Doctor shot back. "And twilight? And... and 'morally ambiguous'?" He turned back to the crowd. "I know it has been your tradition to see things as sharply divided. And I know it has been your tradition to never, ever change your traditions. But things that never change only stagnate and die. Even rocks change! Even a planet changes - I know you can all see that!

"You've only ever seen humans as your enemy. Or as amusing little monkeys: cute, but ultimately unimportant. Maybe it's about time you started seeing them as allies. Perhaps even equals."

He had to jump back, as the closest alfar nearly flew at him in a rage. "Whoa! Okay, perhaps not quite 'equals,' then. But you have to admit - they are in control of this planet."

"They are killing this planet!" a goblin screeched.

"Fair enough!" the Doctor called. He put his hands out, palms forward. "They have made terrible mistakes. Bad decisions. But-! They are learning. Humans are slow." He silently begged forgiveness from his human friends. "But the fae are patient! They can be taught! And you can be the ones to teach them.

"Every time a human child sees the magic of a flower blooming..." He paced the stage, his voice weighted with empathy. "Every time they see the wonder of the falling snow... Every time they behold the beauty of a butterfly in flight... That is when you gain an ally! That is when they learn to love and respect this world. Those are the ones who become the men and women who will save this world.

"And they can't do it by themselves." He flapped his arms in frustration. "They're just... monkeys grubbing in the dirt. They just don't see. They need that spark of magic. They need dreams to fuel their imaginations. Yes, even nightmares! The horror and pathos that can forge the human soul into something strong and magnificent." He stopped and sighed deeply.

"All I'm saying is," he gestured upward; "this tree does not have to burn. This tree does not have to die. It may shed its leaves and become dormant, but..." He lifted the black leaf before his eyes. "It can become green again in the spring." He willed the leaf to turn green. A magical, fresh spring green. He willed it with all his hearts.

But Time Lords don't have magic.

"Well," the Doctor said meekly. "You'll do what you feel is best." He let the blackened leaf fall from his hand. Head down, he stepped from the dais and headed back towards the TARDIS.

===#===

End Notes:

Oh, well... I didn't say his meddling would accomplish anything, did I? ;P