We're back to running again, down corridor after corridor, twisting around corners and diving down stairs only to climb another set seconds later. Never once stopping. All the while the Doctor never drops my hand nor lets me fall behind, even going so far as supporting my weight when I trip over my own feet.
...which I do a couple times.
We race around a corner and I'm nearly blinded by the sudden wave of brilliant orange stained light filtering through the large tunnel like windows of a connecting bridge. I only have time for a quick glance, seeing the two towers we're in between and the vast cityscape I had admired earlier.
Along with a low hanging sun.
Its beautiful…
but as in older times, it also marks our clock.
And time is quickly running out.
Running without stop, right through the tunnel and into the middle of the round room beyond, back through another tunnel bridge on the other side. At the end of it the Doctor drops my hand, pushing me into River as he waves the rest through.
I look up at him in question, breathing too hard to ask why he's stopped.
"Professor, take Faith and go ahead. Find a safe spot." He then points sternly at me "You stay with her."
"It's a carnivorous swarm in a suit. You can't reason with it!" River snaps at him with incredulous impatience.
The Doctor isn't gonna listen.
"Five minutes." He quickly negotiates.
River huffs a breath, "Other Dave, stay with him. Pull him out when he's too stupid to live. Two minutes, Doctor." I look over to Dave and notice something the others apparently don't. she turns to me, snapping my attention back, her hand landing on my shoulder "Faith, stay right behind me."
I give her a hesitant nod and she runs off with me behind her...
only for me to slow to a stop and turn back.
Dave has two shadows...
I run back to the bridge, and stand a little bit behind Other Dave, keeping an eye on his double shadows.
"These... are...our... forests." The other suit speaks and goosebumps prickle down my arms.
"You're not in a forest, you're in a library." The Doctor starts to explain like he's talking to a child "There are no trees in a-" he pauses a second as it hits him "...library."
The second shadow disappears and Other Dave jerks violently. The shadows eating him alive. I use the distraction to run to the Doctor's side jumping the spot where the second shadow was. Not even wanting to touch the empty space where it was.
This was a very very Very bad idea.
Why am I running towards the danger? The Doctor turns out fine! Why the heck am I here instead of in relative safety with River!?
Answer; I'm an Idiot.
"We should go. Doctor!"
"Books. You came in the books. Microspores in a million, million books..."
I dash to his side, using his arm to pull myself to a stop, he's looking out the window but slowly brings his gaze back to me.
"Wha-"
"Sorry, I didn't listen. I saw Dave had two shadows and came back." I try and explain as fast as I can.
"We should go. Doctor!"
He looks behind us at the slowly approaching suit at the other end of the hall.
He cringes "Oh. Oh, Dave, I'm so sorry." Then turns to me waving a hand at the space around us, speaking a mile a minute "and you! I should've known by now that you wouldn't listen. Even young— Faith, Look; The forests of the Vashta Nerada, pulped and printed and bound. A million, million books, hatching shadows." Then he leans down and whispers "-How's your upper body strength?"
The question at the end catches me by surprise and I blink several times like a deer in headlights, he winds his arm around my back to rest his hand casually on my arm. it does not help me think.
Using this grip, the Doctor has us backing away from first Dave who's now slowly advancing along with the one behind us. I happen to notice that one when glancing around for an answer to the Doctor's question.
Both saying their separate phrases is not helping me think either.
after several failed stuttering incomprehensible word mashes—"cwouldit ountit—" face burning, I finally slow down and enunciate. "Ugh! Stupid tongue! I wouldn't count on it. I'm not as good as I was when I was in gymnastics."
"Right." The Doctor nods once, his hand trailing up my arm to around my shoulders and continuing to move us both backwards. Murmuring into my ear, "in a minute I'm gonna need you to hold onto me as tightly as you can."
He can't mean that, right??
"What?" I squeak in a whisper, taking another step back.
"Hey, who turned out the lights?" The two take one forward, both now equally apart from us and closing in.
"Be ready." He whispers turning me around by my shoulders to face him.
"Wait-Wait!" I stammer, what the heck is he planning??
Either way I move my arms around his waist, my head at the crook of his neck, feeling his two hearts hammering away against my own.
And isn't that weird. The vibrations of two hearts in an alien being who shouldn't exist— and you'd think I'd be over this already— I really shouldn't be thinking about this now.
"We should go. Doctor!" I hear the clunk of the space suit's boots only a step or two away from us now and scrunch my eyes closed, hugging a little tighter. Feeling a comforting pat on my back.
"Thing about me, I'm stupid. I talk too much. Ask Faith. She knows. -Or will know at least. Always babbling on." As he talks he moves my arms around his neck picking me up in the process, causing me to squawk— but he just talks over me, the vibrations of his voice reverberating through me. "This gob doesn't stop for anything. Except her. Weell, Sometimes. on the rare occasion. Want to know the only reason I'm still alive?" I don't know when but he's pulled out his Sonic, aiming it at the floor beneath us.
"Doctor...!" I start in a warming tone as I see the slight difference in the panel we're standing on.
He can't. He wouldn't.
He ignores me. "Always stay near the door." With that his screwdriver warbles and we drop.
For a heart plummeting second I think we'll just keep falling. An involuntary scream ripping from my throat. With another gut wrenching lurch we stop, and I hold on for dear life as we jerk back. Swinging and feet dangling in the open air.
"You can't carry us both! I'm too heavy! I'll weigh you down!" I shout in protest over the cold rushing wind and the pounding of my heart in my own ears
"Oune urry oud id" the Doctor grunts around the Sonic now in his mouth. Somehow moving one hand in front of the other on the supporting strut he, and by extension I, am hanging from. How the heck is he doing that?? He should not be able to hang like that with my extra weight! It's not humanly possib— oh. Right. Alien. Time Lord. Yeah.
-Changing subjects; I give him an incredulous look, eyebrows raised high -Not that he sees since he's concentrating on his hands and the direction we're heading in "How the heck did you get that in your mouth?! You had barely a second to catch the ledge let alone move your screwdriver to your mouth!!"
"Oune urry oud da eevr!" He garbles again giving me a 'I'm a little busy here!' Roll of his eyes.
His next grip forward jerks us with a particularly rough swing and I grip onto him a little tighter.
Waiting the eternity it takes for us to get to the end.
That is, after I make the mistake of looking around... and then looking down.
The ground is miles and miles down with nothing in between… us… and… oh gosh we are high up! Bad bad bad idea.
After that I don't look down again.
just concentrate on breathing...
Or on how beautiful the scenery is ...Or not that one. Too easy to look at the ground again.
Eyes trailing up to the Doctor's features, I admire his looks for a couple seconds, from the tilt of his nose to how the light turns his brown eyes into a dark honey gold. How would I paint him? What lines would I emphasize? His eyes are beautiful, though his nose and mouth are interesting in a unique way— and I drop my eyes to his shoulder. I'm being a creep— an artist creep but a creep nonetheless.
Oh hey, look at the stitching on the Doctor's coat. How cool. You can see each individual thread.
Yes, I'm still being a little nerd about all of this being real and that I'm actually here. I shouldn't be able to see all these tiny little details.
It's wrong and weird.
Just like the idea of someone not being human. I've been around humans all my life and now I'm suddenly faced with a man that I know for a fact is not human. That's a lot to take in.
Aaaand that's basically how I spend the rest of the ride; not looking at the ground, ignoring how high we are, trying to subtly adjust my fatiguing arms, and ignoring the fact that I'm pressed against the Doctor, an alien, who happens to currently look like a younger David Tennant, dangling miles above the ground.
Yeaaah. Might erase that last one from my memory so I don't become a blushing mess.
But he's a 900 and something old alien— and I don't even really know him— so no.
I can't like him. He has River. Had Rose. I am not doing that to myself. I won't be another Martha. Heck, I've never even been 'in love' so no problem! 19 and never been kissed. Plus he looks years older then me. And did I mention he's alien?
I do not like him. Can't like him. Will never like him.
All I've got is a tv crush/hero worship which I plan to abolish now that he's real and in front of me.
So, Nope. No no no! Don't think about that and don't go there. Stupid brain and stupid hormones! Just no. I am human and going to wilt and die and he will leave me someplace after this just like he leaves all the others.
That's just how it is.
That's how it always is.
He'll drop me off somewhere on that other earth, and I'll never see him again after this adventure.
Just how it should be.
Slowly the light fades away after what feels like hours of hanging there swinging in the wind. Some lights automatically flickering to life.
When the Doctor finally jumps down onto a balcony, he doesn't give me any warning whatsoever, jumping down and sending me into a momentary panic attack.
Like that feeling when you go for a step on the stairs but your foot doesn't touch anything and you're sure your life is over. Yaaay. Falling is fun kidz! Or not.
Once on solid ground again, he gently lowers me to the floor. My legs feeling like jello as I stumble into his side "woah! Easy does it. There you go. I got you."
"sorry, thank you." he supports me as I try to keep my legs from buckling. Myself laughing nervously and muttering apologies, "I-I think I'm fine now, so you can let go." I Pull away with a flush to stand on my own, slightly breathless— definitely from the adrenaline.
Pretending like I totally didn't just panic death grip him as I catch my breath. Shaking out my aching arms and Flexing my hands to try and get some circulation running back through them.
I'm apparently unable to make myself look like a competent adult human being in front of him.
Then again I might as well be a toddler next to him.
"There! That wasn't so bad." The Doctor huffs, stretching his own arms and sounding a little out of breath himself. Not that I'm surprised with what he just accomplished.
A slightly hysterical giggle bubbles from my mouth at his comment "speak for yourself, I totally thought I was gonna fall." I joke in a light manner.
The Doctor responds in mock offense, one hand in the middle of his chest "and here I thought you said you trusted me with your life!"
We speak like we're joking friends, but the actual words hold such a different story. Both of us are testing the waters, seeing how the other will respond.
"Oh no, I do. It's not you I don't trust. It's my stamina and ability to hold on that I don't trust" I continue with the light bantering tone. Not paying any mind to how my legs still feel like jelly underneath me.
"Nah! Bit of endorphins, wave of adrenaline running through your system, I bet you could've held on all night if you needed to." He waves off, taking out his sonic and starting towards a window
I laugh again, shaking my head and following behind him "Well, let's not put that to the test anytime soon. I'm not very found of heights when it's me that's dangling over the edge."
He grins back at me, but his eyes aren't seeing me, but someplace far away. I wonder what memories he's looking at...
The window clicks open and he enters first. Holding the window open for me and giving my a hand for the jump down.
…Which is good because my legs nearly buckle underneath me when I hit the floor. Again he wordlessly supports me till I can stand on my own, lightly putting a hand on my lower back and another on my upper arm.
Something I'm not entirely comfortable with.
It makes me wonder how he's so comfortable being all touchy feel-y.
Then again he's been around a lot of people. Maybe he's like this with everyone and I just didn't notice on the show?
Once inside we quiet down. Echoing voices drift through the space within; the Doctor brings a finger to his lips and I nod back. we walk down the long hallways, eventually coming to the room that the sound is coming from. Though he stops me from entering said room when I start to head for it.
I give him an unimpressed look but stay by his side to eavesdrop regardless.
What can I say? I'm curious to see what's changed with the dialogue.
... that and you learn a lot from eavesdropping. Sometimes more then you do by talking to a person outright.
…And I could really use some answers right about now. even if it's 'against the rules'.
Then again, with my current luck I'll probably just get more questions.
This is seriously like starting a new tv series with someone but they're already halfway through and they won't explain anything to you because you have to 'find out for yourself'. Honestly it's so frustrating!
Heh. Kinda ironic analogy though, now that I think about it.
"...You know when you see a photograph of someone you know, but it's from years before you knew them. and it's like, they're... not quite finished. They're not done yet. Well, yes, the Doctor and Faith are here. They came when I called, just like they always do. But not my Doctor, or his Faith. Now my Doctor, I've seen whole armies turn and run away. And he'd just swagger off back to his Tardis and open the doors with a snap of his fingers...And then there's Faith. Always looking after everyone and somehow always knowing what's going on when things get really bad. In that aspect she's completely the same. Just... not... not quite Right. This Faith hasn't experienced anything yet. This Faith hasn't seen the universe and all it's beauty and darkness. She's so timid and scared and unsure of herself. Not like my Faith... brave, strong, unbelievably stubborn and always throwing herself headfirst into danger. She tries to help everyone but always forgets about herself. Heh, drives me mad sometimes, but I love both of them. " She sighs here, "Oh the adventures we go on...The Doctor and Faith in the Tardis. Next stop, everywhere."
The Doctor startles me when he takes my hand. Leading us to the stairs. I'm actually surprised that he waited that long.
"Spoilers." The ladies turn around to us, "Nobody can open a Tardis by snapping their fingers. Doesn't work like that."
"Have you tried?" I mumble skeptically. Earning a subtle jab from his elbow, making me pout. Jeez! He didn't have to do that.
They look up at us as we descend from the upper level. I duck my head sheepishly as we approach "Sorry..." - for eavesdropping, for being useless, for being in the way, for not being your Faith, for—
"She opens that way for the Doctor." River states stubbornly. Ignoring my apology. Maybe she didn't hear me. Oh well.
"I am the Doctor." He resolutely replies
They sound so petulant. My goodness, My little brother and sister behave better!
Most of the time anyway.
Welp. Let's do what I'd do with them and play peace-maker.
Stepping between the two feels like getting between a tiger and a dragon; not a position you want to ever be in.
Putting a hopefully placating hand on the Doctor's arm, at the same time giving River an admonishing stare "yes, you are the Doctor, it'll just take time to become the man that's 'her Doctor'" I glance to the side, at all of the books "just like it'll take time for me to become the person you both know." Back again, meeting their eyes "and sorry about that by the way." They look confused so I explain a bit "I'm not her yet. Sorry. She'd probably be a lot more useful here then I am." I give a crooked half smile and a shrug with the meaning of 'that's just how it is'
"Faith-" I don't let him finish raising my voice above his,
"I can see it in your face. You both want 'your' Faith here just as much as River wants 'her' Doctor here." I snap, waving my arms to indicate the three of us "I'm sorry I'm not her, but I'm not," I tell them both, then turn to River,
"this Doctor is here right now and he is doing his best," back to the Doctor again, "and River is a wonderful person who can absolutely be trusted." A glare aimed at the both of them, Honestly I'm Completely done with their angry sniping.
"so stop poking each other and at least try to work together! You're acting worse then my siblings!" crossing my arms, I feel like stomping my foot too, but don't.
It's hard to tell how that effected them with their masks in place, but man, they were just being so frustrating!
I'll probably feel guilty about yelling later, but right now I needed that. That really helped me release some of my pent up steam.
Going around the two I walk up to Anita "Sorry you had to see that. Are you doing ok?"
"Where's other Dave?" River asks behind me. I don't answer immediately. How do you say that someone is dead?
"Not coming. Sorry." The Doctor is the one to respond. Apparently that's how to do it. Short and brief and not actually saying the words that you mean.
"Well, if they've taken him, why haven't they gotten me yet?" Anita asks from inside her suit
"I don't know. Maybe tinting your visor's making a difference?" The Doctor suggests
"It's making a difference all right." Anita replies sarcastically "No one's ever going to see my face again."
I take a deep breath, "but you are alive right here and now. Let's be grateful for that at the very least."
"Yeah, well 'here and now' might not last too much longer. an old age would be nice you know. Hey Doctor, anything you can do?" Maybe I shouldn't have said anything...
"I'm all over it." He says lowly voice right behind me. Startling me, I hadn't realized he'd stepped over to my side.
He starts to turn away when Anita calls him back "Doctor... When we first met you...you didn't trust Professor Song. And then she whispered a word in your ear, and you did. My life so far...I could do with a word like that. What did she say?"
He doesn't answer. Even if he did, it's not a word that will help her.
scoffing out a breathy laugh a few seconds later, Anita continues "Give a dead girl a break. Your secrets are safe with me." She jokes
"Safe..." He murmurs I'm standing next to him and I hardly hear.
"What?" Apparently Anita is in the same boat as me-
"Safe. You don't say saved. Nobody says saved. You say safe..." he continues murmuring before snapping "The data fragment! What did it say?"
"Four thousand and twenty two people saved. No survivors." Lux recites
"Doctor?" River doesn't get it, not yet anyway.
"Nobody says saved. Nutters say saved—
Wait, what?
I scrunch my eyebrows raising a pointer finger "I say both. Can't you say both?"
"Well ok then," he shrugs, starting to pace again "Faith says both but she's dyslexic and homeschooled— never finished her eighth grade language arts book and has horrible spelling when shes tired or isn't focusing so—"
"Oi! Just because I didn't finish it, doesn't mean I didn't research grammar and spelling in my own time! " I yell indignantly, going for a kick to the back of his calf, but he dodges. Darn Time Lord reflexes.
"Oh no you don't! Got caught by that enough-"
spinning around to face me, he slaps his hands down on my shoulders giving me a shake "—that's not the point though Faith! Don't you see?? It didn't mean safe. It meant, it literally meant, saved!" He shares excitedly, energy rolling off him and eyes sparkling brightly. A large smile spreads across my face as I bounce in place. It's infectious!
"Like Evangelista!" I grin
He laughs picking me up and spinning in a circle, causing me to give a startled laugh too "Like with Evangelista!"
——————————————————-
The Doctor rushes over to a computer, typing in who knows what. I start to follow, my foot snagging on something and I stumble a step forward.
Looking back, there's a thick volume of the same exact book I've been reading in the evenings back at Home Base. Just lying there all innocently.
Why the heck is this here?
It's the book from the dimensional backpack. The one on advanced computers, other technology and how to operate them, and or make them from scratch. Yeah. It's as confusing as it sounds.
I glance at the others but the Doctor's still typing away. That's been happening a lot with this; things taking longer then they did on tv. It's not just three taps and we're in, or that the thing we need is just in the next room, it all takes more time. Guess it makes sense if you think about it though. This is real life.
Turning my attention back to the book, my face falling into a confused frown. Although I probably shouldn't— what with the man eating Veshta Narada running around... I bend down and pick up the book.
Yep. Just as heavy at the last time I lugged the thing up.
Dusting it off, I flip to the page I was last at. It's a complex diagram of how to safely connect a living mind into a computer and still be able to pull it out again when needed. The previous pages are on data, wiring, and hardware maintenance for 51st century technology.
Honestly I think the only reason I understand any of it is because the book has simplified explanations and plenty of pictures, and even then it's hard to figure out.
I start reading to pass the time while I wait, getting through three more pages before quickly glancing up at the others again; finding The Doctor explaining what Cal did. Saving them all to the hard drive.
I remember round-about what that's about so it's ok to get distracted.
What does the C in Cal stand for again? Caroline? Catherine? Charlotte? It was some longer C name...
dang it. Guess I'll have to wait for Lux to open up about that.
There's a crash and I glance up to see the Doctor writing on the table, probably giving a visual on the planet center hard drive. As I look back to the book, the corner of my eyes catches something by my feet that wasn't there before.
I slowly close my book, holding it under my arm as I stare in horror at the thin shadow running along the floor from Anita's second shadow and attaching itself to my own.
I swallow hard. Eyes prickling, but I'm not going to cry again. I may have two shadows, I may be as good as dead now, but I'm not going to cry. I've done my best here. It doesn't matter if I die here. No one will remember me. No one will hurt from my loss.
Maybe the Veshta Narada will take me instead of Anita. That would be good. At least then maybe one person here that was supposed to die won't.
Ugh!! Never mind all that! To hell if I'm just going to go laying down!
While the others are all distracted I crouch down close to the shadow squaring my jaw and hissing in an angry whisper
"I don't care that this is your forest"
—Lie
"and I don't care if you eat me!"
—Lie
"but you better not mess with these people. —I don't even care if you understand me right now."
—Lie
"And leave Anita alone!"
That's when I hear something. Not out loud but in my mind. Not using words but forming such a clear picture in its primal, predatory manner that it might as well be spoken in English... Fear like cold ice in my soul.
Why?
Why should we care?
These are our forests,
Our trees,
our meat.
Why shouldn't we kill both her and you?
Why shouldn't we kill you right now?
We are hungry for your meat.
Taking in a stuttering breath—I'd stopped breathing— I try to get my voice to work, finally finding it in a raspy, stuttering mess. It's so hard to speak, like there's a clamp on my throat.
"I-I have just..just lost everything I care about and, and been sucked through a dimen- dimensional rift." I really have been spouting that phrase too much. 'Lost everything' I'll have to stop that. It sounds too pitiful and stupid. Plenty of people in this universe have suffered far far worse. I blame the terror, shock and adrenaline for turning me into an idiot.
"And I- I'll bet- I'll bet you that that means I'm covered- covered in radiation. H-heck, it it might even be mutating my genetic struc-structure right now!"
—Maybe I'm turning into monster now.
"Eating me could- could infect you... infect you with a plague that wipes out all of your-your kind on this planet for, for all we know. so think very very carefully on whether you want to, want to do this or not because... because if I'm going down then I may take you with me." I don't want to hurt others. It's not their fault. They're following instinct. "And if I don't; then-then the Doctor and River Song probably will." I take a deep breath, finally calming my voice and nerves "but, if you're going to take one of the two of us, take me. Not Anita. She's got family and friends and colleagues. Don't touch her. Please."
With that I stand back up. Feeling no response form the 'voice' I could faintly feel it churning now that my attention's been drawn to it. Just on the edge of my consciousness like an itch that leaves an uncomfortable anxious feeling in my stomach.
How the heck did the Vashta Narada do that?? They never mention something like that happening on the show, do they??
Walking a few steps closer, I just catch the last of the Doctor's explanation as I tune back in, trying to act casual. "—computer saved four thousand and twenty two people the only way a computer can. It saved them to the hard drive."
Might as well. We'll end up there eventually anyway.. "So we need to get down there after all; to beam them out of here, right?"
An alarm starts blaring as if reacting to my question. The lights flashing a menacing shade of red.
"What's wrong??" Lux asks as the three run back to the computer to see a count down start up. The computerized voice bleeping out "auto-destruct enabled in- twenty minutes-."
I throw up my arms up in exasperation rolling my eyes "well if we didn't need to go down there before then we do now! Who even puts a self destruct switch in a library planet! That's the stupidest design flaw ever!!"
"Yeah, just a bit. Security measure in case something goes very wrong. Pretty helpful at times—not now though." The Doctor quips back as he examines the computer. Probably better at the moment that he doesn't look over at me.
"What's maximum erasure?" River asks, all three still eyeing the screen
"That In twenty minutes, this planet's going to crack like an egg." The Doctor explains tensely.
"No. No, it's all right. The Doctor Moon will stop it. It's programmed to protect Cal." Lux says more calmly then the other two.
"And what if it's Cal who's having the existential crisis here? In the end she's the one who has all the control. And right now I bet she's got a horrible headache." I eye him carefully in slight exasperation. "And what do children want when they are hurting and scared and don't know what to do?"
That question hangs in the air for a second. "They want everything to stop, everyone to leave them alone and someone to save them and take away whatever is causing them pain."
My heart aches at that thought; not just in the metaphorical sense but physically.
That's how I'm feeling a little bit right now. Wanting to curl up in my mom's arms like I did as a kid. Not that she'll be able to help really. I'm not that naive.
The screen blacks out and the Doctor shouts out a string of ' No no no!!'s everyone turning back to the problem at hand as he jumps up behind the computer, trying to Sonic it.
The speakers overhead blaring on "All library systems are permanently offline. Sorry for any inconvenience. Shortly—"
"We need to stop this! We've got to save Cal!" Lux exclaims over the broadcast seeming to only now realize that there's a big problem here.
"Cal, what is Cal? Why's Faith keep talking about the little girl?" He asks, glancing about the group before resting his gaze on Lux.
I shrug, not actually answering his questions "As I said; we need to get to the main computer... right mister Lux?"
He deliberates, glowering suspiciously at me before finally coming to a decision and turning to the Doctor. "She's right. We need to get to the main computer. But I want an explanation on how she knows all this later. It's not... natural." He finishes with a scowl in my direction, and I eye him warily in return.
Maybe I shouldn't have spoken up? I mean, they would've gone down there anyway, right?
"Nah, that's just Faith for you. Just think of her as slightly psychic. Eeeh, Bit different from that but easiest way of explaining it." The Doctor waves off walking in between us two, grabbing my hand and giving it a light squeeze.
I blink up at him in surprise, he winks back when he catches me staring at him and I quickly avert my gaze to the ground, feeling my cheeks heat up as I bite my lip. My mouth still managing to up pull up into a smile. "C'mon then you lot! 20 minutes till the world ends. Plenty of time to put things right. Weeell, sort of. weell, not really but I'm working on it. So how do we get down there? It's at the core of the planet."
———————————————
"Well then." River gets the other's attention, giving the Doctor a smirk, "Lets get going, shall we?"
As she marches off everyone follows, Faith's hand slipping from the Doctor's as she lags behind at the back, not only to make sure that her shadow doesn't infect anyone else, (she was lucky that the Doctor didn't just get infected) but also because her head feels like it's full of cotton... cotton that makes her temples ache. It's been feeling like that for awhile now, and her stomach feels upset too. Hopefully it's just the after effects of her crying and adrenaline rush.
She really doesn't want to be sick, but the symptoms she's feeling are making it hard to keep pushing the possibility away.
This is turning out to be a bad day. Or, well, a bad moment in an overall Ok day.
She really hates getting sick.
Following behind the others she pushes through her body's general discomfort and protests, because what else can she do in this situation? Nothing really, so she might as well just deal with it.
She heaves her book into a more comfortable position under her arm, quickly catching up with the others.
When she turns the corner for another large room she finds the other four already next to... something on the middle of the room, something with a blue pulsing magical light "oh wow!"
Both the Doctor and River turn at the exclamation, smiles lighting up their faces, watching Faith stride over with a look of wonder on her face. Her eyes never leaving the Gravity Platform as she circles around it and then hesitantly runs her fingers through the light. Lux meanwhile just rolls his eyes at the childish, unprofessional behavior.
After a few more seconds, the Doctor strides up to her. As much as he would love to continue watching her, they are in a time crunch. "Alright that's enough gawking around," He grabs her shoulders, guiding her onto the lift, as the other three join them, "we're on a tight schedule remember? End of the world ringing any bells? You'll be seeing plenty more of this sort of thing —and really there's much more interesting things then a lift."
It's a tight fit, but they all manage to squeeze onto the platform. Faith in between the Doctor and River... not seeing how throughout the whole adventure they've been squabbling nonverbally over her behind her back.
"Yeah but still, the light effects are so cool!" Faith gushes, not noticing their close proximity, and trying to convince herself that she actually has some energy left. jumping up and down slightly to see if the platform will bounce or shake or anything, which it doesn't, seeing as it is made to withstand much more weight and has superior engineering on its side.
Forgetting about River for a second, The Doctor watches her with a fond smile, Faith always does seem to find joy in the strangest of things... though far sooner then he expects, she calms down, rubbing her hands over her face tiredly. "You alright?"
"Hmm? M' fine." She puts on a smile… but the other two know her well enough to know that it's a fake by how it doesn't reach her tired eyes, and how it drops down seconds later.
"You sure darling?" River tries this time. Putting a hand on Faith's shoulder— much to the Doctor's annoyance.
She nods, smiling again, "mm yeah. I'm fine. Just... thinking." And she is. About Evangelista, both of the Daves, and Anita. She wasn't able to save any of them. Not really. Maybe Anita will be alright but the probability of that happening is slim…
And now River's death is fast approaching. She doesn't even have a proper plan. Just an idea but it could potentially backfire horribly.
She looks down at the book still tucked under her arm. Is it worth trying? She'll only have one shot at it and all the others still died anyway... Though to be honest she didn't try very hard to prevent them. She was a coward with Evangelista. As for the others, She didn't even remember they were supposed to die until it was already too late.
She is useless and their deaths are on her head. How could she get excited about a stupid elevator with all these people dying around her? She deserves whatever sickness she's caught.
"What about?"
"Oh. Um—" she pulls a random subject out of her head— "How does this thing work? Is it manipulating gravity somehow?"
"that's one way of putting it. Yup." The Doctor pops the P "that's why your ears aren't popping with the change in pressure as we head down. The platform not only uses— well in your terms— it has a different name by now—, 'gravity manipulation' for its own momentum but also creates a pressure bubble around its vicinity so the occupants— us in this case, don't have any trouble with the sudden shift in air mass since we're going down so far so fast. Pretty basic tech for the fifty first century."
"Oh. Interesting." Faith nods dazedly, letting the information wash over her, "Thanks for sharing."
That brings a grin to his face, Faith is one of the only companions who thanks him for his explanations.
"Better watch out Faith or his ego might just double in size." River teases, causing the Doctor to pout and Faith to tilt her head to the side
"But it was interesting. I was wondering when those lazy butt scientists would release something gravity related." The Doctor nearly chokes on a laugh- "sure took them long enough to release it to the general public."
River raises an amused eyebrow "oh? You think they could've done it sooner?
Faith shrugs back "they should've had it out by 2010."
She scrunches up her nose, "I wanted a hover board."
The other two snort. Lux giving them an odd look. "We've had gravity manipulation for centuries now. You're talking as if you're not from this time."
Lux gets ignored, the lift just reaching the bottom.
a cold draft making Faith shiver slightly as she peers out at the blue lit metal hallways. vine-like cables and numerous electronic systems littering the space.
As they all step out the Doctor goes off on a tangent; "Maybe I'll take you and Donna to one of the factories once we're finished here, plenty of hover bits and bobs. Even have a robot dog that can hover. Ooo. I could get another one of those."
He then snaps back to business, as if someone flipped a switch, striding out and running off. He has work to do. There is no way he's letting the shadows have his Faith. "right. Now where's the main terminal?"
Lux points, and they all follow after the Time Lord as he dashes off. The Doctor looking up a moment later to see a glowing orange sphere of energy; the core.
"Wow..." He looks down at the soft spoken words, finding Faith beside him eyes marveling at the strange sight. she looks back at him just as the computer sounds. "Autodestruct in fifteen minutes."
Her expression immediately drops into a look of panic hands wringing around her mangled hair tie as she starts speed walking back off down the hallway, "Oooh dear ohdearohdearohdear Oh Dear."
His own face drops into a frown as he catches up with her, seeing her eyes practically swimming in her hysteria "Ohh, why did it have to be a countdown. I hate hate Hate countdowns!" She rambles
"Hey hey hey." He grabs her by her shoulders, pressing their foreheads together. Mentally sending her as many calm soothing feelings as he possibly can.
seeing as she's human and doesn't have a large psychic capacity just yet. She breaths out along with him as he uses the connection to get her breathing back to a normal pace. Relaxing slightly himself when her muscles loosen up and her mind calms.
"Just means we have to work fast. We'll all be fine, I promise— I'll take care of it so just relax ok? Deep breaths."
She nods, doing just that, "Sorry, I shouldn't've don't that. My dad always says panicking never helps a situation and I end up doing just that."
He nods, looking back up at the data core "smart man, it's good advice to follow."
She smiles and he can feel just how proud of him she is, before it turns to sorrow and longing "he is."
he quickly presses a kiss to her forehead, giving her hair a ruffle just as the others catch up to the two of them.
Taking her hand—not missing the surprised face Faith makes at what he just did, or the confusion on why she's feeling things that aren't 'her' feelings. He can still feel her swirling emotions through their joint hands.
Choosing to play innocent, he points for the others "The data core. Over four thousand living minds trapped inside it."
If her hands weren't already occupied with her book and the Doctor's hand, she's sure that one would be up rubbing at the spot he just kissed and the other strengthening her mussed up hair.
Unfortunately though, Faith can do neither at the moment.
"Yeah, well, they won't be living much longer. We're running out of time." River answer back ominously as he feels panic spike in Faith's mind once again. He pushes them faster, all the while continuing to send her warmth and comfort as they rush on.
The Doctor lets go of Faith as he dashes into a room and to computer alcove, typing faster then most humans would be able to manage.
That is before a young child's voice calls out, "Help me. Please, help me."