Macabre

Chapter 14: Grasped

A/N: Yes, and update! FINALLY!

Thank you to yotsuya21 for all of your mad reviews and etcetera (ILOVEYOU) and all of the rest of you awesome people that faved and stuff. I think I've given you all a nice chapter to make up for the wait. How are we all finding the new series?

Sophia, surprisingly, had not left the Sunset Lounge, or at least if she had, she had returned by the time the Doctor, Amy, Ziggy and Emily got back. She seemed more prepared for the Doctor this time around, and as they all entered the room she fixed him with a steely glare.

'Why did you infect Amy?' the Doctor questioned, ager tinting his calm tone.

Her expression didn't change or falter as she replied. 'I don't see why it matters if I did.'

'It matters, Sophia, more than you could ever imagine. All of these people'-he gestured at the three people with him-'used to belong to a species so wonderful. And you've changed them into something that they're confused about, something they don't know about. It's a terrifying experience. You've taken all that they now by just one injection.'

Sophia shrugged, and Ziggy growled before Emily nudged him and he looked at the floor, blushing.

'Why did you do it?' Ziggy muttered, not daring to look up.

Sophia sighed and rolled her eyes before saying anything. 'This planet, my home planet, is losing its dignity, its roots. A long time ago, everyone in Coval was like you.' She turned to look at Ziggy, Emily and Amy. 'But too many humans decided to come here. You have tainted our way of life.' She said it as if it was simple, obvious.

'How?' Amy exclaimed, angry.

'Coval doesn't need humans here!' Sophia spat viciously. 'How would you feel if another species, however similar to your own, decided to invade and start mixing with your people? Besides, humans do not understand us. They think they do, but they're wrong. They are too stupid to see that what they are doing is wrong.'

'But we're not harming you!' Amy argued. 'It's not like we've been trying to take over, or repopulate this planet with our own species!'

Sophia smirked then, the expression forming slowly as she looked Amy up and down. 'As I said, you don't see what you're doing is wrong. Although now you've been changed, you won't be a problem anymore.'

'So you're doing this to do what? Restore your ancient bloodline?' the Doctor asked, incredulous. 'Because if that is what you're doing, you're going about it the completely wrong way. You could just try asking them to leave. A polite discussion could always work.'

'I don't understand your problem with humans, anyway.' Emily said, intrigue evident in her gaze.

'You are all apes!' Sophia said loudly, frustrated. 'You don't stop to think about what you are doing, and you're all so wrapped up in your own petty fears and worries that you don't ever let yourself become free! You miss the blindingly obvious! You fail to grasp even the most basic things in life, and you waste your time focusing on one or two things, instead of seeing everything!'

The Doctor replied softly and slowly, sincerity in his eyes. 'But they have hopes and dreams. They want to live life to its fullest, even if it means sacrificing something or fighting through problems to get where they want to be. They have the greatest sense of realism when it comes down to it. They understand that life isn't all about pleasure, it's about discovery.'

Sophia looked him up and down. 'Life to us is about pleasure and the fine things. We don't need humans here telling us that we should be unhappy.'

With that, she stormed out of the room.

The group didn't move, all four of them standing in shock and disbelief. The Doctor wore a grim expression, and for once it seemed like there was no action plan.

That was when Amy fainted.

-DW=3-

'Amy? Amy, are you okay?'

The world around her slowly faded into view and she felt exhausted as she regained her consciousness. 'What…' she mumbled quietly. 'What happened?' She relaxed a little as she realised that they were in the console room of the TARDIS. Emily was crouched near her with the Doctor. Ziggy was nowhere to be seen.

'Here,' Emily said softly, holding out a box, 'try to eat one of these.'

Amy looked down to register what she was being offered. It was a box of ostregines, pink and almost glowing in her eyes. She took one gingerly and bit into it, then moaned gratefully as the taste hit her tongue and immediately made her feel well again.

'Why did I faint?' she asked, after eating the fruit.

'I think it was due to lack of blood,' the Doctor said, sounding distracted as he stared at her in concern. 'Although why you didn't react like Ziggy did before is beyond me.'

Amy was saddened by the sheer reality of her situation. She had previously tried to pretend that it wasn't real, that she was still human, but now here chances of that even being true were gone. She reached out and took another ostregine, still not feeling one hundred percent.

'I think…' she started, thinking, 'I think I didn't react the same way because I didn't want to. I didn't want the…blood. Or something.' She looked nervously at the Doctor, and then quickly away again, remembering the strange pang of want she had experienced before. How could she have wanted to drink from him?

'Oh, Pond,' he said quietly, ruffling her hair, 'you care far too much.'

Emily stood up. 'I'm going to retrieve Ziggy from the library, if I can find it.'

'Oh, make sure you don't fall into the pool!' the Doctor called after her as she left, turning back to Amy as soon as she was gone. 'Amy. It's okay to be scared.'

She looked up at him reluctantly, eyes wide and sincere. 'I know. I'm not that scared…just upset. Worried. I don't know.'

'I'm trying to understand. In fact, I think I do. So, in all seriousness, I need you to remember that…that…' He looked lost, and Amy felt tears well up in her eyes. If he was confused, what was she going to do?

Noticing her despair, the Doctor put his hand under her chin and tilted her head up. 'I need you to remember that I love you.'

Amy was so overcome with happiness, plus all of the other emotions she had been through that she began to cry. The Doctor pressed his forehead to hers and let go of her face to hold her hand tightly, as he began to weep softly too. 'But what if I…' Amy started feebly, uncertain. 'What if I can't-'

'Amy. I love you, and I always will,' the Doctor replied, eyes shut against the tears he was trying to hold in. Now that the words were out he couldn't stop saying them. 'I'll be here. I love you.'

'I love you, too.' Amy whispered.

'I know,' the Doctor said before kissing her softly on the lips. 'We'll be fine, trust me.'

Amy smiled slightly. 'Fish custard,' she murmured, and he laughed.

'Yes, fish custard.'

'Okay…'

Ziggy's voice broke through the intense bundle of emotion, and the pair looked up. The Doctor stood up and grinned, dragging his sleeve over his eyes. 'Ziggy!'

Ziggy still looked confused and concerned. 'I don't know what I just walked in on; I mean…what's fish custard?'

Emily ran into the room and stood next to Ziggy. 'Ziggy,' she scolded playfully, tapping the back of his head, 'be quiet.'

He frowned at her. 'Yes, mum!' he said sarcastically, receiving another tap on the head.

'So what's the plan for tomorrow?' Amy asked, rising slowly and eating another ostregine.

The Doctor's expression suddenly morphed into one of dark seriousness. 'Tomorrow, we find out what's actually going on with Sophia and the blood infections. I think that she might be planning something bigger than I originally thought.'

Ziggy breathed in and out loudly. 'Wow,' he said, smiling nervously and excitedly. 'I'm getting shivers.'