Martha stared horrorstruck at the Doctor's tearstained face and Ace's twisted, angry expression. She couldn't believe that the Ace she knew could be gone. She thought of Ace, of her fiery spirit and quick laugh, and of how devastated the Doctor was going to be, now that he'd lost her a second time. All at once, her eyes hardened with a fierce determination worthy of her absent friend. She pushed past the Doctor and grabbed Ace by both shoulders. The girl snapped at her with inch-long fangs.
Martha shook her. "You look at me, Ace," she said in a low, intense voice. Ace, startled, whined and tried to pull back. Martha shook her again, harder. "No. Look at me." Ace looked up at her reluctantly. Martha spoke urgently, making sure to keep eye contact. "This isn't you, Ace. I know you're still in there. You have to fight this thing. The Doctor- he needs you. You can't know how much happier he's been, now that you've come back, but I can, and I do. Besides, who else is going to watch his back? It's not just him who needs you, either.Where else could I find another human to talk to while we're out there in the hugeness of the universe? And I need someone to help me look after the Doctor. Lord knows he can't keep himself out of trouble." Ace didn't appear to be responding at all. Martha sighed. "Look. The Doctor - he can't lose you again. He wouldn't be able to stand it. I know how much you care about him. The Ace I know wouldn't leave him, wouldn't give in so easily like this, not without a huge fight. You can fight back, and win. Come on, Ace. Fight it."
Martha knew she'd done all she could. It was up to Ace now. She kept her gaze intent on Ace's face in the hopes of catching a flicker of something, anything, to show she'd heard and understood.
The Hunter was confused. The prey-that-was-not-prey was speaking strong words, spoken like another Hunter. The words did not make sense. The prey-that-was-not-prey called the Hunter an unfamiliar name. Ace. The Hunter was not Ace. The Hunter was the Hunter, and had always been- but wait. Things were coming up from within the Hunter's mind. Something was there, and was growing stronger with each passing moment. The Hunter saw strange images and heard strange sounds, but they were not seen with her eyes or heard with her ears. Her eyes still saw the prey-that-was-not-prey.
The Hunter searched for a name for the strange images, but could not find one. She examined them closely. They were all moving pictures of a little, dark-haired man or a tall light-haired man. She knew at once that they were the same man. The knowledge came from the part of her that was stirring. She did not know this part of her, but it was strong, and different, and it knew things. Suddenly she had a name for the moving images- memory. The memories were coming faster now, and the back-of-the-mind part of her was stronger than ever, and it wasn't just a feeling, it was another person.
Then she didn't know who she was, and she couldn't see and everything hurt, her head her arms her legs everything, and she didn't know which way was up and she was falling, swept away and lost in a sea of memories and pain, and nothing was real, and everything was black, and she didn't know anything. There was a voice, though, a faint voice that pierced the black curtain of pain and brought her up nearer to the surface, and she clung to the voice for dear life. She was fighting with herself now, and she felt that she'd done this before, except everything was reversed now. The other person in her head was definite now, and somehow it was also her, and she still didn't know what was real, except that voice, that familiar, comforting voice that the other her knew and loved and drew strength from.
Ace….Ace…..can you hear me? Ace…
After Martha finished speaking, the Doctor had eyes only for Ace, whose eyes in turn were focused on Martha's. For a few excruciatingly long moments, no one moved. Then he saw it- a thin thread of warm brown moving up from the cold depths of the yellow of Ace's eyes. He gasped, and dared to hope. Ace frowned faintly, and then cried out and stumbled back abruptly, wrenching her shoulders from Martha's grip. She fell to her knees and clutched her head tightly with hands that were wonderfully slim and human again. Her eyes were wide and staring, twin pools of warring brown and yellow. It was impossible to tell which was winning. Each moment the outcome appeared certain, and the next moment it changed again. The Doctor prayed silently that the brown would hold out.
Ace still cried out, the high, heartrending keen of an animal in pain. Slowly, it changed, becoming more human, less animal, but no less pained. The cry weakened and eventually trailed off altogether. For a split second, Ace's eyes flashed totally brown. In that moment, her eyes found his, and she whispered "Help me."
Instantly, the Doctor was at her side, Martha kneeling down a step behind him. He put his hands on either side of Ace's face and started talking to her quietly. "Ace…can you hear me? Ace? Nod if you can hear me."
Ace shuddered in his hands, and her eyes swirled from mostly yellow to mostly brown and back again. She started to nod hesitantly, then shook harder than ever. "It hurts," she whimpered.
The Doctor fought the urge to hug her, to hold her and never let go. But he couldn't grab her. The wild side of her would see it as a threat, and he'd lose her for sure. "I know," he told her. "I know." Ace's eyes looked over his shoulder, and he was confused for a moment, but then he realized why- she couldn't see. He moved his hands down to close around hers. He wanted to make sure she could feel him, and knew he was there. -ded down fromerson zI wold have seriously reconsidered Her fingers tightened convulsively around his.
"What's happening to her?" Ace's head whipped around at the sound of Martha's voice, apparently recognizing it. This was a very good sign.
The Doctor answered her tersely. "Two beings are trying to control one mind. Her body wasn't meant to handle that kind of stress." He addressed Ace again. "Ace, do you know who just spoke? Do you know who that was?" Ace shook her head, nodded, nodded again. Her whole body was wracked with uncontrollable shaking. "Who is she, Ace? Tell me! Who is she?"
The Doctor waited with bated breath for Ace's answer. Now they'd discover whether or not she could survive.
The Hunter- who wasn't really the Hunter, or might not be- heard the voices echoing in her head. One was the prey-that-was-not-prey. But that was not really who she was. She was….the Hunter could not remember. The other voice, the voice that made her think of warm arms and safety, sounded again. "Who is she?"
The Hunter could not grasp the name. Instead, a confused flurry of images and feelings came, all about the prey-that-was-not-prey. The Hunter tried to put a word to each picture/feeling. Talking was hard, but the warm voice made her want to try.
"Prey…not prey…" she gasped between each word, groaning as she forced words out through involuntarily clenched teeth. It hurt to speak! A flash of a concerned face, another feeling. "Helper…healer…doctor…not…the Doctor….assistant…leader… smart... comforter…aaargh…" she broke of as a fresh wave of pain swept over her. More images, more feelings, this time of long talks and laughter. "Companion… friend … sister …" she was getting close to a name here. "argh…M-Martha." she gasped again. "Martha Jones."
She heard a delighted cry, and the warm voice was triumphant. "Yes! Yes, this is Martha. Now, Ace, who is speaking to you? You know me. Who am I?" The voice was more urgent now. The Hunter concentrated, but it was hard. She was still caught between being the Hunter and being the one who knew Martha and the warm-voiced man. A flood of memories came this time, and the words came easier, though she paused often, her face screwed up and gasping for breath. The internal struggle was using more strength than she had.
The images came as fast as she could name them. "Annoying …manipulator…dark… mysterious… sly… compassionate…healer… quirky… affectionate…private…scared… helper…protector… fierce…fire…ice…Oncoming Storm…teacher…student…best mate…brother… uncle…father…" her words were a struggle now, as she strove to find the name she needed. "Savior …Doc-Doctor…" she had named him, but she wasn't done yet. There was one name she still needed. She searched for it…ah. There it was. "Professor. Professor." The warm voice- the Professor- laughed. "It's working, Martha," she heard him shout. "It's working!! One last question. The last one." His voice took on a strange new edge. "Tell me. Who are you?'
Ace was doing extremely well. The Doctor hadn't been sure if she was going to be able to come out of it, but she was fighting, and very close to winning. He had seen the wry half-smile that appeared on her face as she said 'annoying'-classic Ace. He had grinned, too. But this last question was the most important. After having gone so deep into herself, would Ace be able to reassert her own personality, to remember who she was?
The girl in question frowned now. She opened her mouth and closed it again, and then started speaking. "Hunter. Hunter…but not…no, not Hunter…" she trailed off. The Doctor held his breath. After a moment, she resumed her halting speech. "Stubborn… friendly…protector…shielder…friend…sister…niece…daughter…student…teacher… fighter…hunter…hunt…" She shuddered, fighting the alien in her. "hunter…sometimes. But not just hunter. I am…I am…." Every word was a huge struggle for her, the Doctor could see that. Clenching her jaw tightly, she clutched his hands even tighter. He squeezed back, hoping to give her strength. She took several deep breaths before forcing the last words out. "I am…Ace. I am Ace." As soon as she spoke, she slumped forward a little and her eyes half-closed. She had won. The Doctor knew it, and Martha knew it too, because she cheered and hugged the Doctor around the shoulders from behind.
Ace stirred and sat up slowly, obviously exhausted. She opened her eyes all the way, and they were her own deep brown. She broke into a huge smile, revealing even, regular human teeth. Releasing one of the Doctor's hands, she reached past him and pulled Martha down to her before letting go of the Doctor's other hand and hugging Martha hard. Martha and the Doctor were surprised at this- Ace didn't usually go for open displays of emotion, hugs and the like. Still, Martha hugged her back, grateful to be able to touch her without fearing a bite.
"Thank you," Ace said simply, "for not letting me go." She pulled back from the embrace, and Martha let her. Ace was still very shaken up. She almost couldn't believe she was back in control again. She knew she had Martha to thank. Remembering the awful exhilaration she had felt, how she'd reveled in her strength and her speed, she shuddered. The Doctor saw it and made a mental note to sit her down later and talk to her about everything that had happened in her head.
Martha smiled gently, and brushed a stray lock of hair from Ace's face. "You're welcome," she answered. "You'd have done the same for me, or the Doctor." At the mention of his name, Ace cringed a little and looked up at him guiltily.
"Professor, I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have-" he didn't let her finish. He met her gaze evenly, and couldn't help grinning- he'd been sure he wasn't going to see those beautiful brown eyes again. He mastered himself quickly, though, and his expression became serious. He placed a hand lightly on her cheek.
"Don't," he said, "feel sorry for something you think is right. Nothing that happened was your fault; in fact, you pretty much saved everyone." He hugged her, and she leaned into the warm circle of his arms. Putting his lips right next to her ear, he whispered "And that's my girl." Even though he couldn't see her face, somehow he felt Ace's smile.
Even so, her expression told him she was still unsure about something. He waited- she'd ask him in her own good time. "Professor," she began hesitantly. He smiled encouragingly. "Is it gone? I mean, I know it's not gone- I can feel it, sleeping, like. But… will it come back? Will it try to…to take over again?" He could see darkness in her eyes- harsh memories, and fear.
He hurried to reassure her. "No, Ace, I really don't think it will. You see, once you accepted it, as a part of you, it will probably be content to be a part of you." Ace looked blank. So did Martha, for that matter. He tried again. "It's like…it's like a hidden talent, sort of. Say you were an amazing artist, but you never drew anything so you never realized it. Then, one day, you picked up a sketch pad and discovered how well you drew. After that day, you'd know that the talent was there, but it wouldn't become active again until you called on it." He paused, trying to find a way to explain the last bit to Ace without frightening her. "The Cheetah part of you hasn't gone away, Ace, it's just… dormant. You should be able to control it now, though, and call it up when and if you want. Besides that, you'll most likely retain some of the changes you're body has gone through- you'll be able to hear, smell, and see far better than any regular human, for instance. Now," he added hastily, seeing Ace's worried face, "I don't know for sure if that'll happen, but there is a good chance." Then he grinned and tweaked her nose. "I'm sure you'll be able to put any new 'talents' to good use."
Ace looked thoughtful. "That might not be half bad, Professor. I mean, with the amount of trouble we seem to get ourselves into, superhuman senses will probably be really helpful." A smile crept across her face, alight with mischief. "And I bet I'll still be able to move like a cat. Nobody's gonna be able to hear me coming." The Doctor and Martha contemplated the idea of a near-silent Ace bent on pranks, and became very nervous.
Martha, who'd been waiting for a chance to intervene, cut in now. "You know, Ace, we should probably be getting back to the TARDIS now. It's getting late, and I need to change your bandages soon." Ace nodded, saying "That sounds great, Martha. I'm fair knackered anyway. I can't wait to get in bed tonight." She stood up with minimal difficulty, grabbed her rucksack, and set off down the street. She envisioned her warm bed in the TARDIS and a nice, cozy evening with the Professor, Martha, and a cup of hot chocolate.
The Doctor and Martha trailed after her, talking softly. When the Doctor was done thanking Martha fervently for the hundredth time, she told him the exact cause of Ace's burns. He was stunned. Martha was right- Ace should not have survived. He decided to check her out soon, once she was settled back in and fully healed. He wanted to know exactly how inhuman Ace had become. He suspected a large part of her inhuman-ness would be caused not by the Cheetah virus but by the years she'd spent with Time Lords and their TARDISes. He watched Ace striding ahead of Martha and himself. She moved differently than before, with an effortless, fluid feline grace. Her balance was probably impeccable now. The Doctor wondered what other changes would make themselves permanent and chuckled wryly at the thought of Ace's already quick temper possibly being heated further by the lingering alien presence.
Martha heard him and looked over curiously. Ace, too, heard, and glanced back at the two of them, eager to be in on the joke. The laugh had been very quiet- a normal human at Ace's distance would have missed it entirely. The Doctor waved them both off, shaking his head, still grinning slightly. Ace dropped back and fell into step with him. She slipped an arm through his, and he drew her close to his side, moving his arm to her waist. She rested her head on his shoulder and they walked together, each so attuned to the other that they moved almost as one.
Martha fought of a quiet pang of jealousy as she looked on. She didn't begrudge Ace her relationship with the Doctor in the least, but it was hard sometimes, watching them tease each other and laugh, seeing how well they understood each other and how easily and perfectly the two of them meshed. Ace brought out another side of the Doctor, a lighter, happier side Martha had hardly seen before. Before Ace, he had always had this shadow over him, a shadow of guilt and loneliness that Ace had mostly dispelled. It was cute, how protective he could get of Ace, and she of him. Since she had come back to the TARDIS months before, it had become a sort of amalgam of the present and the past. Martha honestly couldn't imagine an Ace-less TARDIS now. She liked it. It was right, somehow. Things belonged the way they were. It helped that Ace was a genuinely nice person, and very easy to like.
The three of them made their way slowly through the streets, smiling and joking and starting to recover from their ordeal. They stopped at Martha's house to let her gather her things; she was returning to the TARDIS, her visit with her family finished. She also wanted to be close to Ace so she could at least attempt to keep her quiet until her burns could heal. She doubted she'd be able to, but it wouldn't be for lack of trying. After Martha had bid her family goodbye, she slung her bag over her shoulder and went back to the waiting Doctor and Ace.
Her family waved politely from the doorway. Martha's mother had to turn away in the end, so Martha wouldn't see her tears. She wondered if she'd ever see her daughter again. Martha was so changed, by all that she'd done and seen with this Doctor person. Every time Martha's mother watched her walk away, she felt like she was losing another bit of her.
Oblivious to the private thoughts and feelings of the family left in their wake, the travelers continued on to the TARDIS. Tumbling through the doors, Ace and Martha headed to the infirmary for burn ointment and fresh bandages. The Doctor disappeared into the kitchen and started banging pots and pans around. Soon, they were all together once more around a table in the dining room. The diner was delicious, though Ace decided to pass on the steaks for once. She was still a bit nervous and resolved to forego meat for a few days, just in case, though if they had bacon for breakfast, she might be convinced to forget that promise.
After they'd eaten, everyone retired to their respective rooms for the night. They'd each had a long and tiring day. The last thought to go through all of their minds was 'It's good to be home'.
Next chapter (if you readers aren't bored with the whole thing yet)- the Doctor ascertains just how inhuman Ace is, and the TARDIS gets an unexpected visitor. I'm actually tempted to leave this where it is and make the next chapter 'Chapter 1' of a sequel. What do you guys think?