Wow, long time since an update, huh?

Sorry about that. Been busy too lately...learning how to knit! And it's not that easy! ;)

Anyway, this chapter will most likely conclude this adventure...I think you'll love the ending!

I want to dedicate this chapter to my lovely reviewers! You guys are amazing! Even you anonymous readers out there, simply browsing the internet! (I know that's how I got started on here...ha ha ha. ;))

Alright, ENJOY!

Chapter 20: Reality Swap

Dawn's POV-

Dusk and I wobbled a little when we landed, and I quickly glanced around. "Yup," I whisper into the dimly-lit room. "This is it."

I look down at my wrist, and see the Vortex Manipulator smoking a little. "Darn," I mutter. "Busted."

I gesture with my hand for him to follow, and we begin cautiously walking through the dark, eerie room.

"Where are we?" Dusk asks, pushing aside some burnt metal.

"The one place Delany hates the most," I reply. "It's dark, dead...and also the place where she was...born, I guess you could say."

"Wait...so we're on Muforam?" Dusk asks.

"Sort of," I reply. "This really is kind of a parallel Muforam. The perfect hiding spot. Only the Master has the technology to hide here."

"So we wouldn't be able to find Marth, and Evelyn, and all those other people here?" Dusk asks.

"Nope," I shake my head. "Actually...this is one of the dreams. We just skipped the part about getting out of the TARDIS. This whole time, we haven't been actually falling asleep. Delany has simply been making it feel like we are, and when she snaps her fingers, she teleports us here. Very simple, if you think about it. Basically, this whole thing is a type of Paradox. The Master must have a Paradox Machine, just barely keeping it alive, or else we'd probably be dead right now."

Dusk merely nods, still taking in what I had just told him. I realized I had kind of techno-babbled again.

"Sorry," I giggle. "I'll explain in English: The Master and Delany should not be here, because it's parallel to the other Muforam. We aren't actually supposed to be here either, so the Master has a special machine that lets us just barely teeter in existence. Simple enough for you?"

He nods again. "So...this is all fake?" He asks. "Delany just created all of it?"

"In a way," I reply. "It's basically real, but Delany is able to do her... 'magic' because there's a fake essence to the worlds, too, because both of them are fantasies, yet both of them are dreams, also. See, one of them is your dream, and the other is your reality, but your reality is my dream, and my dream is your reality...so we have to die in the dream. Which means...oh." I stopped dead, and Dusk bumped into me. While he rocked, I stood firmly. For a moment, I forgot to breathe.

"What?" Dusk asks.

"Nothing," I respond. Lie, a voice whispers in my head. He doesn't have to know! The other voice argues. You don't tell a person they have to die! It's not right!

"Anyway, if my assumptions are correct...we're here."

"Where's here?" Dusk asks, and before I can respond, a hauntingly familiar voice cackles, "Ah, Dawn Melody, such a clever girl you are. Tell me, when did you figure out what would have to be done? That your friend, Jason, would have to-"Shut up," I growl.

Some lights flick on, and I see the Master standing by the "earlier mentioned" Paradox Machine. Delany is standing by his side, head down, and I could've sworn she was crying, what with the way she was shaking like crazy.

"Oh, but what if I don't want to?" The Master laughs. I roll my eyes, and he continues, "So be it. You're not going to win this time, though, Dawn Melody. Because I'm two steps ahead of you. And I don't like losing."

"Whatever," I scowl. "Just tell me what you want, and they we can leave." I put an emphasis on the word 'we,' explaining that Dusk and I were leaving together.

"I don't think so," The Master laughs. "All I want is you dead. And your little friend, I suppose." He waves a hand, and I continue to glare icily at him.

"So, lemme guess your plan," I begin. "You do that," I say the word just as he raises a gun at Dusk. "Pretend you're going to shoot him. So, of course, just as you do, I dive in front of him, because he won't have enough time to heal before that thing kills him." I point at the futuristic gun. "Which I know, because I have a brilliant Time Lady mind. But of course, I'm forgetting, aren't I, that you can read that brilliant mind, read it like a book. So now, you're going to plan 'B.' Which is that," Just as I say it, two beams of light come over Dusk and I. "Ooh, aren't these pretty," I giggle, prodding the one surrounding me with a finger. Little bursts of electricity came out of the spot I touched it.

"These, also, kill if we make one wrong move. But I wonder, Master, have you ever considered this?" I slowed down my thoughts a little, which were buzzing all over the place, gave a meaningful glance at Delany, whose eyes were red and puffy, but still, she caught my gaze. I smiled encouragingly.

"Have you ever considered that maybe some people in this world don't love you? Don't rely on you as much as you think they do? Because guess what? They don't. Some of them, some of them, the ones with as brilliant of minds as mine, know the definition of the word freedom: a state in which somebody is able to act and live as he or she chooses, without being subject to any, or to any undue, restraints and restrictions. And some people, want that freedom so badly, they're willing to team up with the people they hate most to obtain it. And then wonderful things happen."

I could feel Delany's emerald gaze bearing into my thoughts, trying to figure out what message I was sending her. Trying to discover why I wanted her to know the definition of the word 'freedom.' Because you don't have it, my thoughts whisper, and I pray she hears. But you could. Just listen closely, and pay attention.

"You're trying to stall," The Master growls. "Enough play! It's time for you to leave!"

I knew there was a double-meaning behind the word 'leave,' so I quickly improvised: "But you remember, Master, don't you? What's the one thing you never leave in a trap? Answer: The Doctor. Now, I could contact him, but I don't feel like doing that, because guess what else you never leave in a trap? Me. And the third thing you never leave in a trap? A sonic screwdriver. So what happens when you have two of me, and a sonic screwdriver?"

He just stares blankly at me. "Double trouble," I finish, and flick the sonic screwdriver at Dusk's beam of light.

I block out the screams of agony I hear from that side of the room, and quickly disable my shield. Running over to Delany, I grab her hand, smile, and whisper, "Do it. You're free. Just trust me."

She gives me one desperate look, and then slowly brings up her hand.

And just like that, at exactly the same moment as the Master shoots the futuristic gun at me, Delany snaps her fingers.

• • •

We land outside Ty's Torchwood base. I support her as she wobble a little, and then she starts laughing.

"We did it!" She cries. "Oh, we did it! Right when I could see what you were thinking, it reached me: I didn't have to stay with the Master. I could run. And I could help you, too! Well, I don't really like you, so I did it for Dusk! Oh, that was fun...the look on his face was so funny!" She smiles even wider at the thought. "Is...Is this what it feels like...to be happy?"

I smile back, and nod. "It's brilliant, isn't it?" I whisper.

"Amazing," She responds. "I...I love it."

She hesitates, and then continues, "I have to admit...you're not as bad as I thought you were. I miss being you, though. I remember everything you do, you know. I'm part of you."

I nod. "I know. But you can start a new life, you know. The Master can't find you...as long as you do your best to stay hidden."

She nods. "Oh...Okay. But...what will you do, now, I mean?"

"Die," I respond, shrugging.

"Because this is your dream, right? The other was Dusk's."

I nod. "I die in my dream, he dies in his. It was all a matter of timing. And you switched our location perfectly. Tell me, Delany...it will go back to normal, right?"

She nods. "It should."

"Good."

"Dawn...thank you. For everything. For a piece of rubbish, you aren't half bad," Delany giggles, and I smile.

"Right back at you," I respond, and after a slight hesitation, I wrap my arms around Delany in a tight hug. "Have a good life, kay?" I ask, pulling away. She nods.

"I will...I'll go around...find some people, travel...be you. Cause I like being you. You're always happy."

"Usually happy," I correct, and then, as she starts jogging away, I wave. "Be careful!"

"Yeah right!" Is the reply I hear as Delany runs off into the deep depths of New York City.

I smile, but soon drop it as I realize what I have to do next.

As a Dalek suddenly appears next to me, I whisper, "At least it will be fast."

I realize that Delany probably made it appear there. She knew I wanted this to be done quickly.

I blocked out the sounds of Dusk's scream that echoed in my ears. He was dead...in a sense. Yet also alive. Very alive.

Because if my hunch is correct, then being shot by a Dalek will definitely set everything back to normal.

I hope.

So I stood fearlessly in front of the Dalek, as my life in the past few weeks passed before me. Ty, Alice, Will, Cybermen, The Doctor, Angela, Amy, Mazai, Tenepiscus, Marth...Dusk.

And finally, the Dalek shot me, and I fell to the ground.

• • •

I woke with a start, and realized that this was definitely the correct world. I could feel it. Alice and Will were gone, too. I remember it very clearly now. The event was much like mine in the dream.

Looking around, I slowly stood up, and stretched. Cracked my fingers a few times. Waited for Dusk to come racing out of his room and yell, "Did that really just happen?"

I looked up at the ceiling, and whispered, "Sweetie, you can hear me, right?"

Yes, she replies.

Good. I missed you.

"Did that really just happen?" A familiar voice yells, and I hear a clatter in the hall. "Oops, sorry! Hope that hat rack wasn't important!"

I smile, and Dusk races up the console stairs.

I pretend to play dumb, and ask, "Did what just happen?"

"You mean you don't remember it?" He cries. "See, we were in this whole dream sequence thing, and Delany Mawn was there, she looked exactly like you, only she wasn't, and then there was the Master, and a big boom, and some whooshes, and some Daleks and their voices are really annoying, have you ever noticed that? Anyway, Daleks, parallel Muforam, and-you're playing dumb, aren't you?" He notices how I'm barely keeping my face straight, and I burst out laughing.

"Of course I remember, stupid," I giggle, smacking him lightly upside the head. "How could I forget?"

"So that really happened, then?" He ponders this for a few moments, and then points a finger accusingly at me. "You killed me!"

"I saved your life!" I correct.

"Still, you killed me!"

I roll my eyes, and he says, "Wait...you saved my life, didn't you?"

I nod.

"Fine. Now we're even from last time."

"No, I think you're still one up on me," I reason. "Let's see...there was the Muforam incident...you saved me there. I saved you from the Soul Stealer...one point for me. You saved me twice with the whole Cybermen and disease thing...course, I saved the whole ship...and now I saved you here."

I pause, and then continue, "Okay, I think we're even."

"Wait..." He trails off. "So...is Ty really...?"

I nod, frowning.

"And Delany...?"

"Oh, she's fine," I reply. "Better, actually. Probably having a blast in New York City."

"The Master?"

"Alive," I reply. "Somewhere out there."

"You're forgetting something," Dusk hints, and a confused expression crosses my face.

"What?"

He pulls me into a hug, and whispers in my ear, "Thanks."

Aw... Gotta have my daily dose of fluff. ;)

So, did everyone like it? I sure hope so!

Sorry this chapter is a little bit shorter than the others...

I wanted to get this adventure done, because the next one will be EPIC.

I can't remember, have I told you the end of the story will be soon? Yeah, probably two, three more adventures. BUT DO NOT FEAR! "The Forgotten Child" is going to become a series! -Crowd goes 'OOOH'- ha ha ha. :D Anyway, there will be a sequel, and whatever a third book is called, and possibly a fourth.

But what does this mean for Dawn and Dusk?

That is for me to know, and you to find out...mu ha ha.

Remember that prophecy Nitero told us about?

It's coming back... ;)

And how about fifty-three, and who's the Red Snake? And why do those two words show up only at certain points in time?

Is there a pattern? GASP!

Send me your predictions! REVIEW!