The Doomsday Child

A/N: Hello avid readers, new and old alike. Welcome back, and I hope you've all been enjoying the story this far, as well as the chapter below. Massive thanks to everyone who supports this story, and I hope you all continue to do so cause this wouldn't have gotten as far as it has without you all. So read and I hope you enjoy!

The Doctor quickly bent over the young girl, peering at her face and measuring her pulse. 'She's alright,' he said as the girl's mother crooned over her. 'She's just unconscious, she'll be fine.'

Metella and Caecilius began to carry their daughter from the scene, which no longer cowered at the sensation of the trembling room. Lucius peered at them all as the family swept from the room.

'Retrieve the carving,' the man snapped to the Roman soldier flanked at his side. 'we are to leave this place. It is an insult to the gods and my patience to remain here longer than necessary.' The solider retrieved the carving and followed Lucius as he left the villa. Before he turned the corner he cast an eye back to the strange party of travellers. 'You are not welcome in Pompeii. The Gods do not welcome your presence,' with that the Augur left and could be heard marching away.

''I think the gods have got bigger things to worry about, mate.' Donna sighed. 'He seemed really nice, didn't he?' She tried some light humour. The Doctor was staring at the room's hypocaust, which was billowing steam into the already humid room. 'Will she really be alright?' Donna asked, moving to stand besides the Doctor, staring in the direction the family had taken Evelina.

'I would think so, it looked like something's feeding the soothsayers of Pompeii a different future, but why?' The Time Lord rubbed his face, concentrating as he peered into the distance. 'It doesn't make sense,'

Donna frowned as she glanced about the lavish villa. She was certain she would make the Doctor change his mind about saving the town. Time Lord her backside – the man was an overstretched Martian with the ability to save people, and she knew he would if he could. Why he was saying he couldn't, she didn't understand. She blinked as she looked about the room. 'Where's Harry?' She asked, suddenly aware of the boy's absence. 'Doctor?'

'Hm?' The man snapped form his daze, processing what she said and casting an eye around the room. When his sight failed, his mind stretched out tentatively until he found his son's mind.

'He's outside. He's...give him a minute.' The Doctor hung his head as he wandered over to the hypocaust. Donna stared at the man before leaving the room the way Lucius Petrus Dextrus had left. The Doctor watched her leave, knowing her intentions to be good natured and kind. He sat besides the stone vent which warmed his back as he lost himself in thought.

'He is to make a choice. A great choice. And his hands are to be soaked in blood.'

'He will cause the tear that will destroy millions. Just as you did,'

The Doctor sniffed and turned to stare into the hypocaust until the heat made his eyes dry out, on the verge of tears. Those words had ripped a hole in his universe. He didn't believe in prophecies and fortune telling (or at least he tried not to believe) so he refused to believe what had been said by Lucius and Evelina to be future truth. He knew what it was like to have your hands covered in blood, to be the cause behind so many deaths, the sleepless nights and the guilt that ebbed away at his soul. He wouldn't let Harry become what he had. Children were meant to learn from their parents mistakes. He would tear the universe apart himself to spare Harry the pain of committing such an atrocity.

Outside, Harry sat on the grassy slope of the hill. In the far distance, Lucius and his accompanying soldiers were pinpricks on the edge of the hillside. He clutched at the grass surrounding him as he tried to block out the faint buzz in his ears. He squeezed his eyes shut to block it all out. As he did, he never heard Donna approach and sit down besides him.

'Hey spaceboy, are you ok?' Harry opened his eyes to Donna's warm smile. He did his best to give her one back, but the London-born woman could see the smile didn't reach his eyes. 'I'll take that as a no,'

'I'm fine, really. Just…' He fiddled with the grassy bank beneath his hands, and Donna could see how truly young he was. He'd seen more than she had in her entire life, and like the Doctor, he had wonder in his eyes. But now he was lost, vacant inside. The words had scared him, and she couldn't blame him. She shuffled closer and put an arm around his shoulders.

'God you're just like him, so skinny. You're goin' to give me a papercut!' She exclaimed, and was pleased to see the smallest flicker of a smile on his face. 'That's better. I don't know the future, but never believe what a fortune teller tells you. I met one that once said I'd have three children and a loving husband, as well as come into good fortune. Do you see that anywhere?' She joked and Harry stared at her.

'It could happen, though.'

'I don't see that happenin', sweetheart. I'm about as magnetic to good luck as I am blonde.' Harry laughed this time, a small one which he buried in his knees. 'What I'm saying is, that looked like a cheap show of guess work.'

'How do y'know?'

'Because your dad has "alien" written over his forehead,' she chuckled. 'As do you. Maybe there is some spacey sci-fi explanation as to how they knew the small details, but I know they got your future wrong,' Harry hung his head. 'Harry, you strike me as the kind of kid who couldn't kill a spider. Not because he's scared, because he'd feel bad for it.' He lifted his head and pondered on the thought. He stared at the grass for a while before he met her eyes.

'You promise?' He asked. 'You promise I won't turn into...what they said? I don't want to hurt anyone!'

'I promise. I think that alien old man of yours wouldn't let it happen in any nightmare future possible.' She rubbed his back. 'But never mind him, you'd have a harder time getting past me,' She was happy to see her comforting skills weren't rusty as the boy seemed to become a little brighter.

'Thanks, Aunty Spartacus.' He said with a cheeky grin that reminded her of the Doctor, and she couldn't hold back a laugh.

'You don't actually have to call me Spartacus, y'know?'

'Okay then, Aunty Donna.' His cheeky smile brightened all the more and jumped to his feet, heading back inside Caecilius's villa. Donna stayed sitting atop the grassy slope with a warm smile on her face, before she stood up and followed. Harry re-entered the villa, and thought the room to be empty, a dark light seemingly cast; the sun outside had slowly begun to set outside. Just as Harry made a move, he realised the room wasn't empty. The Doctor was still sat besides the hypocaust, his eyes distant and his mind closed off.

'I'll go check on Evelina,' Donna said, giving the two Martians time together as she hastily left the room. Harry moved slowly round the indoor pond, scuffing the toes of his trainers as he walked closer to the Time Lord.

'Dad?' He asked, and the Doctor left the depths of his mind, coming back to earth. He said no cheery hello, or gave a wide smile. He studied the boy before him, and Harry felt the peculiar sensation of being x-rayed.

'They were wrong,' the Time Lord said finally. Harry nodded and sat down besides the man. The Doctor rested a hand on the boy's head. 'I promise, they were wrong.'

'I know.' Harry said bravely. He buried any sense of doubt, however small, in the pits of his stomach. The Doctor smiled and ruffled his hair. 'Are you ok?' Harry asked, peering up to his parent in the ever so slowly darkening room.

'Me? I'm fine and dandy. Always will be,' then came the wide smile, and Harry believed the man, returning the smile. 'Now, Lucius said the soothsayers were consuming the vapours. How does that give them the power of sight?' The Doctor asked, resting his chin in his hand as he stared at the burning pit beneath.

'They breath in smoke and they think they see the future?' Harry asked, staring into the heat until his eyes watered. 'Is it some sort of gas? Making them think wrong things?'

'You are clever, aren't you?' The Doctor said with a proud smile, Harry grinning. 'I don't know, I can't detect any gas.' The Time Lord simply stuck his tongue out, letting it sit within the billowing steam. 'No, nothing. What is it?' He rubbed the back of his head, ruffling his own hair in frustration. In the corner of the room, there was shuffling, and the Doctor looked up to see Caecilius coming in, an oil lamp in hand.

'Another day ends,' the man said plainly, as he went about lighting the candles in the room, allowing some defence against the ever growing darkness. Harry watched the man curiously. He had a kind, if not apprehensive, face. The man's concern for his family was clear, as was just how much of a good man he was. There was something about his face, thought, that made Harry curious. He'd never seen it before, but something was tickling in the back of his head. To be on the safe side, he scratched his scalp and turned back to study the hypocaust.

'It's new.' He said simply. The Doctor's head popped up.

'Sorry?'

'The old-timey radiator.' He nodded downwards. 'It looks new. Its really clean and there's no cracks. Everywhere else in the town was old.' The Doctor stared, unblinking, before re-studying the hypocaust.

'Oh Harry Tyler, you are brilliant! Just like your mother!' The Doctor didn't hold back the last words, even though they stung. Harry beamed as the Doctor called Caecilius over.

'When was this hypocaust put in?' The Time Lord inquired.

'We've only lived in this house a few years, but it was all newly built, the hypocaust included.' Caecilius said, setting his oil lamp down. 'Most homes don't have these, only a few family villas and anywhere associated with the soothsayers, augurs, any of them.'

'So a special radiator for future readers?' Harry asked, hoping to be more helpful.

'A different sort of hypocaust, definitely nothing like this anywhere else,' the Doctor grunted as he heaved the heavy grille out of its slot, more steam billowing upwards.

'We're very advanced in Pompeii,' Caecilius lightly boasted. 'In Rome, they're still using the old wood-burning furnaces, but we've got hot springs. Leading from Vesuvius itself.'

'Who thought of that?' Asked the Doctor, looking up from the steam.

'The soothsayers. After the great earthquake seventeen years ago,' Caecilius's voice diminished. 'An awful lot of damage. But we rebuilt.'

'Didn't you think about moving away?' The Doctor asked, as Harry stuck his head down the vent. The steam billowed on his face, and he squeezed his eyes shut as if he were underwater. Beneath the steam and hot rocks, came a loud grating and rumbling.

'What's that noise?' Harry asked, surfacing, wiping away the stream of sweat from his cheeks.

'I don't know, happens all the time.' Caecilius's face became dark. 'They say the gods of the Underworld are stirring.' The Doctor and Harry shared a look, before both stuck their heads down into the vent, as Caecilius watched in amusement, as well as apprehensive fear.

'But let me guess,' Came the Doctor's voice, lifting his head as Harry began to scratch away at the loose rocks within the hypocaust. 'after the earthquake, is that when the soothsayers started making sense?'

'Oh yes,' the marble merchant nodded. 'Very much so. I mean, they'd always been...shall we say, "imprecise"?' Harry brought his head out from the vent, examining the tiny particles beneath his fingernails. 'But then, the soothsayers, the augurs, the haruspex – all of them, they saw the truth. Again and again. It's quite amazing.' Caecilius smiled.

'Have they said anything about tomorrow?' The Doctor asked, frowning.

'No. Why, should they? Why do you ask?'

'No reason. Just asking…' The Doctor hastily returned his gaze to the vent.

'They all breath this stuff in?' Harry asked, pointing to the steam.

'Yes, it's what allows them to see.' Harry frowned, and breathed deep. But he saw no vision, all his saw were flashes of colour as the smoke caught the back of his throat and he began a hacking cough. The Doctor clapped him on the back until his throat stopped convulsing.

'Ok?' The man asked, and Harry nodded, wiping away the tears. The Time Lord pulled out his glasses and leaned down into the pit.

'So, Ipso facto…' he rose from the pit, his hand in the air '...they all consume this,' he pinched his fingers together and dust floated in the air.

'Dust?' Caecilius offered.

'Tiny particles of rock,' the man frowned, before placing some of the remnants on his tongue. 'They're breathing in Vesuvius.' Caecilius looked at them strangely, before peering down at the vent.

'How can them breathing in rock give them visions?' Harry asked, sprinkling some of the dust away.

'I'm not sure,' The Doctor said. 'Something new to learn, isn't it.' The man said with a smile.

'My daughter consumes this daily,' Caecilius spoke softly. 'Everyday, the sisterhood said. Everyday she must consume the vapours to give her the sight. They promised such great things for her.' The man hung his head, holding tight to the oil lamp.

'We will help her, Caecilius. You have my word.' The Doctor gave the man a small smile, which was returned as a simple courtesy.

'Thank you. I must see to Metella. She worries so about Evelina. Excuse me,' the man bid them a hasty goodbye as he trailed form the room, a part of the light following him down the passage way.

'What next?' Harry asked, pulling the grille back into place.

'I think,' the Doctor spun round slowly, pulling his glasses off. 'I need to pay a visit to our local augur.' Harry frowned as he thought of Lucius and his pompous attitude.

'I don't like him,' Harry frowned, the Doctor chuckling.

'I need to see that carving Caecilius made him. There is no way it looks like a circuit by accident.'

'But how will you find him? Pompeii is huge.' Harry stretched out his arms as to emphasis the size of the town.

'Maybe I need a tour guide,' The Doctor said with a bright smile. 'I'll go into the town, see what I can find out. You stay here with Donna and keep an eye on Evelina and things, ok?' Harry didn't like the plan, the Doctor going off exploring without him, but he agreed. 'Just shout me if you need me, ok?' Harry nodded, and the Doctor smiled. 'That's my boy. I'll be back soon, yeah?' Harry nodded, and the Doctor patted him on the back before he headed from the room, in the direction Caecilius had left. Harry stayed sat next to the hypocaust for a moment longer, trying to breathe deep again, but he saw nothing. But beneath the ground, he heard a heavy thump and a ghastly rumbling noise. The sound made Harry jump away, and he left the room, as far away from the hypocaust as he could go. He collected a candle from the pond side and walked away, rather hastily.

He trailed through the villa wary of dancing shadows as he explored. He passed many a room, one filled with statues of stone and marble, the flickering candle light causing shadows to dance across the faces. Half cast in darkness, he could convince himself the statues were people he knew. One looked rather like his grandpa, a pair next to each other reminded him of his uncle Mickey and uncle Jake. He was disappointed not to find a statue he could convince himself looked like his mother, but he ventured further into the villa. He passed what must have been the kitchen, as Metella and Caecilius stood in the corner, whispering frantically to each other. Metella gave up with kneading the dough in front of her and embraced her husband. The two stood in uninterrupted silence for a moment, before the flickering candle in Harry's hand caught their attention.

'Are you quite alright, dear?' Metella asked, and Harry nodded, remaining silent. Caecilius smiled at him rather fondly, and handed him an apple from a woven basket atop their table. Harry thanked them, and moved on from the kitchen, crunching the apple as he went. He saw Qunitus and the Doctor lighting a torch before leaving through a side door of the villa. The next and last room must have been Evelina's. And true, the girl was cast across her bed, eyes shut against her pale skin. She was in the early stages of stirring, and besides her, was Donna at her bedside. She smiled when she saw him, and he placed his candle down on a nearby table, hissing as melted wax dripped on his fingers.

'Is she ok?' He asked coming to stand besides Donna.' The red-haired woman smiled lightly and nodded.

'Yeah she'll be alright.' As if aware of their conversation, Evelina's eyes opened and they scanned the room quickly before landing on Donna and Harry. She began to sit up slowly, staring into the candlelight.

'Want me to get your mum?' Harry asked, mouthful of apple. He made a move to leave the room, but Evelina's weak voice stopped him.

'No. She means well, but she worries relentlessly.' Evelina smiled lightly as she brought herself into a sitting position.

'You should take it easy,' Donna said. 'The Doctor said you were ok, but, well, you know.'

'Thank you for your concern.' Evelina said with a polite smile, though not meeting their eyes. 'I'm sorry if I said anything to upset either of you-' Donna held up her hand to stop her.

'I've been called and told worse. You just scared us is all. Are you sure you're ok?' Evelina gave a genuine smile and nodded. From there, they avoided the topic of the earlier events. Donna remarked how hot she was finding Pompeii.

'Honestly, I don't know how you cope, I'm melting here!' Harry stated, sitting on the floor, running a hand through his hair as he'd seen the Doctor do, making Donna chuckle.

'It's because you are not dressed for the heat properly,' Evelina said, standing up with a smile. She stretched out her hands, which Harry took and stood back up. 'Such strange garments, I've never seen anything like them. But I do like them.' Evelina said, before a twinkle flutter in her eye. 'Wait here,' she said, before tiptoeing form the room, a candle in her hand. Harry and Donna glanced at each other, before candle light could be seen flickering in the corridor, and Evelina returned, several pieces of clothes draped over her arms.

'Why not try these,' She said with a smile. She handed Donna a purple toga and robe.

'Ooh, thanks!' Donna said as she examined the soft fabric between her fingers.

'Quintus was always tall, but perhaps these will work for you.' Evelina handed him a piece of clothing, similar to what Quintus had been seen wearing earlier, but a navy blue rather than maroon. This thrilled Harry, as he hastily changed into Quintus's old toga, he remarked how it matched his navy blue converse. Donna returned to the room in her new gown, the purple robes lightly grazing the floor. Evelina chuckled lightly as Donna tried to get used to the flowing material she was wearing.

'You're not supposed to laugh,' Donna rolled her eyes playfully. 'Thanks for that. But what do you think?' She tossed the robe over her shoulder, holding a pose. 'The goddess Venus?'

Evelina gasped, but laughed. 'That's sacrilege.' She smiled all the same.

'What about me?' Harry stood up on a footstool as the two women observed him. 'Jupiter? Or, or maybe Apollo? He's cool.' Harry beamed, and Evelina smiled brightly.

'Maybe Stitch from Lilo and Stitch with that hair and those robes.' Donna laughed, Harry's face falling into a heavy frown. Evelina did not know what they spoke about, but she laughed at the boys fallen expression.

'You both talk such amazing nonsense.' Donna smiled at the girl before sitting next to her on the bed.

'Nice to see you laugh though,' she said, as Harry muttered in the corner, ruffling his already mad hair. 'So, what do you do in old Pompeii, then...girls your age? You got…mates? Do you go hangin' about round the shops? T.K. Maximus?'

Evelina smiled lightly, but shook her head. 'I'm promised to the sisterhood for the rest of my life.'

'Really?' Harry asked, getting to his knees, and the girl nodded. 'So you can't even go out and make friends?'

'The sisterhood does not encourage the ideals of friendship. We serve the gods, and focus only on that. I don't really get the chance to go out and make friends anyways.'

'Do you get any choice in that?' Donna asked carefully.

'It's not my decision, I have the gift of sight. The sisters chose for me.' Evelina said with a smile, but her voice was flat. Harry bit his lip as he contemplated.

'Well we could be your friends, couldn't we?' He asked, looking at Donna. Evelina smiled.

'You are sweet, and kind. Both of you. Even with the sight, I could not have seen someone as kind as you both.'

Donna chewed her lip nervously, before approaching the subject. 'Evelina...what can you see happening tomorrow?' Harry's ears pricked. Even with Vesuvius on the doorstep, he'd forgotten about the disaster due tomorrow.

'Is tomorrow special?' Evelina asked, an oblivious light smile on her face.

'You tell me…' Donna said quietly, should the Doctor re-appear and chastise her for meddling with history. Even if he did, Donna would give the spaceman a piece of her mind. '...what do you see?'

Evelina closed her eyes, and no expected look of horror crossed her face as she looked. Then, she re-opened her eyes. 'The sun will rise, the sun will set. Nothing special at all.'

'Look...don't tell the Doctor I said anything 'cause he'll kill me,' Donna cast an eye towards Harry, who was looking at her with a pleading look in his eyes. He wanted to save the town, just as much as she did. But she expected some strange alien Time Lord genes were subconsciously telling him not to meddle with history. '...but I've got a prophecy too.'

Looking fearful, Evelina quickly covered her hands. Harry saw the painted eyes on the back of her hands, and he had the strangest feeling they were looking at him and Donna. 'Evelina, I'm sorry, but you've got to hear me out,' Donna said, the young girl not answering her pleads.

'Evelina, listen to me.' Donna wrung her hands together nervously as she spoke.

'There is only one prophecy,' Evelina was breathing heavily.

'Don't.' Harry said, mimicking the Doctor in the way he looked at the older woman. But Donna didn't look at him.

'Evelina, I'm sorry but everything I'm about to say to you is true, I sweat. Tomorrow…' Donna sucked in a deep breath. '...that mountain is going to explode. Evelina please listen,' Donna pleaded. 'The air is going to fill with ash and rocks...tons and tons of it and...this whole town is going to get buried.'

'That's not true,' Evelina protested.

'It is,' Harry said, knowing the damage was done. 'It really will Evelina, but we're going to help!' He tried, but Donna indicated for him to be quiet.

'Even if you don't believe us, just tell your family to get out of town...just for one day, just for tomorrow.' Donna tried. 'But you've got to get out! Just leave Pompeii!

'This is false prophecy!' Evelina removed her hands from her eyes, revealing the shock and the tears that accompanied Donna's words.

'I'm sorry,' the red-head said, placing a hand on her arm, but Evelina pushed her away.

'What's going on in here?' Came a voice, as Caecilius stood in the doorway to his daughter's way. 'Evelina, are you alright?' He asked as he saw his daughter's tear-stained face.

'I'm fine, really.' The girl gave a quick smile, pushing away the tears. Donna cast her eye away, wondering if she'd done more bad than good. Harry sat cross-legged on the girl's bedroom floor, trying not to picture the whole villa and it's occupants buried beneath ash and rocks from Vesuvius upon the coming dawn.

A/N: hope you all enjoyed – of you did or didn't please let me know! All support is welcome! Until the next time, guys.