"Heroes aren't heroes because they worship the light,
but because they know the darkness all too well
to stand down and live with it."
-Ninya Tippett (from The Mischievous Mrs. Maxfield)
Twelfth Doctor's TARDIS, Universe B
The Doctor was on the phone trying to calm down a thoroughly frantic Dayle B. It wasn't until Savannah's mother suggested that she might appreciate an update that the Doctor thought to call her.
"I swear, it's like when he regenerated, all his empathy and compassion were replaced with eyebrows." Dayle muttered, leaning against the console with her arms crossed.
Savannah would have laughed if weren't for the fact that Dayle was genuinely unhappy with the Doctor at the moment. Savannah watched her mom carefully. She had been afraid from the beginning that Dayle would wind up disappointed with the new Doctor.
When he got off the phone, he sighed and looked up at the rest of them. "Right. So, now that that's been sorted, we head to Karn." He tapped a few keys on the console and pulled a lever.
As the TARDIS left the time vortex for Karn, he seemed to notice the hostile level of side eye that Dayle was giving him. He crossed his arms as well, mirroring her closed off stance. "You're angry with me." he stated.
Dayle laughed humorlessly and shook her head. "It's not about being angry. I'm just understanding more and more that I really don't know who you are now."
The Doctor's face remained impassive though something flickered behind his eyes. "Yes, well. I suppose that's true. I'm certainly not the man I was before." He put his hands in his pockets and turned away from her, seemingly busying himself with the computer monitor.
Dayle made a disappointed sound and gestured in disbelief. "And that's just fine with you. You're perfectly okay with the fact that I think you're a bit of an asshole?"
The Doctor scratched his head, looking genuinely at a loss for a reply. Finally he sighed and told her "It is what it is. I can't apologize for the person I've become. It's how I'm made." He shrugged and once more fiddled with the controls.
Dayle walked right up to the Doctor and got in his face. "I don't accept that. You can do better." she told him sternly. He actually looked astonished at her words, and then slightly ashamed. After a moment, her expression softened. She reached up and adjusted the collar of his shirt and said softly. "You got two fuckin hearts Time Lord. Start usin 'em." She looked back up into his face and squinted at him. "Okay?"
The look on the Doctor's face, the look he was giving Dayle made Savannah look away and even blush a bit. It was a look of pure devotion. She felt like she was interfering in a private moment just by witnessing it.
She looked up to see Silas had his cute half smile on and was watching her closely, gauging her reaction to the two lovebirds. Savannah felt her heart stutter a bit under his gaze and busied herself examining the sleeve of her hoodie. Why had she given in to her hormones that morning? Now it was going to be a million times harder when they had to say good bye.
The engines made the usual wheezing, groaning sound as they apparently materialized on Karn. Silas and Savannah shared a nervous look. She couldn't help but remember her previous experience on the Karn in her universe. Of course, that had been with the other Silas. She sighed and shook herself a bit. It really had been a fucked up couple of weeks.
After the little moment had passed, the Doctor clapped his hands together enthusiastically. "Now. Solon's castle! Quite a history here, not much of it good. But it's not what happened on the inside that matters. It's what the castle is made of on the outside that counts. It was constructed with wood, composite metal and...Matricite." He tapped a few keys to pull up the scanner but continued looking down toward the console, making adjustments as he spoke. "A very interesting mineral, Matricite. It has the unique property of being impervious to telepathic energy."
Savannah was staring at the scanner, dumbfounded. She noticed that both Silas and her mother appeared to be doing the same.
Savannah finally snapped out of it and cleared her throat. "Um. Doctor... does the TARDIS happen to be impervious to fire because I'm pretty sure this castle is burning down."
"It's what?" His eyes flew to the scanner and took in the sight of a fire blazing out of control. "Oh no!" He ran around the console, flipped a switch and tapped a few buttons. "Just a quick hop." he muttered.
The TARDIS rematerialized once more and from the scanner, Savannah could see that this time they were on the outside of the burning castle. It was night on Karn and aside from the inferno before them, it appeared to be a quiet night.
Dayle rushed over, pulled the door release handle and ran outside. Savannah followed her mother and Silas followed Savannah. The Doctor took up the back.
They were standing on some type of pier or bridge. The walkway led to the burning castle on one end and down toward some type of body of water at the other end.
"What the hell could have happened?" Dayle asked incredulously. She shook her head. "Doctor you don't think..." She trailed off, seemingly unable to say the words.
The Doctor looked deeply troubled. "I'm not certain of anything just yet Dayle... except for the fact that I can sense a Time Lord nearby." His eyes narrowed. "I can sense his mind."
Savannah stood on the wooden bridge, hugging herself to keep warm. The chill she was experiencing was surely internal for the temperature outside was fairly moderate.
Silas walked over and put his arms around her from behind and she glanced back up at him. "What if they were in there?" Savannah worried. "What if they are in there?"
His voice was low and soft. "I don't know Vannah. But we'll figure something out." He gave her a little squeeze of reassurance.
"So you have no way of knowing exactly where the Time Lord you're sensing is?" Dayle wondered.
The Doctor was casting his eyes all around them and suddenly something beneath the bridge seemed to catch his attention. He knelt, put one hand on the edge and hopped down. Savannah and the others stood blinking in surprise.
Not bad for an old dude. Savannah thought to herself.
"I suppose we follow." Dayle guessed and followed suit.
When she got to the bottom she called back up. "Silas, help her down. Don't let her hurt herself."
Savannah rolled her eyes as she sat on her ass at the edge of the bridge. "I'm pregnant, not fucking crippled." she muttered. Silas chuckled but hopped down first just the same and offered his arms.
"Come on Prego." His eyes were sparkling as he gave her his patented smartass grin and Savannah wasn't sure what she wanted to do more: Kick him in his face or have her way with him again.
She jumped down and was impressed when he actually caught her. He cradled her in his arms and gave her a little wink. Her heart stuttered again and she still wasn't sure which she would rather do to him.
He set her down and they joined Dayle and the Doctor who were knelt down on the ground.
"Look." Dayle motioned. Even with only the moonlight, Savannah could clearly see a disturbance in the wet red dirt. Shoe prints and something more sinister. Drag marks. She felt her pulse pick up. There were two separate sets of the tracks. One for Sienna. One for the Doctor.
"It looks like these tracks lead down there... to the water's edge!" Silas pointed out and began to make his way down the hill with the Doctor close behind.
Savannah felt her mother grasp on to her hand. "Come on baby." She said softly. "Let's see what's goin on."
At the water's edge, another, deeper imprint was in the mud.
"A canoe maybe?" Savannah suggested.
"So it would seem." the Doctor agreed grimly. He looked all around them. "This is Moira Swamp. It appears that someone or something has absconded with Sienna and the other Doctor and taken them into the swamp."
"Do you think whoever did this started that fire?" Silas wondered. He was starting to look terribly concerned now and Savannah's heart hurt a little for him. His best friend in the world was in big trouble.
"The real question is, what the fuck do we do to find them?" Savannah asked, ready to kick some ass.
"Okay lil badass. I think we aren't going to do anything." Silas suddenly informed her sternly. "I think you and your mom are going to sit tight right here while the Doctor and I see about all this." Savannah resented the hell out of his tone and wanted to correct him on it but then she saw his eyes. She knew immediately that he didn't want to chance her getting hurt or lost as well.
"But you have no boat or anything." Dayle fussed. "And I know you don't intend to swim in that shit." Her lip curled in disgust as she examined the opaque rusty swamp water. The Doctor was pointing his sonic screwdriver at the water and seemed to be taking some readings.
Silas was already kicking off his shoes."Watch me." he scoffed, removing his shirt and setting it over a low hanging branch.
To Savannah's surprise, the Doctor was removing his shoes as well. "There's nothing living in this water. The water itself is ugly but quite harmless." He took his jacket off and passed it to Dayle. "It's always been rumored that something lives out here on the swamp. Some species that hide during the day time. All the small creatures of Karn steer clear of this forest... of this whole swamp. There must be a reason for that."
"Wonderful. You'll probably be eaten by swamp zombies." Dayle muttered, clutching onto the black jacket. She was obviously terrified for their safety. Savannah walked over and put her arm around her mom to comfort her.
"Have faith." the Doctor said, giving Dayle a reassuring look. "I've encountered a countless number of nefarious creatures in my day. And I've yet to be eaten." He smiled and then turned away once more.
The two men waded into the swamp up to their waist. Savannah cringed and let go of her mom. She inched closer to the swamp to get a better look. The water looked a bit like tomato soup. It was unsettling to say the least.
"So what exactly are we supposed to do?" Savannah wondered. "Just stand here and hope the swamp zombies aren't hungry anymore?"
"Look!" The Doctor suddenly said with excitement in his voice. He pointed off into the swamp. "There. I saw two lights. Like glowing eyes, there by that water fall."
Silas turned then and looked into Savannah's eyes intensely. "You two go back to the TARDIS." he instructed. "Get back there as quickly as you can and stay out of sight." He dove in and began to swim in the direction the Doctor had pointed. The doctor dove in right behind him and quickly caught up.
"So. Great. We'll just be here then." Savannah said flatly. When her mom didn't respond right away, she turned.
She felt her heart leap to her throat when she saw Dayle laid out on the ground. At first she was afraid she fainted or something. She ran to her side. "Mom!"
And then she didn't even know what hit her. All of a sudden, Savannah was on the ground too, unable to move anything below her neck.
"Vannah?" Dayle's voice inquired in a panic. Clearly she was conscious and unable to move as well.
"I'm right here mom. What the hell is happening?"
Before Dayle could reply, a face appeared in Savannah's line of sight. A sinister looking dude with a goatee and mustache bent at the waist, taking in the view of her helpless form on the ground. He looked thoroughly amused.
"Sienna Woods." the man said in a familiar, oily voice. "I just knew I'd catch up with you before too long. Like I said. Fate." He chuckled darkly.
Savannah would know that repulsive voice, that creepy laugh anywhere. She'd heard it when the Doctor had made contact with the other Doctor's TARDIS last week.
The fucking Master.
Silas did his best not to think too much of the disgusting water they were swimming through and the fact that they couldn't see through it well enough to know what was below them. He just had to trust the Doctor when he said it was safe.
They reached the outcropping of rock beside the waterfall before too long and he hauled himself up onto the ledge. He reached a hand down to help pull the Doctor up as well.
The Doctor reached into the pocket of his soaked slacks and pulled out the weird sonic device again. He pressed a button and it became a flashlight.
Silas made an impressed noise. "Waterproof I take it?"
The Doctor nodded toward the waterfall. "Look there. It's a cave."
Silas looked to where he was motioning and saw that, there behind the waterfall, was indeed a hidden cave.
He held his hand out for the flashlight. "I should go first. That way I can protect you from whatever we might come across."
The Doctor rolled his eyes and held the device a bit closer to his body. "It's waterproof, not idiot proof. I'll take my chances." He went first. Silas stood for a moment shaking his head before following.
The cave was pitch black though Silas swore he saw a flash of glowing eyes somewhere far up ahead.
"We are definitely nearby a Time Lord." the Doctor whispered. "We are very, very close."
They made their way slowly, the Doctor swinging the flashlight's beam here and there.
"I hope the girls are okay." Silas muttered, suddenly deeply regretting leaving Savannah and her mom by themselves. He was afraid he'd made a bad call.
"The women will be just fine." The Doctor assured him. "They'll be safe in the TARDIS. Dayle has a key and they can keep an eye out for us on the scanner."
"Yeah but what if-"
"Nothing can get to them in the TARDIS. Don't worry. Let's take care of this situation and we'll see them again before you know it." The Doctor said firmly.
Silas was surprised. The Doctor had just managed to offer comfort and reassurance without calling him a name or insulting his intelligence once. Perhaps he was improving.
"Hello?" A man's voice suddenly came from up ahead and to their left.
The Doctor shone the beam over there and they saw some type of gate.
"You think that's them?" Silas whispered, his heart hammering in his ribcage.
The Doctor held one finger to his lips, motioning for him to hush. They sneaked up to the gate stealthily. When they reached it, the Doctor whispered, "Who's there?"
Silas nearly fell over with relief when he heard Sienna's voice. "Ohmygod! It's another person! Doctor, it's another person!"
The other man's voice called warily, "Identify yourself."
"Sienna it's me! Silas!" he blurted.
The Doctor gave him a dirty look and added. "And I'm the Doctor."
"No fuckin way!" Sienna shrieked.
Both Doctors hissed "Shhhhh!" and Silas couldn't help but chuckle.
The Doctor aimed his little device at the gate and pressed a button. A rhythmic whirring sound could be heard and the gate clicked open.
A blonde man peeked out and a smile came to his face. The gate opened the rest of the way and he came out and offered his hand. "Hello there Doctor." The grumpy Doctor wordlessly accepted a handshake and then the younger one turned toward him. "And you must be Silas." he said cordially.
Before he could shake his hand, Sienna came flying out of the gate and nearly tackled him. "Si! I can't believe it's really you!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Eww. You're wet... Tell me you did not swim in that fucking swamp!?"
Silas chuckled and patted her on the back. "Two guesses how you're getting back to the TARDIS."
Sienna gasped and the older Doctor suddenly warned, "Folks, it looks like we have company."
Silas looked deeper into the dark tunnel and saw three sets of glowing eyes floating toward them. Holy fuck.
The older Doctor tugged at Silas's arm. "Come on, quickly!" he commanded.
Silas obeyed and grabbed Sienna by the hand. They made their way back out from behind the waterfall, the younger Doctor pulling up the rear.
When they reached the ledge Sienna looked like she might throw up. "Dude. Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"It's fine." Silas insisted urgently. "The Doctor scanned the swamp with his sonic thingee. It's safe. Let's go."
The older Doctor had already jumped in and was treading water, looking up at them with annoyance in his eyes. "Hurry it up!"
Sienna's face was screwed up with anxiety. "I can't!" she insisted "There's no way!"
The other Doctor suddenly walked up and just pushed her in. Silas looked over at him, shocked.
Sienna was spluttering and splashing and swearing up a storm in the rusty water below.
The young Doctor grinned at Silas and offered his hand. "So nice to meet you." He shook his hand. "I'm the other Doctor." And then he jumped in.
Silas just chuckled and joined them.
They all swam for the other bank. The older Doctor was ahead of them and constantly urging them to keep up. Sienna was actually holding her own so she didn't require any assistance. Silas suspected she was swimming so fast out of sheer rage. Man oh man. It definitely must be love.
He could hear a few additional big splashes a ways back as the creatures joined them in the water. He chanced a look in that direction and realized they must be swimming under water because the surface was empty.
He picked up his pace, suddenly picturing one of them grabbing onto his foot and pulling him under. They had a decent head start but he wasn't taking any chances
The older Doctor had reached land and suddenly Silas heard him shout, "Oh no! Dayle."
Silas dove under the water and started swimming for all he was worth to the shore.
When he got there, he saw the Doctor knelt down beside Dayle who was on the ground not moving. She was a sobbing wreck.
The one thing he did not see was any sign of Savannah. His stomach lurched. No way would Savannah leave her mother alone in this condition by choice.
The Doctor was speaking to Dayle gently. "Sweetheart, just take a breath and tell me what happened."
"That man." she sobbed. "He took Vannah."
Silas felt his heart drop down to his stomach. He knew he shouldn't have left her here. His hands went to his face and covered his mouth. He 100% blamed himself.
He was vaguely aware that the other Doctor was helping Sienna out of the water.
They came to stand alongside him.
"What's happened?" the blonde Doctor asked with evident concern.
"Yeah, what is it Si?" Sienna chimed in.
"It's Vannah." Silas said softly, feeling very far away. Like he was in a dream. "Someone's taken her."
"He insisted she was Sienna no matter how much we told him she wasn't." Dayle sobbed. "He wouldn't listen... he just took her."
The older Doctor looked about the way Silas felt. His voice was anguished. "She's paralyzed. She can't move. I'm not sure what he's done to her." He was checking her all over to see if he could find anything.
"Oh I have a pretty good idea." the young Doctor said angrily, heading toward Dayle. He barely paused when he got to her, just scooped her up into his arms. "I assume your TARDIS is nearby?" He inquired, his jaw set angrily.
The other Doctor remained on the ground, blinking in confusion. "Well... yes."
"Then let's go." the blonde Doctor coaxed. "Before our swamp friends catch up with us."
Silas had nearly forgotten about their pursuers until that very moment. He got his ass in gear and pointed up to the bridge. "It's right there. Come on!"
The older Doctor had finally climbed to his feet, still looking a bit dazed.
Sienna jumped into action as well. She grabbed the older Doctor by his hand and tugged him along. "Hey there old friend. I thought I was the one with memory issues."
The Doctor just looked at her in confusion as he followed along.
Sienna was walking backwards and raised her eyebrows at him. "I'm a healer dude. She's gonna be just fine. I got this."
