CHAPTER 36

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BEING NOSTALGIC FOR THE EMPTY CHILD

The Doctor was still smiling even as he and Jack were ushered inside a rather bland and lifeless waiting room that was decorated all in white and told to wait for Mr. Mortimus.

"See? You didn't have faith in the power of the bow tie, but now you've seen it in all its full glory at last. It opens doors like nothing else could," The Doctor babbled.

Jack looked at him skeptically as he said, "With all due respect, Doc, I just don't buy it. The guy running this place must be the Monk just like you thought, and that's why we were let in. He recognized you and now we're right where he wants us. This just has to be a trap."

The Doctor's smile faded as he said, "Oh, it's definitely a trap, Captain. Only it's one that I willingly walked into because it was the only sure way to find out what was going on in time to stop it. That's why I didn't bring Clara along but you instead because we're right in the middle of the lion's den here."

"Thanks a lot for thinking of me, Doc," Jack said sarcastically.

"You can't die, Jack, and Clara can. She's died far too much already, and I never want to see it happen again," The Doctor said in a firm voice.

"I understand completely. I'd never want to see anything happen to Oswin either. How is she by the way?" Jack asked.

The Doctor smiled as he said, "She's doing fine. She seems to like being back on Gallifrey again. You love her don't you?"

"Yeah, but not in the way that you think, Doc. I grew to care a lot about her when she was living at Torchwood. We became very close just like Rosie and I did and just like with Rosie it wasn't romantic between us at all. I can actually have a relationship with someone without falling in love with or being attracted to them you know?" Jack said with a smile.

"Yes, but it doesn't seem to happen very often," The Doctor said with a smirk.

"This incarnation is even cheekier than the last one was isn't it?" Jack said with a chuckle.

"Oh, I'm far better than Matchstick Man in every way, Jack Harkness. I'm much cuter too," The Doctor said smugly.

"I don't know. The last one had a certain edge over you I think. He actually had eyebrows for a start," Jack said teasing him.

Before the Doctor could protest, he was interrupted by a voice that was filled with equal parts amusement and disdain that came out of an intercom nearby.

"I never thought that you could ever be madder than you were at the Academy, Doctor, but you have proven me so wrong. It seems that instead of growing more melancholy as you grow older as so many do you've done nothing but become even more deranged over the centuries," A voice that the Doctor knew just had to belong to the Monk said.

"Yeah, he definitely knows you alright, Doc," Jack said.

The Doctor ignored him as he looked up to the intercom and said to the Monk, "It's better than growing more and more psychopathic like you have, Monk. I can remember when you used to be almost lovable and were just basically a merry prankster playing jokes on history by switching it up a little bit. That's all changed now though hasn't it? This is all deadly serious. You're talking about massive change on a planetary scale that will impact Earth and by extension the entire universe's future forever."

"You have no idea just how much I plan on changing things, Doctor. The Earth is just a testing ground. It's only the start of a new paradigm shift that will sweep across all of time and space if all goes well here. I no longer want to just alter a few events in history. I want to alter all of it. Forever," The Monk said in a gleeful tone.

"Yes, I got that idea already. What I still haven't figured out just yet is exactly what changes that you're planning on making and why. Oh, I've definitely got ideas but nothing's set in stone so that's why I came here posing as a salesman to talk to you. Sorry about not having any bow ties to sell you by the way. I know that must be a huge disappointment," The Doctor said.

"Stop trying to act like you're completely stupid, Doctor. We both know that that's just an act. You may not have done well at the Academy, but that was more from complete disinterest than from incompetence or a lack of intelligence. You're far too clever for me to ever underestimate again. I found that out the hard way when you sabotaged my TARDIS so that I didn't know where I was going for years. We both know that you came here to find out what I was up to. I'm not going to tell you any more than I already have though, Doctor," The Monk said.

"Oh, well that's very disappointing. I guess not everyone tells me all of their plans right away anymore. I miss the good old days when the megalomaniacs would tell me the whole thing in the first few seconds. Now those were the days, eh?" The Doctor said in a nonchalant voice.

"Don't be too disappointed, Doctor. You didn't come here in vain. I just said that I wouldn't tell you what I was up to. I didn't say that I wouldn't show you," The Monk said as he started to laugh.

Nanotech began to flow out of the intercom then as Jack said, "I don't like the looks of this, Doc."

The Doctor's earlier grin returned now as he scanned the nanotech with his sonic screwdriver while it slowly moved towards him. To Jack, he seemed to be enjoying himself immensely instead of being afraid for his life.

Jack shook his head at him as he said, "Same old Doctor. You're just not happy unless you're facing certain death. I have a feeling that this is going to be something a lot worse though especially for me since I can't die."

The Doctor looked at the readout on his sonic as he said, "Unfortunately it looks like you're right, Jack. It's just what I thought. This whole thing has been reminding me of when I first met you from the moment that I heard about the nanotech, and now I finally know why. It's because the same thing is about to happen that did back then."

"We're going to be turned into gas mask wearing kids looking for their mummies?" Jack asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"No, that might actually be fun. This is definitely not going to be fun in any way though. I think that we're going to be changed into something quite different according to this. This time the new template for the nanotech to follow isn't a scared but basically harmless child who is completely unaware of the damage that he's causing. It's far more dangerous than that," The Doctor said with a frightened look on his face.

"What is it then?" Jack asked as he wondered what could possibly make the Doctor of all people that afraid.

"I should have known that this would be what he was up to just based on his past history alone. I didn't think that even he was this mad though. What did they promise you to get you to go along with this, Mortimus? A little corner of the universe all your own to play around with?" The Doctor asked in a disgusted voice.

"Doctor, what are we about to be changed into?" Jack demanded.

Just as the nanotech was about to reach them, the Doctor simply said in the most serious tone that Jack had ever heard him use, "Daleks."

At that very moment, Clara landed the TARDIS right inside of Mortimus Industries and smiled as she saw on the monitor that she had landed it out of sight of any guards. They could all hopefully sneak out without being captured right away. She was also going to take her own sonic along to disable any security cameras or alarms that she would probably find along the way too just in case.

"Don't look so smug, Shorty. You might think that you've got it all figured out but you don't. I'm sad to say it but I've broken into a lot of places with the Doctor before. It's never as easy as it looks like it's going to be. There's always something unexpected that you never even thought of before that will trip you up," Amy said.

"Oh, thank you so much, Red, because this is my first trip in the TARDIS ever you know," Clara said sarcastically.

"I'm just saying that I've been around a lot longer than you, and I know that nothing's ever as easy as it seems to be especially where the Doctor's involved," Amy said.

Clara frowned as she said, "Maybe just this once though it'll all go differently. It could happen, right?"

They both looked at each other and burst out laughing at the same time as Amy said, "That was hilarious, Half Pint. Tell me another one."

Lilith meanwhile was watching them debate going outside and delaying that decision more and more with a growing sense of anticipation. She wanted to go out there. She needed to do it in order to see if the nanotech could be used to help her or not.

She was tired of waiting in the TARDIS with the growing feeling that a precious window of opportunity to take a look at the nanotech was rapidly passing her by with each moment. She needed to know if the nanotech could help her or not, and she needed to know it now.

She was already eying the TARDIS doors even as the others continued to waste time. She began to silently plot and plan even as she waited for the right moment to act.

"How about I scout ahead and take out any potential dangers along the way, Gran? They'll never even see me coming," Amelia promised Amy as she too tried to get her to do something because she was worried about her father.

Amy hesitated as she said, "I don't know. I wouldn't feel right about you going out there alone."

Amelia rolled her eyes as she said, "I can take care of myself, Gran. When I want to, no one can see me. Jenny and Susie can both tell you that. I hid right alongside them, and they never even noticed me."

"Yeah, but Jenny and Susie aren't specifically trained to find and deal with intruders with lethal force unlike the security guards in this place, are they? I think that you should stick with us, Amelia. I'd feel much better about it," Amy said.

"This is ridiculous. I've been in dangerous situations and come out in one piece long before I ever met you. I think that I know what I'm doing. First you're acting like Clara's not capable of taking of herself and now me. What's up with you today anyway?"

Amy and Rory briefly exchanged a look as Rory said, "Tell them."

"Tell us what?" Amelia asked.

"From the moment that Jack started talking about nanotech I started remembering what it was like in the Dalek Asylum. I came really close to being changed into a Dalek puppet there. I'm not sure that I want any of you to go out there if something like that might happen again. If I wasn't so sure that the Doctor was in trouble up to his neck at this very moment, I wouldn't have even suggested coming here at all. As it is though, I think that Rory and I should just go out there ourselves and help him. The rest of you should just stay here where you'll hopefully be safe," Amy said.

Clara looked at her with a huge grin on her face as she said, "You're just trying to protect your family aren't you? You consider me a part of your family too don't you? That's why you didn't want me to go."

Amy smiled as she said, "Yeah, I guess I do. Don't think I'm going to go soft on you though just because I'm looking out for you. It's never going to happen."

"It's not just because you worried about her yourself though is it? I'm onto you, Amy. You're looking out for Clara for Spaceman aren't you? That's very sweet of you," Donna said with an evil smile.

"Shut up," Amy said as she tried to suppress a grin.

"Wait a minute. Where's Lilith?" Susan suddenly said as she noticed that her friend was no longer in the Console Room.

"What? You mean she's gone?" Clara said in surprise.

"Yes, she's just disappeared," Susan said in concern.

"She must have slipped out of the TARDIS while we were all talking," Jenny said.

"I wonder what she's up to. Why would Witch Girl have done something like that for?" Donna asked suspiciously.

"Maybe she finally got tired of waiting for someone else to do something," Amelia said with a frown.

Amy shot her an angry look as she said, "I just said that I was going out there. I'm not going to just leave your Dad to die, Amelia. I promise you that."

"Yeah, but you're still here and Lilith's out there doing something about it just like I wanted to do five minutes ago," Amelia said impatiently.

"You don't understand, Amelia. I have a funny feeling that something's wrong out there, and I didn't want any of you out in it especially not you. Call it stupid if you want to, but I'm taking it seriously. All of you stay here and Rory and I will go out there and see what's going on," Amy said.

"Oi! Who made you the boss?" Donna said indignantly.

"I did because I'm the oldest even if I don't look it. I'm like the mum of this little group with the Doctor away, and I feel like it's my job to look out for all of you until I get him back, okay?" Amy said.

"I'm a grown woman, Amy. I don't need looking out for," Donna said in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Neither do I," Clara said but with no real anger in her voice.

"Sorry, you two. I guess old habits of being a mother die hard huh? I still think that you should all stay in here though until I find out what's going on," Amy insisted.

Everyone finally agreed to let Amy and Rory go on alone even if Donna did it grudgingly, and the two of them quickly made their way outside to see that the entire area was completely deserted. There was no one in sight including Lilith.

"I knew it. Something's wrong. This is too easy. It's a trap," Amy said.

"The whole thing's probably been a trap. I mean that's what I'd do if I was up to something and knew that the Doctor might find out about it. I'd lure him right into a trap by advertising where I could be found as much as possible and then catching him when he walks into it because his curiosity won't let him stay out of it," Rory said.

"It's a little unnerving how you came up with that so quickly, Mr. Pond. We really have traveled with him way too much. We even know how his enemies think now," Amy said with a warm smile.

"Yeah, I have to admit that it bothers me too," Rory said.

"Come on. We have to find the Doctor before it's too late. If I hadn't had to take so long to convince the others to stay inside of the TARDIS, I could have already been looking for him by now," Amy said.

"Maybe Lilith has already found him," Rory suggested.

"Yeah, like I trust her. She ran out without even telling us. She has to be up to something," Amy said.

"I hope not. I want to trust her after she helped me to find you back when the Cybermen were after you," Rory said.

Amy smiled as she said, "Yeah, I know. You want to believe the best about her just like you did with Rayna. I hope for both your and Susie's sakes that you're right again but I doubt it. Come on. Let's keep looking for the Doctor."

Lilith meanwhile had gotten much luckier than the Ponds. She had just found the Monk. She knew that it was him when he was the first person that she came across after several minutes of finding nothing but empty corridors. The monk's robes that he was wearing didn't hurt in identifying him either. It seemed that he liked to dress the part too just like the Doctor.

Now she froze as she tried to determine what to do next. She had run into him just as he came out of a door across the hall from her, and he was now staring at her in complete surprise.

"Who are you?" The Monk asked suspiciously as he continued to stare at her in alarm.

Lilith quickly decided on a course of action after several anxious moments of debating what she should do next as she said, "I've come here to get a sample of your new technology. I represent the Kingdom of Freedonia which has just decided that they want it for themselves before anyone else gets it. You are still giving it away for free aren't you?"

The Monk looked a little less suspicious now as he said, "How did you get in here past the security outside?"

Lilith smiled her sweetest smile as she said, "Well, I just told them the truth like I told you, and they looked surprise for a moment and then let me in. I hope that I haven't alarmed you. My government just really stressed it to me that I needed to get your tech now before you changed your mind and that I should insist on getting inside if anyone told me no."

The Monk smiled at her as he said, "I can't imagine anyone ever telling you no, my dear. Wait here and I'll give you a sample of my invention. You must promise not to open it until you're back home however. It could easily escape if you leave the box open too long, and we can't have that, can we?"

"No, of course not," Lilith said as she winked at him.

She hated using her charms like this to get what she wanted. That was something that the old Lilith had done on behalf of her mothers in order to lure men to their dooms, and she still hated herself for that even now. She had to do it in order to get the nanotech though.

Once she did, then she could not only help herself but the Doctor as well. It was much simpler to get a sample this way so that he could see what was going on than his way of pretending to be a bow tie salesman of all things. How silly was that?

She only wished that she had thought of it sooner. Then maybe she wouldn't have to take the time to go find the Doctor and Jack next as soon as she had convinced the Monk that she was leaving. Hopefully that wouldn't be too hard to do though. He seemed very smitten with her.

As she waited for the Monk to return, she heard Clara say from behind her, "There you are. Why did you slip out like that?"

At that exact moment, Amy and Rory also showed up as Amy glared at Clara and said, "I told you to stay inside."

"And I told you that I'm an adult," Clara said.

"That's telling her, Souffle Girl," Donna said with a grin as she arrived in the very next moment.

"What is this, a revolt?" Amy said in exasperation.

"You're all ruining my plan," Lilith hissed in frustration.

"Oh, and what was that? Have you been dealing with the Monk behind our backs? I saw a man in monk's robes walk into that room just as I got here," Clara said.

"It's not what it looks like. I'm trying to get a sample of the nanotech from him for us to examine by posing as someone from Freedonia. Then all we'll have to do is just to find the Doctor and Jack and get out of here. It's a simple enough plan," Lilith said.

"I hope that's all you're doing, Witch Girl," Donna said still suspicious of her.

"Finding the Doctor's still going to be the hard part even if it does work, Lilith. I've been searching everywhere, and I can't find him or Jack anywhere. It's like they've both just completely disappeared somehow," Amy said in a worried voice.

Mocking laughter suddenly interrupted her as the Monk said, "I should have known that I was being tricked. I always have had a weakness for a pretty face however. It's no matter though because I brought a sample of my nanotech with me thanks to your friend's trickery and that's played completely to my advantage. I'm about to show you what happened to make the Doctor and your other friend disappear. Now you're about to join them as you all become Daleks!" The Monk said as he opened the box full of nanotech in his hands.

"I knew it! I knew that I had a bad feeling about this. Would any of you listen? No!" Amy said as the nanotech started to pour forth from the box while the Monk raced for the nearest door to get to safety.

"Shut up, Amy. Now's not the time," Donna said.

"This is my fault. If I hadn't been so eager to get the tech to help myself, this wouldn't be happening," Lilith said berating herself.

"So you admit that you did have an ulterior motive," Amy said in disappointment.

"I was going to give it to the Doctor too to help him, but I wanted to use it to make myself normal again. I just couldn't stand being just like Clara anymore," Lilith said in tears.

"What? Why didn't you say something?" Clara said in surprise.

"I didn't want to cause any trouble for you," Lilith said.

"Yeah, well it's a little too late for that now, Witch Girl," Donna said.

"I won't let this happen. I can still make up for all of this," Lilith said as she rushed towards the nanotech.

"Lilith, stop! No!" Susan screamed as she, Jenny, and Amelia arrived just in time to see Lilith rushing straight towards the oncoming nanotech.

Lilith opened her mouth wide directly in front of the nanotech as soon as she got close to it, and all of it started to pour into her body now as she said, "Run. Run while it's doing whatever it's going to do to me."

"Lilith," Susan said in tears.

"Just go, Susie. Go and save yourself. I love you," Lilith said as she too began to cry.

Then a moment later she began to scream as she felt the nanites begin to reshape her from the inside out. She had never felt such pain in her life, and she was begging for it to stop.

She couldn't help but wonder if this was what she deserved for all of the terrible things that she had helped her mothers to do. Only one thought cheered her up as she saw the others moving away from her and dragging a distraught Susan along with them just before she began to black out.

At least her friends would be safe.

Next: What will happen to Lilith? For that matter, what happened to the Doctor and Jack anyway? Did they really all just become Daleks? Will Clara, Amy, and the others soon join them? What are the Monk's reasons for doing all of this anyway, and what does he hope to gain from it? We'll find out in the next chapter as this storyline is finally wrapped up.