Read this chapter first, and I'll explain my long absence at the bottom...
Chapter 35: Ice cream!
Dawn's POV-
The motorcycle sputtered for a few moments, and, then, with a few squeaks, cluttered to the ground. I jumped off of the almost-broken machine while it was still flying, and ended up facedown in the mud.
I lifted my head up slowly, and wiped some of the mud off of my face.
"Really?" I ask to no one in particular. "Really?"
Turns out, I'm horribly awful at driving flying motorcycles.
Then, remembering the situation, I quickly stood up, jogged like a hyper little maniac in place for a moment, and then stood still again, wondering what to do first.
I looked at my surroundings. I was standing on a hill. Below me was the prison, and to the west were a few little houses. One of them was on fire, and the other three looked extremely close to falling over. Some prisoners were running toward the village, but most were trying to deal with all of the guards. I saw some unlucky citizens caught in the mess, also. My eyes began to desperately search for Dusk.
When I couldn't find him after about one minute, I wondered what exactly I was supposed to do about this situation, anyway. I mean, think of something happy, and then poof! All the prisoners are back in jail!
Oh, hey! That's it, right? All of the prisoners getting out is a fear, and a fear just like any other. So the solution to a fear like any other is the solution to the solution like any other.
If that makes any sense.
"I'm going to need a whole lot of happiness..." I realized quietly. Then, the idea struck me. I started searching for Dusk again, but after thirty seconds, said out loud, "Oh, what the heck. This is boring."
I began running down the hill. Though I stumbled a few times on some pesky rocks, I managed to keep my footing. At the bottom, I started to worm through the fighting prisoners and guards. I scanned the area, looking for Dusk.
Eventually, I decided to try the communicator again. I held it close to my mouth, pressed a button, and asked, "Dusk, can you hear me?"
I stopped running abruptly as a sharp, high-pitched noise pierced through my brain. Dropping the communicator, I put both hands on my forehead as it began to throb.
"No, not this again," I groaned. "Dang Shady...you are most definitely not legit. I thought I killed you..."
Suddenly, I realized that a bulky, tough looking prisoner was rushing toward me with some sort of club in his hand. I quickly veered to the left, but tripped over a stone and ended up tumbling to the ground.
My head continued to throb, and my heart thumped relentlessly. I squeezed my eyes tightly for a moment, blocking everything out. If the Shady was back to connecting Dusk and I, shouldn't I be able to feel the connection again? Which means it may be possible to locate him.
I grasped on to the throbbing. My mind seemed to go on a wild rollercoaster, racing through images of people and places. I didn't recognize any of them. Each one, however, was tainted with Dusk's feelings and thoughts. Until I came to one last picture: A purple crack. This one I recognized very well.
With a gasp, my eyes fluttered open. It felt like I had just resurfaced from the bottom of an ocean, and that the world should be completely changed. Instead, however, everything was normal. Well, as normal as it gets when you're in the middle of a field surrounded by prisoners and guards.
At least I had an idea of where Dusk was now. He was somewhere on the ground, that was for sure. And somewhere...over...
"There!" I cried. My eyes had finally caught onto his brown hair, which, unfortunately, blended in quite well with the grass.
I started running toward Dusk. It felt like I was flying. My head was still throbbing, and I was beginning to feel a little weak in the knees, but none of that mattered now. I could see Dusk, and everything was going to be okay now.
Probably.
I eventually made it over to Dusk. His eyes were closed, and his mouth was parted ever so slightly. Most of his face was pale, but I knew that if he kept sucking my life source away that the color would come back to his features.
Gently, I shook him awake. He woke with a sharp intake of air, and sat up abruptly. Dusk's eyes were wild, and his hair was even messier than usual, but when he saw me sitting next to him, he calmed down a little.
"Hi," I say with a slight smile.
"How did you find me?" he asks. I saw a faint light in his eyes, and I'm sure mine were turning dark from the Shady that was inside of me.
"That doesn't matter right now," I shook my head, not bothering to explain. "But first of all, you really need to stop killing me. I'm not even kidding. This whole Shady thing is getting annoying." I smiled at his expression, which went from confusion to understanding as he realized that he had accidentally feared this was going to happen all over again.
"But we just have to think of something happy, right?" Dusk asked. "It will all go away after that."
"Yeah. But I really think we need loads of happiness. If we could finish the job completely...that would be great, you know?" I explained briskly.
"Friends," He smiled, glancing over at me.
"What?"
"Friends. They make me feel happy." I looked over at him to see that he was smiling.
"Oh," I nod, realizing what he was doing. "Um...oranges. And ferns. Those are my favorite fruits and plants. And I really like eating bagels, too."
"What else..." He trailed off, and then continued, "Oh! Dogs. I really like dogs. And cats."
"I love stars."
"Apples. Those are delicious."
And then we raced each other, finding the things that made us the happiest. Sure, we'd have to dodge a runaway prisoner once in a while, but it was all good.
Suddenly, I noticed that there were traces of...glitter, I guess, around the prisoners, and I realized that Dusk and my race of happiness was working. We started going faster, thinking of better examples. I looked down at myself, realizing that I was sparkling as well. Dusk was, too.
"Reading...and eating. Eating is really fun," I continued.
He laughed at me, and I breathlessly asked, "What?" while dodging and incoming prisoner.
"Ooh, and I love seeing Mom and Dad, too!" I pushed further to come up with more things. "And Amy. And...eventually, Rory."
"I love traveling in the TARDIS," Dusk laughed.
"I love piloting the TARDIS!"
"I like ice cream," Dusk smiled.
It was at that moment that I looked straight into Dusk's shining eyes. They seemed to be a golden color, which was very different from their normal blue.
And then, before I knew what I was doing, I was kissing him. Very, very softly.
Dusk seemed surprised for a moment, but then realized what was happening, and began to kiss back.
The blood pounded in my ears, and I felt like smiling, but that might ruin it. A warm, golden light began to engulf us, and then everyone around us, and then the people beyond them and the land after that. I realized the Shady had left, because my head was no longer throbbing. And, then, I broke away. As soon as it had happened, it was over.
Dusk blinked his eyes for a few moments, and then shut them for good. Once he fell back onto the ground, I realized that he had passed out.
I smiled down at him, and said, "I like ice cream, too."
And then, I, too, decided that taking a nap sounded like a very, very good idea.
• • •
"Don't worry, River...they'll wake up soon enough," a voice murmured.
"Sweetie, I know that. I'm just curious as to what exactly happened."
"Well, me, too," the first voice replied. "But we'll just have to wait until they can wake up to tell us."
It was at this point that, ironically, my eyes fluttered open. After frantically looking around for a few moments, I realized that I was back at Lexie's HQ in the guest room. Dusk was still asleep on the other bed.
"Ah, see, what did I tell you? She's never one to miss out on the fun," he chuckles.
I pulled a pillow from under my head, and whacked the Doctor with it.
"Ouch! What was that for?" He cries.
"I dunno. I whacked you with a pillow. Do I need a reason?" I asked.
"Yes, you do!"
"Oh...well then my reason is because I felt like it," I explain, shrugging.
"It's nice to see you feeling good again, Dawn," River laughed.
"Thank you, River," I replied, nodding my head. "See, Doctor, that is the way that you greet a young lady who just woke up from using almost all of her living energy on a bunch of Ancient Organisms of Darkness."
"I don't believe there's such a greeting," Dad replied.
"...touché."
"But, anyway, how exactly did that all happen?" Dad asks. "Because I was legitimately-"NO!" I screamed suddenly, interrupting him.
"What?" He asks, his face immediately turning worried.
"You cannotsay legitimately. The word is le-g-it," I explained.
River began to laugh, and Lexie, who I noticed next to her, couldn't help but smile. My expression, however, was completely serious.
"...Anyway. How did you do it? I was legitly-," he paused, waiting for me to interrupt again. I nodded, satisfied at his new use of the word. "-fighting some Shadies when there was this sudden bright light everywhere. Then, all of the fears people had dreamed up were gone. Were you the cause of it?"
"Me and Dusk," I reply. "We both thought of something super duper happy at the same time, and...it made a big light, and BOOM! All the Shadies went bye-bye."
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly was this 'super duper happy' thing?"'
"Er...um...we thought of...ice cream! Yeah, that's it...ice cream," I replied. My cheeks grew a little warm under the intense gazes of River, Dad, and Lexie.
Dusk suddenly began stirring on the other bed. After a moment, he sat up, rubbing his eyes.
"Ah, Dusk, my bow-tie loving companion and idiot!" Dad exclaimed. I suppressed a giggle. "How are you feeling?"
"Thirsty," He replied. Lexie handed him a glass of water. He nodded in thanks. "What happened?"
"You and Dawn apparently thought of ice cream, which ended up destroying all of the Shadies. There was this big glowing light, and all of the Shadies just kind of...melted," Dad explained briefly. I almost laughed again when he said 'ice cream.' If only he knew what really happened.
"I don't remember any of it," Dusk replied, shrugging. "But I guess if we destroyed all of the Shadies that's good, right?"
Dad began replying, but I didn't hear any of it, because that's when what he was saying truly sunk in: He didn't remember any of it. Or, at least, none of the "battle." Which means...
I looked over at Dusk, a curious gaze on my face. He stared right back at me. Did he really not remember, or did he just not want to say what happened in front of anyone else?
We stayed in that position for a few silent moments. That's when I saw that his hand that had been all scratched up before was glowing. He made it very discreet, but I could see that there were nanogenes flying around it. Then I realized that he was trying to share his thoughts with me.
I saw images of what had happened to him, all the way up to when he had been knocked out by a prisoner or two. And then...he was here.
What happened? He asked.
I paused before replying, Exactly what the Doctor said. I'm not sure why you don't remember it, though. Probably because we used so much energy that your brain couldn't carry the extra weight...or something like that.
I didn't have to hear or sense him telepathically to see the lights of confusion and curiosity in his eyes.
We're even, now, I laughed. Only I forgot three months, and you forgot three minutes.
He smiled, and at that point, the connection broke as the nanogenes flew back into his hand.
"Anyway!" I suddenly exclaimed, and everyone jumped. "I say that we go celebrate with some ice cream! Lexie, do you know of any good places to get some around here?"
She nodded, a wide smile on her face. "Hearth Ice Cream. It's about two blocks away."
"Ooh, I've always wanted to go to one of those!" I exclaimed.
"The triple caramel fudge is delicious," River smiled. "It's the Doctor's favorite, too."
"How did you know that?" Dad cries.
"Spoilers," River laughed.
Everyone was happy. We all started walking out the door, following Lexie's lead, when I felt a hand grasp my shoulder. I stopped walking, and after the door shut, I turned around slowly to see Dad. We were in the room alone now.
He narrowed his eyes, and looked at me up, and down, up and down, up and...
"Stop, you're making me get, like, motion sickness, or something," I said.
"What really happened out there?" He asked suddenly, even though I knew the question was coming.
"Exactly what I told you," I replied, even though it was a lie.
"I don't believe you."
"So I assumed."
We scowled at each other for a moment. Then, I finally asked, "Are we really back at where we started? You hating me because I found some insane way to save the day again?"
He relaxed his scowl, and I saw some unrecognizable emotion there. "No," He replied, sighing. "It just bothers me, not knowing who you are, and what you can do. River...I have my guesses about her. But I have no clue about you. At all."
I shrugged. "I'm sure you'll find something out eventually. Probably it will be my fault. I'll let something slip, and then BOOM! You'll know who I am. Just try not to figure it out too fast. I like teasing you about it." I smiled, and Dad shook his head.
"Come on," I giggle, taking his hand, "let's go get some tripe caramel fudge ice cream."
We walked out the door in a silent companionship.
• • •
"And then the Slitheen walks into the bar and says, 'Hey, got any sodium acid?" Lexie finishes the joke, and River, Dusk, and I all laugh. I took a big lick of my ice cream cone.
The change of everyone's attitude had completely changed. Thanks to Dusk and my...er...ice cream, the landscape was back to normal, and everyone was cheerful. All of us were sitting in a little circle in the middle of a large park. We were lucky that the ice cream shop was open, because several shops were closed due to repairs. Other than some people being injured, houses toppling over, and flying motorcycles crashing to the ground, everything was normal. The sky was blue, and mostly everyone was happy.
I looked over at Dad, who was sitting next to me. He was gazing off into the distance. He was smiling about Lexie's joke, but it didn't reach his eyes, which seemed gloomy and gray.
"What are you thinking about?" I asked him quietly, so that no one else would hear.
"Amy," He replied, sighing. "I still don't know where she is...and my TARDIS, for that matter."
"I wonder..." I trailed off, but took the Doctor's large hand in my small one. Then, I told him, "Think of something really, really happy."
"You don't think...?"
"I do think!" I smiled. Then, I closed my eyes, and started to think about Amy coming back with the TARDIS, and how happy Dad would be. And, of course, him being happy made me happy.
Fa-whoosh, Fa-whoosh, Fa-whoosh!
I opened my eyes, and smiled up at the Doctor. We both knew the sounds of a TARDIS.
"You're brilliant," He laughed, turning around to see the TARDIS materializing right behind us. He continued to mumble, "This whole time, I simply feared that the TARDIS would take off with Amy inside of it...there must have been a Shady inside of it."
By now, Lexie, River, and Dusk had all looked up at the TARDIS, which had fully materialized.
Suddenly, a familiar ginger girl poked her head out the door. "Doctor!" Amy cried, fully opening the door to hug him. "Ugh, I was so worried, and, then—is that River?" She asked, looking over the Doctor's shoulder.
River smiled, and said, "Hello, Amy. Good to see you again."
"I know you two, also, don't I?" Amy asks, and breaks away from the Doctor to inspect Dusk and I.
"Wait a second!" She cries. "Aren't you supposed to be...dead? I mean, no offense, but..."
"Ugh, you sound like him," I groan, pointing an accusing finger at Dad.
"And your hair, it's...red?" Amy asks. "Ooh, you're a ginger! Good work!" She smirks, and then whispers in my ear, "It really attracts the men." I snorted, shaking my head.
"Amy, you go back inside, I'll explain later," Dad chuckles, pushing a still-confused Amy into the TARDIS. She protested, but Dad was stronger that her, and was able to keep her inside after leaning against the door.
"Well, I guess it's time I say farewell," Dad sighs. "It was nice beating down all those Shadies with you guys. Very legit."
I smile, and the Doctor leans against the TARDIS in that cool way he has. "River, nice seeing you again."
River laughs, and replies, "It won't be too long, Doctor. As I said before, you'll see me again when the Pandorica opens."
Dad smirks, and then turns to me. "What do you plan on doing, Dawn?"
"More traveling," I reply, shrugging. "I'll use a phone booth to call up a spaceship or something." I smirked. The Doctor knew that I had no intention of telling him how I planned to get off of this planet.
"Then I'm sure we'll see each other soon," Dad smiles. "I look forward to it." We shook hands.
"Well then. I should probably go talk to Amy-," at this moment, there was thump against the TARDIS door. I knew that it was Amy trying to get out, and smiled. Dad continued, "or else she'll be driving me nuts for the rest of our time together."
Dad slowly opened the door after one final wave, and walked inside. I could barely hear Amy over the noise of the TARDIS going Fa-whoosh, fa-whoosh, fa-whoosh. And then, it was gone.
Lexie stood up, stretched, and said, "I should probably get out of here. I have to find Ty before he moves someplace else again."
I hugged her tightly. "Good luck, Lexie. If I hear anything from him, I'll tell you. I'm sure we'll see each other again someday soon."
We broke apart, and, like the Doctor, after waving one last time, she walked toward the sun, which was now setting because it was late afternoon. I watched her go, slightly sad.
I turned to River, Dusk by my side, and shrugged. "I guess this is goodbye, then?"
"For now," River nodded. "Because as long as you're traveling around in a TARDIS, I'm sure we'll meet again."
I was stupefied. "H-How did you know...?"
River laughed, and pointed at where my TARDIS was parked. I had accidentally landed it right next to another red phone booth.
"No one builds two phone booths right next to each other on this planet. I anticipate our next time meeting each other with great happiness, Dawn. If you ever need me, you know which prison to call." And then, a sudden cloud of dust swirled up around her, and River was gone. I looked up to see a prison ship, just before it disappeared again.
Dusk and I stood there for a few seconds in a complete and utter silence, until he finally said, "Dawn. Your mom is legit."
I looked over at him, and smiled. "I know!"
I then began to quietly sing the song, "Stacey's mom," and Dusk joined in, until we were so loud, that everyone in the park could have heard us. We walked to the TARDIS together, acting like complete and total idiots.
Oh, the day in the life of a Forgotten Child.
Okay. I'm so dang sorry.
I don't even know how to explain why I was gone for so long. I finished this chapter a Looooooong time ago, but I didn't have time to edit it. So that was pretty rubbish. Musical was going on, I had to write a huge biography about my mom for an ELA class, I had a total of sixteen band/choir concerts during this absence, extra homework, lessons, blah blah blah. Anyway, I also had a HUGE confidence drop in writing (don't ask...), and that made me not write anything creative for about two weeks. And then I went through a huge stage of writer's block. And you don't want to hear about the rest.
Please, if you've ever been through one of those stages where you CAN'T write, you can understand, right?
Anyway...hope you like the conclusion of this chapter. I had to make Dawn and Dusk kiss, I'm sorry. Ha ha, now Dusk knows that they kissed, but Dawn doesn't know about it, and Dawn knows that they kissed this time, and Dusk doesn't. So they both think that the other person thinks that they haven't kissed, but really they both know that they have.
If...that makes any sense, you're legit. :P
Anyway...please review! Again, I'm super duper sorry!