XXXVI
In the moments before

The Island
Jack Gruntler's residence
Three hours to go

The villagers start to make their way towards the festival around midday, desperate to get a good spot to see off the start of the Day of Destruction. The Doctor sits on a wooden stool, peeking through the window blinds to watch the villagers pass them by. Rose sits by his side but she is watching him, not what is happening outside.

In all the travels she has had with the Doctor, she has never seen him look as pale, worn out and scared as he does right now. And Jack Gruntler certainly wasn't lying by saying that this battle will be the hardest battle they will have to face. But she says nothing for she knows that she too is scared. She is scared about April taking part in the Day of Destruction. She is scared about their plan to enter the woods unnoticed to fight in the battle. And above all, she is scared about what is going to happen once this battle is over.

The Doctor, Aaron and Jack returned back to Jack's residence after pulling apart Ellis' house earlier today.

"I've never seen anything quite like it." The Doctor said when the came back, describing to everyone about the horrors that have been hiding in the walls to Ellis' house. They know that as soon as the Day of Destruction starts, those corpses will be burned at the furnace. However something has changed in Ellis after he saw the corpse of his wife. He has spent these past five years believing that her body was buried in the hidden cemetery west of the Island. But she has actually been stored away in a plastic body bag beneath the walls amongst dozens of other victims in his own home. Now Ellis seems more desperate to start the Day of Destruction than he ever was before.

What they saw was evidently distressing to the Doctor, Aaron and Jack as neither of them wanted to talk about it afterwards. So now they sit around Jack Gruntler's house in silence. The Doctor and Rose remain sitting by the window. Aaron, Jack, Terry, Joseph, Max, Declan, Rex, Ireen, Sarah-Jane and April stand around the living room in silence.

The clock on the mantelpiece ticks loudly despite its cracked face.

Rose studies the Doctor for a while before speaking in a soft, quiet voice so that only he can hear.

"What are we going to when this is all over?"

"It's best if we just think about the now rather than tomorrow." The Doctor replies, still peering through the blinds.

"You must have some sort of hope."

The Doctor hesitates for a moment before looking at Rose. "I just hope that we all come out of this alive."

Rose looks at the Doctor for a while before looking away, just thinking. "What are we going to do about April? I mean what happens then? Is she going to stay with us? What will UNIT do?"

The Doctor shakes his head. "I honestly don't know." He snaps unintentionally. The thought of what they are going to do after this battle is too much to think about right now. It is also something Jack has warned him to remove from his mind. He must not make any plans of what they are going to do after. They just have to focus their minds on the task at hand. As Jack says, having the Cytracik destroyed is their main priority.

The Doctor reaches forward and takes Rose's hand in his. No other words pass between them as they hold hands.

The silence in the house continues for a little while longer, but is then broken as Aaron's mobile phone rings. Everyone turns their attention to Aaron who desperately pulls out his phone from his pocket and answers the call. They all know that Martha would call once she has helped Will as much as she can.

"How is he?" Aaron asks the moment he puts the phone to his ear. Then he says nothing more as he listens to Martha on the other end of the line. His face unreadable. After a minute or so, he lowers his phone and switches it off. He inhales a shaky breath and then places his hand on the wall for support. "Will is fine. Martha has managed to save his life thanks to Declan's own treatments," Aaron turns to Declan. "It's bloody lucky we took you here with us."

"It's a miracle those treatments have worked against Monroe's torture." Declan replies stiffly.

Aaron nods. "Martha is on her way over now. She says that Will will need to sleep for a while."

"What about the revolution?" The Doctor asks.

"I think that his recovery is what he needs to focus on."

The front door bangs open and Martha walks in quicker than anyone expected. She holds a very weak Will by her side, draping his arm over her shoulders.

"Help," Martha cries. "We need to get him to a bed to rest ASAP."

Soon everyone rushes to Will's aid. But no one gets there quicker than Aaron does. Tears spill down his face as he rushes to his son's side. Will manages to look up at his father and smirks weakly.

"Guess I never learn, do I?" Will croaks, still looking at his father.

"No you bloody don't!" Aaron says, exasperated and not sure whether to laugh or cry. Aaron then throws one of Will's arms over his shoulders and Declan holds his other. The two help carry him towards the stairs.

"Someone get him some water," Martha orders and Sarah-Jane sees to it immediately. "He'll be back to normal as soon as he wakes up," she then lowers her voice. "I should hope."

Everyone does their best to make the journey across the living room and up the stairs as easy for Will so that no more pain will be inflicted on him. Then once they start climbing the wooden stairs, Aaron insists that they will be fine from here on. Everyone falls back and lets Aaron to help his son to rest.

April, however, is desperate to make sure that Will is okay. So she follows. She only manages to climb the first two stairs before Aaron shouts down at her, not even looking back.

"Stay back!"

"Let me see him!" April cries, feeling someone come up beside her.

"Just let me do this alone, April! I am his father!"

"And I'm..." but April stops short.

"You are what exactly?" Aaron snaps who has now stopped climbing up the stairs to look at her. "The Ice Girl. Yes we know. But your faults have brought Alic to his fate. My soldier is now paralysed. And don't forget that you have taken the full blame of my Captain's death. So don't get angry at me if I want to spend some time alone with my son without you making matters worse."

The silence fills the house as Aaron and April stare at each other. April can almost feel Aaron's pain, but she knows that everything that he has just said rings the truth.

"April." Max whispers as he reaches out for his sister.

April clears her throat and turns away from the stairs. She is aware of everyone's eyes on her and right now, she wishes that they would stop staring. In moments like this, she would wish for someone to hold her. She would wish for her mother or her father to be there by her side. She would wish for Ireen to make her a cup of tea. She would wish to sit in the Tardis with the Doctor, Rose and Terry, dancing away to some Mozart. But right now she can just about make do with Max standing by her side. For now, separating herself from everyone else seems like the best option to make what she wants to do easier. And possibly make it easier for everyone else. April scowls down at the floor, not wanting to look at anyone. Especially Rose or Ireen who she knows will both have a rather sorrowful or at the very least, sympathetic look on their faces.

The silence only lasts up until Aaron has helped Will all the way up the stairs and into the spare bedroom.

"It's best that we should make a move." Jack says darkly and April is thankful that everyone's attention has been diverted away from her.

"I agree." The Doctor says as he stands up, turning his back to the window.

Everyone in the room starts shuffling about, gathering their belongings, putting on coats and getting ready to leave. April, completely clueless as to what is happening, watches her brother as he walks across the room and picks up a handheld gun from the glass coffee table, before putting it in his pocket. Everyone looks busy, whereas Jack stands there by the front door, waiting for them patiently.

April takes a step forward and goes to say something but someone lays a firm hand on her shoulder, stopping her. April looks up to find her grandfather standing there, looking down his nose at her. He is still the same man as he was back in the parallel Scotland and 1775 Manchester. But the news of him being her grandfather has changed everything.

"You are doing your bit for this battle," Joseph says softly, understanding exactly what is flying through April's mind. "Let us do ours."

"Where are you going?" April asks, directing the question over to the Doctor.

But Jack answers. "You should focus on the Day of Destruction, April." Jack's voice is harsh as if he is cutting the thin invisible line that connects her to the ones she loves.

April then helplessly looks up at her grandfather as everyone else continues to pack their things. "Trust us," Joseph's hand lowers from her shoulder and he holds her hand before squeezing it, his eyes full of tears. "We're here for you. Always. No matter what you choose to do," His voice is quiet and soft so that only she can hear him. "Please don't ever lose hope. Each and every one of us are doing this for you because we love you. We are doing this more for you than the Cytracik. If there's anything that's going to keep you going in those woods, just think of that. Please."

April stares at her grandfather, momentarily speechless. "You know what I'm choosing to do?"

"Of course I do." Joseph nods.

April glances over to the Doctor.

"No one else knows," Joseph says quietly, knowing what she is thinking. "Even Max doesn't know your plan." He squeezes her hand one more time before leaning in and kissing her cheek.

Then Aaron comes running down the stairs. "Will is asleep. I told him that I'm going to update Alic before we do anything. Alic knows what he can do from the hospital to help us. My son will join us as soon as he recovers."

"He'll be fine in time for the Day of Destruction." Martha says, her voice flat and somewhat emotionless.

"Then you should better get going." Jack says darkly before opening the doors.

April can feel everyone hesitate for a moment. But Martha is the first to leave, followed by Declan. Slowly everyone files out of the house until there is only the Doctor, Terry, Rose and Jack left. All of them looking at April as if they do not want to leave her side just yet.

"We'll see you in a couple of hours," Rose says, trying to keep her voice bright. "We promise."

April nods and then they leave. April and Jack are alone together. Will snores peacefully upstairs.

"Don't let Max die." April asks quietly.

"I can't promise anything." Jack replies indifferently.

"I know you can't but you can at least help! If there's anything you can do in that battle and whatever plan you are following, you can at least help Max. Don't let him try to sacrifice himself or anything."

"Max isn't going to sacrifice himself. Not unless you hand him a gun and tell him to while you do the same," Jack switches hands on his walking cane and April can almost hear his joints creaking. "Max does not know what you plan to do in the woods. He wasn't there during your years apart so he does not understand your mind as much as he would like."

"Do you think it's a good idea?" April asks. "What I'm going to do in the woods?"

Jack is silent for a moment as he gives her a knowing look. "I think that sacrifice of the Ice Girl in the place the Cytracik was supposed to kill her will create the perfect paradox. And it will let your brother live a long life," he then takes in a sharp breath. "Remember what I told you. The Doctor will die if you don't. I'll keep your brother alive and you'll keep the Doctor alive."

"I know. I promised that I would save his life as much as he saved mine."

Jack nods. "Heroic," he snarls. "But the Doctor saved your life the second he showed you what Bruce Fey was," he then pauses for a long moment. "Good luck."

April watches Jack turn and leave the house, closing the door behind him. April is left alone standing in the living room. She stares blankly ahead, the ticking sound reverberating through her ears. She stands there and yet she does not move. It is as if her feet are rooted to the ground as her mind buzzes with thoughts. Voices of the people she loves rings through her mind as she just thinks.

And then there is nothing. April stands there looking lifelessly ahead, feeling more numb than she has ever felt before. She does not know how much time has past since the others have left. But it has been enough time for April to see the autumnal sky outside darkening to welcome the afternoon. It probably isn't too far away from the start of the Day of Destruction.

Then April forces herself to move. Somewhat like a zombie, she moves away from the living room and up the stairs. She hesitates for a brief second as she stands outside of the spare bedroom. She slowly pushes the door open. Will is awake and out of bed.

Seeing Will half naked and halfway through getting changed back into his UNIT battle uniform, April can't help but to turn her back.

"I'm sorry." April says, coy and ready to walk away. But Will does not reply. Instead he takes hold of her arm and drags her into the bedroom. April catches glimpses of Will's naked body. Obviously it is not the first time she has seen it, but for some reason she feels like looking at him now is invading his privacy.

"How do you feel?" April asks in a dull voice as she crosses her arms across her chest.

Will looks up at her as he slides into his jeans. "I'm fine." He insists.

"I saw it happen," April continues. "I was Monroe. I was attacking you."

Will sighs as he shakes his head, feeding his weapon belt through his trouser loop holes. "It happened, April. Rodger Barratt ordered Monroe to torture me. Thinking that I would give in and tell them everything I know. Fortunately I'm stronger than that," he then throws a white tank vest over his head. "April," he breathes out heavily. "Why are you doing this?"

April doesn't respond.

"Why are you taking part in the race?" Will pushes on.

"I wanted to save Joshua's life. He's eighteen years old for Christ's sake! He deserves to live!"

"And Joshua joined the revolution for no one else's means but his own. You can't save everyone. Remember you were only eighteen when you fought the Slitheen in Wales. Joshua can handle himself."

"Yeah well what happens if I also chose to be a part of this for myself?" She lies. "Have you not thought that I am doing this because it is part of my nightmare?"

Will snorts. "I know you well enough to know when you are full of bullshit," Will stops changing to look at April. "I know one hundred percent that you are doing this because you want to save everyone. You want to save the Doctor, Rose, Terry. You want to save what little you have left of your family. You want to save the remains of UNIT. You want to save me. You want to save Ellis and Amelia Lustworve. You want to save everyone but yourself," Will steps closer to April. "Just let us save you too."

"I'm fine." April tires to insist, stepping away from Will. She reminds herself to keep a distance.

Will's face darkens. "Please don't do this. Please don't go into those woods."

April shakes her head. "It's too late now."

"You have the Tardis! You know how to fly the bloody thing!" Will snaps. "You can go back in time to stop yourself from volunteering."

"The Tardis would not be able to go back in time while we're here. Did you not think that if it could, we would have rewritten the whole history of this battle by now? That we would have gone to the time when the shape shifters and Heat Miles first came here to stop them? Or back to when the Cytracik was first created? The Doctor tried that and failed because this has to happen. The Cytracik is so powerful we cannot rewrite it's history. The time for the battle is fixed. Once the Cytracik was created, there was no way we could go back to stop it from happening. The Tardis only had enough power to let Jason and I go back five days to try and right what was happening on this Island. And I took that opportunity to be a part of the Day of Destruction."

"It's a suicide mission, April!"

This comment winds April slightly but she steps away from Will. "And I'm not letting you stop me. I have to do this."

"No you don't."

"Yes I do!"

"No you want to, April! There is a huge difference! I didn't have to fuck Morgarn multiple times after you left my world but I wanted to so I did."

"What?"

"Yeah, that's right, April. I fucked Morgarn in the times when I felt hopeless about getting you back. I don't want to lose you again."

"So you are just the man I originally thought you were." April growls, trying her best to look angry, although she knows that her words are not truthful and they hurt to say. It hurts her to see the look on Will's face. She has to push him away and with the topic he just brought up, she knows that this is the only way.

"I have sex with someone I once had an affair with and you automatically take me as the bad guy. A sleaze. Arrogant. Fucking hell I am human!"

"And is it inhumane for me to want to save everyone?" April snaps.

"No, but it's fucking stupid when you won't accept our help!" Will shakes his head. "Please don't ever leave me, April. Please don't do this!"

"You can't change my mind, Will."

"The second you are in those woods you won't stand a chance of surviving. Heat Miles will have you killed on the spot. They will want your prophecy to be fulfilled."

"Then let it happen."

"Why are you being so difficult, April?"

"And why won't you leave me alone?" April takes a few steps back, inwardly telling herself to not show her true emotions. "You told me that if I tell you to go away, then you would. Am I right?"

"April...don't do this."

"Go away, Will. I don't want you here right now."

Will is now sobbing and it breaks April's heart to see him like this. "April. I just want you..."

"GO AWAY!" April screams.

Will's bottom lips trembles violently but he pulls out a small keyring from his pocket. He presses down on the keyring with his thumb. There is a click and then Will vanishes from sight, leaving April completely alone.

April stares at the spot where Will was seconds ago. A sound escapes her lips, almost like a whimper. But it is also April calling for him back. She hates herself even more so for purposefully hurting Will, but she knows that for the moment it is the best. If she can distance herself from those she loves, killing herself will be easier. Just like it was when she was fourteen.

April clutches her chest, her heartache too painful. And in these moments, she lets all of her memories that have recently been plaguing her just fully engulf her. All the times she felt remorse and fear: being attacked by Bruce; meeting the Daleks; her parallel mother dying in her arms; the number of UNIT soldiers who were killed in that battle; being torn as she awaits for UNIT to come back to her; the coldness of Antarctica; hearing of Will's murderous past; the death of Private Jefferson; Colonel Meath pushing her way from UNIT; the Doctor and Aaron betraying her; Aaron being caught in an explosion and losing his leg; being taken away from that parallel world; losing the will to live; seeing a vision of the Doctor's and Terry's death; Rose sacrificing herself to kill the Devil; the fate of the Lustworves; Alic's paralysis; Monroe shooting Jason through the heart; the look on Martha's face as she delivered the news; the Doctor and Aaron acting like they hate her; everything the Cytracik has done since its existence; and the look on Will's face as she ordered him to go away.

How many more times does she have to go through this torment?

Immediately these thoughts are interrupted as two shape shifter's materialise in front of her.

For a few seconds, April continues to stare blankly ahead at the gap between the two shape shifters. She gives herself a few seconds to pull herself together. She bites back any last remaining tears, trying to shut off any emotion. Once she feels strong and ready, she stands up straighter and stares at the two shape shifters. Their grotesque, black heads are covered by their blue fencing helmets. She has seen the body of the shape shifters in their natural form so often that they no longer scare her.

"Take me there." April says spitefully, spitting out her words.

The shape shifters do not say anything and she doesn't expect them too. But she does not expect one of them to hold out it's white gloved hand. Resting in its hand is a round wooden ball, about the size as an apple. April does not falter before she takes the wooden ball. She rolls the ball around between her fingers and finds the number five carved upon its surface.

Five is her voluntary number. She remembers putting her name down as the fifth volunteer on the list.

However, as April holds the wooden ball in the palm of her hand, looking down at the number five, there is a suddenly prick in her palm, as if a needle is stabbing in her skin. April gasps as the slight pain and almost drops the ball. Just as she catches it again before it hits the floor, she notices a small trickle of blood running down her hand. She then sees a faded blue light flashing in her palm underneath her skin. April can easily guess that it is some sort of tracking device so Heat Miles can know her every whereabouts in the woods.

April stares at the two shape shifters who stand there gormless. "I guess you have to keep your tabs." She mutters more to herself.

But as she says this, the two shape shifters start to approach her and stand on either side of her. Then they take one arm each and April allows herself to be dragged out of Jack Gruntler's residence by the two shape shifters.

They awkwardly walk down the wooden steps together, April feeling crushed between their two bodies. But she is soon marched out of the house and into the street. Is she going to have to walk across the whole Island like this?

They walk away from the house, leaving the front door wide open. April keeps her eyes on the ground as they walk down the street towards the fields that eventually lead to where the woods and the festival is. Yet the streets are clear of people. They must all be at the festival awaiting the best thing that is supposed to happen on this Island.

Back in her world, on this exact date, everyone will be dressing up as ghosts, clowns, cats or witches covered in fake blood and wearing fake teeth. Parents would be taking their children around the neighbourhood to do some trick-or-treating. Some would be getting drunk and hitting the clubs. Or some will be staying indoors and watching horror films to celebrate Halloween. There would be pumpkins and fake cobwebs everywhere and somewhere, Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' would be playing. But here on this Island, everyone gathers around the woods to watch ten volunteers race into the woods for some bid for fame – not caring that people are planned to die in the woods on purpose. And in this year particular, the villagers on this Island are completely oblivious to the fact that in those woods are hundreds, if not thousands of different species desperately searching for the Cytracik. They do not know that Heat Miles will be burning all the left over corpses from past Day of Destructions the moment the race begins. They do not know that the ten volunteers are actually part of a revolution to bring down Heat Miles and destroy the Cytracik. They do not know that the Ice Girl wants to kill their Major.

As they walk on, April feels herself becoming angrier and angrier with each step. She has no plan as to what she is going to do the moment the race begins. She was making plans with Jason, but nothing was really set in stone.

For the next few moments, April tries to think of ways she can get to the Cytracik first. How she can make sure that everyone else is safe before she does what she is going to do. And she will not do that until Rodger Barratt is dead.

April's plans are suddenly interrupted as she thinks about the Doctor. The others clearly had a plan. Then for a brief moment, April is suddenly overcome with fear that they are going to try and get into the woods.

But once again, April's thoughts are interrupted. This time by the two shape shifters who have now stopped marching. Being held in the middle of them, she is also forced to stop. April glances around at where they are. They are currently standing in the middle of a horse field. The view of the woods are in the near distance in front of them. But why have they stopped here?

"Wait!"

The voice is easily recognisable to April for she has heard it many times before. Especially when he is running and desperate. The voice and the running footfalls come from behind but April does not look back for she can tell that it is only Aaron. Instead she stares at the woods ahead. The dark grey clouds loom over them. It looks like it might rain.

Eventually Aaron is in front of them, looking from one shape shifter to the other.

"There's still over an hour before the start of the Day of Destruction. Just let me talk to April for a second. Please." Aaron's voice is still desperate.

April stares at him, scowling harshly. "They won't let me go." April hisses through gritted teeth.

However, to both of their surprise, the two shape shifters release April and shove her forward firmly. April stumbles over her feet as she is shoved and knocks into Aaron's shoulder. He catches her, holding her firmly. They both look up at the shape shifters. One of them slowly lifts two fingers.

They have two minutes to chat.

Without further ado, Aaron takes hold of April's elbow, just where the shape shifters were holding her, and drags her away from them.

"What are you doing?" April snaps as she and Aaron quickly walk out of earshot of the shape shifters.

"We need a long overdue chat." Aaron says quietly, glancing over his shoulder. The two shape shifters are not watching them like he thought they would be. In fact they are now facing each other as if they are engaging in a conversation between themselves. Aaron eventually stops when there is enough distance between them. He turns to look at April, holding onto both her arms. He then lets go.

"How are you?" Aaron asks softly.

"I'm fine." April insists.

"Don't lie."

"Well what do you expect?"

"I'm sorry," Aaron says quickly. "For what I said earlier. I didn't mean it but I knew that it would be enough to get you to leave us alone."

April folds her arms. "I get your technique."

"Just like yours. You broke my son's heart. Again. Told him to go away like you told the Doctor to clear off," For a while Aaron studies April's face which is full of guilt. "And you didn't mean a word you said."

April shakes her head, blinking back the tears that have started to resurface.

Aaron sighs before taking one more glance over to the shape shifters and then back at April. He can feel the occasional fleck on rain fall on his head. "Look, we don't have much time so I'm going to keep this brief. Roger Barratt is being crowned King this very second."

"What?!" April splutters angrily.

"I know, but just hear me out. He's crowning himself King and therefore Lucien is becoming Major. He thinks that this is another way for the shape shifter race to get hold of the Cytracik. We fear it may work but no one knows. You need to know what you are up against."

"I'm sure it can't be worse than a version of myself and Max as a Dalek."

Aaron pauses for a moment. "Please don't go through with this race."

"I have no choice!" April snaps, waving the wooden ball in his face. "I have to do this!"

"April, the Day of Destruction has nothing to do with you! For today it is just a means to cover up the appearance of the aliens. Heat Miles only created the Day of Destruction for the Battle of the Cytracik. Not for you. So that when the universe turns up, it will be so convincing to the rest of the Island that they will not know what it actually happening in the woods. April, you know this!"

"And why do you think I am doing this? Do you think I ever had a choice in the matter the moment my father had the power over the Cytracik in the first place?"

"April, this is not about when it first started! This is about us destroying the Cytracik and bringing Heat Miles down! If we can't get them on our side then they will have to go too," Aaron then grabs hold of April's wrist – the one holding onto the wooden ball, and lifts it so that the ball is in her face. "Just think about this for a second, April. Please. You're separating yourselves from us, but in truth, you need as much help as you can get. We have a plan to help in this battle. We're not going to sit back and watch you do this alone. We know what we are going to do the moment that race begins. Please just help us out here, April!" Aaron shakes her wrist. "You must know a way to stop this."

April stares at Aaron in the eye. Both of them glaring into each others eyes. Aaron eventually releases his grip on her wrist. As he does so, April looks down at the wooden ball in her hand. The carved number five facing her like some forceful reminder. April then lowers her hand limply to her side. She then looks over towards the two shape shifters who still look as if they are deep in a conversation.

Jack's bitter words run through her mind: The Doctor will die if you don't.

She has to tell Aaron what it is she is going to do. Someone has to know. Someone other than Jack. And right now, April feels safe trusting Aaron. April looks over at Aaron with her eyes, seeing the pure look of angst across his face.

April takes in a deep, shaky breath to say something but then stops. She tries again.

"What if...I...kill myself." April says carefully.

Immediately a dark shadow flickers across Aaron's face. "No, April, no!"

"No just listen because it makes sense!" April says quickly, grabbing onto Aaron's arms that are moving towards her.

"April, you can't do this!" Aaron's voice quivers in fright as he grabs hold of her. One hand protectively on her waist and the other on her shoulder. This is a side of Aaron no one ever sees. The weakness in him. The part of him that is afraid and not often as strong as he always makes himself out to be. The side that has suffered and still is suffering. This is the Aaron she saw over two years ago for her – four for him – when she found him alone, screaming and scratching at his arms after having to relive his terror in the other dimension.

April is suddenly overcome with affection towards this man. The man who has brought Will into this life. The man who accepts her as who she is and wants her to be a part of UNIT. A part of his family. She can accept him for shutting her off when they were reunited. But that does not matter any more. What touches her most is how her death means something to Brigadier Aaron Brimikawood.

"I know it sounds crazy but it is the only way. The truth is I'm going to die in this battle no matter what."

"But we're helping you. We're here to save you!" Aaron cries.

April shushes him, placing a hand on his cheek. "But if I don't die then the Doctor will. Then you will, and everyone else. I can't live with that. If I don't kill myself the Cytracik will win and kill Max and I itself."

"Please don't kill yourself." Aaron's voice is a whisper as he tightens his grip on her.

"Listen, if I let the Daleks kill me and Max, then our prophecy will be fulfilled and there will be no way anyone can destroy the Cytracik. It'll immediately latch itself onto Amelia and kill her before going onto the next victim. But if I kill myself before anything else does, ruling out my prophecy, it'll create a paradox. It's the only way the Cytracik can be destroyed. You have to destroy the one thing it wants to before it does. I've got to save the Doctor."

Aaron shakes his head and closes his eyes tightly. He knows that she is right.

"I wish it weren't the case." Aaron mutters.

April looks at him for a moment and says nothing. She has nothing to say about that comment for she had spent years wishing for her own death.

"Like I said," April eventually says, breaking away from Aaron. "I have no choice."

Aaron sighs. "Are you doing it in the woods?"

April hesitates. She hasn't really given any thought into how she is going to do it. "As long as the King is dead before, then yes."

Aaron and April stare at each other for a little while longer. The wind starts to blow a little harder and a single raindrop lands on the end of Aaron's nose.

"Can you promise me one thing?" April asks.

"For sure."

"Can you promise me not to tell the Doctor about this plan? Or anyone else for that matter."

Aaron shakes his head. "I can't do that, April."

"Aaron, please!" April pleads, reaching towards him, but then suddenly the two shape shifters are by her side again and dragging her back towards the direction in which they were going before.

"No!" Aaron shouts running after them. "I'm not ready to say goodbye!"

One of the shape shifters waves their gloved hand and a force hits Aaron with such power that he flies backwards and hits the ground. However, as if the force made no impact to Aaron, he immediately scrambles back onto his feet, mainly resting on his prosthetic leg.

"April!" He shouts after her. "You don't have to do this!"

But it is no use. Aaron knows that he will have to keep April's promise as he stands there and watches the shape shifters take her away.