XLV
The right thing to do

The Island
The Arena

There is an outrage in the Arena as two and a half thousand people start screaming and yelling down at April. But April remains speechless as she stares at the lifeless body of Monroe Setzik, blood pouring out of his chest and staining the stage.

The remaining members of the revolution stare from April to each other in utter bewilderment.

"No." April gasps and without thinking, she aims her gun to Rodger Barratt and pulls the trigger. Yet the gun merely clicks. April quickly realises that someone had purposefully emptied her gun before she came here. So someone else was willing to do the execution instead of her. Only someone with the same mind as her would do this.

As Lucien cackles loudly, yelling that no one would be able to kill the King, April turns around.

Max stands there looking rather pale, yet there is a dark shadow that flickers across his face. Max killed Monroe.

For a moment, April can think of nothing to do but stare at her brother. Why would he do this when she was the one who volunteered to kill Rodger Barratt in the first place?

That is when people start to jump down from the stalls and run to the stage like an angry mob. April drops her gun to the ground and suddenly falls to her knees, her hands shaking like mad. The next few moments seem like a blur to her, for she cannot think straight.

All she is aware of is the appearance of the Doctor, Terry and Rose by her side, urgently pulling her and Max away from the scene. She manages to turn around to look at the angry mob, but she catches Jack Gruntler's eye immediately.

What happened is a shock to everyone, but just from the look from Jack Gruntler, it was the right thing to do.

The next thing April is aware of is being shut in the spare bedroom to Jack Gruntler's house with Max. The curtains have been drawn so the twins are shut in dim lighting. It does not take long for the rest of UNIT and the revolution to turn up, everyone slightly bemused. And yet there is a hint of understanding in their voices. Almost like they all know that killing Monroe was the right thing to do.

"At least it's one less thing for us to worry about in terms of the life on this Island." Terry says.

"But we still have no leader." Katheryn mumbles.

Lucien died in the angry mob from the villagers. Too many people clambered onto the stage to get to Rodger Barratt. He was caught in the flow and ended up being trampled on. Rodger Baratt, however, has been put under house arrest with his family.

"What the hell do we do now?" Rex snaps. And then there is silence from downstairs.

April sits on the floor with her back up against the wardrobe. Max perches on the end of the bed but eventually decides to sit next to April. They both look at the drawn curtains and can see the way it is getting darker outside. Then seconds later, it starts to pour down with rain outside.

"Why did you do it?" April whispers after a long while.

"I wasn't going to let you be the murderer." Max says softly.

April pulls her knees up. "You knew I was going to do it though. Kill Monroe. Didn't you?"

Max sighs. "I guess so. The moment you faltered, I knew that you didn't have it in you to kill Rodger Barratt, no matter what you say. But then I thought of Jason and how Monroe killed him. And then I realised that now the Daleks are destroyed, Monroe can still hold the power over the Cytracik. It wasn't your fault but letting Monroe rule this Island is like letting Rodger Barratt roam free. So I killed him for you. Because I knew you had it in you to do that. But I didn't want you to."

"I'm expecting us to be put on court martial or something. That was murder not an execution."

With that, Max takes his sister's hand. "We'll do this together. We'll go down fighting."

"The Daleks are still in the Cytracik?" April asks dully.

Max shrugs. "I assume so. They'll die with the Cytracik once we..." Max falters. Not because he can't admit what they have to do, but because someone runs up the stairs.

Will Sullivan appears in the doorway, looking rather worn for wear. There is silence in the room as April and Will just stare at each other. Will looking rather afraid.

"I'd best leave you to it." Max says softly. He kisses April on the head before standing up. He walks over to Will and looks at him in such a way like he is sizing Will up. Max then turns to look at April and points a finger at her. "Don't think about going anywhere." And then he leaves.

For a moment April avoids Will's eye as he steps into the room. But Will takes both her hands and pulls her onto her feet.

"What are you doing?" April asks as she stands on both her feet, letting Will hold both her hands in his.

"I need you to be truthful to me before I'll lose my mind," Will hesitates before he goes to close the bedroom door, shutting out any lighting from the hallway. "How are you and Max going to destroy the Cytracik?"

April shakes her head. "Will, no"

"You told my father. Jack knows. And the Doctor can sense it. But I don't know. Max has a plan but I don't think you have the same plan as he does," Will slowly advances on her, registering the look of pure guilt on her face. "You are keeping yourself distant from us."

"I'm not." April insists as she folds her arms across her chest.

"You are, April. You are pushing me away. At first you did it to protect me. But this time it's different. You're not you."

"If I told you then you would try to stop me." April mumbles.

Will hesitates.

"You're going to have me dead both ways, Will," April can't tell whether or not she wants to cry, but no tears form anyway. "If I don't do this then I will be killed by the Cytracik and so will Max. If I don't do this, the Doctor will die. And this universe will never be rid of the Cytracik. And the only way to fully end this battle is to create a paradox..."

"To destroy the thing the Cytracik wants to destroy." Will nods as he chokes on his words.

"You do understand?"

Will nods again. "What did my father say?"

April hesitates as she looks at Will. "He begged me not to."

That is when Will starts to sob. He presses the heels of his hands into his eyes as he wails. April however does not go to comfort him. Instead she stands there, rubbing her arms as she watches him. Yet she still can't find it in her to cry.

"I was going to ask you to marry me," Will admits after a while. "I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you! I was thinking about taking you home. Asking you to be my wife..."

April shakes her head, not wanting to let his words change her mind. "I wanted that too, Will! But this is different. We could never have that life. You're supposed to be dead in my world. We were never supposed to meet. I still fell in love with you but it was never meant to be."

Will rubs his eyes. "What about Max?"

"Max knows what we have to do but I'm giving him the chance to live the rest of his life. If I do this then he'll be safe, at least."

"Who are you doing this for, April?"

"Myself," April whispers. "I've tried and failed many times before. But now I can't fail. I have to do this. It's the only way. Please understand me."

"I do."

April suddenly feels uncomfortable. "Declan made a sleeping potion, didn't he?"

Will nods. "It only lasts twenty-four hours. He used to give it to us during training to make sure that we all got enough sleep between each session."

"Suppose we could give some to Max? Or anyone else who might try to stop me."

"The Doctor?" Will says bitterly.

"He deserves an explanation."

There is another pause of silence and Will steps towards April. However April's immediate reaction is to step back. Will whimpers.

"Please." He begs softly.

April bites her tongue and allows Will to stand near her. She closes her eyes and breathes in his scent. For what will be the last time. She feels him touch her. He takes hold of her arms. His hands warm. His face close to hers, but she keeps her eyes closed.

"I love you, Will," she whispers. "And I wouldn't have changed it for the world," she opens her eyes and takes both his hands in hers. "You've got to promise me to keep going. You had a life before I came along and you can keep going."

"I can't." Will weeps.

"Please," April squeezes both his hands. "I know the effect this will have on everyone else. But you will all move on."

Will and April are silent for a moment as they listen to each other's breathing.

"Spend the night with me." Will asks, his voice breaking.

"There's not enough time." April insists, scared that spending more time with Will might just stop her from doing this.

"It's enough time. Just one night. And I'll let you go."

April opens her eyes and looks up at Will. His face wet with tears. Then without another moments hesitation, April leans up and kisses him hard. Will wraps his arms around April and holds her against his body, afraid to let go.

They kiss vigorously and gently fall back onto the bed.

A few hours later and they are under the covers, undressed and tangled in each other's arms. They lie there in silence. April rests her head on Will's bare chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"I'll leave in the morning," April says softly. "I'll leave when no one is looking."

"Shall I give Max the potion?" Will asks after a moment.

April pauses. "No," she whispers. "Jack will have done it already."

"What?"

"He is the one who knows all. He probably knows what I plan to do and will have done it already. I'm sure Max is asleep somewhere."

Will's hold on April tightens and with that, they both fall soundly asleep.