Chapter 18: Will I Survive?
POV: Grace
I could hear the first big rocks falling from the hall behind us. I run after the Doctor and reached a small wooden Door. The Room was barely larger than the Room I 'lived' in. It was a bit dark and dusty in here. Only the Doctor's pitch-black TARDIS stood in the middle of the room, I only could see the glowing blue lettering:
'Police Box'
"How did the TARDIS get in here?"
I asked confused as I stepped closer to the Timemachine
"Don't be ridiculous, Grace! A real captain never abandons his ship!"
I took a deep breath and looked back at the Doctor
"Do you want to escape?"
I asked which made him laugh. An ugly laugh before he was walking towards the TARDIS too, but somehow his tone had changed. Like if he had been crying. I followed his steps with an uncertain look.
"No, not yet anyway. I still have one thing to do."
He opened the time machine's door with a rough kick.
"And that would it be?"
He stormed in, straight to the console, which lit up red. The TARDIS knew there was danger. I wanted to follow him, but decided to just stay in the doorway.
"Doctor?"
"Come here and close the door."
he spoke in a slightly calmer tone. Slowly, I took an unsteady step into the time machine and slowly closed the door behind me, at which point the Doctor quickly entered coordinates, which started the TARDIS up and immediately began to shake, but this time so severely that it seemed like it's about to fall apart at any moment. But as quickly as it came, it disappeared again and the silcence returned to the room. It was a bit too quiet. As quiet as I had never heard from the TARDIS, or from the Doctor. He braced himself against the console as if he were about to collapse.
"Grace."
he began quietly.
"What's about to happen...it...it won't be easy. I still want you to trust me."
I nodded
"Sure."
POV: Amy
The hall began crumble above us. Stones broke and fell on us in chunks. Holes appeared in the air that looked like small black holes. The Doctor panicked, too.
"Get out! Come on!"
he shouted. I wanted to make sure everyone was there, but one was missing.
"Doctor, what about Grace?"
I asked. He turned back towards the room. His gaze became more terrified
"There's nothing more we can do for her! We have to hurry and get to the TARDIS quickly Go! Hurry!!!"
"But Doctor, we can't..."
The Doctor interrupted me
"We have to go!"
He grabbed my hand and runs down the aisles towards freedom...
POV: Grace
He turned to me and what I saw the Impossible. There he stood, the destroyer of worlds, the king of several galaxies with tears in his dark eyes. This situation was really serious: This time we would not come out of it without a scar. I quickly walked up to him and hugged him tightly. It was pretty rare for the Doctor to allow a hug.
"Everything will be fine. I know that you will save us."
He slowly began to take deep breaths to collect himself.
"Yes, sure..."
Slowly, I let go of him. It was time to save Two Universes.
"Follow me."
He spoke calmly, in a worried tone. I never saw him like that. We walked down the never-ending corridors of the TARDIS for a while. They were quite dark, some of which could only be walked through with a flashlight. It went to the left, then to the right again, over crossings and up stairs, and down stairs steeply. The TARDIS had a questionable way of framing the hallways. At some point we probably arrived at the lowest point of the TARDIS. The Doctor didn't say a word up to this point.
"Where are we?"
I asked, finally breaking the ice, but the Doctor seemed so lost in thoughts that he even stood in front of the door for a moment and didn't do anything, like he was refusing to open it.
"I know whatever happens, it's going to be very painful. But we'll get through this."
He nodded, still silent, and opened the heavy old metal door, which creaked loudly. The Room was also quite light compared to the corridors we had walked through. It was also as big as the console room but there really wasn't much in it. Just a control panel and something like a hospital bed in the middle of the room.
'Moment.'
I thought to myself
'Why is this here?'
It could also have come from a horror movie. Straps to fix
He wouldn't kill me, would he?'
"Lie down there, please."
He pointed exactly to the Bed. I felt a pang in my heart and thought this was just a joke. But his sad look told me that this was more serious than expected. I slowly walked towards the bed until I was standing right next to it. Again my eyes went to the Doctor worried and scared.
"Just do it, please. Then I'll explain why."
He spoke calmly and sociable to me.
No, I actually didn't like this plan. I had already been naive enough to even follow the Doctor, but this time it was hard to understand.
"Will you please tell me the truth for one time?"
He smiles slightly again now. This time it was a sad and at the same time sympathetic smile.
"Don't I always do that?"
I had to smile.
"No."
He helped me on the Bed. I was so scared, I wanted to get down from this thing as quickly as possible and never enter this damn room again. I didn't even notice that the Doctor had already tightened all the restraints, making it impossible for me to move.
"Doctor?"
I began.
"Will you tell me?"
The Doctor sighed. It was obviously not easy for to say something.
"I think I owe it to you this time."
The Doctor briefly turned to the console to do something, but I couldn't see exactly what he was doing. When he was done, he came back to the Bed. He needs a moment to collect himself. He act like in a drama movie.
"Before you ask, I've tried to find out and I've reached my limits myself."
He took a short breath
"Well, Grace, first of all...you're not human."
I didnt understand him. No, I couldnt understand him
"That's a joke or?"
I asked him like he'd made the worst joke in the world. But he looked as serious and depressing as before. I only noticed slightly in the background how I started to tremble and uncomfortable nausea rose. I felt hot and cold at the same time
"Why are you telling me this now?!"
"What should I say to you? I didn't even know what you are! No matter what you are, you have such an energy that the TARDIS led me to you back in Berlin!"
I look at the Doctor with wide eyes, this moment felt so unreal.
"What do you mean?"
He grabbed my strapped hand. On his own dramatic art.
"I don't mean it philosophically, as people would say. What I mean is that you have an energy that only whole stars can develop. I've been doing tests, reading books, and almost burned entire libraries to the ground, just to learn what you really are!"
I had so many questions. My whole life had now become a lie. I slowly understood why I was here. Chained up, face death or wouldn't I die at all?
"H-how is that supposed to help us? Both universes will be destroyed!"
The Doctor sighed heavily and his eyes welled up with the familiar tears from before.
"Exactly, thats why you're here. We don't have much time left. Soon the TARDIS won't be safe from destruction either."
"Then at least tell me what I am."
He thought for a moment.
'What is he thinking about?'
I thought
"After all, there has to be a name for it. So like Martian, Human or Timelord.'
"You've been on Earth long enough to know what a god is, haven't you?"
I nodded. He wasn't serious about that, was he?
"Something like that. There's no description for it, or the TARDIS just couldn't translate it in books. I don't know why you just wandered around the Earth like a normal human unaware of that."
I didn't really have time to ask further, even though all this information made it so concerned. That fact that Earth is not my home and my family wasn't my real family. But I was sure that without this knowledge I was happier than before.
"Before I go, I want to tell you something."
I started. Nothing in my life...this life was as damn hard for me as this moment. I looked deep into the Doctor's eyes. Now or never...
"When you landed a the lake, I thought you were a lunatic who just beating up his art project. Then you show me a beautiful planet, outside of the solar system and I had this feeling that I've rarely had before. I know now what that feeling was. And before this path separates, I want to tell you..."
My voice was shaking and I forced myself to say those words.
"...I love you."
Pov: Doctor
Her words didn't really surprise me. She often gave me the feeling that she felt more than was actually good for her.
I honestly felt sorry for Grace. I can't find the words I wanted to say goodbye to her. I hate moments like this.
'Why words?'
I thought to myself
I gently put my hands on her shoulders.
It was as if time stood still for a moment. Not possible, but now and here, the impossible had once again become possible. Was it right? Was it wrong? I didnt care. It was important that I wanted to fulfill my companion's last wish. She looked at me like she couldn't believe what was happening and then before she could say anything I pressed my lips on hers. It was a passionate kiss that unfortunately didn't last long enough. As I broke away from her, I flipped the last switch so we could make the move.
"Its time."
I said seriously. The machines start up. Slowly Grace realized that there was no retreat now
"I love you."
she whispered softly. I looked at her in silence for a moment
"I know."
I said calmly.
I turn back to the console and control the lever. Now there was no turning back.
I will never see her again. I sighed heavily. 'Is it worth it?'
I thought.
'Should I really sacrifice her to save two universes?'
No, they are not worth it! It was an absurd thought to just let her go like that.
I didn't want to be lonely again, not without Grace.
All my other companions were just pawns in a game. Yes, like toys, but Grace was different.
"Doctor?"
asked a quiet voice. My companion.
"Yes?"
I took a short breath
"Grace, I'm not going to sacrifice you for these ungrateful universes like an old animal. They're not worth it. None of them."
POV: Grace
I was confused. I was willing to give my life for billions of others even if I die. But the Doctor apparently had other plans
Just as he loosened the shackles around my wrists and after what felt like an eternity I was able to sit up straight, I wasn't happy after all.
"Doctor, wait, what's going on?"
"Nothing. You are free."
"Doctor, please."
I hugged him tightly. He didn't really seem to know what he was doing.
"Doctor, I don't want to go either. But so many people are going to die if I dont.
Tears started running down my face.
"Procrastinating would be pointless."
Pov: Doctor
She was right. I strapped her back to the Bed and then walked back to the console. I looked at Grace one last time.
I put my hand on the lever and quickly pulled it down. Not a second later I heard screams. I had to convince myself that she wanted it that way. But at the same time I felt so bad.
"I am so sorry."
I let go from the console and ran out of the room with quick steps. There was only a little time left! I could already feel everything collapsing outside of the TARDIS, so it was only a matter of minutes. I reached the console room, where small cracks were already opening in the air. I ran to the main console and used buttons, levers and switches to accurately navigate between universes, which luckily, thanks to Grace, worked.
"Hopefully it works. Just one time."
A loud bang filled the room and everything disappeared before my eyes...did we make it?