~revised~

Chapter XXXVII

Doctor

He was walking back to the house where they had seen the girl in the window, followed by Rose and Mira. He thought for a moment how great it would be if they would just get along with each other – knowing at the same time that this would never happen. There was still something going on between them. More than the usual hassle. He was assuming that something had happened on Kroptor. No, he wasn't assuming it, in fact, he knew. He just had no idea, what.

As they had reached the house, he rang the bell. There was silence for a moment, but then the woman who had been with the group earlier opened.

"Hello! I'm the Doctor and this is Rose. Can we see your daughter?" he said, and smiled cheerfully at her.

"No! You can't," she answered, looking rather irritated back at him.

Well, he had assumed that, and also knew that persuasion was rarely successfully in these cases. "Okay! Bye," he said, turned around, Mira and Rose following him, and started to walk away.

"Why?" he heard her voice behind him, making all three of them turn around again. "Why do you want to see Chloe?" she wanted to know.

"Well, there's some interesting stuff going on in this street, and I just thought - well, we thought - that she might like to give us a hand," he explained.

"Sorry to bother you," Rose added.

"Yeah, sorry. We'll let you get on with things. On your own. Bye again!" He turned around again, but the door behind him was still open

"Wait!" he heard after they had taken a few steps. They turned around once more.

"Can you help her?" she asked.

"Yes, I can," he said with a big smile. Humans. Sometimes they were really predictable. At other times, not so much.

He entered the house, Rose and Mira following him, and followed Trish – she had introduced herself now - to the living room. The TV was turned on, showing footage of the Olympic Torch Bearer.

He flung his coat over the sofa, whilst Rose was sitting down. Mira was standing next to him, eyeing Trish carefully. He wondered once more how it must be for a human to be forced to handle all the emotions of others, especially in a case like this.

"She stays in her room, most of the time. I try talking to her, but it's like trying to speak to a brick wall. She gives me nothing, just asks to be left alone," Trish said, and one didn't need to be an empath to notice her confusion, insecurity and fear.

"What about Chloe's dad?" Rose asked.

"Chloe's dad died a year ago."

"I'm sorry."

"You wouldn't be if you'd known him."

"Well! Let's go and say hi!" he said brightly.

"I should check on her first... she might be asleep," Trish replied.

"Why are you afraid of her, Trish?" he asked directly, suddenly way more serious.

"I want you to know before you see her that's she's really a great kid."

"I'm sure she is."

"She's never been in trouble at school... you should see her report from last year. As and Bs," Trish said, smiling at them.

"Can I use your loo?" Rose suddenly asked.

Trish nodded, and he eyed Rose closely as she was leaving the room. He was only hoping she wouldn't get them all into trouble, but on the other hand, it wasn't a bad idea to take a look around. At least he assumed that was what Rose wanted to do.

"She's in the choir...," Trish said, "She's singing in an old folks home. Any mum would be proud. You know... I want you to know these things before you see her, Doctor. Because right now, she's not herself."

"It's okay Trish. Really," Mira said and gave her a reassuring smile. Trish nodded at her and then left, obviously looking for her daughter. Hopefully she wouldn't bump into Rose.

"So, what're you thinking?" he asked Mira quietly.

"Aside from the obvious? Well, there is something going on in this house. I'm just not certain what it is yet. But Trish doesn't know anything, that's for sure. She's genuinely worried and confused. But we definitely seem to be on the right track."

Before he could reply, Trish showed up again. "She's in the kitchen."

They followed her and found Chloe drinking some milk from the fridge.

"All right, there?" he said to her as he peered around the corner. He walked into the kitchen, Mira and Trish behind him, and settled himself against a table.

"I'm the Doctor," he introduced himself and watched how Chloe put the milk back and closed the door of the fridge.

"I'm Chloe Webber," the child said and looked at him. Well, there was definitely something going on with her, but right now he had not the slightest idea what this could be.

"How're you doing, Chloe Webber?"

"I'm busy. I'm making something. Aren't I, mum?" she replied without any emotions in her voice.

"And like I said, she's not been sleeping," Trish said.

"But you've been drawing, though. I'm rubbish. Stick men are about my limit. Can do this, though...," he said and did the 'live long and prosper' sign from Star Trek. "Can you do that?"

No reaction from Chloe, even though Trish was nodding at her to encourage her.

"They don't stop moaning," Chloe said, seemingly out of context.

"Chloe...," Trish said.

"I try to help them, but they don't stop moaning."

"Who don't?" he asked and lowered his hand again. Well, it had been worth a try. Maybe Mira was getting more than he did now, but she would most certainly not tell him right in front of Trish and Chloe, as long as it wasn't really necessary.

"We can be together," Chloe said.

"Who? Who can be together?" Mira asked.

"Sweetheart-," Trish said, moved closer to her and tried to lay an arm around her shoulders.

"Don't touch me, mum."

Trish stopped, her hand falling back at her side. She glanced at him, desperation written all over her face.

"I'm busy... Doctor.," Chloe said, and then left without looking back.

"Oh, come on, Chloe! Don't be a spoil sport!" he yelled and followed her back into the hallway, "What's the big project? I'm dying to know! What're you making up there?" Suddenly, he felt Mira's hand in his and then she was dragging him to the stairs. He was about to ask her what was wrong, but then he heard Rose screaming his name from upstairs. He didn't need any further invitation and started to run after Mira, with Trish and Chloe at his heels.

He found Rose standing in front of an opened wardrobe in Chloe's room.

"I'm coming to hurt you...," a deep voice was coming from within the wardrobe. He slammed the door shut without really having a glance inside.

"Look at it," Rose said, her eyes still fixed on the now closed wardrobe.

"No, ta," he said and then walked away to examine the drawings on the wall, putting his glasses on. Not that he wasn't curious about what was inside that wardrobe, but opening it again just now wasn't a good idea.

"What the hell was that?" Trish wanted to know.

"A drawing. The face of a man," Rose answered.

"What face?" Trish asked and tried to open the door, but Rose got in her way and stopped her.

"Best not," Rose said.

By now, Mira was standing next to him, carefully touching one of the paintings.

"This aren't mere paintings," she said so quietly that only he could hear her. She was right, he had noticed it as well.

"What've you been drawing?" Trish asked Chloe behind his back.

"I'm drew him yesterday."

"Who?"

"Dad."

"Your dad? But he's long gone. Chloe, with all the lovely things in the world - why him?" Trish was clearly upset now.

"I dream about him, staring at me."

"I thought we were putting him behind us. What's the matter with you?"

"We need to stay together."

"Yes, we do," Trish replied.

"No. Not you. Us," Chloe said determined, making the Doctor turn around. "We need to stay together. And then it'll be all right," Chloe continued.

Trish went over to her, touching Chloe's cheeks, causing her to flinch.

"Trish, the drawings - have you seen what Chloe's drawings can do?" Rose asked.

"Who gave you permission to come into her room? Get out of my house." Trish said, suddenly angry.

"Tell us about the drawings, Chloe," he asked the child.

"I don't wanna hear any more of this," Trish tried to stop him.

"But that drawing of her dad... I heard a voice. He spoke," Rose said.

"He's dead. And these - they're kids pictures. Now get out!"

"These aren't kids pictures. There is something going on with Chloe, and you know it. She has some sort of power. Maybe she always had it, maybe something's causing it now. But I believe she used it to take all the children. Danny Edwards. Dale Hicks, and whoever else vanished," Mira said to her, looking directly into her eyes as if she could see right through them and figure out everything Trish was hiding. It had been high time for someone to bring it up, he thought.

"Get out," was all Trish said.

"Have you seen those drawings move?" Rose fell in, almost pleadingly.

"I haven't seen anything," Trish said derisively.

"Yes you have. Out of the corner of your eye," he said so determined, that she turned around to him.

"No."

"And you dismissed it, because what choice do you have when you see something you can't possibly explain?" he continued and moved over to her, "You dismiss it, right? And if anyone mentions it, you get angry, so it's never spoken of, ever ag-"

"She's a child-"

"And you're terrified of her. But there's no one to turn to, because who's gonna believe the things you see out of the corner of your eye? No one. Except me," he said, now standing right in front of her.

"Who are you?" she suddenly asked, and he knew he had won.

"I'm help."


Mira

They were all back in the kitchen. All but Chloe. She was leaning against the worktop, the Doctor next to her, a jar of marmalade in his hands. He had unscrewed the lid, and before Mira could say anything – or even realise what he was about to do - he dipped his fingers into it and started to suck the marmalade off.

"Hey!" she said and nudged him in the side with her elbow, just as Rose demonstratively cleared her throat and shook her head at him. He paused and looked around, guilt written all over his face, and finally glanced at Trish who was just staring at him. Instantly, he put the lid back and pushed the jar behind him on the counter.

"Those pictures - they're alive. She's drawing people and they end up in her pictures," Rose finally broke the awkward silence which had fallen over the room.

"Ionic energy. Chloe's harnessing it to steal those kids and place them in some kid of holding-pen made up of ionic power," the Doctor added.

"And what about the dad from hell in her wardrobe?" Rose asked.

"How many times do I have to tell you? He's dead," Trish said.

"Well, he's got a very loud voice for a dead bloke," Rose whispered under her breath and turned around.

"If living things can become drawings, then maybe drawings can become living things...," the Doctor started.

Oh hell, what an unpleasant thought. The Doctor must have come to the same conclusion, as he suddenly shivered violently, causing both her and Rose to jump.

"Chloe's real dad is dead, but not the one who visits her in her nightmares. That dad seems very real. That's the dad she's drawn and he's a heartbeat away from crashing into this world...," He continued.

"She always got the worst of it when he was alive."

"Doctor, how can a twelve-year-old girl be doing any of this?" Rose asked.

She was convinced by now that this wasn't Chloe's doing. There was something – or someone – else involved. Something alien, but she couldn't exactly tell what just yet. Maybe a telepath could find out more.

"Let's find out," the Doctor said after a short pause, almost as if he had read her thoughts, and strode off. She followed, Rose and Trish behind her.

...

They found Chloe in her room, sitting cross-legged on her bed. The Doctor was standing right in front of her. Chloe didn't say anything, but lifted her hand to repeat the same strange sign he had done earlier in the kitchen. She didn't know the meaning of it, but she assumed it was one of those little things that were common knowledge in a society. Some part of popular culture. Something she didn't know, because she didn't belong here, and something she had to learn anew once again. The last time, even though it had only been four-hundred years, everything she had known - little things like that, may it be references from books, songs, movies or recent events - had been long gone and replaced by something else.

"Nice one," the Doctor said and smiled slightly at Chloe. Then he knelt in front of her and raised his hands until they came to rest on her face, his fingers on her temples. Almost instantly, Chloe's eyes rolled into her head for a moment before closing. He had closed his eyes as well now, and a few seconds later Chloe fell backwards onto her bed.

She watched in astonishment. Of course she knew what he was capable of, she had experienced it once already. But nevertheless, it was amazing. And nothing to forget about, whenever she was about to offer again that he could see for himself if she was deceiving him or not the next time. Or challenging him in any other way.

"There we go...," he said as Chloe was lying on the bed.

"I can't let him do this-," Trish said and was about to walk over to her daughter, but Rose stopped her.

"Shh, it's okay. Trust him."

"Now we can talk," the Doctor said after he had straightened up again, addressing Chloe.

"I want Chloe. Wake her up. I want Chloe," the child whispered in a strange voice. It was all to clear now that it wasn't her speaking now.

"Who are you?"

"I want Chloe Webber!" she insisted.

"What've you done to my little girl?" Trish asked.

"Doctor, what is it?" Rose fell in.

Well, something alien, that was pretty obvious now, she thought and stepped closer. The Doctor was walking slowly around the bed, his eyes fixed on Chloe.

"I'm speaking to you. The entity that is using this human child. I request parley in compliance with the Shadow Proclamation," he said.

"I don't care about shadows or parleys," Chloe whispered.

"So what do you care about?"

"I want my friends."

Suddenly she was hit by the loneliness that the entity inside Chloe was feeling. It was a deep, overwhelming, and life threatening loneliness, mixed with despair. And it wasn't only the entity inside Chloe feeling like that now, she did so herself. It took all her strength and self control to push it back, to remember it wasn't her own feelings, and they would stop as soon as Chloe would wake up again.

"You're lonely, I know. Identify yourself," the Doctor said softly, now crouching besides Chloe.

"I am one of many. I travel with my brothers and sisters. We take an endless journey. A thousand of your lifetimes. But now I am alone. I hate it. It's not fair. And I hate it!" Chloe said and her eyes snapped open.

"Name yourself!"

"Isolus!"

"You're Isolus. Of course," the Doctor said after a moment, as if that would explain everything. She had never heard of the Isolus.

"Our journey began in the Deep Realms when we were a family," Chloe said and started to draw on a piece of paper next to her bed whilst speaking.

"What's that?" Trish asked. The drawing began to take shape, and Mira could see something like a flower in it.

"The Isolus Mother, drifting in Deep Space," the Doctor explained and stood up. "See, she jettisons millions of fledgling spores. Her children. The Isolus are empathic beings of intense emotions, but when they're cast off from their mother, their empathic link, their need for each other, is what sustains them. They need to be together. They cannot be alone."

"Oh my god," Mira said quietly. Now she understood. Even she was feeling incredibly lonely from time to time amongst other people as an empath. Other psychics were rare amongst humanity. But humans weren't meant to be psychic, so she could cope with that, at least that's what she was trying to convince herself of in those moments. How must it be for an empathic being to be suddenly separated from their people? If they really were linked, just as the Doctor had said... Well, he had been linked to his own people as well.

"Our journey is long," Chloe continued, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"The Isolus children travel, each inside a pod. They ride the heat and energy of solar tides. It takes thousands and thousands of years for them to grow up," the Doctor added.

"Thousands of years just floating through space... poor things - don't they go mad with boredom?" Rose asked.

"We play."

"You... play?"

"Mm. While they travel, they play games. They use their ionic power to literally create make-believe worlds in which to play," the Doctor said and sat down on the bed next to Chloe. Mira didn't feel like saying anything right now. Dealing with the fate of the Isolus inside Chloe was hard enough right now. It was a child just as Chloe, lonely and lost, separated from its siblings.

"In-flight entertainment," Rose said.

"Helps keep them happy. While they're happy, they can feed off each others love. Without it, they're lost," the Doctor replied. A loss she could feel all to well herself, emanating from Chloe/the Isolus inside her.

"Why did you come to Earth?" the Doctor asked.

"We were too close." She ripped off the piece of paper and started to draw on a new one.

"That's a solar flare from your sun. Would've made a tidal wave of solar energy that scattered the Isolus pods," the Doctor said.

"Only I fell to Earth. My brothers and sisters are left up there. And I cannot reach them. So alone."

"Your pod crashed... where is it?"

"My pod was drawn to heat...," she said, "And I was drawn to Chloe Webber. She was like me. Alone. She needed me. And I her."

"You empathised with her. You wanted to be with her because she was alone like you." The Doctor was now gently stroking Chloe's head.

"I want my family. It's not fair."

She took a quick look at Rose and Trish. Both were watching, obviously affected. Well, who wouldn't be affected by the fate of the little Isolus?

"I understand. You wanna make a family. But you can't stay in this child. It's wrong. You can't steal any more friends for yourself," the Doctor said.

"I am alone!"

Suddenly, there was a thump from the wardrobe, making Trish gasp.

"I'm coming to hurt you." They all could hear the voice again they've heard before. She turned to the wardrobe. It was ionic energy, so there was nothing she could do about it. She had still no idea exactly how the Isolus was doing it, she only knew it wasn't the psychic energy she was used to. Chloe was shaking now, her face still expressionless.

"I'm coming," the voice said and there was a pounding at the door of the wardrobe.

"Trish, how do you calm her?" the Doctor urged.

"What?!" Trish said in panic.

"When she has nightmares, what do you do?"

"I... I..."

"What do you do?" the Doctor repeated.

"I sing to her."

"Then start singing," he said and motioned for Trish to come over. He stood up and she was sitting down next to her daughter.

"Chloe... I'm coming," the voice in the wardrobe said.

Right then, Trish started to sing, "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree, merry merry king of the bush is he... "

"Chloe... Chloe...," the voice growled.

There was still banging and thumping on the wardrobe door from the inside. Whatever was in there certainly was about to get out soon. Trish was stroking Chloe's hair, singing, "Laugh, Kookaburra laugh, Kookaburra, gay your life must be."

Eventually, the noises from the wardrobe as well as the voice faded. Chloe was asleep now, her mother hugging her on the bed.

"He came to her because she was lonely... Chloe, I'm sorry...," Trish said with tears in her eyes, and shortly after that, she broke out into sobbing, her head on the shoulder of her daughter.

Mira could do nothing more than standing there and watching her. She felt so incredibly sorry for her, not only Chloe, but her mother as well. Feeling Trish's guilt and grieve didn't help to make it any better. Suddenly, she felt a hand around her own, squeezing it slightly. As she turned her head, she looked into warm, brown eyes.

"You're alright?" the Doctor asked quietly.

She nodded and wiped over her face with her hand. She hadn't realised she was crying. She returned the squeeze and then rested her head for a few seconds against his shoulder. For a short while she almost felt the security and peace she had felt back in the library, when she had been laying in his arms with him reading to her. Felt as if nothing had happened on Kroptor. She lingered for a moment in this illusion before she let go of his hand. Not only but because of the look that Rose had shot her. Then she followed the Doctor downstairs into the sitting room, to give Trish a moment to get herself together again.

A few moments later, Trish came into the sitting room as well and started to gather up all pencils that were lying around.

"Chloe usually got the brunt of his temper. When he'd had a drink. The day he crashed the car, I thought we were free," she said whilst doing so.

So that was it. Chloe's father was a drunkard, and died in a car crash. But not speaking to her daughter about him wasn't the solution, and most likely Trish was getting that by now.

"I thought it was over," Trish continued as Rose handed her a bunch of pencils she had gathered.

"Did you talk to her about it?" the girl asked.

"I didn't want to," Trish replied bitterly.

"So, to whom should Chloe talk about it then, hm?" Mira asked her. "She's all alone with this, and no matter how bad her father might have been, she needs someone to talk to about him. That's why she feels so alone."

"Her and the Isolus... two lonely kids who need each other," the Doctor added.

"And it won't stop, will it, Doctor? It'll just keep pulling kids in," Rose asked.

"It's desperate to be loved. It's used to a pretty big family."

"How big?"

"Say around... four billion?"

Bloody hell. Would the Isolus really snap four billion people? There was a stunned silence in the room, as the Doctor reached for his coat. How large was the population of Earth at this time in this universe?

They said goodbye to Trish and left, not before telling her once more that she should lock away each and every pencil in the house.

"We need that pod," the Doctor said once they were outside.

"It crashed - won't it be destroyed?" Rose asked.

"Well, it's been sucking in all the heat it can... hopefully that should keep it in a fit state to launch," the Doctor replied. "It must be close. It should have a weak energy signature that the TARDIS can trace. Once we find it, then we can stop the Isolus."


time-twilight, bored411, Falling Right Side-Up, oXxgerogiaxXo, 10th Squad 3rd Seat, PondRiverWilliams, Pommyth, Nancy Nickeson: Thank you for reading and reviewing :-)