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A Recognised Gain
Part Nine
The Doctor watched the blood drain from Venetias' face as she joined minds with the man – his face was filled with Venetias' pain and hers' with his. The Doctor watched for a moment as he saw the sparkle in Venetias' eye begin to slowly fade away, her mouth opened on sobs that would never come, her mind was filled with images the Doctor didn't want to see – a pain he didn't want to know.
The Doctor grabbed Venetia's arm and tugged her backwards away from the mans' grasp – he broke the telepathic connection and Venetia stepped backwards. She stumbled in the sand as a million grains of the golden substance sunk in between her toes burning her like the flames from the mans past – each grain leaving a mark – mentally and physically. Venetia choked on her words as slow tears began to tremble down her face, the Doctor knelt down to be at level with he
'Vennie?' he asked cautiously yet determinedly, she stared down at her hand – the one the man had touched, she watched it as though she had been burnt.
'Venetia? Can you hear me?' the Doctor asked, the faint verge of panic being heard on his words. Venetia slowly lifted her head to meet his eyes – her eyes were haunted and hollow; darkened by fear – the Doctors eyes began to darken also – but with anger towards the man who had hurt his little girl. The Doctor picked up Venetia and held her to his chest, holding her close encasing her in his arms – she snuggled against his chest burying her head in his neck.
Venetia bit her lip as she clung to her Daddy – the images of the mans past stuck in her mind, whenever she blinked, whenever she closed her eyes she could see the mans' son falling down into the fiery inferno to meet his fate – one similar to hell. Her heart pounded in her chest and she knew there was only one thing in the entire world that could make her feel safe again – her mum. But that thing was gone, she was alone and afraid – she had her father but he didn't understand her like Rose did, in that moment Venetia couldn't possibly feel more alone. Her tiny shoulders began to heave with sobs as she lent into her fathers jacket clinging to him secretly praying for the one thing that she couldn't have.
The Doctor clutched at Venetia – the sheer volume of her pain scaring him and chilling his soul – Rose would know what to do, Rose always knew what to do.
Venetia ran into the flat screaming, her hands were covered in blood, the same crimson liquid that stained her pretty white dress. Her blonde curls were tangled and her face was streaked with tears
'Mummy!' she screamed as she ran down the hallway. The Doctor and Rose jumped off the sofa running to meet their hysterical little girl, her bottem lip was trembling and her eyes were wide.
'Mummy!' she wailed as she flung herself towards Rose who caught her close.
'It's okay sweetheart' Rose soothed her 'I've got you'
The Doctor went off to look for plasters as Rose calmed Venetia down.
'Shhh baby, I've got you, it's okay now' Rose whispered to her daughter as she gently rocked her in her arms. As Venetias' sobs began to slow to a quiet sniffle she rose her head from her mothers shoulder
'What happened Vennie?' Rose asked gently as she softly wiped the tears away from her face
'I was…running after…the ball' Venetia began between gulps for air 'Then I tripped… and I hit my knee! And…and…and it really hurts!' she exclaimed before beginning her crying again.
Rose smiled reassuringly at Venetia as the Doctor stood back and watch Rose work her magic – it always dumbfounded him how brilliant she was in moment like these. The Doctors' heart froze at the thought of handling a hysterical child by himself – he really didn't know what to do.
The Doctor held Venetia close trying to mimic Roses' actions – he knew that he was failing as a father and that fact hurt more than anything else.
The Doctor pulled the plasters out of the box and held one up preparing to stick it on Venetias' graze; he moved forward to stick it on but was met by a scream
'I want Mummy to do it!' the little girl screeched kicking her legs in the air
'Mummy does it right' she moaned quietly. The Doctor stepped back – not wanting to show how much those words hurt. Rose took the plaster from his hands and gently squeezed his hand in the process – she gave him a reassuring smile as she bent forward to stick the plaster on.
'Mwah!' Rose announced as she kissed her knee better
'There you go! All fixed!' she told Venetia happily – Venetia stared down at her knee
'So no more tears?' Rose asked smiling softly – Venetia looked up at her and smiled nodding.
'Thank you!' she exclaimed as she threw her arms around Roses' neck; Rose held her back savouring the love. The Doctor leant back against the wall and couldn't help but feel like a spare part – they'd been this way for nearly all of Venetias' life the Doctor assured himself, so he couldn't just expect them to change for him.
Venetia ran back outside as Rose called after her
'Be careful!'
'Yes Mummy!' she sang back before disappearing around the corner. Rose closed the door and turned around to see the Doctor watching her with a look of amazement on his face
'How did you do that?' he asked in amazement, she shrugged and smiled
'Do what?' she asked breezily
'That' he said gesturing at where Rose and Venetia had stood. Rose smiled at him and put a hand on his arm
'Six years of practice' she told him knowingly as she turned to clean up the tissues. The Doctor caught her hand as she moved away
'Do you think I will ever be able to do it?' he asked worriedly, her eyes sparkled as she placed her hands on his face. She looked him eye to eye
'Yes! You're learning! You'll get there one day' she assured him, he didn't look convinced.
'You really think so?' he asked watching her eyes for any hints of lies
'I know so' she told him smiling – her eyes honest. The Doctor smiled – relaxing slightly
'Okay I believe you' he told her
'Good. Because I believe in you' she told him before pressing a quick kiss to his lips. Her eyes sparkled as she stepped back
'Now be a good Daddy and clean up the living room' she instructed
'Yes ma'am' he replied as he marched into the living and began to pick up scattered Barbies – his eyes dancing with joy. Roses' soft laughter filled the apartment as she walked towards him – her arms open ready for his embrace.
The Doctor softly stroked Venetias' hair
'I've got you' he told her just as Rose had once done so 'I won't let anybody hurt you, not now not ever' he promised her. His promises and soothing words began to take affect as she stopped trembling and only a few scattered tear remained on her cheeks.
When the Doctor was satisfied he looked over her head to the five strangers whose past Venetia knew so intimately.
'So who exactly are you?' the Doctor asked flatly to the strangers. The man stepped forward
'We are the last remaining Jerrabians' he began slowly, his voice filled with sorrow 'The rest of our kind was killed'
Venetia squeaked when he said that – his memories playing through her mind, the screams of the dead ringing through her ears. The Doctor placated her by stroking her hair and whispered words of comfort to her.
'I am Dante Herbad and this is my family' he said as he gestured behind him
'My wife Snadria, my sons Kaleb and Reage, and my daughter Sinred' he told them quietly as he gestured at each person. The Doctor nodded as he absorbed their names
'Your people – the rest of them, what happened?' the Doctor asked gently yet firmly probing for information – wanting to know what his daughter knew. The women fell silent as they closed their eyes trying to block out the memories that played before them, the men's eyes hardened as the screams of their family dieing ran in their ears. Even Venetia shuddered at the memory that wasn't her own
'They were all killed – every last one of them. Murdered, slaughtered, left to rot and burn like animals' Dante bitterly spat out
'Who did this?' the Doctor asked
Dante glanced around – almost as though he was afraid to speak their name, that if he did they would some how reappear and force memories to become a reality.
'The Deckrax' Dante whispered hoarsely – just the name was enough to cause the woman to begin weeping once again. The Doctors' brow furrowed – the name wasn't familiar to him, he searched his vast knowledge yet he drew up a blank
'What happened?' he asked regretfully, sorry for the pain he was causing these people by asking them to bring up hard, painful memories
'They just…appeared. Burned out homes, killed our families, stole our land' Dante told them emotionlessly. The Doctor knew not to press them for information; just the thought of losing Venetia sent a chill through his soul as he held her closer.
The Doctor scratched his chin as he began to think about how to deal with the situation – the deadly silence caught his attention. He looked from one family member to another, each wore the same expression of dread on their face and terror in their eyes, they were all frozen to the spot as though their worst nightmare was about to come true.
Dantes' mouth opened on a warning – a warning that came to late as the Doctor felt a searing pain in his shoulder as he slowly stumbled forwards. He was unconscious before he hit the floor, Venetia falling from his arms and tumbling into the golden burning sand. Her screams filled the air as a Deckrax grabbed her from behind and hauled her into the air – her screams filled the air as the entire family was bound, gagged, then tied together on a rope and dragged along the sand like dead chickens.
The Doctor lay alone in the burning sand unconscious – only Venetias' lost shoe for company.