Thanks for all your reviews guys! I'm going to Barcelona tomorrow (Monday)...the city Barcelona, not the planet Barcelona...shame, I'd love to see the dogs with no noses. I'm going for five days so there won't be an update until about next saturday. Sorry!

A Recognised Gain

Part 10

The first thing the Doctor felt was the heat of the sun beating down on his neck, the burning pain as his skin blistered under the heat was nothing compared to the throbbing from his shoulder. He grasped helplessly around his back until he found the small dart that was piecing his flesh – wincing he ripped it out trying not to shout out from the pain. He groggily sat up and the second thing he noticed was the shoe – one tiny black ballet pump lying on its side abandoned in the sand. The Doctors' heart froze as he remembered the tiny foot the shoe belonged to – the tiny foot that wasn't here

'Venetia!' the Doctor yelled as he tried to get to his feet – he instantly stumbled falling back down again as the poison hadn't warn off yet. He slowly dragged himself through the sand towards the shoe as his eyes darted around absorbing the sight of the empty, abandoned desert. No matter which way he looked he way met by the same sight – miles and miles of empty abandoned sand, the sand that once looked so golden and welcoming now staring at him tauntingly teasing him as his panic grew. He dug his hands into the sand holding on for life- everything was spinning, he could feel his blood pounding in his ears as images of Venetia flashed before his eyes.

He forced himself to breath and just think about breathing, blocking everything out until his pulse lowered by at least twenty beats – having a heart attack would not help her. He closed his eyes and focused his mind on her trying to reach out to her through the telepathic field that they shared – he got nothing. Not a single thought, nor a feeling, not even a presence – his heart plummeted and he gasped for breath as he only thought of one thing

'They've killed her' he murmured to himself in disbelief. He felt his hands began to tremor as his body shook in reaction to the news he had decided was true

'They've killed my baby' he whispered in disbelief to himself as he fell forward into the sand – only when his finger pricked on the abandoned needle did he realise the truth. That the serum he had been injected with not only knocked him out but blocked his telepathic abilities – his face lit up as he realised Venetia might still be alive.

Venetias' eyes began to blink open slowly focusing on the object draped in black cloth in front of her – she stared at it for a while before realising she was moving – and that the object in front of her was Sinred – dark crimson drops stained the sand around her as her body was slowly being cut from the ropes. The other family members were still attached to the ropes – their mouths tried to open on empty screams but their gags cut them silent. Their bound hands tried to reach forwards in an attempt to save and protect her but they were attached to the rope which was beyond their control. There was nothing anyone could do but lie helplessly in the sand like abandoned rag dolls and watch as the short, fat creatures with dimpled pine green skin slowly drained the life out of Sinred. Snadria closed her eyes unable to watch another one of her children die in front of her – slow silent tears bled out of the corners of her eyes dripping into the sand along with her pain. Dantes' eyes hardened with pain and anger as he violently twitched trying to move towards Sinred to save her – each movement resulted in a kick in the gut from one of the Deckrax – each kick more viscous than the next. The brothers were still unconscious for which their parents were grateful for – watching another one of their siblings die would surely be too much for them. Venetias' mouth gulped on empty air as she watched the life flicker from Sinred's eyes, her hand was trying to out reach towards Venetia but her restraints held her back. Venetia wanted to close her eyes but she couldn't – she was drawn to Sinred and could do nothing but watch the sand around her clump together in crimson masses as her eyelids flickered before finally closing. Her mouth reminded hanging open on the death scream that never came – this image worked its way into Venetias' mind etching itself their forever. This was the first image to haunt the mind of the little girl who would never be innocent again – the beginning of the end.

The Doctors' head had finally stopped spinning and he was able to stand up – he clutched Venetias' shoe to his chest holding it tight as if it was the little girl herself.

'Don't worry Rose' he called out to the ghost that haunted his every thought

'I'll get her back – I promise' he vowed to her and himself before he began his long and tedious journey through the desert.

The skin on the back of Venetias' legs was being worn off by the roughness of the sand which scrapped against her as she was slowly dragged along to wherever the Deckrax were taking her. Her wrists were bruised and bloodied from the ropes that bound her and the warm blood trickled down her pale arms. Tears streamed down her face marking her skin and fear haunted her eyes which were wide and darkened with pain and grief. The remaining family members faced the same fate as Sinred – as did Venetia.

'Daddy – help me' she whispered to herself and to her father, praying that he could hear her.

'I'm coming sweetheart' the Doctor vowed to himself as he crossed the desert.

The Doctor finally found track marks in the sand – large foot prints followed by defined drag marks. The image of his daughter being helpless dragged through the dirt like a object chilled the Doctors soul and set his blood alight with anger. Despite the heat and the poison running through his veins the Doctor began to run following the path that had been so carelessly left for him.

Venetia allowed herself to pass out as the pain of the skin being burned of her legs became too much for her – she welcomed the darkness it let her escape from the images that were playing over and over in her mind.

'Venetia?' Rose called out. Venetia rubbed her eyes – her wrists still wet with blood from the ropes that had bound her

'Mama?' she asked cautiously

'It's okay sweetheart, I'm here' Rose promised her daughter as she approached. She was bathed in a white light which shone around her, her blonde curls were piled on top of her head and several cascaded down her back like a goddess. Her hazel eyes shone with love and worry as she watched Venetia try to sit up

'It's okay Vennie, you lay down' she told her daughter as she appeared at her side. She gently stroked the hair back off her face and pressed a kiss to her forehead

'I thought I'd lost you' Venetia whispered – her voice cracking as she watched the woman she believed she could never see again.

'I never left you sweetheart' Rose told her as she squeezed her hand 'I'll always be with you – forever and ever at your side no matter what' she promised

'How?' Venetia asked as she blinked away the darkness that was threatening to overcome her again

'In here' Rose whispered tapping her forehead and her heart.

'I'll never forget you Vennie – not now, not ever. I love you' she whispered – her voice angelically soft as she stroked away the last curl.

Venetia closed her eyes and held onto her mother

'Don't leave me mummy!' Venetia begged sounding like the frightened little girl she was

'I haven't left you' Rose promised as she kissed her daughter for the last time

'Mummy!' Venetia cried out as she opened her eyes. She blinked rapidly, her tears falling down her face and staining her dress, she frantically looked around reaching out for her mother. Then the heartbreaking truth slammed into her – that her mother was never coming back, not matter what.

'I'll always be with you'

Roses' words rang in Venetias' ears as she silently shook trying to hold in her sobs

'But you have' she whispered to her mother who wasn't there 'How can I live without you?' she asked traumatised. Venetia bit her lip as she looked around her – she was no longer in the desert but in a cavern, a dark cavern with blood stained walls. All the others that she had been brought with were gone – she was along in a cavern that stunk of death.

'I haven't left you'

Venetia closed her eyes and pictured her mother as she remembered her words – from beyond the grave Rose could still soothe her daughter like no one else could.

The Doctor froze when he found the first body – it was Sinred's. Her crumpled figure lay forgotten in the sand as the golden ground around her had been stained with her lifeblood. The Doctor ran his fingers through the sand as he looked down at her shaking his head

'I'm sorry' he whispered 'So sorry'

He removed her gag and bounds and pulled her black head dress over her face; her emerald eyes no longer calling out to anyone except death.

The Doctor rubbed his face as he followed the trail of blood drops towards the cavern.

Thanks for reading!