Chapter 12

Meanwhile Sara looked at her very stymied friend. "Oh yes, you are in trouble. Real trouble." She said seriously while Nova glanced up in panic. "Could it be that you, Nova of all people, has developed something so wildly unpredictable as an attraction on your first encounter? Of all the awful things…"

Nova briefly socked her arm but inside her heart was beating quickly. "Do you think he feels the same way? We just met. This isn't even rational and…" She started to pace.

"Love isn't entirely rational. It isn't something to be quantified." Sara answered. "It is capable of having people do the greatest and most craziest things. But I think that's why it's taken as long as it has. We lost everyone we loved all at once. How hard would it be for anyone to put their hearts back out there again? No." Sara smiled. "I commend you. You beat me to it." She nodded. "And I had a feeling." She used the word she implied to Nova referring to her enhanced telepathic ability. "I felt he could be trusted and I saw how much he cared for you. I like him. I wouldn't have taken such a crazy risk if it wasn't worth something like this for you."

Nova inhaled through her nose. "Still that only gets him outside the gate." She gazed at her friend seriously. "They can still hunt him down. You know that. Logically speaking, there is only a certain number of places he will go. They'll check his family. All their property."

"I know." Sara muttered. "I gave him my phone so you can contact him and told him to remain off the grid as much as possible for the next twenty four hours but…" She paused. "I have an idea. I'm not sure you'll like it considering I'll need your help in pulling it off."

"What?" Nova was circumspect as she always was with Sara's ideas.

"I disappear too for the next twenty four hours. If that occurs, their objective changes; as it would if either one of us were to vanish or run from their proximity."

"Of course it would." Nova snapped. "What exactly would that accomplish? Plus they've likely already changed the code again. I might be able to lift it if I'm lucky from their minds but it was entirely by chance that Mark was concentrating on it to a superficial degree when you tried to exit the house before. If I did a backdoor login to their system to decrypt the code, it is likely to be traced but…." She shook her head. "No. It's a terrible idea for you to leave the house. It's not safe out there. Someone gave us aspirin twice and put me in that bonfire. They are targeting us and-"

"Which is why I won't leave the estate." Sara said calmly. "But you must allow them to think I did.

Nova froze. "You're not going to leave?"

"No, I will simply hide. I've explored every inch of the house and I have the perfect hiding place." Sara told her. "It's somewhere they never go."

"Which is?"

"Better you didn't know. That way, you don't have to lie."

Nova scowled. "I hate lying."

"Then don't lie." Sara said helpfully. "Hack the server. Lift the code. It will be traced." Sara glanced out the window. "Then let the facts speak for themselves."

Nova looked at her friend uncertainly. "I don't know. I really don't…"

"It's either that or you allow them to ret-con Cillian. Take away all your first memories of him. His first with you. All those bits of his life. Remember how you refused to do that to John and Mark?" Sara stared at Nova. "And they're not exactly innocent." Sara hands tightened into fists. "Cillian is. It's not right and it wouldn't be fair or justified to do that."

Nova let out a slow breath. She didn't like the plan and didn't trust in her ability to imply this whole idea but Sara was right. Perhaps it was the lesser of two evils. Meanwhile, she would try to do as Sara suggested. "Alright." Nova said. "But I don't know how convincing I'll be and Sara…." She said to her friend who was already near the door, a few books in hand.

"Yes?"

"If we're caught in this, then that's it. I am keeping you at your word you won't leave the townhouse."

"I would never leave you behind." Sara told her. "And not with John and Mark. That's cruel and unusual punishment."

"Yes." Nova muttered to herself, somewhat amused then becoming serious as she looked at the computer screen. "Yes, I believe it is." Perhaps while she was in the system, she might find out more than just a code to mislead. What other information they had. Their projects. Since she was part Time Lord, curiosity was second nature to her.

"Salvinorin D." Nova muttered to herself and frowned. "Experimental compound of Salvia Divinorum combined with oleoresin capsicum derivative and OC gas makes…." Her words trailed off. The bit code was already changing. Her presence had been detected. She could hear footsteps on the stairs. She slammed the cover of her laptop down with a fair amount of disgust. Chemical warfare. That stuff causes a person to see violent, horrible chemical induced hallucinations. She shuddered. It would be worse than tripping off LSD. In that case, a hallucination would be good or bad. But this compound ensured that whomever the victim targeted….they were guaranteed to see monsters.

John and Mark entered her room as one of the brothers opened the door to inspect the unoccupied bedroom, while Nova looked on in some disgust she didn't have to pretend.

"Where's Sara?" John demanded.

"I don't know." Nova said honestly. "Is she still being entertained by the effects of your top secret fear inducing chemical hallucination project?" She was somewhat amazed with herself at how pleasant she sounded, directly contrary to her current emotions.

"Hallucination project?" Michael had just entered right behind them. "What hallucination project?"

Nova could tell he didn't know and why would he? Michael's motives weren't of a maleficent nature. "Don't ask me." She said solidly. "You should ask them." She gestured to the brothers.

"And I'm certain we'll be more than willing to explain as soon as we know where Sara is."

"But I really don't know where she is." Nova said firmly, turning away from them.

"Nova…" Jack tried but John was already studying her computer.

"She accessed the new code data surrounding the gate and bypassed its control." John's voice was flat. "You would put Sara's life at risk by allowing her outside the premises." It wasn't a question.

Nova was silent, still keeping her back turned, her breathing even. It was the best tactic she thought she could do. If it worked, if it bought time, then at least that was one achievement. Suddenly she was spun around by John who had suddenly ripped her cellphone out from her coat pocket.

"That's mine." She insisted instantly, keeping her voice steady. "Return that to me at once. It is my mobile."

"And you are living on my property."

Without much option or choice in the matter. Nova thought as she reached for her absconded cell phone.

Jack spoke up for her. "John, give the lady back her cell phone. That is no way to treat a guest. Are you going to take mine as well?"

"Do I need to?" John asked, raising an eyebrow. "I wouldn't eliminate the possibility."

"Then I would like to see you try." A challenge.

"Children." Mark rolled his eyes, glancing at the phone. "Ah, curious. A text message." He narrowed his eyes. "From Sara's phone. It says she's beyond the gate and will keep moving." He looked at John. "We'll assemble a team for a search. Acquire the tracking information from Sara's cell phone using the GPS chip."

Nova froze internally. They thought Sara had her own phone and thus sent the message but it wasn't Sara that had her phone at all. It was Cillian. Damn it. She hoped he would know to turn off the phone. Although, she wouldn't put it past the brothers to install a form of malware that might do a form of tracking even with the cellphone off, acquiring an exact position would be difficult. It would give a radius of several blocks. She also seemed to remember that there was a feature on some new phones that, with the correct password, the owner could remotely activate a phone that had been turned off, so as to track it if stolen.

But their plan seemed to have a side effect and she felt her heart race when she thought of Cillian. None of this is rational. A seeming echo of her continuing thoughts. As the idea of her finally going insane from her nightly dreams went across her mind, she was momentarily pulled out of them when the two brothers exited the room, her phone still firmly in John's possession.

Jack and Michael were still with her though. Jack was leaning against the wall, arms folded over his chest as he watched her. "Nova?" he asked gently. "Are you telepathic?"

She blinked over at him, startled. "What?"

"Sara has most of the physical characteristics. Healing. Resistance to cold. Increased strength. As she needs them, of course. But you...with your dreams, it's not that far of a leap to wonder at what other mental capabilities you may hold." Jack explained his reasoning as soothingly as he could. Trying not to alarm her.

It didn't work.

Nova's eyes widened at his implications and her breathing began to come in panicked pants. She clutched her chest as her heart seemed to bang around. Michael was at her side within two steps, pushing her on her back until her head was as far forward as he could get it in her current position. "Breathe slowly. In. Out. That's good. Breathe." He gentled her through the panic attack. It took almost ten minutes to calm her down enough that she was able to breathe normally on her own. Ten tense minutes of Michael's gentle voice guiding her through it, Jack's hand rubbing her back in circles, trying to comfort.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you react that way." Jack intoned solemnly when she was at a point to hear it.

"I think that is enough excitement for one day." Michael commented dryly, half glaring at the other brunette male. "See if you can get some rest, Nova. Alright? I'll come check on you in a few hours."

Nova nodded her acquiescence and climbed back into Sara's bed, slipping under the covers easily. Before the men completely left, she called out to them. "Please...don't let them…"

Jack glanced back at her, barely seeing her in the dim light. "Don't let them do what?" he asked softly.

She wondered how to phrase it so that they wouldn't think of Cillian again. "I don't want anyone hurt because of me." There, hopefully that was vague enough. As her eyes slipped closed, she dearly hoped that everything would work out. Please… may I keep my family? Please….

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Cillian sent the text and examined the phone he had in his hand, thinking introspectively. He had a few roles that required more versatile and underhanded thinking in terms of technology. Such was the case when he was cast for the role of Jackson Rippner. Although the story wasn't complex, the premise was a thriller and the idea didn't need to be. He just had to convey intrigue with his character who was hired to oversee an assassination of a public figure. But for that story, he played the antagonist and he had to act in a role, where his character had to intimidate a young hotel manager on a red eye flight to Miami to change the room numbers for a politician otherwise his associate would kill her father.

It was grim but he played with a shadow of hope for the character where even a villain organizing the death of an entire family questioned the ethics and cost of it. Still, it required investigation. Immersion and speaking with an American accent, which he was versatile in. Knowing that staying off the grid meant that even Sara's phone could be traced to him through the use of clever virus technology when powered off. And that simply wouldn't do.

So he purchased a prepaid phone that resembled the one he used in the film and took off the back cover of Sara's phone, removing the SIM card and GPS chip. Safely powered down with disconnected circuits, the phone couldn't be tracked. He took a deep breath. Twenty four hours. How would he pass the time? He kept moving.

"Oh Mr. Murphy, I thought it was you." A man stepped directly in front of his path. "I'm the biggest fan. You don't think…." His voice was almost mocking, which put Cillian on edge. "You don't think I could have your autograph, could I?"

"I don't have time." The actor said. For any true fan, he would but the way this man spoke, he just knew by tonality he wasn't being serious.

"Oh I suggest you make the time." The man continued. "You know what I would really enjoy? An autograph in your own blood. Nothing says human more than just the scent of human blood when it's spilled. But yours…..I can smell her on you. It's divine."

"Smell who?" Cillian challenged, attempting to remain stoic but feeling all the more disconcerted. He checked passing citizens. Did no one else see him? But then, he felt uncomfortable just looking at him in those initial moments. Why?

"Now that is the question. Who?" The man continued. "But all you clever people doing your clever things. Having a security field to keep my two girls safe. But you know what electricity also does?"

Cillian remained silent as the man adopted a maniacal grin as he held up a small black square with a lighter dark-gray square set in it. Obviously some sort of button, like a fancy garage door opener. "It burns." A single press of the button. "The townhouse is on fire. Will you ever get back in time?" He challenged as Cillian looked at him in horror before turning in position to run back in the direction of the townhome.

"And which girl will you save?" The voice behind him yelled words that engrained themselves onto his very soul, urging his feet to go ever-faster. "Can't save them both. You'll have to choose!"

The Master only laughed uproariously at the human fleeing in the direction of the fire. He had timed the spark that had traveled down the circuits into the house just perfectly. His girls were likely to live but the staff, those ridiculous guards or the two men appointed by the Doctor would not. Humans. Degenerate. People crawling all over this planet like insects. If a few got smashed, how would it matter? People died. That is exactly what people did.

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The guards of the estate were incredibly well-trained. They were the best at what they did. They knew the plan for every eventuality, from invasion, to bombing, to sedition, to blockades, and even to infinitely less probable events such as hurricanes. They also took great pride in their appointments, the health of their charges, and finally, but most definitely, the speed in which they could react to a threat. They ran drills every day to refresh their memories on what to do in what case. Only once a month for the more impossible cases, but most were drilled into their minds at least once a week, if not more.

The fire plan was so high up the list of possibilities, that they were required by their contracts to look over any updated information as soon as possible, create new plans if needed, and practice the plan at least twice a week. They guarded for every eventuality. Entrances blocked by debris or fire. Floors going out since it was a multiple-story house. Enemies trying to take advantage. They tried to think of everything, so that when the time came they were prepared.

When the girls had come under their protection, they had all gainfully added plans and counterplans to try to qualify the two unknown individuals. The plans were updated at least every few days in the beginning as the guards were still learning the girls' characters and personalities. As the first month of their occupation drew to a close, the security force hadn't updated the plan for a week and thought that it was probably as good as it could get for the time being.

So when the fire broke out at 9:18am on the 16th of June, the security force of the prestigious John Altamont and Mark Gatiss moved like a well-oiled machine. Each small team appointed to a single individual also had a delegated member that was supposed to grab their charge in the event, seeing to it that they got out safely. It was the job of the rest of the team to clear their passage.

At 9:24am, the alarm had gone off that smoke had been spotted. The presence of a fire was confirmed by 9:26am and the signal for the fire plan's initiation was sent. Since John Altamont, Mark Gatiss, Michael Freeman, and John Barrowman had all been in the same location of the first floor sitting room, in the middle of an argument, getting them out had been extremely simple and by 9:28am all four men were secured on the front lawn, overseeing as the townhouse began to go up in flames. With their charges safety practically guaranteed at the moment, the guards turned to helping put out the fire itself.

Cillian Murphy ran straight to the group of four, panting harshly, just as he overheard one of the guard's radios announce in a static mesh, "Sun Team has reached the first floor. ETA 12 seconds." He looked around frantically for the girls but didn't see them. "Where are they? Where's Nova and Sara?" he shouted, trying to make himself heard over the cacophony of sirens, water hoses, others shouting, and the crackle of the fire itself.

Just about then, there came a group of three practically running out of the house's entrance. One was literally carrying Nova, their arms holding her around her middle as she struggled frantically against them even as she, and they, coughed from the smoke they had inhaled.

"Nova!" Cillian yelled in relief, pulling her out of the guard's arms and into his own to hug her in stark happiness. "You're safe." Her form was shaking in his arms. "It's okay. I've got you. You're safe." He tried to assure her.

Her voice whispered in his ear. "Sara's still in there. We fooled them, tried to pull them off following you by making them look for her. She's still in there." She emphasized, her tone making his chest ache. He could hear the anger, the pain, and… determination? He barely had enough time to register the emotion before her knee found his groin, making him automatically release her and collapse down.

She took advantage immediately, silently saying I'm sorry in his direction as she tried to dart between guards to get back into the still-burning building to get her friend. Her best friend, with whom she had lived for the past seven years. For all intents and purposes, the last family member she had...her sister. I'm not going to let you die! She screamed in denial and rage as she felt more arms grab her and hold her back. "Sara! SARA!" She yelled, tears streaming down her face as she twisted this way and that in her desperation to get to her friend.

Somehow, she knew, knew, that if she didn't get to Sara in time, that everything was going to end. It would be catastrophic. For everyone and everything. Honestly, Nova didn't really give a damn. Her main objective was saving Sara. The apparent fact that rescuing Sara in turn prevented this unknown catastrophe was irrelevant. The rest of the universe would get lucky… she didn't care about them right now. She had to save "SARA!"

She barely heard as people around her, whom she wasn't certain, assured her that Sara wasn't in the house. But they didn't know. She knew. And she was going to get her sister out of the fire.

Her entire being had begun to coil almost as soon as she had been woken by coughing, if not before. As she was fighting the security team, the coiling had steadily tightened until she felt like a trapped spring. Now, as her whole mind focused on the single goal of Sara, Nova heard a mental 'SNAP!'. The coil sprang outward from her chest, igniting her limbs with trails of liquid metal. Somehow, she knew that this was her chance, the best chance she had. NOW!

Whoever held her at the moment suddenly got an elbow to their trachea, all of her five foot four inch power she could put into it. She was released and she used all the speed she could get out of her feet to run back into the house, heading straight for where her mind said Sara lay. Nothing else mattered but getting to Sara. Saving Sara.

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Jack gasped as his body once again refused to stay dead. "Nova!" He croaked around his still-healing neck wound. The girl certainly could punch! She had crushed his trachea so thoroughly that he had died from internal bleeding, since she had severed his carotid in the process. However, he was going to be fine again in a couple more minutes. It hurt like hell dying, but he wouldn't kill him. Ha! Nova, however, could very easily die from smoke inhalation, being burned alive, or crushed by falling debris. "Nova!" He got to his feet shakily to go after her. He was more than surprised when several guards stepped in front of him to block his path.

"I'm sorry, sir, but you can't go in there. It's too dangerous." The one in front said firmly. "The foundation is unstable and we have no idea where she is."

"I don't care. I'm going in after her!" He had healed enough to straighten his posture, trying to intimidate them with his size.

"I'm sorry, sir. I've got orders."

"God damn your orders! Altamont! Tell these bastards to let me pass!" He yelled out to the man he could see not too far away.

John looked over at him and walked over. Mark joined them. "No. Sara has yet to be located. Nova has voluntarily gone into a burning building. You are not leaving our sight."

It took several precious seconds for the full meaning of what Mark stated to register in his mind. "The contract?" He asked incredulously. "You are worried about the contract?! She could be dying in there!" He pointed to the building.

"By her own choice. At the moment, you are the last and I will not let it collapse completely." Mark almost growled lowly. "We are on shaky ground as it is, considering we have lost contact with Sara. I will not let you go in there. Let the firemen handle it."

"Are you out of your mind?! It won't kill me!" Jack bellowed, trying to push his way through again.

"Regardless." John shook his head, siding with his brother.

Barrowman had had enough. His mind went red with rage. "That's it. I've had it with you two. I've been extremely patient with you both. But this has gone on long enough. I'm enacting Clause 69. Now!"

The brothers knew the contract by heart, having memorized it years before. There were many clauses for every eventuality. Most were only really applicable to the ones who had signed the contract, but there were a few that could be activated by others. Such as Dr. Freeman initiating putting the girls under their protection to begin with. There was another, Clause 69, that entitled those being protected to request immediate attention from the Doctor. The brothers were under contractual agreement that, should Clause 69 be activated, they will instantly stop everything they are doing and call the Doctor, relay the information, and wait for the off-worlder to show up.

Considering that Jack could have activated the clause over a month ago and didn't, though he had certainly stressed they should call the Doctor, the brothers had assumed the other man wasn't aware of its existence. Just as the girls weren't. On second thought, based on his personality, Jack had probably been the one to name the clause '69'.

John flipped open one of the few phones in the entire universe that could make this call and dialed the number by rote. This was not going to be pleasant.

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Nova ran as fast as she could go given the circumstances. She had dodged a beam as it fell almost on top of her. She willed her lungs to work, giving her more much-needed oxygen, despite the smokey interior. Oddly, it seemed to be working. She would ponder that later. Now, she needed to find Sara.

Her mind was urging her up to the third floor, around to the back of the house where the flames weren't nearly as bad but it was very smokey, up again to a fifth floor turret, and finally into a room to the side. "Sara?" she called, then louder. "Sara!"

"Here!" a muffled voice answered, sounding like bliss to Nova's ears. "Something's blocking the door!"

Nova ran over to where the precious voice was coming from and instantly saw the problem. The room was apparently used to store tools and a wedge had fallen somehow from a shelf, rolled to a position just in front of the almost-hidden door to an old dumb-waiter, and lodged itself into the floor. The angle in which it had done so meant that opening the dumb-waiter from inside was impossible. "Gimme a sec! I see the problem!"

"Hurry! It's getting really hard to breathe!" Sara's voice came again. Both girls were coughing. Self-healing didn't do much good for air problems until damage began to accumulate.

It didn't take long for Nova to shove the wedge sideways to get the impromptu lever out of the way. She slid open the dumb-waiter and eagerly helped Sara out of the little box. Some fire below was feeding the shaft with tons of smoke, which now poured out of the opening. They didn't bother to shut it. "Let's get out of here," they said simultaneously, holding hands as they raced for the stairs to go back down.

Only they were stopped by the fire itself. It had reached the stairs and had crept up steadily, engulfing everything in flames. "Is there another way down?" Nova asked. Now that the coiling-spring feeling had dissipated with finding Sara, she was starting to feel exhausted and afraid. But she also still had that knowing the danger wasn't over; they could still die here, in this house. "You said you had explored top to bottom."

Sara bit her lip as she saw their only way down go up in flames. This tower was used for storage mostly because of exactly that reason. It was very easy to get trapped since there was only one entrance to the upper floors. No windows either. She guessed that the original design of the turret was for imprisonment. She didn't voice what they both knew.

Hazel eyes met periwinkle, each set filled with sorrow, fear, and love.

Nova shook her head, grabbed her sister's hand, and pulled them up the stairs instead, going as high as they could. "There's got to be a way out!" she declared. She wasn't going to give up dammit! But everywhere they looked was storage rooms with no windows, and finally they ran out of rooms too. She peered around wildly, searching for the impossible. "There's got to be a way out!" she said again.

"There isn't," Sara said simply. She shook her head, pulled Nova into her arms, and held her friend close to her chest. "I love you, Nova. You've been my best friend for years. Thank you for staying with me."

Nova choked on tears as she hugged just as fiercely. "I love you too. You might as well be my sister. I've thought of you that way for ages."

Sara snorted softly in grim amusement. "Likewise. Shame that this is what it takes for us to admit it." She gave a deep breath, only to begin to cough roughly at the inhalation of heavy smoke that was reaching them. On the top floor, it was the worst place they could be. But below them was fire; not much better. To die by smoke or burning? She'd die by smoke. It hurt less, she figured. "At least we'll be with our families." She murmured, trying to find a silver lining to dying before thirty.

The redhead cried sharp sobs. "I don't want to die. I want us to grow old in the same big house." She held the brunette, imagining the scenario as she voiced her secret wishes. "I want to grow old surrounded by great-grandchildren playing around me in a rocking chair. Children that have Cillian's eyes." The smoke was getting so thick she could barely see two feet away. "His little smirk…"

"His laugh is nice too." Sara commented softly around their coughing fits.

"I like his laugh. That look he gets in his eyes when he's trying to make me laugh."

"Or that roguish grin of his."

"The tilt of his head when he's trying to be playful."

"Oh and how he can flirt too!"

It was at this moment, when both girls were so focused on the same exact thought - Cillian Murphy - that the most extraordinary thing happened. Sara's entire being began to glow a soft golden, slow at first and then steadily brighter. It was hard to see at first because of the smoke, then because of the fire. However, when the girls - who had long before shut their eyes against the sting of the air - suddenly found themselves outside, the grass under their butts, feet, and legs in their crouched positions, right at Cillian Murphy's feet, they certainly noticed.

They barely registered the fact that apparently they weren't going to die at all that day, when their eyes rolled back into their heads and they both fainted from a combination of smoke inhalation and extreme exhaustion.

Jack and Cillian had caught each girl at the same time, each breathing their own sigh of relief while staring at the men that were supposedly set to be guarding them. John had just placed the phone in his pocket.

"We'll need to move to our secondary penthouse and-"

"I would like to offer that they stay at my London home." Cillian offered. He lived in London as did his family and it had security. He would hire more if that was necessary but considering the two seemed relatively content to stand there leaving Nova's friend or it seemed sister to die in the estate did not rest well with him. Nova had been hysterical risking her own life to save Sara. Hadn't Sara risked so much to save him? It wasn't like him to forget a debt and now he considered Sara a friend. Besides what he had just seen her do was extraordinary. He studied physics for so many of his roles. His in-depth study caused him to decide to become an atheist rather than an agnostic but seeing these girls and their abilities, made him question the limits of his knowledge. Sunshine, he played a physicist that came up with a specialized bomb to activate a dying sun. Red Lights had him investigate psychic accounts. Now….

There are things that physicists were theorizing about. The relationship of black holes to the Big Bang. The Multiverse Theory and much else but Sara and Nova, the theories there hadn't been even broached. So even if at the moment Cillian didn't quite believe in God, he had hope in something more. Hope of something he couldn't put a finger on. It was enough for now.

"That is hardly necessary." Mark said.

"Is it?" Barrowmen asked. "You were perfectly copacetic with letting Sara die because it was part of the contract." He breathed. "I would love to explain this to the Doctor that you were willing to play Russian Roulette with his granddaughters. That a human had more compassion than you two demonstrated tonight."

John and Mark froze. The Doctor was still coming. It wouldn't be pleasant. Nor would their decisions to leave Sara in a burning house. Nova had been screaming at them that Sara was inside, but had assumed she was panicked and not thinking clearly. Barrowman was staring at the two men with a look of knowing in his eyes. Finally, John said, "Very well." He paused. "They may recover at Cillian Murphy's house but you must discuss with him the aspects and have him sign the contract of confidentiality."

"I will go with them." Michael said, insistent on their needing a doctor's care before looking at Cillian. "And thank you for coming back to warn us."

"Of course I would. I care about them." He glanced at John. "I have more I need to relay but it would be good to wait until we move them both."

"I agree."

The transport had just removed the two girls, Barrowman and Cillian Murphy from the town house. John and Mark also arranged for their own security patrol to follow them. Wearily, task done, they turned to see the smoking remains of the house.

"Weeell, fancy seeing you two here." A familiar voice radiated behind them. "Should I guess? Another associate experimenting on himself? Eating everyone in his wake? No. Not very original. Wait, I see. Burned your own house down, is it?"

"Doctor." Freeman's voice chided gently, if a bit wearily given all that had happened.

"You humans. One simple task and you can't manage it." The Doctor paused. "Is John Barrowman still alive?"

"He is." Mark defended. "Quite safe. We relocated him, as well as the girls we put under our protection whom are very… unique."

"Yes, unique." The Doctor sighed. "Just how unique are they? Psychics? Precognitive?"

John took a deep breath. It wasn't going to get any better by holding back on the truth. "More than that. They are at least a quarter, if not one half, Time Lord by your own DNA sample you had left with us."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes. Of all the things to pull, this was not funny. "That's not possible. Gallifrey is dead. The Time Lords that escaped…."

"Fled to other realities. A few of your children did the very same. Sara and Nova were the result of natural birth but still your grandchildren. Their DNA, on your side is by measure matching several of your key chromosomes. We have attempted to keep them safe. Unfortunately, they have become targets to which we believe is another living Time Lord that knows of their aspirin sensitivity and behavior. We are working around the clock to apprehend them an-"

"If he's a Time Lord, it is my matter to catch him." The Doctor interrupted abruptly. "But the girls must be returned to me so I can keep them on the TARDIS. They will be the most secure there."

"And that is where we run into a slight problem." Mark posed succinctly. "To even bring up your name, causes them panic."

"Panic?" The Doctor said astounded.

"Panic." Mark agreed. "They are terrified of you. To such a point, where they became violent and irrational. They needed to be sedated. How would you think they respond to being confined to a TARDIS as it were?"

The Doctor was silent.

"I do propose a solution. Small steps." Mark said. "Meet with them slowly. They appear to fear someone called 'the Valeyard'. Ah, yes, you know him." He said to the expression on the Doctor's face. "Consider the girls were raised human," his voice was glib, "I must say they did not react well when they found out about us."

"My granddaughters." The Doctor's voice echoed.

"We have behaved by every clause in the contract."

"And you chose not to tell me of our relationship?" The Doctor demanded, his voice had darkened.

"Their request. Their demand. For the sake of their mental and emotional health, we acquiesced for the time being." The brothers explained.

"I will consider what you've said." The Doctor told them. "But these are my children by the right of Gallifrey. I have authority to do what I wish."

"And of course, they'll hate you. In fact, one has already started a relationship. Children are so whimsical. Are you doing the best for you or the best for them?"

The Doctor stalked away, back to his TARDIS. "You're handling of the situation has been far from adequate." He paused. "One chance. One Warning. That is all I'm willing to give you. But be certain, the next time….I'm so old now. I have far less mercy than I once did." His statement needed no further explanation.

As the brothers watched the ship dematerialize, they both breathed out a slow, deep breath they had anxiously been holding. Yes, that had been unpleasant. Unfortunately, neither believed it was over either.

When he was in his TARDIS again, the Doctor stood for several long minutes, just staring at the console. Was it even possible? He did several swift complex calculations. Yes… a very minute possibility existed. Less than 0.0134%, but it did exist. Granddaughters… two of them… and they were afraid of him. Had gone out of their way to ensure their own protectors knew their fear, using that protection in their own favor. He gave a sigh. Yes, they definitely had some of his characteristics. Use the rules in their favor; if not possible, just ignore them completely. How often had he done the exact same thing? Too many to count, certainly.

So, he needed a way to approach them gently. If the reason they were afraid was purely because of the Valeyard - he assumed his own children had told them the story, just in case they came across such a version of himself; especially since that version had been known for travelling dimensions - then he needed to act and behave as completely opposite as was conceivable. Fortunately, that wasn't too difficult. The Valeyard was himself, yes, but a very specific version of himself when he had ignored all the rules and law of time and had gone insane.

Insanity had many forms. Wanting to make others hurt as much as you was quite normal. It was only that he was a Time Lord that had allowed the Valeyard the knowledge and capacity to harm everyone and everything as much as he had been himself. It was quite depressing to know that he was capable of such things, if the right circumstances were provided.

Though, forewarning was being forearmed. Now that he knew of the Valeyard, he took great pains to ensure the being never resolved into reality again. He had quite a few mental rules - rules he had decided upon for himself, not ones that others had given him - and, as of yet, had not broken one.

Good men didn't need rules.

Unfortunately, he had proof that he wasn't a good man. Had seen the proof with his own eyes and still regretted the decision that had led to such. It took his heart and mind into dark avenues if he stayed still for too long. He had to keep moving… had to keep the darkness at bay. Having companions helped tremendously. Where was Martha, now that he was thinking about it?

He shrugged and began to push a few toggles, switches, flipping levers as he calibrated his awesome ship to scan for Gallifreyan life signs. Swinging the screen over to himself, he analyzed the readings with confusion. Where were they? Oh wait, he had to calibrate for subtler things… they were not full Time Lord. He restructured the scan and had it go again. There!

Time to pay his granddaughters a visit. But first… he looked down at himself, saw the state of his clothes and decided that cleaning was in order. First impressions were important, especially to those human-raised.

He dashed down the corridor to have a solar-ray bath and find a clean suit, tie, and shoes. Brush his hair and teeth. Probably should grab a bite to eat. What if his stomach growled from such plebian thing as hunger when he was with them? When was the last time he had eaten anyway? Or slept… ? Well, he didn't need to sleep nearly as much as he had when he was fresh out of Academy. He was fine. Definitely a bath and clean clothes though…

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