10Jan2018
I'm back. I'll be leaving an A/N down below explaining my absence.
Instead of leaving the room, Klary moved closer to the window and gazed down at the planet. She knew it was only a matter of time before it was destroyed, but she wanted to pay it her respect, especially since its death would be the last thing on everyone's minds. It was a beautiful sight, one that she definitely wanted to see again. She made a mental note to tell the Doctor that, no matter his regeneration.
Klary's peace was interrupted when a very familiar blonde entered the room. In confusion, she said the brunette's name and asked how she'd gotten there. When Klary replied the same way she gets everywhere, Rose shrugged and sat on the platform edge, where she tossed a small metal ball in the air. Klary took a moment to think as to whether or not it would be a good idea to confiscate the ball and in a moment of haste, she snatched it from the air and tossed it outside of the room.
"What was that for?" the blonde demanded. Klary shrugged and turned back to the window. Rose rolled her eyes at her, picked up the potted plant, and began to speak to it. Klary stifled a laugh. It seemed as if Rose didn't quite like her, for some reason or another. Well, it was in her future so she decided to let it roll off her.
As the two occupied the room, they heard the Doctor call out for Rose as he entered. Klary remained in her spot, not minding that he probably wouldn't notice her. In all honestly, she didn't expect him to; she figured he didn't know her very well at this point of his life. That idea was shot to hell when he called her name and rushed to her side. He pulled the young woman into his arms and kissed her fiercely, an action that caused the brunette to tense and go wide eyed. He didn't seem to notice her reaction as he turned to address Rose to ask her thoughts, arm still wrapped around Klary's waist.
"Great. Yeah, fine. Once you get past the slightly psychic paper and the girl who just appears out of nowhere." Klary rolled her eyes at the jibe. Rose definitely didn't like her and she wanted to know why. "They're just so alien. The aliens are so alien. You look at 'em and they're alien."
"Good thing I didn't take you to the Deep South."
Rose leaned back and examined the Doctor. "Where are you from?"
"All over the place."
"They all speak English."
"That's what you hear," Klary said before the Doctor could. She knew the Doctor could deal with Rose's attitude, but this was one part of the episode that she hated. She didn't want to have her blame him for something that wasn't his fault, per say. He'd been trying to impress her, and succeeded, even if the TARDIS changed her brain enough to allow her to hear the native tongues of those around her. It was something that happened when you decided to travel with the Doctor. "The TARDIS has a telepathic field. It enters your brain and translates for you."
Rose glared at her, disdain evident. Klary didn't know what happened during their first meeting, but she was not going to be intimidated by her. "Your machine gets inside my head and it changes my mind, and you didn't even ask?"
"Didn't need to. The moment you chose to come with us was the moment you accepted this."
"You should have asked!"
"Why? Does it honestly matter? What would you have honestly said if we had, hm?" Rose was silent. "Exactly."
"I didn't think about it like that," the Doctor murmured.
"No, you were too busy thinking up cheap shots about the Deep South! Who are you then, Doctor? What are you called? What sort of alien are you?"
"I'm just the Doctor." Rose asked him another question, which he refused to answer. They two continued until Klary had reached her wit's end and yelled enough. The Doctor though, was so upset that he continued on. "This is who I am. Right here, right now, all right? All that counts is here and now, and this is me!" Klary rested her head on his shoulder, putting away her discomfort for his comfort. His grip on her waist tightened a fraction as he looked at the blonde.
"Yeah, and I'm here too 'cause you brought me here. So just tell me."
"That's enough, Rose. You chose to come. He gave you a choice and you made a decision. Do not blame him for your fear."
'Earth Death in twenty minutes. Earth Death in twenty minutes.'
Rose continued to glare at the two before she took a breath, her shoulders sagging. Klary knew it was a matter of time before she realised how things were. "All right. As my mate Shareen says, don't argue with the designated driver." She pulled out her mobile and looked for a signal. "Can't exactly call for a taxi. There's no signal. We're out of range. Just a bit."
The Doctor moved his arm from around Klary as Rose stood near them. Klary smiled at him before she turned to look back out of the observation window. "Tell you what," he started as he took her phone and began to pull it apart. "With a little bit of jiggery pokery..."
"Is that a technical term, "jiggery pokery"?"
"Yeah, we came first in jiggery pokery. What about you?"
"No, I failed hullabaloo."
"Aw." He snapped the pieces back together and handed it to her. "There you go." Rose took it and walked off a bit.
As she did that, the Doctor turned his attention to Klary. She looked the same as she always had, although her coils were wilder, as if she'd been in a wind tunnel, and shorter than the last time he'd seen her. She was tense, closed off even and it bothered him. The last time the Doctor had seen her in such a way, he'd ended up with nasty hand mark on his cheek. He couldn't help but wonder where exactly she'd come from and what had happened.
Klary felt his gaze on her and tried to ignore it as she continued to look at the Earth. Her gaze remained as he moved closer to her and asked where she'd been. When she'd replied the future, he asked if he'd done something to upset her. Klary quickly denied that, flustered as she wondered why he'd asked. He said it was nothing, and when he went to continue, Rose made her way back over, a small smile on her face. The Doctor made a comment about the bill, but the blonde seemed not to care much.
"That was five billion years ago. So… She's dead now. Five billion years later, my mum's dead."
Klary rolled her eyes at the girl, but remained silent. The Doctor on the other hand couldn't keep his comment to himself. "Bundle of laughs you are." Before Rose could reply though, the station violently shook. The Doctor grabbed onto both women and held them steady, although after he kept his arm around Klary. "That's not supposed to happen." The three shared a look before they took off for the observation gallery.
When the trio arrived, the girls followed the Doctor over to Jabe, although Klary's stride was slowed. She'd seen Jack, and wanted to talk to him, but she had always found Jabe's comments to Rose a bit entertaining. She made a mental note to go talk to the man though, even if she was unsure whether he knew her yet.
As she arrived, she heard the Doctor tell Jabe that Rose wasn't his wife.
"Partner?"
"No."
"Concubine?" From her peripheral, Klary could see the irritation grow on the blonde's face. She did her best to keep a straight face, but a small grin managed to break out.
"Nope," the Doctor replied, tone almost disgusted.
"Prostitute?"
Before the Doctor could reply though, Rose interrupted. "Whatever I am, it must be invisible! Do you mind?" Jabe shook her head. "Tell you what, you two go and pollinate. I'm going to catch up with family. Quick word with Michael Jackson." Without another word, she stormed off to speak to Cassandra.
"Don't start a fight." He then glanced at Klary. "Coming with?"
"Nope. Going to talk to the Face of Boe. Have fun though."
The Time Lord nodded and held an arm out to Jabe. "I'm all yours."
Since Rose had already made her way to Cassandra, Klary decided to take her line. "I want you home by midnight." The Doctor gave her a cheeky smile before he and Jabe left the room.
When they were gone, Klary quickly made her way to Jack. As she approached, she felt a soft hum in her mind. She knew he communicated telepathically, and smiled at the placed her hand on the glass. "Hey, Jack."
"Klary, it's been a while."
"Has it? I look forward to meeting the handsome Captain."
He chuckled. "My Ray. You're so young."
"I've only started travelling with the Doctor. Do we know each other well?"
"We have many adventures, with and without the Doctor."
"I can't wait!"
"While I wish to speak more, there will be plenty of time for that. For now, go to your Doctor. He will need you. He always need you."
Klary cocked an eyebrow but nodded. "I'll be seeing you soon, Jack." She heard his affirmation and left the room. She knew what was going to happen and hoped she made it to the room in time to get Rose out. While the girl didn't seem to like her, Klary didn't want her to get hurt. She preferred to be the bigger person.
As she arrived, she saw the Doctor was already there working on the panel. Klary stood back and watched as he worked. She wanted to help, but there was no way she could do anything to. This wasn't her sort of situation, not one she knew how to get out of. It was best she left it up to the Doctor. Still, Klary didn't like to feel useless.
'Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising.' Klary smiled for a moment, but her relief was short lived as the computer went off again. 'Sun filter descending.'
"Just what we need. The computer's getting clever."
"Stop mucking about!"
"He's not. Something's messing with the computer," Klary told the frightened blonde.
"Open the door!"
"I know!" Finally, the sun filter rose and remained that way. The Doctor tried to get the door open but it wouldn't budge. "The whole thing's jammed. I can't open the doors." He stopped for a moment and faced Karly. She raised a brow but said nothing. "Stay there! Don't move."
"Where am I going to go, Ipswich?"
Klary chuckled a bit but was jolted from her spot as the Doctor grabbed her hand and pulled her to the observation gallery. As they entered, they heard Cassandra blame the Face of Boe for what had happened. The brunette pulled from the Doctor and stormed up to the sheet of skin. In not so many nice words, she told her to shut up and leave her friend alone. The Doctor pulled her away, and held onto her tightly as he faced the guests.
"Easy way of finding out. Someone brought their little pet on board. Let's send him back to master." As he said that, he placed the spider down. It scuttled a bit before it stopped by Cassandra and scanned her. A short moment later, it moved to the black robed guests.
"The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. J'accuse!"
Klary rolled her eyes and glared at the flap of skin. Unbeknownst to her, the Doctor had seen. "That's all very well, and really kind of obvious. But if you stop and think about it…" he paused and approached the Adherents. When he was close enough, the one in the lead swung its arm in an attempt to strike the Doctor. He quickly caught it and pulled its arm off. "A Repeated Meme is just an idea. And that's all they are, an idea." He then yanked out one of the wires and the Adherents collapsed. "Remote controlled droids. Nice little cover for the real troublemaker. Go on, Jimbo. Go home." He nudged the spider with his foot, and it quickly returned to its spot before Cassandra.
"I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed," the flap of skin spat. "At arms!"
Her attendants raised their spray guns, "What are you going to do, moisturise me?"
"It's acid," Klary tells him as Cassandra says, "With acid."
Cassandra glared at the younger woman before she returned her attention to the Doctor. "Oh, you're too late, anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe. Oh, you all carried them as gifts, tax free, past every code wall. I'm not just a pretty face."
"You're not even that," Klary muttered, loud enough for Cassandra to hear.
"Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside it? How stupid's that?"
"I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation. With myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous."
"Five billion years and it still comes down to money."
"'Course it does. There will always be people like her in the universe."
"Do you think it's cheap, looking like this? Flatness costs a fortune. I am the last human, Doctor. Me. Not those freaky little kids of yours."
"Arrest her, the infidel."
"Oh, shut it, pixie! I've still got my final option." Cassandra was momentarily cut off as the computer announced the Earth's death. "And here it comes. You're just as useful dead. All of you. I have shared in your rival companies and they'll triple the price as soon as you're dead. My spiders are primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How did that old Earth song go? Burn, baby, burn."
"Then you'll burn with us."
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders, activate." Near immediately, there were several explosions that shook Platform One. "Forcefields gone with the planet about to explode. At least it'll be quick. Just like my fifth husband." She chuckled. "Oh, shame on me."
'Safety systems failing.'
"Bye, bye, darlings. Bye, bye, my darlings." With that, Cassandra and her attendants beamed off Platform One.
The room erupted into a cacophony of voices, with the computer only making the panic worse. Klary did her best to keep everyone calm, but it was no use. Jack had offered her soothing words, but all she could think of was keeping Jabe alive. When she'd watched the episode, it had always pained her that the brave woman sacrificed herself in order to aid the Doctor. With the ability to do something, Klary refused to have to woman die. So caught in her thoughts, she just heard as the Doctor called her and Jabe to follow him.
"Actually Jabe, you'd do better here." The Doctor turned and eyed Klary suspiciously. After the centuries of having her at his side, he was well aware that she was trying to avoid a tragedy. "They're scared and besides the Face of Boe, you're the most level-headed. Keep them calm. Please." The other female nodded her affirmative and returned to the room.
The Doctor raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he grabbed Klary's hand and led her to the engine room. As they walked, he stopped for a moment and placed his hands on the young woman's shoulders. "Why did you tell Jabe to stay behind?"
"We don't have time for this."
"She was going to die? Wasn't she." Klary remained silent and looked away. The Doctor went to say something else but quickly shut his mouth and walked off. Klary knew he was upset with her. In all honesty, she didn't know if her plan would work. She only hoped that Jabe would be all right.
When they reached the engine room, the pair were met with three large fans that spun at full speed. The room was already hot, and both knew it was only a matter of time before the place became overwhelmed.
"Oh, and guess where the switch is." He said it more to himself than Klary. The Doctor stood before the breaker and pulled the lever. The fans slowed but the moment he released it, they began to gain its speed again. He made a sound of annoyance that muted when he noticed the fans began to slow again. The Doctor turned to see Klary had removed her jacket and was holding the lever down with it. "What are you doing?"
"Helping." He made to say something but Klary quickly interrupted. "Look, we don't have time to argue. I'll hold the lever down, you make your way across, and everyone on the platform is saved from burning to death. Okay?" The Doctor nodded and began to make his way past the first fan.
Klary grimaced as the Time Lord stood before the second fan. Her hands were on fire, and the heat was suffocating. She could feel the skin on her hand as it joined the metal. Her jacket had long lost its usefulness, and the pain of it all had started to get to her. Yet she managed to give the Doctor a small smile when he turned to check on her. Klary let out a cry as her hands slipped. The fans began to speed up again, but Klary, despite the pain grabbed onto the lever once again. A few more minutes passed before she heard the Doctor yell for the shields to be raised.
Klary released the lever and fell to her knees, breaths heavy and hand blistered and bloody. She tried to ignore the pain she felt but it really was no use. Klary, not wanting to worry the Doctor, stood and gave him another smile as he approached her, the fans now slow enough for him to walk through easily. He spared her a small glance as he walked pass, his hand grazing her arm as he did so. As he reached for her hand, Klary jerked it away and pulled ahead. She didn't want him to ask questions at the moment. There were more important things than burnt hands. Lucky for her, the Doctor said nothing as they quickly made their way to the observation gallery.
When they arrived, Klary was happy to see Jabe with her people. It was one person she could save, even if she knew it could affect the future in some way. The Moxx of Balhoon however was left as nothing but a smoking pile of ash. Klary smiled at Jabe and her people before she turned her attention to the blonde that ran into the room. She ignored the curly haired brunette as she moved to the Doctor's side, asking if he was all right.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm full of ideas. I'm bristlin' with 'em. Idea number one," his eyes landed on Klary, "teleportation though five thousand degrees needs some kind of feed." She nodded as she watched him take in the area. "Idea number two. This feed must be hidden nearby." The Doctor walked over to the bar. He grabbed the alleged ostrich egg and smashed it open. Inside sat a small device. "Idea number three. If you're as clever as me, then a teleportation feed can be reversed."
As he did so, Cassandra's voice could be heard as she boasted about what she'd done. It was mere seconds before she was completely beamed back. Not long after she seemed to realise her predicament. Her tone changed when the Doctor all but snarled at her. "So, you passed my little test. Bravo. This makes you eligible to join… er… the Human Club."
The Doctor crossed his arms, eyes hard and immense anger radiating off of him in waves. "People have died, Cassandra. You murdered them."
"It depends on your definition of people, and that's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries. Take me to court, then, Doctor, and watch me smile and cry, and flutter…"
"And creak."
"And what?" The Doctor repeated himself, which sent the scrap of skin into a tizzy. "What? Ah! I'm drying out! Oh sweet heavens. Moisturise me. Moisturise me! Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!" She shrunk as she dried out.
"Well you did raise the temperature."
"Have pity! Moisturise me! Oh, oh Doctor. I'm sorry. I'll do anything?"
"Help her."
Klary spared the blonde a dark look. "Did she have pity on those who died? When she blamed J-the Face of Boe for this? Pity would be merciful and she doesn't deserve it."
The Doctor nodded in agreement and grabbed Klary's hand. "Everything has its time and everything dies." Klary squeezed his hand, knowing where his thoughts had most likely gone. With a final sentence, Cassandra exploded, flaps of her going everywhere.
It wasn't long after that everyone had left the station. Jabe had offered for the Doctor and Klary to visit her whenever they could, and the brunette couldn't be happier to agree. Klary also managed to speak with Jack once more, although the conversation was cut short due to the Doctor. Still she was left with a reminder of the time they would spend together.
The three remained at the observation gallery for a while longer, looking at the what was left of the Earth as they floated by. Although she knew it was to happen, Klary still found the entire thing sad. It wasn't her Earth, but it could have been.
"The end of the Earth. It's gone. We were too busy saving ourselves. No one saw it go. All those years, all the history, and no one was even looking. It's just…" The Doctor gave the[TH1] blonde a soft look and grabbed Klary's hand. With a gentle "come with us", he led her to the Tardis.
Once cleaned up a bit, Rose was first to exit the Tardis. As the Doctor and Klary joined her, the three heard the sounds of life all around them. Klary knew what was to come next, so she squeezed the Doctor's hand, even though it did cause her pain. She wanted to give him the support he needed but she knew by the look he gave her, she was in for it once they returned to the beloved ship.
"You think it'll last forever, people and cars and concrete. But it won't. One day it's all gone. Even the sky." He took a steeling breath as his hand slightly tightened on Klary's. "My planet's gone. It's dead. It burned, like the Earth. It's just rocks and dust. Before its time."
"What happened?"
"There was a war, and we lost."
"A war with who?" When he didn't reply, Rose cleared her throat and tried again. "What about your people?"
"I'm a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. They're all gone. I'm the only survivor. I'm left travelling on my own 'cos there's no one else left."
"Oi! I'm here."
"You, love, come and go."
"I'd stay if I could. Go in order."
After a moment of Klary and the Doctor bantering, Rose interjected. "There's me."
"You've seen how dangerous it is. Do you want to go home?"
"I don't know. I want…" She took a breath. "Oh, can you smell chips?"
"Yeah." The Doctor inhaled and began to chuckle. "Yeah."
"I want chips."
"Me too. Klary?" The woman in question grimaced as she gently removed her hand from his. "Oh."
"Rain check?
He nodded before he pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Whenever you end up, make sure I heal your hands. All right?" Klary stepped away and gave the Doctor a smile. Then in a beautiful golden glow, she was gone.
So, that's a wrap for End of the World. I want to first apologise for the super late update. I went on vacation, published a book, and then had to switch offices for work. In all that, I'm getting ready for an international move, one that I'm very excited about.
To be honest, I'm not quite sure when I'll update again, as I'm trying to figure out which episode to do next. But what I can ask is if you want a specific episode next, let me know. I have an idea as to which Doctor either 10 or 12, more so 12. I want to do 10, but I was waiting until chapter five for that. Either way, let me know.
Also, I'm officially going to start my Avengers fic. I've been thinking about it for a while and when I post the first chapter... hopefully by the end of the week... I'll have a bit more info on there.
With all that said, hope you enjoyed this chapter and that 9 wasn't OOC. I really do love him, and he honestly deserves all the love in the world. But if he comes off that way, feel free to let me know. Also, this wasn't beta-ed so let me know about mistakes. I went through it a few times but a second (third or fourth) pair of eyes are lovely.