Hi, everyone.
I hope things have been going well for all.
Special notice: I know it's been a while since the last update. Some of you must be wondering where I've been for over a month now. Well, I'm afraid I have some bad news. I don't know if any remember the news from last time, about me being very sick lately. I have been going in and out of the hospital, and about three weeks ago I received results on why I have been sick. I've debated for a while now on whether I should tell anyone about this, since I'm afraid it might cause some of you to be upset, and I also don't really want to worry anyone. If you do become upset by this news, I just want to say I'm sorry. I wish no ill intent onto anyone. So a warning now if anyone gets easily upset by bad news of this subject matter.
But, well, bottom line of what I'm trying to say is, recently I have been diagnosed with cancer. Known as Hodgkin disease. Cancer in my white blood cells, basically, from the way it's been explained to me. Now I know that sounds bad, but it is very treatable. And it was caught early, so the doctors say I have to good chance. :) So, please, don't worry. I've already started treatments and am on the way to fighting this. I just wanted to explain this to you guys so that way its understood on why I can't always update the story as regularly. With the treatments I go through, it effects everyone differently. For me, it makes me extremely tired, and makes my muscles not function as well. So it's a little slow going in writing now. Sorry about that. I wish things could be different, but it looks like for a while now the story might slow down quite a bit.
Sorry, I hope everyone is all right with this news. :( I just wanted to touch base with you all and keep you up to date in what was going on. Especially if things with my disease turn bad. I've already have plans in the works in case something comes up. If I can no longer write for whatever reason, then I have my friend willing to post up the chapters for me. The chapters won't be edited so please don't mind the grammar mistakes, and she doesn't want to reply to reviews, either, since she feels that isn't right of her to do so. So I hope that is okay with all of you. If it isn't, just let me know and I'll try to work something out for you all. For I always want to make certain that everyone is happy in the end. :)
So again for the bad news. I just really hope that everyone will find their days amazing and that the chapters ahead will bring cheer. :) Take care everyone!
XxXxXxXx
Chapter 6: Gwyneth's Insight
"First of all, you drug me, then you kidnap me—and don't think I didn't feel your hands having a quick wander, you dirty old man!" barked Rose angrily at Sneed as she waved a cane at him.
They had moved into the living room of the house where a nice cozy fire spread a relaxing blanket of warmth around them. Sneed currently sat on an armchair, looking very disgruntled by Rose's angry rant at him. Gwyneth glanced at the raving girl every second or so as she prepared some tea for everyone. Dickens sat at the small dining table; drink his own cup of tea. The Doctor and Wanda stood by the fireplace, watching the scene of Rose's scolding in amusement. Wanda keep snickering, feeling greatly proud of her friend telling the old man off. She glanced at the Doctor, surprised to see him hold a similar grin. Though, she wondered if it was more because he simply enjoyed seeing someone be yelled at. Most likely from the way he was not really looking at Rose, but more of the peeved expression of Sneed's face.
"I won't be spoken to like this!" retorted Sneed crossly at Rose.
"Then you stuck me in a room full of zombies," Rose continued on, glowering to the old man. "And if that ain't enough, you swan off and leave me to die! So come on, talk!"
"It's not my fault! It's this house!" Sneed yelled. This seemed to be more of a slip on his part for he appeared to regret saying this, giving a small wince upon exclaiming his words. He glanced around everyone nervously as they all stared at him. "It always had a reputation. Haunted. But I never had much bother until about three months back, and then the stiffs," Wanda shot him a disproving gaze upon this term, making Sneed clear his throat, " . . . the, um, the dear departed . . . started getting restless."
"Tommyrot," muttered Dickens, taking a sip of his tea. Both the Doctor and Wanda rolled their eyes to this. Each Time Lord finding the famous man's clear denial to be irritating, especially after what they had all witnessed tonight.
"You witnessed it!" argued Sneed. "Can't keep the beggars down, sir. They walk. And it's the queerest thing, but they hang on to scraps." Sneed continued on explaining how each walking dead tended to act upon the last wishes or plans as when they had been alive. Gwyneth came around, handing both the Doctor and Wanda their cups of tea.
"Two sugars for you, sir, and a pinch of honey for you, ma'am," Gwyneth told them politely. "Just how you like it." The Doctor gave the servant girl a curious stare while Wanda smiled gratefully.
"Thank you, Gwyneth," she said, giving a very small wink to the girl. Gwyneth nodded and walked off to continue her duties. Wanda sipped on her tea, glad to find it tasted almost like her mother's.
"Morbid fancy," Dickens spoke up, gaining back Wanda's attention. Still, the man was denying all the words of Sneed.
"Oh, Charles, you were there," the Doctor bit out in an irritated tone.
"You can't ignore what's right in front of your face," Wanda added in.
"I saw nothing but an illusion," argued Dickens.
"If you're going to deny it, don't waste my time, just shut up," the Doctor retorted. Famous writer or not, he was not going to put up with a stupid human who refused to see the truth. He turned his attention onto Sneed, ignoring Dickens completely now. "What about the gas?"
"That's new, sir, never seen anything like that," Sneed answered.
"Means it's getting stronger, the rift's getting wider and something's sneaking through," the Doctor stated, more or less speaking his thoughts aloud.
"Something not good," Wanda mumbled quietly, taking another sip of her tea. She dearly wished she could stop this, to say something to make things change from what was to come later. She wanted to tell the Doctor what was truly going on (if he would even believe her) and have him make it so Gwyneth would not die at all. But . . . she had already looked into the possibilities while they had been travelling in Dickens' coach. The only way to stop the Gelth was . . . Gwyneth's sacrifice. Hearts sinking sadly, Wanda could only stare at the ground distantly as guilt swept through her. Remaining emotions from Second Wanda plaguing her.
"What's the rift?" asked Rose.
"A weak point in time and space," explained the Doctor. "A connection between this place and another. That's the cause of ghost stories, most of the time."
"That's how I got the house so cheap," said Sneed. "Stories going back generations, echoes in the dark, queers song in the air, and this feeling like a . . . shadow. Passing over your soul. Mind you, truth be told, it's been good for business. Just what people expect from a gloomy old trade like mine."
The door of the living room opened and close, indicating that Dickens had taken his leave in a huff, still finding the entire situation unbelievable. Glancing at the Doctor, Wanda nodded her head in the direction of the writer. The Doctor seemed confused, not sure what she was trying to point out. Frowning, she nodded her head to the door again. Still he simply lifted a brow as if wondering that she was merely having a muscles twitch. Wanda let out a light huff. She never had this problem with later Doctors. They always seemed to know what she was thinking or what she meant with her light nods or shakes.
Go after him, idiot. He needs to talk to someone. Preferably you. Wanda finally decided to speak into his mind. Also, you should really apologize for telling him to shut up.
The Doctor frowned and rolled his shoulders. As if shaking off her presence within his mind. Apparently, he did not like anyone else besides her Second self to be the one speaking to him this way. But, nonetheless, he went after Dickens anyway. This made Wanda smile, glad that, even though he hated this incarnation of her, he at least listened to her.
Spotting Rose leaving the room, Wanda decided to follow along. Walking around the nice, old house, she finally found both Rose and Gwyneth inside a pantry. Gwyneth was busy working on cleaning up while Rose seemed to be trying to help.
"Please, miss, you shouldn't be helping, it's not right," Gwyneth said to Rose, taking away the washrags from her.
"Don't be daft," responded Rose, taking the rag back.
"We'd love to help you," Wanda spoke up, walking over to begin washing the tea cups. But Gwyneth remained firm, taking the rags from both girls. She looked rather embarrassed for someone actually wanting to help her. Most likely not used to people being so generous to her. Both Rose and Wanda smiled kindly at her, understanding of the girl's timid behavior.
"How much do you get paid?" Rose questioned.
"Eight pound a year, miss," Gwyneth answered. Rose stared at the girl for a second, wondering if she had heard that right.
"How much?" she asked, wanting to make sure she had indeed heard correctly.
"I know, I would've been happy with six," Gwyneth replied, turning to clean up the mess around the pantry.
"I think you deserve a raise for everything Sneed's put you through," Wanda said to the girl.
"Oh, it's not all that bad, miss," Gwyneth stated, shifting around some pantry supplies.
"So, did you even go to school, or what?" Rose asked the girl, thinking that maybe she was so happy with little money because of lack of education.
"Of course I did," Gwyneth told her, turning around to face them. "What do you think I am, an urchin? I went every Sunday, nice and proper."
Rose raised a brow. "What, once a week?"
Gwyneth nodded. "We did sums and everything. To be honest, I hated every second."
Rose laughed lightly. "Me, too."
Wanda snorted. "You two are crazy. I loved it whenever my tutor came over. Favourite subject had to be History." The other two both snorted to this, shaking their heads in disbelief to someone actually enjoying school.
"Don't tell anyone, but one week, I didn't go, and I ran down the heath, all on my own," Gwyneth said to them, looking excited to sharing such a secret with them. They all started to laugh then.
"I did plenty of that," Rose remarked. "I used to go 'round the shops with my mate Shareen. And we used to go and look at boys." She chuckled at this, loving the fond memories she and her friend had.
Gwyneth blushed some, bashful by this statement. "Well, I don't know much about that, miss." Wanda could not help but smile. Gwyneth reminded her of Young Wanda. Very timid and shy to such subjects of emotional responses to males and such. Though, now that Wanda herself was much older and more . . . open minded to such subjects, thanks to Amy and Rory and a few other companions, she really thought more on the Doctor. Noting many . . . features she had never much taken notice to before. At that thought, Wanda smirked cheekily.
"Oh, come on, time haven't changed that much," Rose responded, shaking her head at the bashful girl. "I bet you've done the same."
"I don't think so, miss," Gwyneth replied, looking nervous to discuss such subjects.
"There has to be some man in your life you've fancied," Wanda spoke up, giving the girl a small, sly smile. "Maybe a nice gentleman? One that tends to give you nice smiles or polite words? Hmm?" The servant girl twisted her white apron some, glancing to the ground before answering them with a small smile.
"I suppose. There is one lad," she told them. "The butcher's boy. He comes by every Tuesday. Such a lovely smile on him." The girl grew a fond smile as she thought of her crush. Both Rose and Wanda smiled and giggled lightly.
"Oh, I like a nice smile," Rose commented.
"Me, too," Wanda agreed, thinking over the many smiles of the Doctor. Nine with his sassy grin, Ten with his own foxy one, and Eleven's stunning and boyish one. All that seemed to light up the world around them.
"Good smile, nice bum," Rose added. Both of them snorted and laughed while Gwyneth stared at them in shock at their humour.
"Well, I have never heard the like," Gwyneth stated, shaking her head at the two blonde girls. She giggled along for a second, seeming to think their words and behavior more silly than anything. "I swear, it is the strangest thing. You've got all the clothes and the breeding, but you two talk like some sort of wild things."
"Maybe we are," Wanda said, winking at Rose. The girl giggled, nodding in agreement.
"You need a bit more in your life than Mr. Sneed," Rose said to Gwyneth.
"Oh, now, that's not fair," replied Gwyneth, her eyes growing sad in thought. "He's not so bad, old Sneed. He was very kind to me to take me in, because I lost my mum and dad to the flu when I was 12."
Rose looked taken back by this news, giving Gwyneth a sympatric gaze. "Oh, I'm sorry." Wanda nodded, sending the girl the same expression. Gwyneth smiled at the two of them, glad for their kindness.
"But I'll be with them again, one day. Sitting with them in paradise. I shall be so blessed," she said, smiling warmly at this thought. "They're waiting for me." She indicated her head to Rose. "Maybe your dad's up there waiting for you, too, miss." Then, nodded lightly to Wanda. "And your Shelly and Tina, as well."
Wanda stiffened, her eyes widening slightly. No, they were not . . . Were they? It had been many years and . . . Tina was at least ten years older than her. Shelly around the same age. Most likely . . . they were gone by now. Wanda stared sadly at the ground, knowing that the most conclusive thought was they were indeed far gone by this point. In her universe, only their children and grandchildren lived for them both now.
"Um, who told you he was dead?" Rose asked, staring at Gwyneth with some suspicion in her eye for the girl's insight. The servant girl tensed, hurriedly turning around to start washing the tea cups.
"I don't know. Must've been the Doctor," she said, trying to dismiss her comment. Wanda stared at Gwyneth, watching how anxious the girl was becoming.
"Your powers are getting stronger, aren't they, Gwyneth?" Wanda asked carefully.
"So are yours," Gwyneth responded. Both girl and Time Lady stiffened upon this slip of words. The girl looked at Wanda with wide eyes, seeming alarmed by what she had said to the Time Lady. "Sorry . . . sorry, miss, I . . . I just think too much."
"What do you mean?" Wanda breathed, feeling herself tensing.
Gwyneth's eyes became glazed over as she stared at the Time Lady, intently gazing at the blonde. "The powers within . . . they are growing."
Rose glanced between the two of them, gazing at Gwyneth in question. "Gwyneth, what are you talking about?"
The servant girl gazed at Rose now, her eyes staring as if seeing something frightening. Something to which she had the gift to gaze upon. "You've both come from such a long way." Her eyes shifted, more focused on Rose. "You're from London. I've seen London in drawings, but never like that. All those people rushing about, half naked, for shame. And the noise. And the metal boxes racing past. And the birds in the sky—no. No, they're metal as well. Metal birds with people in them. People are flying." Gwyneth's lip began to tremble. The more she saw, the more frightened she became. "And you—you've flown so far, further than anyone. The things you've seen. The darkness. The big bad wolf . . ."
Wanda reached forward as she saw Gwyneth shaking. She wanted to comfort the girl, perhaps pull her out of the visions that were being seen. Wanda knew how . . . terrible visions could be. But the moment she touched Gwyneth's shoulder, the girl turned sharply to stare at the Time Lady with wide eyes.
"The alpha wolf. She will escape. She will break free from her bindings. The weapon will be activated," Gwyneth breathed out in a shaking voice. She backed away from Wanda, staring at the Time Lady in pure horror as she bumped into the pantry shelves behind her. Gwyneth's eyes came back into focus as she stared shakily at them. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"It's—it's all right, Gwyneth," Wanda spoke quietly, feeling herself shaking as well. 'The alpha wolf'? What did the girl mean by that?
"I can't help it, ever since I was a little girl, my mum said I had the sight," Gwyneth explained in a shaky voice. "She told me to hide it."
"But it's getting stronger, more powerful, is that right?" came the voice of the Doctor. They all jumped upon hearing his voice, turning their gazes sharply to see him standing in the doorway of the pantry. He stared curiously at Gwyneth, seeing to be studying the girl and what he had heard. The servant girl adverted her eyes from the man, nervous by telling strangers such secrets of herself. As well as afraid of her growing abilities.
"All the time, sir," she told him. "Every night . . . voices in my head." The Doctor nodded, already understanding how the girl became like this.
"You grew up on top of the rift," he noted. "You're part of it. You're the key."
After Gwyneth confining to him about the powers that have plagued her whole life, the Doctor decided they should have a séance. A way to draw out the gas ghosts using Gwyneth and her powers. The perfect way to solve the issue of the walking dead. So, the Doctor gathered every one of the house, making them sit around a table, holding hands. Dickens kept scoffing and huffing about the situation. Still in denial, as always. Gwyneth led the ritual, calling out to the 'spirits' of the house. They heard crying whispers echo around the house, growing closer to them.
"Can you hear that?" Rose whispered to Wanda. The Time Lady simply nodded her head in response, anxiously staring at Gwyneth. It was growing closer, the time of the girl's death. Wanda could see it, flashing rapidly before her mind. Just as all deaths did. Something that would always repeat in her mind over and over again, both during and after the adventure. A repeating cycle of death.
Gwyneth stared up to the ceiling, seeing the Gelth appearing above their heads. Everyone else looked up upon the girl's gasp of the sight. The blue gas entities started to gather around them. All entities whispering in quiet tones. The entities were trying to speak with them, but all their whispers came out gurgled and muffled. None of their words making it through the air as the gas creatures of the other side could not force their voices from the rift. With the Doctor's instructions, Gwyneth was able to make the link, bringing the entities more clearly into the world from the rift. Three entities appeared behind the servant girl, materializing in more clearly as human figures than the rest of the gas creatures. The group around the table all stared in awe, Dickens even more so, as the creatures created a bright blue glow in the room.
"Pity us," the large entity spoke, its words echoing around them as its child-like voice mixed with Gwyneth's. "Pity the Gelth. There is so little time. Help us."
"What do you want us to do?" the Doctor asked, gazing calmly at the sight behind Gwyneth.
"The rift. Take the girl to the rift," instructed the entity. "Make the bridge." The Doctor's eyes shifted to that of suspicion. He was not one to leap right into helping others without at least knowing their true natures first.
"What for?" he questioned them, his voice following the same suspicion on his expression.
"We are so very few," spoke the entity, sounding sorrowful. "The last of our kind, we face extinction."
The Doctor immediately felt a stab of pity as he straightened in his seat. The last of their kind . . . just as he was. "Why, what happened?"
"Once, we had a physical form like you. But then the war came."
"War? What war?" questioned Dickens, seeming greatly dumbfounded by the scene playing out before him.
"The Time War," answered the Gelth. Upon these words, the Doctor tensed greatly. So, they were more than just the last of their kind. Like him, they were survivors of the war. With this said, a wave of empathy was felt for the creatures by him. He stared down to the table with a distant gaze as the Gelth continued to speak. "The whole universe convulsed. The Time War raged, invisible to smaller species but devastating to higher forms. Our bodies wasted away. We're trapped in this gaseous state."
"So that's why you need the corpses," the Doctor concluded.
"We want to stand tall, to feel the sunlight, to live again," said the Gelth. "We need a physical form, and your dead are abandoned. They're going to waste. Give them to us."
"But we can't," Rose told the beings, looking horrified by the gas creatures taking the once alive people's bodies for their own.
"Why not?" the Doctor countered, frowning at the girl.
"It's not . . . I mean, it's not . . .," Rose tried to make the Doctor understand her disgust to the idea.
"Not decent? Not polite? It could save their lives," the Doctor retorted with a bite in his voice.
Rose shook her head, giving him a hard stare. Looking at Wanda, she squeezed the Time Lady's hand to get her to agree. "What about you? You can't agree to this, either."
Wanda stared at the table, pondering deeply. In truth, she was just a horrified by the idea as Rose was. But . . . even if Wanda knew that it was not going to happen anyway, she would agree with the Doctor on this. Yes, it was not decent or polite to those who had once been alive, but if it meant saving other lives then Wanda could understand the usage of the dead.
"I agree, with the Doctor," Wanda confirmed her thoughts. Rose's shoulders slumped in disappointment while the Doctor nodded and seemed to appreciate the Time Lady being on his side.
"Open the rift," pleaded the Gelth. "Let the Gelth through. We're dying. Help us. Pity the Gelth." With that said, the three entities were sucked back into the gas lamps behind them. The light disappeared along with them and Gwyneth slumped against the table unconscious.
XxXxXxXx
Rose and the Doctor were arguing. Again. Like always. Wanda rolled her eyes as she gently wiped at Gwyneth's sweaty forehead with a cool-wet rag. The girl was exhausted after opening the link for the Gelth. The Doctor had finished explaining what exactly the Gelth were to Sneed and Dickens, as well as why they needed the bodies. Dickens had finally come around in believing what was happening, though with a great dumbfounded behavior. He seemed bewildered by everything now. That, and the alcohol he was gulping on was not helping him, either. Now, the decision was to allow the Gelth to come in through the rift and use the dead bodies for transportation until the Doctor could find them new bodies and a new home. This only sparked the argument between the companion and the Time Lord.
"Seriously, though, you can't," Rose said angrily at the Doctor.
"Seriously, though, I can," the Doctor retorted bitterly.
"It's just . . . wrong," Rose said, looking disgusted with the Doctor and his plan. "Those bodies were living people. We should respect them, even in death!"
"Do you carry a donor card?" the Doctor responded snidely.
Rose frowned, crossing her arms grumpily. "That's different, that's—."
"It is different, yeah, it's a different morality—get used to it or go home! In fact, why don't you just go home, anyway?! There, saves us all the trouble of having you around."
"And why don't you stop being such a bighead—." And a few choice words were thrown out by Rose. The Doctor responded with his own nasty words which only escalated the argument even further. Huffing, Wanda stood up from her chair, marching over to the two idiots. She promptly smacked them both sharply on the back of their heads, silencing them immediately from the hit.
"Would you two just shut up already? God, you're both like children," Wanda scolded them. The Doctor shot her a glare. Rose merely looked like a child being disciplined by her mother. Wanda placed her hands on her hips, staring them both down. "Now, if you please shut your yaps, let's hear what Gwyneth has to say. Go ahead, Gwyneth." Turning to the servant girl, they saw how she had sat up from the sofa, staring at them with clear determination.
"The angels need me," Gwyneth said firmly, turning her gaze to the Doctor. "What do I have to do? They've been singing to me since I was a child, sent by my mum on a holy mission," Gwyneth smiled warmly by this thought. "So tell me."
The Doctor stared down at the girl for a moment before glancing over to Wanda, seeing her anxious eyes and her pinching thumb behind back. It seemed she was trying to hide her anxiety the best she could. But the Doctor caught on better than most.
Tell me, before I decide on anything, whether or not this is going to turn out well. the Doctor spoke to Wanda. She hastily let go of her thumb when realizing he was staring at her.
Just . . . do what you think is best. she answered. He raised a brow to this response.
I need to know what's going to happen before I decide anything, so just tell me. the Doctor stated sternly.
Wanda shook her head. I'm sorry, I can't. I have to let you and the others act as you will. I cannot interfere with these events.
The Doctor sent her a harsh annoyed gaze. So, in other words, spoilers. He looked to Gwyneth, going through with a decision.
Wanda followed along behind the others as they made their way down into the cold basement to which had been converted into the morgue. It was dark and damp with different tables holding the recent dead. Thankfully, all were covered with white sheets. Wanda swore though, as she stood with the others in the chilly room, that the air around them spoke of Death. It was unnerving and unsettling. Wanda shivered as the room grew colder around them. The main Gelth from before flew out of a nearby lamp on a wall, facing them with glee.
"You've come to help," it spoke in joy, still sounding like a little girl. "Praise the Doctor. Praise him."
"Promise you won't hurt her!" Rose demanded from the entity, still worried greatly over Gwyneth's wellbeing.
"Hurry, please," said the Gelth, ignoring Rose's demand completely. "So little time. Pity the Gelth."
After explaining what the Doctor had planned for the transportation of the entities to the Gelth, Gwyneth stepped forward under the archway of the room. The girl stood in the centre of where the Gelth was hovering. The girl established the bridge, linking the Gelth to this world. Gwyneth opened her mouth wide as it glowed brightly white. Wisps of the blue gas flew out of her mouth as the entities were freed. Many swirling around the air with glee. Wanda shivered as they slithered by her. They were more like gaseous snakes than ghosts or even angels in her opinion.
"She has given herself to the Gelth," spoke the main Gelth entity, still attached to Gwyneth firmly. More and more Gelth flew around the cold and dark room, lighting it up with their blue glow. "The bridge is open. We descend." The large entity changed suddenly, growing dark in color and appearing to be made of fire now, lighting up the room with a chilling orange-red. Its face contorting into a nasty and wicked grin with rows of sharp, knife-like teeth.
"The Gelth will come through in force," it spoke with a monstrous voice. No longer sounding as the weak and innocent child as before.
"You said that you were 'few' in number," Dickens said angrily.
"A few billion," sneered the Gelth. "And all of us in need of corpses." All around them the dead were coming to life as the Gelth started to take over. One came behind Sneed, snapping his neck in an instant. A Gelth hurriedly went inside him, taking the body for itself. All the dead slowly started to come towards the remaining group. The Doctor shot Wanda a harsh look of rage.
"I told you to warn me about something like this!" he yelled angrily.
"I'm sorry! I couldn't!" Wanda spoke loudly over the many voice of Gelth and corpses. She stared fearfully at the advancing dead. In the corner of her eye she saw Dickens run away from the basement. She hurriedly grabbed both Rose and the Doctor's hand, pulling them back from the walking bodies into a small alcove. Quickly, Wanda shut the metal gate of the small space, making it as a barrier between them and death.
"Give yourself to glory," the Gelth spoke together with many voices. All the Gelth used the dead bodies to come after them. The many corpses pushed against the metal gate, waving their pale, rotting arms through the bars to get after the trio. "Sacrifice your lives to the Gelth."
"I trusted you. I pitied you!" the Doctor shouted at them.
"We don't want your pity!" all the dead cried as one as many shook viciously at the bars of the gate. "We want this world and all its flesh."
"Not while I'm alive," the Doctor spat out.
"Then live no more," countered the Gelth as they shook the metal gate even more. The trio pushed themselves as far up against the wall of the small room as they could. All feeling dread course through them upon being trapped, merely waiting for death to occur now.
"But I can't die," Rose breathed out shakily. She glanced between the two Time Lords. "Tell me I can't. I haven't even been born yet. It's impossible for me to die. Isn't it?"
"Time doesn't work like that. You can be born in a later century and die in another earlier one," Wanda explained. "It all depends on where you're at in time."
"And it's all your fault," the Doctor spat at her. "If you warned us beforehand none of this would be happening right now. We wouldn't have die. But because you think you're so high and mighty—."
"Oh, just shut up!" Wanda yelled, glaring at him. "We're not going to die, you idiot. Do you think I'd really just let Rose or you die? Just like that? If you really believe that, then you're a bigger idiot than I thought."
"Well, then, what's your brilliant plan? You gonna fight them off? Punch them all? 'Cause it seems to me that you're just as useless as that other moron from Platform One," the Doctor barked.
"Just shut up and turn up the gas," Wanda retorted. She reached around him, ripping a gas pipe from the wall next to him with one hand in a might force. Gas came hissing out immediately. The Gelth let out a scream as they were sucked out of the bodies, making the corpses collapse to the ground uselessly. Rose and the Doctor stared at the sight in amazement. Both rather relieved that the bodies were now empty and unmoving once again. They heard a coughing Dickens come into the basement. The man hurriedly turned down the flame of the lamps in the basement, turning up the gas. Just as he had done through the rest of the house. The trio quickly pushed their way out of the small alcove as they rushed over to the man.
"Gwyneth, send them back!" the Doctor yelled out to the servant girl who still stood fixed to the spot under the arch. "They lied, they're not angels." The girl swayed on the spot, staring at them all in a daze.
"Liars," she said softly.
"Look at me," the Doctor said firmly. "If your mother and father could look down and see this, they'd tell you the same. They'd give you the strength. Now send them back!" Gwyneth continued to stare blankly at him. Her posture slumped as she limply stood there. Rose began coughing greatly as the gas from the house filled her lungs. Dickens hurriedly walked her out of the room as the Time Lords stayed behind with Gwyneth. The Doctor, in desperation to save the girl. Wanda, to say goodbye. She stared at Gwyneth with sorrow, already knowing what had happened to the poor girl.
"I can't send them back," Gwyneth said. "But I can hold them. Hold them in this place, hold them here." She reached into her apron, pulling out a box of matches. The Doctor shook his head, holding out a hand for the matches.
"Come on, leave that to me," he told her, insisting on making sure the girl lived. His eyes still not believing the state of the girl in front of him. Wanda gripped her hands together tightly as they shook. Tears starting to well up as the girl gazed back at them, unblinking and bleak of life.
"Doctor . . . look at her," Wanda whispered. The Doctor glanced at the Time Lady and then back to Gwyneth. Finally, he saw what he had been delusional to. Slowly, he reached up a hand to Gwyneth's neck, feeling the lack of a pulse. His eyes grew sympathetic, knowing they were too late. From the moment they began to let the Gelth in, Gwyneth had already been lost to them.
"I'm sorry," he whispered sadly. She merely stared back blankly. He gave her a grateful kiss on the forehead before running out of the room. Wanda stepped forward, tears leaking down her face as she stared at the lifeless girl.
"Gwyneth . . . I'm so sorry," Wanda breathed out shakily. "I wish . . . I wish . . ." She could not get the words out. Gwyneth merely nodded softly.
"I know. It's all right, miss," she whispered. Gently, Wanda reached up to the girl and gave Gwyneth her own kiss of gratitude on the forehead. With a small and soft squeeze on the girl's shoulders, Wanda turned and ran after the Doctor. The moment Wanda sprinted a short distance from the house, it exploded into a fiery flame. Destroying all the dead and the Gelth in one fatal swoop. She continued to stare at the burning house for a moment, staring mournfully at the sight. Poor Gwyneth. Poor Sneed. She wished . . . Suddenly, she felt a tight and angry hand on her bare shoulder.
"You. You did this," the Doctor growled at her. His eyes flaring up with a raging storm. Wanda stared calmly back.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly.
"You had the chance to warn us, and you just sat there, doing nothing!" he shouted. "First Jabe, then Sneed, and now Gwyneth. When will it stop with you? How many more lives will you destroy because you don't feel like they're worthy enough to save?" He jabbed his finger harshly at her chest as he spoke. Upon his last words, she slapped his hand away with a loud smack.
"How dare you," she grounded out in a low tone, her own eyes flaring up in boiling anger. "Do you really think I consider anyone unworthy to save? Do you really think that I simply wish for death to happen?"
"Pretty much, yeah," he retorted spitefully. "'Cause that's all I've seen. You, strutting around, thinking none of the rest of us are worth saving. You think you're so much better than us when in reality you're nothing but a fraud and a killer! You're a monster for what you've done!"
"Stop it!" Wanda tightened her hands into fists, but not from anger. This time, she only a wave of sadness. "Don't you think I wish I could save them? All of them? But I can't!" She tried holding it together. She did not want anyone to think of her as a weakling or melodramatic for giving into her tears from earlier. She did not feel as though she had the right to even be sad or to cry during this moment. But all she could think of was how she had forgotten about poor Sneed dying, and the look of 'why' within Gwyneth's dead eyes.
"Always I have to stand back and watch them die. People who I care about. People who are so kind and loving, who deserve to live and have a life," Wanda cried, her tears finally spilling free down her face. "I see the life they can have. Gwyneth could have married that butcher's boy, Jimmy. Would have had the most wonderful and cheerful life. But instead, I have to stand back and watch her die. Stand aside as she and all those others die over and over again."
Her whole body was shaking now as she cried. Images of what Gwyneth's life could have been, flashing before her eyes. It pained her more than anything in seeing what could have been, as well as seeing how the Earth would have fallen into ruin and chaos if the rift had not been close this night. Gwyneth's sacrifice was the only way to close the rift, to make sure that everyone survived and lived on. It was a choice to be made. That was it always came down to in the end, a choice. To either save one while millions more suffered, or to save millions while another died in their place. It was the very same choices the Doctor made on multiple occasions. Why could he not understand that?
"I just . . . hate myself every time this happens," Wanda sobbed, adverting her eyes away from the piercing blue eyes of the Doctor's. Eyes that she loved so much, but could not stand to have glaring at her. Tears streamed down her face as she stared at her feet, droplets leaking onto her shoes as she shook. More and more harsh images of those she let die flowing through her mind. Becoming punishments for her, as they always were. "Every single time I just wish . . . I wish it were me instead. I wish I could die for them. I just wish it were me!" Then, feeling like a coward, she turned and ran off down the street. Sobbing as she swiftly rushed away from them. Simply wishing she could disappear from this moment and be alone.
The Doctor stared in shock as he saw the blonde girl running down the street for a few moments before the white light appeared around her body and whisked her away to another time. He thought . . . well . . . he did not expect for her to wish to die.
"I hope you're happy," Rose snapped at him. "People have died here, and all you want to do is throw blame around?" He glanced over, seeing how the girl crossed her arms and glared angrily at him. "If it's anyone's fault, it's yours. You're the one who told Gwyneth to do it, and didn't even stop to think what might happen. Stop trying to pass off your own guilt by taking it out of the rest of us." Rose gave him a curt nod and stormed off back in the direction of the TARDIS. Dickens glanced to the Doctor then to the girl, deciding on following after her.
The Doctor frowned, feeling his angry subsiding somewhat. Though, he was still irritated with this new companion. Perhaps, he should make some sort of excuse to take her back home. And, as soon as he dropped the stupid companion off, he would find his Wanda and start demanding some answers.
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Note from Tinker's friend:
Hello to those reading. This is Tinker's friend as explained in her author's note. She wrote up the note a while ago and is in bed resting for a while as one of the symptoms from her treatment is hypersomnia. She would like to apologize now to all about everything that has happened. As explained in the note in the start of the chapter I will not be replying to the reviews. Tinker would like to apologize again for that. She says that she will reply to any new reviews for the next update and would like to make it up to you all with a two chapter post. So enjoy the two chapters.
If there is only one thing I can ask is please leave Tinker a review. I know it helps her spirit greatly every time she gets comments on her stories. Thanks for that very much.