Shortly after, the six of us had left city hall and returned to the Tardis. I stood by the Doctor as he worked the console, eyeing Margaret warily. Dragging her back to the Tardis had been too easy and it was aggravating that everyone else just took it in stride and didn't give it a second thought. She walked around the space, taking in everything. "This ship is impossible. It's superb. How do you get the outside around the inside?"

"Like I'd give you the secret, yeah."

"I almost feel better about being defeated. I never stood a chance. This is the technology of the gods."

"Don't worship me - I'd make a very bad god. You wouldn't get a day off, for starters. Jack, how we doing, big fella?"

"This extrapolator's top of the range. Where did you get it?"

"Oh, I don't know. Some airlock sale?"

"Must've been a great big heist. It's stacked with power."

"But we can use it for fuel?"

"It's not compatible, but it should knock off about twelve hours. We'll be ready to go by morning."

"Then we're stuck here overnight."

"I'm in no hurry."

"We've got a prisoner. The police box is really a police box," Rose said excitedly.

"You're not just police, though. Since you're taking me to my death that makes you my executioners. Each and every one of you."

"Well, you deserve it."

"You're very quick to say so. You're very quick to soak your hands in my blood, which makes you better than me, how, exactly? Long night ahead." She moved from where she was standing to sit in the chair. "Let's see who can look me in the eye." I watched as everyone averted their eyes, even Mickey who had tried to keep her gaze. When she met mine, I returned her stare, not looking away until she had. I watched as she paled, slightly inching away from me. I didn't want her dead; at least that's what I told myself. Deep down though, I felt as if she deserved it. She had almost killed the people I cared about and they were worth killing for. I sighed and shook my head, leaning back in the chair and allowing my mind to wander to my dream. The girl in my dream and her husband, they were perfect for each other, a love made by the gods. I had always thought I was better off alone but I wanted that kind of love, yearned for it. I wanted to feel needed. I wanted to feel complete. I groaned, not catching the looks that were shot my way. I closed my eyes and continue to think, not caring who was watching me or who was around. It was just my thoughts and me.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Jack staring at me, Margaret leaning against the railing and the Doctor looking at the screen. I fiddled with my bracelet as I glanced at the screen. We were watching Mickey and Rose walk away from the Tardis, hand in hand. I sighed and turned around to face Jack. "So, what's on?"

"Nothing, just."

"I gather it's not always like this, having to wait. I bet you're always the first to leave, Doctor. Never mind the consequences, off you go. You butchered my family and then ran for the stars, am I right? But not this time. At last you have consequences. How does it feel?"

"I didn't butcher them."

"Don't answer back. That's what she wants."

"I didn't. What about you? You had an emergency teleport. You didn't zap them to safety, did you?"

"It only carries one. I had to fly without coordinates. I ended up on a skip in the Isle of Dogs. It wasn't funny."

"Sorry. It is a bit funny." The Doctor and Jack laughed, Margaret joining in a bit.

"Do I get a last request?"

"Depends on what it is."

"I grew quite fond of my little human life. All those rituals. The brushing of the teeth, and the complicated way they cook things. There's a little restaurant just round the Bay. It became quite a favorite of mine."

"Is that what you want, a last meal?"

"Don't I have rights?"

"Oh, like she's not going to try to escape."

"Except I can never escape the Doctor, so where's the danger? I wonder if you could do it? To sit with a creature you're about to kill and take supper. How strong is your stomach?"

"Strong enough."

"I wonder. I've seen you fight your enemies, now dine with them."

"You won't change my mind."

"Prove it."

"There are people out there. If you slip away just for one second, they'll be in danger."

"Except, I've got these," Jack said as he held up two bangles.

"You both wear one. If she moves more than ten feet away, she gets zapped by ten thousand volts." The Doctor took one and Jack put the other on Margaret.

"Margaret, would you like to come out to dinner? My treat."

"Dinner in bondage. Works for me."

"Coming Cerys?"

"Sure," I answered as I grabbed his hand. The two of us walking out, leaving Margaret to follow.

Reaching the restaurant, Bistro 10, we took a table by the window. I sat beside the Doctor while Margaret sat across from us. The place was nice, modern with Chinese lanterns hanging from the ceiling and portraits lining the walls. We sat there, looking at the menu. "Here we are, out on a date, and you haven't even asked my proper name."

"It's not a date. Not with you at least."

I blushed as he said that before turning to the woman. "So, tell us. What's your name?"

"Blon. I am Blon Fel Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen. That's what it'll say on my death certificate."

"Nice to meet you, Blon."

"I'm sure. Look, that's where I was living as Margaret. Nice little flat, over there, on the top. Next to the one with the light on." The Doctor looked over to where she pointed but I watched her pour some form of powder in his glass. "Two bedrooms, bayside view. I was rather content. Don't suppose I'll see it again." Frowning, I switched hers and his, giving her a smug smile as she glared at me.

"Suppose not."

"Thank you."

"Sure."

"Tell me then, Doctor. What do you know of our species?"

The Doctor continued to look at his menu. "Only what I've seen."

"Did you know, for example, in extreme cases, when her life is in danger, a female Raxacoricofallapatorian can manufacture a poison dart within her own finger," she said as she pointed her finger at me, shooting a dart. I quickly threw up a menu, it catching the dart just in time.

"Yes, I did and I don't appreciate you shooting them at Cerys."

"Just checking. And one more thing. between you and me." I watched as they leaned in, Margaret whispering. "As a final resort, the excess poison can be exhaled through the lungs." She exhaled, a green gas leaving her mouth. As she did so, the Doctor sprayed breath freshener in her mouth. Margaret made a face, sticking out her tongue, and sat back in her chair.

"That's better. Now then, what do you think, Cerys? Mmm, steak looks nice. Steak and chips."

"If that's what you want. I think I'll get a salad. Not very hungry right now."

"Public execution's a slow death. They prepare a thin acetic acid, lower me into the cauldron and boil me. The acidity is perfectly gauged to strip away the skin. Internal organs fall out into the liquid, and I become soup. And still alive, still screaming."

"I don't make the law."

"But you deliver it. Will you watch?"

"What else can we do?"

"The Slitheen family's huge. There's a lot more of us, all scattered off-world. Take me to them. Take me somewhere safe."

"But then you'll just start again."

"I promise I won't."

"You've been in that skin suit too long. You've forgotten. There used to be a real Margaret Blaine. You killed her and stripped her and used the skin. You're pleading for mercy out of a dead woman's lips."

"Perhaps I have got used to it. A human life, an ordinary life. That's all I'm asking. Give me a chance, Doctor. I can change."

"Sure you can. Or maybe you can?"

The Doctor glanced at me before returning his gaze to Blon. "I don't believe you."

"I promise you I've changed since we last met, Doctor. There was this girl, just today. A young thing, something of a danger. She was getting too close. I felt the blood lust rising, just as the family taught me, I was going to kill her without a thought. And then I stopped. She's alive somewhere right now. She's walking around this city because I can change. I did change. I know I can't prove it-"

"I believe you."

"Then you know I'm capable of better."

"But that doesn't mean a thing, Blon."

"I spared her life."

"You let one of them go, but that's nothing new. Every now and then, a little victim's spared because she smiled, because he's got freckles, because they begged. And that's how you live with yourself. That's how you slaughter millions. Because once in a while, on a whim, if the wind's in the right direction, you happen to be kind."

"Only a killer would know that. Is that right? From what I've seen, your funny little happy go lucky little life leaves devastation in its wake. Always moving on because you dare not look back. Playing with so many peoples' lives, you might as well be a god. And you're right, Doctor. You're absolutely right. Sometimes you let one go. Let me go." I watched as he thought about it, about her words. To me, that's all they were, words.

"What are you trying to pull? Begging for your life isn't particularly your way to do things. And just because you spared one person, doesn't mean anything," I snapped, irritated by the tactic she had used, that she was trying to use the Doctor's guilt against him. "Honestly, I think this is part of a bigger plan. You wouldn't beg if it wasn't. So tell us, what is it?"

"You honestly think there is something more to this? You don't know what I went through," she said angrily. "In the family Slitheen, we had no choice. I was made to carry out my first kill at thirteen. If I'd refused, my father would have fed me to the Venom Grubs. If I'm a killer, it's because I was born to kill. It's all I know. Doctor, are you even listening to me?"

"Shut up a bit. Can you hear that, Doctor?" He nodded, no longer listening to Blon.

"I'm begging for my life."

"No, listen, shush."

"Be quiet and listen," I snapped before looking at the glasses before us and saw that they were vibrating. Suddenly the glass window shattered. I stood and ran out the door, with the Doctor and Margaret, before we took off towards the Tardis.

The Doctor and I were running as fast as we could down the stairs but Margaret was lagging behind, unable to keep up. "The handcuffs!"

We stopped running, waiting for her to catch up. When she did, he removed the bracelet from her wrist. "Don't think you're running away."

"Oh, I'm sticking with you. Some date this turned out to be!" I rolled my eyes annoyed but stopped when the Tardis came to view. Energy was streaming from the ship to the sky.

"It's the rift. The rift's opening!" I shook myself out of the daze I was in and ran inside, keeping myself close to the door. Jack was frantically trying to fix whatever was going on. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I told you no trouble, Jack."

"It just went crazy!"

"It's the rift. Time and space are ripping apart. The whole city's going to disappear!"

"It's the extrapolator. I've disconnected it but it's still feeding off the engine! It's using the Tardis. I can't stop it!" Both Jack and the Doctor were working on trying to amend the system.

"Never mind Cardiff, it's going to rip apart the planet."

Rose ran in and stood beside me. "What is it? What's happening?!"

"It's her," I said as a green arm grabbed me by the neck. Rose ran to stand behind Jack and the Doctor.

"One wrong move and she snaps like a promise."

"I might've known."

"She tried to warn you. This human is certainly smarter than you." I squirmed a bit, trying to get out of her steel vice. "Oh Doctor, I've had you bleating all night, poor baby, now shut it. You, fly boy, put the extrapolator at my feet." She tightened her grip on me. I brought my eyes to the Doctor's pleading with him not to do it and of course he didn't listen. After a quick nod to Jack, the extrapolator was put down by her. "Thank you. Just as I planned."

"I thought you needed to blow up the nuclear power station," Rose asked her.

"Failing that, if I were to be arrested, then anyone capable of tracking me down would have considerable technology of their own. Therefore, they would be captivated by the extrapolator. Especially a magpie mind like yours, Doctor. So the extrapolator was programmed to go to plan B. To lock onto the nearest alien power source and open the rift. And what a power source it found. I'm back on schedule, thanks to you."

"The rift's going to convulse. You'll destroy the whole planet."

"And you with it!" she exclaimed as she stood on the device. "While I ride this board over the crest of the inferno all the way to freedom. Stand back, boys. Surf's up." As she said that, the console opened and a bright light hit her.

"Of course, opening the rift means you'll pull this ship apart."

"So sue me."

"It's not just any old power source. It's the Tardis. My Tardis. The best ship in the universe."

"It'll make wonderful scrap."

"What's that light?"

"The heart of the Tardis."

"The ship's alive," I choked out.

"You've opened its soul."

"It's so bright."

Look at it Margaret."

"Beautiful."

"Look inside, Blon Fel Fotch. Look at the light."

Margaret relaxed and I was able to break free from her. I ran to Rose and watched as Margaret looked at the Doctor, smiling a genuine smile. "Thank you," she said as she disappeared, leaving behind an empty body suit.

"Don't look. Stay there. Close your eyes!" The Doctor went and closed the console.

"Now, Jack, come on, shut it all down. Shut down! Rose, that panel over there, turn all the switches to the right. Cerys, come here." I walked over to him and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "Nicely done. Thank you, all," he said after Rose and Jack had done what he had said and the Tardis stopped shaking.

"What happened to Margaret?"

"Must've got burnt up. Carried out her own death sentence."

I shook my head at Jack, the Doctor saw and agreed. "No, I don't think she's dead."

"Then where'd she go?"

"She looked into the heart of the Tardis. Even I don't know how strong that is. And the ship's telepathic, like I told you, Rose. Gets inside your head. Translates alien languages. Maybe the raw energy can translate all sorts of thoughts."

The Doctor removed his arm from me and we crouched down, him picking up a large egg with tentacle on the top. He came back over and resumed his previous stance, his arm wrapped around my shoulder. "Here she is." He handed me the egg.

"She's an egg?"

He looked at me, motioning for me to explain. "She reverted back to a child."

"She's an egg?"

I looked at the Doctor, not knowing if he wanted me to continue. He nodded at my unasked question. "She's getting a second chance. I guess when we take her back home, give her to a good family, she be raised right."

"Or she might be worse."

"Thanks, Jack. Either way, it's up to her."

"She's an egg."

"She's an egg."

"Oh, my God. Mickey," Rose said as she bolted from the Tardis.

The Doctor looked down at me, barely containing his grin. I glanced from him to Jack, confused by their smiling faces. I shook my head and tried to move from under the Doctor but he held me to him, only to release me for a moment before he dragged me to the captain's chair and sat me down. He started fiddling with the knobs and buttons while Jack leaned against the railing by me. The door then opened and Rose entered the Tardis. She was alone, meaning her and Mickey had a row or he didn't want to come with. "We're all powered up. Opening the rift filled us up with energy. We can go, if that's alright."

"Yeah, fine."

"How's Mickey?"

"He's okay. He's gone."

"Do you want to go and find him? We'll wait."

"No need. He deserves better." My eyes shot to her and I stood, going to meet her at the door, hugging her when I reached. She was playing strong, something I had taught her a long time ago. I didn't push, knowing that we would talk later on, after everyone had gone to sleep.

"Off we go, then. Always moving on-"

"Next stop, Raxacoricofallapatorius. Now you don't often get to say that."

"We'll just stop by and pop her in the hatchery. Margaret the Slitheen can live her life again. A second chance."

"That'd be nice," Rose muttered before leaving the room. I followed her, knowing she was going to her room.

When I reached, the door was closed. I knocked and after hearing a sniffle, let myself in. I found Rose lying on her bed sobbing harder than I'd ever seen. I quickly went and sat beside her, soothingly stroking her hair. I remained quiet as he cried, waiting for her to calm down. After a while, she sat up, and gave me a shaky chuckle. "Thanks, Cerys."

"Anytime. Besides, you've always been there for me."

"Yeah."

"This had to do with Mickey and you, yeah?"

"Yeah. He hates me. I keep coming back and running off. He never knows where I am. He said I made him feel like he was nothing. I hurt him."

"He doesn't. He's just upset. Think about it, Rosie. Mickey and you have been together for years. Of course you running off's going to bother him. You're kind of his life."

"I suppose. He's seeing Trisha Delaney now."

"That's nice."

"He was supposed to go out with her tonight but I called and he came running. All he wanted was a promise that I was going to come back for him. I couldn't even give him that. He didn't ask me to stay with him. But then there was the earthquake and I ran off. He was so upset but I had to come back, I had to make sure you guys were alright."

"Then you went to look for him?"

"Yeah, but I couldn't find him. That was it, I pushed him away."

"Just give him time. Mickey'll come around. He always does for you."

"Yeah." Rose shook her head and brandished a smile. "So, you had a date, huh?"

"Yeah."

"With the Doctor?"

"Margaret, sorry, Blon, was there too, so it wasn't much of a date. Besides, I'm not really the dinner type of girl."

"You prefer anything that gets your adrenaline pumping."

"Exactly."

The two of us laughed a bit, with Rose going on about how perfect the Doctor and I were together, leaving me redder than a tomato. "Cerys, I think I'm ready for bed, the emotional strain and all."

"Alright. Call me if you need anything," I said as I gave her a quick hug and stood and left her to sleep.

I had gone to my room for a while to change. The outfit I was wearing, although nice, was a bit uncomfortable. Once I had gotten into my usual attire, I laid on the floor and watched the stars on my wall shift as the Tardis moved through space. After about an hour, there was a knock on my door. Getting up, I opened it and saw it was Jack. He grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the console room where Rose and the Doctor were waiting. "What's the deal?"

"We're there. Raxacoriofallapatorious, outside those doors." Rose grabbed Margaret's egg and ran to the door.

Jack released me as I pulled away, running out with her. We were in a building, a cupboard. I turned around to face the Doctor. "Always a cupboard."

"Have to keep the Tardis hidden. Alright, quick pop into the hatchery and off we go." We nodded before smiling at each other, a knowing look passing through us.

Twenty minutes later, the egg was in the hatchery, the Doctor had told the Raxacoricofallapatorians to make sure they raise her right, and we were back in the Tardis. Laughter rang through the console room as Jack told a joke. I sat in the captain's chair, enjoying the down time. "Doctor, I was thinking, can we go to Japan?"

"Don't see why not. Specific time and place?"

"Kyoto, 1336. It was such a fascinating time."

"Kyoto," he said as he messed with the console. "1336." There was a jolt, and the wheezing before we managed to land. "Easy."

I jumped out of the chair and opened the Tardis doors. Outside I saw the distinguishable Japanese architecture. Turning around, I hugged the Doctor and ran out, grabbing Rose in the process. The two of us explored the area for a bit before we ran into the Doctor and Jack. "So, why this year?"

"This is the year Kyoto was overtaken by Ashikaga Takauji, an ally to Emperor Go-Daigo. Takauji put someone else on the throne but Go-Daigo wasn't idle. Although he was a refugee, he set up a Southern Court in Yoshino. The two rule in competition until 1392. It was known as Nanbokucho," I stated as we walked around, my hand in the Doctor's. I swung our hands happily, taking the beauty that surrounded us.

"Rebellions and wars were Cerys' favorite subject in school."

"I could imagine."

"Hey! They're extremely interesting. We should probably just be really good observers," I started as the Doctor pulled from me and walked off to speak with a man who stood by a small building. "They weren't very open to Westerners." The man started to get angry, calling the attention of other men. I groaned and walked over to them, apologizing to the man. He glared at me and turned around while I grabbed the Doctor's arm. "Did you hear nothing I said? This is supposed to be a peaceful trip."

"I was just asking a question."

"Yes, and now they're coming after us," Jack stated matter-of-factly.

"You just attract trouble," I snapped as we took off running through the streets. "I don't know why I thought this would be any different."

"I was just asking a question about the Emperor."

"You don't do that in 1336 Japan!" Rose grabbed my arm and pulled me into the Tardis as I almost ran past it. Turning to the Doctor, I glared at him and sat in the captain's chair. "You, don't talk to me for ten minutes." Unable to take their looks, I stood and left the room.

Wandering around the Tardis, I found myself in the library. I seemed as if I spent majority of my time there in between adventures. It was my favorite place, with the smell of books and the warmth that enveloped the room, and the peace of mind it brought me. I sighed, finding a book to read and sat in my usual spot on the floor. So enveloped in the book, I didn't realize that I was no longer alone. "Can I talk to you now?" I nodded. "I had a friend who loved this room. Asked the Tardis to design it like this."

"She was brilliant then. The room's beautiful."

"How'd you know it was a she?"

"For the most part, I think a woman of reading would love a library like this." I closed the book and patted the spot beside me. The Doctor came and sat down, leaning back against the sofa. "The dream I had-"

"You don't have to tell me."

"I want to. Maybe you could help, especially if you knew them."

"If you're sure then."

"At first I thought she was getting married but they ran off. I didn't understand that, to be honest. It felt like they didn't need it, they were already married. The man said he wanted the world to know she was his. She thought of herself as a half-breed. It was sad and beautiful, their love for one another. Anyways, she was taken from him, and contained in some sort of cell. She was tortured daily. There was a man, he took her; I think he killed her. I'm not sure though. Do you know… Doctor, are you alright?"

"Fine. They're just dreams, figments of your imagination."

"Liar. You're visibly shaken. It's something you don't want to talk about, is that it? If it is, I understand." I leaned my head on his shoulder. "Whenever you are ready to talk, I'm here."

He took my hand and examined the bracelet on my wrist. "Where'd you get it?"

"I don't know. I've always had it. I tend to forget I'm wearing it unless I'm nervous or thinking."

"You fidget with it?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"You're so much like her." I glanced up at him to see he was deep in thought. "She used to sit here, in this very spot, and read. She went through every book in the library, twice. She just absorbed everything she read, anything that caught her interest."

"What happened to her?"

"She died, in the war. You know what happened."

"No, I don't." He looked at me, a small encouraging smile on his face. "Wait, that was her?! The girl in my dream?"

"Yes. Thing is, why are you dreaming about her."

"I don't know. You said we're alike. Maybe that's why."

"Could be."

"We'll figure it out though, right?" I asked hopefully.

"Yeah."

"I have a question though." He glanced at me, waiting for the question. I looked down at our intertwined hands, trying to word the question. "Did you figure out why Rose was so concerned about me?"

"I did."

"And what was the reason?" He started to speak but a bright light cut him off and blinded me. I tightened my grip on his hand as the white light surrounded us.

Finally, another update. Since the last one, I've been stressing over end of term exams. University is a killer. Anyways, I was so sad when I didn't see any reviews on the last chapter but eh, can't expect them all the time.

I'm honestly dying from DW withdrawal and the old episodes aren't doing it for me. I need August to hurry up and come. But on a different note, I ended up getting obsessed with Beauty and the Beast (cbs I think). It's actually kind of good. I've also started on Robin Hood. Didn't think I'd like it but it's pretty rad.

I believe that's all of my rambling for now. If all works and I finish my paper, I'll post another two chapters before the weekend ends.