I tried to escape.

I was almost successful, too.

I stood up, shook the pigmen off, ducked and dodged until I reached the lift. It was all very impressive, if you ask me.

The doors took too long to open.

So now Dalek Sec and I were chained to the wall. The manacles hung from above, a thick collar rounded my neck and cuffs around my wrists. I could only watch as the Daleks completed their plan of, well, evil.

"Confirm time until solar intercept." Dalek one said.

"Gamma strike four minutes and counting." Number two responded.

"Pig slaves," Dalek One called. "Will take the lift. Find the Doctor. Kill him."

I winced, watching helpless as the pigmen scrambled to the lift and took off. The Doctor would have to survive this on his own. I would have to have faith on him. There was no way that the Doctor's downfall would be today, of all days.

"It won't work," I called out to them, tauntingly.

Dalek one turned towards me. "Explain yourself, human."

I shook my head. "You have everything wrong. You're underestimating the Doctor. You don't know how headstrong he is. Your plan isn't bulletproof." I laughed drily. "You even got my species wrong."

Something buzzed in my direction, and I gathered that were scanning me to determine my species.

"Your species is unconfirmed." The Dalek said. "Identify yourself."

"You don't even have records about my species," I smirked. "I am Osirien."

"You are inferior. We only keep you until the Doctor is dead."

"That won't happen," I goaded.

They ignored me, preferring to go back to work. "Gamma strike imminent." They said. "In forty rels. Thirty nine, thirty eight, thirty seven."

I tried ignoring their robotic voices. Tried to tune out the countdown.

"Twelve, eleven, ten."

I wondered what the Doctor was doing. Did he find a way to fix this? Was he with Martha? Was Laszlo reunited with Tallulah?

"Three, two, one."

Ah, hell.

"Zero. Gamma strike!"

The building shook. The lights flickered.

"The army awakens," was the Dalek's ominous words.

The stretchers all lowered, and, one by one, people started sitting up, pushing their shrouds aside. They lined up; facing the Daleks, back straights and impassive faces – soldiers awaiting their orders.

One Dalek approached one of the new humans. "You will identify."

"I am Dalek," The man said.

"Excellent."

The second Dalek rolled towards a screen. "Begin the invasion of Manhattan. The population will be converted to Daleks.

"And from this island we will conquer the world."

"Assume battle positions. Take arms."

The humans turned to the left in a straight line, marching like soldiers to a rack where the systematically each collected a Dalek weapon, lasers like the creatures' very own.

I watched, helpless, as they marched out of the building and into the Manhattan streets.

"War demands strategy. I am designated controller." A Dalek said, and it sounded almost smug.

"That was to be my position," Dalek Sec cried, still fighting the chains.

"You are unfit. Connect me to the military computer. I will coordinate all units."

"Report status." The second Dalek demanded.

"Maximum efficiency. I am now ready for full scale war."

"Control over Dalek humans?"

"Connection confirmed. All soldiers will take heed. All weapons will be primed."

An alarm suddenly flashed in the room, and the Daleks suddenly seemed upset. I considered this a good thing.

"Sonic device detected!" One said.

"The Doctor survived?" The Dalek almost came close to sound dazed.

A grin split through my face. "Ha!"

The Daleks didn't seem to share my enthusiasm. "Find him and exterminate!"

"Doctor located. Advance. Advance."

Two Dalek Humans approached me, and I found it incredibly bizarre how… emotionless their faces appeared. They unchained me from the wall and took the manacles from my wrists away until only the collar remained. They took me by the chain, and forcibly dragged me though passageways and sewers behind the Daleks. I didn't try to resist. After all, they were taking me straight to the Doctor.

We reached a theater, and our small group stopped backstage.

"You will kneel." A Dalek ordered.

Dalek Sec complied immediately. One of the Dalek Humans stepped behind him, kicking him in the back until he was on all fours. I ignored the request, instead choosing to glare at them.

"No way in hell."

"You are inferior," Said the robotic voice. "You will kneel."

"I am no dog," I said haughtily. "I will not crawl after you."

It came so suddenly I had to chance to move.

"Exterminate."

The blast hit me full on the chest, and, for a few seconds, I was flying.

The intense burning in my chest hit me even before I hit the ground. I choked on a scream, clutching my chest as I tried to breath. I coughed into my hand, only to find blood in it. I had bitten my tongue as I'd landed.

"Kylie!"

I'm not sure whom it was that shouted. I struggled to my knees, and realized I was center stage, and the Doctor and his, well, groupies stood watching me, horrified. They were surrounded, by both sides, by the legion of Dalek Humans.

Martha tried rushing towards me, but the Doctor stopped her with a hand. I realized why just as the Daleks and a Dalek Human entered the stage, Dalek Sec following like a well-trained dog.

The Dalek Human took the end of the chain sprouting from my collar. I did not have the strength to stand just yet, so I remained on my knees. I made sure to glare at them, though, just so they knew I was not happy with the situation.

"You are strong, yet inferior." The Dalek told me. "We will deal with you, later."

Then they turned to the group standing in the audience's chairs.

"The Doctor will stand before the Daleks."

The Doctor quickly strode over the top of the seats and I watched, amazed at how someone so tall could be so graceful at times.

It wasn't until he was closer that I could see what it was in his eyes. There was a storm brewing in there. His face was expressionless, but his eyes? They showed everything and so much more. His relaxed stance carefully hid what lay within.

He was looking straight at me.

I could only hope he was angry for me. Not at me.

His eyes shifted towards the Daleks. I did not understand why the Daleks didn't run, screaming.

Instead, they both spoke, and they seemed as arrogant as Daleks could be.

"You will die, Doctor. It is the beginning of a new age."

"Planet Earth will become New Skaro."

"Oh, and what a world." The Doctor said, and all those emotions I saw in his eyes were carefully concealed in his voice. "With anything just the slightest bit different ground into the dirt." He motioned towards Dalek Sec, still on the ground, like a dog. "That's Dalek Sec. Don't you remember? The cleverest Dalek ever and look what you've done to him." His face resembled disgust. "Is that your new Empire, hmm? Is that the foundation for a whole new civilization?"

"My Daleks, just understand this." Dalek Sec tried. "If you choose death and destruction, then death and destruction will choose you."

"Incorrect. We will always survive. Now we will destroy our greatest enemy, the Doctor."

"But he can help you!" Dalek Sec implored.

"The Doctor must die."

"I beg you, don't."

"Exterminate!"

It didn't even give me time to register. He was pointing at the Doctor.

I watched, in slow motion, how Dalek Sec stood up from his hands and knees, right between the Dalek and the Doctor. It was quick, there was barely a sound, and Dalek Sec was dead. He crumpled to the floor, his life extinguished so easily.

"Your own leader." The Doctor said after a moment, disgusted. "The only creature who might have led you out of the darkness and you destroyed him." He turned to the masses of Dalek Humans, standing stock still with their weapons ready. "Do you see what they did? Huh? You see what a Dalek really is? If I'm going to die, let's give the new boys a shot. What do you think, eh? The Dalek humans. Their first blood. Go on baptize them."

The Dalek seemed to like the idea. "Dalek humans, take aim."

In unison, they did.

"What are you waiting for?" The Doctor yelled, almost desperate. "Give the command!"

I watched, horrified, from my place in the floor. I could barely move, much less go up to the Doctor to slap some sense into him.

"Exterminate!"

The Doctor tensed, but nothing seemed to happen.

"Exterminate! Obey. Dalek humans will obey."

"They're not firing." Martha's amazed voice reached me. "What have you done?"

"You will obey. Exterminate."

"Why?" One of the Dalek humans spoke.

I saw the Doctor glance at him, and he looked almost pleased.

"Daleks do not question orders." The Dalek told him.

"But why?"

"You will stop this."

"But why?"

"You must not question."

"But you are not our master," The human Dalek said. "And we, we are not Daleks."

"No, you're not." The Doctor said in quiet amazement. "And you never will. Sorry, I got in the way of the lighting strike. Time Lord DNA got all mixed my. Just that little bit of freedom."

I swayed in my place, tired beyond control. My eyes drooped, but I couldn't let myself sleep. We were winning. I knew it. I couldn't miss it.

"If they will not obey," The Dalek reasoned. "Then they must die."

It was quick. The shot was fired, and the Dalek human that had spoken was dead.

"Get down!" The Doctor shouted.

I didn't find that order that difficult to follow. I had already been swaying on my knees, and I merely had to use a bit of strength in order to topple forwards. I laid on the cold wooden floor, hearing the shots and the brief, strangled screams. I was fighting sleep. My chest had stopped burning. It was numb now.

Maybe I'll just close my eyes. Just for a little bit.

When I opened my eyes, Martha's face materialized into view.

"Kylie! Thank God you're all right." Then her arms slid around me in a bone-crushing hug.

I hugged her back briefly before sitting up, trying to make my stomach settle as I looked around. We were in the Dalek lab.

I blinked, disoriented. "What happened?"

"All the Daleks are dead, except one. It escaped right after-" She hesitated. "Right after it killed all the Dalek humans. The Doctor's trying to fix Laszlo now."

"He all right?" I asked, just noticing my words slurred a bit.

"I think he will be."

I tried standing up, but she immediately pushed me back down.

"Nope, lie back down. Doctor's orders."

I waved her off. "I'm fine."

Her face turned serious all of the sudden. "You were hit by a Dalek. A Dalek. We don't even know how you survived."

I closed my eyes, pressing a hand over my face. "I do."

"Ah, you do?" The Doctor's voice intruded.

I peeked from within my hand and through the cracks between my fingers. "How's Laszlo?"

He was cleaning his hands in a white rag, a pair of glasses perched upon his nose. "All fixed up. Now you, I still need to check."

"No need. Probably just bruised."

"But how?" Martha asked. "Everybody died with just one hit."

I leaned back on my elbows, watching their questioning gazes.

"It's the Timepiece," I sighed, wearily. "It protects its wearer."

"So what?" Martha continued. "It keeps you from dying?"

I shook my head. "It only makes me stronger. Healthier. Less… killable. I can still be killed, of course, though it would take more than the usual."

The Doctor shook his head, and I know he wanted to keep asking. To know more. But I also knew he was honoring our agreement. We both could keep our secrets, at least, until we knew we could trust each other.

"Come on. We should go." The Doctor told us.

They helped me up. And with slight difficulties, we made our way to Central Park.

"Well, I talked to them," Frank was saying. "And I told them what Solomon would've said, and I reckon I shamed one or two of them."

"What did they say?" The Doctor asked him.

"They said yes." He turned towards Laszlo, who was on his feet now and looking healthier by the minute. "They'll give you a home, Laszlo, I mean, er, don't imagine people ain't going to stare. I can't promise you'll be at peace but, in the end, that is what Hooverville is for. People who ain't got nowhere else.

"Thank you." Laszlo said, a huge smile upon his face as he hugged Tallulah with one arm. "I can't thank you enough."

We said our goodbyes, and we headed towards the TARDIS.

"Do you reckon it's going to work, those two?" Martha asked us. She walked between the Doctor and I, and she kept looking at me like she thought I would fall or faint any second.

I brushed her attempts to help me away. I was tired, my chest hurt, and my eyelids drooped, but I knew I would make it to the TARDIS without any help.

The Doctor shook his head. "I don't know. Anywhere else in the universe, I might worry about them, but New York? That's what this city's good at. Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, and maybe the odd pig slave Dalek mutant hybrid too."

"The pig and the showgirl," Martha shook her head in wonder.

"The pig and the showgirl." The Doctor repeated.

"It just proves it, I suppose. There's someone for everyone."

The Doctor had a faraway look in his eyes. "Maybe."

"Kylie?" Martha asked, and I noticed I had fallen a bit behind. I snapped my head up to look at her as she regarded me, worried. "You all right?"

I shrugged. "I suppose."

"I never thought to ask but, you've got somebody back home?"

It felt like a knife had made its way to my heart. She was asking if I had a guy back home. I took the question much more generally.

"No," I said softly. "I haven't got anyone."

From the corner of my eye, I saw the Doctor's head angle towards me, and his searching eyes scrutinizing me. I think he saw more than I wanted him to.

I turned my head to the path, trying to avoid him.

"I'm sorry." He finally said. "For leaving you."

I glanced at him, surprised. "What?"

"I should have stayed. They had you chained. They… shot you."

I smiled softly at him. "No, Doctor. Things would have turned out so much different if you had stayed. And not for the better. It was good that you left."

He shook his head, and his expression was steel. "Well, that will not be happening again. We help each other, always."

I didn't say anything, but a warm feeling wormed itself inside me.

We were almost to the TARDIS when Martha spoke again.

"Meant to say, I'm sorry."

"What for?" The Doctor asked.

"Just because that Dalek got away. I know what that means to you. Think you'll ever see it again?"

I saw it in his eyes, how his mind was suddenly far away, in another corner of the universe.

"Oh, yes. One day."