Don't Blink

When Loki stepped out on to the street, he could just see Nell's silhouette disappearing into the fog of the London night.

"Eleanor!" he called out sharply as he ran after her.

"Leave me alone" Nell said as she continued briskly down the street.

"Ah yes" Loki said keeping pace beside her, "and when they fish your body out of the Thames tomorrow, the Doctor and Madame Vastra will be howling for my blood".

"You know perfectly well that I can take care of myself" Nell said tersely, "besides, Jack the Ripper is already dead. Madame Vastra ate him years ago".

"There are things worse that live in the darkness than deranged men brandishing knives" Loki told her.

"Oh you should go seek them out" Nell retorted, "They'd be better company than you deserve".

"What a witty retort" Loki muttered sarcastically, "have you been planning that long?"

Nell seethed. "Is this why you have been so cruel about Alex?" she demanded, "I still don't understand why you are jealous, you know that I wasn't in love with him".

"Ah but you cling to his memory like a precious treasure" Loki snarled, "perhaps you were not in love with him, but you have left no room in your heart for another – especially not the 'monster' who replaced him".

"Don't try to tell me what's in my own heart, you've no idea!" Nell said hotly, "and perhaps it was difficult to view you as separate people once, but I see it now. Alex was a good man, whereas you are a- a- picaroon!"

Loki looked dumbfounded "what in the world is that?"

"A scoundrel!" Nell shouted, "a rogue! A villain!"

"I fail to see why you are angry" Loki spoke severely, as they continued down the street, "it is my pride that is wounded, not yours. Do you think this is not humiliating for me? Having feelings for a human of all species?"

Nell stopped still and stared at him "that is the most insulting thing you could say to me. You're not exactly built for romance are you? Definitely more Heathcliff than Mr Darcy."

Loki glared at her "I am not trying to woo you".

"No, I know that" Nell replied, "You've made that perfectly clear".

"Then why are you acting so foolish?" Loki asked her.

"Because I am tired of you toying with me" Nell said wearily, "first you're cold, then you're cruel, you insult me, then you flirt with me, and I'm still not entirely sure that you don't want to kill me. Yet despite all that I still- I still…"

"Still what?" Loki frowned.

"I still…" Nell sighed, "oh surely you must know Loki. Are you really going to make me say it?"

She glared at Loki who now appeared to be distracted. "For goodness sake, you could at least pretend to have the decency to pay attention to -"

Loki held a hand up to silence her. "Listen!"

Nell looked around the street, not that she could see much. The fog had closed in on them and she could not see more than ten feet in front of her. She held her breath, there was silence and then...

"What is that?" Nell whispered to Loki, "It sounds like children laughing".

Loki's expression was grim "it is certainly not children". He looked soberly at Nell, "how long can you go without blinking?"

"Oh" Nell groaned as it dawned on her, "oh no. Please tell me you're joking".

"Not this time I'm afraid" Loki said tersely. He moved towards Nell looking around furtively as he did.

"Quickly" he told her "stand with your back to mine, if we are facing each direction we will be able to see them coming, and we will have a better chance of survival".

Nell breathed heavily as she pressed her back against Loki's. "OK" she said in a harsh whisper, "and then what? When they're in sight, you'll use your illusions to trick them so we can escape?"

As she was facing the other direction, Nell could not see Loki's panicked expression. "No" he whispered back.

"Why not?" Nell demanded, "have you got a better plan?"

Loki gave a defeated sigh "I cannot".

"Cannot what?" Nell asked, "what are you on about?"

"I cannot cast any illusions" Loki said quietly, "the TARDIS blast seems to have 'relieved' me of my powers".

"WHAT?!" Nell turned her head sharply, "bloody what?!"

"Eleanor! Eyes front!" Loki barked urgently.

Nell snapped her head back forward and gave a startled scream.

Loki forced himself to stay still. "How many are there?" he asked, "how close are they?"

"Three" Nell replied staring wide eyed at the weeping angels, each of them lurching forward frozen in stone with their fangs and claws bared, "they're about eight feet away".

"Keep calm Eleanor" Loki said firmly.

"No powers?! Well you are just full of revelations tonight aren't you?" Nell muttered, "I knew it too. I bloody knew it! You hadn't used your powers once since the TARDIS crash, but I didn't call you on it. I am so stupid!"

"Can we not discuss it now please?" Loki hissed, "We have more pressing matters to focus on, don't you agree?"

Nell could feel her eyes beginning to water. "Loki" she said with a tremor in her voice, "I'm going to blink".

"No!" Loki cried out, but Nell felt her eyes close... 'Speak'... And then open.

"Nell?" Loki asked carefully, "have they moved?"

"Sort of" Nell replied looking curiously at the angels, "before they looked like they were poised to attack me and now they're just standing there with their arms by their sides".

Loki nodded, he understood now. "Nell, close your eyes".

"Are you insane?" Nell gasped "I'm already stuck in 1895; I don't want to be sent to the bloody Stone Age!"

"Trust me" Loki whispered.

"Trust you?" Nell asked incredulously, "Give me one good reason to trust you?" Then she felt Loki's warm hands search for hers, his fingers entwined with hers and he held her hands tightly.

"I won't let them take you" he said firmly to her, "not without me. I will go where you go. Now please, close your eyes".

Nell sighed, what choice did she have?

"Alright" she whispered. She squeezed Loki's hands tighter and slowly closed her eyes.

Staring ahead down the inky black tunnel, Loki listened to the silence and then spoke in his smooth silken tone "you wish to speak to us?"

The voice that replied sounded like the crackle of dry paper 'yes'.

"Do you know who I am?" Loki asked haughtily.

'We do not care for names' the airy, tinder dry voice replied, 'all are prey to time'.

"But not tonight I gather" Loki surmised, "or you would have attacked already. What is it you want from us?"

'We seek it' the Weeping Angel hissed, 'we are hungry for it'.

"What do you want?" Nell asked. Her eyes were still closed. She could almost sense one of the angels extending its index finger and holding it a hairs breath from her face.

'The sands' the Angel replied, 'we would feast on the sands evermore. It is here. We can sense it, it calls to us '.

Nell felt Loki tense up, and a strange sound like barking hyenas filled the air.

'He sees' the Angel sounded gleeful, 'he knows'.

"I do not have what you are searching for" Loki said quietly.

'Then you are no use to us' the Angel sneered, 'and we shall devour your wasted life'.

The smell of damp, aged stone invaded Nell's nostrils; the angel's claws were so very close.

"But I can find it for you" Loki said quickly and smoothly, "I will require payment of course".

The barking hyena laugh could be heard again, 'your life will be lived when and where you choose without our touch. That is your payment'.

There was a rustle of wind that blew Nell's hair about and then all was still. There was no sound save the dripping of water.

"We have a bargain then?" Loki asked. There was no answer.

"Eleanor?" he asked, "have they gone?"

Nell did not respond either.

Loki released his grip on Nell's hands and turned around. The street was empty.

He walked around until he was facing Nell. She was staring blankly ahead.

"Nell?" he asked, "are you all right?"

Nell blinked and met Loki's gaze.

"This is the worst date I've ever been on".