Squee this is gonna be a massive update...anyway...chapter 8...the cliff from 7 is a short one but I decided not to do a whole chapter on it...considering all I could think of was really really mean...anyway I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 8
The sound of screaming was the first thing that had reached his ears then the familiar shout.
"EXTERMINATE" His head snapped to the side as he saw the familiar form of the Dalek.
"No…no this can't be…" He said softly "This is…"
He felt Lori bump into him and looked back at her with a gulp; this was not going to be good.
"Lori…get back inside…" He said his voice low.
"Doctor…what's wrong" She asked.
"Just get inside…we can't be here…" He said as his eyes fell on Torchwood One "Canary Wharf…get inside now."
He turned around shoving her inside the TARDIS slamming the door shut behind him his entire body shaking. Slowly he sank to the ground tears threatening to fall this was the day that he lost her. It was the start of a long journey he never wanted to live again and one he did not plan to.
"Why would you bring me here?" He asked the TARDIS "Are you going to take me to the Valiant and the Medusa Cascade too".
Lori just looked at him not saying anything; she worried for the man before her.
"Doctor…" She said softly walking over to him "Doctor…it's alright."
He looked up at her and stopped seeing the raw emotion in his eyes.
"No…no it isn't…it'll never be" He told her his voice almost a growl "You've no idea what this place is…no idea what's happened."
He shakily stood up a sad smile on his face envying her ignorance; he wanted to just forget about it all.
"Just forget it…" He said softly walking forward roughly pushing past her "I'm taking you home…"
"Home…you mean Torchwood" She said.
"No" He stated simply "Just home…wherever you want home to be."
She let out a sad laugh and moved to stand beside him laying a gentle hand on his arm.
"You know I have no place I can call home," She said softly "Not anymore…and I know you don't either".
He looked at her his brown orbs meeting her green ones and let out a sob.
"I can't…I just can't…you can't stay…" He said "You'll…just leave…or die…or…"
"And?" She asked, "What else do I have…"
He just turned away from her shaking his head he knew she was right but he was not going to say anything.
"Lori…I've lost so much…if you stay…" He let out a heavy sigh "I can't guarantee I won't get attached…and I…I just can't…"
"Doctor…did she care" Lori asked, "Did Rose care if she died…did she think of leaving you…or did she just want to stay with you."
He stiffened hearing her say the name of the last person he loved, the one woman he had not wanted to be parted from.
"No…but…I care" He said softly "Just pick a place…I'll take you there…you can start over…live a life of freedom".
"Freedom…I'd say going anywhere and anytime is freedom" She commented a soft smile on her lips.
"I can't stop you, can I?" He asked turning around.
"Hmm…nope" She stated with a brilliant smile "Come on…"
He could not help but laugh as she crossed her arms in front of her chest smiling, she was just like them full of life and courage.
"I can't promise you'll be safe?" He said.
"You've never lived with an elf," She said with a bright laugh "Safe isn't a word in the Melkin language".
He wiped his eyes with a light sigh not sure how she had changed the mood so swiftly, but he reached out to the controls for once feeling slightly better.
"Alright then" He said turning a few knobs and hitting a few levers "Allons-Y."
He pressed a large button and the entire TARDIS shook violently sending her backwards into his chair. The Doctor managed to stay standing thanks to the controls and let out a bright laugh looking at her.
"Where are we going Doctor?" She shouted.
"I dunno…why we don't find out eh" He replied brightly "I've set it to random."
Her eyes widened and she let out a bright laugh showing no fear and he smiled back. He did enjoy seeing her happy but he pushed that thought out of his mind. When the shaking stopped, he felt a jerk that knocked him back into the chair with her.
"Sorry" He said looking down at her "You alright?"
"Yeah…you're too skinny to cause damage" She said with a light smile "Where'd we end up?"
"Hmm…let's see shall we," He suggested straightening up "I'll go first…how does that sound?"
"Like hell" She stated, "I'm going first."
She shot up from the chair and they raced to the door like a couple of children. The doctor reached it first laughing in triumph as he opened the door.
"Then after you Lori" He said with a wink making her laugh again.
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She stepped out of the TARDIS and gasped loudly looking out over a large body of water. It was gorgeous a lovely beach with the gold tinted water lapping at odd blue sand.
"Oh now this is a pleasant surprise" He said stepping out behind her "Lori may I welcome you to Kerasten 6 Planet of amber skies and summer wind".
"It's gorgeous," She said breathlessly.
She closed her eyes inhaling a deep breath of air then looked at him.
"It smells like…"
"Bananas" He finished for her "Yep…I love bananas…my favorite planet…well one of my favorites…a close second to earth really…"
She let out a light giggle and slowly slid out of her shoes walking toward the water.
"You certainly know how to show a girl a good time" She commented.
"Well considering…I'd say a nice rest is in order" He replied "Don't you?"
She nodded at him smiling brightly as she felt the warm water against her feet. A soft sigh slid past her lips it felt so nice much better than being stuck in Torchwood.
"If you'd like to go for a swim…I think there might be bathing suits," He said gesturing to the TARDIS.
He noticed the change in her smile when she shook her head then looked back out over the water.
"N-no…I can't swim," She said with a shrug "Never was much need for it."
He realized his mistake and shook his head with a sigh before removing his shoes and coming up beside her.
"How old" He asked looking at her "How old were you?"
"Seven" She answered.
His mouth fell open they had taken her as a child that could not have been right not even Torchwood would have been that cruel.
"I'm sorry" He said softly "If you ever need to talk…I'll listen"
"Thank you" She said with a nod "That is my past…but I'll extend the same to you…we are technically living together now".
He smiled and nodded before walking over to a spot in the sand before sitting down and looking at her. Lori followed suit sitting down beside him and resting her hands on her knees.
"Do you know why the sky is always this color?" He asked gesturing to the sky that looked like it was burnt orange.
"No…why?" She asked.
"Atmospheric disturbance…no matter what time of day or night the skies stay gold" He stated "A perpetual sunset no matter what beach you're on…"
"That's amazing," She said softly "My people would have called it a blessing…a gift from the goddess".
"Some could see it that way" He shrugged "I've never been fond of gods myself."
"It doesn't surprise me," She said softly "But belief is something that helps when you're in pain."
He smiled at her unable to keep himself from thinking about how strong she seemed. She must have suffered so much growing up and here she was alive and sane.
"I don't begrudge someone their beliefs" He added, "Too many people want to control others with it…that's my problem with religion."
"Yes…" she said with a nod "So much killing for the sake of faith…"
He nodded leaning back to look up at the sky a small smile on his lips.
"She would have loved this…" He said softly.
"Who…Rose?" She asked.
"Oh yes…Donna too…maybe Martha" He said with a smile "Jack…well he'd be skinny dipping…probably dragging me or the girls with him".
He let out a bright laugh looking over at her his eyes sparkling.
"You'd have liked them…Jack too…well if you'd met him another time" He said "Jack's really a good guy."
"I believe so" She said with a nod "He wouldn't have hurt me…he wasn't like the others…the Ianto person…he wasn't bad either."
"Oh no…none of them are" He stated, "Jack wouldn't have taken bad people onto his team…now people he wanted to sleep with…that's another story".
They both let out a loud laugh and she smiled laying back and looked up into the sky. This was better than seeing the years she had missed on earth so much better.
"I wouldn't mind staying like this forever," She said softly "Peaceful…nothing to worry about…no pain."
"Yes…but that would get rather dull after awhile" He said "No flitting about space…no adventures…the universe would fall apart."
"Why do you say that?" She asked looking at him.
"Well…if I threw my hands up…if I stopped helping people…stopped fighting" He said "I don't think anyone would be able to handle it…able to defend themselves…"
She gave a soft smile and nodded something told her he was right, that he was more important than anything was.
"Don't ever stop thinking that" She stated "If that's what keeps you fighting…if that's what keeps you alive…don't stop…don't you ever stop believe that."
"And what's kept you alive" He looked over at her "What kept you fighting…what made you run."
Her features darkened when he asked the question she could not answer, the only things he did not know herself.
"I don't know…something told me to…" She said softly "Something gave me the belief…something made me want to live…to be free…"
He nodded smiling before laying down the warm sand on his back they would not stay here forever. There was more to this world than her beaches but he did not want to subject her to space tourism.
"I'm glad you ran," He said "You're very interesting Lori…an impossible thing…yet still possible…"
He glanced at her as she sat up smiling at him and could not stop his smile as well. The sunlight was streaming past her head making her hair light up like a halo. Her skin seemed to drink in the light and shine it outward.
"Doctor" She said looking out over the water "What's that?"
He sat up casting his eyes over the water and his brow furrowed as the water began to churn.
"I don't know…but we should move…" He said standing then looked down at her "Now"
She felt him grasp her hand and pull her to her feet before moving away from the shoreline. The water was churning to foam and something very large was rising from it.
Okay you've read it...look for the next chapters too...oh and please review.