Author's Note: The End.
Thank you, Holly! Glad you liked it!
Stay tuned, everyone, for the next story... the one where you finally figure out why Future Seo and Future Jenny keep claiming the Doctor died (no extra regeneration cycle) at Trenzalore, and what drove the Tenth Seo crazy. Look for... "the Ten Seos!"
(This is a very short chapter, today, and since I'm worried no one will read the Ten Seos, I'll give you a few excerpts at the end.)
Enjoy!
"I never thought… anything like this could happen," Dave admitted, as they walked back to Seo's ship.
All around them, the Autons were slowly waking up. Each opening up its gun-arm, and letting the one beside it dismantle the gun inside.
"You made it happen," Seo pointed out. "You recreated me."
For a few seconds, neither said anything.
"You've… guessed how it happened," Dave muttered.
Yes, Seo had.
At the very point when the Consciousness had consumed him, he'd wished for her. Believed in her. So much so… that he'd accidentally made a duplicate.
"You must be a teensy bit more telepathic than you thought," Seo replied. "Whatever you put into the plastic-Seo's head, it's far more me than you could possibly know, from such a short acquaintance."
"I knew enough," said Dave.
He caught her by the hand, and turned her around to face him.
Then, before Seo had a chance to react, he pulled her close. And kissed her. Deeply.
When they pulled out of the kiss, Alison and Dawn were cheering from the sidelines.
"I have to go," Seo said, her face going red, as she stumbled away from him. "It's… my mom. She's sick. I have to get back to her."
"Will I see you again?" said Dave.
Seo opened up her ship. Ushering her friends inside. "Oh, yes," she said. Grinned. "Trust me."
Then closed the door to her ship.
And Dave and Timmo watched, astounded, as it disappeared from sight.
Epilogue
Buffy had trouble sleeping, as the headaches got worse.
Began to toss and turn in her bed, giving soft groans. Her body sometimes convulsing, as she slept.
Seo sat beside her.
Unsure what to do.
"I'm going to find a way to make you better," Seo said. "I promise. I… I'll perform a miracle!"
Another groan, and another thrash.
"Trust me," Seo whispered.
And wondered… if she trusted herself.
The End
Coming soon... "The Ten Seos."
(Excerpts)
"She could use the rings to establish a link to you," Boe proposed. "To save herself. She knows that. She'd do it."
"Not if it means admitting she's wrong, she won't," Jenny replied. Frowned, as she twisted the ring around her finger, concentrating on it. "Besides. It feels almost like… she's using its psychic energy for something else…"
The machinery whirred into life, again — this time at the far end of the room. Jenny sprung towards the alerts and flashing lights. Pressed a button, and stared at the readout.
"…something like that," Jenny breathed.
Boe leaned over Jenny's shoulder.
And swore.
"She's finally done it," Jenny said. Her eyes on the readout. "What she's been doing to everyone else — screwing with their personal timelines, altering history without caring about the consequences — she's finally doing it to herself."
"Nine times over," Boe agreed. He swore again. "The idiot! Doesn't she know the risks?" He brushed a hand through his white hair. "No, don't answer that. Stupid question."
The First Seo spun around, just in time to see the second warrior, whom she hadn't noticed, bringing down his smoke-scimitar upon her head…
But he was stopped as a hand caught his single arm, and shoved him around.
The woman he now faced looked… human. Two arms, two legs. Just like Seo. But taller, with frizzy red hair.
She ducked the warrior's next advance, dancing to avoid kicks from his legs, then darted in at the last minute, grabbed him up by the torso, and twisted him around so he flipped, head-over-heels, through the air. Scimitar flying from his hands.
The redhead turned to Seo. Grabbed her by the wrist. "We have to go," she said, in a crisp English accent.
"What…?" said Seo — because a part of her knew who this was, and didn't want to believe it.
"Yes, yes, it's a philosophical impossibility!" the redhead replied. "We'll deal with that later. Right now, we have to get out of here. The third's keeping the gate open for us."
"Third?" Seo cried, as they began to run. "There are three of—?!"
"Yes," said the woman. She tugged Seo along so they ran even faster. "Hurry up, or we'll…!"
They were interrupted by the warrior who'd first assaulted Seo. He sprinted forwards, his face a sneer, his single arm thrusting the scimitar at the blond girl.
Seo shrieked, ducking out of the way at the last second, but the edges of the smoke seared as they touched her scalp.
The pain made her stumble, and she lost her grip on the redhead's arm. Was tugged backwards as if by a supernatural force — or by something she didn't understand, at least. Found herself towered over by the warrior, once more.
"One thousand lives to be lost!" he shouted. "One thousand be the cost! A thousand years, a thousand pains, a thousand cheers, a thousand—"
"Hey, Shakespeare!" shouted an American voice from not far off. "Try this for a rhyming dictionary!"
The warrior looked up.
And was struck, right in the face, by a hard-cover anthology of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare.
"You're not angry at me because of my sexuality, right?" Seven checked. Gave a cheeky grin that lit up her face. "Because… got to tell you. If there was any incarnation of me that I'd like to snog — it wouldn't be you."
"It doesn't have to do with that," Eight retorted.
But Seven was already off in a world of her own. Reflecting. "I think… well, Fifth Me, obviously," Seven said. "She's a looker. Rowr!"
Eight didn't want to be having this conversation.
"Two, also," Seven decided. "Because she's cute, and a snog would shut her up. Also, nice hair. We never did become ginger again, did we?"
Eight pushed past her, and made her way to the center of the time distortion.
"Six and One would be nice, too," Seven decided. "Since they're blond. I've got a thing for blonds, this time." Her grin widened. "Like Stacy and Tim. Adorable!"
"Could you please stop talking about which versions of ourselves you most want to snog," Eight cut in, swinging around, "and get on with saving this planet?" She sighed. "Honestly. Just because Jack's changed doesn't mean you have to take his place as the flirtatious bisexual."
"You're just jealous," Seven said, with a wink.
"No closer, or I fire," the Ninth Seo warned, drawing out a gun.
Peri put up her hands, instinctively. Then paused. Squinted. "Wait, that's a water-gun!"
"Let me put it this way," Seo replied, hand on her hip. "I've got a water-pistol full of the worst-staining wine you could imagine. And you're wearing a white designer jacket." She raised the gun higher, finger on the trigger. "One move in the wrong place, and you'll have a laundry-disaster on your hands."
Peri backed away from the Doctor. "Okay. Okay! I'm complying."