Alex looked lovingly at the purple fabric. It was long, so it draped over her legs, hiding them from view. It offset her dark hair nicely, and she smiled at her reflection. Wheeling into the kitchen, her mother approached her with a box.
"You look lovely dear. Here, Aunt Carol sent over the necklace to match." She helped Alex close the clasp, and the little golden chain with the pearls was added to the outfit.
Suddenly the door rang. Alex opened it to see Sam on the porch, holding a bouquet of violets rather awkwardly. His hair was combed flat and he was wearing a collared shirt and nice trousers. It was an odd combination, and he looked like a Primary School student at a wedding.
He thrust the violets at Alex, blushing. "You look nice," he stuttered.
Suddenly Mrs. West appeared behind Alex, squawking in high tones about how lovely they looked together.
"Er, bye mum!" Alex announced, closing the door and wheeling to Sam's car. Sam helped her into the seat, placing the wheelchair into the trunk. They drove mostly in silence, Alex fingering the edge of her sleeve.
"You're not wearing it," Sam said suddenly.
"Not wearing what?" Alex asked, a bit confused.
"The key, on a chain you wear." Sam replied.
Alex bit her lip. She had the key with her still; it was in her purse but… "I haven't worn it for two years." She replied, eyes narrowing.
Sam's eyes returned to the road.
When they arrived at the school, Alex returned to her wheelchair, and she and Sam entered the dance. Almost immediately, she heard a group of rude voices behind her. "Oh my gosh she actually CAME? It's not like a cripple can get a date!"
Sam turned on his heels, facing the blonde haired girl. "She's my date tonight, Cassandra. So shut your mouth."
Cassandra sashayed away with a hair flip.
Blushing, Alex turned to thank Sam, but he had disappeared. So she wheeled over to the snack's table, where she started to pour some punch. She began to cough as she saw who the chaperone was.
"Hullo West." The Doctor gave her a little wave. "Enjoying the dance?"
"Just fine." Alex retorted, wheeling away. But she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.
"West, I'm sorry. I thought you weren't capable and I shouldn't have. Can you forgive me?" The question was unexpected, and it made Alex stop.
Could she forgive him? For the danger he put her in? For the way he followed her pleas exactly and didn't come back?
"Doctor." She started.
"I never told you my na-"
"My name is Alex West, and I forgive you."
Sam was suddenly beside her. "Nice job, Alex." He said ominously.
Suddenly, Sam's neck began to crack, and something pulsed against his forehead.
Screaming, Alex backed away. An eyestalk protruded from his forehead, and he looked at his palms as two appendages resembling an eggbeater and a plunger protruded from them.
"EX-TER-MIN-ATE THE DOC-TOR!" he screamed.
"Sam!" Alex began to cry, still backing away.
"That's not Sam, Alex. He's a puppet now, a Dalek puppet." The Doctor said with a sympathetic tone. "I'm sorry."
Sam began to approach the Doctor, and Alex thought fast. Ramming her wheelchair into Sam, he was thrown backwards. Dazed, he attempted to get up, just as the Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver at Sam. He fell over, eyes still wide open, but the light on the eyestalk faded.
"Did you kill Sam?" Alex asked. Looking around, she noticed that the music was too loud for anyone to have noticed the dark corner where the punch was.
"No." the Doctor replied. "He was never the Sam you knew. He's just a puppet."
With that, he began to drag Sam's unconscious form towards the locker room. Pulling him inside and locking the door, he dropped him into an unceremonious heap.
"Alex, I need to ask you a favor." The Doctor began. "I'm going to get some help. There's a slim possibility they can bring him back."
"He's going to wake up." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. "You want me to keep him here, against his will."
"Alex, it's the only way to help him." The Doctor pleaded. "He can't shoot you. I've disabled that."
Alex bit her lip. "I'll do it."
Author's Note
I've finally got over a writer's block with a bit of help from my lads.
Review!
I love your reviews!
-ATLK