Chapter Thirty-one
"What a desolate rock."
Rory watched the Valeyard as he scanned the jagged horizon of distant mountains across the barren plain. The disgusted look that was crinkling his brow was so unlike any expression he'd ever seen on the Doctor's face. He was finding it surprisingly unsettling. Having seconds thoughts on agreeing to help him Rory looked around to see what his options were. Unsurprisingly he found his options severely limited. The Valeyard noticed Rory fidgeting.
"It's okay for you to be angry with him." The Valeyard said suddenly.
"I'm sorry...what?" Rory asked confused.
"The Doctor, it's okay for you to be angry with him for concealing your daughter's final fate from you."
"Oh...right." Rory nodded.
"But you aren't, are you?"
"No, not really actually." Rory admitted.
"How can that deceitful act not boil your blood?"
"I was angry at first, but then I realized that I've always known that he knew something. There is always this sadness when he looks at her. Besides she knows his future as well, start to finish for them both they've always known each other's fates...clearly there is nothing either of them can do about or else they would." Rory explained and then sighed heavily. "I don't always like it, but I do know that the Doctor loves River. He wouldn't let her die without a fight."
"That's where you're wrong." The Valeyard hissed. "That's exactly what he did, and he's never done anything to change it."
"It must be one of those fixed points..."
"When I'm done with the Universe there will be no fixed points, everything will be changeable without changing anything."
"Okay, I...uh...I'm definitely having second thoughts about all this." Rory said hesitantly. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea. As much as he mucks with things the Doctor would never change the Universe to suite his own needs."
"He would if he wasn't such a coward. That's what makes me better than him!" The Valeyard spat. "Hours of merciless torture and soul tearing pain have made me strong in all the ways the Doctor was weak!"
The sudden manic fury in the Valeyard's voice caused Rory to take a few steps back. Seeing Rory's fear only made the Valeyard angrier. He took an aggressive step towards Rory causing Rory to move further away and put his hands up defensively. The Valeyard stopped and put his own hands up in a peaceful surrender as he calmed down.
"I'm not going to hurt you, Rory."
"This is all just a little hard to take. I have enough trouble understanding and trusting the Doctor to begin with."
"I know. Regeneration is never easy for any companion to accept and this is a special case. It would have been a lot easier for everyone if the Doctor had just accepted his regeneration into me, if he hadn't forced me out." The Valeyard sighed. "At first I thought we could both continue on, but War between the Doctor and I was inevitable. All of Time and Space simply isn't big enough for two 'Last of the Time Lords'."
"So you really are a completely separate person?" Rory asked relaxing somewhat. "Not just the future?"
"I am not the future at all, I am the present and the rightful owner of everything the Doctor is foolishly clinging to. We took our separate paths on the Minyan ship."
"Where did you get your body?"
"What?"
"If you're two different people and you're both flesh and blood...where did you come from?"
"I..." The Valeyard paused as he furrowed his brow in thought. "I came to be when the Doctor gave in on Jackles table in order to hide from the pain."
"Okay, I can understand a trauma creating a split personality, but from what you're telling me you're a whole new physical being. How is that possible?"
"I...I don't know." The Valeyard admitted and then shook his head. "It doesn't matter."
"I think it really matters."
"We are wasting time, I need to get to the Matrix."
"I think we should figu..."
Rory was cut off as the Valeyard suddenly lashed out and grabbed a fist full of Rory's hair and yanked him off balance. Rory reached up and held on to the Valeyard's wrist to steady himself as the Valeyard jerked him closer and forced him into a half bow.
"I said it doesn't matter!" The Valeyard snarled angrily. "I exist, I am a Time Lord, and I am the only one in the Universe who can save your daughter! River is *mine* and I will not have the Doctor taking her from me!"
Rory said nothing and wait for the Valeyard to relax his grip, when he did Rory took the opportunity to tackle the Valeyard by the midsection and drove them both to the loose shale that covered the ground. Straddling the Valeyard Rory was able to get in one good strike before the Valeyard was able to recover from the sudden attack. Rory wasn't able to keep his advantage of having the Valeyard pinned to the ground for long as the Valeyard simply vanished in a flash of blue causing Rory to punch the rocky ground with bone breaking force.
Snapping back into reality behind Rory the Valeyard kicked him in between the shoulder blades. Already having been on his knees Rory was flung forward to the ground by the blow. Landing on his stomach Rory let out a cry as the Valeyard pounced on him. With his knee pressed into Rory's lower back the Valeyard easily kept him down as he grabbed the back of Rory's neck in a powerful grasp. When Rory struggled to free himself the Valeyard rocked more of his weight onto his knee, threatening to break Rory's spine.
"That was a foolish move, Rory." The Valeyard said calmly.
Rory held his breath, expecting the Valeyard to snap his neck at any moment. However instead of continuing the violence the Valeyard released him. Rory scrambled away on his hands and knees a few feet before turning around to face the Valeyard once again. He cradled his broken hand, from striking the ground, against his chest as he stared up at the Valeyard.
"We are not enemies, Rory."
"Leave River alo..."
"Your parental concern is touching," the Valeyard interrupted "but unnecessary. I love her. I will care for an protect River until the end of Time, literally."
"She loves the Doctor, not whatever you are."
Rory had no time to react when the Valeyard rushed at him with a cry of rage. He braced himself as the Valeyard slammed into him. Rory expected to strike his head on the hard stone ground but instead there was a flash of icy cold and he landed hard on a carpeted surface. He glanced around and instantly recognized his and Amy's living room back on Earth. He looked up at the Valeyard in a mixture of confusion and fear. Standing over Rory the Valeyard just smiled sadly.
"Thank you for all your help, Rory, but I no longer require your companionship." The Valeyard said casually. "As a parting gift I'm going to give you what you've always wanted."
"Wha...what?"
"A life free from the Doctor...free from all Time Lords." The Valeyard clarified. "Live your mundane life till the end of your days. The Doctor is dead by now and I will not return."
"Wait! You can't just leave me here! What about Amy?"
"Amy would never be happy stuck on Earth, she belongs with me the same as River does. Don't worry, I'll erase any memories of you she has so she won't have to feel guilty about leaving you behind. I can do the same for you if you'd like."
"No!" Rory cried in horror as he scrambled to his feet. "Don't do this! Pleas..."
"Trust me, this is best for everyone. Good-bye, Rory Williams."