Warning: chapters may slow down a bit soon. Just figured I'd say that right now. I'm still watching the show and I'm halfway through series five, so I'm doing my best to catch up and whatnot, along with everything else.
Chapter 6: Dalek
She had only just stepped back in the TARDIS when the lights started going off. In her arms were six cuttings of trees from the Amazon. Her and the Doctor had landed there so Freya could gather the cuttings.
"What's going on?" Freya asked, worried instantly.
"The TARDIS is latching onto a distress signal. You can go put those in the greenhouse room," the Doctor told her.
"We have a greenhouse room?" Freya asked, wrinkling her nose. The Doctor shrugged.
"The TARDIS likes you. I'm sure she'll make you a greenhouse room. Get those cuttings planted while you're in there," the Doctor told her. Freya nodded and scampered down the hallways, following the gold particles that appeared in front of her.
"Someday, I wish you'd tell me why you don't let the Doctor see these," Freya murmured, delighting in the peals of laughter that echoed in her mind.
Where'd be the fun in that? He'll learn one day, when he's ready to learn.
Freya couldn't argue with the TARDIS's logic. The TARDIS seemed to know the future, moreso than even the Doctor did.
She came to a stop when the hallway vanished, leaving a door labeled, "Greenhouse" in front of her. Freya smiled and nudged the door open.
The room was amazing. It had an artificial sky and everything. And the air felt just like the air from the Amazon. Freya dropped to the ground near a patch of fresh soil and started her planting.
Unfortunately, Freya ended up covered in dirt. She knew she would. She always did when she tried her hand at gardening. That was one of the reasons she rarely gardened.
The Doctor had made it sound like whatever they were doing was urgent. She didn't have time to find a new outfit. Even if the TARDIS made the closet appear right next to the Greenhouse, it always took awhile to navigate the place.
Freya jumped when she turned around and saw clothes laying for her, ready to slip on. She stifled a giggle at the sight, slipping the flowy pants and oversized shirt over her head. The pants were patterned, slightly odd in appearance, and the shirt suspiciously resembled the Doctor's shirts. Freya stood once she was dressed and quickly made her way to the console room.
She got there just as the TARDIS was landing. The Doctor turned and his eyes widened when he saw her.
"You have a bit of dirt in your hair," he told her, making his way towards her. Freya's hands automatically went to her hair, trying to shake the dirt out. The Doctor's own hands joined her effort before he removed them and rubbed her face slightly.
"How did you manage to get completely covered in dirt in such a short time? Were you rolling in the dirt?" the Doctor asked her in disbelief.
"I'm not the best gardener," Freya admitted, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Well, let's go see who needs help!" the Doctor said cheerfully, rushing for the door. Freya followed him a bit slower. An uneasy feeling arose inside of her.
"Doctor…something doesn't feel right," Freya admitted. The Doctor opened the door and walked out, examining the surroundings.
"Like something didn't feel right about the Gelth?" the Doctor asked her, reaching behind her to flip on a light. The lights illuminated multiple displays, sort of like a museum.
"No. A different sort of off, but similar. Where are we?" Freya asked, glancing around uncomfortably.
"Earth. Utah, North America. About half a mile underground," the Doctor explained, moving away from her to look at display cases.
"And when?" Freya questioned
"Two thousand and twelve," the Doctor said absently, moving to another display case.
"That's so close. What is this place?" Freya asked him as she passed a rock. It looked just like a normal rock.
"An alien museum. Someone's got a hobby. They must have spent a fortune on this. Chunks of meteorite, moon dust. That's the milometer from the Roswell spaceship," the Doctor said, pointing at something else as he spoke. Freya's eyes landed on a green arm. A familiar looking green arm.
"That's a bit of Slitheen. A Slitheen arm, right? It's been stuffed," Freya said, almost sadly. The Doctor nodded, moving towards what looked like a metal head of a robot.
"Oh, look at you," the Doctor said, his tone almost reminiscent.
"What is it?" Freya asked him, staring at the head. It gave her the creeps. Maybe that was what her off feeling was coming from? It could be.
Freya doubted it.
"An old friend of mine. Well, enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit. I'm getting old," the Doctor said, his tone now fully reminiscent.
"The signal isn't coming from that, is it? It's dead…right?" Freya asked nervously, taking a step away from the display.
"No. You're right. It's stone dead. There's something living here, calling for help," the Doctor said as he reached out to touch the display case sadly.
The moment his hands touched the display, an alarm went off. Freya jumped, moving instantly towards the Doctor. Armed guards rushed into the room, immediately surrounding them. Freya's grip on the Doctor's arm tightened at the sight.
"If someone's collecting aliens, doesn't that make you Exhibit A?" Freya murmured worriedly.
It didn't take a genius to see the realization fill the Doctor's eyes at her words.
They were in trouble.
The guards led them to an office where a balding man was examining what looked like junk to Freya. A dark haired man – boy – was handing him item after item, explaining each item. A tall red-head was watching them intently from over her clipboard.
"And this is the last. Paid eight hundred thousand dollars for it," the boy explained, looking quite smug.
"What does it do?" the balding man asked.
"Well, you see the tubes on the side? It must be to channel something. I think maybe fuel," the boy guessed.
"I really wouldn't hold it like that," the Doctor said, but his expression wasn't serious. Freya gravitated towards the Doctor, gripping his leather-clad arm tightly.
"Shut it," the curly haired red head spat at the Doctor.
"Really, though, that's wrong," the Doctor insisted.
"Is it dangerous?" the boy asked anxiously, his eyes going wide.
"Nah. Just looks silly," the Doctor said, reaching for the object. The moment he moved, the guards surrounding them were moved to aim on him. Freya squeaked, pressing herself tighter against his side.
The man handed the Doctor the object, looking rather intrigued to be doing so.
"You just need to be delicate," the Doctor explained as he gently stroked the object.
"It's a musical instrument," the balding man exhaled, eyes glued to the object.
"And it's a long way from home," the Doctor said absently. The balding man reached for it, plucking it from the Doctor's hands. He tried mimicking the Doctor, and the instrument produced a rough sound.
"I did say delicate. It reacts to the smallest fingerprint. It needs precision," the Doctor warned, wincing at the sound. The balding man shifted almost instantly, creating a sound similar to the Doctor's.
"Very good. Quite the expert," the Doctor praised. The balding man shrugged and tossed the instrument to the ground carelessly.
"As are you. Who exactly are you?" he asked, eyes calculating.
"I'm the Doctor. And you are?" the Doctor asked him, sounding almost pleasant. Freya couldn't tell yet whether he was serious or not.
The balding man scoffed at them.
"As if you don't know. We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artifacts in the world, and you just stumbled in by mistake?" the balding man asked in disbelief. The Doctor didn't seem to catch his disbelief and nodded, a grin on his face.
"Pretty much sums me up, yeah," he said pleasantly.
"The question is, how did you get in? Fifty-three floors down, with your little pet. She's covered in dirt. Did you tunnel down?" the man asked. The Doctor looked rather amused.
"No. She was taking up a bit of gardening. Can't take her anywhere," he joked.
"Stop it," Freya murmured. Her bad feeling was growing, and she really didn't want to have attention drawn to her.
"She's English too! Hey, little Lord Fautleroy, got you a girlfriend," the man said to the dark haired boy.
"This is Mr. Henry Van Statten," the boy told Freya and the Doctor, his tone taking on a superior tone.
"Should we know that name?" the Doctor asked him, appearing as puzzled as Freya felt.
"Mr. Van Statten owns the internet," the boy boasted.
"No one owns the internet," Freya retorted, confused by his statement.
"Let's just keep the whole world thinking that way, right kids?" Mr. Van Statten said with a wink at Freya.
"So you're just about an expert in everything except the things in your museum. Anything you don't understand, you lock up," the Doctor stated, his voice cold now.
"And you claim greater knowledge?" Mr. Van Statten asked in disbelief.
"I don't need to make claims. I know how good I am," he said, his voice brimming with confidence.
"And yet I captured you. Right next to the cage. What were you doing down there?" Mr. Van Statten asked, leaning over his desk, eyes locked on the Doctor.
"You tell me." The Doctor and Mr. Van Statten stared at each other for a moment, each sizing the other.
"The cage contains my one living specimen," Mr. Van Statten said.
"And what's that?" the Doctor asked quickly.
"Like you don't know," Mr. Van Statten retorted.
"Show me," the Doctor ordered, his eyes hard.
"You want to see it?" Mr. Van Statten baited him.
"Goddard, inform the cage we're heading down. You, English. Look after the girl. Go and canoodle or spoon or whatever it is you British do. And you, Doctor with no name, come and see my pet," Mr. Van Statten. Freya's eyes widened at his words.
"Oi! No spooning or canoodling my companion," the Doctor threatened the boy. The boy nodded quickly as the Doctor pried Freya's hands from his arm, leaving her with a smile and the boy whose gaze disturbed her.
The boy led her out of the room and towards another room not far away.
"I'm Adam. Sorry about the mess. Mr. Van Statten sort of lets me do my own thing, so long as I deliver the goods. What do you think that is?" the boy introduced himself, giving Freya a piece of metal as he did.
"A lump of metal?" Freya asked uncomfortably. Adam stared at her for a moment.
"What's your name?" he asked expectantly. Freya didn't want to tell him. She didn't like him.
"Freya," she finally murmured. Adam nodded, turning his attention back to the metal in her hands.
He took it from her and went into a long-winded talk of what he thought it was, what he thought was out there, everything.
"So who's the Doctor bloke you're with? Is he your boyfriend?" Adam asked her, noticing that she'd dazed off. Freya jumped slightly before her eyes widened. She started to protest but stopped.
He seemed interested in her. And she didn't like him. He made her feel uncomfortable.
"Not really. He's my fiancé. Different culture. Engagement necklace," Freya said, pointing to the necklace the Doctor had given to her. Adam's expression was one of disbelief.
"He's a bit old for ya, isn't he?" Adam asked.
"He's just fine," Freya corrected him, hoping Adam would drop it. He turned away, moving to a computer.
"What are you doing?" Freya asked, moving towards the computer. It was making some weird noise. When her eyes landed on it, she couldn't hold back the gasp.
There was a metal…thing…in the room, and someone was taking a chainsaw-like machine to it. The sound was it screaming.
"We have to get down there and stop it!" Freya protested. Adam, to her surprise, nodded and grabbed his ID with one hand and her hand with the other, dragging her quickly to the lift. The lift moved quickly, sliding down the floors. Adam pulled her out, flashing his ID at the security guard that approached them.
"Level three access. Special clearance from Mr. Van Statten," Adam said with an air of confidence as he pushed his way into the cage. Freya pushed past him, approaching the metal creature cautiously.
"Don't get too close," Adam warned her. Freya nodded, ignoring him. The door slid close behind them.
"Hello? Are you in pain? I'm Freya. I…I'm here with a friend. We can help you. What's your name?" Freya asked tentatively, inching closer, her voice quiet.
"Yes," the creature said, its voice sounding like a screaming robot.
"What?" Freya asked, stepping closer.
"I am in pain. They torture me, but they still fear me. Do you fear me?" the creature asked her. Freya felt her heart go out to the creature, despite her stomach that was doing flips.
"No. I…I feel sorry for you," Freya admitted, her voice barely over a whisper.
"I am dying," the creature admitted, somehow sounding resigned.
"We can help you," Freya told it, not wanting to see this alien die in front of her. Neither would the Doctor.
"I welcome death. But I am glad that before I die I have met a human who was not afraid," the creature told Freya. Her heart ached even more as she moved so she was right in front of the creature.
"Isn't there anything I can do? Anything that can comfort you?" Freya asked in pity.
"My race is dead, and I shall die alone," the creature said, its eyepiece lowering. Freya reached out, not wanting the creature to die alone.
Her hand burned the moment it touched the creature. She pulled her hand back, ignoring the scream behind her. Her handprint was almost burnt into the creature's metal before it faded. The creature seemed to brighten up, lose its dullness. Adam yanked her back quickly.
"Genetic material extrapolated. Initial cellular reconstruction!" the creature shouted. The door opened and the man who had been torturing the creature rushed in.
"What the hell have you done?" he asked as the creature snapped the chains. Freya stumbled back, terrified. The man rushed forward, his drill in his hands. The creature raised its other appendage, what looked like a plunger.
"What are you going to do? Sucker me to death?" he asked scathingly. The plunger moved closer and covered his nose and mouth. Freya gasped and Adam yanked her out of the room.
"It's killing him!" Freya shouted, horrified.
"Condition red! Condition red!" the security guard shouted. The door slid shut, trapping the creature inside. A screen flashed to life and Freya was greeted by the sight of Mr. Van Statten and the Doctor.
"You've got to keep it in that cell," the Doctor said urgently.
"Doctor, it's my fault," Freya whispered.
"I've sealed the compartment. It can't get out. That lock's got a billion combinations," the security guard boasted.
"A Dalek's a genius. It can calculate a thousand billion combinations in one second flat," the Doctor said grimly. Freya held her breath, staring at the door as it slowly began to open.
"Open fire!" the security guard yelled. A number of them started shooting, only to hear Mr. Van Statten order them to stop.
"Freya, get out of there!" the Doctor yelled, his voice borderline terrified.
"De Maggio, take the civilians and get them out alive. That's your job, got that?" the main security guard ordered a woman. The woman nodded and pointed to Freya and Adam.
"You two, with me!" she ordered as she started running. Freya and Adam wasted no time in following after her, Freya's heart beating twice as fast as it ought to. They crashed into the middle of a heavily armed hallway.
"Civilians, let them through!" De Maggio shouted, bursting through the mess. The soldiers stepped aside, allowing Adam and Freya to rush through. As they are running, they come to a set of stairs.
"Yes! Stairs! It doesn't have legs!" Adam cheered as they made it to the first platform above the Dalek. Freya tried running onwards but Adam grabbed her wrist, holding her in place. The Dalek's eyestalk seemed to focus on her for a moment.
"Great big alien death machine, defeated by a flight of stairs," Adam taunted. The Dalek's eyestalk swung up to him and then down at the stairs.
"Elevate," it said. Freya's blood ran cold. The Dalek started to hover over the ground.
"Adam, get her out of here!" De Maggio ordered, pulling out her gun.
"No! You can't stop it!" Freya begged. The woman shook her head, not even glancing up at Freya.
"Someone's got to try. Now get out! Don't look back! Just run!" she ordered. They made it up a few flights when they heard De Maggio's cry. Adam dragged Freya off of the stairs and down a hallway, ending up in a room full of massive amounts of soldiers.
"Hold your fire! You two, get the hell out of there!" the commander shouted at Freya and Adam dragged her past he guard at the entrance, where he stopped once more. Freya watched in cold horror as the Dalek entered the room. Its eyestalk rotated, stopping on her. Focusing on her. Adam pulled her out of the room quickly.
"It was looking at me," Freya whispered in horror.
"Yeah. It wants to slaughter us," Adam said, trying to catch his breath.
"I know, but it was looking right at me," Freya repeated, feeling much too shaken at the realization.
"So? It's just a sort of metal eye thing. It's looking all around," Adam continued. Freya shook her head, eyes staring at the doorway they'd just run through.
"I don't know. It's like there's something inside that recognizes me," Freya murmured. Adam didn't respond.
Adam and her stayed where they were for a moment. Then the screams began. But Adam wouldn't let go of her wrist, wouldn't move on.
"I want Freya."
The Dalek's voice carried from the other room. Freya's eyes met Adam's eyes, both wide in horror.
"You can't have her!" the Doctor's voice retorted angrily. Adam pulled her on, immediately taking off towards the stairs.
"Come on! We've got to get out of here!" Adam said desperately. As they started running up the stairs, Adam drifted ahead of her, letting go of her hand. Freya pushed herself as hard as she could.
Her cell phone rang. She considered ignoring it. But what if it was the Doctor? She pulled it out, tripping over a step as she did. She managed to pick herself up quickly, answering the phone as she prayed it wasn't her mother.
"Really bad time," Freya panted into the phone. Adam was a good deal ahead of her.
"Where are you?" the Doctor asked her quickly.
"Level forty-nine," Freya gasped, glad she was right at a number.
"You've got to keep moving. The vault's being sealed off up at level forty-six," the Doctor said anxiously.
"How long?" Freya asked, stumbling over another step.
"Minutes. Or less. For God's sake, Freya, run!" the Doctor shouted into the phone. Freya gripped the phone tightly as she took off running, pushing herself as hard as she could.
She hit level forty-six just in time to see Adam turn down a hallway. She pushed herself, pushed herself as hard as she could. Her heart felt like it would explode. Her lungs weren't getting enough air. And the gate was going down.
Adam rolled underneath it.
And then it just closed.
Freya slowed at the sight, all but walking up to the gate, phone forgotten in her hand. Her lungs ached. Her heart – hearts – felt like they were going to explode. She pressed her free hand to the left side of her chest, noting that she could feel a heartbeat from her tiny heart. Her tiny heart was beating. Almost beating like a heart at rest would be.
That couldn't be good.
Not that it mattered now. Freya turned around. The Dalek would be there any moment. It didn't matter how fast her hearts were beating, how badly her lungs burned for air. She would be dead in a few moments.
"FREYA!" the Doctor's voice brought her back to reality.
"Yes?" Freya asked quietly.
"Did you make it?" the Doctor asked desperately, his voice begging her.
"I was a bit slow," Freya admitted, feeling a nervous laugh erupt from her throat. She shook her head. She could hear the Dalek rolling towards her, down the hall.
"Doctor, it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself. You…you gave me weeks longer than I would have had without you. I wouldn't have missed it for the world," Freya whispered as the Dalek rounded the corner. She hung up the phone, tucking it in her pocket as the Dalek came closer.
"EXTERMINATE!" it screamed at her. Freya's eyes squeezed shut in terror.
But nothing happened.
After a few seconds, she opened her eyes to see the Dalek directly in front of her, the blue eyestalk focused on her intently.
"What are you doing?" Freya asked it, confused. It zoomed in on her face.
"I feel your fear," the Dalek said in its emotionless voice.
"Of course you feel my fear. You're about to kill me," Freya said, her voice cracking.
"Daleks don't fear! Daleks don't have emotions!" the Dalek all but screamed at her, causing Freya to wince. It stopped once more.
"I feel your pain," the Dalek said, but its tone was closer to awe.
"And I feel your loneliness," the Dalek finally said before it moved closer, prodding her with its laser shooter thing.
"Move forward!" it ordered. Freya did as it asked and the Dalek moved behind her, digging its laser into her back. Another wave of fear shot through her. The laser shooter jumped slightly in time with her fear.
Freya glanced up to see a camera, one similar to the one near the cage. It flickered on, revealing the Doctor in Mr. Van Statten's office. He was shouting angrily at Adam.
"Open the bulkhead or Freya dies!" the Dalek demanded. The Doctor's shout died midsentence and he spun, eyes wide as they landed on Freya.
"You're alive!" he half cried, half choked. The laser in her back dug farther into her spine, causing her to wince.
"I thought you were dead," the Doctor continued, his voice cracking slightly with the words.
"Open the bulkhead!" the Dalek demanded even louder.
"Don't do it!" Freya shouted. She couldn't even imagine causing any more deaths.
"What use are emotions if you will not save the woman you love? The woman who loves you?" the Dalek taunted. Freya's skin paled drastically at its words.
The screen went blank and the bulkhead opened.
"I don't love the Doctor. And he doesn't love me," Freya whispered more to herself than to the Dalek.
"I can feel your emotions. You love him," the Dalek droned as it led her to a lift. She was shoved inside as it followed her. Its plunger locked onto the control and the lift doors closed. It slowly started rising.
"Please. Don't kill them. Don't kill anyone else. You didn't kill me," Freya begged, biting her lip the moment the words left her mouth. The Dalek's eyestalk swiveled back around to focus on her.
"But why not? Why are you alive? My function is to kill. What am I? What am I?" the Dalek questioned, its voice sounding almost scared. The elevator stopped and opened. Mr. Van Statten was in the room, eyes wide in horror.
The Doctor was nowhere in sight.
"Don't move. It's beginning to question itself," Freya warned, stepping out alongside the Dalek. The Dalek's laser moved from Freya to Mr. Van Statten.
"Van Statten. You tortured me. Why?" the Dalek asked angrily. Mr. Van Statten glanced at Freya before staring at the Dalek, sweat forming on his brow.
"I wanted to help you. I just, I don't know. I was trying to help. I thought if we could get through to you, if we could mend you. I wanted you better. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I swear, I just wanted you to talk!" Mr. Van Statten begged, backing up as he spoke. His back slammed into the wall and he cast a look at Freya, a desperate look. A begging look.
"No! Don't kill him. Please!" Freya shouted, moving towards Mr. Van Statten. The Dalek's eyestalk swiveled once more towards her. Freya drew in a shaky breath, pressing her hand against her chest. Her heart was still beating much too fast. But her other heart had slowed down.
"There must be something else you want, something besides killing. What else is there? What do you want?" Freya asked the alien. The Dalek observed her for a moment, thinking.
"I want….freedom," the Dalek said. Freya smiled at its words.
"Then let's go get you freedom," she told it, reaching out and gently touching its eyestalk. It jerked away from her and held up its plunger thing. Freya tentatively wrapped her hand around it as it started to move.
Once they had left the room, heading upwards, the Dalek began speaking.
"You touched me. Willingly. After what happened," the Dalek observed. Freya jumped slightly at the words.
"And yet you still fear me," it continued sadly.
"I fear lots of things," Freya admitted sadly.
"But why are you touching me?" it asked her.
"Because everyone wants to be touched. Everyone wants to be held. Especially those who can't be," Freya murmured.
The Dalek was silent as they made their way to the ground floor. The Dalek stopped, aiming its laser at the ceiling and blasting a hole in the roof. A ray of sunlight streamed down, resting on both Freya and the Dalek.
"You made it. We made it. I never thought I'd feel sunlight again," Freya said with a shaky laugh.
"How does it feel?" the Dalek asked her. Before Freya could respond, it moved. Freya jumped back slightly as the middle and dome sections opened, revealing the real Dalek. The Dalek was rather slimy in appearance and held out a tentacle towards the sun. Its eye drifted towards Freya.
"Do I scare you?" the Dalek asked her. Freya shook her head, staring at the poor creature.
"Will you hold me?" it asked her, sounding more hesitant than it had before.
And Freya's heart just broke.
She didn't even hesitate to scoop the Dalek up from its metal prison, cradling the creature in her arms. It closed its eye, relaxing fully into her embrace.
The sound of footsteps pounding behind her caused Freya to jump. She spun around, still standing in the sunlight. The Doctor slammed into a stop, holding a massive gun aimed on her. His eyes were wide in fear as he regarded the Dalek in her arms.
"Freya! Drop it! Now! Drop it and get out of the way!" the Doctor shouted at her, his voice full of fury. Freya winced at the hatred in his voice and her arms tightened around the helpless creature in her arms.
"No. I won't let you do this," Freya told him bravely.
"That thing killed hundreds of people," the Doctor informed her, as if she didn't know. The gun didn't lower.
"No. We killed hundreds of people. I helped it by bringing it back to life," Freya said quietly.
"It's a monster!" the Doctor roared.
"It's not the one pointing a gun at me," Freya pointed out softly. The Doctor stared down at the gun in his hands and back up at her, his expression breaking.
"I've got to do this. I've got to end it. The Daleks destroyed my home, my people. I've got nothing left," the Doctor said brokenly.
"But look at it," Freya said. She glanced down at the Dalek in her arms. It had opened its eye and was regarding her sadly.
"What's it doing?" the Doctor asked, the gun still in his hands.
"It just wanted to be held," Freya whispered brokenly.
"Daleks don't do contact. They kill anyone that touch them," the Doctor warned her.
"It's changing. It didn't kill Mr. Van Statten. It couldn't kill me. Doctor, it's changing," Freya said, staring down at the creature in her arms as it stared back up at her. She glanced back up at the Doctor.
"And what about you? What are you changing into?" Freya asked him, the words coming out harsher than she intended for them to come out. The Doctor dropped the gun to the ground, making his way over to Freya, his face the epitome of brokenness.
"I couldn't…I wasn't…Oh Freya. They're all dead," the Doctor whispered brokenly as he stopped a foot from Freya.
"Why do we survive?" the Dalek asked, its voice a wheeze now that it was outside its shell.
"I don't know," the Doctor admitted honestly.
"I am the last of the Daleks," the Dalek said sadly.
"You're not even that. Freya did more than regenerate you. You've absorbed her DNA. You're mutating," the Doctor told the creature.
"Into what?" the Dalek asked.
"Something new. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," the Doctor said as he stared down, pity filling his eyes. Freya's grip tightened on the creature.
"Isn't that better?" she begged the Doctor.
"Not for a Dalek," the Doctor told her sadly.
"I can feel so many ideas. So much darkness. So much loneliness. Freya! Give me orders. Order me to die," the Dalek begged her, reaching a tentacle up towards her face. Freya allowed the creature to touch her face, closing her eyes as it did. A tear fell down her face.
"I can't do that," Freya whispered.
"This is not life. This is sickness. I shall not be like you. Order my destruction! Please!" the Dalek begged. Freya looked up at the Doctor, begging him for an answer, some other solution. The Doctor shook his head sadly.
Freya turned back to the metal casing the Dalek had been in and gently sat the creature inside it. The creature wrapped its tentacle around her wrist for a moment before pulling back and making the exterior of the Dalek go back into place.
"Do it," Freya ordered, her voice quivering.
"Are you frightened, Freya?" the Dalek asked her. Freya shook her head, wrapping her now-empty arms tightly around her midsection. Tears fell from her eyes freely.
"No. I'm sad. Because I'm alone," Freya admitted.
"I am alone too. Exterminate," the Dalek said, rolling back so it was a good distance from them. It elevated and then sort of imploded. The sight caused Freya to collapse, gasping, sobbing.
After a moment, she felt two warm arms wrap themselves tightly around her from behind. She had no idea how long they sat there, but after awhile the Doctor stood and tugged her gently to her feet. When she was standing, he walked in front of her and hugged her once more, allowing her to sob into the front of his shirt.
"You aren't alone," the Doctor told her as he rubbed soothing circles into her back. He stared at the area where the Dalek had been standing.
Daleks didn't have emotions. But this one had mutated. The last Dalek had mutated.
Not only had it mutated, but it had allowed itself to be held. And Freya had held it. Like it was child. She trusted the creature not to kill her, and it trusted her not to kill it. He had never heard of something like that happening before.
When Freya finally felt like she could move without bursting into tears, she pulled back and stared into the Doctor's eyes.
"Is that the end of it? The Time War?" Freya asked, her voice still quivering.
"I'm the only one left. I win. How about that?" he asked bitterly.
"The Dalek survived. Maybe some of your people did too," Freya tried offering up some hope to the desolate man in front of her. He shook his head sadly.
"No. I'd know. In here. Feels like there's no one here," the Doctor said, pointing to his head sadly. Freya stared at him for a moment before shaking her head.
"When I was running, both of my hearts were beating," Freya admitted. The Doctor's hands instantly went to her chest, resting over both of her hearts.
"They calmed down now. But when I was running, my small heart was beating almost like a normal heart at rest," Freya admitted, biting her lip.
"It's increased its beating. About once every ten seconds now, it seems. That running must've jumpstarted your heart," the Doctor said, shaking his head at the thought.
Her and the Doctor took the lift down to the floor where the TARDIS was parked. The two of them slowly walked towards it, only stopping when they heard Adam call for them.
"We'd bettered get out. Mr. Van Stattten's disappeared. They're closing down the base. Goddard says they're going to fill it full of cement, like it never existed," Adam said nervously.
"Good," Freya murmured and the Doctor nodded along with her.
"I'll have to go back home," Adam said sadly.
"Bettered hurry up then. Next flight to Heathrow leaves at fifteen hundred hours," the Doctor said flippantly. Adam shot her a look, one of which she tried to ignore.
"But where are you going? How are you leaving?" Adam asked anxiously.
"You're not coming with us," the Doctor told him.
"It's a spaceship, isn't it? Please! I've always wanted to see the stars! Just one trip! I won't be a bother!" Adam promised.
"Go step outside then," the Doctor told him.
"Just one trip," Adam begged once more.
"You left her down there," the Doctor accused. Freya shook her head quickly.
"Don't use me as an excuse. He would have died if he hadn't made it out," Freya pointed out.
"I don't know. He's a bit pretty," the Doctor said with a sideways glance at Adam. Adam looked slightly proud of the comment but wisely said nothing.
"I don't like him. I just don't want to be the excuse you don't let someone come with us," Freya told him, wrapping an arm around her stomach absently. The Doctor sighed and turned to Adam.
"Fine. You can have one trip, if and only if Freya's cousin decides she wants to come with us. I don't want to deal with you alone with Freya and me. And you'll leave Freya alone," the Doctor warned him.
"She already told me you two were engaged," Adam huffed. The Doctor's eyebrows shot up and he turned to Freya questioningly. She tugged on the necklace, causing him to nod.
"Yes. Engaged. Glad you know it," the Doctor said before turning on his heel and making his way into the TARDIS. Freya followed him instantly. Adam ran in right after Freya, glancing around in shock.
"Right! Back to 2006 to get your cousin!" the Doctor said, rushing around the console. When it landed, they were inside the Tyler Flat. In the kitchen. With a very cross Jackie waiting for them. The Doctor stepped out and immediately stepped right back inside. He shot Freya a sheepish look.
"You can ask. Jackie's out there," the Doctor said. Freya's eyebrows shot up.
"You're scared of Rose's mum?" Freya asked the Doctor in disbelief.
"Oi! I'm not scared! I just don't wanna get slapped again!" the Doctor said indignantly. Freya sighed and stepped outside, only to be bombarded by both Rose and Jackie. The two of them wrapped their arms around Freya tightly.
"The Doctor wanted to know if you wanted to go on a quick trip with us. We have a boy aboard and the Doctor won't take him anywhere without someone else," Freya asked.
"One trip?" Jackie asked, staring at her. Freya nodded.
"One trip," Freya responded.
"If he returns her more than a day late, I'll skin him," Jackie said, making sure she shouted the last part into the TARDIS so the Doctor would hear it.
"Tell Marie I said hi!" Freya told Jackie and she nodded as Rose followed Freya inside the TARDIS.
"Fantastic! Let's go!" the Doctor shouted as soon as the door was closed.
This time, when the TARDIS landed, Freya felt uneasy. Just as she had when they'd landed at the Alien Museum. The Doctor headed for the door, taking Adam and Rose out with him. Freya remained where she was.
A few minutes later, the Doctor returned.
"Oi! Ya coming?" he asked her. Freya shook her head, causing a frown to form on the Doctor's face.
"Why not?" the Doctor asked her.
"I don't…I have a bad feeling. And I'm a little tired. I was wondering if I could stay here. Take a shower, maybe read," Freya suggested, biting her lip.
"Of course. I didn't think about you being tired," the Doctor said, his own eyes wide.
"It's okay," Freya reassured him. He hesitated once more before finally leaving the TARDIS.
Once he was gone, Freya did as she said she would. She took a nice warm shower and settled down in the library to read a book. She found that his library was quite extensive. So extensive, in fact, that she found a few sequels that had yet to be released. She settled down on the couch and read, losing herself in the book.
When she looked up, there was a pool in the center of the library and she was surrounded by the warm particles.
"Why is there a pool here?" Freya asked suspiciously, only to hear the TARDIS's laughter in her head.
"I could ask the same thing," the Doctor's voice came from the doorway. The gold particles faded quickly, and from the Doctor's expression, he hadn't seen them.
"I was reading and when I looked up, it was there. I think the TARDIS was bored," Freya guessed.
"It wouldn't be the first time. Did you get any rest?" the Doctor asked her. Freya yawned as she placed a bookmark in the book she'd been reading.
"Not really. But I found a great book. How was the adventure?" Freya asked. The Doctor's expression momentarily darkened.
"You were right. Humanity had been set back about a hundred years. We had to correct it. We actually just dumped Adam off at his house. He ended up getting some surgery done to his head and almost getting us all killed," the Doctor said angrily.
"But you're okay now, and he's gone?" Freya asked. The Doctor nodded, moving towards her as she yawned once more.
"Yeah. How about you get some sleep? It's been a long day for you. We'll take Rose back tomorrow," the Doctor told her. Freya nodded, allowing him to help her up and to her room. Surprisingly, her room ended up being right next to the library. She knew it was the TARDIS being helpful, because before it would take her a few minutes to make it to the library in the off chance she had some time to read.
The Doctor helped her into bed and gave her the lightest kiss on the forehead before making his way back to the door. The feeling was phenomenal. Her second kiss ever.
"Good night," he said quietly as he turned off the light.
And Freya had no nightmares that night. The TARDIS barely even had to allow gold particles to keep the nightmares away.
What do you all think? Yes, I know I just skipped Long Game. I don't like that episode, and this is important in its own way. Let me know what you think! :)