"You kissed me" Alice repeated.

"Yes," the Doctor said. "I did. You're not mad are you?"

"I saved your life didn't I?"

She couldn't have been more than a foot away from him now. She was still holding the bow and an arrow, the weapon might have been down but she looked ready to pull it back up again any moment. Even though her eyes formed a glare, there was still amusement behind them.

"That could mean anything" he replied, relaxing. But only slightly.

"That was your reason?" she asked

"What?" The Doctor was now totally confused.

"Kissing me was your reason for why I couldn't come?" she clarified.

"No! No, that wasn't my reason. That was my explanation for my reason."

It was Alice's turn to look confused.

"Think about it," the Doctor told her. "Use that brain of yours."

Alice thought about it, and when she got what he meant she stood there, dazed. It couldn't be true, couldn't be. "Are you saying-" she began, but had to start over. "Are you saying that you love me?"

"And I would hate to see anything happen to you" he finished for her, smiling. He looked into her eyes. "Now please tell me you don't hate me or something."

To his surprise, Alice threw her arms around him and pulled him into a hug. "Of course I'm not mad!" she said. "I'm extremely happy! And I'm not one to use that phrase often. Why do you think I asked how old you were earlier? I thought I was going to have to talk myself out of loving you!"

"Glad you two are happy" Jack said, "but don't we have something else we need to be doing?"

"Actually, yes." The Doctor pulled out of the hug and turned to look at Jack. "We need to figure out how to completely destroy the Daleks. Any ideas?"

"We seemed to do just fine" Tabitha said. "I'm sure all of us together could do some damage."

"Too risky," the Doctor said. "And there's too many. No way we would kill them all."

"How have you defeated them other times?" Alice asked. "Maybe if you did that again, it would work."

The Doctor thought about that for a minute, and then grinned. "Oh Alice, that idea is brilliant!" His face fell though. "Too bad the only way is that one. Even it's a bit dodgy. I nearly killed myself the last time that happened. Actually, no, I did kill myself."

"Can't you just regenerate?" Jack asked

"No," the Doctor answered, "out of regenerations."

"Well, what do you need to do? I could always do it, considering I can't die."

"It might even be too much for you."

"But-" Jack protested

"Listen, Jack, I need to look into the heart of TARDIS."

That knocked the idea out of his head. "There isn't another way?" he asked quietly.

The Doctor shook his head. "The only reason the Daleks survived after that is because of the Cult of Skaro, and they're all dead. This is our only option." He sighed. "Jack, do you mind going and getting the TARDIS?"

Jack nodded and saluted, before running off.

"Jack can fly the TARDIS?" Alice asked

"No, but he should be able to have her lock onto me. And then she'll do the rest." The Doctor paused, but sensed the question on Alice's mind and continued. "Jack travelled with me. A few incarnations ago. Well, more than that, it feels like forever since then. Probably has been."

Alice could tell that this wasn't something he wanted to talk about, and immediately dropped it. They sat in silence for a while.

Jack returned with the TARDIS quickly, the distinct sound of its engines filling the room. At the same time, Daleks began to flood the room.

The Doctor turned to Alice and put his hand on her cheek. "Alice, I am sorry that I have to pull a stunt like this on you now. I'm extremely sorry, I am." He met her blue eyes for a second, and then gave her another kiss.

She pulled away, and smiled slightly. "Do what you need to do" she told him.

He nodded, and then ran into the TARDIS.

"Be careful, Doctor" Jack said, running out of the TARDIS.

The Doctor sighed and looked at the TARDIS console. "Let's do this," he whispered.

Outside the TARDIS: Alice, Tabitha, and Jack were holding off the mass of Daleks that were advancing. Edd strode in, a sly smile on his face.

"Well then Doctor," he called, "you've had your time! Don't tell me that you're just going to run away. I'd be so disappointed."

A golden light spilled out of the TARDIS. Edd backed up a few paces, eyes open wide in shock. "NO!" he screamed.

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS, surrounded by golden light.

"You wouldn't!" Edd shouted

The Doctor laughed. "But that's where your wrong Edd, because I would. I've already said it, I'm tired. I want to put an end to this war, for good. If you're as good of a mind reader you said you were, then you would know that." There was more power behind his voice than it should have been possible.

Edd glared at the Doctor. A thought drifted into his head, a memory.

"If a Time Lord did that he'd become a god. A vengeful god."

"You're a coward!" Edd spat. "There's no way you would actually do it!"

"Really now?" the Doctor asked. "Even you know that everything must eventually turn to dust!" He waved a hand, and one of the Daleks divided into atoms.

All of the Daleks divided into atoms.

"NO!" the Daleks screamed, but their screams didn't last long.

"You've done it!" Tabitha said gleefully. Jack let out a cry of joy. Alice turned to look at the Doctor, who was staring straight at Edd. He was shaking, as if trying to get a hold of himself.

"Doctor," Alice said quietly. "You can let go of the power now."

"I don't think I can." He hadn't taken his eyes off of Edd, and the shaking was getting worse. "There's something about him. The whole vortex cries out in anguish when I look at him. The universe quakes in fear. There's something that he's done, something that he's going to do, and the universe wants me to kill him now so no one will suffer."

"Then don't listen. What's the kid's name anyways?"

"Edd Dice"

Alice's eyes widened in shock, then formed into a glare. She turned to look at Edd, who was staring at them, wondering what was going on. His eyes narrowed. "Jack," Alice said, not taking her eyes off of Edd. "This is going to sound really stupid, but what color are his eyes?"

"Umm... brown. Does it matter?"

"It matters a ton." Alice turned back to the Doctor, and reached up and turned his head so he was looking at her. "I know exactly who he is, and have a good idea of what he's done. Yes, he is a terrible man and should be killed. But not yet. It's too early in his life. He'll do something later in his life that impacts Hyrule's history greatly. If that event doesn't take place, I could cease to exist. Now look at him again, Doctor."

He turned his head to look back at Edd.

"If you kill him, it's more than likely that you're going to kill me too. Are you willing to do that?"

"Never," the Doctor said. He was starting to even sound more like himself. He turned back around, facing the TARDIS, and let out a breath. The power flowed out with it, and went back into the TARDIS, where it belonged.

it's not over yet, trust me. I've still got to give Edd some time to shine =D