I knew if I tried to contact Tardis, my voice would give away their location, but I couldn't think about that right now. I had to teleport myself to the central ship and go through with my plan. Right as I was stepping in the teleporter, Daleks were appearing and I pushed the button to get me out of there before I was killed. I felt my molecules being separated and closed my eyes as they were being put back together at a different location. When I opened them, I was in a brighter white room with a couple more teleporters. The room was empty except for me and I searched for a screen or computer; I needed a map of this ship. It was similar, but more different compared to the regular Dalek ships. There were more rooms and corridors and floors on this one, and I wasn't about to get lost in here while Tardis and Lucy were sitting frightened in an air vent. As I was clicking away, I heard the sounds of Daleks echoing nearby. They must have gotten some sort of alert that someone used the teleporters down here and were investigating what it was. I pushed one more button and a map of the ship appeared on the screen. I only got a couple of seconds to study it before the Daleks' voices were uncomfortably close and I slipped away.

I snuck around the ship's floors in search of the engine room. It was on the same floor as the teleporters, but this floor had a couple sub-levels and many stairs. What the Daleks needed with stairs, I don't know, but they helped me. The maze of stairs continued upwards towards the ceiling, and I started to hear Daleks. They found me. I quickened my already fast pace and started to run. I needed to reach the engine room before they reached me, but there was probably no way I could make it to the engine room and go through with my plan. I never explained my plan, but I don't have time for that right now.

Sweat was running down my neck and I could tell I was getting closer to the engines. I flicked it off my face and continued running. The Daleks were closing in on me, and fast. I was worried that I was going to be cornered in the engine room, so I started to sprint as fast as I could. The thought of Tardis and Lucy gave me some urge and I felt like I could withstand anything, even a shot from a Dalek. I didn't dare slow down and find out if I could, though.

A door in front of me opened and heat flooded from it. It wasn't boiling hot, but it was significantly hotter compared to the rest of the ship. I ran in and looked for, yet again, another computer. My fingers flew across the keys and found the controls I was looking for. A couple different dots appeared on the display and were labeled: "A" and "B". One marker was a triangle with a label that read, "Master." I quickly figured this was a map with the locations of the other two ships. With a few keystrokes, the display changed slightly and there were lines connecting the ships together. I left the computer and scanned the room for an additional door to escape to, but found none. I grumbled and tried to think hard of some plan, but my brain was starting to run out of ideas.

"EXTERMINATE THE DOCTOR!"

My only choice was to hide in the labyrinth of pipes and gears to lose the Daleks. I turned and sprinted down a walkway into the depths of the Dalek machinery. It progressively grew hotter as I continued into the maze. My jacket wasn't helping me at all, so I slid it off and ran with it dangling in the crook of my arm. A drop of sweat slid down the side of my face, and when I went to wipe it, I tripped over a pipe and cried in pain loud enough for anyone nearby to hear. "EXTERMINATE!" They were too close for comfort, so I tiptoed in the opposite direction of their voices.

"Escape is pointless, Doctor." The Dalek's voice echoed eerily throughout the steamy room. Any other day I'd taunt them, but the odds were not in my favor at the moment, so I kept my location concealed. I felt the heat lessen as I progressed through the maze, and guessed that I was nearing towards where I entered. I turned one corner and saw the backs of some Daleks then quickly hid back where I came from. They didn't hear me, so I peeked around the corner to see they'd disappeared. I tiptoed down the walkway and took a left turn the Daleks hadn't taken. Fortunately I had found the main room. Unfortunately, I didn't know where any of the Daleks were. For all I know they could be hiding at the doors for me, or they could be behind me at this very moment. "Doctor, all we want is-" I ran out the doors once I heard that they were far away, then made my way to the teleporters.

It seemed like there were no Daleks in sight, which seemed very odd to me, but that was great for me. That made it easier for me to finish the job. I skipped stairs down to the computer where the teleporters were, and whipped out my sonic screwdriver. While typing away, I found what I was looking for: a timer. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention my plan. I needed to link the ships so when one teleported, the rest did also. That's what I needed the timer for, so I had time to get back to the TARDIS and grab the girls before we were teleported into the depths of a certain black hole that would freeze them in time. I needed to set the timer for a certain time, though and I didn't know how much time I needed. Two minutes at the most, but no less than one minute was all I needed, I think. I set it for two minutes and thirty seconds just to be safe, and used my sonic to make the countdown invisible to the Daleks' scanners. I pushed the button to start the timer and started to count down in my head to keep track of how much time I had left.

I set a separate teleportation for me to go to the ship where the TARDIS was, but I was interrupted by a shot that fired past me. I looked up and saw a squad of Daleks in the doorway. My hearts started to beat at an alarming rate and I ran. They tried to fire at me, but missed miserably because I kept jumping behind poles and such that would guard me. I heard their screeches of frustration multiply by the second, and realized that more and more Daleks were flooding the vast lower level of this ship. Some how I made it back to the teleporters safely and pushed the button to teleport me back. Now I only had a minute to get the girls and I out of there. That was enough time... I disappeared right as my pursuers flooded into the teleporter room.

I opened my eyes once I knew that I had made it safely to the other ship. The bad part about teleporting is that the time each trip differs, so I lost track of how much time we had left. I switched on my button as soon as I could and called for Tardis. "Dad!" She sounded so relieved to hear my voice, and I the same. "Meet me at the TARDIS, we need to get out of here as soon as possible." "But what about the Daleks?" She whispered, and I heard her voice echo from the other side. They must have been hiding in that air vent this whole time. "Don't worry about them, just worry about getting back home, okay?" I smiled and I could just feel her tension lifting. "Okay, see you then, Dad. I love you." "Love you too, Tardis." She disconnected and I made my way to the elevator. That was when I heard the alarms go off once more. That meant that the Daleks had found the girls and were probably chasing after them. I pointed my sonic screwdriver at the elevator doors and they opened up for me. I then pointed it upwards towards the box and it started to hurtle down at an alarming speed. As soon as it reached me, I closed the doors and pushed the button for the floor the TARDIS was on. With a click of my sonic, it started to fly up even faster than before, and I arrived in no time. Now all I needed to do was find Tardis and Lucy and get them out of there.

I sprinted through the corridors looking for the dock where my ship was, and then something else caught my eye. It was a flash of bright orange and red, and I ran after it. But then many Daleks followed them, and I returned to my hiding spot before any of them could see me. When they were gone, I ran after the figure I saw and had an idea on who it was; Tardis and Lucy. I probably only had 30 seconds before we teleported, so it was my only chance. I slid into view of the two girls and Daleks, but right as I ran towards them, it all went wrong.

"Tardis, Lucy!" Lucy got distracted by the sound of my voice for one split second while she was running and a Dalek shot at her. I felt like I was frozen in time. I'd messed up really bad. There was no way that I could handle that burden for the rest of my long life. Especially since Lucy was so young. All she wanted was to see her mother once more, and look at what I did...

Lucy fell limp once the shot hit her, and Tardis screamed. I was frozen in shock, but shook it away once Tardis shook me. "Run, Dad!" I didn't even think, and we ran away. I had no idea how Tardis was carrying Lucy and pulling me, but she was. "Don't worry about Lucy, just run, Dad!" She kept trying to get me to run even faster, but I was appalled by her words. Lucy had just died, and she told me not to worry? "Just keep running, Dad!" This little girl, who was probably the most vulnerable and innocent child, was killed right before her own eyes and she just tells me to keep running? "We're here!" She snapped her fingers and the doors swung open. She practically fell with Lucy on the ground and snapped her fingers once more to close the doors, and the TARDIS started up. I stood there, leaning on the rail, still in shock of what happened to Lucy. She couldn't be dead, she was only a little girl...

Then the room started to glow yellow. I realized that it was emanating from Tardis and she had her hands over Lucy. The source of the glowing was a yellow glitter-like wisp of air shooting from Tardis' fingers. "Tardis, what-" I understood immediately what she was doing, but it was impossible. No Time Lord could control that. "Tardis, you can't bring her back. She's already dead. Maybe if she were injured you could, but she's-" I didn't want to say it a second time. That word... Dead. "Shut up! I can bring her back. Her brain is still running, I can bring her back!" I was about to assure her that it wasn't possible, even for her impossible act, but a noise interrupted me before I could even say so. Lucy's eyes opened and she gasped for air. The TARDIS stopped, and my daughter fell over in fatigue. Regeneration was a tiring thing, but using it on another living thing was probably even more tiring. "Lucy, are you okay?" I put my hands on her shoulders and she nodded. I wondered if her sight was working, but her eyes still had that glazed look. "I'm fine, Doctor." She answered innocently as if nothing happened. I then jumped over to Tardis, who was barely conscious, and lifted her head. "I'm fine, Dad. Just get Lucy back home." She rasped and I knew she needed energy of some sort. "You used your regenerating abilities on Lucy, Tardis. You need some food and rest first." She shook her head, but I lifted her up with a grunt. "Stay here, Lucy. I'll be right back." She nodded and I went as fast as I could down the stairs.

The TARDIS must have known I was in dire need of the kitchen, because there was only one door that appeared, and it was the kitchen doors. I ran in, grabbed some food, and ran out. Tardis' door appeared once we left the kitchen and I laid her on her bed. "Dad," "Shh, I'm helping you." I pulled up a little tray and put a glass of water and a plate of random food on it. "Eat up. I'll be taking care of Lucy." "Wait, you're not going to-" She grasped my arm before I could leave. It was as if she could read my mind. "I have to. She's experienced death, Tardis. She should only have to experience that once, and not this young, either." She let out a weak little whimper of sorts before I could return to the console room. Lucy was sitting right where I left her and was looking around the room. "Doctor?" She turned in my general direction and I had to keep back a frown. "Lucy, I need to tell you something. Something very important." She tilted her head and I sat down next to her. "Do you remember anything before waking up?" "I remember we were running, from the monsters, and Tardis was guiding me. Then I heard your voice, and fell asleep." So she did remember dying... "Lucy, you didn't fall asleep. You died." I didn't expect her to understand, but I had to tell her. "But, if I died, how am I here? How am I talking to you, Doctor?" She panicked, and had trouble breathing. "Calm down, Lucy. I know it's hard to understand, but I just wanted to tell you before I..." I couldn't bear to tell her what I was about to do. "Before you what? Doctor, I don't understand how I'm here... My mum always told me that when people died, they went to heaven. This isn't heaven, Doctor!" She had short breaths and was starting to hyperventilate.

That was when I held her head in my hands and stared into her eyes. I'd only done this once before, and that was long ago. I'd hoped I'd never see that face of desperation and fear while I was erasing Donna's memory ever again, but obviously it has to happen once more. "Doctor-" Lucy's round young eyes were starting to forget everything she had experienced and felt. Any memory of the Daleks, the TARDIS, secret agencies, Tardis, the Doctor, and experiencing death were slowly slipping away. If there's one thing a child should never remember, it's death. "Doc-" She closed her eyes and fell limp, but this time she was still breathing and alive. With every bit of guilt I had, I picked her up and set course for London. I had managed to find out where she lived by her previous memories and intended to return her to her mother, where she belonged. As soon as the TARDIS landed, I opened the doors and saw a familiar flat. It was Lucy's home, where her mother should be waiting anxiously for the return of her daughter.

I knocked on the white door and awaited someone to answer. I was just as anxious to let Lucy go as much as her mother was to hold her again. My arms were shaking, mostly from guilt but also from regret. If I'd just told Lucy and Tardis to stay where it was safe, inside my blue box, then this wouldn't have happened. Lucy would have a memory of an adventure that she could cherish forever, and the bond she had with Tardis would be stuck in her mind. I could've given her hope, for something. Everybody needs hope some time in their lives, and she could've used that hope for something later in her life. But she couldn't have that, not any more, at least.

The door swung open and a young woman gasped in disbelief. "Lucille! Oh my dear Lucille!" I handed the woman her daughter and was about to turn away. "Wait!" She stopped me. Honestly, I just wanted to run away at that point. I couldn't handle looking at that little girl any longer. "Thank you, mister. I thought she was dead." That hit me hard. Instead of telling the truth, I just forced a smile. "It was nothing, ma'am." Before she could ask any more questions or try to repay me, I hopped down the stairs and mysteriously strolled down the street towards the TARDIS with my hands in my pockets. The doors swung open for me and I sought refuge inside.

I didn't even take off, because I didn't know where we'd go; I don't think any adventures could take this off my mind. I was sure Tardis was going to hate me for a while because I erased the memories of a six year-old girl, and one of her only friends, at that, but I could handle a scolding. I didn't want to do it, but I had to, and some things just gotta be done, whether you like it or not.