AN: Hi-sorry this took so long, thanks so much for all the congratulations on my scholarship! It's exciting, but I'm still doing an art course and I've got a heck of a lot of work to do, so I've been a bit distracted- doesn't mean I haven't forgotten you lot though!
This chap's quote:
"Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it." ~
Ok, so last chap Amy and Jack broke into the Tarme base- causing Amy severe burns on the back of her neck from the roses- they're in a labyrinth of earthen tunnels in which they promptly got lost- Donna's helping, or rather her pocket watch is, but it won't be long before the space bugs find the intruders...
Also, the Doctor is facing a particular hallucination created by a plant called the hathoria, so far, he's seen a pregnant Amy running from a future version of himself, and then her child, Alice, named after his wife Alyssa. He then saw Alice at a young age, and there's a lot of proof she's a Time Lord, also that Amy tells her the story of the 'raggedy Doctor' every night, and both are waiting for him to come back.
We start with Jack and Amy- Enjoy!
"Woah there, looks like we've finally got company."
Jack grabbed Amy, hauling her to a stop as a horde of giant caterpillar like creatures swarmed out of the dark tunnel before them. Amy's eyes widened and she turned to run. Jack didn't move.
Amy grabbed his jacket, tugging at his sleeve, eyes wide as the huge creatures, chittering, clicking and hissing came closer and closer. "Are you INSANE? Come on!"
Jack grinned and shook his head. "Nope, I can buy you some time this way."
Amy frowned. "Are you stupid? You can buy me all the time in the world, but without you I'm not going to get anywhere!"
It was Jack's turn to frown. "You're the Doctor's companion- I'm sure you'll think of something."
Amy rolled her eyes. "Ok, then I don't want to leave you, you might not be able to die- but I'm sure you can feel pain, and that's not fair."
A flicker of consternation flashed across Jack's face as he looked at the scot, and the angry red wounds stark against the white skin of her neck.
The insects were closer now, and bits of dirt fell onto Jack's head, he looked up, then down the tunnel to where the horde was barely one hundred metres away.
"GO!"
He shouted, pushing Amy away from him. But he was too late, as, reluctantly, Amy turned to run, feeling the burning responsibility of Donna's watch in her fist, another host of creatures came from the other end of the tunnel, the pair were trapped.
Amy felt her mouth go dry as she watched the mass of black, glistening, crunching mandibles coming closer and closer. She backed up so she was against Jack, and felt him tense.
Eyes wide, still staring at the creatures coming closer and closer, Amy put her left hand down, taking Jack's. He squeezed her slender, childlike fingers, and took in a shaky breath as the roar of the angry insects became deafening.
Somehow, above it all, Amy heard his whispered words, desperately full of a hope he barely clung to.
"It's Ok Amy. We're gonna be alright."
X
Alice, Amy and the bedroom faded, and the Doctor quickly rubbed away a few tears from his eyes, having listened to Amy faithfully recount their story, easily smoothing over her pregnancy, as if she'd done it a hundred times.
The Doctor shook his head, considering that and feeling an ache in his hearts to match the sick feeling in his stomach.
The darkness began to lighten, gradually, and then suddenly a thousand images of Alice growing up, as if he was fast forwarding through her life, were broadcast into the Doctor's mind.
Her first day of school, her learning to ride a bike, her first snowman, her first trip to Scotland. Often Rory would appear as a friend in the background, helping Amy out as she tried to raise the spirited girl alone. The Doctor felt a swell of gratitude that his little Amelia had beaky at least.
He watched Alice become more and more intelligent, and so beautiful. He saw her starring as an angel in her first Christmas play, singing with carolers, and constantly getting into trouble for wandering off to explore. He saw her writing books and books of notes, questions and observations- watched her bewilder Amy with astro physics and entertain her neighbours with flamboyant productions. He saw her decide to become a detective at twelve after reading Agatha Christie and spending the whole summer performing minor and incredibly successful PI jobs for a sherbert or a pack of jelly babies- which she seemed to love almost as much as he did.
The Doctor found himself smiling as he watched this little girl grow up- this fantastic, beautiful, odd, feisty little girl. He was barely aware of the tears running down his cheeks.
Her life began to slow at around 15. He saw her first kiss, by a lake, and saw her get a scholarship into the college of her choice. Finally, she turned 16 and a scene melted upwards into existence.
Alice, now sixteen and beautiful, with piercing blue grey eyes, clear, light skin and a mass of wavy auburn hair burst into the house, wearing her favorite blue woolen bobble hat and a toggled coat much like her mothers. She was crying.
The Doctor's first instinct was to go to her- but she couldn't see him, had never met him, and so he watched as Amy came running from the kitchen, hands covered in flour from her latest attempt to make cookies. (It turned out she was an appalling cook- Alice, a natural since she first made hot chocolate at five, normally took culinary duties, but Amy never stopped trying to do what she thought a mother should.)
Amy wiped her hands on her apron, already stained with egg, flour and spilt milk, pulling the thing off and running to wrap her arms around her daughter.
Alice collapsed, sobbing into her arms. Perplexed and worried, Amy held onto her daughter, stroking her hair. "Shhhh, baby. Shhhhh Alice. It's Ok. Gotcha."
The Doctor jumped a little and then shook his head, smiling bitterly to himself, stepping closer to the scene, putting a hand out to stroke Alice's hair. He closed his eyes as his fingers tingled a little, touching the dust that was creating the illusion, but he couldn't make himself believe the girl wasn't real. Or wouldn't be.
"Gotcha." He murmured.
After a while, Alice calmed and Amy lead her to the sofa, sitting her down.
"Go on Li-Li, tell me what happened."
Alice sniffed and rubbed her eyes, then looked at her mother with eyes that had always been far older than she was.
"I'm not- I'm not, mad am I?"
Amy's eyes widened. "Wha- No! No of course you're not, what brought that up?"
Alice shrugged. "Well, I was hanging out with Liz, and we were talking about- y'know, stuff. Anyway, she asked me about my Dad…"
Amy's mouth opened, in comprehension. The Doctor could practically feel her empathy, and hated himself for the pain he'd caused both of them.
Tears were once again running down Alice's cheeks as she continued. "So I told her- I've known her since I was four, and she said I should be locked up after laughing at me, and I said that she should be locked up for having no imagination, and she said it was all very well to have a lively imagination as long as you could control it. And I said I obviously could, I just didn't try to conform to anyone else's ideas, and that she should think about that, and then I left. I got about halfway here when I started crying."
The Doctor couldn't help smiling a little as he stood watching the pair's conversation. She was so like her mother, even tucking her hair impatiently behind her ear, as Amy did so often, and at the same time so like he was- in the way she needed to catalogue and recount everything at about a million miles an hour, with no intention of reciting anything but the truth to those she loved.
Alice sniffed and looked seriously at her mother.
"Mum- he's not real, is he? The Doctor?"
Amy frowned. "Sweetie, of course he is. Not everybody can read minds and has two hearts- who else do you think your father could be?"
Alice smiled a bit, and nodded. "Yeah, right, sorry- that was stupid. But, then, he's not coming back, is he?"
Amy bit her lip, and her voice shook a little as she spoke. "What makes you say that?"
Alice shrugged. "Well, for one thing, you're right, sometimes I do get thoughts from you- and for another, you're always so sad when you talk about him, like you're talking about a dream you don't believe in any more."
Amy let out a deep, shuddering breath and leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her daughter.
"Oh my little one. My little Alice. I don't know if he's coming back- I don't know where he is. I'm sorry."
Both of them began to cry into each others shoulders, Alice repeating again and again. "I knew it…I knew it…I knew it."
Finally, Amy pulled back, putting her hands on Alice's shoulders and staring fiercely into her eyes.
"But I know he loves us alright? I know that."
Alice nodded, staring hard into her mother's eyes, and then smiling a little.
"I believe you."
The scene dissipated and the Doctor stared at the darkness where his love and his daughter had been. "I do. I love both of you."
The darkness lightened for the last time, broadcasting a few more images into the Doctor's mind- Alice moving out, Alice getting her first job in a bookshop, Alice's first article as a freelance journalist, Alice getting into oxford, Alice taking a gap year and rowing up the Amazon…
He saw Alice become an English teacher, turn twenty five and publish her first book. He saw her spend half her time with her mother, and splitting the rest between exploring the world, star gazing and devoting herself to her students. He watched her fall in love.
The boy's name was Harry- and he was, possibly, the only person in the world the Doctor could have approved of- brilliant, dotty, spirited but happy enough to bow to Alice's superior fire, and incredibly kind. Not only that, but he was utterly in love with the girl, ever since he saved her from a fire in their apartment building- running back in in spite of the firemen trying to stop him. They drifted closer and closer, and when he finally proposed, next to the lake where Alice had had her first kiss, the Doctor felt a thrill of excitement for his daughter, proud and happy to see her radiant in love.
Finally, the scene the Doctor had been waiting for came into existence. Amy and Alice, in a dressing room, Alice in her wedding dress. The Doctor was smiling, and he pressed a hand to his mouth to stop himself laughing in delight at how beautiful she looked, he wanted to hear every word the pair said to each other.
Amy leaned forwards, putting her hands on her daughters shoulders. Alice had her hair loose, but little white and sapphire crystal flowers were threaded through it, her dress was simple and elegant, pure white silk with a few crystals drifting down the bodice. She had a simple white veil with a few pink roses around the top, and her makeup was natural. She wore antique crystal earrings, and a simple silver necklace that the Doctor had seen Amy wear.
"You look beautiful Li-Li."
Alice grimaced then laughed. "Ugh, Mum, you make me feel like I'm a kid again."
Amy raised her eyebrows and kissed the top of her daughter's head. "You'll always be my little girl."
Alice grinned. "Cliché" But she blushed happily, too.
Amy noticed her daughter's hands fiddling with her dress and wrapped her arms around Alice's torso. "It's ok, everything will be fine."
Alice sighed. 'I know- it's just…"
Amy frowned in worry. "Just what sweetie?" Amelia had barely changed at all, the Doctor thought to himself- she still stood proud, and seemed healthy enough, the only sign to show she'd aged were the occasional wrinkles around her eyes and on her brow, faint lines from bringing up her daughter, and a few gleaming silver hairs.
"I love Harry, but-"
Amy's frown deepened. "Do you not want to marry him? That's fine, I can cancel the wedding."
Alice shook her head. "No-No, I want to go through with this. I just wish He was here, that's all."
Amy's eyes filled with pity and her arms tightened around her daughter as she kissed her head again. "I know, Alice, I know. It's ok, I gotcha."
Alice nodded, briskly wiping a tear from the corner of her eye, then flapped a hand at her mother. "Go on then, quick, you'll make me an emotional wreck before the weddings even started."
Amy laughed, and the Doctor could see tears in her eyes too as she stared at her beautiful daughter, ready to be married.
"Right, got it- don't be too long though, we've got a time limit!"
Alice smiled, "I know Mum. Wish me luck!"
Amy, who'd been shutting the door, froze and then said, "oh, of course! Good luck!"
Alice giggled and then sighed as her mother shut the door. She stared at her reflection, then put a hand to her chest, first on the left hand side- and then to the right.
The Doctor wandered if she'd told Harry- he hadn't seen her do so. Alice got up, brushing the creases out of the silk of her wedding dress.
Then a stranger stepped out from the shadows on the other side of the room.
Alice and the Doctor jumped, and then both wore identical expressions of confusion as the Shadow Doctor, the real one in Alice's reality, came under the light.
Alice stared at his features for a moment, eyes intense and penetrating, noticing the tweed jacket, bow tie, and eyes just like her own. She barely noticed the expression on the Other Doctor's face- stormy and dark.
The real Time Lord did though and tried to push Alice away, though his fingers just brushed dust. "No- no- Alice, can't you see? There's something wrong!"
But Alice couldn't see, or maybe she didn't want to. Instead, a beautiful, open smile stretched across her features.
"You're the Doctor!"
The Shadow Doctor nodded, and Alice stepped forwards, quickly, still beaming, eyes shining, light fracturing from her earrings across her cheeks.
"I'm your daughter."
The Shadow Doctor nodded again, eyes still black as the rising storm clearly boiling up inside him. His words were a rough whisper.
"I know."
And then, as Alice raised her arms to embrace her father- the father she'd never met, he calmly put his left hand into his pocket, withdrew a shotgun, flicked the catch, and shot her in the head.
The Doctor saw the bullet burn through the air, tried to push Alice out of the way and met dust. He saw the metal blacken the roses on top of her veil, saw it meet her skin…
Alice melted into the darkness- it was as if she'd never existed.
"No." The Doctor whispered, hands clutching the air where she'd stood, radiant and beautiful. The dust kept up the rest of the scene- the Shadow Doctor threw the pistol to the ground and the real one ran at him, trying to punch him and feeling his fist fly through dust and thin air.
The Shadow Doctor simply walked away, and then at last the image faded, leaving the Doctor in the dark. He heard the sound of the door opening, though he couldn't see it. He heard Amy saying she'd heard a shot, heard a scream, heard her desperately trying to wake up her daughter.
"Alice, Alice baby, baby come on, my girl, wake up. Please wake up, Li-Li, baby, come on sweetie," Amy choked, becoming more and more panicked. "Come on darling, H-Harry's waiting. L-lovie, little one, open your eyes babe, come on now, smile? P-please, Alice, don't leave me- please d-don't leave me- wake up, please, PLEEEEAAASSE."
The Doctor heard Amy's panic turn into heart shattering grief as she began to sob uncontrollably, and in the dark, alone and trapped, he sobbed with her, choking as he cried.
"No….no…..no….NO!"
I'm sorry for that.
Now what- Amy and Jack facing danger, and the Doctor- how will he react to this? Will his behaviour towards Amy change?
Again, sorry for the late update, thanks for reading! I hope you continue to do so and review please!
Kat