AN: Short chap this time- sorry about last one's heartbreak! Still, please remember this is all VISUAL METAPHOR- the Hathoria are taking FEARED TRUTHS and IDEAS and portraying them in a difficult light. It's a form of torture- of course the Doctor wouldn't do that in reality.

This chap's quote:

Pleasure of love lasts but a moment, Pain of love lasts a lifetime.

Ok, last time- the Doctor saw himself shoot a hallucination of his daughter- a hallucination he'd seen grow up in fast forward- and when he shot her, he was left in the dark with Amy's screams. Clearly, he is heartbroken, and we left him sobbing 'No'.

Jack and Amy on the other hand are lost in the Tarme's labyrinth base- and now the creatures themselves are descending- in all their space bug gory glory. Will they survive unscathed?

We'll see- enjoy!

Amy closed her eyes as one of the creature's hairy, spit covered, fang dominated faces loomed above her.

NOOO!

The tunnel shook, dirt crumbling from the ceiling as a shockwave that rang through the girl's brain roared through the tunnel. Crying out, Amy's hands flew to her head as she collapsed to the ground, feeling her legs go out from beneath her.

The word reverberated again and again through her brain- shaking her thoughts and memories. Yet it felt like whatever the force behind it was was restraining itself. Slowly, the effect faded entirely, and, breathless, Amy got to her feet, feeling Jack do the same behind her.

In both directions dozens of immobile grey carcasses lay on the ground- the light in their silver eyes so dim it was practically non existent.

Amy looked at Jack, eyebrows starting to pull up together, breathing coming heavier and heavier in gasps. He just stared back, shocked- still shaking in the aftermath of 'the word'. Slowly, he took her hand, and Amy let him as they both headed down the tunnel, picking their way over the unconscious creature's bodies.

They said nothing, their skin was clammy, and pale white. Donna's pocket watch was remarkably silent- almost lifeless apart from a faint glow. All of them tried to comprehend the event that had just occurred.

It wasn't so much the psychic shock wave- even to Amy, unfamiliar with such terms, she could guess from a life long interest in science fiction that something like it was what had so brutally incapacitated their attackers.

The thing that was really scaring all three was that the voice had been the Doctor's, and full of the most agonizing pain imaginable.

X

Slowly, the darkness faded- faster and faster, until the Doctor found himself once more in the dust coated room. A circle ten metres in diameter around him was completely clear of the pollen.

On the walls, the Hathoria were shriveled and dying, a shadow of what they had been, the blossoms limp and dead. This plant had long tortured the hearts, minds and souls of creatures all across the universe- but it hadn't counted on the unadulterated power and rage of a Time Lord.

There was a faint snick, and the Doctor looked up- his eyes hollow and face gaunt. In his mind, Amy's screams, and the gunshot that had killed Alice echoed over and over in a kind of awful symphony.

The door to his prison swung open- there had been primitive mental blocks around it, but the Doctor had disabled them with his screwdriver, and under the immense pressure of his mental cry, all the locks had short circuited.

Weak, empty, exhausted- the Doctor struggled to his feet, his breathing ragged. He stood there for a moment- in the middle of the dusty room- the Time Lord victorious. The Lonely god.

Slowly, the raw agony in his expression faded into the depths of his eyes as he hid it away in his heart- nursing his wounds. His features became impassive as he took his first step towards the door- mechanically planning how to save Donna and distractedly wondering where the Tarme were.

As he got to the door, Jack and Amy- whose walk had turned to a run as their worry had gotten out of control, came hurtling to the opening. Breathing fast, Jack glanced at the Doctor- registering the not quite hidden pain in his eyes.

Amy saw it immediately- and with a little moan of worry, love and concern, stepped forwards, going to throw her arms around him- comfort him- tell him it would be alright, as he had for her so many times.

But as she did, the Doctor stepped back- quickly, as if afraid her touch would burn him. Amy froze, confused, eyes full of questions. The Doctor didn't meet her eyes, and Jack watched incredulously.

Suddenly the Doctor took Amy's hand, by the tips of his fingers, as if he couldn't bear to touch her. Almost unconsciously Amy yielded to his cold touch, allowing him to extract Donna's pocket watch. The watch glowed, and all of them heard a single sentence from the Doctor-Donna, her voice warm and rich with sympathy and pain.

"Oh- you poor thing."

The Doctor shut his eyes, his fingers wrapping around the watch, letting out a long, shaking breath. Amy wanted desperately to touch him, hold him, help him. But after his first response- she didn't know what to do. So she and Jack stood, silent and motionless, waiting for the Time Lord to speak.

Finally, he opened his eyes. With a gruesomely fake smile, he said, "come on then, lets go."

His voice was hoarse and pain filled, and he blinked, coughing a little, before running down the tunnel, not checking to see if the other two were following.

Bewildered, his companions ran after him.

Yes- very short, but hopefully you'll see why I've left it alone- it's the impact of what he's been through, and I don't want to muffle it with yarns of plot. That's next chapter.

So most of the Tarme are down- dead or unconscious? And where's Donna? Or at least the rest of her mind and body? And what are the Tarme going to do with her? What was her plan?

I'll leave you to think about that, hope you still like it- sorry for all this angst! It gets better, eventually...but I do sorta need to put a bit of emotion in the story- I'm sorry!

Thanks for reading!

Kat