Long Chapter! Yep, uploading 2 today as I got bored... Hopefully River isn't TOO OOC... Enjoy~

Chapter 25: Of Life And Death

River clutched at her daughter as she coughed up blood. She stared up at the Doctor with wide, pleading eyes. "Help her!" She yelled, distraught. River couldn't bear the idea of losing her daughter permanently having just found her.

The Doctor floundered. He was at a loss over what to do; his only surviving flesh and blood was dying before him. He knelt next to her, and took her hand in his. "Regenerate," he pleaded softly.

From behind him, Eyphah's laughing intensified. "Oh you wonderful idiot," she said, "She can't! I took her regenerations from her in order to build my own life anew! Donahue helped in that regard, as he did clearing a space for me in her mind and setting up the perfect alibi by giving me her memories. Oh, and removing her first 9 years of her memory - a stroke of genius! It allowed me to rest without fear of her spoiling my plan. I knew you'd find her eventually, so I set up a false memory and a perception filter. That way she could get close to you without either realising the search was over. That way I could bring you here!"

She glanced at the Doctor's side, to where his bandage was still strongly attached. He was almost healed now, but not quite.

"I knew then that it would only be a matter of time before we ran into my minions, the Silence. They were only too happy to spill your blood for me. You do realise that that wound was never intended to be fatal? That is an honour promised to me!"

River saw a slight change in the Doctor's posture and shifted her weight to the balls of her feet. This would not end well.

"You said I would do something in the future. You do realise that going back on my timeline will cause a paradox?" He asked. He sounded remarkably calm; considering his daughter was dying.

Eyphah laughed again. "Don't you see? I've already caused a paradox just by bringing you here! Donahue; show them."

But Donahue did not show anyone anything. As the Doctor felt a pressure in his mind - Eyphah was telepathically pushing against Donahue - something unexpected happened.

Donahue's normally black eyes flashed brilliant orange, and he crumpled lifeless to the floor. He'd killed himself, silently and without any explanation. Seconds later, Ula joined him in the world beyond. Eyphah stopped laughing. "I am the last..." She said softly. "The last of my kind. Officially and forever."

The Doctor snapped. "You've killed so many people," he exclaimed, "and you have the indecency to sound pleased with that? My daughter is DYING and you really don't care, do you?"

The Doctor continued to rage at the alien before him as Jack snuck up behind her. Eyphah froze as Jack dug the barrel of his pistol into her back; his laser weapon now out of charge.

"Tell us how to heal Blysse," he said coldly, "or I will kill you. Unlike the Doctor, myself and River are decidedly trigger happy. Now start talking." He pressed the barrel of his Webley harder against the blue flesh to emphasise his point.

Eyphah attempted a laugh that stuck in her throat. She hadn't counted on Jack, that much was clear. She coughed lightly and spoke to him in an ice cold voice.

The words she said had no translation into English as River listened. The TARDIS couldn't - or perhaps wouldn't - translate the conversation. The Doctor didn't understand either; Time Lords weren't taught this language it would seem. But he knew what it was. "Old Boeshanian," he breathed.

Jack clearly understood every word. Eyphah's words were meant for him alone and they burnt ice cold in his heart, hurting him more than any blade ever could. He stood still, quivering for a moment, then sagged.

The Doctor and River watched with growing anxiety as Eyphah stood up. She turned to face Jack, saying a couple more words to him. Their anxiety turned to horror as Jack's face - visible over Eyphah's shoulder - contorted with pain. Eyphah drew back, a blade shining wetly in her palm as Jack crumpled to the ground, dead. Again.

She turned to face the small family. "I'd do something about her if I were you." She guests red at Blysse, smiling coldly.

"We would," spat River, "if you'd tell us how to help her." She cradled her daughter's head in her hands. Eyphah remained silent. Blysse reached out a hand, weakly grasping River's wrist.

"Eyphah..." Her voice was terribly weak, straining with pain. Blysse looked with pity in her eyes at the blue creature before her. "You can't afford for me to die," she coughed, "but you don't want me to live."

Eyphah's grin faltered. The young adult was right. She whirled to face the Doctor full on. "I wanted tiger back at you for what you did to me, only I discovered that you'd already taken care of the exact same job yourself. So I went for the next best thing; your new family. I sent Donahue here to catch the girl; he did splendidly. He checked on her every year in the Orphanage, locking her sense of self away with me in a small pocket watch, set to your pure DNA. And you walked almost willingly straight back to her. You released me, allowing me to take over her form until I could take that of my own species once again. But I didn't count on one thing."

She paused. The Doctor and River stayed silent. They didn't know what to say. Eyphah looked down, appearing almost timed. But her eyes said that she was angry with herself for not taking complete control.

"We're connected," Blysse whimpered weakly, "As I die, she dies with me. And Eyphah needs to live. She wanted me to die to hurt you," she indicated the Doctor, "but now she can't finish her plan. She's stuck."

Eyphah grinned wolfishly. She whirled once again to face the Doctor. "I'm not afraid to admit that." She leant closer and whispered in his ear. "Revenge, Doctor. Revenge for the future."

Drawing back slightly, Eyphah continued, her voice cracking slightly. "And I'm so sorry, Doctor, but the future - my past - is too great to be forgiven."

Eyphah took a lengthy step back. Her eyes glinted - she'd made up her mind. Picking up the long, dark cloak as an old-fashioned lady would a long dress, Eyphah stormed across to River, gesturing that she be allowed to hold Blysse. Reluctantly, River allowed this.

Eyphah knelt down and whispered something in Blysse's ear. The ginger woman's eyes widened and she stared at the blue alien. Then she went still. Her eyes glazed over and River let out a chilling cry as Jack lurched back to life.

Eyphah's voice was quiet as she whispered a single sentence. The sentence was clear as cut crystal despite its low volume and the commotion around her as River wept over Blysse's still body and Jack caught up. "Death and Life," she said, "One cannot be without the other."

And Eyphah began to fade from existence.