Have a chapter a day early-I'm too excited! This chapter marks the beginning of the conclusion. What an odd phrase. Anyway, five chapters remain of this story, and then I'll take a break. Once that's over, get ready for a sequel!
Also: massive shoutouts to dancer4813 and margie-me for peppering me with reviews. It's very appreciated!
On with the story!
Chapter 24- All Kinds of Developments
"Erica!" the Doctor yelled in my ear. "Wake up!"
After a night plagued with images of Clara, the Daleks, and bright blue beams, those are not words you'd expect to hear when someone wakes you up. The Doctor hadn't had the sense to let me sleep: I don't do well with unexpected wakeups. So when I yelped in surprise and accidentally hit him in the face, one can hardly blame me.
"Ow!" the Doctor exclaimed, clapping his hands over his nose. "What was that for?"
"I could ask the same of you!" I retorted, pulling myself into a sitting position. I rubbed my sore eyes: for some ungodly reason, the Doctor had seen fit to throw all the lights in the room to the brightest. "Why are you waking me up?!"
"Algo called," he said quickly, before I could strike again. "Remember Delta Delta?"
"Of course I remember," I snapped. "We found an Aligrena and left it with Algo for him to hack into. What did he call about?"
"He's made progress on the Aligrena," he explained. "He said he's almost got the info, and that if we come back in another week or so he should have it."
My heart seized up. Algo had almost hacked into the Aligrena database. He's nearly ready to give us all the information we need to go find Naomi. We had gotten back on track.
"In a week?" I clarified, sitting up straighter. "We only have to wait a week?"
The Doctor grinned. "We're in a time machine. Who says we have to wait?"
I laughed gleefully, jumping up and throwing my arms around the Doctor. Surprised, he hurried to get a good hold on me, laughing along with me. I clutched him a bit tighter, my heart filling with hope: I was finally going to see my sister again.
I separated from him quickly, now fully awake. "You—out. I need to get dressed."
"I'll meet you by the console," he said, turning and walking away. He reached my door and glanced over his shoulder at me, still grinning.
"What?" I asked. Shouldn't he be flying the TARDIS or something?
"Sorry," he apologized. "It's just…I've never seen you so happy." He nodded, as if to apologize, and left the room, closing the door behind him.
As I showered and dressed like a madwoman, I thought about the Doctor's observation. It wasn't like he was wrong—I've always been completely focused on my goal to get Naomi back, I almost never had time for happiness. I constantly focused on saving Naomi, or making sure the Doctor and I were safe when one of our adventures went to the wayside. I always worry, but now I'm happy because, as far as Naomi's concerned, I won't have to worry so much. Sure, I worry for her just because I'm the one who takes care of her, but when I get her back, some of my fear can ease when I know she's okay.
The Doctor's remark also revealed that he'd been watching over me. He'd been looking out for me as we jaunted through time and space, like I had for him. The thought of him caring for me gave me an unexpected feeling in the back of my ribcage. I'm still not quite sure what it was. But I knew I got it when I realized that for once, I was getting looked after. I'm usually the one who makes sure shoes are on and hair is combed before running out the door; that's just me, that's just what I do. The Doctor doesn't exactly mother me like I mother Naomi, but he's always got an eye out for me and always makes sure I'm safe.
No one's really put me first since my dad died.
So when I hurried into the console room, prepared to fly to Delta Delta, and the Doctor made me turn around because I hadn't dressed warmly enough, I didn't get as offended as I would have if I didn't know just how much the Doctor cared for me.
I perched on the edge of the landing whose steps led to the console, throwing my arms out in mock exasperation. "Is this better?"
The Doctor looked over the outfit I'd assembled: a gray cotton sweater, jeans, the hiking boots I'd worn the last time I visited Delta Delta Noda Four, and a warm black jacket made for all weathers.
"Much," he said, nodding. I hopped down the stairs, skipping over the last three, and joined him at the console. His hand lingered on a lever as he chewed his lip thoughtfully.
"What are you waiting for?" I asked. "Aren't you going to fly her?"
"Yes, yes," he answered offhandedly, staring into space. "Just…thinking."
I shifted as an uncomfortable silence settled between us. I didn't want to push the Doctor, but I needed to break him out of this funk.
"If you don't hurry up, I'll start flying her," I warned jokingly, watching warily for his reaction. When he gave none, I added, "Okay, Doctor, what's going—"
"Promise me you'll keep your head," the Doctor interrupted, whipping his head around, his eyes boring into mine.
"What?" I asked, confused.
"Promise me you won't let your emotions get the better of you," the Doctor rephrased.
"Doctor, what are you talking about?" I said indignantly.
"Erica, you use your heart to guide you," he explained. "And many times, it has saved both of us. But when you see your sister, your heart might kick into overdrive, and your moral compass might go a bit…less moral."
Oh, I thought. That's what he's afraid of. He feared I would go nuts and hurt someone when I saw Naomi and whatever state she was in. Well, I'm not going to lie—it's pretty likely that something like that would happen. I pledged myself to Naomi when our dad died seven years ago, knowing full well the commitment I was making. I didn't have much choice: we didn't have any other family and putting her in the foster system was out of the question. I'd even looked after her when we were younger, when Dad was still alive and I didn't need to bear the responsibility alone. When I dedicated myself to Naomi when I was eighteen, I vowed to always put her first.
Which was why I had to tell the Doctor no.
"I can't promise you that, Doctor," I said. "I can't promise I won't go all mama bear when I see her. I can't promise I won't want to avenge what's been done. That's just me, that's what I do. But I can promise you that I will always put Naomi's needs first. I'll do what's best for her. If that means following your instructions to the letter, I will. If that means completely disobeying you and doing things my way, I will. I don't think the second thing will happen, though: I trust you to know what's going on and how we can get out of it. I can't promise you unwavering obedience, Doctor, but I can promise my willingness to help—whether you or Naomi need it, I'll help you as much as I can."
The Doctor sighed and lowered his eyes from mine, gazing thoughtfully at a spot on the console. "Humans," the Doctor said wearily. "All heart and no brains." He turned his head toward me, exasperated appreciation on his face. "I suppose all I can ask is your help. Asking for logic from a human? I'd have a better time asking mercy from a Dalek."
His words sounded like an insult, but his tone conveyed admiration. I took his statement as a compliment. "I can't help that," I said. "It's part of being human. And you know what?" I placed a comforting hand on his back as I lowered my face to whisper in his ear. "I'll tell you a secret: I learned a lot of it from you."
I pulled back and found his weariness gone, replaced by quietly glowing pride. "Thank you," he said, cracking a careful smile. "I'm honored."
"So am I." Drawing back up to my full height, I said bracingly, "Well, let's stop lollygagging, we have a planet to get to and a sister to save."
The Doctor quickly returned to his usual, Tigger-like self, waltzing around the controls in his normal hectic dance as he primed the TARDIS for takeoff. He hesitated on the Signal Follower for a moment, glancing up at me.
"Is there any way to persuade you to wait at home, even if it's safer there for you?" he asked, as if he already knew the answer.
I smirked. "Absolutely not."
The Doctor grinned. "Erica Stone," he said admiringly. "When there's something you want, not even a Time Lord can stop you." He grinned at me, pulling a final lever and sending the TARDIS whirling through space and time.
Several vwoorps later, the TARDIS landed back on Delta Delta Noda Four, and the Doctor and I were bolting to the doors in a hurry, eager see Algo's work.
"I've just landed in Algo's shop after the Coliseum closed, so we should have it all to ourselves!" he exclaimed, bursting through the TARDIS doors. I eagerly dove through behind him, bumping into him just outside.
"Doctor, move over," I commanded before I followed his line of sight and realized why he'd stopped in the first place.
Algo's shop was a mess. It bore clear signs of a massive struggle: dislodged shelves dangled from the wall, spare computer parts littered the floor, and the door into the back hung from one hinge. Four massive, blue-skinned legs lay in the doorway.
"Algo!" I cried, rushing to the doorway.
The sonic buzzed behind me as I carefully stepped around Algo's legs, searching for a light switch. I found a button and slammed my hand onto it, throwing on the lights for the entire store and revealing Algo on the floor, covered in a gooey green substance. His eyes opened, squinting at the lights.
"Thought I turned them out," he muttered.
I sighed with relief. If he'd died so soon after Clara, I don't think I could've handled it. "Thank God you're all right," I said. "Looks like you're badly hurt."
He glanced down at the gooey liquid. "This? Oh, no," he assured. "No, I had a new product that we spilled in the fight."
"Fight? What fight?" I asked. The Doctor slowly drew toward us, holding the sonic screwdriver out like a sword, the light at the top glowing brightly. I pulled Algo into a sitting position, trying to help him up.
"The…the Aligrena," Algo said as he climbed to his feet. "I tried to start it up to run some final tests, but it went absolutely berserk."
"Do you know where it went?" the Doctor asked, closing the sonic and slipping it into his coat pocket. We filtered out into the store, where we could stand together easier.
"I'm afraid not," Algo said. "It knocked me out when it ran past me into the back room." He put a hand to his forehead. "Forgive me, I'm still a bit dizzy."
I felt his forehead. "You do seem a bit warm," I observed.
He moved his hand from his forehead to chis chest. "My heart's racing."
The Doctor gently pulled Algo's arm toward himself. "That chemical all over you might be interacting badly with your body," he exclaimed, pushing up Algo's sleeve. "Just let me take your pulse—"
As the Doctor pressed two fingers to Algo's wrist, Algo suddenly clamped his hand on the Doctor's, his cold eyes glazing over. Metallic clicking filled the room as Algo's body shifted and twitched, as if being adjusted.
I knew those clicks.
"Doctor, get back!" I yelled, pulling in vain at his arm in Algo's grasp.
"Erica, get the sonic, now!" he ordered. I opened his coat and plunged my hand into the pocket—the screwdriver lay mercifully close in the bigger-on-the-inside pocket, and my fingers had just wrapped around it when the Doctor suddenly roughly grabbed my arm and yanked me away, throwing me to the ground.
"Hit the button!" he ordered.
I quickly found the button on the handle of the sonic and pressed my thumb over it, pointing the green light at Algo. His image suddenly fizzled and completely shorted out, revealing…
"No!" I screamed as the Aligrena that had masqueraded as our ally wrapped more arms around the Doctor.
The Doctor staggered back and forth as they wrestled with each other, the Aligrena clearly winning. I tried buzzing the screwdriver again, but only succeeded in changing the image from the Aligrena to Algo and back again. Meanwhile, the Aligrena had nearly succeeded in overpowering the Doctor. I was panicking—how could I help the Doctor against such a terrifying foe? I had no science knowledge, no special gadget, no self-defense training against a metal alien…nothing. I only had the sonic screwdriver and my fear-fueled motivation on my side. If I knew what to do, I would do it in an instant.
As soon as I had come to that conclusion, I knew what to do.
"Hey! Aligrena…thing!" I taunted, forcing down my fear. As it continued its struggle with the Doctor, I added, "You remember Naomi Stone?"
The Aligrena stayed completely focused on the Doctor. I had to change that. "Hey, space junk!" I yelled, louder this time as I pointed and buzzed the screwdriver at a loudspeaker on the ceiling. The resulting shrill whine halted the wrestling match, the Aligrena pulling slightly back from the Doctor to rotate its eye screen towards me, red lights flashing on and off.
"Erica, get out of here!" the Doctor ordered.
"Not a chance," I replied, staring at the Aligrena. Directing my next words to my enemy, I continued, "You remember Naomi Stone? You know, the girl you kidnapped from Chicago?"
"Naomi Stone," the Aligrena repeated. "Origin: Chicago, 2014. Currently seeking Erica Stone to complete gene line."
I held my arms out invitingly. "Guess who."
"Erica, no!" the Doctor screamed as the Aligrena began untangling itself from him. The Doctor fought to keep its arms from moving, but it had too many to beat. The Aligrena quickly drew towards me, but I didn't back down: I had to keep the Doctor safe. And who knows? The Aligrena might take me to Naomi.
The Aligrena's tentacles wrapped around me, goosebumps erupting over my skin at the touch of the cold metal. The Doctor fought against the arms, trying to pry them away from me, but the metal proved too strong, and soon the Aligrena had cast the Doctor to the floor, the Doctor's legs flying up absurdly high. He was always such a drama queen.
"Preparing for temporal shift!" the Aligrena declared, its red eye screen blazing brightly.
"NoooOOOO!" the Doctor exclaimed pleadingly as heat from the Aligrena seared me, a bright light blinded me, and I had the inexplicable feeling that I was about to be torn apart, atom by atom.
The Aligrena and I suddenly landed on a cold, metal floor, the alien going limp. I used the opportunity to untangle myself from it, scrambling away hurriedly. Something in my hand clattered as I crawled away; I opened my fingers and found the sonic screwdriver. I pulled a Doctor and whipped it out, scanning the dark, cold room until I remembered that I had absolutely no idea how to use it.
Damn, I thought. I should've left it with the Doctor. At least he knew how to use it.
Well, the one thing I could do with it was use it as a flashlight. Keeping the green bulb glowing, I looked around the room we'd landed in: I had to squint it was so dark. The Aligrena had brought me to a rocky cave, drops of water hitting the floor and echoing off the walls. The whole thing had a theme-park feeling to it, as if it were designed to look natural by man. Well, maybe not man…
The Aligrena behind me began shifting around, so I turned off the sonic and tucked it into the waistband of my jeans: I wouldn't let the Aligrena anywhere near it. I spun around as the Aligrena climbed to its feet (so to speak), its eye screen sparking to life. It glided towards me, stopping right beside me.
"March," it commanded, moving forward. I obeyed, even though every instinct within me screamed not to.
The Aligrena marched me down a hall whose end never seemed to arrive. I found myself anxiously terrified; I wanted the corridor to end, but I feared what waited for me. As terrible as I sound, I'm not ashamed to admit I enjoyed those moments in the corridor: whatever lay at the end of it would change the course of my rescue mission and call for action I might not be ready to take.
Oh, did it call.
I walked under the darkened archway, hopelessly unprepared. This room had better lighting, allowing me to see the horror within. I had entered a huge cavern with a bizarre metal ceiling that vaulted inversely, the dome pointing down instead of up; after a moment of examination, I realized it was the underbelly of a massive spaceship. An odd structure made of the same metal as the Aligrena flowered in the middle of the cavern. As we drew closer, we saw that it was a strange sort of operating table, meant to display whoever was strapped upon it. I found that someone occupied it as the Aligrena marched me past it, occupied by someone I'd dedicated my life to. Someone who made me leave home and travel across the stars to get back.
On the table lay my sister.
"NAOMI!" I can hardly stand to write about it now. Bars made of Aligrena metal pinned her to the table while delicate wires ran in and out of her arms. She wore a bizarre helmet, all chrome and blinking lights, that connected to the ship in the ceiling with a long, thick cord. She looked paler and thinner since the last time I saw her, her yellow hair limp and sweaty. Her eyes darted frantically beneath her eyelids and her lips formed words without sound, whimpering occasionally.
I turned to her table, delicately reached in and cupped her face, my thumbs stroking her cheekbones. I whimpered her name, but she couldn't awaken. My baby sister lay there, trapped in a nightmare, and there was nothing I could do about it.
"What have you done to her," I said, my voice dangerously low. My head snapped back to the Aligrena, where I found a vicious claw that had been reaching for the back of my neck. I viciously grabbed the arm, forcing it away with both hands.
"What have you done to her?!" I repeated, my voice equal parts desperation and rage. I plunged one hand to the waistband of my jeans and pulled out the sonic, buzzing it threateningly at the Aligrena. "If you hurt a single hair on her head, so help me—"
A great gust of wind suddenly blew toward me, starting up from nowhere. I froze up when I heard the sound of safety, of adventure, of the universe's saving grace: the ethereal vwoorp of the TARDIS.
How? I wondered to myself. How could he possibly be here? A massive rectangular outline faded into existence behind the Aligrena, the edges shining brightly. The light at the top came next, pulsating on time with the vwoorp. Soon, the beautiful blue box materialized out of thin air, the windows in the top panel glowing from the inside.
So that's how it looks from the outside, I thought in some separate, observational part of my brain.
As soon as the TARDIS finished solidifying, the doors opened and the Doctor leaned halfway out of them, extending his arm, his eyes wide with urgency.
"Buzz Wand!" he called.
Immediately understanding, I threw him the sonic screwdriver, turning end over end through the air. He caught it and bolted out of the TARDIS, his green coattails flying after him. Pointing the sonic at the Aligrena, he fired three short bursts and then a long, continuous buzz; through some kind of tech magic, the Aligrena dropped to the floor, the eye screen going dark and the tentacles going dead.
"Completely disabled until I reactivate him," the Doctor explained, lifting concerned eyes to mine. I gazed back, astonished and relieved.
"Thank God for the sonic," I said, stumbling toward him.
"Thank Omega for taking it with you," the Doctor replied as he caught me up in a warm embrace, his arms forming a strong, protective cage around me.
"What are you doing here, you noble bastard?" I demanded as I clutched him desperately. "I gave myself up to keep you safe!"
"Like I could let you do that," he replied, rubbing my back soothingly. He pulled me back a few paces, looking me up and down. "Promise me you'll never do that again."
"What's the point if you keep coming anyway?" I replied sarcastically. "In fact, how did you get here? How did you know where the Aligrena took me?"
The Doctor held up the sonic screwdriver. "The TARDIS locked onto the sonic's signal as you left, and then we followed you here. Thanks for activating it, by the way. How did you know you needed to?"
"I didn't," I answered simply. "By the way, it makes a terrible flashlight. You can hardly see anything."
"Don't diss the sonic!" he reprimanded playfully, pocketing the screwdriver. His eyes moved past me and to Naomi, lying amidst wires and restraints.
"So this is Naomi," he said, from a thousand miles away.
I turned back to my sister, sleeping restlessly. "What happened to her, Doctor?" I asked, not taking my eyes from her. "Why is she all hooked up?" I looked sideways at him, hopeless. He refused to meet my gaze, shifting his weight from foot to foot.
I knew that response: guilt. And if he showed guilt after I'd asked a question, then that meant he knew the answer, probably for a long time, and didn't want to tell me.
"Doctor, what do you know that I don't?" I asked. I feared too much for Naomi to be demanding or angry with him, like I normally would. "I'm tired of not knowing everything I can. Just give me this one: my sister's life might be at stake."
"Not her life, but her mind," the Doctor corrected, meeting my eyes. I saw in those eyes acceptance and respect, like a soldier taking an unsavory order from his commander. "Her memory might not be the same when we get her out."
I nodded, squeezing his hand. "Okay," I said, bracing myself. "Start from the beginning."