The Diamond Path: Part 2
A.N: Soz for taking about...6 weeks...:} but this one is definitely longer than the last part so... on to reviews:
Counting Sinful Stars: Jethro is pretty awesome :). Thanks for updating, it really means a lot to me, and I think you'll be happy with this chapter... especially right towards the end ;)
beulah2013 (Chapter 16): Well if you think about it this way - The Doctor has just met a woman who knows his name. He knows the only way he would tell his name to anyone is if he's Bonded with them and River told him that Winter had told her so...if you think of it that way, you may be less angry.
(Chapter 18): I giggled like a girl with a crush when i read your other review. Thank you so so so so so so much for what you said. I am so glad that you love it and I and so happy that you think that my writing is that good. I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations.
ShadowTeir: Here is your next update. I hope you really enjoy it and I go back and read things from the begining too. Did you find anything new? I added a couple of things in there...like an Easter Egg Hunt. Lol. Enjoy.
"Are you alright?" The Doctor asked Winter once he had a hold of her. It was dark, but they were both quickly adjusting to the darkness with their advanced senses.
"Yeh…I should be fine. I landed a little funny though - think I hit my head." The Doctor was about to take out his sonic to look over her when she waved it off.
"It's fine. It just means I don't have to take my compound now." He still looked a little worried so she gave him a small grin. He grinned back and then turned to everyone else.
"How are we? Everyone all right?" He asked. There was a general consensus of yeses.
"Earthquake." Hobbs said. "Must be."
"But that's impossible. The ground is fixed. It's solid." Dee Dee said, remembering all the facts that the professor had told her about Midnight.
"We've got torches." The hostess said. "Everyone take a torch. They're in the back of the seats."
"Oh, Jethro." Val called out for her son wanting to make sure he was okay. "Sweetheart, come here."
Jethro brushed off her touch."Never mind me. What about her?" He said pointin to Sky. She was sitting silently with her face in her knees.
"What happened to the seats?" Val asked. Winter ignored the question and began looking more closely at Sky. She was just sitting there - it didn't even look like she was breathing. She was brought back into reality when the hostess brushed past her.
"We're safe." The Doctor said.
"Driver Joe," the hostess called. "Can you hear me? I'm not getting any response. The intercom must be down." The hostess opened the driver's door and a bright light suddenly flooded the cabin. An alarm sounded off until she managed to close it again.
"What happened? What was that?"
"Is it the driver?" Biff asked. "Have we lost the driver?"
"The cabin's gone." The hostess said breathily.
"Don't be ridiculous. It can't be gone. How can it be gone?" Hobbs asked.
"Well, well, you saw it." Dee Dee said to him looking a little shocked. No, that wasn't the question Winter thought. What has the strength to do that?
"There was nothing there, like it was ripped away."
"What are you doing?" Winter's head turned towards where Biff was aiming the light. The Doctor was trying to fix the panel.
"Ah, that's better. Little bit of light. Thank you. Molto bene." Winter walked over to the Doctor and kneeled down beside him and gently put her hand on his arm. Something isn't right Doctor. She said into his mind.
What do you mean? He asked her.
"The cabin's gone. You'd better leave that wall alone." Biff told the Doctor.
"No, it's safe. Any rupture would automatically seal itself." He removed the panel and began looking at the wiring.
"But something sliced it off." Winter told them. "You're right, the cabin's gone."
"But if it gets separated?" The hostess asked but she didn't really want to know the answer.
The Doctor hesitated for a moment before answering sadly. "It loses integrity. I'm sorry, they've been reduced to dust. The driver and the mechanic. But they sent a distress signal. Help is on its way. They saved our lives. We are going to get out of here, I promise. We're still alive, and they are going to find us."
"Doctor, look at her." Jethro told him. When he did he noticed that Sky hadn't moved, not one inch.
"Right. Yes. Sorry. Have we got a medical kit?" He asked the hostess.
"Why won't she turn around?" Jethro asked. Winter shook her head not knowing the answer to the question.
"Sky?" The Doctor asked tentively. "Can you hear me? Are you all right? Can you move, Sky? Just look at me."
"That noise from outside. It's stopped." Jethro said.
"Well, thank God for that." Val said with a sigh of relief. Oh were these people stupid? There is never a coincidence between things like this.
"But what if it's not outside anymore? What if it's inside?" Winter looked towards the kid and smiled slightly. Maybe there were a few intelligent people on this shuttle apart from the Doctor and her. "It was heading for her."
"Sky? It's all right, Sky. I just want you to turn around, face me." Sky looked up slowly and faced the Doctor but stared at him blankly.
"Sky?" She repeated.
"Are you all right?" The Doctor asked.
"Are you all right?"
"Are you hurt?" Winter asked this time hoping that Sky would stop but she didn't.
"Are you hurt?" She said copying her.
"You don't have to talk." The Doctor told her.
"You don't have to talk."
"I'm trying to help."
"I'm trying to help." Winter looked at Sky once more and then put her hand on the Doctor's. I really don't think you should be talking right now Doctor.
But I have to help her. She may just be in shock.
Look at her. Winter cried. That doesn't look like shock to me. That looks like something very wrong!
I have to try, the Doctor told her. Winter frowned in annoyance and began getting ready to do something if the need arose.
"My name's the Doctor." He continued with his conversation.
"My name's the Doctor."
"Okay, can you stop?"
"Okay, can you stop?" It was eerie and unnerved WInter. Even the tone was the same.
"I'd like you to stop."
"I'd like you to stop."
"Why's she doing that?" Hobbs asked nervously. And it took very little time for Sky to copy him as well.
"Why's she doing that?"
"She's gone mad!" Biff exclaimed and sure enough Sky copied him too.
"She's gone mad!"
"Stop it." Val cried as soon as she noticed the woman copiying her husband. She hated it - the weirdness. There was something wrong with the Sky woman. She needed medical help.
"Stop it."
"I said stop it." She yelled.
"I said stop it."
"I don't think she can." Winter looked at her for a moment. Dee Dee had said that with an almost morbid fascination in her voice.
"All right now, stop it. This isn't funny." Hobbs commanded.
"All right now, stop it. This isn't funny."
"Shush, shush, shush, all of you." The Doctor turned to them.
"Shush, shush, shush, all of you."
"My name's Jethro."
"My name's Jethro."
The Doctor turned to Jethro and frowned at him disappointedly. "Jethro, leave it. Just shut up."
"Jethro, leave it. Just shut up."
"Why are you repeating?" The Doctor asked her. As if he thought that anything he may say could break through to her.
"Why are you repeating?"
"What is that, learning?" The Doctor began thinking out loud trying to figure out what was happening to her but it was hard. He had never heard of anything like this - not even back when he was at the Academy.
"What is that, learning?"
"Copying?"
"Copying?"
"Absorbing?"
"Absorbing?"
"The square root of pi is 1.772453850905516027298167483341. Wow." Winter looked on worriedly from where she was standing. That was not supposed to happen. People shouldn't be able to copy numbers so long – the average memory capacity was 7+/-2 words.
"Doctor." She whispered. Sky still copied her. "I really think you should stop now." But the Doctor just ignored her.
"But that's impossible." Hobbs gasped.
"She couldn't repeat all that."
"She couldn't repeat all that."
"Tell her to stop." Val shrieked.
"Tell her to stop."
"She's driving me mad." She said as if all she had to do was say something and the rest of the world would comply. Winter felt like slapping her.
"She's driving me mad."
"Just make her stop!"
"Just make her stop!"
Winter had had about enough of this woman by now. "Don't you think that we've been trying?" She hissed. "She would stop talking if you all just shut up!" People began talking over each other yet Sky still managed to copy every single one of them.
"It's got to be a trick." Hobbs said – still trying not to believe what was happening.
"Explain to me how she can do that?" Winter shouted at Hobbs. "Whatever is happening is real!
"Now, just stop it, all of you." The Doctor turned to Winter and frowned. This isn't helping anyoneWinter. He told her.
"Now, just stop it all ofyou."
"Her eyes." Hobbs gasped. "What's wrong with her eyes?"
"Her eyes. What's wrong with her eyes?"
"She can copy anything." Jethro seemed fascinated by whatever was happening. It was unusual and who wouldn't be. It was just, at this time, it was probably a bad thing.
"She can copy anything."
"Biff, don't just stand there, do something. Make her stop." Val screeched.
"Biff, don't just stand there, do something. Make her stop."
He didn't want to. Biff was terrified of whatever had happened to the woman but so was his wife. He thanked the stars that Jethro wasn't panicking as well. "You're scaring my wife."
"You're scaring my wife."
"Mrs Silvestry." The hostess asked gently.
"Mrs Silvestry."
"She's different. She's something else. Do something. Make her stop."
"Make her stop."
Suddenly the lights came back on and everything seemed to be a little bit better. There weren't any shadows jumping off the walls or illuminating Sky's face unnaturally and nobody really payed attention to her copying for a moment.
"That's the back up system." The hostess informed them breathing more calmly than before.
"Well, that's a bit better." Biff said, equally relieved.
"What about the rescue? How long's it going to take?" By now, all she wanted to do was get of the damned shuttle and make sure she never heard of this planet again.
"About sixty minutes, that's all."
"Then I suggest we all calm down. This panic isn't helping. That poor woman is evidently in a state of self induced hysteria. We should leave her alone." Everyone froze. Because now it wasn't just that Sky was copying him, she was now speaking completely in sync with him.
"Doctor." Winter whispered.
"I know."
"How can she do that?" Val asked. "She's talking with you. And with me. Oh, my God. Biff, what's she doing?"
"She's repeating, at exactly the same time." Jethro/Sky said.
For god's sake Doctor! Stop talking! Winter begged. Whatever was in Sky wasn't only copying, it was learning. It reminded her too much of the Angel in its progression.
"I think you should all be very, very quiet. Have you got that?" The Doctor told them calmly.
"How's she doing it?" Val/Sky shrieked.
"Shut up!" Winter yelled at her, noticing that Sky was copying her as well as everyone else.
"How can she do that? She's got my voice! She's got my words!" Panicking was a bad thing right now. Everyone was on the break of panicking - they did not need proper panicking now. Hobbs seemed to agree with her.
"Come on, be quiet. Hush, now. Hush. She's doing it to me." He started as he realised she was copying him too.
"Just stop it, all of you." The Doctor/Sky shouted. "Stop it, please. Now then, Sky. Are you Sky? Is Sky still in there? Mrs Silvestry? You know exactly what I'm going to say. How are you doing that? Roast beef. Bananas. The Medusa Cascade. Bang! Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, Winter. Shamble bobble dibble dooble. Oh, Doctor, you're so handsome. Yes, I am, thank you. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O. First she repeats, then she catches up. What's the next stage?"
"Next stage of what?" Dee Dee/Sky asked.
"That's not her, is it. That's not Mrs Silvestry anymore." Jethro/Sky whispered.
"I don't think so, no. I think the more we talk, the more she learns." The Doctor/Sky said.
"Well then shut up!" Winter/Sky pleaded. "This isn't going to end well Doctor and you know it. She is dangerous." She whispered.
"Doctor, make her stop." Val/Sky cried out.
"Val, come with me. Come to the back." Winter told her. Val followed her to a seat and she sat her down. "I'm going to give you something that will calm you down." Val nodded and Winter gave her an anti-anxiety pill. She had needed them before she could control her powers at one point but not anymore.
"I can't, I can't look at her. It's those eyes." She said, calm now.
"And you don't need to." Winter promised.
"We must not look at goblin men." Dee Dee/Sky said quietly. Everyone turned to look at her briefly.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Biff/Sky
"It's a poem. Christina Rossetti." The Doctor elaborated.
"We must not look at goblin men. We must not buy their fruits. Who knows upon what soil they fed Their hungry, thirsty roots?" The eeriness of the poem was amplified by Sky speaking in echo. It didn't help the matter.
"Actually," The Doctor said, "I don't think that's helping."
"She's not a goblin, or a monster. She's just a very sick woman." Hobbs said angrily. Winter had to wonder if it was because of his fear or how they were eying the woman.
"Maybe that's why it went for her." Jethro said, and once again, the Doctor thought he was a smart kid for his age.
"There is no it." Hobbs denied.
"Think about it though." Jethro continued. " That knocking went all the way round the bus until it found her. And she was the most scared out of all of us. Maybe that's what it needed. That's how it got in."
"For the last time. Nothing can live on the surface of Midnight." Hobbs practically shouted.
"Professor, I'm glad you've got an absolute definition of life in the universe, but perhaps the universe has got ideas of its own? Now trust me, I know what happens when your taken over. I think there might well be some consciousness inside Mrs Silvestry, and whatever it is is learning. It's like a child who listens to your words before copying them and that's what's happening. But if there is still some bit of Sky in there, we have to help her." Winter told him, glaring at the man.
By this time, nobody had realized that Sky had stopped copying Winter. She was only staring at her hollowly when Winter began talking. "Well, you can help her. I'm not going near." Biff said.
"Why has she stopped copying you?" The hostess asked. Everyone turned to look at her and then at Winter.
"What?" Winter asked.
"Why has she stopped copying you? She's still doing it to me - to the Professor, even your partner but not you. Why?"
"I - I don't…" But she did know. Either the consciousness inside Sky was choosing a target or the Angel was blocking something. Winter hoped it was the second one - and if that was the case, this was the first thing she had to be thankful to the Angel for.
Because if that thing got inside her head and tried to use her powers, then there would be no stopping it.
"No!" The Doctor shouted. "Winter has to stay back, because if she's copying us, then maybe the final stage is becoming us. I don't want her becoming Winter, or things could get a whole lot worse."
"Why's she so special?" Biff asked, with his arms folded.
The Doctor froze. "You don't need to know that. We stay back, and we wait. When the rescue ship comes, we can get her to hospital."
"We should throw her out." The hostess said.
"No!" Winter shouted. She may not like what was happening but she was not going to justify murder. You let it happen with the Master. How is this any different?
No, no! That was different. He was going to kill everyone! But she could feel the smirk the Angel was pulling. No - it was different.
"Can we do that?" Biff asked.
"No. No we can't." Winter said, standing up and glaring at Biff. In her anger, he saw her indigo eyes flash to grey and back again - only for a moment and he gulped.
"That thing, whatever it is, killed the driver, and the mechanic, and I don't think she's finished yet." The hostess said, trying to convince them.
"She can't even move." The Doctor said.
"Look at her." The hostess shouted. "Look at her eyes. She killed Joe, and she killed Claude, and we're next."
"She's still doing it. Just stop it. Stop talking. Stop it!"
"Biff, don't, sweetheart." Val cried - only this time she was worried about her husband's safety instead of screeching like a banshee.
"But she won't stop. We can't throw her out, though. We can't even open the doors." He shouted.
"We are not throwing her out." Winter shouted. "She needs help and what everyone needs to do is to stop talking."
"Yes, we can." Dee Dee/Sky said. "Because there's an air pressure seal. Like when you opened the cabin door, you weren't pulled out. You had a couple of seconds, because it takes the pressure wall about six seconds to collapse. Well, six seconds exactly. That's enough time to throw someone out."
"Did you not listen to me?" Winter cried. "Just stop talking!"
"Would it kill her outside?" Val asked. Winter groaned.
"I don't know." Dee Dee told her. "But she's got a body now. It would certainly kill the physical form."
"No one is killing anyone." The Doctor said, trying to stop the madness. But they ingroned him and carried on talking.
"I wouldn't risk the cabin door twice, but we've got that one. All we need to do is grab hold of her and throw her out." The hostess/Sky said.
"Now, listen, all of you. For all we know that's a brand new life form over there. And if it's come inside to discover us, than what's it found? This little bunch of humans. What do you amount to, murder? Because this is where you decide. You decide who you are. Could you actually murder her? Any of you? Really? Or are you better than that?"
There was a pregnant pause and Winter though the Doctor had finally gotten through to them and sighed a small sigh in relief.
"I'd do it." The hostess said.
"So would I." Biff/Sky said.
"I think we should. I want her out." It physically hurt the Doctor to hear sweet Dee Dee say something like that.
"You can't say that." He said.
"I'm sorry, but you said it yourself, Doctor. She is growing in strength."
"That's not what he said." Winter said angrily.
"I want to go home. I'm sorry. I want to be safe." Dee Dee said.
"You'll be safe any minute now. The rescue truck is on its way." The Doctor promised, trying to plead with her.
"But what happens then, Doctor?" The hostess asked. "If it takes that thing back to the Leisure Palace, if that thing reaches civilisation. What if it spreads?"
"No, because when we get back to the base, I'll be there to contain it." He said.
"You haven't done much so far." Biff accused him. "You're just standing in the back with the rest of us, protecting her." Her said, pointing a finger at Winter. The Doctor's eyes narrowed at what Biff was once again implying.
"She's dangerous. It's my job to see that this vessel is safe, and we should get rid of her." The hostess said. "You seem to think that Miss Swann isnt a danger and I believe you but Mrs Silvestry is."
"Now, hang on. I think perhaps we're all going a little bit too far." Hobbs said to her.
"At last. Thank you." He told Hobbs. Hobbs gave a small acknowledging nod towards the Doctor in reassurance.
"Two people are dead!" The hostess cried.
"Don't make it a third." Winter snapped. "Jethro, what do you say?"She asked him.
"I'm not killing anyone." He said, sounding disgusted at even the thought of it.
"Thank you." The Doctor said.
"He's just a boy." Val/Sky said.
"What, so I don't get a vote?" Jethro asked angrily.
"There isn't a vote. It's not happening. Ever. If you try to throw her out that door, you'll have to get past me first."
"Okay." The hostess said.
"Fine by me." Biff agreed. Winter whirled around to look at the both of them, her eyes changing colour once more and she could feel the energy within her come alive at her anger.
"Don't. You. Dare." She hissed. The hostess backed off momentarily but Biff refused to this time.
"Are you threatening me?" He asked.
"Who put you two in charge, anyway?" Val asked.
"I'm sorry, but you're a Doctor of what, exactly?" Hobbs asked.
"They weren't even booked in." The hostess said. "The rest of you, tickets in advance. They just turned up out of the blue."
"Where are you from?"
"I'm just travelling. I'm a traveller, that's all." The Doctor said.
"Like an immigrant?" Val asked, disgusted.
"No you ignorant cow!" Winter spat. "Like a person travelling!"
"Who were you talking to? Before you got on board, you were talking to someone. Who was that?"
"My sister." Winter said. "She wanted to make sure I was okay travelling while pregnant." Winter told her.
"He hasn't even told us his name." Val said.
"The thing is though, Doctor, you've been loving this." Jethro/Sky said thoughtfully.
"Oh, Jethro, not you." Winter pleaded. "I thought you were smarter than this."
"No, but ever since all the trouble started, you've been loving it." He told everyone.
"All right, I'm interested. Yes, I can't help it. Because whatever's inside her, it's brand new, and that's fascinating."
"What, you wanted this to happen?" Val asked. The Doctor shook his head at such an alarming pace if it wasn't for the circumstances they were in, Winter would have laughed.
"And you were talking to her, all on your own, before all the trouble. Right at the front, you were talking to that Sky woman, the two of you together. I saw you."
"And you went into the cabin, to talk to her." The hostess added.
"Is it against the law now to make conversation?" Winter asked them all. She was beyond angry now - it was disgusting the way these humans were acting.
"You called us humans like you're not one of us." Dee Dee said.
"He did. That's what he said." Val screeched once more.
"And the wiring. He went into that panel and opened up the wiring."
"That was after." The Doctor said.
"But how did you know what to do?" Biff asked, accusing the Doctor now of something.
"Because he's clever!" Winter and the Doctor shouted at them. There was a silence in the shuttle as everybody heard what Winter had said.
"I see. Well, that makes things clear." Hobbs said.
"And what are we, then? Idiots?" Biff/Sky asked.
"That's not what I meant." The Doctor said at the same time as Winter said "yes."
"If you're clever, then what are we?" Dee Dee/Sky asked.
"You've been looking down on us from the moment we walked in. They both have!" Val cried out.
"Even if he goes, he's practically volunteered." As she said it with Sky, it sounded more malevolent.
"Oh come on, just listen to yourself." Winter said. "You all sound pathetic."
"Do you mean we throw him out as well?" Biff/Sky asked the hostess.
"If we have to." She replied.
The Doctor/Sky said "Look, just. Right, sorry, yes, hold on, just. I know you're scared, and so am I. Look at me, I am. But we have all got to calm down and cool off and think."
"Perhaps you could tell us your name." Hobbs/Sky asked. To his mind, the Doctor would become far less phantom like if they had his real name, Perhaps it would calm some of the fear Biff and the hostess were feeling.
"What does it matter?" The Doctor asked.
"Then tell us." The hostess urged.
The Doctor paused for a moment. "John Smith." He told them.
"Your real name." Hobbs said.
"He's lying. Look at his face."
"His eyes are the same as hers." Val/Sky cried out.
"That's complete bull Val!" Winter shouted.
"Why won't you tell us?" Dee Dee/Sky asked. "It's a simple enough question."
"He's been lying to us right from the start." Val/Sky cried out in fear.
"What's your name?" The hostess/Sky asked him. "No one's called John Smith."
The situation was out of his control but he still tried. "Now listen to me. Listen to me right now, because you need me, all of you. If we are going to get out of this, then you need me."
" So you keep saying." Hobbs said. "You've been repeating yourself more than her." He pointed to Sky.
"If anyone's in charge, it should be the Professor. He's the expert." Val told him.
"Mum, stop. Just look." Jethro said.
"You keep out of this, Jethro." His father yelled at him angrily.
"Look at her!" He urged everyone.
"She's stopped." Dee Dee whispered.
"When did she?" The Doctor/Sky began. "No, she hasn't. She's still doing it."
"She looks the same to me." Val said, then gasped when she realised that Sky wasn't repeating her. "No, she's stopped. Look, I'm talking, and she's not."
"What about me, is she? Look. Look at that. She's not doing me. She's let me go." Biff said.
"Mrs Silvestry?" Hobbs tied. "Nor me. Nothing."
"Doctor. She's only copying you." Winter whispered in his mind. She felt him accept her thought but it was harder to push it through this time and Winter frowned.
"Sky, what are you doing?" The Doctor/Sky asked.
"She's still doing him." Dee Dee gasped.
"Doctor, it's you. She's only copying you." Hobbs told him. As if he hadn't already seen what she was doing for himself. The Doctor didn't even accept the information.
"Why me? Why are you doing this?" The Doctor asked her.
"She won't leave him alone." Dee Dee said.
"Do you see? I said so. She's with him."
"They're together." Biff added.
"How do you explain it, Doctor, if you're so clever?" But it was Winter who answered.
"You don't listen do you? The Doctor said not to speak - there was a reason. This thing needs something - something it thinks only the Doctor can give and you are all too stupid to realise that you've made it worse."
Everyone was quiet. It was the first time since the shuttle became stranded that there had been no noise. But then the Doctor began talking.
"Mrs Silvestry, I'm trying to understand. You've captured my speech. What for? What do you need? You need my voice in particular. The cleverest voice in the room. Why? Because I'm the only one who can help? No. Winter can too but the Angel won't allow it will she? That's why you stopped. Listen to me. Whatever you want, if it's life, or form, or consciousness, or voice, you don't have to steal it. You can find it without hurting anyone. And I'll help you. That's a promise. So, what do you think?"
"Do we have a deal?"
"Do we have a deal?"
"Hold on, did she?" Dee Dee asked.
"She spoke first." Jethro said.
"She can't have." Val whispered.
"She did."
Doctor. Doctor! Winter called out but he wasn't answering. She began panicking - using all her energy to try and break through but it wasn't working. Doctor! Answer me!
"Oh, look at that. I'm ahead of you." Sky said. She was calm, but there was a dark kind of happiness underneath it.
"Oh, look at that. I'm ahead of you." The Doctor repeated. Winter negan shaking her head.
"Did you see? She spoke before he did. Definitely." Hobbs stated.
"He's copying her." Jethro said.
"Doctor, what's happening?"
"I think it's moved." Sky said.
"I think it's moved."
"I think it's letting me go."She told the group. Winter was still shaking her head, trying to contact the Doctor.
"I think it's letting me go."
"What do you mean?" Dee Dee asked." Letting you go from what?"
"But he's repeating now. He's the one doing it. It's him." Biff said.
"Mrs Silvestry, is that you?" Hobbs asked. It was the first time someone had addressed her directly since she had began talking again.
"Yes. Yes, it's me. I'm coming back."
"Yes. Yes, it's me. I'm coming back."
"It's me."
"It's me."
"Like it's passed into the Doctor." Jethro said quietly. "It's transferred. Whatever it is, it's gone inside him."
"No," Dee Dee stated. "That's not what happened."
"But look at her." Val said, nodding her head in Sky's direction.
"Look at me, I can move, feel." Sky said. It sounded like she was copying Val once more.
"Look at me, I can move, feel."
"I'm coming back to life."
"I'm coming back to life."
"And look at him." She said looking at the Doctor. "He can't move."
"And look at him. He can't move."
"Help me." She said to the group. "Professor? Get me away from him."
"Get me away from him."
"Please." She held out her arms, as if she was a child who wanted to be hugged by her father and Hobbs helped her up.
"They've completely separated." Jethro said, watching the Doctor, trying to find any signs of change in his demeanour. All he could see were his blank, unblinking eyes.
"It's in him. Do you see? I said it was him all the time." Biff accused.
"Oh, it was so cold." Sky told them.
"Oh, it was so cold."
"I couldn't breathe."
"I couldn't breathe."
"I'm sorry. I must have scared you so much."
"I'm sorry. I must have scared you so much."
"No, no, it's all right. I've got you. Ooo, there you are, my love. It's gone. Everything's all right now." Val said, beginning to coo over the woman.
"I wouldn't touch her." Dee Dee said.
"But it's gone. She's clean. It passed into him." He was so sure of himself.
"That's not what happened." Dee Dee cried.
"Thank you for your opinion, Dee Dee, but clearly Mrs Silvestry has been released." Hobbs said.
"Just leave her alone. She's safe, isn't she? Jethro, it's let her go, hasn't it?"
"I think so, yeah. Looks like it." But he didn't know either. "Winter?" It was the first time they had remembered the white haired woman and she was still shaking her head, trying to figure out what to do.
Winter looked up at her name and glared at Sky, her eyes flashing grey. "Give him back." She whispered. "Give him back to me. Now!" She screamed.
"Calm down." Hobbs said. "Leave her alone." Winter began shaking her head furiously.
"Give him back to me right now or so help me I will burn you alive!" She began walking towards Sky but Biff grabbed ahold of her and she started thrashing. "Let him GO!"
"It's inside her head." Sky said smugly, watching Biff restrain the girl.
"It's inside her head."
"It killed the driver and the mechanic."
"It killed the driver and the mechanic."
"And now it wants us."
"And now it wants us."
"I said so." Val whispered.
"He's waited so long. In the dark."
"…In the dark."
"And the cold. And the diamonds."
".. And the diamonds."
"Until you came."
"Until you came."
"Bodies so hot."
"Bodies so hot."
"With blood. And pain."
"With blood. And pain."
"Let him go!" Winter shouted again, trying once more to reach Sky so she could do something to her. She watch as Sky's eyes filled with a sick joy and she fought harder - but Biff was stronger than he looked.
"Stop. Oh, my God, make him stop. Someone make him stop." Val shouted, covering her ears.
"But she's saying it." Dee Dee pointed.
"And you can shut up." Val rounded on her.
"But it's not him, it's her. He's just repeating."
"But that's what the thing does," Biff struggled to say. "It repeats."
"Just let her talk." The hostess said, trying to keep the peace.
"What do you know?" Biff asked. "Fat lot of good you've been."
"Just let her explain." The hostess replied. He was quiet as he waited for her to explain but her couldn't concentrate, Winter was struggling more than ever.
"I think - I mean, from what I've seen, it repeats, then it synchronises, then it goes on to the next stage and that's exactly what the Doctor said would happen."
"What, and you're on his side?" Val asked accusingly.
"No." Dee Dee shouted.
"The voice is the thing." Jethro said, thereby agreeing with Dee Dee.
"And she's the voice. She stole it. Look at her. It's not possessing him, it's draining him."
"But that's not true, because it can't." Val denied. "Because I saw it pass into him. I saw it with my own eyes."
"You didn't." Dee Dee said.
"It went from her, to him. You saw it, didn't you?" She asked Jethro. By now he was confused - what the Doctor and Winter said had made sense but…
"I don't know." He replied.
"Oh, don't be stupid, Jethro. Of course you did."
"I suppose he was right next to her." Jethro began.
"Everyone saw it. Everyone." Val shouted.
"You didn't. You're just making it up. I know what I saw, and I saw her stealing his voice."
"You're as bad as him. Someone shut her up."
"I think you should be quiet, Dee Dee." Hobbs told her.
"Well, I'm only saying - " Dee Dee started but was cut off harshly by Hobbs.
"And that's an order! You're making a fool of yourself, pretending you're an expert in mechanics and hydraulics, when I can tell you, you are nothing more than average at best. Now shut up."
"That's how he does it." Sky began again quietly.
"That's how he does it."
"He makes you fight."
"He makes you fight."
"Creeps into your head and whispers."
"Creeps into your head and whispers."
"Listen. Just listen."
"Listen. Just listen."
"That's him."
"That's him."
"Inside."
"Inside."
"Throw him out. We need to throw him out."
"Don't just talk about it, just... you're useless. Do something." Val ordered her husband.
"I can't! I'm holding her." He nodded to Winter who had gone suspiciously still over the last few seconds.
"Yes. Throw him out."
"Throw him out."
"Get rid of him."
"Get rid of him."
"Now."
"Now."
With that one word, Winter slammed her head back and it cracked against Biff's nose - effectively breaking it. She ran towards the Doctor and grabbed his face in her hands, creating a physical bond, and began pushing her mind into his.
But it wasn't working. There wasn't a big enough bond.
"Forgive me Doctor." She whispered and then pressed her lips to his. She forced her mind into his and caged the consciousness, pulling it back into her own mind to share with the Angel.
It hurt - god it hurt. The Angel was pushing against it and she was pulling it in but the link between the Doctor and the thing was gone.
He gasped and fell forward onto his hands before looking up. He saw Sky, she was panicking. He looked back and Winter was curled up, clutching her head and throwing out a mental scream that coursed through their link and into his mind.
The Doctor could barely keep his own cry of pain in before he heard Winter scream. And suddenly, a wave of pure rage filled him. Someone had hurt his mate - something had intentionally cause her pain.
He got up and pushed Sky to the entrance of the door and held the button down and everyone screamed in fear at the blinding lights. Six seconds.
One.
Two.
Three.
He looked her in the eyes.
Four.
He smiled a malevolent smile at her.
Five.
"No-one hurts my mate and lives." He whispered
Six.
The pressure wall collapsed and Sky was sucked out into the Midnight atmosphere where so flesh could survive.
There was a thump and a cry of pain and the Doctor turned around and ran back to Winter, cradling her in his arms and trying to do everything in his power to dull her pain. "It's gone." He whispered to her, stroking her hair softly and rocking her. " It's gone. It's gone, it's gone, it's gone, it's gone. It's gone." He swallowed at the pain she was feeling. "It's gone. It's gone, it's gone, it's gone. It's gone, it's gone, it's gone.
"I knew it was her." Val said quietly, but the inhuman growl of anger the Doctor made quickly shut her up.
[][][]
The Doctor was still cradling Winter in his arms but by now, she had stopped crying and the pain had lessened. She was sure it was because the Doctor was helping her but as her anatomy became more and more Timelord, her healing rate quickened.
"Repeat. Crusader Fifty rescue vehicle coming alongside in three minutes. Door seals set to automatic. Prepare for boarding. Repeat. Prepare for boarding." A voice sounded through the shuttle.
"Just three more minutes Winter. Just three." The Doctor whispered the promise to her and she squeezed his hand to let him know she knew and was grateful. He squeezed back but he didn't let go of her hand, pulling her closer to his warmth to protect her.
[][][]
Donna walked over to them to see the Doctor carrying Winter tightly in his arms, as if he never wanted to let her go and she frowned. A part of her was happy that the Doctor was finally helping Winter like he was supposed to but another part of her wondered just how bad it was for him to be acting that way.
"What do you think it was?" She asked them when they were back in the TARDIS.
"No idea." He said, still holding onto Winter.
"Do you think it's still out there?"
"No." The Doctor's short, angry reply startled Donna but she tried to ignore it. "Can't imagine you without a voice."
The Doctor gave her a very weak smile before standing up, going to take Winter back to her room. "Molto bene."
"Molto bene." Donna copied.
"No, don't do that." Winter whispered from the Doctor's arms, and the Doctor once again hugged her closer. He looked towards Donna and she nodded, telling him without words that she understood.
[][][]
The Doctor laid Winter down on his bed and held her close until she fell asleep, all the while imprinting himself on her psyche so she wouldn't have any bad dreams . He didn't want to put her in her room , it was too far - not that he planned on leaving her - but to have her in his room, where he could see her made him feel less agitated.
The Doctor swallowed as he recounted what he had done to Sky, what had happened to him. He had unconsciously accepted their Bond when he had seen the sacrifice she had undertaken for him and when he had seen her pain.
That anger - that all consuming rage that had been driven from something causing his mate pain had led him to murder again. And this time, he didn't care.
But accepting the Bond now created trouble. By accepting that Winter was his mate, he would soon begin to want her. To claim her.
That was the final act of creating the Bond. But he didn't know if Winter would want it.
It would be hard to resist her - just feeling her presence would drive him insane with want. But if Winter refused, then he would resist. For her.
AN: I hope you all enjoyed it. I was actually thinking that i may change this story to a M... because as i get older, my story tends to grow with me and the more mature i get, the more i realise that, maybe the Doctor isn't as sweet as we all think but is actually kind of possessive. So what do you guys think?