A/N: Yay. So I hope most of you got the pear thing. For those who didn't: The Doctor HATES pears. Bit of fluff in this one and a return of the scariest NuWho aliens. *dramatic drum beat*

Chapter 11: Emotions and Angels

His eyebrows rose high, followed by a frown. "What?"

"You heard me." I repeated. "I want you to eat a pear. You hate them, but you want to make up with me. Do it."

I was impressed at how passive he kept his expression as he went to the kitchen and returned with a green pear in his hand. He was eyeing it with utter disdain.

"All of it?"

I fought back a sudden urge to laugh. Deciding to take pity on him, I'd make him make up for it later, I said, "Two bites. But you must swallow them."

Whether he was being dramatic for my entertainment, or whether Time Lords really did despise pears, he made it look like eating poison. I was further impressed that his bites weren't tiny, as expected. Once the ordeal was over, he threw it back down the corridor as though it was contaminated. Then he turned back to me.

I couldn't hold it in any longer. I started giggling, then went into full blown laughter, rocking back and forth on the bed, shaking my head at how ridiculous that was.

"Satisfied?" he asked. I quickly wiped the grin off my face.

"Almost. There were three things, remember?"

"Are they going to be as bad as that?"

I licked my lips to hide a smile. "No. I want you to take me to the best resort you know of and let me have a day there. Also, what I really want…is one of your hugs that lets me know everything will be alright."

I gulped, having not meant to say it like that. He smiled at me, kneeling so we were level.

"Remember earlier, when you reminded me about looking for Rose?" he asked. I nodded, wondering why he had brought that up suddenly. "I lied. It truly had gone to the back of my mind because I remembered, well…I remembered when I first met Donna. I realised she was right. I don't do well on my own. That's what finding Rose was all about. But the other day, after you saved me from the Gromnans, I realised that finding her was nearly impossible. Besides, she had a life of her own, now. She had her own Doctor. But now I've got you. I'm not alone anymore." He smiled warmly at me. I was stunned into silence; the Doctor rarely grew this serious unless there was something life-threatening. "You asked me for a hug…I can do one better." He countered. "You have forgotten one very important aspect of the horrible ordeal I just put you through."

"What?" I asked, tilting my head on one side.

"I also confessed my feelings for you."

Then he leaned in and kissed me. It took me a second to realise that my wish had come true, and then I kissed him back, twining my hands into his hair as I'd wanted to do for so long. His hands snaked their way around my neck, pulling me closer to him as my heart danced for joy in my chest. The blood rushed loudly in my ears and for a moment I feared I would swoon from the overload of bliss.

Then, slowly, he pulled away. I remained still, eyes closed, relishing the moment. I was very dazed, only aware of him still in front of me.

He snapped his fingers in front of my eyes, laughing. "Talia?"

I opened them slowly, a lazy grin coming to my face. "That was my first kiss." I confessed.

His eyes widened. "It was? Oh…I'm…I'm sorry."

"For what?" I asked.

"J-just…" He was so cute when he was rendered speechless. "What about that resort?"

"Yes." I agreed. "But it can wait a few more seconds. Don't worry, Doctor, I very much enjoyed that. In fact…"

I leaned in and kissed him again. When we pulled away, he sat next to me on the bed and gave me the embrace I asked for. I almost cried again at the beauty of how such a horrible day ended with this.

We headed back to the console room after a few minutes and he set the coordinates for a mysterious resort, promising me it would give me the pampering of a lifetime. To be honest I wasn't too fussed, but I decided to make him carry out his sentence.

Until my phone rang.

"Talia!" Mum's voice on the other end sounded anxious.

"Hi, Mum, what's wrong?" I asked.

"You and the Doctor have got to get home now!"

I quickly told the Doctor to head home immediately and, after doing so, he came to stand next to me to hear what she was saying. "That thing…that Octavian that tried to kill you both that night came back. It's captured us and it said if we ever try to escape it will use its secret weapon."

"What's the secret weapon?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"I don't know, but I have a hunch. It said something about an angel." She replied.

I froze, my hand almost dropping the phone as coldness swept through me. The Doctor grabbed it from my hand.

"Talia! Talia, you know what that means, don't you!" I could hear her anxious voice.

"Listen to me, Rebecca, this is the Doctor. Don't panic. Keep yourself and your husband safe. Under no circumstances are you to do anything that will make it use the Angel. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I know, I know what it is. Is Talia alright?"

"She's…fine. We're on our way."

He hung up and came over to me. He stood in front of me and bent down so we were level.

"Talia, listen. It's going to be alright. We'll rescue them."

"B-but the Weeping Angel…? And…he let her call me, it's obviously a trap."

I tried to stop my hands from shaking. He took one of mine in his.

"I know. But I've escaped them before and I can do it again, and make sure you and your family are safe." He promised.

I nodded, composing myself, as the sound of the TARDIS landing echoed in the room.

The Doctor went out first, beckoning to me. We were outside my house. The curtains were closed, but the Doctor calmly walked up and unlocked the front door with the screwdriver.

I wasn't entirely prepared for the scene that met me. Mum and Dad were suspended on a wall, tied up and blindfolded. The Octavian stood before them, turning when we entered. It really did look like a giant owl; its feathers completely black. But its feet weren't claws. In fact, I couldn't see its feet. It was as though the feathers were a floor-length cloak.

But my eyes were fixed on the Angel. It was only a few metres away from my parents, a mirror placed in front of it to keep it immobile…for now.

"Move and I take away the mirror." The Octavian hissed, walking – or rather, gliding – over to us. I flinched as its feathers brushed my arm.

"I'm here now. It's me you want." The Doctor said. "Release Talia's parents."

"Oh no. I know you well, Doctor. You see, you hate seeing your companions hurt. If I kill the girl's parents, you will get to see her suffer before you, too, meet your end."

He frowned. "You can't…"

"Watch me."

It swept its wing over the Doctor's face, leaving a confused expression there.

"What did it do?" I asked him, staring at the scene with wide-eyes.

He swallowed hard before responding. "Blinded me. I can't see."

And if he couldn't see the Angel…

The Octavian was already going to do the same to me. I ran over to my parents. In the split second it took me to do so, the Octavian realised my plan and swiped the mirror away from the Angel. I fixed my gaze on it instantly.

The blood rushed loudly in my ears.

"Talia, what's going on?" The Doctor asked, while behind me my parents were calling my name.

"I'm looking at the Angel, Doctor." I replied. "I'm not going to let it get my parents."

"You will have to blink sooner or later, human." The Octavian taunted, staring at me – and specifically not the Angel.

"What does it mean?" Dad was asking.

I took a deep breath, winking one eye, then the next, trying hard to fight the impulse to blink. "If the Angel gets you, it transports you back in time and space to somewhere, anywhere on Earth and lets you live out your life there…basically, it kills you slowly." I said softly.

"You're not going to do what I think you are, are you?" the Doctor's voice was anxious.

"I have no choice, Doctor." I replied, my voice getting stronger. "We're in a stalemate, and there's only one way I can fix it. Mum, Dad, when I shout 'now' take turns staring at the Angel until one of you needs to blink. Never ever leave it unwatched."

"What are you…"

"Stop!" I cried.

I was surprised that the Octavian didn't try to thwart me, but then again its aim was for me to suffer, and then it would kill the Doctor, so already it had part of its wish. I just hoped he could come up with something through my distraction.

"Talia, don't!" he screamed, and my resolve almost broke.

Then my eyes began to hurt.

"I love you, Mum, Dad…Doctor. Now!"

I turned and pulled the blindfolds off their faces as the Angel's cold hands touched my shoulder…

A/N: Where has it sent her? When has it sent her? She just said she loved the Doctor in front of her parents! Will the Doctor make it out and will he be able to see again? All these questions will be answered in Chapter 12!