CHAPTER 21

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HER FINAL REWARD

As he stood steadfast and determined at the TARDIS' console, the Doctor was doing his best to locate the Movellan fleet by using the android Clara. At that moment, he had the deactivated machine hooked into the TARDIS and was busily at work hacking into its neural pathways while the real Clara paced back and forth impatiently.

"Clara, it's not going to do you any good to wear yourself out that way. It takes a lot of time to gain access to the main Movellan net this way because they have several firewalls and encrypted programs installed in every drone's body in order to prevent this very thing from happening. Luckily for us, I'm clever enough to find a way to get past all of that if I'm given enough time. Once I do, I'll instantly know exactly where they are," The Doctor said confidently.

"Yeah, but what's happening to Jenny while you're taking all of that time, huh? She could be dying right now . . . or worse," Clara said in an anxious tone.

"Yes, so you've said several times now, but it's not making me get through this any faster," the Doctor said in an irritated tone.

"I know. I know it's not. I just can't help it. I want to save her. I need to save her and all I can do is just stand here helplessly and do nothing. If only I had been able to keep myself from turning dark. I could have used my powers to locate her if I hadn't had to lose them because I couldn't control myself," Clara said in anger.

"That's already over with now, Clara. You can't change it and you probably wouldn't want to either," The Doctor said as he continued to work as fast as he could.

"I'd risk it if I could save Jenny. Merry's so upset, Doctor. She's not eating and all she does is cry. She's blaming herself for this. I have to do something or I'm going to lose both of them," Clara said.

"We will find her, Clara. Trust me. It's just going to take a little bit longer," The Doctor reassured her.

Clara nodded even as she continued to pace impatiently anyway. The Doctor knew that that wasn't going to change until he came up with something.

At that moment, the Master and Tish entered the TARDIS with the same impatient looks on their faces only to have Clara shake her head no at them. Just like Clara's pacing, this just continued to keep happening every few minutes as well. The three of them were already beginning to get on the Doctor's last nerve, but he didn't want to yell at them and waste even more valuable time while doing so.

After all, he was impatient to find Jenny too. Even now it took all of his self-control not to smash the Clara android to bits as he thought over all of the possible outcomes for Jenny in this situation.

None of them were good.

"Where is Rose? Why isn't she helping us?" The Master finally said after several more minutes of silence.

"I'm sure that she's doing everything that she can," Tish said.

"Is she or is she staying out of it because she can't alter what's about to happen? That would be just like her alright," The Master grumbled.

"Hey! Leave her alone, Koschei. She's helped all of us and saved our lives on multiple occasions. I think that she deserves more than a little benefit of the doubt here, don't you?" Clara said in anger.

The Master frowned as he said, "Yes, you're right, Alura. I know you are. I just . . . I don't understand what she could be doing. Why isn't she here? Why isn't she trying to save her?"

Tish smiled as she said, "You really love her don't you?"

"She's become just like my little sister. If anything happens to her, I'll make sure that both the Daleks and the Movellans don't live long enough to regret it," The Master said in a voice filled with rage.

"Calm down. She's going to be okay," Tish said as she gave him a tender kiss and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"How do you know that?" The Master asked skeptically.

"The Doctor will save her. He always comes through in the end," Tish said with absolute faith in her voice.

"Yes, just like he did during the Time War. We all know how that would have ended if not for Alura and Rose convincing him to change his mind at the last minute," The Master said.

The Doctor briefly gave him an angry stare before returning to his work while Tish said, "That was really low, Koschei. You know that it took him centuries to come up with the calculations that he needed to make that work. He had to believe that he blew up Gallifrey in order for that to spur him on to save it. There was no way that he could have come up with that plan otherwise."

"I'm just saying that your faith in the Doctor is misplaced, Tish. He isn't some infallible god. He makes mistakes too or I wouldn't even be here would I? We used to be best friends once after all," The Master said.

"That's enough, Koschei. We're all worried about her especially the Doctor. He's more worried than any of us. All of this trash talking of him isn't doing any of us any good especially not Jenny," Clara chastised him.

The Master took a deep breath then and said, "I'm sorry, Doctor."

Clara and Tish both smiled as the Doctor looked at him in momentary shock. He hadn't said that to him since they were both young.

"You really do love her," The Doctor said with a surprised smile.

The Master nodded as he said, "She's family, Doctor. I haven't felt that way about anyone in a long time. Not since you."

"We'll save her, Koschei. Have faith in me," The Doctor said as he put his hand on the Master's shoulder.

The Master smiled as he said, "I do. Sometimes I just have a hard time showing it. Go ahead and go back to work. Don't let my stupidity slow you down anymore."

"I never do," The Doctor replied as he smiled at him.

The Master frowned and pretended to be angry as he said, "Just find her or the Daleks and the Movellans will be the least of your worries."

"Got it, boss," The Doctor said with a warm smile.

He was starting to feel better than he had in ages now with the Master's seeming change of heart. He hoped that that was a good sign because he didn't even want to think about what Jenny's loss now might do to both of them. It could wind up damaging their relationship beyond repair forever.

Even as the Doctor continued to work as fast as he could to locate his daughter, the Moment had already located her and stood by watching Jenny writhing in agony because she continued to struggle to resist her captors' commands. As she heard the distraught Time Lady constantly call out to her father to help her through her incessant sobbing and screaming, the Moment waged an internal war within herself while she tried to decide on whether to interfere or not. The part of her that was Rose wanted to set her free immediately even as the part of her that was the consciousness of the Moment knew that this was a fixed moment in time that couldn't be altered without serious consequences.

Alright then, Miss Moment, exactly what's worth letting that poor girl suffer for one more moment longer? Tell me what your reasons are because right now from where I'm standing this looks like you're just letting her lie here in agony for nothing. The Rose part of her said.

If I set her free now, then I'll condemn someone else to wind up connected to the computer instead of her. Time will demand that what's about to happen must still happen no matter what tampering that I do to it or didn't you learn anything from the Doctor's failure on Mars? The Web of Time will demand that the battle between the Daleks and the Movellans must still happen here either one way or another, and someone else will be forced to take Jenny's place. There's no way of predicting who that will be. The greatest likelihood is that it will be Clara. Clara's now restructured brain won't be able to take the strain and she'll die. The Doctor has a greater chance of surviving, but he may suffer brain damage. Tish is too human in her thought processes, and she will more than likely descend into madness. The Master will definitely be driven insane. The Moment replied.

Okay, then what will most likely happen to Jenny if you do nothing? Rose asked already knowing the answer.

The probable outcome is that Jenny will suffer incredible agony but will be successfully used by the Movellans to completely wipe out the Dalek fleet and severely weaken their empire. So many lives will be saved in the future as a result of this. This can't be changed without causing the Daleks to become so powerful that they'll be able to conquer the Earth someday. Or do you want the Dalek Invasion of 2164 to become the definite future of this timeline instead of an alternate reality? The Moment argued.

I want the Daleks stopped just as much as you do, mate, but not at the cost of Jenny's life or sanity. She's just a kid and she doesn't deserve that. Speaking of which, I noticed that you nicely sideswiped the question of what happens to her, yeah? Tell me all about it. Rose insisted.

You already know since you're a part of me. The Moment protested.

Tell me anyway. I want to hear you say it. I want you to face up to what you're about to put Jenny, our friend, through in the next few hours because you can't be bothered to find another way. Rose answered in a furious tone.

There is no other way. The Moment answered.

Then find one. Now tell me what happens to her. Rose replied again.

There's a ninety percent chance that just after the Daleks are destroyed that the Doctor finally finds her at last. It's already too late by then though. Her brain has already been severely damaged so that she loses her entire memory and can't walk or speak. The Doctor manages to find a way to remove her from the battle computer safely, but her brain takes years to recover. Even then, she's still never the same as she was before again. She not only misses Merry's entire childhood, but she becomes twisted and bitter because of everything that she's lost. She eventually winds up more like River Song than the girl that she is now. Also a burgeoning reunion between the Doctor and the Master is ended even as it has begun, and the Master renews his hatred of the Doctor while blaming him for what happened to Jenny. Only Tish keeps them from becoming deadly enemies again. The Moment finally admitted.

Are you really willing to chance doing that to her? To all of them? Rose asked her in a condemning voice.

If I don't, so many more will suffer. The greater good is more important than the fate of one person . . . even a friend. The Moment replied in an emotional tone that suggested that she didn't believe that for a second.

Hang the greater good! You tried to tell me the same thing about Dark Alura too once, didn't you? I convinced you to try another way though, and we went to Jack to ask for help instead. We managed to undo what the Time Lords were so sure was going to happen to her after that didn't we? Let's do that again for Jenny. Rose pleaded.

I want to. You know I do. What if the Movellans lose because of what I do here though? The Moment asked in a hesitant voice.

We'll find a way. We always do, don't we? Rose replied confidently.

I don't . . . I'm not sure that I won't be doing more harm than good especially for whoever winds up here next. Maybe I should just wait and see if the Doctor will get here in time. There is always a chance that he will after all. The Moment replied in a hopeful tone as she continued to hesitate.

Blimey! There's just no getting through to you is there? I just hope that after you've finished mucking about that you don't live to regret what you did here. Or what you didn't do. Rose replied in anger as she receded to the back of the Moment's mind.

A tear fell out of the Moment's eye as she hoped the very same thing.

Meanwhile back on Earth, the Doctor cried out in triumph several hours later as he finally said, "I've done it. Who's the man? Sorry. I said I wasn't doing that anymore didn't I?"

"Yes, several times as a matter of fact, Chin Man, and yet you continue to do so anyway," Clara said with a small smile.

"Just take us to where she is, Doctor. We don't have time for your nonsense," The Master snapped.

"Don't worry. I'm already on it, Snarling Boy," The Doctor said as he started to enter the coordinates for the Movellan fleet into the TARDIS.

As the TARDIS dematerialized and took them straight to it, the Doctor grinned eagerly as he shouted, "Geronimo!"

"Well, I certainly hope that we have better luck than he did. He wound up surrendering in the end," The Master said.

"Yes, I know. I was there," The Doctor commented.

"Of course you were," The Master said in amusement.

Then their conversation was brought to an abrupt end as the TARDIS materialized right in the middle of a huge battle between the Movellan and Dalek fleets. The Doctor's hearts sunk as he already knew even then that he was already too late.

He could tell from the way that the Movellan ships were tearing the Dalek fleet apart. Only Jenny could be giving them the tactical advantage like that. The Doctor could only hope that she could still be removed from the battle computer afterwards and that when she was that she wasn't . . .

The Doctor stopped and struggled not to break down as he refused to give up. He couldn't. Not now. He had to find her and save her no matter what may or may not have already happened. He couldn't allow himself to be distracted by that. Not even for a single moment.

The Doctor immediately began to use the TARDIS' sensors to locate the unique biological imprint of a Time Lady throughout the Movellan fleet even as it continued to rip the Daleks apart right in front of him. He would not be too late to help her. He promised himself that.

He soon smiled as he located the exact ship that Jenny was on and immediately made his way there in the TARDIS. The TARDIS materialized just in time to find Jenny running from several Movellans who were out to capture her.

The Doctor immediately opened the TARDIS doors and Jenny quickly ran inside. Just as she did so, the Doctor dematerialized the TARDIS and left before the Movellans could catch up to them.

The Doctor hugged Jenny tightly to him and gently kissed her forehead as he said, "How? I thought that surely you were the one who was hooked up to their battle computer."

Jenny looked at him in confusion as she said, "I was. I was hooked up to it for hours while they forced me to come up with a plan to beat the Daleks for them. Then I suddenly found myself out of it and running from them. I have no idea how."

The Doctor looked at her in surprise even as the Master suddenly jerked her away from him and hugged her himself next. He was weeping like a child now at her safe return as Jenny looked at him in amazement.

She knew that they had become friends but she had no idea that she meant so much to him.

"Who cares what happened right now? I'm just so glad that you're alright. I was about to fall apart worrying about you. I love you, Jenny," The Master said to her as he continued to hold her close to him.

Jenny smiled as she said, "I love you too."

Tish grinned knowing that this was a huge breakthrough for him. He was finally learning to feel again and to care about someone besides himself and her.

"That's the man that I used to know," Clara whispered to Tish as she nodded.

"Me too," The Doctor replied as he overheard them.

As the Time Lords all looked on in hope at what could be the beginning of a brand new day for the Master, back on the lead Movellan ship the Moment smiled to herself as she continued to lead their fleet to victory over the Daleks just as history dictated that she should. She had taken Jenny's place and hooked herself up to the battle computer instead while freeing and fully healing her.

You were right. I had to do this or I never would have been able to live with myself because the Doctor would have come too late no matter how hard he tried. I just hope that I'm not condemning untold millions to die as a result of changing things here today even by a little bit. The Moment replied to her human half.

I knew you'd do it. You're too much like me to have ever let a friend down. Rose answered happily before she returned to dormancy in the Moment's mind.

The Moment smiled as she detected what was left of the Dalek fleet retreating now. She had done it. History had been preserved and now her role here was done.

So was her life.

Good bye, Rose. I can't let the Movellans keep me trapped here or they'll use my power to totally rewrite history. I have to free myself the only way that I can now that I'm hooked into their computer. The Moment replied.

Then she fulfilled her original purpose (albeit on a much smaller scale) and exploded taking the entire Movellan fleet with her. They were all originally supposed to be destroyed in the original history anyway after all with only one ship surviving to report back home about their ultimate defeat of the Daleks.

On that escaping ship was Count Grendel. He had no idea what had just happened here today, but he swore to himself that this wasn't over with yet. One day he would gain his revenge on the Doctor and Romana even if it took him the rest of his life to do so.

Meanwhile the Moment suddenly found herself in the middle of a past version of the TARDIS watching in shock as a glowing Tenth Doctor said, "I don't want to go."

As his body exploded with energy and he regenerated into the Eleventh Doctor, the Moment was filled with immense sadness. It seemed that however she gotten here that she had come just in time to witness the minute that her Doctor had died. It was even more heartbreaking then she had imagined that it would be.

"Rose?" A very familiar voice suddenly said behind her.

She turned with widened eyes to see the Tenth Doctor standing there behind her now despite the Eleventh still being there. The new Doctor didn't seem to even notice either one of them as he checked his new body over even as the TARDIS began to freefall over the Earth.

"No, I'm the Moment. Remember me? I have no idea how this is happening though. I thought that I was dead."

"It seems that I am too. Maybe I just got my reward after all. The only one that I really wanted," The Doctor said with a smile.

"Maybe I did too. I don't know if we're really dead or what, but I definitely like the afterlife so far if this is it," The Moment said as she moved closer to him with a large smile on her face.

Just before they started to kiss, the Moment hesitated as she said, "I'm not really Rose you know."

"Yes, you are. You always have been. I knew that from the start," The Doctor said as he then proceeded to give her a long passionate kiss.

The two of them then suddenly disappeared from the TARDIS just before it hit the ground. The Moment couldn't help but wonder even as she vanished if perhaps her job for Rose was done now, and she had finally found peace at long last.

Next: Tish and the Master's relationship is finally discovered by Tish's parents at last. To say that this is bad is a major understatement! After this, Tish's life may never be the same again. Will she be forced to choose between her family and the man that she loves? Oh, and I can hear all of you already screaming "What about the Moment?" Rest assured that I won't leave you hanging about what just happened. All will be revealed next time.