~~OO~~II~~OO~~

((Texas: Part IV))

~~OO~~II~~OO~~

I knew the look on my face must have been scaring Drevan by the way he kept glancing at me as we walked. Clave was apparently scared, too, because he remained curled around Drevan's neck instead of returning to me. I sighed. "What are you scared of?" I complained, reaching over to shove at him. "I'm not gonna yell at you!"

"I'm not scared of you!" I shot him a look. "I'm not," he protested, crossing his arms. Clave hissed his agreement, nuzzling Drevan's face while almost scowling at me.

I sighed, fixing the fez atop my ahead. "Whatever, let's just keep going," I mumbled, narrowing my eyes as we finally reached where we apparently would be found: the cowshed. I could already hear cows softly lowing to each other. "So here's the plan. I've got what Professor was talking about. So I'm gonna let myself get taken to where every other person that was taken is, and you're going to stay here with Clave, then follow behind. Got it?"

He raised an eyebrow. "And who says I'm going to listen to you?"

I glared at him. "Drevan, just do it!" I snapped impatiently, "Somebody's gotta explain what's going on in detail to the Doctor when he finally shows up. Here," I added, tossing him my phone. "Take that, and tell the Doctor if he calls that he needs to meet up with you."

Drevan caught the phone with a small sigh. "Got it," he grumbled unhappily. "You're going to need to be careful though; your friend doesn't sound like someone I want to irritate."

I grinned. "Oh, you don't." Upon reach the cowshed, we paused to pat a few friendly cows and ten ducked inside to relax before the Cybermen showed up like the other Doctor had told me. "He should be here within the next two hours. I'm glad; I'm tired of this mess. I'm going to make him give me a vacation."

"Your whole life is one big vacation right now," my friend pointed out. "You're going around whatever in that thing you were talking about-"

"Space and Time in the TARDIS," I corrected with a sigh.

"-without even a job," he continued as if I hadn't spoken, pursing his lips and glaring at me. "And you're complaining about needing a vacation?"

I rolled my eyes. "Alright, alright. And it's not like we don't do anything, Drevan. We usually fix things when we get there. As in, finding out who is kidnapping people and what's going to blow up so we can stop it."

He blinked in surprise. "Just what have you two done so far?"

I pursed my lips thoughtfully. "There were these people that were possessed. Then there was Canziar, where I got a hole in my gut, then these strange squid people who needed help after an earthquake on their planet. There were these things a couple hundred years ago. There were a few other planets here and there, and then…here."

Drevan nodded slowly. "Huh," he muttered.

Suddenly, there was a sound of clinking. We raised our heads, and I heard distant sounds of movement. "Hide," I hissed, shoving him towards the latter to where the hay was stored. "Remember, tell the Doctor to meet with you."

Even as I spoke, the phone began to ring. Drevan scrambled up the latter, already hitting answer. "It's him," he whispered before disappearing, talking in a low and hurried tone into the phone.

I squared my shoulders, making sure the fez was firmly on my head. I didn't want to lose it. I'd put it in my room and the TARDIS as soon as I was back inside of it. There was a nudge in my mind, and I smiled as I recognized the feeling of the TARDIS. She was ready to depart from where she was fueling up. That was great news!

Bad news? I could see the silver of the Cybermen surrounding the cowshed. Swallowing nervously, I stepped out of the cowshed, eyes narrowed. "You've got me," I said furiously. "You've got the Successor, what do you want with me?"

One of the Cybermen, obviously the one that had spoken on the TV, moved forward, declaring as it snatched up my arm in a fierce grip, "The Successor will come with us. Follow."

I struggled to rip my arm away, wincing at a twinge of pain. "Let go of me and I will!" I said with a huff. "It's not like I can go anywhere, you know!"

The Cyberman gave an odd hissing, but released my arm. Others surrounded me, and I touched my pocket, searching for the device that the other Doctor had helped me with. To my horror, I discovered it was gone. "No!" I hissed, searching my pockets, even checking under the fez. I was shoved forward, and my heart began to pound in my chest as I panicked, whipping my head around to look up at the cowshed. Drevan was peeking over the edge, eyes wary, phone still pressed to his ear. I pointed at the door, and he nodded, and then disappeared as a Cyberman turned to scan the area.

Then I was shoved forward again, and I shot one final look over my shoulder. Drevan stood in the doorway now, looking worried, the sonic screwdriver and sonic blaster in his hand.

I cursed under my breath, turning my head away.

~~OO~~II~~OO~~

I noticed that we were coming to our destination when a few of the Cybermen suddenly marched in different directions and disappeared from view. I knew they were watching though, I could sense them and the…well, evil they left in the air. I pulled the fez into a more firm position so it wouldn't be pushed off of my head by any small breeze, as the "camp" was in an open area.

I felt another nudge in my head, a reassurance from the TARDIS. She was worried though, I could sense it.

Finally, the Cybermen stopped in front of a group of people that were gathered, huddling together on the ground. My jaw dropped. They were unharmed! And I could see Catie's tall figure from where I stood. She was seated on the ground, glaring at the Cybermen spitefully while soothing a child beside her. She smiled faintly, waving, staring strangely at the fez atop my head the entire time. I smirked, winking before turning my attention on the Cybermen.

Two stood in front of a massive machine that was making me nervous. A scream was coming from in it, as well as creaking and clicking and slicing sounds. The scream suddenly cut off, and then another Cybermen appeared, marching over to stand beside the two that guarded the entrance. Silence fell.

I squared my shoulders proudly, crossing my arms and practically growled, "What do you want with me? You've got me, so let all of these people go."

"They will be upgraded." a Cyberman replied bluntly.

"And what does that mean?" I demanded. A hiss caught my attention and I glanced over my shoulder. A fierce looking woman with sharp golden-brown eyes and blond hair stared intently at me, and then waved at the machine. I understood immediately, my eyes widening. "Oh," I murmured, glancing at the new Cybermen that stared at nothing.

That explained a lot.

When I glanced at the woman again, she was gone, probably hiding among the other people to avoid the Cybermen's detection.

I glared at the Cybermen. "Leave them alone," I demanded. "They're innocent, leave them and let them go. I'll do whatever you need me to do if you leave them alone."

"You will be upgraded."

"No!" I cried angrily. "They won't be! You'll leave them…" I trailed off, understanding filling me.

Oh. They wanted to "upgrade" me first. Wonderful. Great. And I didn't have my blaster thing that would help me out.

Just great.

"There's no way," I whispered, taking a step back, tensed to run as I'd grown accustomed to. "There's no way you're going to make me go through that thing." I whirled away, moving to dart in the direction I'd come. But a Cyberman grabbed me by the arm, and another joined, dragging me in the direction of the machine.

"Let me go!" I shrieked, a scream bubbling up in my throat as I was forced forward. Behind me, someone gave a cry of my name, and I recognized the voice as Catie's. I thrashed violently, trying to free myself. "Let me go!" I repeated, this time in a scream. There was no way I was going to die without a fight, so I went in kicking and screaming. A loud wailing filled the inside of my head, a buzzer of alarm going off, and I was momentarily blinded with pain, stunned.

As I was shoved into a chair, where a metal suit was pinned with strong leather strap, I attempted to kick at the, even bit at them.

But nothing worked, and I was soon strapped in the chair, the metal pieces of a suit beginning to assemble around my limbs. Forcing myself to focus past the screaming in my mind, I shrieked, "What do you want with me?! I won't make a good one of you!"

"You will be a leader," the Cybermen almost seemed to murmur, whisper. Did they whisper? I don't think they're supposed to, but they did, and they almost seemed too excited for a bunch of metal men. Beside me, a man was shoved into a different chamber, and screaming began again, followed by the sounds of snipping and slicing. I sobbed.

Too busy freaking out; I almost didn't notice the familiar sound. The familiar wheezing sound of comfort. My eyes snapped open, just as the metal chest piece closed over my chest and the fez toppled off of my head, the chest piece snapping together with the other pieces.

From the little I could see of the group of people gathered outside, people scattered as the familiar sight of a blue box materialized. I felt something close around my neck and I gave a whimper. The doors flew open and the Doctor darted out, followed by Drevan. Clave hissed from his neck at the Cybermen, and the shrieking of a siren filled the air along with cries of surprise until the Doctor slammed the doors of the TARDIS shut.

I shook my head, banging it on the sides of the silver headpiece as it began to close shut. "Doctor!" I gasped, panicked. I struggled to raise my arms, trying to jerk against the straps that now pinned me, but it was as if I couldn't even try to move them, they were too heavy! Damn!

I thought I heard a cry of "Ali!" as the headpiece clicked shut.

I couldn't move. There was a dull silence as I sat there in the suit, in the pitch black of…inside of something.

And then pain snapped through my mind.

I screamed despite trying not to, thrashing violently within the suit. Or as best as I could, as I couldn't really move. It stopped abruptly, and I gave another sob, resting my forehead against the cold metal, emotions flooding my mind in a sudden rush before disappearing altogether. Anger. Fear. Sadness. Memories did the same for only a brief moment, a single face flashing before my mind before, just as suddenly, a wall slammed down in my head.

Then, there was nothing.

It was like that for a few moments. I couldn't hear anything, I couldn't see anything.

It was just nothing.

I closed my eyes, and allowed my mind to fade from consciousness.

~~OO~~II~~OO~~

I snapped awake at the sound of sharp creaking, the first sound I'd heard in what had to be a couple hours. Because if I'd waken up sooner, then I would have heard something sooner. I gave a soft sound myself, the sound echoing around the small thing that housed my head. Sweat had gathered uncomfortably, and a headache had formed from where my long hair had been stuffed in through different parts of the suit.

Another creak and I was focusing on it. That wasn't me making that sound, that's for certain. Pulling my head slightly back, I gasped in pain when it slammed into the back of the headpiece, and I heard the faintest sound outside of it. There was a sharp snapping sound, and then light filled the small darkness, a crack appearing.

I blinked the light out, wincing with a gasp when a familiar voice demanded, "Ali? Are you alright?"

"Doctor," I whispered, struggling to get free again. The crack became bigger, and then the headpiece fell off completely, hitting the ground with a loud clang. An anxious face swam into view. I smiled faintly and gave a tired, choking laugh. "Took you long enough."

His dark eyes filled with relief, and he allowed a grin to spread across his face. He rested his forehead against mine, and I grimaced at the fact that there was sweat dampening my forehead. He didn't seem to care though, and instead kissed it before pulling back with a relieved sigh. "Thought you were dead in there," he admitted.

I winked, shaking my head with a groan. "Can't get rid of me that easily."

"I'm glad," he replied, setting to work on the chest piece as I closed my eyes. The buzzing caught my attention and I opened my eyes, curious as I saw the sonic screwdriver in his hand. "Drevan give it back?" He nodded. "Sorry I left it," I apologized, "It fell out of my pocket when I wasn't paying attention. What about the sonic blaster we got?"

He pursed his lips, glancing up as a crack began to form in the chest piece. The sonic screwdriver flickered, and then continued to work. "Drevan has it. We need to get you out of here first before we destroy everything. He and your friend Catie are luring the Cybermen off while I get you out of here."

"Just use the gun," I stated bluntly. "I'm not one of them, so it won't hurt me."

"This is," he said, waving at the suit I was stuck in. His eyes suddenly snapped angrily and he glowered at me as he worked. "I left you for a few days, and you decided to get yourself into trouble with the Cybermen instead of waiting for me like I told you! Why?! Tell me, Ali! Do you think it's fun getting yourself into situations like this? Because if you think it is, I'm not taking you with me again! You nearly ruined my sonic, too!"

My own anger flared. "I'm sorry that all of the aliens want to kill me, alright?!" My eyes flashed and grief filled me. "Mandy's dead! They got her! Do you honestly think I'm going to let them kill the rest of my family?"

His eyes darkened as the chest piece fell away, allowing me to inhale a large breath happily. "Sometimes it's what you have to do, Alissa Levine."

We fell into an awkward silence as he continued to work on the suit keeping me in place. As he set to work on the last piece and I rubbed my arms with a sigh of relief, twisting awkwardly in my seat to grab my new hat, he suddenly murmured, "Sorry for yelling at you. I'm not going to leave you here."

I smirked. "Knew you weren't," I said, hiding my relief through smugness. Then I added, "I really didn't want to, you know. But I won't let people get hurt in exchange for my life remaining. You'd do the same thing and you know it. I learned it somewhere."

He chuckled, finally freeing my leg. He offered me his hand, and I accepted it, allowing him to pull me to my feet and into a tight hug, startling me. I returned it, though, taking comfort in it before stepping away and smiling at him. "Let's go, we have to get to Drevan and Catie. Where's Clave?"

"Waiting in the TARDIS," the Doctor answered, becoming serious again. "We'll get to them through there." He tossed me something, starting for the police box. I caught it, surprised to see a cellphone in my hand. "Call your friend. Your number is on there already. Tell him to shoot one of the Cybermen."

I nodded, waiting as he unlocked the door. As he did so, I dialed in my own phone number, pressing the phone to my ear as he opened the door and stepped in. I paused outside, frowning when I didn't get an answer. "He's not answering," I said anxiously, stepping in after the Doctor.

Immediately, the TARDIS hummed a greeting. "My Girl, you are safe," she whispered excitedly, relieved. The wall in my mind disappeared and a purring filled its place. "My Girl has been saved."

I smiled, stroking the wall. "Hello again, you old box," I whispered, and then grunted as I was tackled by a hissing creature. "Clave!" I laughed, hugging him. He purred, nuzzling my cheek lovingly before scrambling off and over to the control panel, climbing onto it. The Doctor cursed, shoving him off and I giggled before moving over to him. "He's not answering, what should we do?"

"We'll have to go looking with the TARDIS," he answered, flipping a switch. The TARDIS shuddered. "She'll hover a few feet above the ground. I'll steer, you'll have to hold on tight and look outside."

I nodded, starting for the corridor and my room. "Give me a second; I want to put something in my room." I loped off, ducking into the bedroom that belonged to me, pausing to peer curiously at the room across form it with the circular Gallifreyan language on it. Wonder who that belongs to.

As I stepped into the room, planets swirled around my head. Earth and Canziar, along with the other small blue planet we had stopped to visit. I smiled slightly at them, looking around before finally choosing an empty cube shaped shelf on the wall. I placed the fez in it, stroking the hat before turning and scrambling back to the control room. "Alright," I said firmly, "Let's go."

I positioned myself in the doorway, grasping the frame tightly. The TARDIS grumbled unhappily at this, not wanting me that close to the edge as it rose slightly. And then it sped off, the ground flying a few feet below it. The wind whipped my long hair around, but I ignored it, focusing on the area that passed by in search of my friends.

After a while, I heard the Doctor yell over all of the wind that buffeted by, "Any sign of them?"

I shook my head, chewing on my lip anxiously. Suddenly, a flash of silver caught my attention. "There!" I shrieked over the wind, pointing and craning my head to look at the Doctor. He nodded, fiddling with the controls. The TARDIS slowed, then suddenly pitched to the side and slammed into the ground. I cried out in surprise as it did a summersault, sending me flying backwards and sending the both of us sprawling.

Despite the rush we were in to get to my friends, we exchanged looks and grinned before scrambling to our feet. It was strange scrambling along the walls to get out of the TARDIS, as it sat sideways on the ground, hissing and groaning. Clave appeared, hissing angrily as he climbed up to curl around my shoulders.

The Doctor crawled out first, and I followed on my hands and knees. The Doctor helped me up, and then dragged me towards my two friends, who skidded to a halt beside us, panting. "Nice to see you alive," Drevan gasped as Catie gulped air down.

I grinned, panting myself. "Same. They still after you?"

He pressed the sonic blaster into my hand as Catie choked out, "All of them are coming. And considering they're walking, they're pretty fast."

Even now I could hear the sound of them marching. "Got that right," I agreed, grasping the gun and glancing at the Doctor. "Just shoot one of them and everything they've ever made is gone?" He gave a nod, eyes warily watching the approaching Cybermen in the distance, an obvious warning in his eyes: be careful.

I pointed the gun, and then aimed it carefully.

I fired.

~~OO~~II~~OO~~

I stepped into the TARDIS, humming to myself. The Doctor gently nudged past me as my friend greeted me with a warm hum, whispering, "Welcome back, my Girl. Welcome back. Your…gift has been preserved like you wished."

Thanks, I thought back, turning around to face the stunned Catie and Drevan, who now began to properly examine the TARDIS. Clave slipped from my shoulders, disappearing to who knows where. I grinned, waving at the ship around me. "So what do you think of my new and improved temporary home?"

I wasn't the only one who noticed the Doctor give a look of pleasant surprise at this, glancing at me when I called it my home.

Drevan peered around, thoughtful as he touched a piece of coral. The TARDIS made a soft humming sound in greeting and he jerked his hand back. "She's working better since she fueled up," the Doctor noted to me.

I smiled warmly at nothing in particular in response. "Good, I'm happy she's feeling better."

"So this thing," Drevan said slowly, and the TARDIS hissed unhappily at the title, "Goes through space and time?"

The Doctor nodded proudly. "Yes! It does!" His eyes twinkled and he glanced at me. "Would you like to prove it to them, Ali?"

I had the feeling he was doing it more out of guilt for yelling at me earlier and not because he wanted to, but I eagerly nodded. "Let's do it," I said excitedly.

He began to flick switches, grinning. "Random location we go then!"

~~OO~~II~~OO~~

A/N: Hope you all enjoyed! Next, I'm going to be doing a special Christmas chapter, and I'm not sure how long it will turn out. XD

KijoKuroi: Clave happens to be one of my favorite creatures of my creations. XD So I know how ya feel. Sorry about the wait!

Yasmin: Thanks! It is a bit rushed, I'll agree. XD I'm going to hopefully slow it down some if I can…