A/N: Hey, guys! I know it's been a while since I last updated a new chapter. I've been incredibly busy over the last two months with work, and just this past week I was on a birthday vacation to Disney World with my mom. That trip was so much fun, I didn't want to leave. Also at the time of writing this, it was snowing, which made me want to go back to Florida even more. Personally, I'd rather deal with heat and humidity than bitter cold temps and snow.

On a side note, HOW ABOUT THEM CHIEFS?!

Thank you to all who subscribed and left kudos. I really appreciate it. Keep 'em coming! :)

Also, a friendly reminder that I have started writing a prequel story called "Arising: A Nova Sue Prequel." If you haven't already, go check that out and subscribe. To those who have read it and/or are already following it, please disregard this message.

On with the story! :)

Chapter 36: TARDIS Pep Talk 2.0

"ARGH!" I scream as I slam my bedroom door shut in anger, making the walls shudder, and throw myself on my bed. "I HATE HIM! I HATE HIM SO MUCH!"

This is so, completely, utterly, totally unfair! More than that, it's ridiculous! In all this time, Dad has always said, "We will save them," "We will put everything right," etcetera—"we" being the key word. In my head, I always figured he meant "we" as in both of us—Dad and me—but no. In Dad's head, it was always "we" as in just him; rather, him and whoever else he might ask to help (the Paternoster Gang, in this case), but in reality I was never part of the picture.

That being said, Dad has basically lied to me this entire time! In fact, that's all he's ever done to me—is lie, lie, lie—and I'm sick and tired of it! If there is such a thing as a gold medal that says "#1 Worst and Most Careless Father in the History of Space-Time," he would certainly earn that medal, because he truly is! As I said long ago, I am absolutely embarrassed to be a daughter to someone like that. I am absolutely embarrassed to be his daughter, and I will never forgive him for this! Never ever again!

'Nova, please,' I hear the TARDIS say calmly in my head. 'You need to calm down.'

"How can I calm down when Dad is making me break a promise I made?!" I snap back, slamming my fist on the blankets over my footboard. "I made a vow to myself, promising that I would save my family even if it killed me! He has to let me go; otherwise I'd be breaking that promise! I won't let him make me break that promise!"

Idris sighs. 'I can imagine how unfair that must feel to you, but you must understand the severity of what your actions may engender, should you go against your father's wishes.'

"I don't care about any of that!" I growl. "I don't care if he ends up shunning me after this! The only thing I care about is saving my family from that 'Vokanari' filth and making sure they never target them again! Nothing else matters to me more than that, and I'm gonna make sure it happens one way or another, even if it kills me! They've tortured us long enough! This ends now! I'm done! They need to pay for everything they did to us!" If I have to physically fight my own family to earn my own rights, I would.

Idris sighs again. 'I don't disagree with what you are saying, but I must disagree with what you are intending to pursue and how you intend to pursue them. I know how anxious you are to save your family, especially your mother, but you do not have the required level of experience needed to accomplish that goal. Madame Vastra, Jenny Flint, and Strax, however, are at the required experience level, which is why your father has chosen them to carry out this procedure. Don't worry, Nova, you will get your chance very soon.'

I groan again, tired of hearing those words—those damn words I've been hearing my whole life: "You're not old enough." "You're not ready." "You'll get your chance; just not yet." And, above all, "Spoilers." I am especially sick of hearing that single word.

"Ugh, I'm sick and tired of waiting! I know I'm still a Padawan in all of this, but I learn much better and faster by doing the actual work, not just observing from the sidelines. If I am to learn how to handle the Silence, I need to be there with everyone else. I can't just sit here, twiddling my thumbs, and wait for a miracle. I want to make sure that 'miracle' happens by being there! Only then would it have a higher chance of coming true."

No surprise, Idris still refuses to back down. 'I admire your optimism, Nova, but you must let your elders handle the situation for now, as they have much greater experience. As I said, you will get your chance soon.'

I raise a skeptical eyebrow at this. "Define 'soon.'"

'Sooner than you think,' the TARDIS chuckles, which, of course, doesn't answer my question.

"That doesn't answer my question. Give me a proper answer, and don't even think about using the word 'spoilers.'" If I hear that word one more time, I'm going to throw myself out of the TARDIS doors and into the vacuum of Space.

'Sorry, can't do that. You'll just have to trust me.'

SERIOUSLY?!

"Gah!" I exclaim, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "Okay, whatever, I give up!" I then sigh, throwing my body back against the sheets and rubbing my eyes. "There's just so much going through my head right now, I'm not even sure where to begin, and most of it I can hardly understand."

'Perhaps talking about them would make you feel better,' the TARDIS suggests, much like last time, when we had almost the exact same conversation, when I ran from Dad out of anger on Contraxia.

I sigh again, looking up at the ceiling and imagining myself looking up at a disembodied face (the TARDIS's face; or at least at what I can imagine her face to look like if she was a real person) looking down at me from the ceiling. "Yeah. With you, that's fine. With Dad, not so much." I'm way too angry to even care to talk to him right now.

'I understand. I'll admit, your father does seem like he's been a bit too tough on you as of late, but he's tough on you because he loves you.'

"No, he's afraid," I correct her, rolling my eyes. "That's the truth. He's afraid to lose me. Of course, he's too stubborn to admit it, but I know it's true." Why else would he keep me in the TARDIS like this—like a prisoner?

'Exactly. That's why he wants you to stay with me. He doesn't want you to share the same fate as your mother, as do I.'

"I know, but…I can't shake the feeling like I have to." At this point, turning myself in to the Vokanari may be my only option, even if everybody else is against it.

'What do you mean?' Idris asks, puzzled.

I sit up on my elbows, deciding to explain. "I'm not sure why, but I have this sort of 'gut feeling' that I have to go to that base…that I'm destined to go. I know that sounds cliché but it's true."

I expect Idris to react in almost the exact same way as her pilot, but, surprisingly, she doesn't. Instead, she says, 'Not at all. In fact, I think you might be correct.'

I frown. "I am?" I then think better. "Or…I guess, yeah, I am. I mean, you're a time-machine. You must see the future, maybe even multiple futures."

'I see everything. The Past… The Present… The Future… All that is, or was, or ever could be…'

"Right. So, if you can 'see everything,' as you say—including multiple futures—that must mean you've seen something. Specifically, what happens to me; rather, what will happen to me. Not that I'm asking for you to tell me what happens, but I do sense that you've seen what will happen if I go to that base." Surely, that would count as one of said 'multiple futures;' perhaps even the future.

'Indeed, I have,' Idris confirms, admitting my theory to possibly (and hopefully) be correct.

If that's the case… "So does this mean you'll let me go?" I ask in a hopeful tone. Will the Doctor's own TARDIS give me a chance to prove myself, since the Doctor himself clearly refuses to?

'I can't say I'm thrilled by the idea of going against your father's and my thief's demands with regards to your fate,' Idris says in a tone that makes me unsure as to whether she's actually allowing me to go or not.

I shrug. "Well, sometimes you have to go against everyone else's better judgement in order to do what is right. 'Do something bad to do something good,' so to speak; not that we're doing anything bad. I mean, sure, we're going against Dad's consent, but it's for his own good." I then pause, remembering. "Before, Kovarian tried forcing Dad to choose who to sacrifice for the greater good between me and Mom, but I've already made my decision—rather, I've made the decision for him. It's going to be me." Dad is too important to die, since no one else in the universe has the willingness and courage to save it for as long as he has, and Mom already has a fixed death at the Library, so that leaves me as the sole candidate.

'Nova…' Idris says, clearly disapproving of my decision. Typical.

"Just hear me out!" I say, raising my hands up in surrender. "Let me tell you my plan, and maybe it'll convince you to let me go. I'll catch up with the Paternoster Gang, but while I'm there I won't be turning myself in like Kovarian wants. I'll sneak in with Jenny as a Silence member in disguise, like Dad suggested, and as long as I keep my head down they shouldn't recognize me, especially if they require us to wear that ugly eye-patch."

'And if they do recognize you?' Idris says in a nervous tone. 'What then? You can't fight them all. There are too many of them, and they are much more powerful.'

I shrug again. "I'll figure something out. That's the problem with Dad—he doesn't trust me enough to have the ability to get myself out of sticky situations alone, but I believe I can do it. I'm a quick-thinker on my feet; I get that from him. If only I could physically show him… In any case, this is my chance to prove myself! I'm not letting it go to waste! I'm sick of being treated like a kid! This is my opportunity to grow up! This is my opportunity to shine!"

'To shine bright like a nova,' Idris adds in agreement.

"Yes!" I exclaim. "Exactly that!"

'I trust things will work out for you.'

This statement makes me perk up and fill my hearts with hope. "So you are letting me go?"

'You've proven to me that you do have what it takes,' Idris admits in a sincere tone, 'considering what you did on Contraxia and on the Shada Dämo's ship, and I respect that. Now you just need to prove yourself to your father, and as much as I dislike admitting it, I believe that this is the only way to do it. You've wanted to save your family for a long time, and it is now high time that you make this goal an accomplishment.'

Hearing this is like music to my ears. "Thanks, Idris. I'm so happy that you're letting me do this." I then frown and admit, "Though, I still think you're only taking my side because you sense something big involving me there. Again, not that I'm asking for confirmation on that. Though, if it is true, I'm honestly scared to find out what happens." Maybe this 'big' thing is considered a so-called 'fixed point in time.' In which case, I am both nervous and anxious to find out what it is.

'Don't be, Nova,' Idris says, reading my mind. 'Remember what your father said: 'Don't let your fear control you. You must embrace it; treat it like a superpower. Fear is what gives you strength. You can use that to fight your enemies—use it to fight the Vokanari. They want your fear to tear you down, but you must let it build you up, make you stronger and faster. Fear isn't your enemy…''

"'It is your ally—your companion,'" I finish with her.

'As long as you do that, you shall never fail.'

I smile. "I'll keep that in mind next time. Thanks for reminding me."

'Your father has tasked me to pick up your grandparents in Modern Day London, and then shortly after that we will head to the coordinates we were given on Contraxia. If you want any chance of helping our allies, you had better start preparing now. Once we get to the coordinates, your father will send our allies on their way, and I'll help you join them soon after to avoid any suspicions.'

So she is helping me. Thank God!

"How're you gonna sneak me out without him noticing?" I ask curiously. "The only way in or out is through the front door in the Control Room, and Dad has Mom's 'Vortex Bracelet' thing."

'Vortex Manipulator,' she corrects me before assuring me, 'and don't worry. I have a plan to get you past your father without being seen.'

"Great! I'm ready when you are!" I then chuckle. "I'm gonna be honest, this is very exciting; though it feels weird to be going against Dad like this. I'm not sure how it makes you feel." Admittedly, in my opinion, the fact that the Doctor's TARDIS is going against the Doctor himself is absolutely hilarious.

'Let's just say for the moment I am willing to do what is wrong in order to do what is right.'

I shrug at this. "Fair enough. He's going to freak when he finds out, but I don't care. He doesn't understand how important this is for me to be there. I am basically saving his life—for the third time, mind you—by going there in his place. They want him dead, not me."

'Yes, but they want you to eliminate him. No doubt they've set a trap for you—the Paternoster Gang included. You must be mindful of what you are getting yourself into. Even the smallest mistake in one situation might be the biggest mistake for another.'

I shrug again. "That is very true. That's another thing I'll keep in mind. You never know, it could save my life."

'Let's hope everything works out in your favor,' the TARDIS says sincerely.

"Me too," I sigh. I then glance nervously toward my bedroom door, suddenly feeling a strange fear that which its origins are unknown to me. "Well, since I've got some time—if you'll pardon the pun—if it won't be too much trouble…I would like to pay Mom a quick visit." For some unknown reason, I feel like sharing this unknown fear with her. In fact, she is the only one I feel comfortable sharing it with.

Unfortunately, Idris is against this idea. 'I don't think that is wise, Nova. If Madame Kovarian attempts to take over her mind again…'

"I'll be careful, I promise. I just want to say g—" I quickly stop myself from finishing that sentence. So that's the fear I'm feeling. Instead, I rephrase, "I just want to check on her and make sure she's okay, since I won't see her for a while."

Idris is silent for a minute, clearly understanding my fear, and luckily she changes her mind and complies. 'I suppose I can make that as an exception. I trust you know where to go.'

I nod. "I do. I won't be long. If I sense anything, I'll get out of there."

'I trust you. Proceed with caution.'

"Thank you, Idris," I say as I exit my bedroom and retrace Dad's and my steps to the TARDIS library.

Once I reach the library, I rush to the place where we left Mom, and, just as expected, she is still there on the sofa, having not moved a single inch. I struggle to fight back tears as I slowly approach her, kneel down on the floor next to her, and take her limp hand gently in mine.

"Hey, Mom," I choke out, feeling more tears threaten to spill as I grip her hand tighter. "I know I'm not supposed to be in here with you, but… I felt like coming in here to talk to you, even though I know you can't hear me and can't respond to me in your current state, but I'm gonna talk anyway, and I don't give a shit if the Silence are listening." Thinking more on it, I'm not sure it's smart either, but again I don't care. Putting the thought to the back of my mind, I continue, "Anyway, I came here because…" I pause again, struggling to hold back tears at this point. "Because I miss you. Even though you're here physically, I still miss you. You may be here physically, but… But you're not here mentally." The tears begin trickling down my cheeks like an endless waterfall, and I begin choking on my own words, much like how it feels to choke on water. "If only the Silence weren't in control of your mind, you'd be here completely. I'm so sorry that they did this to you. This was all my fault." Unable to fight back my emotions any longer, I bring Mom's hand to my face and cry into it. "If it weren't for me, this wouldn't have happened. We should never have sent you there. I should never have left home in the first place. I'm so sorry, Mom. Please forgive me. Please wake up. I want to save you, but I don't know how. I don't know what to do. Please help me. I'm so scared. I'm scared for you. I'm scared for everyone. Please…tell me what to do. Tell me how I can beat them. Tell me something, anything! Please wake—!"

Something at the opposite end of the library startles me in mid-plea—the sound of the main door opening, followed by two voices—a British male and a Scottish female—whispering to each other.

"Yup, this is the library, all right," the male says.

"The Doctor said Mels was somewhere around here," the female replies.

Hastily wiping my eyes dry, I creep quietly behind a bookshelf just in time as the brown-haired male, who looks to be carrying a large briefcase that shows an image similar to that of what would be on a typical first-aid kit, and redheaded female come into view and slowly approach the sofa from the back.

"Look, there's the sofa!" the redhead says, pointing. "Mels! It's us; it's your mum and dad!"

"Amy, shh!" her counterpart whispers, pulling her back. "Remember what the Doctor said? They are controlling her again. If she wakes, she could try to kill us, or something, like she did the Doctor in Berlin. Trust me, I've died more than enough times and certainly don't want a repeat!"

As the man continues talking, I take the opportunity to flee. However, before I make it far, I overhear the woman say my name, making me pause. "I do hope Nova is alright. I'm worried for her. She's been through so much. Maybe we should go check on her as well."

"We can find her later," the man replies. "Right now, she's probably not in the mood to talk to anyone, considering what she's going through. Plus, she's never properly met us. We should give her time to vent before we just go and see her."

as much as I want to stick around and listen to them further, I don't have that time, so I continue running.

I am able to make it back to the main hallway, luckily without the duo seeing me. From the bit of conversation I'd just heard, it is evident that they are here to look after Mom; rather, 'Mels,' as the woman called her, which must be short for 'Melody,' Mom's birth name. That piece of evidence alone suddenly makes me realize who those people are:

My grandparents.

"That was close," I sigh as I jog back toward the direction of my bedroom. "Those people must've been my grandparents."

'Indeed, they were,' Idris confirms. 'Amelia Pond and Rory Williams a.k.a. 'The Pretty One.''

'The Pretty One?' What?!

I frown in disbelief. "You think my grandfather is…" I then pause, suddenly feeling like I'd rather not ask for further details about the TARDIS's apparent 'crush' on my grandfather. Instead, I say, thinking better, "You know what, never mind. We need to stay focused. How much longer 'til I'm clear to make a break for it?"

'Not much longer now,' she assures me. 'However, I suggest you prepare yourself quickly. As we speak, your father is discussing things further with Madame Vastra, Strax, and Jenny. Just minutes ago, your father tasked me to download any and all information on the Silence and the base that which they are commanding, and he is currently making extra preparations with them, discussing how to use the information downloaded and how to move forward. As mentioned several times now, if you want any chance to be a part of any of this, I implore you to be at that meeting—unseen, of course.'

"Of course!" I say in an obvious tone. "I need to know what else they're planning. I could use that information when it comes my turn to go. From Dad's original plan, he's most likely gonna give Vastra and Strax a head-start, then send Jenny not long after; and it sounds like he'll be giving Jenny directions on how to catch up, depending on how far the base is from where we are. Then it'll be my turn, and I definitely need time to catch up to Jenny before she reaches the base." As I've said many times, I am not going to let this opportunity go to waste.

'Unfortunately, once you reach the base, I will not be able to help you in any physical sense, so you will have to proceed on your own,' Idris says sadly; but, deep down, I feel like this shouldn't be a problem.

"I'll be fine," I assure her. "I'll be with Jenny. She'll watch my back if I run into trouble. We'll watch each other's backs." This statement makes me think back on Jenny's words from when we prepared to save Dad from his 'fear' during our previous adventure: "We'll keep each other safe. No one should have to be alone in this; certainly not you. We're with you until the end." And I intend to be with my family at the end.

'I trust you, Nova,' Idris says with what I imagine to be a smile. 'I wouldn't be sending you on this mission if I didn't.'

"Unlike Dad," I say, rolling my eyes, "who doesn't trust me to do anything on my own. If he won't, then Mom certainly will…if she was here." Surely, Mom would take my side in all of this, especially since she did this all for me—for us—from the start, and now I want to repay the favor by saving her and everybody else. If only Dad weren't so overprotective all the time…

'Don't be like that. Of course your father trusts you as equally as your mother trusts you. It may not seem that way as of now, but in time you will see this is so. Give him time. Give yourself time.'

I can't help but laugh at Idris's words, thinking about how ironic it is to hear a time-machine 'talk' about time in such a manner. "You're right," I say with a sigh. "Thanks, Idris."

'You should go,' she urges me. 'You mustn't miss a single second of that meeting.'

I smile as I rush down the hallway leading back to the Control Room, "On my way!"

A/N: TO BE CONTINUED!

Another friendly reminder to go check out my new story "Arising: A Nova Sue Prequel" if you haven't already, and also check back every few days, as I have a habit of rewriting things.

Next chapter coming soon :)