Katy finished wrapping another piece of duct tape around Howie's body, binding him to the chair at the main reception. The Doctor had rigged the radio to broadcast Howie's voice to a spa a few corridors away, luring the creature into their trap. It was a half-decent plan...as long as everyone played their roles. Katy's eyes flickered to Gibbis who was standing by the reception desk, all but glaring at Howie. He had been tasked with keeping an eye on the teenager while the others trapped the creature. Something which Katy could tell wouldn't end well.
"Time to go!" The Doctor announced, ushering the group to follow him.
"I'm gonna' stay here" Katy stated, as the Doctor twisted back around to face her, with a pout.
"You'll miss my monologue" He murmured, as she raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sure you'll have others. Don't go doing anything stupid, alright? We're still relying on you to get us all home" She explained, causing the Doctor to grin, noticing the hint of concern in her tone.
"I'll be back before you can say Jammie Dodger. You be careful too. With him" The Doctor insisted, in a hushed tone, eyeing Gibbis who was lounging in the doorway.
She gave him a quick nod, as the group began to walk away, with Rory patting her shoulder once more as he rushed to catch up with them. The Doctor gave her one last look before he turned the corner, obviously not liking that they were splitting up. Neither did Katy. But what choice did she have? There was no way she was going to trust Gibbis. She waited a few minutes, before making her way over to Howie, making sure he was secure on his chair, before putting him to work.
"Alright, Howie. It's time to do your bit. Praise him" Katy exclaimed, as she switched on the radio, causing the sonic screwdriver to whir to life.
"Praise him. Let his name be the last thing I hear. Let his breath on my skin be the last thing I feel. I was lost in shadows, but he found me. His love was a beacon that led me from darkness to light, and now I am blinded by his majesty. Humbled by his glory! Praise..." Howie's ranting trailed off as the connection was cut from the other end, meaning the Doctor had made it to the spa.
"What's going on? You lied to me" Howie muttered, realising the creature wasn't being lured their way.
"And when you get your mind back, you'll be thanking us. Trust me" Katy pointed out.
"He'll be coming for you too. He'll kill all of us eventually. You can't run forever" Howie told her.
"Sounds like you need gagging" Katy huffed, walking over to the reception desk, her hand reaching for the duct tape.
Just as her hand wrapped around the tape, she spotted something flashing green in the corner of her eye. A fire exit. Something was trying to show her a way out once again. She was walking over to the large door once again, something in her gut telling her it wasn't a trap. She placed her hand on the bar, ready to push forward and finally escape the terrifying hotel. But then she remembered the Doctor. How could she leave everyone behind to that creature? With a sigh, she removed her hand from the exit, knowing she wouldn't be able to leave with herself if she ran.
"Hey Gibbis! Do you see—" Katy's words were cut off, as something slammed into the back of her head.
She was falling to the ground a second later, her vision blurred as she came in and out of consciousness. She rolled onto her back, eyes fluttering open to see Howie retreating down the hallway...and Gibbis holding an old-fashioned landline in his hands, a small trace of blood on the edge of the device. Then everything went black.
When Katy next awoke, a warm hand was patting her cheek, calling out her name in a panic. She stirred, hearing a sigh of relief from above her as she slowly opened her eyes. The Doctor's face was contorted with worry, his palm still cupping her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin in a comforting gesture. She looked to her side to see Rory crouched down beside her, his hand on her wrist, feeling for her pulse, as he gave the Doctor a nod. They were then both helping her to sit upright, causing her head to spin uncomfortably. A green light was suddenly flashing in her eyes as the Doctor shone his sonic screwdriver on her face.
"Just a concussion. You're okay. You're okay" He said, more to himself than anyone else.
She could tell he wanted to hug her, comfort her in some way but he could feel how tense she was under his hand and hung his head. Sucking in a breath, he pulled his hand away from her cheek, anxiety rolling off him in waves. It was then that Katy realised he must have thought the creature had killed her when they found her collapsed on the floor.
"Someone...someone hit me..." She mumbled.
"C'mon, let's get you off the floor" Amy announced, as she grabbed Katy's arm and slung it over her shoulder, helping haul her friend off the floor.
"Where's Howie?" Katy realised, looking around to find the teenager was nowhere to be found.
"The creature found him" The Doctor answered, watching as her face fell.
She looked behind the Doctor's shoulder to find Gibbis standing at the end of the hallway, fidgeting with his hands, unable to meet her eyes. It didn't take long to put two and two together. He had hit her. He had released Howie. He had got the boy killed.
"He got free. He overpowered me. It might leave us alone now..." Gibbis exclaimed, as Katy's gaze darkened.
She was stumbling toward him, her mouth twisted into a snarl as the Doctor followed close behind. He had seen that look in her eyes before and it never ended well.
"You killed him" Katy spat out, as Gibbis shook his head vehemently.
"No. No, the creature did that! Not me!" Gibbis cried, as Katy suddenly lunged at him, grabbing the lapels of his jacket.
She was slamming him into the wall before anyone could stop her, with such force she created a large dent behind him. Gibbis let out a screech of fear as she moved her hands to wrap around his neck, instantly starting to squeeze the life out of him, as she heard shouts from behind her. Gibbis' eyes bulged as he tried to push her away, but even in her weakened state, she was far stronger than him. His lips were starting to turn blue by the time the Doctor decided it was time to intervene.
"Katy. Don't do this" The Doctor insisted, coming to stand beside her, causing her grip on Gibbis to lessen somewhat.
"Why not? Because I'm better than this? I guess you don't know me as well as you think you do" Katy scoffed, gritting her teeth together.
"Because Howie wouldn't want this. And you know that" The Doctor replied, reaching out to run his hand down her arm.
With anger pumping through her veins, she threw Gibbis away from her, as the Tivoli cowered away from her, whimpering under his breath. Swallowing down her frustration, Katy turned around to face the Doctor, ready to argue further.
"He's a liability. We can't trust him" Katy pointed out.
"I agree. But there are only six of us left. What good will it do making it five?" The Doctor explained, as let out a sigh.
"...You know, I hate it when you have a point" She grumbled, making the Doctor grin.
She then turned back to Gibbis, who flinched when she set her eyes on him, expecting another attack. She understood why the Doctor didn't want her to kill him...it was against his rules. But she knew there was little more dangerous in the world than cowardice. Gibbis would throw them all under the bus at a moment's notice.
"You better hope that thing doesn't find us again...cause' if it does, I'm using you as a goddamn shield" She spat out, before storming past him.
"Where are you going?" Rory called after her.
"To bring Howie's body back. I'm not gonna' leave him to rot out here—" Katy began, when she felt a hand reach out to clasp her shoulder.
"Let us help" The Doctor insisted, squeezing her shoulder once more, before letting go, as she gave him a grateful nod.
Katy's head pounded as she leaned down to cover Howie's body with a white sheet, having placed him next to Joe's corpse. Pain radiated through her skull all the way down her neck, the bright lights in the dining room only making it worse. She rubbed at the back of her head, grimacing when she pulled her hand back to find dried blood coating her palm. Gibbis was stronger than he looked. A familiar buzzing sound had her head snapping up to find the Doctor scanning her again with his Sonic Screwdriver.
"You're in pain" He murmured, as she gave a slight shrug.
"I can keep up" She replied, as he shook his head, lips pressed tightly together.
"Stay there" He instructed, as he made his way toward the bar, hopping over to the counter.
"Don't really have my choice, remember? We are kinda' trapped here" She teased, hearing him opening the cabinets behind the counter.
He was then grabbing a nearby tea towel, as more clattering could be heard. Krissy's eyebrows knitted together as she him funnelling ice onto the towel before tying it together and jumping back over the counter, which made a creaking sound underneath him.
"You know that ice probably isn't real, right?" Katy pointed out.
"Well, it will make me feel better" The Doctor huffed, gesturing for her to turn her head.
He then pressed the makeshift icepack to the back of her head, the cold making her wince for just a moment. Whether it was due to the placebo effect or something else, her headache slowly started to subside as the Doctor kept the towel pressed against her hair, as a comfortable silence washed over the pair. The Doctor gave her a shy smile as she realised that he was enjoying the moment. Enjoying taking care of her.
"I saw a fire exit" Katy suddenly blurted out, needing the moment to end.
"When?" The Doctor frowned.
"It's why I left Howie. I went over to the door, and that's when Gibbis hit me. Do you think it was a trick?" Katy inquired.
"Maybe this hotel doesn't want you. Maybe you're not scared of anything" The Doctor stated, making her scoff.
"I'm scared of a lot of things" She mumbled, reaching up to take the towel from the Doctor's hand.
"...Why didn't you leave? If the way out was right in front of you?" The Doctor pushed, as she seemed very interested in looking at anywhere but him.
"Didn't want to put up with an eternity of you complaining about how I left you" Katy shrugged, as the Doctor's lips twitched into a smile.
"Of course," He nodded, with a smug expression, as she rolled her eyes.
"Fine, fine. Maybe I didn't want to leave you behind. Satisfied?" She retorted.
"Very" He said, his grin widening.
"God, travelling with you lot is turning me soft" Katy complained, pressing the towel back against her scalp, as a question seemed to come to the Doctor's mind.
"Would you have killed him if I hadn't intervened?" The Doctor questioned, looking almost scared of her answer.
"Honestly? I hadn't decided yet" She admitted, as the Doctor mulled over her words.
"We're pretty different people, huh?" She guessed.
A haunted expression flashed over the Doctor's face for a moment, his jaw clenched as a memory seemed to wash over him.
"Not so different" He confessed, his tone full of self-loathing.
Katy opened her mouth to push the subject further but quickly decided against it. The dark look in the Doctor's eyes told her he had said everything he was willing to say. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Rita hastily leaving the dining room, careful to close the door quietly behind her. Katy suddenly remembered that Rita had found her room earlier that day...could that mean she was starting to praise the creature?
"Hey, will you check on Rita? She could probably use a friend right now" Katy suggested.
"You two seem to get on well. Maybe you should talk to her" The Doctor replied.
"Hmm. But she doesn't fancy me" Katy teased, as the Doctor gave her a scandalised look.
"What? No. No! That's...that's ridiculous" The Doctor gaped, making her giggle.
"Oh, c'mon. She's been making heart eyes at you all day. You really are oblivious" Katy mocked, before grabbing his shoulders and directing him toward the door, still laughing as she did so.
She was confused when she saw the almost hurt expression on his face, before he quickly masked it, giving her a nod before walking over to the doors. Her frown deepened when she saw Amy and Rory listening intently to their conversation, the pair immediately looking away when she noticed them eavesdropping. Rory was so desperate to avoid being caught that he whipped around to walk away, only to hit his head on one of the brick pillars in the room. Biting down her laugh, she made her way over to the pair, her eyes narrowed.
"What?" She questioned.
"No. Nothing. It's just a little strange you being the Doctor's wing-woman. That's all" Amy shrugged.
"Why?" Katy insisted, curiously.
"Well, you can get a little...jealous of the Doctor's relationships" Rory murmured, rubbing at the back of his neck, awkwardly.
"You mean this future version of me? Yeah, well that's not me. Not yet at least" Katy grumbled, as a thought occurred to her.
"...What am I like—" Katy started when Amy suddenly cut her off.
"Spoilers!" She exclaimed as Katy quirked an eyebrow.
"Come again?" Katy replied.
"We're not allowed to spoil things. The Doctor's rules" Rory told her, as she crossed her arms.
"I'm not asking you to tell me what day I'm gonna' die or anything. I just want to know...I mean, how different am I?" Katy explained, as Rory opened his mouth, but Amy lunged forward to clamp her hand over his lips.
"You should really be asking the Doctor this" Amy stated.
"Okay. Maybe I will" Katy announced.
Katy paced around the hotel, muttering under her breath every now and again about how ridiculous Amy and Rory's comments were. She didn't get jealous of people. Or their relationships. Because she didn't need anyone. She couldn't rely on anyone. Maybe that was what the future version of her needed to remember. She came to a halt at the bottom of the staircase where the Doctor had parked the TARDIS before it had gone missing, hearing voices from further up.
"All of time and space, eh?" Rita's voice drifted down from the landing, as Katy began her ascent up the stairs.
"Oh, yeah. And when we get out of this, I'll show you too" The Doctor replied, his words making Katy come to a sudden halt.
She liked Rita. A lot...but travelling with them? Wasn't it a little quick? They didn't even know Rita, why did the Doctor want her to come with them...
Oh God, she did sound jealous, Katy realised to her own horror.
"I don't know what you're talking about, but whatever it was, I have a feeling you just did it again" Rita mumbled, in an amused tone.
"He's inviting you to travel with us. To go...well, pretty much anywhere" Katy spoke up, as the pair turned to her.
"Would you be okay with that?" Rita asked her, as the Doctor wrung his hands together, a sheepish expression on his face.
Before Katy was forced to give an answer, the Doctor noticed a security camera with a red blinking light recording them from the next floor up and was rushing past them without another word. The two women stared at each other for a few awkward moments, finding the air around them suddenly felt tense. Rita appeared scared of what Katy would say next.
"You know how many people get a chance like this? To leave your life behind and quite literally travel the stars? Not many. So...fuck what I think. This has to be up to you and what you want" Katy told Rita.
"Yeah?" Rita questioned, with a slight smile.
"He could always do with another person to keep him in line" Katy mumbled, making Rita laugh.
"Hey, you two! We're about to barricade ourselves in the dining room, I suggest you get in here sharpish!" Amy called up the stairs to them.
"I'll go bring the Doctor back" Katy murmured, before jogging up the staircase to find the Time Lord.
She didn't expect putting up a few tables and chairs against the dining room doors would do much good, but if it made everyone else feel better, what did it matter? The creature that was hunting them down must have a weakness, she thought to herself. Everything did.
It didn't take long to find the Doctor, who had his back to her, his hand wrapped around the handle of one of the doors, shoulders rigid and tense. It wasn't until she read the number on the door that she felt fear sink deep into her skin.
"Doctor!" She screeched, but it was already too late.
The door swung open, as the Doctor stayed motionless in the hallway, his hand shaking which was still outstretched in front of him. Katy raced forward, about to slam the door shut when she spotted a body on the floor, blood seeping out of the pale corpse, their blue eyes wide open with fear. She froze on the spot as her brain tried to catch up with what she was seeing.
It was her.
Katy was staring back at her own dead body. Bile rose up in her throat as she stumbled back a step, feeling as if she was having an out-of-body experience. The Doctor suddenly seemed to become aware of her presence and pulled the door closed, his eyes averted to the ground.
"That...that's your greatest fear? Me?" Katy gaped, her tone full of anger.
"No" The Doctor answered, leaning forward to close his eyes and press his head against the door.
"No?! What, you're saying that wasn't me? All this time you've been acting like you fucking care about me, that we're friends and you've just been scared of—" Katy cried, as the Doctor twisted around to stop her.
"Your death" The Doctor murmured, as Katy's forehead wrinkled.
"What?" She questioned, even more confused.
"You're a Krillitane, you'll live longer than a human. A few hundred years, half a century maybe but...you can't regenerate. There's not enough Time Lord in you. One day, you'll be gone too. Just like everyone else" The Doctor explained.
"And you'll be alone" Katy realised, as the Doctor hung his head for a moment, running his hand over his face, looking exhausted.
"Doctor..." Katy trailed off, her hand instinctively reaching out for him, feeling the strange urge to embrace him.
The Doctor had already lived so many lifetimes. She imagined having someone around with a long lifespan would be a great comfort. For a time at least. Was the Doctor always aware of his time ticking away with his companions? The thought made Katy's chest tighten, tears welling up in her eyes, having never thought of the Doctor's torment before.
"Oi! We don't have time for whatever moment you two are having! Get down here!" Amy called out, from further down the corridor.
"Coming, Pond!" The Doctor replied, as Katy pulled her hand back, forcing a somewhat awkward smile on her face.
"We should..." She mumbled, gesturing toward the staircase.
"Yeah. Yes. We should" The Doctor nodded, quickly, as the two began to walk away from the room harbouring Katy's corpse.
The pair walked side by side back toward the stairs, neither knowing what to say to the other, a thick tension growing between them. Katy was glad when she spotted Rita walking up to the next floor, glad to have found a distraction. The relief was short-lived when she saw the trance-like state Rita was in, a sickening smile on her face, leading Katy to one frightening conclusion. She was worshipping the creature.
"Rita!" Katy shouted, watching as Rita picked up her pace and began racing up the stairs.
Without another word, Katy grabbed the Doctor's hand and was pulling him up the staircase as fast as her legs would carry her. Rita was quickly exiting the staircase on the next floor and charging down the corridor, hoping to outrun them. But she forgot she was only human, and soon her lungs were burning and her legs turning to jelly, forcing her to come to a halt.
"Wait! Rita, whatever you're thinking, whatever you're feeling...it's not real" Katy called out to her, as Rita dropped her head into her hands.
"You don't understand yet. But you will" Rita told her, wiping away the tears that had started to roll down her cheeks.
"You started to praise it, didn't you?" The Doctor realised.
"She found her room. It was her dad" Katy whispered, as the Doctor's face fell.
"I'm sorry, I should have...I should have noticed it had got into your head" The Doctor sighed.
"Rita, come back with us. We'll find a way to stop it" Katy insisted, as Rita shook her head.
"No, I need to get as far away from you all as possible" Rita retorted, stepping back a few paces.
"No, you don't. The creature only wants whoever's praising it" The Doctor stated, reaching out for her, scared she would try to run again.
"And then you'll put yourself in its way?" Rita guessed, as they heard footsteps rushing toward them, twisting around to find the others had found them.
"What's going on? You all just disappeared" Amy exclaimed, immediately noticing the tear tracks on Rita's cheeks.
"Please, let me be robbed of my faith in private. Leave me" Rita murmured, scrunching her eyes shut.
Katy's heart pounded in her chest as she heard a roar echoing from further down the corridor, realising the creature had found them. It wouldn't leave them alone, not until it had Rita. They were running out of time.
"I'm not frightened. I'm blessed, Doctor. I'm at peace" Rita announced, as Katy gave her a look of disbelief.
"The only thing you're gonna' be is dead!" Katy argued, storming forward.
"So, be it" Rita muttered, as Katy pursed her lips.
"Alright, you asked for it..." Katy trailed off, before lunging forward and slamming Rita's head into the nearby wall.
Rita was knocked out cold on impact, as Katy grabbed her before she could fall to the floor. She felt a slither of guilt as she watched a line of blood run down Rita's forehead, but she was quick to push it down, reminding herself that she only acted to save Rita's life. Katy turned to the others, whose jaws were dropped open, staring at her in shock.
"You guys gonna' keep gawking or help me get her out of here?" Katy ordered, as the Doctor closed his mouth, rushing forward to grab Rita's legs as the pair began to drag her away.
"Now, what?" Rory asked, as they followed close behind the pair, aware of the sound of footsteps closing in on them.
"We run or hide. It's our only two options" Katy advised, still with her hands holding onto Rita's shoulders, as they turned a corner.
"Doctor, what do we do?" Amy questioned, as the Doctor stayed quiet.
"Doctor?" She insisted, a little more firmly.
"I don't know" He murmured, catching Katy's eyes for a moment.
"In other words, we're all screwed. This thing is gonna' keep coming after us until we're all dead" Katy sighed.
"Look, the Doctor will work it out. He always does. Just let him riff and move anything expensive out of his way" Amy told her, as Katy raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I'm sorry if I don't have the same faith in him as you do, but I only met him a week ago" Katy scoffed, as the Doctor suddenly stopped, dropping Rita's feet.
"Oh, no. Oh, no, no..." The Doctor trailed off, with wide eyes.
"Doctor, what is wrong?" Amy frowned.
"It's not fear. It's faith. Not just religious faith, faith in something. Howard believed in conspiracies, that external forces controlled the world. Joe had dice cufflinks and a chain with a horseshoe. He was a gambler. Gamblers believe in luck, an intangible force that helps them win or lose. Gibbis has rejected any personal autonomy and is waiting for the next batch of invaders to oppress him and tell him what to do. They all believe there's something guiding them, about to save them. That's what it replaces. Every time someone was confronted with their most primal fear, they fell back on their most fundamental faith. And all this time, I have been telling you to dig deep, find the thing that keeps you brave. I made you expose your faith, show them what they needed" The Doctor realised, with a guilty expression.
"But why us? Why are we here?" Rory inquired.
"It doesn't want you. That's why it kept showing you a way out. You're not religious or superstitious, so there's no faith for you to fall back on" The Doctor informed him, before turning back to Katy.
"You don't believe in anything," The Doctor said to her, seeming almost hurt at the concept.
"...It wants Amy" Katy gulped, as all eyes turned to the ginger woman.
"Me? Why?" Amy questioned.
"Your faith in me. That's what brought us here. It needs to convert the faith into a form it can consume. Faith is an energy, the specific emotional energy the creature needs to live. Which is why at the end of her note, Lucy said—" The Doctor ranted, but his words were cut off by Amy.
"Praise him" Amy announced, causing Katy's blood to run cold.
"No. Oh, please, no" Rory cried, realising what was happening to his wife.
"This is all very fascinating but do I really need to remind you lot that we need to be running right now!" Katy shouted, as she grabbed Rita off the ground, and hauled her over her shoulder.
Her head spun as she did so, and her abdomen ached from her still-healing ribs, but if she wanted Rita to live, it was a pain she would have to put up with. The Doctor was quick to nod in response, grabbing Amy's hand and setting off down the corridor as the creature's footsteps gained on them. The group were sprinting through the hotel as fast as they could until Amy suddenly pulled away from the Doctor's grip and turned to see the creature only a few metres away. Katy gaped as she got a good look at the beast. It was a minotaur. Or at least, a creature that looked similar. And it was charging right for them.
"Don't make me knock you out too!" Katy warned, as Rory grabbed Amy's waist and began pulling her back.
"In here!" The Doctor announced, as he threw open one of the hotel doors and ushered them all in.
Katy's eyes went wide as they spotted a small child in the room, sitting on top of a suitcase, staring out of the window. A girl that looked strangely familiar.
"Is that...?" Katy asked, as she slammed the door behind them, before placing Rita down on one of the nearby beds.
"Yeah," Rory nodded, as the pair pushed themselves up against the door, hearing the minotaur approaching.
It was Amy.
"My biggest fear...I'm always scared you're going to leave me again. That you won't come back this time" Amy admitted, as she dropped to her knees, clutching her head.
"I can't save you from this. There's nothing I can do to stop this" The Doctor told her, as he crouched down beside her.
"What?" Amy frowned, taken aback by his harsh words.
"I stole your childhood and now I've led you by the hand to your death. But the worst thing is, I knew. I knew this would happen. This is what always happens" The Doctor continued, as the minotaur started to ram at the door.
It was only then that Katy realised what he was doing. He needed to destroy her faith in him. But even she could notice the truth tinged into his words. He really believed what he was saying.
"Forget your faith in me. I took you with me because I was vain. Because I wanted to be adored. Look at you. Glorious Pond, the girl who waited for me" The Doctor murmured, reaching up to cup her cheek.
Katy slammed her foot against the bottom of the door as the minotaur tried to ram the door open once again, hoping she could keep the creature out for just a few more moments. She could only hope the Doctor's plan would work.
"I'm not a hero. I really am just a madman in a box. And it's time we saw each other as we really are...Amy Williams, it's time to stop waiting" The Doctor told her, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead, as the young version of Amy suddenly disappeared.
Katy heard a wail from outside the room, noticing the minotaur had finally stopped hitting the door. She gave a nod to Rory as they stepped away, watching as the door slowly creaked open, revealing the minotaur had fallen to the ground. It looked like it was...dying.
"Doctor?" She called out, as he stood his feet and walked out of the hotel room, a sad expression on his face.
Katy's forehead wrinkled as he knelt beside the creature, stroking its face gently with his hand as if he was trying to soothe the minotaur. The creature that had been trying to kill them only moments ago. She couldn't understand why he was showing the minotaur so much kindness.
"I severed the food supply, sacrificing their faith in me. I gave you the space to die" The Doctor mumbled, brushing his hand down the creature's face.
All of a sudden, the lights in the hotel switched off and the whole building started to glitch before the truth of where they were standing was revealed. Everything faded away, the floors, the walls, and every object until only a hologrid was left.
"None of it was real" Katy murmured, her eyes flickering over to a flashing screen nearby.
"What is it, a minotaur or an alien? Or an alien minotaur? That's not a question I thought I'd be asking this morning" Amy asked, running a hand through her hair.
"It's both, actually. Yeah. Here we go...Distant cousin of the Nimon. They descend on planets and set themselves up as gods to be worshipped. Which is fine, until the inhabitants get all secular and advanced enough to build bonkers prisons" The Doctor explained, reading the flashing symbols on the database screen.
"Correction. Prisons in space" Rory stated, looking down a porthole underneath them, revealing stars and planets.
"It didn't want just me, so you must believe in some god or someone, or they'd have shown you the door too. So, what do Time Lords pray to?" Amy questioned, as the Doctor noticed Katy also intently listening to the conversation.
"According to the in-flight recorder, the programme developed glitches. It got stuck on the same setting, the fears from the people before us weren't tidied away" The Doctor stated, completely ignoring the question.
Katy opened her mouth to push him on what Amy had said, when a groaning sound caught her attention. Rita was slowly stirring from where she was lying on the ground, her brown eyes fluttering open, confusion etched over her features.
"Oh, shit. Rita? Hey, are you okay?" Katy asked, rushing over to the woman, helping her to sit upright.
"I'm alive...right?" Rita replied, making Katy smile.
"Yeah. You're alive. The Doctor saved the day" Katy murmured, her eyes flickering up to the man in question, who seemed uncomfortable at her words.
She flinched when the minotaur suddenly began to growl, it's words too jumbled for even the TARDIS to translate. The creatures dying breath. Katy stood to her feet, coming to stand by the Doctor, looking down at the minotaur's pitiful blue eyes.
"It killed Joe. Howie. Countless people. And you're forgiving it just cause' it's dying?" Katy accused, as the Doctor shook his head.
"The minotaur needs faith to live. It was just trying to survive" The Doctor explained, crouching down beside the creature.
"You understand that better than most" He murmured, as she let out a long sigh and knelt down next to him.
"What's it saying?" Amy questioned.
"An ancient creature, drenched in the blood of the innocent, drifting in space through an endless, shifting maze. For such a creature, death would be a gift. Then accept it" The Doctor answered, as Katy did something he wasn't expecting.
She reached out to place her palm over the creature's hoof-like hand, giving a comforting squeeze. She might not have been able to forgive the minotaur for what it had done, but maybe the Doctor was right. Maybe the creature had suffered enough.
"Sleep now. Find your peace" She whispered, as the minotaur growled once more, before its eyes shut.
"What did it say?" Katy inquired, as the Doctor stood on his shaky legs, swallowing thickly.
"I wasn't talking about myself" He mumbled, his face contorted in pain, unable to meet her gaze.
They all knew what the minotaur had meant.
They had soon dropped Gibbis off on his home planet, with the Doctor whispering a few harsh words in the man's ear, causing him to pale. He had then all but thrown the Tivoli out of the time machine, clearly happy to see the back of Gibbis. Katy expected it had something to do with the fact that she had received a concussion from the rodent-like man.
"How's your head?" Katy asked Rita, as they flew through the Time Vortex.
"Spinning. But not because you hit me. We're actually in space. Right now?" Rita replied, as Katy nodded.
"And flying through time!" The Doctor called over, with a grin.
"So, all of time and space. Where do you want to start?" He exclaimed, as they all turned expectantly to Rita.
"Home" She announced, watching as the Doctor's face fell.
"Ah, wanting to start your first adventure on familiar ground? Maybe in the next century—" The Doctor began, but Rita was quick to stop him.
"I'm grateful for what you've done, Doctor. You saved me. Saved all of us. And you were right, Katy, most people could only dream of being given an opportunity like this. Today has been the most insane, confusing, spectacular day of my life...but also the most awful. All those people are dead. And I see the looks of your faces, like this is every day for you. A big adventure. But that's...that's not me. I have my own adventure on Earth" Rita explained.
"...Right. Of course. Earth it is then" The Doctor nodded, forcing a smile onto his face which didn't meet his eyes, before turning back to the console.
"Are you sure?" Amy questioned, as the Doctor began pressing the console buttons, sending them in a new direction.
"Now, that the creature is out of my head, I've never felt clearer. I want to speak to my father. I want to finish my degree. I want to be a Doctor" Rita announced, as Katy's lips twitched into a smile.
"I think that sounds like a pretty good plan" She replied, as Rita was then reaching out to pull her into a hug.
It only took a few moments for Katy to respond, circling her arms around Rita's back, pulling her in closer. Something warm blossomed in her chest as a realisation hit her. She had saved Rita. She had saved a life. And that felt amazing.
"Maybe I'll come pop round for a visit sometime" Katy exclaimed, pulling away slowly.
"I'd really like that" Rita smiled.
"Here we go. Earth's solar system. Which hospital did you say you worked at?" The Doctor asked.
"The Royal Hope Hospital. In London" Rita told him, watching as the Doctor went completely still.
A beaming smile grew on his face, before a joyous laugh escaped his lips, clearly amused by something that none of the others had picked up on yet. He continued laughing, as he pulled the lever on the console, shaking his head a little.
"What year did you come from?" The Doctor asked her.
"2006. Why?" Rita frowned, at the Doctor flipped a button over and caused them to start materialising.
"Something tells me this won't be the last you see of us" He grinned.
After they had left Rita outside the hospital, the Doctor announced they had one last stop. He sounded pained as the words left his mouth as if he didn't want to take them to the mysterious location. Katy was the last to leave the TARDIS as it materialised, wondering what new adventure he had sent them to. She was left confused when she found a row of houses in front of her, not a soul in sight.
"Don't tell me. This isn't Earth, that isn't a real house. And inside lives a goblin, who feeds on indecision" Amy joked.
"No. Real Earth, real house, real door keys" The Doctor announced, throwing the keys up in the air for her to catch.
"You're not serious?" Amy questioned, as Katy's frown deepened.
Was he...letting them go?
"The car too? But, that's my favourite car. How did you know that was my favourite car?" Rory gaped, approaching the flashy red vehicle.
"You showed me a picture of it once and said 'this is my favourite car'" The Doctor teased, intimating Rory's voice.
"Rory, can you give us two minutes?" Amy exclaimed, beginning to realise what was happening.
"She'll say that we can't accept it because it's too extravagant and we'll always feel a crippling sense of obligation. It's a risk I'm willing to take" Rory whispered to the Doctor, patting him on the back as he looked toward their new house.
"C'mon then, I want to see the place too" Katy murmured, linking their arms together and having to all but drag him away from the car.
The house was much bigger than she expected, with three decent-sized bedrooms on two different floors. Not to mention a bathroom fitted with all sorts of strange gadgets, courtesy of the Doctor. It seemed like a readymade home just for Amy and Rory. Katy sniggered when she spotted Rory looking out one of the bedroom windows, gazing adoringly at his new car.
"Boys and their cars" Katy teased, coming to stand beside him.
"So, what do you think?" Rory asked her, as she gave a slight shrug.
"It seems nice. Maybe a bit of paint job here and there" Katy mumbled.
"No, I mean the room. Your room" Rory explained, as Katy's mouth went slack.
"Wait...you want me to have this room?" Katy gaped, as Rory nodded.
"Sure. I mean, you'll be visiting all the time, right?" Rory assumed, as Katy looked away.
Her timeline was synced with the Doctor's. Where he went, so did she. And something told her he wasn't planning to see the Pond's again for some time. Their whole dynamic had changed since the last time they had met. They were like his family now. And he was trying to save them.
"Take care of yourself, okay?" Katy murmured, patting him on the shoulder, as he nodded.
"Make sure you two don't spend too much time away. Cause', you know, Amy will miss you a lot" Rory told her, making her grin.
"I'll bear it in mind" She stated.
Katy stopped by the front door, her feet faltering when she saw Amy and the Doctor embracing, his chin resting on her shoulder. She could see the tears glistening in his eyes even from a distance. With her head hung low, she slowly started to approach the pair as they pulled away, both barely keeping it together.
"Look after him," The Doctor said, his voice thick with emotion.
"Look after you" Amy replied, leaning forward to press a kiss to his forehead, causing the Doctor's face to crumble.
"I'll make sure he stays in one piece" Katy announced, as the Doctor sucked in a shaky breath, seeming relieved to see her.
He then held his hand out to her, which was shaking a little, a hopeful look in his eye. She gave him a quick smile before placing her hand in his and pulling him away from his best friend and toward the TARDIS. The pair stopped in the machine's doorway, both waving to Amy with their free hands, as she returned the gesture.
"Bye" She cried, tears welling in her eyes.
With a gentle tug, Katy pulled the Doctor inside the TARDIS as the door closed behind them. He let out a shaky breath, pressing his head against the doors for a moment, scrunching his eyes shut. Katy felt the sudden urge for the second time that day to comfort him. Before she could dwell on the feeling, he was turning around to her, a sad smile on his face.
"You're still here" He exclaimed, sounding almost surprised.
"I guess I don't want to leave" She admitted, her words only seeming to make him sadder.
He was then rushing over to the console and sending them away from the Pond's and into the Time Vortex once more. He couldn't go back. Not now.
"It was wrong" Katy announced, coming to stand beside him by the console.
"What was?" The Doctor frowned.
"The minotaur. You've still got a lot more good to do. A lot more life to live" Katy insisted, as the Doctor looked toward the floor.
"But Rita was right. We almost died today. All of us. Amy and Rory..." The Doctor trailed off, hands balled into fists on top of the console.
"And you saved them for a second time. You let them go. That's not what bad men do. It's what good men do" Katy explained, as his eyes flickered up to her.
"There is no future version of you. The person that I know...that's still you. It's always been you. And I will always want you here. Even if I shouldn't" The Doctor told her, as Katy pursed her lips as she felt tears pricking at her eyes.
"Well, it's a good thing then that I'm not going anywhere" Katy grinned, as the TARDIS made a humming noise.
"And I think it's about time I have a tour of your home, don't you?" Katy suggested, noticing how the smile had dropped from the Doctor's face.
"Doctor?" She exclaimed, causing him to come out of the trance he had fallen into.
He blinked a few times before nodding, trying to rid his features of the sadness that had engulfed him. He was rushing up the stairs of the console room to the landing, his mind whizzing at a mile a minute as he thought of all the places in the TARDIS he could take her.
"Right. Yes. Tour. Let's see, how about we start at the observatory? Oh, then the swimming pool! And I haven't even told you about..." The Doctor trailed off, suddenly realising how quiet the room was.
He twisted around to find the TARDIS was empty, all traces that Katy had been there were gone. She had been thrown through his timeline, falling into the arms of some past or future version of himself. He was alone. Again.