A/N: Welcome back, my fellow readers. This is the final chapter of this particular episode, and things are going to be a little calmer from here onward. In other words, you'll see Nova do more human things for a few chapters after this one.

This chapter is a bit long since I couldn't find a good stopping point. I hope that's not a problem for most of you :)

Also, there is a subtle reference to the mobile game "Among Us" (the word 'imposter' should be familiar as well as 'suss out'). A really fun game to play if you haven't. There is even a subtle reference to the Doctor Who episode "Boom Town" and a brief reference to the Star Trek/Doctor Who crossover comic story "Assimilation2". Props to whoever catches the two references :)

Chapter 14: Double Trouble

When I open my eyes again, I immediately recognize the hexagonal-shaped hallway as being one in the TARDIS, the same hallway as where my bedroom is. I sigh in extreme relief to be back in a familiar place as I rush to the Control Room where, thankfully, I find my father seemingly charging his sonic screwdriver at the console.

"Dad!" I call out as I run down the stairs to him.

"Nova?!" he gasps and whips around, not expecting to hear my voice deep inside the ship and obviously confused as to how I ended up back here. "How did you get there? Where—"

"Dad, it's Jack!" I say, in absolute hysterics, as I wrap my arms around him and bury my face in his chest. "We have to go back and save him!"

He frowns, seeming puzzled. "Jack? Jack Harkness? Where is he?"

"He stayed behind!" I explain as I lift my wrist up to show Jack's Vortex Manipulator. "He gave me his Vortex Manipulator! We have to go back for him! Please, we need to hurry! The guards could kill him, or the Silence could catch him and turn him over! We have to stop them! Please! I can't leave him!"

"Okay, Nova, calm down," Dad says, rubbing my back soothingly. "Give me his Vortex Manipulator. I can connect it to the TARDIS to find his exact whereabouts. We can try to materialize around him."

"No!" I gasp, suddenly remembering his tracker that's still imbedded in his body. "He still has his tracker in him! He needs to have it removed before he can leave the prison's borders! It'll activate and kill him if it's not removed first!"

"Don't worry," he assures me as he takes Jack's Vortex Manipulator from me and hooks it to the TARDIS console. "We'll remove it the second he's in the TARDIS. He'll be fine as long as we're quick. Brace yourself!" He immediately sets the Old Girl to fly to the exact coordinates where I last left Jack, and the ship rumbles and shudders upon command. "We landed!" Dad says a few seconds later as the ship settles once more. "We'll need to be quick; we only have a few seconds before the Judoon lock the TARDIS down and we'll be unable to leave!" He immediately runs to the door, and I follow close behind, but he turns and stops me. "No, Nova, you stay! I can handle this!"

I reluctantly do what he says as he opens the door and rushes outside. We both see Jack continue to shoot back at the guards and Space-Rhinos as I last left him seconds ago. I watch through the opened TARDIS door as Dad calls out to Jack, and once Jack sees us, he immediately begins running toward us at full sprint, completely disregarding his own safety. Once he reaches about halfway to us, Jack's tracker activates in the form of an intense electrical burst that envelops his body and immediately sends him to the floor in pain.

"Jack!" I automatically call out to him and begin running to him, but Dad stops me yet again, holding out a hand in a 'stop' motion.

"No, Nova, I'll go! Stay there!"

I continue helplessly watching from the TARDIS as Dad reaches Jack and hoists him up to his feet, wrapping his arm around his shoulder. I see Dad wince slightly from Jack's tracker while Jack continues screaming in agony. I swiftly step back as the two men reenter the TARDIS, and once they do, Jack immediately faceplants to the floor, his body going limp, which automatically makes me fear the worst. His tracker stops sparking with electricity the moment he impacts with the floor.

"Quick, Nova, give me your sonic!" Dad commands as he gently pulls Jack's jumpsuit down to reveal the tracker in his shoulder. "I need to remove his tracker!"

I hand it over without question, my eyes filling with tears and bottom lip quivering in fear as he begins sonicking Jack's tracker out of him. "Come on, Jack, me old mate…" Dad mutters as he works quickly and carefully. "Stay with us…"

I kneel down beside them as Dad continues working. At this point, I can't help but sob uncontrollably and think we'll legitimately lose Jack, despite his immortality and the possibility that it had finally run out. "Jack, please, don't leave us…" I whimper through my fingertips as I bite at my nails nervously. "Please don't die…"

"He'll be fine, Nova," Dad assures me. "I've almost got the tracker out. Don't touch him 'til it's out." I can see the tracker slowly lifting itself out of Jack's shoulder blade and staining the infected area with blood.

"You touched him and barely felt anything," I point out, remembering how he seemed to barely feel a tingle from Jack's tracker when it was sparking his body with electricity.

"That's because Time Lord bodies are able to withstand significant amounts of electricity," Dad explains before exclaiming, "Got it!" once the device in Jack's shoulder pops out like a cork from a wine bottle and seems to attach itself to my sonic like a magnet. Once Dad releases the button on the screwdriver, the tracker falls harmlessly into his palm. "Now we wait," he says as he hands me back my sonic, gently flips Jack on his side, rises to his feet, and returns to the console, setting a different course (the TARDIS had flown herself away from the prison on autopilot while Dad was tending to Jack).

I remain by Jack's side as I wait for him to wake up on his own, knowing he can't truly die…or so he claimed. A few seconds pass, and he still doesn't move; I honestly can't tell if he's breathing or not. "Come on, Jack…" I whisper in a calm voice as I rub the side of his arm soothingly. "Please don't die… Please wake up…"

Another thirty seconds go by, and he still doesn't wake, and at this point I am starting to get concerned, no longer believing that Jack could simply be 'playing opossum' as a fowl prank. "Jack! Jack, come on, this isn't funny anymore! Please just wake up!" I shake him this time, and still nothing; nothing at all. "Jack! Jack, seriously, the joke's over now! Just open your eyes already! Jack! Wake up, goddamn it!"

"Nova!" Dad calls to me from the console. "What's the matter?"

"He's still not waking!" I groan as he comes back over. "He should be back to life by now! Why hasn't he woken yet? He can't be dead; not officially! He has to wake! He has to!" He just can't die; not after all we've been through!

"Nova, it's alright," Dad says as he kneels down and wraps his arms around me, pulling me back against him. "I'm sure it's just taking a bit longer for him to resurrect himself; it happens sometimes, even with Regeneration. Just wait a bit long—"

"No!" I snap. "I'm done waiting! He has to wake up now! He can't die! Not because of me! Not again!" I pull away from my father and wrap my arms around Jack's body, burying my face in his chest. "Jack, please, don't do this! Don't leave me! Please just wake up! Please!" I wait one final minute, but still no response.

Screw it, I groan as I sit up, this is taking way too damn long!

"He's still not waking," I growl out loud. "I'm gonna do it." I raise one of my hands and will my Regeneration Energy to manifest. "This should work."

"Nova, no!" Dad gasps, yet again, in disapproval. "You don't need to waste your energy; not on him! Just wait another few seconds, and—"

"He's not gonna wake up on his own!" I snap. "It's been too long! I'm gonna use my energy to heal him, just like I did for you! It's got to work! It will work!"

"Nova, stop! Just wait!"

I shake my head. "I can't do that! Not anymore! He's done so much for me, and I've hardly done anything for him! I owe him! I owe him my life! Please, Dad, just let me do this!"

He is silent for a few seconds before reluctantly agreeing. At this, I prepare to place my glowing hand over Jack's chest to help restart his heart when he unexpectedly gasps back to life on his own and sits up on cue.

"Jack!" I gasp, startled, as Dad pulls me back away from him. "You're alright!"

"Yeah, kid, I'm fine," he chuckles as he takes deep breaths to pump more air through his system. "Told ya I'd see ya again, didn't I?" He then frowns and asks, "Why's your hand glowing?"

I instantly pull my hand away, feeling my cheeks blush with embarrassment. "Oh, uh… I just…thought you weren't gonna come back, so I was gonna…"

"I get it," he smiles at me in understanding. "Thanks anyway."

I am completely unable to control my body as I automatically throw myself at him and wrap my arms around him tightly, refusing to let go for fear of him spontaneously dropping dead again. "I thought I'd lost you for good this time."

Jack shakes his head, hugging me back. "Nah, it's okay, kid. You'd never lose me. I came back, like I always do. I'd never leave you. Good to see ya again, Doc."

"Likewise, Captain," Dad nods back. "You scared us a bit there, mate."

"Sorry about that," Jack grunts as I help him to his feet, still keeping his arm around my shoulder. "Guess it took me a bit longer to regenerate, huh?"

"Well, you're back now. Both of you," Dad says as he pats Jack appreciatively on the back. "Thank you for bringing Nova back."

"It wasn't easy," Jack shrugs before wincing from his injured shoulder where the tracker was imbedded. "Took me a long time just to find her, but I managed. You won't believe what all we had to go through."

"Madame Kovarian is back!" I speak up. "She showed up at the prison looking for me, and not just me. Since we last saw her, she's been going to each prison, recruiting new people to gain back the numbers she lost. No surprise she'd do that. I tried stopping her, but she was another damn Avatar. God knows when she'll ever show her true face."

"You saw Kovarian again?" Dad frowns. "How did you escape her?"

"Jack saved me. She tried taking me away again, and he stopped her. That's how we found out she was another Flesh Avatar. We escaped not long after."

Dad nods. "Well, thank the stars you're safe now."

"I also found out something from Kovarian," I say. "The person who framed me—it's someone she hired. A 'Zygon,' whatever that is. Some kind of alien shape-shifter?" I briefly remember when Dad found me in the TARDIS library and I was startled to see him, he jokingly asked if I was expecting him to be a Zygon, to which I replied with a vague 'no' and moved on.

"Yes," Dad confirms. "They can turn into literally anyone in the universe, even us."

"But how?" I frown, confused as to how someone or something would morph into my form when we've never met. "I've never met any 'Zygons' before. I mean, I've run into fake versions of myself before, but none that smell like rotting fish." I snort on that last part, thinking how utterly ridiculous it sounds and how comical it was to hear Kovarian say it with utter disgust.

Dad's eyes suddenly perk up, like he's seemingly had an epiphany. "Perhaps you have," he says before correcting himself, "rather, you will," before rushing back to the TARDIS console and setting a new new course.

"I 'will'?" I ask, legitimately puzzled as Jack and I rush up to join him. "Are you saying I've haven't met one yet, but I will in the future?"

"In other words, you're gonna travel to the time of the King's murder and catch the Zygon in the act before it murders him?" Jack says, seemingly admitting Dad's plan before Dad even confirms it.

"Exactly!" Dad exclaims before thinking better. "Well, not exactly. Close, but not quite. Sadly, we can't save the King from being murdered, as that is now a fixed point in Time."

"Of course," I sigh, rolling my eyes. "Makes sense." Obviously the King's murder was what led to my imprisonment, so, of course, we can't unwrite that from the timeline. Ugh, if only we could…

"What we can do, at least," Dad continues, "is, as Jack said, catch the Zygon in the act and stop him from causing further harm to anyone else."

"How're we gonna stop him?" Jack asks curiously.

"I don't know yet, but I'll have it worked out once we get there," Dad admits with a shrug. "You two should change into something else that's not prison rags."

"And have a nice, hot shower," I add, feeling in desperate need of one for what feels like weeks.

"Well, you may not have time for that," Dad chuckles, "but you should at least have time to change into something cleaner."

I sigh. "Fine, that works too. Be back in ten."

Once Jack and I return to the Control Room after changing out of our prison rags (sadly without time for a shower), the three of us strategize how to take care of the Zygon. I even learn more about the Zygon species in the process—that they are nasty coral-like aliens out of water (as shown in a picture that was brought up on the TARDIS screen) that, like Dad said, can shape-shift into literally anyone in the universe, even Time Lords; and when they take people's forms, they also acquire the person's full memories up to that point in the person's life, making it nearly impossible to discern which person is real and which is the Zygon. After that brief lecture, we plan how to take the one that framed me down. Sadly, we can't save the King of Margonia from getting murdered by the Zygon, as that event is now considered as a fixed point in Time (as is my incarceration at the Judoon Prison, much to my frustration), so we plan how to stop the Zygon after the fact. We plan to somehow corner the Zygon somewhere and try to arrest it and turn it in to the Shadow Proclamation in my place, therefore clearing my name of the murder.

Once we finish strategizing, we go to the exact time and place of the King's murder—to which Dad had the TARDIS somehow hack into the Shadow Proclamation's systems to collect the info from the footage I was shown by the Shadow Architect—and we go to the coordinates and park in a nearby alley and watch around the corner as we see Fake-Me, dressed in that ugly military uniform from the Silence base, walk around the King's bloody body, wielding what looks like some kind of knife. We hear the other 'me' mutter to the King in a taunting way as he slowly dies before 'she' turns up to the camera attached to the side of the building and waves, just like in the footage, and then casually walks off grinning ear to ear.

No way am I letting 'her' get away with this, nor Madame Kovarian, as she had orchestrated this whole thing just to get me out of the way of her plans and prevent me from escaping her. Never again!

"I'm gonna kill that bitch!" I mutter angrily before running after Other-Me, prepared to take 'her' down with my bare hands, mainly after what 'she' and the Silence put me through in the Judoon Prison.

"Nova, wait!" Dad calls out to me as I run. "We need to stick to the pl—"

But his voice, as well as Jack's, falls on deaf ears as I chase after Other-Me, who at this point has begun running away upon hearing me approach. I chase 'her' through several alleyways until we reach a dead-end. Here we go again.

"Where're you gonna go now, 'Nova'?" I call out to 'her' as I watch 'her' frantically look around for a way out. "You trapped yourself at a dead-end! Again! You never learn, do you?"

Zygon-Me turns to me and grins in a seeming 'joke's on you' manner as 'she' says, "There's always a way out. So long, sucker!" before she suddenly disappears in a flash of light.

I chuckle to myself (literally) as I hastily take out my sonic screwdriver. "Joke's on you, sister. I was prepared for this." Dad warned Jack and me that the Zygon might use some form of Time-Travel to escape back to Kovarian, and he taught me what to do in this scenario. I hold my sonic up and press the button, thinking it to bring Zygon-Me back, which it thankfully does as 'she' pops back into existence in the same light.

"What?" Zygon-Me looks around in confusion before 'she' notices me and growls before teleporting off again.

I simply use my sonic again to bring 'her' back, and 'she' reappears again, this time giving up. "Having trouble with your teleport?" I snigger at her. "Sucks for you, huh? Guess you're screwed." I enunciate the word 'screwed' as I hold up my screwdriver. "Yes, that was a pun, in case you didn't catch it. Actually, both of those were puns. I never know when to stop making up puns; they just come to me. I can't help it."

"You think you can stop me from sending you to prison?" 'she' growls again. "You think you can try to rewrite that out of your past? You're already too late! The cameras caught everything! Your past is fixed; there's no changing it! Time-Travel 101!"

Clearly she copied my knowledge of Time-Travel as well as everything else. "Believe me, I know! But I'm not here to change the past!"

"Really?" Zygon-Me chuckles in doubt. "Then what are you here to do? Arrest me in your place to clear your name?"

In that moment, we hear Jack and my father's yells coming from somewhere in the alley, coming closer to our location. "Nova! Nova, where are you?"

Zygon-Me chuckles again, this time with devious intentions. "Good luck with that! You losers are gonna get a kick out of this!"

I frown at 'her,' unsure of what 'she' is talking about, when 'she' suddenly shape-shifts again, but only 'her' clothes change to match mine exactly. 'She' finishes her partial transformation once Dad and Jack finally catch up to us, but it's already too late.

"Nova, there you are!" Dad sighs as he rounds the corner with Jack. "Don't run off like that agai—" He abruptly pauses mid-sentence when he sees not one but two of me standing in front of him. Jack gasps in shock before taking out his revolver and pointing it at us as Dad does the same with his own sonic screwdriver.

"Jack! Dad!" Zygon-Me sighs, clearly pretending to be me to confuse them. "Thank God you're here! I finally caught the Zygon! Get her!"

"No, I'm not!" I protest. "She's the Zygon! Get her!"

"Don't listen to her!" Fake-Me insists. "She's the murderer, not me! She's just trying to trick you; that's what they do, ri—"

"Stop!" Jack speaks up. "One of you is the real Nova. The question is, which one is it? Doctor?"

I watch as Dad uses his sonic screwdriver to scan both of us. I glance sideways toward Zygon-Me to see 'her' reaction, but there's no fear from 'her.' In fact, 'she' smiles like 'she' already knows the outcome of the scan—that 'she' won't register as a true Zygon at all. I turn back to Dad and briefly catch his eyebrows raise slightly like he had just discovered the truth, but he quickly lowers them back down again.

Dad sighs seemingly apologetically as he lowers his screwdriver to his side. "Scan says both Novas are real," he announces. "They're both registered as 'Time Lord.'" At the corner of my eye, I see Zygon-Me give a subtle smile at this, but it's so quick that if one blinked, they would miss it entirely.

But Jack doesn't believe him. "No…" he shakes his head. "That's not right! They can't both be Time Lords. Only one is a true Time Lord; only one's the real Nova."

Dad shrugs. "I want to agree, Jack, but the sonic doesn't lie. Both girls are confirmed to be Time Lords—excuse me, Ladies. Both are registered as 'Nova Susan Song.'"

Jack continues to shake his head. "No! I refuse to believe that. One of you is a Time Lord. The other is a big, nasty slime-ball out of water. I can smell the stench off of you…well, one of you."

Now that he mentions it, I can smell it too. I wrinkle my nose in disgust, but so does the Zygon before 'she' sighs in an annoyed tone, "I told you, you should've let me shower before we came here!"

"Do Zygons even shower?" I snort. "Even if they did, I seriously doubt that 'rotten fish' smell would ever come out. It's definitely gonna be stuck in my nostrils for the rest of eternity. Thanks for that."

"Shut up!" Jack snaps at us. "One of you is the real Nova, and the other is a Zygon! We just gotta figure out which one it is!" He then points his gun at Zygon-Me and growls, "I'm betting you're the Zygon!"

Yes she is, I nod in my head. Shoot her!

"Jack! Seriously?" 'she' protests in an incredulous tone. "You honestly think I'm the 'big, nasty slime-ball' you say I am? I'm not! Jack, you know me! You saved my life! Your ex tried to kill me in the cafeteria, and you tried to intervene, only you ended up with a snapped neck. Since I thought you were dead, in my anger, I let the punks have it by blasting them across the room; I practically destroyed the entire cafeteria, even though I didn't mean to. I did that for you; to avenge you! I couldn't just let them kill you for no reason, especially since you've literally been the only one there who was remotely nice to me! I had to repay that kindness somehow, and that was how I chose to do it! You're my friend, Jack, and I'd never let anyone hurt my friends!"

Wow! I'm genuinely surprised at how much the Zygon knows about me, especially my time in prison with Jack. I mean, I remember Dad explaining how Zygons can copy all memories, feelings and personalities exactly from the people they impersonate, but I'm still surprised that Zygon-Me admitted my deep feelings for Jack out loud in front of him as well as Dad. At this, I can't help but blush in slight embarrassment, knowing they'll never let me live it down after this.

"I saved one of your lives," Jack corrects 'her.' "I wouldn't sacrifice my life just for anyone. It would have to be for someone special…" He pauses before admitting, "Someone like Nova. The real Nova, I mean."

"Yeah, and that's me!" Zygon-Me insists. "I'm the real Nova! How else do I have to prove that I'm me?"

Ugh, I am so done with this!

"Oh my god, you're so thick, aren't you?" I sigh, rolling my eyes. "It's so obvious who the Zygon is!"

Jack and Dad glance uncertainly at each other before Jack shrugs, "Who?"

I glance at Dad and wink at him before giving my spiel. "The one who talks the most!" I confirm. "And not just that! It's the way you're talking! First off, you automatically pointed the finger at me once they showed up, which is exactly what the imposter would do in an attempt to throw everybody else off. Secondly, your posture. In the whole time we've been standing here, you've been constantly shaking on the spot, and as a Time Lord, I can sense that your hearts-rate—excuse me, 'hearts-rate'—" I say the word-combo in air-quotes, "—is extremely elevated in fear of getting caught. Thirdly, as the imposter, of course you would use the knowledge of the person you're accusing against them by claiming them as your own… Though, I will admit, what you said about me avenging Jack after he was 'killed' in the cafeteria, you're not wrong about any of that." At this, I feel my cheeks flush even more with embarrassment. "And lastly, the second everyone has sussed out the imposter, of course the imposter would continually deny ever being a part of the crime, as you're doing very poorly right now." I then ask, turning to Jack and Dad, "Anything y'all wish to add? I mean, you're the ones who get to choose who the imposter is and who's the real Nova. Me, I'm just monologuing." I then turn to my doppelgänger and raise my eyebrows at 'her.' "What about you, 'Nova'? What're your thoughts?"

At this point, 'she' seems to finally start to feel nervous, but 'she' chuckles and shakes 'her' head in one final attempt to confuse us, like none of us already know the truth, "This is ridiculous! Obviously the 'imposter' would say all those things about herself, again to throw everyone else off. Very clever…but not clever enough."

"We'll be the judge of that," Jack snaps as he lifts his gun toward us once more. "What do you say, Doc? You think she's the 'imposter'…" he says as he points his gun at Zygon-Me. "Or is she the 'imposter'?" he says as he points his gun at the real me.

Dad smirks, mostly at me. "Nah. I know who the real Nova is. I've known since the very beginning, the moment I scanned them."

"But you said both of them were Time Lords," Jack frowns at him. "Both of them registered as 'Nova Susan Song'. You said the sonic doesn't lie."

Dad nods and admits, "And that's true—the sonic doesn't lie," before he says, his smirk widening, "However…I lied."

Of course, I snort. Typical Dad.

"What?" Jack deepens his frown, extremely confused. In fact, I notice Zygon-Me frowning in confusion as well, no longer feigning innocence.

Ooh, someone is royally screwed now.

"The data that the sonic receives when it scans something—" Dad explains, "or in this case, someone—always confirms its identity as it is; as I said, it never lies. However, I chose to lie about what it really told me."

At this point, I begin to see sweat start to bead Zygon-Me's face, which makes my own smirk widen. Yup, you're definitely done for.

"As I said," Dad continues, "when I scanned you two with the sonic, it confirmed your true identities. Both of you are not Nova. Only one of you is the real Nova. There can only be one Nova. The sonic confirmed which one of you it was, so yes, I've known who the real Nova was all along."

"So you lied in order to suss out the 'imposter'?" Jack snorts, and after Dad nods in confirmation, Jack's smirk widens. "Blimey, you never cease to impress me, Doctor."

"It's a hobby," Dad shrugs in response.

"So who is it then?" Jack asks, glancing between me and Wannabe-Me. "The 'imposter,' I mean?"

At this, Dad turns to me and spreads his arms out towards me in a beckoning manner. "Dad!" I exclaim as I automatically run into his arms.

"Nova…" he whispers into my curly frizz-ball as he embraces me tightly. "I've got you… you're safe now…"

At this, Zygon-Me sighs in defeat, rolling 'her' eyes. "I should've known you'd use that 'fancy sonic gizmo' of yours, Doctor!" 'she' says, quoting Jack's words from my former memories, before 'she' transforms once more, this time into 'her' (its) true form—a slimy coral-like creature covered in suckers, like a humanoid squid. "I may have dispatched King Astorvox under Madame Kovarian's orders," the creature continues, this time in a raspy male voice, "but you were always my true target, Doctor! You and your daughter!"

In that moment, the Zygon attacks by spewing some kind of red liquid at us from its mouth. Before the liquid has a chance to splash me in the face, I turn away just in time to feel it splash on the back of my jacket instead.

"Jack, now! The Crystal!" I hear Dad scream as the creature begins rushing at us like a football-tackler.

However, before the Zygon can tackle us, there is a bright flash of light, and the creature growls before falling silent, and then the sound of metal clattering to the ground follows thereafter.

Breathless, I turn back round to see the Zygon gone, and, in its place, a knife can be seen lying harmlessly on the ground where it stood. "What the hell was that?" I exclaim in shock. "Where did he go?"

"Into here," Jack says, lifting up what looks like a small shard of Kryptonite. "Inter-Dimensional Prison Cell."

"It encages people in a small pocket-sized prison cell," Dad confirms. "The Zygon will be stuck in there 'til we decide to let it out."

"Humph," Jack snorts, "that decision won't be up to me!"

"Me neither," Dad agrees. "Leave it up to the Shadow Proclamation to decide."

"May I see it?" I ask, curious as to what the strange green crystal actually is and how it works. After Jack gently hands it over, I squint and snigger at the tiny Zygon seemingly trapped inside the crystal, which appears to be screaming, hissing, and cursing at me (thankfully, the screams are muted on our end) as it swipes and claws at nothing. "Ha!" I snigger at it as I watch it flail around helplessly. "That's what you get, fish-face! So long, sucker!" I say that last bit as I quote the creature from earlier, when it thought it could escape by teleporting away before.

As I am about to toss the crystal back to Jack, I instantly feel a scorching pain from my back, and I scream from the intense burning sensation.

"Nova!" Dad exclaims at the same time as Jack chastises me for almost dropping the crystal and risking releasing the Zygon from its portable prison cell. "What's wrong?"

"My back!" I wince, the sensation growing stronger. "It stings!"

Dad holds me by the shoulder to look at the back of my denim jacket and gasps after a second. "It's your jacket! Nova, take off your jacket, quick! Your shirt too!"

My jacket? I frown in confusion. Why would my jacket cause—

I pause. Oh… The strange saliva the Zygon spat at us… Was it some kind of acidic poison?

"My shirt too?" I ask as he helps me take off my jacket. "I can't!" If I take off my shirt as well, I'd be flashing my boobs to them, and there is absolutely no way in hell I am doing that.

"It's okay, Nova," Dad assures me as he shrugs off his own jacket. "You can wear my jacket. Here." He drapes his tweed jacket over my shoulders once my shirt is off (including my bra, since the stuff had burnt through that as well), and I wrap it tightly around me like a warm blanket.

"What was that?" I ask as I look down on my old jacket, shirt and bra sizzling on the ground as Dad wraps his arms around me to give me some extra warmth and protection.

"Venom," Dad explains, "from a venom sac in the Zygon's tongue. The venom could stun, maim, or even kill those it touches. Some of it must've gotten on your jacket. It burned right through it to your skin. It formed a nasty rash on your back. Don't worry, you'll be fine. You should be able to heal it quite easily once we get back to the TARDIS."

"I wish I could do it right now," I say, wincing in pain and wriggling on the spot like how a dog would when it has an itchy spot it can't reach. "It itches like crazy."

"Not here," Dad shakes his head. "Don't touch it. Wait 'til we get back to the TARDIS. You'll be safer to do it there."

"We should go," Jack speaks up as we begin hearing what sounds like otherworldly police sirens in the distance. "Sounds like the police are on their way."

"Yes, we should go," Dad agrees. "Come on, Nova."

"Damn, I loved that jacket," I sigh sadly as we walk past my sizzling clothes. "That was my favorite jacket." And also a jacket that I've worn since I was thirteen, when my guardians got it for me for my birthday, though I choose not to mention this out loud. I'd never taken it off since…until now.

"Don't worry," Dad assures me once again, "we'll get you a new jacket as soon as we can. Come along."

The three of us head back to the TARDIS in silence. The second we return, I immediately rush off to my room and take a much-needed long shower as well as use a bit of my energy to heal the rash on my back from the Zygon's poison. After my shower, I check my cellphone that I had purposefully left in my room for fear of losing it on my travels, and I see an unread message from Hazel asking when I'm coming home to enroll for the upcoming semester "which starts in a few weeks." I reply by saying that I'm not sure, but I will let Dad know and get back to her when I do know when. I head back to the Control Room shortly thereafter.

However, once I get there, I hear the back end of a serious conversation between my father and Jack, and my hearts fill with extreme dread once I realize what they're talking about: what went down in the prison cafeteria.

Of course, this was something I didn't want my father finding out about, not just because he's against me using violence (and violence in general), but because I had hoped to avoid a long conversation with him about my recklessness when he's not around, which, apparently, is a habit I still haven't gotten out of, even when I promised myself I would as I regenerated on that cliffside.

"Not gonna lie, it was quite shocking to say the least," Jack comments in a grave tone.

"Don't worry," Dad says, sounding as equally concerned as Jack. "I'll talk to her about it later. Thanks for being honest with me, Jack. You're a good mate."

"If only you weren't already taken, I could be," Jack chuckles.

"Good luck with that," Dad chuckles back. "River's not gonna give me up anytime soon."

Jack shrugs. "Well, she's one lucky woman to have you as a husband and Nova as a daughter. Speak of the devil…" He says that last bit in a joking manner as he hears me descend the stairs to them.

"Hey, guys," I smile at them, acting like everything is normal, as I hand Dad back his jacket. "Here's your jacket back. I feel much better now. That was probably the best shower I've ever taken." I then say as Dad slips his jacket back on, "By the way, Hazel texted me about college starting up in a few weeks, so it's probably time for me to go back home."

"Oh. Uh, okay. No worries," he says, sounding a bit disappointed. "Have you started packing?"

"Not yet, but I don't have much to pack," I shrug. "I wanted to let you know first."

Dad nods. "Okay, better get packing then. I'll send you home when you're ready. I'll just need the exact time and place to take you."

"I'll have to check again, but I'll let you know," I say as I begin turning away when Jack stops me, grabbing me by the arm.

"Hey, kid," he speaks up. "I'm about to be headin' out myself shortly."

"Oh, you are?" I say, sad that our time together has been spent.

"Yeah," Jack sighs, also feeling sad to leave us. "I've done my part. I've delivered you back to your old man, so now it's time for me to go."

"Go where?" I ask curiously. Why can't you stay? I think about asking but don't, my cheeks flooding with embarrassment again.

"Wherever I'm needed, I guess," Jack shrugs before smirking and adding, "Or where there's trouble." Dad snorts at this last bit.

I sigh again before going up to Jack and wrapping my arms around him. "Well…good luck…wherever you go," I whimper, hugging him tightly. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss ya too, kid," he hugs me back. "I'm sure we'll see each other again soon." He then whispers in my ear in a volume that my father can't hear, his voice muffled by my thick curls, "You be careful. Sometimes, with a power like yours, it can be dangerous. I would recommend looking for ways to better control it."

"I told you, I don't know how," I whisper back.

"Then ask your dad," Jack recommends. "That's what he's here for. Yes, I told him more about what happened in the cafeteria. I also told him about that incident with that 'Kovarian' woman."

I pause. So that's what they were really talking about…

"How coul—" I start to say, but Jack cuts me off.

"He has a right to know, Nova. He's your father; he worries about you…and so do I. That's why I had to tell him. You don't seem to understand how truly powerful you are. If you don't learn to control your powers, bad things will happen; really bad things. Don't think of what I'm telling you as a threat; I am trying to warn you, because as I said, I care about you and I worry about you. What might happen if you don't learn to control your Deviancy… I just don't want you to end up doing something you'll regret."

Jack's words immediately make me think of the Shopkeeper's words about me having to "make a sacrifice" that will make me "lose everything in the end," as well as his final words: What you will lose… I hope it's worth it. Of course, I still fear what would happen once the time comes, as well as ashamed that Jack had witnessed my so-called 'outburst' in the cafeteria, and I worry that something similar to the 'cafeteria' incident will happen when I have to make the 'sacrifice,' whatever that might be, which I am, of course, not too thrilled to find out.

"It's okay, Nova," Jack speaks up again, hugging me tighter in seeming forgiveness. "I trust you'll figure it out." He then releases me and goes to hug my father. "See ya round, Doc. I wonder who you'll look like the next time I see ya."

"I…wouldn't know," Dad says, taken a bit back by his old friend's words. He also seemed to say it like he's uncomfortable to admit that he's used up all of his Regenerations since his last meeting with Jack and so won't ever get a new one, which gives me the vibe that in previous times Jack's met my father, he's worn a different face every time…at least until now moving forward. "See ya too, Captain," he says, shaking his hand as a way of dodging the topic. "Thanks for looking after my daughter."

"No problem," Jack smiles. "I'd be happy to do it again in a heartbeat. Just call."

"Will do," Dad nods before the two men salute each other. "Good luck."

"See ya, kid," the Captain says to me as he sets his Vortex Manipulator. "Take care of your old man for me."

"You take care of yourself," I reply. "That is an order, Captain."

"Yes, Ma'am," he chuckles back. "Good luck, kid. I hope you figure it out." With that, he zaps away into Space-Time, leaving me to wonder when I'll ever see him again…

If ever…

Before Dad has a chance to stop me to talk about our time in prison, I say as I swiftly run back up the stairs to my room, "Well, I should get packing."

No surprise, Dad stops me anyway. "Not so fast, young lady. We need to have a talk. A long one."

I groan as he gestures for me to come back down and sit on the steps with him. He sits down next to me as he begins his 'talk.' "Jack told me a couple of really disturbing things you did while you were in prison. He told me about your so-called 'outburst' in the prison cafeteria and how much damage you caused. He also told me about you and Madame Kovarian—how you wanted her to find you so that you could attempt to kill her in cold blood. Now, I don't know what made you think that was a good idea, but it sure as hell wasn't. We talked about this before! You've got to stop this, Nova!"

"I'm sorry, but I had to!" I groan again with a shrug. "I was afraid she'd turn Jack into one of them; that's why I did it! I did it to save him!" I then say, lowering my voice to a deep growl, "Not that it really mattered anyway, since she was another damn avatar!"

"It does matter!" Dad insists, his anger rising. "You have to stop with these reckless decisions! If you keep doing this, you'll end up regretting everything you do! Trust me, I know!"

"I know too!" I snap back. "Believe me, I know I messed up! I know there was absolutely no reason to have done what I did, especially when she turned out to be another Flesh Avatar! As I said, I thought I was doing the right thing! I thought I was saving Jack! More than that, I thought I was saving you, and especially Mom! I thought that by killing Kovarian once and for all, we'd all be safe from them forever! I thought I'd be saving everyone from them—the entire universe! I wasn't going to let them turn anybody else into mindless killers!" My own anger increases the more I speak, and by the end of my rant, my vision has taken on that familiar heated, golden tinge, which builds up intense pressure in my head. I wince and groan, rubbing my eyes and head in pain.

"Whoa, take it easy, Nova," Dad says, rubbing my back gently. "You need to calm down, take deep breaths. I think I finally understand what's causing your 'outbursts.' It's stirred up by anger. Every time you think about the Silence, or really anything that seriously angers you, it stirs up your anger and causes your energy to overload and burst out like a bomb. Like a supernova. You need to learn to control your emotions—control your fear, and especially your anger. Learn to control the storm inside you."

The 'storm' inside me… 'The Oncoming Storm'…

Not only that, but his words also make me think of my 'fear'-self's words from Victorian London, after she had attempted to kill me only to blast a building apart instead: 'Didn't know I could do that, did ya? Oh, what am I saying; of course you did! You've done it several times already, out of extreme anger or fear! I'll tell you a secret; that right there—that wasn't from fear or anger. Wanna know what emotion I used? It was hatred. Hatred is the strongest emotion, even stronger than fear or anger; the Vokanari taught me that. My—excuse me, our—hatred for our own father made me more powerful than I could ever imagine! It shaped me into who I am now—who you were meant to be since the beginning!'

I remember feeling extreme hatred toward Kovarian at the prison and used it to kill her…or at least tried to, if she weren't a damn Flesh Avatar. I remember hating Jack's ex-boyfriend (or spouse?) Marco for pointlessly killing Jack in the cafeteria, which stirred up my energy to blast back at him and almost end his life too. I even remember when my evil self became corrupted with anger and hatred toward her (our) bio-parents in my 'coma' world, even though Kovarian trained her that way, just like my mother. In fact, I remember both of my evil selves hinting that I would become just like them one day, but I had never believed them…

Until now.

I am suddenly overwhelmed with fear as I begin sobbing uncontrollably. "I was warned that this would happen. I was warned that I would become this—twice. I never thought… I can't believe… I'm scared, Dad. I'm so scared."

"Hush, Nova," he says, wrapping his arms around me and holding me against his chest, against his hearts. "You're not a bad person, nor are you becoming one. You're a very good person who bad things have happened to, that's all. You have a lot of anger in you that you've lived with your whole life because of these bad things. None of the bad things make you a bad person; you need to understand that. As I told your grandmother once upon a time, 'every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don't always soften the bad things, but vice versa; the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant.' As I said, you've had a lot of bad things happen to you, but they don't make you a bad person. You just have to think more about all the good things that have happened and less about the bad things; don't let the bad things control your life. The more you think about those bad things—particularly all the things the Silence and Kovarian have done—the more anger you feel, which then leads to extreme hatred, and that's what seems to stir up your energy. Focus more on the things that make you happy. If you can't, talk to me. As Jack said, that's what I'm here for. I'm here to support you and help you, like any good father would. I want to help you live a good and happy life. If you ever feel alone or angry, no matter where you are in Time and Space, you can always talk to me through our psychic link, and I will always listen. I will never make you feel alone ever again. I will always be here, in your thoughts, and in your dreams, and in both of your hearts. I will love you always, Nova Susan Song."

His words make me feel ashamed and embarrassed of everything I've done in the last week. I bury my face in my father's chest and attempt to cry the shamefulness and embarrassment away. Thankfully, Dad doesn't say anything else and instead just holds me tight against him, refusing to let me go until I calm down or speak up about what's bothering me in the moment. In all honestly, there's nothing else that bothers me that I haven't already told him in the whole time I've known him, so I just stay silent as well and let Dad's embrace continue calming me, which does the trick as well as seemingly take a ginormous weight off my shoulders.

As we stay like this, I think about everything Dad has trained me over the last several months, and how much it all has overwhelmed me as well as wore me out both physically and mentally, particularly all of the other Time Lord abilities that I never knew I (or anyone, for that matter) was capable of doing: How I could delete memories from one's mind, as well as alter them to some extent… How I can slow one of (or even both) my hearts down to the point where even a regular heart monitor would think I was legitimately dead… How I can project my mind into someone else's across the entirety of Space-Time… (Okay, so this last one I've known for a while, but it still highly creeps me out to this day). And these are just to name a few. I imagine there's still a load of abilities Dad hasn't taught me yet; that, or there's several Deviant abilities that even he never knew existed that I may possess without knowing it. Either way, I don't think I can handle any more, especially for a while.

"I know I've thrown a ton at you over the last few months," Dad continues, of course reading my thoughts, "and I'm truly sorry if it all overwhelmed you. As important as it is for you to understand what and where you come from, especially before I d—" He pauses before correcting himself, "Uh, before Trenzalore, I never realized how much I've been throwing at you at one time, and it's become too much for you to handle, and for that I am truly sorry."

"I understand that there's a lot for me to know before all of that," I speak up for the first time after several minutes, "which could happen at literally any time, but…yeah, it's become too much, and I am in desperate need of a break. A long break. I didn't want to ask about it because I was afraid you'd say 'no' and insist that we keep going, no matter how tired I was."

Or worse, keep me from ever going back home to my 'human' life on Earth, I think but do not say, feeling more desperate than ever to return to that life, not just temporarily but rather for good.

"No, no, no, Nova," he says as he pulls away and cups my cheeks to make me focus on him and only him. "Never be afraid to ask to have a break. I would totally have said 'yes' if I'd known how much you've been struggling." He then sighs before admitting in a quiet voice as if he's afraid someone else will hear, "The truth is… I'm afraid too. Afraid of what would happen at Trenzalore. Afraid of what would happen if…if I die—permanently. Afraid of what would happen to the universe after I'm gone. Afraid of what would happen to you without me there to help you. You would be terribly alone without me. The last of your kind. 'The Last of the Time Lords,' just like me before you were born. I'm afraid for you to suffer the way I did."

"Nah," I shake my head, "I wouldn't be alone. I'll have Hazel, and any other people I meet later in my life. Like all the people you meet on your travels. Seriously, Dad, you don't have to worry about me. I'll get by just fine, knowing you'll be with me in spirit. Who knows, maybe your spirit will live on through Idris. She'll take care of me. Won't you, Old Girl?" I ask this last bit to Idris, our dearest friend and trusty transport.

'I absolutely will, Nova,' she replies in a cheerful voice. 'You have absolutely nothing to fear, my thief. She is in safe hands.'

"Yeah, see?" I shrug, gesturing to the console, "I'm in good hands; you have absolutely nothing to worry about, as she says."

He smiles up at his trusty ship, though his voice still sounds a bit unsure. "Thanks, Old Girl. I always know I can count on you to keep my family safe." He then says, turning to me as we rise to our feet, "Off you go now. You have much to pack before I send you home."

With that, I rush back upstairs to my bedroom and begin packing my suitcase that Dad had made bigger on the inside just like the TARDIS. I'll admit, I am super lazy with the packing, as I simply throw everything in in a disorganized fashion (Shut up; everyone has done it!). At least I make sure I have the basics, including essential items such as my psychic paper, sonic screwdriver, and TARDIS key, which I have hooked on the chain with my locket that Dad had given me as a coming-of-age gift (Dang, had that really just been a year ago?). I remember filling the locket with small pics of my parents' faces that I had printed, cut out, and taped inside. Once I finish packing, I look at my cellphone and see the exact date and time of Hazel's previous text (August 3rd, 2016) and make a mental note of it before I text back that I am finally on my way and should hopefully be back later that same day. I then return downstairs to the Control Room with my things, including my guitar case (Ain't no way I am going anywhere without my music!).

"Oh, Nova," Dad gasps once I return, "give me your sonic! I've made several software updates to mine and thought about doing the same to yours; in fact, I should probably do this from now moving forward."

"Sure," I shrug as I carelessly hand it over. After he plugs my sonic into the console to charge and update for the semester, Dad asks if I had found out the exact time and place to return me to, and I confirm and give them to him.

While he inputs the time-coordinates, I ask curiously, this topic mercilessly eating at me since I started packing, "Hey, while I was packing, I thought of something from earlier, while we were taking care of the Zygon."

"Go on," he smiles and turns to me.

"If you knew that entire time which one of us was the real me," I confirm, "why didn't you just say so right then and there? I mean, you could've saved us a lot of time if you had." And I would've saved my clothes from getting sprayed by Zygon puke, I add but don't say out loud.

"Because then it wouldn't have been a proper test," he shrugs like that should be obvious.

"Wait, what?" I frown. "That was a test? For what?"

"For how well you could prove your own innocence," Dad confirms.

WHAT! THE! ACTUAL! HELL?!

"Seriously?!" I exclaim. "What was the point?"

What if I had failed?!

"One day when you're off traveling on your own," he explains, "you're gonna have to know how to find your own ways to get out of stressful, and even deadly, situations. It will be highly important to know how to do in order to keep you and others alive. And I must say, you took the Zygon situation extremely well. It was very clever, the way you sussed it out. Well done."

"Thanks," I frown, still in utter disbelief. "I didn't know whether that would work or not. Thank God it did, and I didn't have to fall back on my other idea."

Also, thank God I didn't fail the test. I can't help but think what would've happened if I had—whether I'd survive as myself or end up having to regenerate. As much as I hate to admit it, I don't think Dad had totally thought through this test, even considering what would happen if I had, indeed, failed. How would he have felt if I had? Would he have even cared? Would the test have even been worth it, especially if I truly had to sacrifice a Regeneration? In all honesty, for a moment, I legitimately thought Jack was going to shoot one of us, and if he had shot me, thinking I was the Zygon, I can't help but think that that Regeneration would've been a total waste, especially when it would've proved that Jack was wrong. How would Dad have felt in that moment? How would Jack have felt in that moment, especially after Dad had put him in that position?

How could Dad think to do something like that? To anyone? To me?

"What was your other idea?" Dad asks curiously, bringing me back to the present.

"I wanted to see if Zygons could regenerate while taking the form of a Time Lord," I shrug. "Or, at the very least, conjure the energy. If it couldn't, then 'BUSTED!'" Again, did Dad plan this? Did he plan to have Jack shoot one of us, and if one of us began regenerating, then that one was the real 'me'? Did he really plan to do that to me?

Please, God, tell me I'm wrong…

Dad chuckles like he's unsure of the same thing; that, or he's actually confirming my theory (Again, please tell me I'm wrong!), "Yes, that would've been a good idea as well…" He then pauses and says, "However, that idea may not be the cleverest idea. I keep telling you that every time you use your Regeneration Energy, many of our enemies could smell it across the cosmos and come running after it like a moth to a flame. You need to be careful about when it's appropriate to use your energy, Nova. That's why it's so important that you learn ways to control your anger and keep your hatred at bay. Those emotions are what trigger your 'supernova' to detonate. You need to keep calm and keep your powers hidden so that doesn't happen again."

Oh, thank God, I sigh in genuine relief, and here I thought he was gonna have me killed for absolutely no reason. Thank God I'm wrong.

"Don't worry, Dad. Hazel will help me," I assure him. "She's really good at keeping me calm and cheering me up. It's one of the things that make her a good friend."

"Very well," Dad sighs, though he still sounds unconvinced, but decides to trust me anyway. "Just promise me you'll call me every once in a while just to tell me how you're doing, and especially if anything happens that you can't handle."

Ugh, seriously?! Again with the overprotectiveness?!

In any case, I nod, saying, "I will. I promise. Maybe I'll call Mom too, just to catch up, and maybe even Amy and Rory." It would be nice to hear their voices again, especially my grandparents'.

"Yes, you do that," Dad nods himself. "I'm sure your mother and grandparents would like to know what you get up to too." He then says after the TARDIS seems to settle, "Anyway, we've landed. August 3rd, 2016, as requested. Are you sure you have everything?"

"Yes, Dad, I'm pretty sure I do," I sigh, rolling my eyes as I gather my things.

"Good girl," Dad nods in approval as he reaches out and hugs me. "Keep me in the loop often."

"Only if you actually answer your phone for once," I say as I walk to the exit. "I love you."

"I love you too, my Nova," Dad smiles as he watches me leave. "Stay safe."

At this, I exit the TARDIS, feeling the joy of being human again…at least for a while. I just hope that 'while' lasts a long time, preferably a lifetime.

A/N: TO BE CONTINUED!

At this point in the story, I will sadly have to put it on a short hiatus, as the next few episodes require a lot of careful long-term planning, as I haven't completely come up with a plot for Part 2. Obviously, Part 1's plot was about Nova coming into her Time Lord Deviant powers and learning how to accept them, as well as learning about her parents' conflict with the Silence, but Part 2 hasn't got a set plot yet, and I need to take some time off of updating for a while to do so. I will also mention—in case any of you are confused—that the last two episodes (the chapters I have written thus far up to this point) have been standalones, and from here moving forward the episodes will be more plot-based, hence the aforementioned hiatus. Once I come up with a legit plot for Part 2, I may even update the summary for the entirety of Part 2 (spoilers for now). Thank y'all for your patience in advance. You guys (and Nova) are in for a wild ride in this story :)

For all you Matt Smith/11th Doctor fans, sadly this is the point in the trilogy where you won't be seeing him for a while. From this point on (at least until toward the end of Part 2), as said in the above notes, Nova will be going on her own adventures. Though I will say there may be an episode later on where Nova might meet David Tennant's 10th Doctor (slight spoilers, lol), as well as a few other familiar characters, both cannon and non-cannon that you may recognize from earlier scenes. Don't worry, you'll eventually see Matt Smith (and eventually River) again; it just won't be 'til the end of Part 2 and Part 3. Honestly, at this point in the story, Nova needs some time to figure things out on her own without her father there for guidance. At this point she has enough experience to go on her own adventures now.

Also, the jacket Nova wears in this chapter (as well as the majority of Part 1 up to this point) that gets ruined from the Zygon's poison is the same flowery one that she wears on the cover page of my Part 1 story. If you want to see the image, check out my profile on Wattpad. I've made cover pages for each of my stories on there. Also, if you do see them, let me know in the comments which cover page is your favorite and why. So far, I have created three for each story (for Part 1, the prequel, and Part 2 respectively).

Also, I'm curious to know what kind of crime you think Jack committed to get himself in the Judoon Prison just to find Nova. I don't know if the writers confirmed this or not, but my personal head-cannon is that the worst known criminals in the universe are sent there (or Stormcage), or ones who have committed the absolute worst crimes. Since he wasn't capable of simply breaking into the prison, what sort of crime do you think Jack committed in order to be incarcerated there? Let me know your ideas in the comments. I'm curious to know what y'all come up with.

As always, friendly reminder that kudos, comments, and favs are appreciated and will keep me motivated to post more often. I see that many of you are reading my works but not subscribing, favoriting, or commenting on them. I always encourage feedback from my readers and enjoy reading about my readers' favorite moments. I'm sure everyone has at least one favorite moment. Please, please, please share them! I would love to talk about them.

Also, friendly reminder that I tend to have a major habit of rewriting things, so be sure to check back every once in a while (maybe even reread the previous chapter or chapters) to keep up to date on any changes I may make or add.