Katy paced around the cafe late into the night, trying to think of a way to stop her people from carrying out whatever nefarious plan they had laid out. There was one way. One that was waiting for them in the TARDIS, but how could she even consider that now? With a shake of her head, she pushed those dark thoughts from her mind. She needed to find their weakness.
"My sister. Maybe if I can get her on side, she can convince them to stop," Katy announced, as Rose mulled over her words.
"But then what? They've killed people. We can't just let them stay here...can we?" Rose pointed out.
"We could take them in the TARDIS. Find them an uninhabited planet far from here—" The Doctor began, when Sarah Jane spoke up.
"And they start killing again? I'm sorry, but from what you've told us about your people, if we let them live, we'll be signing the death warrants for hundreds of species," Sarah Jane argued, as Katy twisted around to face the older woman.
"...So?" Katy responded, as Rose gave her an appalled look.
"Think about all the people they could hurt! Katy, they're not like you. They're..." Rose trailed off, biting her inner cheek.
"Monsters? Newsflash, Rose...so, am I. The only difference is I'm on your side," Katy explained, her words making Rose's skin crawl.
"I get it," Mickey announced, speaking up for the first time in a while.
"I mean, if only a dozen humans were left in the whole universe...I don't think I could kill them," Mickey went on, causing the rest of the group to grow silent.
"So, we save them," The Doctor nodded.
"But how?" Rose insisted.
"Maybe we don't need the TARDIS. I have my vortex manipulator. I give them a choice. We go to a new world, start over," Katy suggested, holding out the device attached to her wrist.
"We?" The Doctor frowned, as Katy let out a long sigh.
"They're my people. My responsibility. And you're all right, if we just let them go, God knows what they would do...I have to stay with them. Help them change" Katy theorised, as the Doctor's eyes widened a fraction.
He strode forward suddenly, his lips parting as if he was about to speak when his eyes connected with Katy's. He had seen that look before so many times when he looked in the mirror. She was right. It was the only way. But it didn't mean he had to like it.
"Are you sure about this?" The Doctor questioned, in a quiet tone.
"I'm not giving up on them," Katy replied, as the Doctor's gaze softened.
"What if you can't convince your sister?" Sarah Jane spoke up.
"Rose, did you manage to bring one of the barrels into the TARDIS?" Katy asked, watching as the blonde nodded.
"I give them an ultimatum. They leave with me...or we use the oil," Katy continued, as Rose's brow furrowed.
"How?" She asked.
"We use the school's sprinkler system. We replace the water with the Krillitane oil. Light a fire and then...but that won't happen. I know my people. They'll do anything to survive," Katy told them.
"But would it...kill them?" Sarah Jane queried, as Katy debated it over a few seconds.
"It would definitely kill Lassar. The more times the Krillitane has integrated, the worse the reaction would be," Katy murmured.
"It could kill you too. You saw how you reacted to the oil on those chips," The Doctor insisted, looking down at her scorched fingertips with worry.
"All the more reason not to go through with it, okay? It's a last resort. We won't need to use it," Katy said, more to herself than any of the others.
The Doctor stayed silent for a few moments, clearly wanting to argue further, knowing just how dangerous Katy's plan was. How quickly it could all go wrong. If what she had told him was true, they were still meant to have years together, but he knew better than anyone that time could be rewritten.
"The Krillitanes were still asleep when we left. We could go tonight, set up the sprinkler system," Sarah Jane suggested, as Katy slowly nodded.
"I meant what I said. They're my people. My family. No one makes a move unless I tell them to, alright?" Katy announced, as all eyes turned to the Doctor, waiting for his agreement.
"The plan isn't to kill them...it's to save them," The Doctor announced, as Katy shot him a grateful smile.
"You want a hand?" Katy questioned, watching as Mickey struggled to place the metal dog back into Sarah Jane's car.
"No, no, I've...I've got this..." Mickey panted, looking as if he was about to topple backwards as he finally managed to pick up the dog.
With a roll of her eyes, Katy tugged the dog out of his arms with one hand and managed to slot him into the back of the car with ease. She turned back to Mickey with a big grin, as Sarah Jane had to muffle a laugh at their childish antics.
"You know, I forget about it sometimes," Mickey mumbled, giving her a strange look.
"Forget what?" Katy frowned.
"That you're not human. You're so...different," Mickey explained, as all the humour drained from Katy's face.
"You wanna' know something, Mickey? Sometimes I forget it too" Katy admitted.
She thought back to her time in 1913 when she had spent months believing she was human. How happy she had been. How simple things had become. She thought she had a sister, Martha, someone kind, someone normal. And Mr Smith...
At least she had known how he had really felt about her.
Turning to look for the Time Lord, she saw he and Rose storming out of the cafe, tension rolling off them in waves, appearing in the middle of a fight. She had a feeling there was a lot more conflict in their relationship since she had turned up. Despite knowing it wasn't her place, she couldn't help but use her advanced hearing to listen into their conversation.
"I thought you and me were...I obviously got it wrong. I've been to the year five billion, right, but this? Now this is really seeing the future. You just leave us behind. Is that what you're going to do to me?" Rose asked, her voice thick with emotions.
"No. Not to you," The Doctor retorted, firmly.
But he had left the Master, hadn't he? The Time Lord had meant a lot to him once, Katy was sure about that and now...what had happened between the pair?
"But Sarah Jane? You were that close to her once, and now you never even mention her. Why not?" Rose pushed.
"I don't age. I regenerate. But humans decay. You wither and you die. Imagine watching that happen to someone who you..." The Doctor trailed off, as Katy could see even from a distance that his eyes had welled with tears.
"What, Doctor?" Rose begged.
"You can spend the rest of your life with me, but I can't spend the rest of mine with you. I have to live on. Alone," The Doctor explained, as his eyes snapped over to Katy's, instinctively.
She froze under his gaze and the weight of his words. All those human companions he had. Martha, Donna, Amy, Rory...he knew he would outlive them all. No wonder he couldn't bear to think about them when they were gone.
"That's the curse of the Time Lords," The Doctor murmured, pulling his eyes away from Katy, a moment too late.
Rose whipped around to find where his eyes had landed, her jaw tensing up when she saw Katy standing in the distance, a guilty expression on her face. Jealousy clawed at Rose from the inside out, noticing the words the Doctor had left unsaid.
"But you could spend it with her, couldn't you?" Rose stated, as the Doctor's gaze dropped to the ground, any retort he could muster dying on his lips.
Time Lord.
The words deafened her for a moment, the anger and hatred behind them causing her to tense up. Katy spun around, knowing exactly who had spoken the words when a horrible screeching sound echoed down from the clouds. Her head snapped up just in time to see a Krillitane surging toward the group, as she froze.
She had never seen what her people had devolved into. Large, scaled wings protruding from a humanoid body and a face akin to a demon's, with red eyes and razor-sharp teeth. Like something out of a nightmare. And heading straight for the Doctor. The Krillitane's screeching grew louder, so high pitched it made Katy's ears ring, its clawed hands reaching out for the Time Lord. She could never reach the Doctor in time, not before the Krillitane cut through him. Reaching into her pocket, she grabbed her knife and hurled it through the air. The blade struck the Krillitane's wing, tearing through the muscle and skin and causing him to hurtle toward the concrete below. The Doctor ushered everyone back, his arms held out protectively in front of his friends. Katy rushed toward the Krillitane she had injured, as they morphed back into their human form of a...child.
A little boy's face glared up at her, no older than eleven, angry tears in their eyes, and blood running down their arm. They hadn't considered that any of the children in the school could have been Krillitane's. The child crawled to his feet, clutching at his wounded arm, as Katy staggered forward, instinctively wanting to help him.
"I'm...I'm sorry," She exclaimed, as the boy all but snarled at her.
"Traitor," He hissed, before stumbling off down the street.
The rest of the group raced to her side, unsure whether they should chase after the boy. Katy could still feel eyes on them, and glancing up at a nearby building, she found Brother Lassar perched on the edge, a look of disgust on his face. As she watched him stand to his feet and back away into the shadows, she realised just how dire their situation had become.
"You couldn't keep your damn mouth shut, could you?" Katy snapped at the Doctor.
"They would have found out who I was eventually," The Doctor muttered.
"You think they'll leave willingly now? They won't stop until you're dead. Forget about wanting revenge, the urge to kill you is gonna' outweigh everything else," She warned.
"Why?" Sarah Jane frowned, knowing she was clearly missing something.
"Who do you think killed the rest of my people?" Katy retorted, watching as a horrified expression dawned on Sarah Jane's face.
"We need to get off the streets. They'll be waiting for us at the school now. We can't go tonight," The Doctor sighed.
"And where the hell should we run to? We have no TARDIS!" Katy insisted.
"You can come with me," A familiar voice called out, as Katy twisted around to find none other than her sister at the end of the road.
"Thea?" Katy gaped, cautiously approaching the older girl.
"Lassar will be back with the others soon. If any of you want to make it to morning, you better come with me now," Thea explained.
"Where?" Sarah Jane questioned, with narrowed eyes.
"Somewhere he won't think to look," Thea answered.
"Katy, can we trust her?" Rose asked, in a hushed voice, as Katy held her sister's gaze for a moment.
"...She's family," Katy replied.
The entire group was tense as Thea led them up the stairs of a dimly lit apartment building. They shared silent glances with each other, readying themselves for the Krillitane to turn on them at any moment. The Doctor purposely stayed at the back of the group, noticing how Thea glared at him every time he got too close.
"Why did you bring us here?" Katy inquired.
"The nurse who you replaced used to live here. Lassar wouldn't think to look here" Thea explained.
"Why not?" Mickey frowned, cowering away when Thea's eyes landed on him.
"She's dead. Why would he care about a dead girl's life?" Thea pointed out, as she stopped in front of an apartment door.
"The humans can stay if you insist, but the Time Lord leaves now" Thea announced, in a firm tone.
"He has nowhere to go" Katy retorted.
"Not my problem" Thea replied, coldly.
With pursed lips, Katy went to stand beside the Doctor, who appeared taken aback by her actions. The gesture made it clear where her loyalties lay.
"He goes, so do I" She murmured, as Thea gave her a look of disbelief.
"He's a Time Lord! I don't know what he's told you, sister, but he's no different from the rest of those bastards. He's a killer" Thea warned.
"So, are we" Katy stated.
It seemed like neither Krillitane would be willing to back down, as an uncomfortable silence filled the corridor until the door to the apartment swung open. A tall man stood in the doorway, dressed up in a suit, a bored expression on his face.
"Have you done the secret knock yet?" He mumbled, leaning against the doorframe.
"Obviously not, Raxon. Did you hear me knocking the bloody door?" Thea huffed.
"Now, who's using earth curses," Katy muttered, as Thea shot her an unimpressed look.
"Well, I couldn't really hear anything apart from you squabbling with your sister," Raxon pointed out.
"She started it," Thea and Katy both stated at the same time, simultaneously rolling their eyes as they did so.
Without saying another word, Thea pushed her way into the apartment, as Raxon turned back to the new arrivals. He raised his hand up and waved toward them, earning a few awkward waves in return.
"So, you knocked up my sister, huh?" Katy announced, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Ah, another earth saying, right? Like a pastry in the oven?" He suggested, with a click of his fingers.
"Uh, do you mind if we come in? Feeling a bit like sitting ducks out here" Rose pushed, as Raxon nodded and stepped back to allow them to enter.
"Of course, a wooden door would do nothing to stop my brothers and sisters. Or these walls, for that matter," Raxon called back, as Rose audibly gulped.
"So, you two have been living here?" Katy asked, as they all piled into the small apartment.
There was a small kitchen to their left, a sofa pressed against the opposite wall, and an armchair close to the window. A slamming door had Katy's head twisting around to find Thea retreating into the bedroom in the apartment, clearly having no more to say to them.
"She doesn't want to even breathe the same air as a...Time Lord. We thought you were all dead," Raxon frowned, his eyes sweeping over the Doctor.
"Only I survived," The Doctor replied, as Raxon pursed his lips.
"Shame," He muttered.
"Why are you helping us? If Lassar finds out, he'll kill you too," Katy explained, as Raxon gave a slight shrug before heading into the kitchen.
"You're Thea's sister. A sister with terrible taste in friends but still...family," Raxon told her.
"Humans aren't so bad," Katy argued, as Rose gave her a small smile.
"A bit stringy in my opinion," Raxon stated, making Katy wince.
"Hold on...are you like one of those bat things? The wings and everything?" Mickey gaped, as Raxon turned around to give him a sly grin.
In the blink of an eye, the illusion had fallen away from their eyes, revealing his true form. It was similar to a human's...apart from his neck. It was almost a metre in length, meaning he stood at almost eight feet. Mickey stumbled back a step, his back leg connecting with a glass table, as he tripped over and fell to the floor, making Raxon laugh as he returned to his human form.
"Fourteenth generation, right?" Katy guessed, as Raxon nodded.
"I joined Brother Lassar just after the Time War began," Raxon informed them, opening the fridge door.
"Why?" The Doctor asked.
"Because he was the only one who saw your people for the threat they truly were. Looks like he was right, huh?" Raxon muttered, as a conflicted expression flashed over the Doctor's features.
"You got anything to eat? I'm starving," Mickey announced, having not eaten anything at the cafe.
"Sure," Raxon nodded, chucking a package at him across the room.
Mickey let out a high-pitched screech as he found a vacuum-packed rat now laid in his hands, which he instantly dropped to the floor. Katy could hear how Raxon sniggered from the kitchen, thoroughly amused with Mickey's reaction.
"I think he meant human food," Katy insisted, as Raxon opened up the freezer, sticking his hand inside.
"How do I cook this?" Raxon inquired, holding a tub of chocolate ice cream in his hands.
"I'll be taking that," Katy grinned, grabbing the tub from his hands before he could try cooking it in the oven.
"What? I need some comfort food after all this shit today," Katy shrugged, searching through the kitchen cupboards for a spoon.
"You remember that ice cream belonged to the dead nurse, right?" Rose grimaced.
"Well, it's not like she'll need it anymore," Raxon huffed, making Katy snort in amusement.
"We need to know what Lassar's plan is," The Doctor announced, as Raxon shook his head.
"You can't stop him, Time Lord. Try to get in his way, and all you'll end up is dead," Raxon warned.
"I can help you. I can take you away, far from all of this, somewhere safe—" The Doctor started, before he was cut off by the sound of a door creaking open.
"The only thing we need protecting from is you. Come on, Raxon. That's enough talk," Thea pushed, holding her hand out to him, as Raxon was quick to walk over to her.
"You can stay for the night, but you need to be gone. Family or not," Thea explained, as Katy opened her mouth to argue, but the door was slammed shut before she even had the chance.
Katy leaned against the cold glass of the apartment window, glancing out into the dark street. They hadn't been found yet but she knew it was only a matter of time. Her people would never stop hunting the Doctor now. Turning around, her gaze fell on Rose and Mickey who were fast asleep on the couch and then to Sarah Jane who was dozing off in the armchair. But there was no sign of the Doctor. Wondering if he had wandered off already, she turned the corner toward the door to the apartment and found him sitting on the floor, his legs splayed out in front of him, a solemn expression on his face. He glanced up at her with sad eyes when he heard her footsteps, as Katy felt all her anger immediately slip away. With a sigh, she went to join him on the ground.
"I'm sorry I snapped earlier. You're right. They would have always found out who you were. I'm just...I don't want anything to happen to you," She admitted, seeing how he turned to her out of the corner of her eye.
"Why?" He asked, genuinely not understanding why she appeared to care so much about him.
"I told you...you're my friend," She shrugged.
"You kiss all your friends?" The Doctor stated, in a quiet voice, as she reluctantly turned to face him.
"Maybe," She replied, with a slight smirk, but the Doctor didn't seem to share her humour.
"...Was it that bad?" She huffed, as he shook his head, quickly.
"No, no, no. It was...good...nice..." The Doctor stuttered over his words, as she raised an eyebrow.
"Nice?" She scoffed, unimpressed.
"Fine. It was more than nice," The Doctor admitted, as his lips twitched into a small smile.
"But?" Katy guessed, knowing there was more he had to say.
"Rose," He answered, as Katy nodded, slowly.
You'll never get a second glance with Rose still around.
The Master's warning hung heavy in the air, as she tried to force a knowing smile on her face. No matter what the Doctor felt for her, it was never going to compare to his feelings for Rose. She had to accept that or...
What was the alternative really? Leave him? She couldn't do that either.
"You've wasted all this time. I mean, Sarah Jane has been with us for one day, and even she can see how you and Rose are. Just tell her," Katy insisted.
"No," The Doctor retorted, firmly.
"You really think it will make any difference to how you'll feel when she's gone? The only difference is, if you never tell her, you'll regret what you could have had," Katy argued, as the Doctor ran a hand through his hair, looking away from her.
"Look, you can give her this ring too, if you really want..." Katy trailed off, as she pulled the translucent ring off her finger.
"I want you to keep it," He told her, as she tilted her head to one side.
"You mean you think future you wanted me to have it," She scoffed, when he reached out to take the ring from her palm.
"No. I mean that I, right here, right now, want you to have it. Because you're my friend," The Doctor replied, before slipping the ring back onto her finger.
The smile returned to Katy's lips, despite herself, as did the reddening of her cheeks. Damn Time Lord, she thought to herself, as she glanced down at the pretty ring on her finger, thankful he hadn't taken it. Somehow, it felt like a promise. That one day she would matter to him as much as he mattered to her.
"I don't think I can do it," She announced, all of a sudden, as he looked at her with confusion.
"If it comes down to it, I don't think I could kill my people. No matter how awful they are. Because I can't..." She trailed off, with a sigh.
"Be alone?" He guessed, knowing that feeling all too well.
A moment later, the door to the bedroom was swinging open and Thea came storming toward them, causing the Doctor to tense up. He couldn't help it. She may have been pregnant, and Katy's sister, but she was still one of the most dangerous races he had ever come across.
"I need to know. I need to know how you could forgive him. How you could protect him," Thea spat out her words, her tone full of venom.
"Because he's always believed in me. No one else ever did," Katy exclaimed, pushing herself to her feet.
"I did," Thea pushed, as Katy raised an eyebrow.
"Thea, we didn't grow up like sisters. You were my competition. My...replacement if I disappointed Mother," Katy explained, as a scoff left Thea's lips.
"But you never did. You were always her favourite. If you think our mother was so awful...what does that make you?" Thea snapped, as Katy visibly flinched at her words.
"Uh, where's the bathroom?" Mickey's voice announced, as both girls whipped around to face him.
"In there," Thea muttered, gesturing to one of the closed doors.
"I'm changing. And I personally think for the better...don't you want that for your kid?" Katy insisted, as Mickey edged past them toward the bathroom.
"I know what's best for my child," Thea snapped.
"And is that really whatever Lassar has planned?" Katy retorted, as Thea pursed her lips.
"Yes. Yes, it is. My child will never have to fear anything, not after we're finished with this planet," Thea exclaimed, watching as Katy's forehead wrinkled.
Just as she opened her mouth to question her sister, a loud scream came from inside the bathroom, as Katy let out a groan. She swung open the door, as Mickey came stumbling out, pointing to something in the room.
"What, did you find another rat?" Katy huffed.
"Krillitane!" He screamed, as Katy's eyes followed where he was pointing.
A demonic face was glaring at them through the window...on the fourth floor. A Krillitane flapped its wings, keeping itself up in the air, when they heard the sound of smashing glass from the living room. Katy rushed forward to find another Krillitane that had thrown itself through the balcony window and was now flying toward Rose. With her eyes darting around the room for a weapon, she soon found something suitable. Rushing forward, she grabbed a nearby lamp, still attached to the mains, and tore off the cover before charging toward the Krillitane who was snarling at Rose. The lightbulb hit the Krillitane directly in the chest, shocking it with the current from the electricity, as it spasmed. The Krillitane flopped to the floor a moment later, still alive but seemingly unconscious when she heard a scream from behind her. The other Krillitane had made it through the bathroom window and was racing toward Thea, swiping at her stomach with its claws. Suddenly, the Doctor was racing forward, wrapping his arms around her and sending them both to the floor. Katy jumped over the couch, ready to come to their aid, but Raxon beat her to it. He lunged forward, with a fire axe in his hand and swung out at the Krillitane, hitting it square in the stomach. The creature stumbled back, its guts spilling across the floor before it collapsed. The Doctor looked up from where he was still covering Thea with his own body, looking around for any lingering threat.
"Get off of me, Time Lord," Thea muttered, pushing him away from her.
"Are you okay?" She asked, rushing over to the pair, not sure which person she was really asking.
"Oh, don't mind me. I'll just get eaten by a bat from hell!" Mickey cried, from where he was still cowering on the ground.
"He came right at me..." Thea trailed off, clutching at her stomach, protectively.
"Lassar must know we helped your sister. He'll have branded us traitors too," Raxon sighed.
"Why would you remain loyal to someone like that?" Katy pushed.
"...I wouldn't" Thea mumbled, after a moment of silence.
"Tell us what he's planning. We can help you," The Doctor told her, coming to stand at Katy's side.
"The Skasis Paradigm. He's trying to crack the Skasis Paradigm," Thea confessed, as Katy's eyes almost popped out of her skull.
"The Skasis what?" Sarah Jane gaped, still half asleep after her rude awakening.
"The God maker. The universal theory. Crack that equation and you've got control of the building blocks of the universe. Time and space and matter, yours to control," The Doctor explained.
"Oh, no. He wants to bring Krilla back, doesn't he?" Katy realised.
"Our parents. Our friends. Everyone we knew. We could have it all back," Thea stated, in a dreamy tone.
"And all the people alive because your race isn't? What happens to them?" The Doctor pointed out.
"Our morals are a little different from yours, Doctor," Thea huffed.
"Thea, please. Think about your child. What life are they gonna' have with our people? Our parents...they were cruel. What they did to us, they said it would make us strong...I think it did the opposite," Katy pushed, as Thea shook her head.
"I don't want to have to keep running," Thea confessed.
"You don't have to. Not if you take this," Katy suggested, removing the vortex manipulator around her wrist.
"Are you sure about this? I know she's your sister...but they could still do a lot of bad out there," The Doctor warned, a little while later as Katy prepared to say goodbye to Thea.
"I can't let her die, Doctor. She's all I've got," Katy replied.
"You could...you could go with them," The Doctor murmured, in a nervous tone.
"Maybe one day. But we still need to finish this thing, right? Together?" Katy asked, as a broad smile spread over the Doctor's lips before he nodded.
She then walked into the bedroom, finding Thea and Raxon whispering in hushed voices to each other, a small bag in their hands. She only found out her sister was still alive that morning and now she was already have to let her go. Life could be a real bitch sometimes, she thought to herself.
"Don't tell me where you're going. Just in case. I don't want Lassar to be able to follow you," Katy announced, as Thea turned to her.
"Promise me you'll be careful with that Doctor," Thea exclaimed, as Katy rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah. I know, never turn your back on a Time Lord," Katy huffed.
"I meant to be careful with this" Thea warned, pressing a finger to Katy's chest, above where her heart lay.
"Don't let him get you killed," Thea insisted, as Katy nodded.
"And you look after this little one," Katy smiled, reaching out to place her hand over Thea's swollen stomach.
"It's a girl," Thea confessed, as Katy's face lit up.
"Huh. I'm gonna' have a niece," She grinned.
"Take care of yourself, Katia," Raxon mumbled, patting her on the shoulder.
"Goodbye, sister," Thea said, in a sad tone, leaning forward so their foreheads touched.
Katy closed her eyes, sucked in a deep breath and pulled back a moment later. When she opened her eyes again, her sister and Raxon were gone. And she knew she might never see them again.
Maybe that was for the best, for them at least, she thought to herself.
Walking back into the living room, she made a beeline for Rose, knowing she needed a backup. Things would go south, as they always did with her.
"Rose, do you still have that vial of oil?" She questioned.
It was a surprisingly hot day for England as the group made their way into the school building, ready for a fight. Mickey had taken K9 to the TARDIS, ready to move the barrel and connect it to the school sprinkler system, whilst Sarah Jane and Rose went to see if they could stop the Krillitanes from cracking the Skasis Paradigm. Their actions were vital. And Katy and the Doctor were going to be the bait to keep Brother Lassar busy. Or the Doctor was, at least. He was calling out to Katy the moment she entered the building, telling her to meet him by the swimming pool.
"Bringing the Time Lord here...such a bold move. Do you think he'll be able to protect you?" Brother Lassar announced, the moment they stepped into the stuffy room.
"Not exactly. I want back in," Katy replied, approaching him cautiously.
"Back in?" Lassar frowned.
"I heard what you're planning to do. The Skasis Paradigm. I can help," Katy explained, as Lassar cocked his head to one side.
"I would have thought it would go against your precious morals," He suggested, as she pursed her lips.
"I have lost enough in my life. It's time I take it back," She insisted, as Lassar's eyes snapped to the Doctor's.
"And the Time Lord?" He questioned.
"Doesn't give a shit about me. I see that now. I'm not human enough for his liking. Kill him if you want," Katy shrugged, grabbing the Doctor's arm and shoving him toward Lassar.
The Krillitane regarded him closely, a look of curiosity and disgust on his face. There was something dark in the Doctor's eyes, something buried deep that interested Lassar.
"I always thought of you as such a pompous race. Ancient, dusty senators, so frightened of change and chaos. Until they attacked us. Then, I saw just how much you have in common with us," Lassar grinned.
"You started a war you should have known you couldn't win," The Doctor argued, looking up at him, defiantly.
"Fascinating. You seem to be something new. Perhaps, what the Time Lords would have evolved into...if the Daleks hadn't turned you to ash" Lassar smirked.
"I used to have so much mercy. You get one warning. That was it," The Doctor warned, as Lassar let out a cold laugh.
"I'm afraid I won't be so noble to give you the same warning. Look at you. The Last of the Time Lords. Ready to die at my hand?" Lassar exclaimed, as he glanced at Katy behind the Doctor.
"But we must think of the young. Katia. You have lost so much in this war. Bring it to an end. Kill the Doctor," Lassar called out, as her eyes darted between the pair for a moment.
"...With pleasure," Katy smirked, noticing how the Doctor's eyes had widened.
That was not part of the plan. Lassar was supposed to try to kill him. But Mickey should have radioed in that he was ready first. Something was wrong with their plan. Very wrong.
"Katy, think about what you're doing," The Doctor exclaimed, with a hint of fear in his voice.
"Oh, I have, Doctor. And I think I'm going to enjoy this," She retorted, in a spiteful tone.
Suddenly, she was grabbing a fistful of his hair, and with one hard tug, she had thrown him into the swimming pool. Lassar's eyes narrowed, as water splashed over the pool edge and the Doctor's heavy coat weighed him down in the water. Crouching down by the edge, she watched as he swam to the surface, sucking in a deep breath of air. That was until Katy's hand was back in his hair and shoving his face under the water. He struggled against her, his hands clawing at her arm, having forgotten how much stronger she was than him. Every few seconds her hand would let up just a little bit, and he would almost be able to break the surface, but then she would plunge him further into the hot water. His lungs burnt with the need for air, able to hold out longer than a human, but the impulse to breathe in was becoming too much to bear. He knew she was playing Lassar. He knew it. But somewhere deep down, the Doctor was terrified he had Katy wrong all along. His grip on her arm started to lessen, as did his thrashing in the water.
Katy had been thankful when the water had splashed against her face, helping to mask the tears that were pricking at her eyes. Her heart was hammering painfully fast in her chest as she kept her grip tight on his hair. She had to do this. They had to keep Lassar distracted. They had to.
Then, the Doctor went still. His hands pulled away from her arm, and she felt his body begin to sink into the water. She glanced up at Lassar, who raised an eyebrow, waiting impatiently to see what she did next. The Doctor could last a little longer. His respiratory system was far more advanced than a human's. But as she watched him disappear under the water's surface, she knew she couldn't bear it a second longer.
"Fuck," She cried, before she jumped into the water, and swam down to grab his arm.
She dragged him to the surface, making sure to keep his head above the water, before swimming to the pool edge. A few tense seconds passed, and then with a spluttering cough, the Doctor started breathing again, as his eyes fluttered open. She gave him a sorry smile, knowing they were out of time. In the blink of an eye, a hand was grabbing her shoulder and roughly tugging her out of the pool. With all his strength, Lassar sent her flying into one of the nearby glass windows, which shattered on impact, cutting at the skin of her arms.
"Such a waste of a life," Lassar muttered, reaching down to grab her neck, as the Doctor dragged himself out of the pool.
"My friends...are...are..." Katy stuttered, as Lassar pulled her to her feet.
"Connecting a barrel of our oil to the sprinkler system as we speak? Yes, I know," Lassar exclaimed, as Katy's eyes doubled in size.
"H-how?" She panted, knowing it made no sense.
"Is that what you are, Katia? The killer of your own kind?" Lassar mused.
"I don't think...you want to find out," She retorted, as his hand tightened around her neck.
"You're weak. Like your sister. A perversion of our once great species. My only regret is that we cannot execute you as we would on Krilla," Lassar huffed, as the Doctor pushed himself up onto his knees.
Suddenly, a searing pain shot through her abdomen, so severe it stole her breath for a moment. Then, there was a scream, a sound that seemed to echo off the walls, deafening her. She glanced toward the Doctor, realising the sound had come from him, as she staggered forward. She felt something dripping against her feet, something warm. Her eyes snapped down to see everything was red, from the colour of her shirt to the handle of her own knife that was piercing her stomach. A panicked gasp left her lips as Lassar's grip on the blade tightened, and he shoved the weapon further into her, cutting through her muscle and into something that caused her vision to blur for a moment.
"Your mother would be so disappointed in you," Lassar whispered to her, as Katy felt her knees beginning to tremble.
"I know" Katy replied, as reached inside her trouser pocket, sucking in a deep breath.
"But I think she would be proud of this," Katy spat out, gripping the vial in her hand before throwing it into Lassar's face.
He let out a blood-curdling scream as the Krillitane oil within the vial burnt at the skin of his face, burrowing deeper and deeper until he fell to his knees. Katy felt someone grabbing her waist, dragging her away, as they turned just as Lassar let out one last yell of despair. The explosion behind them was enough to send the pair hurtling toward the floor, as Katy lost consciousness for a moment. The next thing she knew, she was being carried in the Doctor's arms, as her blood spilt down his hands. He was rushing them toward the computer room, and then they were hands grabbing at her, and high-pitched voices as she was gently placed on the ground.
"Oh, God. What do we do? Doctor, what do we do?" Rose's voice echoed all around her, as Katy's eyes fluttered open and closed.
"Did you stop the Paradigm?" The Doctor questioned.
"We pulled the plug. I...I think we got most of the kids out and...shit, look out!" Rose shouted, as Katy heard a loud bang.
She glanced up to see Sarah Jane had pushed herself up against the door, as banging echoed from the corridor. The others had found them. They had probably smelt her blood. Her blood. Katy looked down to find the knife was still plunged into her stomach, as a steady stream of blood stained her clothes and her hands. The pain wasn't so bad now. She felt lighter too.
"Katy? Katy, stay awake. You'll...you'll be okay," Rose insisted, crouching down by her side.
"Doctor, I can't hold this door for much longer! We need to do this now!" Sarah Jane insisted, pulling a lighter from her pocket.
"But Mickey hasn't called in. We don't know if it'll work!" Rose pointed out, as the Doctor took the lighter from Sarah Jane's hands regardless.
"Rose, help Sarah. I've got this," The Doctor exclaimed, nodding to the blonde, who reluctantly stood up.
The Doctor took her place, kneeling by Katy's side, glancing at the way her breathing was becoming more laboured, and her skin had already become deathly pale. She didn't have long.
"Sorry...guess my plans...not as good as yours," Katy mumbled, as her eyes fluttered shut again.
"Hey, hey. Don't worry. I'll fix this. I always do, right?" He insisted, reaching out to cup her cold cheek.
"Not always," She replied, with a sad smile.
"If I can just get to the TARDIS, I can fix your internal wounds, and your body can heal the rest. Just a little longer. Hold on a little longer," The Doctor pushed, running his thumb over her cheek.
It was getting harder for her to breathe. Every time she sucked in a breath, it was agony. Another wave of pain washed over her and could feel her heart slowly down, unable to keep up with the strain on her body.
"I wasn't...ready" She stuttered, reaching up to hold onto his hand.
"What?" He questioned, in a soft tone, watching as her face fell and her bottom lip started to tremble.
"I don't want to die" She admitted, blinking up at him with wet eyes.
"You're not going to," The Doctor told her, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead.
As he pulled away, he found her eyes had closed, and in a panic, he felt for her carotid, finding a slow pulse, but it was still there. She had minutes left. And so, did they. He couldn't let her die.
"Doctor?" Rose called out, in a pleading voice as the Doctor stood to his feet.
"I'm sorry" He mumbled, before he flicked open the lighter.
Katy awoke with a spluttering cough, the smell of smoke hitting her instantly. She could feel a hand on her arms, wincing as something burnt at her stomach, realising the smell wasn't smoke. It was burning flesh. Her eyes snapped open, looking down to see the Doctor wielding some sort of instrument in his hands, which was stitching up the skin of her abdomen.
"Sarah, give her another sedative" The Doctor exclaimed, as a moment later she felt something piercing her thigh.
When she next opened her eyes, there was a bandage covering most of her stomach, and multiple eyes on her. The pain was still there, but it was far better now. She found she was still in the computer room, with Rose on her left and Sarah Jane on her right.
"Oh, thank God! Doctor, she's waking up!" Rose beamed, reaching for her hand.
The Doctor didn't look at her. He didn't even move from where he was leaning against one of the desks, his arms crossed over his chest. Katy saw there was oil splattered all across his brown coat and most of the room. Everywhere but where she lay. He must have covered her from the sprinklers with his own body...
"What did you do?" Katy exclaimed, noticing how the Doctor turned his face away from her.
"He had to. The Krillitane's were going to get in" Sarah Jane insisted, as Katy realised the smell of burning flesh still hung in the air.
Only it wasn't coming from her.
"Woah, woah. Be careful..." Rose panicked, as Katy pushed herself up onto her knees.
Before anyone could stop her, she was ripping open the door to the room, hanging her head in shame when she saw half a dozen bodies laid out in front of her, all in various states of decay. Some were little more than blobs of meat on the ground, whilst other's flesh was burnt and blackened. She clutched onto the doorframe, feeling bile rising up the back of her throat. Why couldn't she think of another way?
"Guys!" Mickey called out from further down the corridor.
"Mickey!" Rose cried, racing toward him, and pulling him into a quick embrace.
"I'm sorry, one of them broke my walkie-talkie, I couldn't tell you K9 got it working. It did...work, right?" Mickey mumbled, looking over the bodies on the floor.
"Katy?" Sarah Jane exclaimed, as Katy clenched her jaw.
"I want to go back to the TARDIS" She announced, needing to get away from all the death.
"I wouldn't. There was an explosion from the gym. I guess one of those...I guess one of them was in there" Mickey informed them, but Katy was already walking in that direction.
Katy staggered through the parking lot toward the gym where they had hidden the TARDIS, refusing to lean on anyone for support. She was silent, eerily quiet for her. But what was there left to say? Rose stayed at the front of the group, her TARDIS key already in her hand, as the Doctor instructed her to set up one of the med bays in the time machine. The smell of burning was even worse as they entered the side building, noticing smoke still wafting out of one of the rooms. Rose couldn't help but glance inside as she walked past, immediately wishing she hadn't. A burnt, and broken body lay at the back of the room, handcuffed to one of the radiators and with a...
Rose let out a cry of despair suddenly, a hand flying to her mouth as the Doctor raced forward. He turned to look inside the storage room, and Katy thought she had never seen anyone turn pale so quickly. He could only stare for a few moments, before he twisted around to lean against the wall, looking as if he was about to collapse. Something tightened in Katy's chest as she watched their reactions, striding forward before any of them could stop her.
"Don't. Katy, don't!" The Doctor begged, reaching out for her arm, but it was already too late.
Her gaze landed on the burnt body...and their swollen stomach. She was racing forward a moment later, her vision already blurred with tears, as she turned their head to the side, letting out a wail when her eyes connected with her sisters.
"No, no, no, no...you don't get to do this to me. Come on, wake up. Wake up" Katy cried, reaching for her bloody face, her fingers burning as they connected with the oil still on her cheeks.
With trembling lips, she then wrapped her arms around Thea's body, holding her close, despite the way her skin began to blister. Rocking them back and forth, she could feel tears dripping down her cheeks, her breath coming out in short pants. Her sister had got away. She had saved her. It couldn't be real. She heard someone crouch down opposite her, as Katy's eyes opened to find the Doctor giving her a look of sorrow.
"...Bring her back" Katy exclaimed, through her tears.
"I can't" The Doctor shook his head, his own voice thick.
"You can! You save everyone else! Why not her?!" Katy begged, holding her body a little closer.
"It's too late" The Doctor stated, as Katy shook her head vehemently.
"She's...she's pregnant. The baby...we could...we have to do something..." Katy stuttered, feeling like she could hardly breathe.
"Please, Doctor. Please, I'm begging you...just do something!" She screamed through her tears, as the Doctor looked away from her, rubbing at his own wet eyes.
A gurgling sound suddenly caught her attention, as Katy twisted around to find that Thea wasn't the only one in the room. Raxon was tied up against the wall, his own body blistered with burns, as blood ran down his chin. But he was breathing. Gently, lowering her sister's body to the floor, she closed her eyes as a sob passed over her lips. Raxon's choking worsened, as he spat up more blood, his eyes slowly fluttering open as Katy crawled over to him.
"Raxon? It's me. It's Katy" She cried, reaching out for his face.
"Th...Thea...did she...did she..." Raxon panted, as blood bubbled over his lips.
"We need to get you out of here, okay? Let's get you up. Come on" Katy insisted, grabbing his arm, as he shook his head.
"He...he found us...trackers...you too..." Raxon murmured, placing his hand on her shoulder, poking at something buried under her skin.
Katy glanced down, remembering how Lassar had patted her shoulder the day before. That was how he had found them at the cafe, the nurse's apartment...he must have followed Thea and Raxon wherever the vortex manipulator had taken them. They never had a chance.
"Tied us up...said...said it was up to you...if we lived..." Raxon continued, clutching at his chest.
She looked up at the sprinklers above them, a horrifying realisation hitting her. If she had never come up with the plan, none of it would be happening. If the Doctor hadn't...
"I wanted to...to name her...Thea...Thea said we should wait..." Raxon wheezed, as his eyes grew unfocused.
"What name did you want?" Katy asked, letting out a shaky exhale.
"My...my mother's name..." Raxon mumbled, as his eyes rolled up to the ceiling.
Then another wave of pain hit him, as he felt something snap inside his chest, and he gasped for air, but all that entered his lungs was blood. He reached out for Katy's shoulder, his eyes wide with panic. Brushing away the tears on her face, she turned to the Doctor and held her hand out. It took him a few moments to realise what she wanted, shaking his head in response.
"Please," She sobbed, as the Doctor closed his eyes and reached into his coat for the knife, he knew she wanted.
She turned back to Raxon once the blade was in her hands, biting her inner cheek so hard she could feel it beginning to bleed. She glanced up at him, as he gave her a firm nod, a pleading look behind his eyes.
"What was your mother's name?" Katy questioned, as Raxon's hand dropped down from her shoulder and his head lolled to one side.
"Raxon? Hey?" Katy called out, reaching out to cup his cheek, as he blinked rapidly.
"Don't...don't tell mother...I was afraid" Raxon mumbled, in a hushed voice.
"I won't" She replied, shakily.
His eyes fluttered shut then, as a smile spread over his bloody lips, and a tear rolled down his blistered cheek. Katy leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together, as she brought the blade up to his neck. Sucking in a deep breath, she willed herself to do what she knew she had to.
"Mother—" Raxon's voice was cut off, as Katy plunged the knife into his neck, feeling how he went still under her.
As she pulled away, she found the smile was still on his lips.
Rose lowered her head onto Mickey's shoulder, unable to hold her tears back any longer, as he led her out of the room. Sarah Jane followed soon after, giving Thea's body one last sad glance as she did so. The Doctor stayed silent as he went to stand by the wall that Raxon was still tied to, and slid down it, his hands covering his face.
"Do you still have that lighter?" Katy asked.
The Doctor nodded in response, not trusting himself to speak, as he held the lighter out to her. She pushed herself to her feet, scrunching her eyes shut, her hand trembling so hard she almost dropped the lighter. The Doctor realised what she was about to do at the last second, grabbing her hand before she could flick the lighter open.
"No," He insisted, as she glared up at him.
"We need to burn their bodies," Katy retorted, trying to pull away from his grip.
"The oil's flammable. You use the lighter at this distance and you'll burn too!" The Doctor warned, as she shoved him away from her, roughly.
"Good! Lassar was right. I am the killer of my kind. Time to finish the job..." She trailed off, gripping the lighter with both hands.
"Then you'll have to kill me too," The Doctor insisted, taking a step closer.
"Don't. Don't you fucking dare. I need to do this!" She shouted, through hiccupping breaths.
"Go on," The Doctor nodded, placing his hands over hers, seemingly accepting his fate.
"It...it should have been me. It should have been me!" She sobbed, looking over at Thea's motionless body.
"Just come back to the TARDIS. Please," The Doctor insisted, as her face appeared to crumble.
With a cry of despair, she threw the lighter at the wall, before holding her head in her hands. She couldn't think. Couldn't even breathe. She had to get out of there.
"Katy..." The Doctor called out, in a heartbroken tone.
"You...you stay away from me. Stay away," Katy cried, before stumbling backwards and heading toward the door.
She didn't know where to go. Where was there left to run to get her away from the pain that clawed away at her? She made her way back into the main building, instinctively heading toward the staircase. Every step caused her abdomen to ache, but she kept going, right until she got to the very top. She ripped open the door to the roof, as the wind swept her hair back, and she felt the sun shining on her skin. She marched forward, pathetic cries leaving her lips every few seconds, before climbing up onto the edge. She was five floors up. Was that enough? It would have to be. She needed it all to stop.
"Katy?" A voice rolled out on the wind, as she went still.
"You knew. All this time. You knew," Katy muttered, looking down at the steep drop below.
"Who do you think sent you here?"
Katy could see a figure in her peripheral vision, pulling themselves up onto the edge beside her. She wasn't going to let them stop her. Nothing they said mattered anymore.
"You could have saved her, Master," Katy exclaimed, shutting her eyes.
"So, could you," The Master pointed out, watching as her face all but crumbled at his words.
"You still can," He insisted, as her eyes shot open.
"What?" She frowned, as he slowly held his hand to her.
"I'm a Time Lord, remember? Changing history is what I do best," The Master went on, as her eyes darted between his hand and the street below.
"Or you can jump. Take the easy way out," The Master suggested, as Katy swayed in the wind.
"You'll help me?" She asked, in a tearful voice, as he thrust his hand closer.
"Just take my hand," He insisted, as she looked down at the concrete below one more time, before reaching out to intertwine their fingers.
The Master was quick to pull them down from the edge, a bruising grip on her hand. He didn't plan on letting her go anytime soon.
A figure watched the pair from the street, as they disappeared from his view. Shoving his hands into his trench coat pockets, the man twisted around to saunter away from the scene, whistling a tune that was carried in the wind.
"Closer and closer," He mumbled.