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hit-me-with-a-ladle · 4 years ago

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Ch.5 of Creepepastas x fem!reader

A/N: This is ch5 of a long-running series. The next chapter is going to dive deeper into other characters so I hope you'll like them. The chapter is very long so enjoy<3

TW: blood, organs injuries.

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Minutes felt like hours, hours felt like days, and by the end of the excruciating training, the girl had travel back to the cabin covered in cuts and bruises barely able to stand. As for Jack, he was fine and dandy, not caring that she kept panting and groaning in pain while walking. Though, after tripping for the third time because her knees couldn't hold the weight of her barely moving body, Jack got considerably aggravated. "Can you hurry up," He spat, contempt undoubtedly evident from the way he was standing and continued on his way not even bothering to wait for her. She glared daggers at his back and slowly stood with the help of a nearby tree. Supporting herself on anything she could find in her surroundings, slowly but surely she was finally able to walk to the cabin.

Before entering enter. She noticed Jack had already arrived and was reading. Rage tainted the girl's mind, ' That scum-bag, how could he not wait for me?' Storming in with a limp she didn't even look in his direction, instead, immediately going to the stairs to go to her room. But as she was about to leave, Jack spoke up out of nowhere. "There's a medkit in the bathroom, which is across the hall from your bedroom. You should stop the bleeding and take care of all the cuts," What he said made the girl even more hostile," Why do you even care?" She spoke sneeringly, not paying him any mind, carrying on her way. "Well, we will be training again in a few hours so you should fix everything up and get some rest." He stated again with a sigh and continue reading. The girl loudly forced out a breath in reasonable frustration while attempting to go to the bathroom, not carrying to answer.

Solace washed over her as she reached the final step of the long narrow wooden staircase, and slowly approached the bathroom door. Grabbing the circular handle and gently twisting it, she entered. It was a considerably small rectangle-shaped room although perfect for single-person use. Located inside by the far right corner was a small walk-in shower with sliding plastic doors that seemed to have a foggy design. Right next to it, a white basket meant for storing dirty clothes, and a boiler connected to the walk-in shower, and the was toilet positioned opposite the shower. Near it was the sink with cupboards above and a dirty mirror and next to the sink, a washer and a drier placed one on top of the other. There was also a long vertical mirror across the doors

Looking at the wall she noticed that bark brown marble tyles covered the lower half of the wall while the upper half was painted in a dull shade of white. Nearing the sink, she opened one of the cupboard doors that were lazily covered, in cheap grey paint. Glancing inside, she noticed the medkit Jack informed her about, it was covered in cobwebs and had dust all over it, slowly reaching within she grabbed it and instantly pulled it out. Causing all of the trinkets inside to vigorously rattle. Turning around and putting it down on the clothes basket, she looked at herself in the mirror. Suffice to say she was surprised that the coveralls she was wearing didn't have any tears, just a bit dirty.

Taking them off, she tossed them in the washer and turned it on. " So it'll only take ten minutes to wash, that good." She said to herself, relieved. Scowling, when she looked at her wounds. There was a rather large bruise on the lower part of her leg, though it wasn't as bad as she thought it would still get infected if she let it be. There were also many deep cuts sprawled all around her body. ' I should take care of this.'

Reaching for the kit and opening it up, she looked to see what exactly the red metal box contained. Inside were many items, most of them she could name. There were different sized band-aids and sterile gauze pads, adhesive tapes, elastic bandaids, antiseptic solution, and much more. She first grabbed the antiseptic solution and dabbed some on the gauze pads, slowly cleaning the deep cuts she had. And then after finishing she swiftly started bandaging up the wound she had on her leg.

Though feeling great pain, she still soldiered through and cleaned all of the injuries. After finishing, she grabbed the clothes in the washer and put them in the dryer. "Guess I should wait another 10 minutes. What should I do now?" Walking out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body she ran to her room.

Opening the door she noticed her old clothes were gone and one of the closet doors was slightly open, feeling a little uneasy she went to check it. She could feel her stomach turn the moment she opened the closet doors but was soon taken aback by the area of the same blue jumpsuits Jack gave her this morning. They were all the same size, odourless and finely ironed. Not bothering to question why and how they were there, she sighed in relief that she had something to wear. Instantly changed and limping to her bed to lay down for some rest.

Slamming her head in her pillow she looked up at the ceiling, 'What's happening? Is this just some sick dream?...No,...it can't be, if it was I should have woken up by now. But never the less, there has to be a way out and I'm going to find it. I just need to gain their trust first and work out my plan as time passes.' Reassuring herself, she fell into a slumber.

After a few hours, she woke up. Getting up in a tired daze she looked around the room confused but soon remember why she was there and let out a loud grunt of frustration. Slowly limping out of her room she went downstairs not bothering to see if Jack was still there. Peering into the kitchen she saw the silhouette of a hunched man leaning over the refrigerator. Uncertainty washed over her as she was not sure who that was but soon assumed it was Jack. Though, as she was about to enter she was stopped in her tracks as the hunched man tore himself away from the fridge giving the girl the chance to take a good look at him.

Her face turned pale when she did as she saw Jack's mask lifted to the half of his face revealing his hark-like teeth covered in some kind of tinted red liquid. She assumed he had put something back inside the fridge. The man had a crooked smile on his face as he slowly put his mask back down his face. ' How didn't I notice it earlier when I was eating? Was it even there? No, it couldn't have been I would've noticed. Right? Yeah, yeah I would've definitely noticed!' Her mind was in a panicked frenzy as she was zoning out while looking at the ground not noticing that Jack was approaching her until he spoke up. "You're able to walk I see?" He remarked sarcastically as he towered over her. She gulped, but her throat was dry so it felt like sandpaper was going down her throat walls.

"Yeah..." She murmured turning her head away from him, even though she couldn't see his face anymore she could still feel his eyes piercing into her soul as she entered the kitchen. Slowly approaching the fridge she tried to act unfazed. Couthesly opening its doors her stomach started spinning, though getting a better look she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, all until she looked deeper inside. In the back, blocked by all the other food, there was a jar slathered in red liquid with some kind of bean-shaped meat, it almost resembled a kidney.

All of the worst possibilities passed her mind as her face turned pale and her mind went static. Jack seemed to notice and suddenly slammed the refrigerator doors shut as he stood in front of the girl. The sudden action made her look at him as she gulped. "What are you looking at?" He spoke up, crossing his arms, he seemed more amused than anything else as he looked down at her. "I was just getting something to eat." She quickly replied and backed away anxiously. "You sure? I mean you were looking in there for a while, did you see something you didn't enjoy." He darkly expressed as he approached, but she stood her ground, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of her withdrawal even if she was shit-scared.

"No...I should make myself something to eat now." Blanckly retorting she moves past him, in an attempt to get herself out of the uncomfortable situation she was in. Reaching the kitchen counter she avoided getting near the refrigerator at all costs as she searched the cabinets for something else to eat. That morning she noticed that all the food in the cabin was very nutritious, there was nothing that could be deemed unhealthy. Inside she could see some cereals and bars of what she assumed was granola, but also different varieties of pasta. Taking in a deep breath she took ahold of it and got ready to cook.

Placing the pot filled with water on the stove for it to boil she searched for salt. With every step she took Jacks eyes didn't leave the back of her head. He seemed intrigued by what she was doing almost as if he had never seen anything like it before. After a while, she was finally done and put all of the food on a plate. Glancing back she noticed that Jack had sat down on the table with his head resting on his right hand, looking at her. Carefully approaching the table, she sat across from him. Starting to eat, she didn't look at him, choosing to stare at her food instead.

"You have ten minutes to eat before we go back to training." He vocalized as he calmly waited for a response. "Ok." She muttered still not looking up at him. "I know you saw me eating. That's why you've been so quiet." His whole demeanour was calm as his words piercing her stomach like knives. Her eyes widened for a second as her face contorted in surprise. "Well, I didn't see anything so...it doesn't matter." She promptly addressed, ultimately peering up at him. "Oh c'mon now. Don't lie. I mean do you think that I didn't notice you gawking at me as I ate. That's rather rude don't you think?"

She kept her mouth shut as her gaze wandered around the room. At that moment Jack got up from his seat getting closer to the girl's direction, her body went tense. "Tell me, do you want to see what I eat? Arent you even the slightest bit curious." He mused as he inched closer and closer. She again refused to look at him so he took ahold of her face, making her. "Answer me." He demanded. Taking in a sharp breath she just said "No." Jack then straightened his back as he neared the fridge calmly opening it up and searching inside. After a while, he finally found what he was looking for and quickly pulled it out.

It was the red jar, Jack then placed it in front of her. Opening it up a foul stanched advanced through the room. Her face scrunched up and she felt as if she was going to throw up just by the smell itself. "Wanna give it a guess to what it is?" He asked as he got another plate putting it in front of the girl. He took the substance out of the jar, red dripping down his hand as he placed it on the plate. She froze as her eyes widened, she was sure of what it was. "It's...it's a kidney." She said squeezing her eyes shut, pushing the plate away.

Jack darkly chuckled, "Lucky guess." He said amused by her reaction. He was forbidden from physically hurting her but that didn't mean he couldn't have some fun. "Wanna try it?" He spoke as he grabbed the organ shoving it in her face taunting her with it. She shook her head trying to get up from her seat. "Oh well, too bad." Jack grabbed his mask and put it halfway up his face, his shark-like teeth were perfectly visible again, they were extremely sharp and had a silver tint to them. He took a big bite from the organ, a sickening ripping and mushing sound was heard from jack as he ate it. The girl watched in absolute horror and quickly got up and running to puke in the sink.

Jack could be heard laughing at her as he chewed. "Well get cleaned up, were going to train again in a bit." He spoke with delight as he put the kidney back in its place and in the fridge. She could hardly stand as she saw him walking out of the kitchen. Gaining her composure after a while she finally went to find him. The training was as gruelling as the last time and at the end of it, she was extremely tyred.

Going to her room she lied on the bed and eventually, she fell into another dreamless slumber.

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saiilorstars · 4 years ago

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Falling in Temptation

Previous chapters • Sequel to Stars Dance • Fairy Tale Memoirs (Companion story)

Ch. 27: Out of Time

Fandom: Doctor Who // Pairing: 11th Doctor x OFC

Chapter summary: Avalon does what she can to conduct her search for the Doctor before he reaches Lake Silencio. In it, she recruits an old friend of hers and the Doctor's. Even River Song comes into play, although she has other intentions when it comes to handling her daughter. One thing's for sure, they're all on a clock and the clock is about to strike.

Taglist: @ocfairygodmother @anotherunreadblog @maaaaarveeeeel @stareyedplanet @perfectlystiles

[If you’d like to be added to this specific OC’s stories/edits, send me a message!]

Amy came down the stairs on a fine morning, only to sigh when she saw Avalon sitting with her legs up on the couch, a blanket draped over her while she slept all awkwardly and shifty. As Amy moved towards the couch, Rory walked in from the kitchen, having already awoken and was even having a drink of tea.

"Did you do this?" Amy looked at her husband in assumption.

"Yeah," Rory nodded, "I came down last night for water and...she'd fallen asleep this time. I didn't want to risk waking her up by moving her so I just...put a blanket and..." he sighed.

Amy looked down at Avalon and gently pulled the blanket more up, "At least she fell asleep this time," she tried to cautiously move Avalon's head to the couch arm to give her more comfort.

"Yeah, 'at least'," Rory shook his head and turned back for the kitchen.

Amy gave a small sigh as she tried to make her granddaughter as comfortable as possible without disturbing her much needed sleep. But Amy knew that no amount of sleep (however much needed) would make Avalon feel better. It had been a few weeks since the Doctor left them on Earth and it seemed like it would be a long, long time until he decided (if he ever would) to come back.

~ 0 ~

Lena watched her sister make hasty strides in her bedroom, gathering things she would need to take to Amy's and Rory's. Lena couldn't believe the Doctor had left them all back on Earth but after hearing Amy's explanation, she understood why. It made sense. At least her father said it out loud.

Ryland applauded the Doctor for making the sacrifice, something that infuriated Avalon. She swore she wouldn't talk to him in her life if he ever said that again. Nothing justified the Doctor leaving them so he could go die. Lena argued for both sides and since Avalon would never yell at her, she got away with it.

"How long are you going to stay with Amy and Rory now?" Lena crossed the room to help Avalon close the suitcase on the bed.

"Until that idiot Fairy Tale Man comes back. I can't have him sneaking a visit to them and not have me there," Avalon muttered and turned back. "He doesn't want me to find him, ha. It's like he didn't even know me. What I want, I get. And I refuse to let him die."

"But Avalon, what are you going to do?" Lena was genuinely afraid of what Avalon would come up with to get the Doctor back, or to at least catch his attention.

"I don't know but I've made some calls, I'm going to get leads," Avalon stopped by her writing desk, practically swiping a hand over it to dump her writing tools into a small duffel bag.

"From where?" Lena asked.

Avalon didn't answer with words. She just smiled and sealed her duffel bag. "You can come with me if you'd like."

"What, to Amy's and Rory's?"

"No. To meet him."

Lena raised an eyebrow at Avalon. She was scared. Avalon on her own was already chaotic but now that the Doctor had thoroughly pissed her off, Avalon was a force to be reckoned with and there was no stopping her. God help him when he came back.

~ 0 ~

"Who are we meeting?" Lena asked Avalon when they entered her favorite coffee shop.

"A friend," Avalon found an empty table by the glass wall. "Sit." She patted the empty chair beside her and decided to order something while they waited.

"Avalon, I know you're upset-"

Avalon made a noise. "Oh, I am not upset. There is no word to describe what I'm feeling right now."

"My big brother just wanted to protect you…"

"I know that. I understand him, I love him for that...but he should not have to die, alright? I know that if he doesn't figure out a way to stop the Silence he's going to sacrifice himself. I won't be the reason he dies, and I most certainly will not let Kovarian win like that."

"I'm sorry Avalon but what are we supposed to do against the Silence? Truth be told, the Doctor is the only one who can defeat them."

"I want to keep him from doing something stupid," Avalon put her bag on the table. She was deeply terrified of what the Doctor could do on his own when he felt like there were no more options. She wasn't angry that he left her, she was angry that he thought it was the best option. She was so tired of having everyone trying to protect her. If something bad was going to happen to her, it would happen regardless of who was around her. Right now, she just wanted to get back to the Doctor and help him search through all the options he had. She wanted to fight at his side. The Silence had hurt her and her friends and she wanted to hunt them down for it.

"Hello ladies," Lena heard a familiar voice, a flirty voice. She knew who it was even before she looked up.

Captain Jack Harkness stopped in front of the table with his signature smile. Avalon rose up from her chair and hugged him. "Hi Jack."

"Oh my big brother would be having a heart attack right now," Lena mumbled her breath while she watched them hug.

"It is really good to know that you're back," Jack patted Avalon's arms and sighed. "You have no idea how bad the Doctor was when he called me."

"Of course he would find me," Avalon shrugged. "And now I need you to help me find him."

"What?"

Avalon motioned him to grab a seat as she sat back down herself.

"What's happened?" Jack asked, eyes flickering to Lena who seemed more nervous than ever.

"I'm assuming you know all about the Silence now, right?" Avalon asked.

"Yeah, sort of came up when the Doctor called me."

"There's a date that's coming up. April 24, 2011. According to some all mighty future news, that's the day the Doctor dies."

"Come again?" Jack made a face. "He doesn't die."

"He will, because we've seen it happen before," Avalon glanced at Lena. The latter sighed and nodded to confirm the story. "On that day, a future version of the Doctor will invite earlier versions of ourselves to meet him in Utah. We'll have a picnic by Lake Silencio and then a mysterious astronaut will rise from the lake...and she'll shoot him."

"She?" Jack caught on.

"She doesn't know," Lena said before Avalon could open her mouth. As soon as she did, Avalon threw a glare at Lena.

"I do know," Avalon reiterated despite the numerous arguments she had with Lena, Amy, Rory and even Ryland.

"What?" Jack felt like a broken record but until he got more information, that's all he had.

Avalon sighed and looked at him. "I've been going round and round in my head about who that astronaut is and every time I end up thinking it's me. I don't know what version of me it is but I think it's me."

"Avalon, I hardly thinking-"

Avalon knew he was about to side with Lena and, thus, everyone else, so she cut him off. "Jack you have to listen to me. Everyone else thinks I'm crazy but you...you know a thing or two about memory wipes and timelines…"

Lena cleared her throat and mouthed a quick 'She still doesn't know' to Jack before he decided to let it slip who her mother was.

"Kovarian wiped some of my memories when she had me kidnapped. I've thought long and hard about this and I think I finally realized why she would do that. What if…" Avalon paused. It still made her stomach churn thinking about the possibility. She leaned forwards on the table, lowering her voice so that only Jack and Lena would hear her. "What if Kovarian made me do something so terrible that the only way she could send me back without ratting her out was to wipe my memories first?" Jack opened his mouth to respond but Avalon quickly shushed him and begged him to really think about it. "She didn't have to wipe my memories but she did. Why?"

It was the age old question that no one could answer. Even the Doctor had been left blank when they talked about it.

"I...I admit that there is a truth behind those words…" Jack began, "But don't you think you would've been sentenced to jail?"

"Not unless she covered her tracks. How do I confess to a crime I don't remember doing? How do I rat my allies out if I don't remember anything? Who's to say that she didn't kill any loose ends before wiping my memory clean?" Avalon thought she was making some very good points...and Jack might believe that she had.

"Avalon, even if this was true...what about it? What do you plan on doing?"

"Well, first I want to exhaust all my options before I go with the obvious. I want to find the Doctor and I want to help him fight the Silence. I want to know why they took me, why they targeted him. And above all, I don't want the Doctor to be alone." Avalon's gaze lowered to the table. "Because when he's alone, he starts to let all the guilt come through and there's no one to remind him that he's not at fault for what happened to me, to River, to Amy...and if he lets that happen, he'll do something stupid." When Avalon raised her eyes to Jack, they were glimmering with tears. "I can't let that happen. He's helped all of us so many times. It's our turn to help him."

Jack could get on board with that. He smiled at her. She sounded just like anyone who'd had the fortune of travelling with the Doctor. Of course, seeing her determined face told him it was far beyond what the Doctor's other friends felt for him. "You love him, don't you?"

Avalon sighed. "Yes, but please don't downplay everything I said before. I'm not doing it because I love him, I'm doing it because he deserves someone to fight for him."

"I agree with that," Jack straightened up in his chair, giving her a mock salute. Avalon smiled. "What do you need from me, ma'am?"

Avalon beamed. She glanced at Lena with newfound excitement. Lena could only inwardly sigh. This could either end really well or really bad.

"Alright, I know that Torchwood's closed down but you have ways of getting to the 51st century, right?"

"Yeah, vortex manipulator. Don't tell the Doctor I got it working again. He'd take it from me."

Avalon thought for a moment before saying, "Hm, maybe I should just stick you to the bottom of a fish hook with the manipulator and just wait for the Doctor to come."

Jack laughed at her. "You wouldn't!"

"Try me!" Avalon smirked.

"Oh Avalon, it's good to see you again," Jack said as he sobered from his laugh.

"Yeah," Avalon said quietly, her smile falling short but still a smile nonetheless. It was good to see an old face, even if said face had been on the receiving end of many, many screams. She'd make that up to him later on.

~ 0 ~

Several days passed by and in those days Avalon had heavy contact with Jack about possibly sightings of the Doctor. She even wanted to start looking into Kovarian's sightings...and that's where the Ponds had to draw the line. How they would deal with it had to be an extra type of smart because otherwise Avalon wouldn't listen to them. So they went about in a whole different way.

"River?" Avalon was puzzled with her appearance but then she realized she must have come visit her parents. It was only natural. Avalon let River into the Ponds' home and took a quick peek outside into the street...just in case. "Amy and Rory are at work."

"Ah, Amy found a job?" River asked, though Avalon presumed it was just a formality seeing as this was an older version coming to visit.

"Yeah," Avalon shut the door behind them. "Something about perfumes. Got lucky."

"Hm," River came straight into the living room like she knew there was something there. Avalon's work had been spread around the coffee table and the couch itself was buried under more of it. "Seems to me like you've been pretty busy yourself."

Avalon followed her and folded her arms, susiciously eyeing River. "Where are you from?"

With a smile, River turned to her. "Couple months after I visited you all at Demon's Run."

"So then you know exactly where I am," Avalon said quietly, watching River's smile fade. "And you know what I'm trying to do."

"Yes, I do."

"You didn't come to visit your parents, did you?"

"No, I did not." River picked up a random paper off the couch and gave it a quick skim. "Avalon, you are a wonderful writer but all this needs to stop. You can't go looking for the Doctor and much less Kovarian herself."

"I would think that you of all people would understand why I'm doing this," Avalon came forward and snatched the paper out of River's hand. "He's out there, River, on his own. He knows that he's supposed to die and I just know that he will try to sacrifice himself for us."

"I know very well how the story ends, Avalon, and for that reason I beg you to stop. You don't know how deep this goes-"

"Excuse you, I was kidnapped by Kovarian. I think I know just how deep it goes!"

"You spent a few months with her, I spent my entire life with her!" River snapped, quieting Avalon for the next few minutes. "I know exactly what Kovarian planned and how she did it, because where I stand she's already done it. Trust me when I say that you cannot change these events. They must happen."

"Why!?"

"Because they need to, because if they don't, very important people cease to exist," River swallowed hard as she thought back to those moments. They weren't always good but just looking at her daughter made it all worth it. Avalon had no idea what her future was like and it all depended on the Silence's interference. It was a twisted story but it was sadly the reality.

"What?" frowned Avalon, understanding even less of what was going on. "The hell are you talking about?"

"Spoilers my dear," River sighed. "But please listen to me. I know how hurt you are but I promise you that I know what I'm talking about. If you interfere in any way, you will jeopardize the timelines."

"River, with all due respect, I don't give a damn," Avalon declared and turned away, striding out of the living room.

River shook her head at her. "Oh, you are definitely my daughter," she mumbled. "Avalon!" She called after the woman and stormed after her. "You need to listen to me!"

"I really don't," Avalon was in the kitchen trying to find something to snack on from the fridge. "I don't listen to anyone."

"I admire your bravery - or stupidity - but this is not what the Doctor wanted when he left you here."

"Well, I wouldn't know, would I?" Avalon slammed shut the fridge door, ignoring the quiet thud it gave, and turned to River. "Because he hasn't even tried talking to me in these last months! I've had to make do with what I have here and it's not exactly a picnic! I don't know if he's okay, if he's hurt, if he's...moved on." Avalon let a shuddering breath out.

"Moved on?" River repeated, now looking at her daughter like she was the crazy one. "You think he could do that? Oh sweetie, you have no idea. This is what I mean when I say we can't interfere with the timelines. There are important things that happen - people, Avalon - that will be there because we let things happen the way they're supposed to. I swear to you that the Doctor could never get over you."

Avalon seemed to lose the fighting mode she had on - she'd been needing it against everyone lately - and moved over to the table. "Kovarian said some things when she, um, when she had me watching the Doctor's history. She mentioned that one day the Doctor would leave us - Amy, Rory...me - and that we would just be another bunch in his long list of companions."

River silently grabbed a char next to her. "That's not true."

Avalon used to believe that before the Doctor dropped her off like nothing. "How would we know? We're not with him, are we?"

"I just do. I'm from the future, right?"

"Kovarian said there was a girl after us," Avalon went on, clearly discarding River's last words, "She's the one who brings the Doctor to wherever it is that terrifies the whole Silence. The Doctor moves on from us, forgets us…"

"That's not true," River shook her head. "You know it's not."

"I don't know anything, River," Avalon sighed heavily as she placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her hands. "Not anymore. I don't know where my Fairy Tale Man is, I don't know what he's doing. For all I know, he's figured out a way to stop everything and he's just...moved on. The story with Avalon Reynolds finished for him."

"Now stop that!" River actually scolded, letting her mother side slip out. "You know that's not true. Kovarian wanted to mess with your head and I'll be damned if that happens. You have to listen to me, Avalon. The Doctor is just trying to keep you safe from the Silence and it would break his hearts if you got yourself hurt trying to look for him."

Avalon met her look with a pretty serious one. Everyone seemed to think she was doing this blind, like she had no logical reasons for it. Yes, she was afraid that perhaps the Doctor really was done with her, but she really did want to help. It was just the longer it took to find him, the more crazy ideas her mind started coming up with. But in the end, there was one sad reality that she carried with her every day. "He's already hurt me, he broke my heart leaving me here." What was worse is that he had still kept his promise to her. He would be with her until the day he died. She would be there, just not her current self.

River had nothing to say to that and even as Avalon got up to leave, she couldn't think of anything comforting to say.

~ 0 ~

More months passed by and despite Avalon's heavy insistence for River to stay away if she was going to be against her work, River kept stopping by. Amy and Rory were thankful for her visits because they had thoroughly given up trying to stop Avalon's search. She was going to get herself into trouble that they wouldn't be able to pull her out of. She'd already given them scary moments as it was.

They'd been particularly terrified when Avalon disappeared for days. They thought maybe the Silence had found her instead but then she reappeared with River who had brought her back nearly by the ear. Amy and Rory had never seen River act like such a mother at that moment. She had found Avalon lurking through a planet known to have a church filled with Silence. River knew exactly what that church was and while it was one of the benign sects of the Silence she didn't trust that there wasn't one traitorous Silent amongst them. In another moment, she would commend Avalon for even finding out about that place but for the current moment, she was furious that Avalon had gone in there on her own.

"I HATE YOU!" Avalon stalked up the staircase when River let her go. Amy and Rory had long ago set up a room just for her and now she would be using it to lock herself away.

"I'm taking this," River waved a familiar vortex manipulator in her hand. "Avalon knicked it off Jack. He was proud that she'd been able to sneak it off him but I'm not sharing the sentiment."

"She's definitely acting like versions of you," Rory mumbled.

Amy agreed with a nod. "What are we going to do with her? I don't think the Doctor planned on her being this...this determined."

"No, no, he planned for it," River hated to admit it. "He knows exactly who Avalon is and that's why he's been extra careful not to make outstanding appearances."

"Have you talked to him?" Rory eyed River suspiciously. He wouldn't put it behind the two to have secret meetings about all this timeline and Silence stuff.

River looked at her father for a long minute before completely glossing over the answer. "He's keeping an eye on her but...we all have to pitch in."

"Thing is, Avalon's not a child. She's got feelings and she's pretty damn smart," Amy folded her arms and glanced at the staircase. "She's able to trick us with minimal effort."

"We just have to keep trying," River said, shrugging her shoulders. "I've done a lot to keep my daughter safe, this is just another of those moments."

From that point on, everyone agreed to keep a heavier eye on Avalon. As annoying and frustrating as it was, Avalon wouldn't try to hurt them. She knew they were trying to help but she would keep doing her search no matter what.

~ 0 ~

It would be one day that somewhat calmed Avalon for a moment. It was no ordinary day and that's why it managed to ease her.

She sat on the couch with a tattered blanket over her legs - an old childhood blanket - and gazed at a beautiful rose gold rose with bright green leaves in her hand. It shined as if it were metal but each time she touched one of its petals, a soft pink dust sprinkled from it...like fairydust. As hurt as she felt, she couldn't help but smile each time the dust would fill the air.

"Happy birthday Avalon," she heard from behind. Avalon shifted a bit to see River coming in with a tempting gift in her hands. "Big 24!" She leaned down and kissed the top of Avalon's head.

"Has it really been 2 years since America?" Avalon shook her head. That really seemed like a long time ago.

River scooted Avalon's legs so she could sit on the couch. "Oh, do you remember the last time we celebrate your birthday? What was it? You're 21st? Oh, what fun that was!"

"Yeah, I got so drunk that, that night is very blurry," Avalon sighed but with a content smile. It had been a fun night.

"Still, I know there's a small get together Amy's fixing up in the backyard for you!"

"I'm not really up for the celebration but I'll just let it happen for them. They've been so nice letting me stay over even when my house is just a couple blocks down."

River smiled lightly. "That's a good girl. Here, open my present!" She handed the gift to Avalon and motioned her to unwrap it.

Avalon set her rose on her lap then pulled the wrapping paper off the gift. Her eyes widened when she found a porcelain doll. It had bright orange hair like she had, curly too, and dark eyes. It had a green period dress and a small tiara over its head. "Oh my God…"

"Do you like it?" River had to control herself so she didn't look so eager for her reaction.

Avalon looked up with twinkling eyes. "You remembered!"

"That you always wanted one of those dolls but never got them because Lena was scared of them," River laughed. "I figured Lena's old enough to understand not to go into your room."

Avalon had to laugh at that. "Right." She fixed some of the orange strands of the doll's hair and smiled. "Thank you, River. I love it."

"Happy birthday, sweetie," River leaned over to hug her tightly. "I know it's been a rough year but you are so strong. You'll make it through this."

Avalon would love to believe that but the truth was this year was kicking her ass. She set her new porcelain doll to the side and picked up her rose-gold rose again. "I got this in the morning."

River raised an eyebrow at it. "Oh, that's fancy." Avalon brushed her fingers over the petals and allowed for River to see the sprinkles of 'fairydust' fly from it. "Ah," River's eyes widened. "That's from Aurals." Avalon gave her a puzzled look, obviously not in the loop about the place she spoke of. "It's a planet. You'd love it. They're the only planet to grow those types of flowers. They look like they're fake but they're actually very real. Where'd you get that from?"

Avalon said nothing as she reached for a white card on the coffee table. She opened it up and reread the letter she'd practically clung to earlier in the morning. 'Happy birthday my Ava. I'm afraid that by now you either hate me or, well, you're hunting me down to kill me.'

River snorted, nearly laughing. "That man…"

'I know that you're very upset with me but please understand that I did not 'leave' you, I had to give you up. I was trying to save you one last time by letting you live in peace while I search for those bad people who hurt you. But today is your day, Ava. Twenty four years ago, a little princess was born and she took life by storm. I love you Avalon, please remember that. Never doubt that. Happy birthday my love."

Avalon looked up with teary eyes. "Signed by 'Your Fairy Tale Man'." She drew in a deep breath, controlling those tears that wanted to come out. She'd cried earlier and she wasn't interested in doing it again. "He was here, River. He was here at some point and he left me this...but he didn't' even talk to me."

"I suspect he knew if he did, he wouldn't be able to leave anymore," River said. She didn't need to be from the future to know that.

"Well, I wouldn't let him leave," Avalon sniffed. She held her rose close to her chest.

"Oh c'mon, no pouty face," River pointed at her. "That's not what the Doctor wanted from you, especially today. It's your birthday!"

Avalon sighed and looked at her rose. "Yeah, it is…" Maybe she should look at things from a different angle, at least for today, and focus on the part where the Doctor actually came back. Even if it was just for a moment, he had been there for one moment and just for her.

She might still be a little special.

~ 0 ~

"Why are you so happy today?" Amy asked then suddenly received an elbow on her side. Rory passed by with a sharp look on his face. She shouldn't question why their granddaughter was so happy, not unless they were looking for Avalon to do the opposite.

Avalon ignored the little moment as she planted her bag on the kitchen table. "I...sort of got a job," she announced. She expected their similar surprised states but she didn't expect them to look so funny. "It's not the end of the world if I get a job, is it?"

"No, no, but…" Rory said, clearing his throat, "We just didn't expect you to...get one."

"Yeah, you hate Leadworth," Amy leaned against the counter, eyeing Avalon suspiciously.

"I do," Avalon made sure to clarify first. "But I figure it's time to stop being a freeloader. Plus, remember that little girl that loved my public reading I did last year? Aurora?" They both nodded. Avalon hadn't stopped talking about that little girl after the event. It truly warmed Avalon's heart to know that a child loved her story so much. "Well, she's six now and I bumped into her in Mrs. Kepner's bookstore. She recognized me and she started going on about how much she would love for me to read more of my stories. Mrs. Kepner thought it was a good idea and so she offered me a job at the store. I'll be doing the public readings with the kids and if I happen to come up with new stories, I'm more than welcomed to read those too."

"Avalon, that's great!" Rory exclaimed, rushing over to hug her first.

"Yeah," Avalon chuckled. "I figure I might as well do something productive while I search for the Doctor."

Amy would gladly take the compromise. She came next to hug Avalon. "I'm really happy for you. It'll be good for you."

"We'll see," Avalon shrugged. "At the very least it'll keep from going crazy and murdering people." Because, oh yes, she remembered exactly what kind of people lived in the town. It was why she barely left the house. At least in the bookstore there'd be more kids and teenagers, people that weren't aware of her reputation. Though she would inevitably have to deal with adults, she knew it would just be for a small time.

"Well hey, how about we celebrate by going into the city?" Amy asked suddenly. "We can have lunch over there and maybe do a little shopping-"

"Ooooh, I could do some shopping," Avalon nodded fast. Both gingers missed the way Rory scrunched his face. Those two at a mall would take bloody forever. "I really miss the wardrobe the TARDIS had for me."

"C'mon!" Amy exclaimed. "Rory, get the credit cards!"

"Yay," Rory muttered as he followed the two women out.

"We should call River," Avalon said, making him groan.

"God no, I'm staying behind!"

"No, you're not," Amy said and so it was.

~ 0 ~

"Jesus, Avalon, did you leave anything for the store?" Rory struggled to carry the new bags Avalon came out with.

"You're over-exaggerating," she patted his cheek and looked around. "Where's Amy and River?"

"They went into the department store," Rory said, nodding towards the store at the end of them. Both his hands were occupied with her bags, Amy's and even River's.

"Yay! C'mon!" Avalon grabbed one of his arms and pulled him towards the store.

"No, no more! My arms are going to fall off!"

"Oh, you're over-exaggerating!"

"I'm really not! I haven't felt my right arm in over an hour!"

Avalon rolled her eyes and led them into the store. It was pretty crowded but they eventually found Amy and River near the perfume area.

"Oh, is that your perfume!?" Avalon practically shrieked, attracting the attention of several of the customers. She ignored them all as she ran towards the glass counter. She grabbed the purple perfume from River's hands and sprayed herself.

"It's a sample, Avalon," Amy said and snatched the bottle from her before she used up the entire thing.

"But it smells so good!" Avalon exclaimed, trying to take it back from her. "For the girl who's tired of waiting! Killer slogan!"

"Yeah, that's quite a real line for us," River said quietly. Amy looked over Avalon with an agreeing nod.

"Oh! Amy!" They heard Rory's shout. He had dropped half the bags he was carrying and things were rolling.

"God, he's helpless," Amy sighed and handed the perfume back to River to go help Rory.

"You go help too!" Avalon plucked the perfume from River's hands and motioned her to 'run along'.

"I think not!" River forced her to put the perfume down on the counter. "C'mon, maybe we can find a nice present for Lena. Her birthday's coming up, remember?"

"I know," Avalon rubbed the side of her head. "I'm clueless on what to give her."

"So then let's look," River whistled for the saleslady to come help them.

~ 0 ~

Two hundred years later would find the Doctor posing as a department store employee and handling a visit with Craig Owens and his new baby son. In all his time of existence he never thought he could end up in a place like that and he'd gotten around plenty of times. Unfortunately, trouble always seemed to follow him as well, no matter how old he got. There were Cybermen in hiding and he had to discover where they were before things got bad, even if that came at a price of dealing with an irritated Craig. But sometimes he had little lucky moments in which something good happened. Right now, as he gazed upon his former companions, Amy and Rory, he knew it was one of those lucky moments.

They'd been picking up shopping bags that Rory had dropped - he wondered why Rory had that many bags in the first place - and then suddenly, a little girl had come up to Amy asking for an autograph. It took the Doctor a few seconds to realize that somehow that Pond had gotten herself a perfume after her.

"For Ellie," Amy smiled and handed the notepad back to the girl, "I like your hairband," she remarked as she stood straight again.

Ellie touched her headband and beamed, "Thank you," she said as she returned to her mother only a couple feet away.

"Can we take a rest...please?" Rory asked Amy and held his arms out with the shopping bags, making Amy laugh. "I can't feel my arms!"

"Yeah, alright," Amy decided to take pity on his misery. "But that's what happens when you get a daughter and a granddaughter. We outnumber you." Rory rolled his eyes but he was mighty better when Amy gave him a kiss. "Avalon! River! Time to go!"

"In a minute!" came the irritated response from Avalon.

The Doctor's hearts nearly stopped when he caught sight of Avalon by the perfume counter. It'd been 200 hundred years since he last saw her. He didn't know how he could've made it this far but he knew it was because he hadn't seen her. It took every last bit of his will not to come get her from Leadworth. He had to remind himself that he needed to keep her safe and search for the Silence, but that search had come to an end a while back. Now he was just drifting through until the moment came. It was why it'd become even more difficult to stay away. He knew his end was coming, there was nothing he could do to change it, so why not spend his last moments with Avalon? He didn't want to hurt her. The Silence had done enough of that. But it seemed like the universe was giving him one last gift before his end.

"God, River, you have terrible taste in perfumes!" Avalon had just sent the saleslady away.

"Excuse you and that mouth of yours!" River huffed. "I do not!"

Avalon raised the bottle she was eyeing and sprayed it to the side. "Dogs wouldn't walk through that."

River's face almost made the Doctor laugh and give himself up. He'd never seen her like that and he was sure that the only reason she was holding back was because it was Avalon on the receiving end.

"You are rude," River finally spoke after a few moments of silence.

"Tell me something I don't know," Avalon shrugged. She tucked some hair behind her ear, allowing the Doctor to see she still wore his watch on her wrist.

He swallowed hard. All he had to do was take a step towards her and she would see him. He was aware that she'd done everything to find him, even going as far as calling in Jack Harkness to help her (that might have made him a bit jealous, just a bit), and while it was tempting to go back to her...he couldn't do it. He was dying, that was the truth. He had to die in order for the world to keep going. If the world kept going, then Avalon would be safe. If he died, the Silence would leave her alone. That's the reason he kept away in these last days.

~ 0 ~

It was late when the Ponds got back to Leadworth. Rory happily let each woman take their bags into the house while he went to grab himself some wine. Yeah, he deserved that.

"You're so mean, Rory!" Avalon shouted from the foyer.

"Yup," he agreed as he searched for the wine glasses in the cabinets.

Amy dumped her bags on the living room floor, not even trying to make it to the stairs. "Okay, I'm so tired."

"I can keep these here, right?" River gestured to her own pile of bags behind the couch. "Stormcage doesn't exactly allow for all this stuff."

"Oh, but they allow you to escape every now and then?" Avalon arched an eyebrow at her.

"Your mouth is on an extra one today," River wagged a finger at her.

Avalon cheekily smiled and moved to gather her stuff from the table. She heard her phone buzz in her bag a moment later. She left the papers in a somewhat neat pile and pulled her phone out of the bag. She read the quick text she'd gotten and gasped so loudly that she worried her grandmother and mother.

"What, what was it!?" River quickly hurried around the couch to meet her.

"I, uh, I got myself in contact with some people on New Earth. They're like your version of detectives and they just got word of a possible sighting of a Silent."

"What? That's stupid," Amy frowned. "How would they even remember them?"

"Because I told them about the chip that Kovarian used on me. They've made their own version - that's not the point! I have to go!" Avalon only made it two steps towards the doorway before River held her back.

"Are you deranged!? You can't go hunt down the Silence!"

"It's just one!"

"It doesn't matter! You can't go there!"

"Yes I can!" Avalon wrestled free from River's arms and turned around to face her. "And you're not stopping me! Nobody is!"

"Avalon, you need to understand this! We've been over this! The timelines-"

"I DON'T CARE!" Avalon screamed. "I don't give a crap about timelines, not when it can stop the Doctor from dying!"

"The people, Avalon. The people that I'm talking about would cease to exist!" River was now fully terrified that this time she might not be able to stop Avalon from going off in search of the Silence. Amy could see that fear from her spot too.

"What people, dammit!? You always say that but you never say who! For all I know you could be lying!" Avalon shook her head. "I'm Gmgoing to New Earth and there is nothing you can do nor say to stop me!"

River watched her turn and leave. Her mind was spinning, everything was spinning actually, and the only thing she heard was 'Don't tell Avalon, don't tell Avalon, don't tell Avalon!'. She couldn't let Avalon near the Silence, it was the biggest task she had and it was the only thing she could do for her daughter in a life that hadn't exactly allowed her to be a Mother. But right now Avalon was going straight into danger and she could not allow it.

"Avalon, stop it! Come back!"

"No!"

River hurried out of the living room with Amy hot on her trail.

"What is going on?" Rory emerged from the kitchen to see Avalon practically sprinting towards the door.

"Avalon, stop! You can't go to New Earth!" River continued to call after her. Amy came rushing after her and now with Rory.

"Why not!?"

"Because I know how everything ends! I know what happens and what must always happen!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm not listening to anymore of this!" Avalon grabbed the door knob.

"You need to listen to me because I'm your Mother! I know what I'm talking about!" River actually felt like she would combust in that moment. Everything was on fast mode and she didn't register all the words she'd said until after she had.

But Avalon had heard the very moment she said it. Her hand had frozen midway as she turned the door knob. She turned her head towards River, catching sight of Amy behind them. "What?"

River brought a hand to her forehead. This wasn't how she pictured this moment but she had to do it. Anything to keep her safe. "I'm...I'm your Mother, Avalon. I-I know it's hard to understand but it's true. I'm your mother, I know exactly what the Silence is planning because they planned it around me...around us. And I'm so sorry but everything has to happen the way it already has...otherwise you cease to exist."

Avalon didn't say anything. She couldn't. Nothing was making sense right now. River couldn't be telling her the truth. She looked at Amy and Rory for some help, but they had these weird faces. She wanted them to tell her that River was lying, that she was just saying the first thing that popped into her head to stop her from leaving...but they kept quiet. In fact, they were looking at her with sympathy.

"Oh my God," Avalon felt sick to her stomach. "You're not...you're not lying…"

"No, no, I'm not lying. I'm so sorry," River said, taking a step towards her but she saw the exact moment the anger crossed Avalon's face.

"You abandoned me!" She pushed River away. There was a part of her that told her this was all familiar. The sick feeling in her stomach felt like it'd already been there for the exact same reason.

"No, no I didn't!" River reached out for her, wanting so desperately to touch her daughter.

"You left me with my uncle! You have no right to tell me what to do! You've…" Avalon brought her hands to her face as a sour laugh slipped through her lips. "Oh my God, now it makes sense. Now I get why you were always so determined to be around me, to...to make me stop this search." She dropped her hands but pointed a menacing finger towards River. "How dare you come into my life like you didn't abandon me! And how dare you try to tell me what to do! You have no right, none at all, to tell me anything!"

"Ava, how about you calm down and let River explain everything?" Rory thought he could use his special relationship with her to bring her away from the door. He was right. For a second, Avalon faltered. "I'm sure this isn't how she wanted to tell you."

"It wasn't," River agreed quickly.

"Look, I'm not mad at either of you," Avalon said to him and Amy. "I told you not to tell me anything. And would you like to know why?" She flashed a glare at River. "Because I thought it was unfair how my 'mother'-" she did quick air quotations with her hands, "-left it all with you two and the Doctor. None of you deserved to carry that burden." There were tears pooling in her eyes and she fought against them with everything she had not to let them out. "My mother was supposed to tell me that herself but then again she wasn't supposed to abandon me."

"I didn't abandon you, Avalon," River tried to say again without getting interrupted. "I had to give you up."

"Oh my God, if I had a penny for every time I heard that…" Avalon shook her head, quickly wiping off some stray tears.

"I know, I know it's all difficult and you're angry but if you would just come back I can explain everything."

"No, it's too late," Avalon warned River to stay right where she was. "I am 24 years old and how old are you? Far from the age you were when you had me, I'm sure. You never said a word to me! You are not my mother! Emmalina Reynolds is." She quickly pulled the door open and ran out before anyone could stop her.

"What are we going to do? Are we going to let her leave?" Rory hurried towards the door.

"She's not going anywhere," River cleared her own tears off her face. "The manipulator is with Ryland. I'll give him a quick call…"

"River, I'm so sorry," Amy hugged her daughter. She wished she could've done more than just stand there but it felt like it was something River had to do, no matter how painful it was.

"It's fine, I'm…" River wouldn't bother finishing the sentence. She had to act fast. "I have to call Ryland...and maybe someone else too. Scuse me." She sidestepped Amy and went back into the living room.

~ 0 ~

Avalon wandered - stumbled - through the park. She'd barely made it back to her house when all of a sudden she was bombarded between Ryland and Lena. No doubt River had called them in advance to tell them what happened...and to tell them not to let her have the manipulator. She was essentially stuck on earth because of River. She was confused, weren't 'mothers' supposed to want the best for their kids? River failed in all aspects.

She'd began to remember the same moment happening a long time ago with Kovarian. She'd already known this information - Kovarian had told her right in the beginning that River was her mother - but she was made to forget. She had all those pictures of River throughout her life and none of them showed a shred of someone who was a mother. She never came for her daughter.

"You never cared…" Avalon drew in a breath as she came to a stop in front of the duck pond. The ducks were idly swimming by like nothing.

River abandoned her as a newborn. What right did she have playing the 'mum' card now? Here she was trying to make her life better after all the crap she'd been through and River just waltzes in and tries to dismantle it?

Avalon stifled a sob. She shouldn't cry for that woman, but maybe the tears weren't all for her. The past two years had been terrible. So many things had happened. This was the tip of the iceberg and the worst part is that she didn't even have the Doctor around.

She let herself slowly fall to the ground to sit against the rock wall of the pond. She brought her knees up to her chest and sniffled. She just sat there for God knew how long, thinking about everything that had gone wrong in her life. How could one person have this much misfortune? She didn't understand...or maybe she did. Maybe this was her punishment for the way she was when she was younger. Maybe if I'd grown up with my actual parents I would've turned out differently, she bitterly thought. How would her life be if she'd grown up with Oliver Reynolds and River Song?

Her thoughts were cut off when she heard a wheeze in the air. There was even a light breeze to accompany it. She raised her head, staying completely still before her mind thought things that weren't true. She was so angry, so sad, that her mind wasn't completely there. But she'd heard right. Her ears were working perfectly and were her eyes. The TARDIS had materialized across her and slowly, the Doctor emerged from it. The look on his face told her everything.

Somebody had called him. Avalon closed her eyes. That meant River could have always called him.

"She is a goddamn liar," she spat with all the hatred she could muster.

"My Ava…" the Doctor cautiously approached her. He didn't want to get too close to her because this was his last stop and he would have to leave again. She was crying, though, how could he resist?

"When did you first find out?" Avalon asked quietly. She flinched away from him when he sat down beside her. She'd spent a whole year searching for him and now to have him next to her felt odd.

"On Demons Run," he answered just as quietly. "I thought you were Amy's and Rory's child but it turned out the Silence had your files because you were River's daughter."

"I may be her daughter but she is not my mother. Mothers do not abandon their child, they do not lie to them…"

"Avalon, none of us know why River gave you up, but I can imagine it wasn't because she wanted to."

"How would anyone know that?" Avalon finally looked at him. The moment she did she had to take a moment just to remind herself that he was actually there.

He looked at her as well and offered her a small smile. "Because I was once a father and I know the look a parent has when they know their child is hurt. I don't know why River gave you up to Ryland but she didn't do it because she didn't love you. Quite the opposite, actually."

"I don't believe it," Avalon took in a breath. "If I had a child, I would never leave them."

"Even if it meant they would be completely safe?" The Doctor knew the challenge the question posed and he imagined it was the same challenge River had to have faced in her past. "Avalon, you don't know what it's like being a parent. There's this drive in you - an instinct - to keep your child safe no matter what. I had that, Amy had that on Demons Run, Rory had it while we searched for Amy and Melody. I'm guessing River had that the day she gave you up. But you know, all we can do is speculate until you go and talk to her."

"No," Avalon said on the spot. "I saw the pictures Kovarian had of her. She didn't look like she missed me a lot."

"What do you mean?" frowned the Doctor. "Kovarian told you this?"

"She did, and then she wiped it away like the rest of my memories. She had all these pictures of River having the time of her life without me. I don't want her - I don't want her to be my Mother." Tears flowed from Avalon's face. "Please don't make me go back there. I don't want to see her." She practically threw her body over his for what she intended to be a hug.

Still, the Doctor held her in their awkward half-lying positions and held her tight. Two hundred years was a long time to go without touching her. "I am very sorry, Avalon. No one should have to suffer the way you have."

"Just say you won't leave me again." She was holding him like her life depended on it, her eyes screwed shut. "Say you won't, please."

"You know I can't do that, Ava. I love you but...Time says I have to die. If I die, then the Silence leaves you and your family alone. They just want me."

Avalon pulled away to look at him. She studied his eyes - as much as she could with her blurred vision - and saw something new in them. Resignation. "How...how long has it been?"

"Ava…" He preferred not to look at her right now.

"I deserve the truth, dammit. Tell me!"

"I'm 1,103," he answered quietly.

Avalon let out a noise of horror. She slowly picked herself up from the ground, prompting him to do the same. New tears had filled her eyes as she studied him. He looked so tired. "I said I wouldn't let that happen. I wouldn't let you be on your own, especially for that long."

"It wasn't on you to stop anything, Avalon. I had to do it." He couldn't help himself. He had to touch her again. He reached out for her body and was relieved that she'd let him. He was able to wrap an arm around her waist and bring her body to his. He rested his forehead against her, taking a moment to smell her lavender scent again. "Do you know that in a thousand years, I've never really had anyone affect me the way you have?"

"I make everyone sick eventually," Avalon sighed.

"No," he managed to chuckle. She would say something like that. He brought his free hand up to her chin, taking a gentle hold of it. Her skin was still just as smooth and warm as he remembered it. "You're the only one who's ever kept up with me even when I was unbearable. And I've had my moments." Now it was Avalon's turn to smile, even if it was through her tears. "You remember our heist?"

"Yeah," she felt a rush of heat when she remembered their insane snog session in the middle of it.

"You and I...we've had the best adventures together. Make that into a story, will you? Maybe it'll inspire some other person to sweep their loved one off their feet."

"I don't want to write about you as if you were gone," she sniffled. "Please don't go." She curled her hand around his arm that was touching her face. "I don't want to lose you a second time. Watching you die was the most painful moment of my life. Please don't go to that place."

"You have no idea how much I would rather stay here with you, with my Ponds, but I have somewhere to be, somewhere Time needs me to be," he pushed a few strands of her hair out of her wet face. "I just needed to come and say goodbye properly."

"I promised myself that I wouldn't let you go to that place. I tried doing my best to keep you from going there…"

"You did everything you could and you have no idea how much that means to me, but it's time to stop. It's okay to stop. I figured everything out, darling. I know that I have to be there."

Avalon felt her heart breaking all over again and she was getting tired of it. Nothing seemed to work right. He was just giving himself up like that, like he had to...like he had to go face that astronaut. "Do you...do you know who the astronaut is?" She whispered.

The Doctor lowered his head for a moment. He had worked it out after his long search, after his long talks and research, but there was just one thing he still never figured out. The letter. That damn letter that warned Avalon of what was coming, no one had the answer to it.

"Doctor?" Avalon called, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Did you?"

"Yes," he ultimately said. "But I can't tell you, I'm sorry."

Avalon sighed. "That's a shocker. No one can tell me anything, no one can tell me the truth...can anyone tell me anything?"

"I love you," the Doctor said, offering her his best smile, as if they were in the middle of another date. He loved that it still made her smile. He stroked patterns over her cheek. "It's been 200 hundred years and you have no idea how much I've wanted to tell you that in person again. I love you my Ava."

Avalon leaned into his touch. "I love you too."

"I do have to go, though. I just wanted to say that one more time," the Doctor swallowed hard and looked her in her sad, teary eyes.

"...there's nothing I can do to stop you anymore?"

"I have to, I'm sorry."

Avalon was scared out of her mind but it seemed like he had made his choice. She just had no idea how she was supposed to let him walk away again. "There's so many things we could've done together. You said you were taking me to, um, Akhaten?"

"Right," the Doctor nodded. "You would've loved it."

"We could've pulled another heist," she bit her lip and leaned on him.

"And watched Rory have a heart attack?"

Avalon smirked. "We would've won this time." She let her fingers tap over his chest, something she missed doing too. "We would've been on the same team this time, you and I...we would've won the whole thing."

"Yeah we would've," the Doctor grinned at the image of them pulling a second heist with the worst shenanigans they could come up with. He pulled her hands off him and held them tightly in his. He stared at her smirking face and felt the air leave his body. She was insanely beautiful and she had been with him. For a short moment in his life, she had been with him and they'd been happy.

Timetogotimetogotimetogo. He needed to get out of there because he was one second away from whisking her off into the TARDIS to kiss forever.

He let one of her hands go and snapped his fingers. The TARDIS doors opened up but instead of walking straight for them, he needed to do something first. He was going to leave but he had to do it right this time. He couldn't sneak off like the last time. Avalon didn't deserve that.

"Would you dance with me?" He asked her. She blinked at him, naturally expecting him to say anything but that. She took her hands out of his. "Would you dance with me, Ava?"

"Dance?"

He nodded. "I'm going to die, but I have to dance with my princess first. Can't imagine leaving without one."

New tears came to Avalon's eyes. He was really going to do it. Don't waste your last moment, the voice in her head warned. She couldn't waste it. These were her last moments with him that she would remember forever. She took his hand, squeezing it tightly.

"Play us something sweet, will you?" The Doctor called to the TARDIS, or so it seemed. A few seconds later a familiar tune started playing.

Avalon laughed lightly. "Once Upon a Dream."

"Our first dance together," the Doctor reminded her, not that she needed to be reminded. It was their first dance as friends and their first dance on their first date. As if she would ever forget that. He put an arm around her waist again and started to sway to the song.

Little by little, Avalon let go of his hand and brought her arms around his neck. She rested her head against his chest, wanting to be as close as possible to him. "I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream. I know you! The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam. Yet I know it's true, the visions are seldom all they seem…"

The Doctor laid his cheek over the top of Avalon's head, smiling contently for the first time in a long time. He would always love her beautiful voice.

"...but if I know you, I know what you'll do. You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream," she sniffled. "Do you ever sing?"

The Doctor hummed. "That...would be a no. I don't sing."

"I wish you would," Avalon looked up at him. "We could, um-" she forced herself to smile, "-we could've sang 'A Whole New World'. That would've fit us, huh?"

"I think so, yeah," the Doctor chuckled. They just didn't have the time anymore. Time's up. He brought a finger under her chin then leaned down and kissed her. She quickly kissed him back.

A whole year waiting and searching for him had seemed to lead them to this moment. She wished they could do this forever and ever. Their arms wrapped around each other so tightly there was no chance of moving. Avalon remembered all the sappy movies that had those really long, passionate kisses and she would make fun of them all the time. Who knew that she'd end up having one of her own? It was a terrible moment when they had to end it. They pulled away what was necessary to look into each other's eyes, silently saying goodbye to each other.

"You have been my best story," Avalon whispered, having to bite her lower lip to keep herself from bursting into sobs right there and then. "Is there not another story?"

"The next story will be you living happily. Maybe writing a couple stories here and there...and going back to that sweet family who loves you so much," the Doctor tapped her nose. "Try to talk to River, okay?"

"Try to stay alive?" Avalon played her final card which was just to ask. River did say to her that he was never able to say 'no' to her. Let's see if she lied about that too. She cupped his face and leaned closer to his lips. "For me?"

The Doctor swallowed hard. She was far too close for him not to try and kiss her again. The TARDIS wasn't that far away from them, was it? Out of time! Right. He had to focus...but she was looking at him, pleading with him to listen to her.

Maybe…

Avalon pressed one final kiss to his lips. "Goodbye, Fairy Tale Man."

"Goodbye, my Ava," he smiled softly...with tears in his eyes. He forced himself to step away from her, one of the hardest things he had to do. He looked at her one last time, shuddering a breath that wanted to lead to more tears. He turned away and walked back to the TARDIS.

Avalon hugged herself as she watched the Doctor disappear inside the TARDIS. Seconds later, she heard the wheezing noise as the box started disappearing. Her eyes might as well have been water wells by that point. She would've let herself cry right there and then if she hadn't noticed a figure standing behind the de-materializing TARDIS. It took her a few minutes to realize what it was…who it was.

"Hello Mother," the adult Sapling smiled at her and waved with one hand.

Avalon's eyes widened, immediately figuring he must have hitched a ride with the Doctor. Those two had played such a sneaky surprise on her. She ran up to him, throwing her arms around his much taller figure now that he was an adult. "Oh my Sapling! You've come back!"

"I had to," the Sapling hugged his mother tightly. "Father said you would need me."

Avalon could only nod against his wooden chest.

~ 0 ~

51st century, Luna University.

A very young River Song sat in a study with a table full of books and several official files in front of her. With a hand over her stomach, she dropped one of the files and picked up her opened diary to see a date written in one of the pages. She had looked it over at least a thousand times, along with the research she'd done, and she just couldn't figure it out.

"Tick, tock, goes the clock. And what now shall we play?" She heard a strange voice in the room say, "Tick, tock, goes the clock. Now summer's gone away."

"Hello?" River called. "Oliver? Are you playing a game on me? I don't like them."

Kovarian appeared from the shadows of the room flashing a smug smile at River. "Such a lovely old song. But is it about him?"

"You know about the Doctor?" River raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the strange woman. She thought she seemed familiar but...her mind was a bit fuzzy sometimes.

"So very well," Kovarian nodded and smirked at the long stare River was giving her, "Don't try and remember me. We have been far too thorough with your dear little head. I brought a gift, though" she informed as she reached across the table to take River's diary. "Well...gifts."

"A...what?" River blinked.

Kovarian smirked again as she came forwards and picked up River's diary off the table. "So they made you a doctor today, did they? Doctor River Song. How clever you are. You understand what this is, don't you?" She turned the diary around for River to see.

"According to some accounts it's the day the Doctor dies," River answered quietly. "But that's what they are, just 'accounts'. Rumors."

"By Silencio Lake on the Plain of Sighs an impossible astronaut will rise from the deep and strike the Time Lord dead," Kovarian recited with a great smile, as if it were her favorite story...and perhaps...

"It's a story, that's all," River shrugged, though she seemed nervous.

Kovarian sighed casually and set the diary back on the table, "And this is where it begins," she informed, "My gifts to you," she snapped her fingers and immediately a door opened from behind where two of the Silence entered holding a very familiar woman.

"What the hell is that?" River's eyes widened at the sight of the Silence.

"Your owners and, currently, hers," Kovarian gestured back.

"You let me go! Let me go right now!" Avalon kicked and stomped as she was brought in by the creatures. When she saw River she paused but then a deep fury marked her face. "YOU!" She tried going for her, shocking River until Avalon started to yell, "You're not my Mother! I don't want you!"

River swallowed thickly. "How did…?"

"Oh, shush child," Kovarian waved the ginger off and focused on River. "I'm about to make a deal with Mummy."

"Let her go right this instant," River ordered but dared not stand up at the moment.

"Here is the deal, Melody Pond," Kovarian set her hands on the table and leaned forwards, "Those stories of Lake Silencio are all true. The Doctor will be there and he will be shot. An astronaut is to rise from Silencio Lake and it will. The only thing I haven't decided is which one of you will it be? You...or your daughter?"

"I don't understand, how do you know who I am? And how do you have Avalon? I watched the Doctor take her into the TARDIS. She's safe!"

"Ah, time travel my dear. This is just before Berlin. I have your younger self waiting for orders in Leadworth," Kovarian's lips curled into a devilish smile. "I made you what you are and I also prepared a back up. I have trained your daughter to do the task, brainwashed her, everything I need to get this right."

"I am not her daughter!" Avalon still fiercely yelled. "You left me!"

"I didn't do anything," River weakly argued, much too confused to put up a proper defense. As far as she knew, she hadn't left her daughter all.

"Yet!" Avalon snapped. "You abandoned me!"

"I haven't!" River slammed her hands down on the table as she got up from her chair, letting Avalon see that she really hadn't.

Avalon went into shock and fell silent. River was pregnant, very pregnant. She hadn't done anything yet, none of the things Kovarian had shown her. "Oh my God…"

River settled a hand over her stomach. "I'm almost due," she said with a half smile. "And I will never abandon my child."

Before Avalon could say anything, Kovarian stepped around the table for River. The woman quickly backtracked the same step. "Someone is getting into that astronaut suit and doing the deed. I allow you mercy by giving you the freedom to choose who will do it. You can climb into the astronaut suit and shoot the Doctor dead, sparing your poor daughter the atrocious act of killing her love. However, if you decide to keep your baby daughter - I won't judge - then I will have that one-" She pointed back at Avalon who couldn't be more terrified at the prospect, "-be in the suit. She shoots the Doctor and then she's off to Stormcage. I'm sure you could arrange visitations."

River felt a deep fury fill her insides, something she had to be truly careful about given her state. "You will not touch my daughter!"

"Ah, so is that your choice then? You take her place?"

"N-n-n-n-n-no! No!" Avalon started once she got the idea. "She doesn't accept anything! And neither do I! I would rather die than kill the Doctor! Shoot me right now!"

"I would but I'm not interested in finding out how many regenerations you have right now," Kovarian dismissed her and continued on with River. "Well then? I don't have all day, and neither does the Doctor actually. You or her?"

"I won't do it," River said, nearly making a promise to Avalon there and then. "I'm not killing him..."

This did not settle well with Kovarian. "Perhaps another persuasion tactic is needed - my second gift. Bring him in!"

Two more Silence walked into the room dragging in a young ginger man. Avalon and River immediately recognized him.

"Let me go! What the hell are you anyways!?" The man angrily pulled and pulled against their claw-like hands.

"Uncle Oliver?" Avalon struggled against the Silence holding her. "Why-why are you here? Why is he here!?" She threw a glare at Kovarian.

"Oliver?" River had recognized him perfectly, and now looked even more terrified than before.

"Make the decision, Melody Pond," Kovarian began to warn again.

"R-River they're crazy!" the man, Oliver, was struggling hard. "They're talking about murder and our daughter and I-"

"Daughter?" Avalon repeated just before Kovarian's roaring voice went over hers.

"MAKE THE DECISION!"

"NO!" River exclaimed.

Once again defeated, Kovarian struck with another strategy. With one swift move she had pulled out a gun and shot Oliver on the chest. The man collapsed on the ground.

"NOOO!" River nearly lunged forwards as she saw this happen. The tears were quick to fill her eyes and spill down.

Avalon had gasped with horror. "No, no! You didn't have to do that! Why - why would you do that!?"

River tried reaching Oliver but Kovarian blocked the way. "Please…" River begged her. "He's dying…"

"Yes, what a terrible thing you just did," Kovarian said flatly. "How will she ever forgive you?"

River swallowed hard as she looked over to Avalon. "Please...that's her father. Let her be with him. It's his last moments."

"My father…?" Avalon repeated. Her head was spinning and this time it wasn't because of all the electric shocks she'd gotten recently. "He's my…" She met River's teary gaze and watched her nod. "Oh my God!" She wrestled free from the Silence to run to Oliver. She fell to her knees beside him. "I-I...I don't know what to do, I'm sorry…"

Oliver had very little energy left but he had enough to recognize her. He had seen her already before, once. "My Avalon…"

She swallowed hard and nodded her head. "They say...they say you're my Dad. Is that...is that true?"

Olivia struggled to smile at her, hoping to answer her question. "You have my hair."

Avalon leaned closer to him and nodded again. "I...I guess I do?" Oliver groaned and shuddered a breath. Avalon barely understood what was happening but her eyes were giving out tears. She was so sad; sad over him. "You're my father and you're dying. I've killed you!"

"No, no," Oliver reached out as if to hug her so Avalon cradled his body as much as she could. "My beautiful Avalon. You grow up, you'll be safe...and happy…"

"No, no, no, don't talk like that. If it's all true then-then that means we have a lot of catching up to do. Stay with me please," Avalon pressed a kiss to his cheek, feeling a faint tickle over her skin from his light beard. "You're my Dad, you have to stay with me." Oliver smiled at her one more time before his eyes fell shut. "No! C'mon! No!" Avalon called for him to wake up, pleaded him to, but he was completely still.

River was despondent as she looked over her desk to see Oliver still and eyes shut. "He had...nothing to do with this..." She said to Kovarian in a frail whisper.

"I wouldn't have had to do that if you had just obeyed," Kovarian glowered. "You know the rules. You listen to me or else. Who I shoot next is all up to you."

River's eyes flickered to Avalon beside Oliver. She was crying so terrible it broke her heart. Her daughter had just watched her father die, held him. "What happens to her? If I obey, what will happen to my daughter?"

"I'll wipe her memories of everything that happened to her in these last months then I'll send her to Leadworth where she'll meet your younger self. I hear you guys had a blast in Berlin," Kovarian smirked. She knew that no matter what happened she had already won. Berlin had already happened.

The door flung open again and this time several soldiers stormed in with the famous white astronaut suit. Avalon actually screamed at the sight of it, already terrified from what happened and what she already watched happen.

"Not that! Please, not that!" She held her father's body closer to her, as if somehow he would still be able to protect her. "Not that!"

Two soldiers came to rip her away from her father's corpse and for the suit. River screamed at them to stop while Kovarian laughed. "It's time to choose Dr. Song, we've simply run out of time!"

Author's Note:

It's all going down in the next chapter ladies and gents! So excited to see your reactions! It goes without saying that things will be very different from the show and of course it'll be angsty. Also, just a clarification for the time the passed by. When Avalon says it's been 2 years for her, she means in the TARDIS. Obviously in Leadworth it's still 2011 but for her, it's been 2 years since the beginning of this story!

#ocappreciation #doctor who #11th doctor #dw #dwedit #fd: dw #11th doctor imagines #11th doctor fics #dw imagine #dw fics #doctor who fics #river song #amy pond #rory williams #oc: Avalon Reynolds #fic: falling in temptation

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