#also! I remain pleased that despite jade's obvious feelings she always remains her own person

[booasaur]

Willow (2022) - 1x02

[saiilorstars]

Next Stop, Everywhere

Chapter 16: Jolly Old New York

Fandom: Doctor Who

Pairing: Female OC x 10th Doctor

(Minerva’s face claim: Victoria Camacho)

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Chapter summary: The Doctor takes Minerva and Martha to 1920s New York where they come across the deadly Daleks. Despite their struggles, though, Minerva insists that she must leave the TARDIS.

// Story Masterlist // 

I sat on the doorway of the TARDIS, legs dangling out into outer-space with a sketchpad on my lap and a pencil in my hand. I was busy drawing the very stars in front of me, finding their glow to be completely captivating. I nearly didn't hear Martha's footsteps until she had called my name and tapped my shoulder.

"Sorry, Martha," I smiled, scooting to the left so she could sit down beside me, "Did you need anything?"

"Not really," she took a seat, "I was just curious where everyone was...and why it was so quiet."

"Well as you can see, I'm busy doing this," I gestured to the sketch pad, "And the Doctor is in his workroom. Apparently 'working'."

We both laughed then sighed in content, "So you draw?" Martha eyed my sketchpad, "Never actually seen any of them, you know."

"Yeah, it's sort of a hobby. And, don't take it personal, I'm very shy when it comes to what I draw. I barely show even the Doctor."

"Well, can I see?"

I nodded, handing her the book, "C'mon Martha, I think you're beyond asking that question."

She took it and started flipping through the pages, gasping at some of the drawings and awing at the others, "This is wonderful, Minerva. You're really good. Hey, who's she?" she stopped a page and pointed to the drawing of an elderly woman.

"That's my grandmother."

"She has really pretty eyes," she remarked, glancing between the picture and I, "They're your eyes!"

I chuckled, "Yeah, people always said that."

"Same jade-green eyes," she shook her head, "Did she have your incredibly long hair too?"

"Nah, she kept it short, plus she was blonde," I smiled, remembering the dozens of photos of my grandmother as a teen, "She didn't like it."

Martha flipped the page, tilting her head as she studied the next drawing,"Hey, who are all those people?"

I sighed, looking away from it,"It's...it's mine and the Doctor's old friends."

"As in...the Tyler's?"

"Yeah..." I peered at the drawing, seeing the bright blonde hair that belonged to Jackie and Rose. It was a drawing of the two, Mickey, the Doctor, and myself. I had drawn it for Mickey, since it was going to be his birthday...although that never came since he had left the world.

"And him?" Martha pointed to Mickey.

"That was my best friend, Mickey Smith."

"I thought Rose was your best friend," she looked at me with a genuine confusion.

I never did explain the whole fiasco between Rose and I that fell through. It was a 'story to tell later' but...that 'later' hadn't really come by. Now's your moment. "No Martha...she was definitely not my best friend. In fact, I dare to say she probably hated me."

"Why would she do that? You're incredibly sweet!"

"Martha, not too long ago I asked if I could trust you and you said yes. Once again, I ask that you keep this a secret...please?"

She nodded, "Don't worry."

"The reason Rose probably hated me was because she believed I had a thing for the Doctor, which at that time I did not. But, see, in the beginning when I met both of them, I told them my name was Joy. I didn't tell them who I really was and Rose found out about it. She knew I was using another name and she took it the wrong way."

'Wrong way how?" she raised an eyebrow.

"She sort of threatened to tell the Doctor about my fake name because she was jealous..."

"Threatened?"

"She thought I liked him and so the obvious feeling she got was jealousy. But, I don't get why she would even think that, I mean...she was perfect. If the Doctor was to set eyes on anyone, it would've been her. She had nothing to worry about. I'm just boring old me."

"First of all, you are not boring. Second of all, I wouldn't be so sure the Doctor would have chosen Rose."

"Martha, you weren't there," I said quietly, taking my sketchpad back from her and blankly flipped through pages, "Sometimes they would have those conversations for hours, and I would be there...feeling so left out. I think he forgot that I was there at times."

"Uh, no," she wagged a finger, "You don't know that."

"Yeah, I do."

"No, you don't. He's told me some of the trips you guys took back then and he described in great detail your accomplishments. I think he forgot Rose was there. He kept droning on and on about how clever you were, sometimes even more than him! How calm you were, unlike Rose who was a bit frantic during bad situations. But not you. You were calm and you kept it together to think on a plan to escape. Minerva, that is so not forgetting you."

"But that's what I felt," I sighed, "That's why I stopped traveling with the two. I stayed with Rose's mom, in their apartment. I would go on some trips but I preferred to stay on Earth rather than feeling left out," I paused to think for a moment, "But now...now I have to admit that I don't want to leave. I feel like...this is where I need to be. We've gotten closer and...I don't want to leave."

"Mhm, 'at that time' you said," Martha nudged me,and I noticed the clear smirk on her face that wasn't there two seconds ago, "I got it, Souza."

"Got what?"

She nodded, as if gesturing with her head but I remained confused, just staring at her. "Oh c'mon, I got you. Isn't that what Americans say? 'I got you'?"

"Got me what? Why do you keep saying that?" I frowned, recalling the same words she said to the Doctor in the guinguette.

She laughed, "Minerva! I know why you don't want to leave!"

"That's...great?"

"Don't tell me you don't!?" she exclaimed. I just stared at her until she further explained, "Minerva!" she whacked my arm, leading me to rub it as that did in fact hurt, she was also no frail human,"When you said that Rose hated you because she believed that you had a thing for the Doctor, was that true?"

"What? Of course not!" I looked away, touchy on the subject for some reason.

"And now?"

"Of course not."

"You said that quieter," she pointed a teasing finger at me.

"I did not."

"You're still doing it!" she laughed, poking my arm with her index finger.

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"Martha!"

"Minerva!" she mimicked, putting her hands on her hips.

I sighed, finally looking back at the woman, "We were talking about Rose and now what are we doing?"

"Frankly, I could care less about Rose. She treated my best friend badly and I don't like people like that. But what I do like is how red you are right now because Rose might have been right and you do like the Doctor."

"Do not!"

"Minerva," she nudged me."

"What do you want me to say!?"

"I don't know, you tell me."

I sighed, seeing no other alternative but to speak, "It's...it's weird. See, at first, I thought Rose was delirious to think I actually liked the stupid alien...I just wanted to get to know him, but now..." I rubbed the side of my neck, "Maybe she wasn't that crazy."

"Aha!"

"I don't like him like that..." I looked at her, allowing her to see the doubt in my face, "...I don't think so, anyways. But it's just the time we spent together after she left...sometimes, I find myself looking at him for no damn reason. Or sometimes, I get all...blushing, for no reason!" she laughed as I continued, "I'm serious! We were doing fine up until that stupid kiss he gave me after the hospital!"

"Woah, hold on," her laugh ceased and her eyes widened, "After the hospital? There was a sequel!? Is that what you did before I came along? Snogged all day in the TARDIS?"

"Oh...shut up..." I looked around, feeling another blush come on.

"Explain at once!"

I laughed, passing a hand through my hair, "It was nothing really. Just a simple kiss afterwards to make up for my not-so-great first kiss. He made it up."

"And you say it so calmly?"

"How else am I supposed to say it?" I raised an eyebrow, "It's not like it meant anything for either of us."

"Either of you?"

"Yes."

She smirked and laughed again, "Minerva, you're actually quite innocent sometimes. Have you ever liked a guy before?"

"No," I waved her off, "There was no time for that."

"So there's never been at least one guy that was interested in you?"

"Well...see, my mom had this friend, Angela, and she had this son, Evan, and we were both the same age and..."

"Got it," she held her hand, cutting me off, "Tried to do the impossible to get you together?"

I nodded, "Yeah. We were like twelve! My mom kept insisting we just spend time together, supervised of course, but I never saw Evan as anything more than a robot."

"A robot?" she laughed.

"He does what he's told and is completely rude! He never wanted to do what I wanted to do. He never listened to me nor cared about what I needed. He was conceited, agh!"

Martha laughed even more, "But the Doctor's quite cocky on his own, remember?"

"Yeah, but, I don't know..." I shrugged, "..it's not the same. When he does it, it's not like he's trying to be rude or anything; it's just him. But when Evan did it, he wanted to be rude. He was arrogant about it, and not the 'he's actually really kind inside' arrogant, just plain arrogant."

Martha's laugh had stopped, but a big grin plastered on her face, "And the 'he's really kind inside' arrogant is..."

"The Doctor, of course," I shrugged, "He's not really arrogant, though, never could be. He's really kind. But why do you ask?"

She blinked, silence falling for a minute or to before she playfully knocked on my head, "Hello? Is the Clever Girl at home or...?"

"What?" I laughed as I pushed her hand away.

"Okay, clearly you've never liked a guy and so much less knows what happens when a guy likes a girl. You haven't seen the looks, have you?"

"What looks?"

"The ones you find yourself doing when the Doctor isn't looking, those are the same ones he gives you when you're not looking."

"Don't be silly," I waved her off.

"You two may be oblivious but I'm not. I'm taught to be observant for my profession and I see what you two stupidly can't."

"Can just move on from topics, please?"

She paused and looked out to the stars, suddenly nodding, "Okay, okay," she sat straight and looked ahead, "Minerva, who brought you here? I mean, here here. This view for you."

"The Doctor," I answered, not finding the importance of the question.

"Okay, and why did he bring you?"

"Because I asked for a good view to draw?"

"Aha, and did he obey without asking a question?"

"Well...yeah."

"Aha, so...what does that mean to you?"

"That he's just trying to keep me happy."

"Yeah, something he's so keen on doing!"

"And? What's the problem with that?"

"Nothing, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. The little looks you give each other are nothing bad," she fiddled with her fingers casually, "You know, like in the guinguette...god, you two were so close and looks were thrown everywhere," she shook her head, smiling nonetheless, "And what do you have to say about the horse riding, hmm?"

My looking away gave me out, apparently, "What...what are you talking about?"

"I'm just saying..." she swayed her head, acting as if all this was just some casual talk, "...his arm around your waist all the time, your hand on his all the time...refusing to let him go when we tried teaching you to ride on your own. You two rode back still together."

"I was scared of the horse so he didn't let me ride on my own!"

"And beyond that, he didn't want to let you go. Didn't you see that?"

"Martha, stop. Just...just stop. I already felt confused and I don't need that in my life. I'm just drawing," and I quickly returned to just that, blushing madly that I hoped she wouldn't see.

"I'm just saying, don't be so quick to think it's a one way connection," she patted my shoulder as she started getting up, "And don't discard the fact you may have something for him too..."

"It's wrong, Martha, it shouldn't happen. Not ever."

"Why?"

"Because of Rose, alright? It can never happen because he was in love with her, is in love with her..."

"He...he what?" that got her to really think.

"He and Rose were in love with each other, okay? Rose was jealous and perhaps she was right, I should have stayed away from him because perhaps they actually were together and I was just an intruder. He could still be in love with her, for all we know. And my life is already complicated enough to add a heartbreak. So whatever feelings may be developing have to stop. They will stop."

"But...but if everything I'm saying is true, you can't just decide to stop feeling. If your heart wants to, it will happen."

"But it can't! It won't, I'll make sure of it."

"That's not how it works. Your heart will have the final word. And like I said, don't be so quick to believe this thing is only a one-way like, it could be responded."

"Don't be ridiculous," I returned to my sketchpad, losing all focus of what exactly I was drawing.

She chuckled, "Oh you poor thing, you have no idea what's to come."

"No, I can't tell the future." I muttered, opening the sketchpad to my unfinished drawing.

"Me neither, but I have my eyes open and so should you," she finally stood on her feet and dusted herself off, suddenly gasping a minute later, "Doctor?"

I nearly fell out of the doorway, terrified for my life the Martian had heard even the most minimal detail of our conversation, "Oh my god," I mumbled to myself, hugging my sketchpad, gripping the thing so hard it was actually leaving a mark on my fingers.

"Did you, um...did you..." even Martha was shifting on her feet, fearing of being caught.

"Whatever you heard was not my fault," the Doctor said instead, sounding afraid...?

"Heard...what?" I glanced over my shoulder, finding him with his hands raised up.

"There may have been an explosion..." he said slowly, quickly jumping on his next words when he saw Martha and I gape, "Just a tiny one! Don't worry!...but don't go into the kitchen."

"Why?" Martha questioned.

"There may be...um," he scratched his head, "Some yogurt...on the floor...and the walls...and, " he cleared his throat, "...everywhere else," he mumbled fairly low.

"What were you trying to do, Martian?" I finally turned around on the floor, moving a little off to the side so I wouldn't fall back.

He mock glared, still disliking his new nickname I had appropriated for him even if though it'd been some time since it had become his, "I was trying to make a smoothie. Martha makes really good ones."

"And how does yogurt explode?" Martha asked, biting on her lip as the hint of a laugh spread on her face.

"Very messily."

I laughed and shook my head, now relieved that it looked like he hadn't heard anything due to the explosion, "You are no longer allowed in that kitchen without supervision."

"Oi, you're prohibiting me from entering a room in my spaceship?"

"That's pretty much what I said, yeah," I nodded.

"Listen, Souza, I do as I like," he said, trying to sound authoritative but it never worked with me.

"And look where that's got you? You just ruined our kitchen."

"It was an accident!"

"I'm curious though, how bad of a cook must you be to mess up a smoothie?" I smirked, now having to bite my own laugh back.

"...just..." he shifted, frowning at his loss of words.

"I mean, it's no rocket science, you just put everything in a blender and push a button. How could you get that wrong?"

"Shut up!"

"Shall I have to teach you how to make a smoothie?"

"You have so much more to learn from me so I'd button it up!"

"As big of a genius you might be, I know how to make a smoothie...and you don't."

"Minerva!" he shouted, exasperated.

Martha and I just laughed, "Okay, why don't I go check out that...explosion thing, in the kitchen," Martha suggested, "Meantime, you discuss where we're going next."

"Or I can teach him how to use a blender," I muttered, sniggering when I heard a grumble from the Doctor.

"Two-way connection!" Martha 'discreetly' coughed before running off.

"You're very snappy today," the Doctor muttered, making his way over as I took back my seat at the doorway, "An awful lot of sass means Minerva's feeling better!"

"Well, I will admit it's been a good day," I shrugged, skimming through a few pages of my sketchpad.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, all serious now.

He'd do this often now. We'd have a good laugh, or a good day, or whatever, and then in the end, when Martha was gone and it was just us two he'd ask 'how I was feeling'. Ever since the guinguette, he'd taken extra precautions with me. I wouldn't be able to lock myself like I had done for the week after I visited Liv's burial site. I was encouraged to talk more, either to him or Martha or both, they didn't care as long as I talked to someone. I admitted I liked this extra attention from him but beyond that, I liked the feeling of freedom. I wasn't afraid to let things slip, because now he and Martha knew about my background. I could say things freely now, and it was so refreshing. It was like a big weight had been lifted off my shoulders. And because of that, because of that big step I had taken, the Doctor was worried I'd fall into a relapse, hence the question of 'how are you feeling' being asked every day.

I sighed, "...okay, I guess."

"What are you drawing?" he asked, scooting closer and peering down to my drawing.

"Uh...st-stars," I scooted just a bit away, feeling that blush again, "It's um...it's for this art assignment I forgot to do."

"Best one they'll see," he looked up with a grin, enforcing that blush with his closeness.

"Aha," I looked down to the drawing. Martha was wrong, she had to be. And to make sure nothing happened, I had to take cards into the matter. I couldn't allow for anything to happen beyond friendship. And being so early, perhaps I could stop it. And luckily enough, I had the perfect excuse that in reality wasn't entirely an excuse; it was something that had to be done sooner or later.

He took the book from me and started to skim through the old drawings.

"Speaking of class..." I said slowly, "...um...I really need to get back to class," he looked up from the book, the idea seeming so out of nowhere for him, "I dread to think how many days I've possibly missed. I'm almost done and I wanna finish so I can finally graduate."

"We can go back later, maybe after our trip," he shrugged.

"No, Doctor, you're not getting it..." I took a deep breath, getting ready to speak the words I never wanted to say in my life, "...I need to stay on Earth again."

"Wh-what?" the sketchpad fell to his lap, his eyes wide with shock.

"I'm falling behind again and I won't allow it. I'm almost eighteen now, and if I keep it up I won't graduate until I'm twenty-one!"

"But...but we're supposed to travel together," he mumbled, "We're supposed to get to know each other..."

"But look, we did, you know a lot more about me now. And, I know a lot more about you."

"But I want to know everything!"

"There's no reason we can't continue doing that. It's just, I'd be living on Earth again, that's all."

"But...where would you stay?"

"Um...I don't know, maybe at Ami's. She's an old friend of mine...maybe I could stay with her until the year finishes up."

"And us? You would stop travelling?"

"I really want to keep doing it," I looked at him sadly, the look he wore wasn't helping either. It was like I was severely disappointing him, "But I also need to focus on my education. No offense but, whenever I'm with you things sort of seem to escalate."

He looked down, "Yeah, it does doesn't it?"

"But it's not your fault," I quickly said, putting a hand on his arm, "It's just...this time that we've spent, it's been...amazing," I paused, remembering the guinguette for some reason. It was my favorite and I definitely would want more trips like that, "But... it's also given me a reality check. One day, you're going to get tired of me-"

"Don't say that," he shook his head.

"But it's true-"

"It's not," he cut me off, looking up with a deep determination in his eyes, "I will never get tired of you."

I faintly smiled, believing his assurance for the moment, "Okay, but even apart from that, one day I'm gonna age. One day, I'll be an old woman who can't travel anymore. And then what? If I don't have a high school degree I can't have anything on Earth. And I want to remain on earth after my travels are done. I love Earth and that's where I want to be buried-"

"Please don't," he took my hand, gripping it so tight it actually, kind of hurt for a moment.

"But it's true, Doctor. One day you're going to be standing on my grave. At least I hope you'll spare me a visit once in a while."

"Stop."

"You don't want to hear that I'll die?"

"No, I don't ever want to hear that. Not you, not Martha, not Rose..."

"Right," I looked to the star-view, cringing a little at the last name. I felt guilty because the blonde and I had gotten into such a predicament that he didn't know about and would never know about. I would not tarnish her memory. But if she was here, and she knew what might be happening...I didn't even want to imagine.

"I don't like endings," the Doctor mumbled.

"Well, this isn't an ending," I scooted closer, my hand still in his, "Think of it as a...pause button. But it's not a permanent pause. We can travel on weekends and on holidays. Heck, we can even travel in the nights, as long as you swear to return to me before the sun rises so I can get a few hours of sleep."

I felt terrible but...I also had to think of myself. By leaving, I could end any developing feelings and return to the regular friendship we shared. Plus, as much as he denied, one day he would get tired of me. If not tired, then a burden. I'd be older, much older...and I'd have to move on with my life on Earth. For that, I'd need minimum a high school degree. I'd need something to help me in those later years. This was for the good, for both causes.

"But it's not forever," I spoke again, reminding him, "Unlike Rose, I will be back. I'll be back on weekends, and on free days."

"Minerva, I get what you have to do. Just don't expect me to be happy about you leaving," he said quietly, looking down at our hands, "I'm happy for you. Because if you think this is what you need to do to be better, than I'm happy for you. And I'll accept your departure."

"So...we're okay, then?"

"Yeah, but just...promise me something?"

"Anything."

"Don't forget about me?" he looked up, sad eyes gazing into mine, "I don't want to be alone."

"Oh Martian, that'll never happen," I chuckled lightly, "I'm just going to be gone for five days of the week. Though for you, it could just be every five minutes. It's not that bad, honestly."

But he stayed silent.

"Doctor?" I called softly.

"Come here, you," he sighed, letting go of my hand and draping his arm over my shoulders, pulling me in a side-hug. "If it's for your best, then it'll be fine. We'll be fine."

~0~

The Doctor was the first to step out of the TARDIS into this new place he had brought us. He hadn't told us where it was he was going to bring us, but he promised it'd make me very happy. So naturally, I believed him. He always made happy, why would this be an exception?

"Where are we?" Martha asked as she stepped out, me following behind her.

"Ah, smell that Atlantic breeze. Nice and cold. Lovely," the Doctor glanced back at us, "Minerva, mind introducing us to your friend?"

"Oh my god that's the Statue of Liberty!" I cried happily, seeing the great big statue in front of us.

"Gateway to the New World.. 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to break free..."

"This is brilliant! I've always wanted to go New York. I mean the real New York, not the new, new, new, new, New..." I laughed excitedly, giving him a hug, "Oh my god! Thank you! This is absolutely fantastic!"

"Paving the way for a good recuperation, then?"

"Definitely, Martian boy!"

"Martian boy?" Martha cleared her throat, making us turn back to her.

"Minerva, I told you to stop," the Doctor muttered, nudging me.

I giggled, "Forget it Martha, only I call him that."

She gave us a smile and raised her hands in defense, "Got it."

"How about no one calls me that?" said Martian suggested.

"It's a bit late for that," I patted his arm and turned away, the two following me to the end of the island, looking out to the great city, "I love this city," I sighed, happily.

"I wonder what year it is 'cause look, the Empire State Building's not even finished yet," Martha pointed.

"Work in progress," the Doctor shrugged, "Still got a couple floors to go and if I know my history, that makes the date somewhere around-"

"Year 1930," I smiled.

"Precisely November 1st, 1930," Martha added

"Hey, you're getting good at this."

"I had help," Martha waved a newspaper, "Minerva's just smart."

"History is one of my favorite topics," I flashed a grin.

The Doctor took the newspaper from Martha and looked at it.

"Eighty years ago. Unfunny cause you see also those old newsreels in black and white like it's so far away, but here we are," Martha gestured to the city, "It's real. It's now. Where do we go first?"

But the Doctor remained reading the newspaper, and by the face he was making, I knew something was wrong. Martha noticed it to and walked over, peering over his shoulder.

"What is it, Martian?" I asked just as Martha looked up from the newspaper.

"Hooverville Mystery Deepens". What's Hooverville?" she looked up in confusion.

~0~

We walked along Central Park. It was a beautiful park...if it wasn't for the tents and shacks across from us.

"So is anyone gonna explain?" Martha asked again, still lost on the Hooverville topic.

"Well this is my country," I sighed, "Herbert Hoover was our 31st president of the United States. Up till then New York was a boom town, the Roaring Twenties, my god I love that era, but not as much as the 50's," I smiled, the two shaking their heads, "Rambling, right, sorry. Anyways, he came to power a year ago and sadly went into the Great Depression with us."

"The Wall Street Crash, yeah?" Martha inquired, "That was 1929."

"Our whole economy went down the drain. There were thousands of people unemployed. Suddenly the huddles masses doubled in number with nowhere to go. So they ended up here in Central Park," I gestured to the dozens of tents and shacks placed ahead of us, random barrels spread around the community.

"What? They actually live in the park? In the middle of the city?" Martha raised an eyebrow.

"Well, they lost their jobs. They lost everything, Martha. There's places like these all over the country."

"But you only come to Hooverville when there's nowhere else to go," the Doctor said, sighing.

We heard shouting coming from the little community and so we ran to go see what it was. It saddened me to see it was two men fighting over a loaf of bread; that's what our people come to in desperate times. We moved further along, watching the two men argue it out, pulling the loaf of bread back and forth.

An older man finally went up to the two men and pushed them apart, "Cut that out! Right now!"

"He stole my bread!" one of the men pointed at the other.

"That's enough," the older man said before glancing at the accused man, "Did you take it?"

"I don't know what happened. He just went crazy," the accused tried to say before the other man lunged at him.

"That's enough!" the older man kept the one who lunged back, "Now think real careful before you lie to me."

The accused sigh, "I'm starvin Solomon."

Solomon held out his hand to the accused, receiving the stolen bread, "We are all starving," he said, breaking the bread in half, "We all got families somewhere," he handed each man a half, "No stealing and fighting. You know the rules. Thirteen years ago I fought in the Great War. A lot of us did. And the only reason we got through was because we stuck together. No matter how bad things get, we still act like human beings. It's all we got," and he sent the pair along.

"Now that's a mediator," I praised, the Doctor already heading towards Solomon.

"I suppose that makes you the boss around here," the Martian said to the man.

Solomon turned around, "And, uh, who might you be?"

"I'm the Doctor. These are Minerva and Martha."

"A doctor," Solomon scoffed, "Well, we got, uh, stockbrokers, we got a lawyer, but you're the first doctor. Neighborhood gets classier by the day," he walked to a barrel with fore and warmed up his hands.

"How many people live here?" I looked around, spotting a little girl that was crying her eyes out on the floor.

"At any one time, hundreds. No place else to go. But I will say this about Hooverville. We are a truly equal society, black, white, all the same. All starving," he laughed, "So you're welcome. All of you. My name's Solomon if you need anything."

"Mhm, thanks," I mumbled, my eyes fixated on the little girl. I took a few steps towards her while Solomon spoke, not paying attention until a key question popped out.

"But how come they have enough money to do that, and we got people starving in the heart of the city?"

I stopped and looked over to the Empire Building, knowing it was true.

I shook my head and shifted my focus again to the girl and walked over to her, "Hi," I waved, "I'm Minerva, and call me nosy but, I'd like to know why such a pretty little girl is doing on the ground crying her eyes out," her eyes looked up, letting me see their icy blue tinge, "What's your name?"

"Karina," she sniffled.

"Hi Karina," I said, softly, sitting beside her on the ground, "What's wrong?"

"My Daddy's gone."

"What do you mean gone?"

"He's missing," she looked up, "Now I'm alone."

"And your mother?"

"She went to go look for him...but she's not coming back. They've been taken," she cried harder.

"Oh, no, don't cry," I scooted closer to her, "I'm sure they'll be back. Just wait."

"No, they won't," she shook her head.

"How old are you?" I asked, trying to figure it out already.

"Nine."

"Tell you what, Karina, I will go and look for them. Yeah?"

"But them you'll disappear. I don't want anyone else disappearing."

"I won't disappear," I assured.

"Minerva?" I looked ahead and saw the Doctor motioning me to follow.

"I'll go and see if I can find anything okay," I ruffled her brunette curls. I stood up and followed the Doctor and Martha into Solomon's tent.

"People ate missing," I directed myself to Solomon, "Two parents to be exact."

"It's not just two," he shook his head.

"But what does missing mean?" the Doctor asked, "Men must come and go here all the time. It's not like anyone's keeping a register."

"But this is different," I clarified.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because parents don't just leave their 9 year old on their own," I crossed my arms, "Not unless their mine, anyways."

"She's right," Solomon nodded, gesturing for us to sit, "Someone takes them. At night. We hear something. Someone calls out for help. By the time we get there, they're gone. Like they vanish into thin air."

"And you're sure someone's taking them?" Martha questioned.

"When you've got next to nothing, you hold onto the little you got. Your knife, blanket, you take it with you. You don't leave bread uneaten, fire still burning."

"Have you been to the police?" the Doctor asked.

"We tried that. Another deadbeat goes missing, Big deal. It's not taken serious."

"So, the question is, who's taking them and what for?" the Doctor said, more to himself.

"Solomon, Mr. Diagoras is here," a young man poked his head into the tent.

We followed him out and saw a man at the head of a crowd, "I need men. Volunteers. I got a little work for you and you sure look like you can use the money."

"What's the money?" the young man who had brought us out yelled.

"What's the work?" Solomon questioned.

"A little trip down the sewers," Diagoras replied, "Got a tunnel that collapsed, needs clearing and fixing. Any takers?"

"A dollar a day is a slave's wage," Solomon said, "Men don't always come back up, do they?"

"Accidents happen."

"What sort of accidents?" I asked, calling out his much-too-calm response.

"You don't need the work? That's fine. Anybody else?"

The Doctor raised his hand. I looked at him with confusion, "What are you doing?"

"Volunteering," he smiled.

"I'll kill you," I spat before raising my own hand, a few seconds later Martha following.

~0~

The Doctor, Martha, Solomon, Frank and I found ourselves in an old, smelly sewer while Diagoras gave instructions.

"Turn left. Go about half a mile. Follow Tunnel 273. Fall's right ahead of you. You can't miss it."

"And when do we get our dollar?" Frank, the young man, asked.

"When you come back up."

"And if we don't come back up?" the Doctor asked, already suspicious.

"Then I've got no one to pay," Diagoras said, sounding wicked.

"We'll be back," Solomon assured.

Martha and I looked at each other, both uneasy about this little trip, "Let's hope so," we mumbled.

"We just gotta stick together. It's easy to get lost," Frank said as we walked, "It's like a huge a rabbit Warren. You could hide an army down here."

"So what about you, Frank?" I glanced at him, "You're not from around these parts, are you?"

"Oh, you got me. I'm from Tennessee, born and bred. And you?"

"California."

"Not doing so well either, I hear," he smiled, apologetically.

"'Fraid not," I shrugged.

"So how come you're here?" Martha jumped into the conversation.

"Uh, my daddy died. Mama...couldn't afford to feed us all. So, I'm the oldest, up to me to feed myself. I put on my coat, hitched up here on the railroads. There's a whole lot of runways in camp younger than me. From all over: Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas...Solomon keeps a lookout for us. So what about you? You're with the overseas brethren."

"We're just hitchhikers," Martha said, chuckling.

"You stick with me, you'll be all right," he assured.

I chuckled, "I don't mind."

"So this Diagoras bloke," the Doctor cut in between us, "Who is he then?"

"A couple of months ago, he was just another foreman," Solomon replied, moving up as well, "Now it seems like he's running most of Manhattan."

"How did he manage that, then?"

"These are strange times. A man can go from being King of the Hill to the lowest of the low overnight. It's just for some folks it works the other way 'round.

"Whoa! What is that?" I pointed ahead to a green blob on the ground.

"Let me see," the Doctor walked past us and knelt down before it, taking out his glasses and picking that blob up.

"Ugh, don't touch it," I frowned as Martha and I joined him.

"Is that radioactive?" Martha asked, pinching her nose to rid herself of the fowl smell it gave off.

"Shine your torch through it," he ordered, giving it a sniff. Martha moved her torch beside him, "Composite organic matter. Medical opinion, Martha?"

"Definitely not human."

"It's not. And I'll tell you something else. We must be at least half a mile in and I don't see any sign of a collapse, do you? So why did send us down here?"

We started looking around, nervously.

"There's no collapse anywhere," I observed, feeling ridiculous for not noticing as fast as I should've. My mind was just not working so well with so many things going on, "Mr. Diagoras was lying then."

"But why did he want people to come down here?" Frank asked.

"Solomon, I think it's time you took these three back. I'll be much quicker on my own," the Doctor said, not taking his eyes off the blob. We heard a squealing sound coming from across.

"What the he'll was that?" Solomon demanded.

"What if it's one of the folk gone missing?" Frank asked, "There hasn't been any bodies found...you'd be scared, half mad down here on your own."

There were more squeals heard, but still no body.

"I've never heard nobody make a sound like that," Solomon said in a hushed tone.

"That's because it doesn't sound human," I muttered.

The Doctor stood up and walked a little ahead. The squeals wouldn't stop, instead, there were more, "This way."

"No, that way," Solomon moved his torch to another tunnel.

"Look!" I pointed to a figure on the ground right where his torch had passed.

"Who are you?" Solomon called.

"Are you lost?" Frank joined in, "Can you understand me? I've been thinkin' about folk lost…" he started walking for the figure but the Doctor kept him back.

"It's all right, Frank. Just stay back. Let me have a look," he walked for the figure that still remained in place, only a few non-human squeals coming from it, "He's got a point, though, my mate Frank. I'd hate to be stuck down here on my own. We know the way out. Daylight. If you want to come with us," he squatted in front of it, shining a light on the figure that indeed was not human, more like a pig! "Oh, but what are you?"

"Is, uh, that some kind of carnival mask?" Solomon asked.

"No, it's real," the Doctor sighed, "I'm sorry..." he said to pig man, "Now listen to me. I promise I can help. Now, who did this to you?"

"Doctor, you should get back...right now," my voice trembled as I watched the shadows that had fallen over in the tunnel, growing closer to us.

"You're not one to get scared so easily," he remarked, glancing over, "Unless it's horses..."

"Kinda makes you think, doesn't it?" I watched the other pig men standing across, "There's no horses around so..."

He looked back and finally saw the shadows, "Good point..." he stood up and backed away, rejoining us.

"They're following you," Martha whispered.

"Yeah, I noticed, thanks," he replied, backing us away, "Well then, Minerva, Martha, Frank, Solomon..."

"Yeah?" Martha and I asked.

"Um, basically...run!" he turned around and did just that.

We ran up to a cross-section, where we remained in confusion as to which way to take.

"Now what?" I looked around.

"This way!" The Doctor made a sudden turn, the rest of us rushing to catch up, "There's a ladder, c'mon!" he went up the ladder first and used the screwdriver to open up the lid.

Martha and I were pulled up first, and as Solomon was coming up I noticed we were now in a storage room with many props.

"C'mon Frank!" Solomon called, he and the Doctor working to get the man up.

"I've got ya!" the Doctor exclaimed, and we were just able to see a pair of hands when he was slipped back down.

"No!" I cried, running back to them.

Solomon pushed the Doctor aside and consequently, myself, then shut the lid closed, "We can't go after him!"

"You're damn crazy!" I snapped, "We have to go back!"

"Solomon, we can't just leave him!" the Doctor agreed.

"I am not losing anybody else! Those creatures were from Hell, Hell itself! If we go back, they'll take us all! Now, there's nothing we can do. I'm sorry."

"All right then. Put 'em up," a pitchy voice ordered. We looked back and saw a blonde woman holding up a gun straight for us, "Hands in the air and no funny business," we did as told and put our hands up, "Now tell me, you schmucks, what've you done with Lazlo?"

"Um, who's Lazlo?" Martha asked, timidly.

~0~

"Lazlo's my boyfriend," the pitchy-voiced woman finally answered, having taken us to her dressing room with her gun. She sat at a table, explaining, "Or was my boyfriend until two weeks ago. No letter, no goodbye, no nothin'. And I'm not stupid. I know some guys are just pigs but not my Lazlo. I mean, what kinda guy asks you to meet his mother before he vamooses?"

"It might...might just help if you put that down," the Doctor stared after the gun as she waved it absently at us.

"Huh?" she looked at the gun, realizing she still had it, "Oh, sure," she threw it back, "Oh, c'mon, it's not real. It's just a prop. It was either that or a spear."

"What do you think happened to Lazlo?" I asked.

"I wish I knew," she frowned, sadly, "One minute he's there and the next, zip! Vanished."

"Listan, uh...what's your name?" the Doctor asked.

"Tallulah."

"Tallulah," he repeated, nodding.

"3 L's and an H."

"Right. Um, we can try to find Lazlo, but he's not the only one. There are people disappearing every night."

"And there are creatures," Solomon added.

"Whaddaya mean 'creatures'?" Tallulah raised an eye brow.

"Listen, just trust me. Everyone is in danger. I need to find out exactly what this is," the Doctor pulled out the blob from his pocket, "Because then I'll know exactly what we're fighting."

She leaned back on her chair, "Ew!"

"And how exactly are you planning to do that?" I asked, crinkling my nose at the smell.

"I'm gonna need pieces," he turned around.

"I'm thinking the prop room might be a good start?"

"Good idea."

"In fact, I saw something I think you could use, sort of metallic and stuff," I turned back for the door and walked out, hearing his immediate calls after me.

"Minerva, I'd prefer for you to stay back with Martha and Tallulah."

I turned around abruptly, causing him to bump into me, "Let me think about that...no," I continued on my way only to be pulled back, "Oh c'mon, Martian, I can help. I know the basic thing you want is a DNA scan on that blob so-"

"Wow you are stubborn-"

"Yeah, I get that from my mother," I patted his shoulder, "But I'm serious. Plus, if this is gonna be my last trip, at least let me be useful."

He took hold of my arms and brought us back towards Tallulah's door, "You're always useful. But this is sort of out of your range."

"Oh? You always say I'm clever...what's changed?"

"This is a bit different and you don't want to know what it is."

"So you know what it is, then?" I raised an eyebrow, "Or are you just lying to me?"

"I wouldn't lie to you..."

"And who guarantees that? I seem to recall your first rule..." I smirked, "You lie."

He pretended to gasp in shock, "You listen to me?"

I gave him a look that said I'd kill him in the next second, "Listen, Martian," I gripped his arms and made a determined face, "Nothing is gonna keep me from helping you. Now, I don't think I'm committing a crime, am I? Somehow, I believe that this is just your pride being in danger."

"My pride!?" he repeated, looking indignant of such a thing, "Of what?"

"That I won't listen to you in front of all these people. You gave an order-"

"I do not give orders!"

I smirked, knowing this was my chance to slip away and go for the storage room. This Martian was just as stubborn as I was, only he was at the wrong times! "Aha..." I let go of his arms as he made an attempt to defend himself.

"I am against giving orders!"

"Aha..." I ducked underneath his arm and hurried to get away, "But you're telling me to stay back so..."

"Nice try, Souza," he grabbed my arm and pulled me back, "You may be clever but I am always one step ahead of you."

I rolled my eyes as I was returned to the wall once more, "Idiot."

"Show off."

"Says the pompous alien."

"Says the sassy human."

"At least this sassy human can use a blender."

"Minerva," he gritted his teeth.

I leaned up, smiling sweetly, "Yes?"

"Stop it," he ordered, leaning down.

"Or what?" my smile grew as I felt him closer.

"Or I'll..."

The door beside us open, and out came the others we had seemingly forgotten about for a moment there. Huh, how'd that happen there?

"Did you forget the problem here?" Martha raised an eyebrow.

I know this was probably inappropriate but I couldn't stop smiling. As the Doctor moved back, I ran a hand through my hair and felt my face warm up.

"Minerva?" Martha called again, a sharp look on her face.

"Yes?" I looked at her, a laugh threatening to come out of my mouth.

"The storage room? For the blob?"

"I'll do it!" the Doctor exclaimed, already backing away from us.

"That's what you were supposed to be doing!" Martha snapped.

"Right..." he rubbed his neck, pausing for a moment, "Solomon, you coming?"

"I don't know...may I?" the man raised an eyebrow.

The Doctor mock glared before turning around and walking off. Solomon just shook his head, smiling as he followed the alien. I watched the two go off before walking back inside the dressing room. When I entered the room, I found both Martha and Tallulah standing across with their arms crossed and smirks on their faces.

"What?" I asked, closing the door behind me.

"No, no," Tallulah raised her hands, "If you'll excuse me, I have a show to do. Give me a couple of minutes."

I raised an eyebrow, watching her leave, "Um..."

"Minerva," Martha called, sounding like a tease as she strolled over, "What happened out there?"

"Nothing...I just wanted to help and, well..." I shrugged.

"Minerva..." she tilted her head as she linked an arm with me, leading us back to Tallulah's vanity desk, "...I keep secrets you know."

"Nothing happened, Martha. We just got...distracted," I looked the other way, "Seems to happen a lot nowadays."

"You don't say," she chuckled, "It's like you two forget I'm there."

I looked at her serious, "Really? Martha I don't want you to feel that way," and under no circumstances did I want for that to happen. Martha would not end up like me, not if I had anything to do with it.

"It's alright," she patted my arm, "It's actually quite funny. You get under his skin really good."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" I tilted my head, her tone just not settling with me.

"It's just what I see," she shrugged.

I sighed, letting a smile slip, "I don't know, I like messing with him. It's pretty fun because he always has a comeback."

"Those aren't comebacks between you, that's flirting."

"No," I immediately said, "That can't be it."

"Why are you so keen on denying it?"

"I told you, it can't, and I'm taking care of it."

"Taking care of...how?"

I shrugged, looking away, she'd know later on when I left the TARDIS, "Just, taken care of, believe me."

She stared curiously, but didn't have a chance to question further when Tallulah returned to us, now dressed as an angel. She took a seat on her vanity desk, sighing as she did her make up.

"Tallulah, are you okay?" I asked, quietly, knowing it was a stupid question to ask but there was nothing else I could really do.

"It's Lazlo...he'd wait for me after the show and walk me home like I was a lady. He'd leave a flower for me on my dressing table. Every day, just a single rose," she looked at the one rose on her desk.

"Well haven't you gone to the police already?"

"Sure. He's just a stagehand. Who cares? The management certainly don't."

"Can't you kick up a fuss or something?" Martha tried.

"They'd fire me."

"But you're the star!" I exclaimed, "They have to listen to you!"

"Oh honey, I got one stone in a back street revue and that's only because Heidi Chicane broke her ankle, which had nothing to do with me whatever anybody says. I can't afford to make a fuss. If I don't make this month's rent, then before you know it, I'm in Hooverville," she put down her brush and stared at the mirror. Martha and I stared sadly at her, there was nothing left to say. "It's the depression, sweeties. Your heart might break, but the show goes on and if it stops, you starve. Every night, I have to go out there, sign, dance, keep going. Hoping he's gonna come back..." she started sobbing.

Martha and I quickly rushed to her and gave her a big hug.

"It'll be alright. He'll come back. Because we'll find him," I offered a comforting smile for her, "You'll see."

"You're lucky, though," she patted my hand then began wiping her tears, "You got yourself a forward thinking guy with that hot potato in the sharp suit."

"Ha!" I laughed, "We're not...we're not together."

"Sure you are. The way you two looked at each other back there, and how close you were..."

"That was an accident!"

Both women scoffed and shook their heads, Martha giving me a sharp look afterwards, "Oh Minerva, you know you don't believe that."

"You should just stop," I smiled, embarrassed, "We're not. He had a friend and they were..."

"Had," Tallulah raised a finger, "Had."

"And it's like I said," Martha stepped beside me, "I'm not so sure he would've chosen Rose."

I sighed, "Can we just get back to what's important? Tallulah's grief!" I put my hands on her shoulders.

She chuckled, "You're one strange girl."

"I've been told."

""Every day I get one of these though," she picked up the rose from her desk, "Just like always."

"Do you think it's Lazlo?" I asked,taking the rose from her, stroking the petals as I remembered my beautiful crocus that was set beside my bed, still as fresh as ever...

"I don't know...I just want to know, if he's still around, why's he bein' all secret like he doesn't want me to see him?"

Martha and I looked at each other, no answer emerging from either.

~0~

When it came time for the show, Martha and I stood on the side of the stage and waited for Tallulah to come out.

"Do you think it's really him, though?" Martha asked, "Lazlo?"

I sighed, "I don't know. All this is strange."

"You know, I think it is," she crossed her arms, "One flower a day, just like always, it has to be him."

"Something tells me he never actually left," I scanned the area, as much as I could behind the curtains, "No one leaves a rose every day after 'disappearing'."

"Oh, I don't like what you just said," she frowned, peering out through the curtain as well, "The Doctor's right, I don't like it when you're clever and right all the time."

"When has he said that?" I asked, amused at her sudden scowl.

"All the time. It'd be really useful for you to not be so right!"

I chuckled, "I'll try my best then."

As we watched the show begin, we forgot about the problem at hand and watched Tallulah emerge on stage, looking gorgeous as ever and with such a flashy smile that no one would ever guess she was going through a heartbreak.

"Minerva," Martha suddenly shook my arm, "Look!" she pointed ahead.

I looked and saw what I assumed was another pig man standing on the other side of the stage, "But...it's not moving or attacking."

"We should see!" Martha rushed out on stage before I could reply.

"Martha!" I called. She hid behind the dancers, causing havoc, "Martha!" I ran out as well.

"What are you doing!?" demanded Tallulah as the poor dancers fell back with us scrambling through.

"Tallulah, look!" I yelled, pointing ahead.

She did but screamed at the sight, making every other girl do the same as they looked over.

"No! He's different!" Martha ran after the pig man.

I groaned as I stood up and ran after her, "For goodness sake's Martha!" I caught up in the prop room where she was desperately looking around, "What are you doing? It could be dangerous!"

"He's gone!" she turned to me.

"But what if it was a trap?" I asked, making her rethink everything.

"It was different," she assured, "It would've just attacked."

"You could be right or maybe this was the trap right here!" I pointed, slightly irritated with her slip,"Leading us to a room where no one's around and-" I felt something grab me from behind and pull on me, making me sigh, "I hate you Martha!"

But she had also been grabbed, "Maybe it was a trap!"

"Yah think!?" I snapped, "You better let me go you...you pig!" I wrestled for my freedom but to no avail and so, "DOCTOR!"

~0~

Martha and I were forced back into the sewers by pig-men. If it wasn't scary under here, and the possible looming death, I would've shouted at her for falling into the trap. Then again, she seemed so certain about that pig-man we had been chasing that perhaps this time I was wrong.

"Let us go!" Martha cried, struggling to be free as we were pushed against a wall.

More humans, along with pig-men, were coming by.

"You're gonna be damn sorry!" I snapped, pushing a hand, or a paw, or whatever the hell they had for hands, away from me.

"Martha? Minerva?" Frank came down the line with the humans and stopped beside us, giving us both a hug.

"Oh thank goodness you're alive!" I exclaimed, "I thought we'd lost you!" One of the pig men pushed us forwards and forced us to walk with the rest. "Where are they taking us?" I asked Frank, quietly.

"I don't know."

We reached a tunnel where people were being kept in a crowd.

"What are they keeping us here for?" Frank asked.

"I don't know. I've just got a nasty feeling that we're being kept in the larder," Martha shook her head.

The pig men around us started squealing, like they were nervous or something.

"What're they doing? What's wrong? What's wrong?" Frank panicked.

"Silence. Silence," a horrible voice ordered.

I felt my heart stop when I immediately knew what the voice belonged to, "Oh no..."

And out glided a Dalek.

"What the hell is that?" Martha blinked.

"You will form a line. Move," ordered the Dalek.

"...Daleks," my voice shook as the Dalek passed us, "Now I'm afraid. I'm really, really afraid."

"Why? What does it do?" Martha glanced over, noticing my trembling, "You're so pale..look like you've just seen a ghost."

"Or death itself."

We were pushed into a line of two, leaving space in the middle for someone to walk through...or in this case, a Dalek.

"Just do what it says!" I exclaimed, as some of the humans tried to struggle, "Just obey..."

"The female is wise. Obey!" another Dalek strolled on.

"Report," the first Dalek ordered.

"These are strong specimens. They will help the Dalek cause."

"I'm sorry?" I raised an eye brow.

"What is the status of the Final experiment?"

"The Dalekanium is in place. The energy conductor is now complete."

"Then I will extract prisoners for selection."

One of the pig men brought an older man up to a Dalek. The Dalek used its socket and scanned him, "Intelligence scan. Initiate. Reading brain waves. Low intelligence."

"Are you calling me stupid?" the man snapped.

"This one will become a pig slave."

And the man was pulled away by the pig men. The Dalek moved onto us, scanning Frank first.

"Superior intelligence," it concluded, moving onto Martha, "Intelligence scan. Initiate. Superior intelligence," and finally, me,"Superior Intelligence."

"They will become part of the Final Experiment."

"You can't experiment on people!" Martha exclaimed, "It's insane! It's inhuman!"

'We are not human," the Dalek turned to her, my heart beating ever so fast at the thought of it harming her, "Prisoners of high intelligence will be taken to the transgenic laboratory."

And after more scans, two new lines were formed and we were forced to continue our walk. I felt my legs barely useful at a time like this as I looked at the Daleks in front of me. Because of them, I lost Mickey and Jackie. Much more, the Doctor had lost Rose. Together, we had lost everything, for the second time. Everything from the battle started rushing through my head, the urge to burst out crying rising and rising.

"Just keep walking," I heard the Doctor say from behind.

"Oh am I glad to see you," Martha sighed, relived.

"Yeah, well, you can kiss me later. You too, Frank, if you want."

"How about you get us out of here, instead?" I nearly cried.

"Working on it."

"I'm serious, Doctor. I can barely feel my legs right now and if it wasn't for these pigs I'd drop and bawl up into sobs," I looked around, frantically.

"No need for that."

"The last time they were here they took everything from us and I don't want them to do that again. I'm scared. I'm really scared-"

"Don't," he grabbed my hand, "We won the last time-"

"But we lost so much," my voice broke, unintentionally gripping his hand, "What if this time I end up in a parallel world? Or Martha? Or you?"

"Not this time," he muttered, "No one will leave this time. We'll make it. I'll make sure of it."

And for some reason, I calmed down a bit afterwards.

~0~

We were brought into a lab above land that was filled with chemicals on dozens of tables as well as weird machines around the lab.

"Report," a Dalek said.

"Dalek Sec is in the final stage of evolution," a second Dalek responded.

"Scan him. Prepare for birth."

"Evolution?" the Doctor repeated, confused as the rest of us were.

"What's wrong with old Charlie boy over there?" Martha nodded over to a Dalek that seemed almost restrained?

"Ask them."

"What me? Don't be daft."

"I'd do it..." I spoke up, doing my best to put aside my fear to help.

"I don't exactly want to get noticed...and no offense Minerva, but you don't look so good," both of them trailed me up and down, my face probably still pale as a ghost, "Martha, ask them what's going on," he gently pushed her upfront.

Seeing no other choice, Martha took a deep breath and finally spoke, "Daleks, I demand to be told. What is this Final Experiment? Report!"

"You will bear witness," one replied.

"To what?"

"This is the dawn of a new age."

"But what does that mean?"

"We are the only four Daleks so the species must evolve a life outside the shell. The Children of Skaro must walk again."

Just as it finished speaking, the shells of the 'restrained' Dalek opened and out came...I don't even know. It had a HUMAN body, no doubt, but the face...it looked more Dalek. Just one eye and tentacles, just as the Doctor had once described to me in one of his stories. But this was a hybrid.

"I am a human Dalek. I am your future," 'Dalek Sec' responded, very slowly...yet equally terrifying as the others.

"That's Diagorus..." Frank said, disgusted at the hybrid, "Those are his clothes alright..."

"I am a human Dalek," Dalek Sec said, me definitely finding his voice to be similar as the human Diagorus, "I am your future. These...humans, will become like me."

"Over my dead body," I muttered, looking it up and down.

"That is exactly what we need," another Dalek replied, "Prepare them for hybridization."

"Leave me alone! Don't you dare!" Martha swatted the pig men away from her.

As they drew us together, a song started playing and caused everything to stop.

"What is that sound?" Dalek Sec demanded, desperately searching the room as were the rest.

"That would be me," the Doctor walked out with a radio in hand, "Hello. Surprise. Boo. Etcetera."

"Doctor," Dalek Sec declared, although it didn't sound like it was trying to be threatening.

"The enemy of the Daleks," a Dalek said.

"Exterminate," another Dalek ordered, that sounding like the common response.

"Wait," Dalek Sec cut in.

Something told me this 'hybrid' was not getting the memo of destroying the Doctor...

"A new form of Dalek," the Doctor walked towards them, the radio set down on a table, "Fascinating and very clever."

"The Cult of Skaro escaped your slaughter."

"How did you end up in 1930?"

"Emergency Temporal Shift."

The Doctor scoffed, "Oh, that must have roasted up your power cells, yeah?" he walked around, "Time was, four Daleks could have conquered the world but instead your skulking away, hidden in the dark, experimenting," he took a deep breath, turning for the hybrid, "All of which results in you."

"I am Dalek in human form."

"And what does that feel like? You can talk to me, Dalek Sec. It is Dalek Sec, isn't it?" he moved around the hybrid, "You've got as name and a mind of your own. Tell me what you're thinking right now."

"I feel...humanity. I...feel...everything we wanted from mankind, which is ambition we wanted from mankind, which is ambition, hatred, aggression and war. Such...a genius for war."

"That is not what humanity means," I spat, not about to let them defame all of humankind, "You've yet to learn who we really are."

"I think it does. At heart, this species is so very...Dalek."

I frowned, becoming more irritated and defensive, "No we are not. Believe me, nothing will ever compare to what you kind can do," my eyes teared up as I thought about Mickey and Jackie, even poor Rose who came the closest to dying and nearly trapped in the Void, "Nothing that has a heart can ever measure up to you..."

"Alright, alright," the Doctor cut in, eyeing me curiously, silently asking if I would be okay. I gave him a small nod and he continued, "Let me just tell you what you achieved with this Final experiment... nothing! Cause I can show you what you're missing with this thing," he walked back to the radio, "Simple little radio."

"What is the purpose of that device?" a Dalek demanded.

"Plays music. What's the point of that? Oh, with music, you can dance to it, sing with it, fall in love to it," he glanced at me, smiling softly, "Helps a man distract his friend when she needs him."

I nodded, recalling all the ridiculous amount of music he'd filled my head with lately, to refrain any of my little 'episodes'. Even Martha would join in and suddenly, I'd find the console room turned into a dance floor. But neither of them would listen to me when I said I didn't really listen to any music, but Martha made it a 'goal' to introduce me to new artists and songs, something that would discreetly help me as well. And while it was admittedly fun to dance at random moments, it was also very amusing to see the Doctor. He seriously could not dance. But it was touching that he made the effort to help cheer me up. I appreciated the gesture and him very much.

"Unless you're a Dalek of course. Then it's just noise," the Doctor used the sonic and created a higher pitch noise from the radio, causing the Daleks to go crazy, even the hybrid was trying to cover its...ears? "Run!"

And at light speed, we ran!

~0~

We returned back down into the sewers, running as fast as we could. On our way, we bumped into Tallulah and brought her along on the chase.

"But what's happened to Lazlo!?" She cried.

We couldn't really answer...so we didn't. The Doctor returned us to the ladder from which we originally entered and made us go back up. "Let's go! Hurry up! All of you!"

~0~

Back in the temporal safety of Hooverville, we tried to calm ourselves and inform Solomon of our discoveries.

"These Daleks, they sound like the stuff of nightmares. And they wanna breed?" Solomon asked, sounding frightened at the thought.

"They're splicing themselves into human bodies. If I'm right, they've got a farm of breeding stick right here in Hooverville," the Doctor said, "We've got to get everyone out."

"Hooverville's the lowest place a man can fall. There's no where else to go."

"I'm sorry, Solomon. You've got to scatter. Go anywhere. Down to the railroads, travel across the state, just get out of New York."

"There's got to be a way to reason with these things."

I scoffed, "Not a chance. They will take everything from you."

"You ain't seen 'em, boss," Frank shook his head.

"They're impossible," agreed Martha.

"Daleks are bad enough at anytime, but right now they're vulnerable and that makes them more dangerous than ever," the Doctor warned.

We heard a whistle blow followed by the yelling of a man, "They're coming! They're coming!" a Sentry ran towards us.

Solomon stood up, "A sentry. Maybe he saw something."

"They're here! I seen 'em! Monsters! They're monsters!"

"It's started," the Doctor stood up.

I felt my stomach churn as we looked around at the frantic people, wanting to push back the memories of Torchwood but somehow they just kept coming back, "Doctor," I looked around, doing my best to be as emotionless as possible.

"We're under attack! Everyone to arms!" Solomon ordered.

"We need to get out of here, not stay and fight," Martha argued, "Minerva, what's with you? You're pale..."

I put a hand on my face, "I can't help it, it's Torchwood. It's the Battle of Canary Wharf its..."

"Hard, I know," the Doctor nodded, understanding completely, "But it's not like that anymore. This time, this time we could have a chance."

"What happened at Torchwood? What is Torchwood?" Martha looked between us, lost on the subject.

"I haven't told you about Torchwood," I turned to her, "I'm sorry."

"Hold on, that's where Adeola worked," she frowned as she started making the connections.

"I know, I'll tell you later," I assured.

She nodded, then hugged me for some reason, "Don't let these creatures ruin your recuperation, don't give them that satisfaction."

I nodded, hugging back, seeing the Doctor agree with a nod as well. I faintly smiled and reached for his hand, hugging my best friend and holding the hand of someone I cared for deeply, all the support I needed to help me keep going.

Frank returned with his weapon, ready to go, "I'm ready, boss. Find a weapon all of you, use anything!" Frank returned to us, the men of the community already gathering their own weapons.

We ended our moment and remembered the problem we faced.

"Come back! We gotta stick together!" Solomon shouted after the running community members, "It's not safe out there! Come back!"

The pig men started pouring in from all sides, not allowing any escape plans.

"We need to get out of the park," Martha suggested.

"I don't think we can," I frowned, seeing the pig men stationed at every possible side, "They're surrounding us and drawing everyone back towards us."

"We're trapped!" Tallulah cried, "Now what!?"

"We stand together," Solomon stepped up, "Gather around. Everybody come to me. You there, Jethro, Harry, Seamus, stay together," everyone was gathered into a tight spot, just waiting, "They can't take all of us!" and they started firing.

"If only we could hold them off till daylight." Martha looked around, frantically.

"Those are just the foot soldiers..." the Doctor said, quietly, looking up.

"And they fly..." I mumbled, my eyes fixated on the flying Dalek above us.

"What in the world..." Solomon lowered his weapon.

"It's the devil. A devil in the sky. God save us all. It's damnation," the sentry cried.

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that!" Frank fired at the Dalek but was very much disappointed to see it had made no trace.

"That's not gonna work," the Doctor lowered Frank's gun.

"There's more!" I pointed up.

The other Daleks joined in and together fired at the settlement, causing fires to erupt, "The humans will surrender," one of them said.

"Leave them alone!" the Doctor shouted, "They've done nothing to you!" Solomon stepped up but he quickly pulled him back, "No, Solomon. Stay back."

"I'm told that I'm adressin' the Daleks, is that right?" Solomon said, then moved up to the front, speaking to the Daleks, "From what I hear, you're outcasts,too."

"Solomon, don't," the Doctor repeated his warning.

Solomon looked back, "Doctor, this is my township, you will respect my authority. Just let me try."

The Doctor shook his head and stepped back with the rest of us.

"You're not just gonna let him do this, are you?" I whispered.

"I can't!" he pointed, "You saw."

I sighed, "I saw...and I'm also seeing another death."

"Daleks...ain't we all the same? Underneath, ain't we all kin?" Solomon set his weapon on the ground, "'Cause, see, I just discovered this past day God's universe is a thousand times the size I thought it was. And that scares me. Terrifies me. Right down to the bone. But it's got to give me hope...hope that maybe together we can make a better tomorrow. So I...I beg you know if you have any compassion in your hearts then you'll meet with us and stop this fight. Well...what do you say?"

"Exterminate!" one of the Daleks yelled and killed him instantaneously.

"No!" Frank yelled, running to where Solomon had just been, "No! Solomon!"

"They killed him. They just shot him on the spot," Martha gaped.

"Because that's what they do, they take," I muttered, staring up at the devils in the sky.

"Daleks!" the Doctor yelled, angrily, opening his arms out for them, "Alright, so it's my turn! Then kill me! Kill me if it'll stop you attacking these people!"

"He needs to stop doing that!" I snapped, wanting to smack him for putting himself in that situation, but also wanting to pull him back to safety, "Volunteering to be killed first helps no one!"

"Unfortunately, he won't listen," Martha smiled, warmly, "Don't worry."

But I stared on, watching the idiot calling his own death once more.

"I will be the destroyer of our greatest enemy," the Dalek announced.

"Then do it! Do it! Just do it!" the Doctor beat on his chest repeatedly, "Do it already!"

"Extermin-" it just stopped midway, "I do not understand. It is the Doctor."

"The urge to kill is too strong," another Dalek said.

"I...obey," and the Dalek seemed to back away in the air.

"What's going on?" the Doctor asked the question we all had.

"You will follow," the Dalek instructed.

"No! You can't go!" I exclaimed, stepping up.

He looked back, "I've got to go. The Daleks just changed their minds. Daleks never change their minds."

"But what about us, then?" I asked, quietly, "We're gonna die without you."

He looked at the crowd then back to the Daleks, "One condition. If I come with you, you spare the lives of everyone here! Do you hear me?"

"The humans will be spared," the Dalek agreed, "Doctor...follow."

"You can't leave us," Martha said, "We're coming with you."

"Stay here. Do what you do best. People are hurt. You can help them. Let me go."

Martha sighed, looking down but I continued to stare, "There's nothing for me to do here. I'm terrified, please don't leave us."

"Minerva!" I heard a soft little voice in the midst of the crowd. Little Karina was pushing herself through the people until she finally ran up to me, throwing her arms around my waist, "I'm scared. Please don't go."

The Doctor smiled, softly, "I think someone else needs you right now."

I looked down to Karina, knowing no one else would protect her but me. It was like that natural instinct to protect the younger, like a big sister would to their little sister; like Liv protected me from the monsters. I sighed, nodding at the Doctor, "Just be careful then..."

He nodded, and with that, he followed when suddenly he looked back and returned, giving Martha and I a quick hug, "And can I just say, thank you very much."

~0~

"Did you find my parents yet?" Karina was asking me as I helped Martha heal a man.

"Um," I looked to Martha and Tallulah, "Well...you see..."

"Oh honey, it's best to tell her," Tallulah smiled dimly, "Sooner or later she'll find out."

Martha nodded in agreement and gestured for me to take the little girl away and explain to her that her parents would never return. I sighed and turned to Karina, leading her a short distance away from the others.

"Where are they?" Karina tilted her head, "I'm scared, Minerva. I want my Mom and Dad."

I knelt down in front of her, preparing myself to speak the most horrible words the little girl would ever hear in her life, "I'm really sorry," I looked at her icy blue eyes and saw she really had no idea what happened, "I couldn't find your parents. And, I doubt I really will...Karina, I think they're dead."

"But...but they...no..." her eyes became watery, "I want my Mom and Dad. I want them here!" she stomped her foot and started to cry, "I want my Mom and Dad! Minerva, I want my parents!"

"I'm really sorry, honey," I pulled her for a hug, rubbing her back as she wept, "Really."

"But I'm too little to be by myself. I don't know how to do anything. I'll die too."

"No you will not," I pulled back and made her face me, "For that same reason of being young, you are not gonna die. You have a lot to live for."

"But I want my Mom and Dad," she cried again.

"Hey, listen, my parents aren't with me anymore. Granted, they're not dead but I don't live with them anymore and look at me...don't I seem fine?" she sniffled and nodded, "And you could do even better than me! You've got the big city to live in! And tell you what, I'm Californian but I gotta admit New York is one of the best states ever."

She faintly smiled, "Yeah?"

"Oh yeah! And is Karina going to cry and never get to know her city?"

"Well...no..." she swayed her hard, fiddling with her fingers.

"Exactly!"

"Minerva?" Martha walked over, Tallulah right beside her, "I think we have to go."

"What? Why?" I frowned, "Where?"

She took out the Doctor's psychic paper and grinned, "Something tells me."

"When did you get that?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, little sneak slipped it in without me noticing. Probably when he hugged us goodbye."

"Okay, but where are we supposed to go?"

"I can't think of anything."

"Minerva," Karina tugged on my sleeve, "I'm cold."

I looked down at her, disliking the idea of having to leave her. But, if I left, I could help the Doctor and stop the big threat over her life and that actually sounded really nice, "Okay, I have to go somewhere but I will be right back."

"What if you don't come back? Like my Mom and Dad?" she frowned.

"I will," I assured, "Now go into your tent and don't come out, okay? And if anything happens here, you run. Do you hear me? Run as fast as you can!"

"Please be careful," she hugged me tightly, "You're the last thing I have now. You can be like my big sister, is that okay?"

I stroked her hair, smiling softly, "That would be very okay."

I pulled from our hug and Karina ran off to her tent. I turned to the others, ready for the task ahead, "Alright," the two quickly straightened up and listened, "Back in the sewers, do you remember what the Daleks had said? Something about um...an energy conductor?"

"Dalekanium!" Martha exclaimed.

"They said it was in place."

"But in place where?" Tallulah asked.

"Frank might know," Martha said, already turning for our friend and walking over, Tallulah and I following behind, "Frank? That Mr. Diagoras was like a fixer, wasn't he? Got you jobs all over town?"

"Yeah, he could find a profit anywhere," Frank sighed.

"Where?" I asked, "What kind of things?"

"You name it," Frank shrugged, "We're all so desperate for work, you just hoped Diagoras would pick you up for something good. Building work. That pays the best."

"What sort of building work?"

"Mainly building that," he pointed to the Empire State building.

"Oh, boy," I breathed in, staring the building up and down and taking its great altitude in.

~0~

"You know, I always wanted to go to the Empire State," Tallulah remarked as we went up in an elevator of the Empire State Building.

"Me too," Martha agreed, "Just...never quite imagined it like this."

"Where are we headed anyways?" Frank asked.

"Up," I pointed, "That's where they're still building."

"But how come those guys just let us through?" Tallulah asked, "How's that thing work?"

"Psychic paper. Shows them whatever I want them to think. According to this, we're three engineers and an architect."

"Let me see that," Frank snatched it from me and took a look, "Hey, it does."

I chuckled as I took it back just as the elevator opened, "Anyways, we're here and we've got a job to do."

We walked out to the top floor, finding it to be a construction mess.

"Look at this place. Top of the world," remarked Tallulah.

"Now this looks good!" Martha ran over to a desk with papers, "Its architectural plans!"

We rushed over to her and peered down.

"Look at the date," I pointed, "These were issued today, meaning they changed something at the last moment."

"You mean the Daleks changed something?" Martha asked.

"I think so."

"The ones underneath, they're from before. That means that whatever they changed must be on this top sheet but not this one. We need to check one against the other!"

"The height of this place! This is amazing!" Tallulah was still in shock, now by the great open window which held a view of the city I presumed.

"Careful, we're a hundred floors up. Don't go wandering off," Frank warned.

"I just wanna see," she waved him off.

Martha and I spread out the plans on the floor and started studying them.

"I'll go and keep an eye out, make sure we're safe up here. Don't want nobody buttin' in," Frank said as he walked past us.

"There's a hell of a storm movin' in!" Tallulah looked out to the sky.

"Okay, okay, if we could just figure this out," I looked intently from one plan to the other before sighing, "But I don't know what I'm looking for. The Doctor would know. I'm useless."

"No, you'll figure it out. You're just as clever as he is," Martha put a hand over my shoulder.

I sighed, "Now's not the time for lies, Martha."

"I'm serious," she smiled, "He said so himself; he only takes the best."

"Please, he took me in because Rose said no," I muttered, forcing myself to continue looking, when I realized what I just said.

"What?" she stopped me from studying the plans, "What did you say?"

I looked at her, slowly coming to terms of my reality that I never even realized before, "When he first asked us to come along, Rose said no. Then he asked me, and foolishly, I said yes. So he only invited me because she turned him down. I was...I was a second choice plate," I shook my head, wanting to smack myself for never realizing it, "...I was second best."

I never thought of it that way...what would have happened if Rose had said yes? Would the Doctor have even remembered me? He seemed so enthralled with Rose that maybe he probably would have just left me there along with Mickey. Then what would I have done?

With so many thoughts like this, I stopped scanning and shut my eyes, "Martha, I'm second best."

"Minerva Souza, I am so done with you trying to belittle yourself!" Martha frowned, "You act like you're nothing to the Doctor and the world. You're so focus on those lies that you don't even see the way he acts around you, you don't see the way he looks at you," she started speaking softly, even Tallulah walking over and nodding in agreement, "You are so focus on picking out your insecurities that you don't stop to see that you're the top woman on his list. And apart from that, you don't see what you've done. Before getting into any kind of relationship, you need to understand, you need to know what you have done for the world."

I looked at both women for a moment, almost falling for it, "I shouldn't even be thinking about that," I shook my head, feeling totally ridiculous for using this time to talk about all this. I swallowed hard and once more forced myself with great struggle to look at the plans.

"Minerva, I don't like seeing you so sad," Martha looked at me with great sorrow, only increasing my emotions, "Especially when none of it is true. I don't get how someone so special, so strong, can have those kind of thoughts about herself. Is it because of your mother? Because of your guilt?"

"It doesn't matter, Martha," I mumbled, "It's just the truth, let it go."

"But it's not. It's really not. And maybe after this I'm gonna sit you down and give you a big lecture on why you're wrong. I'll even give you hardcore examples if I need to!"

"Martha, it's alright."

"No, it's not."

"Yes it is."

"No-"

"Martha!" I exclaimed suddenly, making both women flinch, "Maybe this is not the time to tell you all this but yeah, okay, I feel second best. I always do because there's these moments where I feel like...the Doctor's not really seeing me. He's seeing Rose again. It like there's times where he doesn't consider my aptitude, my skills, my remarks, as good as Rose's. And it kills me, alright? It shouldn't bother me this much but it does because I want him to see me and only me, not some girl that's never going to come back. She's gone but I'm still here..." I started sniffling, hating Martha so much for making me say all these in the worst place possible, but also needing one of her supporting hugs she offered.

She smiled softly, putting a hand on my shoulder, "Sounds like a lot of emotions for someone who doesn't want to even feel something for a man."

"Yikes, wonder what would happen if she did like him," Tallulah nudged her, both smiling and shaking their heads.

"Just know Minerva, that you're not second best," Martha assured, "A second best to a ghost? Are you kidding me!?"

She was wrong, they were wrong, I could never have anything beyond friendship with the Doctor and it would stay like that. I shook my head and really focused this time one the plans, "Aha! I got it!"

"But Minerva-" Martha tried returning us to the conversation.

"Martha, shut up! Look at this!" I pointed to the big difference of the two plans, "On the mast. Those little lines? They're new. They've added something, see?"

"But added what?" Tallulah asked.

"Martha, you said it before," I glanced at her, smiling big, "Dalekanium!"

"I told you, you were as clever as the Doctor!"

We heard the elevator doors opening and saw the Doctor and Lazlo running in out of breath, Frank coming up behind them.

"Doctor! Come here!" Martha called, "We worked it out! Well, Minerva did! Come!"

"Yeah, there's Dalekanium on the mast," I pointed as Martha stood up and was given a hug by him.

"That is fantastic!" he exclaimed as I got up, "Brilliant work!" he hugged me next, leaving a sloppy kiss on my forehead, "As always."

I smiled as he let go, catching the look Martha was giving us from the corner of my eye, and quickly stopped, "Thanks..."

There was a ding coming from the elevator doors and we looked to see them closing.

"No, no, no, no!" the Doctor ran back to them, trying to use the sonic on the panel, "Ah! It's a deadlock seal! I can't stop it."

"But where's it going?" Martha asked, confused.

"Right down to the Daleks. And they're not going to leave us alone up here. What's the time?"

"11:15," Frank replied.

"Six minutes to go. I've got to remove the Dalekanium before the gamma radiation hits."

"Gamma radiation? What the heck is that?" Tallulah frowned.

We led the Doctor to the opening of the room that overlooked the city, "Oh, that's high," his eyes widened, "That's very...Blimey, that's high."

"And we've got to go even higher," I pointed up, "The mast is up there, look. There's three pieces of Dalekanium at the base. We've got to get them off."

"That's not 'we'. That's just me," he corrected.

I raised an eye brow, "You're not gonna keep doing this. I will not stand here and watch you just go and possibly kill yourself...again!"

"You're gonna have your hands full anyways. You have to stay here and fight. I'm sorry but they're coming...and you're gonna have to fight."

~0~

"The lift's coming up," Martha said, as we waited for just that while holding makeshift weapons. "

"I shoulda brought that gun," Frank muttered.

"Tallulah, stay back. Martha and Minerva, you too," Lalzlo stepped up in front of us, "If they send pig slaves, they're trained to kill."

"Sorry, but the Doctor left us here to fight, and whether we want to or not, we're gonna do it," I frowned.

"They're savages. I should know. They're trained to slit your throat with their bare teeth," he suddenly collapsed on the floor.

"Lazlo?" Tallulah quickly helped him up, "What is it?"

"No, it's nothing. I'm fine. Just leave me," Lazlo struggled to keep on his feet. He fell back to the floor and we helped him against the wall.

Tallulah knelt down beside him and put her hand to his forehead, "Honey, you're burning up. What's wrong with you? Tell me."

"One man down and we ain't even started yet," Frank sighed.

Martha suddenly looked to open space behind us, "The storm!" she pointed,"Meaning, lightning...meaning..." she smiled, suspiciously.

"Martha, what are you thinking of?" I asked as she ran across the room.

"No time, just help me, clever girl!" she motioned for me to join.

"Okay!" I rushed over, "Whaddya need?"

With Frank's help as well, we set up rods above the ground and led them all the way towards the elevator.

"What the hell are you clowns doin'?" Tallulah asked, still trying to get Lazlo better.

"Even if the Doctor stops the Dalekanium, this place is still gonna get hit. Great big bolt of lightening, electricity all down this building. Connect this to the lift and they get zapped," Martha explained.

"That could work," she blinked, surprised.

"Then give us a hand!" Frank exclaimed.

She did, slowly, but she did. At last, we finished and not a moment too soon.

"Is that gonna work?" Tallulah asked.

"It's got to," Martha nodded.

"I trust it," I said, looking at Martha with a smile, "And I trust Martha."

She smiled back, "Thanks Minerva!"

"I've got it all piped up to the scaffolding outside," Frank said.

"Come here and sit in the middle and don't touch anything metal," instructed Martha.

We all huddled into the corner of the room and awaited the pig men to arrive. A lightning bolt struck down and was sent through the rods, electrifying all the pig men as they started coming out of the elevator.

"You did it, Martha," I stood up, rushing up to the dead pig men, "You got them all."

She didn't seem too happy about that as she stared on, rigidly, "They used to be like Lazlo. They were people and I killed them."

"No, the Daleks killed them," Lazlo corrected, "Long ago."

"But what about the Doctor?" I suddenly remembered, already running for the Martian, "Oh, he better be alive! Or I'll kill him!"

~0~

"There he is!" Martha pointed to the unconscious alien by the mast.

"Oh, he better be alive!" I rushed over to him, kneeing beside him, "Doctor! Doctor! C'mon, wake up!"

He began to groan, putting a hand on his head as he started coming around, "My head..."

I looked to the others, sighing in relief, "He's alive."

"Hey, you survived," he smiled, glancing at me.

"So did you, I'm glad to say," I helped him sit up, "Do I want to know what happened here?"

"I, uh...was electrocuted," but he groaned as he rubbed the side of his head, "Why do I always get electrocuted when I leave you?"

"It's a sign telling you I'm always right and you should listen to me more often!"

"Nice try," he pointed before bringing us to our feet.

"Um, I can't help but notice there's still Dalekanium still attached," Martha pointed.

"The Daleks will have gone straight to a war footing. They'll be using the sewers, spreading their soldiers out underneath Manhattan."

"How do we stop them?" Lazlo asked.

"There's only one chance. I got in the way. That gamma strike went zapping through me first."

"And that means?" Martha raised an eye brow.

"We need to draw fire. Before they can attack New York, I need to face them. Think, think, think, think. We need some sort of space, somewhere safe, somewhere out of the way. Tallulah!"

"That's me. Three L's and an H," she stepped up, grinning.

"The theater! It's right above them and, what, it's gone midnight? Can you get us inside?"

"Don't see why not."

"Is there another lift?"

"We came up in the service elevator," I said.

"That'll do!" he exclaimed, moving to run off again.

"Hold on!" I grabbed his arm, pulling his back, "I think you might need this," I pulled out his screwdriver.

"Oh, yes!" he grabbed it excitedly, "Allons-y!"

He ran off again, leaving the others to just stare at me with a big question on his stupid word, "I-I don't know about that word. Let's just go," I shook my head and followed the alien.

~0~

We ran into the dark theater which was empty save us...for the moment.

"There ain't nothin' more creepy than a theater in the dark," Tallulah remarked, shivering at the sight.,"Listen, Doctor, I know you got a thing for show tunes but there's a time and place, huh?" Lazlo collapsed into one of the seats beside her, "Lazlo, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just so hot." He complained, shaking his head.

"But...it's freezing in here." Tallulah frowned, "Doctor, what's going on with him?"

He was busy with the screwdriver and barely listening, "Not now, Tallulah."

"What are you doing?" Martha asked.

"If the Daleks are going to war, they'll wanna find their number one enemy. I'm just telling them where I am," he held up the screwdriver in the air and turned it on, "Now I need you all to go. Frank can take you back to Hooverville."

"I have had just about enough of this," I snapped, "We're not going this time."

"That was an order."

Martha stepped beside me, "But this time I'm with Minerva. No more splitting up."

"Look you two-"

"NO!" I yelled, shutting him up for once, "Now you listen and listen well, Martha and I are staying and you are gonna like it do you hear me? This is my last trip in a long time so I am gonna stay do you understand!?"

Martha turned to me, catching the last part with shock, "Wait, what do you mean 'last'-"

But the doors burst open and in came the human-daleks carrying weapons.

"Oh my god! Well I guess that's them then, hun?" Tallulah backed away.

"Humans with Dalek DNA," I stared at the line forming around us.

"Just stay calm and don't antagonize them," the Doctor instructed.

An explosion from the stage made all of us go down behind the seats. The Doctor was the first to peer back up.

"The Doctor will stand before the Daleks," that irritating voice called.

"Stay put," he muttered then got up and stepped over the seats.

"You will die, Doctor. It is the beginning of a new age."

"Planet Earth will become New Skaro."

"Oh and what a world," the Doctor shook his head, "With anything just the slightest bit different ground into the dirt. That's Dalek Sec. Don't you remember? The cleverest Dalek ever and look what you've done to him. Is that your new empire? Hm? Is that the foundation for a whole new civilization?"

We stood up and found the Daleks on the stage, along with a chained up Dalek Sec.

"Now we will destroy our greatest enemy, the Doctor," a Dalek said.

"But he can help you," Dalek Sec insisted.

"The Doctor must die."

"No, I beg you, don't," Dalek Sec seemed sincere in his intentions.

"Exterminate!" another Dalek exclaimed, shooting forwards.

Dalek Sec stood up just as the beam shot through and was killed.

"Your own leader. The only creature who might have led you out of the darkness and you destroyed him," the Doctor looked on with disgust, "Do you see what they did?" he glanced to the human Daleks, "You see what a Dalek really is? If I'm gonna die, let's give the new boys a shot. What do you think, eh? The Dalek-Humans. Their first blood. Go on, baptize them," he opened out his arms for them.

"Dalek Humans, take aim," ordered a Dalek.

They hybrids aimed their weapons to the Doctor.

"What are you waiting for? Give the command!" the Doctor cried.

"I'm gonna kill him," I muttered to Martha.

"Exterminate!"

I shut my eyes, already trembling. When I heard nothing, I opened an eye and found everything as it was: the hybrids had failed to shoot.

"Exterminate!" the Dalek ordered again but nothing happened.

"They're not shooting," I said, looking to the Doctor, "What did you do?"

"You will obey. Exterminate."

"Why?" a man suddenly asked.

"Daleks do not question orders."

"But why?"

"You will stop this."

"But...why?"

"You must not question."

"But you are not our master. And we...we are not Daleks."

"No, you're not, and you never will be," the Doctor nodded then turned back to the Daleks, "Sorry, I got in the way of the lightening strike. Time Lord DNA got all mixed up. Just that little bit of freedom."

"If they will not obey, then they must die," the Dalek shot down the questioning hybrid.

"Get down!" the Doctor shouted.

We got down behind the seats just as the sound of shooting took over the room. We heard explosions but couldn't get up from our spots until they all stopped. When the shooting ceased, we peered up and found the Daleks were gone...but the hybrids weren't. In fact, they stood rigid, but alive.

"It's alright. It's alright," the Doctor walked over to them, "You did it. You're free."

Suddenly, they held their heads and screamed in agony.

"No!" the Doctor yelled as they all collapsed onto the ground, "They can't! They can't!"

"What happened!?" I looked at all the dead bodies.

"What was that?" Martha asked.

"They killed them. Rather than let them live. An entire species," he stood up, completely enraged and teeth gritted, "Genocide."

"One o the Dalek masters must still be alive," Lazlo said, "Only two were destroyed.

"Oh, yes. In the whole universe, just one."

He went ahead after it. I didn't even make an insistence on accompanying him this time. He was furious and I admitted it actually scared me...and I wanted to be no where near that.

~0~

"Doctor, he's sick!" Martha exclaimed as we helped Lazlo into the lab of the Daleks.

As we set him on the floor, I took a look around and found there was no Dalek and by the Doctor's face, it must have escaped.

"It's his heart," Martha explained, "It's racing like mad. I've never seen anything like it."

"What is it, Doctor?" Tallulah asked, "What's the matter with him? He says he can't breathe."

"It's time, sweetheart," Lazlo very faintly smiled.

"What do you mean 'time'? What are you talking about?"

"None of the slaves...survive for long. Most of them only live a few weeks. I was lucky. I held on cause I had you. But now...I'm dyin', Tallulah."

"No you're not. Not now, after all this," she shook her head, "No. Doctor, can't you do something?"

"Oh, Tallulah with three L's and an H...Just you watch me!" he took off his coat and threw it to the side, "What do I need? Oh, I don't know. How about a great big genetic laboratory? Oh look, I've got one," he gestured to the whole room then turned to us, "Lazlo, just you hold on!" And he ran around the room, mixing up chemicals and solutions, "There's been too many deaths today. Way too many people have died. Brand new creatures and wise old men and age-old enemies. And I'm tellin' you right now, I am not having one more death. Got that?" he turned back and ran, "Tallulah, out of the way!" he pulled out a stethoscope and put it on, "The Doctor is in!"

~0~

"Well, I talked to them," Frank walked towards us. The Doctor, Martha, Tallulah, Lazlo and myself had awaited him at the park while he tried convincing Hooverville to take in Lazlo, "I told them what Solomon would've said and I reckon I shamed one ore two of them."

"What did they say?" the Doctor asked.

"They said yes."

"Oh!" Tallulah hugged Lazlo excitedly.

"They'll give you a home, Lazlo. I mean, uh, don't imagine people ain't gonna stare. I can't promise you'll be at peace but, in the end, that is what Hooverville is for, people who ain't got nowhere else."

"Thank you," Lazlo nodded, "I can't thank you enough."

Frank smiled, nodding his head.

"Minerva!" little Karina ran from the community, "You came back!"

I chuckled, stumbling back with her abrupt hug, "Of course I did."

"I thought you were going to die!"

"No, I have a lot to do still before my time comes," I looked down at her as she pulled away, "Just like you do."

"I'm alone now..." she backed away, her gaze on the ground, "...what am I going to do?"

I knelt down in front of her, "Karina, I have some friends that could definitely help you out," I turned her to the others, "That's Frank, Lazlo, and Tallulah. Say hello."

She stepped up, sheepishly looking from one to the other, "Hello."

"Frank, do you think you could maybe look after her?" I asked, "I want to know she's gonna have people with her."

He nodded, "I've got siblings of my own. I know how to deal with them."

Karina looked back to me, "Are you gonna leave now?"

"Uh...yeah," I nodded.

She pouted, and I thought she'd end up crying she threw her arms around my waist, "I'm gonna miss you."

"Aw, me too. Don't think I ever met such a proper young girl," I chuckled, "You'll be just fine in this world."

She pulled away and grinned, "I want to be just like you when I grow up!"

"A mini-Minerva, can you imagine that?" Martha joked, chuckling.

"She's pretty, she's smart, she's very neat and I like her hair," Karina explained her reasons, "And she makes people feel good."

"That she does," the Doctor agreed.

"Better hit the books then, kid," Martha said, "She's very smart."

"And so is she," I declared, swinging an arm around her shoulders, "She doesn't need to be like anyone else. She just needs to be herself. The world doesn't need another Minerva, they need a Karina, a big Karina!"

She smiled and rested her head beside me. I looked down and couldn't help but remember Olivia. I used to do the same thing when I was upset...the times we were actually together. It made me miss her even more, as well as making the guilt increase.

~0~

Martha, the Doctor and I were watching the Manhattan Skyline once more, getting ready to leave.

"Do you reckon it's gonna work, those two?" Martha suddenly asked, breaking a prolonged silence that had fallen over us.

"I don't know. Anywhere else in the universe, I might worry about them, but New York, that's what this city's good at," the Doctor shrugged, beginning to smile, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, and maybe the odd pig-slave-Dalek-mutant-hybrid too."

"The pig and the showgirl," I added, making them laugh.

"The pig and the showgirl," he grinned.

"Just proves it, I suppose. There's someone for everyone," Martha sighed, turning around but not before giving us a look.

"Not everyone," I said, going to follow, "Sometimes they're not looking."

"Ha!" she waved me off with a hand as she opened the TARDIS doors.

"What's that about?" the Doctor asked as she went inside.

I shrugged and proceeded to slap him across the face, remaining serious as he rubbed his cheek. I wanted to smack him, but I figured a slap would get the message across.

"What did I do now?" he gritted his teeth, looking fairly annoyed.

"That was for giving me heart attacks each time you volunteered to die today!"

"Oh..."

"Yeah, 'oh'," I rolled my eyes, "Honestly, you have got to stop doing that! Some of us actually care if you die!" he remained silent, looking down as he took his scold. I then brought him for a hug, sighing as he slowly hugged back,"When I'm gone, please refrain yourself from using that strategy. Please?" he nodded quietly,"I mean it Doctor. I know your number one rule. Swear to me this time," I pulled back, being serious as I looked him in the eye, "Swear to me you won't do it again."

"I swear."

I smiled, "Thank you. Now I can be somewhat less stressed about your shenanigans."

"When exactly do you want to leave?"

"In about an hour?" I tried, shrugging in the end, "I don't know, I just want to get my things ready."

"And do you know where you're going to stay for sure?"

I nodded, "I'm sure Ami won't mind me staying."

He sighed, and reopened the doors for us, "Well, an hour it is then."

I turned for the doors, offering a fake smile as I stepped in, "An hour it is."

~0~

"I can't believe you're actually leaving," Martha shook her head, helping me wheel along a suitcase, "Why? Why are you doing it? Did I finally make you angry with the whole Doctor thing and being second best?"

I smiled softly at her concern, "No, it's because I really want to finish high school already. It's my senior year and I'm literally months away from finishing up. And with all these trips I never attend school anymore..."

Aaaaand, I wanted to put a stop before anything that shouldn't happen, happen. Because I didn't want them to happen...I didn't.

"But you're just gonna stop travelling?"

"It's not forever," I shrugged, "And besides, I told the Doctor I'd be around on weekends...holidays..."

"You don't look so happy," she remarked, watching my smile diminish as I thought about how little time I'd be spending in the TARDIS now, "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"It's not what I want," I corrected, heaving a sigh, "It's what needs to be done."

We entered the console room and I stopped at the sight of the Doctor. I coughed, and he looked up from his work, "I'm, um, ready."

He looked at the two suitcases and nodded. Martha suddenly looked back into the corridors, "Minerva, I'm gonna go take a look around your room, see if you forgot something. Is that alright?" I nodded and she went on, nudging me before walking away.

""All set, then?" the Doctor asked, sounding more of a statement than a question.

"Yeah..." I slowly walked over to him, "...listen, I kinda have something for you."

"Me?"

I chuckled nervously as I reached inside my bag and took out my sketch book. I opened it up and ripped out a page, my face already warm as I looked at him, "See, I was trying to give you a present to thank you for this wonderful opportunity you gave me...with the box," I laughed with nervousness again as I ran a hand through my hair, "But then I realized what could a human possibly give a Time Lord?" he smiled and looked down for a bit, which I took as an opportunity to breath in and try to calm down, "So my lame attempt was a drawing," I held out the paper to him, looking at the drawing intently, "It's us three, you Martha and me. Plus your box of wonders."

"My what?" he looked up, confused at the unknown nickname I had branded his TARDIS with.

"That's what I call your TARDIS sometimes..." I smiled, knowing for sure my face was red now, "Because it's full of wonders."

He chuckled as he looked at the drawing once more, "I like the name, haven't heard that one yet."

"It's definitely brought me some wonders..." I said quietly, and he looked up.

"This is really nice, Minerva. Thank you."

"Yeah? I mean I know it's lame and pretty simple but I'm a human with no money and absolutely no way of getting anything intergalactic for you so..."

He pulled me into a hug, surprising me at the abruptness,"It is not 'lame' and I wouldn't want anything else. Well, actually, I'd like for you to stay but...you know..."

"We're all good!" Martha's voice rang through the room as we pulled apart.

"So, London?" the Doctor asked, going around the console and setting my drawing aside for the moment.

I nodded, "Yeah."

He grinned and worked to get us there. Martha came by to hang on just as the box started its shaking. Once it stopped, I turned for the doors, feeling as if I could just rush back to my room here and lock it so I would never leave.

But I knew what needed to be done.

The Doctor walked past us and happily opened the doors, earning a curious look from Martha and I. He seemed just a tad not-sad about this...and he had been sad just an hour ago. He looked back at us and gestured for us to go out.

I peered over and saw just a little bit of outside and catching something that was not usual in London.

A bright, red lantern.

I looked at the Doctor, raising an eyebrow as I questioned where the hell he had brought us to. He simply stepped back for Martha and I to come forwards.

This alien had something up his sleeve, and it sure didn't involve London.

[funkymbtifiction]

Quicktypes: Mortal Kombat

SUBMITTED by anonymous

Since this franchise seemingly has an endless roster of characters, I figure a Quicktype entry is in order…

Raiden: ENFJ

As protector of Earthrealm, Raiden’s focus is on looking over its inhabitants (Fe) tapping into their potential (Ni) and ultimately gathering them together to defend Earth. He sacrificed his status as an immortal in order to help out Earthlings first hand (Se). When desperate times call for desperate measures, Raiden tends to lose all objectivity and comes up with plans that don’t make much sense, such as wanting to make a deal with Quan Chi of all people (Inferior Ti).

Liu Kang: ISFJ

Liu abides by the rules of Mortal Kombat deeply and to the letter (Si) He’s also in it primarily to protect his realm and doesn’t mind putting his own life on the line to do so (Fe). He has however a rebellious streak and will often question Raiden’s wisdom (Ti), such as recruiting Johnny Cage whom he thinks has zero potential as an ally (Inferior Ne).

Sonya Blade: ISFP

Sonya is headstrong, tough as nails and independent as she only answers to her own desires, refusing to show any feelings to anyone as it would be a sign of weakness (Fi). She is stubborn and throws herself fearlessly into danger despite outside advice (Se). But when she zones in on something, she can become quite obsessed about it, such as wanting revenge on Kano (Ni). In MKX, many years of bottling up her emotions has turned Sonya practically into full blown TJ type (Inferior Te) but when she beats Kano into a bloody pulp, it becomes obvious that she stills operates primarily on Fi.

Johnny Cage: ESTP

Cage lives for the spotlight, glitz and glamor of Hollywood and the finer things of life (Se). He is very sceptical about the whole Mortal Kombat dynasty, refusing to believe its nonsense. But even when he knows it’s the real deal he still remains the comic relief of the series, poking jokes left and right and refusing to take anything too seriously. He also tries to turn the MK tournament into his favor to advance his career (Ti). Wanting to be a star, Johnny needs constant affirmation from others. He wants to prove that he is a legit martial artist AND actor. He oozes……“charm” and smart mouths all the time, but deep inside he is an affectionate guy looking out for his friends (Fe). In MKX a more mature Johnny has left the whole Hollywood side of him behind, finding a new purpose into guiding a younger generation of fighters to protect Earth (Ni).

Kung Lao: ESFP

Lao is eager to prove himself, he wants to honor his ancestors and be seen as separate from Liu Kang (Se/Fi). He usually expresses his feelings under sarcasm or other brash manners (Te). In jumping blindly into a fight however, he ends up getting recklessly killed by Shao Kahn (Inferior Ni).

Reptile: ISFJ

Reptile is loyal to a fault and is obsessed with his extinct species (Si). He lives for pleasing others, always on the lookout for a new master (Fe). In battle he uses unique and tactical skills to his advantage, he’s not afraid of being brutal with whomever he considers a traitor or an enemy (Ti). He is however forever bound to servitude it would seem (Inferior Ne).

Baraka: ISTJ

Baraka is one of Kahn’s most reliable and loyal commanders who wants nothing more than to do the job in a quick and efficient if not, brutal manner (Si/Te). He judges people who have their own agenda harshly as they are traitors to him (Fi). In some endings, he has teamed up with Mileena to overtake the emperor and rule Outworld, even though it appeared to be mostly her idea (Inferior Ne).

Shao Kahn: ENTJ

Typical typing for the ultimate villain but Kahn indeed represents your hardcore, ruthless dictator with boundless ambitions (Te/Ni) wanting merge the realms and become undisputed king of the entire multiverse. He rarely fights but when he does he is absolutely brutal. He even gets so swept up in his own arrogance when fighting that he will pause to taunt his opponent (Se). He clearly has no empathy and the only thing he desires is absolute domination (Inferior Fi).

Quan Chi: INTP

Quan Chi mostly sits in the shadows analyzing events (Ti) and then eventually coming up with creative ways to further his dark agenda (Ne). Although his ultimate goal always remains to be King of the Netherrealm and getting mortals to serve him for all eternity (Si). He is able to manipulate others, notably Scorpion, to further his own selfish desires (Fe).

Jade: ISTP

Jade mostly observes but when she jumps in to battle is quite cocky and reckless (Ti/Se). Ultimately however, she realizes her deeper purpose is to restore honor to Edenia and its people (Ni/Fe).

Tanya: ENTP

Tanya is an oppurtunist, a speculator and always on the lookout as to how she can further her own agenda, known as a recurring traitor throughout the series. (Ne/Ti). She prefers to refer to herself as an ambassador and can easily gain people’s trust to subsequently manipulate them (Fe). Unlike Kitana, Jade and Sindel, Tanya shows absolutely no sentimental allegiance to Edenia and has no problem selling the realm to the highest bidder (Inferior Si).

Takeda Takahashi: ESFP

Takeda is an impeteous, high energy kid (Se). He hides his inner pain and turmoil under a constant sardonic smarth mouth (Fi/Te). Ultimately however, he wants to become a respected warrior like Scorpion or his father Kenshi (Ni).

Jacqui Briggs: ESTJ

Personality-wise, Jacqui is a spitting image of her father. She is no-non sense and by the book (Te/Si). But she also has that irreverent and rebellious persona when under stress (Ne/Fi).

Erron Black: ISTP

Black is extremely detached from….everything. He has no problem selling out his own world of Earthrealm for nothing more than profit (Ti). He his extremely skilled and handy with firearms and loves nothing more than a good showdown (Se). Though his intentions are unknown, he always seem to have deeper motives that he hides from people (Ni/Fe). 

Note: I realize there are MANY more characters here that I haven’t covered, but they either lack decent development or change too much from one game to another. It should also be noted that some characters already have full typings. 

[polishandpaperbacks]

Hey everyone! Today on the blog I have an excerpt post from one of my favorite author’s next books, Chosen. Chosen is the second book in the series, and it takes place in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Presumably there are spoilers from the first book below this line, so don’t read on if you haven’t read Slayer. Instead, go out and buy Slayer and devour it immediately!

Nina continues to learn how to use her slayer powers against enemies old and new in this second novel in the New York Times bestselling series from Kiersten White, set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Now that Nina has turned the Watcher’s Castle into a utopia for hurt and lonely demons, she’s still waiting for the utopia part to kick in. With her sister Artemis gone and only a few people remaining at the castle—including her still-distant mother—Nina has her hands full. Plus, though she gained back her Slayer powers from Leo, they’re not feeling quite right after being held by the seriously evil succubus Eve, a.k.a. fake Watcher’s Council member and Leo’s mom. And while Nina is dealing with the darkness inside, there’s also a new threat on the outside, portended by an odd triangle symbol that seems to be popping up everywhere, in connection with Sean’s demon drug ring as well as someone a bit closer to home. Because one near-apocalypse just isn’t enough, right? The darkness always finds you. And once again, it’s coming for the Slayer.

And onto the Excerpt!

Chapter 1 1

THE DEMON APPEARS OUT OF nowhere. Claws and fangs fill my sight, and every instinct screams kill. My blood sings with it, my fists clench, my vision narrows. The vulnerable points on the demon’s body practically flash like neon signs. “Foul!” Rhys shouts. “No teleportation, Tsip! You know that.” Even while playing, Rhys can’t help but be a Watcher, shouting out both advice and corrections. He’s not wearing his glasses, which makes his face look vague and undefined. Cillian passes him, mussing Rhys’s carefully parted hair into wild curls and laughing at Rhys’s frustration. I take a deep breath, trying to clear my head of the impulse to kill this demon I invited into our home and swore to protect. “It’s just soccer,” I whisper. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t even like soccer.” “Football, bloody American,” Cillian sings, neatly stealing the ball from me. His shorts are far shorter than the January afternoon should permit, but he seems impervious to cold. Unlike those of us who are translucently pale at this point in winter, his skin is rich and lovely. He passes to Tsip. Tsip is a vaguely opalescent pink, shimmering in the sunlight. She paints her claws fun colors when we do manicure nights, and I try desperately not to miss Artemis. I stay rooted to the ground where I’m standing. Tsip caught me off guard, but that shouldn’t matter. I like her. And the fact that I went from trying to score a goal to plotting a dozen ways to kill my opponent in a single heartbeat is frankly terrifying. I can’t get my heart under control, can’t shake the adrenaline screaming through my veins. “Gotta take over for the Littles. I’m out.” I wave and jog from the field. No one pays me much attention. Jade is lying on the ground in front of the goal, the worst goalkeeper ever. Rhys and Cillian are bodychecking each other in increasingly flirty ways. Tsip keeps shimmering and then resolidifying as she remembers the no-teleportation rule. They’re all happy to keep going without me, unaware of my internal freak-out. I’ve deliberately kept them unaware. Things here are going so well. I’m in charge. I can’t be the problem. So none of them know how I can’t sleep at night, how my anger is hair-trigger fast, how when I do manage to sleep, my dreams are … Well. Bad. They don’t need to know and I don’t let them. Except for Doug, his bright yellow skin almost nineties Day-Glo levels in the thin winter sun. Annoying emotion-sniffing demon. He watches me from our goal, his nostrils flared. I can’t lie to him the way I can to everyone else. I shake my head preemptively. I don’t want to talk about it. Not with him. Not with anyone. There’s only one person I want to talk to about it, but Leo Silvera’s not exactly available. I do a quick sweep of the perimeter of the castle. Leo loved me. Check the woods. Leo betrayed me. Check the locks on the outbuildings. Leo saved me. Pause and just listen and look, feeling for anything pushing against my instincts. I let Leo die. I keep walking. Leo loved me, betrayed us, saved us, and then died, and I can’t be sad without being mad or mad without feeling guilty or guilty without feeling exhausted. Past the meadow, the tiny purple demons are taking turns pushing each other on the tree swing. That, or they’re trying to push each other off. It’s hard to tell with them. With nothing else needing my attention outside, I end up at the front stairs to the castle. “Hey, Jessi.” I wave halfheartedly to our resident vengeance demon. She’s leading the Littles through an elaborate game of hopscotch. George Smythe, bundled up and barely able to see under a floppy knit hat, is shouting each letter as he lands on it. “G!” “What?” Jessi snaps at me. “E!” “I can take over for you.” I find the Littles soothing. They might be three incredibly hyper children constantly needing snacks, entertainment, and education, but at least none of them ever randomly triggers a kill reflex in me. “A!” “No,” Jessi says, her voice as sweet as summer fruit. “G-E-what-comes-next …” “O!” George course corrects, wobbling on one short leg before jumping to the required O. “Good! Oh, you’re so clever. Priya, how are your letters coming?” Priya, a tiny moppet with shiny black hair, is crouched over her own chalk work, which looks more like Klingon than any alphabet I’m familiar with. “Very good, darling! You’re really working hard. Hold the chalk with one hand, like we talked about. Thea, love, fingers out of noses, please—that’s a dear.” And to think, we once considered these children the entire future of the Watchers. I watch as Thea spins until she falls flat on her bottom. Actually, the future of the Watchers is pretty accurately captured here. I pat Jessi on the arm. “So, you can take the afternoon off.” Everything sweet in Jessi’s voice turns to ice. “I said no. I don’t trust you with these three precious wonders. We have an entire day’s curriculum to get through, and we haven’t even done story time yet or finished our art projects. Are you going to do any of that with them?” “I—I could?” “You were going to turn on a cartoon and read while their fertile minds were filled with weeds.” Jessi doesn’t have her powers anymore, but I’m pretty certain if she did, I would have been vengeance-demoned right into something oozing and seeping. She’s already turned away from me and back to her three charges. Her whole face is full of gentle warmth and absolute love. “R!” George declares, hopping emphatically down on it. Jessi claps like he’s cured the common cold. Thoroughly dismissed, I skulk up the stairs and into the castle. Jessi could at least pretend to be nice. She’s got a lot of enemies out there—vengeance is a nasty cycle—and without her powers she’s vulnerable. We took her in despite her obvious hatred for everyone over the age of ten. There was some debate, given her history, but my mom argued in her favor. It’s a little easier to forgive a vengeance demon who made it her immortal life’s work to avenge children than a vengeance demon who specialized in, say, fantasy league sports rivalries. But Jessi’s dismissal leaves me with nothing to do. I used to have my medical center and my studies, all my little Watcher duties. Even with so few of us, the castle ran as near to Watcher traditions as we could manage. Which in retrospect was absurd, since we didn’t have a Slayer and weren’t actually doing anything Watchers should. But now everything has changed. We lost Watchers—Wanda Wyndam-Pryce, sulking off into the sunset, good riddance. Bradford Smythe, murdered. Eve Silvera, secretly a succubus demon and murderer, smushed thanks to my actions. Artemis, off to find herself with her awful girlfriend, the thought of whom makes my jaw ache as I grind my teeth. And Leo, who didn’t warn us what his mother was (and what he was) but fought her to give us enough time to stop her from opening a new hellmouth. And now we have a Slayer, again some more, thanks to Leo somehow returning the powers his mother stole from me. I don’t know how he did it, and it hurts too much to think about, like everything else. I spend so much of my days trying not to think, and it’s harder than it should be. I used to believe that all Slayers did was act without thinking. I was wrong, but I wish it were true. There’s so little acting and so much thinking these days. It’s good. It’s all good. It’s good, I remind myself, over and over like a chant. Sanctuary, what we decided to turn our castle into, is just starting out, but it’s exactly what we dreamed it could be. We’ve taken in demons who had nowhere else to go. We’re keeping them safe, and ourselves safe, and we’ll keep looking for those who could benefit from the generations of knowledge and abilities we have. We’re protecting, not attacking or destroying. Between our new demonic additions and existing Watchers, everyone has tasks and times to do them. It’s more work than anyone anticipated, keeping everyone taken care of and fed, making sure the castle runs like it should. But so far everyone is happy. Everyone is safe. I sink down against the wall, feeling the cold of the stone radiating outward. The unpellis demon, all four gentle eyes soft and brown and hopeful, snuggles up to my side like a dog. It’s more animal than human in nature, nonverbal, and still recovering from its frequent de-skinning treatment in Sean’s demon-drug manufacturing scheme. I saved Pelly from that cellar. I didn’t save everyone, though. I wrap my arms around Pelly and close my eyes. Everything is exactly what we dreamed it could be. Except I feel Leo’s loss everywhere, and I miss my twin, Artemis, with a constant, physical ache. And, worst of all, with enough time after Tsip surprised me to calm down and remind my body there’s no danger … I still feel like killing something. 

_______________________________________________

And now for even better news...Chosen is on sale on January 7th!!! So go to wherever you buy your most anticipated reads and make sure Chosen is on your list. I will have a review of this one up **hopefully** within the next week or so.