Chapter Text
It watches the inspection vehicle roll to a stop. It has waited so long for them to return.
A young man was seated at the console, pulling up the visuals to the area around them. “Hard to tell what happened here. All we have is the incident report.”
The older man sitting next to him spoke, clearly annoyed, “The incident report is rubbish. This whole thing is a waste o' our time.”
“People died though.”
“It was an accident. Accidents happen. An fat lotta good this is doin us anyway. We can’t even properly search the place.” He adjusted the view of the camera, giving them a better look at the distance. “My money the company is just sendin us out 'ere to say they had a look. Just to cover their arse in the event there’re lawsuits.”
“You mean from the family of the crew?”
“That o' from some of the passengers.”
There was silence between them as they worked.
"You really don't believe the report?" The younger man asked, breaking the silence. The other man shook his head. “You saw the inside of the transport though.”
“Ye'd be surprised what people can do when they’re terrified.”
“But that’s just it. They had to be terrified of something.”
“Paranoia, lad. It’ll make ya believe almost anything. They worked themselves into a frenzy."
The younger man fiddled with his notes.
Outside, it watches, and waits.
And it has waited long enough.
The younger man turned his head sharply to his left, “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
"It’s like a knocking. It sounded like it was coming from outside.”
The older man waved a hand dismissively, “There’s nothin outside. Yer lettin that report get to ya.”
“But…” the young man frowned; clearly unnerved. "You can't hear that?"
"Nothin can survive out there. Yer hearin things."
A sudden loud bang answered.
“There! See? This is just like the report said!”
The older man was staring at the spot where the bang had come from. It wasn’t possible. Nothing can…
The bang came again, louder, now shifting around their vehicle.
The younger man was shaking. He turned to his coworker, desperate for an answer, "What do we do now?"
The older man said nothing.
There was another series of bangs moving quickly toward the two men.
But nothing can live -
There was a pause then another loud bang. The vehicle rocked, and then everything went black.
--
The Doctor strolled across the field where he had left the TARDIS, humming to himself. The fields of Kelmone were beautiful now that the rain had stopped. The glory of their prized native wildflowers now on full display, swaying slightly in the light breeze. Kelmone’s two moons were shining brightly across the vast landscape. It was brilliant. He hadn’t meant to stop here, but he was glad he did. They’d really had a bad stroke of luck recently from what he had heard. It was nice to see everything settling down.
As he got nearer to the TARDIS he spotted a young man standing around in front of it. The young man’s back was to the Doctor; his attention focused on the box.
“Nice night isn’t it?” The Doctor called out, putting a friendly smile on his face. He didn’t think anyone had been outside the city while the rain was going on. “Don’t worry. Everything’s alright now. The rains stopped.”
The man turned his attention away from his TARDIS and around to him. “The rains stopped.”
“Yeah. You alright? Didn’t think anyone was out here.”
“Yeah. You alright?”
The Doctor blinked. Something felt off with his reply. He pushed it aside for now. “Yeah. I’m fine, thanks.” He nodded in the direction of the city. “It’s safe to go back to the city. I’d avoid the hillside path though. It’s still really slick.”
“It’s still really slick.”
“Yeah…” He frowned as an unease settled over him. Something still felt off about the man's responses. And there was something very unsettling about his eyes. Something familiar that gnawed at the back of his brain. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked carefully.
The man never blinked. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah I…” he trailed off. Now that he had keyed into the strangeness, he couldn't shake it. What was it about those eyes? He’d never met this man before, not that he could remember anyway. So why did his eyes seem like a great big warning sign? “Listen, do you need help back to the city?”
“Do you need help back to the city?”
The uneasiness was growing. “Oh. Please don’t do that.”
“Oh. Please don’t do that.”
“Okay. Listen. I can help you back to the city. I can get you to the spring healers if you need. They can help you.”
“They can help you.”
He should leave. He knows he should. Because something is very, very wrong. “Okay, can you stop doing that?”
“Okay, can you stop doing that?” the young man repeated again.
“Please. I’d really like you to stop.”
Once more, without missing a beat, “Please. I’d really like you to stop.”
“Seriously. I’m asking you to please stop that.”
“Seriously. I’m asking you to please stop that.”
“Stop this.”
The Doctor felt his entire body freeze up. The ring of their simultaneous declaration churning in his ears. A sickening familiarity twisted in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't move. His mind felt like it was being submerged under an Arctic Sea.
His eyes widened at the man before him.
No.
The man opened his mouth and slowly, spoke first, “Rose Tyler. Martha Jones. Donna Noble. TARDIS.”
No no no no no -
The Doctor parroted the names.
No!
It couldn't be. Not here. Not this thing. Anything but this thing. Anything but this horrid curiosity that had rendered him so completely helpless.
His twin hearts beat wildly in his chest. How? How could it be here? He had left it lie. Left it back there on Midnight to circle around the x-tonic star in silence. He had gotten the Leisure Palace company to leave. Made sure they wouldn’t come back. The entire system was empty. So how ?
The thing’s eyes burned into his. It had left its diamond home and found him. And had clearly adapted since he last saw it. It hadn’t needed to catch up to him to move onto the next stage. Was it because it had stolen his voice before? Did that make reclaiming it easier a second time?
The Doctor tried to maintain control over his rapidly growing fear, but was failing. He was suddenly back there. Back on the carpeted floor of the Crusader 50. 251 kliks from the leisure palace. Staring into the eyes of what once was Mrs. Silvestry. Mind reeling at the sudden loss of control; body shaking. Her voice as clear as day.
"Do we have a deal?"
No.
“Oh, look at that. I’m ahead of you.”
No no no.
"Yes. Yes. It's me. I'm coming back."
She can't.
“And look at him. He can’t move.”
Mrs. Silvestry moves from his sight, aided by the professor. He hears her placate the room. Shifting the danger from herself.
He hears Dee Dee warn Val in spite of this. And hears them all dismiss her.
He hears what once was Mrs. Silvestry using the cleverest voice in the room to sway her audience. Playing off their fear and cementing their distrust of him.
“It’s inside his head.”
No.
"It killed the driver. And the mechanic."
No, please.
"And now it wants us."
Please, don't.
“Bodies so hot. With blood. And pain.”
He hears Dee Dee try again to explain what has happened. He hears them turn on each other.
"That's how he does it."
Please, I'm not -
"Creeps into your head, and whispers. Listen."
Someone please.
“That’s him. Inside."
Please see through her.
"Yes."
No...no! They're going to throw him out.
They're going to throw him out and he can't -
Biff’s hands are around him, pulling him across the floor.
No no no no no - not again. Not again!
"The starlight waits. The emptiness. The midnight sky."
Please no!
The familiar wheezing and groaning of the TARDIS pierced the night, yanking the Doctor back to the present. Back from the nightmare he thought he could shake. He watched as she began to flicker in and out and then vanish altogether. Leaving him trapped with the monster from Midnight.
The Doctor felt a surge of what could only be anger from the creature as she disappeared, mixed with his own despair.
His last friend had left him. No doubt she sensed the danger. She had sensed he was beyond saving.
Well, that was some comfort. At least this thing wouldn’t get its hands on the TARDIS.
But now he was completely alone. There was no one here to save him this time. No brilliant research assistant trying to convince her fellow passengers to see reason, to see the truth they were trying to deny. No selfless hostess willing to throw herself into x-tonic sunlight to ensure the safety of her charges, giving her life for people who never bothered to learn her name. No one out here to destroy the demon of Midnight.
He couldn’t breathe.
He was going to die. He was going to die here, scared and cold.
And so, so very much alone.