ignite ➝ Doctor Who¹

X

"Well, that's very kind. You strange little thing."
— Lady Cassandra O'Brian, New Earth

The Doctor immediately called out, stopping her. But it was the Face of Boe that took Penelope's attention.

"Hello Firefly. I am glad to see you again, friend." She was confused, but didn't get time to think as Cassandra walked off with her body again. Blinking back into focus, she realised how much she had missed, and how much her body had started to ache.

She knew that the Doctor had mentioned something about compression, is this it?

Cassandra? What does compression feel like?

The words made the girl's inhabitant stop walking, barely registered by the Doctor, who had a plan. Something inside her had been picked apart by Penelope's empathy, and this quietness of the voice nearly made her give in. She sniffed, as if she didn't care.

"How should I know? I'm not being compressed." The visage of the floating girl nodded, feeling foggy.

Oh, sorry, don't worry. I just started to ache and thought that might be it.

Cassandra gave in, "from what I've read, it starts with a headache. The aching comes on later, it's one of the last things before compression.. sorry."

I don't want to die yet, I haven't even seen the stars.

The Doctor bounded over, missing the distraught look behind Cassandra's eyes, dragging her over to the lift. Rose had already gone down - not that either inhabitants of the body knew - but the Doctor couldn't leave her behind.

It was all a blur inside of Penelope's head, but she knew that she was shrinking further and further away from reality. Cassandra knew too, and tried not to worry at the thought of the Doctor's reaction to losing his Penelope.

But suddenly she was in control, and falling. The Doctor caught her and gently swung her back round so that she was upright. Holding tightly to her as Rose watched closely, worried for her downstairs neighbour.

"Okay?" She was able to properly look at him for the first time in a while, and they both silently agreed that it had been too long.

"Y-yeah." She smiled softly, trying hard to to let the smile pull at her cheeks, "hello."

"Hello. Welcome back." Penelope blinked suddenly, as if realising something, and he got a little worried. "What? What is it?"

"Cassandra? And the patients, are they okay? Did you help them?" He glowed with pride, she still worried about everyone else around her.

"Yes, oh yes, all the people are okay. Created a whole new species of human, and they just wanted to be touched. I said that I'd try and I did it, they're okay."

"Oh good. I'm so sorry that I- my body was used to do all of this." The pride died down and he pulled her into a hug.

"It's okay Adaams, no one blames you."

"And- And Cassandra? Is she okay?" He moved back and turned her to see a person covered in markings.

"Oh sweet lord, I'm a walking doodle." The ginger girl stepped forward.

"Cassandra?" They looked up, blaming the relief that the girl is okay on the host's empathy.

"Isn't it a pleasure to meet me. Properly, of course." She stalked over to the stunned girl, who was immediately flanked by the Doctor.

"Don't try it Cassandra."

"Oh of course the Doctor and his Penelope save everyone else. What about me? Because I'm stuck in a half-life, who's heart is beating far too fast, why I don't think-" The figure collapsed to the floor and the two people jumped forward to help them down.

It seemed like there was a moment of clarity as Penelope held onto the hand of a man with the mind of Lady Cassandra, who looked her dead in the eyes.

"I'm dying, but that's fine." She tried to reason, feeling an odd connection to the woman who stole her body.

"Cassandra, you could-"

"No, no. It's okay, I know what you're going to say, I've been in your head for most of the day. You go and see the stars." Tears build up behind her eyes, not even knowing what the Doctor suggested as they take Cassandra into the Tardis and travel across time.

They go to let her out, knowing these are her final moments. But Penelope couldn't resist and pulled them into a hug, holding on tighter than she needed.

"I'll see the stars for you Cassandra."

Then she was gone and the door was closed, and Penelope didn't know what do, she doesn't know how to lose people. She's still learning to grieve for her mother, and now she has to think of Cassandra as well.

She sits on the jump seat, vacant expression, feeling about the same as she did when she arrived on the Powell Estate yesterday. But one warm smile from the Doctor lifted her spirts and he beckoned her over.

"I saw you watching the sonic earlier, so I thought I'd give you a rundown on how it works, just in case this happens again. Sound good?" She smiled widely, giving herself an excuse to leave grieving for another time.

"Sounds great."