ashes ➝ Doctor Who²

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Gazing down at the two men by the car, Penelope was lost in her own world, waiting for Felicity to tie her shoelaces.

The younger girl jumped up next to her, smiling brightly.

"Sorry. They had come undone earlier, but it was a little creepy and I didn't want to stop."

"That's fine, hopefully you won't ever have to be in the field again." Penelope went to put a hand out like before, hovering over the small of her back. But she quickly retracted it, staring intently at Felicity. Praying that whatever she was seeing was a trick of the light, or the cold from before messing with her head.

Felicity looked over at her confused, going to take a step closer. But Penelope took a step back, keeping an arm out to keep Felicity away and the other hovering over her holster.

"I'm sorry but I need you to back up."

"What's going on?"

"Just.. can you go and sit on the wall behind you. Please." As she did, Penelope gestured at the boys to come back up the hill, only turning back around when she saw them move.

Once they made it back to her, she stopped them from going any closer and whispered something to them that Felicity couldn't quite make out. Whatever it was made the two of them look at her differently.

"Can you just tell me what's going on, you're starting to freak me out." Penelope sighed, having to bury whatever panic she felt deep in her gut.

"Felicity one of the first indications that someone has been infected by this entity is a thin black mist that surrounds them. And you've got it." Penelope watched as Felicity looked down at her arms in a panic, turning them around, as if to try and see the mist.

"No.. no. It must've just clung to me on the way out. I mean, fog can do that right." The hopeful tone that reached the trio was painful, they knew now that nothing could be done. Penelope caught her eye and she sighed.

"I'm so sorry."

"I don't understand. I'm fine." Penelope looked away for a moment, trying to ignore that familiar headache she hadn't had to deal with for months.

"God, you were so young."

"Penelope, I'm okay." She stood up from the wall and everyone reacted, Penelope's hovering hand finally grasped her gun and the men half turned towards the hill. Their guns were still in the car.

"I'm going to need you to stay on that wall, alright, no moving. And don't touch anyone." Felicity slumped back on the wall, tears pricking the corners of her eyes.

"Please! Why don't you believe me? I'm fine. I promise, I really am okay. I made sure I didn't even touch it, just like you told me."

"Touch what?"

"One of the bodies. I-I tripped over the ruins when Jasper wasn't looking. I didn't even touch the body, l-look!" She shoved her hand out for Penelope to see a roughly tied piece of cloth around her hand. "I cut my hand when I caught myself on some of the rocks."

"Felicity I'm so sorry, you did such a good job. This isn't your fault, I should've just left you in the car. For your first time out in the field I am so proud of you." Felicity then became aware of how tightly Penelope was gripping her gun, and that the two men had started to creep backwards down the hill towards the car.

"Please don't hurt me." It was said so quietly that Penelope almost missed it, but it broke her heart to hear the fear in Felicity's voice. All because of her.

"I'm so so sorry Felicity, I really am. But I don't even know if I'm still talking to the you that I entered those ruins with. Who I spent the last couple of months with everyday trying to teach you about the world. This entity is known for mimicking the people it inhabits, with its memories and behaviour. I honestly don't know who you are."

"Penelope?"

"It's kill on sight for a reason, even if you're going to die in 14 hours, there are so many people you could hurt before then. We can't let you go and we can't bring you with us." Her eyes darted from side to side, and there was a thin layer of sweat beginning to form in her forehead.

"I-I think of you as a mother. You know it's true, please you can't do this." The entity that was now clearly inside Felicity started to panic and become erratic.

It stood up from the wall, pacing a few steps, muttering to itself. A little black froth formed at the edge of her mouth, and Penelope started to slowly pull her gun from its holster.

The very first time this gun has ever seen true action, and it's against someone Penelope had become so close to. She's not an idiot, obviously she knew that everyone in her team wouldn't survive every mission for the entire time she runs Torchwood. It's risky business and sometimes you can't help but get hurt.

But she never thought it would be someone that worked solely in accounting. She didn't even think she would ever get this close to anyone but her team.

She curses her lonely heart for taking in someone new, and being the cause of this.

The entity finally noticed how Penelope had slowly begun to pull out her weapon and it started screaming no over and over again. It was hard to hear those screams coming from Felicity.

Jasper, who was slowly shuffling back down the hill, lost his footing and stumbled a little. Which caught its attention.

As the figure screamed at Jasper and started to clumsily run at him, black froth growing at the corners of her mouth, Penelope knew she didn't have a choice.

Drawing her gun, she fired twice. Both of those shots hit the entity in the chest, the impact causing them to fall backwards. It was quiet as the entity coughed up more of the black liquid and struggled to let go of the new body it had taken.

It quivered for only a few moments more before its back arched and its mouth opened wide, as if it were screaming. The thick black liquid gushed from the gunshots and poured out of its mouth and eyes.

Then it finally stopped, falling to its side, facing Penelope. Mouth still open - screaming - as if its jaw had unhinged. Eyes staring into nothing, dripping with that same black liquid.

Penelope knew it would take a long time to get that image out of her head. And perhaps even longer to drop the soul tearing guilt she had right now.