Transcendent | 11th Doctor

Chapter Six

Imprisonment

Hope was quickly dwindling. Any semblance of saving the world was slipping away as the trio continued to argue against Time. Nora had done that many times before but she always knew Time would win in the end.

Suddenly the sun faded from view and left the town shrouded in darkness. Shadows seeped through each street, stretching until day became night.

"If that isn't a bad omen then I don't know what is." Nora mumbled as she squinted up toward the sky, watching as birds squawked in panic.

"What's happening? What's wrong with the sun?" Amy cried out, matching the fear of their feathered counterparts. Nora silently wondered what Amy would look like as a bird. A robin perhaps?

"Nothing. You're looking at it through a forcefield. They've sealed the upper atmosphere. Now they're getting ready to boil the planet." The doctor grimaced at their worry, his own wrinkles deepening as his silent fear grew. There had to be something he could do, there was always an answer.

"Hmm, I always did love a good stew." Nora grinned wickedly back at the pair, eyebrows wiggling with her insinuation.

"You're taking your potential death quite well." Amy bit out angrily as Nora shrugged, "living is too fanciful without a twinge of life and death."

Her response stumped the red head. It seemed so convoluted and dark. Yet true. Was that what she was wishing for back when the raggedy doctor crash landed in her garden? Something to make her life worth living?

"Here they come, the human race." The doctor pulled her out of a sullen train of thought, gesturing wildly to the growing crowd around them. "The end comes, as it was always going to, and out come the video phones!"

Nora couldn't tell whether he was bitter or envious. Did he hope to be naive and not have the weight of the world resting upon his shoulders? How often had he truly seen the world end.

"This isn't real. Right? This has to be some big wind up!" Amy pleaded, watching as if to wait for the other shoe to drop. Nora wished it were that simple.

"Why would I wind you up?" The doctor pondered, his worry lines softening as he smiled.

"You told me you had a Time Machine!"

"And you believed me."

"And then I grew up!"

Silence bulldozed between them, ricocheting the bickering pair apart with a bitter push. Who hated the other more in that moment? Nora wasn't sure. Was it the girl bundled up in warm clothes, waiting. Or was it the man who was often left alone? Both had good reason to be resentful, Nora noted. But both also had a good reason to forgive. After all the world was quite literally ending.

"Twenty minutes and the world burns, and I personally wouldn't want to be a limerick in a Regina George song thank you very much. Doctor..." the odd one out butted in, stepping to bridge the chasm formed between them.

"Right! The planet burns. Run to your loved ones and say goodbye. Or stay and help us." He grinned as if excited by the idea of death. For it was quite literally knocking on their door, waiting for time to run out.

"No." Amy retorted, an answer that the doctor was clearly not used to hearing. He paused, jaw slackening as the words registered.

"I'm sorry?" The words drifted out in confusion, disordered in expression.

"No." She repeated. Nora had to stifle a laugh, the noise muffled underneath her hand. Amy scowled back, unhappy with her response. She leapt forward, snatching the doctors tie and Nora's sleeve until she had enough leverage to march them all forward.