The Worlds Within

Ch18

The others basically had to drag her away from the moogles.  "I love babies~!" Angie cooed.  Someone put an arm in front of her and she stopped and looked ahead.  "Another staircase?  I thought we only had one...?" she mused.
"We have as many as the TARDIS wants," The Doctor looked over the edge.
"This one looks different from the one we usually use," Donna commented.
"No.  You're right.  Definitely not as deep.  You know...  Now that I think about it.  I don't think I've ever come across this staircase before."
Something flashed through Angie's mind and before she even thought about it she said, "I have."
"When?"
She blinked and looked at him realizing what she had said, "Umm...  In--in a dream I think...  This was when..."  she stopped for a moment and backed away from the edge.
"What's wrong?"  The Doctor blocked her view of the staircase.
She blinked again looking at him in the eyes, "She keeps leading me here in my dreams," her mind flashes through the memories.
She stood alone in the hallway, she looked around frantically to find herself alone, surrounded by the chrome washed walls.  She called out but couldn't hear any noise, she called for the Doctor again but heard nothing.  She hugged herself tightly as she started walking down the TARDIS corridors trying to find him when a soft scratching noise drifts closer to her accompanied by a multitude of voices, "You'll never make it out of here alive."  "Death..."  She called out for him again, her voice mouthing the words, 'dad!'  'dad!!!!'  "Closer!  Come closer!!"  "We're here."  "We're here!"  "Closer!"  "Closer!" Her heart rates increased as the hissing voices grow louder, "Are you really alone?"  "He's here!" She froze midstep as footsteps echoed towards her, "Here!"  "Run!"  "Death!!"  Her breath froze in her lungs a figure enveloped in shadows stepped forward from the darkness, as if sensing her presence it immediately swung its head and fixed its gaze upon her "Go!"  "Run!"  "Death!"  "He's here!"  "He's here for you!!" The figure tilted its head to the right and to the left as if examining her before, crouching in an unhuman position and extending its claws and unleashing a terrible hiss, "He's here!"  "You will die...!"  Before she could even think, she found herself running through the hallways of the TARDIS.  Shaking violently as she could hear and feel the creature loping after her; it's unhuman shriek and claws shrieking as it rounded the corners, hunting her down.
She was unable to think, unable to breathe, the sounds of the creature kept sending waves of chills down her spine.  She tossed her gaze over her shoulder, screaming in horror, as it's face revealed an image too terrifying for words.  "Evil!" The voices continued to echo throughout her entire being as she ran.  She cried in pain and terror as she struck a wall in front of her.  She had reached the end.  The railing of the spiral staircase impeded her haste but with no other option she fumbled along its side and down the staircase.  Deeper and deeper into the heart of the TARDIS...  She panicked when she reached the bottom, there were no doors!  No windows!  No way out!  She was trapped!  She screamed for the Doctor, for her parents, for anyone to come save her but no one came.  She whimpered with her back against the wall as the creature lumbered over the staircase, hissing at her.  The stench of death rising from the bubbling pit of scarred flesh on its back.  Knowing there was no other way out for her it stalked closer reaching the middle of the room with a triumphant hiss.  She clenched her eyes shut tightly as fear consumed her, jumping when it screeched loudly.  Her eyes snapped open in time to see it vanish in a wave of pure light.  When the light faded she saw a young man standing before her.   Her breath caught in her throat, "Are you alright?" She noded unable to speak, "I'm here."  Her body shivered when he placed his hand on her cheek, sending butterflies flying in every direction. "I'll always protect you." He kissed her cheek before pressing his forehead against hers.  She closed her eyes at the sweet memory of the dream not wanting for it to end.  "I'm going to find you." She blinked in surprise.  That was the first time he had said that, "Just hold on okay?  I'm almost there.  I'm coming." he swept a few sweet kisses across her face.
Her eyes fluttered open, "Dad..?"
"Hey, are you okay?"
She nodded softly before resting her head against his shoulder tiredly.  "...  I keep passing out don't I...?
"Yeah...  You'll be fine though.  You just need some rest..."
She nodded as her eyes drifted shut.  The Doctor pet her hair and gave her hair a kiss before lifting her up.  "Is she really going to be okay?" Donna asked.
The Doctor nodded hesitantly.  "The heartless did a number on her heart...  Along with something else..."  Riku said.  "I'm sorry we didn't get there in time.  How are you all feeling?"
"Honestly..." Michael said, "Not so great..."
"Me too," Luna agreed.
Pepper hugged them tightly.  "Makes sense," Riku said, "Besides Angie, the heartless were particularly interested in you two."
"Why?" Luna asked.
"The stronger the hearts, the more interested they become."
"You two must believe in yourselves an awful lot," Mickey said.
"A strong will," Riku agreed.  "Not too say that everyone else doesn't have those qualities though," he added.
"I'll try to be more insulted by the heartless," Tony attempted to joke but his concern for Angie washed over it.
"I guess we'd better get going," Dean broke the silence.
The rest nodded in agreement before going down the staircase.  The Doctor stared silently at her until he heard his companions cry out, "Maria!"  He looked up startled to see a redheaded teenager eyeing them warily from a spot on the staircase below them.  Tony and his family run to her but she jumps out of the way and onto a ledge connecting to the railing above, "M---Maria!?"
"Who are you?" The girl squat on the ledge like a cat.
Pepper whimpered, "Honey!  What happened to you?"
"Please," Tony's voice cracked, "It's me, I'm your dad, Tony.  Don't you remember?"
She stared at him and then at Pepper before finally talking, "I don't know you.  I'm not your Maria.  My name is Anariah," she tilted her head a moment as if in rememberance, "He calls me his angel," she mused.
"Who?" he demanded.
She stared at him a long moment but didn't answer.  "I'm not your Maria." she said again.
She stood up, "Be careful!"  Tony moved towards her, jumping back with a gasp when wings and a prehensile tail sprouted from her back and a new pair of wolf like ears appeared on her head.  The once ginger now sported white hair to match her spotted ears, wings and tail.  "What---What did he do to you?"
"I am my own.  I am no one.  Forget about me," she stared at them once more.  She moved to leave as her eyes flickered from person to person, she jumped forward causing the Doctor to fall backwards.  She stood in front of him and sniffed Angie, eyeing her bracelet.  "What's wrong with her?"
"She---she needs to rest."
"You're a nobody aren't you?" Riku asked.
Her eyes snapped up in a glare, "Maybe you're the nobody!"
"I didn't mean to insult you..."
"Oh really!?" her tail flicked back and forth, "Because saying someone doesn't have a heart isn't hurtful!" she growled, "You're lucky I'm not one of those other nobodies or I would try to steal your heart to replace my own!" she spat.
"You can restore your heart by merging with your original self!"  Mickey hopped forward a few steps, "We can help you!"
"I don't need your help!  You can't help me!  Only he can!" and with that she took off in a burst of speed up towards the roof and over the side.
Pepper broke down into tears, "What do you mean she lost her heart!?"
Mickey walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder, "She's your daughter?"
Pepper nodded as Tony held her and the boys, "...  It's what the heartless were going to do to you.  They steal people's hearts, leaving only their empty bodies and souls.  Nobodies like her possess such a strong will to survive that she was able to retain her appearance."
"What can we do?"
"We have to find her and get her to trust us.  Then we can restore her."
"Well then what are we waiting for!  Let's go!!"  Janet shot up.
Riku and Mickey nodded.  The group got up and started heading towards the top of the staircase when Donna shimmered and moved in front of Tony.  "Please!"  he knew immediately what she would say.
"They can go but we need you to continue with us," Sexy said.
"Please!" he begged, "This is my daughter!  I have to help her!"
"I know it hurts but you are helping her.  You'll be able to help her more if you stay."
He covered his face with his hands, "Tony.  They said she was a timemachine, and that she orchaestrated this whole thing," Cloud said.  She smiled softly at Tony, "If she says it'll help her more if you stay..."
He breathed in heavily and nodded, "Thank you, Cloud.  Alright..."
Pepper bit her lip but nodded, the group said their goodbyes and parted ways leaving only the six players and Luna in the party.  Luna sighed heavily, "What's wrong kiddo?" Tony asked.
"I'm gonna miss Pepper and the others..."
"Me too," he ruffled her hair.
She sniffed and rubbed her eyes, "She reminds me of mum..."
He stopped, "What happened to her?"
"She---she passed away in a car accident and dad's---!" she started sobbing so Tony picked her up and held her close.
"Hey, it's okay."
"He won't wake up!"
He kissed the girls hair and pet her back softly as he made a mental note to take care of her and finance her dad's care.