Worlds Apart

Chapter 12

The Doctor's POV

The minute the bullet hit Crystal, she exploded into flesh-colored goo.

"Ewww," Clara said as she stepped over the puddle. "What is this?"

"Flesh," I explained. "She's a ganger."

" What's that?" Clara asked.

"A doppelganger," I said. " They're just called gangers. And, well, they're made of melted flesh."

" Nasty," Clara said, stepping away from the flesh while Emma ran to it. "Crystal! No!" She was sobbing, calling for her "dead sister."

"Wait, Emma," I said. "She's not dead, I think. She may be held captive."

"You think?" Emma screeched. "Well, what if she is? What do you say to that, huh?"

I didn't know. This wasn't like Emma. She would've just cried and ignore the outside world. Or she would've just believed her sister was alive. Then again, she did lose her sister before....

Instead, I ignored the question and said, "But where's Crystal?"

"I don't know!" Emma cried. "She's not here, obviously!"

I pulled Emma up. "Come, we're going to go find her."

I turned around to find the doll staring at me. The look in the marble eyes clearly said, She's not who she says she is. Don't trust her.

I took a small step towards her. "Are you saying they're both flesh?"

The doll gave me a small nod and offered the gun to me. I shook my head. "Clara wouldn't know. She'd think I was murdering her."

The doll turned on her heel and walked away. I spun around and dug the point of the screwdriver in Emma's neck. "Where's Emma?"

"What do you mean, where's Emma? I'm right here!" she gasped, faking confusion. But by the smile on her face I knew she was lying.

"I meant the real Emma," I snarled.

"I don't know. She's with Crystal. She's in hiding. She'd probably be in a hospital," Emma let out a small laugh. "She'd be dead before you can reach her. Her TARDIS is destroyed. It tried to kill me and Crystal. That wretched doll had it for me this whole time. The ceiling of the tunnel was on purpose-"

I dug the screwdriver into her neck. Her grin widened. "Kill me, Doctor. You're just ticking away the seconds of her life. So just kill me. I know you don't have the guts."

I pressed the button of the sonic screwdriver, and she splattered to the ground in the same fate as Crystal.

Emma's POV

It was quiet in the hospital. Crystal was asleep and only the nurse was around. But that was it. I looked down at Luna. So peaceful. It amazed me she survived. New York, the flesh taking over us- somehow, all that was six months ago. Even the drowning- her mother was dead for minutes, how did she survive? And the regeneration. Luna was a miracle in my eyes, and I loved her so much. It was just... I wasn't ready to be a mother. I wasn't sure how it even happen. I didn't even know who the father was. But here was Luna, sleeping soundly. I gently stroked her wrinkled forehead. So calm.

I sat down in a chair and stared at Luna.

 Luna was a baby. She didn't know anything. But me... over 900 years and memories become a burden. I had too many, remembering how when I was nine, my mother fell ill and died, how she told me to watch over Crystal and make sure nothing happened to her. I choked up at this memory, because I had failed two years later, when the Child was born.

This was the main reason why I wasn't ready to be a mother. I was scared that I'd lose her to something dangerous. I sighed, got up, and went to leave the room when I heard a noise.... a noise like a TARDIS's brakes left on. I spun around, my hair blowing around me as I watched the Doctor's TARDIS materialize in front of me. The door opened and the Doctor stepped out. He walekd over to me and swept me into a hug. "Emma! Are you alright? And where's Crystal?"

"In the other room, asleep," I said, face muffled by his chest. I turned my head so that my face was free from being squished and I could hear his two hearts. I remembered about the nurse and pulled away, face rather hot. I quickly stared at the floor when I also noticed the other girl waiting in the doorway of the TARDIS. I stepped back a couple of steps and found the chair I had recently evacuated. I sat down in it gratefully, my hair shielding my face completely. "Who's the other one?"

"Um, Clara, this is Emma. Emma, this is Clara," the Doctor said.

"She's quite shy, isn't she?" Clara commented. I lifted my head a bit to look at her. She had long, dark hair and a pretty face. I stood up. "I'm going to see if Crystal's awake."

Crystal was slowly getting up when I approached. "Hey, sleepy."

"Meh...." Crystal yawned. "I'm awake."

"I see," I said gently. "Well, get up. Guess who's here?"

"The Doctor?" Crystal yawned again. "No suprise. His TARDIS woke me up."

"Still," I said, getting up and preparing to leave the room, "I think it'll be a great idea for you to get dressed."

Crystal looked down at her oversized souvenier shirt and pajama bottoms. "Eh."

"Eh right back," I said, grinning.

When I got back to where the Doctor and Clara were, I said, "She's awake."

"Ah..." the Doctor nodded. "I have a question- why are you here?"

I took a step towards Luna and knelt by her. The Doctor read the words on the side of the plastic surrounding Luna on every side except the top. "Luna Lair, born May 16th, 2013. This is your child?"

I nodded and said, "But the thing is, Doctor, I'm just not ready to be a mother. I don't know what'll happen to her. I'm scared-"

"Because you're thinking about what happened to Crystal?" the Doctor finished. I nodded. "But there's more. I was supposed to make sure that nothing happened to Crystal, and I failed. It's been bothering me for years and I have fears that something similar will happen to Luna. I try to think optimistic, but I can't when that memory keeps haunting me and it's difficult."