To Be Continued (A Doctor Who Fanfiction)

Chapter Twenty Five: Destiny

Anthony had been the odd man out in all of this & he finally spoke up, "I don't understand."

"That clever, clever girl..." the Doctor muttered.

The description on the projection told me all I needed to know about myself: daughter of Amy & Rory Williams, raised by Silence, killed the Doctor, saved the Doctor, married of the Doctor.

"Who is she?" Anthony asked.

"She's your sister," the Doctor said, smiling through still-watery eyes.

"She's your wife," I said. We three stared at the images on the wall, confused & dumbfounded.

The Doctor seemed to suddenly remember that I existed. The irony of the situation hadn't hit me until just this moment. I felt his eyes on the back of my head, but I refused to take my eyes from River--from what I was before I was me.

"Talia..."

"That's not my name, though, is it," I breathed pulling the watch from my pocket & stared at it.

"Oh no, no, no. Talia, listen to me," he was standing between myself & the image of River now, his hands on my shoulders trying to pull me back into the moment,"This changes nothing. You are still yourself. You are still Elizabeth Talia Hoffnung. You're still my little human."

"But i'm not human."

"But you are," he insisted before continuing to explain what the watch really was. 

My eyes finally met his & I thought back to when we'd found ourselves in the broom closet. When he'd called me "Song."

"You knew, didn't you?" I said, tears receding from his eyes & threatening to spill from my own. He looked both flabbergasted & apologetic.

"I'm so sorry... I had no idea. But even if I had--"

"You lied to me--"

"Tha--"

"SHUT UP." The Doctor jumped & stared at me wide-eyed.

"I'm through listening to your lies, you narcissistic--" I shoved him,"self-centered--" another shove,"man! You knew the whole time, didn't you?! What were you waiting for? Why didn't you just open it yourself, huh! Tell me! TELL ME!"

And just like that, I destroyed the Doctor. He'd never let on, but I knew. Because for a second--just a short moment in time & space--I saw his soul. Deep in his eyes, all the pain of hundreds of years culminated. Because the one who'd never questioned him, now had nothing but accusations. When he met me, he'd sworn off friends forever. And he made the mistake of breaking his promise to himself.  And I let him down.

I looked into those hardened eyes, wishing I could take it all back--not just what I had done, but everything he'd been through. Then I noticed the mark on his cheek. It was identical to the one he'd donned before.