Ticking Clocks (Doctor Who Fanfic)

Two Hearts, Two Beats

The Doctor watched over Nyxie until he finally saw her eyes flutter and open. 

"Nyxie. Are you all right?" he asked immediately. 

"I'm fine." Nyxie sat up, blinking her eyes. "I think. It feels as if..." 

"As if what?" he demanded. 

"There's a weight or something on my heart." Nyxie put a hand over her heart and breathed deeply. 

"You'll be fine." the Doctor said nervously. He had just noticed something peculiar that he was pretty sure Nyxie had done unknowingly. 

"I probably will." Nyxie swung her legs around and hopped off the bed. "Thanks for... taking care of me. While I was out." 

"No problem." the Doctor shifted his weight and got up, walking over to the console. 

Nyxie got up and studied the wall of the TARDIS. "So beautiful, this machine, it can think for itself, but it's so loyal to you." 

"It's what I've got left, in all of time and space, it's the only thing I have left." the Doctor replied gruffly. 

"I see." Nyxie answered, almost wistfully. There was a awkward silence between the two of them, in which only the TARDIS's wheezy sound could be heard. 

The Doctor watched her through narrow eyes. He thought he had figured her out, now. But days, weeks, maybe even months later, he would look back and realise that he had still a long way to come before unlocking Nyxie Wing's dark mind. 

But he didn't know that now. And as he watched Nyxie examine the TARDIS, he spoke up. 

"When you said you felt a weight on your heart." the Doctor began. 

Nyxie turned. "Yes?" 

"Which heart were you talking about?" he asked slyly. 

He could almost hear her heart thudding in her chest, speeding up as she slowly looked up. Her hearts. Two beats. 

"I don't know what you mean." Nyxie stammered out. 

He came closer to her and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. He felt her stiffen, and looked at her misty green eyes. 

"Two hearts. Two beats. You're Gallifreyian, my dear." 

"I'm not!" she squeaked. "I'm not Gallifreyian!" 

"No point denying it now, Nyxie Wing." he whispered in her ear softly. 

Nyxie gave an unsteady sigh. "I suppose not." 

"So you are Gallifreyian?" the Doctor sounded pleased. 

Nyxie hesitated and whispered, "I haven't told anyone for years. When I was supposed to be growing old, I would move around, going from one place to another. I'm terrified of isolation, but I've had to live in the face of my greatest fear for decades." 

The Doctor brushed her hair back from her face and looked down at her, with his big, blue-green eyes full of both the knowledge of time and the playfulness of a newborn. "You've been so brave." 

Nyxie shook her head. "I'm a coward. Too scared to tell anyone. Too scared to let anyone help me." 

"You're the bravest person I know, Nyxie." the Doctor whispered. He saw a tear fall from her eye, and her bottom lip trembled. 

"You must not know very many brave people, then, because I'm not brave at all." her voice cracked. 

"On the contrary. I know some very brave people, and yet you still seem to be the bravest." he smiled wistfully as he thought of old friends. Amelia was the first to come to his mind. Amelia Pond. Like a name in a fairytale... 

Tears streamed down Nyxie's cheeks, as she looked down and whispered, "I may be a Time Lady but my time is almost up. The monster... thing... is nearly finished with me." 

"But you heal, don't you?" the Doctor took her hand gently. 

"I'm a Time Lady, Doctor. Twelve lives..." 

"No!" He yelled, horrified. "Nyxie, which life are you on?!" 

"This is my ninth." Nyxie answered softly. 

The Doctor yelled in frustration and paced around. "You didn't tell me!" 

"You didn't ask!" Nyxie had tears in her eyes again. "Doctor, the world doesn't need me. I don't know why you care so much!" 

"I need you!" the Doctor retorted. "For ages, I've thought that I was the last. The last Gallifreyian, the last Time Lord. I don't have to be alone anymore!" 

"Yeah... well... you get used to it." Nyxie whispered. 

There was another silence. 

Then, the Doctor slowly turned around. 

And found himself facing the blackened monster, with Nyxie nowhere in sight.