The Time Lord's Hope [2] • Doctor Who

29 ~ The Poison Lipstick

I shuffle out from beneath him and let out a string of teary apologies, taking his face in my hands.
"What's wrong with you? What's she done to you?" Rory asks.
"Poisoned me. But I'm fine. Well, no, I'm dying, but I've got a plan. Mackenzie, I've got a plan, it's okay." He says taking my face in his hands to try and calm my emotions.
"What plan?" Amy asks, not understanding my guilt.
"Not dying. See? Fine." The Doctor says trying to get up and we heave him to his feet as I wipe my tears.
"Okay, what do we do? How do we help you?" Rory asks.
"Take this. The Tardis can home in on it. Now, go. Get after her." He says handing the sonic to Rory as Amy and I help the Doctor to the Tardis.
"You said the smoke was deadly." Amy says.
"No, no, the smoke's fine. The poison will kill me first. Now, get after River!" The Doctor announces.
"I don't understand, okay? One minute she's in love with the idea of seeing you two marry and the next she poisons you, how did she do that?" Amy asks and I shakily pull the lipstick tube out of my lips, hurling it across the room.
"She didn't poison him, she made me do it." I say wiping my lips furiously.
"Well, she's been brainwashed, can't expect much more. It all makes sense to her, plus, she is a woman. Oh, shut up. I'm dying." The Doctor says heading into the Tardis and closing the door.
"You go ahead, I need to keep an eye on him." I say to Amy turning to face her.
"No, I need your help."  She argues and I shake my head.
"She's your daughter, Aims, you are the only one who'd be able to get through to her, I need to help the Doctor." I say and she hesitates before nodding and I smile, turning to the Tardis door and going in, the ship was dark and cloudy from the smoke.
"Mackenzie, you're supposed to be with them!" The Doctor shouts and I push my scarf to my mouth.
"They can handle it on their own, plus this is my fault." I say to him.
"You'll die from the smoke." He says and I roll my eyes at him.
"That doesn't work on me, sweetheart. Extractor fans on!" I shout, and immediately the room begins to clear and he smiles at me, kissing my cheek.
"This is not your fault." He says as he keels over and I ignore his words.
"Come on, let's get you sat down." I say to him, helping him over to the steps and sitting down with him.

"I'm shutting down." The Doctor says to me and the Tardis. "I need an interface, voice interface. Come on, emergency." He says and I watch as a hologram appears of the Doctor.
"Voice interface enabled." The hologram replies.
"Oh no, no, no, no, no. Give me someone I like." He grumbles and I watch amused as I appear in front of us.
"Like, not love." He says sounding annoyed and my image changes into a blonde haired girl in a jacket. "Oh thanks, give me guilt." He says sarcastically and the picture morphs into another woman with brown curly hair tied back in a frizzy ponytail and I assume these are his past accomplices, from before us. "Also guilt." Another woman appears with ginger hair. "More guilt." He says and cries out from a pain in his right heart. I grab him, holding him trying to calm him down. "Come on, there must be someone left in the universe I haven't screwed up yet." He announces in pain and I look down at him as he cringes, hearing the hologram change again.
"Voice interface enabled." My sister's voice sounds and I look up to see Amy as a little girl with the five year old me standing beside her, her thumb in her mouth and other hand clenching Amy's.
"Oh, oh. Amelia and Mackenzie Pond, before I got it all wrong." He says and I take his hand squeezing it tightly.
"I am not the Ponds. I am a voice interface." The two girls say in synch.
"Hey, let's run away and have adventures. Come along, Ponds." He says smiling up at the two girls.
"I am not the Ponds. I am a voice interface." They repeat in the same monotonous tone.
"You are so Scottish." He muses leaning back and smiling with his eyes shut.
"How's he doing?" I ask the interface.
"The Doctor's system has been contaminated by the poison of the Judas tree. You will be dead in thirty two minutes." The two say looking to the Doctor.
"Okay, so basically, better regenerate, that's what you're saying?" The Doctor asks and my eyes widen at the thought.
"Regeneration disabled. You will be dead in thirty two minutes." They repeat.
"Unless he's cured, right?" I ask dread spilling out.
"There is no cure. You will be dead in thirty two minutes." A burst of anger spreads in me and I can't help myself from shouting at it, the guilt and frustration spilling out of my lips.
"Will you stop saying that? Why do you keep saying that?" I shout.
"Because he will be dead in thirty two minutes.
"You see? There you go again. Basically skipping thirty one minutes when I'm absolutely fine. Scottish, that's all I'm saying." The Doctor says optimistically and I stare at him wide eyed.
"Thirty one minutes of you gradually deteriorating, you know how poison works, Doctor, you don't suddenly drop dead!" I shout at him.
"You will be fine for thirty one minutes. You will be dead in thirty two minutes." They say and I look up to the two at a loss for words.
"Scotland's never conquered anywhere. Not even a Shetland. River needs us. She's only just beginning. I can't die now." The Doctor says to us.
"You will not die now. You will die in thirty two minutes." They say and I had the urge to throw my shoe at them.
"I'm going out in the first round. Ringing any bells? Argh!" He yells out falling to the floor and I drop down next to him.
"Okay, we need something for the pain now." I say looking between the three figures, panic making my hands shake as I help the Doctor onto his back.
"Come on, Amelia, Mackenzie. It's me. Please." The Doctor pleads and I look at the two, with tears in my eyes.
"I am not the Ponds. I am a voice interface."
"Girls, listen to me. I can be brave for you, but you have got to tell me how." He says as I hold onto him, trying not to let out a sob as he starts to fall unconscious.
"I am not the Ponds. I am a voice interface."
"Please, Ponds, please." He murmurs.
"Please, please do something!" I say my voice breaking as his eyes shut.
"Fish fingers and custard." They say and we both look up.
"What did you say?" I ask
"Fish fingers and custard? Oh, Ponds! Fish fingers and custard. Fish fingers and custard!" He shouts, getting up to his feet and pulling a lever setting the Tardis off and I get up, going over to him standing behind him, supporting him a little.