Midnight ⋆ Doctor Who²

18. The Saddest Word

AURORA DOESN'T DOUBT THE DOCTOR'S APTITUDES FOR ONE INSTANT. This might not be very healthy, considering that, without any second guesses, she just assumed he'd save them all, and didn't just kill them all. But hey, lately, she's been operating on faith a lot. Faith that she'll save him.

And it seems to serve her well too, because they're suddenly standing in the control room they know and love — though it is lit in a weird green color that Aurora is seriously starting to despise.

"Yes," the Doctor says, snapping in motion without missing a beat. "I mean, you could do that, but it just won't work. Hardwired failsafe. Living things from rooms that are deleted are automatically deposited in the main control room. But thanks for the lift!"

She stares up at him for a second. "Yeah that genius move should be rewarded with a kiss." The Doctor smiles excitedly before blushing, and Aurora turns bright red when she realizes what she said. "We're busy, focus."

"We are in your universe now, Doctor," the House tells them, stopping their flustered gestures. "Why should it matter to me in which room you die? I can kill you just as easily here as anywhere. Fear me. I've killed hundreds of Time Lords."

Aurora scoffs for herself. "Fear me, they were all scared of me." She looks ahead, not facing the only other Time Lord in existence.

But he tightens his grip on her hand, keeps her on that pedestal of his, and it's enough for her right now.

He smiles, before turning to the void, looking everywhere. "Yeah, you're right," he tells the House. "You've completely won. Oh, you can kill us in oodles of really inventive ways, but before you do kill us, allow me and Aurora, our friends Amy and Rory to congratulate you on being an absolutely worthy opponent."

She stares at him. "You're kidding right?"

"No." He goes to help Amy up from the stairs, and starts clapping, nudging her to do the same.

"Congratulations." She starts clapping too.

He turns to Aurora, but she shakes her head. "Don't look at me like that, I won't do it." He looks intensely to his right, and she follows his gaze with a frown.

The TARDIS is slowly closing her eyes, and Aurora blemishes at the sight. She goes to kneel next to her, and hold her hand, tears caught in her eyelashes.

"Yep, you've defeated us," the Doctor goes on, and this time, he's angry. "Us and our lovely friends here, and last but definitely not least, the TARDIS Matrix herself, a living consciousness you ripped out of this very control room and locked up into a human body. And look at her."

Rory looks up at Aurora, hurt in his eyes. "Rora, she's stopped breathing."

She looks at the Doctor over her shoulder, a tear sliding on her cheek. "I'm sure he's got something."

"Enough," the House commands. "That is enough."

Amy kneels next to Aurora, and takes her in her arms, without saying anything. It's the TARDIS. She's always been there for them, and now she's dying before them. Her hearts beat painfully in her chest, and Amy holds her closer.

"No," the Doctor counters. "It's never enough. You forced the TARDIS into a body so she'd burn out safely a very long way away from this control room." Something dings in Aurora's head, and she begins to understand. "A flesh body can't hold the TARDIS Matrix and live. Look at her body, House."

The time vortex's energy is going to flow from the TARDIS' body at any moment now. Aurora quickly nudges Amy and makes them and Rory backtrack from the body. They want to ask questions, but she shushes them with one look.