Continued from Listen ― III
__________
Lexi leaned against the Doctor as they sat looking at the feed of outside on the computer screen. "The end of the universe . . . Seems strangely reminiscent of our time with the Pandorica." She spoke quietly, the Doctor tracing random patterns on the palm of their entwined hands.
"That was a long time ago." The Doctor nodded.
"Yeah, it was." Lexi stared down at their hands. "I'm over nine hundred and fifty years old now, older than you were when we first met, and I still remember." She looked up at him, a cheeky smile spreading across her face. "And here I was, thinking you'd be the one complaining about getting old."
The Doctor just smirked and raised her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles. "I'm a lot older than you, Lex. I accepted that fact a while ago."
"Ugh." Lucas made a face from where he was sitting a few feet away. "Why do you two always have to be so sickening? Now I know how Jupiter feels."
Lexi just laughed as the Doctor wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Well, it is you, my dear Lucas. Things wouldn't be any fun if we didn't annoy you just a little bit."
"Oh joy."
They heard the TARDIS open behind them, then Sky said. "Wow, you sound so enthusiastic."
Lucas just snickered as he and Clara came to sit by him. "Ecstatic." He deadpanned.
Clara looked around at the five of them, Sky sitting at another one of the computers. "What are we doing?"
"Waiting." The Doctor shrugged.
"For what? For who? If everybody in the universe is dead, then there's nobody out there."
"That's one way of looking at it."
"So there is another one, then?" Lucas asked.
"That's a hell of a lot of ghosts."
The lights dimmed suddenly, changing from a bright red to a deep blue. "Do we have our own mood lighting now?" Sky asked, looking around.
Clara snickered, only to gasp when she spotted something. They all turned to see her looking at the main hatch, where the words DON'T OPEN THE DOOR were written on it. "Where did that come from?" She asked.
"It's always been there." The Doctor answered. "It's only visible in the right lights."
"But who wrote it?" Clara asked.
"Colonel Marsh. Apparently, at night, she needs a reminder. Six months stranded alone, I suppose it must be tempting."
"What is?"
Lexi sighed. "Company."
Something then started creaking, and Lucas looked around. "What is that?"
"What kind of explanation would you like?" Was what the Doctor responded with.
"A reassuring one." Clara answered.
"Well, the systems are switching to low power." The Doctor obliged. "There are temperature differentials all over the ship. It's like pipes banging when the heating goes off."
"Always thought there was something in the pipes." Clara nodded.
"Me, too."
"How was your dinner going?" Sky asked, trying to look uninterested as he messed with a few things that were just laying on the table in front of the computer.
"It's . . . going."
"Bad dates, they're the worst." Sky stated, taking out his sonic before scanning the computer. "You think things are going well, and then they go the other way."
Clara laughed. "Well, maybe I should take you along next time so you can scan him for approval."
"Oh, Clara. . ." Sky sighed, a humorless smirk on his face. "That's probably the worst idea you've ever had."
Just then, a scream-like noise sent chills down their spines. "Atmospheric pressure equalizing." The Doctor mumbled.
"Or?" Lucas asked quietly.
"Company."
"Why are we doing this?" Clara hissed. "Why don't we just go?"
"Because I need to know."
"Why? About what?"
"Suppose that there are creatures that live to hide." He answered. "That only show themselves to the very young or the very old, or the mad, or anyone who wouldn't be believed. . ."
"Okay, so. . ."
"What would those creatures do when everyone was gone? When there was only one woman left standing in the universe?"
Three bangs rapped on the ship. "What's that?" Clara asked.
"Potentially, the hull cooling."
Lucas closed his eyes. "Potentially?"
"Believably."
Three more knocks. "Someone knocking." Sky remarked.
"Yes." The Doctor nodded, slowly walking towards the hatch.
"Doctor?" Lexi asked, moving forward as well.
"You don't actually believe all this, do you?" Clara asked as the others came closer. "Hiding creatures, things from under the bed?"
The knocking was then joined by scraping. "What's that in the mirror? Of the corner of your eye?" The Doctor asked. "What's that footstep following, but never passing by?"
"Don't tell me that we've come all the way to end of the universe just because of a nursery rhyme." Lucas scowled.
The Doctor sonicked the hatch and, as it unlocked, the mechanism suddenly started turning. "Er, my sweet. . ." Lexi pointed at it. "Please tell me that's you turning it."
"Okay."
". . .It's not you, is it?"
"You told me to say it was me."
"Alright, everyone, into the TARDIS!" Lexi ordered, spinning around. "Right now, come on!"
"Okay, okay, somebody is out there." Clara told the Doctor as Lexi hurriedly ushered them back inside. "Now we know, we can leave!"
Lexi just shut the door in their faces, then walked up to the Doctor. "She's right." She said. "We can go." She paused, seeing what he was holding down. "What are you doing?"
"It's a pressure lock." He explained. "Releasing it could've triggered the opening mechanism."
"Okay, important question: Is there an atmosphere out there?"
"There is an air shell 'round the ship. Why are you still here?"
Lexi narrowed her eyes. "Are you kidding?"
"No." The Doctor glanced down at her, frowning. "Now get inside."
Lexi just stared at him for a moment, before opening her mouth. "You're an idiot." She told him before turning on her heel and storming over to the TARDIS.
"I know." The Doctor stated, turning back to the hatch as Lexi entered the TARDIS and slammed the door.
***
"What's happening?" Astra asked, standing with Sky and the Impossibles as Lexi stomped up to the console.
"He's opening the damn door." Lexi answered as she moved to the monitor. "Alright, now let's –" The controls suddenly seized, and she groaned. "Oh, come on!"
***
The Doctor watched the airlock slowly open. "Perhaps they're all just waiting, perhaps when we're all dead, out they'll come a-slithering from underneath the bed!"
***
"What's the problem?" Sky asked as Lexi tried to make the controls work.
"Idris is seizing." Lexi answered, looking up at the glitching monitor. "Oh, come on, Sexy!" The TARDIS groaned and started jolting, and Lexi took a deep breath just as the screen came into focus, showing the Doctor holding onto one of the counters as he was being blown horizontally whilst the air was being sucked out of the ship.
***
The Doctor held on for dear life as debris was blowing around him. Just as his fingers began to lose their grip, his hand was quickly grabbed by Astra who was safely in her spacesuit.
***
"Is he okay?" Clara ran over to check as Sky helped Astra set the unconscious Doctor into a chair.
"He's out cold." Astra answered, checking him. "He'll be okay, though."
"Something hit him." Lucas checked a bump on his head.
"Everything was flying out of that door."
"If that makes us all feel better, sure." Lexi nodded, looking at Astra. "Did you ever find out what was out there? What you were so afraid of?"
"I've, er . . . been here a long time." Astra said slowly. "Wouldn't be surprised if I was scared of my own shadow."
The TARDIS doors started to rattle, and the Cloister Bell started ringing. "Just gonna pretend that's the rest of the air escaping." Sky stated before turning to his mother. "You got a plan?"
"It's not much, but yeah." Lexi nodded before walking around the console and tapping the telepathic circuits. "This." She put her hands in, feeling the TARDIS latch on immediately. "Come on, Idris." She urged. "You've got this. Let's go!"
The TARDIS rumbled, and a moment later, stopped shaking. "Is that it?" Lucas asked in genuine surprise.
"I think so." Lexi nodded, frowning and smacking the monitor when it wouldn't work. "Come on."
"Where are we?" Sky asked.
"Somewhere else." Lexi answered, heading for the doors. "You all, stay here. I'm going to check to see where we are."
"You can't go out there by yourself." Astra shook her head.
Lexi sighed. "Fine. Sky, let's go. The rest of you, keep an eye on the Doctor."
Reluctantly, the others watched as the mother-son duo left.
***
Lexi raised her hand to shield her gaze from the bright light of the moon peeking in through the boards of the barn they were in. "Where are we?" Sky asked in hushed surprise.
Lexi, meanwhile, focused on a raised platform nearby, like a loft, with a child on a bed curled up underneath a blanket whilst sobbing. "Astra?" Lexi asked quietly, her and Sky climbing the short ladder to the low loft. "Or are we back with Rupert?"
Sky gazed around the space they were in. "Mum. . ."
The barn door then opened, and Lexi stifled a curse before diving under the bed, closely followed by Sky. They heard two sets of feet approach, then a man's voice said. "Why does he have to sleep out here?"
"He doesn't want the others to hear him crying." A woman answered.
"Why does he have to cry all the time?"
"You know why."
"There'll be no crying in the army."
"Hush!"
"Don't pretend you're not awake." The man said. "We're not idiots."
Silence. . . "Come and sleep in the house." The woman coaxed. "You don't have to be alone. If you can hear me, you're very welcome in the house with the other boys. I'll leave the door on the latch. Come in any time."
"He can't just run away crying all the time if he wants to join the army." The man remarked.
"He doesn't want to join the army. I keep telling you."
"Well, he's not going to the Academy, is he, that boy? He'll never make a Time Lord."
One wide blue and one wide green eye met Sky's blue ones, both of them reflecting stunned silence as they realized just exactly who was in the bed above them. "Oh, my God!" Lexi mouthed, trying to stop herself from screaming.
***
The Doctor suddenly jerked upright, hitting Lucas in the forehead. "Sontarans!" The Time Lord blurted as Lucas groaned, rubbing his forehead as Clara rushed over. "Perverting the course of human history!"
"Doctor?" Clara asked as Lucas shook his head, trying to get his bearings again.
"You're confusing me." The Doctor mumbled before looking around. "What? Wait, no, shut up. Shut up. Where's Lex? Where's Sky?"
***
"Lex? Lex!"
Lexi winced when she heard the Doctor from off in the distance, then heard the bed creak. "Hello." The boy on top of the bed called. "Who's there? Hello?"
Lexi caught movement off to the side and, quickly, she reached out — and her hand locked around the boy's ankle as he sat on the edge of bed.
The boy instantly gasped and froze, and Lexi swallowed hard, closing her eyes as she finally put together how this whole entire thing had started. "It's okay." She whispered soothingly. "This is just a dream. Just lie back again. Just lie back on the bed. It will all be okay if you just lie down and go to sleep. Just do that for me. Just sleep."
She released the boy's ankle, and she heard the creak of the bed as he laid down. Lexi rolled out from under the bed and stood, looking down at the boy as he tried to stifle cries. Taking a shaky breath, she sat down on the edge of the bed and gently ran her hand over the boy's head. "Listen. . ." She whispered as Sky slowly came out to join her.
***
The TARDIS door opened, and everyone turned to see Lexi silently slip inside, absently biting one of her nails. "What happened?" Astra asked as the Doctor immediately rushed to check on his wife. "What did you see? What's out there?"
"Sky?" Lucas asked, walking over as said Time Twin entered, shutting the door behind him, his expression showing one of stunned sadness. "What's wrong?"
"Lex?" The Doctor asked quietly, seeing Lexi was holding back tears. "What did you see, love?"
Lexi took a deep breath. "I think I figured out your theory. . ." The Doctor waited patiently for her to explain. "What if there was nothing? What if there never was anything? Nothing under the bed. Nothing at the door." She looked up into his eyes. "What if the big, bad Time Lord doesn't want to admit he's just afraid of the dark?"
The Doctor paused, eyes flicking towards the door. "Where are we? Have we moved? Where have we landed?"
"Don't look." Lexi shook her head. "Don't look at where we are. Just take off and promise me you will never look where we've been."
"Why?" He asked, moving towards the door.
He stopped at Lexi's gentle hand on his chest. "Just take off." She said quietly. "Don't ask questions."
The Doctor paused, looking down at her. "I don't take orders, Lex."
Lexi smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Oh really?"
***
"Listen." Lexi's voice echoed in the boy's head, the boy himself sitting up in bed at the sound of the TARDIS dematerializing.
***
"This is just a dream." Lexi whispered, stroking the boy's head as she talked to him. "But very clever people can hear dreams. So, please, just listen. I know you're afraid. . ."
***
". . .but being afraid is alright."
"Take care of yourself." Lexi smiled as she and the rest of the TARDIS crew stepped out of the TARDIS and into the twenty-second century whilst dropping Astra off where she needed to go.
The red head smiled back, nodding before giving each of them a hug in thanks. "I will. And you all do the same."
"Because didn't anybody ever tell you. . ."
***
"Fear can make you faster and cleverer and stronger." Lexi smiled as she continued to stroke the boy's head, Sky standing off to the side as he watched. "And one day, you're going to come back to this barn . . . and on that day you are going to be very afraid indeed. And that's okay."
***
"Because if you're very wise and very strong . . . fear doesn't have to make you cruel or cowardly."
Lexi grinned, pulling her D&G necklace out from where it had been underneath her red leather biker jacket. She watched as her husband worked the controls of the console before she then got up and rushed to wrap her arms around him.
"No, no!" The Doctor grunted. "Not the hugging!" He complained as his wife completely ignored him and wrapped her arms around him tighter. "Anything but the hugging, please."
". . .Fear can make you kind."
***
The TARDIS dematerialized, leaving Clara and Lucas standing at the restaurant they had been at earlier.
"I'll leave you to go and salvage what you can with him." Lucas stated, wrapping his jacket tighter around himself before turning and walking down the sidewalk.
"See you at school!" Clara called after him.
"Yeah!" Lucas called back, not turning around as he went on his way. Clara then turned the opposite direction and started walking in the direction she knew Danny lived.
***
"It doesn't matter if there's nothing under the bed or in the dark. . ."
Sky sighed, plopping down on the sofa in the library as he rubbed his temples.
Who the hell was Astra Marsh?
Why the hell did she have his mother's necklace?
And how the hell was she connected to Clara? More important, how the hell was she connected to him?
Perhaps he shouldn't have helped Clara get her hands unstuck from the telepathic circuits . . . She could've started thinking about him for a split second when their hands were touching, and the TARDIS thought to show them something they shouldn't have seen.
Perhaps things were about to get a lot more complicated. . .
". . .so long as you know it's okay to be afraid of it."
***
Danny was sitting, dejected. The doorbell suddenly rang and he quickly got up to answer it. "I am so–" He started to say when he saw Clara standing there.
"I know." She cut him off, knowing what he was going to say.
"I just get so nervous." Danny stated, letting her into his flat and shutting the door.
"Me, too." Clara replied as the two of them went into the living room and sat down on the sofa.
Danny shook his head. "I don't even know what I'm nervous of."
"I'll show you." She smiled before pulling him in for a kiss.
***
"So, listen." Lexi spoke softly, stroking the little boy's hair as she sat back on the bed. "If you listen to nothing else, listen to this."
***
"You're always going to be afraid. . ."
Lucas poured himself a glass of Scotch as he stood in his kitchen. He then lifted the glass of amber liquid to his lips and took a sip.
". . .even if you learn to hide it."
A knock at the door suddenly alerted Lucas to a visitor, and he quickly put the glass of Scotch down on the counter before exiting the kitchen.
***
Lucas opened the door and stopped short at the sight of the ginger-haired Time Twin he hadn't seen in a few weeks.
"Hi." Jupiter gave him a nervous smile.
Lucas blinked. "Jupiter. . ."
"Before you say anything," She said, holding a hand up. "I just want you know that I completely agree with everything you have said up until this point."
"About what. . .?" He asked, not sure if they were on the same page.
"Well, you know." Jupiter tilted her head.
"Yeah. . ." Lucas nodded slowly. "No, sorry. Still not getting it."
Jupiter just rolled her eyes before grabbing Lucas by the lapels of his jacket and pulling him in for a kiss, pressing her lips firmly against his. The two of them then pulled apart a couple of moments later to catch their breaths.
Lucas breathed heavily, blinking down at her face. "Oh, that. . ."
"Fear is like . . . a companion . . . a constant companion, always there."
Jupiter couldn't help but giggle before pulling him back in for another kiss, the two of the them not breaking apart as they stumbled back into the flat, Lucas shutting the door with his foot.
"But that's okay . . . because fear can bring us together."
***
The Doctor underlined the word Listen on the chalkboard as Lexi walked up to join him.
"Fear can bring you home."
***
"Fear will always be with you." Lexi whispered, planting a gentle kiss on top of the boy's head. "And that's good . . . 'Cause that's what helps to keep you moving." She carefully pressed her fingertips to his temples to send soothing vibes into his subconscious. "Fear . . . Fear makes companions of us all."
*****
Author's Note
Wow! 😅
That took awhile. . .
What did you think of Astra? I felt like putting her in instead of Orson, like in the original episode. There was a very big reason for that, in case you were wondering.
What did you think of Jupiter's surprise appearance at the end. . .? *squeals excitedly about it*
Anyway, I don't know when the next update will be in this book. I mean, I do have other stories that I'm working on. However, I do know that it should not be nearly as long of a wait like the one since the last update over a year ago.
I know for some of you, it isn't December 15th anymore, but for me it still is.
So . . . HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GLORIOUS SERIES!!! 🥳
I wanted to put an update in this book in honor of that. 💕
Now, there will be a filler chapter when I next update this book, so. . .
Until then! 💋
━━ { ⋆｡˚ 🌟 ˚｡⋆ } ━━
Please leave your wonderful comments below and don't forget to vote! <3
– Maddy Xx