Midnight ⋆ Doctor Who²

62. The Time Lady Victorious

AURORA'S HEARTS LONG FOR A HOME SHE NO LONGER HAS. She feels it as she stares back at the Doctor, lip involuntarily tugged up. She finally caught up to him – a long way away from Lake Silencio. In a sense, he did too – a long, long way away from Craig's home. His hair is longer, and he looks different. On his guards, and she can't blame him. She would too, if she saw herself. If she could snap out of her trance. She can't afford that, not when he stands in front of her again.

She doesn't remember dying. She knows it happened. She remembers the Doctor over her, but she doesn't remember death itself. Only thing she knows is she woke up here, and she had to find her friends. She had to make sure everyone was safe in the burning corpse of time she created. A corpse she can't bring herself to mourn.

She knows what must be going through his head. Well, the first thought probably was given to the redecorated Pyramids of Giza. But the way he stares in her eyes tells her enough. There's compassion there, but she holds on to the underlying anger. Compassion would be her grave. Anger is the only thing that's keeping her going. She is furious, after all. How dare he die? How dare he not try to save himself, like he promised?

All the same now. She is furious, but worse. She is vindictive. She's won.

And she guesses he must not like the eye patch.

She sighs, and uncrosses her arms, giving a look to River on her right to make her leave. She does, but not without an equally as loud glare. Do not be an idiot about this. Well, out of the pair, she doubts she's the stupid one. Besides, she has more tricks up her sleeves.

"You know," she says conversionally, "we were expecting you. It would've been rude not to show up. Especially at a time like this."

He isn't going to like this. She doesn't like it herself. When she found her, Aurora wondered if she could commit another murder. She almost said 'yes', but a voice in the back of her head stopped her. It sounded like his.

Yet, when she steps to the side and his hazel eyes fall on Madame Kovarian, she sees a similar anger in them. It's her fault. Madame Kovarian ruined Aurora, and this was all her fault. If there was anyone to hold accountable, it would be her.

And himself.

Kovarian is painfully oblivious to the rage of the Time Lords as she speaks. "The death of time. The end of time. The end of us all. Oh, why couldn't you just die?"

Something like irony makes him smirk. "Did my best, dear. I showed up. Something literally came in the way."

Aurora shrugs, holding her hands up. "My bad."

Her voice feels sharper. He thinks it's because she's mad at him, and he should blame her. She destroyed time and space. Something rots in him every time he's reminded of it. He clears his throat.

"Love what you've done with the pyramids," he tells her, pacing around. He realises that every soldier got out of the room, somewhere along the way. "How did you score all this?"

"How do you think?" she retorts. She smirks and points to River, on the other side of the room. "Hallucinogenic lipstick. Works wonders on President Kennedy."

"Ah, River." River arches a brow at him, daring him to go on. "You always did your best to reunite us."

Aurora fakes a big sigh. "Oh, but Cleopatra was a real pushover."

"I always thought so," the Doctor agrees, circling back to her.

"Liar." She tilts her head. "She mentioned you."

"What did she say?" he asks, mirroring her.

"'Stop talking to me like that', mostly."

"Did you?"