Never let me go [2]

Chapter 9 - A Good Man Goes To War

The Doctor was getting some people together to save Amy and her baby. Rory and Maddie helped as well and went every to get information about where Amy and the baby was held. Now they were to get River, she walked to the guard’s phone and picked it up. “Oh, turn it off. I'm breaking in, not out. This is River Song, back in her cell. Oh, and I'll take breakfast at the usual time. Thank you.” Then she saw figures standing in the corridor. River looked at them. “Oh, are you boys dressing up as Romans now? I thought nobody read my memos.”

Rory stepped out of the shadows first. “Doctor Song. It's Rory. Sorry, have we met yet? Time streams. I'm not quite sure where we are.”

“Yes. Yes, we've met.” River replied to him, somewhat sad. “Hello, Rory.”

Just then Maddie stepped out of the shadows as well. “What's wrong?” She asked to her.

“It's my birthday.” River looked at her. “You and the Doctor took me ice skating on the River Thames in 1814, the last of the great Frost Fairs. He got Stevie Wonder to sing for me under London Bridge.”

“Spoilers, sweetie.” Maddie scolded her.

“Stevie Wonder sang in 1814?” Rory asked confused.

“Yes, he did.” River nodded, she glanced at Maddie. “But you must never tell him.”

“We've come from the Doctor too.” Rory told her.

River nodded. “Yes, but at a different point in time.”

“Unless there's two of them.” Maddie comment.

“Now, that's a whole different birthday.” River grinned.

“He needs you.” Rory told her seriously.

River checked her diary. “Demon's Run.” She sighed.

“How did you know?” Maddie asked a bit confused.

River looked at her. “I'm from his future. I always know.” Then she looked at Rory. “Why on Earth are you wearing that?”

“The Doctor's idea.” Rory sighed.

River nodded. “Of course. His rules of engagement. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”

“Look ridiculous.” Rory said annoyed.

Maddie laughed. “Yep.” She popped with the ‘p’.

River looked at Rory. “Have you considered heels?”

Then Rory went serious. “They've taken Amy. And our baby. The Doctor's getting some people together. We're going after her, but he needs you, too.”

“I can't. Not yet, anyway.” River told him.

“Why?” Maddie asked to her.

Rory blinked. “I'm sorry?”

“This is the Battle of Demon's Run.” River sighed and explained it to them. “The Doctor's darkest hour. He'll rise higher than ever before and then fall so much further, and I can't be with him till the very end.”

“Why not?” Maddie asked to her.

“Because this is it.” River replied, looking her, then at Rory. “This is the day he finds out who I am.”

~00~

Colonel Manton addressed his assembled troops. “He is not the devil. He is not a god. He is not a goblin, or a phantom or a trickster. The Doctor is a living, breathing man, and as I look around this room I know one thing. We're sure as hell going to fix that.” The troops cheered. “On this day, in this place, the Doctor will fall.”

“Hoo Rah!”

“The man who talks, the man who reasons, the man who lies, will meet the perfect answer.” Colonel Manton continued.

“Hoo Rah!”

“Some of you have wondered why have we have allied ourselves with the Headless Monks. Perhaps you should have wondered why we call them Headless. It's time you knew what these guys have sacrificed for faith. As you all know, it is a Level One Heresy, punishable by death, to lower the hood of a Headless Monk. But by the divine grant of the Papal Mainframe herself, on this one and only occasion, I can show you the truth. Because these guys never can be persuaded.” Colonel Manton lowered one Monk's hood. It has no head, just the skin of the neck tied off. “They never can be afraid.” A second hood was lowered. “And they can never, ever be…” The third hood was revealed…

“Surprised!” The Doctor called. “Ha, ha! Hello, everyone. Guess who. Please, point a gun at me if it helps you relax.” The army took aim, except for two. The Monks got their flaming swords ready. “You're only human.”

Colonel Manton looked at him. “Doctor, you will come with me right now.”

“Three minutes forty seconds.” The Doctor comment as then he shouted. “Amelia Pond! Get your coat!”

Just then Maddie put the lights out for a few seconds with her brand new sonic. The Doctor disappeared in the shadows. “I'm not a phantom.”

“Doctor?”

“I'm not a trick.”

“Doctor?”

“I'm a monk.”

“Doctor, show yourself.”

Just then a man shouted, pointing at something. “It's him! He's here! It's him!”

The army faced off against the Monks. A shot was fired. “Weapons down! Do not fire!” Colonel Manton shouted to the soldiers as then a Monk killed a soldier. “No!”

“Follow me.” Kovarian ordered to some people.

“Doctor!” Colonel Manton shouted. “Doctor!” Then he looked at his men. “Do not fire. Nobody discharge their weapon in this room. Nobody! Do not fire!” Just then, a sonic screwdriver was in use. “Stop. Wait. Listen to me. I am disarming my weapon pack. Monks, I do this in good faith. I am now unarmed. All of you, discharge your weapon packs. The Doctor is trying to make fools of us. We are soldiers of God. We are not fools. We are not fools. We are not fools. We are not fools.”

“We are not fools!”

“We are not fools.”

“We are not fools.”

“We are not fools.”

“We are not fools.”

Lorna had left the assembly and found a discarded habit in a corridor. She ran on as the other soldiers were still shouting. “We are not fools. We are not fools. We are not fools.”

Then, Silurians beamed in to the galleries around the assembly as some Judoons appeared too. “This base is now under our command.”

“I have a fleet out there.” Colonel Manton told him. “If Demon's Run goes down, there's an automatic distress call.”

Just then the Doctor and Maddie stood side by side on a high thingy. “Not if we knock out your communications array. And you've got incoming.” He called to him.

Suddenly a pilot called. “Danny Boy to the Doctor. Danny Boy to the Doctor.”

“Give 'em hell, Danny Boy.” The Doctor spoke through a communicator.

Then Spitfires strafe were heard around the asteroid's communications array. Then they heard. “Target destroyed.”

“Don't slump. It's bad for your spine.” Strax comment, looking at Colonel Manton.

~00~

The Doctor and Maddie were in the Control room as a few others, but then Strax marched Colonel Manton in at gunpoint. “All airlocks sealed. Resistance neutralised.”

“Sorry, Colonel Manton.” The Doctor looked at him. “I lied. Three minutes forty two seconds.”

“Colonel Manton, you will give the order for your men to withdraw.” Strax ordered to Colonel Manton.

“No.” The Doctor shook with his head as Maddie looked at him, heeling his anger. He was very, very angry. “Colonel Manton, I want you to tell your men to run away.”

Colonel Manton blinked. “You what?”

“Those words. Run away. I want you to be famous for those exact words. I want people to call you Colonel Run Away. I want children laughing outside your door, because they've found the house of Colonel Run Away.” The Doctor rushed over to him as Maddie stiffed. “And, when people come to you, and ask if trying to get to me through the people I love is in any way a good idea, I want you to tell them your name. Oh, look, I'm angry. That's new. I'm really not sure what's going to happen now.”

Just then Kovarian and some soldiers came in. “The anger of a good man is not a problem. Good men have too many rules.”

“Good men don't need rules.” The Doctor looked at her. “Today is not the day to find out why I have so many.”

“Give the order.” Kovarian told to him. “Give the order, Colonel Run Away.”

~00~

Not much later the Doctor and Maddie made their way to where Rory and Amy were, with their baby. “Urgh. Kissing and crying. I'll, I'll be back in a bit.”

Maddie shook with her head. “No you will not.”

Just then, Rory saw them. “Oi, you. Get in here, now.” Maddie basically dragged the Doctor over to them. “My daughter. What do you think?”

“Hello, little girl.” Maddie comment to the baby.

“Hello. Hello, baby.” The Doctor smiled.

“Melody.” Amy told them her name.

“Beautiful name, for a beautiful girl.” Maddie comment.

“Melody?” The Doctor looked at the baby. “Hello, Melody Pond.”

“Melody Williams.” Rory corrected him.

“Is a geography teacher.” Amy added. “Melody Pond is a superhero.”

“Well yes, I suppose she does smell nice.” The Doctor looked at the little baby. “Never really sniffed her. Maybe I should give it a go. Amelia Pond, come here.”

They hugged as Amy comment. “Doctor.”

“I'm sorry we were so long.” The Doctor muttered to her.

“It's okay.” Amy smiled. “I knew you were coming. All of you. My boys and girl.”

Then Rory comment to them. “We want you two to be godparents of Melody.”

“We would be honoured.” Maddie told him as the Doctor smiled at him.

Then Melody gurgled as the Doctor comment to her. “It's okay. She's still all yours. And really, you should call her mummy, not big milk thing.”

“Okay, what are you doing?” Amy asked to him.

“I speak Baby.” The Doctor replied to her.

Amy looked at him in disbelief. “No, you don't.”

“He does.” Maddie comment to her.

“I speak everything, don't I, Melody Pond.” The Doctor told to Melody as she gurgled back. “No, it's not. it's cool.”

Just then Maddie thought to the Doctor. ‘You are really good with kids.’

‘Thank you, dear.’ The Doctor thought back.

Just then, Vastra came to them. “Doctor? Take a look. They're leaving. Demon's Run is ours without a drop of blood spilled. My friend, you have never risen higher.” Rory- and Maddie’s blood run cold at the worlds of her. Recalling what River had told them.

~00~

Amy carried Melody out of the Tardis. Rory looked concerned. “Hey, what's wrong?” Then Maddie came out of the Tardis as well.

“She doesn't like the Tardis noise.” Amy replied to him. “I asked him to turn something off, but it was all, but I don't want to punch a hole in the space-time continuum. Shush.”

“It’s totally rubbish.” Maddie added.

Just then Jenny came to them. “Rory!” Strax followed her. “The Judoon have escorted the Clerics out of the quadrant. Spitfires have returned to their own time. Captain Avery and his men are going.” Then she asked concerned. “Is she all right?”

Amy nodded. “Yes, she's just crying.”

Strax held out his arm. “Give her to me, human fool. She needs changing.”

“I just changed her.” Amy looked at him. “I think she might need a feed.”

“A feed, of course.” Strax nodded. “I'll take care of everything.”

Rory looked confused. “Er, I really don't think you will, actually.”

“I have gene-spliced myself for all nursing duties. I can produce magnificent quantities of lactic fluid.” Strax told him as Maddie face palmed.

“Okay...” She trailed off.

Just then the Doctor came out of the Tardis with a wooden cot that had an orrary dangling over it. “She's not hungry, she's tired. Sorry, Melody, they're just not listening.” Then he placed it on something.

Amy looked at the cot. “What's this?”

“A cot.” Maddie replied to her. 

“Very pretty, according to your daughter.” The Doctor added.

“It's a, it's a cot.” Rory told him.

“I already said that.” Maddie muttered.

“No flies on the Roman.” The Doctor comment. “Give her here.” Then he held out his hands.

Amy handed Melody over. “Hey, there we go.”

The Doctor placed Melody in the cot as Rory asked to him. “But where would you get a cot?”

“It's old.” Amy looked at the Doctor and Maddie. “Really old. Doctor, er, do you have children or are you two trying to have children?”

“No.” The Doctor replied.

“Have you ever had children?” Amy asked another question.

The Doctor shook with his head to Melody. “No, it's real. It's my hair.”

“Who slept in here?” Amy asked to him.

Just then Vastra’s voice was heard over the coms. “Doctor, we need you in the main control room.”

“Be right there!” The Doctor shouted back as then he looked at the others. “Things to do. I've still got to work out what this base is for. We can't leave till we know.”

“We need to work it out.” Maddie corrected him.

“But this is where I was?” Amy asked confused. “The whole time I thought I was on the Tardis, I was really here?”

The Doctor looked at Rory. “Er, Centurian, permission to hug?”

Rory nodded. “Be aware, I do have a sword.” Then he pointed at his sword.

Then the Doctor hugged Amy. “At all times. You were on the Tardis, too. Your heart, your mind, your soul. But physically, yes, you were still in this place.”

“And when I saw that face looking through the hatch, that woman looking at me.” Amy told him.

“Reality bleeding through.” Maddie told her.

“They must have taken you quite a while back. Just before America.” The Doctor added.

Rory looked at them. “That's probably enough hugging now.” The Doctor and Amy went apart. “So her Flesh avatar was with us all that time. But that means they were projecting a control signal right into the Tardis wherever we were in time and space.”

“Yeah, they're very clever.” Maddie nodded.

“Who are?” Amy asked confused.

“Whoever wants our baby.” Rory replied to her.

Amy was still confused. “But why do they want her?”

The Doctor nodded. “Exactly.”

“Is there anything you're not telling us?” Rory looked at him. “You knew Amy wasn't real. You never said.”

The Doctor sighed. “Well, I couldn't be sure they weren't listening.”

“But you always hold out on us. Please, not this time.” Amy looked at him. “Doctor, Maddie, it's our baby. Tell us something. One little thing.”

“It's mine.” The Doctor replied as Maddie face palmed. ‘A little more detail next time.’

Rory and Amy looked confused. “What is?”

“The cot.” The Doctor replied. “It's my cot. I slept in there.” Then he grabbed Maddie’s hand and so they walked out of the room, they just hearing Amy saying something to Melody.

“Oh, my God. It's the Doctor's first stars.”

~00~

Not much later Maddie and the Doctor were back in the Control room. “You've hacked into their software, then?” The Doctor asked, looking at Dorium.

“I believe I sold it to them.” Dorium replied to him.

Maddie looked at him. “Oh.”

The Doctor looked at the screen. “Ooo. So what have we learned?”

“That anger is always the shortest distance to a mistake.” Vastra replied to him.

“I can agree to that.” Maddie muttered.

The Doctor blinked. “I'm sorry?”

Vastra looked at him. “The words of an old friend who once found me in the London Underground, attempting to avenge my sisters on perfectly innocent tunnel diggers.”

“Well, you were very cross at the time.” The Doctor told her.

Vastra looked at the Doctor. “As you were today, old friend. Point taken, I hope. Now, I have a question. A simple one. Is Melody human?”

“Sorry, what?” The Doctor asked confused as Maddie looked at them also confused. “Of course she is. Completely human. What are you talking about?”

“They've been scanning her since she was born, and I think they found what they were looking for.” Dorium replied to him.

“Human DNA.” The Doctor and Maddie said on the same time.

“Look closer.” Vastra told them. “Human plus. Specifically, human plus Time Lord.”

“But she's human.” Maddie shrugged.

“She's Amy and Rory's daughter.” The Doctor added.

“You've told me about your people.” Vastra told to him as she didn’t know that Maddie was half Time Lord… Lady, he never told her. “They became what they did through prolonged exposure to the time vortex. The Untempered Schism.”

“Over billions of years.” The Doctor exclaimed. “It didn't just happen.”

Vastra looked at him. “So how close is she? Could she even regenerate?”

“No, no. I don't think so.” The Doctor replied to her.

“You don't sound so sure.” Vastra noticed.

“He isn’t.” Maddie comment.

“Because I don't understand how this happened.” The Doctor sighed.

Vastra sighed heavily. “Which leads me to ask when did it happen?”

“When?” The Doctor blinked.

“I am trying to be delicate.” Vastra sighed. “I know how you can blush. When did this baby begin?”

“Oh, you mean…” The Doctor had his eyes widen as he trailed off.

Vastra nodded. “Quite.”

“Well, how would I know?” The Doctor looked at her. “That's all human-y, private stuff. It just sort of goes on. They don't put up a balloon, or anything.”

“No, they don’t.” Maddie agreed.

Vastra looked at him. “But could the child have begun on the Tardis in flight, in the vortex.”

“No! No! Impossible!” The Doctor exclaimed. “It's all running about, sexy fish vampires and blowing up stuff. And Rory wasn't even there at the beginning. Then he was dead, then he didn't exist, then he was plastic. Then I had to reboot the whole universe. Long story. So, technically the first time they were on the Tardis together in this version of reality, was on their w…”

“Oh.” Maddie realised it as well.

Vastra looked at them. “On their what?”

“On their wedding night.” The Doctor replied to her. “But, it doesn't make sense. You can't just cook yourself a Time Lord.”

“Nope.” Maddie sighed.

“Of course not.” Vastra looked at the Doctor. “But you gave them one hell of a start, and they've been working very hard ever since.”

“And yet they gave in so easily.” Dorium looked at them. “Does this not that bother anyone else?”

“Amy.” The Doctor had his eyes widen. “She worried the baby would have a time head. She said that…”

Vastra shook with her head. “Only you would ignore the instincts of a mother.”

“Or the instincts of a coward.” Dorium comment as then he looked at Vastra. “This is too easy. There's something wrong.”

“Why even do it?” The Doctor looked at the others. “Even if you could get your hands on a brand new Time Lord, what for?”

“Don’t know.” Maddie sighed.

“A weapon?” Vastra asked to him.

The Doctor looked at her. “Why would a Time Lord be a weapon?”

“Well, they've seen you.” Vastra replied to him.

“Me?” The Doctor blinked.
Just then Vastra looked at Dorium. “Mister Maldovar, you're right. This was too easy. We should get back to the others.” Then Vastra and Dorium leave.

The Doctor looked at Maddie. “Me?” Then he thought back to the warehouse in 1969.

I'd say she's human, going by the life-support software. She climbed out of the suit, like she forced her way out. She must be incredibly strong.

Just then Kovarian was on screen. “I see you accessed our files. Do you understand yet? Oh, don't worry, I'm a long way away. But I like to keep tabs on you. The child, then. What do you think?”

“What is she?” The Doctor looked angry as then he grabbed Maddie and held her close.

“Hope.” Kovarian held an straight face. “Hope in this endless, bitter war.”

“What war?” The Doctor asked to her. “Against who?”

“Against you, Doctor.” Kovarian replied bitterly.

“A child is not a weapon!” The Doctor shouted angry.

“Oh, give us time.” Kovarian smirked. “She can be. She will be.”

“Except you've already lost her, and I swear I will never let you anywhere near her again.” The Doctor grinned in victory.

But, Kovarian was smirking. “Oh, Doctor.” She told him. “Fooling you once was a joy, but fooling you twice the same way? It's a privilege.”

“Oh, no. Amy.” Maddie glanced at the Doctor.

“Amy.” The Doctor grabbed Maddie’s hand as then they run off. “Amy.”

~00~

Demons run when a good man goes to war. Night will fall and drown the sun, when a good man goes to war. Friendship dies and true love lies, night will fall and the dark will rise, when a good man goes to war. Demons run but count the cost. The battle's won, but the child is lost.

They were shouting on their way to Amy, warning her, but they were too late as they run in, everything was quiet. “Amy! Amy.”

Rory looked grimly. “Yeah, we know.”

The Monks were dead and Strax was wounded. “It's strange. I have often dreamed of dying in combat. I'm not enjoying it as much as I'd hoped.”

“Come on, Strax.” Rory looked at him. “Don't give up.”

“It's all right.” Strax sighed. “I've had a good life. I'm nearly twelve.”

Rory looked at him. “Listen to me. You'll be back on your feet in no time. You're a warrior.”

“Rory, I'm a nurse.” Strax passed away.

Just then, the Doctor and Maddie went over to where Jenny was comforting Amy. “So they took her anyway.” She had tears in her eyes. “All this was for nothing.”

“I am so sorry.” The Doctor wanted to hug Amy, but she rejected him.

“It’s not his fault.” Maddie comment, but she didn’t listen to her.

Then Jenny looked at her. “Amy, it's not his fault.”

“I know.” Amy sighed. “I know.”

Just then Vastra came to them. “Doctor, Maddie, there's someone who wants to speak to you. Her name is Lorna. She came to warn us.” Then they went over her, but she was also dying.

“Hey.” Maddie greeted her.

“Hello.” The Doctor added.

“Doctor.” Lorna looked at them. “Maddie.”

“You helped my friends.” The Doctor looked at her, crouching down. “Thank you.”

“I met you two once, in the Gamma Forests.” Lorna said weakly. “You two don't remember me.”

“We do.” Maddie told her.

“Hey, of course I remember.” The Doctor looked at her. “I remember everyone. Hey, we ran, you, me and Maddie. Didn't we run, Lorna?” Then Lorna died.

“Who was she?” Maddie asked to Vastra.

“I don't know, but she was very brave.” Vastra replied, looking at her.

“They're always brave.” The Doctor said sadly as then he stood up. “They're always brave.”

“Yeah, they are.” Maddie nodded.

“So, what now?” Vastra looked at them. “They'd almost certainly have taken her to Earth. Raise her in the correct environment.”

“Yes, they did.” The Doctor looked at her. “And it's already too late.”

“You're giving up?” Vasrtra asked in disbelieve. “You never do that.”

The Doctor looked at her, angry. “Yeah, and don't you sometimes wish I did?”

Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning. “Well then, soldier.” River called. “How goes the day?”

“Where the hell have you been?” The Doctor walked towards her, angry. “Every time you've asked, I have been there. Where the hell were you today?” Maddie followed him.

“I couldn't have prevented this.” River replied, calmly.

“You could have tried!” The Doctor shouted as everyone else looked at them.

“And so could you.” River told him as then she looked at Amy. “I know you're not all right. But hold tight, Amy, because you're going to be.”

“You think I wanted this?” The Doctor shouted angry. “I didn't do this. This, this wasn't me!”

Then Maddie stood went over River as she said to him. “This was exactly you. All this. All of it. You make them so afraid. When you began, all those years ago, sailing off to see the universe, did you ever think you'd become this?”

“The man who can turn an army around at the mention of his name.” River continued. “Doctor. The word for healer and wise man throughout the universe. We get that word from you, you know. But if you carry on the way you are, what might that word come to mean? To the people of the Gamma Forests, the word Doctor means mighty warrior.”

“How far you've come.” Maddie looked at him. “And now they've taken a child, the child of our best friends, and they're going to turn her into a weapon just to bring you down. And all this, my love, in fear of you.”

“Who are you?” The Doctor asked to River.

“Oh look, your cot.” River went over to the cot, Maddie followed her. “Haven't seen that in a very long while.”

“No, no, you tell me.” The Doctor followed them. “Tell me who you are.”

“I am telling you.” River placed his hand on the cot. “Can't you read?”

Maddie looked at her. “Oh.” She realised it.

“Hello.” The Doctor realised also.

“Hello.” River smiled to them.

“But…” He looked back at Amy and Rory. “But that means…”

“I'm afraid it does.” River nodded.

“Nice.” Maddie smiled also.

“Ooo. But you and I, we, we, we, er…” The Doctor mention hugging.

“Yes.” River nodded.

The Doctor was getting all excited with anticipation. “How do I look?” He straighten his bowtie.

“Amazing.” River nodded, smiling.

“I'd better be.” The Doctor said to her.
“Yes, you'd better be.” River nodded.

“Me too, right?” Maddie asked to her.

“Yes.” River smiled.

“Nice.” Maddie nodded.

“Vastra and Jenny, till the next time.” The Doctor looked at them. “Rory and Amy, I know where to find your daughter, and on my life, she will be safe.” Then he pointed around. “River, get them all home.”

“Doctor!” Rory shouted confused.

“No!” Amy shouted as well. “Where are you going?”

Maddie took down the forcefield around the Tardis and she and the Doctor went inside. “No!” Amy shouted to them as then the TARDIS dematerialised.

“Where's he going and what did you tell him?” Amy asked, looking at River.

“Amy, you have stay calm.” River replied to her.

Just then Amy picked up a gun. “Tell me what you told the Doctor and Maddie.” She walked towards River.

“Amy, no. Stop it!” Rory shouted to her as he followed Amy.

“It's okay, Rory.” River told him as she looked at Amy. “She's fine. She's good. It's the Tardis translation matrix. It takes a while to kick in with the written word. You have to concentrate.”

“I still can't read it.” Amy held up the gun.

“It's because it's Gallifreyan and doesn't translate.” River grabbed the prayer leaf. “But this will.” River handed it over to Amy. “It's your daughter's name in the language of the Forest.”

“I know my daughter's name.” Amy told her.

“Except they don't have a word for Pond, because the only water in the forest is the River.” River explained it to them as Amy looked at the prayer leaf. “The Doctor will find your daughter, and he will care for her whatever it takes. And I know that. It's me. I'm Melody. I'm your daughter.” They looked at her in shock.