Never let me go [2]

Chapter 13 - Night Terrors

The Doctor got a message on his psychic paper. “Please save me from the monsters. Haven't done this in a while.”

“What , my dear?” Maddie asked to him.

Amy looked at the Doctor. “Haven't done what? What are you doing?”

“Making a house call.” The Doctor replied to them.

~00~

Not much later, the Tardis materialised by a big puddle. They all stepped out of the Tardis as Rory comment. “No offence, Doctor.”

“Meaning the opposite.” The Doctor scoffed.

“But we could get a bus somewhere like this.” Rory continued, casually.

“The exact opposite.” Doctor added.

Maddie sighed. “I agreed.”

“Well, I suppose it can't all be planets and history and stuff, Rory.” Amy comment.

“Yes, it can. Course it can.” The Doctor told them. “Planets and history and stuff. That's what we do. But not today. No. Today, we're answering a cry for help from the scariest place in the universe. A child's bedroom.”

Maddie gave him a look, a worried one. “Oh, no. I hope we can help.”

“We can.” The Doctor comment to her.

“Okay, good.” Maddie nodded.

Then they started to walk as the Doctor let them see the psychic paper. Rory frowned. “Please save me from the monsters? Who sent that?”

“That's what we're here to find out.” The Doctor replied to him.

Amy looked at him. “Sounds like something a kid would say.”

“Indeed.” Maddie nodded.

“Exactly.” The Doctor nodded as well as they were by the lift from the flat. “A scared kid. A very scared kid. So scared that somehow its cry for help got through to us in the Tardis.”

“Yeah, but you've traced it here.” Amy told him.

“Exactly.” The Doctor pressed a button. “Ah. Going up.”

~00~

All four of them were knocking on doors. A little girl answered the one Amy was at, while the Doctor and Maddie got Mrs. Rossiter. And Rory got a grumpy man. Not much later three doors were slammed in their faces. Across the way, back to the lift, the Doctor spotted a young boy. Then Amy greeted them. “Hey. Any luck?”

“Three old ladies, a traffic warden from Croatia and...” The Doctor was interrupted by Maddie.

She looked at them. “...a man with ten cats.”

“What are we actually looking for?” Rory asked.

“Ten cats.” The Doctor replied to him. “Scared kid, remember?”

Amy looked at him. “I found scary kids. Does that count?”

“Nope.” Maddie sighed.

“Er, try the next floor down. Catch you later.” The Doctor grabbed Maddie’s hand.

Amy nodded. “Okay.” And they were off again.

~00~

The Doctor knocked and flashed his psychic paper, Maddie stood beside him as soon as a man opened the door. “Oh. Right. That was quick.”

“Was it?” The Doctor checked the paper.

“Claire said she'd phone someone. Social Services.” The man replied to him.

“Yeah, that’s us.” Maddie comment.

“Yes. Yes.” The Doctor added.

The man looked at them. “It's not easy, you know, admitting your kid's got a problem.”

“You've got a problem. I've got a problem.” The Doctor comment. “I bet they're connected, I'm the Doctor and this is Maddie. Call me Doctor and she is Maddie. What can I call you?”

“Alex.” The man, Alex replied to him.

“Hello, Alex.” Maddie greeted as then they stepped inside.

“So, tell me about George.” Doctor added as them he noticed on the nearest door a label, with George’s name on it. Maddie noticed as well.

~00~

The Doctor and Maddie were looking through the family albums. “Ever since he was born he's been a funny kid.” Alex told them.

“Funny's good. We like funny, don't we?” The Doctor asked.

“Yeah.” Maddie nodded.

“He never cries.” Alex told them further. “Bottles it all up, I suppose. Tell him off, he just looks at you.”

Maddie looked up. “How old is he?”

“He was eight in January. I mean, he should be growing out of stuff like this, shouldn't he?” Alex asked them.

“Maybe.” The Doctor looked up. “It's got worse, though lately?”

“Yeah.” Alex nodded. “We talked about getting help. You know, maybe sending him somewhere. He started getting these nervous tics. You know, funny little cough, blinking all the time. But now it's got completely out of hand. I mean, he's scared to death of everything.”

“Pantaphobia.” The Doctor suddenly said.

Alex looked at him. “What?”

“That's what it's called.” The Doctor replied as Maddie face palmed. “Pantaphobia. Not a fear of pants though, if that's what you're thinking. It's a fear of everything. Including pants, I suppose, in that case. Sorry. Go on.”

“He hates clowns.” Alex spoke further.

The Doctor nodded. “Understandable.”

“Old toys.” Alex looked at him. “He thinks the old lady across the way is a witch. He hates having a bath in case there's something under the water. The lift sounds like someone breathing. Look, I don't know. I'm not an expert. Maybe you can get through to him.”

Maddie nodded. “We'll do our best.”

~00~

Not much later they walked to George's room, Alex opened the door. “George? You okay? What's the matter? Oh. Never mind. Were you having a nightmare, son?”

George shook with his head. “Wasn't a nightmare. I wasn't asleep. Who are you two?”

“I’m Maddie.” Maddie replied to him.

“And I’m the Doctor.” The Doctor added.

George looked at him. “A doctor? Have you come to take me away?”

“No, George.” The Doctor shook with his head. “We just want to talk to you.”

“What about?” George asked.

“About the monsters.” Maddie replied to him.

~00~

The Doctor was whizzing through not solving a Rubik's cube. Maddie looked at him as then Alex spoke up. “Maybe it was things on the telly, you know?”

“Right.” The Doctor replied absently.

“Scary stuff, getting under his skin, frightening him.” Alex spoke further.

“Mmm-hmm.” The Doctor hummed.

“Yeah.” Maddie nodded, looking at the little boy.

“We stopped letting him watch.” Alex continued.

“Oh, you don't want to do that.” The Doctor groaned.

“Then Claire thought it might have been something he was reading.” Alex told them.

“Maybe.” Maddie muttered. 

“Great. Reading's great. You like stories, George? Yeah? Me, too. When I was your age, about, ooo, a thousand years ago, I loved a good bedtime story. The Three Little Sontarans. The Emperor Dalek's New Clothes. Snow White And The Seven Keys To Doomsday, eh? All the classics.” The Doctor throws the Rubik's cube away. “Rubbish. Must be broken. I hate those things. Better tidy it away, though, eh? How about in here? No. Not in the cupboard. Why not in there, George?”

“Can’t till you read our children.” Maddie muttered sarcastically.

“It's a thing.” Alex explained. “A thing we got him doing ages back. Anything that frightens him, we put it in the cupboard. Creepy toys, scary pictures, that sort of thing.”

“And is that where the monsters go?” The Doctor looked at them as then he stood up, followed by Maddie. “Yeah. There's nothing to be scared of, George. It's just a cupboard.” Then he was about to unlock it when there was a hammering at the front door that make everyone jump.

“Front door.” Alex comment as then he walked out of the room.

~00~

They can just see a little, who was by the front door. “How's Claire?”

“Good, thanks. At work. Look, er, this really isn't a good time. Maybe later I…”

“And the kiddie?”

“Good. Yeah.”

“You know how I hate to mention it, but it's that time again.”

“Yes.”

“And you know I like my money prompt.”

“The thing is, I still haven't found anywhere since the shop shut, and Claire's wage only goes so far. I thought we could, you know, come to some sort of arrangement.”

Just then the Doctor got out his sonic screwdriver. George frowned. “Is that a torch?”

“That’s a screwdriver.” Maddie replied to him.

“No can do, son. If I went around…”

“A sonic one.” The Doctor added. “And other stuff.”

“Please may I see the other stuff?” George asked them.

“You may.” Maddie replied to him.

Then he make some of the battery toys move. “Ah, pretty cool, eh?” He looked at him. “That's better. No tears from George, that's what I've heard. Go on, give us a smile, there's a brave little soldier. Bit rusty at this. Anyway, let's open this cupboard, eh? There's nothing to be…” Then he scans it. “Off the scale. Off the scale. Off the scale. How?”

“All I want is my three hundred and fifty pound. Simple as that. Night, night. Come on, son. Come on.” The man leaves as then Alex re-joined the Doctor and George.

“Right. Sorry about that.” He looked at them. “So, have we got this thing open yet?”

“No!” The Doctor exclaimed. “No, no, no, no, no. You don't want to do that.”

Alex frowned. “Why?”

“Because George's monsters are real.” Maddie replied to him, looking at the Doctors sonic screwdriver.

~00~

The Doctor was going through the cupboards as Maddie comment. “Rude.”

“And still not ginger.” The Doctor added.

“Yes, I know and I don’t think that has to do with not being ginger.” Maddie comment to him.

“Oi.” The Doctor said as he continued to go through the cupboards.

“Well, you are rude, sweetie.” Maddie told him.

“And you are not?” The Doctor asked, raising am eyebrow.

“Hehe.” Maddie muttered, before she spoke out loud. “Not like you.”

“Oi.” He exclaimed.

Maddie shrugged. “What you are.” She said. “If you are rude on our wedding, then I shove you through the door and never speak to you again.”

“Valuate point.” The Doctor told her.

“Thank you.” Maddie nodded.

“Urgh.” The Doctor groaned and told her mentally. ‘When we are alone, I’m gonna let you see that I’m a gentleman and not always rude.’

‘I would like to see you try.’ Maddie smirked.

‘Shut it.’ The Doctor comment, mentally.

‘Make me.’ Maddie smirked, again.

“Oh, for god’s sake.” The Doctor went to her and kissed.

“Not very professional, sweetie.” Maddie smiled at him.

“Oi, you make me all flirty and other things....” the Doctor trailed off.

“Omg, Doctor. We are in someone house with a child nonetheless.” Maddie scolded him. “Don’t even think about it. Focus on the child.”

The Doctor looked at her. “I’m sorry, my dear.” Then he kissed her again.

Then Maddie gave him a look. “Sweetie, cupboards.”

“Yes, yes.” He clapped in his hands and continued to look through the cupboards.

Moments later Alec walked into the kitchen. “You're supposed to be a professional. I'll never get him to sleep now. It's so irresponsible.”

“No, Alex. Responsible.” The Doctor looked at him. “Very. Cupboard bad. Cupboard not bare. Stay away from cupboard. And there's something else. Something I've missed. Something staring me in the face.”

“Yeah, a closet.” Maddie snickered.

Alec looked at them. “Look, I'd like you two to leave, please. You're just making things worse. Will you stop making tea. I want you to leave.”

“No.” The Doctor told him.

“Can’t so that.” Maddie added.

Alex blinked. “What? What do you mean no? Leave. Get out. Now, please. Look, maybe this was a bad idea. We should sort out George ourselves.”

“You can't.” The Doctor comment.
“No one's going to tell us how to run our lives.” Alex scoffed. “I don't care who you are or what wheels have been set in motion. We'll sort it.”

“I'm not just a professional. I'm the Doctor.” The Doctor comment.

“And I’m Maddie.” Maddie added. “We are here to help you.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Alex asked, confused.

The Doctor sighed. “It means I've come a long way to get here, Alex. A very long way. George sent a message. A distress call, if you like. Whatever's inside that cupboard is so terrible, so powerful, that it amplified the fears of an ordinary little boy across all the barriers of time and space.”

Alex stood there confused. “Eh?”

“Through crimson stars and silent stars and tumbling nebulas like oceans set on fire.” The Doctor continued talking. “Through empires of glass and civilizations of pure thought, and a whole, terrible, wonderful universe of impossibilities. You see these eyes? They're old eyes.”

“And one thing I can tell you, Alex. Monsters are real.” Maddie added.

Alex looked at them. “You're not from Social Services, are you?”

“No.” Maddie shook with her head.

“First things first.” The Doctor asked to Alex. “You got any Jammie Dodgers?”

~00~

Later they were in the living room, the Doctor looked through a photo album with Maddie. “What is it with these photos? Anyway. Good. Nice tea. Nothing like a cuppa, but, decision. Should we open the cupboard?”

“What?” Alec exclaimed.

“Should we?” The Doctor asked to him as Maddie face palmed.

“Well…” Alex began as the Doctor interrupted him.

“Got to open the cupboard, haven't we.” He looked at him. “Course we have. Come on, Alex. Alex, come on. How else will we ever find out what's going on here?”

Maddie face palmed again as Alex looked at him, blinking. “All right, but you said...”

“Monsters.” The Doctor exclaimed. “Yeah, well, that's what I do. Breakfast, dinner and tea. Fight the monsters. So this, this is just an average day at the office for me.”

“Okay, yeah.” Alex nodded. “You're right.”

“Or maybe we shouldn't open the cupboard.” The Doctor rambled.

Alex looked confused. “Eh?”

“Sweetie, you are rambling.” Maddie comment.

“We have no idea what might be in there.” The Doctor continued. “How powerful, how evil that thing might be.”

“Oh, god.” Maddie muttered.

“We don't?” Alex asked, confused.

“Come on, Alex.” The Doctor looked at him. “Alex, come on. Are you crazy? We can't open the cupboard.”

Alex shook with his head. “God, no, no, we mustn't.”

“Right.” The Doctor clapped with his hands. “That settles it.”

“Yes.” Alex nodded as then he asked confused. “Settles what?”

“Going to open the cupboard.” The Doctor replied to him.

“Knew it.” Maddie exclaimed.

~00~

George peered out from behind Alex as the Doctor and Maddie approached the cupboard. The lift started up and make them all jump. Then the Doctor unlocked the cupboard and opened it, leaping backwards. There were clothes on hangers and toys at the bottom including a lovely Dolls' house. “I don't understand it. It has to be the cupboard. The readings from the sonic screwdriver, they were…”

“Oh.” Maddie runs out and fetched the photo album. “How old is George, Alex?”

“What? How old?” Alex asked confused.

“Yes.” Maddie nodded. “How old is George?”

“Well, I told you tow.” Alex looked at them. “Just turned eight.”

“So you remember when he was born, then?” The Doctor asked to him, realizing, where Maddie going.

Alex nodded. “Of course.”

Maddie looked at the photo album. “Course you do. How could you not? You and Claire. Christmas Eve, 2002, right?”

“What?” Alex blinked. “Er yeah.”

“Couple of weeks before George was born.” Maddie continued. “Tell us about the day he arrived. Must have been wonderful.”

“Well, it was the best day of my...” Alex blinked as then there was a big pause “...life.”

“Are you sure?” Maddie asked, slowly.

Alex nodded. “Yes.”

“You don't sound sure.” The Doctor comment.

“What are you trying to say?” Alex looked at them. “Look, I don't like this. I've told you two before, I want you two to go.”

“We just want to help you.” Maddie replied to him.

“What's the matter, Alex?” The Doctor asked to him.

“I can't.” Alex was very confused. “Oh, don't. Oh, this is scary.”

“No, Alex, this is scary.” Maddie told him. “Claire with baby George.” Then, she pointed at a photo. “New-born, yes?”

“Yes.” Alex nodded.

“Less than a month after Christmas.” Maddie told him, pointing at a photo.

“So?” Alex asked, confused.

“So look.” Maddie pointed at another photo. “Look, Claire's not pregnant.”

Alex was very confused. “What?”

“Not pregnant.” The Doctor repeated what Maddie just said.

“Well, of course not.” Alex exclaimed. “Claire can't have kids!”

“Say that again.” The Doctor told him.

Alex blinked. “We tried everything. She was desperate. As much IVF as we could afford, but. Claire can't have kids. How? How can I have forgotten that?”

“Who are you, George?” The Doctor wondered, looking at George.

“It's not possible. This isn't...” Alex trailed off.

“George?” Maddie asked as George was awfully quiet.

Suddenly the lift make his toys shake. The bedside lamp glowed brightly all of a sudden, then the cupboard door flow open. A white light floods out and grabbed Alex, Maddie and the Doctor. “George! George, what's going on? Are you doing it?” The Doctor shouted.

“No!” Maddie shouted.

“What's happening?” Alex asked, confused.

“Please save me from the monsters.” George repeated the sentence over and over again. “Please save me from the monsters. Please save me from the monsters. Please save me from the monsters.”

“Oh, no.” Maddie exclaimed.

“George, no!” The Doctor shouted.

George looked at them. “Please save me from the monsters. Please save me from the monsters. Please save me from the monsters.”

“Help me, Doctor!” Alex shouted. “Maddie!”

“Please save me from the monsters.” George called.

“George, no!” The Doctor and Maddie were dragged back into the cupboard.

“Please save me from the monsters. Please save me from the monsters. Please save me from the monsters.” George said, still.

Then Alex was dragged into the cupboard. “No!” And the door slammed shut. Peace reigned again.

~00~

Just then Amara popped up in the bed room from little George. “Ello, George.” She greeted him. “What have you done to my family?” she asked to him.

“Family?” He blinked, asking.

“Yes, my family.” Amara nodded. I know what you are. A Tenza, I would believe and let me tell you one thing. Only you can stop your own fears.”

George looked scared, but trusted the child that was in front of him. “I want my daddy.”

“Then get him out the cupboard with my family.” Amara told him. “Please?”

“I don’t know how...” George replied to her.

“Face your fears first, the rest will come.” Amara told him, wisely. Then she looked at the cupboard. “My parents are in there.”

“The Doctor and miss Maddie.” George told her.

Amara looked and smiled at him. “But, please don’t tell them that.”

Just then they heard the Doctor’s voice. “George, you're the only one who can stop this... But you have to believe. You have to believe. You have to know you're safe.” George shook his head. “I can't save you from the monsters. Only you can. George, listen to me. George, listen to me.”

~00~

Meanwhile with Alex, the Doctor and Maddie. They were by the staircase as then they met with Rory. “Rory!” The Doctor shouted.

“Rory!” Maddie shouted as well.

“Doctor!” Rory shouted back. “Maddie!”

“Where's Amy?” Maddie asked to him as Rory pointed at the doll behind him.

“Oh, no. George!” The Doctor shouted to George. “George, you have to face your fears! You have to face them now. You have to open the cupboard, or we'll all be trapped here forever in a living death. George! George, listen to me. George! George, listen to me. George!” Then, George reached for the key.

“Please! George, you have to end this. End this. End it. End it now!” Maddie shouted as well as then, George opened the cupboards and the dolls stopped moving. Then, George was standing at the bottom of the staircase. “George. George, you did it. You did it. Hey, it's okay. It's all okay now. Everything's going to be fine.”

Just then the dolls started moving again down the stairs. The Doctor looked with eyed widen. “No! No! No, no, no, no, no. George, you created this whole world. This whole thing. You can smash it. You can destroy it.” George shook his head. “Something's holding him back. Something's holding him back. Something.”

“That's what did it.” Maddie exclaimed. “That's what the trigger was. He thought you were rejecting him. He thought he wasn't wanted, that someone was going to come and take him away.”

“Well, we, we talked about it.” Alex admitted.

“Yeah, and he heard you, Alex.” Maddie told him.

“A Tenza's sole function is to fit in, to be wanted, and you were rejecting him.” The Doctor added.

“We just couldn't cope! We needed help!” Alex shouted to them.

“Yes, but George didn't know that.” Maddie snapped at him. “He thought you were rejecting him. He still thinks it.”

“But how can we keep him? How can we? He's not…” Alex trailed off.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. “Not what?”

“He's not human.” Alex finished his previous sentence.

Just then the dolls surrounded George. “No.” The Doctor and Maddie shouted on the same time.

“Dad!” George cried out for his father.

Then, Alex pushed his way through the dolls and grabbed George. “Whatever you are, whatever you do, you're my son, and I will never, ever send you away. Oh, George. Oh, my little boy.”

“Dad.” George smiled.

Suddenly the cupboard door flow open. “My little boy.” Alex hugged his son.

“Dad.” George hugged his father back. Then they were back in George’s bed room, but no Amara anywhere. She was back with her parents from the future.

~00~

Not much later they were in the kitchen. George had just had his face washed and dried as then Claire came in the kitchen, the Doctor turned to look at her. “Hello. You're Claire, I expect. Claire,” Air kissed. “how'd you feel about kippers?”

Then Maddie turned to look at Claire as well. “Hello, you are Claire right? We have heard a lot about you.”

Claire looked confused. “Er who…”

“They sent some people about George.” Alex explained. “It's all sorted.”

“Yeah, we had a great time, didn't we?” Maddie asked to George.

George nodded. “Yeah.”

“See? He's fine.” The Doctor comment.

“What, just like that?” Claire asked to them.

“Yes.” The Doctor nodded. “Trust me.” Then he and Maddie walked outside of the flat as Alex followed them.

“Doctor, Maddie, wait.” He shouted to them.

“Sorry, yes. Bye.” The Doctor called to him.

“Goodbye.” Maddie added.

“No, no, you two can't just. I mean…” Alex trailed off.

“It's sorted.” The Doctor told him. “You sorted it. Good man, Alex. Proud of you.”

Alex blinked. “What, that's it?”

“Well, apart from making sure he eats his greens and getting him into a good school, yes.” The Doctor replied as Maddie snored a little.

“But is he going to, I don't know, sprout another head or three eyes or something?” Alex asked confused.

“He's one of the Tenza, remember. He'll adapt perfectly now. Hey! Be whatever you want him to be.” The Doctor replied to him.

“We might pop back around puberty, mind you.” Maddie added.

“Always a funny time.” The Doctor finished.

Just then Claire shouted. “Kippers are getting cold.”

~00~

Maddie and the Doctor met with Amy and Rory. “Come on, you two. Things to do, people to see, whole civilisations to save.” The Doctor told them.

“You feeling okay?” Maddie asked to Amy.

“Er, I think so.” Amy replied to her.

“Well, it's good to be all back together again, in the flesh.” The Doctor told them. “Come on.”

~00~

Not much later they were by the Tardis. “Now, did someone mention something about planets and history and stuff?” The Doctor asked to them.

“Yeah.” Rory nodded.

“Where do you want to go?” The Doctor asked to them.

“Er…” Amy trailed off.

“Mind's gone blank.” The Doctor told her.

“Rude.” Maddie comment.

“And still not ginger.” The Doctor shot back.

Amy looked at him. “Well, I have just been turned into a wooden dolly.”

“Excuses, excuses.” The Doctor comment to her.

“It's tough, though.” Rory comment to them all. “It's like being given three wishes. The whole universe?”

“Or universes.” The Doctor looked at them. “Ooo, three wishes, like Ali Baba. How about that?”

“Sounds good.” Maddie replied to him.

Then they all stepped into the Tardis as then it disappeared from there. Just then children were singing a song. “Tick tock goes the clock, it’s time for war. Tick tock goes the clock, a wound is about the start. Tick tock goes the clock, even for the Doctor.”

~00~

Author’s note: I hope you like the chapter!!!!