The Doctor studied her with a pensive expression, eyes darkening as he seemed to come to an unhappy conclusion.
"How did they end up in there?" Amy interrupted, curiously examining the Pandorica.
The Doctor frowned, but eventually turned away from her, walking around to the other side of the Pandorica. "You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked the warrior and the Siren. The Oracle was never caught, and was never seen again."
Lyssa closed her eyes, straining to think through the building anxiety. Something was off here, and more than just there being three people in the Pandorica.
"I hate good wizards in fairy tales," River commented. "They always turn out to be him, and the fairy godmothers turn out to be her."
"Really? I get to be a fairy? Cool!" Lyssa grinned, distracted by the thought.
"So, it's kind of like Pandora's Box, then," Amy said, ignoring her and looking around. "Almost the same name."
"Sorry, what?" the Doctor asked, popping his back around the side of the box.
"The story, Pandora's Box, with all the worst things in the world in it." The Doctor placed his torch in a holder, using his sonic on the Pandorica. "That was my favorite book as a kid," Amy continued. The Doctor immediately stopped, walking over to Amy with a concerned look on his face. "What's wrong?" she asked slowly.
"Your favorite school topic, your favorite story. Never ignore a coincidence. Unless you're busy. Then, always ignore a coincidence," he told her, walking back to the Pandorica.
"Actually, that's when you should pay the most attention to them. It's like experiencing Deja Vu in the Matrix," Lyssa warned.
"So, can you open it?" River asked, glancing at Lyssa with narrowed eyes before reluctantly turning back to the Pandorica.
"Easily," the Doctor told her. "Anyone can break into a prison, but I'd rather know what I'm going to find first."
Lyssa looked away uncomfortably, biting her lip, stopping when she tasted blood. She sighed, wiping it away with her hand and making a mental note to stop doing that.
"It's already opening," River realized, looking at the scanner in her hand. "There are layers and layers of security protocols in there, and they're being disabled, one by one. Like it's being unlocked from the inside."
"How long do we have?" the Doctor asked.
"Hours at the most," River shook her head, frowning at her scanner.
The Doctor turned to look at Lyssa. "Why so many protocols? Why... the Pandorica?"
She frowned. "For the same reason the thief fears the police officer."
It took a minute, but she could see his eyes widen as realization hit, swiveling to study the Pandorica before whipping his head back to her.
"So why would it start to open now?" River asked.
"No idea," he said absently, still staring at Lyssa, who was determinedly avoiding his gaze.
"Hmm, and how could Vincent have known about it? He won't even be born for centuries," Amy pointed out.
The Doctor whipped out his sonic screwdriver and began scanning the stone pillars in the room. "The stones! These stones are great big transmitters, broadcasting a warning to everyone, everywhere, to every time zone. The Pandorica is opening!"
"Doctor... everyone, everywhere?" River asked in dawning realization.
And there it was.
Lyssa wrapped her arms tightly around her middle, staring miserably at the ground.
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Lost In Time: A Doctor Who Fanfiction
FanfictionLyssa Devons was trying to run away. But a freak lightning storm sent her to another destination entirely - the TARDIS. Now she's being tossed around the Doctor's timeline, where everyone seems to know who she is. The trouble is, that she doesn't. W...
