supernova: gravity (11th doctor)

The Almost People (pt 1)

"What is that? Why is that?" Scarlette asked, too busy crying to really think about her surroundings.

"Did you sense that?" A Doctor walked into the room, followed by an angry Amy.

"Nova?" The other Doctor sitting nearby approached Scarlette's shaking form.

River grimaced in pain as she rushed to shield Scarlette from the Doctor with her body. "No! Don't..."

"Don't what?" The Doctor asked, confused and somewhat annoyed.

Scarlette slowly stood up. "Holy fuck."

"Wow, I didn't know you cursed, Nova," Amy chuckled a little through her anger at the Doctor.

"Who's Nova?" Scarlette asked.

Everyone fell silent, even Cleaves and what remained of her team.

"What do you mean, who's Nova? You're Nova." Amy stated.

Scarlette squinted a little, trying not to panic and piece together information. "Supernova?" she asked River. "Did I name myself after... supernovas?"

"Well I think it was more the philosophy behind them..." River shrugged.

"What's going on? Why don't you remember you're Nova?" Amy asked.

"Ow!" Scarlette spasmed and fell to the ground. "Oh my god!" She exclaimed, almost as if shocked by the pain.

Her eyes welled up with tears immediately, and slowly, her hands started to glow.

"What is happening!" Scarlette shrieked, feeling a burning in her hands, holding them up.

One of the Doctors crouched down to comfort her, and the other glared down at River. "Was she brainwashed?"

"Yeah."

"At Area 51?"

"Yeah..."

"Who did it?" His voice was calm, but River noticed his hands were in tight fists.

"Well technically, she did it to herself."

Scarlette hissed through clenched teeth, still trying to control herself on the floor. "That is a lie! You pressed the buttons, I didn't do anything, I don't remember anything! For all I know you could be lying to me about whatever my past self did!"

"I'm not! You switched our bodies, you made me brainwash you in my body, and then we switched back!"

"Who switched you back?" The Doctor asked.

"Dylan." River answered.

Scarlette shook her head. "How do I make this stop?" She whimpered to the Doctor that was crouched down with her, too overwhelmed with pain to argue.

The Doctor opened his mouth as if he was about to speak, but instead just intertwined her hands with his and closed his eyes, squeezing her hands and shaking until the glowing and the pain disappeared.

He opened his eyes, and slowly, reluctantly, let go. 

"What did you just do?" Scarlette asked, staring at her hands.

The Doctor shook his head. "I made it stop."

Scarlette barely registered what he was saying. She kept staring at the floor, breathing heavily. "I'm so tired. I don't understand anything."

The other Doctor left River and also sat in front of Scarlette, holding one of her arms. "Hey, Nova..."

"I don't know who that is." Scarlette stated this as a fact. She still didn't look him in the eyes.