But I Have Promises To Keep

[The First Doctor]

He was going into shock.

The Meddler felt dizzy and cold, and his chest and stomach were soaked to the skin in his own blood. He lay against the rhythmically pulsing stone floor of his TARDIS, feeling his body try without success to cope with the blood loss. The injury was too severe for his dual circulatory system to simply reroute.

Shock would be good. It will numb the pain, he thought, fuzzily. And then he struggled against that siren call. It would also mean Regeneration, and a step closer to final death. He fought against the lightheadedness, against the pain, against the urge to sleep.

But he was so tired...

There was a gentle sensation, lips brushing his forehead, and something being slid onto his left hand. With the kiss came a wave of energy, countering the lightheadedness and the pain. And then he heard... singing.

The music washed over him, gentle and familiar, bringing a brilliant silver radiance that reminded him oddly of the mallomourn trees of his youth. He felt as if he were floating, as if his whole body was suddenly made of light and music.

Éibhleann? he asked, unsure if he thought or spoke the words.

More than her, and less, a familiar voice answered.

Sisilaya... she needs you

She has you, merry wanderer of the night. She has you.

With a long, racking gasp, he returned to full consciousness. "What... what happened?"

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

She had been holding on to the hilts sticking out of his back, pressing down, her weight worsening the pain. She smiled, her teeth bloodstained as the ring was torn from his hand. Indeed, Robin was right, that woman was magnificent.

It was already too late when she noticed her father fumble with something, abruptly she was thrown off him like an invisible force field hit her square in the face, she heard her daggers clatter against the TARDIS walls somewhere.

Within a blink he was gone, his body disappearing hurtling through the Vortex.

"NO!"

That's when another wave hit her, but something else all together. Her eyes widened as she gasped, her irises starting to glow brightly in a way it never did before. She clenched her fists as the energy ran through her, her radiating eyes turning towards the woman who had cast it at her.

That's when her body exploded in energy, her feet leaving the floor as she arched in mid air, her body and hair momentarily in a gravity free field. The energy was so great it had created it's own gravitational force field. Eyes, priorly green suddenly started turning golden, her mouth open in shock.

The TARDIS gestalt was rumbling, and without any sudden command the Time Rotor roared to life. Somewhere vaguely she saw Robin sit up again, healed. But she could barely register it before she was gone, her mind replaced by something completely different.

Her body now housed enough power to directly link to the gestalt without the telepathic circuit and actually merge with it. Becoming one with it. It was the only place she could think of to direct the energy at. The TARDIS core was still in the gestalt, but Sisi had become and extension of it. The voice that carried forth from her mouth was ancient, yet laced with eternal youth. Sadness and happiness. She was everything.

::My Meddler::

Her feet stepped back onto the floor again as she lowered her body so she could walk over to her owner, her Meddler, her Time Lord. Her eyes radiated a bright golden, her long copper tresses defying gravity as it flowed around her like a sea.

::You came for us my love::

She was just as curious by this this humanoid body as the first time she had been allowed to take her first journey. A longing smile spread across her ancient face, ancient made youthful by the half-Sidhe could embody, for now.

For the first time in centuries, Robin could communicate with his own TARDIS without pain.

She crouched down before she settled herself in his lap, straddling him as she took his face in her hands, soft hands. She sucked in a breath, the energy surging around her, the TARDIS around them making a small surge.

::He tortured me, tortured me to forget you. My Meddler. My beautiful Meddler::

A smile was on her face, bright like the spring goddess. She trailed her hands through his hair. The gravitational field around her extending to the Time lord she currently.. sat on. She leaned in, breathing in deeply, closing her eyes. For the first time taking in his scent, what a wonderful thing scent was.

She opened her golden eyes, deep with the forever Vortex. Smiling as she stared at his face.

The thought fleeted across her mind if kissing was all those humanoids said that it cooked up to be.

[The First Doctor]

That's when her body exploded in energy, her feet leaving the floor as she arched in mid air, her body and hair momentarily in a gravity free field. The energy was so great it had created it's own gravitational force field. Eyes, priorly green suddenly started turning golden, her mouth open in shock.

"Sisi!" the Meddler shouted in alarm, trying to get to his feet. "Sisilaya!" In the background, the time rotor roared to life. Unnoticed, the goblins and brownies drew back, transfixed.

::My Meddler::

The words came from his Niece's mouth, but they were not quite her voice. The tone was the same, but the inflection was... familiar. He stared, baffled for a second, and then realization struck him.

She sounded like the voice of the TARDIS, and at the same time she sounded like herself.

Her feet stepped back onto the floor again as she lowered her body so she could walk over to her owner, her Meddler, her Time Lord. Her eyes radiated a bright golden, her long copper tresses defying gravity as it flowed around her like a sea.

::You came for us my love::

"Of... of course I did," he said, slightly stunned. "I wouldn't let him hurt you..." Was he talking to his Niece? Or to the TARDIS herself?

She crouched down before she settled herself in his lap, straddling him as she took his face in her hands, soft hands. She sucked in a breath, the energy surging around her, the TARDIS around them making a small surge.

::He tortured me, tortured me to forget you. My Meddler. My beautiful Meddler::

A smile was on her face, bright like the spring goddess. She trailed her hands through his hair. The gravitational field around her extending to the Time lord she currently.. sat on. She leaned in, breathing in deeply, closing her eyes. For the first time taking in his scent, what a wonderful thing scent was.

She opened her golden eyes, deep with the forever Vortex. Smiling as she stared at his face.

The Meddler made a small, strangled sound in the back of his throat as his thoughts whirled. The Specialist was nearby, the woman he had entered Hell for, and his hearts ached for her. And yet his TARDIS was by some absurd miracle in his arms, and he'd loved her longer than he'd loved anything. But - and this thought dashed cold water over his emotions - the TARDIS was embodied in his Niece. (By adoption only, some tiny, unexamined portion of his mind whispered, not by blood. He tried to ignore that rogue thought.)

He stared into his Niece's eyes (Think of her that way! he shouted at himself, Not as the attractive host of the TARDIS!), at the oh so familiar gold and amber swirl in her eyes. "You..." he started, then cleared his throat, "You can't do this. You'll burn her out. She'll die."

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

Her golden eyes were transfixed on his face, her own still splattered with a mixture of her own blood and the orange one of Xandavier. The Time Lord that had nearly purged her memory of it's own independence. Her hands in the Meddlers hairs tightened slightly at the thought, her tighs coming around tighter on his hips. She didn't seem to want to let go of him.

"You..." he started, then cleared his throat, "You can't do this. You'll burn her out. She'll die."

::She has been talking to me, feeling me ever since she entered my walls. A Time Lord can sense his own TARDIS, but she goes beyond that. She can hear me talk, feel my emotions and become part of them..::

A dreamy smile was on her face, it had been a blessing to have Sisilaya within her walls. She had effectively worked as an interpreter for her. Specially during flying. Her eyes fixed back on that of the Meddler again, her smile turning somewhat mischievous.

::How did you think she caught on so fast flying me? I taught her own to fly me, whispering to her what to do. Just the slightest change in me she could interpret and know what to change in the flight pattern.::

She sniffed the air again lightly, closing in on the Meddlers face, her breath caressed over his skin as her lips lightly touched his cheeks. Her eyes swirled, the emotions within her new and making her feel so alive. The lights in the TARDIS dimmed lightly.

::She won't die. The Specialist gave her so much power that she directed it at me, so she became an extension of me for as long as this power that Tracenista gifted us can last.::

She finally came around, her lips lightly ghosting over his own, whispering as the gravitational field started working around the both of them. They became lighter, her arms slipping around his neck as her eyes swirled brightly. With the combination of Sisi's empathic abilities, she could as much read what her Meddler was thinking.

::Do not be a fool to a young woman's feelings. When was the last time she called you Uncle instead of Godfather?::

She whispered his name against his lips, his true name barely loudly enough for him to hear, the pressed air from her mouth ghosting over him before she dove in and kissed him, the gravitational field around them starting to expand.

She closed her eyes, her eyes nearly rolling back in her sockets over the feeling that washed over her from this sheer simple small thing. Kissing. A pressing of lips. Yes, it was all that humanoids said it cooked up to be.

[The First Doctor]

::She has been talking to me, feeling me ever since she entered my walls. A Time Lord can sense his own TARDIS, but she goes beyond that. She can hear me talk, feel my emotions and become part of them..::

The Meddler blinked in surprise. "Really?" he asked, interested. "She's able to enter the communion gestalt without the telepathic circuits? Amazing. Simply amazing!"

All trace of confusion was gone from his face as he scrutinized Sisilaya's eyes and face, rolling his head from side to side to obtain different perspectives. "That would imply powerful telepathic abilities, and quite possibly an inheritance of the Rassilon Imprimature as well... Do you know what sort of range she has with this connection? Is it present only within the TARDIS - within you, I guess? Or can she maintain it at distance?"

A dreamy smile was on her face. Her eyes fixed back on that of the Meddler again, her smile turning somewhat mischievous.

::How did you think she caught on so fast flying me? I taught her own to fly me, whispering to her what to do. Just the slightest change in me she could interpret and know what to change in the flight pattern.::

"That's incredible!" he was entranced now, nearly oblivious to the woman as the data poured in. "I mean, I've done something similar a few times - you know that of course - but never with the same degree of success. I would never have noticed. I just assumed she was a quick and brilliant student..."

He considered her words quickly. "Is she directly accessing your Vortex perceptions, or is she picking up on the translation feeds to the console?"

She sniffed the air again lightly, closing in on the Meddlers face, her breath caressed over his skin as her lips lightly touched his cheeks. Her eyes swirled, the emotions within her new and making her feel so alive. The lights in the TARDIS dimmed lightly.

::She won't die. The Specialist gave her so much power that she directed it at me, so she became an extension of me for as long as this power that Tracenista gifted us can last.::

"Really? That... that makes sense, yes. Of course - her own healing abilities would be enhanced, allowing her to offset the cellular collapse inherent in embodying an eleven-dimensional weakly godlike intelligence in a five-dimensional physical structure..."

She finally came around, her lips lightly ghosting over his own, whispering as the gravitational field started working around the both of them. They became lighter, her arms slipping around his neck as her eyes swirled brightly. With the combination of Sisi's empathic abilities, she could as much read what her Meddler was thinking.

::Do not be a fool to a young woman's feelings. When was the last time she called you Uncle instead of Godfather?::

The empathic contact came as a shock, until he realized that the higher-dimensional time-active intelligence of a TARDIS could most likely address all of his fragmentary alternates simultaneously, obviating the need to power through his disability.

And then the TARDIS' words registered, and it was like a bucket of cold water. "Wait, what? I mean, she usually calls me 'Robin', but what's that got to do with anything? I mean, I usually call her 'Sisi', not 'Niece'. Not unless there's a formal mode of address going on..." His words sounded just a touch frantic.

She whispered his name against his lips, his true name barely loudly enough for him to hear, the pressed air from her mouth ghosting over him before she dove in and kissed him, the gravitational field around them starting to expand.

The sound of his real name - a name only three beings in all the Spiral Politic could even remember - caught him by surprise. The kiss did as well, and the intimacy of his name and the empathic wash from the TARDIS and his own desires took over. His arms twined around her, hands tangling in her hair as he returned her kiss hungrily, seeking closeness and communion. The feel of his TARDIS in his arms, in his mind, all around him and pressed close against him threatened to overwhelm him.

He broke away, lungs shuddering as he drew breath, staring into golden eyes that burned with the light of the Vortex. Golden eyes in a face that...

That belonged to his Niece. That belonged to a woman that could have been his daughter.

Frantic, he twisted free of her embrace, dropping heavily to the floor as he did. "No," he said, his voice a mixture of anguish and regret and self-loathing, "no, this... this isn't right."

It is, part of his mind insisted, even as he scrabbled backwards on hands and feet, it's right. It's perfect.

He shook his head, trying to clear it, trying not to look at the Specialist. He didn't want to see the hurt in her eyes, the sense of betrayal that would have to be there. "It's not right," he insisted, trying to convince himself as much as the TARDIs, "She's my Niece, my daughter."

[Seren Ash]

Tracenista was watching with veiled eyes. Something akin to pain was indeed there, as she watched the girl connect with the TARDIS. Good to know that someone else would understand and feel the power that Trace had been holding for so long. She released a long sigh, as she watched the creature approach Meddler. She wanted to reach out and grab him, her eyes flaring with pain as she stared at the seen unfolding.

But he was not her Meddler, not just yet. At least in her eyes, she had only so much as kissed him on the forehead. Here this girl was, his proclaimed niece, albeit absorbed by the TARDIS matrix, kissing him. She stood up, sheathing the blade and looking at the Goblins. "Well, the danger is gone... How about a party eh?" She said in a shaking voice as she smiled at the creatures. "I'm the Specialist." She said as she looked down at them.

She was happy to converse with them, instead of allowing herself the pain of watching what Meddler and Sisi were doing. She heard shouting and exclamations, but continued to ignore it all.

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

Yet, the kiss had only awakened sensations in her that a TARDIS had never felt before, never had been in a humanoid body. And the fact that it was half-Sidhe just made everything so much more intense. A languid smile spread across her face, her golden eyes hooded as the Meddler tangled out of her hold, frantically, falling back to the floor.

"No," he said, his voice a mixture of anguish and regret and self-loathing, "no, this... this isn't right."

::You have whispered sweet words of a lover to me for centuries now, my Meddler. Only now am I able to place them. And now you shy away from me?::

She said with a smile that almost bordered a grin. The Meddler might be the reckless one, but over the centuries his TARDIS had accumulated to his behaviour and became part of it. Only then could they be in a perfect sync flight, able to bend time and space in ways that would make any other Time Lord gasp in horror.

"It's not right," he insisted, trying to convince himself as much as the TARDIs, "She's my Niece, my daughter."

Her face fell instantly, but not because of self grief or guilt. She came down to the floor again, taking a tentative step towards the Time Lord on the floor. Her face showed grief as she motioned her hand at the console, the screen coming around by itself to face them. It showed two DNA strains moving in circular motion together, flickering red softly. The words "NEGATIVE" written across the bottom.

::The moment you found out she could potentially be your offspring.. I couldn't help myself and scanned her with a biosample from the infirmary, comparing her to your DNA strains..::

A third strain came onto the screen, the other two decreasing size to make room for it. The last strain, Sisi's, coming up next to the new one, the small name Xandavier written below it. They flickered blue together, large bold letters saying "POSITIVE" written below it. Xandavier's blood, which had been easy enough to access since it was splattered all across the TARDIS floor and walls from the previous fight.

::I've never felt this before. I feel grief, sadness for you my Meddler. I think humans in these moments would say I'm sorry..::

This body was still something she could barely grasp onto. She had been a sentient being to a certain extend, yet now she could move around, express and even sing. Emotions came off the ones around her, like vibrations, she still had trouble keeping them all apart. She turned back to the console, stepping over and letting her finger graze across the screen softly, tracing Sisi's DNA strain.

::Her DNA strain is fascinating, the Rassilon Imprimature is there, yet combined with the Sidhe properties a being is created that can communicate directly with myself, my sisters and most likely other beings like us. She's statistically seen most likely the only one in existence that can even do it to this degree without dying::

She rounded back up on the Meddler again and within three paces she was back to his side, crouching as she invaded his personal space without any hint of guilt or hesitation. She was a TARDIS after all, cultural values were something unknown to her. Her golden eyes flitted across his face, dancing with their golden light, a small grin on her face like a child that had just received a new toy. Everything was so new to her.

::You're sweating, high blood pressure, high adrenalin levels and..:: She tilted her head. ::Testosterone levels. Fascinating!:: Her hand came up to caress his cheek, still slightly flushed, her thumb coming to stroke across his kiss swollen bottom lip, her eyes swirling with fascination. ::And that all from a kiss..:: A grin came across her face again, the hand holding his cheek grasping him suddenly at the back of the neck and yanking him in, giving him a good smacker right on the mouth again. She positively giggled as she whirled away from him afterwards, getting up to her feet again.

She stopped in mid stride, her face falling as another wave of emotions hit her sensors. Her face turned towards the Specialist, she only just realised the woman was actually there. She had been so concentrated on her Meddler that she had totally forgotten bout the Time Lady there. She blinked, her golden eyes swirling as she tilted her head.

::You feel grief.. why do you feel grief?::

She did not understand, but she gave a smile none the less as an idea came to her. It had surely made Robin feel better, before he started thinking again.

::Should I kiss you too?::

She said, brightening her smile.

[The First Doctor]

She stood up, sheathing the blade and looking at the Goblins. "Well, the danger is gone... How about a party eh?" She said in a shaking voice as she smiled at the creatures. "I'm the Specialist." She said as she looked down at them.

The goblins chattered among themselves, until one among them slapped and kicked them into silence. He was a long-armed, potbellied creature with a nose like a potato, wearing dirty boxers and a chain mail vest. He bowed low and offered his... weapon to the Specialist. "I am Moorg," he said, attempting a lordly accent as he glared at the others. Slowly, they bowed as well. "Are you, then, the Queen and new Priestess of the Hall of the Wind of Change?"

---

As the Meddler insisted that Sisilaya was his Niece and daughter, the TARDIS' face - Sisi's face - fell. She gestured at the console, bringing up DNA and biodatic information.

::The moment you found out she could potentially be your offspring.. I couldn't help myself and scanned her with a biosample from the infirmary, comparing her to your DNA strains..::

The data was conclusive. Sisilaya was, biologically, Xandavier's daughter. The Meddler's lips thinned, but he made no other reaction.

::I've never felt this before. I feel grief, sadness for you my Meddler. I think humans in these moments would say I'm sorry..::

He considered his reactions to the news, in the emotional yet emotionless way Time Lords are trained to. He was disappointed, certainly. He had hoped, more for her sake than his own, that she was his daughter. That she was no relation to Xandavier whatsoever.

And yet...

"It doesn't matter," he whispered. "She's my Niece. My daughter, the daughter I would have wanted."

And yet he couldn't shake the memory of how she had felt, how she had tasted as the TARDIS had kissed him through her... He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, guilt running through him as he saw the Specialist.

::Her DNA strain is fascinating, the Rassilon Imprimature is there, yet combined with the Sidhe properties a being is created that can communicate directly with myself, my sisters and most likely other beings like us. She's statistically seen most likely the only one in existence that can even do it to this degree without dying::

"...Really?" Once again, confronted with an unexpected and interesting fact, the Meddler's confusion and apprehension (not to mention his sense of time and place) drained away rapidly. "Do you have any idea what allows her to do that?" He bounded to his feet, peering closely at the displays. "Is it something that could be reproduced, either through a medical Loom or through a Birth Loom? Hypothetically, I mean - I don't think we have the resources on board to actually build a Birth Loom."

He looked around wildly. "Specialist!" he called, guilt and shame forgotten in his excitement, "Look at this! We could... if we could reproduce this, we could Loom Time Lords that would have no need for a control console for a TARDIS!"

He tapped the monitor, altering the display a little, sounding as if he'd forgotten that there was no longer a Gallifrey. "Maybe it's the interaction of the Sidhe energetic matrix with the Rassilon Imperative..."

His voice trailed away as he realized just how close she was standing.,,

::You're sweating, high blood pressure, high adrenalin levels and..:: She tilted her head. ::Testosterone levels. Fascinating!:: Her hand came up to caress his cheek, still slightly flushed, her thumb coming to stroke across his kiss swollen bottom lip, her eyes swirling with fascination. ::And that all from a kiss..::

"Really, uhm, this is..."

His words were lost as a grin came across her face again, the hand holding his cheek grasping him suddenly at the back of the neck and yanking him in, giving him a good smacker right on the mouth again. She positively giggled as she whirled away from him afterwards.

He staggered backwards, flushed and gasping for breath. He hadn't responded anywhere near as enthusiastically this time, but it was difficult. If he wasn't looking at her, all he could sense was the overwhelming presence of the TARDIS mind. And she was right - for centuries, she had been his sole companion.

If only it could have been someone else...

::You feel grief.. why do you feel grief?::

"Because," he started, then stopped. The TARDIS wasn't talking to him. She was talking to the Specialist.

::Should I kiss you too?:: She said, brightening her smile.

He hesitated for a long, agonized second. Emotions - feelings he had long ignored - warred within him. He stepped forward, uncertain.

"NO!"

[Seren Ash]

The Specialist had her attention upon the Goblins. Her eyes closed as she drew in a long breath. Her eyes opened, swirling like the vortex for a moment. "Moorg, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." She said softly as she gathered all of the training her mother gave her. Part of the special training was, if one of the main royal house could not take the throne, the branch must do so. And with Gallifrey gone, and Time Lords obviously in the universe, she needed to gather her people back together.

"I am of the Royal Blood of Gallifrey, I bear upon my brow the diadem of our people." She said as she let her hands flutter around her chest. "I am what you would call a Priestess, and I do believe you can call me a Queen. As I am the oldest holder of the Royal Blood. Though my people are severely lowered in their numbers." She stated and then stopped as her attention swung towards the TARDIS. How to answer this with tact?

"You use the body of his niece, and act like his mate." She started as her eyes swirled for a moment, she blinked and they stopped. "Yet he has not asked her to be such, and has made it quite clear he does not enjoy you kissing him through her form." She said as her voice didn't quaver, the pain was aching in her chest still as she stared at the creature. "I love him, very much, almost as much as you I suppose. And I do believe he cares for me, why else would he keep a promise to me, to retrieve me. When he knew it could be deadly to retrieve me?" She said as she stared still.

"Put is simply, I haven't even kissed him like that. No, I do not need you to kiss me. Though we females of Gallifrey hold less issues with it, then other species, I do not wish to be kissed by you. For our relationship is more like Sisters in the vortex of time." She said this and lowered her hand, taking a long needed breath.

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

What the Specialist didn't seem to realise is that she was a TARDIS and cultural values, values of the heart were never explained to her and were still completely new to her. She felt, but did not know how to connect certain feelings to certain emotions. Her face fell in confusion to her words to her, the bitterness was something she did register. But she didn't understand why she would feel so. Wasn't this how all humans acted?

::His mate? But don't mates just get together for intercourse? I haven't tried to have intercourse with you, or should I?:: She turned to the Meddler. To be honest, she didn't exactly understand what this intercourse entails. She had heard whispers from her sisters and saw what this human woman and her Meddler had done for a short while.. a long time ago. She had never understood the significance of it. She turned back to the specialist, she was eager to learn though.

::Humans and Time Lords alike are so confusing, he says no but his body statistics do clearly show that it makes him feel better!:: Her eyes flitted back to the Meddler once again, trying to search his face. She really did not understand.

"And I do believe he cares for me, why else would he keep a promise to me, to retrieve me. When he knew it could be deadly to retrieve me?" She said as she stared still.

The Matrix of the TARDIS, expanded to Sisi's body turned back to that of the Specialist. A slight smile upon her face again. Her eyes swirled with that of the Vortex, the way a TADIS was able to see Time and Space from across the universe. She had been with her Meddler for centuries and she knew why he had gotten back to her.

::Because he is the Meddler, and through the centuries the Meddler has kept to his promises. He promised to keep me safe, and he did. My ego buffers were close to have been purged, the Lord Xandavier tortured me as well as the body I inhibit now. Our united love for him is what drove us to fight back and risk death to get those doors open again, so he could bring you through.::

She tried to understand the womans feelings infront of her, but she was afraid it would take some time studying. She had never understood humanoid emotions. Only now was she able to place some of them. Happiness, sadness, grief, anger. But so many of the finer nuances she could not place her finger on yet. Her eyes widened in realisation as she remembered she hadn't answered her Meddler yet about the reproduction of another being like the woman she inhibited now. She turned back to the Meddler with a whirl.

::About your earlier question, yes, Birth Loom is the answer. The child would need the gestation time within the womb to be incorporated with the Sidhe matrix and merge with that of the Time Lord. Though would have the need to be done within the Time Vortex to strengthen the Time Lord side of the deal. Sisilaya's abilities are weakened due to her being sired from the Chameleon Arch, but a sight in an Untempered Schism might fix that..::

And she suddenly stilled. During her explanation the force field around her had diminished, her hair being subjected to gravity again. The light in her eyes started to dim, a slight look of surprise came onto her face.

::And I believe that my energy supply has run out. I must leave. Sisilaya will sleep for a while, most likely.::

Her eyes lost their golden colour. Green eyes looking back at the two of them. She gave a last strangled reply she could get from Sisi's throat.

::Goodbye. Thank you, Specialist.::

With that Sisi's eyes rolled back in her sockets, her body collapsing to the ground, her head giving a rather nasty crack on the floor. Yet it was just another injury atop of the long list. It became apparent again how bruised and cut her body was thanks to the fight with Xandavier. The sudden surge of energy had been so exhilarating that the TARDIS had not even noticed the state of her body.

Her chest rose and fell gently. She was in a very deep sleep.

[The First Doctor]

"Moorg, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." She said softly as she gathered all of the training her mother gave her.

Moorg flushed. "I thank you, Lady."

"I am of the Royal Blood of Gallifrey, I bear upon my brow the diadem of our people." She said as she let her hands flutter around her chest. "I am what you would call a Priestess, and I do believe you can call me a Queen. As I am the oldest holder of the Royal Blood. Though my people are severely lowered in their numbers."

"We've a Queen, then!" one of the goblins shouted.

Moorg cuffed him. "Manners!" he barked, then turned back to the Specialist. "'Tis a grand thing then, your Majesty. "For it appears that the Goddess has been drawn down into our Princess." His expression turned sly, and his voice dropped into a stage whisper. "And between you and me, if you'll forgive the informality your Majesty, the King of the Hall needs a little... focus."

"And a Redcap!" Scub growled, face contorted in pain. He stood upright, smoke wafting from his legs where they vanished into the too-large iron boots, and plopped a damp orangish-red hat on his weasel-like head. "Every Hall needs a Redcap."

Moorg clapped him on the shoulder. "Good on you, lad. I always knew you'd make something of yourself."

---

The Meddler listened to the two (three?) women talk, and to the pounding of the blood in his ears. He couldn't deal with this. He wanted peace and quiet. He wanted solitude. He wanted to be left alone with his books and his studies and his schemes...

I've really made myself believe that nonsense, he realized. And with that realization came the awareness that, if he ran away now, he would become the lunatic old hermit everyone believed him to be.

He made himself step forward.

"I love him, very much, almost as much as you I suppose. And I do believe he cares for me, why else would he keep a promise to me, to retrieve me. When he knew it could be deadly to retrieve me?" She said as she stared still.

Another step.

::Because he is the Meddler, and through the centuries the Meddler has kept to his promises. He promised to keep me safe, and he did. My ego buffers were close to have been purged, the Lord Xandavier tortured me as well as the body I inhibit now. Our united love for him is what drove us to fight back and risk death to get those doors open again, so he could bring you through.::

"I..." his lips were suddenly dry. "I.. do lo- do care for you," he said, hesitantly taking the Specialist's hand. Why is this so hard? he wondered. I can talk for hours on anything. Why can't I talk now? "That's... that's why I came for you. Why I risked opening the Singularity. Because..."

Why can't I say it? he raged at himself. She has to know!

I still have to tell her, he answered himself.

"I..." he was whispering, eyes burning, "I... love you."

Still clinging to the Specialist's hand like a lifeline, he closed his eyes and turned to face the TARDIS. With the distractions of vision gone, he could feel the alien, familiar presence like fire against his skin. "And I love you," he said to the TARDIS mind. "And I've missed you so much, these past centuries."

The burning turned to tears. "But I can't sacrifice Sisi for my own happiness." He could barely talk, now. "Can't hurt her, just to have you close." He scrubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand. "I'm... I'm sorry."

He shuddered, fighting the misery he felt. He heard the TARDIS mind say something about Sisi's abilities, something he knew he'd remember later. But right now, he just felt sick.

::And I believe that my energy supply has run out. I must leave. Sisilaya will sleep for a while, most likely.::

Don't, he thought desperately, don't leave me. Not again.

He opened his eyes again, in time to watch Sisi crash to the floor, he head bouncing against the stone. "Sisi!"

She was still breathing, which was good. But suffering from any number of injuries, which was bad. He checked her pulse, panicked for a second before he realized that of course she would only have one heartbeat, and felt for her electromagnetic field. It was weak, but steady.

Several brownies came into view around her. "Shall we take the Princess to the Infirmary," asked Tonks.

He nodded. "Yes. Let me know if there's any change in her condition."

Wrapping his arms around his knees, he watched the brownies carry her from the console room. His eyes, still red and streaked with tears, drifted from the Specialist to the console and back.

"Shall we their fond pageant see?" he whispered. "Lord, what fools these immortals be."

[The Master]

A few minutes earlier...

The Could've-Been King leaned against the smooth, oily surface of the Mirror Labyrinth, watching the fight through the back of the Meddler's Mirror. He winced as the Meddler went down, gut-stabbed, followed by Xandavier as Sisi plunged daggers into his back.

"And let me speak to the yet unknowing world," he recited, "How these things came about: so shall you hear of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts, of accidental judgments, casual slaughters, of deaths put on by cunning and forced cause, and, in this upshot, purposes mistook. Fall'n on the inventors' heads: all this can I truly deliver."

Then, placing his hands on the tain, he concentrated. The material hummed like a bell and the Mirror exploded into the TARDIS, sealing the access to the Labyrinth.

He walked away, whistling. His 'dad' would survive. If not here, than somewhere. And besides, what was one life in the face of an entire universe that needed to be put right?

[Seren Ash]

"Moorg, the Goddess abilities were gifted upon The Princess, through my Priestess abilities. Just remember that, if you ever think about annoying me." She teased the Goblins greatly, because she was trying hard not to pay attention to what was going on once again with Sisi and The Meddler. Finally the girl collapsed, as was expected of her, getting that much power and that much of a connection. She walked over, and checked her over calmly, as the Meddler was nearby.

She would be fine, with some rest. She stopped and stared at him as he spoke. She was shaking a little, and then just shook her head. Lost and agape at his words. How had she fallen for someone so much younger then her? Perhaps that was why all her attempts in the past had failed. SHe wasn't compatible with any normal time lord. Her hand pressed over her womb, as her eyes closed.

"Well, thank you, Meddler. And I -..." She stopped, pausing for a moment, as she found herself almost lost at saying the next words as well. "I love you as well, and I never gave up hope that you would save me. Everything happens for a reason, and I just had to wait. And I did." She said as she smiled at him sweetly. With that Tracenista rose smoothly, folding her hands in her lap. She looked towards the Goblins again.

"The princess will rest. Till then, perhaps we should all work on a party, to celebrate this? Before we have to go on the next adventure and mission?" She said softly. She laughed softly as she shook her head a little. "Also, I will need all of you to remain strong, and faithful. For there will be a child soon enough." She said, her eyes closing and then she stopped. "Two, I believe. I feel the beats of four."

[The First Doctor]

"Moorg, the Goddess abilities were gifted upon The Princess, through my Priestess abilities. Just remember that, if you ever think about annoying me." She teased the Goblins greatly, because she was trying hard not to pay attention to what was going on once again with Sisi and The Meddler.

"Never, your Majesty," Moorg blanched as he hastened to reassure her. "Loyal goblins we are - loyal to the Princess and Goddess, loyal to the King, and loyal to our new Queen!" He cuffed a nearby goblin. "Right?"

"Oh, yes!" "Right!" "Of course!"

"Well, thank you, Meddler. And I -..." She stopped, pausing for a moment, as she found herself almost lost at saying the next words as well. "I love you as well, and I never gave up hope that you would save me. Everything happens for a reason, and I just had to wait. And I did." She said as she smiled at him sweetly. With that Tracenista rose smoothly, folding her hands in her lap.

Sitting on the floor, hugging his legs, he smiled back as best he could. He felt like he should say something, but at the moment he just felt numb. "I should have come sooner," he said. "I just... I just couldn't face it. The War, the Moment." His voice fell. "The guilt."

He fell silent again. "I should have come sooner," he repeated.

She looked towards the Goblins again.

"The princess will rest. Till then, perhaps we should all work on a party, to celebrate this? Before we have to go on the next adventure and mission?" She said softly.

"BEER!" screamed the goblins. "And whizkey!" added the newly-made Redcap.

The sheer enthusiasm of the goblins brought a soft chuckle to the Meddler's lips. Slowly, he climbed to his feet. "There's more to a party than boilermakers, men... guys... goblins... whatever."

"There is?" asked a goblin, surprised.

"Yez," agreed the new Redcap. "There'z whorze!"

Feeling far older than his 900 years, the Meddler sighed and cocked his head at the Specialist. "Uhm... maybe we should wait for some of the brownies, before trying to plan a party," he suggested.

She laughed softly as she shook her head a little. "Also, I will need all of you to remain strong, and faithful. For there will be a child soon enough." She said, her eyes closing and then she stopped. "Two, I believe. I feel the beats of four."

"Babies?" asked one of the goblins, eagerly.

Moorg broke that goblin's nose. "The royal babies," he glowered, "is not for stealing."

"I'm still a little fuzzy about this," the Meddler said, ignoring them. "I mean... well..." he blushed, "How?" He made a vague gesture. "I was there, and I still don't know what happened."

Most of the goblins snickered. "Uhm, your Majesty?" Moorg volunteered, "It's like this, see. When a man and a woman loves each other very very much..."

The Meddler hit him with his cane. It seemed the thing to do.

[The First Doctor]

(OOC: I'm not sure how much more posting will be happening on this thread. But the aftermath continues on:

The plot thickens aboard the TARDIS in C-Box Saturday Soap Opera!

The Dreamweaver is born, and Alec and Sarah Jane make a cute (if somewhat involuntary) couple, in A Midsummer Night's Dream II!

The Meddler is arrested for the assassination of three High Kings of the Sidhe in Foul and Most Unnatural Murder!)