FicWad

I do not own Doctor Who. If I did I'd certainly be chatting it up with both Sir Arthur Conan Doyle AND Anne Boleyn over some tea. Moffat and the BBC own Doctor Who. They're the ones traveling right now. ~XO TheDoctorsTARDISXO

I honestly didn't know what had gotten into me. The only thoughts that were racing through my head were to find the Doctor and save him, quickly. He was in terrible danger I deduced, whatever that thing was that was keeping him captive was not at all human and possibly capable of causing the Doctor's death. Just that thought alone was enough to make my blood run cold. Amy, Rory, and I ran through corridors that we never even noticed before. Rory mentioned something about a perception filter around this area of the palace and though I didn't really know what it was I was inclined to believe that he was right about it. The psychic link that I had formed with the Doctor through our telepathic chat was getting stronger the more we ran though these hidden passages. I took that as a sign that we were close to finding him. Well at least I thought we were close to finding him until we rounded a corner and came smack against a stone wall. Brilliant, a dead end.

"What do we do now?" Amy asked, panting and a bit out of breath.

"Should we go back? Maybe we made a wrong turn or something?" Rory asked me as I began to examine the wall in front of us.

"No," I shook my head and threw a look over my shoulder at the Ponds, "The Doctor is here. We are so close. Just have to figure out what to do to get to him."

I began to feel my way along the wall, looking for anything that shouldn't belong there. Loose stones, hidden buttons, secret compartments, anything. I felt like a spy in an old movie looking for that false book to pull in the bookcase to activate the secret door. Both Amy and Rory caught on to what I was doing and quickly joined in. six pairs of hands were definitely better than only two. We must have been over every inch of that wall twice, or perhaps it was three times, I had begin to lose count but still there was no luck. Rory had given up after his third pass along the wall and with a sigh he began pacing, trying to think of something else for us to try. I had also begun to feel a bit disheartened, thinking that whatever force was keeping me from reconnecting with the Doctor telepathically was also perhaps trying to throw me off through the psychic link as well. I felt hot tears well up in my eyes as I became more and more frustrated. I wouldn't give up though, the Doctor was counting on me and I wasn't going to give up. I stole a glance at Amy and saw that she too was frustrated. You could clearly see her brow furrow in frustration, and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. Her frustration reached a point of boiling over and she kicked the stone wall as hard as she could.

"This is pointless!" She cried in anger as she kicked the wall again, "We're no closer to finding him then we were before!" One more kick before Rory had to peel her away from the wall and hold her back.

Something strange had begun to happen then. The stone wall rattled and the floor vibrated like there was an earthquake. Amy and Rory were quick to pull me and we three put a couple of feet between us and the now visibly collapsing wall. Amy had done it! She had found a way to get us passed that barrier between us and the Doctor. Rory stood dumbfounded mouth agape looking at the stone staircase that was hidden behind the wall. Amy and I cast one look at each other before squealing victoriously and high-fiving like we had just won a team sport. This was it; we were finally going to rescue the Doctor. The fog in my brain cleared slightly, and I knew that alien force was beginning to lose the battle of blocking our telepathic communication. That just had to mean that the Doctor was right up those stairs.

"Oh Amy Pond you are brilliant!" I called out and threw my arms around her in a victory hug as she laughed triumphantly and returned it.

"I know thanks. Now come on we have a raggedy man to go rescue." She had a huge grin on her face as she led the way up those stairs with Rory and me hot on her heels.

The stairs led us into a room unlike any other I have ever seen. It was entirely windowless, the only source of light coming from weirdly shaped orbs hanging in metal cages from the ceiling. There were tables with straps hanging off the sides on one side of the room and I shuddered as I remembered my nightmare and myself strapped down to one of those tables. A giant television monitor was mounted against the wall in another corner and I noticed a camera directly above it as well. Someone had this room wired up to be watched from a different location. It was stuffy in here, and had an old musty smell to it which made my stomach do a flip flop before settling down into uneasiness. I pulled the Doctor's sonic screwdriver out from my coat pocket and clutched it tightly as I waited for something to jump out and yell 'boo'. The Ponds and I made our way throughout the room, careful not to lose each other and also keeping an eye out for any sign of the Doctor. We passed a wall of different torture devices ranging from medieval to completely alien before coming across another door. Amy didn't hesitate, she pulled it open and it groaned in protest. The sound sent shivers down my spine and made the hairs on my arms and neck stand on end. I made my way into the tinier room first, sonic screwdriver leading the way and gave a cry of alarm and relief when I noticed the Doctor. He looked like hell, his arms were pinned above his head and held against the wall in chains, his pants were ripped in certain places, tweed jacket was hanging off his body in shreds, bow tie was missing, floppy brown hair was slick with blood, and he had visible cuts and contusions all across every available inch of skin. I heard Amy and Rory enter behind me and both gave out a cry of alarm.

"Oh my God, Doctor!" Amy called out to him and ran to his side. He didn't even acknowledge her presence, or any of ours for that matter. He just continued to stare at the corner of the room across from him, eyes fixated on something though nothing was there.

"He can't hear us," Rory observed as he cautiously made his way to the Doctor, the look of intense worry back on his face, "He can't even see us." He waved his hand in front of the Doctor's face and he didn't even flinch.

I made my way to the corner of the room that the Doctor was so fixated on. I examined the walls, the floors, even looked up to the ceiling to see if there was something there that we were missing. Of course there was nothing. Nothing but dust and grime, how fitting for a dungeon. Without warning, the door slammed shut, and the room was filled with an intensely bright light, the same light from when we first arrived and the Doctor was taken. The three of us shielded our eyes against it, and again it didn't even faze the Doctor. He just continued to stare at that same spot. It had to be at least thirty seconds that passed before the light dimmed and the room returned to normal. I turned in the direction of the door and gasped. There was a figure draped in a black cloak blocking the exit to the dungeon. He wasn't there before; it was like he appeared out of the light. The hairs on my arms and neck stood up again as I felt the figure staring at me. I slowly backed away towards the Doctor and the Ponds, this mysteriously cloaked figure following my movements the entire time, though I couldn't see his face. I didn't stop moving until I felt both Amy and Rory reach out and grab my hands for support. They stood with me as we faced down our new guest.

"You three companions are becoming quite meddlesome. How did you find this place?" The stranger's voice boomed and resonated off the walls, causing them to vibrate. "ANSWER ME!" He boomed and the three of us couldn't help but flinch.

"You answer us first." I said to him surprised at how calm I sounded, "What the hell did you do to the Doctor?"

The figure actually chuckled, like he was surprised that I dared to speak back to him. "You are loyal, little vermin, loyal to that Time Lord that caused the destruction of my planet and my people. He is our prisoner. We have completely taken over his mind. A Time Lord's mind is very complex, full of all the knowledge of all of time and space, the entire universe coursing through his mind. It is the food that I crave."

"What did you do to him?" Amy spat out, not satisfied that the question was not answered. Venom dripped off her every word.

"I will tell you, little vermin. I have devoured his mind. He is to be punished for his crimes. The most severe punishment for the most severe of criminals. He is to be trapped in his own mind, reliving the death of his entire race, the death of every companion that ever traveled the stars with him, and you," the figure turned to me now and I tried to suppress a shudder, "he is most drawn to you, dear faithful companion, watching your death and demise over and over again. It will certainly drive him mad, forever trapped in his own mind with no escape."

I risked a glance back at the Doctor and noticed his cheeks were wet with tears. The Doctor never cries, I thought. Even when he told me of what he did to Gallifrey and his people he didn't shed one tear. The creature had to be right about the Doctor being drawn to me, no I couldn't believe him. The Doctor didn't even KNOW me. The creature was just trying to mess with our heads, throw us off our game, toy with our emotions. I pressed the sonic screwdriver into Amy's hand and she gripped it tightly, giving me the most minuet nod of her head. She understood that I had some type of plan formulating inside my head, and she knew what she had to do. While this cloaked figure focused on me, Amy took a tiny step forward and activated the sonic screwdriver. The image of the figure began to distort, like ripples on water and Amy tried a different frequency. Without warning, the image exploded and disappeared.

"What," A very confused Rory looked from me to his wife, "What just happened?"

"He was only a projection, a mirage of sorts. That mysterious cloaked creature wasn't really here." I answered Rory and watched as his brow furrowed in confusion.

"But how did you know, Kayden?" Rory asked me and I just had to shrug.

"I have absolutely no clue. The thought just kind of came to me. Amy had the same feeling since she knew what to do with the sonic screwdriver. Speaking of, let's figure out how to save the Doctor now hmm?"

The three of us were at the Doctor's side in a heartbeat. I knelt in front of him as Amy went to work on his restraints with the sonic screwdriver. Once his arms were free, Rory's nursing abilities took over and he examined the Doctor from head to toe checking the severity of his injuries. My heart broke for the Doctor as I watched Rory gently poke and prod and examine him. To be forever trapped in your own mind, reliving every horrible and traumatic event you ever went through was inhumane and sick. No one, not even the worst of criminals should have to endure that torture.

"Is he going to be okay? Rory?" Amy asked her husband as she stood fiddling with the "A" necklace that she wore. Out of all of us in that room she had to be the most worried for the Doctor and it was only fitting since she had known him from a very young age on.

"Physically yes he'll be fine. A day or two in the TARDIS sickbay and he will be back to his normal troublesome self. Mentally, I don't know what to do with someone trapped in their own mind."

Trapped in his own mind. I stared at the Doctor and thought about something, anything I could do to save him. He was trapped inside of his own mind. Come on now Kayden, think. If you were trapped inside of your own mind what would you do to get out of it? Come on, you're clever think, think, think. I chewed on my lip, a bad habit I know, as I thought about a solution. The psychic link between the Doctor and I flared to life inside of my mind, a low humming sound that reminded me that we were still connected. The solution came to me after that. Psychic link, I could use the psychic link to reach out to the Doctor with my mind. Try to bring him back, break that other creature's hold over him. I know it sounds completely loony but what the hell else could we do? We couldn't even move the Doctor in the state that he was in. I had to try something and damnit I was going to.

"Amy, Rory I think I have an idea on how to save the Doctor. I'm going to need your help."

"Anything, name it." Amy knelt down and took my hand in hers, her eyes pleading for me to save her raggedy man.

"I need the two of you to keep watch for the return of our cloaked friend. I'm going to try and bring the Doctor back with my mind. That alien who we saw was able to sever the telepathic connection between the two of us earlier in the great hall, but not before the Doctor and I formed a psychic link. That's what led us here to him."

"What do you need from us?" Rory asked; the worried look replaced with a determined one.

"Stand guard and have the sonic screwdriver ready, I have a feeling our friend will be back to try and stop me. It could get dangerous, very complicated and dangerous. Rory I need you on full alert, you're a nurse and I know you have more experience than I do being as I'm still just in med school." I looked at the Ponds and the both nodded understanding what I needed from them. I took a deep breath and focused on the Doctor now. I placed my hands on either side of his face and reached out to him with my mind.

It was like hitting a brick wall. The fog that I found in the Doctor's mind was so intense I had a moment of complete and utter doubt. What was I thinking? There was no way I would be able to reach out to him through this. The faraway look I saw in the Doctor's ancient green eyes was enough for me to keep trying. Another deep breath as I steeled my nerves and tried to keep my mind razor sharp. I tuned out everything around me and just focused on the Doctor. It was just me and him, no distractions, no danger, nothing. Gradually the fog swirling around the Doctor's mind began to clear and I began to reach out to him, to call him back to us.

"Doctor, can you hear me? It's me Kayden. Come back to us Doctor you're safe now. Amy, Rory and I have got you."

Silence. Pure, earsplitting silence. It was going to take a lot more than I thought to reach out to the Doctor. I remembered what the creature said about the Time Lord's mind being a complex thing. I should have known that this wasn't going to be a picnic.

"I know you're hurting Doctor, that you've seen so many terrible things. Life has been so cruel to you, cruel and unfair. You had to sacrifice your own people, destroy your home, watch so many companions that traveled the stars with you perish. People that meant more than life itself to you were taken and that's unfair, but please, come back to us, we need you bow tie man. I promise you that it gets better, the hurt will go away."

I felt the Doctor stir beneath my fingers where my hands still rested against his face. I heard Rory faintly mumble something though I did not know what and I had a feeling that whatever I was doing had to be working. I was so focused on the Doctor that it took me a few moments to realize that he actually began to speak out loud. His eyes still held the faraway look, but I was beginning to get though to him.

"How can it get better? They took her away from me again." The Doctor said to no one in particular on the outside. But I knew he was answering my telepathic questions. I continued to try and reach him.

"Who Doctor? Who did they take from you?"

"Kayden," he whispered my name so softly that I nearly jumped out of my skin, almost losing the connection, "I've lost her again. I found her, after searching for so long, and they took her away from me again. It's my fault; it has always been my fault." He had begun to cry at that. I felt his body shudder and a fresh wave of sadness rolled through him.

"Shhhh, my Doctor it's alright. Kayden is fine no one has taken her from you. She's waiting for you to come back to her. Amy, Rory, Kayden they're all worried about you. They just want you to come home."

"But I saw her die; over and over again I was forced to watch her die unable to help. I felt so useless. I am a Time Lord. I promised to keep her safe and in the end I couldn't protect her again."

The Doctor's words were a bit puzzling to me. Why was he talking about searching for me when before a few days ago I had absolutely no clue who he was. I didn't understand why he talked of me like he has known me all my life. How could you lose someone that you didn't even know? Something came over me then, I couldn't explain what the feeling was. I reached out a little further into the Doctor's mind through the fog that was clearing more rapidly. Bits and pieces of the Doctor's memories were flying towards me like slides in a slideshow. I saw what I knew had to be Gallifrey, the skies bright orange and the leaves in a beautiful silver color. I saw his former companions, one girl, a blonde with a bright smile laughing, a brunette looking at him with love-sick eyes, and a redhead giving him a chiding look. Then I saw myself in the Doctor's memories, but how was that possible? There I was leaning against the TARDIS console, though it looked different all coralline pillars and soft blue glow. But where was the Doctor? Why couldn't I see him even in his own mind? Another memory flew past me and there I was standing in the very same castle we were in now staring at a stone statue of an angel. What the hell was going on? Suddenly the memories disappeared, like someone had shut a book as fast as humanly possible. I gave a little start before focusing on the Doctor's mind again. The fog had almost entirely cleared now, and I felt a pressure against the walls of my own mind, it was the Doctor, had to be. He was coming back to us.

"Doctor, is that you? Can you hear me?"

"Kayden Grey, my clever, clever girl. You saved me, thank you."

I felt strong arms encircle me and was crushed against someone's chest. I blinked a couple of times, lessening the connection between my mind and the Doctor's and realized that it was the Doctor who had crushed me against him. I let out a sigh of relief and said a quick prayer of thanks in my own head before I returned his hug. He was still shaking, and that caused to me hold on to him tighter. I felt the Doctor press a kiss against my forehead before the weight of his head came down against my shoulder, floppy brown hair softly tickling my neck and cheek. I did it; I had managed to bring the Doctor back to us. I was filled with such a sense of relief and happiness, but at the same time I couldn't shake the memories of myself in the Doctor's mind out of my own mind. Why did he know me, HOW did he know me when I never before met him? I was struck then with what the Jardane said when I was trapped in that bedroom, 'he knows who you are.' A near invisible shudder ran through me as I held the Doctor as tightly as I could, and he held me back. He's hiding something, he knows more about me than he dares to let on, and I was determined to figure out what. Why was I drawn to this bow tie wearing man, and why was it that I seemed so important to him? a million questions swirled through my head, and when we were safely out of here, I was going to demand answers.