[ As her fingers dig into his back, Vanessa holds him as if they were alone in the world. Should anyone from her residence happen to go far enough outside to see them, she would hardly care.
She barely manages to choke down a sob. ]
You went away. [ Enough is recalled. The pain with the love. ] Don't—
[ Her grip tightens, and she lets the tears flow freely. ]
Please. Stay with me. Help— [ A shiver passes through, though she's plenty warm. ] Doctor, help me.
[ His grip on her tightens, as though his hold on her alone would be enough to keep anything from having her again. He wants to believe it, his desperation palpable in the ferocity of his embrace, his hand moving to rest against the back of her head.
He tries to reach out in his mind for her, alarmed to find a barrier there that he can't explain, something keeping them apart and threatening to pull her back again. His belief in her and them is relentless, though, and he grips her still, fighting for her even now. ]
Listen to me, hear me. I'm not going anywhere, I promise. I won't leave, I'll never leave, and nothing will take you away from me again.
It's the night; it draws out my memories. Shattered, broken things that pierce my heart and my dreams.
[ But what is it that did this? What power out there finally trumped her will? The terror of it keeps her shoulders hunched, and Vanessa leans back to cup his face in her hands. No matter what has happened, or what he has done, he hasn't stopped trying to get through to her. She can't forget that.
There's something else that she shouldn't forget; something that has haunted her. The sight of the bandage on her finger is enough to strike something else, and with a sudden shake of her head, Vanessa feels panic set in. ]
There is— There was something else. Last night, I heard them.
[ A flinch, as a pain begins to form between her eyes. ]
No, I remembered. Both— [ Her eyes widen. ] Both of them. They are coming for me.
[ The night brings out her memories, and in the day—he worries what happens then, when the sun rises. Both of them are coming for her, though; something here, or something still from her past, from beyond this place? She has no shortage of terrible things attempting to consume her, but the thought of it only stokes his rage and protective nature while he grips her tighter.
Cradling both of her hands again, he clings to her fiercely. ]
They can try. They haven't met me.
[ He moves one hand now to cradle her cheek in turn. ]
[ However it may darken his gaze, Vanessa is soothed by his protective ire just long enough to try and listen; to remember. ]
He— He did not fall alone.
[ It wasn't Amunet. They never meant her. Where was she meant to be in all of this, then? ...Drifting? Waiting for the end, where they will fling her into the abyss? ]
The other, he is—
[ His name almost comes to her, but it vanishes in a sea of white fog, and then the pain in her head consumes her. Groaning, she staggers and clutches at her eyes. ]
I can't remember. I— [ She blinks through her fingers, struggling to remain. Only... ] Where...?
[ Lucifer. Satan. The Devil. Many names and titles through the ages. The Doctor had confronted him once, long ago. He'd like to see Lucifer dare to get to Vanessa.
Never. ]
He did not fall alone...you've said it before. I'm not familiar, but we'll figure it out. Together, Vanessa, I promise.
[ So many mythologies to sort through, but he'll reason it out, he knows he will. He can figure out anything for her sake.
But then the pain grips her again and he worries anew, a concerned frown on his face as he attempts to reach for her, to soothe. ]
It's there, the name, and we'll find it. Just hold onto me, Vanessa.
[ No, she's confused. Lucifer is gone. Banished. But who was the other?
...
What other? Where...is she? Who is she? ]
What?
[ Hold onto him? Doctor mine. Doctor who? ]
No! Stop, please. It hurts. You—
[ With a fervent shake of her head, Vanessa backs away, her hands dropping down where her nails dig into her own arms. When she blinks through the tears now to gaze at him, confusion overtakes her. Then fear, which only brings her defenses back up. ]
I told you to leave me be. Take your cruel spellcraft elsewhere, or I shall scream.
[ His touch is side-stepped with a flinch as though it might yet burn, and she swiftly backs away with another shake of her head. She doesn't even bother with retrieving the robe, too afraid to take her eyes off of him until she's close enough to feel as though she can flee into the cave before he can try to follow.
She isn't alone in there. Vanessa is safe in there, even with her nightmares. ]
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She barely manages to choke down a sob. ]
You went away. [ Enough is recalled. The pain with the love. ] Don't—
[ Her grip tightens, and she lets the tears flow freely. ]
Please. Stay with me. Help— [ A shiver passes through, though she's plenty warm. ] Doctor, help me.
no subject
He tries to reach out in his mind for her, alarmed to find a barrier there that he can't explain, something keeping them apart and threatening to pull her back again. His belief in her and them is relentless, though, and he grips her still, fighting for her even now. ]
Listen to me, hear me. I'm not going anywhere, I promise. I won't leave, I'll never leave, and nothing will take you away from me again.
no subject
[ But what is it that did this? What power out there finally trumped her will? The terror of it keeps her shoulders hunched, and Vanessa leans back to cup his face in her hands. No matter what has happened, or what he has done, he hasn't stopped trying to get through to her. She can't forget that.
There's something else that she shouldn't forget; something that has haunted her. The sight of the bandage on her finger is enough to strike something else, and with a sudden shake of her head, Vanessa feels panic set in. ]
There is— There was something else. Last night, I heard them.
[ A flinch, as a pain begins to form between her eyes. ]
No, I remembered. Both— [ Her eyes widen. ] Both of them. They are coming for me.
no subject
Cradling both of her hands again, he clings to her fiercely. ]
They can try. They haven't met me.
[ He moves one hand now to cradle her cheek in turn. ]
What do you remember of them?
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He— He did not fall alone.
[ It wasn't Amunet. They never meant her. Where was she meant to be in all of this, then? ...Drifting? Waiting for the end, where they will fling her into the abyss? ]
The other, he is—
[ His name almost comes to her, but it vanishes in a sea of white fog, and then the pain in her head consumes her. Groaning, she staggers and clutches at her eyes. ]
I can't remember. I— [ She blinks through her fingers, struggling to remain. Only... ] Where...?
no subject
Never. ]
He did not fall alone...you've said it before. I'm not familiar, but we'll figure it out. Together, Vanessa, I promise.
[ So many mythologies to sort through, but he'll reason it out, he knows he will. He can figure out anything for her sake.
But then the pain grips her again and he worries anew, a concerned frown on his face as he attempts to reach for her, to soothe. ]
It's there, the name, and we'll find it. Just hold onto me, Vanessa.
no subject
...
What other? Where...is she? Who is she? ]
What?
[ Hold onto him? Doctor mine. Doctor who? ]
No! Stop, please. It hurts. You—
[ With a fervent shake of her head, Vanessa backs away, her hands dropping down where her nails dig into her own arms. When she blinks through the tears now to gaze at him, confusion overtakes her. Then fear, which only brings her defenses back up. ]
I told you to leave me be. Take your cruel spellcraft elsewhere, or I shall scream.
no subject
[ He tries to reach for her hand again, even now, even when she tries to push him away, hoping he can break through again. ]
Doctor mine...Doctor yours, remember? Yours.
no subject
[ His touch is side-stepped with a flinch as though it might yet burn, and she swiftly backs away with another shake of her head. She doesn't even bother with retrieving the robe, too afraid to take her eyes off of him until she's close enough to feel as though she can flee into the cave before he can try to follow.
She isn't alone in there. Vanessa is safe in there, even with her nightmares. ]