Seven- Goodbye, Neverland

Chapter 7 in which the team says goodbye to a certain fairy...

It was clear now, as our party sat in silence minutes, to a half hour, to an hour after we left the world of Neverland that we had all really taken a hit and stretched ourselves too thin.
Master was collapsed on the couch, completely and utterly exhausted from his assistance in battle;
Moriarty and Joker were sprawled out on chairs, fanning themselves as if it were a hot day;
Bane leaned against the control panel, rubbing his sore massive arms, while Tinker Bell sat in a corner of the room, eyes widened at the floor, cradling herself, obviously needing some form of comfort at whatever it was she was thinking about.

As for myself, I was self-nursing a few cuts and itching a few bruises, my arms and legs incredibly tired and my energy well beyond depleted.
Flying for the first time on top of endless battling with pirates and Lost Boys took it's tole.
I hadn't even had enough resting time from being a brief captive, long trudging through the jungle and my encounter with a Neverbird before I jumped into the next batch of madness.
Adventuring was proving itself to be a very trying and consequential thing;
and the more we rolled forward on the path, the greater I feared that the boys would get sick of me and the hardships I put them through and simply either kill me or hand me over to the Others themselves.
I hated thinking about them betraying me, cuz people have been betraying me all my life and I would like to think it ended here with the characters--
but alas..it's a very real and pressing matter.
If I don't think about it, I won't be prepared for it.
And that's something that would be even worse than the betrayal itself.

After that said hour, the silence became unbearable, and I had to say something;
so I sat up straight and sighed, deeply and loudly.
"Noodles."
At the sound of a sound, all eyes cut to me.
"You never make sense." grogged Master.
"I make all the sense." I chose to use, instead of something like, "Neither do you."
It seemed like the right time to lay down the mean level of sass for awhile.
Tinker Bell's attention seemed to be snatched from her hypnotic state and she was now starting to uncurl.
"You've got them, right?"
Giving her a quick glare as she approached me, I knew what she was getting at, and immediately reached into my back pocket, pulling out the bag of mysterious marbles.
The boys all stared.

"Ahhh, moment of truth." Joker spoke as he grew closer, rubbing his hands greedily.
"Toys stolen right from the enemy. You're actually becoming likable, kid."
"Well gee, thanks."  I replied, sarcastically, rolling my eyes.
Jim leaped towards us, getting too  close.
"What do they do?!"
I couldn't even manage enough space to pull apart the bag as they crowded close to me.
"I DUNNO, HOW 'BOUT LETTING ME SEE."
With a single shove of my arm, he was thrown back behind me.
Ignoring the unnerving way Tink was watching my hands' every move, I loosened the top of the bag with two fingers and then pulled one of the marbles out.
Jim and Joker tried to get closer again, but Bane drew them back by a simple yank of their collars from behind.

I held the marble to the light with my index finger and thumb.
It's translucent material glowed a bright, foresty green. A marking was etched within the inner heart of the marble that was hard to make out. What, indeed, could this little trinket have to offer the enemy?
Yes, it was rather mystical in nature..but it was seemingly harmless.
I'm not one to doubt..but I doubted the possibility of it being used as a weapon.
Tool, yes. Weapon, no.
So the question remained...what was it?

And just like that, I flung it to the floor.
It was rather pitiful, though, how softly I did it. Like my muscles worked against me and controlled my arm's speed, despite me wanting to give the thing a hard knock.
Nonetheless, predictable shocked gasps occurred as it landed and bounced a couple times before rolling a short distance away and settling.
"Careful, you'll BREAK IT!" Jim exclaimed, in a half-panic.
I gave him a glare, "It's a marble, trust me, they're tough little cookies."
"Why are you being violent over there?" Master scolded, swinging his legs off the couch and rising up, wincing at the pain that still lingered in his muscles.
"Something happened on Hook's ship."
My eyes turned to each of them.
"Hook was heading to the other side of the deck and just as I looked away, a flash occurred. I looked back at him and he was staring at a corner. Like something was there that wasn't there anymore. My only guess was it had something to do with this thing...."
I bent down, picked up the marble, and held it in my open palm.
"He had possession of it...."
Joker shrugged, "So your way of testing the theory out is throwing it to the ground?"
I cut my eyes at him, unnervingly. "He tripped. It must've fell out of his hand."
"-And landed against something?"
I nodded.

Tink frowned. "Well unfortunately, your theory was just proven wrong."
I wasn't about to give up. I rose the marble high over my head, "Maybe if I hit it hard enough-"
But my arm was grabbed and forced down.. which stung.
"That's enough of that." Master hissed. "As far as we know, these are the only marbles in existence, and there's no point in breaking them. We have them. They don't. Now let it go."
I scowled at him something fierce as he stripped my hands of the marble and pouch, then took them away to some place to no doubt lock them up.
how dare he treat me like a toddler!! jerk.
Sure enough, he locked them behind a glass cabinet and put the key on top of it.
I pointed, "You DO realize I can get that, right?"
He turned, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he approached me,
"Try and I'll fry you like a fish."
Anger pulsed through me and I soon found myself stomping towards him, with curling fists.
"I'd like to see you TRY!"
"Alright, that's enough of it--stop  it, you two! Right now!"
Tinker Bell slipped her arms in between Master and me and yanked us both back.
The Timelord and I exchanged glares before looking away and moving on to something else.

"Well, that happened." Joker croaked blandly and jumped down to us.
"Moving on...what're we gonna do with her?"
He tapped Tink's head, sounded as if we were discussing taking out the trash.
I gave him a glare and patted her shoulder. "Last we talked, she wanted to go home, but it's still her decision on where she goes."
Master drooped, unexpectedly. "...It is?"
Tinker Bell slowly nodded. "I need to go home....as much as I'd love to travel with you all...I have a responsibility and it lies with my people. I've run away too long.."
She then laid a hand on my shoulder, "Besides..I think Sarah here will be wanting you boys' attention back. I can't impose on you five any longer."
Now I drooped. "You can  stay.."
She gave me a faint smile and pat me on the head, like a big sister.
"It's not my place here. Your place is with them. You've all saved me and given me my life back..I'll never be able to repay you for that."
"No, you won't." Jim chirped.
I made a mental note to stab him with an unpleasant object once Tink was out of the picture.

Bane stepped down and approached the four of us, where he extended his strong hand towards Tink.
"It was a pleasure having you, miss Bell."
She accepted his offer gratefully and shook his hand with a twinkle in her eye.
"It was a pleasure being with you. Thank you."
She turned to Joker, but he waved her off with a "Yeah yeah, nice havin' ya..."
"Be nice."  I hissed..though I kept forgetting whom I was talking to.
He frowned, then took her hand, bringing it close to his face in a rush, which took her by surprise.
"Was a pleasure, doll.." he gave it a kiss and she tried, but failed, not to cringe.
As soon as he did it, he let go, causing her arm to fall lifelessly back to her side, almost as if he never even took it. He licked at his scars- a normal tick of his- and shrugged his shoulders repeatedly, backing away into the background, with a rather straight face.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any more awkward, Master came up from behind Tink, marched straight to her and blamo--smooched her right on the mouth.
My jaw dropped as my body shut down in shock.
WHAT DID MY EYES JUST WITNESS??????????????
I forced them to look away, but they held there at the unexpected scene taking place.
And he continued...and continued...and continued....and even Jim was stunned, blinking repeatedly with widened eyes. Okkkkkaaaaayyyyyyy then...

Before I could run him off from the poor fairy, he stopped and stepped back.
She was as pink as hardcore bubblegum.
"W-Well..." She straightened herself up and held her own hands.
"T-Thank you......"
yugh...... *gag* .......romance....
Joker rolled his eyes away, unable to bear it anymore, and Bane kept his to the floor, shifting uncomfortably.
Master gave Tink a cheeky smile and tapped her chin with a wink,
"Take care, gorgeous."
She now turned red and her head shrunk into her shoulders, forcing herself to turn away.
"You, too........" her voice was tiny.
I was anticipating the moment where she would humorously shrink to her true size, seeing as how you could feel the awkward hovering in the air. 

She moved to Jim, who was staring off at nothing, hands in his pockets, looking uncomfortable--
I half-expected him to do the exact same thing to her, as if to compete with the Timelord.
But no.
He simply turned his attention to her and took her hand as she offered it, giving it a formative shake.
As formal as I ever saw him around a woman.
She smiled, "Thank you, James. I truly appreciate all that you did."
He nodded with a smirk and eyed Master, "All in a day's work."
As soon as he let go of her hand, he brushed past her and--stood next to me. o_o
wut...
well, I would have none of that.

Now that she had said her goodbyes to the boys, she was left with her farewell to me.
For that, I wanted privacy. Ya know...certain secrets.
I waved for her to come along as I traveled to across the room and all the boys huddled together.
Even though I was really trying not to, I overheard Bane whispering to Master.
"You made Sarah uncomfortable."

Master said nothing, so for a brief second, I looked back at the four--
however, when I saw he was staring directly at me, I hurriedly turned my head away.
"Really?" I heard him say, before all their whispers turned to mutters.
Why would it matter if I was uncomfortable?
I admit, I'm greedy. I don't want  them to have relationships or to get mushy with other people..
not other people, I mean, like, ya know, I just wanted all of us to stay single and to travel and for nothing to change and if they got attached to someone else, then they would forget about me and I'd be doomed.
But what did any of that matter to them? 
They should be the last ones to care about that sort've stuff.
...I sighed and shrugged it off.

"Now Tink.." I started, as we got far enough away. "I gotta ask.."
She settled her position infront of me and turned around, laying a hand on the railing beside us.
I looked at her, sternly. "The pixie dust..."
I rose my hands. "Is it gonna last?"
Her expression slowly saddened and so did mine.
"..No, I'm sorry..you have to be under continuous exposure. Why do you think Peter needed me so badly?"
My head fell and I sighed, "Drat."
"Aw..you'll be alright! I'm sure you'll find a way to fly on your own."
"HA"
"Now you stop that. Sarah Demens can do anything!"
"HA HA!"
"I mean it, you brat." She tapped my chin.
"I am a mule."
"Well then, you're a very resourceful mule."
I shrugged. She frowned. "You really don't believe in yourself, do you?"
I did a so-so motion. "eh.."
She sagged. "Why? Look at all that you've done!"
Yeah, look at all I've done..stirred up more trouble than what was already there.
"I'm sorry, Tink..I just can't get over the simple fact that I'm not  the Queen, out of my conscious. If they find out...if everyone finds out...how am I going to face them? I'm an impostor.  I shouldn't even be  here..as much as I love everything and everyone, this is someone else's job! I'm just some idiot from Earth that got kidnapped and is riding along merely to have adventures she only dreamed of having. I'm being selfish. This isn't my story. This is the Queen's."
"Yes, but where is she?" 
..I paused, blinking my huge bright eyes in cluelessness.
She quickly peeked behind us at the boys to make sure they weren't listening.
"..look.." She took hold of my arms to get my attention and gave me a very strict stare.
"You have saved two  worlds already and you've only just begun. I don't know that Queen. I don't know one thing about her, other than one thing; she isn't here. You  are. If one Queen had to save us, I'm honored it was this  one...the one I'm proud to call my friend."
I think my heart melted a little from weeping at the beauty of her words.
don't cry, Demens, tough girls don't cry.

"And I'll tell you another thing..the girl I saw tonight, fighting, bluffing, flying, saving me...that girl can do anything. You've already done so much, Sarah. I know  you're capable of so much more. I believe in you...you're the side of Peter that he's forgotten...the happiness, the carelessness, the goodness.....believe me, you're so much more to everyone than you even know."
She gave me a tiny shake. "Please promise me you'll stay this way. No matter what. You'll never change. You'll always be Sarah Demens...this childish little adorable thing that people cherish so....promise me."
My shoulders tightened. Well then.....how could I refuse?
If I did, she might kick me off a ledge again.
"I promise, Tink."
She gave me a faint smile in return, "Thank you.." and she let go.
Finally, someone  around her was showing me a little appreciation.
"And let me tell you something else.." She gave me a giddy little grin suddenly and started jiggling.
"Those boys love you. Or else they wouldn't fight so hard for you!"

"Get out, you're delusional, they detest me."
"Are you blind?!"
"Are you?!  The only reason they do a single dang thing for me is cuz they need me to stick around."
"Oh, open your eyes, girl! It's all an act- they have a reputation to uphold, after all. Yes, they're villains, they'll always be villains, but you? They are different with you around. You've put a spell of your own on them, dear." She turned me around and pointed toward them.
"Especially that  one."
She was pointing at Jim.
I felt my face change color. "He just flirts......"
"Oh, I've seen flirting. Master flirts. James isn't flirting. If he was a flirter, he'd have kissed me just like him or at least shown a little more enthusiasm toward me..and then he certainly wouldn't have stood next to you."
oh crud. please tell me she was not.
"He's got it rather awful for you, dearie."
she was...sigh.

I failed to realize that the boys had been steady watching us as we talked.
Curiosity became too great.
"Oy!" Jim exclaimed. "You talking about us?"
"No,  I'm showing her the interior decorating."  I yelled across the room, sarcastically.
Tink hid herself to stifle her laugh, as Jim returned my comment with a look of taken back offendedness.
"Mind your own business." Joker mumbled.
"Fools, you are  my business."
This made them all shuffle uncomfortably.

I brought my head back to Tink, without looking away.
"Hate to crush whatever you're getting at, hon, buttttt.... as much as I love dem boys, they ain't what I'm aiming for."
"Oh yes, I know.. your mystery boy."
I snapped my head at her in shock.
"How'd you-" "Youuuuu talk in your sleep."
I slapped my forehead.
MOUTH.
Curse your sudden, but inevitable betrayal!

"He sounds like quite the lad." She winked and I groaned.
".......honestly though...." Her face softened.
"..Stay with them, Sarah. You're stronger together. You all complete one another. You're a team."
I said nothing more of the matter, just looked back at them. And I sighed...
"..Tink..there's something you should know.."
She looked a little concerned as I fixed my gaze back on her.
"Your home..well..I can't take you back there. To your timeline."
Before she had a chance to question this, I continued-
"It's Regina. She cursed the land. Sending everyone to another world. That's where they are now, the fairies. And it's..well...it's different. It's not what you'd expect. It's..similar to my world.."
Her head drooped and she was quiet for a moment. ".....a curse?"
"..yeah..it's erased everyone's memories and stuff....but, uh, things change in the future..we can take you to a time where everyone remembers.."
Her head lifted. "......What would I even say?"
She started wringing her hands, nervously, with a half-sad, half-worried expression plaguing her blonde little face. "What if....what if the Blue Fairy is still mad with me? What if...what if she casts me out?.."
"As far as I can remember, you can't be banished twice. So what's the harm?"
"...I just...I just don't think I can face her."
"..Hon...why are you so nervous?"
".....I just want her to forgive me."

But to this, I waved my hand with a "Bah!"
Her eyes returned to me.
"Hey, you pushed me off my ship to my death and I still forgave you! You'll be fine!"
She couldn't help it. She broke out in laughter, happily and carelessly.
Instantly, all the stress and depression withholding themselves in her face had been released.
Her fairy-like glow returned.
I smiled at her happiness and patted her on the shoulder.
"You've got this, Tink. I've never known a more capable fairy."
This brought a giggle. "Oh, Sarah...thank you...you're the dearest friend I have ever had...and I just...I can't thank you enough."
"You clearly have been banished too long if I'm the dearest friend you've ever had."
She laughed and shook her head. "I'm serious, don't laugh! . . . will you stay awhile? In, um..this new world?"
"Nooooo, thank you. I'm not  ready for Storybrooke and it's madness yet."
Indeed, Storybrooke was a big nope.
Out of all the places on the need-to-go list, Storybrooke was not one of them.

She suddenly got all sassy and leaned forward, hands on hips.
"In that case, if you ever  need me, for ANYthing, you come running,  you understand! I will  see you again, miss!" "Of course, of course!" I shot up my hands in defense. "I will, I swear!"
She gave a single nod and eased up.
"Now..."
With that, she pulled out a single thing from her bag and I jerked back as she held out the orb.
"Tink!"
"Keep it. Please."
"No no, you  keep it! You'll need it more than I do!"
"If you're going out on adventures, making enemies and saving people, you  will need it more than I do. Take it as a..souvenir, if you will. Of all your hard work!"
I shrugged, uneasily. "I already have the marbles."
"Pft!" She threw her head back, in accordance.
"Those wretched things are not  from me. This is! Now take it."
"Tiiiinnkkk!!"
"Sarah.  Take it. Please."
ugh, stupid pixie, jdjdhjhjdhwj, grumble grumble
I took it. "curse you."
"Oh, stop acting like a- well, never mind that part."

It was then that she pulled out something else. "Here.."
I watched as she stuffed her hand in a pouch on her side, then pulled whatever she grasped onto into a small vile. With that, she extended her arm. "There! In case of emergencies."
Pixie dust.
I was getting woozy from all this power floating around. "You spoil me."
Yet another laugh. I took it.
We stood in silence for awhile...I tried to think of things to say.
"....Well....guess this is it."
We were both visibly sad, but we didn't let that get us down.
We both gave eachother encouraging grins and before I could stop her, she threw her arms around me and hugged me. "You'll be home again soon, Sarah.." She said, quietly.
"I promise."
Her voice sounded so sure and hopeful...huh...yeah...easier said than done.

- - -

That was it. We had said our goodbyes.
Every last one of us was ready to move on, so there was no further hesitation.

I told the Master to set the time for the safest  future of Storybrooke.
As I implicated earlier, there was always trouble there. And I didn't want Tinker Bell to walk into a current problem and just dump her there. I wanted her acclimated to the town and people first.
So, once the Timelord did as I requested, and we felt the T.A.R.D.I.S. rumble and jerk as it traveled and landed on Storybrooke soil..or, ya know, cement..Tinkerbell was automatically at the door and holding onto the knob, taking deep, concentrated breaths.
"There's some nuns standing beyond those doors." Master said from behind the control panel, watching the monitor. Tink glared at me, "What's a nun??"
"..It's them." I answered, carefully.
"Ohhhhh.." Tink bowed her head and squeezed her eyes shut.
"Hey-" I jumped down and paced toward her, then laid a hand on her shoulder, encouragingly.
"You've got this."
She cut her eyes back at me, giving me a faint smile, and she nodded softly.
"..goodbye, Sarah."
I smirked. "Later, Tink."
With that, she turned back around, fully pointed in one direction, and with one last breath, she opened the door.

She was a bit stunned, at first, over the change of scenery waiting for her beyond the T.A.R.D.I.S. doors..the open night skies, full of clouds, she had last seen of Neverland had now been replaced by a bright, dismal town. In Storybrooke, it always looks rainy and rather uncomfortable..the weather is cold and the sky a blinding white. There were no other residents in sight but a huddled pile of nuns, who looked as if they were planning their next attack of Catholic Football. They were discussing this and that in quiet, inaudible voices.
The fairies....the Blue Fairy, their leader, known here as Mother Superior, had a wand in hand and as usual, had a rather grave look about her.

Tinker Bell froze like a statue, four feet infront of me, until I gave her a tap from behind to get her going again. Feeling urged, she stumbled back on track.
Her arms slightly spread out, her hands and posture perked upwards, as if getting ready to fly away.
But she kept walking..step by step..slowly and cautiously..I could hear her barely breathing.
I held on tightly to the door on my right as I watched her go, getting closer to the fairies.
There was no telling what they might do; particularly the Blue Fairy.
What if she did  reject Tinker Bell? Send her away again?
Then Tink would have to come with us, cuz I wouldn't leave her in an unfamiliar place, unwanted and forgotten. And then..what if she did  forgive Tink?
The woman had been assuming the role of a nun for 28 years, so that was the least she could do out of general holy moral standard after the garbage she had put Tink through, over something so ridiculous.
No..she better forgive her..cuz otherwise...I'm not afraid to punch a nun.

The anticipation went on for several seconds and I prayed that they would just notice her already to end the darn anxiousness we were both suffering from.
Annnnndddddd...wellllll...finally.....click.
The Blue Fairy's head lifted up.
She saw Tink, whom froze in place the instant her superior's eyes acknowledged her presence.
IDK about Tinker Bell, but my own heart jumped at this.
Especially when Blue called out, "Tinker Bell?"
Her face looked unreadable. Even now, the anticipation was numbing.
The blonde fairy perked up and I could hear her breath tighten.

That's when Blue gently started to push through the group, all the other fairies turning their heads at their long-lost sister. . and Blue's face was soon beaming, a look of relief and joy washing over her.
"Tink!"  She exclaimed, now quickening in pace and running towards her.
Tinker Bell was no doubt swelling up with smiles now, judging by her body language.
A smirk soon invaded my expression as Blue broke out in happy tears and embraced her, the other fairies running behind her, and she pulled her long-lost fairy close.
"Oh, Tink, you're alive!"

Tinker Bell, who had remained silent the entire time, gladly hugged her back and I could faintly hear her choke up.
"Please forgive me."
That's when Blue drew herself back and held the sides of Tink's head.
"Forgive you?  No...forgive me." 
I could tell now that both of them were smiling at one another, and they once again hugged.
All the fairies broke out in happy chatter and crowded the two.
Tinker Bell was soon turning to all of them and hugging each tightly, having not seen any of them in lord only knows how many years.


The Blue Fairy

The entirety of the fairies were completely washed over with excited happiness and I and the T.A.R.D.I.S. soon became just another part of the background..which I was honestly okay with.
Even so..my face fell. I frowned.
I felt my eyes start to sting, and my heart felt heavy.
Seeing Tink reunite with her loved ones...well...yeah...I brushed the coming thoughts away and took a deep breath. Tinker Bell was home, and she was loved..home...loved....
I bowed my head and gulped...with merely two steps, I took hold of the knob and lifted my chin up to watch the scene further as I slowly creaked the door back with me.
All the fairies were now trailing with excited blurs of words and laughing and beaming and slamming Tink with a thousand questions.
I watched, emotionless, trying to close my hanging mouth, 'til the moment I finally closed the door, and the fairies were blocked by the metal shield sitting before me.

My body felt like sinking to the floor. Tinker Bell was gone. All I had left now were the villains.
I glanced over at Bane, whom was standing near me, watching the outside through the orb, and I felt the ship begin to take off. Tinker Bell suddenly swung around and stared after us.
But the only thing she had the chance to see was the fading image of the T.A.R.D.I.S..
Her face fell.
Soon, her image faded, too.
And as depressing as it sounds....I wondered if we would actually ever see her again.

- - -

I was not ready to face the four yet, so I found myself pouting from a distance, sitting to the left of the exit, while they did this and that in the background.
Facing the metal wall, I held my own hands and stared at the floor, silent as an inanimate object.
"Miss Sarah." I turned my head and lifted it to a large towering figure; Bane stared back.
"What troubles you?" Just at the sound of that, I wanted to bust out crying.
What's wrong, what's wrong, Bane, oh IDK, how about eveRYTHING?! EVERY DANG THING IN THE FREAKING UNIVERSE? WHY DO WE EVEN BOTHER EXISTING, EVERYTHING SUCKS, I HATE LIFE AND ALL THINGS AND I HATE MYSELF AND YOU AND IDK WHY I'M YELLING, YA KNOW, BUT DON'T ASK DUMB QUESTIONS, I FEEL LIKE DYING, GET OUT, ETERNAL SCREAMS.
"Nothing, I'm fine."
My head fell back to the floor.
Welcome to a girl's mind, you enjoy your stay.

But Bane knew better. He immediately seated next to me.
"What troubles you?"  He repeated. This time, he meant it.
I had a feeling he would not leave unless I spilled my guts.
Welp. Time to get gross.

I quietly shook my head, "It...it....it's just something Pan said........"
"What did he say?"
His voice was so direct and cold, I wanted to curl into a ball.
I sighed....and made a point not to look at him.
It's easier to get deep with a villain when you're not looking at them.
".....I just......ugh....he told me, like....I wouldn't see home again..that..I'm changed...and he was right. I am  changed..I'll never be the same..and I won't see home again..I'm just a Lost Girl."
I looked away to my left and brought my arms in for some form of comfort.
"........I'll probably just die, anyway.."
Even though I muttered it, I'm sure in some miraculous manner, he heard what I said.
I stopped talking and just sat there, staring at nothing, feeling sorry for myself.
Through this, Bane stared..and stared..and kept staring.
And I felt uncomfortable.
Say something, you masked fool.

". . . . . . . . . . . . From the minimal time I have known you, Miss Demens...I have learned that you always fight for the things you desire. And there is very little that can stand in your way."
He then rose up, taking a deep breath, and his serious half-closed eyes fell on me.
"You have my word....you will see home again."
At this, I instantly lifted my head back to him.
He said nothing further..just gave me one last moment of a gaze.. then proceeded with his business, back to the others. As villainous and hardcore as he is, I know Bane to be a man of his word.
If he says I'll see home again, then I know for certain that I'll see home again.
And that  filled me with hope.

In that instant, I smiled brightly.
And I stood up, dusted myself off, finally strolling on up to the control panel.
Approaching the Master, I got up close, laying a hand on the metal surface of the controls.
The Timelord looked down at my grinning face and blinked, confusedly.
"..I need you to take me somewhere."

°°°

Take me somewhere, indeed.
That somewhere being some place snowing and cold and beautiful..but..a little more on the modern side..close to home...but not  close to home.
Central Park in the Winter time, to be exact.
I believe set in the 1930's or 40's.
Beautiful Christmas lights hung everywhere outside, lighting the place up with a magical array of glowing colors that reflected off of my skin as I stepped out onto the snow.
Ahead was a frozen pond that seemed to serve as great material for ice-skating.
The dark green trees scattered about the area was covered in snow, as well as the ground beneath me.
Thick and great for packing.
The city sat in the background to my left, as the night sky hung above, both black from space and white from the wintery atmosphere. Not only was I visiting worlds, but I had now set foot in New York for the very first time. To think...I had traveled in a spaceship to a place found on my own planet.
Still..this made me feel more comforted, for some reason.
A slight break from the madness.
Something I never thought I'd say or even need...but...I really did need a breather.

I drifted a good length away from the T.A.R.D.I.S., staring up at the sky.
Soft layers of snow were steadily and delicately falling to the ground.
I turned around, soon rotating, as I watched above me with a captivated grin.
My arms held out to catch the snow with my sleeves and I held my head back, closing my eyes.
The breath of fresh, crisp Winter air jolted me back out've my depressed state, and I was once again excited to take things on. It was almost as if a reset button had been pushed.
I took a deep breath, in and out.
It was so quiet, I could almost hear the sound of the snow falling.
The cold air steadily tried to gnaw at my skin, but I didn't care.
It was peaceful out here..I needed this.



Leave it to me, upon regaining my joy and confidence, to start thinking mischievous thoughts.
I lowered my head at my companions standing outside, who had come out to watch me, and were now enjoying their surroundings..Master and Joker standing infront of the doors, Master to the right, Joker to the left, with Jim peeking out from the inside, and Bane standing near Joker, leaning against the side of the ship.
While they weren't paying attention, I grabbed my opportunity, developed a sly little smirk, and reached down, cupping some snow.
then WHOOSH! WHACK!

It landed right in Master's face.
My jaw dropped at my aim, and Master's face, now layered with snow, gawked at me.
Joker and Jim simultaneously shot their heads at him, softly gasping in shock, then moved their heads at me.
Bane uneasily glanced back and forth between me and them.
They all realized what I had just started.

Cue an explosion of reactions.
They all scattered, even Bane, to evade my attacks, and they ducked to the ground, snatching bundles of snow and packing them quickly into balls to fling at me.
Master ran his hand down his face like a windshield wiper to rid it of snow, then grabbed a bunch to make it into one big ball, which he hurriedly rocketed towards my head.
He missed, of course, cuz I bolted at the last second.
I found myself bouncing back and forth to dodge their moves, gasping repeatedly at how good they were at this. And something I had never heard before broke the silence of the air;
everyone was laughing.

Even Bane, the most serious member of the gang, was chuckling at the fun..he never missed, by the way. He would gather up a large amount of snow and let out a huge grunt as he threw the boulders, and it would knock down each of us as it caked our chests.
I kept aiming for their heads and succeeded, so Jim thought it best to use the doors of the ship as shields any time I shot a ball at him. Joker cackled as he cheated and snuck up behind you, dropping a devilishly unfair amount of freezing snow down your shirt, and all of us did little awkward dances to get it all out.

The fun had only lasted a mere few minutes so far, but it felt much longer than that.
The sight of it all made me laugh. Laugh so hard, I was bending down, squeezing my eyes shut, trying to hold back tears. I knew this wouldn't last forever, us being together.
Happy. Not wanting to kill eachother. Not needing to trust or worry about the other's actions.
So I seized that moment and made it last. Our snowball fight continued; suddenly, we all became little children. And I no longer found myself caring who they were..all I cared about, really..was wanting us to stay like that. Longer than just a few minutes.
Permanently.
Together.


~ ~ ~

A few hours later, everyone had hit the sack.
After a proper change into some dry clothes and something hot to drink, of course.
They all retreated to their rooms and the T.A.R.D.I.S. went silent as they supposedly crashed.
But not me.
Nah, being a night owl, I was left with sitting cross-legged on my bed, staring at nothing, while everyone else called it a day. This was the time when my mind was most active.
And I had nothing to do to appease it's activeness.
I mean, I had my big book I got. And my pen.
But it didn't feel right to just write on my bed.
The mood, the whole atmosphere; it was just plain foreign to me.
It was all off. Even though I had spruced the place up, it still didn't feel like...my room.
I was starting to feel as if I was completely restricted from calling any place home.
Even for one day.
So..I sighed. Got up, and wandered out into the hall.
Which took me into the main room.

I took a deep breath, crossed my arms, and drifted towards the entrance/exit.
As I stopped and looked around at the dormant, quiet area, I thought...and I thought...and I thought.
A billion things at once. All of which I would forget.
And my eyes soon lifted...the wall infront of me...the glass cabinet...ah, yes...the marbles.

If that pesky alien thought he could stop me from retrieving what I rightfully stole, he had another thing coming. I ran over, pulled up a chair, placed it against the cabinet and climbed up.
I snickered as I rose my hand up to the top of it and felt around for the key.
......the key..........
.....................................the key..........
................................................................the key.........
............................................
......................
.....
which wasn't there.

. . .  . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . .
. .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
that . . . . . . .
little. . . . . . .
son of a . . . . . . . .
kjkhkhkhkjlkj

'l;;l'p''
;',?
;'l
that little kdjsjd bucket of dead ld=fje worms and canned kjdkjsqjjooq SEWAGE.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT,
HE TRICKED ME,
HE WOULD PAY IN BLOOD.

my hand fell as I realized what that flurry of unpleasant words did to me.
He made me think he had placed the key up there, when he had only instead slipped it into his pocket..or something. nkl;wdowoj3'opjopjopJOJDJEJFLLklkKJKDJEOR3JKCM,

he will never be forgiven for this.

But it was too risky to go after the thing now..if he woke, well, yeah.
I would just have to wait for a better chance to retrieve it.
So, I pulled the chair back where I found it and sighed again, shaking my irritation away through a pace.
The blues were trying to return as I felt out of place again.
I needed to quench it.
And this chapter needs to end, it's dreadfully long, I'm sorry.

But ya know..I realized something..standing there tonight..or last night, whatever...
if I kept treating this like it was temporary, like I was in some sorta hotel..then it would always feel  like a hotel. Like one great big long road trip.
When the truth is, I might not be seeing home for quite awhile.
There are still so many worlds to visit and I feel obligated to visit them.
I was keeping myself from feeling comfortable in any area by accepting it as temporary.
And that wasn't fair of me, to do that to me.
So, I decided. If I couldn't go home..then I would bring home to me.

With that, I marched to the controls of the template-editor.
And the first thing on the list of wants? Writing desk.

An hour passed.
I returned to my room and opened the door to a nice black writing desk sitting to the left, taking up more room for my already small amount of space. But I didn't care.
It was a real writing desk, like the one from my house.
I delved into the supplies sitting atop my bed; I soon painted my ceiling a glorious solar system, hanging up various copies of my favorite posters, taping tiny photos of my family above my bed, and many other small things to improve my room's roominess.
And suddenly..things felt more me.

When all was done, I grinned at my work, a twinkle in my eye.
And I rotated back to my desk. My beautiful desk just waiting to be written upon.
I eagerly snatched the book and pen from my bed and sat them on the surface of the desk, where I seated myself in my new comfy spinney chair.
I must confess to you that from the time this story had begun, to the instant I had sat down in that chair, I had been taking notes. Storing all the events and every spoken word to a safe part of my brain, where it would not be forgotten. Just waiting for an opportunity to convert it all into a story...
and now, I got my chance.

I grabbed the pen, smiled wide as I had returned to my element...well..other  element...and I began.
And that's what I've been doing, lovelies.
All night long.
Hopefully soon, you'll be converted into a computer, for the whole world to see..
for now, though, For now, you're safe with me, inside my book.
My story will be told, soon.
If you believe me, great. If you don't, that's your problem.

My hands are exhausted.
So I'll end things on this note;
I'm ready for the next adventure.