Fifteen - Pt. 10 -

 The T.A.R.D.I.S. lifted into the air and zoomed so fast forward that it knocked everyone to the floor.
I wasn't the best at piloting the ship, but I had to make do.
The monsters that were busy pounding against the walls of the metal box were slammed on their backs as I guided it through the hotel lobby and through the shattered wall of windows.

I continuously made awkward and obnoxious sounds as I tried not to crash us, navigating the spaceship like a child learning to walk. "Holy unidentified flying objects, Batman, this is freaking HARD!"
I struggled to steer it correctly and I wound up hitting against the corner of a building to which I grit my teeth at the tragedy and the fact that everyone yelled in terrified response.
"I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I AM DOING."
This was followed by me screeching as the ship started to plummet to the ground and I yanked the controls as hard as possible to keep it from landing straight upon a car just inches below.
"Sarah, for goodness sake!" Scully yelled.
"I AM NOT QUALIFIED FOR THIS, HUSH!"

"We don't need the monsters, you're gonna kill us all!" J retorted.
He, Mulder and Fred then rushed in and assisted me in holding the gearshifts that were causing me too much trouble operating on my own. Together, we were able to lift the ship up and steer it in a straight line through the open air, without causing anymore damage to the nearby buildings of the already distraught town.
My eyes drifted to the kids, who were holding on to the sides of the walls for dear life, and to the ladies who were squeezing their eyes shut and looked like they were gonna be sick.
We exited the town and were now enclosing on the neighborhood.
"Guys, hold on, we're almost there!"
"Thank goodness, I'm about to lose my lunch!!" Daphne yelped, holding her stomach.
The ride was wobbly and hectic, but much better now that I had the two gents by my side.
It looked as though we were gonna actually get there in one piece. AND successfully evade the pesky monster goons. I started grinning ear to ear as we came upon a new street and suddenly a beacon went off on the monitor next to us. It was Master. The T.A.R.D.I.S. had located him.
He was okay. And if that was the case, maybe the others were okay after all, too.
Things were looking up, finally. We were about to come upon our friends, enter the house, go to the past, all exactly according to plan. For once, we were getting our way.

But ya know..naturally...nope.

My heart stopped.
A car was hurtling towards us.
A car.
We all screamed, as it was too late.
It collided with the ship, knocking us so hard, we were sent flying towards the ground, crashing into a nearby unfortunate car and the impact threw us all on our rears. The power fluctuated as the ship shook violently in response to the crash. I hit my head hard against the metal grate floor. Causing a pain that made me wince and clench every muscle in my body. As to the others, I heard a few groan and stir, which assured me that we were all probably okay minus some bruises and headaches.
What did not assure me..was the powerful bangs being performed against the doors.
And the closing pound that launched something forward and land into the counter top.
And the screams that followed afterwards.

My eyes flung wide open and I shot up like an unstable rocket.
What I saw had my heart instantly racing.
It was the demogorgon and the werewolf.
And they had Dipper and Mabel in their arms.
"NO!!" I screeched and immediately was gunning it toward them.
They turned and faced me. The demo had no face to speak of other than a slimy, toothy plant head.
But the wolf..his eyes were glowing and fixed on me and a wicked smile formed that screamed that they had planned this all along. They were winning, after all.
I got out my gun and was about to shoot--when something suddenly took control of me.
I don't know what. I don't know how.
But an unseen force grabbed me and stopped me in my tracks and I no longer had any say in what I did with my own body. Before I knew it, I was being lifted into the air.
The others rushed to stop whatever it was, but they too were taken control of and thrown back against the wall. Mulder and Scully attempted to draw out their guns, but they were quickly restrained and their weapons fell hard against the floor. Joker, being the brave soldier he is, dropped to the floor and hid from sight.

I squeezed my eyes shut as a pain resonated inside me, feeling constricted and tightened as if something were squeezing. That's when my arms were lifted up and my gun fell from my hand.
Then something started to choke me. I felt the life being crushed from within me in mere seconds.
My vision was blurring, but it didn't stop me from trying to see who was ahead of us, causing this.
I was powerless to do anything as I watched the two walk through the now open doorway with Dipper and Mabel screaming and kicking to get out of their grasp. The sounds of their young voices begging and pleading me and the others to help them made my ears ring and my heart ache in pain.
As they exited the ship, both doors having been ripped right off and being the thing flung into the counter earlier, I now saw who was doing this. And my eyes widened.
It was him..a figure you would never forget..tall, suited, faceless...
and his hand was extended towards me, using an unseen power that was suffocating me.

I now was fighting to breathe as the power was constricting my very lungs. And I felt my own mind slipping into a state of surreal paralysis. I wasn't even sure anymore if I was alive or dead.
But that is when a noise filled my eardrums. A scream. A horrifically brutal and vengeful scream.
That came from a specific child.
It was El.
She had jumped in front of me and lifted her hand up, her screaming intensifying as she used her own power against our assailant. And a vibration went off in the air as all the lights in the ship grew brighter and hummed with an unnatural energy and slowly but surely I felt the life enter back into me as right in that moment..she threw him back.
So far. So powerfully. So ruthlessly.
I was released. My body fell to the floor in a nasty thud that shocked my legs and made me tighten my fists. El stood her ground, her arm slowly falling back to her side.
I quickly recovered myself as best as I could and looked ahead. He was gone.
But unfortunately...so was the other two.
"..Oh no." I breathed.

I was limping and stumbling and felt like absolute crap, but I ran as fast as I was able out the door, after the two who took the Pine twins. "No no no no no, no!"
I looked all around upon leaving the ship. Frantically I circled around it, my mind reeling with dread.
"Dipper!! MABEL!!!"
It was no use. They took them...they were gone.
I held my head. "CRAP!!"
My fist pounded against the ship in utter defeat and rage and I let out a scream of pure bitter agony.
I failed again. I fell into their trap once more and this time, they had the Pine twins. Who were innocent and defenseless kids. And I was powerless to stop them.

Eleven rushed out after me. She looked guilty, even though it wasn't her fault.
She wasn't responsible for the group, I was. It was on me.
But she still looked as if she were about to bust out crying. "I..I'm sorry.."
Her eyes fell. I stopped in my tracks as I tried to muster the energy to look strong for her.
It was hard. Very hard. As I am not a particularly mentally strong person by nature.
In body, I can take a lot. But not when it comes to my emotions.
Especially when it comes to the safety and well being of those I care for.
I couldn't let El see that I was dying inside. I lost Bud. Now Dipper and Mabel.
And each time, I had no choice but to watch it happen.
But..even so..I held my head up. Hid the emotions attempting to burst from me.
And I laid a hand on her shoulder to show some sign of comfort to the poor kid.
"It's not your fault, Eleven. You did good no matter what, okay?"
She didn't seem convinced.
But she still gave me a soft nod to acknowledge what I was saying.
Even though it was obviously not helping either of us.

Pretty soon, the rest of the remaining party ran out. Mulder, Scully, Fred, Daphne and Joker.
"They..they've got the kids!!" Fred exclaimed. "What are we going to do?!"
"We have to hurry, we have to save them!" Daphne agreed, helplessly.
Joker shook his head, holding his shoulder which he obviously injured in the crash.
"Those kids are goners, no point now."
"Hey!" Mulder barked. He shoved Joker against the wall of the ship and shoved a finger at him.
"I saw what you did back there! You didn't even try to help any of us; you just ducked and hid from them! That's all you are, isn't it? A coward! Big and bad until it actually means something, huh?!"
J narrowed his eyes. "That's because this ain't my fight, 'Spooky Mulder'. I'm not a *beep* hero. You people seem to keep forgetting that."
He smacked Mulder's finger away and started to turn.
"I'll meet you at the haunted mansion. Once you're done sulking for an old man and a couple useless kids, come find me."
My eyes gravitated to the clown who limped away from our group.
Mulder was filled with fury at the villain, but it was just that. He was a villain.
He was in a rush to get back at Batman just so he could return to a life that involved doing exactly what was just done here. Bad things. He was evil. No way of getting around that.
I was wasting so much time trying to make Joker something he most definitely would never be.
Really.. I was starting to realize there just wasn't any point in it anymore.

I turned my head back to him, contemplating on everything at once.
"J."
He stopped a second to look at me and I gave him a half smile that wasn't genuine as I rubbed my gloves together. "You're right..this wasn't your fight..... But they're not just after me now. They're after you. All four of you." This made him wince a bit.
"And there really isn't no middle ground now. There's them and there's us. So you can either choose to survive on your own for a few minutes and wind up as a dead man or choose to help us stop them..because they'll never take you back. They're not forgiving like that. So I'm sorry, clown, but...you're pretty much screwed."
I stepped closer toward him until I was inches from him. There, I looked up at him and I pointed sternly at his chest. "And for your information..that old man and those two 'useless' kids? They're three of the strongest people out there. Simply because despite all that they've faced..they still chose goodness. And that makes them infinitely braver than you could ever imagine."
My arm fell back to my side as we stared one another down.
My tongue ran along the inside of my cheek in irritation. He tightened his fists as it was clear he wanted to do away with me so bad. "..Lemme tidy up the mess here. Tell the others we're coming."
My eyes shifted. "And you tell them they better be ready. Cuz the minute we step through that portal..it's all-out assault on that school."

Joker didn't acknowledge me any further. Simply rolled his shoulders and continued on his way, without uttering a single word.
I walked back to the others, shaking my head. "We've gotta act fast. Those kids' times are running shorter now that they have Dipper and Mabel. They've been planning this all along."
Fred put his hands on his hips as he struggled to wrap his head around something.
"If the monsters are that powerful, how are we even going to get into that school? They have abilities that we just can't fight against!"
"We can't even stay in the ship anymore-- they ripped the doors clean off!" Daphne shuddered.
"I can't imagine those creatures with all the children and how scared they are.."
Scully crossed her arms, "Those poor kids..they were after them the whole time..and they tried to kill us. If it hadn't been for Eleven.."
All eyes turned to El.
"..We would be toast." Mulder finished.
She looked at each of us in awkward silence.
It then came into my head. El..the monsters feared her.
They couldn't touch her.
She wielded abilities that none of us had. If anyone could get us into that school..it was her.

"I have a plan." I announced.
All eyes were now on me. I gulped. "I mean, sort've. Not fully constructed yet. Beginning stage of a plan. Ok, really, it was a single thought and most likely to get us killed in the long run, but it's good enough for now, help me get the ship up."

With that being said, the crew and I managed to get the ship running again.
A tired and sad state it was; I couldn't really fully take care of it as I didn't know what it exactly required. But I did get it to start and that was something. Carefully, we managed to lift off of the car it crashed into. This caused the party to cheer for the small success. And then, we were off for the mansion. It wobbled and made loud grinding sounds that concerned me greatly. Figures a spaceship would have standard car problems. Sigh.
It was no matter.
The mansion was ahead.
"Mulder, Fred, take the wheel!"
"There is no wheel!" Mulder exclaimed as I let go and he grabbed on quickly, fighting for control.
"Take the shifty bobby handle mabob thing thing!!"
"Yeah yeah, okay, wheel sounds better!"
I ran for the doorway, the doors still missing, and I grabbed onto the edge next to me as I looked ahead.
There they were. All standing in a group at the gate leading to the house.
Gavin was the first to spot us and run in our direction. "SARAH!" He exclaimed.
He held his chest as I smiled at him.
"Joker told us you were attacked! And the radios haven't been working! I was so scared that you were--"
"Relax, ninja boy, I'm fine!"

That's when the rest of the lot advanced towards us. Mulder and Fred began to sit the T.A.R.D.I.S. down. But not before Master pointed with one hand and waved frantically the other.
His eyes were wide with shock and rage and pure madness and I was in for an earful, I just knew it.
"WHAT!"
He ran closer as the ship finally landed with a thud and I saluted sarcastically.
"WHAT HAVE YOU BLOODY DONE TO MY SHIP?!?!"
The fact that his voice went so hoarse so fast made me almost wheeze with laughter.
"Honker down, old man, you'll pop a blood vessel."
I uttered as I immediately shoved by him and sped towards the house.
"YOU RUINED MY SHIP!"
"I ruined nothing, you crone! It was those infernal little beasties, WHICH I AM ABOUT TO GO FULL OLD SCHOOL VIKING ON AND CHOP THEIR FRICKIN' HEADS OFF!"
I waved my hand so viciously at the air, it made the others cringe.
"Sarah, stop threatening the trees."
"The trees got it coming, too!"
I continued onward.
"What the bloody *beep* happened to my ship?!"
"They threw a car!"
"A CAR?!"
"A car! They threw a freaking car at us!"
"How can they throw a whole car?!"
"I don't know, man, they probably used some magical powers or whatever the heckin heck heck they do-- threw the car at us, knocked us down, ripped the doors clean off and used their magical powers to choke the life out of us, and they took Dipper and Mabel!"
At this, I swung around.
Master and Gavin both stopped in their tracks and glanced at one another, before looking back at me.
"They took the kids?" Gavin gasped, his chest rising in panic.
My head tilted at this. "..I see he didn't tell you that."
They shook their heads.
I squeezed my fists and turned around. "CLowwwwnwnwnn."
My boots stomped up the stairs in a rage. "I'm guessing he also didn't tell you that the minute we enter that timeline, we're making for the school like nobody's business?"
Awkward silence continued. "Uhhh, no."
I swung back around, "Where is he, cuz I'm gonna--" My gun was immediately drawn out and I held it in a threatening manner as I bit my tongue and tensed every muscle in my body.
The threat was short-lived as I put it back in my holster, spun on my heels and instead simply let out a shriek of desired violent intention.

"The clown is waiting ahead, Miss Demens." Said Bane as he emerged from the darkness.
"As are the others." "So Velma, Scoob, Shaggy, they're okay?"
He nodded. I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Then we're good to go."
"Fine then, I'll repair the T.A.R.D.I.S. and then we're off."
"Forget the T.A.R.D.I.S., we don't have time."
Master zoomed in front of me. "Forget it?! LEAVE my ship?!"
"Yes, leave the ship, stop saying the word ship, and we need to go NOW. It doesn't do any good anyway, what with them ripping the doors clean off and crap!"
"And that's what I don't understand, we MILITARIZED that thing!"
"I don't know what to tell ya, Saxon, makes no freaking sense, but here we are, ship can wait, we'll reinforce it when we get back, AFTER we do this!"
"Are they always like this?" Scully questioned.
Gavin glared. "Religiously."
"Fine. Whatever. The other idiots can watch it while we step through."
"Uh, excuse me, we're all going."
"WHA-" His anger was growing by the second.
"All of us?!" "YES, all of us! I am not going through that portal and leaving any single one of us behind where we can get stranded and something happen to someone else and for a THIRD time today I am powerless to stop it. We are safer together and not separating, so YES, ALL of us go or NONE of us, end of story, back off."
He couldn't win. His eyes rolled back into his skull. "Bloody....fine. Fine, we all stick together like a big happy family." "Until we reach the school."
"Why are we separating at the worst place to separate!"
"I need my best fighters to attack the monsters head on as the distraction and then the rest of the gang will stand by 'round the back to get the kids, while me and El take on the big bad."
"You and..you're gonna charge a child into battle?!"
"Uhhh, a child with mad psychic abilities! Try again!"
Again..he couldn't win.

He deflated defeatedly, holding his face in his hands. "I bloody hate you and everything you bloody stand for, I swear to bloody God, I'm about to bloody end my own bloody misery!"
"Gesundheit. Now let's stop wasting time and go already?!"
"The ship would have been a marvelous weapon to ride into battle!" He sung.
I sung right back, "A weapon that needs massive repairs that we don't have time for!"
I charged so fast ahead, my arms almost flapped like wings.
"Which we will have time for after. we save. THE KIDS!"
"FINE!" "THANK YOU!"
Master raged past me and I thrashed my body in absolute vengeance against his existence.
So done. So so done.

I rushed after him through the mansion, which was dark and definitely spooky feeling, which was completely awesome by my book. I honestly could've lived there, not gonna lie.
Master turned his head as he led the way, "What's your plan when you step through, just run blindly to the school and beat your little monster friends with sticks?"
At this, I grabbed a random object from a table and threw it just inches past his head.
He ducked in response and looked back at me in surprise and irritation. "OI!"
"Just shut up and walk!"
The others shook their heads behind us, Mulder's hands stuffed in his pockets as he walked right behind me and Gavin. "I hope you realize that you two would be the worst married couple. Ever."
~
We arrived at the end of the hall. Where all that there was was a small boxed in room and a mirror that served as a whole side of a wall. It didn't take me long at all to notice what lied beyond that mirror was not a reflection at all..but another room entirely. And in that room was Jim Moriarty, leaning against the wall behind him with his arms folded. An instant spark of happiness lit up in me as I saw he was alive and well, indeed. And I ran to the mirror, beaming like a ray of sunlight.
"JIM! You're okay!!"
He himself seemed to change in demeanor when he saw me and he quickly perked up, approaching the mirror coolly and stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Took you long enough."
I chuckled.
He raised his hands, pressing his wrists together like he was handcuffed.
"I was just sitting here, waiting to be rescued."
"Well, you know..day in the life of me..had a long line of people ready to go against me, as usual."
This made him smirk and sniff a small laugh..before he saw that Master and Bane were watching.
He coughed away such a disgusting practice.
"Well, better get through before the portal closes. Don't have long."
He walked away at that moment and it was clear he had left the room.

I nodded and looked towards Gavin, just as Daphne whispered about whether or not he was sure it was safe. He turned his head to look at me and shrugged a little uneasily. "...As positive as I can be.."
Welp..good enough for me. I looked back and breathed loudly and completely non-confidentially.
"I'll go first."
"Why you?" Scully questioned.
"Why not her?"
"You know what, Saxon?"
I eyed him from behind me for two brief seconds before looking back at the mirror.
"..I take the leap. If it goes south....well, it goes south. Either way, if we don't get on the other side, we're screwed, so..."
Daphne leaned in at that second, "Don't worry..if you don't make it....we'll run."
I blinked...my head slowly turned to her and I faked a very weak smile as I nodded softly.
"K....." She smiled and nodded back, satisfied with her supposed reassurance of me.
"Okay..." I rolled my shoulders. "Okay..."
Breathed in and out. Psyching myself up as best as I could.
"Okay....."
Jogging, shifting, moving my arms about made no difference.
I wasn't going no where.
"..Someone push me, please."
My wish was granted. I was hurled forward to which I sent out a series of incoherent shrills at as I landed on the other side with a thud, my face planting upon the floor.
There was little to no physical effect on me, so it was basically as if I didn't go through at all.
Wanting to choke whoever did that----Master-----I shot up and whipped in their direction, tightening my jaw, my hair dangling over my face. Master only grinned wide in the most devious manner as the others were simply relieved I was okay. "We're clear." I announced before hurrying ahead in an attempt to mask my shame.
The others followed suit.