Doctor Who_ Father Time - Lance Parkin [89]
When he told her how John and Kim Dawkins had died, how the Doctor had known all this, she really was sick, into the wastepaper bin. Ferdy watched her, impassively.
Once she had mopped her mouth with a tissue, Ferdy handed her the knife. It was ceremonial, he said, sanctified by the Gods of War and Legacy. He was meant to kill her with it, he couldn’t rest until her blood dried on it, as the blood of her family had. She saw the pitted blade, covered in what looked like rust.
‘So, you are going to kill me?’ she said, feeling nothing.
Ferdy shook his head. ‘I love you,’ he said. ‘I want you to marry me.
* * *
The Deputy edged around the police box, sneaked a glance at the Doctor’s house.
The Doctor’s car was on the driveway. It was a warm day, so the Doctor and his companion could be in the back garden. He took the detector from his belt. Ferran was inside, upstairs – or at least his time bracelet was.
He saw movement in the house. The Doctor and the woman in the lounge downstairs. No sign of his daughter.
There was a flurry of movement, and the Last One was there with them.
Where had Ferran got to?
* * *
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
The Doctor looked taken aback. He stood in the front room, feigning innocence. ‘Tell you what?’ he asked.
Miranda clearly wasn’t fooled. ‘Time travel, that we are aliens.’
The Doctor blanched. ‘How?’ he asked.
‘You did know,’ she shouted. ‘My parents were murdered, and you didn’t even tell me?’
Debbie held out a hand, tried to sound soothing. ‘He was always going to tell you when –’
‘You knew?’ she said quietly. ‘He told you?’
‘I was there,’ Debbie said, helplessly.
‘Who told you?’ the Doctor asked, his voice low.
‘I did.’
Ferran was standing in the doorway, just as he had stood while Sallak butchered her husband, Debbie noted. He was wearing a leather jacket and jeans. His expression wasn’t the sneer she had been expecting: it was almost apologetic.
‘She had the right to know,’ he said, and this time there was more than a hint of malice in his voice.
‘Did he also tell you that he came here to kill you?’ Debbie asked.
Miranda nodded. ‘He’s been completely honest.’
‘Stay away from her,’ the Doctor ordered Ferran.
Miranda held out the knife. ‘He’s not going to kill me.’
‘She’s going to come back with me,’ Ferran said, taking the knife back.
Debbie stared at the pair of them.
The Doctor was open-mouthed.
‘No, I’m not,’ Miranda said.
It was Ferran’s turn to look shocked. ‘It’s your genetic destiny,’ he told her.
She was shaking her head, backing towards the door. ‘My destiny is to do A-levels, to go to university. To see the world.’
Ferran edged towards her. ‘Those were lies: I can show you worlds. You can rule those worlds. We can rule the universe.’
Miranda looked stricken.
‘It’s your duty,’ Ferran told her. ‘I told you about the Factions. If we ruled together we could unite those Factions under us.’
‘You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,’ the Doctor insisted. ‘There’s no such thing as genetic destiny: you can find your own fate.’
‘Is that why you didn’t tell her, Doctor?’ Ferran asked. ‘You’ll let her come to her own choice, but you won’t mention that she’s not even human? You won’t tell her who and what she is? Were you ever going to tell her? How can she make a choice if she doesn’t know all the facts?’
Miranda was staring at her father, daring him to answer.
‘You needed to be protected,’ the Doctor insisted. ‘Protected from things like him. He’ll destroy you, or use you for his own ends. If you don’t do what he wants, he’ll destroy you.’
Miranda stood perfectly still, came to a decision.
‘I’m leaving,’ she announced.
‘You’re coming with me?’ Ferran said, the relief evident in his voice.
‘I’m leaving,’ Miranda repeated. ‘I don’t want this. I don’t want any of it.’
Ferran tried to block her. ‘You’re not going anywhere.’
She tried to struggle free. ‘Stay away from me!’
Ferran grabbed her arm. ‘Listen to me, I love you. I know you love me.’
The Doctor and Debbie looked at each other.
‘I barely