fromrivertodawnrora:

talktothedoctor:

 

“Sorry… bit lost. You’re who?”

The whole concept is mad, insane, incredibly ridiculous. And really very fascinating. Of course the whole stuck in time and space bit had been delicious enough, but a fairytale town… Not really sure what to do with that. It goes against my rules. All those things that I have learned about the universe over the years. Oh there is magic, but it is not the sort of thing that produces something out of nothing, or turns a raven into a writing desk. It’s having someone to stand by you in the hard times and the good. One person giving strength to another through such a simple gesture as taking their hand. Now that… that is magic.

But this town is strange, I’ll give you that. And if you are truthful about what you are saying and they are not from this version of reality, then maybe… just maybe it could all be possible. Another universe, another set of rules perhaps.

“Alright, alright fine… going on the assumption you are actually telling the truth, and aren’t completely mad, how could they be here? The walls of the universes closed, long time ago. Because if there was a way to jump from one to another I would have visited an old friend ages ago.”

Despite this doubt, which is honestly rather unrelenting, I trust you. You saved me, pulled me from my sorrow and saved my life. And you have never given me any reason to doubt you. Could you really be a Princess? Well that’s not that far-fetched. You carry yourself like royalty and I’ve known an awful lot of royals. On that note, something tells me I probably shouldn’t tell you about Elizabeth I.

Taking a deep breath, I take out my sonic and do another scan. “Not any residual uni-trans energy, of course that wears off after a while. The odd feel… sort of all tickly… ” I tuck my sonic back in my pocket, turning back to you with a slight frown. “What is that? Feels… wrong.” More than wrong, forbidden, as if it is purely not meant to be. I had noticed it in the woods, but here it is stronger. It’s almost as if the whole place is somewhere I should never, ever be. It’s as if there is a paradox just waiting to happen, but this is worse.

Moving over to a bench, I settle down on it. “So you’re Princess Aurora, from fairytale land and at some point this whole town got picked up in a tornado and dropped down here even though it looks like a peaceful little suburb. What I don’t get is how you know me. You said you drew blue boxes, my blue box? And back at the hospital, you said you’re a Time Lady. Then that you aren’t. Who are you then? Juliet? Sidratehtforethguad? Aurora? Or is there a name I’m missing?”

Right now, until I have more proof against or for what you have told me, I might as well try to believe you. There is definitely something happening in this town I don’t understand. And I really don’t like not knowing things. What really bothers me is that although you have proven yourself trustworthy, you have apparently been lying to me.

I don’t mind lying. I do it enough for any objection to be a complete double standard. Secrets protect us, and lies protect secrets. A person can also be trustworthy and a liar (many of my companions have witnessed this for themselves). However, I can not conceive that you could possibly have such a valid reason to keep your name hidden as I do. So the question arises as to why you feel the need to lie to me. That unvalidated lie is what hurts me.

“I knew that would be your reaction. You always see exactly what you want to see. So stubborn.” she shook her head slightly, a faint smile curving her lips.

“I don’t lie…most of the time. And I never say mad things, so when I do say something mad, it’s most likely true. Now you’re missing a lot of names.” Juliet said pointing at him, her eyes narrowed with amusement. “I said I was a Time Lady because I was supposed to leave, lets see…” she looked down at an invisible watch on her wrist. “…right before you woke up on the hospital. I might possibly be creating a great paradox right now. Because this is where we met. Storybrooke. I was on one side of the town line and you were on the other. That feeling you get, that sensation, it’s waves of dormant magic oozing from this town. But as I said, you only see what you want to see. That’s why you keep scanning the area with a sonic that’s never had magic in its records.” she shrugged slightly and guided herself toward a bench right under a statue.

“Outsiders feel it a lot more. We don’t allow outsiders in Storybrooke. But technically, I’m an outsider, so I suppose I’m not really breaking the rules here.” Juliet guided her eyes toward a tall window with one of the greatest views in town and she gave a slight wave. From up there, Jefferson was watching everyone with his telescope. That was back on his creepy days before he met Aurora, the girl he would later call Sleepy.

“Now, don’t you think I know about the walls of the universe? Coming back into the correct universe was already tricky enough. I wasn’t supposed to meet you. I suppose that’s why I was sent there. I am from this universe…well, technically, I’m from the Time Vortex. Long story. But I was sent into their universe and conviced that was exactly where I belonged. I wasn’t sent into this town with them. In this exact moment I’m asleep in another universe. Not a very pleasant sleep, let me say.” frowning a bit, Juliet nervously gripped her hands together, trying not to let that awful memory come back. “You see what you want to see, never what you have to see. If I tell you I’m a Time Lady but not from Gallifrey, you’ll still believe I’m from Gallifrey even if I told you the truth. But I’m not. My daughters call themselves Time Ladies. They’re human with Time Lord DNA…a little more Time Lord DNA than myself. But they call themselves Time Ladies. I call myself whatever I want to call myself and right now it’s the name my parents gave me: Princess Aurora Jane Antoinette Perrault. I don’t like the other middle name, Moira, I never use it.” standing up, trying not to let this other memory sink in and take over, she started walking again, signaling for the Doctor to follow. Her parents were not something to think of now.

“I’ve also been called many other names. You gave me the name I like the most and I’m not gonna say it because I want you to invent that name the day you meet me with my real face. I don’t want you to remember it. That day was really important and I don’t want to change anything about it.” bending slightly to pass under a tree branch, she guided him towards another part of the forest. This one had a perfectly marked path that led into a well.

“And yes, I have another body. Right now I’m focusing really hard on looking different. Romanadvoratrelundar taught me how to do that.” turning around, she noticed the Doctor was a little far behind. “Come on, I’m not leading you to a dragon, trust me.” taking a deep breath, Juliet stopped and then sighed. “I know… trust is earned. My name is Aurora. I am human with Time Lord DNA. Clearly you know I’m not the only one. I use many names, have had other faces, and I’m currently using a face that’s not mine. I am married…can’t remember getting married. I have children who have children…can’t remember any of that. I had my memories wiped away from my mind before I was sent to restart a new life in a new dimension…after I died. I know, it’s a lot to think about. Your memories have been wiped away too, not as well as mine have, let me say. Everytime I’ve met earlier versions of you, I had to make you forget because you just couldn’t say goodbye and I just couldn’t leave. You know what that means, don’t you? You know how this adventure has to end. I can’t tell you the truth because you only see what you want to see. I can tell you the truth because you won’t remember it. But where’s the fun in that? You figure it out. Now come on! There’s a blackhole in the well…a sort of magical wormhole. It’s not working, but I’m going to need some of its magic.” she said as she walked her way towards the well once more, leaving too many things unsaid.

Rising from my bench, I follow after you listening carefully to every word. Yes, I follow you loyally although you seem to have been weaving tales since we first met. Not a Time Lady then, you just told me that to convince me that I’m not alone, to convince me to stay alive. You gave me a spark of hope, hope that my great guilt.  You gave me hope that perhaps I could be forgiven. You forgave me, yes, but for what? Not for the destruction of Gallifrey that is for sure. I was not granted the forgiveness I have craved for so very long.

Rightfully, I should resent you for that. For this false relief, but no matter who you are you brought me home. You brought me to a place I have not allowed myself to think of, to remember for centuries. You gave my an hour in my lost home, in Gallifrey. No matter what lies you told me, no matter what you said, you gave me that hour. You gave me my lost home.

And it hurts, it hurts so very much. Seeing my younger self had only reminded me of who that boy would become. Was I fated to be such a… such a monster from the very first day I looked up at the stars and wished to walk among them. So you’ve met my previous selves, you’ve taken their memories and held them dear. How many forgotten days have I spent with you? Have you watched me go from that old man so young and naive to this youth so ancient? Were you disgusted by my actions as I became the destroyer of my own world? Do you know of my Secret?

Your description of yourself sends chills down my spine. It is so very familiar. The woman from the Time Vortex, the partial Time Lady. Oh it is familiar. Yet it is not possible and so I dismiss it from my mind. You can’t be River, she died and no golden light came to her aid. Another Child of the TARDIS perhaps? The child of another couple among all of my companions? That would explain why I feel so very close to you, if you are linked to the TARDIS. She and I are connected, in a strange way, which would make the two of us connected indirectly. That would explain why I feel so close to you, why I feel so ready to trust you. For it is more than just forgotten moments spent with you, it is as if you are tied to me.

At this point I’ve fallen behind, come to a stop in fact. It is all so much to process. My brain is incredible, remarkable, but this is not a confusion of the brain but of the hearts. I am torn. I don’t want to forget you as you say, I want to remember these moments. And I do not think that I could survive without them. You may have lied, you may have given me false hope, but you showed me that there was still someone in the universe who cares for me. You saved my life and I don’t want to forget that.

All that you have said, it reveals much but still your identity is kept from me. Your soul hidden from me by a name. I understand now. I understand why they are always asking. Doctor who? Juliet who? Oh what a pair we make. For I do not think that Aurora is the name that hold your soul, perhaps it is the name you mentioned, the one I gave you, perhaps it is another yet. Names, they hold and awful lot of power.

And yet, I would forgo knowing for the chance to keep these memories. I would wish away all you have told me of your names and the genetics in your blood for the memory of you to stay intact. “Juliet,” I say, closing the distance between us and placing a hand on your cheek. “Not this time. Take memories of this place if you have to, if it keeps our timelines complete, but I don’t want to forget you. Please don’t ask me to forget you.”

(Source: talktothe11thdoctor)