Chapter 5: Ace Dreaming
In the early hours of the morning, Ace rolled over and looked down at Jan's sleeping body.
He was very beautiful. There had, indeed, been a lot of hair in that pony tail. The snake tattoo ran all the way down his chest, and it wasn't nasty and macho, like most tattoos, but, well, Meaningful. Like he meant it. She gently ran her fingers around the jackhole at the base of his neck, circled it and popped her little finger inside. He stirred slightly. The area was slightly inflamed. Ace wondered if it hurt and stopped.
She pulled the rugs closer around her. At this point, generally, she liked to be away, 'cos hearing all the things men came out with in The Morning was an awful experience.
But this time she wanted to stay. Jan would say good things. Jan. That was a good name.
Ace sighed and shook her head, curling up again beside him.
Snuggled in the crook of her lover's arm, breathing in his scent, Ace allowed herself to fall down into dreams.
This was the good stuff, she thought. The time of being together when nothing could hurt you, and you could fool yourself into thinking that nothing would ever hurt again. He'd protect you, you could protect him. You could suckle him, offer yourself up as sacrifice to him ... not that he'd want that if he thought about it ... but you win. In the downfall afterglow, when he was sleepy and small, wrapped about you, you were where you wanted to be, on the way to dreams.
Yeah.
Gentle rain began to beat against the fabric of the tent.
A Dream arrived.
The Doctor walked across the surface of The Dream. Ace briefly wondered if he was dreaming himself, in some room at an inn.
Ace's hair wrapped across her head as it turned in the first jerk of deepest sleep.
Now, it was at this time, child, when the stars had turned about the nail of heaven, that the great mage known as The Doctor returned to The Cave - what cave? Where?
Hush, Ace -
Dark it was, like the hidden face of the moon. Or like the womb that the Doctor had twice left.
Sweet was the path there. The Doctor cast salt to his left and right as he walked.
At The Cave entrance, The Doctor stopped.
'Death?' he called. 'Your Sister Time said I could visit. Will you receive me?'
'I shall let you in, wily raven, but it will be a long while before I receive you!' a female voice cried, echoing from The Cave.
The Doctor entered, doffing his hat.
Inside The Cave sat Death, in a robe of black silk. Ace tried to see her face, and couldn't. The Doctor sat beside the figure, and offered her a gift, a tiny, burning candle, which Death silently took.
'Last time we met, we danced,' he began.
'Did you enjoy that dance?'
'Not very much, I'm afraid. I've come to bargain with you.'
'Again? The way I bargain with you, I should entertain every life of every cat! You only have thirteen to give me, Time Lord!'
'I gave you my sixth life for wisdom —’
Death laughed, and raised a soft finger between the Doctor's eyes. 'Don't lie to me! You sacrificed the colourful jester because you needed to be born! Time would have her champion, and he was just the compost for your blooming. You ran Your TARDIS into The Rani's beam joy-fully. Hah! Your sixth self hates you for that, he will become Valeyard for that -
'Yes. I know. Now I offer myself.'
Death considered, grinning. 'Why?' she asked finally.
'My Life for that of my companion.'
'Which one?'
Ace was suddenly afraid, jealous. Was there another?
'Ace!' the Doctor growled. 'My Life for hers. I know what will happen on this world. I know how many you intend to take. Take me with you. Replace me with someone who doesn't know his legacy, who would never trouble The Eternals. I would be good company.'
But Death was already shaking her head.
'I cannot take your life, Doctor. Have you another one to offer me, instead? Do you have A Plan?'
Ace didn't care. She was already sobbing in her sleep, bawling out the love she had seen The Doctor give. In The Dream, The Doctor suddenly looked around, aware of the sudden noise, aghast. He had so much more to say.
The Dream broke, and the bits flew off to become Fiction.
Ace woke up crying, full of relief. As Dreams sometimes do, this one had given her great fondness for a friend again, a glance at what your heart really thinks of them.
The air in the tent was cool, and Ace knew she was twice in love, in different ways, and had to have her two loves meet and like each other.
She could Do it. She could pull The Future together with her hands. She could make it work, whatever Time wanted.
She reached out to Jan, and began to stroke him awake.
Chapter 6 : I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man
007, •STOP•.