While You're Sleeping (11/10/Emilie/Donna)

[Deleted]

"Had to can be a very strong word, don't you think Emilie?" The Doctor teased a bit.


Emilie might have pouted a little at his censure, but her Doctor was introducing her to the red headed woman.


"Emilie Gunnar, I want you to meet someone very special." The Doctor approached Donna, what the hell!

He wrapped his arms around her before she could protest, "Donna Noble! I'm so glad to see you again!"


Donna Noble? THE Donna Noble?

Well isn’t that wizard.

Emilie waited with her hands clasped behind her back, watching with amusement as the ‘reunion’ unfolded in front of her.

"Is this another freaky Time Lord thing?" she suddenly demanded, crossing her arms. "You get possessed, scare me half to death spaceman, and then go and change bodies?" If this was some kind of joke in the end, he would never hear the end of it. Looking past the Doctor she lifted her hand to the woman. "Hello." she called briefly before turning back to him.

“Hello!” the brunette chirped back cheerfully.


You seem to be possessed by someone named Zagreus. He can't seem to shout his name enough times." she huffed once again covering her fear and worry with snappy remarks.


“Zagreus?” the name tripped out as a chill ran down Emilie’s spine.

No, no, no, no. Not good. Very not good.

[Deleted]

"Is this another freaky Time Lord thing?" she suddenly demanded, crossing her arms.

"Not exactly," The Doctor answered, "It's more like a timey-"

Donna didn't let him get another word in, "You get possessed, scare me half to death spaceman, and then go and change bodies?"

"I'm not that Doctor, well, I am, but I'm not. Well, I was, more like, he'll be me. It's complicated Donna, I'll explain later." That seemed to be enough for Donna right now, she greeted Emilie, who was quite pleased to finally meet Donna Noble.

"Ahem, sorry to cut the introduction short, Donna, the TARDIS of this age seems to have pulled us in, and I'm nowhere in sight, mind telling me what's going on?"

"You seem to be possessed by someone named Zagreus. He can't seem to shout his name enough times."

The Doctor paled for a moment before hardening himself for both Donna and Emilie's sake. He wondered why he wasn't able to remember this occurrence either. He supposed he would when it was all over, at least on this end. He'd have to explain to Donna when all was said in done that his younger self ought not to know.

"We'd better go find me. Before this gets, complicated."

[Deleted]

"You waste my time ship! Make it easier on yourself! Or I shall burn this room to ash!"

"You will, hmmm? And tell me: what purpose would that serve?"

Zagreus whipped around, "Finally you talk, Ship." He examined the man approaching, old, utterly confident, such a face. Actually, he found himself rather fond of it. Or, was it The Doctor who was fond of this old man's face? Who was he?

As he understood it, all ships were female. Curious.

"Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein."

"The abyss," Zagreus chuckled, "I am the abyss, and the divergence of your universe. Ah yes, I see, this has happened before in this stupid ship's library. I see, you are, were, The Doctor. And which are you old man? I imagine, this is your true face."

The Doctor ignored him, "Friedrich always had such a way with words. And look at you. Do try to have a little more concern for my property."

"Sounds like a bunch of drivel to me. No practicality in write poems." Zagreus was putting it together somewhat, the mental struggle between him and the incarnation of The Doctor he inhabited proved to be as troublesome as it had been the last time. He would prevail this time.

"What claim to property do you have when you haven't a body to own a thing." He smirked, "The only reason you are here, old man, is because this stupid ship is fighting me again. I will tame her, and you will show me how. After all, the knowledge in that head of yours is in mine as well, I just need to dig a bit."

There was a pause, and with the blink of an eye, Zagreus had dove into the recesses of The Doctor's mind. The older Time Lord saw his original self, or, the projection of him, "Y-you. You're here." It was somewhat comforting to see the face he remembered as his reflection when he was a young Time Lord.

He put his hand on the bookshelf to hold himself up, "This has happened before. Our third helped me, us, then. I suppose the TARDIS wasn't powerful enough to summon an older me this time." He looked around, "The library, looks different. What has Zagreus done?"

[Deleted]

The woman, Emilie Gunnar was it?, seemed very excited behind the Doctor. Almost like she recognized her name. She didn't know this Emilie did she? No. Donna was sure she did not know Emilie. So Emilie must know her.

But there would be time for catching up later. Right now she had to find the Doctor.

When she mentioned Zagreus both of them reacted like she was the bringer of bad news. Her eyes darkened slightly.

"It seems you two know him then."

The man in front of her, the Doctor she guessed though she still wasn't positive that this was her best friend, told her they better go find him.

"I have no idea where he went. You know as well as I do that this TARDIS is endless. I didn't even know we had this room." she stated, sweeping her arms out over this other console room. "If you were possessed by a narcissistic megalomaniac where would you go?" Donna asked.

The Doctor, er Zagreus had ran out of the room when she had last seen him. When she followed he was already gone. The good news was that he was still on the ship somewhere. But where could he be?

Donna started towards the door. Her face was serious. "Let's go." They had to find her best friend before he got hurt.

[The Doctor]

Zagreus whipped around, "Finally you talk, Ship."

Shaking his head sadly, the Doctor opened the book. "Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein," he read, glancing up at the Doctor as he did. Then he closed the book with a snap.

"The abyss," Zagreus chuckled, "I am the abyss, and the divergence of your universe."

"Are you now? Really?" The Doctor shook his head. "I see nothing more than a delusion, without even a face to call his own."

"Ah yes, I see, this has happened before in this stupid ship's library. I see, you are, were, The Doctor. And which are you old man? I imagine, this is your true face."

"My true face? My dear creature, no Time Lord ever shows his true face..."

With a sigh, he sat the book on the shelf. "Friedrich always had such a way with words." Then he turned his attention back to the Doctor. "And look at you. Do try to have a little more concern for my property."

"Sounds like a bunch of drivel to me. No practicality in write poems."

"Practicality? Who ever said anything about practicality? I'm speaking of truth."

"What claim to property do you have when you haven't a body to own a thing." He smirked, "The only reason you are here, old man, is because this stupid ship is fighting me again."

The Doctor began to laugh. Not a gentle chuckle, but rib-cracking bellows of laughter. "You think I'm here? You think I'm here because of the TARDIS? Zagreus... you are a fool!"

"I will tame her, and you will show me how. After all, the knowledge in that head of yours is in mine as well, I just need to dig a bit."

There was a pause, and with the blink of an eye, Zagreus had dove into the recesses of The Doctor's mind. The older Time Lord saw his original self, or, the projection of him, "Y-you. You're here."

The Doctor regarded his older self, and shook his head. "Your thinking is muddied. Unclear. You lack focus. I'm not here," he said, gesturing at the library. "I'm here."

With a lightning gesture, he poked his older self in the forehead. "Right there, where I'll do you the most good."

He put his hand on the bookshelf to hold himself up, "This has happened before. Our third helped me, us, then. I suppose the TARDIS wasn't powerful enough to summon an older me this time." He looked around, "The library, looks different. What has Zagreus done?"

"Made mischief," the Doctor said, looking around as well. "And he plans more." A pause. "But I'm here now. You and the TARDIS have called me up for a reason, and age has nothing to do with it."

He paused, favoring his older self with a hard look. "Now, shall we decide how we shall deal with this... intruder? Hmmm, my boy?"

[Deleted]

"If you were possessed by a narcissistic megalomaniac where would you go?" Donna asked.

"To the moon so I could carve my likeness there," Emilie answered absentmindedly. "But in my dreams, it's always...

"No point talking about it. Come on."

Emilie was ready to run, not entirely certain where she would be headed to be sure, but anywhere was more help than standing still.

Zagreus at the end of days; Zagreus lies all other ways. Zagreus comes when time's a maze, and all of history's weeping.

That horrible, terrible rhyme kept playing in her head. Frustratedly, she glared at the Doctor.

"Sometimes, your knack of finding trouble goes too far, Thief. At least YOU haven't gone and gotten yourself possessed by a nightmare."

There was a thought. What if this was just another nightmare? An ingenious variation to be sure, but....

Well, dream or not, she very much thought they had stood chatting long enough.

"Try not to do anything foolish until we find you," Emilie requested, knowing before she even formed the thought that was a ridiculous request, but it was a nice sentiment anyhow.

This time, when she thought 'run', she ran. Down and down the corridors, her fingers trailing across the surface of the wall as Emilie reached out to the TARDIS. She wasn't responding in any noticable way yet, but then, Emilie wasn't very good at noticing when the TARDIS was reaching out to her anyway. It always seemed as naturally as breathing, knowing when to turn left, when to flick a switch, how to fly the TARDIS silently.... So who knew, really.

[Deleted]

"It seems you two know him then."

"Yes," The Doctor started, "Well, I know him. Emilie knows of him." He recalled the time before now that he'd been possessed, in his Eighth life, things had been so much simpler back then, so much brighter than they were not long after the Zagreus incident.

Oh, but now he was reminiscing when he was supposed to be leading the charge. Sort of, in his own way, he was already handling the situation. Zagreus was being kept at bay by the crafty one. Quite the crafty one indeed.

"If you were possessed by a narcissistic megalomaniac where would you go?" Donna asked.

"To the moon so I could carve my likeness there," Emilie answered absentmindedly. "But in my dreams, it's always...

Yes, Emilie's dreams. What was her connection to Zagreus? It was something far more complicated than just a run in with The Valeyard. Sometimes, the puzzle that was Emilie Gunnar frustrated him more than it endeared. He'd love to figure her out most days. He breathed in, saying nothing. The situation was being handled, Donna and Emilie needed to take their time.

"No point talking about it. Come on."

Emilie moved to run. Undoubtedly Donna would be right behind her. The Doctor took in a deep breath and then followed after in a brisk walk.

"Sometimes, your knack of finding trouble goes too far, Thief. At least YOU haven't gone and gotten yourself possessed by a nightmare."

The Doctor could've practically sighed. Now Emilie was cross with him, "Technically, I already have. Since he is me and I was him, plus there was the first time. So, I've technically been possessed by the same nightmare twice."

[Deleted]

There was a pause, and with the blink of an eye, Zagreus had dove into the recesses of The Doctor's mind. The older Time Lord saw his original self, or, the projection of him, "Y-you. You're here."

The Doctor regarded his older self, and shook his head. "Your thinking is muddied. Unclear. You lack focus. I'm not here," he said, gesturing at the library. "I'm here."

With a lightning gesture, he poked his older self in the forehead. "Right there, where I'll do you the most good."

"Psychic defenses," The older self murmured, then he smiled brightly, "Brilliant, we are, aren't we?" He must've subconsciously been building this sort of defense up when he was still in his Eighth incarnation, probably as early as his exile into the divergent Universe post-possession.

He put his hand on the bookshelf to hold himself up, "This has happened before. Our third helped me, us, then. I suppose the TARDIS wasn't powerful enough to summon an older me this time." He looked around, "The library, looks different. What has Zagreus done?"

"Made mischief," the Doctor said, looking around as well. "And he plans more." A pause. "But I'm here now. You and the TARDIS have called me up for a reason, and age has nothing to do with it."

The Tenth Doctor beamed, "Luck of the draw then aye? Were all the other Us'es disappointed when you were the one picked?" He was joking of course, wondering how much his sense of humor had changed since he'd been the man standing in front of him.

The fact that he'd made mention of the TARDIS had The Doctor remembering everything else, "The last time this happened, she set up all sorts of things that helped break Zagreus's grip on me. I wonder what else is wandering around the TARDIS."

"Now, shall we decide how we shall deal with this... intruder? Hmmm, my boy?"

His smile had been ever present until that, he held onto his left side, his dominant heart remaining on the right, "Ah, it appears he's coming back up. Hate to leave you on your own. If he still thinks you're physically us and not a psychic defense, he can't harm you. Don't let him hurt Donna, she's around here somewhere, I don't even know what he's done already."

A couple blinks, and the previous smile turned slightly menacing, "So, not even you know how to properly fly this stupid ship. I suppose we'll have to see where we end up then."

[The Doctor]

"The last time this happened, she set up all sorts of things that helped break Zagreus's grip on me," the Doctor mused. "I wonder what else is wandering around the TARDIS."

"That," the younger Doctor answered, "would be telling." A thin smile. "Now, shall we decide how we shall deal with this... intruder? Hmmm, my boy?"

His smile had been ever present until that, he held onto his left side, his dominant heart remaining on the right, "Ah, it appears he's coming back up. Hate to leave you on your own."

"Stuff and nonsense," the younger Doctor said, waving a dismissive hand. "That's why I'm here, after all."

"If he still thinks you're physically us and not a psychic defense, he can't harm you. Don't let him hurt Donna, she's around here somewhere, I don't even know what he's done already."

"Donna, yes," the Doctor said, nodding agreement. "I certainly shan't allow Zagreus to hurt her. Her song hasn't been sung, yet."

A couple blinks, and the previous smile turned slightly menacing, "So, not even you know how to properly fly this stupid ship. I suppose we'll have to see where we end up then."

The Doctor gave Zagreus a stern look. "You, sir, will keep a civil tongue in my head!" He huffed. "Speak ill of me, if you must, but you will not mock my ship."

Then he laughed. "And now, I suppose you'll make some sort of absurd threat? Rant and rave and shout at my tone? Throw your head back, and proclaim to the heavens that you are Zagreus?"

Without a word, he leaned back against the wall, his blackthorn cane tucked under one arm. Leaning there, tapping one foot, he waited.

"Oh, come now? Where are your wild threats? That wretched bit of doggerel about you makes you sound fearsome." A mocking smile. "How does it go, again? Oh, yes..."

Striking a dramatic pose, the Doctor began to recite:

"Zagreus sits inside your head,
"Zagreus trapped among the dead,
"Zagreus watches you in bed,
"And wishes he could be sleeping."

"Something like that, hey? Let's see..."

"Zagreus, at the end of day,
"Zagreus quietly slinks away,
"Zagreus screams that time's a maze,
"And for his lost history is weeping."

He grinned, then, and his grin was mocking and malevolent. "How am I doing so far, you wretched little parasite?"

[Deleted]

Emilie mentioned the moon like it was the first thought that had popped into the girl's mind. Even at a time like this Donna could not help but crack a small smile. Mentioning something about dreams Emilie suddenly told them to go and she ran out of the room.

The ginger glanced at the Doctor(?) This man did not feel like the Doctor and Donna distrusted the man a bit. With that Zagreus character running about causing trouble Donna couldn't just treat the two strangers in the TARDIS as just a coincidence.

"I'm guessing you two know more than I do about our friend Zagreus." Donna murmured to him before she turned and followed Emilie out of the room and down the hallways.

The brunette woman kept at a steady pace, racing down the hallways. Donna sprinted until she was even with Emilie and started to keep pace with her. "Care to tell me where we are going?" she suddenly huffed out.

Donna was worried for her friend. She had never seen him like this. He wasn't right and she wanted Zagreus out of him. Besides these two were insisting that Zagreus was bad news. Donna might be a bit short tempered at the moment, but the Doctor occupied her thoughts right now. She needed to save him.

[Deleted]

Her Doctor didn't seem the least bit hurried, but he always liked to enjoy observing different facets of each puzzle. Normally, Emilie was lenient enough to think this quirk of his was endearing.

But not when he was the one in trouble.

Donna caught up with her, and Emilie slowed slightly, hoping that the lessened pace might help her pick up any cues from the TARDIS.

"Care to tell me where we are going?" she suddenly huffed out.

"The library, the Heart of the TARDIS, wherever she sends us," Emilie responded enigmatically. "Zagreus is a parasite. A legend that should never have been real, but his taint haunts the Doctor and his wonderful blue box."

She tilted her head slightly, looking to Donna.

"Zagreus sits at the end of the world, for Zagreus is the end of the world. And he's back in the Doctor's head where he has no right to be!"

She glared at the corridor ahead of them.

"Direction or a passage way any time would be nice, please," she called out, imagining a door opening in her mind's eye as she did so.

There wasn't any immediate response, of course, but it was worth a shot.

And then, just as before, Emilie knew what to do.

[Deleted]

"I'm guessing you two know more than I do about our friend Zagreus."

"A bit," The Doctor answered, "He's something of a villain in a minor nursery rhyme from when I was a little boy. It was catchy. We didn't know that it was something real."

He coughed, "Anyway, he's an Anti-Time being, Much like we are beings tied to time, he is tied to Anti-Time. I have a friend, Romana, who explained it as something of a cosmic version of Newton's third law. Though, I don't really agree with her."

None of that seemed to do much for Donna, "Care to tell me where we are going?" she suddenly huffed out.

"The library, the Heart of the TARDIS, wherever she sends us," Emilie responded enigmatically. "Zagreus is a parasite. A legend that should never have been real, but his taint haunts the Doctor and his wonderful blue box."

Emilie seemed to have explanations under control. And The Doctor needed to focus on psychic defenses, so he allowed Emilie to lead on.

[Deleted]

"You, sir, will keep a civil tongue in my head!" He huffed. "Speak ill of me, if you must, but you will not mock my ship."

Then he laughed. "And now, I suppose you'll make some sort of absurd threat? Rant and rave and shout at my tone? Throw your head back, and proclaim to the heavens that you are Zagreus?"

Zagreus growled at the prospect of behaving at The Doctor's request, "Who are you to order me, fool? I know not how The Doctor or the TARDIS brought you here, but if I could spare the Paradox, I would slay you where you stood!"

The monster blinked. He'd known. The Doctor had known exactly what he said, seconds before he said it. Was he in his head? Well, he supposed he was, The Doctor was still inside of him, perhaps this was his way of escaping. Then again, perhaps he had just become predictable with his time in the abyss.

"Oh, come now? Where are your wild threats? That wretched bit of doggerel about you makes you sound fearsome." A mocking smile. "How does it go, again? Oh, yes..."

"I AM ZAGREUS! I AM HE WHO SITS INSIDE YOUR HEAD-"

"Zagreus sits inside your head,
"Zagreus trapped among the dead,
"Zagreus watches you in bed,
"And wishes he could be sleeping."

"Something like that, hey? Let's see..."

"Zagreus, at the end of day,
"Zagreus quietly slinks away,
"Zagreus screams that time's a maze,
"And for his lost history is weeping."

He grinned, then, and his grin was mocking and malevolent. "How am I doing so far, you wretched little parasite?"

Zagreus was steaming. He wanted to tear the library apart, roar, rant and rave at the top of his lungs. But suddenly, he had a better plan. First he shot The Doctor a glare, then a smirk as his plan formulated in his head. His expression softened and he headed for the door, "Donna! Donna where are you? Donna! Donna, I'm alright now. Zagreus, he's gone now."

A clever ruse, he was going after the companion now.

[The Doctor]

The enraged look on the Doctor's - Zagreus' - face was a priceless gem. Zagreus actually turned colors as his blood pressure increased, while his eyes bulged and his jaw clenched.

The Doctor stood there, leaning on his blackthorn cane, smiling and enjoying the show.

"Zagreus needs the hero's ship," he continued, melodramatically.
"Zagreus tries the web to rip,
"Zagreus time through fingers slip,
"And life - his own - he's wasting."

Zagreus's livid, angry expression softened into a smirk. Then he turned and headed for the library door. "Donna!" he shouted, mimicing the Doctor's speech patterns. "Donna where are you? Donna! Donna, I'm alright now. Zagreus, he's gone now."

The Doctor trotted alongside him, his face a mask of exaggerated concern and terror. "Oh, no," he gasped. "I never thought of that. However will I respond?" He paused in thought. "I must do something clever!"

Then his face twisted in a mocking grin. "Perhaps, something like this?"

Drawing a deep breath, he shouted: "I AM ZAGREUS! I AM THE DOCTOR, NOW! ALL OF YOU WILL FALL BEFORE MY OMNIPOTENT POWER!"

"There, how did I sound? Did I capture the right note of overblow, self-important arrogance? The correct timber of spoiled petulance?"

[Deleted]

Emilie talked to the TARDIS like the Doctor did. Did either of them really expect the TARDIS to answer one day in a loud booming voice? Now Donna loved the TARDIS, she knew that the ship was something amazing, for she had shown Donna how to fly her a little. Or at least how to try and fly her. Donna didn't think that putting a dent in the 1980's was how she was supposed to fly the TARDIS.

But as they ran down the hallways Emilie shouted at the TARDIS to show them the way. A giant blinking, sign would work very well. These halls seemed unfamiliar to Donna, like that one console room where she found Emilie and the Doctor. Maybe it was all part of the new TARDIS that she found. Either way, Donna did not like these unfamiliar halls.

Instead of a sign, a voice answered Emilie's pleas.

Donna froze. That was the Doctor's voice! It came from down the hallways. "Doctor?" She called out.

Suddenly before she could start down that way she heard his voice again. Except this time it was Zagreus speaking. Glaring towards the general area of the voice Donna simmered in anger. Zagreus was not gone. He was still here! He still had control of the Doctor.

"Get out of my friend or it will be the end of your world, have you got that?" she shouted out. Glancing at Emilie and the Doctor Donna nodded towards the voice. "Should we go find him and make him get out of the Doctor? Zagreus needs to feel some of his omnipotent power."