Chapter 37

[So this is the last chapter in this fic. I'll be posting its sequel Wednesday, just to get it out as soon as reasonably possible.]

"Does Mrs. Bradley know?"

The other side of the room was quiet for a moment. "Yes."

Then the lights flickered back on, and she could see the whole room. The Doctor moved to the controls. It was quiet except for a few muttered apologies of her own to the TARDIS. They'd done a number on her, and she'd have to fix up the control room, which meant no one could be in it. But first they should get out of the time vortex.

The Doctor watched Pride out of the corner of her eyes. He was sitting down. He was doing his best to look nonpulsed, but he wasn't making eye contact, and his fingers were fidgeting slightly. Now that the Doctor knew he could do circle-less alchemy, that made sense.

She frowned. She really, really wished he hadn't remembered. She had other companions to travel with, but everyone needed a break sometimes, especially if she could reliably get them home and back. She didn't like traveling alone during those times. And she'd liked travelling with Selim.

But Pride was an entirely different matter. She'd gone back in Amestris' history while he'd been knocked out after the ice incident, and while he recovered from being sick, just to see Pride first hand. She knew plenty of people who had done worse. She herself had done worse. But it was important to remember he was limited to one country on a low technology planet.

The fact that she believed his act, that she wanted to believe his act, also made it worse. Who knew what he'd gotten up to when they were separated? What she did know, was that these last few adventures with him hadn't gone so well, and in retrospect, any time he helped she'd had to hold his hand and drag him along through the whole thing. She couldn't do that constantly. And she couldn't trust him.

The TARDIS stopped moving. They'd reached their destination.

"Where are we?" Pride asked.

"I'm sending you home," the Doctor replied.

With a snap of her fingers, the doors opened. The TARDIS had taken them to the library where she first picked Pride up. They were in the parking lot behind the building.

Pride stared out the door for a moment before turning back to her. It was the first time he'd made eye contact since he'd revealed himself.

"No. No I haven't done anything." The Doctor gave him a look. He'd done lots of things. Did he want them alphabetically or chronologically? Pride waved a hand. "You know what I mean. I've done what you told me, haven't I? I helped you save people." He sounded slightly incredulous at the notion.

"Because it was that or tell me the truth," the Doctor pointed out. "And as a general lesson on trust, the longer you hold onto a secret the worse it is when you're found out."

"And I could trust you?" Pride asked. His voice was getting a touch more hysterical. "You erased the cybermen's memory. I thought you'd at least kick me out, and I was right. You let Porter stay."

"I kept Porter in here and away from damaging the universe." Being trapped in the TARDIS wasn't a great fate, and apparently he knew it since he didn't try to argue that point.

"You can't send me back there!" Pride shouted, losing all pretense of being composed. There were worse things that could happen to him. He'd acknowledged that just a few moments ago. But he seemed to have forgotten now. "I'm not going back. It's not my home. You can't-"

"I'm not having a debate with you!" the Doctor snapped. That got him to shut up. And as she moved closer he took a few steps back, seemingly without noticing. "You're going back to Amestris. I'm telling you to go. You've traveled with me. If I say you're going, do you really think you have another choice?"

She wasn't sure how she'd force him to leave, other than pick him up and plop him outside, but he didn't need to know that.

And clearly he hadn't figured it out. Pride stepped onto the entry way. He wobbled on the uneven floor and tipped back, falling out of the TARDIS. Taking the opportunity, the Doctor shut the door and went back to the controls. She could hear him outside, still shouting, but she did her best to tune him out, as she had the TARDIS take her someplace else. No idea where. The TARDIS could decide.

Pride stood outside the library, staring at the spot where the TARDIS had just been. He'd tried to open the door almost as soon as the Doctor had shut it, but he'd stepped back when it started making that whirring noise. He wasn't sure what would happen if he was holding it while it teleported away after all. There was now no evidence it had been there at all. He was just standing in the lot behind the library, the sun setting. He couldn't even be sure how long he'd been gone, if it was still the same day or not.

He was Pride. He wasn't supposed to have unnecessary human emotions, didn't need them. As per usual, this body seemed to disagree. He wanted to scream, or cry, or maybe laugh hysterically. He made a short sound that was somehow a cross between all three, then the reactions mercifully cancelled each other out.

Numbly, he turned, and started walking back towards home. Luckily, no one else seemed to be out. No audience to worry about. He also noticed it was cooler than when he'd left. So maybe it wasn't the same day. Didn't really matter. He'd find out for sure soon enough.

He reached the house, knocking on the door. A few moments later, Mrs. Bradley opened it. She looked down in surprise. Pride managed a smile. It was a bad one, and he was pretty sure they both knew it, but he really had missed her, so at least it was somewhat sincere.

"Hello Mother. I'm back."

Mrs. Bradley dropped lower and pulled him into a hug, one which he returned after a moment. "Oh Selim. It's good to see you. I've missed you so much. I didn't know you'd be coming back today."

Neither did I. But he wasn't getting into that standing outside the house about ten minuets after it happened. "I wanted to surprise you."

"Well you certainly did," Mrs. Bradley said, sounding amused. She pulled away. "Are you okay?"

He nodded. Thinking it over a bit more, because he clearly wasn't most people's definition of 'fine', he added, "Better than usual. Can we go in now?"

"Of course."

Mrs. Bradley took his hand, and he let her lead him back into their home.