AU'S IT UP IN THIS

[notrory]

[It had been a while since Nina and Oswin had seen each other, but they never really lost contact with each other. Time passed and Oswin traveled while Nina stayed tied down to the same planet she always had been, at least until a very unusual urge came over her.

She was going to be spontaneous. She was going to stowaway on a starliner and find Oswin.

It was a ridiculous plan, and she was sure she was going to get caught, but somehow, it never happened. Oswin had been delighted to see her (of course, though Nina had worried all the same), but before they'd really had time to catch up with each other and reminisce of old times, all the emergency warnings went off.

Dragged onto a shuttle with Oswin, Nina was absolutely terrified. And after they crashed, it all went dark.

Now it was happening again, though there wasn't much left of Nina anymore. A year on this planet, and her consciousness had been trapped in a dalek, left to rot for eternity. When the Asylum began to burn, she didn't even care.

Her body lies motionless on the cold floor, pink hair a curtain across her face. Her breathing is slow, her face pale. It's Nina, but it isn't.]

Comments

[makingsouffles]

[When Oswin opens her eyes for the first time in a year, the world is a disorienting, hellish mess of fire and smoke and everything burning and for just a moment, she has to wonder if she hasn't gone straight to Hell itself.

But then she catches sight of the scorched Daleks around her, dormant as their asylum goes up in flame, and something snaps into place in her mind. She's alive, she's trapped, but she has a second chance. And that's enough to prompt her to move.

Well, that and the sudden adrenaline rushing through her veins.

Survival instinct kicks in and Oswin tears herself free from the machinery she's hooked up to, barely registering the pain as needles rip free from her skin. An explosion rocks the room and Oswin looks wildly around, her mind racing to both accept this as reality and not another dream, and to find a way out of this.

The teleport.

There's a load of teleport pads nearby, if she can find one that hasn't been damaged yet, she might have a chance. Staggering slightly, she makes for the door as fast as she possibly can, bracing herself in the doorway once she gets there. There's no telling where in the Asylum she is, where they've been keeping her body, so Oswin simply picks a direction and runs, her adrenaline high enough to keep her from feeling anything just yet.

It's only when she catches a flash of something that doesn't belong that Oswin skids to a clumsy halt, nearly falling over herself in the process. Nina. Oh god, how could she have forgotten?

Another explosion rocks the planet, and it's only a matter of time before the asylum is completely obliterated. Oswin hasn't got time, but she can't leave Nina. Not again.

Stumbling into the room, she falls to her side, brushing Nina's hair out of her face.] Nina! Nina! [She's panicking, shaking her as hard as she can, but Oswin can't help it.] Come on, wake up.

[She won't let the Daleks steal this from her too.]

[notrory]

[Nina is distantly aware of someone yelling her name, a voice that's terribly familiar. It stirs something inside her, makes her blink a few times and realize that oh god this is an eyestalk she's peering through.

No. No. She has to get out of here, get back.

She can hear Oswin screaming. Her body shudders, a low moan emanating from her lips. Nina has to get back to Oswin. She has to protect her. It's for Oswin that she even came on this trip, she can't get trapped here now. She can't be a Dalek, she isn't because somewhere the real her is lying somewhere and the only reason she knows that is because of Oswin's voice.

She latches onto the sound and follows it. Her fingers twitch.]

[makingsouffles]

[The next explosion is deafening, and Oswin barely has enough time to throw herself over Nina's prone body before a metal beam comes crashing down on them, searing hot from the flames that had been licking at it.

It grazes Oswin's back and she yells in pain, pulling Nina out of the way as tears spring to her eyes. No more waiting, they've got to go.]

Nina, wake up! [Oswin chokes back a sob, trying to struggle to her feet and take the other girl with her.]

[notrory]

[Nina's limp across Oswin's shoulder when she finally comes around. She moans, fingers twitching before curling into Oswin's red dress. Relief makes her dizzy and for a moment Nina can't move, leaning heavily against the other girl until she finds her feet.

She made it. She found Oswin.

Belatedly, she realizes that the rumbling noises around them are hardly a good sign. Her eyes flicker open.]

Os...?

[makingsouffles]

[Dragging the semi-conscious Nina along with her, Oswin hurries into corridor outside and down it, looking for the tell-tale sign of a teleport pad. God, this was so much easier when she had the maps all laid out.

There! Relief swells in her chest and Oswin picks up the pace, pulling Nina behind her. She doesn't even notice her waking up, merely sets her down against the teleport and runs to the wiring.

It's half destroyed, but there's enough that Oswin can work with. She fiddles with the wires, sparks burning unnoticed at her fingers. But she doesn't care, they have to get out of here, have to get to somewhere safe.]

[notrory]

[Nina slumps against the teleport and watches Oswin go. She's exhausted and shaky and weak, not to mention very confused, but Oswin knows what she's doing. Or seems to, anyway.

Nina doesn't want to interrupt, but it doesn't seem like Oswin's even noticed she's conscious yet. Sort of.]

Ozzy?

[makingsouffles]

[The familiar nickname makes her look up sharply.]

Nina. [Oswin drops what she'd doing, hurrying over and resting a scorched hand on her cheek. She's alive and awake and real, and something stirs in her chest to urge her even more to get them somewhere safe.

Gently, she kisses her forehead.] Stay here, okay? M'getting us out of here. [Her voice rasps from the smoke, but Oswin doesn't care, instead getting back the wires.]

[notrory]

[Nina manages a smile and covers Oswin's hand with one of her own for a moment or two before it drops. The smoke catches in her throat and she coughs, nodding to Oswin.]

How can I help?

[makingsouffles]

Just stay there. [Sparks fly as she connects two more wires, the teleport pad beginning to glow faintly.] Get up on it, if you can.

[Oswin's beginning to tire, her adrenaline rush fading, but she can't give up, not now. Not when they probably have a minute before they're blown to oblivion.]

[notrory]

[Nina's about to make a comment relating to Oswin playing the martyr before she decides that's probably not the best thing to say at the moment, when it looks like they're about to die.

So instead she pulls herself to her feet, a little wobbly and weak, but sheer will keeps her upright.]

She watches Oswin work with fascination.]

..You really are a genius.

[makingsouffles]

[And the Daleks needed genius.

Oswin represses a shudder, trying to force those memories from her mind. It had only been minutes ago that she'd been faced with that reality, and she doesn't want to think about them. Not now when her life and Nina's are at stake.]

Always thought so. [She smirks faintly as the teleport hums to life. Hopping on, she grabs Nina's hand and pulls her close.] Hang on!

[notrory]

[Nina snorts at the cocky comment and gladly leans in towards Oswin once she's finished up. One hand clasping Oswin's, the other goes around her waist.

She has no idea what's going on or where they're going, but if it gets them out of here, that has to be a good thing.]

[makingsouffles]

[She buries her face in the crook of her neck, unwilling to watch in case they don't get out in time. They'll be together, at least, if they don't make it.

The teleport goes off in a flash, and Oswin holds tightly to Nina, clinging so they won't be separated. When the light fades, it's cool and quiet, save for sounds you'd expect to hear from nature. Her heart still racing, Oswin peeks out from Nina's embrace to see where they've ended up.

It's nothing all that special, just a field at dusk, but for Oswin, who'd just spent a year trapped inside, it's the most beautiful thing she's ever seen.]

...you alright? [Her voice is quiet, so much more subdued than usual and even a little frightened sounding.]

[notrory]

[It feels...strange. Confusing. Nina just clutches to Oswin and closes her eyes.

When Oswin finally speaks, Nina's eyes open and she peers around herself, still holding onto the other girl.]

I think so. Nothing too serious anyway. You?

[makingsouffles]

...my hands hurt.

[Oswin hides her face again, unable to look for long. Because she's really got no idea where they've landed or how they're going to get off, and she hates to admit it but she's scared.

She speaks again after a long pause.] ...M'so sorry, Nina. This wasn't- S'not what was supposed to happen. [She doesn't know what became of Nina in the asylum, but it couldn't have been anything good.]

[notrory]

Oh, Ozzy. [She holds her close, brushing a kiss to the top of her head.]

Things never go quite the way you want them to, but that's okay.

[She sinks to her knees, bringing Oswin down with her.]

Let me see your hands.

[makingsouffles]

[She wants to argue that things never go this horrible, but instead, Oswin merely holds out her hands.

They're covered in small, minor electrical burns from where the wires sparked at her skin. She winces faintly at the sight, wondering where and how they're going to get them treated.]

[notrory]

[She bites her lip at the sight, her own hand hovering over the burns. She doesn't know what to do. She's no nurse.]

I don't think we're supposed to bandage it for a few days, but I'm no expert.

[Nina glances around, but there's nothing she can see for miles.]

We need to find a doctor who can treat your burns...Come on.

[makingsouffles]

[She nods quietly, pulling her injured hands back to her chest.]

D'you think there's one around? [Hopefully, or at least people in general, someone who can help them.

Oswin doesn't dare allow herself to hope that another Doctor might be somewhere nearby.]

[notrory]

I don't know, but it's worth a try.

[She sighs and presses her forehead lightly to Oswin's.]

We'll find a place. You saved me, now it's my turn.

[makingsouffles]

[She smiles faintly and nods, making to slip her hand into Nina's, but stopping short as she realizes that it'll probably only irritate her hands again.]

Makes us even, then.

[notrory]

[Nina kisses Oswin's knuckles softly and smiles apologetically at her.]

Let's go.

[She pulls Oswin to her feet.]

[makingsouffles]

[Oswin rises, following after her.]

Better find something quick. [She looks to the darkening sky.] S'going to be dark soon, looks like.

[notrory]

[Nina glances up at the sky and sighs, nodding. Coughing a little, she picks a random direction, because any way is better than none.]

We need a place to stay for the night, at least.

[makingsouffles]

Shouldn't be too hard.

[Hopefully. Despite the pain, Oswin slips her hand into Nina's, giving it as tight a squeeze as she can manage.]