Delicately examining the fine engagement ring, I studied the sides of it, wondering what the markings of Gallifrey said. I was in shock the Doctor asked me to marry him, I truly didn't think that would happen... ever.

It was just the fact that he wasn't too traditional when it came to things such as marriage, let alone children. He was more of a go with the flow type of alien nerd in all actuality. And, I hadn't had a problem with it, I was completely fine staying with whatever we were before, though I'll admit I am ecstatic to be fiancés.

I thought when River said we were getting married, it'd be a heat of the moment kind of situation, but he actually proposed! Sitting cross-legged on the floor next to the console, I hummed while my fingers traced over the beautiful Gallifreyan symbols.

"It's a promise." I jumped in surprise, head snapping to where the Doctor stood leaning against the console a few feet away.

Since when had he got here?

"Dude, don't sneak up on me like that, I almost died! How long have you been standing there?" The Doctor smiled softly at my words, moving to sit next to me on the ground.

The TARDIS let out a whirr as the Doctor sat next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders while taking the ring from me, examining it himself. "Only a few seconds, I noticed you weren't in your room, figured you'd be here." I smiled at his words, watching him lovingly gaze at the ring.

"What was that about a promise?" I questioned him, the Doctor turning to look at me with a genuine smile.

"These words mean, essentially..." He scratched the back of his head with a small blush. "Till death do us part, it's a promise." My grin couldn't seem to get bigger at his sentence, myself finding solace in just gazing at the ring.

"Of course, my Timelord." I rubbed the Doctor's cheek, making him smile fondly, looking in my eyes. "Till death do us part." He took my hands in his, my inner conscience screaming how I didn't deserve him.

Liars like you don't deserve happiness like him.

My inner conscience took on my brother's voice whenever it decided to bash me. For a second, I really thought Aleksander was sitting next to me whispering harshly into my ear. Surprised, I whipped to my right relieved to find no scary twin brother sitting there.

"Effie, what's wrong?" The Doctor was looking where I was through furrowed eyebrows, myself quickly turning around flashing a believable smile.

"Nothing, just thought I heard something is all." The Doctor gave me a look as if he didn't believe me, but let it go nonetheless.

It was getting harder to lie to him, he was starting to figure me out better than I ever gave him credit for. The Doctor pursed his lips, looking at the golden-black ring.

"You know, this ring was my mother's on Gallifrey. She gave it to me before she died hoping I would give it to the one I married. I had a wife on Gallifrey whom I tried to give it to, but she didn't like the color and so I kept it. Our marriage didn't last long though, we were too different. But here I am, giving it to you now, and I couldn't be happier." I smiled at the information happy the Doctor was opening up to me.

We sat in silence for a few moments, before I spoke. "Your mother sounded lovely," I informed him, making the Timelord chuckle and nod.

"Yes, she was an amazing Timelady. You two would've liked it each other." His thoughts seemed to echo around, and I had the feeling he had never openly spoken about his mother like this. "What about your mother, you rarely ever speak of her." My heart began racing, but I played it cool shrugging carelessly.

"I don't remember much of her, after all, I was only six when she died..." More lies, more stealing of Peter's background. "I think," I trailed off, trying to remember how Peter said his mother died. "She died from cancer, and I never knew who my father was, assuming I was the product of a one-night stand. It was right after she died when the Ravagers abducted me, so that pretty much sums up my time on Earth." I casually explained, knowing I sounded detached too from the story to make it completely believable.

The Doctor gave me an odd look. "And, how does that make you feel?" The question hung in the air for barely a second before I was shrugging.

"Eh, nothing really. I was too young to really be affected by it now." He nodded at my answer, myself deciding to steer the attention back on him.

"Doctor, what happened with the Time War?" I asked him, the Doctor's breath coming out thin as he struggled for an answer.

He gave in after a few seconds gazing into my eyes sadly. His eyes were very sad and very lonely, and very, very, old. "Are you sure you want to know, you may look at me differently after this." I scoffed at his answer, rubbing soothing circles over his hand.

"Like I'm one to judge, my past isn't the best either." The Doctor's eyes perked at that, though they still looked sad.

"Okay..." He sighed. "But don't say I didn't warn you." I patiently waited for the Doctor to begin his tale, of course, I had heard legends. But I wouldn't believe any of them until I heard it from the Doctor myself.

"The Time War was a war between the Daleks and my people; the Timelords. The war was fought for over four-hundred years with no end in sight, and it would only spread getting more of the universe involved. I couldn't let that happen, so I committed the worst crime possible, the ultimate sin. I blew up my own planet, killed millions... I...." The Doctor's voice was cracking, tears of sadness swimming through his eyes.

Immediately, I stopped him from saying any more, pulling him in my arms as he body quaked with tears of sadness. "Shhh..." I shushed him, running my fingers through his hair. "It's alright, you did the right thing. That war couldn't spread, it'll be okay, you're fine." I continuously mumbled soothing words, the Doctor taking only a few seconds to recuperate himself, sniffling just a bit.

The Doctor allowed me to hold him, basking in my comfort for a bit before he turned his head to me. Looking at him now, I couldn't stop myself from questioning something that had been on my mind since he proposed.

"Who's Rose?" The Doctor smiled tightly at that, playing with my fingers seemingly happy with the change of subject.

"Rose was my first companion after a long break I had in traveling through time. When I first met her, she was a nineteen-year-old with an extremely boring life, something I quickly shook up when I blew up the place she worked at. I won't lie, her and I became close so quick it nearly gave me whiplash. Falling in love with her was short as well, I barely even knew her when I realized she stole my hearts." His tone suddenly turned darker, his gaze softening.

"But after a few years of traveling, she got stuck in an entirely different universe. I hadn't even got to tell her I loved her when she got stuck, but for her, it turned out alright. A bunch of stuff happened, and ultimately, she was able to live with a human version of my tenth regeneration, it was a meta-crisis. After Rose, I truly believed I couldn't love again. So when you came along and shook that up, well, surprise wasn't the only thing I was feeling."

"Rose is the real reason why I don't try avoiding, nor pretending I don't love you. Rose was sucked away before I could get over my stubborn self and admit the truth to her, I refuse to make the same mistake. After all, you're only human, you don't have nearly as long to live as I..." I tried to conceal my smile at his words, try five-thousand years, Doctor.

Maybe telling him the truth wouldn't be so bad, maybe he'd even be happy I would live just as long as him, possibly even longer. I was only six-hundred, still extremely young for a Goddess. Still a child to my people.

"Mmm," I hummed, thinking about Rose. She sounded like a brave girl. "Final question, I swear, why don't you go by your real name?"

The Doctor smiled at that, almost like it was his own inside joke. "My real name is better left unsaid. The name I chose is, the Doctor. It's a promise to myself. To never be cruel and never be cowardly, hate is always foolish, and love is always wise. Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind. That's a vow I made to myself almost a thousand years ago, and it's a vow I intend to keep." He smiled, running his hands down my arms.

I smiled, thoughts running to how much the Doctor opened up to me in the past hour. What had I done, told him more lies? Perhaps it was time to tell the truth. With a deep breath, I looked the Doctor in the eyes.

"Doctor, I need to tell you something-" I was cut off by Amy hopping into the room, smirking at our sitting figures.

"Oh, look it's the new fiancé couple." She giggled, the Doctor looking to me desperately, obviously sensing I was about to tell him something.

"What! No, no, no! Continue on..." He began waving his hands at me, myself immediately stopping my words.

What am I thinking! I can't tell him, the things my father made me do would destroy the Doctor!

Amy looked confused at the Doctor's glare, myself shaking my head standing up while putting the ring back on my finger. "Nevermind, I think I'm going to go take a nap or something..." I smiled, the Doctor quickly stopping me.

"No! You were going to tell me something, what were you going to tell me!" He had that madman look in his eye as he watched me, myself simply giggling.

"It was nothing, really. I'll see you guys later." I called, walking down the hallway hearing the Doctor's groan of disappointment.

"Damn it, Pond. You really do have the worst timing." He was scolding her, Amy scoffing in reply.

________
________

The red door was staring me right in the face. I hadn't seen this red door in a long while, not since the psychic pollen from Karass Don Slava. The red door stood ideally tall, blood gushing out from the bottom crack.

"Open the door." My voice echoes around, unable to stop myself I slowly placed a hand on the brass doorknob.

"Open it." My voice once again hissed, myself turning the knob slowly. "Open it, sister." The voice changed and as quick as lightning, I turned around to face him.

There he stood in all his glory, golden hair and all. Aleksander; my twin, stood tall proud waiting for me to open the door.

"Open it now, Persephone." He ordered and I was unable to fight it when I opened the door.

I knew exactly what would happen if I got that damn door open, and it was nothing good, I'll tell you that. For my worst secret hid behind that door, the real reason I left Muspelheim, and once that door was open it could never close again.

Opening the red door, I unleash hell within my own head.

Screaming was all I that could hear from all directions, blood splattered everywhere. Fire and chaos pursued about. At that moment I saw it.

My father ordered me to kill every single civilian on the city of the planet Dunjur, an innocent planet with nice people. The only reason they were being killed was for the simple fact they stood up for themselves. A hundred years prior my father marched an army of demons to their planet and demanded ten-thousand young men every five years if they wanted to live.

At the time, Dunjur agreed. Now, they refused to send their children off to be slaughtered fighting for a hellish planet. Fighting for what was quite literally a demon populated realm.

My father didn't like this and so he took a mere hundred men, including my brother and I to Dunjur. A whole species versus one-hundred men, you would think Dunjur would win. Wrong.

Muspelheim was merciless, everyone on Muspelheim was a ripper. The only empire that stood a chance against us was Asgard or possibly Gallifrey, but Gallifrey had fallen long ago. Asgard generally left us alone as we did them; until at least, the time for Ragnörak was upon us.

It was prophesied that my father would cause Ragnörak and end Asgard just like how the Daleks ended Gallifrey. Except he would be more successful, he would not wipe out his own race as the Daleks did.

Civilians begged for mercy, as they were one of the final cities on Dunjur to go. Soon, Dunjur and its people would be extinct.

My brother and I stood coolly behind our father, dressed in battle armor and makeup. My whip was tied around my shoulder and waist, my brother clenching a blood-soaked sword in his grasp.

"I am giving only this city a chance to live, a chance no other city on Dunjur has had. The choice is to join us and come back to Muspelheim to serve in our ranks, or die!" My father yelled, a few people immediately scurring forward joining our side not wanting to die.

However, many civilians simply stood proudly preferring to die in loyalty and honor. My father raised a brow, clicking his tongue.

"Is that all?" No reply was heard. "Shame, you would die for no reason. I'm sure you've all heard of my children, the ripper twins, no doubt. Which one of them shall I give the honor of killing you all." I secretly prayed it wouldn't be me, but somehow I knew it would. "Persephone, your brother did the last village. It's your turn." I stepped forward fearlessly, myself now looking fourteen years in age.

After learning to never go easy on a fight, and show no mercy, it was clear where my life was headed. I was headed down the same dark road my father and brother were on.

Despite not wanting to kill these people, I knew better than to ever say no to my father, especially in public like this. My brother smirked, tossing me his blood-soaked sword, something I caught with one hand.

With a deep breath, I pointed the bloody sword to the fifty or so civilians left alive. Some were armed, some were not, but either way, it was hard to believe a girl who looked no older than fifteen could kill all fifty people with a whip and a sword.

Though, they all did have to admit I looked scary with my Muspelheim battle armor and dark warrior makeup. The tiara of Muspelheim sat on my head, keeping my hair out of my face.

Holding up my sword, I decided to try and give these people one more chance. "You are of Muspelheim, or you are the enemy of Muspelheim. Choose." Little did I know that one sentence would soon become my catchphrase as people call it. All around people would know Persephone Surturson for those words.

One man came up holding his sword, he looks about double my size and obviously believed he could take me down. I killed him in less than two seconds by ripping out his heart. The worst part about it was the smirk which rested on my face as his body dropped lifelessly to the ground, myself dropping his heart.

Holding my brother's blood-soaked sword, I looked around at the now forty-nine villagers.

"You are of Muspelheim, or you are the enemy of Muspelheim. Choose!" I repeated, watching the people look at me doubtfully.

When no one replied, I jumped forward killing offtwenty-one civilians. Most said it was impossible to do something like that, it was my brother and I who defied that. Blood splattered across my body, battle armor stained red with the blood of my enemies. People gasped, covering their mouth's, myself staring at them coldly.

Black markings of Muspelheim were painted down my arms and shoulders, the golden boots splayed red.

"You are of Muspelheim, or you are the enemy of Muspelheim. Choose!" I repeated with a snarl, taking a small step forward.

This time, the remaining twenty-eight came at me, trying to fight me for their lives. But even if by some miracle they managed to beat me, my brother and father were with there, along with the hundred warriors of Muspelheim.

But that was nothing I had to worry about because as soon as they came at me they were dead in the next second. Blood now drenched my armor, splattered across the golden boots, and splayed proudly over the tiara. The markings of Muspelheim stuck out under the blood, red droplets dripping down my lips as I stared at the very last civilian man standing there shaking.

His eyes were rimmed red as he eyed his dead wife's body, clutching his sword pathetically. Hair soaked red, I pointed my brother's swords at him.

"You are of Muspelheim, or you are the enemy of Muspelheim. Choose!" I hissed, watching the man flare his nostrils running at me prepared to take me down.

"Die, you bitch!" He screeched myself dropping Aleksander's sword, reaching for the handle of my whip.

The glowing gold whip which had been made specifically for me cracked, as I threw my arm forward hitting the guy with the whip. The man screamed as he burst into flames, the whip was made from special material made to accommodate my temperature.

"Well done, my daughter." My father's voice echoed as the memory spun.

More screams echoed more fire. Myself standing in the midst of dead bodies, whip clenched as I smirked. Flashes of darkness and light battling within, my brother and I ripping through villages spreading horror in our wake.

It was my darkest secret. The real reason I left Muspelheim.

I left Muspelheim because I was becoming my father and brother. Because I killed without a thought, because when I killed I started to feel pride in it, in doing my father's bidding.