The Doctor

Jack and Laura Reed rode on the backs of Finn and Holley, who were driving back to the haven.

"I don't know if I can do this. I'm not a very good liar."

"Oh, it's not really a lie, Holley." Laura Reed assured her. "Evelyn did escape. All true. Just leave the particulars to us. There's no reason to cause unnecessary panic amongst your people."

"I'm not so sure it's unnecessary..."

Finn stopped when he noticed that the guard tower was empty. "Wait. The tower. We always have sentries guarding the entrance." He drew his gun. "Stay close."

The four of them entered the area below the guard tower, where they found piles of corpses strewn across the field.

"Oh my God." Jack looked horrified.

"This can't be. Our land--we were protected here, hidden. How did the robots find us?"

Laura Reed noticed that the bodies were badly beaten. "Robots didn't do this."

"What?"

"Evelyn did. She hypnotized the other supers. This was her technology-- twisted and evil. We have to stop her."

"Too late. She killed them. She killed them all."

"No, we have to stop her before she hurts anyone else."

"Hey. Hey. Look." Jack pointed towards a stack of bodies and debris, under which he saw someone waving their hand.

"There's someone under there. She's alive."

"Please."

Laura Reed helps Jack free the person, who turned out to be Katherine.

"It's okay. You're safe now. We won't hurt you."

"Thank you. Thank you."

-----

Clark stood outside the Diner, talking to several people.

Dr. Whale approached him from behind. "You. We need to talk." Clark turned and punched him in the face. "Oh! What was that for?"

"Sleeping with my wife."

"Evelyn?"

"Helen."

"Look, I didn't know. All right? I was cursed."

"Yeah, I got it. What do you want?" They sat at an outdoor table.

"So... is it true? People are saying that you're trying to find a way to build a portal back to your land because that's where you think Jack and Laura Reed are, that they're alive."

"Well, the whispers can stop. I have no secrets from this town. That's exactly what I'm doing."

"But the land-- it's-- it's gone, destroyed by the curse."

"Apparently not."

"Well, you're having any luck?"

"Not yet. We're working on it."

"Does that mean that all the lands still exist?"

"Possibly." Clark looked at him suspiciously.

"So Syndrome lied to us. Again. Are you sure?"

"Remember who we're talking about."

-----

Felix opened his office door, surprised to find Derek standing in the hallway. "Derek. Are you here to see me?"

"I've been trying to keep my promise to Hilary, but it's been hard."

"To not use your weapons."

"It's been two days."

"That's an excellent start. Come on in."

Derek entered the office and sat on the couch across from Felix. "It's just that my weapons are the way I've always gotten everything."

"It sounds like they're also the way you've lost everything. Derek, this is your chance to start over, to earn Hilary."

Derek was about to speak when the door opened and Dr. Whale came in.

"Dr. Whale, this is highly inappropriate."

"Send me back." He ordered Derek.

"What?"

"To my land. Send me back to my brother."

"Why don't you check the 'Missing' board like everyone else?"

"Your curse only brought the living."

"Well, then I'm sorry for your loss," Derek said in mock sympathy. "But I'm afraid I can't send anyone anywhere."

"Can't or won't?"

Felix stood up. "Dr. Whale, I have to insist. Please. Go." He demanded. Dr. Whale left and Felix closed the door. "Sorry." Felix returned to his seat. "What you said isn't entirely true, is it?"

"What?"

"About the curse only taking the living. The grave of your father's here, right?"

"I don't care about Whale or his brother. I brought who I wanted."

"Anyone else? If you want help, you have to try and trust me. Stopping power is a lot harder than starting."

"Her name was Maggie," Derek confessed. "I preserved her body with zero-point energy. She's dead but frozen, and I've kept her in my family crypt."

"Because you couldn't let go of her." Felix figured out. "If you can't let go of the past, Derek, it's doomed to haunt you."

Before Derek got too emotional, he stood up and headed for the door. "You know what? I think that's enough."

"Derek, wait. I-I can help you." Felix tried to stop him.

"I doubt it." He walked out the door.

-----

That night, Derek was driving home during a thunderstorm. A car cut him off, making him stop abruptly. When he looked up, he saw Maggie staring at him from across the street.

"Maggie?" He stared in shock. Derek briefly looked away, but when he looked back, she was gone.

-----

Early the next morning, Clark brought Hilary into a high tech room.

"All right." Clark noticed Hilary yawning. "Come on. What's with the yawn? This isn't school. It should be fun."

"I couldn't sleep."

"Hey. I know. I miss 'em, too. Now just think how happy Jack and Helen will be when they come home to find that you've become a proper superhero."

"Do I get a super-suit too?"

"Oh, you're not fighting today."

"I'm not?"

"No. There's much to learn before you put it on."

"Like what?" Hilary wondered.

"Well, every morning, you'll have to stretch. Then you'll do some exercises. After school, you'll do it again. Every day, twice a day."

"That's not crime-fighting. That's gym class." Hilary complained.

"Ah. Training." Clark corrected her. "It builds up your muscles."

"Okay. But when will I get a suit?"

"When you're ready. I'm gonna go check in on the monsters, see how the scream collecting's coming. I'll pick you up later."

-------

Derek entered his father's crypt at the graveyard. Underground, he entered a room with a glass coffin. However, he was shocked to find the coffin was empty and Maggie's body was gone. He rushed out of the room.

-----

"Have you seen her before?" Jack asked Finn as they watched Katherine from a distance.

"Yes, I've seen her around. She came to our camp a couple of months ago."

"Why would Evelyn leave a survivor? It's messy. Doesn't make sense."

"You think she's lying?"

"I think Evelyn's tricked us before. I don't want that to happen again. Here you go." Jack handed Katherine a cup of water. Laura Reed and Holley also joined them.

"I can't thank you enough for your kindness. Fortune, it seems, has seen fit to show me favor."

"An island full of corpses. You're the only one to escape. How exactly did that happen?" Jack asked.

"She attacked at night, slaughtered everyone in one fell swoop." Katherine explained. "I hid under the bodies of those who had already been killed. Pretended to be dead myself. Mercifully, the ruse worked."

"So much for fortune favoring the brave."

"It was all I could do to survive."

Jack got down closer to her. "I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. I'm pretty good at knowing when someone's lying to me."

"I'm telling you the truth."

Jack gave her a slight smile. "We should leave here in case Evelyn decides to come back." Finn suggested.

"We should start searching for a new portal back to Pixfare." Laura Reed argued. "I only got about five minutes with my husband, not to mention my other kids and my granddaughter."

"You have a granddaughter?" Katherine looked at Laura Reed surprisingly.

"Long story."

"Well, I know this land well. I can guide you."

Jack pointed in Katherine's face. "You're not gonna guide us anywhere until you tell us who you really are."

-----

Derek entered the psych ward in the basement of the hospital, only to find that it was completely deserted. "Dr. Whale? Where are you? Dr. Whale?" He entered an operating room that appeared to have been trashed. The lights flickered on and off, and there was a trolley with a bloody sheet over it. He lifted the sheet and discovered a severed arm. He gasped, stepped back, and bumped into a hanging light behind him. Derek moved the trolley aside to find Dr. Whale sprawled on the ground and missing his arm.

"Whale. Whale. I know you took Maggie's body. Why? Why?! Did you bring her back?"

"I did it."

"She's alive?"

"Yes. I brought her back, but... she's not Maggie."

"What?"

"She's... she's a monster."

-----

Derek stood outside of Dr. Whale's room at the hospital.

Clark soon arrived. "What's going on? I just got a call that Dr. Whale was attacked."

"You'll have to ask his doctors."

"No. I'm asking you." Clark said firmly.

"I came here to talk to him and discovered he was hurt." Derek argued. Clark gave him a look of disbelief. "It's the truth."

"What else? What did you come here to talk to him about?"

"Someone from my past. I believe she's come back. Maggie. Her name is Maggie."

"The woman you were supposed to marry. I thought she died."

"Yes. She did."

"Well, then how could she be back?"

"Whale." Derek pointed at the window. "He believed he could bring her back from the grave, and... I don't know how... but he has." Derek was almost smiling.

"You don't know how? Guess."

"He practices something more powerful than magic... or so I was told. I need to go. I have to help her." Derek started to leave, but Clark stopped him.

"No. Where is she? Look what she did. She's dangerous."

"Not to me. She won't hurt anyone else, Clark, I promise."

"You know I can't take that chance. You have two choices, Derek-- tell me where she is, or jail."

"I think it's like when... you broke out." Derek explained. "She's following her final thoughts to where she last met me-- the Supers' Training room."

"No. Hilary. Hilary's there." They both rushed out.

-----

Hilary was in the Training room, doing exercises. "Gramps says that this will help me become a superhero." She said to herself. "So… anytime. Like, soon?"

Suddenly, the lights started flickering. All the machines stopped working, knocking Hilary to the ground. When she opened her eyes, Maggie was standing over her. -----

Laura Reed tied Charles and Katherine to a tree in the park, while Jack, Finn, and Holley interrogated them.

"I already told you. We're just explorers."

"Sure you are." Jack whistled into the distance. "You don't want to talk to us? Maybe you'll talk to the robots while they rip you limb from limb." They heard thumping footsteps approaching. "Come on."

The group began to leave, but Katherine called out to them. "What? You-- you can't just leave us here like this!"

Holley stayed behind, unsure. "What if they're telling the truth?"

"They're not."

"Good for you!" Charles said sarcastically. "You bested us. I can count the number of people who've done that on one hand."

The group stopped, turned around, and came over to them. "Who are you?" Jack demanded to know.

"Charles and Katherine Muntz."

"As in the explorer with the blimp and the dogs?"

"Ah, so you've heard of me." Charles smiled smugly.

Again, they heard the sound of robots coming. "You better hurry up. They're getting closer. So you better start talking."

"Evelyn wanted us to gain your trust so we could learn everything there is to know about your Pixfare. She didn't want any surprises when she finally got over there." Charles explained.

"She can't get there. We destroyed the door." Laura Reed spoke up.

"Ah, but the power remains. Evelyn gathered the ashes. She's gonna use them to open up a portal." The robot sounds were getting louder. "Now if you'll kindly cut us loose."

"No." Finn refused. "We should leave them here to die to pay for all the lives that they took."

"That was Evelyn, not us."

"Let's go." Jack and the others started to leave again.

"Wait. Wait! You need us alive." Katherine shouted.

"Why?" Jack asked, turning around.

"Because we both want the same thing-- to get back to your land."

"You would say anything to save yourselves. Why are we supposed to believe you now?"

"We arranged for transport with Evelyn, but seeing how resourceful you are, we'll offer you the same deal-- we'll help you if you promise to take us along."

"How are you going to help us get home?" Laura Reed wondered.

"The ashes will open a portal, but to find your land, she needs more. There's an enchanted compass. Evelyn's looking for it. We'll help you obtain it before she does."

"So Evelyn won't make it to Pixfare, and we'll be one step closer to getting home."

Jack turned to Laura Reed, but she shook her head. "Sounds too good to be true."

"There's only one way to find out."

The robots were getting closer and louder. "You tell me one thing-- and whatever you say, I better believe it--" Jack threatened. "Why do Muntzes want to go to Pixfare?"

"To exact revenge on the woman who took my chance at fame-- Imelda Rivera."

-----

Hilary slowly stood up with Maggie standing near her. "You-- you gotta stop. You're-- you're scaring me." She saw the blood on Maggie's hands. "Are--are--are you hurt? Can I help you?" Hilary carefully raised her hand towards Maggie, which caused her to have a flashback of Evelyn. "Let me help you."

Maggie grabbed Hilary by the neck, lifted her off the ground, and began to strangle her.

"Maggie!" Derek shouted as he and Clark ran in. "Let her go!" Maggie dropped Hilary to the ground.

Clark quickly pulled Hilary away. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Go. Go!" Hilary took off, running.

Derek was still staring at Maggie. "It's true. You're really here."

Maggie lunged for Derek, but Clark pushed him out of the way. He then shut the door and locked it. Maggie furiously beat on the door.

"It won't hold for long. Can you use something to subdue her?"

"No. I won't use weapons on her." Clark drew his gun. "What do you think you're doing?"

"She's a monster, Derek! If you won't put her down, I will!"

"Clark, please! Just let me talk to her." Derek pleaded.

"It's too big of a risk. There's no telling what she'll do."

"You have to at least give me a chance!"

"Out of the way, Syndrome!" Clark pushed Derek out of the way. "Now!"

Derek was now getting hysterical. "No! I won't let you hurt her! She'll listen to me! Please! Let me talk to my fiancé."

-----

After Clark left, Derek unlocked the door. Inside, Maggie had calmed down. She slowly started walking toward Derek, who smiled with tears of joy. She brought her hand up to touch his face, but instead, she grabbed him by the neck, slammed him against the wall, and began to strangle him.

"Maggie." He choked. "Stop. It's me. I love you."

Something inside Maggie changed, and she let go of his neck. "Buddy."

"Maggie." They stared at each other and tearfully hugged. "I can't believe it's really you." She pulled away from him, griping her chest in pain. "Maggie?"

"Stop. Just stop the pain."

"How?"

"Just... let me go."

"No. No, I won't lose you again." He shook his head, started to cry. "Without you, I'm lost." She fought to maintain control of herself. "Maggie. Maggie, come back to me."

"Can't. Can't." She groaned.

"But I love you."

"Then love again." Something inside Maggie changed again, and she turned back to her 'monster' state. She tried to attack Derek, but he immobilized her with his zero-point energy. Devastated, he pressed a button on his gauntlet, turning her to dust. "Good-bye, Maggie."

-----

Jack and company traveled through the forest, guided by the Muntzes.

"Up ahead. We'll find the compass just over the ridge."

"Do you get the feeling they're leading us exactly where Evelyn wants us, that this whole thing's a trap?" Laura Reed asked Jack.

"It's definitely a trap." Jack agreed. "As long as we know they're trying to play us, we can--"

"Stay one step ahead of them."

"Exactly."

The group came to the edge of the forest, where they saw a large mountain in the middle of a field.

"Let me guess. The compass is up there?"

"Oh, yeah."

"So how do we... get to it?"

"It's not the climb you need to worry about. It's the dinosaurs at the top."

The group proceeded onward.

-----

Derek knocked on the door to Felix's office.

After a few minutes, Felix answered the door. "You're back."

"I used my weapons." Derek explained in a tearful whisper.

"Why don't you come in and tell me what happened?" Felix led him inside.

-----

Dr. Whale walked down the sidewalk with a cooler. He soon entered Ms. Wood's shop and set the cooler on the counter in front of her. He opened it to reveal his severed left arm.

"When they say I charge an arm and a leg, that's meant as a figure of speech."

"Put it back."

"You want me to reattach your arm?"

"Can you do it?"

"Of course. But first, tell me why."

"Because I want to use it again."

"Obviously. I meant why bring that girl back from the dead? Why now?"

"I thought... I thought that if I helped him, he would return me to my world. I want to see my brother, to try to bring him back again."

"Again?"

"The first time ended badly. I need to return and try it once more."

"Well, it seems that's rather beyond his abilities. My condolences."

"Now my arm." He glanced at the cooler. "You said you can do it."

"Oh, yes. But there's a difference between 'can' and 'will'."

"Name your price."

"Say it."

"Say what?"

"You know what. You came here, not the hospital. So say it."

Whale scoffed but figured that he had no choice. He took off his jacket to show his bloody sleeve. "I need magic."

"That's all I needed to hear." Ms. Wood waved her hand and magically reattached Whale's arm. He looked at it in amazement. "Always a pleasure doing business with you, uh, Victor."