"The Infinity Gamble"
Episode Four

Written by Zack Crane  
Note: This series is set prior to "A Secret War" (Pendragons # 15)

Previously:  Meredith O'Reilly found her world turned upside down in a matter of hours after a mysterious man simply called the Doctor fell out of thin air and on top of her.  The Doctor becomes her protector and tells her that she plays an important role in the possible recreation of reality.  Deep inside, Merry also feels a connection to this man and knows everything he says is true.  Together, they find that Merry's feelings are not just feelings, but fact.  They also find that Merry is actually the pawn of Immortus, the Lord of Limbo, and is destined to be his vessel to godhood, although Merry doesn't know quite what that means...

"I bet you thought you had everything figured out, didn't you, Doctor?" Immortus's breath was hot on the Doctor's face.

The Doctor turned away from the Lord of Limbo's grinning face, in an effort to focus on some sort of plan.  But the Doctor had been here before, in this very situation.  Immortus possessed the Infinity Gauntlet, but the Doctor had been able to save reality by using the Gauntlet himself to reverse reality to a time where he could have saved Merry.  Only now, the Doctor had failed to keep Merry safe once again, allowing Immortus to once again gain control of the gems.

"It was quite a clever gamble." Immortus grinned, staring the Doctor straight in the face, "You recreate all of reality, including yourself, in order to have an advantage over me.  You even managed to erase all my memories of you and the Time Lords!  Well done!"

With a vicious crack, Immortus's hand ripped across the Doctor's face.  The Doctor's knees buckled from the shot, and he would have fallen, if it wasn't for the iron grips of the Space Phantoms holding him up.

"Doctor!" Merry cried and she tried to wrench herself from the Space Phantoms, but their grip was even tighter upon her.

"A gamble that, unfortunately for you, did not pay off." Immortus spat, "You weren't efficient in your use of omnipotence.  You are, simply put, an amateur.  All our memories of our past conflicts were allowed to return, ensuring that you would still not be able to defeat me. 

The Doctor couldn't say anything.  Immortus was right.  The Doctor had not used the Infinity Gauntlet as he should have.  The Doctor even erased his own memory of the events before reality was altered.  He just hadn't been quick enough.  He had let Immortus win.  And now, it looked as though the entire multiverse was going to pay for his mistake.

The Doctor cast a stare to his left, looking toward the protectors of the Infinity gems, Adam Warlock and Gamora.  They were standing perfectly still, awaiting some kind of command to shrug off their Space Phantom keepers and take the gems back.  The Doctor knew that with them, perhaps he still had a chance.  No matter the cost, no matter what the Doctor had to do now, Immortus could not control the Infinity Gems.  He simply needed to be patient, and wait for his opportunity.

"And you," Immortus whipped around to face Merry, "I would have thought that you'd be overjoyed to finally have my company, child."

Immortus walked slowly, with the grace of a king, toward the young woman, chuckling all the way.  He took her chin with his thumb and index finger and casually looked over her face.  It was sticky with sweat and fear, but Immortus saw something he liked, for his smile grew wider.  Merry pulled away from him with a sharp whip of her neck.  Immortus laughed at that.

"Merry, my dear," Immortus cackled, "you have your mother's eyes.  Don't know about that wild red hair but your eyes are just as beautiful."

Merry looked like she had seen a ghost.  She struggled to get the words out but she finally said, "How do you know my mother?"

At that, Immortus cocked his eye and then spun to face the Doctor once more, "Exactly how much have you told this poor girl?"

The Doctor again struggled against the Space Phantoms, "I've told her you're nothing but a malicious liar who delights in causing torment to anyone.  Basically, I told her the truth."

"But not the entire truth, I take it?" Immortus turned back to Merry and smiled again, "He hasn't tell you exactly the reason I chose you, has he?"

Merry clinched her teeth and fought back the tears again.  She tried to keep her eyes off Immortus, but he walked over to her and pulled her face into eye contact. His sneer seemed to get wider as he realized just how scared Merry actually was.

"Allow me to explain everything from the beginning." Immortus sneered, "When I first decided the Infinity Gems would be mine, I needed to find a way to keep their power forever.  And the answer was simple.  I would merely merge my consciousness with their limitless power."

"You're mad." Adam Warlock spat from behind him, "The cosmic energies would rip your body apart."

"You're absolutely right, Adam!" Immortus laughed without taking his eyes off Merry, "So, I thought, why use my own body?"

"What?" Adam asked and then he shot a stare at the Doctor.  The Doctor didn't move, but Adam was sure he knew what Immortus was planning.

"You see, Adam," Immortus continued, "I can control the flow of energy from the gems, and bond my own consciousness to their power if I have a medium to channel it all into.  Another human body would do nicely."

"Have you lost your mind?" Gamora asked rhetorically, "No physical shell can withstand the full power of the Infinity Gems!  Your consciousness will be scattered as her body decays from the power!"

"That's the catch!" Immortus still had his eyes hooked on Merry, "If my consciousness becomes one with the gems as the power enters her body, I can control just how strongly the power flows through her!  Her body won't decay, not ever!  Not as long as I have full control over the gems!"

Merry was shaking violently now and she clinched her teeth in what was a combination of rage and fear, "What does any of this have to do with my mother?"

"Well," Immortus took a breath, "I realized that if I was going to have to reside in another body forever, it might as well be one similar to my own.  After all, what good is omnipotence if you have to enjoy it in an inferior shell?  There's only one way to create a body so naturally crafted after my own, isn't there?"

Immortus's eyes and smile both went wider as he saw Merry's face darken with realization.  She turned to the Doctor with tears running in hot streams to her chin.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she cried.

"Merry, listen to me." the Doctor tried to say calmly, but the words came out in heavy breaths, "You cannot let anything he says weaken you!  It will only make it easier for him to take you as a host for the Infinity Gems!  You must remain strong!  Do not let him beat you!"

Immortus lifted his hand to the Space Phantoms without turning toward them.  In a quick movement, one of the Space Phantoms punched the Doctor straight in the stomach, knocking his wind from him and causing his knees to lurch again.

"You had always felt it before, Merry.  Don't deny that." Immortus said almost lovingly, "You knew this was your destiny."

"No!" Merry screamed at him, "It can't be true!  You're lying!  I am not your daughter!"

"I have to admit," Immortus sighed, "I was surprised when your mother told me she would be giving birth to twins, and even more surprised when your male counterpart died.  But, your mother was the perfect mate to suite my needs, and I am certainly not going to waste a perfectly fine offspring on the simple matter of gender."

Merry looked on the verge of a cancerous death now, yellow eyes spewing tears and her body, not shaking any longer, but rather just hanging limply in the tight grip of the Space Phantoms.  The Lord of Limbo seemed ready to laugh, jump, cry out in joyous celebration.  But, instead, Immortus finally turned away from Merry's cringing, sweaty face and looked to his captives.  He waved his hand in the air again and the Space Phantoms began to pull Merry up the stone staircase to the marble throne.

"I could kill you all now." Immortus shrugged, "But what is my shining moment without admirers?"

The Space Phantoms tightened their grip on their prisoners and moved them into a better view of the massive throne.  Immortus started to climb it with the enthusiasm of a young child.  Adam turned to the Doctor once more.

"He's gone completely insane." Adam whispered to him.

"And we should be thankful for that fact." the Doctor replied, "It's the only reason he's letting us live.  The power has corrupted him before he has his final victory."

"We must act before that final victory comes about." Adam's voice was grave.

"I know, Adam." the Doctor answered quickly, "And we will.  But we must wait.  There is only one who can stop Immortus now.  I pray she is strong enough."

 The whole world is spinning.  I want to die.

 It's all just been one huge lie since the beginning of my life.  I thought this was my life.  It never was.  It's always been his.  This voice in my mind, this conscience leading me to find my destiny, it was just a lure.  My destiny is here.  With him.  It was all leading to this point.  There is no other way.

The tight, wrenching grips disappear in unison and there's nothing but air beneath me.

This is it.  They've finally taken me.  There's nothing to hold me back anymore.  I'm finally going to meet them again, in Heaven.  My mother, my brother and me.  Just like it was always meant to happen.

But I feel...something...what...is this....?

The darkness shatters with an illuminating burst that rips me from where I was floating.  I'm flying into the flashes and they keep coming for only instants at a time.  Purple, Blue, Orange, Red, Yellow, Green.  Over and over again.  Burning themselves into me.  The colors twist and contort around me and shrink into massive shapes, with the nothing expanding around them and me.

And soon they are revealed.

Space.

Time.

Reality.

Power.

Mind.

Soul.

Wait.  No.  This is not what I want.  What is this?  Where is my mother?  My brother?  I don't want this to happen.  Stop!  Please, stop!

What are you trying to do to us?

Nothing!  I don't want anything!  I just want to be left alone now.  I want this all to end.

All will indeed end, child.  Who wishes to become one with us?

I swear I don't know.  Please.  Leave me alone.  Why won't you leave me alone?

Perhaps you do not understand the severity of the situation.

Nor the opportunity we are willing to give you.

What?  What do you mean...an opportunity?  What is this?

This is whatever you want it to be, Meredith O'Reilly.

Look into me and look into yourself, Meredith.  You will see what we see.

No!  Stay back!  Get away from me!  I don't want to be close to you!  You feel so cold...so empty…

Not empty.  There is something there.  Don't you see it?

See what?  I can't see—

Right there!  Do you see it?

Yes!  I can see it!  It's...it's beautiful!  It's so warm!  And it's so...familiar...like it was a part of me somehow...

You do know it, Meredith.  Take it!  Take it back!

I can't reach it!  It's too far away!

It is not.  You can feel yourself growing stronger the closer you draw to it.  You know it is yours.

Yes!  That's it!  Throw yourself toward it!  Take back what is rightfully yours!

I have it!  I can feel it!  It's...it's shrinking and...spreading all over me.  I can feel it inside of me like it belonged there.  The flashes start to come again.  But it's not colors now.  It's my mother and my brother...then my father...and then...the Doctor.  Everything is going to be alright now.  We can end this.  Together, we can all end this.  We can't let Immortus win.  If he merges with you, then all will be lost.  That is unacceptable.  Merge with me and we will make this right.

Now you understand, Meredith O'Reilly.  Now that you have found your strength, we will go reclaim your destiny.

Immortus stumbled.

"What?" he shouted, "What is happening?"

Adam looked quickly over to the Doctor.  For the last several minutes, Immortus had stood, keeping Merry aloft in the air, and started to pour bright, multi-colored energy into her body, in an effort to expel Merry's own consciousness.  Immortus had looked confident for those several minutes, and Merry's body showed no signs of resistance.  But for the prior several seconds, his smile had turned into a scowl and he now looked to be struggling to keep control of the gauntlet he wore.

The Doctor turned and met Adam's gaze, "Now."

Adam Warlock and Gamora both reacted in the same second.  Space Phantoms were thrown from their feet with one powerful swoop of Warlock's arm, and just as many fell from the quick, sharp kicks of Gamora.  The Doctor was released as three Space Phantoms collided with the ones who were holding him.  It knocked him over, but he was back on his feet as the Space Phantoms writhed with one another.  He needed to get to the TARDIS.

Immortus only quickly glanced from the floating, glowing, young woman in front of him, but it was enough to see the Doctor rushing for his ship.

"Stop him!" Immortus wailed to the Space Phantoms, "Kill him!  This is his doing!  I know it is!"

The Space Phantoms turned from Adam Warlock and Gamora to rush after the Doctor.  With a growl that was most definitely not human, Adam Warlock grabbed Gamora and launched through the rushing Space Phantoms.  He slowed when he came into the narrowing space between the Space Phantoms and the Doctor.

"Keep them at bay!" the Doctor yelled to them, "Give me time!"

"You will have to be quick nonetheless, Doctor!" Adam shouted, turning back to the incoming army, "But you have our support...for as long as we can hold them."

Gamora nodded as well before taking one, possibly last, loving gaze into Adam's eyes and then crouched in a battle-ready stance alongside her lover, in front of the phalanx of Space Phantoms.

The Doctor immediately spun around, ignoring the sounds of battle and ran as fast as he could to the TARDIS.  With but a thought, the door of the TARDIS swung open, allowing the Doctor entry, and then shut tight after him.  The Doctor approached the massive control panel in the center of the TARDIS and started to activate it. 

The Doctor mused about how easy it would be to escape at that instant.  It would save him the pain of what he was about to do to his ship, his home, the most trusted ally he had ever had on his journies.  But in order to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, as the Doctor had done so many times before, this was the only way. 

There came crashes against the door.  Thundering that could only mean that Adam Warlock and Gamora had fallen.  The Space Phantoms barreled their way with the force of raging bison and ran toward him.

The Doctor saw the coming onslaught and grimaced as he lifted a panel, revealing a small, black button.  The Doctor closed his eyes, and pressed it.

The Eye of Harmony, the black hole that powered his ship, began to hum, getting louder and louder with each passing instant.  Soon, inside the thick, massively long tube in which it resided, there were crackles of energy and anger.  The Space Phantoms paused in their tracks.  The TARDIS began to quake.  The already bulging eyes of the Space Phantoms widened even farther as they realized what was about to happen.

The Doctor rushed to the metal railings around the control panel.  He grabbed a hook that was attatched to his belt and pulled it.  A long string of wire stretched from the belt, with the hook at the end of it.  The Doctor snapped the hook along the railing and braced himself for what was to come.

The Space Phantoms started to rush back toward the door of the TARDIS, but it was too late.

A section of the glass casing around the Eye of Harmony burst inward immediately breathing in anything in the TARDIS that was not latched down.  Electricity crackled from it and sent waves throughout the TARDIS.  It's wail threatened to shatter the Doctor's eardrums.  He would have already been sucked into it and destroyed, if he had not been latched to the metal railing.

The Space Phantoms were not so fortunate.  As soon as the glass had burst, the hundreds of Space Phantoms that had forced their way into the TARDIS were sucked into the Eye of Harmony, and then ripped apart molecule by molecule.  The cries of pain were muffled by the wail of the black hole that devoured them.

The Doctor opened his eyes for but a second to peer out the door of the TARDIS.  He saw the corpses of Adam Warlock and Gamora fly past him and then also ripped apart by the Eye of Harmony.  He knew that the Heart of Darkness existed outside of reality, but if he could get Immortus, or even Merry, to fly into the Eye of Harmony then victory would be his.  Death would also come for the Doctor himself, but that was a consequence he was ready to take.

But even so, nothing else flew through the door of the TARDIS.  The Eye of Harmony ripped and pulled everything from inside the TARDIS into it, but still nothing came from outside.  The Doctor began to feel his own grasp on the railing beginning to slip.  The Eye of Harmony was getting stronger.  Soon, even the mathematical construct that was the TARDIS would be sucked into it.

The Doctor was pulled from his grasp on the railing and felt a hard whip as the thin metal cord in his belt kept him from flying into the Eye of Harmony.  He could feel the immense power of the black hole begin to tug at his skin, almost pulling it from his bones.  He could feel the hook that kept him latched to metal railing begin to bend.  Less than a second later, the hook failed and the Doctor was pulled into the Eye of Harmony.

He braced himself for the quick, painless death that was to consume him.

And then…

The Doctor hit the iron floor of the TARDIS with a loud clanging noise and a shooting pain through his chest.  He breathed in a loud gasp as the pain in his chest faded and then he laid on the floor for a second.  And then he realized there was something wrong.  The Eye of Harmony was…quiet.

"What the bloody—?" the Doctor couldn't finish his curse.

He turned onto his back and peered upward at the long, majestic tube that housed the Eye of Harmony.  Staring back at him was the spinning, wretched darkness of a black hole.  The tube was still broken.  Pieces still lay shattered along the floor.  Yet...the Eye of Harmony was calm.  This was impossible.

Nothing is impossible, Doctor.  You should know that by now.

The voice seemed to echo not only through his mind, but through every last piece of the TARDIS as well.  The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere.  The Doctor stood quickly and looked around the TARDIS.  The only thing that remotely showed life was the spiraling black of the Eye of Harmony.

"Who's there?" the Doctor called, "Merry?"

No, Doctor.  Not Merry.  Come and see us.  We've been looking forward to seeing you again.

The Doctor took one last look at the dark mass of the Eye of Harmony before slowly descending down the steel steps.  He kept a cautious eye on the open entrance of the TARDIS, ready for anything.  Although he knew, if this voice was who---no, what he thought it was...then he really stood no chance anyway.

As he approached the door, the Doctor became aware of a bright, pulsing light emanating from just outside the TARDIS.  The Doctor's two hearts began to beat faster and faster and his breath noticeably picked up.  His mind was racing.  Sweat drenched his collar and his biceps.  He gulped hard as he stepped from his ship.

Then, as he took that first step outside the TARDIS, his vision blurred.  The shapes of the Heart of Darkness, of the TARDIS, of the grand throne upon which he had last seen Merry and Immortus.  It all blurred and faded.  It all faded into nothing.

Where am I?

Don't you know?

Yes...yes, I suppose I do.  Show yourself to me.

There was a slow, warm burst of light that eventually fell back upon itself until it finally took form.  The form was of Merry, her entire, naked body glowing and pulsing with constant mixtures of light.  Her eyes were but pools of deep, white nothing and her hair flamed with a darker, harsher nothing than any man could imagine.  She was the most beautiful sight the Doctor had ever laid his eyes upon.

Peeling himself from her image, the Doctor looked out the corner of his eyes and at the darkness that surrounded him.  He knew he wasn't dead...but he knew he wasn't conscious either.  When he had said he knew where he was, he had only been telling a half-truth.  The Doctor knew he was in the realm of the Infinity Gems, somewhere that possibly no one had ever experienced before.  But. of course, the Doctor had no idea exactly where this realm was.

So...you have stopped Immortus?

The Doctor didn't say a word but his thoughts rang through the darkness and even his own mind like a banshee.  Merry and the entire darkness around them seemed to pulse and shimmer as though the Doctor's thoughts were rocks thrown into a calm lake.

No.  We stopped Immortus.  You were going to die for us, Doctor.  We have met many beings in our existence, but all have only wanted our power for their own despicable and twisted design.  But you are different.  You...are cunning, brave, loyal.  You are what we want...what we have been seeking.

The Doctor didn't know what to say to that.  His mind was spinning with too many thoughts to contemplate.  It was overwhelming.

Doctor...please.  Calm yourself.  Your universe has been saved from Immortus's treachery.  He will not cause any harm any longer.  We have seen to that.

The Doctor was beginning to become aware of a feeling inside of him.  A curiosity and an attraction that he knew was not natural.  This place was beginning to take hold of him.  If this was truly the resting place of Infinity...who knows what it could hold?  The Doctor knew he needed to escape.

If what you say is true...then return me.  And return Merry.

The darkness seemed to lurch and the bright image of Merry seemed to dim for only an instant before burning brighter than before.

Are you not curious of all that we can offer you, Doctor?  We imagine that coming face to face with Infinity must be quite the experience for you.  Do you not want to sample all that we contain?

The space between the Doctor and the image of shining, warm beauty seemed to dwindle, for the Doctor was sure neither of them had moved closer to one another.  As she began to draw closer to him, he could feel the burgeoning emotions of curiosity and attraction begin to monstrously contort into envy and lust.

Yes, the Doctor wanted everything she had.  All the secrets of the universe.  He wanted them all at his command.  Every thought, every place, every time, every soul could be his!  Everything that he had ever wanted was at his fingertips!  He wouldn't be destined to roam time in his TARDIS for eternity!  He would have all the respect he deserved.  His genius would be recognized!  All he needed to do was take this woman.  Become one with her.  Everything would be his.  And the Doctor wanted it.  He wanted it all.

Finally, the Doctor embraced her, feeling the light that warmed her begin to pulse and warm his entire body, mind and soul.  It was so soothing.  It was so perfect.  The Doctor looked into her bright, white eyes, seeing infinite possibilities swimming inside of them.  She stretched her neck upward, slowly bringing her lips closer to his.  They were about to touch.  The Doctor was about to feel Infinity.

At the instant before, the Doctor pushed her away.

There was another bright flash and the darkness burned away into an intense white.  But the image of Merry remained, the colors flowing faster through her as though she were a coffin of rage.

What is the meaning of this?!  How dare you reject us!

The Doctor stretched out his arms at her.  His face genuinely expressed the feelings of sorrow and apology.  The white glimmered with his thoughts.

Please believe me when I say there is nothing that I have desired more than you.  But I do not deserve you.  I am no different than the beings who have in the past tried to rape you and your power.  If I were to become one with you, it would not be for what it should be.  I am so sorry.  No living creature deserves you.

Then, the Doctor was sure that he saw the burning colors inside of Merry fade and calm.  She closed her eyes and outstretched her arms as well.  The white became blinding before the Doctor felt himself fade away again.

The flash faded and Doctor found himself standing in the Heart of Darkness once more. His knees buckled as he became aware of his surroundings, but he caught himself.  The Doctor looked around and saw that everything was quiet and still.  There were no Space Phantoms and no Immortus.  Worse, there was no sign of Merry.  He was completely alone in this marble tomb.

"Doctor!" a voice cried out, proving he was not alone after all.

The Doctor spun himself toward the voice and saw two very familiar figures rushing to him.  The sight only made the Doctor's shock increase. 

"What has happened?" Adam Warlock asked as he and Gamora approached the Doctor, "Have we won?"

"Yes." the Doctor nodded, though his mind was still frothing like boiling water in an iron cauldron, "If you can call this a victory."

"What of Immortus, Doctor?" Adam asked, rubbing the shining Soul Gem on his forehead, "And the Infinity Gems?  I cannot sense either..."

The Doctor brushed past the two, walking toward the distant TARDIS with his shoulders slumped and his head down, "I don't know, Adam.  I just don't know."

"Doctor?" Gamora asked, walking up behind him and placing a hand on his shoulder, "What's wrong?  It's the girl, isn't it?"

The Doctor looked into the woman's golden eyes, knowing that she saw the ache in his body and mind, "Merry.  Have you two seen her?"

"I'm sorry to say I have not, Doctor." Adam said solemnly, "I....I only remember dying.  And then, I was back here, in the Heart of Darkness, with Gamora."

Adam wrapped his arm slowly around Gamora and brought her into a strong embrace with him.  They swam into each other's eyes.

"We will search to the ends of the universe for her with you, Doctor." Gamora said, "That is a small price to pay for reuniting us in life."

"No." the Doctor rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying not to collapse, "That won't be necessary.  Thank you, however.  I must be leaving.  I am very happy to see you two alive.  I wish you both safe journies in the future."

The Doctor smiled weakly at the two warriors and they nodded, silently understanding his pain, and watched him enter his TARDIS once more.

Inside, the Doctor arched his neck and saw what he had expected:  all of the damage to the TARDIS had been reversed, all his furniture had been returned, and the Eye of Harmony was stable.  The TARDIS was once more in perfect working condition.

The Doctor paused for a moment, trying to calm his thoughts enough to figure out some destination for him and his TARDIS.  He was once again a lone traveler on an endless trek.  Finally, he was able to approach the control panel and began to energize the Eye of Harmony.

"So," a voice called from behind him, "you were just going to leave without looking for me?"

The Doctor recognized the voice instantly.  He turned around, not quite expecting to see what he saw, even though the voice was unmistakable.  There she was, sitting in his reclining chair with a childish grin.

"Merry!"

The Doctor picked Merry up into his arms and shook her like a child with the perfect Christmas gift.

"Hey!" Merry yelled, "Alright!  You made your point!  Good to see you too.  Now put me down."

"But..." the Doctor placed Merry back down and ran his fingers through her hair, "what happened to...to..."

"The gems?" Merry finished for him.

"Yes!" the Doctor gasped, "Where are they?  The last time I saw you—"

"I know." Merry said and she put her hands on his shoulders in an effort to get the Doctor to calm down, "It's just me now.  Everything's alright."

The Doctor relaxed his shoulders and took a deep breath, "But how?"

"That I don't know." Merry looked to the floor, "But…I know it had something to do with you.  With what you said to us."

"To you?" the Doctor furled his brow.

"Yes." Merry said, "I could hear everything.  I was one with them.  They became me and I became them.  My emotions and nature were theirs to experience, and infinite power was mine.  It was the only way to stop Immortus.  It was a gamble I had to take."

"What did I say to make them release you?" the Doctor asked.

"You said you didn't deserve them." Merry looked up again and met the Doctor's own eyes, "It made them think—no, it made us think, that maybe, I didn't deserve them.  It made us think that maybe they didn't deserve me either."

The Doctor fell backward into his reclining chair, "My god…"

"Emotion cannot handle power." Merry said quietly, "And power cannot handle emotion.  It was meant to be this way, Doctor."

The Doctor still only stared into the floor, his hand covering his gaped mouth.  Merry leaned over him and kissed his forehead.  The Doctor turned his weary eyes to her.

"You saved my life today.  And together, we saved existence, just like you said we would." Merry smiled, "Don't you think it's time for us to be getting on our way?"

The Doctor's mouth slowly curled into a smile and he jumped quickly from his seat, "You are absolutely correct, Merry!  There are places and dimensions and creatures and happenings beyond your wildest dreams out there.  Do you want to see them?"

Merry smiled even wider, "You bet your ass I do."

The Doctor laughed at her terminology, and then rushed back to the control panel of the TARDIS and powered up the Eye of Harmony.  Merry came up behind him and looked over his shoulder at the control panel.

"So where are we off to, Doctor?" Merry asked, with excitement to match the Doctor's in her voice.

"My dear Merry," the Doctor began, grinning wily at Merry, "I can't wait to find out."

THE END.....?

 Epilogue 1:

He watched as the TARDIS blinked and then slowly faded from sight and dimension.  A few moments later, the Soul Gem transported Adam Warlock and Gamora from the Heart of Darkness as well.  After all had gone, he stepped silently from the shadows, bathing himself in light for the first time since he arrived to the place.

The events that had unfolded around him had been extraordinary.  He knew that contacting the Doctor was the right decision in keeping Immortus from seizing the Infinity Gems.  It was also the right decision to save the Doctor's life in the TARDIS after that horrific attack by the Space Phantoms.*  He was sure that the Doctor remembered meeting him before reality had been recreated the first time, but none of that mattered now.  All that mattered was that the gems were safe.

(* - issue two- Zack)

He ventured down the long winding way to the Infinity Chamber.  His eyes widened and he breathed heavily when he saw that the Chamber was dark and barren.  His narrow teeth pierced through his purple lips to reveal a sinister smile.

At least for now, no one would be able to seize their power.  It truly was fit for no living being.

And who knew that fact better than Thanos, the mad Titan?

 Epilogue 2:

 "Where...am I?"

 Immortus rose to his feet and gazed at his surroundings.  He recognized the place as Earth but this was...different than anything he had ever seen on the planet before.  The entire landscape was one of a desert, but Immortus could see the glittering of cities and pyramids on the horizon.  Immortus rose to his feet, careful to keep his footing on the large sand dune.

He remembered being on the cusp of victory, when it was stolen from him in a bright burst of light by that damn Doctor and Merry, Immortus' own flesh and blood.  Immortus swore to have his revenge.  He was the Lord of Limbo!  A manipulator of time!  He would not be defeated so easily!  But, first, he had to get the city in the distance.  Maybe he could find some...

"My, my, what have we here?" a voice cackled like a jester above him.

Immortus peered to sky and saw a naked man floating there.  And he was grinning like a lunatic.  Immortus recognized the man's face but couldn't place it.  However, hanging from the man's neck was something he did recognize.

"The Forever Crystal!" Immortus gasped.

"Oh, yes." the naked man giggled, "It is my plaything now.  Not yours.  Not ever again.  I thought we had destroyed all of you...but, one more won't matter."

Immortus wondered what the devil this man was talking about.  But, the second after he had, Immortus was finally able to place the man's name.  Just as he said the name aloud, the Forever Crystal began to glow and Immortus realized he would never get his chance at revenge.

"Jamie Braddock!" Immortus yelled.

They were last words he ever spoke.

Epilogue 3:

On the corner of Reese Lane and Hiltz Avenue, a shimmering image began to appear out of what seemed like thin air.  But no one noticed.  They had all seen crazier sights.  In the world they lived in, that had to be expected.  And as the image began to settle into one of a 1960s police telephone box, the people became even more disinterested.

The doors swung open and Merry ran out excitedly.  The Doctor followed her, with a more suspicious demeanor.  But both didn't venture out more than two steps.

"Whoa." It was all Merry could utter.

"Indeed." the Doctor murmured.

Taking in their surroundings, the Doctor and Merry's imaginations tried to comprehend what they were seeing.  Gnomes and dwarves walked past them hurriedly, barking their high voices into cell phones.  Carriages pulled by centaurs functioned as taxis.  The homeless warmed their hands by glowing pixies.  There was a cyclops on the corner juggling anvils for money.  Drakes flew past their ears.  A man in a mask and a bowler hat soared over them.  All of this taking place under a bright pink hued sky.

"Doctor," Merry asked, tugging at his jacket, "where are we?"

The Doctor looked to her for a second and then pointed at something in the distance, "There's your answer, Merry."

Merry gasped as she looked to where the Doctor was pointing.

Flying high above all the strange happenings on the street, was a flag.  Emblazoned unmistakably upon it was the union jack.  They had arrived on Earth.  They were in England.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

And there you have it.  A bit long for a magnum opus, I know, but I felt I had to pull out all the stops.  Feel free to tell me what you think, but first, I have some thanks and clarifications to make.

-Throughout this series, it might seem like there was quite a bit of focus on Merry, or at least much more than any other Doctor’s companion in the past.  This was purposeful.  One thing that had always bothered me with Doctor Who was the lack of focus the companions were given.  They always seemed to appear out of nowhere and disappear just as quickly.  I didn’t want to do the same with Merry.  If I ever do return to the character, which I hope to, I can assure less focus on Merry.

-Yes, Thanos was originally supposed to be Kang, as was hinted in issue two.  But, that always bothered me, since Kang and Immortus were both revealed to be killed by Jamie Braddock way back in Pendragons issue 18.  I mean, what's the point of having them in the story if they're dead?  So, I came up with the substitute Thanos.  I think it worked rather nicely, since Thanos had yet to appear in the Pendragons universe.

-I decided that since this series was set before 'A Secret War' in the Pendragons series (I know you all have read that brilliant piece of work...right?) I decided the best way to end would be Immortus' death at the hands of Jamie Braddock, just to tie things neatly with a bow.

-What kind of adventures will the Doctor and Merry have now that they are in the main Pendragons universe?  Perhaps I'll answer that question in the future...if Barry lets me.

-Special thankful shout-outs must go, of course, to Barry Reese, for giving me, an American, a chance to play with British television's most iconic science-fiction character, Travis Hiltz, who never failed to give me feedback whether positive or negative, and Gary Dreslinski, for putting up with me not asking to use a character he had already dibbed.