Echoes of Caroline

Caroline, sat in the park gazing at the moon. This was the longest she'd gong with a brain shift. At times she could call on a specific personality, Echo was strong, and determined to be the dominant one. Now she was trying to call on them at will. That skill could be very handy around Franklin Springs.

Caroline was restless, living in the tardis, they'd helped her with the debilitating headaches. She was restless, during those times she walked, particularly in the dark cool night.

Most women collected shoes, thanks to Rommum, she collected personalities.

Taking her feet out of her shoes, she wiggled her toes. Looking up in the sky, she followed a falling star, closing her lids, she made a wish.

The breeze was warm, the air, refreshing.

She smiled looking into the night sky.

Her stomach was still churning at the thought of another ‘her.’ Echo had to know, to figure what Rossum was up to with this twin thing. At times her brain might scramble the personalities inside, but one thing she was sure, she didn’t have a twin.

Compared to a slayer, Echo wasn’t stealthy; it only took a minute for ‘her’ twin to be in her face, wanting to know why Echo followed her. It took even less time for Echo to realize one of them was an anomaly and that didn’t make her feel better either.

She sought out the nearest bar, went to the bathroom and lost her lunch. Seeing and talking to oneself was a bit upsetting. Taking the fresh strip out-of-her purse, she brushed her teeth, then blew in her hand and smelled. None of the previous stench was there.

A bit pale and confused, she sat at the bar and ordered a stiff one.

Echo was going to have to find a place to live. She knew she hadn’t been the easiest of people to live with as the people in her head tended to flux in and out. Still a bit unstable, she’d chosen to stay here until she stabilized. Torchwood helped her get through all of this even make contact with Paul and Alpha to take Rossum down. Even though she didn’t know him well, she figured Jack would be the one to take them down. Right now Echo was too valuable an asset to Rossum, if they figured out her glitch, well then it could be replicated.

Taking the newspaper, she began apartment hunting, getting her first opportunity to look at the town other than her just appearing from the chair to the street. It was a pretty town, full of Southern hospitality.

So far, she hadn’t had any luck. She was a bit depressed. On one street she passed a toy store. In the front window she saw a “Hungry, Hungry Hippo,” game and realized she was ravenous. ‘Food,’ she thought.

It took her a bit to find a place that was appealing. Echo wasn’t picky; she had to turn off the voices in her head, so she chose this little diner. At least she could satisfy one of them.

The sign said seat yourself, so she did. Ordering water, she poured of the map of the town, a distressed look on her face as she tried to figure the layout. It wouldn’t take her long, she was good at things like that, but she had a headache, this was a bad one and the pain danced across her face.

Looking down at her, Paul smiled. The soft whir of the chair reclining broke the silence between the two of them. Echo felt warmth as he looked upon her; it was the sunshine of safety flowing through her; the frame of his face changed with her movement changing the way she perceived him. Rotating through a myriad of images he was an angel, a lover, a friend, a foe. Those reflections broke as pain seared through every living molecule in her body. Eyes closing from the pain, invisible tears flowed from her closed lids.
As quickly as the treatment took, she vanished.

Violent chills masked with waves of lightening racked her slim features. Her body convulsed, writhing in pain ... peace. Silence engulfed Echo or was she Caroline, her brain attempted to maintain one personality; that was impossible for more than one personality was a part of her.
Cold and wet, backing aching, her lids fluttered open. Above her now was a beautiful sky radiating warmth. Breathing in slowly this air was cleaner; fresher than what she was use to inhaling.

A loud car horn broke her reflections causing her to jump to her feet in the middle of the street. Confused she walked to the sidewalk totally ignoring the profanities thrown at her from the irate driver.

“Did I fall asleep?” came her quite, yet rote reply.