"My daughter was never meant to be like this." Phorky's voice shakes slightly. "She was once a beautiful girl - the envy of every girl in Athens. She had low, flowing blond hair. I used to send her to fetch the water every afternoon and sometimes... she didn't come home until late because she had to stop and look at herself. The men loved her - adored her and worshipped her footsteps, and the women gave her gifts, in the hope that she would bless them with her looks.

"Yes, yes." The Doctor says impatiently. "Skip ahead. What happened?"

"One day she went into the temple - it was the day before the great day of the goddess Athena. She never came out of that temple. When we were worshipping Athena I had a vision." He strokes his white beard with a trembling hand. "In it Athena told me that my daughter had been punished to teach her a lesson. She said that I would be able to see her one last time... so she gave me a miror." He pulls it out from behind the bench. "It allows me to see her whenever I like." A tear drips out of his eye and onto the mirror. He wipes it off with his robe.

"Well show us!" The Doctor practically yanks the mirror out of his hands. Lupus crowds over his shoulder.

"Oh great goddess of reason, arts and literature - bring fourth my child. Show me Medusa." He intones. The mirror swirls around like a portal before locking onto an image.

The image settles. The Doctor's eyes widen as he sees Darcy trapped next to Medusa, who is snarling something. Darcy's eyes are closed tightly, the only thing keeping her upright are the green snakes wrapped around her neck.

"How typical. I tell them to stay. I always tell them and they NEVER listen." He sighs, handing back the mirror. "If you want to pay back your debt to... society, you'll lend me a chariot and your fastest horse. Come on Lupus. We've got a Medusa to catch!" He follows the portly father down past the market place and looks up at the golden chariot. "I see you've been making good use of your money. You know how to drive a chariot Lupus?"

Lupus nods and steps up to grab the reigns.

"Thank you! We will return this to you later... along with your daughter... hopefully." He jumps in. "Come on Lupus! Step on it! Oh... uh... I mean... ALLONS'Y!"

****************************

"Let me go." I gasp for air, the snakes skin strangling me. Normally I'd be freaking out. Right now i just want to be free. My eyes are closed tightly. So tightly that stars are dancing around before me.

"I tried to be nice. But you won't listen." She hisses, practically screaming at me. The sisters move forwards. I can hear their dragged footsteps. 

"W... what are you doing?" I mumble as she starts moving me backwards. I'm forced to keep walking backwards as the snakes dig into my neck, cutting off my minimal air supply.

"My pride and joy - something I spent half a century building." Medusa crows. I'm suddenly thrown backwards. I can only guess it's into the stone chair. I wince in pain as the sister's awful claw like hands dig into my wrists as something cold and metal-like clamps around them, securing me in place. The snakes don't leave my neck as they hiss in my ear, drowning everything else out.

"All those people that went missing was completely my fault. I take all the credit." She cackles. "I still will never give up trying to get back to who I was. I drain their souls. Their very beings. If I can get the components that makes them human then i can be human again." She says with a hint of sorrow. "So this machine is filled with the souls and minds, the beings of hundreds of my fellow Greeks. I tried to take people that wouldn't be missed - athletes past their prime - young children orphaned in the streets - and the blind and lame beggars off the market corners. All of them were put into my pride and joy." I can only imagine her stroking the machine. Reminds me of when the Doctor strokes the TARDIS with the same affection.

"And you, the great goddess Athena - you will fill up this machine with your infinite wisdom - with your goddess powers. You will make me human again - whether you like it or not." She cackles dangerously. "Sisters! Prepare the machine!"

*****************************************

"I thought chariots were supposed to be fast. Hate to rush you but we're kind of in a hurry" The Doctor huffs. Lupus doesn't even turn around as he holds onto the thick leather reigns. "Oh never mind. Are we almost there?" He reaches in his pocket then slaps his head. "Blimey. No sonic. I keep forgetting." 

"How long until we get there?" He asks Lupus who holds up a finger. "Oh, right now I'm taking orders from you." He grins. "You won't be a slave when we get back I promise. You risked your life for us. I'll see that you get a good life then."

They come to a halting stop outside of a huge marble temple that seems to stand out like a shining beacon. There's a sound of huffs and pants coming from inside. The Doctor races in with Lupus on his heels.

"Whoa!" The Doctor exclaims as they skid to a stop outside of an equally impressive stone doorway. Etched in the stone are colourful depictions of Medusa and her beauty - surrounded by slaves and what looks to be dignitaries.

"AHHHH!" There's a feirce roar and out of the shadows steps a young man with blond hair and flashing green eyes. He charges at the strangers with his sword outstretched and bellows dangerously.

"WHOA! HOLD ON!" The Doctor pushes Lupus out of the way as the sword brushes past the slave's head. "Calm down, we're not here to hurt you. We want to help. Did you see my friend get taken? About this high..." He motions to just below his shoulder. "Uh... blond hair... white dres..."

"Yes." The man pants. "She's in there. I've been trying to get through the door for a very long time, but it won't budge." He shows them the dints he's made with his sword."

"Oh, well good thing you have me then." The Doctor reaches in his pocket for his sonic. "Dangit! I keep forgetting. How are we going to get through there now..." He examines the lock when Lupus taps on his arm and motions to a steel bar lying conveniently across two y shaped  branches, holding a delicately carved pot with a flower in the middle. "Oh good thinking, Lupus!" He yanks the bar off and heaves it under the door. "LEVERAGE! You - " he clicks his fingers at the blond warrior. "Give me a hand."

"Perseus." The blond haired man tucks his sword in his belt and lifts the bar up.

"Oh you're kidding." The Doctor's eyes shine. "Good, I know what you'll be doing then - chopping off the monster's head." He winks and the door wrenches clean off its hinges.

******************************

I squirm in the chair but the snakes only wiggle themselves tighter. Some whirring sound penetrates the air in a hiss of air. "What is that?" I ask worriedly.

"Nothing to be worried about." Medusa cackles. "It will drain your soul, your life, everything. And when you're done you'll be a pretty ornament for the olympic games. A wonder you haven't used your goddess powers." She exhales, sending a cascade of death-breath on me.

"Alright... alright you got me." I say weakly. "I'm not the goddess Athena. But if you let me go I can help you. I have a friend... he can help you get out of here and change you back." It's a long shot because I don't know if that's actually possible, but it's worth a try.

"No more chances!" Medusa screeches and there's the sound of something whirring to life, and all of a sudden I feel like my very life is being sucked from me. My conscious mind is slipping into darkness, and memories and events are fading from my mind... I can't even remember my own name. My last thought is of Alex. My wonderful, brave and noble brother who has risked his life for me more than once, who hasn't ever stopped fighting for me.

There's the sound of something cracking off its' hinges and the sound of yelling, but I can't distinguish words, I can't hear anything. All my mind registers is that it's slipping into an internal void - a place of deep, deep sleep. And there is nothing I can do to fight it. 

******************************************

"OI! GET AWAY FROM HER!" The Doctor pelts up the steps to where his companion is slumped in a stone chair. The snakes are hissing around her head, and a blue light is emnating from Darcy's head, which the snakes are absorbing. Medusa's eyes are glowing a brilliant green as she absorbs all the power from the machine - and now Darcy. 

"STOP IN THE NAME OF... PERSEUS!" Before anyone can stop him, Perseus launches forwards and cleanly slices off Medusa's head. The snakes fall to the ground, hissing, the blue light still swirling around them. Lupus is standing mutely at the stairs, hands over his eyes. 

Perseus goes to turn the head over but the Doctor stops him. "Throw your coat over her head. And whatever you do don't look at it." He bends down beside the stone chair. "Oh please, please please wake up." He taps Darcy's face. Her head rolls back, flopping on her lifeless shoulders. He puts a hand to her neck, feeling no pulse or anything. "No, no no no no don't do this to me. Please." He takes his sonic back and buzzes her. "Oh thank goodness." He smiles with relief. "You're not dead... just had the life sucked out of you. Well I can't exactly do a lot with that but I can do this." 

He rests both hands against her face and leans forward so their foreheads are touching, and then he closes his eyes. A yellow light emits an eery glow from the centre of the machine. The Gorgon sisters step back in awe. Lupus hesitantly opens his eyes and squints at the bright light. Perseus scoops up the head in a sack and tosses it over his shoulder, then raises an eyebrow at the scene. 

Very, very slowly Darcy's heart starts beating back to life. The Doctor pulls back slightly as his regeneration energy flows around the room, swirling like dust in the sunlight. It's only taken about 20 years of his life off. And it was worth it to save his companion. 

She coughs, still closing her eyes tightly. "Tell me... you're not Medusa?" She asks hopefully. 

**********************

"It's OK." The Doctor's voice is full of joy. "You can open your eyes." I open my eyes hesitantly, slowly, afraid they'll break and then fling myself down into his open arms. 

"OH YOU... WHY DIDN'T YOU COME SOONER?! I COULD HAVE DIED!" I hug him feircely, exhaling a little of the gold smoke. Frowning at it, I pull back. "What did you do to me?" 

"Used some of my regeneration energy to heal you." He turns his hand over as it stops glowing. "Pretty cool, huh?" 

"You shouldn't have done that." I scold. 

"Don't be stupid." He winks at me. "I'd do anything for you. you should know that." 

"Thank you. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gone running off." She leans back on her heels. "I mean... it was exciting meeting Perseus and all. Good job by the way." I nod towards the bag. The sisters start gasping and pointing in absolute horror. 

"Yes. RIGHT!" The Doctor jumps up, clapping his hands together. "I can't give the people she's taken their lives back, but I will give the sisters a trial, because even though they don't deserve it, I will give them a chance." he points at the cowering blind sisters in the corner.

"You," he smiles at Perseus. "Well you don't need anything, you're going to go back a hero and history... will remember you forever, my friend." He turns to Lupus. "And you were fantastic. I might add. Probably not a word in your vocabulary yet... but what I can do for you is I can set you free." He walks down the steps and puts an arm around the young boy's shoulders. "And i have a surprise for you too."

********************************

"Thanks Lupus." I wave to him from inside the Tardis. He waves back, beaming happily, adorned in his new robes.

"Take care of yourself, right?" the Doctor joins me outside, munching an apple.

"I thought you hated apples." I watch Lupus walk off towards his new house, hand in hand with his lovely new wife.

"No. Pears. I hate pears." He makes a face. "Never make me eat a pear. I'll throw you back in that stone chair and feed you to Medusa." He winks. "Thanks to Medusa's lovely little temple I can use the energy stored from the left over human souls." He shudders a little. "I know it's unethical but that place needs to be destroyed, and that's exactly what's going to happen." He points to the controls. "Go on, Ancient Greece explorer. Do the honours."

"Oh please." I launch the TARDIS forwards and press the engine. It roars to life and as we start to teleport away, the temple blows up behind us, scattering the stone far into the desert, to be buried with the next sand storm. "I've always wanted to DO THAT!" I yell. "Can't we blow up more buildings?"

"Oh yes. Let's go blow up the Eiffel tower." He winks. "Ready for France?"