Story title: Imbalance in Time

Sequel to: Donna Noble, Supertemp & Revelation of the Grove

Summary: A glitch is discovered at the rift in Cardiff; but upon further investigation, it's discovered that the glitch is actually an imbalance, not just in the rift, but in time itself. And it's this imbalance that will have dire consequences for all involved, especially for the Doctor.

Rating: T

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Prologue

oOo

He placed his hands inside his pockets and turned to face the group. "What I would suggest doing is mingling for a while among these oh so lovely campers. And what I mean by that is, make absolutely sure they are free of the Master's control. I don't want any dawdling; Rassilon knows I've had enough of that from previous companions. Anyway, once you're done, come straight back to the TARDIS, you hear?"

"Yes, Doctor," said Donna and Jamie.

"Jenny?" The Doctor looked at her sternly.

"I'm not going to run off," she complained, then added, "Yes, Dad."

"Good. Now, get to it!"

They obliged; however, they did not need to examine every single person, for it was soon clear that everyone was indeed free from the hypnosis. So, in light of that, Donna, Jenny, and Jamie went back inside the TARDIS; the Doctor followed behind, characteristically trying to avoid people's praise. As soon as he made sure everyone was in tip top shape, walked up to the console and took the TARDIS into the vortex.

oOo

"So, Jamie, where would you like to go?" the Doctor asked, turning around after twiddling a dial.

"Oi, wait a minute, why are you asking him and not us?" Donna asked, hands on hips.

"Because he's not my daughter and I'm not in a relationship with him," the Doctor replied. "And because he only agreed to come with us on a temporary basis, so I want to give him the option of going back to Oxford if he wants to. So," said the Doctor, drawing out the word 'so,' and turning to Jamie. "Jamie."

"Yes, Doctor?"

"Where would you like to go? I know I only-"

"I heard everything you said to Donna," said Jamie.

"Oh. Right, then. Well…" the Doctor trailed off; he leaned against the console, crossing his arms as he did so. "What's the verdict?"

"I think I'd like to go back to Oxford, but only for a little while," Jamie said. Taking a deep breath, he continued, "I want to pack up the things in my office."

"Really? What for?"

"I'd like to quit my teaching post at the university and focus on something else," said Jamie.

"Like what?" asked the Doctor, curious.

"Well, it's like this," Jamie began. "I love teaching, I really do, but working at Oxford is too boring compared to fighting aliens; and since I'm already old, I'd rather die doing something more exciting like fighting aliens, not die alone in my office, grading papers."

"So…" said Donna. "You want us to take you to Sarah Jane's house, yeah?"

Jamie nodded in confirmation. "If she doesn't mind."

"Oh, Sarah Jane? I'm sure she won't mind," said the Doctor confidently, waving his hand absentmindedly.

"So…can you take me there?"

"Will do, Jamie my boy!" said the Doctor. He turned back around and, happy-go-lucky as only he could be, the Doctor began twiddling dials and turning knobs on the console. Donna came up after a few seconds with the observation that the TARDIS wouldn't jolt around as much as usual if there were two people operating it. "But I like doing it by myself," was the ensuing protest.

"And the TARDIS was built for six flyers, not one or two," Donna countered. "And two is better than one."

"What about me?" Jenny asked, breaking away from her exploration of the console room.

"Oh right…" said the Doctor. "I'll um…have to teach you." Jenny grinned.

"Well, budge up, space man!" said Donna. "There's room enough here for the two of us."

Working side by side, while being observed by Jamie and Jenny, Donna and the Doctor brought the TARDIS to Oxford University, landing it directly in Jamie's office. The Doctor's reasoning for this was so that Jamie wouldn't have to walk the distance from the grove of trees all the way to his office, and then back again carrying a bunch of things; however, Donna believed that it was because he didn't want to walked through the whole building and risk being seen by Marianne, the receptionist who had a thing for him. She kept silent, though.

Once the TARDIS had landed, the Doctor followed Jamie out into Jamie's office; Donna and Jenny followed. It was decided that Jamie would go, by himself, to the head of Oxford to hand in his resignation; after Jamie left, the Doctor, Donna, and Jenny began packing up the things in Jamie's office. With three people working together, the packing went quickly; it was such that, when Jamie arrived back, nearly everything he wanted to bring with him had been placed in containers and stowed on board the TARDIS.

"Looks like you three've been busy," Jamie commented. "Need any help?"

"No, thanks; we've got it," the Doctor replied. He carried a newly-filled box and placed it just inside in the TARDIS. Stepping back, he took a look around the office. "So we've just got the two boxes that Donna and Jenny are filling up, then we can go. Sound good?"

"As good as ever," Jamie replied. "Speaking of which, I saw Marianne wandering the halls."

"Who's Marianne?" Jenny asked.

"Your dad's stalker," Donna replied.

"Stalker?" Jenny sounded surprised.

"Yes," said the Doctor, none too happy. He turned to Jamie, "Did you speak to her?"

Jamie nodded. "She asked me if I had seen a tall, slender, handsome man at all. She was wearing more make-up than I've ever seen before. Although it looked a little smeared, like she had been crying."

"Oh, really?" said Donna, sounding amused.

"Now, Donna, don't start," said the Doctor. "Did she say anything else?"

Jamie shook his head. "No."

"Good," the Doctor replied with a sigh. "The last thing I need is someone stalking me everywhere I go; I got enough of that from Jack when he tried to apologize, and when that happened, we ended up at the end of the universe. But anyway," he said, changing the subject, "you two done yet?"

"Just about," said Jenny. She put a paperweight into one of the boxes and straightened up. "There, all finished."

"Excellent," said the Doctor.

He walked over to Jenny's box, picked it up, then placed it down on Donna's box. He then bent down to pick up both boxes and carried them to the TARDIS; he had a hard time seeing where he was going, but with Jamie and Donna guiding him with verbal directions, he fared all right. Once the boxes had been placed inside the TARDIS, the group all went inside and closed the doors; then, it was off to Sarah Jane's house.

Sarah Jane was only too happy to accept Jamie into her home; she had Luke help the Doctor and Donna carry Jamie's things out of the TARDIS and into the living room, where it had landed. There was a guest room that Jamie would be able to move into. In the meantime, Sarah Jane introduced herself to Jenny, and the two talked quite animatedly while the others worked. Jenny gave Sarah Jane a run-down of how she had been "born" as the Doctor's daughter, and of everything that had happened since, up until she had run into her father again at the Grove.

"It sounds like you've had quite the time, haven't you?" Sarah Jane said.

"Oh, I have," Jenny replied, sipping some lemonade. Sarah Jane had given her and everyone else some just a few minutes previously. "Thanks for the lemonade, by the way; it's delicious."

"It's my pleasure," Sarah Jane replied, pleased. "So what are you going to do now, that you've been reunited with the Doctor?"

"The usual, at least for him. Traveling. Awful lot of running." Jenny smiled. "Love the running, though."

"I know what you mean; I did quite a lot of running when I traveled with your father," said Sarah Jane. "But I always had such an exhilarating time."

"That's the way of it, isn't it," said a voice rhetorically. Jenny and Sarah Jane turned around.

"Donna, you finished?" Sarah Jane asked. Donna nodded.

"Where's Dad?" Jenny asked.

Donna was about to answer when the Doctor appeared behind her, peering at Sarah Jane and Jenny over her shoulder. "Right here," he said. "Everything's put away, and Jamie is now getting settled in."

"I'm guessing that means you have to go?" said Sarah Jane.

The Doctor nodded. "Yup," he said, popping the 'p'.

"I wish you didn't have to, but that's the way of the TARDIS," Sarah Jane replied, hugging him. "It was good seeing you, Doctor."

"You too," the Doctor replied cheerfully.

"Don't be a stranger, now; you three can come back here anytime you wish," Sarah Jane said, breaking free of the hug.

"Wouldn't miss it," said the Doctor, smiling. "Good bye, Sarah Jane."

"Good bye, Doctor; for now, at least."

Smiling, and with a wave of his hand, the Doctor turned and walked back into the TARDIS, Donna and Jenny at his heels. Once they were inside, the Doctor took the TARDIS into the time vortex. He then turned around, leaning against the console, to gaze at his two traveling companions.

"Well, Jenny," he began.

"Well what?"

"I know I didn't have time to say it, but you have no idea how scared I was on Messaline, when I though you were gone," the Doctor replied. "And I hope I never have to go through that ever again; you can't imagine the pain I felt, losing you; it was like losing Gallifrey all over again."

"I'm sorry," Jenny replied.

"Don't be," said the Doctor; Jenny looked up at him and saw that he was smiling.

"Um… Are you going anywhere with this, Doctor?" Donna asked.

"Yes, and I was just getting to that," said the Doctor, still smiling. "You see, Jenny, the fact that you have two hearts and are still alive after being shot indicates that you have quite enough Time Lord energy in you. Enough, at least, considering the fact that you're a clone."

"Oi!"

"Sorry," the Doctor added quickly. "But considering you have the amount of Time Lord energy in you that you do, I was thinking we; well, you, could try something. It worked for Donna, and she didn't have nearly the amount of Time Lord energy that you do; all she had was the mind, not everything else, of a Time Lord."

"The Chameleon Arch," said Donna.

"Correct," the Doctor replied.

"Chameleon Arch?" Jenny asked, confused. "What's that?"

"It can turn a Time Lord into a human," the Doctor replied. "Or if a human has enough Time Lord in them, it will turn them into a Time Lord. But since you're technically already a Time Lord, but with a few missing ingredients, I think it'll be fairly safe."

"You want to turn me into a Time Lord," Jenny said.

"Add in the missing pieces," said the Doctor. "But yes, essentially; I want to turn you into a full Time Lord."

"Does it hurt?"

"Unfortunately, yes," said the Doctor. "And I'm afraid I don't have anything to block the pain, but you'll only have to go through this once."

"Jenny?" Donna asked. "How about it?"

Jenny thought about it for a moment, then nodded.

"Ok, then," said the Doctor. "Follow me."

He led Jenny to where the Chameleon Arch was and hooked her up to it; the Doctor hated seeing anyone in pain, especially those he cared deeply about. Watching Donna on the Arch had been bad enough, but seeing his own daughter in such pain was a hundred times worse. Thankfully, however, it was soon over, and the Doctor was able to bring Jenny away from the Arch.

"Jenny?" Donna asked gently.

"Jenny, how are you feeling?" said the Doctor.

"Like I've been run over by a spaceship," she replied. "But otherwise, I'm fine."

Donna smiled. "Doctor, maybe she should rest up for a bit?"

"Good idea," the Doctor nodded. "Jenny, you can use my room until I have the TARDIS make one up for you, ok?"

Jenny nodded as she let the Doctor lead her. She was happy that she was finally back with her father, after having been separated on Messaline. Add that to the fact that she was now a Time Lord (well, Time Lady), and one would be able to say that Jenny wasn't only happy: she was ecstatic.