Chapter 1

Donna sat by the window in the lounge of sandy oaks, her once vibrant red hair was now a stark white and glowed in the moonlight that fell on her lined face. She couldn't sleep, as usual, so she was staring at the stars high up above, constant and everlasting, glittering like diamonds. Suddenly her face went slack and she was somewhere else, staring out a different window onto city of diamond stretching as far as her eyes could see. The huge moon sent beams that were reflected in all multitude of colours. She caught her breath, she had never seen anything more beautiful. The colours were constantly changing and shifting each more beautiful than the last. Looking out onto the planet she felt happy. She spent hours drinking it in, watching as the moon went down and was replaced by a blazing red sun that turned the landscape a thousand more different colours. Just then someone stepped into the corner of her vision, a young man in a striped suit and trench coat. She met his eyes and gasped, they were so sad several hundred older than his body. He stepped toward her and she immediately hugged him tightly, she didn't know who he was, but she saw pain in his eyes and could think of nothing else to do to help him. The man stood back up straight carving a smile on his face.

"Right!" he said, turning on the spot. "Where to now then?"

He grabbed her hand and she sat bold upright.

It was daylight. She was back in the lounge at the nursing home. It was snowing lightly. There was a hand resting gently on hers. She looked to see who it was and smiled.

"Hello Rory."

"Good morning Ms Noble.

"I had the most wonderful dream just now."

"Oh? Please, tell me?" Rory smiled.

Donna related to him what she had seen, how it had felt more like a memory then a dream. Rory would always listen to her.

"And how is Amelia?"

Rory grinned sheepishly.

"Amy is fine thank you Ms Noble."

"Tell me, I've heard so much about her, but I still don't know what she looks like. I bet she's beautiful to attract someone like you."

Rory nodded earnestly, hiding another sheepish grin.

"She is beautiful. More beautiful than anyone I ever seen anywhere in all the galaxies."

Donna's eyebrow hitched up. Her head began to ache.

"All the galaxies?"

Panic flashed across Rory's face.

"Well, I mean, I can't imagine, even if there were other galaxies, that there would be anyone, or anything, more beautiful than Amy."

Donna smiled as Rory helped her into a chair.

"So, I know she is beautiful, what else?"

"She is Amy, just Amy, she has bright red hair that matches her personality.

Donna laughed weekly.

"Like me then. Though I bet her hair isn't a red as mine was."

Rory smiled as he got her some cereal, sneaking a small packet of sugar from his pocket and sprinkling it on to the cornflakes.

Donna smiled. He was the only one who did that for her. He was the only one in this place who actually cared anything about the people here.

She reached inside her dressing gown pocket, drawing out a picture of an older man wearing a pair of reindeer ears with a dusting of snow settling on them. He was pointing out the constellations to a woman beside him with bright red hair. She was smiling fondly at the old man her head on his shoulder.

She handed the picture to Rory before staring out of the window, she couldn't look at the photo, it was too sad to remember people who were no longer there. Rory took it gently from her looking at the date. December 2008. He smiled as recognised who it was in the photo.

"You are beautiful too." He said softly handing the photo back, but Donna was already somewhere else.

Snow was falling outside. Blankets of it covered the ground as far as she could see. She heard footsteps, a gentle murmuring behind her. She turned and caught her breath. It was the man she had seen before; he was crouched before a small cage which held six creatures. Donna approached the man who looked over at her. Again, her breath caught, his eyes were still so sad. He looked into the eyes of the creatures in the cage, he seemed to understand, with no communication, what they were feeling. He turned back to her.

"They are singing." He told her softly. "Would you like to hear them?"

Donna nodded silently. The man took he hand gently in his and as he did a beautiful and haunting song filled her ears. She felt tears spring to her eyes, she could understand what these creatures were thinking, what they felt. She pulled away, unable to stand it any longer. She looked at the man next to her. He could still hear it, for him there was no escape from that music. He climbed heavily to his feet a cold anger crossing his features reaching out for her hand again.

"We are going to free them." He growled. "Come on!"

She reached for his hand and the world faded into blackness.