Chapter One: New Earth, New Beginnings

Grey. That's all she could see. Two darker blobs stood before her, that's all she could make out.

"Push more of the sedatives. We don't need the patients seeing her." a voice pinged in her head. Pounding against the walls.

"Yes, ma'am." a second voice responded.

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The Doctor follows Sister Jatt through Ward 26, trying to find the person who sent him the message. "Nice place. No shop, downstairs. I'd have a shop. Not a big one - just a shop. So people can shop." he rambled, still looking around.

"The hospital is a place of healing" Sister Jatt replied, slightly surprised at the Doctor.

"A shop does some people the world of good. Not me. Other people..."

The Doctor glanced over and spotted a patient who was completely red, hooked up to tubes much like everyone.

"The Sisters of Plentitude take a lifelong vow to help. And to mend." her reply sounding rehearsed, as if she has said it numerous times, which she has.

The walk past a bed holding a rather large man who looks as if he is make of stone. Next to him is a prim woman.

"Excuse me!" she claimed, indignantly as she rushes up to the Doctor. "Members of the public may only gaze upon the Duke of Manhattan with written permission from the Senate of New New York." she breathed. The Doctor ignored her and nodded towards the Duke.

"That's Petrifold Regression, right?"

"I'm dying, sir. A lifetime of charity and abstinence. And it ends like this." the Duke replied. The woman quickly stepped in, taking her job very seriously.

"Any statements made by the Duke of Manhattan may not be made public without official clearance." she recited. The Duke gasped from pain.

"Frau Clovis!" he gasped. The woman instantly bustled to his side, grabbing his hand. "I'm so weak!" he exclaimed.

"Sister Jatt! A little privacy, please!" Frau fumed at the Sister.

The nun turned and lead the Doctor away from the Duke.

"He'll be up and about in no time." she said calmly.

"I doubt it. Petrifold Regression? He's turning to stone. There won't be a cure for ...oh... a thousand years? He might be up and about, but only as statue..." he replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Have faith in the sisterhood. But is there no one here you recognize?"

The Doctor looked around until something, more like someone, caught his eye. A transparent figure, with long black curly hair stood in front of the window. Obviously a woman, she stood facing out watching the birds fly by. Next to her sat the Face of Boe back in the corner of Ward 26. One of the sisterhood standing beside him, checking his vitals. The Doctor shook off the girl, thinking nothing of it. In the year 5 billion and 23 it's not that uncommon to witness people during their outer body experiences.

"It's rather unusual to visit without knowing the patient." Sister Jatt stated.

"No. I think I've found him."

The Doctor walked up to the Face of Boe, Sister Jatt following closely behind.

"Novice Hame - if I can leave this gentleman in your care?" Jatt nodded gently to the younger sister. She was suddenly in a slight hurry to leave. The Doctor turned slightly to Jatt.

"Oh, I think my friend got lost. Uh - Rose Tyler. Could you ask at reception?"

"Certainly, sir." and Sister Jatt briskly walked off. The Doctor turned back to the Face of Boe, quickly glancing at the window, seeing the girl still standing there. Suspicion arouse within is mind, the experiences don't last this long. They are usually very quick and fleeting, the energy from the soul visible for only a short time.

"I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep. That's all he tends to do these days. Are you a friend, or...?" Novice Hame trailed off, interrupting the Doctor's thoughts.

"We met just the once on Platform One. What's wrong with him?"

"I'm so sorry. I thought you knew. The Face of Boe is dying."

"Of what?"

"Old age. The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions. Although, that's impossible."

A smile crossed the Doctors features. "Oh, no... I like impossible." He kneels down, level with the Face of Boe. "I'm here. I look a bit different, but it's me... it's the Doctor..." Movement caught the Doctor's eye, he looked over at the woman by the window. She had turned and was now facing him. A mixed look of terror and relief across her features. She opened her mouth like she was about to call out to him, but nothing came out. She 'talked' for a short while, then, as if realizing he couldn't hear her, she stopped. She looked around panicky, she turned to the window and breathed on it, a small cloud of moisture condensed on the pane. The girls head whipped back, terror all over her face, like she heard something. She hurriedly began to write on the window, before she could finish her apparition was pulled back and vanished. The Doctor looked over at Novice Hame, thinking she had seen it too, only to find her with her back turned, looking at the Face of Boe's vitals. He looked back at the window, a single word shakily written in the moisture. A word he heard to often.

"help"

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The girl thrashed about, resisting her restraints. Grunts escaping her throat as she fought. Sisters, struggling to keep her under control, rushed about injecting sedatives into the girl.

"Get her out now! We can't have anyone finding her!" Sister Jatt hollered.

After a while the girl calmed down, the medicine taking their effect. Whimpers escaped her every now and then until she was completely quiet. The Nun's sighed in relief.

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The Doctor walked back towards the Face of Boe, a concentrated look on his face. Who was that girl? Why was she here? What kind of help did she need? Obviously not medical, she was in a hospital, so why would she need help from him?. He walked up to Hame, quickly changing his thoughts, and handed her a glass of water.

"That's very kind. But there's no need."

The Doctor walked over to the window, the message gone, as if it were never touched.

"You're the one working."

"There's not much to do. Just maintain his smoke. And I suppose I'm company. I can hear him singing, sometimes. In my mind... such ancient songs..."

"Am I the only visitor?" he asked, thinking maybe she saw the girl.

"The rest of Boe-kind became extinct. Long ago. He's the only one left. Legend says that the Face of Boe has watched the universe grow old."

A smile etched itself onto the Doctor's face as she continued.

"There's all sorts of superstitions around him. One story says that just before his death, the Face of Boe will impart his great secret. That he will speak those words only to one like himself."

"What does that mean?" the Doctor asked raising an eyebrow.

"It's just a story." Hame lowered her head, embarrassed to be caught believing such tales.

"Tell me the rest." the Doctor edged her on.

"It's said he'll talk to a wanderer. to the man without a home. The lonely God." she finished. The Doctor glanced at the Face of Boe, recognizing himself within Novice Hame's words.

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Shapes danced across her vision. She was dreaming, she knew, the creepy cat's wouldn't let her wake. She didn't know, she couldn't remember how she got here. All she knew was they kept sedating her every time she woke. How they knew she was wake was beyond her. Images danced across her mind's eye. A man with brown hair, wearing a suit, and brown eyes. Brown eyes that look as if they have seen more wars than joyous moments. He called himself the Doctor. Upon realizing that fact, her mind relaxed. Somehow she knew this man would save her. A man she's never met before. A man that she know nothing about. He was going to save her. A smile crept across her face, none of the sisters noticed.

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The Doctor had just gotten off the phone with Rose, the conversation struck him as odd. She wasn't herself. He walked over to the Duke of Manhattan who was laughing. He and Frau Clovis both cheering with a glass of champagne in their hands.

"Didn't think I was going to make it!" the Duke exclaimed, laughter in his voice.

The Doctor walks from behind the curtain and into view. The Duke noticed him immediately.

"It's that man again!" He laughed. The Doctor smiled in return, unconsciously scratching his ear. "He's my good luck charm! Come in! Don't be shy!"

"Any friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan does not constitute a form of legal contract." Frau Clovis recited, though more relaxed. The Doctor nodded in response.

"Winch me up." the Duke said, giving the Doctor a thumbs up. Frau Clovis pressed a button on a remote, causing the bed to rise forward, sitting the Duke up right. "Ah! Look at me! No sign of infection!"

"Champagne, sir?" a waiter asked.

"No thanks. Uh... you had Petrifold Regression, right?"

"That being the operative word! Past tense! Completely cured!" The Duke laughed happily again, very happy to be alive and not a stone.

"But that's impossible." Something was going on here, and he didn't like it.

"Primitive species would accuse us of magic, but it's merely the tender application of science." one of the sisterhood spoke up. The Doctor turned and stared at her.

"How on Earth did you cure him?"

"How on New Earth, you might say." She spoke cryptically. The Doctor looked from her to the IV drip and nodded towards it.

"What's in that solution?"

"A simple remedy." She answered.

"Then tell me what it is." He challenged.

"I'm sorry. Patient confidentiality. I don't believe we've met. My name is Matron Casp."

"I'm the Doctor."

"I think you'll find that we're the Doctors here." Sister Jatt walked up to Matron and spoke tensely.

"Matron Casp - you're needed in intensive care." Casp nodded curtly, turning to follow Sister Jatt.

"If you would excuse me." she said before she promptly walked away, the Doctor watching them.

"It's happened again. One of the patients is conscious." Sister Jatt whispered.

"Oh...we can't have that... What of the girl?"

"We have her sedated again. It's taking more and more to keep her down." Matron Casp nodded.

They walked around the corner, the Doctor still watching them, hearing their conversation. Was it the same girl?

After a while, Rose walked into Ward 26. She looked around, smoothing her hair down, to find the Doctor staring at the IV drips, with his brainy glasses on. He looks over and notices Rose, a smile brakes out on her face as he rushes over.

"There you are! Come and look at this patient!" He grabs her arm and shows her a patient whose skin is completely red. He took off his glasses to explain to Rose. "Marconi's Disease. Should take years to recover. Two days. I've never seen anything like it - they've invented a cell washing cascade - it's amazing. Their medical science is way advanced. And this one!" He leads her to a different bed. A man who is completely white laying in it. "Pallidome Pancrosis. Kills you in ten minutes, an he's fine!" He waves cheerily to the patient, acting almost like a kid in a candy store who just got his weekly allowance. "I need to find a terminal. I've got to see how they do this." He leads Rose off into a different direction. Rose walking differently. "Because if they've got the best medicine in the world.. then why's it such a secret?" Rose stopped, stopping the Doctor as well.

"I can't Adam and Eve it." she tried. The Doctor looked at her confused.

"What's - what's with the voice?" Rose looked up at him.

"Oh, I don't know.. just larking about New Earth.. New me.." she trailed off, looking the Doctor up and down. The Doctor looked her up and down to, stopping on her shirt, noticing that a majority of the buttons are undone.

"Well, I can talk. New New Doctor." He grins.

"Mmm... aren't you just..." Suddenly she pulls him forward and kisses him as deeply as she can. The Doctor, more shocked than anything, stands there, unsure of what to do. When Rose finally pulls away she's slightly breathless. The Doctor just stares at her, still shocked. "T...terminal's this way." she breathed and walked off. The Doctor, still dazed and his hair ruffled, watched her walk away.

"Yep.." he said in a high pitched voice, "still got it..." He followed Rose, attempting to smooth his hair down.

The Doctor and Rose find a monitor and begin to look up details on the hospital.

"Nope.. nothing odd.. surgery...post-op.. nano-dentistry... no sign of a shop...they should have a shop." Rose walked around him, looking at the screen, concentrating.

"No, it's missing something else. When I was downstairs, those Nurse/Cat/Nuns were talking about Intensive Care. Where is it..?"

"You're right, well done."

"Why would they hide a whole department?" she asked. The Doctor pulled out his trusty-dusty sonic screwdriver and scans the screen. "it's gotta be there somewhere. Search the sub-fram." she told him.

"What if the sub-frame's locked?"

"Try the installation protocol.."

"Yeah, course. Sorry. Hold on." He clicked off his sonic and the wall slid downwards, revealing a secret corridor. Rose smiles before walking in, followed by the Doctor who is still bothered by Rose. "Intensive Care. Certainly looks intensive." They walk in, neither noticing Novice Hame watching them.

Rose and the Doctor walk into a huge cavern full of rows of green doors. However, next to them was a larger double door, with a keypad to the side of it. Caution written all over the doors. Rose continued to look at the green doors with the Doctor. He opens one with his sonic revealing a man covered with boils and blotchy skin looking back at them.

"That's disgusting. What wrong with him?" she looked at the Doctor who had a horrified expression on his face.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He closes the door before opening another. A woman was inside this one.

"What disease is that?" Rose asked.

"All of them. Every single disease in the galaxy, they've been infected with everything." He ground out, thoroughly disgusted at the hospital and the sisterhood.

"What about us? Are we safe?"

"The air's sterile. Just don't touch them." The Doctor shut the door. He glanced into the cavern seeing many other doors, the exact same as the two he had just opened. He walked back towards the double doors. He pulled out his sonic, trying to hack into the security program. Rose still stood by the railing.

"How many patients are there?" she looked back at him.

"They're not patients." He stated, adjusting the setting on his screwdriver.

"But they're sick."

"They were born sick. They're meant to be sick. They exist to be sick. Lab rats. No wonder the Sisters have got a cure for everything. They've built the ultimate research laboratory. A human farm." The Doctor said angrily. Finally the doors opened, showing a blackened room. A single light on above a metal gurney. In the gurney laid a girl. The Doctor walked up and recognized her as the girl by the window.

"Why don't they just die?" Rose asked as she followed the Doctor, but paused in the doorway. The girl had numerous tubes hooked up to her, many different colors. A monitor next to her showed her vitals.

"Plague carriers. The last to go." Anger was still on the Doctor's face. Not just for the sick, but for this girl. Why was she here? Novice Hame appeared in the hallway.

"It's for the greater cause." she said, announcing her appearance. The Doctor turned, anger rolled off him.

"Novice Hame. When you took your vows, did you agree to this?"

"The Sisterhood has sworn to help." she tried to reason. Irritating the Doctor further.

"What?! By killing?!" he shouted at her.

"But they're not real people. They're specially grown. They have no proper existence." she said gently.

"What about her?!" He hollered pointing at the girl strapped to the gurney. "She's real, she's human! Did you have any idea about her?!" Novice Hame looked at where he was pointing, her eyes widen.

"We needed somewhere to begin.." she flinched slightly.

"But you still knew of all these people?" Rose asked her, taking a step forward to stand behind the Doctor. Hame gave a slight nod.

"What's the turnover? Hm? Thousand a day? Thousand the next? Thousand the next? How many thousand? For how many years? How many?" he advanced toward Novice Hame with danger in his steps.

"Mankind needed us. They came to this planet with so many illnesses. We couldn't cope. We did try. We tried everything. We tried using clone-meat and bio-cattle... but the results were too slow. So the sisterhood grew its own flesh. That's all they are used the girl as a model. Without her none of the Flesh would be able to absorb mankind's illnesses." She reasoned.

"These people are alive." He said through grinding teeth.

"But think of those Humans out there... healthy...and happy, because of us."

"If they live because of this, then life is worthless."

"But who are you to decide that?" The Doctor stepped forward threateningly.

"I'm the Doctor. And if you don't like it.. if you want to take it to a higher authority, they there isn't one. It stops with me."

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"I'm the Doctor. And if you don't like it.. if you want to take it to a higher authority, then there isn't one. It stops with me."

A voice rang in her head. 'The Doctor'. Who was he? Why was it so familiar? More voices filtered in.

"Just to confirm... none of the Humans in the city actually know about this?"

"We thought it best not -" another voice began, only to be interrupted.

"Hold on. I can understand the bodies and the girl. I can understand your vows. But one thing I can't understand - what have you done to Rose?"

A confused voice answered, "I don't know what you mean."

"And I'm being very, very calm. You wanna beware of that - very, very calm. And the only reason I'm being so very, very calm is that the brain is a delicate thing. Whatever you've done to Rose's head, I want it reversed." a deadly quiet, slightly threatening male voice rang out. The girl shifted and fought the darkness blanketing her mind. That voice, she must get to him. She tried to sit up, but found her body didn't reply.

"We haven't done anything." the third voice said.

"I'm perfectly fine." a sultry voice chimed in.

"These people are dying, this girl is strapped to a gurney, and Rose would care." the male voice said, identifying the one voice that the girl could only assume was Rose.

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Rose spins and faces the Doctor, grabbing his tie and playing with it. "Smarty pants," she says, pulling out his tie flirtatiously, " Lady-killer." She whispered in a husky voice.

"What's happened to you?"

"I knew something was going on in this hospital, but I needed this body and your mind to find it out."

"Who are you?" The Doctor cocked an eyebrow at 'Rose'. 'Rose' pulled the Doctor in and leaned up to whisper in his ear.

"The Last Human." The Doctor pulled back, surprised.

"Cassandra?" an unpleasant tone in his voice.

"Wake up and smell the perfume." She pulls out a bottle of perfume and spurts it in the Doctor's face. Immediately he falls over, unconscious. Novice Hame runs over and kneels by his side.

"You've hurt him! I don't understand - I'll have to fetch Matron!"

"You do that, 'cause I want to see her. Now, run along! Sound the alarm!" Novice Hame hurriedly rushed off to fetch Matron, while Rose rips a cable out of a box attached to the wall. A alarm sounds, the double doors that lead to the girl close automatically. Rose smiles, satisfied.

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She attempt to wiggle her fingers, she managed a twitch. It's a start. The fog over her mind slowly begins to fade. She began to feel straps holding her down. One across each wrist and ankle, and a large one across her chest and waist. She wiggled her toes, feelings filtering in. She has needles in her arms, legs, and mid-section. Cool liquid was dripping into her blood stream.

She managed to open her eyes, a bright light blinded her. It felt like months since she had last seen any light. After her eyes adjusted she lifted her head weakly. The sight of her body nearly making her wretch. Her ribs appeared to be pushing against her skin, as with many of her other bones. Her skin was deathly white with red spots from previous needles. Tears threatened to fall, seeing herself in this situation was nearly to much.

She opened her mouth in an attempt to call for help but all that escaped was harsh scratchy noise. She pulled at her restraints, twisting and turning, attempting to escape. She tried to pull her hands through her wrist restrains but obviously her captors had secured them as she lost weight and withered away. She struggled and pried but to no avail. She hung her head and sobbed. She was going to die here.

When one of the cat nuns appeared the girl cowered. She remembered catching glimpses of them. She knew they hurt her. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." she said in a hushed tone. The cat quickly got to work untying her straps and pulling out the needles. After the girl was free she helped the poor thing in to a hospital gown she had pulled from the stock room. The girl opened her mouth in order to ask the cat her name and why she was helping her, but yet again all that came out were scratches. "Find the Doctor. He's your only hope out of here." and then the cat lady disappeared. The girl was confused but pulled herself up out of the gurney. She fell to the cold floor, her muscles couldn't hold her up anymore. So she tried to crawl. It was a slow, painful pace.

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The Doctor awoke to find himself trapped inside one of the Intensive Care cells. "Let me out! Let me out!" He hollered at Cassandra.

"Aren't you lucky there was a spare? Standing room only." she said, looking through the glass at the Doctor.

"You've stolen Rose's body."

"Over the years, I've thought of a thousand way to kill you, Doctor. And now, that's exactly what I've got. One thousand diseases. They pump the patients with a top-up every ten minutes. You've got about... three minutes left. Enjoy."

"Just let Rose go, Cassandra." He pleaded.

"I will! As soon as I've found someone younger and... less common... then I'll junk her with the waste. Now hushhaby! It's showtime." She turned and took a few steps until Sister Jatt and Matron Casp appeared.

"Anything we can do to help?" Sister Jatt asked.

"Straight to the point, Whiskers... I want money." Cassandra demanded.

"The Sisterhood is a charity. We don't give money. We only... accept." Matron Casp spoke up.

"The Humans across the water pay you a fortune. And that's exactly what I need. A one-off payment. That's all I want... oh, and perhaps a yacht. In return for which, I shall the City nothing of your institutional murder. Is that a deal?" Sister Jatt paid no mind to Cassandra as she seemed to be preoccupied pressing a few buttons on a remote.

"I'm afraid not." Matron chirped.

"I'd really advise you to think about this." Cassandra warned.

"There's no need. I have to decline."

"I'll tell them! And you've no way of stopping me! You're not exactly Nuns with Guns - you're not even armed."

"Who needs arms when we have claws?" Matron held up her paw and claws shot out. She let out a menacing hiss.

"Well, nice try." Cassandra spins to face Chip, who was waiting in the background. "Chip! Plan B!" Chip turns to his right and pull a lever on the wall. Every cell door springs open, as does the double doors. Crawling out of the doors was a girl. The Doctor steps out of his cell, same with the infected people. He notices the girl crawling, she looks up and their gazes lock. Fear struck his heart, she was petrified of what was going on. He quickly ran over to her.

"It's okay, I'm going to help you." He picked her up bridal style and looked back at Cassandra. "What've you done?!" He yelled, causing the girl to flinch in his arms.

"Gave the system a shot of adrenaline, just to wake 'em up. See ya!" and she runs off. The Doctor runs off after her, determined not to let her escape with Rose's body.

"Don't touch them!" he called back to the nurses,"Whatever you do, don't touch!" the infected flesh walk up to Sister Jatt and Matron Casp.

"I think we should withdraw." Sister Jatt mentioned.

"We understood what you did to us. As part of the machine, we know the machine." Matron Casp started to back away from the talking man.

"Fascinating. It's actually constructing an argument. Some of the girls DNA must have gotten into the system."

"And we... will end it." the man plunged his hands into the electronics, electrocuting himself to death but causing every single cell door to open, releasing all of the infected. Cassandra screams as she, the Doctor -who's still holding the girl- and Chip run for their lives. Sister Jatt looked over the railing, seeing the infected free, horrified.

"They're free. By the Goddess Centauri - the flesh is free!" She called. The infected stagger slowly towards the two nurses.

"stop the pain.." they muttered, reaching out. Sister Jatt backs up against a wall as one of the infected people touch her. Boils and discoloration decorate her skin as she screams in pain. The Doctor, Cassandra, and Chip pause for a moment and watch all the flesh break free.

"Oh, my God..." Cassandra gasps.

"What the hell have you done?!" The Doctor demanded, holding the girl tighter.

"It wasn't me! And why are you carrying her?"

"One touch and you get every disease in the world, and I want that body safe, Cassandra! We've gotta go down!" He yelled, choosing to not answer Cassandras question. She was innocent to him, she called out for help, and he felt a draw to protect her and keep her safe. She more than likely didn't know where she was, she kept looking around at everything like she was seeing it for the first time. Her fist were clenching his suit for dear life, turning her knuckles white. The zombie-like people started to advance, snapping the Doctor from his thoughts and the girl.

"But there's thousands of them!" Cassandra yelled, scared.

"RUN! Down! Down! Go down!" They run down the stairs. Suddenly speakers all over the building turn on.

"This building is under quarantine. Repeat - this building is under quarantine. No one may leave the premises. Repeat... no one may leave the premises."

The zombies continue to follow them, arms outstretched. Reaching for someone to hold them, the longing is all they feel. Just wanting to be held and know they too are cared for. Not needing to live in cells tortured by thousands of diseases, and being thrown away when one speaks or wakes up. They are not trash, they are people too. People who want to be loved, and held, and just seen as equals.

"Keep going! Go down!" the Doctor kept calling out. They keep racing down until finally they reach the Hospital basement. Cassandra, Chip, and the Doctor burst through a door into the cellar. Cassandra immediately runs over to the lifts and tries to call for one. The Doctor stops, though refuses to set the girl down.

"No, the lifts have closed down. That's the quarantine, nothing's moving."

"This way!" Cassandra ran off down a corridor, the Doctor on her heel and Chip a little ways behind. More of the infected being to poor in, and cut off Chip from the Doctor and Cassandra. Chip whimpers, from being cut off from his lady and from the thought of being infected. The Doctor turns about to head back.

"Someone will touch him!" Cassandra turns around and grabs the Doctor's arm.

"Leave him! He's just a clone thin, he's only got a half life - come on!" she pulled him away.

"Mistress!" Chip called out pitifully, distressed that she was leaving him.

"I'm sorry, I can't let her escape!" The Doctor chases after Cassandra, leaving Chip alone. He let out another whimper.

"My Mistress!" he called terrified, hoping she'd come back for him. The infected shuffle towards him. Whimpering, he runs back in the direction they came from and jumps down the waste chute, hopping whatever waits him down there is better than becoming an infected.

The Doctor and Cassandra rush back into the room that held an empty metal frame that previously held Cassandra's original 'body'. Cassandra slams and locks the door behind them before rushing over and trying another, only to find the infected already there and waiting for them. She slams the door and in their faces and staggers back scared. "We're trapped! What're we going to do?"

"Well, for starters, you're going to leave that body." he said, gently setting the girl down. She curled in on her self, sitting in the fetal position, scared. He gestures to the psychograft attached to the wall with his sonic. "That psychograft is banned on every civilized planet! You're compressing Rose to death."

"But I've got nowhere to go! My original skin's dead."

"Not my problem. You can float as atoms in the air. Now, get out." he pointed his sonic screwdriver at her threateningly. "Give her back to me."

"You asked for it." Cassandra gave in. A cloud of light erupted from Rose's mouth and heads toward the Doctors. Rose stands, swaying slightly, disorientated.

"Blimey, my head.." She looks around the room, "where'd she go...?" She glances at the girl the Doctor was carrying seeing her looking terrified at the Doctor.

"Oh, my. This is ...different." A slightly feminine tone colored his voice.

"Cassandra?" Rose marveled.

"Goodness me, I'm a man. Yum. So many parts! And hardly used..." Cassandra wiggled around feeling out the Doctor's body. "Ah... ah! Two hearts! Oh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!"

"Get out of him." Rose demanded. Cassandra ran a hand down his body, feeling him.

"Ooh, he's slim. And a little bit foxy." She wiggles her eyebrows at Rose. "You've thought so too. I've been inside your head..." Rose looks down a little, knowing it true. Cassandra walks closer, teasingly. "You've been looking... you like it" An infected burst through the doors, making all three of them jump. Cassandra starts to freak out, "What do we do? What would he do? The Doctor - what the hell would he do?!" Rose spins around looking for a way out and notices a ladder.

"Ladder.. we've got to get up." Cassandra shoves Rose to the side to get to the ladder first.

"Out of the way, Blondie!"

"But Cassandra we can't leave the girl!" The zombies shuffle closer. Rose leans down and pulls up the girl, leaning her on her side as Cassandra climbs up the ladder. The girl doesn't weigh much and tries her best to help Rose. Rose tries to keep an arm around the girls waist to help support her as they begin to climb. The girl can barely pull her own weight, but Rose helps. She knows the Doctor would not be happy at all if she just left the girl, whoever she was. "If you get out of the Doctor's body, he can think of something."

"Yap yap yap... God, it was tedious inside your head. Hormone City."

"We're gonna die if-" Suddenly something grabs Rose's ankle, causing her to scream. She looks down and sees its Matron Casp. "Get off!" she screamed.

"All our good work! All that healing!" Cassandra rolls her eyes but no one sees. "The good name of the Sisterhood - you have destroyed everything!"

"Go and play with a ball of string." Cassandra said dismissively.

"Everywhere - disease! This is the Human World. Sickness! We were getting so far with the girl! But you ruined it!" A diseased hand reached up and grabbed Matron Casp's ankle. She screams in pain as boils break out all over her skin. She falls down the lift shaft, wailing. After her fall the infected start climbing toward Rose and the girl again.

"Move!" Rose called, helping the girl still. But she was getting exhausted, she clearly hasn't done much moving in a while, Rose concluded. Cassandra whimpers and hastily starts to climb again.

"Maximum quarantine. Divert all shuttles." an automated voice call over the intercoms. Cassandra reaches the top of the shaft only to find the doors are sealed.

"Now what do we do?"

"Use the sonic screwdriver!" Cassandra pulls out the screwdriver with her thumb and forefinger making a face, wrinkling her nose.

"You mean this think?"

"Yes, I mean that thing." Rose sounded defeated.

"Well, I don't know how - that Doctor's hidden away all his thoughts."

"Cassandra, go back into me - the Doctor can open it. Do it! Just keep a hold on her, she can't climb herself!" Cassandra sighed, defeated.

"Hold on tight." she warned before leaping back into Rose's body. "Oh... oh, chavtastic again. Open it!" Cassandra said now in Rose's body again. The Doctor glared down at Cassandra, pointing his sonic screwdriver at her.

"Not 'til you get out of her."

"We need the Doctor." Cassandra tried to reason.

" I order you to leave her!" Cassandra rolled her eyes and leaped back into the Doctor.

"No matter how difficult the situation, there is no need to shout."

"Cassandra, get out of him!" Rose shouted.

"But I can't go into you or her, he simply refuses - he's so rude."

"I don't care. Just do something." Cassandra got a disgusted look on her face.

"Oh, I am so gonna regret this..." she reluctantly jumped from the Doctor's body and into one of the infected. "Oh, sweet Lord... I look disgusting." the girl said. The Doctor opens the lift doors and holds out a hand to Rose and the girl. He grabs both their hands and pulls them in.

"Nice to have you back." the Doctor beamed.

"No you don't..." Cassandra whispered under her breath. She leapt from the infected into Rose again. Just in time as the Doctor sealed the lift doors. Cassandra stared off into space, spooked.

"That was your last warning, Cassandra!"

"Insider her head... they're so alone.. they keep reaching out, just to hold us... all their lives and they've never been touched.." she quietly whispered, tears threatening to fall. The Doctor holds out a hand and helps Cassandra to her feet before reaching over and picking up the girl who was clearly exhausted. They walk off, through a door and into Ward 26. Frau Clovis races up to the holding a chair threateningly.

"We're safe! We're safe! We're safe! We're clean! We're clean! Look, look-" he tried to show is hands.

"Show me you skin." Frau Clovis demanded. The Doctor shuffled the girl around holding up his arms showing more of his skin Cassandra held up her hands.

"Look! Clean. Look - if we'd been touched, we'd be dead." Frau Clovis nodded, already seeing the girls skin since she was still in a hospital gown. "So, how's it going up here? What's the status?"

"There's nothing but silence from the other wards. I think we're the only ones left. and I've been trying to override the quarantine." she says, fiddling with a small device shes holding. "If I can trip a signal over to New New York, they can send a private executive squad."

"You can't do that. If they forced entry, they'd break quarantine."

"I am not dying here." Frau Clovis said angrily.

"We can't let a single particle of disease get out - there is ten million people in that City, they'd all be at risk! Now, turn that off!"

"Not if it gets me out."

"All right, fine. So I have to stop you lot as well. Suits me. Rose. Novice Hame. Everyone! Excuse me your grace - get me intravenous solutions for ever single disease. Move it!" He rushed over next to an empty bed and sat the girl on it. Fear struck up inside her, afraid he was going to strap her down again. He lightly held her shoulders, staring directly into her eyes. "It's okay, I wont let anything get you. I'm not going to strap you down either. Okay?" she looked back at him for a moment before nodding lightly. The Doctor turned and began to gather things up as well. He ties a rope around his torso as Cassandra attaches the solutions to it so they hang off him. "How's that? Will that do?"

"I don't know! Will it do for what?" Cassandra asked. The Doctor opens the doors to the lift with his sonic screwdriver. "The lifts aren't working." The Doctor peers down the shaft.

"Not moving. different thing." He takes a few steps back, "Here we go." he places the sonic between his teeth and runs.

"But you're not going to -" He jumps into the shaft and clings onto the cable. "What do you think your doing?!"

"I'm going down!" He attaches a wench onto the cable with his sonic screwdriver. Cassandra looks around exasperated. "Come on!" he edged.

"Not in a million years."

"I need another pair of hands. And that girl is way to weak, she can barely walk. What do you think? If you're so desperate to stay alive.. why don't you live a little?" He asked as more of the infected emerge from the quarantine.

"Seal the door!" Frau Clovis ordered. The girl cowered off the bed, landing on the cold ground. She began to crawl back behind a giant face in a glass container, hiding behind it.

Cassandra gives in and takes a running jump, landing on the Doctors back with a regretful moan. "You're completely mad. I can see why she likes you."

"Going down!" The Doctor laughed. They whizzed down the shaft, screaming. Once they reach the bottom they both straighten themselves out.

"Well, that's one way to lose weight."

"Now, listen - when I say so, take hold of that lever." He placed her hands on a lever that's placed on top of the lift.

"there's still a quarantine down there, we can't-"

"Hold that lever!" he shouted. Cassandra gives him a defeated look and nods. "I'm cooking up a cocktail. I know a bit of medicine myself." He starts to grab IV bags and rips them open with his teeth. He squeezes out the fluids into a clear container on top of the lift. "Now, that lever's going to resist. But keep it in position." he ordered. He opens a latch on top of the lift. "Hold onto it with everything you've got."

"What about you?"

"I've got an appointment. The Doctor is in." He beamed, dropping down into the lift. He opens the doors with his sonic screwdriver. Outside in the lobby are all the infected, huddled in groups, trying to provide the comfort they all so desperately want. When they see him, they start to hobble over to him. "I'm in here, come on!" he beckoned.

"Don't tell them!" Cassandra begged from above.

"Pull that lever!" he said as the infected march towards him. "Come and get me, come on! I'm in here, come on!" They reach out to him, searching for love and comfort.

"Commence stage one - disinfection" the intercom announced.

"Hurry up, come on!" the Doctor urged on. He beckons them towards him. The solution showers into the lift soaking the Doctor. "Come on, come on." The infected were showered as well. "All they wanna do is pass it on. Pass it on!" The infected people touch each other, their boils disappearing, curing each other. The Doctor has a maniacal grin on his face. Cassandra jumps down into the lift with help of the Doctor.

"What did they pass on? Did you kill them? All of them?"

"No. That's your way of doing things." The Doctor walks into the crowd of the previously infected. "I'm the Doctor and I cured them." The new humans look around at their surroundings, in child-like awe. One of the women come up to the Doctor and hugged him. "That's right! Hey, hey! There we go sweetheart! Ay? Look at him.." he said quietly as he ushered her off with someone else. "Go on, that's it! That's it! It's a new sub-species, Cassandra!" He walks up to a man and grabs him by the shoulders. "A brand new form of life! New Humans! Look at them, look!" He looks at them with a huge smile plastered on his face. "Grown by cats.. kept in the dark, fed by tubes... but completely, completely alive!" he cheered. He points at Cassandra. "You can't deny them, because you helped create them." She rolls her eyes. "The human races just keeps on going. Keeps on changing. Life will out! Ha!"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Shuttles enter the hospital. "This is the NNYPD. Please step away from the shuttles." Police officers started swarming the hospital. Arresting the staff and cataloging new life forms. The Doctor and Cassandra walked back into the ward as Novice Hame is lead away by a police officer. Eying the Doctor, who barely acknowledges her. As if suddenly remembering something, his face lights up.

"The Face of Boe!" he dashes off again causing Cassandra to roll her eyes but followed him. Back in Ward 26 the Doctor approaches the Face of Boe who currently looks like he is having a conversation with the girl who was sitting right in front of him, her hand pressed up against the glass. Slowly she dropped her hand before turning and looking at the Doctor who came walking up, smiling. "You were suppose to be dying."

"There are better things to do today. Dying can wait." the Face of Boe said telepathically.

"Oh, I hate telepathy. Just what I need, a head full of big face." Cassandra piped in.

"Shh!" the Doctor shushed her.

"I have grown tired with the universe, Doctor, but you have taught me to look at it anew." The Doctor knelled before the Face of Boe, resting right next to the mysterious girl.

"There are legends you know, saying that you're millions of years old." The Face of Boe laughed lightly.

"There are? That would be impossible."

"Wouldn't it just? I got the impression... there was something you wanted to tell me..." The Doctor pondered.

"A great secret." Boe admitted.

"So the legend says."

"It can wait." The Doctor pouted at this.

"Oh, does it have to?" He asked very put out.

"We shall meet again, Doctor, for the third time... for the last time... and the truth shall be told. Until that day watch over this girl, take care of her, protect her. She is of the greatest importance..." And he vanished.

"That is enigmatic. That - that is - that is textbook enigmatic." He looks over at the girl to find her looking at him. He smiles brightly before standing to face Cassandra, who was examining her nails, completely uninterested in the transaction that just happened. "And now for you."

"But... everything's happy. Everything's fine... can't you just leave me?" she partially begged.

"You've lived long enough. Leave that body and end it, Cassandra." The Doctor said.

"I don't want to die." Cassandra pleaded, crying.

"No one does."

"Help me!" she cried.

"I can't." Just then Chip appears, catching Cassandra by surprise.

"Mistress!" he cheered.

"Ah! You're alive!"

"I kept myself safe. For you, mistress." Cassandra stared at him, an idea striking her.

"A body... and not just that, a volunteer..." she thought out loud.

"Don't you dare. He's got a life of his own." The Doctor warned her.

"But I worship the mistress!" Chip smiled. Cassandra winked at him. "I welcome her."

"You can't, Cassandra, you -" Cassandra leaps from Rose's body over into Chips, completely ignoring the Doctor. Rose falls forward into the Doctors grasp. "Whoa! You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah -" she breathed out. She finally regains her balance and gathers herself together and finds herself staring right into the Doctor's face. She smiled, "hello!" The Doctor smiled back.

"Hello. Welcome back." Rose gazes up at him, smiling, when they're distracted again by Cassandra.

"Oh, sweet Lord. I'm a walking doodle." she complained.

"You can't stay in there. I'm sorry, Cassandra, but that's not fair. I can take you to the City. They can build you a skin tank and you can stand trial for what you've done."

"Well, that would be rather dramatic. Possibly my finest hour. And certainly my finest hat." The Doctor and Rose glance at each other. "But I'm afraid we don't have time. Poor little Chip is only a half-life. And he's been through so much. His heart is racing so. He's failing. I don't think he's going to last-" Her legs give way, Rose and the Doctor lunge forward to support her.

"You all right?" the Doctor asked.

"I'm fine." She pauses, the Doctor and Rose look at her in concern. "I'm dying. But that's fine."

"I can take you to the City." The Doctor tried calmly.

"No, you won't. Everything's new on this planet. There's no place for Chip and me anymore. You're right, Doctor. It's time to die." Cassandra admitted causing Rose to look rather upset. Cassandra takes a deep breath and swallows. "And that's good." The Doctor and Rose helped him to her feet.

"Come on. There's one last thing I can do." The Doctor said, walking over picking up the girl, knowing she can't walk well on her own. Rose and Cassandra followed him back to the TARDIS. He looked down at the girl, her blue eyes looking back up at him. "You okay?" he asked. She nodded. "So come on, you can talk to me. How'd you end up there?" She opened her mouth to respond but chose not to, and instead lowered her gaze. "It's all right. Take your time." he rubbed her back gently. "So then, what's your name?" She remained quiet, but she raised her hand and weakly made a writing motion. He nodded towards Rose, "In my jacket I have a note-pad and pen, can you get it?" Rose dug in his pockets producing a note-pad and pen, quickly handing it to the girl, giving her a warm smile.

The corner of the girl's mouth lifted slightly in return but she quickly focused in writing down her name. She fumbled slightly, barely able to hold the pen correctly. After she was finished she handed it pad to Rose, resting her head on the Doctor's shoulders. Rose fell back into stride with the Doctor, looking at the paper.

"Allyson." Rose read. The Doctor smiled at the name.

"Allyson, what a brilliant name!" When they reached the TARDIS Allyson was asleep on the Doctor's shoulder, he quietly took her back to the med-bay to let her rest.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The TARDIS engines whirl until it solidifies. The Doctor steps out of the doors, followed by Rose and Cassandra. The room they stepped into was set for a party, people were gathered around talking and drinking. A blonde in the center of attention, chatting up a storm. Cassandra turns to the Doctor. "Thank you." she cried.

"Just go. And don't look back." he smiled.

"Good luck." Cassandra walks into the midst of the party, up to the blonde woman. She smiles watching herself. "Excuse me... Lady Cassandra..." she called out.

"I'm sorry, I don't need anything right now - I'm fine, thank you." She turned away.

"No - I just wanted to say... you look beautiful." Cassandra looks at him, smiling a little at the compliment.

"Well. That's very kind, you strange little thing. Thank you very much."

"I mean it." Cassandra steps forward and looks straight into her old eyes. "You look... so beautiful." she said sincerely. Cassandra stared at herself, touched that someone thought she was beautiful so sincerely.

"Thank you." she whispered. Cassandra's eyes fluttered close and she falls over.

"Oh, my Lord. Are you alright? What is it? What's wrong? Someone get some help!" Cassandra knelled down next to Chips body and gathered him into her arms "Call a medic or something, quickly!"

"Who is he?" a woman from the party asked.

"I don't know. He just came up to me. I don't even know his name. He just collapsed. I think he's dying. Someone do something! I've got you, sweetheart... it's all right..."

Rose was close to tears as she watched the scene unfolded before her, the Doctor stood watching solemnly.

"There you are.. there you are, I've got you... it'll be all right. There, there, you poor little thing..." Cassandra gently rocked Chip. The Doctor and Rose slowly walked back to the TARDIS. The Doctor paused, looking back out at Cassandra rocking Chip in her arms still waiting for help, before following Rose through the doors.

Rose and the Doctor bid each other good night once they were back inside the TARDIS. The Doctor walked back into the med-bay to check on Allyson and found her sitting up in her bed waiting for him. He smiled at her and handed her a glass of water he had grabbed from the kitchen. "Here you go. Hopefully that'll help with your scratch voice." She gladly accepted the drink and sipped from it. "Now, how did you end up in New New York?" She reached out and grabbed a pad of paper and pen from the table by the bed.

"I don't remember." she wrote. The Doctor furrowed his borrows.

"Why don't you try talking?"

"I can't." She wrote.

"Oh come on, try. You'll never know til you try." He tried. She took a bigger sip of the water before wetting her lips. She opened her mouth and attempted to talk, but nothing came out. A concentrated look crossed the Doctors features. "All right. Lets try something else." He leaned forward, placing his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. He placed his hands on the sides of her face and concentrated harder. A single quiet thought entered his focused mind.

"Hello."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

A/N: Hello! This is my first story on so I'm sorry if there are some issues.. Just PM or something me and I'll try to fix it. I really hope you guys like it! I'm not sure when the next part will be up.. hopefully sometime later this week, maybe this weekend. But yeah, if you have any questions feel free to ask, unless they're going to be answered soon I'll answer.

I just felt bad for poor Chip! He's such a lovable little guy, so simple, enthusiastic, and devoted to Cassandra. It's so sweet! And I love the printing on his skin.