Forest of the Dead
River, Serena, and the Doctor are looking for a way out search around the room fearfully while echoes of Dave can still be heard.
"Hey, who turned out the lights? Hey, who turned out the lights?" Dave says.
"River, quick the squareness gun." Serena says quickly. Serena watches as River turns around to a wall and shoots it showing another square to run through.
"This way, quickly. Move!" River yells. "Thanks by the way." River tells Serena as they run down to corridor.
They finally make it to second area where Serena shouts. "Over here shoot the gun over here here!" She shouts. River quickly shoots the gun and they go through the square into a room with glass dome overlooking a moon.
"OK, we've got a clear spot. In, in, in! Right in the center." River pants
"In the middle of the light, quickly. Don't let your shadows cross. Doctor." Serena says.
"I'm doing it." He responds.
"There's no lights here. Sunset's coming. We can't stay long. Have you found a live one?" River asks.
"Maybe. It's getting harder to tell. What's wrong with you?" the Doctor says. Serena watches amused seeing the Doctor talk to his sonic screwdriver.
"We're going to need a chicken leg. Who's got a chicken leg?" Serena asks and Dave gives her a chicken leg. "Thanks, Dave." She says. She throws the chicken in the shadow and watches as before it touches the ground its bone.
"Okay. Okay, we've got a hot one. Watch your feet."River says.
"They won't attack until there's enough of them." The Doctor says. "But they've got our scent now. They're coming." He tells everyone.
"Well that's just perfect." Serena mumbles sarcastically. Serena notices River noticed her say that and River just shakes her head at her sister.
"Oh, yeah, who is he? You two haven't even told us." Dave asks Serena and River. " Do you two just expect us to trust him?" He questions.
"He's the Doctor." River answers.
"And who is the Doctor?" Lux asks skeptical.
"The only story you'll ever tell, if you survive him." Serena says.
"You two say he's your guy's friend, but he doesn't even know who you two are." Anita questions River and Serena.
"Listen, all you need to know is this. We'd trust this man to the end of the universe. And actually, we've been." Serena answers.
"He doesn't act like he trusts you." Anita frowns.
"Yeah, there's a tiny problem. He hasn't met us yet." River says and everyone watches as her and Serena walk over to the Doctor.
"What's wrong with it?" Serena asks as she and her sister kneel down by the Doctor.
"There's a signal coming from somewhere, interfering with it." The Doctor replies.
"Then use the red settings." River tells him.
"It doesn't have a red setting." He answers.
"Well, use the dampers." Serena says to him.
"It doesn't have dampers." The Doctor answers.
"It will one day." Serena smiles and watches as her sister gets up and walks over to the rest of the group. The Doctor takes Serena's and River's screwdriver out of her hand and asks.
"So, sometime in the future, I just give you two my screwdriver." He asks pointing to River and Her.
"Yeah." She replies shortly.
"Why would I do that?" He questions.
"We didn't pluck it from your cold dead hands, if that's what you're worried about." Serena answers.
"And I know that because?" The Doctor questions again.
"Listen to me. You've lost your friend. You're angry. I understand. But you need to be less emotional, Doctor, right now." Serena says frustrated.
"Less emotional? I'm not emotional" He says quickly and they faintly hear River say 'Yes, you are.' But they ignore her.
"There are six people in this room still alive. Focus on that. Dear God, you're hard work young." She huffs.
"Young? Who are you?" He asks again point to her and River.
"Oh, for heaven's sake! Look at the pair of you. We're all going to die right here, and you're just squabbling like an old married couple" Lux says angrily before Serena can reply.
"Doctor, one day we're going to be someone that you trust completely, but I can't wait for you to find that out." She says point to her and her sister. "So I'm going to prove it to you. And I'm sorry. I'm really very sorry." Serena apologizes. Serena gets on her tiptoes and whispers something in his ear that room that no one can hear.
"Are we good? Doctor, are we good?" She asks him.
"Yeah, we're good." He replies.
"Good and I don't only know River does too." Serena says shocking him even more. Serena takes hers and River sonic screwdriver and walks away leaving him alone and goes to talk to her sister.
"How long till he's over the shock about it?" River asks.
"I don't know. However long it takes him to process it." She answers and they get back to work.
"Know what's interesting about my screwdriver? Very hard to interfere with. Practically nothing's strong enough. Well, some hairdryers, but I'm working on that." The Doctor says. "So there is a very strong signal coming from somewhere, and it wasn't there before. So what's new What's changed? Come on! What's new? What's different?" He asks everyone.
"I don't know. Nothing." Dave answers confused. "It's getting dark?" He asks.
"It's a screwdriver. It works in the dark. Moon rise." The Doctor replies. "Tell me about the moon. What's there?" He asks Lux.
"It's not real. It was built as part of the Library. It's just a Doctor Moon." Lux answers true fully.
"What's a Doctor Moon?" Asks Serena and The Doctor at the same time.
"A virus checker." He answers. "It supports and maintains the main computer at the core of the planet." Lux adds.
"Well, still active. It's signaling. Look." He says to them. "Someone somewhere in this library is alive and communicating with the moon. Or, possibly alive and drying their hair. No, the signal is definitely coming from the moon. I'm blocking it, but it's trying to break through." The Doctor adds. As soon as he says that Serena turns to see a fading image of Donna pops up.
"Doctor!" She yells getting his attention.
"Donna!" He exclaims, but soon Serena and everyone else watches the image disappear.
"That was her. That was your friend! Can you get her back? What was that?" River asks.
"Hold on, hold on, hold on. I'm trying to find the wavelength." He says. "Argh, I'm being blocked." The Doctor replies frustrated.
"Professor? Captain?" Anita says.
"Just a moment." River and Serena reply.
"It's important. I have two shadows." She cries. Everyone turns to her looking shocked till River speaks up and says.
"Okay. Helmets on, everyone. Anita, I'll get yours." River says.
"It didn't do Proper Dave any good." Anita cries out again with tears streaming down her cheeks before River puts the helmet on.
"Just keep it together, okay? Because it will work I promise." Serena says calmly trying to calm Anita down.
"Keeping it together. I'm only crying. I'm about to die. It's not an overreaction. And promises usually are hard to keep aren't they?" She replies scared. Serena doesn't reply she just lowers her head.
"Hang on." The Doctor says and Serena watches him sonic the visor black.
"Oh God, they've got inside." River cries due to not noticing The Doctor sonic the suit.
"No, no, no. I just tinted her visor." The Doctor tells her. "Maybe they'll think they're already in there, leave her alone." He says.
"Do you think they can be fooled like that?" Serena questions the Doctor.
"Maybe. I don't know. It's a swarm. It's not like we chat." The Doctor replies.
"Can you still see in there?" Dave asks Anita.
"Just about." She answers.
"Just, just, just stay back. Captain, a quick word, please." The Doctor says quickly.
"What?" Serena asks as she walks over to the Doctor.
"Down here." The Doctor says and Serena and him crouch down.
"What is it?" She asks him.
"Look, you said there are six people still alive in this room." He asks her.
"Yeah. So?" Serena questions unsurely.
"So, why are there seven?" He answers and Serena looks up to see Proper Dave.
"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave asks.
"Run!" The Doctor Yells and everyone including him get up and run.
"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave repeats. As they run they come to a walkway to another part of the library.
"Professor, Captain, go ahead. Find a safe spot." The Doctor tells them.
"It's a carnivorous swarm in a suit. You can't reason with it." She says trying to reason with him.
"Five minutes." He asks pleadingly.
"Other Dave, stay with him. Pull him out when he's too stupid to live. Two minutes, Doctor." She says then she turns to her sister and tells her. "Come on Serena."
"Oh, no I'm not going." Serena tells her.
"Oh, Yes you are." The Doctor says to her.
"No I'm not." She replies.
"Please." River begs. Serena looks between The Doctor and River. She gives in and nods her head and says.
"Fine. River." She sighs.
"Good." The Doctor smiles.
"Let's go River." She tells her and as they run she calls back to the Doctor. "I want both of you back in one piece." She calls and as she turn the corridor she can barely hear the Doctor say 'Yes ma'am'.
Soon Serena and River make it to another round room. "Here." Serena says as she hand River the sonic screwdriver to scan around the room.
"You know, it's funny, I keep wishing the Doctor was here." River sighs.
"The Doctor is here, isn't he? He is coming back, right?" Anita questions fearfully.
"You know when you see a photograph of someone you know, but it's from years before you knew them. and it's like they're not quite finished." Serena says. "They're not done yet. Well, yes, the Doctor's here. He came when we called, just like he always does. But not our Doctor. Now our Doctor, I've seen whole armies turn and run away. And he'd just swagger off back to his Tardis and open the doors with a snap of his fingers. The Doctor in the Tardis. Next stop, everywhere." She smiles.
"Spoilers." They hear a voice say and Serena turns to see the Doctor walk in. "Nobody can open a Tardis by snapping their fingers. It doesn't work like that." He adds.
"It does for the Doctor." Serena replies.
"I am the Doctor." He frowns.
"Yeah. Some day." River says.
"How are you doing?" The Doctor asks Anita.
"Where's Other Dave?" Serena asks interrupting him.
"Not coming. Sorry." He answers.
"Well, if they've taken him, why haven't they gotten me yet?" Anita asks scared.
"I don't know. Maybe tinting your visor's making a difference." The Doctor says and Serena watches him look down and sees two shadows still on Anita.
"It's making a difference all right. No one's ever going to see my face again." Cries Anita.
"Can I get you anything?" The Doctor asks sadly.
"An old age would be nice." She answers "Anything you can do?" Anita adds.
"I'm all over it." He says to Anita. Serena just looks at Anita sadly.
" Doctor. When we first met you, you didn't trust Professor Song or Captain Song. And then she… Captain Song I mean she whispered a word in your ear, and you did trust them. My life so far. I could do with a word like that."Anita tells him. "What did she say? Give a dead girl a break. Your secrets are safe with me." She says.
"Safe!" The Doctor says.
"What?" Anita asks.
"Safe. You don't say saved. Nobody says saved. You say safe." He says. "The data fragment! What did it say?" The Doctor asks Lux.
"Four thousand and twenty two people saved. No survivors." Lux says confused.
"Doctor?" River and Serena ask worried.
"Nobody says saved. Nutters say saved. You say safe. You see, it didn't mean safe. It meant, it literally meant, saved!" He Exclaims. Serena watches as he walks over to a table.
" See, there it is, right there. A hundred years ago, massive power surge. All the teleports going at once. Soon as the Vashta Nerada hit their hatching cycle, they attack. Someone hits the alarm. The computer tries to teleport everyone out." He says.
"It tried to teleport four thousand twenty two people?" River questions.
" It succeeded. Pulled them all out, but then what? Nowhere to send them. Nowhere safe in the whole library. Vashta Nerada growing in every shadow." He tells them. "Four thousand and twenty two people all beamed up and nowhere to go. They're stuck in the system, waiting to be sent, like emails. So what's a computer to do? What does a computer always do?" The Doctor asks them.
"It saved them." Said Serena and then her eyes widen in realization. "Oh, you genius!" She grins. Then the Doctor takes out a marker and starts drawing on the table.
"The library. A whole world of books, and right at the core, the biggest hard drive in history. The index to everything ever written, backup copies of every single book." He says as he writes. "The computer saved four thousand and twenty two people the only way a computer can. It saved them to the hard drive." The Doctor exclaims. The Doctor runs over to a terminal and tries to turn it on, but the screen goes black.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" The Doctor says.
"All library systems are permanently offline. Sorry for any inconvenience. Shortly" The Computer says.
"What is it? What is Cal?" The Doctor turns to Lux.
"We need to get to the main computer. I'll show you." Lux tells him.
"It's at the core of the planet." The Doctor says.
"Well, then. Let's go." Serena and River say. Serena takes hers and River's sonic screwdriver and points it at the floor reviling a platform.
"Gravity platform." Serena says.
"I bet I like you two." The Doctor grins.
"Oh, you do." The sisters reply. Then Serena and everyone else step on the platform and go down.
"Autodestruct in fifteen minutes." The Computer says as the group gets to the main core.
"The data core. Over four thousand living minds trapped inside it." The Doctor exclaims.
"Yeah, well, they won't be living much longer." River says. "We're running out of time." Serena finishes. Serena sees the Doctor run over to a
terminal and a Childs voice comes through.
"Help me. Please, help me." The little girl cries.
"What's that?" Anita asks.
"Was that a child?" River questions.
"The computer's in sleep mode. I can't wake it up. I'm trying." The Doctor says.
"Doctor, these readings." Serena says pointing to the screen.
"I know. You'd think it was dreaming." He answers.
"It is dreaming, of a normal life, and a lovely Dad, and of every book ever written." Lux says getting everyone's attention.
"Computers don't dream." Anita says confused.
"Help me. Please help me." The little girl repeats.
"No, but little girls do." He says as he pulls down a lever opening a door to another room and the group runs through. A node turns around to
revel the little girl's face they talked to.
"Please help me. Please help me" She says again.
"Oh, my God." River and Serena say.
"It's the little girl. The girl we saw in the computer." Exclaims Anita.
"She's not in the computer. In a way, she is the computer. The main command node. This is Cal." Lux points.
"Cal is a child? A child hooked up to a mainframe? Why didn't you tell me this? I needed to know this!" He says point at Lux.
"Because she's family! Cal. Charlotte Abigail Lux. My grandfather's youngest daughter. She was dying, so he built her a library and put her
living mind inside, with a moon to watch over her, and all of human history to pass the time." He says. "Any era to live in, any book to read. She loved books more than anything, and he gave her them all. He asked only that she be left in peace. A secret, not a freak show." Lux adds.
"So you weren't protecting a patent, you were protecting her." The Doctor says in realization.
"This is only half a life, of course. But it's forever." He replies.
"And then the shadows came." Serena and The Doctor said together.
"The shadows. I have to. I have to save. Have to save." CAL says.
"And she saved them. She saved everyone in the library. Folded them into her dreams and kept them safe." The Doctor said.
"Then why didn't she tell us?" Anita asks.
"Because she's forgotten. She's got over four thousand living minds chatting away inside her head. It must be like being, well, me." The
Doctor admitted.
"So what do we do?" River asks just as the computer says. '"Autodestruct in ten minutes."
" Easy! We beam all the people out of the data core. The computer will reset and stop the countdown." The Doctor says. "Difficult. Charlotte
doesn't have enough memory space left to make the transfer. Easy! I'll hook myself up to the computer. She can borrow my memory space." He adds.
"Difficult. It'll kill you stone dead." Serena cries.
"Yeah, it's easy to criticize." The Doctor said to Serena.
"It'll burn out both your hearts and don't think you'll regenerate." Serena and River exclaim.
"I'll try my hardest not to die. Honestly, it's my main thing." The Doctor says.
"Doctor!" Serena says.
"I'm right, this works. Shut up. Now listen. You, River and Luxy boy, back up to the main library. Prime any data cells you can find for maximum download, and before you say anything else, Captain, can I just mention in passing as you're here, shut up." The Doctor tells her.
"Oh! I hate you sometimes." Serena huffs.
"I know." The Doctor replies.
"Mister Lux, River with me. Anita, if he dies, I'll kill him!" Said Serena. Serena and the other run out of the room leaving Anita and the Doctor alone.
"Come on." Yells Serena as they run.
"Were going as fast as we can run." River yells back. They make it to the main library and do what the Doctor says.
"Mister Lux you stay here me and River will go back to the Doctor." She tells him. Lux just replies with a nod.
"No you stay here Mister Lux may need you expertise." River says before they leave.
"But…" Serena starts before River cuts her off with a death glare. "Oh…fine, but take care of him."
"Sure sissy.' She says as she leaves. As River runs back to the Doctor she comes to find Anita on the floor.
"Oh, Anita." River says sadly.
"I'm sorry. She's been dead a while now. I told you to go! and where Serena?" The Doctor exclaimed
"Lux can manage without me, but you can't." She says as she punches the Doctor knocking him unconscious. "This is for you Serena." She whispers to herself.
"Autodestruct in two minutes." The Computer says.
The doctor wakes up to find River hooking herself up to the computer taking the Doctors place. "Oh, no, no, no, no. Come on, what are you doing? That's my job." He says.
"Oh, and I'm not allowed to have a career, I suppose?" She says.
"Why am I handcuffed? Why do you even have handcuffs?" The Doctor asks confused.
"Spoilers." River replies.
"This is not a joke. Stop this now. This is going to kill you! I'd have a chance, you don't have any. And you'll be leaving Serena alone." He cries.
"You wouldn't have a chance, and neither do I." She says with tears. "I'm timing it for the end of the countdown. There'll be a blip in the command flow. That way it should improve our chances of a clean download." She tells him calmly.
"River, please. No." He begs.
" Funny thing is, this means you've always known how I was going to die." She cries. "All the time we've been together, you knew I was coming here. The last time I saw you, the real you, the future you, I mean, you turned up on mine and Serena's doorstep, with a new haircut and a suit. You took me and her to Darillium to see the Singing Towers. What a night that was. The Towers sang, and you cried." River said.
"Autodestruct in one minute." The Computer said.
" You wouldn't tell us why, but we suppose you knew it was time. Our time. Time to come to the library. You even gave us your screwdriver. That should have been a clue." River tells him.
The Doctor tries reaching for one of the screwdrivers by Rivers and Serena's diary, but there too far. "There's nothing you can do." River says.
"You can let me do this." He pleads.
"If you die here, it'll mean Serena and I have never met you." She exclaims.
"Time can be rewritten." The Doctor tries.
"Not those times. Not one line. Don't you dare. It's okay. It's okay. It's not over for you. You'll have Serena and see me again with her. You've got all of that to come. You, her, and time and space. You watch all three of us run." She smiles slightly. "But promise me you will take care of Serena." River begs.
"River, Serena knows my name and she said you do too." He asks avoiding the promise.
"Autodestruct in ten" The Computer says again.
"Serena whispered my name in my ear." He begged.
"Nine, eight, seven." The Computer says counting down.
"There's only one reason I would ever tell anyone my name. There's only one time I could." He cries.
"Hush, now." She says.
"Four, Three." The Computer states.
"Spoilers." River cries.
"Two, one." The Computer says finishing the countdown. The Doctor watches helplessly as River puts the cables together and as she
disappears. The Doctor hears footsteps and sees Serena running down the hall.
"The both of you did it…" She trails off. "Where's River?" Serena asks. The Doctor could only respond by lowering his head. "No No Oh No." Serena sobs. The Doctor sitting there listening to her sobs. Now then he would keep his promise to River. The Doctor managed to get out and left Serena to her grieving.
As the Doctor walked he found Donna. Dona who was looking for a man she met when she was saved. "Any luck?" The Doctor asked his friend.
"There wasn't even anyone called Lee in the library that day. I suppose he could have had a different name out here, but, let's be honest, he wasn't real, was he?" Donna asked.
"Maybe not." He replied.
"I made up the perfect man. Gorgeous, adores me, and hardly able to speak a word. What's that say about me?" She questioned.
"Everything. Sorry, did I say everything? I meant to say nothing. I was aiming for nothing. I accidentally said everything." The Doctor apologized.
"What about you?" She asked him. "Are you alright?"
"I'm always all right." He answered
"Is all right special Time Lord code for really not all right at all?" She questioned him again.
"Why?" The Doctor asked.
"Because I'm all right, too." Donna answered.
"Come on." The Doctor says as the walk to the previous marbled stair area.
"Do you think she will be alright?" Donna asked the Doctor meaning Serena.
"I don't know, but I made a promise to River that I would take care of her…" He said. "So she will probably be traveling with us." He told her.
"Really!" Donna asked excited finally another women would be possibly onboard the Tardis. The Doctor nodded just as the made it to the same outdoor area they were at earlier. The Doctor placed down the diary and sonic screwdriver and Donna asked.
"Your friend, Professor Song. She and Serena knew you in the future, but they didn't know me. What happens to me? Because when she heard my name, the way she looked at me." Donna questions.
" Donna, this is their diary. My future. I could look you up. What do you think? Shall we peek at the end?" He asked.
"Spoilers, right?" Donna smiles.
"Right." He replies.
" Come on. The next chapter's this way." He says as he puts the screwdriver on diary, but he turns around and runs back. "Why? Why would I give them my screwdriver? Why would I do that? Thing is, future me had years to think about it, all those years to think of a way to save her and save Serena from hurting too much, and what he did was give them a screwdriver. Why would I do that?" He asked himself. He opened a little part on the screwdriver reviling green lights.
"Oh! Oh! Oh, look at that. I'm very good!" He praised.
"What have you done?" Donna asks.
"Saved Them" He replies before running off leaving Donna alone.
"Stay with me! You can do it, stay with me! Come on, you and me, one last run!" He yells as one light goes off. As he makes it to the gravity platform he says. "Sorry, River and Serena shortcut!" He says.
"Platform disabled." The Computer says as he jumps into the gravity well and the last light is blinking. He runs and plugs their sonic screwdriver into the core and River neural energy is transferred. The Doctor is about to walk away when he hears a voice.
"She made you promise didn't she?" Serena asks.
"Yes." The Doctor nodded.
"To take care of me." She says and the Doctor sees her cheeks stained with tears. He kneels down by and says.
"Yes."
"Ok." She says standing up. "I should probably be…" But she is cut off by the Doctor.
"I was wondering well since Donna needs another girl around…" He trails off.
Serena smiles knowing what he's asking. "Yes! I'll join you in the tardis." She Exclaims. The Doctor smiles and they start to walk off towards the tardis before Serena says.
"Oh I need the diary. Be right back." She says as the Doctor watches he run off. Serena comes to where the Diary was placed picks it up and says. "Thanks sissy!" She smiles and runs back to the tardis where the Doctor and Donna are she walk in and the Doctor turns around snapping his fingers closing the door.
Serena Voice Over "My Sister Always said this one favorite quote of ours: "Nothing is Impossible Just Highly Improbable - Douglas Adam"
A/n: Ok. So that was forest of the dead and I will start posting every Wednesdays after this hoped you enjoyed. Noble who/Eowyn.