author's note/disclaimer: Hello everyone! I'm bACK. WITH NEW EARTH!
I was so excited writing this one. All these Doctor(Cassandra)Donna moments.
Thank you all for such sweet reviews on my first chapter! They made me so happy! :)
So, I hope you all enjoy this one!
Sure as the Stars
Chapter Two
New Earth
The Doctor treads over the grilling in the TARDIS. He slings his jacket over one of the supports and walks slowly up to the console where he begins to operate the controls. The engines start to hum. He opens the door to the TARDIS slightly, seeing Donna, Sylvia, and Wilfred a few feet away. He smiles, seeing Donna packed and ready to go.
Oh, he's so happy that she's staying with him. Can't explain how overjoyed he is!
"Have you got everything?" Wilf makes sure, hand on Donna's.
She nods, "I've got everything, don't worry."
"Be careful."
"Yeah," she reaches over with one hand and they embrace each other.
The Doctor doesn't want to interrupt the moment so he moves back inside and pulls a lever. The rotor begins to rise and fall. He gazes up at it and a proud smile spreads across his face. He knows just the place to take Donna!
After stepping away from her mum's embrace, Donna steps back, "Okay, I'm going now. Love you!"
The Doctor smacks down on the controls.
And then she turns around and takes a deep breath. She quickness her pace to the TARDIS with a smile on her face. With one last large wave, Donna closes the door behind her, dropping her bags on the ground.
The Doctor notices her and they beam at one another straight away. He can't help but notice how lovely she looks. Her hair is straightened and her bangs are swept to the side. Ooh, she's even wearing the golden hooped earrings he had gotten her! Lovely! She's also wearing a lavender, v neck blouse that stops at her elbows with jeans and some sneakers.
Is it bad that he thinks she looks stunning in the simplest clothes?
He shakes his head quickly and then pulls a lever with extra vigor.
Donna jolts a little and sends him a glare, "I'm back and you're tryin' to knock me out?" she marches up to him, "Scoot a bit," and he does so and soon enough they're both operating the controls, Donna is more slower since he never did teach her how to fly this thing yet. That's another thing he needs to teach her, how to fly the TARDIS. The TARDIS already loves her, she hums and brightens up whenever Donna is around. He can't blame her, he does the same thing. He snaps out of his thoughts when he sees Donna looking at him, a look of curiosity on her face, "So, where are we goin'?"
He grins, "Further than we've ever gone before."
Donna raises an eye brow in interest, although a smile is on her face.
.~.
.~.
Donna steps out of the TARDIS onto a windy stretch of green grass. The Doctor comes behind her, shutting the door of the TARDIS. He looks at Donna, who's looking around, moving her red hair that's flying from her face. There are enormous clouds stretching across the sky, she can see the ray of the sun shinning through as well. There's a huge building and it feels so close and it's so wonderful! There's even bloody space crafts soaring through the air! (They don't look as good as the TARDIS, though.)
"It's the year five billion and twenty three...we're in the galaxy M-eighty-seven, and this..." The Doctor sweeps his eyes around, and she doesn't need to look up to know that's he's smiling, "...this is New Earth."
They look upon a futuristic city, with flying vehicles zooming to and fro.
Donna gapes, "That's just...that's...wow! Oh my - wait hold on, New Earth?"
"Not bad," The Doctor nods, chucking, "Not bad at all!"
"I'll never get used to this, you know," she reminds him, not pushing the name of this place any farther (but, really? New Earth? That's what they're goin' with?) "Never. Different ground beneath my feet!" she spins in a circle and looks up at the sky, "Different sky!"
"Donna Noble, citizen of the Earth, standing on New Earth! Ha!" The Doctor bounces on the grass.
"Exactly! It's just - " Donna sniffs the air, "What's that smell?"
The Doctor bends down and pulls some grass up. He shows it to her, "Apple grass!"
"Apple grass…"
"Yeah, yeah!" he beams at her with a large smile, and she tries not to smile back (because, really, apple grass?) but fails, "Love the apple grass!" she rolls her eyes in all good manner. The Doctor grabs her hand, "Come on!" And they dash off, ducking under flying vehicles.
"Now where are we goin'?" Donna laughs, running along with him.
.~.
.~.
In a hospital basement, The Doctor and Donna are being watched through a reddish-tinged orb, by a pale man covered with different patterns and scars. He's hunched over, dresses in drags. His eyes go wide when he spots Donna, "Human!" he gasps, awestruck, "She's pure-blood human!" he twists a control to zoom in, "Closer, closer!"
.~.
.~.
A familiar metal spider scurries closer to where the Doctor and Donna now lie. The Doctor is sprawled on the grass, lying his coat. Donna sits next to him, knees brought to her chest, they're both looking at that beautiful sky. Oh, that huge, cloud filled sky that Donna now loves!
"We're just sittin'," she smiles down at him, "Thought you'd be wantin' us to go runnin' around."
"It's nice to relax for a bit. And you seem like the person to want to just sit for a while before all the running anyways."
She raises her eyebrows, "I seem like the person," she pulls a face, "Hold on, you callin' me lazy?"
He jolts up immediately, eyes wide in shock, "No, no! Never! I didn't mean to - " he seems to be at a loss of words. Oh, he's too easy. He purses his lips, "...anyways," he lies back down, "Welcome to the year five billion...the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted."
Donna grins, "That was where you first took me," she nudges his leg with her foot.
The Doctor leans back to look at her, "We had chips!"
"Yeah, which I had to pay for!"
They end up in a frenzy of giggles.
"So anyway," The Doctor goes on, still smiling, "Planet gone, all rocks and dust, but the human race lives on, spread out across the stars. Soon as the Earth burns up...oh, yeah, they get all nostalgic...big revival movement...but find this place!" He sits up for a better look at the view, "Same size as the Earth, same air, same orbit, lovely! Call goes out, the humans move in!"
"You nerd," she snorts. He pulls an offended look, "So what's this city called?"
"New New York."
She rolls her eyes, "Oh, come on."
"It is!" he insists. He's breaking into a smile at her reaction, "It's the City of New New York!" he pauses, thinking, "Strictly speaking, it's the fifteenth New York since the original. So that makes it New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York."
Donna smiles down at him in amusement, shaking her head.
And of course, he notices. Always notices Donna Noble's smile, that smile that she gives that's only reserved for him. He feels quite special. He's very lucky to receive Donna Noble's smile.
"What?" he asks, after noticing she's still staring. What did he do?
She shakes her head, "You're just so different."
"New New Doctor."
She doesn't even blink at that.
"Oh, come on!" he whines after she has no reaction, "That was funny!"
"Was not."
He pouts, "I thought it was."
"Well, yeah. You think your puns and jokes are always funny."
He glares playfully, "Are you saying my puns are not funny?"
"Yup."
"Very rude!"
Donna smirks and The Doctor pouts, trying (and failing) to fight off a smile.
The metal spider watches them.
.~.
.~.
Inside the hospital basement, the scarred and patterned man, Chip, is operating the controls and turns around at the sound of a woman's voice.
"Impossible," the voice says in shock, "I recognize that woman. Her face. Show me her face!"
Chip nods at the woman's demand, "Closer. Closer!" he orders as the spider scurries across the grass, "Face! Face! Face!"
He watches the red-haired woman start to get up, "So, we're gonna go visit New New York...so good they bloody named it twice?"
"Well, I thought we might go there first," a man in a brown suits says, also getting up. He nods towards a large building in the distance, on the coast.
"Why would I ever wanna go in there?" she replies, eyes narrowing as she looks over at him. When she sees his crestfallen face she softens her tone, "What is it?"
Chip watches in slight amusement as the man has trouble getting his coat on because of the wind, so the red-haired woman helps him.
"Some sort of hospital," he answers, "Green moon on the side...that's the universal symbol for hospitals."
"Hmm," she mumbles, not believing he wants to just go in a hospital to look, "Any other reason?"
"I got this," he says sheepishly. The man pulls out a piece of paper, looking down at it, "A message on the psychic paper."
('Ward 26…Please Come' is scrawled across the paper.)
"Someone wants to see me," he tucks the strange paper back in his pocket.
"And I thought we were just sight-seein'," the woman remarks, "Come on then. Let's go and buy some grapes."
As she starts to walk, the man links his arm through hers so quickly before Chip even blinks. They both pause at the action before smiling each other. They start heading off again.
The spider follows them.
A gasp fills the room, "Donna Noble!" Chip looks over at Lady Cassandra. All she can do it hiss out Donna's name, considering she is talking skin with eyes and lipstick, held upright by a metal frame, "I knew it! That dirty ginger assassin!"
"She's coming here, mistress!" Chip informs her.
"This is beyond coincidence! This is destiny! At last I can be revenged on that ginger - "
.~.
The Doctor and Donna walk through the hospital doors of New Earth, into the reception, "Bit rich coming from you," Donna snorts.
"I can't help it," he replies, "I don't like hospitals, they give me the creeps!"
"Well you are The Doctor, but alright."
"The Pleasure Gardens will now take visitors carrying green or blue identification cards for the next fifteen minutes. Visitors are reminded that cuttings from the gardens are not permitted," an anomatronic voice says over a speaker. Staff in white robes and white veils pass by them as they walk around.
Donna looks around, "Smart. Not exactly NHS."
The Doctor looks around too, but pouting, "No shop. I like the little shop!"
"I thought this far in the future, they'd have cured everything," Donna states with a question in her voice, glancing at The Doctor.
"The human race moves on, but so do the viruses. It's an ongoing war," The Doctor informs her.
A cat nurse walks by and nods politely to Donna who stops in her tracks, and points, a gasp in her voice, "They're cats."
"Now, don't stare," The Doctor tells her with a dismissive tone, "Think what you look like to them, all..." he looks at her up and down, "purple and red."
She pulls a flat out 'excuse-me-wot-did-you-just-say-to-me?' face.
"That's where I'd put the shop!" The Doctor points over Donna's shoulder, ignoring face, "Right there!"
"But their bloody cats," she says to herself slowly, not caring about his obsession for little shops. If there was a little shop and gingers running around it The Doctor would explode with happiness, "...Like humans. But cats. Cats who're walkin' on two legs. Why do they have to be cats?"
Whilst Donna is looking, The Doctor waddles over to a lift that catches his attention and steps inside. Inside 'Hospital Lift One' The Doctor looks up, "Ward Twenty-six, thanks!"
.~.
In the hospital basement, Chip is watching everything The Doctor and Donna were doing, "Override controls," he orders.
.~.
"Oi!" Donna yells, noticing he left without her. God, he's like a child who wanders off at amusement parks, she has to hold his hand all the time, "Hold on! Hold on!" she rushes to the lift, but it's too late, the doors have closed. She pulls an annoyed face.
"Oh, too late...I'm going up," The Doctor mumbles through the door.
Well, no duh.
Donna huffs, "Shut up, I can see that. There's another lift anyways," she rushes to the other lift and punches the button.
.~.
Inside the lift where The Doctor is, the anomatronic voice announces, "Ward Twenty-six. And watch out for the disinfectant."
.~.
"Ward Twenty-six!" The Doctor reminds her, "And watch out for the disinfectant!"
Donna looks at the wall next to her from where The Doctor just called out to her, "Watch out for wot?"
"The disinfectant!"
"The wot?"
"The di - oh, you'll find out," he mutters, giving up.
Donna's lift finally opens. She steps inside and faces the doors, "Ward Twenty-six. Thanks..." the doors close and the lift goes down.
.~.
"Commence stage one...disinfection."
Green lights flash on around The Doctor and then he's suddenly getting soaked in a shower of disinfectant. But he's perfectly calm, doesn't bother him! He can get a good shower, ooh, lovely and then made he and Donna can -
His eyes snap open in shock.
Donna.
Uh-oh.
Oh, she's going to kill him.
.~.
"Commence stage one...disinfection."
Donna narrows her eyes, disinfection?
Before she knows it, she's getting drenched in the 'disinfectant'. She lets out a terrified scream.
"OH MY GOD!"
.~.
The Doctor smooths his hands through his hair, smiling to himself.
Or, more trying to calm himself, not thinking of Donna hating him at the moment. But she can't blame him! He warned her about it, she just didn't hear him!
.~.
Donna smacks the walls frantically, her eyes are screwed shut, trying to turn the shower off.
"TURN OFF. TURN OFF. TURN OFF."
.~.
A white powder puffs onto the Doctor, who barely reacts. He's not smiling anymore.
He's still worried about Donna.
Is she alright? Did she hurt herself while panicking? Is she planning ways to kill him with the closest instrument she can find?
.~.
The same white powder puffs onto Donna. She squeezes her eyes shut, pulling a shocked and disgusted face.
"FOR GOD'S SAKE."
.~.
A blow-dryer engages.
The Doctor enjoys the experience immensely. He can't help it, it's brilliant! He spreads his coat out to dry and smiles happily.
.~.
After the initial shock, Donna tries to tidy her hair in the gusts of wind from the blow-dryer, letting out various curses.
.~.
The lift doors for The Doctor slide open at Ward Twenty-six. The Doctor steps out, looking very well groomed if he says so himself. His hair is perfectly tidy.
For once, he can already hear Donna say. All through the ride to New Earth she kept saying how messy his hair was! Well, he'll so her when she gets out.
.~.
"OH, I AM GONNA KILL YOU, ALIEN BOI!"
Donna storms out of the lift, now dry, but her knuckles are clenched so tightly her fingers are digging into her skin and her face is flushed a deep, angry red. She blinks but then narrows her eyes afterwards.
She looks around, why is she in some sort of cellar?
She fixes her hair (she has this nagging sense her hair looks dreadful) while looking around the setting she's in.
"The human woman is clean," she hears a male voice come out from out of the end of the corridor.
Was he talkin' about her?
The figure comes to her view and she almost gasps at the sight of him. He's very pale, with red scars and patterns. He's dressed in hospital drags and a cap. But she doesn't gasp, because her throat feels suddenly dry, and two, that would be rude. He's probably sick and she doesn't want to pull off as rude. Not unless this guy deserves it, which doesn't seem like he does. He doesn't even look terrible when he comes into her full view. He looks...nice enough?
"Um...I'm looking for Ward Twenty-six...?" she trails off.
"This way, Donna Noble," he scurries off.
Well, shit. He knows her name. That's never a good sign.
She follows him apprehensively. Should she bring something with her? A metal rod catches her eye. Good enough. She quickly picks up, just in case.
.~.
.~.
The Doctor looks around Wayward Twenty-six in interest, "Nice place," he comments. The room is wide and very bright and white. There are long, white curtains draped down, to give each patient privacy. He's being lead by one of the staff, who's dressed in white clothes and a thin veil covers her face, she goes by Sister Jatt, "No shop, downstairs," he mentions, because why wasn't there a shop? Shops are great! "I'd have a shop. Not a big one...just a shop. So people can shop."
"The hospital is a place of healing," she states taking off her white veil, (revealing she is a cat woman, but he's not phased) as if she's so surprised by his comments.
"A shop does some people the world of good," he tells her, "Not me. Other people..."
They start to walk again. The Doctor eyes a patient who is completely red. If Donna were her she would stop and stare and probably say - oh, speaking of Donna, where is she anyways?
"The Sisters of Plentitude take a lifelong vow to help," Sister Jatt explains to him, arms folded, "And to mend."
They pass a bed holding an extremely obese man, who's lying in a very large bed, and looking as though he's about to turn to stone. By the bed is a very prim woman, as soon as she sees The Doctor eyeing the almost-stoned man she marches up to him, "Excuse me!" her blonde hair is tied in a very tight low bun. She has black specs and matching dark clothes and a dark shade of lipstick, "Members of the public may only gaze upon the Duke of Manhattan with written permission from the Senate of New New York."
The Doctor nods over to the Duke, "That's Petrifold Regression, right?"
"I'm dying, sir," the man on the bed sighs out and flutters his eyes, "A lifetime of charity and abstinence. And it ends like this."
"Any statements made by the Duke of Manhattan may not be made public without official clearance," the woman hisses at The Doctor.
"Frau Clovis!" The Duke gasps out. She rushes to his side and grasps his hand, "I'm so weak!"
"Sister Jatt!" Frau turns to Sister Jatt, outraged, "A little privacy, please!"
Her eye brows raise, but she turns anyways, leading The Doctor away, "He'll be up and about in no time," she assures him.
"I doubt it," he replies sadly at the Duke's condition, "Petrifold Regression? He's turning to stone," he scratches the back of his head, "There won't be a cure for, oh, a thousand years? He might be up and about, but only as a statue."
"Have faith in the sisterhood," she opens her arms questioningly, "But is there no one here you recognize?"
The Doctor looks around, seeing if he - oh.
As if on cue, his eyes soften, when he when something - or someone catches his attention. Oh.
"...It's rather unusual to visit without knowing the patient," Sister Jatt continues.
The Doctor smiles, "No. I think I've found him," he says softly. Sister Jatt follows his gaze. The Face of Boe is in the corner of the ward by the window. They approach him and the nurse he is with, who is another cat-lady, dressed in the same clothes as Sister Jatt.
"Novice Hame...if I can leave this gentleman in your care?" Sister Jatt asks, lacing her hands together.
The Doctor looks over at her, "Oh, I think my friend got lost. Uh, Donna Noble. Could you ask at reception?"
"Certainly, sir," she nods off, leaving.
Oh, where was Donna? She'll be so happy to see The Face of Boe!
"I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep," Novice informs The Doctor, "That's all he tends to do these days," she moves her gaze away from the large, sleeping head and looks at The Doctor, "Are you a friend, or...?"
The Doctor shakes his head, his voice still calm and light, "We met just the once on Platform One," he tells her. He looks back at The Face of Boe, "What's wrong with him?"
"I'm so sorry. I thought you knew," she tells The Doctor, almost whispering, "The Face of Boe is dying."
"Of what?" he sounds genuinely surprised.
"Old age," she answers sadly, "The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old," a smile makes it way to her face and her blue eyes light up the slightest, "Some people say millions. Although, that's impossible."
The Doctor smiles, he's beginning to like her. She's soft and sweet and doesn't seem to believe in impossible things, "Oh, no...I like impossible," he kneels before the Face of Boe, "I'm here. I look a bit different, but it's me...it's The Doctor..." he places a hand on the tank. He speaks quietly and softly, not wanting to wake the ancient being. He wonders if The Face of Boe will recognize him without the leather jacket and big ears and Northern accent.
Giving a small sigh, The Doctor thinks The Face of Boe moves a little closer to him.
.~.
.~.
Donna emerges from the corridor into a room where - an old tape is playing? She curiously looks at the flickering image being projected onto the screen. It's a glamorous party scene, everyone present are laughing and holding champagne and old, soft music is playing. Everyone is dressed so nicely, oh, that seems nice. Maybe after leaving New Earth she can make The Doctor take her here. She can get all fancied up and not have to worry about going into wrong room and bloody disinfectants.
"I mean, you never know what your life's going to be like! Ever!" a woman laughs at two men, a glass of champagne in her hand. Her long, blonde locks casscade down her back. She has bright red lipstick and light blue eye shadow, that doesn't look half bad. Her dress is a bluish, silverish color, and it looks great on her if Donna's being honest, "I'm bored with this drink," she hands it away to someone, "Anyway...oh, hello darling!" she playfully pushes a man away after he whispered something in her ear, "Now, don't! Stop it!"
Oh, that's a bit - "Wait a minute," she narrows her eyes, the curiosity and slight enjoyment gone, "That's - " she spins around, and there she is. Cassandra. The man that took her here cowers beside her.
"Peekaboo!" Cassandra sings out.
Donna holds up the metal rod, pointing, "Oh, great. It's you, the bloody trampoline."
Cassandra glares right back, "The name's Cassandra, ginger."
She holds out the metal rod, making sure her arm is in Cassandra's view, smirking when she sees the flap of skin eye her, "Don't you come anywhere near me, Cassandra."
"Why?" she rolls her eyes, "What do you think I'm going to do? Flap you to death?"
Still annoyingly sassy. Donna thinks about snapping back, but wasting her time on her is not worth it, "Gollum over here might do something," she gestures to the hunched over man.
"Oh...that's just Chip," Cassandra says, not even caring, "He's my pet."
Donna frowns at Chip, "Pet?"
"I worship the mistress!" Chip... chips in.
Cassandra suddenly gasps, "Moisturize me, moisturize me..." Chip picks up a canister and squirts Cassandra with it, "He's not even a proper life-form," she explains to Donna, as if poor Chip is not even in the room, "He's a force-grown clone. I modeled him on my favorite pattern. But he's so faithful. Chip sees to my physical needs."
Oh, her mind goes to such bad places, "God, I really hope that means food," she settles her hands on her hips, "How comes you're still alive?"
"After you murdered me," Cassandra snaps, almost spitting on Donna.
Donna gestures over to her, "That was your own fault, you waste of skin."
Chip steps up and Donna raises the rod again, while eyeing the...brain in a glass container, "The brain of my mistress survived," he looks back at the piece of skin like a lovesick puppy dog, "And her pretty blue eyes were salvaged from the bin."
Donna wants to swing the rod at something at Cassandra's flattered look.
"What about the skin?" she presses on, "I saw it, you - " she can't help but laugh, "You got ripped apart!"
"That piece of skin was taken from the front of my body. This piece is the back."
If that's supposed to show Donna, it doesn't, it only makes her snort, laughing harder, "Right! So you're talking out of your - "
"Ask not," Cassandra interrupts, not looking the least bit amused.
"The mistress was lucky to survive," Chip nods in Cassandra's direction, "Chip secreted mi'lady into the hospital."
Donna rolls her eyes, "So they don't know you're here."
Chips nods, explaining for Cassandra, "Chip steals medicine. Helps mi'lady. Soothes her. Strokes her..." he raises a hand to stroke Cassandra.
"You can stop right there, mate," Donna growls.
"But I'm so alone, hidden down here...the last human in existence..." Cassandra drags on, pouting.
Donna groans, "Oh, don't start that again, they've called this planet New Earth!"
"A vegetable patch," Cassandra scoffs.
"And there's millions of humans out there...millions of them..." Donna goes on, folding her arms.
"Mutant stock!"
"They evolved, Cassandra. They just evolved, like they should," Donna shrugs, "You stayed still. You got yourself all pickled and preserved, and what good did it do you?"
"Oh, I remember that night," Cassandra sighs happily, referring to the film. Oh, she didn't reply to Donna's comment? Hmm. Wonder why, "...Drinks for the Ambassador of Thrace. That was the last time anyone told me I was beautiful. After that it all became...such hard work."
Donna raises an eye brow, "Well, you've got a knack for survival, I'll give you that."
"But I've not been idle, Donna," she spits out, "...tucked away, underneath this hospital...I've been listening. The Sisters are hiding something."
Donna narrows her eyes, "What d'you mean by that?"
"Oh...these cats have secrets," her lips twitch upwards the slightest, "Hush, let me whisper. Come close."
Donna laughs in disbelief, "You must be jokin' if you think I'm comin' anywhere near you!" she whirls around to leave the room only to be caught by a machine that binds her wrists with pink light so she can't move. Great, of course, she thinks to herself, letting out curses under her breath. She struggles to release herself, but these stupid light binds are too strong.
"Chip!" Cassandra orders, her red lips formed into a smug grin, "Activate the psychograft!"
Chip bounds over to the controls.
Donna follows his movements, "Ugh, I can't move! Cassandra, LET ME GO!" she watches with wide eyes as Chip pulls a lever and bars of light come down from the ceiling and surround her, like a cage, "What're you doin' now?!"
"The lady's moving on. It's goodbye trampoline, and hello ginger!" Cassandra cackles.
"WOT?!" Donna struggles, her lips curled, "I DON'T THINK SO!"
After a few horrifying seconds, a cloud of light jumps from Cassandra, across the room and into Donna. Chip releases the lever and Donna's now limp body falls to the ground. Chip peers over at her, "Mistress?"
Donna - Cassandra - begins to stir, "Moisturize me..." she mumbles. Chip hurries to retrieve the canister, "How bizarre..." Cassandra in Donna's body mutters, breathlessly, and Chip lowers the canister, "...arms... fingers..." she stops and gasps, "Hair!" she presses her fingers to her ends of ginger hair, "Let me see! Let me see!" she shrieks in delight, springing to her and dashes to a mirror. Her eyes widen in horror, "Oh my God. I have ginger hair! Ginger!"
.~.
.~.
"Hope, harmony and health. Hope, harmony and health," the anomatronic voice repeats. The Doctor crosses the ward and gives Hame a cup of water.
She takes gently, rests it in her lap, smiling up at him and he smiles right back, "That's very kind. But there's no need."
The Doctor goes over to the window, "You're the one working."
"There's not much to do," she says gently, "Just maintain his smoke. And I suppose I'm company," The Doctor takes a sip of his water, turning away from the view to look back at Hame and The Face of Boe, "I can hear him singing, sometimes. In my mind...such ancient songs..." she mumbles in wonder.
"Am I the only visitor?" The Doctor asks her.
"The rest of Boe-kind became extinct. Long ago. He's the only one left," she looks back up at him, "Legend says that the Face of Boe has watched the universe grow old," The Doctor smiles at her interest and wonder, "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?"
"It's just a story," she giggles kindly, as if she was embarassed for going on. If she could, he wonders if she would blush.
"Tell me the rest."
"It's said he'll talk to a wanderer," she continues, "To the man without a home," The Doctor can't help but...recognize himself in this sentence, "The lonely God."
.~.
.~.
Cassandra still stands in front of the mirror looking at Donna's body, absolutely horrified, "Look at me!" she cries out frantically, "From class to brass! Although..." she bits her lip, undoing some of the buttons of Donna's blouse slowly, and runs her hands over her body, "Ooh...curves...oh, baby..." she bounces up and down, Chip following suit, "It's like living inside a bouncy castle!" she laughs, delighted.
"Mistress is beautiful!" Chips nods to her new body.
"Ooh, I'd never admit it to the ginger but, ooh - absolutema!" she bites her lips, "Such lovely lips! Mmm!" her eyes catch her old frame, which is empty, "Oh, but look..."
"Oh...!" Chip gasps in a sadden, surprised tone, "The brain lead expired...my old mistress is gone."
Cassandra-Donna leans over, "But safe and sound in here," she taps her head.
"What of the Donna woman's mind?" Chip asks.
Cassandra runs her fingers through Donna's hair, "Oh...tucked away..." she runs her hands over Donna's chest. Absolutely marvelous breasts this woman has! "I can just about access the surface memory, she's..." she pauses to think, but then gasps in shock, "Gosh...she's with The Doctor...a man...he's The Doctor... the same Doctor with a new face! That hypocrite! I must get the name of his surgeon," she turns on her heel to look in the mirror again, "I could do with a little work. Although..." she runs her hand over Donna's bum, "Nice rear bumper. Hmm!" she smiles. Then, Donna's mobile rings, "Oh...it seems to be ringing...is it meant to ring?" she pulls Donna's mobile out of her back pocket of her jeans (which does fantastic things for her hips!) and stares at it.
"A primitive communications device," Chip says.
Cassandra presses a button and The Doctor's voice is on the other end, "Donna, where are you?"
Cassandra places the mobile to her ear, but covers it up with her other hand, her voice a whisper, "How does she speak?"
"She seems to be from London, Chiswick. Old Earth."
She lifts the phone back up to her ear, (which has the loveliest pair of earrings, if she says so herself) "Uhm...wotcha..."
"Where've you been? How long does it take to get to Ward Twenty-six?"
Cassandra puts on a forced voice, ooh, this man even sounds handsome, "I'm on my way, governor. I shall proceed up the Apples and Pears."
"You'll never guess," The Doctor tells her, "I'm with the Face of Boe! Remember him?"
Cassandra makes Donna laugh through gritted teeth, "Course I do...that big old...boat...race..."
.~.
.~.
The Doctor shakes his head, distracted by something on the Duke's bed, "I'd better go. See you in a minute!" he replaces the receiver. The Duke is laughing. He and Frau Clovis both have a glass of champagne
"Didn't think I was going to make it!" The Duke laughs again. The Doctor wanders over and sees the Duke spot him, "It's that man again!" The Doctor forces a smile, scratching his ear absent-mindedly, "He's my good luck charm! Come in! Don't be shy!"
Frau smiles back, "Any friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan does not constitute a form of legal contract."
The Doctor nods.
"Winch me up," The Duke says, giving The Doctor the thumbs up. Frau presses a button on a remote and the bed tilts forwards, "Ah! Look at me! No sign of infection!"
A waiter comes up to The Doctor, "Champagne, sir?"
The Doctor shakes his head, "No thanks," he turns back to the Duke, something's wrong, "Uh...you had Petrifold Regression, right?"
"That being the operative word! Past tense! Completely cured," he laughs joyfully.
The Doctor's not as joyful as he should be, "But that's impossible."
Another cat-lady member of the staff comes up to him, "Primitive species would accuse us of magic, but it's merely the tender application of science."
The Doctor turns towards her, "How on Earth did you cure him?"
"How on New Earth, you might say," she grins.
The Doctor nods over to the drip, two bags filled with violet and bright orange liquid, "What's in that solution?"
"A simple remedy."
"Then tell me what it is," he challenges.
She shakes her head, "I'm sorry. Patient confidentiality. I don't believe we've met. My name is Matron Casp."
He nods back, "I'm The Doctor."
She gives him a sly smile, "I think you'll find that we're the doctors here."
Sister Jatt comes up to Matron Casp, "Matron Casp...you're needed in intensive care."
Matron Casp turns back to The Doctor, "If you would excuse me."
The Doctor nods to her and she leaves with Sister Jatt. He watches them walk away, knitting his eye brows.
Sister Jatt glances over at Matron Casp, "It's happened again," she says quietly so no one - especially this Doctor - can hear, "One of the patients is conscious."
"Oh..." she shakes her head, "...we can't have that..."
She doesn't need to look back to know that The Doctor is watching them suspiciously.
.~.
.~.
"This Doctor man is dangerous," Chip informs Cassandra-Donna.
Cassandra-Donna flicks her hair back up, fixing herself up in the mirror. Her lavender blouse is thrown onto the ground, now she's in an orange halter tank top, which she may or may not have pushed down to make her breasts more visible. She even added thick bracelets to her right wrists to complete the look, "Dangerous and clever. I might need a mind like his. The Sisterhood is up to something. Remember that old Earth saying...?" she bites her lip yet again, thinking for the phrase, "Never trust a Nun. Never trust a nurse. And never trust a cat. Perfume?" Chip takes a small tube of perfume out of his pocket and gives it to her. She pushes it down her cleavage. She then strides out of the room with purpose.
.~.
.~.
Sister Jatt and Matron Casp pass luminous green doors in intensive care, "It was having a perfectly normal blood-wash. And all of a sudden, it started crying," she stops over at green door, "It's this one," they both open one of the doors and look inside.
Diseased hands reach out to them, "Please..." the patient begs.
"Look at its eyes. So alive," Sister Jatt mumbles.
"Positively sparkling!" Matron Casp adds.
"Please...where am I?" he asks, hands shaking.
"And speech! How can it even have a vocabulary?"
"Sister Corvin's written a thesis on the migration of sentients. She calls it 'The Echo of Life'," Sister Jatt explains, "It's well worth a read."
"Help me..." the patient gasps out.
"I've seen enough, thank you," Matron Casp pulls back, disgusted. They shut the door and walk away, "If this happens again, we might have to review our brain stem policy."
"And what should we do with the patient?" Sister Jatt asks.
"Standard proceedure. Incinerate," she says dismissively and rounds to a corner. Sister Jatt pulls a lever on the wall, and there is a terrible, pained scream from the patient's cell as it glows white. She leaves.
.~.
.~.
Cassandra-Donna finally emerges onto Ward Twenty-six, still smoothing down her hair. She spots The Doctor examining various drips, with glasses on. He's looking at some bags, and stops, lifting one that is green, a concentrated look on his face. Ooh, isn't he just delicious? She smiles when he notices her.
"There you are!" he beams, "Come and look at this patient!" he takes her arm, leading her to a patient who's skin is completely red. She shivers when his hand rests on her lower back. He takes off his glasses, "Marconi's Disease. Should take years to recover. Two days," she eyes the man with wide eyes, oh, disgusting, "I've never seen anything like it...they've invented a cell washing cascade...it's amazing. Their medical science is way advanced," she gnaws on her lip because he's talking and he's so close to her, "And this one!" he leads her to another bed sporting a man who is completely white, "Pallidome Pancrosis. Kills you in ten minutes, and he's fine!" he waves cheerily to the patient, "I need to find a terminal. I've got to see how they do this."
They walk off, and The Doctor notices - no, no, not noticing he's not noticing - the way she's swinging her hips, walking with a proud stride. He takes a deep breath, just mates, "...Because if they've got the best medicine in the world, then why's it such a secret?"
He can't help but notice how she seems to be almost pressed up against him, "I can't Adam and Eve it."
The Doctor narrows his eyes, confused, "What's...what's with the voice?"
She looks up at him, "Ah've no idea what yer talkin' about," she clears her throat.
"Uh-huh."
"...just larking about New Earth...new me..." she eyes him up and down, resting her hands on her hips, puffing her chest out.
And that's when he notices.
She's out of her lovely lavender blouse, and in an orange halter tank top, and it does wonders for making her eyes and hair stand out.
But her shirt...it's...well, it's sort of...it's...exposing her...her...breasts. He shifts, his cheeks tinging pink, "W-well, I can talk," he hates himself for letting his eyes linger too long on her. He looks back up, "New new Doctor," he grins shakily.
Now, why is she looking at him like that?
She's inching closer, why is he inching closer? Is he going to get slapped? He deserves it, he totally does.
"Mmm... aren't you just..." she's biting her lower lip (since when does she do that?) and very suddenly pulls his face towards her and plants a smacking kiss on his lips. She's kissing him. Donna Noble is kissing him. The Doctor's eyes widen even more when she presses her lovely breasts against his, moving her body loudly along his, her hands digging into his hair. He even feels the tip of her tongue enter his mouth and oh stars, she is so good at this.
And he's enjoying this.
Oh no, he's enjoying this. Oh, this is bad, this is very, very bad.
When she finally pulls away, his now rosy skin, flames crimson. He stares at her, as if his eyes can't get any wider. She's slightly breathless, her lips wet and her chest heaving.
Why - why would she - why did -
"Donna!" he stumbles back, "What the hell was that?!"
She giggles, "Oh, that was fantastic."
He shakes his head, shaking and outraged, "N-no!" Oh, it was. It was amazing, "W-what happened to just mates?! You can't just - " he gulps loudly, "- you said - D-Donna!"
Donna laughs loudly, hands on her hips again, still breathless, "Oh, you're too bloody easy!" she's shifting and her eyes are widening, "It was...just something on of the staff told me to do!" her eyes are beaming, "Ooh, that...w-was hilarious!" She flicks her hair, and he opens and closes his mouth, not seeing her eyes trace his movements. She smirks, "Terminal's this way..." she clears her throat, "spaceman?"
She walks off, exhaling slightly.
He watches her go, extremely dazed and tousled.
.~.
The Doctor and Cassandra-Donna are looking at details of the hospital on a screen, "Nope...nothing odd..." The Doctor mumbles, looking through, "...surgery... post-op... nano-dentistry...no sign of a shop... they should have a shop."
Cassandra-Donna walks around him, staring intensely at the screen, "No, it's missing something else. When I was downstairs, those Nursecatnuns were talking about Intensive Care, but where is it...?"
The Doctor glances over at Donna, eyeing her up and down. She's doing that voice again, "You're right, well done."
"Why would they hide a whole department?" she continues, watching with interested eyes as The Doctor takes his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket, "It's gotta be there somewhere. Search the sub-frame."
"...What if the sub-frame's locked?" The Doctor asks. How does Donna know a sub-frame?
She rolls her eyes, "Try the installation protocol..."
Course. 'Cos Donna knows what that is too. He scans the screen, "Yeah, course. Sorry. Hold on," he clicks his sonic screwdriver off and the entire wall moves downwards, revealing a secret corridor behind. Cassandra-Donna smirks and walks straight into it. The Doctor follows, something happened to Donna before she came here. He knew it as soon as she...as soon as she...kissed him. What happened to her, though?
"Intensive Care. Certainly looks intensive," The Doctor comments, looking around.
Behind them, Novice Hame watches them enter the corridor. She follows quietly.
The Doctor and Cassandra-Donna go down metal steps into Intensive Care. They find themselves in the huge cavernous chamber, looking upon rows and rows of green doors. The Doctor walks along one of the rows and opens a door with his sonic screwdriver. They are face to face with a man, covered in boils and surrounded by smoke, who looks back at them, "That's disgusting!" Cassandra-Donna almost shrieks. What happened to his Donna? She would never say such a thing, never to a person in this horrible state, "What's wrong with him?"
"I'm sorry," is all The Doctor says, eyes wide, horrified by this, "I'm so sorry."
Cassandra-Donna holds her nose whilst the Doctor closes the door gently. He opens another. Cassandra-Donna peers at the woman inside, "What disease is that?"
"All of them," he answers, quietly disgusted, wondering how they could do such a thing, "Every single disease in the galaxy, they've been infected with everything."
Cassandra-Donna shifts, biting her lip, "What about us? Are we safe?"
"The air's sterile. Just don't touch them," he shuts the door and then leans over the railing, looking upon the rows of doors.
Cassandra-Donna follows, "How many patients are there?"
"They're not patients," he answers grimly.
"But they're sick."
He rounds on her, teeth clenching and hands fisted at his side, "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!"
"Why don't they just die?" Cassandra-Donna asks, following The Doctor, who's walking with a glare, hands swinging at his sides, the intense look of a horrified, disgusted, furious Time Lord.
"Plague carriers," he almost growls, stopping at another green door, "The last to go."
Novice Hame aappears at the end of the row, "It's for the greater cause."
"Novice Hame," The Doctor turns to her, oh, not her, "When you took your vows, did you agree to this?"
She walks towards them, "The Sisterhood has sworn to help."
"What, by killing?" The Doctor shouts.
"But they're not real people," she says gently, calmly, "They're specially grown. They have no proper existence."
The Doctor advances towards her dangerously, hands clenched inside his suit pockets, "What's the turnover? Hmm? Thousand a day? Thousand the next? Thousand the next? How many thousand? For how many years? HOW MANY?!"
"Mankind needed us," she tries to explain, "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. Flesh."
"These people are alive," he argues.
"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 steps forward, "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."
Cassandra-Donna peers over The Doctor's almost heaving shoulder, "Just to confirm...none of the humans in the city actually know about this?" The Doctor glances down at her, at her form, at her calmness, her left arm is held up by her right hand that is holding her elbow, she's biting her lip and running her hand along her mouth and he's angry but now - he's even more furious, he's had enough of this. What had they done to his Donna?
"We thought it best not - "
"Hold on," The Doctor interrupts, "I can understand the bodies. I can understand your vows. But one thing I can't understand, what have you done to Donna?"
Cassandra-Donna's movements stop immediately and Hame's blue eyes go wide in confusion, "I don't know what you mean."
"And I'm being very, very calm," he hisses out, deadly quietly, "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 Donna's head, I want it reversed."
"We haven't done anything," she insists and he doesn't believe her for a second, not after what he found out they're doing.
Donna glares over at him, "I'm perfectly fine!"
"These people are dying," he hisses out, "And Donna would care."
Donna rolls her eyes, giving up on trying to seem normal, "Pfft, oh, alright, clever clogs," she spins him around to face her. His eyes go wide, is wasn't the Sisters? They didn't do anything to her? She pulls his tie out flirtatiously, smiling and swaying her body and he is absolutely disgusted, "Smarty pants..." she leans closer, whispering huskily, "Lady-killer."
"What's happened to you?" he doesn't react to her movements because this isn't his Donna. But he wants her back.
"I knew something was going on in this hospital, but I needed this body," she glances down at 'herself' and then looks back up at him, "and your mind to find it out."
"Who are you?" he narrows his eyes.
She stands on tip toes to whisper into the Doctor's ear, "The last human..."
"Cassandra?" he pulls back, unpleasantly surprised. Cassandra?
"Wake up and smell the perfume!" she quickly takes the tube of perfume and skirts it in his face and before he knows it, he sees blackness and he kneels over, unconscious.
Hame quickly kneels to his side, "You've hurt him! I don't understand...I'll have to fetch Matron!"
"You do that, 'cos I want to see her," she curls her bitten lips, "Now, run along! Sound the alarm!"
Hame quickly gets up, hurrying off. Cassandra-Donna rips a cable out and an alarm goes off. She smiles, satisfied. Ooh, now this is going to be fun!
.~.
.~.
Hame emerges from Intensive Care into the hospital and meets Matron Casp and Sister Jatt going in, "Matron! It's that man. And the girl!" she gasps out, alarmed.
"We heard the alarm, now get back to work. Tend to your patients," Matron Casp says calmly.
Hame hurries off at her order and Matron Casp and Sister Jatt walk into Intensive Care.
.~.
.~.
The Doctor wakes up, finding himself inside one of the cells in Intensive Care. No, no, he needs to save these patients, he needs to save Donna! "Let me out! Let me out!" he demands.
"Aren't you lucky there was a spare?" Don - Cassandra - looks through the door, "Standing room only."
He grits his teeth together, "You've stolen Donna's body."
"Over the years, I've thought of a thousand ways to kill you, Doctor," she runs her hand along the glass, "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..." she leans in closer, a smirk playing on her lips, "...spaceman."
"Just let Donna go, Cassandra."
"I will!" she sighs, "...As soon as I've found someone younger and...less common...then I'll junk her with the waste. Now hushaby! It's showtime."
She goes to move away, Chip now with her, but Matron Casp and Sister Jatt approach Cassandra-Donna, "Anything we can do to help?" Matron Casp asks, smirking.
Cassandra-Donna flicks her hair, "Straight to the point, whiskers. I want money."
"The Sisterhood is a charity. We don't give money. We only...accept," Matron Casp says innocently.
"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 tell the city nothing of your institutional murder. Is that a deal?" she challenges them, walking forwards.
Sister Jatt presses a few buttons on a remote.
"I'm afraid not," Matron Casp smiles.
Cassandra-Donna twirls a strand of her hair, "I'd really advise you to think about this."
"There's no need. I have to decline," Matron Casp's smile only widens, it's sly and sneaky and clever.
"I'll tell them! And you've no way of stopping me! You're not exactly nuns with guns..." she snorts, "you're not even armed!"
"Who needs arms when we have claws?" Matron Casp hisses menacingly, her claws shoot out of her paws.
Cassandra-Donna smiles, intimidated, "Well, nice try," she spins around to call to Chip who's still waiting nearby, "Chip? Plan B!"
Chip pulls a lever and every cell door on the row springs open. The Doctor steps out of his cell, along with the infected people, "What've you done?" he yells, glaring hard at the nurses.
"Gave the system a shot of adrenaline," Cassandra-Donna quickly answers and he spins towards her. She did this! "Just to wake 'em up. See ya!" she runs off.
He turns back to the nurses, "Don't touch them! Whatever you do, don't touch!" he dashes after Cassandra-Donna and Chip. And he really hopes when he saves Donna that she will make Cassandra pay.
The infected zombie-like people limp and walk up to Sister Jatt and Matron Casp
"I think we should withdraw," Sister Jatt speaks calmly.
"We understood what you did to us. As part of the machine, we know the machine..." a man advances towards them slowly tells them.
Matron Casp starts backing away, "Fascinating. It's actually constructing an argument."
"And we...will end it," he plunges his hands into the electrics, electrocuting himself to death but causing every single cell door in Intensive Care to explode open. Cassandra-Donna screams as she, The Doctor and Chip run for their lives along the row. The infected people start to leave their cells.
Sister Jatt looks over the rails, horrified, "They're free. By the Goddess Centauri...the flesh is free!"
The zombies stagger slowly towards them, muttering, "Stop the pain..." and reaching out to them. Sister Jatt tries to hiss at them, trying to get them away with her claws, but she's is against the wall and one of the people touches her. Matron Casp watches in horror as she immediately breaks out in boils, screaming with pain.
The Doctor, Cassandra-Donna and Chip pause for a moment and watch all the zombies break out of their cells.
"Oh my God!" Cassandra-Donna screams in horror.
The Doctor rounds on her, "What the hell have you done?!"
She gasps, insulted, "It wasn't me!"
"One touch and you get every disease in the world, and I want her body safe, Cassandra! We've gotta go down! The zombies are advancing."
She shakes her head, "But there's thousands of them!"
"Run!" he orders and she screams, zooming down the stairs, "Down! Down! Go down!" The Doctor and Chip quickly follow her.
Matron Casp picks up a phone, "Quarantine the building!" she orders, hags up, and runs.
The zombie people follow The Doctor, Cassandra-Donna and Chip down the stairs, arms outstretched, "Keep going!" The Doctor shouts, "Go down!" They descend the last flight of stairs and burst through a door into the cellar. Cassandra-Donna frantically tries to operate the lifts.
The Doctor stops, "No, the lifts have closed down. That's the quarantine, nothing's moving."
"This way!" Cassandra-Donna points, and she runs the other way, The Doctor on her heel. No way she is getting out of his sight. More of the infected people are beginning to spill out from converging corridor. Chip is left behind. He whimpers.
The Doctor begins to go back after the whimpering man, "Someone will touch him!"
Cassandra-Donna snatches his arm, "Leave him! He's just a clone thing, he's only got a half life...come on!"
"Mistress!" Chip calls out pitifully, but she's already running in the opposite direction.
The Doctor looks at Chip, reaching a hand out, a loss at words for a moment, "I'm sorry, I can't let her escape!" he runs after her, out of sight.
"My Mistress!" Chip screams out, terrified. The infected people advance on him. Whimpering, he runs back in the direction he came from and jumps down the waste chute.
.~.
.~.
Inside the hospital basement, The Doctor and Cassandra-Donna rush back into the room where Donna met Cassandra, slamming the door behind them. Cassandra-Donna tries another door but seeing the zombies all clambering to get in behind it, she slams it shut again, "We're trapped! What're we going to do?!" she cries out.
The Doctor looks at her with the most terrifying expression she has ever seen. She cowers back a little, "Well, for starters, you're going to leave her body," he gestures up at the psychograft with his sonic screwdriver, "That psychograft is banned on every civilized planet! You're compressing Donna to death."
"But I've got nowhere to go!" she protests, "My original skin's dead."
"Not my problem," he growls, "You can float as atoms in the air. Now, get out," he points his sonic screwdriver at her threateningly, "Give her back to me."
She glares at him, "You asked for it," she breathes out a cloud of light, going from Donna's body into the The Doctor's.
Donna gasps, almost falling down onto the floor, disorientated, "Blimey, my head..." she looks around the room, "Oi! Cassandra! Where the hell did you go?! I am going to rip you apart for taking over my body!"
"Oh, my," Donna spins around to The Doctor, who's smirking and wiggling, "This is...different."
Please, don't let this be what she thinks it is, "Cassandra?!"
"Goodness me, I'm a man!" Cassandra, in The Doctor's body, giggles, "Yum. So many parts! And hardly used..." Cassandra-Doctor wiggles around crazily, "Ah...ah! Two hearts!" he praises, and lays a hand on The Doctor's chest, "Ooh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!" she swings his hips, delighted.
"Get out of him," Donna hisses, ignoring the pain on her lips.
Cassandra-Doctor runs a hand down his body and Donna makes a 'what-the-hell-oh-God-why' face that only she can pull off, "Ooh, he's slim. And a little bit foxy," he smirks over at Donna, "Oh, how can you only show a tiny bit of interest in this?" she runs her hand down his chest seductively, "I'm gorgeous like this!"
"Wait, wot?"
Cassandra-Doctor rolls his eyes, "Oh, please. Everyone's interested in him," she licks his lips, stopping for a moment before glancing back at Donna, eyeing her up and down, "Ooh, he seems to fancy you."
Donna's cheeks tint bright pink, "WOT?!"
Cassandra-Doctor glares, "Oh, don't shout."
"Cassandra..." Donna growls, storming up to him. The Doctor's eyes widen as she grips him by his tie and punches him in the jaw, "THAT'S FOR STEALING MY BLOODY BODY AND MAKING ME KISSTHE DOCTOR."
Cassandra-Doctor whimpers, hand pressed to her jaw, "Y-you punched me! You hit your boy - your friend!"
"I DON'T CARE. IT'S HIS FAULT YOU GOT IN MY BODY AND WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS BLOODY MESS IF I NEVER MET YOU, SO YOU CAN GO PISS OFF OUT OF HIS BODY!" Donna shrieks, absolutely outraged.
The zombie people suddenly burst through the doors making them both jump, "What do we do? What would he do?!" she pats Donna's arm frantically, "The Doctor...what the hell would he do?!" Cassandra-Doctor frantically asks, brown eyes going wide.
Donna spins around and sighs out when she sees a ladder, "We've gotta get up - "
Cassandra-Doctor shoves Donna roughly out of the way to get to the ladder first, "Out of the way, ginger!"
"I am going to scrap you to the bloody floor," Donna curls her lips, getting ready to just grab The Doctor's body by the hair, maybe she can punch Cassandra out of his body - the zombies come even closer and Donna hurriedly follows Cassandra-Doctor up the ladder.
.~.
.~.
At Intensive Care, zombies approaching from both directions.
Chip, still alive, whimpers and backs into one of the cells, shutting the door on himself.
.~.
.~.
"If you get out of the Doctor's body, he can think of somethin'!" Donna calls up to Cassandra-Doctor.
"Yap yap yap...God, it was tedious inside your head!" Cassandra-Doctor whines.
"If we don't die right now I will kill you myself you fuc - " Donna suddenly screams, and looks down to see Matron Casp grab her ankle, "Ah! Get off!"
Matron Casp gasps out, "All our good work! All that healing!"
Cassandra-Doctor rolls his eyes dramatically.
"...The good name of the Sisterhood...you have destroyed everything!" she hisses out.
"Go and play with a ball of string," Cassandra-Doctor says dismissively.
"Everywhere...disease! This is the human world. Sickness!" A diseased hand grabs Matron Casp's ankle. She wails in pain and breaks out into boils before falling down the lift shaft, wailing in pain. After watching her fall, the zombie people start to climb the ladder again.
Donna looks back up, trying to get that scene erased from her head, "Move!"
Cassandra-Doctor whimpers and hastily starts to climb the ladder again. They get to the top of the ladder and find the lift doors are sealed, "Now what do we do?!"
"Use the sonic screwdriver!" she shouts up.
Cassandra-Doctor takes it out of his pocket between his thumb and forefinger with his nose wrinkled. If she makes him drop it... "You mean this thing?"
Donna rests her head on the cool, metal rails of the ladder, trying to calm herself down, "Mhmm. The thing that looks like a screwdriver," she glares up, "Yes, I mean that thing!"
"Well, I don't know how to use it! That Doctor's hidden away all his thoughts."
Wish I could do that, Donna thinks to herself with a grumble. Oh, she is so gonna regret this, "Cassandra, go back into me...The Doctor can open it. Do it!"
Cassandra-Doctor shrugs, "Okay, then. Hold on tight," Cassandra leaps back into Donna, "Oh...oh, the ginger woman again," she looks back up at The Doctor, "Open it!"
The Doctor points his sonic screwdriver at her, (oh, his jaw is killing him), "Not 'til you get out of her."
"We need The Doctor," she snarls up at him.
"I order you to leave her!" The Doctor shouts angrily and she hates how it terrifies her. Oh, why is he like this?
Cassandra sighs loudly and leaps back into The Doctor.
Donna blinks up at The Doctor, or, now Cassandra again. That bloody moron, they need him!
"No matter how difficult the situation, there is no need to shout," Cassandra-Doctor informs her, making the most ridiculous faces ever.
Donna groans, "Cassandra, get out of him!"
She rolls her eyes as though it were obvious, "But I can't go into you, he simply refuses, he's so rude!"
"I don't care! Just do something!"
Cassandra-Doctor pulls a disgusted, reluctant face, "Oh, I am so gonna regret this..." Cassandra leaps from The Doctor's body into a diseased woman's body. She looks down at herself in disgust, "Oh, sweet Lord...I look disgusting!"
The Doctor opens the lift doors after shaking his head. He holds out a hand to Donna, "Oh, you have no idea how good it is to have you back."
"No, you don't..." Cassandra in the zombie's body glares and she leaps back into Donna, who crouches on the floor, sliding against a wall.
The Doctor seals the door with a slam, "That was your last warning, Cassandra!"
Cassandra-Donna stares into space, not listening to his warning, "Inside her head..." she mumbles quietly, "...they're so alone...they keep reaching out, just to hold us... all their lives and they've never been touched," The Doctor calms down a bit and holds out a hand, which Cassandra-Donna takes after a few seconds. He pulls her to her feet and they stare at each other for a few, short seconds. The diseased people bang on the lift doors. The Doctor and Cassandra-Donna walk off, through a door which leads back onto Ward Twenty Six.
Frau Clovis brandishes a chair at the two of them menacingly, roaring like a wild animal.
"We're safe! We're safe! We're safe," The Doctor assures her, "We're clean! We're clean! Look, look..."
"Show me your skin!" she orders.
He indeed shows her his hands, so does Cassandra-Donna, even twisting her body, which was not needed, "Look! Clean. Look, if we'd been touched, we'd be dead," Frau nods and puts the chair down. He stuffs his screwdriver in his jacket, "So, how's it going up here? What's the status?"
"There's nothing but silence from the other wards," she explains, "I think we're the only ones left. And I've been trying to override the quarantine," she fiddles with a small device she is holding, "If I can trip a signal over to New New York, they can send a private executive squad."
The Doctor shakes his head, "You can't do that. If they forced entry, they'd break quarantine."
"I am not dying in here!" she yells at him, determined and angry.
"We can't let a single particle of disease get out!" he points to the window, where the city is, "There is ten million people in that city, they'd all be at risk!" he yells, "Now, turn that off!"
Frau shakes her head, "Not if it gets me out."
"Alright, fine. So I have to stop you lot as well. Suits me," he turns around, "Donna. Novice Hame. Everyone! Excuse me your grace...get me intravenous solutions for every single disease. Move it!" Everyone starts gathering all the solutions. The Doctor ties a rope around his body and Cassandra-Donna attaches the solutions to it so they hang off him, "How's that? Will that do?"
"I don't know!" Cassandra-Donna shrieks, "Will it do for what?" 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 steps right back, ready for a running jump, "Here we go," he sticks the sonic screwdriver between his teeth and runs.
Cassandra-Donna narrows her eyes, "But you're not going to..." with wide eyes, she watches as he jumps into the middle of the shaft and clings onto the rope, "What do you think you're doing?!"
"I'm going down!" he fixes up the wench with his sonic screwdriver. Cassandra-Donna looks away, exasperated, "Come on!"
She laughs in disbelief, "Not in a million years!"
"I need another pair of hands. What do you think? If you're so desperate to stay alive...why don't you live a little?" he wiggles his eye brows.
The doors close because of Frau, leaving Cassandra-Donna trapped with the zombies and she has no choice but to jump into the lift shaft and onto The Doctor's back with a regretful moan, "You're completely mad. I can see why she likes you."
He smirks at her comment, "Going down!" they whizz down the shaft, screaming, harsh, fast wind making their hair sweep in their faces. They straighten themselves out when they reach the bottom.
"Well, that's one way to lose weight," Cassandra-Donna remarks.
"Now, listen, when I say so, take hold of that lever," The Doctor orders.
She pulls down her shirt, glaring, "There's still a quarantine down there, we can't - !"
"Hold that lever!" he shouts. Cassandra-Donna backs down, "I'm cooking up a cocktail. I know a bit about medicine myself," he rips the tops of the packets of each solution with his teeth and skirts them into the clear container where the disinfectant for the lift should go, "Now, that lever's going to resist. But keep it in position," he opens a trapdoor in the top of the lift, "Hold onto it with everything you've got."
"What about you?"
"I've got an appointment. The Doctor is in," and he drops down into the lift. He opens the doors with his sonic screwdriver. Beyond, are all the infected people huddled in groups. When they see him, they start to come towards him, "I'm in here, come on!"
"Don't tell them!" Cassandra-Donna shouts at him.
"Pull that lever!" the infected people stagger towards the lift, "Come and get me, come on! I'm in here, come on!" they reach out to him.
"Commence stage one... disinfection," the anomatronic voice says.
"Hurry up, come on!" The Doctor beckons them towards him. The solution showers into the lift, soaking him, "Come on, come on!" he urges and the infected people stumble into the shower and are also getting socked with the medicine, "All they wanna do is pass it on," he says enthusiastically, "Pass it onnnn!" he jumps up and down.
"Pass on what?" Cassandra-Donna echos back in confusion, "Pass on what?!"
"Pass it on!" The Doctor shouts, not answering her. The infected people touch each other, and pass on their good health. The boils begin to disappear. The Doctor grins manically.
Cassandra-Donna jumps down into the lift with The Doctor's help, "What did they pass on? Did you kill them? All of them?"
As if he would kill them! "No. That's your way of doing things," he walks into their midst, "I'm The Doctor and I cured them," the new humans look around at their surroundings, slightly child-like. A woman comes up to The Doctor and hugs him tightly, "That's right!" he says gently, "Hey, hey! There we go, sweetheart! Aye? Look at him..." he ushers her off to sit with someone, "Go on, that's it! That's it! It's a new sub-species, Cassandra!" he takes a man by the shoulders and looks at him, "A brand new form of life! New humans! Look at them, look!" he bends down to look at a woman with a huge smile on his face, "Grown by cats...kept in the dark, fed by tubes...but completely, completely alive!" he points at Cassandra-Donna, "You can't deny them, because you helped create them," she rolls her eyes, "The human race just keeps on going. Keeps on changing. Life will out! Ha!"
.~.
"This is the NNYPD. Please step away from the shuttles. All visitors to the hospital will be required to make a statement to the NNYPD."
The Doctor, now in his white shirt and tie, walks around with Cassandra-Donna, watching officers take away the nurses. One of them takes Novice Hame, she glances The Doctor sadly, and he returns the look. She hangs her head down in shame, disappearing from their view.
The Doctor suddenly remembers, "The Face of Boe!" he dashes off again, pulling on his jacket again. Cassandra-Donna rolls her eyes before following him into Ward Twenty-six. The Doctor approaches the Face of Boe who looks very much alive and well. He smiles, buttoning up his jacket, "You were supposed to be dying."
"There are better things to do today. Dying can wait," The Face of Boe says through telepathy.
"Oh, I hate telepathy. Just what I need, a head full of big face," Cassandra-Donna mutters.
"Shh!" The Doctor glances at her, face full of annoyance. He turns back to The Face of Boe.
"...I have grown tired with the universe, Doctor, but you have taught me to look at it anew."
The Doctor kneels before him, "There are legends you know, saying that you're millions of years old."
The Face of Boe laughs slightly, "There are? That would be impossible."
"Wouldn't it just? I got the impression...there was something you wanted to tell me..."
The Face of Boe nods, "A great secret..."
"So the legend says."
"It can wait."
The Doctor pouts, "Oh, does it have to?"
"We shall meet again, Doctor, for the third time...for the last time...and the truth shall be told. Until that day..." he teleports himself away.
"That is enigmatic," The Doctor grins, very impressed, "That-that is-that is textbook enigmatic," he nods to himself, and then stands to face at Cassandra-Donna, who has been examining her nails, completely disinterested in the proceedings, "And now for you."
She looks up, alarmed, "But...everything's happy. Everything's fine...can't you just leave me?" she tries to look seductive and pleasing, but it doesn't work.
"You've lived long enough. Leave her body and end it, Cassandra."
She starts to cry, "I don't want to die!"
"No one does."
"Help me!" she whimpers.
He shakes his head softly, "I can't."
Suddenly, Chip appears, making Cassandra-Donna gasp.
"Mistress!" he cries in delight, running up to her.
"Ah! You're alive!" she puts on a fake cheeriness.
"I kept myself safe. For you, mistress," he smiles sincerely.
Then, she gets an idea, "A body...and not just that, a volunteer..."
"Don't you dare," The Doctor warns, "He's got a life of his own."
Chip shakes his head, "But I worship the mistress!" Cassandra-Donna winks at Chip, "I welcome her."
The Doctor shakes his head, "You can't, Cassandra, you - "
Cassandra ignores him and leaps into Chip's body. Donna falls forward with a gasp, but The Doctor lunges to catch her, "Oh!" she wraps her arms around his shoulders, her head resting lightly against his shoulder, "You alright?" Donna quickly pulls back, mumbling something about 'oi, hands' before losing her balance again, he reaches out for her again, grasping her by the waist, "Whoa! Okay?"
She groans, resting her head on his shoulder, hands to her sides, "Yeah..." she finally get her bearings and gathers herself together...and finds herself staring right at The Doctor.
His whole face just lights up when she looks at him, "Hullo."
She raises a hand to wave at him, "Hullo."
The Doctor's smile only widens, "Hullo!" she flinches and his grip on her tightens, "Oh, sorry, just...welcome back."
"Mmm, it's bloody great to be back and that Cassandra - " at the mention of her name they turn to Chip...now, Cassandra-Chip.
"Oh, sweet Lord," he complains, "I'm a walking doodle."
Donna pulls back from The Doctor, although his arm just stays on her back, just in case, "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."
Cassandra-Chip frowns, "Well, that would be rather dramatic. Possibly my finest hour. And certainly my finest hat," The Doctor and Donna 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..." his legs end up giving away. Donna and The Doctor both reach forward to support him.
"You alright?" Donna asks, her voice soft. She feels terrible.
"I'm fine," he pauses. The Doctor and Donna stare at him in concern, "I'm dying. But that's fine."
"The Doctor can take you to the city, yeah?" Donna suggests, trying to smile.
"No, he won't," Cassandra-Chip shakes his head, "Everything's new on this planet. There's no place for Chip and me anymore," his gaze falls onto The Doctor, "You're right, Doctor. It's time to die," The Doctor glances at Donna, who looks rather upset. Cassandra-Chip swallows, "And that's good."
The Doctor and Donna help him to his feet. Donna leans over, whispering something into The Doctor's ear.
"Oh, Donna Noble, you're brilliant," he whispers back, beaming.
She shakes her head, smiling over at Cassandra-Chip, "Come on."
The Doctor and Donna lead him away, "There's one last thing I can do."
.~.
.~.
At a certain party, The TARDIS engines sound. The Doctor steps out of the doors, followed by Cassandra-Chip and Donna. Donna has The Doctor's jacket draped over her shoulders, she looks over at Cassandra-Chip, feeling her stomach flutter at the look on his face. Pure happiness.
The Doctor has landed at the place on the tape Cassandra was playing, at the party. Cassandra, as a proper human being is laughing and talking, the life and soul of the party.
Cassandra-Chip turns to The Doctor and Donna, turns burning his vision, "Thank you."
"Just go," The Doctor's lips twitch upwards, "And don't look back."
Donna gives him a thumbs up, "Good luck."
Cassandra-Chip walks into the midst of the party, up to human Cassandra. He's smiling soft, watching her, "...And if you'd actually seen them, they were shocked! But don't quote me on that. Oh, naughty. a bientôt!" she walks away from the group of people she was talking to.
Cassandra-Chip approaches her, "Excuse me...Lady Cassandra..."
"I'm sorry," she shakes her head, "I don't need anything right now, I'm fine, thank you," she goes to turn away.
Cassandra-Chip shakes his head, "No...I just wanted to say...you look beautiful."
Cassandra looks at him, her facial features softening, "Well. That's very kind, you strange little thing. Thank you very much."
"I mean it," he steps forward and looks straight into her eyes, "You look...so beautiful," he says sincerely.
Cassandra stares at him, so touched, "Thank you," and then...Cassandra-Chip's eyelids flutter closed and he keels over, his heart finally giving out. Cassandra kneels next to him, alarmed, "Oh my Lord. Are you alright? What is it? What's wrong?" she looks over her shoulder, "Someone get some help!" she fathers him into her arms. "Call a medic or something, quickly!"
A woman walks up to her, "Who is he?"
"I don't know," Cassandra says frantically, "He just came up to me. I don't even know his name. He just collapsed. I think he's dying. Someone do something!" she looks back at the poor man, "I've got you, sweetheart...it's alright..." Donna is close to tears, and The Doctor is watching solemnly. Cassandra rocks him gently, "There you are...there you are, I've got you...it'll be alright. There, there, you poor little thing..."
Donna doesn't think she can watch anymore, the tragedy of it all. She feels The Doctor take her hand, slowly leading her back into the TARDIS. The Doctor pauses for one last look before leading her through the doors.
.~.
.~.
Donna's playing with the sleeves on The Doctor's jacket, not meeting his eyes as he fiddles with the consoles. He looks back up at her, her hair covering her face, and she looked tired, so, so tired. She deserves a good rest. First trip he took her as this new him and she was being thrown around and someone else was overpowering her own body.
"Donna?" his voice is hoarse for a moment, so he clears his throat.
"Hmm?" she looks up at him, wiping away a tear that had fallen.
He moves around the console, "Are you gonna be alright?"
"About the moment we just witnessed?" she asks.
He shrugs, "If you wanna start there."
Donna repeats his movements, "Yeah, it was just...it was so lovely. And heartbreaking."
The Doctor reaches over to grasp her hand, "All thanks to you. I wouldn't have known to take Cassandra there."
She smiles back, "Yeah," she looks down at his hand, it's good that this wasn't as awkward as she thought it was going to be. Cassandra making her kiss him and all...and Cassandra telling her that he fancies her...but she won't push it. She doesn't want to cross that line. So instead she widens her smile, "What you did today, saving all those people...God, I forget how amazing you can be."
He smiles back, "Why, thank you."
Donna laughs, "No, seriously. That was...God, I don't even know how to explain it," instead of explaining, she envelopes him into an embrace, wrapping her arms around his back, he hugs her back just so quickly it shocks her for a moment, but forgets it when his chin rests on her shoulder. Very touchy, he is. They pull back, looking around the TARDIS, "You're brilliant. I envy that about you. Being able to think that quickly and save them all," she nudges him with her elbow, "Nice going, Spaceman."
"It's good to hear you say that," he sighs in relief.
She pulls back slightly, "What d'you mean?"
"Cassandra called me Spaceman," he explains, "Didn't seem right."
"But it was me."
"Well," he plays with his left ear. He doesn't tell her that when she calls him that, his stomach does this little flutter and his hearts quicken up, just a minor thing anyways, "She sounded...strange. Wasn't you."
Donna rolls her eyes, "Mhmm. Well, that was quite a day."
"You kissed me."
Oh, he probably shouldn't have brought that up.
She stares at him blankly for a moment, "Nope."
He blinks at her response, "Wait, what? Yes, yes, yes you did."
"Ohhh, you wish, don't you?" she leans against the console, smirking, "It wasn't me. Technically it was Cassandra."
His ears turn pink, "Oh, right, right, yes. Of course...but, I mean, I can see why."
Donna scoffs, "Oh, whatever."
"What?" he pulls a face, "I'm very good-looking, this new body! I'm friendly! I'm handsome! And brilliant!" he smirks, regretting and not regretting the next sentence that falls from his lips, "You're not a half bad kisser, Donna Noble."
She gapes at him, her eyes almost bulging out, "Wot?" Again with the 'Wot?'s! Every time he compliments her!
"You were!"
"Wot do you mean 'not half bad'?!"
Ohh, now she cares, "Well, technically, she wasn't you. It was Cassandra. And I'm not a huge fan of the 'grinding your body against mine and shoving your tongue down my throat'."
Her cheeks turn pink, "That's not - ! I didn't even - ! Oh my God!" she turns away, storming off, trying to hide the blush from her cheeks, "We are never talkin' about this again! Never ever!" she turns to a corner, huffing, "Goodnight! I will see you tomorrow, without ever bringing this up!"
And she slams the door shut and The Doctor giggles to himself, wondering where he should take her next.
author's note/disclaimer: The Doctor loves physical contact with Donna, mmm.
Ugh, why is it whenever I'm excited for DoctorDonna moments, there barely is any?! Agghhh.
So yes, I did have a great time writing this. Cassandra is my fav. I feel like she would absolutely adore Donna's body (because Catherine Tate has fantastic breasts and curves) and not even Cassandra can resist it. And neither can The Doctor. Mhmmmmm.
I do adore Novice Hame, though, she's a lil sweetheart.
The ending with Cassandra-Chip and Cassandra always makes me tear up, it's just so lovely.
bUT DAVID TENNANT PLAYING CASSANDRA, LIKE CAN WE PLEASE JUST TALK ABOUT THIS. THAT IS MY FAVORITE PART OF THE EPISODE, I LOVE HIM AS CASSANDRA I COULD NOT STOP GIGGLING.
Hopefully in the next chapter there will be more DoctorDonna moments, I think there was some good ones, like going through The Doctor's thoughts. I love imagining Donna just plain out kissing him, it's such a lovely image in my head.
So, I will see you all soon! The next chapter may take a little longer to update, but do not worry!
Let me know what you think of this so far, I'm so excited for this story!
Next up is Tooth and Claw!
