Here's another chapter ^^ let me know if you guys/girls like it with a review, please! and i'm open to friendly advice as well! don't hesitate to leave me a message if there's anything you wish to know. and check out some of my other fanfics too, if you want :)
When I landed this time, I was grateful to find myself in the Tardis, but not so grateful to find the same Doctor I'd just left, poking his head around the console to spot me.
"Alex!" He shouted with a grin, though I quickly panicked, remembering how angry the other man was with me and immediately thinking that this one would hate me too.
Because even if he did say sorry before I left, I knew he hadn't forgiven me for what the future me did and what I had just done—or not done—while at the Torchwood estate.
"I-I'm sorry!" I called out, forcing myself to stand and using the railing behind me to hold myself up and make my way towards the Tardis doors. "I didn't mean for w-whatever it is I've done or am going to do or whatever! So I'll just go! Really!"
He tilted his head, confused and headed around the console, coming towards me and making me quickly glance at the doors to guess how long it'd take for me to reach them before the Tenth Doctor reached me.
"What are you talking about Alex?"
He got a good look at me and his eyes suddenly flashed in anger, causing me to make a run for the doors in fear that he was going to attack me like before. I'm not usually afraid of much of anything, or if I am, I hide it well. But if you had the Oncoming Storm suddenly dashing your way, I'm sure you'd run too. I couldn't even reach the door handle before he grabbed my wrist and spun me around; my lower back pressed up against the railing behind me; leaving me with nowhere to go.
"Who did this to you?" He growled, making me cringe and quickly try to find a way out of my predicament. "Tell me, Alex."
Those familiar words had me panicking even more and, being completely trapped, I did what any sane person would when cornered. I punched him in the face.
"Ow!"
Immediately, I looked down at my fist and then over at the Doctor on the floor holding a hand to his face with wide eyes, coming to the realization of what I'd done and made another bolt for the door.
"Alex, wait!"
I yanked on the handle and just before I fell out into the Time Vortex, I was grabbed around the waist and pulled back into the Tardis; falling back on the floor and breathing hard at my scare before stiffening as the Doctor let out a sigh of relief.
"Geeze, can you at least let me figure out what's going on, before you go and try hurtling yourself into the Time Vortex? Man, you have a hell of a right hook."
My mind struggled to catch up with what was happening, my eyes staring at his arm around my waist in fear and confusion. Why did he save me? No, of course he would've saved me. I would've died. He'd do that for anyone, right? But he was going to feed me to the wolf before! Why would he threaten me only to save me moments later?! Why can't I just think?! My head pounded in my ears and I only now realized the amount of pain coming from my ribs at being yanked back into the Tardis, but everything in my head was just so muddled and I couldn't concentrate on anything other than the fact that nothing was making sense.
"Alex?"
I flinched at the Tenth's voice and went to apologize, only for him to wrap his arms around my shoulders and pull me against his chest in a hug; being careful of my wound.
"Please, Alex. Tell me what's wrong."
I didn't know what to do. That sense of panic in me was getting worse and I couldn't figure out for the life of me what was going on and why the man who hated me, was currently hugging me and speaking so… nicely. It reminded me of the Eleventh Doctor I'd met only with less childish excitement and more caring. But that can't be right. The Tenth Doctor… he hates me! After everything I didn't do with Rose and who knows how many others! He… He has to hate me. He just has to.
"Oi, Spaceman! How's a lady supposed to get any shut eye if you're in here yelling all the time?" A new voice said, drawing my attention to the red-haired woman who'd just walked in with her hands on her hips, until she spotted me. "Is that Alex? Why didn't you tell me Alex was here?!"
The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, I was getting to tha— Oi!"
I was suddenly pulled up and out of his grip, Donna looking me over before pulling me into a protective hug and glaring at the Doctor still on the floor.
"She's a mess! What did you do to her?!"
"Me?! Why does everyone assume it's always me?!" He complained, standing.
Donna gave him a pointed look and he threw up his hands.
"That was one time! Like it's my fault she didn't hear me say 'duck'!"
Donna scoffed. "Right. Then explain this, Spaceman. Hm? What happened this time?"
"Like I know! She hasn't said anything other than apologies since she got here and then tried to jump right out into the Time Vortex!" His eyes softened as he looked at me and I felt my throat tighten at how hurt he looked, as though he didn't know who I was or why I was acting this way.
For some reason, that look upset me. I was supposed to be the one hurt. He was the one who hated me. So why was he making it look the other way around? Why did I suddenly feel like the bad guy?
"I-I'm sorry." I said, catching their attention as I eyed him in confusion, before looking down and putting a hand to my bandaged head. "I don't… My mind's a bit muddled. We were… with Queen Victoria and the werewolf and you were so angry and now…"
I didn't know what else to say. My head hurt too much and all I wanted to do was lie down somewhere and scream and cry, but my own pride wouldn't let me. At least, not until I was alone and had some answers.
"Queen Victoria…" The Doctor pulled a hand through his hair, staring at me sorrowfully. "I'm so sorry, Alex."
"I-I just want…" I clenched my eyes shut, not knowing how to say what it was I wanted, but the Doctor seemed to understand and nodded.
"Your room's down the hall. The Tardis will move it closer and will give you something to help you sleep and take care of the headache."
I nodded and slowly pulled myself away from Donna, just wanting to get away from everything. I walked down the hall and opened the first door I came across, before taking a tablet on the bedside table and collapsing on the bed; curling up around the blankets to sleep.
Donna was confused, not having ever seen Alex as freaked out as she was just now and not really knowing what to do to help the young woman; who, after only knowing for a week or so, had quickly worked her way into her heart.
"What happened with Queen Victoria?" She finally asked, hoping that knowing the situation would help her with the woman later.
The Doctor sighed, turning to the console and fiddling with whatever he could get his hands on to distract himself from what had just occurred. "I… had just had someone close to me nearly die and because it was so early in my time-line, I was still suspicious of Alex. So when she just stood by and let it happen… Well, I got angry. I didn't understand her then. Why she couldn't do anything. So when a younger version of her just popped in, I just…"
Donna frowned. "You took it out on her."
He nodded, solemnly; knowing now that what he'd done to Alex then, and a number of other times, was wrong.
"What about her injuries? Those weren't—"
He shook his head. "No, no. Those weren't from me." He couldn't help but smile at this next bit. "My, uh, companion at the time told me she had… fought a couple of monks trained in some martial arts, with only a letter opener. She lost, obviously, but I wish now that I had been there to help her… She didn't even know what I was upset about and she still tried to make it up to me. God, why was I so stupid back then?!" He shouted, kicking the console before wincing at his now-injured foot.
Donna rolled her eyes. "We all make stupid mistakes, Spaceman. That's why it's up to the future us to fix it."
"When did you get to be so clever?"
"I'm Donna Noble. I've always been clever." She winked, making the Doctor smile.
"Alright then." He said, turning around to lean against the console. "So what should we do to fix this?"
She smirked. "Oh, I have a few ideas."
I woke up feeling emotionally drained despite the good amount of sleep I'd gotten. The Tardis must've done something, otherwise I probably would've never actually slept. I slowly sat up, cringing as I pulled a hand through my hair realizing now that I looked and felt disgusting; especially since I had fallen asleep in what I was wearing. As I looked around though, I was struck by confusion; not recognizing the room I was in or the things in it.
There was a book shelf stuffed full of history books and mystery novels with a couple of alien or mechanics books here and there. But then there was two whole shelves that had a variety of knickknacks that I couldn't tell you what they were other than alien. I got up out of bed, tossing the dark blue covers aside and went over to the shelves, poking a finger through a blue hologram of a planet shaped like a cube. What the… I then spotted a very familiar dinosaur tooth that was now strung up like a necklace and I held it up. Confused, I checked my pocket only to find my own missing. I shook my head, choosing not to think about it, but took it with me and went to leave the room to find a wardrobe or closet or something to change, but the door wouldn't budge and I groaned.
"Oh, come on. I just want a change of clothes and a shower." I complained, pressing my forehead against the wood door.
I heard a creak behind me and the Tardis hummed, making me turn around and see a closet that I hadn't noticed before with it's door open. Rolling my eyes at the Tardis, I headed over and grabbed the only set of clothes in there; a pair of somewhat-baggy jeans and a comfy, long-sleeved, black sweatshirt. It was odd, I myself having expected loads of clothes to be waiting in the closet, but there was just this one. I even shoved my head into it to look, but this was it. Shrugging it off, I went for the door again, but it remained locked.
"What now?" I pouted up at the ceiling and with another hum, I turned to find yet another door opened that I hadn't seen. "Oh, now you're just showing off."
The Tardis seemed to chuckle at that and I rolled my eyes before walking into the bathroom and showering. I had a lot to think about as I cleaned myself up. Now that my headache was gone and my injuries were practically all healed up, my mind was finally working the way it should and I felt really guilty as to how I treated the Tenth Doctor when I showed up here. This is obviously way after Rose since Donna's here and I just treated him the same as the last Tenth Doctor I was with. God, I'm so stupid sometimes. I groaned, pressing my forehead against the cool tiled wall of the shower, before the water suddenly went cold and I yelped; trying to turn the water off but it kept going.
"Alright! Alright! I'm getting out!" I shouted, clambering out of the shower and slipping, smacking my head against the wall with a 'crack'. "O-Ow."
I put a hand to my head, frowning up at the ceiling as I grabbed a towel to cover myself, flipping the Tardis the bird.
"The hell!"
She immediately retaliated by tossing me out of the bathroom head-over-heels, throwing my clothes in my face once I'd landed. Grumbling to myself about grumpy Tardis's as I pulled the clothes off my face and dried myself up, tugging on my jeans, dinosaur tooth necklace and underwear before she tilted the whole room and I tumbled out the door into the hall; my sweater smacking me again in the face once I'd sat up to complain about the abuse I was receiving. Deciding that complaining more wouldn't help, I simply frowned and pulled my sweater on before anyone could come down the hall and find me sitting there in my bra. Stupid Tardis. The hell is her problem? I froze, hearing something coming from down the hall behind me and my eyes widened as I remembered something important. Crap.
"She can read my mind."
Turning around, I spotted hundreds upon thousands of—what appeared to be—balls from a ball pit thundering their way towards me.
"You've got to be kidding me!" I shouted, turning tail and running for my life.
I came to a fork in the road and went to go right, but stopped as I saw chickens of all things charging after me. Quickly, I went to the left and, after being jumped by the chickens a few times, I managed to pull the door to the console room open and slam it shut behind me; panting with wide eyes as the Doctor and Donna peered out from behind the console.
"Alex? What's wrong?"
"And, why are there feathers in your hair?"
The Tardis chuckled again and I scowled up at the ceiling. "It's not funny!"
The Doctor and Donna shared a look, before they too chuckled and headed my way.
"So what happened then?" Donna asked, pulling a feather out of my hair. "You have a pillow fight?"
I pointed towards the Doctor in frustration. "Your Tardis decided that I was finished with my shower, drenched me in cold water, threw me out of the room half naked, and then proceeded to chase me down the hall with hordes o-of plastic balls and angry chickens! I don't even know why she has chickens!"
"She does? Hm." The Doctor put a finger to his chin. "I owe Casanova a chicken."
I sighed, moving away from the door and rubbing my forehead. "You're more than welcome to face the horde on your own then."
He shrugged and opened the door, but there was nothing there and he turned to me as I stared with my mouth gaping open.
"I don't see any horde of chickens or plastic balls."
"B-But… They were… Oh, I give up." I tossed my hands up in the air. "Let's just go somewhere before she attacks me with mops or angry wet cats."
The Doctor and Donna chuckled, the later saying something about getting me tea while the Doctor moved towards the jump-seat I was now sitting in; sitting beside me and crossing his ankles with his hands in his pockets.
"How are you feeling?"
I sighed, knowing that I couldn't be angry with him over something the Tardis did and… over what his past self did.
"Better. Still a little beat up and the chickens didn't help."
He chuckled at that, reaching over and pulling another feather off of me and dropping it to the floor. "Well, she certainly hasn't done that to any of my other companions."
"Just me?" I asked, curious.
He nodded, patting the railing behind him with a grin. "She must like you."
The Tardis hummed and I rolled my eyes. "Good to know she chases people with chickens when she likes them."
"Oh, she's done other stuff to you before. Future you's, anyway."
"I'll have to start preparing for war whenever I walk in here then." I said, ideas already running through my head.
The Doctor chuckled, catching my attention. "Aha, that would explain the one time you came in holding a garbage can lid like a shield! And the other time wearing an American football helmet!"
"Pft." Even I couldn't help but chuckle at that, the Doctor smiling over at me before he slowly dropped it.
"I'm sorry for what I did to you back then."
I shook my head, dropping my smile as well. "No. I shouldn't have acted the way I did when I landed in this time. I'm not usually so…" I waved my hand around. "…crazy. Don't know what happened."
He tapped my temple lightly with his finger. "You had a concussion. It's understandable that you'd be confused… And I want you to know that I did forgive you back then. I was still suspicious, but I started to see where you were coming from after that."
I glanced over at him, curious. "Is that why you're so nice to me now?"
"Well, there's that." He said, but didn't continue, leaving me hanging.
"And?"
"And what?" He asked back, innocently.
"You can't just leave it there!" I chided. "You made it sound like there's another reason!"
"Oh, I can't tell you that." He said, seeming to get a kick out of riling me up.
"Why not?"
He leaned in close, making me lean back in surprise, before he smirked. "Spoilers."
I blinked a few times as he stared, unmoving, heart pounding away in my chest out of nervousness or something else, I didn't know; before Donna suddenly walked in.
"Got lost trying to find the kitchen! Can you believe that?"
The Doctor suddenly pulled back and I continued to stare, frozen in my place as Donna grinned devilishly.
"Was I interrupting something?"
That knocked me out of my trance and, consequently, my chair as well.
"What?!" I landed with a 'thump' on the floor as the Doctor and I both turned to her with shakes of our heads, faces red.
"What?! No! I wouldn't—"
"Interrupting what?! We weren't doing anything!"
The two of us looked at each other before back at Donna as she laughed.
"Yes, alright, Spaceman. No need to get your boxers in a twist. Come on, Alex. Come get your tea."
I jumped up and hurried over, taking the tea from her and relishing in the taste, it being perfect somehow; though I was never a tea drinker in the first place.
"Oh man, this is good."
"I would think so." Donna beamed. "You told me just how you like it."
"I did?" I questioned, plopping back down in the jump-seat as the Doctor started moving around the console, looking down into the cup. "Huh. I've actually never had tea before now." I drank some more. "Don't know why."
"Are you serious?!" Donna asked back in surprise as the Doctor peeked around the console with his mouth gaping open.
"You've never had a good ol' cup of tea?!"
I shook my head. "Nope. I came from America. They're more of coffee people, but I wasn't allowed to have any, so I stuck to soda. God, this is good though."
The Doctor scratched his head. "I didn't know that. How did I not know that?"
I shrugged. "It's not that big of a deal. I'm not super talkative about myself or anything like that."
The two looked at each other before snorting and laughing.
"Alex? Our Alex not talkative?"
"Right? Can you believe that?"
I looked over at them in confusion. "Am I… missing out on something?"
Donna nodded. "Dear, you love to talk."
The Doctor quickly agreed. "Oh yeah. Everything from history bits to questions to crazy ideas."
"But…" I furrowed my brows. "I mean, not that much. Maybe here and there but… all the time?"
They both nodded.
"That's just who you are." Donna said, shrugging.
"I actually think you just like the attention—Ow!"
Donna had punched him and gave me a roll of the eyes and a smile as I chuckled.
"Come on Spaceman. Stop being rude and lets go on an adventure already."
He grinned and started running around the console, flipping switches and pushing buttons, making the Tardis rock violently back and forth and causing my tea cup to fall down into the lower layers of the Tardis with a crash.
"Oops."
The Doctor fell back into the jump-seat beside me, winked, and then was launched back into the console, where he flipped a switch and stopped the wild ride.
"Set the controls to random. Mystery tour. Outside that door could be any planet, anywhere, anywhen in the whole wide u—are you alright?" He asked Donna.
"Terrified." She admitted. "I mean, history's one thing but an alien planet?!"
"I could always take you home."
"Yeah, don't laugh at me. I'm not leaving her stuck here with you."
"Oi!" He said, sounding offended though we all knew she was teasing, and he went serious. "I know what it's like. Everything you're feeling right now. The fear, the joy, the wonder? I get that."
"Seriously? After all this time? I'd think Alex would have more of a clue than you."
"Yeah, probably. But why do you think I keep going?"
"Oh, alright then. Let's go!"
I chuckled and headed over to where they both were, Donna walking towards the door. "This is barmy. I was born in Chiswick. I've only ever had package holidays. Now I'm here! This is so. I mean it's… I don't know, it's all sort of… I don't even know what the word is!"
She bolted out the doors as the Doctor grabbed his coat and put it on, tossing me a long, dark, thick Belstaff coat that I caught in confusion.
"Your signature coat. You left it here the last time you popped off saying something about someone else needing it." He chuckled as I put it on with an excited grin. "Didn't know you'd be talking about yourself."
"Oh, this is so cool!" I shouted, bounding over and hugging him out of impulse, with a big grin on my face. "Thanks a ton!"
He hugged me back before I let him go and spun around with the coat flapping at my knees.
"Oh man! I feel like freakin' Sherlock Holmes!" I looked up at him and grabbed his wrist, pulling him out the Tardis doors. "Come on Watson! The game is on!"
"Oi! How come I'm Watson?!" He whined and I smirked over my shoulder.
"Because I have the coat and my name is Alexander Holmes!"
I could feel him rolling his eyes at my antics as I rushed out into the frigid air with him right behind me.
"Snow!" I cheered, letting his hand go and running off a little ways.
"Oh, real snow! Proper snow at last. That's more like it. Lovely. What do you think?" He asked Donna, who was standing there rigid in her dress.
"Bit cold."
"Look at that view." He gestured over at a large rock bridge of some kind, covered in icicles.
"Yep, beautiful, cold view." She complained as he quickly went off into a monologue, herself ducking back into the Tardis for something warmer to wear.
"Millions of planets, millions of galaxies, and we're on this one. Molto bene. Bellissimo, says Donna, born in Chiswick. All you've got is a life of work and sleep, and telly and rent and tax and takeaway dinners, all birthdays and Christmases and two weeks holiday a year, and then you end up here. Donna Noble, citizen of the Earth, standing on a different planet. How about that Donna?" He turned around, but she'd disappeared. "Donna?"
Taking my chance, I launched a snowball at him, hitting him in the back of the head and laughing.
"Ahaha! I gotcha!"
He grinned and bent down to gather his own snowball as I did the same. "Oh-ho! Not for long you don't!"
Just then, Donna came out of the Tardis in a thick black, fur lined, hooded coat, distracting the Doctor as he paused mid throw.
"Sorry, you were saying?"
"Better?" He asked, just as I hit him again and laughed. "Oi!"
"Lovely, thanks." She chirped, bounding down to where he was at and ignoring me as the Doctor chucked his snowball and missed.
"Comfy?" He asked, keeping his eye on me.
"Yup!"
"Can you hear anything in there?!" I called out.
"Pardon?!" She joked with a grin as the Doctor rolled his eyes.
"Alright. As I was saying, citizen of the Earth—" He stopped as a rocket flew over us.
"Rocket." Donna breathed as I brushed off my hands and joined them. "Blimey, a real proper rocket. Now that's what I call a spaceship. You've got a box, he's got a Ferrari!" She said, smacking the Doctor on the arm as I chuckle. "Come on, lets go see where he's going."
The Doctor glanced over at the Tardis as she tromped down the hill, before looking at me. "That's a Ferrari? The Tardis is a Ferrari! That thing is… is a Volkswagen bug compared to the Tardis!"
I pat his arm with a chuckle, before heading down after Donna. "Oh yeah, because every Ferrari has a hallway full of chickens!"
"You're never going to let her live that down, are you?"
"Nope!" I chirped back, bounding through the snow like an excited kid. "Oh, I missed snow!"
Donna smiled at me. "When was the last time you saw snow?"
"I lived in Southern California, so we never got snow. I went up to a maths camp my senior year of high school though and had a blast." I paused in my excitement with a frown. "Until I got a cold the second day…" My frown grew sadder then, a realization coming over me. "That was ages ago…"
The Doctor came over and hugged me, making me stiffen before relaxing a bit; knowing that this Doctor was different than the last and was at least similar to the Eleventh as far as the touching and friendliness goes. I hadn't mean to get sad though, but the reminder that I wasn't in my old world anymore still hadn't completely sunk in and mentioning it kind of upset me.
"Don't worry, Alex." The Doctor said softly. "I'll be here with you. I'm not going to leave you alone."
I nodded and he released me, ruffling my hair before moving a bit ahead.
"Come on, then! This way!"
We headed off across one of the rock bridges, steadily growing more chipper as we chuckled and skipped along before the Doctor stopped and I did as well.
"Hold on, can you hear that?"
I frowned a bit, hearing something as well. "I think so."
He looked over at Donna. "Donna, take your hood down."
She did, but she still looked confused. "What?"
"That noise is like a song."
"It's… sad." I said, looking around for the source, but the Doctor found it first.
"Over there!" He took off running and Donna and I hurried after him, before he skidded to a stop beside a person on the ground.
Thing was, I quickly recognized the alien and stopped, standing above it with a shocked look.
"What is it?!" Donna questioned.
"It's an Ood." I said, nearly a whisper as the Doctor took a stethoscope out of nowhere and put it in his ears.
"But it's face."
"Donna, don't. Not now. It's a he, not an it. Give me a hand."
"Sorry." She apologized, coming to kneel next to him in the snow.
I shook my head, moving around it to kneel down across from the Doctor and her in confusion. "But how can I hear it? I shouldn't be able to hear it."
The Doctor sent me a glance, before focusing on the Ood, trying to find it's heart. "I don't know where the heart is. I don't know if he's got a heart." He looked at Donna. "Talk to him, keep him going."
"It's alright. We've got you." Donna said, obviously not knowing what else to say. "Um, what's your name?"
The orb in it's hand lit up. "Designated Ood, Delta 50."
Donna reached for the orb, but I stopped her, just resting my hand on the orb sadly.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what they've done to you."
Donna seemed to realize then that the Ood was dying and gestured over to the Doctor. "I'm Donna and this is the Doctor and Alex. Just what you need, a doctor. Couldn't be better, eh?"
"You've been shot." The Doctor announced, the Ood speaking again.
"The circle…"
"No, don't try to talk." Donna said, but he continued.
"The circle must be broken."
"Circle? What do you mean? Delta 50? What circle?" He put a hand on it as it closed it's eyes and slowly shifted it's head. "Delta 50? What circle?"
It suddenly opened it's eyes to reveal that they were red and the Doctor grabbed Donna and pulled her far away from it, I myself only taking a few steps back as it sat up and growled, almost. It then collapsed and I sighed, looking back at the Doctor.
"He's gone." I stepped forward along with Donna, kneeling at it's side and moving it's hands into a more restful position; holding it's orb over it's chest.
"Careful." The Doctor warned, but I ignored him as Donna brushed the snow off his head.
"There you go, sweetheart. We were too late." She turned to the Doctor then. "What do we do? Do we bury him?"
"The snow will take care of that. Alex?"
I looked over at him, any cheerfulness from before gone as I remembered this episode.
"Do you know what he meant?"
Slowly, I nodded, turning away and standing up. "I can't tell you. I-I want to, but if I do then…"
He came over and pat my shoulder comfortingly; something I didn't expect after how his past self reacted to me not saying anything about what I knew.
"That's alright. I understand."
Donna looked over at us then, still confused. "Who was he? What's an Ood?"
"They're servants of humans in the 42nd century. Mildly telepathic. That was the song. It was his mind calling out." The Doctor explained, pulling me into a one-armed hug.
"I couldn't hear anything." Donna said with a small shake of her head, standing up to join us. "He sang as he was dying."
"His eyes turned red."
"What's that mean?"
"Trouble." The Doctor replied. "Come on."
We started walking off and he explained a bit more.
"The Ood are harmless. They're completely benign. Except the last time we met them, there was this force, like a stronger mind, powerful enough to take them over."
"'We'?" I questioned.
He nodded, giving me a squeeze. "Yeah. You really loved the Ood. Still do, it looks like."
I gave a small smile at that, as Donna—ever curious—asked more questions.
"What sort of force?"
"Oh, long story."
"Long walk." She countered.
"It was the Devil."
"If you're going to take the mickey, I'll just put my hood back up." She said in disbelief as he went on.
"Must be something different this time though. Something closer to home." He took a running start to get up a hill, the three of us spotting a building of some kind down below. "Ah-ha! Civilization."
It took us a while to get down there and as we did, I tugged on the Doctor's sleeve to get his attention.
"Doctor, how come I could hear the Ood?"
He scratched his head. "Uh, well I'm not too sure about that. You had a rough time with the Devil too, but I think it may have something to do with that mark you have and how you got here with the time jumping and whatnot."
"Why does everyone keep mentioning some mark?!" I asked, keeping my voice down so Donna didn't overhear.
"Because you have one." He poked my left shoulder blade. "Right here. I haven't seen the whole thing, but when you pop off, it's always that shoulder you're holding and that's where the glow comes from. So I'm guessing it has to do with your time jumping. That, and like I said, for some reason, telepathic beings seem to have more of an effect on you. It's why you can understand the Tardis in a way, and probably why you can hear the Ood song too." He messed up his hair again as we hurried over to a group of men and women being led around on a tour, him already flashing his psychic paper at the guard to get us in this far. "I haven't figured it out exactly, but that's what I've come up with so far."
I sighed, messing up my own hair in slight frustration. "Alright. I suppose that's better than knowing nothing at all."
He smiled, ruffling my hair as I frowned up at him. "That's the spirit! Now then… Sorry, sorry, sorry. Late. Don't mind us. Hello!" He chirped at the woman before us who was leading the group. "The guards let us through."
"And you would be?"
Out came the psychic paper again.
"The Doctor, Alexander Holmes, and Donna Noble."
Donna nodded with a smug grin. "Representing the Noble Corporation PLC Limited, Intergalactic."
"Must have fallen off my list. My apologies. Won't happen again. Now then, Doctor Holmes, Mrs. Holmes, Ms. Noble, if you'd like to come with me."
I blinked, a little embarrassed as I pointed between the Doctor and me. "We're not married."
The Doctor though, seemed to have a different idea and pulled me up against him with an arm around my shoulders.
"Aw, don't mind her. We're newlyweds. She still doesn't like people to know."
"W-Wha?! We're not—"
He winked down at me as my face heated up and I turned to Donna, but she was quietly snickering at my discomfort as the woman (Solana) nodded.
"Of course. And here are your information packs, vouchers inside." She smiled, handing the Doctor a plastic container, before hurrying the group to another room. "Now, if you'd like to come with me, the Executive Suites are nice and warm."
An alarm went off, stopping the three of us.
"Oh, what's that?" The Doctor asked.
"Sounds like an alarm." I muttered, but Solana poorly shrugged it off.
"Oh, it's just a siren for the end of the work shift. Now then, this way! Quick as you can!"
The Doctor shrugged over at Donna and we entered the suite where three Ood were up on small pedestals and another serves drinks.
"As you can see, the Ood are happy to serve and we keep them in facilities of the highest standard. Here at the Double O—that's Ood Operations—we like to think of the Ood as our trusted friends."
I winced at all the lies she was spouting, my fingers tapping my right thigh as I grit my teeth and tried not to say anything; focusing instead on the quiet Ood song echoing in my head.
"We keep the Ood healthy, safe, and educated." She continued. "We don't just breed the Ood, we make them better. Because, at heart, what is an Ood but a reflection of us? If your Ood is happy, then you'll be happy too."
Liars. My mind growled, hearing the sadness in the Ood song mix with what I was feeling. They're only happy to serve because you forced them to be. Their 'facilities' are metal crates with hundreds of them packed in like cattle! How could they be your trusted friends if you're treating them like stock! They're living creatures too!
"The circle must be broken."
"You alright, Alex?" The Doctor asked, putting a hand on my shoulder and making me jump, tearing my eyes away from the Ood I had been staring at since we got in here and not seeing how he eyed my previously tapping fingers.
"What? Yeah, no. I'm…" I glanced back at the Ood. "I'm fine."
Solana started walking around to where the Ood were and began doing her demonstration.
"I'd now like to point out a new innovation from Ood Operations. We've introduced a variety package with the Ood translator ball. You can now have the standard setting." She turned to the first Ood on the pedestal. "How are you today, Ood?"
"I'm perfectly well, thank you." He responded.
"Or perhaps after a stressful day, a little something for the gentlemen." She moved on to the second one. "And how are you, Ood?"
"All the better for seeing you." He replied with a husky female voice.
"And the comedy classic option." She went to the third. "Ood, you dropped something."
"D'oh!" He responded with a classic Homer Simpson voice, the people laughing whereas I just glared at them all from a corner of the room with my hands in my pockets.
"All that for only five additional credits. The details are in your brochures. Now, there's plenty more food and drink, so don't hold back."
The Doctor began his move, putting on his glasses and walking over to the lectern to mess with the computer for the big screen. Donna, on the other hand was taking Solana's advice and went for the food and drink before heading over to him as I did the same.
"Ah, got it."
The screen before us changed and I silently wondered how no one seemed to care we were messing with it, but figured it was just because they were only interested in themselves.
"The Ood Sphere." The Doctor hummed. "I've been to this solar system before. Years ago. Ages. Close to the planet Sense Sphere. Let's widen out." He pushed a few buttons and the screen zoomed out, adding points on the picture and lines to connect them as he walked around to the front. "The year 4126. That is the Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire."
Great and Bountiful, more like Greedy and Heartless. I mentally frowned, wondering how humans could've gone from worrying about global warming and saving the rainforests to this.
"4126?" Donna questioned in shock. "It's 4126. I'm in 4126."
"It's good, isn't it?" The Doctor smiled.
"What's Earth like now?"
"Bit full. But you see, the Empire stretches out across three galaxies."
"It's weird. I mean, it's brilliant, but… Back home, the papers and the telly, they keep saying we haven't got long to live. Global warming, flooding, all the bees disappearing."
"Yeah, that thing with the bees is odd."
"But look at us." She went on uninterrupted. "We're everywhere. Is that good or bad though? I mean, are we like explorers? Or more like a virus?"
"Virus." I grumbled, rubbing my forehead in aggravation as the Doctor sent me a glance.
"Sometimes I wonder."
"What are the red dots?"
"Ood distribution centers."
"Across three galaxies? Don't the Ood get a say in this?" She walked over to the first Ood and spoke to him. "Um, sorry, but—"
She stopped, not knowing if he was listening to her, so she tapped him to get his attention; the Doctor and I heading over.
"Hello, tell me. Are you all like this?"
He held up his orb. "I do not understand, miss."
"Why's he saying 'miss'? Do I look single?" She asked, offended and the Doctor kind of rolled his eyes, sending me a shake of his head in disbelief.
"Back to the point."
"Yeah." She said, doing just that. "What I mean is, are there… any free Ood? Are there Ood running wild somewhere, like wildebeests?"
"All Ood are born to serve." He replied. "Otherwise, we would die."
"You can't have started like that." Donna said in disbelief. "Before the humans—"
I watched as the Ood twitched unnaturally and I winced myself, his voice echoing in my head.
"The circle must be broken."
"—what were you like?"
"The circle." He said, the Doctor quickly seeing what was going on.
"What do you mean? What circle?"
"The circl—The circle…is…"
"Ladies and gentlemen all Ood to hospitality stations please." Solana said, the Ood going off and stopping us from finding out more.
The Doctor pulled off his glasses. "I've had enough of the schmoozing. Do you two fancy going off the beaten track?"
He held up the map that came with the brochures.
"Rough Guide to the Ood Sphere?" Donna read off it, grinning. "Works for me."
"Anything to get out of here." I complained, following them out.
We made it to a fence, causing the Doctor to pull out his sonic, but before he let us in, he looked over at me.
"You sure you're doing alright?"
I nodded. "The sooner we stop this, the better."
He gave me a nod in return and after a bit of walking, we headed up some stairs that overlooked an open area with marching Ood. One fell down and I gripped the railing in front of me tightly, ignoring the bitter cold that cut into my hand as a man cracked a whip, demanding the Ood stand back up.
"Servants? They're slaves."
The Doctor seemed to agree, putting his hand over mine and for once, I didn't freeze up or pull away.
"Last time I met the Ood, I never thought. I never asked."
"That's not like you." Donna commented.
"I was busy. So busy I couldn't save them. I had to let the Ood die. I reckon I owe them one."
"Sounds like I didn't do anything either." I muttered, feeling bad for also being there but not doing anything to save them.
The Doctor turned to me seriously. "Don't. Don't you blame yourself, Alex. They weren't the only ones fighting something that day and you were doing everything you could to help."
"Sorry." I muttered, now feeling a bit bad that I had upset him, though I wondered why he didn't see it that way with himself.
He had done everything he could to help too, but he blamed himself for their deaths even now. And I wasn't just talking about the Ood.
"That looks like the boss." Donna said, pointing out someone down below.
"Let's keep out of his way. Come on."
We left our perch and went back downstairs to check out some of the warehouses; the Doctor donning his glasses again as he looked at the map. He walked right past a room, but Donna and I stopped before she gave me a wink and brought her hand up to her lips. I quickly covered my ears and was glad I did as she let out a loud whistle, startling the Doctor and making him turn back to us.
"Where'd you learn to whistle?" He asked, tucking the map and his glasses away once more.
"West Ham, every Saturday."
"Can you teach me how to do that?" I asked, the Doctor pulling out his sonic and unlocking the metal door.
"Already did." She winked, making me smile and giving me a chance to look forward to something, only for us to walk into the room full of storage containers; my smile slipping off my face.
"Ood export. You see?" The Doctor said as we walked, pointing up at a large claw carrying a container. "Lifts up the containers, takes them to the rocket sheds, ready to be flown out all over the three galaxies."
"What, you mean, these containers are full of…"
I nodded, sadly. "Ood."
The Doctor went over and opened one of the containers, revealing the Ood inside and the pungent odor of sweat and other bodily fluids.
"Oh, it stinks." Donna complained. "How many of them do you think are in each one?"
"Hundred? More?" The Doctor responded.
"A great big empire built on slavery."
"We haven't changed much." I muttered, trying to keep from being sick as I stood near the door, away from the Ood.
"Oi, I haven't got slaves." Donna said, sounding offended.
"Who do you think made your clothes?" The Doctor countered, though it didn't help.
"Is that why you travel round with a human at your side? It's not so you can show them the wonders of the universe, it's so you can take cheap shots?"
"Sorry." He apologized.
"Don't… Spaceman." She looked over at the Ood then. "I don't understand. The door is open, why don't you just run away?"
One of the Ood in the front held up it's orb. "For what reason?"
"You could be free."
"I do not understand the concept." He said with a tilt of his head.
"What is it with that Persil ball? I mean, they're not born with it, are they? Why do they have to be all plugged in?" Donna asked and I suddenly couldn't take it anymore.
"I-I'm sorry." I said, quietly, drawing the Doctor's and Donna's attention towards me as I backed away. "I'm so, so sorry."
I could feel them watching me, the Ood. I could tell that they knew that I knew what happened to them; what needs to be done to save them. That I knew about their hindbrain being removed and replaced with those translator orbs, and that they needed the electric pylons removed from around the Ood Brain. They knew this and I could tell that they knew I was staying quiet about it, that I was dragging this out to keep some stupid plot in line, when I could've just saved them the moment we walked in. And the worst part was, they weren't angry with me. They just kept singing that sad, sad song.
Once Alex had backed out of the container, Donna looked worriedly over at the Doctor.
"What is she sorry for?"
He turned away from the door and over to the Ood. "I don't think she was talking to us."
"But why would she be apologizing to the Ood? She hasn't done anything wrong."
"That's just the kind of person she is." The Doctor said, glancing at the open door once more. "She's too kind for her own good."
He sighed, pulling a hand through his hair before turning back to the Ood. "Ood, tell me. Does the circle mean anything to you?"
"The circle must be broken." All of the Ood said at once.
"Oh, that is creepy." Donna said, but the Doctor was unbothered.
"But what is it? What is the circle?"
"The circle must be broken."
"Why?"
"So that we/they can sing." The Ood said along with Alex, who was standing in the doorway once more, with a hand on her head.
An alarm went off then and the Doctor turned around. "Oh, that's us. Come on!"
He grabbed Alex by the wrist and Donna followed after, everyone running in search of an exit. Once again, the Doctor missed the door—one that Donna stopped at—and he dragged Alex along with him. He paused and looked around confused.
"Where'd she go?"
"Back at the door you passed." Alex breathed out, before he tugged her along again, guards starting to show up.
"Donna! Where are you?!" He shouted as they ran, Alex rolling her eyes before everything grew quiet.
"That's not good."
"What's that?" He asked, stopping.
She looked up and paled. "I forgot about the claw."
"What claw?"
"That one!"
She pointed up at the large claw that was heading their way and his eyes widened, pulling her with him as they both ran from it.
"Stupid idiot with a power complex!" She shouted, the two of them ducking and rolling as the claw tried to grab them.
They got back up and the Doctor pushed her left as he went right. "Split up!"
She nodded and went down the other way, and the Doctor kept running as the claw followed him. He then jumped over some barrels, but before he could get up, the claw reached down for him. He figured that'd be it, but it suddenly stopped and he let out a long sigh of relief. It didn't last before he was grabbed by a couple of guards and brought around to a container where he could hear Donna shouting.
"Doctor, get me out of here!"
"If you don't do what she says, you're really in trouble. Not from me, from her."
The head of security nodded to the container. "Unlock the container."
Donna ran out and hugged him in relief as the guards let him go.
"There we go. Safe and sound." He smiled, looking around. "Have you seen Alex?"
"Hello? Container?"
"Right."
She rolled her eyes. "Never mind me though, what about them?"
The Ood from her container walked out and killed one of the guards, causing the others to panic.
"Red alert! Fire!"
Guns went off, but bounced off harmlessly off of the giant claw that suddenly shut the doors on the Ood.
"Alright, Alex!" The Doctor cheered, but Alex's voice came over the loudspeaker.
"Thank me later! Run!"
The guards seemed to realize why as another container opened up and most of them did run, except the head of security, who stayed behind to try and kill the Ood unsuccessfully. The Doctor ran out, waiting in the doorway for a moment as Alex hurried out too, grabbing her hand along with Donna's and putting some distance between them and the manic Ood. Solana had followed after them as well, and once they were somewhat safe, Donna used that chance to get upset with her.
"If people back on Earth knew what was going on here—"
"Oh, don't be so stupid. Of course they know."
"They know how you treat the Ood?"
"They don't ask, same thing." She said, before the Doctor started demanding answers.
"Solana, the Ood aren't born like this. They can't be. A species born to serve could never evolve in the first place. What does the company do to make them obey?"
"That's nothing to do with me."
"Oh, what, because you don't ask?" The Doctor snapped back.
"That's Doctor Ryder's territory."
"Where's he? What part of the complex?" He pulled out the map, but she hesitated. "I could help with the red eye. Now show me!"
"There. Beyond the red section."
"Come with me. You've seen the warehouse. You can't agree with all this. You know this place better than me. You could help."
Alex grabbed his sleeve, shaking her head with a wince. "Don't bother. She won't help."
The Doctor went to argue, but Solana proved Alex right as she called out.
"They're over here! Guards! They're over here!"
We were running again but we managed to get away, only run into more guards.
"This way!" The Doctor shouted, steering Donna and I in a different direction before we found another door.
"T-They're… They're going to gas them." I panted out, hearing the song get louder. "We need to hurry."
The Doctor nodded, before he too could hear the song. "Oh, can you hear it?"
I nodded, but Donna still looked confused. Ignoring her for now, the Doctor used his sonic to open the door.
"I didn't need the map. I should've listened."
We hurried in and the Doctor sonicked the lock, shorting it out before he pulled a torch out of his pocket.
"Hold on. Does that mean we're locked in?" Donna asked, but he brushed past her.
"Listen. Listen, listen, listen, listen." He repeated as I pushed past him and led the way, eyes sad.
The song was so loud now. So loud and so sad that I wondered how I hadn't started crying yet. Even in the show, the song was powerful, but hearing it myself—like this—it was near unbearable.
"Oh, my head." The Doctor hissed through his teeth as I felt my knees give out. "Whoa there!"
He caught me and slowly lowered me to the ground in front of the cage we were facing and bringing his hands up to the side of my head. Immediately, I pulled away.
"No."
He looked surprised, tears welling in my eyes as I scooted away from him.
"Please don't take it from me. They just… They just want to be heard."
"Alex, I don't know what kind of damage it can do. It's already hurting me, so it has to be—"
I shook my head, quickly bringing a hand up to it as I cringed at the pain that flared up. "Please don't. They're hurting more. So much more. I just want them to be heard."
"Alright." He said, giving in reluctantly and helping me up.
"What is it?" Donna questioned.
The Doctor winced again. "Can't you hear it? The singing?"
He shined his torch at the cage with the Ood and turned on a light to reveal them to Donna and I. The Ood quickly looked up, before moving back to where they were as the Doctor turned off the torch in surprise.
"They look different than the others." Donna said as they moved further back in the cage.
"They're unprocessed." I said, pulling the Doctor closer as Donna followed.
"Alex is right. They're natural born Ood, before they're adapted to slavery. Unspoilt. That's their song."
"I can't hear it."
"Do you want to?" He asked, the three of us kneeling before the cage, my forehead pressed up against the cool bars.
Donna nodded. "Yeah."
"It's the song of captivity." He said, trying to discourage her almost.
"Let me hear it." She repeated, looking over at me. "She said they wanted to be heard, so let me hear it."
"Face me." He said and once she did, be brought his fingers up to her temples to let her hear it. "Open your mind. That's it. Hear it, Donna. Hear the music."
He removed his fingers and Donna looked over at the Ood as she started to cry.
"Take it away." She said after a few moments.
"You sure?" He asked.
She shook her head. "I can't bare it."
He pressed his fingers to her temples once more and took the song away as she apologized.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay." The Doctor said, barely a whisper.
"But you can still hear it. You and Alex."
"All the time." He agreed.
I pushed a hand through the gaps in the bars. "They're so sad. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Donna looked at me, heart breaking because now she knew what the Doctor and I were suffering through. There was a creak as the Doctor opened the cage with the Ood and there was noise from above us.
"They're breaking in." Donna said, sounding worried.
"Ah, let them." He said, helping me up again and leading me into the cage.
We all knelt down in front of the Ood, I myself struggling to keep my composure as the Doctor questioned them.
"What are you holding? Show me."
The Ood were hesitant, but one lifted his head.
"Friend." The Doctor said, gesturing to us. "Doctor, Donna, Alex, friend. Let me see. Look at me. Let me see."
The Ood moved forward, but instead of going to the Doctor as expected, he came towards me and held his hands out, showing the small brain he was holding.
"I'm sorry." I cried, finally letting some tears fall as I looked up at the Ood. "I'm so, so sorry."
"Is that—"
The Doctor nodded. "It's a brain. A hindbrain. The Ood are born with a secondary brain. Like the amygdala in humans. It processes memory and emotions. You get rid of that, you wouldn't be Donna any more. You'd be like an Ood. A processed Ood."
"So the company cuts off their brains?"
"And they stitch in a translator." The Doctor hissed out through his teeth.
"Like a lobotomy." Donna said sorrowfully.
Their words where hitting too close to home. I knew how the Doctor's time with Donna ended and for them to be talking about what they were, it hurt. I suddenly felt like I was apologizing to Donna too, for what was going to happen to her. There was no way to save her, I knew. Not without messing up everything following her. Just like there was no way I could've stopped all the Ood being processed.
"I-I'm sorry." I repeated, the Doctor pulling me into a hug as I cried for the Ood and for Donna.
"I spent all that time looking for you, Doctor, because I thought it was so wonderful out here." Donna said, upset. "I want to go home."
The Doctor looked at her in near disbelief, just before the door above was broken in and the guards came down the stairs.
"They're with the Ood, sir."
The Doctor let me go and stood up, quickly shutting the door and shouting at the man and his guards.
"What are you going to do then?! Arrest me?! Lock me up?! Throw me in a cage?! Well, you're too late! Ha!"
Of course, his shouting didn't last long before they reopened the cage and pulled us all out. From there, we were brought up to the man's office and were handcuffed to the pipes in his wall.
"Why don't you just come out and say it? FOTO activists." The man demanded.
The Doctor was quick to snap back. "If that's what the Friends Of The Ood are trying to prove, then yes."
"The Ood were nothing without us. Just animals roaming around on the ice."
"That's because you can't hear them."
"They welcomed it!" The man argued. "It's not as if they put up a fight."
"You moron!" I shouted, teeth grit in pain as the tears just kept going; my head feeling like it was being split apart. "Let me put your brain in your hands and see if you don't give up! They have to be peaceful! They have no choice, because any creature like that would have to trust anyone it meets! I hope you grow bald like them and tentacles shoot out of your mouth!"
He flinched back at the quip I made about his hair, and even the Doctor seemed surprised about my outburst, saying nothing as the man stepped a bit closer.
"The system's worked for 200 years."
"There's a difference between it working and them being patient." I snapped back, making him step towards me in anger.
"I might just leave you outside to beg your precious Ood for mercy."
"I'd rather be with them than with the animals in front of me." I growled, reaching my free hand up and pulling a handful of his hair out easily, dropping it on the floor. "Oops."
The man turned to a guard and growled. "Guard!"
The guard nodded and slammed the butt of his gun into my stomach, knocking the air out of me and making me fall to my knees before he cuffed my other hand to the bars behind me as well.
"Alex!" The Doctor shouted and I tried to reassure him, but I couldn't catch my breath just yet. "You stop this! Stop this right now! Leave her alone!"
The man—Halpen, I remembered—simply adjusted his suit lapels and went back to business. "Anyway, all we've got is a rogue batch. The infection is about to be sterilized."
The Doctor's eyes widened as I hung my head. "The gas."
Halpen sent us a look. "How did you know that?"
"Who cares how I know?! You can't do that!" He shouted, far angrier than I remembered when I watched the episode.
It's been a while though… Not that it matters right now. I need to save them. I suddenly cringed, the voices getting louder and louder, making me let out a small whimper as I grimaced and hung my head.
"Alex? Alex! What's wrong?!"
Halpen smirked. "Hm, perhaps she'll watch her mouth next time."
"Alex, Alex, please! Tell me what's wrong!" The Doctor pleaded and I let out a small whimper again as the pain in my head grew worse.
"The circle must be broken." I said, shaking and looking up slightly as sweat slid down the side of my face. "The Ood are coming."
An alarm went off, distracting Halpen after his eyes widened at my words.
"What the hell…" He left the room with the one scientist and Ood Sigma following him out, as the Doctor struggled to try and reach me.
"Alex. Let me help. As soon as we're out of here. I can stop it."
I shook my head. "N-No. They just want to be heard."
"Then let me dim it. Make it quieter. That's all I'll do. Promise."
I was hesitant, but nodded, willing to allow him to at least soften it a little. It was then though, that Halpen returned.
"Change of plan."
"There are no reports of trouble off-world, sir." The scientist said; Ryder, I think his name was. "It's still contained to the Ood Sphere."
"Then we've got a public duty to stop it before it spreads."
"What's happening?" The Doctor asked, bringing their attention back to us.
"Everything you wanted, Doctor. No doubt there'll be a full police investigation once this place has been sterilized, so I can't risk a bullet to the head." He smiled, nervously. "I'll leave you to the mercies of the Ood."
"But Mr. Halpen, there's something else, isn't there? Something we haven't seen." The Doctor stopped him, though Donna was lost.
"What do you mean?"
"A creature couldn't survive with a separate forebrain and a hindbrain, they'd be at war with themselves. There's got to be something else. A third element. Am I right?"
"And again, so clever." Halpen said.
"But it's got to be connected to the red-eye. What is it?"
"It won't exist for very much longer." He snapped, getting to the Doctor's face. "Enjoy your Ood."
They all left, leaving us three alone and handcuffed to the pipes, the Doctor growling in frustration to try and get the cuffs off.
"Come on."
"Don't bother." I said, leaning my head back and closing my eyes with a quiet sigh, cringing as my stomach ached from where I'd been hit. "The Ood will find us soon."
"I'm not giving up." The Doctor snapped, but I just stayed silent; my head hurting too much to explain what I meant.
"Well, do something. You're the one with all the tricks. You must have met Houdini." Donna panicked.
"Do I go?" I asked, peeking an eye open and causing the Doctor to roll his eyes.
"Timing, Alex."
"Just curious." I muttered, as he spoke again.
"These are really good handcuffs."
"Oh, well, I'm glad of that. I mean, at least we've got quality."
The door opened then and three Ood appeared, all with what everyone keeps calling 'red-eye'. You'd think they'd realize that it's just when something's interfering with their mind… thingy. It's not a disease.
"Doctor, Donna, Alex, friends!" The Doctor said in a hope to stop them.
Donna followed. "The circle must be broken!"
They continued to repeat that over and over, but I stayed quiet, my head aching as I tried to figure out if it was possible for me to pass what they were saying along to the unprocessed Ood that started all of this. Come on. Listen. If I can hear you, then it should work the other way around. Doctor, Donna, Alex, friends. The circle must be broken. I'm sorry. Please!
I heard the two beside me stop and peeked an eye open to find the orb held in front of my face, but not moving any closer. It took a moment, the noise in my head growing louder and making me whimper in pain again as I pressed my head harshly against the metal pipes, but it finally stopped and the three Ood in front of us spoke.
"Doctor Donna, Alex, friends."
"Yes! That's us! Friends! Oh, yes!" They both cheered, excitedly as the Ood started to help us out of the handcuffs.
Once I was released though, I just sat there, breathing heavily. I was so tired. My head was just filled with the Ood song and them begging for the circle to be broken. It hurt, but it was so sad that I couldn't bare for it to just get taken away.
"Alex, hey. Look at me."
A hand held my cheek and I wearily opened my eyes to look at the Doctor, who was eyeing me with worry.
"I'm going to do it now, okay? I promise I won't do anything more than quiet it some."
I nodded slowly, my head feeling like dead weight. He put his fingers to my temples and I closed my eyes with him, opening my mind to let him quiet the noise. It was a strange feeling. It wasn't what you would think, but it was just like someone gently touching you. Like holding your hand or brushing a hair off your head. I could tell he was there, but it wasn't uncomfortable like I would've thought. Then again, he was only quieting the noise. I was sure that it would probably feel more intrusive if he had been going through my memories or something.
I felt him pull back out of my mind and I opened my eyes to give him a small smile, knowing that he was still going to be a bit worried; though what made me think that, I couldn't be sure.
"Thank you." I said, watching as he smiled before helping me up.
"Well, come on, then. We've got us some Ood to save."
We hurried out and dodged the bullets aimed for the Ood, before we stopped down an alley.
"I don't know where it is! I don't know where they've gone!"
"What are we looking for?" Donna asked as we started running again.
"It might be underground. Some sort of cave, or a cavern, or—" He stopped, looking around for a moment, before I felt something in my head and looked up.
"This way…" I muttered, before half dragging myself and the Doctor towards where I was getting this odd feeling from.
"How do you know?!" Donna questioned, though still following.
I gestured to my head with my free arm—the other wrapped around the Doctor's back as his held my waist, helping to keep me standing; my mind not having yet caught up with my actions. "There's this feeling in my head. Like a tugging. One of the Ood or something."
"Can you do that?!" She asked, before turning to the Doctor. "Can she do that?"
I felt him shrug. "Looks like it."
"Duck!" I suddenly shouted, all of us falling to the ground just before an explosion went off a ways behind us.
"Alright?" The Doctor asked, checking on Donna and then me.
I just smiled, leaning up on my elbow once I rolled over. "And there he is."
The Doctor and Donna turned as well to see Ood Sigma standing before us. Once I was helped up, I felt him poking around my head and I let him in. Once I'd opened my eyes, I nodded and turned to the Doctor.
"He said he'd take us to them."
"Are you serious?" Donna questioned. "You can actually talk to him?"
I shrugged. "Seems so. Trust me. I don't even know what's going on."
"Well, no time to sit around and figure it out. Lead the way!"
Ood Sigma bowed his head and started to lead us over to the right warehouse. I sighed in relief, still struggling a bit as far as walking goes, but I could feel myself getting better now that the noise was quieter. The Doctor seemed to notice this as well and gave me an encouraging smile.
"How are you doing?"
"Better." I replied, just about able to move on my own, though the Doctor kept next to me to help me when I stumbled. "Now I'm just trying to remember what happens next."
"Don't push yourself." He said seriously. "Your mind's already overworked."
"Yeah, but if I can just save one more life, won't that make today just a bit better?" I said, smiling a bit, causing him to shake his head with a small grin just as we stopped outside the warehouse.
"You—"
I didn't expect for him to do exactly what Eleven did when I first met him back in the 'Dinosaurs on a Spaceship' episode, grabbing my face and slamming his lips to mine before pulling away and moving over to sonic the door. I stood there, frozen once more and not really knowing what to do before he opened the door and turned to me.
"Well? Aren't you coming?"
I pointed to my face. "But you just—"
He rolled his eyes and grabbed my wrist. "Yeah, come on! I'll explain later!"
"Y-You said that last time!"
"Did I?" He questioned, looking lost as I remembered that that was the future him. The Eleventh regeneration.
That thought was thrown aside though, the moment we stopped and saw the Ood Brain; Halpen and Ryder standing nearby and Ood Sigma coming down the stairs after Donna.
"The Ood Brain. Now it all makes sense. That's the missing link. The third element binding them together. Forebrain, hindbrain, and this; the telepathic center. It's a shared mind, connecting all the Ood in song."
There was a click, the cocking of a gun and I groaned, having long gotten tired of the weapons after dealing with them a number of times already.
"Cargo." Halpen said, stepping out from the shadows with Ryder. "I can always go into cargo. I've got the rockets, I've got the sheds. Smaller business. Much more manageable, without livestock."
"He's mined the area." Ryder said.
Donna was shocked. "You're going to kill it?"
"They found that thing centuries ago beneath the Northern Glacier." Halpen explained, unconcerned.
"Those pylons."
"In a circle."
"The circle must be broken." I muttered after the Doctor and Donna; the song getting louder now that I was here with the center of it all, but not overbearingly so, since the Doctor muted it some.
"Damping the telepathic field. Stopping the Ood from connecting for 200 years."
"And you, Ood Sigma. You brought them here. I expected better." Halpen scolded, ignoring the Doctor.
"My place is at your side, sir." Ood Sigma said, moving over to where he was obediently, though he seemed to share a look with me as Halpen laughed.
"Still subservient. Good Ood."
I smirked a bit as Halpen seemed to furrow his brows in confusion at something; knowing that his own transformation was beginning. Ood Sigma seemed to share my joy, smiling back in my mind.
"If that barrier thing's in place, how come the Ood started breaking out?" Donna asked and the Doctor shrugged.
"Maybe it's taken centuries to adapt. The subconscious reaching out?"
"Or maybe it's had helped." I whispered, remembering what was to happen to Ryder.
"But the process was too slow. It had to be accelerated." Ryder said, stepping forward. "You should never give me access to the controls, Mr. Halpen. I lowered the barrier to its minimum. Friends Of The Ood, sir. It's taken me ten years to infiltrate the company and I succeeded."
"Yes. Yes you did."
I growled and rushed forward, punching Halpen in the face before he could throw Ryder over and kill him and the man stumbled back before lifting his gun to shoot me.
"Alex!"
I wasn't stupid though, and I was already twisting my body around; heel kicking the gun over the side of the railing where it was destroyed by the Ood Brain below.
I rolled my head to crack my neck as I bounced up and down in place. "Ooh, that was nice. I missed practicing that. You look a bit choked up there, Mr. Halpen. Something wrong?"
"Alex." The Doctor growled, worry lacing his tone, and I gave him a grin from over my shoulder.
"I'm alright. Knew what I was doing. Especially that bit before." I turned to Halpen and tilted my head innocently. "Do you remember my threat?"
Ood Sigma took that moment to turn and speak. "Would you like a drink, sir?"
Halpen laughed. "I think hair-loss is the least of my problems right now."
"Oh, you're right there." I said, Ood Sigma standing next to me with the glass.
"Please have a drink, sir."
"Are you protecting them nooooow." He frowned a bit, working his mouth around, obviously very confused as to what was going on.
"What was it I said? Something about tentacle mouths." I mused as Halpen started to catch on.
"Please have a drink, sir."
"Have… Have you… poisoned me?"
"Natural Ood must never kill, sir." Ood Sigma replied.
"What is that stuff?" The Doctor questioned.
"Ood graft suspended in a biological compound, sir."
"What the hell does that mean?" Halpen asked, holding a hand to his head.
"Oh dear." The Doctor said as I nodded.
"Oh dear, is right."
"Tell me!" Halpen shouted.
"Funny thing, the subconscious. Takes all sorts of shapes. Came out in the red-eye as revenge. Came out in the rabid Ood as anger, and then there was patience. All that intelligence and mercy, focused on Ood Sigma. How's the hair loss, Mr. Halpen?" The Doctor said, starting to understand why I had a grin on my face.
Halpen reached up and pulled another handful of hair off his head, panicking.
"What have you done?"
"Oh, they've been preparing you for a very long time. And now you're standing next to the Ood Brain. Mr. Halpen, can you hear it? Listen."
He shakily looked over at the Ood Brain and my grin grew.
"'I hope you go bald and shoot tentacles out your mouth'." I repeated, mockingly.
"What have you—I'm not—"
Ood Sigma moved aside and Halpen eventually raised his hands up to his head and peeled away the skin, revealing an Ood face before tentacles came out of his mouth.
"They… They turned him into an Ood?"
"Yup." I said, popping the 'p'.
"He's an Ood."
"I noticed."
The new Halpen Ood groaned a bit more, before spitting out a small hindbrain into his hands.
I wrinkled my nose. "Ew, alright. I love the Ood and all, but that's still gross."
"He has become Oodkind. And we will take care of him." Ood Sigma said; and Donna let out a breath, shaking her head, confused.
"It's weird, being with you two. I can't tell what's right and what's wrong anymore."
"It's better that way." The Doctor responded. "People who know for certain tend to be like Mr. Halpen."
I nodded, looking down at my hands as they shook in front of me. Donna's words made me feel sick to my stomach. I was actually enjoying Halpen's suffering at being turned into an Ood. Was this really something to be happy about?
Some beeping started going off and the Doctor let out a surprised 'oh', having forgotten about the explosives until now. Thankfully, he deactivated them in time and smiled.
"That's better. And now! Sigma, would you—" He suddenly stopped, looking over at me as I looked down at the Ood Brain with conflicted feelings. "Would you allow Alex the honor?"
I quickly turned to him in shock. "Me?"
The Doctor nodded. "Why not? You have a special connection with them. Led us right to Ood Sigma. I think you should do it."
Ood Sigma bowed his head in agreement. "The honor is yours."
I slowly nodded, heading over and the Doctor took my hands in his, leading them over the buttons I needed to press to stop the dampener on the Ood Brain as he grinned.
"Stifled for 200 years, but not anymore. The circle is broken. The Ood can sing!"
Immediately, the song echoed through the room and the rest of the buildings, all of the Ood joining in. I finally felt relaxed as the song stopped being a sad one of captivity and became one more of hope and thanks. The five of us left the warehouse and once Ryder had given me his thanks, he rushed off to help spread the message; the rest of us heading back towards the Tardis. We were joined by Ood Sigma and a number of others and I lightly kicked the snow at my feet, still feeling a bit upset about this whole thing.
"The message has gone out." The Doctor told the Ood. "That song resonated across the galaxies. Everyone heard it. Everyone knows… The rockets are bringing them back. The Ood are coming home."
"We thank you, Doctor Donna, Alex, friends of Oodkind. And what of you now? Will you stay? There is room in the song for you." Ood Sigma offered, but the Doctor shook his head a bit.
"Oh, I've… I've sort of got a song of my own, thanks."
"I think your song must end soon."
His face quickly dropped. "Meaning?"
"Every song must end." The Ood Sigma replied, before looking at me. "Though yours is only beginning, Alexander, the Seer."
I raised a brow at the nickname, but nodded. "Okay…"
"Yeah." The Doctor turned to Donna. "Um, what about you? You still want to go home?"
"No. Definitely not."
"Then we'll be off." The Doctor replied back to the Ood, who raised their hands in song.
"Take this song with you."
"We will." Donna nodded.
"Always." The Doctor followed.
"Forever." I grinned.
"And know this, Doctor Donna. You will never be forgotten. Our children will sing of the Doctor Donna, and our children's children. And the wind and the ice and the snow will carry your names forever." Ood Sigma said and we turned to get in the Tardis, before he stopped me. "And Alexander the Seer, there is great danger ahead for you and some songs must end, but you must not blame yourself, for you have the kindest of hearts that even Oodkind are incapable of having."
I gave them a shocked look. "But I-I'm not… I'm nothing special. How could I—"
"The answers will come." Ood Sigma replied. "And Silence will fall."
That sent a chill down my spine, quickly making me pale in fear.
"And with it, a song will end. A song with two endings. But only one will happen and it will be up to you."
"W-Wha? But I don't—"
"Goodbye, Alexander. The Seer… and Changer of Time."
"Alex!" I heard the Doctor calling from in the Tardis and I hesitantly turned and walked in just as the Tardis took off.
The Doctor spotted me though and come over, looking confused.
"Hey, are you alright? You look a bit pale." He frowned, looking up at the Tardis. "Did she say something to you?" He half-heartedly smacked the railing. "What have I told you about picking on Alex?"
"No." I said, making him turn back to me as I shook my head. "It's nothing."
He then headed over to me and frowned down at me, confusing me and enticing a little fear to well up in my stomach again.
"You shouldn't have done what you did to Halpen." He reached over and brushed his fingers over my stomach lightly, enticing a small cringe from me. "He could've seriously hurt you!"
"But he didn't!" I called back, wondering why he was so angry with me. "Like I said, I knew what I was doing! I've gotten into fights before!"
"He had a gun, Alex!"
"And I took care of it, didn't I? Why can't you just… Why can't you just trust me?" I asked. "You've already asked for me to trust you and I-I really am trying, because you're the only person here for me to trust. But how am I supposed to believe you if you can't even give me that trust back?"
"Alex, I—"
I then quickly changed the subject, poking him in the chest.
"You still haven't explained what that… thing you did before, was all about." I folded my arms in front of me. "Go on then. You want me to trust you? Explain."
"O-Oh. Well you see, there's this, uh, thing that happens and it sort of, um…" He trailed off, pulling a hand through his messy hair; any previous anger forgotten.
"Well? Go on." I said, pushing him. "What 'thing'?"
"Well, it, um… It involves you and it sort of… kind of involves me too. And what happens is, we sort of, uh, accidentally, um…"
I winced as my shoulder began to ache and my eyes suddenly widened as I remembered what happened the last time it did that. The Doctor noticed this and grinned.
"Ah! Well then, looks like you'll be popping off so—"
"Oh no." I said, grabbing his shirt in a fist before he could back out of our conversation, glaring at him half because of pain and the other because I knew what he was pulling. "You better finish explaining right now, Spaceman, or I'm going to make sure whatever companion I run into next will make your regeneration a living nightmare."
His eyes widened and he quickly started to ramble. "Are you serious? You can't do that!"
"Try me." I growled and he held up his hands in surrender.
"Alright! Alright! It was, um, b-back with Martha and we sort of, um went and um, well…"
I was nearly completely engulfed in light and I shook him. "Out with it!"
"Something changed and we—"
Just before he could say anything, I time jumped, landing in the dark in some old house, alone.
"That little rat." I hissed under my breath, before growing into a yell "I'm going to freaking KILL HIM! AGGHHHH!"