DISCLAIMER: I own nothing other than the plot.

A/N:

Chapter 3. This is story is an AU Torchwood series 4 story, set from the end of the Children of Earth, and movie forward in time from there (more or less – it's never exact. Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff, you know...) It also has certain Doctor Who ties, but I will note those when they appear in a chapter.

For this chapter, spoilers are for the Doctor Who episode 4.13 – Journey's End. Just a warning, from here on out, the story starts to get AU as changes in time start to appear.

Review please!

Chapter 3: Heartbeats and a Golden Glow, or the Crucible

Orange energy is exploding from the Doctor's skin. He's regenerating. Changing face. A new Doctor.

Then suddenly, he directs this energy at his hand in a jar underneath the TARDIS console. The liquid in the jar bubbles and glows, the energy flowing into it. The Doctor stumbles backwards, breathless - the same man. Donna and Rose stare.

"Now, then. Where were we?" He says cheerfully. He darts back to the console. Donna, Rose and Jack only stand there, stunned.

Sarah Jane's arms are thrown over her face, waiting for the blow from the Daleks in front of her car.

"Exterminate!" She hears.

Then, out of the blue, Mickey Smith and Jackie Tyler appear in flashes of blue light either side of Sarah Jane's car. They each carry a large gun. Shots ring out. The Daleks are blown apart. Sarah Jane gets out of the car, shakily.

"Mickey...!" she exclaims.

"Us Smiths have got to stick together." He replies, smiling smugly.

"Jackie Tyler, Rose's Mum." Jackie interrupts, "Now, where the hell is my daughter?"

Ianto and Gwen fire at the Dalek. Gwen is screaming. Ianto's brow is furrowed. Then they stop. They creep forwards. Their bullets have stopped in mid-air. They're just hanging there. Gwen and Ianto approach them in disbelief and amazement. Gwen reaches out with one finger to touch one, but she can't. The air ripples out from her finger as though there's an invisible wall.

The Doctor gets on his hands and knees before his hand in a jar, which still bubbles and glows. He blows gently onto the jar, and it calms. The Doctor smiles, delighted. Then he gets up.

"You see? Used the regeneration energy to heal myself, but as soon as that was done, I didn't need to change. I didn't want to, why would I?" He tweaks his tie. "Look at me! So, to stop the energy going all the way, I siphoned off the rest into a handy bio-matching receptacle - namely, my hand. My hand, there. My handy spare hand." He stands and turns to Rose. "Remember? Christmas Day? Sycorax? Lost my hand in a sword fight? That's my hand!"

Rose looks slowly from the hand to him, still uncertain.

"What do you think?"

"And... you're still you?" Rose asks quietly, edging towards him cautiously. The Doctor smiles, his eyes twinkling.

"I'm still me. "

They throw their arms around each other. Rose buries her head into his shoulder, eyes squeezed tightly shut in joy. Jack grins, so happy for them.

Donna smiles, then turns to Jack and says jokingly "You can hug me, if you want." Jack laughs.

"No, really, you can hug me." She repeats. Still, the Doctor and Rose cling to one another. The Doctor is beaming. Rose squeezes him tightly.

Gwen and Ianto are at a computer terminal, investigating the reason for the still frozen bullets.

"It's a time-lock." Ianto recognizes, "The ultimate defence program. Tosh was working on it. Never thought she'd finished it, but she did. The Hub's sealed in a time-bubble. Nothing can get in."

"But that means we can't get out."Gwen realizes.

"Nope. Not without unlocking that Dalek. We're trapped inside... It's all up to Jack, now."

Four Daleks surround the TARDIS.

"Report: TARDIS has been located."

On the Dalek Crucible, the Supreme Dalek responds.

"Bring it here. Bring the Doctor to me. Initiate temporal prison!"

One Dalek to each corner of the TARDIS, they surround it in a thin hoop of spinning blue light.

"Temporal prison initiated."

The Doctor, Rose, Jack and Donna are gathered around the console. The power cuts out. THE DOCTOR immediately begins shuffling around the console, trying various buttons.

"They've got us. Power's gone... some kind of chronon loop!"

There's a great crash and the TARDIS tilts dangerously to one side.

Sarah Jane, Jackie and Mickey creep behind a van, watching the Daleks.

"Transferring TARDIS to the Crucible!" one Dalek states.

The TARDIS is lifted skywards by a circle of blue light, up and away in the direction of the Dalek ship.

"Those teleport things... can we use them? SARAH JANE demands desperately of Mickey. "If they've taken the Doctor to the Dalek spaceship, then that's where we need to be."

MICKEY takes it out of his pocket. "It's not just a teleport, it's a Dimension Jump. Man, this thing rips a hole in the fabric of space."

"But can we use it?" she demands impatiently.

He puts it away. "Not yet, it burns up energy. Needs half an hour between jumps."

"Then, put down your guns." She says.

"What?"

"If you're carrying a gun, they'll shoot you dead." She steps out from behind van, hands raised in surrender. "Daleks? I surrender." She walks towards them, wincing.

"All humans in this sector will be taken to the Crucible!"

"She's bloody mad." Mickey mutters.

" Yeah, but Mickey - if they've got the Doctor, then they've got Rose." Jackie says. She puts her gun down, raises her hands. To the Daleks—"And us. We surrender!" Mickey kisses his gun before throwing it to the ground.

Martha is at home, adjusting the body-pack that is Project Indigo. To her mom she says "Now Jack's explained the base code, I know how this teleport works. I think. But you just stay indoors. There's no Daleks on this street, you should be all right. Just um... keep quiet."

"Where are you going?" Francine asks.

MARTHA abruptly states "I'm a member of UNIT and they gave me the Osterhagen Key, I've got to do my job." Francine makes towards her, but Martha holds out a hand to stop her. "I'm sorry."

"Martha... what's an Osterhagen Key? Tell me. What does it do?" But Martha can't or won't answer her.

"Love you." Martha whispers tearfully. She pulls down the cords on her body-pack and disappears.

60 miles outside Nuremburg, Martha appears in a dark forest, gasping in fright, the sound of Daleks not too far away. She stands and peers through the trees. The Daleks are gliding ominously though the woods. Martha runs in the opposite direction.

The TARDIS glides inexorably towards the Dalek ship.

"There's a massive Dalek ship at the centre of the planets." Jack says, "They're calling it the Crucible. Guess that's our destination."

Donna turns to the Doctor. "You said these planets were like an engine. But what for?"

The Doctor remembers, and spins towards Rose "Rose! You've been in a parallel world, that world's running ahead of this universe - you've seen the future, what was it?"

"It's the darkness."

"The stars were going out." Donna remembers.

Rose nods. "One by one. We looked up at the sky and they were just dying. Basically, we've been building this um... this travel machine, this... uh... Dimension Cannon, so I could... well, so I could..."

The Doctor raises his eyebrows. "What?"

Rose looks at him, then says like it's obvious. "So I could come back!"

The Doctor beams and giggles. "Shut up...!" Rose says, blushing. "Anyway, suddenly, it started to work. And the dimensions started to collapse." The Doctor's smile fades. "Not just in our world - not just in yours - but the whole of reality, even the Void was dead. Something is... destroying everything."

"In that parallel world..." Donna interjects. Rose turns to her. "...you said something about me."

"The Dimension Cannon could measure timelines," Rose explains "And it's... it's weird, Donna, but they all seem to converge on you."

Donna is genuinely bemused. "But why me? I mean... what have I ever done? I'm a temp from Chiswick!"

"Because you're special." The Doctor says.

Donna is exasperated. "Oh, I keep telling you: I'm not."

The Doctor looks at he and says simply. "No, but you are, you..." He looks at her as if he's only just realized. "Oh... you really don't believe that, do you?" He gestures his head. "I can see, Donna... what you're thinking. All that attitude, all that lip, 'cos all this time... you think you're not worth it."

"Stop it." She says.

"Shouting at the world 'cos no-one's listening. Well... why should they?"

Donna is starting to get upset. He's describing her feelings like he can see into her soul. "Doctor? Stop it."

But look at what you did..." THE DOCTOR says gently, proud. "No. It's more than that, it's like..." He searches his thoughts. "We were always heading for this."

He remembers. A ball of light, Donna, hurtles towards the TARDIS whilst it is in orbit around a supernova. Donna appears in the TARDIS in her wedding dress.

"You came to the TARDIS."

Inside Adipose Industries, Donna was behind the glass door gesturing to herself excitedly to the Doctor through the window at the opposite side of the office.

"And you found me again."

Wilf saluted.

"Your grandad."

Donna at her car where it is parked near the TARDIS.

"Your car!" With dawning realization, the Doctor continues. "Donna, your car! You parked your car right where the TARDIS was gonna land, that's not coincidence at all!" He spins on the spot, fingers to his temples. "We've been blind! Something's been drawing us together for such a long time."

Donna is breathless "But you're talking like... destiny. But there's no such thing... is there?" A gold flash goes through Rose's eyes, unnoticed.

The Doctor is holding his head, probing his mind. "It's still not finished. It's like... the pattern's not complete. The strands are still joining together. But heading for what?" The computer bleeps. The Doctor looks at the screen.

"The Dalek Crucible. All aboard..."

The TARDIS zooms towards the huge planet-shaped Crucible. The TARDIS lands with a crash.

"The TARDIS is secured!" A Dalek announces. The Daleks gather around the TARDIS, eyepieces twitching as they watch.

"Doctor! You will step forth or die!" says the Supreme Dalek.

The Doctor is watching the door. "We'll have to go out. 'Cos if we don't, they'll get in."

"You told me nothing could get through those doors." Rose says, alarmed.

"You've got extrapolator shielding." Jack exclaims.

The Doctor, turning to Rose and Jack, says "Last time we fought the Daleks, they were scavengers and hybrids and mad. But this is a fully fledged Dalek Empire... at the height of its power. Experts at fighting TARDISes, they can do anything." Jack and Rose realize the vulnerability of their position, and their eyes widen with fear.

"Right now, that wooden door... is just wood." Donna stands apart from them, staring straight ahead, not listening because all she can hear is the steady beating of a heart, becoming louder, closer... a gold glow filling her ears.

Jack continues in the background. "What about your Dimension Jump?"

Rose responds, "It needs another twenty minutes, and anyway, I'm not leaving."

The Doctor asks Jack "What about your teleport?"

"Went down with the power-loss."

"Right then. All of us together... yeah." The Doctor says, running his hands through his hair. He notices Donna's lack of interaction. "Donna?"

Donna does not react. She's staring straight ahead, eyes moist, mouth open, head full of the heartbeat. The Doctor goes to her concernedly. The Doctor takes her by the shoulders, snapping her out of the trance.

"Donna."

She starts, then shakes her head and speaks. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry, there's nothing else we can do."

"No, I know." She responds. The Doctor nods, mouths 'okay', and turns to the door.

"Surrender, Doctor, and face your Dalek masters." Orders the Supreme Dalek.

"Crucible on maximum alert!" a Dalek announces.

"Daleks." Rose laughs nervously. "Heh!"

"Oh, God!" Jack laughs too. They're both watching the Doctor, so absolutely confident in him. The Doctor looks at them all.

"It's been good, though, hasn't it?" He says. Donna smiles. "All of us... all of it... everything we did..."

He turns to Donna. "You were brilliant." Donna's smile widens. She nods.

The Doctor turns to Jack. "And you were brilliant." Jack grins.

The Doctor looks at Rose. He smiles a special smile, just for her. Her eyes fill with tears. "And you were brilliant." Rose smiles sadly.

The Doctor turns to the door, resigned. Rose and Jack follow him - after a deep breath, Donna makes to follow too. The Doctor steps out of the TARDIS followed by Rose and Jack.

"Daleks reign supreme!" States the Supreme Dalek, "All hail the Daleks!"

Donna walks slowly to the door and pauses, the heartbeat inside her head again. She sees something gold glint in the corner of her eye. She turns in surprise, and fear, and looks back at the console, but there is nothing there. The heartbeat begins again.

Outside the TARDIS, the Doctor, Rose and Jack look about themselves at the enormous ship as the Daleks chant.

"Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks! Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks! Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks! Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks!"

The Doctor exhales.

"Behold, Doctor." The Supreme Dalek says, "Behold the might of the true Dalek Race."

"Donna" It's no safer in there..." The Doctor calls over his shoulder. Donna gives herself a small shake, and turns back to the door - it closes. Upon hearing the door slam, the Doctor dashes back to the TARDIS.

Donna panics and begins banging the door. "Doctor?" She rattles the handle. "What've you done?"

Through the door he shouts, "It wasn't me, I didn't do anything!"

Donna is shouting too. "Oi! Oi, I'm not staying behind!"

The Doctor whirls to the Supreme Dalek, one hand on the door, one hand on the handle. "What did you do?" he demands, his voice desperate, dangerous.

"This is not of Dalek origin." Responds the Supreme Dalek.

Donna bangs on the door and yells. "Doctor!"

"Stop it!" Rose cries.

"She's my friend. Now, open the door and let her out." The Doctor orders.

"This is Time Lord treachery!" Panics the Supreme Dalek.

"Me?' The Doctor exclaims incredulously. "The door just closed on its own!"

"Nevertheless: the TARDIS is a weapon and it will be destroyed."

The TARDIS falls through a trapdoor that opens up underneath it. Donna stumbles about as the TARDIS falls through a long tunnel. The TARDIS shoots down the tunnel.

The Doctor stares down the trapdoor in horror. "What're you doing? Bring it back!" But the TARDIS falls, gathering speed. Donna hangs onto the railings for support. She calls out for the Doctor.

Urgently, panicking, Jack shouts "What've you done? Where's it going?"

"The Crucible has a heart of Z-Neutrino Energy." Says the Supreme Dalek "The TARDIS will be deposited into the core."

The Doctor, in horror, gasps "But you can't, you've taken the defences down." His voice rises. "It'll be torn apart!"

The TARDIS shoots out of the tunnel and into the core, which resembles the sun, a burning ball of fire. The lights around the console smash. Donna screams. Small fires spring up around the grilling. The TARDIS sinks further into the energy.

Rose advances on the Supreme Dalek, gesturing to the trapdoor. "But Donna's still in there!"

"Let her go!" Jack cries angrily.

Donna is crouched down by the console, emitting small screams and shielding herself from the small explosions and sparks and fire flying all around her.

"The female and the TARDIS will perish together!" Announces the Supreme Dalek. "Observe. The last child of Gallifrey is powerless."

A holographic screen appears above them - they turn to look at it, the Doctor approaching it with dread as he sees the TARDIS bobbing in the energy. The Doctor watches in horror, powerless indeed. Absolute chaos, sparks flying, glass smashing - the smoke is beginning to choke Donna.

"Please. I'm begging you, I'll do anything!" The Doctor beseeches the Supreme Dalek. He looks from the Dalek to the screen in helpless agitation. Gestures himself. "Put me in her place!"

His face is growing redder. "You can do anything to me, I don't care, just get her out of there!"

Donna is on her hands and knees beside the console. She coughs and pants as the chaos rages around her. The Doctor watches the scene unravel on the screen in front of him. He breathes heavily, trembling.

"You are connected to the TARDIS." The Supreme Dalek says gloatingly to the Doctor. "Now, feel it die."

The destruction of the TARDIS continues around Donna, but now she seems strangely immune to it. She stands motionless, the sound of a heartbeat in her ears.

As they watch, Rose and Jack go to the motionless Doctor and take his hands. A Dalek begins a countdown, and a tear tracks down Rose's face. Her eyes glint gold.

"Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!" The TARDIS flashes gold, then disappears.

"The TARDIS has been been destroyed." Announces the Supreme Dalek. "Now, tell me, Doctor... what do you feel?" The Doctor watches the screen, a dark expression clouding his face. "Anger? Sorrow? Despair?"

"Yeah." The Doctor whispers. Rose looks at him, one of the few people who knows what Donna and the TARDIS mean to him. They share the pain.

"Then, if emotions are so important, surely we have enhanced you." The Supreme Dalek taunts.

"Yeah?" Jack explodes, "Feel this!" He turns and shoots the Supreme Dalek. The bullets bounce off him ineffectually.

"Exterminate!"

The Supreme Dalek sends a death-ray Jack's way and he screams in pain and falls to the floor, apparently dead. Rose falls to her knees beside him in distress.

"Jack! Oh, my God. Oh, no..."The Doctor kneels beside her.

"Rose..." he says softly, so only she can hear. "Come here. Leave him."

"They killed him. And Donna. My friends. Dead…" Rose whispers, looking to the ground. "No. NO!" She shouts, looking up.

Her eyes blaze gold.

She waves a hand.

The world pauses.