CHAPTER 4: THE THAMES

It was obvious that Donna wasn't feeling the same excitement as she was. The adrenaline and anticipation was exhilarating, but for the former bride, it was only a day of heart break and betray. Anna sat beside Donna and comfortingly rubbed her back. She made eye contact with the Doctor who was looking at them curiously.

"We've arrived," he began, slowly. "Want to see?"

Donna sniffed and sluggishly stood up. "I s'pose…"

The Doctor grinned and turned the monitor towards her. "Oh, that scanner's a bit small. Maybe your way's best." He made an excited face at Anna before walking over to the door. "Come on."

Donna sighed and made her way over to him.

"Stop thinking about him, Donna," Anna told her. "There's so, so much more to see and experience and be happy!"

"All I want to see is my bed," Donna moaned.

The Doctor ignored her. "Donna Noble, welcome to the creation of the Earth." He swung the door open, revealing an amazing sight. "We've gone back four point six billion years. There's no solar system, not yet. Only dust and rocks and gas." He pointed into the distance. "That's the Sun over there – brand new. Just beginning to burn."

"Where's the Earth?" Donna looked skeptically into the vacuum.

"All around us. In the dust." The Doctor squinted, scrutinizing every rock. "But the question is… What was that first rock?"

Soon, one of the larger objects was starting to pull smaller rocks around it.

"The Racnoss…" the Doctor whispered in realisation. He quickly ran to the console and began to crank the wheel. "Hold on… the Racnoss are hiding from the war! What's it doing?"

Anna shook her head and smiled. "Hiding from the war?"

He grinned back at her before racing towards the door, again. "Oh, they didn't just bury something at the centre of the Earth… they became the centre of the Earth. – the first rock."

Suddenly, the TARDIS began to violently shake.

Anna looked at the Doctor in alarm. What was happening?

Beside her, Donna was beginning to panic, again. "What was that?!"

"Trouble," the Doctor grimly replied, while quickly slamming the door shut. "Remember that little trick I pulled? Particles pulling particles. It works in reverse! They're pulling us back!" As hard as he tried, he couldn't gain control of the TARDIS.

Donna glared at the Doctor. "Well, can't you stop it? Hasn't it got a handbrake? Can't you reverse or warp or beam or something?!"

"Oi! Backseat driver! Oh, wait a minute!" The Doctor grinned as he pulled something from beneath the console. "The extrapolator! Can't stop us, but it should give us a good bump!"

Anna winced as the Doctor began to viciously whack on the extrapolator. "Now!"

When they finally landed, the three of them ran out of the TARDIS and down a blue-lit tunnel. Following the Doctor's lead, they arrived in front of the Thames Floor Barrier.

Anna looked at him expectantly. What was he planning to do? Did he want to flood the entire basement?

"Come on! Trust me, I've got a history." He took out a stethoscope and placed the end on the door.

"But I still don't understand." Donna frowned. "I'm full of particles, but what for?"

Without looking at her, the Doctor replied, "There's a Racnoss web at the centre of the Earth, but my people unravelled their power source. The Huon particles ceased to exist, but the Racnoss are stuck."

Suddenly, as the Doctor continued on with his explanation, something captured Donna and began to drag her away. Anna was about to alert the Doctor, but a second one appeared and whisked her down the corridor. No matter how much she struggled against the robot, she couldn't get lose. She tried to summon up the energy from within her, but just as quick as her hand lit up a light blue colour, It was consumed by gold and finally disappeared without doing anything.

She growled in frustration. Useless!

Finally, when they stopped, they were back in the large chamber with the Empress of the Racnoss. The giant arachnid grinned at them.

Within minutes, both Donna and Anna were ensnared by layers of webs beside Lance.

"I hate you." Donna glared spitefully at Lance who rolled his eyes and glared back at her.

"Yeah, I think you've gone a bit beyond that now, sweetheart," he replied.

Sulkily, Anna decided to put in her own two pence. "For the record, I hate you, too."

He ignored her.

"My golden couple. Together at last – your awful wedded life. Tell me, do you want to be released?"

"Yes!" Donna and Lance exclaimed in unison.

The Racnoss tutted mockingly at them. "You're supposed to say "I do"."

Lance scoffed at the mere notion. "No chance."

"Say it!"

Hesitantly, Lance looked at Donna who looked back at him with an equally fearful expression.

"I do."

"I do."

Cackling evilly, she said, "I don't. " The Empress turned to the robots. "Activate the particles. Purge every last one!"

Anna looked at her feet nervously. It was much softer than both Donna and Lance, but she, too, was glowing. When was the Doctor going to arrive? "Please, hurry, Doctor," she whispered.

"My children, the long lost Racnoss. Now will be born to feast on flesh!" They could hear the echoes of the young Racnoss moving about in the hold. "The web-star shall come to me!" She continued to cackle happily. "My babies will be hungry. They need sustenance. Perish the web!"

If Anna wasn't panicking before, she was most definitely panicking now.

Like the coward that he was, Lance began to loudly protest. "Use them! Not me! Use them!"

The Empress only mocked him. "Oh, my funny little Lance! By you are quite impolite to your lady friend. The Empress does not approve."

The web that held Lance up loosened until he tumbled into the hole. They could hear him screaming in pain and horror as he was consumed by the baby Racnoss.

Anna could feel Donna trembling beside her and she knew she was doing the same. What was taking him so long? She knew he would never abandon them, but… WHAT WAS TAKING HIM SO LONG?!

"My children are climbing towards me and none shall stop them!" the Empress announced, triumphantly, before hissing at the solitary robot that was ascending the stairs. "So you might as well unmask, my cleaver little doctor-man."

Without hesitation, the robot removed the mask and cloak. "Oh well, nice try. I've got you, guys… girls!" He took out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at Donna.

The redhead began to scream. "I'm gonna fall!"

"You're gonna swing!" the Doctor shouted back at her.

As Donna fell, the tendrils still clinging on to her caused her to swing like a pendulum towards the Doctor.

The Doctor spread his legs out and stretched his arms. "I've got ya!"

Anna grimaced as she realised that at that height, she would never read the Doctor.

Bang!

The redhead slammed into the wall underneath the Doctor and fell the short way down to the cold cement floor.

Looking nervously at Donna, the Doctor sheepishly apologised.

"Thanks. For nothing." Donna glared at Time Lord who focused his attention on the other captive.

"Please do not miss, Doctor," Anna pleaded him.

He was quick to give her reassuring words, but with how Donna ended up, she really wasn't sure if she could trust him on this.

As the web began to loosen, Anna could feel her heart rate quicken up. When she began to fall, she couldn't help closing her eyes and suppressing the scream that burst out from her lips. "Oof!" She only opened her eyes when she hit something soft and warm.

"Told ya, I'd catch ya!" He grinned happily at her.

She let out a sigh of relief and went limp in his arms.

"Of course the Martian would catch his girlfriend!" Donna huffed.

The Doctor didn't contradict her. Instead, he placed Anna on to her feet and turned to the Racnoss. "Empress of the Racnoss, I give you one last chance. I can find you a planet. I can find you a place in the universe to co-exist. Take that offer and end this now."

The Empress laughed at him. "These men are so funny."

"What's your answer?"

Anna shuddered as she heard the dark fury in the Doctor's voice. It wasn't often when he was like this, but when he was, run. This was the man who had gained the name of The Oncoming Storm.

"Oh, I'm afraid I have to decline." The Racnoss laughed at him.

"What happens next is your own doing."

"Doctor…" Anna wanted to reason with him, but another part of her was almost… scared. What was he planning on doing?

"I'll show you what happens next," the Racnoss hissed back at him before turning to her robot soldiers. "At arms!" The robots obeyed. "Take aim, and – "

"Relax." One simple word – soft and commanding – and the robots were useless.

"What did you do?" The redhead gaped at him.

He spoke without looking at her. "Guess what I've got, Donna?" He retrieved a black remote control from his left pockets and waved the device at her. "Pockets."

"How did that fit in there?" The incredulity in her voice was unmistakable.

As if it was obvious for everyone, the Doctor stated, "They're bigger on the inside."

"Robo-forms are not necessary!" the Racnoss cut them off. "My children may feast on Martian flesh."

Anna snorted. Mars? Why does everyone think he's from Mars? Instead of seeing the comedy of it, she noticed that the dark look on the Doctor's face was truly scaring her now.

"Oh, but I'm not from Mars."

Finally seeing the severity of the situation, the Racnoss' confidence slowly deflated. "Then where?"

"My home planet is far away and long-since gone, but its name lives on – Gallifrey."

Anger immediately took over the uncertainty. "They murdered the Racnoss!"

"I warned you. You did this." He took out some Christmas baubles from his pocket.

The Empress immediately knew what he was going to do. "No! No, don't! No!"

Ignoring her, the Doctor threw them into the air. He took the remote control and began to control the baubles. Several moved through the corridor where they had found the Thames Flood Barrier. As they made contact with the walls, they exploded, taking the entire door down.. The water rushed in, smashing into the pillars and began to poured into the hole that led to the centre of the Earth.

"My children!" the Empress screamed.

He was not done. The remaining baubles circled the Racnoss and he detonated them around her. A fire broke out as the Empress continued to scream in agony – both from the pain of the fire and the pain of losing her children.

Without an ounce of remorse, the Doctor stared at the scene in front of him.

"No! My children! My children!"

Anna watched in horror as the fire and water soared around her. "Doctor…"

"Doctor! You can stop now!" Donna shouted at him. She, too, was frightened to see how the Doctor changed. What happened to the mad man he had come to know in the short time they were together?

Anna wasn't sure what was causing the Doctor to be like this, but he needed to snap out of it. "Doctor, please." She tugged at his sleeve and looked at him.

He turned his dark eyes at her and they softened as he saw how this was affecting her. He grasped her hand in his. "Come on! Time I got you guys out!"

They ran up the stairs, completely drenched from the water and when they were finally outside, Donna asked, "But what about the Empress?"

"She's used up all her Huon energy – she's defenseless."

Just as he finished speaking, an explosion shook the night. They saw burning pieces of the Racnoss' starred-spaceship become only dust blowing in the soft breeze.

As the Doctor and Donna cheered happily, Anna smiled at them. Even though she was sad that the Racnoss are now extinct, their way of living was far too dangerous for the other species. If there had been another way, she was sure the Doctor would've taken that route instead.

"Just…. There's one problem," Donna said.

They looked at her. "What's that?" the Doctor asked curiously.

"We've drained the Thames!"

This time, even Anna couldn't help but laugh with them.

D*O*C*T*O*R W*H*O

As the Doctor landed the TARDIS in front of Donna's modest house, Anna was starting to feel nervous. It was almost over. She was going to lose the Doctor forever. This was her last adventure together and it had finally come to an end.

"There we go," the Doctor said as they stood outside the TARDIS. "Told you she'd be all right. She can survive anything."

"More than I've done," Donna said.

The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and scanned both Donna and Anna. "Nope! All the Huon particles have gone. No damage. You're fine." He gave Anna a double scan and looked at the analysis curiously before putting away the screwdriver.

"Yeah, but apart from that, I missed my wedding, lost my job, and became a widow on the same day… Sort of."

"I couldn't save him," the Doctor said, remorsefully.

"And you'll be fine, Donna," Anna tried to comfort her redheaded friend. "If you need any help, you know Keegan and I are there for you."

Donna laughed. "Thanks, Anna." She inched closer to her friend as she caught sight of the Doctor's frown when the blonde mentioned Keegan. She nudged Anna while trying to inconspicuously tell her something by gesturing to the Doctor. Anna playfully pushed her away.

"Alright, I'd better get inside," Donna said, looking at the house. "They'll be worried."

"Best Christmas present they could have," the Doctor said as they her parents embrace through the window. "Oh, no. I forgot. You hate Christmas."

Donna told him seriously. "Yes, I do."

"Even if it snows?" The Doctor ran inside the TARDIS and pulled a lever. A beam of light from the TARDIS shot upward into the sky, creating snow clouds. Soft, white flakes began to fall around them.

"I can't believe you did that!" Donna exclaim.

Anna looked around them in wonder. It was beautiful. Even she didn't know the TARDIS could do that.

"Oh, basic atmospheric excitation." The Doctor casually said as he walked back out.

Donna smiled at him. "Merry Christmas."

"Oh!" Anna suddenly exclaimed. "It's Christmas! I forgot to give you your present! I should go get it, now!" She turned to the Doctor. "Can I use the TARDIS to go home?"

The Doctor tried to hide the hurt on his face. There was a time when she called the TARDIS her home. There was a time when she didn't need to go anywhere to get anything because it'd all be in the TARDIS. "Ya, but wait for me. Go in, I'll take you there in a bit."

Anna nodded and disappeared through the doors.

When he turned back to Donna, he saw her smirking at him.

"So?"

"So, what?" He frowned at her.

"You like her!" Donna exclaimed.

"She's getting married," the Doctor replied, looking away.

"Not yet! They haven't even set a date, yet." Donna looked the Doctor in the eye. "She's my best friend. If you hurt her in any way, I'm going to kill you. You know that, right, spaceman?"

The Doctor didn't answer her.

"You need someone like her," Donna continued.

The Doctor smiled sadly at her. "I've had my chance. Maybe you'd like to come with me, instead?"

"No." Donna smiled back at him. "I can't…"

"No, that's fine." The Doctor put on a brave front, but the both of them knew that he really wanted a companion with him.

"I guess… I better get inside and… remember to bring Anna back! She has my present!"

The Doctor smiled at her and nodded. "I'll be back." Just as he entered the TARDIS, he heard Donna speak to him, again. "Oh, what is it, now?" he asked in mock exasperation as he peeked back out.

"That friend of yours… what was her name?"

The Doctor swallowed hard. "Her name was Rose."

D*O*C*T*O*R W*H*O

Anna skipped out of the TARDIS in a much lighter mood. There was little regret. While in the TARDIS, the Doctor had promised to come back after she lived her time with Keegan.

"Keegan?" She peeked into the living room, expecting to see her fiancés waiting for her, but he was nowhere to be seen. "Keegan? I am home." She frowned. Where was he?

As she slowly walked up the stairs, a sinking feeling grew in her stomach. She let out a breath of air to keep the nausea down. "Keegan, where are you? This is not funny… I am sorry that I left you like that. I promise the next fifty years will be as normal as… as… the most normal thing." The Doctor was such a bad influence…

"You don't think I'd actually let you get married, did you?" It was his voice.

She looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the owner of the voice.

"Keegan? Keegan!" Anna was now in a state of panic as she ran down the dim corridor. "Keegan!" She looked into every room. Nothing. Where was he? Where was he?

Anna sat on their bed with her head in her hands.

"Have you thought of taking a bath, yet?" the voice teased. "A looooong bath."

Her heart dropped as she looked at the closed door directly in front of her. "Keegan?" she whispered, slowly walking towards the bathroom. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest and her head was buzzing uncomfortably.

Her hand twisted the door knob. Time seemed to be moving incredibly slowly. When she flung the door opened, she saw that the shower curtain was drawn closed. There was a silhouette peeking from the top. "Keegan?!"

With shaky hands, she slid it across the pole and breathed a sigh of relief when all she saw was a beach ball floating in the water. She calmed down her breathing and rested her head on the cold metal rim of the frame. After a few more seconds, she turned to leave.

Suddenly, she heard a loud crack from the sky light before shards of glass rained down on her. A body was dangling inches from her face. She screamed and screamed. What she saw wasn't processing in her head. The face that she had come to know so well was nearly split in two by a deep gash through the middle. Blood splattered on to her face. His eyes were still darting left and right before settling on her. He was still alive… Oh, God. He was still alive!

"I kept him fresh for you."

She felt her world tip sideways before a burst of pain erupted from her head and she blacked out.

D*O*C*T*O*R W*H*O

When Anna finally woke up, there was a man by her side, shaking her. "Can you hear me?" Groggily, she nodded her head. A bright beam of light hit her eyes. She tried to push him away. "It's going to be alright. Your friend is coming."

Seconds later, Jack was holding her. "Hey, angel. How ya feeling?"

She wasn't sure how she was feeling. Confused, maybe. "What happened?" She was in her bed, but she didn't feel well rested as she usually did and why were the two paramedics in the house? "I need to go to the toilet," she mumbled, trying to get off the bed, but Jack pushed her back down. "Jack!"

"You can go, later." He had a serious look on his face – one that she had never seen before.

"Where's Keegan?" Why wasn't he here with her?

"Wait here. Don't move." He tucked her back into bed. "I'm going to find Ianto and get you a big cup of coffee." H e was gone before she could protest.

She sighed at Jack's antics before getting out of bed. Instead of being in Keegan's room as she first thought, she was in a smaller guest room that was on the other side of the manor. How did she get here? Why didn't she remember anything?

She pushed the door open to the nearest bathroom and froze as a memory hit her.

So much blood.

There was so much blood and his eyes. He was still alive!

I kept him fresh for you.

She screamed and dropped to the cold tiled floor, clutching her head. Heavy footsteps immediately travelled toward her. "Keegan… Keegan… Keegan…"

When Jack burst in with Ianto behind him, he found the platinum blonde rocking back and forth in a fetal position. Her eyes were wide and unseeing and she chanted one name repeatedly.

"Anna." He knelt beside her and gathered her into his arms.

D*O*C*T*O*R W*H*O

The next few days passed by like a blur. Jack and Ianto stayed with Anna in the manor because she had refused to leave. The funeral was today and many of Keegan's friends and business partners had arrived with condolences.

Anna nodded dutifully at everyone who approached her. Jack stood beside her like a bodyguard. Every once in a while, she could vaguely hear him cursing the Doctor. It made her heart ache every time and guilt doubled inside her. Whoever was after her had killed Keegan. It was her fault that he was dead and not only that, she still longed for the Doctor. It would've been so much better if Keegan never met her.

She rotated the engagement ring on her finger.

After the formalities, Anna hid away from the pitying eyes. Sobs racked her body as she thought about how quickly he had been taken for her.

He was supposed to have another fifty years!

"What a pity…"

Anna growled. "What do you want with me?!" She spun around trying to catch a glimpse of the bastard. "Why did you kill him? Why are you doing this to me?!" Her entire body was shaking with fury.

"Because you're mine," the voice missed. "Every part of you is mine. If you dare let anyone take you, I will kill them. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine."

"Anna!" she heard Jack call out. "Where'd you go?" She could detect the worry in his voice.

Overpowering the sound of Jack were loud wheezing sirens.

"I'm so sorry, Jack," she whispered before retrieving her lipstick and left a quick note on the table. "I'm not going to let you control me, you bastard!" She gave the room one last glance and climbed out the window, running towards the imposing noise.

D*O*C*T*O*R W*H*O

The Doctor had promised to pick up Anna after Keegan passed on, but that didn't mean he was going to wait those year through. Nope! He was going to take the shortcut.

He typed in Keegan's name and waited for the interphase to do all the work. When the screen showed a photo of the man, he froze. "Oh, I'm so, so sorry…" He changed the location of the TARDIS and spied on her. She was in her room, sobbing. His hearts ached for her loss. He didn't like Keegan, but that man made her happy. He would wait until after the funeral to get her.

He walked back into the TARDIS and changed the date. Three days, maybe? HE shrugged and pulled the lever. The TARDIS wheezed loudly. "Come on, Sexy. We're gonna get our angel back."

He grinned and walked out of the TARDIS. "Oof!" A warm object – object? – collided into him. He looked down and saw a head of silvery blonde hair. "Anna?" He blinked.

"Take me away." Her voice was muffled by his clothes.

"Okay." He ushered her in and closed the door.

No matter what that circumstance was, he was glad that she was back. He refused to lose her, again.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Poor Keegan… I feel bad for what I did to him. I also feel bad that Anna had to find him. There's a tinge of regret that I decided to kill him off because I did have another idea that revolved around him before. In fact, I had quite a few plans for him that seemed to have fallen through.

I hope none of you had gotten too attached to him.

On a happier note, she's back travelling with the Doctor, again!

Thank you GrumpyCatWriter101, grapejuice101, and TwoHeartedMarauder for reviewing!

Thank you as well to everyone who has favourited and followed this story.

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