Disclaimer: I don't own doctor who. This amazing show belongs to BBC not me. But I do own my oc and promise to try to make the doctor who characters act as they are portrayed in the show.

BUM BUM BUM... and the results are in! Her species is finally revealed in this chapter :) enjoy. Ps. I'm sorry if Echo feels like a weaking in this chapter but there is a reason. Also I shall now thank those who reviewed last chapter. Which I shall now be doing every chapter after this. :) btw they're in no particular order.

aandm20: thanx. I'm glad you liked her. :)

TheGirlWhoWaited: I finished this before my other story chapter first because of your review. and I'm now working on the other one. How can I say no to a virtual Benedict Cumberbatch plushie :P ps. curse you for finding my one true weakness now I have to update :) lol

fanfreak4ever: I liked your idea, that would have been cool. But the votes are in. You're half right though. :)

Just another Time Lord: Thanks for reviewing! You shall now find out her fate! lol. pun intended :) I'm glad you love it.

Empty. That was what I had felt as they'd hauled me down through the winding tunnel system. My feet dragged underneath me across the stone floor as I'd long since stopped walking. Why bother making it any easier for them. However I felt oddly hollowed out. It was weird. My mind was racing so fast yet, I wasn't thinking a single thought. The pain that once filled my head had long since segued into a dull throbbing. My structure was numb to the cold and discomfort. It was all very out of body. Like everything was happening to someone else. If only.

Those images, that had flashed across my vision, had been so real, as if I had experienced them first hand. But, I knew that couldn't be true. There was so much fire and pain. Destruction. Screaming. Carnage raining from above. It was all so jumbled the only thing I could truly make out was the one thing that had caused the episode. Daleks. I had no idea, because they looked so funny, but for some reason I was afraid of them. Like pee your pants afraid. Which thankfully I hadn't done. Score one for my dignity. I tried not to laugh as hysteria started to bubble up.

I had no idea where they were taking me, but I could only speculate it wouldn't be good. My stomach did that weird flip floppy thing from this morning as we approached the end of the tunnel systems. A large ominous door opened. Oh god, that was it! For a moment I was blinded by the artificial light, to long had I been wandering in the darkness. As soon as my eyes adjusted to the new surroundings I had immediately wished they hadn't. Oh hells bells.

A great big laboratory, that is where I found myself. Just what I needed another one of those. It had high ceilings with concrete pillars scattered about, keeping the structure from collapsing under the weight of the earth. There were four large bronze circular machines with screens showcasing all sorts of strange readings I didn't understand. However what really caught my attention was the metal slab with straps on my right, wires, needles, and tubes hung from above it. Great I was going to die and I hardly lived.

My piggy captors let out a sequence of squeals to alert their masters. AS I turned to face my executioners my vision flared once again, my head proceeding to feel as if it were splitting open right down the middle. The Dalek turned its eye stalk in my direction and approached, "One of the prisoners has been re-captured."

Some weird mutant thing watched from across the room, it's one cyclops eye narrowing at my visage. It wore a suit like a person, one that seemed similar to me but I couldn't quite place it, but it's face resembled a purple wormy brainy octopus. "No. This one is new. Examine it for selection," Cyclops absolved, lacing it's three thick finger with the others behind it's back. Suddenly the Dalek in front of me pushed some weird plunger into my face. I struggled to get away, my instincts screaming to run. "Get the hell away from me! Let me go!"

"Intelligence scan. Initiate. Reading brain waves," it paused before letting out a shriek, "Too much brain activity. Scan inconclusive."

"What! That's not possible. Initiate a bio scan, " Cyclops ground out from his station at the front of the room. The Dalek moved it's plunger ever closer, sending my mind into further agony, as it's eyestalk zoomed in. "Scanning. Scanning. Triple helix detected. Time Lord! Time Lord! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

"No," Cyclops demanded his voice booming across the room. The Dalek halted, stopping whatever it was about preform with the whisk attached to it's chassis. "Keep her alive," Cyclops sneered, "We may need to use her. The Doctor is weak and will have no choice but to come for the female. In the mean time, pig slaves, tie her up."

I struggled at the notion, even harder at the excessive man handling. Not that I really noticed as, was running on default as I was having a hard time processing what I'd just heard. That couldn't be right. No. That was just-no. The Doctor must have rubbed off on me from earlier was all. Sort of like what he had done with Martha to confuse the Judoon. Yeah that was it! Because I had fallen into him earlier, maybe I had his skin or hair particles on me. Yes, that made perfect sense. Much more plausible. Granted I was an alien, but timelord! Oh, come on. That was just ridiculous. I think I would remember something that important. Although I was a toddler...no! I'm not. I mean I'm not crazy smart like the Doctor so obviously they were mistaken. Clear and simple. Yep. One hundred percent. Not. A. Time. Lord.

As I was sitting against one of the concrete pillars two pig slaves on either side of me I made sure to avoid looking anywhere near the Dalek's. The less I saw them, the less my head hurt. Though I found it particularly hard when a laser screen popped up mid-air ahead of them. "Establish visual contact."

My eyes widened as I put together what was about to happen at the video before me. My head started buzzing like a million angry hornets. An image of Hooverville filled the screen. "Commence the attack."

I jolted forward in my binds, pulled back forcefully by the pig-men,"You can't!"

Cyclops turned to sneer at me briefly, "Oh, but I can. Bear witness to the beginning of the new stronger Dalek empire."

I jumped at each explosion they created, heart pumping faster with every victim, sending fourth more horrific images. Each one becoming more and more sharper with the raging fires and screaming. Relieving a moment I had no context to, a horrific instant in time. I was watching two places dying, one in front of me, the other in my mind. "The humans will surrender," screeched the Dalek soldier over the transmission. A man step fourth from the crowd and the Dalek eye zoomed the transmission onto them. I almost cried in relief when I recognized who it was. "Leave them alone! They've done nothing to you!"

"We have located the Doctor!"

Solomon melded out of the group walking to the front, gun in hand, determination chiseled across his features. The Doctor halted him for his own good, "No, Solomon. Stay back."

He bristled but still talked, "I'm told that I'm addressin' the Daleks, is that right?"

Cyclops folded his arms behind his back, "Observe humanity. For all their faults they have…such courage."

Now that was odd. For a bad guy he sure seemed in awe of what he hated. Oh. OH! He was Dalek Sec! It all made a little more sense. He was the one the others were plotting against, because he wasn't acting very...Dalek. Weird how I connected that so easily.

Solomon gazed up at the Dalek that must be flying above him, "From what I hear, you're outcasts, too"

"Solomon, don't!"

"Doctor, this is my township, you will respect my authority."

Sec watched the exchange of words with curiosity.

"Just let me try." I watched as Solomon pushed past the Doctor striding closer the the Daleks. The Doctor shook his head in disappointment, but did as he was asked, letting the man try. Solomon cleared his throat. "Daleks…ain't we all the same? Underneath, ain't we all kin" he asked while placing his gun on the ground in a show of peace, "Cause, see, I've just discovered this past day, God's universe is a thousand times the size I thought it was. And that scares me. Oh, yeah. Terrifies me. Right down to the bone. But it's got to give me hope…hope that maybe together we can make a better tomorrow. So I…I beg you now if you have any compassion in your hearts then you'll meet with us and stop this fight. Well…what do you say?"

There was a collective pause, luring everyone into a false sense of victory. Then, the scariest words in existence screeched into the room, "Exterminate!"

A beam fired into Solomon, his body flashed like an x-ray, before convulsing to the ground. "No," I screamed trying to get up, but I was shoved down by the pig slaves. The Hooverville inhabitants screamed running and huddling in panic, trying to hide. I was surprised when Sec reacted as well, gasping in shock. It was something the other Dalek took notice of, but didn't do anything about. I almost cried as Frank attempted to rouse Solomon awake. "No! Solomon!"

I heard Martha shouting in the background, "They killed him. They just shot him on the spot."

"Daleks!"

The camera homed in on the Doctor striding forward, arms open wide in anger, "All right, so it's my turn! Then kill me! Kill me if it'll stop you attacking these people!"

The Dalek almost appeared excited by the possibility. "I will be the destroyer of our greatest enemy."

"Then do it! Do it! Just do it," he raged beating on his chest, "Do it!"

"Extermin—," Sec cut it off, "Stop! I command you. Stop."

"I do not understand. It is the Doctor."

"But I want him alive."

"The urge to kill is too strong."

"I have decided the Doctor must live and you will obey me."

"I…obey."

The Doctor was definitely confused, as was I, "What's going on?"

"Bring him to me. Tell him we have his female if he resists," Sec ordered.

"You will follow," the Dalek ordered. People looked at it distrustfully.

"No! You can't go," Martha yelled. The Doctor shook his head, "I've got to go. The Daleks just changed their minds. Daleks never change their minds."

"But what about us?"

He took one last glance behind him before facing the danger ahead. "One condition! If I come with you, you spare the lives of everyone here! Do you hear me?"

Sec nodded, "Obey the Doctor."

"The humans will be spared. Doctor…follow."

I leaned my head back, sighing in relief as I finally let my eyes close. I mouthed a silent 'thank you' to whatever higher power may exist. The Dalek standing next to Sec swiveled his attentions onto him, calculating his future actions. "You saved the Doctor. Why?"

"He's…a genius and we can use him," Sec stated making up an excuse, "The future of the Daleks might well depend on the Doctor."

I could hear them approach. That awful mechanical noise followed by the sound of red converse hitting the concrete angrily. The doors I had previously entered slammed open and I watched the Doctor storm in, rage painting his features. He rushed up to Sec, a whirl wind of fury and wrath. "Those people were defenseless! You only wanted me, but no, that wasn't enough for you! You had to start killing 'cause that's the only thing a Dalek's good for!"

"The deaths," Sec paused turning around to face the other man's ire, "…were wrong."

A small silence ushered throughout the room as those words rang out. The Doctor looked genuinely shocked, "I'm sorry?"

Sec actually appeared remorseful, "That man, their leader Solomon, he showed courage."

"And that's good?"

"That's excellent."

"Is it me or are you just becoming a little bit more human?"

"You two are the last of your kind and now I am the first of mine."

"Two," the Doctor froze, blood draining from his face, "What do you mean two?"

Sec motioned over towards me, still tied on the floor, "The female of course."

The Doctor turned ever so slowly toward me, for the first time having entered the room, not having realized anyone else was attending the party. His face shifted with a myriad of emotions. He went from happy, to relieved, as well as angry and confused, to doubtful, a little hopeful and then back to relieved. He shook his head with doubt. "No. No. She's not timelord. I would have known-I would have-... Well, she's not human either but…," he paused trying to figure out what to address first. I watched as that unreadable look engulfed him once again. He paused examining my persons from afar, taking in my state of well-being, before he cautiously rounded on Sec, all the while discreetly placing himself between me and them. Hastily he changed the subject, directing it away from the one he truly wished to pursue first. "What do you want me for?"

"We tried everything to survive when we found ourselves stranded in this ignorant age," Sec growled walking over to on of his machines, "First we tried growing new Dalek embryos but their flesh was too weak."

"Yeah, I found one of your experiments. Just left to die out there in the dark."

Sec nodded his head, "It forced us to conclude what is the greatest resource of this planet—its people."

Lifting up an arm he pushed a giant switch up on the wall. It sent power to the ceiling above, causing it to light up. The sudden lumination revealed hundreds of human bodies lying naked shrouded in blue plastic covers, suspended in rows above. He flicked another switch that gently lowered them down. Sec actually appeared ashamed at his handiwork. As he should be! They were people once, he had no right! "We stole them. We stole human beings for our purpose. Look…inside."

The Doctor walked up and pulled the sheet away. "This," Sec motioned to the cold person, "…is the extent of the Final Experiment."

"Is he dead," The Doctor asked.

"Near death with his mind wiped ready to be filled with new ideas."

"Dalek ideas," The Time Lord added with spite. "The Human-Dalek race," Sec corrected.

"All of these people," the Doctor gazed sadly above him, "How many?"

"We have caverns beyond this storing more than a thousand."

"Is there any way to restore them? Make them human again?"

"Everything they were has been lost."

"So they're like shells. You've got empty human beings ready to be converted. That's going to take a hell of a lot of power. This planet hasn't even split the atom yet. How're you gonna do it?"

Sec motioned towards a honey combed looking tower, "I'll show you."

"Alright. But first-," He waltzed over to my direction, leaning down to undo my bindings. I smiled, but slightly winced when his fingers grazed my side, "And here I thought I'd be making this into a new fashion accessory. Glad to know it won't be featured as the next spring fling."

If he had found my comment funny he didn't show it. His face was an impassive, I wondered what was going on in that big brain of his. I gulped when again my eyes ended up being sucked into the swirling vortex of his. He looked so...well I didn't really know how to describe it. He lifted a hand and placed it on the side of my face. He gazed down searching for some sort of proof. Of what I didn't know. I frowned, "I'm not."

He appeared confused by my admission but didn't pull away. "I'm not a timelord. Sec got it wrong. He had to of got it wrong."

Two Daleks floated past to park themselves near Sec. Instinctively I looked for the noise and grimaced, flinching at my own stupidity when I caught sight of them. Hot pain cut across the mind as snippets of images screamed through. The Doctor jolted back as if his hand had been burned. He turned to gaze at me with wide eyes of shocked. What had that been about?

"Doctor," Sec called him over, destroying the strange atmosphere that had encircled the two of us. He looked back and fourth between his two choices before he warily got up, pulling me with him. He cleared his throat walking over, "Right. Show me what you've got."

Sec faced the honey combed wall addressing the Dalek, "Open the conductor plan."

Obeying the creature pushed it's plunger onto a ball in the wall. Another screen popped up with an orange 360 view of the empire state building. The Doctor shoved his hands into his pant pockets, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Empire State Building. We're right underneath that. I worked that out already, thanks. But what, you hijacked the whole building?"

Sec pointed at the map, "We needed an energy conductor."

"What for?," the Doctor asked slightly raising his pitch. Sec paused, "I…am the genetic template. My altered DNA was to be administered to each human body. A strong enough blast of gamma radiation can splice the Dalek and human genetic codes and wake each body from its sleep."

The screen model zoomed out to show the earth revolving around the sun. The Doctor examined the readings with interest, "Gamma radiation? What are-Oh, the sun. You're using the sun."

The model showed waves hitting the planet. Sec pointed at the data, "Soon…the greatest solar flare for a thousand years will hit the Earth. Gamma radiation will be drawn to the energy conductor and when it strikes—," the Doctor jumped in, "The army wakes. I still don't know what you need me for."

The screen disappeared as Sec peered over at the Doctor. "Your genius. Consider a pure Dalek; intelligent but emotionless."

"Removing the emotions makes you stronger," he countered, throwing back the Dalek belief right at his face "That's what your creator thought all those years ago."

"He was wrong."

I felt that if the Doctor had been drinking something at that moment, then he would have spit it across the room in disbelief at the omission. "He was what?"

"It makes us lesser than our enemies. We must return to the flesh. And also…the heart," Sec conveyed. A shiver worked it's way down my spine. Warily, but mostly stupidly, I glance out of the corner of my eye to the Daleks behind me. They turned to each other conspiratorially not at all agreeing with their leaders sentiment. Well, that was more of the vibe they gave off as they didn't have faces to read from. My breath hitched as I had to look away. Another bout of pain exploded behind my eyes. Images expanded to every corner of my mind then imploded as if they had never existed. I was officially never doing that again! Unless of course I thought they were about to zap me...then I'd hit the deck.

"You wouldn't be the supreme beings anymore," the Doctor stated, testing the waters as he still was wary that the other man was telling the truth. Sec nodded, "And that is good."

One of the Daleks could no longer hold in it's disagreement and screeched in protest, "That is incorrect."

"Daleks are supreme," another added, voice blaring across the room. "No, not anymore," Sec interjected, bellowing out the answer. A Dalek pushed forward, eye stalk rotating back and fourth, "But that is our purpose!"

"Then our purpose is wrong," Sec yelled, "Where has our quest for supremacy led us? To this. Hiding in the sewers on a primitive world. Just four of us left. If we do not change now then we deserve extinction."

"So you want to change everything that makes a Dalek a Dalek," the Doctor asked in disbelief, finally understanding why he had been brought there. "If…you can help me," Sec inquired, taking on a more polite tone. The Doctor stared gauging the truth of what Sec's words. Could he? After all the things I'd seen them do-no I mean after all the things I've heard of them doing. I tried to shake off the numbing haze that had suddenly crept upon me without my notice. My mind felt like hot molasses. Ignoring it I watched as events unfolded before me.

I barely realized the Doctor had put his hand behind the small of my back to lead me back over to one of the tables Sec had lowered, till we were standing in font of a white sheet. Sec peered down at the long lost soul lying still on the metal slab, "Your knowledge of genetic engineering is even greater than ours. The new race must be ready by the time the solar flare erupts."

"But you're the template. I thought they were getting a dose of you," the Doctor said looking upon the cold human's face. Sec placed his hand upon the table, staring down with guilt at the empty shell before him, "I want to change the gene sequence."

The Timelords head head popped up at that, "To make them even more human?"

"Humans are the great survivors," Sec reasoned, "We need that ability."

The Doctor shook his head gesturing to the Daleks behind us having as much faith in them as I had in fate. None. "Hold on a minute. There's no way this lot are gonna let you do it."

"I am their leader," Sec stated as if that was all he needed to implement his plan. Like they would follow his orders no matter what. The Doctor turned to them, "Oh, and that's enough for you, is it?"

"Daleks must follow orders," one of them stated. I don't know which one as I refused to look over at the lot. My head became worse each time I saw one so I was making a conscious effort to look anywhere but a Dalek. Another spoke as well, "Dalek Sec commands, we obey."

"If you don't help me…nothing will change," argued Sec. Doc scoffed finding a problem, "There's no room on Earth for another race of people."

"You have your TARDIS. Take us across the stars. Find us a new home and allow the new Daleks to start again."

"When's that solar flare?"

"Eleven minutes."

The Doctor sighed rechecking our surroundings. A small smile worked it's way on his face as a glimmer of hope burned in his eyes. He licked his bottom lip. That crazy impossible look I'd come accustom to when he pulled off something so brilliantly unimaginable over took him, "Right then. Better get to work."

Eleven minutes felt like forever. I long since figured out the best place to look was the ceiling. Which was easy enough as I had a nice little chair to sit in. Looked like I had moved up from hostage to guest. Funny how things worked out. The Doctor and Sec had been running all around the lab mixing solutions, creating programs and applying crazy mathematical science to sequences I had no way of understanding. But I wasn't too focused on how dumb that made me feel. No, I was more focused on keeping my breathing even as a fiery sensation had started raging throughout my body, coming in short bursts like contractions. It felt like I had some awful fever. I just wanted to go home and curl up on my hammock and sleep it off or die. Yes. Sleep sounded good right about then. I felt my eyes beginning to droop. My head slowly falling backwards.

"There's no point in chromosomal grafting. It's too erratic. You need to split the genome and force the Dalek-human sequence right into the cortex," the Doctors voice thrust me out of my position. My head snapped back up as I rapidly blinked, trying to stay awake. No, it wasn't the time for sleep. It was a very volatile environment. Not a good place. At any moment something might break that fragile truce. So, staying awake was imperative to my continued existence.

Sec turned to one of the daleks, "We need more chromatin solution."

"The pig slaves have it," one of them answered. I winced upon seeing the creatures. I understood they had no control of what they did as they were mindless drones but they didn't need to be so rough. My sides were still hurting because of them. I watched as they carried two large crates into the room. The Doctor watched them, "These pig slaves, what happens to them in the grand plan?"

Sec shrugged as he mixed chemicals, "Nothing. They're just simple beasts. Their lifespan is limited. None survive beyond a few weeks. Power up the engine feeds."

The Doctor walked over to one of the pig men who resembled more of a human than the others. He began to quietly talk to him and to my surprised the pig man talked back. Interesting. I didn't think they could do that. After a few seconds he put on his glasses and returned to running around tweaking machines and mixing solutions. The room filled with a tense sensation as it came down to the wire. "The line feeds are ready," one of the daleks shouted. The Doctor raced over to a bunch of tubes and extracted the blue solution inside with a thick syringe, "Then it's all systems go."

"The solar flare is imminent. The radiation…will reach Earth in a matter of minutes," Sec warned. "We'll be ready for it," the Doctor pulled out the syringe and inserted it into one of the main feeding tubes for one of the machines, injecting it, "That compound will allow the gene bonds to reconfigure in a brand new pattern. Power up!"

Two of the pig men pulled the large levers in front of them as a sound of electricity zapped around the room. Sec turned to one of his Daleks, "Start…the line feeds."

It moved to one of the machines pushing it's plunger into a socket. Liquid started winding down the tubing above into the ceiling. We all observed it's progress. "There goes the gene solution," the Doctor said. "The life blood," Sec awed as the fluid coursed into the bodies. Instantly a klaxon resounded as red warning lights flashed. I was definitely fully awake then. "What's that," the Doctor asked alarmed. Sec rounded on a Dalek, "What's happening? Is there a malfunction? Answer me!"

I jumped out of the chair realizing something was wrong, ready to run should need be. The Doctor raced over to one of the computers clearly upset as he attempted to rectify whatever was wrong, "No, no, no. The gene feed! They're overriding the gene feed!"

"Impossible. They cannot disobey orders."

A Dalek pushed up to the Doctor, "The Doctor will step away from the controls."

He backed away till he was next to me and latched onto my hand. "Get ready to run," He whispered. I nodded as Sec stepped in front of his Dalek subordinate, "Stop! You will not fire."

"He is an enemy of the Daleks," it reasoned. "And so are you," another added. Their whisk shaped weapons quickly aimed at us. A vision appeared before my eyes, one of the image before me, yet another took it's place of a similar scene except the lab background dissolved into fire and destruction. It kept flashing back and fourth between the two. I squeezed my eyes shut to block out the visual over-stimulus.

"I am your commander. I am Dalek Sec."

"You have lost your authority."

"You are no longer a Dalek."

The Doctor gently squeezed my hand, "What have you done with the gene feed?"

"The new bodies will be 100% Dalek."

"No. You can't do this," Sec screamed. "Pig slaves," a Dalek screeched, "restrain Dalek Sec and the Doctor, as well his female."

My eyes shot open when I was grabbed by two hands. I tried muffling my cry when the pig man dug into my injured arm. Sec pushed against his captors, but it was of no use as they circled him off, "Release me. I created you. I am your master!"

The three Daleks turned around towards the computers, "Solar flare approaching."

"Prepare to intercept."

I heard something ping from behind me. "There's the lift," the pig-man holding the Doctor whispered into his ear. "After you."

The Doctor shoved the pig slave holding onto my arms and wrenched me away, dragging me along by my hand with him towards the elevator. "The Doctor is escaping! Stop him! Stop him," one of the Daleks screamed. He pulled out his screwdriver and opened the door pushing us in. He then aimed it at the panel and the doors slid shut, just before the pigs could reach us. The pig guy next to me leaned against the wall clutching his heart. I slid down the back to sit on the floor, curling up into my knees. I took a shaky breath as the pain kept pulsing and fading in my head. I grasp it with one of my arms as if the pressure would make it go away, keep it from bursting. "We've only got minutes before the gamma radiation reaches the Earth," the Doctor informed turning around, "We need to get to the top of the building. Lazlo, Echo, what's wrong?"

"Out of breath. It's nothing. We've escaped them, Doctor. That's all that matters," Lazlo wheezed with a half smile. I pulled myself in tighter as I heard someone kneel in front of me. "Echo?"

"Doctor I'm fine," I muffled out. "Echo you're not fine. You're injured. I need to have a look see."

I didn't move. I didn't want to move. I felt good like this. It didn't hurt so much. I wanted the pain to stop. I could barely think with it. If it weren't for the Doctor pulling me into the elevator I would still be down there in agony. They probably would have killed me too. "Echo. Look at me."

I shook my head. No. It'll hurt. "Echo," he crooned as he gently place his hands on my head. Lightly he moved my face up so that we were now staring at each other. He was so close our noses were almost touching. He examined me, and I mean really examined me, and something a kin to worry flashed through those brown eyes as all that fire and rage instantly died. I watched as his adams apple slowly bobbed, "Echo I want to try something. Similar to what I did with Peter Streete. Just try to relax and close your eyes. It's all going to be ok."

The Doctor leaned his forehead against mine, hands firmly set on the sides of my face. Suddenly, a weird tickly soothing sensation swirled around my brain, as if someone were drawing circles on my skin. But then the images started pouring through, lashing out like wildfire as the earlier sensation moved through it like fingers. I let out a whimper as a Dalek cried out, the image changed to people running in fire flying thru the air as it exploded, a grief stricken man cried and his tears ran down almost as if they were hitting me, then it was so white and so cold. The Doctor gasped reeling back. "Why does it hurt so much," I dug my fingers into my skull trying to work out the pain. I felt a few tears cascade down my face. "I'm so, so sorry," the Doctor pulled me up into a hug. Gently swaying us back and forth talking against my hair, "I promise you, you're going to be fine. I just need you to hang in there till we're back in the TARDIS. Once there I promise to explain everything."

I nodded while clutching his jacket, leaning into him, a sense of ease over came me as I breathed in his scent. Time. He smelt of time. Somewhere in the back of my mind I was startled that I knew what time smelt like. But too much was going on at that moment for me pick up on it. Lazlo shifted beside us, "Is she alright?"

"Oh, she will be," the Doctor smiled as he pulled us apart staring down in wonder. I smiled back. Or at least I attempted to. The door pinged open as a familiar voice shouted out, "Doctor!"

He stepped back into the large room behind him twirling around, his mood visibly lightened, "First floor, perfumery."

Her eye's almost teared up when she caught sight of me, "Echo. You're alive!"

I smiled wanly, "It would appear so."

I was nearly knocked over as a woman rushed over to the pig-man known as Lazlo as she ran to him to embrace. Ok, I see that they had a thing going on. Martha hastily ushered the Doctor and I over to some building plans on an architect table, "We worked it out. We know what they've done. There's Dalekanium on the mast. And it's good to see you two by thy way."

He grinned over at her, "Oh, come here."

He picked her up in a hug and twirled her about. I would have laughed at their antics if I wasn't so busy trying to play catch up with my brain. Abruptly he dropped her when the elevator pinged and closed for a return trip. He ran over to try and stop it. "No, no, no. See, never waste time with a hug," he shouted while trying to sonic the panel by the door, "It's a deadlock seal. I can't stop it."

"Where's it going," Martha asked. "Right to the daleks," I groaned. No. No. No. No more Daleks, I don't want to see them anymore. The Doctor looked around, "And they're not going to leave us alone up here. What's the time?"

Oh, look it's Frank. I felt sorry for not noticing him sooner and all but I was a little bleh at that moment. He glanced at a small clock on the table, "11:15."

"Six minutes to go. I've got to remove the Dalekanium before the gamma radiation hits," the Doctor informed. The blonde woman scrunched her face at the word gamma, "Gammon radiation? What the heck is that?"

"Something very not good," I replied breathlessly. The Doctor ran toward an opening at the end of the unfinished room. We all raced up next to him, "Oh, that's high. That's very-Blimey, that's high."

I looked over at the sleeping city scape bellow us. Lights dancing in the moon light, cars zoomed past honking horns, laughter of the night life traveled wistfully up on the wind. Totally unaware of the danger going on above. The air whipped around us violently at the height from which we stood. Martha shivered a bit frightened and leaned upon a ladder to look up. "And we've got to go even higher. That's the mast up there, look," she pointed, "There's three pieces of Dalekanium at the base. We've got to get 'em off."

The Doctor shook his head, "That's not 'we'. That's just me."

Martha crossed her arms in front of her chest, "I won't just stand here and watch you."

"Doctor you'll need an extra set of hands up there. Let her go," I interjected, finally thinking rationally. "No, you're gonna have your hands full, anyway," he turned to Martha, "I'm sorry, Martha, but you've got to fight."

He climbed up the ladder onto the scaffolding above, "Watch after Adler for me."

Upon realizing she'd lost the argument she took charge of the situation, "Alright you lot. Find a weapon. You heard the Doctor, we have to fight."

Frank grabbed a sledge hammer near by as Lazlo grabbed one of the bigger hammers. The blonde woman grabbed a wrench as I walked over towards some pipes on the floor. Martha picked one up and handed me another, briefly assessing me, "Are you ok? You look like you're about to pass out, and no offense, but you look awful."

I gazed down at myself and noticed that she was right. I had sludge covered all over my left side and red welts from where the roped was tightly wrapped, my hair was caked in god knew what. Not to mention my clothing was also pretty tattered and worse for wear. Even my bag was looking dirty. Thankfully if wasn't wet, nor had anything been broken in it as I had managed not to land on it earlier. However, if this was how I looked I dreaded to see how my face was faring. Frowning I answered, "I'm fine. Well, when I say fine, I really mean it's not gonna matter much when we have company."

She nodded, "After we've gotten everything squared away I'm gonna have a look at you. Make sure they didn't damage you or anything. Some of that looks irritated."

A little to late for that. I'm pretty sure if I didn't fracture anything they definitely broke my brain. In a brave attempt we all formed a line near the elevator doors, weapons poised. Martha sucked in air, "The lift's coming up."

Frank growled, "I shoulda brought that gun."

Lazlo pushed us women behind him, "Tallulah, stay back. You too, Martha, Echo. If they send pig slaves, they're trained to kill."

"The Doctor needs me to fight. I'm not going anywhere," Martha argued stubbornly, re-advancing to position. "They're savages. I should know. They're trained to slit your throat with their bare teeth," Lazlo warned. Martha went to retort, but never had the chance when he suddenly collapsed sideways onto a pillar in front of Tallulah. She grabbed his arm, tears moistening in her eyes, "Lazlo? What is it?"

He tried to get up, but struggled as he may his body just wouldn't listen, "No, it's nothing. I'm fine. Just leave me."

He fell back into the pillar again, crumpling onto the floor. Tallulah kneeled beside him touching his forehead, "Oh, honey, you're burnin' up. What's wrong with you? Tell me."

That's right, pig slaves didn't live very long. Wasn't that what Sec had said. Frank leaned over to Martha and I, "One man down and we ain't even started yet."

Martha stared at the door hopelessly, "It's not looking good, Frank."

"Nope."

"Martha, if we're lucky it's just the pig slaves coming up," I watched as the hand showed the elevators progress. "Oh god," she squeaked, "we're gonna get slaughtered."

Lighting flashed throughout the room as thunder boomed soon after. Great, just what we need to nail in the proverbial coffin, an ominous rain storm. Martha jumped up excitedly next to me running to the other end of the room, "Wait a minute. Lightening."

She picked up a large metal rod and began to try and set something up. I stared bewildered as to what she was attempting to accomplish. Dammit, we needed to get ready! What was she doing with those metal rods! Lighting arched through the sky, cracking loudly. Was she crazy! She was gonna get electrocuted if-oh OH! I smacked Frank in the chest. "Oi! Frank, put down your sledge hammer we need to help Martha."

"What is she doing?"

"Saving us from getting killed that's what. Come on let's help her get those rods aligned."

We rushed over to grab another rod connecting it to the one she had just laid down on a work bench. "Don't let them touch the floor guys. Find something to prop them up on," she stated as we sprinted back to the pile. Attaching it to another one, we placed it precariously onto a chair. Tallulah scoffed from next to Lazlo, "What the hell are you three clowns doin'?"

Frank and I galloped back to grab another one bringing it to Martha as she explained to Tallulah, "Even if the Doctor stops the Dalekanium, this place is still gonna get hit. Great big bolt of lightening, electricity all down this building. Connect this to the lift and they get zapped."

"Oh my God, that could work."

"Then give us a hand," Frank shouted as he ran for another load. Frank and Martha put the last one into place as I went to help Tallulah drag Lazlo farther away from the door, limping as I did so. The others came over huddling down with us. "Is that gonna work," Tallulah asked. Martha shivered, looking up towards the sky hopeful, "It's got to."

"I've got it all piped up to the scaffolding outside," Frank huffed while leaning down. She pulled his jacket, forcing him down, "Come here, Frank and sit in the middle and don't touch anything metal."

Frank grabbed all of us protectively, feeling as the only able man a duty to, as Martha entwined her hand into mine. Well, looked like I might be punching out early. I never should have left the TARDIS that morning. The door pinged as it slid open. The pig slaves took one step out of the elevator just as a bolt of lightning struck the building sending the surged energy straight at them. They screamed, convulsing as the electricity ran through their systems, frying them. I looked away as they'd begun to fall, their squealing screams forever seared into my mind.

The sudden lack of noise caused everyone to collectively lift their heads. Pig-men lay scattered in the elevator. Martha was the first to stand and hastily bolt over to the creatures. Frank ran up next to her draping an arm around her shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly. "You did it, Martha," Tallulah remarked. She just stared on blankly, peering horrified at her handiwork, "They used to be like Lazlo. They were people and I killed 'em."

I help said man onto his feet. He shuffled over to Martha, "No, the Daleks killed them. Long ago."

"What about the Doctor," Martha pushed everyone out of the way with a sudden urgency as she ran for the ladder. Frank followed her up. "Ain't you going up after them," Tallulah asked. I shook my head with exhaustion, "No. I'm not really in the condition to be. I'd probably fall. Best I just wait here."

"Oh, where are my manners. There was so much goin' on I forgot to introduce my self. I'm Tallulah. That's three l's and an H. And this here is the love of my life Lazlo."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Echo. And I don't mean to be rude but I'm just gonna rest my eyes till they get back," I softly smiled. Tallulah nodded, "That's alright honey. It's been one of those days. Besides it gives Lazlo and me time to catch up."

I tilted my head at the two studying them. Funny, I could actually see them working out. It was good to know that two people could still love each other even when one turned into...well a pig-man. Sluggishly I walked over to a chair pushing off the rods on top of it with my foot. I promptly fell into it and leaned back. It wasn't the best chair but right then a rock would be comfortable, so that was heaven. My mind felt as abused as my body if not more so. Closing my eyes and consequentially drifting off, the ebb and flow of pain became numb. I wasn't sure if it that was a good thing or a bad one. At that moment I was going with good. Yes, I liked that. Good. Good is good. No thinking, no dreaming, no pain, good. I didn't want to be anything else right then. Except the buzzing. I didn't like the buzzing. Didn't want it, didn't need it. Was there a bee up there? No. That didn't sound like a bee. It was more...oh what's the word. Metallic? Mechanical? No, it was more...sonic!

I bolted awake to find everyone crowding around me. They jumped when my eyes shot open and I sprung fourth only to fall back into the chair. The Doctor, holding his sonic screwdriver, seemed relieved that I was up. "Are you guys mental! You scared the crap out of me, I was resting," I choked out. Martha exasperatedly waved her hands around, "You're scared! We thought you were dead! We couldn't get you to wake up."

Well, they did all appeared worried. I rubbed my left eye as if it would wake me up more. "Yeah, sorry. When I sleep nothing can wake me up. Well, almost anything apparently," I stated while pocking the Doctor's screwdriver. The innuendo of that wasn't lost to me as I stopped my self from chuckling, finally feeling slightly better. The Doctor pulled me up from the chair leading me towards a service elevator, "Martha, we can worry about Echo later. Right now we have to stop a Dalek invasion."

"Wait-what? How long have I been asleep," I asked, voice cracking, as we piled into the Elevator. The Doctor pressed the down button, "I'll fill you in along the way."

It seemed I had missed a lot in my absence, and not just from when I had been wandering haplessly in the sewers. I had wondered how they'd met Tallulah and Lazlo. But unfortunately we had Dalek humans to deal with. Which, not that I'd let them know, I was happier about dealing with than actual Daleks. As we charged behind the Doctor into an old theatre, the old fashion kind with those red seats above and bellow with balcony rooms and velvet curtains. He immediately threw his coat in some random direction hoping into the middle seats. "This should do it," he gazed around the empty theatre, "Here we go."

He waved his sonic in the air, eyes darting across the room madly. I felt a crazy plan whizzing through that head of his. "There ain't nothin' more creepy than a theatre in the dark. Listen, Doctor, I know you got a thing for showtunes, but there's a time and place, hun," Tallulah chided, sitting in one of the seats. I sat down in a seat closer to the Doctor as Lazlo fell into the one next to his lady love. "Lazlo, what's wrong," she asked, fussing over him. He shrugged her off breathing heavily, "Nothing. It's just so hot."

"But…it's freezing in here," she objected worriedly, "Doctor, what's happening to him?"

He was busy listening to his sonic screwdriver, checking the frequencies or something, and so brushed her off, "Not now, Tallulah. Sorry."

Martha took the seat next to me staring at him like he'd finally snapped, "What are you doing?"

"If the Daleks are going to war, they'll wanna find their number one enemy. I'm just telling them where I am."

"So you're luring them here," I looked up at him. "Yes," he stated with an uneasy calm, "And I need you all to leave."

Martha leapt up, "Well, tell me what to do. I can help."

"I'm telling you to go. Frank can take you two back to Hooverville. From there, should something go wrong, head to the TARDIS."

"And I'm telling you I'm not going," she yelled stomping her foot. He glared at her, not having the time or patience to argue, "Martha, that's an order."

"Who are you then," she shouted, "Some sort of Dalek?"

"Martha," I yelled. I couldn't believe she'd just said that! Instantly she regretted it, I could tell, but she didn't get to apologize as the doors behind us burst open. People marched in with massive intimidating guns. Flanking us on either side. Tallulah jumped out of her seat, "Oh, my God! Well, I guess that's them then, huh?"

"Humans…with Dalek DNA," Martha squeaked falling down into her seat. I pulled my feet up into my chair, "I'm guessing now's a little to late to leave."

Frank went to attack one but the Doctor, thank god, pulled him back, "It's all right. Just stay calm. Don't antagonize them."

"But what about the Dalek masters? Where are they," Lazlo wondered. I groaned. No, why;d he have to say that, speak of the devil and he shall appear. They were definitely gonna show up because of that statement, my luck wasn't running that good that day. Just then an explosion went off on stage, sending bricks, wood and shrapnel all across the front. I quickly covered my face and peeked over my arms to see what the hell that was about. I heard the chains before I saw him. Poor Sec crawled in on the floor as the smoke settled, revealing the once proud man. The Doctor slowly stood up. He took one glance back at me before blocking my view. Something that was probably for the best. "The Doctor will stand before the Daleks," one of them screeched. He vaulted over the chairs till he reached the front row standing on top of the back of the seat. "You will die, Doctor. You and your female. It is the beginning of a new age."

"Planet Earth will become New Skaro," one of the Daleks preached. The Doctor stared them down. Not once appearing afraid, "Oh, and what a world. With anything just the slightest bit different ground into the dirt. That's Dalek Sec. Don't you remember? The cleverest Dalek ever and look what you've done to him. Is that your new empire? Hmm? Is that the foundation for a whole new civilization?"

Sec knelt between the two Daleks sighing defeatedly, his face tentacles curling downward, "My Daleks…just understand this. If you choose death and destruction, then death and destruction will choose you."

"Incorrect. We will always survive," one shook with it's screeching objection. "Now we will destroy our greatest enemy, the Doctor," another spoke, "Then the female will follow. The timelords will be no more!"

"But he can help you," Sec pleaded, arguing for the salvation of his species. It drowned him out, "The Doctor must die!"

"No, I beg you, don't," he crawled in front of one of the Daleks, begging them. The buzzing started to pick up in my head again. I braced myself against the chair, I knew what was coming next, but I was so frozen in fear I couldn't even move to prevent it. I felt ashamed that I didn't even try to do something. Anything. "Exterminate!"

At the last second, Sec jumped up, in front of the beam, saving the Doctor. He fell to the floor in a tangled heap, instantly dying. I had to grab my head to keep from screaming. "Your own leader. The only creature who might have led you out of the darkness and you destroyed him," The Doctor bit out, turning to the human Daleks, "Do you see what they did? Huh? You see what a Dalek really is?"

He cocked his head to the side, a scary look washing over his face, "If I'm gonna die, let's give the new boys a shot. What do you think, eh? The Dalek-Humans. Their first blood. Go on, baptize them."

He held his arms out wide, egging them on. What the hell! Did he have a death wish. "Dalek-Humans," one of the Daleks ordered, "take aim."

I shot up, finally finding my voice as the human Daleks cocked their guns at him, "Doctor!"

"Sit back down Echo" he shot back sharply, "What are you waiting for? Give the command!"

"Exterminate," the Dalek commanded. I fell back into my chair. My vision starting to spot, the pain tripling at the word. My breathing became shallow, but then nothing happened. "Exterminate!"

Again nothing happened. "Obey. Dalek-Humans will obey."

Martha looked around the room wide eyed, "Not firing. What have you done?"

"You will obey," the Dalek ordered, "Exterminate!"

"Why," one of the Human Daleks asked in the front, turning it's attention to it's creators. The Doctor watched him, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Daleks do not question orders," the masters screeched.

"But why," the man asked the Dalek. The Dalek shook in it's casing, "You will stop this."

"But…why?"

"You must not question."

"But you are not our master. And we…we are not Daleks."

The Doctor jammed his hands into his pant (trousers for you Brits :) ) pockets and swung his hips around smugly, "No, you're not, and you never will be. Sorry, I got in the way of the lightening strike. Time Lord DNA got all mixed up. Just that little bit of freedom."

"If they will not obey, then they must die," The right Dalek shot the Human Dalek Timelord hybrid that had questioned it. "Get down," the Doctor shouted as he dove for the ground. Martha pulled me to the floor as laser hellfire rained down around us. "Exterminate! Exterminate!"

I heard a large explosion followed by another, guns shooting, people screaming. I muffle a cry of pain against my arm. More images flooded past the ever thinning and cracking barrier. My vision was becoming tunneled as waves and waves of emotions pounded in my skull. I could barely hear the Doctor talking as the noise stopped, "It's all right. It's all right. It's all right. You did it. You're free."

Suddenly there was a chorus of heart wrenching screams ,and for a second, I wasn't sure if it was coming from me. It wasn't till I realized from the Doctor's yelling that it come from the hybrid soldiers. "No! They can't! They can't! They can't!"

I heard Martha race away, "What happened? What was that?"

"They killed 'em. Rather than let them live. An entire species," the Doctor choked out, "Genocide."

"Only two of the Daleks have been destroyed. One of the Dalek masters must still be alive," Lazlo reasoned joining them. "Oh, yes. In the whole universe, just one," The Doctor growled. "We're coming with you," I heard Martha insisted. I curled further into the floor. The pressure in my skull becoming to much. No, I didn't wish to go.

"There's no way you'll change your mind is there," he asked.

"Nope."

"Alright. But while I deal with the Dalek you'll all have to stay out of sight. I'm not losing anyone else today."

I believe I heard people walking away, but it was hard to tell as my mind became chaotic, having a hard time functioning. "Wait. Echo, lets go. You can come up now," Martha shouted back. Did she shout? I didn't know, it sounded like she had. My ears were ringing, but wasn't she far away. God, why did everything hurt so much!

I felt as if I was moving, but I didn't think my brain told my body to sit up. Had it? A cool hand cupped my face. Oh, it was the nice smell. I liked that smell! "Echo can you here me? I need you to say something," the Doctor asked. He sounded upset. I should be upset. "Hurts."

I said that. At least I think I did? It felt like it was something I would say. Cause it did. A cool hand touched my forehead. "My god she's burning up!"

That was Martha. At least I thought it was. I didn't know, everything sort of sounded muffled and far off. Something cold and wet fell down my face. Was I crying? I thought so, but that didn't sound like something I'd do in front of people. Was someone else crying?

"What is that stuff floating off of her!"

I don't know! Was there stuff. What stuff? I didn't feel stuff? Is it my stuff? What kind of stuff? Is someone talking? I didn't know anymore! Everything was getting so far away! I was scared, where was I going? It hurt. It hurt! Doctor! I could feel myself falling into the darkness. It's inky tendrils engulfing me, dragging me down into that darkness deep. The last thing, the only thing, I heard before I fell away was someone shouting. Their worried voice following me down.

"Echo."

...

"Echo!"

Oh cliff hanger oh snap! Well i promise you her whole crazy painasode will make perfect sense in the next chapter as a little of her past comes into light. Maybe even revealing something of her future. O.O hmmm hmmmm Well i hope you all review it definitely makes my day and keeps me inclined to write faster. Next episode is an original. :)

NEXT CHAPTER: Trick or Treat O.O