Thanks to Turner1999, ybzib, Killion R. K, TabloidTeen, leighward, Dragonpallete, Niki niknak, Yuki101, , AlphaWolf246, Ritz-chan, alayara, Mae Ride, Quiet-Hoshi99, TheDeadlyKnightshade, Goddess-of-the-Forest1013, Caitlin718, bookbunnyx, Kris2025, Angelmist98, TheGuardianoftimeandspace, winterhail for following/faving my story.

SnowKi: ta da! Here's another update. Sorry it took so long.

Drwhovian123: thanks!

ShirleyMallery: you'll have to read and find out.

NicoleR85: thank you!

Time-twilight: thanks for both reviews (chapters 5 and 6).

Cphfflover: I'm glad you love it.

Rose stirred only to find that she was shacked to some sort of operating table with a clockwork robot standing over her. Across the room, Mickey was shackled the same way. "Rose?" Mickey said scared "They're going to chop us up, just like the crew. They're going to chop us up and stick us all over their stupid spaceship. And where's the Doctor? Where's Melanie? They've been gone for flipping hours!" he shouted.

"You are compatible", the clockwork robot standing over Rose said.

"Well….you…you might want to think about that. You really, really, might, because…me and Mickey…we didn't come here alone, oh no! And trust me, you wouldn't want to mess with our designated driver" Rose said attempting to stall for time. She hoped that the Doctor and Melanie would turn up soon. The robot standing over her thrusted a sharp, lethal looking tool in front of Rose's face. She stared at it apprehensively. "Ever heard of the Daleks? Remember them? They had a name for our friend. They had myths about him, and a name. They called him the…" she broke off when she heard a loud banging and someone singing drunkenly in the distance.

"I could've danced all night, I could've danced all night…"

"They called him the… They called him the…the…"Rose tried again.

The Doctor staggered into the room, dancing with Melanie who was wearing a blue 18th century gown with matching elbow length gloves. Reinette had given them to her so that she and the Doctor could hold hands while they danced without accidently forming the Bond between themselves.

Melanie was glad that wearing gloves seemed to work. No offense to the Doctor but she didn't want to form the Bond yet without taking some time to think it over first. It was a big decision to make! The Bond was permanent so she had to make sure of what she wanted because if she decided to form the Bond and changed her mind later…she wouldn't be able to back out of it. Once it was done, it was done.

The Time Lord, wasn't in 18th century garb, he was still in his suit. Though his tie was around his head and he had a pair of sun glasses on his face. "And still have begged for mooore...I could've spread my wings and done a thou…" he stopped dancing and turned to Mickey and Rose, with his arm around Melanie's waist. "Have you met the French? My…god, they know how to party"

"You said it", Melanie agreed slurring slightly. She wasn't drunk and neither was the Doctor but he said to act like it as part of the plan.

"Oh, look at what the cat dragged in", Rose said sarcastically.

"Oh, you sound just like your mother", the Doctor said distastefully.

"What've you been doing? Where've you been?!" Rose demanded. She was more than a little cross that both of them seemed to be drunk.

"Well, among other things, I think just invented the banana daiquiri a few centuries early. Do you know, they've never even seen a banana before!" the Doctor removed his arm from around Melanie's waist to step forward "Always take a banana to a party, Rose. Bananas are good", he said sincerely. He then spotted the clockwork robots "Oh ho, ho, ho, ho, brilliant. It's you!" he said delighted. "You're my favourite, you are. You are the best! Do you know why? Because you're so thick. You're Mister Thick Thick Thickity Thick Face from Thicktown, Thickania".

"And so's your dad!" Melanie piped up, swaying on the spot.

"Yeah what she said", the Doctor said going over to her and putting his arm around her waist again. "Do you know what they were scanning Reinette's brain for?" he asked her and shook her head. "Her milometer", he murmured in her ear.

"They want to know how old she is, why?" she asked trying to ignore the shiver that went down her spine and how her heart seemed to speed up when he did that.

"Because this ship is thirty seven years old, and they think that when Reinette is thirty seven, when she's 'complete', then her brain will be compatible", the Doctor explained. He stepped away from her and approached one of the robots. "So, that's what you're missing, isn't it, hmm? Command circuit. Your computer. Your ship needs a brain. And for some reason, God knows what, only the brain of Madame de Pompadour will do"

"The brain is compatible", the robot explained. Behind the Doctor, Melanie slowly inches towards a console, no longer looking like she was drunk. She catches Rose's eye and winked. The blonde then knew that she was pretending.

"Compatible? If you believe that, you probably believe this is a glass of wine", the Doctor said taking off its mask and poured the contents of the goblet in his hand into the clockwork inside the robot. He then replaces its mask and pats it on the head. A second later the robot winds down. "Multigrain anti-oil. If it moves, it doesn't", the Doctor explained suddenly sober. A robot in the corner of the room begins to advance but Melanie quickly pulls a lever, deactivating it. "Right, you two, that's enough lying about..." the Doctor used his sonic to release Rose and Mickey from their shackles "Time we got the rest of the ship turned off".

"Are those things safe?" Mickey asked.

"Yep. Safe. Safe and thick, way I like them", the Doctor replied pulling his tie down and removing his sunglasses, putting them on Melanie "Okay. All the time windows are controlled from here. I need to close them all down" he feels his pockets "Zeus plugs. Where are my Zeus plugs? I had them a minute ago".

"You were using them as castanets", Melanie reminded him pushing the sunglasses up on top of her head. The brunette didn't think she'd laughed so hard in all her life when the Doctor started to use the Zeus plugs as castanets.

"Oh, so I did", the Doctor said suddenly remembering. He glanced at her and smiled which she instantly returned. He'd certainly earned a few looks from the party goers, not that he cared. He was just happy that Melanie was enjoying herself.

"Why didn't they just open a time window to when she was thirty seven?" Rose asked trying to ignore the slight jealousy she was feeling.

"With the amount of damage to these circuits, they did well to hit the right century. Trial and error after that", the Doctor said. He frowned as he tried to operate the computer "The windows aren't closing. Why won't they close?"

"What's that?" Rose asked when they heard an ominous pinging sound.

"Incoming message?" Melanie suggested.

"From who?" Mickey asked.

"Report from the field…one of them must still be out there with Reinette! That's why I can't close the windows. There's an override!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"Well, that was a bit clever", Melanie commented as the robot the Doctor disabled with the oil managed to expel it through its finger.

"Right. Many things about this are not good" the Doctor said as the rest of the robots come back to life "Message from one of your little friends? Anything interesting?" he asked as the pinging sounded again.

"She is complete. It begins", the robot replied before they all teleported away.

"What's happening?" Rose asked.

"One of them must have found the right time window. Now it's time to send in the troops. And this time they're bringing back her head", the Doctor replied gravely.


32 year old Reinette stood by a window looking up at the sky. A shadow passes over a shaft of light spilling into the room through the doorway as someone slowly approaches. At the sound of footsteps, Reinette turned around. Fearing it was a clockwork robot, she checked the clock face and saw a familiar figure reflected its glass. "Melanie", she greeted.

"Hello Reinette. I wish I was here under better circumstances", Melanie said.

"What do you mean?" Reinette asked.

"I've come to warn you", Melanie replied "You remember those robots that keep showing up?"

"It's hard to forget them", Reinette admitted.

"Well, in five years they are coming for you. I don't know the precise date, all I know is that sometime after your 37th birthday they'll be coming for you", Melanie warned.

"So, in five years these creatures will return. What can be done?" Reinette asked.

"Keep them talking. The robots are programmed to respond to you now, but you might be able to delay them a bit", Melanie replied.

"Until?"

"Until the Doctor can get there", Melanie answered.

"He's coming, then?" Reinette asked.

"He promises", Melanie assured her.

"But he cannot make his promises in person?" Reinette asked.

"He'll be there when you need him. That's the way it's got to be", Melanie replied wishing she could tell her more but she couldn't.

"It's the way it's always been. The monsters and the Doctor. It seems you cannot have one without the other", Reinette remarked and Melanie nodded. It does seem that way, if she went by those stories Sarah Jane had once told her. "One may tolerate a world of demons for the sake of an angel", Reinette added.

"Yes, one would", Melanie agreed.

"When the time comes will you be there too?" Reinette asked hopeful that both her imaginary friends would be there in her time of need.

"Absolutely. I'll be there a promise", Melanie vowed.

"Melanie? Melanie?" Mickey called. She and Reinette turned to see him appear from behind a tapestry just outside the room "We've found the time window were she's 37. It was right under our noses". Reinette sees the time window behind the tapestry, Mickey is holding back and heads for it. Melanie and Mickey follow her onto the ship.

"So, this is his world", Reinette said looking at her surroundings confused and a little scared. The four hear screaming and chaos in the distance. "What was that?" she asked.

"The time window, the Doctor fixed an audio link", Mickey told Melanie quietly.

"Those screams…is that my future?" Reinette asked afraid of what the answer will be.

"I'm afraid so", Melanie replied.

"Then I must take the slower path", Reinette said. She was startled when she heard her own voice call out.

"Are you there? Can you hear me? I need you now. You promised. The clock on the mantel is broken. It is time"

"That's my voice", the slightly younger Reinette said disturbed.

"Melanie, come on. We've got to go. There's…there's a problem", Mickey said.

"Give me a moment", Melanie said. She couldn't just run off and leave Reinette without making sure that she was ok. Mickey nodded and left. "Are you okay?" she asked gently.

"No, I'm very afraid", Reinette confessed "But I know and you'll soon see that the Doctor is worth the monsters" And with that she walked back through to her world.