"She seems sad," Shannon frowned, watching Osgood from a distance as she typed at a desk onto a computer, fixated on the screen.

"I can't believe it," Alec snapped. "My sister nearly drowned on an alien meteorite! What if she'd died?"

"Alec, calm down," Shannon pleaded, grabbing his arm. "She's fine and will get better. Focus on that."

"But what if? What if she was worse?" Alec cried, his eyes welling with tears.

"You don't need to. Osgood helped her. And speaking of Osgood, don't you think she seems sad," Shannon thought, growing suspicious.

"I know, I know," Alec shrugged. "Sorry," he sighed, sitting beside Shannon in the corner of the room. "I'm being daft, aren't I?"

"Not daft, concerned," Shannon corrected him, smiling to raise his spirits. "And I know how you must be feeling, but stay positive. Sasha's recovering."

"How do you know how it feels?" Alec challenged her.

Shannon turned to him, not sad, but a little angry. "My mother isn't married, but she carries a ring on her necklace. Half her bed is kept exactly how it was left the last time it was used, and when she watches TV, she never really watches it – she just uses it as time to blank. Figure that one out."

"Shannon," Alec gasped. "I'm so . . ."

"Don't bother," Shannon interrupted, turning away. "I've heard it all before, and I don't need any more pity." Alec gulped. He knew when to back off. He didn't speak; he just laid his head on her shoulder. Succumbing, she rested her head on his. "We were made for each other, weren't we?"

"And how do you mean that?"

"Both with these deep problems in our past, and ones not so far behind us too. I'm just glad it was you in that cell beside mine."

"I'm glad it was you too," Alec smiled. He looked up into her eyes, and she looked into his. They spent a moment gazing at each other, ignoring all the madness of the world around them. For a moment, it was just them, the two outsiders, slowly moving towards the other like attracting magnets.

Shannon moved away, brushing her hair behind her ear as if nothing had happened. "So, Osgood – we need to talk to her," Shannon decided, "she doesn't seem happy."

"Yeah, of course," Alec agreed, avoiding her eyes.

Shannon walked towards Osgood, avoiding the other scientists and soldiers that hurried through the room. "Hey, Osgood," Shannon smiled.

Osgood looked up, a bit nervously. "Hello," she replied.

"Hi," Alec added.

"I just wanted to know, Osgood, are you alright?" Shannon asked. "You just seem a little . . . A little distant."

"I am fine, thank you," Osgood snapped. "Please, let me continue with my work."

"It's just that I was concerned for you. You tried your best to help Sasha, and you did well. If you have some sort of guilt, you should know that none of this is your fault," Shannon empathised. "I understand if you don't want to talk, but just let me know if you want to."

"That will be taken into account," Osgood replied, still fixated by the computer screen.

"Ok then," Alec grinned. "Enjoy yourself." He eased Shannon away, moving to where Osgood couldn't hear them. "I don't trust her. I was a spy for years, and every sense is telling me that something's up."

"I agree," Shannon said. "But we can't exactly do anything. Who would believe us? And what exactly would we say? 'Osgood seems a little odd, can you arrest her and take her into questioning?' What exactly do we do?"

"We find out what she's up to," Alec decided.

"Hold on – you're about to start one of your secret missions on a hunch, and for all we know she's just a little shaken. Perspective, Alec!"

"Perspective, Shannon. She was fine just a minute ago, and know she's acting all Professor Evil. Ever since she . . ."Alec thought, suddenly trailing off.

"What?" Shannon asked. "You've realised something, haven't you?"

"Ever since she touched my sister," Alec remembered, suddenly hit by a brain wave. "Sasha was on a potentially threatening meteorite. I'm only guessing, but maybe she was infected by something, and then she passed that infection on to Osgood."

Shannon smiled a little. "Ok, that was a little clever," she laughed. "But we can't suddenly accuse her of that; we'll cause a riot. There's only twenty minutes until that meteorite becomes un-blow-up-able; UNIT's panicking. And if they don't find out the meteorite's infected, the fragments could infect the planet."

"Then we'll have to be certain, and quickly," Alec realised. "UNIT is scanning the meteorite, right? We could find the readings for some help?"

"Yes, of course," Shannon agreed. "Look," Shannon said, pointing to a computer, "no-one's using that one. Let's go." Alec sat at the computer Shannon was referring to. Immediately, he suddenly felt nervous around it; he looked at the screen and the keypad as if it were foreign. "What's up?" Shannon asked.

"These computers are ten years ahead of the ones I used," Alec explained, "do they work the same?"

"Just let me do it," Shannon insisted, pushing Alec to a side and sitting at the screen. Luckily it was still logged on. "What to look for?" Shannon muttered, then looked through the computer's history.

"That one," Alec instructed, pointing to the file 'EmergenyLog'.

Shannon clicked on it, opening a series of screens, each showing a form of graph or data. Shannon scanned through them, checking the titles to find which might be useful. Eventually, the two of them came across a 3D image of the meteorite with a bar underneath it. "Ok, what does this do?" Shannon thought to herself.

Shannon slid the bar beneath the model of the meteorite, but nothing happened. With the mouse, she was able to see the rock from many different angles, then would slide the bar forwards and back. On that occasion, she observed a tiny flash of green light that only lasted for the smallest moment. She slid the bar forwards and backwards, and realised that the light flashed twice, and both times in the same place. She turned the meteorite to a different position, seeing a small patch of green light on the other half of the rock. As she slid the bar, she watched as the patch moved across the rock, and then disappeared as the other green light flared and disappeared, taking the patch with it.

Shannon gasped. She realised what it was. The first green flash was the TARDIS landing, and the green patch was the life form UNIT had detected. The life form had made its way onto the TARDIS and disappeared with it. Shannon would bet that the creature had used Sasha as a host. And now it was in UNIT.

"The parasite was in Sasha, now it's moved on to Osgood," Shannon explained.

"And the meteorite?" Alec asked.

"It's clean. We can destroy it."

"And you got all this from that diagram?"

"Yeah."

"You're a bloody genius."

"I know. We've got to stop Osgood!" Shannon declared.

Alec turned around, then his jaw dropped. "When did Osgood leave?"

Shannon looked too, both realising that Osgood had disappeared. Thinking quickly, Shannon jumped onto the desk, waving her arms to grab the attention of the room. "Listen! Can I have all of your attention?" Shannon screamed. Everybody stopped and looked up at her. "You can destroy the meteorite; it no longer has the creature on it."

"What do you mean, 'no longer'?" a woman asked.

"The creature is here, in UNIT," Shannon explained. "Tell everyone, the creature is using Osgood as a host! It might be in Sasha as well but I'm not sure! We need to look for Osgood! This is an emergency!"

"Um, yes," a man said, raising his arm. "I monitor all UNIT staff, and it's just been logged that Osgood has taken a UNIT car."

"Where's she going?" Shannon asked.

"I can't quite tell." The man gasped. "Oh, Jesus . . . She's gone to the Black Archive."

"Ok," Shannon gasped. "I'm guessing that's bad. Ok. Can someone take us there?"

"Yes," a soldier confirmed. "I'll take you."

"Thank you," Shannon smiled.

"Follow me, we'll take a car." The soldier led Alec and Shannon down a dark corridor, then up a ladder, which emerged onto a UNIT owned car park. He opened the back doors of a four-by-four for Shannon and Alec, then took his place in the driver's seat. He started the engine and drove out of the car park. The car swerved onto the London roads, dodging the public and speeding through red lights. They over took any car possible, narrowly curved past corners and pushing past traffic.


"What did you just say?" Kate gasped, speaking loudly into her phone.

"What's happened? What's going on?" the Doctor asked. He and Sasha were held in large glass rooms, surrounded by orange lights, but Kate was free on the other side.

"The life form from the meteorite – it's on Earth," Kate explained.

"How did that happen?" the Sasha asked, conscious again.

"We think the creature infected you, then transferred itself into Osgood when she tried to help. We think it's some sort of parasite," Kate said.

"Ok, I'm getting out," the Doctor insisted. He took out his sonic, but it proved ineffective.

"Your cell in sonic proof," Kate smiled, "you always have been known for using tricks, like that screwdriver of yours."

"But I can help!" the Doctor pleaded.

"You could be infected," Kate reminded him, "so you have to stay here until you're both decontaminated. Besides, we're mobilising troops and deadlocking all information that Osgood has access to, plus your friends are already on their way."

"On their way to where?" the Doctor asked, worry building in his expressions.

"Osgood has forced her way into the Black Archive."


"Osgood!" Alec called. He, Shannon and the soldier made their way down a long, dark corridor. At the end was a locked room – the Black Archive. "Osgood!"

The soldier gasped, turning to see a guard lying unconscious on the floor. "Osgood must've knocked him out. She'll be on the other side of this door." The guard stretched out an arm, warning Alec and Shannon not to move ahead of him. "Stay behind me; she could be armed."

Slowly, he pushed the door open, still ajar from how Osgood had left it. There was a shot! It was loud, ricocheting its sound through the room. The soldier crumpled to the floor, a pained expression split across his face as he lay on the ground, robbed of his life. He turned limp and pale; his eyes stopped moving, staring out without emotion.

"Woah!" Shannon screamed, kneeing down beside his body. "You didn't have to shoot him!"

"Stop!" Alec cried, stepping into the archive, holding out his hands in surrender. Osgood stood in the centre of the room, holding a gun in her hand, aimed at where the soldier had once stood. "Put the gun down!"

"I told you not to follow me," Osgood said casually.

"You killed him!" Shannon wailed. "Why? We didn't even know his name!"

"His name was Patrick Kingswood. I've been lingering around him since he arrived, never raising the courage to ask him out," Osgood remembered. "Oh, well, the woman in this head of mine has, at least. Quite sad, I think. This girl really is a pathetic one."

"Who are you – the creature in her head?" Alec asked, cautiously stepping towards her.

"I don't know whether I have a name," Osgood considered. "Call me, The Parasite. Or Osgood; I've possessed her so it would make sense."

"Why are you here?" Shannon asked, moving away from Patrick's body and standing beside Alec.

"My planet was destroyed, but a group of my species escaped on the meteorite. When we took Osgood's body, I discovered that this room is the safest possible place to survive when the meteorite hits the planet. I'll be kept in here, ready to come out to my own planet. It wasn't a master plan from the start, just some quick thinking and a lucky host to have."

"But there's no point; the meteorite's being destroyed as we speak," Shannon grinned.

"But nevertheless, I am here. I'm in a room full of alien technology; I could use it in a range of imaginative ways that UNIT doesn't even know of yet. And would you dare kill Osgood just to get at me? There's not point anyway; we'll just crawl out of her corpse and take a new host," Osgood explained, a sinister smiled placed across her.

"Ha!" Alec laughed, snatching the gun from Patrick's body and aiming it at Osgood. "You must be confusing me with the Doctor."

"What are you doing?" Osgood panicked.

"I'm prepared for this. If killing you means that humanity is safe, then so be it," Alec warned.

"You'll kill Osgood, not me," the creature debated.

"And as you said, you'll just crawl out of her body; I'll kill you then," Alec argued.

"Would you like to hear what your friend has to say?" the creature smiled. Osgood's eyes glared purple, and she fell back into control. "Alec? Shannon? There's a creature inside me," Osgood whimpered. "I want it out of me. I can feel it all the time. It won't let me in control. I can't . . . Please don't hurt me, Alec!"

Alec lowered the gun a little. "But it will save humanity."

"But I don't want to die!" Osgood pleaded. "Don't do this. I'm begging you."

"It's a trick!" Shannon realised. "That isn't Osgood speaking. Osgood would do whatever she can to help. It's lying!"

Osgood hissed, rolling her eyes. "Well done, you smart little girl. As if I would let Osgood take control; she's so smart she might even be able to do something about this. I can hear her thinking inside here. It's so terribly funny. And quite pathetic."

"So Osgood's still in there?" Alec said, smiling a little.

"Yes. Why? What does it matter?" the creature laughed.

"She can hear us, can't she," Shannon gasped. "Osgood! Osgood, wake up!"

"Can you hear us Osgood?" Alec yelled. "Wake up! Take control!"

"You can do it! Take control, Osgood!"

Osgood jolted to the right suddenly, clutching at her leg. She trembled a little, then straightened herself up. "Stop it!" she screamed. Then she crumpled forwards.

"Keep going, Osgood!" Alec cried.

Osgood regained her balance, standing taller, but her face was strained and reddening. She staggered forwards, raising an arm as if she were clawing at Alec's face. "I will not give up!" the creature snapped.

"Osgood!" Shannon shouted. "You can do it! Defeat it! Do it!"

"ARGH!" Osgood yelled, half way between her human and parasitic voice. "I . . . It's too strong!"

"Then tell us how to help," Alec pleaded.

Osgood clenched her fists, battling to regain control over her body. Violently, she shook and trembled, barely having enough balance to stay standing. "ARGH!" she screamed. "I can't!"

"You have to!" Shannon cried.

With much effort, Osgood's lips prized open, gritted as the parasite resisted the urge to talk. "Fifth cabinet . . ." she stuttered. "Stun device."

Shannon rushed to the fifth cabinet, hurriedly searching through the items in it. As she did so, Osgood lost control. Her eyes glared purple, and she snapped her neck and cracked her knuckles. Stretching it's newly owned body, the parasite rose. "Oh," it beamed. "It's nice to be back!"

"Osgood?" Alec muttered. "Get back. I'm warning you!" he insisted, raising the gun.

"As if you were ever going to shoot it," Osgood giggled, snatching the gun out of Alec's hands.

"Shannon! Hurry!" Alec screamed, stepping back from Osgood as she continued to approach.

"I don't know what it looks like!" Shannon screamed, still rummaging through the cabinet.

"I don't know either! Just do something!" Alec pleaded, knocking over a Cyberman suit to avoid Osgood.

"Get ready, little boy," Osgood sniggered. "It's going to end very soon." As she spoke, Osgood raising her hand, outstretched, ready to thread her fingers around Alec's neck.

"Not if I don't stop you!" Shannon cried. She slipped a glove-like item on her hand and ran at Osgood. Leaping through the air, she wailed, attaching the glove to the back of Osgood's head. There was a burst of energy, sending Shannon back onto her spine. Osgood shook on the spot, her mind on fire, before collapsing onto her face.

There was a moment of absolute silence. Alec panted, centimetres from what could've been his death. He staggered forwards, kneeling down beside Shannon. "You ok?"

"A sore back, but can't complain," Shannon sighed, rolling onto her front. "Is she ok? Did we just kill her?"

"No. Just stunned her."

"And the parasite?"

"Still inside her." As Alec replied, an army of UNIT soldiers flooded into the room. "Relax, guys. She's just stunned. Take her Saint Bart's; the parasite's still inside her but dormant."

"Patrick's dead," a soldier said. "Who killed him?"

"The parasite," Shannon stuttered, still shaken by the day's events.


"Well done," the Doctor congratulated Alec and Shannon.

"What you two did was amazing," Kate added.

"Well, we had some help," Alec said, referring to Patrick.

"Thank you," Osgood smiled, "for everything. Ok, maybe not the electric bit at the end."

"Sorry about that," Shannon laughed. "It was nice to meet you."

"I had you all wrong," the Doctor admitted. "I thought you were just some boring teenager that thought all of this was just a laugh, but it turns out you're the opposite."

"Thanks, Doctor. I'll take that as a compliment," Alec laughed.

"If ever you two need jobs, you know where to come," Kate hinted.

"But for the moment, stay away from potential weapons," Osgood smiled.

"Well, until the next time," the Doctor concluded, opening the TARDIS doors.

"Until the next time, old friend," Kate agreed.

"Come back soon, Doctor," Osgood begged.

"I'm sure we will," Sasha smiled. "Besides, I need to be back here for that big EastEnders storyline Claire keeps going on about."

"Oh, Doctor!" Shannon interrupted, stopping the Doctor as he placed his first foot inside the TARDIS. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Yes? Go on."

"A week ago, you helped save me from that cell. I want to find a way of repaying you. I was hoping . . . What I'm trying to say is . . ."

"Can she travel with us?" Alec asked.

Sasha nudged the Doctor, urging him to say yes. "Fine!" the Doctor sighed, giving in. "Get in then. Don't touch the console. Dinner's at seven, followed by your introduction and we'll set some ground rules. I don't see the point to be honest; these two are always breaking them. You Parkers are a troublesome lot."

"Thank you!" Shannon cried, jumping into the TARDIS with Alec.

"See you soon, Doctor," Kate waved as the TARDIS doors closed.

"Bye!" Osgood called, her voice disappearing over the TARDIS engines is the blue box disappeared.