Ta-da! New update! This is my AU of The Unquiet Dead. Hope you like it. The actual episode is only referenced in flash-backs, which are in italics.

Because this episode is redone in only one chapter, it's pretty long- about 2900 words without this A/N. So enjoy! Next up is Aliens of London! Now for my reviewers:

StarofCalamity: Yay! You don't hate me! Cheers for that XP

rara saryn: Thank you very much :) *gives banana*

SciFiGeek14: I feel bad about not writing that final scene, but I wouldn't have changed it much, so I didn't think it was super necessary. I'm glad you thought it turned out alright though!

SerenityMoolight: New reviewer! Yay! So glad you liked it! Just getting giggles at three a.m. is amazing in my book!

Bad Wolf Jr: LOL! Tell me about friends corrupting you! Don't I know it XP Glad you liked Zoe's part in this. I was meticulously studying this episode for the rewrite and I realized Rose was kind of useless- still awesome, but I couldn't see Zoe just letting things happen like that. She would jump in headfirst. Thanks for the review!

: Awesome review! So glad you think I had 9 in character! And yes, Zoe and Doc's relationship will get further. After all, Zoe knows better than to waste time. It's just a matter of her actually falling in love with him. She isn't head over heels quite yet.

WeepingAngel123: Yay! Crazy lady is back! With an awesomenastic review as well XD You're so nice, and everything you liked was what I was striving for, so uber big thanks!

TARDISgirl192: Thank you super heaps! R.E.M. is fantastic, aren't they ;D

ROGMethos: Gracias Amigo! You don't have to wait anymore! Ta!

Wandering Hitokiri: What is this? Another new reviewer? :O And he/she/it is impressed! *tears of joy cascade down face* Thank you!

Lindsey: Whoot! Another new reviewer! Thanks friend XD

SpaceHead3: Aww! So nice and lovely! Very appreciative of your taking time!

Now for the actual fic!

** **

Neither of them spoke as they entered the vortex. Zoe kept staring at the screen which a moment ago had showed Charles Dickens outside in the snow. She blinked reflexively when her eyes started to dry and it shook her out of her thoughts.

She could feel the Doctor's eyes on her, measuring her mood, considering what the next step should be. When he did speak, she couldn't take it.

"Zoe-"

"I'm going to change, okay?" Without waiting for an answer she strode out of the room, leaving it in a much darker mood than when they'd landed.

** **

They rolled on the floor at the landing, almost on top of each other, laughing manically. It didn't escape Zoe's notice that the Doctor's attention was solely on her reaction.

"Blimey!"

"You're telling me," he chuckled, getting up and going to the monitor. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Think so- nothing broken!" she replied, joining him. Her skin was actually stinging, still new from getting burned on Platform One, but it wouldn't do for him to know that. "Where are we?"

"I did it! Give the man a medal!" he crowed. "Earth, Naples, December 24th, 1860!" Zoe didn't have the heart to tell him he'd gotten it wrong- again. He'd find out soon enough anyways.

"It's so weird. It's Christmas, 1860. It happens once, just once, and then it's gone, finished, never happen again."

The Doctor looked away from her, smile in place but missing something. The levity in the room was long since gone.

Zoe's eyes sparkled as she continued. "Except for you. You can go back and see days that are dead and gone, a hundred thousand sunsets ago. No wonder you never stay still."

The Time Lord's face softened. "Not a bad life," he said, but it sounded more like a question. They'd never gone back to London, -just drifted in the Vortex for a day while she rested- never got chips, and he'd never asked if she still wanted to come with him. She supposed this was his way of asking, the plead for an affirmative obvious in his eyes.

A small and cheeky grin spread over her face, tongue poking through. "Better with two."

The look on his face was worth his weight in gold. She basked in it for a moment before rushing to the doors.

"Oi! Where d'you think you're going?"

"1860!"

"Go out there, dressed like that, you'll start a riot, Barbarella!"

"What's so bad about that, then?" she teased.

"Well, I'm not getting you out of trouble! Get enough of that already!"

She threw her head back and laughed. He was grinning as well.

"There's a wardrobe through there. First left, second right, third on the left, go straight ahead, under the stairs-"

"Past the bins, fifth door on your left- I know," Zoe finished for him with a wink.

"Hurry up then!" he grumbled, once again annoyed at her for stealing his momentum. She grinned and skipped off, leaving him smiling bemusedly after her.

** **

Zoe found her way to the wardrobe by instinct and entered the vast room, hardly looking around, so unlike the first time.

** **

The little bit she'd gotten to see of the wardrobe in The Christmas Invasion was nothing compared to this. The spiral staircase at the end went both up and down for ages, countless levels branching off of it. She took a moment just to take it in.

She grinned wider than she thought possible. "Oh, I'm definitely coming back here."

Interestingly enough, the only clothes on this level were dresses from the time period they were in. Probably the TARDIS moved things around to make it easier.

Zoe looked at a wall. "Thanks, girl." She winked. "I suspect you picked out dresses from the real year we're in, yeah?"

A low hum reached her ears and she clapped her hands giddily, jumping in anticipation before diving into the racks of gorgeous period gowns.

** **

Zoe kept her eyes on the floor as she undressed, thoughts racing through her head. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. She'd lost control of events and had panicked. A solitary tear winded its way down her face, and she finally looked up into the mirror.

** **

She looked in the mirror and exhaled, the abominable corset forcing her body into an unnatural but very attractive figure. Over all she thought she made a pretty good picture.

Instead of the red and black number Rose had worn, she had chosen a gown similar to the one Miss Hartigan had worn in The Next Doctor. However, it was midnight blue, had little puffy sleeves and a shorter overskirt of the same fabric trimmed with black lace.

She added long white gloves and a black hooded cloak to the ensemble. A small blue flower arrangement adorned her upswept, strawberry blonde hair, a matching corsage pinned at the dip of the v-neck.

Zoe sighed and hoped all the trouble was worth it. Maybe they could try for Naples again after this, go to a ball or something, use the gown like it was meant to. Maybe they could dance.

** **

A pale and solemn girl stared back at Zoe in the gilded mirror. The TARDIS hummed in comfort, but it didn't seem to warm the chilled human like was meant.

She heaved a sigh and slowly, wearily put her own clothes back on: bra, sweater, and lounge pants. No shoes- they were still messy from being worn outside, under the gown.

** **

"Oi!"

Zoe turned and saw the Doctor staring at marks in the snow.

"What?"

"You didn't change shoes!"

She looked at the sneaker prints leading back to the TARDIS, peeking one foot out of the cumbersome skirt to examine her pink and black sport shoes carefully.

"Well," Zoe grinned mischievously, "I can't run in those impractical period boots, now, can I?"

** **

No one had noticed anyways. Not even the great Charles Dickens. Of course, with Gelth flying about, people were looking up, not down.

Zoe bent down and picked up the gown, carefully putting in back on the racks. Her hand paused at the small tear on the bodice. She must have gotten it when Gwyneth and Mr. Sneed stuffed her into the back of the hearse. She hadn't even noticed it till now. It had been non-stop action since waking up in the parlour.

** **

Her head ached. That was all she could think of for a moment, before the reason clicked in her brain and she sat up sharply with a gasp.

"Owwww," she moaned, palm pressed to forehead. Not a good idea to be so active after being chloroformed.

After a pause to let her blood flow settle, she turned around, and sure enough, saw a Gelth infested corpse sitting up in a coffin on either side of her.

"Right," Zoe murmured, standing and cracking all her knuckles in a single, swift motion. "Like the Other I'm playing Damsel-in-Distress."

Travelling the world meant she was exposed to some of the more… iffy parts of society. She'd taken some basic classes for self-defense and was disturbingly ecstatic she could use them now. It's not like she'd be hurting them- the bodies were already dead and Gelth were non-corporeal.

Consequently, when the Doctor decided to finally make an appearance, she was in the middle of flipping the dead man over her shoulder into the old woman, knocking them both to the ground.

"Hi," she said to him, and blew a piece of hair that had come loose out of her face.

His utterly shocked look was priceless. "What'd you do?"

"What does it look like?"

"Like you're beating the life out of the dead."

"Only cause you weren't here."

"Seems you didn't need me."

"Doesn't mean I didn't want you."

She had no idea what possessed her to say that. It was startlingly true, but a bit too revealing under the circumstances. Speaking of which…

"Hi Charlie!"

The bearded author simply looked at her in shock and puzzlement. A groan from the Doctor stopped any more conversation with him.

"You know about this too, don't you? Can't I figure anything out on my own?" he whined to Zoe.

She stuck her tongue out. "Not stopping you from trying."

He rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the two Gelth infested people. "I'm Doctor. Who are you?"

"They're the Gelth. They lost their physical bodies in the Time War- or so they say," Zoe shot a look at the dead, "And want out of the rift where they're trapped. They want to use dead bodies as hosts. Unfortunately, they're more than fine with killing to get them."

There was a silence after that, punctuated only by breathing and the flickering of the gas lights. Finally the Doctor spoke, looking at her like she'd grown another head.

"I thought you were gonna let me try?"

"Changed my mind."

"You changed your mind? Just like that? Women! Ficklest things in the universe!"

She swatted him and was about to make a retort when the two bodies dropped to the floor, screaming as the Gelth exited and disappeared into the lamps again.

Once again there was silence and once again the Doctor broke it.

"Well," he said clapping his hands and grinning, "let's get down to business!"

** **

Zoe abruptly fled the wardrobe, suddenly unable to stay still. Unfortunately, right outside was a very solid chest belonging to one Time Lord.

Avoiding his eyes, she shivered against him, tension rippling through her muscles. He had a grip on her arm where it had come up in surprise and rested against his torso. His other hand was on her shoulder.

"Zoe…" he sighed, sounding lost for anymore words. She looked up at him finally, ashamed of the tears swimming in her eyes, but unable to stop them building.

"Come on." Without comment she followed him as he led her to the kitchen.

She sat quietly, tracing random patterns on the table top in front of her, eyes glued to the spot but not seeing it at all. The Doctor was making tea to the side and had it ready in a minute thanks to the alien TARDIS equipment. He placed it in front of her before sliding into a seat across with his own cuppa.

** **

"Please, miss, you shouldn't be helping! It's not right!" Gwyneth exclaimed as Zoe began to dry some dishes.

"Don't be daft!" she said, but reluctantly handed the towel to Gwyneth when the Welshwoman insisted.

Zoe recited the memorized dialogue, pretending to be surprised at Gwyneth's wages, asking her about school and laughing with her when admitting she'd skipped school once as well. The whole time she was encouraging the maid to ask the butcher's boy out, she reveled in the fact that she would be able to give the girl the chance to. She would save Gwyneth. And she wasn't at all insulted when the maid told her she spoke like a wild thing.

"Maybe that's a good thing," Zoe said with a sparkle in her eye. "You need a bit more in your life than Mr. Sneed."

"Oh, now that's not fair. He's not so bad, Sneed. He was very kind to me to take me in, cause I lost my Mum and Dad to the flu when I was twelve."

"I'm sorry," Zoe genuinely apologized and listened hopefully as Gwyneth spoke of seeing them again in Paradise.

"Maybe your Mum's waiting for you up there too, Miss."

"Maybe," she murmured, wondering if being in a different universe changed what Paradise would be like. "How did you know about her?"

Gwyneth faltered and stuttered. "I don't know. Must have been the Doctor."

Zoe stared at her back as she went back to drying dishes. "She died years back."

"But you've been thinking about her lately," came the soft reply.

"How do you know all this?" Green eyes met Gwyneth's brown ones, daring her to speak the truth.

"Oh, Mr. Sneed says I think too much, down here on my own. I bet you've got dozens of servants, Miss."

"No, no servants where I come from." Unless you count a sentient time/space ship that gets your clothes ready as one, she added mentally.

"And you've come such a long way."

Zoe looked up at the Welshwoman through her lashes intently, waiting for what was coming next, lips parted in anticipation.

"You're from London," Gwyneth said, stepping closer. "I have seen London in drawings, but never like that. All those people rushing about, half naked for shame. And the noise, and the metal boxes racing past, and the birds in the sky- no, no they are metal as well. Metal birds with people in them, people are flying. And you, you have flown so far, further than anyone. The things you've seen: the Void. The Big Bad Wolf!"

She backed up sharply and Zoe released a breath she hadn't known she was holding.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry Miss, I can't help it." The Welshwoman looked terrified and Zoe rushed to reassure her.

"It's alright, Gwyneth. It'll be fine."

"But it won't," the maid whispered sadly. "You can't save everyone, Rosemary Zoe Taylor. That is not your part."

** **

Tears rushed down Zoe's cheeks and into her tea. She shook with quiet sobs, turning into the Doctor when he sat next to her. His jumper was not itchy like she'd expected, but it proved absorbent as it soaked up her tears.

They sat that way until the Doctor spoke.

"I'm sorry."

Zoe's head shot up. "Why? What for?"

A deep ache was in the Time Lord's eyes. "I couldn't save Gwyneth."

A bitter laugh escaped her lips and she shook her head violently. "No. It was not your fault. Believe me, her death was completely out of your control."

Doubt still played in his gaze and she gripped her chin with one hand.

"Listen to me, Doctor. Listen closely. You did nothing wrong. You were fantastic. It was in no possible way your fault, so don't even think about taking blame, cause I won't allow it!"

She blinked and her face crumpled again. It was my fault.

** **

"Listen to me," Zoe cried out to Gwyneth. The Gelth surround them in the morgue, the inhabited corpses reaching through the iron bars toward her and the Doctor.

"You don't have to do this! You don't have to die!"

But the girl only smiled softly, reassuringly. "But Miss," she said, polite to the last, "I do. The Wolf demands it."

Zoe's jaw dropped joining her heart on the floor. "No! No, the Wolf flippin' does not demand it!" she shouted.

Only the Doctor's firm grip on her arm prevented her from running to the maid and shaking sense into her. As it was, one arm was stretched out desperately.

"Please! Please don't do this Gwyneth!" she screamed. "This isn't supposed to happen! I was gonna save you!" Hot tears streamed down her face, blinding her.

Zoe continued screaming and pleading as Charles Dickens turned the gas up and sucked the Gelth out. She kicked and cried as the Doctor forcibly dragged her out of the house. And she dropped to her knees in the snow as she watched the house burn, sealing the rift and the Welshwoman's fate.

"Gwyneth…"

** **

"Oh, Doctor…" Zoe drew in a ragged death, "I was going to save her. I was going to save her like Jabe. I don't understand why I couldn't."

The Doctor hugged her tighter and sighed into her hair.

"Zoe, I heard what she said. She was right; you can't save everyone."

Zoe sniffed and squeezed her eyes shut in defiance.

"I don't believe that. I don't want to believe that! I have to save them! It's the only thing I can control! Don't you see? I know what happens to so many people, and I can save them!" She drew back and was shocked to see fear in the Doctor's eyes.

"Zoe," he hissed, grabbing her face in his hands, "don't even go there. Don't even try! You can't take on the responsibility of life and death; it'll drive you mad! I know! I can see every possibility and outcome all the time, but I can't stop them. I can't stop death. The Universe moves forward on the dust of the dead, and that can never change. You'll only hurt yourself trying. Believe me. Please, don't take on that burden."

Zoe gulped at the raw emotions in his ice-blue eyes. The fear, she realized, was for her. He didn't want her to feel the weight of the Universe like he did. He didn't want his life to taint hers.

Too late, she thought, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

She gave him a watery smile that broke into a grin, and threw her arms around his neck to pull him close in a breath-taking hug.

Without even thinking about it, she echoed what he hadn't had an opportunity to say in the cellar.

"I'm so glad I met you."

He momentarily froze and Zoe wondered if she'd gone too far, but then he relaxed in her grip.

"Me too."

** **