I'm back. I've rewritten the first six chapters, so I'm now carrying on. Essentially the story is the same, just tidied up. It has not been abandoned.

Disclaimer: Not Mine

Even as the Doctor moved on, I still felt strange. It was like I had seen part of him that was always hidden away for a good reason, and now that I had seen it, nothing could really go back to the way things were. It was like the surreal feeling I had started to get used to, but seemed like it was so much more...personal. I knew that the Doctor wouldn't become so vulnerable in a matter of seconds over a trivial issue, one that didn't matter. This matter could only be the result of something so...momentous, that the only way to ever find out what it truly was about, was to have the Doctor tell it to me himself. So I simply attempted to move past that issue. He would tell me if he wanted to tell me, and there was nothing I would be able to do to change that.

I stepped through into the engine room, silently impressed at the vast turbines that were whirring around inside the room. The fans were bigger than a house, and they were blasting a wave of cold air right towards us. I pulled my coat closer towards me. For the first time today, I wished that I had worn something a little warmer. Luckily for them, neither the Doctor nor Jabe looked remotely cold. Either it had something to do with alien acclimatisation or I was just being a bit wimpy. I hoped it was the first.

As if he had heard my thoughts, the Doctor looked towards us, "Is it me or is it a bit nippy?" he inquired and I shot him a glare, bouncing on my toes a little to keep warm, "Fair do's though, that's a great bit of air conditioning. Nice and old fashioned," he walked towards yet another panel in the wall. I wondered how many panels this whole space station had, "I bet they call it retro," there was a scuttling as he opened it, and I leapt back as a spiderlike creature came running out towards me. I kicked it sharply, "Hey!"

I looked at him, "Sorry," I answered, "I don't like spiders," I looked at the metal spider hurtled up the walls, and swallowed, "Especially spiders that big," I took several steps back, positioning myself behind the other two. I considered it to be quite cowardly, but if that spider was to come down again, then I would be better placed for it to not come near me, "Do you know what it's doing here?"

"A better question would be, what the hell is it?" the Doctor looked at it as if fascinated.

Jabe looked confused at the sight of the metal-like spider contraption, "I don't understand," she asked, "Is it part of the retro?" I raised an eyebrow, before lowering it again. To me, a metal scuttling spider was considered to be better than cutting edge. Retro was a telephone that a dial on the front. I suppose that in the year five billion, everything was shifted. Mobile phones and iPods were now...prehistoric items. Just another way to make me feel lost in this new world.

The Doctor shook his head, "I don't think so," he replied, aiming his sonic screwdriver at it, "Hold on," he buzzed at it, the frequency changing rapidly as the spider scuttled to and fro, avoiding the glare of the instrument. Jabe took a step back, and I moved out of the way as she raised her arm, shooting a thin leafy vine up towards the ceiling. It managed to catch the spider with a loud crack and I caught the metal contraption, looking at it, "Hey nice liana,"

"Thank you," Jabe blushed slightly, "I'm not supposed to show them in public," I turned back to look at the thing in my hands. It was like a spider, however it was metal, had three legs and a single eye.

"Don't worry," the Doctor reassured Jabe, "I won't tell anyone," they both looked at me and I shrugged lightly, not personally bothering about the liana myself but accepting that I was not going to tell anyone about it. I found it faintly impressive, "Now," I handed the spider over to him and he started buzzing at it again, "Who's been bringing their pets on board?"

"It's not meant to be here?" I asked him and he looked pointedly up at me, "What does it do?"

"Sabotage," he said simply and I nodded calmly, inwardly feeling a rush of adrenaline at the easy word. The speaker came on yet another time to announce that there were ten minutes left until the Earth exploded. I checked my watch, setting it accurately, before meeting the Doctor's eye, "The temperature's about to rocket..." he was already moving, "Come on, you two,"

I was walking quickly after him as we ducked through the long corridor of wires and plugs that we had just travelled down. I wrinkled my nose as the smell of burning flesh assaulted me when we emerged from the maintenance duct, and as we turned the corner, I took a step back at the steam that issued from a room, light blasting its way through. Droves of little blue children were crying and banging on the door as we approached it and the Doctor immediately went to the panel door, "Is the Steward in there?" I asked, seeing the little message on the door.

"You can smell him," he answered, and I looked up at the speakers, wincing as I heard Britney Spears blasting through them, "Hold on, there's another sun filter programmed to descend in a minute," I immediately took off after him as he reached another door with someone banging on the door, "Anyone in there?"

"Let me out," my head snapped up when I heard Rose's voice on the other side, and I immediately tried the handle. It was locked.

"It would be you," the Doctor murmured, scanning the panel rapidly, "Hold on, give us two ticks," I tried to force the door open, but it was firmly wedged shut, "Not going to work, those doors are thick steel. I doubt that even with both of us together, we could make the door open," I shot a glare at him, "I'm working as hard as I can,"

I returned to bang on the door, frantic to get my sister out of being barbequed. The P.A came back on announcing the sun filters ascent and I sighed, slumping against the door. I looked at the Doctor, opening my mouth to thank him when the sun filter started descending again. Immediately I returned banging on the door again, "Doctor..." I said, panic showing through my voice, "Doctor, what is going on. Why aren't the sun filters working?"

"Just what we needed, the computer's getting smart," he answered, before looking up at me, "I will get her out," he continued on working through the different wires.

"Rose," I spoke to my older sister through the door, "Rose, we're just trying to get it working again," her banging just became louder, and I could hear the hiss and crackle of heat searing the walls within the room, "Rose, we're going to get you out. We're trying to open the door," I was attempting to make my voice sound calm, but it was doubtful that I sounded like I wanted to. I turned back to the Doctor who was ripping apart the wall to get at the wires within, "Stop mucking about!"

"I'm not mucking about," he protested, "The computer's fighting back, I am trying to open the door!" I sighed, grabbing the screwdriver and sticking it in the wires as far as it could go, before pressing the button. There was a sudden spark, and I grinned as I heard the speaker's voice proclaiming the now ascending sun filters. I handed the Doctor back his screwdriver, "That was rather lucky," I didn't say anything but felt rather sheepish at the fact that I had short wired the fuses in the panel. I turned back to the door, pushing at it and expecting that it would open.

It remained shut.

"The whole thing is jammed," I said, kicking it loudly, "Lock's melted. Damn," I tried to peer through the frosted glass, seeing Rose on the other side trying to open it from that end, "We can't open the door! It's stuck," she glared at me, "It's not my fault," the Doctor was quickly looking at the wires, before shaking his head at me and gesturing towards the corridor, "Hold on, we'll be back in a second. Don't go anywhere, don't even move," I quickly followed the Doctor, hearing a muffled shout behind me, "Do you know who put her in there. Rose wouldn't have done that willingly,"

"I know," he told me, and looked down, his face slightly grim, "But I think I have an idea about who might have put her in there," we entered the main room to a loud argument about the metal spiders. Accusations were being thrown around quickly and easily by the different factions. I merely raised an eyebrow at them, going to stand next to the Face of Boe, the only one that appeared to be of any intelligence in this witch hunt. He felt safe, somehow. As if I had known him a long time ago. Well...he had informed me that we had met before. Perhaps that was why.

The Doctor was standing in the corner, playing around with the metal spider, and he quickly commanded the room when he spoke. So strange...he could be friendly and kind one second and yet he could appear to be imposing and dominating when he wanted to be. He practically demanded attention. A faint thought of who was the real Doctor crossed my mind before fading away as he held the spider up, "There's an easy way of finding out who's trying to sabotage this ship," he announced, "Someone brought their little pet's on board," he placed it down, the thing immediately running around the room, "Let's send him back to master,"

I watched as the spider ran across the room, going towards the human trampoline. I looked at Cassandra, as did everyone. Then there was a moment's pause and the spider moved on over to the cowl covered people at the far end of the room. They certainly looked the part of being in a plot to infiltrate the whole of Platform One. But one look at the Doctor's face showed that the situation was a little different to what it appeared to be.

"The Adherents of the Repeated Meme," Cassandra was the one to break the silence in the wake of the spider, "J'accuse!"

The Doctor walked forward, smiling sarcastically, "That's all very well and really kind of obvious..." he stated, "But if you stop and think about it," he walked up to the hooded figures, the leader suddenly swinging at him. He caught the arm swiftly, breaking it off. I stared at the wires and tubing attached to the claw. It didn't look real, "A repeated meme is just an idea, and that's all they are..." he ripped a tube off, and the Meme's collapsed an empty space where the bodies should have been, "An idea,"

"So you're saying they were remote control...droids?" I spoke up, aware that everyone's eyes had suddenly turned to me. It was unsettling. The Doctor nodded, "But if they're not real, and the spider..." I jerked my head in the spider's direction, "Isn't really under their command. Then that makes the Memes a cover for the real person who's been causing the trouble. Which should mean..." I watched as the spider clicked its way over to Cassandra, looking up at us almost innocently, "Why am I not surprised? The Human Trampoline,"

The trampoline in question was sneering at both me and the Doctor, "I bet you both were the school swot's and never got kissed," she snarled at us. I opened my mouth to reply when the two surgeons by her side raised the nozzles they were carrying, "At arms!"

The Doctor looked less than impressed at the sight of the men, "What are you going to do?" he said, placing his hands on his chest mockingly, "Moisturise me?" I had to admit, they didn't look particularly threatening.

"With acid," Cassandra informed us coldly, and the smile dropped from my face, "You're far too late anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe," she made a little surprised face, "Oh you carried them as gifts, tax-free, past every code wall, every level," she appeared to shrug, "I'm not just a pretty face,"

"Not an intelligent one either," I folded my arms, and she glared at me, "Forgive me if I'm wrong, but you're trapped on this ship, just like the rest of us. You've sabotaged Platform One when you're on it yourself. How clever were you feeling when you came up with that brilliant plan, because I've seen better from a five year old,"

She sighed, "I had hoped to manufacture a hostage situation. With myself as one of the victims, of course, the compensation would have been enormous," I felt disgusted at how callous she was being. All this work, and it was all because she wanted some more money.

The Doctor was thinking along the same lines as me, "Five billions years..." he scoffed, "And it all comes down to money,"

"Do you think it's cheap looking like this?" Cassandra asked, "Flatness cost's a fortune, I need a complete skin transplant, and I'm growing clones in my cellar. They're just waiting to be peeled," I felt slightly sickened at the sound of that. "I am the Last Human, Doctor, not those...freaky little children of yours," I stiffened at the insult, somehow it seemed more rude coming from a piece of skin, stapled to a mere frame.

The Moxx of Balhoon decided to input his say here, declaring to "Arrest her! The infidel!"

"Shut it, pixie!" Cassandra was quick to put down that idea, "I've still got my final option," I looked at my clock, seeing that there was only three minutes left until the Earth was going to explode, "And here it comes," she laughed, looking around the room at the different aliens that had gathered here, "You're all as useful dead, all of you. I have shares in your rival companies, they'll triple in price as soon as you're gone. My spiders were primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How does that Old Earth Song go? Burn, baby burn,"

"Then you'll burn with us!" Jabe was quick to retort.

Cassandra only laughed, "Well, yes..." she chuckled even more, "Ohh, but I'm sorry, I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but..." I stumbled back when she was suddenly bathed in blue light, "I'm such a naughty thing," she turned serious, "Spiders...activate!" I took a step back when the spider in front of us exploded. The whole station seemed to tilt slightly with the force of the spiders being blown up, "Force field's gone," the trampoline informed us gleefully, "With the planet set to explode. At least it'll be quick, just like my fifth husband," I couldn't wrap my head around her wanting to make jokes at a time like this. Immediately the temperature had gotten hotter, "Oh shame on me," she was disappearing, and I moved forward, "Bye bye, my darlings, bye, bye,"

I skidded through where Cassandra had been, feeling nothing but air. She had teleported, from the middle of the floor to who knows where. I looked up at the Doctor, "There has to be a way to reset the whole computer," I said to him, "I used to do it at home all the time. Just rest it completely," I remembered that Rose was still stuck upstairs, "Can't we do that?"

"Only the Steward would know how," Jabe told me, but I kept my eyes on the Doctor who was thinking.

"No," he nodded at me, "There's another way, we could do it by hand. There's got to be a system restore switch," he was running out the door, with Jabe and I following him, "Come on, you two..." he looked back at the room full of panicking aliens, "You lot, just chill,"

I put an arm on his and he turned towards me, "I have to find where Rose is," I said to him, and he nodded, "Just in case something happens in there, she's going to need some help getting out as well," I suddenly hugged him tightly, "I know you'll get it done," I told him before looking at Jabe, feeling a sadness wash over me. I pulled her into a hug, sensing her surprise, "We didn't know each long, but I'm glad to have met you," she frowned, "Even for a short while," I was already running towards the room where Rose was held, "Rose!"

"Alice!" Rose was banging on the door, almost sobbing in relief, "What's happening, I heard explosions,"

"Cassandra rigged this place to blow," I answered her, "There were spiders and they exploded, and we're going to get roasted by the same sun as the Earth, unless the Doctor and Jabe are able to restore the whole system. And I get the feeling that not everyone's going to live through this," I heard a frantic beeping on the other side, "You have signal? We're miles out of range,"

"The Doctor did something to my phone," she replied, "Universal roaming, free of charge," I had to be impressed by that, a brief ludicrous moment in the world filled with insanity, "Hi Mum!"

"It's the end of the world, and you're calling Mum?" I muttered, "I guess so," I turned away from the doors, seeing that they were still completely stuck fast. I looked out of a small window, seeing the planet down below, "How long do we have left...?"

Rose was still gabbling away on the phone to Mum, "Earth death, imminent," I looked up at the speakers, "Earth death imminent,"

"Alice!" Rose's voice came back, "Alice, if this doesn't turn out very well for us..." I closed my eyes, resting my head on the door, "I don't blame you, you know? For what you've done in your life. How you've treated Mum, and Nan, sometimes," I nodded to myself, "And if we get out of this...well, don't mention it to anyone,"

I laughed slightly, "Already noted," I said, "And thank you...I haven't been the best...sister, but you're one of the most important people in my life. I..."

The speaker came on again, "Planet explodes in ten... nine," I stared at the small sheet of glass, watching the planet starting to boil down below, "Eight...seven," It was amazingly beautiful, the sun behind it, dazzling nearly everything with its liquid rays, "Six...five," if I had a choice of dying then I supposed that this view probably topped the list. It was incredible, "Four...three," For once I was at peace, "Two...one...exoglass repair,"

I blinked, watching as there was an almighty wave of fire bursting over the Earth, the light so intense that I had to look away. And then there was an explosion, chunks of rock and debris flying everywhere. And I laughed, because it was so beautiful and so...sad.

And I was still alive.

I'm in two minds about the length of a chapter. Should I do longer chapters, but it'll take more time, or shorter chapters and upload more frequently. Or more frequently than I am doing presently? Any suggestions?