Stella by Starlight Pt 2 Chapter 10, a doctor who fanfic

Stella ran her hands along the long in back short in front skirt of her sky blue chiffon halter top backless loose fit summer dress with a white belt around her waist that she wore with a simple pair of white open toes ballet flats. Donna had been adamant that she should wear a dress that day along with a pair of dangle earring that consisted of two thin silver chains that hung from a silver stud with small sapphire tear drop jewels at the end. Her hair was loose hanging down her back and she wore a light dusting of makeup.

"I said, no." Donna said over the phone making Stella smile. They were about to board the shuttle to take them to the sapphire water fall, but Donna had opted for a spa day for herself leaving the couple on their own. Stella had asked the Doctor to try and convince her one last time, and was a little surprised when he seemed hesitant to do so.

"Sapphire waterfall. It's a waterfall made of sapphires." The Doctor said into the phone. "This enormous jewel, the size of a glacier, reaches the Cliffs of Oblivion, and then shatters into sapphires at the edge. They fall a hundred thousand feet into a crystal ravine."

"I bet you say that to all the girls." Donna said and Stella could feel her rolling her eyes.

"Nope, just Stella." The Doctor winked as Stella who smiled with a blush before she motioned to the passengers getting on board. "Oh, come on. They're boarding now." The Doctor said. "Four hours, that's all it takes."

"No, that's four hours there and four hours back. That's like a school trip." Donna replied. "I'd rather go sunbathing."

"You be careful, that's Xtonic sunlight." Stella said as she took the phone.

"Oh, I'm safe. It says in the brochure this glass is fifteen feet thick." Donna replied with a scoff.

"All right, I give up." The Doctor replied taking the phone back. "We'll be back for dinner. We'll try that anti-gravity restaurant. With bibs."

"Sounds good." Donna said. "You two have fun on your date, now get off."

"See you later." The Doctor said.

"Oi." Donna stopped him before he could hang up. "And you two be careful, all right?"

"Nah." The Doctor replied. "Taking a big space truck with a bunch of strangers across a diamond planet called Midnight? What could possibly go wrong?"

"Bye Donna." Stella said before the Doctor hung up.

-0-

The Doctor led Stella into the shuttle by her hand and they took their seats in the passenger compartment of the bus aeroplane the other passengers walking past them as they boarded.

"Complimentary juice pack and complimentary peanuts." A hostess asked as she walked down the aisle.

"Just the headphones, please." A serious looking woman replied and the hostess handed her a pair.

"There you go." The hostess left the woman in the blue suit and then moved on to the Doctor and Stella, then started handing them one thing after another, two of each. "That's the headphones for channels one to thirty six. Modem link for 3D vidgames. Complimentary earplugs. Complimentary slippers. Complimentary juice pack and complimentary peanuts. I must warn you some products may contain nuts."

"That'll be the peanuts." The Doctor smarted off.

"Enjoy your trip." The hostess said.

"Oh, I can't wait. Allons-y." The Doctor smiled.

"I'm sorry?" The hostess asked.

"It's French, for let's go." Stella told her.

"Fascinating." The hostess said with a tight smile before moving along.

"She seemed nice." Stella commented as a scholarly man, and his petite Indian assistant took the seats behind the Doctor and Stella.

"Headphones for channels one to thirty six." The hostess offered.

"Oh no, thank you, not for us." The man waved her off.

"Earplugs, please." The girl said.

"There you go." The hostess handed her some.

"They call it the Sapphire Waterfall, but it's no such thing. Sapphire's an aluminium oxide, but the glacier is just compound silica with iron pigmentation." The man explained as the hostess moved on to a couple, man and woman.

"Complimentary juice pack and complimentary peanuts." The hostess said

"Thank you." The woman thanked her.

"Have you got that pillow for my neck?" The scholarly man asked his assistant.

"Yes, sir." She replied.

"And the pills?" He questioned.

"Yes, all measured out for you." She answered handing over the items. "There you go."

"Hobbes. Professor Winfold Hobbes." Hobbes said as he leaned over the seat introducing himself to the Doctor and Rhea.

"I'm the Doctor and this is my lovely Stella." The Doctor smiled.

"Hello." Stella smiled.

"It's my fourteenth time." Hobbes said.

"Oh. Our first." The Doctor said.

"And I'm Dee Dee, Dee Dee Blasco." Dee Dee smiled as she too leaned forward.

"Don't bother them." Hobbes admonished her.

"It's no bother at all." Stella smiled at the girl. "Nice to meet you Dee Dee."

"You as well." Dee Dee smiled.

"Where's my water bottle?" Hobbes asked Dee Dee.

"Complimentary slippers, complimentary juice pack, and complimentary peanuts. I must warn you some products may contain nuts." The Hostess continued to hand out items to the couple as their teenage boy was sitting across the aisle from them.

"Don't be silly." The mother called to him. "Come and sit with us. Look, we get slippers."

"Jethro. Do what your mother says." The father said sternly when the boy didn't move.

"I'm sitting here." Jethro replied.

"Oh, he's ashamed of us, but he doesn't mind us paying, does he?" The father said.

"Oh, don't you two start. Should I save the juice pack or have it now?" The mother asked. "Look, peach and clementine."

"Ladies and gentlemen, and variations thereupon, welcome on board the Crusader Fifty." The hostess said when the boarding was complete. "If you would fasten your seatbelts, we'll be leaving any moment. Doors." The doors closed. "Shields down." The windows were shielded. "I'm afraid the view is shielded until we reach the Waterfall Palace. Also, a reminder. Midnight has no air, so please don't touch the exterior door seals. Fire exit at the rear, and should we need to use it, you first. Now I will hand you over to Driver Joe."

"Driver Joe at the wheel. There's been a diamondfall at the Winter Witch Canyon, so we'll be taking a slight detour, as you'll see on the map. The journey covers five hundred kliks to the Multifaceted Coast. Duration is estimated at four hours. Thank you for travelling with us, and as they used to say in the olden days, wagons roll." Joe said and they started to move causing the shuttle to shake a bit.

"For your entertainment, we have the Music Channel playing retrovids of Earth classics." The hosted activated the dropdown screens showing a pop video. "Also, the latest artistic installation from Ludovico Klein." A holographic painting started up. "Plus, for the youngsters, a rare treat. The Animation Archives." A projection of Betty Boop appeared on a screen in front of the drivers cabin door. "Four hours of fun time. Enjoy."

Everything played at once making it impossible to even try to focus on one thing. It was all mashed together and very, very loud forcing Stella to cover her ears. Glancing over to the Doctor it was plain to see he wasn't enjoying the entertainment either.

"Love I don't think I can handle this for four hours." Stella said with a wince as the stern woman looked up from her book, very unhappy.

"I can take care of that." The Doctor powered up his sonic screwdriver and suddenly it went quiet and the screens returned to their docks.

"Well, that's a mercy." Hobbes commented.

"I know I say I love you a lot, but I love you a lot." Stella said kissing the Doctor's cheek.

"I do my best." The Doctor smiled.

"I do apologize, ladies and gentlemen, and variations thereupon." The hostess said as she tried to fix it. "We seem to had a failure of the Entertainment System."

"Oh." The Doctor and Stella groaned in fake disappointment.

"But what do we do?" The mother asked.

"We've got four hours of this? Four hours of just sitting here?" The father grumbled.

"Tell you what." The Doctor said popping up in his seat and turning to face the others. "We'll have to talk to each other instead."

-0-

The Doctor's idea has caught on quick and everyone was listening to Val and Biff's stories. They were describing in great detail the last vacation they had had and the hilarious situation they had found themselves in.

"So Biff said, I'm going swimming." Val told them.

"Oh, I was all ready. Trunks and everything. Nose plug." Biff said laughingly.

"He had this little nose plug. You should have seen him." Val laughed.

"And I went marching up to the lifeguard. And he was a Shamboni." Biff gestured to his head. "You know, those big foreheads?"

"Great big forehead." Val said.

"And I said, where's the pool? And he said…"

"The pool is abstract." Biff and Val said together making them all laugh.

"It wasn't a real pool." Val said.

"It was a concept." Biff said.

"And you were wearing a nose plug." The Doctor laughed with Stella.

"I was like this. Ooo, where's the pool?" Biff went on.

-0-

The Doctor and Dee Dee were in the galley, getting drinks from a thermos jug.

"I'm just a second-year student, but I wrote a paper on the Lost Moon of Poosh, Professor Hobbes read it, liked it, took me on as researcher, just for the holidays." Dee Dee explained. "Well, I say researcher. Most of the time he's got me fetching and carrying. But it's all good experience."

"And did they ever find it?" The Doctor asked as they drank.

"Find what?" Dee Dee asked.

"The Lost Moon of Poosh." The Doctor replied.

"Oh, no. Not yet." Dee Dee answered.

"Well. Maybe that'll be your great discovery, one day. Here's to Poosh." The Dotor raised his drink.

"Poosh." Dee Dee clinked her cup with his and they both took a sip. "So what brought you to the falls?"

"Oh well I thought it'd be a good place to…well…" The Doctor glanced over at Stella who had managed to get Jethro to talk to her, finding a common interested in the music they liked. "I was planning on Stella and I having our first real proper date there, a planned one instead of one that just…happened."

"Oh really, how romantic." Dee Dee said with a smile.

"Yeah." The Doctor smiled looking back to Stella who looked up just in time to catch his eye and smile back.

-0-

The Doctor and Stella were sitting with Sky, the blue suited woman, as they unwrapped their meals.

"No, no, we're with this friend of ours, Donna. She stayed behind in the Leisure Palace." The Doctor replied. "You?"

"No, it's just me." Sky replied.

"Oh, we've both done plenty of that. Travelling on our own." Stella commented.

"It's not bad. Do what you want, go anywhere." The Doctor shrugged.

"No, I'm still getting used to it. I've found myself single rather recently, not by choice." Sky said sadly.

"What happened?" The Doctor asked.

"Oh, the usual. She needed her own space, as they say." Sky said with a sigh. "A different galaxy, in fact. I reckon that's enough space, don't you?"

"Yeah." The Doctor nodded. "I had a friend who went to a different universe."

"Oh, what's this, chicken or beef?" Sky looked at the piece of meat on the end of her fork.

"I'm not sure." Stella said as she poked it carefully.

"I think it's both." The Doctor said and they all made a face.

"Even I cook better than this." Stella grumbled.

"Well…." The Doctor trailed off and looked up when he felt her glare and Sky made an oh noise. The Doctor winced and gave Stella a slightly panicked grin. "I love you?"

-0-

"Stella." The Doctor said his head popped over the seat in front of her from where she sat talking to Dee Dee.

"Yes?" Stella replied looking up at him.

"I might have mentioned here and there that you are an excellent singer." He said with a grin. "And they were wondering if you'd sing something."

"Were you bragging on me?" Stella asked with a playful smirk.

"Maybe, just a little." The Doctor replied as she stood up.

"Charmer." Stella kissed his cheek then brought up a holographic orb of glowing blue

Everyone clapped as she took her position at the front of the shuttle and the orb started to play Safe and Sound by Capital Cities singing as she danced in the isles then she moved onto Dr. Wanna Do by Caro Emerald causing the Doctor's face to go beat red. She had sauntered up to him with a wicked grin as she sang the swing pop song and she saw him swallow hard when she took hold of his tie at the end of the song pulling him in for a kiss, the other clapping as they laughed at the Doctor's flustered state. She followed up with some choices from the fellow passengers and when her last song ended everyone clapped as she took a few bows for fun.

-0-

The lights in the shuttle had been turned down and Professor Hobbes was giving an illustrated lecture with Dee Dee working the slides, even Jethro was interested.

"So, this is Midnight, do you see, bombarded by the sun. Xtonic rays, raw galvanic radiation. Dee Dee, next slide." Hobbes said and she did so. "It's my pet project. Actually, I'm the first person to research this. Because, you see, the history is fascinating. Because there is no history. There's no life in this entire system. There couldn't be. Before the Leisure Palace Company moved in, no one had come here in all eternity. No living thing."

"But how do you know? I mean, if no one can go outside." Jethro asked.

"Oh, his imagination. Here we go." Val scoffed offending Jethro.

"He's got a point, though." The Doctor commented.

"Exactly." Hobbes said. "We look upon this world through glass, safe inside our metal box. Even the Leisure Palace was lowered down from orbit. And here we are now, crossing Midnight, but never touching it."

Suddenly there was a crunch, rattle, and a grind as the shuttle came to a stop.

"We've stopped. Have we stopped?" Val said uncertainly.

"Are we there?" Biff asked.

"We can't be, it's too soon." Dee Dee replied.

"They don't stop." Hobbes said. "Crusader vehicles never stop."

"If you could just return to your seats." The hostess said as she went to the intercom phone. "It's just a small delay."

"Maybe just a pit stop." Biff suggested.

"What's going on?" The hostess asked.

"There's no pit to stop in. I've been on this expedition fourteen times. They never stop." Hobbes said adamantly.

"Well, evidently we have stopped, so there's no point in denying it." Sky pointed out.

"We've broken down." Jethro said.

"Thanks, Jethro." Val said uncomfortably.

"In the middle of nowhere." Jethro went on eerily.

"That's enough. Now stop it." Biff ordered and Jethro plopped back down in his seat with a frown.

"Ladies and gentlemen, and variations thereupon. We're just experiencing a short delay. The driver needs to stabilize the engine feeds. It's perfectly routine, so if you could just stay in your seats." The hostess assured them.

"I have the overwhelming feeling that she's lying." Stella commented to the Doctor.

"I think you may be right." The Doctor nodded as he walked towards the driver's door with Stella.

"No, I'm sorry, sir, ma'am, I. Could you please?" The hostess tried, but the Doctor flashed his psychic paper cutting off the hostess.

"There you go. Engine expert. Two ticks." The Doctor opened the driver's door.

"I'm sorry, sir, ma'am, if you could just sit down. You're not supposed to be in there." The hostess tried to get them back to sit down, but they of course ignore her.

"Sorry." Joe said as they entered the cockpit. "If you could return to your seat, sir, ma'am."

"Company insurance." The Doctor flashed his psychic paper. "Let's see if we can get an early assessment. So, what's the problem, Driver Joe?"

"We're stabilizing the engine feeds. Won't take long." Joe replied.

"Er, no, because that's the engine feed, that line there, and it's fine." The Doctor pointed out.

"And it's a micropetrol engine, so stabilizing doesn't really make sense, does it?" Stella commented.

"Sorry. I'm the Doctor and this is Stella, we're very clever." The Doctor introduced them. "So, what's wrong?"

"We just stopped. Look, all systems fine, everything's working, but we're not moving." The other driver said as the Doctor scanned with his screwdriver.

"Yeah, you're right." The Doctor commented. "No faults."

"And who are you?" Stella asked.

"Claude. I'm the mechanic. Trainee." He replied.

"Nice to meet you." The Doctor commented.

"I've sent a distress signal. They should dispatch a rescue truck, top speed." Joe told them.

"How long till they get here?" The Doctor asked.

"About an hour." Joe replied.

"Well, since we're waiting, shall we take a look outside? Just lift the screens a bit?" The Doctor asked.

"It's a hundred percent Xtonic out there. We'd be vaporized." Joe said.

"Nah. Those windows are Finitoglass. They'd give you a couple of minutes." The Doctor said.

"Go on, live a little." Stella smiled at him. "Nothing ventured nothing gained."

"Well…" He raised the front screen revealing a breath taking scene of diamond cliffs. "Wow.

"Oh, that is beautiful." Stella said wide eyed, her eyes scanning everything in sight.

"Look at all those diamonds. Poisoned by the sun. No-one can ever touch them." Claude said in wonder.

"Joe, you said we took a detour?" The Doctor said.

"Just about forty kliks to the west." Joe replied.

"Is that a recognized path?" The Doctor asked.

"No, it's a new one. The computer worked it out on automatic." Joe answered.

"So we're the first. This piece of ground. No one's ever been here before. Not in the whole of recorded history." The Doctor said sharing an excited look with Stella then she looked back out again, her eyes catching a glimpse of…something, but then it was gone.

"Did you just? No, sorry, it's nothing." Claude shook his head.

"What did you see?" Stella asked in a soft voice.

"Just there. That ridge. Like, like a shadow. Just, just for a second." Claude pointed out.

"What sort of shadow?" The Doctor asked.

'Beep, beep, beep'

"Xtonic rising. Shields down." Joe said and the shields started to lower.

"Look, look. There it is, there it is. Look, there." Claude pointed and Stella saw the radiation blip again.

"Where? What was it?" The Doctor asked just as the shields closed.

"Like just something shifting. Something sort of dark, like it was running." Claude answered.

"Running which way?" The Doctor asked.

"Towards us." Clause replied and Stella felt her heart jolt. Not wanting to scare anyone needlessly she decided to save her information until she could tell the Doctor quietly.

"Right, Doctor, Stella, back to your seat. And, er, not a word. Rescue's on its way. If you could close the door. Thank you." Joe told them as they left.

-0-

Sky was waiting by the door when the Doctor and Stella came out, instantly bombarding them with questions.

"What did they say? Did they tell you? What is it? What's wrong?" Sky fired off one question after the other.

"Oh, just stabilizing." The Doctor answered. "Happens all the time."

"No worries." Stella went along with the Doctor.

"I don't need this. I'm on a schedule." Sky said in frustration. "This is completely unnecessary."

"Back to your seats, thank you." The hostess said before she went into the cockpit.

"Excuse me, Doctor, but they're micropetrol engines, aren't they?" Dee Dee asked.

"Now, don't bother the man." Hobbes admonished her.

"Again it's no bother." Stella said to Hobbes then looked back to Dee Dee. "What were you saying?"

"My father was a mechanic. Micropetrol doesn't stabilize." Dee Dee went on. "What does stabilize mean?"

"Well…bit of flim-flam." The Doctor stuttered out.

"Don't worry, they're sorting it out." Stella assured her. "We'll be out of here in no time."

"So it's not the engines?" Hobbes asked.

"It's just a little pause, that's all." The Doctor assured him.

"How much air have we got?" Hobbes demanded.

"Professor, it's fine…" Rhea tried.

"What did he say?" Val asked.

"Nothing." The Doctor said.

"Are we running out of air?" Val started to panic as the hostess reentered the compartment.

"I was just speculating." Hobbes tried to cover.

"Is that right, miss? Are we running out of air?" Biff demanded.

"Is that what the Captain said?" Val questioned.

"If you could all just remain calm." The hostess tried, but the panic had already taken root.

"How much air have we got?" Val called out.

"Mum, just stop it." Jethro tried.

"I assure you, everything is under control." The hostess said.

"Well, doesn't look like it to me." Biff said.

"Well, he said it." Val said.

"It's fine. The air is on a circular filter." Dee Dee tried.

"He started it…" Val snapped and the panic shot through the roof as everyone started speaking at once.

"Everyone! Quiet!" The Doctor tried then Stella let out a shrill whistle making everyone wince. "Donna teach you that?"

"Yep, she said I was a natural." Stella smiled proudly.

"Good ol' Donna." The Doctor said turning back to the others. "Now, if you'd care to listen to my good friend Dee Dee."

"Oh. Er, it's just that, well, the air's on a circular filter, so we could stay breathing for ten years." Dee Dee told them.

"There you go." Stella said clapping her hands together. "Nothing to worry about."

"And we've spoken to the Captain." The Doctor added. "I can guarantee you everything's fine."

'Thump, thump.' Something hit against the side of the shuttle.

"What was that?" Val asked.

"It must be the metal. We're cooling down." Hobbes said. "It's just settling."

"Rocks. It could be rocks falling." Dee Dee said.

"What I want to know is, how long do we have to sit here." Biff questioned then there was another series of thumps on another part of the hull.

"What is that?" Sky asked.

"There's someone out there." Val said.

"Now, don't be ridiculous." Hobbes replied.

"Like I said, it could be rocks." Dee Dee pointed out.

"We're out in the open. Nothing could fall against the sides." The hostess said and another thump sounded.

"Knock, knock." The Doctor said.

"Who's there?" Jethro replied.

"Anytime either of you want to unnerve me, feel free." Stella mumbled shooting the Doctor and Jethro a look.

"Is there something out there? Well? Anyone?" Sky started to get scared followed by another thump. "What the hell is making that noise?"

"I'm sorry, but the light out there is Xtonic. That means it would destroy any living thing in a split second. It is impossible for someone to be outside." Hobbs snapped, more thumping.

"Well, what the hell is that, then?" Sky snapped.

"Sir, you really should get back to your seat." The hostess said as the Doctor used his stethoscope on the hull.

"Hello?" The Doctor said then looked to Stella, asking softly so no one could hear. "Stella, you see anything?"

"No, not through the plating on this shuttle, but when I was looking outside earlier…" Stella looked to the Doctor, glancing at the other passengers as she pulled him to the side.

"What?" The Doctor prompted in a low voice.

"I could see the radiation, but there was a…form that was different from the others. It looked like it was coming toward us, but I thought it was just a kind of reflection or something." Stella explained before the thump came quicker now.

"It's moving." Jethro said as the emergency exit rattled.

"It's trying the door." Val yelped.

"There is no it. There's nothing out there. Can't be." Hobbes went into denial as whatever it was tried the emergency exit again, then two thumps on the roof, and two more on the entrance door.

"That's the entrance. Can it get in?" Val asked.

"No. That door's on two hundred weight hydraulics." Dee Dee said.

"Stop it." Hobbes snapped. "Don't encourage them."

"What do you think it is?" Dee Dee asked.

"Biff, don't." Val tried to stop her husband as he approached a door.

"Mister Cane. Better not." The Doctor cautioned.

"Nah, it's cast iron, that door." Biff knocked three times, and got three thumps in reply.

"Three times. Did you hear that?" Val panicked. "It did it three times."

"It answered." Jethro said.

"It did it three times!" Val whimpered.

"All right, all right, all right. Everyone calm down." The Doctor tried as the panic level rose.

"No, but it answered. It answered. Don't tell me that thing's not alive. It answered him." Sky said then three more thumps hit the side of the shuttle.

"I really must insist you get back to your seats." The hostess ordered.

"No, don't just stand there telling us the rules. You're the hostess. You're supposed to do something." Sky snapped at her.

Stella looked to the Doctor who nodded and she reached out knocking on the door four times. There was a long pause before she got the four thumps in reply.

"What is it? What the hell's making that noise? She said she'd get me. Stop it. Make it stop." Sky whimpered fearfully. "Somebody make it stop." Sky pointed to the Doctor. "Don't just stand there looking at me. It's not my fault. He started it with his stories."

The hostess got on the intercom.

"Calm down!" Stella told her sternly.

"And he made it worse!" Sky accused.

"You're not helping." Val snapped.

"Why didn't you leave it alone? Stop staring at me. Just tell me what the hell it is." Sky really began to lose it.

"I am telling you that you need to calm down!" Stella said more sternly as the thumping started again.

"It's coming for me. Oh, it's coming for me. It's coming for me. It's coming for me. It's coming for me." Sky backed up to the driver's door and screamed.

"The drivers!" Stella said in realization.

"Get out of there!" The Doctor tried as he ran for the door, then a boom as the shuttle was hit hard causing it to rock from side to side violently and sparks flew. The entertainment system came back online as the lights went out.

"You all right? Okay." Biff checked on his family when everything settled.

"Stella, love?" The Doctor helped her up.

"Arms, legs, neck, head, nose. I'm fine." Stella assured him as he smiled kissing her forehead before looking to the others.

"Everyone else? How are we?" The Doctor went around making sure everyone was ok as did Stella. "Everyone all right?"

"Earthquake. Must be." Hobbes said, trying to reassure himself.

"But that's impossible. The ground is fixed. It's solid." Dee Dee replied.

"We've got torches. Everyone take a torch. They're in the back of the seats." The hostess said and they grabbed some torches.

"Oh, Jethro. Sweetheart, come here." Val said looking to her son in concern.

"Never mind me. What about her?" Jethro replied pointing to Sky is sitting amongst the remains of the front row.

"What happened to the seats?" Val asked.

"Who did that?" Biff questioned as well.

"They've been ripped up." Stella said thoughtfully.

"It's all right, it's all right, it's all right. It's over. We're still alive. Look, the wall's still intact. Do you see?" The Doctor pointed to the intact but dented inwards wall.

"Joe? Claude?" The hostess called out through the door.

"We're safe." The Doctor said.

"Driver Joe, can you hear me? I'm not getting any response. The intercom must be down." The hostess opened the driver's door and bright light flooded the cabin and an alarm sounded until she managed to close it again.

"What happened? What was that?" Val yelped.

"Is it the driver? Have we lost the driver?" Biff demanded.

"The cabin's gone." The Hostess said.

"Don't be ridiculous." Hobbes scoffed. "It can't be gone. How can it be gone?"

"Well, well, you saw it." Dee Dee pointed out.

"There was nothing there, like it was ripped away." The hostess said.

"What are you doing?" Biff aimed his torchlight at the panel the Doctor was working on.

"Ah, that's better. Little bit of light. Thank you. Molto bene." The Doctor said not looking up from his work.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Val asked.

"The cabin's gone. You'd better leave that wall alone." The hostess told him.

"The cabin can't be gone." Hobbes insisted.

"No, it's safe. Any rupture would automatically seal itself." The Doctor removed the panel and looked at the wiring.

"But something sliced it off." Stella said as she watched the Doctor work. "You're right, the cabin's gone."

"But if it gets separated?" Hobbes questioned.

"It loses integrity. I'm sorry, they've been reduced to dust. The driver and the mechanic." The Doctor said sympathetically.

"But they sent a distress signal. Help is on its way. They saved our lives." Stella told them reassuringly.

"We are going to get out of here, I promise." The Doctor assured them. "We're still alive, and they are going to find us."

"Doctor, Stella, look at her." Jethro pointed to Sky who hadn't moved an inch.

"Right. Yes. Sorry." The Doctor moved over to her. "Have we got a medical kit?"

"Why won't she turn around?" Jethro asked.

"What's her name?" Stella asked as she moved to grab the first aid kit.

"Silvestry. Mrs Sky Silvestry." The hostess answered.

"Sky? Can you hear me? Are you all right? Can you move, Sky? Just look at me." The Doctor said to her as Rhea sat the kit next to her.

"That noise from outside. It's stopped." Jethro realized.

"Well, thank God for that." Val said.

"But what if it's not outside anymore? What if it's inside?" Jethro asked.

"Inside? Where?" Val whimpered.

"It was heading for her." Jethro looked to Sky.

"Sky? It's all right, Sky. I just want you to turn around, face me." The Doctor said and Sky turned slowly and stared into the torchlight. "Sky?"

"Sky?" Sky echoed.

"Are you all right?" The Doctor asked.

"Are you all right?" Sky repeated.

"Are you hurt?"

"You don't have to talk."

"I'm trying to help."

"My name's the Doctor."

"Okay, can you stop?"

"I'd like you to stop."

"Why's she doing that?" Hobbes asked.

"Why's she doing that?" Sky copied.

"She's gone mad." Biff said.

"She's gone mad."

"Stop it." Val snapped.

"Stop it."

"I said stop it." Val started to get angry.

"I said stop it."

"I don't think she can." Dee Dee said.

"I don't think she can."

"All right now, stop it. This isn't funny." Hobbes demanded.

"All right now, stop it. This isn't funny."

"Shush, shush, shush, all of you." Stella ordered.

"Shush, shush, shush, all of you."

"My name's Jethro." Jethro said.

"My name's Jethro."

"Jethro, leave it. Just shut up." The Doctor told him.

"Jethro, leave it. Just shut up."

"Why are you repeating?" Stella asked.

"Why are you repeating?"

"What is that, learning?" The Doctor questioned.

"What is that, learning?"

"Copying?" Stella asked.

"Copying?"

"Absorbing?" The Doctor went on.

"Absorbing?"

"The square root of pi is 1.772453850905516027298167483341. Wow." The Doctor said.

"The square root of pi is 1.772453850905516027298167483341. Wow." Sky repeated overlapping him.

"But that's impossible." Hobbes said.

"But that's impossible."

"She couldn't repeat all that." Dee Dee said.

"She couldn't repeat all that."

"Tell her to stop." Val ordered.

"Tell her to stop."

"She's driving me mad." Val snapped.

"She's driving me mad."

"Just make her stop!" Val nearly screamed.

"Just make her stop!"

They started talking over each other, with Sky still repeating their words.

"Stop her staring at me. Shut her up." Val screamed.

"Stop her staring at me. Shut her up."

"It's got to be a trick." The hostess said.

"It's got to be a trick."

"That's impossible." Dee Dee said.

"That's impossible."

"I'm telling you, whatever your name is." Biff snarled.

"I'm telling you, whatever your name is."

"Now, just stop it, all of you." The Doctor ordered.

"Now, just stop it all of you."

"Her eyes. What's wrong with her eyes?" Hobbes asked.

"Her eyes. What's wrong with her eyes?"

"She can copy anything." Jethro said.

"She can copy anything."

"Biff, don't just stand there, do something. Make her stop." Val ordered.

"Biff, don't just stand there, do something. Make her stop."

"You're scaring my wife." Biff said.

"You're scaring my wife."

"Mrs. Silvestry." The hostess tried.

"Mrs. Silvestry."

"Six, six, six." Jethro said.

"Six, six, six."

"She's different. She's something else. Do something. Make her stop." Val said.

"Make her stop."

The lights came back on, shutting everyone up.

"That's the backup system." The hostess said.

"Well, that's a bit better." Biff commented.

"What about the rescue? How long's it going to take?" Val asked.

"About sixty minutes, that's all." The hostess replied.

"Then I suggest we all calm down. This panic isn't helping. That poor woman is evidently in a state of…" Hobbes started, but sky finished with him. "Self induced hysteria. We should leave her alone."

"Doctor." Jethro breathed out.

"I know." The Doctor replied.

"Doctor, now step back. I think you should leave her. Alone. What's she doing?" Hobbes asked once again Sky speaking with him.

"How can she do that? She's talking with you. And with me. Oh, my God. Biff, what's she doing?" Val/Sky demanded.

"She's repeating, at exactly the same time." Jethro/Sky said.

"That's impossible." Dee Dee/Sky said.

"There's not even a delay." Hobbes/Sky said.

"Oh man, that is weird." Jethro/Sky said.

"I think you should all be very, very quiet. Have you got that?" Doctor/Sky ordered.

"How's she doing it?" Val/Sky questioned.

"Mrs. Cane, please be quiet." Stella/Sky said.

"How can she do that? She's got my voice! She's got my words!" Val became hysterical.

"Come on, be quiet. Hush, now. Hush. She's doing it to me." Biff/Sky said.

"Just stop it, all of you. Stop it, please." The Doctor/Sky said then the Doctor turned to Sky. "Now then, Sky. Are you Sky? Is Sky still in there? Mrs Silvestry? You know exactly what I'm going to say. How are you doing that? Roast beef. Bananas. The Medusa Cascade. Bang! Rhea, Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, Tardis. Shamble bobble dibble dooble. Oh, Doctor, you're so handsome. Yes, I am, thank you." Making Stella roll her eyes, but the Doctor just grinned cheekily before focusing back on Sky. "A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O. First she repeats, then she catches up. What's the next stage?"

"Next stage of what?" Dee Dee/Sky asked.

"That's not her, is it. That's not Mrs. Silvestry anymore." Jethro/Sky said.

"I don't think so, no. I think the more we talk, the more she learns." The Doctor/Sky said. "Now, I'm all for education, but in this case, maybe not. Let's just move back. Come on. Come with me. Everyone, get back. All of you, as far as you can."

"Doctor, make her stop." Val/Sky said as the Doctor moved them all back.

"Val, come with me. Come to the back. Stop looking at her. Come on, Jethro. You too. Everyone, come on. Fifty minutes, that's all we need. Fifty minutes till the rescue arrives." The Doctor/Sky said.

"And she's not exactly strong. Look at her. All she's got is our voices." Stella/Sky pointed out.

"I can't, I can't look at her. It's those eyes." Val/Sky said.

"We must not look at goblin men." Dee Dee/Sky said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Biff/Sky questioned.

"It's a poem. Christina Rossetti." Stella/Sky said. "A real beautiful piece."

"We must not look at goblin men. We must not buy their fruits. Who knows upon what soil they fed Their hungry, thirsty roots?" Dee Dee/Sky quoted.

"Actually, I don't think that's helping." The Doctor/Sky said.

"She's not a goblin, or a monster. She's just a very sick woman." Hobbes/Sky snapped.

"Maybe that's why it went for her." Jethro/Sky said.

"There is no it." Hobbes/Sky bit out.

"Think about it though. That knocking went all the way round the bus until it found her. And she was the most scared out of all of us. Maybe that's what it needed. That's how it got in." Jethro/Sky said logically.

"For the last time. Nothing can live on the surface of Midnight." Hobbes/Sky ground out.

"Yeah, apparently." Rhea/Sky said sarcastically.

"Professor, I'm glad you've got an absolute definition of life in the universe, but perhaps the universe has got ideas of its own, hmm?" The Doctor/Sky said. "Now trust me, I've got previous. I think there might well be some consciousness inside Mrs. Silvestry, but maybe she's still in there. And it's our job to help her."

"Well, you can help her. I'm not going near." Biff/Sky replied.

"No, I've got to stay back, because if she's copying us, then maybe the final stage is becoming us. I don't want her becoming me, or things could get a whole lot worse." The Doctor/Sky told them. "Stella, wouldn't be a good idea if she became you either so stay back."

"No problem there." Stella/Sky replied.

"Oh, like you're both so special." Val/Sky scoffed.

"As it happens, yes, we are." The Doctor/Sky replied. "So that's decided. We stay back, and we wait. When the rescue ship comes, we can get her to hospital."

"We should throw her out." The hostess/Sky said.

"I beg your pardon?" Hobbes/Sky said taken aback.

"Can we do that?" Val/Sky asked.

"Don't be ridiculous." The Doctor/Sky said.

"That would be murder." Stella/Sky reprimanded them.

"That thing, whatever it is, killed the driver, and the mechanic, and I don't think she's finished yet." The hostess/Sky said.

"She can't even move." The Doctor/Sky said.

"Look at her. Look at her eyes. She killed Joe, and she killed Claude, and we're next." The hostess/Sky went on.

"She's still doing it. Just stop it. Stop talking. Stop it!" Biff/Sky bellowed.

"Biff, don't, sweetheart." Val/Sky said as Val held him back.

"But she won't stop. We can't throw her out, though. We can't even open the doors." Biff/Sky said.

"No one is getting thrown out." The Doctor/Sky said.

"Yes, we can. Because there's an air pressure seal. Like when you opened the cabin door, you weren't pulled out. You had a couple of seconds, because it takes the pressure wall about six seconds to collapse. Well, six seconds exactly. That's enough time to throw someone out." Dee Dee/Sky pointed out.

"Thanks, Dee Dee." Stella/Sky said as she rubbed her temples in agitation. "Just what we needed."

"Would it kill her outside?" Val/Sky asked.

"I don't know. But she's got a body now. It would certainly kill the physical form." Dee Dee/Sky said.

"No one is killing anyone." The Doctor/Sky said.

"I wouldn't risk the cabin door twice, but we've got that one." Hobbes/Sky said as Hobbes looked to the other door. "All we need to do is grab hold of her and throw her out."

"Now, listen, all of you. For all we know that's a brand new life form over there. And if it's come inside to discover us, than what's it found? This little bunch of humans. What do you amount to, murder? Because this is where you decide. You decide who you are. Could you actually murder her? Any of you? Really? Or are you better than that?" The Doctor/Sky demanded and for a moment there was silence.

"I'd do it." Hostess/Sky replied.

"So would I." Biff/Sky said.

"And me." Val/Sky said.

"I think we should." Dee Dee/Sky said.

"What?" The Doctor/Sky said in shock.

"I want her out." Dee Dee/Sky said.

"You can't say that." Stella/Sky said.

"I'm sorry, but you said it yourself, Doctor. She is growing in strength." Dee Dee/Sky said.

"That's not what I said." The Doctor/Sky said.

"I want to go home. I'm sorry. I want to be safe." Dee Dee/Sky said near tears.

"You'll be safe any minute now. The rescue truck is on its way." The Doctor/Sky said.

"But what happens then, Doctor? If it takes that thing back to the Leisure Palace, if that thing reaches civilization. What if it spreads?" The hostess/Sky said.

"No, because when we get back to the base, we'll be there to contain it." The Doctor/Sky replied.

"You two haven't done much so far." Val/Sky scoffed.

"You're both just standing in the back with the rest of us." Biff/Sky said.

"She's dangerous. It's my job to see that this vessel is safe, and we should get rid of her." The hostess/Sky said.

"Now, hang on. I think perhaps we're all going a little bit too far." Hobbes/Sky said.

"At last. Thank you." The Doctor/Sky said.

"Two people are dead." The hostess/Sky said.

"Don't make it a third." Stella/Sky said then Stella looked to Jethro. "Jethro, what do you say?"

"I'm not killing anyone." Jethro/Sky replied.

"Thank you." The Doctor/Sky said.

"He's just a boy." Val/Sky said.

"What, so I don't get a vote?" Jethro/Sky snapped.

"There isn't a vote. It's not happening. Ever. If you try to throw her out that door, you'll have to get past me first." The Doctor/Sky challenged.

"Okay." The hostess/Sky said.

"Fine by me." Biff/Sky said.

"Oh, now you're being stupid. Just think about it. Could you actually take hold of someone and throw them out of that door?" The Doctor/Sky scoffed.

"Calling me a coward?" Biff/Sky ground out.

"Who put you in charge, anyway?" Val/Sky snapped.

"I'm sorry, but you're a Doctor of what, exactly?" Hobbes/Sky asked.

"They weren't even booked in. The rest of you, tickets in advance. They just turned up out of the blue." The hostess/Sky said.

"Where from?" Val/Sky demanded.

"We're just travelling. We're travelers, that's all." The Doctor/Sky replied.

"Like an immigrant?" Val/Sky asked.

"Who were you talking to? Before you got on board, you were talking to someone. Who was that?" The hostess/Sky demanded.

"Just Donna, out friend." Stella/Sky replied.

"And what were you saying to her?" Biff/Sky questioned.

"He hasn't even told us his name." Val/Sky said.

"The thing is though, Doctor, you've been loving this." Jethro/Sky said. "And Stella too."

"Oh, Jethro, not you." Stella/Sky groaned in annoyance.

"No, but ever since all the trouble started, you've been loving it." Jethro/Sky said.

"It has to be said, you both do seem to have a certain glee." Hobbes/Sky pointed out.

"All right, we're interested." Stella/Sky said.

"Yes, we can't help it. Because whatever's inside her, it's brand new, and that's fascinating." The Doctor/Sky finished.

"What, you wanted this to happen?" Val/Sky said in disgust.

"No." The Doctor/Sky as Stella shook her head.

"And you two were talking to her, all on your own, before all the trouble. Right at the front, you were both talking to that Sky woman, the three of you together. I saw you." Biff/Sky accused.

"We all did." Val/Sky joined in.

"And you went into the cabin." Hostess/Sky said.

"What were you saying to her?" Biff/Sky demanded.

"We were just talking." The Doctor/Sky said.

"Saying what?" Biff/Sky questioned.

"Whether the meal was chicken or beef or both." Stella/Sky said drily with a raised eyebrow. "Not exactly take over the world material."

"You called us humans like you're not one of us." Jethro/Sky said.

"He did. That's what he said." Val/Sky said.

"And the wiring. He went into that panel and opened up the wiring." Dee Dee/Sky said.

"That was after." Stella/Sky pointed out.

"But how did you know what to do?" Biff/Sky demanded.

"Because I'm clever!" The Doctor/Sky replied.

"I see. Well, that makes things clear." Hobbes/Sky scoffed.

"And what are we, then? Idiots?" Biff/Sky said in offense.

"That's not what I meant." The Doctor/Sky defended himself.

"If you're clever, then what are we?" Dee Dee/Sky questioned.

"You've been looking down on us from the moment we walked in." Val/Sky said.

"Even if he goes, he's practically volunteered." The hostess/Sky said and Stella went tense.

"Oh come on, just listen to yourself, please." The Doctor/Sky said.

"Do you mean we throw him out as well?" Biff/Sky asked.

"If we have to." Hostess/Sky replied.

"And now you have gone too far if you think for a second I'd even let you have the chance to harm him." Stella/Sky snapped, her hands clenched tight at her sides.

"Then we'll throw you out as well." The hostess/Sky said.

"Try it." Stella/Sky said in a deadly voice, the only thing that calmed her was the Doctor slipping his hand into her. She shot him an apologetic look as he squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"Look, just. Right, sorry, yes, hold on, just. I know you're scared, and so am I. Look at me, I am. But we have all got to calm down and cool off and think." The Doctor/Sky tried.

"Perhaps you could tell us your name." Hobbes/Sky prompted.

"What does it matter?" Doctor/Sky asked.

"Then tell us." The hostess/sky ordered.

"John Smith." The Doctor/Sky replied.

"Your real name." Hobbes/Sky said.

"He's lying. Look at his face." Biff/Sky said.

"His eyes are the same as hers." Val/Sky said.

"Why won't you tell us?" Jethro/Sky asked.

"It's a simple enough question." Dee Dee/Sky said.

"He's been lying to us right from the start." Val/Sky said.

"What's your name?" The hostess/Sky demanded.

"No one's called John Smith. Come off it." Biff/Sky said all of them advancing.

"Now listen to me. Listen to me right now, because you need me, all of you. If we are going to get out of this, then you need me." The Doctor/Sky said.

"So you keep saying. You've been repeating yourself more than her." Hobbes pointed out.

"If anyone's in charge, it should be the Professor. He's the expert." Val pointed to Hobbes.

"Mum, stop. Just look." Jethro tried.

"You keep out of this, Jethro." Biff ordered.

"Look at her!" Jethro snapped.

"She's stopped." Dee Dee said and the all realized that Sky had stopped repeating them.

"When did she? No, she hasn't. She's still doing it." The Doctor/Sky said.

"What stopped her?" Stella asked, Sky not talking with her either.

"She looks the same to me. No, she's stopped. Look, I'm talking, and she's not." Val said in relief.

"What about me, is she? Look. Look at that. She's not doing me. She's let me go." Biff said smiling as well.

"Mrs. Silvestry? Nor me. Nothing." The hostess said.

"Sky, what are you doing?" The Doctor/Sky asked.

"She's still doing him." Dee Dee said.

"Doctor, it's you. She's only copying you." Hobbes said.

"Thank you professor obvious." Stella said trying to hide her growing concern for the Doctor.

"Why me? Why are you doing this?" The Doctor/Sky said.

"She won't leave him alone." Dee Dee said.

"Do you see? I said so. She's with him." Val said.

"They're together." Biff said.

"How do you explain it, Doctor, if you're so clever?" Hobbes questioned.

"All of you shut the heck up." Stella glared at them.

"I don't know. Sky, stop it. I said stop it. Just stop it." The Doctor/Sky said.

"Look at the two of them." Val breathed out.

"Mrs Silvestry, I'm trying to understand. You've captured my speech. What for? What do you need? You need my voice in particular. The cleverest voice in the room. Why? Because I'm the only one who can help? Oh, I'd love that to be true, but your eyes, they're saying something else. Listen to me. Whatever you want, if it's life, or form, or consciousness, or voice, you don't have to steal it. You can find it without hurting anyone. And I'll help you. That's a promise. So, what do you think?" The Doctor/Sky asked from where he was now kneeled down in front of Sky, Stella standing behind him.

"Do we have a deal?" Sky said.

"Do we have a deal?" The Doctor repeated.

"Hold on, did she?" Dee Dee questioned.

"She spoke first." Jethro said

"She can't have." Val said.

"She did." Hobbes said.

"She spoke first." Jethro said.

"Oh, look at that. I'm ahead of you." Sky remarked.

"Oh, look at that. I'm ahead of you." The Doctor said.

"Did you see?" Hobbes pointed, "She spoke before he did! Definitely!"

"He's copying her," Jethro nodded.

"Doctor, what's happening?" Stella asked getting nervous.

"I think it's moved," Sky said.

"I think it's moved."

"I think it's letting me go." Sky said.

"I think it's letting me go." The Doctor echoed.

"What do you mean?" Dee Dee frowned. "Letting you go from what?"

"But he's repeating now, he's the one doing it!" Biff called, "It's him!"

"They're separating," Jethro realized.

"Mrs. Silvestry?" Hobbes tried, "Is that you?"

"Yes, yes, it's me," she said.

"Yes, yes, it's me."

"I'm coming back, listen." Sky said.

"I'm coming back..."

"It's me!"

"...listen. It's me!" the Doctor repeated slightly out of synch, fighting it as Sky slowly started to move her hand and fingers.

"Like it's passed into the Doctor," Jethro remarked, "It's transferred. Whatever it is, it's gone inside him."

"No, that's not what happened," Dee Dee shook her head

"But look at her!" Val called.

"Look at me, I can move..." Sky grinned.

"Look at me..."

"I can feel again..."

"I can move...I can feel again..."

"I'm coming back to life..."

"And look at him, he can't move."

"Help me."

"Professor Hobbes…"

"Get me away from him," she reached out to him.

"Get me away from him."

"Please."

Hobbes reached forward, cautiously avoiding the Doctor, moving around Stella who quickly kneeled in front of the Doctor. She gently placed her hands on either side of his face looking directly into his eyes.

"Love, can you hear me? Doctor?" Stella tried as she started to put everything together in her head. "It's ok, I got this, I can do this. I just need to think." Stella placed her fingers along his face like she had seen the Doctor do once and took a deep breath. "Doctor, let me in, please…"

Stella closed her eyes feeling a rush from her mind to his as she entered the Doctor's mind and started to move about, it was strange, but what she did find was very interesting. It was a large wall and as she moved toward it a door appeared which opened at her touch. Her eyes widened at what was the Doctor's mind, it was amazing. Swirls of deep blues and purples like a painting of a galaxy or nebula with the language of the time lords floating around in shinning gold.

"Oh thank you," Sky smiled at him.

"Oh thank you."

"They've completely separated," Jethro muttered.

"It's in him," Biff shouted, pointing at the Doctor, "D'you see? I said it was him all the time."

"She's free!" Val hugged her, "She's been saved!"

"Oh, it was so cold," Sky told them.

"Oh, it was so cold."

"I couldn't breathe."

"I'm sorry."

"I must've scared you so much."

"No, no, it's alright, I've got you, oh, there you are my love, it's gone, everything's alright now." Val hugged her again.

"I wouldn't touch her," Dee Dee took a few steps back.

"But it's gone, she's clean, it passed into him," Biff replied.

"That's not what happened." Dee Dee said.

Stella could feel the Doctor silently guiding her though she heard seeing nothing then suddenly she could feel lines that connected the Doctor to Sky. She testily started to feel them out trying to see where they were coming from in order to see where they were going.

"Thank you for your opinion, Dee, but clearly, Mrs. Silvestry has been released," Hobbes remarked.

"No..." Dee Dee shook her head.

"Just leave her alone!" Val snapped, "She's safe, isn't she? Jethro? It's let her go, hasn't it?"

"Think so, yeah," Jethro nodded, "Looks like it. Professor Hobbes?"

"I'd say, from observation..." Hobbes muttered, "The Doctor can't move and, when she was possessed, she couldn't move, so..."

"Well, there we are then!" Biff grinned, "Now the only problem we've got is this Doctor."

"It's inside his head," Sky nodded.

"It's inside his head."

"It killed the driver."

"And the mechanic."

"And now it wants us."

"I said so!" Val shouted.

"He's waited so long."

"In the dark. And the cold."

"And the diamonds."

"Until you came."

"Bodies so hot."

"With blood."

"And pain."

"Stop, oh, my God, make him stop, someone make him stop!" Val cried.

"But she's saying it!" Dee Dee pointed at Sky.

"And you can shut up!" Val snapped.

"But it's not him, it's her, he's just repeating!" Dee Dee said.

"But that's what the thing does, it repeats!" Biff replied.

"Just let her talk!" the hostess shouted, seeing her point.

"What do you know? Fat lot of good you've been!" Biff snapped.

"Just let her explain." The hostess tried.

"I think..." Dee Dee swallowed hard, "I mean, from what I've seen...it repeats, then it synchronizes, then it goes on to the next stage and that's exactly what they said would happen!"

Stella could see it now, what the being was doing to him, what it was taking from him. Tendrils of knowledge was seeping out, knowledge that should stay right where it was, too dangerous to ever be let out into the wrong hands. She followed them as they joined as one, looking for a way to stop what was happening.

"What, and you're on his side?" Biff glared.

"No!" Dee Dee said.

"The voice is the thing!" Jethro stated.

"And she's the voice! She stole it! Look at her! It's not possessing him, it's draining him!" Dee Dee said.

"She's got his voice..." the hostess murmured.

"But that's not true, 'cos it can't, because I saw it pass into him, I saw it with my own eyes!" Val defended.

"So did I!" Biff nodded.

"You didn't!" Dee Dee shouted.

"It went from her, to him," Val glared, before turning to her son, "You saw it, didn't you?"

"I don't know," Jethro shook his head.

"Oh, don't be stupid, Jethro, of course you did!"

"I suppose...he was right next to her."

"Everyone saw it, everyone!" Biff agreed.

"You didn't, you're just making it up!" Dee Dee shouted at him, "I know what I saw, and I saw her stealing his voice."

"She's as bad as him, someone shut her up!" Val cried.

"I think you should be quiet, Dee," Hobbes began.

"Well, I'm only saying..." Dee Dee defended.

"And that's an order! You're making a fool of yourself! Pretending you're an expert in mechanics and hydraulics, when I can tell you, you are nothing more than average, at best! Now shut up!" Hobbes snapped.

"That's how he does it," Sky said.

"That's how he does it."

"He makes you fight."

"Creeps into your head."

"And whispers."

"Listen."

"Just listen."

"That's him."

"Inside."

"Throw him out!" Biff shouted.

"Get him out of my head!" Val yelled.

"Yeah, we should throw him out!" Biff yelled.

"Well, don't just talk about it! Just, you're useless! Do something!" Val went hysterical.

"I will! You watch me! I'm gonna throw him out!" Biff snapped.

"Yes!" Sky grinned.

"Yes!"

"Throw him out!"

"Get rid of him!"

"Now!"

Biff stormed forward towards the Doctor about to grab him, but Stella was faster. Her eyes snapped open glowing bright as she stood and grabbed Biff's wrist holding it tight. He whimpered as she forced him to the ground and she stood towering over him in her rage.

"You're breaking my wrist." Biff whimpered in pain.

"Listen to me and listen to me closely. None of you are going to harm a hair on his head." Stella ground out as she pushed Biff back making him fall.

"And you're going to stop us?" Biff snapped as he stood to his feet.

"Yes, I am." Stella said imposingly as the lines along her body pulsed with her anger, her eyes narrowing on the wide eyed Sky. "You've forced some sort of psychic link with my Doctor, my love, and that was a very stupid thing to do." Stella ground out. "You've also put me in a difficult position so I am giving you one chance, let him go, return to wherever you came from, or I will end you."

"You wouldn't harm me." Sky said.

"You wouldn't harm me." The Doctor echoed.

"You fought for me." Sky said.

"You fought for me."

"If he didn't want to kill, neither would you." Sky smirked.

"If he didn't want to kill, neither would you."

"Midnight is an old planet. And you are an old life form. Tell me. Have you heard any legends of his home? Gallifrey?" Stella asked.

"Time Lord!" Sky's eyes widened in realization.

"Time Lord!"

"That is the Doctor, the last of the time lords." Stella said, her anger mounting to the point of causing her fists to shake. "The man I love and you are trying to take him from me."

"The Doctor would not commit murder." Sky said. "Nor would his companion."

"The Doctor would not commit murder." "Nor would his companion."

"I am Stella Quinn, I have fought in countless wars spanning the galaxies and time, taken out the monsters that creep in the shadows as well as the ones who are brazen enough to show themselves in the light, and I fight every day to save the universe of selfish conniving creatures like you." Stella ground out making everyone in the room look on in shock. Sky started to get scared, her eyes darting around for an escape.

"I will not leave." Sky defied her.

"I will not leave."

"He's the one that's infected." Val pointed.

"He's the one we should kill." Biff said as the others agreed except for Dee Dee, the hostess, and Jethro. It was all becoming too much for Stella. Her love was in danger, she was scared, she was angry, and she had had enough.

"You all want death so much?" Stella ground out, her anger snapping like a dry twig. "Fine, then let me give it to you."

Stella charged forward grabbed Sky by her throat in a tight painful grip causing Sky to gasp and she rushed her towards the entrance door then pressed the button causing everyone to scream as the bright light flooded in. Stella glared at Sky meeting the fearful gaze of the creature, but she was not going to let this creature win, no matter what.

"No, I can't go back NO!" Sky shrieked and the Doctor echoed as she scratched as Stella's arm.

"I'm sorry Sky, good bye." Stella said with a sad, but grim face then the pressure wall collapsed. Sky was sucked out as Stella held onto the side with her free, closing the door as soon as Sky was gone.

"You killed her." Val said in shock and Sella rounded on them causing them all to flinch back away from her.

"It's what you all wanted wasn't it. Baying for blood and now that you have it how do you feel? How does it feel?!" Stella hissed, tears streaming down her eyes. The sound of the Doctor gasping when he came back into control of his mind gained Stella's full attention and she rushed to his side.

"It's gone!" He panted, falling limp. Stella she gathered him into her arms so his head lay on her shoulder. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist shaking hard. "It's gone...it's gone, it's gone, it's gone..." He grasped her tightly, as she rubbed his back soothingly resting her cheek on the top of his head. "It's gone. It's gone...it's gone, it's gone, it's gone...it's gone, it's gone, it's gone..."

"I've got you love." Stella said softly kissing the top of his head. "It's all over now, you're safe now love."

"I said it was her," Val tried to make a feeble excuse, terribly shaken, flinching hard when Stella glared at her.

"Liar." Was all Stella had to say to destroy any illusion the woman or anyone else was trying to come up with to comfort themselves. Stella and the Doctor stayed close their arms wrapped around each other waiting for the rescue truck everyone else staying far away from them.

'Repeat. Crusader Fifty rescue vehicle coming alongside in three minutes. Door seals set to automatic. Prepare for boarding. Repeat. Prepare for boarding.'

-0-

Donna greeted the Doctor and Stella with a warm hug which they gladly returned. They then walked over to the edge of the pool taking a seat, the Doctor holding Stella close in his arms as she snuggled under his chin.

"What do you think it was?" Donna asked.

"No idea." The Doctor replied.

"D'you think it's still out there?" she frowned.

"More than likely." Stella replied quietly.

"Well, you'd better tell 'em. This lot." Donna remarked.

"Yeah," The Doctor scoffed, "They can build a Leisure Palace somewhere else. Let this planet keep on turning, round an Xtonic star. In silence."

"Can't imagine you, without a voice." Donna commented.

"Molto bene," He gave her a weak smiled.

"Molto bene!" She teased.

"No," the Doctor shook his head with a pained frown as Stella tensed, "Don't do that. Don't. Don't..."

-0-

Stella sat in the console room on the captain's chair watching as the time rotor went up and down, the hum of the Tardis providing her with some comfort. Donna had gone off to her room and Stella had made sure the Doctor was taking it easy in his as well before she had said she was going to her own room for some sleep.

The sleep never came through, which brought her to her current predicament of sitting up in the main room clad in her favorite long sleeved teal night shirt on it and a pair of black yoga shorts. She had one leg curled up with her chin propped on it and her arms circling it while her other leg dangled before her swinging back and forth.

"You should be in bed." Stella said without looking from the rotor.

"So should you." The Doctor commented as he walked over to her. He too was wearing his pajamas which were blue in color with dark blue pin stripes and an open dressing gown of navy blue over that.

"I'm not sleepy." Stella mumbled. The Doctor gave her a searching look as he walked over to her and knelt down looking into her eyes and was surprised to see a tear escape her left eye.

"Stella, what's wrong?" He asked gently cupping her face brushing the tear away with the pad of his thumb.

"I killed that woman, after I swore I would never do such a thing like that again." Stella said in a hoarse voice. "I took hold of her in anger and threw her out of the shuttle, I killed her."

"Stella, she was already dead, there was nothing we could have done to save her." The Doctor tried to console her.

"I didn't even try, I was so scared and angry, I just wanted it all to stop." Stella said her eyes falling to the ground. "I was just as bad as the rest of them in the end."

"No you were not." The Doctor said sharply making her eyes shoot up to his. "Don't ever say something like that again. You did what you had to, you saved everyone on that shuttle, and you saved me. Stella, you are a brilliant caring woman. You have been there for me when it mattered most, saved my life more than once; you're more to me than a companion or just a girlfriend, you're…" The Doctor trailed off, shaking his head, trying to gather the words that described her, then it came to him. "…you're my brilliant shining star, my guiding light, my starlight…" He cupped her face gently pulling her close. "…you, Stella Quinn, are my everything."

"You're my everything as well." Stella said with a soft smile. With that he captured her lips in a searing kiss pulling her close then swept her up into his arms bridal style making her giggle. "Where are we going?"

"To bed of course, we had a long day, could do with some shut eye." The Doctor replied kissing the top of her head.

"Doctor, I don't think I can." Stella said, her face falling miserably.

"Then I will stay with you until you do." The Doctor replied he stepped into his room and laid Stella down on his bed then took his place beside her pulling her close then covering them up. He talked to her softly about anything and everything, spinning her tails of far off planets they might see one day and the people who inhabited them until she finally fell asleep and soon after he followed her into rest.