Starfall
Chapter 11: Runaway Bride
Almadynis
AN: Due to massive demand, here you go.
Disclaimer: This chapter is brought to you with the help of Strazza. Go check out her story "Whole New World"! It's really good!
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Astrid was silently crying. The Doctor was holding her to his side even as he pushed buttons to make sure that the TARDIS didn't suddenly decide that Star's tears were worth breaking down two dimensions and destroying billions of sentient species. He had noticed that the more time went by, the more Vortex energy swept through his lover's mind, the more she unconsciously connected with the TARDIS. It was natural for a Time Lord to do so—Time Lady in this case—but since Star was in essence a child of the TARDIS herself, the connection was even more so. The Doctor doubted Rassilon himself could pry Star away from the TARDIS if she didn't want. Not even a Time Lord—or the First Time Lord—could or would stand against an angry TARDIS mother.
Not that he blamed Star for crying! Of course not! If he didn't have to be strong for Astrid, he might be crying himself. Manly crying of course. Losing Rose was one thing—and he had a feeling Star had anticipated the possibility from the way she had reacted throughout the whole Battle—but to know that your best friend, the person you loved as a sister, family, to someone like Star who thought family came before anything else, to know that the people you thought of as family would choose someone else…No, he couldn't blame her for crying.
So he stood there, fiddling with the TARDIS controls with Astrid snuggled into his side making his jacket wet, when all of the sudden there was a golden light coming through the wall of his ship.
There was a WOMAN in a white dress STANDING IN HIS SHIP! "What?"
The sound alerted the woman that someone was behind her and she spun around, making the skirt flare gently. His voice also made Astrid look up, her eyes red. She blinked at the woman, not quite registering what she was seeing, her mind and heart still too caught up with saying goodbye to Rose.
The new redhead in the room gave a soft, high-pitched squeak of surprise.
"What?"
The new woman looked him up and down with a flick of her eyes. "Who are you?" She had a distinct accent that was decidedly London. Though it was different enough from Rose's that Astrid's heart only lurched and clenched.
"But—" The Doctor couldn't take his eyes off the intruder.
The newcomer's eyes locked onto the brunette female that had yet to say a word, and registered that the poor woman had obviously been crying her eyes out, even as she spoke her next question to her. "Where am I?"
The Doctor wouldn't let Star answer, his brain was too caught up in the absolute IMPOSSIBILITY of the woman in white before him. "What?"
The impossibility herself was drawn back to him and her voice was starting to raise in octives as she wasn't getting answers. "What the hell is this place?"
The Doctor still wasn't getting it. His brain had stalled. "What?"
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Astrid wiped her eyes with the Doctor's handkerchief before absently placing it back into his pocket. She gently extracted herself from his side as the poor man looked to be having a stroke. He was looking everywhere around his lovely ship trying to find an explination, his whole face a mask of bewilderment and he looked to be starting an argument any second. "You can't do that! I wasn't even—we're in flight!" He gestured to the control console as if to show the human the evidence that it was impossible. "That is, that is physically impossible! How did yo-?"
The woman cut him off with her own expression of determination. "Tell me where I am." Her tone commanded him, and her whole demeanour echoed a threat if he didn't answer. "I deman you tell me right now." Her hand pointed to the floor in time with 'right now', but she didn't slow down. "Where am I?"
His voice was quiet as he answered. "Inside the TARDIS."
"The what?" Her accent was more of a 'wot' than 'what' but was still easily understood.
"The TARDIS. I call her Lexi." Astrid's voice was quiet as she answered.
The woman looked at the brunette female. Barely a second had gone by. "The what?"
The Doctor interjected, his voice much stronger this time. "The TARDIS!" He stepped away to start messing with the console.
The newcomer followed him. "The What?" Her voice kept rising in pitch and incredulity.
"It's called the TARDIS."
Her voice was angry and loud and Astrid was once again very glad that the Doctor had gotten her the crystal filters for her ears. "That's not even a proper word! You're just saying things."
"How did you get in here?" He demanded of his own, but in true Doctor standards his demands were quieter, though no less commanding. As evidenced by her immediate answer.
"Well, obviously, when you kidnapped me." She was practically shaking with rage. "Who was it? Who's paying you? Is it Nerys? Oh, my God, she's finally got me back. This has got Nerys written all over it." She ranted to him, nodding and snarling.
The Doctor just watched her, rubbing the back of his neck in utter confusion. "Who the hell is Nerys?"
"Your best friend!"
"Hold on, wait a minute - what're you dressed like that for?"
Astrid rolled her eyes, actually quite happy with the distraction from Rose. She absently slapped the back of the Doctor's head, making him whip around. "It's a white dress with a veil, you dumbo. She was getting married!"
The woman joined in and basically screamed, "I WAS HALFWAY UP THE AISLE!"
The Doctor backed away from her in either fear or just wanting to get away from the loud volume. He started to mess with the controls, fiddling with dials and turning knobs as she ranted and paced. "I've been waiting all my life for this. I was just seconds away! And then you—I dunno, you drugged me or something!"
"I haven't done anything!" He protested around the Rotor.
She gave him no heed as she continued yelling. "I'm having the police on you! Me and my husband—as soon as he is my husband—we're gonna sue the living backside off ya!" She marched up to him and gestured angrily with a hand that was clutching a handful of white skirt. Suddenly she spied the door. Double doors with a old fashioned phone on the right one.
Star watches her impassively as the woman rushed over to them. He looked up from the panel and his eyes widened comically. "No! Wait a minute!" He held out an arm as if to stop her but his feet didn't move and the bride paid no mind. "Wait a minute! Don't!"
It didn't matter, the woman had already thrown open the doors. But what greeted her was not a road—or even better the church—but the beautifully dangerous sight of a dying star. The same one that had let the Doctor and Star say goodbye to Rose. He slowly walked up behind her, Star still not saying a word on the pilot's seat. The bride didn't move as he approached, too stunned by the view.
"You're in space." He reached her side and looked from her over her shoulder, almost six inches taller than the redhead. "Outer space. This is my—space-ship. It's called the TARDIS. Or Lexi as my Star prefers."
Her voice was soft and almost breathless. "How am I breathing?"
"The TARDIS is protecting us."
She looked at him slightly for a second, "Who are ya?" before looking back at the burning gases in the barrage of color.
He takes a deep breath through his nose as he answers. "I'm the Doctor." He pointed behind him. "That's Star. You?"
She looked at him and carefully, and now quite shocked enough that it was a normal volume. "Donna."
He looked her up and down. "Human?"
"Yeah. Is that optional?" Donna said, staring at him.
"Well, it is with me." He looked out at the star absently.
Donna looked slightly dizzy as she came to her next conclusion. "You're an alien."
"Yeeeeaaahhh." He drew out. There was a pause as the pair just stood looking at the sky.
"It's freezin' with these doors open."
The Doctor gave her a look before he shut the doors quickly and jogged back up the ramp. "I don't understand it and I understand everything! This can't happen! There is no way a human being can lock itself onto the TARDIS and transport itself inside! It must be some sort of-" He started to fiddle with tools in a pouch hanging from one of the rails. He turned it on Donna and rattled on as he scanned her with it. "Impossible." He leaned in close to her face as he looked at her through the eye of an ophthalmoscope. "There's some sort of subatomic connection, something in the temporal field? Maybe something pulling you into alignment with the chronon shell. Maybe something macrobudding your DNA within the interior matrix. Maybe a genetic sim—" Donna stopped everything with a slap. He was very indignant when he cried out, "What was that for?"
"GET ME TO THE CHURCH!"
He dropped the ophthalmoscope and ran around the console. "Right, fine! I don't want you here anyway! Where is this wedding?" He demanded angrily, still not used to being slapped by anyone.
"Saint Mary's, Haven Road, Chiswick, London, England, Earth, the Solar System." She finally ran out of steam.
Star quietly chimed in for the first time. "I always wonder if you are going to keep going there with 'Milky Way Galaxy, the universe' or something. Why do you always stop there?" She wondered idly, looking at Donna with curious, distant crystal sky blue eyes.
The Doctor's and Donna's eyes had widened significantly at her comment, but for different reasons. The Doctor immediately abandoned his attempts at getting the TARDIS where he wanted her to go and moved to his love's side. "Star? Do you feel alright?" He scanned her quickly with the sonic screwdriver but came up with the same readings as always. He looked deep into her eyes and only saw pain. Deep, penetrating pain. "Astrid? Look at me." She did focus with some effort.
"Doctor? Why did she leave me?" She dissolved into tears again. Donna, a caring woman under the brash exterior, came right over to the other side of the crying girl and hugged her, holding her tightly while glaring at the Doctor to do something.
The Doctor nodded at the look, having seen it before in Rose's face—which didn't help the pain in his heart either, the blond had been like a younger sister to him—and he gently picked up his shining Star bridle-style and carried her to her room. He laid her on the lavender four-poster and tucked her in. One kiss to her forehead was all he could really give her before he eased out of the room. He had a ginger in a dress to deal with.
Right before Star let herself be dragged into an exhausted sleep brought on by grief, she heard him cry out, "Right! Chiswick!"
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She hadn't been sleeping long before the whole ship began to shake and buck. She actually fell out of bed as they hit something. "Doctor?" She whispered to herself as she got to her feet. Star had to grab onto the walls at several points as she ran the familiar path to the main control room. "Doctor?" She called out louder.
"Star! Hold this lever!" He had been in the process of tying a string to keep it held, but with the other brunette she could be much more successful.
She nodded and obediently held the draw-lever steady even as the Doctor ran to the door and opened it to call out to Donna. Star could barely hear him over the roar of the introduced air. "Are we actually flying the ship? She doesn't fly. Not that she can't of course, Lexi's a wonderful ship, but well, she doesn't. Lexi doesn't fly. Why are we flying?" Star muttered under her breath. "Why would she have a reason to fly? We can just materialize anywhere we want."
Suddenly the Doctor looked over at her and screamed at her, "Pull it further!" She did, toward herself and they started to slow down. "OTHER WAY!"
"Okay, okay. Hold your horses, fussy britches." Star pushed the lever toward the console, making it spark and sputter. "Ummm…I'm thinking that wasn't right either." But they had accelerated and her lover was back to screaming out the open doorway. Star was thrown into the side of the console, hitting her head, as the TARDIS hit something else and jerked everything. It happened again and Astrid cried out in pain as she hit her head again. "Doctor! Hurry up!"
Right at that moment Donna suddenly appeared in the Doctor's arms, throwing him to the floor. The TARDIS's doors slammed shut and they pulled up fast enough that Star was pushed into the grating. The console was not happy with the treatment and began to spew out smoke and Star could see flames. "Doctor!" She cried out in alarm. "Lexi's burning!"
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Astrid was coughing up a fit, clinging to her head in pain with one hand, I hope I don't have another concussion, it's just what I need at a time like this. Her Doctor was coughing also as he sprayed the ship with a fire extinguisher as smoke billowed out of the TARDIS doors. He placed the extinguisher just inside the doors and shut them. Letting Lexi fix herself most likely. He walked over to her and soniced her head before reaching into his pocket and giving her a small blue pill. I'm already in a rabbit hole, damnit! I don't need to go into another one! "Here you go, love. It'll make your head feel better." He kissed her head on the opposite side of the rather large lump forming. "How are you feeling?" His whisper against her scalp brought a small 'hmph' from her.
"Time heals all wounds." She remarked softly, looking deep into his brown eyes. Her brain caught up with her suddenly in a crash of chemicals as her head suddenly cleared and she felt so much better. Wow, that pill really does work. She looked up and past him to the other person on the roof. Oh crap…is that— "Oh damn. Is that Donna Noble?"
He blinked at his Star for a second or two, and then turned to look at the bride who was looking out onto the city below, sad and morose at missing her own wedding. "I take it you know her?"
"I know of her." She said softly, neither one speaking loud enough for Donna to hear. "Never really liked her in this one. She gets better."
He nodded slowly. "Like Jack." Star nodded with him on that point. Together, they walked over to Donna, arm in arm. And if she was leaning against him just a little bit, he wasn't going to say anything.
"Funny thing is, for a spaceship, she doesn't do that much…flying." The Doctor stated, walking up to her. He looked back at the TARDIS, thinking about all the damage. "We'd better give her a couple of hours." He looked her up and down, his expression serious. "You all right?" He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked grim.
"It doesn't matter." She sounded so…resigned.
"Did we miss it?" It was more a statement than a question.
"Yeah." Donna replied sadly, nodding slowly, her hair blowing in the wind.
"Well you can book another date."
"Course we can."
"Still got the honeymoon." He was trying to find a silver lining to her cloud of woe.
"It's just a holiday now."
He nodded. There went that plan. "Yeah, yeah. Sorry."
"It's not your fault."
"Oh, that's a change!" He gave a weak grin.
Donna commented idly. "I wish you had a time machine. Then we could go back and get it right."
"Yeah, yeah." He said, wondering if he told the truth that the woman would understand. Better not, he didn't want to be yelled at again. "But even if I did, I couldn't go back into someone's personal timeline. Apparently." A sad look crossed her face and she moved to sit down on the ledge. Seeing her shiver against the cold wind, the Doctor took off his jacket and spread it over her shoulders before sitting down next to her. Star sat on her other side.
They sat in silence for a few moments before Donna couldn't stand it anymore. She didn't really know what to say, so she tried to make light of the situation, but the mood was such that it fell a little flat. "God your skinny. This one would fit a rat!" The Doctor looked disgruntled at this statement but was grateful for the change of subject.
Star giggled. "He is one of the best runners in the universe, what do you expect?"
"Oh, and you'd better put this on." He said when that got no response. He was holding up a wedding ring.
"Oh, do ya have to rub it in?" She sounded so sad, and slightly exasperated.
"Those creatures can trace you. This is a bio-damper. It should keep you hidden." He slid the ring onto her finger. "With this ring I thee bio-damp." He said popping the 'p'.
"For better or for worse?" Donna replied ominously. They both gave a weak smile and looked away.
Star watched the two of them, saying nothing. She remembered this episode. She knew what was going to happen, and had an idea for what to do next. But first, she had to let it play out. She had to get to the reception. She also had to admit to herself that watching the Doctor…her Doctor…put a wedding-band—well it looked like a wedding band—on the ring finger of another woman's hand did NOT sit well with her. It really didn't.
"So come on then. Robot Santa's, what're they for?" She said, wanting to know more about her friend's kidnappers. She still couldn't take her eyes off the city-scape. The day was turning out to be both very real, and very not-real at the same time. A surreal day. Her wedding day.
"Oh, you're basic robo-scavenger. The Father Christmas stuff is just a disguisel. They're trying to blend in. We met them last Christmas." He nodded to his Star.
Donna was quick with a reply. "Why what happened then?"
"Great big spaceship, hovering over London? You didn't notice?" He questioned, astonished that she could miss something that big.
"I had a bit of a hang-over." She replied as if that explained everything. The Doctor looked perplexed.
Star changed the subject, coming to his rescue. "We spent Christmas day over there at the Powell Estate, with this…family. My…sister, she had this family." She broke off, not willing to continue in that line. "But she's gone now. They all are." A dark look crossed her face.
Donna looked sympathetic. "You're sister, who was she? Was she the one who had that jacket in the ship?" She questioned. The Doctor swiftly avoided answering, coming to Star's rescue this time, cutting her off.
"Question is, what do camouflaged robot mercenaries want with you? And, how did you get inside the TARDIS? I don't know." Donna looked exasperated. "What's your job?" The Doctor asked suddenly.
"I'm a secretary." The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver from the jacket the redhead was still wearing and started scanning her.
"Weird. I mean, you're not special, you're not powerful, you're not connected, you're not clever, you're not important. " He shook his head, mystified and completely oblivious to the enraged look growing on the redhead's face.
"This sister of yours, before she left did she punch you in the face?" She shoved his hand away and down. "STOP BLEEPING ME!" She cried. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence when both people were thinking of the unhelpful and obnoxious person next to them.
"What kind of secretary?" The Doctor said at last.
"I'm at HC Clements. It's where I meant Lance, I was temping. I mean, it was all a bit posh really. I'd spent the last two years at a double glazing firm. Well I thought 'I'm never gonna fit in here.' and then he made me a cup of coffee. I mean that just doesn't happen! Nobody gets the secretaries a coffee . And Lance, he's the head of H.R, he don't need to bother with me! But, he was nice, he was funny." It was obvious she loved him. You could see it in her face and hear it in her voice as she spoke of how she had met the man she was to wed that day. "And it turned out he thought everyone was really snotty too. So that's how it started, me and him. One cup of coffee. That was it."
"When was this?" The Doctor asked suspiciously.
"Six months ago."
"But quick to get married." The Doctor replied, shocked.
"Well, he insisted." Judging from what he knew already about the woman, the Doctor reckoned that it was the other way round. "And he nagged, and he nagged me. And he just wore me down and then finally I just gave in."
The Doctor thought that this was still way too suspicious. Nothing the woman had said so far was odd, except for how Lance acted, but he had seen human do odder things, so he would give the man the benefit of the doubt. "What does HC Clements do?"
"Oh security systems, you know. Entry codes, ID cards, that sort of thing. If you ask me, it's a posh name for locksmiths." Donna answered.
"Keys…" The Doctor mused.
"Anyway, enough of my CV. Come on, it's time to face the consequences." She sounded so tired. "Oh, this is going to be so shaming." She suddenly came up with a wonderful fix. "You can do the explaining, Martian Boy."
"Yeah, I'm not from Mars." The Doctor stated, she nodded with a smile at that comment as he helped her up, taking the jacket as she got to her feet and shrugging it back on.
"Oh, I had this great big reception all planned. Everyone's gonna be heartbroken." Donna said sadly as they headed off. Star following behind a few steps. After a second, the Doctor looked back at her, but she just shook her head with a fake smile. This has to happen in a certain way. It's the only way it'll work.
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The Doctor was leaning up against the bar at Donna's wedding reception, Star by his side. Having found out that HC Clements previously worked for Torchwood via someone's phone, he now stood watching Donna dance with Lance. He looked at his own brunette woman and held out his hand, "May I have this dance?"
She smiled brightly at him. "You may, my wonderful Doctor." He twirled her out to the fast-paced music and she laughed. Her first genuine laugh in a very long time. They danced out and around, Star noticing a blond dancing and her heart clenched at the images of Rose that it brought to her mind.
The Doctor of course noticed her change in mood and led her genially across the room and happened to notice a cameraman off to one side and headed his way.
The cameraman loaded up the correct tape in the machine as he spoke. "Well, I taped the whole thing, they've all had a look. They said sell it to You've Been Framed. I said more like the news." The man said in a strong welsh accent, but was congenial and had a wonderful smile. His voice reminds me of Gwen Cooper. "Here we are." He pressed a mutton and the camera buzzed briefly before it began to play.
The Doctor watched as Donna dissolved into a gold haze on the tiny screen, screaming in terror as she did. "Can't be. Play it again." He ordered in absolute confusion, his face a mask of puzzlement.
"Clever, mind. Good trick, I'll give her that. I was clapping." He said as he obliged and rewound.
The Doctor leaned forward, cupping the viewscreen and leaning in close to study the image better. "But that looks like…Huon particles." He said in disbelief as Donna screamed again.
"What's that, then?"
"That's impossible, that's ancient. Huon energy doesn't exist anymore, not for billions of years." The Doctor explained, more for Star's benefit rather than for the poor cameraman who didn't have a clue about what he was talking about. The Doctor continued anyway. "So old that…" His eyes widened in realization. He spun his head and spied Donna dancing with Lance, the bio-damper/wedding-ring easily seen on her finger. "It can't be hidden but a bio-damper!" The Doctor ran off leaving the befuddled cameraman standing awkwardly, Star pacing him easily by his side.
The Doctor ran towards the nearest window, which was down a small corridor and wasn't surprised to see two robot Santas approaching the building. He ran back into the reception hall and towards the bride. "Donna! Donna they've found you!"
"But you said I was safe!" She replied when he reached her, almost accusing him with her voice.
"The bio-damper doesn't work. We've got to get everyone out."
"Oh my god, it's all my family!" She exclaimed quietly, looking at the people around her in concern.
"Out the back door." The Doctor said running off again with Donna right behind, Star staying put. She just watched as they both ran around the room, going from one door to a window. She stayed by the sound system, knowing he would come to her as soon as he figured out the trees. Sometimes, I have to wonder about this. Have I experienced so much that I am jaded…or am I just getting tired. I miss Rose. She would know what to do, what to say.
"Get away from the tree!" He yelled and pulled some children away from it. He and Donna continued they're warning as they made everyone back away from the offending Christmas décor.
"Oh for goodness sake, the man's an idiot. What harm's a Christmas tree gonna…oh!" Donna's mother Sylvia said before cutting herself off and watching in awe as several red glass balls lifted eerily off the tree. Everyone stood transfixed at the sight of the baubles dancing spookily in midair. But their murmurs of delight turned to screams of terror as one by one the baubles shot themselves at the crowd and exploded, creating chaos and destruction. The Doctor looked desperately around for his Star and raced to her when he finally caught sight.
"You knew." He stated simply, but not accusing her. However, his eyes did ask the question of why she hadn't said anything. Why hadn't she stopped it.
She gave him a soft, sad smile. "We need the balls."
He nodded carefully, noting where several unexploded red baubles had rolled even as the explosions stopped. He motioned her to stay hwere she was even as he carefully peeked over the table. Six robo-Santas were standing there; five with instruments held threateningly, one with a remote control. He came up with a brilliant plan in less than a second and stood up to gain attention.
"OI, SANTA! Word of advice! If you're attacking a man with a sonic screwdriver," he flipped up a microphone and spoke through it, "don't let him near the sound system." At this he stuck said screwdriver into the deck and turned it on. The result was a deafening sound that threatened to burst the eardrums of everyone in the room, most of them screaming in fear and pain at the horrible noise. The robots themselves literally shook at the noise and bits of machinery off of their bodies flew everywhere as the sound wave ripped them apart. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as the noise died away and the Doctor rushed forwards to the fallen shells of the robot Santas. As he searched through the bodies, Donna ran about checking to see if everyone was okay. Star went around the opposite side of the room out of habit. Not to mention it's something to do while my Doctor figures things out. She watched him and Donna converse as she wrapped one old man's dislocated shoulder.
"Look at that! Remote control for the decorations, but there's a second remote control for the robots. They're not scavengers anymore. I think someone's taken possession." He picked up a robot head and began examining it.
"Never mind all that, you're a doctor, people have been hurt." Donna tried to talk to him.
The Doctor shook that off. He knew that the injuries were minor because Star was quietly helping. It was his part to figure out what was going on and help the world. The medics could take care of the injuried. "Nah, they wanted you alive. Look." He tossed a red ball decoration over his shoulder toward her and it bounced on the floor directly at Star. He saw her pick it up and put it in her pocket. "They're not active now."
"All the same, you can help." Donna gestured, trying to get him to see reason.
"Got to think of the bigger picture. There's still a signal!" He got to his feet and ran out of the room. Donna made to follow, but before she could go Sylvia spoke up.
"Donna, who is he? Who is that man?" Sylvia asked her daughter. Instead of answering Donna just looked at her in despair and ran off to follow the Timelord. Lance followed just a few seconds later, he didn't see Astrid stick out her tongue at him. I really, really, really don't like him. He better behave or he might find himself punched. Hmmm…I might do that anyway, the bastard. No offense to his mother.
Unnoticed by everyone, Star hung back just a few minutes as she gathered more red baubles into her Time Lord, bigger on the inside, pockets. When she reached two dozen, she stopped and slipped out of the door to follow the love of her life. No matter what happens, my love…I will always choose you. And if I have to take the burden off of your soul, I will. You don't need more hurt.
[break]
The Doctor sprinted into HC Clements with Star by his side, Donna and Lance jogging behind. A couple of minutes later he plonked in front of a computer terminal and began to speak rapidly, with the couple barely keeping up. Star was almost ignoring him, but when he was talking so fast it made her smile, he was so smart and brainy. I have always been attracted to intelligent men. Get's my mind off Rose at least…oh, Rose. Why did you leave me? "To you lot this might just be a locksmith, but HC Clements was bought up 23 years ago by the Torchwood Institute."
"Who are they?" Donna questioned.
"They were behind the Battle of Canary Wharf." The Doctor said with a significant look, raising his eyebrows. Donna just looked confused, but to be fair so did Lance. "Cyberman invasion." He elaborated. Donna's confused expression didn't change. The Doctor returned it with a disbelieving one. "Skies over London full of Daleks?" He reiterated, disbelief coloring his tone.
"I was in Spain." Donna once again replied as if it explained everything.
"…They had Cybermen in Spain." He said slowly.
"Scuba diving." Her expression clearly stated 'Duh'. One day, I want to go scuba diving. Maybe there is a planet that does that. I'll ask the Doctor later.
"That big picture, Donna, you keep on missing it." The Doctor replied with a sigh. He bounced to the other side of the terminal, next to Donna and the others. "Torchwood was destroyed, but HC Clements stayed in business." He continued to a different terminal. Wonder why the first didn't do what he wanted, or is he just showing off? "I think someone else came in and took over" he hit the moniter once hard with a closed fist, never pausing in his speech, "the operation." Yup, he's showing off.
"What do they want with me?" Donna asked him plaintively.
The Doctor stood back up and shuffled awkwardly before answering. "Somehow you've been dosed with Huon energy and that's a problem because Huon energy hasn't existed since the Dark Times. The only place you find a Huon particle now is a remnant in the heart of the TARDIS. See, that's what happened." Donna looked shocked, and was now clutching her stomach. Lance meanwhile was standing back and watching the whole confrontation in confusion. The Doctor picked up a coffee mug and pencil and continued. "Say that's the TARDIS," He lifted the mug. "And that's you." He lifted the pencil. "The particles inside you activated," he shook the pencil back and forth to show, "and the two sets of particles magnetize," he started to shake the cup at the same rate as the pencil, "and wap!" He plunked the pencil inside the mug. "You were pulled inside the TARDIS."
Donna looked between the mug and the Doctor. "I'm a pencil inside a mug?"
"Yes, you are. 4H sums you up." The Doctor tried to put a little levity in the situation, knowing that anyone would be frightened. Of course, his version of levity was a little bit rude. He twirled the pencil in the mug as a little visual humor.
Star rolled her eyes slightly and came up behind him and gently slapped the back of his arm. "You are being rude, love." She caught the mug, stopped the twirling pencil and set it down.
The Doctor of course, moved right along. His heart was a little lighter though, his Star acting semi-normally. "Lance, what was HC Clements working on? Anything top secret, special operations, do not enter?" The Doctor moved on to another computer and began scanning it with the sonic screwdriver. Definitely showing off.
"I don't know, I'm in charge of personnel. I wasn't project manager." Lance replied with a slightly defensive tone, and then it changed. "Why am I even explaining myself? What the hell are we talking about?" He shouted at the Doctor who was currently working away at the current terminal.
"You make keys, that's the point." The Doctor replied absently, ignoring him for the most part. He showed them what he was looking at on the screen. It was a building blueprint in 3D. "And look at this, we're on the third floor. Underneath reception there's a basement, yes?" He ran off to the elevator they had ridden up on and pushed the Ground button. He looked at his Star, but she was staring off into space, at his side but in her own world at the moment. Probably waiting until she had to act in order to change whatever she needed to change.
He got out of that elevator and moved to a different one, one that went to the basement and went inside and pointed. Star still by his side, her eyes distant. "Then how come when you look in the lift, there's a button marked 'lower basement'. There's a whole floor which doesn't exist on the official plan. So what's down there?"
Donna was grim, but Lance was incredulous. "You telling me this building's got a secret floor?"
"No, I'm showing you this building's got a secret floor." He replied innocently.
"It needs a key."
"I don't." He lifted the sonic screwdriver and buzzed the button marked 'LB', there was an audible click and he shoved the tool back into his pocket. "Right then, thanks, you two. Star and I can handle this, see you later."
"No chance, Martian. You're the man who keeps saving my life. I ain't letting you out of my sight!" The Doctor seemed to expect this answer and didn't protest as the angry redhead marched in.
"Going down."
Donna looked out at her fiancé. "Lance?"
"Maybe I should go to the police." He said pathetically. Donna rolled her eyes.
"Inside!" She commanded. Lance looked exasperated but entered the elevator.
"To honor and obey." The Doctor said amused, somehow managing to keep a straight face.
"Tell me about it mate."
"Oi!" The four silenced as the elevator descended.
[break]
By this time the Doctor had found out their location underneath Thames Flood Barrier—"What, there's like a secret base hidden underneath a major London landmark?" "I know. I know, love." At which point Star cleared her throat menacingly and poked the Doctor in the arm while the Doctor's replied thinking wryly of Nestene Consciousness lair underneath the London Eye, where he had met his Star and Rose—and the trio had made their way down the dank corridor via Segway—in which the Doctor, Star and Donna had nearly fallen off of in hysterics at the stupidity of traveling this way when they had been in a TARDIS—and the Doctor had pushed open another door which had the Torchwood insignia on it. And who in the hell thinks a neon green door is a good idea?
"Oh! Look at this." The Doctor said his tone a mix of delight, curiosity and awe. He began to practically dance around the room that looked like it would be more comfortable on the set of a new version of Frankenstein. "Stunning!"
"What does it do?" Donna asked warily looking at the fragile looking glass pipes bubbling around the room.
"Particle extrusion. Hold on." He ran up to inspect a machine and tapped a glass pipe with the back of a knuckle. "Brilliant." He leaned over, giving Star an interesting close-up view of his eyes and teeth as he examined it. "They've been manufacturing Huon particles. Of course, my people got rid of Huons. They unravel the atomic structure." The Doctor continued matter-of-factly, leaning down to examine more of the huge machine.
"Your people? Who are they? What company do you represent?" Lance suddenly spoke up, misunderstanding the Doctor. I wonder if that's deliberate or if he's just that good an actor. Still need to punch him.
"Oh, we're freelancers." He straightened back upright. "But this lot are rebuilding them. They've been using the river." He exclaimed in awe. "Extruding them through a flat hydrogen base so they've got the end result…" He grabbed a glass vial from a machine and held it up for Donna to see. "Huon particles in liquid form."
"And that's what's inside me?" The Doctor twisted the cap on top of the vial. The liquid inside began to glow gold, just like Donna had in the wedding video, and just as suddenly Donna's body lit up in the same golden light. "Oh my god!" She cried out in slight fear.
"Genius." The Doctor said, semi-ignoring the fact that the ginger was lit up like a Christmas tree. He was amazed at the ingenuity and imagination that had to go into making such a thing as he held. "Because the particles are inert, they need something living to catalyze inside and that's you. Saturate the body and then…" Star could almost see the light bulb go off over his head as the Doctor stepped back in realization then began to spin around waving his arms enthusiastically whilst going off on another techno-babble rant. "OH! The wedding! Yes, you're getting married. That's it! Best day of your life, walking down the aisle." He ran toward Donna, gesturing emphatically. "Your body's a battleground! There's a chemical war inside. Adrenaline, acetylcholine. Wham go the endorphins!" He made as if to punch her stomach in a gesture, but never got close. He's on a roll. Really showing off. "Oh, you're cooking. You're like a walking oven. A pressure cooker, a microwave, all churning away. The particles reaching boiling point… Shazam!" By this point the Doctor's voice had reached an impressively high vocal point and was so worked up that Donna's slap knocked him back several steps. "What did I do this time?" He whined—voice still soprano—his face resembling that of a wounded puppy. His eyes flicking around the room to find Star and noticed she was staring at a wall near where they had come in.
"Are you enjoying this?" Donna questioned with a heated look. He stopped, looking down a bit when he didn't know what to say next. Donna rolled her eyes, she was getting used to his way of speaking and mannerisms but when he was going on about her it was a different matter, and sighed exasperatedly. "All right, just tell me, these particles, are they dangerous? Am I safe?" She was thinking of all of her family back at the reception. She had spent nearly an hour with them, what if she had gotten them sick? What if they could die because she had touched them?
"Yes." The Doctor lied badly, nodding.
Donna gave him another look that clearly stated that she knew he was lying. "Doctor… If your lot got rid of Huon particles, why did they do that?" She thrust her chin out slightly in fear, already knowing the answer but needing him to say it. It wasn't quite real until he said it.
The Doctor had a sad look in his eye, and his voice was laden with sorrow. "Because they were deadly."
Donna looked physically ill. "Oh, my god." All her family…how many did she get sick?
"I'll sort it out Donna." The Doctor consoled and reassured quickly with a determined look. "Whatever's been done to you, I'll reverse it. We're not about to lose someone else." Before anything else could be said, their conversation was interrupted.
"Oh, she's long since lost." The voice was mean and irritating, hissing slightly and clearly female. The wall next to the Doctor and Donna, which stated 'LAB 003' began to lift slowly revealing a large cavern with a massive hole in the middle. "I have waited so long. Hibernating at the edge of the universe." Lance, who had gone unnoticed for some time, began to sneak off. Star, who had never gone so far away from the door, gave a mean look with glee and in barely a second, punched the bastard right in the face, knocking him out cold. 'Until the secret heart was uncovered and called out to waken me." At this several robots turned from in the shadows and pointed guns at the two.
Donna noticed Lance about then and rushed to his side, glaring daggers at Star. "What did you do that for?"
"He's an asshole. He deserved it."
Unfazed, the Doctor strolled forward to inspect the hole and stared down into its depths. "Someone's been digging. Oh, very Torchwood. Drilled by laser. How far down does it go?" As the Doctor stared down he was completely unaware of someone else staring down at him.
"Down and down. All the way to the center of the Earth."
"Really? Seriously, what for?" The Doctor asked in confusion as if the center of the Earth was nothing of interest or of slight importance. He was looking about the cavern as about to look upwards but stopped and looked back down as Donna stepped up to him, eagerly having an answer.
"Dinosaurs." She said to him helpfully.
"What?" The Doctor said in bewilderment.
"Dinosaurs?" Donna said again, now a question. Her face a little puppy-ish now.
"What are you on about? Dinosaurs." The Doctor wondered about his new companion's sanity.
"That film under the Earth with dinosaurs. Trying to help."
"That's not helping." Donna looked about to make an angry retort, but was interrupted by the voice blasting down again.
"Such a sweet couple." Which really pisses me off. All of fourth season, they are thought to be together. I don't like that my man is being poached!
"Only a madman talks to thin air. And trust me; you don't want to make me mad. Where are you?"
"High in the sky. Floating so high on Christmas night."
"I didn't come all this way to talk on the intercom! Come on, let's have a look at you!" He called out to the ceiling in demand. Star was by his side by now and missed Lance shakily get to his feet and stumble out the door.
"Who are you with such command?"
"I'm the Doctor." He said, managing to sound very impressive.
"Prepare your best medicines, doctor man, for you will be sick at heart!" The Empress of the Racnoss was just as Astrid remembered. Seriously, if I am crazy, I am going to be really, really mad when I get out of the mental institution. Donna looked at the giant spider in horror and the Doctor something akin to disbelief. The Empress hissing threateningly at the trio.
"Racnoss." He half-whispered. "But that's impossible. You're one of the Racnoss."
"Empress of the Racnoss." She replied haughtily.
"If you're the Empress, where's the rest of the Racnoss? Or are you the only one?"
"Such a sharp mind!" said the Empress, sounding as if she didn't know whether to be impressed or irritated.
"That's it. The last of your kind." He turned to explain to the now thoroughly confused Donna. "The Racnoss come from the Dark Times. Billions of years ago. Billions. They were carnivores. Omnivores. They devoured whole planets."
"Racnoss are born starving. Is that our fault?" The Empress butted in, defensively. She hissed some more.
"They eat people?" Donna asked in disgust.
"HC Clements, did he wear those, uh, black and white shoes?" This distracted Donna from the horror of the situation and she swung back around to face him.
"He did! We used to laugh. We used to call him the fat cat in spats!" The Doctor pointed at the something on the ceiling. It was a pair of black and white shoes, all that you could really see, the rest covered in spider web. "Oh, my god!" Donna said again, this time in horror.
"My Christmas dinner! Hahaha!" Both Donna and Star winced.
The Doctor turned back to the Racnoss his face livid. "You shouldn't even exist!" He turned back to Donna, explaining quietly. "Way back in history, the Fledgling Empires went to war against the Racnoss." He raised his voice to speak to the Empress again. "They were wiped out!"
"Except for me." The Empress gloated. Behind the Racnoss the three noticed Lance sneaking up behind her wielding an axe. The Doctor looked grim, Star was glaring at the man, I should have hit him harder. but Donna, unaware of her companions' reactions, tried to distract the Empress from whatever she thought her fiancé was about to do.
"That's what I've got inside me, that Huon energy thing." The Empress turned to look behind her. "Oi! Look at me. Lady, I'm talking. Where do I fit in? How come I get all stacked up with these Huon particles? Look at me you!" The Empress had been about to turn around again. "Look me in the eye and tell me."
"The bride is so feisty!"
"Yes, I am. And I don't know what you are, you big thing! But a spider's just a spider. And an axe is just an axe! Now, do it!" She yelled the last line at Lance whom had raised the axe and poised to hit said 'spider'. The Empress turned and looked at the man in stage shock but slowly began do smile evilly when Lance dropped the axe and they both began to laugh. Poor Donna looked at her fiancé in a mixture of confusion and betrayal. She didn't want to understand. I can't blame her. Who wants to find out the man you love, the man you planned to marry that same day, had betrayed you and was going to kill you?
"That was a good one. Your face." He said still laughing.
"Lance is funny." The Empress said to the other three.
"What?" Donna looked confused, the Doctor looked slightly sad.
"I'm sorry." The Doctor replied sadly.
"Sorry for what?" Donna still didn't understand. "Lance, don't be so stupid. Get her!" She shouted again.
"Should have punched you harder. Given you a good concussion." Star muttered under her breath.
"God she's thick." Lance said cruelly. Donna's face was pure shock and pain was beginning in her eyes. "Months I've had to put up with her. Months! A woman who can't even point to Germany on a map."
Donna was rendered temporarily speechless. Finally she quietly said, "I don't understand."
"How did you meet him?" The Doctor questioned softly.
"In the office."
"He made you coffee."
"What?"
"Every day I made you coffee." The Empress made a sound that could have been a giggle, or a snort of derision depending on your point of view.
"You had to be dosed with liquid particles over six months." The Doctor explained. He knew the history or Huon particles, how to use them, make them and why never to do so. It was a part of his schooling. He knew how long it would take to saturate the body.
"He was poisoning me." Donna stated soflty, realization coming into her voice.
The Doctor looked angry. Donna was starting to become one of his companions in his mind. Running with him, brave and strong. No one messed with his companions…not if they were smart anyway. "It was all there in the job title. The head of human resources." The Doctor continued bitterly.
"This time, it's personnel." Lance smiled horribly again and looked up at the Empress in an express of over-fondness. Star's stomach rolled slightly at that look. Now how in the hell is that supposed to work? I think I'm going to be sick.
"B-but…we were getting married!" Donna protested.
"Well, I couldn't risk you running off. I had to say yes. Then I was stuck with a woman who thinks the height of excitement is a new flavor Pringle. Oh, I had to sit there and listen to all that yap, yap, yap. Ooh, Brad and Angelina! Is Posh pregnant? X Factor. Atkin's diet. Feng shui. Split ends. Text me, text me, text me. Dear god, the never-ending fountain of fat, stupid trivia." His rant over, he breathed in before bitterly saying, "I deserve a medal!"
Star couldn't take her eyes off of Donna throughout this whole tirade. Her heart ached with empthy for the bride, still in her wedding dress as her fiancé went on and on about all the things he hated about her. Star took a step closer to Donna and reached out, slipping her hand in the redhead's, offering silent support.
The Doctor seemed to sense her thought process and pounced on the man, man as all get-out at the gall and cruelty. "Oh, is that what she's offered you? The Empress of the Racnoss. What are you? Her consort?"
"It's better than a night with her." Lance insulted harshly. Seriously, how in the heck does something like that work?
Donna looked heart-broken. "But I love you."
Lance looked on with pity. "That's what made it easy. It's like you said, Doctor. The big picture. What's the point of it all if the human race is nothing? That's what the Empress can give me. The chance to… to go out there. To see it. The size of it all. I think you understand that, don't you, Doctor?" At this he looked straight at the Doctor.
The Empress spoke up. "Who is this little physician?"
"She said Martian. I don't know about the girl."
"Oi! I'm 28 freakin' years old, you son of a—"
The Doctor placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her cursing. "Oh, I'm sort of…homeless. But the point is, what's down here?" He looked down into the deep, deep, deep hole. "The Racnoss are extinct. What's going to help you 4,000 miles down? That's just the molten core of the Earth, innit?"
"I think he wants us to talk." Lance said tilting his head to the side.
"I think so, too." agreed the Empress.
"Well, tough. All we need is Donna."
"Kill this chattering little doctor man."
"Don't you hurt them!" Donna cried. The Doctor wasn't worried for himself, but he looked up in concern at Star, who was still alternating between glaring at Lance and shooting sympathetic glances at Donna, and began to protest.
"No don't! Leave her alone!"
The Empress looked annoyed. "At arms!" She commanded to the robots, they all turned in response.
The Doctor stopped looking at Star fearfully and realized the danger himself and Donna were in as well. "Ah! Now, except…" He babbled nervously.
"Take aim!" The Empress continued, ignoring him. The robots lifted their guns and aimed them at the trio.
"Well, I just want to point out the obvious!"
"They won't hit the bride. They're such very good shots." The Empress replied gleefully.
The Doctor began stuttering in-comprehensively. "J-j-j-ju-ju-jus-just. Just hole on! Hold on just a tick! Just a tiny little, just a… tick!"
"If you think about it, the particles activated in Donna and drew her inside my spaceship. So reverse it," he pulled out the vial of Huon particles and twisted the top in the opposite direction as he had before, "the spaceship comes to her."
The Empress yelled out "FIRE!" But it was too late. As the golden glow lit up Donna. Astrid stepped close to his side, pressing herself against him even as the TARDIS materialized in a swirl of blue particles around the three of them.
He jogged up to the console. "Off we go then!" He called cheerfully before pressing buttons and pulling knobs in his normal manic fashion. The TARDIS began to dematerialize from the lair much to the distress of the Empress. Star stayed by Donna's side, her hand on the bride shoulder in vague comfort.
After dematerializing the Doctor continued to press buttons and pull levers, directing the TARDIS to its next destination. "Oh, you know what you said before about a time machine? Well, I lied. And now we're gonna use it." More buttons were pressed as the Doctor swung round the console typing in coordinates, occasionally hitting the console with a mallet. "We need to find out what the Empress of the Racnoss is digging up. If something's buried at the planet core, it must've been there since the beginning. That's just brilliant. Molto bene! I've always wanted to see this. Donna, Star, we're going further back than I've ever been before." He continued before glancing up at them for a second. He double taked. Star had her arms wrapped around Donna, hugging the woman to her side as the ginger cried silently.
The Doctor, still looking very solemn as he poked his head from around the column, stood behind the console as the TARDIS landed. "We've arrived… want to see?" He asked Donna.
She tilted her head and raised her eyebrows briefly at such a question at a time like this. "I suppose." Donna replied unenthusiastically, sniffing.
The Doctor swung the monitor round and looked at it. "Oh, the scanner's a bit small. Maybe you way's best." He walked down the ramp and waited by the door. "Come on." He encouraged. She got to her feet dejectedly and joined the Doctor with the brunette close behind.
"No human's ever seen this. You'll be the first."
"All I want to see is my bed." Donna replied miserably.
"Donna Noble. Welcome to the creation of the Earth." And with that he opened the doors to a spectacular sight. Donna's mouth fell open at the beauty before them, past sorrows temporarily forgotten. The newly formed sun shone through brightly colored dust and gas clouds, floating in the great expanse of space glittering with thousands of stars. Huge rocks floated around lazily, colliding against each other in majesty. "We've gone back 4.6 billion years. There's no solar system, not yet. Only dust and rocks and gas." He pointed over to the sun. "That's the Sun over there, brand new. Just beginning to burn."
"It's gordeous." Star breathed in awe. Her crystal sky blue eyes were wide open in amazement and the Doctor looked down at her. She turned and smiled sadly up at him. "Thank you." She said quietly, before turning back and staring at the scene before her.
"Where's the Earth?" Donna broke the silence.
"All around us. In the dust."
"Puts the wedding in perspective. Lance was right. We're just... tiny."
"No, but that's what you do. The human race. Make sense out of chaos. Marking it out with weddings and Christmas and calendars. This whole process is beautiful But only if it's being observed."
"So, we come out of all this." Donna questioned.
"Isn't that that brilliant?"
Donna just snorted softly at his answer. "Yeah." She said simply.
At that moment a gigantic chunk of rock floated past, close to where they stood. "I think that's the Isle of Wight." Donna joked weakly and the trio laughed.
"Eventually, gravity takes hold. Say, one big rock, heavier than the others, starts to pull other rocks towards it. All the dust and gas and elements get pulled in, everything piling in until you get..." The Doctor broke of expectantly.
"The Earth." Donna said in awe.
"But the question is... what was that first rock?"
At that moment a star shaped rock emerged through the clouds, Donna gestured to it. "Look!" How enigmatic that the first rock would appear as soon as it's mentioned.
"The Racnoss…" He breathed. He rushed back up to the console and began to turn a wheel frantically. "Hold on, the Racnoss are hiding from the war! What's it doing?" Donna watched in shock as all the rocks, dust and particles were drawn quickly towards the ship surrounding and coating it.
"Exactly what you said!" Said Donna.
The Doctor ran back to look. "Oh, they didn't just bury something at the center of the Earth... they became the center of the Earth. The first rock."
The TARDIS began to shudder violently. Star, after over seven years travelling with the Doctor, had no problem staying on her feet. Donna had to grab hold of the railing. "What was that?"
"Trouble." The Doctor replied grimly, before slamming the doors shut. The trio rushed as fast as they could back up to the console—The Doctor getting there in a few seconds, Star at his heels, and Donna having to hold tightly to the railing to stay on her feet as she made her way to the column.
"What the hell's it doing?" Donna yelled over the racket the TARDIS was making. The Doctor and Star fell to their knees at one particular shake, but the Doctor bounced back up just as quickly, bringing his lover with him.
"A little trick of mine. Particles pulling particles. Well, it works in reverse, and they're pulling us back." The Doctor shouted back as he desperately tried to regain control of his beloved timeship.
Star suddenly called out, "Doctor! The extrapolator."
That little hint was all he needed as he grinned at her maniacally. He pulled out the futuristic surf board that they had gotten with Jack and Rose. This whole thing keeps reminding me of Rose. I miss her. So much. "The extrapolator! It can't stop us, but it should give us a good bump!" As the TARDIS began to materialize he pulled out a mallet. "Now!" He whacked it with gusto. The TARDIS began to dematerialize again for a second before rematerializing and landing with a groan. The three darted out of the TARDIS into the same dank corridor they had come in from. "We're about 200 yards to the right. Come on." They ran together down the corridor lit in a blue light. Eventually they stopped in front of the door leading up to Thames Flood Barrier.
"But what do we do?" Donna said out of breath in a panicky tone.
"I don't know. I'm making it up as I go along." Donna looked like she was about to have am aneurysm at such an answer.
"Don't worry. We never have a plan. It works out…for the most part." Star supplied gently. The Doctor ignored that as he pulled out his stethoscope to crack the lock.
"But I still don't understand. I'm full of particles, but what for?" Donna asked.
The Doctor began to speak quickly. "There's a Racnoss web at the center of the Earth, but my people unraveled their power source. If Huon particles cease to exist, the Racnoss will stop." Without the Doctor noticing a robot snuck up behind Donna and Star. The robot slammed his hand down on Star and she crumpled silently to the ground.
The next thing she knew, the Doctor was standing over her with a concerned expression. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, just a headache. Did it have to hit me so hard?" She rubbed the back of her neck as the Doctor scanned her with the sonic.
"You'll be fine, just a bump. Now, how do you suggest we continue?" A headless robot lay on the floor not too far away from her and she looked at it significantly.
"Well, I could always tell you that I'll take care of this from here, but you would never go for that. I had to let this go this far so that Donna will be purged of the particles and thus live. It will also make the Racnoss bring her ship, which has also been purged of Huon particles, in from orbit so that Jack can shoot it out of the sky. So how about this—"
[break]
Five minutes later found Star watching as the Doctor ascended a staircase up to the Racnoss lair, concealed by the mask of the de-commissioned robot Santa and the robe. The problem was that he was too tall for the cloak and his suit pants leg and cross-trainers were clearly visible.
"My children are climbing towards me and none shall stop them!" Star heard the Empress cry to the heavens. The ruse didn't work. "So you might as well unmask, my clever little doctor-man."She heard the Empress hiss.
"Oh, well. Nice try." The Doctor replied pulling of the disguise.
"And he's my clever Doctor, not yours!" Star yelled out in anger. Holy crap…I'm jealous. Well, I knew I didn't share, but this is a bit…hmmmm…who knew sex could do this?
The Doctor gave his lover a look as he pulled the sonic screwdriver and pointed it at Donna who was now bound in the web on the ceiling. Lance was nowhere to be seen. Star bit her lip, painfully aware of what had befallen the man, and it made her feel ill. She may have hated him, and he may have been an utter asshole of grand proportions, but he hardly deserved to be eaten alive. She shuddered.
"I've got you, Donna!" The Doctor called, shaking her out of her disturbing thoughts. He soniced the web holding Donna and it began to tear.
"I'm gonna fall!" Donna screeched.
"You're gonna swing!" The Doctor corrected her. Star's eyes widened and she ran down the stairs and swung around to the ground, around the 50 gallon barrels. He never will learn how to drive and land where he wants.
The web tore completely and Donna grabbed onto the piece of rope as she swung across the pit screaming loudly. "I've got you." The Doctor shouted holding his arms out. Donna swung comically underneath the platform where the Doctor was standing, but instead of the expected crash landing, Star caught her momentarily before both women toppled over. The toppling was a lot gentler than what Star had seen on the show, so counted that as a win. There were even added sound effects of metal objects clanging and rolling about.
"Ooh… Sorry." The Doctor apologized looking down. Donna and Astrid lay sprawled on the ground looking up at the him.
Star was giggling softly at the hilarity of the situation. Donna on the other hand… "Thanks, for nothing!" Both girls got to their feet, and Star began to lead Donna back up to the platform where the Doctor stood facing the Empress.
"The doctor-man amuses me." The Empress hissed, calling the attention of the trio.
"Empress of the Racnoss, I give you one last chance. I can find you a planet. I can find you and your children a place in the universe to coexist. Take that offer and end this now." All hints of humor where gone, in its place was the Oncoming Storm.
"These men are so funny."
"What's your answer?"
"Oh, I'm afraid I have to decline." She began to laugh, but the Doctor looked at her in all seriousness.
Star, not to be deterred for she had seen him worse, came up to his side and stood with him, putting her hand on his to stall him as she stared into the Empress's face. She looked at the woman, and she saw a mother. For a split second, she saw herself, doing anything she could or had to do to save her own children. "Please, Empress. I know how you feel. I know that all you want is to help your children. I know that you believe this is the best way to do that. But please…this is not the best way; it's not the only way. If you let us, we will help you and your children. We will take all of you to a planet where you can do as you wish, as long as you don't harm anyone else. Take this bargain…this is your last chance."
It was the longest thing Donna had heard the brunette say, and it chilled her to the bone. This woman in one paragraph had offered the best, and had implied the worst. The man that she had trusted her life to was so different, and the woman by his side was just like him. The pair of them were dark in their ultimatum, but they also offered a chance. One chance. They were terrifying in their concern and anger.
"And who are you to say such things?"
"I am the shining Star. Your last hope. Take my offer."
If the Doctor hadn't been so distracted, he would have felt the universe itself lock into place, shivering and snaking around those short sentences. What his lover had just said had made the universe, Time itself, shift around her. But he was distracted, and the moment passed and the universe had a new pattern.
The Empress hissed at the audacity of this apparent newcomer. "No. This world will be mine!"
"Then what happens next is your own doing." She said softly, quietly, sadly.
"I'll show you what happens next!" She hissed meanly. "At arms!" The robots all raised their guns. "Take aim!" The all pointed the guns at the trio. "And-"
"Relax." The Doctor interrupted quietly. All the robots began to shut down.
"What did you do?" Donna asked.
"Guess what I've got, Donna." The Doctor said cheekily with a grin.
"Pockets!" The pair called together as the Doctor pulled out a remote control from one of his 'pockets'.
"How did that fit in there?"
"They're bigger on the inside." Star explained with a grin.. Donna looked about to say something when she was cut off.
"Roboforms are not necessary. My children may feast on Martian flesh!" The Empress butted in.
"Oh, but we're not from Mars." The Doctor said, with his Oncoming Storm look again.
"Then where?" curiosity getting the better of the Racnoss.
"Our home planet is far away and long since gone. But its name lives on. Gallifrey." The last word was spoken quietly, but had great effect.
The Empress began to thrash and panic, hissing in rage so much that her words were barely audible. "They murdered the Racnoss!"
"I warned you. You did this." At that Star pulled out a handful of Christmas baubles from her pockets and in perfect harmony, threw them into the air as the Doctor controlled them by remote.
"No! No! Don't! No!" The Empress began to beg and panic. Star ignored her and tossed several handfuls of the bauble-bombs in the air. A cluster swarmed around the Empress while others smashed into the walls of the lair causing destruction. Water began to pour from the corridors and swirl around the room as a fire broke out beside the Racnoss who wailed for her children. In all it was picture of pure chaos, with the Doctor standing tall and terrible at its center, his wife by his side in silent support.
He was standing motionless with a cold light glinting in his eye. A shudder of fear ran through Donna and she latched one arm each to the pair and shook hard. They looked at her together and blinked. That blink was enough. The cold light disappeared from eyes and was replaced with slight fear of what they had done. Oh god…I'm going to be sick. A look of pain and ancient sadness filled the Doctor's handsome features. He saw the pale look come across Star's face and grabbed her hand in his. "Come on! Time to find a way out!" The Doctor called out to Donna, effectively bringing them both back into awareness of the situation. Together they all ran out sopping wet, Star still clinging to the Doctor's hand, trying not to throw up as they ran for their lives and Donna watching them thoughtfully whilst bringing up at the rear.
The Doctor, Star and Donna were halfway up the ladder leading to the top of the Thames Flood Barrier when Donna broke the silence by crying out, yelling to be heard over the rush of water. "What about the Empress?" She called down to the Doctor who was below the two women.
The Doctor looked up to reply and blushed at the view of his lover's beautiful backside soaked wet, moving enticingly to climb the ladder. He had to clear his throat before answering, already thoughts of tonight coming to mind. "She's used up all her Huon Energy. She's defenseless!" Which is where Jack…or the Master if I am unsuccessful…come into play.
As they reached the top they heard the sound of tank fire coming from outside. Lifting the hatch bright light filtered through harshly and they squinted, watching as the Empress' ship disintegrated along with its owner. When the coast was clear Donna pulled herself and whooped, steading herself on the tiny platform with the help of the Doctor. Star grinned, but didn't bother trying to stand. She just swung her feet over and perched. The three laughed and looked out in the cool night air, shivering from cold and wet when the adrenaline began to wear off. Panting, Donna noticed something.
"Just there's one problem."
"What is it?" The Doctor asked clueless.
"We've drained the Thames!" The brunette informed gleefully to the Doctor who looked down at her in amusement. She smiled at him, face full of love. The trio dissolved into laughter once again, the sound of fog horns blowing furiously in the distance.
[break]
The TARDIS materialized right in front of Donna's house. She was the first one out, followed by the Doctor and Star. He was quite smug as he said, "There we go. Told you she'd be alright. Survive anything." He declared, fondly rubbing the side of his beloved ship.
"More than I've done." Donna replied morosely. Star smiled at her encouraging.
The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and did one final scan. "Well, all the Huon particles are gone. No damage. You're fine."
"She means besides that Doctor." For the most intelligent man in the universe, he really is dense sometimes.
Donna elaborated. "I missed my wedding, lost my job and became a widow on the same day." She paused. "Sort of."
The Doctor looked sad again. "I couldn't save him."
"He deserved it." The Doctor and Star looked at her with identical raised eyebrows and disbelieving expressions. She corrected herself. "No, he didn't." She bit her lip and looked down sorrowfully, shaking her head. Donna looked behind her at her home before facing the couple again. "Better get inside, they'll be worried."
"Best Christmas present they could ever have." The Doctor remarked with a small smile. They watched Sylvia and Geoff through the window for a moment, hugging each other tightly. "Oh, no I forgot, you hate Christmas."
"Yes, I do." Star laughed at this. Probably even more so now.
"Even if it's snowing?" He asked cheekily. He reached out behind him and flicked a hidden switch inside the TARDIS's door at the top. A white light burst from the top of the blue box and into the sky, exploding like a firework into softly forming snow. Star laughed and twirled around. It's been so long since I've seen snow…though there was that planet with the frozen ocean, that was fun.
Donna laughed in delight as well. "I can't believe you did that!" She exclaimed.
"Oh, basic atmospheric excitation." He said casually. Yup, showing off. And I love him for it.
Donna smiled at them both, noting how much the pair were in love with each other. It was all in their faces. "Merry Christmas."
They smiling in synch at her. But Star nodded at her and replied, "Merry Christmas." while the Doctor said, "And you."
"So… What will you do with yourself now?" The Doctor asked. He probably hoped that the ginger would come with them. Donna was much better now. More aware of the world around her; the bigger picture.
"Not getting married, for starters. And I'm not gonna temp anymore. I dunno... travel. See a bit more of planet Earth, walk in the dust." She smiled at them as they all remembered what they had seen of the Earth's origins. "Just... go out there and do something."
The Doctor looked at her strangely. "Well, you could always…" The Doctor began tentatively.
"What?"
"…come with us."
Donna smiled softly at them and shook her head. "No." Donna said simply.
"Okay." The Doctor said rather quickly. I bet that is the first time someone has ever turned him down.
"I can't."
"No, that's fine." The Doctor replied with false indifference.
"No, but really, I mean, everything we did today…do you live your life like that?"
He looked like he was a deer with an oncoming truck approaching. "…Not all the time."
"I think you do. And I couldn't." Donna shook her head again, giving them a sad half-smile that had a little bit of pity in it.
"But you've seen it out there. It's beautiful." The Doctor protested.
"And it's terrible. That place was flooding and burning and they were dying and you both stood there like... I don't know... strangers. And then you made it snow! I mean, you scare me to death!" There was a short silence where the Doctor just stared at her in sad acceptance.
"Well then." The Doctor replied simply. Star was by his side again, holding his hand in silent acceptance.
Donna smiled at the two of them, "Tell you what I will do though. Christmas dinner." She gestured with her head toward her house. "Oh, come on."
The Doctor suddenly looked like a snake was in his path. Terrified horror. "I don't do that sort of thing."
"You did it last year, you said so. And you might as well because Mum always cooks enough for twenty." At the mention of last year the Doctor's expression changed rapidly at the memory. He hemmed and hawed and shook his head, before finally looking at Star in question. Did she want to go?
Those crystal sky blue eyes, still so sad and a little bit sick, sparkled with mischief. She turned to Donna and gave a soft smile. "We just need to park Lexi properly, then we'll come in. Just need to make sure she doesn't drift off into the Middle Ages or something, right Doctor?" The Doctor understood immediately and smiled at her gratefully. "Oh, and Donna?" The redhead gave her a questioning expression, "Know that you are welcome to travel with us whenever you finally decide to. Of course, getting to us might be a problem." She giggled. She turned into the TARDIS. She heard behind her the Doctor still talking.
"Yes, of course! You go and warn them and …don't tell them we're Martian. We'll just be a minute." The Doctor added on then hurried back into his ship.
"Doctor! Star! DOCTOR!" She shouted at the rapidly disappearing box, seeing through their ruse. The TARDIS began to rematerialize and the Doctor's head popped outside the door. Donna could see past him to Star standing by the console.
"Blimey you can shout!" exclaimed the Doctor.
"Am I ever going to see either of you again?"
"Yes." Star replied before the Doctor could open his mouth. "Trust me. It will be a bit, but it most definitely won't be the last time you see this time machine!" The Doctor's expression didn't change at that knowledge except for a slight grin in anticipation.
He added, "If I'm lucky."
"Just, promise me one thing." He lifted his head and dropped his arm, preparing himself for whatever could come out of her mouth. "Find someone."
"We don't need anyone."
"Yes you do. What would you have done if I hadn't been there? You both need someone. 'Cause sometimes, I think you need someone to stop you…both of you." She looked significantly at the two brunettes, but her expression was full of care and concern.
"Thanks then, Donna. Good luck. And just…be magnificent." The Doctor said with a smile.
Donna grinned and laughed softly. "I think I will, yeah." Both Star and the Doctor beamed at this and he pulled his head back into the TARDIS as Star began to pull a lever.
"Doctor?" Donna's voice came again.
The Doctor's spiky head shot out again in mock exasperation. "Oh, what is it now?"
"That friend of yours, Star's sister, what was her name?"
The Doctor's expression darkened and flickered with grief. He spoke with a lump in his throat. "Her name was Rose." He said with finality before shutting the blue door for the last time. Instead of dematerializing though, the time ship shot up into the sky spectacularly and Donna watched with a sad smile before turning and walking home.
She didn't notice as behind her, a man in a trench coat pulled away from an alley way wall speaking into a mobile. "Inform Mister Saxon, White Nova is complete. I repeat, White Nova has been completed."
[break]
Star looked at him and he looked at her. They were in the dark side of the moon so that the TARDIS could make a few last repairs. Her eyes were so sad. "What happened?"
He sighed and came to her and hugged her around. He laid his chin on the top of her head. "The Time Lady part of you is starting to wake up."
She pulled away from him and stared into his eyes. "It's changing my personality?" Tears were in her eyes.
He shook his head before that thought went too far. "No…but well…with all of Time in our head, sometimes it's a bit hard to hold back ourselves. That filter you humans possess is a bit, less, for Time Lords."
"I killed them!"
"You gave them a chance." He drew her back into his arms. He pressed one button on the console—the autopilot that would put them in the Vortex to rest—swept her up bridal style and began to make his way to the bedroom, their bedroom. "That's all you can ever do in the end…" deep experience colored his voice. "…give them a chance." Then they both disappeared into the room to forget the last two days of their lives. Push back the memories that threatened to collapse them both.
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This chapter would not have been possible without the help of Strazza, who graciously allowed me to use her fic "Whole New World" to get this out as soon as possible. So, to thank her, you should go read her story!
But don't forget to review this one!