The Lazarus Experiment part 1
The Doctor and the Hatter ran around the console, flying them through the Time Vortex while Martha clutched tightly onto the console in the hope that she wouldn't go flying off and hurt herself like the Hatter had mentioned earlier that mourning had happened to one of her own companions.
Luckily the two Time Lords managed to land a moment later, the Doctor turning to Martha, "There we go...perfect landing, thank you, Hatter," the Hatter rolled her eyes at him but it was ruined by her smile, "Which isn't easy in a tight spot".
"You should be used to tight spots by now," Martha teased them.
"It would have been easier if you had let me take the brakes off," the Hatter shook her head, looking at the Doctor, "But no, you had to give me a lecture for five minutes about why you kept them on when all you had to say was that you liked the sound".
"Oi!" the Doctor pointed his finger at her, "Your TARDIS made the same sound".
"Yes, but my TARDIS wasn't a Type 40 well over her five hundred year services," the Hatter argued, "I keep telling you to let me do it also, my TARDIS was meant to sound like that yours isn't," she nudged Martha's arm, "And he wonders why he can't get where he wants".
Martha laughed at the pouting look that the Doctor had on his face, shaking her head she looked back to them, "So, where are we?"
"The end of the line," the Doctor told her vaguely, Martha grinned and ran over to the doors, not noticing the sad look that passed the Hatter's face, "No place like it".
Martha looked at them for a moment, wondering if it was safe until the Doctor nodded, glancing at the Hatter who gave her a slightly sad smile, nodding before opening the doors, stepping into the last place she had been expecting. Her own living room.
"Home," Martha said, sounding unimpressed as the Doctor and the Hatter stepped out behind her, looking around, "You took me home?"
"In fact, the morning after we left, so you've only been gone about twelve hours," the Doctor remarked, looking at some of the photos around the room while the Hatter leant against the TARDIS, "No time at all, really".
"But all the stuff we've done, Shakespeare, New New York, old New York..."
"All in one night," the Hatter smiled at her, trying not to show how upset she was about all of this, the last thing she wanted was to upset the Doctor as well, "Well, relatively speaking, anyway. That's the lovely and very handy thing about time travel".
"Everything should be just as it was, books, CDs," the Doctor picked a piece of underwear off the drying rack beside him, "Laundry..." Martha snatched them back, looking mortified while the Hatter hit him on the back of his head, "So, back were you were, as promised".
"This is it?" Martha questioned.
"Yeah," the Doctor inhaled deeply while the Hatter sighed, "We should probably...um..." he trailed off as Martha's phone rang.
"Hi!" the machine picked up, "I'm out! Leave a message!"
"I'm sorry," Martha apologized, looking embarrassed.
"Martha, are you there?" Martha's mother's voices came on, "Pick it up, will you?"
"It's mum," Martha shook her head, "It'll wait".
"Alright then, pretend that you're out if you like," Martha's mother spoke again, "I was only calling to say that your sister's on TV. On the news of all things. Just thought you might be interested".
Martha grabbed the TV remote and turned it on to see her sister standing in the background while an older man stood in front of the crowed, giving a press conference, "The details are top secret..."
"How could Tish end up on the news?" Martha said, sounding thoughtful.
"Tonight, I will demonstrate a device..."
"She's got a new job," Martha told the Hatter and the Doctor, glancing at them, "PR for some research lab".
"...with the push of a single button, I will change what it means to be human".
Martha shook her head, turning the TV off and looking back to them, "Sorry. You were saying we should..."
"Yes, yes we should," the Doctor nodded, glancing at the Hatter who was still staring at the TV, looking thoughtful, "One trip is what I said".
"I'm sorry, Martha," the Hatter tore her eyes away from the television, looking at the woman sadly, "I tried to change his mind but he can be more stubborn then me".
"I'm not that bad," the Doctor shook his head.
"Trust me, sweetheart, you are," the Hatter smiled at him, patting the side of his cheek.
"I suppose things just kind of...escalated," Martha smiled at them a little sadly; she was going to miss listening to their banter with each other.
"Mmm," the Doctor nodded, "Seems to happen a lot".
"Thank you," Martha tried to smile but the Hatter could tell that she was faking it but her words were genuine, "For everything".
"It was our pleasure, Martha Jones," the Hatter smiled, giving her a hug before following the Doctor back inside the TARDIS, poking her head out of the doors, "This isn't the last time you'll be seeing us, I'll bet my hat on it," she waved at her before shutting the doors.
Martha watched sadly as the TARDIS disappeared before her, blinking back tears. She shook her head and began to turn away when the TARDIS started to rematerialize in the same spot again.
The Doctor's head popped out of the doors a moment later, "No, I'm sorry. Did he say he was going to change what it means to be human?"
Before Martha could answer, the Hatter's head appeared just below the Doctor's chin, grinning, "This probably isn't the best time to say this but...I told you so".
...
The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS, grumbling under his breath as he fiddled with his cuffs, both Martha and the Hatter had forced him to at least make some sort of an effort if they had to.
Martha was already dressed in a pretty sleeveless, dark purple, knee high dress with a V-neckline, standing in front of a mirror, fixing her hair. When she glanced up she stopped what she was doing and stared at the Doctor.
"Is this better?" the Doctor asked, spinning around.
All Martha could do was nod.
"Martha, do I have to wear heels?" the Hatter sighed, walking into the room, holding a pair of purple heels in one hand and a purple clutch bag in the other, "I mean, I can understand why I can't wear a hat by heels, I'll end up tripping over with those death traps on".
The Doctor turned around, his mouth dropping as he stared at her; he could literally feel his breath being court in his throat. She was dressed in a floor length, strapless, purple gown. The top half of the gown was covered in purple sequins while the waist down, fell loosely to the floor. Her hair was up in an elegant bun, showing the necklace the Doctor had given her clearly along with a pair of hanging, star earrings. The only makeup that she had on was eyeliner that brought out her green eyes but the Doctor had never thought that she needed makeup to do that.
"You...you..." the Doctor breathed, gaping at her like a goldfish, not being able to look away.
The Hatter looked up at him, surprised by his reaction, "You like it?"
The Doctor opened and closed his mouth, not trusting himself to speak so settled on nodding. The Hatter blushed as she noticed they way he kept staring at her.
"Um, well, you look wonderful yourself," the Hatter said, shaking her head before giving him a fond smile, "One of these days you will learn how to tie a bowtie propel," she slipped the heels on and started helping the Doctor with his tie, glancing over her shoulder to Martha, "Oh, don't you look beautiful, Martha Jones, don't you think so, Doctor?"
"Hmm?" the Doctor looked dazed for a moment, still staring at the Hatter before glancing at Martha, "Oh, yes, lovely".
The Hatter hit his arm, "Lovely? She looks beautiful".
The Doctor blushed, avoiding looking at anyone, glancing at the cloak, "Shouldn't...shouldn't we be heading off?"
Martha glanced at the cloak, "Yeah, it's only around the corner from here".
"Come on then," the Hatter linked her arm through the Doctor's, following Martha out the door and onto the street. The Doctor kept fussing with his cuffs, the Hatter slapped his hand away from his sleeves, "Stop it, you're driving me insane".
"Oh, black tie," he muttered, "Whenever I wear this, something bad always happens".
"It's not the outfit," Martha remarked, smiling at him, "That's just you. Anyway, I think it suits you, in a 'James Bond' sort of way".
"Now that you mention it," the Hatter nodded, looking at the Doctor.
"James Bond?" the Doctor asked defensively, before rethinking, "Really?"
Martha and the Hatter laughed as they walked up the stairs to the entrance of Lazarus Laboratories.
...
The main reception room inside the Laboratory was filled with guests, mingling with each other, all dressed in expensive clothing, drinking champion. But that wasn't what the Hatter was looking at; standing in the middle of the room was a large white cabinet with four pillars around it. The Doctor, though, was more interested in the hors d'oeuvres being passed around on trays.
"Oh, look, they've got nibbles!" the Doctor grinned, snatching a handful off a passing tray, "I love nibbles!" he tossed a few in his mouth when he noticed the Hatter shaking her head at him, "What?"
"Your mother would be appalled," she shook her head, "Come to think of it, so would my mother. Maybe that's a good thing".
Suddenly Martha's sister, Tish, walked over to them, "Hello!"
"Tish!" Martha hugged her while the Doctor and the Hatter watched.
"You look great," Tish complemented Martha, "So, what do you think? Impressive, isn't it?"
Martha looked around, nodding, "Very".
"And two nights out in a row for you, that's dangerously close to a social life".
"If I keep this up, I'll end up in all the gossip columns".
"You might, actually," Tish told her seriously, "Keep an eye out for photographers. And mum, she's coming too, even dragging Leo along with her".
"Leo in black tie?" Martha raised her eyebrows in disbelief, "That I must see," Tish smiled, glancing at the Doctor and the Hatter beside them, "This is the Hatter and, uh, the Doctor".
"Hello," the Doctor smiled, shaking Tish hand.
"Lovely to met you," the Hatter smiled, also shaking her hand after the Doctor.
"Are they with you?" Tish asked Martha.
"Yeah".
"But they're not on the list," Tish frowned, glancing at her clipboard, "How did they get in?"
"He's my plus one," Martha replied, sending the Hatter an apologetic look for not including her.
"And I'm here at the request of the Royal Hope Hospitals board," the Hatter smiled, giving Martha a not to worry look, "Dr. Emma Smith, everyone calls me the Hatter, though, I'm afraid that I was ask to intend earlier today after the very sudden and tragic death of Mr Stoker, I doubt that my name will be on your list".
Tish glanced down at her list again, "Oh, right, I see, so sorry for all the trouble".
"Not at all," the Hatter waved it off, winking at the Doctor and Martha.
"So, this Lazarus bloke, he's your boss?" the Doctor asked Tish, giving the Hatter an impressed look.
"Professor Lazarus, yes," Tish nodded, "I'm part of his executive staff".
"She's part of the PR department," Martha rolled her eyes.
"I'm head of the PR department, actually," Tish corrected.
"You're joking!"
"I put this whole thing together".
"Do you know what professor Lazarus is doing tonight?" the Hatter asked, looking at the device, "That looks like it might be a..."
"Sonic microfield manipulator," the Doctor and the Hatter finished in unison.
"They're science geeks," Tish remarked, eyeing them, "I should've known. Gotta get back to work now. I'll catch up with you later".
"Science geeks?" the Doctor asked Martha after Tish walked away, "What does that mean?"
"That you're both obsessively enthusiastic about it," Martha explained, smiling.
"Well, I won't lie about that," the Hatter shrugged.
"Martha!" an older woman called, walking over to them with a young man beside her.
Martha turned and ran over to her, hugging her tightly, "Mum!"
"Oh," she smiled a little surprised, hugging her back, "Alright, what's the occasion?"
"What do you mean?" Martha shook her head, smiling, "I'm just pleased to see you, that's all".
"You saw me last night".
"I know," Martha shrugged, "I just...miss you..." she lightly hit her brother's chest, "You're looking good, Leo".
"Yeah," Leo smiled, "If anyone asks me to fetch 'em a drink, I'll swing for him".
Mrs. Jones smiled but it quickly dropped when she noticed the Doctor standing behind Martha, "You disappeared last night".
"I...just went home," Martha said, looking away.
"On your own?"
"These are some friends of mine," Martha introduced, pulling the Hatter and Doctor forward, "This is the Hatter and the Doctor".
"Doctor what?" Mrs. Jones asked at once, cutting in, giving the Doctor a look that made the Hatter laugh quietly into her hand, for some reason this looked like it was going to turn into the same thing that happened when the Doctor met her parents.
"No, it's just the Doctor," Martha shook her head, "And the Hatter..."
"Dr. Emma Smith, lovely to meet you, Mrs. Jones," the Hatter cut in quickly, making Martha and the Doctor look at her, "Everyone calls me the Hatter because...oh, long, long story".
"A doctor of what, Miss. Smith?" Mrs. Jones questioned.
"Um, well, let me think," the Hatter looked thoughtful for a moment, "Last count, I had seven doctorates but that's only counting the ones from home but I guess the full total would be..."
"We've been working together," Martha cut in quickly before the Hatter could say anything else.
"Yeah, alright," the Doctor shook Leo's hand and Mrs. Jones's, "Lovely to meet you, Mrs Jones. Heard a lot about you".
"Have you?" Mrs. Jones remarked, eyeing him, "What have you heard, then?"
"Oh, you know, that you're Martha's mother and...um..." the Doctor trailed off as the Hatter turned away so the others wouldn't see her laughing, "No, actually, that's...that's about it. We haven't had much time to chat, you know, been busy".
"Busy?" Mrs. Jones raised her eyebrows, looking in-between him and her daughter, "Doing what exactly?"
"Oh..." the Doctor glanced at the Hatter for help, "...you know...stuff".
The Hatter took a deep breath to stop herself from laughing, turning back around to face the group, "I must apologize for my friend, Mrs. Jones, he has a bit of a habit of talking before he thinks. Come to think of it, I'm starting to pick up on that habit".
Before Mrs. Jones could say anything, someone tapped a glass and Mr. Lazarus stepped in front of the crowed, standing in front of his invention, "Ladies and gentlemen, I am Professor Richard Lazarus and tonight I'm going to perform a miracle. It is, I believe, the most important advance since Rutherford split the atom, the biggest leap since Armstrong stood on the moon. Tonight, you will watch and wonder. Tomorrow, you'll awake to a world which will be changed forever".
He turned and opened the door, pausing for a moment for a photograph before entering the cabinet, closing the door. Two female technicians started the machinery off to the side of the room where there was bank of equipment. The Doctor and the Hatter exchanged looks, both concerned about what was happening just as the machine began to make a high-pitched, whirring sound and the four pillars around the device started spinning, a bright blue light emitted from it. The crowed, all but the Doctor and the Hatter covered their eyes, looking away as the light created an energy field. Suddenly the pillars spinning become faster and faster and an alarm went off.
"Something's wrong!" the Hatter gasped, watching in horror, "It's overloading!"
The technicians began running around the equipment, struggling to gain control as some of the panels exploded. The Doctor and the Hatter ran over to them, the Doctor jumping low desk while the Hatter cursed her outfit, being forced to take the long way around. The Doctor flashing the controls with his sonic while the Hatter quickly started working on the override.
"Somebody stop them!" an older woman, Lady Thaw, shouted, "Get them away from those controls!"
"You have got to be kidding me," the Hatter rolled her eyes, not looking up, "If this goes off, it'll take the entire building and some with it. Is that what you want?"
After a moment the Hatter gave up in trying to override the control, that's when she spotted some of the wiring connected to the cabinet. She dashed over to it and pulled it out; slowly the pillars stopped spinning and the energy filed retreated.
Martha ran over to the door while the Doctor jumped over the table, helping the Hatter over and joining Martha a moment later, "Get it open!" the Doctor shouted, running over.
Martha pulled the door open and through the smoke, Lazarus stagged out, looking 45 years younger. The photographers started snapping pictures as Lazarus touched his face, completely amazed by his own invention.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Lazarus called to the crowed, stepping out propel, "I am Richard Lazarus. I am 76 years old and I am reborn!"
Everyone began to clap while the Doctor and the Hatter exchanged looks.
...
The Doctor and the Hatter stood outside of the machine, examining it while Martha watched Lazarus mingling with the other guests, posing for photographs, mostly with women.
"It can't be the same guy," Martha frowned, still trying to wrap her head around it, "It's impossible. It must be a trick".
"Firstly, Martha," the Hatter looked over to her, "Nothing is impossible just a bit unlikely. Secondly, it's not a trick".
"Wish it were," the Doctor remarked, flashing his sonic at the device.
"What just happened, then?"
"He just changed what it means to be human," the Doctor replied, sighing as they walked over to the man of the hour.
"I'm famished," Lazarus was saying to Lady Thaw as he ate handfuls of hors d'oeuvres.
"Energy deficit," the Doctor and the Hatter said in unison, watching him, "Always happens with this kind of process".
"You speak as if you see this every day..." Lazarus trailed off, turning around.
"The Hatter," the Hatter introduced herself, "Oh, Dr. Emma Smith but I prefer the Hatter".
"Doctor," the Doctor added, "And, well, no, not every day, but we have some experience in this kind of transformation".
"That's not possible," Lazarus shook his head.
"Using hypersonic sound waves to create a state of renounce," the Hatter stated simply.
"That's...that's inspired," the Doctor added, smiling at the Hatter.
"You understand the theory, then," Lazarus said, surprised by their knowledge.
"Hatter," the Doctor turned to her, "How old were you when you built something very similar to this?"
The Hatter gave him a look, realising that he was trying to prove to Lazarus that they knew better, "About...4, 5 years old," she shrugged, "But then two of my cousins 'accidently' pushed it over. It was slightly smaller than yours, Mr. Lazarus. My parents were furies with them, I never saw them again, they were band from visiting my house after that".
Lazarus stared at them, waiting for one of them to laugh, "Impossible".
"Nope, just a bit unlikely," the Doctor grinned, "Unless you know the Hatter then it's an everyday thing".
"Back to the main point," the Hatter cut in, giving the Doctor another look, "Mr. Lazarus, I'm sorry to say that I'm quite concerned that you haven't taken all of the variables into account".
"No experiment is entirely without risk," Lazarus waved them off, deciding not to take them seriously.
"That thing nearly exploded," the Doctor argued, the Hatter shaking her head, "You might as well have stepped into a blender".
"You're not qualified to comment," Lady Thaw glared at them, mainly towards the Hatter, not believing her for a moment.
"If we hadn't stopped it, it would have exploded," the Doctor glared back, hating the way they were treating the Hatter. He had never told the Hatter about taking Rose off to the side after an adventure and telling her to at least try to be a little nicer towards the Hatter, mainly because the Hatter would have told him off for fighting her battles. Sadly it never worked and he was forced to watch but not anymore, if there was anything he could do to keep her safe then he was going to do.
"Then I thank you, Doctor, Hatter," Lazarus smiled at them, "But there's a simple engineering issue. What happened inside the capsule was exactly what was supposed to happen. No more, no less".
"You've no way of knowing that until you've run proper tests," Martha argued, frowning at him.
Lazarus laughed, "Look at me! You can see what happened. I'm all the proof you need".
"Lazarus," the Hatter reached out and grabbed his arm, "A device like this needs to be exact in every way, yours is not. Trust me, I know what happens when a process's like this takes place without the correct balance between subject and machine. It's not too late to reverse the effects".
Lazarus laughed again, the Hatter dropped his arm, "I have no intention of reversing anything, Miss. Smith".
"This device will be properly certified before we start to operate commercially," Lady Thaw told them, giving the Hatter a smug look.
"Commercially?" Martha exclaimed, "You are joking. That'll cause chaos".
"Not chaos," Lazarus smiled, "Change. A chance for humanity to evolve, to improve".
"And they will," the Hatter augured, "But only with time will change happen. This isn't about improving. This is about your customers living a little longer".
"Not a little longer, Hatter," Lazarus shook his head, "A lot longer. Perhaps indefinitely".
"Richard, we have things to discuss," Lady Thaw cut in, "Upstairs," and with that, she turned and walked away.
Lazarus moved to follow her but changed his mind, turning back to the group, "Goodbye, Doctor, Hatter. In a few years time, you'll look back and laugh at how wrong you were," he kissed the back of Martha's hand, moving to kiss the Hatter's until the Doctor stepped in front of her, giving Lazarus a warning look. They looked at each other for a moment before Lazarus walked away.
"Oh, he's out of depth," the Doctor shook his head, watching Lazarus walk away, "No idea of the damage he might have done".
"He's a fool," the Hatter sighed sadly, "The human body isn't meant to go through something like this, well, not yet. Human biology is to delicate to...Oh, I really don't want to call it soft because that makes me sound like my parents but it is".
"So what do we do now?" Martha asked them.
"No...well, this building must be full of laboratories," the Doctor said, "I say we do our own tests".
"Oh, I do love laboratories," the Hatter smiled.
Martha glanced down at her hand, smiling, "Lucky I've just collected a DNA sample then, isn't it?"
"Oh, Martha Jones, you're a star," the Doctor grinned, leading them away from the party.
...
"Amazing," the Doctor muttered as they sat in front of a computer, watching the results of Lazarus's DNA.
"I don't think that's the word I would use, Doctor," the Hatter remarked, watching the screen, court between horrified and being sad.
"What?" Martha asked, looking in-between them.
"Lazarus's DNA," the Doctor nodded to the screen.
"I can't see anything different," Martha frowned.
"Look at it!"
"Doctor," the Hatter sighed just as Lazarus's DNA flickered and differences appeared on the DNA.
"Oh, my God!" Martha exclaimed, staring at the screen, shocked, "Did that change? But it can't have!"
"Oh, but it did," the Hatter nodded.
"It's impossible," Martha shook her head.
"And that's two impossible things we've seen tonight," the Doctor grinned, looking at the Hatter who was shaking her head at him, "Don't you love it when that happens?"
"Sometimes but tonight, no," the Hatter said, "Especially when I'm wearing a dress that I can hardly run in and don't get me started on high-heeled-death-traps".
"That means Lazarus has changed his own molecular patterns," Martha gasped.
"Hypersonic sound waves to destabilise the cell structure," the Hatter nodded, "Then a mutagenic program to manipulate the coding in the protein strands," she looked at Martha but she didn't seem to be following along, "Right, sorry Martha, basically, he hacked into his own genes and instructed them to rejuvenate".
"But they're still mutating now," Martha frowned, shaking her head.
"'Cos he missed something," the Doctor nodded, "Something in his DNA has been activated and won't let him stabilizer. Something that's trying to change him".
"Change him into what?" Martha questioned.
"I'm not quite sure yet," the Hatter sighed, "But we need to find out".
"That woman said they were going upstairs," Martha realised.
"Let's go!" the Doctor grabbed the Hatter's hand, running to the lift with Martha following.
...
They stepped out of the lift, standing in Lazarus's office; the Doctor switched the lights on and looked around.
"This is his office, alright," Martha remarked, glancing at the expensive future scatted around.
"So, where is he?" the Doctor asked, frowning.
"Dunno," Martha shrugged, "Let's try back at the re...ception..." she trailed off, looking horrified as she spotted a pair of skeleton bones, wearing high heels, sticking out behind the desk. They rushed over to it, "Is that Lady Thaw?"
"It was," the Hatter sighed, kneeling beside the Doctor, examining the remains, "She had all of her life energy drained out of her. Not the most pleasant way to go, at least she didn't fall off her heels," the Doctor looked at her, "Right, sorry, it's just that this dresses and shoes remained me of my mother".
"Wait, do you mean Lazarus did this?" Martha gasped.
"Could be," the Doctor nodded, trying not to smile at the Hatter.
"So he's changed already?" Martha said.
"Not necessarily," the Hatter said thoughtfully, "You saw the DNA. It was still fluctuating. The process must need energy," she glanced back to the body, "This wasn't enough but that also means that there's still a chances that we could turn him back".
"So he might do this again?" Martha gasped, horrified.
The Doctor and the Hatter exchanged looks and nodded before running back to the lift, hoping to be able to get to the reception and warn people Lazarus changed again.
...
"I can't see him," Martha sighed as they looked around the reception area, searching for Lazarus.
"He can't have gone far," the Doctor shook his head, "Keep looking".
"Hey, you alright, Martha?" Leo called her over, the Doctor walking off while the Hatter stayed with Martha, "I think mum wants to talk to you".
"Have you seen Lazarus anywhere?" Martha asked him desperately.
"Yeah," Leo nodded, "He was getting cozy with Tish a couple of minutes ago".
"With Tish?" Martha exclaimed as the Doctor made his way back over to them.
"Ah, Doctor," Mrs. Jones began, walking over to them.
"Where did they go?" the Doctor and the Hatter asked Leo urgently.
"Upstairs I think, why?"
"Doct..." Mrs. Jones began again, but the Doctor rushed past her, bumping her glass and spilling her drink all over her, the Hatter sent her an apologetic look on her way past, "I'm speaking to you!" she shouted after him.
Martha looked over her shoulder, running after the Time Lords, "Not now, mum!"
They dashed back to the lifts and quickly made their way up to Lazarus's office once again.
"Where are they?" Martha asked desperately, spinning around.
The Hatter opened her clutch bag that she had somehow managed to keep hold of and pulled out her sonic screwdriver, "I should have thought of this earlier," she muttered, "Fluctuating DNA gives off an energy signature. We might be able to pick it up..." she held it out at an arm's length, turning around slowly in a circle, making the beeping increase as she pointed it at the ceiling, "Found you Mr...whatever you've turned into".
"Where?" Martha frowned, "But this is the top floor...the roof!"
They quickly ran up to the roof, Lazarus and Tish were already standing up there, standing a little too close for all of there comforts.
"...always something to surprise you," Lazarus was saying to Tish, "'between the idea and the reality, between the motion and the act..."
"'Falls the shadow,'" the Doctor and the Hatter finished in unison, stepping forward.
Lazarus turned to see them standing there, "So the beautiful yet intelligent, Hatter and the mysterious Doctor know their Eliot. I'm impressed".
"Flattery won't work on us, Lazarus," the Hatter told him seriously.
"Martha, what are you doing here?" Tish frowned.
"Tish, get away from him," Martha warned her, eyeing Lazarus.
"What?" Tish glared at Martha, "Don't tell me what to do".
"I wouldn't have thought you had time for poetry, Lazarus," the Doctor remarked, stepping in front of the Hatter, "What with you being busy defying the laws of the nature and all".
"You're right, Doctor," Lazarus nodded, "One lifetime's been too short for me to do everything I'd like. How much more would I get done in two or three of four?"
"It doesn't work like that, Lazarus," the Hatter sighed, looking at him sadly, "Some people live more in 20 years than others do in 80. It's not the time that matters, it's the person. Think about it".
"But if the right person, what a gift that would be," Lazarus said.
"Or what a curse," the Doctor and the Hatter argued.
"Look at what you've done you yourself," the Hatter sighed, looking at him sadly.
"Who are you to judge me?" Lazarus glared at her.
"Not judgment, Lazarus," the Hatter shook her head, "Sadness".
"Over here, Tish," Martha called, motioned for her to come to her, thankfully she did.
"You have to spoil everything, don't you?" Tish huffed, "Every time I find someone nice, you have to go and find fault".
"Tish, he's a monster!" Martha shouted as she saw Lazarus collapse onto the ground and start to seize, convulsing.
"I know the age thing's a bit freaky, but it works for Catherine Zeta-Jones," Tish shrugged, not understanding why they were so concerned until something behind her growled, she slowly turned to see Lazarus had turned into a monster with a skeletal, scorpion-like back.
"RUN!" the Doctor shouted, grabbing the Hatter's hand as Lazarus reared up, ready to attack.
I hope you liked it, I'll try to update soon but there's bushfires in my area and there is a possibility that it could come towards the town that I live in, it's already half destroyed a town close by and killed a man, sadly. There's a link on my profile for the Hatter's dress. Anyway, tell me what you thought, please review.
