Doctor Who (c) BBC.


"Come on!" Tituba called over her shoulder, ducking under the reaching branches of trees flashing past her. Mickey stumbled after her, trying not to trip over the roots and leaves scattered over the ground. The forest was unfamiliar to him and he was having trouble in keeping up with the girl, who darted ahead of him. If her black dress didn't so obviously stand out from the green foliage he would have been in danger of losing sight of her.

Suddenly, Tituba came to a halt, allowing Mickey to catch up and lean heavily against a tree-trunk, breathing hard. They were overlooking a patch of land free of trees – or rather, it looked to have been flattened by something large that had forced everything out of its way, leaving a crater.

"Are we...there?" he panted, wiping a hand across his forehead and glancing over at his companion. "Is this it?"

Tituba was frowning, staring around the clearing. "I'm sure it should be here." she murmured. "This part of the forest I recognise. The building should be right here..."

"Then where is it?" Mickey asked. And then, without quite knowing why, he took a hesitant step forwards, lifting the sonic screwdriver from his pocket as he did so. Tituba eyed the device suspiciously as he raised it and pointed it at the flattened glade, pressing the button. Sonic waves spread from the slim tube; the air in front of Mickey seemed to flex and bend out of shape. Then, slowly, a metal wall faded into existence in front of them.

They had found the ship.

The Doctor raised his hands towards Rose, handcuffs clanking. "But...you can't! You...wait...no!"

"What's wrong, Doctor? You're usually so articulate." The Gonlang smiled, the gun still pressed to its own temple. "It's quite simple. Do as I say, or you can kiss your little friend goodbye."

"But you can't," the Doctor reasoned, voice calm despite the turmoil in his head. "If you shoot Rose you'll die, you'll lose the...the vessel. You're race won't evolve, they'll just stop. Stop moving, stop feeling, eventually just die out. Are you really willing to take that chance?"

The creature smiled, and said with Rose's mouth, "Are you?"

The silence stretched between them; the Doctor's horror and indecision coupled with the alien's cruel certainty. They both knew he would stand down; of course he would. He couldn't lose Rose.

"All right," he said at last. "Show me what you need me to do and I'll do it."

The Gonlang smiled, finally lowering the gun. "Your loyalty is commendable. Really, I'm touched. The friendship between you is delicious. It's almost a shame we have to kill you both."

That's not going to happen, the Doctor replied silently. You of all people should know I'm not just going to let you fly off this planet...

"Can you at least let me have my hands back?" the Doctor shook his wrists to emphasize the point, making the chains rattle loudly. "I sort of need them to work."

"Well, I don't see the harm in that..." the Gonlang moved towards him, raised an arm. The shackles on the Doctor's arms dropped away with a click.

"Thank you."

"Those can stay on," she motioned at the cuffs on his ankles. "Just in case."

"Of course." The Doctor smiled grimly, rubbing his wrists. He shook off his coat, circled his arms to get the circulation going, then moved to put a hand inside his jacket, and the Gonlang hissed, jerking the gun towards him.

"What are you doing!?"

"Oh, relax. I just need my screwdriver If I'm going to fix this." the Doctor reached into his pocket, but his fingers closed on empty air. "Ah."

He had given the sonic screwdriver to Rose. And if the Gonlang didn't know about it, that meant she didn't have it any more; and there was only one other person she would give it to. For the first time, a glimmer of hope ignited in his hearts.

"On second thoughts, maybe I won't need it..."

Right on cue, the door burst open and through it tumbled two familiar figures.

"Stop!" shouted Mickey. He raised his arm to point at the alien, and in his fist was clenched the sonic screwdriver. The Gonlang hissed, bringing the gun around to meet him. Everyone froze.

"Let her go," said Mickey. His voice didn't falter, but the faint tremble in his hand gave him away.

"Or what?" Rose smirked, cocking the gun. "You'll shoot?"

"Let's all just stay calm," the Doctor interjected from the other side of the room. "Violence never solves anything..."

It had no effect. The Doctor could only look on helplessly as Mickey glared at the creature in his best friend's mind, Rose's mobile sticking out of his pocket...

At once, like a brilliant shaft of light, an idea flared in his mind. It was a long shot, but it just might work. His eyes sought out Tituba, hovering uncertainly by the entrance. And somehow, without him saying a word, she knew what to do.

Tituba launched herself towards the Gonlang, grabbing the gun. As the two of them struggled for control, the Doctor called out, "Mickey!"

Mickey saw his outstretched hand and hurled the sonic screwdriver towards it. The Doctor managed to snatch it from the air as it spun towards him, quickly adjusted the settings, and slammed his thumb down on the switch.

Rose's phone started ringing. Mickey pulled it out of his pocket and stared at it in surprise, as the Gonlang flinched in pain. Tituba saw her chance and wrenched the weapon away, sending it skittering across the floor. The enemy didn't notice, too busy using its hands to try and muffle the piercing ring that grew in pitch as the Doctor held his thumb down on the switch. Mickey dropped the phone; he and Tituba clapped their own hands over their ears to deaden the sound, hunching over in pain, and the Doctor found himself folding to his knees, every ounce of his being concentrated on keeping his thumb on the switch.

But pain to them was agony to the Gonlang. The Doctor squinted through narrow eyes, saw it crumple to the ground and lie there, twitching and moaning...

"What's happening?" Mickey screamed over the noise.

"It's using Rose as a refuge," the Doctor shouted back. "If I can make it uninhabitable, it'll try to escape. And with it being so sensitive to psychic waves, a high-pitched noise should do the trick!"

"Will she be safe?" he asked.

"What?"

"Will Rose be safe?" yelled Mickey. The Doctor started to answer, and, as he hesitated, Rose's body suddenly convulsed violently, eyes rolling into her head. Then she slumped over, eyes shut.

"Rose!" shouted Mickey, beginning to drag himself towards her.

"NO!" the Doctor bellowed. He grabbed Rose's phone from the floor and the sound ceased. Slowly, he and Tituba got to their feet. Mickey knelt uncertainly between them and Rose.

"Mickey, don't move." said the Doctor, holding out his hands. "Nobody move!"

Nobody moved. Mickey, kneeling on the floor, saw Rose's eyelids flicker, and was flooded with relief, but resisted the urge to go to her. He looked towards the Doctor, and saw the Time Lord's eyes darting around the room.

"Where is it?" he breathed. "Where did it go? Can anyone see it?"

"No," Mickey replied, and Tituba shook her head. The Doctor carefully lowered his arms, signalling the others to relax, and turned his attention to Rose. Kneeling beside her, he cradled her head in his lap and carefully thumbed open her eyelids, then put two fingers to her neck.

"She's alive," he announced. "Unresponsive. Pulse-rate normal...ish."

"What does that mean," Mickey asked. He leaned forward but the other man waved him out of the way. "What did it do to her?"

"Nothing," the Doctor said. "Not really. Rose wasn't affected; it didn't occupy her mind for long enough. More than a few hours and the host brain starts to die. The damage would be irreparable. They didn't want that, they needed her alive or it doesn't work, so they left it to the last minute. She'll be fine..."

"So why is she unconscious?" Mickey wondered.

"She did it herself. Natural defence mechanism – she sensed the invasion and cut her mind off from harm. Now the threat's gone she should come back."

He leaned over Rose and gently tapped her face.

"Oi, Rose! Wake up."

Rose shifted slightly and mumbled something incomprehensible. The Doctor supported her as she pushed herself up, opening her eyes.

"Doctor?" she croaked.

"That's right," he said soothingly. "I'm here."

"What happened?"

The two of them slowly helped her to her feet, Mickey supporting her weight while the Doctor checked her over for injuries.

"I'm fine, I'm OK. Honestly," she insisted. "Is someone going to tell me what's going on? And what happened to your nose?"

"Oh, this." The Doctor dabbed at it and winced. "Nothing."

"Was it Parris?" she demanded.

"Um." he said. "Not exactly."

He quickly explained his side of the story, and then paused to let Mickey fill in the gaps. It was only when the young man was explaining how he and Tituba had escaped from their cells when they realised there was one missing.

"Where is she?" the Doctor said, and then, more urgently. "Where is she? Did anyone see her leave? Mickey?"

"No, I...she was there. She was just there!"

They circled the room, but although there had been no change in sound from the monotonous drone of the engine turning on its spit, there was no doubt about it; Tituba had vanished.

"It's taken her," the Doctor surmised. "It must be. It lost Rose and went back to Tituba."

"So where is she?" asked Rose. "Where would she go...?"

"I don't know," the Doctor said. He pushed his hands through his hair in desperation. "I don't know, I don't know!"

"I do," said Mickey suddenly. They turned to gape at him, and he flushed. "Well, I think so. What if she looks for Parris? She hurt his kids before. I mean, this thing's upset, it's angry...why not finish what she started?"

"Mickey, you're a genius!" the Doctor grabbed him and planted a kiss on the top of his head.

"But – wait, we don't even know where that is!"

"Yes we do." The Doctor grabbed his coat and shrugged it on. "I left him in the TARDIS. Come on!"

He sprinted out of the room. Rose and Mickey glanced at each other and followed.