A/N: and now the Crucible stuff before I can get back to the plot.
Part Thirteen
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The Doctor lifted his head as a familiar and much yearned for sound drifted onto the Crucible. The TARDIS. Miracle of miracles. With it came a blast of fulfilment within his mind that had lain empty since the TARDIS had disappeared down that Dalek chute. She was alive!
Every human face turned towards him to see if he knew why it was appearing like an avenging angel. He had no explanation for them, his previous travelling companions. Jack had found Mickey with Sarah Jane, and they'd been beamed in along with Martha to witness the final moments of the Daleks.
Trapped as they all were within individual holding cells; the Doctor had been patiently waiting for the end of reality; his soul ripped bare for all to see. But he had been given last minute hope in the form of his oldest companion. The doors of the TARDIS opened to reveal a teenage boy holding a device as though he was practicing being James Bond.
But the sight of the lad wasn't the only thing that stunned him. As the doors had opened, so had long dead portions of his mind. There was singing of a completely new song, that thrummed its way around his veins and filled every crevice. "What?!" he gasped out as he dealt with the onslaught.
Behind the lad, Donna crept surreptitiously out of the doors and hid, avoiding the attention of Davros as he mocked both the Doctor and her son. She'd get him back for that, she vowed, and aimed for the Megatron that controlled the Dalek Crucible. Still unseen, she set about accessing some very useful memories of his and opened a few mental doors before finding what she needed. One such door contained information that burst through her mind, causing her eyes to glow bright gold and the Doctor to turn in her direction. Ignoring the silent appeal from the him as he nudged the periphery of her mind, she began frantically pressing levers as though it was a redesigned church organ.
The humans in the room didn't notice her presence until the Dalek countdown failed to detonate the reality bomb and Davros sat there like a spare lemon at a cocktail party. Now this was living! Donna allowed herself the thrill of surprising them all by declaring her actions and sending the Daleks off in all directions; much to the Doctor's friends amusement.
Explanations later, Time boy, she loudly pushed at the Doctor. For now, let's get these planets back where they belong.
Yes dear. He grinned with sheer delight as he raced to join her by her side.
o0o
"Where's the boy?" the Doctor wondered as he opened the TARDIS doors.
"I'm here, Dad," he called out as he passed by.
Ignoring that for now, the Doctor hastily whispered to Donna before she disappeared inside, "We need to talk later."
She nodded and threw an anxious glance towards Andy, who grimaced in commiseration.
The Doctor had other things to deal with first and announced each person as they entered the TARDIS; all running desperately to avoid disappearing into the Void with the Daleks. But one person was shocked for different reasons as he looked around the console room.
"Where's Rose?" Mickey Smith asked no one in particular. "She was supposed to be here."
"I haven't seen her," the Doctor answered. "Anyone else?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"She wasn't with us," Jack supplied, pointing to Sarah Jane and Mickey, "and I'm guessing she didn't find Martha."
"I'm not sure I'd know her," Martha admitted, "but I haven't seen anyone with blonde hair on the way here apart from Jenny."
Jenny merely shook her head and shrugged her shoulders noncommittally.
"What makes you think Rose would be here?" the Doctor asked Mickey, part of him considering going back onto the Crucible to look for her. "And how come you're here and she isn't?"
Feeling all eyes on him, Mickey stated, "I was sent to an alternative world to bring her back when she lost her dimension jump."
"By Dave?" Jenny immediately wondered.
"That's him," Mickey confirmed and then frowned. "How do you know that?"
"Because it was me that took it, to get here," she replied. "You were saying: you were sent to get her back."
"Yes. When I got there, she said she was going to aim straight for this universe and the Doctor, since she knew where he should be," he explained, "so I followed her, and landed up somehow with Sarah Jane here. She was taken up into the Crucible and I sneaked her out of the reality bomb demo chamber. That's when we met Jack out in a corridor."
Jack grinned proudly. "Just doing my job," he declared. "Not even a Dalek can get rid of me."
On the other side of the console, at the same time, Martha took the opportunity to greet her friend. She grabbed Donna and hugged her tight. "Donna! I thought you had died."
"So did I for a second," Donna admitted, "but fortunately Squib here came to the rescue." She pointed to Andy standing protectively by her side.
"Squib?" Martha turned to gaze at the Metacrisis Doctor in interest. "He looks just like the Doctor but younger. Is he the same as Jenny?"
"Not quite but almost," Donna answered, and took hold of his sleeve to drag him nearer. "He started out as that hand under the console. Andy, come and meet Martha Jones. Martha, this is our son, Andrew."
"Nice to meet you, Andy," Martha said with a huge grin on her face. "Son, you say? That must be a bit awkward."
"No more than her finally telling you that she married Dad," Andy put in.
"Married?!" Martha cried in shock. "When did that happen?"
"Oh erm…" Donna looked sheepish as her eyes sought out the whereabouts of the Doctor. He was now busy chatting to an older woman called Sarah Jane who stood with Captain Jack. "A couple of weeks ago."
"And you didn't tell me," Martha accused. "I feel gutted."
"It wasn't intentionally a big secret. Honest," Donna contritely replied. "We just thought we'd keep things quiet about it for a while."
"I didn't even get to be there," Andy complained. "Nor Jenny. You'd think they'd have their own children there at the wedding, wouldn't you?"
Donna frowned at him. "What are you talking about? You didn't even exist technically until today, you prawn."
"I know," he agreed with a cheeky wink. "Which means that you'll have to do a proper celebration for all your friends here when we get back to Earth."
"Oh, I don't know about that," she blustered. For all she knew, if Rose actually did turn up at any second, it might be a divorce they were celebrating instead. "That's up to your father."
"Okay." Andy turned towards the Doctor and yelled out, "Dad! Are you going to have a party to mark your wedding?"
"What wedding?" Sarah Jane immediately wondered.
"Are you married, Boss?" Mickey asked.
"He is," Jenny answered for him. "Him and Mum."
Sarah Jane was none the wiser. "Who is your mother? Is it Rose?"
Jenny looked horror struck and grasped her dad's arm for support. "Not Rose. She's far too young for that. Donna is my mother."
"Donna," Sarah Jane repeated, regarding the woman herself. "How did that happen?"
"A bit late for her to be given the birds and the bees talk," Andy muttered sarcastically; and Donna immediately swatted his arm while Martha giggled.
"It's a long story," the Doctor announced, "best said over a refreshing cup of tea and a slice of cake."
"But not wedding cake. Not yet," Andy stated. "Although no doubt Nan will want to provide some when she gets the chance."
"Nan?" Donna queried.
"Well, I've got to call her something, and it'd be odd to refer to her as Sylvia when she's theoretically my grandmother," he defended his words.
"Can we discuss that later?"
"Anything you want, Mum," he cheerily replied.
"Then mine's white, two sugars," she retorted, causing him to roll his eyes.
"Yes, alright, I'll make you a drink. Anybody else want a tea or coffee?" he offered; and then headed for the kitchen.
o0o
Andy danced about in the kitchen, enjoying his brand-new body and shook his head in delight, revelling in the sensation of having hair and being able to feel it bounce about. According to his reflection, he was more than a touch ginger, and the thought of making the Doctor jealous caused him to almost laugh with glee. He turned his grin onto Jack as the Time agent entered the kitchen. "Can I have a quick word with you, Captain? I have a favour I need to ask you."
"Call me 'Jack', and I don't dally with anyone under age or who can't give consent," Jack warmly answered.
"Oh no! I didn't mean anything like that," Andy hastily amended. "It's to do with preserving the time lines."
Jack smiled. "Well, in that case, I'm all ears. Where shall we go and talk?"
"Let me hand out these teas and then I'll find somewhere," Andy whispered.
Moments later, he handed the Doctor a hot mug of tea and a plate full of sliced cake to choose from.
"Thanks," the Doctor automatically greeted the action.
Letting go of the mug, Andy declared, "Here you go, Dad. Get your laughing gear around this."
The Doctor instantly spluttered through a mouthful of tea, "I wish you wouldn't call me that."
"Get used to it. Dad," Andy repeated, grinning at his own joke as he turned to hand a mug to Sarah Jane.
"Teenagers, eh?" Donna sympathised. "They're born to be a thorn in your side." She then moved over to stand by Andy. "Talking of thorny situations," she quietly asked him, "where is Rose? I thought she was supposed to be here."
He shrugged. "Don't ask me, but perhaps Jenny has some idea what happened to her."
Donna cast her gaze about the console room, looking for Jenny to ask, and spotted Jack giving Andy the thumbs up. "What's that all about? Jack has a special interest in you."
"Ah," Andy guiltily exclaimed. "Well, you see, I wanted to make sure things went along the path they are supposed to and deflect a paradox at the same time."
"Which means?" she encouraged him to talk by whirling her hand in the air. "And why do I get the feeling I won't be exactly pleased?"
"Can I tell you both later, when everyone else has been dropped off home?" he pleaded. "I promise you'll like it."
"I'll like it so much I won't want an audience to see how I 'reward' you. Yes, I'm loving this already," she sarcastically commented. "Will it be a 'hide Nanny's axe' type of a moment?"
"You'll have to wait and see," he impishly retorted, and raced away to start up a conversation with Mickey as he stood chatting to Martha.
"We're going to have to watch that one," she remarked to the Doctor.
"Will that be for entertainment reasons or general surveillance?" Jenny wondered. "I discovered the television room," she offered in defence when her parents both raised an eyebrow in question.
"Once we finish our tea, I think we should start dropping our friends off home," the Doctor decided.
o0o