Thyra gave a long withering sigh, reminding herself of her mother how she would often give long-suffering sighs when she was frustrated or annoyed and Thyra wished she had her mother and father near her. She can't even remember their faces clearly and every time she tried to remember, it pained her to much to do so. "So if this isn't the real Gallifrey, where are we then?"

"Cyberspace." Miss Evangelista replied simply as though that explained everything and to Thyra, it did.

Thyra nodded. "That makes sense." She pointed to the children who looked all the same and looking at the faceless Time-Lord's. It was bothering her at the fact that those Time-Lord's did not have faces and she wanted to know why they didn't. "Why do all the children have the same faces? Why are the adults faceless?"

"It's the same pattern over and over. It saves an awful lot of space."

Realization dawned upon Thyra as everything around her began to make much more sense. "Ah." Thyra shook her head. No matter how hard she tried, she could never understand the faceless Time-Lord's. It was like listening to a computer engine every time she tried to listen in and it made sense as to why they sounded like a computer engine and why she couldn't sense them in her mind like she would have done with her mother and father. "No wonder why I couldn't sense them."


Romana and Braxiatel were working on an information terminal in the room that they were in. Romana was typing away at the keys and Braxiatel was standing behind her, his body pressed against hers and Romana could feel his breath breathing down her neck and she felt her cheeks turn crimson, almost rivalling the same shade as Gallifrey's long pastures of red grass and she tried not to think how close he was standing behind her and Romana could have sworn she could see him smirking in the reflection of the computer screen and she scowled slightly, knowing Braxiatel had secretly planned this just so he could use this excuse to get close to her and Romana found herself that she didn't mind. "It makes sense." Romana commented out loud, knowing the humans were watching their every move. "Thyra knew what happened earlier before. A 100 years ago there was a massive power surge which caused all the teleports on the Library to go all at once. At the same time, the Vashta Nerada begin their hatching cycle and they attack."

Braxiatel nodded, trying to concentrate on the matter at hand but Romana was distracting him. The way she made him feel physical attraction somehow made him uneasy. Oh, he loved her with his hearts and wanted to claim her as his mate. His bonded. But he was a Time-Lord's! Time-Lord's are beings of pure self-control and self-duty to the Web of Time but Braxiatel knew that this was changing for the simple fact with being with Romana and he wondered if it was a good thing for her to have such a control of him. "Someone-no doubt the head Librarian, sends the alarm and tried to teleport every single person out."

"It tried to teleport 4,022 people?" River asked, bewildered. How on earth could a computer save that many people?

The Time-Lord's turned around to face them and Romana stepped besides Braxiatel and he held his arm for her and she linked it through his as he rested his palms on top of hers, their fingers entwining. "It saved them all. But the computer had a fault. The computer had nowhere to send all these people to for the Library was not safe. The people are stuck in the systems, waiting to be sent out like emails." Romana looked at Donna pointedly. "So what does a computer always do?"

Donna's eyes widened, realization dawning on her. "It saved them."

Braxiatel lifted up his gaze and gazed all around the room, looking upon all the books. "This Library has one of the biggest hard drive in history. The index to everything ever written, backup copies of every single book. The computer saved 4,022 people the only way a computer can. It saved them to the hard drive."


"Your physical self is stored in the library as an energy signature. It can be actualised again whenever you or the Library requires." Miss Evangelista informed her.

Thyra blinked, remembering the name. The Library. Yes. She remembers that now. She remembers how horrified her Auntie had been of the nodes and how terrified she had been of the Vashta Nerada and how the teleport went wrong as her father tried to send her away to the safety of the TARDIS. "The Library? Oh dear, if my face ends up on the nodes, my mummy is going to be devastated."

"You remember the nodes? And your mother?"

Thyra put her head in her hands, closing her eyes as she tried to think clearly before she looked up. "If this isn't the real world, then this means this isn't my real body." She glanced down at herself and the unfamiliar Prydonian robes and she grimaced but somewhat, she couldn't help but feel disappointed as she knew she would have to return to her six year old self again. Though she was happy at returning into her usual pirate clothing. They were far more comfortable. "No wonder these robes feel so alien. Though I can't help but feel slight disappointment at having to return to my six year old self."

"What you see around you, this entire world is nothing more than a virtual reality."

"I know that." Thyra turned her head and gazed at Miss Evangelista sternly. Her stare could almost be a match to her mothers stern gaze. "But one thing I don't understand is this. Why do you look like the way you are when I'm somewhat normal?"

"I had no choice. Your father teleported you to safety with absolute precision. You're a perfect reproduction. I was just a data ghost caught in the WI-FI and automatically uploaded." Miss Evangelista turned her gaze towards the ground slightly, as though saddened by what had happened to her beautiful features.

"And it made you clever instead of making you beautiful." Thyra told her softly. Oh poor miss Evangelista. She really did suffer didn't she? "But you have always been clever Miss Evangelista. Even before this fake world, you just couldn't see it. I think...I think I may know what happened to make you so clever."

"What happened?"

"In this fake world, we are all made up of strings of numbers." Thyra began to explain to her. "Like a computer. I think a decimal point may have shifted in your IQ."

Miss Evangelista sighed sadly, knowing what Thyra said was true. "I have the two qualities you require to see absolute truth. I am brilliant...and unloved."

Thyra hesitantly reached out a hand for her and Miss Evangelista reached out her hand for Thyra and Thyra squeezed it comfortingly. "Not unloved." Thyra reprehended her. "You are never unloved Miss Evangelista. Although, I can't help but wonder. If this is all a dream, whose dream is it? Gallifrey is from my imagination, yes but someone is dreaming this up for me. Someone wants me to be on Gallifrey the way I want to imagine it."

"It's hard to see everything in the data core, even for me, but there is a word. Just one word. CAL."

Thyra was about to say something but then Ella, fell on the ground, crying her hearts out as she injured her knee and Thyra wanted to go over to her but she resisted the urge, knowing these children were false and she stayed where she was, wincing as Ella's cries became even louder.

"Thyra!" Ella whined, whimpering as she clutched her knee. "Thyra! My knee!"

"They're not real." Thyra bit out through gritted teeth, clutching at the table until her knuckles turned white. "They're not real. They are fiction." She wanted to go over there and care for Ella. She wanted to look after her and Joshua but Thyra knew her true sister was Jenny. Ella and Joshua were nothing more but made up nonsense and that posed a threat to Thyra and she blocked out Ella's wails.

Miss Evangelista nodded. "That is right."

Thyra turned to look at her pleadingly, tears streaming down her face. "How do I get rid of them? How do I get back to my mummy and daddy?" Miss Evangelista didn't answer her and Thyra stood up furiously, angry at herself and angry at Miss Evangelista. "Tell me!"

"Look up at the sky." Miss Evangelista instructed her and Thyra obeyed her and the sight terrified her before. What was once the brilliant orange sky of Gallifrey was now burnt red and Thyra heard alarms ringing her ears along with Ella's and Joshua's cries and Thyra began to shake with fear.

Thyra closed her eyes, wanting this nightmare to be over and wanting to be near her parents once more. She just wanted her mummy and daddy. She just wanted to go home but she knew deep in her hearts that she couldn't.


Suddenly, a loud alarm sounded in the Library and everyone looked around in confusion. "Romana, what's that?" Donna asked fearfully, gazing around the room to try and figure out where the alarm was coming from. Okay. This place was certainly giving her the creeps and she hated it.

"It's some sort of alarm." Mr Lux replied, trying to figure out where the source of the alarm was coming from also but he could not trace the sound.

"Autodestruct enabled in 20 minutes." The Computer announced.

River glanced at the computer terminal anxiously. "What's maximum erasure?" She couldn't help but ask but she had a feeling it was something not pleasant. Nothing ever was if alarms blared red.

"It means that in twenty minutes exactly, this whole planet is going to crack." Romana replied, typing in some codes quickly.

"No! No! It's all right, the Doctor Moon will stop it. It's programmed to protect CAL." Mr Lux told them reassuringly and they paused in their typing for a moment before the screen of the information terminal went blank.

"Does it have to turn off on us now?" Romana bit out angrily, sonicing the terminal even though she knew it wouldn't be of any use. Damn! Everything was falling apart and they only had little time to save the planet and to save themselves if they were lucky.

"All Library systems are permanently offline. Sorry for any inconvenience. Shortly..." The computer announced.

Mr Lux looked at them desperately. Now he could understand why River trusted these people. He understood why River put her life in their hands for they just wanted to save as many people as they could whilst they still had the chance. "We need to stop this, we've got to save CAL!"

Romana turned around to face him. CAL. There it was again. Just what secrets were Mr Lux hiding from them that he did not want to give away so easily? Romana could easily look into his mind and find out but Romana figured it was best to let him explain on his own free will. "Whose CAL? Is she related to you or something?"

Mr Lux gave a curt nod. "We need to get to the main computer, I'll show you. Both of you."

"The main computer is at the core of the planet." Braxiatel reminded him. In order to stop all this, they had to go down to the core of the planet itself.

"Well then. Let's go!" River gave them all a smile before she sonics the symbol on the floor at the centre of the room and it opened up to reveal a platform and River stepped onto it, looking pleased with herself. "Gravity platform!"

"I bet Thyra likes you." Romana told her, eyeing the gravity platform that was now lit up.

River chuckled. Oh how she couldn't wait for their future to happen but she knew it would be soon. She wished it didn't have to happen for all the pain that Romana and Braxiatel had to go through but she knew that her story had to be lived, not told and that it would all make perfect sense to them soon once they started running. "Oh, she does. Both of you like me very much." Without another word, they all stepped onto the platform and it started to descend.


"What are you doing?" Miss Evangelista asked curiously as she saw Thyra close her eyes in concentration.

"Getting rid of this false reality around me." Thyra replied and she concentrated as hard as she could, using her telepathic and telekinesis powers to see the world for what it really was. One by one, the children around her began to vanish, as did the faceless Time-Lord's and the buildings, leaving her in nothing but a white surrounding and Thyra opened her eyes, finding herself resumed to normal in her six year old self in her pirate outfit and she glanced at Miss Evangelista sadly. She didn't want to be left alone in this white world but she knew she had to in order for her parents to come and fetch her. "And I'm sorry, Miss Evangelista, but you're not real. You haven't been real for a long time." She gave a sad smile towards her friend as she watched Miss Evangelista disappeared into nothingness, leaving her alone in the white world and Thyra whimpered, curling up into a foetus position and closing her eyes-hoping for her sake that her mother and father would get her out of this hell soon.

Back in the library, they all arrived at the data core, the room glowing with it's energy. "Autodestruct in 15 minutes." The Computer announced.

"The datacore," Romana breathed, staring at it in with awe. Despite it being created by primitive species, it was impressive. She had to give it that. Especially since it has so many minds trapped inside it. "All those minds trapped inside it. Unbelievable."

"Yeah, well, they won't be living much longer, we're running out of time." River replied and she made her way forwards before they heard a little girl's cry for help coming from the computer terminal. At first, Romana thought it was Thyra but then the girl's voice became more clearer and she realized it was the little girl they have spoken to before on the terminal.

"Help me. Please, help me." The little girl begged.

"What's that?" Donna wondered, looking around her. Why was there suddenly a child calling out to them for help? What could a child possibly have connection to this library for?

River frowned, hearing the voice. "Was that a child?"

Braxiatel made his way over to the nearest terminal, punching in keys. "The computer is in sleep mode." Typical. Everything was in sleep mode every time he wanted something to work.

Romana peered over his shoulder, looking at the readings as did River. "Brax, just look at the readings!" But that was impossible! It was as though the computer was in one way, alive! Oh, she knew certain technology could develop a mind of their own, such as the Moment back on Gallifrey but not with human technology for that was far to advanced for them.

Braxiatel nodded, studying the readings. "You would have thought the computer was dreaming."

Mr Lux sighed before nodding slowly. He knew life as a young girl couldn't be easy and he wondered if Thyra's life was just as easy or as hard as CAL's had been. "It is dreaming...of a normal life, and a lovely Dad, and of every book ever written."

Anita glanced at him. "Computers don't dream."

"Help me. Please help me." The girl cried once more from the terminal.

Mr Lux glanced at the Time-Lord's and Braxiatel considered his gaze. "No, but little girls do don't they Braxiatel?" He enquired as he knew their daughter often dreamt of becoming a pirate for the way she was dressed and they watched as he pushes a lever to open a door and they all run to the next room to see a Node turn it's head to them, wearing the girl's face as it pleaded for help.

"Please help me. Please help me." The girl/node kept crying out.

Donna reeled back, looking sick. "Oh, my god!"

"It's the little girl. The girl we saw in the computer." River swallowed, unable to tear her gaze away from the node.

Mr Lux shook his head. "She's not in the computer. In a way, she is the computer. The main command node. This is CAL."

Romana's gaze snapped to him, her nostrils flaring. 'You're using a child? A child that is hooked up to the maniframe? Why did you not tell us this sooner?!"

"Because she's family!" Mr Lux yelled back, hurt shown across his eyes. "I would have thought you would have been able to understand that, Romana." He looked towards CAL, walking closer to her. "CAL...Charlotte Abigail Lux. My grandfather's youngest daughter. She was dying, so he built her a library, and put her living mind inside, with a moon to watch over her, and all of human history to pass the time, any era to live in, any book to read. She loved books more than anything. He gave her them all. He asked only that she be left in peace. A secret, not a freak show."

"You were protecting her." Romana replied softly, holding onto Braxiatel's hand. If she had been in their position, could she have done the same to Thyra? To protect her daughter? Romana knew that to save her daughter, she would do anything and she could understand Mr Lux's family reasoning, understanding him slightly better but that did not mean she approved.

"This is only half a life, of course. But it's forever." Mr Lux replied.

"Then the Vashta Nerada came. The shadows." Braxiatel replied quietly. A human, little girl saved them all. She saved all those minds and Braxiatel knew she has somehow manage to save Thyra and he couldn't help but be somewhat thankful for CAL even though he would rather have Thyra with them in this moment.

"Shadows. I have to...I have to save. Have to save..." CAL managed to grasp out, her eyes looking at them pleadingly.

"And she did save them. She saved everyone in the Library including my daughter and folded them into her dreams and kept them safe." Braxiatel continued, looking entirely grateful at CAL for managing to keep his daughter safe and not letting any harm come to her.

"Then why didn't she tell us?" Donna wondered.

"She's only a child and having all those minds in her head, it made her forget. It must be like being us." Romana sent a soft smile at Braxiatel for a moment before looking at CAL once more.

"So what do we do?" River asked. Know they know what caused the problem and were all the people had disappeared to, how do they get them back? How do they get rid of the Vashta Nerada?

"Autodestruct in ten minutes."

"With one step at a time." Braxiatel replied and he glanced at Romana, sharing her his plan with her mentally and Romana nodded in approval once she had gone over it and they both stepped forwards. "Romana and myself will beam all the people out of the datacore, reset the computer and stop the countdown."

"However, Charlotte does not have enough memory space left to make the transfer." Romana continued. "But myself and Braxiatel will hook ourselves up to the computer and she can borrow our memory space. With both of us, it will double the amount and it make it safer."

"Will that really work?" Donna asked amazed but before either Time-Lord's could reply, River looked at them crossly, knowing what would truly happen at the end result of their plan.

"But you can't! It'll kill the both of you stone dead!" River protested and this caused Donna mouth to drop open, gaping between River and the Time-Lord's.

"Yes, there is a fault in that." Romana nodded in agreement but she knew she had to do this in order to get her daughter back. She would do anything to ensure her daughters safety even if that meant sacrificing herself and Braxiatel. Her daughter meant everything to her and for her daughter to survive, that was all she wanted as a mother.

River looked at them, furious. "It'll burn both of your hearts out and don't think either of you will regenerate! What about Thyra? What if she comes back and sees both of her parents dead?" She snapped angrily. Were the Time-Lord's really that careless and arrogant about themselves? Oh! How she wished they were older and wiser. The Time-Lord's that she knew well.

"We will try our hardest not to die as I'm rather fond of this incarnation. So far, we've managed not to." Braxiatel replied abruptly.

"Braxiatel!" River growled out in annoyance, wanting to throw something at the Time-Lord's in frustration in order for them to see sense. Sometimes they could be too proud and to pompous but River knew it was in a Time-Lord's nature to put duty above everything else as they were connected to the Web of Time and they were always dutiful, no matter what. For Time-Lord's, duty always came first.

"This is our only chance of letting these people go free River!" Romana snapped angrily at her, knowing River was concerned for their safety before looking at her and the others. "Be quiet. Now, River, I want you to take Donna and Mr Lux back up to the main Library. I want you three to prime any data cells you can find for maximum download." Romana caught River muttering, muttering how much they sometimes annoyed her and Romana couldn't help but let her lips curl up into a slight smirk. "River, I can hear you perfectly well. Please do save your breath for later."

"Ha! I hate you both sometimes!" River snorted, glaring at them though there was a hint of fondness there hidden in her eyes.

"I bet you do." Romana retorted cheekily, moving back towards Braxiatel.

River began to run the way they came in, dragging Donna along with her. "Mr Lux, with us! Anita, if they die, I'll kill them both!" She glared at the Time-Lord's one last time before they left the room.

Romana and Braxiatel began to frantically work at the computer terminal. Anita turned in their direction. "What about the Vashta Nerada?" Anita couldn't help but ask.

"This planet was once their main forests." Romana explained. "We're going to seal Charlotte inside her world and teleport everybody else. The Vashta Nerada should then stop their aggressive behaviour."

"So you think they're just gonna let us go?" Anita asked.

"They better do because right now it's the only offer they are going to get." Romana replied coldly. She knew that the Vashta Nerada had taken Anita long ago. They were toying with her. Playing with her on the brink of death and Romana couldn't help but feel angry at that for she had become fond of the human if that was the term for it.

"You're gonna make 'em an offer?"

Romana turned around to face her and looked hard at the creature inside Anita's spacesuit as Braxiatel continued to work on the terminal. "They better because they don't have any other choice and I'm finding it very hard to make any kind of offer at all when they harmed my daughter. But you know what, for a human, I liked Anita. She was brave even when she was crying and she never gave in and you ate her." She sneered in disgust before she soniced the spacesuit visor to transparent to reveal there was a skeleton inside. Braxiatel glanced at them briefly before as he pressed in some more keys. Romana glanced at Anita's blinking neural ray. "She's nearly gone. Be kind to her."

"These are our forests. We are not kind." The Vashta Nerada spoke harshly, seeping through Anita.

Braxiatel turned away from the terminal, standing beside Romana. "Don't you see? We are giving you back your forests and all we ask in return is to let them go." He began to turn away but Romana grabbed his arm and they both stared as shadows reached out from Skeleton/Anita towards them.

"These are our forests. They are our meat."

Romana snarled, feeling furious at the Vashta Nerada. How dare they play games with her! She will show the Vashta Nerada who she really was. This time, this time she was only giving them one chance and if they didn't take it, it was their downfall."Don't you dare play games with me! You've killed plenty of good people today and that is not a safe place to stand. I AM Lady Romanadvoratrelundar and this IS Lord Irving Braxiatel. You are in the biggest library in the universe. Look. Us. Up."

After a short pause, the shadows began to withdraw. "You both have one day." Anita's suit collapsed just as River arrived back.

River crouched down near Anita's suit, her heart breaking at the sight of her dead friend. "Anita!" She cried. Oh no! Not another. How was she going to explain all these deaths when she got back home? Would that mean her going back to Stormcage Prison?

"I'm sorry, she's been dead a while. I told you to leave!" Romana gestured towards the exit, glaring at River. In some ways, River reminded her of having another daughter, not doing as her mother told her to do and Romana could imagine River as being the rebellious daughter and for a brief moment, she wondered if that was the sort of relationship they had in the future.

"Lux and Donna can manage without me. But you two can't." She walked over to them and without another word, knocked them both out.


"Romana...wake up." Romana heard Braxiatel's voice call through to her mentally and she groaned, feeling her head ache slightly. "Wake up Romana! Now!" This time, Braxiatel voice sounded more urgent and Romana managed to pull herself out of her weary state and she blinked, finding herself nose to nose with Braxiatel, his breath breathing down her neck and Romana tried to move away but she couldn't, finding herself and Braxiatel handcuffed to a pillar. "Brax?" She asked, regaining consciousness. Braxiatel was about to say something but was interrupted by the computer over head.

"Autodestruct in two minutes." The computer announced and Romana blinked before looking around her to see River was wired up in a chair, fiddling with wires where she and Braxiatel were meant to be moments before.

"River! That is our job and you know it!" Romana snapped at her. Didn't River understand the risks she was taking just by sitting in that chair? Didn't she know what was going to happen to her once the countdown finished?

River let out a harsh laugh, rolling her eyes. "Oh, and I'm not allowed to have a career, I suppose?"

Both she and Braxiatel tugged on their handcuffs. Braxiatel gazed back at River. "Why are we handcuffed? I wonder...why do you even have them?"

"Spoilers!" River smirked, giving Braxiatel a look clearly saying; You'll thank me one day and Braxiatel wasn't entirely sure how to take it.

"River, please think this through. We have a chance of surviving, you don't!" Romana told her seriously.

"I'm doing this for Thyra. Do you really think I allow her parents to die to ensure their daughter's safety?" River snapped. She knew more than these Time-Lord's did at this moment in time. She would do anything for them even if that meant killing herself. "I'm timing it for the end of the countdown, there'll be a blip in the command flow. That way it should improve our chances of a clean download."

"River, please." Romana pleaded with her and she took in River's features, looking into her eyes and for some reason, Romana almost saw a bit of herself in there.

River swallowed, fiddling with some of the wires in front of her and her voice began to break as she looked at them both, her eyes watering. "Funny thing is, this means you two, Thyra and Jenny have always know how I was going to die." Both Romana and Braxiatel's ears pricked up at the mention of their daughters, relieved at how they were both still sisters and a family in the far future. "All the time we've been together, all of you knew I was coming here. The last time I saw you both, the real, future selves of you-You all turned up on my doorstep in your Prydonian robes with new haircuts and faces. You all took me to Darillium to see the singing towers." River smiled softly as though reminiscing. "Oh, what a night that was! The towers sang, and...Romana...you cried."

"Autodestruct in one minute." The computer announced.

"None of you wouldn't tell me why, but I suppose you knew it was time. My time. Time to come to the Library. Romana, you even gave me your screwdriver! That should've been a clue." All three sonic screwdrivers and pen with River's diary were on the ground between them. Braxiatel was the nearest and he tried to reach for them but they were just a bit too far away and he growled out in frustration.

River began to speak more quickly, knowing her time was running out and she looked at them both tearfully. "There's nothing neither of you can do."

"Oh River." Romana told her softly, knowing there was no use in fighting against this. Romana knew that if she fought against River and saved her here now, that could only mean that Romana would end up rewriting the future and past and Romana didn't want that as much as she hated for River to die in this manner. It was a fixed point in time and there was no chance in changing it. "I'm so sorry."

River gave her a weak smile, knowing Romana meant it."It's not over for you. All of you will see me again. You've got all that to come. "Us four, time and space. You both watch us run!" She sheds a tear but River was more determined than ever.

Romana swallowed, glancing at Braxiatel briefly who gave her an encouraging nod before looking back at River. "River, you knew our names. All of our names."

"Autodestruct in ten..."

"You whispered our names in our ears including my daughter's." Romana continued.

"...Nine, eight, seven..."

Romana spoke quickly, needing answers despite the fact that time was running out and she snorted humourlessly at the thought. They were Time-Lord's. They were meant to control time but yet they couldn't. Not here, not today. "There's only two reasons I would ever tell anyone our names. There''s only one time I could..." Romana couldn't help but feel a mixture of jealously and pity for River. How did she know Braxiatel's name but she didn't? But yet, Romana knew that Braxiatel did not know her true name. But Romana knew one day she would and she would treasure his name forever.

"Hush, now! Spoilers!" She smiled at them tenderly through her tears.

"...three, two, one..." The computer voiced and River plugged together two cables and a blinding white light hides her from view and Braxiatel shielded Romana from the white light, holding her in his embrace with his spare hand.


Thyra saw bright, white light seeping through her eyes and she looked up to see her still surrounded by the white light but it was getting stronger and stronger and she felt herself disappearing into the light and she laughed, throwing her head back and in that moment she knew her mummy and daddy had saved her. "I'm coming, mummy! I'm coming daddy!" She cried, crying tears of joy and she let the white light around her envelope her until she was no more.


Mr Lux and Donna were at the reception area working on a terminal and Donna patted Mr Lux on the arm as they saw hundreds of people appear in the room, all dressed in black and Donna couldn't help but smile broadly and Mr Lux looked up, his mouth also dropped open in surprise. "Excuse me," The man asked, sounding very confused. "What happened? How did we get here?"

Mr Lux and Donna cheered loudly, hugging each other with joy before Mr Lux ran to the man, looking at him joyfully. "Look at you, you're back! You're all back!" He laughed and went up and hugged people randomly and Donna raised an eyebrow at this, not considering him to be the type of person who hugged people but apparently he was. "They did it! You're all back! They did it! Ha!" He laughed with delight and he walked outside to have a look at the planet which was alive once more.

Donna relaxed against the desk, smiling broadly and she peered over the crowds to see either Time-Lord's when she noticed a young girl standing out from the rest of the people in black in her pirate outfit and Donna laughed in delight, so happy to see her favourite niece once more and Thyra. She was alive! She was safe and she was unhurt. Oh, Romana and Braxiatel were going to be over the moon about this!

Thyra let out a wide smile, laughing with delight and she raced towards her Auntie Donna, her arms gesturing around her with excitement. "Auntie Donna!" Thyra cried with delight and Donna picked her up, showering her with kisses. "Auntie Donna! I've missed you!"

"We've missed you all too!" Donna smiled brightly up at her niece who she placed on the desk beside her. "We've all been worried sick about you."

"I've been so scared." Thyra admitted before she looked around, wondering where her parents were before looking back at Donna. "Where's mummy and daddy?"


Both Romana and Braxiatel were still in handcuffs, both slightly heartbroken to having to lose someone again. Someone so important that she knew their true names and Romana snuggled closer to Braxiatel and he nuzzled into her hair, breathing in her scent as they mourned the loss of River.

"Mummy! Daddy! I'm back!" Thyra called to them mentally and both Time-Lord's pulled apart from their embrace and both looked up at each other, so relieved to hear their daughter's voice once more. "Are you both coming to get me?" They both chuckled deeply at their daughter's impatience.


Thyra and Donna waited anxiously for Romana and Braxiatel to return from the computer core before Thyra felt a tap on her shoulder and she turned around to see her parents standing behind them and Thyra beamed up at them happily. "Mummy! Daddy!" She made their way to embrace them but Braxiatel met her half way and picked her up, unable to resist the urge to pick up his daughter and Romana laughed with delight and embraced her and Braxiatel in a warm hug, so relieved that her family was safe and happy. "You won't believe where I've been!" In the short time she has been away, Thyra hadn't realized how much she has missed her parents.

Donna shook her head fondly at the Time family, watching both Time-Lord's listen to their daughter with interest as she began to launch into her tale about the false Gallifrey and how she was stuck in a false orphanage and how she thought they died in a Dalek attack. "But then I figured out the whole world was wrong!" Thyra babbled excitedly, gesturing her hands around in excitement. "And the false Gallifrey disappeared as did Miss Evangelista and I knew you were both coming to get me. I knew it!"

Romana couldn't help but be impressed by how her daughter had managed to figure out the false reality around her and she kissed Thyra on the nose fondly. "We are so proud of you and so relieved to have you back." She straightened her daughter's hat as Braxiatel rested his forehead against his daughter's content at having her back and within their sight once more. "Come, let us go back home. But first, I have to do something." They made their way back to the autobiography section where they first came through the library earlier and Romana puts River's TARDIS book on top of the bannister. River's sonic rolling in her hands and Romana knew she was going to store it in the TARDIS attic for later.

Donna looked at them. She knew it would be a painful subject for them to talk about River Song but Donna deserved answers. She had to know where she was in their future. In Thyra's future for she did not know how long forever was with them. "Your friend...Thyra's best friend...Professor Song...she knew you all in the future, but she didn't know me. What happens to me? Because when she heard my name, the way she looked at me..."

"Nobody can travel with us forever Donna." Braxiatel told her gently as he shifted Thyra in his hold. He was blunt, he knew but it was the truth. He did not want another Rose incident and Donna was far more accepting of the reality of not being able to travel with them than Rose will ever be. "Not even you I'm afraid. We all have our own endings waiting for us, including I."

Donna gave a heavy sigh, knowing he was right despite the fact she hated to admit it. "Spoilers, right?"

"Right." They all shared a look before they began to head out. "I think the next chapter is this way." Braxiatel mused and they walked away when Romana stopped in her tracks on top of the stairs, staring at River's sonic screwdriver as she held it out in front of her. Braxiatel turned to look at her, concerned. "Romana?"

Romana looked at him, her breathing quickening. "Why would I give her my sonic screwdriver Brax? Why would I do that?" She looked back at River's sonic screwdriver. "If this River really was close to us in the future, then we would have had time to think about this incident. Think about all those ways to try and save her and what does my future-self do? She gave River a screwdriver!" She pulled open a part of it to reveal green lights behind, very similar to the ones on the neural relay. Romana laughed in delight. Pleased at the fact in the future that she would not go around the bend with madness. "Oh, I am good!"

"What have you done?" Donna asked, putting her hands on her hips and she raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what trouble Romana caused this time.

Romana smirked. "Saved her!" Before anyone could stop her, she ran across the library to reach the computer core before it was too late and she looked at River's sonic as she ran. "Hold on River. I will not let you down. I won't, let you down. One last run!" She used the sonic to disable the gravity platform and jumped into the hole, using the sonic to guide her before she ran around the corner where she saw CAL node and plugged the sonic screwdriver into the computer, smiling at the node who smiled back.

She had done it. She had finally saved River and Romana knew she could finally rest in peace.


Romana made her way back to the TARDIS with Braxiatel carrying Thyra in his arms, Donna walking by their side. Romana and Braxiatel glanced at each other briefly, soft smiles placed upon their faces and they stopped in their tracks in front of the TARDIS and Romana raised her arm before snapping their fingers and indeed the doors opened and she gasped. The TARDIS has now registered her as her official pilot. She has officially gained the TARDIS trust and she beamed with happiness, walking forwards with her family and Donna at her side before she turned around and snapped her fingers again, the TARDIS door closing behind them and she was feeling very satisfied about life.