"Eliot saw that, too. "This is the way the world ends, not with a bang, but with a whimper."" The Doctor quotes with a sigh
After medical services come and take the body, we return to Martha's family.
She's here. Oh, she's all right." Trish hugs Martha.
"Ah, Mrs. Jones, we still haven't finished out chat-" The Doctor starts when Mrs. Jones slaps him on the face.
"Keep away from my daughter."
"Mum, what are you doing?" Martha demands as
The Doctor puts his hand on his cheek. "Your Mum too!" He gasps, looking at me
"He is dangerous! I've been told things." Warns Mrs. Jones
"What are you talking about?" Demands Martha and her Mum takes her by the shoulders. "Look around you! Nothing but death and destruction!" "This isn't his fault. He saved us, all of us!" I defend the Doctor
"It was Tish who invited everyone to this thing in the first place. I'd say technically, it's her fault." Leo announces and Tish elbows him in the side. There's a crash in the distance.
"Doctor what-?" I start
"Come on!" He takes my hand and we sprint towards the noise.
"Doctor wait!" We pause to see Martha running towards us
"Come on!"
We run down the street where we see the ambulance, the doors open and the medics merely husks.
"Lazarus, back from the dead. Should've known, really." Groans the Doctor
He takes out the sonic screwdriver and searches for Lazarus like he did earlier.
"Where's he gone?" Martha asks
"That way. The church." I point
"Cathedral. It's Southwark Cathedral." The Doctor explains
We run to the cathedral, up the steps and into the building
"Do you think he's in here?" Martha asks, the dust settling in the moonlight around us
"Where would you go if you were looking for sanctuary?" the Doctor answers as we move forward through the empty cathedral to the open space behind the altar and underneath the bell tower. Lazarus is sitting there gasping, in human form, a red blanket from the ambulance wrapped about him.
"I came here before. A lifetime ago. I thought I was going to die then. In fact, I was sure of it. I sat there, just a child... the sound of planes and bombs outside..." He shudders
"The Blitz." Whispers the Doctor, looking at me
"You've read about it." Nods Lazarus
"We were there." I answer, recalling that poor child and his mother. "You're too young." Scoffs Lazarus
"So are you." The Doctor answers and Lazarus laughs but it soon turns to gasps of pain as he fights the mutation.
"In the morning, the fires had died, and I was still alive. I swore I'd never face death like that again."
The Doctor walks around Lazarus slowly, looking up at the bell tower. I know he's planning something.
"So defenseless. I would arm myself, fight back, defeat it…" Lazarus says
"That's what you were trying to do today." The Doctor says
"That's what I did today." Growls Lazarus
"What about the other people who died?
"They were nothing. I changed the course of history.
"Any of them might have done, too. You think history's only made with equations? Facing death is part of being human. You can't change that." The Doctor challenges
"No, Doctor. Avoiding death. That's being human. It's our strongest impulse, to cling to life with every fiber of being. I'm doing what everyone before me has tried to do. I've simply been more... successful." Lazarus groans in pain as his body tries to change.
"Look at yourself! You're mutating! You've no control over it! You call that a success?"
"I call it progress. I'm more now that I was. More than just an ordinary human."
"There's no such thing as an ordinary human." The Doctor answers
"He's gonna change again at any minute." I whisper to him
"I know. If I can get him up into the bell tower somehow, I've an idea that might work."
"Up there?" Martha whispers
The Doctor nods.
"You're so sentimental, Doctor. Maybe you are older than you look." Teases Lazarus
"I'm old enough to know that a longer life isn't always a better one. In the end, you just get tired. Tired of the struggle. Tired of losing everyone that matters to you…" I wince thinking of Wolfe, but the Doctor continues "Tried of watching everything turn to dust." The Doctor squats beside Lazarus "If you live long enough, Lazarus, the only certainty left is that you end up alone."
"That's a price worth paying." Lazarus answers
"Is it?"
"I will feed soon." Announces Lazarus
"I'm not gonna let that happen." The Doctor responds,
"You've not been able to stop me so far. I would quite like a snack."
I walk around to stand behind Lazarus
"Leave him, Lazarus! He's old and bitter. Thought you had a taste for fresher meat!" I yell, and Martha walks to stand beside me
"Rose, no." Begs the Doctor, looking horrified.
"I'm not going to let him hurt you! Oi Lazarus you old hag, come and get me!"
Lazarus snarls and launches after me.
I turn and run, and Martha runs with me.
"What are you doing?" I ask as we race up the stairs of the Cathedral
"Giving you help!" She pants back
"Doctor! The tower!" I yell as we continue up the narrow spiral staircase that leads to the upper level. Lazarus follows and begins screaming.
"Did you hear that?" Martha asks
"He's changed again." I nod "We've got to lead him up."
"Rose! Rose!" Screams the Doctor
I rush to a balcony overlooking the main Cathedral
"Doctor!" I call
"Take him to the top, the very top of the bell tower, d'you hear me?"
"Up to the top!" I yell back
"Be safe!" He orders
"Rose..." I hear a hiss
Lazarus is making his way along the passage.
"Then what?" I call back to the Doctor, quickly
"Rose come on!" Martha grabs me and we race up the next flight of stairs, Lazarus crashing behind us.
We finally reach the top of the bell tower, which is a circular walkway with wooden rails.
"There's nowhere to go! We're trapped!" Martha pants
"This is where he said to bring him." I reply, firmly
"All right, so we're not trapped. We're bait." Groans Martha
"He knows what he's doing. We have to trust him." I say
"Ladies." Hisses Lazarus as enters, blocking the only doorway.
"Stay behind me. If he takes me, make a run for it. Head down the stairs, you should have enough time." I order Martha
"But..." Starts Martha
"Just do it, Martha!" I yell
Lazarus attacks, swinging down his tail.
Martha shrieks as we duck out of the way of his tail.
We hear the sound of a faint organ
Lazarus knocks away part of the wall.
Suddenly, the tail slams into my stomach, sending me over the wood railing and clinging to the floorboards above the chasm of the bell tower.
"Rose!" Shouts Martha
Lazarus leaps across to stand over me.
"Hold on! Get away from her!" orders Martha
Then, a horrifyingly loud sound rips through the space. Martha holds her head in agony as the sound of an organ resonate in the tight space. Lazarus topples over the edge and falls down below, and I struggle to hold on.
My fingers slip as the agony of the noise rips at my head.
Then the noise stops.
"Rose!" Screams the Doctor
I shut my eyes as I feel my last few fingers slip.
Someone grabs my hand.
"I've got you. Hold on!" Martha says and my eyes fly open.
"Rose!" Screams the Doctor again
"Give me your other hand" orders Martha and I do.
Martha pulls me back onto the walkway and we gasp in relief.
"I'm okay! We're both okay!" I cry "Thank you." I wrap Martha up in a tight hug
"It's the Doctor we should be thanking." Martha laughs
"Told you he'd think of something." I grin
"He cut it a bit fine there, didn't he?"
"He always does. It's more fun that way, you know." I grin
Martha nods "Definitely."
We walk back down the stairs to find the Doctor kneeling by Lazarus's body
"Doctor." I call, and he looks up, relief relaxing the darkness on his face.
He runs at me, scooping me up into his arms, swinging me around clutching me.
He laughs aloud, before placing me back on my feet, but not letting go.
"Don't you ever do that again, do you hear me?" He whispers
"You know I wont keep that promise, and you could never make it to me." I whisper back
He laughs slightly, hugging me close again.
When he finally lets me go, he turns to Martha.
"Martha!" He gives her a hug "You are brilliant!"
She laughs and he releases her
"I didn't know you could play?" she teases
"Oh, well, you know, if you hang around with Beethoven, you're bound to pick a few things up." Shrugs the Doctor
"Hmm, especially about playing loud." I add
The Doctor leans forward like he didn't hear me. "Sorry?" he yells and we all laugh
We returned, using the Tardis, to Martha's flat.
"Something else that just kind of escalated, then." Shrugs the Doctor
"I can see a pattern developing. You should take more care in the future. And the past, and whatever other time period you find yourself in." Martha teases
"It's good fun, though, isn't it?" I ask
"Yeah." Nods Martha
"So, what d'you say, one more trip?" offers the Doctor
"No. Sorry." Martha steps back, shaking her head and my face falls
"What do you mean? I thought you liked it." The Doctor asks, hurt
"I do, but I can't go on like this. "One more trip." It's not fair." Martha shakes her head
"What're you talking about?" I ask
"I don't want to be just a passenger anymore. Someone you take along for a treat. If that's how you still see me, well, I'd rather stay here." She replies
"Okay, then. If that's what you want." The Doctor agrees, nodding
"Right. But we've already said good-bye once today so it's really best if you just go." Martha walks away from the Tardis, and us keeping her back to it.
The Doctor and I look at each other in confusion.
Martha looks over her shoulder.
"What is it?" She demands
"What? I said okay." The Doctor says
"Sorry?"
"Okay." The Doctor repeats, nodding at the Tardis
"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" Martha hugs us and laughs.
"Well, you were never really just a passenger, were you? Always helping out, and making sense of things. You're part of the team, now!"
We hurry into the Tardis and dematerialize
