Teresa stood close to the Doctor, pressing against his back as she watched the madman before them. Peter began to speak in a dead tone: "Witches spoke to Peter. In the night, they whispered. They whispered."
His hands scratched at the air near his head as though trying to remove the irritating whispers he remembered.
"Got Peter to build the Globe to their design." He scorned and spat: "Their design! The fourteen walls." His voice became lost as he added softly: "Always fourteen."
The Doctor frowned, but stayed silent as Peter finished: "When the work was done," he laughed manically before saying, suddenly forlorn again: "they snapped poor Peter's wits."
The Doctor asked quietly: "Where did Peter see the witches? Where in the city?"
Peter began to shake again and Teresa tensed as she realized what was going to happen next. The Doctor leaned down back to the other man's eye level as he murmured urgently: "Peter, tell me. You've got to tell me where were they?"
Peter struggled with himself, before blurting out darkly: "All Hallows Street."
"Too many words." A voice said from right beside Teresa and the Doctor.
They whirled around to see one of the witches, Doomfinger as Teresa recalled. Teresa tried to move forward, when the Doctor grabbed her and pulled her back with him as he quickly moved away.
"No, wait-!" Teresa cried, but Doomfinger had already lowered her finger to Peter's chest, cooing lightly: "Just one touch of the heart."
"No!" Teresa and the Doctor cried as they tried belatedly to stop her, but it was too late as Peter screamed. Teresa watched in horror as Doomfinger moaned, almost happily, as Peter's scream cut off, the man now lying dead. That had been far quicker than she remembered it being in the show, and it killed her inside as she stared at the dead man's wide eyes, staring up into nothing.
"Witch!" Shakespeare stammered. "I'm seeing a witch!"
The Doctor held Teresa behind him tightly as Doomfinger said mockingly, fluttering her fingers: "Now, who would be next, hmm? Just one touch."
Martha and Shakespeare had backed towards the door as Doomfinger pretended to cower, moaning: "Oh, oh, I'll stop your frantic hearts." She spat gleefully. "Poor, fragile mortals."
She cackled and Martha grabbed the cell bars and began screaming in terror: "Let us out! Let us out!"
Teresa grit her teeth, while the Doctor pointed out, never moving his gaze from Doomfinger: "That's not going to work. The whole building's shouting that."
Martha whimpered against the bars as Doomfinger cooed: "Who will die first, hmm?"
"Well," the Doctor said nonchalantly, "if you're looking for volunteers."
He took a step forwards, and Teresa jerked him back as Martha shouted sharply: "No! Don't!"
Shakespeare interjected, speaking through his teeth: "Doctor, can you stop her?"
"No mortal has power over me." Doomfinger cackled, and the Doctor's eyes narrowed. Power.
"Oh, but there's a power in words." The Doctor realized as he glanced back at Teresa quickly before fixing his gaze back on Doomfinger. He took a step forward as he said thoughtfully: "If I can find the right one. If I can just know you."
"None on Earth has knowledge of us." Doomfinger hissed, and the Doctor retorted: "Then it's a good thing I'm here."
Teresa jerked him back, away from Doomfinger's finger as she fluttered it a little too close to the Doctor. He let her pull him back as he muttered: "Now think, think, think. Humanoid female, uses shapes and words to channel energy."
"Fourteen." Teresa hissed at him and his eyes lit up.
He crowed triumphantly: "Ah! That's it! Fourteen! The fourteen stars of the Rexel planetary configuration!"
Doomfinger's eyes widened and she backed away in fear as the Doctor snarled: "Creature, I name you Carrionite!"
Doomfinger screamed, before she disappeared slowly in a flash of light. Teresa let the Doctor go, sighing in relief. He wrapped an arm around her waist, also looking relieved, as Martha asked him in awe: "What did you do?"
"I named her." The Doctor explained. "The power of a name. That's old magic."
He glanced back at Teresa and she nodded shakily. They both turned to Martha as the woman protested: "But there's no such thing as magic."
The Doctor shrugged as he explained: "Well, it's just a different sort of science. You lot, you chose mathematics. Given the right string of numbers, the right equation, you can split the atom. Carrionites use words instead."
"Use them for what?" Shakespeare asked sharply.
The Doctor turned to exchange a look with Teresa before he turned back to Shakespeare and explained darkly: "The end of the world."
They were all back in Shakespeare's room. The playwright was getting ready for the night's show as the Doctor paced the room, explaining: "The Carrionites disappeared way back at the dawn of the universe. Nobody was sure if they were real or legend."
"Well, I'm going for real." Shakespeare commented, making Teresa snort.
He glanced at her, looking vaguely amused, but they both quickly became serious again as Martha asked: "But what do they want?"
"A new empire on Earth." The Doctor replied in a low voice. "A world of bones and blood and witchcraft."
He stopped pacing, leaning back against the desk beside Teresa. Martha asked from her place leaning against the dresser: "But how?"
"I'm looking at the man with the words." The Doctor answered, looking directly at Shakespeare. The playwright stopped in his movements, looking surprised.
"Me?" He asked blankly. The Doctor raised a brow while Teresa nodded, and Shakespeare protested: "But I've done nothing."
"Hold on, though." Martha interjected. "What were you doing last night, when that Carrionite was in the room?"
"Finishing the play." Shakespeare said distinctly, sounding put out at their almost accusatory stares.
Teresa prompted: "And at the end?"
He looked at her in surprise and a little confusion, and the Doctor elaborated impatiently: "What happens on the last page?"
Shakespeare shrugged as he replied: "The boys get the girls. They have a bit of a dance. It's all as funny and thought provoking as usual."
He paused and then realized: "Except those last few lines."
Immediately they all tensed, and Shakespeare admitted slowly: "Funny thing is, I don't actually remember writing them."
"That's it." The Doctor murmured, as he realized what had happened. "They used you."
He stepped towards Shakespeare as he said urgently: "They gave you the final words like a spell, like a code. Love's Labours Won. It's a weapon. The right combination of words, spoken at the right place, with the shape of the Globe as an energy converter! 'The play's the thing'!"
With that the Doctor spun to go, but added to Shakespeare before he did: "And yes, you can have that."
Teresa chuckled lightly as Shakespeare grinned, and then she coughed: "Ahem."
The Doctor turned to her from where he was already halfway out the doorway, and Teresa lifted the town map she'd already procured.
"Looking for this?" She asked innocently, and he grinned at her.
Walking over he chuckled: "Now I remember why I like you."
Teresa snorted and she teased: "True, what would you do without me? The real question is: why do I like you again?"
He grinned at her challenge and spread the map open, whipping out his 'brainy-specs' as he did. Scanning the incredibly inaccurate map quickly, he jabbed a finger at a spot and declared: "All Hallows Street. There it is."
"Four seconds. All right, I'm impressed." Teresa chuckled.
He grinned and Martha complained: "Oh, stop flirting."
Teresa paused, looking almost shocked, but the Doctor just shrugged in reply.
He then ordered: "Terry, Martha, we'll track them down. Will, you get to the Globe." His voice became deadly serious as he said: "Whatever you do, stop that play."
"I'll do it." Shakespeare answered firmly. He lifted a hand to clasp the Doctor's, saying: "All these years I've been the cleverest man around. Next to you, I know nothing."
The Doctor blinked as he grasped Shakespeare's hand, unsure what to say. Teresa laughed, while Martha chuckled: "Oh, don't complain."
"I'm not." Shakespeare answered with a grin. "It's marvellous. Good luck, Doctor."
"Good luck, Shakespeare." The Doctor answered as he removed his glasses and ran for the door, taking Martha and Terry with him.
He called as they ran: "'Once more unto the breach'."
"I like that." Shakespeare called back, then paused.
"Wait a minute," he realized, "that's one of mine."
The Doctor poked his head back around the door and said in exasperation: "Oh, just shift!"
The Doctor stopped as they arrived and he muttered as he looked around: "All Hallows Street, but which house?"
They began to wander around, Teresa keeping quiet as she knew the doors to the right house would be opened for them. Martha commented as they walked: "The thing is, though am I missing something here? The world didn't end in 1599. It just didn't. Look at me. I'm living proof."
"Oh," the Doctor sighed tiredly, "how to explain the mechanics of the infinite temporal flux? I know."
He suddenly turned to Martha as he said proudly: "Back to the Future. It's like Back to the Future."
"The film?" Martha asked in surprise, and the Doctor replied sarcastically: "No, the novelisation. Yes, the film."
Teresa rolled her eyes, but he didn't see as he continued: "Marty McFly goes back and changes history."
"And he starts fading away…" Martha finished. The Doctor and Teresa raised their brows at her, looking at her expectantly. Her words hit her and Martha said in horror: "Oh my God, am I going to fade?"
"You and the entire future of the human race." The Doctor answered flatly. "It ends right now in 1599 if we don't stop it."
"So no pressure." Teresa chimed in. Martha stared at her as the Doctor rolled his eyes, but he gave her a fond look before turning to the houses again.
He turned serious again as he muttered: "But which house?"
The door to the nearest house creaked open suddenly and they all stopped to stare at it.
"Ah." The Doctor murmured. "Make that 'witch' house."
He strolled in while Martha and Teresa exchanged looks, unimpressed by his joke, before they followed him inside. As they walked through and up the stairs, Teresa glanced about at the eerie decorations. It definitely looked like a witch house with cobwebs in every crevice and lots of candles scattered around, their wax dripping everywhere. Even the air seemed chillier inside than it had been outside.
The Doctor peered through a curtain hanging over an open doorway, and he commented as he spotted Lilith on the far side of the room: "I take it we're expected."
They walked inside, Martha and then Teresa trailing behind the Doctor to see Lilith standing by the back window. Teresa watched carefully as Lilith replied coolly: "Oh, I think Death has been waiting for you a very long time."
"Right then," Martha interjected, "it's my turn. I know how to do this."
She stepped forward confidently, and she pointed her finger at Lilith as she called: "I name thee Carrionite!"
Teresa stepped forward and pulled Martha back behind her as Lilith pretended to gasp before laughing.
"What did I do wrong? Was it the finger?" Martha asked the Doctor and Teresa, but Teresa quickly shook her head and just tugged her to keep the girl behind her.
Lilith stepped forward as she answered: "The power of a name works only once. Observe."
"Don't you dare. Leave her alone." Teresa warned, but Lilith lifted her finger at Martha, standing behind Teresa and chanted: "I gaze upon this bag of bones and now I name thee Martha Jones."
Teresa felt Martha sag beneath her, and struggled to catch the woman before she fell. The Doctor quickly moved to help Teresa, helping the blonde girl gently place Martha on the ground as he shouted at Lilith: "What have you done?"
Teresa laid a soothing hand on his arm, nodding at Lilith as the witch scoffed, saying a little petulantly: "Only sleeping, alas. It's curious."
The Doctor slowly sat up straight and Teresa also turned to once again face the witch as she murmured: "The name has less impact. She's somehow out of her time."
She suddenly lunged forward, pointing as she snarled: "And as for you, Sir Doctor."
He just sat glaring at her, a silent challenge in his eyes. Teresa also narrowed her eyes, knowing what Lilith would find. The witch blinked and murmured: "Fascinating. There is no name. Why would a man hide his title in such despair?"
Teresa tensed, glaring at the witch almost as darkly as Lilith was. Lilith paused and she smirked. Teresa's eyes narrowed even further as Lilith cooed: "Oh, but look. There's still one word with the power that aches."
"The naming won't work on me." The Doctor warned.
"Trust me, it won't." Teresa added, but Lilith ignored her as she chanted: "But your heart grows cold and your soul is weary," Teresa frowned; that wasn't supposed to be her words, "as you wait for a distant… Terry."
Teresa barely had a moment to blink in shock before she gasped and grasped her head. It felt like it was being split open and smashed by an anvil. Lilith looked surprised at the relatively weak reaction while the Doctor caught Teresa in his arms gently as she swayed in pain, blacking out briefly before she regained some consciousness.
The Doctor's face had changed at once, and he snarled as he held Teresa: "Oh, big mistake." He carefully placed the dazed blonde down by Martha before he stood and stormed towards Lilith spitting harshly: "Because that name keeps me fighting."
Lilith glared up at him and he snapped at her: "The Carrionites vanished. Where did you go?"
She spun on her heel and she walked back towards the windows as she replied bitterly: "The Eternals found the right word to banish us into deep darkness."
"And how did you escape?" The Doctor asked darkly and Lilith replied with a smirk: "New words. New and glittering, from a mind like no other."
"Shakespeare." The Doctor breathed as he understood.
Lilith explained: "His son perished. The grief of a genius. Grief without measure. Madness enough to allow us entrance."
The Doctor asked in a low voice: "How many of you?"
"Just the three." Lilith answered, and she turned to the window as she continued: "But the play tonight shall restore the rest." She turned back to the Doctor. "Then the human race will be purged as pestilence. And from this world we will lead the universe back into the old ways of blood and magic."
"Hmm." The Doctor hummed casually. "Busy schedule. But first," He walked up to her, "you've got to get past me."
He stood before her, challenging her. Teresa was slowly working the pain out of her head and her eyes began to focus just as Lilith murmured coyly: "Oh, that should be a pleasure."
She leant in close, lifting a hand to caress the Doctor's face as she purred: "Considering my enemy has such a handsome shape."
The Doctor scoffed as he stood impassively: "Now, that's one form of magic that's definitely not going to work on me."
Teresa's mind finally caught up to her and her eyes widened in horror as one of Lilith's hands moved towards the back of the Doctor's head.
"Oh, we'll see." Lilith murmured and Teresa cried in alarm: "Doctor!"
He winced as Lilith pulled some hairs from the back of his head. Teresa staggered to her feet as Lilith backed away from the Doctor, smirking. He asked puzzled: "What did you do?"
"Souvenir." Lilith teased as she held the piece of his hair before her face.
"Stop!" Teresa shouted as she rushed forward on her shaky legs, while the Doctor snapped: "Well, give it back."
He also took a step forward, but Lilith flew backwards out of the window. The Doctor stopped at the windows, quickly catching Teresa as the blonde girl almost tipped out in her weakened state. Lilith was floating before them, but out of arm's reach as she giggled.
"Well, that's just cheating." The Doctor muttered and Teresa snapped at Lilith: "Give it back, you witch!"
He glanced at her, wondering why she was so angry, but he was distracted as Lilith laughed.
"I suppose that's supposed to be an insult." Lilith giggled as Teresa gripped onto the windowsill.
"What's wrong?" The Doctor asked, confused, and Lilith answered before Teresa could: "Behold, Doctor. Men to Carrionites are nothing but puppets."
She pulled out a wooden doll from inside her cloak and wrapped the Doctor's hair around it as Teresa shouted at her desperately: "Don't!"
The Doctor, finally realizing what was happening, said flatly: "Now, you might call that magic. I'd call that a DNA replication module."
"What use is your science now?" Lilith asked with a raised brow, and she stabbed the doll. The Doctor screamed in pain, dropping to the ground on his knees.
"Doctor!" Teresa cried as Lilith laughed and flew away triumphantly.
"Oh my God, Doctor." Martha cried as she woke up and ran over. She began to move him, saying urgently: "Don't worry, I've got you."
Teresa sighed, her pretense over now that Lilith was gone, as she told Martha: "Martha, just give it a rest. Doctor, get up."
Martha blinked and then realized.
"Two hearts." She groaned as the Doctor opened his eyes and muttered: "We're making a habit of this."
"Careful, only one heart!" Teresa warned as he tried to get up.
Of course he ignored her and stood up quickly, only to cry out as his legs gave out again: "Ah!"
Martha and Teresa grabbed him on each side, holding him up as Teresa whacked a fist onto his chest.
"Argh!" He complained, and then turned to her to whine: "How do people cope with only one heart?"
"Shut up, hit his back." Teresa told Martha, and Martha hit him as she'd seen Teresa do.
Teresa winced as the Doctor cried: "Ah!" He bit out, wincing in pain: "Other side."
Martha huffed but whacked him on the other side and he cried: "Dah! Lovely!"
He cracked his back, flexing his fingers as he stood up, saying cheerily: "There we go. Badda booma! Quick thinking, Terry."
"All in a day's work." She answered, and then she pulled him and Martha, saying impatiently: "Now come on! We need to get to the Globe!"
After going the wrong way once, they ran into the theatre just as the spell began. A red, stormy whirlwind appeared in the middle of the theatre, and it crackled severely as the trio raced for backstage. As soon as they arrived, they spotted the recovering Shakespeare as he sat up dazedly just inside the wings.
"Stop the play." The Doctor snapped sarcastically. "I think that was it. Yeah, I said, stop the play!"
"I hit my head." Shakespeare groaned, and the Doctor retorted: "Yeah, don't rub it, you'll go bald."
There were screams from the audience, and the Doctor took off, crying: "I think that's my cue!"
Teresa was out right behind him, Martha following behind as she dragged Shakespeare with her. They ran out onto the stage to see the wispy shapes Carrionites beginning to appear inside the storm. Teresa clutched her hair as it blew around her, staring up in horror beside Martha.
"Doctor! We need words!" Teresa cried, just as the Carrionites began to fly out of the storm and began to fly around the theatre, while the storm started to spread and began spilling out of the theatre. If it wasn't stopped, it would spread across the planet.
The Doctor grabbed Shakespeare, dragging the man to centre stage as he shouted: "Come on, Will! History needs you!"
"But what can I do?" Shakespeare protested, and the Doctor shouted the obvious: "Reverse it!"
"How am I supposed to do that?" Shakespeare asked incredulously, and the Doctor explained urgently: "The shape of the Globe gives words power, but you're the wordsmith, the one true genius. The only man clever enough to do it!"
"But what words?" Shakespeare cried. "I have none ready!"
"You're William Shakespeare!" Teresa and the Doctor shouted at him in exasperation. Shakespeare protested: "But these Carrionite phrases, the need such precision."
"Trust yourself." Teresa replied, softer this time.
He stared at the girl as her stormy grey eyes met his confidently. The Doctor added, encouraging the other man: "When you're locked away in your room, the words just come, don't they, like magic. Words of the right sound, the right shape, the right rhythm. Words that last forever. That's what you do, Will. You choose perfect words. Do it. Improvise. "
The Doctor stepped back, joining the girls as Shakespeare took the stage. The man took a deep breath and then shouted: "Close up this din of hateful, dire decay, decomposition of your witches' plot. You thieve my brains, consider me your toy. My doting Doctor tells me I am not!"
The wind began to blow harsher, as though fighting back, and Shakespeare shouted: "Foul Carrionite spectres, cease your show! Between the points-"
He glanced at the Doctor for help and the Doctor supplied: "Seven six one three nine oh!"
"Seven six one three nine oh!" Shakespeare repeated. The wind crackled and he cried the final words: "Banished like a tinker's cuss, I say to thee…"
He glanced at the Doctor for help again, unable to think of a word. The Doctor mouthed blankly, and Teresa nudged Martha.
"Expelliarmus!" Martha shouted desperately, and Teresa shouted gleefully with the Doctor: "Expelliarmus!"
"Expelliarmus!" Shakespeare cried, and the Doctor crowed: "Good old JK!"
The Carrionites began to scream and they all disappeared as the red storm cloud began to spin in on itself. There was an almighty crash and from behind the stage came a whirlwind of papers, blown deep into the slowly dissipating storm cloud.
"Love's Labours Won." The Doctor commented. "There it goes."
They watched as the cloud finally disappeared in a flash of lightning, and they stood breathless with relief. Suddenly, someone in the audience started clapping, and soon the whole theatre was clapping, shouting and cheering. The Doctor quickly rushed off, and Teresa ran after him while Martha asked Shakespeare in disbelief: "They think it was all special effects?"
Teresa grabbed the Doctor's arm, and pointed up the stairs into an elevated audience booth. He quickly went up the way she indicated, and she followed arriving to see the crystal ball as expected. The Doctor grabbed it, holding it up and Teresa could see the Lilith and the other two Carrionites hissing and scratching at them from inside.
He clutched it grimly before turning to face Teresa once more as she commented: "Well, I think that was a job well done."
She grinned at him lightly and he smiled back.
"All in a day's work." He agreed lightly and she chuckled.
His smile turned gentle as the light appeared around her again. Teresa sighed but waved goodbye, for now anyways, as she called: "Tell Martha I said goodbye. And be nicer to her!"
"I'll try." He chuckled and Teresa smiled back. She then remembered his next adventure would take him back to New New York and Jack's death.
"Doctor-!" She tried to call in warning but she disappeared before she could finish.
As she reappeared, staggering and clutching her head in pain, Teresa shrugged it off. Hopefully she'd get to tell him before he got there.
"Terry?"
Teresa glanced up in surprise to see Amy, the redhead's face whitening as she saw the time-jumping blonde. Teresa blinked, unsure as to why Amy was looking so scared of her and why she'd almost squeaked her name in greeting.
"Um… hi?" She greeted and Amy's face, if possible, became even paler as she stared at Teresa with wide, frightened eyes.