"You can't do that. I wasn't." The Doctor said in complete shock. He checked the Tardis controls while Lily stared at the redheaded woman. "We're in flight. That is, that is physically impossible! How did-" He cried in complete confusion when the woman cut in sharply: "Tell me where I am. I demand you tell me right now where am I?"
She glared at the Doctor, who answered still staring at her in disbelief: "Inside the Tardis." "The what?" She asked, and the Doctor repeated: "The Tardis." "The what?" She asked again, and the Doctor yelled: "The Tardis!" The woman shrieked: "The what?"
"It's called the Tardis." The Doctor snapped and the woman snapped back: "That's not even a proper word. You're just saying things." "It really is called the Tardis." Lily chimed in, finally getting over the fact that a bride had just appeared in the middle of the Tardis while they were flying around a supernova. The woman looked at her in complete disbelief while the Doctor demanded: "How did you get in here?"
The woman scoffed: "Well, obviously, when you kidnapped me. Who was it? Who's paying you? Is it Nerys?" She fired questions at them, and the Doctor and Lily looked at each other in confusion while the woman spat: "Oh my God, she's finally got me back. This has got Nerys written all over it." "Who the hell is Nerys?" The Doctor asked, scratching the back of his neck in frustration and confusion. He really didn't like it when he didn't know something.
"Your best friend." The woman retorted at them. "Hold on, wait a minute. What are you dressed like that for?" The Doctor asked her as he looked her up and down. Lily rolled her eyes. The woman seemed to think it a dumb question too, as she said sarcastically: "I'm going ten pin bowling. Why do you think, dumbo?" She yelled suddenly at the Doctor who backed away in fear of the angry woman spitting before him.
"I was halfway up the aisle! I've been waiting all my life for this." The woman cried, and the Doctor began to twirl at the knobs on the Tardis trying to figure out what had happened while the woman continued to whine: "I was just seconds away, and then you, I don't know, you drugged me or something!"
"I haven't done anything!" The Doctor retorted, and Lily sighed. The woman marched up to the Doctor while Lily stood back and watched. The woman snapped: "I'm having the police on you! Me and my husband, as soon as he is my husband, we're going to sue the living backside off you!" She yelled at the Doctor, who was looking extremely annoyed by this point.
Lily saw the woman look past the Doctor, and turned to see the woman had seen the Tardis doors. Lily's eyes widened and she looked back to see the woman running towards the doors. "Wait, you don't want to do that!" Lily yelled at her, and the Doctor turned to see what was happening.
"No, wait a minute." He yelled at the woman. "Wait a minute. Don't!" It was too late as the woman opened the doors. She stopped and stared out into the gaseous nebula that was all that was left of the supernova. She seemed to have frozen by the doors. The Doctor sighed, and walked towards the woman, saying gently: "You're in space. Outer space. This is my space ship. It's called the Tardis."
"How am I breathing?" The woman asked as the Doctor stood by her shoulder. The Doctor answered calmly: "The Tardis is protecting us." The woman turned to him, demanding: "Who are you?" "I'm the Doctor. You?" The Doctor asked her, and she replied: "Donna." "Human?" The Doctor asked as he looked her up and down with a raised eyebrow, and Donna muttered: "Yeah."
She paused, then seemed to realize the strange question as she asked: "Is that optional?" The Doctor shrugged and muttered: "Well, it is for me." Donna looked him up and down, and then murmured in realization: "You're an alien." Lily's eyebrows raised- this woman seemed to be taking everything in relatively well. "Yeah." The Doctor replied, and Donna glanced back at Lily.
"Is she alien, too?" Donna asked, and Lily shook her head as the Doctor replied simply: "No." They stood in silence for a while, before Donna said suddenly: "It's freezing with these doors open." Lily saw the Doctor glance at the woman before slamming the Tardis doors shut.
He ran back to the console, muttering: "I don't understand that and I understand everything. This, this can't happen!" He turned abruptly to face Donna and stared at her as he tried to work it out. "There is no way a human being can lock itself onto the Tardis and transport itself inside. It must be-"
He broke off to grab an ophthalmoscope, getting right in Donna's face to look deep into the woman's eyes. Lily cringed as she saw Donna's affronted look, steadily morphing into anger and annoyance, while the Doctor murmured as he looked the woman up and down: "Impossible. Some sort of subatomic connection? Something in the temporal field? Maybe something pulling you into alignment with the Chronon shell. Maybe something macro mining your DNA within the interior matrix. Maybe a genetic-"
Donna slapped him hard across the face. Lily winced while the Doctor turned to look at Donna in complete disbelief. "What was that for?" He demanded, and Donna yelled: "Get me to the church!" The Doctor cringed, and ran back to the console saying in an annoyed voice: "Right! Fine! I don't want you here anyway! Where is this wedding?"
He began to twirl dials as Donna rattled off: "Saint Mary's, Hayden Road, Chiswick, London, England, Earth, the Solar System." She suddenly spotted Lily, remembering her again. "I knew it, acting all innocent." Donna declared and the Doctor looked up to see Donna marching up to Lily, who was looking alarmed. "What, did he kidnap you, too?" She demanded, before turning to the Doctor. "She's basically a girl, shame on you!"
The Doctor looked incredibly insulted and Lily hastily said: "Er, no, I-" Donna's eyes narrowed as she also spotted a blouse that was hanging over a railing behind Lily. "Ah ha!" She shouted, interrupting Lily as she ran to grab it. Lily's heart sank as she recognized it.
"This doesn't look like hers," Donna looked pointedly at Lily, "so, who's the poor girl you abducted before her and me? How many women have you kidnapped?" She asked the Doctor sharply. Lily's heart ached as she stared at the purple shirt Donna had clutched in her hand, and she saw the Doctor's face fall.
"That's our friend's." He answered quietly, and Donne looked at Lily, who nodded sadly. Donna scoffed as she turned back to the Doctor and said sarcastically: "So, another 'friend'? Where is she, then? Popped out for a space walk?"
Lily swallowed, while the Doctor answered sadly: "She's gone." "Gone where?" Donna demanded and the Doctor averted his gaze, looking down as he mumbled: "I lost her."
"Well, you can hurry up and lose me!" Donna shouted angrily, but then she paused. She took in the Doctor's sad countenance and glanced behind her to the brunette girl, but Lily's head was also bowed. She looked between the two, before she asked in a kinder voice: "How do you mean, lost?"
The Doctor lifted his eyes to glare at Donna darkly. He took Rose's blouse from her, throwing it through the doorway that lead to Rose's old room. "Right, Chiswick." He declared in a harsh tone, and Lily lifted her head. Donna glanced at the girl, but taking in her mournful air, she refrained from speaking to the girl whose hazel eyes spoke of fresh grief.
The Tardis landed, and Donna stepped out in a rush. The Doctor sighed in irritation before following, Lily silently behind him. As she stepped out, she heard Donna bite out through grit teeth: "I said, Saint Mary's. What sort of Martian are you?" Lily looked around to see they were surrounded by tall buildings. She glanced at the Doctor, but he was busy examining the Tardis, stroking her worriedly.
"Where's this?" Donna demanded but the Doctor murmured, ignoring Donna: "Something's wrong with her." Donna rolled her eyes, and Lily paused to glance worriedly at the Tardis. "The Tardis, it's like she's…" The Doctor broke off, running back inside and Lily could hear him yelling: "Recalibrating! She's digesting."
Lily stood in the doorway, watching Donna with some amusement as the woman stared at the outside of the Tardis. Lily could still hear the Doctor as he cooed at the Tardis: "What is it? What have you eaten? What's wrong?" He then remembered the redhead and shouted: "Donna?"
But Lily could see the woman wasn't listening as she examined the blue box with shock. "You've really got to think. Is there anything that might've caused this?" The Doctor continued from inside while Donna began to circle the Tardis. Lily's lips quirked up in a small smile as the Doctor continued, unaware: "Anything you might've done? Any sort of alien contacts? I can't let you go wandering off."
Donna had disappeared behind the Tardis as she circled, and Lily's smile widened. The Doctor continued oblivious: "What if you're dangerous. I mean, have you, have you seen lights in the sky, or did you touch something like something," Donna returned to Lily and the girl jerked her head inside. The two women stepped back in as the Doctor continued: "something different, something strange?"
Donna stopped at the door, peering in and staring at the immense space inside the blue police box. The Doctor was circling the Tardis console, completely ignorant of the woman's shock as he mused: "Or something made out of a, box of metal or. Who're you getting married to? Are you sure he's human?"
Lily watched anxiously as Donna stepped back out, hands clasped in front of her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. The Doctor was saying: "He's not a bit overweight with a zip around his forehead, is he?" Lily saw Donna back away further from the Tardis, looking alarmed. She was clearly not coping with what she was seeing. "Doctor." Lily called softly, and he looked up to see Lily stepping out of the Tardis in concern. He spied Donna around Lily's slight frame, turning away from the Tardis.
"Donna!" He yelled, and ran out the door, following the woman. Lily was already walking beside the shaken woman, concerned as Donna strode away. The Doctor arrived, and said beseechingly: "Donna-" "Leave me alone. I just want to get married." Donna replied, not glancing at the man as she walked off quickly.
"Come back to the Tardis." The Doctor demanded and Donna answered, freaked out: "No way. That box is too weird." The Doctor tried to console her, saying: "It's bigger on the inside, that's all." Donna looked at him incredulously while Lily winced. "Oh! That's all?" Donna said sarcastically.
"Donna, please, he can help you." Lily said softly. The woman looked at her, and Lily added comfortingly: "I know it's a lot to take in, trust me, I know, I was there once, but we can help you. What time is your wedding?" Lily tried to soothe the woman. Donna took a deep breath, glancing at her watch.
"Ten past three." She sighed, and Lily rubbed her shoulders soothingly. "I'm going to miss it." Lily opened her mouth to reply when the Doctor interjected, trying to be helpful: "You can phone them. Tell them where you are." "How do I do that?" Donna sighed, and the Doctor asked: "Haven't you got a mobile?"
"Doctor." Lily groaned while Donna finally stopped walking. She turned to glare at the Doctor, snapping: "I'm in my wedding dress. It doesn't have pockets. Who has pockets? Have you ever seen a bride with pockets?" The Doctor realized his mistake and sheepishly scratched the back of his head as Donna became increasingly agitated, snapping: "When I went to my fitting at Chez Alison, the one thing I forgot to say is give me pockets!"
Lily rubbed the woman's shoulders gently, trying to calm her down as she breathed heavily after shouting at the Doctor. The Doctor bit his lip and pursed them before he asked carefully: "This man you're marrying. What's his name?" "Lance." Donna said lovingly, and Lily grinned at the woman's immediately love-struck expression.
The Doctor cocked his head and glanced to the sky as he said: "Good luck, Lance." Lily dropped her head in her hands, giving up, as Donna yelled: "No stupid Martian is going to stop me from getting married. To hell with you!" And with that, Donna turned and ran off.
Lily looked at the Doctor reproachfully, raising her eyebrow in disbelief. He opened and closed his mouth several times, before finally saying: "I'm, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not from Mars." Lily looked at him. "Really? That's all you've got?" She asked, and he frowned at her. "Come on." He sighed, and they ran after the furious redhead.
They caught up to her in the street just as Donna yelled: "Taxi!" The taxi ignored her, driving past. "Why's his light on?" Donna complained as the Doctor pointed out another one: "There's another one!" The three ran after it as Donna yelled: "Taxi!"
This one also drove past, and Donna yelled: "Oi!" The Doctor shouted: "There's one!" And they tried to stop it, but this one also drove straight past. "Oi!" Donna yelled at it, Lily gasping for breath. The Doctor turned to her in annoyance. "Do you have this effect on everyone? Why aren't they stopping?" He asked, as they caught their breath.
"They think I'm in fancy dress." Donna muttered in realization, and a driver chose that moment to yell at her: "Stay off the sauce, darling!" The driver mimed drinking. "They think I'm drunk." Donna said infuriated while Lily and the Doctor exchanged looks.
Two men in another car yelled at her as they drove past: "You're fooling no one, mate!" Lily frowned at the rude men. "They think I'm in drag!" Donna said in exasperation and the Doctor appraised her. "Hold on, hold on." He sighed before he whistled loudly. Lily winced as it pierced her ears, but it worked. A taxi did a U-turn and drove up to them.
Donna climbed in excitedly, the Doctor and Lily coming in behind her as she rattled off: "Saint Mary's in Chiswick, just off Hayden Road. It's an emergency. I'm getting married. Just hurry up!" She demanded and the driver looked back at her.
"You know it'll cost you, sweetheart? Double rates today." The driver said and Lily frowned, wondering what day it was. Donna cried: "Oh, my God. Have you got any money?" She looked at the Doctor, who hesitated. "Er, no. Haven't you?" Donna scoffed before shouting in exasperation as she gestured to her dress: "Pockets!"
The Doctor slammed the taxi door as they stood back on the street. "And that goes double for your mother!" Donna yelled at the driver as he drove away. Lily groaned, rubbing her temples as Donna continued to complain: "I'll have him. I've got his number. I'll have him. Talk about the Christmas spirit."
The Doctor stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking around. He and Lily only then realized that the stores were indeed decorated for the festive holiday. "Is it Christmas?" The Doctor asked in amazement, and Donna snapped: "Well, duh. Maybe not on Mars, but here it's Christmas Eve. Phone box!" She shouted, spotting one down the street.
The Doctor ran after her while Lily sighed before following. "We can reverse the charges!" Donna said gleefully while the Doctor asked, confused: "How come you're getting married on Christmas Eve?" "Can't bear it." Donna replied. Lily stared at the woman as she continued: "I hate Christmas. Honeymoon, Morocco. Sunshine, lovely."
They stopped at the booth, the Doctor holding the door for Donna. She rushed in, and then turned blankly to them. "What's the operator? I've not done this in years. What do you dial? 100?" She asked. Lily sighed in exasperation while the Doctor pointed his sonic at it as he said in annoyance: "Just call the direct."
"What did you do?" Donna asked as she watched his retracting hand, and the Doctor replied in frustration as he pocketed his sonic: "Something... Martian. Now phone. I'll get money!" He ran off towards the cash machine, and Lily glanced to see he had to join a queue.
"Oh, answer the phone!" Donna yelled from inside the phone booth, and Lily squeezed her eyes shut. This was all too much- she was exhausted from what had happened with Rose, and to be dealing with Donna's sarcasm and spiteful comments was draining what little energy she had left.
"Mum," Donna said finally, and Lily looked up but it seemed she'd reached voicemail, "get off the phone and listen. I'm in- Oh, my God, I don't know where I am! It's a street, and there's WH Smith but it's definitely Earth." Lily gave up on the woman right then. What a thing to say. She looked around, and then paused.
Lily's blood ran cold as she saw Santas in masks playing on brass instruments across the street. She stepped forward, staring at them in horror, when she heard Donna shouting: "Taxi!" She turned in alarm, and saw Donna getting into a cab a little ways down- where she'd gotten money, Lily had no idea, but now she was very much concerned for the woman's safety.
Donna turned to yell at the Doctor who'd appeared back in the center of the street. "Thanks for nothing, spaceman! And your girlfriend!" She yelled at them as the Doctor stopped by Lily, staring at Donna. "I'll see you in Court." She finished, as she slammed the cab door shut.
Lily's heart stopped as she saw the driver- it was another Santa. "Donna!" She gasped, and the Doctor yelled, having seen the same thing: "Donna!" The cab drove away, taking Donna, and the Doctor turned sharply to the Santas that had been playing the instruments behind them.
Lily also turned, and gasped as the Santas turned their instruments, pointing them at her and the Doctor like guns. "Doctor!" She cried, and the Doctor quickly pointed his sonic at the ATM he'd extracted money from, and money began to pour out, flying into the street. He grabbed Lily's hand, running away as people converged to grab at the money.
They ran to the Tardis, the Doctor letting go of Lily's hand to unlock the door. They rushed inside, the Doctor starting the Tardis immediately. "What are we going to do?" Lily asked, and he replied as the Tardis took off: "We're going to have to follow her! Lily, read her coordinates for me!"
Lily ran to check the map the Tardis was showing her on the monitor, and the Doctor flew the Tardis in the direction she told him. Suddenly the Tardis sparked, causing Lily to duck and the Doctor smashed a hammer on the console. "Behave!" He scolded, while Lily yelled indignantly: "Doctor!" She touched the Tardis, rubbing it soothingly and he rolled his eyes.
"Now you take her side?" He asked, and Lily shrugged. "I like her! So don't bully her!" The Doctor opened his mouth to retort, but they were jerked sideways as the Tardis hit something. Lily screamed as she lurched around, gripping the Tardis console while the Doctor fought to fly the Tardis straight. Lily saw they were on the highway, flying after Donna and the taxi, except the Tardis was still spinning as it tried to get its bearings, whacking into the road and several cars around them.
"Help me!" The Doctor yelled as he began to tie a piece of string around the control lever. Lily ran over, helping him knot the string to hold the lever in place. They finally stopped spinning, and Lily kept a firm hold on the console as the Doctor rushed to the Tardis doors. "Lily, stay there and make sure that lever doesn't move!" He yelled, before he wrenched open the doors.
Lily hung on tight as the Doctor yelled at Donna: "Open the door!" Lily saw Donna over the Doctor's shoulder, trapped in the taxi. "Open the door!" The Doctor yelled again, and Lily watched Donna try, but it was locked. The Doctor reached for his sonic and pointed it at the taxi. Lily saw the lever creak, and wrenched it, holding it in place as she watched the Doctor and Donna.
Donna had opened the window and she yelled: "Santa's a robot." "Donna, open the door." The Doctor yelled at her, and she shouted back: "What for?" "You've got to jump!" The Doctor shouted at her, and Donna screamed at him: "I'm not blinking flip jumping. I'm supposed to be getting married!" The taxi suddenly sped up, away from them, and Lily saw Donna disappear.
The Doctor turned to her. "Lily, pull the lever next to the control lever!" He shouted, and Lily reached out to tug on it. The whole console sparked, and Lily shrieked, ducking and gripping the console as the Tardis bounced along. She jerked a little as the Tardis hit something, and then sped forwards a little. She saw Donna reappear as they bounced on the road again.
"Doctor!" She yelled, and the Doctor pointed his sonic out at the cab. He then yelled at Donna: "Listen to me. You've got to jump." "I'm not jumping on a motorway." Donna shouted at him, and the Doctor yelled: "Whatever that thing is, it needs you. And whatever it needs you for, it's not good! Now, come on!" Lily screamed as more sparks flew from the Tardis console- the Tardis was not happy with being kept in place.
"I'm in my wedding dress!" Donna shouted at the Doctor, and he said in exasperation: "Yes, you look lovely! Come on!" Donna hesitated and Lily screamed from her spot: "Donna, hurry!" She saw Donna open the door, and the Doctor reached out for her with both hands, jamming his leg up on the Tardis doorway to steady himself. The adrenaline pumped through Lily as she watched anxiously, praying the Doctor didn't fall out of the Tardis.
Donna hesitated. "I can't do it." She said, terrified, and the Doctor whispered as he stared at her desperately: "Trust me." "Is that what you said to her?" Donna yelled and Lily's heart stopped. Donna continued: "Your friend? The one you lost? Did she trust you?" The Doctor replied with tears shining in his eyes: "Yes, she did. And she is not dead. She is so alive." Donna hesitated.
"And you, you, girl!" She yelled, looking past the Doctor's shoulder at Lily. The Doctor also glanced back while Lily looked at them, her knuckles white from gripping the lever to steady the Tardis. "Do you trust him?" Donna yelled and Lily shouted back without a moment's hesitation: "With my life! Now, Donna, trust him!"
Donna looked back at the Doctor, and he nodded encouragingly. "Now, jump!" He yelled, and Donna launched herself out of the cab. The Doctor caught her and they fell backwards into the Tardis. He kicked the Tardis doors shut as he lay on his back, while Donna stared down at his face. "Lily, let go!" He yelled and Lily released the lever at last as the console began to smoke.
The Tardis spun off freely as Donna clambered off the Doctor. He leapt up, rushing to check on Lily. "Are you okay?" He demanded and she nodded. The Doctor hugged her briefly before rushing around the console, trying to take the Tardis down to a safe landing.