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The golden light disappeared and there stood the Doctor, looking just as he had before. Brown suit and all.
Shaking his head, he grinned at us. "Now, then. Where were we?" He asked cheekily before darting over to the console.
Rose and Jack looked at him, shocked.
"I guess that wasn't supposed to happen." I muttered as Donna and Ginny slowly nodded in agreement.
"Definitely not." Ginny said, staring at the Doctor in awe as he ran around the console.
The Time Lord stopped and got down on his hands and knees before his severed hand in the jar. "There we go…" he said softly as it bubbled and glowed. He blew air onto it, and it calmed down – the glowing and bubbling stopping. Then he smiled, delighted. "You see?" He announced in a pointed tone as he sat up and beamed at all of us. "Used the regeneration energy to heal myself, but as soon as that was done, I didn't need to change. Why would I?" He stood up and fixed up his tie as a smug expression crossed his face. "Look at me!"
A joyful laugh escaped me, unable to help it. He scared me earlier. So, before I could stop myself, I threw myself at the Doctor and hugged him tight. I felt his chest rumble as he laughed and hugged me back just as tightly.
"Thank God, you're okay!" I exclaimed, gazing up at him, my eyes sparkling.
"Oh you know me, Scarlett! I'm always okay!" The Doctor laughed again and made the hug even tighter.
Keeping the hug up for a few more minutes, I broke it and gave him a serious look. "Don't scare me like that again, Sky-Guy, got it?"
He smiled down at me softly. "Got it, Scar." He surprised me by kissing my forehead gently. I closed my eyes at the feeling. We missed Rose glaring holes into our backs.
"So!" The Doctor went to continue as he stepped back from me and I stood back next to Donna and Ginny, my hands finding theirs. "To stop the energy going all the way, I siphoned off the rest into a handy bio-matching receptacle – namely, my hand. My hand, there. My handy spare hand." He grinned.
"Wow!" Ginny said in amazement and the Doctor looked over at her, emotion in his eyes. "That's brilliant! Nice thinking, Dad!"
"Ginny…" He whispered, going up to her, tears starting to form. "I can't believe that you're alive."
Ginny started to tear up too. "I know…but no stupid bullet is gonna get rid of me that easily." She tried to joke with a grin. "So, hate to break it to you, Dad, but you're stuck with me."
This got a laugh out of him. "Oh, I'm fine with that, Gin."
She giggled and hugged him. "Good!"
Rose couldn't keep her silence anymore. "Would someone explain to me what's going on?!" she snapped. "Who the hell is this?!"
I glared at her.
The anger took the Doctor by surprise as he broke the hug with Ginny, but kept an arm around her, to keep her close. "This is my daughter…Ginny."
My daughter gave Rose a fake smile. "Nice to finally meet the famous Rose Tyler." The Noble sarcasm couldn't be stopped when Ginny said this, and Rose glared at her.
"How is that even possible?! I thought you were the only Time Lord left and suddenly she appears!"
"Not his fault that you haven't been in the picture." I found myself biting out and Rose looked shocked for a moment before shaking out of it. Then she opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Jack.
"What are you talking about? What spare hand?" he asked, changing the subject.
The surprise of Rose's anger faded when Jack asked this as the Doctor spoke up. "It was Christmas Day with the Sycorax." He looked to Rose, smiling. "Remember that Rose? Lost my hand in a sword fight? That's my hand!" His enthusiasm made the angry look on Rose's face disappeared as she smiled.
"I remember."
He grinned. "What do you think?"
"And…you're still you."
He nodded, eyes twinkling. "I'm still me." With that, they threw their arms around each other, forgetting the tense moment from before.
-0-
"Are you alright, Mum?" Ginny asked me quietly as we gathered around the console. I was the only one who heard her.
I didn't look at her as I knew if I did, my eyes would give me away. "Yeah, of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" I questioned. I felt Ginny stare at me for a moment.
"I don't know…" she mumbled. "I thought with Rose being here…you'd be upset."
"No, I'm not. I'm happy for the Doctor. He finally got what he wanted. Rose back in his life." I smiled weakly as I stared at the Doctor and Rose, talking quietly to one another, smiling and beaming.
Ginny sighed. From the corner of my eye, I saw her open her mouth to say something, but the lights going out stopped her.
"Scarlett! Ginny!" I heard my sister call out and we managed to find her in the dark, grabbing tightly onto each other's hands.
The Doctor shuffled around the console, trying various buttons to try and turn back on the lights. "They've got us. Power's gone…some kind of chronon loop!"
Then, there was a loud crash and the TARDIS tilted dangerous off to the side.
"There's a massive Dalek ship at the center of the planets. They're calling it the Crucible. Guess that's our destination." Jack guessed as the Doctor managed to fix the TARDIS, so it was upright.
"You said these planets were like an engine." Donna said to the Doctor. "But what for?"
"Rose!" he suddenly exclaimed, turning towards her. "You've been in a parallel universe, that world's running ahead of this universe – you've seen the future, what was it?"
"It's the darkness." Rose said solemnly.
Donna nodded. "The stars were going out." She remembered.
That wasn't the only thing I remember.
"One by one. We looked up at the sky and they were just dying." Rose explained softly. "Basically, we've been building this…um…this time machine, this…uh…Dimension Cannon, so I could…well, so I could…" For some reason, she couldn't get the words out.
The Doctor raised his eyebrows at her. "What?"
"So I could come back!" He beamed and giggled as Rose rolled her eyes at him. "Oh shut up! Anyway, suddenly, it started to work. And the dimensions started to collapse…" The Doctor's smile faded. "Not just in our world - not just in yours - but the whole of reality, even the Void was dead. Something is... destroying everything.
"So, it's your fault this is happening." I blurted out.
"What?"
"If you weren't so desperate to get back here, back to the Doctor, this wouldn't even be happening!" The anger in my voice was clear.
"Scarlett…" The Doctor started to say.
"No!" I exclaimed angrily. "Don't stick up for her! She was in the wrong here! Weren't you the one who said parallel worlds were sealed off and you couldn't try and get back because it would break the fabric of reality and that's exactly what happening! How can you not be pissed off?! Has love blinded you that much?!"
"I…" He glanced at Rose nervously.
I shook my head and cut him off. "I don't even want to hear it. Do you know what your precious Rose did back in that parallel universe me and Donna were in? She sent Donna back in time to keep something from happening, not even caring if something happened to my sister! She just cared about was fixing everything just so she could get back to you, being a selfish little bitch!" My voice rose. "If I hadn't jumped in and went back with Donna, my sister would have died! Instead, I pushed her out of the way, killing myself in the process!"
The Doctor looked at Rose, shocked. "Is that true?"
"It…it wasn't like that!" she protested. "I just wanted to get back to you…and I didn't care what I had to do to get back here!" The last thing was just blurted out and she froze.
Those words made the Doctor shake his head in disbelief. "I can't believe you…" He sounded so disappointed and Rose bowed her head.
"In that parallel world…" Donna started, changing the subject…sort of. "…you said something about me."
Rose looked up, avoiding the Doctor's gaze completely. "The Dimension Cannon could measure timelines, and it's…weird, Donna, but they all seem to converge on you."
"But why me? I mean…what have I ever done? I'm a temp from Chiswick!"
The computer beeped and the Doctor looked at the screen, forgetting what he just learned for the time being but it wasn't forgotten. "The Dalek Crucible." He said quietly. "All aboard."
The TARDIS landed with a crash. It wasn't a big one, but it was enough to tousle us a bit.
"Doctor! You will step forth or die!" A Dalek exclaimed from outside of the TARDIS.
Watching the door, the Doctor spoke as he broke the silence that had come over everyone. "We'll have to get out. Cos if we don't, they'll get in."
Rose looked at him alarmed. "But you told me nothing could get through those doors.
"You've got extrapolator shielding."
The Doctor turned to Rose and Jack, gazing at them seriously. "Last time we fought the Daleks, they were scavengers and hybrids and mad. But this is a fully fledged Dalek Empire…at the height of its power. Experts at fighting TARDISes, they can do anything." Rose and Jack's eyes widened in fear. "Right now, that wooden door…is just wood.
Ginny came over to Jack, holding his hand. In response, he looked over at her. He stared at her for a moment before he grabbed a hold of her and held her tight, kissing the top of her head in a loving gesture.
Were they together or something?
The Doctor obviously thought so if the glare directed towards Jack and the sheepish look on the Captain's face was any indication.
Jack quickly looked away from the Doctor's glare and glanced over at Rose as he continued to hold onto Ginny. "What about your Dimension Jump?"
"It needs another twenty minutes, and anyway, I'm not leaving."
I rolled my eyes. "That's unfortunate." I muttered to myself, but Rose heard me and glared.
"What about your teleport?"
"Went down with the powerless."
Realizing that I hadn't heard Donna, I turned to my sister and found her staring into space, not paying attention to what was going on around her.
"Donna?" I called, concerned. She said nothing. "Donna? Doctor!" I got the Time Lord's attention and nodded towards my sister.
Immediately, he went over to her, concerned just like I was. "Donna?"
Same as with me, she had no reaction as she stared straight ahead, eyes moist and mouth open. Donna snapped out of it when the Doctor grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Donna."
My sister looked over at him. "Yeah?"
"I'm sorry, there's nothing else we can do."
She nodded. "I know."
He smiled sadly, then turned towards the door. I went up to her and placed my own hand on one of her shoulders.
"What was that?" I questioned her.
"I don't know…" she mumbled quietly. "I thought…I thought I heard something."
I frowned.
"Surrender Doctor, and face your Dalek masters."
"Crucible on maximum alert!"
"Daleks." Rose laughed nervously.
Jack laughed too. "Oh, god!"
The Doctor stared at all of us warmly. "It's been good, though, hasn't it?"
Hearing that line made me shake my head and I stepped forward. "Don't start, Sky-Guy. Everything's going to be okay…it always is…"
He met my gaze. "Of course it, but just in case…"
"Doctor…"
The Doctor gave me a soft smile. "All of us…all of it…everything we did…you were brilliant." He said to Donna, who nodded and smiled. Then to Jack, "And you were brilliant." Jack grinned in response as he turned to Rose and though he was disappointed in what she did, he still smiled at her warmly. "And you were brilliant." Rose smiled sadly and the Doctor turned to Ginny, his eyes warm and loving. "Ginny…I hate that we weren't able to spend more time together…"
"Dad…" she whispered, hating to see him like this. Already giving up before it was even over. I hated it too.
"But…you're going to brilliant."
Ginny smiled softly. "I already am…I am the Doctor's daughter, can't get even more brilliant than that."
He chuckled…then he left me for last.
The way he looked at me was different and I felt warm inside.
"Scarlett…it's been an honor to know you…" he told me. "You are definitely one of a kind…"
My eyes teared up. "Doctor…I…" If this was the end, I wanted to tell him…tell him how I felt…despite him being in love with him. I wanted him to know if this was going to be the last time I saw him. But…I couldn't get the words out.
I could feel Rose glaring at me, but I ignored it. I didn't get a damn if she was jealous.
The Doctor turned towards the door again with a resigned sigh. He pushed open the doors and stepped outside, followed by the rest of us, except for Donna, which I noticed.
"Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks! Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks!"
I stepped back inside. "Donna?" I called her name, but she didn't seem to hear me. "Donna?"
"Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks!"
"Donna!"
My sister heard me this time and she shook her head. "Sorry…" she muttered as she slowly started towards the door. I waited for her and I stared at her, seeing my sister looking distracted. I frowned. What was wrong with her?
"Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks! Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks!"
Geez, were they ever going to shut up? And no, they weren't because they kept on chanting, over and over again.
"Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks! Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks!"
Then, there was a different voice, but still a Dalek. "Behold Doctor. Behold the might of the true Daleks race."
Before she even made it to the door, Donna stopped and turned around. She started heading towards the console with her eyebrows furrowed.
"Donna? What's wrong?" I asked concerned as I followed my sister.
"I don't know…I don't know…" she mumbled distractedly.
"Donna! Scarlett!" I heard the Doctor call our names. "It's no safer in there."
I turned my head. "We'll be out in a minute!"
Once I turned to call this out, the doors slammed shut. My eyes widened.
"Donna!" I cried out her name, getting her attention. We both ran towards the doors.
"Doctor?!" Donna screamed as she banged on the doors while I rattled the handle, trying to get it open, but it wouldn't budge. "What've you done?!"
"It wasn't me! I didn't do anything!"
"Well we didn't do anything!" I exclaimed.
"Oi! Oi, we're not staying behind!" Donna screeched, still banging on the doors.
"What did you do?" The Doctor demanded.
"This is not Dalek origin."
Now, Donna and I were banging on the doors, yelling, "Doctor!"
"Stop it!" The Doctor shouted angrily. "They're my friends. Now, open the door and let them out!"
"This is Time Lord Treachery!"
"Me?! The door closed on its own!"
I rolled my eyes in exasperation. "Oh who cares, just get us out!"
"Nevertheless: the TARDIS is a weapon and must be destroyed!"
Donna and I looked over at each other, eyes wide at that.
What? NO!
Then all of the sudden, I could feel the TARDIS fall down and we stumbled around the TARDIS as we fell…down…down…down… As we fell, Donna and I held on tightly onto each other's hands. At least we were going down together and if we died, that was all I could ever ask for…
TBC...
In...
Journey's End, Part 2...
It will be the last one, for sure. It's going to emotional for me to end season four with what happens with Donna...it hurts I have to do this...not just for me but for Scarlett also. But it had to be done...
Anyway, tell me what you thought of the first part of this last episode of season four! :D
