The Best of Times
The Next Doctor
The Doctor stood outside the changing area of the TARDIS wardrobe, waiting for Gazelle to finish getting changed. After she'd finished crying over the loss of Donna, they'd both retreated to their bedroom so Gazelle could sleep off the rest of her regeneration cycle. Now fully rejuvenated, she was picking out a new outfit for herself.
Soon, the curtain was pulled aside and Gazelle stepped out. "What d'ya think?" she asked, gesturing to her outfit. She was wearing a burgundy leather jacket, a black Van Halen t-shirt, TARDIS blue skinny jeans and black converse. She'd kept her previous incarnation's wristwatch, gazelle necklace and bracelet, while her hair was left down and free, just as the Doctor liked it.
"Perfect." the Doctor told her, stepping closer and gently brushing a few strands of hair behind her ear "You look gorgeous, Remii. Like you always do" he gave her a small kiss on the cheek. She smiled back slightly, though the Doctor knew she was still upset over Donna. "C'mon." he encouraged "How 'bout a nice trip somewhere to show off ya new look?"
"Might as well." Gazelle shrugged "Got nothing better to do."
One quick through the Time Vortex later, and the TARDIS materialised under a bridge in the snow. The Doctor poked his head out the door and smiled at the snow "Real snow." he laughed
"What is your obsession with snow?" Gazelle asked from where she was doing an environment check at the monitor
"It's pretty." the Doctor replied
"Pretty to look at. Not so much to walk in." Gazelle countered, activating her perception filter and joining her husband at the door. The Doctor took her hand and they stepped out to find themselves in a Victorian marketplace. The stalls were decked with green and red ribbons, chestnuts were being roasted on open fires and they could hear carollers in the distance. "Donna would've loved this." Gazelle sighed
"She would." the Doctor replied, squeezing her hand to comfort her "I wonder what the date is." he remarked, eyeing their surroundings. They'd set the controls to random, so he didn't know what their destination had been. He could tell they were in London at Christmas time in the 19th century, but other than that...
"24th of December 1851." Gazelle told him, having read the date on the monitor.
"Right." the Doctor nodded, glad that they didn't have to worry about running into Queen Victoria, given that she'd banished the Doctor after they'd last met the monarch "Nice year. Bit dull."
"It's not so bad." Gazelle retorted "They had the great exhibition this year."
"Well, yeah." the Doctor shrugged "Not as good as the 1924 Wembley exhibition, though."
"You're only saying that cos' Flying Scotsman was there." Gazelle shook her head at him, remembering when their previous incarnations had taken Rose there.
The Time Lords' little banter was interrupted suddenly by a woman shouting in the distance "Doctor!"
"Who, me?" the Doctor blinked, looking around for the source of the voice, who called out again
"This way." Gazelle said, taking her husband's hand and leading him off in the direction of the shouting, taking advantage of her new longer legs.
They sprinted into an alleyway between some warehouses where they saw a black woman nervously backing away from the bolted doors of one of the warehouses "Doctor!" the woman yelled
"Don't worry, don't worry." the Doctor said as they reached her "Stand back. What've we got 'ere? Oh." they all heard a growling coming from behind the doors, which began to rattle, meaning that something was trying to break through them.
"Ok, whatever's in there doesn't sound friendly." Gazelle said to the woman "You'd better out of here."
"Doctor!" the woman called, ignoring her
"No, I'm standin' right 'ere." the Doctor said "Hello!" he waved cheekily
"Don't be so stupid!" the woman said, eyeing him "Who are you?"
"I'm the Doctor."
"Doctor who?"
"Just the Doctor." Gazelle said "And I'm..."
"Well, there can't be two of ya!" the woman cut in, talking to the Doctor. Just then, a man in period costume came running up "Where the 'ell 'ave you been?!" the woman said to him
"Don't worry." the man said "Stand back. What've we got here, then?"
"Hold on, 'old on." the Doctor frowned, eyeing the man "Who're you?"
"I'm the Doctor. Simply the Doctor. The one, the only, and the best." the man said proudly "Rosita, give me the sonic screwdriver." he held out his hand and Rosita handed him something too quickly for either the Doctor or Gazelle to see it clearly
"What?" the Doctor stared, confused
"Now quickly, get back to the TARDIS." the Other Doctor told Rosita
"Back to the what?" the Doctor blinked, even more confused
"Stand back, sir, ma'am." the Other Doctor addressed the Time Lords "This is the job for a Time Lord."
"Job for a what lord?" the Doctor questioned, just before the doors burst open and a creature with shaggy black fur and a bronze mask resembling a Cyberman's helmet where it's face should be "Oh, that's different." the Doctor said, reaching for his own sonic screwdriver
"Oh, that's new." the Other Doctor agreed and they both aimed their screwdrivers at the creature.
"Allons-y!" both Doctors said together, only to realise what they'd both said and looked at each other
"I've been hunting this beast for a good fortnight." the Other Doctor explained "Now step back, sir."
The creature lept over the four of them and began to climb the wall of the opposite warehouse. "Some sort of primitive conversion." the Doctor mused as he watched it "Like they've taken the brain of a cat or a dog."
"Must be a Cyber-shade." Gazelle agreed
"Well talking's very well." the Other Doctor cut in "Rosita?"
"I'm ready." Rosita replied, handing him a rope, which he then swung over his head like a lasso
"Now watch and learn!" he tossed the lasso at the Cyber-shade, wrapping it around the creature's middle "Excellent." the Other Doctor grinned "Now then, let's pull this timorous beastie down to Earth." he began to pull on the rope, but the Cyber-shade began to climb up the wall, taking the Other Doctor with it
"Or not." Gazelle muttered
"I might be in a little bit of trouble." the Other Doctor called down
"Nothing new there then." the Doctor remarked "Hold on, I've got you." he grabbed the rope, only to be pulled up himself
"You idiots!" Rosita yelled at them
"Surprise, surprise." Gazelle said wryly "Looks like it's up to us, then."
"Perhaps if you could pull?" the Other Doctor called down
"I am pullin'!" the Doctor retorted "In this position, I couldn't not pull, could I?"
The Cyber-shade climbed through an open window on the warehouse's top floor, taking the two Doctors with it. The Cyber-shade stopped once inside to look at it's surroundings "Then I'd suggest you let go, sir." the Other Doctor advised
"I'm not lettin' you outta my sight." the Doctor retorted "Don't ya recognise me? Or Gazelle, what about her?"
"No, should I?" the Other Doctor shot back "Have we met? This is hardly the right time for me to go through my social calendar!"
The Cyber-shade began to sprint across the floor, taking the two Doctors with it. "It's gonna jump!" the Doctor realised, seeing that the Cyber-shade was heading for a window on the other side of the room
"We're gonna fall!" the Other Doctor agreed, trying to free himself, but the rope was knotted around his hand.
Then, Rosita and Gazelle burst into the room, both carrying axes. They swung them down on the rope, severing it in two places, freeing the two Doctors. They both jerked to a stop and began laughing.
The two Doctors were still laughing as the quartet made their way down the stairs outside the building. Gazelle just shook her head at them, while Rosita was cross "Well, I'm glad you fink it's so funny!" she scolded both men "You're mad. Both of ya! You could've got killed!"
"But evidently, we did not." the Other Doctor sniggered, then sobered up "Oh, I should introduce Rosita, my faithful companion. Always telling me off."
"That's what companions are for." Gazelle muttered, remembering Donna
"Rosita?" the Doctor turned to the woman "Good name. Hello, Rosita."
Rosita nodded then turned to her Doctor "Now I'll 'ave to go an' dismantle the traps." she grumbled "All that for nothing. And we've only got 20 minutes to the funeral!" she began to walk away "Then back to the TARDIS, right?"
"Funeral?" Gazelle questioned
"Oh, long story." the Other Doctor replied "Not my own, not yet." he panted "Ooh, I'm not as young as I was."
"Well, not as young as you were when you were me." the Doctor remarked
"When I was who?" the Other Doctor frowned, confused
"You really don't recognise me?" the Doctor questioned "Either of us?" he gestured between himself and Gazelle
"Not at all."
"But you're the Doctor. The next Doctor, or the next-but-one, but a future Doctor anyway. No, no, no, don't tell me 'ow it 'appened. Although... I 'ope I don't just trip over a brick. That'd be embarrasing. Then again, painless. Worse ways to go, depends on the brick. Do I trip over a brick?"
The Other Doctor eyed him oddly "You're gabbling sir. Now, might I ask who are you and your lovely lady friend exactly?"
"Kelci Smith." Gazelle answered hastily, extending her hand "And this is my husband, John."
"That's me." the Doctor said as Gazelle and the Other Doctor shook hands "We've 'eard all about you, Doctor. Bit of a legend if I say so myself."
"Modesty forbids me to agree with you, sir. But yes I am." the Other Doctor said not so modestly
"And a legend that's missing a fair few memories." Gazelle remarked
"How d'you know that?" the Other Doctor questioned
"You've forgotten us." the Doctor told him "Tell me, what d'ya know of Gazelle?"
"You know of her?" the Other Doctor asked
"Yes." Gazelle replied, tucking her necklace inside her t-shirt as a precaution "But what do you know of her?"
"My darling wife." the Other Doctor sighed sadly "Taken from me."
"How?" the Doctor asked, somewhat alarmed at the prospect of loosing her. They'd only been married for a month and she'd already regenerated. He was hoping that they'd able to spend more time together as husband and wife
"I can't remember." the Other Doctor frowned "Great swathes of my life have been stolen away. When I turn my mind to the past, there's nothing."
"Going how far back?"
"Since the Cybermen. Masters of that hellish wall-scuttler and old enemies of mine, now at work in London town. You won't believe this, Mr & Mrs Smith, but they are creatures from another world."
"Really?" the Doctor raised an eyebrow, trying to play the part of a surprised Human "Wow."
"It's said they fell onto London, out of the sky in a blaze of light. And they found me." the Other Doctor said, looking at a brazier as if reliving the encounter "Something was taken and something was lost." he looked up at the Time Lords "What was I like, in the past?"
"I don't fink we should say." the Doctor said cautiously "Sorry. Gotta be careful wiv memory loss. One wrong word..."
"It's strange, though." the Other Doctor looked at them curiously "I talk of Cybermen from the stars and neither of you blink."
"Ah, don't blink." the Doctor grinned "Remember that? 'Whatever you do, don't blink'. The blinkin' an' the statues? Sally an' the Angels? No?"
"You're a very odd man." the Other Doctor remarked
"Oh, he's heard that before." Gazelle quipped, patting her husband's arm
"And you, Mrs Smith." the Other Doctor turned to her "You seem troubled, like you're carrying an enormous burden on your shoulders."
"I suppose I am." Gazelle sighed "But more to the point, there's something very wrong here."
"Oh, the funeral!" the Other Doctor exclaimed suddenly "The funeral's at two o'clock. It's been a pleasure, Mr & Mrs Smith. Don't breathe a word of it.
"Can't we come wiv you?" the Doctor asked
"It's far too dangerous. Rest assured, I shall keep this city safe." the Other Doctor said and dashed off round the corner, only to pop back "Oh, and, er, merry Christmas Mr & Mrs Smith!" and he dashed off again
"Merry Christmas, Doctor." the Doctor called after him, then his smile dropped
"I don't think he's you, Theta." Gazelle told him
"How d'ya know?" the Doctor asked her
"I felt his pulse when we shook hands. His pulse rate is that of a Human."
"Could be the chameleon arch." the Doctor pondered "But why would I turn myself Human, but continue to call myself the Doctor? Fancy doin' a bit of investigatin', Remii?" he asked Gazelle
"I think we'd better." she replied "Especially if there's Cybermen poking around London." and hand-in-hand they went off in the direction the Other Doctor had gone.
Meanwhile, the Other Doctor and Rosita were crouching behind some crates watching a funeral procession pass by "The late Reverend Fairchild, leaving his residence for the last time." the Other Doctor murmured "God rest his soul. Now, with the house empty, I shall affect an entrance at the rear, while you go back to the TARDIS." he turned to Rosita "This is hardly work for a woman."
"Oh, don't mind me savin' ya life!" Rosita huffed "That's work for a woman, isn't it?"
"The Doctor's companion does what the Doctor says." the Other Doctor said firmly "Off you go." he nudged her one way while he went towards the house the funeral procession had left. He reached the back door and started picking the lock with his screwdriver when the door was opened to reveal the Doctor and Gazelle standing there
"Hello!" the Doctor grinned in his usual cheeky way
"How did you two get in?" the Other Doctor quizzed them
"Front door." Gazelle told him "My husband's good at locks." she noticed the object in the Other Doctor's hand "That ya sonic screwdriver?"
"Yeah." he held up an ordinary screwdriver "I'd be lost without it."
"But, that's a screwdriver." the Doctor remarked "How is it sonic?"
"Well, er, it makes a noise." he tapped his screwdriver against the doorframe "That's sonic, isn't it? Now, since we're acting like common burglars, I suggest we get out of plain view." he pushed past them and entered the house. The Time Lords followed him upstairs and watched as he started rifling through a chest of drawers "You two should make your escape." the Other Doctor told them "I have work to do."
"Oh, can't we stay?" the Doctor asked, playing the role of a curious Human "We could be your companions. So, what're we lookin' for, Doctor?"
"Signs of alien infiltration." the Other Doctor replied
"Ooh, good." the Doctor nodded. Gazelle just rolled her eyes at him.
Finding nothing in the drawers, they moved into a library "So, what exactly is this investigation of yours?" Gazelle asked
"It started with a murder." the Other Doctor replied, searching the drawers
"Oh, good." the Doctor nodded, earning himself a kick in the shin from Gazelle "Ow! I mean bad, but whose?"
"Mr Jackson Lake, a teacher of mathematics from Sussex." the Other Doctor replied "Came to London three weeks ago, and died a terrible death."
"The Cybermen?"
"It's hard to say. His body was never found, but then it started. More secret murders, then abductions. Children... stolen away in silence." Gazelle felt a pang in the hearts at that. She was appalled that someone would be as cruel as to abduct children.
"So who's house is this?"
"The latest murder." the Other Doctor replied, moving to search a bookcase "The Reverend Aubrey Fairchild. Found with burns to his forehead, like some advanced form of electrocution."
"But who was 'e? Was 'e important?"
"You ask a lot of questions." the Other Doctor eyed them both
"That's what companions do." Gazelle shrugged
"The Reverend was the pillar of the community." the Other Doctor explained "Member of many parish boards, a keen advocate of children's charities."
"Children again?" Gazelle frowned
"He was famously good to them." the Other Doctor replied "He disciplined them, birched them, sent them to the workhouse.
"Charming." Gazelle grunted. She did not approve of the attitude towards children during this period
"But why would the Cybermen want 'em dead?" the Doctor wandered "An' what's 'is connection to the first death, this Jackson Lake?"
"It's funny, I seem to be telling you both everything." the Other Doctor remarked "As though you endeared some sort of trust. You seem familiar, Mr Smith. I know your face, but how?"
"I wonder." the Doctor noticed something "I can't 'elp noticing you're wearin' a fob watch."
"Is that important?" the Other Doctor asked, looking down at the fob watch on his waistcoat
"Legend 'as it that the memories of a Time Lord can be contained in a watch." the Doctor replied "Do ya mind?" he held out his hand and the Other Doctor handed him the watch "It's said that if it's opened..." he opened the watch only for cogs and springs to fall out "Oh, maybe not."
"It's more for decoration." the Other Doctor told him
"Yeah." the Doctor mumbled. So much for the chameleon arch. "Anyway, alien infiltration?"
"Look for anything different, possibly metal." the Other Doctor instructed as the trio began rummaging through the room "Anything that doesn't belong, perhaps a mechanical device that could fit no earthly engine."
The Doctor took out his sonic and began scanning the room, the sonic homing in on a desk. "It could even be organic." the Other Doctor continued "But unlike any organism of the natural world. Shh! What's that noise?"
The Doctor hastily stopped sonicing and slipped it back in his pocket "Oh, it's just... me whistlin..." he did a feeble attempt at impersonating the sonic's buzzing. "I wonder what's in 'ere, though?" he gestured to the desk
"Let's find out." Gazelle said, opening the desk and finding a metal cylinder "Ah, different and metal, like you said, Doctor." she said to the Other Doctor
"These are infostamps." her Doctor agreed "At a guess." he added hastily "Um, if I were you, I'd say they work somefink like this." he pressed one end of the infostamp and images were projected onto the wall from the other end "See? Compressed information. Tons of it." he slipped on his glasses and he and Gazelle watched the images closely
"Looks to be the history of London." Gazelle observed "From 1066 to the present day."
"This is like a disk." the Doctor noted "A Cyberdisk. But why would the Cybermen need somefink so simple?" Gazelle then noticed the Other Doctor sitting down in a chair with a pained look on his face "They've gotta be wireless." the Doctor continued, oblivious "Unless... they're in the wrong century, they 'aven't got much power. They need plain basic infostamps to update themselves..."
"I think you should stop now." Gazelle interrupted, pointing out the Other Doctor to him. "You ok?" she asked the Other Doctor
"I'm fine." he waved her off
"No, what is it?" the Doctor asked, he and Gazelle sitting down opposite the Other Doctor "What's wrong?"
"I've seen one of these before." the Other Doctor frowned, taking the infostamp and studying it closely "I was holding this device the night I lost my mind. The night I regenerated. The Cybermen, they made me change. My mind, my face, my whole self. And you were there." he looked at the Doctor "Who are you?"
"Friends." the Doctor replied "I swear."
"Then I beg you, John. Help me."
"Two words my husband never refuses." Gazelle said, patting her husband's shoulder
"But it's not a conversation for a dead man's 'ouse." the Doctor said, standing up "It'll make more sense if we go back to the TARDIS... your TARDIS." he said to the Other Doctor "Hold on, just need to do a final check. Won't take a tick." he looked around the room, opening doors "There's one thing I can't figure. If this room's got infostamps, then maybe, just maybe, it's got something that needs infostampin'." he opened a door to find a Cyberman from Pete's World standing behind it "Ok!" he slammed the door shut "I fink we should run!" he said to the others
"Good idea!" Gazelle agreed, helping the Other Doctor to his feet
"Run, Doctor! Now, Doctor!" the Doctor urged, helping as well, just as the Cyberman broke through the door.
"Delete!" the Cyberman said in it's monotone voice
The trip sprinted towards the front door only for another Cyberman to block their way "The Doctor will be deleted." it said
They spun round to see the first Cyberman advancing on them "Delete!" it droned
"Stairs!" the Doctor urged "Can't lead 'em outside!" Gazelle pushed the Other Doctor upstairs while her Doctor looked around for a weapon. He found a long stick, only for it to be an umbrella.
"Oi, John Steed, try these." Gazelle told him, gesturing to a pair of swords on the wall. She tossed one to the Doctor, while she kept the other one for herself
"Delete!" the Cybermen droned as they advanced on the Time Lords
"I'm a dab 'and wiv a cutlass." the Doctor said, flourishing his sword "You don't wanna come near me when I've got one of these. This is ya last warnin'. No?" the Cybermen continued to advance on them "Ok, this is really your last warning. I give up!" he joined his wife on the stairs, the Cybermen following them
"Delete!"
"Just listen to us!" Gazelle said as she and the Doctor used their swords to block the Cybermen's blows "We dunno how ya got stuck here in 1851 but we can help you! Just listen!"
"Delete!"
"I'm the Doctor!" the Time Lord tried "You need me! Check your memory banks! My name's the Doctor. Leave this man alone!" he kicked a Cyberman in the chest and he and Gazelle both sprinted back up the stairs
"Delete!"
"The Doctor, remember?" he tried again "I'm the Doctor, this is Gazelle. You need us alive! You need the Doctor, an' that's me!"
"Delete!" the Cybermen repeated for the umpteenth time, before they were suddenly blasted by a beam of energy, causing them to fall to their knees and their heads explode
The Time Lords turned to see the Other Doctor holding the infostamp "Infostamp wiv a cyclo-steinham core. You ripped open the core an' broke the safety, zap!" the Doctor grinned
"Genius." Gazelle praised "Only the Doctor would think of that."
But the Other Doctor seemed pained again "I did that last time." he panted
The Doctor walked over to him "You'll be ok." he reassured him "Let me check." he took out his stethoscope and put it on the Other Doctor's chest
"You told them you were the Doctor and she was Gazelle. Why would you do that?"
"He was trying to protect you." Gazelle lied
"You're trying to take away the only thing I've got, they stole something. Something so precious. I can't remember." he started to sob "What happened to me? What did they do?"
"We'll find out." the Doctor reassured him "The three of us, together. But we're still alive, eh? That's not bad. That big ol' heart of yours is still beating, Doctor. That one single heart." he'd heard only one heartbeat, confirming Gazelle's earlier suspicion that the Other Doctor was Human.
That evening, the trio arrived in an alleyway where Rosita was waiting anxiously for them "I fought you were dead!" she said to the Other Doctor, launching herself at him and hugging him
"Now then, Rosita, a little decorum." he laughed, pushing her away
"You've been gone for so long." Rosita said, then turned to the Time Lords "He's always doin' this, leavin' me behind. Goin' frantic."
"What about the TARDIS?" the Other Doctor asked her
"Oh, she's ready. C'mon." Rosita led him inside a stable
"I'm lookin' forward to this." the Doctor remarked, as he and Gazelle followed.
"You were right, though, Rosita." the Other Doctor said when they were inside "The Reverend Fairchild's death was the work of the Cybermen."
"So, you live here?" the Doctor asked, looking around the stable. There were clothes and suitcases littered about the place.
"A temporary base." the Other Doctor replied, going to a basin to wash his face "The TARDIS is magnificent, but it's hardly a home."
"And where is the TARDIS?" Gazelle asked
"In the yard." he replied
"Er.. what's all this luggage?" the Doctor asked, gesturing to the cases
"Evidence." the Other Doctor replied "The, property of Jackson Lake, the first man to be murdered. Oh, but my new friends are fighters, Rosita, much like myself. They faced the Cybermen with cutlasses! I'm not ashamed to say they were much braver than I was." The Doctor took out his sonic and scanned the luggage "They were quite brilliant. Are you whistling again?" the Other Doctor asked, hearing the buzzing
"Yes." the Doctor said, hiding the sonic behind his back "Yes I am, yeah."
Gazelle motioned for Rosita, who had seen him, to keep quiet, while the Doctor opened a case "That's another man's property!" Rosita protested
"Well, a dead man's." the Doctor waved her off
Gazelle just rolled her eyes and decided to change the subject "So how did you meet him, the Doctor?" she asked Rosita
"He saved my life." she replied "Late one night... by the Osterman's Wharf, this... creature came out of the shadows. A man made of metal. I fought I was gonna die An' then... there 'e was, the Doctor. Can you two 'elp 'im?" she asked the Time Lords "He 'as such terrible dreams. Wakes at night in such a terror."
"Come now, Rosita." the Other Doctor cut in, having finished his wash "With all the things a Time Lord has seen, everything he's lost, he may surely have bad dreams."
"I know the feeling." Gazelle mumbled. She'd had a rather disturbed sleep, having nightmares about Donna's fate.
The Doctor pated her hand reassuringly, then went back to his rummaging through the trunk "Ooh, look. Jackson Lake had an infostamp." he produced the item in question
"But how?" the Other Doctor questioned "Is that significant?"
"Doctor, the answer to all this is in your TARDIS. Could we see it?"
"Mr Smith, Mrs Smith, it would be my honour." the Other Doctor grinned and led them outside into the yard, where a blue hot air balloon was moored, a young man doing some work on it "There she is!" the Other Doctor said proudly "My transport through time and space, the TARDIS."
"You've got a balloon." the Doctor said slowly
"TARDIS. T-A-R-D-I-S. It stands for Tethered Aerial Release Developed In Style. D'you see?"
"Well, now I do." the Doctor nodded "I like it."
"Me too." Gazelle added. She'd wanted to ride a hot air balloon for years, but she and the Doctor never seemed to get round to it "Nice one. Inflated by gas, I presume?"
"We're adjacent to Mutton Street Gasworks." the Other Doctor confirmed, pointing to some gas holders on the other side of the wall "I pay them a modest fee. Good work, Jed." he clapped the young man on the shoulder
"Glad to be of service, sir." Jed nodded as the Other Doctor handed him some money
"You've got quite a bit of money." the Doctor remarked, patting his own pockets. He had no money on him, but Gazelle usually kept a bit on her just in case.
"Oh, you get nothing for nothing." the Other Doctor replied "How's that ripped panel, Jed?"
"All repaired, should work a treat." Jed told him "Ya never know, maybe tonight's the night, Doctor. Imagine it, seeing Christmas from above."
"Well, not just yet, I think." the Other Doctor laughed "One day I will ascend. One day soon."
"So you've never actually flown the TARDIS?" Gazelle asked him
"He dreams of leavin', but never does." Rosita told her
"I can depart in the TARDIS once London is safe." the Other Doctor said "And finally, when I'm up there... think of it, John, Kelci, the time and the space."
"The perfect escape." the Doctor nodded in understanding "D'ya ever wonder what ya escapin' from?"
"With every moment."
"Then do you want us to tell ya? Cos' I fink I've worked it out now, an' I bet my wife 'as too. How you became the Doctor. What d'ya fink? D'ya want to know?"
The Doctor, Gazelle, the Other Doctor and Rosita went back inside the stable and sat down on crates. "The story begins wiv the Cybermen." the Doctor began "A long time away, an' not so far from 'ere, the Cybermen were fought and were beaten, and they were sent into a howlin' wilderness called the Void, locked inside forevermore. But then a greater battle rose up, so great that everyfink inside the Void perished. But, as the walls of the world weakened, the last of the Cybermen must've fallen through the dimensions, back in time, to land 'ere. An' they found you."
"I fought them, I know that." the Other Doctor nodded "But what happened?"
"Jackson Lake happened." Gazelle took over the story "At the same that the Cybermen arrived, he came to London with all this luggage and pockets full of cash. Maybe it was for the holidays, or a new job, who knows? But he had the misfortune of running into a Cyberman. But Lake was clever. He found an infostamp and used it to destroy the Cyberman."
"But he's dead!" the Other Doctor countered "Jackson Lake is dead, the Cybermen murdered him."
"You said no body was ever found." the Doctor said "An' you kept suitcases, but could never bring yourself to open them. I told ya the answer was in the watch. Can I see?" the Other Doctor handed it over and the Doctor turned the watch over to reveal the letters J.L engraved in the metalwork on the reverse side "'J.L'. This watch is Jackson Lake's."
"Jackson Lake is... you, sir." Rosita looked at the Other Doctor in surprise
"But I'm the Doctor." he countered
"You became the Doctor because the infostamp you picked up was a book about one man." the Doctor replied, picking up the infostamp "The Cyberman's database. Stolen from the Daleks inside the Void, I'd say, but it's everyfink you could wanna know about the Doctor."
He switched the infostamp on and it relayed images of the Doctor's various incarnations. First was an elderly man with a stern expression but a mischievous glint in his eyes. Next was a dark-haired man in a bow tie and baggy jacket, followed by a dapper grey-haired man in a velvet smoking jacket. Then came a curly-haired man in an impractically long multi-coloured scarf, followed by a blonde man in Edwardian cricket player's clothes, and a curly-haired man in a hideous multi-coloured coat. Then came a small man with clothes with question marks on them, followed by a long-haired man in Victorian gentlemen's clothes and the leather jacket-wearing Northerner that Gazelle had first started travelling with all those years ago. Finally came the Doctor's current incarnation.
"That's you!" Jackson stared, the same man in a pinstripe suit sitting opposite him
"Time Lord, TARDIS, enemy of the Cybermen." the Doctor said proudly "The one an' the only. Ya see? The infostamp must've backfired, streamed all that information about me right inside your 'ead."
"I am nothing but a lie." Jackson sighed
"No, you're not." Gazelle reassured him, coming beside him to comfort him "The infostamp was just basic facts. All the things you did, saving Rosita, defending London, building your TARDIS, all that was you."
"You're Gazelle, aren't you?" Jackson asked her. She nodded and pulled her necklace out so he could see it "But there's more, isn't there? What else?"
"There's still somefink missing." the Doctor said grimly
"I demand you tell me, sir." Jackson said "Tell me what they took."
The Doctor swallowed hard then began "Sorry. Really, we are so sorry. But that's an awful lot of luggage for one man. Cos' an infostamp is plain technology. It's not enough to make a man loose 'is mind. What you suffered called a fugue. A fugue state. Where the mind runs away because it can't bear to look back. You wanted to become someone else, because Jackson Lake lost so much."
A bell tolled somewhere in the distance "Midnight." Rosita murmured "Christmas Day."
Then Jackson's memory clicked "I remember. Oh my God." he buried his face in his hands "Caroline. They killed my wife." he wept "They killed her." Gazelle and Rosita both put their arms around him to comfort him.
The Doctor then noticed that the infostamps they'd obtained were starting to bleep. He followed the sound to a truck and opened it to find a bandolier covered in infostamps "Oh, you found a whole cache of infostamps."
"But what is it?" Rosita asked "What's that noise?"
"Activation." the Doctor realised "A call to arms. The Cybermen're moving!" he dashed outside
"Look after Jackson." Gazelle instructed Rosita, then hurried off after her husband.
The Time Lords went out into the street to see a line of orphans walking down the road. Moments later, Rosita joined them "What is it? What's 'appening?"
"I told you to look after Jackson." Gazelle frowned
"He told me to 'elp you." Rosita countered, then she spotted the man supervising the orphans "That's Mr Cole. He's master of the Hazel Street work'ouse. Maybe 'e's takin' 'em to prayers."
The Time Lords noticed that Mr Cole had pods in his ears, the very same earpods that they'd seen in Pete's World "I don't think it's anything as holy as that." Gazelle said grimly, as the walked up to Mr Cole
"Can you 'ear me?" the Doctor tried "Hello? No? Mr Cole, you seem to 'ave somefink in ya ear. Now, this might 'urt a bit but..." he reached for his sonic but Gazelle stopped him
"They're on guard." she warned, noticing Cyber-shades watching them "We don't wanna risk the children getting hurt."
"But where are they going?" Rosita wandered
"They're not the only ones." Jed commented, joining them "There's tons of 'em. I've just seen another lot comin from the Ingleby work'ouse down Broadback Lane."
"Where's that?" the Doctor asked Rosita
"This way." she replied and led the Time Lords through some side streets until they came to another group of children being led by another man with earpods "There's dozens of 'em!" Rosita stared
"But what for?" the Doctor wandered. They watched as lines of children were escorted into a building with large wooden doors guarded by Cyber-shades.
"We've gotta get in there." Gazelle said. She dreaded to think what the Cybermen were going to do with the children.
"That's the door to the sluice." Rosita explained "All the sewage runs through there, straight into the Thames."
"Yeah, that's too well guarded." the Doctor said "We'll 'ave to find another way in." they all turned to do so, only to find their way blocked by two Cybermen "Whoa! That's cheating!" the Doctor remarked "Did ya have ya legs on silent?"
"Wouldn't be the first time." Gazelle muttered, remembering the Cyberman that had murdered Angela Price.
Then, a woman in a red dress walked in front of the Cybermen "So... what do we have here?" she remarked casually
"Just walk towards us slowly." the Doctor urged her "Don't let 'em touch you."
"Oh, but they wouldn't hurt me, my fine boys." the woman said "They are my knights in shining armour."
"Even if they've converted you, that's not a Cyber speech Patten. You've still got free will. Step away."
"I don't think she's been converted." Gazelle swallowed "Remember that Tobias Vaughn bloke you told me about?" The Doctor nodded. It seemed this woman was working with the Cybermen.
"No one's ever been able to change my mind." the woman smirked "The Cybermen offered me the one thing I wanted: liberation."
"Who are ya?" Rosita demanded
"You can be quiet." the woman sneered "I doubt they paid you to talk." the trio all glared daggers at the woman, then addressed the Time Lords "More importantly, who are you two, with such knowledge of my companions?"
"I'm the Doctor and this is my wife, Gazelle." the Doctor answered
"Incorrect." a Cyberman stated "You do not correspond to our image of the Doctor or Gazelle."
"That's cos' I've got a new face." Gazelle told them "As for the Doctor, your databank's corrupted. Try this." she tossed them the Doctor's infostamp "Plug it in, see for yourself."
"The core has been damaged." a Cyberman stated, examining it "This infostamp would damage Cyberunits."
"Yeah, that was pretty much the intention." Gazelle muttered
The infostamp bleeped "Core repaired." the Cyberman announced "Download." it plugged the infostamp into a socket in it's chest. "You are the Doctor."
"Hello!" the Doctor waved cheekily
"And Gazelle."
"Last time I checked, I was." the Time Lady shrugged
"You will both be deleted." the Cyberman said, both it and it's colleague raising their arm blasters
"Oh, but let us die 'appy." the Doctor said, in his usual happy-go-lucky way "Tell us, what're the children for?"
"What are children ever needed for?" the woman said callously "They're a workforce."
"Workforce for what?" Gazelle scowled, outraged at the woman's attitude towards the children
"Very soon now, the whole Empire will see." the woman crowed "And they will bow down, in worship."
"And it's all been timed for Christmas Day." the Doctor noted "Was that your idea, miss...?"
"Hartigan." the woman answered "And yes, it's the perfect day for a birth, with a new message for the people. Only this time, it won't be the words of a man."
"The birth of what?"
"A birth and a death." Miss Hartigan answered smugly "Namely yours. Thank you, Doctor. I'm glad to have been part of your last conversation." she turned to the Cybermen "Now, delete them."
The Cybermen stepped forward, blasters raised "Delete!" they chanted
Suddenly, the Cybermen were blasted by a beam of energy from behind them. Their heads exploded and they fell to the ground to reveal Jackson standing there, the infostamp bandolier over his shoulder another infostamp in his hand "At your service, Doctor." he said, having pulled himself together
"Shades!" Hartigan yelled, not beaten yet "Shades!"
"Run!" the Doctor urged, grabbing Gazelle's hand and they started to make a run for it "Come on!"
"One last thing." Rosita said and promptly punched Miss Hartigan in the face
"Ooh, can I say, I completely disapprove." the Doctor remarked
"I don't" Gazelle said "Nice one!" and the quartet ran for it
Once they were a safe distance away, they stopped for a breather "That stronghold by the river." the Doctor said "We need a way in."
"I'm ahead of you." Jackson said "My wife and I were moving to London so that I could take up a post at the university. And while my memory is still not intact, this was in the luggage." he produced some documents "The deeds to 15 Latimer Street. And if Gazelle is right, and I encountered the Cybermen there, in the cellar..."
"That might be a way in!" the Doctor grinned "Brilliant!"
"Thanks, Jackson." Gazelle praised
"But there's still more." Jackson frowned "I remember the cellar and my wife. But I swear there was something else in that room." he scrunched up his face, trying to remember
"Well, don't try to force it." Gazelle advised him
"If we can find it." Jackson said "Perhaps that's key to defeating these invaders. So... onwards!" he headed off, Rosita following and the Time Lords bringing up the rear
"Maybe you should go back..." the Doctor began to Rosita
"Don't even try!" Rosita cut him off sharply
"No." the Doctor conceded
"I like her." Gazelle smiled slightly
They soon reached 15 Latimer Street and entered the cellar to find a Cyberman on guard "Delete!" it droned, but Jackson quickly stopped it with an infostamp. Then they noticed a very un-Victorian device in the middle of the floor "Must've been guarding this." the Doctor mused "A dimension vault. Stolen from the Daleks again, that's how the Cybermen travelled in time."
"Was this what you couldn't remember?" Gazelle asked Jackson
"I don't think so." he frowned "I'm just... I can't see. It's like it's hidden."
"Yeah, not enough power." the Doctor mumbled, looking at the dimension vault "C'mon, avanti!" he took Gazelle's hand and they hurried off, Jackson and Rosita following.
They found some tunnels leading from the cellar and made their way through them "What do the Cybermen want?" Rosita wandered
"Us." Gazelle replied grimly "Cybermen are Human brains stuffed inside a mechanical body. They want every living being to be just like them."
They reached an archway and peered through it to see a workroom, full of children working, building something "Pon my soul." Jackson breathed, appalled at the sight
"What is it?" Rosita wandered
"It's an engine." the Doctor replied, noticing a large boiler and gears and cogs all over the place
"It's generating electricity." Gazelle agreed "But what's it for?"
"We can set them free." Jackson determined, about to rush forward
"No, no, no, no. no." the Doctor held him back and he sprinted off back the way they came. He found a panel on the wall that was giving readings "Power at 90%." he noted as the others joined him "But if we stop the engine, the power dies down, the Cybermen come runnin'. Ooh! Hold on, powe fluctuation. That's not meant to 'appen."
"It's gone wrong?" Jackson suggested
"No. It's weird. The software's rewriting itself. It's changing." he jumped back suddenly as there was a surge on screen "What the hell's 'appening? It's outta control!"
"It's accelerating." Jackson noted, looking at the gauge "96%, 97..."
"When it reached 100, what about the children?" Rosita asked
"The Cybermen dispose of them." Gazelle replied, sick at the thought "C'mon!" she led everyone back to the workroom.
A couple of Cybermen marched into the workroom, blasters armed "Delete! Delete!"
The quarter burst into the room, the two Humans dealing with the Cybermen with infostamps "Right!" the Doctor called "All of you, out! D'ya hear me? That's an order! Every single one of ya, run!"
The children began to run for the exit "All of you, come on!" Jackson urged "As fast as you can, come on!"
"There's a hot pie for everyone if you leg it!" the Doctor said
"Rosita, take them out through the sluice gate." Gazelle instructed "Once they're out, keep running. Get as far away from here as you can! Come on! Come on!" she urged the children
"Turn right at the corner." Rosita told them "Fast as you can an' don't stop! Keep running! Keep running!"
"Go! Quick, quick!" the Doctor said as he ushered the last of the children out, then rushed to check a gauge by the door "It's some sort of starter motor." he called to Gazelle "But startin' what?"
Gazelle then noticed Jackson looking up at some scaffolding "What is it?" she asked him
"That's my son." he said, and Gazelle followed his gaze to see a little boy standing frozen in fear on the scaffold "Doctor, they took my son!"
"What?!" the Doctor ran back over to them
"They took my son!" Jackson told him, pointing to the boy "No wonder my mind escaped! Those damned Cybermen, they took my child! But he's alive! Frederic!" he called to the boy
"Come on!" the Doctor called up too, but Frederic didn't move
"No, he's too scared." Jackson realised "Stay there!" he called up to Frederic "Don't move, I'm coming!" he ran to the stairs, but an explosion knocked him over "I can't get up there!" he cried as the Doctor helped him up "Fred!"
"They've finished wiv the motor." the Doctor realised "It's gonna blow!"
"What're we going to do?!" Jackson fussed frantically
"Leave it to me." Gazelle said, pulling out the sword from one of her bigger-on-the-inside jean pockets and wrapping her arm around a rope. She used the sword to cut the rope and the weight falling on the other end lifted her up to the platform where Frederic was standing "C'mon, Frederic, let's get you out of here. Hold tight!" she said to him. The little boy climbed onto her back then she used the rope to swing over to the opposite scaffold, where she was able to use the stairs to get back down to Jackson and the Doctor "Merry Christmas, Jackson." she said as she handed him his son back
"That was brilliant." the Doctor praised, kissing his wife "Don't ever do anyfink like that again!"
"Huh, you do things like that all the time." she countered
"Thank you, thank you." Jackson sobbed as he hugged his son "You saved my son."
"It was the least I could do." the Time Lady said modestly
The quartet then made their escape through the tunnels and reached the cellar "Head for the street." the Doctor instructed the Humans as he paused by the dimension vault and started fiddling with it
"Come on, Doctor, hurry up!" Jackson urged him
"Gotcha!" the Doctor grinned, pulling out a sceptre from the vault, then they all ran for it.
As they reached the street, they heard Miss Hartigan's voice calling out over a loudspeaker "Behold! I am risen! Witness me, mankind, as Cyber-king of all!"
The quartet looked up to see an enormous steampunk Cyberman towering over the city "You have got to be kidding." Gazelle groaned "A Cyber-king!"
"And a Cyber-king is what?" Jackson asked, through he dreaded to think of what the answer was
"It's a ship." the Doctor told him "Dreadnaught class. Front line of an invasion. An' inside the chest, a cyber-factory, ready to convert millions!"
The Cyber-king began to walk across the city, trampling buildings beneath it's feet and sending people running in terror. The quartet ran to an open street. "Go south." Gazelle instructed Jackson "Head for a park, it'll be safer there."
"But where are you both going?" Jackson asked as the Time Lords began to run the opposite way
"To stop that thing!" the Doctor told him
"I should be with you." Jackson insisted
"You need to protect your son." Gazelle told him
"God save you, Doctor, Gazelle." Jackson conceded, and took his son to safety
The Time Lords reached the stables Jackson had been using as a base, where they found Jed sheltering from the Cyber-king "What is that thing?" he asked them
"Oh, good man. Jed, wasn't it?" the Doctor looked at him while Gazelle started rifling through a trunk and found another bandolier of infostamps
"I'm not going out there!" Jed said hastily
"We'll pay ya." Gazelle said, fiddling with the infostamps
"Um, alright." Jed conceded "What d'ya want me to do?"
"The TARDIS is gonna fly!" the Doctor grinned, taking his wife's hand and they dashed outside, Jed reluctantly following
"People of the world." they heard Miss Hartigan say "Now hear me. Your governments will surrender. And if not, then behold my power." then came the sound of explosions as the Cyber-king began firing energy weapons indiscriminately at the city
The Time Lords lept into the balloon "You're both flamin' bonkers!" Jed cried, realising what they were going to do
"It's been said before." the Doctor waved him off, then checked the sceptre "Ah, not enough power yet!" he groaned "Jed, let 'er loose!"
Jed began untying the mooring ropes "Ever flown one of these before?" he asked
"No, never." the Doctor answered with a grin
"Can I 'ave my money now?" Jackson asked
"Here." Gazelle tossed him a few pound notes "Now, make haste!"
Jackson ran down a street, cradling Frederic in his arms, when he bumped into Rosita, who had been running the other way "Oh, sir, I fought I'd lost ya!" she panted in relief
"My son, Rosita." Jackson said, looking down at his son "This boy is my son. He..." he was cut off by a shot from the Cyber-king landing uncomfortably close to them, so they rushed to take shelter
Jed finished releasing the ropes and the Time Lords tossed out the sandbags "God's luck to ya both!" Jed called as the balloon rose upwards
Jackson and Rosita looked up to see the balloon rising behind the Cyber-king "It's the TARDIS." Jackson gasped in awe "She's flying!"
"Who the 'ell is that?" a man wandered
"His name... is the Doctor." Jackson told him proudly "With his wife, Gazelle."
As the balloon drew level with the Cyber-king's head, the giant Cyberman turned to face it. Inside the mouth, the Time Lords could see Miss Hartigan sitting in a throne surrounding by Cybermen, a device on her head and her eyes completely black "Excellent!" she smirked "The Doctor. Yet another man come to assert himself against me in the night."
"Miss Hartigan, we're offering you a choice." the Doctor called over "You might 'ave the most remarkable mind this world 'as ever seen. Strong enough to control the Cybermen themselves!"
"I don't need you to sanction me!" Miss Hartigan shot back
"No, but you deserve a chance to live." Gazelle called "We've got this." she held up the sceptre "We can use this to take you to an uninhabited planet where you all can live your lives in peace without harming anyone."
"I have the world below, and it is abundant with so many minds, ready to become extensions of me." Miss Hartigan smirked "Why would I leave this place?"
"Because if ya don't, we'll 'ave to stop you." the Doctor said grimly
"What do you take me for, sir? An idiot?" Miss Hartigan scoffed
"No." the Doctor answered "The question is, what d'ya make of me?" he wrapped the bandolier of infostamps around his arm and aimed them at Miss Hartigan
"Destroy them!" Miss Hartigan ordered the Cybermen
"We warned you." the Doctor said gravely "You made me into this." He'd hoped it wouldn't have come to this, but Miss Hartigan left them no choice. He fired the infostamps at the device on Miss Hartigan's head.
When the beam ran out, she appeared completely unharmed "Then I have made you a failure." she laughed, not noticing that her eyes were now back to normal "Your weapons are useless, sir."
"He wasn't trying to kill you." Gazelle sighed
"All I did was break the cyber-connection." the Doctor explained "Leaving your mind open. Open, I fink, for the first time in many years so you can see. Look what you've done."
"We're very sorry, Miss Hartigan." Gazelle said "But take a good look at yourself, what you've become."
Miss Hartigan did indeed see what she'd become and promptly screamed, the energy channelling through the link to the Cybermen and starting a chain reaction. The mouth was completely engulfed by one blast, obliterating Miss Hartigan and the Cybermen. More explosions rippled through the Cyber-king's body.
"They've killed it!" Jackson cheered as they watched the chain reaction "Whatever they've done, they've killed it."
"But it's gonna fall!" Rosita realised, and everyone ran again, knowing that the falling Cyber-king would crush them like bugs
In the balloon, the Time Lords heard the dimension vault sceptre bleep "About bloody time!" Gazelle muttered, picking it up and aiming it at the staggering Cyber-king. She fired and the Cyber-king disappeared just as it was about to fall
The people on the ground had seen everything "Well, I'd say they used that dimension vault to transfer the wreckage of the Cyber-king into the Time Vortex. there to be harmlessly disintegrated." Jackson noted, only to realise what he'd just said "Oh, I've picked up a lot! But here..." he set Frederic down by Rosita and climbed up onto a lamppost to address everyone "Ladies and gentlemen, I know that man and woman. That Doctor and his wife on high! And I know that they have done this deed a thousand times. But not once, no sir, not once, not ever, have they ever been thanked! But no more! For I say to you, on this Christmas morn, bravo! Bravo!"
The whole crowd took up the chant and their cheers carried up to the Time Lords in the balloon. The Doctor waved and rang the balloon's bell, relishing the gratitude for once. Gazelle suddenly grabbed him by his lapels and kissed him passionately. The Doctor leaned into the kiss, putting one hand on her back, the other in her hair, pulling her in closer.
A little later, the Time Lords and Jackson were walking through the marketplace, where people were busy cleaning up the mess the Cyber-king had made "The city will recover, as London always does." Jackson mused "Though the events of today will be history, spoken of for centuries to come."
"Yeah, funny that." the Doctor shrugged. He knew Earth history, and there was never any mention of a giant Cyberman stomping all over Victorian London.
"And a new history begins for me." Jackson continued "I find myself a widower, but with a son and good friends." he nodded over to where Rosita was fussing over Frederic, Jed standing nearby
"You should take of them, Jackson." Gazelle said "They're good people."
"Frederic will need a nursemaid, the TARDIS will need maintenance, and I can think of no one better than them." Jackson agreed "But you're both welcome to join us. We thought we might dine together, at the Traveller's Halt." both Time Lords looked reluctant, but Jackson persevered "A Christmas feast, in memory of those we have lost. You won't stay?"
"Like I said, you know me." the Doctor said simply
"Not as much as she does." Jackson winked at Gazelle, then they walked round the corner to where the TARDIS was standing "Oh! And this is it! Oh, if I might, Doctor?" he gestured to the doors "One last adventure?"
"Oh, be our guest." the Doctor agreed, opening the door for him
Jackson stepped inside and marvelled at the interior "Oh, my word. Oh." he walked up to the console "Oh goodness me! But this... this is nonsense!"
"Well, that's one word for it." the Doctor shrugged, he and Gazelle watching him from the doorway
"Complete and utter, wonderful nonsense!" Jackson laughed "How very, very silly! Oh no, I can't bear it! Oh, it's causing my head to ache. No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" he ran out laughing "Oh, oh gracious, that's quite enough!" the Time Lords joined him outside "I take it this is goodbye?"
"Onwards an' upwards." the Doctor confirmed
"Tell me one thing." Jackson said "All those facts and figures I saw of the Doctor's life, you were never alone. You've got Gazelle." he nodded to the Time Lady "And you both had all those bright and shining companions, but not anymore."
"No." the Doctor sighed
"Might I ask, why not?"
"Because they all leave eventually." Gazelle sighed "Because they should, or they find someone else. Some just forget about us." she swallowed hard, thinking of Donna "In the end, they break our hearts."
Jackson saw how solemn they looked "That offer of Christmas dinner, it's no longer a request but a demand." he stated
"In memory of those we've lost?" the Doctor looked at him, then to Gazelle, who seemed open to the idea "Oh, go on then!"
"Really?"
"Just this once." the Doctor nodded "You've actually gone an' changed my mind!"
"And that's quite a feat." Gazelle remarked "Not even I can do that!"
The Doctor turned to the Human "Jackson, if anyone 'ad to be the Doctor, I'm glad it was you."
"Me too." Gazelle agreed
"The feast awaits." Jackson said cheerfully "Come with me. Walk this way."
"We certainly will." the Doctor said, taking his wife's hand and they all began to walk away
"Merry Christmas, Jackson." Gazelle said to the Human
"Merry Christmas indeed!" Jackson laughed as the trio walked off to enjoy a Victorian Christmas dinner.
Author's notes: Well, that's The Next Doctor done and dusted. This episode is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. People tend to look down on it, but I like it. A last bit of fun before the serious stuff of the 2009 specials. Working on this chapter got me thinking, I wonder if Davies put the Cyber-king in there cos he knew Moffat was planning to chuck away all of his carefully done world building, so decided to heck with it and came up with the Cyber-king. In other notes, we see more of Gazelle 5 coming out. She's a bit more proactive then her predecessor, but just as careful and considerate of others. She's still carrying the burden of Donna's fate, and this will probably plague her for a while. She does have a bit of Donna in her, and she does have some very Donna-eques lines in this chapter. I like to assume she has bits of the Doctor, Rose, Martha and Donna in her new incarnation. She has the 10th Doctor's eyes and footwear preferences, her blonde highlights came from Rose, while her taste in jackets came from Martha. I'm planning to do the 2009 specials as part of this story. They're gonna pose some challenges, but I'll see what I can do. See you all next time for a bus ride. Ta-ta for now!