After the rather unpleasant trip to Midnight, at least for the Doctor as he was the one who'd been stuck in the transport with the mysterious entity that had almost cost him his life, the trio had stopped off at Shan Shen. A rather lively planet with a huge market, full of all manner of goods.

"I don't know about this", Alyssa said eyeing the tumbler warily in her hand.

"It'll be ok for the baby", the Doctor assured her, having thoroughly scanned the liquid to ensure that it was safe for both her and their child "on three. One…two…three!"

The trio took a big drink from their tumblers. The Doctor snorted as he did so earning a laugh from the two women. "This is actually pretty good", Alyssa remarked taking another drink.

"Told you", the Doctor said smugly, also taking another sip of his own drink. Alyssa giggled when he moved the tumbler away to show that he had a foamy moustache. "What?" he asked as Donna started to laugh as well.

"You've got a little...um…foam" Alyssa gestured to her lip.

The Doctor touched his lip "oh, so I have", he said. He leant forward and kissed Alyssa leaving a trace of foam on her lips "and now, so do you".

"Doctor!" Alyssa exclaimed wiping the foam away, lightly smacking him on the arm. Donna smiled at their little interaction. They really were the perfect couple. The trio finished off their drinks and continued exploring the marketplace.

While the Time Lord was busy haggling with a stall holder, Donna noticed a stall with various pieces of jewellery on it. "Ali have a look at these", she said.

"They're lovely", Alyssa remarked carefully picking through the jewellery.

"What do you think of this one?" Donna asked holding up a simple lapis lazuli pendant.

"It's nice", Alyssa replied.

"Why don't you try it on?" Donna suggested.

"Uh, sure", Alyssa said. She took the pendant from Donna, unclasped it and secured it around her neck.

"It suits you ma'am", the young brunette stall holder commented.

"Thanks", Alyssa said.

"You should get it, you know for your wedding", Donna suggested.

"Why?" Alyssa asked taking it off.

"Well, you know the saying, right? Something old, something new…"

"Something borrowed, something blue", Alyssa finished.

"That's 'something blue", Donna said nodding to it. Alyssa took a closer look, noting the rich blue of the stone.

"That's very true", Alyssa agreed. She looked at the stall holder "how much?"

"It's for your wedding…so nothing", the young woman said.

"Oh, I can't take it for free", Alyssa said "there must be some sort of price on it".

"There is but for you, it's free", the stall holder said "consider it my wedding present to you".

"Well…"

"She'll take it", Donna quickly cut in "thank you". She then steered Alyssa away from the stall before the red head could protest. The stall holder watched them leave, her smile fading.

"Be careful…you brilliant girl", she whispered.


They stopped at another stall, this one full of brightly coloured scarves. Alyssa watched as Donna enthusiastically rifled through them. Then someone caught her eye. Someone she didn't expect to see. "I don't believe it", she breathed. It was that man from the convention, the one who'd attempted to get her to try out 'the new gaming experience'. She marched off towards him leaving Donna behind at the stall. She a few questions and several choice words for him.

The man stopped, his eyes widening when he spotted the angry red head coming towards him. He turned and took off. Alyssa chased after him. She was NOT going to let him get away!

She darted around the various stalls, all the while keeping the man in her sights. Then she got a window of opportunity. He was close to a stack of baskets. Alyssa took a breath, raised as hand, focusing on the baskets. They swayed before they toppled over, landing on the man, effectively trapping him. Alyssa ran over and pulled the man out of the baskets. "Now, you and I are going to have a little chat", she said, dragged him away from the stalls and out of sight.

"Look miss, I meant you no harm…" the man started.

"Meant me no harm?" Alyssa repeated "you put me through that twisted head game!"

"I-I know but I didn't want to. She told me I had to do it", the man stuttered.

"She? Who's she?" Alyssa questioned.

"Madam Kovarian", the man answered.

"And why did Madam Kovarian want to put me through that ordeal?" Alyssa asked.

"I don't know. I was just a simple stall holder at that convention. I was selling a new gaming experience and then she approached me about two weeks before you showed up", the man explained "she told me I had to keep an eye out for well…you and to get your attention anyway I could. I didn't want to do it miss but she…put me through that machine too!"

"It's ok", Alyssa said, her voice gentle. She could sense he was telling the truth and she felt his genuine fear while he explained. "What's your name?"

"Mark", the man replied.

"I'd like to have a few words with Madam Kovarian, Mark. Is there any way to do that?" Alyssa asked.

"There is a way", Mark answered "follow me". Alyssa followed him to a small looking building several feet away. He opened the door to reveal a set of steps. "Just go down those steps and you'll find a computer. It's how I talk to her", Mark explained. Alyssa peered down the dark steps.

"And how do I…" she trailed off when she looked up and saw that Mark was gone.

"Fan-bloody-tastic", she grumbled. Alyssa turned her attention back to the steps. She knew it wasn't clever of her to go down them alone but it would take too long to go and get the Doctor and Donna. It wouldn't hurt to have a quick peek, see if she couldn't get any answers before she involved her fiancé and ginger haired friend. Alyssa walked down the stairs, keeping her ears strained for any noises as it was very hard to see anything.

At the bottom of the stairs was a room. Alyssa brushed her hands over the walls near the steps trying to find a light switch. When her fingers came into contact with a switch, she flicked it on. She could now see that the room was of medium size. There was a futuristic looking computer in the centre. "Right, how to turn you on", Alyssa said going over to it. She quickly looked it over and pressed a button that she assumed was the 'on' button.

Nothing.

Alyssa carefully tried few different buttons and still nothing. She sighed. Mark must've lied she thought to trick me to come down here…. with that thought, she turned and quickly headed for the stairs.

She paused in the doorway when she heard a woman say her name. She turned around to see a woman with an eye patch on the monitor. "Madam Kovarian I presume" Alyssa said.

"You know my name?" Madam Kovarian asked looking surprised.

"The little weasel who tricked me at the convention told me. I've got a lot of questions for you", Alyssa said walking forward.

"I assumed you would. Ask away", Madam Kovarian said.

"How did you give me extra psychic powers?" Alyssa questioned.

"I didn't. Those powers were in you the whole time, I just helped you tap into them", Madam Kovarian explained.

"By putting me through that twisted head game", Alyssa spat.

"Precisely", Madam Kovarian said looking rather smug.

"Why did you do it?" Alyssa asked.

"It was necessary", Madam Kovarian replied.

"Necessary. Well that's not vague at all", Alyssa said sarcastically "well riddle me this: what could you possibly gain from helping me tap into my powers?"

Madam Kovarian smiled which unnerved Alyssa slightly "I have a lot to gain", she said, her eyes going to the red head's stomach which the empath didn't miss.

"You won't get your hands on my child", Alyssa said putting an arm protectively around her abdomen.

"Never say never, Alyssa", Madam Kovarian said and smirked "now I'm afraid that this conversation is now over". Alyssa gasped when two figures stepped out of the shadows.

"What are they?" she asked eyeing the figures. They were tall with bulbous heads and grey mouthless faces. Their eyes were black sitting in two deep recesses in their faces.

"The question you should be considering is: fight or flight?" Madam Kovarian asked as the red head backed away from the advancing aliens.

"Um…uh…" she stammered seeing electricity spark between the two alien's fingers "flight!" Alyssa shouted. She threw psychic energy at them, tossing them backwards. When there was significant distance between her and the aliens, she turned and ran. Alyssa dashed up the steps taking two at a time. When she got to the top, she slammed the door shut and leant against it breathing heavily.

Alyssa pushed herself away from the door and rubbed her head. She had a slight headache which usually occurred when she used her powers. That was a little strange as she couldn't recall having used them in the last few minutes. In fact she didn't even know what she was doing there. She rubbed her head again and headed back to the marketplace to go find Donna and the Doctor.


Alyssa passed by a tent with its flap partly open. But she quickly backtracked when she realised that Donna was inside with what appeared to be a large beetle stuck to her back. Alyssa ducked inside and a robed woman got up from the table. The woman tried to come at the red head but she threw her back with her abilities. Alyssa then reached out and grasped the beetle planning to prise it from Donna's back. The woman suddenly gasped and her eyes went blank.

~Ealing Road~

Alyssa looked around confused. She was no longer in the tent. She was now standing on the pavement of a street that looked remarkably like a typical one from Earth. How in the hell did touching that beetle get her here? The woman didn't have much time to dwell on it as Donna suddenly came running up with all these cables taped to her coat.

"Donna!" Alyssa shouted hurrying toward her.

"Ali? How are you here?" Donna asked both confused and relieved to see her.

"That beetle thing on your back. I tried to get it off…and I ended up here", Alyssa replied "Can you tell me what's going on?"

"I wish I had time to explain Ali but I don't. I've only got a couple of minutes to stop myself from turning down this road", Donna said "long story short. I go down this road, I'll never to HC Clements and I'll never meet you and the Doctor".

"Ok, so we'll stop you from turning down this road then", Alyssa said "how to do it…" she murmured looking up at down the road. Suddenly a shot rang out. Alyssa gasped, clutching her side.

"Ali!" Donna cried as the red head collapsed "It's not bad. You're going to be fine", she assured her as she watched the blood pool out from under Alyssa's hand "so will your baby".

"Oh, you shouldn't lie to her Donna. What would the Doctor think of you for doing that?" a female voice spoke up. Alyssa looked up to see Rose Tyler standing there holding a gun.

"Why did you do that?" Donna asked standing up "she's done nothing to you".

"Of course she has. She's gotten herself in a relationship with the Doctor", Rose glared at Alyssa "worse still…she's carrying his baby. He's MINE Alyssa Palmer. He loves me and only me". Before Alyssa could say anything, the blonde roughly shoved Donna out into the road.

"Donna!" Alyssa screamed unable to move, to help her friend because of her wound

"And now for you", Rose said turning back to Alyssa, raising the gun "Just one question… are you afraid of the big bad wolf?"

"I'm not afraid of you Rose Tyler", Alyssa stated, doing her best to keep her voice level despite the pain.

"I'll have to do something about that won't I? Be seeing you Ali"

Alyssa closed her eyes.

BANG!


Alyssa gasped, sitting up. She didn't get much of a chance get herself together when she was attacked by Donna with a large hug. "Thank god", she breathed "I was getting really worried about you. I can't believe she'd do that".

"Everything all right?" the Doctor asked coming into the tent. He then frowned seeing both women on the floor hugging each other. "What's wrong?"

"Some woman killed Ali", Donna replied.

"What", the Doctor said suddenly looking angry.

"It was in this parallel world…I think", Donna continued.

"Who did it?" he asked.

"I don't know. Some woman" Donna frowned trying to remember the details but they were slipping away like it was just a dream.

"Rose", Alyssa spoke up "it was Rose Tyler" she looked up at the Doctor "she asked me a question. Before…she…killed me".

"What was it?" the Doctor asked.

"Are you afraid of the big bad wolf", Alyssa recited. The Doctor froze. Bad Wolf. That was two words he hoped never to hear again. "We've got to go. Now", he declared. He then helped Alyssa and Donna to their feet and pulled them out of the tent.

"Oh my god", Alyssa breathed, green eyes wide. It was everywhere.

Bad Wolf.

Banners…

Posters…

The Doctor hurried over to the TARDIS and stopped dead, seeing those words on the blue box wherever there was supposed to be writing. Terrified, the Time Lord entered the TARDIS.

The console room was bathed in a red light and the cloister bell was ringing. "This is not good", Alyssa stated.

"Doctor, what is it? What's Bad Wolf?" Donna asked.

"It's the end of the universe"