Watching the Doctor

by RedRobyn2

The Doctor is stranded in prison, dealing with the revelations of the Timeless Child and the memories of her time travelling, all alone. Until the Tardis decides enough is enough and gathers her and some of her more recent companions to help her deal with her past and make some amends by watching her adventures. Characters watch the show, set after Timeless Child/Pre-Resolution.

4. The Women Who Fell to Earth

Hello everyone,

Thanks for continuing to read and all the support!

Let me know what you think!

I hope you continue to enjoy the story

Robyn

---

The words 'The Woman Who Fell to Earth' appeared on the screen drawing a groan from the Doctor and grins from her newest companions. They all knew that this would be the first time they met. The smiles were tinted with sadness, while they had met the Doctor, they had lost Grace.

[YouTube channel]

RYAN: So today I want to talk about the greatest woman I ever met. Smart, funny, caring, special. Proper special. Er, where do I start? Okay, I've mentioned this on here before. I'm pretty much not an idiot. I'm actually a capable guy, considering. But I'm 19, and cos of the thing I told you before, I can't yet ride a bike.

"I can't ride a bike either and I am a lot older than 19, don't worry about it." Rory smiled at the younger boy who offered a shy smile in return.

"Don't worry Ryan, you'll get it soon." Graham smiled at his grandson who nodded back. He would get it. He was always improving. He would learn for his nan.

[Moors]

(Probably Froggatt Edge, overlooking Sheffield, home of the world's best cutlery.)
GRACE: Who says you can't?
RYAN: Me, Nan. We keep trying this.
GRACE: And we'll go on trying till it's done. Now keep your eye on Grandad.
RYAN: You mean Graham.

"Sorry Grandad. I shouldn't have been so rude to you." Ryan winced seeing himself on screen. He wasn't looking forward to seeing everything again.

"It's okay Ryan. I wasn't particularly nice to you half the time either." Graham offered a small smile. They really hadn't been on the best terms back then and everything they said seemed to only make it worse. They were a lot better now, he just wished sometimes that Grace was there to see it.

GRACE: Keep your eye on Graham, then. Three, two, one, go! Go on!
(She gives him a push and he peddles unsteadily along the grass towards Graham.)
GRAHAM: Go on, Ryan! You're doing it, mate!
(Then Ryan fall off.)
GRACE: Nearly.
RYAN: No, not nearly. I'm sick of coming up here, I'm sick of falling, and I'm sick of this stupid bike.
GRACE: Ryan Sinclair, don't you dare!
(Ryan throws the bike over the cliff edge. Later, sitting on the same precipitous edge.)

"So that's how it ended up in the tree, huh Ryan." Yaz shot Ryan a look who had the decency to look sheepish. He'd forgotten about that detail.

GRAHAM: Mate, you rode it for a second.

"That's a nice view. Where are you?" Mickey whistled, looking at the sunsetting over the valley on screen.

"Sheffield." Ryan answered.

"Sheffield, that's new. Normally all the chaos is in London." Martha laughed; one hand laced with her husband's settled between their laps.

RYAN: Can you stop calling me mate? Anyway, a second's not enough.
GRACE: You'll do it, if you keep on trying.
RYAN: I just want to make you proud.
GRACE: You make me proud every day.

Ryan looked at the floor sadly, he missed her so much. He didn't want to see her die again but he wanted the chance to see her again, even if on the screen. The Doctor looked down at the floor, guilty that she hadn't been able to save Grace.

GRAHAM: Anyway, you're on your own getting that bike, cos our train leaves in twenty minutes. Come on, love.
(So Ryan carefully picks his way down the slope and finds himself in what looks like Padley Gorge to me, all dank and mossy. The bike is hanging up in a tree. There's a whoosh and lines that form a glowing diamond shape appears behind him, which multiply and rotate into smaller squares with a dot in the middle. He touches it and it whizzes away. Then something appears in a bright light, which settles down to reveal it is blue with pock marks on it. Best way to imagine the shape is - a drop of very viscous liquid has just touched a flat surface then hardened instantly. Once again, he touches it, then pulls his hand away in pain and gets out his phone.)
RYAN: Hi. Er, Police, maybe.

There was a bit of laughter across the room. "I think that's a bit outside the police's area of expertise." Rory joked, smiling in understanding at Ryan who smiled back. It was nice to be around other people that understood. Yaz grinned, she was glad that Ryan had called the police, if he hadn't, she might have not met the Doctor.

[Street]

(A young Police Constable approaches two squabbling women. Her attitude to policing seems to channel Sgt Cawood from Happy Valley.)
SONIA: She smashed it with a hammer!
JANEY: Cos you keyed me nearside door!
SONIA: Because you parked in my spot!
JANEY: It's not your spot. There are no spots.
YASMIN: Ladies, please! Thank you. Can I suggest a simple solution? You pay for her cracked window, you pay for her scratched door, and we all agree that parking round here is a nightmare but that grown-ups really shouldn't need to call the police to sort it out for them. Now, if we're all agreed on that, there's no need for me to take any further police action and we can all get on with our lives. What do you reckon?

"You're a police officer?" Bill asked curiously.

"I'm still a probationer but hopefully I will be soon." Yaz nodded back.

The Doctor was grinning wildly at Amy. "Maybe you should get some advice from Amy, Yaz."

"Are you police too?" Yaz asked the Scot.

"No." Said Scot was too busy glaring at the laughing Doctor. When her husband also started to laugh, having been told the full story of the Atraxi and Prisoner Zero, she elbowed him in the shoulder. The others watched the three and decided it was better not to ask.

[Police car / Police station]

YASMIN: I'm just saying, I am capable of more than parking disputes.
RAMESH: And I keep telling you don't run before you can walk. You're a probationer, Yaz. Learn the basics.
YASMIN: I want to do more. Can you not get them to give me something that'll test me? Something a bit different.
RAMESH: There is something that just came in, if you want different.

"Well, it certainly was different." Yaz smiled at the Doctor.

"Isn't everything when it comes to the Doctor." Rose laughed. The other companions were grinning as well. Maybe their lives were different because of the Doctor but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

[Woods]

(Gazing at the blue thing.)
YASMIN: And you say you just found it here?
RYAN: No, I said it appeared, out of nowhere.
YASMIN: Right.
RYAN: I swear, this isn't a prank. I came down here to get me bike.
YASMIN: And where's your bike?
RYAN: In that tree.
YASMIN: Name, sir?

"You sound so done Yaz." Amy grinned.

"Was really fed up with this nonsense. Thought it was a practical joke or something." Yaz smiled back, shrugging. She hadn't believed Ryan at the time, and she'd mostly forgotten with the Doctor and everything after. It was good to see what happened properly, even though it had been a while since it had actually happened.

RYAN: Ryan Sinclair.
YASMIN: Wait. Redlands Primary?
RYAN: Yeah.
YASMIN: Yasmin Khan.
RYAN: Oh my God. Yaz. Wow.
YASMIN: I know.

"It's weird how the world works sometimes, ain't it?" Graham vaguely asked the room, not really expecting an answer. The rest of the group nodded along, they saw weird stuff all the time with the Doctor but the little things still managed to confuse them at times.

RYAN: Look at you. You're a Fed.
YASMIN: Yeah. We don't call it that. I'm still training, second year probation. What about you, what are you up to?
RYAN: Warehouse worker.
YASMIN: Oh. Right. Like it?
RYAN: Hate it. It's cash while I study for my NVQ. I'm trying to be a mechanic.

"If you ever want any help, I used to be a mechanic." Mickey offered smiling at the newer companion who smiled thankfully nodding eagerly.

YASMIN: That's good. You have to take this away, though, seriously. It's going to be dark any minute. You can't dump this here.
RYAN: I didn't. I can't even lift it.
YASMIN: Oh, come on, Ryan. It's me.
RYAN: Touch it.
YASMIN: What?
(She does.)
RYAN: See? It's freezing.

[Train carriage]

ANNOUNCEMENT: The next station is Grindleford.
GRAHAM: Do you ever think he's going to call me Grandad?
GRACE: Give him time.
GRAHAM: Three years we've been married.
GRACE: And you've never been happier!
(She kisses Graham then speaks to the lad with the earbuds in across the aisle, the only other person in the carriage.)

Graham sighed he missed Grace every day. Ryan smiled sadly at Graham who met his glance in understanding. They both missed her so much.

The rest of the group were getting a bad feeling about the fact Grace wasn't in the room with them and the sad smiles the current companions kept sharing.

GRACE: Can't keep his hands off me, love.
GRAHAM: Behave yourself.
GRACE: Never.
(Up in the cab, the driver sees something sparking, then gets thrown off her 'dead man's handle'. The train comes to a sudden halt. Graham is thrown out of his seat. Then the lights go out.)

"And here is where the trouble starts." Jack was on the edge of his seat, like many others, interested to see the newest Doctor in action. The four that had actually experienced the adventure shared a look.

GRAHAM: You all right, love?
GRACE: Think so, yeah. What just happened?
GRAHAM: Where you going?
GRACE: Just having a look.
(She puts her head out of a door to see people getting off the train.)
GRACE: What're you doing? Don't go on t'track, it could be live.
KARL: Get off of there!
(Clang!)
GRACE: Graham, the doors just locked. We're shut in. I can't get them open. Summat's wrong.
KARL: I think something's coming down the train.
(There's a flash of bright light from the next carriage.)
GRAHAM: Right, get away from the door. Grace, get to the back of the carriage. Get to the back.
(They close the interconnecting doors behind them.)

[Woods]

(Night has fallen. Ryan's phone rings.)
RYAN: Wait, one sec. Hiya, Nan.
GRACE [OC]: Ryan, love. Our train's stopped between Hathersage and Grindleford, and something really weird's going on. (static)
YASMIN: Everything all right?
RYAN: Nan?
(A police car speeds down a country lane.)

"Oh, so you get to use the lights and sirens then." The Doctor teased in mock offence. Yaz simply shook her head exasperated but happy to see the Doctor in better spirits. The Doctor was family and they knew she hadn't told them everything but they trusted her. She hadn't been telling them for a reason, maybe not a good one, but she had a reason. Something had been worrying the Doctor for a while and this would give her a chance to find out and help her. As well as figure out what had happened on the other side of the boundary with the Master. Just because they knew she had a reason, didn't mean they weren't very curious and worried.

[Train carriage]

GRAHAM: Grace, get back.
(An interconnecting door is blown apart. A multi-tentacled thing moves slowly towards them.)

"A gathering coil?" River questioned looking to her wife sharply for answers. The Doctor smiled slightly, nodding, but refused to share anything else. She wasn't surprised her wife knew what it was but she didn't want to spoil anything.

GRAHAM: What is it?
GRACE: I've no idea.
(Electrical discharges from the thing trap them against the final and locked door. Suddenly, someone falls through the carriage roof with a cry.)
DOCTOR: What?

"That's quite an entrance Doctor. How are you even alive though? That fall should have killed you." Martha pointed out, ever the doctor. She was glancing furiously between the Doctor on screen and the one in the room.

"It did. I broke about every bone in my body but I was still within 15 hours of regeneration so they healed instantly basically." The Doctor shrugged pretending to ignore the glances that her companions shared. Rose shuddered slightly remembering the severed hand incident. River, Jack and the Master all gave the Doctor similar pointed looks that she purposely ignored.

(They point at the being behind her. She grabs a dangling electrical cable and thrusts it into the thing, which stop sparking. I think that's what she does, it's very dark then very bright and hard to tell.)
DOCTOR: Should buy us a few seconds. (looks at the hole in the roof) Oh yeah, Long story. Tell you later. Doors?

"She never did tell us properly. Guess we know now though." Graham muttered to the other two who mumbled vague agreements.

The Doctor tried to protest. "I did tell you!"

The three of them raised their eyebrow in sync. "Not really Doctor, you just kinda said something about losing your TARDIS." Ryan added. The Doctor sighed before smiling apologetically. She really hadn't told the three of them much, but everything was going to be coming out soon. Whether she wanted it to or not (and she didn't).

GRACE: Locked shut.
DOCTOR: We'll see about that. No sonic. Empty pockets. Oh, I hate empty pockets.

"Where did your sonic go? You love that thing." Bill questioned.

"I lost it in the explosion I think." The Doctor didn't look away from the screen. Bill grimaced remembering it, the Doctor's clothes and the last video didn't help. They weren't exactly pleasant memories; getting shot, converted into a Cyberman and then watching the Doctor die.

KARL: It's coming back!
DOCTOR: What are you? Okay, you don't like questions. More the private type, I get that.
(It somehow gets Karl separated from the group.)
KARL: Get it away from me!
DOCTOR: All of you, stay very still.
KARL: It's going to kill us.
DOCTOR: It could've done that already.

"That's not as reassuring as you think it is Doctor. Do we need to do flash cards again?" Clara sighed only half sarcastic. The Doctor smiled a bit guiltily at her, it had sounded fine at the time.

"I'm not sure I want to ask but flash cards?" Rory sighed, already regretting his question.

"I made Eyebrows flash cards because he kept forgetting basic manners. I was his career." Clara attempted to explain.

"Yeah, she cared so I didn't have to." The Doctor nodded grinning, she had missed Clara and the memories of their adventures were mostly great especially now that she could actually remember them.

"I was right I didn't want to know." Rory grimaced.

RYAN: Nan!
GRACE: Ryan, stay away!
YASMIN: Oh, my God.
(Electrical discharges, then it disappears through the hole in the roof.)
DOCTOR: You three, relax, but stay put. I'll check the rest of the train. Fat lot of use you two were.

"Bit rude Martian." Donna scolded. The Doctor rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.

(Walking through the train.)
YASMIN: Hey! Hold on there please, madam. I need you to do as I say. This could be a potential crime scene.
DOCTOR: Why are you calling me madam?
YASMIN: Because you're a woman.
DOCTOR: Am I? Does it suit me?

"You didn't even realise?" Amy asked exasperated.

"I'm sorry, I was a bit busy falling for it to really register. Gender wasn't the first thing on my mind." The Doctor threw her hands up in surrender. Then she tilted her head to the side as a second thought occurred to her. "Plus, regeneration makes you a bit loopy and gender doesn't really matter."

YASMIN: What?
DOCTOR: Oh yeah, I remember. Sorry, half an hour ago I was a white-haired Scotsman. When's the next train due?

"Well, that explains that comment." Yaz smiled.

"You didn't believe me?" The Doctor pouted.

"It's kind of a hard thing to believe, Doc." Graham shrugged. Ryan and Yaz nodded with him a bit guiltily. The Doctor smiled; she was only teasing them really.

"I'd say it was more of a grey colour." The Master smirked at the Doctor, interrupting the exchange between the three current companions and the Doctor. She raised an eyebrow before answering with her own smirk.

"Do I need to remind you of your platinum blond hair?" The Master glared at the Doctor and then at the few companions who weren't able to hide their snickers.

RYAN: This is the last one back.
DOCTOR: But the doors are locked. How did you both get in?
YASMIN: Driver's window was smashed in.
DOCTOR: What's your name?
YASMIN: PC Khan, Hallamshire Police.
(Note to the curious, Hallamshire is the traditional name for South Yorkshire, which is now mostly Sheffield.)
DOCTOR: Name, not title.

"Bit hypocritical, Boss." Mickey spoke up.

"The Doctor is my name and has been for millennium. My real name is long, complicated and dangerous." The Doctor sighed, she wasn't going to even mention the name she used during the Academy years, if she did, they would wheedle it out of her eventually. The Master grinned in her peripheral vision. He knew all her names and the reasons for her choice of the Doctor better than anyone. River was possibly the only other person alive who knew her name. All three people in the universe that knew her name in one small room. Not reassuring.

YASMIN: Yasmin Khan. Yaz to my friends. Can I have your name, please?
DOCTOR: When I can remember it.
YASMIN: You don't know your own name?
DOCTOR: Course I know it. I just can't remember it. It's right there, on the tip of my... What's that?
RYAN: Tongue?
DOCTOR: Tongue! Smart boy. Biology. What did she call you? Ryan?
RYAN: Yeah. Ryan Sinclair.
DOCTOR: Good name. Are you a doctor, Ryan?
RYAN: No.
DOCTOR: Shame. I'm looking for a doctor.

"Were you trying your best to confuse them? Honestly Doctor." Rose laughed shaking her head at the Doctor. Not much changed, but at least she had known the Doctor when he regenerated and went all crazy on her. The Doctor blushed a bit in embarrassment.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Regeneration sickness is horrible." She smiled apologetically at her fam who smiled reassuringly back at her. It had been very confusing at the time but since then they had learned that the Doctor was a very confusing person in general.

[Driver's cab]

DOCTOR: Power, lights, doors. Poor woman.
RYAN: That thing must've killed her as it came through.
DOCTOR: Must it? It didn't kill anyone else. Looks more like she died of shock when it smashed through the window.
YASMIN: Either way, a woman has died here.
DOCTOR: But no more creatures, and no other passengers left on board. Let's get back to the others.

[Train carriage]

YASMIN: Wait. Can you stop, please? This could be a major incident. I'm the one in charge here.

"That didn't last long." Yaz grinned at the Doctor. She wasn't really annoyed. She had no idea how she would have explained anything to anyone.

"It never does." Martha grinned in understanding. Many of the others laughed and nodded along

DOCTOR: What are you going to do?
YASMIN: Call it in to my station.
DOCTOR: What are you going to tell them?
YASMIN: The facts.
DOCTOR: Which are?
YASMIN: The train was attacked.
DOCTOR: By what?
YASMIN: I need to take a look at CCTV footage.
DOCTOR: And why do you need to check CCTV when we all saw it with our own eyes?
RYAN: Was it an alien? Because it looked like an alien to me.
YASMIN: Oh, come on.

"It's weird to think that back then I never really would've thought of aliens being real and here I am now travelling through time and space with one." Yaz spoke, voicing the thoughts of many of the companions over the years. Both Yaz and Ryan got large grins from the Doctor.

DOCTOR: What, you think he's wrong?
YASMIN: No, I dunno, but...
DOCTOR: But you're worried about how you'll explain all this to a superior officer who won't believe you.
YASMIN: I can't not report it.
DOCTOR: You could hold off until we get the answers to the bigger questions.
YASMIN: Which are?
DOCTOR: What was it? Why is it here? Where's it going next? And, most importantly, how do we stop it? 'Cos whatever it is, I don't think it's done. Come on, Ryan. Come on, Yaz. I'm calling you Yaz, cos we're friends now.

"As normal, you are just trying to do your job and the Doctor strolls in and turns your world upside down." Martha grinned at the police officer and then offered a teasing smile at the Doctor who practically beamed at her.

"I'm guessing she did something similar to you? She blew up my job the first day we met." Rose grinned. She and Martha had been talking and had agreed to try and become friends. Mickey deserved it.

"Yeah, the hospital I was training at got abducted to the moon and he gave me a shock when I tried to listen to his heartbeat and found two." Martha explained, sharing a grin with the Doctor, who mimed taking of a tie. Yaz smiled listening to the stories, glad she wasn't the only one who had had their life turned upside down by the Doctor's appearance.

(Later, Yasmin is taking witness details.)
KARL: It's er Karl Wright. Middle name's Brian. 52 Northover Street.
YASMIN: Telephone number?
DOCTOR: Right then, troops. No, not troops. Team, gang, fam? I'm distracting myself.

"You're always distracting yourself, sir." Nardole muttered.

"You've just died, fallen through the atmosphere, and you are already trying to save the day with new friends. You don't change Doctor." Clara shook her head stuck between exasperated and joyful and maybe a bit of frustration. The Doctor grinned like a maniac in response.

GRACE: You came crashing through that roof.
DOCTOR: I was thrown out of my Tardis. Oh, I've lost my Tardis. It was exploding and then it dematerialised. Don't panic. Not the end of the world. Well, it could be the end of the world, but one thing at a time.

Amy, Rory, River shot the Doctor a questioning glance. She shook her head quickly. It wasn't like the last time the TARDIS exploded. No end of the universe this time, no cracks in the fabric of space-time.

GRAHAM: Are we supposed to understand anything you're saying?

"Does anyone ever understand everything she says?" Amy grinned. The rest of the companions chuckled, ignoring the pouting Doctor.

RYAN: She thinks that thing is an alien.
GRAHAM: Don't be daft. There's no such thing as aliens. Anyway even if there was, they ain't going to be on a train in Sheffield.
DOCTOR: Why not? I'm alien and I'm here.
GRAHAM: Grace, we're going.

This drew laughter from the majority of the room. "Fair reaction mate. I was a bit like that." Mickey laughed.

"If I remember right, Ricky the idiot, you were very rude and kept calling me a thing!" The Doctor crossed her arms giving the person in question a mock glare.

"And if I remember right, which I do, you were very rude back at him and kept forgetting his name." Rose shot the pair a glare who quickly raised their arms in surrender. Neither wanted to be on Rose's bad side, even for a mock argument they had settled years ago.

GRACE: No, we're not. She just saved our lives.
DOCTOR: Don't be scared. All of this is new to you, and new can be scary. Now we all want answers. Stick with me, you might get some.
KARL: Actually, I don't want answers. I just want to get to work and forget all about this. If that's all right with everyone. Even if it isn't. Thank you.
YASMIN: Would you like me to...
KARL: No! Thank you. I er, just want to be on my own. I'll walk. I need the air. And I'm with him. We don't get aliens in Sheffield.

"Yeah, that's a weird one. Usually, they all focus on London." The Doctor wondered aloud.

"Is there a reason for that? I mean, the aliens usually being in London." Rory asked.

"I have no idea."

GRACE: I think he's still in shock, bless him.
DOCTOR: Obvious question, but has anyone noticed anything else out of the ordinary tonight?
(Ryan slowly raises his hand.)

[Police car]

YASMIN: I'm going to be in such trouble if they find out I were there.
DOCTOR: Can we have the lights and siren on?
YASMIN: No! I shouldn't be doing any of this.

The laughter started up again. The Doctor watched them face scrunched up in confusion. Graham is the only one to take pity on her. "Sorry Doc. It's just you look so disappointed."

DOCTOR: So you three know each other?
GRACE: I'm his Nan. Graham's me husband.
RYAN: Second husband.

Ryan winced and offered Graham an apologetic look for his attitude. Graham just patted him on the back, they had both been pretty cold to each other at times, but they were much closer now.

DOCTOR: And you two know each other?
RYAN: Yeah, Yaz and I were at school together.
DOCTOR: Oh.
GRACE: Not Yasmin Khan?
YASMIN: Hello, Ryan's Nan.
GRACE: Haven't you done well for yourself, love.
DOCTOR: And you say you just found it there, this thing?
RYAN: Yeah, pretty much. I took pictures.
DOCTOR: Oh, good lad. (looks at the pictures) That's exciting. No, not exciting. What do I mean? Worrying. Fast as you can, Yaz.

[Woods]

RYAN: There's my bike.
DOCTOR: Why's it in a tree?
RYAN: We were up top and I chucked it over.
GRAHAM: He gets cross cos he can't ride it.
GRACE: We're giving him lessons. He's got dyspraxia. It's a coordination disorder.

Amy and Rory grinned at the Doctor who suddenly felt a sense of worry at the pair of grins. "Chinny was like a baby giraffe at times, absolutely no coordination, and his dancing was absolutely horrifying." Amy cackled. Clara and River, the other two who had met Chinny, grinned in agreement. Ryan smiled a bit shy, glad no one was making any comments and instead sharing embarrassing stories about the Doctor, who was currently trying feebly to protest with no success. She kept getting drowned out by Amy's maniacal cackles.

RYAN: Anyway, enough about me. The tree's to the left so it should be...
YASMIN: It was definitely there.
DOCTOR: So where's it gone?
(White van man has it.)

[Industrial unit]

(Two men have unloaded the thing safely.)
ANDY: Rahul, if you're right about that, should we not tell someone?
RAHUL: What good would that do?
ANDY: I'm worried for you, mate.
RAHUL: I've finally got it. Go on, mate, have a pint on me. I'll see you Monday. Pick you up at eight.
(Andy leaves. Rahul tapes video cameras to concrete posts around the thing, then sits down to watch it.)

[Sheffield]

DOCTOR: Two weird things, one city, same night, makes me nervous.
YASMIN: I'll see if there have been any more reports on that object.
DOCTOR: Good, cos we need all the information we can get. Meet us back here.
GRAHAM: I could have a word with some of my old pals from work. If you want to know what's happening, ask a bus driver.
RYAN: He always says that.
GRAHAM: Yeah, that's cos it is true. I'd still be doing it now if I could.
RYAN: I can search for weird stuff on social media.
GRACE: I'll check in with my nurses group on WhatsApp.
GRAHAM: Seriously though. Aliens?
DOCTOR: Yep.
GRAHAM: Yeah, maybe I won't mention that bit.
DOCTOR: Suddenly I feel really tired.
GRACE: That was a big fall you had, love. We should get you checked out at A&E.
DOCTOR: No, no, no. I never go anywhere that's just initials. Although... (sticks a finger up her nostril) Ah. Can one of you catch me?

"First of all, that is disgusting Doctor, really? Second, why do you have the hospital so much? I mean aside from the whole two hearts and alien thing, that bit I understand." Rory asked awkwardly, it had been bothering him for a long time but he'd never got the chance to ask.

"Because you humans have killed her before." The Master drawled from his chair a knowing smirk and dark look in his eye.

"How do you even know about that?" She shot back at him, gaining a raised eyebrow in response. Of course, she should have known. If there was one thing the Master knew it was her, plus he had been around at the time although he was a bit busy burning through bodies.

"Doctor what's she talking about?" Martha asked worried.

"It was an accident; they were trying to help. I was in my 7th face and I got shot a few times in San Francisco. Nothing too worrying. They took me to hospital and had to do surgery. They didn't listen or believe me when I said I was an alien and ended up killing me instead because of the two hearts. I think I surprised them when I disappeared from the Morgue. It was an accident." She glared at the Master quickly before turning to comfort her friends. They looked at her in a mix of horror and sadness.

"I guess I can see why you don't like hospitals then." Rory managed to choke out, Amy holding him tight in worry and frustration. This was a long time ago and they couldn't do anything but it was still horrible to think what their friend had gone through.

RYAN: You're going to fall over?
DOCTOR: In 2 minutes, 19 seconds. Wait. Forget the 2 minutes 19. Oh, this new nose is so unreliable.
(She falls into Ryan's arms.)

"Do you always do that to people Doctor? You need to give them better warning. At least I knew you when you did it to me!" Rose berated the sheepish Time Lord who was happy for the topic change.

"She did it to you as well? This lump collapsed on me after we ended up accidently taking a dinosaur to Victorian London and found some old friends of his." Clara sighed, happy to find others that shared experience in dealing with the Doctor.

The Doctor was beginning to think that this was a terrible idea. All these companions together was never going to end well, they were only ever going to team up and embarrass her. She was slightly glad that the TARDIS hadn't brought any others – Sarah Jane, Jo Jones (nee Grant), and the others had way too many embarrassing stories about her, as much as she would love to see them again.

[Police station]

RAMESH: Yaz, you've done your shift. Stop pestering me for more interesting shouts.
YASMIN: It's not that. I'm just wondering whether there's been anything else out of the ordinary tonight.
RAMESH: It's the night shift in Sheffield. Everything's out of the ordinary.

[Bus station]

GRAHAM: I've got to ask you, any talk of weird stuff or strange creatures out tonight?
GABRIEL: My wife's out with her mates at karaoke, if that's what you mean.
(The men laugh.)
GRAHAM: Yeah, yeah.

[Ryan's home]

GRACE: Ryan, look.
(The Doctor is spark out on the sofa. Amazing how the suit regenerated too to fit her so well. Regeneration energy is still coursing through her veins.)
RYAN: Whoa.
GRACE: She's got two separate pulses.

Martha grinned, that certainly brought back memories. "Yeah, that gave me a fright when I met her in a hospital."

"What was she doing in a hospital?" Rose asked worried, knowing it couldn't have been too long after she had ended up stuck on the parallel world. Both ignored the Doctor, not trusting her to answer honestly.

"I don't really know, investigating maybe. Good thing she was, we ended up on the Moon with a platoon of Judoon. She saved my life and half of Earths."

"You saved my life as well that day, Martha." The Doctor smiled nodding at her, she didn't look away until she got an answering smile.

(A piece of golden energy floats away from her.)
RYAN: Oh my God, what is that?
GRACE: I have no idea.

"You did that to me too! What is it?" Rose pointed out.

"Stray regeneration energy, my cells are still burning and fixing themselves." The Doctor grimaced, it was a horrible process.

(Over in Rahul's industrial unit, the lights flicker, then the flask thing cracks. Steam rises and yellow light streams out.
On a rooftop, the multi-tentacled thing scans the city. Rahul's video cameras burst in to flames and he leaps back, crowbar at the ready to defend himself.
The Doctor wakes up, gasping.)
DOCTOR: Ah! Ah! Oh! Who woke me up? I'm not ready, still healing, still... oh. Can you smell that? No, not smell, not hear, feel. Can you feel...? Stay still, Ryan.
RYAN: What is it? What's the matter?
DOCTOR: Ah. Show me your collarbones.
(Little red lights flickering by their clavicles.)
DOCTOR: Oh, you've all got them.
RYAN: So have you.
DOCTOR: Yeah, I have. Okay. Really sorry. Not good news. DNA bombs. Micro-implants which code to your DNA. On detonation, they disrupt the foundation of your genetic code, melting your DNA. Fast and nasty and outlawed in every civilised galaxy.

"Nasty things." River grimaced; she had never used them but had seen them in action. "How did you get rid of them?" She was more curious than worried. She knew her wife well. The Doctor offered her a small smile and a shrug.

RYAN: How did we get them?
GRAHAM: Never mind that, are they going to go off?
DOCTOR: Quiet, I'm trying to think. It's difficult. I'm not yet who I am. Brain and body still rebooting, reformatting.
(Sees the picture of the thing on the train on Ryan's phone.)
DOCTOR: Oh, reformatting. Can I borrow that?
RYAN: Yeah, I guess so. But what for?
DOCTOR: That creature, on the train when you two came on board, it zapped us all with these. Simple plan to take out witnesses. Very clever. Merciless, but clever. I reformatted your phone.
RYAN: No! All my stuff's on there!
DOCTOR: Not any more.

"You never give the Doctor any kind of technology that you like the way it is. The number of times I have had to buy a new toaster!" Amy groaned while many of the other companions nodded in solemn agreement. No technology was safe in the Doctor's clutches. Ryan grimaced; she had eventually fixed his phone but it had never been the same. Plus, she had meddled with quite a few pieces of technology in their kitchen and that wasn't mentioning what she had done with his dad's microwave oven thing.

(The Doctor triggers her new app and is thrown backwards into the wall.)
DOCTOR: Oh! That nap did me the world of good. Very comfy sofa. (grabs her jacket) Come on, keep up.

Many of the companions shook their heads in exasperation at the Doctor's complete disregard for her safety and at the way she just casually runs off like a lunatic.

[Industrial unit]

(A bipedal metal-clad creature stands up.)
RAHUL: Where's my sister?
TZIM-SHA: Ask me again.
RAHUL: Where's my sister?
TZIM-SHA: You will never know.
(It puts its gauntlet on Rahul's head and he screams.)

"That's horrible!"

[Car]

DOCTOR: Next left.
YASMIN: Where are we driving to?
RYAN: I reckon she's using my phone to track the origin signal for the DNA bombs.
GRAHAM: Again, how long till they go off?
DOCTOR: Don't know.
GRAHAM: Well, can't we just defuse them?
DOCTOR: Not without the right equipment. Left again.
(The elderly Volvo comes to a halt in the industrial unit area. They all get out.)

[Business park]

DOCTOR: We're close.
(Explosion a little way off.)
DOCTOR: Bingo. Oi!
(The metal man appears.)
DOCTOR: I was expecting a tentacle-y thing. (shouts) Don't you move!
(It turns away, she chases after it.)

"Always the running, eh Doc." Jack grinned, maybe she was newly regenerated but one thing that never changed with the Doctor was the running.

"Did you really think that would work?" Donna asked amused.

"I was hopeful."

RYAN: Wait, is that another alien?
GRACE: Looks like it!
(They chase after the Doctor.)
GRAHAM: Why is she running at another alien?
YASMIN: Don't just stand there, come on!
GRAHAM: Now you're all running at it!
(Further on.)

Rory and Mickey sighed in commiseration. They both knew what it was like getting dragged into all of this.

DOCTOR: Oh, lost it. It's fast. I'm slower cos of all this... fizzing inside.
RYAN: In here!

[Industrial unit]

GRAHAM: Got a man down over here.
GRACE: That thing must've killed him. I've never seen injuries like these.
DOCTOR: Not a weapon blast, more of an ice burn.
GRACE: It broke his jaw open too.
DOCTOR: Looks like it took one of his teeth. What sort of creature kills someone and then stops to pull out a tooth? I'm sorry you all had to see this.
GRACE: I'll find something to cover the body.
DOCTOR: Thank you, Grace. I'm sorry any of this is happening. I'm sorry that thing on the train planted these bombs inside you, and I'm sorry I haven't figured out what's going on yet.
RYAN: This is it. This is the thing.
YASMIN: It was all sealed up earlier. Looks like it's been broken.
DOCTOR: Or it's done what it came here for. It's some sort of transport chamber, presumably for that thing we just saw in the alley. But why here? Why tonight?
RYAN: Actually, that might have been me.
DOCTOR: Why? What did you do?
RYAN: When I went to get me bike, there were this line in the air. And then it moved, and there were shapes.
DOCTOR: And?
RYAN: And I touched one.
GRACE: Ryan.
RYAN: You all would've done the same.
GRAHAM: I wouldn't.
DOCTOR: I would've.

There was a mumble of agreement from most people in the room, excluding Rory, Mickey and the Master. Most of them couldn't deny that they probably would have done the same. Ryan smiled, glad to know he wasn't alone.

RYAN: Right, the shapes disappeared. A few seconds later, that appeared. What've I done?
DOCTOR: Hard to say, really.
GRAHAM: I suppose you'll be blaming this on the dyspraxia as well. Can't ride a bike, started an alien invasion.

"Sorry Ryan that really wasn't fair on you. It was an accident." Graham sighed, neither of them had been particularly kind to each other. Ryan just shrugged offering him a small smile to show he was okay.

GRACE: Graham.
GRAHAM: What?
GRACE: Enough, love.
RYAN: All right, I made a mistake. But why did that guy move this thing from the Peaks to here? And how did he even know it were there?
DOCTOR: Good questions.
YASMIN: Let's take a look round here, see what we can find.
DOCTOR: Can't follow it. The tracking's been blocked, like it figured out what I was doing.
GRACE: If we were tracking bomb signals from that creature from t'train, why did they lead us here?
DOCTOR: Another good question. I dunno. If I could analyse that. Course, what I really need is my... Oh! I could build one I'm good at building things. Probably.
(Runs off.)

"You're going to make yourself a sonic screwdriver, aren't you dear?" River sighed with a knowing smile on her face. Her wife was so predictable at times. The Doctor grinned back, nodding happily, proud of her new screwdriver. Now if only she knew where it was.

YASMIN: It's not your fault, all this.
RYAN: Yeah, it basically is.
YASMIN: You couldn't have known that was going to happen.
RYAN: Maybe tell Graham that.
YASMIN: He knows, really. Do you believe she's an alien?
RYAN: Yeah, I think I do, yeah. Is that mad?
YASMIN: No. I think I do too.

"Nice to see you two never doubted me." The Doctor grinned at the pair who smiled back, neither of them regretted leaving with her at the time, she had shown them so many amazing things.

RYAN: Hey, look in here.

[Office]

(A file of strange happenings over Sheffield, and a missing persons poster. Ryan goes to the computer.)
RYAN: Hey, look at this.
(In the centre of the screen is a icon - If I Die Click Here.)

"Well, that's cheery." Nardole muttered and was promptly ignored.

[Industrial unit]

(At a workbench, assembling components.)
GRAHAM: You don't look like an alien.
DOCTOR: You should've seen me a few hours back. My whole body changed. Every cell in my body burning. Some of them are still at it now. Reordering, regenerating.
GRACE: Sounds painful, love.
DOCTOR: You have no idea. There's this moment when you're sure you're about to die and then... you're born. It's terrifying. Right now, I'm a stranger to myself. There's echoes of who I was, and a sort of call towards who I am, and I have to hold my nerve and trust all these new instincts. Shape myself towards them. I'll be fine, in the end. Hopefully. Well, I have to be because you guys need help. And if there is one thing I'm certain of, when people need help, I never refuse. Right, this is going to be fun!

The companions all glanced at the two Time Lords (and the Ponds at River) with a grimace. There wasn't really much they could say in comfort.

"That's just like you Doc, finding trouble and calling it fun." Jack grinned, distracting the three Time Lords (well two and a bit; or one, a bit and whatever the Doctor actually was) from their thoughts. He was maybe the closest one to understanding what it was like to die, but he could never understand the regeneration bit.

"You can't really say anything Jack." The Doctor grinned back at him, a thankful look in her eye, he nodded slightly to acknowledge the silent message.

(The Doctor works. She smiles at a Sheffield Stainless Steel spoon, then puts it and a whole load of other cutlery into a bucket and melts them. Then she builds circuit boards until finally -)
DOCTOR: Ta-da! (the sonic screwdriver lights up, then goes bang) Oh. Should be fine.

"Looks nice Sweetie. Suits you." The Doctor grinned happily up at her, practically preening with her wife's approval. The rest of the companions (mostly) managed to hide their giggles at how excited she was.

RYAN: Hey, we found a load of stuff.

[Office]

RAHUL [on screen]: It's come back. The thing I saw the night my sister... Everyone always says disappeared, but I know she was taken. Seven years now, tracking energy signals, building predictive programmes so that I'd know when the atmospheric disruptions matched what happened that day. And tonight it came back again and I've got it. I am going to find out what happened to my sister. If anything happens to me, her name was Asha. Don't let anyone else go through this.
RYAN: He knew what he was doing might kill him.
DOCTOR: She was his family.
(Later, sonicking the remains of the container.)
RYAN: Did you just make that?
DOCTOR: Sonic screwdriver. Well, I say screwdriver, but it's a bit more multi-purpose than that. Scanner, diagnostics, tin opener. More of a sonic Swiss Army knife. Only without the knife. Only idiots carry knives.

"Sonic swiss army knife! Honestly Doctor." Amy sighed exasperated; the Doctor may have been a couple thousand years older but she still acted like a small child.

"And yet it still doesn't do wood." Clara grinned teasingly, gaining laughter from the rest of the companions and a pout from the Doctor.

RYAN: What are you doing with it?
DOCTOR: Mapping the distance this object has travelled. It looks like it started over 5,000 galaxies away.
YASMIN: How can you tell?
DOCTOR: That bit there. Recall circuitry. It's designed for a return journey.
GRAHAM: So whatever killed that bloke will have to come back here?
DOCTOR: Question is, why did it leave? What's it looking for?
GRACE: What's your best guess, love?
DOCTOR: Two aliens, one city, one night. Best guess? Two species at war, using Earth as a battleground.

"That's really not good." Mickey grimaced.

"When is it ever mate, when is it ever." Rory sighed. The pair shared a smile, it was always good to find someone else semi-sane amongst everything.

YASMIN: Are you joking?
DOCTOR: No, sorry.
GRAHAM: So... so you're saying that the creature on the train and the thing that came out of here, they're now looking for each other spoiling for a scrap?
DOCTOR: Bit more than a scrap.
YASMIN: What are we going to do? Cos this is my home, and I'm not having it being an alien battleground.
(The Doctor is gathering supplies.)
DOCTOR: We stop them meeting. Capture them, send them home. Away from each other, and away from Earth.
RYAN: How do we do that?
DOCTOR: Well, give me a minute. I'm working on it.
GRAHAM: Not to sound like a stuck record, but can I just ask about these DNA bombs? Like, how long have we got left?
DOCTOR: Enough questions! You lot, you love to chat. I get it. Lots to do. I'm working on it all. And I haven't forgotten about your collarbones, Graham. Give me nine minutes, a bit of quiet, and I'll be ready to roll. Scout's honour.
(Graham answers his phone.)
GRAHAM: Hello? Yeah, Kevin. No, no mate. That's exactly the sort of thing.

[Alleyway]

(A drunk is throwing the unwanted bits of salad out of his takeaway box when the bipedal alien steps in front of him.)
DEAN: Halloween's next month, mate. (throws salad at him) Eat my salad, Halloween!
(Tzim-Sha grabs Dean's head, and he screams. It removes a tooth from the corpse.)

Everyone looked down at the floor, sad to see another death. The Doctor grimaced, just another death she hadn't been quick enough to stop.

[Rooftop]

(With the multi-tentacled electric thing.)
DOCTOR: Hi. Us again.
(She clamps a crocodile clip attached to a car battery to a fire escape ladder.)
DOCTOR: Now!
(Grace jabs it with what looks like an electric drill.)
RYAN: Get in! It actually worked!
DOCTOR: Of course it worked. I'm not an amateur. Overloaded its socket, stunned it for a bit. Not sure for how long though. Best be quick. And thank you to Kevin the bus driver for location intel.
GRAHAM: See? Always ask a bus driver.
DOCTOR: (scanning it) Half organic, half machine. Starts to make sense now. Wait. It's a Gathering Coil. No, dozens of Gathering Coils. These tentacle-y things, they're creatures which gather information. They've been lashed together and augmented into one super-creature. But why? What data are they gathering? Unless...
YASMIN: So that's an alien species?
DOCTOR: Not really. More of a semi-species. Weaponised bio-tech.
YASMIN: You said there were two aliens in a battle.
DOCTOR: You're right, I did, but now I think I'm wrong and I'm trying to catch up with what that might mean. If I can access the data it's gathered...

"It's rare for you to admit your wrong Spaceman, you must be sick." Donna laughed teasingly.

"Oi! I can admit I'm wrong, I'm much more mature now." The Doctor protested but this seemed to only make things worse as the rest of her friends started laughing. Even the Master chuckled a bit in the corner drawing a glare from her which he promptly ignored.

(She sticks the screwdriver into the coils and an image is projected.)
GRAHAM: It's Karl from the train.
DOCTOR: Karl's the data. That's what it was gathering on the train.
GRAHAM: But what would the alien want with him?
TZIM-SHA: Which one of you shall I kill first?
DOCTOR: I'm voting none of us. Get behind me now. Stop right there. Come any further and we'll blast whatever that thing is.

"Thanks for trying to protect us, Doc. I mean you barely knew us but were still willing to stand between us and the dangerous alien." Graham nodded to her.

"No, thank you Graham for helping me when I was sick and really hard to understand. Besides, I have a duty of care to protect you. I dragged you into this mess I have to make sure you get home safe." The Doctor took a deep breath, she didn't want to think about the last time she wasn't standing in front of someone and they got hurt. Bill had got shot through the stomach and then tuned into a Cyberman because she hadn't protected her enough.

Bill seemed to know what she was thinking and shot her a concerned look and whispered so the other couldn't hear. "It wasn't your fault. You did the best you could to protect me. I'm happy now, travelling with Heather. I forgave you a long time ago you stupid old man." The Doctor smiled softly back at her, unsure of what to say so choosing to remain silent.

TZIM-SHA: You're interfering in things you don't understand.
DOCTOR: Yeah, well, we all need a hobby.

"I think you make it more of a lifestyle than a hobby Doctor." Martha said. The Doctor shrugged; she couldn't really deny it.

TZIM-SHA: You're not human. Who are you?
DOCTOR: Me? I'm... Oh, it's gone again. I had it a minute ago. So annoying. Same question back at you. No, in fact, before that, because it's really bugging me, actually not bugging me, offending me. Why the teeth? Bad enough you kill, why take a tooth from the victim?
(It removes its faceplate to reveal that its head is studded with teeth.)

"Oh god. That is disgusting." Rose grimaced looking away from the screen. Most of the other companions groaned in disgust and did the same. They had all seen some stuff in their time with the Doctor but this was not one of the nice ones.

TZIM-SHA: A Stenza warrior wears his conquests. You may tell your children you were once privileged to encounter Tzim-Sha of the Stenza.
DOCTOR: Tim Shaw?
TZIM-SHA: Tzim-Sha.
DOCTOR: Tim Shaw.
TZIM-SHA: Tzim-Sha! Soon to be leader of the Stenza warrior race, conquerors of the Nine Systems.
DOCTOR: When you say soon to be leader, what are you now, the office junior?
GRAHAM: Eh? No, don't wind him up.

"You have no hope of that. She finds that part fun." Mickey sighed. Rory nodded in agreement. The Doctor just grinned, that was one of the best parts plus it usually annoyed them into giving her information. Amy grinned at the Doctor as she mouthed 'poke it with a stick'.

TZIM-SHA: Tonight is my challenge. Trace and obtain the selected human trophy.
DOCTOR: It's a hunt. You're on a hunt.
TZIM-SHA: Well done. Your tiny mind must be burning with such effort.
DOCTOR: Did he just say I had a small mind?

"Oh no, he's in trouble now, he insulted her mind and intelligence." Clara laughed, with the other companions joining in.

TZIM-SHA: The challenge is simple. Our leaders randomly designate a selected human. I'm sent here, alone, no weapons, no assistance. I must locate and obtain the trophy and return home with it, victorious. By doing this, I ascend to leader. This is the ritual of the Stenza.
YASMIN: And it's happened before. Rahul's sister.
DOCTOR: Earth is not a hunting ground.
TZIM-SHA: Access was granted.
RYAN: No, it wasn't. It was a misunderstanding. Access revoked as of now, by me.
DOCTOR: Just to pick up on one thing. You don't mind, do you? You said the rules were no weapons, no assistance.
TZIM-SHA: Correct.
DOCTOR: How did you kill them? What caused the ice burns?
TZIM-SHA: We Stenza live at temperatures far below this planet, one touch of my cold skin will kill a human.
DOCTOR: So, this super-powered Gathering Coil right here, you're not meant to have it, are you?
TZIM-SHA: The creature is irrelevant.
DOCTOR: I don't think it is. I think you smuggled it ahead of you. I think it located the randomly designated human for you. I think you broke the rules. Some leader you're going to make. Tim Shaw is a big blue cheat!
(Tzim-Sha raises its hand, palm glowing with cold energy.)
DOCTOR: Okay, fine, have it.

"You backed down real fast there. That's unlike you. You have a plan, right?" Bill asked turning pointedly at the Doctor who grinned but refused to give anything away.

"Spoilers." Amy and Rory groaned; they were both very sick of that word. River raised an eyebrow at her wife who shrugged still grinning.

(Tzim-Sha crouches by the Coil and energy flows into him.)
RYAN: What's it doing?
DOCTOR: Total transference. If you've finished, let's be really clear. You're not taking any human from Earth tonight. Leave now or we're going to stop you.
TZIM-SHA: Good luck.
(A blinding flash of light.)
DOCTOR: No! Short-range teleport. Double cheat!
YASMIN: Where have they gone?
DOCTOR: To hunt.
RYAN: Hunt who?
DOCTOR: Isn't it obvious?

[Crane cab]

(Karl is listening to You Are Valued motivational audio on his phone (I think).)
RECORDING: I am special.
KARL: I am special.
RECORDING: I am valued.
KARL: I am valued.
RECORDING: Somebody out there wants me.
KARL: Somebody out there wants me.
(He sets his crane moving on the building site.)

"Well, that is depressing and a bit ironic looking back." Yaz sighed. Graham and Ryan were starting to shrink into the sofa in dread, they all knew what was coming soon. The Doctor kept glancing back at them worried, concern obvious.

[Security hut]

DENNIS: You stay up too late, madam. Let your mum get some sleep. She works very hard for you. Mind you, I like it that you call me. Not every grandad's this lucky.
(Flash outside.)
DENNIS: Daisy love, I've got to go now. Love you loads. What do you think you're... Argh!
(Tzim-Sha takes another trophy.)

"That's horrible." Rose spoke shocked. "That poor man." They may all have seen a lot of death travelling with the Doctor but it never got easy, especially after seeing him talk to his family.

[Car]

YASMIN: Karl's number's going straight to voicemail.
RYAN: Got him. Karl Wright, operator for Skylark Building Services.
GRAHAM: I know where their site is. It ain't far. Grace, next right, love!

[Crane cab]

(Karl spots Tzim-Sha climbing up the outside of the crane, and gets on the radio.)
KARL: Dennis, there's someone climbing up to me cab. Dennis? Dennis, it's Karl!

[Building site]

(The Volvo parks outside the building site, and the Doctor runs up to the hole Tzim-Sha has made by walking through the security fencing. They find Dennis and hear Karl on the radio.)
KARL [OC]: Dennis, I need help! Somebody's on my crane!
DOCTOR: Oh, great. Karl's a crane operator. He would be, wouldn't he?

"That's just your luck Doctor." Jack laughed.

RYAN: It's over there.
GRAHAM: And that creature's guarding the bottom of it.
DOCTOR: Graham, Grace, need you to take this equipment and get everybody off this site. Don't care how. Use your initiative. Do not come back in, understand? Ryan, Yaz, how are you with machinery, and heights?

"I don't like where I think this plan is going Doctor." Amy crossed her arms, looking like a mother scolding her child. The Doctor had to resist the urge to shrink down in her seat.

[Crane]

DOCTOR: That tentacle-y thing is guarding Karl's crane, so we go up this one.
YASMIN: What do we do when we get up there?
DOCTOR: Don't worry, I've got a plan.
YASMIN: Really?
DOCTOR: Well, I will have by the time we get to the top.
(She starts up the ladders.)

"I have to ask, is that normal? Her coming up with plans on the spot, 'cause it seems to happen a lot to us." Graham asked the rest of the companions, ignoring the Doctor who looked mildly offended.

The rest of her previous companions nodded their heads quickly, most had large grins on their faces.

YASMIN: Are you all right with this? Cos if it's a problem, you don't have to do it.
RYAN: I do. I can do this.

"Good on you Ryan." The Doctor grinned at him, proud.

[Building site]

(Graham and Grace have found florescent vests and clipboards.)
GRAHAM: Thank you very much. Total site shutdown. Quick as you can, please. Thank you. Major power issues, very serious, emergency services on their way.
GRACE: Off site immediately, please. Matter of urgency.

The Doctor turned to Ryan and Graham quietly and muttered so only they heard. "I'm so sorry. You don't have to see this if you don't want to. I'm sure the TARDIS will give you another room if you wanted to skip it."

Ryan and Graham shared a long look, having their own mental conversation while Yaz watched concerned and understanding. The Doctor shifted a bit on her seat on the bean bag, it was always horrible seeing people die, and even worse seeing loved ones die.

"It's okay Doc, we love her and both know that she'd be proud of us for everything. We want to stay, see this through." Graham answered for the pair, after what felt like for forever. The other companions had noticed the screen freeze but left the four to their conversation, they had a feeling the group needed the privacy.

"If you're sure. Don't worry if you change your mind, no one will judge you." The Doctor offered a sad smile, eyes screaming in understanding and pride. "You're right Graham, from the short time I had the honour of knowing her, I can tell she would be incredibly proud of the pair of you. I know I am, proud of all three of you. You are amazing people, my fam." The three smiled, a mix between love and sadness, this video was going to be difficult but they had each other, as cheesy as that sounded.

[Crane cab]

KARL: You can't come up here. Turn around please! Go on!
DOCTOR: Oi! Karl from the train. Up and over! Up and over!
KARL: You have got to be kidding. I am valued. I am special.
(Karl climbs out of the hatch on the top of his cab. The anemometer is going like the clappers.)

[Crane]

(Ryan's foot slips on a rung and he drops his torch.)
YASMIN: Ryan! You okay?
(He nods and they keep going.)

[Karl's crane]

(Karl crawls out along the horizontal long jib. Tzim-Sha reaches his cab and punches his way in.)
KARL: I am confident. I achieve my goals. I achieve my goals.
(He crawls past a sign - Danger Damaged Handrail.)

[Crane]

RYAN: We made it! Oh! Oh, no, no, no, no, no. It's way too high up here.
YASMIN: What's the plan? You said you'd have a plan.
DOCTOR: Nearly. Nearly, nearly... I got one. I climb onto the arm of this crane, you swing the arm round next to Karl's crane.
RYAN: Oh no, you're kidding.
DOCTOR: Karl steps across, you swing the arm away, I get him back in here, all back down for a cuppa and a fried egg sandwich. I'm really craving a fried egg sandwich. Simple, no?
YASMIN: Not really.

"That is a terrible plan Doctor." River drawled exasperated with her wife who gave her a sheepish look.

"Oh, don't worry it got even worse." Yaz added with sarcastic cheerfulness. This drew groans from the majority of the more mature members of the group and a small huff from the Doctor.

DOCTOR: All right, it's a work in progress, but so is life. It'll be fine. Oh! I got these downstairs. One must work.
(A large collection of keys.)
DOCTOR: You can figure out how to work a crane, right? Go.
(She heads out along the horizontal long jib.)
DOCTOR: Yep, way too high.

"Glad you've noticed." Donna nodded sarcastically with a roll of her eyes.

[Building site]

GRAHAM: Grace, she explicitly said not to come back. It's not safe.
(The Gathering Coil is partway up the second crane.)
GRACE: Look, it's swapped cranes. It's trying to bring it down. We have to stop it.
(She hands her florescent vest to Graham and storms off.)

Graham and Ryan looked down at the floor knowing what was coming. They were going to stay in the room, but weren't planning to actually watch the horrible moment. Yaz offered Ryan a hand in comfort, which he took thankful for the support.

[Crane cab]

(Karl has reached the far end of the jib. Yasmin has been trying all the keys in the ignition.)
YASMIN: Last one. (it works) Get in. Okay, so now we just need to swing the arm round to meet that one.
(Ryan has been doing searches on his phone.)
RYAN: Right, I think this shows us. Ready?
YASMIN: Every day's a learning day.

"Especially with the Doctor." Martha grinned. The other companions chuckled; it was very true. All of them knew things and could do things they would never had had the chance to do without the Doctor. They were all changed people after travelling on the TARDIS, changed for the better mostly.

[Crane jib]

DOCTOR: Wrong way! Wrong way!

[Crane cab]

RYAN: Wrong way. Wrong way!
YASMIN: I know. Shut up.

[Crane jibs]

DOCTOR: Hiya, again.
RYAN: What's going on?
DOCTOR: When the arms line up, just step across.
(The Gathering Coil manages to short-circuit the crane, and the jib halts about two metres lower than Karl's jib.)
KARL: How am I supposed to get across there now?
DOCTOR: When I said step, obviously I meant jump. Jump across.
KARL: I can't do that!
DOCTOR: Of course you can. Stand up, quick jump. Chop chop, I'll catch you.
KARL: I dunno. I'm not great with heights.
DOCTOR: What?
KARL: It's my dad's company.

"Well, that's just typical. You really have rotten luck Doctor." Rory said earning a groan in agreement.

(Tzim-Sha is now on his jib.)
DOCTOR: Pop on over.
KARL: Okay. I am special.
DOCTOR: Yes, you are.
KARL: I am brave, and I am gonna jump.
DOCTOR: No time like the present.
(But just as Karl has launched himself into the air, Tzim-Sha grabs him by the collar.)
DOCTOR: Let him go!
(Karl is dragged away.)
KARL: I'm sorry!
DOCTOR: If you want something doing...
KARL: Please! Help!
(The Doctor takes a run up, and just manages to grab onto Karl's crane.)
ALL: Oh, my God.
DOCTOR: These legs definitely used to be longer.

"Is that seriously all you have to say? You just jumped and almost fell to your death for the second time in the video and you complain about your legs being short?" Rose crossed her arms, giving the Doctor a glare based on worry. She received several glares and worried looks from the rest of the room as well.

"Well, what was I supposed to say? I survived so no point dwelling on it. Plus, it is true! I'm shorter this regeneration which is always annoying." Her statement only drew her more glares and rolled eyes. "Also, wouldn't be the first time I fell to my death." She muttered the last part with a glare at the Master who hadn't looked away from the screen.

(She hauls herself onto the jib.)
DOCTOR: Oi, Tim Shaw, you stop right there.
(Tzim-Sha takes off his faceplate.)
KARL: Oh, he's got a face of teeth!
DOCTOR: I know. I've got this. Let him go... or I destroy this.
(Searches pockets.)
DOCTOR: Really need a new coat. This.
(A glowing red gizmo.)
DOCTOR: The recall from the pod you travelled in. I took it out. Without this, you can't get home. Yeah, see? Now you're worried. If I fall, this falls with me. Then you're stuck.

"At least you have something to bargain with." Clara muttered, watching concerned despite knowing the Doctor was here. She had a bad feeling about what was going to happen.

[Building site]

(Graham and Grace unpack the cables, battery and stuff they used on the roof top against the Gathering Coil.)
GRACE: Yeah?
GRAHAM: Yeah. Come on.

[Crane jib]

DOCTOR: What do you do with them, your human trophies?
TZIM-SHA: They're held in stasis in our trophy chambers, on the cusp between life and death.
DOCTOR: Left to rot? How completely obscene.
TZIM-SHA: They're not important.
KARL: Hey! I'm important.
DOCTOR: If I don't stop you, your people will keep doing this.
TZIM-SHA: Give me the circuit or I detonate the bombs placed in your friends.

"That's really not good. How do you get into these situations Doctor?" Martha sighed; she didn't really expect an answer.

DOCTOR: More weapons. Did your pet put one in Karl too?
KARL: What?
TZIM-SHA: There was no need. He was tagged. He is the trophy.
DOCTOR: I thought as much. Right, you detonate the bombs, I'll destroy the recall. So, what are we going to do?

"I'm really hoping you have a plan at this point Doctor." Rose spoke but only received a reassuring nod from the Doctor.

[Building site]

(They break into the high voltage shed.)
GRACE: Right, you rewired the house, so you sort things out this end, I'll climb up.
GRAHAM: I don't want you doing that.
GRACE: Graham, Ryan's in danger. We don't have time to argue. Give me t'signal when you're ready.
GRAHAM: Okay.
(Grace kisses him.)
GRACE: Is it wrong to be enjoying this?
GRAHAM: Yes!

Most people shifted in their seats, uncomfortable at being called out. It was true, it was probably wrong to enjoy the trouble so much but they couldn't help it.

[Crane jib]

DOCTOR: Poor Tim Shaw. The wannabe leader who has to cheat because he knows he's unworthy. See, that's why I know you won't detonate. Although, you could prove me wrong cos we're all capable of the most incredible change. We can evolve while still staying true to who we are. We can honour who we've been and choose who we want to be next. Now's your chance. How about it?

Most of the companions smiled. That was typical Doctor, giving the bad guys a chance to leave. The Master rolled his eyes at her pushing a feeling of annoyance across at her. She promptly ignored him to his frustration. The Doctor thought back on her own words, what did they mean for her? For someone who didn't know who they were? Did it matter that she had memories missing or did she stick by what she knew? There were so many questions and so little answers and a burning anger beneath it all.

TZIM-SHA: Who are you?
DOCTOR: Yes. I'm glad you asked that again. Bit of adrenaline, dash of outrage, and a hint of panic knitted my brain back together. I know exactly who I am. I'm the Doctor. Sorting out fair play throughout the universe. Now please, get off this planet while you still have a choice.

"And you're back to normal. Saving things and shouting your name across the universe." Amy said, voice teasing.

"How doesn't everyone know who you are at this point?" Mickey asked curious more than anything.

"She keeps erasing herself from databanks and records." River explained with a snort. The Doctor grinned at her wife ignoring the disbelieving looks she was getting from some of her companions.

"Why do you do that?" Rose asked a bit disbelieving.

"I get too big sometimes. Plus, I kinda just want to be a traveller. Don't get me wrong, if I find trouble, I'll help but I don't want to be called in for most stuff on purpose. Plus, there has been a few incidents." She grimaced with the thought of the trouble with the Silence, that had been a prominent incident that reminded her why she tried to keep herself off most radars. The others glanced at her but wisely decided not to ask any more questions based on her dark look.

TZIM-SHA: I choose to win.
(Tzim-Sha presses an activation button, and a few moments later drops his faceplate and starts to scream in pain.)

Everyone had tensed up in worry when Tzim-Sha pressed the button, the three newer companions felt a bit warm inside with the thought that everyone here was worried about them. They then looked confused when it was Tzim-Sha screaming in pain not the four of them on screen.

DOCTOR: Sorry. I removed those nasty little things from my friends - Swiss Army sonic, now with added Sheffield steel - And I implanted them back in your creature. Your transference wasn't just data, it was physical. You got everything transferred to you, including five tiny bombs. You had a choice. You did this to yourself. Go home.
(The Doctor throws the recall circuit to Tzim-Sha, who has started to melt. Karl kicks at him and Tzim-Sha falls through the broken hand-rail, putting the recall circuit onto his chest and vanishing.)
KARL: I am important!
DOCTOR: You had no right to do that.

[Building site]

(Grace has climbed up to the Gathering Coil.)
GRACE: Put a bomb in me, would you? Now, Graham!
(Graham throws the master switch and electricity surges, starting to short out the Coil.)
GRACE: It's working!
(But when the Coil falls apart and drops, it knocks Grace down to the ground too, and it is not a short fall. Graham rushes to her.)
GRACE: Don't be cross with me.
GRAHAM: I'm not cross, baby. I'm not cross.
GRACE: Promise me... you won't be scared.
GRAHAM: What do you mean?
GRACE: Without me.
GRAHAM: Grace. Grace...
(Ryan and Yasmin run over, then the Doctor.)

Graham and Ryan huddled closer to each other, decidedly inspecting the floor instead of watching the screen. Both knew what had been coming and they didn't want to leave, but they weren't going to watch it. Yaz squeezed Ryan's hand tightly in support while the Doctor shuffled closer so she was leaning back between the boy's legs.

The other companions looked down in remembrance for Grace. They may have never got to meet her, but she had seemed so amazing and lovely on screen plus she was clearly very important to Ryan and Graham. None spoke a word, all understanding that this was a time for quiet remembrance rather than apologies and sympathies.

[YouTube channel]

RYAN: So, today I want to talk about the greatest woman I ever met. Smart, funny, caring. Proper special. My nan. Because... she died.

[Ryan's bedroom]

RYAN: First me mum six years ago, and now me nan. It's like the best people get taken first. I had a lot to learn from her and I were looking forward to that. She died like she lived, trying to help other people. I love you, Nan, and tomorrow I'm going out there for you.

[Moors]

(Amazingly, the bike is still rideable - but Ryan still keeps falling off, bless.)
RYAN: Three, two, one...
(The Doctor watches from a distance as Ryan keeps trying and falling and trying again.)

"You were watching me?" Ryan asked softly, having finally glancing back up to watch the video.

The Doctor nodded with a sad smile. "She would be so proud of you Ryan." She nodded at Graham too. "So proud of both of you. All three of you are amazing people and I am so happy that I have the privilege to know you." She received three sad smiles from her fam. They all had similar thoughts about her.

[Chapel]

DOCTOR: What time did your dad say he'd get here?
RYAN: Two hours ago.
DOCTOR: If he said he'll come...
RYAN: He says a lot of things. He's never been the best at being reliable. I mean, how can he not be here? She's his mum. She would've wanted him here. I want him here.

"Thanks for staying with me Doctor." Ryan muttered to her, remembering that he had never thanked her back then but feeling he needed to.

"You're welcome Ryan but there's no need for the thanks. I know a bit about absentee families and it's better not to be alone sometimes." The Doctor nodded but her eyes said she was far away. She ignored the mental prodding from the Master, if she wasn't so distracted, she might have mistaken it for concern.

(The memorial service has started.)
GRAHAM: Lots of you knew Grace longer than me, so I can't stand here and pretend to know everything about her. I wasn't her first husband, but she said I would do for a second attempt. I can only tell you about the Grace I met, when I thought I didn't have much time left. The... the Grace that showed me life had more to offer, and... And I know if she was here now, she'd tell us not to be so sad. You see, I can hear her saying to me, Graham, we had three glorious years, what're you complaining about? I'm complaining because I wanted more. You see, Grace was a better person than I could ever be. And I should have gone and... Grace should still be here.

[Outside Ryan's home]

DOCTOR: What did you mean in your speech, you thought you'd run out of time?
GRAHAM: Oh, well, er, I had cancer and er... Well, strictly speaking, I'm still in remission, three years gone. And Grace was my chemo nurse. That's where we met and fell in love. So by rights, I shouldn't even be here.
YASMIN: Have you got family?
DOCTOR: No. Lost them a long time ago.

The companions all shifted uncomfortable, wondering if she was talking about them or her family at home. Maybe even both. Any that could catch the Doctor's eyes offered her small smiles of understanding and hope.

"You have us Doctor. No matter what happens or where we are, you're our family." Amy spoke softly, eyes peering over at the Doctor sadly. The Doctor smiled back, she loved them all so much. She missed the family she had lost but these people were her family too.

RYAN: How do you cope with that?
DOCTOR: I carry them with me. What they would've thought and said and done. I make them a part of who I am. So even though they're gone from the world, they're never gone from me.
GRAHAM: That's the sort of thing Grace would have said.
YASMIN: So everything we saw, everything we've lied to people about, is this normal for you?
DOCTOR: I'm just a traveller. Sometimes I see things need fixing, I do what I can. Except right now, I'm a traveller without a ship. I've stayed too long. I should get back to finding my Tardis.

"You're not just any traveller Doctor. There is so many people that owe their lives to you." River spoke softly to her wife but the Doctor just glanced at her with eyes drowning in doubt, quickly glancing away.

YASMIN: Doctor. Can I just say, you really need to get out of those clothes.
DOCTOR: Right, yeah. It's been a long time since I bought women's clothes.

"She's right, you've been running around this whole time in ruined men's clothes that are way too big for you." Amy nodded agreeing with Yaz on screen. She, like many, were happy for the topic change. "This time you can't steal from a hospital as well." She added teasingly drawing questioning looks from the others and a sigh of exasperation from her husband.

[Charity shop]

(Lots of stuff being thrown out from behind the changing room curtain.)
DOCTOR [OC]: Not that. Not that, not that. Ah, not that. Oh! Yes! Now, that's what I want.
(She comes out wearing a really weird ensemble of a top with two horizontal stripes across her biggest part, a pair of half-mast flares held up by braces, and a pale grey long coat with hood. Still in the Doc Martens, though.)
YASMIN: That's what you're going with?

"I'm glad someone around here has some fashion sense still!" Donna chuckled. Her comment brought a few chuckles from the other companions while the Doctor complained about their lack of fashion sense which only made them laugh harder.

DOCTOR: Yep! Got any cash? Empty pockets. Also, I've been thinking about my Tardis. So you think you guys might be able to help me?

"Bloody typical, you never have any money, do you?" Rose sighed, throwing her hands up in exasperation, thinking about all the times she had to pay because the Doctor never had any money. Martha nodded in solemn agreement, thinking back to the time she had to work in a shop to support them in 1969.

"Oi! Time and space traveller. I don't think there's enough room in my pockets for so many different currencies." The Doctor attempted to defend herself.

"Yes, but you spend a silly amount of time in late 20th century/early 21st century Britain, dear, you should be prepared." River pointed out, the Doctor made a few sounds of protests before realising she had no valid reasons to defend herself with and giving up in a huff.

[Industrial unit]

(The Doctor is putting the final touches to a very Heath-Robinson lash-up. Graham is clutching a car battery.)
GRAHAM: How long have we got to stand here for? I'm getting cramp.
DOCTOR: Seriously, Graham, trying to concentrate here.
RYAN: Do you understand what she's doing?
DOCTOR: My ship uses a particular type of energy. I've tracked that energy trail from the moment I lost it to where it is now. Now, given this is a transport pod, I'm configuring it to send me to the planet where my ship seems to have ended up.
YASMIN: You're going to another planet?
DOCTOR: Well, trying to. Except Stenza technology's really annoying and super hard to decipher. 139 layers, seven of which don't make sense. Right. Graham.
GRAHAM: Yeah?
DOCTOR: Clamp those onto there.
(Crocodile clips onto the battery terminals.)
GRAHAM: All right.
DOCTOR: Yaz, thread the cable onto the top. Ryan, you turn on the switch. Okay, you three, I'm almost gonna miss ya.
(A microwave beeps.)
DOCTOR: That's it. It's connected up. It should work.
(She sets the timer on the microwave.)
DOCTOR: Moment of truth, then. Wish me luck. And goodbye. Oh, deep breath. Not you lot. Me.
(She inhales, holds it and activates the Sheffield Sonic. The microwave timer reaches zero, power surges through cables... and they all disappear.
The Doctor opens her eyes to find she is floating in the vacuum of space - with her three new companions close by.)

"That's really not good. How did you manage that one, you moron?" Amy stared at the Doctor, trying to understand the mess.

"OI! It wasn't entirely my fault. I got the coordinates right but the planet had been knocked out of its rotation. We were all fine in the end, got the TARDIS back." The Doctor protested. She was ignored to her annoyance as the rest of the companions looked to the newest three for confirmation of the story. They nodded in agreement to the Doctor's story. Not wanting to say too much in case that was the next video.

"Glad to know you all have so much faith in me." The Doctor mumbled before speaking up properly again. "How about we all take a break, stretch our legs and so on before the next video?" It may have been phrased like a question but the Doctor was already standing up and wandering over to a door that had appeared on the far side of the room.

She opened it with a careless shrug to the rest of the room who were watching her. On the other side she found a long corridor, maintain the same colour scheme as the cinema room. The first door she opened was a large kitchen with an attached dining area full of chairs and tables of varying size, there even seemed to be a small lounge area full of comfy chairs similar to the cinema room. She left the door open and moved further along the corridor. A few of the others had followed her while some remained in the other room chatting.

As she moved along the corridor, she found several large bathrooms and then a series of bedrooms all labelled with their names on them. Clearly the TARDIS meant for them to be here for a while. At the end of the corridor was a door labelled 'garden', she didn't open it but did spare a thought for why the TARDIS had included it. Was it for the humans or them; something different for them when the purple carpets grew annoying? A place to escape too? Maybe a quiet space? She guessed they'd probably find out. She left the door untouched, ignoring the door labelled with her name as well.

While everyone drifted off to explore and chat the Doctor leaned against the wall further down the corridor, almost out of sight from the others. There were a few conversations she knew she needed to have but couldn't quite find the strength for. Steeling herself, she took a deep breath before pushing off the wall and going to find her current companions, there was a few things they definitely needed to know and some explanations they deserved.

She found them chatting with each other in the kitchen sitting around a small table (made only for about four people, compared to the bigger ones further in the room) shoved in a corner, mugs of tea in hand, as they watched some of the others putter around. They paused their conversation and glanced at her as she entered, most of the other of the room's occupants hadn't noticed her yet. She pulled a chair out, sitting down slowly. She shifted uncomfortable in the hard, wooden chair for a few minutes trying to find the right thing to say. The three humans were watching calmly, waiting for her to find the right words.

"You three deserve an explanation I know and I'm going to try but I've just never… I've never been good at talking about myself. It hurts too much most of the time. But you deserve something, you deserve a lot more than I can give you actually." She took a shaky breath, realising she was starting to ramble and that she just needed to get on with it.

She glared at the table, not able to look at her friends. "The videos are going to show you a lot of stuff. Not all of it good, and I just want you to be a bit prepared for that. I'm not a good man. Woman. Doesn't matter. I'm not a good person. I try but ultimately at the end of the day I'm an idiot in a box running around space and time with a screwdriver. I've not told you much about anything and it's mostly because I'm selfish. People get hurt around me and I figured that if I didn't tell you much about me, if I didn't let you get close than you would be in less danger and it would hurt less when I lose you. I'm sorry." She hung her head lower, her hair forming a semi-barrier from the three, her eyes watching her hands fidgeting in her lap while she waited for the comments she knew were to come.

"Doctor… thank you for the explanation but you didn't need to." Graham spoke first, raising his hand to silence her before she could protest against his words. "We're the ones that said yes to travelling with you, you warned us about the dangers and we still chose to come. You've taken us to amazing places and shown us so many brilliant things. You're our friend but more importantly you are family. We care about you and worry about you and I understand you trying to protect us but you don't need to. We chose to come and we are all mostly adults, we can make our own choices. I reckon there is a lot more you haven't told us and we will probably see a lot of it, but it won't change what we think about you. We've told you before, we care about who you are now not your past. You're family, Doc."

"You're right though." Ryan added. "You are an idiot. An idiot for thinking you needed to keep us distant." The Doctor couldn't help the small smile that formed on her lips, she was trying to keep her eyes dry. Had she been this emotional in her last few regenerations? No, she didn't think so. Maybe all the secrets and Gallifrey were finally getting to her. Maybe she was just old. Old and tired.

"Just promise us one thing, yeah? Don't try and keep us out. We worry about you and we want to know you more. Graham's right, you're our family. And for what it's worth, I think the fact that you strive to be a good man but don't call yourself one is what makes you a good person." Yaz smiled softly. The Doctor nodded hastily in agreement, looking up to match each of the three's eyes in turn. She would do her best to keep this promise. "Good, now the three of us are going to relax with our tea and chat. You are going to talk to some of your old friends, I think there are a few who've been wanting to grab you." Taking that as a dismissal, the Doctor chuckled but stood up leaving the three to go back to their conversations.

There were so many people she needed to talk to and so many hard conversations she needed to have. She didn't have time to do all of them in this break but there was a group of people that she really needed to talk to, more than any of the others. Three that needed apologies for how she had wronged them in the past. She had wronged most of her friends in some way but these three especially. She slinked deeper into the kitchen trying to spot her targets. By some chance they were all together; Mickey, Martha and Jack. Stood leaning against the edge of the kitchen, chatting happily with Rose and Donna. She approached slowly trying to come up with an excuse to talk to the three of them alone. She knew she needed to talk with Rose and Donna as well at some point, but the other three couldn't wait any longer. They had waited long enough as it was.

The group of five noticed her approach offering smiles which she didn't really manage to return, her expression probably more like a grimace. "I was wondering if I could talk with Mickey, Martha and Jack for a bit?" That was not what she had been meaning to say, she had planned at least some vague pleasantries first, but the words seemed to spill out of her like an avalanche. An avalanche; hits you all of a sudden, can be very destructive, and caused by instabilities, fitting.

"Of course, you bloody Spaceman. We'll be talking later though, you hear me?!" Donna smirked as she shouted over her shoulder, Rose in arm being semi-dragged away to give the four some privacy.

"What's up Doctor? Missing my handsome company already?" Jack tried to grin but it fell flat. He could sense that this wasn't just a casual conversation. They all could.

The Doctor chewed her lip, trying to think what to say. They deserved so much better than she could ever articulate. "I'm sorry." She blurted out, before she could go down a spiral that would distract her from ever saying anything meaningful.

"Sorry?" Jack asked, having shared a meaningful look with the other two. "For what, Doctor?"

"Everything. I never treated the three of you as well as you deserved. And the three of you deserve a lot. I have a mountain of excuses, but that's all they are, excuses." Martha looked like she was about to interrupt before the Doctor continued. "No, just let me say this please, then you can say anything you want. You need to know this before we continue. I should have said all this a very long time ago."

She turned first to Mickey who was analysing her, arms crossed leaning against a wall in a deceptively relaxed stance. "Mickey. You're not an idiot or a tin dog or anything like that. You're incredibly brave and amazing young man, you've grown up a lot since I first met you and that was all you. I'm just sorry that you had to grow up so quickly. You deserved far better than me dragging Rose off and then insulting you continuously. I'm sorry for that and everything else. I'm glad you're happy with Martha, you both deserve each other. You're both amazing, brave and smart people who have been wronged by so many people, including me."

She turned sharply to Martha who was standing next to her husband, more tense and glancing at said husband every few seconds. "Martha. I was horrible to you when you first travelled with me. I couldn't get over losing Rose and I took it all out on you. That was always my issue not yours. You deserve the world and I'm so happy that Mickey makes you happy. You are an amazing doctor and definitely saved my life more times than I deserve. I can't ever apologise enough for what you and your family went through in that Year let alone how much I wronged you. You never should have had to see me cry over him, and you shouldn't have to deal with him again now. You are brilliant. Just brilliant Martha. Never forget that or let anyone tell you any different, especially me."

She took a deep breath, spinning to face Jack on the other side of Mickey before she could let Martha's reaction distract her. "Jack. Handsome, brave, brilliant Jack. I have so many apologies for you, but mainly I am sorry for what happened to you. Rose didn't know what she was doing but that was no excuse for me to abandon you. I was scared and you were painful but that is still no excuse. I am sorry for calling you wrong. You're not wrong. I was wrong. I kept running away from you and I shouldn't have. You, Captain Jack Harkness, are one of the bravest and kindest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. You've always been there to help me but I've not always been there for you. I'm sorry."

She glared at the floor and finished before any of the three could speak. "I'm sorry for everything. I have wronged a lot of people in a lot of different ways and I will never make up for most of it but I have wronged the three of you far more than most. You three are amazing. Truly some of the best people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and travelling with. I'm so sorry." Her knees were shaking as she almost collapse, steadying herself at the last moment. She bit her lip to stop herself from blabbering on or maybe to prevent herself from crying, she wasn't really sure which. It had been a very emotional day.

She flinched when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, her head shooting up to meet Martha's eyes which were wet with unshed tears. She let herself be drawn into a hug, wrapping her arms tight around her former companion. After a minute, the boys joined in, encircling the pair so they could barely breathe. Eventually, after what felt like hours but was probably only minutes, they pulled away.

"Thank you, Doctor. I'm not going to lie and say you didn't hurt me, because you did. But I forgave you a long time, you idiot. You are a dear friend, family even. We all make mistakes and you've owned up to them and apologised. You took me amazing places and made me a better person despite all the pain so thank you. I forgive you Doctor." Martha said, maintaining eye contact with the Doctor to try and engrave it in the alien's head.

"As much as I hated you at first, you made me a better person. A braver person than I ever was. I achieved more than I could have ever dreamed of because I met you and I have the best wife. So, thank you. Besides I can't say that I was particularly nice to you at the start either, so I'm sorry for that. If it makes you feel better, I forgive you, Boss." Mickey grinned, wrapping his arm around Martha's waist as she lay her head against his shoulder.

"You made us all better people Doctor. I'd likely still be a conman if I hadn't met you. I'd also be very dead. You're a friend Doctor and you understand better than any what it is like to live as long as I have. Thank you for the apology but I have to say, whatever this secret that the TARDIS wants to share with us is, it must be very bad." Jack tugged her back into his arms, holding her so her back was against his front, his chin resting on her head. It wasn't anything romantic, just a comforting hold from a friend. A friend holding her tight to try and protect her from the horror and pain of the universe, when both knew it was far too late.

"Thank you, but none of you needed me to make you a better person." She smiled sadly at the two she could see. "And, Jack. You're right. It is a very bad secret. We're more alike in some ways than you know. I'm not going to tell you as I am still processing and it will be shown anyway, plus it isn't fair on the others. But you'll know soon. Thank you for everything." It took a few minutes for Jack to release her and they delved into more neutral chat about Martha and Mickey's daily life and Jack's recent adventures. The tension had been broken and was on the mend.

It took about an hour for everyone to sort themselves out. Grabbing snacks and a drink, going to the toilet and chatting away while they stretched their legs. Eventually they all congregated back in the room settling back down on the sofas in the same positions as earlier ready for the next video to start.