Shareen vs the Universe

by The Time Lord Oracle

Shareen Costello was the best friend of Rose Tyler until the latter mysteriously vanished for an entire year. After Rose returns, Shareen finds that she's been travelling with a strange man calling himself "The Doctor" and then a spaceship crashes in London, sweeping Shareen into a world of aliens and impossible things.

11. Doomsday

Shareen vs the Universe

Doomsday

Thanks to katraj0906 for following this story

The Daleks advanced on Rose, Mickey, Shareen and Rajesh, all chanting "Exterminate!"

"Daleks!" Rose shouted and the Daleks fell silent, taken aback. "You're called Daleks." Rose continued, walking towards them and taking her lab coat off. "I know ya name. Think about it: how can I know that? A Human... who knows about the Daleks. And the Time War. If ya wanna know how, then keep us alive. That's all I'm asking. Me an' my friends."

"Yeah, Daleks." Mickey said as the Daleks swivelled their eyestalks to look at him, "Time War. Me too."

"Me three." Shareen added

"Yeah, and me." Rajesh added, though he'd never heard of these things but deciding to humour the three youngsters.

The black Dalek considered them for a moment. "You will be necessary." it told them and turned to one of the bronze Daleks. "Report: what is the status of the Genesis Ark?"

"Status: hibernation." the bronze Dalek answered

"Commence awakening." the black Dalek ordered

"The Genesis Ark must be protected above all else." another of the bronze Daleks stated, and all four of them turned to a sarcophagus-shaped object that had been inside the sphere with them.

"But the Daleks... you said they were all dead." Mickey said to Rose

"Never mind that, what the hell's a Genesis Ark?" Rose asked rhetorically

"Dunno, but I doubt it's good news." Shareen muttered.

~8~

"What's down there?" Jackie asked the Doctor, "They were in the room with that sphere. What's happened to Rose and Shareen?"

"I don't know." the Doctor said abruptly, leaning against a wall.

Jackie began to sob as she assumed the worst.

The Doctor went over to her. "I'll find 'em." he encouraged, "I brought you here, I'll get ya all out. You, Rose and Shareen. Jackie, look at me. Look at me."

Jackie looked up at him, her eyes red from tears.

"I promise you." the Doctor told her sincerely, "I give you my word."

Meanwhile, the CyberLeader approached Yvonne, who was sat at her desk. "You will talk to your central world authority and order global surrender." it ordered

"Oh, do some research." Yvonne retorted, "We haven't got a central world authority."

"You have now." the CyberLeader said simply, "I will now speak on all global wavelengths." It turned to one of the other Cybermen which activated a camera on it's arm.

While the Cybermen were occupied, the Doctor slipped on his 3D glasses and studied the Cybermen closely.

"This broadcast is for Humankind." the CyberLeader announced in it's broadcast, "Cybermen now occupy every land mass on this planet. But you need not fear. Cybermen will remove fear. Cybermen will remove sex and class and colour and creed. You will become identical. You will become like us."

~8~

Of course, Humanity wasn't going to let the Cybermen take over without a fight and soon, the Central London streets had become a battle ground as U.N.I.T and the British Army bravely fought back against the metal monsters. Those on the top floor of the Torchwood Tower had a panoramic view of the mayhem down below. "I ordered surrender." the CyberLeader stated

"They're not takin' instructions!" the Doctor retorted angrily, "Don't ya understand?! You're on every street, you're in their homes. You've got their children. Of course they're gonna fight!"

~8~

The black Dalek approached the Humans. "Which of you is least important?" it demanded

"Wos' that s'posed to mean?" Rose frowned

"Which of you is least important?" the Dalek repeated

"None of your business!" Shareen retorted

"Designate the least important!" the black Dalek demanded impatiently

"This is my responsibility." Rajesh said, stepping forward.

"No, don't!" Rose warned him, knowing only too well what the Daleks were capable of.

But Rajesh didn't listen. "I er, I represent the Torchwood Institute." he addressed the Daleks, "Anything you need, you... come through me. Leave these three alone."

"You will kneel." the black Dalek ordered

"What for?"

"Kneel!" the black Dalek demanded, so Rajesh complied, and the surrounding Daleks directed their eye stalks at him. "The Daleks need information about current Earth history."

"Yeah, well, I can give you a certain amount of intelligence." Rajesh said, "But nothing that will compromise homeland security..."

"Speech is not necessary." the black Dalek interrupted "We will extract brain waves." And it and two of the bronze Daleks advance on Rajesh, positioning their plungers around his head.

"No, don't!" Rajesh protested as the plungers came closer and closer. "I'll tell you everything you need. No. No!"

But of course the Daleks didn't listen. The plungers completely enveloped his head, and he screamed in agony. Mickey and Shareen both ran forward to intervene, but Rose stopped them. "We've gotta help him!" Shareen protested

"It's too late." Rose told her. She then wisely turned away, but Mickey and Shareen both just stared in horror at what was unfolding before them.

~8~

In the lever room, the Cybermen had become aware that there was something else present. "Scans detect unknown technology within sphere chamber." a Cyberman reported

"Cybermen will investigate." the CyberLeader replied, "Units 10.65 and 10.66 will investigate sphere chamber." it ordered into it's comms.

"We obey." a Cyberman replied over the comm.

~8~

The Daleks withdrew their plungers from Rajesh's head, revealing that his flesh had been burned away to leave just a charred skull. "His mind spoke of a second species invading Earth." the black Dalek noted, "Inflected by the superstition of ghosts."

"You murderin' bastards!" Shareen glared at the Daleks, outraged at Rajesh's murder.

"You didn't need to kill him!" Rose growled, sharing her friend's outrage.

"Neither did we need him alive." a bronze Dalek retorted

"Dalek Thay, investigate outside." the black Dalek ordered the third bronze Dalek

"I obey." it responded and glided out of the room.

Rose was surprised. The Doctor had told her that Daleks had no names, yet these ones clearly did.

~Lever Room~

"Units open visual link." the Cyber-Leader ordered, and Yvonne's laptop showed a video feed from the two Cybermen who had been sent to investigate the sphere chamber.

"Visual contact established." one of the Cybermen announced.

~Sphere Chamber~

"Establish visual contact." the black Dalek ordered, "Lower communications barrier."

A holographic projection appeared in the spot where the sphere had previously been, showing Dalek Thay's point of view as it met with the two Cybermen.

~Lever Room~

The Doctor went as white as a sheet as Dalek Thay came into view on Yvonne's laptop. Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, his arch-nemesis had shown up.

"Identify yourselves." Dalek Thay demanded to the Cybermen

"You will identify first." a Cyberman answered back

"State your identity!"

"You will identify first."

"Identify!" Dalek Thay screeched.

~Sphere Chamber~

"It's like Steven Hawking meets the Talking Clock." Mickey commented to Rose and Shareen, trying to lighten the mood.

"Not funny, Micks." Shareen grunted. Now was not the time or place for silly jokes.

"... illogical, you will modify." one of the Cybermen said over the video feed.

"Daleks do not take orders!" Dalek Thay retorted

"You have identified as Daleks." a Cyberman stated

"Outline resembles the inferior species know as 'Cybermen'." the black Dalek observed.

~Lever Room~

"Rose said about the Daleks, she was terrified of them." Jackie said quietly to the Doctor, "What've they done to her, Doctor? Is she dead?"

The Doctor turned to her. "Phone." he said through gritted teeth, "Phone!" Jackie surreptitiously passed him her phone and he dialled Rose's number, then anxiously held the phone to his ear. "She's answered, she's alive." he sighed in relief. "Why haven't they killed her?"

"Well, don't complain!" Jackie huffed

"They must need her for something." the Doctor mused

"We must protect the Genesis Ark." he heard one of the bronze Daleks say over the phone.

"Genesis Ark?" the Doctor frowned. He put on his 3D glasses and looked at the Cybermen, then at Dalek Thay on the laptop.

"Our species are similar, though your design is inelegant." one of the Cyberman in the corridor said

"Daleks have no concept of elegance." Dalek Thay retorted

"That is obvious." the Cyberman replied, "But consider, our technology is compatible. Cybermen plus Daleks, together we could upgrade the universe."

"You propose an alliance?" Dalek Thay questioned, sounding incredulous at such an idea.

"That is correct."

"Request denied."

The two Cybermen immediately thrusted their fists out, ready to shoot. "Hostile elements will be deleted." one stated, and they opened fire on Dalek Thay, but their shots were just harmlessly absorbed by it's shields.

"Exterminate!" Dalek Thay yelled and returned fire, making short work of the two Cybermen.

"Open visual link." the CyberLeader ordered, and the laptop changed to a view of the sphere chamber. "Daleks, be warned: you have declared war on the Cybermen."

"This is not war, this is pest control!" the black Dalek retorted

"We have five million Cybermen. How many are you?"

"Four."

"You would destroy the Cybermen with FOUR Daleks?!" the CyberLeader asked incredulously

"We would destroy the Cybermen with ONE Dalek." the black Dalek answered sassily, "You are superior in only one respect."

"What is that?"

"You are better at dying!" the black Dalek retorted, "Raise communications barrier." And the screen went to static.

"Lost her." the Doctor groaned, switching the phone off.

~8~

"Sassy buggers, aren't they?" Shareen commented to Rose and Mickey.

"Wait!" one of the bronze Daleks said, something having caught it's eyestalk. "Rewind image by ten rels." The screen rewound on an image of the CyberLeader. "Identify grid seven gamma frame." The screen zoomed in to show the Doctor walking behind the CyberLeader. "This male registers as enemy."

Rose beamed at the sight of the Time Lord. "This female's heartbeat has increased." the black Dalek observed

"Yeah, tell me about it." Mickey smirked

"Identify him." the black Dalek demanded

"Alright then... if ya really wanna know... that's the Doctor." Rose said smugly, causing the Daleks to roll back sharply in alarm. "Five billion Cybermen, easy. One Doctor? Now ya scared!" Rose taunted

"Well, he'd better hurry up an' do something." Shareen muttered anxiously to herself.

~8~

"Quarantine the sphere chamber." the CyberLeader ordered it's subordinates, "Start emergency upgrading. Start with these personnel."

The Cybermen began to shepherd the Humans out of the room. "No, you can't do this!" Yvonne protested, "We surrendered! We surrendered!"

"Keep this one." the CyberLeader continued, gesturing to the Doctor. "His increased adrenaline suggests he has vital Dalek information."

"Stop them!" Jackie pleaded as she was dragged away, "Doctor, you promised me! You gave me your word!"

"Jackie, don't fight them!" the Doctor advised as Jackie was dragged out of sight. "I'll think of something!"

~8~

Dalek Thay returned to the sphere chamber. "Cyber threat irrelevant." it stated, "Concentrate on the Genesis Ark."

All four Daleks turned back to the Genesis Ark and pressed the plungers to it's side. "Why're we being kept alive?" Mickey wandered

Rose thought for a moment. "They might need me." she said

"Why? What for?" Shareen asked, but Rose didn't answer, she just stared the Daleks, thinking about what they could need her for.

~8~

The Cybermen had taken Yvonne and Jackie down to the curtained-off area where they'd been hiding. The place was full of the sounds of people screaming and drills whirring away, while sparks flew everywhere.

"What happens in there?" Jackie asked fearfully, "Wos' upgrading mean? What do they do?"

"I think..." Yvonne began, feeling sick, "I think they remove the brain... sorry, um... I think they remove the brain and they put it in a suit of armour. That's what these things are. They're us."

"Next." a Cyberman ordered, and Yvonne was dragged away.

"This is your fault!" Jackie shouted after her, "You an' your Torchwood. You've killed us all!"

"I did my duty for Queen and Country." Yvonne shouted tearfully, wrenching her arm away from the Cyberman's grip and facing the area where people were being upgraded, steeling herself to go in. "I did my duty." she muttered to herself, "I did my duty. Oh, God. I did my duty." And she walked in.

Jackie winced at the sound of Yvonne's screams and the sparks flying from behind the curtains.

~8~

In the lever room, the Doctor sat on the windowsill looking down on the mayhem below. As he looked down on the destruction, he realised that this was all his and Rose's fault. Their blasé and flippant behaviour during the werewolf incident was what had led to Queen Victoria establishing Torchwood in the first place, and their reckless meddling with the breach had allowed the Daleks and Cybermen to come through. He then thought about Harriet Jones' words after she'd ordered the destruction of the Sycorax. He realised now that she was right; Earth did need to defend itself when he wasn't around. He also realised that if Harriet had still been in power, she would've understood the dangers of the ghosts and could've put a stop to Torchwood's reckless meddling. But alas, he hadn't listened and engineered the downfall of her government. And now the whole Earth was paying the price for his arrogance.

The Doctor was pulled from his thoughts by the CyberLeader stomping over. "You will impart information about the Daleks." it demanded

"You want advice?" the Doctor replied coldly, "I'll give ya my advice. I've got a machine downstairs. She's called a TARDIS, an'... you an' me... just you an' me... we can get into the TARDIS and fly away. Go to the universe and escape. Because there's nothing else we can do." He paused for a moment in thought. "For the first time in my life, nothing. In a few hours' time, this planet'll be a ball of flame. All we can do is run away an' watch it burn." he finished gravely.

"You are proof." the CyberLeader stated

"Of what?"

"That emotions destroy you."

"Yeah, I am." the Doctor shrugged, then he glanced at something to the side. "Mind you, I quite like hope." he said brightly, "Hope's a good emotion. An' here it comes."

Suddenly, a group of people in black combat gear appeared out of thin air, all carrying huge guns. One of them shouted orders and they opened fire on the Cybermen, destroying them with ease. The Doctor rolled out of the way and crouched in a corner of the office as two of the newcomers fired at the CyberLeader, blowing it's head off.

With the coast clear, the Doctor came out of the office and approached the newcomers. "Doctor, good to see ya again." one of them said in a familiar voice and removed his helmet to reveal Jake Simmons from the parallel world.

"Jake?!" the Doctor said in disbelief

"Long time no see." another of the newcomers said in a familiar female voice and removed her helmet to reveal Shireen Costello.

"Shireen?!" the Doctor stared

"The Cybermen came through from one world to another, and so did we." Jake told him proudly, not noticing that the Time Lord looked more concerned than pleased.

~8~

A Cyberman dragged Jackie along to be converted when it suddenly stopped and turned to one of it's fellows. "CyberLeader One has been terminated." it stated

"Explain, download shared files." the second Cyberman replied, "I will be upgraded to Cyber-Leader."

With the Cybermen otherwise occupied, Jackie took the opportunity to escape. She snuck away and dashed down a back stair well as fast as she could.

~8~

"Defend this room." Jake ordered his troops, "Chrissie, monitor communications."

While Jake was giving orders, the Doctor slipped his 3D specs on and looked at the group.

"Kill one CyberLeader and they just download into another." Jake continued as the Doctor removed his specs. "Move!" Jake finished, and the group rushed off to do as they were told, leaving Jake, Shireen and the Doctor alone.

"Ya can't just... just... just hop from one world to another." the Doctor frowned, "You can't."

"Well, we did... with these." Shireen said, tossing the Doctor a white circular device with a large yellow button in the centre, looking like a metal fried egg. Jake and Shireen were wearing identical devices around their necks.

"But that's impossible. You can't have this sort of technology." the Doctor stated

"We've got our own version of Torchwood. They developed it." Jake said proudly, "D'ya wanna come and see?" He reached for the device around his neck.

"No!" the Doctor protested, but it was too late.

Jake pressed the button and the trio disappeared.

~8~

The Doctor, Jake and Shireen reappeared in the parallel Earth's version of the Torchwood lever room. This version of the room was abandoned and in a state of disarray. "Parallel Earth, parallel Torchwood." Jake remarked, "Except we found out what the institute was doing, and the People's Republic took control."

"I've gotta back." the Doctor said urgently, "Rose is in danger. And Shareen and Rose's mother."

"That'd be Jackie." a familiar voice said, and the Doctor turned to see Pete Tyler stride into the room. "My wife in a parallel universe." he remarked, "And as for you, Doctor, at least this time I know who you are."

"Right, yes, fine, hooray." the Doctor said, running over to him. "But I've gotta get back. Right now!"

"No, ya not in charge here." Pete answered back in a maddeningly calm voice. "This is our world, not yours. And you're gonna listen for once."

The Doctor looked at him darkly, falling silent.

~8~

Whilst the Daleks were occupied with the Genesis Ark, Mickey showed Rose and Shareen his own dimension jump device. "I could transport outta here." he said, "But it only carries one, an' I'm not leavin' either of you."

"You'd follow me anywhere." Rose remarked, "What did I do to ya all those years ago?"

"Guess I'm just stupid." Mickey smirked

"No, ya not, Mickey." Shareen said

"Ya the bravest man I've ever met." Rose agreed, squeezing Mickey's hand. Over the six months since he'd left to stay in the parallel universe, she'd come to realise just how much of a great man Mickey really was.

"What about the Doctor?" Mickey asked

"Oh, alright. Bravest Human." Rose said, and they shared a smile.

"Well I can't think what the Daleks want with me." Mickey frowned, "I'm nothing to them."

"Me neither." Shareen agreed

"You both could be..." Rose said thoughtfully, looking at the Daleks. "Whatever's inside that Ark is waking up and I've seen this happen before. The first time I saw a Dalek, it was broken. It was dying. But I touched it. The moment I did that... I brought it back to life. The Doctor said... when ya travel in time, in the TARDIS, you soak up all this... um... background radiation. It's harmless, it's just there. But in the Time War, the Daleks evolved so they could use it as a power supply."

"I love it when you talk technical." Mickey smirked. He'd learned a fair few things himself in the parallel universe.

"Shut up." Rose smiled back, then became serious again. "If the Daleks have got something inside that thing that needs wakin' up..."

"They need you." Mickey nodded

"You've both travelled in time." Rose reminded, "Any of us will do."

"But why would the Daleks build something they can't open?" Shareen wandered

"The technology is stolen." the black Dalek interjected suddenly, "The Ark is not of Dalek design."

"Don't you tin cans know it's rude to eavesdrop?" Shareen grumbled

"If it wasn't you, then who did build it?" Rose asked the Daleks.

"The Time Lords." the black Dalek answered as it and the other Daleks shuffled around the Ark. "This is all that survives of their home world."

"What's inside?" Rose asked

"The future." the black Dalek answered cryptically

Rose, Mickey and Shareen stared at the Ark and the surrounding Daleks with fearful apprehension.

~8~

The Doctor was pressed up against the wall in the parallel Torchwood, studying the breach carefully while Pete stood behind him explaining things. "When you left this world, you warned us there'd be more Cybermen. So we sealed 'em inside the factories."

"Except people argued." Jake added, "Said they were living, said we should help them."

"And while we were chasin' our tails, the Cybermen got busy." Shireen said, "They infiltrated this version of Torchwood, locked 'emselves onto your world and buggered off."

"When was this?" the Doctor asked

"Three years ago." Pete replied

The Doctor considered all this then he and Pete began to stroll across the room. "It's taken 'em three years to cross the Void." the Doctor mused, "But we can pop to an' fro in a second. Must be the sheer mass of five million Cybermen crossin' all at once."

"Yeah, Mickey said you'd rattle off that sorta stuff." Pete remarked

"Oh, where is the Mickey-boy?" the Doctor asked

"He went ahead." Shireen replied

"Any chance to go an' find Miss Rose Tyler." Pete added

"She's your daughter." the Doctor told him, "Ya do know that? Did Mickey explain?"

"She's not mine." Pete insisted, "She's the child of a dead man."

They reached the window and looked out at the London cityscape below. It was pretty much business as usual, with cars, buses and lorries driving through the streets, pedestrians going about their day-to-day lives and a couple of airships overflying the city, all a far cry from the warzone the London in the Doctor's universe currently was.

"Look at it." Pete commented, "A world at peace. They're callin' it 'The Golden Age.'"

"Who's the President now?" the Doctor asked

"A woman called Harriet Jones." Pete replied

"I'd keep an eye on her." the Doctor exhaled

"Huh, like you did?" Shireen retorted, "Yeah, Mickey told me how you deposed your Harriet Jones just be spiteful."

The Doctor was taken aback by this.

"But it's a lie." Pete said seriously, getting back on topic, "Temperatures have risen by two degrees in the past six months. The ice caps are melting. They're sayin' all this is gonna be flooded. That's not just global warming, is it?"

"No." the Doctor confirmed

"It's the breach." Pete nodded

"I've been tryin' to tell ya, travel between parallel worlds is impossible." an irked Doctor said, "Then the Daleks break down the walls with the sphere..."

"Daleks?" Pete raised a brow

"Then the Cybermen travelled across." the Doctor continued, "Then you lot. Those disks, every time you jump from reality to another, ya rip a hole in the universe! This planet is startin' to boil! Keep goin' an' both worlds will fall into the Void!"

"But you can stop it, the famous Doctor?" Pete asked, "You can seal the breach?"

"Leaving five billion Cybermen stranded on my Earth." the Doctor countered

"That's your problem." Pete retorted "I'm protectin' this world, an' this world only."

The Doctor considered Pete for a moment. "Hm... Pete Tyler... I knew you when you were dead. Now here ya are, fighting the fight... alone." He stepped closer to Pete. "There is a chance... back on my world... Jackie Tyler might still be alive."

"My wife died." Pete stated

"Her husband died. Good match."

"There's important things at stake." Pete said firmly. "Doctor... help us." he asked beseechingly

The Doctor backed away. "What? Close the breach? Stop the Cybermen? Defeat the Daleks? D'ya believe I can do that?" he asked

"Yes." Pete said confidently

"Maybe that's all I need." the Doctor grinned.

"Well, get on with it, then." Shireen said

"Off we go, then!" the Doctor said cheerfully.

~8~

The Doctor, Pete, Jake and Shireen reappeared in the lever room of the Doctor's Torchwood. "First of all, I need to make a phone call." the Doctor said, rushing to the phone in Yvonne's office, "Ya don't mind?"

"You two, guard the door." Jake ordered two of his men.

The Doctor dialled Jackie's mobile number and a moment later, Jackie answered. "Help me!" she panted frantically, "Oh, my God, help me!"

"Jackie, you're alive!" the Doctor said, "Listen..."

"They tried to download me but I ran away!" Jackie screeched hysterically

The Doctor shushed her. "Listen, tell me, where are you?" he asked

"I don't know! Staircase."

"Yeah, which one? Is there any... any sort of sign? Anything to identify it?"

"Yes, a fire extinguisher!

"Yeah, that helps..." the Doctor sassed

"Oh, wait a minute, it says 'N3'." Jackie said

"North corner, staircase 3." the Doctor noted, "Just keep low, we're trying our best."

"No, don't leave me!" Jackie wailed

"I've gotta go, I'm sorry." the Doctor said. He put the phone down and turned to Pete, who was standing in the doorway. "Jacqueline Andrea Suzette Tyler." he said

"She's not my wife." Pete insisted

"I was at the wedding." the Doctor smirked, "You got her name wrong." He went over to Jake and Shireen and took their guns from them. "Now then, you two, if I can open up the bonding chambers on these things, they could work on Dalekanium."

"What's Dalekanium?" Jake asked

"The skin of a Dalek." the Doctor replied darkly.

~8~

Presently, the Doctor was standing by the corner of one of the corridors waving a sheet of white A4 paper on a stick as a makeshift flag. He poked his head round the corner, where three Cybermen were standing vigil. "Sorry." he called, attracting the Cybermen's attention. "No white flag. Only had a sheet of A4. Same difference."

The Cybermen raised their fists at the Doctor as he came out of cover. "Do you surrender?" a Cyberman asked

"I surrender. Unto you." the Doctor said, marching towards the Cybermen until they were nose-to-nose. "A very good idea." he grinned.

~8~

"Final stage of awakening." a bronze Dalek announced as they backed away from the Genesis Ark.

The black Dalek turned to Rose. "Your handprint will open the Ark."

"Well tough, cos' I'm not doin' it." Rose retorted

"Obey or the male and female will die!" the black Dalek demanded

"I can't let 'em." Rose conceded, and moved towards the Ark.

"Rose, don't!" Mickey protested

"Place your hand upon the casket." the black Dalek ordered Rose

"Don't do it, Rose!" Shareen protested

"What choice have I?" Rose countered and turned to the Ark. "They're only gonna kill us anyway, so what the hell?" Playing for time, she turned back to the black Dalek, going to stand right in front of it. "If you um.. escaped the Time War... don't ya wanna know what happened?"

"Place your hand on the..." the black Dalek began impatiently, but Rose cut it off.

"What happened to the Emperor?"

That pipped the black Dalek's interest. "The Emperor SURVIVED?"

"Till he met me!" Rose smirked, "Cos' if these are gonna be my last words, then you're gonna listen. I met the Emperor, an' I took the Time Vortex an' I pulled it into his head an' turned him into dust. D'ya get that? The God of all Daleks... an' I destroyed him!" She gave the black Dalek a gloating smile and laughed arrogantly.

"Have you got a death wish, Rose?" Shareen stared

"You will be exterminated!" the black Dalek roared furiously at Rose

"Oh now, hold on, wait a minute." a familiar voice called, and everyone turned to see the Doctor standing in the doorway wearing his 3D glasses.

"Alert, alert, you are the Doctor!" the black Dalek cried

"Sensors report he is unarmed." Dalek Thay said

"That's me, always." the Doctor said lightly as he sauntered into the room.

"Then you are powerless." the black Dalek mocked

"Not me, never." the Doctor said simply, taking his specs off with flourish. "How are you?" he asked Rose

"Oh, the same old, ya know." Rose smiled

"About bloody time you got here, Peacock." Shareen said

The Doctor turned to Mickey. "And Mickity-McMickey!" he said, bashing fists with Mickey, "Nice to see ya!"

"And you, boss." Mickey nodded

"Social interaction will cease!" one of the bronze Daleks demanded

"Make us!" Shareen sassed

"How did you survive the Time War?" the black Dalek questioned the Doctor

"By fighting. On the front line." the Doctor replied grimly, "I was there at the fall of Arcadia. Someday I might even come to terms with that. But you lot ran away!"

"We had to survive." the black Dalek retorted

"The last four Daleks in existence." the Doctor observed, "So what's so special about you?"

"They've got names." Rose told him, "And Daleks don't have names, do they? But one of 'em said they were..."

"I am Dalek Thay." Dalek Thay introduced

"Dalek Sec." the black Dalek added

"Dalek Jast." the second bronze Dalek chimed in

"Dalek Caan." the third bronze Dalek finished

"So that's it!" the Doctor said, seemingly delighted, "At last... the Cult of Skaro. I thought you were just a legend."

"Who're they?" Rose asked

"A secret order." the Doctor explained, circling the Daleks in an almost predatory way. "Above an' beyond the Emperor himself. Their job was to imagine. Think as the enemy thinks. Even dared to have names. All to find new ways to kill." he finished distastefully

"But that thing, they said it was yours." Mickey said, gesturing to the Ark. "I mean, Time Lords, they built it. What does it do?"

"I dunno. Never seen it before." the Doctor replied

"But it's... Time Lord." Rose pointed out

"Both sides had secrets." the Doctor replied and turned to the Daleks. "What is it? What've you done?"

"Time Lord science will restore Dalek supremacy." Dalek Sec answered cryptically

"What does that mean?" the Doctor frowned, "What sort of Time Lord science? What d'ya mean?"

"They said one touch from a time traveller will wake it up." Rose said

"Technology using the one thing a Dalek can't do. Touch." the Doctor remarked, going right to Dalek Sec's eyestalk. "Sealed inside your casing. Not feelin' anything... ever. From birth to death, locked inside a cold metal cage." He lowered his voice into a taunting whisper. "Completely alone. And that explains your voice. No wonder you scream."

And as if to prove his point, Dalek Sec did just that. "The Doctor will open the Ark!"

"The Doctor will not!" the Time Lord laughed contemptuously

"You have no way of resisting." Dalek Sec stated

"Well... ya got me there." the Doctor shrugged, "Although... there's always this." He took his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket.

"A sonic probe?"

"That's screwdriver." the Doctor corrected

"It is harmless." Dalek Sec said scornfully

"Oh, yes. Harmless is just the word." the Doctor said lightly, "That's why I like it. Doesn't kill, doesn't wound, doesn't maim. But I'll tell ya what it does do, it is very good at opening doors." And with that, he activated his sonic screwdriver, triggering charges he'd placed on the doors to the sphere chamber.

The charges detonated, blowing the doors open and Jake, Shireen and some of their troops burst in, accompanied by some Cybermen, all firing their weapons at the Daleks. "Delete! Delete! Delete!" the Cybermen chanted

One shot had struck Dalek Caan. "Alert!" it cried "Casing impact! Casing impact!"

The Doctor, Rose and Shareen had flung themselves to the ground trying to avoid the crossfire. "Girls, get out!" the Doctor urged.

Shareen didn't need telling twice and she bolted for the door, her experience from playing football allowing her to avoid the crossfire. Rose made to follow her but stumbled.

"Firepower insufficient!" Dalek Sec cried, "Firepower insufficient!"

Rose was helped to her feet by Pete. "Dad?" she stared in disbelief

"Come on." Pete urged, and ushered her out of the room, while Mickey retrieved his gun and had a go at the battle himself.

"Daleks will be deleted." a Cyberman announced "Delete! Delete!"

Shareen meanwhile suddenly noticed her doppelgänger. "What...?" she began

"Parallel world, long story." Shireen waved her off, firing her gun at Dalek Thay. "Oi, tin can, have some of this!" she shouted as she forced Dalek Thay back.

The Doctor at this point made it out of the sphere chamber. Rose then noticed that Mickey was still in the middle of the havoc. "Mickey, come on!" she yelled to him.

"Adapt to weaponry." Dalek Thay ordered

"Firepower restored!" Dalek Sec announced and fired at a Cyberman, destroying it.

Jake and Shireen managed to get to safety, but Mickey was knocked off his feet by a falling Cyberman. "COME ON!" Rose shrieked at him.

Mickey got to his feet, but in the process, he accidentally put his hand on the Genesis Ark, leaving a red-hot handprint on it. He dashed for the door.

"Cybermen primary target." Dalek Sec continued to give orders.

Mickey looked at his hand, wincing in pain, while the last of Jake's troops left the sphere chamber, leaving just the Daleks and Cybermen inside. The Doctor quickly sealed the door with his sonic screwdriver. "Jake, check the stairwell." he ordered, "The rest of you, come on!" And he led the way down the corridor.

~8~

Inside the sphere chamber, the Daleks finished off the last of the Cybermen. Steam poured from gaps in the Genesis Ark. "Cybermen have been exterminated." Dalek Thay gloated, "Daleks are supreme."

"The Genesis Ark is primed." Dalek Jast reported

"The Ark needs area of 20 square miles. Move!" Dalek Sec ordered

The Ark began to glide smoothly across the floor, the Daleks escorting it. "Genesis Ark mobile." Dalek Jast announced.

~8~

The Doctor, Rose, Pete, Mickey and the two Costellos raced along a corridor. "I just fell, I didn't mean it!" Mickey said, referring to the Ark.

"Mickey, without us, they'd have opened it by force." the Doctor reassured him, "To do that, they'd have blown up the sun. You've done us a favour, now run!"

Shareen and Shireen brought up the rear. "So you're the me from that parallel world?" Shareen queried

"Yep." Shireen nodded

"Nice hair." Shareen commented, nodding to her counterpart's aqua highlighted hair.

"Nice shirt." Shireen replied, nodding to her counterpart's Metallica t-shirt.

~8~

Jackie hurried downstairs. She came to an abrupt halt as she saw Cybermen coming up the other way. She ran back up to the floor she'd just passed and exited the stairwell. She started down a corridor, only to run into two more Cybermen. "You will be upgraded." one stated.

"No, but you can't! Please...!" Jackie whimpered, trying to back away.

Suddenly, both Cybermen were shot from behind. They fell to the floor to reveal Pete standing behind them, Mickey's gun in his hands, and Rose, Mickey, the Doctor and the Costellos standing behind him.

Jackie squinted through the smoke at her deceased husband. "Pete?" she gasped in disbelief.

"Hello, Jax." Pete replied

"I said there were ghosts, but that's not fair. Why him?"

"I'm not a ghost." Pete told her

"But you're dead! You died 20 years ago, Pete."

"It's Pete from a different universe." the Doctor explained, "There are parallel worlds, Jackie. Every single decision we make creates a parallel existence, a different dimension where..."

"Oh, you can shut up!" Jackie hissed, and the Doctor wisely fell silent. Jackie then gazed at Pete. "Oh, you look old."

"You don't." Pete replied

"How can you be standing there?"

"Just got lucky... lived my life. You were left on ya own. You didn't marry again, or...?"

"There was never anyone else." Jackie said quietly. "20 years, though. Look at me, I never left that flat. Did nothing with myself."

"You brought her up." Pete said, gesturing to Rose. "Rose Tyler. That's not bad."

"Yeah."

"In my world, it worked. All those daft little plans of mine, they worked. Made me rich."

"I don't care about that." Jackie said, but she was curious. "How rich?"

"Very."

"I don't care about it. How very?"

Pete just laughed. Rose rolled her eyes, while Mickey and Shareen smiled fondly. "Thing is though, Jax..." Pete began, "Ya not my wife. Sorry, but ya not. I mean, we both... Ya know, it's just sort of..." But he couldn't fight it any further. "Oh, come here." He dropped his gun and he and Jackie ran to meet each other. Pete swept her off the ground in a huge hug, Rose watching them with tears of joy in her eyes.

~8~

The Daleks burst into the hangar to find rows of Cybermen waiting for them. "Exterminate!" Dalek Sec ordered

"Delete!" the Cybermen chanted

The hangar erupted into a warzone, with both parties firing at each other, their cries of 'Exterminate!' and 'Delete!' filling the air. Torchwood soldiers and Jake's troops joined the fray too, firing at both the Cybermen and Daleks. The Daleks carried on regardless, escorting the Genesis Ark.

"Emergency, all units will converge on the Torchwood Tower." the new Cyber-Leader ordered, "Repeat, all Cybermen to Torchwood."

The Doctor opened the door to see the battle raging. Judging his moment, he dived into the room, crawling on his stomach to avoid the laser blasts flying all around him. He reached the crate where the Magnaclamps were kept and picked up two of them, then he scrambled back to join the others at the door, narrowly managing to avoid tripping on a fallen Cyberman on the way. Once he was safely out of harm's way, the Doctor slipped his 3D glasses and poked his head out of the door to see what the Daleks were up to.

"What's he doin' with those stupid glasses?" Shireen asked her counterpart

"Search me." Shareen shrugged, "He's been doin' it all day."

"Override roof mechanism." Dalek Sec ordered, and the hangar roof began to slowly open.

"Elevate." Dalek Jast announced, and the Ark began to levitate upwards.

"What're they doin'?" Rose wandered, "Why'd they need to get outside?"

"Time Lord science... what Time Lord science?" the Doctor frowned, pulling his 3D specs off. "What is it?" They all watched as the Daleks escorted the Ark into the open air outside, then the Doctor pulled his head in. "We've gotta see what it's doin'." he said as he led the way down the corridor. "We've gotta go back up. C'mon! All of you, top floor!"

"That's 45 floors up!" Jackie protested, "Believe me, I've done 'em all!"

They sped past a pair of lift doors, which promptly opened, and Jake poked his head out. "We could always take the lift." he called.

~8~

Outside, the Genesis Ark hovered in mid-air, flanked by the Cult of Skaro. "The Genesis Ark will open." Dalek Sec announced, and the Ark opened slowly to reveal a fifth Dalek inside it, then it began to revolve.

~8~

The Doctor and Humans stepped out of the lift on the top floor of the Torchwood Tower and rushed to the window in Yvonne's office, the Doctor dumping the Magnaclamps on the desk on the way. As they watched the Genesis Ark spin, Daleks shot out of it, more and more of them. "Time Lord science." the Doctor breathed grimly as realisation sunk in. "It's bigger on the inside."

"Did the Time Lords put those Daleks in there? What for?" Mickey asked

"It's a prison ship." the Doctor answered grimly

"How many Daleks?" Rose asked fearfully, dreading the answer.

"Millions." the Doctor replied

"We're dead." Shareen breathed, watching in horror as the army of Daleks spread out in formation over London.

~8~

The Cybermen marched down a street. They stopped as one and fired their arm weapons into the air at the Daleks, having no affect whatsoever.

"Exterminate all life forms below." Dalek Sec ordered it's army, "Exterminate!"

And the Daleks promptly opened fire on everything on the streets below, Cybermen and terrified Humans alike, picking them all off with ease.

~8~

Pete decided he'd seen enough and turned away from the window. "I'm sorry, but you've had it." he said, "This world's gonna crash an' burn. There's nothing we can do." He took a dimension jump from one of his troops. "We're goin' home. Jax, take this." He tossed the dimension jump to Jackie. "You're comin' with us."

"But they're destroyin' the city!" Jackie protested

"I'd forgotten you could argue." Pete said affectionately, looping the dimension jump around her. "It's not just London, it's the whole world." he told her seriously, taking her face in his hands. "But there's another world, just waitin' for you, Jax. And it's safe. As long as the Doctor closes the breach." He looked to the Time Lord in question, who was still looking out of the window. "Doctor?"

The Doctor turned from the window wearing his 3D glasses and a grin like a Cheshire cat. "Oh, I'm ready!" he said gleefully, "I've got the equipment right here. Thank you, Torchwood." He dashed over to a computer. "Slam it down an' close off both universes." he continued

"Reboot systems." the computer announced

"But we can't just leave." Rose said, "What about the Daleks? An' the Cybermen?"

"They're part of the problem." the Doctor replied, dashing to the wall at the end of the room and looking as though he had acquired a new lease of life. "An' that makes 'em part of the solution. Oh yes!"

"Well, enlighten us, Peacock." Shareen said

"Isn't anyone gonna ask? What is it with the glasses?" the Doctor prompted

"What is it with the glasses?" a grinning Rose asked

"I can see! That's what!" the Doctor answered ecstatically, "Cos' we've got two separate worlds, but in-between the two separate worlds, we've got the Void. That's where the Daleks were hiding. An' the Cybermen travelled through the Void to get here. An' you lot, one world to another, via the Void. Oh, I like that. Via the Void! Look!" He pulled off his 3D glasses and gave them to Rose. "I've been through it. D'ya see?"

Rose looked through the glasses to see green and red particles floating around the Doctor. "What is it?" she asked, reaching out to try and touch the particles.

"Void stuff." the Doctor replied

"Like, um... background radiation." Rose guessed

"That's it." the Doctor grinned, "Look at the others."

Rose turned round to look at Jackie, Mickey, Pete and the Costellos. Jackie and Shareen were the only ones not surrounded by the 'Void stuff'.

"The only ones who haven't been through the Void, Shareen an' your mother." the Doctor said, pointing to the two women in question, "First time she's looked normal in all her life."

"Oi!" Jackie huffed indignantly

"Alien git." Shareen grumbled

The Doctor raced back to the wall with the breach, Rose following him. "The Daleks lived inside the Void. They're bristlin' with it." the Doctor continued, "Cybermen, all of 'em. We just open the Void an' reverse it. The Void stuff gets sucked back inside."

"Pullin' 'em all in!" Rose cheered enthusiastically

"Pullin' 'em all in!" the Doctor confirmed

"Sorry... what's... what's the Void?" Mickey asked

"The dead space." the Doctor told him, "Some people call it, 'hell'."

"So... you're sendin' the Daleks an' Cybermen to Hell." Mickey noted, looping his dimension jump around his neck.

"You were right, Micks. He is good." Shireen commented

"Oh, don't tell him that. His head's already big enough as it is." Shareen snorted, and both Costellos shared a laugh.

Rose suddenly realised something. "But it's... like you said, we've all got Void stuff. Me too, cos' we went to that parallel world." She looked down at her hand to see the same particles floating around it. She pulled the glasses off and looked up at the Doctor, who came over to her. "We're all contaminated. We'll get pulled in."

"That's why you've got to go." the Doctor told her

"Reboot in two minutes." the computer announced

Rose stared at the Time Lord, uncomprehending.

"Back to Pete's World." the Doctor clarified, then turned to Pete. "Hey, we should call it that: Pete's World." He turned back to Rose, his tone becoming serious again. "I'm openin' the Void, but only on this side. You'll be safe on that side."

An' then you close it. For good?" Pete asked

"The breach itself is soaked in Void stuff, in the end it'll close itself." the Doctor told him, "An' that's it. Kaput."

Rose was just starting to realise what this meant. "But you stay on this side...?"

"But you'll get pulled in." Mickey pointed out

The Doctor held Rose's gaze for a moment before running over to the Magnaclamps. "That's why I've got these." he told Mickey, "I'll just have to hold on tight, I've been doin' it all my life."

"I'm supposed to go." Rose said, looking like she'd been slapped in the face.

"Yeah." the Doctor replied

"To another world, an' then it gets sealed off."

"Yeah." the Doctor said and went over to one of the computers.

"Forever. That's not gonna happen." Rose said stubbornly

Just then, the building shuddered from an explosion from the battle outside. "We haven't got time to argue." Pete said briskly, "The plan works, we're goin'. You too. All of us. Shireen, tell our guys to fall back." he ordered

"Will do." Shireen nodded and tapped an earpiece. "G-Locke to all troops. Retreat to our world. Repeat, retreat to our world. That's an order. We'll see ya all there."

"I'm not leavin' him!" Rose insisted

"An' I'm not goin' without her!" Jackie added

"Oh, my God. We're going'!" Pete snapped

"I've 'ad 20 years without you, so button it!" Jackie snapped back, "I'm not leavin' her!"

"You've got to." Rose told her

"Well that's tough!" Jackie retorted

"Reboot in one minute." the computer cut through the arguing.

"Mum, I've had a life with you for 19 years." Rose told Jackie gently, "But then I met the Doctor an'... all the things I've seen him do for me. For you. For all of us. For the whole... stupid planet and every planet out there. He does it alone, mum."

Behind her, the Doctor silently took a dimension jump out of his pocket and began to walk towards Rose with a terrible sadness in his eyes.

"But not anymore." Rose continued, oblivious to this, "Cos' now he's got me." The Doctor looped the dimension jump around Rose's neck. "What're you..." she began, but she was cut off by Pete activating the dimension jumps and all the Humans except Shareen disappeared.

"Why ain't ya sendin' me with 'em?" Shareen asked

"There's already a you in that universe." the Doctor told her, "We can't have two of ya there."

Suddenly, Rose reappeared right where she'd just been standing. "I think this is the on switch..." she muttered

Both the Doctor and Shareen could only stare at her. The Doctor strode over to her and grabbed her roughly by the shoulders, stooping slightly so that he could look straight into her eyes. "Once the breach closes it, that's it!" he told her urgently, trying to drum some sense into her, "You'll never be able to see her again. Ya own mother!"

"I made my choice a long time ago, and I'm never gonna leave you." Rose answered back

"You ain't half one selfish b*tch!" Shareen scowled, "After everything Jackie's done for ya, you're just abandoning her, for him!"

"Huh, you can talk!" Rose shot back, "You walked out on your family!"

Shareen nearly went purple with fury. "If you were anyone else, I would knock you spark out!" she snarled, then she stormed off into Yvonne's office and slunked into a chair.

"Systems rebooted." the computer announced, breaking the tension, "Open access."

"So, what can I do to help?" Rose asked the Doctor

"Those coordinates over there, set them to six." the Doctor ordered her, pointing to a computer.

Rose began to walk over to the computer the Doctor had pointed out.

"And hurry up!" the Doctor shouted after her angrily

Rose had soon set the coordinates as the Doctor had ordered, while the Time Lord worked at another terminal. "We've got Cybermen on the way up." Rose warned, seeing Cybermen marching up the stairwell on her monitor

"How many floors down?" the Doctor asked, running over to look.

"Just one." Rose answered grimly.

"We will retreat through the breach." a Cyberman said over the video feed, "Regain the home world."

Their way was suddenly blocked by another Cyberman. "You will not pass." it stated. The Doctor and Shareen recognised it's voice as Yvonne Hartman's. Clearly, she'd managed to fight reprogramming during her conversion and retained her personality.

"What is the meaning of this?" a Cyberman demanded

"You will not pass." Cyber-Yvonne repeated, and fired her gun at the other Cybermen, destroying them. "I did my duty for Queen and Country. I did my duty for Queen and Country." she chanted, a single black oily tear leaking out from her helmet.

The Doctor went back to work and inputted the final command into Yvonne's laptop. "Levers operational." the computer stated, making the Doctor grin.

"That's more like it!" Rose cheered, "The old team."

"Hope an' glory, Mutt an' Jeff, Shiver an' Shake." the Doctor fired off, picking up a Magnaclamp.

"Which one's Shiver?" Rose asked playfully

"Oh, I'm Shake." the Doctor laughed

Rose then turned to Shareen, who was still sat fuming in Yvonne's chair. Rose knew that she had crossed the line by accusing Shareen of walking out on her family. "Shareen, I'm..."

"P*ss off!" Shareen snapped, turning her chair away from Rose.

"I'm sorry." Rose murmured quietly, knowing that Shareen wasn't going to forgive her anytime soon. She picked up the other Magnaclamp then she and the Doctor attached them to the walls either side of the levers.

"Press the red button." the Doctor instructed, and Rose complied.

~8~

Outside, Dalek Sec realised something. "Breach active. It is the Doctor! Exterminate them!" it ordered, and four bronze Daleks swooped towards Torchwood Tower.

~8~

"When it starts, just hold on tight." the Doctor told Rose, "Shouldn't be too bad for us, but the Daleks an' Cybermen are steeped in Void stuff. Shareen, you're clean of Void stuff so you'll be alright. Just take cover beneath that desk and you'll be fine."

"Sure, why not?" Shareen muttered, crouching down beneath Yvonne's desk.

"Are you ready?" the Doctor asked Rose as they both took up position beside the levers.

"So are they." Rose said, seeing the four Daleks flying towards the window.

"Let's do it!" the Doctor crowed, and he and Rose pushed the levers upwards then hurriedly took hold of the Maganaclamps.

"Online." the computer announced, and the room was filled with white light while a fierce wind picked up.

The Daleks were sucked through the window, smashing through the glass as they were pulled into the white light and back into the Void. Rose and the Doctor held onto the Magnaclamps for dear life. "The breach is open!" the Doctor shouted over the noise, "Into the Void! Ha!"

A stream of Cybermen and Daleks came zooming past the trio, all screaming as they hurtled into the Void.

~8~

Outside, Dalek Sec realised what was happening. "Emergency temporal shift!" it cried and teleported away, the other three members of the Cult of Skaro doing the same. The Genesis Ark was sucked away towards Torchwood Tower.

~8~

Rose smiled across at the Doctor as they watched the scene unfold. Suddenly, one Dalek clipped Rose's lever, causing it to spark and slide back into the off position. "Offline." the computer announced as the suction started to ease.

"Hold on!" the Doctor yelled as Rose reached for the lever while trying to maintain her grip on the clamp, but she wasn't tall enough to reach and had to let of the clamp.

"I've gotta get it upright!" Rose grunted as she struggled to push the lever back into place.

Shareen wanted to help but there were too many Daleks and Cybermen in the way so she could only watch helplessly as Rose finally managed to get the lever upright again.

"Online and locked." the computer announced as the suction increased again. But now, Rose only had the lever to hold on to.

"HOLD ON!" the Doctor screamed as the last of the Cybermen and Daleks disappeared into the Void.

"ROSE, I'M COMING!" Shareen yelled, seeing that Rose was struggling to maintain her grip on the lever. She came out from beneath the desk and tried to rush over to help Rose, but the wind was too strong, and she was blown over, falling flat on her face on the floor.

Rose winced and cried out as the vicious wind pulled at her, trying to pull her into the Void. But her strength was almost spent, the wind was too strong, and her hands were slippery. With one last cry, Rose lost her grip and was pulled inexorably towards the Void.

"ROSE!" both the Doctor and Shareen screamed helplessly as they watched their friend being pulled towards oblivion.

Suddenly, Pete appeared at the moment before Rose reached the breach and she fell into his arms. Rose had only time to glance over her shoulder at the Doctor before Pete activated his dimension jump and they both vanished.

Mere seconds later, the breach finally sealed itself and the wind died down, leaving an eerie silence in the room. The Doctor flopped to the floor while Shareen pushed herself upright, both breathing heavily in shock. "Systems closed." the computer announced as if to taunt them.

The Doctor walked slowly up the wall, lay one palm flat against it and rested his head there, looking completely empty. Shareen meanwhile curled herself up and began to sob as the full impact of what had just happened hit her.

The Doctor let his hand slip away from the wall and he turned away, his face expressionless. He then began the long slow walk back to the TARDIS while Shareen stayed where she was, her sobs echoing throughout the chamber.

~8~

When Shareen had exhausted all of her tears, she began the long, slow walk home. As she walked solemnly through the streets, she could see the aftermath of the battles, with soldiers helping injured and shaken civilians. Shareen paused when she saw a young dark-haired woman who looked to be around 18ish sobbing over the dead body of a man who appeared to be her father. Shareen felt her heart break for the poor girl and wanted to console her, but she just didn't have the energy or strength to talk to anyone and so she walked sadly away.

~8~

A few days later, Shareen stood on the balcony of her flat looking at nearby Bucknall House, her eyes lingering on the now deserted Tyler flat. She barely reacted as she heard the sound of the TARDIS materialising in the flat behind her and the Doctor stepping out of the box. "I nearly went round Jackie's yesterday." Shareen began, "I was halfway down the stairs when I remembered that there's no one there anymore."

"I'm sorry." the Doctor sighed

Shareen finally turned to face him. "I keep thinking about what I said to Rose back at Torchwood." she said sadly, "I told her to p*ss off and threatened to hit her. What kind of friend am I?"

The Doctor didn't answer.

"And now I'm never gonna get the chance to say sorry." Shareen finished, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

The Doctor held out a hand. "Come with me." he coaxed.

~8~

The TARDIS spun in orbit of a beautiful supernova. The Doctor worked at the console to send a projection through a gap in space to Pete's World. "Rose." he called, and a projection of a lonely beach appeared in one corner of the TARDIS. "She's here." the Doctor called to Shareen.

Shareen came forward and saw a jeep pull up on the beach in the projection. Rose, Jackie, Mickey and Pete disembarked, and Rose began to walk towards them. "Where are you?" she asked

"Inside the TARDIS." the Doctor replied, "There's one tiny little gap in the universe left, just about to close. And it takes a lot of power to send these projections, we're in orbit around a supernova." He laughed softly. "We're burnin' up a sun just to say goodbye."

"You look like ghosts." Rose said

"Hold on..." the Doctor said, taking out his sonic screwdriver and aiming it at the console.

Rose stepped forward until she was almost nose-to-nose with the Doctor. "Can I...?" she asked, reaching a hand out.

"We're still just images." the Doctor told her sadly, "No touch."

"Can't ya come through properly?" Rose asked, her voice trembling.

"The whole thing would fracture." the Doctor told her regretfully, "Two universes would collapse."

"So?" Rose joked

"Rose..." Shareen began, though she knew Rose was just joking this time.

"Are you with him, 'Reen?" Rose asked her

"Yeah, he said he could let me see ya one last time." Shareen replied sadly

"Where are we?" the Doctor asked, looking around at the beach. "Where did the gap come out?"

"We're in Norway." Rose replied

"Oh, sorry, Rose." Shareen said, "We dragged ya out all this way. You said it was Wales!" she said to the Doctor

"S'alright." Rose reassured her, managing a smile at her friend. "We're about 50 miles out of Bergen. It's called 'Dalig Ulv Stranden'."

"Dalek?" the Doctor frowned

"Darl-ig." Rose corrected, "This translates as 'Bad Wolf Bay'." They laughed at the irony of that, but all sobered up almost immediately. "How long have we got?" Rose asked, her voice cracking.

"About two minutes." the Doctor replied

"I can't think of what to say!" Rose laughed at the absurdity of that fact.

"I can." Shareen said. "Rose, I'm sorry about what I said to ya at Torchwood. I-I was angry, an' I didn't mean what I said. Oh, Rose, I'm so sorry!" she sniffled, feeling fresh tears starting to form.

"S'ok, 'Reen." Rose told her, "An' I'm sorry about what I said." She gave a brave laugh. "Look at us, eh? Fallin' out over a bloke again."

"History repeats itself." Shareen replied, managing a brave laugh of her own.

The Doctor meanwhile noticed Jackie, Mickey and Pete standing by the jeep nearby. "You've still got Mr Mickey, then?" he asked

"There's five of us now." Rose told him, "Mum, dad, Mickey... an' the baby."

The Doctor was taken aback. "You're not...?

"No." Rose laughed, "It's mum."

The Doctor laughed in relief and looked over at Jackie, who was just starting to show a baby bump.

"She's three months gone." Rose explained, "More Tylers on the way."

"An' what about you?" the Doctor asked, "You're...?"

"Yeah, I'm... I'm back workin' in the shop."

"Oh, good for you." the Doctor nodded

"Shut up!" Rose laughed, "Nah, I'm not. There's still a Torchwood on this planet, it's open for business. I think I know a thing or two about aliens."

"Well, they're in good hands." Shareen said

"Rose Tyler: Defender of the Earth." the Doctor smiled proudly, "Well, they're in good hands." Gazelle smiled proudly "Rose Tyler: defender of the Earth. You're dead, officially, back home. So many people died that day an' you've gone missing. Ya on a list of the dead. Yet here ya are. Livin' a life day after day. The one adventure I can never have."

Rose sobbed in earnest. "Am I ever gonna ya both again?"

"Ya can't." the Doctor said quietly

"What're ya gonna do?"

"Oh, I've got the TARDIS. Same old life." the Doctor answered, doing his best to sound nonchalant, "Last of the Time Lords."

"On ya own?" Rose asked

The Doctor nodded silently, still watching her with compassion.

"'Reen, look after him." Rose said to Shareen, "I know ya don't particulary like him, but look after him for me, please?"

"I will, Rose." Shareen nodded, "I promise."

Rose surveyed the Doctor, hopelessly heartbroken, tears falling thick and fast. "I lo..." she began, choking with tears before she could finish her sentence. She took a moment to regain her composure, and then: "I love you." she admitted before another shuddering sob escaped her.

The Doctor gazed at her with heart-rending tenderness and devotion. "Quite right too." he said softly. "And I suppose... if it's one last chance to say it..." He paused for a moment, his eyes locked with Rose's. "Rose Tyler..."

But their time was up. Rose and the beach suddenly faded away and the Doctor and Shareen found themselves starting at the wall of the TARDIS. The Doctor's mouth was already open to form the words he never got to say. He swallowed hard and closed his eyes with a heavy heart while Shareen sat down on the jump seat and buried her head in her hands, shaking with heavy sobs as the reality sunk in. Never again would she see Rose Tyler, Jackie Tyler and Mickey Smith, the closest family she had in London.

The Doctor rubbed his hands over his eyes, wiping his tears away. He took a deep breath and turned his attention to the console, shutting the projector off. Suddenly, he got the feeling that they were no longer alone and looked up to see a woman in a wedding dress standing with her back to them. "What?" the Doctor blinked in surprise, attracting both Shareen's and the woman's attention.

The bride turned round to reveal that she was a ginger-haired woman in her late thirties. "Who're you?" she gaped in surprise

"What?" was a dumbfounded Doctor could say

"Where am I?" the confused bride asked

"What?"

"What the hell is this place?!" the bride demanded, getting angry now.

"What?!" the Doctor repeated one last time.

Author's notes: And so we've reached Doomsday and said goodbye to Rose. Shareen got to be in the thick of things this chapter, a foreshadow for what's to come from here on. The later stages of this chapter were quite an emotional rollercoaster for Shareen, with her and Rose falling out and then Rose being lost to the parallel world. Look out for a nod to one of my previous OCs in this chapter. So, Doomsday is done and next we've got the legend that is Donna Noble making her debut. I am looking forward to covering that! So, hope ya liked this chapter and see ya next time!