The TARDIS landed with a rock and the Doctor reached over, pulling a lever of some sort as he said cheerfully to Martha, "There we go. Perfect landing. Which isn't easy in such a tight spot." he practically skipped around the TARDIS console, winking when Jay giggled at his antics. They'd been unable to come up with any explanation for her attacks after the whole fiasco in New York, and he'd reluctantly given up in favor of everyone getting some rest.

"You should be used to tight parking spots," Martha told him. She put her hands on her hips. "Where are we?"

"The end of the line," the Doctor said. Jay could tell that he seemed unhappy about it, awkward almost, and she immediately lost her smile. What was going on now? "No place like it."

Martha smiled a little and immediately ducked outside. The moment she wasn't in the TARDIS anymore, Jay asked, "Where are we?"

He waved her off. "I promised Martha one trip," he told her simply. Not that he minded having her around. One more trip. He'd said it three times now. To Shakespeare, to the Face of Boe, to New York in the 1930s… He liked the young woman. He liked that he wasn't alone when she and Jay, who he was wary of leaving behind after the episodes of pain she'd experienced, were around. They were his friends, as simple as that.

"Home." Martha's words echoed through the control room as he went to step outside behind her. Jay bustled out behind him, not stepping from the doors. "You took me home?" Martha was looking around an apartment and Jay nearly sighed at the architecture of the building, of the antique CDs littering a space, at the carpet and the simple television that looked nothing like what she watched the news on-

"In fact," the Doctor said, interrupting her thoughts and leaning back against his ship a little. Jay could hear her song in her ears, pleased by the touch of the Time Lord. "The morning after we left. So you've only been gone about...twelve hours? And I did make sure it was twelve hours." He narrowed his eyes. He would not make that mistake again. Jackie Tyler's slap still burned his cheek sometimes, even after a regeneration. "No time at all really."

"But all the stuff we've done," Martha said. She sounded dazed. "Shakespeare, Jay, New New York, old new York?"

"Yep. All in one night, relatively speaking. Everything should be just as it was." He waved at the space around them CDs, laundry. "Back where you were, as promised." A pause when he heard something rumble, and then he turned to face a flustered Jay, saying briefly, "Go eat. TARDIS should have food in the kitchen."

"I don't want to," Jay protested. "I want to say bye to-"

She was cut off by a ringing phone. Martha grimaced as her voice piped up, "Hi, I'm out. Leave a message!"

"I'm sorry," Martha groaned.

"Martha, are you there? Pick it up, will you?" a female voice said very crossly. Jay giggled when Martha ran a hand down her face, exasperated. "Alright then, pretend that you're out if you like. I was only calling to say that your sister's on TV. On the news of all things! Just thought you'd be interested."

And then there was a beep followed by silence. Jay stood on her toes to peer over the Doctor's shoulder, still too short to do so even with the boost of the TARDIS. So, she ducked around him when Martha turned on her TV, curious.

"The details are top secret," a man on the television was saying proudly.

"There's Tish," Martha said, pointing to a woman who stood near an older man. She looked like Martha, who smiled proudly before muttering under her breath, "How could Tish end up on the news? She's got a new job. PR for some research lab."

"Tonight, I will demonstrate a device which will redefine our world. With the push of a single button," the man declared, grinning at the crowds, "I will change what it means to be human."

Martha shook her head, muting the television as people began to try and demand answers from the man, calling him a professor. She turned back to the Doctor, looking a little anxious about the fact that she was about to be left behind. The Doctor shooed Jay back into the TARDIS, and she glared at him. She wanted to say goodbye to Martha!

"We should go," he said awkwardly to Martha. "One trip is what we said."

"Yeah, I suppose things just kind of escalated," Martha admitted. She folded her arms, watching him closely.

"Mm," the Doctor hummed. "Seems to happen to me a lot." He smiled cheekily and then scowled when Jay shoved past him anyways and threw her arms around Martha in a tight hug that Martha happily returned.

"Bye, Jay," Martha murmured, and then added louder for the Doctor, "Thank you for everything."

The Doctor smiled broadly. "My pleasure," he said honestly and then grabbed Jay by the shoulders and steered her back into the TARDIS, sternly saying to the blonde that if she didn't stay in the TARDIS, he was going to leave her in a black hole.

The Doctor stepped into the TARDIS, not bothering to say goodbye to Martha as he closed the doors and strode past Jay to the TARDIS console. "So," he said casually, flipping a switch and twisting a knob before spinning around the screen so he could see it. "What do you think? The moon? Earth? Another galaxy all together?"

Jay arched a slim brow and then caught herself on railing when the TARDIS began to move. She hadn't missed it. The old man's words echoed in her head, sending off warning bells. She was positive that the Doctor would go back - as soon as he remembered. She glared wordlessly at him as he continued.

"Ooh, I know. What about China, early...oh, I don't know, eighth century?" The Doctor flashed her another grin. "Or there's always the Chinese ship, carrying -"

He suddenly stopped, hand gripping a lever.

There it is. Jay grinned when he gasped, reversing everything he had done. The second the TARDIS was done moving, he was sprinting for the doors. Jay giggled, moving aside so that he could throw them back open, revealing a shocked Martha as he demanded, "No, I'm sorry. Did he say he was going to change what it means to be human?"


In the end, they decided to go. Well, not decided. More like the Doctor insisted. Jay was reluctant the moment she found out that it would be formal dress.

"You know," Jay protested after the Doctor had landed the TARDIS outside the laboratory building the event was taking place in, scowling as Martha steered her for the closet. "The last time I dressed up, I ended up in a prison cell with a creature from Hell drooling over me. I still have marks!"

Martha rolled her eyes. "You'll be fine. We have the Doctor."

"That might be another reason to be concerned," Jay said lightly.

"...true, but when has he ever let us down?" Martha planted her in a spot before a mirror. "Now, stay here, I'll-"

"No," Jay sighed, running a hand through her hair. She looked annoyed, but had given in. "You stay here. I'll go find us some clothes. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure I've been to more formal events than you, Martha Jones." She flashed Martha smile. "I'll find you something to wear. I know I'm pretty useless at pretty much everything, but this I can do."

She left Martha alone and went hunting for dresses first, finding two that she thought would be perfect within ten minutes of walking through endless rows of clothes. The TARDIS would stop her with a hum when the ship had one that might be to her liking. Jay beamed as she walked back to Martha, grateful for the beautiful TARDIS. Very helpful.

"Black for you," Jay said, sweeping her eyes expertly down Martha's form as she pushed a lovely black dress that would cut off just above Martha's knees at her. She eyed it thoughtfully. "We'll put some silver on you jewelry-wise, fix your hair up off your neck…" She muttered to herself as she ordered Martha to get dressed, setting aside her own red dress to put on after she was done.

It didn't take her long to get Martha fixed up. The black dress was accompanied by black heels, silver bracelets for her wrists, and a chain of silver with a fancy shape at the center. Jay gave her a satisfied nod after pulling her hair up into an elegant style. "Done," Jay declared, stepping back. She planted Martha before a mirror, smiling proudly. "What do you think?"

Martha studied herself and then gave Jay a warm smile. "I don't like dressing up, but...thanks. It's amazing."

Jay winked and then went to get ready herself, calling over her shoulder, "I'm glad you like it. I'll meet you in the control room. Don't let the Doctor run off without us. I don't know where he went off to, but keep an eye on him."

"On it." Martha laughed and strode away.

Jay eyed her own chosen clothing before quickly changing. When she was done getting ready, she went to join the other two, noting how there was no tingling even in her fingertips. She'd grimaced at the veins on her arm. They would take away from her appearance.

It was a little bit of a struggle, walking in heels on the grated TARDIS floor, but she managed as she stepped into the control room. She furrowed her brow, looking around. Where were-

"-I wear this," the Doctor said, voice drifting from the open TARDIS door, "something bad always happens."

Relieved, Jay hurried to join them, smoothing her hands down her dress. She heard Martha snort. "It's not the outfit, that's just you. I think it suits you. In a James Bond kind of way."

"I don't know who James Bond is," Jay said, stepping out behind them as she eyed the Doctor, who spun around to look at her with Martha, "but Martha's right. It suits you."

Martha grinned. "And your dress suits you."

"I don't like it," Jay admitted, looking down at the flowing red dress she'd put on. "But it'll do. I didn't realize how much I'd grown to like those…jeans, I believe they're called."

The Doctor laughed, smiling brightly at her before turning back around to look at the building before them. Playfully, he offered them his arms. "Shall we?"

Jay winked at Martha as she took one of his arms, and Martha rolled her eyes as she latched onto the other. Together, the trio entered the building.


"This place is huge," Martha said breathlessly as they strode through a large room with high windows and a strange thing she'd never seen at the center of the room. A machine, perhaps. She smiled slightly at the beautiful area. "I mean, look at it!"

Jay looked around and wrinkled her nose. "Honestly, I've seen better."

"Me, too," the Doctor agreed. He looked unhappy to be there despite having been the one to encourage it. But that changed when a waiter walked past, dressed in black and white as he carried a tray of food. The Doctor's face lit up. "Oh, look!" he cried. "The've got nibbles! I love nibbles."

Jay giggled. "I wish you'd have been at my father's get togethers," she told him. "He would have hated you."

He merely grinned and then looked over when Martha was greeted by someone. Tish, Jay remembered, smiling in a friendly manner at Tish. Tish eyed them curiously, then said to Martha, "You look great. So, what do you think? Impressive, isn't it?"

"Very," Martha agreed.

"And two nights out in a row for you." Tish became teasing, smiling a little. "That's dangerously close to a social life."

Martha looked as if she agreed with the idea, even saying, "If I keep this up, I'll end up in the gossip columns." Tish snorted and she laughed herself before glancing at the Doctor when he made an off-handed comment about ending up in few of those to Jay.

"You might, actually," Tish told her. "You should keep out an eye for photographers. And Mum. She's coming, too...she's even managed to drag Leo along with her."

Martha gasped. "Leo in black tie? That I must see." Grinning, she stepped aside and gestured to her companions. "Tish, this is Jay and, er, the Doctor."

"Hello," the Doctor said, giving a little wave. Jay copied, though she said the greeting with a polite nod and small smile rather than waving. She glared at the Doctor, telling him in a hushed tone that it wasn't how you were supposed to greet people at formal occasions. Martha shook her head, fighting the urge to giggle.

Tish eyed them. "But they're not on the list. How did they get in?"

"They're my plus...one?" Martha shook her head, clearing out the confusion that gathered.

The Doctor joined in, distracting Tish from pushing for more information. "So, this Lazarus. He's your boss?" he asked, focusing his attention on Tish, who swept her gaze up and down him with an almost subtle approving nod.

"Professor Lazarus, yes," Tish said. She waved at the space around them. "I"m part of his executive staff, head of the PR department. I put this whole thing together."

Martha's jaw dropped. "You're joking."

"Do you know what the professor's doing tonight then?" Jay asked, stepping around Martha to address her sister. She smiled brightly when Tish turned to her, looking surprised.

"Looks like a sonic microfield manipulator," the Doctor added, eyeing the machine before them.

Tish snorted delicately. "He's a science geek," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "I should have known. Anyways, got to get back to work now. I'll catch up with you later, Martha." She bid them all farewell and then strode away, looking confident in what she was doing.

"Science geek?" the Doctor muttered. "What does that mean?"

Martha chuckled at the curious looks both the Doctor and Jay wore, shaking her head. "That you're obsessively enthusiastic about it," she explained and then furrowed her brow in recognition as a voice drifted through the air, catching her attention.

"Your father's caused me enough heartache already with his menopause and his trophy girlfriend," a woman said sharply and with surprising volume as she strode into the building with a man younger than her by a few decades. Martha's slumping shoulders told Jay that she knew them. The woman smoothed her messy hair with a nervous look as the man told her something, but the woman forewent responding in favor of calling Martha's name when she saw her. Martha forced a smile to her face and even stepped forward to hug her, earning a suspicious look. "Alright," Francine Jones muttered, pulling back. "What's the occasion?"

Martha frowned. "What do you mean? I'm just pleased to see you. That's all." She turned to face the young man and smiled teasingly. "You're looking good, Leo."

Leo grimaced, looking down at himself. Clearly, he was as fond of formal dress as Jay was. "If anyone asks me to fetch them a drink, I'll swing for him," he muttered, earning a laugh from his sister.

"You disappeared last night," Francine said suddenly, looking pointedly at Martha.

"I went home." Hurrying away from the subject, she gestured to the two with her. "I introduced them to Tish already, but these are Jay and the Doctor. Friends of mine. Doctor, Jay, these are my mother, Francine, and brother, Leo."

Francine swept a sharp look over them. "Doctor what?" she demanded, bypassing Jay.

"No," Martha cut in. "It's just the Doctor. We've been doing work together. Right?" She threw Jay a pleading look and Jay nodded, murmuring her agreement.

Sensing that the Doctor was about to say something that would give Francine a bad impression, Jay smiled charmingly at her and said, "Hello, Mrs. Jones, it's an honor to meet you."

Her American accent brought surprised looks from Francine and Leo, but neither could say anything further before a sound filled the air. Jay snapped her head around and saw the old professor from the television tapping on a glass with a fork. She nudged the Doctor and Martha, and they turned it look, too. Lazarus stood before them all, his face full of pride. Tish stood beside him, looking calm.

"Ladies and gentleman," Lazarus said. "I am Professor Richard Lazarus. Tonight, I am going to perform a miracle. It is, I believe, the most important advance since Rutherford split the atom, the biggest leap since Armstrong stood on the moon. Tonight, you will watch and wonder. Tomorrow, you will wake to a world which will be changed forever."

He turned to the machine that had been put on display. Feeling a warning twist in her gut, Jay touched Martha's arm and inclined her head towards the Doctor. Martha furrowed her brow and nodded. Gently touching the Doctor's arm to get his attention - which barely worked, as didn't tear his eyes away from Lazarus and merely leaned in a little - Jay said, "Doctor, this way."

"I'm watching," he protested, but let her pull him forward. He stopped complaining when she planted him in a better spot to see, both of them taking in the chamber that the man had disappeared into. A pair of scientists were working, starting it up and pressing a button. The machine started up and the Doctor stiffened when a moment later, an alarm went off. "It's overloading," Jay realized, recognizing the signs after a display her father had put on in their home. The entire place had gone up in flames.

The Doctor was a step behind her when sparks burst from the controls. The scientists skittered back, yelping. Smoke began billowing into the air and without hesitation, the Doctor took over.

A furious woman shouted, "Somebody stop him. Get him away from those controls!"

Jay threw a glare over her shoulder as Martha pushed through the people that had begun to gasp and chatter to one another. "If this thing goes up in flames," Jay hissed, "it'll take the entire building. Do you want that? Let him work."

The Doctor beamed briefly at Jay, then suddenly yanked out a massive cable. He whirled around in time to see Martha bolt for the chamber itself. "Get it open!" he ordered.

Martha slammed a hand over a button, forcing the doors open. They watched as a young man staggered out, and Jay stiffened in horror as the woman who had shouted at them gasped in delight and clapped her hands.

"Oh, my God," Jay said faintly.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the man called, grinning at the people before him, "I am Richard Lazarus. I am seventy-six years old, and I am reborn!"

As the chaos died down and people went around speaking to one another, the Doctor and Jay joined Martha before the machine, all stunned. "It can't be the same guy," Martha said as they did, not looking at them. "It's impossible. A trick."

"It's not," the Doctor said grimly, shaking his head. "I wish it were."

"I don't understand. What happened?" Jay asked, looking up to him. Her blue eyes were wide with shock.

"He just changed what it means to be human." The Doctor didn't look pleased. He looked almost angry, as he started for where Lazarus was speaking with the woman who'd shouted at them. Martha and Jay trailed behind him, linking arms. They caught up in time to see Lazarus suddenly snatch a tray of food from a waiter, scarfing down the pieces that were on the tray. "Energy deficit," the Doctor said, catching his attention. "Always happens with this kind of process."

Lazarus turned to face them, frowning a little. His eyes caught on Martha and Jay before focusing on the Time Lord. "You speak as if you see this everyday…?"

"Doctor," the Doctor said without hesitation, not lifting the dark look even the slightest. "And well, no, not every day, but I have some experience of this kind of transformation." Jay and Martha peered curiously at him. What did he mean by that? "Using hypersonic sound waves to create a state of resonance. Inspired."

"You understand the theory then." Lazarus looked stunned now.

"Enough to know that you couldn't possibly have allowed for all the variables," the Doctor said. Jay narrowed her eyes a little, now sweeping her gaze thoughtfully over Lazarus. Interesting. So he thought that something had gone wrong. Well, clearly it had, but more wrong than a man going from old to young.

"That thing nearly exploded," Jay said suddenly, and Lazarus turned his eyes on her. Jay didn't like the sleazy look. It made her uncomfortable, knowing that the top of the dress hugged her pretty damn well. Yet she lifted her chin. "You might as well have stepped into a blender, Mr. Lazarus."

"American." Lazarus nodded to himself, but said the word as if it was an insult, and Jay bristled. "And I don't recall seeing that you were qualified to speak about my work."

"If he hadn't stopped it, you would have blown up along with everything else," she snapped hotly, furious with this man.

He looked at her coolly before turning his attention on the Doctor. "Then I thank you, Doctor, but that's a simple engineering issue. What happened inside the capsule was exactly what was supposed to happen. No more, no less."

"You've no way of knowing that until you've run proper tests," Martha said sharply, just as aggravated with this man as her friends.

"Look at me," Lazarus said, tapping himself on the chest with an annoyed look. They were wasting his time, he clearly thought. "You can see what happened. I'm all the proof you need."

The woman beside him narrowed her eyes at them. "This device will be properly certified before we start to operate commercially," she said in a nasally tone that made Martha want to slap her. How could she be so stupid?

"Commercially?" Jay protested. "That'll be…chaotic."

"Not chaotic, just changing," Lazarus said. He curled a lip at her. "A chance for humanity to evolve, to improve. Something you'll need in the next few years, I suppose."

Jay smiled a shark-like smile and said, "I'm twenty years old, Mr. Lazarus. I don't need immortality like you do. How old are you now. Forty?"

Martha made a strangled sound that might have been laughter, and the Doctor sighed as he gently nudged her back, giving her a warning look. Don't make him kick us out. "This isn't about improving," he said calmly. "This is about you and your customers living a little longer."

"Not a little longer, Doctor. A lot longer. Perhaps indefinitely." Lazarus grinned. With that, he turned back to the woman with him. "We have things to discuss, do we not? Goodbye, Doctor. In a few years, you'll look back and laugh at how wrong you were." He picked up Martha's hand, completely ignoring Jay, and kissed the back of it before leaving with his companion.

"I think we should have let him blow up," Jay told them when he was gone.

"Jay," the Doctor said with exasperation. "But he is out of his depth. He doesn't have an idea of the damage he might have done."

"So what do we do now?" Martha asked, glancing over her shoulder in the direction Lazarus had gone.

"Now?" The Doctor flashed her a smile. "Well, this building must be full of laboratories. So I say we do our own tests."

Martha's lips curved into a large grin as she held up her hand, wiggling her fingers as she showed them the back of it. "Lucky I've just collected a DNA sample then, isn't it?"

"Martha Jones," the Doctor declared, grabbing her wrist and yanking her forward, "you are a star!"


"Amazing," the Doctor breathed after they'd done the tests in a hidden area of the building. He looked at the strand of DNA displayed on the computer screen in awe. He'd put a pair of black frames on his face, and it made Jay and Martha look at each other in confusion, but neither had said a word about them. Martha asked him what was so amazing, and he said, "Lazarus' DNA. Look at it. Watch."

Jay, leaning over his left shoulder to peer at the screen, gasped when she saw something shift. "Did that just change? I didn't think...even in my time, you can't alter DNA. Genes, just a few of them, you can trigger, but…"

"Impossible," Martha said, still staring at the screen.

"And that's two impossible things we've seen so far tonight. Don't you love it when that happens?" The Doctor leaned back, folding his arms over his chest. He eyed the screen thoughtfully, trying to figure out what they would do about Lazarus changing his own molecular patterns, which Martha brought up. "Hypersonic sound waves to destabilize the cell structure, then a metagenic program to manipulate the coding in the protein strands. Basically," he explained when Jay became confused, even more so than Martha, "he hacked into his own genes and instructed them to rejuvenate."

"But they're still mutating," Jay said, tapping the screen.

"Because he missed something." The Doctor's expression darkened. "Something in his DNA has been activated and won't let him stabilize. Something that's trying to change him."

"Into what?" Jay asked.

"I don't know, but I think we need to find out." The Doctor flounced to his feet and gently grabbed their shoulders, steering them from the room. "Woman said they were going upstairs, yeah? Let's go."


"This should be the office," Jay mused as the Doctor peered at the locked door and quickly pulled his sonic screwdriver out. He fiddled with it, and then there was a soft buzzing sound followed by the door unlocking. He pushed it open without hesitation. They all stepped into the office. She arched a brow. "Definitely his office."

"So...where is he?" the Doctor mused, meandering further in. He went to look at a bookshelf on one of the walls.

"Don't know," Martha admitted. "Let's try back at - is that the woman from earlier?" She jabbed her finger at something sticking out from behind Lazarus' desk. They all bustled over and Jay and Martha recoiled at the sight of a skeletal looking dead woman, sprawled out behind the desk. The Doctor crouched beside her to investigate, furrowing his brow. "Is...oh, my God. Lazarus?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Could be. Just a shell. She had all the life energy drained out, like squeezing the juice out of an orange." Jay gagged at the imagery and despite the situation, Martha snickered a little before looking to him.

"So he's changed already?" Martha asked.

"Not necessarily. You saw the DNA," the Doctor said in response, waving at nothing in particular. "The process must demand energy. This might not have been enough."

"So he'll do it again," Jay realized.

The Doctor merely hummed before standing. "Let's go find him," he decided, leading the way back towards the lifts they'd taken. Martha and Jay strode behind him quickly, their heels clacking on the hard floors.

The Doctor waited until they were in the lift before pressing the button for the floor they wanted. They silently waited until a bell was heard, and then stepped out when the doors opened. Martha took the lead as they returned to the reception room.

But after a few moments of searching, Martha realized, "I can't see him, Doctor."

"He can't be far," the Doctor instructed. "Keep-"

A voice interrupted him and they all looked over when Martha's brother appeared, squirming through people to get to Martha. "Hey," he said to his sister, "you alright, Marth? I think Mum wants to talk to you."

Rather than responding to the statement, she asked, "Have you seen that Lazarus man anywhere, Leo?"

Leo blinked, looking between the three of them when he realized they were all looking at him. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he said, "Yeah. He was, uh, getting cosy with Tish a couple of minutes ago."

"Ah!" Francine cried as she found them. "Doctor-"

"Where did they go?" the Doctor demanded, not taking his eyes off of Leo.

"Upstairs I think," Leo said. "Why?"

"Doctor-" Francine was cut off as the Doctor sprinted past her with Martha and Jay hot on his heels. She gasped when her glass of champagne was knocked from her hand, shouting after him, "I'm speaking to you!"

They ignored her, and tried Lazarus' office again. It was empty. Frustrated, Jay snapped, "Where could they be?!"

"Fluctuating DNA will give off an energy signature," the Doctor said, yanking his sonic screwdriver from his pocket. He played with it a little, and then began to scan the area with it, flipping it this way and that. "I might be able to pick up - ah ha! Got him!"

"Where?" Martha asked, worried about Tish. The Doctor pointed up, putting the screwdriver away. "But this is the top floor."

"The roof," Jay said and bolted without further explanation. The Doctor called her name, urging her to stick together as he and Martha ran after her, frustrated with her for rushing off. They caught up to her as she stormed up a flight of stairs, surprisingly quick in her heels, and within minutes, they'd pushed their way onto the roof. Jay's head snapped back and forth until she found them, and she started towards the pair with the Doctor and Martha right behind her.

"'-idea and the reality," Lazarus was saying smoothly to the awed Tish, "between the motion and the act-'"

"'Falls the shadow,'" the Doctor finished, interrupting him with a stony expression.

Lazarus turned to look at them with Tish, not at all surprised that they'd found him up there. "So the mysterious Doctor knows his Eliot. I'm impressed."

"Martha?" Tish sputtered, blinking at the sight of her sister. "What are you doing here?"

Martha looked her in the eye and ordered, "Tish, get away from him."

Tish looked offended. "What? Don't tell me what to do."

The Doctor clenched his jaw, gaze never leaving Lazarus. "I wouldn't have thought you had time for poetry, Lazarus. What, with you being busy defying the laws of nature and all."

"I'm surprised he can even read with the stupidity he's displayed," Jay added to the Doctor. He gave her an exasperated glare. Could she stop trying to agitate him further? Sure, that's what the Doctor himself was doing, but in a different way!

"You're right, Doctor." Lazarus ignored Jay, although he sent her a biting look. "One lifetime's too short for me to do everything I'd like. How much more I'll get done in two, or three, or four!"

"Doesn't work like that," the Doctor said evenly. He looked at the two women with him, who looked proud to be there. Martha was urging her sister to leave Lazarus' side despite Tish's clear refusal. "Some people live more in twenty years than others do in eighty. It's not the time that matters. It's the person."

"But if it's the right person, what a gift that would be."

"Or a curse." Jay spoke quietly and finally, Lazarus focused on her. Her blue eyes were disgusted. "Look at what you've done to yourself."

"Who are you to judge me?" Lazarus challenged.

Tish finally exploded on her sister after the past few minutes of desperate attempts, snarling, "You have to spoil everything, don't you? Every time I find someone nice, you have to go and find fault." She continued her rant, ignoring the horrified looks on Jay and Martha's faces, the alarm in the Doctor's eyes, as Lazarus suddenly hit the ground, body quaking violently, twisting in inhuman ways. "I know the age thing's a bit freaky, but it works for-"

Lazarus made a sound of agony and Tish paused, turning to look at him. Her eyes went wide, rounded with horror when Lazarus finished transforming from man to monster. "Oh, my God," she gasped, voice rising in pitch. The Doctor lunged forward as the scorpion-like monster rose above her, grabbing her wrist and yanking.

"Run!" he shouted, and Martha bolted. Jay hesitated before running after her, the Doctor racing with Tish behind them. They slammed through the door that led to the roof. The Doctor sent Tish forward, and Martha caught her, fretting anxiously over her as the Doctor quickly locked the door behind them, using his sonic screwdriver to ensure Lazarus couldn't just burst through.

"Go, go, go!" he cried and they sprinted down the stairs. The lights flickered above their heads as Lazarus slammed into the doors, screaming in rage.

"I was going to snog him!" Tish wailed as they ran.

"Security one. Security one. Security one."

The group fled the staircase for the lifts, figuring it would be safer, but they faltered when the lights suddenly went off and the doors to the nearby lifts bolted shut. Martha and the Doctor whirled around, trying to find another way down. Heaving for air, Tish gasped, "An intrusion. It triggers a security lockdown. Kills most of the power. Stops the lifts. Seals the exits."

"The stairs," the Doctor decided, bolting from the area for the flight of stairs they'd originally been on. The others chased after him, and a moment later, there was a loud screaming growl followed by the sound of splintering metal. They flew down the stairs as Martha cried that he was inside.

They were all fairly out of breath by the time they arrived in the reception room again. "Tish," the Doctor said, breathless, "is there another way out of here?"

"An exit around the corner," she said, her eyes round as she stared in horror at the people before them. They had no idea how much danger they were in. "But it'll be locked now."

"Jay, setting fifty-four," the Doctor said, throwing his sonic screwdriver to her. She caught it, but stiffened, unsure of how exactly she was to use it. Martha snatched it from her fingers and set it for her before handing it back, and Jay booked it for the door.

"Listen to me!" the Doctor cried, lifting his voice to catch everyone's attention. "You people are in serious danger! You need to get out of here right now!"

"Don't be ridiculous," a woman scoffed, laughing. "The biggest danger here is choking on an olive!"

A split second before something crashed into the reception room. They whirled around as a furious Lazarus slammed through a table. People panicked, screaming and running. Martha looked frantic, anxious about her brother and mother. Tish clutched her arm, and they watched in horror when Leo tried to get to Francine, telling her to get back. "Leo!" Francine screamed when he was hit by a flying table as Lazarus roared, whirling around.

"This way!" Jay shouted over the noise. She cleared her throat and shouted as loud as she could, trying to lift her voice over the noise. Her body quivered, exhausted from so much running. She'd been picking up a bit of weight, but she was hardly in shape. "Everyone get downstairs!"

"No!" the Doctor cried as a woman suddenly froze, Lazarus towering over her. "Get away from her!"

It did no good. They watched as a woman, sucked dry, collapsed a moment later. Lazarus roared as Francine desperately tried to help Leo to his feet, sobbing, turning his attention on them. Jay bolted from where she was directing people to try and, after Jay had pressed the sonic screwdriver into her hand, sensing that she'd need it, Martha ran for her family. Leo looked dazed, but alive, and Jay grabbed the Doctor's arm. "What do we do?"

The Doctor worked his jaw furiously, thinking. "Run when I say so," he decided, sending Tish to join Martha. He would leave Jay, but the glint in Lazarus' eyes as they locked on the young woman told him that Jay would be next on his list as a meal. Lifting his voice, the Doctor shouted, "What's the point? You can't control it, the mutation's too strong! Killing those people won't help you."

Jay caught onto what he was doing and sneered, "You're a fool, Lazarus, a joke. A footnote in the history of failure!"

"Jay!" the Doctor cried when Lazarus screamed in fury and lunged for them. They tore off running. "Stop antagonizing him!"

Jay flashed him a grin as they ran down a flight of stairs, her blue eyes shimmering with laughter despite the danger. "Nah, he's a-"

Lazarus slammed into a wall just behind them as they found themself in a basement full of pipes and control panels. The Doctor gritted his teeth and nudged Jay first. She scrambled into the tangle of them, the Doctor right behind her. She shivered when Lazarus hissed above them, "It's no good, Doctor, girl. You can't stop me."

Jay piped up. "Is that the same arrogance you had when you swore nothing had gone wrong, Lazarus?"

"Jay O'Connors," the Doctor hissed in her ear, pushing her head down. "Stop."

Lazarus laughed lowly, the sound echoing around them. "The arrogance is yours. You can't stand in the way of progress."

The Doctor scowled. "You call feeding on innocent people progress?" He shook his head, disgusted. Lazarus proclaimed it necessary and the Doctor said sharply, "That's not your decision to make."

Jay saw something in the corner of her eye and pushed back against the Doctor, scrambling back. He nearly tripped, steadying her. She pressed a her finger over her lips when he opened his mouth and he quieted as something skittered past, peering between the cracks.

It became a game of cat and mouse. They tried to keep the creature distracted so Martha could ensure that everyone got out, but before long, it became too much. Jay's head snapped back and her eyes rounded as Lazarus' monstrous face peered down at them, hanging upside down from the ceiling. The Doctor followed her gaze. "Oh," he said, "hello."

He bolted. Jay was hot on his heels, her hand clasped in his as they ran. He took the lead, running for a laboratory with a half-formed plan in his mind. "Know how to take a light apart?" he asked, gesturing to a fitting.

"Nope," Jay answered, eyes wide.

"Right, go turn on the burner over there and snuff the flame out." The Doctor sent her on her way and began to take the light apart himself. He wasn't fond of death. But if it would keep the innocent people alive-

"Jay," he called, waving her over when she'd turned on another burner, snuffing the flame so that gas filled the air. They went to work on finishing up with the burners, turning on as much gas as they could. A crash had them pausing to look at each other before Jay dove to hide behind a bench, the Doctor following suit.

Lazarus crept into the room and they watched from their hiding place, heaving for air. The Doctor's dark eyes followed his every move as he crooned, "More hide and seek? How disappointing. Why don't you come out and face me?"

Smirking, Jay retorted, "Have you looked in the mirror lately, Lazarus? Now why would we want to face that?"

"Jay. Ready?" the Doctor said in a breathless whisper.

"Yeah," she said.

"Go," he ordered, and Jay scrambled form her hiding place, running as quickly as she could to the back door. The Doctor scrambled behind her as Lazarus whirled on them with a roar, slamming into the bench. Jay flinched when he roughly shoved her head down to protect it, flicking on a light switch. They both felt the blast, wincing as heat and debris washed over them. Distantly, Jay became aware of tingling in her fingertips, but she ignored it.

If that was the sign for an attack, then she had a while.

The Doctor locked a door behind them, hissing at the lack of his sonic screwdriver. Jay took the moment to breathe. Her heart raced as they took off again - only to slam into someone, who shrieked in surprise. "Martha!" she cried in recognition.

"What are you doing here?" the Doctor demanded, eyes wide.

"I'm returning this. Jay handed it over, and I thought you might need it." Martha pressed the sonic into his hand and he beamed at the sight of it. "I heard the explosion and guessed it was you. What did you do?"

"We blasted Lazarus," Jay said. "After insulting him. A quite enjoyable time, in my opinion." The Doctor flashed her a glare and she shrugged. "What? It's true." She really didn't care much for the jerk. "We didn't kill him though. More so that we sort of annoyed him, am I right?"

"He wouldn't have been killed by that blast," the Doctor agreed. The trio set off down the hall, walking briskly so that the Doctor and Jay could catch their breath but still get a move on.

"What do we do now?" Martha asked. "You've just gone in a circle." She gestured to the reception room as they stepped into it.

"We can't lead him outside," Jay said, eyeing the doors. "That won't end well for anyone-"

"So we'll get into that," the Doctor said, pointing to the chamber that had originally caused Lazarus' condition. Jay gave him an incredulous look, horrified by the idea of such a small space, but he pushed she and Martha towards it. "We'll fit," he reassured.

"Barely," Martha said a moment alter as she stepped in. Jay was right beside her and with the Doctor pressed in as well, it was an extremely tight fit. Jay felt odd, pressed so closely to people. She didn't think she'd ever been so close to anyone before - except for the hugs she'd received. That had just been...odd.

"Are we...are we hiding?" Jay said suddenly, looking up at the Doctor as he fiddled with his sonic screwdriver, accidentally knocking Martha's chin with his elbow.

"No, but he knows we're here," the Doctor said, glancing at her quickly before returning his gaze to what he was doing. "But this is his masterpiece! He won't destroy it. Not even to get us."

"So...we're trapped," Martha sighed..

"Well, yeah," he admitted. "Slight problem."

"Didn't you have a plan?"

"The plan was to get inside here."

"And then what?"

"Well, then I'd come up with another plan!"

Cutting into the banter, Jay squirmed her arm free and tapped the sonic screwdriver. "So what are you doing with that?" she asked, cocking her head.

He winked, and then promptly slid down the wall. "Improvising. Don't move, I need to reach this panel behind your legs, Martha." She glared down at him, flustered with what was now happening.

"So," Jay said, looking down at him with her chin touching her chest. "Is it human? Lazarus, I mean."

"Oh, most certainly. It's strictly human in origin." The Doctor pried a piece of the machine away, reaching for wires now. "The dormant genes in Lazarus' DNA must have been reactivated by the energy field in this thing. And it looks like they're becoming dominant."

"A throwback," Martha realized.

The Doctor nodded. "Some option that evolution rejected for you millions of years ago, but the potential is still there, locked away in your genes. Forgotten until Lazarus unlocked it by mistake."

"Like Pandora's Box."

"Exactly. Nice shoes, by the way."

Jay blinked, looking curiously at Martha. "What on earth is Pandora's Box?" she muttered before jumping when the machine suddenly whirred to life, kicking into action. "Doctor!" she said, voice lifting in alarm. "What's happening?"

"Sounds like he's switched the machine on. I was hoping it was going to take him a little long to work that out…" The Doctor struggled with what he was doing, trying to work as quickly as he could without fumbling what he held.

"I don't want to rush you," Jay said honestly, "but if you could hurry up-"

"What are you doing down there?" Martha said with exasperation, trying to see what he was doing.

"I'm trying to set the capsule to reflect the energy rather than receive it."

"Will that kill him?" Jay asked, biting her lip. She didn't want to turn into something that looked like Lazarus. It frightened her.

Without looking up, the Doctor said confidently, "When he transforms, he's three times his size. Cellular triplication. So he's spreading himself thin. Just one more…" He struggled, reaching for a wire. Jay screwed her eyes shut, worried that they were going to come out wobbling and monstrous.

But then there was a loud crack and the machine came to a halt. Jay and Martha grinned at one another. Without hesitation, Martha stepped over the Doctor and out. Jay was right behind her and the Doctor finally scrambled to his feet before following suit. "It shouldn't have taken so long to reverse the polarity," the Doctor said. "I must be out of practice." They took in the naked human man lying on the floor unconscious. Lazarus, he noted.

"Oh, God," Martha breathed. "He seems so human again."

"It's...kind of sad." Jay crouched, peering curiously at him. It was only then that she noticed how sore her feet were. She made a face. Heels were not meant for running in.

"Eliot saw that, too. This is the way the world ends." The Doctor lifted his chin, pushing his hands into his pockets as he looked down upon Lazarus. "Not with a bang, but with a whimper."


Jay jumped when the sirens of an ambulance filled the air, her eyes round with shock. "What is that?" she demanded, turning to Martha for an explanation, but Martha was scanning the area for her family, too distracted to pay her much attention. So, the Doctor answered for her.

"Ambulance. Quite different from what they sound like in the twenty-third century." The Doctor beamed at her when she mused that she liked it. Martha shook her head at their antics and then gasped.

"There they are!" Martha cried, pointing to where her family was. She hurried over, her gaze one of relief. "You're all okay!"

"She's here," Tish groaned in relief, standing swiftly. "Oh, she's all right!"

"Mrs. Jones," the Doctor said cheerfully when Francine immediately strode towards him. "We still haven't finished our-" He didn't get to finish his sentence before Francine had struck him across the face as hard as she could. He looked at her in shock, hand touching his cheek.

"Mum!" Martha screeched. "What are you-"

"Keep away from my daughter," Francine snarled at the Doctor.

"All of the mothers," the Doctor said, saying this to the stunned Jay. He rubbed his cheek with the slightest of pouts, looking bothered. "Every time. Is yours going to slap me, too, if we ever run into her?"

"No." Jay blinked once at Francine. "But she'll knock you out with a punch to the jaw."

"He is dangerous," Francine said, turning to Martha. She grabbed her shoulders, shaking her lightly. "I've been told things. Look around you, Martha, there's nothing but death and destruction!"

Martha shrugged her touch off, bothered by her mother's words. Folding her arms, glaring at her, Martha snapped, "Hang on, this isn't his fault. He saved us, all of us!"

She was surprised when Leo stood up for the Doctor, too, saying pointedly to his mother, "It was Tish who invited everyone to this thing in the first place." Tish gave him a dirty look, elbowing him without much anger. She understood how their mother was. And it would do well for him to get her attention off of the Doctor. "I'd say, technically, it's her fault."

Francine opened her mouth to speak again, but an explosive crash had them all looking over. The Doctor didn't hesitate, grabbing Jay's wrist and tugging her in the direction of it. Martha shook her head in irritation and sprinted after them. Tish tore after them, both curious and determined. She wanted to help, too.

They stared at the back of the open ambulance upon finding it smoking, having slammed into another unused vehicle. There were dead people strewn within, their eyes staring blankly at nothing. One was laying just outside, on the pavement, and they all took a moment to absorb this before the Doctor muttered, "Lazarus, back from the dead. Should have known." He took out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it, scanning the area for the newly created monster. "That way," he said suddenly, pointing. "The church."

"Cathedral," Tish clarified. "It's Southwark Cathedral." No one asked how she knew.

They took off at a jog for the cathedral, which wasn't far at all. When they reached the building, Jay took a moment to appreciate the beauty of it. It was massive, with a gorgeous bell at the top and large glass windows surrounded by brick. Much nicer than the cathedrals seen, with their sleek modern white look. "Do you think he's in here?" Martha asked as they stormed up the steps to the front door.

"Where would you go if you were looking for sanctuary?" the Doctor said pointedly and then opened the door. Instinctively, they all fell silent. Jay's heels clicked on the floor; Martha and Tish had long ago lost theirs, prefering to run barefoot than risk breaking an ankle. They picked their way carefully through the pews towards the altar.

It was there that they found Lazarus sitting, tucked safely behind it. He had a red blanket wrapped around him, his body quaking with agony. Without looking at them, his eyes staring at something from the long distant past, he said in a whisper, "I came here before. A lifetime ago. I thought I was going to die then. In fact, I was sure of it. I sat here, just a child, the sound of planes and bombs outside."

"The Blitz," the Doctor said, not tearing his gaze from the man before him. "I was there."

"You're too young." Lazarus commented.

"So are you."

Lazarus laughed breathlessly, and then whimpered when sharp snaps that had them all flinching came from his body. There was an odd jerk of his spine that had Jay shivering, wondering if this was a good visual representation of how she felt when the poison had downed her. "In the morning,the fires had died and I was still alive. I swore I'd never face death like that again. So defenseless...I would arm myself, fight back, defeat it."

"That's what you were trying to do today," Jay realized, wrapping her arms around herself. She felt empathy for the man, even with how arrogant he was. Death was terrifying, when you looked it in the face.

"That's what I did today," Lazarus corrected.

"But what about the other people who died?" the Doctor asked evenly, furrowing his brow.

Jay lost all of the empathy she'd had when Lazarus sneered, "They were nothing. Not like me. I changed the course of history."

Curling a lip, Jay said irritably, "Any of the people you killed could have done that, too. Death...it is a part of humanity, Mr. Lazarus. It is a part of being human. That is not something you can change, no matter how much you want. I can tell you now that in the future, death is very much a part of life, just as much as life itself is."

"Very wise, Jay," Martha whispered to her, earning a small smirk of amusement from the young woman.

"No," Lazarus said darkly, "avoiding death...that's being human. It is our strongest impulse, to cling to life with every fiber of being. I'm only doing what everyone before me has tried to do. I've simply been more successful."

"Look at yourself!" the Doctor cried, waving at him with a frustrated expression. "You're mutating! You've no control over it! You call that a success?"

"I call it progress," Lazarus told him with a snarl. He took a deep breath, shivering in pain. "I'm more than just an ordinary human."

From where she stood, Tish said softly, "There is no such thing as an ordinary human."

The Doctor smiled at her and then narrowed his eyes when Lazarus suddenly convulsed. He stepped back, lowering his voice as he spoke to Martha and then to Jay when she leaned in, blue eyes narrowed. "He's going to change again any minute. If I can get him up into the bell tower, I have an idea that might work."

"Up there?" Martha rasped, tilting her head back and imagining just how high the bell tower is.

"You're so sentimental, Doctor," Lazarus sneered, shuddering a second time. "Maybe you're older than you look."

Jay curled a lip at the man as the Doctor said honestly, "I'm old enough to know that a longer life isn't always a better one. In the end, you just get tired." Jay and Martha paused to look at him; Tish kept her gaze on Lazarus. Jay's eyes wavered with curiosity - and sorrow, because just the way he said it said so much. "Tired of the struggle, tired of losing everyone that matters to you, tired of watching everything turn to dust. If you live long enough, Lazarus, the only certainty left is that you'll end up alone." He knelt beside Lazarus.

As the Doctor spoke, Martha looked to her sister and Jay. "We need to get him away from the Doctor, Jay."

"Yes, I think so, too," Jay said, finally kicking off her heels. "He mentioned the clock tower, I believe. Martha, care to join me?" Martha nodded, and Jay gathered up her dress in her hand, readying herself. She would have no time to trip. They would have to run as fast as they could. She stormed up behind Lazarus and the Doctor, smirking. The Doctor blinked at her. "Hey," she crooned. "Lazarus. I believe there's a wrinkle. There, just at the corner of your eye. Besides, leave the Doctor be. He's old, so old and bitter." The Doctor looked shocked and a little offended. "Thought you had a taste for fresher meat."

"Jay," the Doctor snapped, "no-"

Lazarus' body changed as he lunged for her and Jay turned and tore off with Martha and Tish chasing after her. "What are you doing?" Martha cried to her sister, who looked terrified.

"Keeping you out of trouble!"

"Doctor!" Jay threw over her shoulder in a shout. "The tower!"

Together, the trio threw themselves into the entryway of the cathedral and began the long run up to the tower, going round and round in a spiral staircase. Lazarus screamed behind them, furious.

The Doctor bolted into the entrance after them, shouting, "Martha!? Jay!?"

Martha paused to peer over one of the railings on the stairs. She grimaced at how high up they were all ready. She looked down at the Doctor, who was staring up from where he stood at the bottom. "Doctor!" she called, and Jay grabbed her arm, nervous when she heard Lazarus creeping closer.

"Take him to the top, the very top of the bell tower!" the Doctor shouted up to them, and Jay peered over at him as well when she realized that Martha was speaking to him. "Do you hear me? All the way!"

"Up to the top!" Martha shouted back. "Got it! Then what?!"

Before the Doctor could answer, Lazarus roared behind them, screaming in fury. Jay grabbed Martha's arm and yanked her away. Tish screamed as she saw a glimpse of what was chasing them and then sprinted up the stairs. Together, the girls ran as fast as they could up the stairs. Jay flinched when stones dug into her feet, but ignored the pain in favor of fleeing for her life.

Within minutes, they were at the top. Jay sprinted out onto the small walkway, eyeing the railings suspiciously. This was not a safe place to be. The bell itself was gorgeous, but...she didn't like looking at gorgeous when there was something trying to eat them.

"There's nowhere to go!" Tish cried. "We're trapped."

"This is where he said to go," Martha said confidently, heaving for air.

"So we're not trapped, we're bait!"

Jay took Tish's hand and gave it a tight squeeze, eyes blazing. "Don't worry, Tish. We'll be okay. The Doctor knows what he's doing. We have to trust him." Martha murmured her agreement and then whirled around when there was a hiss. They stared at the creature blocking the only way out. "Alright," Jay said shakily, heart racing in her chest. Her fingers tingled, and Jay was grateful that there wasn't any pain yet. "Here we go. Any time now, the Doctor will be doing whatever it is he's planning. Right?"

"Right," Martha said, taking Tish's free hand. "Tish, stay behind me. Jay, if he takes me, make a run for it. Get her downstairs. You should have enough time." Jay didn't intend to do that at all, but nodded just to get Martha to relax and focus.

Lazarus snarled and swung with the tail he now possessed, slamming it near where they stood. Tish screamed as brick and debris sprayed them, dust settling into their hair. Jay dragged her and Martha back, biting her lip in fear. Another blow, this one aimed for Tish in particular sent the wall flying out into the street below. A sharp breeze, crisp and cool washed over them. Jay flinched when the sound of an organ drifted from below. They sprinted for the other side of the walkway. What was the Doctor doing -

The blow came while she was distracted. Jay had the breath driven from her as the tail struck her in the middle, sending her stumbling backwards and through the railing of the walkway. She screamed as she felt nothing beneath her, barely snagging the edge.

"Jay!" Martha shrieked, lunging to try and pull her back up, but Lazarus blocked her path, standing over her after taking a flying leap.

"Get away from her!" Tish shouted at Lazarus, ignoring the sound of the organ below. She threw a brick that had come loose, scooping it up from the floor. Silence fell and then the organ blasted through the clock tower. Jay cried out in pain and Tish and Martha clutched their ears as the sound blasted painfully through their ears. Lazarus screamed in pain, writhing.

Jay swore loudly as he stumbled, nearly knocking her further off the side. She clung to the wood, ignoring the splintering pain in her fingertips as Lazarus toppled over the edge, screaming as he fell. The wood creaked, threatening to give way and Jay gave a soft gasp as it jerked. "Martha-"

Martha threw herself onto her stomach, grabbing her arm. "Tish, help me!"

Together, they pulled her to safety, and distantly, Jay heard the Doctor shout their names, worried. She clung to them, letting them pull her to safety and when she felt solid surfaces beneath her knees, Jay sobbed in relief, clutching Martha in a tight hug. Martha hugged her back, gasping, "You're okay, I've got you. We're all okay, Doctor!" she shouted down.

"Thanks," Jay gasped. She grimaced apologetically when she realized that her nails had dug into Martha's arm to the point that she'd drawn blood. Martha barely seemed to notice.

"It should be the Doctor that you thank," Tish said. "He's the one who got the music working. Cut it a bit close there though, didn't he?"

Jay flashed her a faint smile, trembling. "He always does, from what we've gathered," she said. Martha nodded. "S'more fun that way, I s'pose." Her body quaked with shock, and she eyed the drop. With Martha's help, she got to her feet and slowly began to descend the spiral stairs with the other two.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the Doctor was waiting with a relieved look on his face. His gaze scanned them from head to toe, making sure they were okay and then he gave Martha a tight hug. She returned it before moving aside so Jay could have one, too, and Jay laughed breathlessly, unused to the tight squeeze. She liked it.

"I didn't know you could play," Martha teased, eyes twinkling.

The Doctor winked at her. "Oh, well, if you hang around Beethoven, you're bound to pick a few things up. Any injuries?"

"A few bumps and bruises," Jay reported, patting his arm before eyeing her ruined dress. It had torn in more than one place. "We're fine otherwise. Right?"

"Right." Martha's eyes shone as she smiled at Jay, who smiled back.

Tish surprised them all when she mused, "You sure played that music loud, Doctor."

The way she said his title told them she wanted to know more about who he was, but rather than answering, he sent Jay a sly grin and then leaned in, asking, "Sorry?"

Jay threw her head back and laughed.


Martha watched Jay closely as she meandered around Martha's apartment, curiously investigating everything as if to see what she could find that she didn't recognize. The Doctor stood before her, hands in his pockets, leaning against the TARDIS lightly. Amused, eyes following Jay, the Doctor commented, "Another thing that escalated, eh?"

Rather than smiling, Martha only sighed. "I can see a pattern developing. You should take more care in the future. And the past, and whatever other time period you find yourself in. You've got someone to keep an eye on now." She liked Jay, but the other woman was quite naive in many parts of life. She still couldn't tie her own shoes.

"It's good fun though, isn't it?" the Doctor said pointedly, lips quirking a little as he turned his gaze on her. Martha agreed. "So, what d'ya say? One more trip?"

"No." Martha shook her head. "Sorry."

"What?" the Doctor said, shocked. "I thought you liked it!"

"I do, but-"

"Doctor," Jay said, suddenly cutting in. She'd stopped wandering around and now leveled him with her sharp gaze, a frown cut into her brow. She studied him closely. "It's not fair to Martha to keep going on like that. 'One more trip.' It's rude to treat her like a passenger who's just coming along for a prize for helping you."

Martha nodded, waving at Jay. "Like she said, Doctor. If that's how you still see me as - a passenger - then I'd rather stay here."

"Okay then." The Doctor didn't move. "If that's what you want."

Jay blinked, confused. Martha looked just as confused as she felt. Finally, Martha said, biting her lip, "Wait."

The Doctor arched a brow. "What? I said okay." She looked even more confused and he repeated, nodding at the TARDIS with a slight smile appearing on his mouth, "Okay."

Martha squealed in excitement and practically threw herself at him for a hug. She laughed in delight. "Thank you!" she cried with a large grin, her dark eyes twinkling. Jay came over to stand before them, her own lips curved into a happy smile. Martha took her hand and squeezed it in gratitude.

Chuckling, the Doctor reached behind him, opening the TARDIS door. Jay eagerly stepped in, and as Martha followed her, excited, he admitted, "You were never really just a passenger, were you?"

"Perhaps not," Martha said. "But still. Thank you."

The Doctor latched the door behind them and then strode for the controls. "Alright! Enough of this running around. I'm promising you a nice, peaceful visit somewhere. No running. So. Where do you want to go?"

"I came here," Martha said, turning to Jay. She flashed her a warm smile. "So you're turn."

Jay thought about it for a moment and then looked at the Doctor, wiggling her fingers behind her back as they tingled. "You said that there were some nice fields to look at?"

Laughing, the Doctor went to work.


Lazarus! I liked writing this episode out. Was a ton of fun. Next up is going to be a blast, too. On another note, I may or may not skip the episodes regarding the Family. Simply because I don't care much for them. I'll replace them with something original, maybe. :)

CelestialGodSlayer16, regarding the filtration...that is because I honestly had no idea that existed. I will likely bring it up later if that's the case. Thank you for mentioning it. :)

Thanks to reviewers (Arashi - IV of VI and CelestialGodSlayer16) as well as those who favorited and followed! I appreciate you all!