Jay yanked angrily at her bindings, her skin crawling. She definitely didn't like being trapped like this, especially not when the Master was so close by. She didn't even know what had been used to tie her into the chair beside Wilf, who was looking rather nervous after having been freed from the booth he'd been trapped in. The worst part of it all, however, was the Doctor.

She hated the sight of him being strapped into some kind of special chair that made it so he could move even less than they could. A strap on the chair even went over his mouth, silencing any words that might have come out. It was so much like the Valiant that Jay found herself struggling to push air into her lungs in some moments. She forced herself to try and calm down, taking a deep breath and reminding herself that breathing was important and that passing out from a lack of it would get them nowhere.

At the center of the room, near the Gate, stood the original Master, his face filled with glee as other versions of himself began the process of redirecting the controls of various countries into his hand. It had been a terrifying revelation, to realize that every person on the planet had become the Master. Billions and billions of people - wiped out and replaced by someone Jay considered relatively insane. It was definitely not a good situation to be in. From where they sat, they could also see a screen, filled with various versions of him from around the world - all world leaders that had armies at the ready. He'd even sent the other versions of himself away to work outside of a single armed soldier.

"Enough soldiers and weapons to turn this planet into a warship," crowed the Master, sauntering over to stand between them all. When the Doctor could only stare balefully at him, unable to speak, he turned to Jay and Wilf. Wilf ordered him to let him go, and the Master laughed, "Oh, your dad's still kicking up a fuss!"

Voice sharp, Jay said, "Leave Wilf alone."

His attention immediately turned on her and Jay hated the delighted way he looked at her. "Oh, look at you. 'Leave him alone.' You need to understand." He leaned closer, and Jay leaned as far back as she could to get away. "I'm your Master now," he practically crooned. "So do as I say and listen." He rapped his knuckles on the arm of the chair she was tied to in the familiar rhythm, that four beat sound that had driven him to all of this. "Just listen."

Jay pressed her mouth into a hard line, simply glaring at him as Wilf said angrily, "Leave her alone!" The Master smirked a final time and turned away - only to suddenly whip his head around and look at her again. No, Jay realized with a paling face, not her.

The crystal that hung so casually from her neck on a black cord. A simple necklace with no meaning to many, but one full of it to her.

"And where," the Master breathed, "did you get one of those?"

Jay unintentionally looked at the Doctor, frantic, and as she expected, his face gave nothing away. But he met her gaze, and Jay forced herself to look away and do her best to hide the uncertainty that suddenly filled her. "What are you talking about?" she tried to bluff, but it didn't matter if she knew or didn't know what the crystal did, because the Master suddenly snatched it from her neck, yanking the cord so hard it snapped. Jay yelped. It took significant effort on the Master's part to do so, and her neck ached with the force.

Immediately, the familiar sound flooded her head. Bu-bu-bu-bump. Bu-bu-bu-bump. Bu-bu-bu-bump. Bu-bu-bu-bump. It deafened her to everything else and Jay instinctively tried to hunch her shoulders, curl them over her ears. It was loud, so loud, this close to the Master. The constant sound ensured she couldn't hear anything else as the Master scowled at her, and she could only watch in horror when he hurled the necklace that had kept her head quiet for so long. It struck the floor and for a moment, Jay thought she'd just pick it up when she got out of the chair.

But another version of the Master, the armed security guard, crushed it with his booted foot, and every hope of ever having a moment's peace in her head again vanished. Jay couldn't help the small sound of despair that escaped her, drawing a vicious grin from the Master. Until a new sound caught his attention: the ringing of a phone.

Jay was relieved when the ringing seemed to quiet the sounds for a few moments. She was trembling, she realized, gasping softly for air as she tried to shake the sound from her head. It didn't work, of course. It wouldn't work until she was well on her way to leaving the Master far, far behind. Still, the fact that something had started happening helped distract her.

"It's mine," said Wilf nervously, glancing at Jay. Her face was ghostly white in realization. There was only one person who might have stood up to the Master's efforts, and she was likely being put in danger now. "Let me turn it off."

"No, no, no. I don't think you understand," the Master breathed, immediately beginning to search through Wilf's pockets as Wilf squirmed and tried to get away. "Everybody on this planet is me. And I'm not phoning you, so who the hell is?"

"It's nobody," Wilf tried to convince. "Probably some ring-back call."

The Master ignored him and continued searching. He suddenly grinned. "Ooh, and look at this. Good man!" He held a gun aloft, showing it to Jay and the Doctor. Jay blinked at Wilf in surprise and he grimaced almost apologetically. Eventually the Master managed to track down the phone he'd been seeking and he studied it closely. "'Donna,'" he read aloud. "Who's Donna?"

"No one. Just leave it," Jay said sharply, but he answered the call, making it so they could all hear the voice on the other end.

"Gramps, don't hang up," Donna wheezed, sounding as if she'd been running, and Jay's heart broke at the fear in her voice. "You've got to help me! I ran out - everyone was changing."

"Who is she?" demanded the Master, rounding on Jay for an answer, and she lifted her chin, closing her mouth firmly in defiance. He glowered, displeased, and tried again with Wilf. "Why didn't she change? Find her," he added to one of the versions of himself, displayed on the screen. "Trace the call."

Scared for his granddaughter, Wilf stammered, "Well, it was this...this thing the Doctor did… He did it to her. Metacrisis."

"Are you there, Gramps? Can you hear me?"

"Say goodbye to the freak, Grandad," mocked the Master, holding the phone near Wilf's mouth, and Wilf looked to be near tears as he shouted at the phone, "Donna, get out of there! Just get out of there, run!"

"She's on Wessex Lane, Chiswick," reported the double that had gone to work on tracing the call.

Another ordered, "Open the phone lines. Everyone on Wessex Lane, red alert."

"Donna," choked out Jay in horror. Her concern only grew when Donna suddenly began to speak, her voice full of frantic fear and uncertainty.

"They're everywhere and - and it's not just them… I can see those things again. Those creatures. Why do I see a giant wasp?" Donna sobbed, and Jay's heart ached as Wilf pleaded hysterically with her to not think about such things. But Donna moaned into the phone, "And it hurts. My head! It keeps getting hotter, and hotter, and hotter, and-" Jay couldn't help the tears that began rolling down her face when Donna's scream pierced the air, her fingers curving into fists tight enough to draw blood from her palms.

A moment later, there was only silence. Jay bit back a sob as the Master ended the call, face dark with fury. He stormed over to the Doctor as Wilf whispered Donna's name again and again, horrified by what might have happened to his granddaughter. But when Jay glanced at the Doctor, he was looking rather smug, even before the Master had removed the strap silencing him.

"That's better," the Doctor mused, moving his jaw in an odd way for a moment. "Hello! But really, did you think I'd leave my best friend without a defense mechanism?" He glanced over at Jay and Wilf and said seriously, "She's alright, she's fine. Just asleep."

The Master grew angrier at the fact that even strapped to a chair defenseless, the Doctor had acquired a victory over him in some way. "Where's your TARDIS?" he snarled, but the Doctor only looked at him with such sadness.

"You could be wonderful," he said. "You're a genius, stone-cold brilliant. You are, I swear, you really are. But you could be so much more. You could be beautiful with a mind like that. We could travel the stars. It would be my honor. 'Cause you don't need to own the universe, just see it. To have the privilege of seeing the whole of time and space. That's ownership enough."

The Master stared harshly at him. "Would it stop then? The noise in my head?"

"I can help," the Doctor offered.

"What does he mean?" interrupted Wilf suddenly, glancing at Jay as if she'd be able to explain. She merely smiled faintly, unable to push it from her own head now. "What noise?"

And much to Jay's surprise, the Master answered. "It began on Gallifrey. As children - not that you'd call it childhood. More of a life duty. Eight years old, I was taken for initiation, to stare into the Untempered Schism."

"It's a gap in the fabric of reality," the Doctor explained when Jay looked at him in confusion. "You can see into the time vortex itself, and it hurts."

"They took me there, in the dark," continued the Master as if the Doctor hadn't spoken. "I looked into time, old man, and I heard it calling to me." He tapped his hand on his thigh in the familiar four-beat pattern. Bu-bu-bu-bump. He snapped his head back around to stare harshly at Jay, who flinched. "Listen to it. Listen." He stood there for a moment, simply listening, and Jay pressed her mouth into a hard line, having no choice but to listen to it as he wanted them to.

A shift in his expression suddenly took even the Doctor off guard. "Except...oh, wait a minute! Oh, yes!" He grinned, whirling around to study the Gate. "That's good. The noise exists within my head...and now within six billion heads! Six billion and one," he amended with a smirk at Jay, who glowered at him. "Everyone on Earth can hear it. Imagine!" He laughed, only to suddenly grunt in pain, dropping to crouch on the ground as his body seemed to flicker around its skeleton. Jay flinched at the sight.

The Doctor studied him grimly. "The Gate wasn't enough," he said quietly. "You're still dying."

The Master answered bitterly, "This body was born out of death. All it can do is die. But what did you say to me, back in the wasteland? You said, 'the end of time.'" He rose to his feet, seemingly shaking it off. Jay could see the sweat dampening his forehead though. It didn't matter what he tried to prove to them, the Master was clearly in great pain. And for just a moment - just one single moment - Jay felt bad for him.

"I said something is returning." The Doctor watched him closely, dark eyes full of sorrow even as he remained strapped to a chair unable to move. "I was shown a prophecy. That's why I need your help."

"What if I'm a part of it?" said the Master excitedly, making a wild gesture with his hand. "Don't you see? The drumbeat is calling from so far away - from the end of time itself! And now it's been amplified six billion times. Triangulate all those signals. I could find its source. Oh, Doctor," sighed the Master, leaning over him with a smug look. "That's what your prophecy was: me!" He promptly slapped the Doctor hard across the face, and Jay flinched at the loud crack of it, splitting between the never-ending beats in her head. The Doctor winced, too. "Where's the TARDIS?"

"No," the Doctor said quietly, pleading. "Just stop - think!"

The Master hummed for a moment, considering, and then without looking, pointed at Jay and Wilf. "Kill her," he ordered, sauntering over to stand before them, and Jay sputtered when a guard did as he was told, face hidden by a helmet like the others. Jay jerked back as far as she could when she found a gun aimed at her face, her breath quick and panicked despite her best efforts.

Very few things had scared her like this, she realized blearily. The infected on Mars. The creature on Midnight. The monster that had carved a permanent home inside her nightmares. Many times, they were things the Doctor didn't understand either. This, however, was almost worse than being hunted by some random alien. Perhaps because this was partially why the Doctor hated guns so much.

"I need that technology, Doctor," the Master said darkly as Wilf desperately told them to leave Jay alone, to focus on him instead. The Doctor simply stared, watching with wide-eyed frustration. "Tell me where it is, or the girl is dead." He turned his face towards Jay for a moment, and it was then that Jay caught sight of something that made her curious: the Doctor had started to smile a little. "I need that technology. Tell me, and maybe I'll let you live."

Jay swallowed her fear, lifted her chin, and said, "I'd go back to that Hell the Doctor pulled me from before I told you where the TARDIS is."

The Master turned a dark look towards the Doctor, threatening, "I'll kill her. Right now."

But the Doctor only stared rather smugly at him. Even if he wanted to help the Master, Jay knew there was a little part of him that would always pride itself on being smarter than everyone else. And he mused aloud, "Actually, the most impressive thing about you is that after all this time, you're still bone-dead stupid."

The Master shrugged his shoulders, cracking his neck. "Take aim," he said lazily.

The soldier shifted his grip, ensuring the gun was in place. Jay stared it down as Wilf quivered anxiously beside her. She flashed him a small, reassuring smile, and then returned her gaze to the gun, finding that she didn't know what the Doctor was talking about, but she trusted him nevertheless. He continued. "You've got six billion pairs of eyes, but you still can't see the obvious, can you?" The Master finally faltered, frowning. "That guard is one inch too tall."

"What?" muttered Jay, blinking up at the guard who had pointed his gun at her just as the guard suddenly whipped around and hit the Master with the butt of the gun as hard as he could. She gave a breathless laugh when a moment later, the man lowered the gun, removed his helmet, and revealed himself to be the male alien they'd met not that long ago.

"Oh, my God, I hit him," fretted the Vinvocci. "I've never hit anyone in my life."

Just as suddenly, Addams bolted into the room, as if she'd been simply waiting for the chance to come help them. Jay gave a startled, delighted laugh. "Thanks," she said, shaken, as Addams quickly untied Wilf and then her.

"Thank me later," Addams said as she yanked Jay to her feet. Jay rubbed her wrists and glanced balefully at her lost necklace before turning her attention onto the Doctor. Addams and the other Vinvocci, who hastily introduced himself as Rossiter, were already trying to free him from the chair. She hastily joined them as Wilf cried, "God bless the cactuses!"

"That's 'cacti,'" the Doctor corrected.

Rossiter paused just briefly to glare at him. "That's racist," he retorted, and then shook his head, stepping back from the chair. "There's too many buckles and straps," he declared.

"Just wheel him," ordered Addams impatiently, indicating the wheels on the chair. She took off running, and the Doctor began protesting immediately the moment Rossiter put his hands on the chair and began pushing. Jay couldn't help but giggle as she paused to make sure Wilf was ready. When everyone was set, they began running.

"Which way?" Rossiter called as they bolted down a corridor in the mansion that had once belonged to the man known as Naismith. Jay kept close to Wilf, worried that the older man would fall behind, even as she tried to ensure that the Doctor was alright despite his shouted protests, hating that he was trapped in the chair.

Addams shot down another hall. "This way!"

"No, no, no!" the Doctor yelled as he was shoved after her, scowling angrily and trying to yank free of the straps. "The other way! I've got my TARDIS! Just listen to me! Jay-"

Jay shouted back, feeling guilty, "Sorry, I don't think it's a good idea to split up right now!" Especially not with the drums thudding constantly in her head, amplified simply from the sheer number of people that were working to find them, all versions of the same man with that same sound in their head. Besides, she didn't want to leave the Doctor, not now when he was trapped in a chair and couldn't get away. The aliens had helped them, of course, but Jay didn't necessarily trust them entirely at the moment.

They descended into the basement the pair had originally hidden their work in, the basement the Doctor, Jay, and Wilf had first met them in, and the Doctor snapped, "Worst rescue ever!" as he was jolted painfully down the stairs. Rossiter was careful not to let him fall forward or backwards as he did so though, and when they reached the bottom, Addams led them further into the room.

Panic flared when Jay heard a number of feet storming down the stairs after them. They'd been slow, far too slow, to get away from the Master, and they were now trapped in the basement. She whipped around, head throbbing in pain, and stared with a pale face as he appeared at the foot of the stairs with a triumphant grin.

"Gotcha," he said a little breathlessly.

Addams lifted her chin. "You think so?" She slammed her hand over the watch she wore and just like that, the world vanished from around them. Between one blink and the next, they were transported to a new location, and Jay stumbled slightly as she found herself standing on a spaceship. A massive window stretched out in front of them, revealing the Earth below, and as dangerous as it was...she couldn't help but grin when Wilf breathed in awe, "Oh, my goodness. We're in space!"

"Jayden, sonic!" the Doctor barked, and sensing his rushed panic, she bolted over to him. She didn't hesitate to dig in his pockets until she found it, her eyes wide. "Control panels behind you!" She whipped around and immediately pointed the sonic screwdriver at them as the Vinvocci did their best to free him. She grinned triumphantly when they sparked and seemed to blow up before her eyes.

And then, the Doctor was finally free. He took only a brief moment to grin at her, proud, and she beamed back at him as she pressed the sonic into his hand. "Alright?"

"Bit of a headache," she admitted, touching her temple, "but it's nice and quiet up here when compared to being down there, so I'm not complaining."

"Good." He whirled around to face Addams. "Flight deck, now!" he barked.

She looked startled. "But we're safe," she protested. "We're a hundred thousand miles above the Earth!"

"And he's got every single missile on the planet ready to fire!" he retorted. Addams winced, admitted he had a good point, and took off at a brisk walk. The Doctor followed, calling over his shoulder, "Come on, Wilfred!"

"But we're in space!" cried Wilfred, staring out the window, and Jay laughed despite the situation at hand before going over. She gently took his arm and began pulling him after the others. His eyes shone with joy as he smiled at Jay, and she patted his shoulder with some amusement.

"Yes," she said, "yes we are."

They'd nearly caught up when every single light in the ship died. Jay stared up at the ceiling in alarm, and then hurried Wilf forward at a quicker pace. Finally, they burst onto the flight deck, and it was to a small amount of chaos. Addams was shouting at the Doctor, "No sign of anything! You wrecked the place!"

Rossiter was desperately tapping at some controls, trying to get the ship to respond. "The engines are burnt out. Just auxiliary lights. Everything else is kaput. We can't move, we're stuck in orbit."

Addams shot the Doctor a nasty look and stormed from the flight deck, vanishing into the depths of the ship. Confused and somewhat worried, Jay left Wilf to approach the Doctor. He trailed after her, still in awe of the ship they stood on and the world below. "Doctor?" she said softly, and he glanced solemnly at her, no trace of hope in his face. Jay sucked in a nervous breath. Silently, she stepped closer and slid her arms around him in a hug, relieved when he found it in him to return it, his chin resting on her head.

"We'll figure it out," she whispered. She tightened her arms around him. "And everything will turn out just as it always does. With us in the TARDIS, heading off to the next adventure."

But the Doctor didn't answer, and even Wilf's hope began to fade.


"Jay," the Doctor called quietly, catching her attention with a small wave of his hand. She'd been standing near a window with Wilf, looking out over the earth with her hands pushed into the pockets of the coat she'd borrowed. He tried not to be too bothered by the tears in the side, where the Master had landed a blow on her. That wasn't her fault and he didn't blame her at all. He simply liked the coat. And he really didn't like remembering seeing the burn that had been left behind either.

Jay peeled away from Wilf to join him, and she knelt beside the Doctor without hesitation. "What do you need me to do?" she said firmly, already knowing what he'd been planning to ask. The Doctor couldn't help the small smile that formed. She always knew.

"I need two hands to hold these wires together," he said, showing her the wires he'd been working with. "Hold them for me, would you?" She took them as he'd asked, and he carefully arranged her fingers to hold them in the way he'd wanted them. When he was done, he pressed the sonic screwdriver to them and used it to repair them, smiling proudly when they came away whole once more. The smile faded, however, when she breathed a soft gasp. He followed her gaze.

She'd been looking out the window as he worked, and what she'd seen had him feeling a little wary. A comet of sorts had passed by and was now hurtling through the atmosphere, descending upon the planet. It was small, not very large, and it was burning up even as it went down, but he got a bad feeling about that piece of rock.

"Doctor?" Jay murmured. "What was that?"

"I don't know," he admitted, troubled. "But it isn't good." He returned his attention to the wires he'd mended with Jay's help. He frowned slightly when nothing kicked to life. He'd have to continue fiddling with them in the hopes that it would work. Sighing heavily, the Doctor picked the sonic screwdriver back up and eyed the wires with some annoyance. He was a Time Lord. Fixing this ship should have been easy enough.

Jay watched him for a few moments before murmuring, "I hope Martha's okay. And Mickey, and Jack, I suppose, though I don't expect that he's on Earth right now. I really hope they're okay."

The Doctor flashed her a reassuring look. "They'll be alright. Martha would have recognized the dreams they were all having."

"But she'd never have left her family," Jay replied firmly, "and that's where I'm worried." She took a deep breath to steady herself, and then fidgeted with the sleeve of the coat she still wore. "Sorry. We have enough to worry about without thinking about everything and anything under the sun." She glanced at him, and he didn't miss the nervous glint in her blue eyes. She was scared, and with good reason. At any moment, the Master could find them and target them with missiles once more.

But that wasn't what scared her, he realized as she looked out at the beautiful sight before them, that fear briefly replaced with awe. She wasn't scared of death. Rather, she touched the place where her necklace had once resided, and he remembered the look on her face when the Master had ensured to crush it in order to force her to listen to the sounds he heard. Gently, he said, "I don't know if I'll be able to find another one for you."

She winced. "I know. And I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to get broken like that."

Despite the trouble they were in and the dire situation the Master had created for the Earth below, the Doctor couldn't help but give her a fond look. There wasn't anything she needed to apologize to him for. She hadn't intentionally made it so she could hear so many things in her head, nor had she been the one to forcefully rip the necklace from her own neck and crush the crystal it held beneath her foot. As it was, he could see a mark where the cord had rubbed harshly over the skin of her throat, half-hidden by the collar of his coat.

"It's not your fault," he reassured, "and I should have thought of another way to help sooner." He'd have to figure something else out for sure now. Most of the time, the abilities Jay possessed didn't bother her. But there were always extreme situations, such as the one they were in now, and it would do Jay well to know how to handle such things without a necklace doing it for her. Most people with similar abilities simply learned to cope as they grew with it; the ability had been shoved upon her at a later age, however, and she'd woken up one day with a head full of noise.

Jay offered him a small smile that he found himself returning before looking up when Wilf suddenly appeared, questioning with forced cheer, "Got this old tub mended?"

"Just trying to fix the heating," the Doctor replied, settling down a little more with the wires in his hands. Jay did the same, waiting for more instructions, and gave Wilf a bright, warm smile. He returned it brightly before looking out at the Earth.

"Do you know, I've always dreamt of a view like this. I'm an astronaut. It's dawn over England," he added as the Earth slowly turned so that it was the case, "look. Brand new day." He suddenly faltered, looking mournful. "My wife's buried down there. I might never visit her again now. Do you...do you think he's changed them in their graves?"

The Doctor didn't answer. He couldn't confirm or deny it. More than likely not, since it had been a psychic link among them all that had been used. But Jay was firm as she reached out and patted Wilf's hand reassuringly. "I'm sure he couldn't, Wilf. Your wife's still herself down there. She's got to be."

Wilf blinked a few times, as if pushing back tears, and sniffled to confirm it. The Doctor watched this and felt a stab of guilt in his hearts. He hated that he'd been unable to stop everything from happening. So, he said quietly to Wilf, "I'm sorry." Wilf protested that it wasn't his fault and the Doctor gave a wry smile. "Isn't it?" It usually was. Aliens and humans alike tended to have bad luck whenever he came around. Jay was a prime example of that.

But then...if he'd not accidentally tumbled into that bubble of a world with Martha, where would Jay be now? Likely dead, eaten by a creature even he couldn't name. Her father would still be working with it, sending it creatures to devour. And so many more people would be dead or forgotten. At least some good came out of his misfortune.

Wilf smiled wistfully and then suddenly pointed down at the Earth. "There," he said, indicating Europe. "Nineteen forty-eight, I was over there. End of the Mandate in Palestine. Private Mott. Skinny little idiot, I was, stood on this rooftop, middle of a skirmish. It was like a blizzard, all them bullets in the air. The world gone mad." He winced then said sheepishly to them, "You don't want to listen to an old man's tales though."

"I do," protested Jay as the Doctor mused, "I'm older than you." When Wilf scoffed, the Doctor said, "I'm nine hundred and six."

Jay whipped her head around to stare at him, caught off guard, and the Doctor realized that she'd likely been aware, but had never known the specific number. A small smile tugged at his lips when he saw her disbelief. Wilf stared at him with just as much awe, eyes wide. "Nine hundred years," he echoed. "We must look like insects to you."

"I think you look like giants," the Doctor answered quietly, truly believing that. These humans, with all of their emotions and determination and hope. They were truly unlike any other species he'd ever met. And when Wilf hesitated before pulling the gun the Master had shown them out and trying to give it to him, the Doctor smiled gently and said, "No."

"No, but if you take it," Wilf tried to insist, even as his hands shook simply holding the gun. The Doctor loved Wilf for that; he'd not come across many people in Wilf's situation who wouldn't have been willing to kill, even to save their family. "You could-"

"No," the Doctor repeated. "You had that gun in the mansion. You could have shot the Master there and then."

"Too scared, I suppose."

"I'd be proud. If you were my dad."

Wilf stared at him, tears rising to his eyes, and Jay only distressed him further unintentionally when she said, her own eyes filled with tears from the conversation that was taking place, "Me, too. I wish my father had been more like you, Wilf. But then," she grudgingly admitted, "I might not have met the Doctor, so I suppose it's not like I didn't get something worthwhile out of him. But still. Donna's lucky to have someone like you as her grandfather."

"Don't start," Wilf said, voice wavering as he looked between them. "But...but Doctor, you said...you were told...he will knock four times, and then you die. That's him, isn't it? The Master, that noise in his head? The Master is going to kill you."

Jay jolted, as if the thought hadn't occurred to her, and the Doctor wasn't surprised when she whipped a horrified look onto him. Panic appeared on her face and she immediately curled her hands into fists where they rested on her thighs. The Doctor looked kindly at her in turn, not exactly pleased to be reminded of something he'd been thinking of for some time now, since hearing that sound in the Master's head. And he didn't like the uncertain fear that had shown up on her face, as if she wasn't sure of what it meant for her. Still, he nodded, and Jay's expression crumpled, the tears falling. There was a stab of guilt in his hearts over that; he didn't mean to upset her.

"Then kill him first," Wilf declared, trying to hold the gun out again.

"And that's how the Master started." The Doctor sighed heavily, leaning back and glancing out over the Earth, recalling various places he'd been and who'd been with him at what time. He smiled slightly at the thought. So many people he cared for - and some of them were in trouble, with him unable to do anything. "It's not like I'm innocent. I've taken lives. I got worse. I got clever." He sucked in a sharp breath, flinching at the memory of that gunshot, of Adelaide taking her own life because he'd gotten too arrogant. "Manipulated people into taking their own. Sometimes, I think a Time Lord lives too long. I can't, Wilfred. I just can't."

So, the upset Wilf challenged, "If the Master dies, what happens to all the people?" When he didn't answer, Wilf lifted his voice, snapping, "What happens?"

"The template snaps," the Doctor finally answered, reluctant.

"They go back to being human," realized Jay, wiping tears from her eyes, and the Doctor gave a curt nod.

Wilf gave the Doctor a stern look upon hearing that. "Then don't you dare, sir. Don't you dare put him before them. Now, you take this. That's an order, Doctor." He held the gun out again desperately. "Take the gun. You take the gun, and save your life. Please don't die. You're the most wonderful man, and I don't want you to die." He began to sob quietly as he tried to press it into the Doctor's hands, and the Doctor had to swallow a lump in his throat.

"Never," he insisted, pushing the gun away instead, and Wilf gave another soft sob that only broke his hearts further. He hated this. He hated that he was causing so much pain for Wilf, and for Jay, who looked simply heartbroken by Wilf's pleas.

"A star fell from the sky. Don't you want to know where from?"

They all stilled as the Master's voice filled the air, and the Doctor slowly glanced up and around him. An open broadcast, as Addams declared from where she and Rossiter had been trying to fix the damage he'd done with his sonic screwdriver. If the Doctor answered, the Master would know where they were immediately and be capable of firing those missiles at them again.

"Because now it makes sense, Doctor. The whole of my life. My destiny. The star was a diamond, and the diamond...it's a whitepoint star." The Doctor stiffened, shocked by the realization. There was only one place where those stars were found. "And I have worked all night to sanctify that gift. Now the star is mine. I can increase the signal and use it as a lifeline. Do you get it now? Do you see? Keep watching, Doctor. This should be spectacular. Over and out."

His voice died away and Jay immediately gripped his arm, her throat thick with emotion from the conversation they'd had before the Master had interrupted. "Doctor, what is it? The whitepoint star?"

The Doctor took a deep breath, unsteadied by what the Master had said. "A whitepoint star is only found on one planet. Gallifrey." She sputtered, unprepared, but seeming to realize what he was saying even before he finished. "It's the Time Lords. The Time Lords are returning." Saying it aloud had him lurching into action. This couldn't happen. He could not let this happen. It would be devastating for the universe. He shocked Wilf and Jay both by snagging the gun from Wilf and bolting to his feet. Almost immediately, he was at the controls of the flight deck, flipping a few switches. A sound filled the air.

Jay hunched her shoulders, immediately slamming her hands over her ears. He felt a little guilty for scaring her in such a way as a familiar sound filled the air. Bu-bu-bu-bump. Bu-bu-bu-bump. The four beat sound, he noticed. It was being broadcasted everywhere. Rossiter only confirmed it when he said suddenly, "It's coming from Earth. It's on every single wavelength."

"But Doctor," Wilf said after touching Jay's arm to ensure she was okay. She smiled weakly at the older man in gratitude. "You said your people were dead, past tense."

The Doctor abandoned the control panel and began tearing into another, desperately trying to restart the ship. His eyes were hard. "Inside the Time War, when the whole war was time-locked...sealed like a bubble," he amended when he realized that the others might not understand. "It's not a bubble, but think of a bubble. Nothing can get in or out of the time-lock. Nothing can get in or get out - except something that was already there."

"The sound," Jay realized, tapping her thigh with the rhythm as she rose to her feet, brushing herself off shakily. "Since he was a child, he's heard that sound."

The Doctor nodded curtly. "If they can follow the signal, they can escape before they die."

"Well, big reunion," said Wilf. "We'll have a party. I've heard you talk about your people, like they're wonderful."

"There will be no party," the Doctor said darkly, pausing just once to look at Wilf. Jay began to look a little nervous the longer he looked at them, realizing the full extent of what was happening, and he wished he could take the fear away, go back to the awe-inspiring moments of joy they'd experienced. He'd much prefer to be taking her to some galaxy full of endless open black seas with creatures that glowed like starlight beneath the surface. He paused, considering that. He'd not taken her to that planet; perhaps someday he would.

Just...more than likely, not this him.

Clearing his throat, the Doctor continued. "That's how I choose to remember them, the Time Lords of old. But then they went to war, an endless war, and it changed them right to the core. You've seen my enemies, Wilf. The Time Lords are more dangerous than any of them."

"They're more like the Master, aren't they?" Jay said softly, and the Doctor nodded.

Addams, annoyed about the fact that she didn't understand anything regarding what was being said, cut in. "Time Lords? Anyone want to explain?"

The Doctor only whirled on her. "Right, you! This is a salvage ship, yes? You go trawling the asteroid fields for junk?" Addams nodded, confused. "So you've got asteroid lasers!"

"Well, yes," said Rossiter, confused. "But they're all frazzled."

"Consider them unfrazzled." The Doctor smirked slightly as he flipped a lever. Doors on either side of the room slid open. "You there," he said, pointing to Addams, "I'm going to need you on navigation. And you," he pointed at Rossiter, "get in the laser-pod. Wilfred?" Wilf blinked at him expectantly. "Laser number two. The old soldier's got one more battle."

"Right," Wilf said confidently.

"What do you want me to do?" Jay asked, curious, and he flashed her a broad grin, waving her over. She hurried to join him, realizing that she'd likely need to be on hand for anything that might happen later. As Rossiter showed Wilf to the laser-pod he'd be using, she planted herself right beside the Doctor, where he liked her to be.

"This ship can't move," Addams snapped angrily. "It's dead!"

The Doctor smirked at her. "Fixed the heating," he said smugly, pushing up another lever, and the entire ship began flickering to life. Lights appeared, engines roared, and the entire flight deck trembled beneath their feet.

Jay cleared her throat to catch his attention, looking wary. "But...that means the Master can see us now, doesn't it?" The grin that he gave her made her face pale. Yes, it certainly did mean the Master could see them.

"There's an old Earth saying," the Doctor told Addams as she tried to get him away from the wheel of the ship, looking angry. Her anger shifted into an expression of utmost confusion. "A phrase of great power, and wisdom, and consolation to the soul in times of need." She stared at him in exasperation, lost, and Jay laughed when he shouted, "Allons-y!" He promptly tipped the ship down, and off they went, straight for the planet below.


Jay latched onto the nearest thing - a piece of the control panel - and did her best to stay standing, finding it somewhat difficult as the ship sped through the atmosphere, descending upon Earth at a high speed. Despite the turmoil that ransacked her, she managed to focus on the situation at hand. She could cry over everything the Doctor had said and warned her about later. For now, they had a planet to try and save.

"Doctor!" she shouted when she looked upon a screen and noticed a few lights blinking that hadn't been there before. He glanced at her, and she pointed. He took a look and then nodded curtly to show he'd noticed.

"Right," he said, "Jay, get the comms going." He jerked his head towards a button. Jay did as he said, slamming her hand over the button. When the comms were running, the Doctor called aloud, "You two! What did I say about the lasers?"

"What for?" demanded Rossiter over the comms.

"Because of the missiles," he retorted. "We've got to fight off the entire planet!"

Jay blanched. She'd not known she was looking at missiles. Still, Addams stumbled over to take care of watching for missiles and warned that they had some approaching as Rossister explained the controls to Wilf over the comms. When Jay realized how close the missiles were getting, she shouted, "Wilf! Wilf, you need to-" She screeched when the Doctor yanked on the wheel, sending the ship shooting to the side to avoid a missile that wasn't shot down. She barely managed to stay standing.

Soon, they began firing, however, and Jay stared wide-eyed as she watched through the massive window in front of them. There were a few coming straight for them that were shot down by lasers, exploding . The debris bounced harmlessly off the ship, and Jay found she could only laugh when she heard Wilf cry triumphantly over the comms, "I wish Donna could see me now!"

"I think we finally found something that'd make Donna speechless," muttered the Doctor, barely audible over the rumble of the ship and explosions outside. He yanked on the wheel again, and Jay yelped as she was nearly thrown right off her feet. Addams wasn't quite as lucky; she was knocked right off her feet and sent sliding across the flight deck with a scream. Jay latched onto the Doctor's arm for a moment, trying to catch her balance and he gave her just long enough to grab onto something a little more secure before he suddenly sent the ship into a barrel roll. Jay gritted her teeth to stop herself from screaming, barely able to hold on.

"Lock the navigation!" the Doctor barked at Addams when the ship had settled a little and she could crawl over. She hauled herself to her feet, breathing hard. "England! Naismiths' mansion!"

Addams did as she was told and the Doctor took a deep breath as she announced, "Fifty clicks and closing. We've locked onto the house. We're going to stop?" She glanced at him, and Jay looked to the Doctor as well for his answer. When he didn't respond, Jay's stomach dropped and dread surged through her. If slamming a spaceship into the side of the mansion was the best way to save the planet from the Master and the Time Lords returning, being as bad as the Doctor claimed they'd be, then she supposed there were worse things to go.

"Doctor?" she breathed. "We're going to stop, right?"

He glanced at her, and the look in his eyes said enough. A lump formed in her throat as she searched her closest friend's gaze - the gaze of the man she'd fallen in love with. The Doctor had said he'd die, but like this-

"Doctor!" Wilf, breathless and a little unsteady on his feet from the rocking of the spaceship, came running onto the flight deck with Rossiter, having abandoned his laser-pod. He stared wide-eyed at the Time Lord, uncertain. "You said you were going to die, but is that all of us?" Addams squawked in alarm, horrified by that statement. "I won't stop you, sir, but is this it? For all of us?"

Jay could tell that Wilf wasn't convincing the Doctor of otherwise. He simply wanted to know if he needed to prepare himself. But the Doctor studied him for a moment, and then suddenly snapped his gaze back to her. Jay waited, smiling faintly at him and hoping he could see the amount of trust she held for whatever decision he'd make. If he thought this was the right decision...then so be it.

Her gaze darted ever so briefly to the flight deck's massive window. They were closing in on the mansion. Any moment now-

And suddenly, the ship yanked up, and the Doctor bolted around the side of the control panel. "Doctor?" yelped Jay, instinctively following him, but faltering when he yanked a hatch in the floor open, revealing the world racing by beneath. He paused just for a moment, looking first at Wilf, and then at Jay. Her breath caught in her throat at the resolve in his dark gaze. "Doctor-" she breathed in protest as Addams caught the wheel with a shout. She lurched forward to try and stop him, but she could only watch in horror as the Doctor vanished, jumping right out of the hatch. A shriek escaped her as the ship settled evenly.

"Turn around!" Wilf was already shouting, glaring at Addams when she refused. "Just turn it 'round, land it!"

"We are not going in there," Addams retorted, looking stunned by what had happened.

Jay turned on her then, slamming a fist into the control panel. Her hand ached with the force, but it did the trick. Even Addams jumped at the loud crash she created. She could barely breathe, unable to forget the sight of the Doctor vanishing before her very eyes, accepting the fate he'd been running from for so long. Who knew if he'd even survive the fall. By the time they got to the ground-

"We're not leaving him," she practically snarled at Addams, her eyes narrowing. "Turn this damn ship around! Now!"

She didn't miss it. Addams stared, sharp fear sliding across her face. But still, she sighed heavily and yanked the wheel around. Jay relaxed, swallowing thickly. They didn't have to stay to help. Just drop her and Wilf off. For now, that would be enough.

Jay just hoped they made it in time.


There wasn't an inch on his body that didn't hurt as he tried to draw himself upright. His body felt like one massive bruise, and his face and hands cut where they'd been sliced by broken glass from slamming through the dome high up above. He couldn't even lift the gun he held so tightly in his hand. It was a miracle, he supposed, he wasn't regenerating at the moment. He'd take that miracle. Wilf and Jay were safe aboard the ship high up above, so he'd take that one miracle.

"My Lord Doctor, my Lord Master, we are gathered for the end," a voice said, and he looked up tiredly, recognizing the Time Lord that stood before him. A small entourage of other Time Lords and Ladies stood behind him. Two covered their faces, as if in shame. Neither he nor the Master looked surprised by his brutal entrance. His hearts ached violently at the sight of other Time Lords. For so long, he'd been the last of his kind, the only Time Lord. To know that they stood there, before him, was both terrifying and wonderful. He wasn't alone.

But these Time Lords had no business on this planet. And the Doctor had long since guessed what the Master intended to do. The President, the current leader of the Time Lords and known as Rassilon, was no better than the Master. He could see the cruel triumph in the other Time Lord's eyes. He thought he'd won.

The Doctor would make sure he didn't. This planet full of humans, who'd given him a family and a home, needed to be saved. For now, however, he found he could only lay there for a moment, catching his breath. He managed to make it up onto his knees, kneeling there after a few moments. "Listen to me," he wheezed, gun grasped tightly in his hand. He hated it, that gun. He hated it more than he could say. "You can't…"

The Time Lords and the Master both had very different plans, and neither could succeed, or countless lives would be lost. No matter how much the Doctor longed to wish otherwise.

"It is a fitting paradox," Rassilon continued, "that our salvation comes at the hands of our most infamous child."

"He's not saving you," the Doctor gritted out, even as the Master's teeth flashed in more of a snarl than a smile. "Don't you realize what he's doing?"

"Hey!" the Master cried cheerfully, putting a finger to his lips to hush the Doctor. "That's mine. Hush. Look around you," he continued to Rassilon. "I've transplanted myself into every single human being. But who wants a mongrel little species like them? Because now...now, I can transplant myself into every single Time Lord." A delighted laugh escaped the Master, and he clapped his hands together just once in glee. "Oh, yes, Mr. President, sir, standing there all noble and resplendent and decrepit. Think how much better you're going to look as me."

The Doctor kept quiet, just as the Master had wanted, as Rassilon looked at the Master. He studied him with a cruel smirk, as if the Master was simply some insect he planned to step on. Slowly, he lifted a hand, revealing a gold gauntlet that he wore. It began shimmering and glowing a beautiful gold, and within seconds, the heads of the other versions of the Master began to shake violently, as they had when they'd initially changed. The Doctor watched this all in silence as the Master protested, shrieking, "No, no, no! Stop! Don't!"

When the heads stopped shaking, the humans had returned to normal. Naismith, his daughter Abigail, the guards. All of them, looking between one another in complete, utter confusion. It wasn't long before they realized that Rassilon stood before them, and when he ordered them to kneel, the Doctor's hearts ached to see every one of them drop in fear, kneeling before Rassilon.

"No," the Master said hastily, trying to regain some control. The Doctor simply watched him, watching his desperation grow. "That's fine, that's good, because you said salvation! I still saved you, don't forget that!"

"The approach begins," Rassilon said, flexing the fingers of the gauntlet. He didn't acknowledge a word the Master said, instead looking skyward as the room suddenly seemed to grow lighter. The sky grew brighter from between shards of broken glass, shining down upon them, and the world began to tremble a little as a roar erupted in their ears.

The Master looked befuddled, and the Doctor said through gritted teeth, "Something is returning. Don't you ever listen? That was the prophecy. Not someone, something. They're not just bringing back the species. It's Gallifrey. Right here, right now."

Sure enough, when he looked up, too, he could see the beautiful planet he'd once called home appearing in the sky, growing closer with each passing second. The Doctor sucked in a sharp breath at the sight, hoping that those he was fond of were safe and unharmed. The humans within the room forgot their fear of Rassilon, and even Naismith ran from the room, their exit followed by frantic screams.

And then, above the screams, he heard a familiar voice shriek, "Move!"

"Come on," echoed another, both dredging up a slew of dread as he snapped his head around in time to see Wilf and Jay pushing their way into the room. How had they even gotten here? "Get out of the way, get out of the way!"

"Somebody," wailed a young man, no more than a boy, really, stuck in the booth Wilf had hidden in earlier that day. "Somebody, please!"

"I've got you!" Wilf rushed over despite the Doctor warning him loudly not to and within moments, the man had fled, and Wilf was imprisoned in the booth instead. Jay faltered, unsure of where to go. She stared wide-eyed at Rassilon, amazed yet frightened, and her face was pale. She looked ill, as if that signal in the Master's head was making her sick. So, he shot her a warning look, and she retreated to stand near Wilf, refusing to leave the Doctor and Wilf behind. She began looking at the booth, tapping it, as if trying to find a way to free the older man.

The Doctor forced himself to focus on the Master as he said, "But this is fantastic, isn't it? The Time Lords - restored."

"You weren't there in the final days of the war," snapped the Doctor, frustrated that he wouldn't listen. "You never saw what was born. But if the time-lock's broken…" He faltered then, glancing at Jay and Wilf warily. He knew they were listening, too. "Then everything will come through, not just the Time Lords. The Daleks. The Skaro Degradations. The Horde of Travesties, the Nightmare Child, the Could-Have-Been-King with his army of Meanwhiles and Never-weres. The war turning to Hell. That's what you opened, right above Earth!" he nearly shouted at the Master when the other Time Lord smirked and said that it sounded like his kind of world.. "Hell is descending! 'Cause even the Time Lords can't survive that!"

Rassilon looked upon them with a smug look, proud as he declared, "We will initiate the Final Sanction. The end of time will come at my hand. The rupture will continue until it rips the time vortex apart."

"That's suicide," the Master said, eyes widening in surprise. He looked stunned by this revelation, and the Doctor hoped it would work, that it would convince the Master to pay attention and do something. Instead, he only listened in awe when Rassilon explained the other half of it all.

"We will ascend to become creatures of consciousness alone, free of these bodies, free of time, and cause and effect, while creation itself ceases to be."

This, the Doctor thought. This was why he'd done what he'd done. He'd known their plans and had refused to let them become the gods they so desperately sought to be. He found that he, himself, was a good example of why Time Lords had no business being gods. He'd thought himself powerful enough to disrupt just a single fixed point in time, and he'd left devastation in his wake, affecting not just strangers but friends who were dear to him.

No more.

As the Master pleaded with Rassilon to take him along, and the Master denied him, claiming he was diseased, the Master took on a stunned look. The Doctor took advantage of the distraction on either side to force himself to his feet, his chest heaving for air. The click of the safety coming off of the gun in his hand made him nearly flinch. But he hid his displeasure and simply aimed the gun at Rassilon, pretending he didn't hear the sound of alarm that left Jay's mouth nearby.

Rassilon, of course, threatened, "Choose your enemy well. We are many. The Master is but one."

The Doctor was unsurprised when the Master argued, "But he's the President! Kill him, and Gallifrey could be yours!" He didn't want Gallifrey. Not like that. He longed for the days of old, when he'd had his family and Gallifrey had been a home to be proud of. No longer. The Master pushed on, as if he thought the Doctor was listening to him. "He's to blame. Not me. The link is inside my head. Kill me, the link gets broken, they go back." He grew nearly frenzied, brow furrowing and eyes nearly slitted. "You never would, you coward. Go on then. Do it."

Rassilon gave a cold, unfeeling laugh. "The final act of your life is murder. But which one of us?"

The Doctor glanced at him, and found his gaze caught by a woman behind Rassilon. The Doctor recognized her immediately, though he couldn't bring himself to state her title even in his head. It hurt too much, seeing her. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she lowered her hands to look at him, and they searched one another's gazes for a handful of moments before she looked at something over his shoulder. The Doctor followed her gaze and understood.

He whipped around, lifted his gun and fired.


Jay nearly cracked her elbow on the booth Wilf was stuck in when the gun fired. She'd been watching the Doctor struggle to figure out what to do as Gallifrey descended on Earth, intending to take its place and begin the Time War anew. She'd been barely able to breathe while watching the entire interaction, understanding the Doctor's sorrow in a new light. These were not the Time Lords he'd commented on here or there. She could see it, even without knowing much else about these aliens that stood upon the young version of her home planet. Just as the Doctor had said, these were the Time Lords trapped in a never-ending war, hardened by the agony it had wrought upon them.

An explosion nearby caught her just as unprepared as the gunshot, and she looked over to find that the Doctor had shot some machinery, which had burst into flame. The Master had barely managed to avoid the shot and only because the Doctor had warned him mere moments before firing. The Time Lord in charge of them all - the President, he'd been called - glared hatefully at the Doctor and took a threatening step closer.

"You'll die with me, Doctor," he snarled, lifting his gauntlet-clad hand.

Rather than trying to argue, the Doctor only lowered the gun Wilf had given him with a baleful look at the President. "I know."

"Get out of the way!"

The Doctor managed to narrowly avoid the electricity that suddenly cackled to life, slamming into the President's chest. Jay sucked in a sharp breath when the Doctor hit the ground hard and simply lay there, avoiding the electricity over his head by covering his head. The Time Lord staggered, and the Master fired again as he screamed at the President. "You did this to me! All of my life. You made me!" He stalked closer with each blow, viciously angry that the Time Lords had tormented him for so long only to turn around and try to discard him like he was nothing.

Bu-bu-bu-bump.

The sound echoed in her head as it echoed in his with each step he took, even as he shoved Rassilon back through the Gate he'd used to make his entrance. And then, with a flicker of blinding light, Rassilon and the other Time Lords were gone.

Bu-bu-bu-

The Master was gone.

And so was the sound in her head.

Jay blinked, unable to believe it as silence fell. The shadow of Gallifrey vanished from overhead, and she found a small smile materializing as the Doctor rolled over with a groan, pushing himself up onto his elbows. With a small, nervous laugh, Jay hurtled over to him, abandoning Wilf for the time being. "You did it!" she cried, slamming to her knees beside him. She ignored the broken glass that littered the floor.

The Doctor had just managed to sit up when she tackled him in a tight hug, arms thrown around his neck. He laughed shakily in turn as she pressed her cheek to his, relieved. He was alive. He was alive. Not regenerated. Not dead. Completely and utterly alive. And he said as much as he hugged her back, his arms tight around her. "I'm still alive," the Doctor breathed in her ear, and she nearly sobbed in pure joy.

Knock-knock-knock-knock.

The four-beat sound had them both freezing. Jay's breath caught in her throat as the Doctor stilled against her. Slowly, she pulled back, barely able to even breathe as she met his gaze. The sound came again, and very slowly, the Doctor turned his head to look at Wilf. "No," breathed Jay as she twisted to look and found Wilf looking nervously at them from where he was stuck in the booth.

Wilf smiled sheepishly, entirely clueless. "They've gone then? Good. If you could let me out…? This thing seems to be making a bit of noise."

"No," repeated Jay numbly as the Doctor slowly rose to his feet, staggering slightly. She let him help her to her own feet, her hand tight in his when she grabbed it. She didn't dare let go, understanding what was happening, and she felt the tears burning in the back of her eyes even as the Doctor simply gazed at Wilf tiredly.

"The Master," the Doctor sighed, running his free hand over his dark hair. "He left the nuclear bolt running. It's gone into overload, and all the excess radiation gets vented inside there. Vinvocci glass contains it. All five hundred thousand rads, about to flood that thing." He said this to Jay, who simply gazed up at him pleadingly. She could feel it. She knew what was going to happen, and she could only tighten her hand painfully around his, pleading in silence for him to figure something out, to get Wilf out without hurting himself.

Wilf gave a nervous chuckle. "Well," he said, "you'd better let me out then."

The Doctor took a deep breath and let it out in a gust. "Except...it's gone critical. Touch one control and it floods. Even this would set it off." He removed his sonic screwdriver from his pocket, holding it up for Wilf to see. Wilf grimaced, looking apologetic and shaken by the information.

"I'm sorry," he said unhappily. "Look, just leave me."

"The Doctor's face crumpled into one of outrage, grief, and misery, and Jay dropped his hand, staring at him desperately, as if she could convince him to change his mind. "You had to go in there, didn't you? You had to go and get stuck. Oh, yes! 'Cause that's who you are, Wilfred. You were always this, waiting for me all this time."

Wilf looked heartbroken, and Jay's own heart shattered at the agony and realization in Wilf's voice as he pleaded, tears in his eyes, "No, really, just leave me. I'm an old man, Doctor, I've had my time."

The Doctor gave a bitter laugh. "Well, exactly. Look at you. Not remotely important. But me? I could do so much more." His face filled with fury and he kicked a piece of rubble as hard as he could, sending glass and dust flying as he nearly screamed, "So much more! But this is what I get. My reward. And it's NOT FAIR!" he continued, nearly rampaging as he glared viciously at Wilf, who looked as if he felt even worse about it all.

Jay wrapped her arms around herself, crying silently. She'd never seen the Doctor like this. Even on Mars, she recalled his fury being more of a silent kind. Never before had he shown such rage aloud. Not even towards the likes of the monsters they'd defeated together. But that was what fear did to you. He was scared, as scared as they were. "Doctor," she breathed, reaching out after a moment to gently grab his arm, trying to calm him. It worked. Breathing heavily, he glanced at her. The anger dwindled until only grief and pain lingered.

"Oh," he groaned, scrubbing a hand down his face as Jay wound her fingers through his other again. "I've lived too long."

"Doctor," she tried again, voice hitching with pain and fear. "Please." She didn't even know what she was begging for anymore, she realized. She simply wanted him, as he was. Not dead. Not changed. Not yelling or hurt. Just the silly man in a pin-striped suit, who smiled at her like she was worth something more than someone to sell off to business partners.

He only stepped closer and pressed a small, gentle kiss to her forehead. Her eyes fluttered shut, sticky with tears. When he pulled away, he didn't even say a word, only turned and approached Wilf and the nuclear booths. Jay's fingers slid through his until he was too far and she let go. She choked on a sob as the Doctor faltered only once, as Wilf cried himself, pleading with the Doctor to not do this.

"Please," begged Wilf through his own tears. "Please don't. Please don't. Please!"

The Doctor ignored him, stepping into the second booth. "Wilfred," he said quietly, albeit sincerely. "It's my honor. Better be quick. Three, two, one." On one, he pressed the button that would release Wilf. The door opened for Wilf to leave, but Wilf lingered, pressing his hands to the glass with a sob as the Doctor suddenly groaned in agony, sinking to the ground.

Jay whimpered as the Doctor curled up in a ball like a child, trembling in pain. She'd never seen him do such a thing, and it made it all the worse, seeing him like that. Silence fell as after a minute or so, the machine turned off. She waited, and waited, and waited, hoping against hope that the Doctor would be okay. She would wait however long it took, she decided. Even if it was longer than any other might have waited.

And when the Doctor sat up, her heart skipped a beat. He didn't look any different. He looked unharmed other than the injuries he'd already had before stepping into the booth. He rose to his feet as Wilf said uneasily, "Still with us?"

"The system's dead," the Doctor rasped, eyeing the booth hatefully. "I absorbed it all. Whole thing's kaput." He touched the door of the booth, which popped right open, and the Doctor scowled. He rolled his eyes. "Oh, now it opens," he muttered sarcastically, and Wilf offered him a hopeful smile that was tinged with uncertainty when he stepped out.

Jay heard it then. A soft song, not so different from the TARDIS.

A strangled sound escaped her when the Doctor slid his hands down his face, seemingly erasing every cut and bruise that had been there a moment before. She stumbled forward, unable to help it when she began to weep as the Doctor glanced down at his hands, thoughtful, and declared, "It's started."

The Doctor seemed unsurprised when she slammed into him again, her arms winding around him, as if hugging him as tightly as she could would keep him there in front of her. The Doctor merely wrapped his arms around her as he had before, pressing another kiss to the top of her head.

Jay thought it might have been the start of his farewell.


The Doctor could tell that Jay was confused when he nudged her out of the TARDIS and out into some fresh green grass. They'd dropped Wilf off not long ago, had made a small stop in which he'd made her stay in the TARDIS, and now, there were bells ringing. Not once since they'd stepped onto the TARDIS had Jay let go of his hand, regardless of how difficult it made it for him to drive the TARDIS. She'd kept a firm grip, tears rolling endlessly down her cheeks. They walked a short distance from the TARDIS, which was hidden away to protect Donna.

It made it harder, he thought. He'd made his mind up not too long ago, when he'd jumped from that spaceship. He'd made his mind up about what he'd do if something like this happened, and now it was time to enact that plan. It'd crush her, but it had to be done. It was far too dangerous otherwise.

"Donna," Jay said suddenly in awe. The Doctor looked over. Sure enough, the group emerging from a nearby church included Donna and her new husband Shawn. Donna looked joyful and happy, which the Doctor thought was something he'd never not be relieved to see. Perhaps it wasn't the life he'd taken from her, but it was a good life nonetheless.

Wilf and Sylvia were there, too. Wilf kissed Donna on either cheek, looking exceptionally pleased as Donna fussed over the pose everyone needed to get into for the photographer. The Doctor watched him closely. As upset as he was about what was happening, creating immense stabs of pain the longer he put it off, the Doctor wasn't angry with the old man. Wilf was merely human and had seen another human in enough trouble to want to help. How could he fault Wilf for that?

It was a short while before they were noticed, and Jay kept glancing at him curiously as he waited patiently. He would take as much time as he needed, no matter how hard it was to push the regeneration back. Wilf and Sylvia caught sight of them, and made their way over. Jay murmured a greeting as Wilf gave them a hesitant smile.

"And here you are, same old face. Didn't I tell you you'd be alright? Oh, they've arrested Mr. Naismith. It was on the news. Crimes undisclosed." Wilf wrinkled his nose in distaste. Clearly, he didn't like that. "And his daughter. Both of 'em locked up. But I keep thinking, Doctor, there's one thing you never told me-"

The Doctor took a deep breath, cutting him off. As much as he'd love to sit there and chat with Wilf for as long as he could, he didn't have the time. He faltered, swallowing another stab of pain as the regeneration process tried to take hold. When it had faded for the most part, he glanced over at Donna before reaching inside his jacket with the hand Jay wasn't holding. "I just wanted to give you this," he said quietly, pulling an envelope out and passing it to Wilf. Wilf took it, confused. "Wedding present. Thing is, I never carry money. So I just popped back in time, borrowed a quid off a really lovely man. Geoffrey Noble, his name was." Jay stared at him now. She'd not known what he was doing. "'Have it,' he said. 'Have that on me.'"

Sylvia gasped, cupping her hands over her mouth as tears filled her eyes. After a moment, she whispered, "Thank you." The Doctor gave her farewell smile, and then did the same for Wilf. Wilf looked as if he would cry as he passed the envelope to Sylvia, who turned and left, deciding to give the envelope to Donna. A lottery ticket, for the most important woman to have ever existed. And the Doctor knew the money would be appreciated by someone who was struggling to get by.

"We better be off," the Doctor quietly told Jay. His hearts ached. Everything in his head was telling him to simply tell her. Tell her. But logic was telling him otherwise. He'd seen what happened with other companions. They only put themselves in more danger. He wouldn't allow that this time. He wouldn't allow Jay to be put in danger because of his selfish need. Pushing the process back always made it worse, and he still had a few stops to make.

So, after they'd made their farewells, they meandered back to the TARDIS, hand in hand, and when they reached the door, the Doctor cracked it open and then forced himself to pause, as if realizing something. "Jay," he said, turning to her, and she blinked up at him with red-lined, swollen eyes. She looked exhausted and grief-stricken, and he hated it. He'd done this to her. "I forgot I had something for Wilf." He withdrew a second envelope from his jacket. "Could you take it to him before we leave?"

Jay frowned, taking the envelope. "Of course," she said, searching his gaze. "What about Donna though?"

"She'll be alright, just stay at a distance." The Doctor made himself smile warmly at his friend. He kissed her head, lingering for a moment longer than he normally allowed himself to. "Thank you," he said with as much sincerity as he could push into words, his hearts twisting with grief and guilt.

Jay only smiled brightly at him, her blue eyes lighting with delight. "I'll be right back," she promised, turning and bolting in the direction of the wedding party. The Doctor gave himself just a moment to watch after her before swinging into the TARDIS and briskly walking to the control panel. The TARDIS fought him every step of the way as he began piloting her to a new location. She was furious with him.

The Doctor accepted that anger. He rightfully deserved it for what he was doing. And Jay would be devastated he knew, when she came back and found what he'd done. He had promised that he wouldn't ever do this, that he'd give her a warning. But he knew that the warning would give her the chance to try and figure out a way around it. And he just couldn't risk it. Not her. So, he'd risk her trust, hoping that it would protect her.

The Doctor would come back for her. He'd come back for Jay, new face or not. He would come back for her.

It was that thought that allowed him to pull the lever.


Wilf had looked a little confused when Jay had pressed the envelope into his hand, and Jay couldn't blame him. It wasn't very often that the Doctor forgot such simple matters. Maybe in the middle of a chaotic, confusing adventure in which they had a dozen other things going on at once, but not usually in the calmer, peaceful moments. Jay guessed it had to do with the regeneration he was clearly trying to suppress for as long as possible.

She wasn't blind. She'd seen the pained grimaces every few minutes. It reminded her of her own painful episodes. Even so, she found she couldn't convince him to allow it to happen, as they'd agreed she needed to do unless it was an extreme situation. Because if he did...well, the Doctor wouldn't be the same Doctor anymore. She'd vowed to stay by him regardless, and she was sure she'd love him no matter how he acted or what he looked like, but still.

As she walked back towards the TARDIS, her hand pushed into the pocket of the Doctor's coat, Jay waved over her shoulder. Sylvia gave a confused wave back, and Wilf furrowed his brow, not noticing her departure as he read the letter the Doctor had left for him. She ducked around the gate and headed down the street, following the path she'd taken only moments ago, hand in hand with the Time Lord.

"Jay!"

Jay paused, glancing back. "Wilf?" she asked as he came bustling after her, looking a little frantic. He was horrified and upset, and it worried her enough that she stopped entirely, waiting for him to catch up. "What's wrong?" she asked as he grabbed her arm, a little breathless. His eyes were wide as he looked at her.

He pressed the letter into her hand. "It's not for me," he said, and Jay frowned, confused. Slowly, she looked down at the piece of paper she'd been handed. It was a lot simpler than she'd thought it would be, and it was clearly from the Doctor, written in his rough handwriting.

I promise I'll come back.

Every cell in her body seemed to freeze. She felt cold and hot all at once, and before she knew it, she was running. "No," she breathed, not caring when the note fell from her hands and slid to the pavement. Wilf called after her, concerned, but Jay didn't look back. "No, no, no!" She bolted around a final corner and stumbled to a halt, scarcely able to breathe. Her breath lodged in her throat.

"No," she whispered again when she found that the TARDIS had vanished - that the Doctor had vanished. "No!"

She simply stood there numbly, staring at where the beautiful blue box had been, unable to breathe. He'd promised, she thought blearily as the panic began to set in. Her hands shook and she thought she was drowning as her chest fought to drag in air that simply wouldn't come. He'd promised her. He'd sworn to her after Martha's departure that he'd never leave her without letting her know. And yes, maybe a note was technically letting her know, but this-

"Jay?" Wilf's soft call of her name was what snapped her out of her moment of shock. With a broken cry, Jay crumpled to her knees. Wilf hurried over, concerned, and bent to touch her shoulder. Jay barely noticed. She only wept harder, pressing her face into the fabric of the coat she still wore, her fingers grasping it tightly, as if thinking holding on as tightly as she could would stop the world from spinning or let her rewind time.

But the world stood still. Time didn't rewind.

And Jay was alone, unsure if the Time Lord who'd broken the one promise she'd demanded of him could be trusted to fulfill the new promise he'd left behind.


The Doctor made a handful of stops after leaving Jay with Wilf and Sylvia, trusting Wilf would ensure Jay was safe without putting Donna in danger.

First was Martha, and with Martha was Mickey. He'd ensured to help them when he'd realized there was danger at hand, cracking a hammer over the back of a sneaky Sontaran's head. The pair had been pleased to see him, but he'd seen the pain in Martha's expression when she'd realized what was happening. He'd not said a word to either of them. Mickey, who'd been through this before with Rose, had already been comforting her as best as he could when he'd left, moving onto the next person he needed to say farewell to.

Sarah Jane had been next. He'd noticed her son walking in the path of a car showing no sign of stopping, and he'd ensured to snatch the boy out of the way, startling him. He'd not said a word to Luke or to Sarah Jane when she'd spotted him either. They'd watched him with wide eyes, but he was confident they'd realized what he was doing, too. Sarah Jane had only smiled sadly when he'd waved at her from afar, tears in her eyes, and she'd waved back, too.

Then had come Jack. He'd not initially intended to stop by and say farewell to Jack, fully aware of how time might work against him with Jack's uncanny ability to repair his vortex manipulator. The Doctor was almost certain he'd be the first one Jay went looking for, and he'd not wanted to risk running into her so soon. He'd promised to go back for her, but not before he'd regenerated. Luckily, Jack hadn't had her with him. Rather, he'd been on his own at some bar that various kinds of aliens attended. The Doctor had been pleasantly surprised to find none other than Alonso Frame at the same bar, and getting the feeling Jack might like a little help with finding some company, he'd had the bartender pass Jack a note introducing Alonso's name. Jack had spotted him almost immediately after receiving the note and grinned. The Doctor had simply given him a small salute, which had been enough to signal what was happening, and Jack had returned it with a saddened full salute. He'd left after that.

The Doctor had even gone so far as to check in on Joan Redfern's family, not daring to find the woman herself. He'd ended up at a book signing for her great granddaughter, who'd found her grandmother's diary and turned it into a story to share with the world. The Doctor had acquired a signed copy of the book, musing to himself that Jay might like it even as he asked to know if Joan had been happy in the end. He'd been relieved to know she'd died a happy woman.

He'd saved one of the hardest goodbyes for last, knowing it wouldn't be enough. It'd be the best he got though. At least, he thought mildly, he didn't have to say a proper goodbye to Jay. He'd find her again soon enough.

The Powell Estate was exactly as he remembered it. It looked the same, even when it stood in the times before he'd taken hold of a shop girl's hand and urged her to run with him. He smiled ruefully as he settled into a shadow, waiting. He wasn't waiting long. A pair of women crossed the parking lot as the snow fell beautifully around them, and his hearts ached at the sight of them.

"I'm late now. I've missed it." Rose Tyler looked frustrated and mildly annoyed, but also quite amused with her mother. She looked so her, in her vest and hat, blonde hair in pigtails and hands shoved into pockets. "Mickey'll be calling me and everything. This is your fault."

"No, it's not," Jackie protested, and the Doctor smiled faintly at the familiar tone. "It's Jimbo! He said he was going to give us a lift, and then he said his axle broke! I can't help it." Rose urged her mother to find a new boyfriend, and Jackie scowled lightly. "Listen to you! With a mechanic. Be fair though," she sighed, looking rather upset by what she was saying, "my time of life...I'm not gonna do much better."

Rose's expression softened with love, and she encouraged, "Don't be like that. You never know. There could be someone out there."

"Maybe," sighed Jackie. "One day." She paused, and then smiled brightly at her daughter. "Happy New Year." Rose laughed and hugged Jackie tightly. Jackie returned it and the Doctor couldn't help but remember the Christmas morning he'd enjoyed with Rose, on the day the Sycorax had tried to invade Earth. He'd had a new face then. Rose had finally accepted him as the Doctor, though their relationship had been a little strained for some time as they figured out how to work with one another again.

"Don't stay up all night," Rose called as she began walking. Jackie was heading for their apartment; she was likely heading out to track down Mickey. Jackie merely waved off, calling out a farewell before vanishing upstairs. The Doctor watched Rose as she passed - only to stifle a soft groan of pain when it slammed through him. He doubled over, barely able to contain the energy that threatened to overwhelm him. Rose, of course, noticed and faltered, peering at him. He kept in the shadows, hoping she'd not see him. "You alright, mate?"

"Yeah," he gritted out.

"Too much to drink?"

"Something like that."

"Maybe it's time you went home," Rose suggested with a warm smile.

That phrase had more meaning than she could have known. There would be no more goodbyes, no more putting it off after this. He'd go back to the TARDIS, and he'd have no choice but to let the regeneration process truly end. "Yeah," was the only answer he could give.

"Anyway," Rose said awkwardly, beginning to step away again. "Happy New Year."

"And you," he answered, watching her sorrowfully. Before she could get too far, a thought occurred to him. "What year is this?" he called after her, and she stopped to look at him in surprise.

"Blimey," she said, somewhat amused, "how much have you had?" He shrugged, not answering, and Rose laughed. The sound was like bells in his ears, and he listened to it with a saddened expression. He'd never hear that laughter again. "It's two-thousand-five," she answered finally. "January first."

A true smile appeared on his face. "Two-thousand-five? Tell you what. I bet you're going to have a really great year."

"Yeah?" She gave him that smile in turn, the smile he'd always been particularly fond of. All teeth with a touch of tongue poking out. "See ya." She waved and then took off at a jog, vanishing into the snowy night, and the Doctor watched her until he could see her no longer.

The pain grew to be too much after that and he stumbled forward, doing his best.

"We will sing to you, Doctor," he thought a voice said in his ears, sounding rather like Ood Sigma. "The universe will sing you to your sleep. This song is ending, but the story never ends."

That was the last thing he wanted to hear. Through sheer determination, the Doctor managed to make it to the TARDIS. He fumbled for a moment before she simply unlocked her own doors for him. He nearly tumbled inside. The Doctor gently nudged the door shut and looked sadly at his cold hand as it began to glow. He was quickly running out of time. So, as quickly as he could manage it, he sent the TARDIS spinning into the time vortex, breathing heavily.

Eventually, he could hold it back no longer. The glow grew until it encompassed all of him, beautiful and golden, and the Doctor looked around at his TARDIS with grief and despair. "I don't want to go," he breathed, voice cracking.

His final thought as the regeneration energy exploded from him was that he hoped Jay was better at keeping promises than he was.

And then the TARDIS was burning as it tumbled to the Earth below.


And with this chapter ends the tenth Doctor's era! Ah, I cried writing the last few bits, and I hope I did them justice. BUT I am so very excited to continue on. I've got a little surprise planned and I can't wait to see what people think of it. BUT before the surprise, we'll be having an original chapter next update! ;) I can't wait. The Doctor leaving Jay behind and the next few parts have all been planned for a LONG time.

Thanks to reviewers (savethemadscientist and brmngirl!) as well as those who favorited and followed. You mean the world to me. :)