Hello, hello, hello! So here is 'The Shakespeare Code'. I had fun with this chapter and really ended up liking it. I hope you guys enjoy!


Harper's POV

"But how do you travel in time? What makes it go?" Martha asked as we all tried to hang on to the console. The Doctor was taking Martha on a thank you trip after I persuaded him to do so.

"Oh, lets take the fun and the mystery out of everything," the Doctor said with sass. "Martha, you don't want to know. It just does. Hold on tight!" With one of his feet on the console pushing a button and both hands flipping switched, turning wheels, and pressing do-hickeys we finally landed. Both the Doctor and I stayed upright but Martha fell to the ground.

"Blimey! Do you have to pass a test to fly this thing?" Martha asked.

"Yes, and he failed," I said laughing as I helped her up. The Doctor had his coat half on as he handed Martha and I our own coats.

"Now, make the most of it. I promised you one trip and one trip only. Outside this door, brave new world," the Doctor said.

"Where are we?"

"Why don't you take a look," I said nudging her forward.

"After you," the Doctor said opening the door. We followed behind her hand in hand.

"Oh, you're kidding me. You're so kidding me!" Martha said looking around the city street. We were somewhere in the 15 hundreds. "Oh my, we did it! We travelled in time! Where are we? No, sorry, got to get used to this whole new language. When are we?"

Before the Doctor or I could say anything a man opened the window above us causing the Doctor to pull both Martha and I back, "Mind out! Somewhere before the invention of the toilet, sorry about that."

"Well, that is just… gross," I said.

"I thought you were a nurse, surely you've seen something like this," the Doctor asked.

"I worked in surgery. This was never my forte."

"Well, I've seen worse," Martha, said. "I worked the late-night shift, A&E. But are we safe? I mean, can we move around and stuff?"

"Of course we can," the Doctor said as he started to walk away from the TARDIS pulling me alone with him. "Why do you ask?"

"It's like in the films. You step on a butterfly, you change the future of the human race," Martha said following us.

"Tell you what, then, don't step on any butterflies. What have butterflies ever done to you?"

"What if… I don't know, what if I kill my grandfather?"

"Are you planning to?" I asked Martha.

"No."

"Well, then," the Doctor said as we continued on.

"And this is London?" Martha asked.

"Think so. Round about, um, ooh, 1599," the Doctor said.

"Oh, but hold on. Am I all right? I'm not going to get carted off as a slave, am I?"

"Why would they do that?" the Doctor stopped walking and asked, generally confused.

"Not exactly white, in case you haven't noticed."

"Well, they'll have to go through me first," I said linking my arm with Martha's.

"I'm not even human. Just walk about like you own the place. Works for me."

"Well, not always," I told Martha causing her to laugh.

"Oh, stop it," the Doctor said before getting back to his point, "Besides, you'd be surprised. Elizabethan England, not so different from your time. Look over there, they've got recycling… a water cooler moment…"

"…And the Earth will be consumed be flame!" A crazy looking man said as we past by.

"Global warming," I said laughing.

"Oh, yes, and entertainment! Popular entertainment for the masses, if I'm right, we're just down the river by Southwark. Right next to…" We turned the corner and what a sight there was before us. "Oh, yes! The Globe Theatre, brand-new, just opened. Though, strictly speaking, it's not a globe. It's a…"

"Tetradecagon," I said interrupting the Doctor. I looked up at him smirking only to see him pouting. "Oh, don't pout!" I got on my tippy toes giving him a light kiss making him smile brightly. "You can continue."

"It has 14 sides, containing the man himself," He said finishing.

"Whoa, you don't mean… is Shakespeare in there?" Martha asked getting as excited as the Doctor and I.

"Oh, yes. Miss. Jones, Love, will you two accompany me to the theatre?" The Doctor asked offering us his arms.

"Mr. Smith, I will!"

"I go where you go, Sweetie," I said.

"When you get home, you can tell everyone you've seen Shakespeare," the Doctor said to Martha.

"Then I could get sectioned," she said and we all laughed as we walked to the Globe Theatre.


The Doctor POV

"That's amazing, just amazing," Martha said as we clapped for the actors. "It's worth putting up with the smell. And those are men dressed as women, yeah?"

"London never changes," I said and Harper nodded while laughing.

"Where's Shakespeare? I want to see Shakespeare! Author! Author! Do people shout that? Do they shout 'author'?"

Then one by one, the people around us started shouting 'author' like Martha did. "Well, they do now," Harper, said smiling and looking around.

A man walked out onto the stage and the people started to cheer louder, I could only guess he was Shakespeare. "He's a bit different to his portraits," Martha said.

"Genius. He's a genius, the genius. The most human human there's ever been. Now, we're gonna hear him speak. Always, he chooses the best words. New, beautiful, brilliant words."

"Aww, look at you. You look like a little boy who is about to meet his hero," Harper said with a laugh.

"Oh, shut your big, fat mouths!" Shakespeare yelled.

"Oh, well," I said frowning a bit.

"You should never meet your heroes," Martha said and Harper started to laugh.

"You've got excellent taste, I'll give you that," Shakespeare told the crowd. "Oh, that's a wig. I know what you're all saying; 'Love's Labor's Lost,' that's a funny ending, isn't it? It just stops. Will the boys get the girls? Well, don't get your hose in a tangle. You'll find out soon."

"When?" Someone yelled.

"Yeah, yeah, all in good time. You don't rush a genius. When? Tomorrow night," Harper looked at me in concern when Shakespeare said that. "The premier of my brand-new play, a sequel, no less. And I call it 'Love's Labor's Won."

Martha, Harper and I were walking out of the theater when Martha said, "I'm not an expert, but I've never heard of 'Love's Labor's Won."

"Exactly, the lost play," I said. "Doesn't exist. Only in rumors, it's mentioned in lists of his plays, but never ever turns up, and no one knows why."

"Have you got a mini-disc or something? We can tape it; we can flog it. Sell it when we get home, make a mint," Martha said.

"No."

"That would be bad," Martha said.

"Just a bit, yeah," Harper agreed. "How come it disappeared in the first place?"

"Well… oh, I was just going to give you a quick little trip in the TARDIS," Harper, seeing my thoughts, started bouncing on her toes in excitement. "But I suppose we could stay a bit longer," I said earning a squeal of delight from Harper as she pulled Martha in for a hug.


"Hello!" I said as I entered the room where Shakespeare was. "Excuse me. Not interrupting, am I? Mr. Shakespeare, isn't it?"

"Oh, no, no, no. Who let you in? No autographs. No, you can't have yourself sketched with me, and please don't ask where I get my ideas from. Thanks for the interest. Now be a good boy and shove…" Shakespeare stopped his rant and look to the right of me. "Hey, nonny, nonny! Sit right down here, next to me."

He motioned for Martha and Harper to sit in the two chairs that were being occupied by two men. "You two get sewing on them costumes. Off you go."

"Come on, lads," the innkeeper, Dolly Bailey, said. "I think our William's found two new muses."

"Sweet ladies, such unusual clothes, so fitted, and the most extraordinary color of hair."

'I don't like this,' I thought.

'Why, you were so excited to meet him before.'

'I just don't. That's why.'

Martha tried to sound as if she was from this time. "Erm, verily, forsooth, egceds!"

"No, no, don't do that, no. We're Sir Doctor and Lady Harper of TARDIS and this is our companion, Miss Martha Jones." I pulled out the psychic paper showing him.

"Interesting, that bit of paper, it's blank."

"Oh, that's… very clever. That proves it, absolute genius."

Martha was very confused. "No, it says right there, "Sir Doctor, Lady Harper, and Martha Jones.' It says so."

"I say it's blank."

I quickly put the psychic paper away and got a bit closer to Harper. "Psychic paper, um… long story. Oh, I hate starting from scratch."

"I'll explain later," Harper, whispered to Martha.

"Psychic? I've never heard that before, and words are my trade. Who are you exactly? More to the point, who are your delicious blackamoor lady and delightful lady in green?"

Harper started to laugh and Martha looked shocked, "What did you say?"

"Whoops, isn't that a word we use nowadays? An ethiop girl, a swarth, a queen of afric?"

"I can't believe I'm hearing this."

"It's political correctness gone mad. Martha and Harper are from a far off land, Freedonia."

"Excuse me. Hold hard a moment," a man said storming into the room. "This is abominable behavior, a new play with no warning. I demand to see a script, Mr. Shakespeare. As master of the revels, every new script must be registered at my office, and examined by me before it can be performed."

"Tomorrow morning, first thing, I'll send it round."

"I don't work to your schedule, you work to mine. The script, now!"

"I can't!"

"Then tomorrow's performance is cancelled."

"It's all go around here, isn't it?" Martha said.

"I'm returning to my office for a banning order. If it's the last thing I do, Love's Labor's Won will never be played," and with that he stormed out of the room.

"Well then, mystery solved. That's Love's Labor's Won over and done with. I thought it might be something you know, more mysterious."

Then a woman screamed, "Help me" and we all jumped up, Harper and I leading the way. "Oh, you just had to say that, didn't you," Harper said as we went down the stairs.

"It's that Lynley bloke," Martha pointed out, and indeed it was the same man who wanted to stop the play. He looked as if he was chocking and spitting out water.

"What's wrong with him? Leave it to me, I'm a Doctor," I pulled Harper with me to help.

"So am I, near enough," Martha came up beside us. But then he collapsed, dead. "Can't get the heart going. Mr. Lynley! Come on, can you hear me? You're gonna be all right." She opened his month and more water came out. "What the hell is that?"

"I've never seen a death like it. His lungs are full of water. He drowned."

"And a blow to the heart," Harper add. "A visible blow."

"Good mistress, this poor fellow has died from a sudden imbalance of the humours, a natural, if unfortunate, demise. Call the constable, have him taken away," I told Dolly.

"Yes, sir."

"I'll do it, ma'am," one of the chambermaids said running off.

When I got back over to the girls, Martha asked, "why are you telling them that?"

"This lot have still got one foot in the dark ages. If I tell them the truth, they'll panic and think it was witchcraft."

"Okay, what was it, then?"

"Witchcraft," Harper and I said at the same time.


Harper's POV

"I've got you a room, Sir Doctor. You and the ladies are just across the landing," Dolly told me before leaving the room.

We had made it back to Shakespeare's room and now were trying to figure out what was going on around here. "Poop Lynley, so many strange events. Not least of all, this land of Freedonia where a woman can be a doctor."

"Where a woman can be what she likes," Martha countered.

"And you, Sir Doctor and Lady Harper, how can two people so young have eyes so old?"

"We do a lot of reading."

"And traveling," Harper said. She put her head on my shoulder and I rapped my arm around her waist. Shakespeare gave us a knowing look before saying, "A trite reply, yeah? That's what I do. And you, you look at them like you're surprised they exist. They are as much of a puzzle to you as they are to me."

"I think we should say goodnight," Martha said leaving the room.

"I must work. I have a play to complete. I'll get my answers tomorrow, Doctor, and I'll discover more about you and why this constant performance of yours."

"Don't work to hard, Shakespeare," Harper said grabbing my hand pulling me to the door.

"All the world's a stage," I said before we left.

"Hmm, I might use that. Goodnight, Doctor, Lady Harper."

"Nighty-night, Shakespeare."


"It's not exactly five star, is it?" Martha said opening the one cabinet that was in the room.

"Oh, it'll do. I've seen worse."

"You've taken me to worse," Harper said poking my in the chest with a laugh.

"I haven't even got a toothbrush."

"Ooh, um…" and I pulled one out of my coat pocket. "Contains verusian spearmint."

"So, who's going where? I mean there's only one bed." Martha was right, there was only one… very small bed in the room.

"We'll manage, come on," the Doctor flopped down on the bed and then pulled me on top of him.

'This can't be comfortable for you.'

'Oh, I don't know. You are like my own personal mini heater. I quiet like it.' I shook my head at his silliness.

"So, magic and stuff. That's a surprise. It's all a bit Harry Potter."

"Wait till you read book seven. Oh, I cried!"

"Wait you have the seventh book! And didn't tell me!" I screeched. "I'm so reading that as soon as we get back."

"You two are just the cutest couple ever, did you know that?" I beamed up at Martha happy she thought so. "But is it real, though? I mean, witches, black magic and all that, it's real?"

"No, it's just easier to say witchcraft," I explained.

"Looks like witchcraft, but it isn't. It can't be," the Doctor mumbled. "Are you gonna stand there all night?"

"Well then budge up a bit, sorry, there's not much room. Just think about what people must think. Us three in the same bed."

"Oh my word! This looks so bad," I said with a laugh.

"There's such a thing as psychic energy, but a human couldn't channel it like that," the Doctor said to far gone to understand why Martha and I found this funny. "Not without a generator the size of taunton, and I think we'd have spotted that. No, there's something I'm missing. Something really close, it's staring me right in the face and I can't see it."

"I'm sure we'll figure it out," I said softly.

"Well, either way, I'll take you back home tomorrow, Martha."

"Great!" Martha said sarcastically turning over and blowing out the light. I knew she was upset at the Doctor. She was having fun and wanted to stay. What was a girl to do?


I opened my eyes and looked up at the Doctor. He still had his eyes open and was thinking hard about everything. "You should be asleep," I whispered to the Doctor. Martha was asleep but neither of us had followed her lead.

"So should you," he said with a light chuckle.

"You are worried I can see it in your mind and now I can't fall asleep because I can't help but worry."

"Sorry love," he gave me a kiss. "I'll try to keep my thoughts about the play to myself. Just go to sleep." A scream pierced the night then and both of us jumped up running from the room. We ran into Shakespeare's room and saw Dolly Bailey on the ground and Shakespeare waking up from the desk. The Doctor and I leaned down to check on Dolly as Martha ran to the window.

"What? What was that?" Shakespeare asked.

"Her heart gave out, she died of fright," the Doctor said confused.

"Doctor?" He got up and ran quickly over to Martha, "what did you see?"

"A witch," was all Martha said.


The Doctor's POV

"Oh, sweet Dolly Bailey. She sat out three bouts of the plague in this place. We all ran like rats. But what could have scared her so? She had such enormous spirit."

"Rage, rage, against the dying of the light," I quoted.

"I might use that."

"You can't," Harper told Shakespeare, "it's someone else's."

"But the thing is, Lynley drowned on dry land, Dolly died of fright, and they were both connected to you," Martha point to Shakespeare.

"You're accusing me?"

"No, but I saw a witch, big as you like, flying, cackling away, and you've written about witches."

"I have? When was that?"

Harper shook her head no and I quietly said, "Not… not quite yet."

"Peter Streete spoke of witches."

"Who's Peter Streete?" Both Martha and Harper asked at the same time.

"Our builder. He sketched the plans for the Globe."

"The architect? Hold on. The architect. The architect! The Globe! Come on!" I jumped up and grabbed Harper's hand running to the Globe.


"Columns there, right, and 14 sides." We were now at the Globe and Shakespeare, Martha, and Harper were on the stage watching me try to figure this all out. "I've always wondered, but I've never asked. Tell me, Will, why 14 sides?"

"It was the shape Peter Streete thought best, that's all. He said it carried the sound well."

"14? Why does that ring a bell? 14?"

"There's 14 lines in a sonnet," Martha offered.

"So there is. Good point; words and shapes following the same design."

"14 lines…" Harper said following my thought process the best she could.

"14 sides…"

"14 facets…"

"My head!" I was getting frustrated.

"Tell me about it," Harper said rubbing her temples, and I was instantly more worried about her than the problem at hand. "It's all to much."

"Tetradecagon, think, think, think! Words, letters, numbers, lines!"

"This is just a theatre!" Shakespeare said.

"Oh yeah, but a theatre's magic, isn't it? You should know. You stand on this stage, say the right words with the right emphasis at the right time. Oh, you can make men weep or cry with joy. Change them. You can change people's minds just with words in this place. And if you exaggerate that…"

"It's like your police box," Martha interrupted me. "Small, wooden box with all that power inside."

"Oh! Oh, Martha Jones, I like you. Tell you what, Peter Streete would know. Can I talk to him?"

"You won't get an answer. A month after finishing this place, he lost his mind."

"What happened?" Harper asked.

"He started raving about witches, hearing voices, babbling. His mind was addled."

"Where is he now?" I asked.

"Bedlam."

"What's Bedlam," Martha asked.

"Bethlem Hospital, the madhouse," Harper said before Shakespeare could.

"We gotta go there, right now, come on!"

"Wait, I'm coming with you. I want to witness this at first hand. Ralph," Shakespeare stopped when on of the actors came into the theater. "The last scene, as promised. Copy it, hand it around, learn it, speak it! Back before curtain up, and remember, kid, project! Eyes and teeth. You never know, the queen might turn up."


"So tell me of Freedonia, where women can be doctors, writers, actors," Shakespeare said to Martha and Harper.

"This country's ruled by a woman," Martha said.

"Ah, she's royal, that's God's business. Though you two are royal beauties."

I stopped in my tracks as Harper started to laugh. 'Did he really just say that?'

"Whoa, nelly! I know for a fact you've got a wife in the country."

"But Martha, this is town."

"But there is two of us," Harper said.

Shakespeare smirked and was about to say something when I interrupted him, "Come on, we can all have a good flirt later!"

"Is that a promise, Doctor?"

"Oh, 57 academics just punched the air. Now move!" Shakespeare and Martha followed behind me as I pulled Harper away.


Bedlam was not a place for the weak. A madhouse, that's exactly what it was. "Does my Lord Doctor wish some entertainment while he waits?" The jailer asked. "I can whip these madmen. They'll put on a good show for you. Bandog and bedlam."

"No, I don't," I snapped.

"Well, wait here, my Lords, while I, uh… make him decent for the ladies." He wink at Harper and put his hand on her backside. I grabbed his hand and pulled it away, making sure to make it painful.

"I would think long and hard about what you are doing, although that maybe hard for you with that little brain of yours. Never, and I mean never, touch her again. Now go!"

He scurried away and Harper was immediately in front of me, "Hey, look at me. I'm ok, you need to calm down."

I leaned my forehead against hers and thought, 'he touched you.'

'I know, but it's fine. I could have handled that myself.'

'I know that. It's just… my job to take care of you.'

She smiled a knowing smile, 'you are cute went you get all over protective, and maybe a bit sexy.'

'Umm… you think?'

"Doctor, everything okay?" Martha asked and I kiss Harper quickly before pulling away.

"Fine, fine, fine."

"Okay… anyways, so this is what you call a hospital, yeah? Where the patient's are whipped to entertain the gentry? And you put your friend in here?"

"Oh, it's all so different in Freedonia."

"But you're clever? Do you honestly think this place is any good?" Martha argued.

"I've been mad, I've lost my mind, fear of this place set me right again. Serves its purpose."

"Mad in what way?"

"You lost your son," I said quietly.

"My only boy. The Black Death took him. I wasn't even there."

"I don't know, I'm sorry," Martha said.

"Made me question everything, the futility of this fleeting existence, to be or not to be. Oh, that's quite good."

"You should write that down," I offered as Harper gave a light chuckle.

"Hmm, maybe not. A bit pretentions?"

"This way, my Lord." We followed the jailer, me with a tight hold onto Harper's hand, into the cell where Peter was. "They can be dangerous, my Lord. Don't know their own strength."

"I think it helps if you don't whip them," Harper said forcefully, "Now, get out!"

"Peter, Peter Streete," I said quietly as I got closer to him.

"He's the same as he was. You'll get nothing out of him."

"Peter," went I put my hand on his shoulder he brought his head up to look at me. "Peter, I'm the Doctor," I put my hands on either side of his face, concentrating, "Go into the past, one year ago, let your mind go back, back to when everything was fine and shiny. Everything that happened in this year since happened to somebody else. It's just a story, a winter's tale. Let go, that's it. That's it, just let go," I slowly laid him down. "Tell me the story, Peter. Tell me about the witches."

"Witches spoke to Peter. In the night, they whispered, they whispered… got Peter, to build the Globe to their design, the 14 walls, always 14. When the work was done… they snapped poor Peter's wits."

"Well, where did Peter see the witches? Where in the city? Peter, tell me! You've got to tell me. Where were they?"

"All Hallows Street."

"Too many words!" I quickly jumped up as a witch appeared beside Peter and I. Harper got in front of me, which I was not too happy with. "Just one touch of the heart."

"NO!" Harper and I shouted as the witch touched Peter's chest killing him.

"A witch! I'm seeing a witch!" Shakespeare said out of disbelief.

"Now, who would be next, hmm? Just on touch. Oh, I'll stop your frantic hearts. Poor, fragile mortals."

"Let us out!" Martha shouted, "Let us out!"

"That's not going to work, the whole building's shout that," Harper said sarcastically.

"And who would die first, hmm?"

'I've got a plan,' I heard Harper tell me in her mind.

'I already don't like this plan.'

'You don't even know what it is. Just trust me, I'm giving you time to think.'

"If you're looking for volunteers…" Harper said stepping up.

'Yep I don't like this plan.'

"No, don't! Harper!" Martha cried.

"Doctor, can you stop her?" Shakespeare asked, although I'm not sure if he was talking about Harper or the witch. And one of those would be a no; unfortunately that one would be Harper.

"Come on then, give it you best shot," Harper said.

"No mortal has power over me! Just one little touch," the witch reached forward and touched Harper, the same way she had with Peter, killing her.

"NO!" I shout rushing forward to catch Harper as she fell. 'No, no, no, Harper? Don't do this to me. This couldn't have been your plan?'

"No, Harper!" Martha cried.

"See, just one little touch," the witch gloated.

And now I was mad, "No mortal has power over you, but there's power in words. If I can find the right one, if I can just know you…"

"None on Earth has knowledge of us."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm here. Now, think, think, think. Humanoid, female, who uses shapes and words to channel energy, ah, 14! That's it, 14! The 14 stars of the Rexel Planetary Configuration! Creature, I name you Carrionite!"

The witch screamed and disappeared so I got on the ground pulling Harper into my arms.

"What did you do?" Martha asked.

"I named her. The power of a name, that's old magic."

"But there's no such thing as magic." Right after Martha said that Harper took in a big breathe of air. "What!"

"Witchcraft!" Shakespeare cried.

I pulled her in for a hug, knowing we would be having a conversion about this later on, but now was not the time. "No, that was not witchcraft, that was sheer dumb luck, and a run in with an otherworldly item," Harper said with a laugh. "But the Carrionites, it's just a different sort of science."

"She right, you lot, you chose mathematics. Given the right string of numbers, the right equation, you can split the atom. The Carrionites use words instead."

"Use them for what?" Shakespeare asked.

"The end of the world."


Harper's POV

We were once again at the inn. Shakespeare was getting ready for the play and the Doctor was explaining everything. "The Carrionites disappeared way back at the dawn of the universe. Nobody was sure if they were real or legend."

"Well, I'm going for real," Shakespeare, said.

"But what do they want?" Martha asked.

"A new empire on Earth. A world of bones and blood and witchcraft."

"But how?"

"I'm looking at the man with the words," Martha and I turned to look at Shakespeare.

"Me? But I've done nothing."

"Hold on, though, what were you doing last night, when that Carrionite was in the room?"

"Oh, good thought Martha," I praised.

"Finishing the play."

"What happens on the last page?" The Doctor asked.

"The boys get the girls, they have a bit of a dance. It's all as funny and thought provoking as usual. Except those last few lines. Funny thing is, I don't actually remember writing them."

"That would be the witches," I said and the Doctor finished my thought, "They used you. They gave you the final words, like a spell, like a code. Love's Labor's Won, it's a weapon! The right combination of words spoken in the right place with the shape of the Globe as an energy converter! The play is the thing! And yes, you can have that."

"All Hallows Street, there it is," I said looking over a map. The Doctor, Martha, and Shakespeare joined me looking at it.

"Okay, Martha, Harper, we'll track them down. Will, you get to the Globe. Whatever you do, stop that play!"

"I'll do it." Shakespeare shook the Doctor's hand and said, "All these years, I've been the cleverest man around. Next to you, I know nothing."

The Doctor look quite happy with that and Martha laughed saying, "Well, don't complain."

"I'm not! It's marvelous. Gook luck, Doctor."

"Good luck, Shakespeare. Once more unto the breach!" Then the Doctor pulled Martha and I from the room.

"I like that! Wait a minutes, that's one of mine."

"Oh, just go," I said poking my head back around the corner.


"All Hallows Street, why did it have to be All Hallows Street? I was really hoping for something like… I don't know… H Street."

"Oh stop your complaining," the Doctor told me as we looked around All Hallows Street. "Which house?"

"Thing is, though, am I missing something here? The world didn't end in 1599, it just didn't. Look at me, I'm living proof."

"Oh, how to explain the mechanics of the infinite temporal flux? I know, Back to the Future! It's like Back to the Future."

"Well, you've had worse ways of explaining it," I said as Martha asked, "The film?"

"No, the novelization. Yes, the film! Marty Mcfly goes back and changes history."

"And he starts fading away… oh my, am I going to fade?"

"You and the entire future of the human race," I said.

"It ends right now, in 1599, if we don't stop it. But which house?" We started looking again but didn't have to look long as a door opened by its self, leading to a creep looking house. "Make that witch house."

"This is not the time for puns Doctor," I shook my head as Martha and I followed him into the house.

"I take it we're expected?" The Doctor said when we saw one of the Carrionites standing in the middle of the room. She was the young chambermaid I had seen around the inn.

"Oh, I think death has been waiting for you a very long time. Hmm, you're still alive," the Carrionites looked right at me but I just smirked back knowing she could do anything.

"Right then, it's my turn. I know how to do this. I name thee Carrionite!" Martha pointed her finger at the Carrionite but nothing happened. "What did I do wrong? Was it the finger?"

"Power of a name works only once. Observe, I gaze upon this bag of bones, and now I name thee, Martha Jones."

Martha fell backwards and both the Doctor and I caught her.

"What have you done?" The Doctor yelled.

"Only sleeping, alas, it's curious, her name has less impact. She's somehow out of her time, and as for you Sir Doctor. Fascinating," she had her finger pointed to the Doctor but stopped to think. "There is no name. Why would a man hide his title in such despair? Oh, but look. There's still one word with a power that aches."

"The naming won't work on me."

"But your heart grows cold, the north wind blows and carries down the distant… Rose."

I froze when she said that, but it would seem as if it had more of an effect on me than the Doctor, "Oh, big mistake. 'Cause that name doesn't have an effect on me anymore. The Carrionite vanished. Where did you go?"

"The Eternals found the right word to banish us into deep darkness."

"Then how did you escape?"

"New words, new and glittering, from a mind like no other."

"Shakespeare," I said.

"His son perished. The grief of a genius, grief without measure, madness enough to allow us entrance."

"How many of you?" The Doctor asked.

"Just the three. But the play tonight shall restore the rest. Then the human race will be purged as pestilence. And from this world we will lead the universe back into the old ways of blood and magic."

"Mmm, busy schedule. But first, you've got to get past me." The Doctor and the Carrionite were far to close for my liking. Not that I was jealous.

"Oh, that should be a pleasure. Considering my enemy has such a handsome shape."

"Now, that's one form of magic that's definitely not gonna work on me."

"Never truer words have been spoken. He's bloody oblivious to female advances," I mumbled but neither of them seemed to hear me.

"Oh, we'll see," the Carrionite, said before sniping a bit of the Doctor hair off.

"What was that for? What did you do?" The Doctor definitely didn't like when people mess with his hair.

"Souvenir."

"Well, give it back!" He tried to get it back but the Carrionite flew out the window, floating in mid-air. "Well, that's just cheating."

"Behold, Doctor. Men to Carrionites are nothing but puppets."

"A voodoo doll?" I asked as I watched the Carrionites wrap the Doctor hair around it.

"Now, you might call that magic, I'd call that a DNA replication module."

"What use is your science now?" She stabbed the doll with a pin and the Doctor fell to the ground.

"Doctor!" I heard the Carrionite cackling as she flew away but I had other things to worry about.

"Oh my, Doctor!" Martha was finally awake and came over to us. "Don't worry, I've got you."

"Martha…"

"Hold on, mister."

"Martha…"

"Harper I'm trying to save… wait a minute. Two hearts?"

"I'm making a habit of it."

"You two are going to kill me with your death scares. I'm going to have a heart ache before this is over."

"Oh now that's where all the fun is," I said helping the Doctor stand up, only to have him fall down again yelling out in pain, "Doctor?"

"I've only got one heart working! How do you people cope? I've got to get the other one started. Hit me! Hit me on the chest!" Martha did as he asked. "Other side! Now, on the back, on the back! Left a bit!" He shot straight up when she finally hit the right spot. "Lovely, there we go, by-da-boom-ba! Well, what are you standing there for? Come on, the Globe."

"Oh fun times indeed," Martha said sarcastically. I just laugh following the Doctor.


"We're going the wrong way!" Martha yelled as the Doctor ran to the left.

"No we're not!" I stopped waiting for him to come back this way but Martha followed him. "We're going the wrong way!" He yelled coming back by me. I followed this time as Martha and I laughed at him.


"Stop the play! I think that was it. Yeah, I said stop the play!" The Doctor yelled at Shakespeare, who looked as if he had just woken up.

"I hit my head."

"Yeah, don't rub it, you'll go bald." We heard screams from the stage and the Doctor said, "I think that's my cue."

The wind was blowing heavily as we ran out onto the stage. People were screaming and trying to get out the doors. Then the Carrionites started to make their appearance into our world.

"Come on, Will, history needs you," the Doctor pulled Shakespeare up to the front of the stage.

"But what can I do?"

"Reverse it!" I said coming up beside them.

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"The shape of the Globe gives words power, but you're the wordsmith. The one true genius, the only man clever enough to do it."

"But what word? I have none ready."

"You're William Shakespeare!" The Doctor yelled.

"But these Carrionite phrases, they need such precision."

"Trust yourself. When you're locked away in your room, the words just come, don't they? Like magic. Words of the right sound, the right shape, the right rhythm, words that last forever! That's what you do, Will. You choose perfect words. Do it, improvise!"

Shakespeare looked uncertain but then he started talking, "Close up this din of hateful, dire decay, decomposition of your witches' plot! You thieve my brains; consider me your toy, my doting Doctor tells me I am not! Foul Carrionite specters, cease your show, between the points…."

"7-6-1-3-9-0!" I yelled out when Shakespeare looked back at us.

"7-6-1-3-9-0! Banished like a tinker's cuss, I say to thee…" Shakespeare stopped talking not knowing what word to use.

"Expelliarmus!" Martha suddenly yelled.

"Expelliarmus!" The Doctor and I joined in.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Good old JK!" I laughed at the Doctor. Then the back door opened and every copy of the play was sucked out and disappearing with the Carrionites. "Love's Labor's Won, there it goes."

Once the wind stopped and all the Carrionites were gone it was silent in the theater, but slow the audience started to clap.

"They think it was all special effects?" Martha said in disbelief.

"Your effect is special, indeed." I busted out laughing at Shakespeare while Martha said, "It's not your best line."


"And I say, a heart for a hart, a dear for a deer."

"I don't get it."

"I get it, but its just not that funny," I said. Martha, Shakespeare and I were on the stage of the Globe telling jokes, while the Doctor was back stage raiding the prop store. "Don't worry Martha, you're not missing that much."

"Then give me a joke from Freedonia."

"Okay, Shakespeare walks into a pub, and the landlord says, 'Oi mate, you're bard'."

"Wow you two are both horrible at this."

"I think it's brilliant! Doesn't make sense, mind you, but never mind that. Come here."

"I've only just met you," Martha said.

"The Doctor may never kiss you. Why not entertain a man who will?"

"He bloody better not!" I mumbled under my breath.

"I don't know how to tell you this, o great genius, but your breath doesn't half stink."

I was laughing when the Doctor walked back onto the stage wearing a ruffled collar and holding a skull of some type, "Good prop store back there! I'm not sure about this, though. Reminds me of a Sycorax."

"Sycorax, nice word. I'll have that off you as well."

"I should be on 10%. How's your head?"

"Still aching."

"Here, I got you this," the Doctor took off the collar and put it on Shakespeare. "Neck brace. Wear that for a few days until it's better."

"Although you might want to keep it, it suits you," I said standing up and going over to the Doctor.

"What about the play?" Martha asked.

"Gone, I looked all over. Every single copy of Love's Labor's Won went up in the sky."

"My lost masterpiece."

"You could write it up again," Martha offered.

"Yeah, better not, Will. There's still power in those words. Maybe it should best stay forgotten."

"Oh, but I've got new ideas. Perhaps it's time I write about fathers and sons, in memory of my boy, my precious Hamnet."

"Hamnet?" Martha asked.

"That's him."

"Ham-net?" I was laughing at her now.

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, Shakespeare. Noting is wrong with the name Hamnet," I said through laughter.

"Anyway, time we were off. I've got a nice attic in the TARDIS, where this lot can scream for all eternity," the Doctor shook the snow globe the Carrionites were in. "And I've got to take Martha back to Freedonia."

"You mean travel on through time and space?"

"You what?" The Doctor said shocked that Shakespeare would know this.

"You two are from another world, like the Carrionites. And Martha here's from the future. It's not hard to work out."

"That's incredible. You are incredible," the Doctor gushed.

"We're alike in many ways, Doctor. Martha, let me say goodbye to you with a new verse, a sonnet for my dark lady. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" My mouth dropped open in shock while the Doctor was trying not to laugh. "Thou art more lovely, more temperate…"

"Will! Will!" Two of the actors came running into the theater. "Will, you'll never believe it. She's here! She's turned up! We're the talk of the town. She heard about last night. She wants us to perform it again."

"Who?" Martha asked.

"Her majesty. She's here!"

Horns started to go off and in walked the Queen. "Queen Elizabeth I," the Doctor said happily.

"Doctor!"

"What?"

"My sworn enemy."

"What?"

"Off with his head!"

"What?"

"Oh, learn a new word!" I said grabbing his hand and Martha added, "Never mind what, just run! See you, Will. And thanks!"

"Bye-bye Shakespeare," I called as we ran from the guards.

"Stop him! Stop that pernicious Doctor!" The Queen yelled.

"Stop, in the name of the Queen!"

"What have you done to upset her?" Martha asked as the Doctor push both of us into the TARDIS.

"How should I know? I haven't met her yet! That's time travel for you." The Doctor stopped outside of the door looking back, "Still, I can't wait to find out. That's something to look forward to, ooh!"

He slammed the door shut and we heard to light thud of an arrow hitting it. Well that's going to be interesting when we figure that one out.


So what do you think? I really hope you liked this chapter as much as I did. Thank you so much for reading and please leave a review. Until next time my dear fellow Whovians, Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!