"What's down there? She was in that room with the sphere," Jackie Tyler's tone was a stark contrast from the chaos that surrounded her. She was fighting back a sob. Crying would only annoy the Doctor, and she knew that, but she couldn't help it. She had no idea if her daughter was even still breathing. "What's happened to Rose?"

"I don't know!" The Doctor's voice was filled with frustration and stress, and that was enough to send the concerned mother into tears. The Time Lord softened at the sight and pushed himself off the white wall he was leaning on, making his way towards the mother of his loyal companion. "I'll find her. I brought you here, I'll get you both out, you and your daughter. Jackie, look at me. Look at me," Jackie hesitantly met his gaze, which held all his emotions. "I promise you. I give you my word."

"You will talk to your central world authority and order global surrender," Zana closed her eyes at the metallic sound of one of the Cybermen. It was like nails against a chalkboard to her. She despised everything about those creatures, yet here she was, standing on a planet infested with them.

"We haven't got one," Zana answered it absently as she folded her arms across her chest. Her back was to it, and her eyes were glued on the city before her.

"You have now. I will speak on all global wavelengths," the Cyberleader shot back. "This broadcast is for humankind." The Doctor eyed the Cyberman as he pulled a pair of 3D glasses from his pocket. Jackie shot him an odd look, but he ignored it as he studied the metal men surrounding them. "Cybermen now occupy every landmass on this planet, but you need not fear. Cybermen will remove fear. Cybermen will remove sex and class and color and creed. You will become identical. You will become like us."

The broadcast was cut off, and like that, the Cyberleader moved to stand next to Zana. The teen stiffened instantly, but it failed to notice her. Its gaze was focused on the streets below them. Havoc started to break out, and before long, fires broke out and frantic people trying to escape flooded the streets, only to be greeted by the very things they were trying to flee from. Zana could make out military vehicles lining the pavement, and for a moment her thoughts flashed to her father. A feeling of dread overwhelmed her, but before it could take root, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She didn't even have to look back to know it belonged to her mother. She had joined her at the window, along with the Doctor, Jackie, and Yvonne.

"I ordered surrender," the Cyberleader's voice was full of confusion as he watched the chaos unfold before them. The Doctor and Zana looked up instantly at its words.

"Why would you think they'd surrender?" Zana frowned, confused. Surely it didn't actually think... "Why would they do that?"

"You're on every street, you're in their homes, you've got their children!" The Doctor added, his voice sharp and angry. "Of course they're going to fight!"

The Cyberleader paid no mind to the Doctor's outburst and turned to face the other Cybermen in the room. Everything was silent for a quick moment before it spoke up, "Scans detect unknown technology active within Sphere chamber."

"Cybermen will investigate," the creatures replied in unison standing at attention.

"Units ten six-five and ten six six will investigate Sphere chamber," the leader informed.

"We obey," they nodded.

"Units, open visual link," the Cyberleader turned its attention to Yvonne's laptop, which was sitting on her desk. Seconds later, the small group was able to see what the two investigating Cybermen saw. "Visual contact established."

The Doctor looked on, his arms crossed and his face emotionless. Zana stood at his side, her eyes on the laptop as well, but the moment the other aliens came into view, the Doctor's demeanor change instantly. At first, she didn't notice his body stiffen beside her. She didn't even notice how uncharacteristically quiet he was. She did, however, notice when he reached down and took her hand into his. He held it in a vise grip as if the world was crumbling around him and she was the only thing to cling to. Zana glanced up at him, wanting to offer him an assuring smile, but his eyes were glued on the laptop.

"Identify yourselves!" An oddly familiar alien called out. It resembled a pepper pot, but surely that's not why Zana recognized the creature.

"You will identify first," the Cybermen replied simply.

"State your identity."

"You will identify first."

"Identify!"

"Are you okay?" Zana asked the Doctor quietly, having lost the feeling in her hand completely. She looked up at him, concerned, only to meet his fearful eyes.

"...and illogical. You will modify."

"Daleks do not take orders."

Zana's eyes widened in disbelief. It all made sense. The Daleks...The Time War...Oh, no. This can't be happening, not to him. The Doctor doesn't deserve this.

"You have identified as Daleks."

"Outline resembles the inferior species known as Cybermen."

"Rose said about the Daleks," Jackie whispered, her voice shaking with fear. "She was terrified of them. What have they done to her, Doctor? Is she dead?"

"Phone," he murmured into Zana's ear, seeming to avoid Jackie's question. The brunette quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out her mobile, handing it to the Time Lord without so much as looking away from the sight in front of her.

"We followed in the wake of your sphere," the Cybermen continued as the Doctor dialed a number and pressed the phone to his ear. He closed his eyes, and seconds later, he let out a breath of relief.

"She's answered. She's alive," he informed, calming Zana instantly. "Why haven't they killed her?"

"Well, don't complain!" Jackie hissed as Zana shot him a look.

"They must need her for something..." He frowned, having heard something over the phone. "The Genesis Ark?"

"Our species are similar, though your design is inelegant," the Cybermen commented as the Doctor pulled his 3D spectacles out of his pocket and slid them on, his eyes glued onto the laptop.

"What the hell are you doing?" Zana watched him with confusion.

"Daleks have no concept of elegance."

"This is obvious. But consider, our technologies are compatible. Cybermen plus Daleks. Together, we could upgrade the Universe."

"You propose an alliance?"

"This is correct."

"Request denied."

As if on command, the Cybermen readied their weapons, "Hostile elements will be deleted."

"Exterminate!" The Dalek cried, and like that, the Cybermen were obliterated from existence, killing the feed.

"Open visual link," the Cyberleader demanded. "Daleks, be warned. You have declared war upon the Cybermen."

"This is not war," a different Dalek informed. "This is pest control."

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

"Four.

"You would destroy the Cybermen with four Daleks?"

"We would destroy the Cybermen with one Dalek. You are superior in only one respect."

"What is that?"

"You are better at dying. Raise communications barrier!"

"Lost her," the Doctor sighed, trying to hand Zana's phone back to her, but she stood there, in shock. The Daleks and the Cybermen, at war with each other, and they were caught in the middle of it. Bloody brilliant. "Zana?"

She blinked, shaking her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts. She couldn't believe this was happening. Today had been so promising...so absolutely fantastic, but in an instant, it turned into hell. Literal hell. And the worst part? There was nothing she could do about it. "Keep it. You might need it."

He frowned, "Your mobile?"

"Yes, my mobile. Doctor, with our track record-"

"Quarantine the Sphere chamber," the Cyberleader's metallic voice interrupted her. "Start emergency upgrading. Begin with these personnel."

The Cybermen reacted instantly, gripping the arms of Yvonne, Cynthia, Jackie, the Doctor, and Zana.

"No!" Zana shouted as she tried to push herself away from the creature. Her heart rate increased dramatically as she struggled against it, fear taking control of her. "Stop it! Doctor!"

"You can't do this!" Yvonne cried as she was pulled out of her office, followed by Cynthia and Jackie. "We surrendered! We surrendered!"

The Cyberleader simply ignored her as he turned to look at the Doctor, "This one. His increased adrenaline suggests that he has vital Dalek information."

"Stop them! I don't want to go! You promised me! You gave me your word!" Jackie shouted as the Cybermen released the Doctor, who instantly started towards Zana. Two Cybermen stepped in his path, having seemingly anticipated his actions.

"I demand you leave them alone! I won't help you if you hurt them," the Time Lord threatened, still attempting to push past them.

"Doctor!" Zana called to him pleadingly as she was yanked out into the corridor. Their eyes met, only for a brief moment, and her heart fell into her stomach. "Doctor, don't you dare! Doctor!"

"Zana, don't fight them!" He yelled to her, his voice seeming strained as she disappeared from his view. "Zana, I'll think of something!"

She let out a shuddered breath and closed her eyes as tears began to fall, allowing herself to be pulled away from him. After all, she trusted the Doctor more than anything, even when she knew he was just as helpless as she was. It would be her downfall one day, she knew that.

She just prayed to whomever or whatever was listening that it wasn't today.

Zana, her mother, Jackie, Yvonne, along with the other personnel, were lead back to Canary Wharf's renovations, which the Cybermen had turned into their own. Screams of agony filled the air as they tried to ignore the tight grips on their arms. The procession was underway, and with each passing second, their fates were closer to being sealed by the emotionless creatures, but Zana couldn't believe it. This was all like a horrible nightmare, one she had had many a time back on the TARDIS, only now, the threat was real, and it was imminent.

"What happens in there?" Jackie demanded of Yvonne and Cynthia as Zana squeezed her eyes closed, refusing to watch the sparks fly from the plastic sheets that hid their gaze from the ongoing upgrading. "What's upgrading mean? What do they do?"

Yvonne gulped as she shifted her weight. "I think they remove the brain...Sorry. I think they remove the brain and they put it in a suit of armor," she glanced at the Cyberman holding her. "That's what these things are. They're us."

"Next," the Cyberman informed dully before pulling her forward. Zana quickly reached out and took her mother's hand in an attempt to keep her calm.

"This is your fault!" Jackie shouted at the doomed woman before turning her attention to Cynthia. "You and your Torchwood! You've killed us all!"

"Jackie," Zana gave her a stern look, but deep inside she knew that what she had said had a ring of truth to it. But that was her mum, and she'd be damned if she let them get into it now. They were the only two people she had right now.

"I did my duty for Queen and Country," Yvonne announced as she yanked her arm from the Cyberman's grasp. She took a deep breath as her emotions began to get the best of her. "I did my duty. I did my duty. Oh, God. I did my duty!"

"Block it out, Mum," Zana demanded quickly as Yvonne stepped through the plastic sheets and out of view. Mere seconds later, sparks flew and her screams began to haunt them. Her mother didn't have much time to react, though, as she herself was yanked away from her daughter.

"No!" Zana yelled instantly as she attempted to run forward. "No, no! Mum!"

"Zana, it's okay," the woman said softly, surprisingly calm as she stood before the end of her life. "I love you so much..."

"No, no, no, no, no goodbyes," the brunette shook her head quickly. "Never do that-"

"CyberLeader One has been terminated," a metal voice cut her off. She suddenly began to feel the blood return to her arm as the vice grip released her. She quickly looked up to see that not only the Cyberman had let her go, but that her mother and Jackie had been released as well.

"Explain. Download shared files," another Cyberman demanded as surprise filled the teen. What the hell just happened?

"Come on, Zan," Jackie whispered as soft as she could as she reached down and gripped her hand. Zana quickly looked back, relief filling her being as she watched her mum sneak past the preoccupied creatures. She reached out and grabbed her hand before following Jackie through a plastic sheet, and away from the Cybermen. It was almost as if she had left her body and was watching herself, along with her mother and Jackie, run down a stairwell as fast as they could. Panic and fear had completely overtaken her, and all she had left was her primal instinct to survive. "Where are even going?!" Jackie cried out in distress as they hurried down yet another stairwell.

"Back to the Doctor," Zana informed quickly, catching herself as she tripped on a stair. "He'll know what to do."

"Zana, he's surrounded by Cybermen," her mother reminded from her place close behind. "We need to get back to your father."

"You go back to dad," Zana stopped suddenly, turning to face her. "Really, go. I don't want you here, you could get hurt."

"They've taken over the city," she retorted. "Nowhere's safe."

The brunette sighed and ran a shaky hand through her hair. Her chest was buzzing with panic and anxiety, but she had to stay focused. She had to get back to the Doctor. "Stay here, then. But you have to listen to me, and you definitely have to listen to the Doctor. He knows what he's doing, Mum. He-"

"Oh, my God, help us!" Jackie's cry made the two Klines turn towards the blonde woman. She was holding her phone to her ear, her voice filled with every single one of her emotions. On impulse, Zana stepped forward and grabbed the phone from her trembling hands.

"It's me," Zana spoke quickly, absently taking the older woman's hand. She gave it a comforting squeeze as the Doctor's breath of relief sent a chill down her spine.

"Zana, you're alive," his voice seemed rushed. "Is everyone okay?"

"We lost Yvonne, but Jackie and my mum are fine. Where are you?"

"Where are you?"

"A staircase," she informed, looking around her. "Nothing but stairs."

"Like that helps me, Zan," he huffed in frustration."Anything to identify it? Any signs or-"

"North corner, staircase three," Cynthia told her, having heard the Doctor through the speaker.

"N3," Zana relayed the information as she rubbed her eyes in an attempt to calm herself. She straightened her glasses before exhaling deeply. "Doctor-"

"Zan, I need you to stay low, okay? We're doing our best."

"What? Doctor, no, don't just leave us-"

"I've got to go. I'm so sorry," he uttered before the line disconnected. She pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it in disbelief before handing it back to Jackie.

"What did he say?" She demanded. "What did the Doctor say?"

"He said to lay low," she replied quietly before doing just as he asked. She began down the stairs, leaving the two older women no choice but to follow after her. Her hand never left the railing as they descended, as she was too scared she'd stumble. Her mind was jumbled, and she's always been clumsy. It would only be a matter of time before she slipped up.

"Zana!" Cynthia hissed quietly as she gripped her daughter's elbow, stopping her in her tracks. Before she could protest, the familiar sound of metallic footsteps rang out, making her eyes widen. She immediately turned and pushed her mother and Jackie back up the stairs.

"Go, go, go!" She urged them frantically as the footsteps grew louder. Jackie ran through the first door she could find, leading them into a long corridor. They barely had time to register where they were before two Cybermen blocked their vision.

"You will be upgraded," one of them informed as Zana took a step back.

"No, but you can't. Please!" Jackie cowered back reflexively as the Cyberman reached out to her. Just as Zana stepped forward to grab her, the two aliens exploded right in front of them and fell to the floor.

"What the hell?" Cynthia breathed as they stepped over the pile of metal below them. They all looked forward as the smoke cleared, and Zana's eyes widened at the sight before her.

"Pete?" Jackie breathed in disbelief.

Pete Tyler, the man who Zana had only met once back in his universe, smiled widely at her. "Hello, Jacks."

She looked past him to the onlooking Doctor, Rose, and...Oh my god. She stepped forward slightly. Her mind flashed back to earlier in the day when she thought the worst thing that could happen to her was a scolding from her parents. When she had left the TARDIS. That man...that man she had run into... "Mickey..." she breathed.

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

"I'm not a ghost.," Pete shook his head.

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

"It's Pete from a different universe," the Doctor spoke up softly as Rose looked on in awe. Zana could only imagine what this was like for her best friend. "There are parallel worlds, Jackie. Every single decision we make creates a parallel existence, a different dimension where-"

"Oh, you can shut up," Jackie shook her head, her eyes still focused on the love of her life. "Oh, you look old."

Pete chuckled, "You don't."

"How can you be standing there?"

"I just got lucky. Lived my life. You were left on your own. You didn't marry again, or..."

Jackie looked down, "There was never anyone else. Twenty years, though. Look at me. I never left that flat. Did nothing with myself."

"You brought her up," he nodded back towards his parallel daughter. "Rose Tyler. That's not bad."

She smiled faintly, "Yeah."

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

"I don't care about that," Jackie informed quickly before pausing, making everyone smile fondly. "How rich?"

"Very."

"I don't care about that." Another pause. "How very?"

"Thing is though, Jacks, you're not my wife," Pete looked down. It was obvious the words pained him. "I'm sorry, but you're not. I mean, we both...You know, it's just sort of...Oh, come here!" He threw his gun to the ground, and everyone watched with tears in their eyes and smiles as they ran towards each other, into each other's arms. Zana watched him happily with warm tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Zana..." a voice made her look past them, and her smile widened at the man smiling back at her. Before she even knew she was doing it, she ran forward and met Mickey Smith in the middle, laughing happily as he pulled her into his embrace. He lifted her from the ground and spun her around as he let out a laugh of his own. "I've definitely missed ya!"

"Oh, Mickey! I've missed you so much more!" She buried her face into his shoulder as he sat her down. "I thought I'd never see that wonderful smile of yours again!"

"You know me, always full of surprises," he gave her his classic smug grin, one she had admittedly missed.

"We better go," the Doctor interrupted, quickly tearing his gaze from his companion as he turned and walked down the corridor. Mickey and Zana shared a glance, but they quickly followed after him.

Ever the faithful companions.

"Doctor, that's a bloodbath," Rose gripped his arm as she, Zana, and their Time Lord stood just behind the only thing keeping them from the battle between the Daleks, the Cybermen, and even the Humans.

"Rose, I have to," he uncurled her fingers from his arm and offered her an assuring smile. "I'll be back before you know it."

"Doctor..." Zana sighed. She wasn't too fond of him going in there either. "Why do you even need clamps?"

"I just do," he retorted shortly before turning and pushing the wooden doors open. Rose and Zana instantly gripped each other's hands as they watched him duck and made his way through the stray bullets and lasers. Their hearts were about to burst through their chests.

"Come on..." Rose mumbled quietly as he made it to a large wooden box. He quickly stood and grabbed two large, metal, black clamps from the crate before crouching down in an attempt to dodge the gunfire. He started back towards the doors, but halfway there, he tripped over a fallen Cyberman.

"Almost, Doctor," Zana murmured, watching as he forced himself up. She and Rose let out a sigh of relief when he rushed back through the doors, making sure to close them behind him.

"Hold these," he held the clamps out to Zana, who started to protest. He simply ignored her and handed them to her.

"Oh..." she lifted them, studying them intently. "These aren't heavy at all, actually."

The Time Lord paid no mind to her discovery, instead pulling out his 3D glasses and sliding them onto his face. He yanked the door open once more and glanced out at the chaos before them. Rose and Zana watched as well, neither of them commenting on his odd choice of eyewear.

"Override roof mechanism!" The unmistakable voice of a Dalek called out, and just as he commanded, the shutters of the roof began to open. "Elevate!"

"What're they doing?" Rose whispered, confused. "Why do they need to get outside?"

"Time Lord science," he mumbled a response without so much as glancing at her. "What Time Lord science?" He pulled the glasses from his face. "What is it?" The three of them watched as the Dalek in question and what Rose had explained was the Genesis Ark began to elevate towards the sky. As soon as the two of them were out of sight, they turned back into the corridor. "We've got to see what it's doing!" The Doctor grabbed the clamps from Zana's grasp and quickly darted down the corridor. "We've got to go back up. Come on! All of you. Top floor!"

"That's forty-five floors up!" Cynthia informed hurriedly.

"We could always take the lift!" A voice called from behind them. All of them turned to see a man Zana recognized as Jake from the parallel world stepped out of the lift, a small smile playing at his lips.

As soon as the lift doors opened, the Doctor rushed out into Yvonne's office, sitting the clamps on her desk. He was quick to make it to the window looking out into the city, and everyone else as right behind him.

"Oh my god..." Zana breathed. She couldn't believe her eyes. The Genesis Ark was before them, emitting hundreds of Daleks into the city. Just when she had thought her luck had changed...

"Time Lord science," the Doctor explained, his eyes wide. "It's bigger on the inside."

"Did the Time Lords put those Daleks in there?" Mickey asked from behind the Time Lord. "What for?"

"It's a prison ship."

"How many Daleks?" Rose pondered as she looked up at the Doctor worriedly.

"Millions."

Somberness covered the room like a thick blanket at his answer. It seemed as though the oxygen had become thinner. Earth had been invaded, there was absolutely no denying that. All they had, it seemed, were each other, and even that could change at any minute. As those thoughts flashed through Zana's head, she glanced down to see Rose lace her fingers with the Doctor's. The teen let out a soft sigh at the sight before managing a small smile. Oh, who was she kidding? Nothing was going to rip them apart, not now. They had gone through too bloody much today just to be taken away from each other. No. She had her Rose, and she had her Doctor.

There was no way they were going down without a fight, and if there was one thing she had learned, it's that when the three of them were together, they were indomitable.

A/N: Well...damn.