"Where are they?"

"Fluctuating DNA will give off an energy signature. I might be able to pick it up." He held up his sonic screwdriver, scanning the building. "Got him."

"Where?" The Doctor pointed up. "But this is the top floor… The roof!"

When we reached the roof, we found him and Tish speaking. Lazarus was quoting T.S. Eliot. As he reached the end of the end, the Doctor nudged me, mentally asking me to finish it. I groaned while he just smirked at me. "Falls the Shadow."

"So the alluring Rys knows her Eliot. I'm impressed."

I crossed my arms, impassive and slightly offended. "And why's that Lazarus?"

"Martha, what are you doing here?"

"Tish, get away from him."

"What? Don't tell me what to do." I rolled my eyes at the siblings.

"I wouldn't have thought you had time for poetry, Lazarus, what with you being busy defying the laws of nature and all."

"You're right, Doctor. One lifetime's been too short for me to do everything I'd like. How much more I'll get done in two or three or four."

"Doesn't work like that. Some people live more in twenty years than others do in eighty. It's not the time that matters, it's the person."

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

"No, it's more of a curse. Look at yourself, Lazarus. Look at what you've done."

"Who are you to judge me?"

"Over here, Tish."

"You have to spoil everything, don't you? Every time I find someone nice, you have to go and find fault."

All of us, besides Tish, watched as Lazarus twitched and fell to the floor. "Tish, he's a monster!"

"I know the age thing's a bit freaky, but it works for Catherine Zeta-Jones." I heard the girl say. I shook my head, almost wanting to tell the girl off for being such a moron. She finally realised something was wrong when she heard him growl. My eyes widened as I saw what he had changed into; a horrific looking, scorpion like creature that seemed to be just the skeleton. "What is that?"

"Just run!" I yelled as we ran back into the building. Pulling out the Doctor's sonic, I locked the door and followed the others down the stairs.

"Are you okay?" Martha asked her sister.

"I was gonna snog him." I rolled my eyes, shifting uneasily on my feet as we stood by the lifts, with Lazarus banging on the door and the lights flickering. With all the banging Lazarus was doing, I realising that the lift wouldn't come in time, or if it did we would be trapped in it.

"Security one. Security one. Security one." Suddenly the lights died and the doors closed.

"What's happening?"

"An intrusion. It triggers a security lockdown, kills most of the power, stops the lifts, seals the exits."

"He must be breaking through that door." The Doctor looked around. "The stairs. Come on!" We ran into the stairwell, hearing a crashing sound and a growl.

"He's inside!"

"We haven't got much time!" he exclaimed as we ran down the stairs to the reception room. "Tish, is there another way out of here?"

"There's an exit in the corner, but it'll be locked now."

"Martha, setting fifty four. Hurry." He tossed her the sonic before running onto the platform. "Listen to me! You people are in serious danger! You need to get out of here right now!"

As woman in a gold dress stared at him, scoffing. "Don't be ridiculous. The biggest danger here is choking on an olive."

"Mind telling him that," I snapped as a mutated Lazarus jumped off the mezzanine, smashing a table, roaring. Around us people panicked. I watched as his tail sent a table flying at Leo as Lazarus advanced on the woman who was frozen in her spot. He opened his mouth, bringing his tail to her, revealing another mouth.

"No! Get away from her!" The Doctor moved towards the two but I pulled him back, seeing that it was too late. Not a second later, the corpse fell, after being sucked dry. Lazarus then turned to Francine and Leo.

"Oi! Leave them alone," I yelled before throwing a glass at him. Lazarus turned to the Doctor and me.

"What's the point? You can't control it. The mutation's too strong. Killing those people won't help you. You're a fool. A vain old man who thought he could defy nature." The Doctor laughed, humourlessly, grabbing my hand.

"Nature had plans of her own, Lazarus. You've become a joke, a failure. Look in the dictionary. You're name's right next to the word. Was it worth it? Becoming what nature rejected?" The Doctor and I backed away, turning and running down a corridor with Lazarus following. We ran until we reached the basement, clambering among pipes, trying to make our way through as quietly as possible.

"It's no good. You can't stop me."

"Is that the same arrogance you had when you swore nothing had gone wrong with your device?"

"The arrogance is yours. You can't stand in the way of progress."

"You call this progress? You're feeding off people!"

"It is a necessary sacrifice."

"That's not your decision to make."

The two of us hid behind a large section of piping, him holding me, our breathing silent. Every instinct told me that he was wrong, that he shouldn't exist. Lazarus, as brilliant as he was, in the end was an arrogant fool. Admittedly, he did change what it meant to be human but his reasoning was wrong. He just wanted to live on, keep his customers and make more money. His reasons were selfish. He didn't value human life, he was a parasite. "Peek-a-boo." We looked up to see him hanging from the ceiling.

"Oh. Hello," the Doctor replied before pulling me down and out another corridor until we reached the laboratory level. Rushing into one, he jumped onto a bench and started to take a light fitting apart, after removing the bulb. Seeing his plan, I turned on a Bunsen burner and snuffed the flame. Watching as he jumped down, he pulled a tube off a gas fitting and we hid behind a different bench.

"More hide and seek, Doctor? How disappointing." He seemed to be looking for us, forcing things off the desks in his mission. "Why don't you come out and face me?" The Doctor turned on a much gas as possible.

"Have you looked in the mirror lately? Why would I want to face that, hmm? Now, Rys' face… I could look at it for eternity." I felt my cheeks heat up a bit and made a mental note to kiss him for that comment. Grabbing his arm, I pulled him out the room, him flicking the light switch, causing an explosion in the room. The force from the blast pushed us to the ground and we were covered in shattered glass and debris. Getting back onto our feet, we took off down the corridor and ended up bumping into Martha. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm returning this. I thought you might need it."

"How did you…"

"I heard the explosion. I guessed it was you."

"I blasted Lazarus."

"Did you kill him?"

"No, more like annoyed him," I answered as we took off again, seeing Lazarus jumping towards our landing. This time we found ourselves in the reception area.

"What now?" We've just gone 'round in a circle."

"We can't lead him outside. Come on! Get in!" We all shuffled into the sonic microfield manipulator chamber, the Doctor slamming the door behind us. We could hear Lazarus outside, circling the contraption.

"Are we hiding?"

"No, he knows we're here, but this is his masterpiece. I'm betting he won't destroy it, not even to get at us."

"But we're trapped!"

"Well… yeah, that is a slight problem."

"You mean you don't have a plan?"

"Yes. The plan was to get inside here."

"Then what?"

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

"In your own time, then." He moved around a bit. "Hey!"

"Sorry, sorry, sorry. Rys, would you mind?" I reached into his pocket and pulled out the sonic screwdriver. "Thanks. Here we are."

"What're you going to do with that?"

"Improvise." He slid down and opened a small panel on the floor, working with the wires and processors.

"I still don't understand where that thing came from. Is it alien?"

"Nope. It's human this time 'round."

"Human? How can it be human?"

"Probably from dormant genes in Lazarus' DNA. The energy field in this thing must've reactivated them. And it looks like they're becoming dominant."

"So it's a throwback?"

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

"It's like Pandora's Box."

"Exactly." Suddenly there was a sound coming from the machine and the light within it came on.

"Doctor, what's happening?"

"Sounds like he switched the machine on."

"And that's not good, is it?"

"Well, I was hoping it was going to take him a little bit longer to work that out."

"I don't want to hurry you, but…"

"I know, I know. Nearly done.

Apologising to Martha, I bent down and plucked the sonic from the Doctor's hand. "You, stand. You're taking too long." He stood, giving me the space I needed to finish rewiring the machine.

"What are you doing?"

I stood, finished with my work. "I set the capsule to reflect energy. We'll be fine."

"Will that kill him?"

"When he transforms, he's three times his size- cellular triplication- so he's spreading himself thin."

"We're going to end up like end up like him!"

"No. I've taken care of that," I replied just before the machine stopped, and upon hearing a crash, we exited the chamber.

"I thought we were going to go through the blender then."

"Really shouldn't take that long just to reverse the polarity. I must be a bit out of practice."

"What ever would you do without me?" We chuckled before looking down at a naked Lazarus.

"Oh, God. He seems so human again. It's kind of pitiful."

"Eliot saw that, too. This is the way the world ends- not with a bang, but with a whimper." I nodded and the three of us walked outside as the paramedics carried Lazarus away and placed him in the ambulance. A minute or so later, Martha's family joined us, Tish and Leo hugging her.

"She's here. Oh, she's alright."

"Ah, Mrs Jones. We still haven't finished our chat."

Mrs. Jones rounded on him, slapping him quiet hard across the face. I looked from her to him, not entirely sure what to make of what had happened. "Keep away from my daughter."

"Mum, what are you doing?"

I turned him to me, inspecting his now red cheek. "All of the mothers, every time." I chuckled and kissed his cheek.

"Better?"

"No. Could you?"

"Later. Once we sort this out."

"They're dangerous. I've been told things."

"What are you talking about?"

"Look around you. Nothing but death and destruction. Especially her." I looked up at the woman, wondering who exactly she had spoken to. I sighed and pulled the Doctor off to the side, away from the family. Some part of me felt that she was right. Death and destruction did tend to be a constant theme and we weren't the safest to be around. It seemed the Doctor more so since no one really knew of my past but if the facts were stated, I would be considered a monster. A creature of nightmares compared to the Daleks.

'You were forced to do that, Rys. You had no choice.'

'There's always a choice! I should have just let them kill me.'

'Then we wouldn't have had a second chance. No matter what you did, I'll always love you. I always have.'

'Even then?'

'Even then.' I nodded, about to speak when there was a crash. Looking at each other, we ran off to investigate.

Reaching the ambulance, we found it's back doors were forced open and the gaunt remains of the two paramedics. I sadly shook my head, feeling as if I should have known that wasn't the end. He should have reverted to an old man but he still looked young. "Well, this is just fantastic."

"Lazarus-back from the dead. Should have known really," the Doctor said, scanning around for Lazarus.

"Where's he gone?"

"That way. The church."

"Cathedral. It's Southwark Cathedral. He told me," Tish said. I looked at her, wondering what the girl was doing with us but said nothing as we walked towards the building. She could be of some help, although I really didn't think we needed another person to worry about.

"Do you think he's in here?" Martha asked as we walked inside.

"Where would you go if you were looking for sanctuary?" We cautiously walked up the nave to the alter, finding Lazarus hunched over behind it, shivering even though he was wrapped in the red blanket.

"I came here before. A lifetime ago. I thought I was going to die then. In fact, I was sure of it. I sat here… just a child. The sound of planes and bombs outside."

"The Blitz."

"You've read about it."

"We were there."

He scoffed. "You're too young."

"So are you."

Lazarus laughed, his body making a cracking sound. "In the morning, the fires had died, but I was still alive. I swore I'd never face death like that again. So defenceless. I would arm myself, fight back, defeat it."

"That's what you were trying to do today?"

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

"And what about the people you killed?"

"They were nothing. I changed the course of history."

"Nothing? Who are you to determine that? They could have changed history as well. And if you even think, you did anything for history, you didn't. All you've done was show how much a failure you were, Lazarus, what not to do."

"And what would you know about history, child?"

"I'm a lot older than you, Lazarus and my temper is not as controlled as the Doctor's."

I felt the Doctor's hand grab mine, calming me. "You think history's only made with equations? Facing death is part of being human. You can't change that."

"No, Doctor. Avoiding death- that's being human. It's our strongest impulse, to cling to life with every fibre of being I'm only doing what everyone before me has tried to do. I've simply been more… successful." He cried out in pain as his bones cracked again.

"Look at yourself. You're mutating. You've no control over it. You call that a success?"

"I call it progress. I'm more now than I was. More than just an ordinary human."

"There's no such thing as an ordinary human," the Doctor said before Lazarus began to convulse.

"He's going to change again, any minute."

"I know. If I can get him up into the bell tower somehow, I've an idea that might work."

"Up there?"

"You're so sentimental, Doctor. Maybe you are older than you look."

"I'm old enough to know that a longer life isn't always a better one. In the end, you just get tired- tired of the struggle, tired of losing everyone that matters to you… tired of watching everything turn to dust. If you live long enough, Lazarus, the only certainty left is that you'll end up alone."

"That's a price worth paying."

"Is it?"

His bones crunched again. "I will feed soon."

"We're not going to let that happen."

"You've not been able to stop me so far."

"Leave him, Lazarus. He's old and bitter. I thought you had a taste for fresher meat."

"Martha, no." Lazarus lunged for Martha who ran.

"Tish, stay with him. I'll keep Martha safe." I gave the Doctor a quick peck and ran after the girl.

"What are you doing?"

"Keeping you safe."

'Go to the tower.'

'What are you doing?!'

'I can keep her safe better than most. Just go to the tower, Theta.'

'Don't get hurt.'

'Yeah, because I was just going to let Lazarus catch me,' I replied sarcastically as Martha and I ran up the narrow spiral staircase. I turned to look back, seeing that Lazarus had stopped.

"He's changing again. We have to keep moving. We have to lead him up."

"I know that, Martha. Save your breath and run."

"Rys! Martha!"

Martha looked down from the passageway. "Doctor!"

"Take him to the top. The very top of the bell tower. Do you hear me?"

"Up to the top! Then what?"

"Martha, we have to move. He's coming," I said as Lazarus barrelled towards us. To keep from being killed, I grabbed her arm and pulled her away until we were under the big Peter bell.

"There's nowhere else to go!"

"Martha, we're where we're supposed to be. Look, just stand behind me."

"What are you going to do?"

"Ladies."

"Nothing. Just stand between you and Lazarus. While he's busy with me, run."

"Why?"

"Shut up and do it. All right?" I saw the girl nod just as Lazarus tried to clamber across the gap instead of around the wooden frame. He began to lash out with his tail, trying to strike me. I shoved Martha backwards before ducking to evade his blow. Yet the second time I managed to catch his tail and use it to propel myself onto the air and on top of him.

"Get off me."

"Shut up," I replied as I kicked his head and quickly jumped off behind him. He turned, again using his tail. I expertly dodged his attack as the Doctor played. He lashed out again, this time catching me as I was regaining my footing. The force threw me over the railing, with just enough space for me to grab onto the wooden walkway.

"Rys!" Martha ran over and grabbed my wrist. "Stay away from her," she ordered as Lazarus advanced onto us, trying to stab me with his tail.

"I thought I told you to run."

"The Doctor would kill me if I left you." I smirked, cringing as the notes continued, at a much louder volume, hurting not only Lazarus but making it harder for me to keep my grip on the railing. I could feel my grip slipping but I kept my hold, watching as Lazarus stumbled and fell, crashing to the cathedral floor with a thud. The Doctor stopped playing to my content and I let Martha help me up.

"Rys? Martha?"

"We're both okay!" Martha yelled.

"Thank you."

"What for?"

"Staying. I'd probably be dead if you'd run." She smiled at me and we both made our way back downstairs where we found the Doctor standing over an elderly Lazarus. The moment he saw us, he walked over, taking me in an almost bone crushing hug. "I'm fine. Promise."

"Don't do that again."

"So it's alright for you to risk your life but not me?"

"I just want you safe."

"Tough."

"So," Martha started, trying to diffuse the tension that had built up. "I didn't know you could play?"

"Oh, well, you know, if you hang around with Beethoven, you're bound to pick a few things up."

"Hmm. Especially about playing loud." I chuckled, thankful for her distraction. The Doctor and I could have went on for ages, both of us being stubborn and all.

"Sorry?" he asked, shaking his ear.

Fifteen minutes later, we were back at Martha's. I leant against the Tardis as the Doctor unlocked the door. Martha looked a bit sad, seeing that we were about to leave and I felt a bit contrite, but not much. If anything I was more irritated with the Doctor. This entire time, he'd been on a one trip kick with her and she didn't deserve that; to never know when the adventure would end. After everything Martha's done, she was already his companion. He was just too damn stubborn to see it. Then again, he had forgotten all about that, already considering her a companion, even if he hadn't realized it. "Something else that kind of escalated, then."

"I can see a pattern developing. You should take more care in the future. And the past and whatever other time period you find yourself in."

"It's good fun, though. Isn't it?"

"Yeah," Martha replied, chuckling.

"So what do you say? One more trip?"

"No. Sorry."

"What do you mean? I thought you liked it."

"I do, but I can't go on like this. 'One more trip'. It's not fair."

"What're you talking about?"

"I don't want to be just a passenger anymore. Someone you take along for a treat. If that's how you still see me, I'd rather stay here."

"Okay then. If that's what you want."

"Right. But we've already said goodbye once today. It's probably best if you just go." She turned her back to us, walking off but we stood there. While I could hear the hurt in her voice, I couldn't keep the smile off my face as I waited for her to turn back around. When she did, she looked at me, confusion written on her face as to what I was smiling about and why we hadn't left. "What is it?"

"He said okay, Martha."

"Sorry?"

"Okay," he replied, nodding towards the Tardis.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" She went and hugged him.

"You really weren't just a passenger, Martha. Always been a bit daft, this one. Come on then, back into the Tardis. Off for another adventure," I said as I walked in, leaving them to follow. When they finally got inside, I put the Tardis into the Time Vortex and sat in the captain's chair, listening as the two talked.

Fifteen minutes later, I left the console room and went to my room. After closing the door, I laid on the floor, looking at the stars scattered along my ceiling. It was peaceful, a nice way to relax after a stressful night and a near death experience. I couldn't help but think of Lazarus though. He had done all of that, just to stay alive. It was so… human of him. Still, I couldn't really get past him being okay with killing people. It made me think of the lengths people would go to just to have a long life. But the Doctor was right about a long one not being better. If he had died, I wouldn't have been able to keep on going. I had left him when I escaped Gallifrey all those years ago, abandoned him. Granted, I thought he was dead but I should have died myself. We were connected and to live without the other, it was harder than anything. When I was told he'd died, it ate at me constantly, the knowledge that my husband no, my ame soeur (it was so amazing to think that again), was dead and that I couldn't have anyone. That was another reason I used the Chameleon Arch. I wanted to forget, about him, Kiere, and all I'd been through while on Gallifrey. I just wanted to be free of it all. Death was hard to come by, with me being born of two very long living and surviving races, but I tried, even using methods that were known to kill instantly, most of them disabling regeneration. None of it worked so I did the only thing I could and made myself forget. Although at the time, I was furious about it, I'm glad it worked out, and that he was still alive and that I was as well… even if I was slightly volatile and mentally fucked as a human. We were getting a second chance and for that, I'm grateful. I only wish that Kiere were given that chance as well.

9/11/2014

Hey all, so I am finally updating... YAY! I was going to update Friday but I ended up finally getting some sleep all day after work. While it might come off as lazy but I barely get enough sleep as it is so yeah, that's what happened. And I finally caught up on the episodes I missed and OMG! They were great, as was the finale, that I finally got my dad to watch with me. I had no idea who Missy was until it was revealed. I have to rewatch it all since I missed the whole Danny thing and whatnot. I was trying to to freak my dad out too much while watching the episode and missed a few things since he was playing around with my cat during it. Killed my concentration. But with the season being over, I should have a better update schedule (Tues/Thurs) most likely. It might take a while since I'm getting sick (again) and even at the beginning, it's pretty bad. But I'm doing everything to kill it before it gets too crazy. With that said, onto the reviews. I know I always say this every chapter, but I really do appreciate every read, follow, and review I get.

BurnedSpy: I was the same way with Martha at first but now I love her, not as much as a certain ginge but I do love her. But the story has now been updated :)

NicoleR85: Your request has been granted. Glad you've stuck around. It makes me so happy.

margie-me: Haven't changed the mum slap, just delayed it a tad. That's so true! I think the Doctor would literally be slapped into another two regenerations after that competition. With her mum, I think it's more about what Clive (Martha's dad) did to her. She's still bitter about being left for a younger woman. It had nothing to do with the Doctor in general but her overall anger with being jaded by the man she had three children with.

After a long while and after rewatching it a bit, I fell in love with Martha. It was how she was so different from Rose in her intelligence and how she looked at things. She was frightened but because she was basically a doctor herself, she was calm under the pressure and take it as a grain of salt as Rose did. She saw the danger in travelling with the Doctor.

Haha, that was the plan. Oh, Mister Saxon has a lot coming for him during that arc. I did finally watch it and yes! He looked absolutely petrified. It was great. Yeah, that's one of the main things I dislike about BBC America. It does repeat shows, just not at the best times unfortunately. I've kind of given up on watching anything DW related on the channel and just hit Netflix when I'm ready for a nostalgia tour. But there are some websites that have all the episodes. And no problem at all. :)

Squidtastik: I know right!

I'm-a-Klaus-addict: Same. I'm trying to spread the movie on to people I know. But same here, I adore Nancy. As for trick or treating, I've never been unfortunately. My mum never let my siblings or me out for that day. But definitely milk it while you can. Sorry but after reading that you're down to five pieces of candy and a toothbrush, I had to laugh. That's literally sounds like me on a daily basis.

As for Rys, she passed her test and but before she could get a Tardis of her own, her parents disappeared, she had her child, the Doctor left, and she was left to face the Time War alone. She was nowhere near friends with the Master. He basically was one of the main people who tortured her in the Academy and continued to do so after the Doctor left, until he in the war. He was a lot worse than Rassilon and the council in terms of treating her. But that'll come up later in the story.

And yes! When I learned about that I lost it. My dad literally came into my room to check on me because i was cursing so much. When I told him, he just shook his head and walked away. But as a character, I love the Master and I'm so glad what happened happened. Yet for the finale, I wish they'd thought to bring in River towards the end to handle her man. I just want River back in general actually. But yeah.

Takara Matsudaira: We actually just get together and plan come to the agreement to do so, lolz. To be honest, I'm an avid reader as well. I've been reading mainly DW fics. I particularly enjoy the ones where the OC jumps around the Doctor's timeline. They're great since I don't have to wait long to get to the next incarnation of the Doctor and it's nice to see the changes that occur in the Whoverse.

As time (or the story) progresses, there will definitely be more about their relationship. She did find out about the Doctor's kiss with Martha. She basically made sure he knew that he was hers. It was something I wanted to be solidified since Rys is and has finally let her inhibitions pertaining to her relationship with him and how she sees herself in general. I was hoping to show the change within her from what had been revealed of her previous incarnations, her time as a human, and her current self. Ah, telepathic conversations continue to happen but I think it's just mentioned in the future chapters, I think. Don't hold me on that, haha.

Donna and Amy were mine. Clara is great, though, I will admit that. But I loved that episode so much. It was great, one of my favourites actually. I would love to hear your ideas and concepts and don't mind at all. With classes ending in the next few weeks, I won't be too busy so I'll definitely be able to help out the best and most as I can. Trust me, I definitely don't feel that way. Trust me on that. I do the same with my other writer friends on a daily basis so it's literally no trouble at all. Can't wait to hear them. :]

Muirgen79: Thanks, so glad you're enjoying the story. I always wanted him to have someone like that in the show but now he does in my story.