Previously:
The TARDIS started and threw the pair back a bit.
"Welcome abroad Miss Jones" Rose said.
"Thank you Miss Tyler"
The TARDIS stopped suddenly throwing both Rose and Martha onto the ground, Rose let out a joyful laugh while Martha winced and rubbed the back of her head.
"Blimey do you have to pass a test to drive one of these?" she asked.
"Maybe, I don't know. I sort of self-learnt how to do this" Rose said shrugging.
"It shows" Martha muttered under her breath.
Rose ignored Martha and stood by the door, bouncing slightly on her feet "out there, is a brave new world"
"Where are we?" Martha asks looking giddy with excitement.
"See for yourself" Rose said opening the door "guests first"
Martha ran down the ramp and out of the door, followed closely by Rose who couldn't help but grin, Martha's fascination amused her. Was this why the Doctor took so many companions? If so then she couldn't blame him.
"Oh my God, we did it, we travelled in time" she smiled and continued "Where are we?" she asked "No, sorry, got to get used to this, whole new language. When are we?"
Rose looked up in time to see someone about to throw a bucket of something out of their window and she said "Mind out!" and reached forwards quickly and grabbed Martha and pulled Martha back to stand beside her "Somewhere before the invention of the toilet" she said.
"I've seen worse, I've worked late night shift, A&E" Martha said shrugging before asking "But are we safe? I mean, can we move around and stuff?"
Rose looked at her confused and said "Of course we can, why do you ask?"
"It's like in films and things, you step on a butterfly, you change the future of the human race"
"Tell you what" Rose said "Don't step on any butterflies" she turned round and then turned back to her and asked "What have butterflies ever done to you?"
"But what if I killed my grandfather?" Martha asked.
Good god, was Rose like this when she first started travelling with the Doctor? "Were you planning on killing your grandfather?"
"Well…no"
"Well then" Rose said walking off.
"And this is London?" asked Martha as she looked around and saw nothing that was familiar.
"I think so?" Rose said standing there in thought for a second "Round about, um... 1599"
Martha grabbed her right arm "Oh, but hold on. Am I alright?" she paused "I'm not about to get carted off as a slave, am I?"
"Why would they do that?" Rose asked without thinking and then she realised what Martha meant. "You should be fine; I'm not even human anymore. As a wise old man said just walk around like you own the place"
Martha looked incredulous and Rose started to rant in a Doctor like fashion.
"Besides, you'd be surprised. Elizabethan England, not much different from your time" she pointed behind her and said "Look over there, they've got recycling" they walked past two men who were standing beside a barrel of water and Rose said "A water cooler moment" they walked past a street prophet who was talking about the world ending and Rose said "Global warming and Oh yes and entertainment. Popular entertainment for the masses. If I'm right we're just down the river from Southwark. Right next to..." Rose grabbed Martha's hand and the two of them ran quickly. Rose suddenly stopped causing Martha to stumble a bit "Oh yes! The Globe theatre, brand new, just opened. Strictly speaking, it's not a globe, it's a tetra-decagon, 14 sides...Containing the man himself"
"Oh you don't mean...is Shakespeare in there?"
"Oh yes. Miss Jones will you accompany me to the theatre?"
"Why yes Miss Tyler I shall be delighted too!"
The two woman linked arms and giggled insanely as they ran towards The Globe.
DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW
Rose and Martha clapped along with the rest of the audience as the performance of 'Love's Labour's Lost' ended. Martha looked at the blonde to her right and said "That's amazing, that's just amazing. It was worth putting up with the smell"
Rose smiled at her but they continued to clap and Martha was watching the people on the stage and she asked, pointing at two of the actors on the stage. "And those are me dressed as women yeah?
"London never changes" Rose muttered causing Martha to giggle.
"Where's Shakespeare?" asked Martha "I want to see Shakespeare" she raised her hand and shouted "Author! Author" she then turned and looked at Rose to her right and asked "Do people say that, do they shout author?"
Rose looked around as the audience surrounding them began to shout "Author!" as Martha had done moments before.
Rose looked back at Martha grinning "Well they do now" she said.
They watched as Shakespeare bounded on to the stage.
"Well he's different looking from his portraits" Martha said eyeing him up.
"Mmm isn't he just?" Rose agreed. The two women shared a look and doubled over in giggles.
"Oh! Shut your big fat mouths!" shouted Shakespeare. You've got excellent taste I'll give you that" he paused and looked out at the audience and pointed at a man and said "Oh that's a wig!" the audience laughed again. Shakespeare walked across the stage and said "I know what you're saying 'Love's Labours Lost', that's a funny ending, isn't it?" he started to walk again and continued "It just stops. Will the boy's get the girls? Well don't get your hose in a tangle you'll find out soon"
"When" shouted every member of the audience except, Rose and Martha, who were standing in the middle looking around at the other people in the theatre with interest
"Yeah, yeah" said Shakespeare "All in good time. You don't rush a genius" the audience laughed. Suddenly Shakespeare reeled back as though he had been stung, but no one thought about it "When?" he asked "Tomorrow night!" the crowd cheered. "The premiere of my brand new play, a sequel no less. And I call it 'Love's Labour's Won'
The crowd cheered.
"I'm not an expert" said Martha "But I've never heard of Love's Labour's Won"
"Neither have I" Rose said "but then again I only read Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Dream and Macbeth and that was all for school"
The two women walked out of the theatre slowly together.
"It must be the lost play!" Martha said looking excited "could we film it or something and flog it on the internet"
"NO!" Rose shouted panicked.
"Oh…because that would be bad" Martha said looking slightly ashamed of herself. "so why did it disappear?"
Rose shrugged "haven't got a clue. But how about we stick around and play Sherlock and Watson?"
"Who's Sherlock?"
"Oh you're definitely Watson"
DWDWDWDWDWDW
Rose led Martha away from the Globe Theatre to the local inn they entered and headed up the stairs to see Shakespeare who looked up when Rose "Mr Shakespeare I presume"
"Oh no, no, no" he said as he put his hands over his eyes "Who let you in? No autographs, no you can't have yourself sketched with me and please don't ask me where I get my ideas from" he paused, "Now be good lass and shove..." Shakespeare stopped as Martha stepped out from behind Rose and Shakespeare said "Hey, nonny, nonny" he smiled "Sit right down here next to me." he turned to the two men that he had been talking to before the three of them had entered and he said "You two, get sewing on them costumes. Get going"
"Come on lads, I think our William's found his new muse"
Shakespeare stood up and said to Martha "Sweet lady" She stepped in front of Rose and went and sat down in front of Shakespeare "Such unusual clothes, so fitted"
"Verily, forsooth, egad" said Martha. Rose and Shakespeare looked at her and the former said "No, don't do that" she reached into her pocket and pulled out the psychic paper and turned to Shakespeare and said "I'm Dame Rose of the Powell Estate and this is my companion Miss Martha Jones"
Shakespeare looked at the paper long and hard and he said "Interesting, that bit of paper, it's blank"
Rose groaned "please don't tell me you had psychic training as well" she said remembering the Torchwood staff that caused her to lose the Doctor.
Martha was looking at the paper and she said "No it says, Dame Rose and Martha Jones"
"I say it's blank" said Shakespeare. "psychic, an unusual word, and a word I have never heard of before and words are my trade. Who are you? And more importantly who is this delicious blackmoore lady?"
Rose and Martha stared at Shakespeare in shock and Martha said "What did you say?"
"Whoops" said Shakespeare "Isn't that a word we use nowadays? An Ethiop girl? A swave? A queen of Afric?"
"I can't believe I'm hearing this" said Martha
"Neither can I" said Rose "hey Martha when we get back home you can tell everything you got hit on by Shakespeare"
"Then I can get a freeway ticket to the local asylum" Martha muttered. Shakespeare watched them with amusement.
"Where are you two ladies from?"
"Oh a faraway place called Freedoina" Rose said dismissively.
Suddenly another voice entered the conversation which was not female, so it wasn't Rose or Martha it was male and since no one had seen Shakespeare move his lips they turned around and they saw a man standing there, he was well dressed and Shakespeare seemed to know him.
"Hold hard a moment!" he said "This is abominable behaviour. A new play with no warning. I demand to see a script Mr Shakespeare" he said as he advance further into the room "As Master of the Revels, every new script must be registered at my office and be examined by me before it can be performed"
"Tomorrow morning, first thing. I'll send it round" said Shakespeare
"I don't work to your schedule, you work to mine. The script now!" shouted the stranger holding out his hand
"I can't"
"Then tomorrow's performance is cancelled"
"It's all go round here isn't it?" said Martha. Rose nodded her agreement but watched the two men in interest.
"I'm returning to my office for a banning order" said the stranger as he left the room "If it's the last thing I do Love's Labour's Won will never be played" he turned from the doorway and headed down the stairs and out of the inn
"Well the mystery solved" Martha said sadly "thought it would be something more mysterious"
"S'not always Scooby Doo with me Martha" Rose said
A loud scream could be heard from the courtyard and the two women run down to see what was happening. On the dirt covered ground laid the Master of Revels…dead.
"Out of my way" Martha said pushing through "I'm a doctor" Martha began to do CPR on the man, when water came running down from his lips. "oh my go what is that?"
"By the looks of things he drowned" Rose said "but he's definitely not in the river though is he?"
"My god I'll fetch the constable" a woman said running off.
Rose, Martha, Shakespeare and the Land Lady headed back into the inn. "shall I prepare you a room milady?" the Land Lady asked Rose.
"Yes please" Rose said before she closed the door to Shakespeare's room and turned to look at Martha and Shakespeare. "ok I was wrong, maybe it is always Scooby Doo with me"
"Poor Lynley" Shakespeare said mournfully "but I must ask what land is Freedoina if a woman can be a doctor."
"A land where a woman can be whatever she wishes" Martha retorts "why be so surprised when you have a queen?"
"Ah but that is God's doing" Shakespeare "and what about you Dame Rose? You are so young and innocent, yet you look as if you have the world placed upon your shoulders, that you have seen all the horrors of the world. What are you really Dame Rose?"
"Just a traveller who reads a lot" Rose said flatly.
"A trite reply, yeah. That's what I do" he paused and turned to Martha "And you, you look at her as though you're surprised that she even exists. She's as much of a puzzle to you as she is to me"
There was a soft knock on the door and the Land Lady poked her head in "room 12 is ready for you milady" she said before backing away.
"I think we should all get some sleep and discuss this tomorrow" Rose said getting up.
"Go, I have work to complete" Shakespeare said airily "however I shall get my answers from you Dame Rose, I shall find out about your constant and confusing performance"
"All the world's a stage" Rose mumbled.
"Hmm, I might use that" Shakespeare said.
Martha and Rose slipped their shoes off and their jackets before climbing into the small double bed. Rose couldn't help but wonder what the Doctor would be like if he met Shakespeare, probably be bouncing off the walls asking for an autograph like the little fan boy he is.
"All a bit Harry Potter, isn't it?" Martha piped up.
"Oh Harry Potter, I loved the seventh book. Cried a bit but not as much as…" Rose trailed off. Not as much as the Doctor she was going to say. The Doctor was practically in hysterics when Dobby died, Rose found it very amusing. She quickly changed the subject "I'm missing something Martha, something's happening but I can't quite put my finger on it"
Martha stared at her in silence.
"I had a friend, he would know. He was a genius, not like me, I have to go through my memory each time something scientific or something about aliens comes up."
"Who was he?" Martha asked.
"Doctor"
"Doctor Who?"
"Just the Doctor, my Doctor"
"He was…your lover?"
"No, no we weren't like that"
"But you wanted to be?"
"Oh yes"
"Tell me about him" Martha said shifting on the bed "tell me about this mysterious Doctor"
"I don't know how to start" Rose said.
"Start at the beginning" Martha said in a soothing voice.
"Well it all star-"
Rose was suddenly cut off by a harsh scream.
DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW
They had found the Land Lady dead in Shakespeare's room, she seemed to have died of fright, Martha had spotted what looked like a witch out of the window and Shakespeare mentioned Peter Streete the architect had seen witches and was now in Bedlam. The trio were making their way to Bedlam the following morning to question Peter Streete.
"I must say you are remarkable Miss Jones" Shakespeare said "it's not every day you see a female doctor from a land where females can be writers and actors"
"Like I said last night" Martha said "this land is ruled by a woman"
"And like I said last night, she's royal and that is God's doing" Shakespeare eyed Martha up and down "though you're a royal beauty"
"Whoa, Nelly" said Martha "I know for a fact that you've got a wife in the country"
"That is country, this is town" said Shakespeare.
Rose sighed; Shakespeare was a lot like Jack. Though somehow Rose doubted that Shakespeare would have flirted with men, plants and many more like Jack. "Come on you two we can have a good flirt later" she called over her shoulder.
"Is that a promise Dame Rose?" Shakespeare said in a cheeky Jack-like fashion.
It took a while to convince the guards and nurses to let them speak to Peter, but finally they managed to get in his cell. Peter laid there on his bed trembling and muttering quietly to himself. Rose slowly got on her knees beside him.
"Peter, can you hear me?" she asked quietly, Peter nodded. "My name is Rose, now Peter I have some questions. About the witches, do you think you could tell me about the witches?"
"He's not going to say anything" Shakespeare muttered.
Rose glared at him before turning back to Peter "Peter I want you to go back a year, where everything was safe and normal. Tell it to me like a story Peter, as if it had happened to someone else"
"Witches spoke to Peter. In the night they whispered, whispered...Got Peter to build the Globe to their design, 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?" Rose shifted closer to the man. "Tell me Peter. You've got to tell me Peter, where are they?"
"All Hallow's Street"
"Too many words" The trio jumped when an old hag had suddenly appeared by Peter's side. "Just one touch to the heart" they watched in horror as the old hag reached out and touched Peter on his chest, killing him. "Who shall be next?"
Martha panicked and began to bang on the bars screaming to be let out, Shakespeare couldn't help but smirk.
"You do realise the whole building is shouting that?" he said. Martha turned to glare at him but ceased banging on the bars and kept her mouth firmly shut.
"Who shall die next?" the hag said stepping closer to the trio.
"Rose can't you do something?" Martha asked.
"No mere human can stop us" the hag said.
"Good thing I'm here then" Rose said "let's see humanoid female. Fourteen…fourteen…fourteen…THAT'S IT! Fourteen! The fourteen stars of the Rexel Planetary Configuration! Creature I name you Carrionite"
The Carrionite screamed and vanished, no doubt back to the place that they were hiding in. "What did you do?" Martha asked
"I named her" Rose said calmly. "The power of a name. That's old magic"
"But there's no such thing as magic" Martha said.
"It's just a different sort of science" Rose said starting another Doctor like lecture. "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?"
"The end of the world" Rose said a small smile playing on her lips "isn't going to the theatre just so much fun?"
DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW
They reached the inn as quickly as they could and up to Shakespeare's room again to come up with a battle plan.
"The Carrionites disappeared, way back at the dawn of the universe. Nobody was sure if they were real or legend" Rose said "I never actually read proper evidence that they existed, I found them in a legends book"
"I'll go for real." Shakespeare said.
"But what do they want?" Martha asked.
"A new empire on Earth" Rose said. "That's what they always want these bloody villains. It's never Mars or Pluto always Earth, Earth, Earth! Want they want is a world of bones and blood and witchcraft and what do they do? They take over Earth fan-bloody-tastic!"
"But how?" asked Martha
Rose looked at Shakespeare "I'm looking at the man with the words"
"Me, but I've done nothing"
"Hold on, what were you doing last night when that Carrionite was in the room?"
"Finishing the play"
"What happens on the last page?"
"The boys get the girls, they have a bit of a dance" Shakespeare answered "It's all as funny and thought-provoking as usual" he looked down at his feet and said "Except for those last few lines. Funny thing is I don't actually remember writing them"
"That's it!" Rose said "They used you. They gave you the final words. Like a spell, like a code, Love's Labour's Won is 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! I am getting rather good at doing this on my own"
Rose, Martha and Shakespeare were gathered around a table on which there was a map, they were searching it for All Hallow's Street "All Hallow's Street. Martha and I will track them down" Rose looked up at Shakespeare "Will, you get to the Globe. Whatever you do, stop that play!"
"I'll do it" said Shakespeare holding out his hand to Rose and he continued "All these years, I've been the cleverest man around" he took Rose's hand and placed a kiss on it. "Next to you I know nothing"
Rose blushed slightly "it was all guesswork really"
DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW
"The thing is though" Martha said as she and Rose were on All Hallow's Street. "The world doesn't end in 1599; I'm living proof of that"
"Oh this is hard…how did the Doctor explain it to me" Rose muttered. "Right, erm…time isn't liner. You could be born in year 2000 but die in 1599, time lines can be erased…oh I'm no use at this. Just think of the film Back to the Future, yeah that would work"
"What the kid that begins to fade because he messed up on how he parents met…oh my god I'm going to fade!"
"Which is why we need to stop it" Rose said "now which house is it?" one of the house's front door opened by itself "oh we've been invited. I wonder if we'll have newt eyes with out tea!"
Rose and Martha entered the house to find a young red head standing in the middle of the room. "I take it we were expected?" Rose said "have you got any newt eyes to go with the tea?"
"Oh I think death has been waiting for you for a long time"
"Oh so no newt eyes and tea" Rose said pretending to look disappointed.
Martha tapped Rose's arm "Right then, it's my turn" she stepped forwards and pointed at the Carrionite and said "I name you Carrionite"
The Carrionite smiled at Martha and Martha turned to Rose "What did I do wrong? Was it the finger?"
"Power of a name works only once. Observe." she pointed "I gaze upon this bag of bones and now I name thee Martha Jones"
Martha collapsed to the floor but Rose caught her in time before lowering her down gently "What have you done?"
"Only sleeping, alas. It's curious her name has less impact. She is somehow out of her time" the Carrionite looked at Rose with interest "you are the most unusual, so many names. But the one who live by…The heart grows cold, the north wind blows, and carries down the distant...Rose!"
Rose felt one of her hearts freeze over and she staggered back "oh bugger" she muttered before everything went dark.
DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW
Rose woke to find Martha's lips on her, attempting CPR. She couldn't help but grin "we seem to keep ending up like this, something you're trying to tell me Dr Jones" good god she sounded like Jack, how the hell did that happen?
Martha jerked away "oh thank god! I got worried, you weren't breathing and your lips were going blue"
"how long have I been out?" Rose asked.
Martha shrugged "not long, I only been awake for two seconds"
Rose got up only to fall over again, Martha caught her quickly "one of my hearts, isn't working. I only have one heart working. How the hell did I cope before?"
Martha gave a few hits on Rose before Rose's second heart started and the pair immediately ran off to stop the Carrionites.
DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW
Stage door!" Rose said yanking Martha with her as they ran to the Globe and entered through the stage door
They found Shakespeare back stage holding his head "Stop the play" Rose shouted "I think that was it. Yeah, stop the play!"
"I hit my head!"
"Yeah, don't rub it you'll go bald" Suddenly there was a scream and Rose ran out on to the stage I think that's my cue"
Martha and Shakespeare followed her.
Once they were on the stage, Rose, Martha and Shakespeare looked around, there were black shapes flying around and there were people crying and trying to get out of the theatre "Come on, Will, history needs you" Rose said
"Me!" Shakespeare shouted looking horrified "What can I do?"
"Reverse it!" Rose snapped.
"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 words, I have none ready"
"You're William Shakespeare!"
"But these Carrionite phrases need such precision"
"Trust yourself. When you're locked away in your room, the words just come don't them? 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"
"Close up this din of hateful, dire decay. Decomposition of your witches plot. You thieve my brains, consider me your toy. My darling Rose tells me I am not! Foul Carrionite spectres cease your show, between the points..." he stopped here and looked at Rose for the information that he needed
"7, 6, 1, 3, 9, 0!"
"7, 6, 1,3,9,0! Banished like a tinker's cuss, I say to thee..." he trailed of and looked at Rose, who then looked at Martha as she had no clue what to say.
"Expelliarmus" Martha suggested
"Expelliarmus"
"Expelliarmus!" Shakespeare shouted.
"Good old JK" Rose cheered.
The Carrionites were sucked back to wherever they had come from, the stage doors opened and copies of the play flew out and were taken away with the Carrionites.
"Love's Labour's Won, there it goes!" Rose said cheering.
DWDWDWDWDWDWDW
It was the next morning and the sun shone as if the Carrionites never attempted to take over the world the night before. Martha sat there chatting to Shakespeare while Rose was mucking about in the back stage.
Rose strolled over with a ruff on her neck holding up a gruesome skull "it looks like a Sycorax, amazing I might have to take this to double check"
"Sycorax, I like that word. I may use it" Shakespeare said.
"I should get ten percent" Rose said "how's your head?"
"Still aches" Shakespeare moaned.
Rose took the ruff of her neck and placed round Shakespeare. "Here you go a neck brace. Though you should keep it, it suits you"
"What about the play?" Martha asked suddenly
"Gone. I looked all over. Every single copy of Love's Labour's Won went up in the sky"
"My lost masterpiece" Shakespeare mumbled.
"You could write it up again" Martha said.
"Yeah, maybe not Will" Rose said warningly "There's still power in those words. Maybe it should stay forgotten"
"Oh but I've got new ideas" Shakespeare said looking a bit gleeful "Perhaps it's time I wrote about fathers and sons, in memory of my boy, my precious Hamnet"
"Hamnet" said Martha
"What's wrong with that?"
"Anyway." Rose said. "Time we were off. I've got a nice attic in the TARDIS." she said as she picked up the orb "Where this lot can scream for all eternity. And I've got to take Martha back to Freedoina"
"You mean, travel on through time and space?" asked Shakespeare
"You what?"
"My darling Dame Rose you are still a mystery to me. But it is not hard to work out that you and Martha are from the future." Shakespeare turned to Martha "Martha let me say good bye to you with a new verse" he took her hand and kissed it "A sonnet for my Dark Lady"
Martha and Rose exchanged surprised and gleeful looks. When suddenly two of the actors came running in.
"Will" shouted two of the actors at the same time "Will, you'll never believe it. She's here! She turned up" one of them said
"We're the talk of the town" the other said.
"She heard about last night, she wants us to perform it again"
"Who?" Martha asked
"Her majesty. She's here!"
Trumpets sounded and a woman walked in "Queen Elizabeth, the first!" Rose cried out.
"Rose Tyler!" the queen snarled "my sworn enemy"
"What?"
"Off with her head!"
"Oh not another pissed off queen! Got to run Will, see you another time. Come on Martha RUN!"
The two ran down the street as fast as they could, both could hear the men's footsteps running after them.
"What the hell did you do to her?" Martha asked.
"How the hell would I know? I haven't met her yet! The annoyance of time travel, she better have a better reason than Queen Victoria!"