The peacefulness of the morning is shattered by the sound of the droning alarm. A hand reaches out and switches it off, then pulls the covers up and over to hide underneath. It seems too early to be awake, of course, that could be because of the ungodly hour she went to bed at. Spending hours and hours on the Internet trying to research another potential case. She doesn't even remember the time she finally decided to call it quits.
Slowly, she pulls the covers away from her face and yawns.
'Donna! Get up! I'll not have you laze about all day.' Her mother's voice cuts through the silence and she hears the knock on her door.
Donna gets up and sluggishly moves around her room as she picks out her clothes and heads into the bathroom.
She can hardly believe a year had passed since she had the unexpected run in with the spaceman from Mars. It was Mars, wasn't it? She can't remember now. While she may have been so angry at the events, especially having to jump from a car, driven by a robot on the motorway, to a blue box. He certainly leads an interesting life. And while it scared her away at first, especially how he refused to stop the carnage he was causing, she found herself longing for it after a few days.
She did her best to try and forget about him, but she found it hard to. So, she tried to find him. Anything that sounded like it might involve aliens…she investigated it. Usually, it was nothing special, it had an explanation and it sorted itself out. She never saw him again. But she wanted to meet him again. Because she felt like she had turned down the opportunity of a lifetime. She wasn't ready then, she didn't get married, lost her fiancé in one day. And spaceman, she wasn't sure if he was ready for someone to join him on his grand adventures. His friend, oh, what's her name, it's a flower…Delilah? No, Lily? That didn't sound right, Iris? Ah, Rose. That's right, he told her about Rose when they were sitting on the building's rooftop after the incident on the motorway. He was so wrapped up in her, longing to go see her, but the curiosity of the mystery involving her kept him there. Why and how did she get on his spaceship?
But she had a blast with him, solving the mystery of the spider like people. So much so, that she didn't really mind that she wasn't married, still hurt that he lied and used her, but it didn't devastate her like she thought it would have. After a few days, she felt better and that's when she decided she was going to find him again, the next time she did, she was going to go with him, whether he invited her or not. That's why, one day, she just decided to pack up, just in case she accidentally stumbled upon him again. Loaded the family's little blue car with everything and anything she could think of. Hot planets, cold ones, forest like ones, she wanted to be ready.
Just this past Christmas, when her granddad came home and told them of a ship that almost crashed into Buckingham Palace, she rushed out into the streets trying to discover him or that box. But…she didn't find anything. She spent hours looking, only to turn up nothing. She was shattered inside. She knew for sure that he was on that ship, he had to be, if he wasn't, that ship would have crashed.
That's why she decided to investigate anything that sounded a bit…off. Hoping that maybe she'd get lucky and he'd be looking into it as well. That's why she's looking into this case. Some on the Internet are calling it a sham, that and the whole company sounds farfetched, like their product. Maybe this time, she'd get lucky, although, she's stopped hoping. If it happened, it'd be nice. But she doesn't think it ever would.
She turns off the water and steps out. After getting herself ready, she's about head downstairs, but she remembers she's forgotten something in her room. She quickly dashes back into her room and picks up a red folder.
She bounds down the stairs and into the kitchen where her grandfather is reading the morning paper and her mother is rushing around, most likely because she is late, again.
'Morning granddad, mum.' Donna places a kiss on her granddad's head.
'Morning sweetheart.' He replies.
'Donna, where are my keys? I know you had them last, I've asked you multiple times to put them by the rack in the foyer.' Her mother states and Donna goes into her mum's purse and fishes them out. She raises her eyebrows and jingles them.
'I gave them to you last night.'
'I'm sure you did.' Her mum replies and snatches the keys from Donna. Donna and her granddad exchange looks and he just shakes his head. He takes a sip of tea and goes back to reading the paper.
'All right, well I'm off. Goodbye dad. Donna, just try and stay out of trouble.' Donna looked away, tried of being reprimanded like a child.
'Goodbye, Sylvia.'
'Bye mum.' Donna offers a small wave and watches as her mum heads out the door, in a rush, balancing books in her arms.
'What are you up to today, love?' Donna looks over to her granddad, he's smiling.
'Just another temp job, for a few days. It's better than nothing.' Donna offers a tiny shrug and half-hearted smile.
'Ah well, something better will come up. You hang in there, love. I know you'll find something great. Do great things.'
'Yeah, mum will be happy, finally.' Donna sighs and drinks a cup of tea made for her.
'You don't worry about your mum, Donna. She's always been like that,' He takes Donna's hands in his own. 'Now, you'd best be on your way. Don't want you to be late.'
'Right, yeah. That won't look professional,' Donna looks away and gets up. Slightly annoyed that she has to walk now. It was supposed to be her day with the car, well nothing she can do about it now. She goes over to her bag and takes the red folder with her. 'Goodbye granddad, I'll see you tonight.'
'All right my love, keep your head high.' He embraces Donna tightly, and she's smiling as she pulls away. Her granddad can always put her in a good mood. She waves as she heads for the front door. She can't imagine her life without him.
Donna closes the door behind her and heads to 'work,' willing she'd be able to prove the theories right about this company.
'You've gone over that dress for the millionth time. What are you hoping to find?' Rose looks over to the Doctor, who has an eyebrow raised. She frowns and holds it up. He continues to button up his shirt, stealing glances over at her.
'I wanted to see if it could be saved.' Rose stands, taking the bed sheet with her. She holds it up and shakes her head.
'Yeah, I didn't want to say anything…but it's ruined.' The Doctor is tucking in his shirt.
'Sadly. I really liked it.' Rose shows him.
'I know, I liked when you wore it too. We'll find something else.'
'Now, on to better things…' Rose goes over to the paper she left on his desk earlier in the morning before they had gotten…well, distracted.
'Right, right. We really should look into that.' He's putting on his trainers.
Rose looks over a smiles, he returns it before she stretches, heading back for the bed and sitting. He joins her and she unfolds the paper. They both started to read the latest story on this suspicious company.
Rose just picked up the first paper after they made another stop on Earth; she had gotten his Christmas present there, and carefully concealed it as she handed it over to him. They were both struck by a story about and up and coming company who made a pretty bold promise. They were both hooked and they began to follow the company as more and more promises came out.
'Ready to do some investigating?' Rose hands the paper over to him as he continues to read.
'I am, I don't think you are.' The Doctor picked up a piece of the sheet without looking at her as he continued to scan the paper.
'It isn't going to take me long to get ready.' Rose counters and this time he looks over to her, as if he doesn't believe her.
'Right…' He draws his speech out and she stands up, dropping the sheet and walking out of his room, and, as she stands by the open door, she smirks and he just shakes his head, unable to tear his eyes away.
He's just input the coordinates on the console when he hears Rose coming down the hallway, she was right, it didn't take her long and she's got the newspaper in her hands, reading as she comes in.
'There's a seminar today about the product for the press. It's this morning at 10 am.' Rose says and they look at each other.
'Sounds like a good opportunity for us to ask questions.' The Doctor agrees and Rose grips the console as it starts to shake.
'That's what I thought.' Rose replies and the shaking ends.
'Right, well, let's see what they're all about.' The Doctor grabs his coat and follows Rose out of the TARDIS, locking it behind him and they both look around.
'London during rush hour.' Rose comments as a man bumps into her.
'I thought you used to go to the shop during rush hour.' The Doctor took her hand and they weave through the crowds.
'I did. But, come on, Doctor…it was so long ago now. And then you blew it up.'
'Yeah, yeah I did…' He agreed and they stopped. The continuing commuting crowd bumping into them. So many people on mobiles, drab looks on their faces. This is life.
'So this is it, huh?' Rose asks and she stares up to a tall sleek stylish building.
'Yup, Adipose Industries, smack dab in the centre of London.' The Doctor looks around, but doesn't see anything unordinary.
'Right, well, let's go!' Rose starts for the revolving front door but the Doctor grabs her arm.
'No, we'll, uh, take the back door.' The Doctor leads her to an alleyway and Rose has an unimpressed look on her face. He leads her down a small flight of stairs and turns around, looking over his shoulder as he pulls out the Sonic Screwdriver and quickly runs it over the door and hearing the tumbler disengage, followed by a small spark, he slowly pushes the door open.
'Fire door?' Rose walks ahead and turns back to make a face at him.
'What's wrong with that?'
'Nothing, you just make it up as you go along, don't you?'
'Sometimes…well, right now I am…'
'I figured.' Rose reaches for his hand and they continue to walk along the basement.
They continue to walk along the corridors until they hear the audible sound of footsteps on the concrete. Rose watches the Doctor reach into his pocket and as they pass a security guard, he shows him the Psychic Paper.
'John Smith, Rose Tyler, Health and Safety.' The Doctor stops and the guard examines the paper before giving them a nod and they resume walking. They catch sight of a lift and they head towards it. Rose presses the indicator button to go up and holds the Doctor's hand.
'Oi! Where are your manners! You don't just bump into someone without an apology!' All the man did was stare at her before mumbling an apology and dashing off quickly. Donna tucks the red envelop under her arm and continues to walk through the crowded London streets before a very tall building casts a long shadow and she stops, staring up at it.
Donna takes a deep breath and pushes the revolving door; she steps into a very high end looking foyer. There is a security guard poised right by the reception desk. She fishes in her bag for an ID card and flashes it to him, covertly covering some parts of the ID.
'Donna Noble, Health and Safety.' She states and the man nods his head. Donna hides a smirk and heads towards the lifts. She taps her foot on the high polished marble as she waits for the lift. The bell chimes and the doors open. She steps in and the lift doors shut.
Just as another set of lift doors open. Rose and the Doctor step out and look around.
'Think we got off on the wrong floor, here let me see that for a minute.' Rose reaches into the Doctor's pocket and takes out the Psychic Paper over to the guard, who is standing by a desk that Rose surmises is a reception desk.
'Excuse me, Rose Tyler. I'm here for the press launch, but I seem to be a bit lost and I forgot where they are holding it. Can you help me?'
'Sure, Miss. Take the lift to floor three and it will be in conference room 2A.' The guard points to the lift that Donna had just left by.
'Great, thanks.' Rose smiles and heads back to where the Doctor is waiting. He's pushing the lift button multiple times, like he's in a hurry.
Finally the lift doors open and they both step inside and again he rapidly pushes the button. Rose hands over the Psychic Paper and he puts it back into his pocket.
'So, I'm thinking, I go looking around and you head to the press launch.' The Doctor looks over to Rose and she nods. The doors open and they are in another very high end looking part of the building. There are logos all over, plastered on the walls of the corridors they are walking down.
'All right, so it looks like the conference room is this way…I'll find it. You go off and see what you can find.' Rose is studying a slogan of Adipose Industries. Fat Just Walks Away? That seems a bit mysterious.
'Sure, we'll meet by the lifts then.' The Doctor says and Rose gives him a quick kiss and she smiles as she takes off down the hall.
Rose checks her watch, okay, so she had ten minutes to find this conference room, she found conference room two, but can't find the other one. Then she found conference room three, but that wasn't right. Rose stands in the corridor and looks around. She frowns and turns around, trying to see if she's missed something.
Rose spots an attractive woman with red hair walking towards her, hopefully she works here and she can help point her in the right direction. She walks quickly to meet her.
'Excuse me? Hi, I was wondering if you could help me? I'm looking for conference room 2A?'
'Oh, sure, go back the way you came and it's the first left and then a right.'
'Great thank you!' Rose smiles and heads off. Donna shakes her head a bit and she smiles, real journalists are funny. How do you get lost? Aren't you supposed to have papers or something?
Donna checks her watch, she'd better get back soon, it's going to start, and so far, she hasn't found anything. She tries to open a door but it's locked, oh it's only a supply closet. And nothing in the surrounding area, just hallways, this building is very good at concealing things. She turns back to the corridor and heads to the conference room.
Donna pulls open the door to the conference room and she walks into the room. It's a rather small lecture styled room, but there is a podium and behind that, a screen with the Adipose Logo and Slogan. She spots the blonde sitting rather close to the front, alone and Donna takes a seat in the same row, but at the opposite end.
A middle aged, strong faced woman steps forward and pushes her glasses back on her nose. Donna watches as the blonde turns around and looks at the rest of the journalists.
'Adipose Industries,' The woman starts, her voice is strong and commanding. 'The twenty-first century way to lose weight. No exercise, no diet, no pain. Just life long freedom, from fat, the Holy Grail of the modern age. And here it is!' The woman holds up a small, ordinary red and white capsule. Donna squints. Hardly revolutionary. 'You just take one capsule. One capsule, once a day for three weeks. And the fat, as they say…'
She turns to the projection screen and the logo does a little spin, followed by a jingle. The woman turns back around and smiles confidently at the audience.
Rose frowns and is about to ask a question when another voice breaks the silence.
'Excuse me, Miss Foster, if I could…? I'm Penny Carter, Science Correspondent for the Observer.'
'Oh yes. You've written quite a bit about us already…' Miss Foster states, rather annoyed and she crosses her arms. Rose looks over to Penny, she might be someone they have to talk to. What has she written about Adipose?
'And I'm not about to stop. But there's a thousand diet pills on the market and a thousand con men stealing people's money. How do we know the fat isn't going straight into your bank account?' Penny poises her pen above a pad of paper, ready to write the answer.
'Penny,' Miss Foster replies, nonchalantly. 'If cynicism burnt up calories, we'd all be thin as rakes. But if you want science, then I can oblige.' She looks up to the projection booth and nods.
The next reel starts up; there are graphics now on the screen showing a pill and a layout of the human body. There are arrows going from the pill, to the body, and then flowing around the bloodstream.
'The Adipose Capsule is composed of a synthesised mobilising lipase, bound to a large protein molecule. The mobilising lipase breaks up the triglycerides stored in the adipose cells, which then enter the bloodstream.'
Rose and Donna are watching suspiciously; still not making a sound as Rose takes in the information, ready to relay it to the Doctor when they met up again. The video is over and the screen reverts back to the Adipose Industries Logo. Miss Foster steps forward again and smirks.
'100% legal, 100% effective.' She states.
'But can I ask, how many people have taken the pills, to date?' Penny once again asks and Miss Foster looks over in her direction, rather annoyed.
'We've already got one million customers within the Greater London area alone. But from next week, we start rolling out, nationwide. The future starts here. And Britain will be thin.' Miss Foster states.
Rose isn't impressed, she heads out just before the information session ends and makes her way back to the lifts. Donna notices the blonde leave and narrows her eyes. That's a suspicious journalist.
The Doctor isn't there yet, so she slides down the wall and waits.
'So what'd you find out?' Rose looks over and smiles as he sits beside her. She hugs him and pulls away.
'It's an odd sounding system.' Rose starts to retell the story and all the information she'd found out at the seminar.
'Very odd. I found a part of the floor that does cold calling. Maybe we can get a list of customers from them.' The Doctor says and Rose nods.
'We could visit them, see what they have to say.' Rose says and the Doctor agrees. He stands up and Rose puts out her hands and he grips them, pulling her to her feet.
They head to the portion of the building that the Doctor found, teeming with people in small cubical style offices. They are rather drab, with only a phone, computer and chair. Rose eyes the surrounding suspiciously while the Doctor grabs two spare chairs and pulls them into the nearest cubical.
There is a young woman with a headset on and she watches them warily as they take a seat and smile at her.
'John Smith, Rose Tyler, Health and Safety, don't mind us.' The Doctor sits and the woman nods.
'…We can deliver within three working days, registered post…' She states into her headset.
Rose leans forward and examines a sample box from Adipose, there are twenty one pills in packets in there, there are information leaflets and she begins to read the leaflets, hoping to find some new information. Something that glitters in the light catches her eye as she digs further and pulls out a gold pendant from the box. It's on a golden chain and the pendant is the Adipose capsule. Rose nudges the Doctor and he looks over, she drops it in his hands.
'…It's made of eighteen carat gold, and it's yours for free. No, we don't give away pens. Sorry, No, I can't make an exception, no.' The woman says and she frowns at the Doctor who has put the pendant in his coat pocket.
'I'll just be keeping this…testing, you know…' The Doctor states.
'We're going to need a list of your customers, is it possible you can print them off for us?' Rose asks once the woman has taken off her headset and mulls over her question.
'Sure, I mean…I don't think that'll be a problem.' The woman says and turns to her computer to set about her task.
Donna puts her head up as she looks for the printer and once she's spotted it, she sits again.
Rose stands, her head is the only visible one now and she looks for the printer, catching sight of it over by the doors, so she resumes sitting.
'The printer is over by the door?' Rose inquires and the woman nods.
'That's right, by the door.'
The Doctor then stands and studies the printer. 'Has it got paper?'
'Yeah, Jimbo keeps it stocked.'
'Brilliant!'
'Doctor!' Rose whispers furiously and tugs his coat sleeve and she points.
'Oops…' The Doctor ducks and Rose conceals herself as Miss Foster walks in, she has two security guards in her entourage. She goes to the centre of the room and claps her hands.
'Everyone! Excuse me! If I could have your attention!' She demands and heads slowly begin to emerge over the cubicles. Rose and the Doctor remain seated and exchange looks. They slowly stand up and Miss Foster does not look impressed.
Donna watches her suspiciously as she moves, blocking Donna's view of the Doctor and Rose. 'On average, you're each selling forty Adipose packs per day. It's not enough! I want one hundred sales, per person, per day, and if not, you'll be replaced. Cause if anyone's good a trimming the fat, it's me. Now back to it!'
Without anything further said, the heads slowly descend back to the cubicle offices. As Miss Foster moves from shielding the Doctor and Rose from Donna, they sit back in their seats and turn to each other.
'Right, well, anyway! If you could print those off, thanks!' The Doctor smiles and Rose starts towards the printer, however, Miss Foster rounds a corner, coming back to the cubicles and Rose turns on her heel and ducks back into the cubicle.
Donna smiles at the man as he prints the copies for her. 'Lovely, thanks, see you!' Donna heads out, but turns around as Miss Foster walks by her, the security guards lumbering behind her. Donna lets out a sigh of relief and very quickly walks to the printer. The pages are yellow and she scoops them all up, frowning at the weight of them. She shifts them awkwardly in her arms and heads to the door, kicking it shut behind her.
Once she's sure that Miss Foster has gone, Rose goes over to the printer but doesn't find anything. She lifts the photocopier lid but, still, there's nothing. The Doctor joins her, with a rather grim look on his face.
'Okay, so there's nothing here, maybe she didn't hit something. Can you go back and ask? What's wrong?' Rose inquires and he holds up a scrap piece of paper, there are digits scribbled down in a hurry. 'Did she give you her number?' Rose starts to laugh.
'That's not funny…'
'It is, now you really have to go back and ask her.' Rose presses her lips together, but she can't stop herself from smiling. He makes a bit of a face and he heads towards the cubicle again.
Rose waits by the printer and slowly, the printer begins to spit out yellow papers and she starts to collect them. The Doctor joins her and she turns up to him, he then holds out another piece of scrap paper, this time there's an address on it. She tries to keep her laughter stifled, even though it does spark feelings of jealousy within her.
'Sounds like someone wants you to make a personal Health and Safety visit, Mr. Smith.' Rose takes the final piece of paper.
'That's a first for me…well, kinda, more like been a while, anyway, we're moving on. Got everything?' The Doctor asks.
'I think so.' Rose splits the stack of paper and gives half to him. They head towards the same exit that Donna had used.
Rose lays on her stomach, on the grating of the TARDIS, looking over the clientele lists, the stories and the theories they pulled up from the Internet, it's all spread around her. The Doctor has his feet on the console as he's reading a few pieces of paper that Rose had just given him after he emerged from underneath the console. He'd been there for a few hours, working away on something.
'There's a name on the list here, he's close to where we are,' Rose looks up and over to him. 'Roger Davy, lives on Spring Gardens.'
'Sounds like a start.' The Doctor stands up and puts his jacket on. Rose collects the papers and puts them on the console chair before joining him.
They hold hands as they continue from where the TARDIS is parked down the dark roads. They walk down the road until Rose pulls out the yellow paper and they slow their stride until they find the house number. The house is dimly lit, and Rose nods, confirming this is the house.
Rose and the Doctor stroll up the narrow walkway and Rose knocks on the door. They hear faint rustling before the lock disengaging and the Doctor reaches in to his jacket pocket for the Psychic Paper. A thin, older man appears at the door with a rather stupefied look on his face.
'Mr. Roger Davy! We're calling on behalf of Adipose Industries; we just need to ask you a few questions. May we…'
'Oh, right, yes of course, come in,' Roger steps aside and Rose and the Doctor step in, Roger shuts the door behind them. He leads them to the living room and grins at them. 'Those pills, they've been like magic! It's brilliant! So, if you want me to do adverts, anything, testimonials, I'm your man!' Roger invites Rose to sit on the couch with him, and she does so, while the Doctor remains standing, looking around the room and eventually starts to wander.
'How long have you been taking our pills, Mr. Davy?' Rose inquires.
'I've been on the pills for two weeks now, I've lost fourteen kilos!' He states excitedly.
'That's the same amount, every day?' The Doctor asks.
'One kilo, exactly. You wake up and it's disappeared overnight. Well, technically speaking, it's gone by ten past one in the morning.'
'That's an awfully specific time. What makes you say that?' Rose frowns.
'Why, that's when I get woken up. Might as well weigh myself at the same time!' Roger shrugs, but is still smiling. 'But it's driving me mad, ten minutes past one, every night, bang on the dot, without fail…then the burglar alarm goes off.'
'Where's that?' The Doctor asks and Roger gets up and leads them back outside. He points to the burglar alarm box that is perched above the front door.
'I've had experts in, I've had it replaced, I've even phoned Watchdog, you name it. But no! Ten past one in the morning, it goes off.' Roger crosses his arms.
'But, obviously, there's no burglars.' Rose replies
'Nothing! I've given up looking.' Roger sighs and the Doctor goes off in thought.
'Tell me, Roger…have you got a cat flap?'
'Yeah, sure this way.' Roger takes them to the back door of the house and the Doctor gets down on the ground, and examines the cat flap with the Sonic Screwdriver while Roger stares intently.
'It was here when I bought the house. Never bothered with it, really, I'm not a cat person.'
'No, I've met cat people, you're nothing like them.' The Doctor replies and looks up at them.
'Is that what it is, though? Cats, getting inside the house?' Roger inquires.
'Well, that's the thing about cat flaps. They don't just let things in. They let things out as well.' The Doctor stands and Rose widens her eyes at the realisation.
'Like what…' Roger trails off, no wanting to think what might be leaving his house.
'Well, the fat's literally walking away…' Rose chimes in and shakes her head, and Roger looks rather pale.
Okay, what was taking this woman so long? She knew that she wanted to look her best to be breaking up with someone, but did it seriously take that long? Donna crosses her legs again for the umpteenth time and continues to tap the pen on the clipboard. As she shifts, she hears the pendant's chain rubbing up against the metal part of the clipboard and she picks it up. She holds it to the light and it shines, but there isn't anything strange about it. She lowers her hand and stares at it normally; breaking her gaze to study the living room she's currently sitting it, waiting for Stacy to finish up.
Out of sheer boredom, Donna begins to twist the capsule, screwing and unscrewing the two halves of the capsule. She stops for a bit and re-crosses her legs. Sighing, rather loudly, she resumes fiddling with the capsule, screwing and unscrewing, without even realising she's doing it. Of course, Stacy doesn't understand what's going on either, or what's about to happen to her.
At Adipose Industries, Miss Foster is sitting in her office, going over the sales statistics of the sales staff. She glances out her office windows and gives a bit of a sly smile. The plan is going off without a hitch; she turns back to her computer when an alarm suddenly begins to sound. Miss Foster spins in her chair and goes to a secondary computer, placed further down on her desk. It shows a map of London, and there is a single solitary red light flashing. It takes her a moment to recover from the shock, but she goes to her wristwatch and activates the comm. device
'We have an unscheduled parthenogenesis!' She shouts into the device. 'Send out the Collection Squad! Bring them home.' She states and gives a small smile.
Rose and the Doctor are standing in the doorway of Roger's home and she smiles kindly to him.
'Thank you for your help.' Rose shakes his hand.
'Yeah, tell you what…maybe you could lay off the pills for a week or so…' The Doctor frowns and looks to his jacket pocket as he shoves both his hands in and pulls out a small device, it's blinking red and he tilts his head. His eyes sudden widen and he grins. He pulls Rose with him and they take off down the road.
'It was nice meeting you!' Roger calls down to them and then lingers on his stoop before turning around and going inside.
Finally, Donna can't remain idle any longer and gets up, walking into the hallway of Stacy's home and lingers at the banister before she calls up to her.
'You all right up there?' Donna inquires and there is silence.
'…yeah…' Comes the faint reply. Stacy stares bewildered at the tiny marshmallow creatures staring up at her. Their tiny black eyes have a glint in them and hold a sense of curiosity for Stacy. They are smiling widely at her, a single solitary fang poking through and waving enthusiastically at her. Stacy is embarrassed, she doesn't know what to do, she can't call for help, how would she explain this to them? These marshmallow creatures had come out of her, she sounds daft even thinking it. How is she going to sort this mess out?
Miss Foster fingers the golden pendant around her neck before she unclasps it and holds it tightly in her fist. She turns to her comm. and grins.
'The Adipose has been witnessed. Activating full parthenogenesis.' She twists the capsule in her hand completely and sits back in her chair, fully satisfied.
'I like what you've done with this hall.' Donna tries to make conversation; it's been almost an hour and a half since she first arrived at Stacy's. Now she's concerned something is seriously wrong.
Stacy looks on in amazement, and slight horror as she twists and turns trying to see what exactly is going on with her body. She feels all over as the lumps multiply rapidly. They slowly pry themselves from her constricting clothing and smile up at her as some fall into the sink.
'Have you lived here long?' Donna calls up, becoming increasingly concerned. 'Stacy? You all right?' Nothing, so she decides to head up the stairs, very cautiously. 'Wouldn't mind a little visit myself. Everything okay in there?' Donna questions.
Stacy is desperately trying to push the unseen lumps back into her body, but it's becoming harder and hard to keep up with the multiplying lumps. Stacy turns to the door, as there is a soft knock.
'Only me. Do you mind if I pop to the loo?' Donna says quietly. 'Stacy?' Still there is no answer.
'Help me…' Stacy looks over to the door and pleads quietly.
'I'm sorry?' Donna strains to hear her, pressing her ear to the door.
'Help me. Oh my god. Help me!' Stacy cries out.
'What is it, what's wrong?' Donna tries to open the door but it's locked. She tries yanking on it, but still nothing. She starts to shove her shoulder into it, trying her hardest to break the door.
Suddenly, she stops; she hears something and starts to listen. There is a sound of giggling and Donna frowns, she hears scurrying noises, she widens her eyes and throws herself into the door, finally it gives.
Donna looks around, but there is no sign of Stacy, just a pile of her close. There is a window open and a white marshmallow remains on the windowsill and looks to Donna with wide black eyes. It giggles and waves to her, jumping out the window. Donna gasps and she runs to the window, but the little creature has vanished. What in the hell was that?
'This way!' The Doctor calls back to Rose who is trying to figure out what they're looking for.
'What is that thing?' Rose asks and he abruptly stops and frowns. He hits the device and then blows on it.
'It has changed direction! Come on!' The Doctor runs by her and pulls her hand to follow him. They continue to run as they catch sight of a black van driving past them at an alarming rate. The beeping of the little device increases and they try their best to catch up to the van.
The van takes a sharp corner and the tires screech at the demand. They stop as they van increases speed and has soon disappeared from their sight. They stop to catch their breaths before the Doctor straightens up. Looking around and finding nothing, he gives up, for the moment being.
'We'll have think of another approach, come on, let's get back to the TARDIS.'
Rose nods and they change their pace back to the TARDIS, trying to figure out if they even acquired any useful information.
Unbeknownst to them, Donna is on a parallel street, standing there, equally confused. She's a bit scared and takes off running, trying to make sense of what she's just witnessed.
Donna continued to run until she reaches her street. She stands on the walkway, trying to catch her breath and steady her nerves; she's still shaken by what she's seen. She slowly walks to the front door and gathers herself as she shuts the door. Donna hears her mother down the hall. And real life settles in once again, almost aggressively.
'And what time's this?' Her mother calls to her as Donna heads to the kitchen.
'How old am I?' Donna calls back; she doesn't understand why her mother insists on treating her like this.
Donna absentmindedly dunks her teabag into her mug as her mother prattles on and on. Donna's only semi listening, her mother slowly eroding her self-confidence.
'I thought you were only moving back for a couple of week, but look at you!' Her mother starts to dry the dishes. 'You're never gonna find a flat, not while you're on the dole! I mean, it's hardly the 1980's, no one's unemployed these days. Except you! How long did that job with Health and Safety last, two days? Then you walk out! 'I have other plans.' Well, I've not seen them! And it's no good sitting there dreaming, no one's gonna come along with a magic wand and make your life all better…'
Not being able to stand anymore, Donna cuts in. 'Where's granddad?'
'Where do you think he is? Up the hill! Always up the hill!' Sylvia states, rolling her eyes, not understanding neither Donna nor her father.
She shakes her head as she watches Donna takes a thermos and pours tea inside. Next she grabs a heavy coat and heads out the back door.
Donna trudges up a lonely hillside, feeling increasingly worn down by her mother's constant criticisms. She smiles as she spots her granddad sitting in his camping chair with his sturdy telescope. It's so peaceful and when her granddad catches sight of her walking up the hill, he grins.
'Aye, aye. Here comes trouble.'
'Permission to board ship, sir.' Donna salutes.
'Granted!' He notices her face is sad, and he gives a quiet sigh. 'Was she nagging you?'
'Big time.' Donna confirms and nods. She produces a thermos and smiles. 'I brought you a thermos. Seen anything?'
'I've got Venus, with an apparent magnitude of minus 3.5. At least, that's what it says in my book. Come and see!' Donna carefully approaches the telescope. 'There you go…' Donna only sees a small dot. 'The only planet in the solar system named after a woman.'
'Good for her…' Donna looks away from the telescope and stares into the crisp night sky. 'How far away is that?'
'About twenty six million miles away. But we'll get there!' He states proudly. 'One day. Hundred years time, we'll be striding out amongst the stars, jiggling about with all them aliens, just you wait.'
'You really believe in all that stuff, don't you?' Donna asks.
'They're all over the place these days! If I wait here long enough…'
'Don't suppose you've seen a little blue box?' Donna inquires and she receives an odd look from her granddad.
'Is that slang for something?' He states and Donna sits on the grass next to him.
'No I mean it. If you ever see a little blue box, flying up there in the sky…you shout for me, Gramps. Oh, you just shout.' Donna tries to extract a promise from him.
'I don't understand half the things you say, these days.' His smile is very kind to her and Donna nods a bit.
'Nor me.' She confirms.
'Fair do's. You've had a funny old time of it, lately,' He confirms. 'Poor old what's his name, Lance, bless him. That barmy old Christmas,' He suddenly seems defeated. 'I wish you'd tell us what really happened.'
'I know. It's just…the things I've seen. Sometimes I think I'm going mad. Even tonight, I was…' Donna pauses, suddenly changing her mind. 'Doesn't matter.'
'Well, you're not yourself, I'll give you that,' He reaches out and takes her hand in his, worrying for her. 'You just seem to be drifting, sweetheart…'
'I'm not drifting,' Donna corrects. 'I'm waiting.'
'What for?'
'The right man.'
'Oh, same old story. A man!' He grins but Donna rolls her eyes, obviously not amused.
'No, I don't mean like that. But he's real, I've seen him, I've seen him, I've met him. Just once. And then…I just let him fly away…'
'Well then. Go find him.' He states and she shakes her head.
'I've tried. He's…no where.'
'Oi! Since when did you give up?' Donna looks over to her granddad but he's shaking his head. 'I remember you, six years old, your mother said, no holiday this year, so off you toddled, all on your own, and got on the bus! To Strathclyde! We had police out and everything!' He starts to laugh, and then Donna starts to as well. It makes her feel rejuvenated. 'Where's she gone, then? Eh? Where's that girl?'
Donna lies back, staring intently at the sky; with the stars twinkling she finds new determination. 'You're right. Cause he's still out there somewhere. I'll find him. Even if I have to wait a hundred years…I'll find him.'
It's been a couple of hours now since they've gotten back to the TARDIS. Rose is still reading the clientele lists, picking through the information about Adipose while he tries to find out what exactly the capsule is. He's got the two halves separated with wires come out of either ends. He grins at his discovery.
'Rose, this is fascinating. It seems to be a bioflip-digital-stitch specifically for…' He pauses. There isn't any movement from her, he walks around the other side of the console and finds her asleep on her back, her head is lolled to the side and she's got a few papers covering the side of her face.
He bends down and smiles, taking the papers off of her face and brushing some hair from her face. She doesn't even stir and so he picks her up, carrying her back to his room. She reaches her arms around his neck.
'Thought you had fallen asleep.' The Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow.
'Mm, I did. But then I woke up.' Rose replied as she reaches up and kisses his neck. He pushes open the door and strides to the bed, setting her down.
'Then maybe you should call it a night.'
'Is it that late? I never know when I'm on the TARDIS.'
'It's late enough.' He replies.
'I see…' Rose watches as he gets up and she tilts her head.
'Still working on that capsule.' He says.
'Right, did you get anything from it?' Rose pulls the covers around herself.
'It's starting to come together, yeah,' He nods and looks up to the ceiling as the lights dim. 'All right, all right, I'm going. Sorry the TARDIS wants me to go.'
'Well, at least we know who's really in charge…' Rose smirks and he shakes his head.
'Yeah, she likes to think so…' The Doctor replied and looked down the hall as the lights turned off.
'Ooh, you're in trouble now.' Rose smiles and watches the lights in the hall, they remain off.
'Good night, Rose.' The Doctor says.
'Good night.' Rose whispers and he shuts the door.
'So that's the grand plan?' Rose finishes braiding her hair as she watches the Doctor flip a switch on the console.
'Yeah, just have to wait it out.' They both grip the console.
'All right.' Rose zips up her coat and hands the Doctor his. The TARDIS stops shaking and they both open the door.
The streets are still busy, but not with the amount of commuters from yesterday. They walk a bit from where the TARDIS has landed until they come across the Adipose building. The Doctor leads her around the back again and he locates another back door. He quickly looks around and pulls on the Sonic Screwdriver and runs it over the lock, there is a small explosion and Rose blinks. The Doctor slowly pushes the door open and he leads Rose inside.
Together they continue down a rather narrow corridor until they come across a door. Together they stop and Rose opens it and looks it up and down. It's a very tiny little storeroom, there are mops and buckets but there is no light. Rose steps in and moves some of the mops out of the way. The Doctor steps in behind her and pulls the door shut, he sonics the lock and there is an audible clunk.
'So we have to wait eight hours, huh?' Rose tries to get comfortable as she sits on the ground, shifting a bucket out of the way.
'Yeah, you bring something?' The Doctor replies and she nods, holding up a book.
They suddenly become quiet as they hear striding footsteps across the floor.
'Keep an eye out. She'll come back. And then…she's mine.' The voice belongs to Miss. Foster.
Rose and the Doctor exchange looks and wait until the footsteps have softened before they talk again.
'I bet you they're looking for that journalist. Penny…something.' Rose says.
'She's the one who has been writing all those articles about Adipose, right?'
'Yeah, she was at the press launch yesterday. That Foster woman didn't look to impressed that she was there.'
'Interesting.'
'We'd better be on the look out for her too, sounds like she might be in a bit of trouble if they find her.'
'Whatever Adipose is hiding, Penny is on to them. And it's making Foster feel threatened and she's panicking.' The Doctor states and he shifts to try and get comfortable. Rose stretches her legs out as best she can and fishes at her side for the book she's brought. The Doctor rests his head on her shoulder and she looks over to him, smiling. He pulls himself up and starts staring at the back wall, grinning. Rose knows that look, he's found something. He starts enthusiastically shifting things as he tries to find out what it is. It was going to be a long wait.
Donna has just locked the door to the stall that she's sitting in and checks her watch. It is only 9:25, and so she rests her head on the cubicle wall. She puts her feet up as she hears a few women enter; she tries to be as quiet as she possibly can.
Donna checks her watch again; it's about ten after six, so she opens the stall door and steps out. She's about to step to the door when her mobile rings. She panics and hurries back into the same stall she's just left and locks the door. She pulls her mobile out and answers it, whispering.
It's her mother, shouting about needing the car, and Donna can't stand the shouting.
'I can't, I'm busy,' Donna replies. '…I'm in church. I'm praying.' Donna hangs up suddenly as she hears footsteps and she draws her feet up to her chest in an attempt to remain hidden. The door to the washroom is thrown up and heels click on the ground, followed by the clunk of heavy boots.
'We know you're in here,' Miss Foster states confidently and Donna covers her mouth to keep her breathing from being noticeable. 'So why don't you make this nice and easy and show yourself,' There is complete silence. 'I'm waiting,' Still silence. 'I warn you; I'm not a patient woman. Now out you come,' Donna is terrified, but she still makes no move to reveal herself. 'Right, we'll do it the hard way. Get her!' Miss Foster commands.
The guards begin to move into position and one kicks in the door of the first cubical, Donna jumps a bit. They move on to the next one. And then to the third one when Miss Foster's voice emanates around the washroom.
'There you are.' Miss Foster states and Donna is confused.
'I've been through the records, Foster. All your results have been faked, there's something about those pills you're not telling us.' A new voice replies, very furiously.
'Oh, I think I'll be conducting this interview, Penny.' Miss Foster replies and the guards move and take Penny out of her stall, soon they've left. Donna opens her stall door and peeks out. She lets out a shaky breath and sighs in relief.
The Doctor opens the door to the supply closet, the corridor is much darker and he steps out, tucking in his shirt. Rose follows him as she readjusts her shirt and zips up her jeans.
'Office romance.' Rose replies and he shakes his head, but a grin breaks out.
'How did I let you talk me in to that?' The Doctor turns to her and she shrugs.
'It got a bit too sciencey for me…and I'm an excellent debater.' Rose replies and he looks over to her.
'Right, we need to move.' The Doctor takes Rose's hand and they begin to run down the dimly lit corridor until they reach an Access Door, they quickly climb the stairs until they step out onto a roof.
Rose surveys the view and smiles, it's a great view, and the lights of the city mesmerize her. The Doctor runs over to the edge and Rose joins him as he looks down and spots a cradle that the window cleaners use.
'Brilliant!' The Doctor says and points it out to Rose. He pulls out the screwdriver and starts to sonic the controls to get the cradle over to them.
He carefully helps Rose step in and, once he's in, he points the screwdriver at the controls and they slowly start to descend. Once they've reached a window, he points the screwdriver at the cradle controls to halt it.
They stop at a window and they both crouch down, just at the window level and suddenly they have to duck as Miss Foster strides by.
'Well, we found the right office.' Rose observes. Again, they peek in and see that Miss Foster has dragged in Penny, who continues to struggle before Miss Foster points to a chair and she reluctantly sits. The Doctor pulls out a stethoscope and puts it against the wall. They remain crouched low as they try to listen. Rose sees that Penny is now tied to the chair and Miss Foster is facing her, with a confident smirk on her face. There are two guards standing behind Miss Foster as she sets her hands down on her desk.
'You can't tie me up! What sort of country do you think this is?' The Doctor hears Penny cry out in anger.
'A beautifully fat country. Believe me, I've travelled a long way to find obesity on this scale.' Miss Foster answers. Rose takes one half of the stethoscope and puts it in her ear, wanting to hear the conversation.
'Come on then,' Penny replies, a bit stronger than before. 'Those pills. Miss Foster, what are they?'
'You might as well have a scoop. Since you'll never see it printed,' Miss Foster holds up a capsule. 'This…is the spark of life.' The Doctor frowns at that statement.
'What's that supposed to mean?'
'Officially, the capsule attracts all the fat cells, and then flushes them away. Well, it certainly attracts them, that's part true. But it binds the fat together, and galvanises it, to form a body.' Rose blinks and looks over to the Doctor, he's got his thinking face on, so she decides to remain quiet.
'What do you mean, a body?' Penny inquires.
'I'm surprised you didn't ask about my name. I chose it well. Foster, as in foster mother. And these…are my children.' Rose and the Doctor exchange looks and they slowly creep up, needing to see these children.
They look to the desk that Miss Foster is sitting at and they see a little ball of…something, waving to Penny. Rose doesn't know what that is so she turns to the Doctor who is staring straight ahead, not even concerning himself with the problem at hand. Rose inches closer to him at looks where he is. He's staring, wide eyed, mouth open, at the redhead that Rose met yesterday.
The redhead points to him and he nods, he points to her and she grins, nodding enthusiastically. Okay, so clearly they know each other.
She then points to Rose and the Doctor nods quickly, the redhead offers a wave and Rose waves back awkwardly.
The Doctor carefully mouths a question, what is she doing here? She point to him, indicating that she was looking for him. Rose looks between the Doctor, whose face knits into one of confusion, and the redhead who is grinning madly.
The Doctor points to himself and she nods again. She goes off on a little mime and then points to Miss Foster and the guards. When they three of them look over to the group in the office, they are all staring at them. The Doctor and Rose freeze.
'Are we interrupting you?' Miss Foster asks calmly.
'Run!' The Doctor shouts to the redhead and she takes off.
'Get her!' Miss Foster commands and the guards follow her. The Doctor points the screwdriver at the lock and when the guards try to open the door, it doesn't open. 'And them!'
The Doctor sonics the cradle controls quickly and Rose and the Doctor are rapidly drawn to the top of the roof again. The Doctor jumps out and helps Rose out before they take off running for the door. They begin the long descent down the stairs, he is gripping Rose's hand tightly as they clear a landing and begin to climb down another flight.
They've just cleared another landing when the meet up with the redhead and she throws her arms around the Doctor. He's caught off guard and he lets go of Rose's hand to hug her.
'Oh my god, I don't believe it!' The redhead pulls away and looks him up and down. 'You've even got the same suit, don't you ever change?' She inquires and the Doctor frowns.
'Thanks Donna, not now.' The Doctor replies. There is a loud bang from a few floors below, it draws his attention down and he grips both Rose's and Donna's hand as he leads them back up the stairs, he has a huge smile on his face.
'Oh, it's just like last time!' Donna cries gleefully and she turns to turn Rose. 'Hi, I'm Donna, you must be Delilah.' Donna reaches around with her other hand to offer a hand shake.
'Hi Donna, it's nice to meet you, finally. I heard all about your adventures, and um, it's Rose.' Rose replies and shakes her hand.
'Oh, sorry…' Donna says.
They burst through the Access Door and run across the roof at full speed. The guards are pursuing them and Miss Foster is following those guards.
The Doctor gets back into the cradle and helps Rose in and then Donna, who has an unimpressed look on her face.
'I can't believe I'm doing this.' Donna replies, but she has a huge grin on her face.
He frantically begins to sonic the winch, taking out loose wires from his pocket and starts fixing them to the controls.
Rose feels herself staring at Donna, who is talking rapidly and with very little breaths.
'Cause I thought, how do I find the Doctor? And then I thought, just look for trouble, and he'll turn up! So I looked everywhere, you name it, UFO sightings, crop circles, sea monsters, all those weird things in Cardiff, I investigated them all. Like that stuff about the bees disappearing, I thought, I bet he's connected! Cause the thing is, you opened my eyes Doctor, I believe it now, all those amazing things out there, I believe them all, well, except for that replica of the Titanic flying over Buckingham Palace on Christmas Day, I mean that's gotta be a hoax, hasn't it?' Donna finishes, not wanting to reveal that she had indeed gone and searched for him, just in case it was actually a hoax. Rose blinks, trying to process all the information.
'What do you mean, the bees are disappearing.' The Doctor looks over his shoulder to her and Donna shrugs.
'I dunno, that's what it says on the Internet, but on the same site, there were all these conspiracy theories about Adipose Industries, so I thought, let's take a look.'
'It's a good thing you did Donna, I'm glad I can finally meet you,' Rose breaks in. There is a bang on the door and Rose looks over. 'Wait, Doctor, they can reel this back up again when they get through that door.'
'Oh they can, can they? Tell me you've got a plan.' Donna demands.
'No, no. Cause I've locked the controls with a sonic cage, I'm the only one who can control it, not unless she's got a sonic device of her own. Which is very unlikely!' The Doctor laughs. Rose is about to mention the Master's device when the door is thrown across the roof. The Doctor activates the controls and they being to descend.
Miss Foster looks over the edge and Donna sticks her tongue out at her and she smirks down to the group.
'Oh, I don't think so.' She steps back and aims her pen at the winch controls as she smirks. There is an explosion and the cradle starts to plummet down.
Donna starts to scream and Rose grips on tightly as she gives an unimpressed look to the Doctor.
'Very unlikely, huh?' Rose calls over and he shrugs. He aims the screwdriver at the sparking winch, the cradle jolts and Donna pries her hands off the railing of the cradle. They've managed to descend halfway down the building.
'Look, a window, we can get through that.' Rose points and the Doctor aims the screwdriver at the window, there is an audible clunk and he shakes his head.
'Can't get it open!' The Doctor says and Donna pushes him out of the way.
'Well then, smash it!' Donna picks up a spanner from the workman's toolkit that was left behind in the cradle. Rose and the Doctor also grab tools, as they try to break the glass, but it simply won't shatter.
Rose suddenly looks up. 'Uh…Doctor…' Rose's comment have caused Donna to look up as well.
'She's cutting the cable!' Donna cries and they all grip the railings. The cable snaps and the left side of the cradle turns vertical. Rose and the Doctor are jolted forwards to the end. Donna is thrown off and Rose reaches out her hand to try and grab her, but there isn't anything she can do.
'Doctor!' Donna calls up to him and he tries to make his way to the end.
'Hold on!' He replies.
'I am!' She retorts and it draws a smile from Rose as she lifts the cable to try and haul her up. But it isn't working, the Doctor looks up to the building, understanding what Miss Foster will do next. Rose watches as he leans out of the cradle and looks up, pointing his Sonic Screwdriver up, and she just watches. Rose re-grips the cable and watches as a small object starts to fall and the Doctor leans his hand out and catches the object.
He points the sonic pen at the nearest window and Rose tries once more to pull Donna up. But she slips and cable jiggles, which causes Donna to cry out.
'I'm gonna fall! What are you two doing up there?! Pull me up!'
'I'm sorry Donna!' Rose calls down.
'This is your fault, I should've stayed at home!' Donna calls up and Rose presses her lips together. The Doctor now has the window open and he carefully climbs through.
'I won't be a minute!' The Doctor leans out of the window and calls down. He motions Rose and she looks down to the cable. 'It'll be fine, come on, let's go!' Rose carefully sets the cable down, and takes the Doctor's outstretched hand.
They run through the office and down the stairs until they reach a landing and they burst through an adjoining door. They sprint down the corridor until they reach Miss Foster's office and the Doctor throws open the door. He runs to the window, where there is a pair of legs kicking, and he sonics the window with the pen; Rose slows down to a jog and looks at Penny, still tied to the chair.
'Is anyone gonna tell me what's going on in this place?' Penny demands and Rose looks over her shoulder once she's joined the Doctor.
'You're a journalist, aren't you?' Rose inquires.
'Yes.'
'So make it up, you journalists are good at that.' Rose responds and the window swings open. Rose and the Doctor reach out to the kicking legs.
'Donna! We've got you, stop kicking!' The Doctor orders and the pull her in, Donna hops down from the sill, she's out of breath and pushes her hair out of her face.
'I was right, it's always like this with you, isn't it?' Donna questions.
'Oh yes! Off we go!' The Doctor turns and takes Rose's hand, as they sprint for the door. Donna grins and follows him.
'Oi!' Penny shouts and the Doctor pops his head back around the door.
'Sorry…' The Doctor points the screwdriver at her restraints and they are loosened. 'Now, do yourself a favour and get out!' He disappears.
The group runs through the door and find themselves on the call centre floor. They come to a dead halt as they see Miss Foster gliding along the floor, with the two guards, who poise the guns at them.
'Well, then. At last.' Miss Foster states.
'Evening.' The Doctor rocks back on his heels.
'Hello.' Rose responds and Donna waves.
'Nice to meet you. I'm the Doctor.'
'I'm Rose.'
'My name's Donna.'
'A group of investigators. All partners in crime,' Miss Foster states. 'And evidently off-worlders, judging by your sonic technology.'
'Oh! I've still got,' The Doctor holds up the pen. 'Your sonic pen. Nice! I like it. Sleek, it's kind of…sleek.'
'Very sleek.' Rose comments.
'Definitely sleek.' Donna nods.
'But that's not your real name, Foster, is it?' Rose inquires. 'You said you are a foster mum…'
'Yes, that's right. So if you were to sign your real name, that would be…?' The Doctor trails off.
'Matron Cofelia, of the Five Straighten Classabindi Nursery Fleet, Intergalactic Class.' Miss Foster states.
'A wet nurse. Using humans as surrogates.' The Doctor replied.
'I've been employed by the Adiposian First Family, to foster a new generation, after their breeding planet was lost.'
'What do you mean their planet was lost?' Rose frowned.
'How do you lose a planet?' The Doctor inquired.
'The politics are none of my concern. I'm just here to take of the children, on behalf of the parents.' Miss Foster responds.
'What, like an outer space Supernanny?' Donna asks and Rose smiles.
'If you like.'
'So, those little things, they're made out of fat, yeah? But that woman last night, Stacy Campbell, there was nothing left of her.' The Doctor and Rose look at Donna, unable to believe that she had done the exact same thing they had been doing.
'In a crisis, the Adipose can convert bone and hair and internal organs. Though it does make them a little bit sick, the poor things.'
'What about poor Stacy?!' Donna cries.
'Seeding a Level Five planet is against galactic law.' The Doctor states firmly.
'Are you threatening me?' Miss Foster demands.
'We're trying to help you…' Rose cuts in.
'Matron, this is your one chance. Because if you don't call this off, then I'll have to stop you.'
'I hardly think you can stop bullets.' Miss Foster smiles and the guards load their guns, taking aim.
'Oh, but hold on, one more thing! Before dying! Do you know what happens if you hold two identical sonic devices against each other?' The Doctor grins.
'No.' Miss Foster rolls her eyes.
'Nor me. Let's find out!' The Doctor's grin increases as he holds the pen and screwdriver together, they both activate and the room vibrates. Rose covers her eyes and squeezes her eyes shut, while Donna cries out from the pain. She hears the sound of the guns hitting the floors as the guards drop them.
Rose opens her eyes a bit sees the Doctor standing there, actually enjoying himself as Miss Foster falls to her knees in agony. She gives the Doctor a shove and he turns to her and Donna, who is also staring at him.
'Come on!' Donna calls and the noise stops. She, Rose and the Doctor take off running.
The Doctor leads them down a few flights of stairs until he stops at the storeroom he and Rose occupied earlier. He yanks open the door and starts handing Rose buckets and mops, it's in such a quick succession that she ends up holding them all.
'Well, that's one solution. Hide in a cupboard. I like it.' Donna says, bemused and Rose dumps the buckets and mops.
'I've been hacking into this thing all day, cause the Matron's got a computer core running through the centre of this building, triple deadlocked, but now, I've got this,' The Doctor waves the pen. 'I can get into it now.'
'Ah so that's what you were trying to do earlier. I wish you'd have explained it like you just did to Donna to me.'
'I tried.' The Doctor looks over briefly.
'Nope, you didn't.' Rose crosses her arms and Donna joins her as they continue to stare at the Doctor who is pulling at the entire back wall of the storeroom. Eventually it creaks and pulls away, revealing a computer wall. The Doctor immediately sits down and Rose goes to stand over his shoulder, he begins to rewire the computer wall and Donna joins them. The Doctor passes a stack full of wire to Rose, who separates them.
'She's wired up this whole building. And we need a bit of privacy,' The Doctor replies as he's fiddling with two wires. 'Just enough to stun them! But why's she wired up a tower block, what's it all for…?'
Rose shifts the cables in her hands as she passes the Doctor wires. Donna drops her on the floor; he turns to look up at her and then turns back to the computer while Donna picks them up. He looks different then when they had first met…
'So, um, you look older.' Donna starts and Rose looks over to her. The Doctor doesn't, and he's quiet for a bit.
'Thanks.' He looks over to Rose and she shrugs.
'I hadn't noticed.' Rose replies.
'I thought you were gonna travel the world…' The Doctor glances at Donna, she's smiling sadly. Rose watches Donna as she stares at the floor, unable to speak right away.
'Easier said than done. It's like, I had that one day with you, and I was gonna change, I was gonna do so much. Then I woke up the next morning, and it's the same old life. Like you were never there. And I tried, I did try, I went to Egypt, I was gonna go barefoot and everything. But then it's all bus trips and guide books and don't drink the water, two weeks later you're back home, it's nothing like being with you…I must've been mad, turning down that offer.' Donna smiles a bit.
'What offer?' The Doctor turns up to her and Rose smiles, giving him a bit of shove.
'To come with you.' Donna states.
'You're…coming…with us?'
'Oh, yes please!' Donna cries jovially.
'…right…' The Doctor draws his speech out and Rose looks down to him. She places her hand on his shoulder and he takes it.
The computer walls starts bleeping, more lights begin to illuminate.
'What's it doing now?' Donna asks.
'She's starting the programme!' The Doctor states and starts to rewire faster. Donna is handing her wires to Rose who is handing them to the Doctor.
'So far, they're just losing weight, but the Matron's gone up to the Emergency Parthenogenesis…'
'And they'll start to convert…' Rose covers her mouth.
'Skeletons, organs, everything…' The Doctor starts.
'A million people are gonna die…' Donna finishes.
'How can we stop it?' Rose inquires.
'Gotta cancel the signal…' The Doctor states, still working with the wires, Rose and Donna by his side as they hand off wires. 'Rose, left pocket, I need the pendant.'
Donna holds out her arms as Rose places her cables in her outstretched hands and Rose bends down beside the Doctor and reaches into his pocket. She fishes around while Donna eyes them. Something about them is different than when he first told her about Rose. Why is that?
Rose pulls out the golden capsule pendant and chain, she drops it into the Doctor's open hand and begins to wrap some wire around it, connecting it to the computer.
'This contains the primary signal, if I can switch it off, the fat goes back to being just fat,' Suddenly he looks up as the computer as alarms begin to sound off, not a deterrent, he continues to wire the pendant to the computer, but it isn't doing anything. 'No, she's doubled it, I need…' He's on his feet.
'Doctor, what do you need?' Rose questions, but he's run down the corridor a few feet, he has a look of desperation on his face.
'Haven't got time!' He runs back and takes the cables out of Donna's arms and does his best to pick up the pace as he rewires. He leans back frantic. 'It's too far, I can't override it, they're all gonna die!'
'No they aren't. We can save them. We always do. So, Doctor, what can we do to help?' Rose puts her hand on his shoulder.
'Sorry, Rose, this is way beyond…gotta double the base pulse, but I can't!'
'Doctor, what do you need?' Donna asks softly.
'I need a second capsule, to boost the override, but I've only got the one, I can't save them!'
'Stop saying that, we will.' Rose states firmly. She watches Donna reach into her pocket and produces another capsule and pendant. Rose's face breaks out into a huge smile and Donna remains calm. Donna steps over to the Doctor and dangles it in his face. He turns to look at her, a grin slowly spreads across his face and Dona gives a satisfied smile.
He takes the capsule and forcibly shoves it into the wiring; the computer shuts down, completely dead.
In Miss Foster's office, she is desperately trying to pull levers, but the computer remains dead. It doesn't reactivate.
'What's happened?' Penny asks, now tied to the chair again.
'I think the Doctor happened. But we've still given birth to ten thousand Adipose. And the Nursery is coming.' She states calmly and turns around to face Penny, before walking to the window, looking up. She is smiling.
'What's that noise? What is it?' Penny asks desperately.
'My lift home.' Miss Foster answers, and she strides out of the room.
'You can't just leave me here!' Penny calls out, but receives no reply.
Everyone looks to the ceiling as the room beings to rumble and vibrate. Donna looks at the corridor as the lights begin to flicker.
'What the hell is that?'
'They're babies. They need a Nursery.' The Doctor replies and Rose widens her eyes. Abruptly, the shaking stops and Rose looks up. The Doctor motions for another wire, and she snaps out of her daze, handing it to him.
'So, when you say Nursery, you don't mean a crèche in Notting Hill?' Donna questions.
'Nursery Ship. Oh, wait a minute…' The Doctor stares fascinated, as the computer wall has suddenly blinked into life. There is a strange alien script scrolling across. Rose and Donna lean in for a better look.
'Do we even need to stop them?' Rose frowns, it's a Nursery Ship, that meant that were here to pick up, not destroy…hopefully.
'I mean, yeah, isn't that what you do, save the Earth from alien invasions?' Donna crosses her arms.
'Hold on, hold on…instructions from the Adiposian First Family…' The Doctor states, frowning a bit. 'She wired up the building to convert it into a levitation post. Oh, but we're not the ones in trouble now…she is!' He abruptly turns around and starts to run, Rose and Donna exchange looks before chasing after him.
They keep running until they've reached the stairwell, they climb the stairs as fast as they can until they burst through the door on the rooftop. They stop, staring as beams of light are reflected off of them.
They sky is full of Adipose, all rising up to go home. Rose has a smile on her face as she turns to the Doctor. He's grinning and he turns over to Donna who seems awestruck. She composes herself and then frowns.
'What are you going to do, then? Blow them up?' Donna inquires and Rose shakes her head. Knowing what the Doctor is thinking.
'No, they're just children.' Rose replies.
'Exactly, they can't help where they came from.' He continues to watch the Adipose float upwards.
'Makes a change from the last time. Good to see Rose is keeping you in line.' Donna looks over and Rose only shrugs.
'She's done me a lot of good. A lot.' The Doctor confirms and Rose feels her cheeks redden slightly. He puts his arm around her shoulders.
An Adipose waves to them and they all wave back. Donna stops and then frowns.
'I'm waving at fat.'
'Actually, as a diet plan, it sort of worked…' The Doctor replied.
'Besides, you're going to see a lot more stranger things when we leave.' Rose looks over to her.
'I don't doubt that.' Donna replied.
'There she is!' The Doctor points and away from the building, Miss Foster is rising up, gently in the same levitation beam. The last of the Adipose float up, and are gone. The Doctor runs to the edge with Rose and Donna running behind him.
'Matron Cofelia, listen to me!' The Doctor calls out to her. She stops, suspended in the air.
'I don't think so, Doctor. And if I never see you again, it'll be…'
'Oh, why does no one ever listen! I'm trying to help! Just…get across the roof, can you shift the levitation beam?' He inquires.
'What, so you can arrest me?'
'Shut up and listen! He's trying to help! You're in danger!' Rose calls over to her and Miss Foster turns to stare at her.
'I saw the Adiposian instructions! They know it's a crime, breeding on Earth, so what's the one thing they want to get rid of? Their accomplice!' The Doctor shouts.
'I'm far more than that, I'm nanny, to all these children!' She states coldly.
'Exactly! Mum and Dad have got the kids, they don't need the nanny any more!' The Doctor states.
Just as he finished his sentence, the levitation light disperses and Miss Foster widens her eyes, before she falls, plummeting to the ground, screaming.
Donna turns to the Doctor who is staring of and Rose who has her hands covering her mouth, her eyes wide from the shock. The sound of engines powering up fills the night air and they all turn up to see the ship hurtling away into space.
The group walks slowly out of the Adipose Industries building, all exhausted, but rather calm. In the distance, they see the road blocked off; there are signs of disruption, police barriers and flashing lights. Donna turns to see the paramedics draping a white sheet over the body of Miss Foster.
The Doctor pulls his hand out of Rose's and studies the sonic pen; he's quiet before he abruptly tosses it away. Rose frowns and watches as he pulls out the device he worked on earlier and shoves the screwdriver into it. He points the device up and small blue pulse of light flies up into the sky.
'What did you just do?' Rose asks.
'Sending a statement to the Shadow Proclamation. Reporting the Adiposian crime. Suppose the children will be taken into care,' He stops and frowns. 'I hate being official.' Rose clings to his arm and offers a small smile.
'At least you have good morals. Sometimes.' Donna interjects.
They see Penny staggering towards them, still tied to her chair. The Doctor tilts his head at that, then, connecting the dots, he sighs. She looks furious.
'You! All of you! You're all just…mad! Do you hear me? Mad! I'm gonna report you all! For madness!' She staggers away to the police, and the group exchanges looks.
'Some people just can't take it,' Donna replies and has an unimpressed look on her face before it morphs into a grin. 'And some people can! So, then. TARDIS! Come on!' Donna suddenly takes his hand and yanks him away, Rose starts to laugh as he flashes her a pleading look to save him.
Donna leads them to a narrow street, seeing the TARDIS and then her car, separated by a fair distance, and she gets excited at the thought.
'That's my car!' She points to the little blue parked car. 'That's like destiny! And I've been ready for this, I packed ages ago, just in case,' Donna unlocks the boot and opens it. It's stuffed to the brim with suitcases. Rose and the Doctor exchange looks and then look back to Donna. 'Cause I though, hot weather, cold weather, no weather, he goes anywhere, I've gotta be prepared.'
'Donna, is that a hatbox?' Rose points to the box Donna is currently holding.
'Planet of the Hats, I'm ready!' She states excitedly and shuts the boot. Rose begins to pick up suitcases and hands off the heavier ones to the Doctor. They make one trip to the TARDIS, Donna stands excitedly in the doorway, while Rose and the Doctor stand outside, still holding all of her luggage.
'I don't need injections do I?'
'Injections? For what?' Rose inquires.
'You know, like when you go to Cambodia, is there any of that? Cause my friend Veena went to Bahrain and…you aren't saying much…' Donna says softly and Rose turns to look at the Doctor, he has an unreadable expression on his face.
'It isn't that, it's just…it's a funny old life, in the TARDIS, it's not…'
'You don't want me to come…' Donna cuts him off, she looks devastated.
'I didn't say that.'
'But you asked me…' Donna pauses. 'Would you rather it just be you and Rose?'
'Course he doesn't Donna.' Rose smiles.
'No, right, no, not at all. We might need a change…' The Doctor nods.
'I can come?' Donna asks again, her eyes are lighting up.
'Yeah. Course you can, yeah.'
'We'd love it if you did.' Rose confirms. And braces herself as Donna hugs her tightly. The Doctor drops her luggage as she embraces him and he hugs her back.
'Oh, that's just…' Her eyes widen as she digs in her pockets. 'Car keys!'
'What?' The Doctor questions.
'I've got my mother's car keys! Back in a tick!' She takes off down the street and Rose lets out a laugh.
'Well, this is going to be interesting.' Rose grins.
'Yeah, yeah it will be…'
'Are you okay with this?' Rose moves towards the TARDIS to put some of the luggage in.
'Of course, it'll be change.' The Doctor joins her.
'We can make it work…in all aspects.' Rose confirms and he nods.
Rose suddenly stops picking up luggage and looks out to the night. Her head hurts and images come to the forefront of her mind.
It's almost like she's having a bad case of déjà vu. Like she's seen this scene somewhere before. When she tries to sort out the images, she's stunned. Instead of helping the Doctor with the Adipose, it's only Donna. Rose is standing, apart of the crowd they had passed on the way out of the building. She's there, watching the police try and makes sense of the nonsense, but she knows better. She knew it was the Doctor. It's like she just missed him, but she's unsure of why they weren't together.
And then a redhead comes bounding down the street, talking on a mobile. It's Donna, only she doesn't know her name. Donna tells her that if a woman name Sylvia comes around, keys are in the trash bin. And then she's gone. Yet she still lingers on the street, looking worn down, tired and sad. Hearing no sounds familiar sounds of the TARDIS she decides to press on. Then she separates herself from the crowd, disappearing into the night. She can't get over the sadness that eminated off her. Why was she sad? Where did she disappear to?
'Rose?' The Doctor's voice brings her out of her little trance; she blinks repeatedly, staring off. She's still dazed, at everything she's just seen. 'You all right?'
'Yeah, yeah,' She presses her hand to her head. 'I just…it was almost like a bad case of déjà vu…like I've been here before…' She doesn't understand any of it. Is it Bad Wolf? But how did that make any sense? What was the warning? How can it even be a warning, when clearly the event has already occurred. It's happened, she's here with the Doctor, she knows Donna, so what were those images?
The Doctor tilts his head, he's about to answer her when Donna comes running back to them. Rose takes the last piece of luggage into the TARDIS and the Doctor joins her. Donna walks up the ramp, staring, Rose and the Doctor are smiling.
'Here it is! The TARDIS! Bigger on the inside than it is on the…' The Doctor starts.
'Oh I know all that bit, frankly, you could turn the heating up.' Donna interjects and Rose laughs.
'So! You've got the whole wide universe. Where do you want to go?' The Doctor poises himself by the console.
'I know exactly the place.' Donna smiles.
'Really?' Rose frowns.
'Which is…'
'Two and a half miles, that way.' She points and the Doctor inputs the coordinates.
Still perched on his lonely mount, he takes a sip of tea and looks into the telescope. Focusing, he squints as something catches his eye. He's seen it! The little blue box! He starts to call for Donna, but she doesn't come, he looks back into the eyepiece and gasps. He's stunned.
Standing in the doorway is his beautiful, determined granddaughter, waving madly at him. And just behind her, are a man and a woman. They too, give a small wave.
'But that's…Donna…that's them!'
He abandons the telescope and waves up to the sky, he continues to wave as the box disappears, so proud and happy for his joy.
You guys, seriously, the response for this story has been amazing. Thank you all so much!
Again a big thank you to those who suggested my story for the Communities. Wow, seriously, you guys rock.
I should let you all know that I'll be channeling my inner Moffat, and I'm pretty sure you know for what episode. But the good news is, I may just write Rose into series 7...maybe, I do have ideas floating around...
I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations, and do apologize for grammatical/spelling errors.