The silence had become thick as it permeated all corners of the TARDIS console room. Oddly it wasn't uncomfortable but rather pensive, as each had taken a section of the console room and remained there, unsure of what to say, unsure of what to do.

Since they had rushed back to the TARDIS in such haste, there wasn't any time to truly comprehend the aftermath of what Donna and Rose had just been through. Especially since Rose didn't fully understand it herself. She sat on the console chair, staring off as she tried to remember every little thing that she had come across while in the different and parallel dimensions. But it is slowly starting to slip away. She struggles to grip and to hold on to everything she can. It is all so important.

Donna had been right, how easily is recedes, much like a dream. Donna herself was still staring off as well, most likely wondering what the Doctor meant by the end of the universe.

He too is bent over the console, most likely going over every detail he can from what she had said to him when she first came to after being in that stasis. And she wondered if he was trying to figure out the mystery involving Donna. He had been right. How does someone have two completely different worlds built around them and not have something more important to them.

Rose knew that Donna and the Doctor were going to save the universe, but how? And what would that cost them? All actions have consequences and Rose knows that they never just save anything without there being a debt to collect from them. But what is the price this time? How high is it?

The glimpse into the alternate life that she could have lived, had Pete come when he did, certainly kept her busy, but Bad Wolf hadn't shown her how it ended. She was privy to being reunited with the Doctor, in this universe, she remembered running towards him, full speed and that had been all.

And then…she came to.

Is she keeping something hidden from her? A door within another door it seems like. Clearly there are still things she doesn't want her to know. Why not?

Rose presses her face into her hands as she feels the weight on her shoulders become heavier. It's becoming distressing to have all these questions and no one to provide her with answers.

When Rose pulls her hands away, she sees the Doctor kneeling down in front of her, staring at her with great concern evident in his eyes. Rose gives a wistful smile.

'Rose…I need you to tell me everything you can remember about being in those universes. Anything you can remember.'

Donna turns towards them and shifts her weight from one foot to another. She wishes desperately that she could have been kept in the loop of everything. She wants to understand the importance of the words that Rose said back on Shan Shen. Most of the world that had been built around her is crumbling away at a rapid rate. Donna barely remembers anything, and that is only if she concentrates very hard.

She folds her arms across her chest and breathes in deeply. She'd love to hear more of Rose's side, maybe hearing her recount it may help her to envision it, help her remember other fragments of her own.

'Did you want me to start at the beginning?' Rose questions.

'That's usually the best place to start.' The Doctor replies softly.

Rose is silent as she tries to think of where the best place to start would be. She debates for a few moments and finally decides to start at the beginning, when her life had the option to go either way. Standing at crossroads of her own. Thankfully things had gone the way they had.

'Canary Wharf is where it would have started for me.' Rose informs him and he immediately frowns.

'That far back?'

'Yes, I still slipped from the lever, but in that moment, Pete came back and caught me. He transported us back to the parallel universe.' Rose felt her mouth dry as she began to feel anger build in her. Though, she isn't sure why.

The Doctor watches Rose carefully and he becomes conflicted in his emotions to that sentence. He truly hadn't understood that that moment in time, that the pendulum could have swung in either direction. It makes him ever more grateful that it swung in the direction it did.

Merely thinking of Rose heading towards the Void, only to be caught and then locked away in the parallel universe devastated him. And that was only thinking of it. He begins to imagine the aftermath, and quickly dispels the images from his mind. Thinking those thoughts now would do no good. It didn't happen. And he has to forcibly tell himself that a few times.

Donna watched the two of the carefully and recalled her conversation she had had with him so long ago. How he talked about Rose, how he nearly lost her. Donna didn't truly understand that magnitude of the event, what with her vacationing in Spain and whatnot; apparently they had these ghosts over there too, however she didn't remember seeing any of them. Of course, she tended to miss out on important stuff like that. It bothered her. A lot.

'That dream I had earlier, about us on that beach, would have been the last time I saw you. Our goodbye.' Rose quietly recalls and feels the emotions begin to bubble to the surface; she tries hard to ensure that they don't spill over.

'Right…a supernova, that means I would have found a small gap in the universe that would have been still open…' The Doctor replies and then smiles a bit. 'I wouldn't have felt right if we couldn't have said goodbye…'

'Me either…' Rose whispers, not wanting to tell him the rest, she presses on. She never wants to step foot on a beach in Norway, ever, if she can help it. 'Which means that we wouldn't have had this life…' Rose pauses, trying to see how she could go about the next subject. 'In that world that was false, Donna made a decision that drastically altered the history of the Earth. By turning right…she never met you. Ever. And I would have been in the parallel world…' Rose stops, he watches her and silently understands what the next words would have been. He would have been utterly alone.

'By us never meeting, that means that I would have stopped the Racnoss on my own.' The Doctor recalls and then stops, he turns to Donna who just stares blankly at him.

'Guess you would've been lost without me there.' Donna reminds him, it draws a genuine smile from the Doctor.

'Don't I know it…?' The Doctor responds and Rose smiles warmly at their friendship. She is so glad Donna and the Doctor have such a wonderful friendship. She knows that he cares deeply for them in his own way. She smiles warmly at Donna, she's so integral to their stories as they continue to unfold before their eyes. She truly is the voice of reason, how important she when they need her strength to rely on. Because even though she may falter, Rose knows that she will rise to meet any challenge, she has unwavering courage. Rose admires that.

'What happened? Because I needed Donna…to stop me…' The Doctor wonders, wanting to confirm his own dark thoughts and Rose is roused from her own. She places her hand on his cheek and sadly smiles.

'I think you know the answer to that.' Rose replies and he nods deeply.

'I thought so. Didn't have time…' He informed her, trailing off and Donna inhales, holding the breath in her chest before she exhales slowly. A world where the Doctor doesn't exist. How does Earth cope? It clearly hadn't been well.

Rose leans in and whispers her next sentence softly, not wanting to allow Donna to hear the fear in her voice. 'That was the hardest thing I have ever been told…that you had died and I watched the paramedics take you away…especially since I fought like hell to get back to my proper universe.'

Donna watches Rose lean back and notices that her eyes are shiny in the lighting of the console room. She understands Rose's pain…and also her desire to keep it hidden. She's a strong girl, but when faced with the death of her lover, Donna can only imagine the thoughts that must still be going through her head. All of the 'what ifs' spiralling out of control, and she continuing to listen to them.

The Doctor doesn't know what to say, getting caught by the crushing waves of the Thames would have been one thing, being stupid enough not to pull himself away from the edge is another, but now knowing that Rose had, in this false world, returned to seek him out and then only to watch him being driven away to wherever the final destination would have been, didn't sit well with him.

In fact it made him livid that he would have been so utterly incompetent when it came to destroy the Racnoss, just standing there, relishing in the destruction of those creatures while the world around him filled with water and then realising it was too late…he cursed himself.

'After that…I bounced a bit, between that false world, and the parallel one…'

'I know you, Rose,' The Doctor watches her, her face betrays nothing. He has no idea what she may be experiencing; it's only her voice that gives anything away. 'You wouldn't have sat around moping.'

'Exactly, I had a lot of work to do,' Rose agrees and stares off a bit. 'The next disaster would have been Royal Hope.'

'The hospital?' The Doctor questions and Rose nods, she dreads having to tell him the next part, because it hit her like a ton of bricks when she had read the reports. She had been angry at herself for not doing anything about it.

'You and I weren't there. Everything carried on…without us…except there was only one survivor…'

'What?' The Doctor questioned, hardly being able to for the words, he stood up and folded his arms, not liking where this was heading. 'Was it…?'

'No…Oliver Morgenstern, remember, the first person to speak to the Judoon? Martha saved him…'

The Doctor presses his hand to his forehead as he tries to digest all this information. 'What about the plasmavore? And the MRI?'

'The Judoon still caught her,' Rose informs him and presses her lips together. It may have been a false reality but that doesn't make any of the deaths justifiable. 'Sarah Jane stopped the MRI.'

'One survivor…' The Doctor recalls and grows upset inwardly. To know, even though those events were fictitious, that two people he cared greatly for, one of whom he had a long, rich history with, the other helped save mankind, perished because of his idiocy, angered him. Not to mention the countless other innocent lives lost because of him.

'I remember…I met Rose again after that incident…' Donna suddenly spoke up and the Doctor turned to her. Rose didn't. She kept her gaze locked to the floor.

'Yeah, checking on things,' Rose smiles a bit and takes a deep breath. 'Had to tell the others back in the parallel universe what was going on. Problems there. Problems here.'

'Problems?' The Doctor wondered and Rose turns her gaze up to him, nodding.

'The first readings had begun to come in. I had decided to work for Torchwood there in the parallel universe…' Rose informs him and the Doctor smiles slightly.

'Well, you are Defender of the Earth.' The Doctor remembers and Rose stares at him vacantly. Inwardly she is amazed at how, in her dream, that fragment of what her life could have been, he had said the exact same thing. He truly must be proud of her.

'Rose told me to leave London…' Donna concentrated hard on the bits of memory that she had recalled.

'Remember our little trip on a space luxury liner…?' Rose wonders and he nods. He remembered her in that gorgeous black dress with the plunging neckline. She had been truly stunning. 'Well, without you or I there…guess what came crashing down into Buckingham Palace…'

'No…'

'Yes…utter desolation. No survivors, southern London poisoned by radiation…' Rose frowns as she feels anger well within her. And yet…she doesn't know why she feels anger. What was there to be angry at?

'Rose saved me and the family…' Donna informs the Doctor and he turns back to Rose. She can see the proud smile etched into his features.

To know that Rose didn't take all the destruction lying down truly spoke of her character. She persevered through the hardships and eventually righted the wrong that had been forced upon Donna.

'Found her in Leeds next…' Rose recalls and presses her hand to her head. The dull ache is still persistent. Manageable, but still uncomfortable to deal with. 'I found the TARDIS and the Adipose crisis came next. Only the Adipose chose America. Not much left for them in the UK I imagine.'

'You found the TARDIS? Why?' The Doctor finally decides to sit next to Rose, revelling in her tale of how she fixed everything.

'Recovered her from the Thames,' Rose stated, there was a slight shrug of her shoulders. 'I needed her. And…' Rose paused as leaned in closer to him. 'And I needed to…feel something familiar. I needed reassurance. I needed to know that I was doing the right thing. You were gone…who else was I going to turn to?'

Again he shocked into silence, unable to form words. She must have been utterly exhausted, and so close to her breaking point countless many times. He relishes in her bravery to continue on without him. In fact he admires her bravery. While he knows that she would follow him to the end and back again, she didn't know how often he had to rely on her bravery, because sometimes he needed her strength. And she was so much stronger than he was.

'The Torchwood here ensured that they stopped the Sontarans, because the ATMOS still made an appearance.' Rose recalls and remembers the blaze of the fire as it ripped across the sky.

'Torchwood…that means…' The Doctor stops his sentence short and Rose wistfully shrugs her shoulders.

'We had to continue on without you. What were they supposed to do? That incident cost us the last of the heroes.' Rose becomes saddened the Doctor places her arm around her shoulder; she smiles appreciatively at him and takes his hand in her own.

'No one was left…' The Doctor can't imagine the loss of Jack nor his team. They just looked at it as saving the Earth. Their own lives for the lives of many. To them it didn't have to even be considered.

'Leeds was the last place Donna was. And I brought her to an old warehouse, where, once upon a time…Martha and I brought you and Jack chips…'

'They were good.' The Doctor recalled and felt relieved when he finally saw the faintest of smiles etch themselves across Rose's features.

'Someone was going to travel in time…' Rose remembers the countless man-hours poured into understanding the TARDIS. People went days without sleep as they persevered on, hoping to crack the case. They hadn't even had time to celebrate when they did. It had been bleak smiles and they had continued on.

'How…did you manage? I'm sure she would have been…well, on her way out.' The Doctor imagines and Rose just gives him a bit of sly smile.

'She wanted to help. Deep down, I think, even there, that she knew that world was false. And she wanted to help set it right.'

'You managed to send Donna back?' The Doctor questioned again, utterly stunned at her resourcefulness.

'Managed to scrap off the surface technology, made a bit of a mess…though,' Rose pauses and inhales deeply. 'But we were successful. Circle of mirrors bounced off Chronon Energy into the circle, which we manipulated and chose the destination. Took a bit of help from the TARDIS, but we got by.'

'You…did all that?' The Doctor turns to her, staring in disbelief.

'Well, UNIT helped.' Rose admitted and shrugged. 'My Torchwood too.'

'At least I know you'd be able to take care of yourself…' The Doctor replies and Rose smiled a bit.

'All because I had to see for myself the devastation that plagues the rest of the worlds,' Rose reiterates and turns to see Donna as well. 'The darkness is coming here. All across the universe the stars are going out. We need to stop it. But I don't know what we're trying to stop.'

'The universe is ending…' Donna recalls and the Doctor dashes up to the console. Donna takes the vacant seat and embraces Rose tightly. Something tells her that Rose needed the comfort. Donna is right when she feels the relief in her embrace. The Doctor glances over to the two of them and feels a slight smile on his features. He's glad for them to have formed a good, solid friendship, and he knows that Rose appreciates another person she can get support from.

But this looming threat that Rose had stumbled upon is worrisome. He frantically directs the TARDIS back to Earth. The darkness is coming…but what if it's already there? He frenetically begins to pull more levers.

'Doctor…what's going to happen?' Rose wonders as she and Donna pull apart from their embrace.

'I don't know…' He admits and Rose catches the frantic look in his eyes. She presses her lips together as the TARDIS shakes and notices that he begins to pace.

Rose can see that her utterance of those two words have sent him over the edge. It's hard to stop an impending doom from happening, when there is still so much shrouded in mystery. What is going to happen?

As soon as the TARDIS ceases its shaking, the Doctor rushes out the door, with Rose hastily following him, while Donna waits in the doorway.

Together they study their surroundings. They appear to have landed on the most ordinary of streets. The sun is shining brightly, keeping the air warm. It's just so…normal. Rose and the Doctor exchange looks and frown. They had been expecting destruction when they landed…not this normality.

'But it's fine…' The Doctor turns in a circle to ensure that he doesn't miss anything. 'Everything's fine. Nothing's wrong. All fine!' The Doctor spots a milkman on his delivery route and shouts across the street to him. 'Excuse me! What day is it?'

'Saturday.' The man responds and gives them a bit of an odd stare.

The Doctor turns and nods at Rose. 'Saturday. Good. I like Saturdays.'

'I don't understand it…it's normal.' Rose turns up to the Doctor and he shrugs.

The Doctor is quiet as he goes over everything that Rose and Donna had told him over the last little bit. 'The walls of the universe are breaking down,' The Doctor turns to both Rose and Donna. 'Rose, if you were able to pass through the parallel world into the false world around Donna…the walls are crumbling. And that puts everything in danger, everything! But how?!'

The Doctor grips Rose's hand and runs back to the TARDIS with Donna following them in. She shuts the door and they all stand. The Doctor begins to pace while Rose and Donna look on worriedly.

They don't stay outside long enough to witness what happens next. The milkman is strolling back to his truck but pauses, mid step, when he hears a bit of an odd sound. It begins to rattle the glass from the milk bottles. He continues to the truck and stares at the empty bottles, shivering in the crates, just slightly. Then they begin to increase their shaking, the rattling getting louder.

He hears another sound and turns to the small collection of houses as he notices a few slates as they come loose and slides off a roof. He then turns his attention to the sky; his face contorts into one of horror…

Rose and Donna continue to stay off to the side as the Doctor busies himself at the console. They're unsure of what will happen as so they remain quiet.

'Doctor…just, I mean what are we going to do?' Donna wonders and the Doctor briefly pauses, turning to them. He's about to answer when there is one massive jolt. It nearly knocks everyone off balance and they hold each other's stare, waiting for whatever will come next. Only there isn't anything. It's quiet.

'What the hell was that?!' Donna exclaims and Rose begins to head down towards the ramp.

'Wasn't us, came from outside…' The Doctor replies and notices that Rose is about to open the door. The Doctor rushes down the ramp just as Rose pushes the door open and covers her mouth. Donna covers her mouth.

The open door reveals a black, empty space. There are only dusty swirls of gas and a few, tiny rocks tumble past them. Just the cold and vastness of space surround them…

'We're in space…' Rose breathes and she looks at the Doctor's horrified expression.

'How did that happen, what did you do?' Donna questions and the Doctor ignores her at first as he runs up the ramp and back to the console, slamming switches at a fast rate.

Rose closes the door, but not before she takes one final work. She turns to look at the Doctor. This is impossible…she knows that, and she can read it on his face.

'We haven't moved, we're fixed, it can't have! No!' The Doctor runs past Donna and back to Rose on the ramp becoming more and more stunned. 'The TARDIS is still in the same place. But the Earth has gone. The entire planet! It's gone!'

'Is it the darkness…?' Rose wonders and notices the looks that she receives from the Doctor and Donna. Rose is silent as she ponders where exactly the Earth could have gone to. She suddenly remembers something else. Those other missing planets. Could it be…? Did Earth go to where those other planets are…?

The building, in the middle of a New York busy street, is shrouded in heavy darkness and is soundless. Slowly soft groans pierce the silence as the people who had been thrown to the ground begins to pick themselves up, and are very confused. Sparks fly from the severed equipment wires.

Martha Jones pulls herself into a sitting position and looks around the room, stunned and a bit dazed. All of the desks in the smart, swanky office have been thrown into complete disarray. Whatever had just happened didn't appear to happen again. There is complete stillness.

'What was that? Some sort of earthquake, or…?' Martha wonders and stares at the other UNIT soldiers as they sit up and survey the destruction. 'Jalandra, you all right? Wikowsky? Anyone hurt?' Martha receives mutters of assurance as her team begins to pick themselves up and she stands, looking around. 'We've lost power. Someone get the lights back on. DaCosta, see to it! Right now!' Martha orders and the UNIT soldiers spring to life as they run around. 'Suzanne, you okay?'

The young woman turns to Martha as she is standing by the window looking utterly terrified. She hugs herself and presses her lips together. 'Martha. Look at the sky.'

'Why, what is it?' Martha questions as she begins to walk towards Suzanne, a confused look on her features.

Suzanne just turns back to the window and stares out in disbelief. 'Just look at the sky.' She instructs and Martha comes to stand beside her.

When she does, she covers her mouth from the shock and widens her eyes. How is that possible?

Cardiff was unable to escape the massive shudder that the Earth just gave, that included the Torchwood team as they now lie on the ground, stunned from these events as they continue to unfold. Everyone is silent as they wait to see if there are any more shudders. There is nothing, and so Jack pulls himself up from the ground, studying the mess that has become of the Hub.

'Whoa! What happened, was it the Rift? Gwen, you okay? Ianto?' Jack questions and helps Gwen up from the floor.

There are fallen wires and rubbles settled on the ground and Gwen kicks some of the rock out of her way as Ianto gets up and makes a bit of a face at the mess.

'No broken bones. Slight loss of dignity. No change there then.' Ianto comments and shakes his head at the mess.

Gwen begins to head towards the computers as she attempts to figure out what exactly had happened. 'The whole city must've felt that, the whole of South Wales!' She cries and notices that those computers are out. That's frustrating.

'I'm gonna take a look outside…' Jack declares and he runs out of the room, the circular door remains open.

Ianto manages to make his way to his own computer and smiles a bit as he sees that it is still running. The smile is gone when he realises the severity of the situation. He turns back to Gwen.

'Little bit bigger than South Wales…' Ianto informs her and she walks towards him. She widens her eyes and Ianto nods his head.

The Ealing attic shook violently before ceasing, knocking its occupants to the floor roughly. After what seemed like minutes, the shaking stopped and the two occupants waited to see if there would be any more. Silence. There is nothing. Dazed by the events that just transpired, Sarah Jane pulls herself up from the ground, standing and frowning at what happened. The attic is in complete disarray. Sarah Jane notices her son is also standing, recovering from the ordeal. She runs to him and embraces him tightly.

'Luke, are you all right?' She questions and Luke pulls away, already pondering the events.

'Felt like some sort of cross dimensional spatial transference.' Luck informs her and Sarah Jane shakes her head.

'But it's night! It wasn't night, it was eight o'clock in the morning…' She briefly pauses and then turns to a panelled wall. 'Mr. Smith! I need you!' The panelled walls open, steam pours out as the wall folds back, a computer reveals itself as it glides out with an even pace. 'Ohh, I wish you'd stop giving that fanfare. Tell me, what happened?' Sarah Jane questions.

'Sarah Jane, I think you should look outside. You will find the visual evidence most conclusive.' Mr. Smith declares and fear engulfs Sarah Jane. Carefully she walks towards the attic window and what she witnesses causes her to freeze and lock her eyes with the sky. Instinctively she pulls Luke closer to her, embracing him tightly before she quickly dashes outside with Luke chasing after her.

The front door to the Nobles' house is abruptly thrown open and Wilf steps out, holding a cricket bat tightly in his hands as he glances across the street, surveying the damage. Behind him, Sylvia steps out. She's just as confused as Wilf is. It was a bright sunny day moments ago before their entire street had been plunged into darkness.

'It's gone dark! It's them aliens, I'll bet my pension!' Wilf turns to Sylvia, who rolls her eyes at him. Surely there is a logical explanation for this. 'What do you want this time, you green swine!' Wilf shouts into the nothingness of the street.

'Dad…' Sylvia calls to him, trying to get his attention, but he ignores her. He motions behind her, towards their house.

'You stay inside, Sylvia. They always want the women!' Wilf informs her but Sylvia takes a few more steps closer to Wilf.

'No, dad, just look. Oh my god. Look at the sky.' Sylvia motions up to the sky and Wilf slowly lowers the cricket bat as he turns his attention to the sky.

Everyone that has been affected by the darkening of the sky has run out into the streets wanting to confirm what they are seeing. The initial shock is taking a long time to wear off, as they unable to form coherent sentences. Their sky has been replaced with a new one. One that indicates the trouble that they are in.

Their sky is one that reflects space. There are blue and gold clouds in sync with swirls of gas. There are dozens of planets filing the entire vista that appear to be different shapes and sizes, all sorts of colours. Some are ringed; some are rocky while others are gently moving. It's as if a new galaxy has been formed.

Once the reality has set in for each of them, everyone dashes back to their command posts. Martha immediately begins to contact people; Jack heads back towards his Hub, wondering if Ianto or Gwen has discovered anything new, Sarah Jane dashes back into her house, pulling her son with her.

They are in serious trouble now, and it's only just beginning.

Rose and Donna watch the Doctor pace frantically around the console room, trying to figure out exactly what has happened. Desperation clings heavily to the occupants. Grips them tightly so as not to let go. Rose has had a sick nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach since they left Shan Shen. It's not going away. Her head still has a faint, dull throb but it is quickly disappearing. Why put her through all the trouble only for her not to come out with a solid answer of what was happening around them. Even back in the parallel world, there was nothing concrete, just speculation.

She quickly glances over to Donna who is holding a desperate look in her eye. Trying to show support for her, Rose holds Donna's hand. Wanting more, Donna embraces Rose tightly. She can feel the fear radiate off of her. She has so many things she wants to ask the Doctor, but not with Donna beside her. It wouldn't be good to worry her more than she probably already was. But she wants to know…where the air has gone if they've been pulled away from the sun…what's happened to everyone on Earth? Are they safe? Rose pleads with everything she has to ensure that all the inhabitants remain safe.

'If the Earth's been moved, they've lost the sun!' Donna cries out suddenly, obviously thinking of the same thing that Rose had been. The Doctor stops pacing and studies her held tightly in Rose's embrace. 'And all the air gets ripped away! What about my mum? And granddad? They're dead, aren't they?'

'Oh no, Donna no…they can't be…' Rose tries to tell her calmly. 'They're okay. They're perfectly fine…aren't they Doctor?' Rose turns to him, hoping to add to her attempts to calm Donna down. The Doctor apparently misses the look on Rose's face, because his answer doesn't help the situation at hand.

He stops his frantic pacing and shakes his head. 'I don't know, Donna, I just don't know, I'm sorry, I don't know…'

'Doctor!' Rose cries out and motions to Donna who is now on the verge of tears. 'I'm sure they're safe Donna, they have to be.'

'That's my family…that's our whole world…' Donna informs the Doctor quietly. Rose feels the twang of longing to step onto the Earth again. This may be her life and her home, but Earth will always be the safe haven she can return to. The thought of having it ripped away from her, right out from under her feet, it angers her. It causes all sorts of dark thoughts to enter her mind.

Again the Doctor doesn't offer any words of wisdom, any words of solace, he merely states the fact, so as not to hide the truth from either of them. 'There's no readings. Nothing. Not a trace. Not even a whisper. Ohh, that's fearsome technology.'

Donna clamps down on Rose's hand tighter, the sentence driving fear into her and Rose hugs her tightly once more. Donna brushes away a tear.

'Doctor, what do we do, then?' Rose turns to him and he's silent, debating his answer, unsure of where to turn when he grips the console and looks at Rose and Donna.

'We've got to get help.' He declares and Donna pulls away from Rose, staring at him confused.

'From who? Where do we get that sort of help?' Rose questioned and the Doctor slightly smiles at her.

'Rose. Donna. I'm gonna take you to the Shadow Proclamation. Hold tight!' The Doctor slams a lever aggressively. It launches the TARDIS and throws Rose into the console, while Donna stumbles backward into the console chair.

The Doctor reaches for Rose's hand. This is one time where he needs her bravery now. To remove a planet from under them terrifies him. What has the power to do that? Who would do that if they could?

'Doctor…I was just wondering…something I've been thinking about.' Rose trails off and lowers her voice. The Doctor leans in and frowns.

'What is it?'

'Remember…all those other planets that are missing, too? The Pyroville planet? The Adiposian one…Poosh's moon…? What if they're all connected? What if something has been taking planets?'

The Doctor pauses. That's an excellent question. The loss of the other planets they've encountered over the past while didn't even register with him until Rose reminded him. But why do that? What do you gain from taking planets and moons? He'd have to inform the Shadow Proclamation when they arrived.

'What's going to happen?' Rose whispers to him and he turns over his shoulder to see Donna staring off from the console chair, clearly worried for her family left behind on Earth.

'I wish I knew Rose. The most we can do is get help…'

Rose nodded her head, what could possibly be waiting for them?

Ianto glances up from the computer terminal he's working away on to listen to news reporter from the AMNN network. For what's going on, she sure does have a rather vacant stare on her features.

'The United Nations has issued an edict, asking the citizens of the world not to panic. So far, there has been no explanation of the twenty six planets which have appeared in the sky…'

Unable to take her droning voice any longer, Ianto switches to another stations, this time the channel features Richard Dawkins. He's certainly livelier than the reporter from AMNN. He is speaking passionately about something. Ianto turns back to the computer terminal as he begins to work, not really hearing the words that Dawkins is speaking about. In fact, he vaguely hears the scoffs of the others on the show with him.

'But it's an empirical fact! The planets didn't come to us, we came to them! Just look at the stars. We're in a completely different region of space, we've travelled.' He insists and even Ianto doesn't buy into that theory right away and so he changes the channel once more.

'Do you know what, I look up, and there's all these moons and things! Have you seen them? Did you seem them?' Paul O'Grady wonders from behind his desk and Ianto faintly hears the cheers from his audience, a small smile breaks out on his features. 'I thought, what was I drinking last night? Furniture polish?' He wonders and the audience breaks out into loud laughs, cheers and some even whistle.

Unable to stop himself, Ianto bursts out laughing as he continues to work. It rouses Jack from his thoughts and he turns to face Ianto, even though he continues to type away on his own terminal. His look is disapproving.

'Ianto. Time and a place.' Jack reminds him and Ianto shrugs as he crosses his look over to Jack.

'He is funny, though.' Ianto attempts to defend himself. Jack merely shakes his head and turns to Gwen. She's up on the upper gantry, from the Hothouse. She's on her mobile. He already knows who she is phoning.

'Gwen! Come and see!' Jack insists and Gwen gives him a brief look before returning to her mobile conversation.

'Rhys, I've got no idea, just say indoors,' She instructs firmly. Another thought hits her. 'Oh, and phone my mother, tell her, I dunno, tell her to take her pills and go to sleep,' Gwen pauses and feels herself becoming upset, she stops walking and lowers her voice. 'I'll come home. Soon as I can, I promise. Love you. Big idiot.' Gwen hangs up and presses the mobile to her lips. She swallows and inhales deeply. She switches back to her professional demeanour and runs to join Jack. Ianto has gathered at the terminal as well.

'Someone's established an artificial atmospheric shell. Keeping the air, and holding in the heat.' Jack informs them as he continues to scroll across the information that appears on the computer screen.

'Whoever's done this, wants the human race alive. That's a plus,' Ianto replies and he taps a button, it brings up the graphics map of the planetary array. 'Twenty seven planets, including the Earth.'

They are quiet as they study the array of planets and their formation. Gwen frowns as she notices something on the graphics map. 'No, but what's that?' She wonders and together they watch the planets shifting, revealing behind it, right at the centre of the array of planets a small red blip. 'That's not a planet…' Gwen informs them. Together they draw themselves away from the map and exchange worried looks. Something is heading towards them. But what?

Sarah Jane repositions herself as she sits in front of Mr. Smith as she continues to study the graphics map that she has managed to pull up. She tilts her head at the ominous red blip that has suddenly appeared before her. She doesn't like the look of it and turns to look over her shoulder at Luke, talking away on a mobile.

'The reading seems to be artificial in construction.' Mr. Smith's voice draws her attention back to the screen and the red blip.

'Some sort of space station. Sitting at the heart of the web.' Sarah Jane agrees and hears Luke approach her from his position.

'They're fine, Maria and her dad; they're still in Cornwall. I told them to stay indoors. And Clyde's all right, he's with his mum.' Luke informs her and she immediately feels a weight lifted off her shoulders. She inwardly sighs from the relief.

'Sarah Jane. I have detected movement. Observe.' Mr. Smith declares and they all turn back to the graphics map. Dots fly out from the red blip, there are many as they spill out and eventually get into an ordered formation.

Luke grins widely and Sarah Jane is scared. 'Spaceships!' Luke declares excitedly and Sarah Jane turns to him. What is coming towards them? How are they going to stop it?

The UNIT base in New York as undergone some emergency repair work but it seems to be holding together well. They have managed to keep the seams from bursting for a while yet. They lighting is still dim and staff continue to hurry about, trying to get as much work done as they can.

UNIT has managed to turn the small inefficient office into a hub of controls that only UNIT would have access to. Desks have been given a staff member to man it as they diligently go over scanner screens. There is a large computer screen propped in the middle of the room, showing the graphics of the planetary array. A man is studying the contents intensely and then pulls himself away to bark more orders and share newly acquired information.

'Tracking two hundred objects. Earthbound trajectory! Geneva is calling a Code Red! Everyone to battle positions!' The man instructs and the soldiers spring into action. He notices one member has not moved and it annoys him, so he calls to her. 'Dr. Jones, if you're not too busy…' He motions her to get moving, but she gives him a defeated look.

'Trying to phone the Doctor, sir,' Martha indicates to her mobile. 'But there's no signal! This number calls anywhere in the universe, it never breaks down. They must be blocking it. Whoever 'they' are.' Martha replies annoyed and pockets the mobile, it will be of no use to her now.

'We're about to find out. They're coming into orbit.' He informs her and Martha gives him a curt nod. She rushes past him to see where she can be of help. She wonders where the Doctor could be. Does he even know what's going on here on Earth? She sincerely hopes so. But why doesn't her mobile call out to him…? How can a number be blocked? Rose has called her from years in the future…and they spoke as if they were standing next to one another. What technology can do that?

Rose suddenly thinks of something and rushes over to Donna. 'Donna, have you got your mobile?'

'Yeah.' Donna reaches into her pocket and pulls out her mobile, handing it over to Rose as she approaches her.

'What do you need the mobile for?' The Doctor wonders and she pauses, trying to remember the number.

She remembers it and dials the number in. 'I'm gonna try and get a hold of Martha. Wonder if she knows anything that can help…'

'Brilliant!' The Doctor leans on the console as he waits for Martha to pick up the phone. Rose begins to pace, as the phone seems to take forever to connect. Which is odd, she's never had problems like that before. There is nothing but dead air. Finally when it does, it merely beeps three times and disconnects. Rose pulls the phone away from her ear and frowns, staring at the screen.

'That's odd…' Rose stops and turns to Donna and the Doctor.

'What is it?' He questions and Rose walks towards him, still staring at the mobile suspiciously.

'There's something blocking the signal…I can't call out…' Rose stops and eyes the phone again. When the phone is altered, it can dial anyone in the entire universe, no matter the distance or time period. Why is it failing now?

'What do you mean it won't dial out?' The Doctor takes the mobile from Rose's hands and turns it over in his hand, trying to understand it.

Rose sneaks a look at Donna and notices that this little display of failure worries her even more. She is sure that had the mobile worked, Donna would have attempted to phone her mum and granddad. In fact, Rose was positive she'd try to do that. But now, with the phone not working, she's sure it adds more worry onto her already overburdened shoulders.

Donna's so soundless, that Rose goes over and sits beside her, putting her arm around her shoulders, trying to let her know that it'll be all right. Donna doesn't feel the motion, she just stares off, her eyes growing shiny with unshed tears.

Sylvia has been unable to tear her eyes away from the TV as more reports flood in to local news stations about the trouble with the sky. The worst part about it is that neither she nor her father has been able to get into contact with Donna. It terrifies her to think that she could be in danger by this…phenomenon.

And now it seems that the Earth could be under attack. Sylvia presses her lips together as the incoming news floods the small room.

'We're now getting confirmed reports of spaceships. The Pentagon has issued an emergency report stating that two hundred objects, or more, are now heading towards the Earth, in a regular pattern that suggests an organised flight path. The United Nations has repeated its call, for people to stay calm, and to stay indoors.'

Sylvia covers her mouth as she watches the images come up on the screen, showing the path and she closes her eyes terrified. She reopens them and calls to her dad, trying to get his attention.

'Dad! Come and see! They're saying spaceships!' Sylvia watches as Wilf comes into her line of view, his face is grim. 'Did you find her?' She couldn't bear the thought of something happening to Donna. She knew that travelling with those two would be dangerous and now they are lost! Or not in a position to answer their phone calls! Sylvia's stomach begins to twist into a knot and she inhales deeply.

Wilf merely shakes his head as he joins her in the living room. He stares at the TV unable to look at Sylvia directly. He had promised that he'd keep Donna safe and while part of him knew that he couldn't always be there for her, he still wanted to try. That was his only granddaughter and her safety means everything to him.

'There's no reply,' He finally informs Sylvia and she pales a bit at his answer. And Wilf turns his attention to the ceiling, looking past everything and imagining the terrifying new sky that is now above them. 'Where are you, Donna? Where are you, sweetheart?'

Jack has managed to pull up the graphics screen to reveal the blips as they start on their path towards Earth. Gwen and Ianto have also gathered around as they watch in horror the miles that these ships are putting behind them.

They suddenly change their trajectory path and fan out around the Earth. Gwen points to the screen, as her expression becomes one of shock. 'Three thousand miles and closing…but who are they?!' She exclaims and Ianto merely shakes his head.

The shrill sound of mobile phone ringing draws their attention to Jack as he pulls out his mobile from his pocket and frowns. He doesn't recognise the number and answers it with a hint of scepticism in his voice.

'Hello?'

Martha smiles a bit as she tries to control her panic as best she can. She had reach about Torchwood through the old files that she had read after she had been promoted and gained security clearance needed to read them. She had always heard about Torchwood and the destruction it caused during Canary Wharf, especially after her cousin never returned home. She had been angry with them, angry for causing her family such heartache and grief and when she heard that it was being reborn, she had been angry. It had felt like a slap in the face and the wounds had been reopened.

However, from what she had heard, Jack and his fantastic team have been doing a wonderful job at it. They have completely done away with the old regime and genuinely seem to care about how they conduct their jobs. Martha feels proud to be able to work with him and imagines they will have an excellent partnership if the time ever demands that they do so again.

All of her fears had been eliminated when joined his team for that small time. It had been nothing like she imagined. And she had been so glad to be proven wrong. It had also sated the craving for the want to meet and deal with aliens. Since she had rejected travelling with the Doctor, the least she could do was make a difference on Earth.

'Captain Jack Harkness?'

'Speaking. Who is this?' She can hear the hesitation in his voice and she suddenly knows why. He won't recognise the number. She never gave him hers when they had parted ways back in Cardiff. She hadn't even made any attempt to give him her number when they parted ways after working with him.

'Come on now, Jack, surely you can't have forgotten my voice already.'

'Martha? Martha Jones?' She can almost see the smile, as it would have appeared on his features.

'That's me!'

'Martha Jones your voice is like a nightingale!' She grins as he begins to laugh over the phone.

'It's good to hear your voice too.' Martha responds warmly and instantly feels a bit relieved. She inhales deeply, still trying to steady herself.

'Where are you?' He questioned and Martha smiles.

'New York.'

'Nice for some.' Jack responded and Martha shook her head. He hadn't changed at all.

'I've been promoted. You heard from the Doctor?' Martha wonders and she can hear the dead air as Jack pauses before he answers her. That can't be good.

'Not a word. Congratulations on the promotion.'

'Thanks. Medical Director on Project Indigo.' Martha tells him and he lets out the sound of a laugh.

'Hey, did you get that thing working?' Jack questions and Martha merely smiles at his knowledge.

'Indigo's top secret, no one's supposed to know about it.' She replies, but her voice betrays no anger, just amusement at his craftiness.

'Well, I met this soldier in a bar, long story…' Jack replies and hears Ianto's voice in the background, a touch of jealousy in it.

'When was that?' He wonders. Martha couldn't help but smile.

'It was strictly professional!' Jack maintained and Martha is startled when she hears the urgency in Gwen's voice next.

'Fifteen hundred miles, boys. And accelerating. They're almost here.'

Martha presses her lips together as she turns her attention to the ceiling, beginning to feel that same sick, nervous feeling creep into her. Where could he possible be? Earth needs him.

Sarah Jane hasn't been able to tear her eyes away from the screen as she watches with dread the accelerated rate in which the ships have begun to descend on Earth. Who are they? And what could they possibly want with the Earth. They haven't all been killed with they physically removed the Earth from it's position in the solar system. So whoever is command those ships wants the human race alive, but for what purpose.

Luke puts his arm around her shoulders and tries to be strong for her and she embraces him.

'I'm receiving a communication from the Earthbound ships. They have a message for the human race.' Mr. Smith informs them and Sarah Jane inhales deeply. Time to see what this is all about.

'Put it through,' She instructs, trying to steady her nerves. 'Let's hear it.'

Sarah Jane and Luke both lean forward in anticipation of the message. At first there isn't anything but static as they tune in. Softly at first, they begin to hear something. She frowns as she struggles to hear what it is. It begins to grow louder, and when it does, she feels like she has just had an icy ball drop into her stomach. That voice that she thought she'd never hear again.

'Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!'

'No…' Sarah Jane covers her mouth and feels the tears fill her eyes. It couldn't possibly be…

That voice. That sick, droning voice. Filled with hate and contempt for everything that is not like them. He's winded, like someone has just slugged him in the gut. They were supposed to have been destroyed. How are they still alive?

Jack grips the computer console tightly in his fists, his knuckles whitening. This is the end. There is no possible way that they can get themselves out of this mess, they're doomed.

Normally there is always something they can do to help the human race, because that's what they did. But not when it comes them. They're helpless. He silently curses them as that damned voice reverberates in the Hub, echoing around them.

'No…oh no…' Jack manages to whisper. Gwen frowns at him, true the voice has been really unnerving to listen to as it repeats itself over and over again, but why does he seem so defeated? They haven't even started yet.

'Jack, what is it?' Gwen wonders and places her hand on Jack's arm. 'Who are they? Do you know them? Jack?'

But he's silent. He says nothing to them; he continuously stares at the computer screen, listening to that awful voice as it drones on all around them. She's never seen him like this; it's beginning to scare her.

Abruptly he pulls Ianto and Gwen into a tight embrace. Caught off guard they stumble into him awkwardly. He places a kiss on Ianto's head and then on Gwen's head.

'There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry. We're dead.'

The entire staff at the UNIT headquarters in New York has frozen when they hear the shrill over yelling the same threat over and over again. Martha covers her mouth; she's read about them. She's never faced one, but she's read about them. They are merciless. They will destroy without a second thought. They want one thing and one thing only, more Daleks. Their hatred infects everything around them, and it's never enough. They're bred to conquer.

Martha begins to feel sick and the dread engulfs her. She's swimming it without a means of escape. How could they possibly get themselves out of this? There are so many innocent lives to protect from these monsters, but they're so much more efficient than they are trained to be. What are they going to do?

Luke watches his mother hug him tightly, not truly understanding what that voice means to her, but it isn't something good. She's beginning to scare him. She's crying and she won't tell him why. When she had heard that voice she had grown pale and immediately had fallen into tears.

He wants to be brave for her, but seeing his mother like this erodes all the courage he has. And he feels like a little boy.

'You're so young,' Sarah Jane pulls away from Luke and studies him intensely. 'Oh god. You're so young.' She repeats and pulls Luke in for another tight embrace.

What is going to do to protect him? They're almost invincible. How are they going to stop them? She curses that damned voice over and over again, trying to stop herself from collapsing into complete hysterics, but it's so hard not to.

The ship's command deck of the Crucible, in the heart of the web, is a buzz with activity as the fleet preps itself for the assault on the weakened planet. Their greatest victory, their greatest conquest.

The lighting is poor but is doesn't affect the Daleks as they are moving around with their instructions, waiting for the final go ahead before they devastate the planet below them.

'Dalek fleet in battle formation!' One calls out.

'All systems locked and primed.' Another responds to his comrades.

'Crucible at 90% efficiency!' A third Dalek reports and still a fourth comes gliding into the room, the others turn to him as he speaks.

'The human harvest will commence!' He declares triumphantly.

Knowing that the threat will be upon them quickly, the general orders a swift and decisive order, prompting all those under his command to spring into action. Even Martha listens for her orders.

'Battle stations! Geneva declaring Ultimate Code Red!' He shouts into the group of men and women, he can see the fear in their eyes, but that doesn't stop him from declaring the next part with passion. 'Ladies and gentlemen, we are at war!'

No sooner have the words left his mouth when the whole room shakes violently, more rubble from roof begins to fall. The men and women begin cover their heads, in fear if any more were to fall on them.

Martha runs towards the window, hoping to get a glimpse of what's happening and stares, staggered at what she's witnessing.

Dalek saucers. Hundreds of them, thousands even, all gliding across the night sky of New York. They begin to assault the citizens of New York, laser beams shooting down and following that, explosions, massive in scale. Immediately the smoke begins to filter into the night sky.

War. They are at war. Martha sets her jaw and summons her courage. She knows she's going to need it.

The first Dalek that had broadcasted the formation of the battleships earlier turns to face the others, his voice becomes even louder as it announces another important, another ultimate member.

'Supreme Dalek on the bridge.' He declares and all the Daleks turns their bodies to face the back of the chamber. A suspended platform sits before them; a mighty archway is at the back that houses doors within it. The begin to slide open, bright, white light begins to fill the bridge, steam and the noisy sound of hydraulics blast forward, proclaiming his arrival.

The Daleks watch the red Dalek move forward, he makes no further movement once it has reached the platform, to him it is his throne. For he is master of them all.

'Soon, the Crucible will be complete!' He declares triumphantly. 'We have waited long for this ultimate destiny. Now the Daleks are masters of the Earth!'

All of the other Daleks begin to swivel at that proclamation, all facing the supreme Dalek, revelling in his announcement.

'Daleks are masters of the Earth!'

All declare those words as all relish in that fact. The multiple tiers house other Daleks as they rejoicing, others on balconies repeat the chant, and they are at their most powerful. They cannot be stopped. This is their ultimate destiny.

'Daleks are masters of the Earth!'

Rose and Donna frantically try to hold on as the Doctor pilots the TARDIS towards their destination. It almost seems like she is responding to their urgency and is being less than graceful. In honesty, Rose doesn't know how to feel about heading to the Shadow Proclamation. The situation must be like nothing they have ever faced. For them to demand help from them…how dire were their chances? Without the Shadow Proclamation's help, were things truly that despondent? The odds were truly not in their favour…Rose bit her lip.

'Are things really that bad?' Rose finally questioned and the Doctor turned to her, his eyes are full of anxiety.

'Yes.' Is the only reply he gave her. Donna seems to have pulled herself from her mood earlier, figuring it would be better to but her fears aside and get immersed in how they can solve this problem.

'How are you managing, Donna?' Rose leans over; whispering to her and Donna gives her a bit wistful smile.

'I'll be okay,' She promises and turns her attention to the Doctor who is still flicking things on the console. 'So, go on then, what is the Shadow Proclamation?'

'Posh name for police. Outer space police. Here we go!' The Doctor announces Rose clings to the console of the TARDIS, grasping Donna's arm as she nearly loses her balance.

The exterior of the Shadow Proclamation is a magnificent feat of architectural brilliance. It is a huge installation in that quadrant of the galaxy, with massive metal towers that range across a series of linked asteroids. It hangs in space like type of fantasy portrait; it is sleek and very modern.

The quiet nature of the office is shattered by an odd sound, a sound that she didn't think she'd have ever heard in her lifetime. Unsure of what to expect, she dispatches her soldiers. She crosses her arms and awaits the outcome.

The Doctor steps out of the TARDIS, with Rose and Donna following him, they haven't even had a chance to take another step when they hear that sound of heavy footsteps that thunder around the corner ahead, and Judoon spill out. All are helmeted save for one and they raise their guns at them. Donna, Rose and the Doctor instinctively raise their hands and it causes the Judoon to cock their weapons.

The Judoon without the helmet steps forward, though he keeps his weapon poised on them. 'Sco! Bo Tro! No! Flo! Jo! Ko! Fo! To! Do!' He questions and the Doctor takes a small step towards them.

'No! Bo! Ho! Sho! Ko! Ro! To! So! Bo Ko Do Zo Go Bo Fo Po Jo!' The Doctor responds, Donna and Rose exchange confused and yet mildly entertained looks. Whatever the Doctor has told them, they lower their weapons and he smirks. 'Mo Ho.'

The Judoon lead them down the hall they came from and they round a corner. Rose quickens her pace and trots up to the Doctor, Donna trailing her.

'What did you say to them?' Rose wonders and the Doctor smiles at her.

'We're the good guys. That's what I told them.' The Doctor replies and Rose shakes her head, only believing some of it.

'I didn't know you spoke…uh…whatever that was.' Donna pipes in and the Doctor shrugs.

'I can do lots of things you don't know about.' He counters mysteriously and Donna raises her eyebrows at his remark, obviously not impressed. Rose stifles a laugh.

The Judoon stop at the end of a long corridor, where a large door presents itself. The Judoon motion them to go forward and the Doctor leads Donna and Rose towards the door.

Rose turns back to look at the Judoon, they eye them cautiously but make no movement towards them. She notices that she's fallen behind a bit and quickens her pace to catch up.

When they do reach the doors, they slide apart to reveal a large, modern, yet simple looking office. It has a chill to it and the lights are dim that only seem to shine on the corners of the room and on the very large desk poised in the middle of the room.

Rose hears the Judoon marching towards the office again and Rose turns back to the office to see a woman, and she appears to be an Albino. She gives them an intensive stare as she studies each of them.

Rose does the same. Her hair is pulled back very tightly into a black snood and she is swathed in black robes. Her eyes are red and very solemn. She turns her attention to Rose and she narrows her eyes at Rose. Rose merely rubs her arms.

There are more Judoon stationed through out the office, and the ones in the hall have now caught up and stand inside, blocking the exit. They continue to be on guard.

The woman folds her arms across her chest but remains silent, obviously waiting for their group to speak first.

'You're the Architect?' The Doctor questions and she tilts her chin towards him.

'Yes. And who are you?'

'I'm the Doctor.'

'State your species.' She demands and the Doctor gives her an unimpressed look but he nonetheless relents.

'Time Lord.'

'But Time Lords are the stuff of legend. They belong in the myths and whispers of the Higher Species. You cannot properly exist.' The Architect informs them and Rose rolls her eyes.

'Well, obviously if he's standing before you, he must properly exist.' Rose retorts and the Architect throws her malicious glare. They hold each other's gaze for some time before the Doctor interrupts.

'Right. More to the point, I've got a missing planet!' The Doctor replies and the Architect drops her hands to her side. Clearly the urgency wasn't a factor for her, she just ponders her answer before she shakes her head.

'Then you're not as wise as the stories would say,' The Architect mocks and narrows her eyes at the group again, as if they've soured her with their actions. 'The picture is far bigger than you imagine. The whole universe is in outrage, Doctor, twenty-four planets have been taken from the sky.'

The Doctor quickly turns to Rose, her suspicions may have been correct. 'How many?!' He repeats, staggered. 'Which ones?! Show me!'

The Architect presses a button on the desk and a screen reveals the information about the missing twenty-four planets. The Doctor moves around the Architect's desk, joining her as he observes the information.

'The locations range far and wide. But all disappeared at the exact same moment. Leaving no trace.' The Architect informs them and the Doctor slips on his glasses, frowning at the screen.

Rose and Donna exchange looks, wondering if they are thinking the same thing.

'What about that planet that Lucius mentioned?' Donna leans in and whispers.

'That's what I thought too, the Adiposian one…' Rose responds and Donna frowns.

'Callufrax Minor. Jahoo. Shallacatop. Women Wept. Clom!' The Doctor turns to Rose who gives him a funny look. 'Clom's gone! Who'd want Clom?!'

'All different sizes, some populated, some not. But all unconnected.' The Architect points to something on the screen.

Donna nods at Rose and figures she'd inquire about those other planets that they seem to have come across over their travels. 'What about Pyrovillia?'

The Architect's head shoots up and eyes Rose and Donna again. 'Who are the females?' Her voice is frosty.

'Excuse you. We have names. I suggest you start using them.' Rose replies, anger in her voice. Donna crosses her arms and then motions between herself and Rose.

'That's Rose and I'm Donna. We're human beings. And we may not be the stuff of legend but every bit as important as Time Lords, thank you,' Donna links arms with Rose and the Doctor smiles proudly at them. Donna looks past the Architect to the Doctor. 'Remember, in Pompeii, Lucius said Pyrovillia had gone missing.'

'Pyrovilla is a cold case. Not relevant!' A Judoon announces and Rose turns to him, confused.

'A cold case? How is that?' She wonders and the Architect crosses her arms, glaring at Rose.

'The planet Pyrovillia can't be part of this, it disappeared over two thousand years ago.' She informs them but Rose shakes her head, willing her to understand how truly massive the problem was.

'Hold on.' Donna interrupts and Rose nods before she jumps in.

'The Adipose Breeding Planet, because Miss Foster said it was lost. I wonder how long ago it was lost.' Rose recalls and the Doctor snaps his fingers, understanding how this could change things.

'That's right. These planets are being taken out of time as well as space…' The Doctor trails off as he begins to presses buttons on the desk, turning the map into 3D. 'Now in 3D…' Rose and Donna study the map as it floats in mid air. All twenty-four planets are grouped in an array. 'Now if we add Pyrovillia…and then Adipose 3, then…' The Doctor pauses. Two more planets appear in the floating graphic. 'Something is missing…'

'The Lost Moon of Poosh!' Rose cries and the Doctor nods, smiling widely at her as he pushes another button.

They all watch as a small moon appears among the twenty-six, and then, strangely the planets rearrange themselves with an abrupt spin, and then settle into a new pattern. A pattern that is moving in slow orbits.

'What did you do?' The Architect questions, staring intensely at the new map before them.

'Nothing. They rearranged themselves. Into the optimum pattern,' The Doctor replies. 'Ohh, but look at that! Twenty-seven planets in perfect balance. Come on! That is gorgeous.'

'Oi, don't get all Spaceman, what does it mean?' Donna wonders and the Doctor looks back over to them.

'All those worlds fit together like pieces of an engine. It's like a powerhouse! But what for…?' The Doctor wonders, frowning as he tries to figure it out.

'Who could design such a thing?' The Architect questioned and the Doctor's gaze becomes dark, as if he's suddenly remembered something devastating.

'Someone tried to move the Earth once before. Long time ago. But it can't be…'

Rose watches his expression change from amazement to one of utter denial, in the span of seconds. Clearly she can see that he might have met the being responsible for moving all these planets. And the denial seeps in next, hoping that he won't have to face whatever it is that's responsible.

Even Donna manages to catch it. That look always upsets her. When he grows overly concerned she knows that the problem is massive, and she has every right to be worried. Her thoughts go to her family. She hopes with everything in her that they're safe. They have to be…

She reaches for Rose's hand, wanting to feel something real, wanting something to ground her. And she could use a bit of Rose's bravery.

Jack, Gwen and Ianto furiously dash from one terminal to the other in the Hub as they desperately try to keep up with the battle that is currently raging in the skies. The Valiant has been sailing into action for some time now, firing lasers at the swarms of Daleks who are persistent in their own counter attack.

Jack checks another computer to his left and widens his eyes, turning to Gwen and Ianto. 'The Valiant is down!' He announces and Gwen moves towards another terminal as Ianto madly hits keys on the keyboard.

'Airforce retreating over North Africa!' Ianto gives them the most recent update and his look grows grave as he catches sight of another disaster. 'Daleks in Japan!' He barely finishes the words before Gwen cuts in with another update of her own.

'We've lost contact with the Prime Minister's plane, Jack!' Gwen widens her eyes and worriedly calls out the next words. 'Manhattan!'

Without wasting a moment, Jack has run to retrieve his mobile, frantically dialling Martha's mobile number. He paces as he waits for her to pick up. When he hears the audible sound of the mobile being answered, Jack hardly waits for Martha to get any words out before he hastily shouts out his warning.

'Martha, get out of there!'

Martha is kneeling on the floor; her mobile headset is on as she as she tends to a fallen soldier, wrapping his head in thick gauze. She glances around the room; there is utter destruction and disarray. There are so many people running around. Trying not to be distracted, Martha turns back to her patient.

'I can't Jack, I've got a job to do.' Martha doesn't get a chance to finish her sentence before Jack has cut her off.

'They're targeting military bases, and you're next on the list!' He informs her frantically.

Martha glances up to see the General and another soldier standing above her. She frowns slightly at them and the General clears his throat.

'Doctor Jones. You'll come with me. Project Indigo is being activated. Quick march!' He demands and Martha is on her feet.

'I'm sorry, Jack, I've got to go.' Martha closes her eyes, a little concerned that they would have activated it.

'Wait, Martha…!' Jack attempts to get out, but Martha ignores him, trying not to let his frantic nature infect her. The General turns on his heel; the soldier following them and Martha begins to walk behind them. That sick, nervous feeling will not go away. This new information seems to exacerbate it.

The General leads them down a long, narrow, windowless corridor. Martha feels like a prisoner the way the General continues to march the group along. No one has said a word, the silence unbearable. Finally, Martha decides to speak up.

'But, sir, we can't use Project Indigo, it hasn't been tested, we don't even know if it works.' Martha attempts to reason with him, but the General dismisses her worries.

They have come too far in the building, gone down the corridor too far because they don't hear the sound of an explosion, merely feel the shake of the hall, and they know what has arrived. Martha closes her eyes and already mourns those who have died.

Faintly, as if a whisper on the wind, they hear the sound of gunfire erupting. Martha knows it will do no good. Exterminate plays over and over in her mind.

The General marches them along until the end of the corridor until they come across a very large vault like, steel door. The soldier moves past the General and begins to open it; it swings heavily as he yanks it forward.

The door reveals another corridor, but this time the walls are lined with cabinets, they start at the floor and reach the ceiling and each of them have a three pronged handle. The soldier again moves towards a cabinet and turns the handle. As he does that, the cabinets slide open to reveal a harness. It is covered in metal clips and buckles. The General turns to Martha and his voice is devoid of emotion.

'Put it on, fast as you can.' He instructs, Martha jumps slightly as she hears Jack's voice in her ear again.

'Martha, I'm telling you, don't use Project Indigo, it's not safe!' He yells at her, his voice travels through to the General who narrows his eyes.

'You'll take your orders from UNIT, Doctor Jones, not Torchwood.' He reminds her and Martha doesn't need to be told twice. She immediately begins to strap the harness on her. The soldier helps her into in and she turns to the General.

'But why me?' She questions and the General briefly closes his eyes as he attempts to control his emotions and words.

'You're our only hope. Of finding the Doctor. But failing that…' The General pauses, his voice becomes quiet, a touch of sadness is evident in it. 'If no help is coming…then with the power invested in me by the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, I authorise you, to take this,' The General reaches into his pocket and pulls out an electronic key. It is a square piece of metal on a thin chain. Martha widens her eyes in shock, an icy ball drops into her stomach. 'The Osterhagen Key.'

'I can't take that, sir…' Martha informs him, shaking her head already.

'You know what to do. For the sake of the human race.' The General responds, thrust his hand forward and Martha gingerly accepts it. She's scared and yet in awe of the key.

Their heads turn around to the sound of an explosion at the end of the corridor, the steel is blown right off, smoke emanating from the explosion. They're here.

'Doctor Jones. Good luck.' The General salutes her, as does the soldier. Each pull out their revolvers, aiming them in anticipation of the Daleks.

Four Daleks appear and the General and the solider open fire, shielding Martha to the very end.

'Martha, don't do it! Don't!' Jack yells to her, but Martha briefly closes her eyes and reaches for the headset, ready to disconnect. She opens them.

'Bye, Jack.' Martha replies quietly and presses the button to end the call. Martha closes her eyes as she hears their screams, as she hears them die. Martha reaches up and grabs two cords on the harness and inhales deeply. In a swift motion she pulls the cords and instantly vanishes. It takes the air right out of her lungs.

The Hub has gone silent as Jack furiously slams the desk, one, two, three times. He goes silent again. Gwen and Ianto exchange worried looks before Ianto decides to finally speak up.

'What's Project Indigo…?' He questions, careful to keep his voice soft.

'Experimental teleport. Salvaged from the Sontarans,' Jack is still staring at the desk. 'But they haven't got coordinates, or stabilisation, or…' Jack trails off and Gwen swallows.

'So where is she…?' Gwen wonders and Jack turns to look at them.

'Scattered into atoms,' He pauses as the realisation dawns on him. He feels sick. 'She's gone. Martha's down.'

Silence falls like a curtain over the three of them as they each begin to silently mourn the passing of an amazing colleague. Their numbers are already dwindling.

The Supreme Dalek is ready to announce their latest victory status to the rest of the Daleks. This takeover could not have been going any more smoothly. They have encountered such little resistance, and the resistance that they have met has been easily dealt with.

'Commence the landings. Bring the humans here! Prepare the Crucible!' He instructs and just as the Daleks begin to work, a cold, clever voice is heard.

'Supreme Dalek. Is there news?' The voice questions.

'Earth has been subjugated!' The Dalek cries triumphantly but that isn't the news in which he had been referring to.

'I mean, is there news of him?'

Two Daleks remain poised by an echoing chamber, with three freestanding computer banks that are arranged in a wide semi circle. The voice is coming from the camber, but the figure remains shrouded in the shadows.

'Negative! No reports of Time Lord. We are beyond the Doctor's reach!' The Supreme Dalek informs him, a touch of triumph in his voice. He watches as a black and silver Dalek base glides forward.

'Fascinating. If had not elevated beyond crude emotions, I could almost mistake that tone for one of victory. Beware your pride.' The voice warns, his hand, metal and chrome, hovers over switches that are built into the base.

'The Doctor cannot stop us!' The Supreme Dalek cries victorious.

'And yet, Dalek Caan is uneasy.' The voice flicks a switch and a spotlight instantly shines on a section of the far end of the chamber. It reveals an odd shape, a Dalek is revealed. It's been gutted and melted, it's harsh lines now curved and warped.

'The Abomination is insane.' The Supreme Dalek reminds them. The figure is angered by that remark.

'Show respect. Without Dalek Caan, none of this would possible. And he speaks only the truth.'

In the middle of the warped Dalek sits an open shell, housing a Dalek mutant, his tentacles stirring madly. This Dalek creature is more distorted than anything each of them remember in their history. His skin has bubbled and he is now blind, the one eye staring out into nothing. His voice is ancient and he speaks in singsong. Truly this reveals how mad the creature has become.

'He is coming. The threefold man, he dances in the lonely places. Oh, the creator of us all. The Doctor is coming…'

The figure watches Caan intensely, he is enthralled by Caan's predictions. The only question remains, is when? When will this happen?

Rose and Donna remain seated at a distance as they watch the Doctor hunched over the terminal, very hard at work, but Rose can see he is quickly becoming frustrated. He isn't getting anyway, and the Architect watches beside him, studying both him and his actions.

The Judoon have all removed their helmets and have removed themselves slightly, but they remain on guard. They are watching, just in case for whatever may happen and whatever will require their brute force and strength.

Rose turns to Donna, she appears to be utterly exhausted. She keeps her arm wrapped around Donna's shoulders, as she's been silently moved to tears. She offers Rose a small smile of gratitude and hastily wipes her face. She doesn't want to appear to be seen as…weaker in this time. And so she summons her courage, but appreciates Rose's gestures of comfort. She relishes in them. She saves them.

Donna straightens up a bit and continues to stare off into the low-lighted room. She's vaguely aware that her hearing has begun to muffle the natural sounds of the room, until it very nearly becomes white noise. She frowns as she begins to hear something odd. It's soft at first but then starts to get stronger. It almost sounds like a heartbeat. Donna continues to stare off, the beating getting stronger and stronger until she feels a jab to her side.

Donna blinks repeatedly and turns to Rose. 'Donna? Did you want it?' Rose questions as she holds a china bowl in her hands.

Donna turns up to see a younger woman holding the bowl out in front of her. She is a gauntly figure, she's an Albino as well, her eyes are red, but unlike the Architect, her eyes are humble and kind.

'Sure, thanks.' Donna accepts the bowl.

'You both need sustenance. Take the water. It purifies.' She informs them.

'Thank you.' Rose smiles kindly to her.

'Thanks.' Donna echoes but notices that woman is staring past her, like she's looking at her back.

'There was something on your back.' She finally declares and Rose and Donna exchange uneasy looks.

'How did you know that?' Donna questions and woman smiles faintly.

'You are something new.' She replies kindly and Donna shakes her head at that absurd statement.

'Not me, love. I'm just a temp. Shorthand, filing, one hundred words per minute, fat lot of good that is now. I'm no use to anyone.' Donna replies sadly and Rose shakes her head.

'You know that isn't true, Donna. You're brilliant; you've done so many amazing things. Numerous, too many to name!' Rose interjects and Donna turns to her. She can see the conviction in Rose's eyes, and, despite her misgivings, Donna smiles too.

That is until the woman places her hand on Rose's shoulder and squeezes it tightly. 'I'm so sorry for your loss.'

'My loss? You mean Earth? It's more Donna's home than mine. But I do miss it.' Rose responds, rather confused, but the woman merely shakes her head.

'I mean the loss that is yet to come. My god, how devastating it will be to you. May god save you.' The woman clarifies, but offers no more. With that statement uttered, she walks away.

Rose and Donna exchange nervous looks, they're unnerved by those words. Rose feels the uneasiness creep into her again. Could she really be alluding to…? Rose tries not to panic. What are the chances she knows about that? But still… she knew about the beetle, maybe she does really know about the separation.

Rose doesn't have to ponder it anymore, the Doctor calls across to them; she can hear the impatient tone in his voice.

'Donna! Rose! Come on! Think! Earth! There must've been some sort of warning, was there anything happening back in your day, Donna? Like, electrical storms? Freak weather? Patterns in the sky?' He questions, but Donna crosses her arms.

'Well how should I know?' She scoffs, but frowns as she tries to think of any oddities. 'Um…not really, don't think so.'

'Okay, never mind…' The Doctor turns away, brusquely, but Donna suddenly remembers something.

'Although…' She recalls. 'There was the bees disappearing.'

'The bees disappearing…?' He echoes. 'The bees disappearing,' He widens his eyes as the realisation hits him with force. Rose and Donna stare at each other. 'The bees disappearing!' The Doctor begins to leap around the terminal, pressing and slamming buttons.

'How is that significant?' The Architect questions, frowning as she crosses her arms and watches the Doctor jump around the terminal.

'We've got this insects, on Earth, they were starting to disappear. Some people said it was pollution, or mobile phone signals…' Donna attempts to explain before the Doctor abruptly cuts her off.

'Or! They were going back home!'

'Where's their home?' Rose questions and the Doctor looks up to her.

'The planet Melissa Majoria.' He informs them and Donna shakes her head.

'Are you saying bees are aliens?!' Donna cries out, completely staggered.

'Don't be so daft,' He replies dismissively. 'Not all of them. But if the Migrant Bees felt something coming, some sort of danger, and escapes…Tandocca!'

'The Tandocca Scale!' The Architect cries out, shocked.

The Doctor raises his head just in time to see Rose's mouth open, poised to ask a question when he answers it for her. 'The Tandocca Scale is a series of wavelengths used as a carrier signal by Migrant Bees. Infinitely small! No wonder we didn't see it, it's like looking for a speck of cinnamon in the Sahara, but look,' The Doctor motions Rose and Donna to join him. As such, they rush over to him quickly. They are staring at the terminal, the graphics are a map of space, but it is speckled with tiny, faint, dust like trails. 'There is it,' The Doctor points. 'The Tandocca trail. The transmat that moved the planets was using the same wavelength, we can follow the path!'

'We can find the Earth?!' Rose questioned excitedly.

'Oh yes!'

'Well, come on then, stop talking and do it!' Donna cries impatiently and the Doctor rushes by them, taking both their hands in his own, spinning them around and Rose lets out a cry of surprise.

The Doctor pushes open the TARDIS doors and runs right up the ramp, to the console with Rose and Donna behind him. They're beaming, so excited that they can finally get back to Earth.

'We're a bit late, the signal's scattered. But it's a start!' The Doctor informs them and then suddenly thinks of something. He rushes back down the ramp again and pops his head back out of the TARDIS door.

The Architect stands in the office, with the Judoon by her side. She doesn't look impressed.

'I've got a blip! Just a blip! But it's definitely a blip!' The Doctor replies and he smiles at her. Rose peeks out from over his shoulder, curious.

The Architect nods at his statement and then sets her jaw. 'Then according to the Strictures of the Shadow Proclamation, I will have to seize your transport and your technology.'

'Oh…really? What for?' The Doctor wonders a bit and Rose frowns at the Architect's statement.

'The planets were stolen with hostile intent. We are declaring war, Doctor. Right across the universe. And you will lead us into battle!' The Architect declares and Rose opens her mouth to protest, but the Doctor pushes her back into the TARDIS.

'Right, yes, course I will. I'll just go and…get you the key…' The Doctor begins to move backward into the TARDIS, shutting the door quietly. He dashes back up the ramp and grins at Rose and Donna as he slams the levers quickly.

The Architect widens her eyes as she begins to see the blue box slowly fade away. She is angered beyond all belief. She lifts her hand and the Judoon raise their weapons at the TARDIS, cocking them as they await her orders.

'Doctor! Come back! By the Holy Writ of the Shadow Proclamation, I order you to stop!'

A slight breeze enters the office and the TARDIS fades into nothingness. Enraged, she slams her fist down on the desk and silently curses.

The gaggle of people that have emerged are corralled into some sort of formation on the suburban street. It is dark out, adding to the atmosphere, as the people in the formation do not understand what is going on, or what these creatures are that are leading them. One of them in the front turns around and calls out to them.

'All humans will leave their homes!' It announces to them. 'The males, the females, the descendants, you will come with us! Resistance is useless!' It declares and more and more people spill out of their houses. Parents emerge, ensuring their children remain safe with them; some younger ones clutch their parents' legs, terrified. Couples hug each other; some have resorted to putting their hands up, as they walk to the centre of the road to join the others.

'Where are you taking us?' One man dared to ask, one Dalek rounds on him.

'Daleks do not answer human questions! Stand in line!' The Dalek orders and the man does as he's told.

Wilf watches the scene unfold from an alleyway that is a fair distance away from the commotion, shaking his head in disbelief. Sylvia is terrified as she creeps up behind him and notices the paint gun he holds in his hand.

'Dad. Please come home. They're leaving our street alone.' Sylvia tugs his sleeve but Wilf shakes his head defiantly.

'I've got a weapon!' He reminds her and Sylvia very nearly cries out at his audacity.

'It's a paint gun!' She whispers furiously.

'Exactly! Those Dalek things, they've only got one eye! Good splodge of paint, they're blinded!' He reasons and they turn back to the street. The man who had dared as those Daleks a question has decided to make a stand.

'We're not going! Do you hear me?' The man questions the Daleks and he is motioning to his wife and son, who are behind him. 'Laura, get back in the house! Simon! Get inside! Go!' The man declares and watches as his wife and son run back into the house. The man finds a brick discarded on the side of the street and picks it up. He lobes it across the distance and it hits the Dalek with a thud, but it bounces right off. 'Get back in the sky, get back you came from, and leave us alone!'

The man runs back to his house, slamming the door in the process. The rest of the people gathered are still, unsure of how this will sit with these creatures.

There are three Daleks that have begun to glide across the pavement towards the house. 'Maximum extermination!' The Dalek cries out.

All three of them fire three constant beams aimed at the house. Immediately the windows of the house are blown out. There is no need to speak out after what just happened. The people in the street are flinching; some are hugging each other, while others weep silently. They assume correctly.

Wilf and Sylvia watch from their little spot in the shadows, horrified.

'Monsters…' Wilf whispers and Sylvia places her hand on his shoulder.

'Please, Dad. Come home.' She pleads and Wilf relents. Together they turn around and head back the way the came, heading back into the shadows, remaining as silent as possible.

'Are you telling me we just ran away from an official order by the Shadow Proclamation?' Rose questions, but her grin is playful.

'We did. I don't lead anyone into battle.' The Doctor informs them and Rose nods, understanding his reasons.

Donna is watching the console warily. 'Why did they want you to lead them into battle?'

'The Shadow Proclamation has declared war, right across the universe.' Rose explained and Donna just deflated. She was going to respond but the Doctor cried out in anger, and so they turn to him, shocked.

'No! No! Come on! No! No!' The Doctor is staring at the console, eyes wide, but he doesn't say anything more. Rose approaches him and places her hand on his shoulder, however he doesn't turn to face her.

'Doctor…what happened?' She questions softly and he turns up to her.

'It's stopped…' He replies flatly, his voice quiet and in shock. Rose frowns not understanding how it could simply cease.

'What do you mean it's stopped. How?' Rose questions and Donna feels herself becoming anxious again.

'Is that good or bad? Where are we?' Donna demands an answer and the Doctor is quiet for some time before he finally answers her. His hope is fading so fast, his spirit is plummeting. How can it be so hard to find the Earth? What are they missing?

'The Medusa Cascade.' The Doctor breathed and Rose took to heading down the ramp, pausing at the door. She turns back to the Doctor and he gives her a curt nod.

Rose opened the door and Donna joined her, needing to take her mind off her mounting worries. She stands on the ramp and stares into the beauty that stretches before them.

Large blue and gold gas clouds surround them, but they are just staring at the vastness of the empty space. Where are the planets? Where is the array? Rose and Donna stare for some time before Rose quietly shuts the door and lingers on the ramp before she heads up towards the console again, Donna embraces her. She doesn't know what else to do. Why is it becoming so complicated?

When Donna releases her, Rose glides across the floor to the Doctor, still hunched over the console. She embraces him and grasps her tightly, needing her. She can see his anxiety written all over his face. He turns up to the scanner and remains quiet, but ensures that Rose is pressed tightly to him.

'I came here when I was just a kid…ninety years old. It was the centre of a Rift in time and space…' The Doctor quietly tells them.

'But where's the twenty seven planets?' Donna wonders and the Doctor turns to her briefly before turning his attention to the scanner.

'Nowhere. The Tandocca trail stops dead. End of the line.' He informs them and Rose frowns, confused by that statement. Surely there has to be something else. They never just simply give up when things get tough.

'So, what to we do?' Rose questions and the Doctor doesn't reply. He doesn't move, he still has Rose press tightly to him, but he's staring off, so obviously lost. Unsure of what he has to do. What can he do?

'Doctor?' Donna questions, growing increasingly anxious that he doesn't turn to her, that he doesn't offer an answer. 'What to we do?' Donna's voice cracks from fear.

Rose takes his face into her hands and stares at him. 'Don't do this to me. Not now…'

'Doctor, please tell me? What are we gonna do?!' Donna cries out, bringing her hands to her face, near tears and terrified of their situation.

'We don't quit, you hear me?' Rose attempts to get him to look at her, it takes her a few tries, but he finally does. And he looks so powerless. 'We never do. Ever. We have to think of something. Please…we need to…don't give up.'

Rose places a kiss on his forehead and he clings to her, needing everything she's currently offering him. He craves her strength, her bravery…when he looks in her eyes, he is privy to her fears and anxiousness, and yet she puts that aside because he needs her right now.

She turns to watch Donna over the Doctor's shoulder; her face is still in her hands and her shoulders are shaking. Rose knows that she's silently keeping her tears muffled as she slowly begins to fall into despair.

Rose hugs the Doctor tightly to her as she looks around the console room. Hopelessness has gripped them and so strongly…Rose can't give in. Someone has to remain strong. And she'll do anything to restore the hope to them. They have to buckle down and think of a plan, she can't let them dwell with these feelings of helplessness. It won't do them any good. It's never too late…

The Hub has gone silent as each of them tries to cling to some sense of hope, but the droning voices make it very nearly impossible. Jack is hunched on the floor, leaning against the wall, furious and he glares at nothing, wanting to do something, but he is absolutely powerless to help. Why isn't there anything that can be done?

Ianto remains against the wall, separately from Jack and Gwen staring as he sinks further into the waves of desolation.

Gwen muffles her sob as she moves her hands to her ears, trying everything she can to drown out that horrid voice, declaring victory over and over again. She feels like screaming out, wanting them to shut up…but who will listen? Who will save them?

Sarah Jane clings to her son as they sit against the wall; she cradles him to her as she squeezes her eyes shut. That metallic voice continuously claiming their victory over the human race again and again as they broadcast their message throughout the entire Earth. It haunts her.

She frowns as she hears a slight sound, like a radio tuning in to a broadcast, white noise continuously slashing. It fluctuates again until a voice finally breaks through.

'Can anyone hear me? The Subwave Network is open. You should be able to hear my voice. Is there anyone there?' The voice is firm, cool and calculated.

Sarah Jane pulls away from her son and they exchange perplexed looks.

'Who's that?' Luke wonders.

She smiles sadly at her son, explaining this is so hard because it isn't something that he should have to hear. 'Some poor soul calling for help. There's nothing we can do.'

'But look at Mr. Smith.' Luke points to the computer screen and Sarah Jane looks over to it. She frowns when she sees that the crystal display screen has been replaced by white noise. She can vaguely make out a face that has been lost in the static, but it's so hazy.

'If you can hear me, then please respond. This message is of utmost importance. And we haven't got much time…'

Gwen pulls herself up from the ground and heads towards the computer terminal, intrigued by the odd voice that has emitted from the white noise.

'Someone's trying to get in touch.' Gwen informs them, turning towards them frowning. Jack merely holds up his hand, not wanting to hear it. And believing, truly that is was a call for help. Didn't they know how hopeless the world is? No one, not anything can help them.

'The whole world's crying out. Just leave it.' Jack demands and Gwen begins to open her mouth, but that voice doesn't seem to have taken too kindly to such a trivialising attitude.

'Captain Jack Harkness,' The voice scolds. 'Shame on you. Now stand to attention, sir!'

'What…?! Who is that?' Jack wonders, as he is on his feet and rushing over to stand beside Gwen at the terminal. Ianto joins them mere moments later. Jack hits a key on the keyboard to unscramble it and widens his eyes at the revelation.

She smiles briskly at them and holds up her passport. 'Harriet Jones. Former Prime Minister.'

'I know who you are!' Jack cries out and smiles widely.

Sarah Jane widens her eyes as the former Prime Minister appears on her screen. She grins and rushes towards Mr. Smith, Luke dashes to her side. She feels hope renewed within her. Perhaps there's a chance after all. And they need to fight to keep it alive.

'And you, Sarah Jane Smith, 13 Bannerman Road, are you there?' Harriet wonders and she nods enthusiastically.

'I'm here! That's me!' Sarah Jane confirms and she puts her arm around Luke's shoulders. This is truly wonderful.

'Good, now let's see if we can all talk to each other.' Harriet comments and leads forward to press a button.

On Mr. Smith's screen the image divides into four as it displays the computer point of views of Harriet, Torchwood and Sarah Jane. All of them grin as this new development tips the balance into their favour.

Harriet shifts into her seat, trying to make herself as comfortable as possible and quickly observes her surroundings. She's going to miss her house. Her lovely, old house. The stairs creak, she knows how to step on them, and in just the right way to ensure they remain quiet. The back door sticks, but there's a certain way to jiggle the handle so it won't be as sticky…a house full of quirks and character.

When she first bought it, she thought it exuded class. Something hard to find in the country, that's what attracted her to it in the first place. Still as a place to live out the last moments of her life, at least it would be comfortable and warm. Not harsh or alien. Home. It'd be all right.

She notices that the fourth contact is still a bunch of white noise and static. She'd have to fix that. They all have to meet.

'The fourth contact seems to be having trouble getting through,' Harriet presses some keys on the computer. 'I'll just boost the signal…'

She smiles as the fourth panel resolves into Martha, she smiles widely. Jack grins at her.

'Hello?' She calls to the rest of contacts.

'Martha Jones!' Jack cries out, relieved and elated that she survived. Ianto and Gwen push their way into the frame and hug each other, so happy to know that a wonderful person hadn't been lost to them.

'She made it!' Ianto declares happily and Gwen smirks as well.

'Oh, my god, you're alive!' She informs her and Martha nods.

'Martha, where are you?!' Jack shoves his way back into the picture and demands his answer. Martha merely shrugs, a small smile on her features.

'I guess Project Indigo was more clever than we thought. One second I was in Manhattan…' Martha recalls vanishing into a bright, white light and then woke up on a floor, dazed and feeling rather nauseous. 'The next second…' She trails off, not wanting to reveal where exactly she had gone…home. She keeps her answer vague, but still full of meaning. 'Maybe Indigo tapped into my mind. Cause I ended up in the one place I wanted to be.'

Martha tilts the camera to reveal her mum standing beside her. Another thought still confuses her and she frowns. 'But then all of a sudden, it's like the laptop turned itself on.'

'It did. That was me,' Harriet flashes her passport once more. 'Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister.'

'Yes, I know who you are.' Martha replies briskly.

'I thought it was about time we all met. Given the current crisis. Torchwood, this is Sarah Jane Smith.' Harriet makes a small gesture to Sarah Jane's panel.

'I've been following your work. Nice job with the Slitheen.' Jack commends and Sarah Jane smiles, but decides to take a jab at them.

'Yeah, well I've been staying away from you lot. Too many guns!' Sarah Jane informs him and Jack takes that moment to really study her and flings her one of his infamous, flirtatious smiles.

'All the same, might I say…looking good, ma'am.'

'Really?' Sarah Jane questions, rather bashfully. She feels the heat creep into her cheeks. He's got quite the silver tongue, she decides. Of course, she doesn't really mind his compliments. 'Oh. Thank you.'

'Not now, Captain,' Harriet has a bit of a sigh in her voice. 'And Martha Jones, did some wonderful work with the Doctor not too long ago. One time companion of his as well.'

'How did you find me?' Martha wonders and Harriet straightens up in her seat.

'This, ladies and gentlemen, this…is the Subwave Network. A sentient piece of software. Programmed to seek out anyone and everyone who can help us contact the Doctor.' Harriet informs them and they all frown.

'What if the Daleks can hear us?' Martha wonders and Harriet quickly shuts down that thought.

'No, that's the beauty of the Subwave, it's undetectable.'

'What, and you invented it?' Sarah Jane questions and pride creeps in to Harriet's response.

'I developed it. It was created by the Mr. Copper Foundation.'

'Yeah, well what we need, right now, is a weapon!' Jack decides and begins to ponder that thought more clearly. He wonders if Martha can help. However, he quickly remembers that she can, with that odd little key. 'Martha, back there at UNIT, what did they give, what was that key thing?'

'The Osterhagen Key.' Martha informs him and she digs it out of her pocket, holding it up to the camera, they all take note of the fear in her eyes and are confused by that sentiment. Harriet grows pale and firmly attempts to shut her down.

'That's not to be used, Dr. Jones. Not under any circumstances.' She informs her firmly.

'But what's the Osterhagen Key?' Jack questions, again Harriet deflects the question.

'Forget the key. That's an order. All we need is the Doctor.'

'Excuse me, Harriet, but…thing is, if you're looking for the Doctor…didn't he depose you?' Sarah Jane recalls and they all watch as Harriet's face becomes devoid of emotion, she's clearly recalling her demise.

'He did. And I've spent a long time wondering about that. Whether I was wrong,' She pauses and then smoothes down her attire. 'But I stand by my actions, to this day,' She then tells them the reason she went ahead and did what she did, despite his warnings. It's something she's never told a soul. Not until now. 'Because I knew this would happen. I knew, one day, the Earth would be in danger, and the Doctor would fail to appear. I told him so myself. And he didn't listen.'

'But I've been trying to find him,' Martha interjects. 'The Doctor's got my phone, on the TARDIS, but I can't get through.'

'That's why we need the Subwave. To bring us together, and combine forces. The Doctor's secret army.' Harriet informs them and Jack ponders that before a smile breaks out onto his face. Hope is coming back. And oh hell does it feel good.

'Wait a minute…we boost the signal! That's it! If we transmit that telephone number through Torchwood itself, using all the power of the Rift…' Jack pauses when he sees a young boy step into Sarah Jane's frame.

'And we've got Mr. Smith! He can link us with every telephone exchange on Earth! He can get the whole world to call the same number, all at the same time! Billions of phones, calling out, all at once!'

'Brilliant!' Jack shouts in triumph and then stops. 'Who's the kid?'

'That's my son!' Sarah Jane replies proudly and wraps her arm around his shoulders. The group notices that another man has stepped into Jack's frame. He has a rather concerned look etched into his features.

'But, um…excuse me, sorry Ianto Jones, hello,' He gives the group a small wave and sheepish smile. 'But if we start transmitting, this Subwave Network is going to become visible. I mean…to the Daleks.'

Everyone immediately falls silent and they stare blankly into the camera, all eyes watching Harriet. She closes her eyes and gives a curt nod. 'Indeed,' She confirms and everyone leans back, unable to listen to that risk. 'And they will trace it back to me. But my life doesn't matter. Not if it saves the Earth.'

Silence clings to all corners before Jack salutes her and nods his head. 'Ma'am.'

'Thank you, Captain. But people are dying out there, on the streets. That's enough talk. Let's begin!' Harriet declares and the cameras begin to show nothing, the occupants springing into life.

The Hub has become full of life once again; they are reenergised and so full of hope. They all dash around, running from one terminal to the next, all stabbing buttons, hitting them with purpose as Ianto comes running back with a massive coaxial cable, hauling it across the floor, he begins to connect it to the terminals, linking them to a hefty looking junction box.

'Rift power activated.' Jack calls to his team and Gwen hits a button on her terminal.

'All terminals coordinated!' She announces and Ianto nods.

'National grid online, giving you everything we've got!' Ianto declares.

Sarah Jane and Luke are hastily slamming levers together, quickening their pace as fast as they can and Sarah Jane appears in the camera to Jack.

'Connecting you to Mr. Smith.' She informs him and Luke turns to Sarah Jane.

'All telephone networks combined!' He declares.

Martha plugs in her own mobile into her laptop and turns her gaze back up to the rest of their secret, little army. Of course…it's not going to be a secret for much longer. But Martha moves past those feelings. Now isn't the time.

'Sending you the number…now!' Martha presses the button. The number is relayed.

Harriet is furiously working away on her own keys, hastily striking them in just the right order. She hopes that all the upgrades to her own computer, the extra servers and hard drivers, not to mention the wires, will work. She strikes the final key. The lights flash around her, all illuminating their power. A powerful thrum is head.

'Opening Subwave Network to maximum.' Harriet informs them and Sarah Jane nods her head.

She and Luke watch amazed as new lights begin to blaze around Mr. Smith. She holds Luke's hand tightly in her own and with a confident smile on her face she makes her intention known.

'Mr. Smith, make that call!' Sarah Jane demands.

'Calling the Doctor!' Mr. Smith responds and Luke grins up at her.

The furious button slamming hasn't stopped at the Hub, Jack's hand hovers over the final switch and he smiles confidently at Gwen and Ianto. He hits it with force.

'And…sending!'

They all watch the ceiling, knowing what was going on and the all close their eyes, hoping this could be it. This would be the trail of breadcrumbs that would lead him to Earth.

Arcs of electricity shoot up and out of the Water Tower, at the top they become concentric circles of blue and slowly being to send out a blipping noise. It continuously sends it out, reaching out into the universes.

Donna sits on the console chair, utterly defeated. She doesn't know what to think anymore. Surely everyone she loved is dead. Her mum, her granddad…what was keeping them alive? Who would want to steal planets…what's their purpose? Donna leans forward and puts her face into her hands, feeling the assault of tears threatening to spill over again.

Rose keeps the Doctor clutched to her, not that he'd willingly leave anyway. He clings to her, holding her tight in his embrace, resting his chin on her head and staring into nothingness. What could they do? Who could help them?

Silence clings heavily to the console room, none of them daring to move, nor speak, unsure of what to say to one another. Their spirits very nearly broken. Until they hear something odd…

A blipping sound. Everyone freezes, listening and then begin to look around. What could possibly be making that sound? Rose widens her eyes and immediately shoves her hand into his pocket, trying to find it. The Doctor understands seconds later, shoving his hand into his other pocket. Donna widens her eyes as the realisations dawns on her and she stands up, rushes towards them.

'Martha's phone! Oh my god, find it! Hurry up! Come on!' Donna cries and Rose fishes her hand out triumphantly, the phone clutched in her hand. She answers it, and the Doctor and Donna press their heads together, desperately trying to hear.

'Martha?! Are you there? Is that you? Martha?' Rose receives no reply, just that strange blipping down. The Doctor snatches the phone from her and widens his eyes.

'It's a signal! She's calling us!' The Doctor announces and Rose throws her arms up in victory.

'Tell me you can follow it?!' Donna demands and the Doctor flashes her a confident smile.

'Just watch me!' He announces and dashes around the console, hitting buttons at an alarming speed. Rose embraces Donna and the share a quick laugh. Finally. Their friends never give up; they're too smart for that.

Alarms are blaring widely in the Crucible's command deck. Four Daleks work furiously at computer banks trying to ascertain the problem.

'Emergency! Unknown network detected! Subwave frequency!' One Dalek announces.

'Find the point of origin! Find and exterminate!' The Supreme Dalek orders but the cold, calm voice cuts through the panic.

'I warned you, Supreme One…' The voice grows louder as the base drivers itself forward. Now cast in proper lighting, the Daleks watch the figure take shape of a man. He keeps his gaze set on the Supreme Dalek. 'Just as Dalek Caan foretold. The Children of Time are moving against us. But everything is falling into place.'

They already know the outcome of this small inconvenience. The outcome will not change.

Explosions erupt from all the terminals in the Hub, but they don't seem to care about that expensive equipment. Everyone is gleeful that their attempt is working.

'I think we've got a fix!' Jack replies jovially, grinning madly.

He notices that Sarah Jane has shied away from the screen and can only assume that she is experiencing the same small explosions. She comes back into view smiles widely.

'Mr. Smith now at two hundred percent! Come on, Doctor!' She calls out and Gwen dashes to another computer as Ianto shuffles past to reach another.

The Daleks have locked on to her…

'Harriet! A saucer's locked on to your location, they've found you!' Gwen informs her desperately. Jack freezes and moves back into view of the camera.

'I know I'm using the Network to mask your transmission. Keep going!' She instructs and flinches when she hears her windows being blasted out. White light and smoke pour through and into her home, and she can hear the saucer landing. It won't be long now. Maybe seconds. She has to keep going.

And she does. She remains composed as she continues to keep working, not even taking the time to look over her shoulder. She's making her last seconds count. It's all for the greater good.

The TARDIS has been plunged into angry red light; the console room is shaking violently. Rose notices the sheets of flame erupting from under the central grid. She doesn't have time to ponder that as the TARDIS begins to spark from the console, lurching the occupants forward, clinging on with everything they have.

'What's going on?!' Rose calls to him and the Doctor smiles at them.

'We're travelling through time! One second in the future! The phone call's pulling us through!'

'We're going to make it!' Rose calls out triumphantly.

'Come on!' Donna shouts impatiently.

'Three! Two! One!' The Doctor calls out and the TARDIS shudders violently once more.

Harriet pauses for a brief moment as her hand hovers over the final button. She pushes aside her reservations and hits the final key. She looks at Jack in the eye and tries to appear to be as calm as possible. It's not what she's feeling on the inside, but they don't need to know that.

'Captain, I'm transferring the Subwave Network to Torchwood, you're in charge now,' Harriet informs him and then smiles warmly at all the faces gathered before her. 'And tell the Doctor from me. He chose his companions well. It's been an honour.'

With that she stands and turns, her back now visible to the computer camera. She doesn't stumble nor falter. She smoothes down her outfit and exudes dignity. That is how she will die. With dignity. Maybe a bit of redemption as well.

She watches as three Daleks glide through her broken windows and face her. She reaches for her passport and holds it up for them to see.

'Harriet Jones. Former Prime Minister.'

'We know who you are.' A Dalek responds and Harriet merely smiles confidently at them.

'Oh, you know nothing. Of any human. And that will be your downfall.' She warns them and the Daleks are silent before they grow angry.

'Exterminate!'

The last thing anyone hears is that voice followed by the sound of them firing their weapons. The screen burns out, returning to white and then static. Nothing further.

The shuddering continues, and while they can't see what's happening beyond the walls of the TARDIS, they shuffle forward until they all gather at the scanner, waiting and hoping. Abruptly everything is calmed. They continue to orbit now around the array of twenty-seven planets, Rose excitedly points to the Earth. The entire system suddenly ripped into sight.

The TARDIS has calmed as well, the normal white ones have replaced the red lighting. There is silence until they erupt into cheers, Rose hugs the Doctor, overjoyed before Donna embraces them both.

'They did it!' Rose cries out.

'Twenty seven planets!' Donna points to the Earth, just as Rose had. 'And there's the Earth!'

'But why couldn't we see them?' Rose questions and the Doctor is observing the scanner intensely.

'The entire Medusa Cascade has been put a second out of synch with the rest of the universe,' He informs them and then shakes his head. 'Perfect hiding place, a tiny little pocket of time.'

'But we found them!' Rose replies happily. The mood is interrupted as the scanner suddenly fizzes and whines, like it's trying to tune in to something. The Doctor frowns at it, puzzled.

'What's that…? Hold on. Some sort of Subwave Network…' The Doctor wonders and his question is soon answered.

On the screen there are four images now. One square is nothing but static, however other three are filled with people that he knows. Rose covers her mouth at the amazement of it.

Jack begins to yell at the screen. 'Where the hell have you been?! Doctor, it's the Daleks,' Jack pauses as he notices someone else. 'Rose! Hi, Rose!'

Rose recalls the brunette's name, Gwen and she has a bit of sultry smile on her face as she pops into view. 'Oh, he's a bit nice. Thought he'd be older.' She muses and still another man squeezes. Rose smiles at the recognition of him.

'He's not that young.' Ianto reminds them.

Sarah Jane begins to shout at her screen as well, but can't keep the jovial tone out of her voice. 'It's the Daleks, they're taking people to their spaceship,' Then she pulls a young boy into the picture, unable to stop herself. 'And look! Doctor, I've got a son!'

Martha waves enthusiastically at the camera with her mum, her arms are crossed and she doesn't look too impressed. 'It's the Daleks, they're still alive!'

'Just tell him to hurry up and do something!' Francine pleads with her.

Rose and the Doctor embrace each other quickly while Donna has her sights set on that man in the one camera view. He's quite…mm, Donna smirks to herself. The Doctor pulls her closer to the screen.

'Torchwood!' Rose waves to them and the Doctor frowns when he notices Sarah Jane and the young boy.

'Sarah Jane!' He exclaims excitedly. 'Who's that boy? She's got a what?!' The Doctor blinks repeatedly as the realisation hits him. He turns to Rose and Donna. 'Aren't they brilliant?'

He frowns when notices something in Donna's face. He can't quite place it and then notices what it is when she asks her question. 'And who's he?' She wonders, Rose smiles and nudges the Doctor.

'Captain Jack. Don't. Just Don't.' The Doctor warns. Donna gives him a bit of a look and then turns back to the screens.

'It's like an outer space Facebook.' Donna comments and Rose reaches for the Doctor's hand. They smile widely at one another.

The figure turns up to Dalek Caan as he continues to writher and giggle madly. The tentacles are moving about frantically as he continues to spew madness from his mouth. The figure glides towards the Supreme Dalek. This network is intriguing. There is no doubt in his mind what its intended purpose is for. Perhaps it's time that they meet face to face again. After all, it has been so long…

'Supreme One. This Subwave Network. I would address it, give me access.'

The scanner inside the TARDIS fizzes and cuts out, going to static. Donna becomes angered and turns to him.

'We've lost them!' Donna states angrily and the Doctor shakes his head. He squints at the scanner and folds his arms.

'No, there's another signal coming through. There's someone else out there. Hello? Can you hear me…?'

There is nothing but silence until a voice floats out. It's calm, maybe even wise, but contemptuous. And Rose notices the Doctor's look becomes horrified. She turns back to the scanner, confused. They have clearly met before. And this had to be the party responsible for the snatching up of all these planets.

He grips her hand tightly, with bruising force. All she can offer him in response is clutching on to the side of his arm. What's going on?

'Doctor. Your voice is different. And yet, it's arrogance is unchanged.'

'No. But he's dead…' Sarah Jane whispers and Rose hears the utter denial in her voice. She's met him too. She and the Doctor. But who is it?!

Everyone is still staring at the screens waiting to see if this figure would reveal themselves from the shadows. They can hear the sounds of a machine moving forward and Rose catches sight of the Dalek base as it moves into the light, to reveal some sort of creature. She covers her mouth.

The light has revealed a half man, half Dalek, his face is withered and there is an artificial blue eye that is blazing brightly in his forehead. Like a third eye. Rose crinkles her nose to it, it's as if it is trying to stare into her soul.

His torso is swathed in a tunic, almost resembling a black leather straitjacket. And she notices that his metallic hand is always poised, always suspended over the base's switches. He gives the little group a sickeningly twisted smile.

'Welcome to my new Empire, Doctor. It is only fitting that you should bear witness to the resurrection, and the triumph, of Davros. Lord and Creator of the Dalek Race!' He pauses and Rose covers her mouth at the revelation. She turns up to the Doctor who is simply staring at him, unmoving and saying nothing.

Donna is shocked as well, but not of the creature called Davros, it's of the Doctor's silence, she attempts to bring him back to reality. 'Doctor?' Donna stops and waits for a moment. She notices that Rose's hands are rather full so she places her own on his shoulder. 'It's all right. We're in the TARDIS. We're safe.'

That statement seems to jostle him back to his senses, but he still stares at the screen in disbelief. 'But you were destroyed. In the very first year of the Time War. At the Gates of Elysium. I saw your command ship fly into the jaws of the Nightmare Child,' The Doctor recalls and sighs slightly. 'I tried to save you.'

'But it took one stronger than you. Dalek Caan himself.' Davros reveals and he moves back slightly as the light shines on the insane creature still sitting in his destroyed base, shivering, but oh so gleeful. Rose widens her eyes. How did he survive all that?

'I flew into the wild and the fire, I danced and died a thousand times.'

'Emergency Temporal Shift took him back to the Time War itself.' Davros explains once he moves himself back into their views.

The Doctor immediately shakes his head; not comprehending what Davros is telling him. 'But that's impossible! The entire war is timelocked!' The Doctor reminds him frantically and Davros gives him another smirk.

'And yet he succeeded. Oh, it cost him his mind. But imagine! A single, simple Dalek succeeded where Emperors and Time Lords failed. A testament, don't you think, to my remarkable creations?' Davros questioned and the Doctor stares past him, to all the Daleks in the background.

'And you made a new race of Daleks…?' The Doctor wonders, shocked.

'I gave myself to them. Quite literally,' Davros opens his tunic, just a bit and reaveals open ribs, organs underneath that have be peeled away. Rose pales at the sight of the massacre that has become his body and Donna squeezes her eyes shut. 'Each one grown from a cell of own body. New Daleks. True Daleks. I have my children, Doctor, what do you have, now?' Davros taunts and the Doctor straightens up, his face draining of emotion.

'After all this time. Everything we saw. Everything we lost. I have only one thing to say to you,' He pauses and then smiles. 'Bye!' He slams the controls and the TARDIS responds in full force, nearly knocking them all to the ground as she locks on and tumbles towards the Earth.

'Okay so the creator of the Dalek race, that's a new one…' Rose comments and the Doctor nods, already dreading their confrontation once more. Rose can see it on his face.

'What's a Dalek?' Donna questions and it rouses them from their thoughts.

'A Dalek is a spiteful, mean creature that is devoid of any other emotion except for hatred. It will destroy everything that is not a Dalek.' Rose explains and Donna raises her eyebrows at her.

'Okay, so good friends of yours then, I'm assuming.' Donna comments and the Doctor nods his head deeply.

'Oh yes, we go way back…' The Doctor agrees and is nearly knocked to the ground.

'How are we going to stop him? If he's keeping the Earth and the human race alive, do you think he'll try to convert people again, like in New York?' Rose wonders and the Doctor holds her gaze.

'I don't know what his plans are now. There's still so much I don't know.'

He just has to get to the Earth first. That's all he really wants to do.

'Emergency! Locate the TARDIS! Find the Doctor!' The Supreme Dalek orders and Davros calls to the Supreme One from the Crucible vaults. The Doctor's predictability and his habits will place him at the only logical location that means anything to him.

'He will go to the Earth. To find his precious human allies!' Davros calls to them. He turns to Caan as he begins to speak in his annoying little riddles.

'And death is coming. Ohh, I can see it. Everlasting death for the most faithful companion…'

Two Daleks swivel around to face the Supreme Dalek as he relays new information.

'Subwave Network rerouted. New location, Torchwood!' He informs them and the Supreme Dalek puts forth his orders.

'Then exterminate them, at once! Exterminate Torchwood!' He orders and the Daleks send out their weapons. Themselves.

Ianto is motioning to Gwen to join him at his terminal and she rushes over to him, his look is one of concern. Jack brushes by them and runs across the Hub, speaking on his mobile.

Ianto looks over to him and quietly informs Jack of their next impending problem. 'Dalek saucer heading for the Bay. They've found us.'

Jack doesn't hear him, and if he does he pays no mind to that statement. He reaches the armoury and pulls out his old defabricator gun, hastily asking his recipient on the other end of the mobile a fast series of questions.

'Martha, now listen to me, life the central panel, there's a string of numbers, they keep changing, but the fourth number keeps oscillating between two different digits, tell me what they are…'

Martha does as she's instructed, with her mother watching, and she opens up the central panel of the Indigo Project. It reveals a small readout that displays eight different numbers that are constantly changing. She waits and once she's certain what they are, she informs Jack.

'It's a four, and a nine. We could never work out what that was…' Martha admits. Her mother puts a hand on her shoulder, figuring now she would need her support.

Jack grins and takes a quick peek at his wrist, his old wrist strap and keys in the two numbers. 'That's the teleport base code. That's all I need, to get this thing working again!' He watches the numbers begin to oscillate. 'Oscillating four and nine. Thank you, Martha Jones.' He disconnects the call and turns to Ianto and Gwen, hoisting up the defabricator gun. 'I've gotta go, I've gotta find the Doctor, I can lock this thing on to the TARDIS,' He turns to leave, but then whips around again. He notices that Gwen and Ianto are a bit apprehensive. 'I'll come back, I promise you, I'm coming back.'

'Don't worry about us! Just go!' Gwen smiles at him encouragingly.

'We'll be fine!' Ianto adds and Jack gives them a long, hard stare.

'You'd better be.' He threatens and presses his wrist strap. He disappears in a bright white glow.

Gwen and Ianto's smiles falter. They turn to look at one another, their expressions grim and full of dread.

Their attention snaps up to the ceiling as there an awful amount of noise, and rubble begins to fall from the roof. Then they hear the distant battle cry of their enemies.

'Exterminate!'

'They're here…' Gwen whispers and she rushes off to prepare herself. Ianto remains still.

Sarah Jane turns in a small circle as she spots her bag on the bench in the foyer and her keys on the settee. She throws open the closet door and snatches her coat off the hanger.

'TARDIS heading for Vector 7, grid reference 665.' Mr. Smith informs them and Luke turns to his mother, hoping to change her mind.

'But there are Daleks out there.' He protests, hoping to remind her of that very important fact.

'I know, I'm sorry, but I've got to find the Doctor,' Sarah Jane bends down and places her hands on Luke's shoulders. 'Don't move, don't leave the house, don't do anything.' She informs him.

'I will protect the boy, Sarah Jane.' Mr. Smith relays to her and she stands up, already feeling the tears in her eyes.

'I love you. Remember that.' Not wanting Luke to see her emotional, Sarah Jane runs out. She heads for her car.

Rose, the Doctor and Donna all step out of the TARDIS. They have been deposited on a wide, empty street. It's damp out, a slight chill in the air. The Doctor moves past them, wanting to explore, while Donna and Rose hang back, surveying the street. It doesn't even feel like ordinary suburbia anymore. There are open doors to the houses, cars that have been abandoned, Rose has never even felt a chill quite like the one she got. Like someone had dropped an ice cube down her back.

Donna is faring no better. What if her mum's house looks like this? What if they were taken too? It's silent on the street. It's just so eerie. Donna rubs her arms.

'It's like a ghost town.' Donna observes and Rose nods.

'Yeah…it's so unnerving,' Rose agrees and watches as the Doctor stops a ways away, looking around, staring at the sky. 'Doctor!' Rose calls to him and he turns to look at them. 'Remember what Sarah Jane said? They are taking people…'

'Right but what for?' He calls back to her. 'Rose can you remember anything else about your jumps through the dimensions? Donna? What about you?'

'Quit yelling!' Donna shouts back to him. 'Just come back over here!' Donna crosses her arms and he obliges.

Rose has begun to wander towards him as he starts to run back to them. Donna waits patiently, staring off and looking around the empty, cold street. Rose shoves her hands into her jacket pockets as she notices the Doctor begins to slow to jog and then attempts to completely stop. She gets confused until she notices that to the west…a shadow has appeared. One that is ever so familiar to her.

'Exterminate!'

The next seconds are a complete blur to her. The Doctor attempts to stop, twisting out of the way, but it's too late because the beam has been shot. The Doctor manages to move just enough so that the beam grazes the side of his torso, nicking him. Rose screams when she sees that awful skeleton ghost as it appears against the one side of his body.

He collapses.

Rose, uncaring if the Dalek fires on her next, rushes to his side and cradles his body in her arms. He's shivering uncontrollably as a cold sweat begins to take hold of him. He squeezes his eyes shut from the agony. She bites her lip and looks over to the east side of the street as a white glow appears and, as the Dalek rounds on her, to fire the next shot, the Dalek erupts into flames.

When the Dalek tumbles over, Rose widens her eyes at who she sees standing before her a few feet away. Donna is running towards them.

'Jack! Oh god, Jack! Help!' She calls to him.

'I'm here, Rose!' He responds and begins to run towards her.

'Rose…' The Doctor opens his eyes.

She places her hand on his cheek and feels the tears well up. 'It's okay…it missed. Lousy aim. You're going be fine…Jack! Hurry up, please!' Rose shouts to him. 'Please don't die…please…' She whispers and blinks. Her tears fall and the Doctor manages to brush them away, groaning slightly from the excretion.

Jack runs up to her, placing his hands on her shoulders and Donna manages to catch up to them as well.

'Come on, Rose, we don't have to time sit around. There could be more. We need to get him to the TARDIS! Quickly!' Jack hauls Rose to her feet. Her body functions on its own as her mind is completely detached, unsure of what just happened.

Gwen runs back to Ianto, two large machine guns in her hands. She passes one off to him. He looks at her staggered.

'But they don't work against Daleks!' Ianto reminds her and Gwen merely cocks her gun, giving him a defiant look.

'I am going out fighting. Like Owen. Like Tosh. What about you?' Gwen stares him down and Ianto eventually nods. He cocks his own gun and gives her a smile.

'Yes ma'am!'

Jack slams the TARDIS doors shut, ushering Donna and Rose back. Rose can't stay put, wiggling out of his grasp a few times before he finally has to wrap his arm around her waist, holding her firmly in her place. Rose stares, shocked, unable to think clearly.

This wasn't supposed to happen. How is this happening?! He's not supposed to regenerate, they haven't been separated yet! 1969, he was in the same body, and she was gone, how does this make any sense?! What if…

Rose covers her mouth, watching him shudder on the ground as he waits for it to start, what if that incident was in flux? What if…in this very moment…it all changes? The pendulum swings the other way. She feels the tears in her eyes and attempts to get closer to him. Jack tightens his grip. Her tears fall in earnest. It's never easy for her to watch this. It hurts him so much…

Donna is frantic, staring at him on the ground. Why are they so calm, what's going on? How is he still alive after being shot at like that? What happens?

'What do we do?!' Donna questions urgently, but Rose and the Captain, as she's dubbed Jack, make no movements to look at her. They're just staring at the Doctor. 'Come on! There's gotta be some sort of medicine, or…' Donna trails off once the Captain begins to speak.

'Just stay back!' He instructs, and once he says that, he moves Rose back a few steps back. Rose fights him, Donna doesn't understand. 'Rose, you need to stay away from him! He's dying,' Jack tilt's Rose's chin up to him, brushing away her tears. 'And you know what happens next…'

Rose turns her head to him and he offers her an apologetic nod. She bites her lip unsure if she's ready to meet the new him. But…if he regenerates now…that means that they won't be separated. Time is changing…

'What do you two mean?! What happens next?!' Donna yells to them, frenetically trying to wrap her head around what's going on with the Doctor, and why Rose and the Captain won't help him.

Rose holds out her hand to him, wanting to be next him and he does the same. At first he stares at her, seeing the pain in her face, the worry. Next he directs his gaze to his hand and watches the golden glow as it begins to play across it. Rose closes her eyes.

'It's starting…'

Rose relents and moves herself closer to Jack, and he holds her close to him. She needs something familiar. There are so many different thought swirling madly in her head. The possibilities of what this means and how things will be different. And yet peculiarly…she's so conflicted.

Sarah Jane widens her eyes at the obstacles in her way, once she's rounded the corner, and immediately slams on her breaks. The car skids to a halt, tires screeching. Two Daleks swivel around to face her. She instantly freezes, her eyes wide from fear.

'All human transport is forbidden!' One of them states.

'I surrender! I'm sorry!' Sarah Jane manages to get out and the Daleks are silent for a moment.

'Daleks do not accept apologies! You will be exterminated!'

'Exterminate! Exterminate!'

Sarah Jane covers her head with her arms and holds her breath. How foolish had she been to brazenly drive around these Dalek infested streets? Now she is going to pay with her life. She squeezes her eyes shut and awaits the inevitable.

Gwen and Ianto face the circular door, awaiting their guests. Together they cock their weapons and watch the small explosions all around the door. It rolls back like it was nothing. It reveals a Dalek; smoke pours into the Hub, slightly marring their vision, as Gwen and Ianto yell at the Dalek, pure rage courses through them and they open fire.

Donna watches in shock as strange golden tendrils float out from the Doctor, she's still staggered and watches the Captain ensure Rose is still safely away from him. Any time she attempts to move herself closer, he pulls her back. Especially now that he's hauled himself to his feet. Rose is fighting for the Captain to release her, Donna can tell she just wants to be near him, but she doesn't understand why.

'Rose…stop fighting me, it's for your own good!' Jack reminds her and Rose just gives him a look. He turns to the Doctor and gives him a nod. 'Here we go! Good luck, Doctor!'

'Will someone tell me what's going on?!' Donna shouts to them and Rose finally turns around to her.

'When he's dying…' Rose stops and steals a quick glance at him. 'His body…it repairs itself. It changes,' Rose turns back to him, upset that he has to do this. They hold each other's looks. 'Please…'

She's decided. She isn't ready to let him go yet. Not him, not right now. She needs more time. Inwardly she smiles sadly to herself. But how do you stop that once it's started? You can't.

The Doctor watches her bite her lip and watch him anxiously. 'Sorry. Too late,' He gives her a sad smile. He's rather perturbed too, he liked this body. Really, properly liked it. 'I'm regenerating.'

The Doctor throw his head back and splays out his arms, the golden glow of the energy engulfs him as it blasts out from his body. Rose, Donna and Jack shield their eyes from the magnitude of the light. The Doctor's features disappear into the golden inferno. Rose turns herself into Jack's embrace, unsure if she's truly ready to accept this. She isn't ready to give him up yet. Jack just places his hand on her head, waiting for the end result. Everyone is silent.

The golden glow erupts, visible from the TARDIS exterior, the light pours from the windows.

Hi everyone!

I am so sorry it's taken so long for this chapter to get posted. I've been having problems really buckling down and getting it done. Maybe I don't want it to end as much as you do.

So what does everyone think? There are only 2 chapters left, and the next one may or may not be more traumatic than BBC's version. And that's all I'll say. For now, I hope you like it!

Thanks for reading!