Rose does her best to attempt to glimpse at him through the aura of glowing, golden light. It mars her vision, she can see nothing. After staring for too long Rose has to close her eyes, the light has become too bright. When she closes her eyes, all she can see are colourful spots.

Her heart is pounding loudly in her chest; she's amazed that neither Donna nor Jack has mentioned anything to her. She doesn't know why she feels this way. And yet, oddly, she can really describe the wide array of emotions she is feeling.

She presses herself tighter against Jack, needing to feel something real to her. Because right now she doesn't even know what to think. She is vaguely aware of Jack's hand on the side of her head as she turns her vision to focus on his chest. So much of her future is now up in the air. In 1969, the separation had already happened and he had still been in the same body. Rose steals another glance at the Doctor. Now, she was sure, he would be regenerating into his eleventh self. How does that even make sense? What happens? Does the future change? Is everything now up in the air?

Her emotions are faring no better. She's terrified, angry, mystified and so many more. She's terrified because she doesn't understand what happens now. Where will they go from here? Since he's regenerated before, he's obviously supposed to, does that mean they can continue to be with one another…forever? It must happen…it has to, look at the evidence before her. And yet she's angry. To be honest, at least with herself, she isn't entirely sure as to why she is angry. Aside from the obvious rage she feels towards that Dalek that has forced him to go through this painful process. But that's only on the surface. Internally…she feels conflicted.

She's upset that she has to lose him…again. She had grown so accustomed to his face the first time she met him. He taught her so much about life, the universe and its inhabitants that truly, she couldn't picture him as being able to change his face. Not until she was faced with that prospect so many years ago. She had been angry and confused. Exactly the same emotions she's currently experiencing now. Her love had been replaced by a stranger standing before her in his clothes. A man she didn't know. A man she still sometimes missed, even though he is standing right before her. It had to have been that surly attitude he once possessed. The brooding anti-hero. The man now wore every emotion on his sleeve; he was a classic superhero in her opinion.

However…she had warmed to him almost immediately. That new version. And he made her understand that he was still the same man…just a bit different. And maybe she shouldn't have…because he was still the same, but she formed a special bond with the man standing before her. They had done so much together, seen so much together, grew so much together. She loved him. And while she knew she'd love the man he was going to become just as much, losing this man hurt her. Just like it had done the first time. They had discovered so much about the other one together. They had elevated their relationship to a new level together…the two of them…

The Doctor steals a quick look at Rose as she stares into Jack's chest, devastated that she's got to watch him go through that again. Maybe there's a way around this. He doesn't want to change. They've done too much together for him to rediscover who exactly he is again. No…he's grown fond of this body and he knows Rose likes it as well. Perhaps he can do a simple aversion after he's done. That sounds reasonable. Rose just looks so broken, so unsure…he doesn't want to put her through this again. He has to try.

Rose's mind mentally tells her the odd sensation she's currently feeling is Jack rubbing her arm with his hand, trying to offer her support. He knows just how hard this must be for her. It merely brings the tears closer to her eyes. But she doesn't want them to spill over.

'It'll be okay, Rose…' Jack whispers to her, leaning in so she can barely hear the words he's uttered. She has to struggle to comprehend them. 'You'll love him just as much as you did before.' He attempts to reassure her. Rose continues to stare into his chest. Offering him no reply.

There's a reason, though. It's because she's stunned into silence and can only nod her head meekly at his statement. How did he know what could possibly be going through her head? Her limbs move involuntarily as she embraces Jack tightly. Her gesture confirms his every thought that he had been thinking about.

She was worried. She was worried that she wouldn't love the new man he'd become as much as she had before. But he was confident that as soon as he was finished, he would seek out Rose. To ensure that his Rose was the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes. All they had to do was make eye contact and it'd be like nothing had changed. Jack was sure of it. Their bond is powerful, nothing could step between them.

Jack steals a look over to the fiery red head that stares at the unfolding situation with a shocked expression. She wouldn't have had any idea that he could do this. Jack hasn't seen her before, which indicates to him that she has to be recent. Who knows how long she's been with him.

Donna doesn't know how to react to the events that are currently playing out in front of her. She's terrified and worried, but when she looks over to Rose, pressed tightly into the Captain's embrace, she only sees sadness. There's no hint of concern, at least that Donna can see, is she making a big deal out of this? Rose told her that when he's dying he can heal himself. So, why is she so morose? What's the outcome? What will happen to him? Is it something bad?

Rose finally tears her gaze away from Jack's chest and turns it back to the Doctor, biting her lip as she awaits the final outcome. It isn't as if it'll be a shock to her. She knows what he'll look like. So, why is she so nervous? It is because it'll be a proper introduction now? She's eager to properly meet him.

The three of them flinch from the light, staring intensely at the Doctor. His head is still back until he abruptly swings around, aiming both his arms together as he channels the golden energy. He points across the room, starling everyone, as he aims it downwards so that the energy rockets from his hands, like a gun. He points it at the hand in the jar, still tucked underneath the console, it bubbles like crazy and the jar shudders immensely as the golden light blasts it.

Rose feels her mouth open from the shock; she stares at it transfixed, until the energy rips away from him. It's stopped. She rips her gaze back to the Doctor who is standing there, blinking. Unchanged. The same as ever. He's leaning against a support, gasping, trying to catch his breath, but still the same. Rose feels her breath hitch in her chest as he locks his gaze with hers.

'Now then. Where were we?' He questions with a bit of a smile on his face. Jack stares at him, utterly staggered. Donna blinks a few times, as she tries to comprehend what just happened with him.

Rose doesn't know what to think now. She just stands there. Frozen. The Doctor watches her expression. He's slightly bemused.

Sarah Jane still covers her face with her hands so that she doesn't see the hard crack of white light that erupts behind the car. She merely hears the sound of fizzling aftermath. Sarah Jane wonders if it's a new weapon the Daleks have implemented. She hears the hard blast of two weapons as they are fired. Oddly…they don't hit her. She inhales deeply. She's still alive! There's silence…what happened? Sarah Jane lowers her hands to see two smouldering Dalek remains. Sarah Jane hastily gets out of her car, as she's staggered. She goes to inspect the remains when she hears shuffling behind her. She turns around and widens her eyes, covering her mouth. She's completely dumbfounded. She gingerly takes a few steps towards the two figures that have saved her life.

'Mickey?' Sarah Jane breathed and he gives a confident smirk. He moves towards her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

'Us Smiths gotta stick together!' He beams at her, the older woman smiles curtly at Sarah Jane and sticks her hand out. Sarah Jane shakes it.

'Jackie Tyler. Rose's mum. Where in the hell is my daughter?' She demands and looks up and down the street. The anxiousness is eating away at her. All she wants to do is ensure that she's still safe. She's missed her like hell. Why does it take the end of the universes to bring them back together?

Gwen and Ianto continue to fire like mad at the Dalek, shouting and yelling as they have prepared themselves to die. Gwen runs out of ammo and lowers her gun. Ianto runs out seconds later and they stare intensely at the outcome, puzzled. Ianto lowers his own gun, slowly, and they each take a step closer. The Dalek remains in the doorway, stuck. Unmoving. And there, suspended in the air, are the bullets that she and Ianto just unloaded on their intruder. They look like dots and as Gwen moves herself forward she reaches her hand out to touch them, wondering what they'll do. They're just hanging…and so she pokes one. She gasps.

There is a small ripple in the air, like an invisible wall that is hanging in between the inside of the Hub, the Dalek and the bullets.

She gives Ianto a funny look, he appears to be just a perplexed as she is.

'What the hell…?' She mutters and stares at the bullets and the Dalek. However she does silently gives thanks that she's not dead yet.

The Doctor strides past them and kneels down to the hand, still bubbling widely with the golden energy. Rose, Jack and Donna all exchange puzzled looks. How did he manage to do that, without changing?

They observe him blowing on the jar, as if he's trying to cool if off and eventually the energy disperses. He gets to his feet and stares at his perplexed companions. Rose's gaze is held tightly with Jack's, as they deduct silently between them how this was possible. It puts a smile on his features. And Donna…she's got no idea what's just happened. He's rather enjoying this.

'There now, do you see?' The Doctor questions and it causes Rose and Jack to break eye contact and turn to face him. 'I used to the regeneration energy to heal myself but as soon as I was done, I didn't change. I didn't want to,' He steals a quick glance at Rose and is relieved to see her features have grown into one of surprise. 'Why would I?' He questions them and readjusts his tie with a bit of a smug expression on his face. 'Look at me!' He winks at Rose and she finally smiles at him. 'So, to stop the energy going all the way, I siphoned off the rest into a handy bio match receptacle, namely, my hand, that hand there, my handy spare hand!'

Rose gingerly takes a few steps towards him, again she feels so conflicted. And yet she understands now. Why in 1969 he remains the same. He's just explained it to her. They'll still be separated. It's going to happen…she thought for sure that this incident would have caused the pendulum to swing in their favour. Guess she was wrong. Inwardly she feels defeated, and she quickens her pace to him, needing his embrace to calm her down.

'You're still you…' She breathes when she reaches him and he nods his head at her.

'I'm still me.' He confirms, smiling sincerely and Rose smiles widely, relieved.

She flings herself into his embrace and he holds on to her tightly, lifting her up off the ground and placing his hand on the back of her head.

He can hear the shaky breath she lets out in his ear. 'Why would I want to change?' He repeats and he hears the exhale she lets out in the form a soundless laugh.

'I'll always love you.' She whispers quietly to him and Rose can feel him shrug in their embrace.

'Yeah but why leave it up to chance? I look way too good anyway.' His voice is barely above a whisper.

Donna and Jack watch them, immensely relieved and they each have massive smiles on their faces. She doesn't know what she should have been expecting, judging by the expressions on the Captain's and Rose's features, it indicated that it could have gone a different way.

Unable to stand the silence, Donna turns up to Jack with a bit of a sly smile on her face. 'You can hug me, if you want,' Donna informs him. It causes Jack to smile and then let out a laugh. 'No, really, you can hug me!' She insists and Jacks stares down to her.

He wraps an arm around her shoulder and leans in. He doesn't linger long and pulls away. Donna merely frowns. She's gonna have to work on that. She'll get a real one out of him yet.

Gwen and Ianto are working furiously on the terminals in the Hub, trying desperately to understand what exactly just happened. Ianto lets out the sound of discovery and Gwen rushes towards the terminal he's been working on.

'It's a Time Lock!' He announces and Gwen frowns at him. She motions for him to explain more. 'The ultimate defence programme, Tosh was working on it, I thought she never finished it, but…' He points to the terminal. 'She did! The Hub's sealed off in a time bubble, nothing can get in!'

Gwen turns over her shoulder and then turns back to Ianto, she suddenly thinks of something. 'But that means we can't get out.'

'Nope,' Ianto agrees, and points to the Dalek. 'Not without unlocking that Dalek. We're trapped inside. It's all up to Jack, now.'

Gwen and Ianto look to each other and then to the ceiling. Gwen doesn't want to admit it, but it seems like they are rapidly losing the upper hand. She hopes with everything that Jack has found the Doctor. Ianto catches Gwen's apprehension and he offers a comforting smile.

'It'll be okay, Gwen.'

'I hate feeling useless, Ianto. It's all up to Jack, and that Doctor of his…' Gwen trails off and looks over her shoulder at the frozen Dalek.

It doesn't seem as menacing now, bound by the laws of time. She inwardly sighs and looks up to the ceiling. They have to defeat this evil.

Everyone becomes silent as they hear the familiar sounds of the droning Dalek voices. Four of them. Their voices cut through the silence.

'Report! TARDIS has been located!' One Dalek informs the rest.

'Bring it here! Bring the Doctor to me! Initiate temporal prison!' The response comes and the TARDIS inhabitants make no sound as they listen to the four Dalek move backwards, grouping themselves a distance back.

The TARDIS becomes surrounded by a horizontal circle of burning bright light, located right around the middle of it. The light very nearly resembles a halo. There is a brief pause before another Dalek's voice is heard.

'Temporal prison initiated!'

With that sentence uttered the interior lights of the TARDIS fade to black, everyone looks around as the sound of power dying fills the console room. The shadows are a bit unnerving.

The Doctor is frantic as he moves around the console. He stops and turns to them. 'They've got us! Power's gone! Some kind of chronon loop…' He's cut off as the TARDIS abruptly lurches and they are nearly knocked to the floor.

The Daleks back up slightly, keeping their sight on the TARDIS as he announces the destination of where the TARDIS will end up.

'Transferring TARDIS to the Crucible.'

The Daleks don't notices that quite a good distance away, Sarah Jane, Mickey and Jackie have just spotted them as they've run up in an alleyway, ensuring they remain hidden in the shadows. They witness the TARDIS as four Daleks surround her and the halo of light that engulfs her. It lifts her up into the air, merely a few feet but then accelerates as it flies into the sky. They all turn their heads up to the sky as they watch the TARDIS become nothing but a speck and then vanish from their vision.

Sarah Jane turns back to Mickey, as she suddenly thinks of something. 'Those teleport things, can we use them? If they've take the Doctor to the Dalek spaceship, then that's where we need to be.'

Mickey takes his yellow pendant from around his neck and stares at it soulfully. 'It's not just a teleport, it's a Dimension Jump, man, this thing rips a hole in the fabric of space…' Mickey attempts to explain before Sarah Jane abruptly cuts him off.

'But can we use it?!' She questions desperately. And her expression falters when she sees him shake his head.

'Not yet, it burns up energy, needs half hour in between jumps…' Again Sarah Jane interrupts him, having already made up her mind.

'Then put down your guns.' She instructs them firmly and Mickey widens his eyes from shock. Jackie is waiting to hear why she should do such an absurd thing.

'Do what?!' Mickey finally responds to her, he clutches the gun tighter in his grasp.

'If you're carrying a gun, they'll shoot you dead.' Sarah Jane explains quickly and once she's finished, not waiting for their responses, Sarah Jane inhales deeply and steps out into the street.

She walks as confidently as she can into the middle of the street and shoves her hands into the street. 'Daleks!' She calls to them. 'I surrender!'

The Daleks swivel to face her and she holds her breath, waiting to see what they'd do. 'All humans in this sector will be taken to the Crucible!'

Mickey and Jackie watch Sarah Jane with horror as the Daleks approach her. Mickey turns to Jackie, unable to believe what he's witnessing.

'She's bloody mad!' He informs her and Jackie has decided that in order to get to Rose, they'll have to follow her. Jackie is so close to reuniting with her daughter, she won't mar this chance because of the Daleks.

'Mickey,' Jackie turns to him and places her hands on his shoulders. 'If they've taken the TARDIS, with the Doctor in it, you'd better believe that Rose will be with him. They've got my Rose, Mickey…'

Mickey turns to Sarah Jane in the street and he looks past her, to where the TARDIS used to be. He gives a curt nod, resigned and Jackie puts down her gun. Mickey still hesitates and gives his a quick kiss. They nod at each other and walk out into the street, hand up as they head towards Sarah Jane.

'And us! We surrender!' Jackie calls to the Daleks and Sarah Jane turns to them, immensely happy that they decided to join her. Even though she was confident they would have any way.

'Whether we like it or not…' Mickey mutters under his breath as he watches the Daleks begin to advance on them. Hopefully this little act of surrender will get them to the Doctor and Rose. Hopefully he isn't in much trouble with them already.

Martha furiously working on the Indigo Project's readout as her eyes dart back and forth between the readout and the numbers off the website for UNIT on her laptop. Francine can't help but notice the bold, red lettering plastered across the website. She feels her stomach tighten itself into a tight knot. Security Level Red.

Martha glances up to her mother, staring at the computer screen. She clears her throat and Francine turns back to her daughter. 'We've lost contact with the Subwave and the TARDIS. So it's up to me!' She announces with a bit of hesitation in her voice.

'What are those numbers?' Francine wonders as she points to them. Martha doesn't answer her right away. She stands up and starts to hoist on the Indigo Project once more.

'Grid references,' Martha finally answers her. 'Now that Jack's explained the base code, I know how this teleport works,' She pauses. 'I think. But you stay indoors, there's no Daleks on this street, you should be all right, just keep quiet.' Martha instructs and Francine frowns at Martha's statement.

'But where are you going…?'

'I'm a member of UNIT,' Martha informs her proudly. 'And they gave me the Osterhagen Key. I've got to do my job,' Martha feels her voice crack from the utter fear of the Key and clears her throat as she attempts to pass it off as nothing. Francine has caught the look and opens her mouth to protest. She begins to come forward, but Martha holds her hand out to keep her away. 'I'm sorry.' Martha replies sadly.

She reaches for the ripcords and prepares herself once more. Francine doesn't like the look that has appeared in Martha's eyes once she mentioned that key. Why is she so scared of it?

'Martha. What's an Osterhagen key? Tell me. What does it do?' She questions frantically and widens her eyes when she sees tears appear in Martha's eyes.

'Love you…' Is all she says, the tears fall down her cheeks, and before Francine can protest, Martha has pulled the cords. She disappears in a massive, bright glow.

Martha gasps for air as she appears on the ground, the white light dissipating around her. She's dazed, with a bit of a headache forming. She blinks a few times as she tries to ignore the pain in her head as she gets to her feet.

Did it work? Is she in Germany now? Is she close to Nuremberg? She hates the guesswork that comes with this technology. That's when Martha notices where exactly she is. A thick, dense wood. It has to be in the middle of nowhere. Her attention is drawn as she hears something, off in the distance. It's a woman screaming and so she turns. The scream is faint, but she can see Daleks in the air through the tree line. But they don't appear to be heading towards her, or that they've even noticed her. Martha hears that voice as it pierces the surrounding area.

'Halt! Sonst werden wir Sie exterminieren! Sie sind jetzt ein Gefangener der Daleks!'

Martha swallows a lump in her throat. Is she truly ready to put to use the Osterhagen Key?

'Exterminieren! Exterminieren!'

As the Dalek's voice continues to drone on and one, Martha turns in the opposite direction. She scrambles to get away quickly, not really wanting to be caught by them.

She can feel the fear creep into her the closer she pushes herself towards her goal, towards her mission. She silently prays that it won't have to come to this, but just in case it does, she has to be ready. And so, she summons her reserves of courage.

The shadows play in the light, giving the atmosphere a sense of dread as Rose and Donna exchange looks, their faces grim. Jack crosses his arms and finally decides to be the one to break the silence. He's beginning to find it a bit stifling.

'There's a massive Dalek ship, at the centre of the planets,' Jack informs them and they all turn their attention to Jack. 'They're calling it the Crucible. Guess that's our destination.'

'You said all these planets were like an engine,' Donna recalls as she turns to the Doctor. 'But what for?' The Doctor ponders and he turns to Rose, hoping that she can still recall anything important from her time in the parallel world.

'Rose? What do you remember?' The Doctor wonders and Jack turns over to her, unsure of what they could be talking about. Donna's features cloud over as she tries to remember as well.

'Right…they've been running ahead of us. I've seen the future.' Rose stares off as she begins to recall her memories of the time she spent there. She presses her hand to her head, feeling the throbbing pain increase.

'What was it?' The Doctor wonders as he places his hands on her shoulders. Rose doesn't look him in the eye, she's locked her gaze with the floor.

'It's the darkness.' She informs him and Donna widens her eyes.

'The stars were going out.' Donna remembers and Rose nods her head. The Doctor brushes away some of her hair, tucking it behind her ear, hoping that would encourage her to go on.

'One by one. When I looked up at the sky, they were just dying. At the same time, the walls between dimensions started to unravel,' Rose pauses and turns her gaze upward. She notices Jack's utterly confused face, Donna's look of concern and the Doctor silently telling her to go on. And so she does. 'If I had been trapped there…we started working on this…well, um a travel machine. A Dimension Cannon, so I could…well…'

'What?' He wonders, smiling that smug smile. Rose's features morph into one that's less than impressed.

'So I could have come back,' Rose informs him. 'But you already thought of that, judging by your smirk,' Rose retorts but her gaze clouds over. 'But I remember…we were all shocked when it just started working. Cause all of the dimensions had started to collapse. It wasn't just the parallel world, not just this world, but the whole of reality. Even the Void was dead. Something is destroying everything…'

Donna suddenly remembers something that Rose had mentioned to her when they were in that warehouse, as she prepared her for time travel. 'Rose…do you remember what you said about me? In the warehouse?' Donna wonders and Rose turns over to her.

She did. She did tell Donna that. The Doctor turns to gaze between Donna and Rose. What did she tell her? Rose closes her eyes as she remembers their conversation, and she feels the twang of heartache when she remembers why she had the TARDIS in the first place.

'Well, the Dimension Cannon could measure the Time Line. And it was odd because, well, Donna, they all seemed to converge…on you…' Rose informs her and Donna throws Rose a disbelieving glare.

'But why me?' Donna pleads for an answer and only receives a shrug of Rose's shoulders. 'What have I ever done? I'm a temp. From Chiswick!'

There is a low level beep from the scanner, interrupting their conversation and the Doctor runs over to it. He turns back to the little group, a bit of grim expression on his face.

'The Dalek Crucible. All aboard!' He announces sourly.

They couldn't possibly see where the TARDIS is being pulled into. The Dalek Crucible is many miles in diameters that are all studded and riveted in the colour of bronze. It has six bristling metal arms radiating out of its centre. The TARDIS seems like a speck of dust as it is drawn towards the Crucible.

The interior of the console room bumps violently to indicate they've landed. Rose can't stop the fear that has begun to eat away at her. When she turns to get both Jack and the Doctor in her line of view, their faces reveal the same.

While the shadows in the low light mask some of their features, Rose can see past them. She can see the nervousness in their eyes. The Doctor catches Rose looking at him, he can see her fear.

'We'll have to go out,' He announces to them. They all turn to him, shocked. 'Cause if we don't, they'll get in.

'You told me, nothing could get through those doors.' Rose recalls and the Doctor doesn't answer her. Jack crosses his arms as he tries to shove his shock down.

'You've got Extrapolator shielding!' Jack reminds him and the Doctor shakes his head at their reasoning.

'Last time we fought the Daleks, they were scavengers, and hybrids, and mad, but this is fully-fledged Dalek empire, at the height of its power. Experts at fighting TARDISes, they can do anything. Right now, that wooden door…' The Doctor pauses and motions to the only thing that stands between them and the empire. 'Is just wood.'

Rose covers her face with her hands at that thought and Jack closes his eyes. Donna vaguely hears the conversation. She begins to tune it out as she focuses on the sound of something that has begun to drive itself into her head. She becomes lost in thought as she hears that heartbeat again.

The Doctor runs his hand through his hair and abruptly point to Jack. 'What about your teleport?'

Jack merely shakes his head sadly. 'Went down with the power loss.' Rose shakes her head at their bad luck. Seeing no other option for them the Doctor offers them a nervous smile.

'Right then. All of us,' The Doctor informs them and Rose gives him a small, nervous smile. Jack nods at his statement. 'Together, yeah? Donna?' The Doctor questions and he turns to see her just staring into nothing. 'Donna?'

Donna is jostled out of her trance and blinks a few times. 'Yeah.'

The Doctor assumes that she's just scared and smiles sadly at her. 'I'm sorry. There's nothing else we can do.' He informs her and Donna nods her head, still not entirely focusing on him.

'Yeah, I was just…I know.' Donna tells him and again she stares off.

Rose inhales deeply as they all attempt to psych themselves up for what will sure be their utter destruction.

'Surrender, Doctor and face your Dalek masters.' A voice threatens them and Rose smiles nervously.

'Crucible on maximum alert!' Another Dalek warns and Rose laughs nervously.

'Daleks! It almost sounds like they think this is part of your grand plan. Like you've planned this!' Rose laughs a bit more before she just resorts to a smile.

Jack begins to laugh as well, mostly at the absurdity. 'Oh god! Like you ever have a plan!' Jack agrees and it causes the tension to disperse, there are nervous smiles around the console room.

The Doctor takes a quick look around the room at the ones he has gathered there with him. Each amazing in their own way. He takes a deep breath.

'It's been good, though, hasn't it?' He wonders and sees genuine smiles appear on Jack and Rose's faces. 'All of us, all of it. Everything we did,' He turns to Donna and she gives him a bit of a crooked grin. 'You were brilliant,' He turns to Jack next and he grins at the Doctor. 'You were brilliant,' And finally he turns to Rose. She gives him a beautiful smile and he can't help but match it. 'And you…you were brilliant,' He takes a deep breath and heads towards the door. 'Blimey.'

Rose trots up to him and he turns to her. 'It'll be okay.' She tried to reassure him.

'End of the world.' He counters and Rose merely sticks her hand out to him.

'Then as the world comes to an end…I'll be here to hold your hand. Always. Together or not at all.' Rose informs him and he hastily grasps her hand. He relishes in her bravery, taking in all he can. Rose holds out her hand behind her and Jack takes a hold of hers.

The Doctor gives them a nod and he pushes open the TARDIS door, stepping out with Jack and Rose. Donna stares off but snaps herself out of her trance when she notices that the three of them have already stepped out. Donna walks towards the door. But she freezes; her eyes glaze over when she hears that odd sound. That heartbeat. Where is it coming from? The others don't notice that Donna has fallen behind.

Rose widens her eyes as she, the Doctor and Jack step out of the TARDIS, staring at the multiple Daleks that cover all of the floors, there are tiers above, all filled with them, some are even flying above their heads.

She notices a red Dalek that is sitting on the platform, watching them.

'Behold, Doctor! Behold the might of the true Dalek Race!' The red Dalek announces to them and Rose just stares at them, transfixed.

That's when she notices that someone is missing, so she turns to the TARDIS to see Donna in the doorway staring at the console, like she's entranced by something. But Rose doesn't know what it is.

'Donna?' Rose calls to her and that causes the Doctor and Jack to turn around to see what's going on.

'Donna, come on, you're no safer in there…' The Doctor reminds her and Donna turns back to him, shaken from her trance, although still rather confused. Nonetheless she begins to walk towards the door, however before she can step out, the door to the TARDIS slams shut with an audible bang.

'Donna?!' Rose screams and widens her eyes.

'Donna?' The Doctor runs to the door, Rose tries to follow him, but before she can break out into a stride, Jack wraps his arm around her stomach, keeping her from pressing onwards. 'Donna?!' The Doctor yells as he bangs on the doors, but they will not open. He tries yanking it open but to no avail.

'Doctor? What have you done?' Donna questions, banging on the door. 'Oi! I'm not staying behind!'

'It wasn't me, I didn't do anything!' He insists and then rounds on the Supreme Dalek, balling his fists. 'What did you do?!'

'This is not of Dalek origin.' Comes the reply. Rose narrows her eyes, they have to be lying. They have to be.

Rose stares at the TARDIS in absolute horror as she can hear Donna banging frantically on the door from the inside. Jack is frozen, unsure of what to do to help the situation.

'Doctor! What's going on?!' Donna cries out desperately.

Rose immediately rounds on the Dalek on the platform, hoping to reason with him. 'Please, just stop it! She's our friend. Just…just open the door and let her out. Please…' Rose says, holding on to Jack's arm.

'This is Time Lord treachery.' The Supreme Dalek informs them and the Doctor adamantly shakes his head at that.

'It wasn't me!' He insists desperately and motions to the door behind him. 'The door just closed on its own!'

'Nevertheless. The TARDIS is a weapon. And it will be destroyed!' The Supreme Dalek declares and while Jack and Rose are already standing a few feet away from the TARDIS, Jack ensuring that Rose moves no closer, the Doctor barely has enough time to jump back from the TARDIS door as a panel on the floor slides open to reveal a trapdoor. The TARDIS instantly drops through, like a stone, as it vanishes from their sight.

Rose screams as she tries to get Jack to release her, fighting him, so that she do something, anything to bring the TARDIS back. Her head begins to hurt as the throbbing pain returns to her head.

'What are you doing?! Bring it back!' The Doctor demands and Rose vaguely hears him, she's just staring at the open floor, still in shock and disbelief.

Donna is thrown against the rail of the interior of the console room, and once she's knocked into it, she grabs a hold of the railing as tightly as she can manage. She clings on for dear life. Terrified. What exactly is happening? Where's she going? Her breathing becomes shallow and uneven as she stares frantically at the door.

'Doctor!'

No one can hear her as the TARDIS is shooting down a metal shaft, inevitably heading to meeting its demise.

The Doctor runs past Rose and Jack and stops at the Supreme Dalek's base, raging and feeling the wrath course through him. He doesn't want to stop it, what he wants is Donna and the TARDIS back.

'What've you done, where's it going?!' He demands angrily, shouting at the Dalek, but there is a silence that follows before the Dalek answers his question.

'The Crucible has a heart of Z-Neutrino Energy. The TARDIS will be deposited into the core.'

The Doctor stares at the Dalek completely staggered. He widens his eyes and quickly glances back to the hole still in the middle of the floor. He abruptly turns back to the Dalek's base. 'But you can't, you've taken the defences down, it'll be torn apart!'

Rose widens her eyes and immediately feels sick and light headed. Jack tightens his hold on her, noticing that she's stopped fighting him. He notices how pale she's gotten and fears she might collapse.

He looks around the room, trying to see if he can spot any sort of weapon besides his own. It won't be much use. Inevitably his gaze rounds the room and settles on the gap still mocking them, as it remains open.

He closes his eyes and prays that the TARDIS hasn't hit the heart of the ship yet, and hopes, maybe naively at that, that the Daleks will bring the ship back. And for once spare an innocent life.

'Jack…what are we going to do…?' Rose whispers to him and Jack inwardly sighs.

'I don't know Rose…'

The core of the Crucible is a huge, hollow metal space that is encased by a metal roof high above it. Half of the space is filled with boiling white energy. The TARDIS tumbles out of an open panel and lands right into the white energy, disappearing into it.

On the inside, in the console room, Donna is frantically pulling herself back to the console. The room is hastily increasing in light as together; she and the TARDIS disappear further into the white abyss.

A row of roundels shatters and Donna glances towards them, seeing nothing but whiteness and smoke. Another row shatters and Donna yelps, ducking down and covering her head.

Flames begin to erupt behind her as steam forces its way out from under the grille and even from the walls. Another round of roundels shatters.

Donna is on her knees, close to the console as a coughing fit wracks her body, the smoke becoming thicker. The white light is almost blinding. She can feel the heat blasting through, thickening the air and the pressure from it. Donna looks around and covers her eyes. She's utterly terrified and helpless.

Rose, mustering up some courage begins to march towards the Dalek's base, anger and determination in her eyes, Jack has to hold on to her arm not wanting her to get too close because he is unsure of what they might do. But he feels the rage within him as well. However Rose points her finger at the red Dalek and sets her jaw.

'You bring her back right now! Bring Donna back now!'

Unable to stay quiet any longer, Jack joins them. 'Let her out!'

'The female and the TARDIS will perish together. Observe!' The Dalek announces and they watch as he turns to an open portion of the ceiling.

The three of them watch as a massive viewscreen appears in mid air as it shows them in full frame…

The TARDIS in a bed of boiling white energy.

Rose covers her mouth from the horror of what she's witnessing. Jack feels his own mouth open from the shock and as Rose manages to wiggle free he doesn't stop her. He's wholly staggered. Rose quietly walks towards the Doctor as she stands beside him. The Doctor desperately turns to the Dalek, willing to give them whatever they want just so Donna will remain safe.

Rose is still unable to tear her eyes away from the screen. She can hear, faintly, in the back of her mind, the cry for help. She has no doubt that's from the TARDIS and she feels tears spring to her eyes. They're still connected, if ever so faintly, and her cries for help tug at Rose. She feels terrible, as she's unsure of what to do.

'The last child of Gallifrey is powerless!' The Dalek mocks and Rose grits her teeth against that insult.

'Please, I am begging you, I'll do anything, put me in her place, you can do anything to me, I don't care, just get her out of there!' The Doctor pleads with the Dalek desperately. But he makes no movement and Rose immediately reaches for his hand. He grips it tightly, and Rose decides not to tell him about what she hears, it wouldn't be fair to him.

Instinctively, Rose clings to his arm as together they watch the TARDIS sink deeper into the white energy. She closes her eyes as the pleas become frantic.

Donna has huddled herself against the console, trying to escape the brightness of the light, the thickness of the smoke that has settled in the console room, making everything blurry and hazy. The fire has begun to creep ever closer to her.

Abruptly, Donna stares off as her fears and franticness drain away and she becomes calm. She hears it again. That heartbeat.

The realisation hits her, as she suddenly knows the origin of it. She turns around so she can see. Her gaze is locked with the hand in the jar as it's bubbling away madly. Donna tilts her head as the noise of the heartbeat entrances her, hypnotising her. Without thinking, Donna reaches her hand out, it's as if her mind is directing her limbs but she doesn't understand it. Why is she doing this? And why is it making that sound?

She reaches closer and the very instant Donna touches the jar, she gasps.

Golden energy and tendrils stretch forth, enveloping Donna and the jar in the mighty glow. She's still transfixed and she shudders as the light storm twists itself around the two of them. She vaguely hears the shattering noise of the jar and that's when the golden energy abruptly dissipates. Donna is thrown back with a thud.

Rose rubs the Doctor's arm, trying to offer him some solace. He wraps his arm around her waist as they stare at the last moments of the TARDIS and Donna. She can't imagine what's going through his head at this moment. What emotions he's currently experiencing. She imagines they'd be all over the spectrum.

His ship, his ship that has been with him for who knows how long is slowly meeting her demise, not mention the last link with his home planet, with his culture. And Donna…she's sure that his emotions are everywhere when his thoughts turn to her. Guilt. She's sure that's the major one that has already begun to eat away at him. Guilt and regret.

Rose is snapped from her own thoughts when the Doctor suddenly winces and withdraws his hand from her waist. He's breathing heavily, it's bordering on panting. Confused, she turns to him, but he's already looking at the Dalek.

'You are connected to the TARDIS. Now feel it die!' The Supreme Dalek announces and Rose whips around, unable to control her anger anymore.

'Stop it! You have no right to do this! Stop! Right now!' Rose calls to them but her pleas and demands fall on deaf ears.

'The female will be silent! Or be exterminated!' The Dalek warns and the Doctor turns to her.

'Please…I can't bear to lose someone else I care for…'

Rose immediately falls silent and together they turn back to the screen, watching the TARDIS, still unsure of what to do. Both of their thoughts are on Donna. Rose feels sick, as they are unable to reason with these creatures for her safety. How long with they torture them with this footage.

The pleas that Rose had heard earlier from the TARDIS have gone silent.

Donna coughs a bit as the smoke mingles in the air. She begins to snap out of her trance from earlier and is feeling much like her old self, although she wonders why she's on the ground. That's when she notices that the hand, once trapped in the jar, is now lying on the grille flooring. Donna sits up and continues to stare at it, completely staggered as the golden light spreads out from it. It takes the very rough shape of a glowing body, a blurred humanoid shape.

Donna feels her mouth open from the shock as the figure sits up and the remainder of the energy abruptly disperses and disappeared. Donna gets to her feet and stares. The figure does the same. How is that possible? How are there two of them…? The Doctor is standing in front of her, but how…?

'It's you…' Donna breathes, utterly shocked.

'Oh, yes!' The Doctor grins at her. Donna notices something and then very abruptly averts her eyes, heat creeping into her cheeks.

'You're naked.' She points out to him and he briefly looks down before turning his gaze back to her. A grin still plastered on his face.

'Oh, yes!'

Jack walks over to Rose and the Doctor, without turning to him, Rose holds out her hand and he takes it. Together, the three of them stare at the screen as the droning voice of the Supreme Dalek, announcing the end of everything. Two lives lost to hatred and anger.

'Total TARDIS destruction in ten rels, nine, eight, seven, six…' The Supreme Dalek announces but they don't hear him. When he reaches one, the TARDIS still bobbing in the boiling white light suddenly fades away.

Rose feels the tears in her eyes as they fall down her cheeks, and she feels the Doctor tighten his grip on her hand. She can't imagine how raw he must feel. She turns to Jack, and smiles sadly at him when their eyes meet. She can see how defeated he is, but there's still a gleam in his eye. She frowns slightly at him, but he merely turns his gaze away from hers.

'The TARDIS has been destroyed. Now tell me, Doctor. What do you feel? Anger? Sorrow? Despair?' The Supreme Dalek wonders and the Doctor doesn't say anything for a while.

'Yeah…' He replies after awhile, at a loss for words. He doesn't turn to the Daleks; he's still too devastated. Jack lets go of Rose's hand and very slowly reaches for his holster.

'Then if emotions are so important, surely we have enhanced you?' The Supreme Dalek wonders and Rose has to severely bite her tongue.

Jack suddenly spins around and Rose widens her eyes when she catches sight of his revolver in his hand.

'Yeah, well feel this!' Jack shouts and fires his gun. The bullets merely bounce of the Supreme Dalek; there are some sparks and Jack makes a bit of a face, like he's unimpressed. The Supreme Dalek rounds on his and fires his own laser.

'Exterminate!' The beam hits Jack directly and Rose's hands fly to her mouth when she sees that terrible skeleton ghost. He drops to the floor, dead.

Rose runs to him, horrified and kneels down to his body and hugs him. 'Jack?! Oh, Jack…why…?'

The Doctor merely goes to her and places his hands on her shoulders. 'Come on, Rose…leave him.' The Doctor begins to pull her up but she fights him a bit, wanting to be next to him when he awakens.

'No…please don't make me…' Rose whispers to him and the Doctor kneels down, placing his hand on her cheek.

'I'm sorry, Rose,' The Doctor informs her and places his free hand on Jack's head. The Doctor and Rose lock eyes and he blinks once. She closes her eyes in response. 'Good man, Captain. Come on, Rose, there isn't anything we can do.' He states sadly and pulls Rose to her feet. She doesn't take her eyes off Jack, hoping to catch him when he awakens. But he's still limp on the ground.

'Escort them to the Vault. They are the playthings of Davros, now.' The Supreme Dalek orders and two other Daleks round on the Doctor and Rose. He keeps her close to him as they are escorted across the floor.

The Doctor takes one last look across the floor, glancing at Jack's body. Jack is still on the floor, face down, but he opens his eyes and locks stares with the Doctor. He winks at the Doctor and the Doctor gives him a very brief nod. He and Rose are escorted out.

Along the exterior of the Crucible the TARDIS slowly fades into view, spinning slowly and all repaired, amazingly. The interior of the console room is still shrouded in the low lights, casting a large amount of uncomfortable shadows. The Doctor is standing by the door, running his hand along the now repaired windows; all of the roundels have been repaired as well.

Donna is watching him, fascinated but also shocked. He's clothed now, she's thankful for that, the blue suit is just missing the jacket that goes with it. But that's placed on the console chair.

'All repaired. Lovely,' He turns back to Donna who opens her mouth, but he rushes towards her. 'Shush!' He stops at the console chair and very quickly tosses on the jacket. Donna eyes him. It's almost like he's loving every moment of this. 'No one knows we're here. Gotta keep quiet. Silent running, like on submarines, when they can't even drop a spanner. Don't drop a spanner,' He points his finger at Donna and then motions to the suit he found in the Wardrobe Room. 'I like blue. What do you think?'

Donna just stares at him staggered and shakes her head at him. 'You. Are. Bonkers.' She decides and he looks taken back as he glances down to his suit.

'Why?! What's wrong with blue?' He wonders innocently and Donna shakes her head.

'Is that what Time Lords do? Lop a bit off, grown another one? You're like worms!' Donna states, wanting to know how exactly he came to be.

'No, I'm unique. There's never been another like me, not every. Cause all that regeneration energy went into the hand. Look at my hand! I love that hand! But then you touched it, wham!' He yells and it causes Donna to jump back and yell out of fear and surprise. He rushes towards her. 'Shush! Instantaneous biological metacrisis. I grew…' He trails off, taken back by the sudden realisation. 'Out of you! Still, could be worse.' He shrugs his shoulders.

Donna frowns at the insult and points her finger at him. 'Oi! Watch it, Spaceman!' Donna warns him and places her hands on her hips.

'Oi! Watch it, Earthgirl!' The Doctor mimics, sounding like Donna. Her mouth drops open from the surprise and so does the Doctor's. They stare at one another completely shocked. 'Oh. I sound like you. I sound all sort of…rough.' He finishes by making a bit of face.

'Oi!' Donna calls to him.

'Oi!' He repeats and Donna narrows her eyes.

'Oi!' Donna shouts and the Doctor motions her to be silent.

'Spanners! Shush!' He blinks when he realises what must have happened when Donna touched the jar. 'I must've picked up a bit of your voice, that's all. Is it? Did I? No! Oh, you are kidding me, no way,' He makes a face a feels his chest. 'One heart. I've got one heart! This body's got only one heart!' He makes a face and Donna approaches him. She feels his chest and then looks up to him.

'What, you're like human?' Donna wonders and the Doctor ignores her.

'Ohh, that's disgusting.' He replies and Donna flashes him an unimpressed look before getting annoyed with that statement.

'Oi!' She states firmly, perturbed.

'Oi!' He mimics and Donna throws her hands up in the air, obviously frustrated.

'Stop it!' She hisses at him.

The Doctor is quiet as he processes this new information. Not exactly what he had been going for, but it'd have to do. 'But I am…no, wait, I'm…part Time Lord, part human,' Donna widens her eyes and they hold each other's gaze for some time. Realising what he just said and allowing the words to sink in. 'Well isn't that wizard?' The Doctor finishes sarcastically and rolls his eyes.

Donna turns her gaze to the floor, wondering if he'd be able to answer the next question that has been burning in her mind. Unable to stand the awkward silence any longer, Donna turns her gaze up to him. 'I kept hearing that noise, that heartbeat…' She trails off and the Doctor nods at her.

'Oh, that was me. My single heart. Cause I'm a complicated even in time and space, must have rippled back. Converging on you.' The Doctor walks back to the console and Donna follows him with her eyes.

'But why me?' She pleads for a proper answer.

'Cause you're special.' He responds, like it should be obvious to her. That statement angers her. She narrows her eyes and her answer is filled with desperation.

'Oh, I keep telling you, I'm not!' She insists, but the Doctor watches her, tilting his head because he doesn't understand why she doesn't.

'But you are, you're…oh,' The Doctor realises and then smiles a bit at Donna. Now he understands. He understands her so much more now. 'You really don't believe that, do you? I can see, Donna…what you're thinking. All that attitude. All that lip. Cause all this time…you think you're not worth it.'

Donna watches him and she feels the fear creep into her. He shouldn't know all that, how does he know all that? 'Stop it!' She cries out from anguish and feels the tears spring to her eyes.

She hates that he's in her head like that.

'Shouting at the world. Cause no one's listening. Why should they?' He wonders softly and Donna widens her eyes at what he's just said.

Donna turns her gaze to the floor, hurt at his words. 'Doctor. Stop it.' She whispers to him. The Doctor smiles at her kindly and approaches her. She's apprehensive of his movements and folds her arms across her chest, warily.

'But look at what you did. No, it's more than that, it's like…' He trails off as he attempts to search for the right words. 'We were always heading for this. You came to the TARDIS,' The Doctor recalls as he pictures Donna suddenly appearing on the TARDIS. 'Then you found me again,' He reminds her when they finally met up again at the Adipose building. 'Your granddad!' The Doctor states and remembers when he and Rose caught up with him in the newsagent's stand.

He feels a longing to see Rose. He turns his gaze to Donna and she's eyeing him. 'And your car, Donna, your car, you parked your car right where the TARDIS was going to land, that's not coincidence; oh we've been blind. Something's been drawing us together. For such a long time.'

Donna can only shake her head at his conclusions. 'You're talking like…destiny. There's no such thing, is there?'

The Doctor doesn't answer her; instead he stares off into nothing. 'It's still not finished…' He decides and Donna frowns, wondering what he could possibly mean. 'Like the pattern's not complete, the strands are still drawing together…but heading for what?'

Donna and the Doctor hold each other's stare before she turns away, unable to look at him any longer. She doesn't understand why he believes that they're still tied together. What reasons could there be?

She turns her thoughts instead to how they are going to get the others back safely. She is worried immensely for them. Needing something to do, she rubs her arms as she tries to stop the uncomfortable thoughts from assaulting her.

Finally breaking free of the thick forest, Martha is dumped onto a very rough track. She turns to look over her shoulder and can see the smoke as it billows over the tree line. When she averts her gaze she catches sight of the castle. It is perched on a hill above the forest.

She can see feel the knot in her stomach twisting tighter as she knows she's drawing closer to her final destination. She suddenly becomes aware of the key on the chain around her neck. She can feel the coolness of the chain and immediately she gets a chill.

As she walks further down the path, her feet crunching the gravel, she hears nothing but silence. She thought for sure that there would have been some people around, keeping it safe. Apparently that wasn't the case.

Martha comes to an abrupt halt when a voice calls out to her, she can hear the hostility in her voice.

'Hier ist niemand. Was immer Sie woollen, gehen Sie fort. Lassen Sie mich in Ruhe.' Martha a faintly make out the figure of an older woman as she appears on the path. She's right, though, there isn't anyone here. But she won't leave her alone. She needs to get to that castle.

'Ich heisse Martha Jones. Ich komme von UNIT. Agentin fuenf sechs sechs sieben eins, von der medizinishe Abteilung.' Martha introduces herself and gives the woman her UNIT identification number. There a pause before the woman faintly nods her head.

'Es hiess Sie kaemen vorbei,' The woman informs Martha that someone had told the woman about Martha's arrival. 'That accent, that is London, jah?' She questions in her heavily accented English. 'I went to London. Long time ago.'

Martha just gives her a bit of a smile as she notices that the older woman is alone. 'Thought this place was supposed to be guarded.'

The woman turns and begins to lead Martha the rest of the way to the castle. 'They were soldiers. Boys. I brought them food, every day,' The woman pauses and then turns her attention to the sky. 'But when der Albtraume came from the sky…they went some to die. But not you, I think…?'

Martha shakes her head. 'I've got a job to do.' With that statement said, Martha brushes by the woman, and heads inside the castle.

Martha makes a bit of a face when she steps inside the dark, bare castle. However her training has guided her on what must be done next. With the utmost confidence, Martha goes straight to an internal wall. She pulls a wooden table and chair away from the wall. She reaches up to remove the picture that is above her head. Behind the picture, there is a palm print reader. She places her hand over the screen and it glows before it beeps.

The old woman is watching intensely as the events unfold before her. She tries to engage Martha in conversation but Martha merely keeps her back to the woman, barely listening to what she's saying.

'London, in those days. To see it! So much glamour,' The woman's eyes begin to twinkle at the memories. 'That's what they said, glamour. And I was so young,' She pauses and stares at Martha's back. 'I heard the soldiers talking. Many times. They would speak of the Osterhagen Key,' Again she pauses. 'I think London must be changed now, yes? But still. The glamour.'

The beep silences the old woman and she witnesses the door that slides open in the wall. It opens to reveal a metal lift. A very tight lift.

Martha takes a step forward but then stops when she hears a click, like a safety catch. She turns around to see the woman pointing a Luger at her. She can see the fear and terror in the old woman's eyes.

'You will stop. You will not go.' The woman warns and Martha sees her hands shaking on the gun.

She remains utterly calm and fixates her gaze on the woman. 'I've got no choice.'

'I know the Key. What it does. Sie sind der Albtraum. Nicht die anderen, Sie! Ich sollte Sie umbringen, am besten gleich jetzt!'

Martha smiles a bit at the woman's constant accusations of her being the Nightmare, not the Daleks. And when she threatens to shoot her, Martha sets her jaw and just lowers her voice. Almost like a dare. Almost like she would welcome it. The job she's been given…haunts her.

'Then do it.'

But the woman trembles and then she lowers her gun. Martha closes her eyes and steps into the lift, waiting for the door to close.

'Martha…Zur Hoelle mit Dir!' The woman spat at her.

And Martha whole-heartedly agrees with the curse, with the old woman's damnation of her.

'I know…' Martha's voice is barely above a whisper and the doors shut as the lift begins to descend.

In a poorly lit corridor in the Crucible, it is a cold sterile environment and there are two Daleks on either side of a pallet as they transported the supposedly deceased body of Jack.

'Commence disposal. Incinerate!' A Dalek calls out and a panel in a wall slides open. The Daleks shuffle the pallet so that it glides in to the open wall and Jack's body disappears through it. He's gone. The panel wall closes.

'Disposal completed.' Another Dalek declares and together the two of them glide away.

Once the Daleks have rounded the corner, they don't hear the panel wall slide back open and Jack pokes his head out, glancing down either end of the corridor, but he doesn't find anything.

The red lighting behind is heating up the tightly compacted area. Not seeing anyone in the corridors, Jack begins gasping, revelling at how quickly it has begun to warm.

Martha sharply inhales when the lift doors open revealing a poorly illuminated room. It smells faintly of dust indicating its disuse has been for a very long time.

She hastily begins to remove the Indigo Project and shoves it down to the ground as she steps into a station labelled Osterhagen Station One. The room is very small and very cramped as it lined wall to wall with computer banks. There is only one chair and that belongs to the only desk. Martha is warily observing the panel on the desk that will perfectly fit the Key.

She pushes her fear aside and turns her attention to one wall that has four TV screens, labelled China, Alaska, Argentina and Liberia. All of them are showing static. Martha reaches forward on the desk and presses a button to activate the communications.

'This is Osterhagen Station One. Can anyone hear me? Repeat, this is Osterhagen Station One. My name is Martha Jones. Is there anyone there…?'

Martha holds her breath, unaware that she is doing so as she waits to see who will answer her first.

The Daleks have rounded up the collection of humans they have taken from Earth and transported them to a corridor in the Dalek Crucible. They are scared. They don't know what these creatures are, or why they have taken them from their homes in what appears to be in the middle of the night. Everyone is silent; some sneak looks around at the others. There are some that have tears falling down their faces, fear is present and has the group tightly in its grasp. It's the fear of the unknown. There is so much of it.

Many of the human captives have placed their hands on their heads, unsure if that's what these creatures are after. The multiple amounts of Daleks have been stationed around the corridor to ensure that order is kept.

One Dalek at the mouth of corridor begins to shrilly bark orders to the group of humans.

'Prisoners now on board the Crucible! They will be taken for testing!' He announces and some of the prisoners turn their attention up to him. At least they know where they are, in a sense. But they don't know what a Crucible is.

The group is corralled around the corner to see more Dalek guards. Mickey, Sarah Jane and Jackie are amongst the group of terrified humans.

'Oh, look, more Daleks, that's refreshing.' Jackie has a bit of a sigh in her voice. Mickey turns back to the Dalek that made the announcement; he whips his gaze back to Jackie and Sarah Jane.

'Hold on, testing? Testing what?!' He demands and he is surprised to see that both women don't have the concerned look on their faces as he does. Sarah Jane gives him a reassuring smile.

'We're on the Crucible, that's the important thing. One step closer to the Doctor…'

Mickey nods his head. That's a good point. They'll just have to get their plan under formation before they end up too far into the Crucible, without a means of escape.

The Doctor and Rose are escorted into a Vault of some type. It is cold and desolate. The Daleks that led them into the room have remained a few paces ahead of them and Rose tightens her grip on the Doctor's hand when she catches sight of the base of creature that had called himself Davros. When she does that, the Doctor turns his gaze from studying the Vault to turn his attention to Davros.

'Separate them.' He orders and one Dalek drops back and gets close to Rose. She immediately lets go of the Doctor's hand as the Dalek rounds on her.

'Stay out of my face.' She warns, staring the Dalek right in the eyestalk, but the Dalek continues to advance on her pushing her away from the Doctor.

He rounds on Davros and can barely contain the anger he feels. 'Leave her alone. Now!' But he is ignored.

When Davros is satisfied that the Doctor and Rose have been separated and enough distance is put between them, Davros turns over to the three Daleks that stand silent off to the side.

'Activate the Holding Cells.' He commands, and the Daleks swivel around.

Two bright, vertical spotlights slam down on Rose and the Doctor. It's as if they've done this on purpose and Rose narrows her eyes as the Daleks as they stand silent on three separate workstations. However she knows that they are standing vigil. Waiting and watching.

Davros enjoys watching the scene unfold before him and feels a slight smile appear on his face. 'Excellent. Even when powerless, a Time Lord is best contained.'

'Still scared of me, then?' The Doctor wonders, and reaches his hand out as he addresses Davros. His thoughts have been confirmed. A ripple appears indicating a force field is currently containing him and Rose.

Davros glides over to the Doctor, he's waited a long time for this moment. 'It is time we talked, Doctor. After so very long, after the…'

The Doctor immediately cuts him off. 'No, no, no, we're not doing the nostalgia tour, I want to know what's happening, right here, right now, cause the Supreme Dalek said Vault, yeah? We're in the Vault? As in, dungeon? Cellar? Prison?' The Doctor wonders. 'You're not in charge of the Daleks are you? They've got you locked away down here in the basement like, what, a servant? A slave? Court jester?'

Rose tries to hide her smirk as she can see how the Doctor's rattled him. 'We have…an arrangement.' But that response only solidifies what the Doctor has been thinking since he first deducted where they were being led.

'No, no, no, no, no, I've got the word. You're the Dalek's pet!' The Doctor mocks and then notices that Davros has moved on to Rose. He immediately tenses.

Rose narrows her eyes as Davros glides towards her. She gets on edge and feels her temper begin to rise.

'So very full of fire, is he not? But then again the same could be said of you, Valiant One. What a journey you've had. How many parallels have you seen, as you tried to connect what exactly has been happening? Such an interesting human. The woman who captured a storm in her hands.' Davros remarks and Rose remains quiet, feeling uncomfortable at how much knowledge he has on the two of them.

'Leave her alone.' The Doctor warns, but Davros simply ignores his warnings. Keeping his eye locked on Rose.

'She is mine. To do as I please.'

Rose crinkles her nose against that statement and watches Davros intensely. She folds her arms, not wanting to give him anything to go with. 'You don't know anything about me,' Her remark draws a laugh from Davros. Rose ignores him. 'And another thing, if that's what I am to you, then why am I still alive?'

'You must be here,' Davros remarks simply. 'It has been foretold. Even the Supreme Dalek would not dare to contradict the prophecies of Dalek Caan.' Davros motions with his arm, behind them.

Rose and the Doctor turn their heads to where Davros is motioning and across the room there is a loud slam. A light illuminates something on a plinth. Rose covers her mouth to see the creature writhing but so very delighted.

'So cold and dark and hot, fire is coming, the endless flames…' Caan announces in his little singsong voice.

'That…that's Dalek Caan…?' Rose wonders, hardly being able to comprehend that the creature withering before them was the same creature they had once faced in New York.

'Last of the Cult of Skaro…' The Doctor tilts his head as he observes the creature before him. 'But it flew into the Time War, unprotected.' The Doctor recalls and Davros nods deeply.

'Caan did more than that, he saw time. Its infinite complexity and majesty, raging through his mind. And he saw you. Both of you.' Davros informs them simply. Caan responds to that statement with more perceived wise knowledge.

'This I have foreseen, in the wild and the wind. The Doctor will be here. As witness. At the end of everything. The Doctor and his precious Children of Time,' Caan erupts into a fit of giggles. 'And one of them will die.'

The Doctor becomes enraged and directs the anger right at Caan, tired of the riddles and craving answers. 'Was it you, Caan? Did you kill Donna? Why did the TARDIS door close? Tell me!' He shouts angrily and Rose can see the fury in his posture and stance. It worries her.

'Ohh, that's it!' Caan responds gleefully. He clearly enjoys this slip of demeanour. 'The anger! The fire! The rage of a Time Lord who butchered millions, there he is!'

Rose can sense that he's simply boiling, stewing in his rage and has had to severely hold his tongue.

Davros has picked up on his hesitation and locks eyes with the Doctor as he motions behind him to Rose, still standing by silent, though wanting to do anything she can to be by his side.

'Why so shy?' Davros mocks. 'Show your lover. Show her your true self. Dalek Caan promised me that, too.'

'I have seen. At the time of ending. The Doctor's soul will be revealed.' Caan interjects and the Doctor turns over to him, still trying his to keep his anger at bay.

'What does that mean?' The Doctor questions desperately but Caan remains silent, offering no more.

'We'll discover it together,' Davros interjects. 'Our final journey. Because the ending approaches, the testing begins!'

'What testing?' Rose wonders and feels the uneasy feeling creep into her.

'The Reality Bomb.'

Rose catches the Doctor gaze and bites her lip. That weapon sounds horrid. But what does it do?

The Daleks ensure that the group of humans they have corralled into the testing area are continuing to follow their orders. When they are pushed through a door that lies on the opposite side, the group of humans is shocked to discover that they have joined another wave of prisoners. Some recognise each other, but dare not make a sound, for fear of angering the strange creatures. Many muffle sobs, while others reach their hands out, trying to show that they've seen each other.

The corridor has become a big space, poorly lit and it has a cold, sterile feeling to it. It is thick, metal and industrious. This room has been designed for a purpose. Trouble is they don't know what that purpose is yet.

The Daleks instruct that the humans line up along the space. 'Prisoners will stand in the designated area! Move!'

Not wanting to risk the creature's wrath, the human prisoners do as they are told. However as they begin to march forward, a woman collapses to her knees, unable to continue onward. She's simply too exhausted. A Dalek immediately rounds on her, barking orders.

'You will stand!' The Dalek demands but the woman turns her attention to him, pleading with him to understand.

'I can't…please…' She begins to get tears in her eyes.

'On your feet. On your feet!'

During the commotion, Sarah Jane began to look around while the Daleks appeared to be distracted. She notices that she's been standing next to a door and the Daleks are not watching her. She covertly reaches into her pocket and takes out the sonic lipstick, and aims it at the door. She breathes a sigh of relief when the door opens silently. She turns to Mickey.

'Mickey! She hisses to him and he spins around, noticing where Sarah Jane is, he begins to run to her as he attempts to get Jackie's attention.

'Jackie!' He whispers and Jackie turns to him.

Jackie had stopped to help the fallen woman to her feet, but the Dalek have turned away from woman as she is now on her feet and the Dalek's arm cuts across Jackie.

'You will move forward!'

The door that Mickey and Sarah Jane had just gone through has started to close, leaving them to watch Jackie horrified, she's going to get stuck. The room that the two of them had managed to get into is a small, dark, metal antechamber. It's a dead end.

'We can't just leave her!' Mickey hisses furiously at Sarah Jane. He is about to do something when Sarah Jane grips his arm tightly.

'No, Mickey, wait!' She replies and they watch out of the glass panel that the door has on it. A Dalek glides by them as it positions itself there, keeping a close watch on those human in the Test Area. Thankfully he doesn't know Mickey and Sarah Jane behind the glass panel.

They watch in horror, as Jackie glances back at them, not wanting to give them up to the Dalek, however that means that she has to join the group. And so she stands beside the woman she had helped.

'Testing will commence in thirty rels.'

'What do they mean? What are they testing, what are they gonna do?' She wonders frantically at Jackie and Jackie points to the device above them.

'Reckon it's that thing there…' Together they both look up to notice that they are standing under a wide metal circle that has a pale white centre. It then begins to pulse.

Jackie turns her gaze to Mickey and Sarah Jane as she gives them an apologetic look, and silently hopes that they can think of something quickly. Thirty seconds will vanish in the blink of an eye.

The Supreme Dalek glides from station to station around the Crucible Command Deck as he announces the next portion of testing.

'Testing calibration of Reality Bomb!' He declares. 'Firing in ten, nine, eight…'

In the Crucible Vaults, the Supreme Dalek's voice is heard as he continues to count down to nothing. 'Seven, six, five…'

'Behold the apotheosis of my genius!' Davros calls to Rose and the Doctor as they turn their attention to screen as it still hovers in mid air. The screen depicts an area filled with humans. Rose covers her mouth from the shock, scared for what might happen to them and wanting to do something, anything to get them out of that place.

'Two, one, zero! Activate planetary alignment field!' The Supreme Dalek announces and the entire room gives way to a tremor.

The Doctor watches the event unfold before them and Rose widens her eyes, her hands still at her mouth, because even though she doesn't quite understand the magnitude it's still horrific to watch.

The Doctor turns to Davros, shocked at what he's doing with those planets. 'But that's Z-Neutrino Energy…flattened by the alignment of the planets into a single string…no! Davros, you can't! No!' The Doctor shouts at him. But Davros is too engrossed in watching the unfolding events.

The console room in the TARDIS massively shudders. It nearly knocks Donna and the Doctor off balance before they recover. The Doctor is at the scanner and he widens his eyes.

'It's the planets. The twenty seven planets!'

Beyond the walls of the TARDIS the planetary array begins to change. They begin to shine with bright halos of energy, rising and falling they a programmed sequence. The light around their circumference begins to flare as it starts to fall and then rise again.

Donna rushes over and joins the Doctor at the scanner, watching the events develop.

'Single string Z-Neutrinos compressed into…no. No way!' The Doctor breathes, utterly shocked.

They widen their eyes as the scanner reveals the planetary array as all the planets shine with the halo light together.

Jackie and the rest of the humans all turn their attention up to the centre of the circle that has begun to glow brightly and fiercely.

Sarah Jane and Mickey watch the circle of light desperately wondering how they can get Jackie out of there without rising the suspicions of the Daleks.

A ping sound fills the tiny antechamber and Mickey glances down. He pulls out the yellow pendant from his pocket and turns to Sarah Jane.

'Thirty minutes!'

He appears in the glass window and holds up the pendant as he tries to desperately get her attention. When he finally does, he motions to the pendant and tells her, mouthing the words clearly, that it has been charged.

Jackie nods and silently gets out her own pendant and stares at it. She feels immensely guilty and upset, but she isn't sure why. Knowing what has to be done before she runs completely out of time, Jackie turns to the woman she had helped earlier.

'I'm sorry.' She states quietly and the woman gives her an odd look. Jackie presses the centre and instantly vanishes in the hard crack of white light.

She reappears in Mickey's outstretched arms and they embrace each other tightly. Jackie is so relieved that things worked out the way they did.

Sarah Jane is watching through the window as the noise that had drawn their attention in the first place has been building, almost to a climax. Mickey and Jackie are drawn to the window as well as they watch with transfixed gazes at what happens next.

The group of people that are still standing in the circle, in the blinding light have begun to divide. Their bodies, their clothes, everything has begun to slowly and gently float into discrete particles. They hope with everything that the process isn't painful as the particles drift off and begin to float as dust before the render into nothing.

They each hold their breath as a Dalek rolls into the now empty space.

'Test completed.' He announces.
And the noise they heard earlier has dissipated; the halo around the planetary array has begun to fade.

Rose watches, helpless, as the Doctor is staring off slightly, breathing heavily. Rose can tell his mind is racing and she steals a quick glance over to Davros, wondering what exactly had just happened for him to start doing that.

'Doctor? Are you okay? What just happened?'

'Electrical energy, Miss Tyler,' Davros answers; his tone is cold and calculated. 'Every atom in existence is bound by an electrical field. The Reality Bomb cancels it out. Structure falls apart. And that test was focused on the prisoners only, the full transmission will dissolve every form of matter.'

'The stars are going out…' Rose widens her eyes as the thought strikes her, and strikes her hard.

'The twenty-seven planets…they become one, vast transmitter. Blasting that wavelength…' The Doctor informs her and Rose stares off stunned.

'And you tested that on the human prisoners…? You're a monster…' Rose states bitterly and becomes impatient. Wanting to find a way out of this prison to stop this atrocity from happening again. The anger wells within her.

Davros ignores Rose's statements and begins to prattle on. His voice gradually increases in pitch as his voice drips with conviction. It makes Rose feels sick.

'Across the entire universe. Never stopping, never faltering, never fading. People and planets and stars will become dust, and the dust will become atoms, and the atoms will become nothing,' Davros announces proudly and Rose crinkles her nose at him. 'And the wavelength will continue! Break through the Rift at the heart of the Medusa Cascade! Into every dimension! Every parallel! Every single corner of creation! This is my ultimate, Doctor! The destruction of reality itself!'

The voice of the Supreme Dalek is heard as he announces what is to come next.

'Prepare for maximum detonation! The fleet will father at the Crucible! All Daleks will return to shelter, from the cataclysm!'

Rose and the Doctor lock stares and she closes her eyes as they come to a silent agreement that they need to think of something to get them out of here. Davros better prepare himself. In fact they all should. Because they are going to bring one hell of a fight to them.

Wilf is watching the saucers as they begin to retreat, heading back out in the vastness of space. Sylvia rushes outside and is amazed at what she's witnessing. Wilf joins her, in case there are any more of those Dalek creatures.

When Sylvia notices that Wilf has joined her in the street and turns to him and points excitedly to the sky. Others begin to spill into the streets, also point their arms to the sky. Wilf watches grimly. Why go now? What's coming next for them? And where is his beloved Donna?

Sylvia catches the apprehension in Wilf's eyes and her jovial attitude begins to falter.

'But they're leaving! They're going, Dad, the Dalek are going!'

Wilf just continues to stare into the inky black sky. 'Going where, though?' He then turns back to Sylvia, great concern in his eyes. 'And Donna's still out here,' He goes over to Sylvia and takes her hand tightly in his own. 'Ohh, it's not over yet, sweetheart…'

Together they watch the sky for any signs of impending doom.

Mickey ducks down when he sees the shadow of a Dalek as begins to approach the antechamber. The Dalek glides past them and they all breath a sigh of relief. Sarah Jane has begun to grow impatient, wanting to find a way out of the antechamber, however she isn't sure how they should go about doing so.

'There's Daleks everywhere! We can't move, we're never gonna find the Doctor, there's nothing we can do!'

Jackie and Sarah Jane jump as a massive bang interrupts the end of Sarah Jane's sentence. They watch the metal panel on the wall as it clangs to the ground and Jack pulls himself into view as he is clambering out.

He gives each of them a good once over. 'Just my luck, I climb through two miles of ventilation shafts, chasing life signs on this thing,' Jack motions to his wrist strap. 'And who do I find? Mickey Mouse. Boy, is this a bad day.'

Mickey folds his arms and gives Jack an unimpressed stare. Jack hauls himself to his feet. 'You can talk, Captain Cheesecake!'

They both fall into laughs and then tightly embrace one another.

'Good to see ya. That's beefcake.' Jack emphasises and Mickey rolls his eyes.

'Yeah, and that's enough hugging.' He counters.

Jack lets go and then turns to Sarah Jane, he flashes her a big smile and a salute. 'We meet at last, Miss Smith.' But his jovial nature falters when he notices that she's been rather quiet.

'There is something we can do,' Sarah Jane insists and Jack can see she's near tears. 'You've got to understand. I have a son. Down there on Earth. He's only fourteen years old,' She briefly pauses and then reaches into her bag, procuring a very tiny diamond on a chain. 'I brought this,' There is a small shine of starlight around it and then it fades away. 'It was given to me by a Verron Soothsayer. He said…this is for the End of Days.'

Jack stares at the little diamond mesmerised and silently hopes that it isn't what he thinks it is. 'Is that…?' Jack motions to Sarah Jane and she gives it to him. He holds it up in awe of its power. 'A Warp Star?' Sarah Jane merely nods at his assessment.

Jackie and Mickey exchange looks and then Mickey nudges Jack. 'You gonna tell me what a Warp Star is?'

Jack hesitates for a moment before he lets them in on the terrifying powers caught within that little diamond. 'A warpfold conjugation trapped in a carbonised shell. It's an explosion, Mickey,' Jack simply states. 'An explosion waiting to happen.'

Mickey gazes at the little caught star on chain that is held tightly in Jack's fist. He silently hopes that this tiny explosion will only be used as a last resort. Because something tells him that an explosion labelled as a Warp Star will engulf much more than the Dalek Crucible. Trouble is…how far will the explosion reach?

Martha turns her attention to the TV screen as a young Chinese woman appears on it. She looks terrified and her voice shakes as she addresses Martha.

'This is Osterhagen Station Five. Are you receiving, Station One?' She wonders and Martha feels her own fear being reignited as another Station comes to life. Hearing their voices on this network really drives home the point that this could actually happen.

However, Martha pushes all those fears aside. She can't let it interfere with the task she's been given. It's up to her and she'll do her job properly.

'I've got you,' Martha responds, realising that she'd taken her time in answering the woman. 'That makes three of us. And three is all we need.' Martha reminds them darkly. The young Chinese woman nods quickly, not wanting to be reminded of that.

The young man on the Liberia screen is tense and the grim look on his face doesn't do much to instil confidence in Martha.

It's rather hard to believe that each of the Osterhagen Stations were designed to look so similar. Of course, why dump all sorts of money into designing something that was only going to be wiped clean should the occasion call for it? Simple and yet functional. What more is required?

'My name is Anna Zhou, what's yours?' Anna wonders and Martha smiles slightly.

'Martha Jones. What about you, Station Four? You never said.'

'I don't want my name on this. Given what we're about to do.' The man replies sourly and Martha understands.

'So what happens now? Do we do it?' Anna wonders but Martha shakes her head.

'No. Not yet.'

'UNIT instructions say, one three Osterhagen Stations are online…' Anna reminds her, but Martha abruptly cuts her off.

'Yeah, well I've got a higher authority, way above UNIT. And there's one more things the Doctor would do…'

He'd give them the option. She learned that. Such an important less that she had taken away from him. Even in the direst circumstances…there is always a choice. And she had to give them that.

Donna watches intensely as the new Doctor feverishly works away on some sort of device. Donna doesn't know what to make of him yet. The same and yet so vastly different. She frowns as he pulls out a piece of the console itself and fashions it to a hand held device. It has wires and bits sticking out of it.

Knowing that he, if he was the same, would prefer to work in silence Donna remains quiet, but after enough time has passed she finds it stifling.

'So…what's that thing…?' Donna points to the device and the Doctor briefly glances up to her before turning his attention back to the device.

'It's our only hope, a Z-Neutrino biological inversion catalyser.' He informs her and Donna feels the words go in one ear and out the other.

'Earth girl, remember?' Donna replies, a bit of a wistful smile on her face.

'Davros said, he built those Daleks out of himself. His genetic code runs through the entire race. If I can use this, to lock the Crucible's transmission on to Davros himself…'

'It destroys the Daleks!' Donna cries out excitedly and feels the hope begin to claw back into heart.

'Biggest backfire in history!' The Doctor replies.

They're going to bring the fight to them. And what a fight it will be.

On the Crucible Command Deck, a Dalek swivels around to face the Supreme Dalek with dreadful news.

'Incoming transmission! Origin, planet Earth!' He informs the Supreme Dalek.

'Display!

The viewscreen still suspended in midair springs to life to reveal a young woman. She appears to be scared but it doing her utmost to ensure that it is only her bravery that they see in her.

'This is Martha Jones. Representing the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, on behalf of the human race. Can you hear me?'

Undeterred, the Supreme Dalek ensures that his voice is low and calm; this minor set back will not disrupt their glorious plans.

'Send transmission to the Vault. Continue to monitor.' The Supreme Dalek instructs.

In the Vaults the sounds of a familiar voice causes both the Doctor and Rose to turn around to see Martha, calm but Rose notices that her face is drained away of emotion. It's only in her eyes that Rose can see the apprehension and fear.

'This message is for the Dalek Crucible, repeat, can you hear me?' Martha demands and the Doctor turns to Davros.

'Put me through.' He demands but Davros ignores him as he turns his stare to Caan, writhing excitedly.

'It begins. As Dalek Caan foretold.

'The Children of Time will gather. And one of them will die.' Caan sings and Rose grows impatient with the constant riddles.

'Stop saying that!' She cries out, but it only causes Caan to laugh.

'Put me through!' The Doctor shouts angrily and then turns back to Martha. 'Martha? Where are you?!'

'Are you okay?!' Rose breaks in, wanting to ensure that they haven't hurt her.

'Doctor. I'm sorry. I had to…' Martha informs him, rather upset. It only worries Rose more. What did she have to do?

Rose notices that Davros has begun to glide forward, apparently relishing in this moment. It sickens her and as he passes her, Rose narrows her eyes.

'Ohh, but the Doctor is powerless. My prisoner! State your intent.' Davros demands coldly.

'I've got the Osterhagen Key. Leave this planet and its people alone. Or I'll use it.' Martha informs him. Her voice is frosty and she sets her jaw.

'Osterhagen what? What's an Osterhagen Key?!' The Doctor demands and looks to Rose who is just as equally confused.

Martha briefly closes her eyes and reopens them. There is immense guilt written all over her face and her voice trembles a bit as she explains. Her façade is breaking. 'There's a chain of twenty-five nuclear warheads, placed at strategic points beneath the Earth's crust. If I use this key…they detonate. And the Earth gets ripped apart…'

'What?!' The Doctor cries out of shock. Rose turns to him, her mouth open. 'Who invented that?! Well, someone called Osterhagen, I suppose… Martha are you insane?!'

Brushing off the Doctor's mild insult, Martha attempts to explain its use to him, hoping to make him see. And she hopes she knows that she doesn't want to do this.

'The Osterhagen Key is to be used…if the suffering of the human race is so great. So without hope. That this becomes the final option.'

'No! Martha! You can't! That should never be an option!' Rose cries out and the Doctor nods his head.

'That option shouldn't even exist!'

'Don't argue with me, you two! Cause it's more than that now, I reckon the Daleks need these twenty-seven planets for something, so what if it becomes twenty-six? What happens then?' Martha wonder and she turns to the Daleks. 'Daleks? Would you risk it?'

'Martha, no!' Rose pleads with her, but Martha will not be deterred.

Everyone is silent as another viewscreen displays itself above them. Martha remains in view so that she is able to hear every conversation as it happens.

The screen reveals Jack, along with Sarah Jane, Mickey and Jackie looking at a camera in a cramped antechamber. Sadly they can only hear the other conversations, and are not able to see. Rose squints her eyes so that she can see the device that Jack also holds in his hands. It appears to be a small diamond. But it's got wires hooked up to it. Rose feels so relieved that he survived and is back to his old self.

'Captain Jack Harkness, calling all the Dalek boys and girls, are you receiving me? Don't send in your goons, or I'll set this thing off!' He warns.

Rose then notices something else as a figure steps into the view of the camera properly. Rose's hands fly to her mouth and she feels tears spring to her eyes. It's been so long. So long. Even though in the parallel universe she saw her, she never let on that they hadn't seen each other. And as far as her mother knew…the Doctor had left her on that beach. While some of those events had been fabricated…Rose imagines that some of those memories would have been erased. She's just so amazed to see her under the proper circumstances.

Rose turns to the Doctor and points at the screen. 'Doctor! It's my mum!'

'And Mickey?!' The Doctor wonders as he tilts his head. Rose whips her head back to see Mickey standing beside Jack with a determined look on his face. Rose's hand fly to her mouth. They're all here. 'Captain, what are you doing?' The Doctor wonders worriedly.

'I've got a Warp Star. Wired into the mainframe. I break this shell the entire Crucible goes up.' Jack informs him with an embittered tone in his voice.

'But! It's… you can't! Where did you get a Warp Star?!' The Doctor wonders.

Sarah Jane appears on the screen. She has a fixated, angry stare in her eyes. 'From me. We had no choice. We saw what happened to the prisoners, and if that was just a test…'

Davros is immediately intrigued, if not delighted by the face that has just shown itself and smiles slightly as he glides forward towards the screen. 'Impossible. That face. After all these years. Can it be…?' Davros wonders.

Sarah Jane crosses her arms across her chest. 'Davros…? It's been quite awhile. Sarah Jane Smith, remember?' She inquires bitterly.

'Oh, but this is meant to be! The circle of Time is closing. You were there, on Skaro, at the very beginning of my creation.' Davros recalls and Sarah Jane makes a bit of a face, like that memory tastes bitter to her.

'And I've learnt how to fight, since then. Let the Doctor and Rose go. Or this Warp Star gets opened.'

'I'll do it!' Jack breaks in and shakes the diamond ever so slightly. 'Don't imagine I wouldn't. I'm ready.'

'It's the Crucible. Or the Earth.' Martha interjects and flashes Davros the Key tucked in her palm.

Rose turns to the Doctor, unable to say anything. Internally she believes it's a fair offer, a good ransom, but the Doctor's face is full of devastation. She knows what he's thinking of what they've all become. Was it all because of him?

He knows what Davros will tell him. 'And the prophecy unfolds.' Is the exact answer that the Doctor knew Davros would say.

'The Doctor's soul is revealed,' Caan singsong voice travels over to them. He's giggling. 'See him! See the heart of him!'

Davros hasn't finished. These human companions, his human lover have no idea the true extent of this man's character or his abilities. And he will shed light on this so that they can all see what he's done to each of them.

'The man who abhors violence. Never carrying a gun. But this is the truth, Doctor! You take ordinary people and fashion them into weapons. Behold your Children of Time!' Davros mocks relentlessly. Rose balls her fists. 'They are transformed into murderers. I made the Daleks, Doctor. You made this.'

'They're trying to help…' The Doctor weakly answers. It angers Rose to end and she turns to Davros. He isn't sure who he's trying to convince more, himself or Davros.

'You have no right to speak to us, to them like that! We gathered, we united to ensure that this evil is stopped. If violence is the only way to get our point across, if it's the only language you speak then we will match it. This is our home! And we will fight to protect it. Because the Doctor showed us they we are not weak and that we can make a stand against injustice.' Rose inhales deeply and Davros smiles darkly.

'But…Miss Tyler, your inspiring words have fallen on deaf ears,' Davros motions to the Doctor, staring off, not hearing any of Rose's words. 'I have seen them sacrificed today, all for their beloved Doctor. The Earth woman, who fell, opening the Subwave Network…'

'Who was that…?' The Doctor wonders quietly and Martha smiles sadly.

'It was Harriet Jones. She gave her life to get you here.'

Davros enjoys seeing the Doctor's pained expression that has appeared on his face. Even the lovely Rose is stunned into silence. 'And how many more? Just think!' Davros wonders, his voice grows in strength and sound. 'How many have died?! In your name?'

The Doctor stares off, hurting as he remembers all those who he lost over the course of his long life. Jabe. Pete Tyler. Controller. Lynda. Sir Robert. Mrs. Moore. The faces just continue to drive themselves into the forefront of his mind. It aches. It tears him up inside. There was Mr. Skinner. Bridget. Ursula. The Face of Boe. Dalek Sec. And Chantho. What about Astrid? What about Jenny…? And why did River do what she did? And the Hostess who saved him and maybe even Rose. The worst part was…he doesn't even know her name. How insulting is that? How insulting it is to her memory.

Rose watches heartbroken as the words that Davros has spoken really begin to sink in. Those thoughts are breaking him. She can see him staring into space. She can see how raw he is and she knows that he is truly thinking about that question. How many have there been? Those she knows and those she doesn't.

'Doctor…?' Rose calls to him quietly, but he doesn't reply.

Davros matches Rose's tone, but his has an underlying hint of cleverness to it. 'The Doctor. The man who keeps running, never looking back. Because he dares not. Out of shame,' Davros gets pleasure from the fact the Doctor hasn't uttered a word in his defence. 'This is my final victory, Doctor. I have shown you…yourself.'

And for once…the Doctor has no answer.

The Supreme Dalek's voice is heard over the communications system. It's rather calm. Even casual.

'Enough. Engage defence zero five.' He orders.

Rose covers her mouth as Martha disappears from wherever it was she had been. The last sound she hears is Martha's cry out of surprise. She's disappeared into a glow and the Osterhagen Key falls onto the desk. An audible clunk is heard. It's useless now.

Rose shakes her head as she widens her eyes. Sarah Jane, Jack, Mickey and her mum all disappear into the same glow. The Warp Star falls from Jack's hand, clinking to the ground.

Martha turns around on the floor, confused as to how she got there. She does feel rather lightheaded and pressed her hand on her temple.

'Martha? Are you okay? Rose calls to her and watches as Jack goes running up to her, offering his hand to her as he hauls her up to her feet.

'I've got you, it's all right.'

Martha blinks and looks around. She's close to the Doctor's beam of light and she can see from across the room that Sarah Jane, Mickey and Jackie are on their knees, recovering from the teleport, and they are close to Rose's beam. The Doctor shouts to them frantically. Trying to warn them.

'Don't move, all of you, stay still!'

'Guard them!' Davros orders. 'On your knees, all of you! Surrender!'

The three silent Daleks from earlier glide away from their freestanding work stations to ensure that they cover the new arrivals. Everyone ensures that they remain on their knees. Mickey motions to everyone to place their hands on their heads. And they follow suit.

Rose watches horrified as her mum turns her gaze to her and she covers her mouth before reaching out her hand, trying to reassure her.

'Mum…? Mum what are you doing here…? It isn't safe…' Rose whispers through her tears. She swallows the lump in her throat.

'I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to see you. I miss you.'

'And the final prophecy is in place. The Doctor and his Children, all gathered, as witness! Supreme Dalek! The time has come! Now detonate the Reality Bomb!' Davros orders.

On the Command Deck, the Supreme Dalek begins to shout his orders.

'Activate planetary alignment!' He barks his commands to the other Daleks.

Once more the planets begin to get that familiar light halo as it surrounds each one swiftly and efficiently. Metal gates now surround the Crucible as they begin to open around the globe. When they open they reveal glowing circles beneath them. They begin to pulse, becoming shinier and brighter. It is nearly ready.

'Universal Reality Detonation in two hundred rels, one ninety nine, one ninety eight, one ninety seven…'

The Supreme Dalek's voice drones on and on, as the countdown shows no signs of slowing down or being interrupted.

The Doctor rounds on Davros; absolutely raging that he is unable to anything to stop him since they're still trapped in this beam of light. He begins to grow frantic.

'You can't, Davros, just listen to me, just stop!'

Davros ignores him, laughing with insane delight. 'Nothing can stop the detonation, Doctor! Nothing and no one!'

Rose and the Doctor watch Davros helplessly. What are they going to do? How can they stop it when they've all be gathered and have been placed under surveillance?

Donna matches the Doctor's grin as he holds the now completed device in his hands. It's time to get this under control. Who knows what's going on in the Crucible? What's happening?

It doesn't matter now. Now they are going to end it. And so he pushes those thoughts from his mind.

'It's ready!' He announces and Donna smiles. He slams a lever on the console with his foot and instantly the console room springs back to life. The lights come back on and the Time Rotor begins to rise. 'Maximum power! Ready for this, Earth girl?!'

'Oh yes!' Donna cries and the Doctor smirks, pressing the final lever.

The TARDIS lurches them forward.

The immense feeling of helplessness has gripped everyone in the Vault tightly in its grasp. The Supreme Dalek's countdown continues on unabashed and it's the only voice in the room. Everyone is silent. Lost in their own thoughts of despair and hopelessness.

Then Doctor slowly turns to stare at an empty spot in the Vault. He's incredulous…it can't be. But he knows those sounds, and he hears them first. That grinding sound of those ancient engines…how is that possible?

Rose hears it next and she turns to where the Doctor is already staring in anticipation. She can't believe it…but that doesn't matter. She feels a smile begin to form on her features at the thought of hope being restored as the sounds begin to get louder, stronger than ever.

Martha shields her face from the wind, but is staring with the others. Curious, the Daleks have begun to turn, trying to understand how this is possible. Jack begins to get to his feet, a small smile starting to form on his face. Even Sarah Jane can't help the smile as she shields her face from the wind.

The noise is a heavenly sound to them all as the engines continue to rise and fall, Mickey looks around, grinning.

The sound of the Supreme Dalek's countdown is completely ignored as the Doctor and Rose continue to stare, the wind surrounding them in utter shock.

'How is that…?' Rose breathes.

'But that's…' The Doctor states quietly.

'Impossible!' Davros shouts.

Everyone is witness as a miracle unfolds before their eyes. In the centre of the Vault, directly opposite Davros, a few feet away, the TARDIS materialises. The door opens and white light pours out of the TARDIS, shrouding a figure. It's only when the figure steps out that everyone stares, staggered.

Rose feels her jaw drop as the figure flashes the entire group a very familiar cocky grin.

'What?!' The Doctor cries out as he tries to process how exactly this is happening.

'I…how…what? But…?!' Rose stares completely shocked as she attempts to wrap her mind around this phenomenon.

Jack feels his familiar smirk etch itself onto his face as he studies this second Doctor. 'Brilliant!'

The second Doctor holds up a device and before anyone can try and deduct what he might be holding, he takes off running. Straight for Davros, rapidly closing the gap between the two. He holds out the device and it has startled Davros enough that he has begun to back away, staring in complete shock, his mouth open.

The Doctor watches then and can do nothing other than call out to him. 'Don't!'

Davros has recovered too quickly and calmly raises his metal hand. An arc of electricity erupts from his fingertips and strikes the second Doctor. He drops to the floor like a stone and the device skitters across the rest of the gap.

Rose covers her mouth. 'Are you okay?!' She calls out to him. He doesn't answer her, but steals a glance at her anyway.

'Activate Holding Cell.' Davros commands and the bright spotlight slams down onto the second Doctor, just as he hauls himself to his feet.

All the hope, the joy, the excitement they just experienced has been crushed. Until…

Suddenly…

Donna comes running out of the TARDIS, she runs towards the device desperately and Rose feels her jaw drop from the shock.

'I've got it!' She announces as she scoops up the device she turns to the second Doctor as she stares at it. 'I don't know what to do!'

'Donna?!' Rose cries out in disbelief and it draws her attention to the Doctor and Rose.

'Donna! Watch…!' The Doctor tries to warn her, but he speaks too late.

Davros has activated the arc of electricity from his fingertips and it hits Donna squarely in her chest. It's more vicious this time. Rose cries out and her hands fly to her mouth as Donna is thrown across the room and hits the ground, her head connecting with the ground, hard. She skirts across the ground into one of the Dalek workstations.

The blast caused the device to fall from Donna's hands and once more it slides across the floor. Once it stops, a Dalek fires on it. It explodes as it shatters.

'Donna?! Donna?!' Rose calls to her repeatedly. She lets out a cry of frustration and hits the beam of light. It merely ripples in response.

'Donna! Are you all right? Donna!' The Doctor shouts to her and Donna attempts to sit up and Rose breathes a sigh of relief as she catches sight of Donna's head. She visibly appears to be stunned.

'I was wrong about your warriors, Doctor. They are pathetic!' Davros mocks and Rose turns back to the second Doctor to see him also on his feet, recovering from the blast. And so she turns back to the Doctor.

'Um…how are there two of you?!' Rose questions and again that thought hits her hard.

'Human biological metacrisis.' The second Doctor offers simply and smiles at Rose.

'Never mind that!' The Doctor interjects desperately. 'We've got no way of stopping the Reality Bomb now!'

'Stand witness, Time Lord! Stand witness, humans! Your strategies have failed. Your weapons are useless. And, oh. The end of the universe is to come.' Davros calls to them smugly and everyone turns their attention back to the viewscreen that still displays the planetary array. 'Your strategies have failed! Your weapons are useless! And the end of the universe is come!'

The Supreme Dalek's voice is heard by all. Everyone is silent as they concentrate on his voice.

'Ten.'

The second Doctor watches the viewscreen as he tries to get a hold of his emotions; anger, rage and helplessness are battling for supremacy.

'Nine.'

Sarah Jane, Jack, Jackie are staring at the screen and Jack puts his arms around the two of them, trying to give them some sort of comfort. However minimal. In fact, he isn't sure that this is helping at all…the worlds as they know it are about to be obliterated.

'Eight.'

Donna is still dazed as she pulls herself up from the ground using the workstation as a means of support. She blinks as really stares at the controls before she glances up and studies her surroundings.

'Seven.'

Mickey covers his face in his hands, angry that they couldn't have done more. Strangely this feels like a failure to him. They should have been able to stop this, why did they have to fail?

'Six.'

Martha closes her eyes as she awaits the final number. She should have done more. Should she have wasted her time offering the Daleks an option? Look what it cost her. The chance to avoid all of this. Even though her head wrestles with that thought, her heart tells her that she did the right thing. There is always a choice to be given.

'Five.'

Rose stares at screen and feels numb. How could it really end like this? They have all been gathered like this…only to have failed. Rose is beyond frustrated. All avenues that they attempted to exploit seemed to have lead to repeated dead ends. What will possibly save them now? Or is it too late?

'Four.'

The Doctor is transfixed, staring at the screen and the halos around the planets, as their power is about to be unleashed. He turns to Rose, needing some of her bravery, needing some of her non-verbal strength. She holds out her hand and wiggles her fingers. She did promise him. As the world comes to an end…he just smiles longingly.

Donna breathes in, her head is remarkably clear. She feels immensely better. Once she's done that, she flexes her hands and poises her hands above the workstation controls. She glances to one button in particular and stabs it, just as the Supreme Dalek reaches the end of the countdown.

'Three…two…one…'

But nothing happens. Instead the sound of massive power dying and fading is heard. The viewscreens disappear and alarms begin to sound. Everyone turns around, not understanding what has just happened…until they all set their sights on Donna. She's confidently gives them a smirk, clearly in her element.

'And, closing all Z-Neutrino relay loops with an internalised synchronous back feed reversal loop,' Donna informs them; her tone mimics the Doctor's. 'Oh yes, that button there!' She stabs it with assurance.

'Systems in shutdown!' A Dalek calls out, clearly agitated.

'Detonation negative!' A second Dalek reports on the situation.

'Explain! Explain! Explain!' The Supreme Dalek demands information.

Rose widens her eyes, as Donna still stands poised at the workstation; clearly her work isn't done yet.

The Doctor is watching Donna staggered. 'Donna?! But…you can't even change a plug!' He insists and Donna merely gives him a smirk.

'Do you wanna bet, Time Boy?'

Infuriated, Davros rounds on Donna, this time he'll ensure she won't get back up. 'You will suffer for this!' He threatens and raises the metal hand once more. The arc of electricity centres on his own hand, but it doesn't travel anywhere. He screams out in pain.

'Oh, bioelectric dampening field with a retrogressive arc inversion? Done that! Next?!' Donna grins and watches the Daleks, figuring that they would be next to try something.

'Daleks! Exterminate her!' Davros shouts angrily and so the Dalek swivel on Donna, their guns aimed at her but Donna casually hits some buttons in a sequence and then grins at them.

Their guns make a series of clicking sounds, but they don't fire. Their eyestalks turn to their weapons, utterly baffled.

'What, macrotransmission of a K-filter wavelength blocking Dalek weaponry in self-replicating energy blindfold matrix? Come on! Give me something difficult!'

'But! How did you work that out…? You, you, you're…' The Doctor attempts to get out before he's interrupted.

'Time Lord!' The second Doctor grins. 'Part Time Lord!'

Rose feels a smile break out on her face as Donna merely nods her head.

'Part human! Oh yes! That was a two way biological metacrisis. Half Doctor, half Donna!'

'The DoctorDonna!' Rose calls out and the Doctor turns to her, suddenly he is remembering those words that had followed them around their travels. 'It's just like the Ood said, remember?'

'That's right! They saw it coming! The DoctorDonna!' The Doctor recalls and he stares at Donna amazed.

Donna presses another button and glances up to the group. 'Holding Cells deactivated!'

The spotlights above the Doctor, Rose and the second Doctor slam off. Rose smiles at the Doctor and he motions with his eyes to her mum, and she doesn't need to be told twice. Rose runs to her mum and together they embrace each other tightly. Jackie has waited a long time for that.

Everyone has pulled themselves to their feet and Rose turns to stare at Donna, still completely amazed by her and she can feel another smile appear on her face. That's how they did it. The Doctor and Donna. This is how they're gonna save the universe.

Donna places a hand on her hip as she watches the group appear unsure of what to do. 'Well don't just stand there, you skinny boys in suits! Get to work!' She instructs and both the Doctor and the second Doctor run to other workstations.

Davros can't fathom how this is turning into such anarchy. He rounds on the Daleks, seething. 'Stop them! Get them away from the controls!' He yells.

A Dalek begins to glide up to the Doctor, the sucker outstretched, but Donna doesn't seem bothered.

'Oh, I like this one, watch this…' She stabs a few buttons. She winks at Rose, and Rose beams over to her.

The Daleks begin to shudder and jerk, their eyestalks juddering out of control. 'And…spin!' The Daleks begin to revolve on the spot. Rose watches entranced. 'And, the other way.' Donna strikes another button and the Daleks spin in the other direction.

They just simply stay like that, jerking and changing directions through out. The Doctor and the second Doctor just stare at them…transfixed.

'What did you do?' The Doctor looks over to Donna and she simply offers a shrug.

'Used the biofeedback shielding to exacerbate the Daleknium interface, this inculcating a trip stitch circuit breaker in the psychokinetic threshold manipulator!' Donna informs them proudly.

'But that's brilliant!' The second Doctor exclaims.

'That's…revolutionary! Why did we never think of that?!' The Doctor turns to the second and frowns.

'Cause you were just Time Lords, you dumbos,' Donna smirks at them. They both raise an eyebrow at her. 'Lacking that little bit of human, that gut instinct that comes hand in hand with planet Earth, I can think of ideas you two wouldn't dream up in a million years! Oh, the universe has been waiting for me! Now let's send that trip stitch all over the ship!' Donna breathes in and has her hands poised above the controls. She glances up to the two of them. 'Did I ever tell you? Best temp in Chiswick, one hundred words per minute!'

'Ha!' The second Doctor laughs.

Donna furiously begins to slam levels and spin switches. Both Doctors take her cue and they begin to do the same. Both have wide grins plastered on their faces.

In the Crucible Command Deck, four Daleks have begun to jerk, convulse and finally start to spin.

'System…malfunction!' The first Dalek says.

'Out of control!' The second calls out.

'Motor casing interference!' The third responds, trying desperately to stop the spinning, but is unable to do so.

'Help me! Help me! Help me!' The fourth cries out.

The Supreme Dalek watches this below as he begins to judder, high above on his plinth. He is able to maintain more control than the lesser Daleks.

'What is happening?! Explain!'

In the Vaults, which Donna has sealed off, Jack dashes back to the TARDIS, yanking the door open all the while Donna feverishly presses buttons.

'Come on, boys, we've got twenty-seven planets to send home! Activate Magnatron!' Donna demands as she slams buttons furiously.

The Doctor does the same, hitting the same pace as Donna does. The second Doctor matches their pace as well, continuously hitting the same switches. That doesn't stop them from sneaking glances at each other, clearly loving this moment.

Davros has begun to glide forward. 'You will stop this! Stop this at once!'

Jack runs out of the TARDIS carrying his defabricator gun and he reaches into his holster, pulling out his revolver. He tosses the defabricator to Mickey with a bit of an apologetic smile on his face. Nonetheless, Mickey smiles.

Mickey swings the gun around on Davros, guarding him. 'Just stay where you are, mister.'

Jack runs to a juddering Dalek and he gleefully shoves it out of the way with his foot. It glides out of the way, having completely lost control of its functions. It still twitches as it reaches the end of the room.

Taking the hint, Martha does the same to the one that had been guarding her. It, too, glides away to another corner of the Vault. Sarah Jane does the same and Rose kicks the one that was closest to her mum away as well.

Rose rushes up to Sarah Jane and together they embrace one another tightly. 'It's so good to see you again!'

'Oh, you too!' Sarah Jane replies relieved.

Donna turns to the Doctors. 'Ready?' Both Doctors nod at her. Together they all push a final switch. 'And reverse!'

One by one the planets slowly begin to disappear from the Medusa Cascade, vanishing from their array.

Donna and the Doctors are continuously working away at the stations as Rose walks over to them, still wondering how all this was possible.

'Off you go, Clom!' The Doctor hits a button.

'Back home, Adipose 3!' The second Doctor glances up as he catches sight of Rose walking towards them.

'Shallacatop, Pyrovillia and the Lost Moon of Poosh, sorted!' Donna announces and more planets begin to disappear.

Rose stops in front of the stations and places her hands on her hips as her eyes dart between the three of them. Unable to take the mystery any longer, she smiles.

'Is anyone gonna tell us? What the hell is going on?!' She wonders, but they all catch the bemused tone in her voice.

'He,' Donna gestures to the Doctor. 'Poured all his regeneration energy into his spare hand. I touched the hand, he,' Donna motions to the second Doctor. 'Grew out of that, but that fed back into me. But it just stayed dormant in my head till the synapses got that little extra spark, kicking them into life. Thank you, Davros!' Donna gives him a wave. 'Part human…part Time Lord. And I got the best bit of the Doctor. I got his mind!'

'So, there's three of you?' Sarah Jane questions as she stands beside Rose, followed by Jack.

'There's three Doctors?!' Rose stares at them in disbelief. Jack leans on her and she sees that he's clearly overwhelmed. In a good way.

'Oh, I can't tell you what I'm thinking right now.' Jack announces and Rose smiles but rolls her eyes.

'So…do you mean she's like Jenny?' Martha wonders but the Doctor shakes his head.

'No, that was just biology, Donna's a brand new creation. And event! So unique that the Time Lines were converging on you. A human being with a Time Lord brain!' The Doctor informs them.

Davros, angered, seething with a white hot rage directs his attention on Caan. 'But you promised me, Dalek Caan! Why did you not foresee this?!' He shouts at him.

However, Caan is just laughing an insane laughter. The Doctor looks over to Caan, still laughing as he continues to work away. And then it hits him.

'Ohh, I think he did,' The Doctor states and Davros turns back to look at him. 'Something's been manipulating the Time Lines for ages. Getting Donna Noble to the right place at the right time.'

'You betrayed the Daleks!' Davros spat and Caan offers his very own perspective. So vastly different from what they had been expecting.

'I saw the Daleks,' He corrects. 'What we have done, throughout Time and Space. I saw the truth of us, Creator, and I decreed no more.'

On the Crucible Decks, the Supreme Dalek has been stronger than the rest of the Daleks, stronger and so he will put a stop to this madness.

'I will descend…to the Vault!' He announces.

Jack looks around the room, hoping to spot the Dalek before he arrives with guns blazing.

'Heads up!' He warns the rest of them. Just in time as the Supreme Dalek descends, surrounded by smoke and light. The Dalek directs his anger on the only one person he believes caused their fall from power.

'Davros! You have betrayed us!' The Supreme Dalek shouts, Davros can only shake his head.

'It was Dalek Caan!' Davros insists and the Supreme Dalek drops the matter for the moment. He has work to do.

'The Vault will be purged! You will all be exterminated!' He declares as he lands. Once he does so, he fires, right at the Doctor's workstation. He manages to get out of the way just in time, but the workstation explodes.

'Like I was saying. Feel this!' Jack calls over and Mickey automatically fires a shot from the defabricator gun. The Supreme Dalek explodes. Small flames erupt from the shattered remains.

The Doctor stares at the obliterated workstation. 'We've lost the Magnatron! And there's only one planet left, oh guess which one?' The Doctor turns to Rose and she just flashes him a smile.

'Oh of course it's that one.' Rose replies and he nods.

'But we can use the TARDIS.' He states and takes off towards the TARDIS, throwing the door open and beginning to quickly work the controls.

Rose watches the second Doctor and Donna continue to ensure that they work the remaining workstations. She's just still so fascinated.

'Holding Earth stability, maintaining atmospheric shell…' The second Doctor informs them, but a quiet voice floats toward them. Rose turns around.

'The prophecy must complete.' Caan states, his voice still has the hint of madness to it.

'Don't listen to him!' Davros shouts to them.

'I have seen the end of everything Dalek, and you must make it happen, Doctor!' Caan tells him and Rose watches his look become pensive and grim. He's thought of something…grave…

'Doctor…whatever you're thinking…' Rose attempts to break through his thoughts but he glances up to her. His stare frightens her.

'He's right,' He looks to Donna. 'Cause with or without a Reality Bomb, this Dalek's Empire is big enough to slaughter the cosmos. They've got to be stopped.'

'No. Just, wait a second. We'll wait.' Rose grows anxious as to where his thoughts are leading him.

'Rose is right. We'll wait for the Doctor.' Donna replies nervously.

'I am the Doctor!' He announces and he twists the controls on the panels. 'Maximising Dalekenium power feeds! And, blasting them back!' He slams down on the controls.

Rose watches in horror as the three Daleks in the different corners of the Vault explode. 'No! You have to stop this! Reverse it! Please! This is wrong! You know it is!' Rose informs him, but he ignores her.

The Doctor runs out of the TARDIS at the sound of Rose's shouts and hears the explosions above them. Everyone is flinching, and all their angry stares are directed at the Metacrisis. Except for Rose. She has disappointment in her eyes; she's hurt by his actions.

'What have you done?' The Doctor calls over to him.

'Fulfilling the prophecy.' His reply is simple, curt and direct.

Everyone flinches as a huge explosion is heard; rubble begins to fall from above. The chain reaction has spread to all the Dalek saucers; all of the Daleks aboard the Crucible have exploded. Fire begins to tear through the Vault and the Doctor furiously directs his gaze at the Metacrisis. What was he thinking? But there isn't time to worry about that now; they have bigger problems to deal with. However, unable to stop himself, he calls over to him.

'Do you know what you've done?!' Pushing those thoughts aside, the Doctor calls to everyone. 'Now get in the TARDIS! Everyone!'

The Metacrisis runs past the Doctor as he stands by the door, shouting to everyone. 'All of you inside! Run!' Martha goes in first, then Sarah Jane, Mickey and Jack. Jackie and Rose arrive at the same time, Jackie enters, and Rose lingers outside.

'Can't we reverse it?!' Rose furiously whispers to the Doctor but he shakes his head sadly.

'No time! In! In! In!' The Doctor takes her arm and ushers her into the TARDIS where the Metacrisis is standing by the door, counting as everyone comes in. Everyone runs past him, up the ramp.

'Martha! Sarah Jane! Mickey! Jack! Jackie! Rose…' He feels her name get stuck in his throat. He can't get her face out of his mind. She's so disappointed. Because she knew that's not what should have been done. He crushed her.

She brushes right by him, not wanting to look at the man whose actions were completely unjustifiable. There is always a choice. And he didn't give them one. Couldn't or wouldn't, Rose isn't sure.

The Doctor flinches at the sound of another explosion and rubble smashing to the ground from the roof. It starts to form a barrier of twisted and mangled metal, separating the Doctor and Davros. The gap stretches between them; the air becomes hazy from the heat of the fire. It creeps up to Davros, surrounding and then engulfing him. Slowly rising.

'Davros! Come with me! I promise. I can save you.' The Doctor calls to him, but Davros makes no further movements.

He raises his hand, pointing at the Doctor. 'Never forget, Doctor,' Davros replies. His voice is cold. 'You did this. I name you, forever…you are the Destroyer of Worlds.'

The flames rise up and engulf Davros. He lets out a terrible scream, but not from pain. More from anger, than rage.

The Doctor attempts to see where Davros once was, but there's too much smoke and dust, and heat haze that has polluted the air. Suddenly the Doctor is strangely calm as he turns across the room, staring at Dalek Caan.

His voice is soft as it somehow manages to carry itself across the room. 'One will still die.' The fire obscures the Doctor's view of Caan. But he continues to stare at Caan, unnerved. However…he has already started to realise the meaning of Caan's words. It's unsettling.

He is shaken from his thoughts when he feels someone slip their hand into his. He turns back to see Rose.

'What are you doing? It isn't safe…'

'Yeah. So what are you still doing here?' She wonders and he turns with her, and together they run back to the TARDIS.

The Doctor and Rose burst through the doors and they run up the ramp to the console.

'And, off we go!' The Doctor declares and he pushes a lever, the Time Rotor starts to rise and fall…

'But what about the Earth?' Sarah Jane wonders nervously. 'It's stuck in the wrong part of space!'

'I'm on it!' The Doctor declares and turns to the scanner. 'Torchwood Hub! This is the Doctor! Are you receiving me?'

Gwen and Ianto are drawn from prodding the exploded remains of the Dalek as a familiar voice fills the Hub. They both rush towards the terminal and grin widely when they see the Doctor.

'Loud and clear! Is Jack there?' Gwen wonders nervously and the Doctor moves slightly to see Jack standing there.

'Can't get rid of him!' The Doctor replies and turns back to Jack. 'Jack, what's her name?'

'Gwen Cooper.'

Rose and the Doctor exchange bemused looks and can't believe she hadn't noticed the first time Rose met her. She'll chalk it up to the other events she had going on at the moment.

'Tell me, Gwen Cooper, are you from an old Cardiff family?' The Doctor inquires and Gwen is at first taken back by that assumption and then grins.

'Yes, all the way back to the 1800s!'

'Thought so, special genetic multiplicity.' The Doctor turns over to Rose.

'Oh, yeah!' She smiles.

'Yeah, yeah, funny old world. Now, Torchwood, I want you to open up that Rift Manipulator! And send all the power to me!' The Doctor instructs.

'Doing it now, sir!' Ianto replies. They already know that the Rift Manipulator in the Water Tower has started to rise and fall.

'What's that for?' Gwen wonders and the Doctor smiles.

'It's a towrope. Now then, Sarah Jane,' The Doctor turns to her. 'What's was your son's name?'

'Luke! He's called Luke! And the computer's called Mr. Smith!' Sarah Jane informs him and the Doctor turns back to the scanner.

'Calling Luke and Mr. Smith! This is the Doctor!'

Luke looks up to the screen and widens his eyes. He rushes towards Mr. Smith and stares at it in disbelief.

'Is mum there?! We saw the Crucible explode, is she all right?' He wonders.

'Oh, she's fine and dandy, now, Mr. Smith, I want you to harness the Rift Power and loop it around the TARDIS, got that?' The Doctor questions him.

'I regret, I will need remote access to the TARDIS basecode numerals.' Mr. Smith responds and the Doctor runs his hand through his hair.

'Blimey, that's gonna take awhile…'

Sarah Jane rushes forward and stands beside the Doctor at the scanner. 'No, let me! K9! Out you come!' She calls at the scanner. They watch as K9 appears beside Luke.

'Affirmative, mistress!'

The Doctor grins widely. 'Oh, good dog! K9, give Mr. Smith the basecode!'

'Master! TARDIS basecode now being transferred. The process is simple!' K9 trundles forward and attaches its nose antenna to Mr. Smith.

The Doctor walks around the console, giving everyone a position and placing their hands on certain controls.

'Now then, you lot…Sarah, hold that down, Mickey, you hold that,' The Doctor glances around to everyone, he stops at Rose and she gives him a brilliant smile. But he turns his attention away. He's thinking of something… 'Cause do you know why this TARDIS is always rattling about the place?' He stops at Rose and tightly takes her hand in his, placing it on a control. 'Rose, that there. It's designed to have six pilots. And I have to do it single-handed! Martha, keep that level. But not anymore!' The Doctor replies and turns to Jack. 'Jack, there you go, steady that. Now we can fly this thing,' The Doctor stops at Jackie and blinks. 'No, Jackie, no, not you, don't touch anything, just stand back,' He moves her out of the way, to the sidelines. 'Like it's meant to be flown! We've got the Torchwood Rift, looped around the TARDIS by Mr. Smith, and we're gonna fly planet Earth back home! Right then! Off we go!'

The Doctor pulls a big lever and everyone holds on, excited.

The TARDIS shoots forward towing behind it Earth, as it slowly starts to move behind the TARDIS. The movement of the Earth is causing everyone to become jovial. Luke is holding on to Mr. Smith, laughing, as he knows he is on his way home.

In the Torchwood Hub, Gwen and Ianto are holding on to their computer terminals, trying their hardest to ensure they keep their balance as things begin falling all over the place. But they love it.

Wilf and Sylvia stagger around their house as shelves start to fall; lamps go flying off of tables, ornaments tumbling down as they both attempt to catch whatever they can. What in the hell is happening now?

The console room of the TARDIS gently sways as the console room is brimmed with everyone at the controls. The Doctor calls out instructions to each of them, while trying to keep his thoughts about Rose out of his mind for the moment. What he's about to ask of her…will crush her. But it's for the good of that universe. Because he obviously can't be trusted. And this universe doesn't need two of them.

The Doctor turns to look over shoulder at the Metacrisis and Donna who hang back on a rail, as they continue to help with instructions. They don't catch him staring at them. And yet, he can tell they really are loving this. Almost as much as he is.

The stars that had been transformed into needles from the speed in which they had been travelling at begin to fade down into ordinary stars as the Earth heads back into its rightful place. The sunrise just begins to curve over the horizon.

The TARDIS erupts into cheers.

Mickey and Jack high five. Rose rushes towards Martha and the embrace each other tightly. Donna pushes Sarah Jane out of the way so she can finally get a proper hug from Jack. Jackie embraces the Doctor and only lets him go when Rose approaches. His thoughts of what's about to happen fuel the ferocity of his embrace. He doesn't believe she'll agree with it…and that's why…if necessary, he'll do what he did to Susan…

The TARDIS materialises in a park on the most beautiful day in the world. The sun shines brightly, warming the air. The door opens and Sarah Jane steps out with the Doctor, taking in every detail. She turns up to him and gives him a big smile.

'You know…you act like such a lonely man. But look at you. You've got the biggest family on Earth!' She embraces him tightly before she pulls away, backing up. 'Gotta go. He's only fourteen. Long story. And thank you!'

She heads off in one direction, the Doctor waves.

Still inside the TARDIS, Mickey and Jackie are off in one corner, while Rose waits for them by the door with Jack and Martha. She'll see them off. Donna is on her mobile talking to her granddad and she smiles. She lingers as Martha and Jack head outside, waiting for Mickey.

She watches as Mickey embraces her mum tightly. 'Gonna miss you. More than anyone.' He whispers to her and Jackie stares at him confused.

'What do you mean? The Doctor's taking us back home, isn't he…?'

'That's the point.' He replies and she nods, understanding his meaning.

Together, Mickey and Rose walk out to see Martha standing there with an unimpressed look on her face, her arms crossed as the Doctor has Jack's wrist tightly in his hand, sonicing the wristband. He gives Jack a bit of a look.

'What have I told you? No teleports!' He chides and then turns to Martha as she and Rose embrace tightly. 'Oh, and Martha, get rid of that Osterhagen thing. Save the world, one more time!'

'Consider it done!' Martha replies and she pulls away from Rose.

'Bye Martha, we'll see you soon, though, yeah?'

'Of course you will! I'm not done with you all yet!' Martha responds and smiles.

Rose moves on to Jack next, embracing him tightly. 'It was so good to see you Jack. We'll see you around?' Rose wonders and he nods.

'Oh, you're not done seeing me yet!' Jack announces and embraces Rose again. They pull away and he turns to Martha.

'Do you know, I'm not so sure about UNIT these days. Maybe there's something else you could be doing…' Jack informs her and he takes her hand, together they start to head down the walkway. They both turn over and offer a final wave. Rose waves enthusiastically back; standing by the Doctor and Mickey walks over to them.

'Mickey? Where are you going?' Rose wonders and he stops, shrugging his shoulders.

'I'm not stupid. I can work out what's happening next. And hey, I had a good time in that parallel world. But my Gran passed away. Nice and peaceful. She spent her last years living in a mansion!' He informs them and Rose smiles slightly. 'But there's nothing left for me there, now.'

'So, what will you do…?' The Doctor questions and Mickey motions to their surroundings.

'Anything! Brand new life! Just you watch me! See ya, boss,' Mickey holds up his fist and they knock knuckles, both have wide smiles on their faces. 'Rose. It was so great to see you again! Stay in touch, okay?'

Rose embraces Mickey tightly, still stunned that he's decided to remain here. Who will be there with her mum? 'Sure, Mickey. Thanks for taking care of mum for me…'

'Anytime, Rose. Hey, you two!' Mickey shouts to Jack and Martha, who stop and turn around.

'Oh, I thought I'd got rid of you…' Jack says sarcastically, but he grins.

Rose waves to them again as she links arms with the Doctor. Together they watch them go…but his smile starts to fade, as he knows what's coming next.

'Come on, we still have to get mum home.' Rose replies and he nods.

'Right, one last stop…' He agrees and turns to head back into the TARDIS, with Rose holding onto his hand. He begins to feel sick.

They head into the TARDIS, walking up the ramp while Rose hangs back with her mum, the Doctor goes to the console, beginning to press levers.

'Just time for one last trip…' He informs them and the TARDIS dematerialises. He dreads having to tell Rose where they are going to end up. Because she dreamed about this location. Donna watches the Doctor intensely, already piecing together what he's about to do. The Metacrisis steals a look at Rose, who is still talking with her mum. Catching up on everything she's missed. He then looks back to the Doctor, who nods his head.

The TARDIS materialises on a beach, the sun is shining brightly giving the air warmth and all that is heard is the sound of the crashing waves as they come ashore before being pulled back into the ocean.

Jackie pushes the door open first, looking around confused as she wonders where exactly they are. Rose goes to the door next, with the Doctor standing behind her. She turns up to him, smiling. Donna watches from behind, feeling the tears begin to well up in her eyes and she has to look away. It isn't fair to him. It just isn't fair.

'I'll be right back. I just want a proper goodbye this time,' Rose places a quick kiss on his cheek and then steps out. 'Mum! Hold on!'

The Doctor is joined by the Metacrisis and together they watch Rose begin to catch up to her mum, they link arms and walk a few more steps away before stopping.

'How can you think this is going to go over well?' The Metacrisis wonders.

'I know it won't go over well. That's why I'm not giving her a choice.' The Doctor responds.

'She'll resent you. And guess where she'll project that resentment?'

'She'll learn to see that it wasn't you. It was me. I made that choice.' The Doctor counters but the Metacrisis shakes his head.

'How can you not think that every time she looks at me she'll remember this moment? She'll be stuck in a vicious cycle of hatred.'

'She won't. You'll help her see. You'll help her forgive. Help her forgive you. Let her continue hating me.'

They watch as Rose embraces her mother tightly and pull away. Jackie hands Rose an envelope of some kind and she opens it, taking the contents out and covering her mouth.

'Why are you doing this?' The Metacrisis wonders and the Doctor continues to stare ahead, looking only at Rose. Seeing only her. Wishing there was something he could do to change what's about to happen.

'We saved the universe. But it cost us. And that cost is you.' The Doctor responds and the Metacrisis looks to the ground. He remains silent. Taking that hint, the Metacrisis walks out of the TARDIS, heading towards Rose and Jackie, not looking back. The Doctor swallows and watches Rose turn her head at the approaching figure. Confused, she frowns and then looks back to the TARDIS.

'Ready?' Donna whispers to him from her place at the console.

'No. No I'm not.'

'I'm sorry.'

The Doctor backs away and shuts the door, walking up the ramp and stands at the console so he can see the door as it stands directly across from him, and he can see the scanner. He watches as Rose runs full speed to the TARDIS, trying to open the door. But it won't. She yanks on it. When he watches her slip her key into the lock, he pulls out the sonic screwdriver and points it at the door. His hand shakes.

'Doctor? What's going on?! I can't get in!' Rose's voice is muffled and he turns his attention at the scanner.

'I know. I locked it.'

'Locked it?! What?! Why?!' Rose questions and pulls on the handle again.

'Because…you're staying behind.'

'But this is the parallel universe, isn't it? That means I'll be stuck here! Forever!' Rose replies. The Doctor can't bear the distance and so he walks towards the door, for a moment, Donna believes that he'll relent and let her in, but he doesn't. He just stands on the ramp.

'I know what it means.'

'Why are you doing this to me?!'

'Because…I need you to do something for me, Rose. I need you to watch out for him. He needs you.' The Doctor replies and she bangs on the door out of frustration.

'I don't care what he needs! I will not be left behind!'

'Rose, you need to listen to me,' The Doctor replies but she bangs on the door again. He decides to continue anyway. 'That man out there is the cost of us saving the universe. He destroyed the Daleks. He committed genocide. He's too dangerous to be left on his own.'

'If he stays here, then there will be people that can watch out for him. But it sure as hell won't be me,' Rose insists and runs her nails down the TARDIS door in frustration. She feels angry tears brim her eyes and she attempts to blink them away. 'Please, Doctor, let me in…'

'Rose, he was born in battle. Full of blood and anger and revenge. Who does he remind you of? Me. That was me when we first me. And you made me better, Rose. You did that. And now you can do the same for him.' The Doctor explains and hears Rose press her hand on the door, he can hear her nails dig into the wood as she forms a fist. She still rests it on the door.

'No. I won't do it. You can't make me.'

'I'm not really giving you the choice.' The Doctor counters and he hears her muffle a sob.

'Please don't make me do this. I can't be stuck like this. I don't want to be caged. Please don't cage me…' Rose feels the hurt creep into her voice. 'I don't want this life. It isn't for me. I promised you that I'd be with you forever…' Her voice cracks.

'Rose, I'm giving you the one thing that I can't ever have…and that's a normal life.'

'I don't want it!' She screams in anger and hits the door again.

The Doctor backs up the ramp slowly, unable to cope with what he's asking her. He goes back up to the console and stares at the scanner. He nearly breaks.

'Doctor…please…let me in…please…'

'I'm sorry, Rose. I'm so very sorry.'

Donna feels her tears fall and she has to turn away so that she doesn't catch the Doctor's eye. That's the last thing he needs is to see her unable to keep herself collected.

'Doctor…it's just…can't…I mean can't we talk about this?!' She cries desperately.

'No.'

'But this isn't what I want! That man is not you! He'll never be you! You're the only one I want!'

'Rose he needs you. And that's very me.' The Doctor counters and immediately regrets saying it.

'No! No, no! He'll never be you. Please…we've done so much together. Since we first met…'

'He has the same memories, same thoughts, feelings…everything…' The Doctor informs her and she screams from anger and pain, hitting the door and running her nails down it.

'I don't care! I don't care! He will never, ever be you! No matter what you try to tell me otherwise! All those memories were not experienced by him! That man wasn't the one I kept safe at Farringham, he wasn't the one I got stuck with in 1969, he wasn't the one who got trapped with me on a spaceship hurling towards a living sun! I mean, do I have to go on?! Saying he has those memories means nothing to me! Because he wasn't there!'

The TARDIS groans. It's time. He's got to go, or he'll be stuck here as well.

'I'm sorry Rose…'

'But I love you…' She cries out, choking back her sob. 'Shouldn't that mean more…?'

'You know how I feel, Rose. But I need you to do this for me.'

'And you're okay with never, ever seeing me again? Stuck here? Wondering about me for the rest of your life?' Rose spat and hit the door again out of anger.

'I'm going to have to be…'

'Liar!' Rose breaks down and starts to cry. 'How could you just…turn your back on me…? Like I mean nothing to you?'

The Doctor is silent, unsure of how to respond to her question. It takes everything in him not to let her in, but he knows it's for the best. She can heal him…she can do so much good for him. But at what cost? His own happiness. His love. He has to sacrifice the one thing he loves more than life itself. Rose. He has to go on without her.

His hand hovers over the lever, shaking as he looks at Rose in the scanner, covering her face, sobbing. Her shoulders shaking. It breaks him and yet he remains where he is…because he has to.

'I'm so…I'm so sorry…'

'Everyone was right…you do get tired of us. And you leave us. Drop me off on some god-forsaken rock and go back to your life like nothing ever happened. God, I feel so stupid…' Rose states bitterly and tries to stop her tears from falling.

Her words tear at him and he looks down at the console, unsure of what to do. His emotions are so conflicted as he tries remaining focused.

'You know that's not true…you were different to me, Rose. I wish I didn't have to do this.'

'Then don't…let me come with you…' She pleads.

'I can't…I just can't…you can do more good here. This world needs a defender, and you're just what they need. Look what you did without me…parallel or not, false world or not. You're brilliant, Rose, and I know you'd make me proud. Just like you always have.' The Doctor tries to convince himself more so than Rose.

Rose falls into tears once more and hits the door out of rage, confusion and sadness. He stares at the lever and, as his hand his shaking, he releases the break and the TARDIS begins to dematerialise.

Rose steps back from shock and widens her eyes. 'Doctor! No! Please! Come back!' She screams until her voice cracks.

But the TARDIS is gone…the wind blows through her. As she stares in shock. She scrunches up her face against the unbearable pain she feels in her heart.

Jackie just stares in disbelief and starts to jog towards Rose, knowing she'd need comfort. The Metacrisis remains where he is, knowing that he'd be the last person she'd want near her.

Rose lets out a scream of frustration and takes the TARDIS that she still holds in her hand and turns towards the ocean. She stares at it and feels immense betrayal the longer she gazes upon it. She takes one step forward and hurls it into the waters. As soon as she does she collapses to her knees and covers her face with her hands as sobs wrack her body. Jackie rushes over to her and envelops into a tight hug, she's torn seeing Rose like this. She just tries to keep her close to her. Not knowing what to say as she tries to get over the shock herself.

The Metacrisis hurts seeing Rose like this, and so he walks along the shoreline staring at the water, until something catches the sunlight and reflects it. He stops and bends down, moving some of the seaweed, as he unearths a key. And it reflects a golden glow, this Yale key does. He slips it into his pocket, never knowing when she may want it again. He turns back to Rose, still on her knees and he turns to the sky, hoping this would all be worth it for him…because he doesn't have to live with the devastation she's currently feeling. Hopefully he can earn her trust…and she can forgive him…

Donna watches the Doctor bent over the console and she still feels her tears cascading down her face and she hastily wipes them away. The Doctor abruptly straightens up and turns to the hallway. Donna watches him, and takes a few steps forward, wanting to say something but unsure what she should tell him.

As he walks down the hall, he slams his fist against the wall, multiple times and the lights darken, like they seem to be following him the further he gets down the hall, shining on him. Eventually he disappears around a corner.

Donna stands at the mouth of the hallway and watches, quickly wiping her tears away. She jumps when she hears the sound of a frustrated yell. Something shatters against a wall, but she doesn't know what. Something else does, and then another thing. She just hears the anguished yells, how tormented they are as the sound of things being tipped over are heard, how heavy the connection is.

It only causes Donna's tears to fall harder. The anarchy continues for some time until she begins to hear sounds of footsteps and she hastily removes herself from the mouth of the hallway, not wanting to be caught spying.

She waits by the console, operating it like it's normal to her. She glances up when he re-enters the room, panting and looking utterly defeated. He's just…crushed, angry, hurt at the loss of the woman he loves. She directs her gaze to the console, and wonders how she can take his mind off of her, knowing it'd be near impossible.

'I thought, we could try the planet Felspoon,' Donna wonders and the Doctor finally looks over to her, but his stare is a bit vacant. 'Just cause…what a good name! Felspoon! Apparently, it's got mountains that sway, in the breeze, mountains that move, can you imagine?'

The Doctor watches Donna, unsure if he can handle any more heartbreak. 'And how do you know that…?'

'Cause it's in your head! And it it's in your head, it's in mine!' She replies and moves around the console, the Doctor follows her, carefully.

'And how does that feel?' He wonders and Donna grins at him.

'Brilliant! Fantastic! Molto bene! Great big universe, packed into my brain!' She points to her head. 'Do you know, you could fix that chameleon circuit if you just tried hotbinding the fragment links and superceding the binary, binary,' Donna stares off, unable to stop. 'Binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary,' She inhales sharply. 'I'm fine!'

But the Doctor can see her face. She's scared now. Because she knows. He's not surprised, but it still hurts him. 'Nah, never mind Felspoon, do you who I'd like to meet? Charlie Chaplin! I bet he's great, Charlie Chaplin, shall we do that? Go and see Charlie Chaplin? Shall we? Charlie Chaplin? Charlie Chester? Charlie Brown, no, he's not real, he's fiction, friction, fixing, mixing, Rickston, Brixton,' Donna presses her hand to her head, leaning against the console. 'Ow…' She stops and widens her eyes. Her voice becomes quiet. 'Oh my god…'

'Do you know what's happening…?' The Doctor wonders and Donna stares at him.

'Yeah…' Her voice is soft, but defiant.

'There's never been a human Time Lord metacrisis before now. And you know why.' The Doctor informs her.

'Because there can't be,' Donna replies and the Doctor moves closer to her, but she backs away, averting her gaze. Like she's scared of him. 'I want to stay.'

'Look at me, Donna. Look at me.' The Doctor says softly and Donna does, both are close and Donna feels her tears fall once more.

'I was gonna be with you. Forever.' Donna states softly, her voice trembles and it causes the Doctor so much heartache once more. He can't take much more of this losing those he cares for most.

'I know.'

'Rest of my life. Travelling. In the TARDIS. The DoctorDonna,' Donna tells him and he watches her, his eyes full of compassion and sorrow. Donna widens her eyes when she realises what will be coming next. 'Oh, but I can't go back. Don't make me go back. Doctor. Please.' Donna cries desperately.

The Doctor looks into her eyes and smiles sadly. 'Donna. Oh, Donna Noble. I am so sorry. But we had the best of times. Didn't we? The best,' The Doctor replies and Donna looks at him in despair, tears falling down her face in earnest. 'Goodbye.' He whispers to her.

'No, no, no! Please!' She cries out. He places his hands on her temples and closes his eyes. 'Please! No! No!'

Donna falls unconscious and the Doctor catches her and together he lowers them to the ground. Hugging her tightly to him as he stares off. He's lost his lover and now his best friend. What else can he stand to lose?

The doorbell is ringing frantically in the Nobles' house and Wilf rushes down the hallway to answer the door, knowing that'd be Donna and he's immensely happy to have her home.

But when he throws open the door, he sees the TARDIS in the streets and the Doctor stooped down with his unconscious granddaughter at his feet. The Doctor looks up to him completely desperate.

'Help me.'

Wilf does as he's instructed, but notices that another person is missing. Where is Rose? What happened to her? Wilf pushes those thoughts from his mind and helps bring Donna inside.

The Doctor watches Donna, still unconscious on her bed. He's slightly calmer now and Wilf is in the doorway.

'Doctor…where's Rose?' He wonders, unable to stop himself, but the Doctor turns to walk out of the room, brushing by Wilf.

'I let her go…'

Wilf hears the heartache in his voice and Wilf closes the door behind him. The Doctor heads back into the living room, where Sylvia is waiting for them. Wilf and the Doctor sit down. Sylvia is less forgiving, however, Wilf's eyes are sad and he is crushed when the Doctor begins to explain.

'What happened?' Sylvia demands and the Doctor stares off.

'She took my mind, into her own head. But that's a Time Lord consciousness. All that knowledge, it was killing her.' He explains and Wilf turns over to him.

'But she'll get better now?'

'I had to wipe her mind completely. Every trace of me, or the TARDIS, Rose, anything we did together, anywhere we went together…had to go.' He responds sadly. Sylvia narrows her eyes.

'All those wonderful things she did with you…' Wilf replies, crushed.

'I know, but that version of Donna is dead,' The Doctor leans forward to stress his point. 'Cause if she ever remembers, just for a second, she'll burn up. You can never tell her! You mention me, or Rose, or any of it…for the rest of her life.'

'But the whole world's talking about it, we travelled across space!' Sylvia replies, unsure of how Donna wouldn't remember something so pivotal like that.

'It'll just be a story. One of those Donna Noble stories, where she missed it all again.' The Doctor informs them sadly.

'But she was better with you!' Wilf insists and the Doctor remains quiet. Sylvia rounds on her father.

'Don't say that.'

'No, she was!' Wilf insists and the Doctor straightens up slight smile on his face.

'I just want you to know there are worlds out there, safe in the sky, because of her. That there are people living in the light, and singing songs of Donna Noble, a thousand million light years away. They will never forget her…while she can never remember,' The Doctor pauses, pondering that ironic thought. He becomes upset. 'And for one moment, one shining moment…she was the most important woman in the whole wide universe.'

'She still is. She's my daughter.' Sylvia insists and the Doctor turns to her, slightly annoyed.

'Then maybe you should tell her that once in a while.' He responds abruptly.

The conversation breaks when Donna bursts into the living room, staggered and very annoyed. And so very Donna. The Doctor watches her sadly.

'I was asleep! On my bed! In my clothes! Like a flippin' kid! What'd you let me do that for?' She wonders and then notices another person sitting with her family. She smiles at him. 'Don't mind me. Donna.'

The Doctor stands up and holds his hand out and Donna shakes it, without looking at him, she's too focused on her mobile.

'I'm…John Smith.'

'Mr. Smith was just leaving.' Sylvia stands also, but Donna ignores them both.

'My phone's gone mad, thirty-two texts! Veena's gone barmy; she's saying planets in the sky! What have I missed now? Nice to meet you.' Donna vaguely to the Doctor and she walks out of the room. He watches her go, utterly heartbroken. Wilf is dismayed.

'As I said…I think you should go.' Sylvia states coldly.

The Doctor nods, but unable to leave without saying a proper goodbye, he follows Donna into the kitchen where she is grabbing something out of the fridge. He smiles because she's back to being herself…and he already misses her.

'Don't be so stupid! How thick do you think I am?! Planets! I'll tell you what that was, dumbo, it's those two for one lagers you get down the offy cause you fancy that little man with the goatee!' She begins to fall into laughter. 'That's the one! I've seen you!'

'Um. Donna. I was just going.' He tries, some parts of him willing her to remember.

'Yeah, see ya,' She responds vaguely to him and turns back to her mobile. 'Tell you what though, you're wasting your time with that one, cause Susie Mair, she went on that dating site, and she saw him, no listen, this is important! Susie Mair wouldn't lie! Unless it's about calories!'

The Doctor watches her for one last time, remembering everything they went through together and he turns to leave. Everything in him aches.

Wilf and the Doctor stand in the doorway, the door is open revealing a downpour of rain. The sky is inky black, and there's a slight breeze. The Doctor shrugs his shoulders a bit and sighs.

'You'll have quite a bit of this. Atmospheric disturbance. Still, it'll pass. Everything does,' The Doctor states, trying to remind himself of this. The ache has to lessen. It has to. He turns back to Wilf. 'Bye then, Wilfred.' The Doctor walks into the rain, but Wilfred stays in the doorway.

'Doctor…I'm sorry…about Rose.'

'Yeah. Me too.'

'But what about your other friends…?' Wilf wonders and the Doctor turns back to him.

'They've all got someone else. Still. That's fine. I'm fine.' The Doctor insists but to Wilf he looks everything but fine as he stands in the pouring rain.

'I'll watch out for you, sir.' Wilf informs him, but the Doctor turns around.

'You can't ever tell her!' He emphasises and Wilf nods in understanding.

'No, no, but…every night, Doctor. When it goes dark. And the stars come out. I'll look up. On her behalf. I'll look up at the sky and think of you.'

The Doctor stares at Wilf, his promise is so simple and so heartfelt that he very nearly loses it. Finally, after everything, everything he's buried over the past few hours threaten to resurface. He needs to leave.

'Thank you…'

The Doctor smiles and heads inside. Wilf watches the TARDIS begin to dematerialise and he salutes. He lingers on the stoop for some time listening to the rain and wondering just how okay he'd be.

The Doctor, soaked to the core, strips off his jacket and tosses it over the console to dry. Without thought, he wanders around the controls, adjusting them before he leans on the console, lost in thought and stares into space. He's just so full of sorrow and loneliness. Unable to stay where just mere hours ago his TARDIS was full of his friends and those he cared deeply for…he leaves and heads to the only place he thinks will offer him solace.

When he arrives at his room he surveys the damage. The bookcases have been over turned, papers are everywhere, books thrown and scattered on the floor. His desk has been over turned and the million shards of glass sprinkled on the floor. He sighs and picks up the desk chair and places it in front of the bed, sitting in it.

All of his memories with Rose surround him. He misses her immensely and turns his attention to the ceiling, the projection of stars. Here, not that long ago…they laid together and he told her of his home. And now he had taken hers away. He puts his face into his hands and wishes more than anything he could have her back. He needs her. He wants to be selfish and have her only. But it's too late…she's sealed off…forever.

He leans back in the chair and tries to cheer himself up with all the memories they had together. It isn't working. And it only makes him pine for her more. He doesn't want to hurt anymore…but how does he stop? He isn't sure. And so…he just stares at the bed, wishing she'd somehow appear.

She never does.

The deed has been done. Gone, gone, gone.

I'm sorry it took so long to get this up, I worked hard on it the past two days. And editing it tonight, I hope I caught everything. I'll try to get back and change anything I miss after a good night sleep.

3/4 Done. Don't worry, one final chapter will be posted and I'll wrap this series up.

Thoughts? Hate me yet? I hope you like it, guys.