AN: All I've got to say is thanks as ever for your reviews- and hopefully you'll get through the 's worth it. Also- I'm glad you all admire and love Donna Noble as much as I do- one of the best companion's from the Russel T Davies era in my opinion- I'm thrilled to know I've gone some way to portraying her.

This chap's quote:

Love is like a butterfly- it settles upon you when you least expect it

Ok- so the Tarme have chosen Donna as their surrogate queen, but it means destroying her conscious mind- killing her. She has a plan, but isn't sure it'll work- it involves her pocket watch. Now, the Tarme have begun to evolve- and there's no escape- all the Doctor, Jack and Amy can do is watch- and hope.

Enjoy!

Above the trio, the Tarme had begun to stretch out, slowly, drawing with them sticky silken cocoons by their forelegs- as if they were pulling sleeping bags over themselves. As the lights on the archway above Donna's head flashed ever faster, a dim glow began to build up around her body.

Amy watched, entranced, as a reddish orange light, close to the colour of burning embers, began to wash over the woman's body, rippling across her skin in gentle washes- at odds with the frantic, shadowed movements of the archway and the room around her.

Suddenly the light burst outwards, shards of it shattering through the dark, and Donna began to literally shine. Almost unconsciously, the Doctor and Jack grabbed Amy's hands. They all knew what was coming.

Donna was going to lose her mind. Literally.

Then her eyes opened- burning red and gold, and she sat up- her hands pulling off her restraints as if they were paper. She saw her friends and gave them a slight nod- then looked up to the Tarme above her.

Her voice was layered with sadness and something else- the powerful compassion of her soul.

"I'm sorry."

Then she lifted her pocket watch, cupping it in both hands, and closed her eyes. For a moment she paused- the red gold light flashing around her as she shone ever brighter.

Her thumb moved towards the watch's brass case, and Amy almost thought she heard a faint snick as the watch opened, and then she was being thrown to the floor by the Doctor- one of his arms wrapped around her waist, the other pushing Jack down and then covering her eyes.

Even through the Doctor's hand and her closed eyelids, Amy still caught the after image of brilliant white light burned into her eyelids- and then the Tarme screamed- a horrid, screeching chorus.

Finally, the light faded, bit by bit, and the Tarme fell silent. More time passed, and the room became eerily quiet- leaving Amy acutely aware of the sound of each breath taken, the thumping of her heart- and the way the Doctor's arm felt warm around her- as if nothing had happened.

At last, his hand left her face, and Amy blinked her eyes open- squinting at the light of the white room. She felt his trembling fingers gently brush her hair from her neck, so he could see the burns more closely. She heard his sharp intake of breath, and then the Doctor pulled back, gingerly setting her down before stepping away.

As Amy's eyes finally adjusted, she pushed herself up a little to a sitting position, and gave Captain Jack a reassuring smile- since he was crouched in front of her to make sure she was ok. She was about to take the hand the good captain offered when something incredibly bizarre happened.

A silver butterfly landed on her nose.

Leaning back on her hands and tipping her head, Amy stared at the butterfly, fascinated, her eyes almost crossing as she watched its wings move slowly up and down.

She barely caught the Doctors instinctive, light, affectionate laugh, and spun her head to look at him. As she did the butterfly flew off, and taking Jack's hand, Amy struggled to her feet- disappointed to find the Doctor's face as impassive as it had been since she'd found him.

Trying not to dwell on that, Amy turned away to survey the rest of the room. The columns were all off- no more light's flashed along their lengths and smoke wisped from the seams at their sides. The Tarme were nowhere to be seen- but everywhere, delicate and elegant, were silver butterflies, light swirls of red decorating their wings.

Amy finally turned to look at the Archway where Donna had been- a heavy sick feeling in her stomach. She didn't want to see the woman's dead body- and yet it seemed unlikely she'd see anything else. Still, Amy could hope…

She blinked, focusing on the bed where Donna had lain, and stared straight into her open, living eyes. Amy made a sound half way between a cry and a laugh and sprang forwards, wrapping her arms around the other woman.

"You're alive! You're ok! But….the Doctor-"

Donna laughed, "The Doctor is not always right. You ought to know that by now Amy."

Amy smirked. "Yeah, s'pose."

Both women expected an indignant protest from said Time Lord, but didn't receive one. They met each other's eyes, a mutual feeling of sadness passing through them.

Captain Jack came over, smiling and clapping Donna on the back. She hugged him, winking at Amy over his shoulder as he asked, "it's brilliant to have you with us Donna- but how did you do it?"

"The pocket watch."

The Doctor's voice was admiring, though still less effervescent than it had once been. Donna smiled.

"That's right."

Amy frowned. "Wait- what? Donna- sorry, I don't see what this has to do with the whole evolution thing."

Donna smiled, and raised her arms. As one, the butterflies took off, landing on her in a sort of gleaming coat.

"These are the Tarme- and I am their queen, just as they wanted."

Amy frowned, and she could just see Jack's perplexed expression out of the corner of her eye. Behind her, the Doctor put his hands in his pockets, grinning as Donna continued.

"The Tarme decided to make me their queen- but they didn't understand exactly how powerful, or uncontrollable my mind truly was. From the moment they decided to set out on this course of action, they signed their death warrant- using my mind for their evolution would have destroyed them completely, and yet nor would they change their hive mind.

"I know what it's like to sign your death warrant without knowing it, and I also knew- from the few times they'd attempted to control my mind- that these were some of the last of their race. I couldn't let this be their end as well as mine.

"My human self, meanwhile, was getting more and more afraid- and so I sent for help, knowing Jack would at some point turn up in Cardiff, or at least hoping he would. Then I began to plan.

"I'd already bought the pocket watch from an antiques shop- they didn't know what it was, of course, but I wanted to try and free myself, by siphoning parts of my mind into it. An imperfect, difficult method- but it was something.

"The Tarme changed everything- but suddenly I realized there was a way to save us both in what would otherwise be our destruction. I began dividing myself into the pocket watch and my mind with the help of the chemicals the Tarme presumed to groom me with- I knew eventually they'd kidnap me. You turning up was a shock to my human side, and woke me too soon- the Tarme acted, and I was left without the watch."

At this she turned and smiled at Amy. "Then, god bless you, between you, Shaun, and the Doctor you got it back to me, and so, when the evolution commenced, I released the rest of my mind, consciously controlling it." Seeing Amy was still confused, Donna leaned forward, smiling and taking her arm.

"I shared my mind with the Tarme- their hive mind was decaying from the link they'd formed with me, which was why only Gwenyn could hold a different shape in their native home. But with their abnormal psychic powers, together the Tarme can hold my mind- and so we share a hive mind- my mind, and I remain the Doctor-Donna, and they the Tarme. I am their queen- and they are me."

Amy stared, stunned at the butterflies on Donna's arms, then back at her smiling face. "He's right- you're BRILLIANT!" She gave a little, disbelieving laugh, and Donna laughed with her.

"Well, I like to think so."

We all know you're brilliant Donna :D so what now? Will the Doctor tell Amy? Will Donna travel with them? What next?

I can't tell you much, but I can promise the next few chapters hold a desert, Stellions, Nightmairs and a frozen temporal enigma...

I'll leave you to consider that- feedback as ever is enormously appreciated, so feel free!

Thanks as ever for reading,

Kat