Took a bit longer because the chapter's that much longer. Enjoy!
Of New Horizons and Second Chances
Chapter 2 – The Runaway Bride
Getting to know Donna Noble was arguably the best thing that could have happened to Freya. Donna not only boosted her confidence, but she got Freya completely out of whatever depressive funk she'd been in.
James didn't like her, but Freya figure that would happen. After all, the Doctor in that form hadn't had the best impression of Donna either.
Still, Freya was much happier, she realized, when she was sitting in the chapel, waiting for Donna to walk down the aisle.
She had a bad feeling about Lance though. She remembered that Donna had introduced herself to Freya in the future as Donna Temple-Noble. Lance's last name wasn't Temple. Still, she didn't dare say anything that could ruin Donna's happiness. Donna had all but given her own happiness back to her as strongly as she could, considering she was still apart from the Doctor.
Freya would not be the person to take Donna's own happiness from her.
She smiled as Donna entered the church, making her way down the aisle. Only, halfway, she dissolved into the gold particles that had been surrounding Freya in the past, back when she was on the TARDIS.
Freya's heart stuttered at the sight.
Everyone was in an uproar.
Freya considered calling the TARDIS. She'd done it once or twice before, but every time she'd gotten the wrong time. Once, she'd gotten him in his last self. Another time, it was him in his next self, and he'd reassured her that she'd see him again, but he couldn't come for her because it was the wrong time for him.
Plus, she had no way to know that the Doctor could help Donna.
"What was that?" Marie asked in alarm from Freya's side.
"I don't know, but we need to find out," Freya said, standing alongside everyone else.
"Hold on. If we can get back to the flat I can run a test or two and we can try to track the particles back to her," James suggested.
"You and Masen, run back to the house then. Marie and I will stay here in case she returns. Keep your phones on you," Freya ordered immediately. Masen and James nodded before dashing out of the church.
"Do you think it had anything to do with him?" Marie asked Freya curiously.
"I don't know. Those were the same particles that are found in the heart of the TARDIS. They aren't good for you. All I know is that we need to find Donna, and we need to do it fast. I'm not about to lose anyone else I care about," Freya said vehemently.
12356789754321
Donna was panicking. The last thing she'd seen was Freya's eyes, wide in horror and then she was here, in this crazy-looking place. With a man staring at her like she was the weirdest thing he'd ever seen.
"What? You can't do that. I wasn't…we're in flight. That is, that is physically impossible! How did…" he continued to ramble.
"Tell me where I am. I demand you tell me right now where I am!" Donna shouted at him, tightening her hands into fists to hide how badly her hands were shaking.
"Inside the TARDIS," the man said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the universe.
"The what?" Donna asked him.
"The TARDIS," the man repeated.
"The what?" Donna asked him once more. He was making up words. That's what he was doing. He'd….he'd kidnapped her. Right from her own wedding.
"It's called the TARDIS," the man explained.
"That's not even a proper word! You're just saying things!" Donna said immediately. Maybe it was a prank. That's what it had to be. Nerys. She had to have done it. It wasn't Freya. Freya wasn't that mean.
And Freya had looked terrified.
"How did you get in here?" the man asked her.
"Well, obviously, when you kidnapped me. Who was it? Who's paying you? Is it Nerys? Oh my God, she's finally got me back. This has got Nerys written all over it," Donna rambled.
"Who the hell is Nerys?" the man asked her in confusion.
"It wasn't James, was it? Oh God, it was James. Look, I don't care what he says. She's my friend too, and I'm not taking her away from him. You men are so immature," Donna said immediately.
"Who's James?" the man asked her, his jaw slacked.
"He's your best friend, I'm sure," Donna spat at him. He stared at her for a moment before his eyes scaned her.
"Hold on, wait a minute. What are you dressed like that for?" he asked her.
"I'm going ten pin bowling. Why do you think, dumbo? I was halfway up the aisle! I've been waiting all my life for this. I was just seconds away, and then you, I don't know, you drugged me or something!" Donna shouted at him. Oh God. What if he'd hurt Freya too? She looked so scared. Had he taken her too? Donna glanced around the room, spotting a jacket hanging on one of the…weird…support beams.
She rushed at it, scooping it up. It looked like something Freya would wear. Donna couldn't remember her wearing it, but after a quick glance at the tag, knew it was her size. Donna spun around, eyes livid.
"What have you done with her? Where are you keeping her? Why'd you kidnap her too?" Donna shouted at him. The man's eyes hardened on the jacket.
"You don't know what you're talking about," he said as he stalked over to her, ripping the jacket from her hands.
"I know exactly what I'm talking about! You kidnapped Freya too, didn't you? She looked scared. Where are you keeping her? You'd bettered not be hurting her, or so help me, I'll kill you myself," Donna threatened him.
The man's eyes widened and the jacket slipped from his fingers as he stared at her, mouth hanging open. He was upon her in a moment, arms gripping her shoulders with an intensity that frightened Donna.
"You know Freya? Freya O'Leary, or Freya Smith, whatever she's going by? You know her? Where is she?" the man asked her frantically. Donna struggled to get away from the crazed man but his grip was too tight.
"I'm not telling you anything about her! You'll just go kidnap her next too!" Donna shouted in his face.
"You have no idea what you're talking about," the man told Donna.
"Oh don't I?" Donna asked him sarcastically.
"Freya's my wife," the man said.
It was Donna's turn to be shocked.
"You're the bastard that just up and left her?" Donna spat at him. The man flinched away from her as if he'd been burnt. He took a step back, eyes wide.
"Is that what she thinks of me?" the man asked quietly.
"She's never said a bad word about you. Hardly says a word period. James, however, told me all about you. Marie did too, you know," Donna said.
"Where is she? How long's it been?" the man asked her anxiously, his voice near a whisper.
"Three months, from what James has said. I've only known her a month, but we're good friends. No wonder she looked scared, seeing her ex-husband stealing her friend away in the middle of the wedding!" Donna scoffed. The man's face lost even more color.
"Ex-husband?" he repeated in horror.
"She can't still be married to you, after what you've done," Donna pointed out. Marie and James wouldn't have allowed that.
"Please, where is she? I need to find her," the man pleaded.
"Find her yourself, mate, I'm getting out of here," Donna said, turning on her heel and running for the door.
"No! Wait a minute. Wait a minute! Don't!" the man shouted as he followed her to the door. Donna threw the door open, expecting to see some street, only to see something that looked like it came straight out of one of her grandfather's magazines, or Freya's posters.
"You're in space. Outer space. This is my space ship. It's called the TARDIS," the man told her quietly from behind her. Donna sucked in a shuddering breath.
"How am I breathing?" she asked as it dawned on her.
"The TARDIS is protecting us," the man told her.
"Who ARE you?" Donna asked quietly.
"I'm the Doctor. You?" the man asked her.
"Donna," Donna breathed, staring at the galaxy in front of her. She assumed it was a galaxy. She wished she'd listened more to her grandfather now.
"Human?" the Doctor asked her quietly.
"Yeah. Is that optional?" Donna asked, spinning to look at him.
"Well, it is for me," the Doctor said with a shrug, but his eyes still held apprehension and anxiety.
"You're an alien," Donna realized.
"Yeah," the Doctor said.
"Does Freya know?" Donna demanded.
"Yeah," the Doctor said with a nod.
Donna shook her head, trying to straighten out her thoughts.
"It's freezing with these doors open," Donna complained. The Doctor quickly slammed the doors shut and made his way to the center…thing.
"I don't understand how you got here, and I understand everything. A human shouldn't be able to do this….Freya! Where's Freya? Is she okay? Is the baby okay?" the Doctor rambled, eyes wide. Donna stalked over to him and slapped him across the face. The Doctor's head jerked back and his eyes widened as he stared at her.
"What was that for?" he demanded.
"Get me to the church!" Donna shouted at him. She had to get married. She could figure out Freya's marriage after she got her own ironed out.
"Right! Fine! Freya should be at the church. Where is this wedding?" the Doctor asked her.
Saint Mary's, Hayden Road, Chiswick, London, England, Earth, the Solar System," Donna said, feeling her sarcasm taking over as she spoke.
"Right!" the Doctor exclaimed.
123456789865412345689875421
Everyone was leaving the church. Marie was making phone calls, but with each and every call Freya felt even more anxious. Her own eyes were glued to her cell phone screen. Donna knew her mobile number. Donna would call her soon, if she could.
Why hadn't Freya talked Donna into pockets on her wedding dress? She'd suggested them, once, but hadn't been able to give Donna a legitimate reason for needing them. If Donna had had pockets, she'd have her phone, some money, something, anything. But Donna had nothing.
What if it was the Daleks? What if they survived, and had managed to harness the power of the Time Vortex? Why did they need Donna? Who needed Donna that had the power to take her using the golden particles?
Her anxiety was upsetting the baby, she realized. She sank into a chair just as the priest was starting to usher people out.
"Can't you let her sit here?" Marie demanded of him.
"We have another wedding," the priest said, his tone only partially apologetic. Marie huffed and helped Freya to her feet.
"Any word?" Freya asked, but Marie could only shake her head.
"Do you think it has something to do with aliens?" Marie asked quietly.
"I don't know. Those particles…they looked an awful lot like the particles in the heart of the TARDIS. They're deadly. They're what I've been exposed to, what helped me to conceive. I got it in small, small doses. That was a lot of particles, all at once," Freya said, her voice catching.
"She'll be fine. Donna'd have a row with the devil himself and come out of it alive," Marie said soothingly. Freya bit back a laugh at her words.
"Let's head on to the reception. We can wait outside for her there. That's the place she'll go. She's already missed the wedding slot," Freya suggested.
123457898653212345689098754321
As soon as the Doctor glanced towards the door, Donna took off towards it. She opened the door, only to frown.
"I said Saint Mary's. What sort of Martian are you? Where's this?" Donna demanded, spinning on him.
"Something's wrong with her. The TARDIS, it's like she's…recalibrating. She's digesting. What is it? What have you eaten? What's wrong? Donna? You've really got to think. Is there anything that might've caused this?" the Doctor was going on as Donna ran out of the TARDIS.
It was a box. A blue box, no bigger than a phone booth. She walked around it quickly before making her way back into it. She had been in a box. A box that was bigger on the inside. She ran back outside, staring at it before walking away. This was mad, all of it! She had to get to her wedding. And to Freya.
Dear God. What if he'd brainwashed Freya? This was all too much.
"Donna!" the Doctor shouted from behind her.
"Leave me alone. I just want to get married," Donna protested.
"Come back to the TARDIS," the Doctor urged but Donna could only shake her head in protest.
"No way. That box is too weird," Donna scoffed.
"It's bigger on the inside, that's all," the Doctor said, unsure as to what the big deal was.
"Oh! That's all? Ten past three. I'm going to miss it," Donna realized in dismay.
"You can phone them. Tell them where you are," the Doctor suggested. Donna just stared at him.
"How do I do that?" Donna shot at him.
"Haven't you got a mobile?" the Doctor asked her, confused. Didn't most humans carry those now? He was fairly certain they did.
"I'm in my wedding dress! It doesn't have pockets! Who has pockets? Have you ever seen a bride with pockets? When I went to my fitting at Chez Alison, the one thing I forgot to say is give me pockets….oh," Donna stopped, eyes wide.
Freya had mentioned pockets on their way to get her dress designed. It had been one of their first outings together, since Donna had waited to get the dress. She'd mentioned pockets. Donna had thought she was kidding.
"Oh what?" the Doctor asked her anxiously, watching her face.
"Freya told me to get pockets. I thought she was joking, and she didn't press it. Did she know? Did she know this would happen?" Donna demanded, turning to the Doctor.
"No. She had no way of knowing. That was probably a lower level psychic ability. It seems to be peeking out of her subconscious. Possibly the baby. More than likely the baby," the Doctor said.
"Her baby can see the future and gives her hints?!" Donna screeched.
"Not really….sort of….well, there's a high probability that that is what is happening," the Doctor rambled.
"Oi! Shut it! Quit distracting me! I've got to get to my wedding! No stupid Martian is going to stop me from getting married! To hell with you!" Donna declared before turning and running.
"I'm not…I'm not…I'm not from Mars!" the Doctor sputtered from behind her as he chased her.
123456789876432123467890986754321
Freya was startled when her phone started vibrating. She didn't recognize the number but didn't waste a second in answering it.
"Hello?" she asked quickly.
"Freya?" Donna's voice was filled with relief. Tears sprang into Freya's eyes.
"Donna? Are you alright? Where are you? I'm coming to get you," Freya said immediately.
"No. I'm coming to you. Did…did I miss the wedding?" Donna asked, her voice quiet.
"Yeah. Oh Donna, I'm so sorry. We're at the reception hall now. I'm waiting outside for you. Marie popped in for a quick drink. Masen and James are out looking for you," Freya explained. She heard another sob from the phone.
"Donna? Please, are you okay? You aren't hurt, are you? What happened? Who's number is this?" Freya asked her, begging for an answer.
"I swiped it off a man like you did when you lost your phone two weeks ago. I'll turn it into the police station like we did later. I…" Donna drifted off and then screamed.
"DONNA?" Freya shouted into the phone, listening carefully.
"The cab driver, he's some sort of robot thing! The car door's locked!" Donna sobbed into the phone.
"Where is it heading? I'm coming for you," Freya promised. Donna rambled off some street signs as Freya took off for Marie's car. Marie saw her frantic look as she walked outside and tossed Freya the keys.
"I'm going to save Donna. Call the boys, tell them I'm going after her," Freya told Marie quickly as she started the car and pulled out. She put the phone on speaker and sat it down as she drove as quickly as she could through the streets.
"Freya! Dear God, I'm losing my mind!" Donna shouted.
"Donna, keep talking to me. Please. Are you still heading the same direction?" Freya asked her.
"Yes. You have got to be kidding me," Donna's tone changed.
"What's going on?" Freya asked anxiously.
"I've got to go. I'll tell you where I'm at?" Donna said before hanging up.
"Donna? No!" Freya shouted. She glanced down to redial Donna's number when a horn honked at her. Freya glanced up and jerked the car out of the way, barely avoiding being hit by another car.
The swerve nearly threw her into oncoming traffic. She only barely managed to correct herself in time. She pulled off immediately, parking the car along the side of the road as she gasped for air. She reached for the phone but her hands were shaking too badly to pick the phone up.
Freya closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the steering wheel, trying to regulate her breathing. She'd nearly killed herself because she'd taken her eyes off the road for a second.
She had to get to Donna, but she didn't trust herself to drive at the moment. She didn't notice five charms from the bracelet dissolving.
12345678909876532123456789764321
The Doctor came out of the TARDIS carrying a fire extinguisher. Donna stared at him, part of her wanting to make a snide remark, the other part feeling the weight of exhaustion and depression settling in on her.
"I can't believe you made me jump out of that cab," Donna said blankly. The Doctor shrugged, still staring at his ship.
"The funny thing is, for a spaceship, she doesn't really do that much flying. We'd bettered give her a couple of hours…you alright?" the Doctor asked her. Donna sighed.
"Doesn't matter," Donna said.
"Did we miss it?" the Doctor asked sympathetically.
"Yeah," Donna sighed.
"Well, you can book another date," the Doctor suggested.
"Yeah….wait," Donna stopped. She glanced down at the phone she'd been playing with. She'd just hung up on Freya, who'd been searching for her? Freya hadn't even tried calling the number back. Donna's blood went cold as she quickly tried calling Freya back.
"'ello?" Freya's sleepy voice caught Donna's ears. Donna relaxed at hearing her voice.
"Where are you? Are you okay?" Donna asked. The Doctor sat down next to her, eyeing her immediately, leaning a bit closer.
"Sorry. Pulled over. Almost got into a car accident and it shook me up…oh," Freya's voice was quiet. The Doctor stiffened though at her words.
"Where are you?" Donna demanded.
"Um…outside the Shoe Lane building," Freya said.
"We're on top of it. Meet us at the top?" Donna asked.
"Sure. Who's us?" Freya asked.
"See you soon!" Donna said before swiftly hanging up.
"That was Freya. That was my wife. My wife's on her way up," the Doctor said before leaping to his feet. He tried pulling the TARDIS doors open but they wouldn't budge.
He then started digging around in his pockets.
"What're you doing?" Donna demanded, standing alongside him.
He pulled out what looked like a compact mirror and opened it, staring at it intently before trying to fix his hair. Donna couldn't help but laugh at him.
"What?" he asked defensively.
"Vain much?" she scoffed.
"I want to look good. Why was she outside of this building? That's a pretty big coincidence," the Doctor said suddenly, looking up.
"She said she almost got into a car accident so she pulled over," Donna said, pushing down any apprehension.
"What?" the Doctor asked immediately. Before his eyes focused on the phone.
"And where did you get a phone from? I thought you didn't have one?" the Doctor asked her.
"Pickpocketed it before getting in the cab. Freya showed me how to do it when we forgot her phone at home while shopping. We had to call James to come get us, so she stole a phone. As soon as James arrived, we drove to the police station and dropped it off, saying we'd found it on the street," Donna said.
"Freya…pickpocketed?" the Doctor asked in shock. Donna waved it off.
"We left it with ten quid, saying we'd found it with the phone. Payment enough for one phone call," Donna said with a shrug.
"She said oh. What does that mean? Is she hurt?" the Doctor asked anxiously.
"I don't know. God you're impatient. Give her a few minutes and she'll be up here and you can ask her yourself. After you grovel, that is," Donna said, crossing her arms as she glared at him.
"Grovel?" the Doctor asked, confused.
"Yes. Grovel. You left her alone for at least three months. You'd bettered have the best apology ever if you really plan on her not asking for a divorce in her first breath," Donna warned him
The Doctor looked properly horrified at her words as Donna marched towards the door. As soon as she made it to the door, it burst open and Freya threw herself at Donna.
"Thank God you're safe! I was so scared something'd happened to you!" Freya exclaimed, gripping Donna tightly.
"You don't have to strangle the life out of me, you know," Donna complained, but her complaint had a tone of laughter to it. Freya pulled back, smiling at Donna.
"What happened? Why are you on a roof?" Freya asked curiously.
Donna didn't say anything, just stepped aside so Freya could see the Doctor.
Her eyes widened at the sight of him. He stared at her as if he wasn't sure she was really there. Like she was an illusion.
"Doctor?" Freya asked quietly, not wanting to speak too loudly. She glanced over to see the TARDIS was there too. She took a step towards the TARDIS, pressing her hand against the door. She could hear the humming of the TARDIS inside.
It wasn't a dream. The Doctor was really and truly there.
Before she could even make the first step towards him, she was engulfed in his arms.
"I thought I'd lost you," the Doctor murmured as he gripped her tightly to him.
"I thought you were never going to come back," Freya admitted as well. The Doctor pulled back slightly, keeping her firmly in his arms.
"I'll always come back for you. I didn't know you were still here. I thought you were trapped, with Rose and Jackie," the Doctor said mournfully.
"I'm not," Freya said.
"Not that this isn't sweet, but is there anything else we can do? I don't wanna see sappy when I just missed my wedding," Donna complained. Freya pulled away from the Doctor, but the Doctor didn't release her hand as Freya pulled Donna into another hug.
"Oh Donna, I'm so sorry. Everyone's at the reception hall right now. Everything'll be alright," Freya promised her.
"How can you know that?" Donna asked. Freya just smiled at her.
"Because you're amazing. That's how," Freya told her. Donna merely scoffed at the words but said nothing to contradict them.
"Are you cold?" Freya asked Donna worriedly. The Doctor took that moment to look at Freya, who herself looked as though she would be cold. He took off his jacket but before he could put it on Freya, she'd handed it to Donna. Donna sat down, the jacket over her shoulders. Freya sat next to her and the Doctor next to Freya.
"God, you're skinny. This wouldn't fit a rat," Donna complained, glancing at the Doctor.
"Oh, and you'd bettered put this on," the Doctor said, handing Donna a ring.
"Do you have to rub it in?" Donna asked. Freya glared at the Doctor for a moment, hoping he had some sort of reasonable explanation as to why he was giving Donna a ring.
"Those creatures can trace you. This is a biodamper. Should keep you hidden. With this ring, I the bio-damp," the Doctor said with a grin.
"For better or for worse," Donna said with a sigh.
"So come on then. Robot santas, what are they for?" Donna asked. Freya stiffened at her words.
"The Robot Santas are back?" she asked the Doctor in alarm.
"They're your basic robo scavenger. The Father Christmas stuff is just a disguise. They're trying to blend in. We met them last Christmas," the Doctor explained.
"What happened then?" Donna asked curiously.
"Great big spaceship hovering over London? You didn't notice?" the Doctor asked in disbelief.
"She was hungover," Freya said. She'd already tried seeing how much Donna had known when they'd first met.
"We spent Christmas Day just over there, the Powell Estate, with this family. Freya's family, it was. Still is, I guess. Gone now though," the Doctor said sadly. Freya felt her own sadness welling up inside of her at the thought. The first people she'd ever thought of as a real family and they were gone now. And even her father was dead. Her mother had never even made an effort to contact her.
She hadn't even told Freya when the funeral was.
"Question is, what do camouflaged robot mercenaries want with you? And how did you get inside the TARDIS? I don't know. What's your job?" the Doctor asked Donna. Freya was confused. Donna had disappeared from the wedding and appeared in the TARDIS? No wonder the Doctor was confused. She had no clue as to how that could happen, and it was obvious that the Doctor did not either.
"I'm a secretary," Donna said. The Doctor pulled out his sonic and began scanning her with it.
"It's weird. I mean, you're not special, you're not powerful, you're not connected, you're not clever, you're not important," the Doctor said, waving her off.
"Doctor!" Freya said in shock, staring at him.
"I don't know how you put up with him," Donna complained to Freya, but Freya could see the hurt in her face. Freya immediately pulled Donna in for a hug, glaring at the Doctor.
"What?" the Doctor asked her, confused.
"Everyone's important. Haven't you said that before? Are you forgetting that? Donna is just as important as anyone else is. She's more important than anyone else to me, because she's my friend. She was the only person who managed to get me out of my depression from being stuck here," Freya said, glaring at the Doctor. He stared at her, mouth gaping. He managed to close his mouth after a few minutes.
"What kind of secretary are you?" the Doctor asked.
"I'm at HC Clements. It's where I met Lance, my soon-to-be husband. I was temping," Donna said dreamily. Freya smiled at her. She'd heard the story a few times, and she'd even witnessed some of it.
"I mean, it was all a bit posh really. I'd spent the last two years at a double glazing firm. Well, I thought I'm never going to fit in here. And then he made me a coffee. I mean, that just doesn't happen. Nobody gets the secretaries a coffee. And Lance, he's the head of HR! He don't need to bother with me! But he was nice, he was funny," Donna said dreamily.
"Bit thick though. Easy to order around," Freya joked, earning a grin from Donna.
"And it turns out, he thought everyone else was really snotty too. So that's how it started, me and him. One cup of coffee. That was it," Donna said.
"When was this?" the Doctor asked.
"About six months ago," Freya answered for Donna.
"Bit quick to get married," the Doctor pointed out.
"Well, he insisted," Donna said, earning a laugh from Freya. She'd heard from everyone about how much he had insisted. Lance himself in one of the three times he'd actually spoken to Freya had told her the story.
"And he nagged, and he nagged me. And he just wore me down. And then finally, I just gave in," Donna said with a sigh.
"What does HC Clements do?" the Doctor asked.
"Oh, security systems. You know, entry codes, ID cards, that sort of thing. If you ask me, it's a posh name for locksmiths," Donna said with a wave.
"Keys," the Doctor mouthed.
"They're under Torchwood. Masen works with them a bit," Freya added. The Doctor nodded, thoughtfully, although
"Anyway, enough of my CV. Come on, it's time to face the consequences. Oh, this is going to be so shaming. You can do the explaining, Martian boy," Donna said, standing up.
"Yeah, I'm not from Mars," the Doctor said, but Donna wasn't listening.
"Oh, I had this great big reception all planned. Everyone's going to be heartbroken."
123456789098765321`1
Freya could hear the music as soon as they got out of the car and she shot a worried look at Donna, who hadn't seemed to notice it. Donna pushed the doors open, only to see the reception going as planned, only without her.
It broke Freya's heart to see it. It was as if no one cared Donna wasn't there. Who would do that? Masen, Marie and James were sitting in a corner, looking miserable. The three of them leapt to their feet at the sight of Freya, Donna, and the Doctor.
"You had the reception without me?" Donna asked in shock as everyone stopped and stared at her.
"Donna, what happened to you?" Lance asked.
"You had the reception without me?" Donna asked, the hurt leaking more into her voice than it had before.
"Hello, I'm the Doctor," the Doctor said cheerfully as Freya put her arm around Donna.
"They had the reception without me," Donna told us in shock.
"Yes, we gathered," the Doctor said, earning a glare from Freya.
"Well, it was all paid for. Why not?" Donna's friend Nerys asked. Freya hated Nerys. She sent a glare her direction.
"Thank you, Nerys," Donna said sarcastically.
"Well, what were we supposed to do? We heard nothing from you. What the hell happened? How did you do it? I mean, what's the trick, because I'd love to know," Donna's mother pointed out angrily as everyone started talking. Donna's eyes widened as everyone tried to get her attention.
"I'm gonna swoon," Freya warned Donna before rolling her eyes back and falling to the side, pretending to pass out. The Doctor gripped her only milliseconds before she collided with the ground, lowering her slowly.
And then Donna burst into tears.
Freya cracked an eye open to see everyone staring at the crying Donna as Lance hugged her. Everyone burst into applause except for Nerys and the Doctor. Donna moved away from them as Freya sat up.
"You faked that?" the Doctor asked her, eyes wide.
"I was trying to get the attention off of Donna. Did it work?" Freya asked him.
"Yeah. They stopped and stared at you and then she started crying. It was a great diversion," the Doctor said as James arrived at her side.
"Freya! Are you alright?" he asked, helping her to her feet instantly, not even sparing the Doctor a second glance.
"I'm fine," she told James, who grabbed her hand, examining her charm bracelet.
Her charm bracelet that was left with two lone charms on it now.
"This had about ten charms on it when we left for the wedding," James said sternly.
"I almost got into a car accident. It scared me a bit," Freya admitted.
"It doesn't matter. The TARDIS'll make her a few more," the Doctor said. James glanced up and glared hard at the Doctor.
"What are you doing here?" he spat. Masen put his arm on James's shoulder, holding him firmly back as Marie stepped forward. She patted James's arm before turning and punching the Doctor right in the face. Freya was thankful no one was watching them now.
The Doctor managed to stumble forward, clutching his face with a look of bewilderment on his face.
"You arsehole! It's been months! Where the hell have you been?" Marie demanded.
"Searching for a supernova I could blow up so I could say goodbye to Freya in the alternate world," the Doctor told her. Freya froze at his words. Marie and Masen were also staring at him, while James just rolled his eyes.
"What?" Freya asked him.
"I needed power to get through the last of the cracks in the universe. I thought you were trapped there, and there was nothing I could do. So I was going to at least tell you goodbye," the Doctor told her.
"So you were hoping to tell her you were burning up a sun just to say goodbye? You can't tell me you didn't prepare that line ahead of time," James said, crossing his arms.
"It's okay. Everyone. It's fine. He's here now. That's what matters," Freya said, trying to calm everyone down.
"That's all that matters? Are you kidding me? He nearly broke you!" Marie all but shouted at the Doctor. He winced at her words.
"But he didn't. I'm fine. I got to make new friends. I got to be in your wedding. I wouldn't have been able to do that if I'd been with him. And we're together now, the baby's still healthy. Everything's fine. Except Donna," Freya said, glancing over at where Donna was dancing happily with Lance.
"Yes. Donna. What's going on with Donna? And what does Torchwood have to do with it? I thought you guys were finished? You guys are the reason I lost three months with Freya," the Doctor said, glaring at Masen.
"I don't know. I'm not high enough for it. I heard HC Clements was trying to manufacture particles, but as to why I haven't the slightest," Masen said.
"The gold particles from the TARDIS. The ones that make up its heart, the ones that followed me around. What are they called? That's what it looked like, at the wedding," Freya remembered. The Doctor's eyes widened and he shook his head.
"No. It can't be. Those are Huon particles. You had to have seen something wrong," the Doctor told Freya, but Freya could tell it wasn't because he thought she was wrong.
It was because he was hoping she was wrong.
"I'm fairly certain it was," Freya said, grabbing the Doctor's hands and placing them on the side of her forehead as she recalled the image of what had happened to the front of her head. It felt wondrous to have the Doctor inside her head again.
Baby Bad Wolf did flips in Freya's stomach in contentness at the feeling of fullness, having him in their heads once more.
"Those are Huon particles," the Doctor said quietly, hands still in place.
"Oi! Separate!" Marie demanded, pulling them apart. Freya winced at the lack of the Doctor in her mind once more.
"Something's not right about them being Huon particles. Why do you not want them to be Huon particles? You told me before they were deadly," Freya said, a sinking feeling forming in the pit of her stomach.
"Huon energy doesn't exist anymore, not for billions of hyears. So old that it…it can't be hidden by a bio-damper!" the Doctor exclaimed in horror as he grabbed Freya's hand and pulled her along toward the door. They make it outside to see a band of Robot Santas approaching. The Doctor pulled her back inside immediately.
"Donna! Donna, they've found you!" the Doctor shouted as they reentered the hall. Donna pulled away from Lance, wide-eyed.
"But you said I was safe!" she argued.
"The bio-damper doesn't work. We've got to get everyone out!" the Doctor exclaimed.
"My God, it's all my family," Donna said in realization as James and Masen tried getting everyone's attention. The Doctor pulled the two of them towards the back door, where there are already robots waiting. They then glanced out the windows, seeing that they were surrounded.
"Doctor, what are we going to do?" Freya asked worriedly. The Doctor was still staring at the robots. Freya glanced back at them to see one of them lift a remote control.
"Christmas trees," the Doctor said, only for Freya's eyes to widen in horror.
"What about them?" Donna asked, glancing between the Doctor, Freya, and the robot Santas.
"They kill. Get away from the trees!" the Doctor shouted. Masen's eyes widened in horror and him and Marie started directing people away from the trees as well, remembering what had happened last Christmas with the trees.
"Don't touch the trees!" Donna shouted as well, joining in despite not knowing what was going on.
"Get away from the Christmas trees! Everyone get away from them! Everyone stay away from the trees!" the Doctor shouted as Freya, Masen, Marie, and Donna all echoed him. James stared at the lot of them like they were crazy but was inching away from the Christmas trees as well.
"Oh for God's sakes, the man's an idiot. Why? What harm's a Christmas tree going to…oh," she stopped as the plastic baubles started floating off of the tree before starting to fly around, exploding when they came in contact with something. Donna ducked under a table, as did Lance. Masen was quickly shoving Marie under the same table before he climbed under as well.
Freya found herself protectively wedged between James and the Doctor, both of which seemed hell-bent on keeping her as safe as possible. The Doctor's eyes were darting about before ladnign on the sound system. The Doctor leapt over to it, James following while gripping Freya tightly behind him.
"Oi! Santa! Word of advice! If you're attacking a man with a sonic screwdriver, don't let him near the sound system!" he shouted before jamming the sonic screwdriver into the deck. The frankly alarming pitch that came from it nearly shattered Freya's eardrums at the loud sound as James quickly covered her ears.
The Robots all but exploded at the sudden noise.
Donna was up in an instant, trying to make sure everyone was alright. The Doctor's hand slipped into Freya's automatically, ignoring James's presence altogether, much to James's irritation.
"Look at that. Remote control for the decorations, but there's a second remote control for the robots. They're not scavengers anymore. I think someone's taken a possession," the Doctor mused as he examined the controls he'd found.
"Never mind all that. You're a doctor. People have been hurt," Donna pointed out angrily.
"Nah. They wanted you alive. See?" the Doctor said as he threw a bauble at Donna. It did nothing but bounce off of her, but Freya still winced.
"Please don't do that ever again," Freya pleaded with the Doctor, who hesitated but nodded nonetheless.
"They're not active now," the Doctor said.
"All I'm saying, you could help," Donna began once more, only for James to scoff.
"He never helps. He just ups and leaves. Does it all the time. Never waits around for the consequences," James said bitterly. The Doctor turned and fixed an icy glare on James, only to stop when Freya stepped in between them.
"Please. Let's just get along long enough to figure this all out, yeah?" she asked. Neither man said anything until the Doctor shook his head.
"We need to think of the bigger picture. Oh! There's still a signal!" he exclaimed, glancing down at the device in his hands before bouncing off, dragging Freya along behind him.
"There's someone behind this, directing the roboforms," the Doctor explained as they ran.
"But why is it me? What have I done?" Donna complained, worry etched on her face.
"If we find the controller, we'll find that out. Oh! It's up there. Something in the sky," the Doctor said, stopping and staring upward as an ambulance pulled up outside of the reception hall.
"I've lost the signal. Donna, we've got to get to your office. HC Clements. I think that's where it all started. Lance! Is it Lance? Lance, can you give me a lift?" the Doctor asked.
"We can drive you there," Marie said, huffing as she caught up.
"No, you lot can stay here and keep things under control," the Doctor ordered.
"We're not just going to stay behind like pets," James said, crossing his arms angrily.
"We can't take an entire gang to secretly investigate something!" the Doctor said, exasperated.
"So it's fine for you and Freya to go off wreaking havoc but the moment anyone else want so join it's not allowed?" Masen added in.
"We really do need someone to keep this under control. We'll bring James along," Freya suggested, smiling at the three of them. When she turned to see the Doctor, he was scowling at James, who seemed entirely too happy.
"Fine. Allons-y!" the Doctor shouted, pulling Freya and Donna with him after Lance. James followed closely behind.
As soon as they were in the car, Donna let out a laugh.
"Someone's jealous," she sang.
"Jealous?" Freya asked, confused.
"Oh yeah. That husband of yours is jealous of James and how close you are," Donna said with a grin. Freya was about to argue with her until she caught a glimpse of the Doctor's glare at James.
"Really? You're really jealous of James? He's my best friend, other than Donna," Freya said.
"I didn't abandon her," James added smugly.
"I was trying to keep her safe. And he already admitted to still loving you," the Doctor pointed out.
"When was that?" Freya asked, confused. She didn't remember hearing James say anything of the sort.
"In the Alternate World. Pete's World," the Doctor huffed.
"That was months ago, Doctor. He's not trying to steal me from you," Freya told him soothingly.
"Good. Because she's married to me," the Doctor said, shooting a glare at James. James shrugged, staring at him.
"Only until 2012. Remember that? You guys got married in 2012, her to a James McCrimmon. Bettered not abandon her in that year," James goaded.
"Boys, please. Stop this. We have more important things to worry about, like Donna's safety," Freya interrupted the two of them as Lance pulled up outside of an imposing-looking building. The lot of them piled out and scrambled into the building, Lance opening the doors with his ID.
"To you lot this might just be a locksmiths, but HC Clements was brought up twenty-three years ago by the Torchwood Institute," the Doctor said.
"When did you find the years out?" Freya asked him quietly.
"He swiped my phone and was googling on it," James supplied, looking anything but amused. The Doctor just shrugged his words off.
"Sorry, who are they?" Donna asked, obviously not liking being left out of knowing.
"They were behind the battle of Canary Wharf. Cyberman invasion. Skies over London full of Daleks?" the Doctor asked when Donna just continued to stare blankly at him.
"She missed it," Freya told him.
"Oh, right, I was in Spain," Donna remembered with a smile.
"They had Cybermen in Spain," the Doctor said, staring at her as if she were stupid.
"Scuba diving," Donna said with a shrug.
"The big picture, Donna. You keep missing it. Torchwood was destroyed…well, most of it…but HC Clements stayed in business. I think someone else came in and took over the operation," the Doctor guessed.
"I could have told you all that," James said with a scowl. The Doctor's scowl was almost identical.
"But what does all this have to do with me? What do they want with me?" Donna asked. Lance was just staring at them all with wide eyes.
"Somehow you've been dosed with Huon energy. And that's a problem, because Huon energy hasn't existed since the Dark Times. The only place you'd find a Huon particle now is a remnant in the heart of the TARDIS. See? That's what happened. Say, that's the TARDIS," the Doctor said, plucking a coffee mug off of a random desk.
"And this is you," he continued, grabbing a pencil.
"Enough with the dramatics," James muttered, but Freya shushed him.
"The particles inside you activated. The two sets of particles magnetized and whap!" the Doctor shouted, dropping the pencil in the mug.
"You were pulled inside the TARDIS," Freya finished for him, gathering what he was saying.
"I'm a pencil inside a mug?" Donna asked, looking quite forlorn at that conclusion.
"Yes, you are. 4H. Sums you up," the Doctor said.
"Don't listen to him, Donna. You're so much more than that," Freya said, wrapping an arm around Donna.
"Lance? What was HC Clements working on? Anything top secret? Special operations? Do not enter?" the Doctor questioned him.
"I don't know. I'm in charge of personnel. I wasn't project manager. Why am I even explaining myself? What the hell are we talking about?" Lance asked.
The Doctor threw himself at a computer, getting to work on it immediately. He pulls up a plan of the building in no time.
"They make keys, and look at this. We're on the third floor," the Doctor pointed out. He stood and pulled Freya with him to the lift, Donna, James, and Lance following closely behind them.
"Underneath reception, there's a basement, yes? Then how come when you look on the lift, there's a button marked lower basement? There's a whole floor which doesn't exist on the official plans. So what's down there, then?" the Doctor asked. Lance looked slightly spooked but something about him didn't quite sit right with Freya.
"Are you telling me this building's got a secret floor?" Lance asked, his voice laced with disbelief.
"No, I'm showing you this building's got a secret floor," the Doctor said as he pointed to it once more.
"It needs a key," Donna pointed out.
"I don't," the Doctor said smugly as he sonicked the key slot.
"Right then, Thanks, you two. I can handle this. See you later. James, get Freya back to the party," the Doctor said.
"No chance, Martian. You're the man who keeps saving my life. I ain't letting you out of my sight," Donna said.
"And you can't expect me to just leave you after only just getting back with you once more," Freya protested. She didn't move from the lift. Only Lance stood outside, unsure.
"Going down," the Doctor said as Donna stared at Lance expectantly.
"Lance?" she asked.
"Maybe I should go get the police," Lance suggested, only to be shot with a Donna Noble glare.
"Inside," Donna ordered as Lance scampered inside.
"To honor and obey?" the Doctor asked drily.
"Tell me about it, mate," Lance said.
"Oi!" Donna protested.
"I didn't know you had such a problem with marriage. I'm sure our son will be displeased to learn that his father didn't appreciate the ceremony he gave us," Freya pointed out.
"I don't want to think about that right now. Makes my head spin," the Doctor pointed out. Freya turned to Donna.
"Our son married us. And he was older than us at the time," Freya informed Donna, who just stared at him in shock.
"How?" she asked in disbelief.
"Time travel," James said gruffly. The lift opened into an eerily lit basement corridor.
"Of course it can't be bright and cheery," James complained as they stepped out.
"Where are we? Well, what goes on down here?" Donna demanded, glancing about.
"Let's find out," the Doctor said, almost bristling with excitement as his hand slipped into Freya's.
"Do you think Mister Clements knows about his place?" Donna asked.
"I'm certain Mr. Clements is a part of it. Look at that," James said, pointing towards some sort of odd stand up wheeled cart things. The Doctor tugged him and Freya onto one, and Lance and Donna got on another while James took the third on his own.
They took off on them down the hallways until they reached a bulkhead door labelled Torchwood, Authorized Personnel Only. The Doctor wasted no time in turning the wheel, opening it to reveal a ladder.
"Wait here. Just need to get my bearings. Don't do anything," the Doctor said.
"You'd bettered come back," Freya said quietly. The Doctor gave her a short kiss on the lips, his first one he'd given her in three months, before starting up the ladder.
"I wouldn't dream of leaving you here," he told her earnestly.
"Donna, have you thought about this? Properly? I mean, this is serious! What the hell are we going to do?" Lance asked Donna furiously.
"Oh, I though July," Donna suggested casually. Freya almost laughed at Donna's one track mind. The Doctor was back with them in a minute.
"Thames flood barrier right on top of us. Torchwood snuck in and built this place underneath," the Doctor announced.
"What, there's like a secret base hidden underneath a major London landmark?" Donna asked in disbelief.
"Oh, I know. Unheard of," the Doctor said, winking at Freya. Freya could only laugh. Rose had told her before about how the first time she'd met the Doctor, they went under the London Eye. That was where Freya had rescued them from.
The group of them continued making their way through the tunnels, ending up in what looked to be a laboratory.
"Oh! Look at this! Stunning!" the Doctor said, rushing about. James looked almost as thrilled, although he held himself back a bit as he examined things as well.
"What does it do?" Donna asked the Doctor, staring at what he seemed enamored by.
"Particle extrusion. Hold on. Brilliant! They've been manufacturing Huon particles. Course, my people got rid of Huons. They unravel the atomic structure," the Doctor said simply.
"Your people? Who are they? What company do you represent?" Lance asked, almost nervously now.
"Oh, I'm a freelancer. But this lot are rebuilding them. They've been using the river. Extruding them through a flat hydrogen base so they've got the end result, Huon particles in liquid form," the Doctor said excitedly.
"And that's what's inside of me?" Donna asked, looking a bit green at the thought. The Docotr turned a knob on the counter and the liquid started glowing.
So did Donna.
"Oh my God!" Donna exclaimed in horror.
"Genius. Because the particles are inert, they need something living to catalyse inside and that's you. Saturate the body," James added in, looking just as intrigued and excited as the Doctor.
"And the wedding! Yes, you're getting married, that's it! Best day of your life, walking down the aisle. Oh! You're body's a battleground. There's a chemical war inside! Adrenaline, Acetylcholine. Wham goes the endorphins. Oh, you're cooking! Yeah, you're like a walking oven. A pressure cooker, a microwave, all churning away. The partilces reach boiling point. Shazam!" the Doctor shouted excitedly as Donna slapped him.
"What did I do this time?" the Doctor asked, turning to Freya for an explanation.
"That was very rude, dear," Freya informed him.
"Are you enjoying this? Right, just tell me. These particles, are they dangerous? Am I safe?" Donna asked.
"Yes," the Doctor said automatically.
"Probably not, but you will be," Freya corrected him.
"Your lot got rid of Huon particles. Why did they do that?" Donna asked curiously.
"Because they're deadly," the Doctor said simply, only to get lightly slapped by Freya.
"Oh my God," Donna gasped.
"We'll sort this out, Donna. He'll reverse it. I'm not about to lose any more friends or family," Freya said vehemently.
"Oh, she is long since lost," an eerie voice said, echoing throughout the room.
"I have waited so long, hibernating at the edge of the universe until the secret heart was uncovered and called out to waken!" the voice cried out as Lance took off running. Robots moved towards them, guns aimed at them. James and the Doctor both pushed Freya behind them protectively, and Freya pulled Donna along with her behind them.
"Someone's been digging. Oh, very Torchwood. Drilled by laser. How far down does it go?" the Doctor wondered as he stared down a hole in the corner of the room.
"Down and down, all the way to the center of the Earth," the voice said ominously.
"Really? What for?" James said sarcastically, glancing around.
"Dinosaurs," Donna guessed.
"What?" the Doctor asked, staring at her in confusion.
"Why dinosaurs?" Freya wondered.
"That film, Under the Earth, with dinosaurs. Trying to help," Donna said quietly.
"You're really not," James said sarcastically before Donna sent a glare at him.
"Such sweet couples," the voice hissed.
"We're not a couple," James said immediately, glaring at Donna who sent her a glare right back.
"Only a madman talks to thin air and trust me, you don't want to make me mad. Where are you?" the Doctor asked angrily.
"High in the sky. Floating so high on Christmas night," the voice said.
"I didn't come all this way to talk on the intercom. Come on, let's have a look at you!" the Doctor ordered.
"Who are you with such command?" the voice wondered aloud.
"I'm the Doctor," the Doctor said.
"Prepare your best medicine, doctor man, for you will be sick at heart," the voice said. A light flashed in the room and a giant spider appeared in the middle of the room. Freya was barely able to contain her scream as she gripped Donna's arm tightly.
"Racnoss? But that's impossible. You're one of the Racnoss?" the Doctor said in disbelief.
"Empress of the Racnoss," the spider bragged as Lance climbed a ladder and took off running.
"If you're the Empress, where's the rest of the Racnoss? Or, are you the only one?" the Doctor taunted.
"Such a sharp mind," the Racnoss taunted.
"That's it, the last of your kind. The Racnoss come from the Dark Times, billions of years ago. Billions. They were carnivores, omnivores. They devour whole planets," the Doctor said angrily.
"Racnoss are born starving. Is that our fault?" the Empress asked.
"It is when you don't control what you eat, who you kill in the process," James said angrily, stepping up alongside the Doctor.
"They eat people?" Donna squeaked.
"HC Clements, did he wear those, er, black and white shoes?" the Doctor asked Donna, eyes glued to a spiderweb in the corner of the room.
"He did. We used to laugh. We used to call him the fat cat in spats," Donna said with a laugh.
Freya's eyes finally landed on what the Doctor had been focused so intently on. There was a dead man in the web, with those shoes. The Doctor pointed at them and Donna gasped.
"Oh my God," Donna said in horror.
"Mm. My Christmas dinner," the Racnoss bragged.
"You shouldn't even exist. Way back in history, the fledgling Empires went to war against the Racnoss. They were wiped out," the Doctor explained. Freya's eyes drifted to where Lance was on a balcony above the Racnoss. He made a shushing gesture towards them.
"Except for me," the Racnoss bragged.
"But that's what I've got inside me, that Huon energy thing. Oi! Look at me, lady, I'm talking!" Donna shouted at the Racnoss.
"Where do I fit in? How come I get all stacked up with these Huon particles? Look at me, you! Look me in the eye and tell me!" Donna shouted as Lance moved closer.
"The bride is so feisty," the Racnoss crooned as Lance snuck up closer with a fire axe.
"Yes, I am! And I don't know what you are, you big thing, but a spider's just a spider and an axe is an axe! Now, do it!" Donna shouted to Lance. Lance swung the axe but stopped as the Racnoss turned and hissed at him.
And Lance started laughing, the Racnoss joining in with her. Freya's heart sank.
"That was a good one. Your face," Lance laughed.
"Lance is funny," the Racnoss said.
"What?" Donna asked, shocked.
"I'm sorry," the Doctor said. Freya wrapped her arms tightly around Donna.
"Sorry for what? Lance, don't be so stupid! Get her!" Donna shouted.
"God, she's thick. Months I've had to put up with her. Months. A woman who can't even point to Germany on a map," Lance complained.
"I don't understand," Donna said slowly.
"How did you meet him?" the Doctor asked Donna.
"In the office," Donna repeated what she'd told him earlier.
"He made you coffee," Freya realized in horror.
"What?" Donna asked in confusion.
"Every day, I made you coffee," Lance scoffed.
"You had to be dosed with liquid particles over six months," the Doctor said sadly.
"He was poisoning me," Donna realized in horror.
"It was all there in the job title. The Head of Human Resources," the Doctor explained.
"This time, it's personnel," Lance said with a cruel laugh.
"But we were getting married," Donna said pitifully. Lance laughed hollowly at her.
"Well, I couldn't risk you running off. I had to say yes. And then I was stuck with a woman who thinks the height of excitement is a new flavor Pringles. Oh, I had to sit there and listen to all that yap yap yap. Oh, Brad and Angelina. Is Posh pregnant? X Factor, Atkins Diet, Feng Shui, split ends, text me, text me, text me. Dear God, the never ending fountain of fat, stupid trivia. I deserve a medal," Lance scoffed.
"You deserve a well-placed punch in the face," Freya said coldly, glaring at him.
"Is that what she offered you, the Empress of the Racnoss? What are you, her consort?" the Doctor asked in disgust.
"It's better than a night with her," Lance said with a sniff.
"But I love you," Donna said pitifully. Freya pulled Donna into a tight hug.
"That's what made it easy. It's like you said, Doctor. The big picture. What's the point of it all if the human race is nothing? That's what the Empress can give me. The chance to go out there. To see it. The size of it all. I think you understand that, don't you, Doctor?" Lance reasoned with him.
"He might have, had you not twisted it all around," James said coldly.
"Who is this little physician?" the Racnoss asked curiously.
"She said Martian," Lance said, jerking her thumb towards Donna.
"Oh, I'm sort of homeless. But the point is, what's down there. The Racnoss are extinct. What's going to help you four thousand miles down? That's just the molten core of the Earth, isn't it?" the Doctor wondered.
"I think he wants us to talk," Lance said with a glance at the Racnoss.
"I think so, too," the Empress stated.
"Well, tough. All we need is Donna," Lance said with a grin.
"Kill this chattering little doctor man," the Racnoss ordered.
"Don't you hurt him!" Donna shouted, pulling away from Freya instantly.
"No, no, Donna. It's all right," the Doctor reassured her before turning his best Oncoming Storm glare on the Empress Racnoss.
"No! I won't let them!" Donna shouted as she moved in front of him. James quickly pulled Freya behind the Doctor, effectively piling them all directly behind Donna. Only the Doctor stepped out of the way.
"At arms!" the Empress said as the robots lifted their guns, pointing them at the Doctor.
"Ah now. Except…" the Doctor tried saying, only for the Racnoss to cut him off.
"Take aim!" she shouted.
"Well, I just want to point out the obvious," the Doctor said, gesturing to Donna who was still right next to him.
"They won't hit the bride. They're such very good shots," the Racnoss bragged happily.
"Just, just, just, just, just hold on! Hold on just a tick. Just a tiny little, just a little tick. If you think about it, the particles activated in Donna and drew her inside my spaceship. So reverse it, and the spaceship comes to her," the Doctor said, turning the knob on the Huon container immediately.
"Fire!" the Empress Racnoss ordered as the TARDIS materialized around them. The Doctor sighed and bound around the console.
"Right! Off we go," he said. Freya's eyes widened at his words.
"You aren't just going to…to leave, are you?" Freya asked worriedly. The Doctor glanced up at her, confused.
"Of course we are. We have to see what is in the center of the Earth," the Doctor said, puzzled. Freya breathed out a sigh of relief before settling down on the pilot seat.
"What? Oh. You thought I was going to leave for good and just abandon the city. Do you think I do that often now?" the Doctor wondered.
"I don't know. I don't know how long it's been for you. It's been three months for me. Things have changed. People change," Freya pointed out uncomfortably.
"Never that. I would never leave people in danger if I could do something to help them," the Doctor swore to her.
"How do you plan on finding out what's in the center of the Earth? If it's dangerous, we're not just going to waltz down there to have a look," James pointed out.
"No. Whatever it is, it must've been there since the beginning. We're going to go back and watch the beginning of the Earth," the Doctor said with a manic grin.
"What? How can we do that?" Donna questioned him.
"You didn't tell her the TARDIS is a time machine as well as a spaceship?" Freya asked the Doctor in disbelief.
"I was a bit busy, freaking out about seeing you again," the Doctor admitted guiltily. Freya sighed and scooted over, patting the seat next to her. Donna tentatively sat down next to her.
"The ship, right? Her name's the TARDIS. It means Time and Relative Dimension in Space. She travels in space and time," Freya told Donna.
"That's not the way to ease someone into it," James pointed out, crossing his arms.
"After today, I think I've been sufficiently eased into anything," Donna retorted sharply.
"Here we are!" the Doctor shouted, making his way to the door. He stopped at the doorway, turning to them.
"Want to see?" the Doctor asked Donna, giving her a small smile before winking at Freya.
"I suppose," Donna said somewhat miserably.
"Come on then. No human's ever seen this before. You'll be the first," the Doctor urged her.
"All I want to see is my bed," Donna moaned.
"And you will, after we save London," Freya promised her. Donna still stood and made her way over to the Doctor, where he threw the doors open.
"Donna Noble, welcome to the creation of the Earth," he said happily. Freya glanced over Donna's shoulders, watching the lumps of rock that were floating around. She could see the sun in the distances.
It was magnificent.
"We've gone back four point six billion years. There's no solar system, not yet. Only dust and rocks and gas. That's the Sun, over there. Brand new. Just beginning to burn," the Doctor explained.
"Where's the Earth?" Donna asked in confusion, glancing around.
"All around us in the dust," the Doctor told her.
"Puts the wedding into perspective. Lance was right. We're just tiny," Donna said sadly.
"No, but that's what you do. The human race makes sense out of chaos. Marking it out by weddings and Christmas and calendars. This whole process is beautiful, but only if it's being observed," the Doctor explained.
"So I came out of all of this?" Donna asked, gesturing to the sky.
"Isn't that brilliant?" the Doctor asked her happily. He threw his arm around Freya, pulling her into his side.
"It looks like lumps of rock to me," James said before grinning at the fowl look the Doctor shot him.
"I think that's the Isle of Wight," Donna joked weakly, pointing ag a large rock that drifted right by the TARDIS.
"Eventually, gravity takes hold. Say, one big rock, heavier than the others, starts to pull other rocks towards it. All the dust and gas and elements get pulled in. Everything, piling in until you get…" the Doctor drifted off, nodding to Donna.
"The Earth," she finished automatically, still staring about, eyes widening a bit more in awe as she took it all in.
"But the question is, what was that first rock?" the Doctor asked, glancing around.
About that time, a seven pointed star spaceship made its way into the dust and rocks.
"Look," Donna said, pointing at it.
"The Racnoss," the Doctor said in disbelief, watching as the rocks and dust started pulling towards the ship, just as the Doctor had predicted.
"Hold on. The Racnoss are hiding from the war. What's it doing?" the Doctor asked.
"Exactly what you said," Donna pointed out.
"Oh, they didn't just bury something in the center of the Earth. They became the center of the Earth. The first rock," the Doctor said in disbelief as a loud bang sounded the through the ship. Freya pulled Donna back from the doors as the Doctor pulled the doors shut.
"What was that?" Donna asked in alarm.
"Trouble," the Doctor said simply as he moved towards the console once more. He only just got to the console as it started throwing them around.
"What the hell's it doing?" Donna shouted as she gripped a railing.
"Remember that trick of mine, particles pulling particles? Well, it works in reverse. They're pulling us back!" the Doctor shouted.
"Well, can't you stop it? Hasn't it got a handbrake? Can't you reverse or warp or beam or something?" Donna demanded.
"Backseat driver. Oh! Wait a minute! The extrapolator!" the Doctor shouted. Freya's heart leapt at that. The extrapolator. That was the intergalactic surfboard they got from the Slitheen in Cardiff so long ago.
Back with Mickey, Jack, Rose, and the older Doctor.
"It can't stop us, but it should give us a good bump!" the Doctor said. He quickly set it up, getting it all ready as it started to materialize.
"And now!" the Doctor shouted. He ran for the dor.
"We're about two hundred yards to the right. Donna, come on! Freya, you and James stay here. I want you safe," the Doctor said, turning to make his way over to her and give her a chaste kiss before traipsing out of the TARDIS, doors clicking behind him.
"Do you wanna go out anyway?" James asked, a grin on his face.
"Not this time. I know what's down there. I really want to change clothes quickly, if that's okay with you. We can stay here until he gets back. He'll be fine," Freya said, hoping she was right.
"Fine. What do you want me to do while you get dressed?" James asked her.
"Not break anything for one. You can snoop, just don't touch the console. The last thing we want is her getting mad at you," Freya said with a grin as she took off towards the wardrobe.
It took her a bit longer to find it than usual. The TARDIS, it seemed, wasn't moving the rooms for her. She didn't care though. It felt nice to wander the halls of the TARDIS once more. She'd missed it. Freya's hand stroked the walls as she walked along. Her charm bracelet restocked itself as the gold particles she hadn't seen in ages appeared in front of her, as if it were guiding her like it used to when she was new to the ship.
Freya changed into comfortable clothes before following the gold particles back to the console room. However, the gold particles didn't disappear when she entered the console room. They stayed surrounding her. James's eyes widened when he saw her.
"Freya! What's going on?" he asked in alarm.
"It's fine. It's the TARDIS. Don't worry," Freya reassured him.
"Don't worry? You're surrounded by the same particles that the Doctor just said were deadly!" James scoffed.
"The TARDIS would never hurt me. These are the same particles that are on my bracelet, just in different form," Freya tried explaining.
The two of them sat in the console room, not talking, for a few minutes as Freya's anxiety grew. What if something went wrong? It wasn't just her husband out there; it was her husband and her best friend.
She didn't have to worry long. The door to the TARDIS opened, revealing a soaked Doctor and Donna. The gold particles dissipated immediately upon the Doctor's entrance to the TARDIS. Some things never changed.
"What happened? Are you both alright?" Freya asked, moving towards them instantly.
"We have a small problem," the Doctor admitted.
"What?" Freya asked, scanning the two of them for injuries. The Doctor nodded to Donna, who looked like she was about to burst with excitement.
"We drained the Thames," Donna said gleefully.
"You bloody drained the Thames? How…nevermind," James cut himself off, not even bothering to finish his question. The Doctor moved around the console, taking them off. He then headed for the door, still wet.
"There we go. Home sweet home," the Doctor said, opening the box. James, Freya, Donna and the Doctor all climbed out as Donna glanced back at the box and them.
"Is Donna okay now?" Freya asked the Doctor. He did a quick scan with his sonic screwdriver.
"Yes. All the Huon particles have gone. No damage. You're fine," the Doctor told Donna.
"Yeah, but apart from that, I missed my wedding, lost my job, and became a widow on the same day. Sort of," Donna said. Freya's heart sank at the words. So they hadn't been able to save Lance.
"I couldn't save him," the Doctor apologized.
"He deserved it. No. He didn't. I'd bettered get inside. They'll be worried," Donna said, gesturing towards the house. Her house.
"Best Christmas present they could have," the Doctor said, gesturing towards Donna's parents where they were hugging in the house.
"Oh. I forgot you hated Christmas," the Doctor said. Donna shrugged.
"Yes I do," Donna said.
"Even if it snows?" the Doctor asked. He pointed the sonic screwdriver at the TARDIS light, which then turned yellow and shot off a bolt of energy into the sky, making the snow start to fall.
"I can't believe you did that!" Donna shouted at him, a light smile gracing her lips for a few seconds as she watched the fat clumps of snow drift down.
She had to be freezing. She was soaked. Freya was concerned but Donna didn't even seem to notice it.
"Oh, basic atmospheric excitation," James said with a sniff.
"Merry Christmas," Donna said to them.
"And you. So, what will you do with yourself now?" the Doctor asked Donna.
"Not getting married, for starters. And I'm not going to temp anymore. I don't know. Travel. See a bit more of planet Earth. Walk in the dust. Just go out there and do something," Donna said.
"Well, you could always come with us," the Doctor offered tentatively.
"No," Donna said immediately, making Freya's heart sink.
"Okay," the Doctor said. Freya could tell he was hurt as well.
"I can't," Donna said, her gaze turning to Freya. Freya had to lower her eyes to keep from crying. She'd be leaving her best friend behind with no clue as to when she'd see her again. She wished Donna would go with them more than anything.
"Everything we did today. Do you live your life like that?" Donna asked the Doctor.
"Not all the time," the Doctor lied.
"I think you do. And I couldn't. I don't know how Freya manages it, especially with being pregnant. Just do me a favor, will you? Take care of her. Because she's my best friend, and she needs looking after. If I so much as hear about one hair on her head being harmed, I'll kill you myself," Donna threatened him. The Doctor's eyebrows shot up and he nodded immediately.
"Cross my hearts," he said.
"Good. And visit, will you?" Donna asked Freya. Freya nodded immediately before hugging Donna tightly.
"You need to change out of that dress. It's gotta be soaked," Freya murmured to Donna, who laughed at her.
"Look at you, still mothering me no matter what. If you don't bring that baby boy home to meet Aunt Donna, I'm gonna never forgive you," Donna told her as she pulled back.
"I don't think I'd forgive myself either," Freya admitted. She glance over at James, who had moved closer to Donna.
"I'll just get a cab back from here. Come visit," James ordered Freya gruffly. Freya laughed at him and launched at him, hugging him tightly as well.
"We will. Tell Masen and Marie I said bye," Freya told him. He nodded, sending a look at the Doctor. The Doctor merely nodded and held out his hand to Freya. Freya took it and he led her back into the TARDIS.
"Welcome home, Freya," the Doctor said softly.
"It's nice to be back," she responded.
"Let's go to bed. You've had enough excitement for one day, and I'm looking forward to waking up with my wife in my arms once more."
So here you go, chapter 2. I hope you like it. I enjoyed writing it, so I hope you enjoy reading it. Leave me a review with your thoughts! I'm loving the reviews I'm receiving!
Andi