Sorry for the long wait. I literally haven't even had time to sleep this semester, let alone write. I have about a hundred pages in papers due this semester, thirty of which have to be written entirely in French. So I am trying, it's just taking much longer than I had previously anticipated. I just finished this and figured you all would like to have a bit more. Here we go! Donna's back!
Chapter 17: An Entourage of Crime
Freya was certain she didn't like leaving her children behind, but she felt they would safer.
Well, to some degree, safer. Because the Doctor was nothing if not a trouble-maker. All versions of him.
He materialized on the streets and the Doctor gave her one last hug and a lingering kiss before gesturing for her to run out the door. Freya did just, colliding with her version of the Doctor.
He wasted no time in kissing her as the other Doctor shoved the door shut without her Doctor seeing him.
"He's a bit rude," the Doctor breathed as the TARDIS dematerialized.
"Coming from you," Freya teased.
"Oi! I'm not that rude!" the Doctor protested. Freya could only laugh at him. The Doctor stared at her for a moment.
"You seem different. I like it," he admitted.
"A week of relaxing with you did its job. You even managed to stay in the TARDIS," Freya teased.
"Blimey, I must be getting old then," the Doctor said with a laugh.
"You're a day late though. I checked out Adipose yesterday. Today we get to stake out the place," the Doctor said.
"Fine with me. Does this stakeout require quiet?" Freya asked. The Doctor wriggled his eyebrows at her.
"Not that much," he teased.
"Not what I meant and you know it. I meant you could explain it to me today," Freya told him with a grin. He slid his hand into hers and lead her to a door he quickly sonicked.
"So this is Adipose?" Freya asked quietly as he led them down the halls to a closet, where he unlocked. The two of them climbed in and he locked it once more.
"Yeah. It is," the Doctor said with a grin.
"And what exactly is Adipose?" Freya wanted to know.
"It's some kind of diet pill," The Doctor said.
"And you think it's alien?" Freya assumed.
"It is alien. Adipose is the name of a species," the Doctor explained.
"Ah. Well that would do it," Freya said with a sigh.
The day was spent talking and catching up. And munching on bananas, which the Doctor seemed to have an unhealthy amount of in his pockets.
Once the work day had ended, the Doctor sonicked the door open.
"Right. Stick together or split up?" he asked her with a grin.
"Let's split up. We can do more investigating that way. Any idea how dangerous it should be?" she asked him.
"Not a clue. Shouldn't be too terribly bad," the Doctor said with a shrug.
"Got a mobile on you?" Freya wanted to know. The Doctor pulled out the phone and smiled at her.
"Got it. Call me if you find anything," the Doctor told her.
"Will do. Same for you."
The two split up, the Doctor immediately heading for the stairs. Freya instead checked out the elevator curiously. No pass key needed. She climbed in quickly glancing at the buttons for whichever appeared to be the least-worn button. The offices with files would more or less be the ones that the least people had access to.
Sure enough, not only was one button newer, but it also had a keyhole to it. Freya pointed her sonic at it as she pressed the button and the doors slid shut, slowly pulling her upwards.
Freya makes it to an office, only to run into someone already there.
"Ianto? What the hell are you doing here?" Freya asked, as the elevator pinged once more.
"Later. Come on," he said, pulling her into a side room.
"Why are you here?" Freya hissed as a woman walked into the room, followed closely by two security guards holding a second woman.
"Looking for you. I need your help," Ianto hissed right back as the woman in the room started explaining her diet pill. Freya leaned closer, barely managing to see into the room.
There was some sort of alien….blob….on her desk.
And the Doctor was standing right outside of the window, mouthing to someone.
And the woman in front of the desk was watching him intently.
"Idiot," Freya whispered.
The Doctor finally noticed the woman and stared at her in disbelief.
"Get her," she said, pointing at the door. Freya froze for a moment, only to realize they were pointing at the other door.
Who else was in there?
"And him!" the woman added. There was some gunshots and everyone left the room, save the girl who was now tied to a chair.
"We need to go help them," Freya said.
"Right," Ianto agreed, gripping her hand tightly as they hurried along, sticking a ways behind the others.
"You said you needed help?" Freya asked.
"Yeah. I need to know who I am," Ianto told her.
"Who you are? How should I know? Unless you're another of my future children, and I really can't know that just yet," Freya said.
"No. But I was dropped off here, with my parents, when I was five. I….I remember some of my time before that. I didn't before, but we just had an incident at Torchwood where my previous memories came back to me," Ianto explained.
"And that made you seek me out?" Freya asked.
"Because the woman I remember looked an awful lot like you. Younger you," Ianto explained.
Freya's footsteps stopped.
"Ianto…I don't know what that means," Freya said carefully.
"I know you don't. You would have told me. But Jack….Jack gave me some time off. He told me to look. Said you'd be able to help me figure it out, if I stay with you," Ianto said.
"Can't say the Doctor'll be too happy, but he is the Doctor. As long as you look impressed with what he says and make him some of that fantastic coffee of yours, he'll let you stay," Freya decided.
"Speaking of the Doctor….oh," Ianto said, staring out the window near them.
Right outside of the window, dangling from a string, was Donna Noble.
"What is she doing here? Oh my God!" Freya said, rushing for the window. Ianto moved towards it as well, glancing upwards.
"Oh. Oh! The Doctor just did something. He's in the building. Come on," Ianto said, pulling the window open.
"Freya!" Donna gasped out.
"Don't worry, we'll get you. Hold on a moment," Freya urged as Ianto leaned out the window and wrapped both arms around her waist.
"Kick your legs up a bit," Ianto urged. Freya grabbed Donna as well and helped Ianto pull her in.
"Thank God. Where were you? The Doctor was freaking out!" Donna exclaimed, giving Freya a hug.
"Apparently in the room next to yours. Come on. We'd bettered find my husband before he gets himself into bigger trouble. Ianto, Donna, Donna, Ianto," Freya introduced as they hurried out of the room.
"Blimey! Where did you come from?" Donna asked, eyeing him up and down.
"He's in his early twenties," Freya said drily. Donna huffed at her.
"If I can handle Jack, I can handle anyone," Ianto reassured Freya before flashing Donna a wide smile.
"No flirting!" Freya protested as she hurried off towards the stairs once more.
"Hey! Where's your kid?" Donna asked.
"Kids. We left them with a babysitter," Freya said with a smile.
"A babysitter," Donna said flatly.
"Can you imagine trying to run around with two children? The Doctor never slows down," Freya said, barely masking the sadness in her voice.
"Do they ever?" Donna asked sympathetically. Ianto wisely stayed quiet.
"There you are!"
The Doctor was panting as he all but collided with Freya. His hands gripped her arms as he quickly kissed her forehead before her lips.
"Oi, Spaceman!" Donna shouted, hitting him on the back of the head. He pulled back, glancing at Ianto.
"Oh! Hello. What are you doing here?" the Doctor asked.
"He's travelling with us a bit. I wanted a tea boy," Freya said, winking at Ianto.
"A tea boy?"
"He also makes the best coffee known to man. And alien," Freya added.
"Sounds good. Just…oh. We'll talk later," he said, pulling them all along. They made it to a room with a ton of cubicles, where the woman – Miss Foster, the Doctor supplied – was standing with two guards.
"Well then. At last. Although you seem to have multiplied," she said, staring at both Freya and Ianto with suspicion.
"Hello," Donna said.
"Nice to meet you. I'm the Doctor," the Doctor said.
"And I'm Donna," Donna supplied.
"Freya, the Wife, and Ianto, the Tea Boy," Freya added in. Ianto nudged her at the words but didn't protest.
"An entourage of crime. I see. And evidently off-worlders, judging by your sonic technology," Miss Foster said, staring intently at the Doctor.
"Oh yes!" the Doctor exclaimed before he began patting himself down, "I've still got your sonic pen. Nice. I like it. Sleek. Well, it's kind of sleek," he said.
"Oh it's definitely sleek," Donna agreed.
"I want one. It's rather gorgeous," Freya admitted, plucking it from the Doctor's hands as she examined it.
"Yeah, and if you were to sign your real name, that would be..?" the Doctor drifted off.
"Matron Cofelia of the Five Straighten Classabindi Nursery Fleet. Intergalactic Class," she said, with an air of importance.
"Blimey, I'd hate having a title that long," Ianto muttered.
"You should hear the Doctor when he goes on a ramble about his titles," Freya shot back.
"A wet nurse," the Doctor said.
"Really?" Freya asked, surprised.
"Yes. Using humans as surrogates," the Doctor's voice was flat.
"I've been employed by the Adiposian First Family to foster a new generation after their breeding planet was lost," Miss Foster said.
"What do you mean lost? They lost an entire planet?" Freya asked in alarm.
"Oh, politics are none of my concern. I'm just here to take care of the children on behalf of the parents," Miss Foster explained.
"Politics? They LOST an entire PLANET. And they are wanting children?!" Freya asked, this time in disbelief.
"And you're their nanny? An outer space supernanny? Freya, you should have brought the children. It looks like she has all the credentials," Donna shot back.
"I most certainly do," Miss Foster preened.
"And those little things, they're made of fat, yeah? But that woman, Stacy Campbell, there was nothing left of her," Donna pointed out.
Freya's heart dropped.
"Oh, in a crisis the Adipose can convert bone and hair and internal organs. Makes them a little sick, poor things," Miss Foster said.
"What about poor Stacy?" Donna protested.
"Seeding a level five planet is against galactic law," the Doctor said, his voice solemn.
"Are you threatening me?" Miss Foster asked.
"If that's your intention, yes, we are," Ianto said firmly, only for the Doctor to hold his arm out, keeping Ianto at bay.
"I'm trying to help you, Matron. This is your one chance, because if you don't call this off, then I'll have to stop you," the Doctor told her.
"I hardly think you can stop bullets," Miss Foster said as the guards raised their guns. Ianto shoved Freya behind him quickly, as the Doctor stepped forward slightly in front of them all.
"No, hold on, hold on, hold on! One more thing – before dying. Do you know what happens if you hold two identical sonic devices against each other?" the Doctor asked. Freya quickly pulled out her own sonic screwdriver and held it against the sonic pen, waiting for the Doctor's next words.
"No, but you don't have two identical sonic devices. Your wife has mine," Miss Foster said.
"She also has her own. Let's find out just what happens," the Doctor said.
And Freya turned them both on.
The sound was deafening. Two hands quickly covered her ears as Miss Foster and her guards fell to the ground, clutching their ears.
Donna knocked her hands apart.
"Good enough. Come on!" she shouted. The Doctor released Freya's ears and pulled her along, Ianto jogging after them.
"What's going on now?" Ianto asked as they took off running down more stairs. They didn't stop until they reached the storage cupboard Freya and the Doctor had hidden in during the day.
"Well, that's one solution. Hide in the cupboard. I like it," Donna commented as the Doctor started throwing the contents of the cupboard into the hallway.
"I've been hacking into this thing all day, because the matron's got a computer core running through the centre of the building," the Doctor said.
"No you weren't!" Freya protested.
"I can do two things at once," the Doctor informed her with a wide grin, "It was triple deadlocked. But now I've got this, so I can get into it," the Doctor said, lifting Freya's hand with the sonic pen in it. Freya immediately dropped the pen into his open hand.
"I still don't get who you are or why you're here," Donna said, spinning on Ianto. Ianto's hands flew up instantly in defense.
"Ianto Jones, Head Archivist and Coffee Boy of Torchwood Three, Cardiff. I'm here for Freya. Rather, for Freya to help me figure out where I came from," Ianto said formally.
"Torchwood, like the place Lance was working for?" Donna asked, taking a step back.
"Nah. A good branch," Freya reassured Donna.
"I don't see how Freya can help you figure out where you came from, unless you came from her," Donna shot back.
"Which he most certainly did not," the Doctor added as he flipped some wires out of place.
"Any luck?" Freya asked, moving closer.
"We will. She's wired up the whole building. We need a bit of privacy," the Doctor said grimly.
"I can take care of that," Ianto said, pulling a gun from his side.
"No! No weapons! I can shock them!" the Doctor protested.
"Why's she wired up the tower block? What's all that for?" the Doctor mumbled to himself, staring at the odd computer system.
"Inducer online," the computer droned out at them while the Doctor worked quickly.
"You look older. Both of you do," Donna said, moving closer to the Doctor.
"Thanks. Well, thanks for me. Not for her," the Doctor said.
"Still just the two of you? James not travelling with you at the moment anymore?" Donna asked.
"Not now. Him and Martha, she was brilliant, they travelled with us. We ruined Martha's life though," the Doctor admitted.
"Martha Jones? Jack speaks of her all the time," Ianto said.
"He would," the Doctor said with a chuckle.
"And your other friend? Is she…still trapped?" Donna asked.
"Yeah. Rose is stuck. How's Marie and Masen? And the children?" Freya asked.
"Children are hellions. They're not doing too bad," Donna said.
"And you? How's things been for you?" Freya asked the woman.
"Not as good as I'd hoped. I…I wish I could travel with you. I tried travelling on my own. Went to Egypt even. But it wasn't the same. It was all tourist, all don't-drink-the-water and you're back at home within a week. It's different with you lot, isn't it?" Donna asked.
"It is," Freya agreed, glancing at the Doctor.
He wasn't even paying attention.
"Inducer activated," the computer droned on.
"Is that bad?" Freya asked worriedly.
"You could say that. She's started the program," the Doctor said with a grim frown as he worked harder, quicker.
"Inducer transmitting," the computer continued.
"What does that mean?" Donna asked anxiously.
"So far, they've just been losing weight, but the Matron's gone up to emergency pathogenesis," the Doctor said grimly.
"Which is when they convert," Donna stopped.
"Skeletons, organs, everything," Ianto said grimly.
"A million people are going to die. Got to cancel the signal," the Doctor murmured to himself as he started taking apart a pendant Freya had never seen before.
"This contains the primary signal. If I can switch it off, the fat goes back to being just fat," the Doctor explained. The computer looked like it was going to accept it, and then….
"Inducer increasing," the computer droned.
"No, no, no, no, no! She's doubled it. I need…haven't got the time. It's too far. I can't override it! They're all gonna die!" the Doctor realized in horror.
"Is there anything I can do? Anything we can do?" Donna asked anxiously.
"Sorry Donna, this is way beyond you. Got double the base pulse, I can't," the Doctor was rambling.
"Doctor, tell me. What do you need?" Donna repeated, her voice much more level than the Doctor's.
"I need a second capsule to boost the override, but I've only got the one. I can't save them!" the Doctor said loudly.
Donna just reached into her pocket and held up a second pendant.
"Doctor!" Freya shouted, drawing his attention. When he saw the second pendant, his face lit up. He snatched it up and quickly dismantled it, plugging it into the computer.
And the computer shut down.
Freya sank into Ianto's side, breathing out a sigh of relief.
"Is it always this close cut?" Ianto asked.
"Oh yeah," Freya nodded.
"Lovely. I have a feeling my stress levels will be skyrocketing," Ianto said drily.
"I'm right there with you," Freya agreed with a smile.
Their conversation was interrupted by a loud noise that shook the very foundations of the place.
"What the hell was that?" Donna asked.
"Sounds like the ship's coming to get the adipose and take them home," the Doctor stated.
"Is it hostile? Do we need to shoot it down?" Ianto asked, his face blank.
"Nah. They're just babies," the Doctor said.
"Bit of a change from the last time I saw you. That Martha must've done you good," Donna said as the Doctor stood up. The computer beeped at him.
"Incoming signal," the computer said.
"She fancied him," Freya couldn't help but interject.
"What, in front of you? Mad Martha, she was," Donna said with a laugh.
"Instructions from the Adiposian First Family," the Doctor murmured as he leaned closer, glasses perched on his face.
"She's wired up the tower block to convert it into a levitation post. Oh. Oh, we're not the ones in trouble now. She is!" the Doctor shouted as he leapt to his feet, dragging the lot of them along after him.
"Can we take the elevator this time?" Freya asked.
"Yah, I have to agree with her. We'll probably get there faster," Donna said.
"We can make it!" the Doctor shouted, taking off running up the stairs.
Freya stopped and pushed the elevator button.
"I'm not running those stairs again," Freya announced.
"Me either, mate. Me either. Waiting or running, TeaBoy?" Donna asked.
"I'm not a tea boy," Ianto murmured, but he waited with them nonetheless.
When the Doctor reached the top of the stairs, panting slightly, he could only stare at the three of them, the elevator door sliding shut behind them.
"Told you it'd be just as quick," Freya said as Donna shoved open the door leading out onto the roof.
"There she is!" the Doctor said, pointing towards the edge of the roof. He took off running, allowing the others to trail behind him.
"Matron Cofelia, listen to me!" the Doctor shouted.
"Oh, I don't think so Doctor. And if I never see you again, it'll be too soon," she said with a small laugh.
"Oh, why does no one ever listen?! I'm trying to help you. Just get across to the roof. Can you shift the levitation beam?" the Doctor asked her, glancing upward at the ship once more.
"What, so you can arrest me? I don't think so," she said, shaking her head.
"Just listen, I saw the Adiposian instructions. They know it's a crime, breeding on Earth. So what's the one thing they want to get rid of? Their accomplice," the Doctor pointed out.
"I'm far more than that. I'm nanny to all these children," she said, holding her hands out with a wide grin on her face.
"Exactly. Mum and Dad have got the kids now. They don't need the nanny anymore," the Doctor said.
Freya could see the moment his words dawned on her. Unfortunately, that realization coincide with the beam turning off. Freya turned away quickly as the Matron fell to her death.
Without anything else to do, the spaceship flew away quickly.
Donna quickly tugged them all back to the lift and towards the street. Once on the street, the Doctor threw the pen in a waste bin. Ianto pulled it right back out once the Doctor had turned his back.
"What? If someone found this, we'd just have to come and wipe memories. I can take care of it," Ianto pointed out. Freya sighed but nodded.
A woman, tied to a chair, ran up to them.
She looked familiar.
"Oi! You lot! You're just mad, do you hear me? Mad! And I'm going to report you all for madness!" she cried as she hurried away, still tied to the chair.
"You see, some people just can't take it," Donna said with a sigh. The Doctor was still staring off after her.
"No."
"And some people can. Come on then! Tardis! Let's go!" Donna cheered, latching onto the Doctor's arm and tugging him away. Freya could only laugh as her and Ianto followed closely behind the rambunctious redhead.
As they entered the alley, Freya was surprised to see a bright blue car parked right next to the TARDIS. She hadn't remembered seeing it before.
"That's my car! That is like destiny! And I've been ready for this," Donna said, popping the trunk quickly.
"I packed ages ago, just in case. Because I thought, hot weather, cold weather, no weather, he goes anywhere. I've gotta be prepared," she said as she started pulling bags from the trunk.
"You've got a…a hatbox," the Doctor said faintly.
"Planet of the Hats, I'm ready! I don't need injections, do I? You know, like when you go to Cambodia. Is there any of that? Because my friend Veena went to Bahrain, and she…you're not saying much," Donna said, staring at the Doctor. She'd finished unloading her car and was moving towards the TARDIS when she noted the Doctor's silence.
Freya only had to glance at the Doctor's face to realize what was going on.
"No, it's just…it's a funny old life, in the TARDIS," the Doctor said.
"You don't want me," Donna realized.
"I'm not saying that," the Doctor corrected.
"But you asked me. Would you rather be on your own?" Donna asked.
"I'm not on my own. I have Freya. And the kids, once we pick them up," the Doctor said. He shook his head before staring once more at Donna.
"Look, we just need a mate," the Doctor said.
Donna's eyes narrowed.
"You just want to mate?" Donna asked in disbelief. The Doctor's eyes went wide.
"I just want a mate!" the Doctor amended.
"You're not mating with me, sunshine," Donna shouted at him.
"A mate. We need A MATE," the Doctor corrected, sending Freya a horrified look.
"Donna, he means to say that after Martha, he doesn't want to lead anyone else on. He has a terrible way with words," Freya pointed out.
"Just as well, because I'm not having any of that nonsense. You're just a long streak of alien nothing! I don't know how Freya enjoys that, because I wouldn't. Ianto, on the other hand – you, mate, are a fine specimen," Donna said, eyeing him up.
"Donna!" the Doctor exclaimed.
"Please, Doctor, I work with Jack Harkness. I'm used to being eyed like a piece of meat," Ianto said fluidly.
"Are you planning on coming along too then?" the Doctor asked wearily.
"Both Donna and Ianto are joining us. Right, old girl?" Freya asked, resting a hand on the TARDIS. The door flew open immediately in response.
"See? Even the TARDIS agrees with me. Now, let's get all these bags inside," Freya said. Donna's face lit up and she started laughing before stopping suddenly.
"Wait! The car keys! I still have Mum's car keys. I'll be right back! Don't you dare think of leaving without me," Donna threatened as she took off at a run, laughing slightly as she did.
"What have we gotten ourselves into?" the Doctor whispered to her.
"Sounds like an adventure to me," Freya retorted with a grin. She gave the Doctor a quick kiss on the cheek before grabbing Ianto's arm and taking off.
"We'll wait for Donna at the corner! Have fun loading her luggage," Freya shouted gleefully. The Doctor cursed after her but finished with a chuckle.
The two of them stood at the corner of they, watching as Donna talked to someone before running back to them.
"Freya," Ianto's voice drew her attention.
"What?" she asked.
"I've seen her before," Ianto said, pointing towards where Donna was at. Freya's eyes followed his, only to freeze.
Walking in their direction, was Rose.
She gave Freya a faint smile before fading into thin air in front of them.
"Rose?" Freya asked the empty air.
"How did she do that?" Ianto asked.
"It was like she was a ghost. But she's locked in another universe, a parallel universe. She can't be here," Freya whispered.
"Should we tell the Doctor?" Ianto asked. Freya stared at where Rose had disappeared from.
"Not yet. Not until we're sure."
So we have Ianto added in as well. Let me know what you think. I apologize for it being so short, but hopefully I'll be able to write more soon (or at the very least, eventually). Also, what do you think of them seeing Rose? What do you think is behind Ianto's story? I'd love to hear your theories.
Hopefully there won't be another two and a half month wait into between this and the next chapter.
Until next time,
TeamTHEFT