A/N - In my last chapter I accidentally gave the male technician a name, not realising that he in fact had a name. So I'll be using his actual name from the transcript is this. So I called him Horr, but it's actually Rossiter. So I'll be calling him Rossiter from now on. Sorry for the confusion.
I glanced over from the chair I was tied up to in the office, next to Wilf, over at The Doctor, who had been strapped into the chair The Master had been in before, a gag over his mouth.
The Master leaned in towards the Doctor with a sneer, "Now, then. I've got a planet to run." He walked over to the center of the room, looking over at screens, connected to different places. "Is everybody ready?"
"6,727,949,338 versions of us awaiting orders." The Naimsith-Master replied on screen from the lab.
"This is Washington." The President-Master called. "As President of the United States, I can transfer all the United Nations protocols to you immediately, putting you in charge of all the Earth's defences."
"UNIT HQ, Geneva reporting." The General-Master said. "All under your command, sir."
"And this is the Central Military Commission here in Beijing, sir, with over 2.5 million soldiers, sir." The Commissioner-Master reported, before leaning into a microphone. "Present arms!" The screen flickered over to a army of Master-soldiers cocking their guns.
"Enough soldiers and weapons to turn this planet into a warship." The Master boasted. "Nothing to say...Doctor?" He walked back over towards The Doctor, glaring at him. "What's that? Pardon? Sorry?"
"You let him go, you swine." Wilf shouted.
"Oh, your dad's still kicking up a fuss."
"Yeah? Well, I'd be proud if I was."
The Master put a finger to his lips, "Hush, now. Listen to your Master." He looked over at my bump. "Well then Miss Smith, a lot has changed since we last met."
"Yes." I said sarcastically. "Your hair is blonde."
The Master shook his head, walking over towards me, "The Doctor and Flo's child."
"Don't you dare hurt that baby!" Wilf cried.
"I don't know if you've noticed," The Master began, ignoring Wilf. "But you're my weakness, Flo Smith."
I raised an eyebrow at him, "Really?"
"Yes. During the year that never was, I could have easily broken inside the lock that your super computer trapped your mother, brother and friends inside... but I didn't. I could have killed you in the wasteland, but I didn't. There's something about you... Your time is running out, but it's not over yet." Suddenly, Wilf's mobile rang, surprising The Master. "But that…that's a mobile."
"Yeah, it's mine, let me turn it off." Wilf said quickly.
He walked over to Wilf, "No, no, no. I don't think you understand. Everybody on this planet...is me. And I'm not phoning you, so who the hell is that?" He knelt down in front of him, searching his pockets.
"It's nobody. Probably some ring-back call."
The Master pulled a gun out of his pocket, showing it to The Doctor, "Ooh, and look at this. Good man!" He dropped it to the floor and pulled out the mobile. "'Donna.' Who's Donna?"
"She's no-one, just leave it."
The Master answered it, holding it to his ear.
"Gramps... Don't hang up." I managed to hear Donna say. "You've got to help me. I ran out. Everyone was changing."
"Who is she?" The Master asked me. "Why didn't she change?"
"Gramps, I can't hear you." Donna sobbed.
"It was a Time Lord-Human metacrisis." I sighed.
"Oh..." The Master sneered. "He loves playing with Earth girls." He nodded at my bump. "Ugh!"
"Are you there?" Donna asked.
The Master turned to the screen, directing the Naismith-Master, "Find her. Trace the call."
"Trace the call." The Naismith-Master called.
"Are you still there? Can you hear me?" Donna sobbed.
"Say goodbye to the freak, Grandad." The Master sneered, holding the phone to Wilf's ear.
"Donna, get out of there!" Wilf shouted down the phone. "Look, Just get out of there! Run!"
"What do I do?"
"Run, sweetheart, that's all. Run for your life!" We listened to Donna's footsteps as she ran before there was sudden silence. "Donna? What's happening? Are you still there?"
"Oh god." I breathed quietly as The Master watched me, concerned. "Please." I begged him. "Don't hurt her!"
"Donna?" Wilf called again. "Look, I'm telling you. Run, Donna! Just run, sweetheart. Just run!"
"It's not just them..." Donna gasped. "I can see those things again. Those creatures. Why can I see a giant wasp?"
"The Vepsiform." I shook my head.
"Donna, don't think about that, Donna, my love, don't!" Wilf called.
"And it hurts." Donna sobbed. "My head, it keeps getting hotter, and hotter, and hotter, and hotter, and hotter!" She let out a long, piercing scream.
"Please!" I gasped to The Master. "Oh god, don't hurt her!"
She stopped screaming, "What did I...?" She asked softly before a there was a thump, presumably Donna collapsing.
"Donna? What was that?" Wilf asked. "Donna...? Donna, are you there?" The Master looked over at The Doctor. "Donna...! Donna! Donna..."
The Master got up, striding over to The Doctor and ripping off the gag.
"That's better. Hello." The Doctor smiled. "But really, did you think I'd leave my best friend without a defence mechanism?"
"Doctor, what happened?" Wilf asked.
"She's all right, she's fine, I promise. She'll just sleep."
"Tell me, where's your TARDIS?" The Master sneered.
The Doctor sighed, looking at The Master, "You could be so wonderful."
"Where is it?"
"You're a genius. You're stone-cold brilliant. You are, I swear, you really are. But you could be so much more. You could be beautiful. With a mind like that, we could travel the stars. It would be my honour, 'cause you don't need to own the universe, just see it. To have the privilege of seeing the whole of time and space. That's ownership enough."
"Would it stop, then? The noise in my head?"
"I can help."
"I don't know what I'd be without that noise."
The Doctor looked at me behind The Master, looking at the both of us, "Wonder what I'd be, without you two."
The Master sniffled, glancing back at me, then back to him, "Yeah."
"What does he mean?" Wilf asked softly. "What noise?"
"It began on Gallifrey." The Master sighed. "As children. Not that you'd call it childhood." He sat down. "More a life of duty. Eight years old. I was taken for initiation. To stare into the Untempered Schism."
Wilf frowned, "What does that mean?"
I looked over at Wilf, trying my best to reach out and squeeze his hand, but I was too stuck, "It's a gap in the fabric of reality." I sighed. "You can see into the Time Vortex itself."
"And it hurts." The Doctor nodded.
"They took me there, in the dark." The Master contiuned. I looked into time, old man, and I heard it calling to me. Drums, the never-ending drums." He leaned in and stared at The Doctor. "Listen to it. Listen."
"Then let's find it, you and me."
"Except..." He stood up, stepping back. "Oh! Oh, wait a minute. Oh, yes. Oh, that's good."
"What?" I frowned. "What is?"
The Master looked back at me, grinning, "The noise exists within my head. And now within six billion heads. Everyone on Earth can hear it. Imagine! Oh... Oh, yes!" He laughed, the skeleton flashing through his skin as he dropped to a crouch.
"The Gate wasn't enough." The Doctor said, watching him. "You're still dying."
"This body was born out of death. All it can do is die." He stood back up, looking between me and The Doctor. "But what did you two say to me, back in the wasteland? You said, "the end of time"."
"We said something was returning." I corrected him. "We was shown a prophecy. That's why we need your help."
"What if I'm part of it? Don't you see? The drumbeat is calling from so far away, from the end of time itself. And now it's been amplified six billion times. Triangulate all those signals. I could find its source!" He looked over at The Doctor, grinning. "Oh, Doctor... That's what your prophecy was. Me!" He raised his hand, slapping him so hard it even made me wince. "Where's the TARDIS?"
"No." The Doctor said. "Just stop. Just think."
The Master pointed at me, "Kill her." A helmeted soldier walked over and aimed the gun at me. The Doctor stared at me, breathing heavily, as I stared back calmly. To be honest, having a gun being pointed at me did not bother me in at all anymore. And it was then I realised, I was nothing like I used to be when I first started travelling with The Doctor. I was now a dark, scarred, horrible and lonely woman, nothing like the bright, bubbly and happy girl I was 4 years ago. "I need that technology, Doctor. Tell me where it is, or Flo and your child is dead."
"Don't tell him." I laughed, staring at The Master.
"I'll kill her, right now!" The Master threatened.
The Doctor stared at me, scared, before noticing something, relaxing. I glanced out of the corner of my eye, noticing the guard was an inch taller than The Master himself, "Actually, the most impressive thing about you is that after all this time, you're still bone-dead stupid." The Doctor said coversationally.
The Master rolled his neck, "Take aim." The soldier took his aim.
"You've got six billion pairs of eyes, but you still can't see the obvious, can you?"
"Like what?"
I smirked, "That guard is one inch too tall." I giggled. The Master turned round to see the soldier turn, hitting The Master in the face with the butt of the gun.
The soldier pulled off the helmet to reveal Rossiter, the male Vinnocci, "Oh, my God, I hit him." He gulped. "I've never hit anyone in my life."
Addams ran into the room and untied Wilf and I, "Well, come on!" She called. "We need to get out of here, fast."
"God bless the cactuses!" Wilf cried.
"That's CACTI." The Doctor corrected as Rossiter ran over to try and untie him.
"That's racist!" Rossiter replied, offenced.
"Come on!" Addams groaned. "We've got to get out."
"There's too many buckles and straps."
"Just...wheel him."
He moved round the back, beginning to push the chair from behind.
"No, no, no! Get me out!" The Doctor shouted. "No, no, don't! Don't! No, no, no..." They wheeled him out of the room.
...
We wheeled The Doctor down a corridor, Wilf and I running along side them.
"Which way?" Rossiter asked, stopping.
"This way." Addams said, heading off one way.
"No, no, no, the other way!" The Doctor shouted. "I've got my TARDIS."
"I know what I'm doing."
"No, no, just...just listen to me!" Rossiter began to wheel him forwards towards the room we came from before, down some stairs. "Not the stairs... Not the stairs!" They pushed him down the stairs, The Doctor grunting in pain from each bump, making me laugh. "Worst...rescue...ever!"
...
We ran into the tech room under the lab and Rossiter pushed The Doctor, Wilf and I to the end of the room.
"Just...stop, and listen to me!" The Doctor shouted, struggling against the chair when guards appeared at the other end of the room, blocking us in. The Master pushed through and smiled.
"Gotcha." The Master smirked.
"You think so?" Addams asked before pressing her watch.
"No, no, no - don't, don't!" The Doctor shouted and we teleported away.
...
We reappeared in a big, mainly empty, ship, overlooking the Earth.
"Now get me out of this thing!" The Doctor shouted.
"Don't say thanks, will you?" Addams muttered as I moved over, beginning to pull off the belts.
"He's not going to let us go. Just hurry up and get me out!"
Wilf glanced out of the window at the Earth, "Oh, my goodness me... We're in space!" He breathed.
"Come on!"
"All right!" Addams snapped, beginning to help me untie him.
"Oh..." Wilf whispered.
"Get a move on! Come on!"
"All right!" We pulled off the last belt and The Doctor bolted over to one of the control panels and used the sonic on it, making it explode.
He breathed heavily, moving over to me and pulling me into a hug, placing a kiss on my head, "Where's your flight deck?" He asked.
"But we're safe! We're a hundred thousand miles above the Earth."
"And he's got every single missile on the planet ready to fire!"
She paused, nodding, "Good point." She turned, leading The Doctor off. I walked over to Wilf, taking him by the arm and gently led him off.
"But we're in space!" He spluttered.
"Yup." I nodded.
...
The five of us bolted into the flight deck.
"We've got to close it down!" The Doctor called.
"No chance, mate, we're going home." Rossiter shook his head.
"We're a salvage team." Addams nodded in agreement. "Local politics has nothing to do with us. Not unless there's a carnival. Sooner we get back to Vinvocci space the better."
"You're not leaving." The Doctor snapped, using the sonic on a control panel and all the lights cut out, the ship going dead.
We stood in silence, listening to the sound of the ship creaking.
"No sign of any missiles... No sign of...anything." Addams began sarcastically. "You've wrecked the place!" She shouted.
"The engines are burnt out. Just auxiliary lights." Rossiter sighed. "Everything else is kaput. We can't move. We're stuck, in orbit."
"Thanks to you. You idiot!" Addams snapped, storming out.
Wilf, standing between The Doctor and I, looked between us, "I know you two, though. I bet you've got a plan, haven't you? Eh? Come on! You've always got a trick up your sleeve. Nice little bit of the old Doctor and Flo flimflam, ha-ha-ha, sort of thing? Eh?" The Doctor and I looked back at him, solemn. We didn't. We had no plan. Maybe this was the end. Maybe it wasn't. But I wouldn't put it past The Master to have a bloody good go. "Oh, blimey."
...
The Doctor and I sat on the flight deck next to each other as The Doctor fiddled with some wiring.
"Theta..." I began. The Doctor looked up at me, slightly stunned, but way to weary to bother to freak out. "That's your name, isn't it?"
He turned back to the wiring, "Yeah, that's what I was known as on Gallifrey. It's not my name though... Not the name is was born with."
I laughed dryly, tears in my eyes, "You still can't tell me, can you?" I asked. "I know you better than anyone in this universe, and nobody will know you better than I will-"
"Exactly." He interrupted, refusing to look up at me. "I can't risk you knowing my biggest secret. Nobody can know Flo!"
"What, not even me?!"
"No."
I grabbed hold of his chin, gently turning it so he was looking at me, "Someone will find out one day, ok?! Maybe I'll be there, maybe I won't. But someone will find out one day. You can't keep it a secret, Doctor."
"You are the one person in the whole of time and space that I want to know my name. But I can't tell you." He took both my hands. "And when this is all over, I will sit down with Sarah Jane and I will take what I deserve like a man. I will make up everything to your Mum, Luke, Rani, Clyde, everyone that had to been there for you when I wasn't."
I shook my head, getting up and making my way over to the window, glancing out at Earth, "Planet Earth." I sighed. "I never thought that I'd get sick of looking at it from here. But then all this... it infects you. And you lose all the happiness. And you become bitter. That's what happened to me, Theta." I glanced back over my shoulder at him. He looked at me sadly and I sighed, looking back to the Earth. "Remember how innocent and fun I used to be? 'That's beautiful!' I used to say. Now I just carry on, heartless and cold. What happened to me?"
"I did." The Doctor called softly.
I sighed, staring out at the Earth when a white light flew towards it, like a meteor.
I frowned, "Doctor..." The Doctor got up, walking over to me and watching the meteor. "Bit bright for a normal meteor?" I mumbled.
The Doctor sighed, placing a kiss to my head. He reached round my waist, placing his hands on the bump, "Have you thought about any names?" He muttered into my hair.
I shook my head, "No. No idea." I placed my hands over his, pushing them down tighter. "You?"
"No." He sighed. "But we're not naming our son a Gallifreyan name."
I looked up at him rasing an eyebrow, "You sure?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "Cause any child of ours... The both of us have dealt with so much... Something normal and human would be nice. It would be special."
"Normal and human." I laughed sarcastically. "Yes, of course, because our child will be normal and human." I shivered, "It's bloody freezing in here."
The Doctor laughed, letting go of me nad sitting back down on the step, fiddling with the wiring. I watched him in silence for a few minutes before Wilf stepped in, smiling at us.
"Aye, aye." Wilf smiled. "Got this old tub mended?"
The Doctor looked up, "Just trying to fix the heating." He sighed.
Wilf sat down next to him, looking out at the Earth as I moved over and sat down next to The Doctor, laying my head on his shoulder, "D'you know, I've always dreamt of a view like that." He chuckled. "I'm an astronaut. It's dawn over England, look. Brand new day. My wife's buried down there. I might never visit her again now. D'you think he changed them, in their graves?"
I shut my eyes tightly, "I'm sorry." I mumbled.
"No, not your fault."
"Isn't it?" The Doctor and I said in unison.
Wilf sighed, looking out. "Ooh... 1948, I was over there. End of the Mandate in Palestine. Private Mott. Skinny little idiot, I was, stood on this rooftop, the middle of a skirmish. It was like a blizzard, all them bullets in the air. The world gone mad." He sighed. "Yeah, you don't want to listen to an old man's tales, do you?"
I laughed, "He's older than you." I said, nudging The Doctor in the side.
"Get away."
The Doctor nodded, "I'm 906." He said.
"What, really, though?"
"Yeah."
"900 years... We must look like insects to you."
The Doctor smiled, looking down at me, "I think you look like giants." He smiled back at Wilf.
Wilf reached into his pocket and took out the gun he had before, "Listen, I... I want you to have this." He handed it out. "I've kept it all this time, and I thought..."
The Doctor shook his head, "No."
"No, but if you take it, you could..."
"No. You had that gun in the mansion. You could have shot the Master there and then."
"Too scared, I suppose." He looked over at me, holding out the gun. "You'll take it."
"You're right." I nodded. "I will always take the gun and fire it," I took The Doctor's hand and squeezed it. "Because I am not The Doctor. But The Master?" I smiled sadly. "I can't."
The Doctor nodded in agreement, "She is his weakness and The Master doesn't have weaknesses. There's some weird, twisted, relationship there."
"So I can't. I can't kill him."
"Anyway," The Doctor sighed. "I'd be proud."
Wilf frowned, "Of what?" He asked.
"If you were my dad."
"Oh, come on, don't start." Wilf waved him off and stared sadly. "But you said...you were told... he will knock four times, and then you die. Well, that's him, isn't it, The Master? That noise in his head? The Master is going to kill you."
"Yeah."
Wilf held out the gun, not really sure who he was giving it to, me or The Doctor, "Then kill him first."
"And that's how the Master started." I sighed.
"It's not like I'm innocent. "The Doctor nodded in agreement, "I've taken lives. I got worse - I got clever. Manipulated people into taking their own. Sometimes I think a Time Lord lives too long." He shook his head, tears in his eyes and put his arm around me, pulling me closer. "I can't. I just can't."
"If the Master dies, what happens to all the people?"
"I don't know."
"Doctor, what happens?"
"The template snaps."
"What, they go back to being human?" The Doctor nodded back at him. "They're alive and human? Then don't you dare, sir. Don't you DARE put him before them. Don't you put him before Flo and your child! Now you take this, that's an order, Doctor. Take the gun. You take the gun and save your life. And please don't die. You're the most wonderful man and I don't want you to die!" He began to sob, taking The Doctor's hand and placing it on the gun.
"Never." The Doctor sighed, pushing the gun away.
Suddenly the Master's voice came over the tannoy, "A star...fell from the sky." He called. "Don't you want to know where from? Because now it makes sense, Doctor. The whole of my life. My destiny. The star was a diamond. And the diamond...is a Whitepoint star." The Doctor gasped and I scrambled to my feet, grabbing onto a nearby railing for support. A Whitepoint star... that could only mean one thing... "And I have worked all night to sanctify that gift. Now the star is mine. I can increase the signal and use it as a lifeline. Do you get it now? Do you see? Keep watching, Doctor, Flo. This should be...spectacular. Over and out." It cut off.
"What's he on about?" Wilf frowned. "What's he doing? Doctor, Flo, what does that mean?"
"A Whitepoint star is only found on one planet, Gallifrey," I gasped, clutching onto the railing. I was panicking, a lot. "Which means… it's the Time Lords." The Doctor and I looked over at each other. "The Time Lords are returning."
"Well, that's good, isn't it? That's your people."
I ran over and grabbed the gun from Wilf's hands, The Doctor and I running from the room.
...
The Doctor and I ran back onto the flight deck and The Doctor ran over to the PA, switching it on, the four beats repeating itself.
"What's that?" Addams asked.
Rossiter checked the computer, "Coming from Earth." He called over. "It's on every single wavelength."
The Doctr ran over to equipment, beginning to work on it.
"But you said your people were dead, past tense." Wilf frowned.
"Inside the Time War, when the whole War was time-locked - like, sealed inside a bubble." I explained as The Doctor worked. "It's not a bubble but think of a bubble. Nothing can get in or get out of the time-lock. Don't you see? Nothing can get in or get out, except something that was already there."
"The signal." Wilf said in realisation. "Since he was a kid."
"If they can follow the signal, they can escape, before they die." The Doctor called over.
"Well, big reunion. We'll have a party."
I shook my head, "There will be no party."
Wilf frowned, looking over at The Doctor, "But I've heard you talk about your people like they're wonderful."
"That's how I choose to remember them, the Time Lords of old." The Doctor sighed. "But then they went to war, an endless war, and it changed them, right to the core. You've seen mine and Flo's enemies, Wilf. The Time Lords are more dangerous than any of them."
"Time Lords?" Addams frowned. "What lords? Anyone want to explain?"
The Doctor frowned at her, "Right, you! This is a salvage ship, yes? You go trawling the asteroid fields for junk?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
"So, you've got asteroid lasers!"
"Yeah, but they're all frazzled." Rossiter frowned.
"Consider them unfrazzled." He flipped a lever and two doors on opposite sides of the room slid open, making me laugh in glee. "You there - I'm going to need you on navigation. And you, get in the laser-pod. Wilfred?"
"Yeah?" Wilf nodded.
"Laser number two. The old soldier's got one more battle."
"Right." He nodded, tapping The Doctor on the arm and standing.
"This ship can't move. It's dead!" Addams exclaimed.
"Fix the heating." The Doctor called, pushing two large levers on either side of the control panel and starting the ship up.
"But now they can see us."
"Oh, yes!" I laughed.
"This is my ship and you're not moving it. Step away from the wheel."
The Doctor looked over at me apologetically, "There's an old Earth saying, Captain,"
"A phrase of great power, and wisdom, and consolation to the soul in times of need." I continued.
"What's that, then?" Addams asked sarcastically.
"Allons-y!" The Doctor and I cried in unison. The Doctor grabbed the controls, driving the ship furiously towards Earth. I grabbed onto the deck, half holding the controls, half holding The Doctor's arm.
"Come on!" The Doctor shouted as the ship began to burn as we entered the atmosphere. "Come on...!"
"You are blinkin', flippin' mad." Addams cried.
"Rossiter, Wilf!" I shouted, holding on tightly. "What did he say? Lasers."
"What for?" Rossiter asked.
"Because of the missiles." The Doctor said. "We've got to fight off the entire planet!"
They both nodded, heading for the laser pods. I looked out of the windshield window as the missiles came flying towards us, "You two! Open fire!" I screamed. "Open fire! Come on, Wilf!" Suddenly beams came from the ships, exploding the missiles.
Addams moved over to the computer screen, "And there's more." She said sarcastically. "16 of them. Oh! And another 16."
"Go to the rear-gun lasers!" The Doctor ordered and Addams headed for the door. "You two, open fire! NOW!" More beams fired out, destroying the missiles as the ship rocked furiously. "No, you don't!" The Doctor sent the ship into a spin, turning us upside down with one hand, grabbing hold of me with the other. "Lock the navigation!" He shouted as the rest of the missiles exploded.
"Onto what?" Addams asked.
"England! The Naismith mansion!" He placed a kiss to my head. "I am so sorry." He mumbled into my hair.
"It's not your fault." I breathed, staring as we sped towards the Naismith mansion.
"Destination?"
"50 klicks and closing." Addams called over as we reached the English coast. "We've locked on to the house. We are going to stop, though?" The Doctor stared ahead grimly and I squeezed his arm in support. "Doctor, Flo? We are going to stop?!" The ship zoomed over the countryside as Wilf and Rossiter ran back in to the flight deck.
"Doctor!" Wilf called. "Doctor, you said you were going to die."
"He said what?!"
"But is that all of us? I won't stop you, sir, but is this it?" Wilf and I shared a dreaded look as The Doctor kept speeding ahead. The Doctor aimed the ship towards the mansion, pulling up at the last minute. I looked over at the floor, noticing a hatch, and pulled it open. I knew what I had to do. I couldn't let The Doctor try and stop them. Maybe I could, I wasn't much use, but I couldn't let The Doctor do this! For once, I had to protect this bloody insane Time Lord!
"FLO, NO!" The Doctor shouted as I clutched the gun and he grabbed hold of me as I jumped out. As I flew through the sky, heading towards the glass dome roof, I prayed that the baby would protect me with the regeneration energy... otherwise, I was a bit screwed.
I crashed through the glass, falling to the center of the room. I was about to land on the floor when I stopped a few inches above, being held in the air by a blue lightning. I looked over to see The Master with his hands out, holding me up. He pulled them back and I dropped with a bump, the gun dropping out of my hand. I looked over to find The Doctor laying on the floor, covered in cuts and bruises, struggling. I looked over at the Master properly, to find 5 Time Lords, two women covering their eyes, and two men either side of another man, who I recognised as Rassilon, president of Gallifrey. The Doctor picked up the gun, aiming it at Rassilon before dropping his arm to the floor, weak, and tried to stand. The Master moved over to me, pulling to my feet and checking me over.
"Mum..." The baby began. "I'm scared." The Master put his hand on my bump, whispering something in Gallifreyan telepathically to the baby. I nodded a thanks to The Master before we looked back at the Time Lords.
Rassilon strode forward, "My Lord Doctor. My Lord Master. My Lady Flo." My eyes widened slightly at how they knew who I was. "We are gathered for the end."
I looked down at The Doctor who lied on the floor, panting. Grunting, he slowly rose up onto all fours then kneeled, resting on the back of his legs.
"Listen to me." The Doctor gasped. "You can't…"
"It is a fitting paradox that our salvation comes at the hands of our most infamous child."
"Oh, he's not saving you. Don't you realise what he's doing?"
"Hey, no, hey!" The Master snapped. "That's mine. Hush." He turned back to the Time Lords. "Look around you. I've transplanted myself into every single human being. But who wants a mongrel little species like them? Because now I can transplant myself into every single Time Lord." He grabbed my hand. "And I'll do the job The Doctor never done. Looking after the most dangerous woman in the universe - his lover and his murderer." I gulped as he smiled proudly at me. "And we have his child. Oh, yes, Mr President, sir, standing there all noble and resplendent and decrepit. Think how much better you're going to look as me!" Rassilon held out his hand, wearing a silver metal gauntlet and it glowed, the people in the room's faces beginning to shake furously again, returning to their usual selves. "No, don't...! No, no, no, stop it! No, no! No, no! Don't!"
"On your knees, mankind." Rassilon sneered and the rest of the humans in the room kneeled, scared.
"No, that's fine, that's good, because you said salvation. I still saved you, don't forget that."
"The approach begins."
A low rumble echoed and the room began to get brighter.
The Master frowned, "Approach of what?!"
"Something is returning. Don't you ever listen?" The Doctor snapped. "That was the prophecy. Not someone, something."
"What is it?"
"They're not just bringing back the species." I breathed as I squeezed The Master's hand nervously. "It's Gallifrey. Right here, right now."
He let go of my hand and dropped to one knee nervously, looking at Rassilon, "But I...I did this. I get the credit! I'm on your side."
The rumbling grew louder, the whole room shaking and everyone ran out, screaming. I looked over at the door to see Wilf pushing his way in.
"Come on, get out of the way!" Wilf shouted. "Get out of the way! Doctor, Flo..." He looked over at one of the booths to find one of the technicians locked inside, knocking urgently. "All right! I've got you." He got inside the other booth.
"Wilf, don't... Don't!" The Doctor shouted.
"I've got you." Wilf said, pushing the button. "Come on. Go on." The technician ran out.
The Master rose to his feet, "But this is fantastic, isn't it?" The Doctor glared over at him. "The Time Lords restored."
"You weren't there in the final days of the War." The Doctor said darkly. "You never saw what was born. But if the time-lock's broken, then everything's coming through, not just the Daleks, but the Skaro Degradations, the Horde of Travesties, the Nightmare Child, the Could-Have-Been King with his army of Meanwhiles and Never-weres, the War turning to hell. And that's what you opened, right above the Earth. Hell is descending!"
"My kind of world." The Master smirked.
"Just listen! 'Cause even the Time Lords can't survive that!" The Master looked over, possibly starting to understand. "Flo can't." The Master looked at me guiltily.
"We will initiate the Final Sanction." Rassilon exclaimed. "The end of time will come at my hand. The rupture will continue, until it rips the Time Vortex apart."
"That's suicide." I breathed.
"We will ascend to become creatures of consciousness alone, free of these bodies, free of time, and cause and effect, while creation itself ceases to be."
"You see now?" The Doctor asked the Master. "That's what they were planning in the final days of the War. I had to stop them."
The Master went to smile before glaring at them, "You are not going to hurt this woman!" He pushed me out of the way, so I was inbetween him and The Doctor.
Rassilon glared at me, "You are diseased, albeit a disease of our this planets making. No more." He held out the gauntlet, the energy starting to hum when I heard the revolver click, The Doctor aiming the gun at Rassilon, standing in front of The Master. "Choose your enemy well. We are many. The Master is but one."
"But he's the President." The Master encouraged. "Kill him, and Gallifrey could be yours!" The Doctor span round, aiming the gun at The Master. "He's to blame, not me!"
"Theta." I called sternly. "Don't you dare."
The Master sighed, realising, "Oh, the link is inside my head. Kill me, the link gets broken, they go back. You never would, you coward. Go on then. Do it." The Doctor span back round, aiming the gun at Rassilon. "Exactly. It's not just me, it's him. He's the link, kill him!"
"The final act of your life is murder." Rassilon sneered. "But which one of us?"
The Doctor and I both looked past Rassilon and watched as one of the women with short brown hair lowered her hands from her face. Tears poured down her face, looking at The Doctor then looking at me. Rassilon turned to me, flicking the gauntlet at me. I suddenly screamed, dropping to the floor, pain writhing through my bump. It wasn't labour, it couldn't be, but Rassilon had done something. I looked over at The Doctor and The Master who watched me, shaking with fear, stuck the the spot. The Doctor span back round, aiming the gun at The Master, who stared back at him sadly.
"Get out of the way." The Doctor said. The Master smiled and dove out of the way, shooting a device holding a small diamond and the machine went up in flames. "The link is broken." The Doctor shouted, looking back at Rassilon as the room shook furiously. "Back into the Time War, Rassilon. Back into hell."
"You'll die with me, Doctor."
"I know." He said regretfully as the pain stopped and I scrambled to my feet, watching.
The Master stood up, standing behind The Doctor, "Get out of the way." He shot a bolt of energy and The Doctor dove out of the way, the bolt hitting Rassilon in the chest, making him stagger backwards. "You did this to me! All of my life!" He used the other hand. "You made me!" He stepped forward with each bolt. "One! Two! Three! FOUR!"
I ran over to the cabinets, pulling open the door as Wilf stared at me, "I know what I'm doing!" I called to him as The Doctor watched the Time Lords and The Master grow brighter as the link broke. Wilf nodded as I pressed the button and he stumbled out of the cabinet, falling against a wall as the room shook. The room grew completely white and I truned away from the brightness. I turned back around as it faded away and I looked over to find Wilf leaning against the wall and The Doctor laying on the floor.
"I'm alive." The Doctor gasped. "I've... There was..." He pushed himself into a sitting position. "I'm still alive." He laughed shakily. I gulped, I didn't want to scare him by talking. But I wanted to say goodbye. I glanced at the controls, the radiation... it was going to overflow and kill me. And I was killing my son with me. I was the most horrible woman in the world... thing is, I knew I would be a terrible mother. I reached up and knocked on the glass four times. The Doctor looked round and stared at me, heartbroken as Wilf got to his feet.
"They've gone, then?" Wilf asked, walking towards him. "Good-oh. If you could let her out...?"
The Doctor nodded sadly, "Yeah."
"Only, that thing seems to be making a bit of a noise." He pointed at me in the cabinet.
The Doctor stood up, "The Master...left the nuclear bolt running. It's gone into overload."
"And that's bad, is it?"
"No..." I tried cheerfully. "Cause all the excess radiation gets vented inside here. Vinvocci glass contains it. All 500,000 rads, about to flood that thing."
"Oh!" Wilf chuckled, looking at The Doctor. "Well, you'd better let Flo out, then."
"Except it's gone critical." I said sadly. "Touch one control and it floods. Even the sonic would set it off."
Wilf shook his head, "No, Doctor, get her out."
"Sure." The Doctor whispered.
"Look, I'll get her out, leave me to die instead." Wilf said, heading towards the cabinet.
"OK. Right, then...I will." He began to pace, looking over at me. "Cause you had to go in there, didn't you Flo?" He shouted. "You had to go and get stuck, oh, yes! 'Cause that's who you are, Flo. You were always this. Waiting for me all this time."
"No, really, just leave me." Wilf said, heading towards the door. "I'm an old man, Doctor. I've had my time."
"Well, exactly. Look at you. Not remotely important." He walked over to Wilf, pulling him away and pushing him over to the other side of the room. "But me? I could do so much more." He looked up at the ceiling, yelling. "So much more! But this is what I get. My reward. And it's not fair!" He pushed stuff off a desk, breathing heavily. "Ohhh... Lived too long." He walked over to the booth.
"No...no, no, please, please don't." I begged, tears streaming down my face. "No, don't. Don't... Please don't! Please!"
The Doctor put his hand on the door, "Flo...it's my honour. It will always be my honour. Better be quick." He stepped into the booth, staring at me tearily. "I love you." He whispered.
"I love you too." I sobbed. "See, it was all true. I am your murderer."
He beegan to fiddle with the controls, "Three, two, one." He pressed the button and Wilf ran over, pulling open the door and yanking me out as The Doctor writhed in pain as the booth flooded with radiation. The Doctor groaned, sliding down to the floor and curled up in pain on the floor before the machine switched off.
"Doctor..." I gulped as he slowly unwinded himself and sat up. "What...? Hello."
"Hi." He muttered, looking up.
"Still with us?" Wilf frowned, looking between me and The Doctor.
"The system's dead." I explained slowly as The Doctor pulled himself up with a gasp. "The Doctor absorbed it all. Whole thing's kaput."
The Doctor put his hand on the door and it swung open, "Oh. Now it opens, yeah." He said sarcastically, stepping out.
"There we are then, safe and sound." Wilf smiled. "Mind you, you're in hell of a state. You've got some battle scars there." He nodded up at the cuts on his face. The Doctor covered his face with his hands before pulling them off, looking at us, all of his cuts gone from the regeneration energy. "But they've... Your face! How did you do that?"
The Doctor looked down at his hands, "It's started."
Wilf walked over and hugged The Doctor, sobbing into his jacket as I shut my eyes tightly, placing my hands on my bump.
...
We stepped out of The TARDIS outside the Noble house, Sylvia standing in the doorway, smiling at us.
"Oh, she's smiling." The Doctor grimaced. "As if today wasn't bad enough. Anyway... Don't go thinking this is goodbye, Wilf."
"We'll see you again, one more time." I smiled.
"What do you mean?" Wilf frowned. "When's that?"
"Just keep looking." The Doctor said. "We'll be there."
"Where are you going?"
"Time he got his reward." I smiled, stepping into the TARDIS.
...
The Doctor and I stood on a walkway above a wasteland, watching as Martha dressed in black, carrying a rifle sprinted down a paved area, being shot at in the distance by a Sontaran. She ducked behind a concrete, looking at Mickey opposite her, also in black carrying a rifle.
"I told you to stay behind." Mickey told her.
Martha rolled her eyes, "You looked like you needed help. Besides, you're the one who persuaded me to go freelance."
"Yeah, but we're being fired at by a Sontaran. A dumpling with a gun. And this is no place for a married woman."
"Well, then. You shouldn't have married me." She grinned.
We looked over at the end of the walkway at a Sontaran targeting them with a gun. The Doctor and I moved over behind it and I grabbed the mallet from the console out of The Doctor's hand, whacking it in the vental probe. It collapsed to the floor and The Doctor and I looked down as Mickey moved over to Martha, looking at a map.
"If we go in here and down to the factory floor and down past that corridor, then he won't know that we're here." He muttered.
Martha looked around, before spotting us, staring at us, heartbroken, "Mickey... Mickey!"
Mickey looked up at us, "Hey!" Mickey called. The Doctor stared at them one last time before turning and walking off. I gave my best friends one last look before turning and walking after The Doctor.
...
The Doctor and I leaned against The TARDIS, watching as Luke, Clyde and Rani walked down Bannerman Road.
"That was the maddest Christmas ever, guys." Luke sighed.
"And Flo's still not back." Rani muttered.
"Donna's granddad rung and told us she was with The Doctor, so don't worry." Clyde reassured them.
"Even Mum doesn't know what happened." Luke continued as Rani stopped, leaning down to do up her undone shoe lace, Clyde stopping, watching her. "At least got Mr Smith to put out a story saying wi-fi went mad, all over the world, giving everyone hallucinations. How else do you explain it?" He began to cross over the road without looking, not realising Rani and Clyde had stopped. "Everyone with a different face..." The Doctor bolted out as a car drove towards Luke, pushing him across the road again, back towards Rani and Clyde. "But it's you!" Luke gasped as he, Rani and Clyde stared in shock, "You're..."
"Where's Flo?" Rani asked before the three teenagers looked over and noticed me standing by The TARDIS. The Doctor nodded, heading back over to me.
"Sarah Jane!" Clyde shouted and the three looked out for cars before running across towards the house.
"Mum!" Luke cried.
Mum appeared at the end of the drive, smiling at them, "What? What is it?"
"It's Flo and The Doctor." Rani breathed. The four of them looked back at us as The Doctor raised his hand, giving them a little wave and Mum smiled sadly as he unlocked The TARDIS, stepping in. I smiled tearily at my family and Mum nodded to me, understanding, before I followed The Doctor into The TARDIS.
...
On the other side of an alien bar, The Doctor and I watched Jack, glass in his hand, drowning his sorrows over Ianto, Tosh, Owen and Gwen as music played in the background and various aliens like Judoon, Slitheen, Adipose, Hath and Graske mingled in the background.
I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen off the bar and scribbled out a note reading: His name is Alonso. We love you x
"Uh," I handed the note to the bartender. "Can you give this to that guy?" I nodded over at Jack and moved back over to The Doctor.
The Bartender headed over to Jack, handing the note to him, "From the woman over there." He pointed over his shoulder at me and The Doctor.
Jack looked up at us and the three of us shared a nod. Jack opened up the note and read it before nodding at us again as Alonso, Midshipman Frame from the Titanic, sat down next to him. Jack looked at him, then us. The Doctor saluted a finger to his forehead and Jack saluted back at him. The Doctor turned and walked off and Jack smiled at me. I blew a kiss at him before following after The Doctor.
...
The Doctor and I stood second in line for the book signing of "A Journal of Impossible Things", the book The Doctor wrote as John Smith, released by Verity Newman, Joan Redfern's great granddaughter.
"No, it's not just a story, no." Verity said to the man in front of us. "Every word of it is true. I found my great grandmother's diary in the loft. She was a nurse in 1913, and she fell in love with this man called John Smith, except he was a visitor...from another world. She fell in love with a man from the stars, who she eventually realised was in love with his companion and best friend. And she wrote it all down." She closed the book and gave it back to the man, who nodded and walked off. The Doctor and I stepped forward and The Doctor placed down the book in front of her. She opened the book, "And who's it for?"
"The Doctor and Flo." He said softly.
""To the Doctor and Flo."." She repeated, signing it. "Funny, that's the names they used." She looked up at us.
"Was she happy...in the end?" I asked, tears in my eyes.
"Yes. Yes, she was." She nodded, realising who we were. "Were you two?"
"No." I whispered, a tear rolling down my face as I picked up the book and The Doctor and I left.
...
The Doctor and I stood against the TARDIS, watching as Donna and Shaun stepped out of the church to the cheers of the guests. Donna laughed, showing off her ring as Wilf kissed them both.
"Three cheers." Wilf called. "Hip, hip..."
"Hooray!" Everyone cheered.
"Hip, hip..."
"Hooray!"
"Hip, hip..."
"Hooray!"
Donna began to move people around for the photos, "Right, come on then, you lot. Get in! This photo is just with friends. Come on. And I want all of you in it, come on. That's it. Well, friends, and Nerys." She took her place in front next to Nerys who wore a peach coloured dress. "I'm only joking. Oh, look at her!"
"You made me wear peach." Nerys said dryly.
"That's 'cause you are a peach. Furry skin, stone inside, going off."
"Look it's your best mate, Nerys." I joked quietly. The Doctor gave me a small smile, placing a kiss on my head.
I looked over as Minnie turned to Wilf, "How about it, Wilfred?"
"Eh?" Wilf frowned.
"Well, it's never too late." She dropped some confetti on his head, Sylvia watching in amusement.
"Will you behave, Minnie! Honestly!"
"I'm going to catch that bouquet." She laughed, turning and heading off.
"Oh, dear." Wilf chuckled.
Sylvia looked over, spotting us, "Dad..." She called softly, nodding at us. The two shared a look before heading over to us.
"And here you are, same old face." Wilf grinned. "Didn't I tell you you'd be all right? Oh! They've arrested Mr Naismith. It was on the news. Crimes undisclosed. And his daughter. Both of 'em, locked up." He paused, smiling. "Yeah, but I keep thinking, Doctor, there's one thing you never told me. That woman. Who was she?"
The Doctor looked away as I sighed, The Doctor had explained who that woman was... she was his mother. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the envelope with the lottery ticket in, "We just wanted to give you this." He handed it to Wilf. "Wedding present. Thing is, I never carry money and Flo left in a rush... So we just popped back in time, borrowed a quid off a really lovely man. Geoffrey Noble, his name was. "Have it," he said." Sylvia gasped tearily. ""Have that on me."."
Sylvia and Wilf smiled at us, turning and heading back to Donna and handed her the envelope.
Donna rolled her eyes, "Oh, don't tell me, it's a bill. Just what I need, right now." She opened it, taking out the lottery ticket and frowning. "A lottery ticket?!" Wilf and Sylvia looked at each other in shock. "What a cheap present. Who was that? Still, you never know, it's a triple rollover this week, I might get lucky." She shrugged, slipping the ticket into her bodice. "Oi! Shaun!" She called, walking off. "Come on, we're on a tight schedule, oxtail soup at 2.30."
Wilf and Sylvia smiled at each other, then looked back at us. Wilf saluted at us as we turned and entered The TARDIS.
...
The Doctor and I stood on Roald Dahl Plass in Cardiff, standing hand in hand by the railings, overlooking the bay. We looked over at the water tower were Hero stood, wrapping his arms around Jenny in the cold darkness of Wales in 3 in the morning. Hero looked up and spotted us, taking Jenny's hand. She looked over, seeing us and we made our way over to them.
"We, uh, came to pay our respects." Hero explained. "They managed to get the rest of Owen's body... I forced Jack to break the Torchwood policy when they died... made sure they buried him side by side with Tosh." I nodded back at him, understanding. "I should have been there. With the thing with the 456. I should have been there to protect you."
"It's ok." I sighed.
"But, uh, Ianto's buried next to them too."
"We came to say goodbye." The Doctor whispered.
Jenny looked up at him tearfully, clearly Hero had explained regeneration to her and she was smart, she'd figured it out, "Daddy." She sobbed, throwing herself into his arms, her tiny figure against his. The Doctor shut his eyes tightly closed, hugging her back.
"Ssh." The Doctor hushed into her hair. "I am so sorry, so sorry."
Hero stared at me sadly, pulling me into a hug.
...
The Doctor leant against a brick wall in the darkness of the Powell Estate, now at his weakness, just minutes away from regeneration, snow falling around us. I leant against the opposite wall, watching as Rose and Jackie walked across the snow already on the ground.
"I'm late now, I've missed it." Rose moaned. "It's midnight. Mickey'll be calling me everything. This is your fault."
"No, it's not. It's Jimbo!" Jackie argued. "He said he was going to give us a lift, then he said his axle broke. I can't help it."
"Get rid of him, Mum, he's useless."
"Listen to you! With a mechanic. Be fair though," She sighed. "My time of life, I'm not gonna do much better."
"Don't be like that." Rose frowned, rubbing Jackie's arm. "You never know. There could be someone out there."
"Maybe. One day." Jackie smiled. "Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year!" The two of them hugged before Jackie headed off for their flat, Rose on her way to Mickey's. "Don't stay out all night." She called.
"Try and stop me."
Rose walked past The Doctor and I and The Doctor groaned, making her turn around.
"You all right, mate?" Rose asked as I moved into the shadows so she didn't spot me.
"Yeah." The Doctor nodded.
"Too much to drink?"
"Something like that."
"Maybe it's time you went home."
"Yeah."
"Anyway... Happy New Year."
"And you." Rose turned, starting to walk away. "What year is this?" He called after her.
Rose turned and looked back at him, "Blimey, how much have you had?!" The Doctor shrugged at her. "2005, January 1st."
"2005?" He smiled. "Tell you what. I bet you're going to have a really great year."
"Yeah? See ya." She smiled, turning and running off.
We watched as Rose entered the building. I ran over to The Doctor as he grunted in pain, helping him move towards The TARDIS. He groaned loudly, starting to drop as I wasn't strong enough to hold him up, especially being pregnant. He cried out in pain, slipping off of me and fell to the ground on all fours. The two of them looked up to see Ood Sigma standing there in the snow.
"We will sing to you, Doctor." Ood Sigma said softly. "The universe will sing you to your sleep." The Doctor stood up slowly, taking my hand as the sound of the Ood back on the Ood Sphere filtered through Ood Sigma, singing to The Doctor. Through gritted teeth, he forced himself towards The TARDIS, leading me carefully. "This song is ending. But the story never ends." We reached The TARDIS and I took out my key, unlocking the door and we stepped in.
I shut the door behind us and The Doctor pulled himself along by the handrail, making his way to the console. He took off his coat, throwing it over one of the Y-beams. I headed over to him as he walked around the console, pulling the controls, sending The TARDIS in motion. He stopped in front of me, looking down at his hand as it glowed gold.
He looked at me, heartbroken, "I don't want to go." He gasped. I reached forward, pulling him into a passionate kiss as energy glowed through his body. He pushed me away violently as the regeneration energy flew out, setting the console and beams on fire from holding in to long. He screamed, gasping as he flung forward, the energy disappearing. I looked him up and down, he was now shorter, floppy brown hair and a face that could be a baby's.
"Legs." The Doctor gasped. "I've still got legs, good." He pulled up his knee and kissed it. "Arms. Hands." He held his hand up to his face, wiggling them. "Ooh, fingers, lots of fingers. Ears, yes. Eyes, two." He ran his hands over his eyes. "Nose, I've had worse. Chin, blimey. Hair..." He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm a girl!" He felt his throat. "No! No... I'm not a girl." He pulled his hair down in front of his eyes. "And still not ginger! And something else, something important, I'm, I'm... I'm..." The console exploded, making me wince, "Ha! Crashing!" He grabbed onto the console. "Geronimo!"
I stumbled against the console as The Doctor laughed, clutching onto it as the fire burned around us, the coral stands crashing in chunks to the floor.
"THETA!" I shouted at him, pulling myself round and grabbing onto the scanner. "Theta, we're crashing! For christ sake, do something!" I yelped, a spark flying out of the console, hitting my vortex manipulator making me fall against the jump seat. The vortex manipulator began to whir and I whacked it as the whirring began to speed up. The Doctor looked over, concerned. "Doctor, stop it, quickly, please." It began to whir faster and faster and The Doctor ran over, grabbing my wrist before the manipulator sparked, making me teleport away.
A/N - Oh my god, 10 is gone! :( :( :( He was The Doctor that everything happened with Flo with! But 11! And oh god the new story with the baby and the complications of Amelia Pond being in The TARDIS. Oh this is exciting. So yeah, the new story is up NOW
It's called: Me And You, Burning In The Sky.
Please follow and/favourite it!
Also, there's not long left to vote on the poll for the SJA adventure for the next story, so please vote! And also, check out the drabble story which will be should be updated more often now!