My apologies for the lateness of these chapters... I've been trying to focus on my Sherlock Story however with my last month of work coming to close, I've gotta try and find myself a job haha.
Better late then never I guess :)
Please enjoy
The Doctor, Donna and Luna made their way down a narrow alleyway which was filled with market stalls; the small space was packed with dozens of different species of aliens, causing Luna to gaze around with wide eyes. It had been decades since she had been in contact with different aliens and the opportunity excited her. Smiling, she dashed a few feet in front of the other two, only to be called back a few moments later.
Returning, the Doctor handed her a wooden tankard filled with beige coloured foam.
"You're both going to love this," he told them, wrapping an arm around Luna's waist. "On the count of three…. One, two, three-"
They all took a large mouthful from the mugs, leaving them all with foamy moustaches.
"Ah!" the Doctor said appreciatively.
"It's lovely!" Donna agreed.
"Definitely… It kinda tastes like a Cappi-frappi-mocha-chino Latte…"
"A what?" Donna asked, cocking her head to the side.
"Cappi-frappi-mocha-chino Latte … In the 51st century, Starbucks will make the best hybrid coffee refreshment ever made… Kinda tastes like this but colder and more chocolaty." The red-haired alien explained as they continued to wander down the alley though they lost the Doctor's attention to a squishy blue fruit.
"You want to buy Shukina?" a seller asked them. "Or Peshwami?" the seller continued. "Most beautiful Peshwami in all of Shan Shen."
"Nah, we're totally fine thanks dude… erm, why not ask him over there? He was just babbling about Peshwami the other day… it's his favourite fruit." Luna said, gesturing to the Doctor who was examining a fluorescent pink fruit closely.
Nodding, the old man moved over to him while the pair of women walked off, laughing to themselves.
"That was a little mean…"
"Oh c'mon… he's done worse."
"Like what?"
"The great stink!? Does anyone actually listen to me complaining?"
They continued down the alley for a few more minutes until they were stopped by a fortune teller.
"Tell your fortune, ladies?" she called.
Donna turned to look at her.
"Your future predicted, your life foretold." The woman continued.
"Ah, no thanks." Donna replied.
"Don't you want to know if you're going to be happy?" the woman asked.
"I'm fine right now, thanks." Donna said, smiling slightly at her friend beside her who was looking at the fortune teller curiously.
"You've got red hair." The woman said. "Reading's free for red hair."
"Go on chick… it'll be fun."
"All right, then." Donna said, laughing.
The fortune teller stood back, allowing Donna in but when Luna tried to follow, the woman threw her arm out to stop her.
"Sorry. One at a time."
Nodding, the Gideon walked back towards the Doctor. After a quick look around, the fortune teller ducked back into her tent.
Donna sat across the table from the woman. The fortune teller reached out and took her hand, caressing one of Donna's palms with a polished fingernail.
"You're fascinating." She told her. "Oh no, but you're good. I can see…a man. And that woman." Donna gave a half laugh. "The most fascinating man and woman… You're left in awe of them. How did you meet them?"
"You're supposed to tell me." Donna replied.
"I see the future." The woman told her. "Tell me the past. When did your lived cross?"
"It's sort of complicated." Donna said. "I ended up in his spaceship on my wedding day."
There was a clicking noise, but Donna didn't notice it. The fortune teller, on the other hand, did and she narrowed her eyes.
"But what led you to that meeting?" the woman asked.
"All sorts of things." Donna replied, thinking about it for a moment. "But my job, I suppose." She said finally. "I was on Earth…this planet called Earth, miles away. But I had this job as a temp. I was a secretary at this place called H.C. Clements and Luna was the woman who showed me the ropes on my first day."
"H.C. Clements." Donna answered the phone.
"Perfect," Luna mouthed, giving the older woman a thumbs up.
Smiling, Donna continued to listen to the person on the phone drone on while looking around the large office from her place at her desk.
She exhaled, slightly shaken to find herself back in the tent.
"Sorry." She said.
The fortune teller caressed her palm again.
"It's the incense." She told her. "Just er- breath deep."
Donna didn't see the large black insect type creature creeping behind her, clicking softly as it moved.
"This job of yours." The woman continued. "What choices led you there?"
"There was a choice…" Donna said. "Six months before. The agency offered me this contract with H.C. Clements. But there was this other job. My mum knew this man…"
Donna and Sylvia walked down from their house to the car.
"Jival, he's called. Jival Chowdry?" Sylvia said as they got into the car.
"He runs that little photocopy business." Sylvia continued. "And he needs a secretary."
"I've-got-a job." Donna told her, rolling her eyes.
"As a temp." Sylvia said dismissively. "This is permanent. It's twenty thousand a year, Donna."
"H.C. Clements is in the city." Donna said, clicking her seat belt. "It's nice. It's posh. So, stop it." She snapped, turning the key in the ignition.
"Your life could have gone one way or the other." The fortune teller said, bringing her back to the tent. "What made you decide?"
"I just did." Donna replied.
The thing was getting closer.
"But when was the moment?" the woman pushed. "When did you choose?"
A black SUV drove past as Donna and her mother sat at the crossroad.
"It won't take long, just turn right." Sylvia said. "We'll pop in and see Mr. Chowdry. Suzette can introduce you."
"I'm going left." Donna told her, sighing loudly. "If you don't like it, get out and walk."
"If you turn right, you'll have a career." Sylvia insisted. "Not just filling in."
"You think I'm so useless." Donna said, her voice raising in volume as her anger began to build.
"I know why you want a job with H.C. Clements, lady." Sylvia replied teasingly. "Because you think you'll meet a man with lots of money, and your whole life will change. Well, let me tell you, sweetheart: city executives don't need temps, except for practice."
"Yeah." Donna said. "Well, they haven't met me."
She turned left.
"You turned left." The woman said. "But what if you turned right? What then?"
"Let go of my hands." Donna murmured, trying to pull her hands away from the woman.
"What if it changes?" the woman pushed. "What if you go right? What if you could still go right?"
The thing closed in on Donna.
In her mind, all she could see were the blinking arrows, flashing in quick succession, causing her to feel dizzy and sick.
"Stop it." Donna demanded, scared.
The thing darted up her back and she froze.
"What's that?" she whispered.
Click, click
"What's on my back?" she demanded.
The woman didn't answer, just fixed her with an intense, greedy stare.
"What is it?" Donna demanded. "What-what's on my back?"
A black, cockroach like creature crawled over her shoulder.
"Make the choice again, Donna Noble, and change your mind." The woman hissed viciously.
"Turn right."
"I'm turning…" Donna whispered, entranced.
"Turn right." The woman told her. "Turn right."
The thing moved further over her shoulder.
"Turn right." The woman insisted.
"Let me tell you sweetheart:" Sylvia said, "city executives don't need temps, except for practice."
"Yeah." Donna said. "S'pose you're right."
"Turn right and never meet that man and that woman." The fortune teller said. "Turn right and change the world!"
Donna turned right.
It was the office Christmas party and the small pub across from the office was full of people wearing antlers and tinsel. Festive music floated through the room, putting everyone in the festive mood though it was pierced by Donna's loud mouth.
"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!" She cried, elbowing her way through a singing crowd while balancing a tray of drinks in her right hand. When she finally made it back to the table full of her friends, she placed the tray in the middle of them with a flourish. "There we are! Feeding time at the trough."
"Mooky says let's go to the Boardwalk." Veena said. "It's two for the price of one."
"Christmas Eve?" Donna replied. "It'll be heaving."
"Exactly!" Mooky told her. "Get in and grab 'em."
"Hey, that's the second round of drinks you've bought." Veena told Donna. "It was my turn!"
"I can afford it." Donna said. "Promotion. You are talking to Jival Chowdry's personal assistant, I'll have you know. Capital P, capital A, twenty-three-thousand pounds per annum, merci beaucoup!"
"Here's to Mr. Chowdry!" Veena said, raising her glass.
"Mr. Chowdry!" all of them but Alice called.
"She gets all the luck." Mooky complained.
Glancing around, Donna noticed that Alice hadn't joined in the toast; instead, she seemed to be staring at her shoulder.
"What's wrong?" she asked her. "What is it?"
"Sorry?" Alice asked, bewildered.
"Has someone spilled a drink on me?" Donna asked her, straining to look at her own shoulder. "Why do you keep looking at my shoulder? What's wrong?"
"I don't know." Alice replied in a whisper, wide eyed.
"Oh, don't tell me you're getting all spooky again." Donna told her. "It was bad enough when you saw the ghost of Earl Mountbatten at the Boat Show. What are you looking at? What is it?"
"It' like…" Alice whispered. "It's like there's something I can't see!"
Donna stared at her, unsettled.
"Shut up, all of you!" a man from the door called.
"Come and see! Just look at the sky!" Every stopped chattering and looked at him.
"It's a star!" he told them. "A Christmas Star!"
"Come on, then." Veena said as they all got up.
Donna and her friends crowded outside in the street with everyone else and looked up at the sky.
"What the hell is that?" Mooky asked.
"Ken Livingston, that's what." Veena said, irritated. "Spending our money on decorations."
What appeared to be a large silver star, made from a spidery web, glided over the rooftops, accompanied by a low humming noise.
"I mean, how much did that cost?" Veena continued.
"Don't be so stupid, it's flying!" Mooky told her. "It's really flying!"
They hurried around the corner to keep it in sight.
"That's not a star." Donna said. "That's a web. It's heading east…the middle of the city."
There was a clicking noise.
Everyone watched as the web came to a standstill above a busy street and began shooting beams of electricity at the street.
Everyone, but two, began to scurry away in different directions to avoid being hit. Donna was frozen in her place, staring at the large web, while Alice was busy staring at Donna.
There was another clicking noise.
Donna suddenly became aware of Alice.
"Alice." She said, sounding slightly scared. "There's a great big web-star thing shooting at people, and you're looking at me?"
"There's something on your back." Alice said in quiet terror before turning around and running off.
The red-head hesitated for a few moments before running towards the web, desperate to avoid the crowds of people who were running away from it.
"Donna!" Veena shouted after her. "Where are you going? You're going to get yourself killed! Donna!"
Ignoring Veena, she kept on running.
Donna arrived in the centre of town, just in time to see several tanks all take aim on the star. Without a word of warning, all of them began to fire simultaneously, causing it to explode and silver debris to rain to the floor like confetti.
"Everyone stay back." A soldier was saying as she ran up. "The Thames has been closed. Return to your homes."
Donna joined the crowd, looking around.
"Keep away from the river." The soldier continued. "And that's an order." Donna moved around some cars so she was in hearing range as a UNIT soldier stood talking to his captain on a walkie-talkie.
"Trap 1 to Greyhound 15: What is your report? Over." The captain's voice called.
"From the evidence, I'd say he managed to stop the creature." The soldier replied.
"Some sort of red spider. Blew up the base underneath the barrier, flooded the whole thing. Over."
"And where is he now? Over." The captain asked.
"We found a body Sir. Over." The soldier replied.
Donna watched as a body was brought out on a stretched before being carried over to an ambulance.
"Is it him? Over." The captain asked.
"I think so." The soldier replied. "He didn't make it out in time."
Donna could see an arm in a brown pinstriped suit fall lifelessly over the side of the stretcher, the hand dropping a tube with a sapphire coloured light on top.
"The Doctor is dead." The soldier continued. "Must have happened too fast for him to regenerate."
"Escort the ambulance back to UNIT base." The captain ordered.
The ambulance doors shut and it was about to drive off however a flurry of black SUV's blocked it back in.
Suddenly, the scene was filled with a new set of people though one woman caught Donna's attention instantly.
The young woman with crimson red hair.
"Where is he?!" She squealed, seeming to get excited about seeing someone. "The Doctor… He must have been the one to stop this! He's finally come back for me! 38 years and he's finally come back! Where is he?!"
Soberly, a tall man in a military type coat walked over to her before wrapping an arm around her shoulder and whispering something into her ear. She pulled away, her wide eyes brimming with tears as she stared at him.
"You're joking, right? You've gotta be kidding me? HE CAN'T BE DEAD!" She cried, getting more hysterical and angry towards the end as she whipped around to glare at every soldier she could see. "It was all their fault," She murmured, pushing herself away from him.
"You can't be like that Looney,"
"Don't call me that Jack! Just d-don't call me that… Only he could call me that…"
"Please, Luna.." Jack, or at least who Donna assumed was Jack, tried. He outstretched his arm, as if to try and reach her but she continued to back away.
"No. Looney died with him… Luna died with him…" She told him before running away, brushing against Donna as she ran.
Feeling sorry for the young woman she had seen in such distress, Donna slowly walked away from the scene, only to be almost knocked over by a young blonde woman.
"What happened?" the woman asked breathlessly. "What did they find?"
She turned to Donna.
"Sorry, did they find someone?" she asked her.
"I don't know." Donna replied. "Um, a bloke called the Doctor or something."
"Well, where is he?" the woman asked, looking around.
"He's in the ambulance." Donna replied. "He's dead." The woman stared at her, her eyes wide and her mouth open slightly.
"I'm sorry." Donna continued. "Did you know him?" The woman looked away.
"I mean…they didn't say his name." Donna said. "It could be any doctor. It could've been anyone." She continued, touching the woman's arm gently. Looking up, it was as if the woman had only just noticed her standing there.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Donna." She replied. "And you?"
The woman seemed to be distracted by something on Donna's shoulder.
"Sorry." The woman said. "What was it? Donna what?"
"Why do you keep looking at my back?" Donna demanded.
"I'm not." The woman said, quickly averting her eyes.
"Yes, you are." Donna said angrily. "You keep looking behind me. You're doing it now." She strained to see her own back. "What is it?" she asked, raising her voice. "What's there? Has someone put something on my back?"
She turned back around and the woman was gone.
Donna looked around for a moment before turning and walking off.
"You can't sack me!" Donna said, stamping her foot. "I'm your personal assistant!"
"You don't have to make a scene." Chowdry said as they stood in the middle of the office. "Just come downstairs and we can have a little talk."
"Oh, I'll make a scene, all right." Donna shot back. "Right in front of a tribunal-and the first thing I'm going to say is 'wandering hands'!"
"Now, come on Donna." He said. "You know what it's been like for the past few months, ever since that Christmas thing! Half my contracts were on the other side of the river and the Thames is still closed off. Look, I can't deliver. I'm losing a fortune."
"Well, sack one of this lot!" Donna told him. "Sack Cliff! He just sits there! Don't know what he does all day-sorry Cliff."
She turned to Cliff, staring at him a few seconds before shaking her head.
"Actually, I'm not sorry." She told him. "What DO you do all day?"
Suddenly the entire office shook.
"What the hell?" Chowdry said, running to the window.
All the staff ran to the window, except Donna who just shook her letter opener with an irritated sigh.
"It's like an earthquake!" Chowdry said.
They all looked at a strange black cloud that had settled over a nearby hospital.
"That's weird!" he said.
"Funny sort of clouds."
"Who typed this?" Donna demanded, outraged as she looked at her letter. "I'm your PA! Did you get someone else to type this?"
The rest of the office staff just exchanged glances, shocked by her lack of response to what was happening outside of the window.
A short while later, the TV showed a report with the headline "ROYAL HOPE HOSPITAL VANISHES IN UPWARD RAIN MYSTERY".
"It sounds impossible," the reporter was saying, "but the entire hospital has vanished." There was footage of broken pipelines still churning out water into the crater where the hospital had been.
"The Royal Hope no longer exists." The reporter continued. "It's not been destroyed. There's no wreckage. It's simply gone."
The office staff were all crowded around the TV, except for Donna who was stood beside her desk.
"Reports from bystanders say that the rain lifted up around the hospital…"
"Hole punch-having that." Donna said as she packed up her desk. "Stapler-mine. Toy cactus-you can have that Beatrice, catch." She tossed it at her.
"Cliff-I'd leave you the mouse mat, but I'm worried you'd cut yourself." She said as she tossed in the box.
"All right, Donna, have some respect." Chowdry said angrily. "There's two thousand people in the hospital and it's vanished."
"Oh, I'll show you vanishing." Donna told him. "Thanks for nothing. Oh, and you know when that money went missing from the kitty? Anne Marie. That's all I'm saying. Anne-Marie!"
A rumble shook the office again.
"Oh, don't tell me." Donna said. "The hospital's back. Well, isn't that wizard?" She kicked the drawer shut.