Lucy stretched her leg and looked around. Her leg had already healed, but she still checked on it. She looked around, entranced by the new world she found herself in. This was by far one of the stranger places that she'd seen, and considering that she'd traveled through time and space, that was really saying something. Shadows engulfed the landscape. It was almost as though this place was simply made of darkness.

A sudden movement caught her attention. D'Artagnan had shifted into a wolf and was sniffing around the place. Perhaps he liked it here. He was a shape-shifting creature of darkness. Maybe this would be a good home for him, Lucy thought unhappily, but D'Artagnan returned and nudged her hand with his nose. He must be trying to find their friend. As Lucy couldn't hear his mad cackling, she assumed that Caan must have landed elsewhere.

Lucy smiled and pat D'Artagnan on the head. He led her through the darkness, trying to find that crazy idiot. A shiver went up Lucy's spine as they walked; they were being followed. Not that Lucy could see or hear anything but D'Artagnan paused briefly to growl at the darkness behind them. Finally, after Lucy noticed D'Artagnan's fur standing straight up, Lucy turned to the darkness. She still couldn't see anything, but she summoned some courage.

"That's rather rude of you. If you keep lurking like that, someone will think that you're a stalker… or a perv," Lucy said into the shadows with some spite. She didn't like feeling like prey.

"My sincerest apologies," a deep voice said in reply, and a man in a nicely-pressed suit stepped out of the shadows or rather… formed from them.

Lucy took a moment to analyze the stranger. The man looked human, but his skin had an odd tint. An odd grayish blue with hints of red surrounded him. His eyes seemed to stare through her, and she could tell from his eyes that despite his words his "sincerest" apology meant bupkis.

She put on a fake smile and replied evenly, "How can I help you?"

The man looked confused and stared at her quietly. Evidently, he'd thought that she'd be more frightened. After a few moments, he straightened his tie and replied, "That is what I wanted to ask you. Humans don't often come to our world. Well, at least not in one piece. Who brought you here? And what is that… lovely creature?"

"Lovely creature? Oh! You mean D'Artagnan. He's a… well, to be honest I have no idea. He's a shapeshifter. And don't worry. I don't plan on staying long. I just need to find my other friend."

The man tilted his head to the side, and Lucy noticed that D'Artagnan was now a bear standing between her and the stranger. D'Artagnan growled at the man, but the stranger just looked at him with fascination.

"D'Artagnan! We need to go!" Lucy shouted with force, sensing danger.

D'Artagnan gave one last menacing growl before he started to leave Lucy and search for Caan. That Dalek had a habit of getting them into unnecessary situations, and Lucy wanted to catch him before he started too much trouble. She didn't like the looks of this place… or the creepy dude. As though reading her mind, the man materialized in front of her, causing her to crash into his chest.

"My 'sincerest apologies,'" Lucy said as she righted herself. She hadn't heard footsteps which confused her. How had he gotten so close?

"Leaving without giving me your name," the man said serenely, but there was anger in his eyes. "That's 'rather rude of you.'"

Lucy narrowed her eyes but said nothing. He was clearly mocking her now. She faked another smile and replied, "I assumed that our conversation was over. And what's in a name anyway?"

The man grabbed her hand and growled in a low voice, "But I would like yours."

Lucy stared him down and thought about yanking her hand back, but she had no idea who, or what, this man was. Playing it safe was her best option.

"Lucy."

"Nice to meet you, Lucy. You may call me Dark," he said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Why don't you let me help you find this… friend of yours?"

"Oh, no, you don't have to do that," Lucy replied. She tried to pull back her hand, but this "Dark" was extremely strong.

"But I have to insist. Call off your… creature. I will allow no harm to come to you as long as you are here."

"Easy, D'Artagnan. We need to find Caan," Lucy said soothingly, although she noticed that Dark had no intention to let go of her hand. Despite her efforts to keep herself composed, she felt her face heat up. It wasn't the skin to skin contact that bothered her as she was wearing gloves; it was the way he held her hand. His fingers interlocked with hers. The only people who had done that were The Mistress and her childhood friend Eddie.

A soft chuckle caught her attention, and she looked to see Dark giving her a genuine smile. He caught himself and frowned. After using his free hand to brush off his suit, he led her behind D'Artagnan. It wasn't until Lucy heard a mad cackling that Dark let go of Lucy's hand. For a second, Lucy thought it was Caan, but it was too… different.

"What do you want, Anti?" Dark asked as a man with green tinged hair stepped out from the shadows. Lucy noticed an odd marking on his throat, but Dark blocked her view.

"I want… what you have. Who's the pretty lady?"

Dark moved closer to Lucy as this "Anti" stepped forward menacingly. As Anti got closer, she noticed the "mark" on his neck was actually a wound.

"My name is Lucy, and I don't belong to him. I only 'belong' to one person."

Dark's eyes narrowed, and Anti laughed with excitement.

"Who?" Dark asked calmly, but there was a storm brewing in his eyes.

"My Master… Missy. I'm her butler, bodyguard, and… hmm… I was trying to find another b-word. All for that alliterative appeal."

"Her bitch?" Anti asked with a smirk.

"I guess," Lucy replied and noticed that D'Artagnan was growing more anxious. She took a step toward him, but something held her back. Darkness seemed to be holding her in place.

"After you find your friend, what are you planning on doing?"

"What?" Lucy asked as she felt a weird pressure. Her head hurt as she heard "stay" reverberate through her mind. She fought against the urge and replied angrily, "I already told you. I'm leaving. Going back to Missy. What the hell are you doing?"

Dark tilted his head and cracked his neck as Anti laughed.

Lucy cursed under her breath and lifted up her right sleeve. While she had emerged from Time itself more or less intact, her laser screwdriver had become embedded inside her arm. With a gasp of pain she removed it from her arm and pointed it at the ground, firing a shot at the darkness holding her. It let out a hiss, and she was free. Dark looked both perturbed and interested as Anti clapped his hands in joyous amusement.

"Truce?" Anti asked Dark with a grin.

Dark straightened his tie before answering, "For now. Show us what you've got, little Lucy."

"Not good," Lucy thought as she called out to D'Artagnan, "Bo staff!"

D'Artagnan leapt to her, transforming into a staff that she caught in her right hand. She held her ground and stared them down. Dark disappeared into the shadows as Anti charged forward, laughing madly. Lucy caught his leg with the staff. Anti fell to the ground with confusion on his face, but it was soon replaced with glee as he recovered. Holding the screwdriver in her left hand, she fired at the darkness around her before defending herself from Anti.

Anti seemed to be glitching now. His voice had an odd echo as he laughed. He charged at her again, and Lucy swung the staff. This time he dodged and knocked the screwdriver from her hand. It vanished in a burst of light. Lucy tried to take a step back to regain ground, but the shadows tripped her as Anti forced D'Artagnan from her hands. Strong hands caught and held her as she desperately tried to escape.

"Now, now, little Lucy. Calm yourself," Dark whispered in her ear. "Struggling will do you no good."

"Now you can be our toy forever!" Anti exclaimed excitedly. "What should we do first? Oh, I know! I can make your neck as pretty as mine."

Lucy twisted and managed to kick Anti directly in the chest. Dark's hands tightened around her. She would likely pay for that later, but at the moment she didn't mind.

"The fight was fun, but it's over now," Dark said softly but sternly. "You're mine now, and nothing can save you."

"Ours! She's OURS!" Anti yelled in fury as he got back to his feet.

"Details," Dark retorted dismissively.

There was a flash of light, and Lucy felt Dark's grip falter as he fell to the ground. Caan flew in and stunned Anti as well. Lucy let out a laugh, grabbed D'Artagnan, and ran to her knight in tarnished, mismatched Dalek armor. He levitated low enough for Lucy to grab onto him. As Caan flew them away, Lucy peeked back at her fallen foes. Dark was still stunned, but his eyes told her that he'd regain his strength soon. Caan let out a cackle, distracting Lucy.

"What took you so long?!"

"I FOUND THE EXIT!" Caan replied in his growly voice.

"Really?" Lucy said excitably and took another look back. Anti was sprinting at them, and Dark was nowhere to be seen. Lucy cleared her throat nervously and said, "We need to hurry!"

Caan let out a deranged giggle before quickly picking up speed. There was an odd shimmer in the distance. A breach between worlds. Lucy knew that it would close behind them, and they just needed to get through it.

Her head began to pound again, and she managed to cling to Caan.

"Don't go. Stay," Dark's voice echoed through her head. First pleading but then it grew more insistent, more… angry. With a sudden burst of speed Caan propelled them through the rift to safety.