Hello everyone. I know I disappeared for a long time and I am sorry for that. It's just the last few months had been really really hard. I had a lot of loss and it's been a really shitty time. So my will to write basically evaporated. Now I'm back! I will try my best to post more often but it's still going to be rocky for a time before it's completely back to normal.
Thank you to my fiancee who really helped a lot during those time. And as always thanks to my beta who is a star.
This chapter is dedicated to Kimble. Run free my boy, we will meet again at the rainbow bridge one day.

Chapter 28

As everyone gathered around the Doctor with curiosity, light murmurs could be heard from various members of the group. Even Lux, who had only needed River to loom menacingly behind him to go on without much trouble seemed intrigued. But the Doctor was imperturbed. He solemnly perched on one of the discarded desks, completely immobile as the statues around them. His glasses were perched on his nose and his face completely devoid of any emotion. He was waiting. When the last of the murmurs finally died down, he cleared his throat and smiled lightly.

"So here's the thing," he began, his position becoming less rigid and stiff. "We all need to leave right this instant because if not, we are all going to die." His words were simple and crisp and left no room for argument from the others.

As the group gasped at the seriousness of his words, Rose could not help but facepalm, sensing Donna doing the same beside her. She had asked him to give an explanation, a very simple explanation. Something to help them and the newcomer understand the gravity of the situation, and not start a blind panic. But as he continued to stay silent, his smile becoming more maniac by the second, she could feel the terror growing in the air around them. She exchanged a look with Donna, trying to decipher what to say so to stop the hysteria before it became too much to handle. But before they could decide, River took a step forward.

"Do you have any proof of danger at least? Or are you just trying to scare us?" she asked bravely, her eyes clear and shiny. She was clearly not afraid, not of him or his words.

The smile on his face was anything but friendly. "Proof? You have a whole word around you, completely dead." He shrugged dramatically, sometimes Rose wanted to strangle him at his lack of sensitivity. "That's not enough for you?"

But River was nothing but stubborn. "That was a hundred years ago. The Library's been silent for a hundred years. Whatever came here is long dead."

"Bet your life?" his reply had a tone of defiance, not taking kindly to have his authority challenged, and not particularly today.

River looked furtively at Rose, deflating a bit when only curiosity shined back at her. She had visibly waited for something else. "If I have to yes," she finally said, her voice more flat but just as assured as before.

"Should I go seal the door?" interrupted other Dave, not really sure what to do with all this new information, especially with how things were going between the Doctor and River. He was not a fan of heated discussion and he didn't really fancy dying, especially when he could do something.

"Yes. But do it as fast as possible. And if you see the light dim around you at any moment, retreat. Don't even try to even poke a finger at the dark. Go it?"

Other Dave looked bewildered for a second, but nodded before retreating to the door. Before anyone could say another word, the Doctor clapped again to grab everyone's attention.

"Almost every species in the universe has an irrational fear of the dark," he continued like nobody had interrupted him before, "but they're wrong because it's not irrational. It's Vashta Nerada."

"What's Vashta Nerada?" asked Donna, when she realized she wasn't the only one who didn't understand a word he was saying.

"It's what's in the dark. It's what's always in the dark," he stated dramatically, well too dramatically for Rose who wasn't amused at all with his antics.

She kicked his shin, making him jump with a yelp. "Doctor…" she grumbled, her arms crossed.

He got the point straight and fair, giving her an awkward smile. " Okay, okay...To be simple, that's not darkness down those tunnels." Lux started to open his mouth but was instantly stopped by River before he could say a word. "This is not a shadow," continued the Doctor, not noticing River's actions. "It's a swarm. A man eating swarm to be precise. Literally it means the shadows that melt the flesh. Most planets have them, but usually in small clusters… They usually don't gather in a swarm."

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Donna was trying her best not to whack her best friend behind the head at his words. "Did you know the whole time?" If he responded yes, she would murder him. Right here and there, no cares if there were witnesses.

He had the decency to look embarrassed, at least a little bit. "Not right away, but I had some suspicions."

"So, you knew at some point, and not even once you said to yourself 'oh maybe it would be a good idea to get back to the TARDIS.' You know… Maybe so we wouldn't be eaten alive?" Rose almost growled, her voice too calm to not be furious.

But before the Doctor could reply with something that would probably cause a regeneration forced upon him by his companions, River put herself between them and turned to Rose with a slightly forced smile.

"Before anyone says or does something he regrets, let's think about it rationally, ok?" She turned to the Doctor, who had jumped down from his perch. "You said they're active in the dark right?" As he nodded she turned to the others, who had still not moved since the Doctor's revelations. "Anita, unpack the lights. Other Dave, when you're sure the door is secure, then go help Anita. Mister Lux, put your helmet back on, block the visor. Proper Dave, I need you to find an active terminal, and access the library database. See what you can find about what happened here a hundred years ago." She turned back to them. "You three, follow me please. I think we need to talk."

"You're listening to this man?" Lux loudly protested while he put his helmet back on. "Wait, why am I the only one wearing my helmet?"

"Because you're bothering me." She said scatingly. "And yes I am, and clearly you should do the same."

As they walked in one of the alcoves still illuminated, they were stopped by a timid Evangelista.

"Excuse me, what should I do?" She asked, completely lost in all the agitation.

River softened at the young woman, who was looking around helplessly. "Could you keep an eye on Mister Lux? Keep him company? I don't want him to wander off."

Evangelista's face illuminated at the suggestion. "I can do that, yes! Thank you!" She turned around and skipped to Lux, who was visibly sulking into a corner.

They all watched her sit down, almost toppling over all the unpacked light. "Can she not do something else?" Donna finally asked after a few seconds of silence.

River sighed. "Poor girl means well but…she doesn't really understand a lot of things." She shook her head and continued to walk, the other three on her tail. When she was sure that nobody could hear them, she sat down in one of the makeshift chairs.

"I'm sorry…" River said as a starter, making them all three look at her with surprise.

"Sorry for what?" Rose asked, feeling like she had missed a wagon somewhere.

River opened her backpack and drew out a battered book out of it. It was blue, kinda like the color of the TARDIS, and clearly well utilized. "I suppose none of you know about this book, am I correct?" she asked as a response. It had been formulated as a question, but the way she had said it, she clearly knew what they were going to say.

The Doctor frowned, looking at Rose and Donna, who seemed as confused as him. "Not really no. Should we?"

Her shoulders crumbled, her face becoming so sad, he was suddenly afraid she would burst into tears right there. "You are so young. Of course you don't know anything about any of this."

The Doctor looked suddenly so outraged and scandalized that Donna had to turn around to not cackle right into his face. "I beg your pardon?" he asked with such a high pitch, dogs were probably the only one to hear him correctly. "I'm not 'too young,' thank you very much!"

"That's not what I meant…" River rolled her eyes, clearly used to so much dramatics. "I mean you are a little too young for you to know me." She looked cautiously in the direction of Donna as she said those words, making Rose realising she was probably meaning a regeneration. And Donna was still not aware of that part of her best friend. And if River knew that, she was clearly a big part of the Doctor life. "I've never met you. Well, I've seen pictures of you, but never that you in person…."

"Oh…" the Doctor said, his mind finally registering what she wanted to say. "So you know me...in the future?" he asked, curious to meet someone out of order. His life was not really ordinary, and it was something that happened a few times, but generally people were trying their best to not show it.

"Do you know us too?" Donna asked, pointing to her and Rose. She was really curious about this new development. "I mean I suppose you know Rose with how you greeted her." She turned to Rose. "I mean that makes sense, she was really friendly from the start with you."

River smiled, but a little subdued. "Yes, I know you. But, that's all I'm going to say. Spoilers and all that." She shrugged, but the way she did it, showed it was a sore subject for her.

Before anyone had any time to respond, a very strident noise rang all around them.

"Sorry! That was me," other Dave said bashfully when they all ran out to where he was working. "Trying to get through into the security protocols. I seem to have set something off." When the noise intensified, he winced, trying to cover his ears. "What is that? Is that an alarm?" he asked while glancing around.

"That sounds like a phone," said Donna.

The Doctor nodded though not seemingly bothered by the sound. "It is."

Rose looked at him like he was crazy. Or maybe she was the one becoming crazy, with this one nothing could be really sure. "What do you mean it's a phone? This planet has been dead for a century and someone decided to call now?"

The Doctor had the audacity to smile like it was the funniest thing she ever said. She wanted to punch him. Between this, the aliens that want to eat them all, and a time traveller that knows them from the future, she needed at least five minutes without anything happening.

But before the Doctor could respond, other Dave spoke up. "I'm trying to call up the data core, but it's not responding. Just giving me that noise."

The Doctor took out his sonic, and pointed it at something on the wall. "Let me try something." But he was only able to change the screen, making him blink at the 'access denied' in bold red letters.

"Well, that worked well," Rose mused with humor, only gaining a dark look from her Time Lord of a friend.

"Let me try something else…" the Doctor mumbled, changing something on his sonic before pointing it again. The screen flickered for a second before showing a video of a child drawing in a library.

"That's new!" Donna said, making Rose chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. They were stuck on a planet full of murderous aliens and the Doctor was watching a children's show. Typical.

He turned around slightly, visibly annoyed at the lack of faith from his friends. "Well, I don't see you trying anything."

"Hey Sunshine, you're the one with the fancy tech and the spaceship. I'm the plucky sidekick who looks awesome!" Donna clapped back Donna, rendering the Doctor gobsmacked and Rose doubled down while laughing.

"How are you in my television?" the little girl on the tv asked, stopping the budding argument between the Doctor and Donna before it had time to go full speed.

"She can see us?" Rose whispered to the Doctor who looked mildly surprised at the interruption.

"Well no. I'm... We're sort of in space." He looked briefly at Rose and Donna before turning back to the kid. "Er, I was trying to call up the data core of a triple grid security processor."

She looked at him curiously. "Would you like to speak to my Dad?" she finally asked with a smile.

Rose pushed him aside, smiling reassuringly as she looked at the little girl. She was pretty sure that kid had no idea what was happening, or what the Doctor just said. She was probably on a planet somewhere wondering why her tv had turned on and started talking. "Yes sweetie, would that be ok with you?"

The girl straightened up as she looked around them. "Hey you're in my library! How did you do that?" She was frowning, seemingly not happy with that fact. And before anyone could respond, she took the remote control and changed the channel, showing the 'access denied' image back again.

"What happened? Who was that?" River said, asking the question that everyone had on their mind.

But the Doctor ignored her and turned to other Dave. "I need another terminal. Keep working on those lights. We need those lights!"

River sighed as he turned around and walked back to the alcove, soon followed by Rose. "You heard him, we need light" she said with a tired voice before following them.

When River entered the alcove, Rose was busy trying to stop the Doctor from picking up the diary.

"It's not yours Doctor. You can't take people's things like that, and you know that."

"And it's against the rules," continued River while snatching the book from his hand. "Thank you."

The Doctor looked surprised at her boldness. She clearly knew who she was against. "What rules?" he asked, a little ruffled by the mystery.

She shrugged, putting the diary back into her backpack. "Well you always said yours, but it was technically Rose's."

Rose really wanted to say something, anything in this moment. Because the mystery was driving her a little crazy. Does that mean they were able to save the universe? Did she stay with the Doctor after all? And where does River fit in all that? Was she friends, foe, or family? Too many questions were swirling into her head, but nothing was able to come out. Then before she could even form one sentence, books started to fly all around them, making them all drop to the ground.

"What's that? I didn't do that. Did you do that?" the Doctor yelled in the direction of the others as he got back on his feet.

"Not me!" other Dave shot back as they walked back into the lighted area. As soon as they put foot in the room, the screen changed to "Cal access denied."

"What's Cal?" the Doctor wondered aloud while looking around.

"Maybe the name of the AI?" Rose suggested as she picked up a few of the books that had flown around a few seconds ago. She searched for Donna to ask her opinion, but she was across the room deeply engrossed in her discussion with Evangelista.

"Mmmh not sure," the Doctor continued, poking the screen in different places, like he was hoping something would change. River rolled her eyes as he changed a few settings in his sonic screwdriver and tried again.

"I don't think you will be able to go anywhere without the proper code, Doctor…" River said with the tone of someone who had suffered the Doctor long enough to know she was likely talking into the void right now.

As predicted, he only hummed absently in response, too enthralled by the screen to even listen. River sighed and looked at Rose while rolling her eyes, making her stifle a laugh. She knew exactly what she was thinking at that instant. But more books once again started to shoot off their shelves, making them once again drop to the ground to avoid being hit in the face.

"What's causing that? Is it the little girl?" River asked with genuine curiosity as the flying ceased once again.

"But who is the little girl?" the Doctor asked as he jumped on his feet and helped Rose to get up with one hand. "What's she got to do with this place? How does the data core work? What's the principle? What's Cal?"

River shrugged. "You'll have to ask Mister Lux Doctor..."

He turned around, pulling Rose with him who protested vehemently at being manhandled like that, and planted himself in front of Lux. "Cal, what is it?"

Lux looked at him from bottom to top with a somewhat smug look, who gave Rose the sudden urge to smack him. "Sorry, you didn't sign your personal experience contracts."

Donna bumped shoulders with her to signal she was back, Evengelina just behind. "Yeah that's totally the time right now. We're totally not in the middle of freaking dying or anything, you're right." Donna replied with as much sarcasm as humanly possible.

"Mister Lux," the Doctor said. "Right now, you're in more danger than you've ever been in your whole life. And you're protecting a patent?"

The man was not taking kindly to the attack on his person and he raised to his full height. "I'm protecting my family's pride," he sneered, getting almost face to face with the Doctor who looked unconcerned.

"Well funny thing, Mister Lux. I don't want to see everyone in this room dead because some idiot thinks his pride is more important."

As the group discussion was now starting to get heated, Rose almost jumped in, ready to make her voice heard. When she saw Evangelista wander off from the corner of her eye, recalling what River had mentioned about the young woman, she followed her worried she would hurt herself by accident. As she slipped off, without anyone else noticing as they were too engrossed into their argument, she realized a panel had opened where it had been a wall a few minutes ago.

"Did you touch anything?" Rose asked, making the other woman jump in fright.

"No, I was going to call you all actually," Evangelista replied while looking around nervously, not too sure about herself. "Should we go in?"

Rose down the well lit hall that was visibly leading to another room and turned around, ready to flag the other to go with her. But they were still arguing with each other to even look her way, so with a sigh she signaled the young woman to follow her.

"Get behind me and don't touch anything. And stay in the light," Rose gently commanded and the young assistant nodded, visibly overjoyed to be trusted to do something.

They explored the open panel, walkin carefully down a short passage to what Rose supposed to be a reading room or lecture hall. It looked weirdly like the library of her university when she was in the other universe. When they entered the room, she realized that every flat surface had books piled on it, as if someone had fled the room in a hurry. For her, the mystery of this dead planet was deepening by the second. As she took one of the books that had toppled on the ground, she didn't see the shadow in one of the corners of the room.

The Doctor was trying his best to keep his calm and not scream or hit Mister Lux, but the man was really getting on his nerves big time. He exchanged an exasperated look with Donna, and by proxy River as she was right next to the redhead. At least he was not alone in his irritation.

He rolled his eyes at the man, who was trying his best to keep him from the truth with his big words and shady responses. "You didn't find any bodies because…" he prompted in an annoyed tone before being cut off by a loud scream. As they all turned around in the direction of the voice, a second voice echoed, making the Doctor freeze in horror.

"Doctor!" Rose screamed, her voice full of terror and panic, echoing from the distant room.

"Rose!" he shouted back, his body running before he could even register anything. As her voice died down, his dread intensified. Maybe he was already too late.