Going outside my usual update schedule, but as its Christmas Eve and this is the Christmas Special, I figured why not?
TW: Thank you.
After finishing a rather quiet lunch, the group returned to the viewing room. They all retook their seats as they watched the screen curiously, wondering what this new set would bring as the next recording started.
A massive ship nears earth, beginning to deploy its weapons before it begins to blow up from the inside. An intruder alert is issued as, inside, The Doctor is running down a corridor as debris began falling. An explosion sends him falling face first. The Doctor then runs over to a sealed door, using his screwdriver to open it. The Doctor runs through it before using his screwdriver to reseal the door. That part of the ship explodes, The Doctor now clinging onto the edge of the ship by holding onto some wires.
"Talk about starting with a bang," Mickey muttered.
"Saving the world and then being in trouble. Seems fitting that the last set should start with The Doctor that way," Martha mused.
"How long was this after the last set?" Donna wondered.
"A long time," Jane said vaguely.
"And he's still alone," Wilf said sadly.
"He sunk back into the shadows. I'd be surprised if he wasn't," Jack mused, although he, like Wilf, worried for his friend.
Seeing a space suit, The Doctor grabs onto it before an explosion sends it flying. The Doctor is then sent flying before the rest of the ship explodes. The Doctor falls to earth, managing to grab onto the space suit as they near the earth's atmosphere. On earth, a woman is riding a bicycle at night when a strong tremor knocks her into a nearby bush. The woman gets up and walks over to a nearby field, where she sees a large crater. The woman approaches it and sees someone in a spacesuit inside.
"Blimey Boss. I know you like to make an entrance but this is ridiculous," Mickey muttered as they all looked at the screen in disbelief.
"Is he alright?" Wilf asked in concern.
"It'll take more than that to cause him any serious injury," Martha said confidently, although privately she was worried for her friend.
She asks if The Doctor is alright as he groans. She climbs down into the crater and wonders where he fell from. The Doctor weakly tells her the helmet and she opens it to reveal the back of The Doctor's head. The Doctor cries that he's blind but the woman quickly explains, wondering how he managed this. The Doctor says he got dressed in a hurry.
"That's an understatement if ever there was one," Jack said with a slight grin as Mickey snickered.
The scene changes to a house, where a boy is looking out a window through a telescope at the moon. The woman walks in and sees the boy, demanding to know what he's doing awake. A girl walks in and says the boy, Cyril, is too interested in the moon. The two children begin bickering before the woman asks where they're father is and is directed to the garden. Cyril explains their father is doing agriculture. The woman tells Cyril to give a message to their father, explaining she's borrowed a car to take The Doctor into town so they can find the TARDIS. Cyril doesn't even blink at the outlandish story. His mother heads out just before his father reenters the house, asking where the woman has gone. Cyril says out.
"Well, he's not wrong," Mickey shrugged.
"I doubt a boy his age would remember a story so crazy anyway," Donna said with a slight smile.
"Or care enough," Martha mused.
The woman drives The Doctor towards the TARDIS, accidentally hitting something as she stops. The Doctor groans from inside the spacesuit, asking if they've hit something. The woman lies and The Doctor notes they bump into a lot of things. "Well a lot of things get in the way. It's hardly my fault."
"I'm sure," Jack said amused as some light chuckles broke out across the room.
"I like her," Donna decided.
"Me too. She reminds me of someone," Wilf said with a look at his granddaughter, who pointedly ignored him.
The woman gets out of the car, saying The Doctor should take off the suit but he says it's still repairing him. The woman is confused as she helps The Doctor out of the car, accidently running him into a street lamp.
"Crash lands in a spacesuit and he keeps bumping into things. This is not your day Doctor," Jack said with an amused smile.
The woman leads The Doctor over to the TARDIS, asking if he doesn't want to go to a hospital and offering to let him stay with her family. The Doctor politely declines as he blindly searches for the key to the TARDIS. The woman takes a hairpin out of her hair and begins to pick the lock on the door. The Doctor explains she won't be able to open it when she manages to unlock the doors.
"How the bloody Hell did she open it?" Mickey asked in disbelief as the past viewers all looked at the screen in disbelief.
"It should not be possible. The TARDIS locks itself," Donna said incredulously.
"Unless it's not the TARDIS," Jack realized.
"In which case The Doctor's lost," Martha sighed.
The Doctor notes 900 years of time travel now seems less secure before thanking the woman for her help and kindness. He blindly offers his hand and she takes it in a handshake with a laugh. She tells him no one should be alone at Christmas.
"Wise words," Wilf said softly.
"She's not wrong," Jack agreed softly, thinking of many lonely Christmases spent alone and not wishing that on anyone, especially not The Doctor.
The Doctor asks for her name and she introduces herself as Madge Arwel. He says to let him know if she ever needs anything and she asks how. "I don't know. Make a wish, that usually works," The Doctor says, pointing out worked for him, as Madge is here. They laugh and The Doctor tells her to go on home. Madge moves to go as The Doctor blindly enters the TARDIS. He makes a pained exclamation and Made turns back to see The Doctor in a police box, saying it's the wrong one.
"Lost indeed," Wilf noted as they all shared a bit of a laugh.
"Oh Spaceman, you are hopeless," Donna said with a giggle.
Later that night, Madge enters her home to see her husband sitting in a chair reading the paper. They joke about Madge taking in strays before talking about the war, Madge worried that the war will come to Britain. Her husband smiles at her reassuringly before the scene changes to an Avro Lancaster flying. The words 'three years later' appear above it as Madge's husband is seen flying it.
"So her husband must have fought in World War Two," Mickey noted.
"Exactly what Madge was afraid of," Martha said with a sigh.
"That's the way it was back then. No one wanted to believe war would come to Britain," Wilf noted sadly.
"Until it did," Jack said darkly, remembering many Torchwood assignments during the war.
The co-pilot asks where they are and Madge's husband says he doesn't know. The copilot asks what to tell Anderson and Madge's husband say to tell him they're going home for Christmas. The copilot heads back into the plane as Madge's husband looks sadly at a picture of Madge, apologizing to her. Madge is then shown waking up in bed. She looks next to her, where a telegram informing her of her husband's death is placed.
"He never made it home then," Wilf said sadly as a silence descended on the room.
"Poor Madge," Donna sighed, unable to imagine losing Shaun that way.
Martha was silent, although her grip on Mickey's arm tightened considerably. Mickey didn't respond, save to pull her closer and Martha laid her head on his shoulder. Jack was silent, lost in memories of Ianto, Estelle and his many other lost lovers.
That night, Madge stares out the window as her children worry if their father will be there to meet them for Christmas at their Uncle Digby's. Madge assures them he will. Madge turns away and closes her eyes as her children break a wishbone. In space, the TARDIS is shown flying.
"Looks like she made that wish after all," Jack noted.
"And The Doctor seems to have heard it," Martha muttered as they wondered how The Doctor was going to help Madge.
The scene then changes to Madge bringing her children up to an estate with their suitcases in hand. The children complain about it as Madge grumbles about Mr. Cardew not meeting them. Madge storms up to the door, knocking on the door and calling for Mr. Cardew as Cyril worries the house is haunted by Uncle Digby. His sister assures him he's still alive. Madge receives no answer as Cyril complains about having to come here. Cyril and his sister begin to bicker when the girl asks if their father will be there.
"Those poor children," Donna said softly, remembering losing her own father just a few years ago and knowing it would be much harder on Madge's children.
"Children bury their parents every day, but no one should have to do it at that age," Jack said with a sigh.
"Unfortunately, It's the way of the world," Jane said, although she privately knew Cyril and Lily wouldn't have to do so for a few more decades at least.
Madge lies, saying he will and they don't need to keep asking. The doors unlock and the children rush forward, thinking it's their father. A voice explains the door has developed a fault before a door falls over. Madge and her children stare as The Doctor walks into view. The Doctor leads them inside; assuring the backdoor is still operation as he places the fallen door back up. The Doctor then offers to take their cases and they thank him as they place them on the floor. The Doctor then tells them to carry their cases while he shows them around.
"Apparently The Doctor's going to help her by playing a servant," Jack said, wondering what The Doctor was playing at.
"Knowing Boss? Madge might not appreciate that," Mickey noted, knowing how The Doctor's quirks might drive Madge over the edge in this time.
The Doctor begins heading up the stairs when Madge asks who he is. The Doctor says he's the caretaker, confusing Madge as she wonders where Mr. Cardew is. The Doctor introduces himself, shaking the hands of Madge, Cyril and the girl, Lily. They look at him bewildered before The Doctor leads them upstairs. He shows them the small sitting room. He notes it's pointless without a television and flips a watch. The Arwels look in amazement as the chairs begin moving by themselves.
"Only you Doctor could come up with something like that," Martha said with a slight laugh.
"If he ever gives up saving the universe, he should look into running his own bed and breakfast. It'd be the most popular one in the universe," Mickey said with a grin.
"Well, his restaurant did well, so I imagine that would to," Jane shrugged.
"The Doctor had – you know what, I don't want to know," Donna changed her mind halfway through her question.
The Doctor then shows them the kitchen, where he has added a lemonade tap. The Doctor tries to lead them up a stairwell, which he claims has broken down so they've have to walk up. After walking up the stairs, The Doctor points up to the attic where he sleeps, telling them to stay away and beware of panthers.
"And that won't make the kids curious at all," Martha sighed. "Honestly Doctor."
"Sometimes, Dad has no filter," Jane shrugged.
"That's not just limited to this Regeneration," Jack mused, remembering many such moments with the Ninth and Tenth Doctors.
Madge is alarmed by this as The Doctor leads them away. Cyril lingers, looking up at the stairwell before The Doctor calls out to him. Cyril rejoins them and The Doctor shows Madge her room, which he calls boring. He quickly shuts the door leading them to Cyril and Lily's room. They look around in amazement as The Doctor shows off the room, pointing to each thing he's changed and added. Cyril and Lily are delighted but Cyril asks where the beds are. The Doctor explains he couldn't fit everything in but flips a switch and two hammocks come down.
"It's like a summer camp of every kid's dream," Mickey said as they all looked at the screen in amazement.
"Forget the bed and breakfast, he should run an amusement park," Jack said with a grin.
Cyril quickly rushes to the hammocks but is unable to get on. The Doctor attempts to show them by jumping on but misses and crashes to the floor.
"Oh Spaceman," Donna said as they all laughed at his antics.
A frustrated Madge shouts at him to just stop. The Doctor apologizes and Madge tells Cyril and Lily to go downstairs. Madge shouts at them when they question her and Lily says she doesn't need to shout before they head out of the room.
"Looks like Madge reached her breaking point with The Doctor," Donna noted.
"Hard to blame her in this time," Martha said with a heavy sigh.
Madge then questions why The Doctor is doing all this and he says he's merely trying to take care of things. Madge then reveals that her husband is dead and she doesn't want her children to know yet because she doesn't want them to think of Christmas as the day their father died. Madge admits she doesn't know why she keeps shouting at them and The Doctor tells her she remembers how sad they're going to be later and it breaks her heart. Madge stares at him as Lily and Cyril begin shouting for her. The Doctor tells Madge that they'll be sad later so let them be happy now.
"Let them be joyful children now, because they're going to be so much sadder later," Wilf said softly as they all stared at the screen sadly.
The Doctor says they should get downstairs, as Lily and Cyril may have found the main sitting room which he 'repaired'. The Doctor leads Madge down into the main sitting room, where Lily and Cyril are staring in amazement at a Christmas tree with ornaments and branches that are moving.
"Never mind. The Doctor should own a toy store," Jack decided as the past viewers looked at the screen in a bit of awe.
"It's like he knows everything a kid could want at Christmas all at once," Donna said in disbelief.
"Well, this Regeneration seems to be a child at heart," Wilf mused.
Cyril and Lily move towards a large present by the tree, reading the card. It's addressed to all of them but doesn't say who it's from. Madge looks back as The Doctor heads out of the room and tells her children to stay away from The Doctor. Lily and Cyril both declare they like The Doctor and admire the tree. Madge admits it's a nice tree and, at Cyril's urging, says this will be the best Christmas ever. As Madge kisses her children on the foreheads, Cyril stares at the present curiously as it glows briefly.
"Oh great. Let me guess, that present is going to go horrible wrong," Donna said with dread.
"Through no fault of Dad, yeah," Jane said and Donna, Martha and Mickey all groaned. "In his defense, it was supposed to be done with his supervision and there were things going on that he had no idea about."
"Somehow, that doesn't make it any better," Jack said dryly as they all watched, waiting to see what would go wrong this time.
That night, Cyril is unable to sleep, too curious about the present. He tries to convince Lily to go down and have a peak but she tells him to go to sleep. Cyril turns over in his hammock and appears to go to sleep. As Madge tosses and turns in her bed, Lily heads out of the room. Lily begins heading downstairs when she hears a strange noise coming from the attic. As Lily heads up the stairwell, Cyril walks out of their room. While Cyril heads into the main sitting room, Lily follows the sounds down a corridor until she comes across The Doctor in the attic. The TARDIS is there as he toys with some electronics.
"How are you going to explain this Doctor?" Jack wondered out loud.
"I'm more worried about what Cyril is doing," Martha said uneasily.
"I think we all know what he's doing," Mickey muttered.
"Going for the present," Donna groaned as they all watched uneasily, wondering what was about to happen.
Lily asks why The Doctor has a phone box in his room and he claims it's a wardrobe. She asks what he's doing and he says rewiring. Lily suspiciously asks why he's rewiring a wardrobe. "Have you seen the way I dress?" The Doctor asks and she smiles. As Cyril walks up to the present, Lily asks who The Doctor is. The Doctor asks where Cyril is as Cyril begins to open the present.
"Don't do it Cyril, don't do it," Mickey pleaded silently even though he knew it was useless as they all watched uneasily.
Cyril unwraps the paper to see a box inside. He opens it and a bright light flashes before snowflakes fly out. Cyril looks at the flakes curiously before crawling inside the box. Cyril stares in amazement at a snow filled forest, the box seeming to have transported him somewhere else.
"I was not expecting that," Jack said as the past viewers looked at the screen in bewilderment.
"What is this, Narnia?" Donna wondered.
Jane grimaced. While Donna was joking, she honestly wasn't that far off.
Lily walks into her room, seeming to have found Cyril buried under the covers. Cyril backs his way out of the box and back into the sitting room. He looks back and, seeing no one there, crawls back into the box. Lily returns to The Doctor, saying Cyril is still asleep. "Okay, faulty then," The Doctor says as he continues to work. Cyril jumps down into the forest and is amazed when ornaments seem to appear on a tree.
"This is bloody Narnia," Donna said as the past viewers stared at the screen in disbelief.
"If you tell me that C.S. Lewis was inspired by this place, I'm done," Martha declared. "You'll have to drop me back off at home. There is only so much I can take."
"As far as I'm aware, any similarities between the books and this planet are purely coincidental," Jane said with a slight smile.
"Okay, okay," Martha said with a nod, beginning to calm down.
"You need a minute?" Jack asked with a smirk and she glared at him.
Cyril curiously walks over it and grabs one, managing to yank it off the tree. It then enlarges, startling him enough to drop it. It continues to grow and a crack forms in the center.
"What the Bloody Hell?" Mickey exclaimed as the past viewers looked at the screen startled.
"Those aren't ornaments, they're eggs," Jack realized in horror. "Doctor, what have you dragged them into?"
"Nothing good," Jane said simply as the past viewers looked at the screen uneasily.
Frightened, Cyril crawls back into the box and back into the sitting room. The Doctor receives a beep on the device he's working and asks If Lily is sure about Cyril. Cyril makes his way back into the forest. The ornament has cracked open and there is a set of footprints leading away from it. Lily leads The Doctor back into her room to show him Cyril apparently still sleeping but The Doctor yanks the covers back to reveal it's merely some stuffed animals.
"Well, at least now they know what's going on and can get Cyril back," Wilf said optimistically.
"And when have things ever been that easy with The Doctor?" Martha pointed out and Wilf paused, realizing she was right.
The Doctor and Lily run downstairs to see Cyril grab a light before heading back inside the box. Lily is confused about what she's seeing before The Doctor urges her inside. He helps her into the forest and Lily looks around in bewilderment. The Doctor quickly examines the ornament pieces as Lily asks what's going on. The Doctor gives a sarcastic response before saying Cyril is at least twenty minutes ahead of them. Lily is confused as The Doctor explains time works differently from different dimensional planes.
"So why on earth did you bring Lily with you Spaceman?" Donna asked in a mix of outrage and disbelief.
"Lack of time and panic. And this wasn't supposed to be dangerous, as far as Dad it was as simple as trying to find Cyril and heading back through the portal," Jane explained.
"But there was more going on here. There always is," Martha said with an exasperated sigh.
Lily is still confused and The Doctor explains they've traveled through a dimensional portal, which was a present. The Doctor grumbles about Cyril opening the present early before he begins to lead Lily through the forest. Using his light, Cyril is walking through the snow as The Doctor and Lily follow Cyril's tracks. Lily wonders if this is fairyland and The Doctor scoffs, saying fairyland is bigger.
"Fairyland exists?" Donna asked startled.
"Oh yeah, it exists. Never been there myself but I've heard about it," Jack confirmed.
"Blimey," Mickey muttered as the other past viewers looked startled by this information.
The Doctor points out to Lily the two sets of tracks, Cyril's and the set he's following. He asks if Lily notices anything and Lily says one set is getting bigger. Whatever Cyril's following is growing.
"Oh bloody brilliant," Donna grumbled as they all watched the screen uneasily.
"Hurry up and find him Doctor," Martha whispered.
Lily rushes to go after him, bumping into some tree branches. This causes some ornaments to appear on it and The Doctor and Lily stare at them in amazement. The Doctor notes it's a naturally occurring Christmas tree. Lily is confused and The Doctor explains it's a big universe, revealing it was an idea for a Christmas trip before pausing as he hears voices. He asks if Lily knows the difference between wind and trees talking to each other. The Doctor shushes Lily, noting there's no wind. Lily pauses as the trees whisper to each other, The Doctor revealing that the trees have never been so active. Something's wrong. The Doctor stares at his reflection in an ornament before it changes into an unknown creature.
"What is going on?" Wilf wondered.
"I'm not sure. But I've never seen anything like it," Jack said as his eyes narrowed. "But if I've learned anything over the years, when sentient plants become active, it's because something is happening to their home."
"So something is happening to the planet," Martha realized as they began to wonder what it was.
"Brilliant," Donna said sarcastically.
The Doctor tells Lily something is wrong with the forest and Cyril is in the middle of it. Back in the house, Madge is calling out for her children when she comes upon the box. Inside, Cyril has followed the tracks to a structure resembling a lighthouse. Madge has now entered the forest, using a light to look for her children as Cyril walks up to the door, knocking before entering. He uses his light to look around before becoming startled as he sees the creature The Doctor had seen in the ornament. Cyril begins climbing up the stairwell when the creature blinks before turning its head.
"So now Madge is involved and Cyril is with the creature The Doctor saw earlier," Martha noted uneasily.
"This is just worse and worse," Mickey muttered as they all became worried.
The Doctor explains to Lily that this was supposed to be a treat, as this is one of the safest planets he knows and there's never anything dangerous here. The ground then trembles and they stop, The Doctor noting he should not say things like that. At the top of the lighthouse, Cyril looks out a window with his light as Madge feels the ground tremble near her. A mechanical leg stomps down in front of her and Madge falls down in fright. An automated voice tells her that this is private property and she's trespassing as a light shines down on her.
"Well, looks like we know what's happening to the planet," Jack mused. "It's being invaded."
"Are we really sure they're invaders?" Wilf wondered.
"From the perspective of the trees they are," Jane pointed out. "And they're sentient."
"I just hope the trees don't do something drastic," Jack muttered as the past viewers looked at the screen uneasily.
The leg then opens up and people in yellow suits then rushed out, aiming guns at her. Madge gets to her feet, holding up her hands as she's scanned. One of them lifted up his helmet, declaring Madge was unarmed. The other two lift up their helmets when the first suddenly declares she's armed. The other two look at him as he explains she's wearing wool, which confuses the scanner. The first man bickers with his superior about whether or not they can tell the difference between wool and side arms before Madge is asked what she's doing there. Madge doesn't get a chance to answer when the third person in armor, a woman says that Madge might be a time traveler. The superior gives a sarcastic response when Madge begins sobbing that it was Christmas.
"Poor Madge," Donna said, relating to Madge as she remembered her first meeting with The Doctor.
"She just wanted a nice holiday with her children and now this," Martha agreed.
"I'm more interested in who these people are," Mickey noted.
"From the technology and gear, I'd guess some point in the 51st century, maybe," Jack noted. "Although what they're doing on this planet, I don't know."
At the lighthouse, Cyril is walking about, using his light to look around. He walks up some stairs when a door slams shut behind him. Lily accuses The Doctor of being irresponsible, blaming him for what happened to Cyril as they walk through the forest. The Doctor argues it was meant to be a supervised trip and they bicker about the Christmas trees.
"It's really not his fault. Things are happening that are completely out of his control," Donna said in defense of her friend.
"Maybe so, but it doesn't change the fact that Dad brought them there and now they're in danger," Jane pointed out and Donna really couldn't argue against that. "Sometimes even the kindest gestures can have consequences."
Cyril reaches the top of the lighthouse. A female wooden figure stands behind a throne, a golden crown in her hands. As Cyril turns away, the figure narrows her eyes.
"And now there are two of those things. This could not get worse," Mickey groaned and Jane grimaced.
"Have you not been paying attention? It always gets worse," Donna grumbled.
The Doctor and Lily reach the tower and head inside. They see the wooden king and Lily wonders if it's a statue of a king. The Doctor examines it and notes while it may be a king, it's not a statue. He points to the tracks on the floor and realizes this is what hatched from the ornament.
"You mean that's what Cyril was following?" Mickey almost yelped as the past viewers looked stunned.
"It grew to that size in such a short amount of time. What is it?" Jack wondered as he narrowed his eyes.
"Whatever it is, I don't think it's friendly," Martha said uneasily.
The Doctor then looks around, realizing the lighthouse isn't actually a lighthouse, but a group of trees grown together. The Doctor excitedly rambles about this before asking Lily why a forest would grow a building. Lily, with some steering from The Doctor, realizes it's a trap. Lily is horrified to realize they've walked into a trap but The Doctor wonders why a forest needs people.
"It's a trap. Of course it's a trap," Donna said with a groan. "It's just his bloody luck!"
"Yeah, but he's also good at getting out of traps. Now that he knows it's one, The Doctor can figure out how to get out," Jack pointed out.
"I bloody hope so," Donna grumbled, worried for The Doctor and the Arwels.
The Doctor looks back at the wooden king as Lily urges him to leave. But The Doctor reminds her that Cyril is here. The Doctor offers Lily his hand, saying they should find Cyril once she takes it.
"Yeah, find him and then get the Hell out of there Boss," Mickey muttered as they all watched uneasily.
Madge is still crying as the lead soldier tries to interrogate her but she can't stop crying to his annoyance. The first soldier begins to cry, to his superior's disbelief. He has Mummy issues.
"What the bloody Hell?" Mickey asked as the past viewers eyed the screen oddly.
"Well, they're not military, I can tell you that. They'd never pass the psych eval," Jack mused. "Maybe some kind of contractors."
"So mercenaries then?" Donna asked.
"Possibly," Jack allowed although he wasn't completely convinced.
The female soldier says she's going to lower her gun, not seeing Madge as a threat and worried about the visual. The lead soldier argues that no one's looking and they bicker before the first soldier begins crying again. The leader looks at him annoyed before he composes himself. The first soldier takes aim at Madge, offering to shoot her.
"Is he mad?!" Donna exclaimed as they looked at the screen startled.
"They may not be mercenaries, but they have the same lack of morality as them," Jack said as he looked at the screen disgusted.
"Shooting Madge when she's unarmed? Yeah, I'd say so," Martha said darkly.
"For God's sake, what is wrong with them?" Wilf asked horrified.
"Like Jack said, a lack of morality," Jane said.
The female soldier says the visual is deteriorating before placing her weapon on the ground. The leader argues as the female soldier say she is respecting Madge as a woman. Growling, the leader orders the first soldier to put his gun on the ground. The two soldiers do so and ask if they can interrogate Madge. She nods and the leaders explain they're from Androzani Major, its 5345 and Madge is in no danger. He asks where Madge is from. "England, 1941," Madge says before pulling a pistol out. "And there's a war going on!"
"Atta girl," Jack said with a laugh.
"That's one way to use political correctness to your advantage," Martha said with a smile.
"Never underestimate what a mother will do to find her children," Donna said with a laugh.
"That'll teach 'em to mess with her," Mickey said as he snickered.
The soldier back up, surprised as Madge notes crying is ever so useful. The leader is unconvinced she'd use the gun until Madge says she's looking for her children.
"And now he knows exactly what he's dealing with," Donna said happily.
"Only a fool would stand between a mama bear and her kids," Jack said with a smirk.
At the lighthouse, The Doctor and Lily are looking for Cyril. They knock on a door, calling out for him and Cyril hears them. He turns around and is shocked to see the wooden queen behind him, about to place the glowing crown on his head. Cyril dodges, running over to the throne. As the door is wood, The Doctor's screwdriver can't open it.
"For God's Sake Spaceman, make a bloody wood setting for that thing!" Donna snapped in exasperation.
"If he hasn't by now, he never will," Jack pointed out with a sigh.
"Is anyone else worried about that crown?" Martha asked.
"I'm more concerned about why that thing was gonna put it on Cyril's head," Mickey said as they eyed the screen worriedly.
Lily wonders how a tree can make a building and The Doctor tells her never to underestimate a tree, citing a past experience with the Forest of Cheem. Inside the room, Cyril sits on the throne. In the hall, Lily looks out the window and is stunned to see stars coming out. The Doctor is uninterested until Lily says the stars are coming out of the trees. The Doctor walks up behind Lily and they stare at the stars on top of the trees. Lily asks what that is and The Doctor explains its life force, singing.
"My God," Wilf said as they all stared at the screen, mesmerized by the beauty.
"Every time I think I've seen the most beautiful thing I can see, these recordings prove me wrong," Jack said softly as he stared at the screen.
No one else said a word, at a loss for words as they stared at the sight on the screen. No words could really do it justice.
Lily calls it beautiful, saying it makes her want to cry. The Doctor notes how human this is before they hear a noise from inside the room. The Doctor beats on the door, calling out to Cyril as the wooden queen places the crown on Cyril's head. Down below, the wooden king awakes, standing up and beginning to climb the stairs. The Doctor and Lily hear his footsteps.
"Cyril," Wilf said softly as they all stared at the screen worriedly.
"And now the king is awake. Bloody brilliant," Donna grumbled.
"I'm more worried about what the queen might be doing to Cyril," Martha said uneasily.
Madge has the male soldiers tied up inside their vehicle while holding the female at gunpoint, demanding to know how she got here and what this cockpit is. They don't know and tell her no one else is there. The female argues if Madge can be here, so can her children and the leader says God help them.
"Well that doesn't sound good," Mickey said as they watched uneasily.
"It's like I said, something is happening to the planet. And I have a feeling they're involved," Jack said as he narrowed his eyes, trying to figure it out.
Madge demands to know why and the female soldier says they can locate people from far away. Madge orders her to get on with it and the female soldier does. Madge then turns back to the leader, demanding to know what he meant. He explains the forest is about to be harvested, as the trees are the greatest fuel source ever. The forest is about to be melted down into battery fluid. Horrified, Madge demands to know how. The leader explains with acid rain and anyone still in the forest in five minutes will burn.
"Oi!" Donna exclaimed as the past viewers stared at the screen in horror. "They're going to burn an entire planet of forest –with living trees- just for fuel?"
"It's not like they even need it, they're just doing it for greed," Martha said disgusted.
"All species are driven by greed in some ways, but this…" Jack trailed off, at a loss for words for once.
"Sadly, there's no limit to what greed can make people do. This is just one example," Jane said as they all stared at the screen in sad disgust.
The Doctor is still trying to get the door open as the wooden king approaches. The Doctor tells Lily he's trying when it suddenly unlocks. The Doctor tells Lily that wasn't him but she doesn't care, rushing through. The wooden queen turns as Lily and The Doctor run into the room, seeing Cyril out cold in the throne.
"Cyril," Wilf said softly as they all looked at the screen worriedly.
"Please be alright," Donna prayed under her breath.
The Doctor quickly checks him over; assuring Lily that Cyril is merely unconscious. The Doctor turns to the queen, asking if she's the queen bee of the forest. Lily and The Doctor then see the stars beginning to shimmer out; The Doctor shocked says that the life force seems to be leaving the wooden king then walks up the stairs. The Doctor tries to use his screwdriver on them but it has no effect, as they're made of wood. But he then realizes they merely want to talk. The crown begins to glow and Cyril opens his eyes, saying they're scared. Lily rushes to Cyril, who says the trees are screaming. He asks if they can hear them as The Doctor scans the crown, realizing Cyril is now connected to the trees.
"So the crown is what, a way for the trees to communicate?" Mickey wondered.
"No, that can't be it. The queen didn't know The Doctor and Lily were outside the room," Martha pointed out.
"So what is it?" Donna wondered but no one had an answer.
The female soldier has located the others. Madge asks if they can go to them but the female soldier isn't trained, the males are. Madge says she doesn't trust them but the female soldier can't move the machine. Madge looks around; noting her husband had shown her how to fly a plane once and it looks similar enough. But the female soldier argues it takes years of training. The female soldier tries to pick up any audio frequencies when an automated voice announces a five minute warning for the acid rain.
"Five minutes. There's no way The Doctor can get them all back to the portal in five minutes," Wilf said horrified.
"And the TARDIS is back on Earth," Jack said as they realized The Doctor and the children were trapped.
The female soldier then tells Madge to find a way out, as she won't last two minutes in the acid rain. Madge pleads for her to wait but the three soldiers vanish in a flash of light.
"Oi!" Donna exclaimed angrily.
"They just left her there?" Martha asked in outrage.
"Like Jack said, they might not be mercs, but they have the same lack of morality as them," Jane said grimly.
"They're all out for themselves. Are you really surprised?" Jack asked darkly.
"No, but it doesn't mean we have to like," Mickey said grimly.
Madge looks around helpless before the audio connection kicks in and she can hear Lily asks Cyril where the stars have gone. The Doctor gently urges Cyril to concentrate and Cyril manages to explain that the stars are evacuating because they're frightened of the 'rain that burns'. As Madge listens, The Doctor explains to Lily that the stars are like souls and they're afraid because they think their home is about to burn. Lily wonders why they can't just go to the sky and The Doctor explains they need to travel inside a living thing. This is why they chose Cyril, The Doctor explains, scanning the crown and explaining its actually a relay. They're turning Cyril into a lifeboat.
"Can they actually do that? Travel inside Cyril?" Donna wondered.
"I've never heard of such a thing happening, but that doesn't mean it's not possible," Jack mused.
"The laws of physics really don't make any sense anymore," Martha said in exasperation.
"I'm just going with the flow at this point," Mickey shrugged.
Lily is horrified as The Doctor realizes the lighthouse is an escape plane. The wooden king moves his hand toward Cyril and The Doctor warns him not to touch Cyril. But The Doctor is ignored and Cyril says his coming was foretold in a deep voice.
"So now they're using Cyril as a medium to talk through. Well why not?" Donna asked in annoyance.
"This is just getting creepy," Martha muttered.
Lily is alarmed as The Doctor sarcastically asks if they're lip syncing now. Cyril repeats his coming was foretold but The Doctor dismisses this. Cyril says they waited and The Doctor came. The Doctor demands to know why they haven't escaped yet and Cyril says the child is weak. The Doctor thinks they mean he's a child but they clarify he's weak; the forest cannot live in him.
"So it can't live in Cyril. That's good, right?" Mickey asked hopefully.
"It means they're stuck," Jack said blankly.
"Lovely," Martha said dryly as Donna groaned.
Cyril says there are others. The Doctor volunteers himself but is told he is also weak. The Doctor ignores this, trying to take the crown from Cyril but is told he is weak. The Doctor ignores them, taking off the crown. It glows and The Doctor yelps as his hands are burned. Lily tells him to let go of it but The Doctor is unable to. She takes it from him and, to their surprise, it doesn't burn Lily. The Queen puts her hand to Lily and speaks through her, saying Lily is strong but young.
"I am so confused," Mickey muttered.
"It doesn't make sense. How can The Doctor be weak but Lily be strong?" Jack wondered as he narrowed his eyes, the past viewers growing extremely confused.
Lily jumps back, dropping the crown. Cyril then calls out for Madge and Lily and The Doctor go to him, Lily assuring Cyril they'll go to their mother. But The Doctor hears the rain, saying he disagrees, realizing that Cyril meant acid rain.
"It's starting," Wilf said horrified as the past viewers all tensed.
"Spaceman, hurry," Donna pleaded softly.
Madge listens as The Doctor says they have to get out of the tower, as it won't protect them for long. Cyril asks if Madge is coming and Lily assures him that she always comes. The Doctor tells Cyril the portal they came through won't stay open forever and is unsure he can get them there safely but they need to go now if they want a chance. But Cyril refuses to leave without his mother.
"And now on top of everything else, Boss has to deal with a boy with separation anxiety," Mickey groaned.
"Just knock him out and throw him over your shoulder Doctor," Jack said and received scandalized looks from Martha and Donna. "Oh don't look at me like that, it's not like The Doctor knows Madge is there and he needs to get the kids to safety."
"Even if he did do that, I don't think there's enough time to get to the portal before the acid rain would kill them," Jane pointed out.
"Okay, fair," Jack acknowledged after a moment of thought.
"So how are they going to get out of this?" Wilf wondered but no one had an answer.
The Doctor tries to convince Cyril when the robot the soldiers had appeared in approaches the lighthouse. They all turn to it, The Doctor recognizing the driving style and realizing Madge is piloting it. As Madge nears the lighthouse, The Doctor excitedly says Madge has entered the forest. The Doctor cheers for Madge as she nears the lighthouse. Madge tells The Doctor he's fired before the robot crashes onto its side.
"Well, Madge was…almost to the rescue," Jack said as the past viewers stared at the screen, not sure whether to cheer or feel pity for Madge.
"And now The Doctor has to save her from the acid rain as well," Wilf said worriedly.
"Things aren't looking good," Martha muttered.
"But that's usually when the Spaceman does his best work," Donna said, hoping she was right.
The Doctor assures Lily and Cyril that Madge is fine before kissing them on the foreheads and making his way down the stairs. He meets Madge, who had put on a coat and ran inside, at the entrance. She tells him to stay inside, as the rain is frightful before running the stairs, calling for her children. The Doctor looks out, seeing the crashed robot beginning to get eaten by the acid.
"That is strong acid rain," Jack said as they watched the screen worriedly.
"How long can that structure last?" Wilf asked worriedly.
"Not long Gramps," Donna said softly, all of them worried about The Doctor and Arwels.
Madge reaches the top and happily reunites with her children. She scolds them, not noticing the wooden king and queen moving towards them.
"Bloody Hell," Mickey groaned as they all tensed.
Lily and Cyril back up frightened and Madge whirls around, seeing the king and queen. The approach Madge with the crown and Madge seems mesmerized by it. Ignoring her children's protests, Madge allows it to be placed around her head.
"Oi! Why on Earth would you allow it to be placed on your head?!" Donna exclaimed.
"There seems to be something about the crown that hypnotizes people," Jack mused.
"I'm more worried about what it could do to Madge," Martha muttered as the past viewers watched the screen uneasily.
Outside, from the safety of the doorway, The Doctor is scanning the robot when he notices the stars beginning to fly into the air. The Doctor rushes back up to the top, seeing all the stars going into Madge as she sits on the throne. Madge seems overjoyed at this as the others watch in horror. Once it stops, Madge sits perfectly still. The Doctor rushes over, calling out to Madge who assures him she's fine. The Doctor incredulously says she has a whole world inside her head but Madge doesn't seem bothered by this, calling it remarkable.
"Definitely some kind of hypnosis," Jack noted as he narrowed his eyes.
"All things considered, she seems fine for someone who has an entire planet inside her head," Mickey mused.
"Considering that she has an entire world in her head, I'm still worried," Martha shot back, glaring at her husband who held up his hands in surrender.
The Doctor asks if it's okay and, speaking through her, the king says she's strong. Madge seems taken back by this as The Doctor realizes that 'strong' actually means female. "More than female! She's Mum! How else does life ever travel? The mother ship!" The Doctor exclaims.
"So strong actually meant female. They needed an adult female for this to work," Jack realized.
"Well I guess that makes sense, as much as any of this does," Donna mused.
"Still struggling with the fact that the laws of physics are one big joke, but yeah, I guess it makes sense," Martha shrugged as Mickey patted her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.
The top of the lighthouse then begins to fly off. Lily asks what's happening and The Doctor says to do what he does: hold tight and pretend it's a plan. The ship flies into a nearby vortex as they all hang on. Everyone stares out at the vortex, The Doctor explaining what's happened. He then turns back to the king and queen, demanding they help them now that they've help them. He asks how they get home and, speaking through Madge, the king tells The Doctor to think.
"That is very unhelpful," Mickey said bluntly.
"I don't think they mean it that way," Jack mused.
"They seem to have a different word for everything, or at least having trouble making others understand what they mean," Donna noted, wondering what the trees were trying to say.
The king tells them that Madge must think. The Doctor, understanding, tells Madge to think of home, that she has to feel it. Madge says her head is full of trees, asking if The Doctor can't get them home. The Doctor says he doesn't have a home to think of.
The past viewers all stared at the screen, once more reminded of just how alone The Doctor was. But they didn't say anything, too caught up in their worry for The Doctor and Arwels.
The Doctor tells Madge to think of what she misses about home until she can't bear it and Madge understands he means until it hurts. Madge pulls out the telegram and declares they'll be home in time for Christmas. The ship then rocks as it begins traveling through the vortex. Lily and Cyril are confused until The Doctor orders the king and queen to show them what's happening. The window shows the time vortex as The Doctor explains Madge is flying the ship through it.
"Can she really do that?" Mickey wondered uneasily.
"Either way, looks like we're about to find out," Jack said as the past viewers eyed the screen uneasily.
"Come on Madge," Donna muttered under her breath.
The Doctor urges Madge to think of what she's going home for and in front of them various images of her husband Reg begin to flash. The Doctor urges her to focus on Reg, asking how they met. Madge tells the story of how Reg followed her home from work and his promise to keep following her until she married him. An image of Reg's plane is shown and Madge tearfully begs not to be shown that. The Doctor apologizes, telling her they can't break the signal now so she has to keep focusing. Madge sobs that she doesn't want to see Reg die. Lily and Cyril ask if their father is dead as Madge sobs. The scene from Reg's plane from earlier in the recording replays before he's blinded by a bright light. "Goodbye my love," Madge's voices says as she sobs.
"Those poor children," Wilf sighed heavily as the room was once more filled with a somber silence.
"No one should have to find out their father died that way," Donna said softly, thinking of her own father once more.
"Unfortunately, it can't be helped," Jack said grimly.
The ship lands and the Arwels are seen on the floor, smoke around them. The Doctor makes sure they're all alright before scanning the wooden king and queen. He explains to Madge that they're just wood now, asking Madge if the forest is gone. Madge asks where it is now and The Doctor begins to give an overly complex explanation before saying the souls of the trees are among the stars now and Madge got them there.
"I guess they won't be bothering anyone again," Donna mused.
"I'm not sure how much they were bothering anyone as they were just trying to escape," Jack pointed out and Donna nodded, conceding his point.
"They were driven to desperation out of fear of death. In the end, the only people to really blame are the people trying to wipe out the forest," Jane pointed out.
"Greed can put people in danger more often than almost anything else," Jack noted and no one could really disagree with that.
Madge asks where they are and The Doctor says home, wiping some of the fog off the glass to reveal they're in front of Uncle Digby's manor. Madge turns back to her children but they back away from her, Lily wanting to know what she meant about watching Reg die.
"Oh boy," Mickey said as they all winced, all feeling sympathy for Madge now.
"Looks like Madge ended up causing the thing she was trying to prevent," Donna said sadly.
"Don't be so sure," Jane said confusing them as she smiled. "Just wait a minute."
They ask about their father as Madge looks down at the telegram in her hand. Lily asks about it and she and Cyril urge her to tell them what it says. The Doctor says they'd probably prefer to be alone and Madge tells him to stay close. The Doctor promises he'll be right outside before heading downstairs. Madge heads over to Lily and Cyril as The Doctor exits the ship. He stares at something in amazement as Madge is beginning to explain to Lily and Cyril what happened to Reg. Lily begins to cry when The Doctor pops his head up, telling Madge she should have a look at what's outside. Madge snaps she's talking to her children and The Doctor says she should have a look before she goes any further.
"What are you up to Spaceman?" Donna wondered.
"He seemed to see something when he got out of the ship," Wilf pointed out.
"Yeah, but what could be so important he interrupted Madge?" Martha wondered, none of them seeing Jane's smile.
Confused, the Arwels follow The Doctor onto the grounds as The Doctor tells Madge there was one star to light the way the night Reg flew home: Madge. The scene of Reg's plane seeing the light is shown again. The copilot asks what it is and Reg doesn't know, but notes they can follow it. He begins to fly into the time vortex. In the present, Madge stares in disbelief at Reg's plane, landed on the grounds.
"Bloody Hell," Mickey said as the past viewers stared at the screen in surprise.
"By thinking of Reg, Madge opened up a portal, saving his life," Jack said in complete disbelief. "I don't believe it."
"Who cares? It's a happy ending I say," Donna said with a laugh.
"Miracles do happen after all," Wilf said with a slight smile.
"Even The Doctor can't say this isn't a miracle," Martha said with a smile.
The Doctor calls Madge Mother Christmas as Reg walks out of the plane, seeing Madge and asking what he's doing there. Madge joyfully announces its Christmas Day, to Reg's surprise. The Arwels then run up to Reg, happily hugging him as they cry tears of joy. "Happy crying. Humany-Wumany," The Doctor notes. Later, The Doctor watches from the doorway as the Arwels open presents in the sitting room. He smiles before walking out unnoticed. Sometime later, Madge walks into The Doctor's room and sees the TARDIS. The TARDIS doors open and The Doctor walks out, pausing as he sees Madge. Madge realizes he's the man in the spacesuit and The Doctor asks how he looks the right way around. Madge is surprised he came back and The Doctor explains she was there for him on a bad day and he wanted to return the favor. "Got a bit glitchy in the middle there but it sort of worked out in the end. Story of my life," The Doctor muses.
"It always does," Donna said with a slight smile.
"His plans go horribly wrong at first but The Doctor always manages to pull it off in the end…most of the time," Martha noted after a moment of thought.
"Story of his life indeed," Wilf said with a chuckle.
Madge gratefully hugs The Doctor but he assures her she did it all by herself. They pull back and Madge notes the TARDIS was gone the next day when she went back to look three years ago. The Doctor offers to show her how it's done but Madge stops him, inviting him to stay for Christmas. The Doctor declines, saying he has people to see. Madge thinks he means he has family of his own to see but The Doctor says no.
"But you do Doctor. You have River, Amy, Rory, and all of us," Donna said softly.
"And he loves you all, but that lose won't ever be able to fill the void of everything he lost in the Time War," Jane said softly as the somber silence returned.
"Doctor," Martha said with a heavy sigh, wishing there was some way they could help him.
Madge says he must have friends but The Doctor admits they all think he's dead. The Doctor offers to show her how the TARDIS works again, promising it's cool. But Madge insists no one should be alone at Christmas. The Doctor insists he's fine but Madge meant his friends. The Doctor tries to explain it's very complicated but Madge orders him to go see his friends. The Doctor sarcastically says yes Mum.
"So he's going back to see Amy and Rory then," Martha noted.
"What makes you so sure?" Jane asked evasively.
"Well, for one, he certainly didn't come to see any of us," Jack pointed out. "So unless he went to see someone else, has to be Amy and Rory."
"Yeah," Jane admitted. "He kept going back to them…until the day he couldn't."
The past viewers gave her an odd look, seeing the look in her eye and wondering what she meant by that. A pit of dread formed in all their stomachs, sensing something had happened with Amy and Rory. But they knew by now prodding Jane would do them no good, so they simply turned back to the recording, hoping they'd get their answers eventually.
The Doctor kisses Madge on the cheek before telling her to keep her eyes on the box. As he nears the doors, Madge asks what if she needs him again. The Doctor tells her to make a wish and they laugh. The Doctor enters the TARDIS and Madge watches as it begins to take off. Reg enters the room and sees the TARDIS just before it vanishes. Reg asks what that was and Madge says The Doctor was returning to the time vortex, which is a lovely place. Madge says they should go downstairs, heading towards the doorway. Reg stares at the spot where the TARDIS had vanished before following his wife.
"Well he took that rather well," Donna noted in surprise.
"Well he also showed up on the grounds in a flash of light, so he's probably just going with the flow," Jack shrugged.
"It's probably a strange day for him," Donna said with a giggle.
The Doctor is then shown knocking on a TARDIS blue door. Amy is heard threatening carolers with a water pistol and The Doctor knocks again. Amy yanks open the door, wielding a water gun and pauses as she sees The Doctor standing on her porch.
"That awkward moment when your not so dead friend shows up on your porch," Mickey joked.
"Been there. Although I'm usually the dead friend," Jack mused.
"You live a very strange life," Donna said as she looked at him oddly and Jack shrugged.
"The Doctor's is stranger," Jack pointed out and no one could really argue.
The Doctor says he's not sure how long it's been and Amy says two years before shooting him with the water gun. The Doctor wipes his face, noting that was fair. Amy notes he's not dead before revealing River had already told them, to The Doctor's annoyance. Amy defensively says River is a good girl before a beat passes. Amy and The Doctor both say they're not going to hug first before awkwardly standing there for a few moments. The two laugh before finally embracing happily.
"Well, at least The Doctor isn't alone anymore," Wilf said optimistically.
"But somehow, I don't think Amy and Rory are going to be joining him on his adventures for long," Jack noted, unable to shake the feeling.
Jane was silent as she stared at the screen. Jack was right after all. While her father would not be alone in the short term, in the long term, he would soon be more alone than he was while letting Amy and Rory think he was dead.
Amy calls Rory to the front door and Rory walks over, happily greeting The Doctor. Amy invites The Doctor in for dinner and Rory reveals they have a place set for him. The Doctor says they didn't know he was coming and Amy says they always set a place for him, shooting his head with the water gun.
"They set a place for him?" Donna said in surprise.
"Every year that he was gone. They didn't know he'd show up, but they hoped," Jane explained.
"Can't think of the last time someone did that for Boss," Mickey muttered, realizing just how close the three of them were.
Even The Doctor joining him and the Tylers for Christmas that one time had been more for Rose's benefit than something Jackie had actually wanted to do. There had never actually been any kind of closeness this way between The Doctor, himself and the Tylers.
Amy and Rory head inside and The Doctor slowly follows. The Doctor reaches up, feeling the tears beginning to fall from his eyes. He smiles before closing the door and the screen goes black.
"Crying when happy. How very human of you Doctor," Donna said with a slight smile, happy for her friend.
"He's more human than he realizes," Martha said with a smile.
"Interesting start to this set," Jack muttered, wondering what else this set of recordings would bring.
And that's the end of that one. This was the last decent Christmas Special IMO. Not as strong as the previous few but still a moving episode.
Merry Christmas Everyone.