Watching Doctor Who

by lorixjake

The Doctor ripped the earpiece from his ear and threw it away from him. Rose was dead. It was all his fault. He heard Van Statten muttering something behind him, but he couldn't focus. Just then there was a flash of light and he vanished. Nine, Ten and friends are brought together to watch the past, present and future. [NinexRose]

45. Chapter 45

Midnight

Once everyone was ready and back in their seats, Jack put on the next episode.

On a glittering alien world, an attendant brings a telephone to Donna. She is lounging by the pool, wearing a bathrobe. She tells the person on the other end of the phone that she said no.

"Not even a hello?" Ten laughed.

"I'm guessing you've already asked whatever it is multiple times," she replied in exasperation. "Besides, if you think I'm leaving a spa to go on some mad adventure, you've got another think coming."

The Doctor says there is a waterfall made of sapphires.

"Sounds very pretty, but still not a spa," Donna said with a laugh.

The screen keeps switching between him and Donna as he tells her that an enormous jewel the size of a glacier reaches the Cliffs of Oblivion and shatters into sapphires that fall a hundred thousand feet into a crystal ravine. Donna replies she bets he says that to all the girls.

Everyone laughed.

"It does sound very beautiful," Rose said.

"Yeah. But not as good as sunbathing," Donna smirked. Ten rolled his eyes.

"Honestly, you say you want to see the wonders of the universe, I take you to a sapphire waterfall and now you'd rather sunbathe?"

"Sounds about right, yeah. I wanna see how alien spas are better than human ones."

He tells her they are boarding now and it's no fun if he sees it on his own. It will only be four hours. Donna corrects that it's four hours there and four hours back. That's like a school trip.

Rose, Donna and Mickey all laughed.

"I've had worse school trips," Rose snickered.

"I hardly think a sapphire waterfall and crystal ravine is comparable to a human school field trip," Nine scoffed.

"You're right. The school trips are educational," Sarah-Jane teased. Both Doctors gave her offended looks.

"Being on a trip with me is educational," Ten protested.

Donna tells him she'd rather go sunbathing. He tells her to be careful and Donna replies that the brochure says the glass is fifteen feet thick, He gives up.

Donna smirked triumphantly.

"Only because I was on a time limit," Ten pouted. "If I didn't go, I'd miss the trip."

"Honestly, it's a wonder the pair of you get anything done," Rose laughed.

The Doctor tells her he'll be back for dinner, and they can try the anti-gravity restaurant. With bibs. Donna calls it a date and then corrects herself that it's not and he knows what she means.

"Had a snog, now you want a date?" Ten teased. Donna wrinkled her nose, looking grossed out.

"No. I'm hoping we don't have to do the snog at all thank you very much."

"It can't have been that bad," Ten protested. She smirked.

"Let's not find out."

She tells him to get off. He says he'll see her later and then tells him to be careful.

"Not likely," Sarah-Jane laughed.

"You better not wander off and get into trouble," Nine said to Donna.

"Fat lot of me leaving that place," she scoffed.

The Doctor says 'nah'. Then comments that he is taking a big space truck with a bunch of strangers across a diamond planet called Midnight, asking what could go wrong.

"You didn't?" Rose groaned.

"Why? Why would you say something like that?" Martha asked him in disbelief.

"You know that doesn't actually have any bearing on stuff going wrong?" Ten defended himself.

"Oh yeah? Well, if nothing's going to go wrong, why are we watching?" Mickey asked. Ten glared at him before looking to Nine for some help.

"Don't look at me. You're the one who jinxed it."

"We're the same person!"

"Not completely. Pretty sure you lost some brains along the way," Nine smirked. Ten glared at him.

He hangs the phone up and the screen switches to a shuttle. The Doctor has taken his seat in the passenger compartment of the transport. Other passengers are still boarding. A hostess offers a woman complimentary juice packs and peanuts, she asks for just the headphones. The hostess comes over to the Doctor and gives him headphones, modem link, earplugs, slippers, juice pack and peanuts before warning that some products may contain nuts.

"Oh really?" Donna asked sarcastically. "You don't say."

"I'm going to guess that'll be the slippers then," Martha said.

"Oh of course. Peanut slippers. Everyone has them," Mickey laughed.

"You get quite a lot of complimentary stuff on that trip," Rose noted.

"Yeah. Who wants to guess it's a ploy to lure people in and kill them or something?" Jack snickered.

"I think people would notice if every shuttle full of people went missing," Donna pointed out.

"Yeah. But something odd is going to happen, just thought I'd get my guess in early," he grinned.

The Doctor says that'll be the peanuts.

Everyone sniggered.

The hostess just stares at him for a few seconds before telling him to enjoy his trip. He says he can't wait 'Allons-y'. She doesn't know what it means so he explains, and she leaves.

"Not so hot with the people skills is she, for a hostess?" Rose noted.

"He does have that effect on people," Sarah-Jane smiled.

Two people take a seat behind the Doctor. The hostess begins giving them the complimentary items but the man refuses. His female companion asks for the earplugs. The man says that there isn't any such thing as the Sapphire Waterfall. Sapphire is an aluminium oxide but the glacier is just compound silica with iron pigmentation.

"That's a bit disappointing," Rose muttered.

"Even if it's true, it doesn't take away from the view," Ten shrugged.

"Guess not given that he's still going when he knows that," Martha said.

The hostess moves on to a couple, man and woman. She gives them the juice pack and peanuts. The man behind the Doctor asks if his companion has the pillow for his neck. She agrees and hands it to him. Then he asks if she has the pills which she gives him, saying they are all measured out. He then leans over to meet the Doctor, introducing himself as Professor Winfold Hobbes. The Doctor introduces himself and Hobbes states he's been fourteen times.

"Wow. That is a lot. Must be one heck of a view," Jack whistled.

"Even so, fourteen times?" Donna scoffed. "Man needs a hobby."

"I think seeing the waterfall is his hobby," Nine muttered.

"Well, he's a professor. Maybe he studies sapphires or whatever he said they really were," Mickey suggested. They all shrugged.

The Doctor says it's his first and the woman introduces herself as Dee Dee. Hobbes tells her not to bother the man and asks for his water bottle.

"She was introducing herself. Hardly a bother," Rose frowned.

"Especially considering he just introduced himself," Jack agreed.

"Yeah, he seems like a bit of an arse," Donna said.

The hostess continues giving out the complimentary items to the guests. A teenage boy is sitting across the aisle from his parents. His mother tells him to come and sit with them, saying they get slippers.

"Yes, I'm sure a teenage boy is simply thrilled about getting slippers," Martha laughed.

His dad tells Jethro to do what his mother says, but he replies he's staying there. His dad says he's ashamed of them, but doesn't mind them paying. The woman tells them not to start. Then wonders if she should have the juice pack now, noting it's peach and clementine.

"Look at you, surrounded by domestics," Rose laughed quietly to Nine. He pulled a face.

"I blame you. Didn't do domestic till you came around," he grumbled playfully. "Slapped by your mother. Christmas dinner. Rickey the Idiot coming with us. All your fault."

"Oh, how terrible of me," she snickered.

Boarding is complete. The hostess welcomes them on board the Crusader Fifty and tells them fasten their seatbelts as they'll be leaving any moment. She calls for the doors and they close. She then closes the shields on the windows and says that the view is shielded until they reach the Waterfall Palace.

"Four hour trip and no looking out the window? No wonder they're giving out earplugs and slippers. Nothing to do but nap," Donna scoffed.

"Yeah, that is a bit boring," Martha agreed.

She adds that Midnight has no air so not to touch the exterior door seals. The fire exit is at the back. She hands over to driver Joe. The driver's voice tells them there has been a diamondfall at the Winter Witch Canyon so they'll be taking a slight detour, shown on the map which is on the screen at the front of the shuttle.

"Oh good. A detour. Good place for a problem, that," Rose muttered.

"Short cuts make long delays," Jack quoted.

"Not all the time," Ten reminded them. He knew it would do no good. They did have a point, they wouldn't be watching if nothing happened, but it was not just because he sarcastically asked what could go wrong.

The driver continues that the estimated duration is four hours and thanks the passengers for travelling with them. The shuttle shakes a bit. The hostess says that for their entertainment they have the music channel playing retrovids of Earth classics. Dropdown screens show a pop video of some woman. There is also the latest artistic installation from Ludovico Klein. Something holographic shows. Lastly there is a rare treat for the youngsters, the Animation Archives. A cartoon is shown on the screen. All of the entertainments play at once.

"That's not entertainment, that's torture," Donna exclaimed, pulling a disgusted face.

"Yeah, you'd think each seat could have their own screen so they can all choose or something," Rose said.

"Well, we know why they hand out earplugs now," Jack muttered.

"Those had better be damned good earplugs," said Mickey.

"Glad I chose not to go," Donna muttered to herself.

A woman looks up from her book, very unhappy. The Doctor powers up his sonic screwdriver and suddenly it goes quiet. The screens return to their docks. He grins.

"Much better," Nine nodded.

Hobbes states that that is a mercy. The hostess apologizes for the failure of the entertainment system. Jethro's mum asks what they do, and his dad asks if they have four hours of just sitting there.

"Would you prefer four hours of listening to that racket?" Sarah-Jane wondered.

"Well, I wouldn't. But apparently he might," Donna said in bemusement.

The Doctor looks over his seat at the other passengers and says they'll have to talk to each other. Nobody looks thrilled by this.

Ten pouted.

"Don't worry, I'm sure they'll all get bored sooner or later and end up talking," Rose assured him.

"Unless he decides to go first and never stops," Donna snickered.

"Well, if that's the case, they all have earplugs," Martha chuckled. The rest of them laughed while the two Doctors glared at them all.

98 klicks later...The idea has caught on. Everyone is listening to Val and Biff's stories. Everyone, except Sky and Jethro are laughing at the story. Jethro is bored to tears. Sky is reading her book.

Both Doctors and Jack all laughed at the story while the others looked slightly confused, not quite understanding what was so funny.

150 klicks later...The Doctor and Dee Dee are in the galley, getting drinks from a thermos jug. She's explaining how she is a second-year student who wrote a paper on the Lost Moon of Poosh. The professor liked it and took her on as a researcher for the holidays, although she mostly does fetching and carrying.

"So, not really a researcher then. He's taken her on as a servant of sorts, based on how she even sorts his pills for him," Rose snorted.

"Still it'll look good on her resume, working with a professor out in the field," Nine said.

The Doctor asks if they ever found the Lost Moon of Poosh and Dee Dee says no. He says it might be her great discovery one day.

"I hope so. She deserves better than having to work for professors like him," Martha stated.

209 klicks later...The Doctor is sitting with Sky as they unwrap their meals. He tells her he's with his friend who stayed back at the Leisure Palace. Sky reveals she is alone as she found herself single recently. Her partner said she needed space, a different galaxy even. She reckons that's enough space. He comments that he had a friend who went to a different universe.

"Not for space," Rose glared at him. "And certainly not by choice." She still hadn't fully forgiven him for putting the transporter around her neck and sending her away even if she'd come back however temporarily.

"Yeah. She doesn't want space so much she's breaking the rules of reality to get back," Jack grinned.

"That's me," Rose smirked.

"My impossible girl," Nine smiled, still not quite able to believe the lengths she would go to get back to him. Him. Especially after all he had done in his pretty boy regeneration was keep letting her get closer before pushing her away again. Oh, he understood exactly why, but that hadn't made it hurt less to watch. It would have been easier if he had just kept her at a slight length, as he had been doing, rather than keep giving her hope and snatching it away. Except she was a flame he was continually drawn to, unable to give her up completely as he should have done. And now, well now it didn't matter. There was no withdrawing now. She owned him completely, and he simply couldn't understand why he hadn't done so before, human lifespan or not. It would never hurt less not having her with him.

"Always," she vowed. "No matter what universe I get stuck in."

She asks if the meat is chicken or beef. The Doctor holds up a piece and says he thinks it's both.

"Is it supposed to be both? That doesn't sound…particularly great," Martha frowned. "Not in a single piece of meat anyway." Ten shrugged.

251 klicks later...Professor Hobbes is giving an illustrated lecture. Even Jethro is interested. He tells them it's his pet project. He is the first person to research this as the history is fascinating. The planet has no history. There was no life in the entire system, there couldn't be, nobody had come in all eternity before the Leisure Palace Company moved in.

"Not a single soul in all that time?" Donna wondered.

"Well, with xtonic sunlight and no air, it's a pretty nasty environment," Jack pointed out.

"Well, I'm going to guess that something lives there," Martha said. "And if it's adapted to that environment, it'll probably be a problem."

"Sounds about right," Sarah-Jane agreed.

Jethro asks how he knows this if no one can go outside. Val scoffs, saying his imagination but the Doctor cuts in, saying he has a point. Hobbes agrees, saying they look upon the world through glass, safe inside their boxes. Even the Leisure Palace was lowered down from orbit. Here they are, crossing Midnight but never touching it. There are some concerning noises and Val states they've stopped. Biff asks if they are there, and Dee Dee tells him it's too soon.

"Here we go," Jack grinned.

Hobbes states that Crusader vehicles never stop. The hostess asks them to return to their seats. She tells them it's just a small delay and goes to the intercom. Biff suggests a pit stop and Hobbes says there is no pit to stop in. He's been on the expedition fourteen times, and they never stop.

"So, of course now is the one time they do stop," Rose groaned.

"Hey, it's probably a good thing. At least the Doctor is there," Martha pointed out.

"Who wants to bet they've stopped somewhere on the detour part?" Jack asked with a grin.

"That's a fool's bet," Donna scoffed.

"Worth a try." His grin widened.

Sky tells him they evidently have stopped so there's no point denying it. Jethro grins as he says they've broken down in the middle of nowhere. Val sarcastically thanks him. Biff tells him to stop it. The hostess states they are experiencing a short delay as the driver needs to stabilize the engine feeds which is perfectly routine.

"If it were routine, I expect they would have done it before leaving. Or done it on one of the other thirteen expeditions the professor has been on," Rose pointed out.

"Yeah, but she is hardly going to say they have no idea what's going on," Sarah-Jane reminded her.

"They won't want to cause a panic," Nine agreed.

The Doctor walks towards the driver's door. The hostess tries to stop him but he flashes the psychic paper and says he is an engine expert. The Doctor opens the driver's door. The hostess tries again to tell him he isn't supposed to be in there.

"That'll just encourage him," Jack laughed.

There are two men in the compartment. Joe asks him to return to his seat. The Doctor flashes the paper again, saying company insurance, asking what the problem is. Joe tells him they are stabilizing the engine feeds, but the Doctor disagrees, saying the engine feed is fine, not to mention a micropetrol engine so stabilizing it doesn't make sense. Then he adds that he's the Doctor and very clever. Then asks again what's wrong.

They all laughed at the Doctor's antics.

"I don't think you needed to add the part about you being very clever," Rose giggled.

"Donna isn't there. He needs someone to show off to. These guys might actually be impressed," Jack laughed.

"I am impressive," Nine muttered petulantly.

"Of course you are," Rose assured him, only slightly sarcastically. He pouted at her.

The other man states they just stopped. Everything is working but they aren't moving. The Doctor scans with his screwdriver. He agrees there aren't any faults and asks who the guy is. He introduces himself as Claude, a trainee mechanic.

"And they've got the trainee," Mickey groaned.

"Well, if nothing's broken it doesn't matter how good he is," Nine pointed out, rolling his eyes. "It's not something any mechanic is going to be able to fix."

"Still, I don't like that it's apparently fine but not moving. What if the rescue truck ends up the same way?" Rose frowned.

"An hour is a very long time. Hopefully the Doctor will have found and sorted the problem by the time the rescue truck arrives," Donna said.

Joe tells him he's sent a distress signal and a rescue truck should be there in about an hour. The Doctor suggests that, since they are waiting, they should take a look outside. Joe protests that it's one hundred percent Xtonic out there and they would be vapourised.

"He wouldn't suggest it if that was the case," Martha said.

"We know that. He doesn't," Sarah-Jane reminded her.

The Doctor tells him the windows are Finitoglass and will give them a couple of minutes. Joe agrees and raises the shield to see outside. The Doctor says it's beautiful.

"It really is stunning," Sarah-Jane said in awe.

"Shame you can't see the view on the ride out there. Four hours of staring at that would be alright," said Martha.

"Yeah. It's one hell of a view," Rose agreed.

Claude says to look at all those diamonds. Poisoned by the sun so no one can ever touch them. The Doctor asks about the detour and he agrees, about forty klicks to the west. He asks if it's a recognized path and Joe tells him it's a new one that the computer worked out on automatic.

"Oh good. First time on a brand-new route and something strange is going on," said Rose with a groan.

"So, yeah, I'm guessing something lives out there and you've just headed into it's territory," Mickey guessed.

The Doctor says they are the first. Nobody has been to this piece of ground before in the whole of recorded history.

"That is pretty cool," Donna admitted.

"But maybe let's just take the regular route if we ever go there," Rose suggested.

"Definitely," Nine agreed. "Although, if something bad happens, we'll need to find a way to warn them, so nobody goes on that route." She nodded.

Claude exclaims suddenly, asking if they just. Then he subsides and says it's nothing. The Doctor asks what he saw. Claude points and says on a ridge he saw something like a shadow, just for a second. The Doctor asks what sort of shadow. There is a beeping noise and Joe says the Xtonic is rising and puts the shields down. As they are closing, Claude sees something once more, pointing to it. The Doctor clearly didn't see anything and asks what it was. Claude states it was like something shifting, like it was running. Running towards them.

"Of course it was," Nine sighed.

"Where else would it go?" Rose asked sarcastically.

"Well, whatever it is, is probably the cause of the sudden stop," Jack mused. "I wonder how?"

"Depends what it was. A shadow that can survive Xtonic sunlight and no air," Ten said thoughtfully.

Joe tells the Doctor to head back to his seat and not to tell anyone. He leaves and Sky is waiting by the door as he comes out. She bombards him with questions. He tells her it's just stabilizing. She states she doesn't need this, she is on a schedule and it's completely unnecessary.

"I don't think she's quite qualified to decide if it's necessary or not," Mickey snorted.

"Probably not, but it's a typical response to delays," Sarah-Jane shrugged.

The hostess tells them to go back to their seats before going into the cockpit. Dee Dee asks the Doctor if they are micropetrol engines. Hobbes tells her not to bother him, but she says her father was a mechanic and that micropetrol engines don't stabilize. The Doctor tells her it's a bit of flim-flam and they are sorting it out.

"A bit of flim-flam?" Rose laughed.

"I don't think that's going to comfort anyone," Mickey muttered.

"Not when they find out they are being lied to about what's wrong," Martha agreed. "That just means it's serious."

Hobbes asks if it's not the engines, and the Doctor says it's just a little pause. Hobbes asks how much air they've got. The Doctor tries to reassure him, but Val overhears and asks loudly if they are running out of air. The hostess reenters the compartment as Hobbes says he was just speculating.

"Well, at the bare minimum they'll have eight hours of air," Nine pointed out, rolling his eyes.

"And they wouldn't only keep enough for the extra journey time, so they've got plenty of air left," Jack agreed.

Biff asks if they are running out of air. The hostess tries to keep them calm. Jethro tells his mother to stop it and they all begin speaking over one another. The Doctor tries to get them to be quiet.

"Ah, shame Donna isn't there. She'd have had them quiet in a heartbeat," Jack laughed.

"Yeah, she'd have kept them all in order," Nine agreed with a smile. Donna smirked.

Eventually, the Doctor yells for everyone to be quiet and they fall silent. He hands over to Dee Dee who tells them the air is on a circular filter so they could stay breathing for ten years.

"Well, that's one less thing to worry about," Rose sighed in relief.

The Doctor says he has spoken to the Captain and can guarantee everything's fine.

"No you can't," Mickey pointed out.

"Well, it was that or have them all panic again," Ten shrugged.

Thump, thump.

"That's not promising," Martha murmured.

"I think whatever was heading in that direction has arrived to join the party," Jack said.

"Well, there's no room at the inn. Or on the shuttle," Donna muttered.

Val asks what it was, and Hobbes suggests it must be the metal. They are cooling down and it's settling. Dee Dee suggests rocks falling. Biff wants to know how long they have to sit there. There is another thump, thump, on another part of the hull.

"Is it me, or does that sound like knocking?" Rose asked.

"Definitely sounds like knocking to me," Martha agreed.

"A polite monster?" Donna asked in bemusement.

"Well, hopefully it can't get in and nobody is stupid enough to open the door," Mickey said.

"It's never that simple," Sarah-Jane pointed out.

"Yeah," Mickey sighed regretfully.

Sky asks what it was, and Val says there is someone out there. Hobbes tells her that is ridiculous. Dee Dee repeats it could be rocks. The hostess points out they are out in the open and nothing could fall against the sides. Another two thumps are heard, and the Doctor says knock knock. Jethro adds on who's there. Sky asks if there is something out there and another two knocks are heard.

"That's creepy," Rose muttered.

"Very creepy," Sarah-Jane agreed.

"Clearly something is out there. I wonder what it wants?" Nine mused.

Sky asks what the hell is making the noise. Hobbes says the light outside is Xtonic which would destroy any living thing in a split second, making it impossible for someone to be outside.

"Well, something is. Maybe it's not quite living," Ten said grimly.

Thump, thump. Sky asks what the hell that is then. The hostess tries to get the Doctor back in his seat, but he uses his stethoscope on the hull, saying hello. Thump, thump. Quicker now. Jethro notes that it is moving and the emergency exit rattles.

"Nobody answered so it's trying to let itself in," Donna said.

"Let's hope the shuttle is as secure as they say," Ten muttered.

"Hopefully, if it could force its way inside, it would have already done so," Martha said, though without any real hope of that being the case.

"It might not need to use force. The knocking could be a distraction," Jack mused.

Val points out it's trying the door. Hobbes reiterates there is no it. There can't be anything out there.

"Well clearly something is making the noise," Rose rolled her eyes.

More trying of the emergency exit, then two thumps on the roof, and two more on the entrance door. Val points out that's the entrance and asks if it can get in. Dee Dee states that the door is on two hundred weight hydraulics. Hobbes tells her not to encourage them. She asks what he thinks it is as Biff goes up to the door. Val and the Doctor both warn him not to. He says it's cast iron and then knocks three times, and gets three thumps in reply.

"Now it's copying," Jack noted curiously.

"Well, there was nothing for it to copy before," Martha pointed out. "Maybe that's it's form of communication."

"It's definitely something," Mickey muttered.

Val exclaims that it did it three times while Jethro states that it answered. The Doctor tries to get everyone to calm down. Sky starts to panic as she repeats that it answered. Another three thumps are heard. The hostess insists everyone get back to their seats.

"I think they are a bit beyond that," Donna rolled her eyes.

"I wouldn't want to sit in any of the seats by the edge, myself," Rose stated. "Bit too close to the knocking, yeah?"

"Oh yes," Nine agreed.

Sky yells at her not to just stand there telling them the rules. As the hostess, she should be doing something.

"I don't think there is a lot she can do," Jack pointed out.

"Well, I don't blame them for being scared. It's bloody creepy," Donna muttered.

"It's not her fault though," Rose sighed. "Poor woman, she has to be just as scared as the rest of them, doesn't need people yelling at her too."

"I'm surprised nobody is yelling at the guy who knocked three times," Mickey said. "It's not his fault either, but he's the one who did something to change the pattern."

The Doctor knocks on the door four times. There is a long pause before he gets the four thumps in reply.

"That's different. It was quick enough to respond to the guy knocking three times," Nine noted thoughtfully.

Sky starts asking what the hell is making that noise. She said she'd get her.

"She thinks her ex-partner did this?" Jack asked in confusion. "How would anybody even go about setting something like this up?"

"She's clearly terrified and hysterical," Martha said in concern.

Her voice rises until she is screaming at them all not to just stand there looking at her, it's not her fault. They try to calm her down while the hostess tries the intercom, but she just keeps screaming. The thumping starts again, and she repeats that it's coming for her. She backs up against the driver's door and screams again. The Doctor yells at her to get out of there. Then the whole shuttle rocks from side to side and sparks fly. The Entertainment System comes back online as the lights go out.

"That's not good," Donna yelped.

"Well, it doesn't seem to have broken through. There's no sunlight coming in," Martha noted.

"If it was a shadow of some sort, it might not need a large gap to get through," Nine pointed out grimly.

"But then it could have gotten in already, surely?" Jack frowned.

"Maybe. Maybe it's hunting them for sport and drawing it out. Or waiting for someone to crack and open the door," Ten suggested with a shrug.

Biff asks Val if she's alright. The Doctor lists off arms, legs, neck, head and nose before saying he's fine.

"I love how you added nose specifically, as well as head," Rose laughed.

"Yeah, you're not him anymore," Mickey gestured to Nine with a smirk.

"Shut it, Ricky," Nine growled.

The pop singer on the screen behind the Doctor is replaced by an image of Rose mouthing Doctor, Doctor, before it goes blank again.

Everyone gasped.

"A second. If I had kept looking for another second, I would have seen you," Ten cursed angrily.

"And there is nothing you could do about it. It would just make you lose your focus," Rose said softly.

"Or give me a reason to fight harder," he replied quickly.

"You don't need a reason to fight harder. You'll fight to save those people and you'll fight to make sure you get back to Donna, so she's not stranded on some whacko planet. And I'll find my way to you eventually. You'll see." Ten sucked in a strained breath.

"You're so close," he groaned, almost silently. "Yet still so far away."

"Getting closer. I've met Donna briefly, now I've managed to get into the computer system where you are for a few seconds. I'll get it right eventually. Nothin's gonna stop me."

"If there's one thing I believe in, Rose Tyler, it's you," he breathed. She smiled and hugged him tightly.

The Doctor asks if everyone is alright. Hobbes states it must be an earthquake. Dee Dee points out that's impossible as the ground is fixed. The hostess tells everyone to take a torch, shining one into the Doctor's face momentarily. Jethro is looking at something. Val tells him to come here, he says never mind about him, what about her. Sky is sitting amongst the remains of the front row.

"The seats!" Martha exclaimed.

"They've been ripped right up," Sarah-Jane stated warily. "That would be difficult to do from the outside."

"So, something did get in?" Donna wondered nervously.

"And she is somehow absolutely fine, despite the seats around her being destroyed," Rose noted.

"She did think whatever it was, was coming for her," Jack reminded them.

"Because she was hysterical," Martha pointed out.

"The knocking was heading in her direction. But that could simply have been because she was separated from the main group," Nine said, with a thoughtful frown.

Val asks what happened to the seats and Biff asks who did it.

"He thinks one of them is strong enough to have done that?" Mickey frowned.

Val states they've been ripped up. The Doctor moves towards Sky, repeatedly telling her it's alright. Then he assures her the wall is still intact. Intact but dented inwards.

"Something very strong did that," Ten said grimly.

"Strong enough to be ripping those seats up," Nine agreed.

"So, it is inside. Brilliant," Donna said sarcastically.

"Not the word I'd use," Jack muttered. She elbowed him and he grinned.

The hostess tries to call the driver through the intercom and the Doctor tells Sky they are safe once more. The hostess says the intercom must be down. She opens the driver's door and bright, light floods the cabin. An alarm sounds until she manages to close it again.

"Oh my god," Donna gasped.

"They are gone," Nine stated sadly.

"But how?" Sarah-Jane asked in astonishment. "It looked like the whole front section was gone."

Val asks what happened, and Biff asks if they lost the driver. The hostess states that the cabin is gone. Hobbes tells her not to be ridiculous and Dee Dee points out that they saw it. The hostess states there was nothing there like it was ripped away.

"And if something wasn't inside before, they've gone and opened the door now with the cabin missing. It's definitely inside now," Mickey pointed out.

"Oh, it's inside," Jack stated firmly. "Probably since that first hit when the lights went out."

Biff asks what the Doctor is doing as he aims his torchlight at the panel the Doctor is working on. The Doctor thanks him for the bit of light. Val asks if he knows what he's doing while Biff points out that the cabin is gone so he should leave the wall alone. Hobbes states that the cabin can't be gone.

"Oh, for god's sake," Rose groaned. "Of course, it can be gone. It is gone."

"Once again, they need Donna there with her infamous ability to wrangle just about anyone into doing as she says," Jack grinned.

The Doctor states that any rupture would automatically seal itself. He removes the panel and looks at the wiring, saying something sliced it off. The cabin is gone. The hostess asks what happens if it is separated and he states they have been reduced to dust.

"Those poor guys," Martha said sadly.

"At least they got the distress call out. Help is coming. At some point," Sarah-Jane reminded them. "They might well have saved everyone's lives."

"Assuming help gets there in time," Mickey muttered.

"It will," Rose said more confidently than she felt.

He tells them they sent out a distress signal and help is on the way. He promises they will get out of there. Jethro tells the Doctor to look at her. Sky hasn't moved at all.

"That's weird," Donna said immediately. "She hasn't even moved an inch."

"She was completely hysterical two minutes ago and now she's silent and unmoving. Something isn't right," Nine agreed.

"Well, the Doctor was close enough to tell if she was breathing, so I'm guessing she's still alive," Sarah-Jane said thoughtfully.

"Possessed, maybe?" Rose guessed.

"Still odd behaviour if she's been possessed," Ten said.

The Doctor asks if they have a medical kit and Jethro asks why she won't turn around. The Doctor asks her name, and the hostess tells him it's Mrs Sky Silvestry. The Doctor approaches her, asking if she's alright and to just look at him. She doesn't move. Jethro realizes the sounds from outside have stopped. Val is grateful but he asks what if it's not outside anymore. What if it's inside? Val immediately asks where and Jethro states it was heading towards Sky.

"He's going to turn it into a witch hunt," Nine growled.

"Well, there is clearly something wrong with her, and the knocking sounds were heading her way. I'm not surprised he's suspicious," Martha pointed out.

"Hopefully the Doctor can fix whatever happened to her," Sarah-Jane put in.

The Doctor tells Sky it's alright and that he just wants her to turn around. Slowly, she brings her hands down and turns around, staring into the torchlight. The Doctor slowly cocks his head, and she copies the movement. He moves his head to the other side, and she does the same.

"Getting creepier," Rose muttered.

"I'm definitely going with possessed," Jack said.

"As long as she is alive underneath whatever that is," Mickey said hopefully.

"It's still copying. It was copying the knocking and now the Doctor when he moves," Donna put in.

"Copying? Or learning?" Nine asked grimly. "If they are the first people in recorded history to end up in that location, it's probably never seen a human before. Or any species, except maybe its own if there are more of them."

The Doctor calls her name again and this time Sky slowly does the same. He asks if she is alright and then if she is hurt. She repeated them both.

"Definitely learning," Ten stated anxiously.

He tells her she doesn't have to talk, which she repeats and then that he is trying to help. It's repeated. Every time he says something, she copies.

Rose shuddered.

"Well, if it wants to learn how to talk, it certainly got the right person," Donna joked, trying to lighten the mood. They all missed the lightheartedness of the last episode.

"Yeah. He's been good so far, but once he gets up and running, it won't be able to keep up," Rose said with a forced laugh.

"Oi!" Ten protested.

Hobbes asks why she is doing that. She copies him too. Everyone else starts talking and Sky copies every single one of them. The Doctor tries to get them to shush, and she copies him too. Jethro grins and says his name is Jethro. Sky does the same and the Doctor tells him to shut up. He asks why she is repeating, then asks if it is learning.

"I don't think you're going to get an answer," Jack stated.

"Probably not," Ten agreed. "But if I ask the right questions, get her to copy the right things, I'll get answers anyway."

"Well, if whatever it is, is learning, maybe best not to give it too much information, yeah?" Rose suggested.

"He can't help himself," Sarah-Jane chuckled.

"Good point," Rose agreed.

He asks if she is copying, then absorbing. Then he states the square root of pi. Her voice begins to overlap with his and she repeats it exactly.

"What the hell?" Jack yelped.

"She didn't even wait for him to finish. How could she even hear what he was saying once she started talking as well?" Sarah-Jane wanted to know.

"And how did she repeat all of that without a single falter. She can't have just known that, right?" Mickey asked.

"Maybe it's slightly telepathic? Reading what I'm saying directly from my head?" Ten suggested. "No. That's unlikely."

"All of this is unlikely," Martha pointed out dryly. He grinned slightly.

Hobbes states that it's impossible and Dee Dee says she couldn't repeat all that. Val wants her to stop. Sky copies all of them. They all start talking over each other again with Sky repeating all of their words. Eventually, the lights come back on, shutting everyone up.

"Well, that was…interesting," Donna said weakly.

"No. It was downright weird, and very creepy," Jack corrected her. She elbowed him but didn't disagree.

The hostess states it is the backup system and Biff says that's a bit better. Val asks how long the rescue will take and the hostess tells her about sixty minutes.

"Well, Joe said it would be about an hour when he called for it. Hopefully it's less than that now," Rose said.

"She's not repeating anymore," Sarah-Jane noticed.

"What changed? The lights coming on?" Jack frowned.

"It can't be just that? They had torchlight before and there is plenty of light outside," Mickey reasoned.

"It got in when they lights went out, and stopped copying once they came back on," Martha pointed out.

Hobbes says that they should call calm down and that the woman is in a state of self-induced hysteria. They should leave her alone. Jethro calls the Doctor's name, and he agrees that he knows. Hobbes and Sky say that the same time that the Doctor should step back and leave her alone.

"Ok, that's new," Rose muttered.

"She's copying them, at exactly the same time. How is that possible?" Donna demanded.

"Even if she's learnt from the talking, how can it possibly know what they are going to say and say it at the exact same time?" Martha asked.

"I don't know. Back to the mind-reading possibility," Ten said uneasily.

"Except she only did it with Hobbes. She didn't copy Jethro or the Doctor that time," Sarah-Jane realized.

Val asks how she can do that, talking with Biff and now her. Sky has copied every single word at the exact same time. She continues to do so as Jethro states that she is repeating at exactly the same time. Dee Dee and Sky say it's impossible and Hobbes and Sky state that there isn't even a delay. Jethro and Sky declare that this is weird.

"I think you went right past weird a long time ago," Donna muttered.

"It still keeps getting creepier," Rose grimaced.

"I'm really not a fan of this planet," Martha commented.

"Yeah. Suddenly not so fussed about seeing that waterfall," Rose agreed.

Sky continues to say the same thing at the same time as the Doctor tells everyone to be very quiet. Val asks how she is doing it, ignoring the Doctor and screaming that she's got her voice, her words. Biff tells her to be quiet, before saying she's doing it to him. The Doctor tells them all to stop in. Then crouches down beside her, asking if she is Sky and if Sky is still in there.

"I don't think she is," Nine said grimly. "I think Sky Silvestry has been dead since the lights went out."

"That poor woman," Rose whispered softly.

"We still don't know what it wants," Jack pointed out. "It's been copying, or learning, but not even a suggestion of why it has taken over her, or what it wants."

"Good point, but maybe it can't express what it wants yet," Ten suggested.

"It's capable of knowing exactly what you are going to say and repeating it at the exact same time as you. Surely it can tell you what it wants?" Mickey asked.

"Not if it doesn't have the words yet," Jack pointed out.

"I doubt it wants anything good," Sarah-Jane said.

"Yeah, probably not," Donna agreed.

The Doctor says a bunch of completely random things, including the names of his companions, which she continues to repeat in time with him, before stating that first she repeats then she catches up. He asks what's next.

"Well, in theory, if it keeps progressing in the same way it should be her speaking first. Saying what you're going to say before you say it," Sarah-Jane stated.

"If she knows what you're going to say in time to speak at the same time as you, I guess it's not much of a stretch to be able to say it first," Jack mused, though he looked uneasy.

"So, this thing wants to learn, and it learns so quickly it can know what people are going to say before they say it? But we still don't know what it wants overall," Rose pointed out.

"Probably world domination or something of that sort. That's what most of them want," Mickey reminded her.

Dee Dee asks the next stage of what and Jethro states that it isn't Mrs Silvestry anymore. The Doctor agrees probably not and the more they talk, the more it learns. He is all for education but maybe not in this case. He ushers them all back. Val tells him to make her stop.

"I think that if he could, he would have by now," Rose pointed out.

The Doctor tells Val to go with him and for them all to get back. He calls to Jethro that he should move too. He reminds them it's fifty minutes until the rescue arrives.

"That's an awfully long time, Doctor. A lot has happened, and it's apparently only been ten minutes," Martha said.

"I know, but I need something to calm them down," Ten sighed.

He adds that she's not exactly strong and all she has is their voices.

"Words have power," Nine stated grimly. "Especially ours."

"Well, he's certainly not short on words," Donna snickered.

Val says she can't look at her. It's the eyes.

"It's pretty simple not to look at her and to stop talking," Nine said, rolling his eyes.

"They are kinda creepy, I agree with her though," Rose muttered.

"All of this is kinda creepy," Mickey stated. Rose nodded in agreement.

Dee Dee said that they must not look at goblin men. Biff nervously asks what that is supposed to mean. The Doctor tells him it's a poem and Dee Dee continues reciting it.

"Still talking!" Nine groaned.

"You should be used to nobody listening to you, Doctor," Rose laughed.

"Yeah. At least nobody can wander off on that shuttle," Jack smirked.

"A small blessing," Ten rolled his eyes.

The Doctor states he doesn't think that's helping. Hobbes tells Dee Dee that Sky isn't a goblin or monster, she's just a sick woman.

"He thinks this is just a mental illness?" Donna frowned.

"Impossible. No mental illness would give her telepathic abilities," Ten stated.

Jethro muses that maybe that's why it went for her. Hobbes tells him there is no 'It', but Jethro continues that the knocking went all the way around the bus until it found her. She was the most scared and maybe that's what it needed to get in.

"I know he's probably just being morbid, given what we've seen of him so far, but he might have a good point," Martha said.

Hobbes states that for the last time, nothing can live on the surface of Midnight.

"Stupid apes," Nine grumbled. "Always thinking they know everything."

"Like someone else I know," Rose smirked. He narrowed his eyes at her and she grinned.

"That man is infuriating," Donna scowled.

The Doctor says he is glad Hobbes has an absolute definition of life in the universe but perhaps the universe has ideas of its own.

"It usually does," Ten muttered bitterly, glancing over at Rose.

He continues that he has previous. There might well be some consciousness inside Mrs Silvestry but maybe she is still in there and it's their job to help. Biff tells the Doctor that he can help, but he's going nowhere near her. The Doctor says he has to stay back because if she's copying them then the final stage might be becoming them and if she becomes him, it could get a whole lot worse.

"There's that ego," Rose teased.

"It's not ego, it's the truth," Nine told her, looking affronted.

"Yeah, yeah. So impressive and all that."

"I am impressive!" Nine's tone had taken on a distinctive whine that made everyone else, except Ten, try to smother their chuckles.

"Course you are, love," Rose told him. He narrowed his eyes at her, trying to see if she was mocking him or not. Then she gave him her tongue-touched grin and suddenly he didn't really care all that much.

Val scoffs that he's so special and the Doctor agrees that he is.

Everyone except the Doctors snorted at that.

"You're all so rude," Ten complained.

"You really should know that by now. And have gotten used to it," Donna told him unsympathetically.

He states that it is decided, they will stay back and wait. Once rescue gets there, Sky can be taken to a hospital.

"Do you think a hospital really will be able to help her?" Martha asked.

"No idea," Ten replied, sounding both concerned and annoyed. "Might be a brand-new life form, but we don't know what it needs to survive. Not much, I assume, if it can live on the surface of Midnight. The problem is if it refuses to leave Mrs Silvestry now that it has found a host."

The hostess suddenly suggests they throw her out.

"What?" Several people gasped at once.

"He won't let that happen," Donna said confidently.

"Of course not," Ten stated.

"Honestly, if everyone just shut up and sat still for fifty minutes, it would be a lot easier," Rose sighed.

Hobbes is shocked and Val asks if they can do that. The Doctor tells them not to be ridiculous, but the hostess points out that whatever it is, it killed the driver and mechanic, and she doesn't think it's finished yet.

"It's inside now. And hasn't attacked anyone," Sarah-Jane pointed out.

"Yet. It's still learning. What happens when it's learnt everything it needs? I doubt it's just going to leave peacefully," Mickey asked. Nobody had an answer for that.

The Doctor points out that she can't even move.

"That you're aware of. Maybe it just needs to learn how to use the host body," Jack said grimly.

The hostess tells him to look at her eyes. She reiterates that it killed Joe and Claude and that they are next. Biff says she's still repeating at the same time. He moves towards Sky yelling at her to stop talking. Val calls for him not to and Biff states that she won't stop. Then he points out they can't throw her out as they can't even open the doors.

"I don't think that's entirely true. The hostess opened the doors when she was going to the driver's part. The doors were open for a few seconds without anything happening," Martha pointed out.

"Let's hope nobody else realizes that," Ten said sharply.

"You just know that one of them will remember. At least at some point. It's never that easy with you," Sarah-Jane told him. He sighed, unfortunately agreeing with her.

The Doctor states that nobody is getting thrown out. Dee Dee points out they can open the doors as it takes the pressure wall exactly six seconds to collapse which is enough time to throw someone out.

"And there it is!" Nine groaned. "Bloody apes!"

The Doctor sarcastically thanks her, saying it's just what they needed. Val asked if it would kill her outside. Dee Dee says she doesn't know, but it has a body, and the physical form would certainly be killed.

"Except you know it can survive outside, it was out there before. If you kill the physical form, it might just kill the real Sky and the thing will survive to possess someone else. You'll have just killed an innocent person and be no better off," Rose pointed out hotly.

"They are scared and not thinking clearly," Sarah-Jane said softly.

The Doctor repeats that no one is killing anyone. The hostess says she wouldn't risk the cabin door twice, but they have the other one. All they would need to do is grab her and throw her out. The Doctor tells them all to listen and says it might be a brand-new life form. If it has come inside to discover them then what has it found, a little bunch of humans. He asks if any of them could actually murder her, or are they better than that.

"I wouldn't put it past one or two of them. Val and Biff in particular," Donna muttered.

"They aren't killers. Not when push comes to shove," Mickey said hopefully. "They probably all would like to think they could, but if it actually came down to it, they'd want someone else to do it for them."

"Let's hope you're right," Nine stated grimly.

After a few seconds, the hostess states that she would do it. Biff, Val and Dee Dee all agree.

Ten stared at the screen in disappointment. He already planned to make sure this trip never happened, but he would have to make absolutely certain that none of these people got anywhere near whatever the creature was. He hoped his future-self could at least find out what it wanted or needed so he could do something about it. If he just warned the people on Midnight to avoid that area, they'd most likely just ignore him. He needed to get whatever it was, off-world. Or just stop the Leisure Company ever going there, but he couldn't police it forever. They'd likely go behind his back as soon as he left.

The Doctor asks what. Dee Dee says she wants her out and he tells her she can't say that. Dee Dee points out that he said she is growing in strength. He states that isn't what he said.

"Not exactly, but you did say the next stage might be becoming them. I don't think that's a lot better," Donna reminded him.

Dee Dee says she wants to go home.

"Well, rescue will be there shortly. And even if you throw Sky out, you won't get home any quicker," Jack said.

"I suspect she means get home alive, rather than get home that second," Martha pointed out.

"Well, either way, it's currently not attacking, and they know it can survive in some form out on the planet surface. If they make an offensive move, it might provoke it into attacking properly, and we saw what damage it can do when it ripped the whole driver compartment off," Mickey stated.

"Good point," Sarah-Jane told him with a smile.

The Doctor tells her she will be safe any minute as the rescue truck is on the way. The hostess asks what happens then. If they take it back to Leisure Palace, if it reaches civilization, it might spread. He says he will be there to contain it.

"I don't think they are going to trust you to do that," Rose pointed out unhappily.

"Well, they should," Nine complained. She smiled slightly.

"They don't know you. They don't know how good you are, yeah?"

"Suppose," he sighed.

Val points out he hasn't done much so far.

"There isn't much to do, so far. It doesn't seem to be spreading to anyone. Nobody else is copying or anything," Donna pointed out.

"Yet. Don't tempt fate," Jack warned.

"What I say isn't going to affect what happens," she rolled her eyes.

Biff agrees that he has just been standing at the back with the rest of them. The hostess states that she is dangerous, and it is her job to see the vessel back safe. They should get rid of her.

"It's your job to see all of your passengers back safe," Rose corrected.

Hobbes cuts it and says he thinks they might all be going a bit too far. The Doctor thanks him but the hostess reminds them that two people are dead. The Doctor tells her not to make it a third and asks Jethro what he says. Jethro states he isn't killing anyone. Val scoffs that he is just a boy and Jethro asks if that means he doesn't get a vote. The Doctor tells them there isn't a vote, and if they try to throw her out of that door, they will have to get past him first.

"Doctor!" Rose groaned.

"What?" Ten frowned.

"They are terrified and clearly willing, or think they are willing, to kill her. They probably won't object to you going out the door with her," Donna told him.

"Although, they must realise they would only have six seconds. Whatever is in Sky might not be able to move, but the Doctor certainly can. They'd never be able to get both of them out of the door in the time available," Martha pointed out.

"Let's hope one of them thinks of that too," Rose sighed.

After a second, the hostess agrees.

"Of course she does," Rose scowled, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "She'd bloody well better not actually try."

"Now, I agree he needs a good slap once in a while but throwing him out to die is a bit much," Donna said.

"Thanks for that overwhelming vote of confidence there, Donna," Ten said sarcastically. She grinned at him.

Biff also agrees. The Doctor tells them they are just being stupid. He asks if they could actually take hold of someone and throw them out the door. Biff asks if he is calling him a coward.

"Not being able to murder someone in cold blood isn't cowardice," Rose scowled.

Val asks who put him in charge anyway.

"He never needs anyone to put him in charge," Donna snorted.

Hobbes asks what he is a doctor of.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Martha blinked.

"He's being so defensive, I guess they think he is in league with whatever it is," Mickey said.

"Honestly, no brains the lot of them. Calling them stupid apes is offensive to apes." Nine glowered at the screen.

"You know his gob is only going to make this worse," Donna sighed.

"Yeah. You really should have known better than to let him go by himself," Jack chuckled.

"I'm not his babysitter."

"Apparently you should be."

"I don't need a babysitter!" Ten protested.

"Apparently you do," Rose sighed.

The hostess adds that he wasn't even booked in. Everyone else had tickets in advance but he just turned up out of the blue. Val asks where from and the Doctor tells them he's just a traveller. Val asks if he means like an immigrant.

"I thought nobody lived on Midnight. How can he be an immigrant?" Mickey blinked.

"I guess she means in general, not necessarily emigrating to Midnight itself," Sarah-Jane guessed.

The hostess asks who he was talking to before he got on board.

"What? Do they think he was communicating with something a few hundred klicks out on the surface of the planet by telephone?" Jack scoffed.

"Seems that way," Donna said in surprise.

"Or that it followed them without being noticed somehow," Mickey suggested.

"None of them are thinking clearly, who knows what is going on in their heads," Martha said.

He says it was just his friend Donna.

"Oh sure, give them my name so I can be arrested with ya when you get back," Donna complained.

"They plan on killing the Doctor, not arresting him," Rose scowled furiously.

"Even more reason not to give them my name!"

"They aren't going to kill me and Donna will be just fine," Ten assured the pair of them.

"You don't know that," Rose pointed out anxiously.

"They are just scared. And as has already been pointed out, they won't be able to get both of us out of the door in time. We'll be fine." Rose nodded, but she was still frowning uncertainly.

Biff asks what he was saying to her. Val points out he hasn't even given them his name and Jethro points out he's been loving this. The Doctor groans not Jethro too but he replies that ever since the trouble started, the Doctor has been loving it.

"Gets you in trouble, every time," Donna shook her head in exasperation.

"To be fair, Jethro was loving it quite a bit too at the start," Jack pointed out.

"But yeah, probably should tone down the excitement in a crisis, just a little bit," Martha told him. Ten nodded grimly, his mind on Queen Victoria. If he had shown less excitement there, maybe there would be no Torchwood to take Rose away from him.

Hobbes agrees that he does seem to have a certain glee. The Doctor agrees that he is interested because he can't help it. Whatever is inside her is new, which is fascinating.

"You're not helping your case," Rose told him in exasperation.

Val asks if he wanted this to happen and he denies it. Biff states that he was talking to Sky on his own before the trouble, right at the front. He saw them. Val agrees she saw them too.

"The Doctor spoke to everyone at some point," Mickey scoffed.

"But it was just to the two of them when the chaos kicked off, and they'll twist anything to justify to themselves what they want to do," Jack pointed out.

The hostess adds that he went into the cabin. Biff asks what he was saying to Sky and the Doctor states he was just talking. Biff keeps pressing and Jethro adds that he called them humans like he isn't one.

"Ok, I suddenly wish the kid was less observant," Nine muttered.

Val agrees that's what he said. Dee Dee reminds them he went into the panel and opened up the wiring. The Doctor points out that he did that afterwards. Biff asks how he knew what to do. The Doctor yells out in exasperation that it's because he is clever.

"Doctor!" Everyone groaned.

"Now you've done it!" Rose glared at him. "They are really not going to like that."

"And you have called them stupid quite a few times. Not without justification, but they won't appreciate you thinking you're above them," Martha agreed.

"Alright, my gob might have run away a little bit," Ten sighed.

"More than a little," Mickey snorted.

"And there's no 'might' about it," Donna added. He glared at the pair of them.

There is a second of silence before Hobbes states that that makes things clear. Biff asks if that makes them idiots and the Doctor says that's not what he meant.

"It kind of is what you meant," Mickey said, smirking slightly. "Us humans, all so thick. Stupid apes. Can't keep up with the genius Time Lord. You say it all the time. Except this lot have taken exception to it."

"I am a genius. But that doesn't mean they are idiots," Ten said.

"Even if they are," Nine muttered. Rose poked him in the side.

Dee Dee asks if he is so clever, what are they. Val adds that he's been looking down on them since the moment they walked in.

"That's not true," Ten frowned.

"Yeah, you've only been calling them stupid since this all kicked off," Donna said dryly.

The hostess states that even if he goes, he's practically volunteered.

"Excuse you?" Rose glared at the screen. "How has he volunteered by tryin' to keep you from committing murder? Now two murders."

"Yeah. Being rude isn't actually illegal, or a reason to kill," Jack said.

"Or the Doctor would have been killed ages ago," Donna muttered.

"Rude and not ginger, that's me," Ten agreed with a smirk.

He tells them to listen to themselves. Biff asks if they throw him out as well.

"Weren't you just saying you were ok with that?" Martha frowned.

"Well, I think they technically just agreed to get passed him to throw Sky out, we just assumed they meant to throw him out as well," Sarah-Jane said thoughtfully.

"Well, they've thought of it now," Jack grimaced.

The hostess agrees. The Doctor tells them to just hold on. He knows they are scared, so is he, but they all need to calm down and cool off. Hobbes says perhaps he could tell them his name. He asks why it matters and the hostess tells him to tell them. The Doctor says John Smith.

"They aren't going to buy that. It's such a typical fake name," Martha laughed.

"You really need to come up with a new one," Donna agreed.

"Guess I'll just have to use John Tyler. They already always think we're married," Nine said, smiling at Rose. She smiled right back, surprised to see he wasn't joking. He'd mentioned it before, but she'd never taken him seriously. Honestly, she constantly felt on edge, half-expecting him to tell her he'd changed his mind about being with her. That all of his previous reasons still stood, and they had to go back to just being friends. Maybe once they got out of here, and reality kicked in once more. But then he'd go and say something like that, something that gave her true hope for the future.

"So, no more denying it then?"

"None at all. Don't want the bloody pretty boys thinking you're available."

"You do realize that in the future, one of those pretty boys is you," she laughed. Nine glanced at Ten and wrinkled his nose.

"Let's not think about that, yeah? We have some warning, might avoid regeneration this time."

"Oi! It's really not that bad," Ten said.

Hobbes demands his real name. Biff says he is lying, and Val says his eyes are the same as Sky's.

"What? No, they aren't," Rose scoffed.

Jethro asks why he won't tell them and Dee Dee states that it's a simple enough question. Val says he's been lying to them right from the start. The hostess asks his name again and Biff states that nobody is called John Smith.

"Well, that's not true. I'm sure there are still a few in the universe," Sarah-Jane said with a smile.

"But I doubt it's as common as it was," Martha pointed out. "Although, if he'd introduced himself as John Smith at the start, I bet nobody would have had a problem."

"Yeah, but when he throws it out in the middle of a crisis, it does seem like a cover name," Mickey agreed.

The Doctor tells them to listen because they need him. If they are going to get out of this, then they need him.

"That's just going to make them angrier," Rose groaned. "True or not."

"I think, at this point, everything is going to make them angrier," Nine shrugged.

Hobbes points out he keeps saying that. He's been repeating himself more than her. Val says that if anyone is in charge it should be the Doctor. Jethro tells her to stop and look. Biff tells him to keep out of it and Jethro yells for them to look at her. Dee Dee realizes she's stopped.

"She's not copying them anymore," Martha said.

"Maybe she's learnt all she can from them," Mickey suggested.

"But she stopped. She hasn't moved on to another stage. Surely that can't be it?" Rose asked, eyes narrowed at the screen.

"Well, I doubt it's all over, but anything could be going on," Jack said.

The Doctor asks when did she, except Sky is still copying him. Val states that she looks the same and then realizes Sky isn't copying her.

"She's just copying the Doctor. Oh, that's not good. That's going to make him look even more suspicious," Donna realized.

"Or it's trying to focus on him. To become him, as the Doctor suggested?" Rose asked nervously.

"It seems to thrive on discord. It caused the chaos, and then possessed Sky when she was all alone. Now I'm at odds with all the others, it's creating another barrier between me and the rest of the group," Nine said slowly. "It's clever."

"Bit too clever for my likin'," Rose muttered.

"And mine," Ten agreed.

"So, what, you think it's a trick? That it's only copying the Doctor to make sure the others turn on him?" Mickey asked with a frown.

"Possible. Despite it not being the right time to say such things, he was right that he is the cleverest there," Sarah-Jane said. "If it really is telepathic then it probably knows that and if, for whatever reasons, it needs him alone then this is a good way to do that."

Biff asks about himself. and Sky does nothing. He says she has let him go. The hostess goes next. Nothing. The Doctor asks Sky what she is doing, and she copies him. Dee Dee says she is still doing him, and Hobbes agrees that she is only copying the Doctor. The Doctor moves towards Sky and asks why him.

"You're not going to get answers out of her. You're just talking more which you said was a bad idea," Mickey pointed out.

"He can't help himself," Donna said.

Dee Dee states she won't leave him alone. Val points out that she said they were together. Biff agrees. Hobbes asks how the Doctor can explain it, if he's so clever and the Doctor tells him he doesn't know. Val says to look at the two of them as the Doctor tells her to stop it. The Doctor crouches by Sky and says she has captured his speech and asks what for. She needs his voice in particular, the cleverest voice in the room, maybe because he's the only one who can help. He would love to believe that, but her eyes say differently. He promises to help her get whatever she needs. As he asks if they have a deal, Sky says it first.

"Oh my god!" Mickey exclaimed. "She went first."

"That's…weird," Martha said slowly.

"And really creepy," Rose added.

"That too," Martha agreed.

Dee Dee asks if she and Jethro states that she spoke first. Val says she can't have but Hobbes agrees that she did. Sky says she is ahead of him and the Doctor copies.

"Look at his face. He isn't in control anymore. She's not ahead of him, it's moved and he's copying her," Mickey breathed.

"That's really not good," Sarah-Jane said worriedly. "They already wanted to throw the Doctor out the door, if they think he's the one possessed, they really might try, and nobody will stop them."

"But she still doesn't seem like Sky. Whatever it is, hasn't left her. It just wants them to think it has," Jack pointed out.

Hobbes states that she definitely spoke before he did. Jethro says he is copying her. Hobbes asks the Doctor what is happening, and Sky says she thinks it moved. The Doctor copies her and she says she thinks it is letting her go. Dee Dee asks what she means, letting her go from what. Biff points out the Doctor is the one repeating now. Jethro says they are separating.

"But he's still only copying her. It hasn't gone back to repeating, or copying everyone," Martha pointed out.

Hobbes asks if it is Mrs Silvestry and she agrees it's her.

"Still sounds all wrong," Mickey said.

"Looks all wrong too," Donna agreed.

Sky says she is coming back. It's her. Jethro says it's like it passed onto the Doctor. It transferred. Whatever it was has gone inside him. Dee Dee cautiously says that's not what happened. Val says to look at her. Sky states that she can move as she wiggles her fingers slightly. The Doctor continues to only repeat her.

"And he's back to repeating. Not saying things at the same time," Rose noticed. "If it's the same thing, then it's already learnt to say things at the same time."

"He's trembling slightly," Martha said, frowning at the screen. "She was dead still."

"I'm probably trying to fight it off," Ten told her.

"Maybe that's why it's only repeating, not copying. If the Doctor is fighting it, it can't focus on telepathy and knowing what is going to be said," Mickey guessed. Everyone shrugged.

Sky says she can feel again, and is coming back to life. She points out that the Doctor can't move. She turns to them and asks them to help her.

"That's a trap," Jack said with certainty.

She addresses the professor who looks stunned. She asks him to get her away from the Doctor. He slowly edges around the Doctor, takes her hands and helps her up. She thanks him.

"Honestly, if I'd been possessed and whatever it was left, I'd have been scrambling away as soon as possible," Rose stated.

"She was frozen in one position for a long time," Martha pointed out.

"Or could be getting used to moving in a human body," Jack put in.

Jethro says they've completely separated, and Biff says it's in the Doctor. He said it was him the whole time.

"Even if the Doctor is possessed now, it clearly wasn't him the whole time, you just saw it!" Rose exclaimed.

"It's alright. I'm fine," Nine told her softly. She clutched his hand tightly, hugging Ten who tightened his grip on her shoulders.

Val says Sky has been saved. Sky says it was so cold and she couldn't breathe.

"So cold? Do you think that's the thing talking?" Donna wondered.

"Cold? It lives on a very hot planet. I wonder how it could possibly be cold," Jack mused.

"Well, it's probably pretty cold inside the shuttle compared to out of the surface," Mickey pointed out.

"If that's the case then why come inside at all? And if it was cold in Mrs Silvestry, I'm really not the best choice, given my body runs at a lower temperature than humans," Nine said thoughtfully.

Sky apologizes and says she must have scared them so much. Val hugs her, saying it's alright. Dee Dee says not to touch her. Biff states that it's gone. She's clean as it's in the Doctor.

"So why does she still sound so strange?" Sarah-Jane pointed out.

Dee Dee insists that's not what happened. Hobbes thanks her for the opinion but states that Mrs Silvestry has clearly been released. Dee Dee says no. Val tells them to leave her alone, that she's safe. Then she asks Jethro.

"His opinion didn't matter five minutes ago!" Donna pointed out.

"Yeah, but now she thinks he'll side with her. His opinion only matters when it matches hers," Mickey said bitterly.

Jethro agrees and asks the professor. Hobbes says that from observation, the Doctor can't move and when she was possessed, Sky couldn't.

"Not true. She turned around. She was crouching facing away from them all and then she turned around. Not to mention when she moved her head to the side when the Doctor did when he was next to her," Martha recalled.

"Yeah. She could move, at least a little," Sarah-Jane agreed.

"They aren't going to remember that. They don't want to for starters," Jack pointed out.

Biff says well there they are. As he shows on the screen, Sky is just in front of him with a slight smile on her face.

"Look at her! That's a smug look. It knows it's getting away with the trick," Rose said.

"It's obvious that Sky still isn't really Sky, but none of them, except Dee Dee apparently, want to notice. They were all ready to throw the Doctor out when he wasn't possessed. They want to think it's him," Jack stated grimly.

Biff continues that the only problem they have is the Doctor. Sky says it's inside his head. He is still copying only her.

"Besides, he's still copying her. They clearly are still linked," Donna put in.

"Yeah, we know," Ten assured her. "But they can't hear us."

"Never stopped us yelling at them before," Mickey grinned.

Sky says that it killed the driver and the mechanic and now it wants them.

"It's playing on their fears," Nine said. "Very well, too."

Val states that she said so. Sky continues that he has waited so long, in the dark and the cold and the diamonds.

"What?" Jack asked.

"So, it's cold despite the very hot planet and somehow possessing humans makes that better?" Nine frowned.

"Well, the only description we've had of it was a slight shadow," Martha remembered. "Maybe the sunlight doesn't touch it for some reason."

"Odd place for it to have evolved then. Because it certainly doesn't seem to have travelled there from another planet," Ten said.

Until they came. Bodies so hot with blood and pain.

The Doctors both grimaced. If it fed off of pain, that explained why it had gone after Sky and him. Sky had clearly been in a lot of pain over her breakup and he, well, he was always in a lot of pain these days. Worse without Rose.

Val yells to make him stop. Dee Dee points out that it's Sky saying it. Val tells her to shut up. Dee Dee says it's not the Doctor, it's Sky, he is just repeating. Biff points out that is what it does. The hostess tells them to just let her talk.

"Yes. Finally, some answers," Ten nodded. "Whatever happens there, I'd like some answers here."

Biff asks what she knows, saying she has been a fat lot of good.

"Like you've been any better. Or your wife. Constantly accusing people, wanting to throw them out of the door," Martha said.

"The hostess was the one who said she would do it first," Rose pointed out. "But those two have been particularly annoying."

The hostess tells him to let her explain. Dee Dee says that from what she's observed, it repeats, then synchronizes and then it goes on to the next stage which is exactly what the Doctor said would happen. Biff asks if she's on his side, which she denies. Jethro points out that the voice is the thing and Dee Dee says she is the voice. She stole it. It's not possessing the Doctor, it's draining him.

"Doctor," Rose mumbled.

"I'll be alright," he said with more certainty than he felt. He realized that with him being stuck as he was in the future, the only viable option to restore him that the rest of the group had available was to throw Sky out of the door as had been their original plan. He doubted that a hospital would be able to break the connection. He would have to break it himself somehow, or Sky would die. Unless she was already dead. There was a chance that the real Sky had been dead the whole time. It wasn't something he was willing to risk.

The hostess says she has his voice. Val denies this, saying she saw it pass into him with her own eyes. Biff agrees.

"I wanna smack both of 'em. They have no clue what they saw, they just want it to be the Doctor because they don't like him," Rose scowled angrily.

Dee Dee argues. Val turns to Jethro for support who says he doesn't know. Val tells him not to be stupid and Biff points out that of course he did. He reluctantly says that the Doctor was right next to her. Dee Dee states they are just making it up. She saw Sky stealing the Doctor's voice. Val says she's as bad as him and someone should shut up her.

"Yeah, of course. Shut up the one talking sense," Nine sneered.

"Because that sense isn't what they want to hear," Jack added grimly.

"All they need to do is look at Sky. She looks so smug, there is just no way it's the same hysterical woman from earlier being so calm and pleased about all this," Martha said.

"And they accused the Doctor of enjoying all of it," Rose scoffed.

"Well, he was," Mickey reminded her with a small grin. She stuck her tongue out at him.

Hobbes says he thinks she should be quiet. Dee begins to reply when he yells that it's an order. He tells her she is making a fool of herself, pretending to be an expert in mechanics and hydraulics when he can tell her she is nothing more than average at best. Then he tells her to shut up.

"Ooh, he is lucky I'm not there to smack him," Donna snarled, glaring at the screen.

Dee Dee looks shocked as Sky says that's how he does it. He makes them fight, creeps into their heads and whispers.

"Oh god," Rose murmured, seeing the pain on the Doctor's face on the screen.

She tells them to listen, it's him inside.

"Just one look. Don't listen," Jack urged nervously. "Look at his face. He's clearly in pain while she was smug the whole time she was copying. Or at the very least expressionless. It's clearly as different as night and day."

"They don't want to look," Ten sighed.

Biff tells them to throw him out as Val wants him out of her head. Val tells him not to just talk about it but do something. He says to watch him, he's going to throw him out. Sky agrees and says to throw him out, to get rid of him now. Biff takes hold of the Doctor from behind. Dee Dee yells for him not to.

"Don't you dare!" Rose yelled at the screen. Ten held her tighter.

"Right here. Perfectly fine," he whispered.

Val tells her it'll be her next.

"Guess I was wrong about them not being able to do it if push came to shove," Mickey muttered unhappily. Those two seem way too eager to be throwing people out to their deaths."

The hostess says they shouldn't do it. Biff reminds her that it was her idea. He asks the professor for help. Hobbes says that he can't, but Biff asks him what sort of a man he is. Val and Biff urge him to help, and Hobbes reluctantly moves to do so. The Doctor manages to hook his foot onto a seat.

"You're still in there!" Rose exclaimed.

"Course I am," Ten scoffed with a slight smile. "Might have stolen my voice, but it can't stop me completely."

"Maybe it can keep the voice," Donna suggested innocently.

"Watch it," Ten warned, though he was still smiling.

Sky says to cast him out into the sun. The Doctor is still copying her. Val declares she wants him out. Sky continues, saying 'and the night'. Biff tells Jethro to stop standing there and to do something. Val just keeps repeating to get him out.

"Now who is doing all the repeating?" Martha asked snarkily.

Sky urges them on, smiling smugly as they struggle to move the Doctor. Then she says molto bene.

"That's definitely a Doctor thing to say," Mickey said.

"Hopefully one of the non-hysterical, stupid people will notice she's slipped up," said Jack.

"None of them are listening to Dee Dee," Sarah-Jane pointed out.

"I think the hostess is the only other one who seemed unsure," Martha noted.

Sky then says Allons-y. The hostess states that it's his voice. Sky says that the starlight waits, the emptiness, the Midnight Sky, as the hostess states that she has taken his voice. The hostess realizes it's her.

"Thank goodness. Now stop them!" Rose yelled.

"I don't think that's her plan," Jack said quietly.

The hostess grabs Sky and rushes her towards the entrance door. She presses the button, and everyone screams as the bright light floods in.

Everyone winces.

The hostess counts to six. The pressure wall collapses, and the hostess and Sky are sucked out and the door closes. The men drop the Doctor who mutters repeatedly that it's gone, rolling to his back.

"Oh, thank god. You're ok," Rose breathed, burying her face in Ten's jacket.

"The poor hostess," Donna murmured. "Wasn't her biggest fan but she sacrificed herself to save everyone."

Everyone deflates in relief, trying to come to terms with what just happened. The Doctor manages to sit up and Val states that she said it was her.

"Oh, shut UP!" Several people yelled at once.

"You were screaming for them to throw the Doctor out again and again two minutes ago," Donna snapped.

"She's hopefully finally feeling guilty about encouraging her husband to murder an innocent person," Mickey said.

"Honestly, if only it had taken her voice," Rose muttered. "Not to kill her or anything, but really could have done with her not talking for the whole thing."

"Or her husband to be honest," Jack added.

"Although, Sky was completely hysterical before she was possessed. I don't think she would have been any better. I think Dee Dee and Jethro were the only two decent ones on there in the end. Even if they both had their moments," Donna agreed.

"The professor had his good moments, few and far between though they might have been," Sarah-Jane said fairly.

The Doctor just stares at her, breathing heavily. 20 minutes later everyone is sitting quietly. A voice over the intercom tells them a rescue vehicle will be coming alongside in three minutes and to prepare for boarding. The Doctor asks what the hostess' name was. Everyone looks around awkwardly until Hobbes states that he doesn't know.

"She didn't introduce herself?" Donna asked in surprise.

"Apparently not. We had everyone's name, even the driver and the mechanic, but not the woman who saved everyone's lives," Rose said softly.

"Well, she won't have to die this time," Ten declared.

At the spa, the Doctor walks towards Donna, grim-faced. She pulls him into a hug that lasts for a while. Then it shows them sitting and Donna asking what he thinks it was. He has no idea and she asks if it is still out there. He doesn't reply so she says he had better tell this lot about it. He agrees that they can build a Leisure Palace somewhere else. Let the planet keep on turning round a Xtonic star in silence.

"Definitely for the best," Jack agreed.

Donna says she can't imagine him without a voice. He smiles slightly and says molto bene. Donna repeats it and he tells her not to.

"Yeah. Sorry," Donna winces. "Won't be doing that in a hurry."

He looks at her sternly and says don't. Then the screen goes black.

"Oh, wow. That was…yeah," Rose let out a huge breath.

"I definitely preferred the adventure with Agatha," Donna muttered.

"I think we all did," Nine agreed.

"Yeah. This one needed a Donna in it," Jack smiled. "To add the humour, keep the others in line, all of that."

"Ah, can you imagine it tryin' to choose a voice between the Doctor and Donna?" Rose laughed. "None of them would have heard it repeating anything over all the arguing." Everyone chuckled at that.

"How about some lunch before we press on?" Jack asked. Everyone agreed to that and began making their way over to the table.

Nobody ate too much, eager to keep watching now that they were onto the future for all of them. Both Doctors, and Rose, were desperate to find out how she got back. And to find out if it worked and she was able to stay.

About half an hour later, they all retook the same seats as before and Jack got ready to put the next one on.