"The library, quickly," I ordered the butler who hastily showed us the room that Professor Peach had been killed in.

"Oh, my goodness," he choked out and I quickly led him back to the door.

"I want you to keep the guests out of this room, understand? My friend is a police officer so he'll know what to do. We can't have the guests seeing this, okay?"

"Y-Yes. Yes, of course," the older man stuttered, closing the door behind him as he stepped out and I turned to the Doctor, Donna, and Agatha as they looked over the body.

"That should buy us some time but I'm not sure what the butler can do against the hosts."

"Thanks, Fa—Jean," the Doctor replied as I headed over to look at things as well. "Bashed on the head. Blunt instrument. Watch broke as he fell. Time of death was quarter past four."

"A bit of pipe. Call me Hercules Poirot but I reckon that's blunt enough," Donna said, eyeing the pipe nearby as I went through the papers on the desk in search of a motive.

"Nothing he was looking at on this desk is worth killing over," I informed them, seeing Agatha snatch something out of the fireplace but saying nothing for now.

"Hold on. The Body In The Library? I mean, Professor Peach, in the library, with the lead piping?" Donna questioned as the Doctor flipped through books on the desk and I heard the butler struggling with the guests who were forcing their way past him.

"Let me see."

"Out of my way."

"Gerald?" Lady Eddison cried out and I abandoned the papers to keep the others out.

"Everyone out. We can't have you trampling on a crime scene. Greeves, if you'd be so kind as to escort the guests to the sitting room for the moment. Lady Eddison," I said, but the woman had a hand to her mouth in shock and I moved between her and the body, taking her arm to get her attention. "Madam, I understand this is a shock but my friends will handle this respectfully, so long as you'd let them. The Doctor works for the Yard. I swear to you that we will figure this out and I won't mention a word of it out of respect for you. As such, I do need you to allow us the space to handle things his way. Is that all right?"

"Y-Yes. Yes. Anything you need."

I nodded, seeing a few people still by the door with Greeves trying to usher them out. Seeing his struggle, I led Lady Eddison over and snapped at the guests.

"Have some courtesy! Someone is dead and instead of doing your due diligence and listening to your hosts, you're standing here gawking! Go with the butler now. To the sitting room. We'll discuss matters with you there."

They dispersed sheepishly at my scolding before I stopped Roger.

"Get Lady Eddison a drink, please. She might be in a bit of shock so do keep an eye on her."

"Of course," he agreed, taking Lady Eddison by the arm and offering his support as Agatha came up beside me.

"I'll go with them, just to be sure." She offered a hint of a smile though, giving my arm a squeeze. "Thank you for handling that. I know you dislike confrontation."

I smiled a little back. "Yes, well, I run a business. I'm bound to know how to handle things with a bit of decorum. Have a drink as well, if you need. Don't let any of them bully you because of your books."

She nodded and slipped away, leaving me to close the door behind and roll my eyes at the whistle the Doctor let out, giving me a look before he dropped to the floor to look for clues.

"Bit feisty, don't you think?"

I scoffed, idly looking around as well. "They're British and moneyed, as you said. They need a firm hand at times. Greeves was hardly going to provide that. Think you can keep up with the charade of working for the Yard?"

"Oh, yeah," he drawled. "I've got the psychic paper if I need proof, though seems your word is proof enough."

"I did say I was well-known in social circles."

"Why don't we phone the real police?" Donna asked.

"Well the last thing we want is PC Plod sticking his nose in, especially now I've found this," the Doctor replied, scraping up a bit of slime on the floorboards. "Morphic residue."

"Morphic?" Donna questioned. "Doesn't sound very 1926."

"It's left behind when certain species genetically re-encode," the Doctor explained as I raised a brow.

"I'll pretend to know what that means."

"It means, one of that lot is an alien in human form," he clarified as I groaned.

"Of course. So much for relaxing. Tell me, are you a danger magnet? Or do you go looking for trouble?"

He tipped his head back and forth. "Eh, bit of both?"

"Never mind that," Donna cut in. "Think about it. There's a murder, a mystery, and Agatha Christie."

"So? Happens to me all the time," the Doctor hummed, making me nod.

"Shakespeare and the witches."

He pointed at me to prove a point as Donna scoffed.

"No, but isn't that a bit weird? Agatha Christie didn't walk around surrounded by murders. Not really. I mean, that's like meeting Charles Dickens and he's surrounded by ghosts at Christmas."

"Well…"

"Oh, come on!" She argued. "It's not like we could drive across country and find Enid Blyton having tea with Noddy. Could we? Noddy's not real. Is he? Tell me there's no Noddy."

The Doctor shot her a drab look. "There's no Noddy."

He bounded out the door with us both as Donna went on.

"Next thing you know, you'll be telling me it's like Murder On The Orient Express, and they all did it."

"Murder on the Orient Express?" Agatha said, having been waiting just outside the library when we popped out.

"Ooh, yeah. One—"

I cut Donna off with a smile, pinching her side lightly. "You should think about it, Agatha. Trains make excellent locked-room mysteries."

Agatha hummed. "Yes, quite right. Marvelous idea."

Donna, realizing Agatha hadn't written the book she mentioned, jabbed me back out of spite and smiled at her. "Yeah. Tell you what. Copyright Donna Noble, okay?"

"Anyway," the Doctor said, drawing their attention back to him as I rubbed my side from Donna's jab. "Agatha and I will question the suspects. Donna, you and Jean search the bedrooms. Look for clues. Any more morphic residue." He whispered the last bit and pulled out a magnifying glass from his coat. "You'll need this."

"Is that for real?" Donna drawled shooting him a look as I sighed and moved up the stairs slightly.

"Just take it and let's go."

"Go on," the Doctor teased. "You're ever so plucky."

She snatched it and he grinned as Donna moved past me to climb the stairs and the Doctor turned to Agatha.

"Right then! Solving a murder mystery with Agatha Christie. Brilliant."

"Someone's dead, Doctor," I reminded him, shooting him a look as I paused on the stairs myself. "Don't be rude."

"Ah… right. Sorry," he apologized to Agatha who eyed him.

"I'll work with you, gladly, but for the sake of justice, not your own amusement," she scolded him as I smiled and called down from the top of the stairs.

"You're welcome to give him a good thrashing if he needs it, Agatha. He could do with some manners."

"Oi," he complained as I waved him off and went after Donna to search the halls.

I caught her peeking into a room and she huffed as she closed the door.

"What does the Doctor expect us to find here? It's a bit far from the library."

"Something off, I'm sure, though what exactly, I haven't the slightest. If all the guests are downstairs, it's not like we're going to just walk in on an alien."

"Fair point. Hold on." She jiggled the handle of a door; the first locked door we'd found.

"You won't find anything in there," Greeves said, having come up behind us and Donna huffed.

"How come it's locked?"

"Lady Eddison commands it to be so."

I sighed. "Greeves, could you unlock it so we can look, please? I'd rather not have to go down and go through the hassle of getting the Doctor to command it while also alerting all the guests and the murderer to what we're doing."

He hesitated but begrudgingly nodded, unlocking the room and letting us in as Donna questioned him.

"Why's it locked in the first place?"

"Many years ago, when my father was butler to the family, Lady Eddison returned from India with malaria. She locked herself in this room for six months until she recovered. Since then, the room has remained undisturbed. There's nothing in here."

"We'll be quick," I reassured him, seeing the child's teddy on the edge of the bed and feeling a hint of understanding dawn on me.

"How long's it been empty?"

"Forty years."

"Why would she seal it off? All right, I need to investigate. You just butle off," she shoed away Greeves who gave me a glance before bowing his head and leaving.

"You could be a bit nicer, Donna," I mused, heading over and looking around the room as she did. "He's just doing his job as a butler."

"There's a murderer loose and you want me to be all polite?"

"I find it's easier to be nice and seemingly plucky than to be aggressive when it comes to searching for criminals," I mused, offering her a small smirk.

"Oh, haha," she drawled before frowning. "You've searched for criminals before?"

"And been one, yeah," I shrugged. "Lots of occupations to try when you live forever. Cop, robber, doctor, teacher…" I lifted the small bear, feeling pain go through my heart at the remembrance of not only Benjamin but Sophie as well.

"You all right?" Donna asked, seeing my expression fall.

"I just think I know why she shut the room off," I muttered, placing the bear back before there was a buzzing near the window that made Donna huff.

"1926, they've still got bees. Oh, what a noise. All right, busy bee, I'll let you out." She went over to the curtains and pulled out the magnifying glass. "Hold on, I shall find you with my amazing powers of detection."

The curtains were pulled apart and even I was stunned for a moment at the giant wasp on the other side of the glass.

"That's impossible," Donna breathed before it smashed through and I grabbed her, moving her around the bed as the wasp followed us angrily. "Doctor!"

"Yelling isn't going to help if he's downstairs," I countered, feeling the sun on my back as we stood by the shattered window before I had an idea and grabbed Donna's hand with the magnifying glass, holding it up to the light.

The wasp squirmed and I pushed Donna toward the door first as I hurried after her, slamming it shut behind us and jerking back just in time for its stinger to ram through the door. I breathed heavily for a moment, hearing the Doctor come rushing up the stairs with Agatha, but keeping my gaze focused on the stinger that was mere millimeters from my stomach.

"It's a giant wasp," Donna breathed out to the Doctor, confusing him.

"What do you mean, a giant wasp?"

"I mean, a wasp that's giant," Donna snapped back, making Agatha scoff lightly.

"It's only a silly little insect."

"N-Not silly, or little, I'm afraid," I choked out, clearing my throat as I finally was able to get my legs to cooperate and take a step back away from the stinger. "Ooh, that could've been bad. Not dead though, that's a plus."

I pat my stomach to double check and the Doctor came over, looking at my shirt himself before he let out a breath of relief and turned to the stinger in the door.

"Let me see." He opened the door and stepped into the room but the wasp had vanished. "It's gone. Buzzed off."

He went to the window as I moved back into the room myself, still trying to wrap my head around what I'd seen.

"But that's fascinating!" Agatha said, heading for the stinger before I grabbed her and the Doctor hurried over as well.

"Don't touch it. Let me." He used a pencil to get some of the slime on the stinger into a test tube, eyeing it with a hum. "Giant wasp. Well, tons of amorphous insectivorous lifeforms, but none in this galactic vector."

"I think I understood some of those words. Enough to know that you're completely potty," Agatha commented, giving me a look.

"Sorry. He's… foreign," I offered poorly, making the woman snort in disbelief until I turned to the Doctor. "Is it like usual wasps? Does it just regrow its stinger? Because I'd rather not get nearly impaled again."

"Can we return to sanity? There are no such things as giant wasps," Agatha argued and the Doctor didn't deny it.

"Exactly. So, the question is, what's it doing here?"

We moved out of the bedroom, myself giving it one last look before shutting the door behind us. It was then though, that we heard a scream from outside and a crash. We hurried out and found the housekeeper and a broken statue. I could tell she wasn't going to last the second I lay eyes on her and the wound on her head, shaking mine softly at the Doctor's glance.

"The poor little child," she breathed before I closed her eyes as she passed and there was the familiar buzzing from above us.

"There! Come on!" The Doctor shouted leading us back inside and up the stairs as Donna scoffed in disbelief.

"Hey, this makes a change. There's a monster, and we're chasing it."

"It can't be a monster. It's a trick. They do it with mirrors," Agatha argued as we rounded the corner and froze as the wasp came down from an upper window. "By all that's holy."

"Oh, but you are wonderful," the Doctor cooed briefly before it turned toward us aggressively. "Now, just stop. Stop there."

It lunged and I pulled Agatha and Donna down as it flew overhead. It turned back around but Donna lifted her magnifying glass threateningly.

"Oi. Fly boy."

It took one look and flew away, making the Doctor scramble to his feet.

"Don't let it get away! Quick, before it reverts back to human form. Where are you? Come on!" He moved into the next hall full of doors and a dead end. "There's nowhere to run. Show yourself!"

All the doors opened and every one of the guests poked their heads out in confusion.

"Oh, that's just cheating."

"This just got a lot more complicated," I muttered, turning to the Doctor. "Do we question them again?"

"We might have to. They were all lying about something."

I nodded, seeing Greeves coming up the stairs behind us at the commotion. "Apologies, Greeves, could you bring everyone to the drawing room? We were chasing the culprit but having everyone in their rooms makes it difficult for us to determine their whereabouts."

He nodded and I looked to Davenport as he exited Roger's room. Because that's not telling at all.

"Davenport could you please help move the housekeeper inside? Unfortunately, there's been another incident."

"Yes, miss. Of course," he agreed and Roger offered to go with him as the only other able-bodied man in the manor.

I turned to the Doctor then with a sigh. "I'll inform Lady Eddison."

He nodded solemnly. "Yes. Thanks, Fallon."

I poked him hard in the ribs, making him wince. "It's Jean here, remember? The last thing we need is more complications with everyone on edge. Now, be a good detective and figure this out. I don't want anything to happen to Agatha."

"Course. Can't let your good friend get hurt, can we? Never mind the numerous novels she writes."

I rolled my eyes, lightly smacking his arm for the teasing and making him chuckle as I went to pull aside Lady Eddison. Sooner this is over with, the sooner I can do some actual relaxing. I glanced over at the Doctor's retreating back before turning away and shaking my head. If that will ever happen while I'm hanging around him. The troublemaker.


"My faithful companion, this is terrible," Lady Eddison cried as the group entered the drawing room.

"Excuse me, my lady, but she was on her way to tell you something," Davenport explained, hoping to offer her some solace.

"She never found me. She had an appointment with death instead."

The Doctor spoke up then, hoping to find some answers. "She said, 'the poor little child.' Does that mean anything to anyone?"

"No children in this house for years. Highly unlikely there will be," Mr. Curbishley remarked, shooting his son a look.

"Mrs. Christie, you must have twigged something," Lady Eddison started before Fallon spoke up from behind Agatha, arms crossed over her chest as she leaned against a wall: staring down Lady Eddison.

"Enough of that. Just because someone can come up with crimes for a novel doesn't mean they have to solve this one because you lot are clueless. Leave this to the professionals. If Agatha has anything to say, I trust she'll say it without you pressuring her needlessly."

"Jean," Agatha muttered in uncertainty. "It's fine, really."

"It's not," Fallon argued and the others in the room didn't seem too pleased with her stopping them from dragging Agatha into this mess.

"But surely you can crack it," Robina said. "These events, they're exactly like one of your plots."

"You've written simply the best detective stories."

"Tell us, what would Poirot do?"

"Heaven's sake. Cards on the table, woman. You should be helping us!"

Agatha was quickly overwhelmed and tried to argue, seeing now what Fallon had been trying to help her avoid. "But what? I've no answers. None. I'm sorry, all of you. I'm truly sorry, but I've failed. If anyone can help us, then it's the Doctor, not me," she half-shouted before running out.

Fallon turned to the guests in frustration. "You stupid rich morons, now look. Look what you've done. Don't you feel ashamed of yourselves? Nagging a poor woman into running off because you lot aren't willing to try anything yourselves. This?" She waved a hand at them as they awkwardly shuffled in shame. "This is why I don't go to your damn parties. Why sit in a room full of people who binge themselves on idle gossip and smiling through pain when I can pop into a club full of people just being themselves? Be with people who know what it's like to live properly, not just assume things based on their career choices. Don't forget who Agatha is. She may be a novelist but she's also my friend and you wouldn't want to be the one that crosses me when it comes to those I'm close to."

Fallon huffed and sat on the abandoned sofa, arms folded over her chest again and staring down the group of shamed nobles before Donna offered to go check on Agatha. The Doctor smiled awkwardly, trying to ease the tense atmosphere before lightly coercing Fallon into the sitting room instead.

"I know she's your friend but that might have been a bit harsh," he commented as she grumbled and chewed on some peanuts the butler brought when she asked for something small to eat.

"They deserve it. There was a reason I tried to avoid these parties."

"I thought you were out of town."

"In this instance, yes. I think I was in Nassau. In general, though, I spent most of the 1920s either hosting my own parties—very laidback events, I assure you—or I enjoyed a few nightclubs. Nobility just makes them less entertaining and more… places to spread gossip. Useful in my business but not exactly places to have fun."

"Yeah, I can see that. You hosted parties though?" He questioned, curious about some of the history Fallon rarely mentioned.

She shrugged idly, popping another peanut in her mouth. "I was well-known, people expected it, and sometimes it was nice to just let loose."

He smiled, glad that she was sharing, and nodded at her hip where the chain from her pocket watch was visible. "So, what's the story behind that? It looked pretty important to you."

She nodded, expression softening as she reached into her pocket and took it out, opening it and eyeing the cracked face. "I got it from a good friend. Go figure, he's another important historical figure. Making friends is one thing but… making friends with them is… so much harder."

Sensing he'd touched a sore spot, he reached over and lightly touched her arm, offering a bit of comfort. "Sorry. I didn't know."

"Yeah. It's… It's okay. It was a long time ago," she muttered, offering him a hint of a smile, further proof to him that she was slowly getting better after everything that had happened so far. "Abe was always sweet to me."

"Abe?" The Doctor questioned, the name ringing very familiar. "No. The Abraham Lincoln?"

Fallon chuckled, filling his hearts to the brim with joy even as she laughed at his surprise.

"You were friends with him? Oh, how brilliant is that! He must've been great. Was he really six feet? No, of course, he was. Was his hat as tall as they say? Oh, his speeches must've been amazing."

"He was the best friend I've ever had," she replied. "I was disguised as a man at the time but I'm sure he figured it out long before his end and he never said a word. I had him checking my memoirs as I wrote them and never once did he complain or call them fictional. He only ever wanted to know how I was doing. I just… I wish I could've done something for him in the end."

The Doctor's smile faltered, remembering how Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and how hard it must've been for her to know that and still get close to him. "I'm sure he would understand."

She nodded, managing a sad smile. "Oh, he would and he'd scold me for moping about it but… he was a good friend and I suppose that's all I could really ask for at the time."

There was a knock on the door then and Greeves poked his head in.

"Miss Noble and Miss Christie are asking for you both. Should I lead them here?"

"Ah, yes, please. Thank you, Greeves," Fallon called out, making the butler nod and step out to get them as the Doctor smiled a little at her.

"You really know how to fit in, don't you?"

Fallon rolled her eyes, though looked a little happy he'd changed the topic a bit. "Servants never get enough credit. Nicer you treat them, the more likely they are to help you in the future. My gardener is the son of a family who's worked at my home for generations. I keep telling them they can pursue other things but every time I pop by they're still there. Besides, you can find out a lot from the staff if they like you well enough.

"I'll keep that in mind. Were you ever a detective?" He teased, mildly surprised by the smirk she sent his way.

"I may have dabbled."

His mouth dropped open just as Donna and Agatha entered the room with a small leather case.

"Look what we found," Donna chimed, placing it on the table as the group gathered around it and the Doctor opened it to find a set of tools within.

"Ooh. Someone came here tooled up. The sort of stuff a thief would use."

"Lockpicks, small safe-cracking things, though nothing for any big safes. Small latches, maybe?" Fallon noted as Agatha spoke up.

"The Unicorn. He's here."

"The Unicorn and the Wasp," the Doctor hummed as Greeves entered with drinks for the Doctor, Donna, and Agatha.

Fallon had refused one earlier, more hungry than thirsty.

"How about the science stuff? What did you find?" Donna asked, making the Doctor hum, not yet drinking so he could answer her.

"Vespiform sting. Vespiforms have got hives in the Silfrax galaxy."

"Again, you talk like Edward Lear," Agatha mentioned, making Fallon snort only to choke on one of the peanuts.

She coughed to clear her throat and the Doctor hastily handed over his drink, which she swallowed eagerly to clear her airways. Once she handed it back with only a few more coughs, he continued.

"But for some reason, this one's behaving like a character in one of your books."

"Come on, Agatha. What would Miss Marple do? She'd have overheard something vital by now because the murderer thinks she's just a harmless old lady," Donna suggested, shooting Fallon a glare when she lightly kicked her foot under the table.

"Clever idea. Miss Marple? Who writes those?" Agatha asked, alerting Donna that she'd done it again.

"Uh, copyright Donna Noble. Add it to the list."

"Donna," the Doctor lightly scolded.

"Okay, we could split the copyright," Donna gave in before there was a clatter and Fallon's bowl of peanuts was knocked to the ground as she doubled over.

"Fallon?" The Doctor called out, hurrying to her as she choked and wheezed, holding her throat. "Fallon, what's wrong?"

He held her up in her seat as best she could as she tried to speak.

"P-Poison… The drink…"

The Doctor's eyes widened, turning to the two women. "She's been poisoned! What's in the drink?"

Agatha grabbed his glass and smelled it, recognizing it immediately and feeling her heart twist as Fallon turned in the chair and vomited with a choking cough; the Doctor rubbing her back with a frantic look on his face.

"Bitter almonds. It's cyanide. Sparkling Cyanide."

"No, no, no. Not again," the Doctor breathed, helping Fallon out of the seat to lie on the ground.

"I'm an expert in poisons. Doctor, there's no cure. I-It's fatal," Agatha said; a bit choked up herself as her friend grimaced in pain and squirmed while covered in sweat.

He ignored her though, looking Fallon over and coming to a decision. His eyes went serious and Fallon cracked an eye open with a wheeze, recognizing the determined look.

"W-What are you… thinking?"

"I can save you," he said seriously, making her grit her teeth, lean up slightly, and grab at his coat as he took her wrist.

"D-Don't you dare… You know w-what happens… J-Just let me go."

He shook his head. "No. Not this time. You've suffered enough and… and this was my fault."

She groaned, falling back to the floor. "I-Idiot."

"It was meant for me," he argued, furious that his choice of giving her his drink had killed her.

"J-Just let go," she murmured, already weakening as her vision blurred; twisting the Doctor's image into a blur of browns.

"I'm sorry," he breathed as her eyes closed and her breath stilled, "but I can't do that."

Agatha let out a short cry, turning away as her friend passed and pressing her face into Donna as she comforted her. Donna was worried for Fallon, immortal or not, but was afraid to say anything with their current company. The Doctor though wasn't about to let this happen again. She'd died too much and so many of those deaths had been caused by him. This was yet another one placed on his shoulders and even though he knew she would come back from it if he let her go, he couldn't.

He sucked in a breath, feeling that energy that was always in him tingling just under the surface and focusing it, drawing it out. His hand glittered gold, still holding onto Fallon's wrist—which had gone limp—and he brought her hand to his lips, lightly kissing her knuckles. Gold dust flickered over her skin before he brought their hands over her chest and closed his eyes. It seeped into her and vanished as he released her hand, waiting a moment before moving a hand to her throat. His fingers pressed to her skin and he waited patiently until a steady beat of her heart leaped against his hand. A breath of relief escaped him and Donna spoke up hopefully.

"Is she…"

He turned to her and the teary-eyed Agatha who didn't quite understand what was happening, before nodding with a small smile. "She'll be okay."


I woke up on a sofa, mind fuzzy and stomach churning slightly, trying to remember where I was exactly before my mind snapped back into place and I jolted upright. I regretted the action as my stomach twisted dangerously, covering my mouth should my body choose to vomit again. It settled slightly and I let out a small breath of relief as I eyed the room. The Doctor's coat had been draped over me and I heard voices just outside, recognizing his and bringing a hand to my head as I thought back to what had happened.

I was… poisoned. Or the Doctor's drink was, anyway, but then… I should've died. I shouldn't even be here if I died. I rarely recover this quickly and with poisoning, it takes time. It damages my internal organs and—

"I can save you."

I scowled, remembering the Doctor's determined look when he said that and given how off I felt now, something was definitely different. Something had happened and my body didn't feel right. The door opened and the Doctor stepped in, spotting me with a small smile.

"Fallon, you're—"

"What the hell did you do?" I cut him off, making him wince and awkwardly glance away as I made to stand. "Doc—"

I sank back into the sofa when my stomach lurched, bringing my hand back to my mouth as the Doctor hurried over.

"Fallon? Fallon, what's wrong?"

I glared at him as my stomach settled, wrapping a hand around it. "What did you do?"

He pursed his lips before begrudgingly answering. "You were going to die."

Frustration built up in me and I groaned with a shout. "That's what I do! Welcome to my life, Doctor. I die. All the damn time. So what the hell were you thinking trying to help me? There was nothing you could do."

He frowned, letting me know there was something he did do. "Haven't you died enough?" He countered. "If I can stop it, then—"

I groaned, dropping my face in my hand in annoyance. "You can't stop it. If there was a way to prevent it, don't you think I would've tried it by now?"

"I know there might not be a way to stop it permanently, but if I can save you—even just a few times—"

"And at what cost?" I snapped back, dropping my hand. "I know I, for one, feel like absolute shit thanks to you, and you can't tell me whatever you did was just some miracle cure."

He looked away in shame and I scowled.

"This is the last time I'm going to ask, Doctor. What did you do?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "My species has this trick. When we die, we regenerate. Every cell in our body changes us into a new person. I'm still the same Doctor, I mean, but I'm different. You saw that with my last body, with the leather jacket. It's just… that energy sits in us, dormant until then… or until we need it. In rare cases, we can… use it on someone else."

I kept a firm glare settled on him, knowing he'd yet to say what that meant. "The consequences of that being?"

He turned away, unable to look at me as he finally responded. "A few years? A decade maybe?"

I understood immediately and felt an onslaught of emotions well up in me. "Of your life?" I belted, grabbing him by his coat angrily. "Are you stupid! You're just—You idiot! You utter cock! Why the hell would you do that!"

"I couldn't let you die because of me!" He shouted back.

"You let me die!" I argued. "You absolutely let me do it because life is finite! Your life, their lives! Everyone! You all treasure that time you have because people like me don't get to! I die so you stupid, idiotic morons don't lose the limited time you have for stupid reasons! You don't get to take that away from me! That is my choice, my decision! If I choose to die for you or for anyone, you don't have the right to take that from me! Even if it is accidental! Even if it's messy! Don't waste your time because of some, some stupid need to be heroic! Use your damn brain! You—Y-You stupid, stupid man."

I dropped my head against his chest, still angry but exhausted and upset. Why? Why did he sacrifice such a precious thing for me?

"Please," I murmured, tightening my grip on his coat. "Please just… don't do that. Don't give up your life for me."

His arms hesitantly wrapped around me as he murmured softly. "I'm not sorry for what I did."

I scoffed lightly, having expected as much.

"But… I am sorry for upsetting you," he said as I pulled away and kept my gaze anywhere but at him. "I'll try to care a bit more about the time I have but…" He cracked a small sad smile. "When you live as long as we do, as you said, it's hard sometimes. You forget how."

Begrudgingly, I looked back at him with a frown. "I'm still not happy with you."

He shrugged, not bothered or having expected that response, so I slowly got up and wrinkled my nose in distaste at the flipping of my stomach.

"And whatever you did really doesn't agree with me. My stomach is not happy."

He frowned, taking my elbow lightly to make sure I was alright. "That's odd."

"Odd?" I argued as we made for the door. "You just put some magic healing energy into an immortal who was in the process of dying."

"Well," he rubbed the back of his neck as we stepped out, letting me go. "Could be worse, I suppose."

"Yeah, someone could have overheard us shouting earlier," I muttered.

"Nah, they're all preparing for dinner. Servants are in the kitchen, guests went to get ready, and Donna went with Agatha Christie."

I groaned lightly. "I'm going to have to explain this to her. How am I supposed to do that?"

"We'll figure something out. They already know you're recovering. She might not believe there's a cure but that doesn't mean she'll suspect anything of you." He glanced at me with a small smile. "She's a good friend, right? I'm sure she'll just be happy you're okay."

I wasn't entirely convinced, having dealt with enough people to know that even a small hint as to what I was could easily change a friend to an enemy, but let it go as the Doctor held the door open for me to enter the dining room. The guests started to filter in and I offered Agatha a small smile when she saw me with a hint of relief. She headed over and I accepted the hug from her before she quickly pulled back with a smile.

"I'm so glad you're alright."

"Yes, well, no one is truly safe until the killer is caught."

She nodded, expression serious but still a bit relieved as she gave my hand a squeeze and moved away to sit down. Food was served and the windows rattled a bit with the storm brewing outside; lightning cracking in the distance along with thunder rumbling. As we all sipped at the soup—something easily digestible, thank God—the Doctor finally spoke up, having put some plan into motion while I was out.

"A terrible day for all of us. The Professor struck down, Miss Chandrakala cruelly taken from us, and yet we still take dinner."

"We are British, Doctor. What else must we do?" Lady Eddison commented as the Doctor frowned lightly.

"And then someone tried to poison me. Any one of you had the chance to put cyanide in my drink. But it rather gave me an idea."

"And what would that be?" The Reverend questioned.

"Well, poison. Drink up," the Doctor chimed, making everyone but him and I stop eating to eye their soup in concern… until he explained. "I've laced the soup with pepper."

Mr. Curbishley chuckled, returning to his meal. "Ah, I thought it was jolly spicy."

"But the active ingredient of pepper is piperine, traditionally used as an insecticide. So, anyone got the shivers?"

I glanced around the room before the window flew open and something shattered in everyone's brief panic. The candles were extinguished, putting us in the dark and Mr. Curbishley went to say something only for the Doctor to talk over him and shush him.

"Listen, listen, listen, listen."

There was a familiar buzzing and I struggled to peer through the dark to see who was missing from the table. Mr. Curbishley is out because I heard him unless the wasp can speak and we haven't heard it yet.

"It can't be," Lady Eddison breathed, alerting me to two things: one, she also wasn't the wasp but two, she knew something about it.

Lightning flashed, lighting up the room and showing everyone somehow still at the table. I frowned now, uncertain about my previous deductions. Agatha stood, speaking into the dark as lightning continued to flash.

"Show yourself, demon."

People panicked then though, everyone getting up and rushing from the table. I stood as well, grimacing when my stomach churned and doubling over the table slightly.

"Nobody move. No, don't! Stay where you are!" The Doctor called out, but no one was listening and the wasp soon made its actual appearance.

I did my best to try and find who was missing as the lightning flared. Donna was grabbed by the butler and they fled first as something crashed. The Doctor shouted for people to get out and grabbed Agatha while I went to grab Roger, who was the only one closest to me. When lightning flared again though, my eyes caught sight of the wasp heading right for us. I cursed, pushing Roger away and grabbing the first thing I could to defend myself.

I twisted as the wasp lunged at me, using the large knife I'd taken from the table to try and keep its stinger away. I grit my teeth as I fell back against the floor, struggling against the weight of the wasp as the knife slipped along the stinger, stabbing the floor just off to my right. I slid the knife up, slashing at the wasp that screeched, and jerked back as the door opened. The Doctor, Agatha, and the butler burst back in as the lights came back on and everyone tried to calm down. The wasp was gone, leaving the Doctor's sword useless and me frustrated at having gained no further information. Roger isn't the wasp either. That's all I gathered. I thought I saw Robina frozen in her chair before I went for him.

"My jewelry," Lady Eddison said then, cutting through the silence as she clutched at her neck. "The Firestone, it's gone. Stolen."

I huffed, shaking my head slightly. A giant wasp attacked us and all she thinks about is some jewel. I pushed myself up only to hiss in pain, drawing my attention to my right arm. The stinger had sliced into my upper arm, drawing blood and burning terribly. I hadn't noticed the injury in the scuffle and knew that the second the Doctor noticed it, I would get scolded by the annoyingly caring man. But I don't have the slightest idea of what kind of damage that thing is capable of. I mentally groaned, not wanting to bother the Doctor yet again but knowing I might have to.

"Fa—Jean, are you alright?" The Doctor asked, having headed over to check on me once he eyed the others briefly for injuries.

"Could be better," I muttered, begrudgingly reaching up toward my arm and drawing his attention to the injury there. "I don't suppose you have something for this, do you?"

He winced, checking over the semi-deep gash. "I have the antidote in the Tardis. How did you—"

"It came after me. Or, well, Roger and I, I guess. I was grabbing him when he froze up because he was closest. The wasp came after us and I defended myself but there's not much to use." I gestured to the slime-coated knife. "Knicked him though. Not sure if that will help if he's changed back."

He nodded, lightly leading me over to Agatha. "Could you take her into the drawing room while I get something for her arm?"

"Of course," Agatha agreed, smiling politely at me as I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not a child. I don't need a babysitter or an escort."

Agatha pat my elbow though. "I'm just a friend taking care of another friend. Come. We can talk about the case."

I huffed but went along with her, hoping that we'd get this all figured out before someone else died.


The drawing room was quiet other than the sound of the Doctor wrapping up Fallon's arm after ensuring she was safe against whatever was in the wasp's stinger. Agatha was deep in thought, though cracked a small smile when Fallon lightly smacked the Doctor's arm when he pulled the bandages too tight. The door opened then though and Donna slipped through, closing the door quietly behind her.

"Did you enquire after the necklace?" Agatha asked and she nodded.

"Lady Eddison bought it back from India. It's worth thousands."

The Doctor though was more focused on the wasp creature. "This thing can sting, it can fly. It could wipe us all out in seconds. Why is it playing this game?"

"Every murder is essentially the same. They are committed because somebody wants something," Agatha agreed.

"So, we need a motive," Fallon huffed, drumming her fingers on her cheek as she rested her elbow on the sofa arm. "Did we find a connection with the victims?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Can't. Not when no one's telling the truth. What does a Vespiform want?"

"Doctor, stop it," Agatha complained. "The murderer is as human as you or I."

"You're right. Ah, I've been so caught up with giant wasps that I've forgotten. You're the expert," the Doctor chirped, making Fallon frown and lightly scold him.

"Doctor."

"I'm not. I told you. I'm just a purveyor of nonsense," Agatha argued as well.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Because plenty of people write detective stories, but yours are the best. And why? Why are you so good, Agatha Christie? Because you understand. You've lived, you've fought, you've had your heart broken," he explained. "You know about people. Their passions, their hope, and despair, and anger. All of those tiny, huge things that can turn the most ordinary person into a killer. Just think, Agatha. If anyone can solve this, it's you." He glanced over at Fallon with a sheepish smile. "Jean too, perhaps, given your own expertise in all things weird."

Fallon scoffed and after a short discussion, the Doctor decided that bringing everyone in would be the best way to explain things now that they had an idea of what had been happing.

"I've called you here on this endless night because we have a murderer in our midst. And when it comes to detection, there's none finer. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, Agatha Christie," the Doctor said, gesturing to the woman as the guests and hosts listened eagerly.

"This is a crooked house. A house of secrets. To understand the solution, we must examine them all. Starting with you, Miss Redmond," Agatha declared, startling Robina and drawing eyes to her as she smiled nervously.

"But I'm innocent, surely?"

"You've never met these people, and these people have never met you. I think the real Robina Redmond never left London. You're impersonating her."

"How silly," she said but when no one seemed to argue, she bristled. "What proof do you have?"

"You said you'd been to the toilet," Agatha pointed out from the initial interrogations she and the Doctor had done.

"Oh, I know this. If she was really posh, she'd say loo," Donna explained but Agatha brought out the case she'd found earlier in the night.

"Earlier today, Miss Noble and I found this on the lawn, right beneath your bathroom window. You must have heard that Miss Noble and Jean were searching the bedrooms, so you panicked. You ran upstairs and disposed of the evidence."

"I've never seen that thing before in my life," Robina fibbed as Lady Eddison spoke up.

"What's inside it?"

"It's a thief's kit," Fallon answered, flipping the case open and waving a hand at it. "The fake Miss Redmond is the Unicorn, here to steal the firestone."

The woman gave up her act, dropping the posh accent and scowling. "Oh, all right then. It's a fair cop. Yes, I'm the bleeding Unicorn. Ever so nice to meet you, I don't think. I took my chance in the dark and nabbed it. Go on then, you knobs. Arrest me. Sling me in jail," she said, tossing the necklace to Fallon.

"So, is she the murderer?" Donna asked, mouth full from some grapes she'd been eating.

"Don't be so thick. I might be a thief, but, well, I ain't no killer," Robina complained and Agatha agreed.

"Quite. There are darker motives at work. And in examining this household, we come to you, Colonel."

The man grumbled but was quick to speak up. "Damn it, woman. You with your perspicacity. You've rumbled me." He stood, stunning his wife and everyone else in the room as well, except Fallon who was hardly phased.

"Hugh, you can walk. But why?" Lady Eddison gasped.

"My darling, how else could I be certain of keeping you by my side?"

"I don't understand," she murmured.

"You're still a beautiful woman, Clemency. Sooner or later some chap will turn your head. I couldn't bear that. Staying in the chair was the only way I could be certain of keeping you. Confound it, Mrs. Christie, how did you discover the truth?"

Agatha just stared for a moment. "Uh, actually I had no idea. I was just going to say you're completely innocent."

Fallon lifted a hand. "I knew though. Your calves are well-developed for someone bound to a chair and there's fresh wear and dirt on your soles. Probably take short walks when no one's looking, right?"

He flushed, embarrassed as he sat down and Donna spoke up again.

"So he's not the murderer."

"Indeed, not," Agatha said, moving on and gesturing to Fallon. "To find the truth, let's return to this."

Fallon lifted the stone necklace, her being the one to figure this bit out. "You brought it back from India, right, Lady Eddison?"

"I've done nothing," the woman said stiffly.

"Got it as a gift, is my guess, back before you met the Colonel. You came home from India and locked yourself up in a room for six months, one that's remained locked since then."

"Stop, please."

Fallon's expression softened. "I'm sorry, but the toy that was in there… You were pregnant in India. You came back with Miss Chandrakala and shut yourself away out of shame."

"Clemency, is this true?" Mr. Curbishley asked, stunned as the woman dabbed at her eyes briefly.

"My poor baby. I had to give him away. The shame of it."

"But you never said a word."

"I had no choice. Imagine the scandal. The family name. I'm British. I carry on."

Fallon shook her head, frowning in slight disgust as the Doctor took over, giving her shoulder a light squeeze. She had, after all, just lost her own son. Seeing someone put family honor above their own child was easily something that could upset her.

"It was no ordinary pregnancy though, was it?" He said, startling her.

"How can you know that?"

"When you heard that buzzing sound in the dining room, you said, it can't be. Why did you say that?"

"You'd never believe it," she murmured but Agatha was the one to argue.

"The Doctor has opened my mind to believe many things."

Begrudgingly, Lady Eddison explained, talking about the young man she's met in India who revealed himself to be what he truly was, a Vespiform. She didn't care and became pregnant with his child, leaving her the firestone when his life was taken away by a great monsoon.

"Just like a man. Flashes his family jewels and you end up with a bun in the oven," Robina scoffed as Agatha remembered the words of the housekeeper.

"A poor little child. Forty years ago, Miss Chandrakala took that newborn babe to an orphanage. But Professor Peach worked it out. He found the birth certificate."

"Oh, that's maiden. Maiden name," Donna pointed out, understanding the scrap of paper they'd found.

"Precisely."

"So she killed him?"

"I did not," Lady Eddison argued.

"Miss Chandrakala feared that the Professor had unearthed your secret. She was coming to warn you," Agatha clarified.

"So she killed her," Donna tried again.

"I did not!"

"Lady Eddison is innocent," Fallon explained. "It's just that there was a connection between the victims that we didn't see. They were all connected to the child Lady Eddison had. The professor found out the truth and he was killed. The housekeeper knew the truth and went to tell Lady Eddison and she was killed. Roger, the new son, might have been seen as a replacement so he was nearly attacked in the dining hall should I have not gotten in the way. The Doctor was also nearly poisoned because he was nearing the truth as well. This all circles around the son. The son of a man who could become a wasp."

The Doctor spoke up then, keeping the narrative going. "At this point, when we consider the lies and the secrets, and the key to these events, then we have to consider it was you, Donna Noble."

"What? Who did I kill?" She questioned, earning a roll of the eyes.

"No, but you said it all along. The vital clue. This whole thing is being acted out like a murder mystery, which means it was you, Agatha Christie."

"I beg your pardon, sir?" Agatha said as Fallon brought a hand to her face to pinch the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

"Get to the point, Doctor."

"Right, well, she wrote those brilliant, clever books. And who's her greatest admirer? The moving finger points at you, Lady Eddison."

"Don't. Leave me alone," the woman scolded him as Fallon shot Donna a sharp look to stop her from asking if she was the killer again.

"Last Thursday night, what were you doing?" The Doctor asked Lady Eddison, who frowned in confusion.

"I was I was in the library. I was reading my favorite Agatha Christie, thinking about her plots, and how clever she must be. How is that relevant?"

"Just think," the Doctor pressed, turning to the Reverend, who Fallon had settled her gaze on after dealing with Donna. "What else happened on Thursday night?"

"I'm sorry?" The Reverend questioned, not realizing that Fallon had already narrowed down the suspects to just him; the only one who would be the right age to be the son of a Vespiform.

"You said on the lawn, this afternoon. Last Thursday night, those boys broke into your church."

"That's correct. They did. I discovered the two of them. Thieves in the night. I was most perturbed but I apprehended them."

"Really? A man of God against two strong lads? A man in his forties? Or, should I say forty years old, exactly?"

Lady Eddison sucked in a breath, understanding as well. "Oh my God."

"Lady Eddison, your child, how old would he be now?"

"Forty. He's forty," she confirmed.

"Your child has come home," the Doctor clarified, making the Reverend laugh.

"This is poppycock."

"Oh? You said you were taught by the Christian Fathers, meaning you were raised in an orphanage," the Doctor pressed as Lady Eddison looked toward the Reverend in disbelief.

"My son. Can it be?"

"You found those thieves, Reverend, and you got angry. A proper, deep anger, for the first time in your life, and it broke the genetic lock. You changed," the Doctor explained to the man who was getting more uneasy with every accusation. "You realized your inheritance. After all these years, you knew who you were. Oh, and then it all kicks off because this isn't just a jewel. It's a Vespiform telepathic recorder. It's part of you, your brain, your very essence. And when you activated, so did the Firestone. It beamed your full identity directly into your mind. And, at the same time, it absorbed the works of Agatha Christie directly from Lady Eddison. It all became part of you. The mechanics of those novels formed a template in your brain. You've killed, in this pattern, because that's what you think the world is. It turns out, we are in the middle of a murder mystery. One of yours, Dame Agatha."

Fallon elbowed him in the side as Agatha raised a brow.

"Dame?"

"Oh, sorry. Not yet," he grunted out with a small glare at Fallon.

"So he killed them, yes?" Donna asked, hoping the group finally had an answer. "Definitely?"

"Yes," Fallon huffed. "Weren't you listening to my explanation? Only person who'd fit being the son is him.

"Well, this has certainly been a most entertaining evening," the Reverend said, only for his smile to fall as Lady Eddison continued to stare at him in shock. "Really, you can't believe any of this surely, Lady Edizzon."

"Lady who?" The Doctor asked, making the Reverend frown at him as he tried again only to buzz even more.

"Lady Edizzzzon."

"Little bit of buzzing there, Vicar."

"Don't make me angry," the Reverend threatened, getting up.

"Why? What happens then?"

"Damn it, you humanzz, worshipping your tribal sky godzz. I am so much more. That night, the universe exploded in my mind. I wanted to take what wazz mine. And you, Agatha Christie, with your railway station bookstall romancezz, what'z to stop me killing you?" He spat, struggling to keep from shifting.

"Oh, my dear god. My child," Lady Eddison cried out as he spat one last threat.

"What'zz to stop me killing you all?" he changed as Lady Eddison begged forgiveness and her husband shielded her away from the giant wasp.

Agatha though grabbed the firestone from where Fallon had left it on the table. "No. No more murder. If my imagination made you kill, then my imagination will find a way to stop you, foul creature."

She took off with the Doctor, Donna, Fallon, and the wasp on her heels.

"Great! Now it's chasing us!" Donna complained as they shut the main doors behind them as Agatha pulled up in her car, honking the horn.

"Over here! Come and get me, Reverend!" She shouted once the wasp broke through and Fallon shouted at her.

"Agatha! What are you doing!"

"If I started this, Jean, then I must stop it," she declared, driving off with the wasp on her tail as Fallon groaned.

"Damn stubborn woman," she complained, grabbing the Doctor and pulling him to another car. "Come on! I'll drive!"

The trio got in and Fallon sped after Agatha as fast as the car would allow while Donna spoke up in the back.

"You said this is the night Agatha Christie loses her memory."

"Time is in flux, Donna. For all we know, this is the night Agatha Christie loses her life and history gets changed," the Doctor countered.

"Dammit. Where the hell is she going?" Fallon cursed and even the Doctor was confused as a sign for the nearby lake came up.

"The lake. She's heading for the lake. What's she doing?"

The group pulled up as Agatha got out of her car and held up the firestone.

"Here I am, the honey in the trap. Come to me, Vespiform."

The Vespiform drifted closer as the others hesitated nearby, uncertain as to what to do for the moment.

"She's controlling it," Donna breathed as the Doctor explained.

"Its mind is based on her thought processes. They're linked."

"Quite so, Doctor. If I die, then this creature might die with me," Agatha declared, holding up a hand when Fallon took a step closer. "Stay there, Jean. Please. Don't interfere."

"Don't interfere? You're saying you'll die!" Fallon argued, looking over at the Vespiform. "You've got a brain, right? Don't hurt her just because she writes good stories!"

The Doctor tried as well. "She's right! You're not meant to be like this. You've got the wrong template in your mind."

"It's not listening to you," Donna said, worried before making the first move, grabbing the firestone and throwing it into the lake.

The Vespiform screeched, flying after it and diving into the lake. The group stood there for a moment, watching the water glow and bubble as the wasp struggled underneath.

"How do you kill a wasp? Drown it, just like his father," Donna murmured, making the Doctor frown.

"Donna, that thing couldn't help itself."

"Neither could I," she argued. "And if I hadn't done it, Fallon would have."

The Doctor ran a hand through his hair, knowing he couldn't argue that as Agatha spoke up with a soft sigh of remorse.

"Death comes as the end, and justice is served."

"Murder at the Vicar's rage. Needs a bit of work," the Doctor offered as Agatha turned to him with a frown.

"Just one mystery left, Doctor. Who exactly are you and why do I suddenly feel like I don't know who you are anymore, Jean? Or is it Fallon?"

Fallon winced at the accusation only to lurch forward when Agatha suddenly doubled over in pain. "Agatha? Doctor, what's wrong with her?"

"Oh, it's the Firestone. It's part of the Vespiform's mind. It's dying and it's connected to Agatha," he explained, worried himself as she glowed until Agatha suddenly relaxed, unconscious but no worse for wear and no longer glowing. "He let her go. Right at the end, the Vespiform chose to save someone's life."

"Is she alright, Doctor?" Fallon pressed as the Doctor smacked his forehead.

"Of course. The amnesia. Wiped her mind of everything that happened. The wasp, the murders."

"And us. She'll forget about us," Donna reminded him, making Fallon's expression fall into something more somber.

"Yeah, but we've solved another riddle. The mystery of Agatha Christie. And tomorrow morning, her car gets found by the side of a lake. A few days later, she turns up in a hotel at Harrogate with no idea of what just happened." He reached over and gave Fallon a small squeeze of her shoulder. "Really am sorry though, Fallon."

She shook her head as they got up and the Doctor scooped Agatha into his arms. "No, it's… it's fine. I dealt with it well enough, anyway. It was nice rebuilding our friendship at the time. Whole new experience."

He smiled, glad she saw something positive out of the whole thing as they got in their car and headed back toward where the Doctor had parked the Tardis.

"Where'd you learn to drive this thing?" Donna asked Fallon as they climbed out of the car and Fallon shot her a look.

"You do remember I'm immortal and lived through Earth's human history, right?"

"Well, maybe you can teach this dumbo a thing or two," she teased the Doctor who shot her a look as he carried Agatha into the Tardis and set her down on the jumpseat.

"I drive fine, thank you."

"Oh, yeah. Sure you do. Hurry up then, spaceman. Chop, chop."

He rolled his eyes, sending the Tardis to the hotel at the right time and leaving Agatha just outside as she started to stir back to life.

"No one'll ever know," he hummed as they watched her wander off.

"Lady Eddison, the Colonel, and all the staff. What about them?" Donna asked.

"Shameful story. They'd never talk of it. Too British. While the Unicorn does a bunk back to London town. She can never even say she was there. Fallon probably would've mentioned something except this is her future technically."

Fallon hummed, leaning against the Tardis. "Yeah, the Fallon who would've been at the party avoided it by heading out on vacation. I avoid the posh British parties usually."

"What happens to Agatha?"

"Oh, great life. Met another man, married again. Saw the world. Wrote and wrote and wrote."

Fallon leaned toward Donna. "I hooked her up with them. Their first date was adorably awkward. Had to leave partway through the meal so they'd be forced to talk to one another."

Donna smiled at that before her smile faltered. "She never thought her books were any good, though. And she must have spent all those years wondering."

Fallon sighed as they went back inside. "I told her again and again how wonderful her books were. She never had a good sense of self-worth. Always degrading herself. Best I could do was remind her that she'd always have me as a fan and I'd come to her house and scold her for days if she chose to stop writing."

"Thing is," the Doctor hummed, tossing his coat over a pillar. "I don't think she ever quite forgot. Great mind like that, some of the details kept bleeding through. All the stuff her imagination could use. Like, Miss Marple."

Donna clicked her tongue with a sigh. "I should have made her sign a contract."

"And—" He hurried off, searching before pulling up a grating and heaving out an old chest. "There it is. C. That is C for Cybermen, C for Carrionites, and Christie, Agatha. Look at that."

It was a book with a giant wasp on the cover, making the group smile.

"She did remember," Donna breathed.

"Somewhere in the back of her mind, it all lingered. And that's not all. Look at the copyright page."

Donna took the book and opened it, reading it out in shock. "Facsimile edition, published in the year five billion!"

Even Fallon was surprised as the Doctor grinned.

"People never stop reading them. She is the best-selling novelist of all time."

"But she never knew," Donna pressed.

"Well, no one knows how they're going to be remembered. All we can do is hope for the best. Maybe that's what kept her writing. Same thing keeps me traveling. Onwards?"

Donna smiled as they got up off the floor and the Doctor tucked the chest away. "Onwards."

"What about you then, Fallon?" The Doctor hummed, cracking a smile. "Still feel up to it? Poison's not still bugging you, is it?"

"It was your regeneration nonsense that was bugging me," Fallon corrected but sighed and grabbed hold of the railing. "But I'm alright. Onwards we go."

"Brilliant."