"Raelyn!" the Doctor greeted, rather enthusiastically as the brunette entered the console room, much to Rose's annoyance "now that you're here we can go".
"Go where?" Raelyn questioned.
"Wherever you like", the Time Lord answered.
"Ok…how about…forwards? Say a hundred years", the violet eyed teen suggested. As she was looking at the Doctor, she missed the glare Rose was giving her. The Time Lord pulls a lever and then turns a knob. The two girls held onto the console as the TARDIS shook for a few moments.
"There you go. Step outside those doors, it's the twenty second century", the Doctor said as when it stopped shaking.
"You're kidding", Rose said, trying to ignore the hatred she was feeling toward Jenna.
"That's a bit boring, though", the Time Lord remarked "Do you want to go further?"
"Fine by me", the blonde agreed. She didn't care where they went…the past…the future…a different planet…although she'd much rather that Raelyn wasn't tagging along.
"Same here", the brunette in question added. The TARDIS shook again as the Doctor took them further into the future.
"Ten thousand years in the future. Step outside, it's the year 12005, the new Roman Empire", he declared.
"You think you're so impressive", Raelyn teased.
"I am so impressive", the Doctor defensively.
"You wish!" the brunette playfully retorted.
"Maybe in the next life", Naiyah teased, causing the Time Lord to shoot a mock glare at the ghost.
The Time Lord gave her a mock glare "Right then, you asked for it", he said, mainly to his deceased best friend "I know exactly where to go. Hold on!"
The TARDIS shakes for a longer amount of time "Where are we?" Rose asked when it stopped. The Doctor didn't say anything, just gestured to the doors. Raelyn ran down the ramp and out the door. The Time Lord and the still irate blonde followed suit.
The Doctor used his sonic on a panel near the door which opened the shutters on the large window. Rose and Raelyn looked at their home planet floating in space "You lot, you spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. But you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive. This is the year 5.5/apple/26. 5 billion years in your future, and this is the day the Sun expands", the Time Lord explained. His two companions watched as the sun flared and turned red. "Welcome to the end of the world", he added.
Shuttles five and six now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for fifteen thirty nine followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite.
"So, when it says guests, does that mean people?" Rose asked as they walked down the corridor.
"Depends, what you mean by people", the Doctor replied vaguely.
"I mean people. What do you mean?" the blonde questioned, confused.
"I'm guessing he means aliens", Raelyn stated and the Time Lord nods in confirmation "but what are they doing on board this spaceship?"
"It's not really a spaceship, more like an observation deck", the Doctor corrected "The great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn", he used his sonic on a wall panel and the door slid open.
"What for?" Rose pressed, still utterly lost.
"Fun", the Doctor replied. The trio stepped inside a large observation gallery.
"I'm sorry, but HOW is watching our home planet burn fun?" Raelyn demanded. She didn't see any hilarity in witnessing the death of the Earth. Granted she knew it was bound to happen in many…many…many years down the line but it didn't mean she wanted to see it? Did the Doctor seriously think this would be a good first trip for them? How messed up was he?!
"Rae I thought…" the Time Lord started.
"No", the angry brunette snapped "no you didn't. Cos if you had even used a fraction of that big brain of yours you would've realised…"
"She is coming…"
"You would've realised…" Raelyn tried again.
"She brings great gifts of peace…"
"This can't be happening", the uneasy 19 year old muttered, stepping away from the Doctor, her eyes darting about to look for the source of the voices.
"Uh I think you find it IS happening", Rose rudely piped up "honestly. Total nutbar", she scoffed.
The Doctor shot her annoyed look. Clearly something was unsettling the young Smith and it was way more than his choice of destination. "Raelyn, talk to me", he softly urged "what's happening?"
"But these are lies"
Raelyn's eyes locked onto a W shaped crack on the farthest wall. "It can't be", she breathed, all colour draining from her face.
"What can't it be?" Rose questioned, staring to get even more irritated by this apparent melt down the brunette was having "And what on Earth are you looking at?"
"The crack", the 19 year old replied, her voice shaky. The Doctor frowned as he stared at the spot she seemed fixated on but there was nothing there.
"I don't see anything", he admits.
"Me neither", Rose added "clearly she's having some kind of melt down and needs to be taken home immediately".
"Rose that's enough", the Time Lord snapped, causing the blonde to be taken aback "what does it look like?" he enquired to Raelyn.
"Like a large W with a slight glow to it", the brunette answered "its hard to miss. You honestly can't see it?"
"I…" the Doctor began.
"Who the hell are you?" a blue skinned man demanded as he strolled towards them.
"Oh! That's nice, thanks", the Doctor said, somewhat sarcastically a bit annoyed that he interrupted them. Raelyn was currently experiencing something that clearly scared her…something he couldn't see and he didn't like that one bit. He needed answers and this blue…Smurf had just ruined it!
"B-but how did you get in?" the alien spluttered "This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked! They're on their way any second now!"
Rose openly gaped at the man, well she couldn't help it. He was blue! Raelyn on the other hand, was still fixated on the crack she hadn't seen since she was a little girl. "That's me. I'm a guest", the Doctor said, pulling out his psychic paper. "Look, I've got an invitation. The Doctor, my wife Raelyn and our plus one", he explained taking the brunette's hand, startling her "I'm the Doctor, this is my wife Raelyn".
"Hi", the 19 year old said hastily before turning her attention back to the crack. Much to her surprise, it had disappeared!
"This is Rose Tyler", the Doctor continued "She's our plus one. Is that all right?"
"Well, obviously. Apologies, et cetera. If you're on board, we'd better start. Enjoy", the man said and walked to a lecturn.
The moment he left, the Doctor showed Rose and Raelyn the leather wallet "The paper's slightly psychic. It shows them whatever I want them to see. Saves a lot of time", he explained.
"Maybe if it weren't blank", the brunette remarked, having cast a very brief glance at it. The Time Lord looked at the psychic paper and back at the enigma that was Raelyn Smith but she was already gone, heading for the wall she had been staring.
"He's blue", Rose stated though she was a bit irked that he'd selected Raelyn as his 'wife' whereas she was stuck as the lowly plus one. It wasn't fair!
"Yeah", the Time Lord said, not at all bothered by it.
"And why did you call her your wife?" the blonde demanded "she's a headcase!"
"That right there. THAT is why I chose you as the plus one", the Doctor states "Raelyn is not a headcase", he added firmly "she's…quirky". Quirky probably wasn't the best way to describe the brunette but it seemed to be nicer than anything else he could've said at the moment. Besides, even Rose had been decent toward the other 19 year old, he'd probably would've still chosen Raelyn to play his 'wife'. Perhaps it was the link she appeared to have with his dearly departed best friend but it just felt…natural.
Rose opened her mouth to rebuke his defence, the Steward spoke. "We have in attendance, the Doctor, his wife Raelynand Rose Tyler. Thank you! All staff to their positions" the steward clapped his hands and small blue skinned start scurrying around. "And now, might I introduce the next honoured guest, representing the Forest of Cheem, we have Trees. Namely, Jabe, Lute and Coffa".
This had Raelyn pause in her inspection of the wall to take in the three tree-like people walk through the doors. "There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace", the steward explained "If you could keep the room circulating, thank you. Next, from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco, we have the Moxx of Balhoon".
The Doctor grinned as another small blue alien entered sitting on a cushioned remote controlled seat. Raelyn tilted her head, eyeing the Moxx curiously while Rose appeared to be slightly bewildered. "And next, from Financial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Meme".
A group of black robed beings entered the room. "The inventors of Hypo-slip Travel Systems, the brothers Hop Pyleen"
Two fur clad reptilian type aliens entered.
"Cal 'Spark Plug'"
Two more aliens walked in wearing floor length robes with large dome hoods.
"Mister and Mrs Pakoo"
Two bird like beings came in next.
"The Ambassadors from the City State of Binding Light"
Another two aliens entered. They reminded Raelyn of a goblin similar to those in Harry Potter but bald. Jabe and her two companions approach the Doctor and Rose. "The Gift of Peace", Jabe said handing the former a small pot with a little twig sticking out of the soil "I bring you a cutting of my Grandfather".
"Thank you", the Doctor said giving it to Rose. He patted himself down for something he could give to her in return.
"Here you go", Raelyn piped up from behind them. Jabe turned to see the brunette holding out a green plaited bracelet. It was part of a set of seven individual bracelets, each one a colour of the rainbow. They were given to her as a thank you gift from a grateful little girl named Claire. Raelyn felt bad giving one of the bracelets away but they didn't have anything else to give as a gift.
"I give to you a bracelet of friendship", she said handing it over.
"Thank you", Jabe said. Then she and her companions walked away.
"Quick thinking", the Doctor remarked.
"I couldn't very well leave my husband in a lurch now, do I?" Raelyn teased with a grin which the Time Lord returned it. Rose barely suppressed the urge to pull a face at their banter.
"From the Silver Devastation, the sponsor of the main event, please welcome the Face of Boe", the Steward announced making the three time travellers turn their attention back to the double doors at the other end of the room. The doors slid back and a large glass case containing a giant humanoid head wheeled itself in.
"The Moxx of Balhoon", the Doctor said cheerfully as the blue alien came up to the trio.
"My felicitations on this historical happenstance", Mox greeted "I give you the gift of bodily salivas".
Raelyn snickered as Moxx spat in Rose's face. "Thank you very much", the Doctor said not even trying to stop himself from laughing. Raelyn gave him a blue bracelet and Moxx went on his way.
"Ah! The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. I give you a bracelet of friendship", the Doctor said. Raelyn gave one to him which he then handed over to the black robed people.
"A gift of peace in all good faith", one of the Adherent's said holding out a large silver egg which the Doctor took, tossing it up into the air and catching it before handing it over to Raelyn.
"And last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and Gentlemen, and Trees and Multiforms, consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the Last Human"
What came through the door was not what Raelyn and Rose were expecting. It was a piece of skin stretched out on a frame which had eyes and a mouth. "The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen", the steward introduced her as.
"Oh, now, don't stare. I know, I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference! Look how thin I am" the Doctor laughed silently and looks at the girls who were rather shocked by the appearance of the Last Human. "Thin and dainty. I don't look a day over two thousand", Cassandra said. She then had one of her attendants bring in a large egg. That is not what an Ostrich looks like Raelyn thought as Cassandra described it. The next gift she produced was a jukebox which Cassandra called an iPod.
One of the staff who brought in the jukebox pressed a button and Tainted Love began to play. As the music played, Raelyn wandered around the room still holding the gift from the Adherents. She paused in front of the pedestal where the last Ostrich egg sat. The brunette set down the silver egg she was holding and gingerly picked up the Ostrich one. She was rather surprised at how light it was. She would've figured an egg that size would have been a bit heavier than that.
Then a thought occurred to her. The whispers…they told her SHE would bring 'gifts of peace' but they were 'lies'. Could Cassandra be the one that they were talking about? If the Steward were to be believed, that skin trampoline was labelled the Last Human. However, Raelyn wanted to take that claim with a pinch of salt. After all, there had to be other humans out there right? Maybe not on Earth but on other planets. With that in mind, she carefully set the egg down and turned to go find the Doctor and Rose unaware that Cassandra had been watching her. "Where's Rose?" Raelyn enquired the Time Lord when she joined him, seeing that he was alone.
"She just left", the Doctor replied "I think it got too much for her". The brunette wanted to suggest that he take Rose home but she curbed the impulse. She didn't think she, of all people, had the right to make that kind of suggestion given that she herself had a miniature panic attack not that long ago. "Then we better go find her", Raelyn declared and the Time Lord nodded in agreement. The pair started out of the room briefly stopping when Jabe wanted to take their photograph. The two of them were almost at the Viewing Gallery where the TARDIS had been parked, when an announcement came over the tannoy asking for the owner of the blue box to report to the steward's office.
They had a brief conversation with the blue skinned man in regards to the TARDIS which had to be moved. After watching the attendants drag the TARDIS away, the Doctor and Raelyn headed to their original destination, the Viewing Gallery. Thankfully Rose was in there, sitting on the stairs.
"What do you think, then?" the Doctor asked sitting on the other side of the stairs, Raelyn sitting next to him.
"Great! Yeah…fine. Once you get past the slightly psychic paper…" Rose replied getting a laugh out of the Time Lord. After a brief pause, she spoke again "They're just so alien. The aliens are so alien. You look at 'em…and they're alien".
"Good thing I didn't take you to the Deep South", the Doctor joked making Raelyn smile.
"Where are you from?" Rose asked.
"All over the place", the Time Lord answered, vaguely.
"All those aliens speak English", Raelyn piped up, recalling how she seemed to understand the other 'guests'. In the back of her mind, she knew her mother had told her "why is that?"
"No, you just hear English", the Doctor corrected "It's a gift of the TARDIS. The telepathic field, gets inside your brain and translates".
"Oh that's right!" the brunette exclaimed, giving herself a light smack in the forehead "mum mentioned about the translation thing. Can't believe I forgot".
"How much did you mother tell you?" the Time Lord enquired, interested in knowing what Sarah Jane had passed onto her daughter in terms of her adventures.
"Hold on…you knew about this mind thing and didn't think to tell me?" Rose interrupted, shrilly. Before Raelyn could say anything, the annoyed blonde turned her attention to the Doctor "and you…how could you let that…that thing inside our heads without even asking for our permission!"
"I didn't think about it like that", the Doctor said thrown by the way she was acting. Here Raelyn was, accepting this gift the TARDIS had given, he was going to have to thank Sarah Jane next time he saw her but he was digressing. Raelyn was accepting it with no question while Rose was getting all hysterical. Maybe he should've just had the former daughter travelling with him instead of two teenaged girls. If he wasn't careful the pair will butt heads at some point.
"No! You were too busy thinking up cheap shots about the Deep South. Who are you, then, Doctor? What are you called?" the blonde demanded.
"I'm just the Doctor", the Time Lord replied.
"From what planet?" Rose pressed.
"Well, it's not as if you'll know where it is!" the Doctor argued.
"Where are you from?" the young Tyler asked, not about to let it go. She had the right to know more about the alien they ran away with.
"Where he's from is his business, not yours", Raelyn piped up, coming to the Time Lord's defence "so drop it".
Rose shot her a glare "I have every right to know who he is!" she snapped.
"This is who I am, right here, right now, alright? All that counts is here and now, and this is me!" the Doctor shouted, suddenly very angry. Fuming, he got up from the steps and walked to the large window. He relaxed somewhat when he felt Naiyah's hand slid into his.
"Humans are curious", she states.
"Curiosity I don't mind", he murmured "but there is a line and she crossed…no waltzed over it".
"You're telling me", Raelyn remarked, gaining his attention "Your past is just that. Its yours. Neither of us has the right to push for answers about it. You share if or when you're ready to share, ok?"
The Doctor looked at her for a moment before he nods "thank you", he whispered, feeling much calmer. Knowing that her best friend was in capable hands, she disappeared.
"You're welcome", Raelyn said, giving him a small smile which he returned. Suddenly the space station started to shake, startling all three of them.
"That's not supposed to happen", the Doctor states.
"Trouble?" the brunette asked.
"Very likely", the Time Lord replied "come on". He headed out of the room, his two companions following. "That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that", he declared, strolling over to a control panel the second they reached the Manchester Suite. He flashed his sonic over it. While he was doing that, Jabe approached them "What do you think, Jabe?" he asked, the tree woman "Listened to the engines. They've pitched up about thirty Hertz. That dodgy or what?"
She shrugged "It's the sound of metal. It doesn't make any sense to me", she admitted.
"Where's the engine room?" the Doctor questioned.
"I don't know, but the maintenance duct is just behind our guest suite, I could show you and your wife", Jabe offered, gesturing to Raelyn.
"While you're off doing that I'm going to catch up with the family. Quick word with Michael Jackson", Rose said. As much as she wanted to tag along, it was probably better for her to hang back.
"Actually, why don't you go with the Doctor and Jabe?" Raelyn suggested to the blonde "I want to have a poke about here".
"Oh…ok", Rose said, pretending to be disappointed. Secretly she was thankful the brunette had opted to stay behind. She left with the Time Lord and tree lady, just barely managing to keep the triumphant smirk from her face.
Raelyn walked back over to the Ostrich egg and picked it up again "this is too light", she murmured. She gave it a gentle shake, frowning when she heard something rattle around inside "what the hell?"
The 19 year old ran her fingers around it, trying to find a seam…some way of opening it. But there didn't appear to be one. She glanced around at the party goers. She couldn't very well break it in front of them. Securing the egg in her arms, Raelyn slipped away, unaware that the Adherents were following.
Raelyn threw the egg against the wall and it shattered. She carefully picked through the shards to reveal a small device. She picked it up and eyed it curiously "what are you?" she whispered. The Doctor was probably the best person to ask. She'd have to wait for him to come back first. Raelyn popped the device into her pocket and stood up only to be struck hard around the back of the head.
Raelyn groaned as she woke, the locket around her neck quietly thrumming and faintly glowing with a golden light. She winced as she touched the back of her head. "Bloody hell, that hurt", she griped. She sat up to find herself in one of those Observation Rooms. Immediately her hand went to the pocket where she put the device. She cursed when it was gone. "Ok. Someone has got the thingy and put me in here", she stated "step one: get out. step two: find the culprit…somehow". With that in mind, she bounded up the steps toward the door, it didn't move. The brunette pressed a few buttons on the little key pad by it but only received bleeps very similar to an access denied noise.
Sun filter descending the computer announced. "That doesn't sound good", 19 year old remarked. Her eyes widened as the light of the sun began to pour through the window as the sun filter slowly lowered "that's definitely not good!" Raelyn exclaimed. She slammed her hands against the door "Let me out! Let me out!" she shouted.
Sun filter descending
"HELP!" Raelyn screamed seeing the top of the room was being charred as the sun burnt it. Outside in the corridor, the Doctor and Rose heard the scream.
Sun filter descending.
"Anyone in there?" the Time Lord called as he started to work on the panel.
"Doctor!" he heard Raelyn's voice shout back which made his hearts stop. Oh, this was NOT happening! He was not about to lose the daughter of a former companion!
"Hang on. I'll get the door open", the Doctor shouted back, frantically working at the panel. Rose wasn't worried about the brunette though. In fact she was overjoyed by this turn of events. This was far better than having the Doctor take her home!
"Hurry!" Raelyn pleaded, seeing that the sun's deadly rays had reached the top of the door.
Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending.
A second later the brunette breathed a sigh of relief when she heard.
Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising
Outside the Doctor looked relieved. Rose, on the other hand, was annoyed that Raelyn was going to live.
Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising
The brunette's elation quickly vanished when the computer suddenly announced that the sun filter was descending again! "Stop mucking about!" she yelled.
"It's not me. The computers getting clever", the Doctor said through the door. Raelyn stumbled backward, down the steps as the deadly rays moved steadily downwards. She flattened herself as best as she could against the floor.
"Please stop it Doctor", she whispered, a tear running down her face. She'd never been so scared than she was in that moment. Much to her relief, she heard the sun filter begin to rise.
"You ok?" the Doctor called through the door "Raelyn?"
"Y-yeah! I'm fine", the 19 year old managed to call back.
"The door is jammed. I can't get it open", the Time Lord told her "but I'll be back soon", he promised.
"Please do", Raelyn said, sitting up leaning against the step "cos I wanna go home".
Minutes ticked by and she was growing more and more anxious by the second. Then the computer announced something that made her heart plummet. The heat was beginning to rise!
Heat levels hazardous.
"No, no, no", Raelyn breathed, eyes wide as the glass started to crack.
Shields malfunctioning. Shields malfunctioning
Rays of sun burst through the cracks, burning holes in the metal wall where they hit. "Come on Doctor", she prayed, really hoping beyond hope that he could stop this, preferably before she was burned to a crisp.
~engine room~
The Doctor ducks under the second fan
~viewing room~
Raelyn screamed as one of the sun's rays got incredibly close to her. The locket around her neck began to glow, golden light stretching out and enveloping her in a protective bubble. Though in her terrified state, she didn't even notice.
Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising.
~engine room~
"Jabe!" Rose cried as the woman burst into flames beside her. She let go on the lever and backed away from the burning woman. Her letting go of the lever resulted in the fans speeding up, making it impossible to move past.
~viewing room~
Tears streamed down Raelyn's face as the walls around her rapidly burn. The golden glow grew brighter, keeping the deadly rays at bay.
~engine room~
Planet explodes in 10… 9…
The Doctor closes his eyes and everything goes silent
8…7…6…5…4…
Still with his eyes closed, the Doctor steps calmly through the fan. When he reaches the other side, he opens his eyes and pulls the lever to raise the shields. "Raise shields!"
~viewing room~
Exoglass repair. Exoglass repair. Exoglass repair
The cracks in the glass start repairing themselves before Raelyn's eyes. She let out a sob, fresh round of tears running down her face. The brunette jumped when she felt a hand settle on her arm. "N-Naiyah?" she sniffled.
"Hey Rae", she softly greeted "you've had a hell of a day, haven't ya?"
"You can say that again", Raelyn agreed, wiping her face with the bottom her shirt "I'm so ready to go home".
A sympatheic look crossed the young Time Lady's face "It's a shame as your journey has just begun but…I understand and the Doctor will too", she glanced at the door and back at the 19 year old "just one thing left for you to do".
"Help the Doctor finish this", Raelyn states and Naiyah nods "well I don't mean to be the barer of bad news but I'm trapped in here".
The blonde smiles, standing up "Oh Rae, you're not trapped. Simply inconveniently circumstanced" she held out a hand "now come on. There is a big wrong to be put right". Raelyn took hold of the Time Lady's hand and allowed her to pull her up the steps to the door. The 19 year old listened as Naiyah gave her a sequence of buttons which much to the brunette's surprise, opened the door!
"H-how did you know that was going to work?" she asked.
"I just did", Naiyah answered "its one of my tawdry quirks. Now you best get going", Raelyn darted through the open door "good luck!" the Time Lady shouted after her.
"Rae!" the Doctor cried, going over to her when she entered the observation gallery "How did you get out?" he asked "are you hurt?"
"I had a little help from a friend", Raelyn replied "and I'm fine, truly", she assured him "what about you?"
"Yeah, I'm fine", the somewhat angry Time Lord answered "I'm full of ideas, I'm bristling with them. Idea number one, teleportation through five thousand degrees needs some kind of feed. Idea number two, this feed must be hidden nearby…"
"I think I found it earlier", the brunette cut in "it was hidden in the so called 'Ostrich egg'. But I don't have it anymore. It was taken when someone or something knocked me out".
"The Adherents to the Repeated Meme", the Time Lord told her "They must've done it on Cassandra's behalf".
"Cassandra was behind everything?" the Doctor nods "oh of course…" Raelyn breathed, everything starting to fall into place "She brings gifts of peace", she murmured heading for the jukebox, poking and prodding it.
"You think its hidden here?" the Time Lord enquired, watching her. The brunette tapped the back, violet eyes meeting his blue when she picked up a hollow ring.
"She brings gifts of peace", Raelyn repeated, prying off a loose section "but these are lies", she held up the device.
"Fantastic!" the Doctor declared, taking it from her "now, idea number three. If you're a certain someone…" he winked at Raelyn which irritated Rose even more. Oh how she wished that damn girl had been killed! "Then a teleportation fee can be reversed" he twisted it and the Last Human appeared, minus her little helpers.
"Oh, you should have seen their little alien faces…" Cassandra trailed off, realising that she was back on Platform One "oh…"
"The last human", the Doctor spat, eyeing the skin trampoline with distain.
"So, you passed my little test. Bravo. This makes you eligible to join, er, the Human Club", Cassandra proclaimed, attempting to sound chipper despite knowing that she'd been caught.
"How can you sound so cheerful?" Raelyn demanded, moving around to stand beside the Doctor "You're a murderer! You killed people!"
"It depends on your definition of people", the Last Human said "and that's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries. Take me to court, then, Doctor, and watch me smile and cry and flutter…"
"And creak?" the Time Lord interrupted.
"And what?" Cassandra repeated.
"You're creaking, my lady", Raelyn sneered.
"What?" Cassandra gasped "Ah! I'm drying out! Oh, sweet heavens. Moisturise me, moisturise me!" she cried "Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!"
"You raised the temperature", the Doctor states.
"Have pity!" Cassandra begged as her skin began to crack "Moisturise me! Oh, oh, Doctor. I'm sorry. I'll do anything".
"Help her", Rose pleaded.
"Everything has its time and everything dies", the Time Lord told her without an ounce of emotion.
"I'm too young!" Cassandra screamed before she exploded.
Sarah Jane opened the door to her house and was both surprised and shocked to see her daughter standing there with a tear streaked face. "What happened?" she asked. Raelyn didn't say anything, she just burst into tears. Sarah Jane put her arms around her daughter, the 19 year old clinging to her like a lifeline.
"Ssh…its ok sweetheart", the older Smith said softly, rubbing her back. From across the road, the Doctor watched this with heavy hearts. He never wanted Raelyn to get hurt. Hell, he promised Sarah Jane that he'd keep her safe and he failed. He hoped that one day he'll be able to make it up to her. But for now, he'll give them their space.
"Hello Doctor", the Time Lord's hearts stopped at the sound of Belladonna's voice. He turned around to see a not to happy platinum blonde standing there, arms crossed. "I told you what would happen if you let her get hurt".
"Look, Ms Nightshade it wasn't my fault…"the Doctor started.
The assassin scoffed "not your fault. Of course it wasn't".
"It really wasn't!" the Time Lord insisted "I swear I never planned for her to get hurt".
Belladonna hummed, casting a glance at number 13 Bannerman Road. She DID threaten to kill him if that girl got so much as a scratch on her but could she let it slide just this once? Raelyn had been hurt, just not in the physical way as set out in her threat. The assassin sighed "fine", she gritted out "I'm going to let you off with a warning…this time".
The Doctor relaxed, glad that she appeared to be letting him off easy this time. "Thank you", he said "and for what it's worth, I think it'll be a while before she comes back…IF she comes back".
"Oh I have no doubt that she'll be back", Belladonna remarked "and when she does…"
"I'll do my uttermost to ensure she doesn't get hurt", the Time Lord promised.
"You better", the platinum blonde pointed warningly at him before she turned on her heel and walked off.
