Katy scrunched her eyes shut as she felt the TARDIS shift around her, knowing it would only mean one thing. She was jumping through the Doctor's timeline once more. A gust of air had her eyes snapping open to find she was standing on the metal platform above the TARDIS console, perilously close to the edge. She jumped back, pressing herself flush against the golden-brown walls of the machine, cursing under her breath. A sudden realisation hit her a moment later, causing her chest to tighten like a fist was closing around her heart. She had wanted to stay with the Doctor. She had all but promised she wouldn't leave him. Katy grimaced at the thought of him alone in the TARDIS all those years in the future. Without her.
"How the hell did you get up there?" A voice announced, pulling Katy away from her thoughts.
She peered over the edge of the platform to find a pretty woman, donning a red leather jacket, her black hair pulled up into a messy bun. Katy's eyes narrowed as she looked around the console room, noting that it was the TARDIS that belonged to the Doctor's tenth incarnation. But there was no familiar blonde in sight.
"Do I know you?" Katy frowned, as the stranger quirked an eyebrow.
"Is that some sort of alien humour?" She huffed, her smile slowly falling from her face when she realised that Katy was serious.
"Oh. Wow. He really wasn't kidding? You haven't met me yet?" The stranger gaped, as Katy began to make her way down the metal ladder, always keeping her eyes on the woman.
"No. And I have some serious trust issues. So, who the hell are you?" Katy insisted, firmly.
The stranger appeared harmless enough, but she knew better than anyone that looks could be deceiving. Katy's eyes surveyed the newcomer for weapons, but apart from an expensive-looking manicure, she had nothing to hurt her with.
"Martha. Martha Jones" The woman replied, approaching the bottom of the ladder, holding her hand out for Katy to shake.
"Katy" She murmured, reluctantly reaching out to join their hands.
"Where's Rose?" Katy couldn't help but question, watching as Martha visibly stiffened, dropping her hand as if it burnt her.
"She's gone" A familiar voice spoke up, as Katy twisted around to find the Doctor walking toward them, his jaw clenched.
"She's not...?" Katy trailed off, swallowing thickly, not wanting to finish her sentence.
It was more than pain she found in the Doctor's brown eyes. It was agony. He looked as if he could hardly bear to think about the blonde. Katy found tears welling in her own eyes at the thought of the nineteen-year-old being dead and buried. Rose had always been good to her, since the first day they met, she vouched for Katy when no one else would. Katy only hoped her compassion hadn't been the thing that led to her demise.
"No. She's alive. But...we lost her" The Doctor exclaimed, his eyes misting over as he spoke.
"If she's not dead, then she'll see you again. I might not have known her as well as you, but she seemed pretty stubborn to me" Katy pointed out, as a small smile grew on the Doctor's lips.
Unlike the last time she had been hugged by the Doctor, this time she saw it coming. His arms were wrapping around her waist, pulling her in close, to the point where she felt her feet lifting off the ground. Instinctively she reached up to cling onto his shoulders, her chin nestled into the crook of his neck, smiling despite herself. It was strange how different the two incarnations of the Doctor hugged. But both made her feel a strange sense of comfort that she wasn't used to. The Doctor swayed them from side to side for a few more moments, squeezing her tightly before lowering her back to the ground.
"You're beginning to make a habit of this" Katy teased, as they pulled away.
"I'm glad you're back" The Doctor stated, his hands still resting on her waist.
"It's only been a few hours since you last saw her" Martha scoffed, as the pair turned to her, their arms quick to fall away from each other.
"Yes. Well, time is non-linear and...wibbly-wobbly. So, really a few hours could seem...a lot longer..." The Doctor stuttered, making Katy snort.
"Quit while you're ahead, Doc. Who's your friend anyway?" Katy inquired.
"We met during some trouble with the Judoon. I offered her a trip...one trip" The Doctor murmured, his forehead wrinkling as an idea hit him.
"You make it sound like I'm a one-night stand," Martha said, in a flirtatious tone.
Katy took note of the dreamy look Martha was aiming toward the Time Lord, who seemed none the wiser, suddenly rushing over to the TARDIS console and pulling a lever. She had seen that look directed at the Doctor before. From Rose. The only difference was the Doctor always seemed to return the blonde's affection. Katy wondered how long it had been since he had lost Rose.
"She's not really helping your record of picking up pretty humans who don't know any better" Katy accused, in a hushed tone as she joined him by the console.
"I hadn't noticed" The Doctor shrugged, as Katy raised an eyebrow at him.
"Oh, I'm sure" Katy mumbled, in a teasing tone, watching as the Doctor began to twist a switch beside her.
Martha rushed forward to grab onto part of the console as the whole room began to shake, followed by the steady hum of the TARDIS. The time rotor in the middle of the console jumped up and down, as they flew through the vortex, with the Doctor applying the handbrake just in time. Katy almost flew to the floor as the TARDIS lurched to one side, having finally reached its destination.
"There we go. Perfect landing. Which isn't easy in such a tight spot" The Doctor congratulated himself.
"I'd hate to see what you consider to be a bad landing then" Katy huffed, as the TARDIS hummed in agreement, making her grin.
"Where are we?" Martha asked, full of enthusiasm.
"The end of the line. No place like it" The Doctor replied, his expression suddenly turning serious.
Martha was beaming from ear to ear as she pulled the TARDIS doors open, rushing outside only to come to a halt when she saw the cramped quarters, she found herself in. The Doctor and Katy followed her outside, as the latter's forehead wrinkled, confused as to why the Doctor had brought them to a small flat, which the TARDIS barely fit into.
"Home. You took me home?" Martha gaped.
"Back to the morning after we left, so you've only been gone about twelve hours. No time at all, really" The Doctor mumbled, his hands crammed into his pockets.
"But all the stuff we've done. Shakespeare, New New York, old New York—" Martha began, as the Doctor suddenly placed his hands over Katy's ears.
"Spoilers, remember?" The Doctor scolded, as Katy brushed his hands away from her, trying not to dwell on what Martha had said.
"...Did she just say, Shakespeare?" Katy couldn't help but ask, as the Doctor gave Martha an unimpressed look.
"All in one night, relatively speaking. Everything should be just as it was. Books, CDs, laundry. So, back where you were, as promised" The Doctor exclaimed, as Martha slowly put two and two together.
"This is it?" She asked, trying to keep the hurt out of her voice.
"Yeah, we should probably..." The Doctor trailed off, gesturing for Katy to go back to the TARDIS.
Just as Katy opened her mouth to argue, not understanding why the Doctor seemed so desperate to leave his new companion behind when the phone started to ring. It was Martha's mother leaving a message on her answering machine, talking about her sister being on TV, but Katy barely paid any attention. She kept her focus on the Doctor, who gave Martha an awkward smile, clearly wanting to be anywhere else at that moment. Bemused by her mother's message, Martha rushed over to the TV to turn on the news as an elderly man, covered in wrinkles popped up on the screen. Directly behind him was a pretty woman dressed in a suit, a stoic expression on her face, and a clipboard in her hands.
"There Tish is. She's got a new job. PR for some research lab. That must be her boss, the Professor" Martha told them, as the old man began to speak.
"Tonight, I will demonstrate a device which will redefine our world. With the push of a single button, I will change what it means to be human" The Professor announced, as a frown grew on the Doctor's features.
She had seen that look before. The Doctor was like a dog with a bone when something grabbed his attention. Katy was pretty sure he had just found their next adventure.
"Sorry. You were saying we should...?" Martha mumbled, quickly turning the TV off.
"Yes, yes, we should. One trip is what we said" The Doctor nodded, heading back toward the TARDIS, resting his arm against the doors.
"Yeah. I suppose things just kind of escalated" Martha suggested, with a shy smile, leaning in close.
"Mmm. Seems to happen to me a lot" The Doctor stated, as Martha looked up at him adoringly.
Katy stayed quiet as the two shared a moment, feeling it wasn't her place to intrude. How the Doctor could be so oblivious to the lovesick expression on Martha's face was truly a mystery to Katy. Or maybe he was ignoring it on purpose...
"Thank you. For everything" Martha told him, taking a step closer to the Time Lord.
"It was my pleasure" The Doctor smiled, before pulling the TARDIS doors open and entering without another word.
Katy grimaced as she watched Martha's face fall, looking as if she was close to tears, an angry blush rising on her cheeks. Katy pursed her lips, anger coursing through her own veins as she strode forward, ready to give the Doctor a piece of her mind.
"Just bear with me for one second" Katy murmured, before slipping past Martha and stepping into the TARDIS, slamming the doors closed behind her.
She remained where she was, crossing her arms over her chest, glaring daggers at the Doctor from afar. The Doctor's eyes flickered up to hers a moment later, from where he was hunched over the console, doing a doubletake when he saw the furious curl of her lips.
"What?" He questioned, as she simply quirked an eyebrow.
"She knew this was only ever meant to be one trip" The Doctor insisted, when he got no reply from Katy.
"She'll be better off back home" The Doctor continued, as Katy cocked her head to the side, but still gave him the silent treatment.
"You don't get to do that. You don't get to treat people like that. Acting like you know what's best for them, like they're something you can just discard when you get bored of them" Katy argued, as the Doctor shook his head, vehemently.
"It's not like that" The Doctor retorted, as Katy stormed over to him, pulling the console screen toward him, pressing a button on the top-hand side as she had seen him do the first time they had met.
A camera feed flashed up on the screen, revealing the image of Martha outside, her head hung low, as she rubbed at her eyes before turning away. But not before the Doctor had seen the devastated look on her face. The one they both knew he had caused.
"Look, I'm not saying she should travel with you...hell, she probably shouldn't. But I'll be dammed if I let you run off in your blue box acting like you couldn't care less about a woman who is very clearly infatuated with you" Katy pushed, as the Doctor leaned back against the console with a sigh.
"What do you want me to say?" The Doctor murmured.
"Uh-uh. This is on you. It's up to you to make it right" Katy exclaimed, as the Doctor ran a hand over his face.
"I almost forgot how bossy you are" The Doctor grumbled, before pushing himself up and walking toward the door.
She followed close behind him, practically able to see the cogs turning in his head as he debated what to say. She might not have known him too well, but it was already clear to her that the Doctor would rather run than confront a painful or awkward situation. For a man who found conflict wherever he went, he certainly didn't seem to enjoy it much. Katy waited with bated breath as he opened the TARDIS doors, peeking his head out.
"Did he say he was going to change what it means to be human?" The Doctor questioned, as Katy shook her head from side to side, in disbelief.
"There's just no pleasing you sometimes" The Doctor stated, a slight teasing tone to his voice, as he and Katy walked up the ramp toward the interior doors of the TARDIS.
"I said make up with her, not use her to get tickets into some fancy gala where an old man is going to 'change what it means to be human'" Katy retorted, as the metal doors opened automatically as they stepped close to them.
"It slipped out!" The Doctor insisted, making her huff.
Katy had been roped into joining the pair that evening, as whether she liked it or not, where the Doctor went, so did she. But perhaps that wasn't as bad now as she had once thought. Katy stayed on the Doctor's heels as he led them through a dim corridor, full of hexagonal shapes that littered the console room walls. She came to a sudden halt when she smelt chlorine, looking through an open archway to find an Olympic-sized pool only a few metres away, the water appearing calm and serene. Her jaw dropped open, having half thought the Doctor was joking when he said there was a swimming pool inside the TARDIS.
"Not the time for a swim" The Doctor told her, grabbing her smaller hand and pulling her forward.
"So, where are we going exactly?" Katy questioned.
"You'll see" The Doctor grinned, keeping their hands intertwined as they rounded one more corner.
She frowned when he stopped in front of a golden colour door, an outline of a hand where a doorknob would usually be. He gestured for her to place her hand on the door, as she did so, finding the outline fit her hand perfectly. The door then slid open revealing a lavish bedroom inside, with white walls and a king-sized bed in the middle of the room. Large portholes were carved into the walls, a warm orange colour glowing from them, as Katy entered the bedroom placing her hand near one of them to find it was emitting heat. There was a huge wardrobe to the left of the bed, one door left hanging open, showing ample dresses and other clothes inside. Katy wandered over to a nearby dresser, her mouth going slack when she noticed a picture on the table of her and the Doctor. They were standing on the edge of a cliff face, hundreds of miles of sea behind them, glowing a bright purple colour. She almost jumped out of her skin when she picked up the photo and it began moving, repeating a few short seconds over and over. The Doctor's hand was wrapped around her waist, with Katy's cheek pressed up against his shoulder, not an inch between them. Katy watched as the photo showed the Doctor's eyes flickering down to look at her, a strange emotion behind his eyes. He looked impossibly happy and sad at the same time.
"I'm guessing we haven't been to Seola 77 yet" The Doctor murmured, appearing behind her suddenly.
"Whose room is this?" Katy inquired, placing the photograph back on the dresser.
"Yours" He answered, catching her look of surprise.
"You really think you would have travelled with me all this time and the TARDIS wouldn't have picked a room for you?" The Doctor grinned.
"All of this is mine?" Katy mumbled, as the Doctor nodded, excitedly.
Growing up, she had been flung through care homes, and when she left the system, she wasn't much better off. Even on a nurse's wage, all she could afford was a crummy house share which had no heating half the year. She wasn't used to having something that was hers. Only hers.
"Rose bought this for you on Florana. Its land is carpeted by perfumed flowers, and sand as soft as anything you've ever seen. It was...it was a good day" The Doctor told her, reaching out for a necklace, a blue jewel enclosed by some sort of metal that was as light as a feather.
"...I'm sorry. I wish you had more time with her" Katy exclaimed, as the Doctor placed the necklace on her palm, his eyes shining with sadness.
"When you see Rose again, just...just make sure that I know what have" The Doctor suggested.
"I'll make sure to knock some sense into you" Katy replied, as he huffed out a laugh.
"Martha said it's a black-tie event. We better get dressed" The Doctor told her, as she gave a curt nod.
It didn't take her long to find a pretty black dress in her wardrobe, a chunky black ribbon tied around the waist of the outfit. She placed the necklace that Rose had bought her around her neck, smiling to herself as she saw how it shone in the tall mirror in the corner of the bedroom. Tugging the dress up over her waist, she was glad to see it was a perfect fit. It finished mid-thigh, black velvet atop the silky dress fashioned in the way of dozens of flowers. Pulling the small straps up over her shoulders she found the dress hugged her in all the right areas. She wondered if she herself had bought the dress or if it was a gift just like the necklace. She tried a few heels on before finding ones that she was certain she would be able to run in. She was going to be accompanying the Doctor that evening, after all. Looking through her dresser, she soon found a drawer full of different makeup, some from Earth and others from much further away. Adding some length to her lashes, a little blush to her cheeks, and a bright red to her lips, she decided she was ready. Katy then set off back down the corridor, quickly finding herself lost until she came to a long winding staircase. She ascended the golden stairs for some time until she found herself in what she assumed was a floor designated for the Doctor's wardrobe. Hundreds of outfits were scattered around the walls, some seeming half a century outdated.
"Should I even ask why you have celery attached to this jacket?" Katy snorted, noticing a cream-coloured outfit out of the corner of her eye.
"You never know when a vegetable might come in handy..." The Doctor trailed off, appearing from behind a hatstand.
Whatever he was going to say next died on his lips the moment he saw her, his mouth instead going slack, brown eyes darting over her outfit before coming up to rest solely on her face. She had seen the expression he wore from his later regeneration but never from this version of the Doctor. It was a look of wonderment that made her cheeks flush, and her heart beat a little quicker.
"What? Is it too much?" She exclaimed, bluntly, looking down at her dress.
"No. No, it's...the dress is...you look...nice..." The Doctor stuttered over his words, before swallowing hard.
"Nice? Your compliments are almost as bad as your bowtie. Come here" Katy scolded, as she reached out to tug at the bowtie that hung around his neck.
The Doctor clamped his lips together as she began to play around with the bowtie, finding it a little more difficult than she had expected, but soon enough, she had him looking presentable. She allowed herself a moment to really look at him, a little taken aback by just how handsome he looked. The black suit and white shirt was a good look for him, she decided.
"Suits you" She grinned, tapping the bowtie, her thoughts going to his later regeneration once more.
Lazarus Laboratories was a massive building, built of four floors, and was streaming with many rich shareholders and admirers alike. The actual laboratories were on the upper floors, whilst the guests were ushered into a hall that harboured a white capsule in the middle of the room, with four columns looming over it, all emitting a strange blue light. The Doctor made a beeline for a platter of food a waiter was walking past with, whilst Katy's eyes stayed firmly on the capsule. It was some sort of sonic manipulating device, more powerful than anything Katy had seen, or could even imagine. A chill went down her spine as she wondered what the Professor had in store for them.
"Nibbles?" The Doctor questioned, handing out a cracker topped with caviar toward her.
"Don't mind if I do" Katy grinned, scoffing the cracker down quickly, much to Martha's amusement.
"I can't take you two anywhere" She scoffed.
"This guy is in way over his head, isn't he?" Katy suggested, in a hushed voice to the Doctor.
"This technology should be beyond a human's capability" The Doctor murmured, as they watched a familiar woman rushing over to Martha.
"You think he might not be human?" Katy asked, noticing Martha embracing the newcomer, realising it was Tish, her sister.
"Or he has help from someone who isn't" The Doctor stated, as they approached the sisters, who had fallen into conversation.
"Two nights out in a row for you. That's dangerously close to a social life" Tish teased, her pretty black hair pulled back into a tight bun, expensive earrings complimenting the cocktail dress she wore.
"If I keep this up, I'll end up in all the gossip columns" Martha replied, tone laced with sarcasm.
"You might, actually. You should keep an eye out for photographers. And Mum, she's coming too. Even dragging Leo along with her" Tish explained, finally seeming to recognise the Doctor and Katy's presence.
"Leo in black tie? That I must see. This is the Doctor. Oh, and Katy" Martha exclaimed, gesturing to the pair, as Katy waved in greeting.
"Hello" The Doctor grinned, shaking her hand with enthusiasm.
"Are they with you? They're not on the list, Martha. How did they get in?" Tish questioned, slightly panicked at the thought of just anyone walking into the event.
"He's my plus one. And Katy is...his plus one" Martha explained, lamely.
"So, this Lazarus, he's your boss?" The Doctor inquired.
"Professor Lazarus, yes. I'm part of his executive staff" Tish told him.
"She's in the PR department" Martha huffed, pushing down the urge to roll her eyes.
"I'm head of the PR department, actually" Tish retorted, causing Martha's forehead to wrinkle.
"You're joking? How did you manage that? You've never worked PR in your life?" Martha pushed.
"They must have really liked my interview" Tish shrugged.
"So, do you know what the Professor's going to be doing tonight? That looks like it might be a sonic micro-field manipulator?" The Doctor suggested, as Tish all but grimaced.
"He's a science geek. I should have known. Got to get back to work now. I'll catch up with you later" Tish mumbled, before rushing off into the crowds.
"Science geek? What does that mean?" The Doctor frowned, as Katy bit her lip to stop the laughter that threatened to leave her lips.
"That you're obsessively enthusiastic about it" Martha responded, trying to hide her own smile.
"Oh. Nice" The Doctor grinned, innocently.
"Uh, Doc? It wasn't meant as a compliment" Katy stated, patting him on the shoulder, as the Doctor's smile fell.
"Don't. It's like kicking a puppy" Martha chastised her, as Katy held her hands up in mock defence.
A few minutes later, Martha's mother and brother arrived, with the former wearing an extravagant golden dress, causing her to stand out from the other guests all in black. Katy watched as the older woman's eyes darted over to her and the Doctor every few seconds as she spoke to Martha, clearly wanting to inquire who Martha's new friends were.
"You disappeared last night" Francine murmured, her eyes narrowing once more in the Doctor's direction.
"I just went home" Martha shrugged.
"On your own?" Francine pushed, her insinuation clear.
"These are friends of mine. The Doctor. And Katy" Martha exclaimed, ushering them over, her expression one of panic.
This is not going to end well, Katy thought to herself.
"Doctor what?" Francine questioned.
"No, it's just the Doctor. We've been doing some work together" Martha explained, as Martha's brother reached out to shake Katy's hand, a grin on his face.
"You all right?" Leo asked, as Katy gave him a nod.
"Looks like Martha didn't get all the looks in the family" Katy smirked, as the woman in question slammed her heels down on Katy's foot, causing her to let out a cry.
"It's lovely to meet you, Mrs Jones. Heard a lot about you" The Doctor announced, reaching out to shake Francine's hand.
"Have you? What have you heard, then?" Francine retorted as the Doctor dropped her hand, quickly.
"Oh, you know, that you're Martha's mother and. Er, no, actually, that's about it. We haven't had much time to chat. You know, been busy" The Doctor suggested, making Katy cringe.
"Busy? Doing what, exactly?" Francine insisted, growing more suspicious by the second.
Oh, you know. Stuff" The Doctor replied, looking as if he wanted the ground to swallow him up.
"We work together. At the hospital. That's, uh...where we met" Katy interjected, as the Doctor shot her a grateful look.
"Are you a doctor too?" Francine inquired.
"No. Just a nurse" Katy shrugged, as Francine looked her up and down, seeming less than impressed.
"You're supposed to be working to pass your degree, not buddying up with nurses" Francine muttered to her daughter.
"How do you think good doctors are made? By listening to nurses" Katy informed her, snippily.
Martha let out a sigh of relief as the lights suddenly dimmed, and the Professor walked past them, about to make his speech. It diffused the tension growing between the two women, neither of which were known to back down. She knew her mother meant well, but her cheeks were still flushed with embarrassment.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am Professor Richard Lazarus and tonight I am going to perform a miracle. It is, I believe, the most important advance since Rutherford split the atom, the biggest leap since Armstrong stood on the moon. Tonight, you will watch and wonder. Tomorrow, you will wake to a world which will be changed forever" The Professor announced, arrogantly, standing in front of the machine.
He hobbled into the capsule without another word, shutting the stiff door behind him as the machine whirred to life. Instantly, bright lights blinded them, congregating on top of the capsule as the columns began to spin around quicker than the eye could see. Katy could feel the heat coming from the machine as it continued to spin, energy beams crackling all around it. The Doctor reached out for her arm, pulling her behind him before she could argue. She opened her mouth to question his actions when a warning alarm began to blare, the screens behind the machine flashing red.
"Something's wrong. It's overloading" The Doctor exclaimed, before rushing past the machine and toward the computers that were sparking.
Katy watched in horror for a few more moments as smoke wafted out from the machine, able to feel how the ground shook from beneath them. The whole place was about to blow if they didn't get it under control. Sprinting forward, she watched as the Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to try to override the controls, but it was already too late. A terrifying whooshing sound came from the machine, indicating that they only had seconds left before it would explode. In a last-ditch attempt, Katy rushed toward the wires that connected to the machine, ripping out the biggest one she could find. Almost instantly, the machine started to slow down, the columns surrounding the device coming to a halt.
"That...was too bloody close" Katy complained, as the Doctor jumped over the computer desk.
"Get it open!" The Doctor called out, as Martha rushed forward to rip open the capsule door, as smoke wafted out.
As the smoke dispersed, a blond man appearing to be in his late thirties emerged, his skin having a waxy glow to it. Katy's brain could hardly wrap itself around what she was seeing. It shouldn't have been possible. Not on Earth, at least.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am Richard Lazarus. I am seventy-six years old and I am reborn!" The Professor cried, holding his arms out in the air.
The Doctor's look of despair confirmed everything she feared. The man in front of them had just changed everything. And if they weren't careful, it could mean the end of the human race.
Katy watched the Professor mingling between women half his age, his hands rubbing over their backs, a self-satisfied smirk on his face. He was certainly enjoying his newfound youth. The Doctor and Martha stayed on the other side of the hall, planning to approach the Professor when he was finally alone. Katy's job was to make sure he didn't get away. She didn't trust the old man to be alone with anyone. The huge energy deficit he would soon experience would put them all in danger.
"I hear we have you to thank for stopping the machine from blowing this place sky high" A voice called out to her, as Katy twisted around to find a man approaching her, two glasses of champagne in his hands.
She observed him closely, feeling a stab of recognition in his brown eyes, his lips curving into a smile. He was wearing a black suit and tie, his jacket not buttoned together, appearing more casual than the other guests. Katy quickly found herself drawn back to his eyes once more, noting he seemed to realise how attractive he was. The arrogancy came off him in waves.
"I had help" Katy replied, simply, as the stranger held out one of the champagne flutes for her to take.
"Ah, yes. The elusive Doctor. I hear you're his plus one this evening?" The man suggested, as Katy's gaze drifted over to the man in question for a moment, finding him deep in conversation with Martha.
"I am. And you are?" Katy asked, pulling her attention back to the stranger.
"Harold Saxon. And what a pleasure it is to meet you" The man murmured, offering his free hand out to her, a mocking tone to his voice.
"I don't tend to converse with politicians. Too many lies" Katy retorted, cocking her head to the side, as Saxon pulled his hand back.
"Feisty. I can see why the Doctor likes you" Saxon grinned, causing Katy's eyes to narrow.
"You know him?" She questioned, finding it highly unlikely.
"I'm in the running to become Prime Minister. I've read the files. Harriet Jones had quite a lot to say about him" Saxon continued.
"All good?" Katy suggested.
"Not really" He mumbled, with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Once again, Katy felt a strange sense of recollection, not understanding why the man in front of her seemed so familiar. She blinked a few times, realising she hadn't replied for a few moments, looking over to the Doctor and Martha who had now approached the Professor. The Doctor made sure to place himself in between Lazarus and Martha, standing in a protective stance. Katy could feel how Saxon's eyes had never left her face.
"He always surrounds himself with pretty little things, doesn't he?" Saxon suggested, a hint of disdain to his voice, as Katy whipped around to face him fully.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Katy snapped, as Saxon held his hand up in mock defence.
"Apologies. I meant young, pretty little things" Saxon added.
"And what am I? An old-timer?" Katy huffed, with a glare.
"No. But you're certainly not his usual type, are you? Oh, I'm sure he's already given you the speeches. Everything has to be black and white with the dear Doctor, doesn't it?" Saxon explained, taking a sip of his champagne.
Katy gaped as he spat the alcohol back into the champagne flute as soon as it hit his tongue, before chucking the glass behind him without a word, as it smashed onto the floor. A few guests turned to them at the sound, but they didn't seem to realise who had thrown the champagne flute to the floor. In fact, they didn't seem to notice the pair at all.
"How do you people drink that stuff?" Saxon grimaced.
"...You're a little weird, has anyone ever told you that?" Katy murmured, biting down a laugh.
"Frequently. So, I suppose you're quite happy being the Doctor's pet, aren't you?" Saxon accused, as Katy debated throwing her own champagne over the man.
"We're friends. But I'm guessing you're not familiar with the word" Katy exclaimed, as Saxon broke out in another grin.
"Ah, friends. They're the ones who are supposed to trust each other? Tell each other all their dirty secrets?" Saxon guessed as Katy gave a curt nod.
"Something like that" She replied, dryly.
"Strange then that he hasn't told you about what happened to your family" Saxon mumbled, watching as her eyes widened.
"What did you say?" Katy gaped.
"As I said before, the government isn't as incompetent as people seem to think. We collaborate with Torchwood, U.N.I.T...even some less-than-moral allies. We hear all about the alien threats that occur in England. Especially ones that happened in schools only last year" Saxon went on, as Katy's eyes narrowed.
"I don't know what you're talking about—" Katy began, but the man was quick to cut her off.
"It's a shame. I always admired the Krillitanes. Good sense of survival, bloodthirsty, if a little thick" Saxon stated, as Katy lunged forward suddenly and grabbed him by his black tie.
"Who the fuck are you?" Katy cried, pulling his face close to hers, eyes burning with anger.
"Someone who's willing to tell you the truth" Saxon muttered, not even attempting to pull away from her grip.
"Is it wrong that I...?" Saxon murmured, quirking an eyebrow, a dirty grin on his lips, clearly enjoying Katy's hold on him.
With a look of disbelief, Katy released her grip on the older man, backing up a step. She didn't know what Saxon's game was, but she doubted it was anything good. The predatory look in his eyes had her wanting to run in the opposite direction.
"If the Doctor knows anything like you're saying then there's a reason he hasn't told me. I trust him" Katy insisted, as Saxon rolled his eyes.
He then raised his hand out, knocking her on the head twice, a mocking expression on his face.
"Hollow. Like I thought. Oh, would you look at that? Your precious Doctor seems to have forgotten all about you" Saxon goaded, ushering to the empty space where the Doctor and Martha had been standing not long before.
Katy cursed under her breath, seeing the pair nor Lazarus were anywhere to be seen. Dammit, she had one job. She was half suspecting that Saxon had purposely tried to distract her so that Lazarus could get away. But why would he—
Katy flinched as she felt warm fingers suddenly trailing over her jaw, her gaze snapping back to Saxon's. As their eyes connected, her head began to pound, causing her to grimace in pain. She could hear her heartbeat pulsing through her ears, faster than ever.
It almost sounded like a drumbeat.
Realising she was yet to pull away, Katy shrugged off his touch, finding Saxon's eyes had misted over. He seemed to be in a trance-like state for a few moments, before he began to blink again, coming back to reality. Something about the man in front of her scared Katy more than anything she had ever seen travelling with the Doctor. Taking a deep breath, she backed up a few paces, trying to compose herself.
"Well, if you'd excuse me, Mr Saxon...I think I hear my master calling" Katy spat out, watching as Saxon's eyes lit up before he let out a hearty laugh.
"Best not tell the Doctor about our talk, or you might just find out how little he really trusts you. I'll be seeing you again. Maybe sooner than you think, Katy" Saxon grinned, before turning on his heel and walking away.
Katy stayed where she was, rooted to the spot, wondering what on earth had just happened.