{"Oh, please shut up!"}

I hummed lowly with a small smile on my face as I cooked breakfast. I wanted chocolate pancakes with bacon and whip cream. Theta was still asleep, finally getting some after being awake for two weeks. Donna most likely was also asleep, but I was hungry and so was the little one inside me. "The world is a vampire.. sent to drain." I hummed dancing happily as I placed my plate on the table, turning back only to jump at the sight of Donna who was watching me with a smile. "Isn't that an American song, by smashing pumpkins?" She asked with a raised eyebrow causing me to laugh. "Yeah, D is a bit of a punk." She chuckled herself before gesturing to the extras I purposely made for them. "Help yourself." I smiled grabbing my glass of orange juice before sitting down. She served herself up before sitting down next to me, it wasn't long before Theta joined with a kiss on my forehead.

We had a nice relaxing breakfast before he decided to get a spur up his ass for another adventure.

The Tardis is rocking back and forth in flight and Donna let's out a scream before Theta stops it. "Set the controls to random. Mystery tour. Outside that door could be any planet, anywhere, anywhen in the whole wide u. Are you all right?" He breathed out asking me with a small look as I winced in slight pain. Don't tell me... "Terrified. I mean, history's one thing but an alien planet?" Donna spoke up thinking he was talking to her which was fine, cause he looked away giving me a moment to feel my body out. Was I? I couldn't tell yet... "I could always take you home." Theta teased causing her to scoff, as I let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, don't laugh at me." She grumbled with an eye roll, "I know what it's like. Everything you're feeling right now. The fear, the joy, the wonder? I get that. Even coming home to Kate and telling her about the wonders I had seen, not to mention just looking at her took my breath away." I smiled gently watching as he talked, memorizing his adventures. "She's more beautiful than anything I'll ever see." I gave him a smile before moving into his arms and giving him a kiss and he hugged me tightly.

"Seriously? After all this time?" Donna asked causing Theta to turn to look at her with a raised eyebrow as I frowned, "I meant about the adventures dumbo's." She grumbled out causing me to chuckle and shake my head as Theta shrugged. "Yeah. Why do you think I keep going?" I snorted, "Never could keep him home long enough." I stated with a smirk causing him to sputter out an excuse as Donna let out a laugh. "Oh. All right then, you two and me. This is barmy. I was born in Chiswick. I've only ever had package holidays. Now I'm here. This is so. I mean it's. I don't know, it's all sort of. I don't even know what the word is." Donna goes outside, "Oh, I've got the word. Freezing."

"Snow! Oh, real snow. Proper snow at last. That's more like it. Lovely. What do you think?" He smiled brightly looking towards me causing me to smile back, of course I loved it. Been wanting an adventure with real snow, "Bit cold." Donna shivered, it didn't affect us much but I show still cover up because of the baby. "Look at that view." Massive icicles hang from bridges of rock over vast ravines. "Yep. Beautiful, cold view."

"Millions of planets, millions of galaxies, and we're on this one. Molto bene. Bellissimo, says Donna, born in Chiswick. All you've got is a life of work and sleep, and telly and rent and tax and takeaway dinners, all birthdays and Christmases and two weeks holiday a year, and then you end up here. Donna Noble, citizen of the Earth, standing on a different planet. How about that Donna?" Donna has disappeared along with Kate, "Donna? Kate?" Donna comes out of the Tardis in a big fur coat with a hood and I follow behind her with a white winter coat that looked like a cape but it also had a hood. "Sorry, you were saying?" Donna breathed out as we made our way down the hill, me a little slower with Theta holding out his hand at the bottom.

"Better?"

"Lovely, thanks."

"Comfy?"

"Yep."

"Can you hear anything inside that?"

"Pardon?" She teased back causing him to chuckle, "All right, I was saying, citizen of the Earth..." A space rocket glides slowly above us. "Rocket. Blimey, a real proper rocket. Now that's what I call a spaceship. You've got a box, he's got a Ferrari. Come on, lets go see where he's going." Theta gapped at her totally offended while I burst into laughter. "Don't worry bunny, I still love Sexy."

A delicate music can be heard as we cross a rock bridge. I frown slightly in confusion, "Hold on, can you hear that? Donna, take your hood down." I stopped the two as I listened closely, "What?" Donna asked with a frown looking between us. "That noise is like a song. Over there." An Ood lies on the ground, partly covered in snow. "What is it?" Donna gasped as we finally reached the thing, "An Ood. He's called an Ood." I explained gently as she stared in slight shock and horror. "But it's face." Theta grunted rolling his eyes, "Donna, don't. Not now. It's a he, not an it. Give me a hand." We uncover the poor alien frozen in the snow. "Sorry." Donna breathed out causing me to gently pat her arm after we finished uncovering him. "I don't know where the heart is. I don't know if he's got a heart. Talk to him, keep him going." Theta told Donna as he felt around for the Ood's heart. "It's all right, we've got you. Er, what's your name?"

"Designated Ood Delta 50."

Donna speaks into his translator ball. "My name's Donna." She smiles softly at it, "No. No, no, no. You don't need to." Theta muttered taking it out of her hand with a shake of his head, "Sorry. Oh, God. This is the Doctor. Just what you need, a doctor. Couldn't be better, hey?" Donna smiled gently at it as she sadly tried to calm him down. "You've been shot." I explained to him, "The circle." He breathed out slowly, "No, don't try to talk." Donna soothed it but it needed to get it out. "The circle must be broken." It repeated causing us to frown, "Circle? What do you mean? Delta 50, what circle? Delta 50? What circle?" Delta 50 sits up with a roar, and red eyes, then exhales and falls back dead. "He's gone." Donna breathed out as I watched it with wide eyes, "Careful." Theta warns as she leans forward to shut its eyes. "There you are, sweetheart. We were too late. What do we do, do we bury him?" Donna asked turning to us as Theta helped me up, "The snow'll take care of that."

"Who was he? What's an Ood?" Donna asked as we continued in the direction before. "They're servants of humans in the forty second century. Mildly telepathic. That was the song. It was his mind calling out." I explained to her as Thera gripped my hand tightly, "I couldn't hear anything. He sang as he was dying." Donna breathed out as I looked up towards Theta, "His eyes turned red, you saw that too?" He hummed with a nod causing me to nod back, I really didn't like that. "What's that mean?" Donna asked looking between us, "Trouble. Come on. The Ood are harmless. They're completely benign. Except, the last time I met them, there was this force, like a stronger mind, powerful enough to take them over." Theta explained to her causing her to nod in thought. "What sort of force?" She asked, "Oh, long story."

"Long walk."

"It was the Devil."

"If you're going to take the mickey, I'll just put my hood back up."

"Must be something different this time, though. Something closer to home. Ah ha! Civilisation."

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Ood Sphere. And isn't it bracing? Here are your information packs, with vouchers, 3D tickets and a map of the complex. My name's Solana, Head of Marketing. I'm sure we've all spoken on the vidfone. Now, if you'd like to follow me." It was a tour group that we managed to join at the end. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. Late. Don't mind us. Hello. The guards let us through." Theta smirked as he held up the psychic paper. "And you would be?" The woman asked with a raised eyebrow, "The Doctor, Kate Smith and Donna Noble." Theta introduced us as he smiled widely, "Representing the Noble Corporation PLC Limited, Intergalactic." Donna finished for him causing her to nod before she looked down at her listen with a half smile. "Must have fallen off my list. My apologies. Won't happen again. Now then, Doctor Noble, Mrs Noble, Ms. Smith if you'd like to come with me." I raised an eyebrow as Theta and Donna started stuttering out excuses, it was always so amusing.

"Oh, no, no, no, no. We're not married."

"We're so not married."

"Never."

"Never ever, they are though."

"Of course. And here are your information packs, vouchers inside. Now if you'd like to come with me, the Executive Suites are nice and warm." An alarm sounds, "Oh, what's that? That sounds like an alarm." Theta pointed out with a raised eyebrow in curiosity and we follow her inside.

Three Ood are standing on small platforms, whilst others are taking round trays of drinks. "As you can see, the Ood are happy to serve, and we keep them in facilities of the highest standard. Here at the Double O, that's Ood Operations, we like to think of the Ood as our trusted friends. We keep the Ood healthy, safe, and educated. We don't just breed the Ood. We make them better. Because at heart, what is an Ood, but a reflection of us? If your Ood is happy, then you'll be happy, too. I'd now like to point out a new innovation from Ood Operations. We've introduced a variety package with the Ood translator ball. You can now have the standard setting. How are you today, Ood?"

"I'm perfectly well, thank you." It responded with a cock of its head, "Or perhaps after a stressful day, a little something for the gentlemen. And how are you, Ood?" She smiled towards them men who smirked as well, "All the better for seeing you." I winced at the female voice that came from the ball in its hands. "And the comedy classic option. Ood, you dropped something." The last one made a weird noise causing some people to laugh, "All that for only five additional credits. The details are in your brochures. Now, there's plenty more food and drink, so don't hold back." Solana leaves. Theta goes to her lectern and uses its computer access to light up the big screen. "Ah, got it. The Ood Sphere, I've been to this solar system before. Years ago. Ages. Close to the planet Sense Sphere. Let's widen out. The year 4126. That is the Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire."

"4126? It's 4126. I'm in 4126."

"It's good, isn't it?"

"What's the Earth like now?"

"Bit full. But you see, the Empire stretches out across three galaxies."

"It's weird. I mean, it's brilliant, but. Back home, the papers and the telly, they keep saying we haven't got long to live. Global warming, flooding, all the bees disappearing." I hummed with a frown looking towards her confused, "Yeah. That thing about the bees is odd." I muttered back, "But look at us. We're everywhere. Is that good or bad, though? I mean, are we like explorers? Or more like a virus?" Donna asked looking between us, "Sometimes I wonder." Theta mused back with a small shrug. "What are the red dots?" Donna asked as she walked up to a map along the wall. "Ood distribution centres." I scoffed with a annoyed growl at the thought, "Across three galaxies? Don't the Ood get a say in this?"

Donna goes to an Ood, "Er, sorry, but." Donna gently touches his arm and he turns to look at her. "Hello. Tell me, are you all like this?" She asked causing me to smile sadly, I was happy that Donna had the humanity to care but I was sad because they are born and bred to serve. "I do not understand, Miss." It responded back, "Why do you say Miss? Do I look single?" She asked causing me to snort as she gapped at it, "Back to the point." Theta cleared his throat with a raised eyebrow at her comment. "Yeah. What I mean is, are there any free Ood? Are there Ood running wild somewhere, like wildebeest." She watched it as it just stared back seeming almost confused but it wasn't like we could tell if it was really confused or not. "All Ood are born to serve. Otherwise, we would die." It responded to us causing her to gap in shock, "But you can't have started like that. Before the humans, what were you like?"

"The circle."

"What do you mean? What circle?"

"The circle. The circle is..."

"Ladies and gentlemen. All Ood to hospitality stations, please."

"I've had enough of the schmoozing. Do you fancy going off the beaten track?" He holds a map of the complex. "Now, if I can introduce you..." The lady spoke up towards the group with a small smile, "Rough guide to the Ood Sphere? Works for me." Donna shrugged, "Yeah."

Theta uses his sonic screwdriver on a gate in the wire mesh fencing. "Ood shift eight now commencing. Repeat. Ood shift eight now commencing." We watch the Ood marching through in double file from an upper catwalk. One at the back falls down, "Get up. I said get up." Kess cracks a whip I growl in anger as my eyes flash red. The whip bursts into flames causing the man to scream before dropping it. "Servants? They're slaves." Donna watched me as I took a deep breath with a nod, even if it didn't stop the man from commanding the Ood. "Get up! March." He shouted as they moved on, "Last time I met the Ood, I never thought. I never asked."

"That's not like you."

"I was busy. So busy I couldn't save them. I had to let the Ood die. I reckon I owe them one."

"That looks like the boss."

"Let's keep out of his way. Come on."

Donna and I stop by a door as he walks on. She puts two fingers into her mouth and blows. "Where'd you learn to whistle?" I snorted at Theta's question, "West Ham, every Saturday." He unlocks the door, and It's full of shipping containers. "Ood export. You see? Lifts up the containers, takes them to the rocket sheds, ready to be flown out all over the three galaxies." Theta explained with a small smile and a shrug, "What, you mean, these containers are full of?" I grunted in annoyance and sadness as I felt what was inside. "What do you think?" I asked her looking towards her sadly.

The Ood are standing silently, and the smell was an absolute horror. I grunted slightly at the nausea that hit me for a second as Donna and Theta both rubbed my back. "Oh, it stinks. How many of them do you think there are in each one?" Donna asked as she stared at them in horror, "Hundred? More?" Theta spoke trying to look further in before sneaking a look at the containers surrounding us. "A great big empire built on slavery." Donna scoffed with a glare, "It's not so different from your time." I told her gently with a raised eyebrow, "Oi. I haven't got slaves." She snipped back at me in annoyance at the accusations. "Who do you think made your clothes?" I grumbled back, at least the clothes in the Tardis came from her, it was hard to explain so I'll just say it's kinda like magic.

"Is that why you travel round with a human at your side? It's not so you can show them the wonders of the universe, it's so you can take cheap shots?" She snipped placing a hand on her hip causing me to snort back in amusement. "Sorry." Theta tried as I watched them, "Don't, Spaceman. I don't understand, the door is open, why don't you just run away?" She asked looking towards on of the Ood up front causing it to cock its head. "For what reason?" It asked causing her to gap, "You could be free." She breathed out causing me to smile an place a hand on her back as my other went to Theta's.

"I do not understand the concept." It replied causing her to roll her eyes in annoyance, "What is it with that Persil ball? I mean, they're not born with it, are they? Why do they have to be all plugged in?" I cleared my throat stopping her questions as I stepped closer to the lead one in the container. "Ood, tell me. Does the circle mean anything to you?" I asked it causing all of them to awaken, "The circle must be broken." They spoke together causing a shiver to go down my spine as our daughter kicked. "Oh, that is creepy." Donna breathed out as I hummed rubbing my stomach as she became even more rowdy like she was warning me. "But what is it? What is the circle?"

"The circle must be broken."

"Why?"

"So that we can sing." An alarm sounds causing us to look upwards. "Oh, that's us. Come on." We immediately start moving away from the containers.

Donna stops running, "Doctor, there's a door." The door opens and guards enter. "Don't move!" They shout towards us, Theta is further away from catching up. He had fallen behind to make sure I didn't, but disappeared in the process. "Where've you gone?" I asked in confusion, "Stay where you are." The lead guard demanded in anger. "Keep her in there for now." A couple of guards grab Donna and I before dragging us backwards. "Get off me. Get off me!" We are locked in a container with Ood. "Oh shit."

"Kate? Donna? Where are you?"

Donna turned to face the Ood as my daughter sends a hard kick to one of my ribs causing me to groan in annoyance. "Can you help me?" The Ood have red eyes, "Oh, no, you don't. What have I done? I'm not one of that lot. I'm on your side. Stay where you are. That's an order. I said, stay. Doctor? Doctor!"

"Theta!"

"Doctor, get me out!"

Two guards are marching the Doctor away. "Doctor, get me out of here." He immediately perks up at the sound of Donna and Kate, "If you don't do what she says, you're really in trouble. Not from me, from her. Although, if they hurt Kate I will destroy you and that's a promise." Kess paused staring at the dark look on the Timelords face before nodding. "Unlock the container." Donna and I run out, and I immediately rush into Theta's arms causing our daughter to calm immensely. "Doctor." Donna breathed out causing him to smile, "Hi." I mused looking up at him, "There we go, safe and sound." He held me safely close to him before Donna spoke up. "Never mind about us. What about them?" The Ood kill the guard by the container door. "Red alert. Fire!" Ood come out of other containers, "Shoot to kill." While the guards fire their guns, we run outside.

On the way out we seemed to have picked up another guest. Finally making it far enough to stop and take a breath. I grunted slightly an held my stomach, "Easy baby. Easy." I breathed out, "If people back on Earth knew what was going on here." Donna started off looking at Solana who joined us. "Oh, don't be so stupid. Of course they know." She scoffed with an eye roll causing me to growl in annoyance as Theta tried to calm our baby down while they argued. "They know how you treat the Ood?" Donna asked in horror, "They don't ask. Same thing." She shrugged back causing Theta to turn to her after we both finally managed to calm our little one down. "Solana, the Ood aren't born like this. They can't be. A species born to serve could never evolve in the first place. What does the company do to make them obey?"

"That's nothing to do with me."

"Oh, what, because you don't ask?"

"That's Doctor Ryder's territory."

"Where's he? What part of the complex? I could help with the red eye. Now show me."

"There. Beyond the red section."

"Come with me. You've seen the warehouse. You can't agree with all this. You know this place better than me. You could help." She paused thinking about it for a moment before shaking her head. "They're over here! Guards! They're over here." I groaned as Theta grabbed my hand and we run off once again. "This way." We arrive at a door, "Oh, can you hear it? I didn't need the map. I should have listened." I snorted slightly as Theta sonics the door lock. "Hold on. Does that mean we're locked in?" Donna asked looking at us in horror. "Listen. Listen, listen, listen, listen." The ethereal music, it was both beautiful and sad, so so sad. "Oh, my head." I grunted slightly with a wince, this trip was so taking a toll on my body. "What is it?" Donna asked us in confusion, looking between us. "Can't you hear it? The singing?" Groups of Ood are sitting in cages, they turn away from us. "They look different to the others." Donna whispered, "That's because they're natural born Ood, unprocessed, before they're adapted to slavery. Unspoilt. That's their song."

"I can't hear it."

"Do you want to?"

"Yeah."

"It's the song of captivity." Theta warned her causing her to hesitate before nodding, "Let me hear it." Donna demanded, "Face me." Theta makes a mind meld with Donna. "Open your mind. That's it. Hear it, Donna. Hear the music." The song is sad and beautiful. Donna cries, "Take it away." She shakes her head in sadness, "Sure?" We both asked causing her to look up at him, "I can't bear it." Theta disconnects her from the telepathic field. "I'm sorry." She breathed out looking at us in sadness and her own disappointment. "It's okay." I told her gently as I placed a hand on her shoulder. "But you can still hear it."

"All the time."

Theta sonics open the cage, "They're breaking in." Donna speaks up, "Ah, let them." I snip as the Ood cower in the corner. "What are you holding? Show me. Friend. Doctor, Kate, Donna. Friend. Let me see. Look at me. Let me see. That's it. That's it, go on. Go on." The Ood opens his hands. He is holding a small brain, "Is that?" Donna gapped in horror at the sight but it was how they originally were born. "It's a brain. A hind brain. The Ood are born with a secondary brain. Like the amygdala in humans, it processes memory and emotions. You get rid of that, you wouldn't be Donna any more. You'd be like an Ood. A processed Ood." I explained to her causing her to stare at me in shock, "So the company cuts off their brains?" She asked as Thera nodded, "And they stitch on the translator."

"Like a lobotomy. I spent all that time looking for you, Doctor, because I thought it was so wonderful out here. I want to go home." Crash! "They're with the Ood, sir." Theta locks us in with the Ood. "What you going to do, then? Arrest me? Lock me up? Throw me in a cage? Well, you're too late. Ha!" I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"Oh, please shut up!"

Minutes later we are handcuffed to some pipes. "Why don't you just come out and say it? FOTO activists." Halpen insisted with a scoff and eye roll, "If that's what Friends Of The Ood are trying to prove, then yes." I snarled towards him in irritation. "The Ood were nothing without us, just animals roaming around on the ice." The man shrugged as if it was nothing, "That's because you can't hear them." Theta snarled, "They welcomed it. It's not as if they put up a fight." The man laughed causing Donna to snarl in anger, "You idiot. They're born with their brains in their hands. Don't you see, that makes them peaceful. They've got to be, because a creature like that would have to trust anyone it meets." I smirked in pride at Donna, I've never loved any companion more than I do her. "Oh, nice one." Theta complimented as I laughed with a nod causing Donna to smirk proudly, "Thank you." The man ignored us with a scoff. "The system's worked for two hundred years. All we've got is a rogue batch. But the infection is about to be sterilised. Mister Kess. How do we stand?"

"Canisters primed, sir. As soon as the core heats up, the gas is released. Give it two hundred marks and counting."

"You're going to gas them?" I snarled in anger, "Kill the livestock. The classic foot and mouth solution from the olden days. Still works." An alarm sounds, "What the hell?" Halpen shouted out as he walked towards the door.

"Emergency status. Emergency status. All exits sealed. All Ood declared hostile. Ood distribution centre now" KaBOOM! goes something very combustible. "It's a revolution." Sigma follows Halpen as he goes back inside. "Change of plan." He announces to the room although it was just us. "There are no reports of trouble off-world, sir. It's still contained to the Ood Sphere." Ryder told Halpen as I eyed the Ood standing behind him. "Then we've got a public duty to stop it before it spreads." Halpen spoke up causing me to cock my head to the side. "What's happening?" Theta and I asked together, "Everything you wanted, Doctor. No doubt there'll be a full police investigation once this place has been sterilised, so I can't risk a bullet to the head. I'll leave you to the mercies of the Ood."

"But Mister Halpen, there's something else, isn't there? Something we haven't seen." Theta asked raising an eyebrow as his eyes grew dark. "What do you mean?" Donna asked looking between us and Halpen, "A creature couldn't survive with a separate forebrain and hind brain, they'd be at war with themselves. There's got to be something else, a third element, am I right?" Theta questioned with a glare, "And again, so clever." Halpen asked as he moved a little closer towards us with a glare. "But it's got to be connected to the red eye. What is it?" I asked with a frown, "It won't exist for very much longer. Enjoy your Ood." Theta, Donna and I are left alone, "Come on." He mutters lowly as I chuckled, Donna groans with an eye roll. "Well, do something. You're the one with all the tricks. You must have met Houdini."

"These are really good handcuffs."

"Oh well, I'm glad of that. I mean, at least we've got quality."

Three Ood enter, "Doctor, Donna, Kate, friends." Theta introduced as he held his hands up, "The circle must be broken." Donna repeated the saying again from the last Ood, "Doctor, Donna, Kate, friends." I started up again, "The circle must be broken." Donna repeated once more. "Friends, friends, friends." Theta started to chant as they slowly started to back down, "The circle must be broken." They continue to repeat themselves while the unconverted Ood connect with the others and share their knowledge of the three of us. "Doctor. Donna. Kate. Fay. Friends." I frowned, Fay? There was no one by that name. "Yes. That's us. Friends. Oh, yes." Theta and Donna didn't seem to notice though.

"I don't know where it is. I don't know where they've gone." Theta panics as he looks around in absolute irritation so I grabbed him holding him tightly causing him to immediately calm down. "What are we looking for?" Donna asked us with a frown, "It might be underground, like some sort of cave, or a cavern, or..."Halpen unlocks a door, "Warehouse Fifteen door open." Theta, Donna and I are knocked down by an explosion. "All right?" As the smoke clears, Sigma is standing behind us as Theta made sure to check on me.

They place the devices on the catwalk around the mysterious something we haven't seen yet. Meanwhile, Theta sonics the door controls and we finally get in. I almost cry at sight of what we look down on... "The Ood Brain. Now it all makes sense, That's the missing link. The third element, binding them together. Forebrain, hind brain, and this, the telepathic centre. It's a shared mind, connecting all the Ood in song." Theta speaks sadly as I watch in horror of the Ood being tortured. "Cargo. I can always go into cargo. I've got the rockets, I've got the sheds. Smaller business. Much more manageable, without livestock."

"He's mined the area."

"You're going to kill it?"

"They found that thing centuries ago beneath the Northern Glacier."

"Those pylons."

"In a circle. The circle must be broken."

"Damping the telepathic field. Stopping the Ood from connecting for two hundred years." Theta explained causing Halpen to nod before glaring at the Ood standing next to him. "And you, Ood Sigma, you brought them here. I expected better." He hissed with a glare, "My place is at your side, sir." Sigma insisted but I knew that was all a lie, "Still subservient. Good Ood."

"If that barrier thing's in place, how come the Ood started breaking out?" Donna asked looking at the both of us causing me to turn back to them. "Maybe it's taken centuries to adapt. The subconscious reaching out?" I asked with a frown in sadness, "But the process was too slow. It had to be accelerated. You should never give me access to the controls, Mister Halpen. I lowered the barrier to its minimum. Friends Of The Ood, sir. It's taken me ten years to infiltrate the company, and I succeeded." Ryder laughed with a smirk, "Yes. Yes, you did." Halpen throws Ryder over the catwalk railing and onto the giant brain, which absorbs him. "You murdered him." Donna breathed out in horror, "Very observant, Ginger. Now, then. Can't say I've ever shot anyone before. Can't say I'm going to like it. But er, it's not exactly a normal day, is it? Still." Halpen shrugged as if it was no big deal, "Would you like a drink, sir?" Sigma Ood offered towards his owner, "I think hair loss is the least of my problems right now, thanks." Sigma stands in front of the Doctor.

"Please have a drink, sir." Ood sigma insisted as he tried to hand the man his drink. I knew what was happening, Theta knew but we didn't say anything. This man would get what he deserved, "If, if you're going to stand in their way, I'll shoot you too." Halpen snapped in irritation, "Please have a drink, sir." Sigma repeated again, "Have, have you poisoned me?" Finally, Halpen suddenly got the picture with his eyes widening. "Natural Ood must never kill, sir." Sigma Ood replied with the click of his head, "What is that stuff?" I asked with a frown towards Sigma who turned towards me. "Ood graft suspended in a biological compound, sir." I raised an eyebrow as Theta not so subtly smirked, "What the hell does that mean?"

"Oh, dear."

"Tell me!"

"Funny thing, the subconscious. Takes all sorts of shapes. Came out in the red eye as revenge, came out in the rabid Ood as anger, and then there was patience. All that intelligence and mercy, focused on Ood Sigma. How's the hair loss, Mister Halpen?" More hair comes away in Halpen's hand. "What have you done?" Halpen cried out in absolute horror, "Oh, they've been preparing you for a very long time. And now you're standing next to the Ood Brain, Mister Halpen, can you hear it? Listen." There was a moment of silence as Theta raised an eyebrow. "What have you? I'm not." Halpen's face goes blank. He drops his gun, reaches for his head and peels the skin off. Then tentacles come out of his mouth, "They, they turned him into an Ood?" Donna gapped in horror and disgust causing me to slightly snort back a laugh.

"Yep."

"He's an Ood."

"I noticed."

Halpen sneezes and a small hind brain flops into his hands. "He has become Oodkind, and we will take care of him." Sigma insisted as he was dragged away. "It's weird, being with you. I can't tell what's right and what's wrong any more." Donna grumbled with a shake of her head, "It's better that way. People who know for certain tend to be like Mister Halpen." The devices beep, "Oh!" Theta deactivates the explosives. "That's better. And now, Sigma, would you allow me the honour?" Theta asked with a sad but easy smile for the Ood race. "It is yours, Doctor." Sigma bowed to us with kind eyes, "Oh, yes! Stifled for two hundred years, but not any more. The circle is broken. The Ood can sing." The current around the Brain is shut off and the song starts up, slow but happy. "I can hear it!" The fighting stops. The Ood raise their palms to the sky and join in.

"The message has gone out. That song resonated across the galaxies. Everyone heard it. Everyone knows. The rockets are bringing them back. The Ood are coming home." Theta smiles as he grips my hand tightly causing me to smile back. "We thank you, Doctor Donna, friends of Oodkind. And what of you now? Will you stay? There is room in the song for you." Ood asked cocking his head to the side as Theta shook his, "Oh, I've, I've sort of got a song of my own, thanks." He chuckled, "I think your songs must end soon." We both paused frowning at each other before Theta breathed out in slight fear. I could feel it, he could too but we didn't want what we had been feeling to come true. At least not anytime soon, "Meaning?" Theta asked, "Every song must end." Yes that is true but how long until ours ends because even throughout time there are songs that last forever.

"Yeah. Er, what about you? You still want to go home?"

"No. Definitely not."

"Then we'll be off."

"Take this song with you."

"We will."

"Always."

"And know this, Doctor Donna. You will never be forgotten. Our children will sing of the Doctor Donna, and our children's children, and the wind and the ice and the snow will carry your names forever." The Ood then turned to me with a gentle bow, "To the Queen of Time, and the gentle Fay within you. Be well, for we will always be here for when you call upon us in your time of need."

We move into the TARDIS, I grunted slightly taking a deep breath as another pain shot through me. Theta immediately moves to take me to Medbay as Donna starts freaking out in happiness and worry.

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I am so sorry guys, I've been super busy and have also had no motivation. My parents are selling their house so I've been helping them plus I've been working, and then when I'm not I just don't feel like writing. I have been making some awesome as videos on tiktok for my fics if you guys want to check them out. I will be going on Vacation the 10 - 15 of this month so I might be able to get some work in.

We will see!!!

Thank you all for the love and support!!

And thank you all for your patience!

6,094 Words