The Lost Girl Chronicles Book 3: Like Pieces of a Puzzle

by frosty600

For Sophie it continued with an unexpected trip to the moon, meeting a possible new friend in Martha Jones, and a realisation that left her reeling. For the Doctor it continued with a kiss, the promise of a single trip and the intense determination to make an enigma he called Sparks realise just how much she meant to him.

11. Chapter 11 Utopia

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who. Only Sophie my o/c.

A/N: And another chapter done. To be honest not too sure how I feel about this one. I love this episode – but despite knowing mostly what I needed and wanted to happen it was tough one for me to fit Sophie into. Or at least it's felt like it.

Anyway. Big thanks you's to everyone who read, followed, favourited, reviewed. I'm so excited to be writing and being able to share with you all again. I really am.

Another big thank you to ArielArtemis for pre-reading this for me. I appreciate it soo much!

CHAPTER 11

Utopia

Sophie shifted restlessly on her comfortable mattress in her room in the Tardis. She wanted to sleep! It'd been four days since they'd spent weeks/months trapped in 1969. All three of them in a tiny two-bedroom apartment. It'd been nice enough if not a little cramped when all three of them had been home.

It hadn't been a bad time, not really. Just stressful in knowing that they were trapped Weeping Angels feeding off their lives as they lived them. The Doctor doing what he did best whilst herself and Martha had worked a 9-5 to keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies. She'd forgotten how tiring that was. Mentally draining in the way retail work always was. She'd been exhausted mentally and physically especially with the dreams – those drums haunting her during most nights.

Somehow seemingly getting louder – or at least she thought they were. Had been. She didn't really know what it was but – one morning, not too long into their stay in 1969, she'd woken feeling fully rested for the first time in a long time – since the accursed drums had started, to see the Doctor on the mattress, lying on his side beside her on top of the covers like he'd fallen asleep there unintentionally. One hand cupping her arm just above the curve of her elbow.

It hadn't been until they had been on their way to work, the two leaving the Doctor to sleep that she'd learned from Martha that she'd been rather loud in her distress that night, drawing the both of them, Martha from her own room and the Time Lord from where he'd been tinkering/working on getting them home as he'd done late into the night most nights. Leaving them to wake to a mess more often than not.

Martha couldn't say much about what he'd done – if he'd truly done anything. She hadn't asked, simply left to head back to her own room a moment after ascertaining that her friend would be alright. So, the only thing Sophie really knew at the time was that the Doctor had simply touched her shoulder, smoothing it down her arm and she'd calmed – soothed into a peaceful sleep by the touch of the man she loved.

Martha had proclaimed it romantic with a soft dreamy sigh of her own and Sophie recalled her cheeks flushing rather hotly. When she'd asked later, the Doctor had denied doing anything. He'd simply hoped to be able to sooth her into a deeper sleep past the dreams – like one did for a child having a nightmare.

Her heart had ached for him at that, because surely, he'd been speaking from experience. He had admitted once what felt like a long time ago, after all that he'd been a father once. Things had changed after that. She'd still go to bed alone, the sounds of the Doctor puttering about filling her ears. A noise she found comforting as she slowly drifted to sleep, where Martha had purchased earplugs to put into her ears to help dampen the noises that threatened to keep her awake. But inevitably she'd wake to the Doctor curled up beside her, jacket, suit-vest and tie discarded and shirt rumpled and hand cupping her arm or if she was lucky his arm thrown around her, cuddling her too him.

Or unluckily as one morning proved – the Time Lord having one of those moments where he was pouting at the tedium of the lives they were living and simply hadn't wanted to let her up. His arm almost like a vice and his face buried in the back of her neck – the man having tightened his hold evidently waking enough in the wake of her rolling in the circle of his arm to turn off the alarm to decide that no – it was not in fact time to get up yet. It'd been amusing and cute and she would have been all to happy to stay in bed longer if she hadn't had to get ready to go to work, not to mention that she wanted time to eat first.

She could still hear it like he was curled up behind her now – arm tight, but not painful about her torso, chest pressed firmly to her back, his breath warm against the back of her ear, making the skin tingle, 'No you don't Sparks.' He'd whined in response to her totally reasonable assertation that she had to get up for work. Apparently, she'd gone to many days in a row, and it couldn't be normal or healthy – it'd barely been the middle of the week. And when she'd reminded him of that he'd let out a sound akin to his soul leaving his body. It had rather reminded her of his reaction to the details of a normal life he'd have to lead when they'd lost the Tardis on that planet situated beneath the black hole. The accompanying whine on 'why you humans do this to yourselves' had been cut off with a yelp as a rather unimpressed Martha, who'd caught wind of the argument had shouldered open the ajar door and sprayed the time lord with a spray bottle full of water – like a misbehaving cat. Vengeance, Sophie had gathered after she'd made it into the kitchen, and she'd taken in the remnants of their toaster that lay sad and completely dismantled by the Time Lord at some point during the night before he'd joined her.

And really that had annoyed her too. They'd run out of cereal and they'd both been planning on toast for breakfast that morning.

The spray bottle had become a fixture on her bedside table after that, much to Sophie's bemusement and the Time Lord's disgruntlement. Martha had simply looked satisfied when she'd thunked it down there and pointed a warning finger at the spluttering Time Lord and a mutter that 'actually yes Sophie had to go to work.'

Sophie sighed again and shifted onto her side, punching the pillow under her head in an attempt to make it more conducive to her falling asleep. Her gaze landing on her lamp, her gaze drawn to the silver band of the engagement ring John had given her. The silver chain it was hanging from the lamps shade by, the only thing she'd truly bought for herself during their time trapped in 1969, putting a little money away as much as she could afford to whilst making sure that between Martha and herself, they could afford to keep themselves housed and fed.

She hadn't been able to bring herself to put it on her finger – any finger. It hadn't felt right – John's heartbroken face fresh in her mind still even after so many months. But she hadn't wanted to keep it locked away either… so when she'd caught sight of the simple silver chain it'd seemed perfect. She perhaps bought a finer one than was necessary… but she wanted it to be sturdy and not tarnish too easily or discolour.

Plus, the ring deserved a nice chain to hang from.

Sophie closed her eyes and tried to seek sleep again – the moment dragging out as she inhaled and exhaled slowly. She let out a frustrated sigh as she gave up, turning heavily onto her back, frowning up at the ceiling. She just wanted to get some sleep! She was used to feeling like she'd slept poorly or very little when she dreamed – but at least she knew she'd slept. And unlike what Martha had suggested when she'd grumbled about her lack of being able to sleep to her – she didn't think it was because she'd gotten used to the warmth of the Doctor sleeping beside her. No, she'd slept just fine going to bed on her own in the apartment.

She supposed that maybe she was worried about the dreams coming back full force – it'd been rather nice to wake up feeling completely rested. Her dreams of drums a brief flicker over her subconscious during the night before she was soothed into a deeper sleep by the Doctor – the Time Lord taking it upon himself to guard her sleep during those months stuck in that tiny little apartment. But she honestly didn't think that was the cause of her inability to sleep and at this point she thought it an inability.

Insomnia. She hated it.

But she didn't really think it was that either. She'd been dealing with the dreams for practically her whole life. And even when she hadn't wanted to sleep because of them. She'd always fallen asleep eventually. She turned onto her side, facing away from her bedside table this time, staring at the empty side of her bed.

No, she thought the issue was simply not that she was going to sleep alone. It was knowing that she would wake up alone. She'd gotten so used to waking up to the Doctor beside her, cuddling her. Perhaps she'd gotten spoiled by it.

Or her brain was just being stupid.

Sophie's frown deepened into a scowl. She threw her covers off with an irritated huff as she sat up, "Is he tinkering?" she asked and got a warm hum from the ship that had felt rather happy to have them all back since their return – if not a little exasperated. Perhaps even miffed if the way the Doctor had tripped over previous flat surfaces since their return was any indication. She slipped out of her bed, before stripping the comforter off her bed, bundling it in her arms before snatching her pillow and stalking out of the room.

The sounds of him tinkering had lulled her to sleep almost every night in the apartment. So perhaps it'd help her sleep now – it was worth a try at least. She told herself as she followed the trail of lights that the Tardis had illuminated for her to follow. Her gaze landed on Martha, her hair still slightly damp from the shower.

The older woman took in the irritation in the younger's expression along with the comforter and pillow she had grasped in her arms and firmly stamped down on the sassy comment that came to mind. Instead, she smiled, "Good luck!"

"Wish me sleep!" Sophie called back over her shoulder as she continued along the corridor. Determined not to stop on the off chance she changed her mind and ended up trudging back to her bedroom for another night of no sleep.

Martha shook her head in amusement, before she turned and continued on her way towards her own bedroom.

Sophie carried on down the corridor, turning with the lights. A smile touching her lips as she started to hear the faint sounds of the Doctor tinkering. The door opened for her. She sent a grateful thought to the Tardis as she stepped inside. Her gaze going over the space that was cluttered with various gadgets in varying stats of repair or disrepair, parts, cords, tools… she hesitated in the doorway, not entirely sure if he'd want her in here as she took it all in. it looked like chaos – perhaps organised chaos but chaos all the same, "Can I…?"

"Course, Sparks," came the immediate response, waving her in with one arm the man not looking up as something sparked on the table in front of him, "Just a second," he added from where he was looming over something she couldn't get a good look at.

No sooner had he finished speaking that her gaze landed on a tucked out of the way sofa that was big enough for her to curl up in, perfect. She doubted that she'd be in the way of whatever it was he was doing there.

The Doctor straightened from his hunched over position, rolling his shoulders as he stretched the muscles out. He turned to Sophie and blinked, head tilting curiously and a little bemused as he watched her throw her comforter over the sofa he'd forgotten was even in here, "Sparks… what are you doing?"

"Hopefully, sleeping," Sophie replied as she settled on the sofa, slipping under the covers.

He blinked again, "In here?"

Sophie blinked at him in turn, "Problem?"

"No, you're always welcome," he assured, "I'm just sure that your bed is much more comfortable than that sofa."

"Probably," Sophie acknowledged, tucking the comforter up under her chin as she settled in as comfortably as she could.

A beat of silence, then, "…Can't sleep?"

Sophie sighed lowly, before holding back the yawn that wanted to overtake her, "No – not since we got back."

"You didn't say anything," the Doctor muttered with a frown they'd been back days. He shot a disgruntled look towards his ship. She hadn't seen fit to mention anything either.

"I asked her not too," Sophie murmured catching the look he'd directed towards the ship, "She agreed so long as I didn't let it go on to long…" she trailed, "And I thought maybe you'd like some space after…"

They'd spent a long time in that little apartment – it felt longer than it probably was and by the end there had been tension between them all, what had felt like a lot of at least to her. And she'd gotten the sense that the walls of the apartment had started to feel rather suffocating to the Time Lord no matter how long he spent outside of them.

The Doctor nodded, tugging gently at his ear – he'd thought much the same. That after so long with the three of them living practically on top of each other that she'd want some space. It was part of the reason they'd spent the time since then just drifting as they got settled back in. Another being he was repairing things that were broken and giving general TLC to his ship – his ship that had been fairly peeved with him after the whole Weeping Angel's debacle he'd gotten them into with his curiosity over the transcript Sally Sparrow had given them, "Still," he offered her a slightly wry but bemuse grin, "Not exactly quiet in here."

Sophie shrugged, "I've never had a problem falling asleep listening to you tinker."

"No," he smiled fondly, recalling how she'd fallen asleep in the console room after she'd gotten too tired to continue helping him fix K9, "I don't suppose you have."

"Besides I was hoping…" she trailed, swallowing as she felt a flush heat her cheeks, the brunette feeling vulnerable. She already had so much – more than she ever thought. Friends, love. And here she was asking, wanting more, "I mean, I was thinking that maybe it's 'cos I got used to you being right there," great. She was talking around the question. She clenched her out of sight hand around the comforter, "Got used to going to sleep to you tinkering and waking up to you just being there…" where her cheeks getting hotter? Her cheeks felt like they were on fire as the Time Lord stared at her – eyes fond.

Fond was good. She liked fond. Fond meant she wasn't being to demanding, right? But she hadn't actually asked a question yet had she.

She let out a startled exclamation as she felt herself lifted comforter and all. Her free arm immediately coming up to curl around his neck whilst she pulled her other arm free of it.

"Well, that's easily fixed," the Time Lord said cheerily as the palm of the hand Sophie had just freed from the comfort came up to rest on his shoulder, "That is," he paused looking down at the top of her head, "If that's what you're asking?"

Sophie nodded her head, looking up at him, "Yeah, it is…" she trailed biting her lower lip, "I mean, if you don't mind…?"

"Mind?" the Doctor blinked, before arching a brow at her that was mildly incredulous, "Sparks," he continued amused as he strolled with her out of the room and into the corridor, "A beautiful woman is asking to share a bed with me. I'm the exact opposite of mind."

"I'm not…"

"Do we have to find a mirror?" he cut her off, jostling her lightly, "Cos we can detour to find a mirror, Sparks."

"No…" she shook her head, looking down the hall to hide the flush that had risen anew to her cheeks.

The Doctor nodded and walked on, "The Tardis is doing some rearranging," he broke the short silence and Sophie blinked and glanced up curiously at the ships ceiling she was? "So, for tonight, I thought maybe in here," he finished as they came upon a familiar door and Sophie smiled as they stepped into the room, the ceiling already alight with constellations some she recognised others she didn't.

"I like this room," Sophie murmured as she was set down on her feet, eyes on the constellations for the moment.

"Me too," the Doctor smiled, taking the comforter and flinging it over the already folded out bed. He had fond memories of this room with his Sparks.

Sophie sat on the bed as the Time Lord stripped out of his outer layers. Her gaze followed him as he settled on the bed himself. Her eyes closing as his forehead came to rest against hers, she inhaled softly, feeling the affectionate gesture as the silent 'I love you' that it was. 'I love you too' she thought as she leaned into the gesture. His lips met hers in the next moment, her lips moving against his, luxuriating in the soft warmth of it. Tiredness forgotten as she enjoyed the moment, the affection. The love.

Sophie opened her eyes as he pulled back, their eyes meeting under the glow of the constellations above.

*O*O*O*

Sophie hummed to herself as she moved about the Tardis' kitchen, a coffee mug prepped and readied in front of her as she waited for the kettle to finish boiling.

"You seem happy," Martha commented as she joined her in the kitchen getting a mug of her own down from the cupboard, before she eyed the brunette, as the kettle finished boiling, "Seems last night went well."

"Yeah," Sophie grinned, filling her mug, before setting it down for Martha, "Best sleep I've had in ages."

"Oh, I bet," Martha murmured as a small smile played along her mouth, "Though I'm kinda surprised," she mused, "I thought it'd happened months ago."

Sophie who'd been eyeing her a little confused blushed bright red, coffee sloshing over her hands as she exclaimed "Wait, you can tell? Ow," she hissed, setting down her mug and pulling off her soiled gloves, before grabbing for some paper towel.

"Only cos you've got the kind of happy you only get after great sex," Martha assured her biting down on her urge to take Sophie's hands in her own to check them, "You, ok?" she asked instead as the brunette inspected her hands.

Sophie nodded, picking up her mug again, determined to finish her coffee before hunting down a replacement for her gloves.

Martha peered at her hands and nodded in agreement at not seeing any burns, before she returned to what had startled the brunette so heavily, "Should I not have said anything?" she'd thought they were close enough – but maybe she'd been a little wrong.

"It's fine," Sophie waved the concern away, picking up her mug again, a slightly concerned frown on her face, "Just wasn't expecting it to be so obvious."

"It's not," Martha reassured her, "I just know you and we're friends. And I was hoping for some girl talk," she smiled, before pouting that was a cross between mock and sincere, "It's been far too long and I'll take my vicarious thrills were I can get 'em."

"Girl talk…" Sophie mused relaxing, "Girl talk would be nice," she hadn't had a girl talk about boys since Rose and that'd mostly been Rose, "Wait…" she blinked as something else Martha had said fully registered, "You thought months ago?"

"Well, yeah," Martha shrugged, "With all that time the Doctor was spending in your bed at the apartment, I figured it was bound to happen sooner rather than later – why'd you think I bought the ear plugs?"

Sophie flushed, "I thought cos of all the noise with the Doctor tinkering…"

"You mean destroying every small appliance in sight," Martha groused, brow furrowing at the reminder. She shook her head and gave Sophie another amused look, "I'm training as a doctor. I could sleep through just about anything – I just didn't wanna overhear anything. Those walls weren't exactly soundproof."

Sophie grimaced, "Like paper," she agreed; besides she'd been more than happy with enjoying the quiet intimacy of waking up to the man she loved in the morning. Sex hadn't even crossed her mind – not really. And if the thought had popped up the paper-thin walls shut it down really quick – and she hadn't been in any hurry.

"So…" Martha broke the comfortable silence that had fallen between them as they sipped at their coffees, "Was he all that?"

Sophie paused, blinked as she parsed out the words, before she felt a grin curl up her lips without permission and then she was taking a sip of her coffee trying to hide the renewed flush to her cheeks.

"And doesn't that just say it all," Martha huffed lightly having caught the pleased as punch grin on the other woman's face, before she'd hidden it behind the mug she was using. A smile that spoke volumes of just how thrilled she was with what had happened during the night, "No, I've changed my mind. Don't tell me anything. I'll turn green with envy from how long my dry spells been," she huffed before adding with a mock sniff, "And that particular shade of green just doesn't suit my complexion."

"Can't have that," Sophie murmured with a smile glad for the change in direction of the conversation, "Your complexion is lovely."

The two shared a smile.

*O*O*O*

"Cardiff," the Doctor answered in response to Martha's question as he rather smoothly if he did say so himself, landed them in front of the water tower in Roald Dahl Plass. Right on top of the rift, just like he'd intended.

Martha blinked in surprise, glancing at Sophie to see if she was just as surprised as she was, before she turned her gaze back to the Doctor again, a bit incredulous, why on earth where they in, "Cardiff?"

"Ah, but the thing about Cardiff, it's built on a rift in time and space, just like California and the San Andreas fault, but the rift bleeds energy," he explained, "Every now and then I need to open up the engines, soak up the energy and use it as fuel."

Martha made a face of understanding, "So, it's a pit stop."

"Exactly," the Doctor nodded, "Should only take twenty seconds."

"Really?" Sophie asked with surprise, eyeing the Doctor curiously, "I thought it was twenty-four hours?"

"Last time, yeah," the Doctor grinned at her, "But the rifts been active."

*O*O*O*

A man ran through the Plass, coat flapping behind him and a rucksack that he had flung over his shoulder bouncing with his movements, a look of determination on his face as he caught sight of the big blue box.

*O*O*O*

"Wait a minute," Martha frowned as a thought struck her as she eyed the two of them, "They had an earthquake in Cardiff a couple of year ago. Was that the two of you?"

"Well, it wasn't just the two of us," Sophie murmured a little sheepishly. Her expression fond and a little sad as she thought of the friends that no longer travelled with them.

"Bit of trouble with the Slitheen," the Doctor agreed.

*O*O*O*

Jack ran faster, hiking his rucksack up higher on his shoulder, the box getting closer, but still too far away.

*O*O*O*

"Long time ago," the Doctor continued, "Lifetimes. I was a different man back then."

"All ears," Sophie agreed with a little smile, tugging the leather coat she wore around her a little tighter, her gaze going to the part of the console they'd stood together last when he'd been that Doctor – where he'd kissed her, "And a nose to match."

Martha raised her brows, amused, "What?"

*O*O*O*

"Doctooooor!" Jack shouted as he neared the Tardis.

*O*O*O*

"Finito," the Doctor declared and grinned, "All powered up," he glanced at the consoles monitor and stiffened. A flare of panic hitting him as he saw Jack, running towards them at full speed. His gaze flicked to Sophie who was standing by the console near enough to him that all it would take was a single glance for her to see what he had. In a swift movement, he flicked a button on it darkening the screen with one hand and set the rota to moving with the other.

The Tardis' signature wheeze beginning.

Sophie eyed him with concern as she caught him glancing at her, a concerned look on his face, "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing," the Doctor tugged at his ear, before he beamed a grin at her, "Time to be off – universe to explore…"

Sophie smiled.

*O*O*O*

Outside the Tardis, Jack seeing the Tardis starting to fade in and out, leapt the final distance, clinging onto the outside of the console just as it returned to the vortex.

*O*O*O*

The console sparked with a bang and the three fell to the floor as the Tardis rocked beneath their feet.

"Whoa!" Martha cried.

"I thought you said nothing was wrong?" Sophie cried as she pulled herself up, gloved hands tight on the console.

"Nothing was wrong!" the Doctor exclaimed as he pulled himself up.

"Well, something's wrong now!" Sophie struggled to keep her feet beneath her, "What's happened?" she asked as Martha exclaimed from where she too was clinging to the console as the Tardis seemed to go faster and faster.

"What's that?"

"We're accelerating into the future," the Doctor exclaimed, eyes locked on the console, "The year one billion. Five billion. Five trillion. Fifty trillion? What?" he questioned with incredulousness, "The year one hundred trillion?" he gaped, "That's impossible!"

"Why? What happens then?"

"We're going to the end of the universe."

Sophie blinked incredulously herself now, "Why would Sexy take us there? What button did you push?"

"Just the one to take us up into the vortex!" the Doctor exclaimed, "Nothing that would do, this," he gestured up towards the rota.

Sophie gripped the console tighter as the Tardis seemed to increase her speed even further, "Only you."

*O*O*O*

Jack clung to the outside of the Tardis with all his might as it travelled at highspeed through the Tardis.

"Doctorrrrrrr!" he shouted as it spun wildly. If he didn't know any better, he'd think the big blue box was trying to shake him off.

*O*O*O*

A pale man with black facial tattoos, ritual scarring and pointed teeth stilled a fire burning behind him. He lifted his head and scented the air, "Hu-mans."

Behind him, others sporting wild hair and similar tattoos inked into their skin, turned their head to look at him; pointed teeth flashing in the light of the fire.

"Humans are coming."

The members of the tribe scented the air and let out vicious snarls.

*O*O*O*

Padra ran across the barren wastelands, looking about the darkness with a nervous desperation. He stumbled, before letting out an exclamation of fright as one of the wild haired tribal woman jumped out in front of him.

"I just… I just wanna go. Please let me go."

"Human!" the woman called back to the sentry.

"Human!"

Padra ran, the shouts of the two echoing after him.

"Human!"

"Human!"

Whilst back at the camp, the Chieftain of the tribe was driving those gathered into a frenzy for blood and food.

"Hunt! Hunt! Hunt!"

*O*O*O*

Professor Yana turned and by chance his gaze fell on the scanner, on the blip that had been picked up by it, "There's movement on the surface, he broke the silence that had fallen over his lab, "Another human hunt. God help him."

"Chan…" his blue insectoid female assistant turned to him with concern, "Should I alert the guards… tho?"

"No, no, we can't spare them. Poor beggar's on his own," he crossed the lab, heading over into a small sitting area that was filled with machines of mixed technology, "One more lost soul dreaming of Utopia."

"Chan, you mustn't talk as if you've given up, tho."

"No, no, indeed," he picked up a mug, "Here's to it. Utopia," he took a drink from the mug. Only the fact that he was used to it prevented him from making a disgusted face, "Where it is to be hoped the coffee is a little less sour. Will you join me?"

Chantho smiled a little bashfully, "Chan, I am happy drinking my own internal milk, tho."

"Yes, well, that's quite enough information, thank you."

"Professor," a voice came over the tannoy, "I don't mean to rush you, but how are we doing?"

"Uh, yes… uh… uh yes," he floundered, "Working. Yes. Almost there."

"How's it looking on the footprint?"

"It's good. Yes. Fine. Excellent," he looked to Chantho and gestured for her to continue as he struggled to retain his focus.

"Chan, there's no problem as such," Chantho took over, "We've accelerated the calculation matrix but it's going to take time to harmonise, tho," she explained, "Chan, we're trying a new reversal process. We'll have a definite result in approximately two hours, tho."

As she continued Yana walked away, his assistants voice becoming fuzzy and distant to his ears as he lifted a hand to his head with a grimace, pained. A rhythmic thumping resounding in his head. The beat getting louder and louder, drowning out the sound of her voice as she called for hm.

"Chan, professor, tho!" her voice finally brought him back into the room, the rhythmic beat that had been assaulting him receding.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes, working."

"Chan, it's the surface scanner, Professor. It seems to be detecting up a different signal, tho," she called.

Yana walked over to it, peering at the screen, where a green square had appeared on the screen, "Well, that's not a standard reading," he mused as he studied the square, "I can't make it out. It would seem something new has arrived."

*O*O*O*

The Tardis came to a stop with a solid thud and the three stood, looking at each other, "Well," the Doctor broke the silence, "We've landed."

"Yay…?" Sophie muttered as she released the console, glancing about the console room with a frown as the Tardis hummed softly. Sounding almost weary to her ears and perhaps a little grumpy.

"So, what's out there?" Martha asked both excitement and trepidation in her voice, drawing Sophie's attention. Her blue eyes flicking from her to the Doctor expectantly.

He shook his head slightly, "I don't know."

Sophie blinked, "Really?"

"Say that again," Martha eyed him with a smile playing around the corner of her lips, "That's rare."

Sophie tilted her head slightly, "Normally you know something."

He shook his head again, "Not even the Time Lords came this far. We should leave. We should go."

Sophie smiled in amusement, "Oh, I know this tone," she mused softly to Martha as she watched him fondly.

"What tones that?" Martha replied just as softly.

Sophie pulled her gaze from him to murmur in a mock whisper, "It's the 'but I really wanna do it anyway' tone.

"We should really, really… go," the Time Lord finished. He stared at them.

Sophie returned his gaze, her brows raised and a smile playing around her lips as she waited for the inevitable. He grinned, before he turned and darted for the door. Sophie and Martha hurrying after him.

They stepped out onto a bleak landscape, a deep night all around them. Sophie swallowed as her gaze lifted to the sky above them… shivering slightly. There was something in the air… she'd felt something like this before – before they'd lost Rose.

"Oh my god!" she heard Martha exclaim, the doctor in training rushing past them.

Sophie looked towards her and stilled, her lips parting in shock as she spied the familiar form that was lying on the ground lifeless.

"Can't get a pulse," Martha said urgently, "Hold on," she stood and started back for the Tardis, moving swiftly, "You've got that medical kit thing."

"Jack…?" Sophie murmured with surprise and dread as she stepped towards him. Martha's words of 'can't get a pulse', reverberating in her ears.

"Hello again," the Doctor said softly from beside her, "Oh, I'm sorry."

Sophie swallowed heavily, it feeling like forever for Martha to come back with the kit she was grabbing, "How is he here? Wasn't he…"

"Here we go!" Martha exclaimed as she ran back out of the Tardis, "Get out of the way," she shoved past them, "It's a bit odd, though," she commented as she got to work, "Not very hundred trillion."

"Cos he's not…" Sophie murmured; gloved hands clenched at her sides.

"That coats more like World War Two."

"I think he came with us."

Sophie pulled her gaze from Jack's still form to look at the Time Lord frown deepening a bit as she stared at him.

"How'd you mean, from Earth?"

"Must've been clinging to the outside of the Tardis all the way through the vortex," the Doctor mused.

"You're not surprised," Sophie muttered, still eyeing him.

"Well," the Doctor tugged his ear again, swallowing, before attempting a small smile, "It's very him, isn't it?"

Martha blinked up at them, "What, do you know him?"

"Friend of ours," the Doctor nodded, shifting a little under Sophie's continued stare, "Used to travel with us, back in the old days."

Sophie smiled a small fond but sad smile as Jack continued to lay motionless, despite Martha's efforts, "Used to mess with my hair something shocking."

The Doctor let out a little huff, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Almost knocked me from a ladder with their antics."

"But he's," Martha swallowed, hardest part of being a doctor, "I'm sorry, there's no heartbeat. There's nothing. He's dead."

Jack gasped in a breath, a hand shooting up to grab Martha who'd let out a shocked exclamation at his sudden show of life.

"Oh, so much for me," she huffed at herself, "It's alright. Just breath deep. I've got you."

"Captain Jack Harkness," he introduced himself with a flirty grin, "And who are you?"

"Martha Jones."

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Oh don't start," he muttered as Martha helped Jack get to his feet.

Jack released Martha and turned his eyes landing on the shorter of his two old friends, "Soph," he grinned sweeping her into a hug.

"Hello Jack," Sophie murmured with a beaming grin of her own as she returned his hug, "It's good to see you," she told him as he set her gently back on her feet. Only to let out a little exclamation of annoyance as he ruffled her hair, messing up the braid she'd plaited her hair into.

"Good to see you too, Soph."

"Menace," she muttered without any heat – it was like he'd never left. She easily pulled it free before starting on it, a messy bun in mind this time. Easier to do without a mirror to help.

"Doctor," Jack said as he turned to the Time Lord, the smile slipping from his face as he eyed the other man.

"Captain."

"Good to see you too."

The Doctor nodded, "And you. Same as ever…" he peered at him, "Although… have you had work done?"

Jack rolled his eyes, before eyeing the Time Lord pointedly, "You can talk!"

"Oh yes, the face," he shrugged before explaining as briefly as possible, "Regeneration," he blinked and peered at the other man again with some surprise, "How'd you know this was me?"

"The police box kind of gives it away," Jack replied, "That and the glare you gave me just before – just like old times."

Sophie blinked and frowned mildly confused as she looked from Jack to the Doctor. Glaring… old times? What?

"I've been following you for a long time," Jack continued, "You abandoned me."

Sophie stilled confusion forgotten, her eyes flicking from Jack to the Doctor, "What?"

"Did I?"

"Did you?!"

The Doctor tugged his ear at the accusing tone in Sophie's voice, a grimace wanting to cross his face, "It was a busy time," he said lamely, tugging at his ear again, before resolutely pulling his hand away all the while wishing that his Sparks would stop looking at him like that, "Dying and all," he glanced from Sophie to Jack, "Moving on," he attempted to encourage the conversation forward.

Jack felt his lips want to twitch into a smirk almost wanting to extend the Time Lord's discomfort his gaze flicking from the Doctor who was fighting the urge to fidget under Sophie's weighted stare. Before he sighed and conceded for the moment. There were other things he needed to know, "Just got to ask," he swallowed as he continued, "The battle of Canary Wharf. I saw the list of the dead. It said Rose Tyler."

"Oh no!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"She fine!" Sophie hurried to assure, or at least she hoped she hadn't gotten herself into trouble over there.

"Alive and well."

Jack's sombre expression cracked as he started to grin in relief as he looked between the two, "You're kidding?!"

"Never about this," Sophie shook her head, that was her little sister.

"Parallel world, safe and sound."

"Well, we hope – she is jeopardy friendly."

"No kidding," Jack huffed,

The Doctor nodded with a small grimace, "Set new records she did.

Jack eyed Sophie, "Though you aren't that much better, missy. Gave us a good scare a time or two."

The Doctor snorted, "Oh no. She sets new records for disappearing. Got bells in her ears now and all and still disappears on me."

Jack blinked and eyed Sophie again more specifically her ears. His gaze landed on them and his lips twitched before he laughed.

Sophie rolled her eyes, "Oh shut it. They look nice!"

"Still, Rose is alive," the Doctor assured him again, "Mickey too, and her mother," he added for good measure, "All safe as can be."

"Oh yes!" Jack exclaimed and Sophie oof'ed as she found herself tugged into a hug with the Doctor, Jack squeezing them in his joy.

Martha sighed a little as she watched the three, feeling left out and a little off kilter. The old wound of not feeling good enough in comparison oozing a little as it was prodded, "Good old Rose," she mumbled.

*O*O*O*

Prada continued to run, his pursuers not too far behind.

*O*O*O*

"So, there I was," Jack said as he walked between Martha and Sophie, the Doctor striding along ahead, "Stranded in the year 200,100, ankle deep in Dalek dust, and he," he gestured at the Doctor's back, "Goes off without me."

"Sorry," Sophie murmured with a guilty wince. She hadn't known – she'd thought well. She'd thought the worst, but then the Doctor had said that he was busy and she'd felt relief that he was alright.

"You were hardly driving Soph. Lord knows he doesn't let anyone else have the wheel."

"Well actually – he's been teaching me."

Jack blinked, his lips twitching, "You don't say," he gave into the urge to grin, "Guess he made you Captain after all."

"I dunno about that," Sophie hummed, "He doesn't let me drive all that often," she paused thinking back and blinked once twice, a third time, "Oh was that what you were…" she trailed and then huffed at herself, "Did anyone not know?!" she felt his hand in her hair, ruffling it once again, tugging it out of place with gentle fingers. She gave him a put-upon look even as her heart warmed at the gesture all over again, "I just fixed that."

Jack grinned at her endlessly fond and amused, "Only you, Soph."

She huffed, before shaking her head, "So go on," staring at him curiously, "How'd you get off the space station?"

"I had this," Jack showed them the device he had strapped to his wrist, "I used to be a Time Agent," he explained to Martha, "It's called a vortex manipulator. He's not the only one who can time travel."

"Oh, excuse me," the Doctor huffed having started back towards them realising that he'd gotten a bit farther ahead of them then he'd intended, "That is not time travel," he looked at the device in disgust, "It's like I've got a sportscar and you've got a space hopper."

Sophie eyed the Time Lord, a small furrow to her brow, "I don't think the Tardis would like being compared to a sportscar. There so…" she trailed struggling to find the word she wanted, "Common?" she shrugged to herself it'd do.

"It's just an example, Sparks," the Doctor waved it off, "Not like anything could measure up to the Tardis."

Martha shook her head, bemused, "Boys and their toys."

"Alright," Jack huffed wanting to carry on with his story, "So, I bounced. I thought 21st century, the best place to find the Doctor, except that I got it a little wrong. I arrived in 1869, this thing burnt out, so it was useless."

The Doctor smirked smugly, "Told you."

"I had to live through the entire 20th century waiting for a version of you that would coincide with me."

"Rough," Sophie grimaced.

"You're telling me," Jack exclaimed.

"But," Martha frowned eyeing him, "That makes you more than one hundred years old."

"And looking good, don't you think," Jack grinned at her, "So, I went to the time rift, based myself there 'cos I knew you'd come back to refuel. Until finally I get a signal on this detecting you and here we are."

"But…" Martha started, a bit unsure as she looked from Jack to the Doctor, "The thing is, how come you left him behind, Doctor?"

"I was busy," the Time Lord huffed and then shifted a little as Sophie levelled that look on him again, blue eyes piercing him.

Martha frowned, "Is that what happens, though? Seriously? Do you just get bored with us one day and disappear?"

"Not if your blond," Jack huffed.

"Oh, she was blond? What a surprise," Martha grumped, arms crossing over her chest.

Sophie frowned up at him. Lower lip caught between her teeth.

"Or Soph," Jack continued with a wry smile, "I think the universe could be trying to implode and he wouldn't be 'busy'," he finished with finger quotes.

"You lot!" the Doctor exclaimed, feeling beleaguered, "We're at the end of the universe, alright? Right at the edge of knowledge itself and you're busy blogging! Come on!" he strode off ahead of them again. The Time Lord pouting to himself as Sophie chose to continue strolling along side Jack instead of joining him. He sighed to himself. He should have known this would happen sooner or later… he'd just been hoping to avoid it – preferably forever. He scuffed the dirt.

Jack stared at the Doctor's back, silence between the three for a moment, before he looked to Sophie, who let her hair stay around her shoulders, it'd gotten longer he observed silently, curls weighted down more. "So," he broke the silence, "How longs this been going on, then?"

Sophie blinked out of her thoughts and gave him a confused look, "Huh?"

"You and pinstripes," Jack expounded.

"Oh um…" Sophie frowned thoughtfully, "Months? Maybe over half a year…" she tried time was hard to keep track of in the Tardis, "He said something the day we met Martha."

"No kidding," Martha snorted, "Gave me whiplash those two. Came into my hospital saying they were a married couple."

Sophie sighed, looking away with a light flush, "He took me by surprise with that. Was the last thing I was expecting him to say."

"Then they tell me that they're not actually married after we get scooped up to the moon. Then bam he gives her this kiss all, 'This means something'."

"Was this before or after he gave you his old jacket?"

"…after," Sophie answered, frowning a little at the look Jack was giving her, not quite understanding it, "He gave me this not long after he changed. Knew I was missing the old him… so, yeah. He let me have it."

Jack swallowed a little wrong and coughed through it, "Soph."

Sophie frowned, "What?!"

"He gave you his leather jacket," he tried his tone pointed. "Well, yeah?" Sophie huffed a little, "I mean I said no at first cos it wouldn't fit, but the Tardis resized it and Rose said I shouldn't let good leather go to waste. And the Doctor said it was mine now as it wouldn't fit him anymore anyway…" she trailed off, forcibly stopping her ramble. She took in the looks she was getting and sighed, "What did I miss?"

"A bloke doesn't just give away their clothes to just anyone," Martha stated, "Especially not leather – though considering that wardrobe…" she gave her head a shake, "It's like a silent claim, telling everyone your spoken for. I mean it might've been shrunk to fit you, but it's still definitely a men's jacket."

"Oh…" Sophie flushed, fixing her eyes on the Doctor's back. Had that really been what it was, she looked down at the jacket with a small frown trying to ignore the heat in her cheeks.

"Well, glad somethings haven't changed," Jack huffed choosing to laugh rather than groan, before he sighed as he caught a look at Sophie's mildly troubled expression, "Knowing him, it probably was mostly about the fact you were missing his old mug – the fact that you were wearing something of his was just… a bonus."

"Alright," Sophie murmured musingly, eyeing the Doctor's back again, fingers toying with the edge of the leather.

"Still, I'm sad I missed it," Jack muttered, "Took him long enough. Rose and I. We had all these plans," he informed Martha.

"You did?" Sophie asked her voice pitching a little higher in her mortification.

"Oh yes. We were getting to our whits end. Had contingency plans and everything. Had fun making those. And then he finally goes and pulls his finger out and I missed it!" he pouted.

"That hopeless, were they?" Martha asked amused.

"Painfully," Jack groaned.

"I suppose Rose would be upset she missed it too," Sophie frowned.

"Oh," Jack laughed, "She'd be fuming."

"Guess I should apologise for being such a dunce."

"It was cute. Painful but cute," Jack waved away the apology, before he gave his neck a crack a determined look on his face, "Now, if you ladies will excuse me. There is a talk I need to have with my honorary little sister's boyfriend."

Sophie blinked a little thrown, "Little sister, what?" she frowned at Jack's back as he sped up his steps to pull a little ahead of them, "Since when are we siblings?" she questioned, "When did that happen?"

"About the time I realised that the Doctor would probably find a way to make me disappear in that ship of his if he saw me flirting with you," Jack replied spinning on his heel to shot her a quick grin, before he jogged away to catch up with the pouting Time Lord.

Sophie groaned at his back, "I got adopted without noticing… again," she glanced at Martha who was shaking her head as she bit back laughter, "What talk does a brother need to have with a little sister's boyfriend?"

"Shovel talk," Martha replied easily.

"Oh," Sophie blinked and then grimaced, she'd seen enough movies and read enough books. She should've realised, "That," her gaze going back to the two men as Jack clapped a hand on the Doctor's shoulder, "I feel like I should be worried…"

"Oh," the Doctor huffed as the hand clapped down on his shoulder, a little harder than necessary really, "Finished blogging have you?"

"For now," Jack shrugged casually, "Had a lot to catch up on with Soph," a glint in his eye as he stared at the other man, "Seems I missed a lot."

The Doctor huffed out a breath, "Thought you'd be happy," he muttered a little snidely, "You gave me enough grief about not saying anything."

"Oh, I'm deliriously happy," Jack retorted, "Pissed that I missed it. But over the moon happy for you both."

"Thanks," he eyed the other man, "Is this the part where you threaten me?"

"Yep," Jack nodded, "Rose isn't here, so that just leaves me."

The Doctor sighed and then nodded, "Fair enough."

"You're taking some of the fun out of this, you know," Jack pouted slightly.

"Where will you bury my body?" the Doctor asked casually.

"Bold of you to assume that there'd be a body," Jack arched a brow at him, before he shook his head, "That girls been through enough heartache."

The Doctor winced at that, he knew that all too well, "I wouldn't deliberately hurt her."

"I know," Jack nodded, before he gave the Doctor a determined look, "But if that girl ever calls me in tears – you can bet I'll be gunning for you."

The Doctor nodded as they came to the edge of a cannon. Sophie and Martha catching them up, the pair having jogged a little once they stopped walking.

Sophie eyed them a little cautiously as she slowed to a walk as she approached them, "All done?"

"Yep," Jack shot her a grin.

"I am sufficiently cowed," the Doctor huffed a little, before offering a smile of his own even as he wanted to pout as Sophie chose to come to stand beside Jack.

"He ever hurts you call me. I'll handle it," Jack added.

"So…" Sophie blinked eyes going from Jack to the Doctor and then back again, "Don't call you if I want the Doctor to live. Got it."

Jack laughed, "Exactly," automatically reaching to ruffle her hair again.

"You're such a menace," Sophie sighed, smoothing her hair into some semblance of order again.

Martha turned from them to peer out over the canyon and blinked at the structure below, "Is that a city?"

They turned to look, "A city or a hive, or a nest, or a conglomeration," the Doctor listed the possibilities, "Like it was grown. But look, there. That's like pathways, road?" he mused, "Must have been some sort of life, long ago."

"What killed it?"

"Time. Just time. Everything's dying now. All the great civilizations have gone. This isn't just night. All the stars have burned up and faded away into nothing."

Sophie frowned, shifting a little uneasily as she lifted her gaze to see the empty depths of darkness above them, "Is that why it kinda feels like something's in the air?"

The Doctor blinked, before smiling a little sadly at her, "Could be… end of the universe. Things are bound to feel… off."

Jack frowned a little as he considered, "They must have an atmospheric shell. We should be frozen to death."

"Well, Sparks, Martha and I, maybe. Not so sure about you, Jack," the Time Lord murmured as he eyed him knowingly.

Sophie blinked a little confused, her brow furrowing slightly, as she looked from the Doctor to Jack. What exactly did that mean?

"What about the people?" Martha asked, "Does no one survive?"

"I suppose we have to hope life will find a way."

"Well, he's not doing to bad," Jack mused as he spotted a lone man running through the desolate city.

"Oh bugger," Sophie muttered, "That's not a good run," the man's pursuers came into sight, "That's a…"

"Human!"

"Is it me or does that look like a hunt?" he heard a bell chime softly in the air and he turned to see Sophie already running, "Come on!" he all but yelped as he took off after her.

"You weren't kidding about the disappearing!" Jack huffed as he ran beside him, Martha running after them. He hadn't even noticed her move, the pairs long strides eating the distance between them and the sprinting Sophie.

"Told you!" the Doctor huffed, "Sparks!"

Jack blinked, "So I wasn't hearing things earlier. You really call her 'Sparks' now?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "New body, new nickname," he retorted as the two came abreast of Sophie.

"He didn't like Annie anymore," Sophie muttered, trying to force her legs to move faster.

"Surprised you let him."

"Got used to it."

The Doctor rolled his eyes again, "Just run!"

Jack laughed, "Oh, I've missed this."

They reached the running man, Jack getting a hold of him, "I've got you," he assured.

"They're coming!" Padra exclaimed, "They're coming!"

Jack passed Padra to the Doctor and pulled his revolver aiming at the tribesmen.

"Jack, don't you dare!"

Jack shot him a quick look, before aiming the gun into the air and firing a shot. The noise startling the tribesmen into freezing.

"What the hell are they?" Martha exclaimed wide eyed as she took in their appearance. Notably the razor-sharp looking teeth.

"There's more of them," Padra panted, "We've got to keep going."

"I've got a ship nearby," the Doctor offered, "It's safe. It's not far, it's over there," only for more tribesmen appeared over the cliff in the direction they'd come from, "Or maybe not."

"Definitely not," Sophie muttered swallowing, glancing about the darkness for anymore of the tribe that was waiting to box them in.

"We're close to the silo. If we get to the silo, then we're safe."

The Doctor looked to his companions, "Silo?"

"Silo," Jack nodded, taking in the numbers against them.

"Silo's good," Sophie agreed.

"Silo for me."

And the five took off running, the tribesmen hollering as they gave chase.

*O*O*O*

"It's Futurekind!" Padra shouted as they approached the silo, the man almost slamming into the gates as he came to a stop, "Open the gate!"

"Show me your teeth!" one of the guards demanded, "Show me your teeth! Show me your teeth!"

Padra shot them a desperate look, "Show them your teeth!"

The five grimaced wide smiles showing off their teeth to the guards.

"Human!" the guard announced, "Let them in! Let them in!" the metal gates opened and the five dashed through them, "Close! Close! Close!" he ordered firing his machine gun at the ground at the feet of the Futurekind as they got too close.

"Humans. Humani. Make feast."

"Go back to where you came from," the guard demanded, "I said, go back," he aimed his gun at them, "Back!"

"Oh, don't tell him to put his gun down," Jack groused.

"He's not my responsibility," the Doctor retorted.

"And I am?" Jack let out a low scoff, "Huh, that makes a change."

"Kind watch you. Kind hungry," the chieftain signalled those of his tribe, and they retreated back into the night.

"Thanks for that," the Doctor smiled at the guard.

"Right," the guard nodded, "Let's get you inside."

"My name is Padra Toc Shafkane. Tell me. Just tell me, can you take me to Utopia?"

Sophie blinked curiously. Utopia?

"Oh yes, sir," the guard smiled kindly, "Yes, I can," he turned and led them towards a tunnel carved into the mountain. The five falling in behind him.

*O*O*O*

"Professor!" the tannoy crackled to life again, "We've got five new humans inside. One of them is calling himself a doctor."

"Of medicine?" Yana asked.

"He says of everything."

"A scientist!" Yana exclaimed straightening, "Oh my word! Just… just," he floundered, "Chantho… oh I don't know! I'm coming!" he scurried out of his lab as fast as he could manage on his old legs.

*O*O*O*

"It's a box," the Doctor attempted to explain to the man that had introduced himself as Atillo, "A big blue box. I'm sorry, but I really need it back. It's stuck out there."

"I'm sorry," Padra spoke before the man could reply, "But my family were heading for the silo. Did they get here? My mother is Kistane Shafkane. My brother's name is Beltone."

"The computers are down but you can check the paperwork," Atillo replied before shouting, "Creet!" a young boy of around 10 poked his head around a corner, "Passenger needs help."

"Right," Creet stepped out, clipboard in hand "What do you need?" he asked as Padra walked over to him.

Atillo turned back to the Doctor, "A blue box, you said."

"Big, tall, wooden," the Doctor nodded, "Says police."

"We're driving out for the last water collection. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you."

"Come on," Creet said to Padra and started to lead him away.

"Sorry," Martha stopped him, eyeing the boy, "But how old are you?"

"Old enough to work," Creet replied.

Sophie nodded, letting out a musing hum, eyes a little sad and knowing, "I 'spose they need every able hand they can get, huh."

Creet blinked at her, before choosing not to respond, "This way," he told them and the five fell in behind him.

They followed him into corridors, with people packed in tightly, sleeping on the floor, pictures of missing loved ones tacked to the walls.

"Kistane Shafkane. Kistane Shafkane. Kistane and Beltone Shafkane?" Creet called as they walked, "We're looking for a Kistane and Beltone Safkane."

"The Shafkanes, anyone?" Padra asked, "Kistane from Red Force Five? My name's Padra."

"Anyone? Kistane and Beltone Shafkane? Anyone know the Shafkane family? Anyone called Shafkane?"

"It's like a refugee camp," Martha murmured.

"Stinking," Jack scrunched his nose only to pass a huge a rather large man that was staring, "Oh, sorry. No offence. Not you."

"Don't you see that? The ripe old smell of humans. You survived," the Doctor beamed at them, "Oh, you might have spent a million years evolving into clouds of gas, and another million as downloads, but you always revert to the same basic shape. The fundamental humans."

"Kistane Shafkane?" Creet called again.

"End of the universe and here you are. Indominable! That's the word. Indominable! Ha!"

"Is there a Kistane Shafkane?" Creet called again and a woman stood.

"That's me."

"Mother?" Padra called.

"Oh my God," she breathed, eyes shining, "Padra."

"Beltone?" Padra asked, before running to embrace his family.

Sophie and Martha smiled, "It's not all bad news," the doctor in training murmured and Sophie nodded.

A young man stood, immediately catching Jack's eye. He took his hand and gave it a shake as he smiled at him, "Captain Jack Harkness. And you are?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes, pausing what he was attempting with the sonic screwdriver and the door that had caught his interest, "Stop it," he huffed earning a look from the other man. The Doctor turned to where Sophie had been standing, only to blink at an empty space, "Sparks?" he whirled around, "Jack did you see where…" he trailed as he caught sight of a familiar leather jacket a few paces back the way they'd come. He relaxed at seeing her knelt down, exchanging quiet words with a sniffling little girl. Who turned so her back was to her and Sophie removed the hair-tie from her wrist and started scooping her hair into her hands. he turned away, "Swear she does that deliberately," he muttered under his breath.

"It's a habit," Jack shrugged.

The Doctor eyed him, "I know. How…"

"You called?"

The Doctor jumped a little and turned his head to see Sophie behind him, like she'd never left. He let out a breath, eyeing her, "You learnt to move without those bells chiming?"

Sophie tilted her head, the bells making not a sound, "Might of," she grimaced a little, "Didn't mean to just did it."

"How'd you feel about a bigger bell?"

Sophie narrowed her eyes at him, "No chance. You're lucky I like these ones," she reminded him.

Jack chortled as the Time Lord held up his hands in sheepish surrender.

"So, what'd you call for?"

"Wondered where you'd got too," the Doctor shrugged.

Sophie let out a soft 'ah' fiddling with the ends of her hair. She'd worried him. She hadn't meant to. She'd just seen the anxious little girl and well. She couldn't not go. Not when she looked close to tears.

"Jack, come give us a hand with this," the Doctor indicated the door as Sophie shifted to stand beside Martha, "Its half deadlocked. See if you can overwrite the code," Jack nodded and got to work on it whilst the Doctor went back to buzzing his sonic at it, "Let's see where we are."

The door slid open, and the Doctor fell forwards only to be brought to a halt as Jack grabbed him and hoisted him back, "Gotcha."

"Thanks."

"How'd you cope without me?"

"Luck?" Sophie shrugged and Jack laughed before they peered into the depths of the silo.

"Now that is what I call a rocket," Martha stated.

"They're not refugees," the Doctor realised, "They're passengers."

"He said they were going to Utopia," Martha remembered.

"Yeah," Sophie nodded as she eyed the rocket.

"The perfect place. Hundred trillion years, it's the same old dream. You recognise those engines?" the Time Lord asked Jack.

"Nope," Jack shook his head, "Whatever it is, it's not rocket science. But it's hot, though."

They took a step back and Jack shut the door, "Boiling," the Doctor agreed, "But if the universe is falling apart, what does Utopia mean?"

Yana ran up to them, he looked between the Doctor and Jack, "Doctor?" he asked hopefully.

The Time Lord smiled, "That's me."

Yana took him by the hand, "Good!" he exclaimed and started leading him away, "Good! Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good."

The Doctor looked back at his companions, "It's good apparently."

"We heard," Sophie smiled as they followed after them.

A woman sitting along a wall, watched them leave, a mouth full of pointed teeth, briefly on display.

*O*O*O*

"Chan, welcome, tho."

"Thank you, I'm Sophie," the curly hair brunette replied as the Doctor was led away by Yana, the old man eagerly showing the Doctor various bits of equipment.

"Now, this is the gravitissimal accelerator. It's past it's best but it works."

"Chan, welcome, tho," the blue skinned woman greeted again.

"And over here is the footprint impellor system. Now, do you know anything about endtime gravity…"

"Hello," Martha smiled, "Who are you?"

"Chan, Chantho, tho."

"But we can't get it to harmonize!"

Sophie felt her gaze drawn to the Doctor, eyes fond as she smiled, watching him with Yana the mans words gibberish to her – but the Time Lord was listening intently.

"Captain Jack Harkness."

"Stop it," the Doctor cut in.

"Can't I say hello to anyone?" Jack huffed with exasperation.

"Nope," Sophie said with an amused laugh, only to scowl and duck out of the way as he reached for her hair in retaliation, "Stop it. I've given you three freebies already," she groused.

"I've got years to make up for, Soph," Jack shrugged with a teasing smile.

Sophie crossed her arms, "Why'd I miss you again?" she grumbled with mock irritation.

"Chan, I do not protest, tho," Chantho assured them.

"Maybe later, blue," Jack winked at her, "So, what have we got here?" Jack started into a sitting area, Martha following him as she caught a strange sound coming from his rucksack. Sophie glanced after them, but ultimately stayed where she was. She was enjoying just watching the Doctor – he looked like he was enjoying himself as he talked with Yana.

She blinked and frowned to herself… was she being creepy? Maybe she should go with Martha and Jack…?

"And this all feeds into the rocket?" the Doctor asked, his gaze flicking to Sophie as she moved, lower lip pouting softly as she followed after Martha and Jack, before his attention snapped back to Yana as he answered.

"Yeah, except without a stable footprint, you see, we're unable to achieve escape velocity. If only we could harmonise the five impact patterns and unify them, well, we might yet make it. What do you think, Doctor, any ideas?"

"Well, uh," the Doctor tugged at his ear as Yana looked at him so hopefully, "Basically, sort of, not a clue."

"Nothing?"

"I'm not from around these parts. I've never seen anything like it. Sorry."

"No, no," Yana sighed, "I'm sorry. It's my fault. There's been so little help."

Over in the sitting room that was tucked a little out of the way. Sophie smiled as she took a seat next to Martha, "Whatcha doing?"

"Snooping," Martha admitted without shame as she finished opening the rucksack.

"Fun," Sophie commented as the other woman reached in and pulled out a transparent container from it, "And ick," she added as she spied the severed hand inside it.

"Oh my God!" Martha exclaimed drawing everyone's attention, "You've got a hand? A hand in a jar. A hand in a jar in your bag."

"But that…" the Doctor blinked at it, "That's my hand."

"Is it...?" Sophie blinked and picked up the container that Martha couldn't set down fast enough after seeing the hand. She peered at it and then glanced at the Doctor's hand who raised it for her obligingly. She peered at the slightly distorted from the glass and liquid it was resting in hand again, "Huh, so it is."

"I said I had a Doctor detector," Jack smirked.

Chantho stared at them a little uneasily, "Chan, is this a tradition amongst your people, tho?"

Martha made a face, "Not on my street."

"Nor mine," Sophie added setting the arm down, before looking at Jack questioningly, "How'd you even get it?"

"Found it," Jack grinned.

"What do you mean, that's your hand?" Martha continued eyeing the Doctor, "You've got both your hands, I can see them!"

"Long story," the Doctor shrugged, "I lost my hand Christmas Day, in a sword fight."

"What?" Martha muttered, eyeing him a bit flummoxed, "And you grew another hand?"

"Um," the Doctor blinked at her, "Yeah, yeah, I did. Yeah. Hello?" he waved the fingers of his regrown hand at her.

"Might I ask," Yana interrupted, "What species are you?"

"Time Lord, last of. Heard of them? Legend or anything?" he got a blank look, "Not even a myth? Blimey, end of the universe is a bit humbling."

"Chan, it is said that I am the last of my species too, tho."

"Sorry," he looked at her curiously, "What was your name?"

"My assistant and good friend, Chantho," Yana introduced, "A survivor of the Malmooth. This was their planet, Malcassairo, before we took refuge.

"The city outside," the Doctor attention returned to Chantho, eyes brimming with curiosity, "That was yours?"

"Chan," Chantho nodded, "The conglomeration died, tho."

"Conglomeration," the Doctor beamed, "That's what I said."

Jack arched a brow at him, "You're supposed to say sorry."

"Oh, yes. Sorry."

"Chan, most grateful, tho."

"You grew another hand?" Martha blurted; mind still stuck on that fact.

The Doctor waved his fingers at her again, "Hello, again. It's fine. Look," he held his hand out to her, "Really, it's me," he said as he shook her hand.

"All this time," Martha mused as he let go, "And you're still full of surprises."

"You get used to it," Sophie tried to reassure, "Just um," she played with the ends of her hair as she wondered how to put it, "Try to expect to be surprised by him."

"Helpful," Martha murmured a bit dubiously.

Sophie shrugged, "Works for me – mostly."

Martha let out a low sound and Sophie gave her an apologetic look, suddenly thinking that she hadn't really helped at all.

"Chan, you are most unusual, tho."

"Well…" the Doctor muttered.

"So, what about those things outside?" Jack jumped in as the Doctor trailed off, "The Beastie Boys. What are they?"

"We call them Futurekind," Yana explained, "Which is a myth in itself, but it's feared they are what we will become, unless we reach Utopia."

"And Utopia is…?" the Time Lord trailed off meaningfully.

"Oh, every human knows of Utopia," Yana huffed, "Where have you been?"

"Bit of a hermit."

Yana blinked at him then looked around at the group of people that had arrived with him, "A hermit with friends?"

"Hermits United," the Doctor claimed with a bit of a grin, "We meet up every ten years and swap stories about caves."

"Mines more of a library than a cave," Sophie added.

"Yeah," the Doctor agreed, "Got to drag her out of it most times to make sure she doesn't miss a meeting. She'd miss all the fun otherwise. So, um, Utopia?"

Yana crooked a finger at them before he led them over to a computer that was displaying a navigational chart with a blinking red dot, "The call came from across the stars, over and over again. Come to Utopia. Originating from that point."

The Doctor peered at it, "Where is that?"

"Oh, it's far beyond the Condensate Wilderness, out towards the Wildlands and the Dark Matter reefs, calling us in. the last of the humans scattered across the night."

"What do you think's out there?"

Yana shook his head, "We can't know. A colony, a city, some sort of haven? The Science Foundation created the Utopia Project thousands of years ago to preserve mankind, to find a way of surviving beyond the collapse of reality itself. Now perhaps they found it. Perhaps not. But it's worth a look, don't you think?"

"Oh yes," the Doctor agreed.

Yana blinked a grimace flickering across his face, the Doctor's voice fading out as the rhythmic beat of drums beat inside his head, growing louder and louder.

"And the signal keeps modulating, so it's not automatic. That's a good sign someone's out there. And that's, oh, that's a navigation matrix. So, you can fly without the stars to guide you," the Doctor broke off as he glanced at Yana and he frowned with concern, "Professor? Professor? Professor?"

"I… right, that's enough talk," Yana said trying to shake it off as the drums receded enough for him to process the world around him again, "There's work to do. Now if you could leave," he attempted to dismiss them to give him time to pull himself together again, "Thank you."

"You alright?" the Time Lord asked as he followed Yana who'd started to walk away.

"Yes, I'm fine. And busy."

"Except that rocket's not going to fly, is it?" the Doctor persisted unable to help himself, "This footprint mechanism thing, it's not working."

"Well find away," Yana retorted shortly.

"You're stuck on this planet. And you haven't told them, have you? That lot out there, they still think they're going to fly."

"Well, it's better to let them live in hope."

"Quite right, too," the Doctor shrugged off his coat and turned to give it to Sophie only to blink at the empty space she had been occupying last he checked.

Jack let out a soft snort as he passed, easily reading the look, taking the coat the Time Lord was still holding out. He gestured in the direction of the small sitting area.

The Doctor glanced in that direction, before he turned back to Yana with the thought that he'd make sure to make those bells more sensitive to movement, "And I must say, Professor…" the line of conversation he picked back up trailing as he realised a bit sheepishly, "Uh, what was it?"

"Yana."

"Professor Yana. This new science is well beyond me, but all the same, a boost reversal circuit, in any time frame, must be a circuit which reverses the boost. So, I wonder, what would happen if I did this?" he mused aloud and picked up a circuit whilst slipping his sonic back out of his pocket. The blue tip flashing as it whirred. He flicked it on and power surged through the machines.

"Chan, it's working, tho!" Chantho exclaimed in excitement.

"But how did you do that?" Yana exclaimed.

"Oh, we've been chatting away, I forgot to tell you," the Doctor grinned, "I'm brilliant."

"That you are," Sophie agreed as walked back over, "Here," she stepped over to Yana, "I was going to do tea, but couldn't find any," she said holding a steaming mug out to him, subtly the Doctor pointed his sonic at her earrings the blue tip flashing twice as it softly whirred, "But Chantho said you preferred coffee anyway."

"I uh, yes," Yana took the mug from her, "There was no need."

Sophie shrugged and still as the bells that wouldn't normally make a sound at such a movement let out a soft chime. The words she was going to say lost as she turned with another chime. She narrowed suspicious eyes on the Doctor who was busy inspecting some of the now working machinery.

She stepped over to him, "You know, that's going to drive everyone batty, right?"

"No idea what you mean, Sparks," the Time Lord retorted.

"Uh huh," Sophie muttered with obvious disbelief.

The Doctor tugged at his ear as he continued to stare at what he'd chosen to focus on. He knew he was being a bit more sensitive to where she was. But she wasn't wrong about something being in the air here. A storm. The last time he'd felt this he'd. They'd lost Rose. And he couldn't… he didn't know what he'd do if he lost Sophie. The very idea… it stirred something deep… and he didn't know yet how deep it went.

He didn't want to find out.

*O*O*O*

"All passengers," Atillo's voice came over the tannoy, "Prepare for boarding. I repeat, all passengers prepare for immediate boarding."

Families started getting, ready, excited murmurs filling the air.

*O*O*O*

"Destination, Utopia."

Jack glanced at Sophie who'd joined him at the monitor, the shorter brunette fiddling with the wires he'd shoved at her at her appearance as she sorted them for him. The chime of the bells in her ears catching his attention as she shifted again, "Are you trying to learn to move without making them chime again or just annoy me?"

Sophie blinked as she looked up from her work, "Oh," she mused as she thought about it. she hadn't realised it but, "Both."

Jack snorted, "The Doctor might start lobbing for a tracker if you manage it."

Sophie shrugged, "I'll take the opportunity to wrangle one for him in return if he does," she muttered, "Be very useful the next time he goes and does something stupid. I'm being serious," she pouted as Jack laughed.

"I know – I'm just imagining the circles that conversation will go in."

*O*O*O*

In the engine control room Atillo hit some of the many switches on the banks of the machinery. Above the gates opened allowing in the water truck.

"All troops report to the silo," he spoke into the tannoy whilst above the Futurekind watched the truck disappear through the gates, "I repeat all troops report to the silo."

*O*O*O*

"Inside!" one of the guards called ushering them through the gates, "Everyone, inside! C'mon, move, move, move!"

*O*O*O*

"I repeat, all passengers prepare for immediate boarding," Atillo spoke into the tannoy again. His gaze flicking over into the second room, briefly seeing Padro and his family as they happily queued to board the rocket.

*O*O*O*

Martha and Chantho walked away from the rocket, people moving past them as they headed for the rocket, circuit boards in hand, "Excuse me," Martha called as she spotted a familiar boy, "Hey, what was your name? Creet?"

Creet nodded, "That's right, miss."

"Who are you with, Creet? You got family?"

"No miss. There's just me."

"Well, good luck. What do you think it's going to be like in Utopia?"

"My mum used to say the skies are made of diamonds."

"Good for her. Go on, off you go. Get your seat."

Creet scampered away and as Martha and Chantho continued on, the Futurekind infiltrator stepped out. Her eyes focused on their retreating backs.

*O*O*O*

The Doctor and Yana worked on either side of a large clear circuit board. The Time Lord pausing a wire in hand as he caught a scent. He sniffed the cord and blinked, "Is this…?"

"Yes, gluten extract," Yana replied to the half-asked question, "Binds the neutralino map together."

"But that's food," the Doctor exclaimed a delighted grin pulling at his lips, "You've built this system out of food and string and staples? Professor Yana, you're a genius."

"Says the man who made it work," Yana replied wryly.

"Oh… it's easy coming in at the end, but… you're stellar. This is… this magnificent. And I don't often say that 'cos… well, 'cos of me."

"Here we are," Sophie announced her presence, a box filled with the specified wires in hand, "As requested."

"Sparks! The Professor, made these cords out of food!"

"You didn't lick it," Sophie eyed the cord he was proffering at her, "Did you?"

"No, just sniffed it. I'm not a barbarian, Sparks," the Doctor ignored her arched brow happily continuing, "The Professor is a genius."

"Well," Yana muttered, "I don't know about that. Even my title is an affectation. There hasn't been such a thing as a university for over a thousand years. I've spent my life going from one refugee ship to another."

"Smartest man I know, said official is just a boring bit of paper," Sophie murmured smiling as the Doctor nodded along, "I imagine the same applies for the bit of a paper a university would give you."

"Exactly!" he beamed, "If you'd been born in a different time, you'd be revered. I mean it," the Doctor insisted, "Throughout the galaxies."

"Oh," Yana huffed, "Those damned galaxies. They had to go and collapse. Some admiration would have been nice. Yes, just a little, just once."

"Well, you've got it now," the Doctor stated, "But that footprint engine thing. You can't activate it from onboard. It's got to be done from here," he frowned a little, "You're staying behind."

"With Chantho," Yana agreed, "She won't leave without me. Simply refuses."

"You'd give your life so they could fly."

"Oh," Yana waved off the sombre looks he was receiving, "I think I'm a little too old for Utopia."

"Never too old for a dream," Sophie murmured, "Especially not one you've worked hard on."

"All the same," Yana huffed, "Time I had some sleep."

"Professor," Atillo called through the tannoy, "Tell the Doctor we've found his blue box."

"Ah!" the Doctor beamed.

"That's a relief!" Sophie exclaimed with a matching grin at the news.

"Doctor?" Jack called and the three walked over to the monitor he was standing in front of. The monitor displaying the sight of the Tardis safely inside the silo.

"Professor," the Time Lord patted Yana on the shoulder, "It's a wild stab in the dark, but I may just have found you a way out."

Sophie glanced from the monitor her gaze turning a concerned as it landed on Yana who was staring at the image of the Tardis – a light pinching around his facial features that she recognised as pain. She'd seen it often enough on her own after all.

"Professor Yana?" she tried, only to get no reaction, "Professor…"

"I, uh, yes. I'm fine."

Sophie eyed him still concerned, "…Good."

*O*O*O*

The Doctor bounded out of the Tardis that was now parked in the laboratory, dragging a power cable out after him.

"Extra power. Little bit of a cheat," he said as he plugged it into an outlet, "But who's counting," he beamed, "Jack you're in charge of the retro feeds."

"Oh," Martha beamed as she entered with Chantho. Her eyes landing on the Tardis, "Am I glad to see that thing."

Chantho immediately headed for Yana who was sitting down, "Chan, Professor, are you alright, tho?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm fine," Yana mumbled, "I'm fine," he added sounding stronger than before, "Just get on with it," he tried to wave her way as he'd done with Sophie who was hovering a little ways away.

"Connect those circuits into the spar, same as that last lot. But quicker," Jack ordered.

"Ooh, yes, sir," Martha retorted, moving to do as he said.

The Doctor stepped over to Yana, "You don't have to keep working," he assured the man, "We can handle it."

"It's just a headache," Yana tried to dismiss, "It's just… just noise inside my head, Doctor," he attempted to explain in the next moment and Sophie felt herself wince in sympathy. She knew that feeling far to well before the Doctor had helped, "Constant noise inside my head."

The Doctor frowned in concern, "What sort of noise?"

"It's the sound of drums," Yana's voice had Sophie freezing in the quick check she'd done on her shields state at the thought of them at that. Her eyes focusing on Yana, "More and more, as though it's getting closer."

Sophie swallowed heavily, the description of her dreams… the drums getting louder… closer, loud in her ears. Her dreams they never led to anything good. But, what did Yana have to do with the drums…? He seemed like such a nice man. Tired, but nice. Didn't seem to have a mean bone in his body. Perhaps, perhaps it wasn't a bad thing… her dreams of the killer dummies had led to her meeting the Doctor after all and befriending Rose so, that wasn't bad, not really. She tried to sooth herself. And the Cybermen dreams… she'd gotten to see her parallel birth parents. But then that'd also eventually led to loosing Rose…

"When did it start?"

"Oh, I've had it all my life," Yana responded, "Every waking hour. Still, no rest for the wicked," he stood to get back to work.

The Doctor turned his gaze to Sophie as Yana stepped away, sensing the rising turmoil in her, a brief flicker or sharp uneasiness, almost bordering on outright fear, reaching him from beyond her shields, "Sparks?"

Her gaze shot to him at the sound of his voice, "I'm, uh, gonna see if Jack needs help with something," she stated lamely and started away. Wanting to confide in him and knowing that she couldn't. All she could do was try to put space between herself and Yana and hope they'd leave soon… except, Yana was coming with them, wasn't he? At least that was what the Doctor had implied before… bugger!

Maybe she was just overreacting. Just because Yana was hearing the drums didn't have to mean something bad. She didn't even know what the drums meant. If they meant anything beyond the fact that they'd meet Yana? Maybe that was it…? Maybe, maybe Yana was important… maybe, maybe, "Ah!" she let out a soft exclamation of pain as her lower lip she'd been unknowingly abusing with her teeth, broke the skin.

"Hey Soph, what's…" Jack trailed as he turned to her as he turned to the sound of her chiming bells approaching and caught sight of the blood on her lower lip. He frowned with concern, "What happened?"

Sophie shook her head, "Just clumsy…" she muttered, "Can you just… do you have something that needs doing?"

Jack eyed her for a moment, before nodding, he'd been avoiding it as much as possible because she'd seemed distracted, and he assumed the Doctor had noticed and was doing the same… this, something else was going on, "Sure," he glanced over at the Time Lord that was staring at Sophie with concern and gave him a nod. He had her.

The Doctor nodded back, before he turned and got back to work, more determined than before to hurry up and get them off this planet and safely back into the vortex. Even as his mind spun trying to work out what had happened.

*O*O*O*

"How long have you been with the professor?" Martha asked Chantho as the two worked on the circuit boards.

"Chan, seventeen years, tho."

"Blimey," Martha blinked a little surprised, "That's a long time."

Chantho looked down bashfully, "Chan, I adore him, tho."

"Oh right, and he…"

"Chan… I don't think he even notices, tho."

Martha winced in sympathy, "Tale as old as time that."

"Chan, but I am happy to serve, tho."

"Do you mind if I ask?" Martha changed tracks, eyes curious, "Do you have to start every sentence with chan?"

"Chan, yes, tho."

"And end every sentence with…"

"Chan, tho, tho."

"What would happen if you didn't?"

Chantho stared at her a little wide eyed at the very idea, "Chan, that would be rude, tho."

"What, like swearing?"

"Chan, indeed, tho."

"Go on," Martha encouraged with a friendly smile, "Just once."

Chantho shifted nervously, "Chan, I can't, tho."

"Oh, do it for me."

"No," Chantho refuted as she conceded, giggling as Martha grinned.

*O*O*O*

In the control room Atillo went to a monitor, "Professor!" he calls only for the screen to remain blank. He typed Yana into the system, "Systems are down," he tried again, "Professor, are you getting me?"

Yana came into focus on the monitor, "I'm here! We're ready!"

*O*O*O*

"Now all you need to do is connect the couplings," Yana explained to Atillo, "Then we can launch," the screen went blank, and he let out a cry of frustration, "God's sake!" they were so close, "This equipment. Needs rebooting all the time."

"Anything I can do?" Martha asked as she stepped over, "I've finished that lot."

"Yes, if you could," Yana answered gratefully, "Just press the reboot key every time the picture goes."

"Certainly, sir. Just don't ask me to do shorthand.

"Right."

Martha pressed the indicated key, her gaze flicking about the room only to catch sight of Sophie as she stood a bit out of the way. A far away look on her face, one that had Martha frowning in concern. She looked almost out of it. Checked out. She didn't think she'd seen such a look on her friend before. When had… what had… was that coagulated blood on her lower lip? What…? When had that happened and how hadn't she noticed before.

"Are you still there?" Atillo's voice sounded from the monitor.

"Ah, present and correct. Send your man inside."

*O*O*O*

"We'll keep the levels down from here."

Atillo nodded before he opened a heavy door for a man dressed in protective gear to go inside.

"He's inside," Atillo spoke to those behind the monitor, "And good luck to him."

*O*O*O*

"Captain, keep the dials below the red," Yana ordered, and Jack made a gesture of acknowledgement.

The Doctor peered at the monitor, "Where is that room?"

"It's underneath the rocket," Yana replied, "Fix the couplings and the footprint can work. But the entire chamber is flooded with stet radiation."

"Stet?" the Doctor blinked, "Never heard of it."

"You wouldn't want to. But it's safe enough, if we can hold the radiation back from here," they watch the monitor as the man inside the room worked on the couplings. An alarm sounded, "It's rising," Yana all but barked, "Naught point two. Keep it level!"

"Yes sir!" Jack replied working to do as he was told. He glanced at Sophie stood by where he was working, "You with us, Soph?"

Sophie immediately blinked out of her circling thoughts, "Yeah," her gaze flicked to Yana, eyes troubled.

*O*O*O*

The Futurekind found the power box. She opened it and started switching off fuses causing more alarms to start going off.

*O*O*O*

"Chan, we are losing power, tho!" Chantho exclaimed with concern.

*O*O*O*

The Futurekind found a weight and threw it with all her might at the box, the fuses sparking in response as they broke beyond repair.

*O*O*O*

"Radiation's rising!" the Doctor reported.

"We've lost control!" Jack shouted.

"The chamber's going to flood!"

"Jack! Override the vents!"

*O*O*O*

"Get out!" Atillo shouted from behind the door, "Get out of there! Jate!" he shouted in desperation as the man kept working.

*O*O*O*

"Oi, you!" a guard exclaimed as they found the Futurekind, "Go!" they opened fire as she turned revealing her pointe teeth as she bared them.

*O*O*O*

Jack pulled out two live power cables, "We can jump start the override," he held the two cables together.

"Don't! It's going to flare!" the Doctor shouted.

"Jack!" Sophie screamed as electricity surged through him, his screams filling the air.

*O*O*O*

"Jate, get out of there!" Attilo shouted as loudly as he could, "Get out!" within the suit Jate's body disintegrates. The suit falling lifeless to the floor, "No!"

*O*O*O*

"I've got him," Martha rushed to Jack's fallen form.

"Chan, don't touch the cables, tho," Chantho pushed them out of the way. Whilst the Doctor stepped over to Sophie who was watching Martha give Jack mouth to mouth.

He touched her shoulder gently, giving it a comforting squeeze, "I'm sorry," he murmured, and Sophie jerked her head up to look over her shoulder at him, "I thought you knew."

She frowned, "Knew what?"

"You don't sense anything from Jack? Nothing strange?"

"…No?" Sophie frowned, "Should I?"

The Doctor gave his head a little shake, "Just trust me," he urged quietly as Yana offered his condolences.

Sophie gave a little nod, her gaze going helpless back to the lifeless Jack. Trust him. She could do that. But trust him with what? He hadn't exactly explained anything.

"The chamber's flooded with radiation, yes?" the Doctor spoke to Yana.

"Without the couplings, the engines will never start," Yana murmured, "It was all for nothing."

"Oh, I don't know," the Time Lord's gaze went to Martha who was still desperately trying. He stepped towards her, "Martha leave him."

"You've got to let me try," Martha insisted as he pulled her up.

"Come on. Come on. Just listen to me. Now leave him alone," he told her firmly, before turning back to Yana, "It strikes me, Professor, you've got a room which no man can enter without dying. Is that correct?"

"Yes."

"Well…" Jack gasped as he came back to life, "I think I've got just the man."

Jack looked at the shocked faces around him, "Was someone kissing me?"

Sophie spluttered, "Really?! You-you come back to life and that's the first thing out of your mouth?! You…"

"I'd like to point out that uh," Jack sat up, "Hitting me with a chair would be rude after I just came back to life and all."

"I'm not gonna hit you with a chair."

"Really?" Jack queried as he clambered to his feet, "Cos you're grasping the back of that one like your about to do serious violence to my person."

Sophie looked down at the chair she was gripping the back of in a rather vicious grip, "Said I wasn't gonna," she repeated flatly, "Not that I wasn't thinking about it!"

The Doctor grinned at that much preferring this to Sophie's uneasy hidden behind a distant faraway look – everything hidden from him. Not even a random thought slipping free like it did. He didn't like it.

*O*O*O*

"Lieutenant," the Doctor called as he ran into the control room, Sophie's hand clasped firmly in his whilst Jack entered barely a step behind, "Get on board the rocket! I promise you're gonna fly."

"The chambers flood!" Atillo exclaimed in protest.

"Trust me," the Time Lord urged, "We've found a way of tripping the system. Run!"

Atillo stared at him a moment, before running out of the control room without further comment – who was he to argue with someone Professor Yana trusted.

Sophie took a breath, eyeing the two with a mild frown, "Why am I here?" neither had given her a chance to ask before they'd been suddenly running along. Their tasks obvious. Hers… she hadn't been given one.

Jack shrugged, "You asked for a distraction."

Sophie frowned, "I asked if you there was something to do," she corrected.

"As a distraction," Jack insisted.

Sophie opened her mouth to protest, only to concede at the pointed looks she was getting from both of them, "Yeah, maybe."

"So, let us distract you," the Doctor gently tapped his fingers to her temple, "From whatever's going on in here."

Sophie had barely started a nod, before she was letting out a squeak and turning on her heal sharply, "Warn a girl!"

The Doctor frowned at Jack, stepping in front of Sophie despite her turned back, "What are you getting out of your clothes for?"

"I'm going in."

"Well, by the looks of it," the Doctor muttered shifting to peer into the chamber beyond, "I'd say the stet radiation doesn't affect clothing, only flesh."

"Well," Jack shrugged unphased, "I look good though," he paused by the door, "How long have you known?"

"Ever since I ran away from you. Good luck." the Doctor answered watching as Jack stepped into the radiation chamber.

Sophie frowned turning to look at him, "Did I just hear you admit to leaving him behind?"

The Doctor swallowed and in a casual movement kicked the wheeled chair nearby well out of her reach.

Sophie snorted lowly, "Wack an alien with a chair one time…"

"It's been more than once," the Doctor reminded and got a flat look for his effort, he tugged at his ear, "And uh, I wouldn't do anyone any good if I'm out cold," he tugged his ear again and Sophie continued to stare at him.

"We lost picture when that thing flared up," Martha's voice came through, slicing through the moment, much to the Doctor's relief, "Doctor, are you there?"

"Receiving, yeah," he replied, "He's inside."

"And still alive?"

"Oh, yes."

*O*O*O*

"But he should evaporate," Yana protested, "What sort of man is he?"

"Sophie would probably be able to tell you more," Martha murmured, "I've only just met him. The Doctor sort of travels through time and space and picks people up. God," she grimaced at herself, "I make most of us sound like stray dogs. Maybe we are."

"He travels in time?" Yana repeated distractedly looking away.

Martha shook her head, "Don't ask me to explain it. That's a Tardis, that box thing," she gestured at the big blue box. The sports car of time travel, he says. Though," she smiled a bit, "Soph seems to think she'd be a bit offended by that."

That's a Tardis. That's a Tardis. That's a Tardis. That's a Tardis. Yana heard Martha's voice repeat over and over in his head, faintly the beat of the drums sounded behind the words.

*O*O*O*

"When did you first realise?" the Doctor asked through the door.

"Earth, 1892," Jack replied as he worked on the couplings, "Got in a fight in Ellis Island. A man shot me through the heart. Then I woke up. Thought it was kind of strange. But then it never stopped. Fell off a cliff, trampled by horses, World War One, World War Two, poison, starvation, a stray javelin…" the Doctor and Sophie shared a wince, "In the end, I got the message. I'm the man who can never die. And all that time you knew."

"That's why I left you behind," the Time Lord admitted, "It's not easy even just… just looking at you, Jack, 'cos you're wrong."

"Oh, that's nice," Sophie huffed unimpressed as Jack retorted with sarcasm.

"Thanks."

"You are," the Doctor spluttered looking from the frowning Sophie to the door Jack was behind, "I can't help it. I'm a Time Lord. It's instinct. It's in my guts. You're a fixed point in time and space. You're a fact. That's never meant to happen. Even the Tardis reacted against you, tried to shake you off. Flew all the way to the universe just to get rid of you."

"So, what you're saying is that you're, uh," Jack finished the third coupling, "Prejudiced."

The Doctor blinked, before frowning just a little bit, "I never thought of it like that."

"Shame on you."

"Yeah."

"But…" Sophie muttered with a frown of her own, "Then, why don't I feel that?" she asked, she'd felt the other things that the Doctor had mentioned. That snappy air thing when Rose had saved her dad. She felt the 'storm' before the Cybermen and Dalek invasion where they'd lost Rose.

The Doctor hummed in thought, "Best guess… you're too human. So, you don't have the…" he hesitated fighting the urge to shift uncomfortably – he'd never had to consider himself prejudiced against something before, "Knee-jerk prejudice."

"I feel like I'm missing a vital part of this conversation going on here," Jack commented, "Which rude."

"Ah, right. You wouldn't know," the Doctor commented, "Sparks is just a little bit Time Lord."

Jack paused what he was doing in surprise, "Huh," he murmured, before smiling, "I guess that explains those things you can do, Soph.

"Yeah," Sophie agreed.

"Still," Jack continued, "I wouldn't have ever thought Time Lord."

A brief silence fell over the three of them.

*O*O*O*

In the lab, Martha and Chantho sat in front of the monitor as it fell silent. Whilst Yana stood behind them, staring at the Tardis.

"You know," Jack's voice came through again as he picked up the previous line of conversation, "The last thing I remember, back when I was mortal… I was facing three Daleks. Death by extermination. What happened?"

*O*O*O*

"Rose," the Doctor stated simply.

Jack frowned, "I thought you'd sent her back. Her and Sophie."

"They came back," the Time Lord offering a small smile to Sophie, "Rose opened the heart of the Tardis and absorbed the time vortex itself."

"What does that mean exactly?"

*O*O*O*

In the lab, Yana's cheeks were wet with tears, for a reason he couldn't place.

"No one is meant to have that power."

*O*O*O*

"If a Time Lord did that, he'd become a god. A vengeful god. But she was human," the Doctor swallowed, "Everything she did was so human. She brought you back to life, but she couldn't control it. She brought you back forever. That's something, I suppose. The final act of the Time War was life."

Sophie looked away, remembering Rose lifting a hand after… and the tingle in her eyes as the energy she'd hit her with absorbed into them.

*O*O*O*

Yana swallowed heavily as the words 'Time War' echoed in his head as the conversation coming through the monitor continued.

*O*O*O*

"Do you think she could change me back?"

The Doctor shook his head, "I took the power out of her. She's gone, Jack. She's not just living on a parallel world, she's trapped there. The walls have closed."

"I'm sorry."

"Yep," the Doctor murmured whilst Sophie gave a solemn nod.

"I went back to her estate, in the nineties," Jack mentioned, "Just once or twice. Watched her growing up."

Sophie blinked, brows quirking, "You did?"

"Yeah, never said 'hello'. Timelines and all that."

Sophie smiled teasingly, "Look at you Mr Responsible."

Jack mock scowled, "You take that back," he was silent for a brief moment, "Went and visited you too, you know. Again, only once or twice… I'm pretty sure you noticed me that second time…" he admitted.

Sophie frowned, head tilting in thought.

"Must have thought I was shady cos you took off like a shot."

"Wait…" Sophie's eyed widened as a memory she remembered rather vividly surfaced, "That was you!"

"Yeah."

"You chased me!" she accused.

"I thought you were in trouble…" Jack defended himself, "I didn't realise you were running from me immediately."

"Of course I was?" Sophie huffed, "I was a friendless orphan and some strange old guy."

"Old!" Jack protested.

"I was in single digits. Of course, I thought you were old," she huffed, and the Doctor couldn't help but smile in amusement, "Some old guy was staring at me intensely. Of course I ran off. I thought you were some kidnapper! And you chased me! Scared me half to death. And to top it all off I ran into a store and knocked over one of those stupid dummies so hard it fell over! Nearly crushed me! The shop lady wasn't impressed after she made sure I was ok. Gave me a lecture about being careful and I shouldn't steal things. She thought I was running from someone I'd stolen something from," she cried, "Almost had the cops called on me!"

Jack winced, "So, uh… yeah. I didn't check up on you again after that. Didn't want to accidentally scare you if you spotted me again… Can't believe you thought I was some creep! No wonder you ran into that dummy."

Sophie pouted, "It hurt!"

"It looked like it," Jack murmured with another wince. He'd been rather mortified to see her crash into the dummy and her protests of a scary man chasing her. He'd forced himself to walk away after that.

The Doctor shook his head, his expression sobering as he thought back over their conversation, over the many ways Jack had said he'd died over the years. His recklessness he'd witnessed from him, "Do you wanna die?"

Sophie stilled as she waited for an answer.

"Oh," Jack grunted as he struggled with a coupling, "This one's a little stuck."

"Jack?"

"I thought I did. I dunno," Jack admitted after a reluctant beat, "But this lot. You see them out here surviving, and that's fantastic," he moved onto the last coupling.

"You might be out there, somewhere."

"I could meet myself."

"Well, the only man you're ever gonna be happy with."

"This new regeneration, it's kinda cheeky."

"You have no idea," Sophie huffed a little dryly, "Bit of a foxy git, this one."

The Doctor grinned at her and Jack blinked once and then laughed.

*O*O*O*

Martha shook her head a little, "I never understand half the things he says," she muttered, before she turned to Yana, "What's wrong?"

Chantho turned to look at Yana at the question, concerned, "Chan, what is it, tho?"

"Time Travel," Yana murmured, "They say there was time travel back in the old days. I never believed," he shook his head a little, "But what would I know? Stupid old man. Never could keep time. Always late, always lost," he reached into his waistcoat pocket, "Even this thing never worked," he pulled out a fob watch.

Martha's eyes widened slightly as she caught a glimpse of a familiar ornate inscription over the surface. It couldn't be?

"Time and time and time again," Yana muttered, "Always running out on me."

"Can I have a look at that?"

"Oh, it's only an old relic," Yana chuckled, "Like me."

"Where'd you get it?"

"Hmm? I was found with it."

"What do you mean?"

"An orphan in the storm," Yana explained wondering why the young woman was so curious over an old watch, "I was a naked child found on the coast of the Silver Devastation. Abandoned, with only this."

Martha looked up from the watch, "Have you opened it?"

"Why would I?" Yana blinked, "It's broken."

"How do you know it's broken if you've never opened it?"

"It's stuck. It's old. It's not meant to be," Yana huffed a little, "I don't know," he admitted with a slight frown. He'd never really paid attention to it. It was just there. He let her touch the watch. Watching as she turned it over to reveal the inscription on the other side.

Martha's breath caught and she took a small step back, a nervous breath escaping her. She'd recognise that inscription anywhere.

"Does it matter?"

"No. It's… nothing. It's… listen, everything's fine up here. I'm gonna go see if the Doctor needs an extra pair of hands."

She turned for the door, walking briskly towards it, forcing herself not to run until it had closed behind her completely.

*O*O*O*

"Yes!" Jack exclaimed as he released the last coupling.

Sophie focused her attention back on the door separating them, "Oh, are you done?!"

"Finally!" came the response.

"Good! Now, get out of there!" the Doctor exclaimed more than ready to get the waiting passengers into orbit and themselves off the planet, "Come on!"

*O*O*O*

Martha dashed through the corridors, excitement and adrenaline coursing through her as she ran as fast as she could.

*O*O*O*

The Doctor stepped past Sophie towards the controls, "Lieutenant, everyone on board?"

"Ready and waiting."

"Stand by! Two minutes to ignition," the Time Lord informed before he hung up without waiting for a response.

"Ready to launch," Atillo voice came through the tannoy, "Outer doors sealed."

"Countdown commencing. T minus ninety-nine, ninety-eight," the computer began, the Doctor and Jack a whirlwind of movement as they rushed about flicking switches. Sophie keeping out of their way.

Her gaze drawn to the door as it opened to reveal a somewhat winded Martha. Sophie shifted, "Martha what…"

"Ah, nearly there," the Doctor cut in before Martha could respond, "The footprint it, it's a gravity pulse. It stamps down, the rocket shoots up. Bit primitive. It'll take the both of us to keep it stable."

"Doctor," Martha moved in front of him to get his attention, "It's the Professor. He's got this watch," she hurried on, "He's got a fob watch. It's the same as yours. Same writing on it… same… everything."

Sophie swallowed; eyes wide – not sure how to react… if the professor was a Time Lord… wasn't that good… but the drums… what the hell did they mean…?!

"Don't be ridiculous," the Doctor dismissed and attempted to move around her.

"I asked him," Martha matched him, "He said he's had it his whole life."

So," Jack shrugged, "He's got the same watch."

Sophie swallowed, if Martha was right, "…It's not just a watch."

"It's a chameleon thing," Martha attempted to explain.

"No, no, no," the Doctor shook his head flustered, cutting into her already in his opinion her poor explanation of the 'watch', "It's this… this thing, this device, it rewrites biology, changes a Time Lord into a human."

"And it's the same watch."

"It can't be," he denied his expression a little lost. His eyes flicking to Sophie who was staring at them – that expression. That kind of non-expression, that he hated so much.

And alarm blared and the Doctor burst back into motion to try and fix it.

"That means he could be a Time Lord," Jack exclaimed in stunned realisation, "You might not be the last one."

"Jack, keep it level!"

"But that's brilliant, isn't it?" Martha asked, her question turning unsure at the end, not understanding the Doctor's reaction.

Yes, it is. Course it is," the Time Lord muttered, "Depends which one," he tacked on a bit distracted, "Brilliant, fantastic, yeah. But they died, the Time Lords. All of them. They died."

"Not if he was human," Jack refuted.

"What did he say Martha?" the Doctor asked intensely, stepping towards her, "What did he say!" he shouted.

Martha jumped a little startled, "He looked at the watch like he could hardly see it. Like that perception filter thing."

"What about now? Can he see it now?" the Time Lord demanded to know, mind spinning trying to think… try too, because it was brilliant! But which one was it…? Who? Who'd come to the end of the universe to hide.

*O*O*O*

Yana looked at the watch, truly noticing it, hearing it for the first time.

"The Tardis. Time vortex," he heard the Doctor's voice in his head again… those words so strange yet and yet somehow striking a chord that felt familiar – a distant dream. There was a laugh… its tone ringing as familiar as the words.

"Regeneration. Regeneration."

"The drums, the drums, the drums," a voice whispered to him from the watch, "The never-ending drumbeat. Open me, you human fool. Open the light and summon me and receive my majesty."

"Destroy him! Then, you will give your power to me!"

"Chan, Yana," Chantho called to him, gazing at him with love and concern, "Won't you please take some rest, tho?"

*O*O*O*

"Thirteen, twelve, eleven, ten, nine…"

"If he escaped the Time War then it's the perfect place to hide," Jack mused, "The end of the universe."

"Why though?" Sophie asked, biting her lower lip harshly at the question. More words wanting to spill out – words that would break her promise.

Jack shrugged, "Plenty of reasons for someone to hide from war."

"Six, five…"

"Think of what the Face of Boe said," Martha urged, "His dying words. He said…"

The Doctor swallowed, he did he remembered. Like it was just yesterday. Elation clashing with caution. With worry. Because in that moment another memory came to him… Sophie randomly asking if he'd been hearing drums. An idle question, one that had had little meaning at the time but… Yana. Yana was hearing drums. How his Sparks had looked at Yana when he'd talked about hearing drums. The brief glimpse of uncertainty and fear… fear of the unknown. Of what the drums would bring. The lost blank look on her face. Why hadn't he remembered before?! And Boe's last words…

'You Are Not Alone.'

The Doctor swallowed heavily as the words came together in his head.

Y…A…N…A

"One."

The Doctor turned the final switch and the rockets engines blazed to life. Whilst in the laboratory Yana flicked open the fob watch. Eyes reflecting the golden glow that rose up towards him, streaming into his body.

*O*O*O*

Outside the tribe of Futurekind watched the rocket as it lifted off. Rageful hungry howls ripping from their throats.

*O*O*O*

"Chan, Professor Yana, tho?" Chantho called, swallowing uncertainly as the man she was so fond of turned to her. A look on his face that she'd never seen before.

*O*O*O*

"Lieutenant, have you done it?" the Doctor asked, speaking into the phone connected to the rocket, "Did you get velocity? Have you done it? Lieutenant!" he spoke more urgently, excited and impatient for a response, "Have you done it?"

"Affirmative," Atillo's voice finally came over the line, "We'll see you in Utopia."

"Good luck."

The Doctor hung up the phone and turned, nabbing Sophie's hand as he took off at a run for the door. Only for the door to slam shut in his face.

*O*O*O*

"Chan, but you've locked them in, tho," Chantho gently protested confused as she watched Yana move swiftly about the room, manipulating the controls with a vigour she had never seen from him before.

*O*O*O*

"Get it open!" the Doctor shouted, pulling his sonic, whilst Jack got to work on the keypad, "Get it open!"

*O*O*O*

"Not to worry, my dear. As one door closes, another must open," Yana threw another switch and Chantho stared at him with horror as the power went down at the main gate into the silo. And outside the Futurekind howled again as they realised they could get in.

"Chan, you must stop, tho!" Chantho cried as Yana continued to manipulate the equipment, "Chan, you've lowered the defences! The Futurekind will get in, tho!"

*O*O*O*

The tribe burst through the gates and into the tunnel just as the Doctor and Jack managed to get the control room door open. The four running out into the corridor. A desperate look on the Time Lords face as he beelined for the lab his beloved old box was parked in. Sophie's gloved hand firmly clasped in his.

*O*O*O*

"Chan, Professor, I'm so sorry, but I must stop you. You're destroying all our work, tho."

Yana stilled for the first time since he'd awoken at long last and turned to face the lifeform that claimed a closeness with him. His gaze landed on her trembling form, a gun aimed at him, "Oh…" he mused amused, "Now, I can say I was provoked."

He took hold of a live energy cable and Chantho let out a soft whimper. She'd never seen him look like this before. His eyes so cold…

*O*O*O*

"Oh bugger!" Sophie breathed horrified as they came to sharp holt as they saw Futurekind racing towards them. They turned sharply and ran back the way they came. The Doctor's hand clasped firmly around Sophie's. A desperate silent chant of 'No, no, no, no, no, no,' running through his head.

They had to get there before… they just had too, because he didn't know who was in that watch… but to hide at the end of the universe…?

He didn't like that. He didn't like that at all.

*O*O*O*

"Did you never think," Yana sneered, anger clipping his tone, the sparking cable still held aloft, "All those years standing beside me, to ask about that watch? Never? Did you never once think, not ever, that you could set me free?"

"Chan, I'm sorry, tho," Chantho whimpered it was just a watch, "Chan, I'm so sorry."

"You with your 'chan' and your 'tho'," he sneered, "Driving me insane."

Chantho cringed back, unable to bring herself to pull the trigger, even as she feared for her life, "Chan, Professor, please…"

"That is not my name!" he shouted and Chantho flinched, "The Professor was an invention. So perfect a disguise that I forgot who I am."

"Chan, then who are you, tho?"

Chantho stared wide eyed as he answered lowly, "I am the Master," before the live end of the cable was thrust towards her and she screamed in agony.

*O*O*O*

Jack paused at an intersection of the corridor, "This way!" he shouted.

*O*O*O*

The Master knelt, picking up the canister containing the Doctor's hand a moment before the Doctor, Sophie, Jack and Martha reached the locked laboratory door.

"Professor!" the Doctor pounded on the small, rounded window, whilst Jack got started on the keypad, "Professor, let me in! Jack, get the door open now!"

The Master walked to the computer displaying the navigational chart for Utopia, ignoring the shouts coming from the locked door.

"Professor! Professor, where are you?! Professor! Professor, are you there? Please, I need to explain. Whatever you do, don't open that watch!"

The Master removed the circuit board from the computer he'd been looking at, a sneer pulling at his lips, "Utopia."

"Doctor!" he heard the girl, the one the Doctor claimed was just a bit Time Lord, and he paused, head tilting slightly as an idle wonder crossed his mind, before he dismissed it and carried on. Hardly interested.

"They're coming!" the other one shouted.

"Open the door, please!" the Doctor pleaded and the Master rolled his eyes, "I'm begging you, Professor," the man smirked as he pulled the cables from the Tardis, "Please listen to me," behind the Master's back Chantho willed herself to move, clinging to life, she reached for the gun she'd dropped, "Just open the door, please," he turned and Chantho who'd just managed to aim the gun at him, squeezed the trigger, before she collapsed lifelessly back onto the floor as the Master groaned, blood seeping from between the fingers that had grasped at the wound on instinct as he stumbled back into the Tardis.

Outside the lab doors, Jack gave up trying to decode the keypad and simply rammed the butt of his revolver into it. Smashing it. The door opened and the Doctor darted inside quickly followed by the others.

The Doctor froze for a moment as his gaze landed on the other man, before he went to rush forward only for the Master gripping the container to step back into the Tardis. He locked the doors and flicked a switch a moment before the Doctor attempted to use his key to get inside. He stepped over to the console whilst the Doctor frantically pulled his sonic screwdriver from his pocket. The Master pressed a switch on the console, preventing that from allowing the Doctor entrance either, "Deadlocked."

The Doctor pounded on the doors to the Tardis, "Let me in. Let me in!"

Martha pulled her hand back from where she'd been checking on Chantho, "She's dead."

Sophie stared with horror towards the Tardis, understanding implicitly what the Professor or rather who Professor Yana really was, was planning on leaving them behind. On stealing the only home she'd ever really known. Her Doctor's beautiful ship in the hands of another… with a Time Lord that was fine with leaving them all behind to die – food for the Futurekind. A Time Lord that had killed the kind-hearted Chantho.

"I broke the lock," Jack shouted from where he was trying to keep the lab door shut, "Give me a hand!"

Sophie turned and hurried the few steps back over to the door, all but throwing herself against them. The hollers of the Futurekind getting closer.

"I'm begging you," the Doctor pleaded desperately, "Everything's changed! It's only the two of us! We're the only ones left! Just let me in!"

"Killed by an insect," the Master groused unhappily, ignoring the Doctor at what was now his door, his Tardis, "A girl. How inappropriate. Still, if the Doctor can be young and strong, then so can I. The Master… reborn," he flung his arms out to the sides and his head got tossed back as he let the regeneration energy overtake him.

At the doors of the Tardis the Doctor, peering desperately through the window, saw the familiar golden light.

Martha set herself beside Sophie at the door, adding her own weight to it as the Futurekind reached it.

"Doctor!" Jack yelled as one of the Chieftain of the tribe got an arm through door, despite their best efforts at keeping it closed, "You'd better think of something!"

Inside the Tardis, the newly regenerated Master laughed and laughed and laughed as he moved erratically around the console bursting with energy, before he flicked a switch on the console opening a speaker, "Now then, Doctor…" he trailed momentarily distracted, "Ooh, new voice," he marvelled, "Hello, hello, hello," he played with the pitch, "Anyway, why don't we stop and have a nice little chat while I tell you all my plans and you can wort out a way to stop me, I don't think."

Martha frowned, distracted, "Hold on, I know that voice."

Sophie blinked at her, "You do?" she winced as the Futurekind slammed heavily against the door, wanting in as desperately as they wanted to keep them out.

"I'm asking you," the Doctor continued to try to plead, to reason, "Really properly. Just stop. Just think!"

"Use my name."

"Master. I'm sorry."

The Master sneered, "Tough!" he went back to the controls, starting the rota. The Doctor held out his sonic, the blue tip flashing.

"I can't hold out much longer, Doctor!" Jack shouted in warning, his gaze flicking over the two beside him, making sure they were ok.

"Oh no you don't!" the Master exclaimed as the console sparked, the rota dying. He quickly set the rota to rights again with a few button presses, "End of the universe. Have fun. Bye, bye."

Sophie opened her eyes, that she'd screwed shut in her effort to keep pressed against the door as she heard that familiar wheeze – dread sinking in her stomach as the ship. The place she considered her home, started to fade in and out. Vaguely she heard Martha desperately shout something – but she couldn't hear it over the blood she could hear rushing in her ears. The sound vaguely resembling the dreaded drums she'd been hearing in her dreams. Drums that had stolen Sexy away and in that moment. She felt like an orphan all over again.

"They're getting in!"

With those words the sound came rushing back, the harsh rush of her blood receding from her ears and she threw herself back into keeping the door closed. Her eyes now on the Doctor's back as he stared at his Tardis as it faded from view one last time.