Katy didn't even make it back to the TARDIS before she was sent hurtling through the Doctor's timeline again. It was a rougher trip than she was used to, as she could all but feel her skin stretching against her bones and the lack of air all around her. In the blink of an eye, she was back in the console room of the TARDIS, collapsed against the stairs as she tried to catch her breath. She let out a groan, as she pushed herself into a sitting position, rubbing at her forearm which she had landed awkwardly on. A figure was rushing toward her, as her vision slowly cleared, and she recognised their warm brown eyes.
"Fancy helping a girl up?" Katy exclaimed, holding her hands out to the Doctor.
Instantly, an ecstatic grin lit up on his face, as he reached for her hands to haul her onto her feet. The second she was upright, his arms were wrapping around her waist and pulling her off her feet into a tight embrace. She let out a muffled laugh as he spun them around a few times, causing her to clutch onto his coat to balance herself. Even after her feet were touching the ground once more, he still didn't let her go and lowered his chin onto her shoulder instead. Without needing to see his face, she could tell his smile was gone. And so was hers. She didn't know how much time she had left with the Doctor, she'd never know. What if this was the last time she saw him before he regenerated into his eleventh body?
"What was that for?" Katy frowned, as the Doctor slowly released his hold on her waist.
"Nothing. Nothing, I was just...it's good to see you" The Doctor replied, shoving his hands into his trouser pockets.
Katy didn't buy his words for a second, but she knew better than to question him about it.
Spoilers, spoilers, spoilers.
"Alright, weirdo. What are...Donna?!" Katy cried, when she spotted a familiar redhead standing by the console.
Then, Katy realised she never found out what happened once the Racnoss had been destroyed on Christmas Eve. Did Donna start to travel with the Doctor then? It seemed unlikely, as she was sure Martha was with the Doctor soon after Rose. Maybe he travelled with the pair? Katy was so pleased to see the brash woman that she took a step forward with her arms out, half planning to hug her too when she saw the way Donna flinched. It was for a split second, but it was there. As was the tightness of her smile and the sadness in her eyes.
"I, uh...I haven't seen you since Christmas Eve. He persuaded you to join him then?" Katy questioned, slowly dropping her arms back down to her sides.
"...Eventually" Donna nodded, in a strained tone.
"Okaaay. Sensing some weird tension here, so I'm just gonna' get a change of clothes..." Katy trailed off, gesturing toward the corridor.
The Doctor only gave a curt nod, his gaze remaining firmly on Donna as Katy left the room. The pair stayed in silence for a few moments, before Donna let out a shaky exhale, before shaking her head.
"I'm sorry. I just...I thought I'd be okay about it, but it's just so..." Donna sighed, not being able to find the right words.
"I know" The Doctor murmured, averting his eyes to the ground.
"Do you know...I mean, is there a way to know how close she is to...all that?" Donna stuttered, watching as the Doctor's gaze darkened.
"She has the ring. She must have been travelling with me for at least a year, but no...there's no real way to know where she is in the timeline" The Doctor explained.
"So, you just guess?" Donna gaped, as he gave a slight shrug.
"Works better than you'd think" The Doctor admitted, with the ghost of a smile.
"I don't know if I can do this, Doctor. It feels like we're..." Donna trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.
"That was the deal. I told you when you agreed to travel with me, she can't know. None of it" The Doctor insisted, as Donna pursed her lips.
"But how do you know that's the right thing? We could help her!" Donna argued.
"Don't you think I've tried, Donna?" He suddenly snapped, eyes burning with anger.
He watched as she crossed her arms, not appreciating his cold words, causing him to relent and back away a pace. Running a hand over his tired face, the Doctor went to lean against the TARDIS console, which let out a comforting hum. Half the time he felt as though he was holding things together by a thread.
"I went back on her timeline. I risked everything. And it didn't change...anything" The Doctor admitted, as Donna's eyes widened a fraction.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know" Donna murmured, in a guilty tone.
"I have a promise to keep. And you need to keep your promise to me" The Doctor pushed.
"...Enjoy the time you've got. That's what my dad always used to say. I'll smile, and pretend I don't know anything, but if she ever asks me, I'm not gonna' lie to her, Doctor" Donna retorted, as he slowly nodded.
Donna wasn't like his recent companions, and he realised that perhaps it was a good thing. Maybe it would stop her from getting hurt like they had.
"Thank you" He exclaimed, as the pair shared a smile.
A few moments later, they heard footsteps approaching and turned to see Katy walking up the stairs toward them, wearing a blue shirt and jeans. Donna shot her a far too wide smile, and the Doctor suddenly seemed very interested in staring at her feet. They were both as convincing as the Doctor stating he never used hair gel.
"So, where to?" Katy announced, clapping her hands together.
"Mystery tour! Setting the controls to random!" The Doctor replied, flicking a few buttons and sending them whizzing off into the vortex.
Immediately, the three were being thrown across the room, as the Doctor had to clutch onto the console to stop himself from slipping to the floor. Katy rolled her eyes, and reached out for the stabilisers, flipping the blue switches just as Donna fell back against the railings. A few moments later the TARDIS made a thumping noise, indicating they had landed, as Katy shot the Doctor a smug grin.
"How did you do that?" The Doctor frowned.
"A girls' got to keep some secrets" She smirked.
"Hold on. Can she fly the TARDIS better than you?" Donna gaped, in a teasing tone.
"No!" The Doctor cried, indignantly.
"Not yet anyway" Katy shrugged, as Donna gave her a high five.
"You two are gonna' keep ganging up on me, aren't you?" The Doctor sighed, as the pair glanced at each other before nodding.
"Right, then. Outside that door could be any planet, anywhere, anywhen in the whole...are you alright?" The Doctor frowned, when he noticed the way Donna looked as if she was about to explode.
"Terrified. I mean, history's one thing but an alien planet?" Donna cried, excitedly.
"I could always take you home" The Doctor teased, as Donna held up a warning finger toward him.
"Yeah, don't laugh at me" She huffed.
"I know what it's like. Everything you're feeling right now. The fear, the joy, the wonder? I get that" The Doctor admitted, with a beaming grin.
"Seriously? After all this time? Both of you?" Donna questioned, as Katy gave a half-shrug.
"Why do you think we keep going?" Katy smirked.
"Oh. All right then, you and me both. This is barmy. I was born in Chiswick. I've only ever had package holidays. Now I'm here. This is so...I mean it's...I don't know, it's all sort of..I don't even know what the word is!" Donna exclaimed, before racing out of the TARDIS doors.
"...Oh, I've got the word. Freezing" They heard Donna complain, as the wind swept into the console room.
"Snow! Oh, real snow. Proper snow at last. That's more like it. Lovely. What do you think?" The Doctor grinned, as he and Katy exited the TARDIS.
Katy didn't hear what Donna's response was, completely enthralled by her frozen surroundings. Ice glaciers, vast natural walkways with icicles dripping down and half a dozen planets visible in the snowy sky above them. Katy held out her hand as a few snowflakes dropped onto her palm, a genuine smile spreading over her lips, having only seen snow a handful of times in her life. Krilla was a hot planet, it never got cold, let alone snow. But as beautiful as it was, Katy soon felt goosebumps covering her arms, as she started to shake in the freezing temperatures.
Donna gave her a nudge, gesturing back to the TARDIS, as the pair left the Doctor to ramble whilst they found something warmer to wear. The pair made a beeline to the numerous coatracks at the back of the console room, as Donna pulled out a massive black coat, with a fur hood. Katy continued looking through the coats, wanting something lighter as she expected soon enough they would need to be running.
"Millions of planets, millions of galaxies, and we're on this one. Molto bene. Bellissimo, says Donna, born in Chiswick. All you've got is a life of work and sleep, and telly and rent and tax and takeaway dinners, all birthdays and Christmases and two weeks holiday a year, and then you end up here. Donna Noble, citizen of the Earth, standing on a different planet. How about that Donna? Katy?" The Doctor frowned, when he noticed neither woman was anywhere to be seen.
"Sorry, you were saying?" Donna questioned, pulling her hood up over her head.
"Better?" The Doctor mocked, as Donna waded through the snow toward him.
"Lovely, thanks" Donna murmured.
"Can you hear anything inside that?" The Doctor scoffed.
"Pardon?" Donna replied, as the Doctor tried to cover his laugh with a cough.
"So, any idea what year it is?" Katy asked, walking out of the TARDIS in her new jacket.
"I think it's..." The Doctor trailed off, his mouth going slack when he saw what she was wearing.
"What? Is it not my colour or something?" Katy frowned, when she noticed the way he was staring at her.
She looked down at the worn leather jacket she was wearing, which was far too big for her, but still, it was the comfiest thing she had seen. Not to mention surprisingly warm. She crossed her arms, pulling the leather jacket tighter around her which ended halfway up her thighs. She raised an eyebrow at the Doctor when she realised, he still hadn't answered.
"That's my jacket" He exclaimed.
His previous regeneration's leather jacket, to be precise.
"Well, I'd say you can borrow one of my dresses, but I'm not sure they're your style" Katy teased, as she approached the pair.
"Jesus, I'll put it back if you're so offended" Katy huffed, when she found he was still staring at her with wide eyes.
"No, no. It's just...it suits you" The Doctor stated, with a lopsided grin.
"Give me strength" Donna muttered under her breath, with a roll of her eyes.
All of a sudden, a large rocket flew through the sky above them, propelled by a triple-ignition engine. It glided smoothly past them, and Donna couldn't help but think she would likely have fewer bruises travelling in the ship above them.
"Blimey, a real proper rocket. Now that's what I call a spaceship. You've got a box, he's got a Ferrari. Come on, let's go see where he's going!" Donna grinned, making the Doctor pout, glancing back at his TARDIS.
"She could probably do with a paint job" Katy mumbled, hearing the TARDIS hum with displeasure.
"See you later, girl!" Katy exclaimed, waving over to the time machine before she rushed off after Donna.
They travelled through the snow-covered mountains for almost an hour before Katy and the Doctor came to a sudden halt. An eery song echoed through the air, causing Katy to shiver again despite the jacket wrapped around her shoulders. It took her a few moments to realise the noise didn't change no matter which way she turned her head. Because it was in her mind.
"Hold on, can you hear that? Donna, take your hood down" The Doctor ordered, but the redhead couldn't hear anything.
"It's coming from over there!" Katy said, running off in the direction of the song before anyone could stop her.
She sprinted over a nearby hill, her gaze finding two figures in the snow. Her eyes narrowed as she watched a man crouch down in front of a body, half covered with snow. The man kneeling beside him wore a long grey trench coat, remaining turned away from Katy, meaning she couldn't see their face. She watched as he removed his leather gloves and reached out for the body. Panic coursed through her, instinctively knowing the man was not trying to help the fallen figure.
"Hey!" Katy cried, watching as the man froze, but still he didn't turn toward her.
"Katy?" She heard the Doctor shout in the distance, as she whipped around to find him hurtling toward her.
"I found..." She trailed off, as she glanced back toward where the man had been only seconds before.
Her blood ran cold as she found there was no sign of him. Katy's eyes darted around her frozen surroundings, knowing it was impossible for him to have disappeared in the blink of an eye. Was she seeing things now?
The Doctor was racing by her, having spotted the fallen body close by, and knelt down in the snow beside them. It was only then that Katy realised what the creature was the man had been looming over.
An Ood.
"Shit. He's bleeding" Katy murmured, as she and Donna sped over, watching as the Doctor pulled out his stethoscope.
"What is it?" Donna gaped, never having seen anything like the alien before.
"An Ood. He's called an Ood" The Doctor answered, placing the stethoscope's diaphragm onto the Ood's chest.
"But it's face..." Donna trailed off, her eyes stuck on the tentacles trailing down from the Ood's chin.
"Donna. He needs our help" Katy insisted, crouching down beside the Doctor.
"Sorry" Donna sighed, kneeling down on the other side of the Ood.
"I don't know where the heart is. I don't know if he's got a heart. Talk to him, keep him going" The Doctor advised, as Katy grabbed the hem of her blue shirt and ripped a large piece of fabric off.
"Hey, you're gonna' be alright. He's a Doctor. I'm a nurse. You couldn't be in better hands, eh?" Katy exclaimed, placing the fabric against the blood that was seeping out of the Ood's chest.
"What's your name?" Donna inquired, as the Ood's translator ball lit up.
"Designated Ood Delta 50" The Ood responded, in a pained tone.
"My name's Donna" She replied, picking up the translator ball to speak into.
"No, no, no. You don't need to" The Doctor shook his head, handing the ball back to the Ood.
"Donna, help me move him onto his side. I need to see if there's an exit wound" Katy suggested, as the pair helped to roll the Ood over in the snow.
She looked over the creature's back, running her hand down his grey overalls but she could find no blood. The bullet was still inside the Ood, and she knew he wouldn't make it back to the TARDIS. She shook her head at Donna, who let out a sob as they moved him onto his back.
"Are you in pain?" Katy asked, reaching out to hold the Ood's hand.
"The circle..." The Ood stuttered, its small hand tightening around her palm.
"No, don't try to talk" Donna advised.
"The circle must be broken" The Ood mumbled.
"Circle? What do you mean? Delta 50, what circle? Delta 50?" The Doctor pushed, as the Ood turned to look at him, its eyes suddenly turning bright red.
Katy gasped as the Ood sat bolt upright, letting out a loud growl, still clutching onto her hand. A moment later, hands were circling around her waist and pulling her away from the Ood who lost its grip on her hand. The Doctor dragged her away as the Ood continued its horrible wailing, eyes still flashing red. Katy's heart was hammering away in her chest as she watched the Ood collapse back into the snow, his chest no longer moving. The three stayed where they were for a few moments, the Doctor still clutching onto Katy, both feeling a rare slither of fear. They had seen the Ood with red eyes before. Could it really be the same thing again? Had the Devil escaped?
"He's gone" Donna sighed, as Katy slumped in the Doctor's arms, her adrenaline slowly fading.
"Careful" The Doctor warned as Donna walked over to the Ood, sitting beside the corpse.
"There you are, sweetheart. We were too late. What do we do, do we bury him?" Donna questioned, running her head over the Ood's cold forehead.
"The snow will take care of that" The Doctor responded, finally pulling his arms away from Katy's waist.
"Who was he? What's an Ood?" Donna asked, as Katy ran a hand through her hair.
"They're servants of humans in the 42nd century. Mildly telepathic. That was the song. It was his mind calling out" The Doctor informed her.
"I couldn't hear anything. He sang as he was dying" Donna murmured, as Katy walked over to stand beside her.
"He would. The Ood are one of the most peaceful species in the universe. They're brave too" Katy stated.
"Except, the last time we met them, there was this force, like a stronger mind, powerful enough to take them over" The Doctor explained, as Katy held a hand out to Donna, helping to pull her back onto her feet.
"What sort of force?" Donna frowned.
"Oh, long story" The Doctor shrugged.
"Long walk" Donna pushed, as Katy and the Doctor shared a look.
"It was the Devil" The Doctor admitted, as Donna let out a scoff.
"If you're going to take the mickey, I'll just put my hood back up" She huffed.
"Donna? He's not joking" Katy stated, watching as the redhead's eyes doubled in size.
"You two have fought the literal Devil?" Donna tried to clarify.
"Yep" The pair replied in unison.
"Bloody hell" Donna murmured, as Katy's lips twitched into a smile.
They soon came across a base, made of metal and well insulated against the freezing temperatures outside. The three made it through the complex without much problems, finding themselves at the back of a tour made up of businessmen and women. The Doctor pulled out his psychic paper as they rushed over to their tour guide.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry. Late. Don't mind us. Hello. The guards let us through" The Doctor grinned.
"And you would be?" The tour guide frowned, not recognising them from her guest list.
"The Doctor, Katy and Donna Noble" He replied, waving his psychic paper in front of her face.
"Representing the Noble Corporation PLC Limited, Intergalactic" Donna added, as the Doctor gave her a look, his grin faltering a little.
"Must have fallen off my list. My apologies. Won't happen again. My name is Solana, and yes, there will be a survey at the end of the tour. Ten ticks would be appreciated. Now then, Mrs Noble, if you and your wife would you'd like to come with me" Solana began, as Katy had to muffle her laugh with the back of her hand.
"Oh, no, no, no, no. They're not married" The Doctor insisted, quickly.
"Then you both are...?" Solana asked, gesturing to Katy and the Doctor.
Katy's cheeks were already flushed from the cold air around her, but now they turned a bright red colour, knowing what Solana was alluding to. Something completely insane. Something that wouldn't happen in a billion years—
"Totally married. In fact, they're off on their honeymoon tomorrow. Look at her ring" Donna exclaimed, grabbing Katy's hand and showing it off to Solana.
"Lovely" Solana exclaimed, with a fake smile as Katy glared at Donna.
"I'm so gonna' kill you later" Katy warned Donna, whose smirk only broadened.
She then turned to the Doctor, ready to suggest that they do something like shave Donna's eyebrows off for her comment when she noticed a strange look in his eyes. Her brow furrowed as she felt a slither of hurt, mistaking the expression he wore for disgust at the thought of being married to her. The Doctor's gaze fell onto the ring on her finger, his jaw tightening for a moment before he looked away.
"And here are your information packs, vouchers inside. Now if you'd like to come with me, the Executive Suites are nice and warm" Solana insisted, passing out the packs to all the guests, as an alarm started to blare.
"Oh, what's that? That sounds like an alarm" The Doctor pointed out, having been silent for the last minute.
"It's just a siren for the end of the work shift. Now then, this way, quick as you can" Solana urged, ushering them inside the base.
Katy had seen some disgusting things in her time, but having to listen to Solana as she paraded the Ood around, was one of the worst. She couldn't keep the anger off her face as Solana showed they had new settings for their translator balls, from a woman's voice to Homer Simpson. They were treating the Ood like clowns, like they were nothing but the humans' entertainment.
"Would you be really pissed if I punched her in the face?" Katy whispered to the Doctor, who couldn't stop the slight grin that grew on his face.
"Too many witnesses" He retorted.
"Good point. Knew there was a reason I kept you around" Katy stated, as the pair shared a smile.
"I'm gonna' see what I can find out about this base. Will you talk to some of the Ood, see if they know anything about the circle?" The Doctor suggested, as Katy gave a quick nod, walking off into the crowd to mingle.
She made her way over to the hospitality station, where a group of Ood were handing out drinks to prospective buyers. One of whom already appeared half drunk. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the man poking one of the Ood in the face, who barely seemed to react, likely having dealt with the disrespect over and over again.
"God, it's disgusting. Do you think we can chop these things off? Give it a trim?" The buyer laughed, as he pulled on one of the Ood's tentacles.
Before he could hurt the defenceless Ood any further, Katy stormed over to the man, grabbing a champagne glass from one of the tables. She was then purposefully colliding with the man, making sure to spill half the champagne over the side of his suit.
"Hey, watch it!" The buyer huffed, wiping at his soaking arm.
He opened his mouth to scold Katy more when his gaze turned lustful, a sly smirk spreading across his lips. The Ood watched the pair silently, its head tilted to the side.
"Although...I don't mind you getting me wet, sweetheart" The buyer murmured, in a slurred tone.
"Okay then" Katy shrugged, before lifting her champagne glass over the man's head and pouring the alcohol over his hair.
"You little—" The man cried, grabbing her arm when a figure rushed over to them.
"Hey, hey. Everyone take it down a notch, you've all had a little too much to drink. Let's be gentlemen, alright?" The newcomer insisted, as the buyer reluctantly pulled his hand away.
"You're supposed to be security, aren't you? Why don't you remove this mongrel?" The buyer huffed, as Katy raised an eyebrow.
"The fuck did you just call me?" Katy exclaimed, as the security guard grabbed her arm.
"Alright, miss. Time for you to leave" He urged, beginning to drag her away from the crowd that was growing around them.
"You've got about five seconds to take your hands off me before things get ugly, mate" Katy insisted, as the guard continued pulling her toward the doors.
"He thinks you're Dovian, but I know you're a lot further from home than that" The guard replied, making Katy's forehead wrinkle.
He then pushed open the doors to the exit, leading them out into a back corridor and pulling off his cap. Katy took a better look at him, finding he appeared to be human, in his mid-fifties, with black hair and an English accent. Though there was something strangely familiar about him.
"Dovian?" Katy questioned, not recognising the name.
"Half human, half lizard. And a hell of a lot smarter than humans, though that lot would never believe it. A lot of the staff here are. It's the only place they can get work. Just like the Ood" The guard explained.
"Do I know you?" Katy frowned, recognising his accent more and more.
"Oh, come on. It's only been about...twenty-five years. Have I changed that much?" He teased.
"You know me then?" Katy pushed.
"Oh, yeah. And you're still just as crazy as I remember. Though, I'm glad you've still got all your hands and feet" The guard exclaimed, with a boyish grin, as a memory suddenly washed over Katy.
From the last time she met the Ood.
Katy looked down at the makeshift teleport in her hands, hoping it would be enough to get her back to the TARDIS. And the Doctor. She glanced up at the crew, knowing it was now or never to say goodbye.
"I'm guessing you're not coming?" Danny sighed, as she gave a quick shrug.
"Sounds kinda' cramped" She replied, with a slight smirk.
"But what if your Doctor is alive down there? Shouldn't you take her along with you?" Danny suggested, gesturing to an unconscious Rose.
"It only travels for one. Mainly because...there might be a few kinks to it" Katy admitted.
"Like what?" Zach asked.
"Well...I might arrive down there minus a foot, maybe a couple of fingers?" Katy mumbled, as Danny shook his head.
"You're bloody crazy, you know that? Good luck" Danny huffed, pulling her into a quick hug, which she surprised herself by returning.
"You guys make it back alive, then do me a favour. Let the Ood go free. They might not be human, but they're just as important as any of you" Katy explained, as Danny gave a smile, blinking away a few tears in his eyes.
Looking up at the middle-aged man standing in front of her, with his thinning hair, and wrinkles under his eyes, she could still recognise the smile he wore. She had never thought she would see any of the crew again, least of all in their old age.
"Danny?" She gasped, as his grin widened.
"Still causing trouble, eh?" He exclaimed, as Katy shook her head, before lunging forward and bringing him into a hug.
"What the hell are you doing here?" She questioned, as he hugged her back.
"Doing what I was told. Saving the Ood" Danny replied, as the pair pulled away from their embrace.
"But the way you used to talk about them...you didn't see them as anything more than slaves" Katy pointed out, as guilt flashed across Danny's face.
"I was a little prick when I was younger. I know. But after the Ood saved us at the trial...well, let's just say I got my head out of my arse" Danny told her.
"What trial?" Katy inquired.
"So many people died on our mission. Me, Zach, Ida, Mr Jefferson...we were the only ones left to pick up the pieces. A tribunal was called. We were all babbling up Devil's and evil, everyone thought we were mad. Especially when we started talking about a magic blue box" Danny huffed, causing Katy to wince.
"People were saying we killed the rest of the crew. Sent the planet into the Black Hole. But the Ood stood up for us. No one could question whether they were telling the truth. Ood never lie" Danny continued.
"But why are you here?" Katy pushed.
"People have been dying all around this base. There's talk of an infection amongst the Ood. Halpen and his staff have no clue what's going on" Danny stated.
"But you do?" Katy guessed.
"I've got an inside man" Danny grinned, before grabbing her hand and pulling her further along the corridor.
"They keep them in those cages?" Katy gaped, as Danny pulled up security feeds from all over the base.
With his cover of being a security guard, he had access to the control centre of the base and all its CCTV. Katy's chest tightened as he flicked through the screen, showing dozens of images of Ood's being kept in appalling conditions. She had only saved twenty Ood the last time she met them. She was going to make sure she saved a hell of a lot more this time.
"It must have taken you a long time to make it here" Katy pointed out.
"Eight months in a training centre. Smiling and laughing with those other idiots as they beat the Ood. Treated them like cattle. Just like I used to" Danny scoffed.
"Hey. That was a long time ago. Those grey hairs are evidence of that" Katy grinned, ruffling his hair.
"Oh, don't start. Zach's always going on about my damn wrinkles" Danny huffed.
"How are they? The others?" Katy questioned.
"They are our getaway. Travel about five miles that way, and Ida and Zach are waiting in our ship. With enough space for at least five hundred Ood" Danny explained.
"But no Mr Jefferson?" Katy suggested, as Danny's face fell.
"He retired. Made things up with his wife. Died a few years back. Peaceful" Danny mumbled, as Katy reached out to place her hand on his shoulder.
"But you kept fighting?" She stated.
"Well, I had my orders from you" He smirked.
"...You really haven't changed a day. Neither has the Doctor" Danny pointed out, as she slowly nodded.
"You know, Ida had this crazy theory way back. That you two were time travellers" Danny exclaimed.
"Well, that would be crazy, wouldn't it?" Katy grinned, nudging him with her elbow.
It was then that she spotted a familiar face on the CCTV feed. She reached out for the controls, zooming in on the Doctor's face as she watched him use his sonic screwdriver to get through a locked door on the other side of the base.
"He's in Ood export" Danny gulped.
"Why don't I like the sound of that?" Katy asked, in a fearful tone.
"You know when I said people have been dying around the base? It's the Ood. The Ood have been killing them" Danny told her.
Katy raced around the maze of containers, all housing at least a hundred Ood inside. She had to find the Doctor and Donna, if Danny's plan of helping the Ood to escape was ever going to work. Just a moment later, she was colliding with the exact man she was looking for. Grabbing her arm, the Doctor was tugging Katy along with her, to ask what he was running from when she noticed a group of guards quick on his heels.
"I'm gonna' pull something with all this running we do" Katy sighed, as the Doctor reached for her hand and the pair went off sprinting.
"Have you seen Donna?" The Doctor panted, as they rounded the corner.
"No. Isn't she with you?" Katy frowned, as the Doctor led them toward the right, hoping to hide from the guards.
"I lost her. I think she was captured by the...guards..." The Doctor trailed off, coming to a stop as he realised he could no longer hear the guards behind them.
"They've stopped chasing us?" Katy questioned, twisting around when she heard a whirring sound in the distance.
Her jaw dropped open as she spotted a large crane whizzing toward them, knowing it could crush them both in seconds. The Doctor's hand tightened around her own as he pulled her away, rushing around the next corner. The pair ran and ran, only being able to just about keep ahead of the crane which would lower every few seconds, missing them by mere inches. Knowing they couldn't keep running forever, the Doctor formulated a plan in his head.
"Split up!" He cried, dropping her hand and making a sudden left turn.
"Doctor!" Katy called out, but had no choice but to run in the other direction, before the crane could hit her.
She sprinted on for a few more seconds, when she realised the crane was no longer chasing after her. Whoever was controlling the machine, wanted the Doctor. And he knew it.
"Bloody self-sacrificing Time Lord" Katy muttered, before running back the way she had come.
It didn't take her long to find him, only needing to follow the crane overhead. She came to a halt, able to hear his footsteps approaching as the crane began to lower again. Running forward, she lunged at him, managing to push him to the ground just before the crane would have crushed him. With them both in a heap on the ground, Katy glanced behind her to see the crane hurtling forward, scrunching her eyes shut, expecting to be crushed in a matter of seconds. But nothing happened. Opening her eyes once more, she was relieved to see the crane had come to a sudden stop. She collapsed down against the Doctor's chest, exhausted from having to run non-stop for so long. The pair stayed were they were for a little longer, still panting heavily. A small smile spread over Katy's lips as she realised, she could hear the Doctor's heartbeats pounding away beneath her.
"You alright?" She asked, pushing herself up with one arm so that her face was level with his.
"Yeah" He replied, breathlessly.
"Shame. I was hoping you'd have at least a few bruises after that stupid stunt" Katy pouted, pulling herself up into a sitting position.
"Trying to keep you safe is stupid?" The Doctor huffed, as he pushed himself up onto his elbows.
"If it means you'll get crushed by a crane, then yes, idiot!" Katy scolded, poking him in the chest.
In response, he simply gave her a toothy grin, as she felt a smile growing on her face, reluctantly. It was then she realised she was practically straddling him, something which the Doctor definitely didn't seem to mind. It made her wonder not for the first time when exactly her relationship was going to change with the Doctor. She had always thought that whatever feelings he had for her only grew in his next regeneration, but from the way he was looking up at her, she realised that maybe she was wrong.
"Doctor—" She started, as they heard footsteps racing toward them.
"Did someone...give me a second...did someone ask for a dashing rescue?" Danny called out, huffing and puffing from the way he had just been running.
"Still waiting for it" Katy grinned at him, pushing herself onto her feet.
"Oi, I did just save your lives. Knocked out the head guard" Danny announced, proudly.
"Who's your friend?" The Doctor frowned, in a suspicious tone.
"Danny. He's put on a few pounds, but we're not gonna' mention it" Katy murmured, holding out her hand to the Doctor, helping to pull him to his feet.
"Oh, well remind me not to save you two again anytime soon" Danny huffed.
"Hold on. Danny from Krop Tor?" The Doctor gaped, as Katy nodded.
"Doctor? Doctor!" They could hear Donna screaming, as the three went charging off to find her.
"Over here!" The Doctor called out, as she rushed toward him.
"The Ood, their eyes turned red and...oh, hello. Who's this?" Donna questioned, giving Danny an appreciative look.
"Daniel. And you must be his sister, I would think. The better-looking sibling, of course" Danny exclaimed, reaching out to take Donna's hand, pressing a kiss to it.
"Haven't changed a bit, have you Danny-boy" Katy huffed.
"Ood!" The Doctor announced, as they spotted at least a hundred Ood marching toward them, all with red eye.
"Why are we gonna' go? The Ood are everywhere?" Donna insisted, as they made their way out of the cargo hold and out into the snow.
"I can send Zach a distress signal for you three but I'm not leaving without the Ood" Danny exclaimed.
"We might not have a choice...Katy?" The Doctor frowned, when he noticed the way she was clutching her head.
"Can't you hear that?" Katy insisted, as the Doctor closed his eyes and listened intently.
"This way!" He ordered, following the sound of singing.
"Hold on. Does that mean we're locked in?" Donna panicked, as the Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to fry the door they had just entered.
"Listen, listen, listen, listen..." The Doctor trailed off, as he followed the eery sound echoing in his mind.
He led them all down a flight of stairs, as a putrid smell hit them. Sweat, blood and bodily fluids all mixed into one. Katy winced as the sharp sound of the Ood's singing got louder, watching as the Doctor flipped a switch and the lights switched on. Her eyes widened as she found half a dozen Ood caged in the corner, on their knees. They were clutching something in their hands, as their singing rose, becoming fearful.
It's okay. We're not going to hurt you.
Katy hoped the Ood could understand her, but instead, they only blinked blankly. It was then that she realised the horrible truth. The Ood couldn't understand what she had said, because humans had never done anything but hurt them.
"Natural born Ood, unprocessed, before they're adapted to slavery. Unspoilt. That's their song" The Doctor explained, as the four all knelt in front of the cage.
"I can't hear it" Donna frowned.
"Do you want to?" The Doctor questioned, as Donna slowly nodded.
"It's the song of captivity" The Doctor warned, not sure if Donna would be able to cope.
"Let me hear it" Donna insisted, as Katy turned to Danny.
"I want to hear it too. I want to share their pain" Danny nodded, as Katy carefully reached out to place her fingers against his temple.
"Let me in. Imagine all the barriers in your mind just melting away...that's it..." Katy exclaimed, as she shut her eyes and felt her surroundings slip away.
Humans were so much easier to get inside. Nothing like a Time Lord, she thought to herself. Danny hardly had any defences at all, instantly allowing her into his head and memories. She made sure not to go too deep, and focused on the sound of Ood, projecting it into his head.
Danny's eyes suddenly shot open, able to hear the Ood's forlorn song, as the nearest turned to him, a gentle look on its face. The Doctor had done the same to Donna, who couldn't help but let out a sob. The sound was so sad and pitiful, yet hopeful too. It was too much for her to bear for long.
"Take it away" Donna cried.
"Sure?" The Doctor asked, as Donna vehemently nodded, and the Doctor reached out to disconnect her from the telepathic field.
Katy reached out for Danny, but his hand shot up to stop her. She noticed he looked more determined than ever. It was the first time after all the years he had spent trying to help the Ood, that he could feel an actual connection to them.
"I need to hear it" Danny insisted.
A snapping sound from above them caught Donna's attention, as she looked up to see sparks flying down from upstairs. They had been found.
"They're breaking in!" Donna warned, as the Doctor used his sonic screwdriver on the cage door.
"Ah, let them" The Doctor muttered, as he cautiously entered the cage.
"What are you holding? Show me. Friend. Doctor, Donna. Friend" The Doctor insisted, crouching down in front of the group, who cowered away from him.
It's okay. Please. We want to help.
The Ood nearest to them looked up at Katy, finding it easier to trust someone who communicated the way they were used to. He slowly crawled over to the Doctor, his head bowed, as if he was expecting him to attack at any moment.
"Let me see. That's it. That's it, go on. Go on" The Doctor urged, as the Ood slowly opened it's hands.
A small hindbrain lay on his open palms, its most important organ completely vulnerable.
"It's a brain. A hindbrain. The Ood are born with a secondary brain. Like the amygdala in humans, it processes memory and emotions. You get rid of that, you wouldn't be Donna any more. You'd be like an Ood. A processed Ood" The Doctor explained, as Katy felt bile rising in the back of her throat.
"So the company cuts off their brains?" Donna realised.
"And they stitch on the translator" The Doctor spat out in disgust.
"Like a lobotomy. Bastards. How could they do this? How could they even think of this?" Danny muttered, pushing himself to his feet, his hands balled into fists.
"I spent all that time looking for you, Doctor, because I thought it was so wonderful out here...I want to go home" Donna admitted, as the Doctor turned to her, with a sad gaze.
Katy's head snapped up as she heard the door upstairs crash open and rushed over to lay in wait underneath the staircase. She watched silently as three guards raced down the steps, guns in their hands, pointed at her friends.
"What you going to do, then? Arrest me? Lock me up? Throw me in a cage? Well, you're too late!" The Doctor shouted, angrily, distracting the guards.
Appearing out of the shadows, Katy was able to shove the nearest guard into a nearby wall, rushing toward the next guard. She ducked just as a bullet whizzed past her, and grabbed a hold of the barrel of the gun, shoving it back toward the guard's face, managing to knock him out. Twisting the gun around in her hands, she held it up to the next guard, planning to shoot him in the chest. For a split second, she glanced at the Doctor, noticing the way his eyes had widened. With gritted teeth, she lowered her gun to shoot the guard in the leg instead, watching as he fell to the floor with a yell.
"Put down your weapon...or he gets a bullet to the head!" A voice announced, as Katy twisted around to find a guard standing behind the Doctor, his gun placed against the back of his head.
Her gun was dropping from her hands before her mind even had a moment to catch up, reacting on instinct. Fear clamped around her heart, only lessening somewhat as the guard finally lowered his gun from the Doctor's head. She looked behind the guard to see half a dozen guards had entered from a back entrance they hadn't noticed. A balding man stepped forward, followed by an older man in a white lab coat, and an Ood with a symbol stitched onto his grey suit.
"Take them! Bring them with us!" The balding man exclaimed, as the guards surrounded the group.
Katy's jaw clenched as two guards grabbed her arms, wrenching them behind her back roughly, and the guard she had knocked out with his own gun marched forward. She barely reacted as his fist collided with her face, but she could feel how her lip had split open. She stared up at him defiantly, all but daring him to try it again. The guard grabbed a fistful of her hair, pulling her closer as he punched her once again, right above the eye. He raised his hand up in the air, ready to hit her again when the Doctor began shouting.
"Leave her alone!" He yelled, with enough venom in his tone to make the guard stop.
"Enough. We don't have time for this. Bring them!" Halpen ordered.
"Why don't you just come out and say it? FOTO activists" Halpen huffed, as the four were handcuffed to railings behind them back in the base.
"And proud of it. Twenty-four years in the service and I don't regret a moment of it" Danny spat out.
"The Ood were nothing without us, just animals roaming around on the ice" Halpen murmured.
"That's because you can't hear them" The Doctor insisted, hoping there would still be some way to get through to the man.
"They welcomed it. It's not as if they put up a fight" Halpen shrugged.
"You idiot. They're born with their brains in their hands. Don't you see, that makes them peaceful. They've got to be, because a creature like that would have to trust anyone it meets!" Donna pointed out, as the Doctor nodded.
"Oh, nice one" He exclaimed, nudging his companion.
"Thank you" Donna said, with a slight smile.
"The system's worked for two hundred years. All we've got is a rogue batch. But the infection is about to be sterilised. Mister Kess. How do we stand?" Halpen questioned into his communicator.
"Canisters primed, sir. As soon as the core heats up, the gas is released. Give it two hundred marks and counting" A muffled voice replied, as Katy strained against the handcuffs around her wrists.
"You're going to gas them?" The Doctor gaped.
"Kill the livestock. The classic foot and mouth solution from the olden days. Still works" Halpen retorted, with a sinister smile.
"Doctor, I know you've got a thing against killing and everything...but this time you're gonna' have to make an exception" Katy snarled, when she felt the Doctor strain to reach out for her, his fingers touching hers.
"Wait" He insisted, as she glared at him but reluctantly slumped against the railings behind her.
Suddenly, an alarm sounded, immediately followed by the sound of gunfire as Halpen and his associate raced out of the room. Katy watched as his Ood went to follow him, but came to a halt just by the door, glancing back at them before he marched after Halpen. Katy could swear he was looking right at her.
Katy lurched forward as an explosion shook the entire base, hearing gunfire getting closer. It sounded as if a war was beginning outside. The Ood against the humans.
"I don't understand...I thought you both said the Ood were peaceful" Donna pointed out.
"We all have our orders" Danny muttered, as Katy turned to him.
"What does that mean?" Katy frowned.
"We were just doing what you told us to. Free the Ood" Danny argued.
"Ida and Zach? They're bombing the base?" Katy realised, as Danny nodded.
"But they'll kill people! Those buyers, people who don't deal with the Ood directly—" The Doctor began, as Danny cut him off.
"There will always be deaths in war, Doctor. You of all people should know that" Danny insisted, as the Doctor clamped his lips shut.
"What's happening?" The Doctor called out, as Halpen and his entourage came back.
"Everything you wanted, Doctor. No doubt there'll be a full police investigation once this place has been sterilised, so I can't risk a bullet to the head. I'll leave you to the mercies of the Ood" Halpen sneered at them.
"But Mr Halpen, there's something else, isn't there? Something we haven't seen. A creature couldn't survive with a separate forebrain and hindbrain, they'd be at war with themselves. There's got to be something else, a third element, am I right?" The Doctor pushed.
"And again, so clever" Halpen scoffed, as Katy rolled her eyes.
"But it's got to be connected to the red eye. What is it?" The Doctor exclaimed.
"It won't exist for very much longer. Enjoy your Ood" Halpen retorted, before he and the rest of the guards marched out of the room.
"Now, what do we do?" Donna cried, struggling against the cuffs on her wrists.
"These are really good handcuffs" The Doctor sighed, fiddling with the cuffs behind his back.
"Oh well, I'm glad of that. I mean, at least we've got quality!" Donna huffed.
"Not really" Katy mumbled, ripping the handcuffs apart from behind her back with ease.
"You could do that all along?" Danny gaped, as she shrugged.
"Didn't want them to know that, did I?" She grinned, reaching behind him to rip his cuffs apart.
"See, now why can't you do that?" Donna said, raising an eyebrow at the Doctor, as Katy freed her to.
"What's the plan then?" Katy asked, reaching behind the Doctor.
"Find out what Halpen's hiding. Save all the Ood. Try to stop more people from dying" The Doctor replied.
"Oh, that's all, huh?" Katy smirked, as she tugged the cuffs apart holding him back.
Instead of replying, the Doctor reached out to cup her cheek, running his thumb over her bottom lip, which had been split open. They locked eyes for a moment, both becoming incredibly still, hearts beating at a matched pace.
"Are you okay?" The Doctor asked, his thumb still grazing her bottom lip, as she gave a quick nod.
"They're worse than I remember" Danny huffed, as the elevator doors swung open from behind him.
The four backed themselves up against the wall as four Ood strode forward, their translator balls held out, whirring with electricity ready to kill. And certainly not the way Katy wanted to die.
"Doctor, Donna, friends!" The Doctor repeated the phrase he had used earlier.
"The circle must be broken!" Donna yelled.
"Yep, definitely friends!" Katy insisted, holding her hands up.
The Ood suddenly came to a halt, their eyes flashing from red back to their normal colour, their heads shaking. They appeared to double over in pain for a moment, lowering their translator balls, as the four shared a confused look.
"Oodkind do not forget" One of the Ood announced, as Katy's brow furrowed.
"What did you say?" Katy asked, recognising the phrase.
Suddenly, the elevator door swung open again, revealing the Ood that had been following Halpen around. There was something different about him. There was an intelligence behind his eyes. One familiar to Katy.
"Hello again, Miss" The Ood greeted Katy, whose eyes almost popped out of her head.
"Six?" Katy cried, as the Ood gave a curt nod.
"Thought we were goners there for a moment, buddy" Danny sighed, strolling forward and bringing the Ood into a quick embrace.
"This is the Ood you were friends with back on Krop Tor?" The Doctor realised, as she nodded.
"Now, he hasn't aged a day" Katy exclaimed, making Danny huff.
"You must come with me. The fight is not over" Six announced.
"So, Six was your inside man?" Katy realised, as they followed the Ood in question to Warehouse 15.
"One of them. But he's been the mind behind all of this" Danny admitted, as the Doctor unlocked the door to the warehouse and the group piled in.
Katy's footsteps faltered on the stairs as she spotted what was housed in the warehouse. A brain. A gigantic, pulsing brain, connecting all the Ood together. Pylons surrounded the living organ, electrified and sending pulses into the brain every few seconds.
"The Ood Brain. Now it all makes sense, That's the missing link. The third element, binding them together. Forebrain, hind brain, and this, the telepathic centre. It's a shared mind, connecting all the Ood in song" The Doctor explained, as they heard a cough from closeby.
"Cargo. I can always go into cargo. I've got the rockets, I've got the sheds. Smaller business. Much more manageable, without livestock" Halpen suggested, as the man in the white coat stepped up beside him.
"He's mined the area" The man muttered, looking appalled by the idea.
"You're going to kill it?" Donna gaped, noticing the handgun Halpen had.
"The circle. The circle must be broken" Katy realised, gesturing to the pylons.
"Damping the telepathic field. Stopping the Ood from connecting for two hundred years. Maybe it's taken centuries to adapt. The subconscious reaching out?" The Doctor suggested, trying to figure out why it was all happening.
"But the process was too slow. It had to be accelerated. You should never give me access to the controls, Mister Halpen. I lowered the barrier to its minimum. Friends Of The Ood, sir. It's taken me ten years to infiltrate the company, and I succeeded" The man in the white coat, sneered.
"Yes, Doctor Ryder. Yes, you did" Halpen retorted, as Katy noticed the way he backed the man up against the railings.
She surged forward just as Halpen threw the man over the railings, and managed to catch him by the collar of his white coat. Six reached out for her arm, appearing stronger than he looked, and together they helped pull Doctor Ryder back to safety, who looked absolutely terrified. Halpen rolled his eyes, planning to simply shoot Ryder instead when Six took a step forward.
"You saved my life" Ryder gasped, with a stricken expression.
"It seems to be becoming a habit of mine to save humans" Katy smirked.
"Would you like a drink, sir?" Six announced, making sure to place himself in front of his friends.
"I think hair loss is the least of my problems right now, thanks" Halpen scoffed, as Six gestured to the shot glass in his hands.
"Please have a drink, sir" Siz urged, as Halpen's smile slowly fell.
"Have, have you poisoned me?" Halpen gaped, in horror.
"Natural Ood must never kill, sir" Six replied, in a cold tone.
"What is that stuff?" The Doctor frowned.
"Ood graft suspended in a biological compound, sir" Six confessed, making Katy wince, realising what was about to happen.
"Oh, dear. Funny thing, the subconscious. Takes all sorts of shapes. Came out in the red eye as revenge, came out in the rabid Ood as anger, and then there was patience. All that intelligence, focused on Six. How's the hair loss, Mister Halpen?" The Doctor exclaimed, as Halpen reached for his scalp pulling out clumps of his hair.
"What have you done?" Halpen choked, clutching at his throat.
"Oh, they've been preparing you for a very long time. And now you're standing next to the Ood Brain, Mister Halpen, can you hear it? Listen" The Doctor urged, as Halpen began convulsing violently.
"What have you...I'm not..." Halpen stuttered, before his face went blank and his gun dropped to the floor.
His face lost all it's expression, suddenly becoming hollow as Halpen reached behind his scalp. Katy winced as she watched him pull his scalp away from what was beneath. Bits of flesh fell to the ground as Halpen coughed up tentacles, and the rest of his skin disintegrated. He then stood upright, clutching at his new face, horror clear in his narrow eyes.
"They...they turned him into an Ood?" Donna gasped.
"Yep" Katy nodded, feeling a little sick.
"He's an Ood" Donna pointed out.
"I noticed" The Doctor mumbled.
Halpen made a wail of despair, before he started to choke, sneezing out a small hind brain which flopped onto his hands. Six came to stand in front of Halpen, still as calm as ever.
"He has become Oodkind, and we will take care of him" Six explained.
"It's weird, being with you. I can't tell what's right and what's wrong any more" Donna sighed.
"It's better that way. People who know for certain tend to be like Mister Halpen" The Doctor theorised, hearing a beeping coming from nearby.
He rushed forward and deactivated one of the explosives just before it could be set off, breaking the link. Katy let out a sigh of relief, realising just how close they had been to getting blown up.
"That's better. And now, Six, would you allow me the honour?" The Doctor grinned, rushing over to a control panel.
"It is yours, Doctor" Six replied, with a respectful nod.
"Oh, yes! Stifled for two hundred years, but not any more. The circle is broken. The Ood can sing!" The Doctor announced, as he typed out a few commands on the keyboard and flipped a lever.
Instantly, the current around the brain shut off, as the organ pulsed once more. Katy could hear the song of Ood rise in volume, the sadness gone, and a more hopeful tone replacing it.
"I can hear it!" Donna cried, happily.
"Everyone can" Six stated, holding his hands up, and if he could, Katy knew he would be smiling.
Katy wandered about the compound, trying to find any injured Ood who still needed help. Her face contorted as she came across an Ood and a human lying together in the snow, their blood pooling together underneath their corpses. They had won, but it had cost them. A whimper from nearby had her racing forward, turning a corner and disappearing from the view of the Doctor. She almost tripped over her own feet when she spotted two figures in the distance. Both of whom she recognised. Solana, their tour guide, collapsed against the snow, her body shaking violently, blood seeping out of her ears. But above her was a man.
The man in the trench coat.
"Hey! Stop! Stop!" Katy called out, as the man pulled off his leather gloves and knelt in the snow beside Solana.
He leaned down to whisper something in her ear as Katy ran forward, close enough that she could see the fear in the dying girl's eyes. Solana let out a whimper of despair as the man reached out to cup her cheek, and Solana instantly went completely still. Katy came to a sudden halt when she saw how Solana slumped against the snow, her chest no longer moving. She was dead.
"What did you do?" Katy gaped, as the man's head snapped up, but he kept his back to her.
He stood to his full height, around six foot, with curly dark hair, but made sure she couldn't see his face. He calmly pulled his leather gloves back over his pale hands, remaining silent. Katy could practically feel power radiating off him.
"Who are you?" Katy insisted.
"Do you think it's real?" He announced, and without seeing his face, Katy could tell from his tone that he was smirking.
Just as Katy was about to question him further, she felt a hand reaching for her shoulder and all but jumped out of her skin. She twisted around to find Danny touching her shoulder, seeming confused by her reaction.
"Do you see..." She trailed off, as she turned back to see the man had vanished once again.
"Solana. A Dovian. Must have only got grazed by the Ood's translator ball. Slow death. She was...shallow, but she didn't deserve to die that way" Danny sighed.
"She wasn't human either" Katy realised, with narrowed eyes.
"What?" Danny frowned.
"Let's get out of here" Katy insisted, feeling a shiver go through her.
"You've barely aged a day. How? How is that possible?" Zach mumbled, as he and Ida shook their heads.
"Oh, we all need a little mystery in our lives, don't we?" The Doctor grinned at them.
"Well, regardless. It's good to see you again" Zach stated, holding his hand out to the Doctor.
Instead, the Time Lord reached out to pull him into a hug, just as he had once done on Krop Tor. Katy smiled as she heard Zach let out a laugh, and watched as he hugged him back just as tightly.
"No Rose this time?" Ida questioned, in a quiet tone.
"She's alive but...she's gone. We won't see her again" Katy replied.
"I'm sorry" Ida murmured, as Katy slowly nodded.
"So, your friend...is she single?" Danny questioned, wandering over to the group.
"And way out of your league, Danny" Katy laughed, as Danny shrugged.
"Hey, if you lot really do travel in time...never say never, eh?" Danny grinned.
"Oh, I'm sure I haven't got rid of you yet" Katy smirked, as the two leaned forward to embrace each other.
"You bet" Danny smiled, pressing a kiss to her hair, before pulling away.
Katy then wandered over to Six, who was standing alongside his brothers and sisters. Their song still echoed all around them and continued through the sky. Katy's smile grew as she thought of how she had finally been able to help save the Ood.
"We thank you, Katy, friend of Oodkind" Six exclaimed, as Katy gave a shrug.
"I hardly did anything. You guys saved yourselves. We were just here to watch" Katy pointed out, as Six shook his head.
"My human friends and I would have died on Krop Tor without you. None of this would have occurred without your actions" Six explained, as Katy's smile faltered.
She wasn't sure if she liked the sound of that. She never knew if she was making the right decisions. Deep down, she still felt as if she was inherently bad. Six seemed to notice how uncomfortable she was at his words and attempted to reassure her.
"I have tried to follow your example. To fight" Six continued.
"I'm a killer, Six. No one should follow me" Katy retorted.
"They will" Six told her, in a hushed tone, causing her frown to deepen.
"And what of you now? Will you stay? There is room in the song for all of you" Six announced, as the Doctor and Donna walked over to them.
"Oh, I've sort of got a song of my own, thanks" The Doctor stated, glancing at Katy, a little nervous at what her answer would be.
"And my songs basically tethered to his" Katy added.
"I think your song has ended" Six told her, as Katy felt her body grow cold.
"Meaning?" Katy questioned, watching as Six's eyes darted toward the Doctor.
"Every song must end" Six replied, in a solemn tone.
Katy felt the Doctor's hand intertwining with her hand a moment later, an insistent look on his face, as he all but dragged her away from Six, before he could say anything else. Some things were better left unsaid.
The Master tapped his fingers against his glass desk in early 2007, glancing at his computer monitor. News articles of UFO sightings were stacked up on the page, all close by to Deffrey Hale High School in London. Torchwood had attempted to classify the information, but even an idiot would be able to investigate the sightings, the Master mused. He attached the files to an email, running his finger over the enter button. A low hum caught his attention, as he twisted around to glare at the TARDIS.
"I'm doing something good for once, shouldn't you be congratulating me?" The Master sneered, as the time machine remained quiet.
He rubbed at his forehead, hearing the drums more forcefully than ever, and pressed enter without another thought. It had been months since he had seen Katy and whilst he knew what she might be able to do with the information, his intentions were never that pure.
"You're right. I never do anything good...not without reason" The Master smirked, as an alert popped up on his screen.
Email sent to Mickey Smith.
"What do you think the Doctor will do when he meets Katy's murderous family?" The Master exclaimed, standing to his feet.
"Nothing to say? I thought so. We both know what he did, don't we?" The Master mumbled, walking over to his whiskey decanter and began to pour himself a drink.
He had never cared much for the earthling's alcohol in his former regenerations, but there was something about the substance that muffled the drums ever so slightly. Not like Katy could, but then again, nothing could stop the drums like her.
"Don't worry...I'll make sure I'm there to pick up the pieces" The Master smirked, taking a swig of his drink.
He would make sure everything happened just as it was supposed to.