Brain has been in a bit of a funk but Doctor Who stuff is still going strong so have more Asher :)
The Doctor was putting up a forcefield while the people around him shouted about what was going on and what they were going to do. He passed his sonic back behind him and Asher took it while Donna eyed it uneasily, something about this mess all ringing terribly familiar. The Doctor pushed the forcefield into the hall, then took the sonic back and made another, doing the same and making a passageway for the group to use to go upstairs.
"Okay! Up, up, up, up, up! Come on, the Meep! Come on. That's it."
Everyone hurried out into the hallway and upstairs as the soldiers and Wrarth continued to fire uselessly into the barriers. Another section of the house was blasted up on the second level, sending Asher tumbling into the Doctor as Donna complained about the damage being done to her home.
"You alright?" The Doctor asked, holding onto Asher who nodded, eyeing the hole warily before the Doctor shouted for them to go up to the next level as well.
The Wrarth weren't far behind, flying up to hover in the opening they created with the soldiers not far behind. The Doctor pushed Asher up the stairs and then pulled down the ladder leading into the loft. Once up there, he crouched near a brick wall, looking back at the others and lifting his sonic.
"This is a sonic screwdriver, and if it's good at one thing… it's resonating concrete."
"That's not concrete, that's mortar," Shaun pointed out as Donna complained.
"Thank you, Bob the Builder."
His sonic did the job though, loosening the bricks enough for him to push them out of the way. Donna took a step forward with a smile.
"Skinny Minny, you're not bad."
"You think?" The Doctor chimed with a smile as Sylvia huffed.
"No, she doesn't. Now move."
She took the lead as they started to move through the lofts of the connected homes in an attempt to get five houses down where the Nobles' car was. Meanwhile, more soldiers had arrived and a three-way firefight was happening in the streets between them, the controlled soldiers, and the Wrarth.
"Not that there is anything we can do," Asher started, wincing at the sound of something exploding outside. "But is there any way of stopping the mess outside?"
"You're worried about them?" Donna questioned in disbelief.
"The soldiers are being controlled," she pointed out, looking away awkwardly. "They don't even know what they're doing."
"Not sure what I can do without drawing their attention to us," the Doctor offered apologetically. "Sorry, Ash."
They made it to the fifth house and quietly went downstairs, tiptoeing past the occupant who was sleeping with headphones on, and peering out the door at the taxi waiting across the street in the middle of the gunfire.
"Can I have the keys?" The Doctor asked and Shaun quickly handed them over as they slipped out the door cautiously.
They hurried into the cab but the Doctor stopped, giving Asher a pointed look to stay where she was as he moved up to a downed soldier near the Wrarth. He pressed his fingers to the soldier's neck, checking for a pulse, and frowned.
"What?" He breathed, unfortunately drawing the attention of the Wrarth nearby and as they announced they located the Meep, the Doctor hurried into the cab and took off as the gunfire bounced harmlessly off the car.
"Oh, my God!"
"You did it!"
"We're alive. Thank you!"
"Meep, meep!"
The Doctor didn't look convinced though, and Asher was glancing back behind them with a small frown of confusion herself.
"Either we escaped… or we've got things very, very wrong," the Doctor declared, driving the cab into a nearby parking structure with a serious look on his face.
He parked the cab and got out, Asher scrambling to get out and go after him.
"Doctor? Stupid question again, sorry, but that gunfire—" She winced as she stumbled back against the hood of the car when he rounded it closely. "Wouldn't it have damaged the car? The windows didn't even break."
He didn't respond to her as he opened the back door and let the Meep out, walking away from the cab and suddenly putting on a wig.
"This court is now in session," he declared as Asher opened her mouth, closed it, then tried again.
"Wait, what?"
"Intercept teleport!" He called, lifting his sonic and bringing in two Wrarth as the Meep scrambled away from them with cries of fear and Donna got out of the cab as well.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Silence in court," the Doctor ordered. "I'm invoking Shadow Proclamation Protocols 15, P, and 6. Under my jurisdiction, there will be no violence until such time as I deem it fit and proper. Is that understood?" He said sharply and the Wrarth nodded, lowering their weapons. "Now, exhibit A. The taxi. No scorch marks. Right, Asher?"
Asher nodded, looking back at it briefly. "Y-Yeah. Window's not even busted. I thought most blasters or whatever would actually do damage."
"We were hit by plasma bolts but there isn't a mark," the Doctor explained. "And that soldier in the street, he was unconscious, not dead. Exhibit B. Those guns are stun guns. Is that correct?"
The Wrarth he pointed to nodded. "The guns apply a mild and harmless neural anesthetic. For the record, my name is Sergeant Zogroth."
"And I am Constable Zreeg," they introduced.
"But the evil Wrarth Warriors want to kill the Meep," the Meep argued but Asher remembered something as well.
"Hold up, but there were explosions. The soldiers out there were firing actual lethal weapons."
"Ah, but only the ones with the swirling eyes," the Doctor explained. "Were they coming to hurt you, the Meep? Or save you?"
Zogroth shifted a bit. "If I may speak?"
"Address the court," the Doctor allowed.
"The story of the Meep is a tragic tale. Their planet basked in the light of a living sun, until one terrible day, the sun went mad."
"A psychedelic sun," Zreeg added.
"Its radiation mutated all of Meepkind into cruel beasts who live for conquest."
"The eyes! That's solar psychedelia!" The Doctor said, understanding now as Zogroth and Zreeg continued.
"It renders them as maniacs."
"The Meep Army captured the Galactic Council, beheaded them, and ate them. The Wrarth Warriors were summoned, and we fought across the stars a long and awful battle."
"Meepkind died rather than surrender, and now only this one survives. Their leader, the most cruel and despicable of all."
"Meep, meep."
Asher looked at the creature now with even more uneasy hesitation. She hadn't fallen for the cute act like some of the others had, not because she knew better but simply because there was something in the back of her head chiming away, screaming at her subconscious that there was something off here. Her abilities were still growing, still working themselves out and while she might not have even recognized it, the Doctor had. He'd known her a long, long time now; knew what she was capable of and what to look for. Cute act or not, if Asher was cautious about anything it was worth noting. It was rare she made judgments before giving anyone or anything a chance.
"Now, let's be fair. It's your turn, the Meep," the Doctor offered, looking at the creature as he folded his arms and moved over to lean against the hood of the car beside Donna. "Witness for the defense. So, what do you say?"
The eyes of the Meep shifted then, sending a tendril of unease down Asher's spine as it glared and clenched a fist.
"Oh, to hell with this. Exhibit C!" It pulled a weapon out of its fur, killing the two Wrarth and making Asher jump as the Doctor whipped off his wig. "No stun guns for me! Just die!"
The Doctor and Donna hurried toward the Wrarth as Shaun got out of the car, warning her while Asher just stared at the Meep and the weapon in its hand.
"And here they come! My Soldiers of the Psychedelic Sun!"
"Obey the Meep!" The soldiers shouted as they drove up and Donna called for Shaun to get the others out of there.
"I don't need to pretend, for I am the Beep of all the Meeps!"
Zogroth died then and Donna turned to the Meep with a heated glare.
"I was right. You are a monster!"
"And you believed every word I said, you stupid woman with your weird child."
"Don't you dare!" Donna bellowed at the insult to Rose, getting to her feet.
"Oh, I dare!" The Meep threatened, lifting its weapon and the Doctor scrambled to stop it, only for his eyes to widen.
He'd forgotten about Asher. She was closer to the Meep than he was and while she would rather avoid confrontations—especially in an adventure she didn't know much about—if someone was in danger, she wouldn't hesitate to try and do something. Even if it wasn't smart, even if it put her at risk. Asher didn't always think about her actions before she did something and this was one of those moments.
She lunged at the Meep, struggling with it over the weapon in its hands. The gun went off a few times, firing up into the ceiling as the Doctor cried out for them to stop, hoping and praying to the universe that Asher wouldn't get hit by such a thing because he wasn't sure any amount of Tardis miracles would save her if she did. The soldiers moved in when the Meep let out a pained screech and they managed to get a hold of Asher before the weapon was flung across the room. She struggled in their grips, crying out at one point as they twisted and yanked her arms behind her back, forcing her to her knees as the Meep pawed gingerly at one of its eyes.
It had been injured in the scuffle and the creature turned to her, teeth bared in a snarl as the Doctor scrambled to think of a way to get them out of this. Things weren't going as planned—not that he had an actual plan—and Asher was now in a precarious situation. He was running out of options.
"You!" The Meep snapped angrily. "You dare attempt to stop me!"
Asher scowled up at it, jerking her shoulder in the soldier's grip. "I dare? Fuck you, you demented Furby! You seriously think I was just going to stand there and let you shoot Donna? Like hell!"
The Meep bristled and when Asher turned toward the soldier holding her and jerked away again to try and loosen his grip, she missed the silent command pass between the two. The butt of a gun slammed into her temple, causing her head to roll toward her chest as the Doctor shouted in concern.
"Ash!"
She had sagged forward and he couldn't be sure if she was conscious or not but he had to do something. Already the Meep was being returned its weapon and he feared it being turned onto her.
"Wait! No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Last-minute evidence. Meep! Why is there another two-hearted species on this planet unless I'm part of a strategy by the Wrarth Warriors to outfox you?" He said, grateful when the Meep turned toward him with a thoughtful frown. "And if you kill Asher and I, and fail to take this family hostage, you'll never find out, will you?"
The Meep pondered this for a moment before coming to a decision. "Hmm. Bring them!"
Relief flowed through the Doctor and despite wanting to mention what the Meep's ship might do to the world, his main focus was settled on Asher as the group were pushed, shoved, and dragged into the back of one of the military vehicles. He was quick to scoop Asher up, grimacing at the knot on her head and the bit of dried blood caked to her hair. He felt tempted to use his regeneration energy on the injury but knew how she would react if he did and instead let out a soft sigh as he held her as comfortably as he could.
"Who are you?" Donna asked him then, suspicious. "Both of ya. What's your name?"
He glanced over at her, knowing Asher would've been better off handling this than him but he tried his best anyway. "We're just passing by."
"Do you know him?" Donna asked her mother instead; the woman quick to shake her head with a lie.
"No."
"You act like you know him. Ever since they arrived it's like…" She trailed off and looked away, feeling emotions well up inside her and finally letting them spill out. "I'm so stupid!"
"No! No, you're not," Shaun argued, always quick to defend her.
"We could be living somewhere far away from here. Monte Carlo. Switzerland. And you'd be safe, Rose. It's all my fault. I gave away that lottery money."
"Why?" The Doctor asked again, hoping to get an answer this time as he felt Asher begin to stir in his arms.
"Because… there are places out there where people are in danger and in pain and fear. And I could help. It just felt like the sort of thing he would do."
Donna's small smile fell as she fought to remember who she was talking about, only for the truck to jerk to a stop, making the Doctor hit his own head harshly against the metal interior.
"Out!" A soldier ordered and the group started to get up as the Doctor looped his arm around Asher's waist when she groaned.
"Careful," he murmured in her ear, helping her down out of the truck. "Come on. On my back."
She half stumbled onto his back so he could carry her, bringing a hand up to her head as she spoke into the crook of his neck.
"God, what hit me? A train?"
"Did it to yourself, you know," he lightly chided as they were marched back into the warehouse where the Meep's ship was sitting in wait. "Must you always make trouble for yourself?"
"Pot calling kettle," she grumbled, sinking against his back and closing her eyes as she leaned her head against his. "Sorry. You're right. I just… I couldn't let them do anything to Donna."
"I know but making yourself a target isn't exactly the best decision, even if it is what I would do."
She peered her eyes open with a wince. "Where are we?"
"Steelmill," he replied. "Back at the start. It didn't land in a steelworks by mistake. It came to be mended."
"Hail to the Meep!" The Meep called from the throne it was being carried in on and the soldiers saluted it and chimed back as the Meep turned its gaze to the group. "Human scum, behold my vessel to the stars! Far beyond your tiny, grasping minds."
"I name this ship the Delusions of Grandeur," the Doctor hummed, unimpressed. "You can't fire those engines, not from here. A Dagger Drive gets its energy by stabbing, down. It would extract... ooh, five square miles? The whole of London Town burnt as fuel," he explained as Rose stepped up beside him.
"But that's nine million people."
"It doesn't care," Asher muttered, bringing her hand up to her head again. "It's just greedy and angry. Just a beast, really."
"Hey," the Doctor murmured back, lightly reaching up to tap her temple with a finger. "Don't go pulling mind tricks now. Not after that hit."
She wanted to argue but knew she would get nowhere and just grunted as the Meep went on.
"A great day for Meepkind, and the start of a new reign of terror, as the Meep returns to the stars for revenge… and feasting! Now, activate the initializers!"
"Initialisers activated," a soldier called out from the controls nearby.
"Brandish the gravity stanchions."
"Gravity stanchions brandished."
"Calibrate the flight deck!"
"Flight deck calibrated."
The Meep waved over at the group. "Take the prisoners on board, then I'll decide which one to eat first. Hail to the Meep!"
They were loaded into an elevator with two soldiers but upon stepping out, a familiar face was waiting.
"Evening boys," Shirley hummed, bringing out a couple of tranquilizer guns from her chair and firing them at the soldiers.
"You've got weapons in your wheelchair!" The Doctor gaped.
"We all have! Come on. Come on," she ushered them along. "Right. You lot, the family, you can get out through that door. And you need to get to engine control, but the port side's guarded. There's no way 'round it."
"So, what do we do?" The Doctor asked at her command.
"I don't just fire darts, mate," Shirley smirked, blasting a hole in the wall instead for him and waving at the family. "You lot run. I'll fight 'em off at the lift."
The Doctor took off with Asher on his back who clung a little tighter now that she was getting her energy back and her headache had lightened up a little.
"You're not leaving me with them?" She asked, surprised he'd just taken her along.
"What?" He questioned, giving her a look. "What for? You got a bit knocked about, sure, but I'll need all the help I can get. How is the head?"
"Hurts," she grumbled as he sonicked the door to the ship open and helped her off his back.
"I'd have fixed it but I'm sure you'd be right cross with me if I did," The Doctor said, kissing her lightly on the temple and steadying her by the shoulders when she wobbled slightly. "Take a moment to get settled. I'll do what I can until I need you."
She nodded as he pulled off his coat and hung it up, flexing his fingers as the computer announced what it was doing.
"Dagger Drive systems initializing."
"Okay," he breathed, slapping a button and looking around before moving to the next.
"Is this where we're at now?" Asher asked; a hand pressed up against a bit of the wall that was clear of controls as she blinked hard to deal with the sparks lingering in her vision.
"What's that?" He questioned, a bit distracted but unbothered.
"Us," Asher clarified, taking a long breath and sagging slightly as she carefully dragged a hand through her hair. "You're being all… nice."
"I'm nice," he said with a frown, making her snort.
"So you keep telling me… I don't know, it's just… There are things I expect you to do and you're doing the opposite. I don't know if it's just your new body or personality or whatever, or if something between us has changed that I don't know about because of spoilers. You brought me with you even though I was injured and a liability."
"You're not a liability," the Doctor snapped sharply, pausing what he was doing for a moment and giving her a serious look. "You were never someone I thought was in the way or too much trouble or whatever nonsense you thought you were. You're important to me, Ash, and that will never change."
Asher eyed him for a second, eyes searching his before she lightly pointed at him. "Yeah, that right there? That's what I'm talking about."
He groaned, rolling his eyes and returning to his button pressing. "We've known each other a long time now, Ash. Things are different between us but we understand each other. That's all. You're just currently at the point where you're too early to get it on your end of things. I can only help you so much before you figure it out yourself, you know. And is now really the time for a talk about our relationship?"
"Well—"
There was a gasp then as Donna rushed in, panting and out of breath. "That's enough… running. Blimey."
The Doctor turned to look at her in surprise before the computer made an announcement and the door she entered started to close.
"Chamber deadlocked."
"No, no, no, no! I told you to go! Just don't—Argh!" He shouted, frustrated before muttering to himself. "No time. I've got this. I've got it, I've got it. You stay there. Don't move, Donna. Ash! Red buttons on your right, turn them off."
"On it," Asher replied, doing as she was told and continuing as he rushed past her and put her hand on various things he needed her to or just shouting instructions.
"Star-launch in five minutes."
"Not helping," Asher grumbled, reaching across to press a button as she held a lever with her other arm.
The Doctor himself half-climbed the wall to reach another with his sonic before it sparked and he let out a yelp, blowing off the device.
"Deadlock sealed."
"Not good," Asher muttered, knowing his sonic would be useless now. "You should really come up with a counter thingy for when things are deadlocked."
"Doesn't exist," he grumbled.
"You're smart. Invent it," she huffed as the Doctor chuckled, looking around for the next switch he'd need.
"You always thought I could break the rules of the universe."
"Maybe because you can?"
"Hold on," Donna said. "What's deadlocked mean?"
"It means I can do it by hand," the Doctor replied, rushing around again until there was yet another announcement.
"Maxifold bisecting. Double Dagger Drive installed and initiated."
"No, no, no, no, no!" The Doctor shouted, rushing over to try and stop the bulkhead that was starting to separate the trio.
"Doc—"
"Stay there!" He ordered Asher, knowing he'd need someone on the other side if he couldn't stop it, and he ducked and dove back and forth for all the time he had before the door was down.
He turned, facing the two women on the other side with a hint of uneasiness in his voice.
"Okay, okay. I can do it. Half the room. That's fine."
"Let me help," Donna pressed, wanting to do what she could as Asher looked at the Doctor in worry herself.
It wasn't often he was nervous and despite the bulkhead between them, she could feel it; the uncertainty, the lack of confidence. The Doctor before was never so open with her. He tucked his feelings away if he could help it, never wanting to worry her or let her see how he was. This Doctor was so much different. He was an open book. He said he loved things, hated things, was worried about things. What wasn't said though, she could feel because of her abilities and she'd just assumed he'd forgotten that but either he had and she was overthinking things or this was another part of their relationship showing itself.
"No! You can't get involved. You can't!" He pressed at Donna's protest before groaning again. "Argh! The switches, the top ones, the blue ones. Flick them all down."
She did so and he pointed to another portion of the wall as he scrambled on his side of the controls.
"Ash, green buttons, press three times then hold for ten seconds!"
"On it," Asher called before the ship rumbled and the Doctor suddenly stopped. "Doctor?"
He didn't say anything for a moment, staring at the wall before turning and sagging up against it. "We've run out of time."
"Ignition in 230."
"If there was anything else I could do, but there's only one thing left," he said solemnly as Asher swallowed past the growing lump in her throat.
The dark shadows around him were back, growing more and more with every second and it was suffocating.
"Well then, do it," Donna demanded as he lowered his head. "Hurry up and do it! What are you waiting for?"
The Doctor approached the window and Asher shifted uneasily, uncertain of what he was saying or planning but eyeing the dark fog around him and suddenly wishing it was her future self here with him. Someone who could actually help him and not just say they would or stand around when they should be helping.
"I think… all that coincidence was heading here, to save London from burning. Because you and I can stop this ship. Together."
"Oh," Donna breathed as understanding dawned on Asher, who stepped forward in worry.
"Wait. Wait, but that—Isn't there anything I can do? I thought we could—"
The Doctor shook his head though, solemn brown eyes meeting her worried blue ones. "You don't know enough," he said, sending a spike of hurt through Asher. "I'm sorry."
He wasn't saying it to be mean or cruel. He was just stating a fact. Asher wouldn't have the knowledge needed to work as quickly as they needed. She knew that but it didn't mean that it hurt any less to be told that if she was just a bit smarter—if she'd tried a bit harder to learn things—she might have been useful in this instance.
The Doctor turned back toward Donna. "It will kill you."
"Okay," she said, accepting that as he tried to get her to realize what she was agreeing to.
"You'll die."
"My daughter is down there," Donna pressed. "And it's not just Rose. It's nine million people. Who cares about me?"
"I do," the Doctor and Asher both replied.
"Why?" She asked in disbelief. "I'm just no one."
"No, you are not!" The Doctor shouted, stepping back and bellowing up at the ceiling. "Why does it have to be this!"
Asher winced back, struggling with the wave of devastation that rippled off him adding to her own frustration with the situation and bringing hot tears to her eyes. She bit out a curse, turning away and bringing a hand up to press fingers harshly into her eyelids as the Doctor made a decision.
"Westerly. Pelican. Dreams," he murmured, each word choked with emotion as Asher spat more and more whispered curses.
"I don't… I don't care what it is, all right?" Donna said, not understanding that the seemingly random words he was saying were the key to unlocking her memories. "Just… Just go and do it, will you?"
"Tornado. Clifftops. Andante."
"Get on with it!"
"Grief," he said, voice breaking. "Fingerprint. Susurration."
"Oh," Donna muttered, knowing the next one. "Sparrow."
"Sparrow."
"Dance. Mexico."
"Ah. Binary. Binary. Binary."
Asher slammed a fist into the wall, pressing her forehead against it, unable to watch as Donna burst into gold. It only lasted a moment before the Doctor called out to her.
"Are you all right?"
Donna breathed heavily as Asher hesitantly turned around, wiping at the tear stains on her face and feeling the guilt twist her insides tight.
"I gave away my money," Donna said then, standing up straight and giving the Doctor a glare.
"Right, but—"
"I gave away all my money. And do you know why, Doctor? I gave it away to be like you. So I could be kind. So I could be nice. So I could be helpful. I—" She reached her hands up and dropped them in annoyance. "I had a subconscious infracutaneous retrofold memory loop, making me act as soft as you and give away £166 million!"
"Yes, Donna, but… destruction of London?" The Doctor reminded and she cracked her fingers.
"Oh, I'll show you destruction, mate." Donna turned, making Asher stiffen as the woman made a beeline for her. "And you, for someone so stupidly kind, you could really do with some sense knocked into you."
"S-Sorry?" Asher apologized, unsure what for but knowing better than to cross Donna Noble.
"Yeah, you might be," Donna said, lightly pushing her aside to get to the controls just behind her. "I will tripledrive the particle manifesto, overstep the umbilical feed, vindicate the cyberline, and roast the hyperfeeds. Like this!"
The Doctor got moving too, now that he had her help on the other side. "Maximize the stressfold links!"
"Channel up the booster drive!"
"Inculcate the plexidrones!"
"And shatterfry the positions. Oh, yes!" Donna cheered before her smile fell. "How long have I got to live?"
The Doctor paused as they both replied. "Fifty-five seconds."
"Best fifty-five seconds of my life, because I get to do this," she said, flipping a row of switches as something in the ship banged and sparked. "Donna Noble is descending."
"Ignition reversed. Ignition reversed."
"It's working!" The Doctor cheered as the bulkhead lifted and Donna began to crumple toward the ground.
"No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no! No, no," the Doctor called out, joining Asher in grabbing her and helping her down to the ground. "We did it. She's fine. She's safe. You saved her. You saved them all."
"Why did this face come back?" Donna asked as the Doctor shook his head.
"I don't know."
"To say goodbye?"
"No," Asher said firmly, clasping her hand. "No. There's no way. It can't—It wouldn't be…"
She glanced at the Doctor but he looked so utterly defeated there were no words of comfort he could offer.
"Good fun though," Donna breathed, closing her eyes as the door opened and a soldier stood before the trio with his gun raised.
"We have orders to kill you."
"Do what you want," the Doctor spat, clinging to Donna. "This ship isn't going anywhere. You were beaten… by the Doctor Donna."
Then, suddenly, the soldiers looked up and the controlling energy left them, confusing everyone.
"What?" The Doctor questioned as the soldier in charge did the same.
"What?"
Donna lifted her head too. "What?"
"You're not dead," the Doctor breathed, stunned as she sat up and Asher reached up to hold her aching head.
"What is happening? Like seriously, what's going on?"
"How?" Donna questioned herself before Rose's voice came over the intercom.
"Mum! Can you hear me? Mum! Doctor! Asher! I think it's safe for you to come down now."
"Rose?" Donna questioned as they got to their feet and understanding dawned on the Doctor.
"Too much power for one person, but you had a child, and the metacrisis passed down. A shared inheritance."
"What, like blood type?" Asher asked, a bit lost as to what was going on.
"Eh, sort of."
"It was always there, shining out of her," Donna said as more obvious things were noticed.
"And she chose her own name."
"Oh!" Asher said, connecting the dots. "They shared the memories too! Rose and the whole nonbinary thing like the Doctor."
"And the shed!" Donna said with a grin. "The shed was her memory of the Tardis. The toys! The toys! Every creature we met, she remembered as a toy."
"Yeah, I'm still a bit confused about the whole thing but hot damn," Asher breathed with a small chuckle of relief. "You're alive."
"I'm alive," Donna said with a grin and Asher couldn't help but rush forward and grab her in a hug. "Hey! I thought you don't do hugs."
"Donna Noble is always an exception," she replied pulling away with a sigh of relief, as the Doctor came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist; chin resting on the top of her head.
"Come on. Not done yet."
We watched as the Noble family reunited, hugging one another and the Doctor cracked a grin, releasing me to rush over to Sylvia.
"Happy now?" He chirped as Sylvia gave him a small smile in return.
"My father would be impressed. I have no higher compliment."
"Ha-ha!"
I cracked a smile as well as Shirley went over to say something to him and he bounded over to the controls. I understood now what the Fifteenth Doctor meant when he'd told me I'd like what happened with his previous self. While this Doctor's adventures weren't over yet, it was still nice that he got some joy with Donna getting her memories back safely. Or, well, mostly safe.
"Calling the Meep," the Doctor called into the microphone connected to the comms as the little beast responded.
"You forgot, I still have my ship. And if I have to explode the engines and rupture this world and damn us all to hell, then I will!"
Or so it said but with a flick of a switch, the Meep was launched out of an escape capsule.
"There you go," the Doctor hummed as the Wrarth moved in to capture the Meep and he brought them and all the UNIT soldiers into the steel mill to wrap things up.
"Sergeant Zogroth and Constable Zreeg gave their lives, along with many soldiers of Earth."
"Their names will be included in the litany of crimes, as the Meep atones in prison for 10,000 years," the Wrarth said, though the Meep was hardly deterred.
"Oh, I will escape and have my revenge. So you beware, Doctor, because there's one more thing."
"Which is?" The Doctor asked, unimpressed.
"A creature with two hearts is such a rare thing. Just wait till I tell… the Boss."
The Wrarth and the Meep were teleported away and the Doctor wrinkled his nose.
"Cryptic. I hate that."
I didn't like it either, not knowing what else was in store for this Doctor and as he stepped over to get Donna and Rose's little metacrisis figured out, I shifted toward Shirley. She spotted me coming and raised a brow as I tried to work out what I wanted to say.
"Is there… Sorry, I know it's usually him you guys work with and I'm sure it's something you've already started to look into, but—"
"You know," Shirley cut me off, making me go quiet as I shifted on my feet. "The Doctor might be important to the universe and all, but he wouldn't be who he is without you. Spoilers aside, you're a good influence on him and UNIT appreciates you as much as we do him sometimes."
I awkwardly glanced away at the praise, muttering a small "Thanks… I guess" as I rubbed the back of my neck.
"We'll look into whoever this Boss is," she said, making me nod and glance at the Doctor briefly.
"I just… It's fine if you can't, but is there anything you might know about… about what happened with him? I know the gist of it, the… the Flux thing but he's so… lost. I'm not sure what to do and I feel like I'm missing a lot more information than what I think I know. If that makes sense."
"There's not much I can tell you," she said, looking over at the Doctor as well. "We know about as much as you, regarding the Flux. Probably even less, really. The Doctor is a complicated person and despite all the facts and figures we could just hand over to you, it won't hold a candle to what you know about him. The only thing I can suggest is just do what you think is right."
"Easier said than done," I murmured.
"Have you tried asking?"
I shot her a look at that, a small frown marring my features. "Seriously?"
She shrugged. "You never know. He likes you. He might just answer."
I didn't believe her. Rule number one was the Doctor lied and there was nothing he lied more about than his feelings, especially on sensitive topics like his past. It might be his recent past but it was still something that hurt him deeply. As it was, despite his smile and cheerful attitude with Donna and the others, the dark cloud around him hadn't grown any lighter. I sighed heavily as the Doctor soon bounded back over with a grin still plastered on his face. We rejoined the Nobles as we were escorted back to Shaun's taxi and driven out to Camden Lock once more; the Doctor rattling on about how UNIT would cover the cost to repair Donna's home that had been damaged by the Wrarth and Meep-controlled soldiers.
I stayed quiet, content to let him ramble and honestly feeling rather exhausted. My head still pounded from the hit I took and while the adrenaline had helped me push the growing migraine aside for a bit, it was definitely coming back full force and the crowds of Camden Lock weren't helping matters.
"One last trip?"
I turned toward the Doctor as he leaned up against the Tardis with Donna, surprised he offered as Syliva snapped at him and Donna.
"Don't you dare."
"Do you know… I would love to," Donna said, but her smile was sad. "But I have got adventures of my own bringing up this one."
"Can I see inside?" Rose asked, but Donna was immediately against it.
"No. No, no, no. No. Because something will go wrong and you'll end up on Mars with Chaucer and a robot shark. And that's actually happened, hasn't it?"
"Oh, yeah," the Doctor replied but his smile hadn't faltered. "But I was thinking we could go and see Wilf?"
"Now, that is cheeky," Donna said, looking over at me. "Control him."
"Me?" I questioned with a chuckle. "Have you seen him?"
"Oi!" He complained. "It was just a suggestion."
"I mean it," Sylvia demanded. "Don't you dare!"
"Oh, but imagine his face, Mum. Oh, he would be so happy. All those secrets Grandad kept for years. He thought I'd never remember. And to see the Doctor one last time?" Donna said, buttering her up.
"Oh, all right. But one trip, that's all. Just one."
The Doctor turned toward the Tardis doors, winking at me as I rolled my eyes.
"One tiny little trip. That is a promise. It's like the old days. Just me and the Doctor, together. Is that all right?"
"Yeah, course it is," Shaun easily gave in as Donna eyed him.
"Well… a lot of husbands would worry. You know, me, in a box, with another man."
"Yeah, but not him," Shaun said, confident in his relationship with his wife as I leaned toward Donna.
"Oh, he's a keeper."
"I know it," Donna said, giving me a nudge. "Though pretty sure he just knows you two are a thing."
I wrinkled my nose, looking over at the Doctor as he raised a brow. "Somehow I keep forgetting about that. Not in a bad way, just—"
"We get on," he answered easily, unbothered. "Just feels normal, really."
"Yeah, come on then you two," Donna chirped, patting the Doctor's arm and getting him to head in.
We stepped through the doors and my mouth dropped open in shock as the Doctor cheered.
"Ah-ha-ha!" He crowed, taking off his coat and throwing it over a railing as we looked around the white interior full of ramps and circular designs; unlike how we left the ship. "Oh, this is amazing!"
The Doctor laughed as he ran all over the ramps through the console room; his grin and joy infectious as I couldn't help but spin around and take it all in myself.
"It changed! Oh, you clever thing! Look at that! It's got this!" He said, flipping a lever and turning the circles around us various colors. "And that. What's that?"
"This is… wow," I breathed as he looked over his new controls.
"Still a bit nippy," Donna said, tucking her coat a little closer around her.
"Oh, come on!" The Doctor huffed as she gave in and smiled as well.
"All right. It's gorgeous!" She cheered, the two of them doing a little dance, making me chuckle and smile fondly at them. "It's cleaner. And it's… grown. But I-I still don't get it. The Tardis can change, all right, but… what about your face? Why did it come back?"
"Does there have to be a reason?" He asked, glancing at her before lifting his gaze to me over her shoulder.
"With your life? Yes!" Donna said, following his gaze and gesturing to me. "Even Asher said so. Said it's to teach you something."
"Well, I'm stuck with it now," he said, brushing it off as I shifted, looking away and shivering at the slight feeling of his uneasiness rolling over me.
"Oh, this thing is brilliant! It's even got a coffee machine!" The Doctor chirped, running his hands over it as he avoided the topic we were edging toward. "You want one?"
"You're kidding," Donna said, surprised herself.
"With cold milk, yeah?"
"Well remembered," she hummed as he put the information in and lifted a little cup and saucer from the machine, passing it to her.
"Thank you very much. Careful. This is how I lost my job. Dropped a coffee on the computer," Donna said, taking it from him and something in the air shifted, making me frown up toward the ceiling.
It was… an emotion of some sort but not from Donna or the Doctor. I went to say something about it, pushing off the railing and taking a step but my foot caught on something and I tripped, grimacing and attempting to catch myself on the console. My hand caught on the sharp bark of a tree instead, leaving me rather annoyed upon finding myself having traveled again to some other time and place.
"Great. Just… great."