Mira felt her lungs scream, her breath ragged. They hadn't been running through the corridors for long, but her chest was already burning, and her legs felt like lead. What was I bloody thinking? Staying with them would undo all the good I'd done five minutes ago. I'll slow them down. Thankfully, she was at the back of the group, so she could slip into one of the side rooms, hiding from both them and the Slitheen. Coward. No, safe. It's safer here.

She locked the door as thunderous stomps passed her location. Please, please don't let them find me. Her heartbeat thudded in her ears. So loud, they'll hear it. Won't they? What if they hear it? She flinched as the door rattled—just for a second, just to test it. Locked. She closed her eyes and prayed they would leave. She wasn't religious, but right now, it felt like she needed a god. Any god. Anyone.

A bang— Silence. She covered her head, curled into herself. It's over. Slowly, she lifted her head. I'm not dead. They haven't found me. Her thoughts spiralled again, quick, and sharp. What was the bang? Why didn't they come back? Did they give up? Her breath quickened, her heart racing, panic rising. I'm alive, but… I almost died.

Her head thudded against the door, tilting back, hands dropping from their clenched position. Tears streamed down her face. Get it together, Mira. Get it together mate. She took a shuddering breath, trying to push herself to her feet. Move. Move! She had to get to the cabinet room. That's where everyone is. That's where I need to be. That's… safe.

But she couldn't move. Her legs wouldn't cooperate. Just stay. It's safe here. Just stay hidden. They won't find you. But then another thought, louder, more desperate: What if they do? What if they kill everyone else? She felt trapped, not just in the room but inside her own mind—caught between the comfort of hiding and the terror of stepping back into danger.

What if they need me? That thought hit her hard, pushing her to move. She forced herself to stand, but her legs felt like they were sinking into the floor, heavy and sluggish. "Come on, Mira. You can do this. Just a few steps." She whispered to herself, her voice shaky, words thick with emotion. Just a few steps. Just move.

She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms. "You saved Indra, you saved Jabe." She repeated it, over and over, like a mantra. But doubt gnawed at her. What if that was a fluke? What if I fail again? Her heart raced, her body trembling, almost betraying her resolve to stay safe.

It's just a door. Taking a deep breath, she pushed against it, willing herself forward. "It's just one door." Her hands fumbled with the lock, trembling. Come on, come on! The click of the lock felt louder than it should have. Did they hear that? They'll come back.

She cracked the door open, peeking out. No one there. Good. Move. Slowly, cautiously, she stepped into the hallway. Just go back the way you came. It's not far. Then you can hide. Her breath came fast, heart hammering like mad. Her legs wobbled. I've never been this scared.

The aliens she'd seen on TV were real now. Too real. The others hadn't seemed so terrifying. They wouldn't have killed me, not really. But these creatures? The Slitheen? They could snap her neck in a second. Crush me. Tear me apart. Their claws flashed in her mind. They hunt for sport. They don't care about my reasoning or my begging.

Finally, she found the cabinet room. Red walls, paintings, a giant table surrounded by red chairs. Focus. She couldn't just wait here. I don't have time to wait. What if they came back to check the room? Her heart pounded as she hurried to the cupboard, pulling things out. It'll save time later. Just in case. Just in case.

Covered in sweat, she wiped her brow and took a shaky breath. Done. But the fear was still there. What if they find me? What if Margaret comes looking for revenge? Thoughts crashed into each other, fast and uncontrollable. I tricked her. She'll kill me.

All there was to do now was wait. Wait, and wait. Could be five minutes, could be twenty. She leaned back into the cupboard. Of all the days to leave my phone in my laptop bag, she thought, with a hollow laugh that quickly died in her throat.

Her brief moment of humour vanished as the image of the people downstairs flashed in her mind. The experts. The ones she had forgotten. What have I done? The only help she'd given the Doctor was not wearing the ID badge. What about the others? What about them? Guilt surged, thick and suffocating. Every step forward, I take three steps back. I saved Indra, but I've condemned everyone else.

Suddenly, the Doctor's voice echoed through the hall. "One more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of this alcohol. Whoof, we all go up. So back off."

Mira didn't move. Too soon. Too dangerous. What if the Slitheen ignored him? They'll find me. They'll check. She stayed frozen, praying the door would stay closed, too terrified to breathe. Her heart raced, her pulse pounding so loud it muffled everything else. She could vaguely hear the Doctor speaking, but her mind was focused on trying to get herself to breathe. Just one breath, it's fine, just one. A short breath escaped her, but it wasn't enough. Her lungs still ached; her chest felt tight. Well, that was useless, not even enough oxygen to keep blood moving. Try again Mira. A deeper breath this time, shaky but enough to steady her. Finally, her thoughts calmed, and her breath settled. This is an episode filled with fart jokes and 'Victory should be naked!' there is no need to worry. Just leave the cupboard. Can't stay in here forever.

She heard a thud as the steel doors of the cabinet room closed. Relief washed over her, overwhelming the tension in her chest. Euphoria filled her; she was safe.

Finally finding the strength to move, she opened the door, surprising the quartet. "Oh, hi guys. Guess you found the room." She forced a smile, hoping it looked more natural than it felt. Her body still buzzed with residual panic, but she prayed they couldn't see it.

The Doctor quickly crossed over to her, lifting her chin and turned it from one side to another. "You aren't hurt, are you? Tell me now so I am able to fix it." Concern laced the Doctor's voice.

"I'm fine, Doc. Just winded. You know I suck at running." Mira waved it off casually, but inside, her heart was still pounding. He wouldn't be able to fix mental pain.

"I seem to remember the last time you ran you got hurt." the Doctor said with a hint of humour, finally stepping away from Mira.

Mira smiled brighter than she had any other time with the Doctor, momentarily stunning him. Not that she noticed. Her focus shifted to Rose, Indra, and Harriet, who were still standing awkwardly nearby.

"Oh, I am so glad you three are ok. I had to hide in a politician's office, I fell way to far behind." She said, relief warming her voice. Rose gave Mira a shocked look, clearly taken aback by her concern. Despite their earlier promise to treat each other better, Rose hadn't expected this level of care from Mira.

"Rose, keep your phone on you, Mickey will be contacting you soon. Doc, calcium decay is a hint, but if you don't figure it out quick enough, this time I'm stepping in." Determination laced Mira's voice. She wasn't going to let Jackie or Mickey get hurt, not when they were both such good people—better than Rose deserved, in her view.

Maybe being here would help Rose become a better person. A traitorous thought buzzed in, and maybe it'll make her focus less on the Doctor.

"Okay." The Doctor's voice clapped into the room, interrupting her thoughts. "How long do you think we'll be stuck here?"

"Hours. Definitely until about 6 a.m. at the earliest," Mira replied, her voice frank. She remembered the news broadcast from the episode. Realizing they were in for a long night, especially with the attack on Jackie and Mickey scheduled for 3 a.m., she sighed and dropped into one of the chairs.

Suddenly, she felt something drop into the pocket of her jacket—the one she'd thankfully grabbed before leaving the TARDIS. Pulling it out, she stared at the object in her hand. "What the fuck?" It was a picnic basket.

"Language!" The Doctors voice yelled from the other half of the room.

"Well, you'd swear too if you suddenly pulled a picnic basket from your pocket!" Mira yelled back. "Hmm, I wonder what else this jacket can provide. Ooo, is it a magical jacket?"

"Nope, just connected to the TARDIS." the Doctor said, suddenly behind her. Startled, Mira yelped and turned to glare at him, hand on her chest. He raised his hands in defence. "It's not magic, just the TARDIS assisting where she can."

Mira looked thoughtfully at her jacket. It will help when we leave. The thought stopped her cold. When we leave? Her mind repeated the words, but this time, there was no flicker of doubt, no second-guessing. Just... certainty.

Before, whenever the idea of leaving crossed her mind, it was always tangled with anxiety. "Will they even miss me? Did I make any impact?" It had been a distant maybe, surrounded by hesitation and fear. But now? Now, the thought was firm. Unshaken. It will happen.

And that terrified her more than anything. Not the leaving itself—but that for the first time, the decision felt so clear. Where was the panic? The gnawing worry that she'd be forgotten the moment she walked away? It wasn't there. The absence of those feelings was like stepping off a cliff realising she wasn't going to fall.

"Hey" Rose's voice broke through her thoughts, "are you alright? You went pale."

"I'm okay Rose, I just had a thought that shocked me, but I am really ok." Mira smiled warmly at her, wondering if their earlier conversation would actually lead to a better relationship between them. Only time would tell.

Both women watched as the Doctor moved the skin of Tony Blair to a storeroom. There was a sombre air in the room, though none of them could have prevented his death.

"Sorry. Right, what have we got? Any terminals, anything?" The Doctor said, clapping his hands as he went.

"No. This place is antique. What I don't get is, when they killed the Prime Minister, why didn't they use him as a disguise?" Rose questioned; it would have been easier if they had used him as a disguise.

"He's too slim. They're big old beasts. They need to fit inside big humans." The Doctor shook his head.

"But the Slitheen are about eight feet. How do they fit inside?" Rose pressed on, still confused.

"That's the device around their necks. Compression field. Literally shrinks them down a bit. That's why there's all that gas. It's a big exchange."

Mira suddenly reached out and placed a finger on Rose's lips. "Inside thoughts, Rosie. Don't say what you're thinking—people are dead, and the Doc isn't an excuse." Rose nodded, slightly chastened. She wondered how Mira always seemed to know.

"Harriet Jones. I've heard that name before. Harriet Jones. You're not famous for anything, are you?" The Doctor turned to Harriet. Confusion written on his frame and voice. Mira loved that she knew something more than the Doctor.

"Oh, hardly." Harriet waved off.

"Rings a bell. Harriet Jones?" The Doctor banged his head, trying to jog his memory. Mira bit her lip to keep from laughing, enjoying the rare moment of knowing more than him.

"Lifelong backbencher I'm afraid, and a fat lot of use I'm being now. The Protocols are redundant. They list the people who could help and they're all dead downstairs." Harriet waved the Protocols she had grabbed in her panic earlier.

"Rosie inside thoughts. No nuclear bomb, that is too violent." Mira's voice rang out again from the corner of the table she had walked to. She looked at the speaker. She hadn't seen a speaker this old since she was a girl. She tilted her head at it, wondering how the Doctor had managed to connect Rose's phone to it.

"Nuclear strikes do need a release code, yes, but it's kept secret by the United Nations." Mira heard Harriet say. Oh good, I didn't mess things up too much then.

"Say that again." The Doctor forcibly asked Harriet. Ready to shake the woman.

"The British Isles can't gain access to atomic weapons without a Special Resolution from the UN." Mira said to him, looking straight into his eyes. "The codes have been taken out of the government's hands and given to the UN." Mira urged the Doctor to realise what she was trying to force. She silently apologised to Harriet for stealing her words, but she wanted this over with. Maybe we can have a nap soon. Internally shushing the thought, Mira focused on the room. Grateful that she hadn't missed anything. She was very good at zoning out.

"If we only knew what the Slitheen wanted. Listen to me. I'm saying Slitheen as if it's normal." Harriet shook her head. Surprised at how the day was going.

"What do they want though?" Rose questioned, confused about the group of aliens.

"Profit." Mira blurted before covering her mouth. She was giving away more than she wanted to today. The Doctor shot her a questioning look before turning to the duo. Indra sat silently on the other half of the table, still shocked about everything that had happened in the past hour.

"Well, they're just one family, so it's not an invasion. They don't want Slitheen World. They're out to make money. That means they want to use something. Something here on Earth. Some kind of asset." The Doctor mused. He wondered about the profit Mira had blurted. Obviously, it was important. But how?

"Like what, gold? Oil? Water?" Harriet tried to question.

"You're very good at this." The Doctor was surprised, not many people would react how Harriet did in this situation.

Rose's phone beeped before the Doctor could pose anymore questions. "Oh, that's me."

"But we're sealed off? How did you get a signal?" Harriet pressed Rose.

"He zapped it. Super phone."

"Oh Doc, can you do that to mine? You didn't get the chance to earlier." Mira questioned. She wanted to be able to contact Rose when she left. When that thought again.

Rose silently turned the phone to the Doctor, showing the photo of a Slitheen. The Doctor urged Rose to call Mickey and Jackie, suddenly seeing the benefit of the 'stupid' boyfriend.

For the next 15 minutes nothing changed from the episode, Rose talked with her boyfriend, the Doctor stole the phone and urged Mickey to hack into the UNIT website. The Doctor insulted Mickey which caused Mira to slap him.

"Big Ben – why did the Slitheen go and hit Big Ben?"

"You said to gather the experts, to kill them." Harriet queried him.

"That lot would've gathered for a weather balloon. You don't need to crash land in the middle of London." The Doctor waved off.

Mira sat in the red chair across from Indra, bored at how so little of the conversation had changed from the episode, especially an episode so filled with fart jokes and stupidity. Indra focused on her, eyes sharp and unwavering, cutting through the discussion around them. The Doctor, Rose, and Harriet were deep in conversation, but their voices felt distant, as if the world had narrowed to just the two of them. Mira shifted in her seat; her hands clasped tightly together in her lap.

"I was going to die, wasn't I?" Indra's voice was quiet, but there was no fear in it, just a cold, clear acceptance.

Mira hesitated, biting the inside of her cheek as she met Indra's gaze. There was no point lying, not now. "Yes."

Indra nodded slowly, as if he'd already known the answer. His expression softened, a strange mix of gratitude and determination crossing his face. "You saved me."

"I tried to." Mira didn't know what else to say. I don't deserve this.

"I owe you, then," Indra continued, his voice steady, too calm for what had just happened. "I can't let that go." Mira could see why he had been made a secretary to the Ministry of Defence, even a junior one.

Mira shook her head quickly, the idea of being owed something making her uncomfortable. "You don't owe me anything. It's too much."

"It isn't." Indra's gaze didn't falter, his tone unwavering. "You saved my life. I have to pay that back."

Mira could feel her chest tightening, the pressure of those words settling on her. I didn't save you for that. I just didn't want you to die. She swallowed, trying to push the weight away, but it clung to her. "You don't have to repay anything. You don't."

Indra's eyes softened again, his voice dropping to something gentler. "Maybe not, but I will. One day."

Mira looked down at her hands, twisting the fabric of her shirt. Why does it always feel like I haven't done enough? She exhaled, trying to release the tension in her shoulders. "Just... be okay. That's enough."

Indra didn't say anything else, but Mira could feel the unspoken promise hanging between them.

"We're in." Mikey's voice broke through the tension surrounding the room. Jackie must have asked an impossible thing of the Doctor.

"Now then, on the left at the top, there's a tab, an icon. Little concentric circles. Click on that." The Doctor instructed Mickey.

"What is it?" Mickey questioned.

"The Slitheen have got a spaceship in the North Sea and it's transmitting that signal. Now hush, let me work out what it's saying." Mira looked intensely at the Doctor. It wasn't the time to tell him off for being rude to Mickey, he was stressed enough. "It's some sort of message."

"What's it say?" Rose questioned. Mira wondered if she should give a hint again. No too many hints. It wouldn't change the episode either way, they would still be stuck in the room until they blew it up.

"Don't know. It's on a loop, keeps repeating." The Doctor tried to focus on the signal that was beaming across space, and currently through the tiny speaker. A doorbell broke through the room, interrupting the tense atmosphere. "Hush"

"That's not me." Mira heard him turn to Jackie, "Go and see who that is."

Mira could hear Jackie grumble as she went to open the front door. There was a moment of silence before Jackie screamed and ran back into hearing distance. "It's him! It's the thing, it's the Slipeen!"

"They've found us." Mickey told them in a panic. Mira's frame shrunk in the chair. She couldn't step in yet, she promised she would only if the Doctor wasn't fast enough.

"Mickey, I need that signal!" The Doctor yelled down at the phone. For once it wasn't Mira that hit the Doctor, Rose had reached across to let the Doctor know a piece of her mind.

"Never mind the signal, get out! Mum just get out! Get out!" Rose's voice was filled with panic, hysterical about the thought of her mum being harmed.

"We can't. It's by the front door." Mickey's voice rang out from the phone. "Oh, my god, it's unmasking. It's going to kill us."

The Doctor started pacing around the room, hand on his head trying to figure out what the Aliens were.

"There's got to be some way of stopping them!" Harriet yelled at him, "You're supposed to be the expert, think of something!"

"I'm trying!" He yelled back at her.

Mira could hear Jackie and Mickey panicking over the phone. Hearing Mickey tell Jackie to run to save her once again reminded Mira that Rose didn't deserve him.

"That's my mother." Rose pleaded with the Doctor. Silently telling him to save them.

"Right, if we're going to find their weakness, we need to find out where they're from. Which planet. So, judging by their basic shape, that narrows it down to five thousand planets within travelling distance. What else do we know about them? Information!" The Doctor stopped his pacing to turn to the 4 people in the room.

"They're green." Rose posed to him.

"Yep, narrows it down." The Doctor pointed at Rose; glad she was taking part.

"They have giant claws strong enough to kill someone." Indra posed. Mira was glad he was contributing, even in a small way.

"Narrows it down."

"They can smell adrenalin." Rose posed, more excited the closer she got to figuring things out.

"Narrows it down." The Doctor said, starting to get excited the closer he got to figuring it out.

Mira zoned out of their conversation, deciding instead to comfort Jackie and Mickey.

"Mickey, Jackie, I want you two to head to the kitchen ok, it is the furthest away from the door. Hunker down there. You guys are doing amazing. Make sure to barricade the doors as you go." Mira tried to force herself to stay calm so she could keep the two on the phone calm.

"We are trapped with no way out, how are we doing ok?" Jackie shouted at her.

Mira took a deep breath, steadying her nerves. "I know it feels like everything's closing in, but you're keeping it together, and that's what matters right now," she said firmly, trying to soothe Jackie. "You've got each other, and that's a start. Just stay in the kitchen, away from the door. Trust me, we'll figure this out and get you through it. You're stronger than you think."

Jackie's voice wavered, but the edge of panic still cut through. "We're trapped, Mira! What if they break in? What if they—"

Mickey, trying to stay composed but sounding shaky himself, cut in, "Jackie, stop. Panicking won't help. Let's just do what she says. We go to the kitchen, yeah?"

Jackie huffed, her breathing heavy, but she relented, "Fine. Kitchen. But this better work, Mira."

Mickey, quieter now, added, "We're trusting you." His voice cracked slightly, betraying the fear he was trying to hide.

"It'll be ok Mickey, I promise. I never break my promises." Mira said, trying to sound confident. But doubt crept in, and she hoped her voice didn't betray her.

The Doctor had the other three shouting information at him, but he wasn't getting any closer to the planet. "Remember my hint Doc – calcium decay, made of living calcium."

"Oh! Hyphenated surname. Yes! That narrows it down to one planet. Raxacoricofallapatorius!" The Doctor shouted! Elated to finally know the aliens.

"Oh, yeah, great. We could write 'em a letter." Mickey's voice sarcastically came through the phone.

"My God, it's going to rip us apart!" Jackie yelled; earlier calm gone in the face of death.

"Calcium, weakened by the compression field. Acetic acid. Vinegar!" The Doctor yelled.

"Just like Hannibal!" Harriet cried elated.

"Just like Hannibal. Mickey, have you got any vinegar?"

"Screw that, Jackie, cupboard by the sink, middle shelf, grab anything with vinegar in it." Mira yelled at the phone, not wanting to give the Doctor any ammunition towards Mickey about his lack of knowledge in his own apartment.

"Gherkins. Yeah, pickled onions. Pickled eggs." Jackie continued. Mira could hear the sound of liquid being added to a bucket. Remembering that she had a picnic basket from her coat, she opened it to grab a sandwich, desperately hungry.

The five in the cabinet room heard a loud bang, a fart and then an explosion.

"Hannibal?" Rose questioned.

"Hannibal crossed the Alps by dissolving boulders with vinegar." The Doctor said to her. Smiling, glad that the two in the apartment were okay.

"More like fire and vinegar, he would heat the rocks to a very high temperature, then pour vinegar causing it to crack and fracture. Luckily, we didn't need fire." Mira said, mouth filled with her sandwich. She didn't even care what was on it, it was delicious.

Indra poured everyone in the room a glass from the decanter which they all gratefully drank from. They relaxed for a few minutes, eating from Mira's picnic basket, and drinking their alcoholic drink, grateful for a moment of peace. As they waited, the Doctor played around with Mira's phone with his sonic to give it universal roaming. Definitely will be useful in the future.

Mickey interrupted the silence to share the news broadcast coming from the TV.

"Our inspectors have searched the sky above our heads," Green's grainy voice could be heard, "and they have found massive weapons of destruction capable of being deployed within forty-five seconds."

"What?" The Doctor breathed in disbelief.

"Our technicians can baffle the alien probes, but not for long. We are facing extinction, unless we strike first. The United Kingdom stands directly beneath the belly of the mother ship. I beg of the United Nations, pass an emergency resolution. Give us the access codes. A nuclear strike at the Heart of the beast is our only chance of survival. Because from this moment on it is my solemn duty to inform you planet Earth is at war." Green continued, his mask of desperation could be heard through the tiny speakers.

"He's making it up. There's no weapons up there, there's no threat. He just invented it." The Doctor started pacing around the room.

"They will believe him and release the codes by 6am tomorrow, planet Earth will go nuclear." Mira said, her voice sounding a little too light, a weak attempt to mask the growing anxiety she couldn't quite shake.

"That's why the Slitheen went for spectacle. They want the whole world panicking because you lot, you get scared, you lash out." The Doctor ran his hands through his hair, stressed about the situation.

"But why? What benefit would it give them?" Harriet questioned confused why the Slitheen would want to release the codes.

Without a word, the Doctor headed to the metal shutters and opened them to face the aliens still waiting at the door.

"You get the codes, release the missiles, but not into space because there's nothing there. You attack every other country on Earth. They retaliate, fight back. World War Three. Whole planet gets nuked." The Doctor spat at them, surprising Mira with his ferocity.

"And we can sit through it safe in our spaceship waiting in the Thames. Not crashed, just parked. Only two minutes away." Margaret bragged, proud of her family's plan.

"But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place. What for?" Harriet demanded of Margaret.

"As Mira said: Profit. That's what the signal is beaming into space. An advert."

"The sale of the century. We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it piece by piece. Radioactive chucks, capable of powering every cut-price star liner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Doctor. People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel." Margaret was positively brimming with delight at their plan, they could finally have money and be free of her planet.

"At the cost of five billion lives." The Doctor spat back at her.

"Bargain." Margaret raised her chin in defiance.

"I will give you a choice. Leave this planet or I'll stop you." The Doctor said, forcefully calm.

"What you? Trapped in your box?" Margaret laughed off his statement, disbelief clear in her face.

"Yes. Me." Mira couldn't see the Doctor's face, but she was sure it was showing his 'Oncoming Storm' side. The Doctor closed the shutters cutting off Margaret's laughing face that was slowly becoming worried.

"All right Doctor. I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do." Jackie's voice broke the silence that had encompassed the room.

"If we could ferment the port, we could make acetic acid." Harriet joked, trying to lighten the room, but also trying to give the Doctor an idea of what to do next.

"We need more than vinegar. If they get past it, we'll need another plan." Indra began looking around the room, eyeing the control panel. "Maybe we can hack the fire alarms, trigger a lockdown."

"That won't stop them from creating nuclear fallout and worldwide destruction." Mira said, glad Indra was thinking ahead.

"Mickey, any luck?" Rose broke out of her silence.

"There's loads of emergency numbers. They're all on voicemail." Mickey responded, tone defeated.

"If we could just get out of here." Rose sighed.

"There's a way out." The Doctor and Mira said at the same time. Mira's tone was controlled, for once, feeling strength in her choice. The Doctor's voice, on the other hand, was filled with sadness.

"They why don't we use it?" Rose questioned the duo.

"Because I can't guarantee your daughter will be safe." The Doctor said down at the phone to Jackie.

"Don't you dare. Whatever it is, don't you dare." Jackie said, tone threatening.

"That's the thing. If I don't dare, everyone dies." The Doctor said, voice heavy, the weight of his choices settling on all of them.

"Do it." Rose bravely said.

"You don't even know what it is. You'd just let me?" Surprised the Doctor asked.

"Yeah. That and Mira isn't scared, if it was going to kill us, she wouldn't be as calm as she is right now." Rose said, confident in her determination.

"Please, she's my daughter. She's just a kid." Jackie pleaded, desperate to stop whatever the Doctor's plan was.

"Do you think I don't know that? Because this is my life, Jackie. It's not fun, it's not smart, it's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will." The Doctor said, pleading with Jackie to understand.

"Do it." Mira's voice broke out, filled with quiet understanding, but her chest tightened. He's going to try to put this off as long as he can.

"I could save the world but lose you." The Doctor said, looking straight into Mira's eyes, scared of losing her.

"It'll be ok Doc. I promise." Mira smiled at him, stunning him briefly.

"Except it's not your decision Doctor. It's mine." Harriet broke in.

"And who the hell are you then?" Jackie bit back.

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North. The only elected representative in this room, chosen by the people for the people. And on behalf of the people, I command you. Do it." Harriet showed her badge to the phone, not that Jackie would have been able to see, but it made Mira laugh a little.

"We don't get out Rosie, we stay here." Mira said, handing the Emergency Protocols to the Doctor. He quickly read through it before talking to Mickey.

"Use the buffalo password. It overrides everything."

"What're you doing?" Jackie could be heard questioning Mickey.

"Hacking into the Royal Navy. We're in. Here it is. HMS Taurean, Trafalgar Class submarine, ten miles off the coast of Plymouth." Mickey answered to her question.

"Right, we need to select a missile." The Doctor told him.

"We can't go nuclear. We don't have the defence codes."

"We don't need it. All we need's an ordinary missile. What's the first category?"

"Sub Harpoon, UGM-A4A."

"That's the one. Select." The Doctor headed around the table, worried about the two girls he had promised to protect. "You ready for this?"

"Yeah." Mickey breathed.

"Mickey the idiot, the world is in your hands." The Doctor paused, tone heavy. "Fire."

"How solid are these?" Harriet questioned.

"Not solid enough. Built for short range attack, nothing this big." The Doctor sighed.

"All right, now I'm making the decision." Rose's voice broke out. "I'm not going to die. We're going to ride this one out. It's like what they say about earthquakes. You can survive them by standing under a doorframe. Now, this cupboard's small so it's strong. Come and help me. Come on."

As Rose heads to the cupboard, she was startled to find it already empty.

"I emptied it earlier when I was hiding." Mira reminded her.

"Ok, quick everyone into the cupboard." Indra pleaded. Wanting everything to be done with.

Ignoring the Doctor's continued conversation with Mickey, the four remaining people entered into the cupboard and huddled down, preparing for either death, or a very bumpy ride. I hope I don't get hurt, that will make leaving more difficult. The Doctor quickly ran over to the cupboard, closing the steel door and bunkering down.

"Here we go. Nice knowing you all. Hannibal!" Harriet cried.

The room shook, the remaining papers flying around their heads, small little trinkets showing down on them, but no pain. They were all alive. Oh, thank God.

As the Doctor pushed open the steel door, causing it to fall off, Harriet stepped out into the chaos. Mira leaned against the wall of the cupboard, her breath steadying as she listened to the fading chaos outside. The dust was still settling, and she could hear distant voices—Rose, the Doctor, Harriet—moving farther down the hall. But as she looked around, she noticed Indra was still sitting in the corner, his knees drawn up to his chest. He hadn't moved since the explosion.

"Indra?" she called softly, stepping toward him. He didn't look up, just stared blankly at the wall. His hands were shaking slightly, the aftershocks of fear still gripping him. Mira knelt beside him, her hand gently touching his arm. "Hey... it's over. We're safe."

Indra's breath hitched, and he finally met her eyes. "I... I thought I was going to die," he whispered, voice trembling. "That bomb... the noise... everything was shaking. I couldn't move. I just—" He paused, struggling to find the words.

Mira offered him a small, reassuring smile. "But you made it through. You did great, Indra." She gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "You're still here, and that's what matters."

Indra nodded; his eyes misty but filled with gratitude. "You saved me, Mira. You... you saved me from the Slitheen, I would have died in that room." He wiped at his eyes, embarrassed but relieved. "I don't know how you kept calm, but I owe you. I'm in your debt for this."

Mira shook her head gently. "You don't owe me anything, Indra. We're all in this together. You were brave—just like the rest of us. I'm just glad you're okay. And I was definitely not calm, I'm just good at pretending to be when I'm not."

For the first time since the explosion, Indra smiled faintly. He stood up slowly, with Mira helping him to his feet. "Thank you," he murmured again, his voice steadier now. "I won't forget this."

Mira patted his shoulder. "You don't need to thank me. Let's just get through this, yeah? We'll figure everything out, one step at a time."

Together, they walked out of the cupboard, re-joining the others as they moved toward whatever came next. As she watched on, she saw Jackie run to hug Rose, thankful that her daughter had made it out unharmed.

"So, the next Prime Minister hey Doc." Mira nudged the Doctor.

"Who would have guessed. You knew the whole time, didn't you?" Seeing Mira's nod, the Doctor laughed. The Doctor held out his hand for Mira to hold on to as they headed towards the TARDIS that was still out near Jackie's flat. As they walked, they talked about inconsequential things, with Mira finally finding out that MP meant Member of Parliament.

The Doctor and Mira walked up to the centre console with Mira jumping into the jump seat. She watched the Doctor picking up a 1970s Trimphone dialling Rose to convince her to come with them. Mira phased out most of the Doctor and Rose's conversation, only hearing half of it made it feel like he was flirting with her. Maybe he was.

"Well, you can stay there if you want, but right now there's this plasma storm brewing in the Horsehead Nebula. Fires are burning ten million miles wide. I could fly the Tardis right into the heart of it then ride the shock wave all the way out. Hurtle right across the sky and end up anywhere. Your choice." The Doctor smiled down at the phone before placing it down.

The Doctor turned to smile at Mira. The smile abruptly ended when he saw her face. "What's wrong?"

"I can't stay Doc. Not like this" Mira dropped her eyes to the ground. She avoided his eyes; she knew this would kill him. She shifted her weight from one foot to another, if she stopped, he would see that she was trembling.

"But why? We're a team, Mira. You belong with us." The Doctor pleaded, pushing off the TARDIS console to come close to her, voice low.

Mira looked up, eyes welled with unshed tears, "I'm not… I'm not good enough. I need to get better—mentally, physically. I can't keep holding you back. I hid in a politician's room because I couldn't keep up. What if one day I fall too far behind?" Her fists clenched as she stopped her fidgeting. The resolve she gained in the cabinet room filling her once again.

"You're not holding me back. You're part of this. I don't want to lose you, not now." The Doctor stepped forward, a hairsbreadth away from being in her personal space. She could see his hands running though his hair, his posture still.

"It's not about you, Doctor. It's about me. I need to figure this out on my own." Her voice cracked, filled with emotion. Mira stepped back, creating a slight space between the two. Any closer and it will be hard to go.

"You're not alone, Mira. You never have to be alone." His voice softened; Mira almost had to strain to hear it. She watched his old eyes soften, trying desperately to convince her to stay.

Mira forced a smile, hoping that it was convincing, "I know. But right now, I need to learn to stand on my own two feet. If I don't, I'll just… always feel like a burden." She looked away, voice trembling. Doubts start to creep in again. What if I fail? What if this is all for nothing?

"Mira, you're anything but a burden! You saved me, saved others. You're brave—far braver than you give yourself credit for!" He snapped, frustration bubbling up and exploding out of him. As Mira was looking away, she didn't see him reach out to touch her shoulder, before hesitating and dropping them back at his side.

"I need this, Doctor. Just a little time." She took a deep breath, her heart ached with every word.

"Where will you go? When will I see you again?" His face was so full of pain, she ached to ease it, but she knew that if she did, she would never get better.

"When Rose sees her mum." Mira smiled at him, ignoring his first question. She was unsure herself, but she was sure that it will work out. She reached out her hand to brush against him. The connection felt bittersweet. I have to do this. For all the times I've felt small and unworthy, I have to take this step, even if it means leaving him behind. I'll come back stronger. I promise.

"Just… don't forget. I'll always be here for you, Mira." His voice broke. He stepped back; eyes filled with a promise to return.

Mira nodded. "I won't. Now you don't go forgetting me Spaceman." She smiled before turning around and out the TARDIS doors. Every step she took towards the door urged her to turn around, to take back her choice, but she felt lighter. She had made a choice. Time to follow through.

As Mira walked away from the TARDIS, she could feel her phone buzz. As she checked it, she was surprised to see a message from Jack Harkness. I haven't programmed anyone in yet though? How did he do that?

Go to the corner by the park. I'll see you soon Little Miss - Jack

She makes her way to the corner of the park, the cool night air brushing against her skin. After a moment, a familiar black SUV pulls up, its headlights cutting through the dimly lit street. The window rolls down, and she sees Jack Harkness grinning at her from the driver's seat. With his signature smile he jumps out of the car, arms open in invitation.

"Mira Faye, you didn't think I'd let you do this alone, did you?" Jack's voice comforted her. Whilst she only knew him from the TV show, his voice was so smoothing and familiar.

"You always have the best timing." Mira smiled softly, feeling Jack move her into a comforting hug. She hugged back. She always was a tactile person, something she was sorely missing.

Jack pulled back, gesturing towards the car, "C'mon, hop in Little Miss. We've got work to do." Jack's tone was light, eyes kind as he comforts her. He obviously knew it was a difficult time for her.

Mira slid into the backseat of the SUV, glancing at Jack and the Torchwood team. The weight of her decision to leave the Doctor still lingering, but there's a new feeling growing inside her—hope.

This isn't the end. It's just the beginning.