Chapter Eight: School Reunion
[TARDIS- Alchemist Private sitting room]
It's the afternoon of the second day, stuck in the TARDIS inside a public primary school of all places. During the nights, she and the Doctor have been enjoying each other's company, either lost in books in the library or tucked away in their private quarters. Gradually, their connection is re-establishing itself. Their thoughts are intertwining once more, leading them to speak in unison more frequently. The longer they share this time, the closer their bond will become, inching toward complete restoration.
Alone, though? She's working. She's scratching, digging at the patch in her mind, and getting nowhere.
A nagging sensation lingers within her, a sense that she's neglecting something significant that she usually engages in during her moments of solitude. While she recognizes that she could be focusing on one of the companion rooms, an instinct warns her against tackling Rose's. It's not just a hunch; it's more of a specific voice echoing in her mind. Each time the thought crosses her, she hears Teacher's low growl. She hasn't even bothered to look it up in the system yet.
The feeling she has that she's missing something massive is bothering her. It's not just the children; it's something significant, but what?
'Amara! Sarah's here!' the Doctor shouts at her.
The Time Lady rises from the sofa, her face lighting up with a broad smile, 'What!? Show me, show me!'
She can't help but excitedly clap when she sees her Chosen sister-in-law. She's as lovely in person as the photos she's been sending her via email since she returned.
[Staff room]
"Yesterday, I had a twelve-year-old girl give me the exact height of the Walls of Troy... in cubits," a teacher says, astounded.
The Doctor asks, "And, it's ever since the new headmaster arrived?"
"Finch arrived three months ago," He nods, "Next day, half the staff got flu. Finch replaced them with that lot, except for the teacher you replaced, and that was just plain weird, her winning the lottery like that."
The Time Lord shrugs, "How's that weird?"
"She never played. Said the ticket was posted through her door at midnight."
"Hmm. The world is very strange," the Doctor smiles.
The Headmaster enters and the Doctor's jaw drops in shock before it turns into a wide grin.
'Amara! Sarah's here!' he shouts at his wife silently.
'What!? Show me, show me!' she begs.
He does so, opening the visual connection of the telepathic bond.
"Excuse me, colleagues!" Finch announces, "A moment of your time. May I introduce Miss Sarah Jane Smith. Miss Smith is a journalist who's writing a profile about me for the Sunday Times. I thought it might be useful for her to get a view from the trenches, so to speak. Don't spare my blushes."
Sarah Jane approaches the Doctor first, "Hello," she greets.
The Doctor grins wider, "Oh, I should think so."
She nods awkwardly, "And you are?"
Lost in thought, he shakes his head, "Hm? Uh, Smith. John Smith."
"John Smith. I used to have a friend who sometimes went by that name. His wife went by Ally," their previous companion recalls with a soft smile.
"Well, it's a very common name, and that's a very lovely name," the Time Lord smirks.
She smiles, "He was a very uncommon man, and she was a very lovely woman. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you," the Doctor grins wildly, "Yes, very nice! More than nice. Brilliant!"
'Oh, Sarah, you're still ever so sweet, and you're terrifying her, love, ' he hears and grins wider.
"Uh, so, uh, have you worked here long?" she asks, wary.
"No," the Doctor replies, "Um, it's only my second day."
"Oh, you're new, then," Sarah nods before whispering, "So, what do you think of the school? I mean, this new curriculum?" she glances around, "So many children getting ill. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"
He smirks, "You don't sound like someone just doing a profile."
"Well, no harm in a little investigation while I'm here," she shrugs.
The Time Lord grins wider than ever, "No. Good for you!"
Sarah raises her eyebrows and moves on from the scary, grinning teacher.
"Good for you. Oh, good for you, Sarah Jane Smith," the Doctor breathes, still grinning like mad.
'Oh so good, she's doing so very well, isn't she, Theta?' he hears and nods.
'She's doing brilliant, darling, just brilliant,' the Doctor replies.
[Corridor]
Rose frowns, looking around, "Oh, it's weird seeing school at night. It just feels wrong. When I was a kid, I used to think all the teachers slept in school."
"All right, team!" the Doctor excitedly says before frowning, "Oh, I hate people who say team. Uh, gang. Erm, comrades," he shakes his head, "Anyway! Rose, go to the kitchen. Get a sample of that oil. Mickey, the new staff are all Maths teachers. Go and check out the Maths department. I'm going to grab Ally from the TARDIS, and then we'll look in Finch's office. Be back here in ten minutes."
The Doctor heads off with a skip in his step to retrieve his Bondmate who he's been longing to see all day.
Rose turns to Mickey, "You going to be alright?"
"Me? Please. Infiltration and investigation? I'm an expert at this."
Mickey goes to leave, then comes back with a frown, "Where's the Maths department?"
Rose says dryly, "Down there, turn left, through the fire doors, on the right."
"Thank you," he nods and heads off in the right direction.
[Corridor]
Sarah Jane opens a storeroom door to discover the TARDIS parked inside.
The Doctor walks out of the darkness, "Hello, Sarah Jane."
"It's you," she gasps, "Oh, Doctor!"
The Alchemist slips out of the TARDIS and smiles at her.
"Ally!" Sarah Jane exclaims, hugging her, "Oh, my God, it's definitely you, isn't it? You've Regenerated!"
The Doctor nods, "Yeah. Half a dozen times since we last met."
"A bit more for me, Sarah," the Time Lady admits, earning a curious glance from her Bondmate.
That's something they haven't reached yet. While they continue to slowly, painfully abseil, asking just what Regeneration his Bondmate is on now is not something he's ready to ask.
She takes them both in, "You look incredible."
"So do you," the Doctor grins as he hugs her next.
She laughs, "Huh. I got old. What are you doing here?"
"Well, so did we," the Alchemist cheekily winks, earning a laugh.
The Doctor shrugs, "True, well, UFO sighting, school gets record results. We couldn't resist. What about you?"
"The same," Sarah nods before frowning, "I thought you'd died. I waited for you both, and you didn't come back, and I thought you must have died until..."
The Alchemist shakes her head, and Sarah Jane catches the move, realizing it's not the right time to bring it up.
"We lived. Everyone else died," the Doctor admits, blinking back tears.
She frowns, "What do you mean? I thought you..."
"Everyone died, Sarah," the Doctor says, swallowing tightly.
The Alchemist looks down at the ground and scuffs a boot. Living in hope is hard when you know what you've done.
Sarah Jane sighs, looking them over. She honestly believed she'd never see them again, especially after what the Alchemist sent her.
"I can't believe it's you," she breathes, and they hear a high-pitched scream, making her laugh, "Okay, now I can!"
Rose dashes out of another dark corridor, "Did you hear that?" she glances at Sarah Jane, "Who's she?"
"Rose, Sarah Jane. Sarah Jane, Rose," the Doctor introduces, pleased.
"Hi. Nice to meet you," Sarah Jane nods, then glances at the Time Lords, "You can tell you're both getting older. Your assistants are getting younger."
Rose glares, "I'm not his assistant ."
The Alchemist frowns at the singular pronoun.
"No? Get you, tigers," Sarah laughs.
"Definitely not tigers either, Sarah. But I may be as ferocious as one after all of this," the Alchemist grumbles, glaring at the back of the girl as they run.
Sarah Jane catches it and looks over the blonde girl curiously.
[Classroom]
"Sorry! Sorry, it was only me!" Mickey gasps, "You told me to investigate, so I started looking through some of these cupboards, and all of these fell on me."
The Alchemist picks one up and uses her hand preceptors on it. There's no trace of formaldehyde, nothing at all. Just lifeless, vacuum-sealed rats.
"Oh, my God, they're rats," Rose cries, "Dozens of rats! Vacuum-packed rats."
"And you decided to scream," the Doctor deadpans.
"It took me by surprise!" Mickey exclaims.
The Doctor raises his brows, "Like a little girl?"
"It was dark! I was covered in rats!"
"Nine, maybe ten years old. I'm seeing pigtails, frilly skirt."
"Be nice, Doctor," the Alchemist reminds him, smacking his head and making him yelp.
"Hello, can we focus?" Rose demands, crossing her arms, "Does anyone notice anything strange about this? Rats in school?"
"Well, obviously they use them in Biology lessons," Sarah Jane informs her, "They dissect them," she looks the girl over, "Or maybe you haven't reached that bit yet. How old are you?"
Rose glares, "Excuse me, no one dissects rats in school anymore. They haven't done that for years. Where are you from, the Dark Ages?"
"Actually, it's not unusual to dissect rats in school," the Alchemist interjects, "They moved on from mammals in most public schools when they declared them too difficult. Times have changed, and schooling has simplified. When Sarah attended, it was quite advanced compared to this last decade's public schooling."
She pays no mind to the overwhelming scents of anger and pride surrounding her, remaining steadfast in her defense of her beloved Sarah Jane.
"Anyway, moving on," the Doctor clears his throat, "Everything started when Mister Finch arrived. We should go and check his office."
[Corridor]
"I don't mean to be rude or anything, but who exactly are you?" Rose asks rudely.
"Sarah Jane Smith. I used to travel with the Alchemist and the Doctor."
Rose smirks, "Oh. Well, they've never mentioned you."
"Oh, I must've done," the Doctor backtracks, "Sarah Jane. Mention her all the time,"
Rose tilts her head, "Hold on… Sorry... Never."
"What, not even once? You didn't mention me even once?" she asks, rounding on the Time Lords.
"You didn't mention our best friend?" the Alchemist demands, and her husband winces.
Rose glares at her, "Best friend? What does that make me, then?"
"A companion. You're not up to that status," the Alchemist informs her.
Rose pauses at the slight, glancing between the Time Lords before walking off in a huff.
The Alchemist grabs Sarah Jane's hand and paces forward. No one's rude to her Sarah Jane Smith, Chosen Sister-in-law, and gets away with it.
'Later pile!' the Alchemist calls out, and her husband sighs in resolution.
"Ho, ho, mate. Angry Missus defending her bestie, welcome to every man's worst nightmare," Mickey says, clapping the Doctor on the shoulder.
The Doctor lets out a loud groan and resumes his walk. With each step, he tilts his head back and winces, hearing his wife's passing angry remarks drifting into his mind.
[Outside the Headmaster's office]
The Doctor uses the sonic screwdriver on the lock, and the Time Lords look inside.
"Maybe those rats were food," the Doctor mutters.
"Might be; there was no preservative in the rats themselves, according to my read," the Alchemist whispers, looking up curiously.
"Food for what?" Rose demands, still annoyed.
The Doctor sighs, "Rose… you know you used to think all the teachers slept in the school? Well… they do."
Nudging the door wider, he reveals the scene inside. Enormous bats dangle from the ceiling, slumbering.
"No way!" Mickey gasps, backing off before sprinting away.
The others follow more sedately. One of the creatures wakes when the Doctor shuts the door. The Alchemist hears shifting inside but hopes it's only one adjusting in their sleep.
[School yard]
Mickey bursts through the doors, leaning forward and gasping for breath as the others rush out behind him.
"I am not going back in there!" Mickey cries, "No way."
Rose gasps, "Those were teachers!"
"When Finch arrived, he brought with him seven new teachers, four dinner ladies, and a nurse. Thirteen. Thirteen big bat people," the Doctor nods.
"I did say the canteen smelled awful. I had to quit the first day and wait in the TARDIS instead. Come on you lot." the Alchemist recalls as she takes her Bondmate's hand, turning back to the school entrance.
"Come on?" Mickey whisper-shouts, "You've got to be kidding!"
"We need the TARDIS. I've got to analyze that oil from the kitchen. Ally and I drew straws, no hand preceptors this time," the Doctor reminds him.
"I might be able to help you there. I've got something to show you," Sarah Jane smiles, taking the Timelords' arms and leading them toward the car park.
[Car park]
Sarah Jane opens the boot of her car and lifts off the green blanket covering.
"K9!" The Time Lords shout excitedly.
"Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith, allow me to introduce K9," the Doctor grins, "Well, K9 Mark Three, to be precise."
Rose scoffs, "Why does he look so disco?"
"Oi!" the Time Lords cry in unison.
"Listen, in the year five thousand, this was cutting edge," the Doctor turns to Sarah Jane, "What's happened to him?"
"Besides, disco was in," the Alchemist remarks, defending their creation.
Sarah Jane shrugs, "Oh, one day–he just– nothing."
"Well, didn't you try and get him repaired?" the Time Lord asks.
The Alchemist holds in a laugh, "Yes, wonderful idea, love. Those parts are available everywhere and when."
Sarah Jane smirks, "Exactly, Ally, it's not like getting parts for a Mini Metro. Besides, the technology inside him could rewrite human science. I couldn't show him to anyone."
The Doctor pouts, "Ooh, what's the nasty lady done to you, eh?"
The Alchemist and the Doctor bend down to give their robotic dog gentle pats, and soon Sarah Jane joins in the affectionate gesture. K9 is showing signs of wear, with some rust creeping in.
Meanwhile, the Alchemist notices the sound of enormous wings flapping overhead but chooses to keep it to herself.
"Look, no offense, but could you three just stop petting for a minute?" Rose huffs in annoyance, "Never mind the tin dog. We're busy!"
'Offense taken,' the Alchemist silently tells her Bondmate.
A massive extraterrestrial bat soars before the glowing full moon, casting eerie shadows, while the Time Lady rolls her eyes at their dramatic antics for attention. Yet, she chooses to stay silent.
[Chip shop with Mickey and Rose]
Rose and Mickey are at the counter while the Doctor, the Alchemist, and Sarah Jane have put the nonfunctioning K9 on a table to work on him.
Mickey smirks, "You see, what's impressive is that it's been nearly an hour since we met her, and I still haven't said I told you so."
Rose rolls her eyes, "I'm not listening to this."
"Although, I have prepared a little 'I was right dance' that I can show you later."
"Two quid, love," the cashier tells her.
Rose pays for her chips with gritted teeth.
"All this time, you've been giving it, 'He's different,' when the truth is, he's just like any other bloke who also happens to be married, remember," Mickey says.
They sit at a table, and Rose frowns, "You don't know what you're talking about."
"Maybe not. But if I were you, I'd go easy on the chips," Mickey quips, curious about her reaction.
She frowns and drops one.
Mickey glances over at the Time Lords, worried at the move.
[Chip shop with Sarah Jane and the Time Lords]
The Alchemist and the Doctor open the side panel of K9 and start digging into the cables and wires with frowns.
'I see the problem,' they both say telepathically.
They glance at each other, and the Doctor kisses her cheek.
The Alchemist hums the 'The Skeleton Dance.'
"The lorig unit is connected to the cylon cable net," she murmurs.
The Doctor pokes her side, and she gasps, smacking his hand for the tickle before they continue to work with their sonics while Sarah Jane fondly shakes her head.
"I thought of you on Christmas Day," Sarah Jane recalls, "This Christmas just gone? Great big spaceship overhead. I thought, oh yeah, bet they're up there."
The Doctor sighs, "Right on top of it, yeah."
"And Rose?"
"She was there too," he nods.
"Wasn't fun after for a few reasons," the Alchemist reminds him, and he winces.
Sarah Jane winks at the Time Lady, and the Alchemist smirks, returning to her work on K9.
"Did I do something wrong?" Sarah Jane asks, "Because you never came back for me. You just… dumped me."
The Doctor sighs, "I told you. We were called back home, and in those days, humans weren't allowed."
"I waited for you," Sarah Jane frowns, "I missed you two."
"Oh, you didn't need us. You were getting on with your life," he replies.
"You were my life," she sighs as he glances at her, "You know what the most difficult thing was? Coping with what happens next, or with what doesn't happen next," she frowns, "You took me to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, you showed me supernovas, intergalactic battles, and then you just dropped me back on Earth. How could anything compare to that?"
The Doctor shakes his head, "All those things you saw, do you want me to apologize for that? For us to? We told you what..."
Sarah Jane interrupts him, "No, but we get a taste of that splendor, and then we have to go back."
"Look at you, you're investigating. You found that school. You're doing what we always did," the Doctor says and looks back down into K-9, lifting a cable for his wife to solder in place with her sonic.
"You could have come back."
The Doctor rubs his head, "We couldn't."
"I know," Sarah Jane says, dropping the act.
The Doctor pauses in his work on K9 and sees the two grinning women.
"Although it wasn't Croydon! Where you dropped me off, that wasn't Croydon," she says, annoyed.
He frowns, "Where was it?"
"Aberdeen," the women tell him.
He nods, eyes wide, "Right… That's next to Croydon, isn't it?"
"Try 397 miles, love," the Alchemist informs him.
"Eight years off on the flight, hm?" Sarah Jane recalls sadly, "Ally sent me an apology letter. Didn't even tell her you had to drop me off because of the emergency back home until you got there. When you came back to see me to explain, I was already working, and you both felt awful interrupting my life in person," she smiles softly, "I knew those unsigned postcards were from you, Doctor, and then Ally would call me from time to time up until... 1998? She reached out again in 2005 to me via email and explained a bit. We've kept up, and I still get those little postcards. I've kept them all and expect to get more."
The Time Lord smiles, glancing at her. He's about to reply when his wife does one last circuit connection with her sonic, and K9 comes back to life.
The Doctor jumps to his feet, "Oh, hey! Now we're in business."
"Master, Mistress!" K9 calls out.
"He recognizes us!"
"Affirmative."
'Should we change it? ' the Time Lady hears.
"The only ones who deserve that name... because he's a robot dog, and it makes sense," the Alchemist reminds them, and they laugh, recalling that day and exact phrasing.
"Affirmative," the dog says, wagging his tail, and the Alchemist laughs.
"Rose, give us the oil," the Doctor calls out, reaching out his hand for it.
"I wouldn't touch it, though," she warns, handing it to him, "That dinner lady got all scorched."
"I'm no dinner lady," the Doctor smirks, "And I don't often say that."
He opens the little container, and the scent fills the shop. The Alchemist leaps from her chair, a look of horror crossing her face as the foul odor hits her. In a panic, she rushes to the counter, drawn to the enticing aroma of the fresh chips and fish nearby.
"You alright, Ally?" Mickey asks, concerned.
"It's the smell from the oil," she explains, quickly stuffing her nose with her nose filters in frustration after breathing out as much as possible.
Her husband watches her worriedly until she nods and says, "I'm okay now."
The Doctor smears a sample onto K9's probe with his finger.
The Alchemist tosses him the pack of DNA cleansing wipes, and he quickly uses one before throwing them back, which she catches quickly with one hand.
"Here we go. Come on, boy. Here we go," the Doctor excitedly says.
"Oil," K9 states, "Ex… ex… ex… extract. Ana… ana… analyzing."
Mickey grins, "Listen to him, man! That's a voice!"
"Careful! That's my dog," Sarah gestures to him with a mock glare.
"Confirmation of analysis. Substance is Krillitane Oil," K9 confirms.
The Doctor breathes, "They're Krillitanes."
"Of course, they're bloody Krillitanes," the Alchemist mutters.
She steps closer, looking straight out and pretending she can't see or hear them on the roof.
"Is that bad?" Rose asks.
"Very," the Time Lords say.
"Think of how bad things could possibly be, and add another suitcase full of bad," the Doctor adds.
Sarah Jane shakes her head, "And what are…Krillitanes?"
"They're a composite race," the Time Lord explains, "Just like your culture is a mixture of traditions from all sorts of countries, people you've invaded or have been invaded by. You've got bits of Viking, bits of France, bits of whatever. The Krillitanes are the same. An amalgam of the races they've conquered. But they take physical aspects as well."
The Time Lady huffs, "They cherry-pick the best bits from the people they destroy and add them to their DNA structure through horrific and abominable means."
"Yes, That's why we didn't recognize them. The last time we saw Krillitanes, they looked just like us, except they had really long necks," the Doctor confirms.
"What're they doing here?" Rose frowns.
"Children are eating the chips, yeah?" the Alchemist asks.
He nods, horrified, "It's the children. They're doing something to the children."
[Outside the chip shop]
The Time Lady and Smiths put K9 back in the boot of Sarah's car, and the young man asks, "So what's the deal with the tin dog?"
"The Doctor and Ally like traveling with an entourage," Sarah Jane explains, turning to him and leaning against the vehicle, "Sometimes they're humans, sometimes they're aliens, and sometimes they're tin dogs," she nods to him when he laughs, "What about you? Where do you fit in the picture?"
"Me? I'm their Man in Havana. I'm the technical support. I'm…" Mickey gasps, "Oh, my God! I'm the tin dog."
The Alchemist steps toward him and puts a hand on his shoulder, making him look at her.
She shakes her head, "You're not the tin dog, Mickey. You, Mr. Mickey Smith, have heart."
Mickey blinks widely, not expecting such a response.
The Alchemist hears Rose complaining, and who she assumes to be the lead of the Krillitanes says, 'On my command.' She abruptly turns and approaches the pair–only she and Sarah Jane are allowed to be upset with the Doctor on this night.
[Street]
Rose and the Doctor exit the chip shop, and the companion rounds on her pilot, furious.
"How many of us have there been traveling with you?" Rose demands.
The Time Lord looks at her in confusion, "Does it matter?"
"Yeah, it does, if I'm just the latest in a long line," she glares.
The Doctor stops, "As opposed to what?"
"I thought you and me were... I obviously got it wrong," she scoffs, "I've been to the year five billion, right, but this?" she gestures to Sarah Jane in the distance, "Now this is really seeing the future. You just leave us behind. Is that what you're going to do to me?"
"No... I, we..." the Doctor stutters.
He needs his Bondmate's support during these situations. Thankfully, she's coming; he can sense her.
Rose shakes her head, "But Sarah Jane? You were that close to her once, and now you never even mention her. Why not?"
The Doctor glares, "I don't age. I Regenerate. But humans decay. You wither, and you die. Imagine watching that happen to someone who you..."
"What, Doctor?" Rose asks, hopefully.
He shakes his head, "You can spend the rest of your life with us, but we can't spend the rest of ours with you. We have to live on. Together but alone."
The Alchemist approaches, "What he was trying to say is someone you care about as a friend. We do leave you behind but never forget because we can't and often mention our previous companions," her eyes narrow, "You will leave us. By choice, 'cause you're forced to leave, 'cause we need you to, or 'cause we lose you. There are many reasons. It's happened and will happen, and you'll have to learn to deal with it and cope. It's the curse of the Time Lords."
"Time Lord," they hear.
The Doctor glances upward at that moment. A massive bat descends swiftly towards the Time Lady, prompting the Alchemist to restrain herself from lunging at it in a fit of aggression. Instead of diving after it, she fixes a fierce stare into the darkness. The rest of the group instinctively ducks as the creature soars away.
"Was that a Krillitane!?" Sarah Jane cries, running over.
Rose frowns, looking at the Alchemist, "But it didn't even touch her. It just flew off! What did it do that for?"
"To attempt to scare us; that was a threat display of the Bennu of Bessan. Knew those wings looked familiar. Seems they took on some Tetrap as well," the Alchemist says.
The Doctor winces at the reminder of the Rani and Tetraps. They had to Regenerate that time.
Sarah Jane offers her guest rooms and couch for the night, and the Time Lords quickly take her up on it before letting Rose complain.
Mickey grins wickedly at her frown on the way there, sitting between her and the Alchemist in the back of her silver sedan.
[Outside Sarah's House]
The Alchemist gasps when she sees it and is the first to jump out of the car before Sarah even shifts the parking brake.
"You still have her, and she's still in amazing condition!" the Time Lady shouts and pats the car.
Sarah Jane laughs as they all exit the vehicle and approach the mint-colored 1991 Nissan Figaro.
"Well, she was a Birthday present, wasn't she, Ally? Had to keep her in good condition. I do all the repairs myself," she explains, gently patting the white hood.
"Did you ever figure out her name?" The Alchemist grins, "I never told you on purpose, and you asked why I didn't go with Azure. I almost did, too, but the Doctor made a suggestion!"
"Defender. Mint. I had to look up colors and names in the library. Spent hours at it," she says while shaking her finger at the grinning Time Lady.
Mickey looks between them and says, "You bought her a car? What do you mean by color and name?"
"She bought her a car. Your favorite color, what is it?" the Doctor asks him.
He shrugs, "Royal blue."
"Royal blue means trustworthiness and reliability," the Alchemist nods, "Your name is originally derived from the Hebrew word 'mikha,' meaning who is like God. The 'ah of the ha' sound denotes God but you have a tzere after... meaning 'ey' and translating to 'chosen.' ...He who chooses to be trustworthy and reliable. That's you. Some of our main interests from our first bodies stay through all our lives. This is one of them for me."
"She either goes with her favorite meanings that develop over time or the true ones from where you're from, even universally. I'm the gracious lady of the clear sky," Sarah Jane explains with a soft smile towards her friend.
Rose asks, "What about Rose and bright pink?"
"Depends on the shade of the pink. You mean fuchsia, hot pink, or magenta?" the Time Lady asks.
"Uh, hot pink, I guess?" she shrugs.
"Rose is originally derived from Latin and literally means flower," the Alchemist shrugs. "So for something with actual meaning... the Norman variation of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis, which is made up of the words 'hrod' meaning 'fame' and 'heid' meaning 'type.' Hm, type of flower, famous flower. We'll have to go with the universal understanding of the color that hot pink is alarming," she turns to Rose, "Alarming famous flower."
The companion blinks hard before finally following them as the other four approaches the door.
"What does Ally mean then, since that's all you usually go by?" Rose asks, "And your favorite color?"
"Rising Defender of the cycle of life. True forest green," the Doctor answers, glancing back at the companion as he walks in the door.
[Sarah's House]
The Alchemist grins when she sees it framed on the wall, "Doctor, look!"
He spins around and dashes toward the sofa, a gentle smile spreading across his face as the Alchemist investigates the sitting room.
"Is that a TARDIS quilt? Did you make that, Sarah Jane?" Mickey asks.
She shakes her head, "It was a gift from the Doctor. Ally makes them for certain people."
"Like companions?" Rose asks.
The Doctor doesn't respond while looking around for his wife.
The Alchemist smiles at a bookcase, "Over here, love."
The Time Lord skips over and grins at the framed photos, "Aw, Sarah! You pulled some from the books!" he gestures to one, "Look, Ally with the Banana!"
The Alchemist chuckles, "I didn't even have the other one in yet, and you just took the picture. Banana tusks. "
"When did you put chopsticks in your nose and ears!? I wasn't there for that!" he complains, pointing to the framed photo.
The Alchemist laughs while Sarah Jane answers, "I took that photo. You were busy sitting with the Brigadier, so Ally and I went out for sushi, and I brought my camera along."
The Time Lady gestures to the next shelf, "Same night. We went all-you-can-eat. Apparently, I could eat a lot of salmon sashimi then."
He laughs heartily, pointing at another photo of his wife, "Bondmas!"
"Bondmas," the women nod.
Rose and Mickey are trying to see from behind them, so the Time Lords roll their eyes and move away to let them.
"That's the Doctor there, you two," Sarah Jane begins to point out the Time Lords in the photos, "With the long scarf in his Fourth self and me with K-9. Ally's Fourth had the short red bob. She made those scarves. Ally wore a lot of brown then. Lots of brown leather, knit, and suede. The Doctor's third is here with the velvet and grey hair... he's making fun of Ally in that photo. Ally there still has the lovely red hair but was pretty much what we'd now call goth with her black suits and lace then and very dramatic."
"That's Ally's hat though? From before..." Rose trails off.
The Alchemist sighs as she sits on the sofa, "I wanted a part of the Doctor. So I wore his old hat. We never wear our old outfits when we Regenerate. Feels wrong, but that entire body felt wrong. The coat was from his fifth body. We snuck into a military base to fly a plane and needed flight jackets. His jacket was black. Mine was brown. I wanted a black leather jacket like the Doctor but a blanket."
The Doctor sits beside her and pulls her to his side, feeling her frustration.
"Was he just as rude then?" Mickey asks, taking a chair.
"Yes," both the Time Lady and Sarah Jane answer.
"What's Bondmas?" Rose asks curiously.
"Their Bonding Anniversary and Christmas," Sarah Jane shrugs, "They married on Christmas for them. Family or family of family are invited only."
Rose frowns, "But you're not..."
Sarah Jane interrupts, "Not how you believe, but as for how... I don't have to tell you by Gallifreyan law."
The Alchemist smirks at that answer. She's caught on.
"Right! Well, humans should sleep every night, yes? We haven't any need for at least another week and four days, so... we'll stay on the couch," the Doctor interrupts, stopping another fight but feeling his Bondmate's amusement.
"Mm, true. Rose, Mickey, I'll show you the guest rooms. I have two, so you can share or pick one each," she explains, and the humans head down the hall and up the stairs.
'You're both doing this on purpose, Amara,' he groans in her head.
'You didn't tell her about your Chosen Sister or previous companions, Theta Sigma. Me, I can understand. I was dead in your hearts, and it hurt, but them? We always tell them about previous companions so they understand what will and may happen, and we certainly always bring up the fact that we Regenerate. Not right away, but within the first week. That's the deal. I depended on you to have covered this info before we found each other again and now you need to clean up the mess.'
He sighs heavily, nodding, before running his hand through his hair and messing it up further.
"I'm so..." the Doctor starts off before she covers his mouth.
The Alchemist glares, "I'm not the one who needs an apology tonight. I just want an explanation."
She listens as Sarah Jane bids them goodnight from upstairs, then shifts to sit in the chair opposite the sofa, gesturing for her husband to remain where he is.
It's a silent, glaring session between the Doctor and his wife while their previous companion returns down the corridor. Sarah Jane takes in the tension, rolls her eyes, and huffs while she sits on the couch next to the Time Lord.
"Oh, knock it off, you two. You're acting like children, and you're far, far older than that," she laughs.
The Doctor sighs and turns to her, "I'm so, so sorry, sister."
"You're forgiven. But you may wish to remember why you tell your companions these things. Does she even know the rules?" Sarah Jane asks, crossing her arms.
"Don't wander off," he squeaks.
The women share a frustrated look, and the Alchemist asks, "Does she know that there are actually eight different rule number ones?"
He grimaces.
She sighs, "Chosen Sister-in-law, if you would?"
"Oh happily, Chosen Sister-in-law. Rule One: You're in charge, do exactly as we say, stick close to us, don't wander off, there's always a 'plan,' but wait for Ally's theory to be conclusive also, use your enemies' power against them, never use weapons, the Doctor lies, but the Alchemist withholds the truth until the right moment," she lists off on her fingers.
The pair nod, and the Doctor sighs in frustration.
"You need to tell your companions these things; you both explained it to me, Doctor. According to you, those rules are so important that they all have to be rule one," Sarah Jane reminds him.
He nods and crosses his chest, "We'll sit her down and go over the actual rules, Sarah, Alchemist. I cross my hearts."
"Why didn't you tell her?" the Time Lady asks.
Frustrated, the Doctor messes up his hair, "Those were–are–our rules. Not just mine. She's the first companion since it happened and I didn't forget I just... I wanted to pretend... Just for a bit..."
"Pretend what?" Sarah Jane asks.
The Alchemist sighs, "He wanted to pretend I was there to explain them with him, but since I wasn't there, he just skipped over it... So we'll do it together now, alright?"
They exchange smiles, the weight of tension lifting between them.
"Where's your chair and Oliver?" the Time Lady asks, "Do you need copies to replace them?"
"I have them in my bedroom, Ally, not to worry," she says, covering her heart with both hands.
"We have all of your articles, you know!" the Doctor grins, "We wound up just getting them all added to two of the room walls and floor as you write them relative to your current timeline. Had to have everything shifted a bit in the Sarah Jane Room."
The Alchemist continues, "Bluette moved all of the last pages to binders that look like leather hardback books for us, and they're in a bookcase now by the door."
"And where did the bookcase come from?" Sarah Jane asks knowingly.
The Doctor grins, "You had just put it outside for the bin lorry, and we nabbed it back in the 80s."
"There's a few other things we grabbed too!" the Alchemist grins, "There's a little gray worn-out side table and some old frames you threw out, so the Doctor and I used them. I also put a copy of your blue reading chair in the room and the ceiling is now the five W's and H of journalism. Doctor's lovely suggestion... Honestly, we should just show you soon."
"One man's trash..." Sarah Jane begins.
The couple takes over, "Is a Time Lord's treasure. Rule 100."
"Tea, wine? You don't look like a Brandy drinker anymore, Doctor," the woman asks.
"Tea? Tea would be lovely. Ally, tea?" the Doctor asks with a grin.
She nods, "Black with honey if you have it; otherwise, a milk tea for him and a milk tea with one sugar for me. ...Shall I assist?"
Sarah Jane nods, "That would be wonderful, Ally."
She leads her off to the kitchen while the Doctor investigates the room further.
[Sarah Jane's Kitchen]
Sarah Jane gently shuts the door behind them and heads over to switch on the electric kettle. Meanwhile, the Alchemist settles into the chair while her longtime friend gathers the mugs, milk, and honey.
"Ask, Sarah, just ask," the Time Lady calmly says.
"Anything come from the patch?" Sarah Jane asks, turning to her.
The Time Lady shakes her head, "We're holding on to as much hope as possible, but it's easier to think we're alone than the possibility to be true. I'm digging at it harder than ever before."
Sarah Jane nods, "The girl, Rose, she's the companion you said is jealous of you and opened the heart of the TARDIS, hurting her and the Time Vortex–isn't she?"
"Yes. I'm confident she won't be with us for long, and that's not just a theory. We've explained it as well as we can, but if she does not desist, I will drop her off, and the Doctor agrees."
"Gallifrey may be gone, but by law, she could be killed. I know you won't do anything more than threaten her, however," she says.
"We may already have," the Alchemist smirks, "Issue with Queen Victoria and her not believing my new enhancements."
Sarah Jane sighs as she pours the hot water after it clicks off.
"You know, your name and color theory always fits. Alarming famous flower. She will do something to make herself famous, and you're already alarmed by her, I can tell. Also, please drop the facade," the woman comments as they wait for the tea to brew.
The Alchemist does as asked without a blink, "Sorry, I forget it's up... I'll let you know when the brew is done."
Sarah Jane nods and regards her best friend's new face. Her eyes are as sharp as before when she doesn't hide them. Like a hawk with her intellect but filled with more depth now from all the pain she experienced during the war. Just as beautiful, though, with the gold flecks haloing within the bright ocean blue.
"I can tell what you've been through within your eyes, both of you," she sighs.
"I've missed speaking with you in person. Writing and calling are never the same," the Alchemist informs her.
[School yard]
The following day, when the school bell rings and the children rush toward the building, The Doctor, Sarah Jane, The Alchemist, Rose, and Mickey get out of Sarah Jane's car and stride toward the school. While the humans slept the previous night, the Time Lords devised a basic plan.
The Doctor turns to the group, "Rose and Sarah, you go to the Maths room. Crack open those computers; Ally and I need to see the hardware inside," he pulls out his sonic screwdriver, "Here, you might need this."
Rose holds out her hand, but the Doctor gives the screwdriver to Sarah Jane.
"Mickey, surveillance. We want you outside," the Alchemist nods to him.
Mickey huffs, "Just stand outside?"
"Here, take these; you can keep K9 company," Sarah Jane says, throwing Mickey her car keys, and he deftly catches them.
"Don't forget to leave the window open a crack," the Doctor says.
Mickey rolls his eyes, "But he's metal!"
The Doctor quips, "I didn't mean for him."
"Watch it, Doctor, I'm still mad at you," the Time Lady reminds him.
He nods before giving Mickey an apologetic smile, who glares at him in annoyance.
"What're you going to do?" Rose asks the Time Lords.
The Alchemist shrugs, "We need to chat with Mister Finch."
Nodding to each other, the group disperses, most heading into the school when the Time Lady grabs Mickey's arm to stop him.
"By surveillance, I mean we need you as backup," the Alchemist says seriously, "If something happens, you'll figure it out and figure out how to get inside to assist us. I'm certain of that, Mr. Trustworthy and Reliable."
Mickey eyes her in wonder as the doors shut behind her before heading to the car.
[Stairwell]
Mr. Finch halts in the stairwell, glancing up to find the Alchemist and the Doctor peering down at him. Neither of them budge, their eyes locked in a silent standoff. After a moment of intense scrutiny, Mr. Finch resumes his journey while the couple descends the stairs.
[Swimming pool]
The Time Lords enter the scene, their hands casually tucked into their pockets and their gazes unwavering. They position themselves at the end of the pool, facing the Krillitane.
"Who are you?" the Doctor asks.
"My name is Brother Lassa. And you?"
"The Alchemist, and he's the Doctor. When did the Krillitanes attack Bessan?"
"Our ancestors invaded Bessan nearly 300 years ago," Mr. Finch explains, "It's been our form for nearly ten generations now. The people there had some rather lovely wings," he grins maliciously, "They made a million widows in one day. Just imagine."
The Alchemist scowls, "Not to mention Tetraps, you ravager."
Finch shoots her a piercing look, clearly offended by the insult.
The Doctor scoffs, "And now you're shaped human."
"A personal favorite, that's all," he shrugs.
"And the others?" the Time Lords ask in unison.
"My brothers remain bat form. What you see is a simple morphic illusion. Scratch the surface, and the true Krillitane lies beneath," they slowly start walking toward one another, "And what of the Time Lords? I always thought of you as such a pompous race. Ancient, dusty senators, so frightened of change and… chaos. And, of course, they're all but extinct. Only you two. The last."
"This plan of yours. What is it?" the Doctor demands.
The Krillitane raises a brow, "You don't know?"
"That's why we're asking," the Doctor says, standing alongside his Bondmate as they stand before their enemy.
Finch shrugs, "Well, show me how clever you are. Work it out."
"Easily and with cleverness," the Alchemist replies coldly.
The Doctor glares, "If we don't like it… then it will stop."
"Fascinating," Mr. Finch eyes them, "Your people were peaceful to the point of indolence. You seem to be something new. Would you declare war on us, Doctor?"
"I'm so old now," the Doctor states, "I used to have so much mercy," he stares hard at Finch, "You get one warning… That was it."
The Alchemist leans forward, eyes dark, "I don't need to declare war for all the deaths your people have caused and any harm you've done to these children... Time will take their toll without my help."
The Time Lords turn, taking each other's hands as they walk back towards the stairs.
The Krillitine calls, "But we're not even enemies… Soon you will embrace us," the Doctor glances back, "The next time we meet, you will join with me! I promise you!" he walks forward, passing the pair.
The couple exchange glances and shake their heads, then turn to walk away, fully aware that their deepest trust lies solely in one another.
[Sarah's car]
Mickey kicks back after rolling down the window,"'Surveillance.' If you ask me, it's just another way of saying 'Go sit at the back of the class with the safety scissors and glitter.' Doesn't matter what the Alchemist says," he glances over, seeing K9's prone form between the two front seats, "That'd be me talking to a metal dog, then."
[Corridor]
The Alchemist halts abruptly, and the Doctor glances over at her, her head slightly inclined as she listens intently—so he waits.
"Initiating their plan," she repeats, "They're sending all the teachers to the staff room, likely to eat," she turns to him, "I need to get them out. I'll meet you in IT then we need to get the classrooms cleared of students."
The Doctor nods in agreement, and they head off in separate directions.
[IT classroom]
Sarah Jane crouches beneath one of the computers, struggling with the sonic. She tries hitting the keyboard, but there's no response, and she doesn't think the Alchemist changed any of the settings.
Rose watches in silent amusement, her legs crossed as she sits in one of the students' chairs.
"It's not working," the woman admits after trying again.
"Give it to me," Rose demands, standing.
"Used to work first time in my day. I know most of the settings there," Sarah Jane tells her as she hands it over.
"Well, things were a lot simpler back then," Rose snides, trying her hand at the computer.
Sarah Jane sighs, "Rose, can I give you a bit of advice?"
The girl grumbles, "I've got a feeling you're about to."
"I know how intense a relationship with the Doctor and the Alchemist can be, and I don't want you to feel I'm intruding," she explains kindly.
Rose scoffs, "I don't feel threatened by you if that's what you mean."
Sarah Jane purses her lips, "Right. Good. Because I'm not interested in picking up where we left off."
The young woman turns to her, "No? With the big sad eyes and the robot dog? What else were you doing last night?"
"I was just saying how hard it was adjusting to life back on Earth, something they warned me about and should have warned you. The Alchemist had no idea you hadn't been."
The girl scoffs, "The thing is, when you met, they'd only just got rid of rationing. No wonder all that space stuff was a bit too much for you."
"I had no problem with space stuff," Sarah Jane raises an eyebrow, "I saw things you wouldn't believe."
"Try me," Rose taunts, crossing her arms.
"Mummies," Sarah Jane says.
"I've met ghosts," Rose says with a smirk.
"Robots. Lots of robots."
"Slitheen, in Downing Street."
"Daleks!"
"Met the Emperor."
"Met the creator. Anti-matter monsters."
"Gas-masked zombies."
"Real living dinosaurs."
"Real living werewolf."
"The Loch Ness Monster!" Sarah Jane shouts.
"Seriously?" Rose laughs, "Listen to us. It's like me and my mate Shareen. The only time we fell out was over a man, and we're arguing over the Doctor."
"I'm not arguing over the Doctor, Rose Tyler," the older woman explains, shaking her head, "I'm warning you. I never saw him that way. He and Ally have a relationship beyond human comprehension," she frowns, "I didn't want to have to say it, but I'm his Chosen Sibling. It means he chose me to become his sister, and 'cause of that, I'm Ally's sister-in-law. If you hurt them or try to hurt her, you will regret it, and that's not me threatening you. That's Gallifreyan law."
Rose looks away, "I don't see him like that anymore."
"I'm an investigative journalist who is best friends with two immortal aliens, one of which can smell human emotions. We're lie detectors, Rose Tyler, and you are a terrible liar," she sighs before smiling slightly, "Maybe we have something in common, though, both being companions at some point?"
Rose sighs and nods, listening now.
" …Do they still stroke bits of the TARDIS?"
Rose forces a laugh, "Yeah! Yeah, they do... I'm like, do you three want to be alone? With you, did he do that thing where he'd explain something at like, ninety miles per hour, and you'd go, what? And he'd look at you like you'd just dribbled on your shirt?"
"All the time, just wait until Ally gets started. Then he looks like he's dribbled on his shirt," she replies.
"I've noticed it already! And she's always making little comments about how he's wrong about something, and he just pouts like a little kid!" she laughs.
They both laugh now heartily, and the Doctor enters.
"How's it going?" he asks.
Rose and Sarah Jane look at him, and the very sight of the Time Lord turns them into hysterics.
"What?" the Doctor frowns, "Listen, I need to find out what's programmed inside these."
Rose gestures to him with the sonic, cackling while Sarah Jane holds on to her for balance, in equal laughter.
"What? Stop it!" he says with a pouty frown.
Sarah Jane points it out, causing Rose to laugh even more.
[Staff room]
Mister Finch opens the door and the room is empty.
The Alchemist had already informed them that she was with UNIT using her psychic paper and ordered them outside onto the grounds while she and her team personally retrieved the children.
He growls and slams the door shut, storming away.
[IT classroom]
Rose turns the children away at the door when they go to try and enter, "No, no. This classroom's out of bounds. You've all got to go to the South Hall. Off you go. South Hall!"
"I can't shift it," the Doctor mutters, cables hanging around his neck, as he runs the sonic along the back of the computer.
Sarah Jane frowns, "I thought the sonic screwdriver could open anything!"
"Anything except a deadlock seal. There's got to be something inside here. What're they teaching those kids?"
The Alchemist steps inside past Rose, scanning the room quietly before approaching the computer to see how she can help.
[With Kenny]
Mr. Wagner ushers the students into his classroom and shuts the door behind them, leaving a scared Kenny outside.
[Headmaster's office]
"Close the school," Finch says as he moves behind his desk, typing on his computer.
Alien code flashes across his computer screen, followed by a Security Override notification. He activates it, and all the external doors slam shut with a loud thud.
[IT classroom]
Sarah Jane gestures to the screens rapidly filling with line after line of code, "You wanted the program? There it is."
"Some sort of code," the Doctor realizes.
The Alchemist sees one line and throws herself to the ground, "Sarah, Rose, hold me down!"
Sarah Jane grabs the girl and forces her to do as told even if she's unsure why.
"Ally, what's wrong!?" the Doctor cries, looking between his Bondmate and the screen desperately.
She repeatedly mutters, "Not again, not again, not again."
[With Kenny]
Kenny dashes through the hallways, peering into the classrooms. Inside, the other kids are focused on their computers, fingers flying over the keyboards at lightning speed. He races to the main entrance, only to find the doors firmly locked. Just then, Mickey catches sight of him, having gotten out of the car to pace before the school.
[IT classroom]
The Doctor grasps his hair in shock and fear as the code begins to resolve itself.
"No… No, they can't be…" he turns to where his sister and Rose are holding down his wife, "Keep holding her! Alchemist, resist it! We need to make sure she doesn't look for even one more nanosecond!"
"Why?" Rose gasps, struggling with the thrashing Time Lady.
The Alchemist shouts, "Because I've solved it once, and I can do it again!"
"Solved what?" Sarah Jane asks.
Sarah Jane struggles to keep the writhing Time Lady pinned down, using every ounce of her weight on her arm and head. Rose mirrors her efforts, but the Alchemist is powerful and fights back, albeit weakly on her part, desperate to see. Her desire to unravel the program is overwhelming.
[Main entrance]
"They've taken them all!" Kenny shouts through the glass doors to Mickey.
Mickey frowns, "What?"
Kenny repeats, "They've taken all the children!"
Mickey rushes back to Sarah Jane's car, throwing the door open.
[Sarah's car]
The young man yanks the cover off K9 and hurriedly starts pressing the buttons on the robot dog's back.
"Come on, I need some help. Ally said I'm back up," he mutters before hitting K9's head, starting him up.
"System restarting. All primary drives functioning," K9 says.
"You're working!" Mickey grins, "Okay, no time to explain. We need to get inside the school. Do you have like, I don't know, a lock-picking device?"
"We are in a car."
"Maybe a drill attachment?"
"We are in a car."
Mickey huffs, "Fat lot of good you are."
"We are in a car."
"Wait a second," Mickey gasps, "We're in a car!" he shouts at Kenny, "Get back!"
[IT classroom]
"The Skasis Paradigm. They're trying to crack the Skasis Paradigm!" the Doctor shouts.
"The Skasis what?" Sarah Jane asks as she shifts to sit on the Alchemist.
"The God maker," the Doctor sighs, beginning to pace, "The universal theory. Crack that equation, and you've got control of the building blocks of the universe! Time and space and matter, yours to control!" he glances worriedly at his wife, "Ally solved it on a dare and the Time Lords wiped it from our minds when we were kids. We remember that they did, though, as a warning."
"What… and the kids are like a giant computer?" Rose frowns, still struggling with the Alchemist.
"I turned my brother into a literal walking skeleton!" the Time Lady shouts.
The Doctor turns in alarm, "You remember!?" he shakes his head, "Never mind… Yes. And their learning power is being accelerated by the oil. That oil from the kitchens—it works as a… as a conducting agent. Makes the kids cleverer."
"But that oil's on the chips," Rose gasps, " I've been eating them."
"What's fifty-nine times thirty-five?" He asks.
"2,065," she answers quickly as the Doctor and Sarah Jane glance at her, "Oh, my God!"
Sarah Jane asks, "But why use children? Can't they use adults? Ally's an adult."
"No, it's got to be children," the Time Lord replies, "The God maker needs imagination to crack it. That's why she could do it in the first place. She's an inspired runner, not just a runner like me, remember?" he reminds Sarah Jane, "They're not just using the children's brains to break the code, they're using their souls!"
"Let the lesson begin," Mr Finch smirks as he enters the room, "Think of it, Doctor. With the Paradigm solved, reality becomes clay in our hands. We can shape the universe and improve it," he glances at the Alchemist, "Oh, what is happening with the Time Lady?"
"Oh yeah?" the Doctor glares, moving to block the Krillitine's sight of his wife, "The whole of creation with the face of Mister Finch? Call me old-fashioned, but I like things as they are and just try to touch her, I dare you," he ends with a growl.
"You act like such a radical, and yet all you want to do is preserve the old order?" Finch scoffs, "Think of the changes that could be made if this power was used for good."
"What, by someone like you?" the Doctor asks.
"No, someone like you or the Alchemist. The Paradigm gives us power, but you could give us wisdom. Become gods at my side. Imagine what you could do. Think of the civilizations you could save. Perganon, Assinta... Your own people, Doctor, standing tall. The Time Lords–reborn."
The Doctor is captivated, immersed in the endless potential of what he could achieve with that power.
"Doctor, don't listen to him," Sarah Jane begs.
"Don't you dare, Doctor!" the Alchemist snaps, trying desperately to keep herself from physically throwing the women off.
"And you could be with him throughout eternity," Finch says, turning to the human women, "Young… fresh… never wither… never age… never die," he glances at the Time Lord, "Their lives are so fleeting. So many goodbyes. How lonely you must be, Doctor. Join us."
The Doctor swallows hard, entranced, "I could save everyone."
"Yes," Finch hisses.
"No!" the Alchemist shouts.
"I could stop the war, I could save them… and I could stop Ally from being hurt," the Time Lord says, closing in on the screen.
"No!" Sarah Jane cries, "The universe has to move forward! Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it's a world, or a friendship, a relationship–everything has its time. And everything ends so it can begin again! Remember the Alchemist!"
The Doctor seizes a chair and hurls it at the screen, shattering it and halting the code from appearing in the room.
"Out!" he shouts and pushes Finch away.
The Time Lady springs into action as soon as the screens go dark, racing forward and pulling the humans along with her.
[School entrance]
Mickey turns over the engine and barrels the car straight into the school, crashing through the front doors and shattering the glass.
Leaping out, he shouts to Kenny, "Come on!"
The pair take off down the corridor.
[Staircase]
Mickey and Kenny meet the Doctor, the Alchemist, Sarah Jane, and Rose at the bottom of the staircase, out of breath. "What is going on?" he cries.
Three Krillitanes glide and scramble down the corridor, their movements a strange blend of flight and climb as they approach.
"Big bat people want to change the universe. Come on, Mr. Reliable!" the Alchemist shouts.
They turn and run in the opposite direction, towards the canteen. The Killitanes separate at the of the corridor until only one follows them.
[Canteen]
Rushing into the canteen, they test the doors on both sides, only to discover they are locked. The Time Lords whip out their sonic devices just as Finch crashes through the doors, flanked by his Krilltane brothers. The Time Lords glare fiercely at the aliens.
"Are they my teachers?" Kenny asks curiously.
"Yeah. Sorry," the Doctor tells him.
"But they're bats!"
Finch glares and orders, "We need the Doctor and the Alchemist alive. As for the others? You can feast."
The Krillitanes descend rapidly. Humans scramble for cover beneath the tables as the Doctor deftly swats them aside, while the Alchemist grabs one by its wing and brings it crashing down. Out of nowhere, a laser beam strikes, taking down one of the massive bat-like creatures.
K9 rolls onto the scene, his laser focused and poised for action, while Mr. Finch erupts in a fury.
Sarah Jane gasps, "K9!"
"Suggest you engage running mode, Mistress," K9 responds.
"Come on!" the Doctor shouts as he grabs his wife's hand, rushing with the others across the space as K9 fires laser shots at the Krillitanes.
"K9, hold them back! " the Time Lady orders.
"Affirmative, Mistress. Maximum defense mode!"
Reaching the door, the Doctor pushes the group through and seals the doors with his sonic screwdriver.
"Power supply failing," K9 alerts, his shots beginning to taper out.
Finch scoffs, "Forget the shooty dog thing."
"Power… supply… failing," K9 repeats before powering down.
[Physics laboratory]
They dash into the physics lab, crouching low for cover as they strategize their next move.
"The oil!" the Alchemist cries, "It's the oil; the Krillitanes can't handle it anymore."
"That's it!" the Doctor grins, "They've changed their physiology so often. Even their own oil is toxic to them!" he turns to Rose, asking, "How much was there in the kitchens?"
Rose nods, "Barrels of it."
The Krillitanes batter at the metal door, trying to claw their way through to get to the group.
"Okay, we need to get to the kitchens," the Doctor nods, turning, "Mickey!"
"What now, hold the coats?" Mickey sarcastically asks.
The Time Lord gestures to him, "Get all the children unplugged and out of the school," he scratches his head, "Now then, bats, bats, bats… How do we fight bats?"
The Alchemist glances at Kenny, quickly covering her ears with her hands before inserting her earplugs. Kenny gives her a nod and strides over to the fire alarm, shattering the glass with his elbow to trigger it.
The loud sound pierces the Krillitane's ears, making them recoil from the door and cry out in agony. The Doctor smiles at the boy and his wife before swinging the door open and dashing past the howling Krillitanes.
[Outside the canteen]
As they hurry down the corridor, the clamor fades away when they round a corner. They see K9 making his way through a doorway at the far end.
"Master, Mistress!" K9 exclaims as they approach.
The Doctor grins, "Come on, boy. Good boy."
"There you are, K9! So good, you are!" the Alchemist says, and they run inside, K9 following.
[Classroom]
Mickey slams the door open to one of the IT rooms, "Okay, listen, everyone. We've got to get out of here!"
The kids are wholly absorbed in the code, oblivious to his presence. He tries waving his hand in front of one of their faces, but they remain unresponsive.
[Kitchen]
Rushing into the kitchens, the Doctor tries his sonic screwdriver on one of the barrels of oil, "They've been deadlock sealed!" he shouts as his wife tries another and shakes her head, "Finch must've done that. We can't open them."
The Alchemist turns to K-9, "Maybe we don't have to. K-9, do you have a solution?"
"The vats would not withstand a direct hit from my laser, but my batteries are failing," K9 informs them.
"Right!" he turns towards the humans, "Everyone out the back door! K9, stay with us," the Doctor orders.
"Grab any child you see and make sure they get out! No one stays!" the Time Lady shouts as Sarah Jane, Kenny, and Rose rush out the doors.
[Classroom]
Mickey attempts to turn the main computer in the room off, but there's no change. He looks around the room in frustration until he spots a power cable running from the computer to a single socket, his eyes widening in disbelief at his luck. He pulls the plug and turns to the screens, only to find them completely shut down.
"Everyone get out. Now!" Mickey shouts, and the children get up and run, rushing out the door, "Come on, move! Let's go! Let's go!"
[Kitchen]
The Alchemist and the Doctor line up the vats of oil, knowing with his power supply failing they need to make it easier for K9 to ignite the oil.
"Capacity for only one shot, Master, Mistress. For maximum impact, I must be stationed directly beside the vat," their robot dog informs them.
The Doctor rushes over to him, "But you'll be trapped inside."
"Oh, K9, no!" the Alchemist cries, shaking her head in denial.
"That is correct," K9 confirms, "Apologies Mistress."
"I can't let you do that," the Doctor says.
"No alternative possible, Master," K9 says.
He sighs, glancing over his shoulder where he can hear the Krillitanes approaching, "Goodbye, old friend."
The Alchemist kisses the metal dog's head, and his tail and ears wiggle.
"Goodbye, Mistress, Master," K9 says.
"You good dog," the Time Lords say, proud.
"Affirmative."
The Time Lords place their hands on K9, sighing in remorse before rushing out of the room.
[Outside the kitchen]
The Doctor seals the door with his sonic after the Alchemist slams it shut.
"Where's K9?" Sarah Jane asks, concerned.
He rushes toward her, "We need to run."
"Where is he!? What have you done!"
"Sarah, please, come with us," the Alchemist begs, pulling her with her by the hand and she nods, already tearing up like her friend.
[School yard]
"Come on, guys! Let's go, let's go! Run!" Mickey yells, gesturing for the children to keep running outside.
[Outside the school]
The school bursts into flames, and the children are filled with joy as sheets of paper flutter down like confetti around them.
"Yes!" Kenny cheers, jumping around.
A girl turns to him, "Did you have something to do with it?"
Kenny grins, "Yeah, I did."
"Oh my God," the girl gasps, "Kenny blew up the school! It was Kenny!"
The children start chanting, cheering even louder, "Yay! Kenny! Kenny! Kenny! Kenny!"
The Doctor turns to Sarah Jane, "I'm sorry."
"We're sorry, Sarah," the Alchemist corrects.
"It's alright. He was just a… daft metal dog. It's fine, really," she mutters before bursting into tears and grabbing hold of the Alchemist in a hug, who hums to her gently.
The Doctor wraps his arms around the pair, sighing heavily.
[Outside the TARDIS]
On a beautiful spring day, the TARDIS has made its way from the ruins of the school to Belle Vue Park. Sarah Jane walks towards the ship just as the Doctor emerges from it.
"Cuppa tea?" he offers, holding the door open for her.
The previous companion gasps as she enters the time machine, and the Time Lord shuts the doors behind her.
[TARDIS]
"You've redecorated!" Sarah Jane grins.
The Doctor smiles, asking, "Do you like it?"
Sarah Jane nods slowly, "Oh, I… I do. Yeah," she glances around, "I preferred it as it was, but uh, yeah. It'll do."
"Yeah, the round things were a bit nicer than duct tape, love," the Alchemist quips, and her husband rolls his eyes.
"I love it," Rose smiles from her spot by the console next to Mickey.
Sarah Jane turns to her, "Hey, you, what's forty-seven times three hundred and sixty-nine?"
'17,343,' the Alchemist winks at the Doctor.
Rose shrugs, "No idea. It's gone now. The oil's faded."
'No fair! I didn't know we were competing!' he complains back.
"But you're still clever," the woman smiles, "More than a match for them... just remember my advice."
"Right, uh, you and me both," Rose nods before turning to the Time Lord imploringly, "Doctor?"
The Doctor turns from the console and cautiously asks, "Well, we're about to head off, but… you could come with us."
The Alchemist smiles at her friend knowingly.
"No," Sarah Jane shakes her head, "I can't do this anymore," she smiles, "Besides, I've got a much bigger adventure ahead! Time I stopped waiting for you two and found a life of my own... although I still expect some of the usual."
Mickey asks, "Can I come?"
Sarah Jane looks at him in confusion, and he shakes his head, "No, not with you, I mean with you," he nods to the Time Lords, "Because I'm not the tin dog, and I want to see what's out there."
"Oh, I like that idea!" the Alchemist smiles.
"Oh, go on, Doctor, Alchemist," Sarah Jane grins, "Sarah Jane Smith, a Mickey Smith. You need a Smith on board."
The Time Lord chuckles, "Okay then, I could do with a laugh."
Frowning, the Alchemist reaches over and lightly smacks the back of her husband's head, making him yelp.
"Rose, is that okay?" Mickey asks, turning to the girl, noticing how silent she's become.
"No, great," she huffs, "Why not?"
The Alchemist glares at her, and Rose flinches when she meets her gaze.
Sarah Jane sighs, "Well, I'd better go."
The previous companion goes to head out of the TARDIS, and Rose runs up, "What do I do? Do I stay with him... with them?" she whispers.
"Yes. Some things are worth getting your heart broken for; see the universe. But remember that they're forever; their love is forever and always has been," Sarah Jane whispers back, even though she knows her Chosen Sister-in-Law heard every word.
"Sarah! Room!" the Alchemist calls out before she leaves and the woman laughs, nodding and rushing back to join the Time Lords.
"Where are you going?" Rose asks.
"When it's your turn, you'll learn," the Alchemist informs her as the Doctor tells the duo to stay there for a few minutes.
[Sarah Jane Smith's Rule 100 Room]
Sarah Jane stops outside of a very familiar set of sky-blue double doors.
"When'd you do this, then?" she asks, turning to them.
"When I learned that you moved," the Doctor shrugs, "Ally took a picture and had the TARDIS copy it while I dropped off the postcard."
She grins and hugs them before opening both doors to get inside.
"Ah, yes, I see what you mean by her literally covering the walls and floor with my articles now!" Sarah Jane laughs before turning to see the miniature dioramas near the floor, "You need some help with your little beach scenes, though, you two!"
They both pout, and the Alchemist says, "Apparently, that wasn't a talent in those bodies."
[Console Room]
"Now, I'm going," the previous companion says, gesturing to the Time Lords, and they nod.
The current companions, both new and relatively new, bid her farewell.
Sarah Jane glances around the Console Room one last time before leaving. The Alchemist and the Doctor trail closely behind her.
[Outside the TARDIS]
When they shut the doors, Sarah Jane turns to them, "It's daft, but I haven't ever thanked you for that time," she shakes her head, "And like I said, I wouldn't have missed it for the world."
The Doctor grins, "Something to tell the grandkids."
The Alchemist frowns, knowing what she's going to say.
"Oh, I think it'll be someone else's grandkids now," she shrugs.
"Right. Yes, sorry. I didn't get a chance to ask… And I never wanted to ask Ally. You haven't...? There hasn't been anyone? …You know."
"Well… there was this one guy. I traveled with him and his wife for a while; he was my brother, and he had such a beautiful relationship. It was a tough act to follow," she laughs as the couple smile gently at her,
"Goodbye, Doctor, Alchemist."
He frowns, "Oh, it's not goodbye."
The Alchemist shakes her head, "Please, not yet."
"Do say it. Please. This time–say it."
"Goodbye," he grins, "My Sarah Jane."
"Goodbye, my Sarah Jane Smith," the Alchemist tells her.
He lifts her off her feet in a big hug before the Alchemist grins and does the same, spinning her, making her laugh at the show of strength.
They share a final smile before stepping back into the TARDIS, shutting the doors with a soft click. Outside, Sarah Jane takes a moment, then begins to walk away as the ship dematerializes. She glances back for one last glimpse as it vanishes, seeing something just beyond its fading form.
"K9!" she shouts.
He responds, "Mistress."
"But… you were blown up!" she says, crouching before him.
"Master and Mistress rebuilt me. My systems are much improved with new undetectable hyperlink facilities," the dog responds.
Sarah Jane nods, "Oh, they replaced you with a brand new model."
"Affirmative."
She grins, "Yeah, they do that. Come on, you. Home, we've got work to do."
"Affirmative," he repeats.
She pauses as she turns and shakes her head.
"I guess you're replacing my crashed car then, hm?" she asks of the garnet red 2007 Honda FCX Clarity parked behind her.
A tiny green box sits atop it, with a postcard nestled underneath.
She glances at the Aberdeen postcard and chuckles softly before flipping it over. It dawns on her that it's an old card, decades at least. Attached to it is a photo, likely snapped by the Alchemist. In the image, the Doctor is lifting her into a warm embrace, and she feels a wave of emotion as tears well up at the heartwarming memory.
She lifts the box lid and discovers two keys accompanied by matching key fobs, all elegantly attached to keychains crafted from smooth garnet.
"To the internet, then. It's time to find out what my new car's name is and means, K9!"