Chapter Twenty-One: Doomsday
[Sphere laboratory]
The Daleks advance, their metallic forms gliding over the ground, surrounding the four of them.
"Daleks!" The Alchemist's voice rings out, firm and commanding; the Daleks halt, and she narrows her eyes, "Think about it, boys. How can I know that name? I know what you are, just as my friends do. Humans who know about the Daleks, the Time War… Time Travel itself. If you want to know how then you need us alive."
"Keep us alive," Rose jumps in, nodding eagerly, "We know all about the Time War."
The Daleks swivel toward her.
"Yeah, Daleks," Mickey mutters, "Time War. Me too."
Rajesh nods rapidly, adding, "Yeah. And me."
Dalek Sec's eyestalk scans them before turning to Jast, "Report. What is the status of the Genesis Ark?"
The four Daleks shift, revealing a bronze, Dalek-shaped device behind them—roughly the same size, ominous and still.
The Alchemist's gaze locks onto it. A Genesis Ark. She doesn't know how they got their hands on one, but she'll make damn sure they never use it.
"Status: hibernation," Jast reports.
"Commence awakening," Sec orders.
Dalek Thay moves forward, its suction arm clamping onto the Ark's side.
"The Genesis Ark must be protected above all else," it intones, beginning the activation process.
Mickey leans closer to Rose, voice hushed but tense, "The Daleks. You said they were all dead."
Rose shakes her head, eyes locked on the Ark, "Never mind that. What the hell's a Genesis Ark?"
"Shut up. Both of you," the Time Lady snaps, and the group falls silent.
[Yvonne's office]
Jackie steps forward, her voice tight with panic, "What's down there?" she demands, "She was in that room with the sphere. What's happened to Rose?"
"I don't know," the Doctor admits, though his tense expression says otherwise, "But Ally's with her, so she's safe for now."
Safe. He hopes that's true. In reality, he has a very good idea of what's waiting below—but telling Jackie that won't help. The thought of his Bondmate trapped down there, surrounded by Daleks and Cybermen, is almost too much to bear.
He turns to Jackie, his tone softer but resolute, "I brought you here," he says, stepping closer to the tear-streaked woman, "I'll get you both out. You and your daughter," his gaze locks onto hers, unwavering, "Jackie, look at me. Look at me. I promise you. I give you my word."
Before she can respond, the heavy clanking of metal boots echoes through the room. The Cyber Leader stomps forward, positioning itself before Yvonne at her desk.
"You will talk to your central world authority and order global surrender," it commands, its hollow voice devoid of emotion.
Yvonne lets out a sharp scoff, "Oh, do some research! We haven't got a central world authority."
"You have now," the Cyber Leader declares.
The Doctor slips on his 3D specs, studying the creature intently as it continues, "I will speak on all global wavelengths... This broadcast is for humankind..."
Together, the Doctor, Yvonne, Jackie, and the Cyber Leader turn toward the view beyond. Below them, London is unraveling into chaos—flames rising, people running, the city descending into terror.
"I ordered surrender," the Cyber Leader states flatly.
The Doctor grits his teeth, his voice low and furious, "They're not taking instructions. Don't you understand?" he gestures toward the burning city, "You're on every street. You're in their homes. You've got their children! Of course, they're going to fight!"
[Sphere laboratory]
Sec swivels toward the group, its harsh voice cutting through the air, "Which of you is least important?"
Rose stiffens, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Which of you is least important?" Sec repeats, its eyestalk scanning them coldly.
The Alchemist's voice is low, edged with quiet fury, "Humans do not work that way, Daleks."
"Designate the least important!"
A heavy silence hangs between them.
Rajesh exhales, shoulders sagging, "This is my responsibility," he murmurs.
"Rajesh, don't," the Time Lady warns, sharp and urgent.
But she sees it—the resolve in his eyes. He's going to step forward. Before he can, she reaches out, barely brushing his temple. A silent, invisible command scrubs his mind of her existence, erasing her from his memories. It's the only way to protect them now.
Rajesh straightens, stepping forward.
"I, uh… I represent the Torchwood Institute," he says, voice steady despite the tension in the air, "Anything you need, you come through me. Leave these three alone."
"Don't do this, Rajesh," the Alchemist urges, but he doesn't look back.
"You will kneel," Sec commands.
Rajesh hesitates, "What for?"
"Kneel!"
Slowly, reluctantly, Rajesh lowers himself to the floor. The other three Daleks close in, surrounding him. Their eyestalks lock onto their target while keeping Rose, Mickey, and the Alchemist pinned in the corner.
"The Daleks need information about current Earth history," Sec states.
Rajesh offers a weak smile, "Yeah, well, I can give you a certain amount of intelligence, but nothing that will compromise Homeland Security..."
"Speech is not necessary," Sec interrupts, "We will extract brainwaves."
The Alchemist moves quickly, reaching out to shield Rose and Mickey's eyes. They don't need to see this. But she won't turn away. She won't abandon Rajesh in his final moments.
The three Daleks advance, their suction arms extending toward him.
"Don't, I... I'll tell you everything you need," Rajesh pleads.
"Cover your ears," she orders the others, and they obey, pressing their hands tightly against their heads.
A heartbeat later, Rajesh's screams fill the air, "No… No!"
His cries turn raw, agonized, as the Daleks close in. The sickening crunch of bone follows. Rose curls into the Time Lady's side, shaking, while Mickey bows his head, pressing harder against his ears—trying, and failing, to block out the horror.
[Lever room]
"Scans detect unknown technology active within Sphere chamber," the CyberLeader states.
The Doctor looks up, worriedly.
"Cybermen will investigate," another confirms and opens a communicator.
"Units ten six five and ten six six will investigate Sphere chamber," the Cyber Leader orders.
"We obey."
[Sphere laboratory]
Rajesh's desiccated body crumples to the floor, lifeless. The Alchemist exhales slowly, lowering her hands.
Rose pulls away, eyes darting toward the corpse, while Mickey frowns at the sight.
Sec's harsh voice cuts through the heavy silence, "His mind spoke of a second species invading Earth, infected by the superstition of ghosts."
"You didn't need to kill him!" Rose shouts, anger bleeding into her voice.
Dalek Caan swivels toward her, "Neither did we need him alive."
"Dalek Thay, investigate outside," Sec commands.
"I obey." Thay glides away without hesitation.
Rose turns sharply on the Alchemist, voice a furious whisper, "Why didn't you do more to stop him? Or stop them?"
The Alchemist fixes her with a glare, her voice low but cutting, "Think of who I am. What would happen if they knew?"
Rose falls silent, jaw clenched, eyes dropping to the ground.
Mickey watches them both, then looks at the Time Lady, "Ally, why don't they recognize you?"
She leans in slightly, speaking just above a breath, "I blocked Rajesh's memories. I'm also forcing my hearts to beat one at a time and changing my breathing pattern."
Mickey's brows lift, impressed despite the grim situation. He nods in understanding.
[Yvonne's office]
"Units, open visual link," the CyberLeader commands.
On Yvonne's laptop, the screen flickers before stabilizing, revealing the cold, metallic form of a Cyberman. Its blank, soulless face stares back.
"Visual contact established."
The Doctor's throat tightens. His hearts pound.
[Sphere laboratory]
"Establish visual contact. Lower communications barrier," Sec commands.
A shimmering projection flickers to life, revealing the sphere room. Two Cybermen march forward, their heavy footsteps echoing through the transmission.
'Amara, please tell me I'm seeing things,' the Doctor pleads silently.
A weary sigh hums in his mind, ' Unfortunately, you're not.'
"Identify yourselves," Thay orders, its eyestalk locked onto the screen.
"You will identify first," a Cyberman responds, its monotone voice unyielding.
"State your identity!"
"You will identify first."
"Identify!"
Mickey mutters under his breath, amused, "It's like…"
"Shh," the Alchemist quickly hushes him, though a smirk tugs at her lips.
The Cyberman speaks again, its tone unwavering, "Aggression is wasteful and illogical. You will modify."
"Daleks do not take orders," Sec counters.
"You have identified as Daleks."
Sec observes the figures on the projection, its harsh, grating voice delivering a final verdict, "Outline resembles the inferior species known as Cybermen."
[Yvonne's office]
Jackie leans in, whispering urgently to the Doctor, "Rose said something about the Daleks. She was terrified of them, it's why she… What have they done to her, Doctor? Is she dead?"
"Quiet, I'll ask," he murmurs, nodding slightly.
"What?"
'Rose?' he reaches out through the bond.
'She's fine. So is Mickey—somehow, he's here. Rajesh is gone,' the Alchemist responds.
The Doctor sighs in relief, then turns back to Jackie, "She's okay, I asked Ally."
Jackie blinks, "How?"
"We're telepathic," he shrugs.
"What a surprise," she mutters, rolling her eyes.
Across the room, the Cyberman speaks, "We followed in the wake of your sphere."
Sec's grating voice cuts in, "Long-range scans confirm the presence of crude cybernetic constructs on a worldwide scale."
The Doctor frowns, "Why haven't they killed them?"
Jackie immediately whacks his arm, "Well, don't complain!"
He barely reacts, still deep in thought, "They must need them for something."
"Ask your wife!" Jackie hisses.
He nods, slipping on his 3D glasses and refocusing on the laptop's screen, ' Why are you still alive?'
'They need one of us for the Genesis Ark,' the Alchemist replies.
"The Genesis Ark?" the Doctor echoes aloud.
"Our species are similar, though your design is inelegant," the Cyberman states.
'Why? What is it?' the Doctor presses.
'I'll explain later. Right now, I'm finding this conversation hilarious.'
'Amara!' he scolds through the bond, frustration spiking as her amusement seeps through.
She instantly shushes him.
The Doctor rolls his eyes, exasperated. She's never been afraid of Daleks or Cybermen—just filled with absolute hatred for them.
[Sphere Laboratory]
"Daleks have no concept of elegance," Thay replies.
"This is obvious. But consider... Our technologies are compatible. Cybermen plus Daleks. Together, we could upgrade the Universe."
"You propose an alliance?" Thay asks.
"This is correct."
"Request denied."
[Corridor]
The Cybermen raise their hands, energy building at their fingertips, "Hostile elements will be deleted."
They fire their laser blasts at the Dalek—but the energy merely dissipates on impact, leaving its armored casing unscathed.
"Exterminate!" Thay screeches, its weapon firing in return.
The blasts cut through the Cybermen effortlessly, sending them crashing to the ground, lifeless.
[Yvonne's office]
The Cyber Leader calls out, "Open visual link."
It taps into the security system, switching the feed to the Sphere Room. The screen flickers before stabilizing, revealing the Daleks.
The Cyber Leader addresses them coldly, "Daleks, be warned. You have declared war upon the Cybermen."
Jackie stiffens, her face pale as she spots Rose on the ground alongside Mickey and the Alchemist. The Doctor swallows hard, his eyes locked on his Bondmate.
Sec responds without hesitation, "This is not war. This is pest control."
"We have five million Cybermen. How many are you?"
"Four."
Jackie gapes at the screen, horrified.
"You would destroy the Cybermen with four Daleks?"
"We would destroy the Cybermen with one Dalek," Sec replies, "You are superior in only one respect."
The Cyber Leader asks, "What is that?"
The Doctor leans over slightly, watching intently around the computer screen.
"You are better at dying!" Sec screeches, "Raise communications barrier!"
Through their bond, the Alchemist's amusement flares, 'Hah! Pest control,' she lets out a mental chuckle, 'That was the most amusing Dalek conversation I have ever witnessed.'
[Yvonne's office]
'So why are you still alive?' the Doctor asks dryly.
'Don't complain,' she replies, 'The cask requires the touch of someone with a trace of Artron Energy. According to their scans, I register as a Human Time Traveler right now.'
'At least they don't know you're here,' his concern sharpens, 'The Genesis Ark—what is it?'
'Mine,' her response is grim, 'One of mine. The Achiever named it, but I designed it. It must have been constructed during the war by one of The Ten. There are Daleks inside. It was meant as a failsafe—a way to end them before they could begin. Safely, without destruction. I... I called it a Prison Briefcase.'
The Doctor's breath catches. His eyes widen in horror.
'How many, Alchemist!?' he demands, fear twisting in his gut.
She sighs heavily in his mind, 'If it's at full capacity? Fifteen million... but, Theta—every part of my blueprint must have been used.'
'Meaning?' there's a flicker of hope in his question.
He feels the confidence radiating from her through the bond, steady and sure.
'I can shut it down.'
[Sphere laboratory]
"Wait!" Jast calls out, voice cutting through the air, "Rewind image by nine rells. Identify grid seven gamma frame... This male registers as enemy."
'They've seen you,' the Alchemist warns her Bondmate, a flicker of concern in her tone.
Rose's face lights up, a wide grin spreading as she spots the Doctor.
Sec swivels his eyestalk to her, his voice cold, "One female's heartbeat has increased."
Mickey grumbles under his breath, "Yeah, tell me about it."
The Alchemist scoffs, a sharp glare directed at Rose, who blatantly ignores it.
"Identify him," Sec demands, the urgency in his voice rising.
"Rose, no," the Alchemist growls, but her warning is brushed aside, once again.
"Alright, then," Rose smirks, standing tall, "If you really want to know, that's the Doctor."
Sec retracts slightly, while the other Daleks move to surround the Genesis Ark.
Rose's smirk deepens, her confidence palpable, "Five million Cybermen? Easy. One Doctor? Now you're scared."
The Alchemist and Mickey exchange a look of shared annoyance, both rolling their eyes in exasperation.
[Yvonne's office]
The Cyber Leader orders, "Quarantine the Sphere chamber. Start emergency upgrading. Begin with these personnel."
Two Cybermen approach and grasp Yvonne and Jackie, beginning to drag them away.
"No, you can't do this!" Yvonne shouts, "We surrendered! We surrendered!"
Another Cyber approaches the Doctor, "This one. His increased adrenaline suggests that he has vital Dalek information."
"Stop them!" Jackie begs, "I don't want to go! You promised me! You gave me your word!"
The Doctor stands, shouting, "I demand you leave that woman alone! I won't help you if you hurt her!" they continue to pull her away, "Jackie, don't fight. I'll think of something!"
[Sphere laboratory]
Thay re-enters the laboratory, its voice cold and decisive, "Cyber threat irrelevant. Concentrate on the Genesis Ark."
Sec follows suit, pressing his suction arm firmly against the Ark, Thay joining in its motions.
Mickey glances between them, a mix of confusion and concern on his face, "Why are we being kept alive?"
Rose frowns at the device, her tone laced with uncertainty, "They might need me."
"What?" Mickey turns to her, his voice tinged with disbelief, "What is it?"
The Alchemist's voice cuts through sharply, a hint of frustration in her words, "It's not all about you, Rose. They could use any one of us."
Rose swallows hard, visibly shaken by the bluntness, but she nods, her confidence wavering.
[Yvonne's office]
The Time Lord sits, his gaze fixed on the destruction unfolding in the city below. A gnawing sense of helplessness consumes him. His wife is stuck in a room with Daleks, a device with more Daleks with her that either of the humans in there can open. They're encircled by Cybermen, who are methodically tearing humanity apart, the species they both vowed to protect, piece by piece.
The Cyber Leader approaches the Doctor, "You are proof."
"Of what?" he asks darkly, eyes still cast out the window.
"That emotions destroy you," it replies.
"Yeah, I am," finally glancing at it before his sight is drawn further away, "Mind you, I quite like hope. Hope's a good emotion… And here it comes."
The Cyber Leader turns toward the direction the Doctor is looking, its sensors locking onto a group of black-clad figures emerging seemingly out of nowhere. The figures, wearing gas masks and armed with guns, move swiftly toward the Cybermen in the Lever Room, opening fire.
"Doctor?" one of the figures calls out, a grin in their voice, "Good to see you again! How's the wife?"
The Doctor ducks and rolls away from the Cyber Leader as it leaves the office, a shot ringing out—its head explodes.
The Doctor looks up, his jaw dropping as the leader of the group pulls off their gas mask.
"Jake?" he says, disbelieving.
Jake smirks, his eyes bright with recognition, "The Cybermen came through from one world to another, and so did we."
The Doctor, still stunned, puts on his 3D specs and eyes the group cautiously, frowning.
"Defend this room," Jake orders, turning toward the rest of the group, "Chrissie, monitor communications. Kill one Cyber Leader and they just download into another. Move!"
The team disperses, but Jake stays behind, turning to the Doctor with a grin.
Shaking his head in disbelief, the Doctor mutters, "You can't just… just hop from one world to another. You can't!"
"We just did," Jake replies, tossing a yellow button on a chain necklace to the Doctor, "With these."
The Doctor examines the disc, his frown deepening, "But that's impossible. You can't have this kind of technology."
"We've got our own version of Torchwood," Jake says, his tone matter-of-fact, "They developed it. Want to come see?"
Before the Doctor can respond, Jake presses the button.
"No!" the Doctor shouts, a surge of panic rising in his chest.
But it's too late.
The Doctor and Jake are pulled into another universe.
[Parallel Torchwood]
They materialize once again in the parallel universe, standing amidst the wreckage of broken technology. The vast space around them is dimly lit, a dark reminder of the chaos that has unfolded. The area looks like it was abandoned in haste, the forceful retreat obvious.
"Parallel Earth, parallel Torchwood," Jake says, his voice grim, "Except we discovered what the Institute was up to. The People's Republic took control."
The Doctor clenches his fists, his jaw tightening as he spins to face Jake, "I have to get back. You don't understand what you've just done! The bonds... The Alchemist, Rose— they're in danger, and so is her mother."
A voice interrupts from behind, "That'd be Jackie."
Pete Tyler strides into the room, flanked by two soldiers.
His gaze lands on the Doctor with a sharpness that betrays his familiarity, "My wife, in a parallel universe. And as for you, Doctor, at least this time, I know who you are."
The Doctor's eyes narrow, his frustration boiling over, "Right, yes, fine, hooray. But I've got to get back now. Right now!"
"No, you're not in charge here," Pete retorts, his voice cold with authority, "This is our world, not yours. And you're going to listen, for once."
The Doctor's expression hardens, his temper rising like a storm on the verge of breaking. His fury is evident, the tension between him and Pete palpable.
[Sphere laboratory]
The Alchemist clenches her jaw, feeling the sudden block in the bonds—sharp, suffocating. She looks at Mickey, her expression unreadable.
"I could transport us out of here," Mickey offers, "But it only carries one. And I'm not leaving either of you."
"Show me that thing," the Alchemist demands, her voice cold as she holds out her hand.
Mickey hands it over, and she pries it open with a frown, inspecting the device with an intense focus.
"You'd follow me anywhere," Rose simpers, "What did I do to you all those years ago?"
"Guess I'm just stupid," Mickey replies with a shrug, rolling his eyes.
"Run that by me again?" the Alchemist asks, her brow raised in a sharp challenge.
He smirks, recalling her words from before.
"You're the bravest man I've ever met," Rose says, her voice oddly fond.
Mickey scoffs, "What about the Doctor?"
"Oh, alright," she corrects, rolling her eyes, "Bravest human."
"No, Mickey's definitely braver than the Doctor," the Alchemist says, her tone sincere as she turns to face him, "How did you get this device?"
Mickey grins, proud of himself, "Torchwood developed it in the other universe."
"Not possible," the Alchemist mutters, using her hand preceptors to scan the device with increasing concern, "I recognize some of the tech in here. It's not from Earth. Meaning someone there took it. This thing's punching holes through the universe to get here. But..." she trails off, her brow furrowing, "It's not causing the time bouncing."
"What?" Rose asks, confusion creeping into her voice.
"These need to be destroyed, later," the Alchemist orders, handing the device back to Mickey and deliberately ignoring Rose, "Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am," Mickey confirms, looking at the device with a newfound understanding, "But why would they need me?"
"They need any one of us," she answers, her tone low, "The hand of a Time Traveler. You've been exposed to Artron Energy. They found a way to use it as a power supply during the Time War. But not all of them have access to it."
"The Doctor said they evolved to do that," Rose offers, frowning.
The Alchemist shakes her head firmly, "No. They learned."
"Why?" Mickey asks, his voice quieter now.
"Because they were afraid," she replies softly, her eyes distant.
"Of what?" Rose asks, surprised by the vulnerability in her voice.
The Alchemist glances briefly at her but says nothing, locking her thoughts on the matter away.
Mickey shifts the conversation, trying to make sense of it all, "But why would they build something they can't open themselves?"
Before anyone can answer, Dalek Sec turns sharply to them, its voice cold and unyielding, "The technology is stolen. The Ark is not of Dalek design."
"Then who built it?" Rose asks, her curiosity piqued.
"The Time Lords," Sec replies, its tone laced with distaste, "This and the Void Ship are all that survive of their Home World."
"What's inside?" Rose presses, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and wonder.
"The future," the Dalek intones.
"Daleks. It means more Daleks," the Alchemist mutters under her breath, rolling her eyes in exasperation.
[Parallel Torchwood]
The Doctor grits his teeth and grabs Pete by the shirt collar, pulling him in close. His forehead is already sweating, and he's nearly trembling.
"No, no, no. No! You're listening to me. You just separated me from my Bondmate. You have no idea how furious I am. Let me guess, the world argued about the Cybermen being alive and you locked them all away, and they jumped through the Void to my universe following the stolen Void ship filled with Daleks via a universal time breach. A breach my wife has been studying for months now.
"I've been trying to tell you! Travel between parallel worlds is impossible! The Daleks broke down the walls with the Sphere through the breach. Then the Cybermen traveled across, then you lot... Those discs. Every time you jump from one reality to another, you rip a hole in the universe. Now, the ice caps are probably melting because of the energy it took to open just the first breach, and we don't even know which one that was! This planet is starting to boil. Keep going, and both worlds will fall into the Void. Now send me back to my Bondmate, or I might just hit you, Pete Tyler. You'll be damn lucky if my wife doesn't."
Pete's eyes widen in shock, "Mickey said you're smart, but... "
"Oh, yeah, and he went first, I bet," the Doctor scoffs, "Rose is your daughter. You do know that? Did Mickey explain?"
"She's not mine. She's the child of a dead man," he says snidely, "But you can stop it? The famous Doctor and Alchemist. You can seal the breach?"
He rolls his eyes, "That would mean leaving five million Cybermen stranded on my Earth."
"That's your problem. I'm protecting this world, and this world only."
The Doctor, shaking still, looks him over, "Ah, so that's where she gets it from… Hmm. Pete Tyler. I knew you when you were dead. Now, here you are, fighting the fight alone. There is a chance, back on my world, Jackie Tyler might still be alive."
"My wife died."
"I thought mine did once; she came back. Besides, her husband died. Good match."
"There's more important things at stake," Pete says, "Doctor, we need you and the Alchemist to help us."
The Time Lord raises a brow, "What, close the breach? Stop the Cybermen? Defeat the Daleks? Do you believe we can do that?"
"Yes."
"Maybe that's all I need, but first I need her," the Doctor demands, "Get me back to my Bondmate now, Pete."
He slams his hand down on the button.
[Lever room]
The Doctor, Jake, and Pete appear in the Time Lord's version of Torchwood.
He relaxes slightly the moment he feels her again.
'Back, huh?' the Doctor hears and feels her seething.
'Thank Omega, yes,' he replies.
The Doctor pockets the button and heads to the phone, "First of all, I need to make a phone call. You don't mind?"
Jake turns to his team, "You two, guard the door."
'Who do I have to slap?' she asks.
'Pete Tyler.'
The furious Time Lady growls back, 'Fucking finally.'
When he finally explained what happened to him with the situation with Rose and her father the night before, she nearly lost it. And he fully understands why, he wasn't even able to come up with an excuse; not even to say that Rose thought she did the right thing.
She'd gone still at first, too quiet—then the fury set in. She paced, fists clenched, jaw tight, radiating barely restrained rage. He could see the calculations running through her mind, the sheer disbelief that Rose had nearly erased him from existence.
But beneath the anger was something worse—fear. The kind she rarely shows. The realization that he could have been gone, that she might never have known, that Rose of all people had nearly cost him everything.
And that was when he knew—Rose would never be forgiven.
Sighing heavily, he shakes himself from his thoughts and quickly taps in Jackie's number, Pete watching his every move.
Jackie answers her phone, "Oh, my God, help me."
"Jackie, you're alive!" he calls out, "Listen..."
"They tried to download me, but I ran away!"
He rolls his eyes, "Shush. Listen, tell me. Where are you?"
She looks around before answering, "I don't know. Staircase."
"Yeah, which one? Is there any sort of sign? Anything to identify it?" the Time Lord asks with pursed lips.
She grins, spotting it, "Yes, a fire extinguisher."
"Yeah, that helps," he responds dryly.
"Oh, wait a minute," Jackie says, "It says N3."
The Doctor nods, "North corner, staircase three. Just keep low, we're trying our best."
"No, don't leave me!" she cries.
"I've got to go," he tells her, regretfully, "I'm sorry."
The Doctor hangs up and turns to Pete, "Jacqueline Andrea Suzette Tyler."
Pete shakes his head in denial, "She's not my wife."
The Doctor rolls his eyes, "I was at the wedding. You got her name wrong," he gestures accusatory before turning, "Now then, Jakey boy, if I can open up the bonding chamber on this thing, it'll work on polycarbite."
Jake frowns, "What's polycarbite?"
"Skin of a Dalek."
The Doctor works quickly, relaying his plan to his wife.
'I'll try to keep the humans from being idiots until you get here, then. No promises with Rose around, though,' the Alchemist snips.
'My sonic is barely making a dent in this encasement,' he says as he fumbles a bit.
'We need sleep. We're due for it. Show me the weapon.'
The Doctor does so, backing up slightly so she can see better.
'Setting 108923FR should work; just hold it steady against the gearing opening, and it'll get you into the bonding chamber with no problem.'
The Doctor smirks, 'See? I need you. Best settings are in your head.'
'Uhuh,' she deadpans back.
[Corridor]
A sheet of white paper on a pointer waves side to side around the corner of the corridor.
The Doctor pops his head out, "Sorry. No white flag. I only had a sheet of A4. Same difference."
"Do you surrender?" the Cyberman asks.
"I surrender unto you," the Time Lord grins, "A very good idea."
[Sphere laboratory]
Caan's voice rings out, "Final stage of awakening!"
Dalek Sec swivels to Rose, "Your handprint will open the Ark."
Rose raises her chin defiantly, "Well, tough. I'm not doing it."
"Obey, or the male and female will die," Sec demands, its voice cold.
The other Daleks aim their laser arms at Mickey and the Alchemist, their weapons poised.
Rose steps towards the Ark, her eyes flickering with resolve, "I can't let them."
"Don't you dare touch that thing," the Alchemist growls, her voice sharp.
Mickey leaps up, panic in his voice, "Rose, don't."
Sec's voice cuts through, stern and unyielding, "Place your hand upon the casket."
Rose pauses, then turns to Sec with a smirk, "Alright! You're going to kill us anyway, so what the hell? If you escaped the Time War, don't you want to know what happened?"
'Hurry up! Rose is doing something stupid again,' the Alchemist calls out.
"Rose, keep quiet and get back here," the Time Lady orders, her tone harsh, but her words go unheard.
"Place your hand..." Sec repeats, but Rose interrupts, her voice dripping with spite.
"What happened to the Emperor?" Rose sneers, her defiance reaching its peak.
Sec's voice falters, "The Emperor survived!?"
"Till he met me," she smirks, relishing the moment, "Cause if these are going to be my last words, then you're going to listen."
"Shut up, Rose," the Alchemist growls, her eyes narrowing dangerously.
"I met the Emperor..." Rose continues, her voice laced with pride.
"Shut the fuck up, Rose Tyler!" The Alchemist nearly shouts, her patience wearing thin.
The Daleks turn to her, the threat palpable.
But Rose ignores her, continuing her tale, "...And I took the Time Vortex, pulled it into his head, and turned him into dust. Do you get that? The God of all Daleks... and I destroyed him," she laughs maniacally, her eyes wild, "Ha!"
"Idiot," the Alchemist mutters under her breath.
Mickey glances towards her, concern etching his face.
"You will be exterminated!" Dalek Sec shrieks, its voice shrill with rage.
"Touch her and meet your end, Dalek Sec," the Alchemist growls as she rises, the air around her crackling with anger.
It spins to face her, "Explain! How..."
A voice rings out from the doorway, "Oh, now, hold on, wait a minute," the Doctor's voice cuts in, confident but tinged with urgency.
"Alert! Alert. You are the Doctor!" Sec says, its tone shifting to one of alarm.
He steps into the room out of breath, his 3D specs on, pretending to be unaffected, though his fear is evident.
'Please tell me I didn't hear her say that...'
The Alchemist glances toward him, her gaze icy, filled with cold fury. She's silent for a moment before returning her attention to Rose's back, her resolve unbroken.
"Sensors report he is unarmed," Caan announces, scanning the Doctor with clinical detachment.
"That's me," the Doctor replies, flashing an easy grin despite the weight of the situation, "Always."
Sec's voice turns mocking, "Then you are powerless."
The Doctor shakes his head with a small but confident smirk, "Not me. Never."
"How are you?" he asks Rose, voice tight, before gazing back towards his Bondmate and taking off the specs, making sure she's physically alright.
"Oh, same old, you know," Rose grins.
He grimaces, "Good," the Doctor holds up his fist, and Mickey meets it with his own in a quick, friendly gesture, "And Mickity McMickey. Nice to see you!"
"And you, boss," Mickey replies, nodding.
The Doctor turns to the Alchemist, his worry palpable, "Ally, are you alright?"
She nods, her fiery glare momentarily softening as she meets his eyes. Her focus returns quickly, shifting back to Rose with renewed intensity.
"Social interaction will cease!" Jast demands, its voice like a grinding metal blade.
Sec turns to the Doctor, his suspicion thick, "How did you survive the Time War?"
The Doctor's expression darkens, and his voice takes on a somber edge, "By fighting," he says quietly, "On the front line. I was there at the fall of Arcadia. Someday, I might even come to terms with that."
The Alchemist steps forward, letting her hearts and breathing re-regulate.
"I was out there the whole time from the beginning, but I doubt you ever saw me, just as you don't recognize me now. And then you lot stole a ship and ran away!" the Alchemist grins wickedly.
"A Time Lady! Who are you? Who are you?" Dalek Sec demands.
"The Alchemist," she answers, grinning wider.
The Daleks all back up further, and Rose looks shocked.
"Oh, I do love it when you run away from me," she says, sarcasm lacing her voice.
The Doctor nods to her, "Yeah, it's pretty impressive," he turns back to the Daleks, "Now, the last four Daleks in existence. So what's so special about you?"
"Oh, they're the Cult of Skaro," the Alchemist informs him with a smirk, beginning to pace across the room.
"Doctor, they've got names. I mean, Daleks don't have names, do they? One of them said they..." Rose tries to say.
The Alchemist interrupts her and begins pointing them out, "That's Dalek Thay, their leader Dalek Sek, Dalek Jast, and Dalek Caan."
"The Alchemist is correct. How do you know?" Sec demands.
The Doctor ignores the question, "So that's it! At last. The Cult of Skaro. I thought you were just a legend."
"Nah, nah... Sec came up with them to fight the Scarlet Tsunami and Rassillon's army, hm?" the Time Lady says, leaning forward with her fists on her hips.
"Who are they?" Rose asks.
"A secret order above and beyond the Emperor himself. Their job was to imagine, think as the enemy thinks. Even dared to have names. All to find a way to stop their biggest fear," the Alchemist explains.
"Daleks fear nothing!" Thay shouts.
Mickey narrows his eyes in thought, asking, "But that thing, they said it was yours. I mean, Time Lords. They built it and the Void Ship. What does it do?"
The Doctor shrugs, "I don't know. Never seen it before. Didn't even know the Void Ship was one of ours."
"Could be anything or anyone's," the Alchemist smirks.
Rose frowns, "But it's Time Lord."
"Mm, both sides had secrets. What is it? What have you done?" the Doctor asks, trying to drag it out.
Dalek Sec responds, "Time Lord science will restore Dalek supremacy."
"What does that mean? What sort of Time Lord science? What do you mean?" he demands.
"Ally said the touch of a time traveler will open it," Rose informs him.
"Technology using the one thing a Dalek can't do. Touch," he huffs out a laugh, "Sealed inside your casing. Not feeling anything ever, from birth to death, locked inside a cold metal cage. Completely alone. That explains your voice... No wonder you scream! Brilliant idea, really."
'Thanks,' the Doctor hears, smirking at her amusement and pride.
"The Doctor will open the Ark!" Sec commands.
"The Doctor will not," he replies, shaking his head.
"You have no way of resisting."
"Well, you got me there. Although there is always this," he says, holding up his sonic.
"A sonic probe?"
The Time Lady scoffs, "That's screwdriver... also, you know? Maybe the Alchemist will open the Ark. Weird name though, hm? Ark?"
Sec responds, turning to her, "It is harmless. The Alchemist will open the Ark."
"Oh, yes. Yes, she will," the Alchemist says and skips over.
She glances at it and smiles. Her plans were definitely fully used. It's marked with her Elite Signature.
Rose and Mickey look at her horror-struck, not sure what to say or do.
The Doctor hums, twirling the sonic between his fingers, "Oh, yes. Harmless is just the word. That's why I like it. Doesn't kill, doesn't wound, doesn't maim..."
"The Doctor will be silent," Caan orders.
The Alchemist scoffs, "Good luck with that—on both of us. You should really think more. That is why you were made, isn't it? Didn't this hair look familiar at all?"
"What do you speak of?"
She smirks, "Just a theory—a good one. A backup plan, if you will. You should never let the First Elite touch her own projects."
Summoning the Vortex, she slams her hand onto her Elite Signature. The containment case unravels like liquid metal, vanishing in an instant. The pure Daleks inside are erased from time itself. She turns, grinning as the remaining Daleks recoil— in fear. All but Sec back into the wall.
"The Scarlet Tsunami!" Caan shrieks.
The Doctor's eyes widen. He has never—never—seen Daleks react this way to anyone. Not even to him, not even to her before the war.
She laughs, sharp and ruthless, "Oh yes! You lot named me that. You were developed to stop me, and you couldn't even recognize me. Couldn't put it together! It's my hair. Scarlet hair!" she takes a step forward, reveling in their terror, "And another thing about my creations—this sonic screwdriver? It's very good at opening doors."
The Doctor flicks his sonic toward the laboratory doors, sending them crashing inward. Jake's team storms in, followed by a wave of Cybermen, their weapons firing wildly.
"Delete! Delete!"
Blasts fill the room as Daleks and Cybermen engage.
Caan shrieks, "Alert! Casing impaired!"
"Get out!" the Doctor shouts.
"Now!" the Alchemist barks.
"Firepower insufficient!" Sec wails.
Rose stumbles, but Pete catches her, dragging her toward the exit. Mickey dives for his gun, firing to cover their retreat.
"Daleks will be deleted!" the Cybermen intone.
"Mickey, come on!" Rose shouts.
Thay commands, "Adapt to weaponry!"
"Firepower restored!" Sec confirms.
Dalek blasts rip through the Cybermen. Mickey and Jake sprint toward the Doctor, the Alchemist, and the others at the emergency blast door.
"Cybermen primary target. Avoid the Scarlet Tsunami at all costs!" Sec orders.
The Alchemist holds the door open just long enough for Jake's team to get through before slamming it shut with a final flick of her sonic.
[Corridor]
They turn down the corridor and make their way through the halls.
"Jake, check the stairwell," the Doctor demands, "The rest of you, come on."
He grasps his wife's hand tightly, and the group sprints forward, following.
"You made that thing?" Mickey gasps, gesturing toward the Alchemist.
"She designed that thing," the Doctor corrects, "Someone else built it, and now she used her backup plan to destroy it. Ally's great like that! Now, run!"
[Sphere chamber]
"Cybermen have been exterminated," Dalek Sec announces, "Daleks are supreme."
"The Genesis Ark is gone," Thay replies.
Sec turns to face them, "The Scarlet Tsunami is active! We must attack the Cybermen, exterminate the universe!"
"Exterminate! Exterminate!" they cry out.
[Corridor 2]
They pause in their run when they hear a Cyberman call out, "You will be upgraded."
"No, but you can't," Jackie begs.
They turn the corner and see her trapped behind two Cybermen.
"Please..." she cries.
Pete takes Mickey's gun and begins firing at the Cybermen while he stomps towards her. They collapse in a cloud of smoke, revealing Jackie. She narrows her eyes, trying to see past the haze as it steadily clears.
"Pete?" she gasps, focused right on him.
He smiles softly, "Hello, Jacks."
"I said there were ghosts," she cries, "But that's not fair. Why him?"
"I'm not a ghost."
"But you're dead. You died twenty years ago, Pete."
The Doctor steps forward with the Alchemist, and he begins to explain, "It's Pete from a different universe. There are parallel worlds, Jackie. Every single decision we make creates a parallel existence, a different dimension where..."
The Alchemist covers his mouth with her free hand.
"Thank you, Ally," Jackie says, not looking away from her husband.
The Time Lady shrugs and keeps her hand in place even though the Doctor's continuously licking it.
Jackie sighs, "Oh, you look old."
"You don't."
"How can you be standing there?" she asks.
"I just got lucky," he tells her, "Lived my life. You were left on your own. You didn't marry again, or...?"
She shakes her head, "There was never anyone else. Twenty years, though. Look at me. I never left that flat. Did nothing with myself."
He nods towards Rose, "You brought her up. Rose Tyler. That's not bad."
"Yeah."
"In my world, it worked. All those daft little plans of mine, they worked. Made me rich."
"I don't care about that... How rich?"
"Very."
"I don't care about that... How very?"
Pete chuckles, "Thing is though, Jacks, you're not my wife... I'm sorry, but you're not. I mean, we both. You know, it's just sort of..." his lips quiver, and he drops the gun, "Oh, come here."
They run towards each other and hug before Pete sweeps her up into the air.
The Time Lady smiles slightly and finally drops her hand, wiping her very wet palm on the Doctor's jacket. He pouts before grinning at the couple.
[Warehouse]
The Doctor peeks cautiously inside the warehouse, where bullets and lasers are flying in every direction. He takes a breath, ready to dive in, but before he can move, his wife grabs him by the arm and pulls him back, shaking her head at him with a slight smile.
Without hesitation, she slips through the door with an agility that seems almost otherworldly, rolling seamlessly across the floor and narrowly dodging the incoming fire. In a series of fluid, acrobatic moves, she grabs the pair of Magna Clamps, spins, and slides back through the door, narrowly avoiding another barrage of bullets.
Rose stands frozen, her mouth hanging open in disbelief, while the Doctor smirks, watching her with a mixture of admiration and amusement. He's starting to get used to her impressive skillset, and there's no denying that she's clearly enjoying herself.
"That was fun," the Alchemist mutters, sliding through the door with ease, her grin more than a little mischievous.
The Doctor, still grinning, slides the door shut, but then hesitates. He pulls back for a second, his curiosity piqued.
"Wait. Hold on," he says, muttering to himself as he opens the door again.
He slides his 3D specs on, scanning the battlefield with a glance, and he pulls back again, shutting the door just as quickly.
The Alchemist raises an eyebrow, a knowing smile on her face.
"Off we go," she says, grabbing his hand and pulling him forward toward the rest of the group.
[Yvonne's office]
The Doctor and the Alchemist reach the window just in time to see the Cybermen clomping through the streets, their heavy footsteps echoing in the chaos below. Suddenly, they halt and turn their weapons to the sky, targeting the four Daleks who now appear as enemies. The scene outside is utter mayhem.
Mickey, wide-eyed, glances at the Doctor and the Alchemist, then asks, "The Genesis Ark... what was it?"
The Alchemist doesn't look away from the scene, her voice steady but laced with something darker, "Prison ship. I called it a 'Prison Briefcase' at first, but someone corrected me. Time Lord science—bigger on the inside. I designed the plans before the war, but I never followed through with it."
Mickey shakes his head, his confusion mounting, "Then why did they have it? How many were inside?"
"Stolen," she replies, her voice low and grim, "One of the other Elites must've been ordered to build it under programming, but they followed all my blueprints. Even the one with the elimination device. It uses Vortex energy to remove Daleks from time. Only takes in those with pure mutation. I'm literally the only one who could've done that—gone without a trace, without death. All 15 million of them."
Mickey stares at her, unable to process it.
"Fifteen... million..." he stammers, his voice faltering.
The Doctor walks over, resting a hand on Mickey's shoulder, "Gone. Just like that."
Rose, still trying to understand, hesitates before asking, "Why were they so afraid of you?"
The Alchemist scoffs, a faint bitterness in her tone, "Because I could wave my hand, and like magic, half of them would vanish in any battle. Imagine facing something that powerful, something you can't even see or understand. Wouldn't you be terrified?"
Rose swallows hard, her expression shifting to one of realization and unease as she nods slowly.
[Lever room]
They check the window once more and watch as the four Daleks continue to shoot at those below them, killing humans and Cybermen alike.
"I'm sorry, but you've had it," Pete says, looking away, "This world's going to crash and burn. There's nothing we can do. We're going home."
Pete tosses one of the yellow buttons towards Jackie, who catches it, "Jacks, take this. You're coming with us."
Jackie glares, shouting, "But they're destroying the city!"
He smiles, "I'd forgotten you could argue."
Pete puts the chained disc over her head, "It's not just London, it's the whole world. But there's another world just waiting for you, Jacks," he grasps her shoulders gently, "And it's safe as long as the Doctor and the Alchemist close the breach. Doctor? Alchemist?"
The Doctor spins back around, grinning as he slides his 3D glasses into place, "Oh, I'm ready. We've got the equipment right here. Thank you, Torchwood," he smirks mischievously, shooting a glance at the Alchemist before looking back, "One thing though, Pete. My wife wants a word."
Pete barely has time to register the warning before the Alchemist steps up from her spot by the computer, her expression unreadable.
"Is something wrong, Alchemist?" he asks.
She slaps him. Hard. The sharp crack echoes through the room, leaving a bright red mark on his cheek.
The Alchemist glares, voice low and seething, "That's for forcing my Bondmate into another universe and cutting off our bonds, arsehole ."
Satisfied, she gives a curt nod and strides back to the computer, already focused on inputting the necessary numbers.
Pete blinks in stunned silence, hand pressed to his stinging cheek, before looking over at Jackie.
She simply shrugs, "I'd say you deserved that."
The Doctor turns away from his own computer and looks up, "Now, we're going to slam it down and close off both universes."
"Reboot systems," the computer announces.
Rose shakes her head violently, "But we can't just leave! What about those Daleks? And the Cybermen?"
"They're part of the problem," the Alchemist explains, "And that makes them part of the solution."
The Doctor grins, "Oh yes! Well? Isn't anyone going to ask what is it with the glasses?"
Rose meets his grin with her own, "What is it with the glasses?"
"I can see! That's what. 'cause we've got two separate worlds, but in between the two separate worlds, we've got the Void. That's where the Daleks were hiding. And the Cybermen traveled through the Void to get here. And you lot, one world to another, via the Void. Oh, I like that. Via the Void. Look."
The Doctor tosses Rose the glasses to put on.
"I've been through it," he says, dancing around to show the green and red speckles, "Do you see?"
Rose reaches out to try and grasp them but feels nothing.
"Reboot in three minutes."
Rose frowns, "What is it?"
"Void stuff," he says, grinning wildly at the Alchemist, who rolls her eyes fondly.
"Like uh..." she shrugs, "Background radiation!"
"That's it. Look at the others."
Rose does so and sees that everyone in the room but her mother is surrounded by the floating dots.
"And the only one who hasn't been through the Void—your mother. First time she's looked normal all in her life," he says with a smirk.
Rose lets out a laugh as her mother cries, "Oi!"
"But the Daleks lived inside the Void," he says as he sprints over to the white wall, Rose on his heels.
"They're bristling with it. Cybermen, all of them."
"We just open the Void and reverse; bingo," the Alchemist continues as she walks over the wall as well.
The Doctor nods, grinning, "The Void stuff gets sucked back inside."
"Pulling them all in!" Rose realizes excitedly.
The Time Lords nod.
Mickey frowns and shakes his head, "Sorry, what's the Void?"
The Alchemist shrugs, "The dead space... kinda. Some people call it Hell."
He loops the disc over his neck, "So you're sending the Daleks and Cybermen to Hell," he turns to Jake, grinning, "Man, I told you they were good."
Rose glances down at the swirling particles clinging to her, realization dawning, "But it's like you said," she murmurs, "We've all got Void stuff. Me too, because we went to that parallel world. We're all contaminated. We'll get pulled in."
The Doctor nods, his expression grave, "That's why you've got to go."
"Reboot in two minutes," the countdown echoes.
Rose stares at him, uncomprehending.
"Back to Pete's world," he gestures toward the man before grinning, "Hey, we should call it that. Pete's World ."
The Alchemist shrugs, indifferent, "We're opening the Void, but only on this side. You'll be safe on the other with your family."
Pete glances between them, wary, "And then you close it… for good?"
"The breach itself is soaked in Void… stuff," the Alchemist explains, grimacing as she works at the terminal, "In the end, it'll seal itself."
"Yep!" The Doctor flashes a grin, "And that's it. Kaput."
"But you stay on this side?" Rose's voice falters before she whispers, "…with her ?"
Mickey shoots her a warning look, knowing full well the Alchemist heard.
"But you'll get pulled in," Rose denies.
"That's why we got these," the Alchemist says sharply, gesturing toward the Magnaclamps, irritation creeping into her tone.
The Doctor nods, "We'll just have to hold on tight. Been doing it all our lives."
"I'm supposed to go."
"Yeah."
"To another world, and then it gets sealed off."
"Yes, Rose," the Alchemist states, her voice flat.
"Forever?" Rose lets out a hollow laugh, "That's not going to happen."
A series of deafening bangs erupt from outside, the building shuddering under the impact.
Pete steps forward, his voice firm, "We haven't got time to argue. The plan works. We're going. You too. All of us."
"No, I'm not leaving here!" Rose shouts.
Jackie steps up to her daughter, "I'm not going without her."
Pete rolls his neck in annoyance, "Oh, my God. We're going!"
"I've had twenty years without you, so button it! I'm not leaving her."
"You've got to," Rose implores her mother, turning to face her.
"Well, that's tough!"
"Mum..."
"Reboot in one minute."
Rose's voice wavers with emotion, "I've had a life with you for nineteen years," she says tearfully, "But then I met the Doctor, and all the things I've seen him do—for me, for you, for all of us. For the whole stupid planet and every planet out there. He did it alone, Mum. But not anymore, because now he's got me ."
The Alchemist's eyes darken, her gaze turning razor-sharp. How fucking dare she? The Doctor has never been alone. Not once. Even when separated, even in the darkest moments of the war, they were bound—through time, through space, through their very souls. Rose's words aren't just ignorant; they're a deliberate erasure of everything the Alchemist and the Doctor have built together.
Jackie catches the pure rage simmering in the Time Lady's expression, and her heart sinks under the weight of Rose's obsession—her absolute refusal to accept the truth.
'Give her a fucking button, Theta,' ' the Alchemist demands, full of ice and fire all at once.
'Already planned on it , ' he replies, his own fury barely restrained.
Without hesitation, the Doctor pulls a button from his pocket, slipping it over Rose's head. Pete doesn't hesitate, pressing his own.
"What're you…" Rose starts, but before she can finish, they're gone.
The Alchemist exhales sharply, fingers flying over the console.
The Doctor scoffs, still seething, "How dare she. Over eighteen hundred years of marriage, and she still…"
But before he can finish, Rose reappears, eyes flicking down to the button, "I think this is the on switch."
The Doctor whirls, grabbing her shoulders in a rough grip, shaking her just enough to snap her out of it.
His voice drops, dark and edged with barely contained rage, "Once the breach collapses, that's it. You will never see her again. Your own mother. How do you think that feels?"
The Alchemist stands frozen at the terminal, her whole body taut with fury. The universe itself seems to hold its breath as she turns to face Rose. When she speaks, her voice is dangerously low.
"You have no idea what that's like. Not knowing where your children are, whether they're even alive. And you're planning to make your own mother live that nightmare? On top of everything else you've done? "
Rose lifts her chin, defiant. "I made my choice a long time ago, and I'm never going to leave, Ally," she smiles as if she's won something, and steps forward, "So, what can I do to help?"
"Systems rebooted. Open access," the computer announces.
The Time Lady strides over to her and, without warning, backhands Rose hard, leaving a bruise that burns with the force of her anger. Rose stands frozen in shock, her cheek stinging as she holds it.
"My name is the Alchemist," she growls, her voice like ice, her eyes glowing with the raw power of the Vortex, "Only my friends call me Ally. Because they're the ones I defend. Not pathetic children who desperately cling to the hope of stealing my Bondmate. You don't deserve to speak that name, Rose Tyler."
'We're leaving her behind,' the Doctor's thoughts hum through her mind.
She nods, a dark acceptance of what needs to be done.
"Fine. You want to help? Help. But know this: it's on your head," the Alchemist snaps, turning her back to adjust the temporal feed on the system.
The Doctor barks orders, his tone harsh, "Those coordinates over there—set them all at six… And hurry up!"
Rose approaches the terminal, silent and trembling. She tears the button from her neck and throws it to the ground.
"We've got Cybermen on the way up," the Alchemist mutters as she watches the screen.
The Doctor huffs in frustration, "How many floors down?"
"Just one," she responds, her fingers flying across the console as she inputs the command.
"Levers operational," the computer announces.
"That's more like it. Bit of a smile, maybe? The old team," Rose asks, her voice strained with a forced grin.
"Mmm, team, sure," the Doctor scoffs, a look of disdain crossing his face.
Rose glances between them, her voice wavering with uncertainty, "We are a team, aren't we, Doctor? Ally?"
"That's Alchemistto you," the Time Lady snaps, not looking up from the Magnaclamp she's preparing.
The Doctor gives Rose the second Magnaclamp to put up.
"Press the red button," he orders and turns to help his wife.
"When it starts, just hold on tight," the Doctor explains, "Shouldn't be too bad for us, but the Daleks and the Cybermen are steeped in Void stuff," he asks his wife softly, "Are you ready, Ally?"
The Alchemist glances over to the window, "Yeah, and so are they."
The four Daleks are visible outside the tower.
He nods, "Let's do it."
They shove the levers into place and sprint toward the walls, latching onto the clamps just as the suction intensifies. The Doctor grips his tightly with both hands, while the Alchemist holds on with one, her free arm wrapping securely around his waist like a personal Time Lady seatbelt.
Rose glances over, catching sight of them—of how naturally they move together, of the way the Alchemist instinctively anchors him. Her gaze flickers away just as quickly, and she tightens her grip on her own clamp.
"Online."
With a deafening crash, the Cybermen begin breaking through the glass.
"The breach is open!" the Doctor yells over the roaring wind, "Into the Void! Ha!"
"Back into hell," the Alchemist mutters, her tone dry.
Rose watches, a triumphant smile creeping onto her face as the Cybermen across the globe are pulled into the abyss.
Then her lever sparks and shifts.
"Offline."
"Get it online!" the Alchemist shouts, her voice sharp with urgency.
The pull of the Void starts to weaken. Rose reaches for the lever, but she's already being dragged the wrong way. She has to let go of the Magnaclamp with one hand, stretching desperately toward the controls—but the force is relentless, yanking her toward the breach.
"I've got to get it upright!" Rose calls out, breathing heavily as she pushes it, just managing to get it back up.
"Online and locked."
The wind begins to pull even stronger, and Rose dangles from the lever.
"Rose, hold on!" the Doctor shouts, "Hold on!"
"Do not let go, Rose Tyler!" The Alchemist's voice cuts through the chaos, still furious but tinged with raw concern.
Rose is being dragged horizontally towards the Void, fighting with every ounce of strength she has to reach the lever. Her fingers stretch, straining to grab hold, but the pull is relentless. Finally, her hand slips, and she's torn backward into the vacuum. She tumbles, helpless, until she hits something firm. Dazed, she looks up, her vision clearing to see her father—Pete Tyler, strong and steady. Without hesitation, he hits his button again before vanishing into the safety of the alternate world.
A split second later, the wind dies down. The breach seals itself off with a resounding finality. The Void is closed.
"Systems closed," the computer announces.
The Doctor and the Alchemist stand, staring at the wall where the breach once raged, both relieved but still burning with unresolved anger.
"She's alive; that's what matters. Alive and safe with her family," the Alchemist says, her voice quiet but firm, a reminder that the outcome was as it should be.
The Doctor exhales sharply, his frustration still palpable, "She is. But I never should have chosen her as a companion in the first place... or at least left her behind after we Regenerated," he mutters, his tone heavy with regret.
The Alchemist can't bear it any longer. She strides forward, fists clenched, her frustration turning into physical fury. She punches through the plaster wall, the sound of splintering wood echoing through the room, and in the process, snaps her wrist.
"Alchemist!" The Doctor cries out in alarm, sprinting over and gently pulling her arm free from the debris.
"My arm's broken, but whatever," she whispers, the exhaustion of everything weighing down on her, "She basically said it. She said it doesn't matter how we feel about our children. How we feel about each other. She doesn't even care about her own damn mother..." her voice cracks, the full weight of Rose's betrayal crashing over her.
She sinks slowly to the floor, leaning against the wall, as the Doctor hovers beside her, helpless.
With a strained, controlled movement, the Alchemist uses her Vortex energy to heal her arm. She flexes it slowly, testing the pain that no longer exists and she barely felt.
"Her fault. All of this," the Doctor mutters bitterly, his words more to himself than to her.
She nods slowly, her eyes closed, a quiet understanding between them. They've both suffered the cost of this and Rose... she doesn't understand a thing.
[Dårlig Ulv Stranden]
Rose walks alone in the middle of a windswept beach, looking around.
Pete, Jackie, and Mickey stayed with the jeep to give them privacy.
She pauses, looking around for him when an ethereal image of the Doctor appears to the left of her.
"Where are you?" she whispers.
"Inside the TARDIS," he explains, "There's one tiny little gap in the Universe left, just about to close, and it takes a lot of power to send this projection. I'm in orbit around a supernova. The Alchemist found it; we're burning up a sun."
Rose frowns, "You look like a ghost."
"Hold on," the Doctor mutters and points over with his sonic to bring up the opacity of the transference.
She holds out a hand, "Can I...?"
"I'm still just an image."
She nods, "Can't you come through properly? Is Ally there?"
The Doctor frowns, "The whole thing would fracture. Two universes would collapse, and I don't want to. Also, her name is the Alchemist. She's in her office."
Rose laughs, ignoring his countenance, "Right... So?"
"Where are we?" the Doctor asks, looking around, "Where did the gap come out?"
"We're in Norway."
He kisses his teeth, "Norway. Right."
"About fifty miles out of Burgen. It's called 'Dårlig Ulv Stranden'," she clarifies.
"Dalek?"
Rose laughs, "Dårlig. It's Norwegian for bad. This translates as Bad Wolf Bay. How long have we got?"
The Doctor nods, realizing this is part of Time's payment.
"About four minutes, my Bondmate's doing."
She wraps her jacket around herself and tearfully replies, "I can't think of what to say!"
"You've still got Mister Mickey, then?" the Time Lord asks.
Rose nods, "There's five of us now. Mum, Dad, Mickey, and the baby."
He finally grins, "That's great! You and Mickey, then?"
"No!" Rose says, alarmed at the thought, "It's mum. She's three months gone. More Tylers on the way. I'm uh, I don't want..."
The Doctor rubs the back of his head, "Right, right. I knew that. And what about you? Are you doing anything?"
"Yeah, I'm back working in the shop."
"Oh, good for you."
"Shut up," she laughs, and he grinds his teeth, "No, I'm not. There's still a Torchwood on this planet. It's open for business. I think I know a thing or two about aliens."
The Doctor's expression hardens, his voice now low and dangerous, "Rose Tyler, you should shut that place down. You're dead, officially, back home. So many people died that day... You're on a list of the dead. Yet here you are, living, day after day, while they're all gone."
Her breath catches, "Am I ever going to see you again?"
The Doctor's face tightens, his fury spilling over as he meets her gaze, "You can't. And you won't."
Rose frowns, her heart tightening, "What're you going to do?"
"Oh, I've got my Bondmate," he shrugs slightly, but it's empty, devoid of the warmth it once had, "I've got the TARDIS. Same old life. Last of the Time Lords."
Rose's throat tightens as she fights the lump of jealousy, of hurt, that rises at the thought of them together, "On your own..."
She can't help herself; the words spill out before she can stop them: "I... I love you!"
The Doctor's eyes snap to hers, his expression darkening.
The fury in his eyes is sharp, biting, "You don't. Neither of us believe you do. Infatuation, like we said," he takes a deep, controlled breath, his tone now colder, "I'm not on my own, Rose. I've never been on my own. We warned you. The Alchemist and I—we are forever. I love her. Only her."
Rose looks down at the sand, her hands shaking, her chest aching as the truth hits her. He's wrong, he has to be wrong. She knows. She knows she's the one for him. But she can't say that, can't make him see it.
The Doctor's voice softens, but it's not a comfort; It's laced with guilt, "All those deaths, Rose... She can't stop thinking about them. Neither of us can. We're sending cards to family members or friends of those killed, left and right. One last time. It's what I promised her I'd do. Tell Mickey and Jackie she says hello. Goodbye, Rose Marion Tyler. Get some help."
With one last look, he points his sonic to the side, and the projection disappears, leaving her standing alone, the world around her suddenly colder.
She collapses to her knees, her sobs wracking her body as reality crashes down. He's wrong. He's so wrong. The woman left him for a war she never planned on coming back from, but that's the thing—she knows she's the one. Her family asked her to tell them how it all went, but all she can think of now is one thing.
[TARDIS Console Room]
The Doctor vanishes over a minute earlier than he planned. He stands in the TARDIS, furious, as the Alchemist steps up from where she was sitting behind the console, hidden. He spins and hugs her to him, just breathing in her scent.
"I wish I didn't do that," he whispers.
She nods, "I shouldn't have even suggested it, Theta. I'm so sorry."
"Don't be, Amara. It's her. This is all on her," The Doctor reminds his Bondmate.
She sighs and pulls back, "Come on, let's get out of here."
The Time Lords slowly round the console, setting controls and flicking switches to set up their flight. The Alchemist turns suddenly and sees her; she reaches over and frantically taps her husband's shoulder. The Doctor looks up and spots the woman facing away from them in white. Bridal gown white.
"What?" the Time Lord gapes.
She spins around and yelps, "Oh!"
"What?"
"Who are you?" she demands.
The Alchemist looks at the Time Rotor in confusion before looking back over at her.
"But..." the Time Lady mumbles.
"Where am I, eh?" the bride demands.
"What?" the Doctor repeats.
"What the hell is this place!?"
"What?"