And here is Turn Left! Another great Donna episode.
Next up will be Dalek with the ninth Doctor and Rose
Enjoy!
The group shuffled in their seats wondering what they'd be watching next. The last video had been a bit of break compared to some they'd seen recently, but not exactly a walk in the park with the emotional damage for Donna.
The Tardis didn't give them much time to contemplate everything as the screen went black and the next title appeared.
"Turn Left?" Bill scrunched up her face in confusion, "That's an odd title."
Donna's eyes had widened dramatically, a shiver going down her spine like she'd been dunked in an ice bath. She had a terrible feeling she knew what this was about.
"Donna?" Martha asked concerned upon noticing her reaction. Though whether it was to do with this video or the one they'd just seen was what she didn't know. "Is everything alright?"
Donna turned wide eyes on her, "I think I know what this is about."
"Well, that's not promising." Rory muttered mostly to himself with a long-suffering sigh.
The Doctor looked at her concerned; they couldn't think what this could be about, especially to give her that kind of reaction. "What is it?"
"Nothing you'll remember. Just … just watch." Donna turned her attention to the screen, leaving the rest of the group mystified, more than a little curious, and very concerned.
The video started promptly after Donna's last words, leaving them no time to consider it.
The Doctor and Donna explore an alien market place, flying cars above, lots of banners in the streets with Chinese symbols on them. The Doctor gives Donna a mug of foaming drink
"Oh! I remember this!" The Doctor exclaimed upon seeing the market with Donna. "But … nothing happened?"
"For once." Nardole's sarcastic words were ignored by the group.
Donna shook her head, "Not that you knew about, or that I could remember after it happened." It was starting to hit her how many times her memories had been messed with during her time with the Doctor, and she hated it.
Donna says she'd rather have water and the Doctor says she'd love it, they drink together and she does, they carry on through the market
"Ah the rare occasion we actually make it where we're supposed to, and have a peaceful time." Yaz smiled knowingly at the Doctor who just pouted as the group chuckled.
Salespeople call out to Donna offering odd things, she turns them down not knowing what they are
There were a few chuckles at Donna's obvious lack of knowledge on what the person was trying to sell her; they could understand her confusion but it was still entertaining.
The Doctor is haggling with a stallholder as Donna explores on her own. A young woman in a black and gold robe calls to her, the fortune teller offers to tell her fortune and predict her future
Rory narrowed his eyes, glancing at his wife beside him. "That fortune teller looks a bit like you Amy."
"Huh, it does. That's odd." Amy conceded, making her own assessment of the fortune teller.
Donna tries to say no, but the fortune teller pushes saying doesn't she know if she's going to be happy? Donna argues she's perfectly happy now thanks, the fortune teller continues that she has red hair and it is free for people with red hair
"She's not going to let this go." Martha realised quickly, "She's pushing for something."
Mickey nodded along, "And I doubt it's for any good reason." They'd all grown to be naturally suspicious of people pushing their own agendas across the universe, and they were all getting a weird feeling about this fortune teller. Donna's frown at her appearance only encouraged their suspicions.
Donna concedes, and follows her to her tent. The fortune teller looks at Donna's palm declaring it fascinating, she sees a remarkable man, and asks how she met him
"This sounds like the most ambiguous starter ever." Bill snorted, arms crossed, "All fortune tellers start off with general statements like that."
Donna argues she's supposed to tell her. The fortune teller counters she sees the future so Donna needs to tell her the past, when did their loves cross? Donna admits it is complicated as she ended up in a spaceship on her wedding day which is a long story. The fortune teller pushes asking what led to that meeting
"She's up to something." Clara narrowed her eyes at the screen, suspicions peaking. "She's far too eager to know about your meeting with the Doctor."
The Doctor's forehead was furrowed, eyes darting between the screen and the Doctor perplexed about what was happening and more than a little concerned. Donna's reaction to the video suggested something serious had happened to her while he was distracted, and despite her concern she couldn't deny her curiosity to know what she'd missed.
Donna says it was all sorts of things but her job she guesses, on Earth she was a temp, a secretary at HC Clements. She is thrown into an intense flashback that makes her sway
"What just happened?" Ryan blinked, jolting in his seat at the intense flashback Donna had just experienced.
Donna grimaced, not looking away from the screen. "It's just beginning." The group all shared apprehensive looks at that ominous statement.
Donna apologises and the fortune teller says it is the incense, and to breath deep. She keeps pushing about what choices led her to that job
"I doubt it's the incense." Rose mumbled.
Donna explains she faced a choice six months before, as she got an offer for the HC Clements but there was also another job, as her mother knew a man. She flashes back to being in a car arguing with her mother. Sylvia says his name is Jival Chowdry and he runs a photocopy business and needs a secretary. Donna argues she has a job but her mother pushes that is a temp but this is permanent. Donna waves her off as HC Clements is in the city and is nice and posh, so stop it
Donna shook her head at her mother's normal nagging, it never stopped. The Doctor grinned at the familiar sight of Donna's family.
Back in the tent, the fortune teller says her life could have gone one way or another so what made her decide. Donna says she just did, something small is sneaking up behind her
"What is that?" Jack frowned at the weird camera angle; he couldn't work out what the fortune teller was up to but he wasn't liking it.
The fortune teller pushes further – when was the moment? When did she choose?
"What's her fascination with your choice?" Graham frowned, unnerved by what they were witnessing.
Back in the car, Donna is at a junction waiting to turn onto the main road. Sylvia argues it won't take long; she should just turn tight and they'll pop by to see Mr Chowdry so she can be introduced. Donna is stubborn that she's going left, and if her mother doesn't like it, she can get out and walk
"Oh." River's eyes widened, the title of the video suddenly making sense. "She's going to change your choice."
Donna nodded with a grimace, "And reveal the consequences."
Jack whistled lowly, "A full blown butterfly effect. This can't go well." All of them were very aware of how much difference one of them could make, if Donna never worked at HC Clements than she likely never would have met the Doctor. That couldn't not have big consequences.
Sylvia insists she turns right she'll have a real career; Donna counters she thinks her so useless. Sylvia says she knows Donna wants the HC Clements job so she can meet a man with lots of money and her whole life will change, but let her tell her, city executives don't need temps except for practise. Donna counters they haven't met her
"And I was right." Donna huffed, happy to prove her mother wrong. "If not in the way she meant." The Doctor had certainly changed her life.
In the tent, the fortune teller asks what is she'd turned right instead of left, what then?
"Bad things." Bill summarised, not even having to watch the video to know that was how things were going to end.
Donna snorted, "Oh, you have no idea." The room all shared long looks, concern peaking.
Donna tries to pull back telling her to let go of her hand. The fortune teller doesn't, getting more intense asking what if it changes, what is she goes right, what if she could still go right? Donna tells her to stop it, something jumps on her back
"What's on your back?" Ryan asked a bit panicky, a shiver going down his own back at the idea. Donna's grimace said enough, but didn't give them any actual answers.
Donna asks what's on her back, what is it? Panicking. The Fortune teller tells her to make the choice again, change her mind and turn right. A hooked claw reaches Donna's shoulder as she says she's turning. The Fortune teller insists she turns right
"No, turn left." Mickey countered, "The video title says so." At this point the whole group had made the connection to the title and what they were watching, and none of them were liking the implications.
Back in the car, we hear Sylvia's last words about city executives not needing temps except for practise again
"Or experiments for evil spider aliens." Yaz muttered.
Donna agrees with her, and with the fortune teller's insistence, she turns right and never meets the man, turns right and changes the world
"This can't end well." Amy sighed, thinking back to the brief moment they'd witnessed in an earlier video where Chinny had been erased on Trenzalore - entire stars had disappeared from the sky, she dreaded to think what would happen to the Earth.
It's Christmas, Donna is at a work get together, carrying over drinks to her colleagues. One of the women suggests going to the boardwalk as it is two for one price, Donna protests it will be heaving as it is Christmas eve
"So, we're going to see what happens if Donna wasn't around for the last video, right?" Rory asked, directing the question at Donna as the only one to actually have any idea what happened this video.
Donna nodded, "And then all the consequences after that. Things spiral." That was putting it lightly but they'd see shortly. The only good thing about the horrible mess was that it did wonders for your self-importance, seeing how the world fell to pieces without you.
Veena protests that's Donna's second round of drinks she's bought and she'll get the next, Donna wave her off saying she can afford it as she's been promoted to Chowdry's personal assistance. They toast to their boss, as another colleague protests Donna has all the luck
The group grinned at Donna, glad to see she succeeded and had made friends even with literal different life choices. Though they couldn't help but worried about how things were about to go wrong and there was no denying things were going to go wrong.
Alice, a colleague, is staring at Donna. Donna asks what is it, Alice is confused by what she means
"What's wrong with her?" Rose scrunched up her eyebrow confused by the odd reaction.
Donna asks if someone spilled a drink on her, why does she keep looking at her shoulder? What's wrong? Alice doesn't know
"She can see something." Clara realised, "Whatever's on your back."
Donna says not to tell her she's getting all spooky again, what is she looking at? Alice admits it is like something she can't quite see
The group shared worried glances, all very eager to see what was on Donna's back as it was likely the cause of the video they were seeing.
A man bursts in to the pub and tells them all to shut up and come look at the sky – there's a Christmas star! They all go to look
"I don't think you want to see it." Martha countered, thinking back to the video they'd just seen; the Christmas star wasn't remotely friendly.
Outside the pub, they all look at it, asking how much it must have cost. The Racnoss web ship sails through the sky, another colleague says not to be stupid as it is really flying
"And you don't want to be anywhere near it." Mickey agreed with his wife. It was only time before it started shooting at them.
Donna points out it isn't a star but a web and it's heading east to the middle of the city
"Interesting. Something clearly sticks in your mind for you to know it's a web." The Doctor stared at Donna in a mixture of interest and concern.
Energy shoots off the web and people start screaming and running aside from Donna and Alice. Donna points out there is a big web star thing shooting people but Alice is looking at her. Alice says there is something on her back
"Alice knows what's up." Bill remarked, after all Donna was at the middle of everything.
Alice runs away and Donna walks forward, her colleague Veena asks where she is going, shouting she's gonna get herself killed
"Something's calling you." River noticed, watching the screen with only a brief curious glance at Donna. What was calling her was the question.
She ends up in Canary Wharf where soldiers fire tanks at the web star. Donna arrives at a barricade
"Army doesn't waste any time, regardless of reality." Graham muttered; not sure he was happy about that even if it meant the web was dealt with quickly. The Doctor couldn't help but glance at the Master, knowing he was behind the arm mobilisation. She couldn't help but wonder how the change in reality from Donna's choices would affect his Saxon plot.
The soldiers order everyone back as the Thames has been closed, he tells them to go home and stay away from the river. Donna sneaks quietly around to the back of the army trunks
"You may have made different choices but you still have enough sense of what should have happened to go to the scene of the crime." Jack noted curiously, he'd not experienced something quite like this and he couldn't deny he was interested to see how it would be fixed.
Over the radio, an officer calls for a report. A soldier – Harris – reports from the evidence he'd guess he managed to stop the creature some kind of red spider. Harris continues he blew up the base beneath the barrier and flooded the whole thing
"So, the Doctor still found out about the Racnoss and stopped them." Amy nodded, "That's good."
She made the mistake of looking at Donna whose eyes had not left the screen, but expression was solemn. Maybe the Doctor's interference wasn't good in this case.
The officer asks where he is now. Harris reports they found a body
The group went silent, horrified expressions standard across the group. Any jovial curiosity that had been spreading across the group, eager to see how Donna's choices affected everything was gone in an instant.
"Doctor …" Rose whispered, terrified about how easy things had changed for the worst.
The Doctor herself, was watching the screen with only detached curiosity. She knew how much Donna had affected her, and their first meeting had certainly been risky but it hadn't really clicked how bad Rose's disappearance had affected her and how much Donna had softened the loss. Without Donna there she would have just stayed with the Empress and drowned with her. "Huh." Was the only response she could manage.
"That's it." Surprisingly it was the Master that snapped first. He turned her attention to the ceiling and demanded to the Tardis, "Now!"
Before the Doctor could question what, he meant, no less than a dozen pillows of varying sizes, shapes and colours appeared around his armchair, on top of him included. She opened her mouth to ask what on Earth was happening, only to be greeted by a well-aimed pillow to the face.
She blinked, in a state of complete confusion over what was now happening. Vaguely she heard several snickers from other members of the group but she was distracted by a second pillow whacking her in the nose.
The Master was looking on with a smirk, ever the cat that got the cream. She spluttered in protest, now wary of the collection of pillows well within his reach. "What?" She finally managed to ask.
She could practically feel the pride in his smirk, "My dear, you really think I've been wasting our breaks?" Everyone watched on, cautiously amused by what had just happened, and grateful for the break after seeing the Doctor die on screen. "The Tardis and I reached an agreement, you see. And one thing we can agree on is you continuously prove yourself to be stupider and stupider. We decided that if you were punished for your stupid ideas, maybe you'd be less likely to go through with them."
"And you're not allowed to do any actual harm, hence the pillows." The Doctor realised with a sigh, feeling more than a little betrayed by the Tardis. The Master's answering smirk was all the confirmation she needed, thankfully the Tardis decided to take mercy on her (for once) and continued the video before she could be attacked by another pillow.
First responders bring a covered body on a stretcher. The officer asks if it is him, Harris thinks so, saying he didn't make it out in time
"Or he chose to stay." Clara frowned with a glare at the Doctor. They'd all seen how he was acting in the last video, and it wasn't surprisingly that without Donna's interference he would have just stayed. Not after losing Rose.
The stretcher is lifted into the ambulance, an arm drops from under the blanket and drops a sonic screwdriver to the ground
The group watched in silence, any protests or feeble denial they could have mustered disappearing with the sonic screwdriver. River grabbed her wife's hand and clutched it tightly; this very premise haunted her nightmares especially after the wholly too close mess with the Silence when time stopped.
"Guess Donna was right; we didn't know how bad this was going to be." Yaz muttered, Donna's earlier words hitting differently now. There was a difference between a world where Donna and the Doctor didn't meet, and a world where the Doctor was just dead; and they hadn't been expecting the second to be due to the first.
"If this is the start." Amy muttered, eyeing Donna and the Doctor worriedly, "How bad is this going to get?" Donna didn't respond, didn't even meet anyone's eyes.
Harris declares the Doctor dead as it must have happened too fast for him to regenerate. He orders an escort for the ambulance back to UNIT base
"Or he chose not to." Bill muttered quietly, unable to stop thinking about Eyebrow's refusal to do so. The tension wasn't even broken by the Doctor getting whacked in the face by another pillow.
Donna walks away; a blonde woman runs towards her - Rose
"Rose?" Martha blinked at her appearance, very confused on how the other was on their world. Or at least what she presumed was still their world, it was confusing enough with the alternative reality thing.
The Doctor's eyes had widened, glancing at the figure on screen. Apparently when Rose saved them during the Earth being stolen, it hadn't been her first attempt to cross dimensions.
Rose asks what happened and if they found something? Donna says she doesn't know, a bloke called the Doctor or something. Rose asks where he is then, Donna apologises as they took him away as he's dead. She asks if Rose knew him, as they didn't say his name, could be any doctor
The group all winced, that can't have been easy to cross dimensions to just find out the Doctor was dead. Rose was frowning, very glad that she couldn't remember this alternative reality
Rose says she came so far, Donna insists it could be anyone. Rose asks her name and Donna introduces herself, asking Rose's name in return. Rose waves it off saying she was just passing by and shouldn't even be there, she says it is wrong, so wrong. Then sha asks what was it, Donna what?
"You see whatever's on her back too!" Ryan pointed out, just eager for this video to be over quickly already.
Donna asks why she keeps looking at her back, Rose protests she isn't. Donna pushes yes, she is, what's there? Donna tries to look at her own back and Rose vanishes
Mickey and Rose shared a glance, very aware of what had just happened. One of the numerous tests they'd tried before finally succeeding.
"How did you manage that?" Rory asked curious.
Mickey answered for the pair, "Cross-dimension transporter. Took lots of tests before we got it completely right." The group just nodded, accepting that crazy idea because that was just their lives.
Later, at Chowdry's office. Donna protests that he can't fire her, she's his personal assistant
The group winced, apparently things in this reality kept going downhill. Regardless of realities, Donna couldn't keep a job because of the Racnoss.
Chowdry says she doesn't have to make a scene, just come downstairs so they can talk. Donna protests no, she'll make a scene alright, and the first thing she'll tell the tribunal is wandering hands
Martha shook her head fondly at Donna, it took a lot to phase her.
Chowdry tries to placate her, saying she knows what it has been like for the last few months ever since the Christmas thing. Half his contracts were on the others side of the river and the Thames is still closed off, he's losing a fortune
"The draining had that much of an impact? How? It didn't the first time?" The Doctor mused curious more than anything. The rest of the group ignored her, shooting her a few disbelieving look for her messed up priorities.
Donna tells him to sack someone else then, sack Cliff as she just sits there all day. The building shakes with a boom
"What was that?" Amy asked wary; they'd all been waiting for the impacts of the Doctor's death to hit them but they hadn't expected it so literally.
Donna grimaced as the Doctor winced, both the only ones aware of what was about to happen for different reasons. Martha glanced at the pair, curious to see how the lack of Doctor would affect everything that happened to her.
Chowdry asks what the hell it was, like an earthquake. A black cloud gathers in the sky as he comments on the weird clous. Donna is still fixed on losing her job, asking who typed her notice as she was his PA
There were a few snickers at Donna still being completely fixated on losing her job when some major event had just happened outside.
The news declares an entire hospital vanished – the Royal Hope no longer exists. It wasn't destroyed as there is no wreckage, it's just gone. Witnesses report rain lifted up around the hospital
"Oh." Martha remarked, eyes darting between the screen, Donna and the Doctor. She had the terrible feeling that she knew how this was going to end without the Doctor intefering. Mickey was watching her concerned, she'd explained how she'd met the Doctor to him after all.
Donna is clearing her desk, declaring what she's taken. Chowdry tells her to have respect as there was two thousand people in the hospital that vanished
"Martha's in there." Mickey clarified for the rest of the room.
The attention turned her way, worry increasing as Martha's life became another thing on the line. She nodded, "It's how I met the Doctor." She didn't need to add how that wasn't going to happen in this reality.
Donna says she'll show them vanishing, thanks for nothing. Another boom, and she says not to tell her the hospital's back, isn't that wizard
"At least its back?" Ryan tried to be optimistic.
"But how many are still alive?" Yaz added on, with a grimace. Ryan just waved his hands at her; he wasn't going to mention that part!
At her house, the news confirms the hospital has returned in its original place but with only one survivor – a medical student named Oliver Morgenstern
Mickey grabbed Martha's hand, clutching it tight to remind himself this was an alternative reality and Martha was safe next to him. The Doctor glanced concerned to her, everyone else following her lead; they'd really gone straight into major consequences.
Martha just listened to the video with a grim look on her face, it was really weird to think how one little choice from Donna had such major impacts – not because of it being Donna, more because the realities of the truth behind the butterfly effect hitting her.
Morgenstern is talking on tv about rhinos, talking rhinos in black leather. Donna questions the rhino thing
"The Judoon." Martha grimaced.
The Doctor offered her a frown, "A Judoon platoon upon the moon." Except this time, they hadn't gotten home safe.
Wilf suggests they could be aliens and Donna shushes his as Morgenstern continues. He says there were hundreds of them and they couldn't breathe. A colleague of his gave him the last oxygen tank – Martha Jones, and she died
Again, the groups attention went straight to Martha who was just frowning at the screen. Donna was also watching, when this had all gone down, she'd had no real idea of how big an effect she'd had, or how the consequences affected the Doctor's next companions.
"So that's the Doctor and Martha dead." Jack was frowning as he leaned forward in his seat. "The consequences are only going to double." And they weren't going to be pleasant. Personally, he could think of several occasions where Martha had saved everything, without her many things would have gone different. Add that to having no Doctor, they were on a rapid downward spiral.
Sylvia comforts Donna that at least she got a hole punch and raffle ticket, Donna says they can keep the raffle s she won't take a penny from him. Wilf is in disbelief with them as there is aliens on the news, the hospital was taken to the moon and they're talking about raffle tickets
"Wilf is a sensible man." Rory gestured to the only sane member of the trio on screen.
The Doctor grinned, "Wilf is an amazing man." Donna shook her head; Wilf and the Doctor really had their own relationship built on mutual admiration and awe.
Donna tells him not to be daft as it can't be the moon
"It was." Martha muttered mostly to herself, thinking back to how it had gone in her memories.
Wilf says he's telling them it's getting worse the last few years, all of sudden it's like they know about them and there are eyes up there watching them and they aren't friendly
"Some are." River countered, "We just have the misfortune of seeing those that wish to take over most of the time."
Donna is shocked how well Sylvia is taking her being sacked. Sylvia says she's tired, with her dad and everything and honestly, she's given up on her
Donna was frowning sadly at the screen; it was just different enough from what had actually happened but it still stung. In the actual reality she'd gotten so focused on finding the Doctor that she hadn't cared what her mother said, yet here she'd lost her job and everything was falling to pieces.
The news continues with a further report from Morgenstern. He says there was a woman who took control, said she knew what to do to stop the MRI or something, her name was Sarah Jane Smith
The Doctor sat up in their seat at the news, eyes widening. "No! Sarah Jane!" Losing Martha was bad enough, losing Sarah Jane too in the same incident was too much.
"Earth's defenders are dwindling, fast." Mickey frowned. Really with Sarah Jane and the Doctor gone, that only left Torchwood and Jack at that time. Jack bit his lip, he was starting to expect to hear of his own demise soon and he wasn't entirely sure how to feel about it.
The news explains Sarah Jane was a freelance investigative journalist and her body was recovered from the hospital late that afternoon, she had a son named Luke and early reports say that Luke -
The group watched on in dread, this video just kept getting worse and worse; they could only take reassurance from the fact that it was an entirely other reality. Still, hearing about Martha and Sarah Jane's demise, and how the Earth was increasingly less and less defended wasn't easy.
Donna asks what is for tea, and Sylvia says they have nothing in. Donna suggests fish and chips with the last of her wages. The news continues that Luke and his teenage friends – Maria Jackson and Clyde Langer - were also inside the hospital and it is feared they also died
The Doctor shook his head in disbelief. Not just Sarah Jane and Martha, but all three of the teenagers that followed her gone too. She wasn't sure what she'd expected out of this video, but it wasn't this. She was looking forward to having it be over.
Donna is walking the streets slowly at night when she sees a blinding flash in a nearby alley, Rose runs out
"Rose again." Clara mused.
"Another failed test." Rose sighed; she would have preferred to not have to suffer this reality anymore but apparently, she wasn't getting her wish.
Donna asks if she is alright and was that a firework or -, Rose cuts her off saying she doesn't know as she was just walking along that's weird. Donna realises she is the woman she met on Christmas eve, Rose remembers her name, and Donna asks her name again in return
"Still not getting an answer." Nardole muttered.
Rose asks how she is doing, what has she been up to? Donna says she's doing it again – looking behind her, and people keep doing that, looking at her back
"Because something is wrong." Bill crossed her arms.
Rose asks what kind of people, and Donna says people in the streets, strangers, she catches them staring but when she looks there is nothing there. Rose asks what she is doing for Christmas
"What do you know?" Amy raised an eyebrow at Rose, she wasn't the best actress and it was clear something was off. Rose just shrugged, even if she'd ended up in this reality instead of the actual one, she couldn't remember anything about it.
Donna is confused by the question and Rose clarifies does she have any plans for next Christmas
The Doctor's eyes had widened, suddenly reminded of what happened next Christmas. Without him there to stop it, Donna really didn't want to be in London.
Donna doesn't know as it is ages away but nothing much she guesses, why? Rose thinks she should get out, her and her family, leave the city, maybe a nice hotel break
"She's right. Get out of London." The Doctor turned a serious look on Donna, despite knowing there was literally nothing she could do and this was both the past and an alternative reality. Donna just grimaced, aware of what the Doctor was trying to warn her about.
Donna argues she can't afford it, Rose agrees but says she has the raffle ticket. Donna asks how she knows about that, Rose ignores her saying the first prize is a luxury weekend break and she should use it. Donna asks why she won't share her name, adding she thinks Rose should leave her alone. Donna walks on, there is a flash of light behind her
"I think you should listen to her." Yaz declared, not sure why it was so serious Donna wasn't in London over Christmas, but confident that both Rose and the Doctor had a very good reason.
Wilf, Sylvia and Donna drive up to a converted country house hotel as Christmas songs play. Wilf calls it posh, saying he always said Donna was lucky, his lucky star
"You won the raffle prize." Rory stated the obvious.
Donna nodded, "Yes, very luckily." She snorted, there was no way it hadn't been rigged. By who or what she wasn't sure but there was no way she'd been that lucky. It was more likely whatever was controlling the alternative reality wanted her to see the full consequences of her choice.
Wilf is wearing fuzzy antlers on his head as people help them unload the car. Sylvia demands they don't tell anyone they won it in a raffle and to be classy, telling Wilf to take the antlers off
"Good old Wilf." The Doctor grinned fondly, very glad to see Wilf, Sylvia and Donna all safe out of the collision range of London. Wilf was as stubborn as his granddaughter, and it took a lot to calm his cheer.
Wilf refuses to as it is Christmas. Donna thinks they deserve it as it has been a hell of a year. Sylvia says her dad would have loved it, Donna agrees
Donna frowned at the screen, regardless of reality her dad died. Though maybe it was better than having to go through what they went through in this alternative reality.
There is a knock on their hotel room, Donna tells him to get the door as it will be Christmas. He's stuck sleeping on the sofa as Sylvia eats chocolate on the bed. Wilf asks why Sylvia can't get it, she argues it is Christmas day and she never gets up early, only Donna did like when she was a child
"Enjoy the holiday while you can." Mickey muttered, both serious because the place looked cool and worried because they all knew something was about to go very wrong.
Donna says she isn't wasting a second in the place, asking Wilf how the sofa was, it wasn't good, he suggests they could have paid for a second room. They all exchange Christmas greetings, and Wilf finally answers the door where a maid waits with her own greeting
Despite the tension in the room and foreboding feeling, the group managed some small smiles at seeing Donna and her family happy.
There is breaking news on the tv, Sylvia asks if they have seen it
"I think you might want to watch the TV." Graham remarked, eyes darting to the TV whenever it was on screen. He didn't know what was about to be announced, but it couldn't be anything good.
Donna is outlining the plan for the day, saying she wants to go for a walk before presents. Sylvia calls her to the tv as the maid says something in Spanish, Donna asks what
"Yes, what is it?" Amy leaned forward in her seat, apprehension killing her enough that she just wanted to see what disaster had occurred. The sooner this was all over the better.
Sylvia insists she looks at the tv, the news is talking about a replica of the RMS Titanic. The maid repeats her words in Spanish.
River raised an eyebrow at the Doctor who was grimacing, she could have sworn she'd heard a story about a Titanic from the Doctor at some point.
Donna asks what she means, the maid repeats it again, seeing claws on her shoulder but the mirror reveal nothing, the maid flees
"Seriously what is on your back?" Bill asked getting more and more frustrated by the lack of answers. Donna didn't provide any answers, eyes glued to the screen.
The Doctor, River, Jack and even the Master were all attempting to work out what was on Donna's back, and causing everything they were seeing but each kept coming up blank. This wasn't something any of them had encountered in their long years travelling time and space, and for once they were quite glad of that fact.
Sylvia demands she comes look, she does. The tv reports footage of an object falling to Central London, a replica of the Titanic and it is heading for Buckingham Palace, it is not a hoax, they have footage from a range of satellites
"A what is what?" Clara blinked in disbelief before letting out a long-suffering sigh, "You know what, of course it is." It was hardly the craziest thing they'd seen.
Donna asks if it is a film or something. The news continues that the Royal Air Force have declared an emergency – the picture is lost as the Titanic crashes into London, a shockwave rattling the hotel
The room was dead silent, no one daring to even breath at the sudden obliteration of London. No one was sure what to say, although Rose and the Doctor's push for Donna to be out of London for Christmas suddenly made a lot more sense. After several moments of silence, the group struggling to fully take in what they were witnessing, the video continued.
Sylvia states its gone dead. Donna says not to be daft, the Titanic? Is it a sequel or something
"Oh, Donna." The Doctor shook her head at the redhead's state of shocked denial.
Wilf looks out the window muttering God rest their souls. Guests and staff rush outside and look down the valley to London where a mushroom cloud is rising. Wilf says he was supposed to be there selling papers, they should all be there, they'd be dead
The Doctor grimaced at the reminder of how they'd seen Wilf in their reality where the Titanic had been stopped, very glad for Rose's warning.
Sylvia is stunned as that's everyone they know, the whole city, Donna argues it can't be, but Sylvia insists it is, London's gone
"That's going to have major consequences everywhere. The whole of London just … gone." Mickey exclaimed; eyes still wide at the scope of destruction.
Martha nodded along with her husband's declaration even as he eyes drifted to the Master, very curious to know what he'd been up to in this reality. They'd not heard a whisper about any of his schemes. Had he still gone for Prime Minister? Or had the Doctor's death put him off everything?
Wilf adds if she hadn't won the lottery. Donna spots the maid pointing an accusing finger at her. Later, at a makeshift housing office, Donna protests saying she isn't moving to Leeds
"Anyone not in London during the collision is suddenly homeless." Rose realised with a grimace.
Donna nodded with a matching expression, "And not just those from London." Her comment drew a few curious glances, but she just waved to the screen to answer for her.
The officer says its either Leeds or they ca wait in a hostel for another three months. Sylvia just wants a washing machine. Donna asks about Glasgow as she heard there were jobs going there
Clara couldn't help but mutter something about Glasgow, the Doctor grinning at her even as the rest of the group was left confused by the little interaction.
The officer says she can't pick and choose as the whole of Southern England is flooded with radiation, that's seven million people needing relocation and France has closed its borders, so it is Leeds or nothing. He ushers them out shouting for the next
Jack let out a low whistle, "Consequences. That little butterfly created a hurricane with one flap."
One little change in direction from Donna had caused all this. It was incredible in a terrible way.
The Nobles arrive in Leeds, dropped off by an army bus in a terraced street with lots of other families. A soldier lists out where the families are going. Their name is called and they start to move, a woman remarks about a nice family that used to live in the house but they missed one mortgage payment and were kicked out for their lot
"Apocalypse world much." Ryan muttered at the video on screen. They really were seeing how everything could go wrong so quickly.
Yaz raised an eyebrow at him, "Would you not call a giant Titanic falling on London an apocalypse?"
Ryan shrugged, "Not a conventional one."
Donna argues back not to get chippy with her. Wilf tells her to come on as she won't make the world better by shouting at it, Donna protests she can try
"I don't know, if anyone could it would be Donna." Martha laughed, proud of her friend and glad to see she was still herself despite everything she was going through in this alternative reality.
They are outside the house and Sylvia asks what happens, do they get keys? Wilf doesn't know and Sylvia asks if they should talk to the soldiers
"They don't really look talkative." Rory pointed out, his own experience with soldiers telling him they didn't want to mess with them unless they really had to.
The front door opens, Rocco welcomes them saying it is a big house with room for all. Donna thought it was their house, Rocco corrects it is many people's house, wonderful, come in
"Sharing." River remarked, "Not surprising with that many people displaced."
"For once the north wins!" Graham cheered.
Rocco introduces the houses' inhabitants; he's been there eight weeks already. There is a family of seven upstairs, he's got his wife, her sister and husband, their kids and daughter's kids. He shows them their room
"That's a lot of people in one house." Nardole remarked, the list going on and on.
It's a galley kitchen with camp beds on the floor and curtain for a door. Sylvia asks what he means, and Rocco says they live there. Rocco says they have camp beds and the cooker to keep warm or fridge to keep cool, good huh?
"Cheerful bloke." Mickey tried looking on the bright side. There wasn't exactly much for them to be happy about in this video outside of Donna and her family still being alive.
Sylvia asks about the bathroom, Rocco says nobody lives there but Sylvia corrects him asking if there is a rota. Rocco explains it is pot luck; he then goes to wake his mamma as she likes new people. Wilf cheerfully says they'll settle in, make do, bit of wartime spirit, eh?
"You'd know, Wilf." The Doctor sighed, mustering a fond smile for the old man.
Donna argues there isn't a war, there is no fight, it's just this. Wilf says America will save them, it was on the news, they're sending fifty billion quid in financial aid
"I wouldn't count on that." Jack muttered; very confident something was going to hit America soon. With the alien's normal target of Britain gone, surely, they'd turn their attention elsewhere.
Later, on the news, it is reported America is in crisis as over sixty million people dead after they dissolved into fat, an there are reports of spaceships over every major US city as the fat flies away
"Fat!?" Amy nodded in disbelief, eyes wide, "Things can somehow always get weirder." She'd almost forgotten about Donna and the Doctor's second meeting with everything they'd seen since.
Donna and the Doctor shared a look, apparently the Adipose had gone for America in the absence of Britain, and this time they'd succeeded.
Wilf says aliens, Donna says yeah
"That summarises about 75% of our lives." Clara snorted.
At night, the room is lit by tea-lights, Sylvia and Donna's beds are head-to-head. Sylvia asks if Donna remembers the woman who worked in the newsagent on Sunday, Donna says they never really spoke, but Sylvia says she'll be dead, every day she thinks of someone else, all dead
"Not the best coping mechanism." Ryan muttered; this video was really one disaster after another.
Donna suggests maybe she went away for Christmas, Sylvia repeats maybe doubtfully. Donna says she'll go out tomorrow, walk into town as there has to be work, everyone needs secretaries and once she's earning, they'll get a proper place, just wait
"Got to stay optimistic." Yaz tried to muster a smile, but with little success.
Sylvia asks what if it never gets better, Donna insists it will, her mum persist that even the bees are disappearing, you don't see them anymore
"Weird detail to notice." Rory frowned, confused about why that was important but knowing it had to be as everything so far had been.
"But an important one." The Doctor remarked, sharing a small grin with Donna.
Donna declares the emergency government will sort them out, Sylvia asks what if they don't, and Donna says they'll complain. Sylvia pushes who will listen to them, they're refugees, haven't even got a vote, they're no one, they don't exist
"Everybody is someone." Amy remarked. It had been a lesson the Doctor had been careful to drill into their heads during their time travelling with them.
They hear singing from the front room, Donna hears Rocco and declares she will kill him, getting up to complain, but Rosso steps aside to reveal Wilf who says he always loved a sing song
"Good on you, Wilf!" Jack smiled, happy to see the old man making the best of a terrible situation.
Everyone joins in, singing along to songs like Bohemian Rhapsody
The tension eased slightly, the group enjoying watching Donna's family on screen trying to live their lives within an apocalyptic Britain.
They hear gunfire outside; people move but Rocco tells them to stay there
Instantly, the cheer left the room. Smiles dropping as the tension rose at the familiar sounds of gunfire.
Out on the street a soldier is shooting at his jeep, trying to kill it as it pumps out thick exhaust gas
Martha's eyes widened, grimacing as she made the connection. "ATMOS."
"ATMOS?" Bill questioned, glancing between Martha and the screen.
She shook her head, "Something the Doctor and I dealt with."
Graham nodded in understanding, "But with you and the Doctor gone, it wasn't dealt with." Which means whatever disaster they'd adverted was about to reck Donna's alternative reality.
Rocco shouts at him as firing at the car is not good, is he crazy? The soldier says it is the ATMOS thing, it won't stop, its toxic gas. Wilf says to switch it off then
"Don't think it's that easy." Mickey dipped his head; he loved Wilf but he strongly doubted the soldiers hadn't already tried that before reaching for their guns.
The soldier explains he has and it is still going, it is all the cars, all the ATMOS cars, they've gone mad. He then shouts at Donna, aiming his weapon at her as he shouts for her to turn around
"Woah, woah, woah!" Rose protested, "This is escalating too fast."
"He's seen whatever's on your back." Ryan realised concerned.
Yaz grimaced, "And he's got a gun."
Rocco asks if he is crazy as Wilf shouts to put the gun down. The soldier repeats his order to turn around, show him her back, Sylvia says to do as he says
"She's right, do as he says." Clara stated, every nerve on her body alight.
More shouting, Donna raises her arms and turns around slowly. There is nothing there, the soldier apologises as he thought he saw something
"I'm not sure I can take much more than this." Martha sighed, shaking her head. When was this video going to end?
Wilf shouts at him, saying he calls himself a soldier? Pointing guns at innocent women and he's a disgrace, in his day he'd be court martialled. Donna sees a bright flash of light at the bottom of the street and walks towards it
"Rose." Nardole declared, all of them now able to recognise the signs of Rose's appearance in their world.
Sylvia shouts after her, asking where she is going as it isn't safe at night. Donna ignores her, turning the corner and greeting Rose calmly who says hi back
"Remarkably calm." Amy mused upon observing Donna's state of mind. Apparently, Donna was also getting very fed up of everything happening in this reality.
They're at a park as Rose explains it is the ATMOS devices, and they're lucky as it isn't so bad here, Britain hasn't got much petrol. She continues other places – Europe, China, South Africa, they're all getting choked by gas
"So, what was ATMOS?" Rory asked curious.
Martha thought for a second before answering vaguely, "Long story short - Sontarans."
Donna asks can't anyone stop it, and Rose says they're trying right now, a little band of fighters on the Sontaran ship, and any moment now – the sky burns. Donna asks what it was, and Rose explains it was the Torchwood team – Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones – they gave their lives and Captain Jack Harkness was transported to the Sontaran home world, there is no one left
The group all turned their attention to Jack who just sighed, having been expecting that news for a while but still disappointed to hear his whole team was dead.
"And there goes the last of Earth's defenders." River frowned; everything was up to Donna now.
Donna points out she's always wearing the same clothes, and asks why she won't share her name. Rose says none of it was supposed to happen, there was a man, a wonderful man and he stopped it – the Titanic, Adipose, ATMOS, all of it
"You know a lot about everything, Rose." Yaz turned a questioning look on the older woman.
Rose just shrugged, "I have no idea how." Maybe it was a consequence of the alternative realities or something but she really couldn't remember any of this.
Donna replies that Doctor, and Rose says Donna knew him, she asks when. Rose continues she thinks Donna dreams about him sometimes, a tall thin man in a suit with great hair, really great hair
Several people managed chuckles despite the tension in the room, Donna and Rose sharing a grin while the Doctor just floundered unsure how to respond to that.
Donna asks who she is and Rose admits she was like her, she used to be her, and Donna has travelled with him, the Doctor in a different world. Donna counters she never met him and he's dead. Rose says he died underneath the Thames on Christmas Eve but she was meant to be there, he needs someone to stop him and that was her, Donna made him leave, saved his life
"Several times." The Doctor smiled at Donna, thinking back to the good days of their time travelling time and space.
Donna has a memory of the Racnoss Queen and the water bursting into the tunnels, she remembers telling him to stop
"So, things can slip through, interesting." River mused, that was a promising sign.
Donna tells her to stop it as she doesn't know what Rose is talking about, she demands the other leaves her alone. Rose warns her something is coming, something worse. Donna says the whole word is stinking so how can anything be worse than this. Rose replies to trust her, they need the Doctor more than ever, she admits she's been pulled across from a different universe
"Big responsibility." Mickey exclaimed, wide eyed.
The Doctor was busy ignoring the pointed looks Jack and River were giving her – they'd take any chance to remind her of her importance and that was a pretty good point.
For once she decided turning her attention to the Master was the smart choice, he wasn't likely to be giving her any kind of awed look or reminder. It was a mistake. She didn't even get to see his face before a pillow wacked her in the face. With the lack of any other option she turned to the screen, pillow tumbling to the floor as she hoped the Tardis took mercy on her and allowed the video to continue.
Donna asks what is, Rose replies the darkness
"Ominous but not descriptive." Bill declared, arms crossed and concern obvious.
Donna asks what she is telling her for, what is she supposed to do? She's nothing special, she's a temp, not even that, she's nothing
That caught the Doctor's attention, immediately whipping around to face Donna who just rolled her eyes at the Doctor. The Doctor frowned but didn't make the point she was desperate to try.
ROSE: Donna Noble, you're the most important woman in the whole of creation.
"Absolutely." The Doctor agreed without hesitation, eyes never leaving Donna who was turning red under the attention. This whole video was showing them all just how incredibly important Donna was.
Donna tells her not to, she's tired, so tired. Rose needs her to come with her, Donna replies that blonde hair might work on men but she ain't being shifted, Rose says that's more like it
Rose grinned happy to see Donna acting like Donna, and hoping the version of her on screen had some answers on how to stop everything.
Donna replies she has plenty more. Rose says to come with her, when she wants to. Donna days she'll have a long wait then, Rose counters not really, just three weeks. She asks if his grandfather still owns that telescope
"So now you can see the future?" Clara asked perplexed.
Rose just shrugged, "Apparently. The parallel world I live in runs on a different time pace. That might be why I know so much."
Donna shares he never let's go of it and Rose tells her three weeks, she has to be certain because when she comes, she's so sorry but she's going to die. Rose fades away
"Oh great." Amy said, "Best way to convince someone to come with you."
The Doctor was watching Donna, getting increasingly worried about how this was all going to end. It wasn't sounding like it was going to end well, but she was eager for it to end.
Back at the house, Rocco says he's going to miss Donna most of all. She asks why he has to leave and Rocco tells her it is the new law – England for the English. He adds they can't send them home as the oceans are closed, but they built labour camps
"Oh, I doubt that." River tensed, apparently the English government had gone there. She'd heard that plenty of times before.
Donna replies she knows but labour doing what? There aren't any jobs. Rocco says sewing, digging, is all good, he kisses her on both cheeks
"He knows." Rory frowned, unsure how Rocco could be so cheery when he knew exactly was about to happen to him and his family.
Rocco salutes Wilf who returns the honour, before Rocco joins his family on the back of the army truck. Donna says it will be quiet with him gone, but they'll have more room. Wilf is still watching, he says labour camps, that's what they called them last time. Donna asks what he means and Wilf says it is happening again
The group sat in silence, dread filling their bones at Wilf's solemn declaration.
"You have to fix this Donna." Martha turned a stubborn stare onto her friend. She'd had more than enough of this. Donna met her with an understanding look, giving a solemn nod, she'd done all she could to ensure she did. And she had.
Donna chases after the truck asking where they are taking them, she shouts to Rocco asking where they are going repeatedly. She doesn't get an answer
"Nowhere good." Nardole sighed.
Back at the house, Donna tells her mother she asked about jobs in the army but they said she wasn't qualified, and Sylvia was right, she guesses she's always been a disappointment. Sylvia mutters yeah
"No." The Doctor offered no further words, but her tone was fixed. This wasn't a matter she was willing to bend on.
Outside in the garden, Wilf has a fire in a brazier as he sets up his telescope. Wilf says they'd get some cash if he sold the thing but Donna tells him not to dare. She adds she always imagined she'd put some money aside and make him comfy but she never did, she's just useless. She continues he's supposed to say she's not, but Wilf is distracted looking at the stars saying it must be the alignment
"Something's wrong with the stars." Clara guessed, unable to help but think back to the video they'd watched recently on Trenzalore. They'd been seeing the effects of the Doctor's death and Donna's choices on Earth, but they hadn't seen the consequences in space, and there were guaranteed to be consequences.
Donna asks what is wrong, and Wilf says it can't be the lens because he was looking at Orion, he tells her to take a look asking what she can see. Donna can't see anything it's just black
"They're gone." Bill muttered in horrified awe. The night sky had never been so empty, and that was a terrible thing.
Wilf says the telescope is working and Donna suggests it is clouds, but there aren't any clouds, Donna insists there must be
"Denial is the only way to stay sane." Rose hummed in sympathy and understanding.
Wilf protests there isn't, and it was there, an entire constellation. He looks again and tells her to do the same as he realises that they are going out, the stars are going out
"Everything is ending." Jack said solemnly, sharing a knowing glance with River.
"No, it's only just beginning." Donna countered with a grim look, not moving her eyes from the screen despite the worried looks the room shared around her.
Donna declares she is ready; Rose is standing behind her
Yaz sighed, "What else is going to convince you that something is wrong than the stars going out?"
In a warehouse, a UNIT land rover drops them off at a warehouse full of scientific equipment, UNIT soldiers and scientists in lab coats
"UNIT." Martha nodded, "Maybe everyone that could help isn't gone."
A female officer – Magambo – salutes Rose as she greets her. Rose reminds her not to salute
Rose rolled her eyes at the Doctor, not disagreeing with her alternative self but knowing where she'd got that habit from. "Doctor."
"What?" The Doctor protested, unable to see how this was her fault. Rose just shook her head fondly.
Magambo counters if she's not going to tell them her name. Rose goes to the control centre as Donna says they don't know either. Rose explains she's crossed too many different realities and the wrong word in the wrong place can change an entire casual nexus
"Or help in this case." Amy countered. She had no doubt hearing Rose's real name might help convince Donna, or when she returned to her own reality the Doctor may want to know about Rose.
Magambo tells Donna she talks like that a lot, saying she must be Miss Noble. They introduce themselves to each other, and Captain Erisa Magambo thanks her. Donna admits she doesn't even know what she's doing. Rose asks if it is awake, Magambo replies it seems to be quiet today, like it is waiting. The Tardis is hooked up to some equipment
"The TARDIS!" The Doctor cheered at seeing her baby, glad to know it hadn't been buried at the bottom of the Thames, or destroyed by the Titanic. UNIT was probably the best people to have the Tardis if someone on Earth had to have her.
Rose asks if she wants to see it as they salvaged it from underneath the Thames. Donna asks why she should go inside, and Rose tells her to just go. Donna does, saying no way as she comes back outside, checks the exterior and returns inside then out again
"The normal reaction." Mickey grinned, they'd gotten two Tardis reactions out of Donna and in consecutive videos.
Rose asks what she thinks and Donna asks for a coffee
Donna's comment caused the group to break out into chuckles beside themselves. Everything was still tense, Rose's earlier comment on how this all had to end weighed heavily on them.
Rose tells her Time And Relative Dimensions In Space, the room used to shine with light, she thinks it is dying
"Abandoned and with her Time Lord dead, it's only a matter of time." River sighed; eyes closed. Every time they thought they'd seen all the consequences they were only presented with more.
Rose strokes the time rotor and it moves a little, still trying to help. Donna asks that it belonged to the Doctor, Rose shares he was a Time Lord, last of his kind
The Master snorted, protesting the claims. Regardless of what happened to them in this warped reality (and he knew himself well to know they would have left after the Doctor died, probably destroyed a few galaxies), the Doctor was very much not the last Time Lord; if any one got claim to that title it was him. He chucked a pillow at the Doctor just because he felt like it. The Doctor's answering splutters made him grin.
Donna asks what the Doctor was doing with her if he was so special. Rose replies he thought she was brilliant
"Are." The Doctor countered; arms crossed. "I know you are brilliant." If nothing else, they were going to use this video to deal with Donna's self-confidence issues. They couldn't deny their importance after watching this.
Donna says not to be stupid, Rose persists she is, and it took the Doctor to show that by being with him, and he did the same thing to her, to everyone he touches
"If they don't kill you." The Master smirked. The group ignored him, focusing on the events unfolding in front of them on screen.
Rose strokes her shoulder and asks if she wants to see it, Donna says no then go on. They move towards a circle of mirrors and arc lights
"Interesting set up." Ryan remarked, inspecting the machinery. "What's it all for?"
"To get answers." Donna replied simply. She was sure they were all eager to get some themselves.
Rose admits they don't know how the Tardis works but they're scarped off her surface technology enough to show the creature, Donna asks it is a creature
"A creepy thing lurking on your back and messing up reality." Clara wrinkled her nose; she didn't have to see it to know that much.
Rose tells her to stand there and Magambo orders Rose out the circle, Donna is left alone in the middle of the mirrors
"All eyes on you." Bill muttered, sing-song to herself. Yaz was the only one that heard her based on the hidden grin the other woman sent her.
Donna asks can't she stay with her, but Magambo activates it, lights coming on. Rose tells her to open her eyes and look at it
"Let's see the little bugger." Amy rubbed her hands together in eager anticipation. It was past time they got to see the culprit for this whole mess (aside from the fortune teller who was undoubtedly behind this).
Donna says she can't but Rose insists that it is a part of her, look. A giant stag horn beetle is hanging on Donna's back
"That's one ugly beetle." Martha grimaced at the sight of the alien bug.
Mickey nodded, "And unsettlingly large." He shivered a bit; very glad it wasn't on his back.
Rose reassures her it is okay, calm down. Donna is panicking looking around as she asks what it is. Rose admits they don't know
Donna turned a look on the Doctor who took a moment before realising where the feeling of eyes on her was coming from.
"What?" She asked perplexed.
Donna rolled her eyes, "What is it Genuis boy?"
The Doctor's eyes widened dramatically, "Oh. It's a Time Beetle. Very rare. Able to manipulating time by changing a life decision. Usually has little to no impact, but with a very important person like Donna, and a major life decision like hers? Well, results can be disastrous." She laid out her knowledge of the creature.
"And you didn't mention this earlier, why?" Clara asked with an exasperated roll of her eyes.
The Doctor shrugged, "Didn't work it out till recently. They're not exactly common beasties."
Yaz hesitated for a moment before leaning over her sofa to grab a pillow from the Master's collection. She didn't hesitate in throwing it right in the Doctor's face. Maybe the Master was onto something with this.
Donna thanks them sarcastically. Rose explains it feeds of time by changing it, making someone's life take a different turn like a meeting never made or children never born, but with her -. Donna interrupts she never did anything important
The Doctor made a fussy noise but Donna shot her a pointed glare to shut her up before she could start. She got the message; the Doctor didn't need to keep drilling home the point, she wasn't sure she could take the warmth before she exploded mentally.
Rose says she did, and one day she the thing made her turn right instead of left. Donna asks when it was and Rose says she wouldn't remember as it was the most ordinary day but by turning right, she never met the Doctor and the whole world changed around her
"The butterfly effect." Bill tilted her head; they'd worked out this much to begin with.
Donna asks if they can get rid of it, and Rose says they can't, can't even touch it as it seems to be in a state of flux
"And that means?" Graham asked only to be greeted by silence from the room.
Donna asks what that means and Rose admits she doesn't know but it is the kind of thing the Doctor would say
That earned several snorts, including from Rose herself.
Donna calls her a liar, saying she told her she was special but it isn't her, it's this thing and she's just the host. Rose counters it is more than that, the readings are strange, it is like reality is bending around her. Donna pushes because of the beetle but Rose argues no, they're getting separate readings from Donna, and they've been there since the day she was born
The Doctor and Donna shared a knowing glance, some things made more sense now that everything had seemingly reached their conclusions. They didn't share that knowledge with the rest of the group despite the concerned glances.
Magambo cuts in that it isn't relevant to the mission. Rose continues she thought it was just the Doctor they needed but it is both of them – the Doctor and Donna Noble, together, stopping stars from going out
The mentioned pair shared a grin though it was tinged with sorrow as they both recalled how that had ended for both of them.
Donna asks why, what can she do? She asks them to turn it off, and they do. Rose goes to Donna as the latter says it is still there; how can she get rid of it? Rose says they're going to travel in time
"Oh, so a normal day." Amy snorted, though she like the rest of the group was still tense. All of them were curious to know how they were going to free Donna from the time beetle and sort everything.
Cut to Donna wearing a jacket with lots of wires all over it
"That looks … Safe." Mickey tried, wincing at his own very unconvincing words.
Rose explains the Tardis has tracked the moment of intervention – Monday twenty fifth, one minute past ten in the morning. She outlines Donna's car being on Little Sutton Street leading to Ealing Road and the way she turned. Se says the most important thing is one minute past ten she needs to make herself turn left and head for Chiswick Highroad
"Again, the video title says it all." Graham commented.
Magambo tells her to keep the jacket on at all times as it insulates against temporal feedback. A scientist gives her a high-tech watch saying it will correspond to local time when she lands, she is also given a glass of water to combat dehydration
Clara snorted, "Very high-tech solution." It was amusing to see the glass of water after the time travel jacket and watch, though there was no point making it complicated if it worked.
Donna is escorted back to the mirrors as Rose says this is where they leave her. Donna doesn't want to see the thing on her back
"Understandable." Rose muttered; she wasn't sure she'd want to have the constant reminder of the creature on her back messing up everything.
Rose says the mirrors are just incidental, they bounce chronon energy back into the centre which they control and decide the destination. Donna simplifies it to being a time machine, Rose agrees
"A barely effective and unsafe one." The Doctor crossed her arms, more annoyed than impressed at UNIT's attempt at tome travel. Humans messing around with that technology rarely went well. The group ignored her, several people just rolling their eyes.
Donna takes her place in the middle at Magambo's prompting. It powers up as Donna asks how they know it is going to work. Rose admits they don't, they're just guessing
"Always reassuring to hear." Ryan muttered in sympathy. That was the last things you'd want to hear before having to sue the make shift time travel device.
"It's always nice being a guinea pig." Donna threw her hands in the air.
Donna is pleased by that news (not). Rose tells her to remember when she gets to the junction, change the car's direction by one minute past ten. Donna asks how she does that and Rose replies it is up to her
"As is the normal; a time limit and near impossible task to accomplish without any actual instructions." Martha sighed. Still, she believed in her friend. Donna would work it out, plus they wouldn't be seeing this if she hadn't. But, seriously, could things never be simple?
Donna sarcastically says she'll just have to run up and have an argument with herself, Rose laughs she'd like to see that
"We all would." Jack grinned teasingly at the redhead.
Magambo orders activation and Rose wishes her good luck, Donna is ready. She understands now, when Rose said she was going to die, she meant the whole world is going to vanish but that's not dying as a better world takes its place, the Doctor's world and she's alive. If she changes things she doesn't die, tight? Rose says she's sorry
Donna shook her head at her past self, she was naïve in way the real her hadn't been in a long time. The rest of the group had tensed, all knowing what was about to happen deep within them even if they were trying strongly to deny it.
Donna protests she can't die; she has a future with the Doctor, she told her! The machine is activated and sparks fly along the power cables running to the Tardis as Donna dematerialises
"Please work." Nardole pleaded with the screen. Whether he was talking about the time travel or the alternative reality no one knew, but none of them argued.
Donna is on her hands and knees outside a café, she celebrates briefly before realising she's at Sutton Court, half a mile away from where she is supposed to be, she checks her watch to find it says 9:57. She realises she has four minutes and starts running
"You're not going to make it." Yaz realised, glancing quickly between the screen and Donna in the room in concern. Four minutes to run half a mile was no easy feat, and that was without time to convince Donna of the moment to go left.
We see the scene in the car from the start, Sylvia trying to convince Donna to turn right
"No, turn left!" Rory countered despite knowing that she wouldn't be able to hear him on screen.
The argument is the same at the start, Sylvia disparaging because Donna thinks she'll meet a man at HC Clements
"She needs to meet that man." River argued with Sylvia on screen. Glancing fondly at Donna and the Doctor.
Donna is out of breath, the watch reads 9:59
"You're running out of time." Bill muttered, leg bouncing in anticipation.
She realises she isn't going to make it, then she remembers Rose words about her dying. Donna sees a van coming towards her, which has just passed the junction her car is waiting at
"Donna." Martha sat straight up in her seat, eyes locking onto her friend who was refusing to look at anyone, her own eyes on the screen. She had a sinking feeling she knew what Donna was thinking and she absolutely despised it, but what she hated more was that she couldn't do anything about it.
In the car, Donna starts to agree with Sylvia. Down the street, Donna says please, then steps out in front of the van. The driver slams on its brakes and a woman screams
"Oh god, Donna!" Rose's hands covered her mouth in shock and horror. The rest of the group reflected her horror at their friend's decision and fate.
"It was the only way." Donna told them unusually solemnly, eyes still locked on the frozen screen.
No one knew what to say to that, all still in a state of shocked horror to be able to articulate any thoughts. The Tardis took the opportunity to continue the video.
In the car, Sylvia asks if she can hear that. Down the road, the driver tells people to back up, a taxi behind him isn't happy. In the car, Donna realises traffic has stopped as cars start to cue up, Sylvia says something must have happened
The group all shared sad glances, very aware of what exactly had happened. The only bright side to the terribly dark storm cloud they were under, was that Donna's plan seemed to be working.
Down the road, Rose whispers in a dying Donna's ears, she tells Donna to tell him this, two words
"What did she say?" Ryan asked curious.
No one answered, but Jack, Rose, Donna and the Doctor all shared knowing looks. Only Donna may actually remember this moment, the other three had a very good assumption of what Rose could have said.
In the car, the tailback is past the junction now and Donna declares that decides it, she refuses to sit in a traffic jam, she's going left
"Wooh!" Nardole muttered. There were muted cheers and celebrations across the room, very glad this whole affair was finally sorted but still stuck on how exactly Donna had fixed it. It brought to mind a question they often struggled with in their adventures; did the ends justify the means?
At the fortune teller's tent from the start, Donna screams and key events rewind as the beetle drops from her back
"Finally!" Martha cheered, happy to see the ugly time beetle removed from Donna's back.
Donna asks what the hell was that and the fortune teller leans away from her shocked at how strong she is, she asks what Donna is, what will she be?
Donna and the Doctor shared a knowing look. It seemed it hadn't been a targeted attack, which was one thing, but that fortune teller really had no idea what they were getting into or the possible consequences.
The fortune teller runs out the back of the tent as the Doctor enters
"And where have you been this whole time Mister?" River crossed her arms half-teasingly at her wife.
The group all turned their attention on the Doctor who put her hands up in surrender, "From my perspective it had literally been about two minutes. I didn't know anything was wrong." She tried to defend herself; the group accepted it if their vague head nods and sighs were to be believed.
The Doctor asks if everything is alright, Donna hugs him tightly saying oh, God
"That's a strong no." Mickey spoke for Donna on screen. It was very understandable after everything they'd just witnessed; they couldn't imagine actually having to live through it like she had.
The Doctor asks what the hug is for and Donna replies she doesn't know. A little later, the Doctor is prodding the dead beetle with a stick as Donna explains she can't remember and it's all slipping away like when you try and think of a dream and it just goes
"It was probably for the best." Jack grimaced in sympathy.
Donna nodded, "Unfortunately when I got my memories back, I got those ones back too." She could have lived without remembering the alternative reality, a small mercy was that it wasn't much more detailed than what they'd just seen.
The Doctor says they got lucky, as the beetle is one of the Trickster's Brigade and changes life in a small way. Most of the time the universe adapts but with her, it was a great big parallel world. Donna reminds him he said parallel worlds are sealed off and he agrees, but continues she created one around her, and funny thing is it seems to happen a lot to her
"What do you mean by that Doctor?" Clara asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
The Doctor grinned but waved to the screen in answer.
Donna asks what he means, and he reminds her of the library
"Ah." Rose nodded in understanding. They'd already seen that mess, and while it wasn't exactly the same there were some unfortunate similarities.
Donna says it goes with the job she guesses. The Doctor thinks there is too much coincidence around her sometime. He met her once, then her grandfather, then her again. The whole wide universe and he met her twice, like something is binding them together
"And it was." The Doctor turned a triumphant look on Donna who rolled her eyes at her smug grin.
Donna tells him not to be daft as she's nothing special. He argues she is, she's brilliant. Donna remembers Rose telling her how the Doctor thought she was brilliant
"And I still do, because you are amazing Donna Noble." The Doctor continued pressing the point with a solemn look that Donna tried her best to ignore. She couldn't deal with the Doctor right now.
Donna mutters she said that, he asks who, and Donna says the woman, then that she can't remember
Rose sat up eagerly, hopeful that Donna would be able to convey her appearance despite the lack of name. Several members of the group glanced her way in anticipation.
The Doctor replies she never existed now
"She does, just not in that reality." Mickey countered; trust him he'd had to deal with all her desperate attempts to reunite with the Doctor.
Donna agrees but remembers that she said the stars were going out. The Doctor says that world is gone but Donna persists that she said it was all worlds, every world, the darkness is coming to even them
"Less the stars going out, more the Earth gets moved and then the stars are destroyed." Jack summarised the whole stolen Earth and dalek weapon mess, which is what he presumed Rose was trying to warn about.
"I don't even want to know." Amy blinked at that comment. She'd learned better than to ask, if they needed to know they'd be shown.
The Doctor asks who she was but Donna doesn't know. He asks what she looks like and Donna replies she was blonde
"Very descriptive." Yaz grinned teasingly.
The Doctor asks her name but Donna doesn't know
"You really didn't give her much to go with." Bill told Rose who shrugged in surrender.
The Doctor pushes asking what her name was again
"You're suspicious." River remarked quietly, able to read her wife despite the different faces. "And hopeful." The Doctor just gave her a false nonchalant shrug, what else did they expect?
Donna tells him she told him to warn her, she said two words. The Doctor asks what two words, what did she say? Donna replies Bad Wolf, asking what it means. The Doctor doesn't answer, running outside to find everything now says Bad Wolf, including the Tardis which says Bad Wolf in place of Police Box
"I'm getting the feeling those are important words." Ryan commented, they'd seen it a few times before including the first video they'd seen.
"You have no idea." Rose offered, her eyes locked in a silent conversation with Jack and the Doctor. Those words had haunted the three of them for a very long time.
The Tardis interior is lit by red emergency lighting and the cloister bell tolls. Donn asks what is it, what is Bad Wolf? He replies it is the end of the universe
"Dramatic much?" Bill scoffed at the Doctor's theatrics.
Those involved in the stolen Earth event all shared grimaces. "But almost accurate." Mickey defended the Doctor's ending declaration.
The group all took a deep breath as the screen turned blank. That had taken a larger toll on them than they'd expected; a whole other reality of other possibilities based off of one choice from Donna. It was almost unbelievable - they'd struggle to believe it themselves if they hadn't just watched it. But they had.
Instead of the Doctor as normal rounding up the video, Donna took over eager to move on before anyone could comment. "Right. Let's move on quick."
"Donna." Martha attempted to interrupt but Donna stubbornly ignored her.
"Nope. I want to know what the Tardis has in store for us next." She could only help it had nothing to do with her for once.
