And so it begins. }:) By the way, guys . . . 653 comments from you all. O.O Keep it up!

The Master returns, the Apocalypse tries to save her brother, and Wilf sees someone much different than in the episode. Though, if you see the updated cast, it's a bit of a giveaway. But, if you don't want spoilers, you'll figure it out in the next few paragraphs. ;)

Here's "The End of Time Part 1!"

***

"It is said that in the final days of Planet Earth, everyone had bad dreams. To the west of the north of that world, the human race did gather, in the celebration of a pagan rite to banish the cold and the dark. Each and every one of those people had dreamt of the terrible things to come, but they forgot, because they must. They forgot their nightmares of fire and war and insanity. They forgot . . . except for one."

+++

"Bwahahahahahahaha!"

Wilfred Mott cringed and clutched his head as he walked down one of the streets, finishing up his holiday shopping. He passed by the Salvation Army band playing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and headed into the nearest church he saw. He watched the choir singing, then paused when he saw a familiar looking blue rectangle in the stained glass window by the altar. He frowned, walking closer to look -

"They call it the Legend of the Blue Box."

Wilf jumped. "Oh," he paused, putting a hand over his heart as he looked at the man who had spoken. He could have sworn the pews had been empty. But there was a man behind him, wearing a brown pinstripe suit, Converse, and a long tan coat, his hands in his pockets, messy brown hair stuck up like he'd been in an electrical socket, brown eyes gazing at Wilf curiously. "I've never been in here before. I'm not one for churches. Too cold."

"This was the site of a convent back in the 1300s," the man continued, looking around and rocking on his heels. "it's said a demon fell from the sky, then a woman appeared, a woman in a blue box. They called her the apocalyptic avenger. She smote the demon, and then disappeared."

Wilf chuckled, that sounded like the Apocalypse, all right. "That's a bit of a coincidence," he said, looking back at the glass.

"It's said there's no such thing as coincidence," the man raised an eyebrow. "Who knows? Perhaps she's coming back."

"Oh, that would make my Christmas," Wilf grinned, turning back to the man, only to see he was missing.

"Bwahahahahahahaha!"

Wilf winced and grabbed his head again.

***

Ood Sigma waited patiently in the snow, listening to the sound of the TARDIS materializing. A moment later, the Apocalypse popped out, wearing a white stetson, a lei, and sunglasses. "Ah! Now, sorry," she smiled at the Ood as Rose and Jenny came out next, Jenny sipping a pineapple smoothie enthusiastically, Rose just giggling as she watched them both. "There you are! So, where were we? I was summoned, wasn't I?" the Apocalypse folded her arms. "An Ood in the snow, calling to me. Well, I didn't exactly come straight here. Had a bit of fun, you know. Traveled about, did this and that - "

"Got into trouble," Rose snickered.

"You know me," the Apocalypse smirked at her.

"It was brilliant!" Jenny cheered. "The Phosphorous Carousel of the Great Magellan Gestadt, saved a planet from the Red Carnivorous Maw, named a galaxy Alison."

"And went to Elizabethan England for the marriage of Owen Harper and Toshiko Sato," the Apocalypse nodded. "Let me tell you, Good Queen Bess is not as fond of science as the books say." She paused, seeing Sigma had not reacted in the slightest. "Anyway . . . what do you want?"

"You should not have delayed," Sigma said.

"The last time I was here, you said my song would be ending soon," the Apocalypse said frankly. "And I'm in no hurry for that."

"You will come with me," Sigma turned.

"Hold on, better lock the TARDIS." The Apocalypse pointed her key over her shoulder, and the door locked, the light on top flashing as it beeped. "See? Like a car," she grinned. "I locked it like a car. Like . . . it's funny. No? Little bit?" Ood Sigma just shook his head and walked on. "Blimey, try to make an Ood laugh," she muttered to Jenny as they followed him. "So, how old are you now, Ood Sigma?"

"Wow!" Rose gasped when she saw the towering Ood city.

"Magnificent!" the Apocalypse agreed. "Oh, come on, that is splendid! You've achieved all this in how long?"

"One hundred years," Sigma answered.

The smile fell from the Apocalypse's face. "Then we've got a problem," she said. "Because all of this is way too fast. Not just the city, I mean your ability to call me, reaching all the way back to the twenty-first century. Something's accelerating your species way beyond normal."

"And the Mind of the Ood is troubled," Sigma nodded.

"Why?" Rose asked, always concerned for the species. "What's happened?"

"Every night, Rose Tyler," Sigma looked at her. "Every night, we have bad dreams."

***

"Returning, returning, returning, it is slowly returning through the dark and the fire and the blood," an Ood at the center of a circle whispered as incense wafted into the air. Sigma led the three Time Ladies to the circle "Always returning, returning to this world. It is returning, and he is returning, and they are returning, but too late, too late, far too late. He has come."

"Sit with the Elder of the Ood and share the dreaming," Sigma gestured.

The Apocalypse cleared her throat. "So . . . right." She sat down as the Ood broke their circle for her, Rose and Jenny sitting a bit further down. She smiled. "Hallo."

"You will join," the Ood said, holding out their hands to the women. "You will join. You will join. You will join. You will join. You will join. You will join."

Frowning, the Apocalypse took their hands, Rose and Jenny joining -

"Bwahahahahahahaha!"

The Apocalypse let out a startled cry, yanking her hands away, blanching when she saw a deathly familiar face. "He comes to us every night," the Elder told her as Rose and Jenny looked over at the Apocalypse, seeing her face drained of all color. "I think all the peoples of the universe dream of him now."

"That man is dead," the Apocalypse's voice cracked.

"There is yet more. Join us. Events are taking shape." The Apocalypse frowned, but hesitantly joined the circle again. "So many years ago, and yet changing the now. There is a man . . . "

"Bwahahahahahahaha!"

"So scared."

"Wilfred," the Apocalypse realized as the Ood revealed Wilf hunched over at his table, looking frightened. "Is he all right? What about Donna? Is she safe?"

"You should not have delayed, for the lines of convergence are being drawn across the Earth," the Elder accused. "Even now, the king is in his Counting House."

The Apocalypse frowned, seeing an image of a black man and his daughter being photographed. "I don't know who they are."

"And there is another . . . the most lonely of all, lost and forgotten."

The Apocalypse swallowed, seeing a woman locked in a cage, the same woman who had once upon a time shot at her, and her brother had taken the shot for her. "The Master's wife."

"What?" Rose's eyes widened.

"We see so much, but understand little," Sigma said. "The woman in the cage, who is she?"

"She was . . . " The Apocalypse swallowed. "It wasn't her fault, she was . . . the Master, my brother, he's a Time Lord, like me. I can show you." She concentrated, reliving The Year That Never Was, hearing Rose and Jenny gasp. "The master took the name of Saxon. He married a human, a woman called Lucy, and he corrupted her. She stood at his side while he conquered the Earth. I reversed everything he'd done so it never even happened, but Lucy Saxon remembered. And she remembered every time he chose me over her, and she shot at me, but my brother took it instead. And then Clive Jones shot my brother dead. I held him in my arms. Jack and I burnt his body. The Master is dead."

"And yet, you did not see."

"What's that?" Jenny frowned, seeing a burning pyre.

"Bwahahahahahahaha!"

The Apocalypse's eyes widened, seeing a woman's hand pick up the Master's signet ring. "Part of him survived," she realized. "We have to go!"

She attempted to stand, but was yanked back down by the Ood. "But something more is happening, Apocalypse," the Elder said as all of the Ood raised their heads, their eyes now glowing red, Rose looking around in horror. "The Master is part of a greater design because a shadow is falling over creation. Something vast is stirring in the dark. The Ood have gained this power to see through time because time is bleeding. Shapes of things once lost are moving through the veil, and these events from years ago threaten to destroy this future, and the present, and the past."

"What do you mean?" the Apocalypse looked around, eyes wide.

"This is what we have seen, Apocalypse. The darkness heralds only one thing."

"The end of time itself," all the Ood spoke as one.

"Bwahahahahahahaha!"

The Apocalypse tore herself away this time, Rose and Jenny scrambling to get away as well as they ran for the TARDIS. "Events that have happened are happening now," the Elder whispered.

"Broadfell Prison, that's where Lucy is," the Apocalypse said as she shut the door. "Rose?"

"On it," she answered, programming the course in.

When they arrived, however, they only found smoking ruins.

***

"Just going down to the Lion," Wilf told Sylvia as he left the house. "Quick little snifter. Christmas drinks. All right, ta-da!" When he was outside, he quickly made a call on his mobile. "Paratroop One to Paratroop Two, we are mobilized," he said, heading for the street. "I repeat, we are mobilized. Rendezvous thirteen hundred hours. Over and out." He waved down a minibus as it rolled up. "Come on! Way hey, shake a leg! Yay hey! Right, then, come on, let's get going!" He waved as everyone applauded as he got on board. "Off we go," he said. "Everybody all right? Who's got the chocolates, then?"

***

"She's tall and thin, wears red and white, maybe pink and black," Wilf explained as he handed out packets. "She's got a long cardigan, modern sort of hair, fishtail braids. Oh, and on page two, be on the lookout for a police box exactly like the old ones."

"I got locked inside one of them," Minnie said. "August Bank Holiday, 1962."

"Were you misbehaving, Minnie?" Winston smirked.

"I certainly was!" she grinned. "Way hey!"

"Yeah, all right, all right," Wilf raised his hands. "Now, listen, this is important. We have got to find it, right? So phone around. Phone everybody. Sally, will you get onto the Bridge club? Right. Winston, you try the old boys. Bobby, want you to ring the skiffle band, right? Between us, we've got the city covered."

"The Silver Cloak," Minnie grinned.

"Yeah," Wilf nodded.

"Who is she, then, this Apocalypse?" Winston asked.

Wilf sighed. "No, I can't tell you that. I swear. Yeah, but answer me this . . . have you been having bad dreams? All of you? Dreams you can't remember?" He saw everyone nodding. "Yeah. Well, that's why we need her. We need the Apocalypse more than ever."

***

"So you can smell him?" Jenny asked incredulously as they walked around a derelict site.

"Well, that, and I can sense him," the Apocalypse tilted her head back, taking a sniff. "The explosion at Broadfell left quite a stench - "

"Hang on," Rose held up a finger. "Listen."

They fell quiet, then heard a ringing sound of four beats, then a rest. It started repeating over and over, and the Apocalypse bolted, her sister and daughter right behind her. She froze, seeing her very much alive brother standing on the skyline. He grinned and leapt into the air like the Hulk, and the Apocalypse bolted again. The Master cackled, standing atop a pile of girders, and the Apocalypse blanched, seeing his skeleton flash. "Please, let me help," he begged. "You're burning up your own life force!"

The Master just cackled, running off. Jenny ran after him, the Apocalypse not far behind, with Rose bringing up the rear. Jenny ran around a pile of girders, only to crash right into - "Wilf?" she gasped, hurriedly helping him stand up straight.

"Oh, my gosh, Jenny!" his eyes lit up. "Apocalypse!" he cheered when she ran around the corner, Rose right behind her. "You're a sight for sore eyes!"

"Out of our way!" the Apocalypse tried to side step them, Rose standing on her tip toes to see over the group with Wilf, but she couldn't see the Master.

"Did we do it?" Winston asked. "Is that her?"

"Tall and thin, red and white," Oliver nodded.

"The Silver Cloak! It worked!" Minnie said excitedly. "Because Wilf phoned Netty, who phoned June, and her sister lives opposite Broadfell, and she saw the police box, and her neighbor saw this lot heading east."

The Apocalypse blinked, then turned to Wilf. "Wilfred . . . "

"Yeah?"

"Have you told them who we are?" she hissed. "You promised me!"

"No, I just said you were important, that's all," he shook his head. "And might I say, ma'am, it is an honor to see you again."

The Apocalypse rolled her eyes as he saluted. "Nice."

"Oh, but you never said she had friends," Winston raised an eyebrow. "Or that they were lookers."

"OK, stop right there," the Apocalypse held up her hands, flashing her wedding ring quickly. "Look, we've got somewhere to be."

"I know," Wilf said. "But we need to talk."

***

"Come on, then," Wilf hobbled off the minibus, the Time Ladies behind him. "Bye. You, behave," he pointed at Minnie. "Bye!" The Silver Cloak drove off, and he beckoned the Time Ladies to follow. "Over here. Come on."

"What's so special about this place?" the Apocalypse frowned as they approached the cafe. "We passed fifteen cafes on the way."

"Yeah," Wilf nodded. "Afternoon," he told someone passing by.

***

"Oh, we had some good times, didn't we, though?" Wilf asked as they got their table. "I mean, all those ATMOS things, and planets in the sky, and me with that paint gun."

"Nice attempt at taking down a Dalek, I'll give you that," Rose smiled.

Wilf just paused, seeing the stoic Apocalypse. "I keep seeing things, Apocalypse," he said. "This face at night."

"Who are you?" she asked bluntly.

Wilf chuckled. "I'm Wilfred Mott."

"No," she shook her head. "People have waited hundreds of years to find me, and then you manage it in a few hours."

"Well," Wilf cleared his throat. "I'm just lucky, I suppose."

"No, we keep on meeting, Wilf. Over and over again like something's still connecting us."

"What's so important about me?"

"Exactly. Why you?"

"Mum," Jenny hissed.

She sighed. "I'm going to die," she finally told Wilf.

Wilf blinked. "Well, so am I, one day."

"Don't you dare," the Apocalypse pointed in his face, making Rose giggle.

"All right," he held up his hands. "I'll try not to."

"But I was told 'he will knock four times,'" the Apocalypse said. "That was the prophecy. Knock four times, and then . . . " She shrugged.

"Yeah, but I thought . . . " Wilf frowned. "When I saw you before, you said your people could change. Like, your whole body."

"I can still die. If I'm killed before regeneration, then I'm dead. Even then, even if I change, it feels like dying. Everything I am dies. Some new woman goes sauntering away, and I'm dead." She frowned, seeing Wilf grin suddenly. "What?"

"Mum," Jenny looked over her shoulder. "It's Donna."

"What?" the Apocalypse looked over her shoulder to see Donna shouting at someone, pointing at her car. "She's not changed," she chuckled.

"Nah," Wilf shook his head. "Oh, there he is. Shaun Temple. They're engaged. Getting married in the spring."

"Another wedding?" Rose raised an eyebrow as a black man met Donna.

"Yeah."

"Hold on, she's not going to be called Noble-Temple?" the Apocalypse wrinkled her nose. "That sounds like a tourist spot."

"No, it's Temple-Noble," Wilf chuckled.

"Right. Is she happy? Is he nice?"

"Yeah, he's sweet enough," Wilf nodded. "He's a bit of a dreamer. Mind you, he's on minimum wage, and she's earning tuppence, so all they can afford is a tiny little flat."

"Yeah," the Apocalypse whispered, her voice cracking.

"Oh, my word," Wilf whispered as Rose put her arm around the Apocalypse, the woman finally crying as the last few hours finally caught up with her. "I'm sorry."

"This is some merry Christmas," the Apocalypse chuckled weakly, wiping her eyes.

"Yeah," Wilf chuckled back.

"And look at us," Rose giggled.

"Banja."

The Apocalypse blinked, sitting up straight. "Apocalypse?" Wilf frowned.

"BJ."

"We've got to go," the Apocalypse nearly climbed over her seat to leave, Rose and Jenny scrambling to follow her. "I found him."

+++

"And so it came to pass that the players took their final places, making ready the events that were to come. The madman sat in his empire of dust and ashes, little knowing of the glory he would achieve, while his savior looked upon the wilderness, in the hopes of changing his inevitable fate. Far away, the idiots and fools dreamt of a shining new future, a future now doomed to never happen. As Earth rolled onwards into night, the people of that world did sleep, and shiver, somehow knowing that dawn would bring only one thing: the final day."

+++

"He doesn't look happy," Rose whispered as the Apocalypse led them towards an abandoned warehouse, the Master watching them with an eagle eye.

"Stay here," the Apocalypse ordered, walking the rest of the way.

The Master just smirked and raised his hands, firing a bolt of energy towards Jenny. The brunette quickly rolled out of the way. Eyes wide, the Apocalypse sprinted back the way she had come. The Master fired again at Rose, who dropped to the ground to avoid being hit. The Master tried one more time, but the Apocalypse got in the way, blocking the blast telekinetically. The Master's eyes widened, and he quickly lowered his hands as the Apocalypse fell to her knees, wincing at the effort. He quickly ran towards her, Rose stopping Jenny from moving any closer. "BJ?" he whispered.

"Not them," the Apocalypse croaked, wincing. "Don't hurt them."

The Master frowned, looking up at the two he could barely see in the dark. "We had estates," he whispered. "Do you remember our father's land back home? Pastures of red grass, stretching far across the slopes of Mount Perdition. We used to run across those fields all day, calling up at the sky." He chuckled darkly. "Look at us now."

"All that eloquence," the Apocalypse winced, attempting to sit up, the Master helping her. "but how many people have you killed?"

"I am so hungry," the Master whispered.

"Your resurrection went wrong. That energy, your body's ripped open. Now you're killing yourself."

"That human Christmas out there," the Master tilted his head. "They eat so much. All that roasting meat, cakes, and red wine. Hot, fat, blood, food. Pots, plates of meat, and flesh, and grease, and juice, and baking, burnt, sticky hot skin. Hot. It's so hot."

"Stop it," the Apocalypse shook her head, feeling sick by how he was describing it all.

"Sliced, sliced, sliced - "

"Stop it!"

"It's mine!" the Master grinned. "It's mine! It's mine to eat and eat and eat!"

"Stop it!" the Apocalypse shouted. "What if I ask you for help? There's more at work tonight than you and me!"

"Oh, yeah?" he tilted his head.

"I've been told something is returning."

"And here I am," he held out his arms.

"No, something more."

The Master frowned. "But it hurts."

"I was told the end of time."

"It hurts," he repeated. "BJ, the noise. The noise inside my head, BJ. One, two three, four. One, two, three, four. Stronger than ever before. Can't you hear it?"

The Apocalypse tried to hear, then shook her head. "I'm sorry."

"Listen, listen, listen, listen," he begged. "Every minute, every second, every beat of my hearts, there it is, calling to me. Please listen."

"I can't hear it!"

"Listen!"

The Apocalypse paused as he put his fingers to her temples, then cringed, pulling away. "What?" the Master asked.

"I heard it," she whispered.

"What!" his eyes widened.

"I heard it," she repeated. "I knew you heard them before, but . . . what is it? What's inside your head?"

"It's real," the Master realized, grinning. "It's real. It's real!" he shouted, leaping into the air. The Apocalypse ran after him, furiously gesturing for Rose and Jenny to follow. They were right behind her as they found the Master laughing triumphantly. "All these years, you thought I was mad!"

"I never said that!" she protested.

"King of the Wasteland! But something is calling me, Apocalypse. What is it? What is it? What is it?"

A spotlight hit the Master, then another hit the three Time Ladies. Soldiers in black grappled down, one of them injecting the Master with something, knocking him out. "Don't!" the Apocalypse shouted, leaping forward. "Let him go!"

Jenny pulled the Apocalypse back as the soldiers fired at them, then something hit all three of them in the neck, making them fall to the ground, unconscious.

***

"Oh, now that's lovely," Sylvia opened up one of her presents, clothing from Donna, and she made a face. "Look at that. Absolutely beautiful. Love from Donna." She looked up. "Did you keep the receipt?"

"Yes, I did," Donna rolled her eyes. "Come on, Gramps, you've been a right misery ever since you got up. Do you like it, then, the book?"

"Joshua Naismith?" Wilf held up the book with a black man on it. "I mean, what'd you get me this for?"

"I don't know. I just saw it in the shop and thought of you. It just felt like the sort of thing you should have."

"Oh, now, look at that," Sylvia looked at a Christmas card. "That's from Charlie Morton. Isn't that rude?"

"Aye aye," Shaun entered as they all laughed. "Here are the presents. I'm sorry I couldn't afford much, but not for long, if President Obama ends the recession tonight. Come here."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, keep it quiet, you lot," Wilf turned to the TV. "It's the Queen's Speech. Now, come on, sit down. Show respect. Come on."

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Mott," Shaun kissed his cheek.

"Thank you," Wilf smiled. "Will you behave! You, honestly," he rolled his eyes at Donna. "All right, now. Whoa, she's on, she's on," he turned to the TV. "It's our sovereign." He saluted the TV, then stared at the broadcast slowed. A moment later, the same man he'd seen in the church appeared. "Eh?"

"Events are moving, Wilfred," he said.

"Eh?"

"Faster than we thought."

"Oi!" Wilf turned to his family. "Can you see that?"

Donna looked over and scoffed. "Frankly, I'd tell Her Majesty it's time for trouser suits."

"No, no, no, no, that's not the - "

"Only you can see me," the man interrupted, making Wilf turn. "Only you stand at the heart of coincidence."

"Why? What have I done?"

"You're an old soldier, sir. Only you were too late. The war was won and passed you by."

"I did my duty."

"You never killed a man."

"No, I did not, no, but don't say that like it's shameful."

"The time will come when you must take arms."

"Tell Lypse nothing of this," the man said firmly. "Her life could still be saved, so long as you tell her nothing."

Wilf frowned as the man disappeared. Who was Lypse?

***

After pelting Wilf's bedroom window with a few pebbles, he finally emerged from the house and came around back to meet them. "We lost him," the Apocalypse said. "We were unconscious. He's still on Earth, I can smell him, but he's too far away."

"Listen, you can't just park there," Wilf looked at the TARDIS just down the block. "What if Donna sees it?"

"You're the only one, Wilf," the Apocalypse said. "The only connection I can think of. You're involved, if I could work out how. Tell me, have you seen anything? I don't know, anything strange, anything odd?"

"Well, there was a - " Wilf paused.

"What?" Rose frowned. "What was it?"

"Well, it was - "

"Tell Lypse nothing of this. Her life could still be saved, so long as you tell her nothing."

Those were the last few letters of the Apocalypse's name. "No, it's nothing," Wilf shook his head. He'd trust the man . . . for now.

"Think-a think-a think," the Apocalypse bounced on her heels, acting jittery. "Maybe something out of the blue? Something connected to your life? Something?"

"Well, Donna was a bit strange," Wilf said. "She had a funny little moment, this morning, all because of that book."

"What book?"

"His name's Joshua Naismith."

"That's the man," Jenny stared at the man on the cover. "That's the man the Ood showed us!"

Wilf blinked. "The what?"

"The Ood," Jenny answered as if it was obvious.

"What's the Ood?"

"They're just the Ood," the Apocalypse shrugged. "But it's all part of the convergence, maybe? It may be touching Donna's subconscious."

"She's still got that bit of you," Rose smiled. "Good for her."

"Dad, what are you up to?" Sylvia hollered, coming out, before freezing and narrowing her eyes. "You!" she spat, making Jenny blink, pointing to herself before Rose shook her head and took her hand, making the finger point at a sheepish Apocalypse. "But . . . get out of here!"

"Merry Christmas?" the Apocalypse offered.

"Merry Christmas," Sylvia nodded curtly. "But she can't see you! What if she wants to go with you again?"

"Mum, where are those tweezers?" Donna asked, her voice getting closer.

"Go!" Sylvia hissed.

"We're going," the Apocalypse held up her hands, going back to the front of the house.

Wilf made a decision. "Yeah, me, too," he headed that way.

"Oh, no, you don't," Sylvia glared, stomping after them.

"Mum? Gramps?" Donna's voice asked.

"Dad, I'm warning you!"

"Bye," Wilf waved. "See you later."

"Stay right where you are!"

"You can't come with us!" the Apocalypse stared at Wilf as they made it to the TARDIS.

"You're not leaving me with her," Wilf shook his head.

"Dad!" Sylvia glared.

The Apocalypse winced. "Fair enough," she held open the door.

"Mum?" Donna's voice called.

"Just you listen to me!" Sylvia screeched as they all piled in. "I forbid it! Get out of there!"

Rose just waved and closed the door as the Apocalypse sent the TARDIS off. "Naismith," she said. "If I can track him down - "

"Yes, it's bigger on the inside," Rose chuckled, patting Wilf on the shoulder as he gawked. "Like it?"

"I thought it'd be cleaner," Wilf finally managed to say.

"Cleaner?" the Apocalypse squeaked, making Rose laugh. "I could take you back home right now!"

"Listen, Apocalypse, if this is a time machine, that man you're chasing, why can't you just pop back to yesterday and catch him?" Wilf asked.

"I can't go back inside my own timeline," the Apocalypse shook her head. "I have to stay relative to the Master within the casual nexus. Understand?"

"Not a word," Wilf shook his head.

"Welcome to our lives," Jenny grinned.

The Apocalypse just clapped him on the shoulder. "Welcome aboard."

"Thank you," Wilf smiled.

***

Jenny was so used to the TARDIS by now that she didn't react when they traveled. Wilf, however, was in awe. "We've moved," he looked around. "We've really moved!"

"You should stay here," the Apocalypse began.

"Not bloody likely!" Wilf huffed.

"And don't swear," Rose added, putting her hands over Jenny's ears, the brunette rolling her eyes at her aunt.

"Hold on," the Apocalypse pointed her key at the TARDIS, and it disappeared. "Just a second out of sync. Don't want the Master finding the TARDIS. That's the last thing we need."

Jenny waved them down from where she was hiding behind a few pillars. The Apocalypse looked around her to see a patrol of soldiers marching past. "That book said he's a billionaire," Wilf whispered. "He's got his own private army!"

"Down here," the Apocalypse opened a door in an archway nearby, heading inside.

***

"The man's a miracle," a woman's voice said as they headed into the basement. "All the systems are slotting back into place. The shatterthreads have harmonized, the fiber links intensified, and the multiple overshots have triplicated."

The Apocalypse took a look at what the woman was working with and whistled. "Nice Gate!"

"Hello," Wilf waved sheepishly as the woman gasped, seeing them. "Sorry."

"Don't try calling security, or I'll tell them you're wearing a Shimmer," the Apocalypse warned, walking inside. "Because I reckon anyone wearing a Shimmer doesn't want the Shimmer to be noticed, or they wouldn't need a Shimmer in the first place."

"I'm sorry?" the woman blinked. "What's a Shimmer?"

The Apocalypse pointed her sonic screwdriver at her. "Shimmer," she said, clicking a button, and she turned green and prickly.

"Oh, my Lord," Wilf stared. "She's a cactus!"

"Well, she looks like it," Rose admitted.

"Miss Addams?" a man's voice asked. "Miss Addams?"

The Apocalypse just pushed past the indignant alien woman to investigate what the Master had been doing. "He's got it working, but what is it?" she muttered. "What's working?"

"What are you doing here?" a man's voice sputtered.

Without looking, the Apocalypse pointed her sonic screwdriver over her shoulder. "Shimmer!" she sang, and she heard the alien gasp. "Now, tell me quickly, what's going on?" the Apocalypse turned around. "The Master, Harold Saxon, Skeletor, whatever you're calling him, what's he doing up there?"

"But I checked the readings," the man - Rossiter, according to his jacket - said. "He's done good work. It's operational."

"Who are you, though?" the Apocalypse asked. "I met someone like you. He was brilliant, but he was little and red."

"No, that's Zocci," Addams shook her head.

"We're not Zocci, we've Vinvocci," Rossiter snorted.

"And the Gate is Vinvocci," Addams added. "We're a salvage team. We picked up the signal when the humans reactivated it, and as soon as it's working, we can transport it to the ship."

"But what does it do?" Rose asked.

"Well, it mends," Rossiter shrugged. "It's as simple as that. It's a medical device to repair the body. It makes people better."

"No, there's got to be more," the Apocalypse scratched the back of her head. "Every single warning says the Master's going to do something colossal."

"So that thing's like a sickbed, yes?" Wilf asked.

"More or less," Addams shrugged.

"Well, pardon me for asking, but . . . why's it so big?"

"It doesn't just mend one person at a time," Addams snorted.

"That would be ridiculous," Rossiter nodded.

"It mends whole planets."

The Apocalypse's face drained of color. "It does what?!" she whispered.

"It transmits the medical template across the entire population," Addams nodded.

The Apocalypse bolted up the stairs, heading into the mansion. "Turn the Gate off right now!" she demanded as Naismith and his men turned to her.

"At arms!" the butler ordered, soldiers aiming at her.

"No, no, no, no, no, whatever you do, just don't let him near that device," the Apocalypse pointed at the Master.

"Oh, like that was ever going to happen," the Master rolled his eyes, throwing off his straitjacket and leaping over their heads, using the energy from his hands to propel him, and landed in the Gate. "Homeless, was I? Destitute and dying? Well, look at me now!"

"Deactivate it!" the Apocalypse ordered, looking around. "All of you, turn the whole thing off!"

"Bwahahahahahahaha!" the Master cackled.

"He's inside my head!" Naismith gasped, clutching his head.

"Get out of there!" the Apocalypse raised a hand against her brother.

The Master just shot a bolt of energy at her, throwing her back. "Apocalypse!" Wilf staggered up the stairs, clutching his head, Rose helping him up. "Apocalypse, there's . . . there's this face - "

"What is it?" the Apocalypse asked. "What can you see?"

"Well, it's him," Wilf pointed at the Master. "I can see him."

"There's something wrong," the TV announcer said. "It seems to be affecting the President."

The Apocalypse ran towards the computer, tapping keys as Jenny ran in. "I can't turn it off!"

"That's because I locked it, sissy," the Master rolled his eyes.

"Wilfred!" the Apocalypse looked towards the pair of glass cubicles, then ran over into one. "Get inside! Get him out!" She tapped a button, and the other cubicle opened. Wilf got the technician out, then closed the door. "Just need to filter the levels," the Apocalypse mumbled.

"Oh, I can see again!" Wilf said in relief. "He's gone."

"Radiation shielding," the Apocalypse nodded. "Now, press the button. Let me out."

"You what?" Wilf blinked.

"I can't get out until you press the button. That button there."

Wilf pressed it, and the Apocalypse's door opened. She hurried out, but the Master just chuckled. "Fifty seconds and counting."

"To what?" Jenny asked.

"Oh, you're going to love this," the Master grinned.

Wilf's phone started ringing, and he almost pulled out his revolver before getting his phone instead. "Hello? Oh, Gawd, Donna?"

"Where are you?" Donna asked. "It's Mum and Shaun. Something's wrong with them."

"But, wait a minute. I mean, what about you? Can't you see anything?"

"I can see them. That's bad enough."

Wilf's phone beeped, and he switched calls. "Not now, Winston!"

"Wilfred, those dreams, I can remember that face," Winston swallowed. "Wilfred, it's everyone!"

"What is it, hypnotism?" the Apocalypse asked. "Mind control. You're grafting your thoughts inside them. Is that it?"

"Oh, that's way too easy," the Master chuckled. "No, no, no. They're not going to think like me. They're going to become me!"

A blast of energy rippled from the Master and the Gate and hit all the humans, save Wilf, safe in the radiation chamber. Everyone's faces became blurred, and the Apocalypse blanched. "You can't have!"

"What is it?" Wilf asked.

"But they've changed," Donna whispered. "Granddad, it's like . . . like, the sort of thing that happened before."

"What is it?" Wilf shouted at the Master. "What have you done, you monster?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," the Master said innocently. "Are you talking to me?"

"Or to me?" Naismith-Master asked, turning into the Master.

"Or to me?" Abigail-Master asked.

"Or to us?" the security guards asked, with the faces of the Master.

"Breaking news," the new reporter, with the face of the Master, grinned. "I'm everyone, and everyone in the world is me!"

"I'm President," Obama-Master smirked. "President of the United States. Look at me!" As the audience-Master applauded, he said, "Ooo. Financial solution . . . deleted. Haha!"

"The human race was always your favorite, my dear little sister," the Master grinned. "But now, there is no human race. There is only the Master race! Bwahahahahahahaha!"

The Apocalypse swallowed hard, looking around the roomful of Masters, Rose and Jenny backing up to stand with her as Wilf stared, stunned.

+++

"And so it came to pass, on Christmas Day, that the human race did cease to exist. But even then, the Master had no concept of his greater role in events. For this was far more than humanity's end."

+++

"This day was the day upon which the whole of creation would change forever," Time Lord President Rassilon smirked darkly, raising his staff. "This was the day the Time Lords. For Gallifrey!"

"For Gallifrey!" the Time Lords echoed.

"For victory!"

"For victory!"

"For the end of time itself!"

"For the end of time itself!"

As the Time Lords cheered, there was one that did not. The man Wilf had seen over and over looked over the rest of the Time Lords and shook his head sadly. What had the Time Lords come to during the War?

***

To be continued. :) Need I say more?

I'm hurrying to get these out, but AP exams have started this week, and my biggest one is Friday. Keep an eye out for when this finishes!

Next to last hint: the actress has portrayed someone affiliated with gods. ;)