Final day in Paris is spent relaxing. Which means . . . ta da! :D And 8.5 thousand words . . . that might be a record for this series.

Rose gets back to the correct universe (yay!), everyone gets back together (yay!) and the Alchemist is dying ( . . . not so yay).

Enjoy "The Stolen Earth!"

***

The Doctor and Donna both stumbled out of the TARDIS, just barely finding their footing. The Doctor, not needing as much sleep as Donna, was still going mostly strong, though if one truly knew the Time Lord, they would be able to tell he was exhausted. Donna, on the other hand, was trying to stay upright. They had been up for hours on end trying to stabilize the Alchemist after she had fainted. She was breathing well for now, but if the Doctor's scans were right . . . she didn't have much longer than forty-eight hours.

And that scared Donna more than this Bad Wolf thing. But she was determined now more than ever to stick with her little brother through it all.

"It's fine," the Doctor said in disbelief, looking around the street. "Everything's fine. Nothing's wrong, all fine. Excuse me!" he called to a milkman. "What day is it?"

"Saturday," the milkman answered, giving him an odd look.

"Saturday," the Doctor repeated, nodding. "Good. Good, I like Saturdays."

"So I just met Rose Tyler and Mickey Smith?" Donna asked, just to clarify. Her mind was still trying to cope with the idea of the Alchemist possibly on her deathbed.

"Yeah," the Doctor nodded.

"But they're locked away in a parallel world!"

"Exactly," the Doctor nodded, helping her back into the TARDIS. "If they can cross from their parallel world to your parallel world, then that means the walls of the universe are breaking down, which puts everything in danger. Everything." He shook his head, closing the door. "But how?"

"The thing is, Doctor, no matter what's happening – and I'm sure it's bad, I get that – but . . . Rose and Mickey are coming back," Donna walked up to the Doctor as he worked on the TARDIS console. "And even if the Alchemist is dying – " He flinched, and she placed her hand on top of his. "They'll be here for her, too," Donna whispered. "And isn't that good?"

The Doctor managed a small smile. "Yeah."

A loud bang rang out, and the TARDIS shook, sending both siblings into the console. "What the hell was that?" Donna shouted.

"Don't know," the Doctor shook his head, pulling himself up. "It came from outside!"

He ran to the doors, opened them – and spent a good few minutes just staring outside.

"But we're in space!" Donna did a double take. "How did that happen? What did you do?"

The Doctor went back to check a scanner. "We haven't moved," he answered, surprised, as Donna kept staring out into space. "We're fixed. It can't have!" He checked the other scanners. "No, the TARDIS is still in the same place . . . but the Earth is gone." He ran back, still unable to believe it. "The entire planet . . . it's gone!"

***

"Give me a sit rep right now!" a voice called out as Martha Jones lifted her head, shaking it to try and clear everything. The last thing she remembered was falling to the floor of the UNIT headquarters in New York. "Confirm all stations still online. Can anyone hear me? Have we got contact with UNIT base Geneva?"

"What was that?" Martha mumbled as she looked around. "Was it some sort of earthquake or . . . Jalandra?" she found one of her coworkers. "You all right?"

"Yeah, I'm OK," the woman waved in response.

"Is anyone hurt?" Martha called around, seeing people shaking their heads. "We've lost power. Someone get the lights back on! DaCosta, see to it right now. Suzanne?" she frowned, seeing one woman looking outside. "Are you OK?"

"Martha, look at the sky," Suzanne called.

"Why? What is it?"

"Just look at the sky!"

Martha made her way over, wondering what Suzanne had seen . . .

***

"Whoa!" Captain Jack Harkness scrambled to his feet, wincing as he looked about the Torchwood Hub, seeing equipment sprawled everywhere if it hadn't been secured . . . which most of it hadn't been, in the case of technology. "What happened? Was it the Rift?" He looked around, checking for his team. "Gwen? Ianto? Owen? Toshiko? You OK?"

"No broken bones," Ianto Jones double checked as he helped Gwen Cooper stand. "Slight loss of dignity."

"No change there, then," Owen Harper quipped as he helped Toshiko Sato to her feet.

"Oh, shut it," Ianto scowled at him.

"The whole of the city must've felt that," Gwen fixed her hair. "The whole of South Wales."

"I'm going to take a look outside," Jack told them, running for the doors.

Tosh went to work on her computer, then squeaked when the monitor turned on, her eyes widening. "A little bit bigger than South Wales," she managed to say, turning the monitor so the others could see . . .

***

"Luke!" Sarah Jane Smith looked around as she got to her feet. "Are you all right?"

Her son sat up, looking around. "Felt like some sort of cross-dimensional spatial transference," he mumbled.

"But it's night," Sarah Jane frowned at the blackness outside the window. "It wasn't night. It was eight o'clock in the morning!" She turned around. "Mr. Smith, I need you!" She rolled her eyes when, with a mighty fanfare, the brick wall turned into a large computer. "Can you just stop giving that fanfare? You just tell me what happened!"

"Sarah Jane, I think you should look outside," Mr. Smith answered. "I think you'll find the visual evidence most conclusive."

Sarah Jane went to the window to do just that . . .

***

"It's gone dark!" Wilf scowled as he marched out onto the street, cricket bat in hand. "It's them aliens, I'll bet my pension. What do you want this time, you green swine?" he roared.

"Dad!" Sylvia ran out to join him.

"Look, you get back inside, Sylvia," Wilf gestured to her. "They always want the women."

"No, Dad, just look," Sylvia tilted her head back to look up. "Oh, my God, look at the sky!"

***

"That's impossible," Sarah Jane's jaw dropped.

***

Jack stared up at the sky, eyes wide. "That's just impossible!"

***

"It can't be!" Martha whispered hoarsely, looking out.

***

The milkman the Doctor had spoken to stared up at the sky, only to turn around when he saw a huge flash of light. A blonde woman in a dark blue jacket appeared in the middle of the street, a huge gun slung in front of her. She took one look up at the sky; unlike the other companions, Rose Tyler just grimly seemed to accept it. "Right. Now we're in trouble." She powered up the gun as she kept her eyes on the planets swarming close to Earth. "It's only just beginning."

***

"But if the Earth's been moved, they've lost the Sun," Donna told the Doctor. "What about my Mum? And Granddad? They're dead, aren't they? Are they dead?"

"I don't know, Donna," the Doctor rubbed a hand over his face. "I just don't know. I'm sorry, I don't know."

"That's my family," she whispered. "My whole world."

"There's no readings," he gestured to the scanner. "Nothing. Not a trace. Not even a whisper. Oh, that is fearsome technology."

"So what do we do?"

"We've got to get help."

"From where?"

The Doctor straightened. "Donna, I'm taking you to the Shadow Proclamation." He grabbed a lever. "Hold tight!"

***

"The United Nations has issued an edict, asking the citizens of the world not to panic. So far, there has been no explanation of the twenty-six planets which have appeared in the sky – "

Click.

"But it's an empirical fact. The planets didn't come to us, we came to them. Just look at the stars. We're in a completely different region of space. We've traveled."

Click.

"Do you know what, I look up, and there's all these moons and things. Have you seen them? Did you see them?"

"Yeah!"

"I thought, what was I drinking last night, furniture polish?"

Ianto and Owen both started laughing at the statement, Jack frowning at them. "Boys! Time and a place!"

"He is funny, though," Ianto said as Owen turned the television off.

"Gwen, come and see!" Tosh called.

"Rhys, I have no idea," Gwen told Rhys as she phoned him. "Just stay indoors. And can you phone my number? Tell her . . . er, oh, I don't know, just tell her to take her pills and go to sleep. I'm coming home as soon as I can, I promise." She grinned. "I love you, you big idiot."

"Someone's established an artificial atmospheric shell, keeping the air and holding in the heat," Tosh gestured to her monitor as everyone else gathered round.

"Whoever's done this wants the human race alive," Ianto noted. "That's a plus."

"Is it?" Owen couldn't help but wonder.

"And I've counted twenty-seven planets, including the Earth," Tosh added.

Gwen frowned, pointing out a blinking red dot. "No, but what's that? That's not a planet."

***

"The reading seems to be artificial in construction," Mr. Smith said, showing the Smiths the same dot.

"Some sort of space station sitting at the heart of the web," Sarah Jane frowned.

"They're fine," Luke told her, walking up. "Maria and her dad, they're still in Cornwall. I told them to stay indoors. And Clyde's all right, he's with his mum."

"Sarah Jane, I have detected movement," Mr. Smith announced.

Luke lit up when he saw the multiple red dots appear. "Spaceships!"

Sarah Jane just nodded, knowing that spaceships didn't necessarily mean good news.

***

"Tracking two hundred objects," the commanding officer of the New York headquarters, Sanchez, announced. "Earthbound trajectory. Geneva is calling a Code Red. Everyone to battle positions!" He frowned when he turned. "Doctor Jones, if you're not too busy!"

"I'm trying to phone the Doctor and the Alchemist, sir," Martha told him.

Sanchez frowned. "And?"

"There's no signal," she shook her head with a frown. "This number calls anywhere in the universe. It never breaks down. They must be blocking it . . . whoever they are," she frowned at the screen.

"We're about to find out," Sanchez said grimly. "They're coming into orbit."

***

Rose emerged from the subway to see the street in total chaos. People were looting shops left and right, drunks staggering everywhere. "The end of the world, darling!" one slurred at her. "End of the stinking world!"

"Have one on me, mate," Rose gave him a look as she walked on. She nearly passed another shop when the window broke, alarms wailing. She just barely kept from rolling her eyes as she walked inside, two boys working on stealing computers and televisions. "Right, you two, you can put that stuff down or run for your lives," she announced, powering up her weapon again. "Do you like my gun?"

Wisely, the two took off, and feeling proud of herself, Rose sat down to look at the screen showing the red dots approaching Earth.

***

"We're now getting confirmed reports of spaceships," the newscast said as Sylvia sat in front of the television, Wilf pacing and attempting to make a call. "The Pentagon has issued an emergency report saying that two hundred objects – "

"Dad? Come and see!" Sylvia called.

" – are now heading towards Earth in a regular pattern."

"They're saying spaceships. Did you find her?"

" – organized flightplan – "

"No, no, there's no reply," Wilf shook his head as he joined his daughter. "Where are you, Donna?"

" – and stay indoors."

"Where are you, sweetheart?"

***

"Three thousand miles and closing," Gwen reported, frowning. "But who are they?"

Jack's phone rang, and he answered it in relief. "Martha Jones, voice of a nightingale. Tell me you put something in my drink."

"No such luck," she responded dryly. "Have you heard from the Doctor or the Alchemist?"

"Not a word," Jack answered. "Where are you?"

"New York."

"Ooo. Nice for some."

"I've been promoted. Medical Director on Project Indigo."

"Did you get that thing working?"

"Indigo's top secret! No one's supposed to know about it!"

"I met a soldier in a bar – " Jack paused when all four members of his team turned to look at him. "Long story."

"When was that?" Ianto scowled.

"Strictly professional," Jack assured him.

"Fifteen hundred miles, guys, and accelerating," Gwen swallowed. "They're almost here."

***

"I'm receiving a communication from the Earthbound ships," Mr. Smith said. "They have a message for the human race."

"Put it through," Sarah Jane nodded. "Let's hear it."

There was a moment of silence, then – "Exterminate!" Sarah Jane immediately blanched. "Exterminate! Exterminate!"

***

"Exterminate!" rang out in the Torchwood Hub, making Jack's eyes bug out, his face paling rapidly.

***

"Exterminate!" Martha lowered her phone in shock, turning to look at Sanchez, who looked just as stunned. "Exterminate!"

***

"No," Jack breathed in horror.

"Exterminate! Exterminate!"

"Oh, no," he shook his head.

"What is it?" Gwen asked worriedly, looking from him to the monitor. "Who are they? Do you know them, Jack?"

Jack just pulled his team close, kissing each of their heads as the call continued. "Exterminate! Exterminate!"

***

"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

"No!" Sarah Jane gasped, tears in her eyes.

***

"Exterminate!"

"There's nothing I can do," Jack said miserably.

"Exterminate!"

"I'm sorry," he swallowed. "We're dead."

***

"Exterminate! Exterminate!"

"Oh, God!" Sarah Jane sobbed, hugging her son tightly. "You're so young!"

***

"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

Rose steeled her face as she walked out of the shop, watching large saucers soar overhead, firing randomly. She turned and walked away, not flinching as one of the shots took out the shop she had just left.

***

"Battle stations!" Sanchez roared as alarms wailed, Martha watching in horror as the Daleks soared past the building, firing at everything they saw. "Geneva declaring Ultimate Code Red! Ladies and gentlemen, we are at war!"

***

"So go on, then," Donna told the Doctor as he flew the TARDIS. "What is the Shadow Proclamation anyway?"

"Posh name for police," the Doctor answered shortly. "Outer space police." The TARDIS stilled, and he headed for the door. "Here we go."

They headed outside, only to stop when they got rhinos aiming guns at them. "Sco bo tro no flo jo ko fo to to," the rhino in the lead said.

"No bo ho sho ko ro to so," the Doctor answered the Judoon promptly, then sped up when guns clicked again. "Bokodozogobofopojo!" After a moment, the Judoon lowered their guns, and the Doctor grinned. "Mo ho!"

***

"Time Lords are the stuff of legend," the Architect told the Doctor as she paced the floor. "They belong in the myths and whispers of the Higher Species. You cannot possibly exist."

The Doctor bristled, and Donna internally winced. The woman just had to remind the Doctor that his Bonded was dying, and there was no possible way for her to recover, didn't she? "Yeah, more to the point, I've got a missing planet," he growled.

"Then you're not as wise as the stories would say," the Architect sniffed. "The picture is far bigger than you imagine. The whole universe is in outrage, Doctor. Twenty-four worlds have been taken from the sky."

"How many?!" the Doctor's eyes widened. "Which ones? Show me!"

The Architect gestured to her screen, and the Doctor joined her. "Locations range far and wide, but all disappeared at the exact same moment, leaving no trace."

"Callufrax Minorr," he frowned, reading names off. "Jahoo. Shallacatop. Woman Wept. Clom . . . Clom?" he did a double take. "Who'd want Clom?"

"All different sizes, some populated, some not, but all unconnected," the Architect told him.

Donna frowned. Missing planets . . . hadn't they heard about that in their adventures before? "What about Pyrovillia?" she recalled.

The Architect frowned. "Who is the female?"

"Donna," she answered sharply. "I'm a human being. Maybe not the stuff of legend, but I am his big sister, so I think that is every bit as important as Time Lords, thank you." The Doctor grinned smugly at the Architect's shock. That was his big sister, all right. "Way back, when we were in Pompeii, Lucius said Pyrovillia had gone missing."

"Pyrovillia is cold case," one of the Judoon said. "Not relevant."

"How do you mean, cold case?" Donna frowned.

"The planet Pyrovillia cannot be part of this," the Architect answered. "It disappeared over two thousand years ago."

"Yes, yes, hang on," Donna thought some more. "But there's the Adipose breeding planet, too. Miss Foster said that was lost, but that must've been a long time ago."

"That's it!" the Doctor grinned. "Donna, brilliant!" She smiled proudly when he hugged her. "Planets are being taken out of time as well as space! Let's put this into 3D." He made a motion on the screen, sending the planets into the air. "Now, if we add Pyrovillia and Adipose Three . . . something missing," he frowned. "Where else, where else, where else . . . where else lost, lost, lost, lost – oh! The Lost Moon of Poosh!"

One last planet flew into the air, and the planets suddenly reorganized themselves. "What did you do?" the Architect asked.

"Nothing," the Doctor shook his head. "The planets rearranged themselves into the optimum pat-tern. Oh, look at that! Twenty-seven planets in perfect balance. Come on, that is gorgeous! What do you think, Al – "

He abruptly cut off, a pained look suddenly on his face. Donna swallowed, seeing him close his eyes in realization. The Alchemist wasn't there with them. She was dying, back on the TARDIS. And the Doctor was still acting like she was there. "What does it mean?" she asked, hoping to distract him.

The Doctor cleared his throat, straightening. "All those worlds fit together like pieces of an engine," he answered. "It's like a powerhouse. What for?"

"Who could design such a thing?" the Architect asked.

"Someone tried to move the Earth once before," the Doctor frowned. "Can't be."

***

"Maximum extermination!"

"The shields are down! There's too many of them! Abandon ship!"

"The Valiant's down!" Jack cried in shock, eyes wide.

"Air force retreating over North Africa," Ianto reported from his monitor.

"Daleks landing in Japan!" Owen called from his.

"We've lost contact with the Prime Minister's plane," Gwen added.

Tosh gasped, eyes wide. "Jack! Manhattan!"

Jack spun around, eyes wide. "Martha, get out of there!"

***

"I can't, Jack," Martha shook her head as she bandaged a man's head. "I've got a job to do."

"They're targeting military bases, and you're next on the list!"

"Doctor Jones," Sanchez walked up to her, two guards with him. "You will come with me. Project Indigo is being activated." Martha's eyes widened, quickly getting to her feet. "Quick march!"

"But we can't use Project Indigo!" Martha hurried after him. "It hasn't been tested, sir. We don't even know if it works!"

"Put it on," Sanchez gestured as one of the soldiers opened a storage unit, a backpack with a key-pad inside. "Fast as you can."

"Martha, I'm telling you, don't use Project Indigo!" Jack warned. "It's not safe!"

"You take your orders from UNIT, Doctor Jones, not from Torchwood," Sanchez gave her a look.

Martha hesitated, then put the backpack on. "But why me?"

"You're our only hope of finding the Doctor and the Alchemist. But failing that, if no help is coming . . . then with the power invested in me by the United Intelligence Taskforce, I authorize you to take this." He held out a computer chip on a chain to her. "The Osterhagen Key."

Martha's jaw dropped. "I can't take that, sir!"

"You know what to do, for the sake of the human race." Martha swallowed, then took the key-chain as the building shook, Dalek battle cries echoing in the corridors. "Doctor Jones . . . good luck."

Martha nodded as he saluted, then took a deep breath. "Bye, Jack," she whispered, then pulled the ripcords on the pack.

***

"Martha, don't do it!" Jack yelled. "Don't!" When he heard no reply, he hung up and put his phone down hard.

"What's Project Indigo?" Ianto asked quietly.

"Experimental teleport salvaged from the Sontarans," Jack answered. "But they haven't got co-ordinates, or stabilization."

"So where is she?" Owen asked.

"Scattered into atoms," Jack said bitterly. "Martha's down."

***

Donna kept an eagle eye on the Doctor and the Architect as they conferred, she sitting on the steps. There wasn't much more she could do when she didn't understand the technology they were using.

On the other hand, since she couldn't get a heartbeat out of her head, she supposed she wouldn't have been much help anyway.

"You need sustenance," an albino woman offered, holding out a tray with a cup of water. "Take the water. It purifies."

"Thanks," Donna smiled, taking it.

The albino considered her. "There was something on your back."

Donna blinked at her. "How do you know that?"

"You are something new."

"Not me," Donna scoffed. "I'm just a temp. Shorthand, filing, hundred words per minute. Fat lot of good that is now. I'm no use to anyone."

The albino's eyes suddenly widened. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

"Yeah," Donna sighed. "My whole planet's gone."

"I mean the loss that is yet to come." Donna blanched, staring at the woman. "God save you!"

Donna gaped like a fish as the albino went up the stairs, swallowing. Did . . . did that just secure the Alchemist's fate?

"Donna," the Doctor walked over. That was when Donna realized he really was starting to show how much this was taking a toll on him, especially his eyes. They were much more tired than they had ever been before. "Come on, think. Earth, there must've been some sort of warning. Was anything happening back in your day, like electrical storms, freak weather, patterns in the sky?"

"Well, how should I know?" Donna asked sharply, then winced. "Er, no. I don't think so, no."

"Oh," the Doctor slouched. "OK. Never mind."

"Although," Donna said slowly. "There were the bees disappearing."

"The bees disappearing," the Doctor mumbled, thinking. "The bees disappearing . . . the bees disappearing!"

"How is that significant?" the Architect frowned as the Doctor ran for the monitor.

"On Earth, we had these insects," Donna explained, getting off the stairs to join her brother. "Some people said it was pollution, or mobile phone signals."

"Or they were going back home," the Doctor grinned.

"Back home where?"

"Planet Melissa Majoria."

Donna frowned. "Are you saying bees are aliens?"

"Don't be so daft. Not all of them." Donna did a double take, but the Doctor kept going. "But if the migrant bees felt something coming, some sort of danger, and escaped?" He grinned. "Tandocca!"

"The Tandocca Scale!" the Architect's eyes lit up.

"The Tandocca Scale is the series of wavelengths used as a carrier signal by migrant bees," the Doctor explained to Donna. "Infinitely small. No wonder we didn't see it. It's like looking for a speck of cinnamon in the Sahara, but look. There it is. The Tandocca trail. The transmat that moved the planets was using the same wavelength. We can follow the path."

"And find the Earth?" Donna asked, and he nodded, grinning. "Well, stop talking and do it!"

"I am!" the Doctor grinned, pulling her back to the TARDIS.

***

"We're a bit late," the Doctor told the Architect, poking his head out. "The signal's scattered, but it's a start. I've got a blip. It's just a blip, but it's definitely a blip."

"Then according to the Strictures of the Shadow Proclamation, I will have to seize your transport and your technology," the Architect told him.

He blinked. "Oh, really? What for?"

"The planets were stolen with hostile intent. We are declaring war, Doctor, right across the universe, and you will lead us into battle."

The Doctor blinked again, then heard an incredulous snort from Donna behind him. "Right," he held out. "Yes, 'course I will. I'll just . . . go and get you the key."

Donna laughed hysterically as he made the TARDIS dematerialize, leaving a very livid Architect behind.

***

"Dad, please, come home," Sylvia begged Wilf as they watched from behind one of the houses as the Daleks rounded up humans. "They're leaving our street alone."

"Yeah, I've got a weapon," Wilf held it up.

" . . . it's a paint gun."

"Exactly. Them Daleks, they've only got one eye. A good splodge of paint, they'd be blinded." One of the houses across the street suddenly exploded in a fireball, making Sylvia blanch. "They're monsters!" Wilf gasped.

"Please, Dad!" Sylvia tugged on his arm. "Come home!"

Wilf nodded, and the two of them ran back around the corner, only to run into another Dalek. "Halt," it ordered. "You will come with me."

"Will I, heck!" Wilf scoffed, aiming at the eyestalk and firing.

For a moment, the Dalek's eyestalk was covered in yellow paint. The next moment, it was boiled off. "My vision is not impaired."

"I warned you, Dad!" Sylvia moaned.

"Hostility will not be tolerated!" the Dalek aimed at them. "Exterminate! Exterminate! Exter – "

The Dalek's head exploded, and Wilf shielded his eyes against the bright light. When the smoke cleared, he could see a pretty blonde woman behind the Dalek, a huge gun in her arms. "Do you want to swap?" he offered.

"You're Donna Noble's family, right?" When Wilf nodded suspiciously, she smiled and walked forward. "I'm Rose Tyler, and I need you."

***

"Yeah, I've tried calling her, but I can't get through," Wilf nodded. "But she's still with the Doctor and the Alchemist, I know that much, and the last time she phoned, it was from a planet called Midnight, made of diamonds."

"What the hell are you two on about?" Sylvia frowned.

"Look, she's out there, sweetheart," Wilf turned to him. "Your daughter. She's traveling the stars with those Time Lords. She always has been."

"Don't be ridiculous," she scoffed.

"Oh, come on. Open your eyes! Look at the sky! Look at – look at the Daleks! You can't start denying things now."

"You're my last hope," Rose told them from where she sat by Wilf's desk. "If we can't find Donna, can't find the Time Lords." She shook her head. "Where are they?"

***

The TARDIS suddenly stopped, and the Doctor blinked. "It's stopped."

"What do you mean?" Donna asked as the Doctor headed for the doors. "Is that good or bad? Where are we?"

"The Medusa Cascade," the Doctor opened the door to reveal a multi-colored nebula. "I came here when I was just a kid, ninety years old. It was the center of a rift in time and space."

"So where are the twenty-seven planets?"

"Nowhere," he shook his head. "The Tandocca Trail stops dead. End of the line."

"So what do we do?" The Doctor just remained silent. "Doctor, what do we do?" He shook his head, leaning against the console, a pained look on his face. "Now, don't do this to me. No, don't! Don't do this to me! Not now! Tell me, what are we going to do? You never give up!" Donna put a hand over her mouth, tears in her eyes. "Please!"

"What's this about him giving up?" a weak voice said from the corridor.

"Alice!" the Doctor sprang up and raced over as the Alchemist hobbled in, looking like a dead woman walking – which she really was, Donna had to remind herself – but looking determined to reach them. "You can't be up!"

"Donna's family is in danger, and so's mine, and so's every family on Earth," the Alchemist re-minded him, looking up at him. "And she's right. You never give up. You haven't given up on me . . . so why in Rassilon's name are you giving up on finding those planets now?"

***

"This is the Commander General of the United Nations calling the Dalek Fleet. We surrender. Repeat, we surrender. Planet Earth surrenders."

"Humans selected for testing will follow Dalek instructions. The Daleks reign supreme. All hail the Daleks. You will obey Dalek instructions without question. You will obey your Dalek ma – "

Rose looked up with a frown when a beeping came from the laptop. "Can anyone hear me?" a female voice called. "The Subwave Network is open. You should be able to hear my voice. Is anyone there?"

"I know that voice!" Rose straightened as a staticky image appeared.

***

"Who's that?" Luke frowned.

"Some poor soul calling for help," Sarah Jane mumbled.

"Can anyone hear me?" the voice called.

"There's nothing we can do."

"But look at Mr. Smith!" he tugged her arm.

Sarah Jane looked up when the static came on Mr. Smith's screen. "Processing incoming Subwave," the computer announced.

***

"This message is of the utmost importance. We haven't much time. Can anyone hear me?"

"Someone's trying to get in touch," Gwen noted.

"The whole world's crying out," Jack shook his head. "Just leave it."

"Captain Jack Harkness, shame on you!" the voice declared, and Jack's head shot up as the image burst into color, revealing a dark-haired woman in her home. "Now stand to attention, sir!"

"What?" Jack jumped to his feet, running over as his team followed behind. "Who is that?"

"Harriet Jones," she answered, holding up her ID. "Former Prime Minister."

Jack laughed. "Yeah, I know who you are."

***

"Harriet, it's me!" Rose leaned forward. "It's me!" When she didn't respond, Rose huffed. "Oh, she can't hear me. Have you got a webcam?" she looked behind her.

"No, she wouldn't let me," Wilf glared at Sylvia. "She said they're naughty."

"I can't speak to her, then, can I?" Rose slumped, disappointed.

"Sarah Jane Smith, 13 Bannerman Road, are you there?" Harriet asked.

"Yeah," Sarah Jane's voice answered. "Yeah, I'm here! That – that's me!"

"Good. Now, let's see if we can talk to each other." Rose watched as four sections appeared on screen – Jack and his team in one, Harriet in another, Sarah Jane and a boy in a third, and static in the last. "The fourth contact seems to be having some trouble getting through."

"That's me!" Rose shot up again. "Harriet, that's me!"

"I'll just boost the signal," Harriet made a motion.

More static, then it resolved into a pretty black woman. "Hello?" she called.

"Ha ha!" Jack cheered, eyes bright. "Martha Jones!"

Rose frowned. "Martha Jones . . . " Hadn't that been one of the names that had been mentioned in Donna's world? Yes, it had been. She had died in the Royal Hope . . . apparently, she had a connection to the Time Lords as well. "I want to get through," she mumbled.

***

"Martha, where are you?" Jack leaned forward.

"I guess Project Indigo was more clever than we thought," Martha smiled. "One second I was in Manhattan, next second . . . maybe Indigo tapped into my mind, because I ended up in the one place that I wanted to be."

"You came home," an older black woman that looked very similar to Martha bent down. "At the end of the world, you came back to me."

Martha smiled up at her mother, then turned back. "But then all of a sudden, it's like the laptop turned itself on."

"It did," Harriet nodded. "That was me. Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister."

"Yes, I know who you are," Martha giggled.

"I thought it was about time we all met, given the current crisis. Torchwood, this is Sarah Jane Smith."

"I've been following your work," Jack nodded. "Nice job with the Slitheen."

"Yeah, well, I've been staying away from you lot," Sarah Jane raised an eyebrow, nodding to the boy by her side. "Too many guns."

"All the same, might I say . . . " Jack winked. "Looking good, ma'am?"

"Really?" Sarah Jane grinned. "Ooo."

***

"Not now, Captain," Harriet gave him a look. "And Martha Jones, former companion to the Doctor." Rose opened her mouth to say something else when Harriet frowned. "I also have a note here that says . . . medical advisor for the Alchemist?"

Rose's heart skipped a beat. "What did she say about the Alchemist?" Wilf did a double take.

Sarah Jane looked confused as well, but the blood drained from Jack's face very rapidly. "Martha?" he croaked. "You knew?"

"Not until they dropped me back after the ATMOS incident," Martha shook her head. "I would have told you, Jack . . . but I thought given your relationship with her, you'd have already known."

"We didn't," a dark blonde man with a Welsh accent suddenly came into view on Torchwood's end. "Until she nearly bled out on my table at the Hub."

"Until she what?" Martha yelped – in unison with Rose and Sarah Jane.

"Yeah," he winced. "That happened. Sorry, Owen Harper, medical director for Torchwood. Also, Alex's older brother. Most recent, if I understand that."

"I get another brother?" Rose's eyes lit up.

"Did the Doctor say how long she has?" Martha asked in concern. "It's been decreasing every time she's used the Vortex."

Jack and Owen exchanged wary looks, then Jack sighed. "Last we heard . . . three months."

"Three months?" Rose paled dramatically.

How . . . how did the Alchemist, the strongest woman she knew, suddenly have three months to live?!

***

"Oh, my God," Francine's eyes widened.

"I am very sorry, Captain," Harriet swallowed. "If I had known who she was to you – "

"Save it," Jack shook his head. "We'll cross that bridge when it comes to it. The planet comes first."

"Right," Martha shook herself out of her stupor. "How did you find me?"

"This, ladies and gentlemen, is the Subwave Network," Harriet answered. "A sentient piece of software programmed to seek out anyone and everyone who can help to contact the Doctor."

"What if the Daleks can hear us?" Martha asked.

"No, that's the beauty of the Subwave. It's undetectable."

"And you invented it?" Sarah Jane asked.

"I developed it. It was created by the Mr. Copper Foundation."

"Yeah, but what we need right now is a weapon," Jack's gaze went to Martha's box. "Martha, back there at UNIT, what . . . what did they give you? What was that key thing?"

"The Osterhagen Key," she answered.

"That key is not to be used, Doctor Jones," Harriet said sharply. "Not under any circumstances."

"But what is an Osterhagen key?" Jack frowned.

"Forget about the key, and that's an order. All we need is the Doctor . . . and the Alchemist."

***

"Only . . . excuse me, Harriet," Sarah Jane frowned. "Well, the thing is, if you're looking for the Doctor and the Alchemist . . . didn't the Doctor depose you?"

"He did, and the Alchemist," Harriet confirmed. "And I've wondered about that for a long time, whether I was wrong, but I stand by my actions to this day, because I knew. I knew that one day, the Earth would be in danger, and the Doctor and the Alchemist would fail to appear. I told him so myself, and he didn't listen."

"But I've been trying to find them," Martha volunteered. "The Doctor's got my phone on the TARDIS, but I can't get through."

"Nor me," Rose sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "And I was trying to find them first."

"That's why we need the Subwave," Harriet nodded. "To bring us all together. Combine forces. The Time Lords' secret army."

"Wait a minute," Jack blinked. "We boost the signal! That's it! We transmit that telephone number through Torchwood itself, using all the power of the Rift."

"And we've got Mr. Smith!" the boy with Sarah Jane brightened. "He can link up with every telephone exchange on the Earth. He can get the whole world to call the number, all at the same time. Billions of phones, calling out all at once."

"Brilliant!" Jack grinned. "Who's the kid?"

"That's my son," Sarah Jane beamed proudly.

"Excuse me," Ianto made his way into view. "Sorry, sorry. Hello, Ianto Jones. Er, if we start transmitting, then this Subwave Network is going to become visible. I mean, to the Daleks."

"Yes, and they'll trace it back to me," Harriet nodded grimly. "But my life doesn't matter, not if it saves the Earth."

Jack nodded, throwing up a salute. "Ma'am."

"Thank you, Captain," Harriet nodded. "But there are people out there dying on the streets."

"Marvelous woman," Wilf remarked. "I voted for her."

"You did not!" Sylvia hissed.

***

"Now, enough of words," Harriet ordered. "Let's begin."

Jack nodded, working on his keypad. "Rift power activated."

"All terminals coordinated," Tosh reported.

"National grid online," Owen reported as Ianto and Gwen ran about, plugging in huge power cables. "Giving you everything we've got."

"Connecting you to Mr. Smith," Sarah Jane called.

"All telephone networks combined," her son added.

"Sending you the number now," Martha said, working away on her phone.

"Opening Subwave Network to maximum," Harriet said.

***

"Mr. Smith, make that call," Sarah Jane ordered.

The computer's voice came over the laptop. "Calling the Doctor and the Alchemist."

"So am I," Rose pulled out her own phone.

***

"And . . . sending!" Jack pressed a button, watching the signal broadcast from the Hub.

***

A phone started trilling on the console, and the Doctor blinked. "Phone!"

"Doctor, phone!" Donna added, a bit late.

He ran over and answered. "Martha, is that you?"

The Alchemist listened in as well. "It's a signal."

"Can we follow it?" Donna asked hopefully.

The Doctor and the Alchemist exchanged grins. "Oh, just watch us!"

***

The five Torchwood members ducked sparks flying, then Jack grinned when he saw his screen. "I think we've got a fix!"

***

"Mr. Smith now at two hundred percent," Sarah Jane watched her computer work, wincing when sparks flew. "Oh, come on, you two!"

***

As Wilf and Sylvia dialed quickly, Rose swallowed. "Find me, Ali," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Find me."

***

"Got it!" the Alchemist whooped.

"Locking on!" the Doctor nodded, punching the signal trace in.

***

Tosh suddenly straightened. "Harriet, a saucer's locked on to your location," she called. "They've found you!"

"I know," Harriet said. "I'm using the Network to mask your transmission. Keep going."

***

"We're traveling through time!" the Doctor called as the TARDIS rocked and shook, the Alchemist practically on her knees, her face turning a worrying shade of green, but she still clung on, helping the Doctor fly. "One second in the future. The phone call's pulling us through!"

***

"Captain, I'm transferring the Subwave Network to Torchwood," Harriet told Jack, who nodded. "You're in charge now. And tell the Doctor and the Alchemist from me . . . they chose their companions and their family well." Jack smiled and saluted again, and Harriet nodded back. "It's been an honor."

A few moments later, her screen went into static.

***

"Three! Two! One!"

The Alchemist screamed when the Doctor pushed the TARDIS into the future, collapsing on the ground in a heap. "Alchemist!" Donna ran to her side immediately.

The Alchemist gasped for breath, shuddering as she curled up next to the console, the Doctor bending down. "Alice?" he asked quietly. "Come on, stay with me."

"I'm with you," she nodded, leaning her head back, closing her eyes. "Just . . . give me a moment."

He nodded, kissing the top of her head, then stood up. He checked one of the scanners, then nodded, showing Donna. "Twenty-seven planets," she smiled. "And there's the Earth. But why couldn't we see them?"

"The entire Medusa Cascade has been put a second out of sync with the rest of the universe," the Doctor answered. "Perfect hiding place. Tiny little pocket of time. But we found them." He blinked when beeping came from the monitor. "Ooo, ooo, ooo, what's that? Hold on, hold on . . . some sort of . . . Subwave Network?"

Abruptly, the screen lit up, he and Donna in one quarter of it. In another quarter were Jack and his team; another held Sarah Jane and a teenager; the final had Martha and Francine. "Where the hell have you been?" Jack exploded at once. "Doctor, it's the Daleks!"

"It's the Daleks!" Sarah Jane said at the same time. "They're taking people to their spaceship."

"It's not just Dalek Caan!" Martha added at the same time.

***

"It's Donna!" Sylvia gasped.

"That's my girl!" Wilf beamed proudly.

Rose's eyes lit up when she saw the Doctor . . . but the bright light quickly faded when she realized the person she wanted to see the most . . . wasn't on the screen.

***

"Sarah Jane," the Doctor pointed out to Donna. "Who's that boy? There's Torchwood," he grinned. "Oh, they're brilliant! Look at you all, you clever people!"

"There's Martha," Donna waved. "And Captain Jack! Hello!"

"Don't," the Doctor shook his head automatically. "Just don't."

***

"Doctor, it's me," Rose put her hand on the screen. "I came back." She sniffed. "Where's Ali?"

***

"Doctor . . . " Jack's face suddenly morphed into one of horror. "Where's my sister?"

"Doctor, where's our little sister?" Owen demanded.

The Doctor froze, then felt her stir down by his feet. "Jack?" the Alchemist asked faintly. "Owen?"

"Hold on," Donna told the two men, bending down.

"Doctor?" Martha asked quietly. "Do I need to ask?"

"No," the Doctor swallowed. "You can probably guess."

"Bad," the Alchemist's voice came slightly stronger as she stood from the floor, wobbling slightly. The Doctor automatically put his arm around her, Donna supporting her from the other side. "It's bad."

"As in she's been in a coma for most of the day bad," the Doctor closed his eyes.

"Hi, Martha," the Alchemist waved, mustering a smile for the shell-shocked woman. "Sarah Jane. Imagine I look a little bit different." Her eyes filled with tears when she found Torch-wood's screen. "Jack . . . Owen . . . "

"Alex," Owen's voice cracked.

"Oh, my God," Jack closed his eyes.

"What happened?" Sarah Jane's eyes widened.

"Never mind that," Martha shook her head, leaning forward. "Alchemist . . . how long?"

She closed her eyes. "Best case scenario?"

"Lexi," Jack growled.

She wobbled again. "Thirty-six hours."

***

Rose actually let out a small scream, clapping her hands over her mouth, eyes wide as they filled with tears. "Thirty-six hours?!" Owen shouted in horror, Jack actually staggering back from the screen. "Alex, what the hell did you do?!"

"Why does she have thirty-six hours to live?" Wilf looked at Rose, as if she knew the answer. "What's she done?"

Rose could only shake her head as tears spilled down her cheeks. Oh, she should have brought Mickey with her like he asked.

***

"I'm sorry, and I know, I shouldn't have used it," the Alchemist got out in a rush, tears in her eyes. "But Jack, Owen, don't go shouting at the Doctor, it wasn't his fault – " She stifled a sob, burying her head in the Doctor's shoulder.

He swallowed, holding her close. "I've tried," he told them honestly. "Rassilon, I've tried to save her."

"We know," Sarah Jane said quietly. "We know you have, Doctor."

Jack swallowed hard. "You'd do anything for her."

"Well," Donna nudged the Alchemist lightly. "Everyone's here."

The Alchemist sniffed, looking again. "Everyone except Rose and Mickey."

The screens abruptly went blank, and the Doctor blinked. "Oh."

"We've lost them," Donna frowned.

"No, no, no, no, no, there's another signal coming through," the Doctor worked the monitor. "There's someone else out there. Hello? Can you hear me?"

"Rose?" the Alchemist tried. "Mickey?"

"Your voice is different," a grating voice said. "And yet its arrogance is unchanged."

***

Sarah Jane's eyes widened. "No . . . but he's dead!"

***

"Welcome to my new Empire, Doctor," Davros smiled sickly as he rolled into view, the Doctor's jaw hanging open. "It is only fitting that you should bear witness to the resurrection and the triumph of Davros, lord and creator of the Dalek race."

"Doctor?" Donna asked.

"Have you nothing to say?" Davros smirked.

"Doctor, it's all right. We're – we're in the TARDIS. We're safe."

"But you were destroyed," the Doctor shook his head, holding the Alchemist tighter as she stared in stunned disbelief at Davros. "In the very first year of the Time War, at the Gates of Elysium. I saw your command ship fly into the jaws of the Nightmare Child. I tried to save you!"

"But it took one stronger than you," Davros gestured. "Dalek Caan himself."

"I flew into the wild and fire," a Dalek out of its casing giggled as the view turned to him, and the Alchemist gagged before turning away. "I danced and died a thousand times!"

"Emergency Temporal Shift took him back into the Time War itself," Davros smirked.

"But that's impossible," the Doctor shook his head. "The entire War is timelocked!"

"And yet he succeeded. Oh, it cost him his mind, but imagine . . . a single, simple Dalek succeeded where Emperors and Time Lords have failed. A testament, don't you think, to my remarkable creations?"

"And you made a new race of Daleks," the Doctor scowled.

"I gave myself to them, quite literally," Davros nodded, pulling his tunic away to reveal his bare ribs. Donna was suddenly very glad the Alchemist had turned away when she did; there was no way she wouldn't throw up what remained in her stomach when she saw this creature. "Each one grown from a cell of my own body. New Daleks, true Daleks. I have my children, Doctor. What do you have now?"

The Doctor narrowed his eyes. "After all this time, everything we saw, everything we lost . . . I have only one thing to say to you." He threw a lever. "Bye!"

The TARDIS flew off as the signal disconnected.

***

"Dalek saucer heading for the Bay!" Tosh warned.

"They've found us," Ianto swallowed.

"Martha, open that Indigo device," Jack ordered, pulling on his greatcoat and opening his vortex manipulator, slightly aware of Owen running to grab his equipment as well. He nearly stopped Ianto as well, then thought again. Ianto had been the only one outside of the Time Lords' family that had been with them in the 1920s. He knew the Alchemist better than Gwen and Tosh . . . and if this led to the Alchemist dying in action . . . He quickly turned his thoughts away from that. Yes, Owen and Ianto could come. "Now listen to me, lift the central panel. There's a string of numbers that keep changing, but the fourth number keeps oscillating between two different digits. Tell me what they are."

"It's a four and a nine," Martha answered. "We could never work out what that was."

"Yeah, that's the teleport base code, and that's all I need to get this thing working again. Oscillating four . . . and nine." He grinned as the manipulator came online. "Thank you, Martha Jones." Gwen handed over the defabricator, and he nodded, slinging it over his shoulder as Ianto and Owen joined him. "We've got to go," he told Gwen and Tosh as they walked up. "We've got to find the Doctor . . . and Lexi, if she – "

"We know," Gwen cut him off. "Don't worry about us. Just go."

"We'll be fine," Tosh smiled.

"You'd better be," Owen warned.

Jack held out his wrist, and Owen and Ianto laid hands on the vortex manipulator. The three men vanished, just as rubble fell from the ceiling. "Exterminate! Exterminate!"

Gwen blew out her breath. "They're here."

***

"TARDIS heading for vector seven, grid reference six six five," Mr. Smith reported.

"But there are Daleks out there!" Luke protested as Sarah Jane ran for the door.

"I know," she turned to him. "I'm sorry, but I have got to find the Doctor and the Alchemist. Don't move, don't leave the house, don't do anything."

"I will protect the boy, Sarah Jane," Mr. Smith promised.

"I love you," Sarah Jane hugged Luke. "Remember that."

Luke nodded as Sarah Jane ran to her car.

***

"Control, I need another shift," Rose ordered as she picked up her gun. "Lock me on to the TARDIS, now, and send Mickey over immediately. Ali asked for him." She hung up and turned to Wilf and Sylvia. "Right, I'm going to find them. Wish me luck."

"Oh, good luck!" Sylvia nodded.

"Yeah, good luck, sweetheart," Wilf nodded.

Rose gave a weak smile as with a blinding flash, she disappeared.

***

The TARDIS landed on an empty street, and the three looked out to find it completely deserted. "Like a ghost town," Donna frowned.

"Sarah Jane said they were taking people," the Alchemist recalled. "Why?"

"Think, Donna," the Doctor turned to her. "When you met Rose and Mickey in that parallel world, what did they say?"

"Just the darkness is coming," Donna shrugged.

"Anything else?"

Donna was about to answer when her gaze went past him, and she grinned wide. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"

The Doctor blinked, then the Alchemist made a choking noise. He whipped to her, only to see her gazing in excitement down the street. He turned to see Rose stop in the middle of the road, her mouth open, her eyes locked on her sister. Then the blonde was running down the street, weaving her way through cars to get to them. "I can't," the Alchemist turned to the Doctor, tears in her eyes. "Doctor – "

He understood what she wanted at once, and he nodded, kissing the top of her head before running towards Rose himself. Donna put her arm around the quivering Time Lady, both of them watching the two run towards each other –

"Exterminate!"

"No!" the Alchemist screamed as a Dalek rolled out of its hiding place, aiming towards the Doctor. Rose skidded to a stop, eyes wide, the Doctor doing the same, but the Dalek's target was obvious. "Doctor, no!"

The Dalek's shot grazed the Doctor's side, but it lit him up like he was being x-rayed, and he collapsed on the ground. The Alchemist lurched forward, Donna immediately running after her, actually overtaking her to reach her brother.

The Alchemist whirled towards the Dalek, pure rage in her eyes, when another flash came from behind the Dalek. She heard a familiar sound, then the Dalek exploded. When the smoke vanished, Jack burst through, Owen and Ianto on his heels. "Lexi!" Jack ran to her immediately, Owen running after him, Ianto veering towards the Doctor with Rose and Dona.

"I've got you," Rose panted, dropping by the Doctor, holding him up as Donna made it next. "It missed you. Look," she tried to give a smile. "It's me, Doctor."

"Rose," the Doctor looked up at her.

"Hi," she offered as Donna squeezed the Doctor's hand.

"Long time, no see."

"Yeah, been busy, you know?" The Doctor grinned at her feeble attempt, then grimaced and cried out. "Don't die!" Rose gasped as Ianto helped them support him. "Oh, my God, don't die! Oh, my God, don't die!"

"Get him into the TARDIS!" Jack ordered, the Alchemist staggering over, practically collapsing against Owen as he tried to support her. "Quick! Move!"

Donna and Ianto quickly threw the Doctor's arms over their shoulders, helping him move as Rose raced over to her sister. "Ali," she whimpered. "Oh, my God, Ali!"

"Rose," the Alchemist sobbed, practically throwing herself into her sister's arms. "Rose, oh, Rassilon – "

"I'm here," Rose cried, hugging her tightly, Jack and Owen joining the hug as well. "I promise, I'm here!"

***

"But they don't work against Daleks!" Tosh protested as Gwen hauled in machine guns.

"Yeah?" Gwen raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm going out fighting, like I know you and Owen would, and like I know the Alchemist is going to. How about you?"

Tosh set her jaw and nodded. "Yeah, I am."

Gwen nodded and handed her a gun, the two of them positioning themselves in front of the door leading to the Hub.

***

"What, what do we do?" Donna asked as she and Ianto helped the Doctor into the TARDIS, Rose and the Alchemist following, Jack and Owen watching their backs. "There must be some medicine or something!"

"Just step back," Jack shook his head, the Alchemist dropping to her knees by the Doctor, Rose hovering over her protectively. "Rose, do as I say, and get back! He's dying, and you know what happens next."

"What do you mean?" Donna blinked. "He can't – "

"Oh, no," Rose shook her head, even as Jack pulled her back. "I came all this way!" She learned her sister was near death – and now the Doctor was actually dying? How did they have the worst luck in the universe?

"What do you mean, what happens next?" Owen frowned.

"Look," Ianto said quietly.

The Alchemist sniffed as the Doctor held up his hand, gold energy seeping out. "It's starting."

***

Sarah Jane's eyes widened, and she slammed on the brakes as two Daleks turned to her. "All human transport is forbidden," one said.

"I surrender!" her hands flew into the air. "I'm sorry!"

"Daleks do not accept apologies! You will be exterminated!"

"Exterminate!"

"Exterminate!"

***

"Exterminate! Exterminate!"

Gwen and Tosh started unloading their clips at the same time as the Daleks descended into the Hub.

***

"Here we go," Jack swallowed, pulling Owen and Donna to him, the Alchemist having to be pulled back by Rose and Ianto. "Good luck, Doctor!"

"Will someone please tell me what is going on?" Donna shouted.

"When he's dying," Rose stammered. "His, er . . . his body, it repairs itself. It changes. But you can't!" she shouted, hugging the Alchemist tightly.

"Kasterborous," the Alchemist sobbed.

"I'm sorry," he breathed, shaking his head as he stood up, his eyes locked on his Bonded's. "It's too late. I'm regenerating!"

The Alchemist buried her face into Rose's neck as the regeneration took over the Doctor's body, the two sisters' arms locked around each other, wondering just how their luck was this horrid.

***

To be continued in "Journey's End!"

Whew, nearly there, guys! One chapter left, and as always, the epilogue at the end. And in the next chapter, the Alchemist's fate is decided - for good. And you'll see pretty early on just what her fate is.

Some family reunion, huh?

But, good news! We're off to Germany tomorrow, and the train ride should be just under four hours . . . I don't know, do you guys think I could write that long of an episode in that amount of time? Here's hoping I can! And if not . . . well, there's always the six hour train ride to Wittenberg the very next day. I'll definitely finish it by then. XD

Au revoir from Paris! Keep an eye out for "Journey's End" and the conclusion of "As Brittle As Quicksilver!"