Yes, that is a photoshopped photo from "Silence in the Library" where I tried to integrate the Second Bad Wolf in as best as I could. It's definitely not my best, but I don't think it's my worst, either. I've made worse covers for these books. Do you think I should attempt more of these for future chapters? Let me know in the comments!

***

The Doctor finished his piloting and smiled, looking at the two women. "Books," he sighed appreciatively. "People never really stop loving books." He headed out the door, and Jessie looked around at the bookcases around them. "Fifty first century," he lectured as he led them through the room to a staircase. "By now, you'e got holovids, direct to brain downloads, fiction mist, but you need the smell. The smell of books, Bad Wolf, Donna. Deep breath."

Jessie sighed in appreciation. "I love books," she said, and she gasped in delight when they went down a staircase to a balcony. "Whoa!"

"The Library," the Doctor told her. "So big, it doesn't need a name. Just a great big The."

"And it deserves said The," Jessie agreed.

"It's like a city," Donna marveled.

"It's a world," the Doctor told her. "Literally, a world. The whole core of the planet is the index computer. Biggest hard drive ever. And up here, every book ever written. Whole continents of Jeffrey Archer, Bridget Jones, Monty Python's Big Red Book. Brand new editions, specially printed." He looked over the railing to the buildings below. "We're near the equator, so this must be biographies." He smiled at Jessie. "I love biographies."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, very you," Donna snorted. "Always a death at the end."

The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows. "You need a good death. Without death, there'd only be comedies. Dying gives us size."

"Mmm," Jessie agreed, absently flipping through one said biography and making a face. "Ooh . . . well, now, that's . . . intriguing."

Donna peered over her shoulder as if to read, and Jessie squeaked and slapped her hand away playfully. "Way-a!" she told her in a whine before looking at her. "Spoilers."

"What?" Donna asked.

"Fifty first century," Jessie reminded her. "These books are from your future. You don't want to read ahead. Spoil all the surprises. It's like peeking at the end."

"And you get to read them?"

Jessie shrugged. "I'll be with this guy the rest of my life, literally." She patted the Doctor's arm, who looked pleased with the statement. "And I've still got a lot of stuff my head needs to have in it."

Donna shook her head. "Isn't traveling with the two of you one big spoiler?"

"I try to keep away from major plot developments," the Doctor said airily.

"Which he's very bad at," Jessie sniggered.

"Jezebel!" the Doctor whined in her head.

"Well, it's true!" she defended. "Seriously, pay attention! This is the biggest library in the universe. So where is everyone? It's silent!"

The Doctor looked around, then blinked. "So it is," he remarked before heading to an information screen, using his sonic screwdriver on it.

"The library?" Donna asked as the Doctor scanned everything.

"The planet," the Doctor replied. "The whole planet!"

"Maybe it's a Sunday," she suggested.

"No, I never land on Sundays." The Doctor made a face. "Sundays are boring."

Jessie frowned. "I was born on a Sunday."

The Doctor blinked. "I take it back. I love Sundays."

"Oh, you have him whipped," Donna laughed, seeing the smug look on Jessie's face.

"Yes, I do," she said smugly.

Donna shook her head with a grin. These two were bloody adorable! "Well, maybe everyone's really, really quiet."

"Yeah, maybe," the Doctor admitted. "But they'd still show up on the system."

Donna paused. "Doctor, why are we here? Really, why?"

"Oh, you know, just passing," he tried to brush off.

"No, seriously," Donna huffed. "It was all 'let's hit the beach!', then suddenly we're in a library. Why?"

"I'm not one for beaches," Jessie told her with a frown.

"Now that's interesting," the Doctor piped up.

"What?" she asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Scanning from life forms," he replied. "If I do a scan looking for your basic humanoids. You know, your book readers, few limbs, and a face, apart from us, I get nothing. Zippo, nada. See? Nobody home. But if I widen the parameters to any kind of life - "

Jessie watched numbers fly past, then max out at - "A million million?" she gasped.

"A million million," the Doctor agreed. "Gives up after that. A million million."

"But there's nothing here!" Donna protested. "There's no one!"

"And not a sound," the Doctor agreed. "A million million life forms, and silence in the library."

"But there's no one here," Donna insisted. "They're just books! I mean, it's not the books, is it? I mean, it can't be the books, can it? I mean, books can't be alive!"

Jessie slowly reached for one of the books when a voice behind them said, "Welcome."

Jessie jumped backwards, staring at the book. "That wasn't the book," she said slowly.

Donna smiled. "That came from here," she told Jessie, nodding at the doorway.

She nodded shakily. "Yeah."

Donna laughed, wrapping an arm around Jessie and leading her to the doorway, and the Doctor smiled, following along behind them. Back after Lance had died, he'd been sure Donna would've been good for Jessie. Now, seeing how Donna was helping her after Jenny, he remembered why he had asked her. The two were like sisters.

Like how she'd been with Saleen.

He paused, frowning. Where had he thought of that all of a sudden? He shook his head and continued walking on.

He paid no notice to when a monitor flashed on.

In doing so, he didn't notice Grant Ward calling out Jessie's name before it flickered out.

***

Jessie approached the curved desk and the humanoid sculpture by it. "Hello?" she asked.

The sculpture turned around, revealing it had a black woman's face. "I am Courtesy Node seven one zero slash aqua," it told her. "Please enjoy the Library and respect the personal access codes of all your fellow readers, regardless of species or hygiene taboo."

Jessie blinked. "Hygiene tattoo?"

"That face, it looks real," Donna told the Doctor.

He nodded. "Yeah, don't worry about it."

"A statue with a real face, though? It's a hologram or something, isn't it?"

"No, but really, it's fine."

"Additional," the Node told them. "There follows a brief message from the Head Librarian for your urgent attention. It has been edited for tone and content by a Felman Lux Automated Decency Filter. Message follows. Run." Jessie's eyes widened as the Doctor tensed. "For God's sake, run. No way is safe. The Library has sealed itself, we cant - Oh, they're here. Argh. Slarg. Snick. Message ends." Jessie's face slowly drained of color as the Node did all of this expressionlessly. "Please switch off your mobile comm. units for the comfort of other readers."

"So that's why we're here," Jessie whispered.

The Doctor nodded, turning to the Node. "Any other messages, same date stamp?" he asked.

"One additional message," it replied. "This message carries a Felman Lux coherency warning of five zero eleven - "

"Yeah, yeah, fine, fine, fine, just play it!"

"Message follows. Count the shadows. For God's sake, remember, if you want to live, count the shadows. Message ends."

The Doctor nodded slowly, looking around. "Donna?"

"Yeah?" she replied.

The Doctor headed off. "Stay out of the shadows."

"Why? What's in the shadows?" She ran after the two Time Lords as they went into the stacks of books. "So, we weren't just in the neighborhood."

"Yeah, we weren't," Jessie admitted, holding up her psychic paper, which still had the message on it. "I got something on the psychic paper."

"What do you think?" the Doctor asked. "Cry for help?"

"Cry for help with a kiss?" Donna asked.

The Doctor blinked, looking at Jessie. "What?"

Jessie rolled her eyes. "Admit it, we've all done that."

"Who's it from?" Donna asked.

"No idea," Jessie admitted freely.

"So why did we come here? Why did you - ?"

"Donna!" the Doctor warned.

Jessie's eyes widened as the lights behind them switched off. "What's happening?" Donna cried.

"RUN!" the Doctor shouted.

They took off through the book shelves, Jessie keeping an eye on how close the lights were going out, and she nearly missed the closest door. "Here!" she called.

The Doctor tried the handles. "Come on!"

"What, is it locked?" Donna asked.

"Jammed," the Doctor replied.

"The wood's warped," Jessie explained, looking at the area around the lock.

"Well, sonic it!" Donna suggested. "Use the thingy!"

"The sonics don't do wood," Jessie told her.

Donna blinked. "What, it doesn't do wood?"

Jessie shook her head. "Then here we go," she grumbled, and she grabbed their arms and barged through the door. The Doctor quickly grabbed a book nearby and jammed it into the handles. "There we go," he said and turned.

Jessie blinked at a small metal globe hovering in midair. "Doctor," she warned.

The Doctor brightened. "Oh, hello!" he told it. "Sorry to burst on you like this. OK if we stop here for a little bit?"

The globe fell to the ground, and the Doctor went to check on it. "What is it?" Donna asked.

"Security camera," he explained. "Switched itself off." He used the sonic screwdriver on the camera, then eyed Jessie in appreciation. "Nice door skills, sweetheart."

Jessie beamed. "Thank you."

"At least someone can do wood," Donna remarked. "I was going to kick it open."

"Really?" Jessie asked in interest.

"Yeah, well, you know . . . boyfriends." Donna shrugged. "Sometimes you need the element of surprise." She looked at the Doctor. "What was after us? I mean, did we just run away from a power cut?"

"Possibly."

"Are we safe here?"

"Of course we're safe," the Doctor replied. "There's a little shop."

Jessie's eyed the sign that said The Shop, and she rolled her eyes. "You and your little shops."

"I like little shops!" he protested before the camera opened. "Gotcha!"

"Look at it," Jessie said softly, pointing to a panel on the camera.

The Doctor watched as words streamed across it: No, stop it. No! No! "Ooo, I'm sorry," he apologized quickly. "I really am. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He closed the camera up and looked at Jessie. "It's alive."

"You said it was a security camera," Donna reminded him.

"It is," Jessie told her. "It's just a camera that's alive. There's more words."

Others are coming. The Library is breached. Others are coming.

"Others?" Donna asked with a frown. "What's it mean, others?" She walked over to a male Node nearby. "Excuse me. What does it mean, others?"

"That's barely more than a speak your weight machine," the Doctor told her. "It can't help you."

Donna frowned. "So why's it got a face?"

"This flesh aspect was donated by Mark Chambers on the occasion of his death," the Node replied.

Donna blanched. "It's a real face?"

"It has been actualized individually for you from the many facial aspects saved to our extensive flesh banks."

Jessie gagged. "Oh, that's sick!"

"It chose me a dead face it thought I'd like?" she squeaked. "That statue's got a real dead person's face on it!"

"It's the fifty first century," the Doctor apologized. "That's basically like donating a park bench."

"It's donating a face!" Donna insisted as she backed away.

The Doctor blinked and grabbed her. "No, wait! No!"

"Oi!" Donna swatted him. "Hands!"

"The shadow," the Doctor told her, nodding at the shadow. "Look."

"What about it?" Donna asked, eyeing the triangular shadow.

"Count the shadows," the Doctor told her.

"One," Donna deadpanned. "There. Counted it. One shadow."

Jessie stiffened. "But what's casting it?"

The Doctor groaned. "Oh, I'm thick! Look at me, I'm old and thick! Head's too full of stuff. I need a bigger head."

"The power must be going," Donna pointed out the lights going out in the corridor.

"This place runs on fission cells," the Doctor told her. "They'll outburn the sun."

"Then why is it dark?" Donna asked.

"It's not dark."

"The shadow's gone," Jessie warned.

Both looked to see the shadow had indeed disappeared, and the Doctor blanched. "We need to get back to the TARDIS," he told them.

"Why?" Donna asked.

"Because that shadow hasn't gone," the Doctor replied grimly. "It's moved."

"Reminder," the Node said from behind them. "The Library has been breached. Others are coming. Reminder. The Library has been breached. Others are coming."

It repeated the message as a door was blown open nearby. Jessie threw her arm up over her eyes as she brought her blaster out, aiming at the door as six figures in spacesuits entered. One stopped right in front of them and adjusted her visor. A woman smirked at them. "Hello, sweetie," she told the Doctor before winking at Jessie. "Sissy."

Jessie's eyes narrowed. "Did you just call me a sissy?" she demanded.

"Get out," the Doctor told her bluntly.

"Doctor!" Donna groaned.

"All of you," the Doctor ordered, looking around. "Turn around, get back in your rocket, and fly away. Tell your grandchildren you came to the Library and lived. They won't believe you."

"Pop your helmets, everyone," the woman told the others as she took off her own helmet, showing she had wildly curly hair. "We've got breathers!"

"How do you know they're not androids?" a black woman asked as she took off her helmet.

"Because I've dated androids," the first woman replied with a smirk. "They're rubbish."

Jessie laughed at that. One of the men, an older looking one, spoke up. "Who is this? You said we were the only expedition! I paid for exclusives!"

The woman shrugged. "I lied. I'm always lying. Bound to be others."

He turned to the last woman on the team, a woman with dark hair. "Miss Evangelista, I want to see the contracts."

The first woman turned to Jessie. "You came through the north door, yeah? How was that, much damage?"

"Please, just leave," the Doctor told her in exasperation. "I'm asking you seriously and properly, just leave." He blinked suddenly. "Hang on, did you say expedition?"

"My expedition," the man grumbled. "I funded it."

"Oh, you're not, are you?" the Doctor groaned. "Tell me you're not archaeologists!"

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Got a problem with archaeologists?"

"We're time travelers," Jessie told her apologetically. "I don't mind them as much, but this guy likes to point and laugh at you."

"Ah." She nodded, then held out a gloved hand to her. "Professor River Song. Archaeologist."

"Oh, I like that name," Jessie said with a smile.

"River Song," the Doctor nodded. "Lovely name. As you're leaving, and you're leaving now - " Jessie rolled her eyes as the Doctor walked around, and River seemed amused as well. "You need to set up a quarantine beacon. Code wall the planet, the whole planet. Nobody comes here, not ever again. Not one living thing, not here, not ever." He stopped and pointed at the black woman. "Stop right there!" She did, a little fearfully. "What's your name?"

"Anita," she replied hesitantly.

"Anita, stay out of the shadows," he warned her. "Not a foot, not a finger in the shadows till you're safely back in your ship. Goes for all of you," he told everyone. "Stay in the light. Find a nice, bright spot and just stand. If you understand me, look very, very scared." He didn't get many scared looks. If anything, he got amused looks from Jessie and River. He frowned. "No, a bit more scared than that." Jessie made a face at him, and he rolled his eyes. "OK, do for now." He pointed to another man. "You. Who are you?"

"Er, Dave," he replied.

"OK, Dave," the Doctor began.

"Oh, well, Other Dave," he admitted. "Because that's Proper Dave, the pilot." The other man nodded. "He was the first Dave, so when we - "

"Other Dave," the Doctor interrupted, "the way you came, does it look the same as before?"

"Yeah," Other Dave replied, taking a look. "Oh, it's a bit darker."

"How much darker?"

"Oh, like I could see where we came through just like a moment ago. I can't now."

"Seal up this door," the Doctor ordered, tapping it. "We'll find another way out."

Other Dave frowned. "Would you - "

"We're not looking for a way out," the unnamed man snapped. "Miss Evangelista?"

The dark-haired woman approached with three pieces of paper. "I'm Mr. Lux's personal everything," she told them. "You need to sign these contracts agreeing that your individual experience inside the Library are the intellectual property of the Felman Lux Corporation."

The Doctor nodded slowly. "Riiiight," he held out, holding out a hand. "Give it here."

"Yeah, lovely," Donna agreed, taking hers. "Thanks."

"Thanks," Jessie added. Then she and the two others simultaneously wadded theirs up, and Jessie torched them all in one poof. Only River didn't seem surprised to see her do that. She actually giggled as everyone else stared at them in shock. "My family built this Library!" Lux squeaked. "I have rights!"

"You have a mouth that won't stop," River snorted before looking at the Doctor. "You think there's danger here?"

"Something came to this Library and killed everything in it," the Doctor replied. "Killed a whole world."

"Danger? Most likely," Jessie told her.

"That was a hundred years ago," River told them. "The Library's been silent for a hundred years. Whatever came here's long dead."

"You're willing to bet your life on that?" Jessie asked.

River stared at her. "Always."

Jessie smirked. "Oh, I like you."

River smiled. "Thank you."

"What are you doing?" Lux asked sharply.

Other Dave turned from the door. "He said to seal the door!"

"Torch," the Doctor asked Lux.

"You're taking orders from him?" Lux asked incredulously.

"Spooky, isn't it?" the Doctor asked, and he finally tok Lux's flashlight and started beaming it around the room. "Almost every species in the universe has a irrational fear of the dark. But they're wrong, because it's not irrational."

"Tell me you're joking," Jessie groaned.

"I wish I was," the Doctor said grimly. "It's - "

"Vashta Nerada," they finished together.

"What's Vashta Nerada?" Donna asked.

"It's what's in the dark," he answered. "It's what's always in the dark."

"Have you all got lights?" Jessie asked, turning to the archaeologists.

"What for?" River asked, stepping up instantly.

It wasn't to act like a showoff, Jessie realized as she looked River over. She genuinely wanted to help. And she felt pleased that River seemed more anxious to help her for some reason more than the Doctor. "We need to form a circle, a big safe area. Make it as big as you can, and make the lights point out."

Lux snorted, and River actually glared at him. "Oi!" she snapped. "Do as she says."

"You're not listening to this lady?" Lux asked incredulously.

"Apparently I am," River countered, making Jessie grin smugly again. "Anita, unpack the lights. Other Dave, make sure the door's secure, then help Anita. Mr. Lux, put your helmet back on, block the visor. Proper Dave, find an active terminal. I want you to access the library database. See what you can find about what happened here a hundred years ago. Pretty girl, you're with me. Step into my office."

Lux looked around in confusion. "Professor Song, why am I the only one wearing my helmet?" he asked.

River gave him a look. "I don't fancy you," she replied airily before heading off to the side. Jessie quickly coughed to cover up her laughter.

"Probably I can help you," the Doctor told Proper Dave as he joined him.

Jessie moved to help when River looked over. "Pretty girl," she said "With me, I said."

Jessie stopped short, looking around before pointing to herself. "Oh, I'm pretty girl?" she squeaked out.

"Yes," the Doctor confirmed.

"Ooo, that came out a bit quick," Donna teased.

"She's my wife," the Doctor told her. "It's my job to tell her she's beautiful."

Jessie blushed. "Pretty?" she repeated again.

"And don't you doubt it for a second," the Doctor told her, pointing his sonic screwdriver at her. "Or do I need to convince you later?"

Jessie really blushed at that, and Donna burst out laughing as the Doctor winked before turning to help Proper Dave. Jessie shook her head and shuffled over to River.

***

"Don't let your shadows cross," the Doctor ordered. "Seriously, don't even let them touch. Any of them could be infected."

"How can a shadow be infected?" Other Dave asked.

"Excuse me, can I help?" Evangelista asked timidly.

"No, we're fine," Anita replied quickly.

"I could just . . . you know, hold things?"

"No, really, we're OK," Other Dave replied.

"Couldn't she help?" Donna huffed.

"Trust me, I just spent four days on a ship with that woman," Other Dave told her. "She's . . . er . . . "

"Couldn't tell the difference between the escape pod and the bathroom," Anita told Donna. "We had to go back for her. Twice."

Donna frowned, looking back at Evangelista. Poor girl . . .

***

Jessie joined River as the older woman took a battered blue journal from her backpack. "Thanks," River told her.

Jessie blinked. "For what?"

"The usual," River replied. "For coming when I call."

Jessie blinked again. "Oh, that was you?" she asked in surprise. "Nice trick."

River eyed her. "You're doing a very good job, acting like you don't know me," she said. "I'm assuming there's a reason."

"A fairly good one, actually," Jessie told her slowly.

"OK, shall we do diaries, then?" River flipped her book open as Jessie raised an eyebrow. Diaries? "Where are we this time?" River eyed her over. "Er, going by your face, I'd say it's the early days for you, yeah? So, er . . . crash of the Byzantium. Have we done that yet?" Jessie blinked for the third time, and River shook her head. "Obviously ringing no bells," she mumbled, flipping pages. "Right. Oh! Picnic at Asgard! Have we done Asgard yet?" Jessie opened her mouth to say that when River shook her head. "Half Asgardian," she muttered. "Always doing Asgard. Blimey, very early days, then. Whoo! Life with a time traveler. Never knew it could be such hard work - " She cut off, raising her head to look Jessie over again, and something stuck in her eyes: worry. "Look at you," she whispered. "Oh, you're young!"

"My husband's much older than me, trust me," Jessie chuckled. "I know I'm young."

"No, but you are," River insisted. "Your eyes. You're younger than I've ever seen you."

Jessie tilted her head. "You've seen me before, then?"

River took a deep breath. "Bad Wolf, please tell me you know who I am."

Jessie swallowed. The poor woman looked like she was about to cry. "Who are you?" she asked softly.

River made a sound like a cat being strangled, and Jessie flinched, looking away when suddenly a loud ringing noise "Well, apparently the security protocols don't like us!" the Doctor announced.

Jessie quickly stood and headed over, leaving River sitting and staring down at her diary. "But that sounds like - "

The Doctor nodded. "It is. It's a phone."

"I'm trying to call up the data core, but it's not responding," Proper Dave told them as they all gathered around the terminal. "Just that noise."

"But it's a phone!" Donna told them.

The Doctor cut through. "Let me try something." He sonicked the terminal, and the screen quickly read ACCESS DENIED. "OK, doesn't like that. Let's try something else." He quickly did another sonic thing, and an image of a brunette girl drawing appeared on screen. "OK, here it comes. Hello?"

"Hello," the girl replied. "Are you in my television?"

The Doctor blinked. "Well, no. I'm . . . I'm sort of in space. Er, I was trying to call up the data core of a triple grid security processor."

"Would you like to speak to my dad?"

"Dad or your mum. That'd be lovely."

The girl tilted her head. "I know you. You're in my library."

Jessie blinked. "Your library?" she repeated.

"The library's never been on the television before. What have you done?"

The Doctor and Jessie exchanged looks. "Er, well, I just rerouted the interface," the Doctor replied before the screen changed to ACCESS DENIED.

"What happened?" River asked. "Who was that?"

"I need another terminal," the Doctor told them, turning around. "Keep working on those lights. We need those lights!"

"You heard him, people," River ordered. "Let there be light!" The Doctor moved to another terminal and saw River's diary lying next to it. He picked it up, and River quickly took it back. "Sorry, but you're not allowed to see inside the book," she told him. "It's against the rules."

"What rules?" the Doctor asked.

River nodded to Jessie. "Her rules."

"Look out!" Jessie shouted as books flew from shelves.

"What's that?" the Doctor called. "I didn't do that!" He looked at Proper Dave. "Did you do that?"

"Not me," he replied.

The Doctor turned back to his screen as CAL ACCESS DENIED showed up. "What's CAL?" he asked.

***

Donna watched the book barrage finally end, and she walked over to Evangelista. "You all right?" she asked.

"What's that?" Evangelista asked, looking around nervously. "What's happening?"

"I don't know," Lux replied.

"Oh, thanks, for, er, you know," Donna told Evangelista. "Offering to help with the lights."

"They don't want me," Evangelista sniffed. "They think I'm stupid because I'm pretty."

"'Course they don't," Donna scoffed. "Nobody thinks that!"

"No, they're right, though. I'm a moron, me. My dad said I have the IQ of plankton, and I was pleased."

"See?" Donna chuckled. "That's funny."

"No, no, I really was pleased." Donna's smile faltered. "Is that funny?"

"No," Donna admitted. "No."

***

"Down!" Jessie barked when more books flew off the shelves.

"What's causing that?" River asked. "Is it the little girl?"

"But who is the little girl?" the Doctor asked, then began rattling off others. "What's she got to do with this place? How does the data core work? What's the principle? What's CAL?"

"One question at a time, Kasterborous," Jessie warned.

"Ask Mr. Lux," River shrugged.

The Doctor did just that. "CAL. What is it?"

"Sorry, you didn't sign your personal experience contracts," Lux replied with a shrug.

Jessie growled, stepping up to him. "Right now, you're in more danger than you've ever been in your whole life, and you're protecting a patent?!"

"I'm protecting my family's pride," he retorted.

Jessie's hand came up in a flash and slapped him across the face. She could've sworn she heard a snicker from River as Lux stumbled away in shock. "Well, I don't want to see everyone in this room dead because some stupid idiot thinks his pride is more important!"

"Then why don't you sign his contract?" River asked, and Jessie groaned. River just smirked. "I didn't, either. I'm getting worse than you."

The Doctor sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. "OK, OK, OK. Let's start at the beginning. What happened here? On the actual day, a hundred years ago, what physically happened here?"

"There was a message from the Library, just one," River replied. "The lights are going out. Then the computer sealed the planet, and there was nothing for a hundred years."

"It's taken three generations of my family just to decode the seals and get back in," Lux added.

"Er, excuse me?" Evangelista called.

"Not just now," Lux told her.

"There was one other thing in the last message," River continued, pulling out a handheld computer.

"That's confidential," Lux hissed.

River didn't bat an eye. "I trust this man and woman with my life. With everything."

"You've only just met them!"

"No, they've only just met me!"

"Er, this might be important, actually," Evangelista tried again.

"In a moment," Lux told her.

"This is a data extract that came with the message," River said, handing over her computer.

"Four thousand and twenty two saved," Jessie read off. "No survivors."

"Four thousand and twenty two," River told her. "That's the exact number of people who were in the Library when the planet was sealed."

"But how can four thousand and twenty two people have been saved if there were no survivors?" Donna asked in confusion.

"That's what we're here to find out," River replied.

"And so far, what we haven't found are any bodies," Lux informed them.

"Speaking of bodies . . . " Everyone turned to look at Jessie, who raised an eyebrow. "Aren't we missing one?"

As if on cue, a piercing scream echoed behind them all through an open panel. Jessie instantly burst through, the Doctor right on her heels. She emerged in a lecture hall, and she looked around, flicking her flashlight on. She ran the light around, and she blanched at what she found. "DOCTOR!" she screamed.

He was there in a second, pulling her tightly to him as he, too, saw the skeleton in white rags. "Everybody, careful," he ordered as the others appeared. "Stay in the light."

"You keep saying that," Other Dave complained. "I don't see the point!"

"Who screamed?" the Doctor asked.

"Miss Evangelista," he replied.

"Where is she?"

River turned on her comm unit. "Miss Evangelista, please state your current - " Her voice wavered as her voice echoed nearby. "Please state your current position," River finished softly, as she took a matching comm unit from the skeleton's collar. "It's her," she whispered. "It's Miss Evangelista."

"Oh, God," Jessie gagged, turning to bury her face in the Doctor's suit. He pulled her tighter to him, closer than she thought ever possible. She'd faced physical things before, like the Weeping Angels, Cybermen, the Daleks, but shadows that could kill this quickly? She didn't know how to deal with these. Donna rubbed her back sympathetically, glaring at the other archaeologists who were staring at them.

"We heard her scream a few seconds ago," Anita said weakly. "What could do that to a person in a few seconds?"

"It took a lot less than a few seconds," the Doctor grumbled.

"What did?"

"Hello?" Evangelista's voice called.

River cringed. "Er . . . I'm sorry, everyone. Er . . . this isn't going to be pleasant. She's ghosting."

"She's what?" Donna asked.

"Hello?" Evangelista continued. "Excuse me. I'm sorry. Hello? Excuse me."

"That's . . . that's her," Donna realized faintly. "That's Miss Evangelista."

"I don't want to sound horrible, but couldn't we just . . . you know?" Proper Dave asked.

River glared at him. "This is her last moment," she snapped. "No, we can't. A little respect, thank you."

"Sorry, where am I? Excuse me?"

"But that's Miss Evangelista!" Donna told them.

"It's a data ghost," River explained. "She'll be gone in a moment." She turned to the skeleton. "Miss Evangelista, you're fine. Just relax. We'll be with you presently."

"What's a data ghost?" Donna asked.

"There's a neural relay in the communicator," the Doctor whispered in reply, now hugging Jessie close to him, feeling how faint she was getting in her head. "Lets you send thought mail. That's it there. Those green lights." He nodded at the indicators. "Sometimes it can hold an impression of a living consciousness for a short time after death. Like an afterimage."

"My grandfather lasted a day," Anita added helpfully. "Kept talking about his shoelaces."

"Shoelaces?" Jessie managed to say.

The Doctor smiled as Donna patted her shoulder. "She's in there," Donna realized.

"I can't see. I can't. Where am I?"

"She's just brainwaves now," Proper Dave told them. "The pattern won't hold for long."

"But she's conscious," Donna told them. "She's thinking!"

"I can't see. I can't. I don't know what I'm thinking."

"She's like a footprint on the beach," the Doctor supplied. "And the tide's coming in."

"Where's that woman? The nice woman. Is she there?"

"What woman?" Lux asked.

"She means . . . " Donna swallowed. "I think she means me."

"Is she there? The nice woman."

River nodded. "Yes, she's here. Hang on." She turned to Donna. "Go ahead. She can hear you."

"Hello? Are you there?"

"Help her," the Doctor told Donna.

"She's dead," Donna told him.

"We know," Jessie whispered thickly, and Donna turned to her. "And it helps after you die if someone's there to talk to you. Her last wish. Please."

Donna swallowed, then nodded and approached the skeleton. "Hello? Is that the nice woman?" Evangelista asked.

"Yeah," Donna nodded. "Hello. Yeah, I'm . . . I'm . . . I'm here." She took a deep breath. "You OK?"

"What I said before, about being stupid. Don't tell the others. They'll only laugh."

Donna threw a look behind her at the other archaeologists, who had the grace to look at least a little guilty. "'Course I won't. 'Course I won't tell them."

"Don't tell the others. They'll only laugh."

Donna blinked, looking back. "I won't tell them. I said I won't."

"Don't tell the others. They'll only laugh."

"I'm not going to tell them!"

The green light began to blink. "Don't tell the others. They'll only laugh."

"She's looping now," River told them. "The pattern's degrading."

"I can't think. I don't know. I . . . I . . . I . . . I . . . I scream. Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream."

River swallowed. "Does anybody mind if I?" she offered.

"Ice cream. Ice cream."

"Do it," Jessie whispered.

River switched off Evangelista's comm unit, and her voice faded. Donna took a shaky breath. "That was . . . that was horrible," she whispered. "That was the most horrible thing I've ever seen."

"No," River replied. "It's just a freak of technology. But whatever did this to her, whatever killed her . . . " She looked at the Doctor. "I'd like a word with that."

He nodded. "I'll introduce you."

***

"I'm going to need a packed lunch," the Doctor told them.

River dug through her backpack. "Hang on."

The Doctor eyed her blue book as she laid it out. "What's in that book?" he asked.

"Spoilers," she answered.

"Who are you?" he tried.

"Professor River Song, University of - "

"To me," the Doctor interrupted. "To me and my wife. Who are you to us?"

"Again. Spoilers." River pulled out her lunchbox. "Chicken and a bit of salad. Knock yourself out."

The Doctor took it. "Right, you lot! Let's all meet the Vashta Nerada."

***

Donna watched as the Doctor and the Bad Wolf began scanning the floor, matching looks of concentration on their faces. "Bloody adorable," was all she whispered, but she knew at least one of them heard her, given the way they both exchanged looks before looking at Donna. She winked at both of them, and they both looked at each other before the Doctor cleared his throat and went back to working. The Bad Wolf just giggled before going back to what she was doing.

River stopped next to Donna. "You travel with them, don't you?" she asked. "The Doctor and the Bad Wolf, you travel with them."

"What of it?" Donna asked.

"Proper Dave, could you move over a bit?" the Doctor asked.

"Why?" Proper Dave replied, moving away from a shadow nearby.

"Over there by the water cooler, thanks."

"You know them, don't you?" Donna asked suspiciously.

River grinned. "Oh, God, do I know those two," she replied. "We go way back, those two and me, the Bad Wolf and I further. Just not this far back."

Donna blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

River shook her head. "They haven't met me yet," she explained. "I sent her a message, but it went wrong. It arrived too early. This is the Doctor and the Bad Wolf in the days before they knew me. And I don't mind it with him, but she looks at me, she looks right through me, and it shouldn't kill me . . . but it does." She took a shaky breath. "And I don't know how much longer I can stand it."

"What are you talking about?" Donna asked, turning to her. "Are you just talking rubbish? Do you know them or don't you?"

"Donna!" the Bad Wolf hissed.

"Quiet," the Doctor added. "We're working."

Donna nodded. "Sorry," she apologized, a bit quieter.

River turned to her, eyes wide. "Donna," she whispered. "You're Donna! Donna Noble!"

"Yeah," Donna replied suspiciously. "Why?"

"I do know them," River told them. "But in the future. Their personal future." She shook her head. "That's it," she whispered, pulling out what must have been some future communicator.

"So why don't you know me?" Donna asked as she dialed a number. "Where am I in the future?" She blinked. "And who the hell are you calling?"

"Someone," was all River replied with.

***

"OK!" the Doctor announced as River turned away to talk. "Got a live one! That's not darkness down those tunnels. This is not a shadow. It's a swarm. A man eating swarm."

Jessie pulled out a chicken leg and tossed it into the shadow the Doctor was looking at. The meat instantly disappeared and was just a bone when it hit the floor. "The piranhas of the air," the Doctor mused. "The Vashta Nerada. Literally, the shadows that melt the flesh. Most planets have them, but usually in small clusters. I've never seen an infestation on this scale or this aggressive."

"What do you mean, most planets?" Donna asked, and Jessie looked back, and was momentarily distracted by seeing River on a communicator device, looking slightly confused. "Not Earth?"

"Mmm," the Doctor nodded. "Earth, and a billion other worlds. Where there's meat, there's Vashta Nerada. You can see them sometimes, if you look. The dust in sunbeams."

"If they were on Earth, we'd know," Dona insisted.

River blinked, then pulled her communicator back in surprise. She narrowed her eyes, then huffed. "Hung up on me," she grumbled to herself as she walked over.

"Nah," the Doctor told Donna, shaking his head. "Normally they live on road kill. But sometimes people go missing. Not everyone comes back out of the dark."

"Oh, thanks for that image," Jessie grimaced.

"Every shadow?" River asked.

"No," the Doctor admitted, looking around. "But any shadow."

"So what do we do?"

"Daleks? Aim for the eyestalk. Sontarans? Back of the neck. Vashta Nerada? Run. Just run."

"Run?" River echoed incredulously, looking around. "Run where?"

"This is an index point," the Doctor replied, waving a hand around. "There must be an exit teleport somewhere."

Everyone simultaneously turned to Lux. "Don't look at me!" he snorted. "I haven't memorized the schematics!"

"What about the little shop?" Jessie asked, nodding to it. "They always have it at zoos and stuff. They make you go through it on the way out to sell stuff to you."

"Brilliant!" the Doctor cheered, kissing the top of her head as she smiled. "That's why I like the little shop."

"Must be why I hate it," Jessie remarked.

"OK," Proper Dave nodded. "Let's move it."

Jessie watched him, then her eyes widened. "Stop," she ordered, holding out a hand to him. "Just . . . stay where you are."

"Why?" Proper Dave asked in confusion.

Jessie looked down at the floor. "You have two shadows."

Everyone looked down to see he did indeed have two shadows, going in different directions. "It's how they hunt," the Doctor told them. "They latch on to a food source and keep it fresh."

"What do I do?" Proper Dave asked, sounding worried.

"You stay absolutely still, like there's a wasp in the room," the Doctor answered. "Like there's a million wasps."

"We're not leaving you, Dave," River promised.

"'Course we're not leaving him," the Doctor snorted. "Where's your helmet? Don't point, just tell me."

"On the floor, by my bag."

Anita began to move, and the Doctor pointed at her. "Don't cross his shadow." Anita nodded and avoided both shadows, taking his helmet and handing it to the Doctor. "Thanks. Now, the rest of you, helmets back on and sealed up. We'll need everything we've got."

The archaeologists did so. "But, Doctor, we haven't got any helmets," Donna told him.

"Yeah, but we're safe anyway," the Doctor told hr.

"How are we safe?!"

He rolled his eyes. "We're not. That was a clever lie to shut you up."

"Rude," Jessie warned.

"And not ginger," he retorted in their classic argument, and Jessie playfully swatted him in the shoulder. He turned to River. "Professor, anything I can do with the suit?"

"What good are the damn suits?" Lux grumbled. "Miss Evangelista was wearing her suit. There was nothing left."

"We can increase the mesh density," River suggested. "Dial it up four hundred percent. Make it a tougher meal."

"OK," the Doctor nodded, using his sonic screwdriver. "Eight hundred percent. Pass it on."

"Gotcha," River replied - but held up a sonic screwdriver of her own when the Doctor turned to her.

Jessie's eyes opened wide as River moved around. "That looks just like your basic model," she whispered.

"I know," the Doctor replied, eyeing River, but he took Donna's arm. "With me. Come on."

Donna looked around as they entered. "What are we doing? We shopping? Is it a good time to shop?"

"No talking, just moving," the Doctor replied, pointing at a small dais. "Try it." Donna frowned, getting up on the dais. "Right, stand there in the middle. It's a teleport. Stand in the middle. Can't send the others. TARDIS won't recognize them."

"What are you doing?" Donna asked.

"You don't have a suit," he replied. "You're not safe."

Donna frowned as he adjusted the teleport settings. "You don't have suits, so you're in just as much danger as I am, and I'm not leaving you!"

The Doctor sighed. "Donna, let me explain - " She disappeared, and he blinked. "Oh, that's how you do it."

"Bad Wolf!" River's voice called.

Jessie instantly ran out, and her eyes widened when she saw something new. "Where did it go?" she demanded as she walked over.

"It's just gone," Proper Dave replied. "I looked round. One shadow. See?"

"Does that mean we can leave?" River asked. "I don't want to hang around here."

"I don't know why we're still here," Lux said. "We can leave him, can't we?" He grimaced when he got glares all around. "I mean, no offense."

"Shut up, Mr. Lux," both Jessie and River spoke in unison. They looked at each other, then Jessie cleared her throat and looked away, a strained look on River's face.

"Did you feel anything?" the Doctor asked Proper Dave. "Like an energy transfer? Anything at all?"

"No, no," he replied, turning around. "But look, it's gone."

"Stop there," the Doctor snapped, and the man stopped. "Stop, stop. Stop there. Stop moving. They're never just gone, and they never give up." He sonicekd the floor quickly, and he blinked. "Well, this one's benign."

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave asked in surprise.

"No one," the Doctor replied in confusion, looking around. "They're fine."

"No, seriously. Turn them back on."

"They are on," River said slowly.

"I can't see a ruddy thing!"

"Dave, turn around," Jessie requested.

He did, and his visor was completely black. "What's going on?" he asked. "Why can't I see? Is the power gone? Are we safe here?"

"Dave, I want you to stay still," the Doctor ordered. "Absolutely still." The man jerked for a second, and the Doctor blinked. "Dave?" he asked. "Dave? Dave, can you hear me? Are you all right? Talk to me, Dave!"

"I'm fine," he managed to say. "I'm OK. I'm fine."

"I want you to stay still. Absolutely still."

"I'm fine. I'm OK. I'm fine. I can't . . . why can't I? I . . . I can't. Why can't I? I . . . I can't. Why can't I? I - "

"He's blinking," Jessie said softly, her face draining of color.

"He's gone," River whispered. "He's ghosting."

"Then why is he still standing?" Lux asked.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave's voice asked. "Hey, who turned out the lights?"

"Doctor, don't," River warned as he approached him.

"Dave, can you hear me?" the Doctor asked.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave just grabbed the Doctor by the throat, forcing him to his knees, the visor turning off to reveal a skeleton's skull. Jessie let out a small scream and ran forward, trying to pry the fingers of Proper Dave off. "Who turned out the lights? Hey, who turned out the lights?"

Jessie wrapped an arm around the Doctor's torso, and pulled him out of his grasp. "Back away from it!" she shouted. "Get bak! Right back!"

"Doesn't move very fast, does it?" River asked as the suit moved towards them.

"It's a swarm in a suit," the Doctor replied, shakily getting to his feet. "But it's learning."

Four shadows expanded from the suit. "What do we do?" Lux asked nervously. "Where do we go?"

"See that wall behind you?" River asked. "Duck." They did, and she fired a gun at the wall, and a square hole was made.

"Squareness gun!" the Doctor cheered.

"Everybody out," River ordered. "Go, go go! Move it!" Jessie climbed through first, helping the others through. "Move, move! Move it! Move, move!" She turned to the Doctor as he came through. "You said not every shadow!"

"But any shadow," he corrected.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave's voice asked.

"Run!" River shouted as they ran through the stacks of books.

***

The Doctor tried to work on a light fixture. "Trying to boost the power," he muttered. "Light doesn't stop them, but it slows them down."

"So what's the plan?" River asked. "Do we have a plan?"

He didn't look at her. "Your screwdriver looks exactly like mine."

"It's not yours."

Jessie's eyes widened as she looked at River. "Hang on, are you implying that's mine?!"

She nodded, holding it up. "Yeah. You gave it to me."

The Doctor gave her a look. "She doesn't give her screwdriver to anyone."

"I'm not anyone," River told them.

"Then who are you?" Jessie asked.

River actually ignored her for once. "What's the plan?"

The Doctor sighed. "I teleported Donna back to the TARDIS. If we don't get back there in under five hours, emergency program one will activate."

"Take her home, I know," Jessie sighed. "I wanted to destroy that program so long ago."

He cringed. "Yeah, sorry."

"We need to get a shift on," River said.

The Doctor frowned as he looked at his sonic screwdriver. "She's not there. I should have received a signal. The console signals me if there's a teleport breach."

"Well, maybe the coordinates have slipped," River suggested. "The equipment here's ancient."

Jessie walked over to a nearby Node. "Donna Noble," she told it. "There's a woman named Donna Noble somewhere in this library. Do you have the software to locate her position?"

The Node turned, and Jessie's eyes widened, and she stumbled back into River when she saw it had Donna's face. "Donna Noble has left the Library," the Node replied. "Donna Noble has been saved."

"Donna," she whimpered, and the Doctor pulled her to his side.

"Donna Noble has left the Library," the Node repeated. "Donna Noble has been saved."

"How can it be Donna?" River demanded. "How's that possible?"

"Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved."

"Donna," the Doctor sighed.

"Donna Noble has left the Library."

"Hey, who turned out the lights?"

"Doctor!" River shouted as Proper Dave approached behind them.

"Dona Noble has been saved."

"Hey, who turned out the lights?"

"Donna Noble has left the Library."

"Doctor, Bad Wolf, we've got to go, now!" River shouted at them.

The Doctor looked around and swallowed, nodding. "Come on!" he told them, leading them off in running.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave asked as the suit appeared behind them.

"Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved."

"Hey, who turned out the lights?"

They continued their chorus, and Jessie skidded to a stop as shadows appeared in front of them. They turned, but the Vashta Nerada infested suit appeared behind them. "Doctor, what are we going to do?" River asked fearfully.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave asked.

"Donna Noble has left the Library," the Node said. "Donna Noble has been saved."

***

Am I good, or am I good? I managed to twist just about everything in here to not focus on what relationship appears to be between River and the Doctor, but River and the Bad Wolf! Who liked the Asgard part? ;) This storyline is probably the most twisted, save "Journey's End," the end of Series 6, and "The Day of the Doctor," so I hope you all like what I'm doing!

Does anyone want to give any predictions as to who River is, and to what's going to happen in the next chapter? I'll say this: I don't think anything is what it seems. Heads up, by the way, I will not be following Donna in her little world because I want to focus on what happens in the Library. Sorry if I disappoint anyone with that.

"Forest of the Dead" will be completed as soon as I'm able to do so.