The Doctor quickly began making adjustments on the console, and the TARDIS walls began to reform, and he set the TARDIS to move. "Don't tell me we're the iceberg that sank the Titanic!" Jessie groaned.

"Believe me, I was there," the Doctor replied. "And it wasn't a TARDIS!"

The foghorn blew again, and the Doctor opened the door as Jessie ran after him. They looked around the compartment they were in before heading for the door. "Well, it's obviously a party," Jessie noted as they looked around the people enjoying champagne in fancy dress. She pointed to a red-skinned alien, though, and raised an eyebrow. "Although, he's out of place."

"Right," the Doctor said slowly.

Jessie joined him at a window, and her eyes widened as they saw the Earth below them. "Attention all passengers, the Titanic is now in orbit above Sol Three, also known as Earth. Population, Human. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Christmas."

***

"Well, not quite the honeymoon I had planned," the Doctor admitted as he stood outside of the wardrobe in black tie, still adjusting his cuffs as he waited for Jessie to finish getting dressed. "But I suppose it's a start."

"Where did you have planned?" Jessie asked from inside.

"Well, I'm not exactly going to tell you that, am I?" he asked with a grin. "Designated driver. Don't want to give it away."

"And there's no way I could convince you to tell me?" she asked, finally stepping out and closing the wardrobe door behind her.

He eyed her over appreciatively, a short red dress that ended a little below her knees with a ruffled skirt, the waistband appearing to have pockets, lighter red straps running over her shoulders, and white heels, matching bangles on her wrists. "If that was the sole purpose of what you're wearing - "

She laughed, taking his arm when he held it out, and they headed back for the door. "Just give me a party, Doctor."

He opened the door, and they exited the TARDIS and out of the compartment. "My pleasure, sweetheart."

Jessie listened to "Winter Wonderland" as the Doctor looked at an add that was playing. "Max Capricorn Cruiseliners," the man on it was saying. "The fastest, the farthest, the best. And I should know, because my name is Max."

Jessie eyed his gold tooth when it glinted. "Does it really do that?"

The Doctor shook his head. "I don't know," he replied as they began walking through the crowd of people.

"Merry Christmas, sir, madam," a steward told them politely as they passed.

"Merry Christmas," they replied with a smile.

"It's not a holiday for me, not while I've still got my vone!" a man was snapping into his phone as they passed. "Now do as I say and sell!"

"Well, someone's not in the holiday spirit," she muttered, and the Doctor grinned.

He stopped next to a robot angel and put his arm around her waist. "Evening! Passengers 57 and 58. Terrible memory. Remind us, you would be?"

"Information," it replied. "Heavenly Host supplying tourist information."

"Good. So, tell me, because I'm an idiot - "

"He admits it!" Jessie grinned.

He shook his head fondly. "Where are we from?"

"Information: the Titanic is en route from the planet Sto in the Cassavalian Belt. The purpose of the cruise is to experience primitive cultures."

"And who thought of the name?" Jessie asked.

"Information: it was chosen as the most famous vessel of the planet Earth."

"Really?"

"Did they tell you why it was famous?" the Doctor asked.

"Information: all designations are chosen by Mr. Max Capricorn, president of Max-Max-Max-"

Jessie raised her eyebrows as the angel began malfunctioning. "Ooo, bit of a glitch," the Doctor commented, reaching for his sonic screwdriver.

"It's all right, sir, we can handle this," a steward told them as they took the Host and began to carry it off. "Software problems, that's all. Leave it with us, sir. Merry Christmas!" Jessie watched them go, listening in on the rest of what he said: "That's another one down. What's going on with these things?"

"Well, this isn't the first, apparently," she told the Doctor as they kept moving through the crowd.

There was a crash next to them, and the man on the phone they'd seen started shouting at the waitress who'd dropped her drinks. "For Tov's sake, look where you're going!" he roared. "This jacket's a genuine Earth antique!"

"I'm sorry, sir," she apologized, getting on her knees to clean up.

"You'll be sorry when it comes off your wages, sweetheart," the man sneered. "Staffed by idiots. No wonder Max Capricorn's going down the drain."

Jessie glared at him. "That is why I never like men," she snorted, dropping down and helping the girl. "Careful, there," she told her. "There you go."

"Thank you, madam," the woman replied. "I can manage."

"Never said you couldn't," Jessie told her with a grin.

The Doctor dropped down, too. "I'm the Doctor, and this is my wife, the Bad Wolf."

"Astrid, sir," the waitress replied, shaking hands. "Astrid Peth."

"Nice to meet you, Astrid Peth," the Doctor replied with a smile. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, sir."

"Oh, just the Doctor, not sir," the Doctor told her.

"And Bad Wolf is fine, not madam," Jessie added.

"You enjoying the cruise?" Astrid asked.

"I suppose," Jessie replied, standing up and dusting her hands off. "Not bad, really. Long way from home, right? Planet Sto."

"Doesn't feel that different," Astrid replied with a smile. "I spent three years working at the spaceport diner, traveled all the way here, and I'm still waiting on tables."

"No shore leave?" the Doctor asked in surprise.

"We're not allowed." Jessie frowned, tilting her head. "They can't afford the insurance. I just wanted to try it, just once. I used to watch the ships heading out to the stars, and I always dreamed of . . . " She stopped, shaking her head and heading for a window. "It sounds daft."

Jessie smiled, walking over and looking out at Earth. "You dreamt of another sky," she said softly. "New sun. New air. New life. A whole universe teeming with life." Astrid looked at her, and she smiled. "Why stand still when there's all that life out there? Besides," she grinned at the Doctor, "that's how I met this softie."

"Softie?" the Doctor repeated incredulously.

She winked at him as Astrid smiled at them. "So, you travel a lot?"

"All the time," the Doctor agreed. "Just for fun."

"That's the plan," Jessie added. "It never quite works, though, with our luck."

"Must be rich, though," Astrid sighed.

Jessie smirked at her. "Haven't got a penny," she whispered. "Stowaways."

Astrid's eyes widened. "Kidding."

"Seriously," Jessie giggled with a wink.

"No!"

"Oh, yeah," the Doctor agreed.

"How did you get onboard?!"

"Accident," he replied. "We've goth this sort of . . . ship . . . thing. I was just rebuilding her. Left the defenses down. Bumped into the Titanic. Here we are. Bit of a party. Thought . . . " He shrugged. "Why not?"

"I should report you!"

"Go on, then!" Jessie challenged.

Astrid took a quick look around. "I'll get you drinks." She grinned. "On the house."

Jessie grinned, watching Astrid go. "I like her."

There was laughter behind them, and they turned to look at well-dressed people laughing at the large couple in purple cowboy outfits sitting at a table. Jessie raised an eyebrow, and they went to join them. "Just ignore them," the black man was saying.

"Something's tickled them," the Doctor commented.

"They told us it was fancy dress," the woman replied. "Very funny, I'm sure."

"They're just picking on us because we haven't paid," the man added. "We won our tickets in a competition."

"I had to name the five husbands of Joofie Crystalle in By the Light of the Asteroid. Did you ever watch By the Light of the Asteroid?"

Jessie looked at the Doctor. "Is that the one with the twins?" he asked.

"That's it!" the woman agreed. "Oh, it's marvelous!"

"But we're not good enough for that lot," the man said darkly. "They think we should be in steerage."

"Well . . . " Jessie raised an eyebrow at the Doctor. "We can't have that, now, can we, dear?"

He winked at her, and they both took out their sonic screwdrivers, pointing them under their arms and pointing it at the table behind them. With both of them working, the champagne bottle actually exploded, glass and alcohol going everywhere, making the guests scream. Jessie smirked and high fived the Doctor when he held out his hand. "Did you do that?" the woman gasped.

"Maybe," the Doctor replied slyly.

She grinned. "We like you."

"We do," the man agreed, holding out a hand. "I'm Morvin Van Hoff. This is my good woman, Foon."

"Foon," the Doctor repeated, shaking hands, and Jessie followed. "Hello! I'm the Doctor, and this is my wife, the Bad Wolf."

"Oh, I'm going to need a Doctor, time I've finished with that buffet," Foon commented. "Have a buffalo wing." Jessie took one, eyeing it. "They must be enormous, these buffalo. So many wings."

Jessie snorted loudly at that, and the Doctor gave her a grin. "Attention, please. Shore leave tickets Red Seven Six now activated. Red Six Seven."

"Red Six Seven!" Foon cried, holding up her ticket. "That's us! Are you Red Six Seven?"

"Are you up for it?" the Doctor asked Jessie, looking at her.

She grinned. "Always."

"Might as well be," the Doctor told the couple, standing up with Jessie.

"Come on, then!" Morvin cheered as they headed to the back. "We're going to Earth!"

"Red Six Seven," the old man there with a name plaque with Mr. Copper on it. "Red Six Seven! This way, fast as you can."

"I got you that drink," Astrid said as she caught up to them.

Jessie eyed her before putting her tray down and taking her wrist. "And I got you a treat. Come on!"

"Red Six Seven, departing shortly!" Copper called.

The Doctor and Jessie flashed their psychic paper at him. "Red Six Seven," the Doctor introduced.

"Plus one," Jessie added, jerking her head at Astrid.

"Quickly, sir, madams, please, and take three teleport bracelets, if you would."

"I'll get the sack!" Astrid hissed as Jessie handed her one.

"Brand new sky," Jessie coaxed.

Astrid looked at her before slowly sliding the bracelet on. "To repeat," Cooper began. "I am Mr. Copper, the ship's historian, and I shall be taking you to old London Town in the country of UK, ruled over by Good King Wenceslas."

Jessie shot the Doctor a look. "Good King Wenceslas? That's a Christmas carol."

"I know," he replied, eyeing Copper oddly.

"Now, human beings worship the great God Santa, a creature with fearsome claws, and his wife Mary," Copper continued.

Jessie shook her head, putting a hand over her mouth. "Santa Claws? Is that a Nightmare Before Christmas allusion? Where's he getting all this?"

"And every Christmas Eve, the people of UK go to war with the country of Turkey," Copper continued, everyone else looking captivated while Jessie tried hard not to burst out laughing. "Then they eat the Turkey people for Christmas dinner like savages!"

Jessie burst into a fit of giggles, and the Doctor wrapped an arm around her and stepped forward. "Excuse me," he said, trying not to smile as well. "Sorry, sorry, but, er . . . where did you get all this from?"

"Well, I have a first class degree in Earthonomics," Copper replied, and Jessie shook her head, laughing. "Now, stand by."

"And me! And me!" the red alien called, running up and waving a red ticket. "Red Six Seven!"

"Well, take a bracelet, please, sir," Copper replied.

The Doctor blinked. "But . . . hold on, hold on. What was your name?"

"Bannakaffalatta."

"Banna cap of whatta?" Jessie asked in confusion.

"OK, Bannakaffalatta," the Doctor replied, not having any trouble whatsoever. "But it's Christmas Eve down there. Late night shopping, tons of people. He's like a talking conker. No offense, but you'll cause a riot because the streets are going to be packed with shoppers and parties and - "

Jessie blinked and looked around when they were teleported to a completely empty street. "Um . . . you were saying, dear?"

The Doctor blinked, looking around in surprise as well. "Oh."

"Now, spending money!" Copper called to everyone there. "I have a credit card in Earth currency if you want to buy trinkets, or stockings, or the local delicacy, which is known as beef." Jessie looked at him in surprise. "But don't stray too far. It could be dangerous. Any day now, they start boxing."

"Very good," Bannakaffalatta commented.

"It should be full!" the Doctor insisted. "It should be busy! Something's wrong."

"But it's beautiful!" Astrid breathed.

"Really?" Jessie asked in surprise. "It's just a street. The pyramids are much better, and New Zealand."

"But it's a different planet!" Astrid babbled. "I'm standing on a different planet! There's concrete and shops! Alien shops! Real alien shops! Look! No stars in the sky." Jessie blinked at that and looked up, noticing that as well. "And it smells!" Astrid grimaced at it. "It stinks!" She laughed. "Oh, this is amazing!" She hugged Jessie tightly. "Thank you!"

"Yeah?" she asked with a grin, taking her hand. "Come on, then! Let's have a look around!" She tugged both her and the Doctor towards a lonely newsstand with an elderly man inside. "Sorry, this is going to be an obvious question, but where's everybody gone?"

"Oh ho, scared!" he replied with a grin.

"Right, yes, scared of what?" the Doctor asked.

"Where've you been living?" the man asked in surprise. "London at Christmas? Not safe, is it?"

"Well, yeah, knowing our luck," Jessie admitted.

"Christmas before last, we had that big bloody spaceship, everyone standing on a roof. And then last year, that Christmas Star electrocuting all over the place, draining the Thames!"

"This place is amazing!" Astrid laughed.

"And this year? Lord knows what. So, everybody's scarpered, gone to the country. All except me and Her Majesty."

"Her Majesty the Queen has confirmed that she'll be staying in Buckingham Palace throughout the festive season to show the people of London, and the world, that there's nothing to fear," the news anchor was saying.

"God bless her," the man said heartily before saluting in the direction of the palace. "We stand vigil!"

"Well, between you and me, I think Her Majesty's got it right," the Doctor said. "Far as I know, this year, nothing to worry about - "

Jessie looked around when they were teleported back. She blinked. "Oi!" she complained.

"I was in mid-sentence!" the Doctor whined.

"Yes, I'm sorry about that," Copper said, looking winded as he walked around, taking back bracelets. "A bit of a problem. If I could have your bracelets . . . "

Jessie frowned before slipping two of them discreetly into her pocket. She was looking into those as soon as she could. To hell with stealing.

"Apologies, ladies and gentlemen, and Bannakaffalatta," a steward told them, rushing over. "We seem to have suffered a slight power fluctuation. If you'd like to return to the festivities. And on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruiseliners, free drinks will be provided."

"Thank you," Foon told him.

"That was the best!" Astrid laughed, jumping up and down. "The best!"

"What sort of power fluctuation?" Jessie wondered, narrowing her eyes as she looked around suspiciously. "Is that what took the Host?"

"I don't know," the Doctor replied before heading for a wall panel. "Shall we find out?"

"And I should know because my name is Max," Max Capricorn was saying in the add. "The fastest, the furthest, the best. My name is Max."

"Good to know, Max, now shut up," Jessie sneered. She sonicked the frame and the Doctor swung it open to the electronics. He fiddled a little bit, and the ship's status appeared, and Jessie's eyes widened when she saw three fireballs hurtling through space, right towards the ship. "Doctor!"

"I know," the Doctor snapped, trying an intercom. "Is that the bridge? I need to talk to the Captain. You've got a meteoroid storm coming in west zero by north two!"

"Who is this?" the captain asked.

"Never mind that!" Jessie snapped, seeing something else. "Your shields are down! Check your scanners, Captain! You've got meteoroids coming in, and no shielding!"

"You have no authorization. You will clear the comms at once."

"Yeah? Just look starboard!" the Doctor snapped.

The steward grabbed him. "Come with me, sir."

Jessie followed behind them both. "You've got a rock storm heading for this ship and the shields are down!" the Doctor insisted before looking around and shouting, "The singer!"

Jessie bolted for the stage and grabbed ahold of the singer's microphone. "Everyone, listen to me!" she shouted. "This is an emergency! Get to the lifeb - "

A metal hand clapped over her mouth, and she let out a muffled scream, scratching at the Host's hand. "Look out the windows!" the Doctor shouted, his eyes dark. "And let my wife go!"

"If you don't believe us, check the shields yourself!" Jessie added, her voice still muffled as the Host's grip on her tightened.

"Sir, I can vouch for them!" Astrid shouted, joining them.

"Look, Steward, they've just had a bit too much to drink," Morvin said as he and Foon joined them.

And then Mr. Copper. "Sir, something seems to have gone wrong. All the teleports have gone down."

"Not now!" the steward shouted.

"The shields are down!" Jessie insisted, wrenching herself out of the Host's grasp, but more guards grabbed her, and she scrambled, even more terrified as they tried to restrain her. "We're going to get hit!"

"Oi! Steward!" that man that had crashed into Astrid shouted as he ran up. "I'm telling you, the shields are down!"

"Listen to him!" Jessie screamed, nearly hysterical. "Listen to him!"

"Let her go!" the Doctor shouted. "I'm being serious, here, you let her go!"

There was a crash, and Jessie was flung out of the guards' arms. She crashed into the wall nearby and slumped onto the ground, stunned. There were two more large crashes, and she groaned as she shook her head, noise ringing in her ears. There was running, and then the Doctor was next to her, eyes wide. "You all right?" he asked cautiously.

"Yeah," she whispered, sitting up. "I think so."

"Bad name for a ship," the Doctor told her. "Either that, or this suit is really unlucky."

"Both," Jessie muttered, and he chuckled, kissing the top of her head before helping her stand.

"Er, everyone!" the steward called. "Ladies and gentlemen, Bannakaffalatta I must apologize on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruiseliners. We seem to have had a small collision."

"Small?" Morvin asked incredulously.

"Do you know how much I paid for my ticket?" the man snapped.

"If I could have silence, ladies, gentlemen!" the steward ordered, and Jessie shook her head, still feeling a little dizzy, and the Doctor's arms wrapped around her, keeping her close to him. "Please. Quiet! Thank you. I'm sure Max Capricorn Cruiseliners will be able to reimburse you for any inconvenience, but first, I would point out that we're very much alive."

"Doctor," Astrid called.

"You all right?" the Doctor asked Jessie, who nodded, leaning against some piping. The Doctor went next to Mr. Copper, who had a cut on his head that was bleeding. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"She is, after all, a fine, sturdy ship," the steward continued. "If you could all stay here while I ascertain the exact nature of the situation - "

"Don't open it!" Jessie screamed.

The steward opened a nearby hatch, and the vacuum sucked him out. It nearly took Jessie with it, but she scrambled for a pipe nearby and held on with all of her might. She squeezed her eyes, reminded too much of Canary Wharf, before she pulled out her sonic screwdriver and aimed it at a panel nearby. It changed from Vacuum reach to Oxygen Shield. "Oxygen shield stabilized," the computer announced.

Jessie dropped down to the floor, landing awkwardly on her heels, and she wrung her neck out. "Everyone all right?" she asked. "Doctor?"

"Fine, sweetheart."

"Foon? Morvin? Mr. Copper? Bannakaffalatta? Oh, hey, I said that right!"

"Yes," Bannakaffalatta confirmed.

Jessie pointed at the man. "You, what was your name?"

"Rickston Slade."

"Fine. You all right?"

"No thanks to that idiot."

Astrid gaped at him. "The steward just died!"

"Then he's a dead idiot!"

"All right, calm down!" the Doctor told them, holding up his hands as Jessie fumed. "Just stay still, all of you. Hold on."

"What happened?" Astrid asked. "How come the shields were down?"

"I don't think it was an accident," Jessie told her, looking out of the hole in the ship, watching the dead and debris float away.

"How many dead?" Astrid whispered.

"We're alive, just focus on that," the Doctor told her. "We will get you out of here, Astrid. I promise. Look at me!" She did. "I promise." She nodded a little, and the Doctor nodded as well, satisfied. "Good. Now, if we can get back to Reception, I've got a spaceship tucked away. We can all get onboard and - "

"No," Jessie interrupted, seeing the TARDIS floating away. "Small problem."

The Doctor blinked, seeing it. "Oh."

"What is it?" Astrid asked, joining them. "What's wrong?"

"That's it over there," Jessie explained, pointing.

"Where?"

"There," the Doctor replied, pointing her body in that direction and letting go of her as soon as he could. "That box. That little blue box."

Astrid blinked. "That's a spaceship?"

"Oi!" Jessie complained. "Don't insult her!"

"It's a bit small."

"A bit distant," the Doctor replied. "Trouble is, once it's set adrift, it's programmed to lock onto the nearest center of gravity, and that would be the Earth."

"And it's always our Christmases that are like this," Jessie groaned. "Why can't we have a nice Christmas?"

"We'll try again soon," he promised before getting a connection to the bridge. "Deck 22 to the Bridge, Deck 22 to the Bridge. Is there anyone there?"

"This is the Bridge," came a young man's reply.

"Oh, hello, sailor!" the Doctor said happily. "Good to hear you! What's the situation up there?"

"We've got air. The oxygen field is holding, but the Captain . . . he's dead. He did it. I watched while he took down the shields. There was nothing I could do. I tried. I did try!"

"Hey, hey, hey," Jessie soothed, taking the mic. "It's all right, we believe you. Just stay calm, all right? Tell me your name. What's your name?"

"Midshipman Frame."

"Nice to meet you, Midshipman Frame," Jessie said encouragingly. "I'm the Bad Wolf, and this is my husband, the Doctor. Can you tell us the state of the engines?"

"They're, er . . . hold on." He grunted, and Jessie's eyes widened. "Oh!"

"Have you been injured?" the Doctor asked.

"I'm all right." A few seconds later . . . "Oh my vot! They're cycling down!"

"That's a nuclear storm drive, yeah?" the Doctor asked.

"Yeah."

"The moment they're gone, we lose orbit."

"The planet!"

"Oh, yes," the Doctor agreed. "If we hit the planet, the nuclear storm explodes and wipes out life on Earth. Midshipman, I need you to fire up the engine compartment field and feed it back into the core."

"This is never going to work."

"Trust me, it'll keep the engines going until we can get to the bridge."

"We're going to die!" Foon wailed.

"Are you saying someone's doing this on purpose?" Mr. Copper demanded.

"We are!" Foon insisted as Morvin tried to calm her down. "We're going to die!"

"We're just a cruise ship!" Astrid cried.

"OK, OK!" the Doctor shouted, holding up his hands. "Shush, shush, shush, shush, shush! First things first. One: we are going to climb through this ship. B - "

"Two," Jessie corrected.

"Right. Two," the Doctor continued, nodding to her. "We're going to reach the bridge. Three - "

"Or C," Jessie added.

He mock glared at her. "We're going to save the Titanic. And coming in a very low four - "

"Or D - "

"Or that little 'iv' in brackets they use in footnotes," the Doctor finished, "why. Right, then! Follow me."

"Hang on a minute," Rickston demanded, and the two Time Lords paused in their tracks. "Who put you in charge? And who the hell are you two?"

Jessie turned, folding her arms and letting her eyes glow. "I'm the Bad Wolf," she introduced. "23 years old, but on Asgard, I'm known as the Deathbringer. I'm the last of the Time Ladies, and I don't like it when people try and kill my friends."

"I'm the Doctor," the Doctor continued, standing tall beside her with the full force of the Oncoming Storm. "I'm a Time Lord. I'm from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I'm 903 years old, and the two of us are the man and woman who're going to save your lives and all six billion people on the planet below."

"You got a problem with that?" they asked in unison.

Rickston cowered under the furious gazes of both of them. "No."

"Right, then," Jessie said brightly. "Shall we?"

"In that case . . . " The Doctor grinned. "Allons-y!"

***

Jessie poked her head into the stairwell. "Oh, this should be fun," she said.

The Doctor stepped in front of her. "Careful," he warned the others. "Follow me."

"Rather ironic, but this is very much in the spirit of Christmas!" Mr. Copper exclaimed as they climbed up the stairwell, the Doctor and Jessie working to move the debris. "It's a festival of violence. They say that human beings only survive depending on whether they've been good or bad. It's barbaric."

"Actually, that's not true," the Doctor said. "Christmas is a time of . . . " He cut off before shaking his head. "Of peace and thanksgiving, and . . . " He snorted. "Oh, what am I on about? Who am I kidding." He nodded to Jessie. "You were right, dear. Our Christmases are always like this."

"We've got a Host!" Jessie called.

"Strength of ten!" the Doctor agreed, investigating under the mass of debris. "If we can mend it, we can use it to fix the rubble!"

"We can do robotics," Morvin volunteered. "Both of us!"

"We work on the milk market back on Sto," Foon supported. "It's all robot staff."

"See if you can get it working," the Doctor told them, and they nodded. "Let's have a look."

Jessie crawled ahead, tilting her head. "It's blocked," she warned.

"So what do we do?" the Doctor asked, looking behind him.

"We shift it," Astrid replied.

The Doctor grinned. "That's the attitude! Rickston, Mr. Copper, and you, Bannakaffalatta . . . " He made a face. "Look, can I just call you Banna? It's going to save a lot of time."

"No!" Bannakaffalatta insisted. "Bannakaffalatta!"

Jessie grinned as her husband grimaced. "All right, then," he grumbled. "Bannakaffalatta. There's a gap in the middle. See if you can get through."

"Easy," he replied, moving through. "Good."

The ship shook, and Jessie looked up as more debris began to fall. "This whole thing could come crashing down any minute," Rickston warned.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Oh, Rickston, I forgot. Did you get that message?"

"No," he replied. "What message?"

"Shut up!" Jessie yelled in annoyance, and the Doctor winked at her.

"Bannakaffalatta made it," Bannakaffalatta reported.

"I'm small enough," Astrid volunteered. "I can get through."

"Careful," the Doctor warned as Jessie helped her through.

"I'm fine."

The Doctor nodded at Jessie. "You next."

She nodded and simply stepped right through, phasing onto the other side. "Thing is, how are Mr. and Mrs. Fatso going to get through that gap?" Rickson asked snarkily.

The Doctor glared at him. "We make the gap bigger, so start."

"And stop making those comments!" Jessie added, looking through the gap and glaring at Rickston. "That's going to get us nowhere!"

As she worked on her side with Astrid to clear the debris, she heard laughter coming from the Van Hoffs. "What happened?" Rickston asked. "Did they find a doughnut?"

"Let us know if it starts moving, dear," Jessie said.

"I will."

"Bannakaffalatta?" Astrid asked softly, and Jessie looked back. "What's wrong?"

"Shush," Bannakaffalatta whispered.

Both of them went closer. "What is it?" Jessie asked.

"Can't say."

"Are you hurt?" Astrid asked.

"Ashamed."

"Of what?"

"Poor Bannakaffalatta."

Jessie gasped softly as Bannakaffalatta pulled up his shirt to reveal the circuitry he had. "You're a cyborg!" she breathed.

"Had an accident long ago," Bannakaffalatta told them. "Secret."

"No, but everything's changed now!" Astrid told him. "Cyborgs are getting equal rights! They passed a law back on Sto. You can even get married!"

"Marry you?" Bannakaffalatta asked hopefully.

"Well, you can buy me a drink first," Astrid replied with a laugh. "Come on. Let's recharge you. Just stay there for a bit."

She made him comfortable, and Bannakaffalatta held up a finger. "Tell no one."

Jessie grinned. "We promise."

"Jess?" the Doctor called.

She went back. "Yeah?"

"What's going on up there?"

Jessie grinned through the gap. "I think Bannakaffalatta and Astrid just got engaged!" The Doctor tilted his head, looking impressed, and she laughed. "And I call maid of honor!"

The Doctor burst out laughing. "Right after your own wedding?"

"Oi!" she shouted. "Are you complaining?"

His eyes widened, and he began to stutter. "No! No, that's not . . . what made you think that?!"

She howled in laughter. "Oh, your face!"

He gave her an adorable puppy face that made her laugh even harder, their moment interrupted when Morvin called, "Almost done!"

"Good, good, good!" the Doctor replied, holding up the mic he used to talk to Frame. "Mr. Frame, how's things?"

"Doctor, I've got life signs all over the ship, but they're going out one by one," he replied.

"What is it? Are they losing air?"

"No. One of them said it's the Host. It's something to do with the Host."

Jessie's eyes widened. "It's working!" Morvin called.

"Kill," came the Host's robotic call.

"Turn if off!" the Doctor shouted, running down the stairs.

"I can't, Doctor!" Foon wailed.

"Kill. Kill. Kill."

"Go!" the Doctor shouted before there was a pause. "Double deadlock!"

Jessie dropped through the floor and grabbed the Host's wrist, combining her Asgardian strength and her Time Lady strength to wrench its arm completely off. "Go!" she shouted. "Upstairs, now!"

"Run, darling! Run!" Foon called.

"Rickston, get them through!" the Doctor called.

"No chance," Rickston denied, joining Astrid on the other side.

Jessie growled at him. "Ass," she muttered before holding out her arms. "Everyone, grab."

"What?" Mr. Copper asked.

The Doctor grabbed one of her hands. "Do as she says. Grab her!"

Mr. Copper took one of her shoulders, Morvin the other, and Foon took her hand. Jessie phased them through the debris.

The Doctor turned back to the Host. "Information override!" he shouted. "You will tell me the point of origin of your command structure!"

"Information: Deck 31," the Host replied.

"Thank you," the Doctor replied before nodding to Jessie. "Shall we?"

They made the debris structure collapse, smashing the Host to pieces.

***

"Morvin, look! Food!" Foon cried when they made it to another corridor.

"Oh, great," Rickston sighed. "Someone's happy."

"Don't have any, then," Morvin told him as they went to the cart.

Jessie squeezed the Doctor's hand. "I'll get us some," she told him.

He kissed her gently and nodded, and she went to join the Van Hoffs. He smiled, watching his wife - he really did love calling her that, how had he thought she was so different from before? - interact with the guests that had barely survived. He didn't want to think about what could have happened had they not gotten through the debris when they had. One of them might not have even survived.

He shook his head and went back to the mic. "Mr. Frame, are you still there?" he asked.

"Yes, sir, but I've got Host outside. I've sealed the door."

"They've been programmed to kill. Why would anyone do that?"

"That's not the only problem, Doctor. I had to use a maximum deadlock on the door, which means no one can get in. I'm sealed off, even if you can fix the Titanic."

The Doctor shook his head. "Yeah, right, fine. One problem at a time. What's on Deck 31?"

"Er . . . that's down below. It's nothing. It's just the Host storage deck. That's where we keep the robots."

The Doctor looked at the schematic flashing. "Well, what's that?" he asked. "Do you see that panel? Black. It's registering nothing. No power, no heat, no light."

"I've never seen it before."

"One hundred percent shielded. What's down there?"

"I'll try intensifying the scanner."

"Let me know if you find anything. And keep those engines going."

"We saved you some," Astrid said as she and Jessie rejoined him. "You might be a Time King from Gaddabee, but you need to eat."

"Gaddabee," Jessie said with a smile. "I need to remember that."

He took some of the food from her plate. "Yeah, thanks."

She winked and tossed a cheese cube into the air before catching it in her mouth, making him laugh. "So . . . " Astrid smiled. "You're looking good for nine hundred and three."

"You should see him in the mornings," Jessie joked.

"Oi!" the Doctor whined.

Astrid shrugged. "OK," she said simply.

Both of them blinked at her, but then Mr. Copper joined them. "Doctor, Bad Wolf, it must be well past midnight, Earth time. Christmas Day."

"So it is," the Doctor agreed, smiling at Jessie. "Merry Christmas."

She smiled, kissing him. "Merry Christmas."

"This Christmas thing . . . " Astrid said. "What's it all about?"

"Long story," the Doctor replied. "I should know. I was there. I got the last room."

Jessie choked on the next bite of food she took and stared at him. "Was that a fixed point in time that needed to be corrected, or did you just not want to stay in a barn?"

"Fixed point in time, thank you very much," the Doctor replied, acting hurt before conceding, "although . . . a barn didn't sound appealing."

She swatted him in the chest, the signature hitting of this incarnation, like her last self with the head slaps. "You're full of it."

"But if the planet's waking up, can't we signal them?" Mr. Copper asked. "They could send up a rocket or something."

"They don't have spaceships," the Doctor replied.

"No, I read about it. They have shuffles. Space shuffles."

Jessie frowned. "Shuttles."

"Mr. Copper, this degree in Earthonomics, where's it from?" the Doctor asked.

"Honestly?"

Jessie nodded. "Just between us."

Mr. Copper had the grace to flush. "Mrs. Golighty's Happy Traveling University and Dry Cleaners."

Astrid gasped. "You . . . you lied to the company to get the job?"

"I wasted my life on Sto," Mr. Copper replied. "I was a traveling salesman, always on the road, and I reached retirement with nothing to show for it. Not even a home. And Earth sounded so exotic."

"I suppose it is," Jessie said thoughtfully. "Not as good as Asgard, though."

"How come you two know it so well?" Astrid asked.

"I was sort of . . . a few years ago, I was sort of made . . . well . . . " The Doctor shrugged. "Homeless. And, er . . . there was the Earth. And this lovely lady right here." He wrapped an arm around Jessie, who blushed and leaned into him. "Never stopped dropping by."

"The thing is, if we survive this, there'll be police and all sorts of investigations," Mr. Copper told them. "Now the minimum penalty for space lane fraud is ten years in jail. I'm an old man. I won't survive ten years."

There was a bang from the door, and the Doctor jumped up. "A Host!" he shouted. "Move! Come on!"

***

Jessie squeaked when they ran out in to the engine room. "Oh, here we go!"

"Is that the only way across?" Rickston asked, pointing to the narrow beam that connected the two catwalks.

"On the other hand, it is a way across," the Doctor told him.

"The engines are open," Astrid reported, looking over timidly.

"Nuclear storm drive," the Doctor explained. "As soon as it stops, the Titanic falls."

"But that thing, it'll never take our weight!" Morvin exclaimed.

"You're going last, mate," Rickston snorted.

And he was greeted with a whallop on the back of the head from yours truly. "Shut up!" Jessie snarled.

"It's nitrofin metal," the Doctor told Morvin, smiling at his wife's antics. "It's stronger than it looks."

"All the same, Rickston's right," Morvin said, stepping forward. "Me and Foon should - "

Jessie darted forward when she saw the metal collapse underneath Morvin. She was aware that everything around her was moving sluggishly, but she got to Morvin before he fell and grabbed both of his arms, pulling him back. He collapsed back, panting and looking down as the bits of metal flew down the shaft into the engines.

Foon cried in shock and leaned down, hugging him tightly. "Oh my vot!" Mr. Copper exclaimed, staring at Jessie in shock.

But none of them was looking at her in the same way as the Doctor. He was positively beaming at her as he laughed. "That was it!" he shouted, laughing and hugging her tightly. "That was it! You controlled time itself!"

"I did?" Jessie wheezed, shaking her head.

"And you saved Morvin!" he whooped, kissing the top of her head. "Oh, I so owe you when we get off this ship!"

Jessie grinned. "You've owed me since 1969."

There was a bang on the door. "Doctor," Mr. Copper called. "I rather think that those things have got our scent!"

"I'm not waiting," Rickston said, moving to the beam.

"Careful," the Doctor warned. "Take it slowly."

The beam shook, and Rickston collapsed. "Oh, vot! Help me!"

"You're OK!" the Doctor shouted. "A step at a time! Come on! You can do it!"

"They're getting nearer!" Mr. Copper warned.

The Doctor simply sonicked the door. "Seal us in."

"You're leaving us trapped, wouldn't you say?"

"Never say trapped. Just . . . inconveniently circumstanced."

"Oh."

Jessie slid the two teleportation devices out from where she hid them and dropped next to the Van Hoffs. "Trust me?" she asked. They both nodded, and she smiled, using her own sonic on the devices. "I can just barely rewrite these to teleport a short distance. It'll get you to the other side. All right?" They both nodded again, and Jessie slipped their bracelets on. "And . . . go!" She sonicked them, and they appeared on the other side with Rickston. "Yes!" she shouted happily, laughing.

"Bannakaffalatta, you go next," the Doctor told the alien.

"Bannakaffalatta small," he agreed, climbing on.

"Slowly!"

There was a bang on the door, and Mr. Copper blanched. "They've found us."

"Astrid, get across," Jessie ordered. "Right now!"

"What about you?" Astrid asked worriedly.

"I'll be right behind you," she promised.

Astrid swallowed, then climbed on. Jessie climbed on after her, turning and holding out her hand. "Mr. Copper, we can't wait."

He nodded and climbed on after her, the Doctor bringing up the rear. "I can't open the door!" Rickston shouted. "We need that whirling key thing of yours!"

"We're busy!" Jessie snapped.

The beam groaned, and Jessie quickly clung on. "Too many people!" Bannakaffalatta cried.

"Oi! Don't get spiky with me!" the Doctor shouted. "Keep going!"

Bannakaffalatta, Astrid, and Jessie got across, but the beam started shaking. "It's going to fall!" Astrid wailed.

"It's just settling," Jessie told her. "Just keep - " And she paused, looking back at the door. "It's quiet."

Astrid blinked. "They've stopped!" she realized.

"Gone away?" Bannakaffalatta asked.

"Why would they give up?" the Doctor asked.

"Never mind that!" Rickston shouted. "Keep coming!"

"Come on!" Morvin encouraged. "Come on!"

Jessie heard a clank above them and looked up, swallowing. "Oh. Right. Angels." She gave a tense laugh. "And angels have wings."

"Information. Kill," the Host chorused as they floated down, taking their halos off.

"Arm yourself! All of you!" the Doctor shouted, standing.

Jessie stood, bringing her Asgardian armor on and swinging her swords up. "They want to fight? How about a demon?" she asked, holding her arms out.

The engines roared beneath them, and the heat burned. Jessie flew into the air, swords literally burning with fire, and she tore through them just like the monster she said she was, slicing and burning them up one by one.

The Doctor held up his finger as she tried to slice the last one. "Override loophole," he said quickly. "Security protocol ten! Six six six. Er . . . twenty one! Four! Five! Six! Seven! Eight! I don't know! Forty two? Er . . . one!"

The Host paused. "Information. State request."

"Good. Right," the Doctor said, clearing his throat. "You've been ordered to kill the survivors, but why?"

"Information. No witnesses."

"But this ship's going to fall on the Earth and kill everyone. The human race have nothing to do with the Titanic, so that contravenes your orders, yes?"

"Information. Incorrect."

"But why do you want to destroy the Earth?"

"Information. It is the plan."

"What plan?"

"Information. Protocol grants you only three questions. These three questions have been used."

"Well, you could have warned me!"

"Information. Now you will die."

But it hadn't even reached for its halo when Jessie used the full extent of her Asgardian electricity powers to send it toppling down into the engines.

***

"Right, get yourselves up to Reception One," the Doctor ordered when they made it through. "Once you're there, Mr. Copper, you've got staff access to the computer. Morvin and Foon might be able to help you. Try to find a way of transmitting an SOS. Astrid, Bad Wolf, both of you, keep fighting off those Hosts."

She nodded. "And you'd better be coming back."

"I plan on it. Bannakaffalatta, keep an eye on them all. Rickston . . . just make yourself useful somehow. Mr. Copper, you're going to need this." He handed the man a first aid kit. "I need you fighting fit."

"You're talking as if you're not coming with us," Astrid whispered.

"There's something down on Deck 31," he replied. "I'm going to find out what it is."

"What if you meet a Host?"

"Well, then I'll just have some fun."

"Like the usual," Jessie laughed.

Astrid looked back and forth between them. "Sounds like you do this kind of stuff all the time."

"Not by choice," the Doctor muttered. "All we do is travel. That's what we are, just travelers. Imagine it. No tax, no bills, no boss. Just the open sky."

Astrid hesitated. "I'm sort of unemployed now. I was thinking the blue box is kind of small, but I could squeeze in it . . . like a stowaway."

"It's not exactly safe," Jessie warned, but starting to smile.

"So you need someone to take care of you two. I've got no one back on Sto. No family. Just me. So . . . what do you think? Can I come with you?"

Jessie grinned. "Yeah," she agreed. "You can come with us."

Astrid beamed at her as the Doctor checked the comm. "Mr. Frame, you still with us?"

"It's the engines, sir. Final phase. There's nothing more I can do. We've only got eight minutes left."

"Don't worry. I'll get there."

"But the bridge is sealed off!"

"Yeah, yeah, working on it. I'll get there, Mr. Frame, somehow." He turned back. "All right. Bad Wolf, look after Astrid. Mr. Copper, Astrid, look after her. Morvin, look after Foon. Foon, look after Morvin. Rickston . . . er . . . look after Bannakaffalatta. Bannakaffalatta, look after him. And I'll see you all again, I promise."

"Oi!" The Doctor stopped, and Jessie pulled him down for a searing kiss before smacking him in the back of the head. "You really owe me," she told him. "And burn that bow tie. It's not easy to pull on."

The Doctor smirked at her. "I'll keep that in mind," he told her before running off. Jessie opened the door to the next room, and as the Host turned to them, she electrocuted them all.

"That's more like it!" Rickston cheered.

***

The Doctor stopped when he found four Host surrounding him in the gallery, and he quickly grabbed a sauté pan. "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!" he shouted, looking around. "Security protocol one! Do you hear me? One. One!" They all hesitated. "OK. That gives me three questions. Three questions to save my life, am I right?"

"Information. Correct."

The Doctor blinked. "No, that wasn't one of them!" he cried. "I didn't mean it! That's not fair! Can I start again?"

"Information. No."

The Doctor groaned. "No, no, no, no, no! That wasn't a question either! Blimey," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "One question left. One question." He nodded. "So . . . you've been given orders to kill the survivors, but survivors must therefore be passengers or staff, but not me! I'm not a passenger. I'm not staff. Go on, scan me!" They did. "You must have bio-records. No such person onboard. I don't exist, therefore, you can't kill me. Therefore, I'm a stowaway, and stowaways should be arrested and taken to the nearest figure of authority. And I reckon the nearest figure of authority is on Deck 31. Final question . . . am I right?"

"Information. Correct."

The Doctor grinned. "Brilliant! Take me to your leader!" He grinned wider. "I've always wanted to say that."

***

"Rickston, Bannakaffalatta, seal the doors," Jessie ordered. "Make the room secure. Mr. Copper, Morvin, Foon, keep an eye on the host. I need to check the computer. We need that SOS. Astrid, come here."

Astrid typed away to figure out the SOS code, and Jessie grabbed another teleportation bracelet, in the meantime, finding one of the old fashioned comms. "Bridge, this is Reception One."

"Bad Wolf?" Midshipman Frame asked.

"That's me. Can you divert power to the teleport system?"

"No way. I'm using everything I got to keep the engines running!"

"It's just one trip. I need to get to Deck 31."

And I'm telling you, no!"

"Mr. Frame," Jessie said quietly, "that man down there is my husband. I love him more than anything. He's gone there on his own, and I can't just leave him. He's done everything he can to save you and everyone here. It's time we did something to help him."

There was a pause, then Frame sighed. "Giving you power."

Jessie fastened it on her wrist. "Astrid, Mr. Copper, I'm going to find him."

"Good luck!" they called to her as she teleported away.

***

"Wow," the Doctor commented as he looked around Deck 31. "Now that is what you call a fixer upper! Come on, then! Host with the most, this ultimate authority of yours. Who is it?" The Host opened a pair of doors, and he raised an eyebrow. "Oh, that's clever," he commented. "That's an omnistate impact chamber. Indestructible. You can survive anything in there. Sit through a supernova. Or a shipwreck. Only one person can have the power and the money to hide themselves onboard like this, and I should know, because - "

"My name is Max," Max Capricorn finished as his cart was rolled out, his head attached to wires, and his gold tooth did indeed glint.

"It really does that," the Doctor said incredulously.

"Who the hell is this?"

"I'm the Doctor," he replied with a smile. "Hello!"

"Information. Stowaway," the Host reported.

"Well," the Doctor drawled.

"Kill him," Max ordered.

"Oh, no, no, no!" the Doctor shouted, holding up his hands. "Wait! But you can't! Not now! Come on, Max! You've given me so much good material like . . . " He thought quickly. "How to get ahead in business!" He grinned. "See? Head? Head in business?" He sighed. "No?"

"Oh, ho, ho, the office joker," Max declared. "I like a funny man. No one's been funny with me for years."

"I can't think why."

"A hundred and seventy six years of running the company have taken their toll."

"Yeah, but . . . " He eyed the wheels on the cart. "Nice wheels."

"No. A life support system, in a society that despises cyborgs. I've had to hide away for years, running the company by hologram. Host, situation report."

"Information. Titanic is still in orbit."

"Let me see . . . " Max thought. "We should have crashed by now. What's gone wrong? The engines are still running! They should have stopped!"

"When they do, the Earth gets roasted. I don't understand. What's the Earth got to do with it?" the Doctor asked.

"This interview is terminated!"

***

Jessie quickly ducked when she heard the Doctor rattling and babbling off to Max Capricorn before she darted out behind the Host. She heard Max order to terminate the engines and order the Host to kill the Doctor before she held out her arms and concentrated.

Explosions echoed all around her as she lifted into the air. "Mr. Capricorn!" she shouted, fire warping around her. "You should know better than to mess with a lady's love!"

Max eyed her before she sent her full power blazing towards him, knocking his life support off down into the engines.

The Doctor watched her open mouthed as she fell towards the ground, straight into the arms of one of the Host. He ran over to her as she wearily shook her head. "How did you - ?" he asked worriedly.

"Teleport," she said weakly, her head lolling. "Too much . . . "

"Just stay alive," he told her, and she nodded slightly before slipping unconscious.

***

The Doctor watched the Host clutch his wife close to its chest, then snapped his fingers and held out his arms. Two more of the Host took his arms and flew him upwards, the Host with Jessie doing the same. They punched through the ceiling, onto the bridge.

The Doctor grinned at who was obviously the Midshipman. "Ah, Midshipman Frame!" he greeted happily. "At last!"

"Er, but . . . " He pointed around. "The Host!"

"Controller dead, they divert to the next highest authority, and that's me." He took Jessie from the Host and brushed her hair out of her eyes, checking to make sure she was breathing evenly before kissing her forehead and lying her down out of the way.

"There's nothing we can do," Midshipman Frame warned him. "There's no power! The ship's going to fall!"

"Titanic falling."

"What's your first name?" the Doctor asked as he headed for the wheel.

"Alonso."

He paused, jaw dropping as he looked at him. "You're kidding me!" he gasped.

"What?"

"That's something else I've always wanted to say!" He grinned. "Allons-y, Alonso!" He twisted the wheel. "Whoa!"

Alarms began to wail as the Doctor and Alonso worked together to keep the Titanic under control. He whacked a scanner with his foot, and he grimaced when he saw where they were headed. He quickly grabbed the comms. "Hello? Yes, could you get me Buckingham Palace?" He paused. "Listen to me! Security code 771! Now get out of there!"

"Engines active. Engines active."

The Doctor yanked the wheel up, and the Titanic responded, pulling up just avoiding Buckingham Palace. Both the Doctor and Alonso whooped. "Used the heat of re-entry to fire up the secondary storm drive!" the Doctor explained. "Unsinkable, that's me!"

"We made it!" Alonso cheered.

"That would be us," a faint voice groaned, and Jessie shook debris out of her hair as she sat up. "Buckingham Palace? Really?"

The Doctor just laughed.

***

"The engines have stabilized," Alonso reported later as they all joined up in Reception. "We're holding steady till we get help, and I've sent the SOS. A rescue ship should be here within twenty minutes. And they're digging out the records on Max Capricorn. It should be quite a story."

"They'll want to talk to all of us, I suppose," Mr. Copper said.

"I'd have thought so, yeah," Frame agreed.

"I think one or two inconvenient truths might come to light." He sighed. "Still . . . it's my own fault, and ten years in jail is better than dying."

"But we're still alive!" Foon laughed, hugging Morvin happily.

"Bannakaffalatta happy!" Bannakaffalatta cried.

Astrid laughed, hugging Jessie. "All of us!"

"Doctor! Bad Wolf!" Jessie grimaced as Rickston ran up to them. "I never said thank you. The funny thing is, I said Max Capricorn was falling apart. Just before the crash, I sold all my shares, transferred them to his rivals. It's made me rich! What do you think about that?"

Jessie stamped on his foot, kneed him in the groin, then proceeded to slap him hard enough to knock him out. "That would be what I think," she grumbled, wringing her hand out and turning back, smirking.

The Doctor closed his open mouth. "Well . . . I know never to make you angry again." He took four teleport bracelets. "Mr. Copper? Astrid? I think you two deserve these."

Alonso gave a sharp salute, and Jessie returned it as she linked arms with Astrid, and the four of them teleported out.

***

"So Great Britain is part of Europey, and just across the British Channel, you've got Great France and Great Germany," Mr. Copper was telling Astrid.

Jessie giggled. "It's just France and Germany. Only Britain is Great."

"Oh, and they're all at war with the continent of Ham Erica."

Jessie laughed at that. "No, that's definitely not it."

"There she is!" the Doctor cried gleefully, running to the TARDIS. "Survive anything!"

"This is incredible," Astrid whispered as she twirled in the snow.

Jessie let the Doctor and Mr. Copper talk as she stayed with Astrid. "So . . . do you really want to come?" she asked.

Astrid looked around, swallowing. "I'm . . . I'm not sure," she admitted. "I dreamed all my life of traveling . . . but this planet . . . "

Jessie smiled. "I know." She patted herself down, then found a pen and turned Astrid's hand over, scrawling a phone number on the back of her hand. "If you ever need help with anything, call that number and tell them the Doctor and the Bad Wolf gave you the number," she told her. "They'll help you out. If you explain everything that happened, they will. And tell them I'll kill them myself if they do anything otherwise."

Astrid smiled and hugged her. "Thank you!"

Jessie hugged her back. "Anything."

"Oh my vot!" Mr. Copper cried from behind them, and they turned to see the Doctor smirking at Mr. Copper, who was dancing joyfully around. "Oh, my goodness me! Yee-hah!"

"It's all yours," the Doctor told them. "Planet Earth! Now, that's a retirement plan. But just you be careful, though."

"I will, I will!" Mr. Copper agreed, nodding hard. "Oh, I will!"

"And you take care of Astrid," Jessie added. "I've given you a number to call if you need help."

"No interfering," the Doctor added. "I don't want any trouble. Just . . . just have a nice life."

"But we can have a house!" Mr. Copper was saying, hugging Astrid, too. "A proper house, with a garden, and a door, and . . . " He laughed. "Oh, Doctor, I will make you proud! And we can have a kitchen with chairs, and windows, and plates, and - "

"Hey!" Jessie laughed as the two of them skipped off. "Where are you going?"

"Well, I've no idea!" Mr. Copper admitted.

"No," the Doctor admitted. "Us neither."

"But, Doctor," Astrid called. "We won't forget."

Jessie smiled, looking up. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Copper! Merry Christmas, Astrid!" she called.

"Merry Christmas!" they shouted back before they ran off.

Jessie smiled gently and stepped back inside the TARDIS, the Doctor following her, and he set the TARDIS to dematerialize. "So where to now?" she asked.

The Doctor grinned. "Well . . . I still have yet to give you that honeymoon," he told her with a wink, sending the engines going again.

***

Jessie's dress from "Voyage of the Damed" off to the side.

Yep. I did it. I saved everyone. :) Well, not everyone everyone, but Morvin, Foon, Bannakaffalatta, and Astrid. And . . . Jessie can control time now!

More about the blood bond and some sharing of memories during the next interlude. Their honeymoon awaits! :)