Turns out, the app I use for writing isn't the most recent version, hence the keyboard glitches and issues. Thank goodness for Google Docs!

Siblings are reunited, and Jack tries to figure out what the hell he's missed since the 9s. ;)

On to "Utopia!"

***

"Cardiff!" the Doctor announced, pulling a lever on the TARDIS.

"Cardiff?" Martha repeated.

"Cardiff!" the Alchemist grinned.

"The thing about Cardiff, it's built on a rift in time and space, just like California and the San Andreas Fault, but the rift bleeds energy," the Doctor explained. "Every now and then, I need to open up the engines, soak up the energy and use it as fuel."

"So it's a pit stop?" Martha asked.

"Exactly!" the Alchemist grinned. "You're learning."

"Should only take twenty seconds," the Doctor looked at the scanner. "The rift's been active."

"Wait a minute," Martha frowned. "They had an earthquake in Cardiff a couple of years ago . . . was that you?"

"He trusted the Slitheen," the Alchemist pointed at the Doctor.

"Your idea to use the extrapolator!" the Doctor argued.

"Your fault for being behind the rift in the first place!"

The Doctor sighed. "Long time ago."

"Yeah, we were different back then," the Alchemist nodded.

"Finito," the Doctor looked back at the scanner. "All powered up - " His eyes widened when he saw something, and he quickly pulled a lever, setting the TARDIS off.

The TARDIS jerked suddenly, and something exploded on the console. "Whoa!" Martha grabbed onto the console as the Alchemist grabbed the scanner. "What's that?"

"We're accelerating into the future!" the Alchemist watched. "The year one billion . . . five billion . . . five trillion . . . fifty trillion?"

"What?" the Doctor gawked.

"The year one hundred trillion!"

"That's impossible!"

"Why?" Martha looked over. "What happens then?"

"We're going to the end of the universe!" the Doctor answered.

The TARDIS shuddered, then all movement stopped. "Well," the Alchemist blew out a breath. "We've landed."

"So what's out there?" Martha asked.

"I don't know."

"Hang on," the Doctor grinned. "You don't know?"

"Oh, be fair," the Alchemist scowled. "You know not even the Time Lords came this far."

"Yeah, I know," he admitted.

"So you know we should leave."

"Yeah, we should," he nodded. "We should really, really go."

"So we're on the same page?"

"Definitely."

Martha rolled her eyes as they both ran for the door at the same time. "Typical," she grumbled, following them . . . and screamed when she saw the man lying close by the TARDIS. "Oh, my God!" she ran over, checking for a pulse. "Can't get a pulse," she panicked. "Hold on, you've got that medical kit thing!"

The Doctor cringed, looking down at Captain Jack Harkness. "Hello again."

"Shouldn't be surprised," the Alchemist bit her lip. "He knew about the rift."

The Doctor blinked, looking at her. "Hold on . . . you knew?!"

"I brought him back to life," the Alchemist gave him a pointed look. "You knew I was aware of what happened. 'I think you need a doctor?'"

He cleared his throat. "Well - "

"Here we go," Martha ran back out of the TARDIS, carrying the medical kit. "Get out of the way." The Alchemist obediently moved, and Martha dropped down by Jack. "It's a bit odd, though," she looked Jack over. "Not very hundred trillion. That coat's more like World War Two."

"He had to come with us," the Alchemist looked at the TARDIS.

"How do you mean, from Earth?" Martha blinked.

"Must have been clinging to the outside of the TARDIS all the way through the Vortex," the Doctor nodded.

"Well, that's very him," the Alchemist admitted.

"What, do you know him?" Martha frowned.

"That would be an understatement."

"Used to travel with us, back in the old days," the Doctor nodded.

"But, he's . . . " Martha swallowed. 'I'm sorry, there's no heartbeat. There's nothing. He's dead." Jack suddenly shot upright, gasping for breath, and grabbed Martha's arm. She shrieked. "Oh, so much for me," she panted. "It's all right, just breathe deep. I've got you."

Jack took her advise and breathed before smiling cheekily. "Captain Jack Harkness. And who are you?"

Martha blinked. "Martha Jones."

"Nice to meet you, Martha Jones."

"Oh, don't start!" the Doctor whined.

Jack glared at him. "I was only saying hello!"

"And what happens most of the time when you say hello?" the Alchemist finally moved out from behind the Doctor.

Jack did a double take, eyes wide. "Lexi?"

She smiled, tears in her eyes. "Not exactly your twin now, am I?"

"No, you're not," Jack admitted as Martha helped him stand.

"Good to see you, though," she smiled.

"Yeah, it is," Jack nodded. His face totally changed to neutral as he eyed the Doctor. "Doctor."

"Captain," he nodded, adjusting his position so he was slightly in front of the Alchemist.

Jack noticed, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Good to see you."

"And you. Same as ever. Although," he tilted his head, "have you had work done?"

"You can talk, both of you!" Jack retorted.

"Oh, yes, the faces," the Doctor nodded. "Regeneration. How did you know this was us?"

"Didn't know about Lexi," Jack nodded to the blonde. "But the police box kind of gives it away."

"I'm still saying we need to fix the Chameleon Circuit," the Alchemist grumbled.

Jack looked from one Time Lord to the other, then took a deep breath. "I've been following you for a long time." He took a long pause before he finally forced the accusation out. "You abandoned me."

The Alchemist openly cringed, knowing exactly why he thought that. The Doctor, however, saw her and shifted the attention. "Did I? Busy life. Moving on."

Jack scowled, turning to him, hearing exactly what the Doctor wanted him to hear . . . that it had been his idea, that the Alchemist had nothing to do with the decision. "Just got to ask . . . the Battle of Canary Wharf. I saw the list of the dead." He braced himself. "It said Rose Tyler."

The Alchemist turned to the Doctor. "Yeah, explain that, will you?"

"Well, you know the Tyler family friends, they'd be going bonkers trying to find them!" the Doctor protested.

The Alchemist rolled her eyes, then pulled the Doctor back so she could walk up to Jack. "Our sister is alive," she smiled.

Jack's eyes widened. "Sister?!"

"Oh, yes," the Alchemist smiled, pulling at her blonde ponytail. "Can't you see the family resemblance?"

"Oh, yes," Jack repeated, spinning her around. The Alchemist even dressed like Rose, in a way. "She's alive?"

"Parallel world, safe and sound, with Mickey and her mother," she nodded.

"Oh, yes!" Jack cheered, hugging her tightly and spinning her around.

The Alchemist giggled, her arms around his neck. The Doctor smiled and looked at Martha, who looked thunderstruck. "What?" he asked. "He's her brother, I'm not going to kill him for touching her."

***

"So there I was, stranded in the year two hundred one hundred, ankle deep in Dalek dust, and he goes off without me," Jack nodded to the Doctor as they walked on, Jack holding the Alchemist's hand, the Doctor with his hands in his pockets, walking alongside Martha. "But I had this."

"Vortex manipulator," the Alchemist examined the leather bracelet on his wrist.

"I used to be a Time Agent," he nodded. "He's not the only one who can time travel."

"Oh, excuse me!" the Doctor whined. "That is not time travel!"

"Relax," the Alchemist rolled his eyes. "You've got a sports car, and he's got a space hopper. Honestly, boys and their toys these days."

"Tell me about it," Martha sniggered.

"All right, so I bounced," Jack huffed. "I thought, 21st century, the best place to find the Doctor and the Alchemist . . . except that I got it a little wrong. Arrived in 1869, this thing burnt out, so it was useless."

"Told you," the Doctor said smugly.

"I had to live through the entire twentieth century waiting for a version of you that would coincide with me," Jack gave him a look.

"But that makes you more than one hundred years old!" Martha gaped.

"And looking good, don't you think?" Jack winked. "So I went to the time rift, based myself there because I knew you'd come back to refuel, until finally I got a signal on this detecting you, and here we are."

"But the thing is, how come you left him behind, Doctor?" Martha asked.

The Alchemist looked away guiltily, but the Doctor just bristled. "I was busy."

"Surely the Alchemist - "

"Busy, too. Bit more busy than I was, actually."

"If you call being unconscious being busy," she mumbled telepathically.

"You were out, and I was dying," the Doctor looked over at her. "First priority, your safety, always."

She smiled sadly, but Martha's next words wiped the smile away. "Is that what happens, though, seriously? Do you just get bored with us one day and disappear?"

"Not if you're blonde," Jack muttered.

The Alchemist halted in her tracks and stared at him. "I was not blonde back then!"

Jack paused and turned to her, eyes wide. "You came back?"

"I came back," she folded her arms. "TARDIS and all, and I left Rose behind. Risked my life to save the Doctor's, and in the process nearly got myself killed."

"Why else do you think I would leave you behind?" the Doctor asked Jack quietly. "Between the last of the Time Ladies and her human brother, who would I save?"

Jack blew out a breath. "Lexi," he admitted.

"Thank you," the Doctor nodded, then grinned at the Alchemist, holding out his hand. "Now, are you going to keep blogging, or are we going to see the end of the universe?"

She laughed and grabbed his hand, and he tugged her off. Jack paused, watching, then turned to Martha. "She just took his hand."

"Yeah? So?" Martha looked at him.

Jack chose his next words carefully. "She . . . tolerates him now?"

Martha stared at him. "You really don't know?"

"Oi!" the Alchemist called back, looking over her shoulder. "Blogging! Quit, now!"

"Good Lord, what have I missed?" Jack mumbled, running after them.

When Martha and Jack had caught up, the Time Lords were looking over a cliff down at the ruins of some kind of civilization. "Is that a city?" Martha asked.

"A city, or a hive, or a nest, or a conglomeration," the Alchemist squinted. "Like it was grown, maybe? Look over there. That's . . . pathways? Roads? Must've been some sort of life, long ago."

"What killed it?"

"Time," the Doctor knew that one. "Just time. Everything's dying now. All the great civilizations have gone. This isn't just night. All the stars have burned up and faded away into nothing."

"They must have an atmospheric shell," Jack looked up and around. "We should be frozen to death."

"Well, Martha, Alice, and I, maybe," the Doctor conceded. "Not so sure about you, Jack."

"What about the people?" Martha asked. "Does no one survive?"

"I suppose we have to hope life will find a way."

Jack blinked, then pointed. "Well, he's not doing too bad."

"Human!" a voice bellowed.

The Alchemist blinked, seeing a human man running through the civilization, chased by a tribe of some sort. "Oh, that's a hunt."

"Come on!" the Doctor raced off.

The Alchemist took off after him, Jack right behind her, leaving Martha to catch up. "Oh, I've missed this!" Jack laughed.

"Gotcha!" the Alchemist grabbed the running man, stopping him. Jack turned to aim his revolver at the approaching tribe, and her eyes widened. "Jack, don't you dare!" she shrieked.

Jack switched gears immediately, firing up into the air instead of shooting at the tribe. "What the hell are they?" Martha asked as she ran up.

"There's more of them," the man panted. "We've got to keep going."

"We've got a ship nearby," the Doctor volunteered. "It's safe. It's not far, it's over . . . there . . . or maybe not," he sighed as more of the tribe blocked the way they'd come.

"We're close to the silo," the man said. "If we get to the silo, then we're safe."

The Doctor turned, raising an eyebrow. "Silo?"

"Silo," Jack nodded.

"Silo for me," Martha agreed.

***

"It's the Futurekind!" the man, Padra, called as the group raced for the gates of the silo. "Open the gate!"

"Show me your teeth!" the guard ordered. "Show me your teeth! Show me your teeth!"

"Show him your teeth," Padra nodded.

The Time Lords looked at each other before grimacing, showing their teeth. "Human!" the guard called to the men manning the gates. "Let them in! Let them in!"

The Doctor pulled the Alchemist through, she barely grabbing Jack's arm, tugging him as well. "Humans!" the chief of the tribe hissed as the gates closed. "Humani. Make feast!"

"Go back to where you came from!" the guard glared, aiming his machine gun. "I said, go back! Back!"

"Oh, don't tell him to put his gun down," Jack rolled his eyes.

"Well, he's not my brother," the Alchemist quipped.

"Says the sister who uses a gun."

"When he tells me to," the Alchemist nodded to the Doctor.

Jack blinked and looked at him. "You can tell her to put it down?"

"Well," he drawled smugly.

"Kind watch you," the chieftain warned. "Kind hungry!"

"Thanks for that," the Doctor nodded to the guard as the tribe retreated.

"Right," the guard nodded. "Let's get you inside."

Padra grabbed his arm. "My name is Padra Toc Shafe Cane," he said. "Tell me . . . just tell me, can you take me to Utopia?"

The guard grinned. "Oh, yes, sir. Yes, I can."

***

"It looks like a box, a big blue box," the Doctor explained to the person in charge, Atillo. "I'm sorry, but I really need it back. It's stuck out there."

"I'm sorry, but my family were heading for the silo," Padra was saying at the same time. "Did they get here? My brother is Kistane Shafe Cane. My brother's name is Beltone."

"The computers are down, but you can check the paperwork," Atillo answered. "Creet! Passenger needs help!"

A young boy ran up, carrying a clipboard. "Right, what do you need?"

"A blue box, you said?" Atillo asked as Padra went to Creet.

"Big, tall, wooden, says police," the Alchemist confirmed.

"We're driving out for the last water collection. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you," the Doctor said in relief.

"Come on," Creet gestured.

"Sorry, but how old are you?" Martha asked.

"Old enough to work," Creet shrugged. "This way."

***

"It's like a refugee camp," Martha looked around as they went through the silo corridors.

"Stinking," Jack wrinkled his nose, then held up his hands when a few people glared at him. "Oh, sorry. No offense. Not you."

"Don't you see that?" the Doctor grinned. "The ripe old smell of humans. You survived. Oh, you might have spent a million years evolving into clouds of gas, and another million as downloads, but you always revert to the same basic shape: the fundamental humans. End of the universe, and here you are, indomitable! That's the word. Indomitable! Ha!"

"Is there a Kistane Shafe Cane?" Creet called.

"That's me," a woman stood up.

"Mother?" Padra gasped.

"Oh, my God!" she stared. "Padra!"

"Beltone!" Padra saw the man with her.

"It's not all bad news," Martha smiled as Padra reunited with his family.

"Captain Jack Harkness," Jack grinned brilliantly at a man who just stood. "And who are you?"

"Stop it," the Doctor shook his head, attempting to use his sonic screwdriver on a door. "Alice, give me a hand with this. It's half deadlocked."

"Sure," the Alchemist crouched down, looking at the lock. "Overwrite the code . . . oh, what the hell."

She stood back up, took out her blaster, aimed, and fired. The lock sparked, and the Doctor blinked. "That's one way to do it," he quipped, gripping the edge of the door.

The Alchemist helped him, and together, the two Time Lords pulled the door open. Since the Doctor had the higher grip, he stayed upright. When the door suddenly gave way easily, the Alchemist stumbled forward, nearly falling off the edge into the rocket silo. The Doctor quickly wrapped one arm around her waist, the other hand bracing on the wall. He pulled the Alchemist back against him, backing away from the drop. "Gotcha," he told her.

"Thanks," she panted, leaning back into him.

"How would you cope without me?" he smirked.

"Let me count how many ways I wouldn't survive," she smirked back at him.

"Now that is what I call a rocket," Martha interrupted, looking up at it.

The two Time Lords looked up. "Those aren't refugees," the Alchemist realized. "They're passengers."

"He said they were going to Utopia," Martha nodded.

"The perfect place," the Doctor sighed. "Hundred trillion years, it's the same old dream." He turned to Jack. "You recognize those engines?"

"Nope," Jack shook his head. "Whatever it is, it's not rocket science."

"It's hot, though," the Alchemist gritted her teeth.

The Doctor pulled her back, then closed the door with Jack's help. "Boiling," he agreed. "But if the universe is falling apart, what does Utopia mean?"

An old man suddenly bustled in, looking around. "The Doctor?" he was asking.

"That's me!" the Doctor raised a hand.

"Good, good!" the old man beamed, taking his arm. "Good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good."

The Doctor blinked, looking at the Alchemist as he was dragged off. "It's good, apparently," he managed to say before the man dragged him off further.

***

"Chan welcome tho," a blue-skinned alien smiled as the man dragged the Doctor in.

"Now, this is the gravitissimal accelerator," the professor was saying as the other three finally caught up. "It's past its best, but it works."

"Chan welcome tho," the alien smiled at the other three.

"And over here is the footprint inpellor system. Now, do you know anything about endtime gravity - "

"Hello," Martha smiled at the alien as the Alchemist went to free the Doctor from the professor's grasp. "Who are you?"

"Chan Chantho tho."

"But we can't get it to harmonize," the professor continued.

"Captain Jack Harkness," Jack held out a hand.

"Stop it!" the Alchemist looked over her shoulder as she finally got the Doctor disengaged from the professor.

"Can't I say hello to anyone?" Jack pouted.

"Chan I do not protest tho," Chantho smiled shyly.

"Maybe later, Blue," Jack winked. "So, what have we got here?"

"And all this feeds into the rocket?" the Doctor examined what the professor had put together.

"Yeah, except without a stable footprint, you see, we're unable to achieve escape velocity," the professor nodded. "If only we could harmonize the five impact patterns and unify them, well, we might yet make it. What do you think, Doctor? Any ideas?"

"Well, er, basically . . . sort of . . . " The Doctor sighed. "Not a clue."

The professor stared. "Nothing?"

"I'm not from around these parts," the Doctor shook his head. "I've never seen a system like it. Alice?"

"Me, neither," she admitted, chewing her lip. "And I'm cleverer than he is."

"Yeah," the Doctor nodded, agreeing immediately.

"Hang on, you just admitted she's smarter than you?" Jack stared.

"Yes," the Doctor frowned. "Is there a problem?"

Jack just stared. "Who are you, and what happened to the Doctor?"

"I changed," he shrugged.

"I'm sorry," the professor sighed. "It's my fault. There's been so little help."

"Oh, my God!" Martha shrieked suddenly, and they all turned to see her pulling a transparent container out of Jack's backpack, which contained a hand. "You've got a hand? A hand in a jar? A hand in a jar in your bag?"

"But, that, that, that's my hand!" the Doctor stared.

"I said I had a Doctor detector," Jack said simply.

"That's . . . I have nothing to say to that," the Alchemist shook her head.

"Chan is this a tradition amongst your people tho?" Chantho asked.

"Not on my street," Martha shook her head. "What do you mean, that's your hand? You've got both your hands, I can see them."

"Long story," the Doctor said. "I lost my hand Christmas Day, in a sword fight."

"What, and you grew another hand?"

"Er, yeah," the Doctor nodded. "Yeah, I did. Yeah. Hello!" he waved with the regrown hand.

"Might I ask, what species are you?" the professor asked.

"Time Lord, last of," the Doctor nodded. "She's last of the Time Ladies," he gestured to the Alchemist, who bowed. "Heard of them? Legend or anything? Not even a myth?" The man just shook his head. "Blimey, end of the universe is a bit humbling."

"Chan it is said that I am the last of my species too tho," Chantho said.

"Sorry, what was your name?" the Doctor asked.

"My assistant and good friend, Chantho," the man answered. "A survivor of the Malmooth. This was their planet, Malcassairo, before we took refuge."

"So that city outside, that was yours?" the Alchemist asked.

"Chan the conglomeration died tho," Chantho bowed her head.

"Conglomeration! That's what you said!" the Doctor grinned at the Alchemist. The Alchemist punched him in the arm in reply. "OW!"

"I'm sorry," the Alchemist told Chantho.

"Chan most grateful tho," Chantho smiled.

"You grew another hand?" Martha repeated faintly.

"Hello, again," the Doctor waved. "It's fine. Look, really, it's me."

"All this time, and you're still full of surprises," Martha shook her head, putting the jar down.

"Chan you are most unusual tho," Chantho remarked.

"Well," the Doctor drawled.

"So, what about those things outside?" Jack asked. "The Beastie Boys, what are they?

"We call them the Futurekind, which is a myth in itself, but it's feared they are what we will become, unless we reach Utopia."

"And Utopia is?" the Doctor raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, every human knows of Utopia. Where have you been?"

The Doctor fidgeted. "Bit of a hermit."

"A hermit with friends?"

"Hermits United," the Doctor cringed at the name even as he said it, sending the Alchemist into a fit of snickers. "We meet up every ten years and swap stories about . . . caves . . . oh, stop," he pouted as the Alchemist burst out laughing, Jack joining in moments later. "Seriously, stop, you two."

"Hermits United?" the Alchemist giggled, pointing at him, a wide grin on her face.

"Stories about caves?" Jack choked on his laughter. "That's what you could come up with?"

"Oh, shut it," the Doctor groaned. "So, er, Utopia?"

The professor pulled up a display on a navigation system nearby, the Alchemist and Jack trying to get their laughter under control. "The call came from across the stars, over and over again. Come to Utopia. Originating from that point."

"Where is that?" the Doctor slipped on his specs.

"Oh, it's far beyond the Condensate Wilderness, out towards the Wildlands and the Dark Matter reefs, calling us in. The last of the humans scattered across the night."

"What do you think's out there?" the Alchemist tilted her head.

"We can't know," the professor shook his head. "A colony, a city, some sort of haven? The SCience Foundation created the Utopia Project thousands of years ago to preserve mankind, to find a way of surviving beyond the collapse of reality itself. Now perhaps they found it. Perhaps not. But it's worth a look, don't you think?"

"Oh, yes," the Doctor agreed. "And the signal keeps modulating, so it's not automatic. That's a good sign someone's out there."

"And that's a navigation matrix, so you can fly without stars to guide you," the Alchemist pointed before frowning. "Professor?" she asked, seeing him stare off into space. "Professor?" She waved a hand in front of his face. "Professor!"

He started suddenly. "I, er . . . ahem, right, that's enough talk," he went right back to business. "There's work to do. Now, if you could leave, thank you."

"You all right?" the Doctor frowned.

"Yes, I'm fine," he nodded. "And busy."

"Except that rocket's not going to fly, is it?" the Doctor asked softly. "This footprint mechanism thing, it's not working."

"We'll find a way," the professor insisted.

"You're stuck on this planet, and you haven't told them, have you? That lot out there, they still think they're going to fly."

"Well, it's better to let them live in hope."

"Quite right, too," the Doctor nodded.

"But," the Alchemist held out, and they all turned to her as she inspected every bit and piece of equipment. "I must say, Professor . . . what was it?"

"Yana," he answered.

"Professor Yana," the Alchemist nodded, a smile widening on her face. "This new science is well beyond me, but all the same . . . a boost reversal circuit in any time frame must be a circuit which reverses the boost. So, I wonder . . . what would happen if I did this?"

She used her blaster to sonic the ned of a cable and pulled. She grinned widely and held out her arms as the machines started whirring to life.

"Chan it's working tho!" Chantho gasped.

"But, how did you do that?" Yana gasped as the Doctor laughed happily.

"Did nobody mention?" the Alchemist winked. "I'm brilliant."

"Yes, you are," the Doctor nodded, kissing her in relief.

"OK," Jack held up a hand, shaking his head. "Before this day is done, you both are explaining this - " He gestured between the two of them. " - to me."

"Yes, overprotective big brother," the Doctor sighed dramatically, making the Alchemist giggle.

***

The Alchemist was sniffing everything later before she finally held up a wire and took a good whiff. "No way," she stared. "Is this?"

"Yes," Yana nodded. "Gluten extract. Binds the meutralino map together."

"That's food," the Alchemist said faintly, eyes wide. The Doctor thought she looked like a kid in a candy store. "You built this system out of food and string and staples? Professor Yana, you're a genius!"

"Says the woman who made it work," Yana countered.

"Oh, it's easy coming in at the end, but you're stellar," the Alchemist said sincerely. "This is . . . this is magnificent!"

"And she doesn't often say that because of us," the Doctor added.

"Oi!" she flicked a screw at him, which he easily dodged.

"Well, even my title is an affectation," Yana said. "There hasn't been such a thing as a university for over a thousand years. I've spent my life going from one refugee ship to another."

"If you'd been born in a different time, you'd be revered," the Doctor said honestly. "I mean it, throughout the galaxies."

"Oh, those damned galaxies," Yana sighed. "They had to go and collapse. Some admiration would have been nice. Yes, just a little, just once."

"Well, you've got it now," the Alchemist shrugged. "But that footprint engine thing, you can't activate it from onboard. It's got to be from here. You're staying behind."

"With Chantho," Yana nodded. "She won't leave without me. Simply refuses."

"You'd give your life so they could fly," the Doctor tilted his head.

"Oh, I think I'm a little too old for Utopia. Time I had some sleep."

"Professor?" Atillo said over the comm. "Tell the Doctor and the Alchemist we've found their blue box."

"Ah!" the Doctor grinned, seeing the TARDIS appear on the monitor.

"Doctor?" Jack asked.

"Professor, it's a wild stab in the dark, but I may just have found you a way out," the Doctor grinned.

***

"Extra power," the Doctor said as he pulled a power cable out of the TARDIS, the Alchemist working inside. "Little bit of a cheat, but who's counting? Jack, you're in charge of the retro feeds."

"Oh, am I glad to see that thing," Martha smiled in relief when she saw the TARDIS, entering the lab with Chantho.

"Chan Professor are you all right tho?" Chantho asked Yana worriedly.

"Yes, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine," Yana waved a hand. "Just get on with it."

"Connect those circuits into the spar, same as that last lot, but quicker," Jack instructed Martha.

"Ooo, yes, sir," she smirked.

"You don't have to keep working," the Doctor told Yana. "We can handle it."

"It's just a headache," Yana shook his head. "It's just, just noise inside my head, Doctor. Constant noise inside my head."

"What sort of noise?" the Doctor frowned.

"It's the sound of drums. More and more, as though it's getting closer."

The Alchemist frowned, looking over. The sound of drums . . . why did that sound familiar? "When did it start?" she asked.

"Oh, I've had it all my life, every waking hour," he shrugged. "Still, no rest for the wicked."

***

"How long have you been with the professor?" Martha asked Chantho.

"Chan seventeen years tho," Chantho answered.

"Blimey. A long time."

"Chan I adore him tho."

"Oh, right. And he?"

"Chan I don't think he even notices tho."

"Tell me about it," Martha smirked, rolling her eyes. The Doctor wouldn't so much as give any woman a second glance if the Alchemist was near.

"Chan but I am happy to serve tho."

"Do you mind if I ask? Do you have to start every sentence with chan?"

"Chan yes tho."

"And end every sentence with - "

"Chan tho tho."

"What would happen if you didn't?"

"Chan that would be rude tho."

"What, like swearing?"

"Chan indeed tho."

Martha grinned. "Go on! Just once?"

"Chan I can't tho!"

"Oh, do it for me!"

Chantho hesitated. "No!" she blurted before giggling.

***

"Professor? Are you getting me?"

Yana turned on a monitor to show Atillo. "I'm here! We're ready! Now, all you need to do is connect the couplings, then we can launch." The connection vanished, and Yana huffed. "God sake! This equipment, needs rebooting all the time."

"Anything I can do?" Martha approached. "I've finished that lot."

"Yes, if you could," Yana nodded. "Just press the reboot key every time the picture goes."

"Certainly, sir," Martha pressed the button. "Just don't ask me to do shorthand."

"Right," Yana nodded.

The feed to Atillo returned. "Are you still there?" he asked.

"Ah, present and correct," Yana nodded. "Send your man inside. We'll keep the levels down from here."

"He's inside," Atillo reported. "And good luck to him."

"Captain, keep the dials below the red," Yana pointed.

"Where is that room?" the Doctor asked.

"It's underneath the rocket. Fix the couplings and the footprint can work, but the entire chamber is flooded with stet radiation."

"Stet?" the Doctor turned to the Alchemist.

"Never heard of it," she shook her head.

"You wouldn't want to," Yana said darkly. "But it's safe enough, if we can hold the radiation back from here." An alarm wailed, and his eyes widened. "It's rising. Naught point two, keep it level!"

"Yes, sir," Jack made the adjustments.

Suddenly, the lights flickered, and Chantho checked a monitor. "Chan we're losing power tho!"

"Radiation's rising!" the Doctor warned.

"We've lost control!" Jack backed away from his panel.

"The chamber's going to flood," Yana gasped.

"Jack, override the vent!" the Doctor ordered.

Jack looked around, then picked up two power cables. "We can jump start the override!"

"Don't!" the Doctor warned. "It's going to flare!"

Jack ignored him and pressed the live ends together. He screamed as he was electrocuted, then flopped to the ground.

"I've got him," Martha ran over.

"Chan don't touch the cables tho," Chantho advised.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Yana put a hand over his mouth.

"The chamber's flooded with radiation, yes?" the Doctor looked back at the monitor.

"Without the couplings, the engines will never start," Yana moaned. "It was all for nothing."

"Oh, I don't know," the Doctor began, then looked over as Martha tried mouth to mouth resuscitation. "Martha, leave him."

"You've got to let me try!" Martha looked at him.

"Trust, Martha," the Alchemist reminded her.

"Leave him alone," the Doctor repeated. "It strikes me, Professor, you've got a room which no man can enter without dying, is that correct?"

"Yes," Yana frowned.

"Well," the Doctor smirked as Jack gasped, lurching back to life. "I think I've got just the man."

"Was someone kissing me?" Jack looked from person to person.

Martha blushed furiously as the Alchemist sniggered.

***

Atillo was looking rather lost when the Doctor and Jack ran into the control room. "Lieutenant, get onboard the rocket," the Doctor ordered. "I promise you're going to fly."

"The chamber's flooded!" Atillo protested.

"Trust me, we've found a way of tripping the system," the Doctor assured him. "Run!" Atillo ran, and the Doctor did a double take when Jack took off his shirt, leaving him in a white undershirt. "What are you taking your clothes off for?" he squeaked.

"I'm going in," Jack said like it was obvious.

"Well, by the looks of it, I'd say the stet radiation doesn't affect clothing, only flesh."

"Well, I look good, though," Jack shrugged before looking at him. "How long have you known?"

"Ever since I ran away from you," the Doctor told the truth. "Good luck."

Jack nodded and stepped inside the radiation chamber.

***

The Alchemist fiddled with the monitor before switching on the comm. "Doctor, we lost picture when that thing flared up. You still there?"

"Receiving, yeah," the Doctor answered. "He's inside."

"Still alive, I take it?"

"Oh, yes."

"But he should evaporate!" Yana gaped. "What sort of man is he?"

"That's my brother," the Alchemist beamed.

"I've only just met him," Martha shrugged. "They travel through time and space and picks up people."

"Oi," the Alchemist frowned. "That sounds like we pick up stray dogs."

"Maybe we are," Martha shrugged.

"You travel in time?" Yana stared at her.

"In the TARDIS," the Alchemist nodded.

"Which she calls the sports car of time travel," Martha rolled her eyes.

"Better than a space hopper."

***

"When did you first realize?" the Doctor asked.

Jack paused in his work. "Earth, 1892. Got in a fight in Ellis Island. A man shot me through the heart, then I woke up. Thought It was kind of strange, but then it never stopped. Fell off a cliff, trampled by horses, World War One, World War Two, poison, starvation, a stray javelin . . . " The Doctor raised an eyebrow at that. "In the end, I got the message. I'm the man who can never die, and all that time, you knew."

The Doctor leaned his head against the door. "That's why I left you behind," he confessed. "It's not easy even just looking at you, Jack, because you're wrong."

Jack snorted loudly. "Thanks."

"You are," the Time Lord tried to defend himself. "I can't help it. I'm a Time Lord. It's instinct, it's in my guts. You're a fixed point in time and space. You're a fact. That's never meant to happen. Even the TARDIS reacted against you, tried to shake you off. Flew all the way to the end of the universe just to get rid of you."

Jack frowned. "So what you're saying is that you're, er, prejudiced?"

The Doctor hummed. "I never thought of it like that."

Jack playfully glared at him. "Shame on you."

"Yeah," he sighed.

Jack stared a little while, then took a risk. "Last thing I remember, back when I was mortal, I was facing three Daleks. Death by extermination, and then I came back to life. What happened?"

The Doctor closed his eyes. "Alice."

Jack frowned. "She said the same thing. I thought you'd sent her home."

"She came back," the Doctor shrugged. "Rose started it, though. She attempted to open the heart of the TARDIS, get through to her and return. Alice did it instead and absorbed the Time Vortex itself."

"What does that mean, exactly?"

"No one's ever meant to have that power," the Doctor shook his head. "Creators died left and right using it. They became gods using it, but gods fall to power. But Alice . . . " He smiled slightly. "She changed. She's not like the others. She's so human inside. Everything she does, she's so human. She brought you back to life. I don't know if the intention was forever, but she controlled the power enough to bring you back." He chuckled. "That's something, I suppose. The final act of the Time War was life."

Jack looked up at him, seeing the man looked . . . sad, almost. "Do you think she could change me back?"

"I took the power out of her," the Doctor shook his head. "She could survive, using it. I didn't last a minute. She was unconscious. When she woke up, I had started regenerating."

Jack stared at him. "You saved her life at the cost of your own."

"Surprised?" the Doctor raised an eyebrow.

"Rose and I joked about it," Jack shook his head. "You really love her, don't you?"

"Yeah," the Doctor grinned widely. "I do."

"Well, then, I don't need to give the usual threats, do I?" Jack asked jokingly.

"Nah," he chuckled. "I know what you're going to say."

"I'm going to anyway," Jack pointed at him, an extremely serious look on his face. "Break her hearts, and I break your arms . . . and your legs . . . and your neck . . . and anything else I can break before you die so you can't regenerate."

The Doctor swallowed. Coming from Jack . . . that was a dire threat indeed. "Got it."

"Good," Jack nodded. "I mean it."

"I know you do. So do I."

Jack looked back down at the circuits. "About Rosie," he said. "I went back to her estate, in the nineties, just once or twice. Watched her growing up. Never said hello. Timelines and all that."

The Doctor looked out at him. "Do you want to die?" he finally asked.

Jack paused in what he was doing. "Oh, this one's a little stuck."

"Jack . . . "

The man sighed and rubbed his face. "I thought I did," he admitted. "I don't know. I mean, I gotta protect Lexi from you now," he joked, chuckling when he saw the panicked look on the Doctor's face. "But now that I've seen this lot . . . " He grinned. "You see them out here surviving, and that's fantastic."

The Doctor grinned. "You might be out there somewhere."

"I could go meet myself."

"Well, the only man you're ever going to be happy with," the Doctor joked.

Jack laughed, startled. "This new regeneration, it's kind of cheeky."

"And all Alice's," the Doctor smirked.

"God, that's going to take getting used to," Jack groaned. "You two were at each other's throats, and now . . . "

The Doctor just laughed.

***

"I never understand half the things he says," Martha remarked.

"That's why I'm the translator," the Alchemist winked before seeing Yana dazed again. "Professor?"

"Chan Professor what is it tho?" Chantho asked.

"Time travel," Yana murmured. "They say there was time travel back in the old days. I never believed. But what would I know? Stupid old man, never could keep time. Always late, always lost. Even this thing never worked," he held up a silver fob watch. "Time and time and time again, always running out on me."

The Alchemist stared at it before swallowing. "Can I see that?" she asked.

"Oh, it's only an old relic, like me," Yana shrugged, but handed it over.

"Where did you get it?" the Alchemist ran her fingers over it, practically feeling energy quiver from inside.

"Hmm? I was found with it."

"What do you mean?"

"An orphan in the storm. I was a naked child found on the coast of the Silver Devastation. Abandoned, with only this."

"Have you opened it?"

"Why would I? It's broken."

"Well, you wouldn't know it's broken if you haven't opened it."

"It's stuck. It's old. It's not meant to be. I don't know. Does it matter?"

The Alchemist turned the fob watch over and blanched suddenly. "No," she shook her head, handing it back. "It's nothing. Martha, why don't we go see if they need help?"

"All right," Martha frowned, but followed the Alchemist as she nearly sprinted out of the room.

***

Jack made the last connection, then whooped. "Yes!"

"Now, get out of there, come on!" the Doctor gestured. He went to the telephone as Jack exited the radiation chamber. "Lieutenant, everyone onboard?"

"Ready and waiting," Atillo confirmed.

"Stand by," the Doctor ordered. "Two minutes to ignition."

"Ready to launch," Atillo said. "Outer doors sealed."

"Countdown commencing," the computer said. "T minus ninety nine, ninety eight - "

The Doctor started flipping switches, Jack helping, as the Alchemist raced in, Martha panting behind her. "Ah, nearly there," the Doctor smiled. "The footprint, it's a gravity pulse. It stamps down, the rocket shoots up. Bit primitive. It'll take the both of us to keep it stable - "

"Yana has a fob watch," the Alchemist got right to the point. "Same as ours, same writing, same everything."

The Doctor stopped, staring at her. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I asked," she insisted. "He's had it his whole life."

"So he's got the same watch," Jack shrugged.

"It's not just a watch," the Alchemist shook her head. "I swear, it's a Chameleon Arch."

"It rewrites biology," the Doctor explained more. "Changes a Time Lord into a human."

"And it's the same watch," the Alchemist insisted.

"It can't be," the Doctor shook his head wildly.

"That means he could be a Time Lord," Jack looked at him. "You might not be the last ones."

"Jack, keep it level!" the Doctor gestured to the lever he was manning.

"But that's brilliant, isn't it?" Martha asked.

"Yes, it is," the Doctor nodded. "'Course it is."

"Depends on which one, though," the Alchemist pointed out.

"But they died, the Time Lords, all of them, except us," the Doctor reminded her. "They died."

"Not if he was human," Jack countered.

"What did he say, Alice?" the Doctor turned to her. "What did he say?"

"He looked at the watch like he could hardly see it," she answered. "Just like a perception filter."

The Doctor swallowed. "What about now? Can he see it now?"

She nodded miserably. "Yes."

"If he escaped the Time War, then it's the perfect place to hide," Jack joined them. "The end of the universe."

Martha gasped suddenly. "Think of what the face of Boe said! His dying words, he said - "

"You are not alone," the Alchemist breathed, eyes wide. "Y A N A. Yana."

The rocket suddenly shot into the air, and the Doctor went to the phone. "Lieutenant, have you done it? Did you get velocity? Have you done it? Lieutenant, have you done it?"

"Affirmative," Atillo said. "We'll see you in Utopia."

"Good luck," the Doctor wished.

The Alchemist turned to head out the door, but it slammed shut right in her face. "Oi!" she shouted, startled.

"Get it open!" the Doctor raced over. "Get it open!"

Together, the two of them yanked on the door. Jack joined in, and they forced the door open, and they ran out. The Alchemist, in the lead, screamed suddenly and ran back. "Back!" she shouted. "Back! It's the Futurekind!"

"Whoa!" Jack stumbled and did an about face, racing off as the Futurekind came around the corner.

The Doctor led the way, then banged on the door leading to Yana's laboratory. "Professor!" he shouted. "Professor, let me in! Let me in!"

"Come on," the Alchemist gritted her teeth, working on the lock on the door. "Come on!"

"Professor, are you in there?" the Doctor asked. "Please, I need to explain. Whatever you do, don't open that watch!"

"They're coming!" Martha screeched, hearing the sound of the Futurekind.

"Professor!" the Doctor shouted. "Open the door, please! I'm begging you, Professor. Please, listen to me! Just open the door, please!"

BANG!

The Alchemist jumped when she heard the gunshot, then she smashed the control panel with the butt of her blaster. The door opened, and she sprinted inside, running for the TARDIS, seeing Yana start to shut it. The door closed just before she reached it. She cursed, trying to get her key into the lock, but she heard a whirring sound, and she scowled. "Deadlocked!" she told the Doctor as Martha checked on Chantho.

"Let us in!" the Doctor banged on the TARDIS door as Jack struggled with the door. "Let us in!"

"She's dead!" Martha looked up from Chantho's body.

"Lexi broke the lock," Jack turned to her. "Give me a hand!"

"I'm begging you, everything's changed!" the Doctor found the Alchemist's hand as Martha and Jack tried to hold the door closed to the Futurekind. "It's only the three of us, we're the only ones left! Just let us in!"

"Killed by an insect," Yana chuckled darkly. "A girl. How inappropriate. Still . . . if the Doctor can be young and strong, then so can I. The Master, reborn."

"Oh, my God," the Alchemist blanched, hearing her former best friend's name as golden regeneration energy glowed from the window.

"Doctor! Lexi! You'd better think of something!" Jack yelled as the Futurekind started to force the door open.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" the Master cackled in his new voice. "Oh, now then, Doctor - ooo, new voice. Hello, hello, hello," he tried out in different octaves. "Anyway, why don't we stop and have a nice little chat while I tell you all my plans, and you can work out a way to stop me, I don't think!"

"Well, he hasn't changed a bit," the Alchemist grumbled.

"Hold on," Martha looked back. "I know that voice!"

"I'm asking you really properly," the Doctor narrowed his eyes. "Just stop, just think!"

"Use my name," the Master ordered.

The Doctor swallowed. "Master," he finally answered. "I'm sorry."

"Tough!" the Master shouted, and the TARDIS started wheezing.

"I can't hold out much longer!" Jack shouted.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver, aiming at the TARDIS, and they could hear something spark. "Oh, no you don't!" the Master cackled. "End of the universe. Have fun! Bye bye!"

"Doctor, stop him!" Martha called. "Help us! They're getting in!"

As the Doctor watched the TARDIS dematerialize, the Alchemist turned to see the Futurekind force the door open more.

***

It'll be interesting when they reach the Valiant, won't it? A regular school reunion, except it's the mister and the ex now. :P Poor Doctor, he'll probably be in hell.

I'll get to "The Sound of Drums" ASAP!