!EDITED!

A/N: was 10231 words, is now 14765! Enjoy! :D

"Stop fidgeting with it," Rose sighs, slapping my hand away from my hair.

"It's so short!" I pull on a piece in front of my face.

"You're the one who chose to get that much off," mum rolls her eyes with a smile as we reach the TARDIS.

Rose and I had been at home for a week while the Doctor went off... doing whatever it is he does when we aren't with him; we'd wanted to spend Boxing Day and New Years with mum. Now, the Doctor was picking us up and I was a bit nervous about what he'd think of my hair; this was by far the shortest I'd ever gotten it cut. Rose had gotten a haircut as well, hers brushing her shoulders.

"Have you got everything?" mum asks.

"We've got everything, don't worry," I smile, shifting my rucksack.

"Be careful," she pulls Rose and me into a tight hug then pulls away, cupping my face in her hands. "You watch after your sister," she tells me sternly.

"Course I will, mum," I assure her.

"You got to call Mo about that-"

Mum cuts Rose off, "oh, nevermind about Mo," she waves off, making us laugh.

The TARDIS engines start up and Rose and I beam at each other, even as my stomach flutters nervously. "Ok, we're going!" Rose turns to mum. "I love you," she kisses her on the cheek.

"Love you," I smile, kissing her other cheek.

"I love you, girls," mum smiles sadly, making my stomach twist in guilt a bit.

"We'll be back to visit soon," I pull her into a tight hug.

"Love you, love you!" Rose beams, pulling Mouse into a kiss.

"My eyes!" I pretend to sob into mum's shoulder, feeling her shake with laughter.

"Love you," Mouse pulls away from Rose, chuckling.

I pul away from mum and throw myself at Mouse, making him grunt softly as he catches me. "I love you, Mouse," I hug him tightly.

"Love you too," he kisses the top of my head.

I smirk, pulling away to kiss his cheek and I stick my tongue out. Mouse groans, jerking away, "ugh, Bird! That's disgusting!" he glares at me playfully while he wipes at his face.

"Your face!" I wheeze, clutching my stomach and turning to the TARDIS. "... bye!" I wave at him and mum, walking up to the door and taking a deep breath before walking in.

I shut the door behind me and set my rucksack down by the ramp before pulling on my hair nervously. Rose was sitting on the jump-seat with her feet up on the console and the Doctor was standing there in just his suit, staring at me with his eyes a bit wide and lips parted slightly. I wave awkwardly, "hi..."

He just continues to stare at me, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, "you... you cut off all your hair..."

I walk up the ramp, groaning under my breath, "I knew it looked awful... I got too much off, didn't I? I knew I should have just got a trim! It'll take forever to grow back! I can't even put it up!"

"No, no... you..." the Doctor trails off, putting one hand on my shoulder and running the other through my hair. "It looks good... really good, actually," he smiles, making my face burn.

"Oh," I breathe out. "Th- thank you, D-Doctor," I shift on my feet.

"Why don't you tell him why you got it cut, Lizzie?" Rose smirks, making my face burn even more as I narrow my eyes at her and she just gives an overly innocent smile.

"There's a reason?" the Doctor frowns, tilting his head to the side.

"Um... well... y-yeah..." I bite my lip.

"And that would be?" he raises an eyebrow, glancing at a snickering Rose... bitch.

I hide my face behind my hands, looking at the Doctor between my fingers. I mutter under my breath awkwardly, chewing on my lip and the Doctor raises his eyebrow higher, "what? Didn't quite catch that," he smirks and I huff quietly; he heard me, he just wants to make me say it louder, the bastard.

"I wanted to have something different too! Happy?" I look away, glaring at Rose when she laughs harder and she raises her hands in mock surrender. "It's just that- that you're different and-" I huff, folding my arms. "I know it's stupid and it's just a haircut... I just-"

"I don't think it's stupid," the Doctor mercifully cuts me off, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. "I think it's incredibly sweet and very you," he smiles down at me, kissing my forehead.

"Aw," Rose coos, smiling widely and snapping a quick photo of us with her phone. "That's getting sent to mum," she snickers.

My face feels as if it's on fire and I lean my forehead against the Doctor's chest, groaning miserably while he chuckles. "Rose might not make it through this trip," I murmur.

"No murdering your sister, tiny," the Doctor laughs, patting my head consolingly.

***

I was now sitting beside Rose on the jump-seat, my knees drawn up as I try not to kill her. The Doctor was bouncing around the console, piloting us off. I watch him, my head tilted as I mess with my necklace chain absently; he's always had such a specific way of piloting the blue box. I've never seen anyone operate something the same way... it was like a dance that he did with the TARDIS.

"So, where are we going?" Rose's question makes me jump slightly.

The Doctor looks over at us, turning a knob, "further than we've ever gone before," he grins, landing us. "Go and see!" he grabs his long trench coat.

I jump up, grabbing Rose's hand and dragging her over to the door. My jaw drops in awe at the sight; we were in a grassy field with the wind whipping around us and across a small river was a massive and beautiful futuristic city. I laugh in excitement when flying cars zoom above us. The Doctor steps out, shutting the door and smirking as he takes in our delighted expressions, "it's the year five billion and twenty-three, we're in the galaxy M87, and this... this is New Earth," he tells us, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"That's just... that's..." Rose trails off, laughing in complete wonder.

"Cool? Brilliant? Beautiful? Fantastic?" I offer, winking at the Doctor on the last word.

"Not bad!" he nods, laughing. "Not bad at all!"

"That's amazing!" Rose laughs. "I'll never get used to this! Never! Different ground beneath my feet!" she jumps up and down on the spot excitedly, making me giggle. "Different sky!" she beams before pausing, her eyebrows furrowing. "What's that smell?"

I sniff the air, "it smells like apples!" I grin widely.

The Doctor bends down and pulls some of the grass up to show us, "apple grass," he smiles, letting it flutter back to the ground.

"Apple grass!" Rose and I giggle.

"Yeah, yeah!" the Doctor laughs along with us.

"That's beautiful!" Rose beams and I nod in agreement, taking in the city. "Oh, I love this! Can I just say..." she links her arms with the Doctor and I. "Traveling with the two of you? I love it!" she grins between us.

"Me too," the Doctor smiles down at her.

"Me three!" I beam, the three of us laughing.

"Come on!" the Doctor smiles, stepping away from Rose so he could grab my hand and drag me off.

I was quick to grab Rose's hand so she's dragged off as well, the two of us stumbling behind the Doctor as we laugh.

***

We'd found a nice spot across from the city and the Doctor takes off his coat, laying it down on the ground in a posh manner. Rose and I giggle and he smirks as he lays down, grabbing my hand and making me yelp as he yanks me down beside him. "Arse," I huff, laying on my side and narrowing my eyes at him.

"Rude," he pouts.

"I'm not ginger," I mock, rolling my eyes with a smile.

"Anyway," Rose cuts in, snickering as she lays on the other side of the Doctor and leans back on her hands. "Tell us about this place," she waves a hand around.

The Doctor smiles, putting an arm behind his head, "so, the year five billion: the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted-"

"That was our first trip!" I smile.

"You first date," Rose 'coughs', smiling when I send her a glare as my face burns.

"We had chips," the Doctor smiles faintly, making my blush deepen and Rose snickers. "So, anyway," he chuckles, wrapping his free arm around my shoulders and I sigh, laying my head on his shoulder. "Planet gone - all rocks and dust - but the Human Race lives on, spread out across the stars. Soon as the Earth burns up... oh, yeah, they get all nostalgic! Big revival movement! But find this place; same size as the Earth, same air, same orbit... lovely! Call goes out, the Humans move it!" he beams.

"What's the city called?" Rose asks curiously.

"New New York," the Doctor smiles, making me snort.

"Oh, come on!" she scoffs.

"They couldn't have thought of a better name?" I giggle.

"It is! It's the city of New New York!" the Doctor insists, laughing. "Strictly speaking... it's the fifteenth New York since the original, so that makes it New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York," he muses, making me smile softly and Rose giggle. "What?" he looks between us with a slight frown.

Rose shakes her head with a smile, "you're so different..."

"Good different, though," I assure him.

The Doctor beams between us, "New New Doctor?" he jokes, making us giggle.

Rose gets up, "can we go and visit New New York... so good they named it twice?" she smirks.

"Well..." the Doctor gets to his feet. "I thought we might go there first," he nods to a building off in the distance; it was off by itself and was tall with a green moon on the side of it.

I get comfortable, putting my hands behind my head, "why? What is it?" I ask curiously.

"Some sort of hospital," the Doctor shrugs. "Green moon on the side? That's the universal symbol for hospitals," he explains before getting out his psychic paper. "I got this! A message on the psychic paper," he smiles.

"That says...?" I raise an eyebrow, seeing nothing but a blank piece of paper and getting a small pang of grief.

"Ward 26, please come," Rose reads off.

"Someone wants to see me," the Doctor smiles, tucking it back into his pocket.

"Hm, and I thought we were just sight-seeing," I tease, giggling at the end.

"Are you getting up?" the Doctor looks down at me, eyebrows raised as he tries not to smile.

"Why would I want to?" I beam up at him. "It smells like apples!" I wave my arms like I was making a snow angel, making Rose snicker.

"Come on, lazy," the Doctor chuckles, reaching down to grab my hand and pulling me up.

"You're such a child," Rose snorts while I pick the Doctor's trench coat up and help him into it. "Come on, then! Let's go and buy some grapes!" she loops her arms through mine, pulling me toward the hospital.

The Doctor laughs, coming up on my other side and grabbing my hand. I blush slightly as he intertwines our fingers, biting my lip at his slight smirk. The Doctor is definitely more into hand-holding than he was... it seems like he always has my hand in his or an arm around me now.

***

The three of us walk into the hospital lobby, Rose and I giggling at the Doctor. "Bit rich coming from you!" Rose laughs.

"I can't help it! I don't like hospitals!" the Doctor huffs. "They give me the creeps!" he defends himself, making us laugh harder.

PA - The Pleasure Gardens will now take visitors carrying green and blue identification cards for the next fifteen minutes. Visitors are reminded that cuttings from the gardens are not permitted.

"Very smart... not exactly NHS," Rose comments, looking around.

"No shop, I like the little shop!" the Doctor whines, making me raise an eyebrow.

"I thought this far in the future, they'd have cured everything..."

I shake my head, looking around, "viruses evolve and mutate just as Humans do... second they find something to deal with one virus, another pops up or it becomes resistant to the medication," I murmur.

"She's right," the Doctor hums, grabbing my hand and pulling me to him. "It's an ongoing war," he smiles when I blush at the fact I almost ran into a nurse.

The nurse - who was wearing hospital whites and a wimple - nods politely to Rose and then gives me a pointed look. I blink in shock as she walks off before looking up at the Doctor incredulously, "they're cats," I whisper, taking my hand from his and pointing after her.

"Now don't stare... or point," the Doctor scolds me, pushing my hand down. "Think what you look like to them, all..." he trails his eyes over me slowly, making my face heat up. "Red and brown," he smirks, poking my cheek. "That's where I'd put the shop!" he points over Rose's shoulder, making me frown but look nonetheless. "Right there!" he cheers and I shake my head; what a dork. "Ward 26, thanks!"

I turn, my eyes widening when I see him and Rose in a lift with the doors about to close, "hold on! Hold on!" I rush over but the doors close in my face. "Brilliant..." I huff.

"Oh, too late, we're going up!" the Doctor calls, his voice muffled by the doors.

"It's alright!" I call up, pressing the button to call the other lift down. "There's another lift!"

"Ward 26!" he reminds me. "And watch out for the...!"

"Watch out for what!?" I frown.

"The...!"

"The what!?"

"The-"

I roll my eyes, stepping into the other lift, "um... Ward 26, thanks..." I mutter, rubbing my arm.

The doors close and I lean against the wall, feeling the lift starting to move.

Speaker - Commence stage one disinfection.

"What?" I frown as green lights flash on.

I scream when a shower of water sprays down on me. I feel around the walls, trying to find an off switch or something. The water turns off and I look down at my soaked clothes, squeaking when white powder puffs out on me. I cough, wiping at my face when next I know, there's hot air blowing up from the floor. "I'm so going to kill him," I huff, combing my fingers through my hair and grabbing the end of my jumper when it starts to fly up, showing my bralette for a moment. "Actually... maybe it's a good thing he's not here..." I reconsider, blushing slightly as the doors open.

I step out, frowning when I look around... did I get the floor wrong? I was in a long, dimly-lit corridor with wires and piping all over. I turn to get back into the lift but sigh when it closes up.

"The Human child is clean," a male voice makes me squeak, nearly jumping out of my skin.

I turn to see a pale man with reddish marking all over him. "Uh... hi," I smile awkwardly, trying to compose myself. "I... uh, didn't see you there um... I'm looking for Ward 26?"

"This way, Lizzie Tyler," the man smiles before scurrying off.

I raise an eyebrow at him knowing my name. I look around, picking up a metal pipe from off the floor before following after him cautiously. Down the corridor a bit, I come into a room with a screen hanging up and a projector showing a video. The video was of a party; people crowded around, laughing and drinking champagne while music plays. The camera moves through the crowd, stopping at a beautiful blonde woman in a sparkling, silver gown with a group of people around her. "I mean, you never know what your life's going to be like! Ever!" she was telling them. "I'm bored with this drink," she hands off her glass to a server that was passing. "Anyway... oh, hello darling!" she smiles when a man comes up to her and he whispers something in her ear, his hand on her waist. "Now, don't! Stop it!" she pushes him in the chest playfully.

I frown when I recognize the voice, "wait a minute... that's..." I turn, my eyes widening when I see Cassandra there with the strange man cowering beside her.

"Peekaboo!"

"Don't you dare come anywhere near me, Cassandra!" I glare, holding up the pipe.

"Why? What do you I'm going to do? Flap you to death?" she rolls her eyes.

I wrinkle my nose... she has a point, "yeah, well... what about Gollum?" I gesture to the man with my free hand.

"Oh, that's just Chip... he's my pet," Cassandra waves off; well, if she... yeah.

"I worship the mistress!" Chip announces proudly.

"That's unfortunate," I mutter.

"Moisturize me, moisturize me," Cassandra orders and I couldn't help but snort quietly.

Chip instantly picks up a canister of liquid and sprays Cassandra with it.

"He's not even a proper life-form, he's a force-grown clone," she explains. "I modeled him on my favorite pattern," she smiles and I wrinkle my nose when Chip looks at her wistfully. "But he's so faithful; Chip sees to my physical needs-"

"God, I'm really hoping that means food," I cringe, trying hard not to picture... that. "How comes you're still alive?" I change the subject.

"After you murdered me-"

"I didn't murder you," I glare. "You caused your own death cause you were looking for a pay-off... that was your own fault," I remind her. "Not to mention that you killed the Moxx, Jabe, the steward and who knows how many others!"

"I would've gotten that money had you, that Doctor, and your snotty little sister not interfered!" Cassandra retorts.

"The brain of my mistress survived," Chip cuts in. "And her pretty blue eyes were salvaged from the bin," he smiles softly and I gag when Cassandra preens, nearly blushing.

"But... what about the skin?" I frown, ignoring their... flirting? "You dried out and got ripped apart," I fold my arms, raising an eyebrow.

"That piece of skin was taken from the front of my body, this piece is the back," Cassandra explains.

I snort, biting my lip, "so you're talking out your-"

"Ask not!" Cassandra cuts in with a glare.

"-arse," I smirk.

"The mistress was lucky to survive!" Chip glares at me. "Chip secreted m'lady into the hospital!"

"So, the staff don't know you're here?" I ask.

"Chip steals medicine, helps m'lady; soothes her... strokes her," he breathes, raising a hand to stroke Cassandra.

"You can stop right there, Chip!" I wrinkle my nose.

"But I'm so alone, hidden down here..." Cassandra protests. "The last Human in existence-"

"Oh, don't start that again!" I roll my eyes. "They've called this planet New Earth!"

"A vegetable patch," she scoffs.

"There's millions of Humans out there, millions of 'em," I argue.

"Mutant stock!"

"They evolved, Cassandra," I glare. "They just evolved, as they should! But you... you stayed still," I look her stretched-out skin over, shaking my head sadly. "You got yourself all pickled and preserved and what good did it do you? Look at you: cowering away in the basement of a hospital with nothing and no one but an obsessed and delusional clone slave!"

Cassandra ignores what I said, looking at the screen where the video was still playing with a sigh, "oh, I remember that night," she smiles. "Drinks for the Ambassador of Thrace... that was the last time anyone told me I was beautiful. After that... it all became such hard work."

"Well... you've got a knack for survival, I'll give you that," I admit.

"But I've not been idle, Lizzie," Cassandra looks back to me and I raise an eyebrow in question. "Tucked away - underneath this hospital - I've been listening! The Sisters are hiding something!"

"... what do you mean?" I frown.

"Oh, these cats have secrets," Cassandra smirks. "Hush, let me whisper... come close!"

I scoff, "you must be barmy if you think I'm coming anywhere near you!" I back away, gasping when I'm caught up in some sort of electric currents that hold my arms out and keep me in place. "What's happening? What're you doing?" I demand, my heart racing as my breathing quickens.

"Chip, activate the psychograft!" Cassandra orders.

My eyes widen at that, "Cassandra, let me go! Just stop, you can't! It'll kill me!" I scream, thrashing against the electrical hold on me.

Chip runs over, pulling a lever and beams of light come down around me like a cage.

"Cassandra, please!" I beg, tears welling up as worry washes over me. "Please! I can help you, just stop!"

"The lady's moving on! It's goodbye trampoline and hello brunette!"

I breathe heavily, staring at the pink cloud of light that jumps out of Cassandra and flies toward me. I scream, squeezing my eyes shut as I feel like my mind's being shoved to the back of my skull and everything goes black.

3rd Person POV:

Lizzie's body slumps to the floor and Chip runs over, peering down at her worriedly, "mistress?" he calls hesitantly.

Cass-Lizzie stirs, "moisturize me..." she slurs with a posh accent instead of Lizzie's cockney one. "How bizarre!" she gasps, sitting up and looking over her new body. "Arms... fingers... hair..." she breathes, running her fingers through Lizzie's short hair. "Let me see! Let me see!" she hops up, running over to a full-length mirror. "Oh, my God!" she gasps in horror. "I'm a short chav!" she cries.

***

PA - Hope, Harmony, and Health. Hope, Harmony, and Health.

Rose wrinkles her nose at the mantra that'd been repeated over and over. She was leaning against the tank of the Face of Boe, talking with Novice Hame - the nurse who was in charge of the care of Boe. The Doctor crosses the ward with three plastic cups of water balanced in his hands and he gives one to Hame.

"That's very kind, but there's no need," she smiles.

"You're the one working," the Doctor shrugs, handing Rose a glass and taking a sip of his own, frowning when he feels anger and disgust wash over him; what the hell did she run into?

"There's not much to do: just maintain his smoke," Hame shakes her head, snapping the Time Lord from his thoughts. "... and I suppose I'm company," she smiles. "I can hear him singing sometimes, in my mind; such ancient songs," she gives Boe a fond look.

"Are we the only visitors?" Rose asks, watching Boe sleep.

"The rest of Boe-kind became extinct, he's the only one left," Hame explains sadly. "Legend says that the Face of Boe has watched the universe grow old," she smiles, the Doctor and Rose sharing their own smile at that. "There's all sorts of superstitions around him... one story says that just before his death, the Face of Boe will impart his great secret; that he will speak those words only to ones like himself."

"What does that mean?" Rose asks curiously.

Hame blushes, looking away shyly, "it's just a story," she shakes her head, embarrassed to have been gossiping.

"Tell us the rest," the Doctor encourages.

Hame hesitates, looking between him and Rose before giving in, "it's said he'll talk to wanderers... to the man and woman without homes... the Lonely God and his beautiful Star."

The Doctor freezes in place, feeling as if the air had got knocked out of him as his chest tightens. Rose frowns up at him, noticing his face becoming paler by the second. "... Doctor?" she stands, placing a hand on his arm and making him jump. "Are you alright?"

The Doctor swallows hard, "I'm fine..." he tries, his voice cracking and he clears his throat. "Promise," he sends her a small smile.

Rose's eyebrows furrow at the blatant lie, but she just wraps her arms around the Doctor's neck. The Doctor sighs, wrapping his own arms around her waist and pulling her close, desperately needing the contact. In the back of his mind, a voice was telling him that it didn't feel as comforting or soothing as when Lizzie hugs him. That it didn't feel as nice when Rose nuzzles his shoulder as when Lizzie leans her head on his chest just to hear his hearts. How his hearts speed up just a bit when her face goes pink and that small smile that pulls on her lips when he returns the affection. The Doctor breathes out a laugh, making Rose frown in confusion but she doesn't press the matter.

Squeezing the blonde, the Doctor pulls away from the hug and thinks about how it did make him feel better... though, probably not in the way Rose had intended. It had just made him think about his tiny brunette companion. The Time Lord sighs, running a hand through his hair as he tries to sort through his thoughts. Before his regeneration, he'd known that he had feelings for Lizzie; he wasn't stupid nor was he blind to her feelings either... even if she didn't seem to fully understand them herself. He'd pushed his feelings down as best he could and didn't act on them the way he wanted to. With this new body, though, it was a lot harder. His feelings for the brunette had seemed to strengthen and he could hardly get her out of his mind; his thoughts running wild every time she smiles at him or he causes her to blush or the way she tries to glare at him when they're teasing each other and she just ends up looking adorable.

"Doctor?" Rose raises an eyebrow, trying not to laugh at the face he was making; eyebrows furrowed and biting his bottom lip.

The Doctor jumps slightly, a blush creeping up his neck as he glances at her, "yes?"

"What'cha thinking about?" she smirks.

"Nothing," the Doctor shakes his head, his cheeks and ears burning a light pink. "Rose..." he trails off, frowning as he realizes something. "Where's Lizzie?"

"I... don't know," Rose frowns, looking around the ward. "She should've been here by now, right?"

"Exactly, so why isn't she?" the Doctor murmurs, his frown deepening when he feels a strong wave of fear. "Phone," he orders Rose and she blinks at the urgent tone, complying immediately.

***

Cass-Lizzie was stood in front of the mirror, seeming absolutely horrified, "look at me! From class to brass! Although..." she trails off, tilting her head as she runs her hands down 'her' body. "Oh..." she smirks. "Curves... oh, baby!" she beams, bouncing up and down in delight with Chip joining her. "It's like living inside a bouncy castle!" she laughs.

"Mistress is beautiful!" Chip compliments breathlessly.

"Absolutement!" Cass-Lizzie sends him a wink but frowns when something catches her eye. "Oh, but look..." she sighs at her old frame that was now empty.

"Oh!" Chip gasps when he turns to look. "The brain meat expired... my old mistress is gone..."

"But safe and sound, in here," Cass-Lizzie assures him, tapping the side of 'her' head.

"What of the Lizzie child's mind?" Chip asks, sounding genuinely worried for the young woman.

"Oh, tucked away," Cass-Lizzie waves off uncaringly. "I can just about access the surface memory, she's- gosh!" she gasps. "She's with her sister, Rose Tyler, the platinum blonde assassin!" she sneers. "Oh... and the Doctor... that man?" she frowns. "He's the Doctor? The same Doctor with a new face! The hypocrite!" she snarls before tilting her head. "I must get the name of his surgeon..." she turns to the mirror again. "I could do with a little work, although..." she trails off, turning and running a hand over 'her' butt. "Nice rear bumper," she smirks and then brings her hands up to 'her' breasts. "Oh! She's very mature," she laughs in delight, blinking when there's a ringing sound coming from Lizzie's pocket. "Oh... it seems to be ringing..." she murmurs, taking out Lizzie's mobile and looking at it. "Is it meant to ring?" she frowns, seeing 'Rose' light up the screen.

"A primitive communications device," Chip explains.

Cass-Lizzie presses the answer button and holds the phone up to her ear cautiously. She winces, pulling it away quickly when the frantic voice of the Doctor comes through, "Lizzie, where are you? What's wrong? What's happened?"

Cass-Lizzie frowns when a vague feeling of worry washes over her, "what was that?" she whispers to herself before shaking her head and pressing the mobile to her shoulder. "How does she speak?" she asks Chip quietly.

"Old Earth Cockney," Chip whispers.

Cass-Lizzie nods and presses the phone back to her ear, "um... wotcha..." she tries.

***

The Doctor frowns, pulling the phone away to make sure he'd dialed the right number. Sure enough, there was the name 'Lizzie'... didn't sound like her, though. "Where've you been? How long does it take to get to Ward 26?" he asks, deciding to ignore the weird voice for now.

"... I'm on my way, govna!" Cass-Lizzie continues in the weird accent. "I shall proceed up the Apples and Pears!"

The Doctor's frown deepens in concern and he shakes his head when Rose gives him a questioning look. "You'll never guess!" he exclaims cheerily, turning away from the blonde. "Rose and I are with the Face of Boe! Remember him?"

"Course I do... that big old... boat... race!" Cass-Lizzie laughs through her teeth.

Definitely something wrong, the Doctor thinks to himself. Something catches his eye that distracts him, "I'd better go..." he murmurs into the phone. "See you in a minute," he hangs up, watching the Duke of Manhattan and noting that he wasn't stone-grey anymore, but pink and healthy.

Over by his hospital bed, there was what seemed to be a celebration going on; a waiter passing around champagne and the Duke was laughing jovially, "didn't think I was going to make it!" his eyes widen when he sees the Doctor and Rose approaching. "It's that lovely couple again!" he beams.

"Oh, no we're-" the Doctor shakes his head.

"So not together," Rose snorts loudly. "Never, that's just... ugh," she wrinkles her nose.

"Frightening... not in a million years," the Doctor agrees.

"Well, either way, you're my good luck charms!" the Duke laughs. "Come in, don't be shy!"

Frau Clovis steps in front of them before they can get too close, "any friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan does not constitute any form of legal contract," she informs them, though she seems to have brightened considerably from earlier.

The Doctor nods, rubbing his ear absently - a new habit he's noticed - and eyeing the Duke. Rose was watching from the side, her arms folded.

"Winch me up! Up!" the Duke orders and Frau Clovis rushes to his side, pressing the button on her device and the winch holding the Duke pulls him into a sitting position. "Look at me! No sign of infection!"

"Champagne, sir? Miss?" a waiter holds out a tray of glasses to the Doctor and Rose.

"No, thanks," the Doctor waves off without looking while Rose shakes her head. "You had Petrifold Regression, right?"

"'Had' being the operative word! Past tense!" the Duke laughs. "Completely cured!"

"But... Doctor, I thought you said it would take at least a thousand years for there to be a cure," Rose frowns.

"I did," he nods. "That's impossible," he nods to the Duke.

"Primitive species would accuse us of magic," a voice speaks up, making Rose and the Doctor turn to see another cat nurse, Matron Casp. "But it's merely the tender application of science," she smiles.

"How on earth did you cure him?" the Doctor frowns.

"How on New Earth, you might say," she retorts.

"Hilarious," Rose rolls her eyes, folding her arms and cocking her hip. "What's in that solution?" she nods to the IV drip by the Duke.

"A simple remedy," Casp shrugs.

"Then tell us what it is," the Doctor challenges, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, patient confidentiality," Casp narrows her eyes. "I don't believe we've met... my name is Matron Casp."

"Rose Tyler and the Doctor," Rose introduces coldly.

"I think you'll find that we're the doctors here," Casp glares slightly.

Another nurse runs up, Sister Jatt, "Matron Casp, you're needed in Intensive Care," she tells her urgently.

"If you would excuse me," Matron Casp nods to the Doctor and Rose before walking off with Jatt.

"It happened again," Jatt whispers as they walk out of the ward. "One of the patients is conscious!"

"Oh, we can't have that," Casp shakes her head.

The Doctor and Rose watch them go suspiciously. "So..." Rose trails off, getting his attention. "Investigate?" she wiggles her eyebrows.

"I like the way you think, Rose," the Doctor smiles.

***

Cass-Lizzie was still standing in front of the mirror, sprucing herself up. She shakes out her hair, making it look more mussed and she removes the oversized jumper so that she was just in a black lace bralette. Her eyes widen, "would you look at that! What a little rebel she is!" she laughs, seeing a huge tattoo that runs down Lizzie's side and under her jeans. 

"A lovely figure, shame she covers it so much," she smiles, running her hands over the soft skin of 'her' bare sides. "This needs to go..." she murmurs, sliding the necklace over her head and eyeing it. "Could be worth money, however," she tilts her head from side to side before shoving it in Lizzie's bag, hoping to sell it.

"This Doctor man is dangerous," Chip warns her worriedly, watching her admire herself in the mirror.

"Dangerous and clever," Cass-Lizzie retorts, pursing her lips for a bit and then smiling at the slightly swollen effect it gives them. "With minds like his and Lizzie's together, I could figure out what's going on in this dump," she murmurs. "The Sisterhood is up to something... remember that old Earth saying? Never trust a nun, never trust a nurse, and never trust a cat," she smiles, pulling her jeans down a bit so it shows off her hips more. "Perfume?" she holds her hand out.

Chip takes a small tube of 'perfume' out of his pocket and hands it over to Cass-Lizzie. She smiles, shoving it down in her cleavage and then pushing her breasts up. Smirking at her appearance - which Lizzie would be appalled of - she strides out of the room confidently.

***

The Doctor - his 'clever' specs donned - was completely immersed in studying the charts of the patients in the ward. Rose, however, was staring in shock when he 'sister' walks into the ward. Her jaw drops at how much skin she was showing as she saunters over to her and the Doctor when she saw them.

"... Lizzie?" Rose frowns.

"Oh, there you are!" the Doctor beams, not looking up from the chart in his hands. "Come and look at this patient! Marconi's Disease," he looks up at the red man floating in mid-air as he slips his specs off. "Should take years to recover, two days!" he laughs delightedly, still not aware of Lizzie's change. "I've never seen anything like it! They've invented a cell washing cascade, it's amazing! Their medical science is way advanced! And this one!" he moves over to a patient that was as white as their hospital gown. "Pallidome Pancrosis: kills you in ten minutes and he's fine!" he waves to the man cheerily, who waves back awkwardly. "I need to find a terminal," he shakes his head, heading out into the corridor with Cass-Lizzie and a concerned Rose following. "I've got to see how they do this because if they've got the best medicine in the world... then why's it such a secret?"

"I can't Adam and Eve it," Cass-Lizzie shakes her head.

The Doctor frowns, the concern about her from earlier coming back and he looks down at her. Though, his brain nearly short-circuits when he sees her clothes... or rather, lack of clothing. The Doctor's hearts thud in his chest as his eyes trail over the now exposed skin, widening when they land on the tattoo on her side, that's new. Swallowing hard, his fingers twitch at his sides with the want to trace the lines and his eyes trail down to where the ink goes past her jeans... how big is that tattoo? Is there anymore... though... I've seen her in shorts and skirts... so there isn't much more skin left where another could be... his eyes raise to her lace bralette.

Rose would've laughed at the Doctor's complete lack of subtlety had she not been so worried about her 'sister'. There was something really wrong. "What's with the voice?" she narrows her eyes at her, knocking the Doctor back to reality and his face burns as he looks away.

"Yeah..." he clears his throat, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Why are you talking like that?" he looks back at Cass-Lizzie, keeping his eyes on hers determinedly.

Cass-Lizzie smirks, having seen the way the Doctor looked at her with his eyes darkening slightly, "oh, I don't know," she bites her lip, laughing internally when the Doctor's eyes involuntarily watch the movement. "Just larking about... new earth... new me," she eyes the Doctor up, feeling her own heart race... that's... odd, she thinks to herself. I was only going to use the man's obvious attraction to Lizzie to manipulate him, but this body seems to be reacting on its own to the Doctor... how interesting.

"Well..." the Doctor clears his throat again, eyes snapping back to hers. "I can talk... New New Doctor..." he jokes awkwardly.

Oh, it's been so long! I wonder... Cass-Lizzie muses. "Mmm... aren't you just," she purrs, grabbing the Doctor by the lapels and pulling him down, meeting him half-way on her tip-toes as she smashes her lips to his.

Rose gapes in absolute shock at the scene in front of her. The Doctor, however, was in a bit of a crisis; his brain hadn't short-circuited, it'd completely gone offline as he makes a sound of surprise in the back of his throat. Cass-Lizzie smirks against his lips, letting her hands trail up to his neck and then she curls his fingers in his hair as she presses her body closer. The Doctor's body was sort of frozen as his brain still hadn't rebooted yet. Eyes widening, his hands move to hang at his sides when Cass-Lizzie slips her tongue past his lips. After several squeaks, his eyes flutter shut and he just starts to kiss back, his hands reaching for her sides when Cass-Lizzie pulls back - having felt this - and smirks at the dazed expression of the Doctor. Well... that certainly was fun, she thinks to herself, panting as her heart beats rapidly. Thank you, shorty. "T- terminal's this way..." she breathes, walking off and fanning herself.

A strangled noise comes out of the Doctor as he watches her walk away, his eyes following the sway of her hips. Biting his lip, he runs a hand through his now wrecked hair, "yup... still got it," he squeaks, his face red and voice breathless as he follows after her.

Rose was still in shock after seeing her 'sister' act so... boldly but she rolls her eyes when it registers what the Doctor had said, "men!" she groans in annoyance, following after the two.

***

The Doctor - still flustered, but ignoring that - looks at a schematic of the hospital on the terminal. Rose and Cass-Lizzie were on either side of him, Rose eyeing her 'sister' suspiciously.

"Nope... nothing odd," the Doctor shakes his head. "Surgery... post-op... nano-dentistry... no sign of a shop, they should have a shop," he sighs.

"Shut up about the shop," Rose teases, trying to distract her mind and the Doctor sends her a wink.

"No, it's missing something," Cass-Lizzie mutters, moving to stand in front of the Doctor and he shoves his hands in his pockets to keep them to himself. "When I was downstairs, those nurse/cat/nuns were talking about Intensive Care... where is it?" she looks over the schematic.

"You're right," the Doctor compliments, clearing his throat when it cracks slightly. "Well done..."

Rose sighs at the moron that was her best friend. Clearly, that kiss fried his brain cells and he couldn't see anything wrong with Lizzie at the moment. She shakes her head, deciding to deal with that in a bit when the Doctor wasn't raging with hormones... superior biology, my arse. "Why would they hide a whole department?" she asks.

The Doctor takes out his sonic, moving Cass-Lizzie out of the way and definitely not thinking about how soft and warm her skin was as he scans the terminal.

"It's got to be there somewhere," Cass-Lizzie rolls her eyes. "Search the sub-frame," she orders rudely.

That seems to snap the Doctor out of his stupor and he glances at Cass-Lizzie, his lips turning down in a slight frown. It wasn't that she knew what to look for, it was the tone in which she'd told him - demanded of him, really. Lizzie would never order him about or use a tone like that unless he deserved it or it was used in a teasing manner... so, what was wrong with her?

"What if the sub-frame's locked?" the Doctor asks, just to see what she'd say.

"Try the installation protocol," she snaps, thinking that maybe she should have just checked on her own with Lizzie's mind.

The Doctor nods, "yeah, course... sorry..." he murmurs, now very worried about his brunette companion. "Hold on..." he scans the terminal once more and the entire wall moves down, revealing a hidden corridor.

Cass-Lizzie walks straight into it, still with her saunter. The Doctor and Rose share a look, following after her. "Intensive Care..." the Doctor looks around. "Certainly looks intensive," he comments before leaning down a bit to Rose. "Don't let on you know something's wrong with her," he whispers.

Rose rolls her eyes, "oh, so you noticed finally?"

"Of course I did," the Doctor frowns, not liking her tone any more than he'd liked 'Lizzie's'.

"Hm... wasn't sure if you would after she shoved her tongue down your throat," she gives him a pointed look, quite enjoying watching him splutter as he tries to form words but only managing vague sounds. (a/n: insert David Tennant noises XD).

"I... well.... that... she... that was..."

"Something Lizzie would never do," Rose bites her lip, trying really hard not to laugh.

"What?" the Doctor frowns, his embarrassment replaced with incredulity. "What are you saying? Lizzie would never kiss me?" he asks, more than a little offended.

"Disappointed, are you?" Rose raises an eyebrow, making the Doctor stay quiet as he blushes. "I'm saying: Lizzie would never make the first move and she would absolutely be a red, stuttering mess after a snog like that," she smirks, fanning herself and laughing when the Doctor's face reddens more and he starts to splutter again. "Phew, it was hot... thought you might've gone and-"

"Rose, stop it," the Doctor cuts off her teasing warningly even as his face burns more.

"I'm only saying that the two of you keep all that bottled up, it's gonna get to the point where you can't control yourselves," she folds her arms. "And I don't mean how it just did, I mean when she's herself," she gives him another pointed look. "Though... you were your full self and you nearly lost it," she snorts.

"Rose," the Doctor groans miserably.

"Might do you both good to relieve some of that tension," she smirks.

"Next time Lizzie wants to kill you, I'm not stopping her," he huffs, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Cass-Lizzie turns to them with a groan, "my, God, you two are slow!" she huffs, waiting at the end of the corridor for them to catch up.

***

The trio steps into a huge, cavernous chamber looking down upon rows and rows of green, pod-like cells. The Doctor frowns, his stomach twisting and he hopes he's very wrong. Rose, the Doctor, and Cass-Lizzie go over to one of the doors and the Doctor uses his sonic to open it. Inside, was as a man covered in boils and moaning in pain as smoke surrounds him. Cass-Lizzie rears back in horror, "that's disgusting!" she gags, covering her mouth.

"What's wrong with him?" Rose asks sadly, tears welling up.

The Doctor doesn't reply to either of them as he looks down at the man, anger and pity whirling around inside him, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry," he shakes his head, closing the door.

Cass-Lizzie frowns when a vague sense of emotions wash over her, making her hiss quietly. The Doctor glances at her before moving to another door and opening it. There was a woman inside this one, but she was in the same condition as the man. "What disease is that?" Cass-Lizzie asks, her hand still over her mouth in disgust.

"All of them, every single disease in the galaxy," the Doctor mutters in quiet rage. "They've been infected with everything," he grinds out.

"What about us? Are we safe?" Cass-Lizzie backs away from the pod and Rose sends her a glare for being so insensitive.

"The air's sterile... just don't touch them," the Doctor shakes his head, shutting the cell door before going over to lean against the railing, looking down at all the other cells.

Rose and Cass-Lizzie step up on either side of him. "How many patients are there?" Rose asks in a quiet voice, her lower lip trembling.

"They're not patients," the Doctor seethes, wrapping an arm around Rose's shoulders and rubbing her arm soothingly.

"But... they're sick," Cass-Lizzie points out.

"They were born sick," the Doctor retorts angrily. "They're meant to be sick, they exist to be sick! Lab Rats! No wonder the Sisters have got a cure for everything! They've built the ultimate research laboratory: a Human farm!"

"Why don't they just die?" Cass-Lizzie asks as they begin to walk along the row of cells.

"Plague carriers, the last to go," the Doctor explains.

"It's for the greater cause," a voice retorts behind them.

The three turn in unison, the Doctor glaring, "Novice Hame, when you too you vows, did you agree to this?"

"The Sisterhood has sworn to help-"

"What? By killing?"

"But they're not real people," Hame shakes her head. "They're specifically grown; they have no proper existence," she explains.

"But they are real people!" Rose argues, angry tears in her eyes. "They can feel! You're torturing them! How is this helping!"

The Doctor pushes Rose behind him gently, leveling a dark look at Hame, "what's the turnover?" he raises a cool eyebrow, stepping toward her as his voice raises with each sentence. "Hm? Thousand a day? Thousand the next? Thousand the next? How many thousand, for how many years?" he demands, getting no answer. "How many?" he shouts.

Hame looks completely unbothered by the Doctor's tone, "mankind needed us! They came to this planet with so many illnesses," she tries to explain. "We couldn't cope," she shakes her head. "We did try, we tried everything! We tried using clone-meat and bio-cattle... but the results were too slow, so the Sisterhood grew its own flesh... that's all they are: flesh!"

"These people are alive," the Doctor argues.

"But think of those Humans out there - healthy and happy - because of us!"

"If they live because of this? Then life is worthless!" the Doctor scoffs.

"But who are you to decide that?" Hame challenges.

"I'm the Doctor," he replies, stepping forward to be right in her face. "And if you don't like it? If you want to take it to a higher authority? There isn't one, it stops with me!"

Cass-Lizzie peers around the Doctor's arm, "just to confirm," she cuts in. "None of the Humans in the city actually know about this?" she asks, making Rose look at her in disgust and worry.

"We thought it best not-"

"Hold on," the Doctor cuts off Hame, trying very hard not to lose it. "I can understand the bodies, I can understand your vows... but one thing I can't understand: what have you done to Lizzie?

Hame frowns, looking at the brunette, "I don't know what you mean," she shakes her head.

"And I'm being very, very calm," the Doctor tells her in a deadly quiet voice, gritting his teeth. "You want to be aware of that... very, very calm, and the only reason I'm being so very, very calm, is that the brain is a delicate thing. Whatever you've done to Lizzie's head, I want it reversed," he demands in a tone that even makes a cold shiver run down Rose's spine; don't mess with his girl, she thinks to herself.

"We haven't done anything!" Hame protests, taking a step back from the Time Lord.

"I'm perfectly fine," Cass-Lizzie tries to assure him.

The Doctor takes a deep breath, not looking at her, "these people are dying and Lizzie would absolutely care! She'd be just as angry as I am right now and I'd've probably had to have held her back from attacking you already! Not to mention the fact I haven't been able to feel anything from her for a while now! So, what have you done to her?" he repeats and his voice - a near growl at this point - darkened even more if it were possible.

"Doctor..." Rose trails off, watching her sister carefully. "I think Novice Hame's telling the truth," she frowns.

"Oh, alright, cleverclogs!" Cass-Lizzie scoffs, grabbing the Doctor's arm and spinning him to face her. "Smartypants," she mocks, pulling his tie out teasingly. "Ladykiller," she purrs huskily, pulling him down closer.

The Doctor frowns, "what's happened to you?"

"I knew something was going on in this hospital and I need this body and your and shorty's minds to find it out," she shrugs.

"Who are you? What've you done with my sister?" Rose glares.

Cass-Lizzie stands on her tip-toes to whisper to the Doctor, "the Last Human," she smirks.

"Cassandra?" the Doctor pulls back, his eyes going wide and making Rose gasp in shock and disgust.

"Wake and smell the perfume," Cass-Lizzie rolls her eyes, taking out the 'perfume' and spraying it in the Doctor's face.

The Doctor's eyes roll back in his head and he falls to the ground. Rose was instantly by his side, checking him over worriedly, "Doctor!"

"You too, blondie," Cass-Lizzie rolls her eyes, spraying Rose in the face as well and knocking her out.

"You've hurt them!" Hame gasps, kneeling beside the two. "I don't understand... I'll have to fetch Matron!"

"You do that, cause I want to see her! Now, run along! Sound the alarm!"

Hame hurries off in search of help. Cass-Lizzie walks over to a control box and rips a cable from it, causing an alarm to start up.

***

The Doctor groans, stirring awake and his eyes widen when he sees he's trapped in one of the cells. Frowning slightly when he feels a weight on his chest, he looks down to see Rose passed out against him. "Please be ok..." he murmurs to himself as he checks her over as best he can with his hands cuffed into the stand and sighs, not finding anything wrong with her as far as he can tell. "Rose!"

"Huh?" Rose's head shoots up and she and the Doctor both groan in pain when the top of her head hits his chin. "Where are..." she trails off, her stomach sinking when she realizes exactly where they are and that her hands were tied behind the Doctor's back. "Oh, my God," she breathes out.

"Sorry about this," the Doctor mutters, making Rose frown. "Let us out! Let us out!" he shouts.

"Ow," Rose winces, using her shoulder to rub at her ear.

Cass-Lizzie's silhouette appears at the door, "aren't you lucky there was a spare? Standing room only," she smirks.

"Get out of my sister, you bitch!" Rose glares.

"You've stolen Lizzie's body!"

Cass-Lizzie ignores their shouts, "over the years, I've thought of a thousand ways to kill you, Doctor, and now, that's exactly what I've got: a thousand diseases! It's a bit of a bonus that I got blondie too!" she smiles. "They pump the patients with a top-up every ten minutes and you've got about... three minutes left! Enjoy!"

"Just let the girls go, Cassandra," the Doctor pleads, his fists clenched.

"I will!" Cassandra assures him, ignoring the strange double emotion she was feeling. "As soon as I've found someone younger and less... common, then I'll junk her with the waste," she smiles, making the Doctor growl angrily and strain against the restraints as Rose glares at the trampoline inside Lizzie's head. "Now hushaby! It's show-time!" she coos, facing Casp and Jatt as they approach.

"Anything we can do to help?" Jatt asks.

"Straight to the point, whiskers, I want money," Cass-Lizzie folds her arms.

"The Sisterhood is a charity; we don't give money, we only accept," Casp retorts.

"The Humans across the water pay you a fortune and that's exactly what I need: a one-off payment, that's all I want... oh, and perhaps a yacht," she tilts her head thoughtfully. "In return for which: I shall tell the city nothing of your institutional murder," she offers. "Is that a deal?"

"I'm afraid not," Casp shakes her head.

"I'd really advise you to think about his," Cass-Lizzie warns.

"There's no need, I have to decline," Casp replies calmly.

"I'll tell them and you've no way of stopping me!" Cass-Lizzie threatens, eyeing the nurses. "You're not exactly nuns with guns, you're not even armed!" she taunts.

"Who need arms when we have claws?" Casp raises a paw, her claws retracted as she hisses menacingly.

"Well, nice try!" Cass-Lizzie spins on her heel. "Chip? Plan B!"

Chip - who'd been hiding off to the side - pulls a lever and every cell door on the row they were on springs open. The Doctor and Rose hurry out of their cell along with the diseased people. "What've you done!?" the Doctor shouts, sonicking Rose free and checking her over more thoroughly now that he has use of his hands.

"Gave the system a shot of adrenaline, just to wake 'em up," Cass-Lizzie explains. "See ya!" she smiles, running off with Chip.

The Doctor groans under his breath, "don't touch them!" he calls over his shoulder to the nurses as he and Rose chase after Cass-Lizzie. "Whatever you do, don't touch!"

Running down the corridor, all the rest of the cell doors spark up and they fly open. Rose screams, clutching the Doctor's hand as the sparks shoot everywhere. The four of them stop at one of the overlooks, seeing all of the patients stumbling out of every pod.

"Oh, my God!" Cass-Lizzie gasps in horror.

"What the hell have you done?" the Doctor glares down at her.

"It wasn't me!"

"One touch and you get every disease in the world, and I want that body safe, Cassandra!" the Doctor snarls. "We've gotta go down!"

"But there's thousands of them!" Cass-Lizzie protests with wide eyes.

"Just run!" Rose shouts.

"Down! Down! Go down!" the Doctor orders, pushing Rose in front of him and the four of them hurry down the stairs.

PA - This building is under quarantine! Repeat: this building is under quarantine! No one may leave the premises! Repeat: no one may leave the premises!

"Keep going! Go down!" the Doctor shouts over the diseased people's pained moans.

Getting to the last flight of stairs, the four of them burst through a door. Cass-Lizzie runs over to a lift and frantically tries to call it down. The Doctor rolls his eyes, "no, the lifts have closed down," he pulls Rose to a stop. "That's the quarantine, nothing's moving!"

"This way!" Cass-Lizzie runs the other way.

The Doctor pulls Rose to follow after her, making sure she keeps up as patients start to spill out of the adjacent corridors. Chip whimpers loudly when he falls behind and gets separated. The Doctor pulls Rose to a stop once more, "someone will touch him!"

"Leave him!" Cass-Lizzie groans, pulling on the Doctor's arm. "He's just a clone thing, he's only got a half-life! Come on!" she slaps his arm, running off.

"Mistress!" Chip screams after her.

The Doctor winces, looking between Chip and Cass-Lizzie, "I'm sorry! I can't let her escape!" he calls before running off.

"Hide, Chip! Don't let them touch ya!" Rose shouts before running off as well.

***

The trio reaches Cassandra's creepy lair and Cass-Lizzie runs over to the door at the other end and opens it, only to slam it shut with a scream when she finds patients right outside. "We're trapped! What're we going to do?" she whimpers, running back over to the Doctor and Rose.

"Well, for starters: you're going to leave that body," the Doctor grinds out, pointing to a machine with his sonic. "That psychograft is banned on every civilized planet! You're compressing Lizzie to death!" he shouts, making Rose gasp in horror.

"Oh, my God! Get the hell out!" she snarls, the Doctor holding her back from trying to force Cassandra out.

"But I've got nowhere to go! My original skin's dead!" Cass-Lizzie protests, folding her arms.

The Doctor steps forward, "not my problem, you can float as atoms in the air," he retorts, beyond caring as his eyes flash dangerously. "Now, get out," he aims his sonic at her threateningly. "Give her back to me!"

"Ooo," Cass-Lizzie coos when her face flushes and her heart speeds up. "Oh, she likes when you're all dark, demanding, and protective," she smirks.

"Get out of her now," the Doctor growls lowly, his voice shaking with barely held back rage.

"Fine," Cass-Lizzie sighs. "You asked for it," she rolls her eyes before leaping out of Lizzie in a cloud of pink gas.

1st Person POV:

I gasp, falling forward but feeling hands catch my upper arms, "blimey, my head..." I groan, reaching up and rubbing at my eyes, feeling dizzy. "Oh!" I blink when I see it was Rose holding me up. "Hello," I smile.

"Hi," Rose smiles, helping me stand. "You alright?" she asks worriedly.

"Yeah," I nod and then horror sets in as my entire body heats up. "Oh, my God!" I groan, burying my face in my hands.

"What? What is it, Lizzie?" Rose asks and I feel something being draped over me.

I pull Rose's jacket around me gratefully, "she- she- she made me snog- ugh!" I groan.

"That wasn't you," Rose tries to assure me, zipping the jacket up for me.

"But- but- she made me- made me s-snog him!" I squeak out. "Oh, he's- he's probably horrified!"

"I don't think it counts if you were being possessed," Rose giggles, rubbing my arms. "And horrified is definitely not the word I'd use... well, at least before he found out it'd been the bitchy trampoline," she snorts, making me groan miserably.

"... wait, where'd she go?" I frown, looking around and smiling when I see my bag. "There you are!" I rush over, grabbing it and throwing the strap over my shoulder.

"Um... about-"

"Oh, my!" the Doctor gasps in an overly feminine voice, making Rose and I turn to him. "This is... different..." he smiles, stumbling around a bit.

"Oh, no..." I groan.

"Yeah," Rose sighs.

"Cassandra, get out of him," I glare.

"Goodness me, I'm a man! Yum," Cass-Doctor bites his lip. "So many parts and hardly used!" he wiggles his eyebrows at Rose and me suggestively.

"Maybe not for long," Rose snickers.

"Rose!" I gasp, slapping her arm. "This is not the time for sexual jokes!" I scold her.

"Ah... ah!" Cass-Doctor gasps, wiggling around. "Two hearts! Oh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!"

"Get out of him!" I glare, my fists clenched at my sides.

"Ooh, he's slim," he smirks, running his hands down 'his' sides. "... and a little bit foxy," he bites his lip, sending me a wink.

"Get your bloody hands off him!" I snarl even as my face burns.

"You've thought so too," Cass-Doctor retorts, making me freeze as my face pales. "That's right," he wiggles his eyebrows, coming over to me teasingly. "I've been inside your head... you've been looking... you like it! Blimey I'd blush if I were you," he smirks and I close my eyes, feeling my face heat up along with down my neck. "Ah, there it is," he chuckles and I feel his finger trail down my cheek. "Such a naughty girl," he purrs, his hot breath hitting my face.

"S-stop it," I mutter, keeping my eyes shut and hearing Rose trying to keep her laughing at bay.

My eyes snap open when there's a crash and the diseased burst through the doors. "What would he do?" Cass-Doctor asks, thankfully dropping the torture. "What would he do!? The Doctor! What the hell would he do!?"

"Ladder!" Rose points to one. "We've gotta get up!"

"Out of the way, blondie!" Cass-Doctor shoves past her roughly.

"You bitch!" I glare as I push Rose up the ladder, following after her and the three of us hurry up the... lift shaft? "If you get out of the Doctor's body, he can think of something!" I call up to Cass-Doctor.

"Yap, yap, yap!" he scoffs. "God, it was tedious inside your head: Hormone City!" he groans and my face flushes. "Though... it's not really much better in his head," he hums thoughtfully and I frown. "Well, it's more the bodily reactions that are annoying since he's cut me off from his mind!" he huffs.

"Wonder why he'd want you out of his thoughts," I mutter under my breath. "We're gonna die if-" I cut myself off, screaming when I feel something grab my ankle.

I look down, breathing out in relief when I see it was Matron Casp and not one of the patients. "Get off!" I kick my foot, hissing when she tightens her hold on me.

"Oi, let go of my sister!" Rose shouts down.

"All our good work! All that healing! The good name of the Sisterhood... you have destroyed everything!" she growls at me.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that was you lot and your Human farm!" I retort, still trying to kick her off.

"Go and play with a ball of string!" Cass-Doctor calls down dismissively and I can't help the snort that comes out.

"Everywhere... disease! This is the Human world! Sickness!" Casp yells before wailing in pain as she lets go of my ankle.

I watch in horror as her face breaks out into boils and she falls down the shaft, screaming. I wince when the screaming stops and look up, "move!" I order.

***

PA - Maximum quarantine! Divert all shuttles!

The three of us get to the top of the lift shaft. Cass-Doctor tries to open the doors, only to find them sealed, "now what do we do?" he calls down.

"Use the sonic screwdriver!" Rose snaps.

Cass-Doctor takes it from his blazer pocket, holding it out between his thumb and forefinger, "you mean this thing?" he asks in disgust.

"Yes, she means that thing!" I roll my eyes.

"Well, I don't know how! I told you: the Doctor's hidden away all his thoughts!"

"Point and shoot! Think about what you want it to do!"

After a few seconds, he groans, "it's not working!"

"Honestly, what an idiot," I huff, taking a few deep breaths. "Cassandra, go back into me! The Doctor can open it!" I call up.

"Don't you dare!" Rose glares down at me.

"Just do it!" I shout.

"Hold on tight!" Cass-Doctor calls down before a pink cloud comes toward me.

3rd Person POV:

Cass-Lizzie gasps as she re-enters Lizzie's mind, "oh... oh, short chav again," she groans miserably. "Open it!"

The Doctor glares, aiming his sonic down, "not till you get out of her!"

"We need the Doctor!" she protests.

"I order you to leave her!" the Doctor shouts, making Cass-Lizzie gasp as she gets a powerful wave of rage.

1st Persons POV:

I gasp, tightening my hands on the rungs when my mind's my own again. I frown, hearing the Doctor scolding himself, "no matter how difficult the situation, there is no need to shout!"

"You've obviously no experience dealing with him when Lizzie's in danger," Rose scoffs. "Just be lucky you have her body as protection from him!"

I huff, rolling my eyes, "Cassandra, get out of him!"

"What is with the double emotion!?" he shouts.

"That's none of your business!" I glare. "Now, get the hell out or so help me-"

"I can't go into you!" Cass-Doctor cuts me off. "He simply refuses... he's so rude!" he pouts.

"Go into me!" Rose shouts.

"Don't even think about it, Cassandra!" I glare.

"Well, what do you want me to do, then!?"

"I don't care! Just do something!"

"Oh... I am so gonna regret this!" Cass-Doctor groans before leaping into a diseased woman's body that wasn't that far below me. "Oh, sweet Lord! I look disgusting!"

The Doctor hurriedly opens the lift doors and climbs out. Rose climbs up the ladder the rest of the way and he gives her a hand up before reaching down and pulling me up and into his arms, "nice to have you back!" he lifts me off the ground, kissing my forehead and my face burns.

"Um... ye-yeah..." I squeak out, biting my lip and looking away as he sets me down.

"No, you don't!" I hear Cassandra yell before everything goes black.

3rd Person POV:

Cass-Lizzie slumps down to the floor and the Doctor glares, moving to seal the doors with his sonic, "that was your last warning, Cassandra!" he snarls.

"Inside her head..." Cass-Lizzie whispers, clutching 'her' bag strap to where her knuckles are white. "They're so alone... they keep reaching out, just to hold us... all their lives and they've never been touched..." she breathes out, looking up at the Doctor and Rose.

Both of their faces soften when they see the tears shining in her eyes. Rose reaches down and gives her a hand up, but the three of them jump when the patients bang on the doors.

***

The Doctor, Rose, and Cass-Lizzie get back to Ward 26 and Frau Clovis charges at them with a chair. Cass-Lizzie rolls her eyes at the woman - who looks more like a mad animal at the moment - and sets Lizzie's bag by Boe's tank.

"We're safe! We're safe!" Rose yelps.

The Doctor pulls her behind him, holding his other hand out to the woman, "we're safe! We're clean! We're clean! Look, look-"

"Show me your skin!" Frau Clovis orders.

The Doctor and Rose show her their hands while Cassandra takes it a step further and takes off Rose's jacket so she can show all the skin she could. This was a bit of a bad idea as it distracted the Doctor, his eyes following the vines of the roses on her tattoo... it may be Cassandra in her head, but it was still Lizzie's half-naked torso.

Rose rolls her eyes, "look, clean!" she snaps, slapping the Doctor upside the head and jolting him out of his daze.

The Doctor sends Rose a look, rubbing the back of his head to which she just raises an eyebrow at. Clearing his throat as his cheeks burn, he looks to Frau Clovis, "look... if we'd been touched, we'd be dead," he tries to reason with her and she nods, setting her chair down. "So, how's it going up here? What's the status?"

"There's nothing but silence from the other wards," Frau Clovis shakes her head. "I think we're the only ones left, and I've been trying to override the quarantine," she fiddles with her little device. "If I can trip a signal over to New New York, they can send a private executive squad," she explains.

"You can't do that!" Rose protests.

"If they forced entry, they'd break quarantine!" the Doctor shouts.

"I am not dying in here!" Frau Clovis glares.

"We can't let a single particle of disease get out! There is ten million people in that city, they'd all be at risk!" the Doctor glares right back. "Now, turn that off!" he shouts.

"Not if it gets me out!"

"Alright, fine!" the Doctor huffs. "So I have to stop you lot as well? Suits me," he shrugs. "Lizzie, Rose, Novice Hame, everyone!" he grabs their attention. "Excuse me, your grace..." he takes the rope from the Duke's dressing gown. "Get me intravenous solutions for every single disease! Move it!" he orders.

Everyone in the ward starts to gather up the solutions. The Doctor ties the rope around his body and grabs the winch off of the Duke's hospital bed. Cass-Lizzie and Rose rush over, helping attach the solutions to the rope so they hang off him.

"How's that? Will that do?" the Doctor asks, doing a quick spin.

"I hope..." Rose sighs; the Doctor had explained his plan quickly.

"I don't know! Will it do for what?" Cass-Lizzie frowns.

The Doctor ignores her, going out into the corridor and opening up the lift doors with his sonic. The girls follow him and Cass-Lizzie protests, "the lifts aren't working!"

The Doctor rolls his eyes, peering down the shaft, "not moving, different thing," he steps back to the opposite wall of the corridor. "Here we go," he sticks the sonic between his teeth and runs.

Cass-Lizzie yelps, "but you're not going to-" she cuts herself off when the Doctor jumps into the lift shaft and clings to the cable.

Rose rolls her eyes with a smile at her best friend, "you had way too much fun doing that," she shakes her head, the Doctor sending her wink.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Cass-Lizzie gapes at him.

"I'm going down!" the Doctor retorts, his voice muffled by the sonic in his mouth and he messes with the winch before buzzing his sonic at it. "Come on!" he calls to Cass-Lizzie.

"Not in a million years!" she scoffs, folding her arms. "Why can't blondie go!?"

"I've got a different job," Rose shrugs. "Keeping them in line," she jabs her thumb over her shoulder into the ward.

"And I need another pair of hands," the Doctor tells her. "Besides, I don't trust you with that body," he narrows his eyes. "So! What do you think? If you're so desperate to stay alive... why don't you live a little?" he wiggles his eyebrows.

More of the diseased move down into the corridor, coming toward the ward. Frau Clovis orders the doors to be sealed and Rose runs in, calling 'be careful' over her shoulder. Cass-Lizzie looks at the closed door and whimpers. She backs up before running and jumping onto the Doctor's back, yelping as she clings to him. The Doctor tries very hard to ignore the fact that Lizzie's body was pressed up against his back with her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. It's not really her, it's not really her, it's not really her, he tells himself firmly.

Cass-Lizzie scoffing snaps him out of it, "you're completely mad!" she huffs before pausing, smirking at the Doctor's ears turning pink. "I can see why she likes you," she purrs in his ear.

"Going down!" the Doctor shouts quickly, ignoring her and the fact that his hearts were beating against his chest at that.

The two of them fly down the lift shaft - Cass-Lizzie screaming in fear while the Doctor screams in excitement. At the bottom, Cass-Lizzie hops off the Doctor's back and straightens out her bralette and brushes off her pants, "well, that's one way to lose weight," she huffs.

"Now, listen..." the Doctor trails off, getting distracted by the lack of clothing and the tattoo again before shaking his head, mentally scolding himself. "When I say so, take hold of that lever," he orders, decidedly not looking at her.

"There's still a quarantine down there, we can't-"

"Hold that lever!" the Doctor shouts, making Cass-Lizzie jump back with slightly wide eyes and the Doctor's hearts ache as he's reminded of Lizzie's reaction to him when they'd had their first run-in with a Dalek. "I'm cooking up a cocktail," he murmurs, kneeling down and ignoring the guilt knotting up his stomach; it's not her. "I know a bit about medicine myself!"

Cass-Lizzie tilts her head, watching the Doctor try his best to ignore her as he rips open the IV bags with his teeth and skirts them into the disinfectant container. The way he and Lizzie reacted to one another, even when they were fully aware that it was Cassandra in control was very interesting to her. They obviously were attracted to one another, but it seemed to be much more than that... more than just carnal urges and raging hormones. The way they'd each spoken to her when the other was in danger; she'd never had anything close to that kind of care in all her life.

"Now, that lever's going to resist," the Doctor's voice brings her out of her reverie. "But keep it in position," he opens up the trap-door in the top of the lift. "Hold onto it with everything you've got," he orders.

"What about you?" she frowns.

"I've got an appointment! The Doctor is in!" he gives her a cheeky grin that makes her heart do a flip... very interesting, her eyebrows furrow.

The Doctor drops down into the lift and opens the doors up with his sonic, revealing the diseased in the lobby. When they see him, they begin to shuffle toward him. "I'm in here! Come on!"

"Don't tell them!" Cass-Lizzie shouts.

"Pull that lever!" he orders. "Come and get me! Come on! I'm in here, come on!"

Speaker - Commence stage one disinfection.

"Hurry up, come on!" the Doctor beckons the patients to him as the disinfectant shower starts up, soaking him with the medicine. "Come on! Come on!" he smiles as they stumble into the shower. "All they wanna do is pass it on! Pass it on!" he laughs.

"Pass on what?" Cass-Lizzie calls down. "Pass on what!?"

"Pass it on!" the Doctor jumps up and down excitedly.

The diseased people walk around the lobby, touching each other and passing on the cure. The boils begin to disappear and the Doctor beams manically. Cass-Lizzie moves over to the trap door, "could use a hand!" she calls down.

The Doctor rolls his eyes, reaching up and helping her down into the lift... still definitely not thinking about how soft and warm her skin was. Cass-Lizzie smirks, wiggling her eyebrows up at the Doctor when she feels a shiver run down her spine that wasn't coming from her. The Doctor huffs, taking off his soaking blazer and making Cass-Lizzie yelp when the cold fabric was brought around her.

"Shut up and leave it on," the Doctor sends her a look, buttoning it up.

"You're no fun," Cass-Lizzie pouts, folding her arms. "So, what did they pass on?" she looks around at the patients. "Did you kill them? All of them?" she frowns.

"No, that's your way of doing things," the Doctor retorts, making her frown deepen - not that he saw as he walks into the crowd. "I'm the Doctor and I cured them!" he beams, holding his arms out.

The new Humans look around at their surroundings, wide-eyed and unsure of what to do. A woman comes up to the Doctor and wraps her arms around his waist. The Doctor smiles down at her, wrapping her up in a hug, "that's right! Hey... hey! There we go, sweetheart! Eh? Look at him!" he pulls away and ushers her off to sit with another patient. "Go on, that's it! That's it!" he smiles encouragingly when she glances back at him. "It's a new sub-species, Cassandra!" he takes a man by the shoulders and looks him over. "A brand new form of life! New Humans! Look at them! Look!" he moves over, crouching down by a few patients that were sitting on a settee. "Grown by cats, kept in the dark, fed by tubes but completely, completely alive!" he laughs as he smooths his wet hair back. "You can't deny them because you helped create them!" he points up to Cass-Lizzie, who rolls her eyes. "The Human Race just keeps going! Keeps on changing! Life will out! Ha!"

***

Loudspeaker - This is the NNYPD! Please step away from the shuttles!

The Doctor and Cass-Lizzie get back up to Ward 26, the Doctor sill damp and Cass-Lizzie still wearing his cold and wet blazer. The police had been called and were gathering up the Sisterhood and cataloging the new Humans.

PA - All staff will present themselves to the officers for immediate arrest! I repeat: immediate arrest! All new lifeforms will be cataloged and taken into care!

Hame is lead away by a police officer, passing by the Doctor. When she catches his eye, he gives nothing but a scowl and she hangs her head in shame.

PA - All visitors to the hospital will be required to make a statement to the NNYPD!

"Lizzie!"

The Doctor and Cass-Lizzie both jump at the sudden squeal, only to see a flash of blonde crash into Cass-Lizzie. "Oh, you're all wet..." Rose wrinkles her nose, pulling away quickly and frowning when she sees widened eyes. "It's still you... isn't it, Cassandra?"

Cass-Lizzie gets over her shock of getting hugged quickly, "yup! Still me, blondie!" she smiles, making Rose scowl.

"Well..." Rose turns to the Doctor. "You did it!" she goes to pull him into a hug and stops mid-step. "Maybe when you're dry..."

"Oh, come here, you!" the Doctor beams, pulling Rose into a tight hug.

"Ah! Doctor!" Rose squeals at the cold, making him laugh. "Wait... why is 'Lizzie' wearing your blazer?" she frowns, putting quotation marks around Lizzie.

"The Doctor couldn't handle it any longer," Cass-Lizzie smirks and Rose couldn't help but laugh at the Doctor's annoyed groan as his ears burn.

"Not one single word, Rose," he narrows his eyes before they widen. "The Face of Boe!" he shouts, pulling away from Rose and running down to the other end of the ward.

Rose and Cass-Lizzie follow the Doctor over to Boe, who was now awake and looking much better. The Doctor kneels down in front of him, "you were supposed to be dying," he smiles.

"There are better things to do today, dying can wait," Boe replies.

"Oh, I hate telepathy," Cass-Lizzie groans. "Just what I need! A head full of big face!"

"Shh!" the Doctor and Rose hiss.

Inside Lizzie's mind, she mentally gasps at feeling her mind come back fully but she still didn't have control of her body. What's... what's happening?

"Hello, kitten," she hears an ancient voice.

"Hold on... only one person has ever called me that... but... Jack?"

"It is me, kitten," he responds with a chuckle. "Do not worry, Cassandra and the others can't hear me, only you."

Lizzie mentally tears up, "I miss you so much, Jack... the Doctor said that you'd stayed behind to help rebuild the Earth, but I don't understand... how are you the Face of Boe?"

"That's my secret," Boe replies and Lizzie swears she feels a wink. "I have missed you as well... don't be too hard on him..." he tells her, making her mentally frown before he speaks to the others. "I have grown tired with the universe, Doctor, but you have taught me to look at it anew."

"There are legends, you know," the Doctor places a hand on the tank. "Saying that you're millions of years old."

"There are? That would be impossible," Boe chuckles.

"Wouldn't it just?" the Doctor grins. "I got the impression there was... something you wanted to tell me?"

"A great secret."

"So the legend says," the Doctor nods.

"It can wait," Boe tells him.

"Oh, does it have to?" the Doctor whines, making Rose snort loudly and Cass-Lizzie rolls her eyes.

"We shall meet again, Doctor; for the third time - for the last time - and the truth shall be told," Boe assures him. "Besides, not everyone is here if you remember the legend correctly," he smiles a faint smile.

The Doctor freezes, face paling, "but that's not possible," he whispers, face contorting in pain as his hearts ache.

Rose looks at the Doctor worriedly and kneels beside him, rubbing his back in soothing circles. Lizzie mentally frowns, "what does that mean? Why is the Doctor so heartbroken? Who else is supposed to be here?"

"Kitten, you will see me again, I promise," Boe assures her, ignoring the questions. "Until that day..." he announces to everyone before teleporting away.

The Doctor stares at the spot, shaking his head, "that is enigmatic," he smiles, impressed. "That... that is... that is textbook enigmatic!" he nods, standing up and turning to Cass-Lizzie. "And now for you," he glares.

"But..." Cass-Lizzie backs up a bit. "Everything's happy, everything's fine... can't you just leave me?"

"You can't stay inside my sister; I want her back, right now," Rose glares.

"You lived long enough," the Doctor shakes his head. "Leave that body and end it, Cassandra."

"I don't want to die!" Cass-Lizzie cries, putting a hand to her mouth as tears well up.

The Doctor's face softens, "no one does," he says gently.

"Help me!"

"I can't," the Doctor shakes his head.

Chip suddenly appears, "mistress!" he calls, making Cass-Lizzie turn to him with a gasp.

"Ah! You're alive!" she smiles in relief.

"I kept myself safe! For you, mistress!" Chip tells her breathlessly.

"A body... and not just that, a volunteer," Cass-Lizzie smirks.

"You can't take anyone else, Cassandra," Rose argues.

"Don't you dare," the Doctor glares. "He's got a life of his own!"

"But I worship the mistress!" Chip holds his chin up defiantly and Cass-Lizzie sends the Doctor a wink. "I welcome her!"

"You can't! Cassandra, you-"

The Doctor's cut off by Cassandra leaping from Lizzie's body to Chip's.

1st Person POV:

I gasp, feeling myself fall forward. "Oh!" the Doctor grabs a hold of me and I'm pulled up and into his arm, making me squeak quietly as I wrap my arms around his neck. "You alright?" he asks me worriedly.

I frown, nuzzling my face against his shoulder and shuddering at the dizziness and coldness of the Doctor's wet blazer. "Hey... alright?" he asks softly, reaching up and burying a hand in my hair.

"... I think so," I nod. "Just cold," I breathe out.

The Doctor sets me back down and holds me at arm's length, "welcome back!" he grins, leaning down to kiss my forehead.

"Th- thanks..." I mutter, pulling on my hair awkwardly and huffing when the Doctor chuckles under his breath.

I yelp when I'm suddenly wrapped up in a tight hug. "Thank God!" Rose squeezes the life out of me, making me giggle and hold her just as tightly.

I bury my face against her neck, "I'm so mortified," I whisper.

"I'm just glad you're alright," Rose laughs, pulling away. "Oi, Doctor!" she smirks, making my stomach sink. "Ya know, Lizzie could see and hear everything that was going on around her?"

"Rose!" I groan miserably. "That- that- s-shut up!" I bury my face in my hands as she laughs.

"Well..." the Doctor clears his throat.

"Oh, I bet he could too!" Rose grins widely. "What do you think, Lizzie? You naughty girl," she teases, making the Doctor cough loudly.

My face burns even more, "I- I... Rose Marion!" I slap her arm with each name, making her laugh.

"Oh, sweet Lord," Cass-Chip gets our attention, making me sigh in relief. "I'm a walking doodle!"

I glare at Rose, "you are so dead," I mouth, making her snicker.

"You can't stay in there," the Doctor tells Cass-Chip. "I'm sorry, Cassandra, but that's not fair," he shakes his head. "I can take you to the city; they can build you a skin tank and you can stand trial for what you've done," he offers.

"Well, that would be rather dramatic," Cass-Chip snorts. "Possibly my finest hour, and certainly my finest hat!" he winks at me, making me smile slightly. "But I'm afraid we don't have time," he shakes his head, making me frown. "Poor little Chip is only a half-life and he's been through so much... his heart is racing so," he raises a hand to his heart. "He's failing... I don't think he's going to las-" his legs give way.

I jolt forward, catching him and helping him to the floor. The Doctor and Rose kneel on his other side. "You alright?" the Doctor asks.

"I'm fine," he nods, pausing. "... I'm dying," he realizes.

"Hey, you're not allowed to die, you bitchy trampoline," I joke, tears welling up.

While Cassandra was inside my head, I could feel her emotions and hear her thoughts just as she could with me. I could understand the fear of dying... the instinct to keep yourself alive. Of course, she was going about it in an awful way but fear can make you do all sorts of horrible things. Also, she genuinely cares for Chip even if it didn't seem like it; I felt my heart quicken and the relief that she had when she saw that he was alive and safe.

"Oh, but that's fine," Cass-Chip smiles up at me softly and a tear slides down my cheek.

"I can take you to the city," the Doctor offers.

"No, you won't," he shakes his head. "Everything's new on this planet... there's no place for Chip and me anymore. You're right, Doctor, it's time to die... and that's good," he nods firmly, his voice cracking.

"Doctor...?" I look over at him pleadingly as we help Cass-Chip to his feet.

"Come on," he nods to the lift. "There's one last thing I can do," he smiles down at Cass-Chip softly.

***

The Doctor had piloted us to the party that was in the video I saw when I first ran into Cassandra and the four of us step outside. I was back in my oversized jumper; the Doctor's blazer had gotten way too cold and I felt vulnerable and exposed without something. I also had found that Cassandra had put my necklace in my bag, so I was thrilled about that and the cool weight against my skin was comforting.

Cass-Chip looks around the room in awe before turning back to us, "thank you," he breathes.

"Just go, and don't look back," the Doctor advises.

"Good luck," Rose smiles.

Cass-Chip turns to me and I bite my lip, "I'm sorry there isn't anything I can do for you," I mutter, my voice cracking slightly.

"Oh, now don't, no tears," he smiles, pulling me into a hug. "Goodbye, shorty," he squeezes me before pulling away and walking into the crowd.

The Doctor wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close and I wrap my arms around his waist. I watch Cass-Chip walk through the crowd to reach his younger self, who was laughing, "-and if you'd actually seen them, they were shocked! But don't quote me on that! Oh, naughty, bientôt!" she walks away from the group of people.

"Excuse me... Lady Cassandra!" Cass-Chip gets her attention.

"I'm sorry, I don't anything right now... I'm fine, thank you," Lady Cassandra brushes him off.

"No," Cass-Chip makes her stop. "I just wanted to say... you look beautiful."

"Well..." Lady Cassandra smiles, but it doesn't look genuine. "That's very kind, you strange little thing... thank you very much," she nods.

"I mean it, you look... so beautiful," Cass-Chip tells her sincerely.

Lady Cassandra's face softens as she stares at him, "thank you," she whispers and Cass-Chip smiles before he keels over. "Oh, my Lord!" she helps him to the floor gently. "Are you alright? What is it? What's wrong? Someone get some help!" she calls. "Call a medic or something, quickly!"

"Who is he?" a woman asks as a crowd forms around Lady Cassandra and Cass-Chip.

"I don't know... he just came up to me," Lady Cassandra shakes her head. "I don't even know his name, he just collapsed... I think he's dying! Someone do something!" she shouts. "I've got you, sweetheart... it's alright..." she coos, rocking her older self in her arms. "There you are... there you are, I've got you... it'll be alright... there, there, you poor little thing..." she continues to soothe him.

I pull away from the Doctor, walking into the TARDIS as I wipe at my face with the Doctor and Rose following solemnly.

***

I was lying on my bed, the TARDIS playing soft music for me while I draw a sketch of Lady Cassandra holding Cass-Chip in her arms. There's a knock on the door and the Doctor walks in, sitting on my bed and watching me draw silently.

"I don't want to talk about today," I shake my head, not looking up at him.

"Wasn't going to ask you to," he replies.

"Then why'd you come in here?" I frown.

"See how you were doing... and ask you where Rose is," he shrugs, leaning back on his hands. "Can't seem to find her," he frowns slightly.

"She's hiding from me," I snort, working on the shading on Lady Cassandra's dress. "I think she went to the library to swim," I shrug.

"So..." the Doctor trails off and I look up at him with a raised eyebrow. "You've got a tattoo?"

My face heats up and I groan miserably, burying my face against my covers, "please, don't!"

"I'm just curious!" the Doctor protests. "You've never said anything about it!"

"I got it when I was sixteen... mum had a fit when she found out," I mutter.

"It like it," he tells me and I can hear the smile in his voice, making me nearly sob in embarrassment. "I take it that it's meant to represent Rose?"

"... yes," I nod.

The Doctor clears his throat, "... have you got... anymore?" he asks, an odd tone in his voice that makes me frown.

"... yes..." I mutter and the Doctor makes a weird noise that I choose to ignore. "Can we not talk about this? Or... anything that happened today... please?" I practically beg. "Can we just pretend this trip never happened?"

I feel the Doctor hover over me, "what trip?" he asks, kissing the back of my head and I let out a small squeak, making him chuckle. "I'll leave you to it, then," he says and I feel him get up. "Got work to do on the TARDIS before we leave!"

I hear the door close and finally raise my head up. The TARDIS gives a few trills as if she were laughing. "S-s-shut up!" I groan, burying my face against my hands and she just trills louder.

A/N: thanks for reading, let me know what you think by dropping a comment or a vote! :*