!EDITED!

A/N: was 10924 words, is now 13404! Oh, man... fair warning for several POV changes, but they're in bold as always... enjoy! :D

The Ood were still advancing and Rose was wrapped up in my arms as I watch them with wide eyes, my heart pounding hard in my chest. "Open fire!" Jefferson shouts and he and the female guard continually shoot at the Ood, Rose flinching in my arms.

After a moment, everything becomes silent, the shaking of the base stops and the Ood are dead on the ground. "We're stabilizing, we've got orbit!" Zach calls.

I run over to the computer with Rose's hand gripped tightly in mine and I grab the comm with my free on, "Doctor?" I call, getting nothing but static in reply and tears well in my eyes from fear of what just happened and worry. "Doctor, can you hear me?"

"Doctor?" Rose calls, tightening her hold on my hand. "Ida? Are you there?"

Computer - Open Door 25.

We all turn to the door - me pulling Rose behind me - and relax when we see it's just Danny. "It's me!" he yelps, seeing that Jefferson and the female guard had readied their guns. "But they're coming," he shakes his head, slamming the door shut.

Computer - Close Door 25.

"It's the Ood, they've gone mad," Danny explains shakily.

"How many of them?" Jefferson demands.

"All of them! All fifty!"

I turn back to the comm, holding it in my hand tightly, "Doctor?"

"Danny, out of the way!" Jefferson orders and I glance over to see Danny leaning back against the door with his arms held out at his sides. "Out of the way!" he pushes Danny aside.

"But they're armed!" Danny protests as Jefferson starts to open the door. "It's the interface device! I don't know how, but they're using it as a weapon!"

Computer - Open Door 25.

The second the door's open, an Ood sticks its communication orb to the female guard's forehead. Screaming, she slumps to the floor and I whimper quietly, closing my eyes and feeling Rose wrap her arms around me tightly. "Oh, my God," she whispers shakily.

There's gunfire again and I look over to see that Jefferson had gotten the Ood shot and then the door closed. I tighten my grip on the comm, "Doctor, please answer me!" I plead, Rose nuzzling my shoulder. I knew he wasn't hurt, but him not answering was testing my already fried nerves at this point. "He's fine..." I try to assure Rose. "I just-"

"You're worried," she mutters, squeezing me.

Zach - not the one I wanted replying - calls through the comms, "Jefferson, what's happening there?"

"I've got very little ammunition, sir," Jefferson replies, checking over his gun. "How about you?"

"All I've got is a bolt gun with uh... all of one bolt," Zach sighs. "I could take out a grand total of one Ood, fat lot of good that is," he scoffs.

"Given the emergency, I recommend Strategy Nine," Jefferson sighs, making me frown as my eyebrows furrow.

"Strategy Nine agreed," Zach replies.

"Hold on," I call, stroking Rose's hair with my free hand. "What's Strategy Nine?"

"The air-locks open and the Ood get sucked out into space," Jefferson answers.

"We'll be safe in the lock-down, though," Zach adds.

Rose pulls away from me at that, staring at Jefferson with wide eyes, "killing them? That's your plan?"

"Do you have any other ideas?" Zach demands and Rose and I glance at each other warily, neither of us having one. "Right, we need everyone together," he continues. "Girls, what about Ida and the Doctor? Any word?"

"No," I shake my head, my voice cracking slightly as I turn back to the computer. "I can't get any reply, just... nothing! I keep trying, but it's-" the comms cut me off, static and crackling coming through.

"No, sorry, I'm fine!" the Doctor calls and I slump in relief. "Still here!"

Rose grabs the comm from me, glaring at it, "you could've said, you stupid b-!" she's cut off when the comms screech, making me wince and rub at my ear.

"Whoa! Careful!" the Doctor calls. "Anyway, it's both of us - me and Ida. Hello! But the seal opened up, it's gone... all we've got left is this chasm," he tells us.

"How deep is it?" Zach asks.

"Can't tell," the Doctor replies. "It looks like it goes on forever."

Rose leans back against the computer, chewing on her bottom lip, "'the pit is open', that's what the voice said," she murmurs.

"But there's nothing?" Zach cuts in. "I mean... there's nothing coming out?"

"No, no, no sign of 'the Beast'," the Doctor assures us.

"... it said 'Satan'," I mutter shakily.

"Come on, love, keep it together," the Doctor scolds me lightly.

"Is there no such thing?" Rose asks, glancing at me when there's no reply.

"Doctor? ... Doctor, tell us there's no such thing," I plead, still getting nothing.

"Ida? I recommend that you withdraw, immediately," Zach cuts in.

"But, we've come all this way!" she protests.

"Ok, that was an order," Zach corrects himself. "Withdraw. With that thing open, the whole planet's shifted. One more inch and we fall into the black hole, so this thing stops right now."

"... but it's not much better up there with the Ood."

"I'm initiating Strategy Nine, so I need the two of you back up top immediately, no argu-" Zach's cut off by static coming through the comms. "Ida? Ida?" he demands, getting no response.

3rd Person POV:

Ida turns off her wrist comm and the Doctor raises his eyebrows, wincing slightly when he feels worry wash over him. Ida sighs, turning to him, "what do you think?"

"I think they've an order," the Doctor shrugs, folding his arms.

"Yeah, but... what do you think?"

The Doctor's lips twitch up slightly and he places one foot on the edge of the pit, staring down into the darkness, "it said 'I am the temptation'."

"If... if there's something in there..." Ida trails off, looking over the edge. "Why's it still hiding?"

"Maybe... we opened the prison but not the cell," the Doctor muses.

"We should go down," Ida leans forward to see if she could see anything. "I'd go, what about you?"

"Oh!" the Doctor grins. "Oh, in a second! But then again..." he trails off, letting a small laugh slip out. "That is so Human," he smiles fondly, shaking his head. "Where angels fear to tread, even now, standing on the edge. It's that feeling you get, yeah? Right at the back of your head," he looks into the pit, mesmerized by the darkness, by the unknown of it all. "That impulse... that strange little impulse... that mad little voice saying 'go on... go on... go on... go over, go on...', maybe it's relying on that," he takes his foot off the edge of the pit. "For once in my life... Officer Scott... I'm going to say... retreat," he decides, groaning under his breath. "Now I know I'm getting old," he grimaces.

1st Person POV:

Rose and I were leaning against the computer, the comm between us as we wait anxiously for Ida and the Doctor to get back to us. "Lizzie, Rose, we're coming back up," the Doctor calls, making me breathe out slowly.

"Best news I've heard all day!" Rose smiles widely.

I grab the comm, sending Rose a wink, "I was wondering when I'd see that suit again," I smirk.

"Oi, rude!" the Doctor protests and I can just picture his pout.

"Not ginger," I giggle, Rose snickering beside me.

A sound comes from behind me - one that I'm a little surprised I recognize as the safety catch on Jefferson's gun - and I turn to see he's aimed his gun at Toby, who was cowering on the ground with his hands over his head. Rose gasps softly when she sees as well, "what're you doing?"

"He's infected," Jefferson replies. "He brought that thing on board! You saw it!"

I go up to Jefferson, standing between him and Toby with my arms folded, "you shoot, I take that big ol' gun you're holding and shove it right up your arse," I glare up at him. "You're frightened and I get that, really I do," I soften a little. "But fear is never a valid reason for murder," I shake my head and Jefferson falters slightly. "Is that what you are? A man who let their fear get the better of them?"

Jefferson lowers his gun and Rose takes her opportunity to cut in, kneeling beside Toby, "look at his face," she wraps an arm around the trembling man. "Whatever it was, it's gone, it passed into the Ood. You saw it happen, he's clean."

"Any sign of trouble..." Jefferson trails off, looking over me to Toby. "I'll shoot him," he promises before walking away.

I sigh, moving over to kneel in front of Toby, "are you alright?"

"Yeah... I..." he whispers, shaking and close to tears. "Don't know," he shakes his head.

"Can you remember anything?" Rose asks, taking her arm from around him and grabbing his hand comfortingly.

"Just... it was so angry, it was... fury and rage... death..." he looks around the room frantically before his wide eyes land on me. "It was him, it was the devil," he whimpers.

"Come here, sweetheart," I hold out my arms and he moves into them, clutching onto me as he shudders. "Shh, it's alright," I coo, rubbing his back with one hand and running my fingers through his hair with the other. "I'll stay with him," I tell Rose and she nods, getting up and going back over to the comm.

Toby grips me tighter and I shush him gently. He was absolutely terrified... but I wasn't one hundred percent convinced that the Beast or Satan or whatever the hell he wants to call himself was quite finished using him. If... if it comes to it and he threatens my baby sister, I might just let Jefferson kill him. I squeeze my eyes shut, my stomach twisting as I continue to soothe Toby and really, really hoping that whatever this is, whatever was happening here would be over soon.

"Ok, we're in," Ida calls through the comms. "Bring us up!"

"Ascension in three... two... one..." Jefferson counts down, but the lights go out and the capsule stays put.

The voice of the Beast speaks, sounding as if it were coming from everywhere at once and I freeze, Toby shuddering as his arms tighten around me even further.

"This is the Darkness, this my domain!"

Looking over at the computer when a screen pops up, I see some of the Ood standing together with red eyes. Their orbs glow as they speak as one, "you little things that live in the light! Clinging to your feeble suns! Which die in the-"

"That's not the Ood, something's talking through them," Zach points out the obvious.

"-only the Darkness remains!"

"This is Captain Zachary Cross Flane of Sanctuary Base Six representing the Torchwood archive," he introduces himself and I frown... wasn't that the name of the estate in Scotland? "You will identify yourself," he orders.

"You know my name," the Beast responds.

"... what do you want?"

"You will die here, all of you! This planet is your grave!"

"It's him," Toby whimpers over and over, burying his face against my neck.

The Doctor decides to cut in and I calm a bit at the sound of his voice. "If you are 'the Beast', then answer me this: which one? Hmm? Cause the universe has been busy since you've been gone. There's more religions than there are planets in the sky! The Archivits... Pordonity, Christianity... Pash-Pash, New Judaism... Sanclar... Church of the Tin Vagabond - which 'devil' are you?"

"All of them!"

"What? Then you're the truth behind the myth?"

"This one knows me as I know him... the killer of his own kind," the Beast taunts and a growl threatens to leave me when I get a strong wave of heart-wrenching grief and all-consuming guilt. "Ah, and the would-be protector, his 'tiny'," he chuckles darkly.

"Leave her alone," the Doctor does growl, a wave of anger hitting me as well and the Beast just laughs again. "How did you end up on this rock?" he changes the subject.

There's a pause before the Beast answers, "the disciples of Light rose up against me and chained me in the pit for all eternity."

"When was this?"

"Before time," the Beast replies, making me frown.

"What does that mean?"

"Before time," he repeats.

"What does 'before time' mean?"

"Before light and time and space and matter! Before the cataclysm. Before the universe was created."

"That's impossible, no life could have existed back then," the Doctor argues.

"Is that your religion?"

"... it's a belief," the Doctor murmurs and I can hear the doubt in his voice, making me sigh as I continue to comfort Toby.

"You know nothing, all of you! So small," the Beast taunts. "The Captain, so scared of command," Zach. "The soldier, haunted by the eyes of his wife," Jefferson. "The scientist, still running from daddy," Ida. "The little boy who lied," ... Danny? "The virgin," ... Toby? "The lost wolf, so far away from home - the valiant child who will die in battle so very soon," he taunts and I tighten my hold on Toby, looking at Rose worriedly over my shoulder to see her shaking as she stares at the screen. "And little lost Star, trapped inside a jewel... all alone in the darkness, so far away from her Lord of Time who was too weak to protect the Last Royal," he taunts and I freeze.

I bury my face against Toby's shoulder, hearing him call my name worriedly as I shudder against him. My breathing becomes ragged pants and there were waves of horror washing over me continually along with fear and guilt and grief. Rose's voice cuts through the pain, "Doctor, what does it mean?"

"Rose, don't listen," I hear the Doctor and my heart tightens when I hear his voice crack.

"What does it mean?"

"You will die... and I will live!" the Beast shouts.

A roar makes me pull away from Toby and look up to see the Ood replaced with the image of a great, horned beast. Everyone gasps and stumbles backward, but I wrap my arms around myself with my eyes squeezed shut and whimper when pain shoots through my head. There... there was a woman with purple eyes and she was with the Shadow Man... who... who is she? Why do I feel as if I've seen her before? Something comes to mind, a memory of when we were in the parallel world and... I touched Jake's gun and got the same image, didn't I? Everyone starts to shout over each other, but it just sounds like a loud hum to me as the pain gets worse and I feel dizzy. My mind starts to go fuzzy before the image strengthens and I whimper, leaning forward to press my forehead against the cold grating floor with tears streaming down my face from the pain.

A loud screech sounds through the deck and I whimper at the volume, gripping my head in my hands. The Doctor's voice comes through, snapping me from my pain-induced haze enough to hear his words, "Rose, tell me what the hell's wrong with Lizzie, right now!"

"What... oh, my God, Lizzie! What is it?" Rose asks worriedly and I feel myself being pushed to sit up on my knees.

I try to open my eyes, but wince at the light and close them again, "Doctor, I'm fine," I try to assure him, my voice coming out as a cracked whimper.

"Don't you dare-"

"We haven't got time for this!" I snap, my voice shaky as I lean forward into Rose, her arms going around me and one of her hands stroking my hair.

The Doctor growls - frustration and worry washing over me along with horror and fear - and there's a loud bang, then a pain that shoots through my right hand, making me hiss. "Fine," he snaps and I hear him mutter under his breath but I can't make out what he says. "If you all want voices in the dark, then listen to mine! That thing is playing on very basic fears! Darkness, childhood nightmares, all that stuff!"

"But... that's how the devil works," Danny retorts.

"Or a good psychologist," the Doctor mutters.

"Yeah, but how did it know about my father?" Ida asks shakily.

"Ok, but what makes his version of the truth any better than mine? Hmm? Cause I'll tell you what I can see: Humans! Brilliant Humans! Humans who travel all the way across space, flying in a tiny, little rocket into the orbit of a black hole just for the sake of discovery! That's amazing! Do you hear me? Amazing! All of you; the captain, his officer, his elder, his genius, his friends! All with one advantage - the Beast is alone, we are not! If we can use that to fight against him-"

My heart nearly stops when his voice is cut off by a loud bang. Rose gasps, letting me go and I lean forward on the floor again, leaning my forehead against the cool metal. I don't hear anything other than faint screaming and frantic shouts. Feeling myself being pushed up again, I open my eyes and blink several times as Rose's face is extremely blurry and there was a ringing in my ears. I see her mouth moving but the voice I hear isn't hers. It sounds posh and frantic, terrified, "No, Kas! No, please! I'm so scared! It's so dark and we need you - me and Lizzie!" it screams and a sharp pain makes me cry out before everything goes black.

3rd Person POV:

"Lizzie..." the Doctor breathes out in horror, feeling the pain and then nothing but a faint tingle - she was still there in his mind, but only just. "Lizzie?" he calls desperately into his comm, getting nothing but static. "Rose? Lizzie? Girls? Elizabeth!" he shouts, his blood pounding in his ears when it feels as if his tiny was slipping away from his mind, making his breathing turn ragged. "Anyone!" he messes with the buttons on his suit, sonicking them to try and get the comms back up.

"The comms are down, we can't get through," Ida tells him as calmly as she can, seeing the frantic fear in his eyes.

"Dammit," he growls, grabbing a rock and throwing it as far and as hard as he could.

***

"Someone, report!" Zach calls.

"The eldest Miss Tyler is unconscious, sir," Jefferson answers, watching Rose try desperately to rouse her sister. "We don't know what happened, she screamed and then passed out," he shakes his head.

"Lizzie, please wake up," Rose shakes her shoulders, tears in her eyes while Danny and Toby check her over.

"Well... I've got life signs on Ida and the Doctor," Zach cuts in. "But we've lost the capsule, there's no way out... they're stuck down there," he mutters.

"But we've got to bring them back!" Rose shouts, turning to the computer where the comm was.

"They're ten miles down," Jefferson retorts. "We haven't got another ten miles of cable."

There was a loud bang on the door, making everyone jump. "Captain? Situation report," Jefferson calls.

"It's the Ood, they're cutting through the door bolts... they're breaking in," Zach sighs.

"Yeah, it's the same on Door 25," Jefferson nods.

"How long's it gonna take?" Rose asks warily, moving back to kneel beside Lizzie and brushing her hair from her face.

"Well, it's only a basic frame, it should take ten minutes," Jefferson shrugs just as there's another bang on the door. "... eight," he corrects.

"Just what we need," Rose whispers. "Come on, Lizzie..." she looks her over, heart aching at the paleness of her skin as she whimpers.

"Her vitals are fine," Danny tries to assure her, having just checked her pulse and breathing.

"I've got a security frame, it might last a bit longer," Zach cuts in. "... but that doesn't help you," he sighs.

"Right, so we need to stop them or get out, or both," Rose mutters, breathing out when Lizzie seems to calm a bit.

"I'll take both, yeah? But how?" Danny asks miserably.

"You heard the Doctor, why do you think that thing cut him off? Cause he was making sense! He was telling you to think your way out of this, come on!" she snaps before taking a few deep breaths - it was not the time to freak out, the Doctor and her big sister need her. "For a start: we need some lights," she stands. "There's gotta be some sort of power somewhere."

"There's nothing I can do," Zach mutters bitterly. "Some captain - stuck in here pressing buttons," he scoffs.

"That's what the Doctor meant! Press the right buttons!"

"They've gutted the generators!" Zach protests before pausing. "... but the rocket's got an independent supply! If I could re-route that... Mr. Jefferson? Open the bypass conduits, override the safety," he orders.

"Opening bypass conduits, sir," Jefferson nods, doing just that.

"Channeling rocket feed, in three... two... one... power!" Zach calls and the lights come back on.

"There we go!" Rose smiles.

"Let there be light!" Danny cheers.

"What about that Strategy Nine thing?" Rose asks.

"Not enough power, it needs one hundred percent," Jefferson shakes his head.

"Alright, we need a way out," Rose sighs, folding her arms. "Zach, Mr. Jefferson, you start working on that," she orders. "Toby, what about you?" she turns to the blonde man, who was still beside Lizzie to watch over her.

"I'm not a soldier, I can't do anything," he shakes his head.

"No, you're the archaeologist," she rolls her eyes. "What do you know about the pit?"

"Well... n-n-nothing, we can't even translate the language!"

"Right," Rose sighs, chewing on her thumbnail as she turns away.

"H-hold on... maybe..."

"What is it?" Rose turns back to him hopefully.

"Since that thing was inside my head... it's like the letters make more sense," Toby murmurs.

"Well, get to work," Rose brightens a bit, glancing at Lizzie worriedly. "Anything you can translate, just... anything," she sighs. "As for you, Danny-boy," she turns to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "You're in charge of the Ood, any way of stopping them?"

"Well, I don't know," he shakes his head.

"Then find out," Rose takes her arm off him and pushes him over to the computer. "The sooner we get control of the base, the sooner we can get the Doctor out, and the sooner he can fix whatever's wrong with Lizzie, so shift," she slaps his arm playfully before moving back to Lizzie. "What the hell?" she frowns, seeing a faint light coming from under her clothes. "How..." she pulls at Lizzie's necklace chain and sees it glowing a soft purplish-white color.

***

Ida and the Doctor were back by the pit, the Doctor sitting on the edge and rubbing his right hand where a nasty bruise was forming from when he'd hit the side of the capsule. He was going mad with worry about his Lizzie and wondering why their connection was sort of... glitching was the best way he could describe it. What the Beast had said to her... about his Star. The Doctor puts his head in his hands, pulling at his hair and groaning miserably as tears well up in his eyes. It was right there in front of him this whole time, how could he not see it? If he could just get back to her... make sure... it couldn't be. Lizzie couldn't be her, it was impossible... the Beast was lying, he had to be.

"We've got all this cable," Ida's voice snaps him from his thoughts and he glances over to see her gathering it up. "We might as well use it," she shrugs. "The drum's disconnected, we could adapt it, feed it through."

"... and then what?" the Doctor asks, his voice quiet as he rubs his temples.

"Abseil, into the pit," Ida replies as if it were obvious, feeling a tug of sympathy for the man.

"Abseil, right," he nods distractedly.

"We're running out of air with no way back," Ida huffs slightly. "It's the only thing we can do... even if it's the last thing we ever achieve," she sighs, dragging the cable over.

"I'll get back, my girls are up there," the Doctor tells her firmly. "I need to see Lizzie... she can't be," he sighs, his voice cracking.

Ida ignores the fact that she's no idea what the Doctor's talking about, "well, maybe the key to that is finding out what's in the pit," she offers.

"Well... it's half of a good plan," the Doctor muses, breathing out in relief when the bond suddenly snaps back into full strength but wincing when he feels pain in his temples and Lizzie's all over the place emotions.

"What's the other half?"

"I go down, not you," the Doctor replies before grimacing. "Lizzie's going to kill me," he groans miserably, putting his head back in his hands and Ida couldn't help the small smirk that pulls on her lips.

1st Person POV:

I shoot up with a gasp, groaning and grabbing my head in my hands, "ow," I mutter, rubbing my temples and wincing when I feel a strong wave of worry. "What- I don't-" I shake my head, gripping my necklace in my hand and hearing faint pained whispers. "... my head," I whimper when pain shoots through my temples and I get flashes of different women with purple eyes.

"Oh, my God," I hear Rose cry and then I'm crushed into a tight hug.

"What happened?" I frown, wrapping my arms around her and burying my face against her neck. "I was... the Beast was talking and he said- said I was trapped but I- what did he mean? I don't-"

"Hey," Rose pulls back, wiping my tears away that I didn't even realize were rolling down my face. "You're fine, alright? We're getting out of here and then we're getting the Doctor back," she tells me firmly.

"Right... the cable snapped, didn't it?" I frown - my memories were a bit hazy at the moment. "He's ok, though... worried and ow," I murmur, rubbing at my right hand. "But fine," I assure her. "What's going on? What'd I miss?" I ask, looking around to see Jefferson and Danny working at two computers and Toby looking through his journal.

"The Ood are trying to break in," Rose winces when my eyes widen. "Don't worry, we'll get out," she assures me, helping me stand and I blink several times when the room spins. "You ok?" she asks worriedly, wrapping an arm around my waist to steady me.

"Yeah, I think so," I nod, looking down and seeing that my necklace - which I was still gripping - was glowing faintly. "That's weird..."

"It's been doing that for a few minutes now," Rose tells me. "The Doctor will know what's going on with you and he'll fix it," she squeezes me before dragging me over to where Danny was.

"Open junctions five... six... seven..." Jefferson was muttering as he works and I jump when there's a loud bang at the door. "Re-route filters sixteen to twenty-four, go!"

"There's all sorts of viruses that could stop the Ood," Danny glances at us when we reach him. "Alright?" he looks me over worriedly and I nod, wincing when that hurts my head. "Good," he smiles before shaking his head and getting back on topic. "Trouble is, we haven't got them on board."

"Hm, handy," I fold my arms, still clutching my necklace with one hand and leaning into Rose more. "Listing all the things we haven't got," I roll my eyes.

"We haven't got a swimming pool either... or a Tescos," Rose adds, rolling her eyes as well.

The computer beeps and Danny cheers happily, "oh, my God! It says yes! I can do it!"

"Yeah, for those of us who have no idea what the hell you're on about?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Hypothetically: if you flip the monitor, broadcast a flare-"

"It'd disrupt the telepathy, right?"

"Exactly, brainstorm!" Danny smiles.

"What happens to the Ood?" Rose asks.

"They'd go unconscious," I explain.

"Spark out," Danny nods.

"There we are, then! Do it!" Rose smiles.

"No, but..." Danny's smile fades and he sighs, shaking his head. "I'd have to transmit from the central monitor... we need to go to Ood Habitation," he explains.

I jump when there's another bang at the door that causes sparks to fly, "well... we better do that," I decide, moving over to Jefferson. "Mr. Jefferson, sir!" I smile, nudging him with my elbow. "What are you working on, then?"

"A way out," Rose comes up behind me, leaning her chin on my shoulder.

"Any luck?"

"Just about," Jefferson nods. "There's a network of maintenance tunnels running underneath the base - we should be able to gain access from here," he explains.

"Ventilation shafts," I snort, sharing an amused look with Rose.

Jefferson's lips twitch up as he glances at us, "yeah, I appreciate the reference, but there's no ventilation," he tells us. "No air, in fact, at all," he shakes his head. "They were designed for machines, not life forms," he explains.

"Brilliant," I sigh.

"But I can manipulate the field from here," Zach cuts in. "Create discrete pockets of atmosphere... if I control it manually... I can follow you through the network," he explains.

"So we go down and you make the air follow us, by hand?"

"Your sister wanted me pressing buttons," he retorts.

I glance at Rose, smiling, "I'm not complaining, that's genius!" I praise, making Zach chuckle. "Ok, we need to get to Ood Habitation, can you work out a route?"

"Doing it now," Zach replies before there's a pause. "It's good you're doing well, Lizzie."

"Thank you, Zach," I smile.

***

Rose, Jefferson, Toby, and I were ready to go down into the maintenance tunnels but Danny was still working at his computer. "Danny!" I shout when there's another violent bang on the door.

"Hold on, just confirming!"

"Dan, you gotta go now!" Jefferson calls as there's yet another bang. "Come on!"

"Yeah!" Danny cheers and grabs an orange computer chip, holding it up to show us as he runs over. "Put that in the monitor and it's a bad time to be an Ood!"

"We're coming back, have you got that?" I look at the three men. "We're coming back to this room and we're getting the Doctor and Ida back."

Jefferson nods, "ok, Danny, you go first, Miss Tyler and Miss Tyler - any order you choose - then Toby," he orders. "I'll go last in defense of position, now come on! Quick as you can!"

Rose hops in after Danny, "God, it stinks... you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm laughing," I hear Danny scoff and I land behind Rose with Toby after me. "Which way do we go?"

"Just go straight ahead, keep going till I say so," Zach answers.

Jefferson hops down as well with his gun and we start to crawl through the tunnels. I try to keep myself calm with the fact that I can still feel the Doctor, but it wasn't working as well as I'd hoped since I was still getting flashes of that woman, still hearing pained whispers, and my necklace was still glowing faintly. I hadn't really let go of it since I woke up and it was like... there was something missing, wasn't there? Something that was taken from me?

"No your best angle, Danny," Rose's comment snaps me from my thoughts and I snort quietly.

"Oi, stop it!" Danny protests, making me laugh.

"I don't know... it could be worse," Toby comments.

I immediately quiet and glance back to see him looking at my butt, "oi, eyes front!" I shout, my face burning bright red.

"They are," he smirks.

I gape at him, spluttering before turning forward with a scoff. Toby being so... forward and flirty, that definitely wasn't how he was earlier. He was shaking and having a panic attack from the Beast taking over his mind. I glance back at him, shaking my head and turning back. Maybe that's just how he tries to calm himself? Flirting?

"You're lucky the Doctor's not here," Rose snickers.

"Sof off, Rose," I roll my eyes, pinching her leg and making her let out a squeak.

"Oi, you bitch," she gasps dramatically, kicking back at me.

"Slut," I snort, making her kick back at me again.

"Knock it off, you two," Jefferson calls up.

"... sorry," Rose and I murmur, me pinching her leg one last time.

Rose glares back at me and I just smile innocently, biting my bottom lip to keep from laughing when she rolls her eyes.

Zach's voice comes through the comms, "straight along until you find junction 7.1," he tells us. "Keep breathing, I'm feeding you air, I've got you."

The five of us reach the junction and sit down, all of us out of breath. I wince, leaning against the wall and rub at my temples when there's another image flash.

"We're at 7.1, sir," Danny calls.

"Ok, I've got you," Zach replies. "I'm just aerating the next section."

"Getting kinda cramped, sir," Danny complains, making me roll my eyes. "Can't you hurry up?"

"Stop complaining," Jefferson sighs.

"Mr. Jefferson says stop complaining," Rose grins at Danny and I shake my head with a smile.

"I heard," he rolls his eyes.

"He heard," Rose relays to Jefferson, making me snort loudly.

"But the air's getting a bit thin..." Toby mutters.

"He's complaining now," Rose gives a tongue-in-teeth grin, nodding to Toby.

"I heard," Jefferson sighs.

I lean my head back, wincing as I get yet another flash of the mystery woman. I close my eyes, taking a deep breath before wrinkling my nose, "Danny, is that you?" I look at him.

"I'm not exactly happy," he defends, folding his arms petulantly.

"I'm just moving the air," Zach cuts in. "I've got to oxygenate the next section. Now keep calm, or it's gonna feel worse," he warns.

There's a sudden bang from the other end of the tunnel, making us all jump. "What was that?" Danny asks.

"Mr. Jefferson, what was that?" I ask warily, wrapping an arm around Rose.

"What's that noise?" Toby looks around fearfully.

"Captain... what was that?" Jefferson asks.

"The junction in habitation five's been opened, it must be the Ood," Zach replies. "They're in the tunnels," he warns.

"Well, open the gate!" Danny shouts.

"I've gotta get the air in!"

"Just open it! ... sir..."

"Where are they? Are they close?" Rose asks.

"Don't know, I can't tell - I can't see them," Zach sighs. "The computer doesn't register Ood as proper lifeforms," he explains.

"Who's idea was that?" Rose and I scoff, my arm tightening around her.

"Open the gate!" Danny starts to panic.

The gate opens and the five of us lunge through it, hurrying through the tunnels as fast as we can. "Danny, turn left! Immediate left!" Zach orders.

"The Ood, sir, can't you trap them?" Jefferson calls from the back, moving backward with his gun at the ready. "Cut off their air?"

"Not without cutting off yours," Zach replies. "Danny, turn right! Go right! Go fast, Dan, they're gonna catch up!"

"I'll maintain defense of position," Jefferson calls up.

"You can't stop," I call back, stopping and staring at him in shock.

"Miss Tyler, that's my job," he retorts, sitting down and aiming his gun down the tunnel. "You've got your task, now see to it," he tells me firmly.

"But you can't!" Rose argues.

Toby pushes Rose and I forward, "you heard what he said! Now shift!" he orders.

My heart aches as we move through the tunnels, leaving Jefferson behind. The sound of gunshots rings through the tunnels as we reach the next junction. "8.2!" Danny calls frantically. "Open 8.2! Zach!"

"I've gotta aerate it!"

"Open it now!"

"I'm trying!"

Danny starts to bang on the door, having a panic attack. "Danny, stop it," I grab his hands, pulling them down and rubbing circles across the backs with my thumbs.

"That's not helping," Rose adds softly, squeezing his arm.

"Zach, get it open!" Toby calls.

"Jefferson, I've got to open 8.2 by closing 8.1!" Zach shouts. "You've got to get past the junction, now move! That's an order, now move!"

There's more gunfire before it stops suddenly. Either he's run out of bullets or... he's died. My stomach knots up, tears welling in my eyes as I push that thought away. "I'm gonna lose oxygen, Jefferson!" Zach shouts... run out of bullets, then. "I can't stop for your dramatics!"

The junction opens beside us and Toby and Danny hurry through it. "Come on!" Danny shouts and I push Rose through, looking down the tunnel sadly before following.

"Danny, turn left and head for 9.2! That's the last one," Zach orders. "Jefferson, you've gotta move faster! Move!"

"Mr. Jefferson, come on-!"

"Keep going!" Toby cuts Rose off, pushing us forward.

"Regret to inform, sir... I was a bit slow," Jefferson's voice comes through the comms and I close my eyes, forcing myself forward. "Not so fast, these days," he jokes quietly.

"I can't open 8.1, John, not without losing air for the others," Zach sighs, his voice tight.

Danny, Toby, Rose, and I reach the next junction and slump against the walls - panting and out of breath.

"... and quite right too, sir, I think I bought them a little time," Jefferson breaths out and a tear slides down my cheek.

"There's nothing I can do, Jefferson... I'm sorry," Zach whispers.

"You've done enough, sir," Jefferson argues. "Made a very good captain under the circumstances," he says and I wrap an arm around Rose when I hear her sniffle quietly, holding her close. "I ask: if you can't add oxygen to this section... can you speed up the process of its removal?"

"I don't understand, what do you mean?"

"Wel... if I might choose the manner of my departure, sir, lack of air seems more natural than, well, let's say... death by Ood," Jefferson mutters before his voice raises suddenly. "I'd appreciate it, sir!"

"God speed, Mr. Jefferson..."

"Thank you, sir," Jefferson murmurs.

I grab Danny's wrist, "thank you, Mr. Jefferson," I whisper into his comm.

"It was my pleasure, Miss Tyler-" the comm cut off, only static coming through.

"Report: Officer John Maynard Jefferson PKD - deceased with honors, 43K2.1," Zach reports, his voice thick.

"Zach... we're at the final junction 9.2 and um... if my respects could be on record? He saved our lives," Danny murmurs quietly.

"Noted, opening 9.2."

The gate opens and on the other side are several Ood. Toby, Danny, Rose, and I back away quickly - me keeping Rose behind me as my heart beats hard and my breathing quickens. "Lower 9.2!" I scream.

"Zach, lower it!" Rose screams and it's lowered, but the Ood hold it when it's just about shut and try to pry it open again.

"Back! Back! Back!" Danny shouts, trying to shove us in the opposite direction.

"We can't go back!" Toby retorts. "The gang point's sealed off! We're stuck!"

"Come on!" Rose shouts, hitting above us.

I look up, smiling when I see grating right above us. Rose and I push it out together and out of the way, climbing out with Danny following us. "Come on, Toby! Come on!" Rose shouts.

"Toby, get out of there!" I call.

"Help me! Oh, my God, help me!" Toby screams.

Rose, Danny, and I reach down, grabbing onto Toby and pulling him from the tunnel. More Ood come toward us from the opposite end of the corridor. "It's this way!" Danny shouts, running in the opposite direction and we follow him quickly.

"Hurry up!" Zach shouts.

***

The four of us burst into Ood Habitation and run over to the computer. The Ood down below all look up at us at the same time - all with red eyes. "Get it in!" Rose screams.

"Danny, get it done!" Toby shouts.

"Transmit!" I scream, pushing Rose behind me and backing up when the Ood begin to climb the stairs together.

"I'm trying, I'm trying! I'm getting it!" Danny shouts.

"Stop them!"

"Danny, get that thing transmitting!"

Danny shoves the chip into the computer and the readings go down to basic zero. The Ood all clutch their heads and stumble about before collapsing. "You did it!" I squeal, throwing myself at Danny and he lets out a soft grunt before wrapping his arms around me, laughing.

"We did it!" Rose screams, joining our hug.

"Yes!" Danny laughs, the three of us jumping up and down.

I pull away and hug Toby tightly and he pulls away before hugging Rose and then Danny. I grab Toby's wrist to use his comm, "Zach, we did it! The Ood are down! Now we've got to get the Doctor and Ida!"

"I'm on my way!"

***

Getting to the exploration deck, I see Zach and rush over to him, throwing my arms around his neck. Zach laughs as he catches me, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Thank you," I squeeze him.

"You're welcome," Zach pulls away with a wide grin, ruffling my hair.

"Doctor?" Rose calls into the comms and I move over to stand beside her. "Are you there? Doctor? Ida? Can you hear me?"

"The comms are still down," Zach explains, coming over and messing with the controls. "I can patch them through the central desk and boost the signal, just give me a minute."

Rose and I watch him anxiously as he works. Another flash of the mystery woman goes through my mind and I hiss quietly, rubbing at my temples and holding my necklace in my other hand. The pained whispers coming from it had stopped, but the faint purple glow was still there. What was happening to me?

3rd Person POV:

The Doctor was being lowered down into the pit, surrounded by complete darkness. "You get representations of the Horned Beast right across the universe, in the myths and legends of a million worlds," he tells Ida, trying to distract himself from the emotions he was getting, the pains in his temples, his worry for Lizzie, and the implications if the Beast was right about Star. "Earth... Draconia, Velconsadine, Daemos... the Kaled God of War - it's the same image, over and over again. Maybe... that idea came from somewhere, bleeding through... the thought at the back of every sentient mind," he muses.

"Emanating from here?" Ida asks, her eyebrows raised as she sits on the edge of the pit, watching the cable.

"Could be..."

"But if this is the original, does that make it real? Does that make it the actual devil, though?"

"Well, if that's what you want to believe," the Doctor murmurs, reaching up to rub at his temple with one hand as another pain hits him and fear washes over him, making his hearts ache. "Maybe that's what the devil is, in the end - an idea."

"You getting any sort of readout?"

The Doctor checks his wrist, "nothing," he shakes his head, looking down into the black abyss. "Could be miles to go yet, or could be thirty feet, no way of telling..." he trails off, biting his lip as he thinks. "I could survive thirty feet," he muses thoughtfully, lips twitching up when he thinks of what Lizzie would have to say about that; she wouldn't be happy, that's for sure.

"Oh, no you don't," Ida scoffs, pressing the recall on the drum. "I'm pulling you back up!" she calls, frowning when the cable stops, tightening. "What're you doing!?" she demands, looking down into the pit.

"You bring me back, then we're just gonna sit there and run out of air," the Doctor retorts. "I've got to go down."

"But you can't! Doctor, you can't!"

"... call it an act of faith," he replies, releasing one of the hooks securing him to the cable.

"But..." Ida trails off, swallowing hard. "I don't want to die on my own," she whispers.

"I know," the Doctor tells her gently, even as he releases another hook. "I didn't ask: have you got any sort of faith, or...?"

"Not really," she shrugs, sitting on the edge of the pit once more. "I was brought up Neo-Classic, congregational - because of my mum, she was..." she trails off, tears welling up. "My old mum..." she smiles softly before shaking her head. "But no, I never believed."

"Neo-Classic, have they got a devil?"

"No, not as such, just um... the things that men do."

"Same thing in the end," the Doctor murmurs.

"What about you?"

The Doctor pauses, thinking, "I believe... I believe I haven't seen everything?" he frowns. "I don't know... it's funny, isn't it? The things we make up - the rules. If that thing had said it came from beyond the universe, I'd believe it but before the universe? Impossible. Doesn't fit my rule. Still..." he trails off, his lips twitching up. "That's why I keep traveling: to be proved wrong," he muses. "... thank you, Ida."

Ida stands, "don't go!"

"If they get back in touch... if you talk to the girls," the Doctor pauses, taking a deep breath. "Tell Lizzie... tell her..."

1st Person POV:

I freeze and my heart nearly stops - a hollow feeling in my chest - when I don't feel the Doctor anymore. Rose doesn't notice as she calls into the comm, "Doctor? Are you there? Doctor, Ida? Can you hear me? ... are you there, Doctor?"

"He's gone," Ida whispers and a hand flies to my mouth as I choke out a sob.

"What do you mean 'he's gone'?" Rose asks, her voice cracking as she glances at me.

"... he fell into the pit and I don't know how deep it is... miles and miles and miles..."

My face contorts as my necklace heats up, a pain shooting through my head as anger flashes, "and you just let him go?" I demand, taking the comm from Rose, a tear sliding down my cheek.

"I- I couldn't stop him," Ida replies, her voice shaky and I press the comm to my forehead, gripping onto my necklace with my other hand tightly. "... he said your name..." she whispers. "Wanted you to know that he loved you and that... he was sorry."

Zach gently tugs the comm from my grip and Rose pulls me into her arms, burying her face against my neck. "I'm sorry," Zach whispers to us. "Ida? There's no way of reaching you - no cable, no back-up... you're ten miles down, we can't get there," he sighs.

"Is he alright?" Rose asks, her voice thick and her arms tighten around me when I don't reply.

"You should see this place, it's beautiful," Ida replies to Zach. "Well, I wanted to discover things... and here I am."

"We've got to abandon the base," Zach shakes his head. "I'm declaring this mission unsafe... all we can do is make sure no one ever comes here again."

"But we'll never find out what it was!"

"Well... maybe that's best," Zach murmurs, getting a quiet 'yeah' in reply. "Officer Scott-"

"It's alright... just go," Ida cuts him off. "Good luck."

"Thank you," Zach breathes out, setting the comm down. "Danny, Toby, close down the feed links, get the retrotopes online," he orders. "Then get to the rocket, strap yourselves in. We're leaving."

I find my voice, pulling away from Rose, "I'm not going," I shake my head, my voice quiet.

"Me either," Rose grips my hand, intertwining our fingers and sending me a soft smile.

"Girls, there's space for you both," Zach assures us.

"No, we're gonna wait for the Doctor, just like he waited for us," Rose tells him firmly.

"I'm sorry... but he's dead," Zach tries gently.

I shake my head, wiping at my eyes before gripping my necklace as the whispers come back, "you don't know him, cause he's not," my voice cracks and Rose tightens her hold on my hand. "I'm telling you: he's not! ... and even if was, how could I leave him? All on his own?" I choke out, wincing at the pain in my head and starting to feel dizzy again. "All the way down there? I can't leave him... I won't!"

Zach looks between Rose and me, sighing, "then I apologize for this," he shakes his head, making me frown. "Danny, Toby, make them secure," he orders.

My eyes widen when Danny takes a hold of me from behind and Toby grabs Rose the same way.

"No, no! No! No! No! Let me go! Get off me! I'm not leaving!" Rose screams, struggling against Toby.

"No, stop it! I'm not going! Let me go, dammit! Get your hands off me!" I scream, thrashing against Danny's grip on me.

"No..." Rose trails off and I watch in horror as she slumps against Toby limply.

"No, please," I shake my head when Zach comes toward me with a needle. "I can't leave him! Stop it, you can't!" I scream, thrashing harder.

"Toby, help hold her down!" Danny shouts, tightening his hold on me.

"No, you can't! Please!" I scream as Toby helps hold me and Zach pushes the needle into my arm. "Please..." I whimper as everything goes black.

3rd Person POV:

"I have lost too many people, I am not leaving either of you behind," Zach huffs, hoisting Rose over his shoulder. "One of you grab Lizzie, let's get 'em on board," he orders.

Toby picks Lizzie up bridal-style, letting a smirk play on his lips as he follows the other two men through the corridor when he sees her necklace had stopped glowing. "Did that one just move?" he asks, playing up a scared tone as he looks at the Ood.

"The telepathic field, it's reasserting in itself," Danny explains.

"Move it, get to the rocket," Zach orders. "Move!"

***

The Doctor lies face-down at the bottom of the pit - his helmet shattered - and he stirs awake with a groan. As he stands, he realizes his helmet is broken and lets out a gasp, his hand flying to his mouth, "I'm breathing," he realized in awe and relief, removing his helmet and looking around. "Air cushion to support the fall..." he muses, turning on his comm. "You can breathe down here, Ida," he tries to inform her, but only gets static crackling in response. "Can you hear me, Ida?" he asks before frowning and rubbing at his chest when he realizes he can't feel Lizzie, wincing at the feeling - or rather, lack thereof. "Oh... I'm definitely dead now," he grimaces with a slight shiver.

***

On the rocket, Zach was in the pilot seat, Lizzie was unconscious in the co-pilot seat, and Toby, an unconscious Rose, and Danny were in the seats behind them. "Dislocating B-Clamp, C-Clamp, raising blue nitrates to maximum," Zach lists off. "Toby, how's the negapact feed-line?"

"Clear! Ready to go, sir," Toby nods. "For God's sake, get us out of here!"

Rose begins to stir, groaning and grabbing her head. Danny frowns when he sees, "Captain... I think we're gonna have a problem passenger," he warns.

"Keep an eye on her," Zach orders, glancing at Lizzie with worry and a bit of guilt.

"Wait..." Rose frowns, blinking as she looks at her surroundings. "I'm not..." her eyes widen.

"It's alright, Rose, you're safe," Danny tells her soothingly.

It doesn't work, though, as Rose starts to tug on her seat-belt angrily, "I'm not going anywhere! Get me out of this thing! Get me out! Lizzie, wake up!"

Zach glances back, "and... liftoff!" he shouts.

1st Person POV:

I groan, opening my eyes and blinking rapidly. A pain shoots through my temple and I hiss, grabbing my head in my hands. It takes me a moment to realize where I am and that Rose is screaming behind me. Zach places a hand over mine, "take it easy, Lizzie."

"No..." I breathe in horror, wincing when my necklace burns hot. "No, get me out!" I pull on my seat-belt. "Get me out! You had no right!" I snarl at Zach, who just watches me. " I told you I wasn't leaving!" I shout before spotting a bolt gun and without thinking, I grab it and aim it at Zach. "Take me back," I glare, ignoring the pain in my head and the flash of the mystery woman I get. "Take. Me. Back!"

"Or what?" he raises an eyebrow.

"Or I'll shoot," I reply simply as I take the safety off.

"Would you, though? The girl who stood up to Jefferson when he was going to shoot Toby out of fear? You'd murder me? In front of your little sister?" he asks and my face contorts, but I hold my aim as a tear slides down my cheek. "... is this what your Doctor would want? You becoming a killer for him?"

My bottom lip trembles, my hands shaking as I glance back to see Rose and Danny staring at me with wide eyes. I put the safety back on and slump in my chair, choking out a sob as I drop the gun. Zach shakes his head, "sorry, but it's too late," he tells me gently. "Take a look outside, we can't turn back," he nods to the window and I press my hand to the glass, watching the planet, the black hole and... my Doctor getting further and further away. "This is what the Doctor would have wanted: his girls safe," I feel him grab my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Isn't that right?"

"I'm s-sorry..." I whisper, drawing my knees up as silent tears run down my cheeks.

I turn around, narrowing my eyes at Toby when he starts to chuckle quietly. Danny glares at him, putting a hand on Rose's arm when she glares as well, "what's the joke?" he asks.

Toby grins, "just... we made it! We escaped! We actually did it!" he laughs and my stomach knots up at the dark tone of it... no.

"Not all of us," Rose murmurs sadly, her voice thick as she folds her arms.

"We're not out of it yet," Zach sighs. "We're still the first people in history to fly away from a black hole... Toby, read me the stats," he orders.

"Gravity funnel holding, sir," he calls up and then sees me staring at him suspiciously, sending me a wink... oh, God...

3rd Person POV:

The Doctor shines his torch on the wall of the underground cavern - there were crude drawings of a horned beast and tiny stick figures surrounding it. Taking photos with Lizzie's mobile, he murmurs into his comm, "history of some big battle... Man against Beast... I don't know if you're getting this, Ida, hope so," he sighs, shaking his head. "Anyway, they defeated the Beast and imprisoned it," he explains, looking around and the light of his torch falling on what looks like a large vase on a stand.

Surprised, the Doctor turns back to the drawings on the wall to see the stick figures carrying the vase on their heads. He approaches the vase cautiously and there's another one - the twin of the first - a few feet away from it. "Or maybe that's the key..." he touches the vase on his right, watching them both light up with golden light. "Or the gate... or the bars," he muses, turning when he sees a quiet growl and his jaw drops when he sees a giant horned beast, chained down as it roars at him. Well, that's new, he thinks to himself faintly before gathering himself. "I accept that you exist! I don't have to accept what you are... but you're physical existence, I'll give you that!" he shouts and the Beast growls. "But I don't understand," he frowns, taking a few steps forward. "I was expected down here, I was given a safe landing and air... you need me for something. What for?" he asks before something occurs to him and he tightens his grip on his torch. "Why take my connection with Lizzie away? It was you, wasn't it?" he asks, getting only laughter in reply. "To hurt me? To test me? To distract me?" he demands before pausing again. "To hurt her?" he raises a cool eyebrow. "I'll be kind and tell you now: that's a very bad idea," he snarls, his voice taking on a dark and menacing tone.

The Beast lunges forward, straining against the chains holding him as he roars again. The Doctor raises his eyebrow higher when the Beast smiles down at him cruelly, feeling a bit out of his depth. "Have I got to... I don't know, beg an audience? Or... is there a ritual? Some sort of incantation or summons or spell? All these things I don't believe in, are they real?" he asks, getting nothing. "Speak to me! Tell me!" he shouts, huffing when the Beast still stays silent save for his growling. "You won't talk, or... you can't?" he frowns. "Hold on, hold on, wait a minute, just let me..." he trails off, stepping back a bit and holding a hand out as he tries to sort through his thoughts. "Oh!" he smiles before wincing. "No..." he shakes his head. "Yes!" his smile returns before he shakes his head again. "No, think it through," he scolds himself. "You spoke before, I heard your voice," he points to the Beast. "An intelligent voice - no, more than that! Brilliant! But, looking at you now... all I can see..." he trails off as the Beast growls, pulling at his chains. "... is..." the Beast growls again. "... beast, the animal, just... the body... you're just the body, the physical form!" he realizes, laughing. "What's happened to your mind? Hmm? Where's it gone? Where's that intelligence?" he taunts before glancing at the roof of the cavern when it dawns on him. "Oh, no..." he whispers in horror.

The Doctor moves over to the symbols and drawings covering the wall, "you're imprisoned," he murmurs. "Long time ago... before the universe, after, side-ways, doesn't matter," he shakes his head. "The positioning is perfect, it's absolute... it's eternal! Oh, yes!" he beams. "Open the prison, the gravity field collapses! This planet falls into the black hole! You escape, you die! Brilliant!" he laughs. "... but that's just the body... the body is trapped, that's all. The devil is just an idea. In all those civilizations, just an idea..." he trails off, edging back over to the Beast as he works it out. "But an idea is hard to kill, an idea could escape. The mind, the mind of the great Beast - the mind can escape! Oh, but that's it! You didn't give me air, your jailers did! They set this up all those years ago! They need me alive, because if you're escaping, then I've gotta stop you!" he grins manically, picking up a large rock and the Beast roars in fury. "If I destroy your prison, your body is destroyed and your mind with it," he swings the rock over his head - ready to bring it down - and stops, dropping it as it hits him. "... but then you're clever enough to use this whole system against me. If I destroy the planet, I destroy the gravity field... the rocket... the rocket loses protection and falls into the black hole... I'll have to sacrifice the girls," his face contorts in anger and disgust as the Beast laughs meanly.

1st Person POV:

I was still watching Toby warily, "it doesn't make sense," I narrow my eyes. "We escaped... but there's a thousand ways the Beast could've killed us..." I trail off, seeing Rose's eyes widen.

"You're right," she murmurs. "It could've... ripped out the air or... I don't know, burnt us, or anything, but it let us go... why? Unless it wanted us to escape-"

"Hey, girls," Toby cuts her off, looking between us with a dark smirk. "Do us a favor: shut up," he hisses and I raise an eyebrow as he moves back to his screen. "Almost there, we'll be beyond the reach of the black hole in forty... thirty-nine..."

3rd Person POV:

"So... that's the trap," the Doctor nods, stepping back from the vase. "Or the test... or the final judgment, I don't know," he waves off. "But if I kill you, I kill Lizzie," he murmurs, his hearts aching and his fists clenching as the Beasts laughs at him, straining against his chains. "Except... that implies - in this grand scheme of Gods and Devils - that she's just a victim," he tilts his head, his lips pulling into a smile as he chuckles under his breath. "But I've seen a lot of this universe! I've seen fake gods and bad gods and demigods and would-be gods," he mocks. "Out of all that? Out of that whole pantheon? If I believe in one thing... just one thing..." he trails off, grabbing the rock. "I believe in her!" he shouts passionately as he brings the rock down to smash into each vase. "This is your freedom! Free to die!" he shouts up at the Beast as the whole planet begins to shake. "You're going into that black hole and I'm riding with you!" he shouts.

The Beast roars with rage, fire coming out of his mouth and the Doctor raises his hands, mocking him

1st Person POV:

The rocket begins to shake violently and I grip onto my seat tightly, my heart hammering in my chest. "What happened?" Danny shouts. "What was that!?"

"What's he doing? What is he doing?" Toby growls, making me frown before my eyes widen... does he mean?

"We've lost the funnel! Gravity collapse!" Zach shouts, knocking me from my thoughts.

"What does that mean?" Rose screams.

"It means we're headed straight for the black hole!" I call back to her. "Without the gravity funnel, we can't get away!"

"It's the planet!" Rose shouts and I look out the window to see the planet getting closer to the black hole. "The planet's moving! It's falling!"

"I am the rage-!" Toby's... or rather the Beast's voice catches my attention and I see his eyes were red again, the symbols covering his skin.

"It's Toby!" Rose screams, pushing herself back in her seat. "Zach, do something!"

"-and the bile and the ferocity-!"

"Just do something!"

"-I am the Prince and the Fall and the Darkness-!"

"It's him!" Danny shouts over and over, staring at Toby with wide eyes.

"Stay where you are, the ship's not stable!" Zach calls back.

Flames start to come out of Toby's mouth and my eyes widen further... oh, my God. "What is he?" Zach screams. "What the hell is he?"

"-I shall never die! The thought of me is forever! In the bleeding hearts of men! In their vanity and obsession and lust-!"

The bolt gun catches my eye and I quickly pick it up, flicking the safety off and aiming it at the window.

"-Nothing shall ever destroy me! Nothing!"

"Hey, 'Satan'?" I glance back at him, glaring as he snarls. "Shut up and go to hell," I shoot the window, making it shatter and the air starts to get sucked out of the ship. "Rose, now!"

Rose quickly un-buckles Toby's seat-belt and he's sucked through the window into space and heading straight for the black hole. "Emergency shield!" Zach shouts.

The shield activates and I slump in my seat, breathing heavily as I set the bolt gun down. My relief is short-lived, however, as the rocket starts to shake even more violently and we were still headed for the black hole. "We've still lost the gravity funnel!" Zach shouts and I roll my eyes - as if that weren't obvious. "We can't escape the black hole!"

"... but we stopped him," Rose puts in.

"That's what the Doctor would have done..." I nod, tears welling up as I look at the planet and see it still falling into the black hole... Doctor...

"Some victory," Zach scoffs. "We're going in."

"The planet's lost orbit!" Danny calls up, watching the screen. "It's falling... the planet's gone..."

The other three stay silent, but I sit up straight and wipe at my eyes furiously - I could feel the Doctor again. I tune out everyone's conversation, just closing my eyes and breathing out slowly as I feel the Doctor's emotions rush over me and the slight tingle in my mind. I yelp, grabbing onto my seat when the ship jolts harshly and then stops, everything going silent. "What happened?" Rose asks, looking out the window.

"We're... turning," Zach frowns, looking down at the controls. "We're turning around! We're turning away!" he laughs.

The comms static and then I nearly sob in relief when the Doctor's voice comes through, "sorry about the hijack, Captain! This is the good ship TARDIS!" he calls and I beam back at Rose - her mouth hanging open in shock - and squeal in happiness as I bounce up and down in my seat. "Now! First thing's first: I can hear Lizzie squealing away... blimey, love, try not to blow my ear-drums out," he teases and I roll my eyes with a wide grin. "Anyway, have you got a Rose Tyler on board?"

"I'm here!" Rose nearly screams, throwing her arms up. "It's me! Oh, my God!"

"Where are you?" I ask curiously.

"I'm just towing you home! Gravity-schmavity! My people practically invented black holes," the Doctor scoffs. "... well, in fact, they did," he mutters, making me laugh. "In a couple of minutes, we'll be nice and safe. Oh, and Captain, can we do a swap? Say... if you give me my girls, I'll give you Ida Scott? How about that?"

My eyes widen and the four of us share wide-eyed looks, all smiling. "She's alive!" Zach laughs in relief.

"Yes! Thank God!" Danny cheers.

"Yeah, bit of oxygen starvation but she should be alright," the Doctor assures them. "I couldn't save the Ood..." he sighs, sending me a wave of guilt and my heart aches... they didn't deserve that. "I only had time for one trip, they went down with the planet," he murmurs before brightening. "Ah! Entering clear space! End of the line! Mission closed!"

***

I fold my arms, watching Rose and the Doctor - he had her lifted up and was swinging her around as they both laugh. After the initial joy of the Doctor being safe... I was beyond pissed. The Doctor sets Rose down and looks at me with a bright smile, but I just raise a cool eyebrow. Letting out a quiet yelp, he quickly grabs the comm device on the console and I roll my eyes, moving over to lean against it beside Rose. "Zach? We'll be off now! Have a good trip home!" he calls, watching me warily as I look at my nails. "... and next time you get curious about something... oh, what's the point?" he shakes his head. "You'll just go blundering in! The Human Race!" he 'grumbles', making my lips twitch up despite myself.

"But Doctor, what did you find down there?" Ida asks curiously. "That creature... what was it?"

"I don't know," the Doctor replies, but I see his features darken as he grips the comm a bit tighter. "Never did decipher that writing... but that's good! Day I know everything? Might as well stop," he grins.

"What do you think it was?" Rose folds her arms, looking up at him. "Really?"

"I think... we beat it," the Doctor answers carefully, glancing at me. "That's good enough for me," he shrugs.

"It said I was gonna die in battle," Rose mutters, chewing on her bottom lip and I lean my head on her shoulder, gripping her arm with my hands.

The Doctor looks between us before shaking his head, "then it lied..." he whispers. "Right! Onwards, upwards! Ida, see you again, maybe!" he calls.

"I hope so!" she replies.

Rose smiles, grabbing the comm, "and thanks, boys!"

"Yeah, thanks!" I smile. "Oh... and um, sorry for... yeah..." I murmur, rubbing my arm, ignoring the Doctor's raised eyebrow.

"No worries!" Zach laughs.

"Yeah, no problem!" Danny laughs as well. "Though... you might've bruised a rib or two!"

"Oh, I did not, ya big baby!" I call back, my cheeks heating up when the Doctor raises his eyebrow higher. "Anyway! See ya!"

"Hang on, though!" Ida calls. "You never really said... you three... who are you?"

"Oh..." the Doctor trails off, smiling. "The stuff of legend!" he calls before shutting off the comm and sending us into the vortex.

I waste no time, pulling away from Rose and turning to the Doctor with my hands on my hips, "are you kidding me!?" I glare, making him jump and Rose backs away, snickering into her hand. "You jumped in? Really!? You saw a massive, endless pit - that may or may not have had the devil in it - and thought 'Oh, yeah, seems like a great idea to give my girlfriend a panic attack by jumping into it'!?"

"Now... Lizzie, sweetheart, just-" he starts to back away, his hands out in front of him.

"No, don't you dare sweetheart me! You don't get to talk right now," I glare and he snaps his mouth shut with an audible click, folding his arms and tucking his hands under his arms defensively. "Have you any idea what you put Rose and me through!? We thought you were dead! I couldn't feel you any more!" I push him back and he just rocks on his heels, wincing as guilt hits me. "Which in and of itself is bad enough, but then Ida tells us you were gone and you... I had no way of knowing if you were safe or not!" I glare, wiping at my eyes angrily. "I didn't want you to go down there in the first place and then you fucking jump into the pit - which by the way, Ida told us you neither of you had a clue as to how deep it was! I cannot believe how completely, utterly idiotic and careless you are! You could just as well have died, you stupid bastard!" I put my fist on his chest when he moves forward, my face contorting. "I swear, if it wouldn't hurt me as well, I would slap you so hard it would make you regenerate..."

"... finished?" the Doctor asks in a high-pitched voice, making Rose - who was red-faced from trying not to lose it - bend over and clutch her stomach as she laughs.

I growl, drawing my hand back, "oh, you stupid piece of-" I pause when the Doctor grabs my wrist to keep me from slapping him. "Let me go, Doctor," I glare at him, going to use my other hand, but he grabs that one as well. "Let. Me. Go," I repeat, my voice lowering, trying to get out of his tight hold.

"Do you really think I'm going to let you slap me?" the Doctor raises an eyebrow, moving me back until I hit the console and he pins my wrists to it, looming over me. "It'd only hurt you and I am not allowing that," he shakes his head.

"I don't care if it hurts me," I huff, trying to get free of his grasp... damn him. "Let me go!"

The Doctor sighs, struggling to keep his hold and me and he glances at Rose, "under there," he nods. "Get them for me, please?"

"What?" Rose frowns.

"Just... just... just get them," he nods again. "There's only one thing in there," he rolls his eyes.

"Let me go, Doctor, this is ridiculous," I struggle harder.

"Yes, it is," he agrees, glaring down at me. "Calm down and I'll let you go," he offers, making me huff.

I jump when I feel something cool on my left wrist and hear a click. Looking down, I gape at the leather handcuffs that were around my wrist and the console. "You... you had Rose handcuff me to the console?" I glare at the Doctor, pulling on it and sending Rose a withering look as she backs away with an extremely amused smile. "Do I even want to know why the hell you have handcuffs in the console room?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Jack left them," the Doctor waves off, letting go of me and stretching his hands out but I narrow my eyes when his ears turn red.

"Liar," I accuse.

Clearing his throat, he rolls his eyes, "that's not the point... shut up," he points at Rose when she bursts out laughing and I'm pretty sure I hear the word 'kinky' in her laughter. "Now," he narrows his eyes at me, folding his arms and leaning against the railing. "You are going to calm down to where you don't feel the need to injure me, ultimately injuring yourself," he tells me firmly.

"I hate you so much," I glare.

"You really don't," he smirks, making me huff. "Since you're just sitting about-" he ignores the nasty glare I send him. "-we need to have a talk about what happened today," he gives me a pointed look and I freeze, feeling my necklace heat up against my skin.

"You mean-"

The Doctor cuts off my insult with a look and I back down, looking away and chewing on my bottom lip. I knew what he wanted to talk about... I wasn't so sure I knew how to answer his questions, though. "What happened to you? What was wrong?" he asks and I feel his hands cupping my face as he forces me to look at him, his features soft as he looks down at me, worry and fear washing over me.

"I- I- I-" my voice cracks as another flash of the mystery woman hits me, my face contorting. "My head," I whimper, hearing the Doctor hiss as I lean my forehead against his chest and grip the front of his blazer with my hand that wasn't handcuffed.

"Rose?" the Doctor asks quietly, sonicking the handcuffs and pulling me into his arms.

"She had a sort of... I don't know, panic attack or something," Rose murmurs and I grit my teeth at the pain in my head, the Doctor shushing me gently. "It was right after the Beast talked to her... she was grabbing her head and then she screamed and passed out for a few minutes," she explains. "And then..." she trails off.

"Yes?" the Doctor asks, moving us down to sit on the grating flooring and pulling me into his lap.

"Her... her necklace started to glow, I've never seen it do that before," Rose murmurs and I grab my necklace chain on instinct.

Horror and guilt washes over me as the Doctor places his hand over mine and pulls my necklace from under my clothes, his breath hitching in his throat. "... you are," he whispers, his voice cracking and I frown as more pained whispers come from my necklace. "I didn't-" he pulls me tighter against him. "Where did you get this?"

"I thought... I told you, didn't I?" I frown up at him, watching as he pulls it over my head and runs his thumb along the little shooting star.

"No," he shakes his head, smiling softly when the voice calls out 'Kas'. "I don't... you died... right in front of me," he whispers, staring at me in shock and awe.

I pull away from him, feeling very scared as the voice keeps calling out, "what are you talking about?" my voice shakes as more and more flashes hit me and I whimper, gripping my head in my hands when it feels like it's on fire.

"Yeah... I'm lost..." Rose mutters and I feel her sit beside me, her arm going around my shoulders.

"You can hear her, can't you?" the Doctor asks me gently.

"Hear what?" Rose frowns.

"No," I shake my head, tears streaming down my face as I grip my hair. "No, I'm not her," my voice cracks and I whimper. "That's... that's Star, that's not me!"

"I'm sorry," the Doctor murmurs.

"Stop it! I'm not her!" I pull at my hair. "I'm Lizzie! I was raised on Irali- in London!" I correct, pulling my knees up and putting my head between them as I begin to rock back and forth. "I'm- I'm n-not... I'm Lizzie!" I scream, the pain in my head getting worse and worse. "I'm Lizzie! I was raised in London by Carina- Jackie!" I smack the side of my head over and over. "I was raised by Jackie Tyler with my baby sister, Rose Tyler! I'm- I'm Lizzie! I- please, no! Make it stop, it burns! Doctor, make it stop!" I whimper, gripping my hair so tight it hurts and I faintly hear Rose asks what's wrong with me.

I feel myself being lifted and I bury my face against the Doctor's neck, gripping onto him tightly as the pain gets worse and worse. "I'm sorry, Lizzie," he whispers and I whimper when he blocks our connection, holding onto him tighter. "I'm so sorry," he rocks us from side to side.

"I'm not her," I shake my head.

"You know what this is, don't you?" he asks softly.

"I'm not her," I repeat over and over.

"Doctor, you tell me what the hell's happening to my sister, right now!" Rose demands.

"... her memories, they're trying to force themselves through all at once," the Doctor explains, his voice thick as he strokes my hair. "I don't know why it's causing a reaction like this... something's gone wrong," he pulls me away from him slightly and I look at him, his face blurry through my tears. "Lizzie, sweetheart," he cups my face in one hand, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

I choke out a sob, putting my hand over his, "I just want to be me," I whimper, wincing as the burning in my head gets worse. "It hurts..."

"I know, I'm sorry," the Doctor coos, pressing a kiss to my temple. "I'm so sorry, my love, but you need to calm down or you're going to burn your mind out," he whispers against my skin, stroking my hair. "Take this," he holds out my necklace - which was still glowing faintly - with is free hand to Rose. "Take it somewhere, get it away from her for a bit," he orders.

"But I don't-"

"Just do it, Rose!" he snaps before sighing and pulling me into his arms, holding me close. "Please?" his voice cracks.

"Please? I want to stay me," I whimper, the burning a bit less after Rose leaves. "Why can't I stay me? I like who I am... I want to be Lizzie... please?"

The Doctor looks down at me, his face contorting, "your memories have already started resurfacing... I think they have been since the parallel world... maybe before then," he sighs, brushing my hair from my face.

"What about us, then? Was it all just fake?" my voice cracks.

"No, not one second of it was fake," the Doctor kisses me firmly before pulling away and cupping my neck in his hand, stroking my jaw.

"What about my family? Are they not real?" my bottom lip trembles.

"Jackie is your mum and Rose is your little sister, that won't change," he assures me gently.

"I... I've got some memories back... but..." I rub my temples. "Who is she? Star?" I look up at the Doctor, biting my lip when he doesn't answer, looking away and my stomach knots up. "... do you love her?" I whisper and the Doctor tenses.

"... yes," he sighs, rubbing his free hand down his face. "She... she's my wife," he murmurs.

A/N: well... that's that chapter edited! The truth is out! :D Thanks for reading and let me know what you think by dropping a comment or a vote! :*