I drop my head. For the second time in days tears drip down my nose, making wet puddles on the floor. I look over to the unrespnsive Doctor. "Doctor?" I manage feebly. "Please. You can't be dead. Why is this happening to me? You promised you weren't going to go and die on me... Please. Please. Wake up." I whimper. But there's nothing, only the sound of my sobbing, and the feeble beeping. Beeping! If it's beeping... then it's still got some hope.

"Yes." I wipe the tears from my eyes with my knees. "Ohh, yes yes yes. I'm not giving up this easily. EVERYONE I remotely care about is gone.. but if I can do this for anyone. I'M DOING IT FOR MANKIND!" I struggle hard against the metal ropes, twisting and turning until the sonic falls out of my pocket. "I knew I could count on you. You stupid metal beeping thing."

I slide it over to myself using my leg and manage to get the button pushed in. It swivels around and sonics through the chains holding me. I rub my hands and pick it up, tossing it in my hands. "Nicely done if I do say so myself... NOW TIME TO SAVE THIS STUPID PLANET!"

**********

I have little choice now. I sonic the machine, and it beeps a little faster then slows down again.

My mind races as I glance around the huge expanse of buttons, levers and lights, wishing I'd paid more attention in computer science. The red light continues its blinking.

"Oh to heck with your stupid beeping... work!" I wave my hands in front of it. "Doctor... how do I make this thing go?" I don't even realize I'm only talking to thin air. All of a sudden, I drop to the ground as something envelopes my mind. And I flash back to our very last conversation.

He jams his fist onto the computer, causing it to sputter and jump back to life. "Phew." He throws off his glasses and adjusts a switch. "Thought I was going to be in trouble there." He turns around quickly, glancing at me. "See, Darcy... when something doesn't work... all it needs..."

The TARDIS's noises fade as he looks at me. I'm slightly creeped out by the fact that he's trying desperately to get me to understand something. "What? Needs what?"

"A good thump." He laughs, thumping the computer again. "Hasn't anyone ever told you that? You know when something breaks down and you don't know how to fix it. Wlell, it's always good to give it a good thump. It can unjam the circuts and get the energy moving."

"Can... can it really be that simple? Have you done all the hard work for me?" My mind races. It's obvious the Doctor was trying to help the Endor. Maybe he did indeed try to stop them from getting through - but when the wave hit it disabled the gateway systems. And if so... "Oh, BRILLIANT! If you were alive right now I'd hug you!" I take a deep breath, take a guess at where the main power surge is, which is a huge screen right in the middle, and bring both hands down on it with all the energy I have left. It isn't much energy at all, but with a hiss, the machine clunks to life. I sonic the screen and figures start jumpping all over the place, then I watch with a squeal of joy as the circuts are reversed. The space outside the glass - the motorway highway becomes a powerful vortex. The creatures are now racing back the way they came.

"YES! Earth, you aren't dying today!" I scream out with so much joy. And I don't know why. I look around the control panel hastily until I throw my hands up in frustration. "TO HECK with all these stupid BUTTONS!" I hit every one of them randomly until I look around and see the glass has shifted from around the Doctor.

I run over to him, and start sobbing again as I remember that he's dead, although my mind still doesn't grasp it. I can't believe it even for a moment. Crouching down next to him, putting my hands on his shoulder and resting my exhausted head against the cold, hard, rocky ground. My hands go limp as I think of Jack - and now the Doctor who are both seemingly dead. And I know the knowledge of how to fly the TARDIS isn't going to last forever. What do I do after that? I have to be trapped on this planet.

I jump slightly as I feel something warm resting on my shoulders, and then I realize that my hands are no longer on the Doctor's shoulders, they're touching the ground. I turn around, the breath hitching in my throat. I see a flash of white, and then I fall backwards into something. Something that beats steadily. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. He's still alive? "Oh my... Oh my gosh." I cry hoarsely. "Doctor?!"

I turn around slowly, afraid that this is all a dream and that it's all going to shatter, and I'll wake up next to the cold, lifeless Doctor.

"Oh, my dear, dear Darcy." He wraps his arms around me, and I sob with absolute happiness. I don't know how this is possible. I have no idea how this is possible.

"Oh, come on. Shh." He straightens me up. I'm still shaking like a leaf in a storm, shuddering with my sobs that are slowing down, turning into gasps of air. Then, I reach up and thump his back with both of my hands.

"Ow!" He looks only amused as he stares down at me. "Usually it's a slap... but what was that for?"

"FOR EVERYTHING!" I yell hoarsely, barely above a whisper. "For... abandoing me on this stupid planet for... making me go through all that... stuff. Your companions your... knowledge, the TARDIS. and JACK." A tear slips down my cheek.

"Did someone say my name?" A voice asks from the doorway. My mouth falls open. I tear myself from the Doctor's steadying grip and launch myself at the smirking figure in the doorway. He catches me in mid leap, laughing. "There's a little something I never told you... see I have this thing... where I can't die."

"Oh, you're both... you're both..."

"Wonderful?" They ask at the same time. Jack leans down to kiss the top of my head.

"I see you two got along quite well." The Doctor straightens his jacket. "Well, now there's no time to lose. The gateway is sealing itself off, thank goodness." He jams the big red button in the centre, and closes the gap. The huge doors shut with a snap. From down beneath us, I hear the sound of celebration. "Oh, and look. The Endor have come to congratulate us." He says wryly. The door slides open and the whole multitude of them flock into the room.

"How did you do it?" The head Endor asks. "But we thank you, Doctor."

"Oh, it wasn't me. It wasn't at all me. It's her you should be thanking." He points at me. "But next time you want to rid your planet of unwelcome species, don't knock my companion out and force me to do your dirty work."

"May we?" The Endor comes towards me. I shiver a little, stepping backwards as its hand outstretches. I'm sorry, but these alien things still creep me out.

"It's OK." The Doctor says softly. "They want to say thank you."

I look back at the alien, and slowly touch its hand. A zig-zag of electricity runs through us. The feeling is intense - like being hyped up all of a sudden. It lasts for roughy 3 seconds before it fades away. "Thank you. Thank you very much." The Endor bowes.

I try a rough smile on for size and look back at the Doctor.

"I think we've had enough of this planet. Let's get out of here, shall we?" He flashes me the smile I've missed so much and starts walking unhurriedly back to the TARDIS.

**********

"Jack. You can't leave." I look at him from the chair I'm sitting in. His grin returns with a sigh.

"i'm going to miss you too. But Torchwood needs me more than ever. They need my help to stop goons like them from destroying the universe. I won't make this any harder on you by dragging this out. I'll see you again though. I have no doubt of that. Farewell, blondie." He gives me a kiss on the cheek.

I blush horribly as he winks at me then teleports straight off the planet.

"Blondie?" The Doctor smirks, swaggering into the Tardis, laughing like a little kid.

"Shut up." I say good naturedly. "YOU have still got a HELL of an explanation to give me." I close the door and face him, hands on hips.

"Oh, you remind me so much of someone I used to know." The Doctor flips the switch to the TARDIS.

"Donna." I say quietly.

"What?" His head snaps up sharply.

"Nothing. Can we go?"

"Alright." He rubs the TARDIS fondly. "I have a perfect place for a lovely talk. You hungry?"

"I couldn't eat." I say truthfully.

"I know just the place." He smiles and flips the TARDIS back on again.

"Wait a moment." I race up to the platform. "You know that horrible, wheezing sound this poor thing makes? You know why it makes that sound? Because you leave the damned brakes on! And... the reason those lights are flashing, obviously, you're jamming the frequencies when you flip the switch. And you CAN'T leave the dashboard on all the time like that or else it'll fail. And why do you think we run out of power so often? If you stopped..."

"WHOA!" He puts his hand against my mouth. "Oh Darcy... come here."

"Oh no you DON'T!" I back away slowly. "I have knowledge on how to fly this thing. And it's not going away that easily."

"But you don't understand." He says softly. But I do. I do understand.

"I only gave you a very tiny, tiny bit of knowledge. It won't kill you, and it won't harm you but you won't be the same. Just trust me, and let me take it away. Knowledge is meant to be obtained slowly. This like - like watching a few science shows in the space of a few seconds. Some time or later, the circuts are going to freeze. It's going to be awfully hard to function normally. It'll be like having ADHD... It'll be like getting a rush of information all at one time..."

"I get it. I get it." I say impatiently. I look longingly at the TARDIS. "I've loved flying this thing."

"She liked you too." He said softly. "Now get over here."

"I think you enjoy being the only one to fly the TARDIS." I say, jutting my chin out. "You enjoy being the only one here that knows everything."

"You may be right." He puts his hands gently against my face. "Ready?"

"Am I ever?" I feel a slight head rush as information seeps out of my brain. It takes only a few seconds, but I already feel like I went from having an IQ 100 to an IQ 50.

He pulls back at last. My mind swirls for a bit. I start to fall but he catches my shoulders, steadying me as I lean against the TARDIS. "OK?" he asks worriedly.

I frown confusedly, rubbing my head. "What's my name again? Who are you?"

He looks alarmed as he stares at me. Until I start laughing. "Just joking."

"Oh you..." He pulls a lever on the TARDIS suddenly, causing me to jerk against the console.

"OW!" I say indignantly. "I just saved your life you weirdo alien."

****************************

"Like it?" The Doctor asks. I stare breathlessly at the scene in front of me. We're in a meadow, a beautiful, thick meadow. Trees are dancing all around us in the darkness. But it's not dark, it's not light and it's not dark. I can see everything in front of me as clear as anything. And a soft breeze rustles my hair.

"Here." He flops down in a patch of dandilions,pulling me down with him. I lean against his shoulder, breathing in the scent of spring time and flowers.

"I think I could get used to this."

"Nah it'd get boring, sitting in a boring meadow. Boorring." He slurrs with a laugh that sounds ten times louder with me leaning on his shoulder.

"Now, Mr. I'm So Clever. Start the explanation."

"OK, Miss I'm So Bossy. Here it goes."

"Endor was built, as you already know, as a gateway. It's sort of like the bridge that connects the space world to the proper solar system that you know. And nothing gets past Endor without its permission. The only reason Daleks and other creatures alike are able to come down is because of rifts and tears in the fabric of the universe. That's what I race around trying to patch up. But when they tear, there's always a risk that the races like the Sontarans, the Daleks, all those other wonderful races, will bleed through the gaps, so to speak, and threaten the world as you know it, and even the other galaxies. Now, a long time ago, a very special friend of mine wanred me of this time. A large face known as the Face of Beau, warned me that this was going to happen. He told me that I would be powerless - that the only person that could stop the world, and save me, was my present companion. I had absolutely no idea that it was going to turn out to be this soon. I really didn't. And for that I am truly, truly sorry. I never meant for such pressure and responsibility to be put on you all at one time, and only after we'd just met. So, you pretty much know the rest. Obviously, some little Dalek drones had got through one of the gaps - just before I managed to mend it. They'd planted the bombs, the three bombs in very specific points in time, and managed to get back to their world. Then they planned their assault on Endor. See the gateway is only very narrow, but with those bombs exploding through different points in time, it would create a massive tear in the universe. And then, the whole planets would blow, causing the curtain to rise, so to speak, and millions of Dalek, Sontarans - everything - would pour through to conquor. Luckily... I had my trusty companion to deal with it all."

He smiles and rests his head against mine as we stare at the fluffy orange clouds floating past. "And what about you?"

"Oh my." I sigh. "I learnt so much. First of all, you're a big jerk for expecting me to do all this... but... wow. Your comapnions - all so brave. Martha... tell me about her."

"She was the best." He smiles wistfully. "Good old Martha. So very clever. She wanted to be a doctor too. The one thing she said to me once.... standing on the moon, I remember. When I told her I was a Doctor she looked straight at me. "That title has to be earned." She said. It took me completely off guard. But she was a clever one, my Martha Jones." He smiles at the ground.

"And... Donna..." I smile. "You said I reminded you of her."

"Oh my dear, dear Donna. I can never ever forget her. Dear, brave, important, noble Donna. She was brilliant, just like you. So fiery. I remember when we met. I tried to explain what the TARDIS was. "You're in the TARDIS." I said.

"What?"

"The TARDIS!"

"WHAT?!"

"You're in my TARDIS!"

"THAT"S NOT EVEN A PROPER WORD!!"

We both laugh whole heartedly for a while until I stop. "And... and she forgot. You had to make her forget."

He pulls his head up, turns to look at me, raising an eyebrow. "How do you know about that?"

"Jack.... he took me to see it. Her farewell. She had to forget because she was part Timelord, so you took away that knowledge - like you did mine."

"Oh I know." He looks so sad. I wrap my hands around him. "I was so very sad when I had to do that. I couldn't just let her go on. She'd self destruct. She had way too much knowledge - too much to cope. There was nothing else I could do. I had to wipe her memories. She couldn't even remember my name - the TARDIS, our adventures - nothing."

"It's alright." I whisper softly. "I know they were all special."

"And so are you." He kisses the top of my head. "Are we ready for our next adventure? That is, if you still trust me."

"Of course I do! You may be completely bonkers - live inside an impossibly large-on-the-inside box, and travel through space and time... but there is something about you that nobody can deny." I look at him with excited eyes. "You're like... I don't know... impossible."

"I get that a lot." He flashes me a perfect smile. "Now where to? ALLONS-Y!" The sound of the Tardis, with its screeching breaks rests into view.

"You know what?" I run up the grassy dune to join him. "I actually kind of like the sound of the TARDIS when it has its breaks left on. It's kind of comforting - familiar."

"And that's exactly why I do leave the breaks on." He sweeps inside. "LET'S GO SHALL WE?!"