Starlight ★ TENTH DOCTOR

Where The End Begins

While running for their lives, all around them they heard the robotic screams and cries of pain from the poor souls that had been turned into metal monsters. They desperately searched for a way out but were blocked by cybermen or flames at every corner that they turned.

"There's no way out!" The Doctor cried out with desperation. 

"Can't we get to the roof? There has to be a fire escape somewhere?" Elizabeth choked out, the thick smoke irritating her throat. 

"Brilliant!" The Doctor agreed and led the way to the only staircase that the flames hadn't yet reached. When they were halfway up, Rose's phone started to ring. 

The blonde didn't even have time to say anything, the person on the other line was already shouting something at her.  "It's Mickey. He says "Head for the roof". 

"Ha, ha, yes!" Elizabeth let out a laugh, surprised that her plan was actually working. The four of them continued their run up the multiple flights of stairs, trying to avoid the explosions and flames. They arrived on the top of the roof and saw an enormous zeppelin hovering above them.

"Mickey, where'd you learn to fly that thing?!" Rose asked her boyfriend over the phone, looking at the zeppelin with her mouth wide open. But they didn't have time to stand around looking at it as they felt the roof rumble against their feet. 

"The roof's about to give. Come on!" Elizabeth shouted running towards the ladder that hung from the zeppelin. 

"Liz, Rose, get up!" The Doctor ordered the girls, holding the ladder steady. 

"You first, we've got skirts on!" Elizabeth said half joking. 

"This is not the time..." The Doctor grumbled and rolled his eyes but listened to her anyway. The older blonde thought she saw a slight blush creep up his cheeks. She then let Rose climb up after the Doctor. After her, Pete gestured for Elizabeth to go next and she complied, she could complain about that later. The four of them clung to the rope ladder as the zeppelin slowly rose up and started to fly them away. 

"We did it! We did it!" Rose shouted happily but her laughter was cut short as they felt the ladder suddenly jerk downwards. Elizabeth yelped as she felt her grip on the ladder slip off just slightly. They looked down and saw Lumic hanging onto the bottom rungs. He was climbing up after them. 

The Doctor took his sonic out of his jacked pocket "Pete! Take this!" he dropped it into Pete's outstretched hand "Use it! Hold the button down! Press it against the rope, just do it!"

Pete held the sonic against the rope just below his feet and pressed the button "Jackie Tyler, this is for her!" For a moment it seemed like it wasn't going to work and Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her face against the rope. But the blonde jerked slightly backwards once more as she felt the weight of Lumic's robotic body fall off. She opened her eyes to see him slowly falling into the exploding factory down below. 

★★★★

Now back safely on solid ground, they made their way to the Tardis. The Doctor had run ahead of them to power it up, letting the girls have their moments with Pete and Marie. 

Elizabeth and Marie slowly came up to the Tardis. Pete and Rose followed a couple of feet behind. Elizabeth greeted the blue box with a small smile and a gentle stroke of her hand on the dark blue wood. she cast a glance towards Marie, who was watching her with a furrowed brow.

"My head has been telling me that it's not possible but, in my heart, I know who you are now." Elizabeth froze at the older woman's words. "With after everything tonight and all that talk of different worlds..." Marie searched the younger girl's eyes for answers.