"What?" Raelle muttered, rubbing her eyes to see if she was hallucinating. She wasn't. The woman turns around to face them, startling herself as she spots the pair still intertwined on the floor.
"Oh!"
"What?" The Doctor sputters out, very confused.
"Who are you?"
"But-" Raelle tries to speak before being cut off.
"Where am I, eh?"
"What?" The Doctor scoffs in shock.
"What the hell is this place?" She shouted.
Raelle and the Doctor shared a very confused look before speaking in unison. "What?"
The Doctor helps Raelle up as she stares at the woman, extremely confused as to how she could be here. "What? You can't do that. I wasn't-" The Doctor rambled, flustered by the sudden appearance of the woman. He raced over to the console to check the switches. "We're in flight. That is, that is physically impossible! How did-"
"Tell me where I am." The woman spoke to the Doctor in a stern tone. "I demand you tell me right now where am I?" She shouted, causing Raelle to jump.
"Inside the Tardis." She replied breathlessly. This has been a hell of a day.
"The what?"
"The Tardis." The Doctor reiterated.
"The what?" The woman shouted.
"The Tardis!" Raelle shouted, raising her hands around her as she moved to stand by the Doctor at the console.
The woman stared at Raelle, eyes wide. "The what?" She scoffed.
"It's called the Tardis." The Doctor repeated, fiddling with the switches in the hopes it would conjure up an explanation.
"That's not even a proper word. You're just saying things."
"How did you get in here?" Raelle frowned at the woman, taking in her wedding dress appearance.
The woman scowled at Raelle. "Well, obviously, when you and your boyfriend kidnapped me. Who was it? Who's paying you? Is it Nerys?" Raelle shared a look of utter confusion with the Doctor as she continued to ramble. "Oh my God, she's finally got me back. This has got Nerys written all over it."
"Who the hell is Nerys?" The Doctor asked which caused the woman to glare even harder at him.
"Your best friend."
"Hold on, wait a minute." He gestured his hands towards the woman, gesturing to her outfit. "What are you dressed like that for?" Raelle resisted the urge to faceplant her face against her hand. For an incredibly genius TimeLord species, he could be incredibly stupid.
"I'm going ten pin bowling." The woman replied sarcastically, causing Raelle to smirk, the Doctor oblivious to her mockery. "Why do you think, dumbo?" She shouted, causing the Doctor to frown harder, moving to the console. "I was halfway up the aisle! I've been waiting all my life for this. I was just seconds away, and then you, I don't know, you both drugged me or something!" She pointed an accusatory finger towards Raelle.
Raelle held her hands above her head innocently. "I haven't done anything!"
"I'm having the police on you! Me and my husband, as soon as he is my husband, we're going to sue the living backside off you!" She threatened the pair who shared a look of bewilderment. Raelle leaned against the console, leaning forward to whisper to the Doctor.
"What the-"
"I know." He cut her off before she could finish, giving her a knowing look. He peered over her shoulder to see the woman running down the ramp to the doors. He groaned before protesting as both him and Raelle raced after her. "No, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Don't!-"
It was too late. She flung open the doors, freezing at the sight of empty space in front of her. Raelle moved to stand beside her as the Doctor stood behind the pair as they all stared into the pretty sight in front of them.
"You're in space. Outer space. This is my space-" He paused as Raelle gave him a look. "-ship. It's called the Tardis." The Doctor told her calmly.
"How am I breathing?" The woman replied, voice barely above a whisper.
"The Tardis is protecting us." Raelle gave her a kind smile to calm her. The woman stared at Raelle before looking between the pair.
"Who are you?"
"I'm the Doctor and this is Raelle. You?"
"Donna."
"Human?"
"Yeah." She replied as if it was obvious before pausing. "Is that optional?"
Raelle sighed. "Well, it is when you're him." She nodded over to the Doctor. Donna followed her nod, looking the Doctor once over.
"You're an alien."
"Yeah." He exhaled.
"It's freezing with these doors open." Donna retorted, giving Raelle a look. Raelle sighed, slamming the doors shut as the Doctor races back over to the console.
"I don't understand that and I understand everything." He complained, pointing a finger to his temple. "This this can't happen! There is no way a human being can lock itself onto the Tardis and transport itself inside. It must be-" He grabs an ophthalmoscope and uses it to look into Donna's eyes. Raelle watches as she leans against the console. "Impossible. Some sort of subatomic connection? Something in the temporal field? Maybe something pulling you into alignment with the Chronon shell. Maybe something macro mining your DNA within the interior matrix. Maybe a genetic-"
The Doctor is cut off as Donna slaps him around the face. Raelle slams a hand against her mouth, eyes wide as the Doctor holds his cheek. He looks at Raelle in a bewildered manner before turning to Donna. "What was that for?" He shouts.
"Get me to the church!" Donna commands.
He scoffs, moving to the console. "Right! Fine! I don't want you here anyway! Where is this wedding?"
"Saint Mary's, Hayden Road, Chiswick, London, England, Earth, the Solar System." She rambles as the Doctor frantically pulls switches on the console, asking Raelle to help. Donna spots a blouse hanging over the railing as she storms over, grabbing it as she speaks.
"I knew it, acting all innocent. This is either hers," She pointed to Raelle. "Or another girl you've kidnapped! I'm not the first, am I?" Raelle frowns, looking over to Donna. She spots Rose's shirt, causing her heart to hurt at the sight. She sighs, looking in the other direction as the Doctor squeezes her hand as he notices. "How many women have you abducted?"
"That's my friend's." He replies in a solemn tone.
"Where is she, then? Popped out for a space walk?" Donna mocked.
"She's gone." Raelle muttered, taking a deep breath.
"Gone where?" Donna scoffed.
"We lost her." The Doctor replied, looking sadly at the blouse as he spoke.
"Well, you can hurry up and lose me!" Donna shouted at the pair. Raelle and the Doctor shared a sad look, returning to their job at the console. Donna took in their looks, frowning. "How do you mean, lost?"
The Doctor gave Donna a dark look, one to tell her not to continue as Raelle swallowed thickly. He moved forward, grabbing the blouse from Donna, throwing it through a doorway, as Raelle and Donna followed after him. "Right, Chiswick." He announced, pulling the switch on the console as they travelled through space.
The TARDIS landed in a small courtyard as Raelle and Donna emerged. This didn't look like a church. "I said, Saint Mary's. What sort of Martian are you? Where's this?" Donna complained as the Doctor frowned at the TARDIS, stroking the outside.
"Something's wrong with her." He muttered. "The Tardis, it's like she's recalibrating!" He exclaimed, racing back into the TARDIS as he continued to ramble. Raelle started to enter, turning to see Donna's shocked face at the TARDIS. Raelle's eyes widen in realisation. The realisation must be happening. Smaller on the inside. Donna darts around all the sides of the TARDIS in bewilderment as Raelle watched the doorway, letting her have her moment. She stared back up at the TARDIS, hand over her mouth as she looked as she was about to cry. Raelle opened her mouth to say something but she runs off out the courtyard.
"Donna!" She calls out after her, who doesn't stop running. "Doctor!" She exclaims to inside the TARDIS as she sets off after Donna.
"Donna." Raelle tries, holding her hand out to Donna.
"Leave me alone. I just want to get married."
"Come back to the Tardis." She pleads.
"No way. That box is too weird."
Raelle shrugs as she speaks. "It's bigger on the inside, that's all."
"Oh! That's all?" Donna stops checking her watch on her wrist, giving Raelle a flustered look as the Doctor catches up to them. "Ten past three. I'm going to miss it." Donna sighs, placing a hand on her forehead to calm her.
"You can phone them. Tell them where you are." The Doctor offered.
Donna glared at the man. "How do I do that?"
" Haven't you got a mobile?"
"I'm in my wedding dress. It doesn't have pockets." She gestures to her dress as she continues to glare at the Doctor. "Who has pockets? Have you ever seen a bride with pockets? When I went to my fitting at Chez Alison, the one thing I forgot to say is give me pockets!"
"This man you're marrying. What's his name?" The Doctor asks, a slight undertone of sarcasm lacing his voice as Raelle watched, trying not to laugh at the pair bickering.
"Lance." Donna smiles.
"Good luck, Lance."
"Oi! No stupid Martian or Earth girl is going to stop me from getting married." She shouts, setting off again away from the pair. "To hell with you!"
"I'm, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not from Mars." He stuttered, looking at Raelle for support. She shook her head, chuckling softly, as they chased after Donna.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
"Taxi!" Donna calls as the taxi drives past. "Why's his light on?" She complains.
"There's another one!" Raelle points down the road, waving her hand out in the attempt to stop it. "Taxi!" She calls out as it drives past her too. "Oi!" She shouts after.
"There's one!" The Doctor points at another taxi driving past as he signals it to stop, but it continues to drive on.
"Oi!" Donna and Raelle call out in unison after the taxi.
"Do you have this effect on everyone? Why aren't they stopping?" The Doctor whined to Donna.
"They think I'm in fancy dress." She gestures to her dress as more taxi drivers drive past them.
"Stay off the sauce, darling!" A group of boys call out from a passing car to Donna.
"They think I'm drunk."
"You're fooling no one, mate!" A man in a van calls out to Donna.
"They think I'm in drag!"
"Hold on, hold on." The Doctor places his fingers in his mouth, making a piercing whistle. It causes a taxi nearby to do a quick U turn to pick them up. Donna clambers into the taxi as the Doctor and Raelle follow behind.
"Where did you learn that?" Raelle asked, smirking. The Doctor shrugged, not wiping the smug smile off his face.
"Saint Mary's in Chiswick, just off Hayden Road. It's an emergency. I'm getting married. Just hurry up!" Donna commands, as the taxi drives off.
"You know it'll cost you, sweetheart? Double rates today." The taxi driver tells them.
"Oh, my God." Donna freezes, looking to the Doctor and Raelle. "Have you got any money?"
Raelle pats down her clothes, shaking her head. "Er, No"
"Haven't you?" The Doctor asks, oblivious again.
"Pockets!" Donna shouts.
The taxi driver stops, kicking them out the taxi as he drives off again. "And that goes double for your mother!" Donna shouts after him, pointing a fierce finger in his direction. "I'll have him. I've got his number. I'll have him. Talk about the Christmas spirit." She scoffed as she crossed her arms.
Raelle looks around at the busy streets of London, decorations galore. "Is it Christmas?" She asks in admiration.
"Well, duh. Maybe not on whatever planet you guys travel to, but here it's Christmas Eve." She rolls her eyes, spying a phone box by the side of the street. "Phone box! We can reverse the charges!"
"How come you're getting married on Christmas Eve?" The Doctor asks as they made their way over to the phone box.
"Can't bear it. I hate Christmas." Donna informed them. Raelle frowned at the thought - she loved christmas. "Honeymoon, Morocco. Sunshine, lovely. What's the operator? I've not done this in years. What do you dial? 100?" The Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver and gets a dialling tone.
"Just call the direct." He told her.
"What did you do?"
"Something Martian. Now phone. I'll get money!" He told the pair. He gave Raelle a look to stay with Donna to which she nodded at as he made his way over to a cash machine as he queued.
"Oh, answer the phone!" Donna groaned as she waited for the phone to dial. "Mum, get off the phone and listen. I'm in. Oh, my God, I don't know where I am! It's a street, and there's WH Smith but it's definitely Earth." She hangs up the phone, a defeated look on her face.
Raelle sighed, looking around them for any help. A lady walks past the pair to which Raelle tries to help. "Excuse me." She smiles politely. "I'm begging you. My friend is getting married, she really am and she's late and we just need to borrow a tenner and I'll pay you back I promise and it's Christmas." She tries. The lady looks at the pair before walking off. Raelle frowns as she continues and runs off to a taxi with Donna.
"Taxi! St Mary's Chiswick." Donna orders as Raelle gets in the taxi, determined to stick with Donna. "Thanks for nothing, spaceman! I'll see you in Court." Donna announces as she slams the door shut behind her. As the taxi pulls away, Raelle spots the Doctor running towards them, a worried look on her face.
"Elle! Donna!" He shouts after them. But it's too late as the taxi drives off.
"I promise you, mate, I'll give you the rest when we get there." Donna tells the driver as she spots herself in the mirror. "Oh, I look a mess."
"You don't" Raelle offered her, taking Donna's veil from her as Donna gave Raelle a thankful smile.
"Hurry up." Donna barks at the driver. "Hold on a minute. I said Chiswick. You've missed the turning. Excuse me, we should've turned off back there. We're going the wrong way!" Raelle frowns at the driver, looking closely at him. He's dressed in a santa suit. Something about this seems familiar to Raelle but she can't put her finger on it.
"What the hell are you doing? I'm late for the wedding. My own wedding. Do you get that? Turn around! Turn this cab around right now! Are you deaf or what?" While Donna rambles beside Raelle, Raelle reaches forward, tugging at Santa's hood as it's mask falls off to reveal it is a robot. She inhales sharply, sitting back in her seat as Donna has a shocked face plastered on her.
"Oh, my God." Donna panics, trying to open the window. "Help me! Help me! Help me! Help me! Help me! Help me! Help me! Get me out! Help me! Help me! I'm being driven by a robot!"
Cars passing by stare at Donna, taking no notice of the seriousness of the situation. "What is that?" Donna points aggressively over to the robot driving.
"Pilot fish" Raelle informed her, raking a hand through her hair as she tried to think of a way out. "I saw them last christmas. God Raelle think!" She presses her palms against her forehead as her brain-dead brain rendered useless of an escape plan.
The sound of screeching became more prominent as Raelle looked through the back window of the taxi to see a familiar blue box trailing behind.
"Like a dog with a bone." Raelle chuckled as the TARDIS flew nearer. Donna followed Raelle's eye-line, spying the box, not knowing whether to be relieved or distraught.
"You are kidding me." Donna rolled her eyes as the TARDIS joins the side of the taxi, by Donna's window. The Doctor opens the door, holding a piece of string between his teeth as Raelle could spot sparks flying inside.
"Open the door!" The muffled shouts of the Doctor made Raelle and Donna share a confused look.
"Do what?" Raelle shouts back, shaking her head at the Doctor.
He rolls his eyes as he repeats himself. "Open the door!"
"We can't" Donna tries the door again. "It's locked!" The Doctor fumbles in his pocket to reveal his sonic screwdriver, zapping the door as Donna winds down the window.
"Santa's a robot."
"Donna, open the door." He pleads.
"What for?"
"We've got to jump!" Raelle finished for the Doctor. This idea caused a glare to take place on Donna's face, mostly directed to Raelle at that moment.
"I'm not blinking flip jumping. I'm supposed to be getting married!" She scoffs, being cut short as the robot accelerates faster, the TARDIS falling out of view from the taxi window.
"Donna, listen to me." Raelle grabbed Donna's shoulders, spying the TARDIS following behind to catch up. "Jumping is our only way."
Donna scoffs, shaking her head. "No way." She said defiantly.
"Donna, please." Raelle pleaded. "You've got to trust me. The Doctor. Both of us." Donna shook her head again, stopping as she caught sight of Raelle's genuine expression. Before she could respond, the Doctor voice, shouting, interrupted them as he sonics the robot.
"Listen to me. You've got to jump."
"I'm not jumping on a motorway." Donna argued, taking in the fast cars passing them.
"Whatever that thing is, it needs you. And whatever it needs you for, it's not good! Now, come on!" He bellows.
"I'm in my wedding dress!"
"Yes, you look lovely! Come on!" Raelle encouraged her, opening the door in front of Donna. The Doctor reaches his hand out for her as Donna nervously pauses at the edge of the taxi.
"I can't do it." She cries out.
"Trust me." The Doctor pleaded, sharing a look at Raelle.
"Is that what you said to her? Your friend?" Donna asked, looking to Raelle. "The one you lost? Did she trust you both?"
Raelle paused, clearing her throat as her heart broke slightly at the thought of Rose. "Yes, she did." She nodded her head, knowing Rose trusted Raelle with her life. "And she is not dead. She is so alive. Now, jump!" Raelle encouraged Donna, giving her a little push as Donna launches herself out of the taxi into the Doctor's arms.
"Elle!" The Doctor shouts to Raelle, holding his arms out for her as she moved to the edge of the taxi. She could now see why Donna was nervous, they were moving extremely fast. Raelle takes a deep breath, looking up to the Doctor before jumping across. She may have put too much into the jump as she launched herself into the Doctor, causing them to crash to the ground as she landed on top of him. They both laugh breathlessly, pulling the string between his teeth as the TARDIS doors slam shut and it flys away.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
The group emerged from the TARDIS, massive amounts of smoke following them. The Doctor uses the help of a fire extinguisher through the TARDIS doors as they emerge onto a rooftop.
"The funny thing is, for a spaceship, she doesn't really do that much flying." The Doctor frowned, stroking the outside of the door again. "We'd better give her a couple of hours." He looked at the TARDIS longingly as Raelle pressed her lips together to suppress her laugh at the sight. He sighed heavily, looking over to Raelle.
"What?" He mouthed to her, looking at her amused expression. She shook her head, grabbing the Doctor's glasses from his hand to place on her head. He rolled her eyes at her obsession with his glasses as she walked over to join Donna at the edge of the rooftop.
"You all right?" She asked, placing a comforting hand on her arm.
Donna shrugged. "Doesn't matter."
"Did we miss it?" The Doctor asked.
"Yeah."
"Well, you can book another date."
"Course we can."
Raelle sighed from beside of Donna. "You've still got the honeymoon."
"It's just a holiday now." She muttered.
"Yeah." Raelle paused. "Yeah. Sorry."
Donna sent the girl a kind smile, as well as the Doctor. "It's both not your fault."
"Oh?" The Doctor mused. "That's a change."
Donna sighed wistfully, looking back at the TARDIS. "Wish you had a time machine, then we could go back and get it right." Raelle and the Doctor shared a knowing look.
"Yeah, yeah. But even if I did, I couldn't go back on someone's personal timeline. Apparently." The Doctor shrugged as Donna moved to sit on the edge of the roof, looking towards St Paul's Cathedral and the City beyond. The Doctor takes off his jacket and puts it around her shoulders, as both him and Raelle sit either side of Donna.
"God, you're skinny." Donna grimaced as she marvelled at the blazer over her shoulders.
"Tell me about it." Raelle rolled her eyes, catching the playful glare the Doctor sent her way.
"This wouldn't fit a rat." Donna chuckled, trying to put the buttons together.
"Oh and you'd better put this on." The Doctor interrupted, reaching into his pocket to reveal a gold ring.
"Oh, do you have to rub it in?"
"Those creatures can trace you." He explained, holding the ring up. "This is a bio-damper. Should keep you hidden." He takes ahold of Donna's hand, slipping the ring on one of her fingers. "With this ring, I thee bio-damp."
"For better or for worse." Raelle chuckled beside the pair.
Donna held her hand up, twinkling it to Raelle as she laughed. "So, come on then. Robot santas, what are they for?" She asked the pair.
"Ah, your basic robo scavenger." The Doctor explained, shrugging. "The Father Christmas stuff is just a disguise. They're trying to blend in. We met them last Christmas." He nodded to Raelle.
Donna frowned in confusion. "Why, what happened then?"
"Great big spaceship hovering over London?" Raelle asked as Donna looked even more confused. "You didn't notice?"
"I had a bit of a hangover." Raelle laughed at the genuine obliviousness of Donna. She liked her.
"We spent Christmas Day just over there, the Powell Estate, with her family." The Doctor pointed over to the estate as Raelle smiled fondly. "My friend, she had this family, Raelle's family." He continued, causing Donna to look at Raelle in shock at the news they shared the same family. "Well, they were." He paused, stealing a sad glance to Raelle. Raelle took in a deep breath, focusing on the estate in the distance, happy memories of last Christmas flooding her brain. "Still, gone now."
"Your friend, sister, who was she?" Donna asked, focusing on Raelle who looked beyond heartbroken. The Doctor could sense her distraught, interrupting to give Raelle a moment.
"Question is" He asked. "what do camouflaged robot mercenaries want with you? And how did you get inside the Tardis? I don't know. What's your job?" He reaches into his blazer pocket on Donna to get his screwdriver.
"I'm a secretary." The Doctor scans her with the sonic screwdriver.
"It's weird. I mean, you're not special, you're not powerful, you're not connected, you're not clever, you're not important."
"This friend of yours. Just before she left, did she punch you in the face? Stop bleeping me!" She flicks the screwdriver away, as the pair roll their eyes simultaneously to Raelle who was quite enjoying them bicker.
"What kind of secretary?" She asked Donna.
"I'm at HC Clements. It's where I met Lance. I was temping. I mean, it was all a bit posh really. I'd spent the last two years at a double glazing firm. Well, I thought I'm never going to fit in here. And then he made me a coffee. I mean, that just doesn't happen. Nobody gets the secretaries a coffee. And Lance, he's the head of HR! He don't need to bother with me. But he was nice, he was funny. And it turns out he thought everyone else was really snotty too. So that's how it started, me and him. One cup of coffee. That was it."
Raelle smiles as she listens. "When was this?"
"Six months ago."
"Bit quick to get married." The Doctor frowned at the thought.
"Well, he insisted. And he nagged, and he nagged me and he just wore me down. And then finally, I just gave in." She shrugs.
"What does HC Clements do?" The Doctor frowns.
"Oh, security systems. You know, entry codes, ID cards, that sort of thing. If you ask me, it's a posh name for locksmiths."
"Keys." Raelle
"Anyway, enough of my CV. Come on, it's time to face the consequences." She smacks her legs as she moves to stand. "Oh, this is going to be so shaming. You can do the explaining, Martian boy."
"Yeah. I'm not from Mars."
"Oh, I had this great big reception all planned. Everyone's going to be heartbroken."
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
As they enter the reception, the familiar sounds of Slade could be heard as everyone dances happily about. As Donna makes her way into sight, with Raelle and the Doctor standing slightly behind, the music stops as everyone notices her, with utter shock written on their faces.
"You had the reception without me?" Donna asks, gobsmacked at the happy people in front of her.
"Donna, what happened to you?" A man, presumably Lance, asked her.
"You had the reception without me?" Donna repeated, through gritted teeth.
"Hello. I'm the Doctor and this is Raelle." The Doctor announced as the pair waved from behind Donna.
"They had the reception without me." Donna repeated, turning to look at the Doctor and Raelle, hoping they would grasp the situation.
"Yes, I gathered." The Doctor nodded, still smiling. This earned a nudge in the ribs from Raelle to get him to shut up which successfully worked.
A blonde girl stepped forward, hands on hips, as she shrugged. "Well, it was all paid for. Why not?"
"Thank you, Nerys." Donna replied sarcastically, causing Raelle and the Doctor to smirk at one another.
"Well, what were we supposed to do?" An older woman complained, hands in the air. "I got your silly little message in the end. I'm on Earth? Very funny. What the hell happened? How did you do it? I mean, what's the trick, because I'd love to know." The surrounding group of people all started talking at once as Donna stood there flustered. They finally all fall quiet when Donna bursts into tears. Lance hugs her and everyone applauds. The Doctor and Raelle watch in bewilderment as Donna winks at the pair, as try their best to bite back their laugh.
To try and 'cheer up' Donna, everyone resumed to dancing again as the Doctor and Raelle stood at the bar, watching Lance and Donna dancing together. Raelle watched them in awe as the Doctor asks a man beside them to borrow his phone. He uses his screwdriver, discreetly, to search up HC Clements. The final results showed 'HC Clements, sole proprietor - Torchwood'
He sighs, handing the phone back as he watches Donna and Lance happily dance together, and then down to the girl standing beside him. The look of awe on her face was enough to make him smile.
"They look so happy." Raelle marvelled, looking up to the Doctor. "Ever been to a wedding before?" She asked him.
"Nothing memorable." He shrugged. He smiles, holding his hand out for Raelle. "Fancy a dance?"
Raelle laughed as she took hold of his hand. "You dance?" She asked doubtfully.
"I have you know I am an exceptional dancer." He defended as he led them onto the dance floor.
"I'll believe it when I see it." Raelle rolled her eyes as the Doctor sent her a challenging look. Without any warning, he spun her round as he dipped her down, their faces merely apart. Raelle chuckled as she looked up at him. "You've proved me wrong." She joked, pressing a quick kiss to his lips as he held her up as they continued to dance.
"No flashy moves to show me then?" He mused, as they swayed along to the music.
Raelle laughed in disbelief. "You know me, I couldn't dance if my life depended on it." She purposely stepped on one of his toes, causing to yell out in pain. "See?" She smiled innocently as he gave her a glare. As punishment, he spun her as she protested, pushing her out as she spun.
Due to the spinning making Raelle dizzy, she accidentally budged into someone behind her. "Oh my god, I am so sorry-" She apologised, pausing as she caught sight of the person she bumped into. A blonde woman. The woman waved her off as she continued to dance but Raelle stayed transfixed on her. Her vision flooded with Rose.
The Doctor places his hands on her shoulders, spinning her around as he gives her a concerned look. Raelle shakes her head, giving him a smile to mask her heartbreak. Before the Doctor could ask her about what just happen, Raelle cut him off by taking his hand and leading him over to the camera man she spotted over his shoulder.
"Excuse me?" She asked him, flashing him a smile. "Did you film the whole wedding?"
"Oh, I taped the whole thing. They've all had a look. They said sell it to You've Been Framed. I said, more like the News. Here we are." He replays the tape, showing Donna turned into gold energy and flew off.
"Can't be." The Doctor peered at the camera in shock. "Play it again?"
"Clever, mind. Good trick, I'll give her that. I was clapping." The camera man laughs as they replay the tape again.
"But that looks like Huon Particles." The Doctor states, shocked at the sight of Donna.
"What's that then?" The camera man asks as the Doctor continues to ramble.
"That's impossible." He rambled, looking at Raelle. "That's ancient. Huon energy doesn't exist anymore, not for billions of years. So old that it can't be hidden by a biodamper!" He exclaimed in realisation as they both quickly looked to Donna. The Doctor grabs ahold of Raelle's hand as they run to the entrance, stopping in their tracks when they see the robot Sanatas covering the entrances.
"Donna!" Raelle and the Doctor both bellowed as they ran into the reception, frantically running to Donna who was oblivious to their commotion. "Donna, they've found you."
"But you said I was safe."
"The bio-damper doesn't work." The Doctor told her.
"We've got to get everyone out." Raelle ordered, looking around at the group of Donna's family who were staring at them as if they were crazy.
"My God" Donna panicked, placing a hand on her forehead in distress. "it's all my family."
"Out the back door!" The Doctor shouted, moving the curtains to reveal the robot Santa's the other side of the door.
"Maybe not." Raelle countered from beside him, as they peered through the french windows.
"We're trapped." Donna nervously worried as the robot the other side of the window pulled out a remote control.
"Christmas trees." Raelle muttered breathlessly, quickly turning to face the huge tree in the corner of the room, before rushing over to move the small children away.
"What about them?" Donna frowned.
"They kill." The Doctor yelled, rushing to join Raelle as he shouted to the remainder of the family. "Get away from the tree!"
"Don't touch the trees!" Donna joined in, helping Raelle move people away.
"Get away from the Christmas trees! Everyone get away from them! Everyone stay away from the trees! Stay away from the trees!" Raelle demanded as the group of people looked at her as if she was deluded. Raelle, Donna and the Doctor formed a barrier between the tree and Donna's family as Donna's mum huffed in protest.
"Oh, for God's sakes, the woman's an idiot." She argued, waving her hands to Raelle. "Why? What harm's a Christmas tree going to. Oh." She stopped, looking at the tree in admiration. The trio slowly turned to see the baubles floating off the tree, moving to hover above the group of people. Raelle looked hesitantly up at the baubles, sensing something bad was about to occur.
Without any warning, the baubles above them started to explode, causing chaos. People screaming, panicking, as people were being thrown across the room. The Doctor quickly sprinted over to Raelle, pushing her down on the floor as he protected her from one the explosions with his body. Raelle looked up at him, eye wide at what was happening.
"You okay?" He asked her, worried expression in his eyes.
She smiled reassuringly, as he helped her up as they took in the scene around them. Donna and Lance were hiding underneath a table, multiple fires present around them as everyone ran about, trying to escape. The Doctor looks around quickly for a way to stop the attacks as more baubles continued to explode, spying the DJ's sounds desk to see six Santa's all lined up in front of the bar. Grabbing Raelle's hand, he rushes them both over to the DJ's desk, pulling out his sonic screwdriver.
"Oi! Santa! Word of advice. If you're attacking a man with a sonic screwdriver, don't let him near the sound system." He jams the screwdriver into the deck, resulting in a piecing vibration to rupture throughout the room. Everyone, apart from the Doctor, cover their ears as the sounds pierces through their ears painfully. After a few seconds, the sounds stops as the robot Santa's deactivate as the Doctor rushes over to one of them to look at the controls within. Raelle slowly makes her way over, helping up members of Donna's family up from the floor as both her and Donna peer over the Doctor's shoulder.
"Look at that." He marvels, holding up a control panel from the robot. "Remote control for the decorations, but there's a second remote control for the robots. They're not scavengers anymore. I think someone's taken possession."
"Never mind all that. You're a doctor. People have been hurt." Donna pleaded, looking hopelessly around at her family members.
"Nah, they wanted you alive. Look." He waves her off, throwing a bauble to her. "They're not active now."
Donna looked at the bauble in her hand, shaking her head disapprovingly. "All I'm saying, you could help."
"Got to think of the bigger picture." He stated, causing Raelle to cringe. She knew he didn't mean that but ever since Torchwood, the Doctor's perspective on things had slightly shifted. Raelle sent an apologetic look to Donna who was taken aback by the dismissive actions of the Doctor. "There's still a signal!" He cried out, leaping to his feet and heading to the front door. Raelle followed in pursuit as they ran outside. "There's someone behind this, directing the roboforms." He told her, frowning at the thought as Donna caught up to them.
"But why is it me? What have I done?" She asked.
"If we find the controller, we'll find that out. Ooo! It's up there. Something in the sky." The three of them looked into the blue skies, as the Doctor continued to fiddle with the device. "I've lost the signal." He whined like a child.
Raelle sighed at his pathetic actions, turning to Donna. "Donna, we've got to get to your office. HC Clements. I think that's where it all started."
The Doctor nodded his head, approvingly of Raelle's plans as he spotted Lance pass by them. "Lance!" He called out, causing Lance to frown at him. "Is it Lance? Lance, can you give us a lift?" He asked as him and Raelle plastered their most innocent smiles on their faces in the hopes he would comply. It worked.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
"To you lot this might just be a locksmiths, but HC Clements was brought up twenty three years ago by the Torchwood Institute." The Doctor informed Donna and Lance as he raced over to a computer, frantically typing away as Raelle perched on the edge of the desk.
"Who are they?" Donna frowned in confusion, looking at Raelle for answers.
"They were behind the battle of Canary Wharf." She told her, pausing as she notices Donna's confused expression still plastered on her face. "Cyberman invasion. Skies over London full of Daleks?"
Donna nodded as she realised. "Oh, I was in Spain."
"They had Cybermen in Spain." Raelle slowly said, wondering if Donna was being real.
"Scuba diving."
Raelle and the Doctor shared a look, bewildered by Donna's obliviousness. "That big picture, Donna." The Doctor remarked. "You keep on missing it. Torchwood was destroyed, but HC Clements stayed in business. I think someone else came in and took over the operation."
"But what do they want with me?" Donna asked nervously.
The Doctor moved from the computer to face Donna. "Somehow you've been dosed with Huon energy. And that's a problem, because Huon energy hasn't existed since the Dark Times. The only place you'd find a Huon particle now is a remnant in the heart of the Tardis. See? That's what happened. Say, that's the Tardis." He picks up a coffee mug. "And that's you." He picks up a pencil with his other hand. "The particles inside you activated. The two sets of particles magnetised and whap." He shakes the mug before dropping the pencil inside. "You were pulled inside the Tardis."
Raelle watched his demonstration, resisting from cracking up at the extremely confused expression on Donna's face as she listened. "I'm a pencil inside a mug?" She simply asked, causing Raelle to choke on her laugh.
"Yes, you are." The Doctor clicked his teeth together, tossing Donna the pencil as he placed the mug to the side. "4H. Sums you up. Lance?" He turns to face Lance, who watched the trio with an unamused expression on his face. "What was HC Clements working on? Anything top secret? Special operations? Do not enter?"
Lance shrugged as he thought. "I don't know, I'm in charge of personnel. I wasn't project manager. Why am I even explaining myself? What the hell are we talking about?" He angrily accused, as the Doctor turns back to the computer screen to show a blueprint plan of the building.
"They make keys, that's the point." He remarked. "And look at this. We're on the third floor." He points to the blueprint as he explained, racing over to the lift. "Underneath reception, there's a basement, yes? Then how come when you look on the lift, there's a button marked lower basement? There's a whole floor which doesn't exist on the official plans. So what's down there, then?"
"Are you telling me this building's got a secret floor?" Lance asked doubtfully.
Raelle scoffed in response as she moved to join the Doctor in the lift. "No, we're showing you this building's got a secret floor."
"It needs a key." Donna
The Doctor wagged his eyebrows in a smug expression. "I don't." He uses his sonic to the lower basement button, activating the lift. Satisfied with his work, he claps his hands together. "Right then. Thanks, you two. We can handle this." He told them, wrapping his arm around Raelle's shoulder. "See you later."
"No chance, Martian man and Earth girl" Donna scoffed, stepping into the lift. "You're the man who keeps saving my life. I ain't letting you out of my sight."
"Going down."
"Lance?" Donna looked at Lance defiantly.
"Maybe I should go to the police."
"Inside." She demanded as Lance sighed, stepping into the lift. The Doctor and Raelle quietly chuckled at the soon to be married pair in front of them.
"To honour and obey?" The Doctor asked, with Raelle placing a hand over her mouth to suppress her laugh.
"Tell me about it, mate." Lance rolled his eyes.
"Oi." Donna gave him a sharp look as the lift started to descend. The Doctor and Raelle pursed their lips together as they watched the pair bicker as they went down, amused. They were going to have a happy marriage.
I did finally end up writing 'The Runaway Bride'!! Sorry for the long chapter but part 2 will be coming out soon. Just wanted to say a huge thank you for everyone who has read this - I know it may not be the best written story but it's been fun to write.