!EDITED!
A/N: was 7235 words, is now 8869! Enjoy! :D
I whimper in pain, curling into the thing that was beside me and feeling a weight over my waist. Blimey, my head... what happened? I open my eyes, blinking in shock when there's a jumper blocking my view... oh, it's the Doctor, I breathe out. "Doctor..." I push on his shoulder, getting a groan in reply and he tightens his arm, pulling me in closer. "Doctor!" I repeat firmly, my voice raised slightly.
The Doctor shoots up and looks around, "Lizzie? Where are we?" he asks, standing up and helping me to my feet.
"I- I don't know," I shake my head, grimacing when that makes the small room... cupboard? spin. "The last thing I remember is... it's- it's all very fuzzy..."
"What is it?" the Doctor feels around the walls frantically. "What's happening!?" he finds a door and falls out.
I wrap an arm around my stomach, my other hand going to my mouth as I try not to throw up. I stumble to the doorway, "are you alright?" I ask the Doctor worriedly, my voice slightly muffled and he groans in reply... it sort of sounded like a 'fine', though.
"Oh, my God!" a voice shouts, making the Doctor and I both groan, grabbing our heads at the volume. "I don't believe it! Why'd they put you in there!? They never said anyone was coming!"
I look over to see a woman with blonde space-buns, trying to help the Doctor to his feet. "But what happened?" the Doctor asks. "We were..."
"Careful now- oh!" the woman gasps when the Doctor's legs give way and he falls on his face... again.
"Ooo, that hurt..." I wince, rubbing my nose.
"Oh! Mind yourself!" the woman tries to pull him up again. "Oh, that's the transmat: scrambles your head! I was sick for days," she explains.
"Transmat...?" I frown.
The woman nods, helping the Doctor to his feet fully, "you alright? So! What're your names, then?" she smiles.
"The Doctor, I think... she's Lizzie," he frowns, stumbling over to me. "We were, um... I don't know..." he shakes his head. "What happened? How-" he winces, reaching up to rub my temples with his thumbs.
"Mm, that's nice," I sigh, leaning into his touch.
"You got chosen!" the woman smiles between us.
"'Chosen' for what?" the Doctor asks, moving down to right below my ears.
"You're house-mates! You're in the house! Isn't that brilliant!?" she laughs.
"Yeah, brilliant!" I roll my eyes, moaning softly when the Doctor moves down my neck. "Th- thanks..." I smile up at him, my cheeks pink.
"Not even a proper massage and your already putty," he chuckles, making me bite my lip as he runs his thumb along the skin of my neck.
"That's not fair!" a whine makes us both jump, the Doctor moving away from me a bit.
I turn to see a man in a tight, white t-shirt and a woman with a short ponytail and wearing a pink t-shirt. I also take a quick glance around the room and my eyes hurt a bit at the bright decor. I tilt my head when I see a TV with an eye logo... is that?
"We've got eviction in five minutes!" the man continues to complain. "I've been here for all nine weeks! I've followed the rules! I haven't had a single warning! And then they come swanning!" he glares between the Doctor and I. "Is it even allowed for two to show up at once!?"
"If they keep changing the rules I'm gonna protest, I am!" the other woman shouts, throwing her arms up. "You just watch me! I'm... I'm gonna paint the walls!"
"I... what's going on?" I frown.
Computer - Would the Doctor and Elizabeth please come to the Diary Room?
The Doctor and I share confused looks before there's a buzzing noise. A silver door with the same eye logo on it slides open. I frown, grabbing the Doctor's hand and pulling him over to it. The room was small and there was a huge, red chair in the middle. The Doctor sits in it, getting comfortable while I perch myself on the arm.
Computer - You are live on channel 44,000, please do not swear.
I groan miserably while the Doctor just stares incredulously, "you have got to be kidding!"
***
The Doctor and I were by a door, him running the sonic along it. "I can't open it," he shakes his head.
"It's got a deadlock seal," the blonde explains, making me sigh as I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Ever since Big Brother 504 when they all walked out..." she trails off when neither of us replies, both of us looking around to find a way out of here. "You must remember that?"
"What about this?" I gesture to a mirror.
"Oh, that's exoglass," she shakes her head. "You'd need a nuclear bomb," she leans on the wall beside it.
"Don't tempt me," the Doctor mutters, suddenly behind me and I jump.
"Don't do that!" I slap his chest lightly.
"Sorry," he grins, scanning the sides of the mirror.
The blonde leans over, whispering, "I know you're not supposed to talk about the outside world, but you must've been watching... do people like me? Lynda with a 'y', not Linda with an 'i'; she got forcibly evicted because she damaged the camera," she tells us quickly. "Am I popular?"
"I don't remember," I shake my head, not really paying attention to her.
"Oh, but does that mean I'm nothing?" she asks, making me look at her. "Some people get this far just cause they're insignificant... doesn't anybody notice me?"
"No!" the Doctor says quickly. "You're... you're nice," he grins. "You're sweet!"
"Everyone thinks you're sweet," I nod, going along with it.
"Oh! Is that right? Is that what I am?" she smiles. "Oh... no one's ever told me that before... am I sweet? Really?"
"Yeah," I smile.
"Dead sweet!" the Doctor assures her.
"Thank you!" Lynda beams, making me breathe out a laugh.
The Doctor walks over to a window, frowning, "it's just a wall... isn't there supposed to be a garden out there?"
"Don't be daft," Lynda scoffs as she and I walk over. "No one's got a garden anymore! Who's got a garden?" she snorts before gasping, looking between the Doctor and I. "Don't tell you've got a garden!?"
"No, we've got the TARDIS," I shake my head before my eyes widen.
"I remember!" the Doctor beams.
"That's the amnesia!" Lynda smiles. "So, what happened? Where did they get you?"
"We'd just left Raxacoricofallapatorious-"
"Then we went to Kyoto!" I smile.
"That's right, Japan in 1336," the Doctor nods. "We only just escaped, we were together, we were laughing, and then... there was this light... this white light coming through the walls, and then... and then we woke up here..."
"I- we were running and Jack had thrown me over his shoulder... we'd fallen into the TARDIS," I giggle slightly before it fades and I rub at my eyes. "Then when the light was coming in, you grabbed onto me... but- but Rose and Jack, they caught up in the light, too..." I look up at the Doctor, chewing on my bottom lip worriedly.
"We'll find 'em," the Doctor assures me, giving my hand a gentle squeeze.
"That light, that's the transmat beam," Lynda cuts in. "That's how they pick the house-mates," she explains.
"Oh, Lynda with a 'y'... sweet, little Lynda... it's worse than that," the Doctor sighs, pulling me over to the mirror. "I'm not just a passing traveler; no stupid, little transmat gets inside my ship," he shakes his head. "That beam was fifteen million times more powerful, which means... this isn't just a game; there's something else going on," he frowns. "Well! Here's the latest update from the Big Brother House! I'm getting us out! We're gonna find our friends and then I'm gonna find you!" he taps the mirror threateningly.
***
The Doctor was trying to sonic one of the doors and I was trying to see if there was a panel anywhere that I could get into; stupid sonic not working on deadlock seals.
"Doctor, Elizabeth!" Lynda calls over from where she and the other two contestants, Strood and Crosbie, are on the sofa and I huff, rolling my eyes. "They said all the house-mates must gather on the sofa; you've got to!"
"Busy getting out, thanks," the Doctor retorts.
"And it's Lizzie, not Elizabeth!" I call, wrinkling my nose. "Doctor, I swear-" I point up to him before he can say anything. "-you call me that and I'll bring back 'Mr. Spock' or I'll think of something worse," I narrow my eyes and he smirks, holding his hands up in mock surrender.
"But if you don't obey then all the house-mates get punished!" Lynda persists.
I sigh in frustration, both with Lynda's insistence and the fact that I still haven't found a panel or anything. I grab the Doctor's hand on the way over to the sofa, dragging him with me. "Well, maybe we'll get voted out, then," he shrugs, flopping onto the sofa and I sit down beside him.
"How stupid are you?" Strood scoffs. "You've only just joined, you're not eligible!"
"Don't try anything clever or we all get it in the neck," Lynda warns.
Computer - Big Brother House, this is Davina Droid.
Lynda, Strood, and Crosbie all grab hands and I roll my eyes when Crosbie grabs mine as well, clutching onto it. I look over at the Doctor, lifting up my free hand and wiggling my fingers teasingly. The Doctor chuckles, taking my hand and intertwining our fingers.
Computer - Crosbie, Lynda, and Strood: you have all been nominated for eviction.
Crosbie tightens her hold on my hand and both the Doctor and I wince slightly; girls got a hell of a grip.
Computer - And the eighth person to be evicted from the Big Brother House is...
I roll my eyes at the ridiculously long, dramatic pause; seriously, they're still doing that in... whatever time it is that we're in. I lean back, drawing lazy shapes on the back of the Doctor's hand with my thumb, bored out of my mind. Can't we just get this over with so we can get out to find Rose and Jack!?
Computer - Crosbie!
Crosbie gasps in horror, her hands flying to her mouth and Lynda and Strood are immediately all over her. I roll my eyes, leaning into the Doctor's side and pulling my knees up. The Doctor shifts away a bit and I frown but don't say anything about it since he doesn't let go of my hand... not that I would've said anything if he hadn't. I sigh, turning my attention to the overly heartfelt goodbye that was happening between the house-mates; I can worry about the Doctor and our back and forth later.
"I won't forget you!" Lynda hugs her to her side tightly.
"I'm sorry I stole your soap!" Crosbie cries.
"Oh, I don't mind, honestly!"
"Thanks for the food, you're a smashing cook!" Strood kisses her cheek, pulling her into a tight hug. "Bless you!"
Another door in the wall slides open and the three go to it tearfully; seriously, it's not as if they can't see her when the show's over.
Computer - Crosbie, you have ten seconds to make your farewells, and then we're gonna get you!
"Bye, then... bye, Lynda..." Crosbie looks between the two.
"Bye..." Lynda sniffles, wiping her eyes.
Lynda and Strood make an archway with their arms. Crosbie walks under it and through the door. I share a confused look with the Doctor; why are they making such a fuss about her leaving?
"I don't believe it! Poor Crosbie!" Lynda cries.
"It's only a game show!" the Doctor points out. "She'll make a fortune on the outside; sell her story, release a record, fitness video, all of that! She'll be laughing!"
"What do you mean, 'on the outside'?" Lynda stares at him, making my frown deepen.
The TV pops on, showing a white corridor with Crosbie in it. Lynda and Strood come back over to the sofa, sitting on the edge fearfully. "Here we go," Strood mutters, wrapping an arm around Lynda's shoulders.
"Well, what are they waiting for?" I ask, eyebrows furrowed as Crosbie just continues to stand there. "Why don't they let her go?"
"Stop it! It's not funny!" Lynda snaps.
Computer - Eviction in five... four... three... two... one!
A golden-white beam comes down from the ceiling and Crosbie disappears in a puff of smoke. I sit up, staring at the screen as a wave of horror washes over me. "What was that!?" I gasp, clutching onto the Doctor's hand as he sits up beside me.
"Disintegrator beam," Strood sighs, making my head snap in his direction.
"She's been evicted," Lynda sniffles, pausing when she just gets blank looks from the Doctor and I. "From life," she elaborates.
The Doctor lets go of my hand, standing and beginning to pace, "are you insane? You just step right into the disintegrator? Is it that important, getting your face on the telly? Is it worth dying for?" he asks Lynda and Strood incredulously while I worry my bottom lip, horror and anger washing over me.
"You're talking like we've got a choice!" Lynda retorts, getting to her feet.
"But... I thought you had to apply," I frown.
"Don't be so stupid," Strood glares and I get a quick pang of anger. "That's how they played it centuries back!"
"You get chosen whether you like it or not!" Lynda defends. "Everyone on Earth is a potential contestant! The transmat beam picks you out at random and it's non-stop! There are sixty Big Brother houses running all at once!"
"How many? Sixty?" the Doctor demands while I stare at Lynda in shock.
"They've had to cut back, it's not what it was," Strood shakes his head.
"Cutbacks!?" I give a derisive snort.
"It's a charnel house!" the Doctor exclaims. "What about the winners? What do they get?"
"They get to live," Lynda answers.
"Is that it!?" I ask.
"Well, isn't that enough!?" she retorts.
"This is barmy," I shake my head. "Rose and Jack are out there, they got caught up in the tramsmat!" I stand, going over to the door Crosbie had gone through.
"They're contestants," the Doctor nods, coming over beside me with Lynda following. "Time we got out?" he grins down at me.
"Yup!" I smile. "That other contestant, Lynda with an 'i'," I turn to Lynda. "She was forcibly evicted for what?"
"... damaged property..." she answers warily.
"What? Like this?" the Doctor asks, pointing his sonic at a camera and it causes a little explosion.
I tilt my head, looking at a giant cactus statue before kicking it over. Lynda flinches back when it shatters all over the floor. "That should do it!" I put my hands on my hips.
***
All of the house-mates had been called back to the sofa. The TV pops back on with the eye logo, stars swirling around behind it.
Computer - The Doctor and Elizabeth: you've broken the House Rules. Big Brother has no choice but to evict you both. You have ten seconds to make your farewells, and then we're gonna get you!
"That's more like it!" the Doctor laughs, jumping up and pulling me over to the door.
"Come on, then! Open up!" I call, knocking on the door while bouncing up and down.
"You two're mad! It's like you want to die!" Lynda follows us.
"Nah, we'll be fine," I smile.
"I reckon they're plants!" Strood calls from the sofa. "They were only brought in to stir things up!"
Computer - The Doctor and Elizabeth: please leave the Big Brother House.
The door slides open and the Doctor and I rush in, waiting patiently. "Come on, then! Disintegrate us!" the Doctor shouts; well... sort of patiently. "Come on! What are you waiting for!?"
"Disintegrate us!" I call, holding my arms out.
Computer - Eviction in five... four... three... two... one...
"Ha! We knew it!" I cheer at the sound of the room powering down.
"You see!?" the Doctor beams. "Someone brought us into this game! If they'd wanted us dead, they could've transmatted us into a volcano!"
"They want us alive!"
"Maybe the security isn't as tight this end," the Doctor mocks. "Are you following this? We're getting out!"
"And when we find my sister and our friend and be sure, we will find them," I glare up into the camera. "We're coming to get you!" I mock the Davina droid's voice.
The Doctor aims his sonic at the other door in the corridor and it clicks, sliding open. Then, the door leading back into the House opens as well. Lynda pops her head through, her eyes wide.
"Come with us," the Doctor offers.
"We're not allowed!" Strood shouts.
"Stay in there and you've got a fifty-fifty chance of disintegration," the Doctor retorts. "Stay with me and I promise: I'll get you out alive. Come on!"
"No, I can't... I can't," Lynda shakes her head.
"Lynda, you're sweet," I smile. "But from what I've seen of your world... do you really think that anyone would vote for 'sweet'?"
The Doctor holds out his free hand to her and after a moment, Lynda runs in and grabs it.
***
Stepping from the corridor, I frown as I look around the huge room, "but- but this is..." I trail off, my eyebrows furrowed.
"Hold on... we've been here before," the Doctor frowns, pulling me over to the middle of the room. "This is Satellite Five!" he realizes and we walk over to a lift, him scanning it with the sonic. "No guards..." he comments.
"That makes a change," I mutter.
"You'd think a big business like Satellite Five would be armed to the teeth," the Doctor murmurs, letting go of my hand to test the walls with his sonic.
"No one's called it Satellite Five in ages, it's the Game Station now," Lynda cuts in. "Hasn't been Satellite Five in about a hundred years..."
The Doctor checks his watch, "one hundred years exactly," he nods. "It's the year two-zero-zero/one-zero-zero."
"How long have you known that?" I raise an eyebrow, checking a palm-pad by a door and getting no results.
"Not long," he waves off, not looking at me and I roll my eyes with a smile. "We were here before! On Floor 139," he changes the subject.
"Satellite Five was broadcasting news channels back then," I nod. "Had a bit of trouble upstairs," I point up.
"Nothing too serious," the Doctor smiles. "Easy! Gave 'em a hand, home in time for tea!"
"A hundred years ago?" Lynda frowns.
I hum in confirmation, trying another palm-pad while the Doctor tries sonicking it, both of us getting nothing. Lynda comes up beside us, "what? You were here one hundred years ago?"
"Yep!" the Doctor grins.
"You're looking good on it..." Lynda trails off.
I frown at her tone and look up from trying to get into the panel the palm-pad was on. Lynda was eyeing the Doctor up with a smirk. I scoff quietly, turning and snatching the sonic from the Doctor. I scan the edges of the door, ignoring the jealousy bubbling up; he's not yours, he's not... yours, I remind myself firmly.
"I moisturize," the Doctor replies, sounding as if he were trying not to laugh and I roll my eyes.
I frown at the sonic, "these readings are weird... there's all sorts of energy," I shake my head, handing the sonic to the Doctor so he could have a look. "This place is humming with power," I look around.
"This goes way beyond normal transmissions," the Doctor agrees with a slight frown. "What would they need all that power for?"
"The transmats are going flat-out, but they wouldn't need it for that, would they?" I ask, the Doctor shaking his head in reply.
"I don't know," Lynda shrugs. "I think we're the first-ever contestants to get outside."
"I had two other friends traveling with me, Lizzie's sister and Captain Jack... they must've got caught up in the same transmat," the Doctor sighs. "Where would they be?"
"I don't know, they could've been allocated anywhere," Lynda answers. "There's one hundred different games."
"Like what?" I ask, trying to get into another palm-pad panel while the Doctor scans the door beside it.
"Well, there's ten floors of Big Brother," Lynda leans on the wall beside me. "There's a different House behind each of those doors and then beyond that, there's all sorts of shows. It's non-stop. There's um... Call My Bluff with real guns; Countdown, where you've got thirty seconds to stop the bomb going off; Ground Force, which is a nasty one... you get turned into compost; um... Wipeout, speaks for itself... oh! And Stars In Their Eyes! Literally, stars in their eyes; if you don't sing, you get blinded," she rattles off.
"You watch this stuff?" the Doctor and I ask; him incredulous and horrified, me absolutely disgusted.
"Everyone does," Lynda shrugs. "How come you don't?"
I wrinkle my nose, going to say something but the Doctor puts his hand over my mouth, "never paid for our license," he shrugs, ignoring the glare I send him.
"Oh, my God! You get executed for that!" Lynda gasps.
"Let them try," the Doctor smirks, holding the sonic up in his free hand.
"You two keep saying things that don't make sense," Lynda shakes her head. "But who are you, though?"
I lick the Doctor's hand, making him jerk away from me. I roll my eyes, "doesn't matter," I reply, snatching the sonic to scan another door.
"Lizzie," the Doctor groans in disgust, coming over and wiping his hand on my jumper.
"Yes, Doctor?" I ask with an innocent smile.
"Well, it does to me," Lynda cuts in, making me snicker when the Doctor huffs. "I've just put my life in your hands," she comes over as well.
"I'm a girl from London," I reply. "I just... follow the Doctor around..."
"I'm a traveler, wandering past," the Doctor shrugs. "Believe it or not: all I'm after is a quiet life," he mutters.
"Stop looking for trouble, then," I snicker as he examines the lock.
"It finds me," the Doctor huffs.
"Said every troublemaker ever," I snort.
"So... if we get out of here..." Lynda cuts in hesitantly. "What're you gonna do? Just... wander off again?
"Fast as I can," the Doctor nods.
"So... I could come with you?" she asks, making my head snap to her.
"Maybe you could," the Doctor replies, making me look up at him.
"I wouldn't get in the way," she promises quickly.
"I wouldn't mind if you did! Not a bad idea, Lynda with a 'y'," the Doctor smiles and I huff quietly, going over to scan another door. "But first of all: we've got to concentrate on the getting out and to do that, you've got to know your enemy," he comes over by me. "Who's controlling it? Who's in charge of the satellite now?"
"Some sadistic bastard, I assume," I scowl.
"Hold on!" Lynda runs off to the other end of the room.
"What's wrong with you?" the Doctor asks, nudging my foot with his.
"Nothing," I shake my head, making him give me a hard look. "It's- it's not important... I'm just being stupid," I shrug, looking away and feeling awful for being jealous while my sister and Jack are in danger.
The Doctor pulls me into a tight hug, "you know I can't fix it if you don't tell me?" he murmurs and I nod, wrapping my arms around his waist and leaning my ear against his chest so I could listen to his hearts. "So stubborn," he sighs, kissing the top of my head and it feels like my face is on fire.
"Your Lords and Masters," Lynda calls as a light comes on.
The Doctor and I pull away and I freeze. There was a huge sign on the wall that read 'Bad Wolf Corporation'. The Doctor grabs my hand, running his thumb along my knuckles. "It's fine," he whispers, pulling me close.
"Yeah, sure," I scoff. "The words that have been following us through time and space are here, Rose and Jack are nowhere to be found, and we're in a place where game-shows kill you! But it's 'fine'," I try not to freak out... completely failing.
The Doctor turns me to face him, placing his hands on my shoulders, "it's going to be alright, Lizzie, I promise," he rubs my shoulders.
I take a few deep, calming breaths before nodding. I trusted the Doctor more than anyone and he would figure this out. I just hope that we can find Rose and Jack before anything happens to them.
***
The Doctor, Lynda, and I walk into an observation room. I walk down the small set of stairs and gasp when I see the Earth; there was smog covering the whole thing to where you could barely see any lights. It was so dark and desolate. I walk over to the window, placing my hands on it as tears well up.
"Blimey!" Lynda exclaims, coming to stand beside me. "I've never seen it for real before! Not... not from orbit! Planet Earth..." she trails off in awe.
"What's happened to it?" I whisper.
"Well, it's always been like that, ever since I was born," Lynda shrugs. "See that there?" she points to a giant storm. "That's the Great Atlantic Smog Storm; it's been going 20 years and we get news-flashes telling us when it's safe to breathe outside," she explains.
"So, the population just sits there? Half the world's too fat, half the world's too thin and you lot just watch telly?" the Doctor asks incredulously.
"Two thousand channels, all beaming down from here," Lynda smiles.
"The Human Race, brainless sheep-" the Doctor scoffs.
"Oi!" I glare and he just continues as if I didn't say anything, making me roll my eyes.
"-being fed on a diet of- mind you, have they still got that program where three people have to live with a bear?" he asks.
"Oh, Bear With Me, I love that one!" Lynda beams.
"And me," the Doctor laughs. "The celebrity edition where the bear-"
"Got in the bath!" they finish together.
"How wonderful," I mock, rolling my eyes again.
"But it's all gone wrong," the Doctor mutters, nudging my side. "I mean, history's gone wrong again! This should be the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. I don't understand. Last time I was here, I put it right," he frowns.
"No, but that's when it first went wrong," Lynda shakes her head. "One hundred years ago, like you said: all the news channels - they just shut down overnight."
"But that was me... I did that," the Doctor murmurs, horror and guilt washing over me and I take his hand, squeezing it.
"There was nothing left in their place," Lynda frown. "No information. The whole planet just froze. The government, the economy, they collapsed... that was the start of it; one hundred years of hell."
"Oh, my..." the Doctor whispers. "I made this world."
"No, Doctor, we did," I correct quietly.
"Hey, handsome! Beautiful!" I turn to the voice and see Jack with a huge gun. "Good to see you! Any sign of Rose?" he asks, setting the gun on the stairs.
"No," I shake my head, running over and throwing my arms around his neck.
"Sorry, kitten," he wraps his arms around my waist, lifting me slightly.
"How did you get out?" I nuzzle against his neck.
"You don't want to know," he snorts, setting me down and I roll my eyes.
"What's with the gun?" I nod to it.
"Defabricator," Jack pats it. "Does exactly what it says on the tin," he smirks, sending me a wink as my face heats up. "I gave it a little upgrade, though," he smiles.
"I miss all the fun," I sigh, making Jack laugh.
"Can't you track Rose down?" the Doctor cuts in and I look up at Jack hopefully.
"She must still be inside the games, all the room are shielded," he shakes his head, making me deflate.
The Doctor was fiddling with the computer in the middle of the room, "if we can just get inside this computer... she's got to be here somewhere," he sighs.
"Well, you'd better hurry up; these games don't have a happy ending," Jack warns.
"You think we don't know that!" the Doctor snaps, sending a strong wave of anger and worry over me.
I move over and wrap my arms around his waist from behind, "we'll find her," I whisper, trying to assure the both of us.
The Doctor sighs, squeezing my hand, "help me," he nods to the computer.
"There you go, patch that in; it's programmed to find her," Jack hands me his vortex manipulator.
"Thanks," the Doctor nods and I send Jack a small smile while we work on the computer.
"Hey, there!" Jack grins, making me roll my eyes.
"Hello!" Lynda beams.
"Captain Jack Harkness," Jack smirks.
"Lynda Moss!"
"Nice to meet you, Lynda Moss!"
"Do you mind flirting outside?" the Doctor rolls his eyes.
"I was just saying 'hello'!" Jack protests.
"For you, that's flirting," I peer around the Doctor, giving Jack a pointed look. "How can a name even be a chat-up line?" I roll my eyes.
"It's a special skill," Jack retorts. "And like either of you can talk about flirting," he scoffs.
I give a small, indignant squeak as I go back to working on the computer with a bright-red face. The Doctor coughs awkwardly from beside me, Jack snickering.
"We- we don't... flirt," I shake my head.
"Keep telling yourself that, kitten," he snorts, making me groan in annoyance.
"I'm not complaining," Lynda cuts in.
"Course not," I mutter under my breath.
"Muchas gracias," Jack smirks, taking her hand and kissing the back of it.
The computer bleeps and I groan, "it's not compatible! This stupid system doesn't make any sense!" I kick the podium. "Sorry..." I mutter when the Doctor hisses in pain. "This place should be a basic broadcaster, right? But the systems are twice as complicated!"
"It's more than just television... this station's transmitting something else," the Doctor frowns.
"Like what?" Jack asks.
"I don't know," the Doctor shakes his head. "This whole 'Bad Wolf' thing's tied up with me. Someone's manipulating my entire life. It's some sort of trap and Rose is stuck inside it," he mutters, the both of us working frantically.
The vortex manipulator bleeps and the Doctor and I beam at each other. "Found her! Floor 407!" he cheers.
"Oh, my God!" Lynda gasps in horror, making me turn to her. "She's with the Anne Droid!"
"Anne Droid? As in... is she in The Weakest Link?" I ask, my face paling and my heart racing.
"You've got to get her out of there!"
***
The Doctor, Jack, Lynda, and I had hurriedly taken a lift to floor 407.
"Roderick, in physics, who discovered the Fifteen-Dash-Ten Barric Fields?" a robotic voice asks.
"Game Room Six, which one is it!?" I shout, the Doctor and my worry amplifying each other.
"Over here!" Lynda calls, leading us to the door.
"San... Hazeldine..."
"No... the correct answer is San Chen."
The four of us hurry to the door and the Doctor starts sonicking it.
"Stand back, let me blast it open," Jack aims his gun at the door.
"Can't, it's made of Hydra Combination," the Doctor shakes his head, pressing the sonic to the palm print.
"Rose, in history, which Icelandic city hosted Murder Spree 20?"
I whimper, knowing that Rose wouldn't know that as I bounce up and down anxiously. Jack comes over and pulls me into his arms, rubbing my back soothingly.
"Reykjavik...?"
"No, the correct answer is Pola Ventura!" the winning music plays making my face lose any remaining color it had.
"Oh, my God! I've done it!" I hear Roderick gloat. "You've lost!"
"Come on, come on, come on," the Doctor mutters desperately.
"But I'm not meant to be here!" Rose yells fearfully, making tears start to roll down my cheeks. "I need to find my sister and the Doctor! They've got to be here somewhere... they're always here! They wouldn't just leave me! This game is illegal! I'm telling you to stop!"
The Doctor finally gets the door open and I scramble out of Jack's arm, seeing Rose standing behind a podium. "Rose!" the Doctor, Jack, and I shout as we run in.
"Stop this game!" Jack yells.
"I order you to stop this game!" the Doctor yells.
Rose gets out from behind the podium and starts toward us, "look out for the Anne Droid, it's armed!" she screams.
I get to Rose, grabbing her arm and pushing her toward the Doctor just as a yellow-white light engulfs me. I scream and hear three shouts for me before everything goes black.
3rd Person POV:
"-Lizzie!" "-Kitten!" the Doctor, Rose, and Jack all scream in horror as she disappears in a puff of smoke.
Rose stands from where she had fallen, face frozen in shock. Jack runs up on the stage, furious beyond comprehension as he holds his gun on the workers. The Doctor was staring at the pile of ash that had been Lizzie, his hearts nearly seizing up when he registers that he can't feel her anymore.
"What the hell did you do to her!?" Jack snarls.
The Doctor falls to his knees and Rose falls next to him, both numb to their surroundings. Rose hugs her body as silent tears stream down her face. The voices in the background drown out for the both of them as the Doctor picks up a piece of dust between his fingers, feeling it and praying to any god that might be out there that this wasn't happening. Not to Lizzie... not her... please, not her.
"Back off!" Jack shouts, aiming his gun at the floor manager.
"I need security and I need it here right now!" she yells into her comm.
A security guard appears behind the Doctor and Rose. "Don't you touch them! Leave them alone!" Jack screams.
The security guard pulls the Doctor to his feet and places a gun to his head, making Jack reluctantly put his gun down. The Doctor barely registers what's happening, still staring at the pile of dust. Another security guard pulls a numb Rose to her feet.
"You killed her! Your stupid fucking game show killed her!" Jack screams at the floor manager.
Everything's muffled for the Doctor, just staring at the pile of ash, tears glistening in his eyes. Rose lets out a choked sob, snapping the Doctor out of his stupor for a second, only for his hearts to be overwhelmed with grief and guilt. He had promised Lizzie it would be alright and now she was gone.
"Sir, I'm arresting you under Private Legislation 16 of the Game Station Syndicate," the security guard tells the Doctor, who barely listens, now staring at his best friend as she sobs over the death of her big sister.
***
The Doctor, Rose, Jack, and Lynda are all taken to a cell on Floor 407. The Doctor is slammed roughly against the bars as he's searched and he doesn't resist in the slightest. Jack was worried, he'd never seen the Time Lord so quiet, so furious. The sonic is pulled from his pocket and the Doctor's turned roughly back to face the security guard, who waves it in his face. "Can you tell us the purpose of this device, sir?" he asks, getting no response.
***
Jack, the Doctor, Rose, and Lynda are sat on a bench in the prison cell as they're interrogated. Rose was curled into Jack's side, crying as he held her to him tightly, tears shining in his own eyes.
"Can you tell us how you got on board?" the guard asks.
"Just leave him alone," Lynda cries.
The guard grabs her chin roughly, "I'm asking him," he snarls before releasing her. "Sir? Can you tell us who you are?" he asks, getting nothing.
***
The Doctor is against a wall having his mug-shots taken. He just turns when he needs to, the world around him fuzzy. The Doctor was still numb, rage bubbling inside him as he's shoved back inside the cell with the others.
"You will be taken from this place to the Lunar Penal Colony; there to be held without trial, you may not appeal against this sentence," the guard says.
Neither the Doctor nor Jack responds. Rose sniffles, clutching onto Jack as he rubs her back soothingly.
"Is that understood?" the guard asks coldly, getting no response and he scoffs, going to the gate and opening it.
"Let's do it," the Doctor glares; the first words he's said since he watched Lizzie disappear in front of him.
Jack moves Rose to Lynda quickly as he and the Doctor get to their feet. Jack punches and kicks his way through the gate, tossing one guard aside. The Doctor throws another against the wall, knocking him out instantly before grabbing his sonic and the defabricator gun. Jack grabs a couple pistols, handing one to Rose and Lynda each before grabbing another two guns for himself.
***
The four of them head into the lift and the Doctor punches the numbers in with his thumb, "Floor 500," he glares, body shaking with anger.
***
Floor 500 wasn't a frozen wasteland anymore, but a giant control room. At the end of the room was a pale woman with white eyes and white hair that was hooked directly into the system. The Controller was blind, no memory other than being part of the computer to serve her masters, and muttering instructions under her breath.
"Ok!" Jack calls, holding his two guns out on the staff as they step off the lift. "Move away from the desk! Nobody try anything clever! Everybody clear? Stand to the sides and stay there!"
The staff scramble to get to the side of the room and out of the way. The Doctor walks up to the Controller, Rose right beside him as she holds her pistol in her hands. "Who's in charge of this place?" he demands, aiming the defabricator at the Controller.
"... eighteen... nineteen... twenty-" the Controller whispers, eyes staring at nothing.
"This Satellite's more than a Game Station," the Doctor glares.
"Seventy-nine-"
"Who killed my sister!?" Rose shouts, tears stains down her cheeks as her hands shake.
"All staff are reminded that solar flares-"
"We want an answer!" the Doctor yells.
"-in delta point one-"
"She can't reply," one of the worker's cuts in.
The Doctor turns to them, causing his gun to be aimed at the staff now and they all flinch back. "Don't shoot!" the man, Davitch Pavale shouts, putting his hands up.
"Oh, don't be so thick! Like I was ever gonna shoot," the Doctor rolls his eyes, tossing Davtich the defabricator while Rose carefully sets her gun down on a table. "Captain, we've got guards on the way up! Secure the exits!"
"Yes, sir!" Jack nods, going to do as ordered.
"You," the Doctor nods to Davitch, folding his arms. "What were you saying?"
"But... I've got your gun!" Davitch protests.
"Ok, so shoot me," the Doctor shrugs and Davtich stares at him, open-mouthed. "Why can't she answer?"
"She's, um... can I put this down?" he nods to the huge gun in his hands.
"If you want, just hurry up!" Rose snaps.
"Thanks..." he puts the gun down. "Sorry... um, the Controller is linked to the transmissions; the entire output goes through her brain - you're not a member of staff, so she doesn't recognize your existence," he explains.
"What's her name?" Rose asks quietly, looking up at her.
"I don't know... she was installed when she was five years old," Davitch explains. "That's the only life she's ever known."
"That's awful," Rose shakes her head.
"Door's sealed!" Jack calls. "We should be safe for about ten minutes!"
"Keep an eye on 'em!" the Doctor calls back.
"But that stuff that you and your... um, friend were saying about something going on with the Game Station? I think you're right," Davtich tells the Doctor. "Unauthorized transmats, it's been going on for years."
"Show me," the Doctor orders.
Jack, who was following a signal on his vortex manipulator, places his hand on the palm-pad to Archive Six and a shudder runs through the room.
"You're not allowed in there!" a female worker, Nisha Nayer shouts, making him jump slightly. "Archive Six is out of bounds!"
Jack scoffs, holding up his guns, "do I look like an out of bounds sort of guy?" he rolls his eyes before placing his hand back on the palm-pad.
This time it opens for him and he walks in, stopping in his tracks as he sees the TARDIS in the middle of the room. "You sure are a sight for sore eyes," he smiles, walking up and placing his hand on the door, the TARDIS humming under his fingers.
Jack uses his key to unlock the door and walks in, frowning when the box gives a few sharp trills and flashes her lights urgently. "What's got you so worked up, huh?" he heads up to the console, pausing when he sees a leather jacket on the railing. "... yeah... I miss her too," his voice cracks as he feels the fabric, jumping when a loud, insistent hum runs through the console room and the monitor pops on. "Ok, ok!" he huffs, moving over to the monitor and his eyes widen. "What the hell?"
Back in the control room...
"Solar-flare activity at delta point zero-"
Nisha walks up to the Doctor and Rose while they listen to Davitch, "if you're not holding us hostage then open the door and let us out! The staff are terrified!"
Rose scoffs, turning to level a dark glare at the woman as she folds her arms, "that's the same staff who murder hundreds of people every single day! Including my big sister!"
"That's not our fault! We're just doing our jobs!" Nisha argues.
It was the Doctor's turn to level a glare at her, only his made her actually take a step back from the intensity of it, "and with that sentence, you just lost the right to even talk to me or her!" he snarls as he pulls Rose behind him slightly. "Now back off!" he shouts in her face, making Nisha flinch back.
Rose wraps her arms around the Doctor, making him tense before he takes a few calming breaths. The Doctor pulls her tight against him, closing his eyes as she buries her face against his neck. "We'll get 'em," he whispers to her, reaching up to stroke her hair.
"We better," she sniffles, squeezing him tightly.
The two of them pull apart when the lights flicker off, the sound of the power winding down going through the room. "That's just the solar-flares," Davitch assures them. "They interfere with the broadcast signal so this place automatically powers down and Planet Earth gets a few repeats; it's all quite normal," he explains.
"Doctor..." the Controller whispers.
"Doctor?" Nisha calls hesitantly.
"Whatever it is, you can wait!" he snaps harshly.
"Doctor..." Rose trails off, staring at the Controller and he turns to her. "I think she wants you," she points to her.
The Doctor pulls Rose over quickly to stand in front of the Controller. "Doctor...? Where's the Doctor?" she asks.
"I'm here," he tells her.
"Can't see, I'm blind... so blind..." she whispers. "All my life: blind! All I can see is numbers but I saw you!"
"What do you want?"
"Solar-flares, hiding me," she explains. "They can't hear me... my- my masters... they always listen but they can't hear me now! The sun- the sun is so bright!"
"Who are your masters?" Rose asks.
"They wired my head, their name is forbidden," the Controller replies. "They control my thoughts, my masters... my masters, I had to be careful! They monitor the transmissions, but they don't watch the program! I could hide you inside the games!"
"My best friend died inside your games!" the Doctor glares coldly.
"Doesn't matter-"
"Don't you dare tell me that!" the Doctor snarls.
"That was my sister! Don't say she doesn't matter!" Rose screams, the Doctor holding her back when she jolts forward.
"They've been hiding," the Controller continues, ignoring their outbursts. "My masters, hiding in the dark space, watching and shaping the Earth... so, so, so many years! They've always been there! Guiding humanity, hundreds and hundreds of years!"
"Who are they?" the Doctor asks.
"They wait! They plan and grow in numbers, they're strong now! So strong, my masters..."
"Who are they?" the Doctor persists.
"But they speak of you! My masters, they fear the Doctor," she looks at him suddenly, her milky eyes seeming almost clear.
"Tell me! Who are they?" he demands.
Before she can say anymore, the Controller gasps and the power flicks back on, "twenty... twenty-one... twenty-two," she goes back to counting under her breath.
"When's the next solar-flare?" Rose turns to Davitch.
"Two years time..." he answers.
"Fat lot of good that is," the Doctor huffs.
"Found the TARDIS!" Jack comes out of Archive Six, looking way happier than when he went in.
"We're not leaving now!" the Doctor retorts.
Whoever brought them here had murdered Lizzie, turned her to dust. The Doctor was going to find them and make them very sorry that they ever touched her.
"No," Jack shakes his head. "But the TARDIS worked it out!" he shoves Davitch out of his chair so he could use the computer. "You'll wanna watch this," he grins over at the Doctor and Rose while he messes with the controls. "Lynda, could you stand over there for me, please?" he asks, pointing to a spot on the floor.
"I- I just wanna go home..." she mutters miserably.
"It'll only take a second," he assures her with a devastatingly handsome smile. "Could you stand in that spot? Quick as you can?"
Lynda reluctantly does as she's asked and stands in the spot he'd pointed at. Jack grins and looks around, "everybody watching? Ok... three... two... one!" he presses the enter key and a disintegrator beam shoots down from the ceiling and hits Lynda.
Everyone stares in horror as she screams, disappearing in a puff of smoke. "But you killed her!" the Doctor gasps, wrapping an arm around Rose when she whimpers at the reminder of Lizzie.
"Oh, do you think?" Jack smirks, raising an eyebrow and hitting the enter key again.
Everyone watches in complete shock as Lynda suddenly appears beside the Doctor. She was a bit dazed, but otherwise completely unharmed. "What the hell was that!?" she squeaks out and the Doctor looks at Jack, his hearts racing as he tries to rein in his hope of what this meant.
"It's a transmat beam," Jack smiles. "Not a disintegrator! A secondary transmat system!" he explains and the Doctor's eyes light up while Rose frowns in confusion. "People don't get killed in the games! They get transported across space!" he moves across the room. "Doctor, Rose... kitten is still alive!"
The Doctor laughs with ecstatic relief as the three of them beam, throwing their arms around each other.
"Oh, my God!" Rose laughs. "I can't believe it! Lizzie's alive!"
"But I don't understand..." Jack pulls away. "Why didn't you feel that she was still alive?" he frowns at the Doctor.
"Why didn't he what?" Rose frowns.
"Ah..." the Doctor laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head as he looks down at his blonde companion. "Lizzie and I, we can feel each other's pain and emotions," he explains.
"Want to tell me what the hell you did to my sister, Doctor?" Rose narrows her eyes before wrinkling her nose. "Oh, my God! Does that happen if you shag someone cause of the telepathy? Like some weird Time Lord link-thingy? Did you guys have sex and she didn't tell me!?"
"What!?" the Doctor gapes at her while Jack laughs, clutching his stomach. "Rose, don't be stupid! We don't know why we're connected!" he shouts, his ears burning. "You spend too much time with Jack..." he groans miserably. "Look, there must've been something interfering with the bond, blocking it; must be what's messing with the transmissions," he murmurs, going to work on a computer to find Lizzie and ignoring the two laughing idiots behind him.
1st Person POV:
I wince as I wake up, blinking as my vision slowly clears. I thought... aren't I meant to be dead? If I'm alive... why can't I feel the Doctor? I flinch, reaching up to rub my chest at the feeling of emptiness. I sit up slowly and look around at the ship I'm in before freezing, a pain shooting through my head. "It can't be..." I whisper, clutching my head.
The Dalek glides toward me and I scramble back, breathing heavily. "But you're dead! I watched it happen! You... you blew yourself up!" I shout as it backs me against a wall.
Suddenly, there's a flash of light and a pale woman with white hair that was wearing some kind of green jump-suit appears. She stands, looking defiant and proud... who is she? What the hell's going on? "Oh, my masters..." she smiles as another Dalek glides over to her. "You can kill me for I have brought your destruction!"
I gasp when a Dalek shoots her with its laser, my hand going to my mouth. Her body glows green with her skeleton showing before she slumps to the floor.
"You killed her!" I scream, a tear sliding down my cheek.
"That is correct," the one in front of me confirms.
I gasp when the tingling sensation in my mind that was the Doctor comes back suddenly and horror, fear, and anger were washing over me continually. Oh, my God... I whimper slightly, rubbing my temples.
"Alert! Alert!" another Dalek comes in screaming. "We are detected!"
"It is the Doctor!" another shouts and my heart rate picks up at his name. "He has located us!"
"Open communications channel!" another orders.
"The female will stand!" the one in front of me orders. "Stand!"
I quickly get to my feet and nearly sob from happiness when I see a holo-screen with the Doctor appear. Jack and Rose were there as well - her being held in his arms as they both stare at the screen in horror. Lynda was there too, along with some people I didn't know. The Doctor was sitting in a chair and he rolls his shoulders, leveling a dark look at the Dalek in front of me with its gun aimed at me, white-hot rage flowing over me.
"I will talk to the Doctor," one of the Daleks announces.
"Oh, will you? That's nice!" the Doctor rolls his eyes. "Hello!" he waves at them with fake cheer.
"The Dalek Strategem nears completion! The fleet is almost ready! You will not intervene!"
"Oh, really? Why's that then?"
"We have your associate! You will obey or she will be exterminated!"
"No, you can't!" Rose screams, trying to get out of Jack's hold.
The Dalek that was guarding me moves closer, making me whimper as I step back. Another pain shoots through my head and I hiss, squeezing my eyes shut for a moment.
"No," the Doctor replies and everyone with him turns to look at him in shock.
"Explain yourself!" the Dalek demands.
"I said no," he shrugs.
"What is the meaning of this negative!?"
"It means no," he rolls his eyes.
"But she will be destroyed!"
"No!" the Doctor slams his hands down on the table, standing. "Cause this is what I'm gonna do! I'm gonna rescue her!" he shouts, making me smile as I tear up. "I'm gonna save Lizzie Tyler from the middle of the Dalek fleet and then I'm gonna save the Earth and then just to finish it off, I'm gonna wipe every last stinking Dalek out of the sky!"
"But you have no weapons! No defenses! No plan!"
"Yeah? And doesn't that scare you to death?" the Doctor taunts. "Lizzie?" he looks at me, features softening.
"Yes, Doctor?" I beam, my heart skipping a beat at the determination and affection in his eyes.
"I'm coming to get you," he promises, turning off the communication link.
"The Doctor is initiating hostile action!" the Dalek screams.
"The Stratagem must advance! Begin the invasion of Earth!" another screams.
They start to glide around widely, absolutely terrified. I gasp, stepping out of their way as they take no notice of me anymore. God, he really does frighten the Daleks. I wince at the anger that was still washing over me.
"The Doctor will be exterminated!" one screams.
"Exterminate!" they all start to scream together, making me gasp, clutching my head in pain.
A/N: thanks for reading! Let me know what you think by dropping a comment or a vote! :*