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The Doctor rushed around another corner, the group of women trailing behind him. He glanced back to check on the two Danni's, Future-Danni was next to Donna but Now-Danni was struggling to keep up. He stopped, waiting for them to catch up before taking off again, this time dragging the current Danni behind him. She was barely holding onto his hand, just letting him drag her wherever he felt fit as she tried desperately to forget what her future self had just told her. Maybe she hadn't meant River married the Doctor, maybe she had meant someone else. After all, neither of them had specified who River was supposedly married to, just that she would get married. But who else would she mean? She hadn't noticed that they'd stopped until the bright red lights of the lasers stopping them in their tracks.
"That's not mood lighting, is it?" Donna asked. The Doctor pulled out the clockwork mouse he'd used to distract a guard before and held it out, ready to throw it. Future-Danni stepped forward, placing a hand on his to stop him.
"No need to chuck the mouse." She told him, "They're deadly lasers that'll kill us if we get in them." She took the mouse out for his hand and stroked it, "What did the poor mouse ever do to you?" She motioned over her shoulder, "Controls are there. Get to it, Spaceman."
"Do you really think you should be bossing him around?" Now-Danni snapped.
"I have as much right as you." Future-Danni retorted as the Doctor fiddled with the controls, trying to de-arm the red beams of light.
"No you don't." Now-Danni told her, "This is my adventure, you've just high-jacked it."
"No, this was my adventure, mine was high-jacked." Future-Danni corrected.
"Stop trying to take my Doctor off me!" Now-Danni screamed, causing them all to look at her, surprised.
"No, he was mine first!" They both crossed their arms in unison, glaring at each other.
"Just stop it!" They shouted at each other before stepping closer, "No, you stop it!"
"That's really freaky." Donna murmured to Jenny, who nodded, agreeing. Donna caught sight of another set of numbers and walked over to them. She didn't really want to watch them argue, partly because she hated seeing her friend so upset and partly because it was hilarious how jealous she was of herself, "There's more of these. Always eight numbers, counting down, the closer we get..."
"Stop copying me!" They both shouted before turning to the Doctor, "Doctor, tell her!" He barely looked up, sonicing the controls as he did.
"Both of you behave." He shot at them as he managed to take the casing off, "Here we go!"
"You better be quick!" Donna pointed out as the sound of the soldiers filtered through down the hallway.
"The General!" Jenny exclaimed, turning to run back towards them. The Doctor shot up and grabbed her, holding her in place.
"Where are you going?" He asked her.
"I can hold them up." She replied with a smile, the Doctor shaking his head.
"No, we don't need any more dead."
"But it's them or us." She glanced over her shoulder, confused as to why he was stopping her. She was born with a complete knowledge of combat, this was where she was of use.
"It doesn't mean you have to kill them!"
"I'm trying to save your life!" She insisted. He took her by the shoulders, looking at her imploringly.
"Listen to me, the killing, after a while it infects you. And once it does you're never rid of it." He hissed.
"We don't have a choice." She whispered and he smiled slightly.
"We always have a choice." She shook her head, pulling out of his grasp.
"I'm sorry." She turned and ran off towards the soldiers, needing to hold them off.
"Jenny!" The Doctor called after her. After a moment gun shots began ringing, shells bouncing off metal. Now-Danni winced at the noise and Donna wrapped an arm around her, shooting a worried glance down the hallway. "I told you. Nothing but a soldier." The Doctor snarled, continuing on with the controls and acting like he didn't care.
"She's trying to help." Donna snapped in reply.
"She'll come back." Future-Danni added, glancing behind her and feeling very lonely. Was this how Future-Amy felt, like she wasn't being considered a 'real' Amy?
"Now you're just showing off." Now-Danni taunted and she glared, stepping forward, finally having enough.
"You know, I can see why he hated us so much when he was with Rose." Future-Danni started lowly, "You are the biggest pain in the arse I've ever come across."
"Right, I've had enough of you." The Doctor snapped, stepping between the two Danni's, turning to Future-Danni, "I won't have you upsetting her!"
"Upsetting her?" She scoffed, "I am her!"
"No you're not." He retorted, "You're a future version of her and I won't have you upsetting her, she has enough to deal with as it is." He turned to look down the hallway, "Jenny! Come on!"
"I had to deal with that too!" Future-Danni shouted, "I'm still having to deal with that. I won't have you dismiss me, not again Spaceman!" She poked him in the chest and he grabbed her wrist, stopping her doing it again. Now-Danni frowned as his attention was pulled to a black band on her normally bare arm before staring at her, as if he suddenly understood something no one else did. He let her arm drop and then smiled at her.
"Sorry." He told her and she nodded.
"Yes, you are." She replied with a cheeky grin and he turned back to the controls. Now-Danni looked up at Donna.
"What the hell just happened?" She asked and Donna shrugged.
"I have absolutely no idea." She replied, eyeing the future Danni suspiciously. Something had happened between the two that had yet to happen for the Danni she had her arm around, but she didn't know what. She tightened her hold slightly, well, if he was going to ignore this Danni she would just have to give her more attention. She knew how the Doctor's opinion of the girl changed throughout the years and she felt awful that Danni had to be put through that.
"That's it!" Donna cried as the beams went off and the Doctor pocketed his screwdriver.
"Jenny! Leave it! Let's go!" He screamed, grabbing Future-Danni's hand and pulling her down the safe corridor. Donna grabbed Now-Danni's hand and pulled her down as well, not letting her go when they got to the end. Red-heads had to stick together.
"Jenny, quickly!" Now-Danni cried, trying to get her mind off the fact the Doctor was holding someone else's hand and not her own, "The beams will reactivate in a minute!" The blonde girl appeared, running with a grin and gun in her hand and the Doctor held out his hand towards his daughter.
"That's it!" He shouted.
"Hurry up!" Donna added, willing the girl one. She was almost there when she skidded to a stop, gasping in surprise as the red beams reappeared, blocking her path.
"No, no, no, no! The circuit's looped back!" He shouted, looking around hopelessly for a solution.
"Zap it back again!" Donna demanded and he shook his head.
"The controls are back there!" He explained. There was nothing that he could do, he had to save her. She was his daughter, he wouldn't let another one die, he couldn't!
"They're coming!" Jenny almost whimpered.
"You can do it on your own!" Now-Danni cried, "Show them what your made of, Jenny!" Jenny looked around, evaluating all her options until she found the best possible solution to her problem. She looked at both Danni's, who were smiling encouragingly at her. She nodded once, smirking.
"I'll have to manage on my own. Watch and learn, Father!" She chucked her gun down and threw her hands in the air. She took in a controlled breath then proceeded to somersault through the beams, narrowly but expertly missing each one.
"No way!" Donna breathed in shock as she landed in front of them, "But that was impossible!"
"Not impossible. Just a bit unlikely!" The Doctor replied, beyond proud as the two Danni's cheered her. He laughed joyfully, pulling her in for a tight hug, picking her up slightly. He had noted she was roughly the same height as Danni, maybe an inch or so taller so it seemed appropriate, "Brilliant! You were brilliant! Brilliant!" He praised, pulling back slightly as she held onto his shoulders.
"I didn't kill him. General Cobb, I could have kill him, but I didn't." Jenny rambled out quickly in true Doctor form, "You were right. I had a choice." They beamed at each other as the soldiers appeared. The Doctor motioned them to go ahead and Now-Danni turned to herself as they ran away.
"I'm really sorry." She apologised, touched by the father-daughter moment they'd just witnessed, and Future-Danni grinned at her.
"Me too." She replied, "We're idiots."
"Totally moronic." They both reached out and grabbed the others hand, a large, painful spark of temperal energy running from one to the other. They let go of each other, crying out from the shock.
"Bloody 'ell!" They screamed, "That hurt." They slowed down to wait for the Doctor, who appeared moments later and they headed off towards the Source.
"Do you really think it's not a weapon?" He asked the two girls and they shook their heads.
"It's not." They both swore at the same time.
"Then what is it?" They looked at each other, smiling conspiratorially then turned back to him.
"Spoilers!"
~0~0~0~
"So, you travel together, but you're not... 'together'?" Jenny asked Donna, who shook her head with a laugh.
"What? No, no! No way! No, no. We're friends. That's all." She replied. Jenny turned to look back at the two Danni's, who were walking in sync, both talking about past glories.
"But you are with him?" Jenny asked them, "Because you're the same person, right?"
"We're the same person." Now-Danni confirmed.
"But I wouldn't say we're together." Future-Danni added, "It's more complicated than that."
"But if you're from the future," Jenny mused, "Does that mean you're together in the future?" They both looked forwards towards the Doctor, who was busy looking at a print out of... well, something he'd found on the floor a little back. It wasn't on paper, but on a sheet of clear plastic.
"In his future." Now-Danni told her quietly, "But I've been with him a while."
"We jump around his time-line. I've met his future self loads of times, that's when we're together." Future-Danni looked at him wistfully, "We're a bit early." Donna laughed with a snort.
"More like he's Captain Oblivious." She corrected, having seen him perk up when he'd heard their answer.
"So, if you're together in his future..." Jenny started, "Does that mean in the future you'd be my mum?" The two gingers stopped, startled. They turned to each other.
"Nah..." Future-Danni drawled out uncertainly.
"We're practically the same age." Now-Danni reasoned.
"Melody." Was Future-Danni's reply and Now-Danni nodded slowly in agreement. They stared at each other before Future-Danni turned, making the decision being the older of the two.
"More like future possible Step-Mum." She settled on and Now-Danni smiled.
"Yeah, I'm too young to be a mum." She confessed, "I'm not ready to lose my figure." She posed slightly and Jenny laughed.
"And what's it like, the travelling?" She asked.
"Ah, never a dull moment." Donna told her with a grin, "Can be terrifying, brilliant and funny - sometimes all at the same time. I've seen some amazing things though. Whole new worlds."
"Oh, I'd love to see new worlds." Jenny confessed.
"You will." Donna promised, "Won't she, Doctor?" The man looked up, trying to hide his guilt by looking confused. He'd been listening to the entire conversation and he was grateful that Danni seemed to like Jenny so much. He knew they'd have a future together, as much as he'd tried to deny it he'd worked it out a long time ago, but it was starting to seem much less of a sentence and more of something to look forward to. Everytime she did something special, like immediately accept Jenny, he could see why they'd be together. Although, this 'River Song' was a bit of a concern.
"Hm?" Hm? That was the best he could come up with? He mentally sighed to himself, what a moron!
"D'you think Jenny will see any new worlds?" Donna pressed with a suppressed smile.
"I suppose so." He replied slowly, smiling at the happy smile on her face.
"You mean... You mean, you'll take me with you?" Jenny asked and he nodded.
"We can't leave you here, can we?" He told her and she actually squealed as she ran up to him, practically jumping on him as he hugged her back. She had so many mannerisms like Danni as well, maybe that had something to do with there being two of her.
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" She let him go and hugged both Danni's, the three girls laughing, "Oh thank you! Come on! Let's get a move on mum!" She grabbed them both by the hand and began dragging them down the hallway.
"Wow, slow down!" Now-Danni laughed, "I'm not as fit as I used to be." It was true, running had become a little bit harder lately, she really had to do something about that. The shots the Doctor was giving her obviously wasn't enough anymore. Plus, it wasn't like early Doctor cared anyway, so she'd missed a few. She'd have to keep some on her from now on, instead of in her bedroom.
"Or will be." Future-Danni teased.
"Are you ill?" Jenny asked Now-Danni, who opened her mouth to reply when the sound of shooting echoed around them, along with the General calling out orders.
"They've broken through." Jenny breathed and Future-Danni nudged her.
"Go and get your dad then." Jenny beamed and rushed off. Now-Danni turned to herself with a frown.
"How are you okay when I'm not?" She asked.
"I can't tell you." Future-Danni answered, "But you will get better eventually. But I'm going to warn you, it gets a lot worse first." She leant in close, "Beware of Midnight."
"I don't go to Midnight. I jumped away before he landed." Now-Danni protested and Future-Danni shook her head.
"Midnight is bad. Really, really bad." She explained, "If you know it's coming, you might be able to fight it. Keep remembering that it ends okay..." The Doctor, Donna and Jenny ran to them before she could finish her sentence.
"Come on Danni-Girls!" The Doctor cried, "This is no time to gossip."
"Gossip?" Future-Danni turned from the conversation, "I'll show you gossip." She ran after him, leaving her younger self to trail behind, bewildered and frightened.
~0~0~0~
Martha looked around, amazed as they walked through what seemed to be overgrowth, but inside underground. She had taken the surface route, lost a new friend on the way, but overall was enjoying herself as much as she always had. The newness of everything was amazing, there was so much to learn and that really appealed to her nature. There was still two Dannis, which she had been surprised about, but they had taken turns explaining what had happened in her absence and she was now fully up to date with the 7-Day war and it's thousands of casualties, and the charming young girl who'd been named Jenny.
"Oh, yes! Yes! Isn't this brilliant?" The Doctor cheered as they entered a clearing, a small pedestal in the middle holding a glass sphere full of gas. He approached it, taking off his jacket, now very warm in the micro climate the plants had created.
"Is that the Source?" Donna asked as they followed, surrounding the glass ball. He glanced over at Now-Danni, who was tentatively stroking a huge purple leaf, a look of wonder on her face as she felt it underneath her fingertips and then at her counterpart, who had joined him at his side. Not wanting to pull Now-Danni out of her little happy daze, he wrapped an arm around Future-Danni and she snuggled slightly into his side.
"It's beautiful." Jenny breathed.
"What is it?" Martha asked, getting straight to the point.
"Terraforming! It's a..." He quickly examined the device, "third generation terraforming device!"
"So why are we suddenly in Kew Gardens?" Donna asked, still confused.
"Because it creates new worlds. Takes an uninhabitable planet and creates life." Future-Danni explained, looking up at the Doctor smugly, "See? Not a weapon at all."
"Yes, yes. I know, I should listen to you more." He replied with a bit of a pout before turning back to the other women, "It's in a transit state. Producing all this must help keep it stable before they finally..." He trailed off as the sound of the soldiers filled the area, humans approaching from one side and Hath from the other. They all stopped and pulled their guns out, aiming at each other in a stalemate.
"Stop!" The Doctor held out his hands, shouting at them, "Hold your fire!"
"What is this? Some kind of trap?" The General snapped suspiciously, not taking his eye off the Hath across the room.
"You said you wanted this war over." The Doctor pointed out.
"I want this war won." He corrected venomously, his gaze never wavering off the enemy.
"You can't win. No one can. You don't even know why you're here. Your whole history, it's just Chinese whispers. Getting more distorted the more it's passed on." He explained, looking throughout the military men and Hath before pointing at the sphere, "This is the Source." They all took notice of the madman rambling at the declaration, all staring at it longingly, "This is what you're fighting over. A device to rejuvenate a planet's ecosystem. It's nothing mystical. It's from a laboratory, not some creator. It's a bubble of gases. A cocktail of stuff for accelerated evolution. Methane, hydrogen, ammonia, amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids. It's used to make barren planets habitable. Look around you! It's not for killing, it's bringing life. If you allow it, it can lift you out of these dark tunnels and into the bright, bright sunlight! No more fighting." He caught sight of his daughter, absorbing every word as he fought for the end to the fighting, "No more killing. I'm the Doctor, and I declare this war is over!" He picked up the sphere and smashed it on the ground. Gases began to escape, floating through the air, spreading in golds and greens as it began to rejuvenate the planet. At the glorious sight, the humans and Hath all put their guns to the ground. All except one.
"What's happening?" Jenny asked her dad.
"The gases will escape and trigger the terraforming process." He explained.
"What does that mean?" He turned to face her and beamed at this wondrous girl, born out of a needless war, bringing him more hope than he'd had in a long time.
"It means a new world." He replied and she giggled in delight.
"NO!" They all spun, alarmed to see Now-Danni tackling the General, sending the pair to the floor and wrestling the gun out of his hand. She stood up, shaking uncontrollably in anger as she pressed her foot against his neck, aiming the gun at his head, "Move and I'll fucking kill you!" The anger she had felt back at UNIT had flowed through her the moment she'd caught sight of him aiming at the Doctor. The drumming pounded, furious at the possible attempt on the Time Lord's life and for once she agreed with it completely. She knew it wanted her to kill him so it didn't appreciate others trying to take the job away from her. While it was to her advantage, she'd let it take over her, but as long as she was certain in the fact she'd never harm the Doctor, she knew it was safe to.
"Danni, drop the gun." Martha called, her training kicking in but the General shifted and Danni grabbed the back of the gun, cocking it and training the aim at his forehead.
"I said Don't. Move." She hissed. Future-Danni sighed and stepped forward.
"Let me..." She muttered, slowly approaching the girl and placed a hand next to hers on the gun. Now-Danni's gaze shot to her, her eyes hard and dark with fury and Future-Danni smiled encouragingly at her, "It's okay." She whispered, "He didn't shoot him." Now-Danni's gaze shot back to the man.
"I'm not going to let anyone kill him!" She snarled, "No one is going to kill the Doctor while I'm still here." The Doctor blinked, the venom in her voice almost tangible. She was doing this because of him? He knew the drumming was connected to him somehow, but he hadn't even seen the man point the gun at him.
"They don't." Future-Danni promised, "Now, let him go. His soldiers will hold him." Now-Danni didn't move, in fact she pressed her foot into his throat. Future-Danni looked over at him, helpless and he squeezed Jenny's arm before moving over to Now-Danni's side.
"I'm here." He told her lowly as she turned to face him, "Let him go." Her arm lowered and Future-Danni snatched the gun from her, handing it to the nearest solider who immediately disarmed it. Now-Danni's eyes filled with tears and the Doctor pulled her in for a hug as she sobbed.
"It's all right, Danni-Girl." Jenny said as she joined her dad, rubbing her arm soothingly. She'd heard the Doctor call them both Danni-Girl before and thought it would soothe her.
"Restrain the General." One solider commanded and two others grabbed him, pinning his arms behind his back as the others looked at the new planet forming, sombre but hopeful at the times to come.
~0~0~0~
The General was taken to a cell, waiting to be sentenced for his attempt on the Doctor's life. They gathered in the old human encampment, watching the sun stream through the uppermost windows into the once dark and dusty room. Jenny was stood, amazed while the Doctor, Martha and Donna comforted Now-Danni.
"It's remarkable, isn't it?" Jenny turned to see Future-Danni stood there and nodded, turning back to the window. She couldn't see anything, but just the gleaming of the sun could hold her attention forever.
"A whole new world, just like that." Jenny replied, "They're going to strip the topsoil away and the Hath and Human city will appear above." Future-Danni nodded before taking a deep breath.
"I wanted to thank you." Jenny turned to face her, frowning, "You saw the gun too, you were going to save the Doctor. Thank you for thinking about it." Jenny shrugged.
"He's my dad." She said, not really understanding the emotion she felt behind the words, but following them just like she knew he would.
"I know. That's why it's really hard for me to ask you this. I want you to stay here and not go with him."
"Why?" Jenny exclaimed, feeling offended. Did she not want her there?
"Not because of me." Future-Danni quickly reassured, "Because of her." They both looked over at the Danni sat in the corner. She seemed so much smaller than she had done, her heavy guilt almost squishing her down into herself, "Because I know her, I've been her, and if you go she will try and hurt you." She smiled softly before turning to Jenny, "I'm not saying don't travel with him ever, because I know you will go to amazing places with him. But she's ill, and you'll make her jealous and she can't help it. She will try and hurt you and she'll hate herself for it, and hurting you will hurt the Doctor as well. Plus, look up there." She motioned up to the ceiling, to the stream of sunlight, "This is a newer world than he'll ever be able to show you. Help them build it, watch it grow and prosper. Then, when it's done, steal a spaceship and runaway." She nudged Jenny, "It's what your dad did."
"It's tempting." Jenny admitted. Donna had explained that they wouldn't be staying long, and even though the prospect of running really appealed to her, she wanted to see how this world would do first. She was torn between her family and her home, and if Danni said she'd see the Doctor again, it made her happier to stay behind. The Doctor walked up, hands in his pockets as he grinned at her.
"You two ready?" He asked happily and Future-Danni shook her head.
"Nah, we're jumping off in a minute." He groaned in disappointment.
"Aww, do you have to?" He whined, "We would have enjoyed you on the TARDIS, wouldn't we?" Jenny opened her mouth, unsure of what to say and his smile faltered, "You're not coming, are you?" She shook her head.
"I want to see this new world first." She explained apologetically, "I should explore my own home world first before running off somewhere else."
"That's what I did." He conceded, "Well, then you should have this." He rummaged around in his pockets, pulling out an older mobile and handing it to his daughter, "I expect you to keep in touch with your old man." Jenny hugged him tightly.
"You'll be sick of me." She promised and he shook his head.
"Never." He retorted. Future-Danni looked at her arm then at Jenny.
"I'll see you soon, sweetie."
"Bye mum!" Jenny cried and the red-head disappeared, landing in front of Eleven with a thud and a smile.
Across the room, the now only Danni watched the trio with an angry frown. Why did they get to be happy together, and she was stuck battling with an illness that was all the Doctor's fault? Sometimes he just didn't get it. Ten never understood how maddening the noise was. And now she had to battle for his attention with yet another pretty girl. How dare he do this to her? She was glaring as she disappeared in a flash of light, much to Donna and Martha's surprise and Donna turned to Martha.
"What is wrong with her?" She asked, knowing the doctor would have some sort of insight into what was troubling her fellow red-headed friend. Martha sighed sadly.
"There's a noise in her head that's driving her insane." She summarized, "Anything to do with the Doctor and it fixates on it. She stops eating and sleeping, and she can't always control herself." She glanced over at the Doctor and Jenny and smiled, happy he'd gained some of his past back through the blonde, "You won't meet her much, most of the Danni's for me were either before or after that. Only a few fall into the middle."
"But what is it? Is it something to do with her jumping about?" Martha shook her head.
"No, it was put there. Someone did it to her to make the Doctor angry." Donna's mouth fell open.
"Who would do that?" She exclaimed angrily, the urge to find them and beat them up fiercer than with any of her ex-boyfriends.
"I don't know the exact details." Martha explained, "But I'm sure it's something to do with Harold Saxon."
"You mean that Prime Minister who shot the American President?" Donna gasped. It sounded like a soap opera plot line, and she was always a sucker for them. Her favourite was EastEnders.
"They'll both deny it, but I know it is." Martha insisted, "Ask about Harold Saxon. He was a Time Lord too, and it's all his fault."