Storm: Storm is Brewing

Parting of Ways

Terry wiped her face of the soot and grime as she landed, sighing deeply. She just had to hope her words and Donna's pleas would move the Doctor into action to save Caecilius and his family. At any rate, she needed to trust the Doctor to do the right thing, and focus on where she was now. And try to forget that tiny detail of how his kiss had felt...

'Focus!' Terry scolded herself as she physically shook herself and looked around, partly hoping it would be the Doctor's future so that she could grill him on the kiss...

'I said, focus!' Terry exclaimed to herself as she finally took in her surroudings.

She blinked rapidly as she did, all thoughts of the kiss with the Tenth Doctor immediately flying out of her head. She stared ahead, hoping and praying she was so, so wrong about where she was, as she stood in the middle of a mess of cables in an eerily familiar blue-lit spaceship.

It had just clicked for her when she was, when Terry saw the Doctor – who hadn't noticed her arrival - began to lift his sonic towards the Tardis.

"No!" Terry shouted, and Nine spun to look at her in alarm.

"Terry, what-?" He began, but Terry flew passed him as she ran for the Tardis doors.

She slammed her fists on it, trying to get it open just as the engines started and Rose called in alarm: "Terry, is that you? Doctor, what's happening?"

"Doctor, let me in first!" Terry begged desperately, but his face was impassive as the Tardis began to dematerialize.

"No!" Terry screamed in horror.

"Let me out!" Rose shouted from inside as she pounded on the doors, but it didn't even budge.

"Let me out!" Rose screamed in a panicked voice. "Doctor, what've you done? Terry!"

"Rose!" Terry yelled as the Tardis disappeared completely. "NO!"

"Terry, let it go." The Doctor said softly, grimly. "She's gone, I've activated-"

"Emergency Programme One, yes, I know, but you don't understand!" Terry cried, whirling to face him as she shouted despairingly: "You did it to keep her safe, but she's not!"

"What do you mean?" The Doctor frowned, and Terry said desperately: "Is there any way we can bring her back?"

"No." The Doctor answered, his frown deepening. "And even if I could, why would I? She's safer away from here, this is-"

"Satellite Five." Terry interrupted impatiently. "And yes, I agree, sending Rose away was the best idea, theoretically, to keep her safe! But let me go with her, you have no idea-"

"I can't!" The Doctor exploded at her, his confusion and worry getting the better of his temper. "Emergency Programme One means I sent the Tardis away so that it can never fall into the wrong hands! Emphasis on 'never'."

Terry stared at him, aghast. The Doctor calmed himself down forcefully, concerned by the ashen expression on the Time Lady's face.

"Why?" He asked in a more controlled voice. "Why do you need to be with Rose?"

"Because she..." Terry hesitated for a fraction of a second, before she answered: "I'm sorry, Doctor. Spoilers."

He frowned, and he complained angrily: "You know, I really hate that word. Have I mentioned?"

"Yes, well, let's hope spoilers stay spoilers." Terry said gloomily.

The Doctor glanced at her, but she was staring at his machine, nowhere near completed and with wires still strewn everywhere around it.