Storm: Storm is Brewing

Journey's End 2

The New Doctor glanced up and stared at Daemon shrewdly for a moment.

But again, Donna interrupted as she demanded: "What are you two talking about? What end?"

"We didn't notice it at all." The New Doctor said to her, and Donna wasn't aware enough to realize he had completely skirted her question. "It's like we were always heading for this."

He motioned to himself.

"You came to the Tardis. And you found 'me' again." The New Doctor ticked off each point on his fingers. "Your granddad. Your car. Donna, your car. You parked your car right where the Tardis was going land. That's not coincidence."

"What are you talking about?" Donna demanded, and the New Doctor explained patiently: "Something's been drawing us together for such a long time."

"What, like destiny?" Donna asked skeptically, but Daemon answered in a low voice: "No. A tapestry is not made with one thread; all the strands must come together to create the picture."

"And we're the threads?" Donna asked, and the New Doctor pointed out: "Someone has to weave the threads; otherwise, we'd just have a whole pile of coloured strings and what use is that?"

"So, it is destiny?" Donna asked, frowning in confusion. "Or it isn't? Some great, higher power is at play?"

"Someone, or several someones, is pulling the threads." The New Doctor explained a little impatiently. "And depending on how the winner weaves the strings will determine how the final product looks."

"I don't understand." Donna said, and Daemon replied: "That's because you are a thread."

Donna stared at the Time Lady.

"And... you're the one pulling us?" She asked, but Daemon's eyes drifted to the side again.

"I am one." She answered slowly. "But there are always more, always at least one other who insists on tugging my threads and twisting my tapestry into a new picture."

"You've lost me again." Donna muttered, but Daemon's eyes suddenly flashed gold as she replied rather abruptly: "You've run out of time."

Her eyes glinted as she looked right at Donna once more, and Donna asked slowly, apprehensively: "What... do you mean?"

"Twenty seven planets." Daemon answered almost absently, her eyes unfocused as she stared off into the distance.

"What about them?" Donna asked, confused again, and the New Doctor suddenly piped up: "Single string Z-neutrinos compressed... oh..."

He looked at Daemon.

"Is this how it is for you? Knowing his whole future, knowing what's going to happen?" He asked, and Daemon didn't reply – she didn't have to.

"What is it?" Donna asked, still not understanding, but the New Doctor and Daemon ignored her as the New Doctor started working quickly around the console, grabbing pieces and tools from the various compartments on and under the console desk.

"Of course." He muttered as he went. "Twenty seven plants - why didn't I see it before? Of course!"

"Seriously, what is going on?" Donna asked sharply, irritated and worried as she watched Daemon stare blankly into thin air.

"Electrical energy, Donna Noble." Daemon answered darkly, her dark eyes shifting to look right into Donna's light ones. "Every atom in existence, in all the universes, is bound by an electrical field."

"What?" Donna gaped. "Even in your universe? Or, the universe Terry came from?"

"A reality bomb would cancel out all the electrical energy in all of existence." Terry continued, not answering Donna's question. "Structures fall apart; stars go out as planets are wiped from existence."