Ending of the Hours (Book Four of the Bad Wolf Chronicles)

The Stolen Earth

Jessie ran out of the TARDIS to look around, the Doctor close behind her. "It's fine," he said numbly. "Everything's fine. Nothing'g wrong. All fine." He shouted to a milkman. "Excuse me!" he called. "What day is it?"

"Saturday," the milkman replied incredulously.

The Doctor nodded. "Saturday. Good. Good. I like Saturdays. I like Sundays better, though."

Jessie grinned. "You're so whipped."

"I know I am."

"So I just met Saleen Harper?" Donna asked, closing the TARDIS door behind her.

"Yeah," Jessie nodded. "Which makes sense, with what Lucius said. 'While the fire burns strongly in you, the cold is returning to you as well.' Saleen has power over ice. She's the cold that's returning."

"And the other part of what Lucius said?" Donna asked. "He said the protectors were returning, too."

"Protector," the Doctor muttered. "Protector, protection . . . wards." His eyes widened. "You said there was a man with her, too?"

"Yeah, black hair."

"The wards are returning. The Wards are returning." He looked at Jessie. "Grant and Skye. They're coming back."

"But didn't you say they were locked away in a parallel world?" Donna asked.

"Exactly," the Doctor nodded. "If they can cross from their parallel world to your parallel world, then that means the walls of the universe are breaking down, which puts everything in danger. Everything. But how?"

"Is it something like Torchwood was doing before?" Jessie asked as they went back into the TARDIS.

"I think Jack would know better than that, wouldn't you?"

"Well, I wouldn't put it past UNIT."

"The thing is, no matter what's happening, because I'm sure it's bad, I get that . . . but Saleen and Skye are coming back." Donna looked at Jessie. "Isn't that good?"

And despite herself, she grinned. "Yeah."

There was a sharp bang, and the TARDIS shook. "What the hell was that?" Donna asked as they steadied themselves.

The Doctor ran to the doors and opened them, and Jessie's eyes widened when they stared at space. "What in the name of the Nine Realms?" she sputtered.

"But we're in space!" Donna protested as the Doctor ran back to check the scanners. "How did that happen? What did you do?"

"We haven't moved," the Doctor said incredulously. "We're fixed! It can't have!"

"The TARDIS is still in the same place, but the Earth is gone," Jessie said, looking at another scanner in surprise. "The entire planet! It's just . . . gone!"

***

In New York City, Martha Jones struggled to raise her head as she looked around the now wrecked floor of UNIT. "What was that?" she asked weakly.

"Emergency systems online!" someone reported from nearby.

"Was it some sort of earthquake, or . . . " She checked someone next to her. "Jalandra, you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm OK," the man answered.

"Is anyone hurt?" Martha asked, standing up and looking around. "We've lost power. Someone get the lights back on! DaCosta, see to it right now." She checked the other woman. "Suzanne? Are you all right?"

"Martha, look at the sky," Suzanne whispered.

"Why? What is it?"

"Just look at the sky!"