The Doctor put his hand on her arm. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
“I’m fine,” she said blankly.
“Your brother -”
“Like I said before,” said Jayne, “my brother died the moment that console exploded.”
The Doctor nodded sadly as Jayne turned the key in the lock and the doors were flung open.
The two were about to enter the box when they heard footsteps behind them. It was Adrian.
“Can I help you, Mr Lennon?” said the Doctor.
“You need to let me come with you. The ones inside need our help.”
“Adrian-”
“I won’t take no for an answer,” he said, hefting a rucksack onto his shoulder. “I’ve spent enough time with them to know that they need our help.”
“I don’t know if I can help them,” said the Doctor. “My first priority is to shut this TARDIS down.”
“And rescue the ones that are trapped.”
“I don’t know -”
“And rescue the ones that are trapped,” repeated Adrian, a little more forcefully.
“I’ll certainly try,” said the Doctor, quickly
“Good,” smiled Adrian. “Let’s go then.”
They made there way over the threshold and into the snow. The Doctor immediately felt a searing pain through his forehead and temples. He keeled over and gasped for air.
“You okay?” said Jayne, crouching down to check on him.
“It’s this TARDIS. It’s trying to communicate with me.”
“What’s it saying?” said Jayne.
“It needs to be….free…” he gasped.
There was a high-pitched whistling and the Doctor cried out in pain. He looked to the sky, almost begging for it to release him. And then, as quickly as it had started, the whistling died away and the Doctor slowly straightened himself up again.
“Alright?” said Jayne.
The Doctor nodded, getting his breath back. “Come on. Onwards.”
They made their way across the snow fields, dodging the occasional blast of lightning and the flurries of snow that had become too heavy for the trees branches to hold up. Every now and then one of them would slip on the ice, but they continued on their way.
They climbed a steep hill, clawing their way up by grabbing onto various ice-cold, jagged boulders until they reached the top.
“There,” said Adrian.
He was pointing towards a green glow in the distance.
“We’ve gotta get there?” said Jayne, out of breath.
“’Fraid so,” said Adrian. “That’s where the main console is. Where you can shut down this world.”
The Doctor sighed. “Then we best put our best feet forward. There’s no time to lose!”
Back in the crypt, Caroline was sat next to Matthew. His breathing had rapidly become worse. He was clearly in a lot of pain and his hand was still over the wound which Brandon had left in his chest.
Caroline had her baby in one arm and was gently stroking Matthew’s hair with the other, making the occasional “shushing” sounds.
“How’s he doing?” asked Danny, sliding down the wall to sit next to Caroline.
Caroline shook her head and said quietly, “I don’t think he’s gonna last much longer.”
Danny closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “This is a right disaster, isn’t it?”
“You’re worried about Adrian, aren’t you?” said Caroline.
“I’ve just got him back, Caz,” said Danny. “I may end up losing him again.”
“Hey, he’s with the Doctor,” said Caroline with a smile. “He’s gonna look after him. Don’t you worry about that.”
“It’s not really that,” said Danny, picking at his shoe laces.
“Oh?”
“I was so glad to see him again. So pleased,” he sighed, “but that’s not the same Adrian I lost back in 2004. He’s changed so much.”
“He’s had to go through a lot.”
“I know,” said Danny, shaking his head, “but has he changed too much?”
The ground shook and there came the sound of scuttling feet from behind the door. Ben quickly ran to the door and pulled the wooden barrier across it.
“It’s them,” said Margot, backing up a little.
“More of them,” said Ben, listening at the door.
They began hammering on the door to be let in.
“Can we put the barrier up?” said Ben.
Margot dashed to the controls and checked them. They were blackened and charred. “No chance. We blew out most of the power when we used the energy on Brandon.”
“We’ve gotta keep them out,” said Caroline, getting to her feet and shielding William in both arms.
“You don’t think I don’t know that?” said Margot, joining Ben beside the door.
“Use your powers,” said Danny, joining Caroline at her side.
“It depends how many there are,” said Ben.
Margot flicked on a monitor, giving her access to the CCTV camera nearby. A steady stream of Apparites were pouring into the church.
“Bloody hell,” said Ben. “I’ve never seen so many people trying to get in here.”
“There must be near on a hundred!” said Margot, for the first time showing a hint of fear.
“What do we do?” asked Caroline.
Margot and Ben turned to Caroline.
“Oh, no,” said Caroline, backing away.
“We need everyone we can muster,” said Margot. “The rest of the team are too weak. There’s only me, Ben and you with these powers. You’ve got to help.”
“I have no idea how to control the powers,” said Caroline, shaking her head.
“Now’s a good time to learn,” said Ben.
“No,” said Danny, standing ever so slightly in front of his friend, “she has no idea what she’s doing. You can’t expect her to fight the same as you.”
“We have no choice!” snapped Margot.
The door was now being pounded on over and over again. The four of them backed up against the wall, standing over Matthew.
“Then we’re finished,” said Ben, as an Apparite arm smashed through the wood, reaching for the wooden barrier.
Suddenly, Danny went white. His eyes rolled back into the back of his head and he straightened up, rigid.
Caroline, Margot and Ben edged away from him as his head snapped around to look at them. His lip curled into a terrifying smile.
“Danny,” said Caroline. “Don’t let it control you.”
“Poor little Caroline. Poor little people,” hissed Danny.
“Send it back,” said Caroline. “I know you can do it!”
“Too late now. Too late for all.” He laughed, throwing his head back.
Slowly Danny began to advance on the three of them. They were trapped between him and the doorway. This was surely the end.
Instinctively, Caroline reached for the pendant around her neck.
When things are ready to be finished.
She pressed the small button on the front of it. For a moment everything seemed to happen at once, and in slow motion. Danny leapt for them just as the door splintered open and the stream of Apparites poured in.
Caroline closed her eyes.
Things seemed to go cold. She dared to open them, and Danny was frozen in mid-air. The Apparites had also frozen to the spot. Margot, Ben and Caroline all looked at each other in confusion.
And that’s when she saw it.
Standing in the corner of the room, looking dazed and confused was a young man with short, light brown hair and a little bit of stubble. Next to him was a small, dark-haired woman with big, hazel eyes and a slightly pointed nose.
Slowly they became aware of where they were.
They turned to look at the small group of terrified people and then looked from Danny to the Apparites.
“Oh Jesus,” said the man.
And then all Hell broke lose. Everything unfroze just as Caroline, Ben and Margot jumped out of the way. The Apparites collided with Danny and he fell to the floor.
The female stranger grabbed William from Caroline and placed him in his blanket on the floor next to the dying Matthew.
She then crouched down next to Caroline - who was already on her knees.
“My baby!”
“You need to concentrate, Caroline,” said the man, crouching next to her as well.
“On what.”
“On what’s in front of you. Fight them off. We can all do it.”
“I don’t even know who you are,” yelled Caroline as the Apparites - and Danny - closed in on them.
“Yes you do. We gave Catherine and Tony the pendant.”
Caroline looked at the man and then to the woman. There was some recognition in her eyes. And then she smiled.
The man looked down at her and grinned. “Understand?”
“Yes,” said Caroline. “You’re my Mum and Dad!”
Thomas and Rebecca Farrington laughed as they helped her to her feet. Margot and Ben joined at the sides and Thomas and Rebecca grabbed Caroline’s hands.
“Nice to see you two again,” said Ben.
“Time for the pleasantries later,” said Tom. “Caroline, we’re going to channel our power through you. You’ll not have to do anything, but you’ll be like a conductor. You’ll also amplify us. Now, concentrate!”
Caroline closed her eyes as the five of them burst into a glowing, orange colour. A wave of light burst from them and hit Danny and the Apparites. They were all thrown backwards to their feet.
Danny came to his senses, but was hauled up by the lead Apparite.
“Let go!” said Danny.
The lead Apparite grabbed the back of his head.
“Danny!” yelled Caroline.
Without thinking, she lurched forward and grabbed at Danny. The Apparite pulled backwards whilst the glowing Caroline pulled forwards.
Danny screamed as the ghost - trapped within him for so long - was wrenched free.
Danny fell against Caroline and the pair of them crumpled to the floor in a great big heap.
“Finish it!” yelled Rebecca over the cacophony of hissing and growling.
Caroline scrambled to her feet as the five of them forced the Apparites out of the crypt and out of the church.
When all was safe, Caroline dropped to her knees, unable to control the power. Computer systems began to spark and fizzle as the waves of energy ricocheted around the room.
Thomas dropped to his knees in front of her and held her hands. “Calm down,” he said slowly. “Calm down.”
“I can’t,” said Caroline, tears streaming down her face.
“You have to,” said Thomas. “It’s us. Your Mum and I have come back for you.”
Caroline whimpered.
“We love you,” whispered Rebecca.
Slowly and gently, Caroline began to regain control, the power subsiding and returning to within her.
“See,” smiled Thomas, “I knew you could do it.”
Caroline shook her head and then threw her arms around her Mum and then her Dad. She sobbed. “You have to take it away.”
Thomas looked at Rebecca and then back at Caroline. “I’m not sure if we can.”
“But Jayne said that she could absorb it into herself.”
“With great risk to her,” said Margot. “And even then there’s no guarantee.”
“And not only that,” said Rebecca, “but you were born with these powers. It’s a part of you. It’s not something you can just erase from yourself. It’s a part of you and your baby.”
“But we’ll help you,” said Thomas, clasping his daughter’s hand tightly. “We’ll help you control the powers.”
The Doctor, Jayne and Adrian emerged into the console-room-like cavern. The Doctor’s face was bathed in the green glow from the cracked time rotor.
“Let’s finish this. Let’s shut this place down for good.”
Next time: The death of Matthew Cole? Coming Monday 25th November.
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