Teresa blinked as she looked around. Thankfully, this time she'd actually been awake and properly dressed in a skirt and jumper when she jumped. Unfortunately, she had been cooking lunch, which meant one, she was hungry when she landed and two, the Doctor was in for a lovely surprise as the stove burnt the egg she'd been frying. Unless Sexy was a dear, and switched it off for her.
Teresa now looked around to see she was in what appeared to be a giant library, and she caught sight of the Doctor and Donna a few steps below her, their backs turned to her as the Doctor was saying cheerfully: "You don't want to read ahead. Spoil all the surprises. Like peeking at the end."
"Isn't travelling with you one big spoiler?" Donna pointed out and the Doctor muttered: "I try to keep you away from major plot developments. Which, to be honest, I seem to be very bad at-"
"You are." Teresa said cheekily as she walked down to the pair.
They turned and it was quite comical how both their expressions lit up in the same way.
"Terry!" They both cried happily and she laughed. Donna ran up first, grabbing the girl in a hug while the Doctor pouted, making Teresa laugh harder.
"Lovely to see you again, Donna." Teresa said cheerfully and the redhead beamed as she said: "Look at you! You look so young!"
Teresa chuckled as she walked down to hug the Doctor, saying lightly: "I take it you've been with my future self recently?"
"Yes, your brunette self was around for a while actually." Donna said blithely and Teresa mused: "You know, I never did figure it out. Why would I dye my hair brown of all colours?"
She turned to the Doctor expectantly and was surprised to see him look a little uncomfortable.
"Er, spoilers actually. And hello, by the way." He told her and she wrinkled her nose.
"Oh, fine, be that way. And yes, hello." She grumbled and Donna chuckled.
She patted the girl on the head as she said kindly: "Don't worry, one day you'll be the one who knows everything and is having to hide the future from his past selves."
"I'm already doing that somewhat." Teresa pointed out and Donna chuckled as she said a little mysteriously: "Yes, but you don't know where your place in that is. It'll be tougher for you in your future to keep it quiet, I'll tell you that much."
"Donna." The Doctor warned, and the woman just smiled good-naturedly while Teresa shrugged and commented: "So, going back to before I interrupted."
She leaned on the balcony, looking out into the whole city that was The Library.
"Doctor." She prompted and he grinned.
He began: "This is the biggest library in the universe." Donna nodded, not understanding, and the Doctor pointed out: "So where is everyone?"
Donna realized too as she stared out at the completely empty city.
"It's silent." The Doctor murmured before moving to sonic a nearby information screen while Donna asked skeptically: "The library?"
"The planet. The whole planet." The Doctor corrected as he read the screen.
Donna looked around and suggested: "Maybe it's a Sunday."
Teresa chuckled as the Doctor replied promptly: "No, I never land on Sundays. Sundays are boring."
Donna looked at him in disbelief, then at Teresa who just shook her head with an amused expression. Donna rolled her eyes and suggested: "Well, maybe everyone's really, really quiet."
Teresa grinned at Donna's mocking tone, making the redhead wink at her, while the Doctor said slowly: "Yeah, maybe. But they'd still show up on the system."
"Doctor, why are we here?" Donna asked, annoyed. "Really, why?"
Teresa smiled as the Doctor replied lightly: "Oh, you know, just passing."
"No, seriously." Donna said firmly, missing how the screen beeped. "It was all 'let's hit the beach', then Terry disappears again, and suddenly we're in a library. Why?"
"Now that's interesting." The Doctor murmured and Donna asked in surprise: "What?"
"Scanning for life forms." The Doctor explained. "If I do a scan looking for your basic humanoids. You know, your book readers, few limbs and a face, apart from us," he indicated the screen showing the number '3', "I get nothing. Zippo, nada. See? Nobody home."
Donna nodded, and the Doctor pressed on the keyboard as he said: "But if I widen the parameters to any kind of life."
The screen displayed rapidly increasing numbers until it read: 'Error 1,000,000,000,000 lifeform number capped at maximum record.'
"A million, million." The Doctor pointed out. "Gives up after that. A million, million."
They all looked out at the completely empty city and Donna said in shock: "But there's nothing here. There's no one."
"And not a sound." Teresa pointed out, and the Doctor murmured: "A million. million life forms, and silence in the library."
Donna pointed out: "But there's no one here. There's just books." She pointed at said objects as she protested: "I mean, it's not the books, is it? I mean, it can't be the books, can it? I mean, books can't be alive."
Teresa raised her brows while the Doctor's face became pensive and Donna's took a mixed of resigned realization.
The three of them all reached for a book, when suddenly a voice called: "Welcome."
Teresa jumped as Donna and the Doctor flinched, before she giggled and the Doctor and Donna made faces.
"That came from here." Donna muttered, pointing back into the building and the Doctor muttered: "Yeah."
They both glared at Teresa who was cracking up, and she gasped between laughs: "Sorry... but your... faces...were ab...solutely...priceless!"
She carried on laughing as Donna looked annoyed and the Doctor frowned petulantly. Donna turned and stormed off ahead into the library while the Doctor raised his brows at Teresa as she finally calmed down. He folded his arms but she just smiled as she stood up.
"Come on." She told him as she walked up and called: "Donna, wait up!"
The Doctor shook his head, sighing, but a small smile appeared on his face as he caught up with Teresa, and the pair walked over to Donna who was waiting by the door. The Doctor casually took Teresa's hand and she blinked down at it in surprise.
He usually didn't take her hand unless it was to run, but he'd done it so nonchalantly that she was taken aback. Donna didn't tease them either, which meant it was so common she didn't find it interesting anymore, and Teresa wondered why that was. But she was more anxious about what was to come to really put much more thought into the gesture, and it was with eager anticipation and deep dread that she walked with the Doctor and Donna into the library.
They walked over to the droid by the centre desk, which turned its head to them as they approached and introduced without inflection: "I am Courtesy Node seven one zero slash aqua. Please enjoy the Library and respect the personal access codes of all your fellow readers, regardless of species or hygiene taboo."
"That face, it looks real." Donna said in shock as she stared at the realistic face on the mostly unrealistic drone, but the Doctor replied quickly: "Yeah, don't worry about it."
Donna protested: "A statue with a real face, though? It's a hologram or something, isn't it?"
"No, but really, it's fine." The Doctor said hastily, and Teresa nodded in confirmation, urging them to pay attention as the Node continued in its emotionless voice: "Additional. There follows a brief message from the Head Librarian for your urgent attention. It has been edited for tone and content by a Felman Lux Automated Decency Filter. Message follows."
Teresa's stomach clenched and she squeezed the Doctor's hand reflexively as the Drone said monotonously: "Run. For God's sake, run." Donna glanced at the Doctor nervously as he frowned deeply. "No way is safe. The library has sealed itself, we can't. Oh, they're here. Argh. Slarg. Snick. Message ends."
Donna's mouth had fallen open slightly in horror as the Drone finished: "Please switch off your mobile comm. units for the comfort of other readers."
The Doctor said quietly: "So that's why we're here."
Donna stared at him in surprise, but he said in a louder tone to the Drone: "Any other messages, same date stamp?"
"One additional message." The Drone said. "This message carries a Felman Lux coherency warning of five zero eleven-"
"Yeah, yeah," the Doctor interrupted annoyed, "fine, fine, fine. Just play it."
The Drone said again without inflection: "Message follows. Count the shadows. For God's sake, remember, if you want to live, count the shadows. Message ends."
The Doctor's face darkened and he quickly glanced around the room.
"Donna?" He said quietly and she replied slowly, already disliking his tone: "Yeah?"
"Stay out of the shadows." The Doctor and Teresa said quietly at the same time.
"Why, what's in the shadows?" Donna asked quietly, but the Doctor wandered off without answer, taking Teresa with him with their entwined hands.
Teresa's eyes were sad- this was one adventure where she knew she couldn't save people. She couldn't fight shadows or keep people away from them constantly. But she did hold a small shred of hope that she might get to save one life.
The Doctor led the way through a side door, taking them into a huge room full of rows and rows of bookcases that went all the way up to the ceiling about three floors up.
Donna asked flatly as they walked: "So, We weren't just in the neighbourhood."
"Yeah, I kind of, sort of lied a bit." The Doctor admitted.
Donna looked annoyed and Teresa couldn't help pointed out: "Aren't you used to it by now?"
Donna sighed, conceding grudgingly, while the Doctor explained: "I got a message on the psychic paper."
He pulled it out and showed it to them and Teresa read: 'The library, come as soon as you can. X'
Teresa's eyes widened, while the Doctor asked: "What do you think? Cry for help?"
"Cry for help with a kiss?" Donna pointed out mockingly and Teresa snorted. She knew exactly who that message was from, and even if she hadn't seen the episode she would've known.
"Oh, we've all done that." The Doctor replied sulkily and Donna smiled, asking instead: "Who's it from?"
"No idea." The Doctor admitted and Donna pointed out mockingly: "But Terry knows."
"And she can't say, remember?" The Doctor replied, imitating her tone.
Donna asked in exasperation: "So why did we come here? Why did you-"
"Donna." The Doctor interrupted as Teresa's heart beat faster. The lights behind them were going out one by one, casting the aisle they were standing in into shadows.
"What's happening?" Donna asked and the Doctor yelled: "Run!"
They ran for the nearest door, trying to get it open but it wouldn't budge.
"Come on." The Doctor muttered and Donna asked in alarm: "What, is it locked?"
"Jammed." The Doctor and Teresa said at the same time.
The Doctor muttered: "The wood's warped."
They spotted the lights continuing to go out and getting closer to them, and Donna cried: "Well, sonic it. Use the thingy."
"Screwdriver." Teresa corrected as the Doctor grit out: "I can't, it's wood."
Donna huffed and demanded: "What, it doesn't do wood?"
"It doesn't!" Teresa shouted as she shoved against the door with the Doctor, and he muttered: "Hang on, hang on. I can vibrate the molecules, fry the bindings."
He began to sonic the edge of the door, muttering: "I can shatterline the interface."
"Oh, get out of the way." Donna snapped, and Teresa quickly backed away as Donna kicked it, forcing the door open. They ran through and slammed the doors shut behind them quickly.
They leaned against it heavily for a moment before turning to the room, and the Doctor said brightly: "Oh. Hello. Sorry to burst on you like this. Okay if we stop here for a bit?"
The small metal globe he'd been talking to fell to the ground, and he and Donna stared at it.
"What is it?" Donna asked quietly as the three sidled closer, and the Doctor noted: "Security camera."
He kicked it with his foot and commented: "Switched itself off."
He bent to pick it up and examined it before sitting down and sonicing it. Teresa winced, thinking of the poor girl, but the Doctor and Donna didn't notice. She then looked up at the dome 'skylight' above them, and then around the Rotunda, examining the dark room as her stomach twisted nervously.
The Doctor commented as he worked: "Nice door skills, Donna."
"Yeah, well, you know, boyfriends." Donna replied, and Teresa laughed despite the situation. "Sometimes you need the element of surprise."
"Only you, Donna." Teresa smiled softly, but Donna was looking grim as she asked: "What was that? What was after us? I mean, did we just run away from a power cut?"
"Possibly." The Doctor murmured and Donna demanded, not feeling reassured: "Are we safe here?"
"Of course we're safe. There's a little shop." The Doctor replied, and Donna turned to see there was indeed a sign on the wall that said: 'The Shop'. Beside it was a sign that read: 'Entrance this Way' with a small arrow underneath.
The camera lens opened again and the Doctor cried triumphantly: "Gotcha!"
Teresa winced again, but didn't say anything- he'd figure it out soon enough. The Doctor blinked, reading the words appearing on the small screen on the camera and he said apologetically: "Ooo, I'm sorry. I really am. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
He placed it down gently as he said in shock: "It's alive."
Donna scoffed as she retorted: "You said it was a security camera."
"It is. It's an alive one." The Doctor countered as he stood back up and Teresa added: "It really is alive, Donna."
Donna stared, and then she peered to read the words on the screen: 'Others are coming. The library is breached. Others are coming.'
"Others?" Donna wondered. "What's it mean, others?"
She spotted another Node just a dew paces away, and she called to it: "Excuse me. What does it mean, others?"
The Doctor told her: "That's barely more than a speak your weight machine, it can't help you."
Teresa smacked him, and he rubbed his arm while Donna asked scornfully: "So why's it got a face?"
The Node told her: "This flesh aspect was donated by Mark Chambers on the occasion of his death."
Donna's eyes widened and she turned back to the other two. The Doctor was rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly while Teresa looked sympathetic as Donna asked in horror: "It's a real face?"
The Node explained: "It has been actualised individually for you from the many facial aspects saved to our extensive flesh banks. Please enjoy."
The Doctor walked over, Teresa in tow, and Donna asked in horror: "It chose me a dead face it thought I'd like? That statue's got a real dead person's face on it." She said, starting to freak out.
"It's the fifty first century." The Doctor reminded her. "That's basically like donating a park bench."
"It's donating a face!" Donna cried in horror, beginning to step back and Teresa cried: "Donna!"
The Doctor saw as well and he cried: "No, wait, no."
He grabbed her, pulling her back towards them and away from the triangular shadow she had been about to step into. He'd grabbed her waist in his haste and Donna scolded as she whacked him: "Oi. Hands. And right in front of Terry, too. Shame on you."
Teresa blinked and the Doctor almost rolled his eyes but he had focused on something else.
"The shadow. Look." He encouraged, and Teresa slowly sidled over as Donna asked quietly: "What about it?"
"Count the shadows." The Doctor murmured as he looked up at the ceiling and Donna pointed at it, saying: "One. There, counted it. One shadow."
"Yeah." The Doctor said bluntly as he looked at her. "But what's casting it?"
Donna looked up and realized what he was getting at, and then both she and Teresa flinched as the Doctor suddenly yelled: "Oh!"
Teresa was breathing heavily, and Donna looked ready to strangle him as he cried: "I'm thick!"
He went on, not noticing: "Look at me, I'm old and thick. Head's too full of stuff. I need a bigger head."
He whacked himself on the forehead while Teresa took Donna's hand, soothing her as the Doctor stormed off to look down an adjoining corridor. The lights down that corridor also flickered, slowly going out, and Donna commented: "The power must be going."
The Doctor explained darkly: "This place runs on fission cells. They'll outburn the sun."
"Then why is it dark?" Donna protested and Teresa told her quietly: "It's not dark."
Donna glanced back, and she touched the Doctor and Teresa's arms. They turned as Donna whispered: "That shadow. It's gone."
"We need to get back to the Tardis." The Doctor said quietly, and Donna asked tersely: "Why?"
Teresa swallowed as the Doctor told Donna the awful truth: "Because that shadow hasn't gone. It's moved."
The Node then spoke up: "Reminder. The library has been breached. Others are coming. Reminder. The library has been breached. Others are coming. Reminder. The library has been breached-"
They all flinched as a door was blown open on the opposite side of the room with a burst of light, and they backed away slightly as six figures dressed in white spacesuits walked into the room, the leader walking towards them. Teresa breathed in relief, making Donna glance at her while the Doctor kept his eyes on the approaching leader.
The leader stopped before him, and pressed a button on her helmet, adjusting the polarizing filter on her suit so that they could see her face. Teresa beamed as River Song smiled and greeted her and the Doctor: "Hello, sweetie."
"Get out." The Doctor said flatly, his face dark and grim.
"Doctor." Donna chided quietly, but the Doctor ignored her as he said sharply, and Teresa winced as he moved past River, not giving her a second glance, to tell the whole group: "All of you. Turn around, get back in your rocket and fly away. Tell your grandchildren you came to the library and lived. They won't believe you."
River ordered: "Pop your helmets, everyone. We've got breathers."
She pulled off her helmet while another woman, Anita, asked sharply: "How do you know they're not androids?"
"Because I've dated androids. They're rubbish." River retorted, and a man, Lux, asked River quietly as he stared at the Doctor: "Who is this? You said we were the only expedition. I paid for exclusives."
"I lied," River replied, "I'm always lying. Bound to be others."
Lux said tartly: "Miss Evangelista, I want to see the contracts."
A pretty young woman, probably around Teresa's age, hurried to look for the papers as River asked the Doctor's group: "You came through the north door, yeah? How was that, much damage?"
"Please, just leave." The Doctor told her sternly, placing his hands on his hips. "I'm asking you seriously and properly, just leave. Hang on."
He turned to the group as he asked incredulously: "Did you say expedition?"
Lux said pointedly: "My expedition. I funded it."
The Doctor pulled a disgusted face as he groaned: "Oh, you're not, are you? Tell me you're not archaeologists."
"Got a problem with archaeologists?" River asked with a raised brow.
The Doctor gave her a flat, disgusted look as he said: "I'm a time traveller. I point and laugh at archaeologists."
"Ah." River smiled as she held out a hand. "Professor River Song, archaeologist."
"River Song," the Doctor said as he shook her hand, "lovely name. As you're leaving," he pushed her to make his point, "and you're leaving now, you need to set up a quarantine beacon."
River looked amused as he turned to the group and warned them: "Code wall the planet, the whole planet. Nobody comes here, not ever again. Not one living thing, not here, not ever. Stop right there." He added as he grabbed another woman who was walking off to look around, heading into the shadows.
"What's your name?" He asked, and she replied: "Anita."
"Anita," the Doctor said seriously, "stay out of the shadows. Not a foot, not a finger in the shadows till you're safely back in your ship. Goes for all of you." He addressed the group. "Stay in the light. Find a nice, bright spot and just stand."
He glared at all of them as he bit out: "If you understand me, look very, very scared."
Teresa was almost amused as most of them looked confused. The Doctor prompted: "No, bit more scared than that."
They tried to make their faces look scared and the Doctor murmured: "Okay, do for now. You." He called as he strode forward. "Who are you?"
"Er, Dave." The man replied and the Doctor began: "Okay, Dave."
The man corrected: "Oh, well, Other Dave, because that's Proper Dave the pilot, he was the first Dave, so when we-"
"Other Dave," the Doctor interrupted as he led him back out the door they'd come through, "the way you came, does it look the same as before?"
They stood in the doorway and Other Dave replied: "Yeah. Oh," he corrected, "it's a bit darker."
"How much darker?" The Doctor prompted, and Other Dave explained: "Oh, like I could see where we came through just like a moment ago. I can't now."
"Seal up this door. We'll find another way out." The Doctor said immediately, ignoring as Other Dave began to speak before he gave up.
Lux corrected as the Doctor walked back to stand with Teresa again: "We're not looking for a way out. Miss Evangelista?"
He prompted, and the young woman explained to them: "I'm Mister Lux's personal... everything."
She held out three blue papers and rattled off, stuttering a little: "You need to sign these contracts agreeing that your individual experience inside the library are the intellectual property of the Felman Lux Corporation."
"Well done memorizing that." Teresa complimented her.
The woman blinked in surprise, and then gave Teresa a shy smile. The Doctor piped up: "Right, give it here."
He took his and Teresa's as Donna took hers, saying: "Yeah, lovely. Thanks."
The two tore the pages in half and tossed them aside carelessly with a smile. Miss Evangelista looked uncertainly at her boss, and then backed away as Lux strode forward and hissed at them: "My family built this library. I have rights."
"You have a mouth that won't stop." River cut in, and she turned to the Doctor to ask: "You think there's danger here? "
He nodded as he explained: "Something came to this library and killed everything in it. Killed a whole world. Danger? Could be." He said sarcastically and River turned to Teresa.
"Sweetie." She greeted.
"Hello, River." Teresa answered, smiling a little. The Doctor glanced between them with a puzzled expression but River ignored him as she asked the blonde girl: "Danger?"
"Spoilers." Teresa replied, making River smile as the Doctor frowned.
"You know her?" He demanded Teresa, but River interrupted, forcing him to turn his attention back to her as she said: "The Library's been silent for a hundred years. Whatever came here's long dead."
"Bet your life?" The Doctor challenged, but River smiled and replied easily: "Always."
The Doctor rolled his eyes and turned away, while Lux demanded Other Dave: "What are you doing?"
Other Dave glanced over from where he was working and replied: "He said seal the door."
The Doctor walked over, calling: "Torch."
"You're taking orders from him?" Lux demanded even as he lifted his torch, and the Doctor took the torch as he commented: "Spooky, isn't it?"
Teresa suppressed a smile as Lux looked at his now empty hand in shock, while the Doctor walked back towards Teresa's side and shone the torch past her and into the dark recesses of the room. He pulled Teresa to join him, which made her uncomfortable as she was hyper aware River was watching, and Donna walked over as well.
The Doctor told them: "Almost every species in the universe has an irrational fear of the dark. But they're wrong, because it's not irrational."
He pointed the torch down the darkened corridor as he said darkly: "It's Vashta Nerada."