Silence in the Library

The Normalcy Alyssa felt, only lasted for a day before she finally jumped off again. However, this time she landed in the Tardis. She was inside the Console room. She looked around and saw that no one was in the room at the moment. "Doctor?" She called out, she knew it had to be the ninth or tenth Doctor since that was the console, she was in. there was no response "ANYONE?" she yelled, she didn't get a response. She let out a sigh as she walked over to the door and poked her head out, she was in a long room that was gigantic. She walked towards the door and opened it. She walked for a bit before she heard the Doctor's voice.

"The Library. So big it doesn't need a name. Just a great big The." The Doctor said as it echoed through the Library. Alyssa smiled and made her way over to where the voice came on and watched as the Doctor, and Donna walked to a balcony. She walked to stand by Donna as the two had their conversation about the Library, seemingly not to notice her.

"It's like a city," Donna said,

"It's a world. Literally, a world. The whole core of the planet is the index computer. Biggest hard drive ever. And up here, every book ever written. Whole continents of Jeffrey Archer, Bridget Jones, Monty Python's Big Red Book. Brand new editions, specially printed." The Doctor said before he looked down from the balcony they were at. "We're near the equator, so," he said before licking his finger and holding it up. "this must be biographies." he said yelling the last word which made Donna jump but Alyssa smiled "I love biographies."

"Why is that Doctor?" Alyssa finally said the Doctor and Donna's eyes snapped to her

"How long have you been there?" Donna said,

"Since you walked up here, I might have been right when I spoke to Jabe, I am invisible," Alyssa said, turning her attention to The Library. She frowned as she realized no one was there. Donna picked up a book that was on a table next to the three, and the Doctor instantly snatched it out of her hands.

"Way-a. Spoilers." The Doctor said, making Alyssa smile as he used the phrase she and River use almost all the time.

"What?" Donna said,

"These books are from your future. You don't want to read ahead. Spoil all the surprises. Like peeking at the end."

"Isn't traveling with you one big spoiler?"

"I try to keep you away from major plot developments. Which, to be honest, I seem to be very bad at"

"You are very bad at keeping people away from spoilers, Doc. Because you said it yourself, this is the biggest Library in the Universe, so where is everyone? The whole library is silent."

"Good point Alyssa," The Doctor said, as he narrowed his eyes as he looked around before going to a nearby computer and sonicking it. Alyssa followed and watched as he tried to figure out if anyone was there. Which made him run a scan on lifeforms in the Library,

"The library?" Donna asked, Alyssa looked over from where she was standing by the Doctor

"Not the Library Donna, it's the whole planet." Alyssa said, which made Donna walk over.

"Maybe it's a Sunday," Donna said, thinking that the library may be closed,

"No, I never land on Sundays. Sundays are boring." The Doctor said, looking at Donna, who had a look of disbelief.

"Well, maybe everyone's really, really quiet," Donna said, turning her voice down and into a whisper.

"Yeah, maybe. But they'd still show up on the system." the Doctor said, as he started the scan for lifeforms.

"Doctor, why are we here? Really, why?" Donna asked,

"Oh, you know, just passing." the Doctor said, not paying Donna any mind,

"No, seriously. It was all let's hit the beach, then suddenly we're in a library. Why?" Donna asked, while the computer finally finished the scan but it only showed the three of them.

"Now that's interesting." The Doctor said, looking at the results. Before he began typing something else into the computer.

"What?"

"Scanning for life forms. If I do a scan looking for your basic humanoids. You know, your book readers, few limbs and a face, apart from us, I get nothing. Zippo, nada. See? Nobody home." He said showing the results of the first search and then he started typing into the keyboard again to run another search "But if I widen the parameters to any kind of life." which the scan did it picked up more than just 3 people then, it picked up a bunch more as the number read: 1,000,000,000,000. Which it was capped at. "A million, million. Gives up after that. A million, million." the Doctor said,

"But there's nothing here. There's no one." Donna said, in shock as they looked out once more across the Library

"And not a sound. A million. million life forms, and silence in the library." The Doctor said,

"But there's no one here. There's just books. 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." Donna said,

"Maybe there is something here though not all lifeforms are visible to the naked eye. So maybe this library isn't actually empty, we just can't see them. Also, Doctor is it possible for this scan to pick up A.I? Or lifeforms stored into a computer system?" Alyssa asked,

"I am not sure," The Doctor said, before walking back to the computer to check but never got there

"Welcome." a voice said, from a different room, which made all three of them jump.

"That came from here." Donna said, Alyssa nodded, and the Doctor turned to the two

"Yeah." The Doctor said and the three went in the direction of the voice. Which led them back to the room that had the Tardis. A node that was facing away from them turned to face them which revealed a human face,

"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." The Node said as the three walked up to it,

"That face, it looks real," Donna said, Alyssa walked over to her,

"It's alright, Donna, don't worry about it," she said,

"A statue with a real face, though? It's a hologram or something, isn't it?" Donna asked,

"no, it's not a hologram, still it's okay. Really, Donna." Alyssa said,

"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. Run. For God's sake, run. No way is safe. The library has sealed itself, we can't. Oh, they're here. Argh. Slarg. Snick. Message ends. Please switch off your mobile comm. units for the comfort of other readers." The Node said, which made the Doctor and Alyssa frown,

"So that's why we're here. Any other messages, same date stamp?" The Doctor asked,

"One additional message. This message carries a Felman Lux coherency warning of five zero eleven"

"Just play it," Alyssa said, interrupting the Node, as she looked around the room for shadows as she remembered what episode this was.

"Message follows. Count the shadows. For God's sake, remember, if you want to live, count the shadows. Message ends."

"Donna? Alyssa?" The Doctor said, as he looked around, Alyssa nodded

"Yeah?" Donna said, As the Doctor turned and walked away.

"Stay out of the shadows." He said as he continued walking towards the door. Alyssa turning around and following him

"Why what's in the shadows?" Donna said but she didn't get an answer. She realized that the two had begun to leave the room and followed the two.

They walked through many bookshelves as they started looking for something. "So, we weren't just in the neighborhood," Donna said as they stopped,

"Yeah, I kind of, sort of lied a bit. I got a message on the psychic paper." The Doctor said as he pulled out a psychic paper that read: 'The library come as soon as you can. X' "What do you think? Cry for help?" he said as Donna took it and examined it,

"Cry for help with a kiss?" Donna said holding up the message so the Doctor could see it again.

"I thought you sent it, Alyssa I thought something bad had happened to you and this was the only way you could contact me." The Doctor said, looking at Alyssa which made her have mixed feelings. Confusion on why he thought that she would send a message to him via Psychic Paper when she didn't know-how. As well as happiness as the Doctor just revealed that if she called for him. He would come no questions asked. And for some reason that made her feel giddy inside.

"No, I didn't but I do know who did. But I can't tell you. Spoilers." Alyssa said, and the Doctor nodded as he looked down the row of bookshelves, they stopped in.

"If you didn't send it Alyssa. Then, Doctor, do you have an on who's it from?"

"No idea." The Doctor said,

"So why did we come here? Why did you" Donna started but Alyssa and the Doctor both took notice as the lights that were coming towards them turned off one by one, which made the Doctor interrupted Donna by saying her name.

"What's happening?" she asked, but the two didn't answer,

"Run!" Alyssa suddenly cried out, and they started running in the opposite direction of the lights to a door.

"Come on." The Doctor said as he tried to open the door.

"Move out of the way!" Alyssa said, and the Doctor did what she asked, and she kicked the door open. They rushed through it and closed the door behind them. The Doctor stuffing a book in between the handles. Alyssa let out a sigh of relief. As she turned around to see a floating ball. "Oh hello," Alyssa said, which made the Doctor look up and see the floating ball,

"Oh. Hello. Sorry to burst on you like this. Okay if we stop here for a bit?" the Doctor said, as the three walked forward but it just switched itself off and fell to the floor.

"What is it?" Donna asked as they approached the ball,

"Security camera. Switched itself off." The Doctor said as they approached the ball and the Doctor nudged it with his foot. He took out his sonic screwdriver and began scanning the security camera. As Alyssa and Donna watched him. "Nice door skills, Alyssa." He said from where he was sitting.

"Oh yeah, I recently went to Torchwood, Jack and his crew taught me some stuff."

"Where did you just come from then?"

"Platform One." She said as she watched him work on the ball,

"What was that? What was after us? I mean, did we just run away from a power cut?" Donna said as she paced the room.

"Could've been," Alyssa said,

"Are we safe here?"

"Could be," Alyssa said, once again looking at Donna,

"Of course we're safe. There's a little shop." The Doctor said, gesturing to a sign that showed there were near a little shop. Alyssa shook her head,

"being near a Little shop doesn't automatically mean we are safe, if something did cause those lights to turn off in the other room what makes you think it couldn't be in here as well?" Alyssa said, as the Doctor finally finished working on the ball

"Gotcha." he yelled, before the words 'No, stop it, no, no' went across a little panel on the ball.

"Ooo, I'm sorry. I really am. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It's alive." The Doctor said after he realized that the orb was, in fact, alive and put it on the ground.

"You said it was a security camera," Donna said,

"It is. It's an alive one." The Doctor said as he stood up and put his Sonic Screwdriver away. Soon the little panel displayed another message 'The Library is breached. Others are coming."

"Others? What's it mean, others?" Donna asked as she read the message before going over to a node that was in a room "Excuse me. What does it mean, others?" it didn't answer as it turned around to reveal a man's face

"That's barely more than a speak your weight machine, it can't help you." The Doctor said,

"So, why's it got a face?" Donna said, looking back at the face,

"This flesh aspect was donated by Mark Chambers on the occasion of his death." The Node said,

"It's a real face?" Donna asked, disgusted over the idea that the face she was looking at was real.

"It has been actualized individually for you from the many facial aspects saved to our extensive flesh banks. Please enjoy."

"It chose me a dead face it thought I'd like? That statue's got a real dead person's face on it." Donna said getting more creeped out by it as the Doctor and Alyssa walked over to Donna.

"It's the fifty-first century. That's basically like donating a park bench." The Doctor said as the two reached her.

"Doesn't mean it is any less creepy." Alyssa said as she gazed up at the face "Donating a face for an information node?" Alyssa shuddered "Creepy."

"It's donating a face!" Donna said, right into Alyssa who stumbled back, the Doctor wrapped his arms around Alyssa, as he noticed a shadow was two feet away from her, He pulled Alyssa to him and looked at her and at the shadow and Alyssa followed his gaze. As she realized the Doctor had just saved her life once again, she looked at him softly which the Doctor returned the look. A clearing of a throat broke them from their moment, and Alyssa broke away from the Doctor uncomfortably,

"count the shadows." Alyssa said, as she looked up and saw that nothing was casting it.

"One. There, counted it. One shadow." Donna said, very confused by the whole concept. And why the Doctor pulled Alyssa away from a simple thing as a shadow.

"One shadow, sure Donna. But what is casting it." Alyssa said, the Doctor and Donna looked up at the glass ceiling and saw that nothing was casting the shadow.

"Oh, I'm thick! Look at me, I'm old and thick. Head's too full of stuff. I need a bigger head." The Doctor shouted making both Alyssa and Donna jump. Before he ran forward and down a hallway that had a simple light at the end of it which was going out slowly.

"The power must be going," Donna said as she and Alyssa walked over,

"This place runs on fission cells. They'll outburn the sun." the Doctor said,

"Then why is it dark?" Donna said, Alyssa looked back at where the shadow was and noticed it slinking away, she gulped as she heard the Doctor say, "It's not dark."

"Doctor, the shadow it's gone," Alyssa said, making the Doctor and Donna turn and looked at where it once was.

"We need to get back to the Tardis." The Doctor said,

"Why?" Donna asked,

"The shadow didn't just disappear it's moved," Alyssa said, before she looked at the Doctor, showing him the one thing, he has never seen in her eyes whenever they were on an adventure: Fear. She was afraid of whatever was in this library. He moved closer to her and took her hand in his as the Node started talking once more.

"Reminder. The library has been breached. Others are coming. Reminder. The library has been breached. Others are coming. Reminder. The library has been breached." The Node said, and kept repeating itself, suddenly the door was blown open making all three of them jump back as six space suited wearing people walked in. the first one walked over to where Alyssa and the Doctor were standing, still clasping hands, the person turned on their light inside their space suit which revealed their face. It was River Song. Alyssa let out a sigh of relief,

"Hello, sweeties" River said,

"Get out." The Doctor said, before he walked forward taking his hand out of Alyssa's, Alyssa smiled at River,

"Hello Sweetie." Alyssa said, which made River smile at her.

"Doctor," Donna said, in protest of him saying that but the Doctor didn't listen.

"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." The Doctor said, trying to get them to leave the Library. But they didn't listen,

"Pop your helmets, everyone. We've got breathers." River said, and almost all of the people took off their helmets expect one who was a female,

"How do you know they're not androids?" the one woman said,

"Because I've dated androids. They're rubbish." River said,

"Oh River you will have to tell me that story sometime," Alyssa called out, and the Doctor and Donna's eyes snapped to Alyssa who was looking at River with a smile. It was obvious to the two that Alyssa knew her.

"Who is this? You said we were the only expedition. I paid for exclusives." A man said, walking over to River,

"Oh, River did you lie again?" Alyssa said as she joined the Doctor and Donna.

"I lied; I'm always lying. Bound to be others." River said, proving that Alyssa was right.

"Miss Evangelista, I want to see the contracts." The man said, and a young black-haired woman kneeled down and began to dig through her bag.

"You came through the north door, yeah? How was that, much damage?" River said, turning her attention to the Doctor who also turned to her.

"Please, just leave. I'm asking you seriously and properly, just leave." He said before he realized something and said "Hang on. Did you say expedition?"

"My expedition. I funded it." the man who was had brown hair said,

"Oh, you're not, are you? Tell me you're not archaeologists." The Doctor said, sounding really disappointed.

"Got a problem with archaeologists?" River asked,

"I'm a time traveler. I point and laugh at archaeologists." The Doctor said,

"Ah. Professor River Song, archaeologist." River said, holding out her hand for the Doctor to shake, which he did.

"River Song, lovely name. As you're leaving, and you're leaving now, you need to set up a quarantine beacon. Code wall the planet, the whole planet. Nobody comes here, not ever again. Not one living thing, not here, not ever." The Doctor said pulling River to the others once again trying to get the people to leave. One walked off and started heading into the shadows which the Doctor notices and yelled "Stop right there. What's your name?" as he walked over and pulled her away from the shadows.

"Anita." Anita said,

"Anita, lovely name, it might be good if everyone stays out of the shadows." Alyssa said, "don't put a foot into it or a finger. If are going to stay which I know you will it could help you stay alive." Everyone looked at her like she was crazy which she didn't care about. The only one who didn't look at Alyssa like she was crazy was River.

"If you understand us, look very, very scared. No, bit more scared than that. Okay, do for now." The Doctor said, yet once again they were met with blank stares. The Doctor walked forward to a black male with crazy hair and said "You. Who are you?"

"Er, Dave," Dave said,

"Okay, Dave." The Doctor said,

"Oh, well, Other Dave, because that's Proper Dave the pilot, he was the first Dave, so when we," Other Dave said, pointing at a man who was the first Dave. The Doctor interrupted him and took him towards a door

"Other Dave, the way you came, does it look the same as before?" The Doctor asked,

"Yeah. Oh, it's a bit darker." Other Dave said as he looked down the corridor which was pitch black.

"How much darker?" The Doctor asked,

"Oh, like I could see where we came through just like a moment ago. I can't now." Other Dave said, pointing at the corridor,

"Seal up this door. We'll find another way out." The Doctor said, and turned around to go back to the others, however, while he walked away other Dave tried to ask the Doctor a question, but the Doctor ignored him

"We're not looking for a way out. Miss Evangelista?" The brown-haired man said as the Doctor walked past him

"I'm Mister Lux's personal everything. You need to sign these contracts agreeing that your individual experience inside the library are the intellectual property of the Felman Lux Corporation." Miss Evangelista said,

"Nice job memorizing that," Alyssa said, giving her a small smile as she took the paper.

"Right, give it here." The Doctor said, taking the paper,

"Yeah, lovely. Thanks." Donna said also taking the paper but instead of the three signing the paper they ripped it and let it fall to the floor.

"My family built this library. I have rights." Lux said,

"Yeah, and we are time travelers that you will probably never see again after this moment so do you think we will sign your papers when that's the case?" Alyssa said, and the man was about to say something, but River stopped him,

"You also have a mouth that won't stop." River said, before she turned her attention to the Doctor and Alyssa, "You think there's danger here?"

"Something came to this library and killed everything in it. Killed a whole world. Danger? Could be." The Doctor said,

"That was a hundred years ago. The Library's been silent for a hundred years. Whatever came here's long dead." River said,

"That could be the case River, but are you sure about that? Are you willing to bet your life on that?" Alyssa said,

"Always." River said, smiling which Alyssa returned as she nodded,

"You are wrong, and you will soon find out how wrong you are." Alyssa said but she didn't mean it in a mean way, she just wanted River to know that there was still a danger here. A screwdriver sounded as other Dave did what the Doctor said,

"What are you doing?" Lux asked him, as he walked over to him.

"He said seal the door." Other Dave responded, not stopping what he was doing, the Doctor walked over to the tw,

"Torch." He said, which made Lux hold up the torch that he was holding,

"You're taking orders from him?" Lux said as the Doctor took the torch form him.

"and you just gave the Doctor your torch when he asked for it. Funny how life works sometimes." Alyssa said as she joined the doctor as he shined the torch around the room. Donna joining them as well.

"Almost every species in the universe has an irrational fear of the dark. But they're wrong because it's not irrational. It's Vashta Nerada." The Doctor said,

"What's Vashta Nerada?"

"a species that lives in the dark on every planet. It always there, even when you don't notice them." Alyssa said as she stared down the dark hallway the Doctor turned around and walked back to the group.

"Lights! That's what we need, lights. You got lights?" he said, as he threw the torch back at Lux who caught it.

"What for?" River asked,

"Form a circle. Safe area. Big as you can, lights pointing out." The Doctor said,

"Oi. Do as he says." River said, to make the group listen to them. The group started pulling off their backpacks to pull out their lights.

"You're not listening to this man?" Lux said, Alyssa, let out a sigh and walked over to him

"Look around, it's dark in this room a bit too dark isn't it? Now, look up." She said, Lux, did what she said and saw that the sun was shining through the glass ceiling.

"if everything was alright in the Library then it would be a lot brighter in this room, wouldn't it? Now if you are smart you will do what my friend says because you are all in danger here. So, trust us because that is the only way you'll get out of here alive." Alyssa said before looking at River who smiled at her before turning to Anita.

"Anita, unpack the lights. Other Dave, make sure the door's secure, then help Anita. Mister Lux, put your helmet back on, block the visor. Proper Dave, find an active terminal. I want you to access the library database. See what you can find about what happened here a hundred years ago. Pretty boy, Alyssa, you're with me. Step into my office." River said, giving everyone their orders. Alyssa walked over to River.

"Professor Song, why am I the only one wearing my helmet?" Lux asked,

"I don't fancy you." River said, as she and Alyssa walked over to a desk and sat down, the Doctor walked over to Dave to help him, but River said "Pretty boy. With me, I said." And the Doctor looked around a bit before he realized that she was talking about him

"Oh, I'm pretty boy?"

"Yes you are, now come here," Alyssa said,

"Pretty?" The Doctor asked in disbelief.

"Yes! Now come over here." Alyssa said once again, which made the Doctor start walking towards the two.

"Don't let your shadows cross. Seriously, don't even let them touch. Any of them could be infected." The Doctor said to the group as he walked over to where Alyssa and River were sitting. He watched as River took out a blue book and started flipping through it.

"Thanks." River said, as soon as the Doctor reached them,

"For what?" The Doctor asked,

"The usual. For coming when I call." River said as she continued to flip through her book.

"Oh, that was you?" The Doctor asked,

"You're doing a very good job, acting like you don't know me. I'm assuming there's a reason."

"yeah River, before we go through something that would hurt you, there is a reason," Alyssa said, taking one of River's hand, "This is too early for him. He doesn't know who you are."

"but you do?" River said, glancing at Alyssa, who smiled at the question

"of course, I do. Last time I saw you was at the Byzantium." Alyssa said, and River turned to the Doctor,

"Look at you. Oh, you're young. Both of you so young." River said as she glanced between the two of them. Alyssa just looked down this was a version of River that came from the way future. Which meant she knew everything about Alyssa and her life while Alyssa knew next to nothing.

"I'm really not, you know." The Doctor said,

"No, but you are. Your eyes. You're younger than I've ever seen you." River said looking only at the Doctor,

"You've seen me before, then?" The Doctor said,

"I guess that's the reason you don't know who I am." River said as Alyssa pulled her hand away from him,

"Who are you?"

"she told you Doctor, Professor River Song," Alyssa said before a noise rang through the room almost like it was a phone.

"Sorry, that was me. Trying to get through into the security protocols. I seem to have set something off. What is that? Is that an alarm?" Dave asked as Alyssa made her way over to the computer

"excuse me." Alyssa said, to Dave and he moved as Alyssa sat down at the computer and began typing something in. She didn't realize what she was doing as she heard Donna in the background.

"Doctor? Doctor, that sounds like" Donna said, being interrupted by the Doctor, who knew exactly what she was talking about.

"It is. It's a phone." The Doctor said as he came over and watched what Alyssa was doing. She didn't look at him. Soon all the others joined her as well. However, she just kept typing away before the screen turned to a live feed of a little girl. Alyssa looked down at her hands and back up at her very confused, she recognized the little girl and said, "Oh hello there."

"Hello. Are you in my television?" the little girl said,

"Well, no, I'm, I'm sort of in space." She said and once again looked at the keyboard before she continued "I don't know exactly what I did, but I think I was trying to reach the security processor."

"Would you like to speak to my Dad?" the little girl said,

"actually no, I wanted to speak to you." She said as she remembered who the little girl was. A look of recognition flashed across the little girl's face.

"I know you. You're in my library."

"Yes, we are," Alyssa said, smiling a bit,

"The library's never been on the television before. What have you done?"

"Uh, I don't know," Alyssa said, once again glancing down at the keyboard. She looked back up and the screen was cut off and a message that said 'Access denied' appeared on the screen. "what happened." Alyssa asked, and moved away from the screen allowing the Doctor to start typing. Yet he couldn't do anything, so he started towards another terminal.

"I need another terminal. Keep working on those lights. We need those lights!" The Doctor said as he reached the other terminal in the room where River's book was laying on the desk. Both Alyssa and River walked over just as the Doctor picked it up to look through it. but Alyssa immediately took it away when she reached him

"Spoilers Doctor this is spoilers for both of us. You aren't allowed to look in it. I can't also." She said before handing the book back to River. Who walked away but Alyssa stayed behind, and the Doctor glanced down at her,

"you alright?" The Doctor asked,

"Oh yeah fine, it's just I don't know what I did over there at the computer. I guess somethings I learned on Gallifrey are coming back."

"what?" The Doctor said, "How is that happening?"

"Spoilers Doc, all you need to know is I am getting my memories back of home." Alyssa said before books started flying around the room.

"What's that? I didn't do that. Did you do that?" The Doctor called over to Dave who was at the other terminal.

"Not me." Dave called back as the screen displayed a message that said, 'Cal-Access Denied.'

"What's Cal?" but no one answered him, soon the books started falling again,

"What's causing that? Is it the little girl?" River asked, and the Doctor moved so he was sitting on a barrier that was behind him and said "But who is the little girl? What's she got to do with this place? How does the data core work? What's the principle? What's Cal?"

"Ask Mister Lux." River said,

"Cal, what is it?" The Doctor asked, turning his attention back to Lux.

"Sorry, you didn't sign your personal experience contracts." Lux said, Alyssa walked over to him as did the Doctor,

"Mister Lux, I know what you are protecting but right now you are in danger, everyone in this room is in danger. Right now, the thing you are protecting isn't more important than all of the people in this room. As much as you think it is, right now you need to do what is necessary to protect the people in this room. Because your pride isn't more important than everyone in this room." Alyssa said, but Lux said nothing

"Then why don't you sign his contract? I didn't either. I'm getting worse than you." River called out; Alyssa looked at her briefly before her attention turned back to Lux. Who still said nothing, she let out a sigh

"All the death that happens will be on your head, Mister Lux I hope you're okay with that." She said before she walked away to lean on the barrier the Doctor was once sitting on.

"Okay, okay, okay. Let's start at the beginning. What happened here? On the actual day, a hundred years ago, what physically happened?" The Doctor said,

"There was a message from the Library. Just one. The lights are going out. Then the computer sealed the planet, and there was nothing for a hundred years." River said, as a panel near where Miss Evangelista slid open.

"It's taken three generations of my family just to decode the seals and get back in."

"Er, excuse me?" Miss Evangelista,

"Not just now," Lux said,

"There was one other thing in the last message." River said as she started pulling something out of her bag,

"That's confidential."

"I trust this man and woman with my life, with everything." River said, not stopping due to what Lux had said,

"You've only just met him."

"No, he's only just met me. And Alyssa already knows me." Which made the Doctor walk over to her,

"Er, this might be important, actually." Miss Evangelista called out once again

"In a moment" Lux called out again, ignoring her completely,

"This is a data extract that came with the message." River said and showed the Doctor the message.

"Four thousand and twenty-two saved. No survivors." He said reading the message out loud.

"Four thousand and twenty-two. That's the exact number of people who were in the library when the planet was sealed." River said,

"But how can four thousand and twenty-two people have been saved if there were no survivors?" Donna asked,

"That's what we're here to find out." River said,

"And so far, what we haven't found are any bodies," Lux said, as Miss Evangelista who was staring at the doorway that just appeared walked through it, only to scream. Which made the group in the other room grab their torches and run in the direction of the scream.

They ran into a room to see a pile of bones on a chair, Alyssa looked at it and said "Oh I am so sorry. So sorry." As she realized she's forgotten her dying.

"Everybody, careful. Stay in the light." The Doctor said as he looked at the bones in the chair,

"You keep saying that. I don't see the point." Dave said,

"Who screamed?" Alyssa asked,

"Miss Evangelista," Dave answered,

"Where is she?" Alyssa asked and River got her comm ready,

"Miss Evangelista, please state your current" River said, only to hear her voice echo. Everyone looked at the skeleton as River continued "Please state your current position." As she walked over and exposed a communicator. Dread filled the group as they realized that the skeleton was Miss Evangelista. "It's her. It's Miss Evangelista." River said,

"We heard her scream a few seconds ago. What could do that to a person in a few seconds?" Anita asked,

"It took a lot less than a few seconds." The Doctor said,

"What did?" Anita said,

"The Vashta Nerada," Alyssa whispered, and she felt someone grab her hand she looked down to see the Doctor, she let out a sigh. She knew she couldn't save everyone, but she could've tried.

"Hello?" Miss Evangelista's voice said through her communicator.

"Er, I'm sorry, everyone. Er, this isn't going to be pleasant. She's ghosting." River said,

"She's what?" Donna asked,

"Hello? Excuse me. I'm sorry. Hello? Excuse me." Miss Evangelista's voice said,

"That's, that's her, that's Miss Evangelista," Donna said,

"I don't want to sound horrible, but couldn't we just, you know?" Dave said, wondering if they could just turn off the communicator.

"This is her last moment. No, we can't. A little respect, thank you." River said,

"Sorry, where am I? Excuse me?"

"But that's Miss Evangelista," Donna said,

"It's a data ghost. She'll be gone in a moment." River said before she turned on her communicator to talk to Miss Evangelist. "Miss Evangelista, you're fine. Just relax. We'll be with you presently."

"What's a data ghost?" Donna asked,

"There's a neural relay in the communicator. Let's you send thought mail. That's it there. Those green lights. Sometimes it can hold an impression of a living consciousness for a short time after death. Like an afterimage." The Doctor said,

"My grandfather lasted a day. Kept talking about his shoelaces." Anita said, trying to lighten the situation however it didn't work.

"She's in there," Donna said,

"I can't see. I can't. Where am I?" Miss Evangelista's voice said,

"She's just brain waves now. The pattern won't hold for long." Dave said,

"But, she's conscious. She's thinking." Donna said, and Alyssa took the hand that wasn't in the Doctor's and put it on her shoulder, trying to comfort her.

"I can't see, I can't. I don't know what I'm thinking." Miss Evangelista's voice said,

"She's a footprint on the beach. And the tide's coming in." The Doctor said,

"Where's that woman? The nice woman. Is she there?" Miss Evangelista said,

"What woman?" Lux asked,

"She means. I think she means me." Donna said,

"Is she there? The nice woman." Miss Evangelista said, again,

"Yes, she's here. Hang on. Go ahead. She can hear you." River said,

"Hello? Are you there?" Miss Evangelista said,

"Help her." The Doctor said, and Alyssa gave her shoulder a squeeze

"She's dead."

"Yeah. Help her." The Doctor said,

"Hello? Is that the nice woman?" Miss Evangelista said as Donna approached her,

"Yeah. Hello. Yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm here. You okay?" Donna said,

"What I said before, about being stupid. Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh." Miss Evangelista said,

"Course I won't. Course I won't tell them." Donna said as tears ran down her face,

"Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh." Miss Evangelista said, once again.

"I won't tell them. I said I won't." Donna said,

"Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh." Miss Evangelista said repeating her last phrase, as the light of her communicator started blinking.

"I'm not going to tell them," Donna said, once more only for Miss Evangelista to repeat the phrase again.

"She's looping now. The pattern's degrading." River said,

"I can't think. I don't know, I, I, I, I scream. Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream." Miss Evangelista said, beginning to repeat Ice Cream.

"Does anybody mind if I?" River said, as she went forward and stopped the looping, and took the communicator.

"That was, that was horrible. That was the most horrible thing I've ever seen." Donna said, before wiping her eyes,

"No. It's just a freak of technology. But whatever did this to her, whatever killed her, I'd like a word with that." River said, and Alyssa broke out of her trance and held up her hand to the Doctor who instantly knew what she wanted, his sonic screwdriver which he placed in her hand

"We'll introduce you." She said before turning back and going back to the other room. "I am going to need a packed lunch. River?" She said as she started scanning the Darkness for Vastha Nerada. River took out a box that had her lunch in it. As the Doctor questioned River about what was in her book "Doctor it's spoilers really, she can't tell you." Alyssa called out, but he didn't stop as he asked him who she was.

"Professor River Song, University of." River started only to be interrupted by the Doctor

"To me, To me and Alyssa." He said,

"Spoilers." River said as she stood up and brought the Lunch over to Alyssa. Which she gladly took and started once again on scanning for Vastha Nerada. The Doctor helping her as she went along. "You travel with him, don't you? The Doctor, you travel with him." River said as she was standing next to Donna

"What of it?" Donna said,

Alyssa scanning the room for Vastha Nerada stopped Alyssa because she ran into Proper Dave, she looked up at him,

"Can you move over a bit?" She said,

"Why," Dave asked, not willing to move,

"just over there by the Water cooler, please and thank you," Alyssa said as Dave walked away.

"you know them Don't you?" Donna asked River as they continued their conversation.

"Oh God, do I know that man. We go way back, them and me. Just not this far back."

"I'm sorry, what?" Donna asked,

"He hasn't met me yet. I sent him a message, but it went wrong. It arrived too early. This is the Doctor in the days before he knew me. Alyssa may have met me due to her jumping but its too early for her, she's so young. And she looks at me, she looks at me and knows who I am but that's a fake version of me, a version that was tampered with, so she doesn't really know me, and she looks right through me and it shouldn't kill me, but it does."

"What are you talking about? Are you just talking rubbish? Do you know them or don't you?" Donna yelled, wanting a straight answer,

"Donna! Quiet, we're working." The Doctor called out,

"Sorry."

"Donna. You're Donna. Donna Noble." River said,

"Yeah. Why?" Donna said,

"I do know them, but in the future. their personal future." River said,

"So why don't you know me? Where am I in the future?" Donna said, as Alyssa and the Doctor finally found a patch of Vastha Nerada.

"Okay, got a live one. That's not darkness down those tunnels. This is not a shadow. It's a swarm. A man-eating swarm." The Doctor called out as the two stood up. Alyssa giving the Doctor back his sonic. As she took out a chicken leg from River's lunch as the group swarmed behind the two to see. She threw the Chicken leg through the air and all the meat off the leg was devoured. Only a bone was left to clatter to the floor.

"The piranhas of the air. The Vashta Nerada. Literally, the shadows that melt the flesh. Most planets have them, but usually in small clusters. I've never seen an infestation on this scale or this aggressive." The Doctor said, to explain what they were facing.

"What do you mean, most planets? Not Earth?"

"Earth is definitely on the list Donna; they are on every planet that has something they can eat. You can see them. They're the dust that is in the Sunbeams." Alyssa said as she stood up from where she was kneeling.

"If they were on Earth, we'd know," Donna said,

"Not if you can't see them, like the doctor said, only in small clusters they live on road-kill and those few people that don't come back from the dark," Alyssa said as River started shining her light down a dark hallway.

"Every shadow?" River called out, finally realizing the severity of the situation they were in.

"No. But any shadow."

"So what do we do?"

"run," Alyssa said quietly,

"Daleks, aim for the eyestalk. Sontarans, back of the neck. Vashta Nerada? Run. Just run." The Doctor said,

"Run? Run where?" River asked the two, turning to them,

"This is an index point. There must be an exit teleport somewhere." The Doctor said as he got up.

"Don't look at me, I haven't memorized the schematics," Lux said,

"Doctor, the little shop. They always make you go through the little shop on the way out so they can sell you stuff." Donna said as she stared at the sign that said 'Shop.' The Doctor ran over and looked into the shop,

"You're right. Brilliant! That's why I like the little shop." Doctor said, as he ran back over to the group

"Okay, let's move it." Dave said, to begin moving but Alyssa looked down at his feet noticing something

"Dave stay where you are." Alyssa said,

"Why?" Dave asked, as the Doctor also noticed the problem, and walked over to him.

"I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry. But you've got two shadows." The Doctor said, and the group glanced down and saw two shadows one the shape of a human the other a giant blob. "It's how they hunt. They latch on to a food source and keep it fresh."

"What do I do?" Dave asked, a hint of fear in his voice,

"Stay absolutely still," Alyssa said as she walked over to Dave's bag and grabbed his helmet, before walking back over to him,

"like there's a wasp in the room. Like there's a million wasps." The Doctor added,

"We're not leaving you, Dave." River said,

"Course we're not leaving him. Where's your helmet? Don't point, just tell me."

"I got it," Alyssa said as she put it back on him.

"Now, the rest of you, helmets back on and sealed up. We'll need everything we've got." The Doctor called as Alyssa sealed the helmet on Dave.

"But, Doctor, we haven't got any helmets," Donna said,

"Yeah, but we're safe anyway." The Doctor said,

"How are we safe?" Donna asked,

"We're not. That was a clever lie to shut you up. Professor, anything I can do with the suit?" The Doctor said,

"What good are the damn suits? Miss Evangelista was wearing her suit. There was nothing left." Lux said,

"Mr. Lux, if you don't have anything helpful to say then don't say anything at all." Alyssa snapped, him thinking his pride was more important already got one person killed, and one more close to joining her, she really didn't want to hear him.

"We can increase the mesh density. Dial it up four hundred percent. Make it a tougher meal." River said,

"Okay." The Doctor said and took out his Sonic Screwdriver. He put it to Dave's suit and did something to it "Eight hundred percent. Pass it on." Holding up his Screwdriver for River to take but she didn't as she held up her own sonic.

"Gotcha." She said, and a look of shock and confusion washed over the Doctor's face

"What's that?" He asked,

"It's a screwdriver." River responded like it was obvious,

"It's sonic." The Doctor said,

"Yeah, I know. Snap." River said, before going suit to suit to increase the mesh density. The Doctor grabbed Alyssa's hand and started dragging her to the shop, he was about to call for Donna, but Alyssa managed to wrench her arm out of his grasp. Which made him stop and turn to her.

"I know what your planning, and no." She said, crossing her arms staring at him.

"Alyssa we do not have time to argue. I am going to send you back to the Tardis and that's that."

"Tough," Alyssa said before she turned around and walked to River. The Doctor let a sigh of frustration out as he rubbed his face with his hand. He turned to Donna and grabbed her

"With me. Come on." He said as he pulled her with him into the shop. Alyssa letting out a sigh as she watched him go. She looked back at Dave and saw that he only had one shadow.

"Dave look down." She said, and he did, as did the others,

"Doctor." River called out and he rushed back into the room. They showed him that Dave now only had one shadow and the Doctor immediately asked: "Where did it go?"

"It's just gone. Alyssa told me to look down and I did, one shadow, see."

"Does that mean we can leave? I don't want to hang around here." River said,

"I don't know why we're still here. We can leave him, can't we? I mean, no offense."

"Mr. Lux I said it once before, I'll say it again. If you don't have anything helpful or nice to say do not say anything at all." Alyssa said, from beside River

"Did you feel anything, like an energy transfer? Anything at all?" The Doctor asked, still not certain that the Vashta Nerada really left him.

"No, no, but look, it's gone." Dave said and began to turn around only for Alyssa to yell "Stop moving!" which he did

"They're never just gone and they never give up." The Doctor said, and he leaned down to scan the floor around him "Well, this one's benign." The Doctor said,

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Dave said, but the lights were just fine.

"No one, they're fine." The Doctor said, looking back up at him.

"No seriously, turn them back on," Dave said, making it clear he couldn't see anything.

"They are on." River said,

"I can't see a ruddy thing," Dave said, as the Doctor stood up and behind Dave,

"Dave, turn around." The Doctor said, and he did to show the group that his visor was pitch black, the Vashta Nerada had gotten into the suit.

"What's going on? Why can't I see? Is the power gone? Are we safe here?" Dave said,

"Dave, I want you to stay still. Absolutely still." The Doctor said, but instead of doing what the Doctor said, he jerked in pain, before becoming very still.

"Dave? Dave? Dave, can you hear me? Are you all right? Talk to me, Dave." The Doctor said,

"I'm fine. I'm okay. I'm fine." Dave said, but Alyssa knew differently, she knew that he wasn't fine.

"I want you to stay still. Absolutely still." The Doctor said,

"I'm fine. I'm okay. I'm fine. I can't. Why can't I? I, I can't. Why can't I? I, I can't. Why can't I? I" Dave said, and the light to his comm. started blinking signaling that he was ghosting.

"He's gone. He's ghosting." River said,

"Then why is he still standing?" Lux said,

"Hey, who turned out the lights? Hey, who turned out the lights?" Dave said, and the Doctor began approaching him, Alyssa took a step forward her arm ready to grab the Doctor and pull him back.

"Doctor, don't." River said from behind the two

"Dave, can you hear me?" the Doctor said,

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Dave said before he reached out to grab the Doctor, but Alyssa was faster she was the first person to grab him. She pulled the Doctor back and River went forward and zapped him.

Get back all of you!" Alyssa yelled as she pulled the Doctor with her backward. Until they got far enough back. As the Vashta Nerada started moving towards them.

"Doesn't move very fast, does it?" River said,

"It's a swarm in a suit. But it's learning." The Doctor said as four shadows started moving towards them.

"What do we do? Where do we go?" Lux said,

"See that wall behind you? Duck." River said, and brought out a gun and used it to create a square hole in the wall behind them.

"Squareness gun!" The Doctor called out in glee

"Not the time." Alyssa said, "Everybody out now! Move it!" she called to the others and the group went out of the room and into the room that was next to it.

"You said not every shadow." River said,

"But any shadow." The Doctor said,

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" the voice of Dave called from behind them as the Vashta Nerada came forward

"Run!" River yelled, and that's what they did they ran from the suit.

They soon made their way away from the suit and into a row of shelves where the Doctor instantly got to work sonicking the light "Trying to boost the power. Light doesn't stop them, but it slows them down."

"So, what's the plan? Do we have a plan?" River said, as she walked over and brought out her own screwdriver and activated it.

"Your screwdriver looks exactly like mine." The Doctor said as the light flashed when River succeeded in making it brighter.

"Yeah. You gave it to me." River said

"I don't give my screwdriver to anyone."

"Not true Doctor! You give me your Sonic Screwdriver all the time." Alyssa said, from where she was catching her breath.

"You're different!" The Doctor said, before turning his attention back to River,

"I'm not anyone." River said,

"Who are you?" The Doctor asked,

"What's the plan?" River said, changing the subject on who she was.

"I teleported Donna back to the Tardis. If we don't get back there in under five hours, emergency program one will activate." The Doctor said as he looked at his Sonic Screwdriver,

"Take her home, yeah. We need to get a shift on." River said, putting away her sonic screwdriver.

"She's not there. I should have received a signal. The console signals me if there's a teleport breach." The Doctor said holding his screwdriver up to his ear.

"Well, maybe the coordinates have slipped. The equipment here's ancient." River said as the Doctor raced over to a nearby node, Alyssa following.

"Donna Noble. There's a Donna Noble somewhere in this library. Do you have the software to locate her position?" The Doctor said, and it turned around to show them Donna's face,

"Donna Noble has left the library. Donna Noble has been saved." The Node said,

"Donna." The Doctor whispered as he stared at her, as the Node repeated its last message.

"How can it be Donna? How's that possible?" River asked, but the Doctor didn't say anything as he reached up and touched her cheek and the Vashta Nerada finally found them and started advancing on the group. Alyssa grabbed the Doctor's arm to pull them so they could run but he didn't move. As the message from the node was repeated over and over again. As was the "Who turned out the lights" message was also repeated.

"Doctor Please!" she said which finally broke the Doctor out of his trance as they ran only to stop when they noticed a shadow moving towards them.

"Doctor, what are we going to do?" River said as the group was trapped between two advancing forces of the Vashta Nerada.