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

Rewards

Jenny Nightshade took a dive and rolled behind a scaffold, hoping the Sontaran shooting at her wouldn't notice. Then she saw a black woman bolt past, followed by a ginger woman, both in SHIELD uniforms. She scurried after them to see them join a man in a blue uniform, shield raised to block falling debris. "I told you three to stay behind!" Steve Rogers snapped.

"Well, you looked like you needed help," Martha Rogers-Jones answered, ducking down by him. "Besides, you're part of the reason I got coaxed into SHIELD."

"Yeah, and this is a Sontaran," Saleen Harper added. "A dumpling with a gun."

"No place for a married woman," Steve added.

Martha smirked. "Well, then, you shouldn't have married me."

Jenny giggled, when a bang from above made them all look up.

The Sontaran on the catwalk above them slumped to the ground, revealing the Bad Wolf standing there, one of her swords clutched in her hand, she holding it by the blade so she had hit the Sontaran in the back of the neck with the hilt. The Doctor came up behind her, both of them looking down. The Doctor gave a small nod, the Bad Wolf a weak smile, before they both headed off.

"Mum!" Jenny screamed. "Dad!"

Saleen swallowed, pulling Jenny closer. "It's over," she breathed, realizing what it was. "Jenny, it's over."

"No," Jenny choked out, burying her face in her hands as Martha and Steve joined the hug, all of them listening to the sound of the TARDIS fading away. "No . . . "

***

"That was the maddest Christmas ever, Clive!" Luke Smith laughed into the phone as he walked with Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons, Jemma cooing the raven she held in her hands. "Mum still doesn't know what happened. She got Mr. Smith to put out this story saying that Wi-Fi went mad all across the world, giving everyone hallucinations. I mean, how else do you explain it? Everyone with a different face - "

"Watch out!" Fitz shouted as a car drove towards them.

But two people rammed into them, getting them off to the side. Fitz rubbed his shoulder, turning to thank them, when he saw the Doctor and Jessie backing away, a limp in Jessie's step. "Doctor?" he asked. "Jessie?"

"But it's you!" Luke gasped as Bran squawked, seeing his mistress. Jessie gave a small wave before she took the Doctor's hand. "You're - !"

"Sarah Jane!" Jemma called, putting a hand over her mouth as she realized just what was going on if they were ignoring them. "Sarah Jane!"

"Mum!" Luke called as well.

"What?" Sarah Jane asked, stepping out onto the porch. "What is it?"

"It's them," Fitz answered. "The Doctor and the Bad Wolf."

Sarah Jane gasped, looking over to see both of them in the TARDIS. The Doctor waved sadly, and Sarah Jane swallowed as they disappeared.

***

"Why did we let you choose the bar?" Natasha Romanoff grumbled as she slammed her glass down next to Captain Jack Harkness's, Clint Barton on his other side.

"Thanks for letting me," Jack muttered. Ianto Jones, the third member of the Torchwood team to be killed, had died, leaving it with just him, Gwen, and the two Avengers. All he'd needed was a drink . . . which had turned into a few more.

They were startled when the bartender dropped a folded piece of paper in front of them. "From those two over there," the bartender said.

Jack frowned and looked up, and his eyes widened. The Doctor stood there, his arm around Jessie tightly, her trembling and looking pale, the Doctor looking like he was trying hard to stand still. Jack slowly looked down at the paper and unfolded it.