Waiting On A Rival

Chapter 22

A strong pain struck my head. I groaned, but only ended up breathing in more gas. The Doctor was under the car and working on the ATMOS. Donna yelped, "He's going to choke. Doctor!"

Her mother, Sylvia, came back out of the house with an axe, closed the bonnet and broke the windscreen. My eyes widened before shutting again in pain. I inhaled too much of the gas and it wasn't exiting my body. "Well, don't just stand there. Get him out," she ordered. The Doctor did as told before examining me.

Donna and Sylvia discussed the ax, but my mind didn't process. There were enough clouds in there to block the sun. He warned, "Get inside the house. Just try and close off the doors and windows."

Cole came back in a black cab. "Celeste," he greeted, "This is all I could find that hasn't got ATMOS." I nodded mockingly and swayed. The Doctor grabbed my arm. "Donna, you coming?"

"Yeah." He shoved me in the cab and waited for Donna. "What's wrong with her?" He asked.

The Doctor rambled, "Negative Time Lord effect to the gas, apparently. She's not herself. Her neural-"

"Oh, blah, blah, ramble, ramble," I interrupted, "Can't you talk normally? And screw you, Cheerios." I thought for a bit. "Now I want Cheerios." Before I could get said Cheerios, Donna came back. "Screw those Cheerios," I huffed.

On the ride over, the Doctor examined me more. He scanned me a couple of times. "Why aren't you expelling it?" He wondered aloud, "Have this happened recently?" I shook my head like a child. We got there in lightning speed. "Cole, look after yourself," the Doctor advised, "Get inside the building."

"Will do." I waved happily. The gas covered the factory. Donna noted, "The air is disgusting."

"It's not so bad for me." He glanced at me. "Really bad for her." His hands gestured to the TARDIS. "Go on, get inside the TARDIS. Oh, I've never given you a key. Keep that. Go on, that's yours. Quite a big moment really." I rolled my eyes. "And watch over Celeste, will you?"

"Yeah, maybe we can get sentimental after the world's finished choking to death," she suggested.

"Good idea."

I asked, "Where are you going?" My eyebrows puckered.

"To stop a war," he answered hurriedly. The Doctor ran to the ATMOS factory while Donna pulled me to the TARDIS. I struggled and protested, "No! I should be there!"

"You screwed Cheerios!" She exclaimed, "That means no saving the world!" I pouted.

"But that's unfair!" I yelled inside the TARDIS, "Because I owe him a dance! Wait, no, that's not me. Well, it isn't me. Did that sound familiar to you? That sounded ginger." I paused, feeling the change. "We've moved."

"What? How?"

"Sontarans," I answered, "Those potato heads never know when to grow ears and leave." I held my hand up to stop her from talking. "I'm aware that it makes no sense, but I stand by it."

The scanner came on, showing the Doctor. "This is the Doctor."

Donna responded, "Doctor, I'm here. Can you hear me?"

"He can't hear you," I sing songed.

Staal at the other end snarled, "Doctor, breathing your last? Where's your little partner?"

Mace gasped, "My God, they're like trolls."

"Yeah, loving the diplomacy, thanks," he said sarcastically, "So, tell me, General Staal, since when did you lot become cowards?"