WRATH OF THE BROTHERHOOD

Chapter Eleven

Once they were back inside the TARDIS, Jack took Shana back to the kitchen to introduce her while John, River and Donna stayed with the Doctor in the console room.

"Any thoughts," he asked them. "I'm open to suggestions."

"What about others who have traveled with you?" Donna said. "I know you have several people in here now but are there others you can ask?"

The Doctor considered that.

"There is Jo but it's hard to pin her down," the Doctor said. "I could ask the TARDIS to run a scan for her but it might take time. She travels all over the world with her grandson and she's never in one place for very long. Hmmm…"

"Ask the TARDIS, sweetie, she'd know who to get for you," River said.

"Okay. TARDIS, can you help locate more allies for us?" the Doctor said.

The TARDIS was silent for a moment before she came to life and headed somewhere. Everyone hung on while she sped to her destination. Five minutes later, the TARDIS landed but before she could power down, they heard a woman's startled scream outside the doors.

"Doctor, damn it, you scared me!" a woman yelled while she knocked on the front door.

"And pissed off woman would be…" River said, looking at him.

"Grace Holloway," the Doctor said. "Excuse me while I sort out Pissed Off Woman."

He hurried down the stairs and opened the door. His companions watched from the console platform, they saw a woman around Donna's age with red hair standing in front of the doorway. She had her hand up, balled and just ready to knock on the door again but she froze when she saw the Doctor.

"Okay, I'm sorry I scared you, won't happen again, Grace," the Doctor said, loving the look of surprise on her face.

"Doctor? Is that you?" Grace said.

"Last time I looked," he said. "It's good to see you again."

"Yeah but could you quit changing your body, it's getting confusing trying to keep track," Grace said.

"Well, I try but I keep getting into trouble but you know that."

"Yeah, I know that," Grace said, grinning and rolling her eyes.

"And actually, this is three bodies on from when you last saw me, this is my eleventh body."

"Wow, I have trouble just maintaining the one," Grace said, gesturing to herself. "So, how are you? You have friends you're traveling with?" she said, looking over his shoulder.

"Friends and my wife and family," the Doctor said.

John noticed a slight look of disappointment cross Grace's face for a second before she smiled.

"Congratulations on that then," Grace said.

"Thank you, come inside. My TARDIS has changed as well," the Doctor said, stepping aside.

"I see that, I like it. It's more futuristic than the last time," Grace said, stepping inside and looking around.

The Doctor made quick introductions and Grace shook their hands and said hello before he told her the reason for his visit. Grace listened quietly until he was finished.

"And you think this Brotherhood is coming here now?" Grace said.

"I don't know but I'm not going to let them devastate this Earth like they did the other one," he said.

"Saving Earth is a full time job for you, I gather," Grace said.

"Yeah, pretty much," the Doctor said while his companions chuckled. "But we could use your help. And your surgical skills as well. We have one doctor, Martha Jones, but we could use another one."

"But you're not asking for full time travel, just need help again?" Grace said.

"Yes. And I can take you back to this point in time once we're finished, it'll be like you never left."

"Oh God, it is tempting," Grace said. "But do you think I'll be up to the task? I'm not an alien fighter, you know."

"You helped fight the Master and he's one of the most dangerous enemies I have."

"Some fight, he possessed me," Grace said, rolling her eyes.

"Yes. But you also jumpstarted the TARDIS by yourself and came back from the dead. That's pretty impressive."

"So how many people do you know who have been back from the dead?" Donna said. "Her, Jack, Rory."

"Himself," River said, pointing to the Doctor. "Although it was more like being erased from all of history, but still…"

"If you want, you can be on the medical detail," the Doctor said to Grace. "You can help because I'm sure there'll be wounded. Hoping not but knowing me…"

"Well, from what you just described, the alternative to refusing seems to be death or languishing in a concentration camp so I think I'll choose to help you in whatever way I can."

"Ah, brilliant!" the Doctor said, hugging her. "Welcome aboard, Doctor Grace Holloway, Med Corps…and occasional alien fighting, but mainly Med Corps."

Grace laughed.

"I don't think I'll be able to put that on a nametag but it's good to be here and assist you, Doctor," she said.

"Wonderful! Now that you're here, we can move on and…"

The Doctor stopped speaking when he reached the open doorway. He was about to close it when he looked outside.

"Hey, where are we?" he said, stepping outside.

"You're in my living room," Grace said. "I was about to take a bath when you appeared out of nowhere and scared the crap outta me."

"This isn't your living room, this looks nothing like your house," the Doctor said, looking around.

"I moved to another house since you last saw me."

"Oh. Well, that explains it then," the Doctor said as he walked back inside and shut the door.

"I would have told you but you didn't leave a forwarding address to your TARDIS, Doctor," Grace teased while the others laughed.

"Well, I wasn't counting on seeing you again but now that you're here, the more the merrier," the Doctor said. "But for now, let's see if we can find others out there who can help."

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