Hey, guess what else I could write with another three hours on a train! Huzzah! :D

All aboard the Motorway! Here's "Gridlock!"

***

"You're sure?" the Doctor asked one last time as they headed for the console room.

"Come on, Doctor," Rose sighed. "You gave me the future and the past before you took me home for a visit. Give Martha the future as well."

"Fine," the Doctor nodded as they walked into the console room, Anna already doing a check of the controls, Martha leaning against the rail. "Just one trip," he told the medical student. "That's what I said. One trip in the TARDIS, and then home." Martha nodded, not looking very happy with that. "Although," the Doctor held out, making her look up hopefully. "I suppose we could stretch the definition. Take one trip into past, one trip into future. How do you fancy that?"

"No complaints from me!" Martha grinned.

"How about a different planet?" the Doctor suggested, taking a look at one of the monitors.

"Can we go to yours?" Martha asked, tilting her head.

Rose froze, eyes wide, instantly looking for Anna. The girl had frozen, too, her face draining of color, her eyes quickly looking towards her father. The Doctor just forced a smile. "Ah, there's plenty of other places."

"Come on, though," Martha grinned, leaning forward. "I mean, planet of the Time Lords! That's got to be worth a look. What's it like?"

"Martha," Rose began.

"Well," the Doctor leaned back against the rail. "It's beautiful, yeah."

"Is it like, you know, outer space cities, all spires and stuff?" Martha asked eagerly.

"I suppose it is."

"Great big temples and cathedrals?"

"Yeah."

"Lots of planets in the sky?"

"Martha!" Rose said sharply, watching Anna bite her lip and turn away.

"The sky's a burnt orange, with the Citadel enclosed in a mighty glass dome, shining under the twin suns," the Doctor answered quietly, reaching over to put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. She quickly turned into him, the Doctor rubbing her back. "Beyond that, the mountains go on forever. Slopes of deep red grass, capped with snow."

"Can we go there?" Martha smiled.

"Or," Rose walked up to the console, determined not to let Martha bring back solemn memories. Anything to get that devastated look off Anna's face. "Doctor, what about New Earth?"

"Yes, that's much better!" the Doctor grinned, releasing Anna to bounce around the console. "Year five billion and fifty-three, planet New Earth! Second hope of mankind, fifty thousand light years from your old world, and we're slap bang in the middle of New New York! Although, technically it's the fifteenth New York from the original, so it's – "

"New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York," Anna finally smiled.

"Yes, exactly!" the Doctor grinned, flipping a lever to land the TARDIS. "One of the most dazzling cities ever built!"

"Thank you," Anna whispered to Rose as the blonde walked over to her.

"You're welcome," Rose answered, hugging her around the shoulders.

"Come on," the Doctor headed for the doors.

"After you," Rose smiled, gesturing Anna to go ahead of her.

Anna beamed and skipped after her father, only to squeal when she went outside. "Daddy!" she complained, pulling her cardigan over her head, looking around the narrow alleyway.

"Oh, that's nice!" Martha grumbled as Rose, too, flinched and hurried to pull her jacket over her head to avoid being drenched by the rain. "Time Lord version of dazzling!"

"Nah, bit of rain never hurt anyone," the Doctor shook his head, walking out without a care in the world. "Come on, let's get under cover!"

Martha frowned as they walked on. "Well, it looks like the same old Earth to me on a Wednesday afternoon."

"Hold on, hold on," the Doctor used his sonic screwdriver on one of the monitors. "Let's have a look."

"And the driving should be clear and easy, with fifteen extra lanes open for the New New Jersey expressway," a pretty blonde woman on screen said with a smile.

"That's more like it!" Rose lit up when she saw a city like the one they had seen last time they had been there. "That's the view we had last time!"

"This must be the lower levels, down in the base of the tower," the Doctor looked around. "Some sort of undercity."

"You've brought me to the slums?" Martha asked in disbelief.

"Much more interesting," the Doctor shrugged. "It's all cocktails and glitter up there. This is the real city."

"You'd enjoy anything."

"That's him," Anna giggled.

"Oi, you enjoy nearly everything, too," the Doctor told her.

"Except Little Red Riding Hood. And Hamlet."

"Fair point."

"Oh, thank God the rain's stopping," Rose sighed in relief, slipping her jacket on.

"Better and better," the Doctor grinned.

"Wait a minute," Martha blinked. "You said last time . . . you've been here before?"

"Yeah," the three of them nodded.

"You're taking me to the same planets you've been?"

"What's wrong with that?" Anna looked confused. "One of my favorites. Except for the diseases."

"That was not a favorite," Rose blushed.

Anna saw the Doctor rub the back of his head, then giggled. "I thought it was funny."

"You would," the Doctor sighed.

Martha frowned, about to say something else, when one of the stalls opened. "Oh!" a man grinned. "You should have said! How long you been there? Happy. You want Happy."

"What?" Rose blinked.

Two more stalls opened, and two women looked out. "Customers," one beamed. "Customers! We've got customers!"

"We're in business! Mother, open up the Mellow, and the Read."

"Happy, Happy, lovely happy Happy!"

"Anger, buy some Anger!"

"Get some Mellow. Makes you feel all bendy and soft all day long."

"Don't go to them. They'll rip you off. Do you want some Happy?"

"No, thanks," the Doctor gave them all weird looks.

"Are they selling drugs?" Rose asked in horror.

"I think they're selling moods," the Doctor corrected.

"Same thing, isn't it?" Martha asked bitterly.

"Over here, sweetheart!" one of the women called to a woman dressed in rags. "That's it, come on, I'll get you first!"

"Oi! Oi, you!" the first man called out. "Over here! Over here! Buy some Happy!"

"Cover over here, yeah," the third pharmacist smiled at the woman in rags as more people flooded the area. "And what can I get you, my love?"

"I want to buy Forget," she answered.

"I've got Forget, my darling," she nodded. "What strength? How much do you want forgetting?"

"It's my mother and father. They went on the Motorway."

"Oh, that's a swine. Try this. Forget 43. That's two credits."

"What happened to your parents?" Anna asked the woman.

"They drove off," she answered.

"They might drive back, though!"

"Everyone goes to the Motorway in the end. I've lost them."

"But they can't have gone far," Rose frowned. "You could find them."

"No, no, no, don't!" the Doctor reached forward, but the woman stuck the Forget tab on her neck.

In a flash, the woman blinked, then smiled at them. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"Your parents," Rose said slowly. "Your mother and father, they're on the Motorway."

"Are they?" the woman blinked again. "That's nice. I'm sorry, I won't keep you."

"So that's the human race five billion years in the future," Martha frowned, watching the woman leave. "Off their heads on chemicals."

"It wasn't like this before," Rose frowned. "What changed?"

There was a shriek from behind them, and the Doctor shouted, "Mara!"

Rose spun around to see Anna fighting tooth and nail, a man with his arm around her neck, holding her down. "I'm sorry," he apologized, a woman behind him pointing a gun in their direction. "I'm really, really sorry. We just need three, that's all."

"Let her go!" the Doctor snarled, Martha's eyes widening when she saw the same protective look in Rose's eyes. "I'm warning you, let her go!"

"Look, we can help, but you've got to let her go!" Rose yelled.

"I'm sorry," the woman shook her head as the man dragged Anna off. "I'm really sorry. Sorry!"

"Daddy!" Anna screamed, just before they shut a hatch behind them. "Rose!"

The Doctor sprinted forward, using his sonic on the door as Rose banged on it, Martha running to try and catch up.

***

"You can't do this!" Anna thrashed against the man's hold. "Daddy's going to kill you! Never mind him, Mum might, too! Just let me go!"

"Give her some Sleep," the man looked at the woman.

"Don't you dare!" Anna shrieked, trying to get away from the patch the woman was trying to place on her. "Don't use that stuff on me! Don't! Get off me!"

"It's just Sleep 14," the woman told her. "No, baby, don't fight it."

"No, no, no, don't!" Anna tried one last time.

The woman put the patch on her neck, and Anna slumped, eyes falling closed.

***

"There!" the Doctor got the door open.

Rose ran through immediately, the Doctor not far behind. Martha just barely got in before the door shut in her face. "Hey!" she ran after them. "They can't have gone far!"

The Doctor staggered slightly suddenly, Rose running on. She burst out of the door at the end, looking around, before her eyes widened when she saw one of the cars driving off. "Mara!" she screamed.

"Rose!" Martha called from back down the tunnel.

Rose growled under her breath. "Oh, big mistake," she spat in the direction of the car before heading back the way she had come.

She emerged to the Doctor hammering on one of the closed hatches. The woman who had sold the Forget opened her hatch. "Thought you'd come back," she grinned. "Do you want some Happy?"

In response, the Doctor grabbed the front of her shirt and dragged her down to his level. "Those people, who were they?" he demanded as Rose stormed over. "Where did they take her?"

"They've taken her to the Motorway," the male pharmacist answered, opening his hatch again.

"Looked like carjackers to me," the female pharmacist nodded.

"I'd give up now, darling," the second female pharmacist nodded. "You won't see her again."

"Don't say that!" Rose snarled.

"Used to be thriving, this place," the male pharmacist said. "You couldn't move. But they all go to the Motorway in the end."

"What about three?" Rose looked between them. "They kept saying they needed three. Why do they need three?"

"It's the car-sharing policy to save fuel," the female pharmacist answered. "You get special access if you're carrying three adults."

The Doctor and Rose exchanged glances. Yes, maybe Anna would pass an adult if scanners figured out her Time Lady age . . . but she had regenerated into that body when she was still quite a child. "This Motorway, how do I get there?" the Doctor asked.

"How do we get there?" Rose corrected.

"Straight down the alley, keep going to the end," the woman pointed. "You canna miss it." The Doctor nodded, turning to leave, when she brightened. "Tell you what, how about some happy Happy? Then you'll be smiling, love."

The Doctor bristled. "Word of advice, all of you. Cash up, close down, and pack your bags."

"Why's that, then?"

"Because as soon as I've found my daughter, alive and well," the Doctor snarled, the woman paling when she realized that fact.

"And we will find her alive and well," Rose added.

"Then I'm coming back, and this street is closing tonight!" the Doctor spat, heading off towards the Motorway.

Martha had to jog to catch up to Rose. "Has this happened often?" she asked the blonde. "Anna getting kidnapped, I mean?"

"If people were smart, they would never dare," Rose shook her head, a dark look in her eyes. "Because if they were, they'd know it's never a good idea to make the Doctor angry. And kidnapping his daughter is a level of angry no one wants to see."

***

"Now, you just settle back. It's all going to be worth it."

"Yeah, the view from the windows. You can see all the way out to the flatlands. Clear blue sky. They say the air smells like apple grass. Can you imagine?"

Anna raised her head slightly, then blinked the remnants of sleep away. She felt for the patch on her neck, then pulled it off, looking at it with wide eyes. Oh, her father was so not going to be happy!

"The houses are made of wood. There are jobs going in the foundries, everyone says so."

Anna's head shot up to look at the two in the front. "Take me back!" she begged, the two turning to look at her. "Whoever you are, look, just take me back to my dad and my mum, that's all I want. I won't cause any trouble, I promise I won't. Just take me back."

"What's your name?" the woman asked.

Anna blinked. Why the hell were they asking her that? "Anna," she answered. "My name's Anna. What about you?"

"Well, I'm Cheen, and this is Milo," the woman introduced themselves. "And I swear we're sorry. We're really, really sorry. We just needed access to the fast lane, but I promise, as soon as we arrive, we'll drop you off and you can go back and find your parents."

"What?!" Anna's eyes widened, trying to look out the window, seeing they were driving at a quick speed.

"I swear!" Cheen nodded. "Look, Honesty patch."

Anna frowned at the patch on her neck. "You kidnapped me, and Daddy never likes it when I'm in danger or he doesn't know where I am," she told her frankly. "By the way, where are we?"

"We're on the Motorway," Milo answered, gesturing out the windows.

Anna squinted. "So that's fog?"

"That's the exhaust fumes," Cheen answered.

"We're going out to Brooklyn," Milo explained. "Everyone says the air's so much cleaner, and we couldn't stay in Pharmacy Town because . . . "

"Well, because of me," Cheen smiled, laying a hand on her abdomen. "I'm pregnant. We only discovered it last week. Scan says it's going to be a boy."

"Er . . . " Anna didn't exactly know what to do in this situation. Was she supposed to congratulate her kidnappers? "Good for you?"

"Thank you," Cheen smiled. "And I really am sorry we took you. We're not kidnappers, not really."

"Well, you're not smart if you're wearing that while you're pregnant," Anna remarked, reaching out and taking the patch from her neck, then blinked. "Oh, that was rude." She pouted and sat down in the seat behind them. "Is that how Daddy feels when we tell him that?" she wondered out loud.

Milo and Cheen exchanged odd looks. Who exactly had they picked up for the fast lane? "Anyway, this'll be as fast as we can," Milo told her, clearing his throat. "We'll take the Motorway to the Brooklyn flyover, and then after that, it's going to take a while, because then there's no fast lane, just ordinary roads, but at least it's direct."

"It's only ten miles," Cheen nodded.

"Ten miles? Oh, good," Anna sighed in relief. "How long's that going to take?'

"About six years."

"What?!" Anna shrieked, eyes widening. "Six years?!"

"Be just in time for him to start school," Cheen smiled widely.

"Ten miles in six years?" Anna stared at her in shock. "Why's it going to take that long?"

***

The Doctor got the door to the Motorway open, and when they stepped in, all three immediately doubled over, choking on exhaust fumes. "Oh, my God," Martha stared in shock at the vehicles stacked in all directions, all completely stopped.

"How are we going to find her in this?" Rose asked, horrified.

The Doctor was wondering the same thing when the car nearest to their balcony opened its door. A figure wearing a World War II flying jacket and helmet, goggles, and a scarf looked out. "Hey, you daft little street struts! What are you doing standing there? Either get out or get in, come on!" The Doctor staggered over, helping Rose and Martha in before climbing in himself, all three of them gasping for clean air. "Did you ever see the like?" the man asked the woman in the front seat.

"Here you go," the dark-haired woman handed an oxygen mask back to them.

The Doctor pointed to Rose, who took the mask and inhaled. "Just standing there, breathing it in!" the man continued, removing his scarf and goggles. Martha made a small squeak and stared, and the Doctor looked up to realize their savior was actually a cat person. "There's this story, says back in the old days on Junction 47, this woman stood in the exhaust fumes for a solid twenty minutes. By the time they found her, her head had swollen to fifty feet!"

"Oh, you're making it up," the dark-haired woman rolled her eyes as Rose handed the mask to Martha.

"A fifty foot head! Just think of it! Imagine picking that nose!"

"Oh, stop it! That's disgusting!"

"What, did you never pick your nose?"

The woman shot upright as Martha handed the mask to the Doctor next. "Bran, we're moving!"

"Right," the cat nodded, releasing the brake. "I'm there. I'm on it." The Doctor nearly dropped the mask, all three passengers nearly falling to the ground as the car shot forward a short distance before it stopped. "Twenty yards," Bran nodded, appearing pleased. "We're having a good day." He turned to look at them. "And who might you be, sir, madams? Very well-dressed for hitchhikers."

"Thanks," the Doctor lowered the mask. "Sorry, I'm the Doctor. This is Rose Tyler, and Martha Jones."

"Hi," Rose smiled and waved.

"He's a cat!" Martha whispered to her.

"That's what I said the first time I met cat people," Rose nodded. "Just don't stare. Imagine what we look like to them."

Martha nodded, "Medical man!" Bran grinned. "My name's Thomas Kincade Brannigan, and this is the bane of my life, the lovely Valerie."

"Nice to meet you," Valerie smiled up at them.

"And you," Rose shook her hand. That was encouraging; surely she and the Doctor could work if a cat person and a human could.

"And that's the rest of the family behind you," Bran added.

The Doctor turned and pulled a curtain away, brightening when he saw the basket of tiny kittens behind them. "Ah, that's nice!" he smiled, picking one of them up. Martha immediately went to see them as well, Rose giggling and stroking the one the Doctor held. "Hello! How old are they?"

"Just two months," Valerie answered.

"Poor little souls," Bran sighed. "They've never known the ground beneath their paws. Children of the Motorway."

"Hold on, they were born in here?" Martha's head shot up.

"We couldn't stop," Valerie nodded. "We heard there were jobs going, out in the laundries on Fire Island. Thought we'd take a chance."

"What, you've been driving for two months?" the Doctor blinked.

"Do I look like a teenager?" Bran scoffed. "We've bene driving for twelve years now!"

"I'm sorry?" the Doctor's voice rose in pitch.

"Twelve years?!" Rose squeaked.

"Yeah!" Bran nodded. "Started out as newlyweds. Feels like yesterday."

"Feels like twelve years to me," Valerie quipped.

"Ah, sweetheart, but you still love me."

"Twelve years?" the Doctor repeated, eyes wide in horror. And his daughter was out here somewhere, too? "How far did you come? Where did you start?"

"Battery Park," Bran answered, pointing. "It's five miles back."

"You traveled five miles in twelve years?" Martha's eyes widened, trying to figure out how that worked.

"I think they're a bit slow," Bran remarked to Valerie.

"Where are you three from?" Valerie asked them with a frown.

"Never mind that, we've got to get out," the Doctor looked around. "My daughter's in one of these cars. She was taken hostage. We should get back to the TARDIS."

But when he tried to open the door again, all he saw was traffic. "You're too late for that," Bran shook his head as Rose pulled the Doctor back, both of them coughing more. "We've passed the lay-by. You're passengers now."

"When's the next lay-by?" Martha asked.

"Oh . . . " Bran thought. "Six months?"

Rose whimpered. Oh, she did not want to think about how long that meant it would take them to find Anna!

***

"How many cars are out there?" Anna asked, watching as Milo drove down through the cars.

"I don't think anyone knows," Cheen shook her head. "Here we go. Hungry?"

Anna considered the biscuit she gave her. "Maybe," she took it. "I ate before this, thanks. How far down is it to this fast lane?" The more she could tell her father, the better.

"Oh, it's right at the bottom, underneath the traffic jam," Milo answered. "But not many people can afford three passengers, so it's empty down there. Rumor has it you can reach up to thirty miles per hour."

"And that's fast here?" Anna couldn't help but ask. When both of them stared at her, she ducked her head. "And you're supposed to live in here? It's tiny!"

"Oh, we stocked up," Cheen told her. "Got self-replicating fuel, muscle stimulants for exercise, and there's a chemical toilet at the back, and all waste products are recycled as food."

"Ew!" Anna quickly dropped the biscuit she held into the rubbish bin.

"Oh, another gap!" Milo grinned. "This is brilliant!"

"Car sign in."

Milo held the radio up. "Car Four-Six-Five-Diamond-Six, on descent to fast lane, thank you very much."

"Please drive safely."

***

"I need to talk to the police," the Doctor said into the communications radio.

"Thank you for your call. You have been placed on hold."

"But you're the police!"

"Thank you for your call. You have been placed on hold."

"How are the police on hold?" Martha asked incredulously.

"Is there anyone else?" the Doctor looked at Bran. "We once met the Duke of Manhattan. Is there any way of getting through to him?"

"Oh, now, ain't you lordly?" Bran huffed.

"His daughter's out there somewhere!" Rose pointed out the window.

"You can't make outside calls," Valerie shook her head. "The Motorway's completely enclosed."

"What about the other cars?" Martha suggested.

"Martha, brilliant!" the Doctor grinned. "Can we call the other cars?"

"Oh, we've got contact with them, yeah," Bran nodded, checking. "Well, some of them, anyway. They've got to be on your friends list. Now, let's see, who's nearby . . . ah, the Cassini sisters!" He picked up the radio to contact them. "Still your hearts, my handsome girls. It's Brannigan here."

"Get off the line, Brannigan," an older woman's voice answered. "You're a pest and a menace."

"Oh, come on, now, sisters, is that any way to talk to an old friend?"

"You know full well we're not sisters. We're married!"

"Ooo, stop that modern talk. I'm an old-fashioned cat. Now, I've got a hitchhiker here, calls himself the Doctor."

"Hello," the Doctor took the radio. "Sorry, I'm looking for my daughter, Annakamara. She's been carjacked. She's inside one of these vehicles, but I don't know which one."

"Wait a minute," another woman's voice said. "Could I ask, what entrance did they use?"

"Where were we?" the Doctor asked.

"Pharmacy Town," Bran answered.

"Pharmacy Town," the Doctor relayed. "About twenty minutes ago."

"Let's have a look," the second woman said.

"Just my luck to marry a car-spotter," the first woman huffed.

"In the last half hour, fifty-three new cars joined from the Pharmacy Town junction."

Rose groaned, her face in her hands. That did not help them! "Anything more specific?" the Doctor asked, narrowing his eyes.

"All in good time," the woman chastised.

"Daddy! Daddy, it's me!"

"Kara!" the Doctor shot upright, making Rose look at him hopefully. "Kara, listen to me, we're on the Motorway – "

"Daddy, I'm with Milo and Cheen, that's their names. We're on the fast lane. Some car labeled diamond . . . I'm sorry, I couldn't catch the entire thing."

"Wait a minute," the Doctor said into the radio. "What about the fast lane? Any cars on the fast lane from that entrance?"

"There we are," the woman said triumphantly. "Just one of those cars was destined for the fast lane. That means they had three onboard. And car number is Four-Six-Five-Diamond-Six."

"That's it!" Anna cheered. "Daddy, that's me!"

"That's it!" the Doctor grinned, making Rose cheer and Martha sigh in relief. "So how do we find them?"

"Ah, now there, I can't help."

"Well, just call them on that thing!" Martha pointed to the radio. "We've got their number, Diamond-Six!"

"But not if they're designated fast lane," Bran shook his head. "It's a different class."

"You could try the police," the second woman suggested.

"They put me on hold," the Doctor grumbled.

"You'll have to keep trying," the first woman said. "There's no one else."

Rose slumped as the Doctor sighed. "Thank you."

***

"See?" Milo grinned as Anna slumped as well, her chin in her hand. So there wasn't any way for her to speak to Rose, only the Doctor. She wasn't happy about that at all. "Another ten layers to go. We're scorching!"

Anna perked up when she heard a growling sound. "What's that?" she asked. "It's coming from underneath."

"It's that noise, doesn't it?" Cheen asked nervously. "It's like Kate said. The stories, they're true."

"What stories?" Anna looked between them.

"It's the sound of the air vents, that's all," Milo scoffed. "The exhaust fumes travel down, so at the base of the tunnel, they've got air vents."

"No, but the stories are much better," Cheen turned to Anna. "They say people go missing on the Motorway. Some cars just vanish, never to be seen again, because there's something living down there in the smoke, something huge and hungry, and if you get lost on the road, it's waiting for you."

Anna froze when she heard what sounded like a roar. "But like I said, air vents," Milo shook his head. "Going down to the next layer."

"But it doesn't look like the air vents are working, does it?" Anna peered out into the exhaust fumes.

Cheen swallowed. "No."

"So what's those noises, then?"

"Nah," Milo shook his head. "Kid stuff." He lifted the radio to report in. "Car Four-Six-Five-Diamond-Six, on descent."

***

"We've got to go to the fast lane," the Doctor decided. "Take us down."

"Not in a million years!" Bran shook his head.

"You've got three passengers!" Rose gestured around. "More than three, even!"

"I'm still not going!"

"She's alone, and she's lost," the Doctor snapped. "She doesn't belong on this planet, and above everything else, she's my daughter! I'm asking you, Brannigan, take me down!"

"That's a no!" Valerie snapped back. "And that's final. I'm not risking the children down there."

"What risk?" Martha asked. "What happens down there?"

"We're not discussing it," Valerie turned back. "The conversation is closed."

"So we keep on driving?" Rose folded her arms.

"Yes, we do," Bran nodded.

"For how long?"

"Till the journey's end."

Rose shook her head. "Well, I'm not waiting that long."

"Me neither," Martha agreed.

"That makes three of us," the Doctor took the radio back. "Mrs. Cassini, this is the Doctor. Tell me, how long have you been driving on the Motorway?"

"Oh, we were among the first," the first woman answered. "It's been twenty-three years now."

"Twenty-three?" Martha's jaw dropped.

"And in all that time, have you ever seen a police car?" the Doctor frowned.

"I'm not sure," the second woman answered.

"Look at your notes. Any police?"

"Not as such."

"Or an ambulance? Rescue service? Anything official? Ever?"

"I can't keep a note of everything!"

"What if there's no one out there?"

"Stop it!" Bran snatched the radio back. "The Cassinis were doing you a favor!"

"Someone's got to ask, because you're not talking about it!" Rose snapped. "It's there in your eyes. You know it, but you won't say it. What if the traffic jam never stops?"

"There's a whole city above us," Bran gestured. "The mighty city state of New New York. They wouldn't just leave us."

"Then where the hell are they?" Martha looked around. "They're not giving you help, so who's going to? What if they don't, and the cars just keep going round and round forever, never stopping?"

"Shut up!" Valerie shouted. "Just shut up!"

The monitor flickered, then the smiling blonde woman was back. "This is Sally Calypso, and it's that time again. The sun is blazing high in the sky over the New Atlantic, the perfect setting for the daily contemplation."

"You think you know us so well, Doctor," Bran shook his head. "But we're not abandoned. Not while we have each other."

"This is for all of you out there on the roads," Sally smiled. "We're so sorry. Drive safe!"

A choir started singing over the monitors, Bran and Valerie joining in. Martha swallowed before she started singing as well. Rose just turned her head into the Doctor's chest, the Doctor putting his arms around her, closing his eyes, just wishing that wherever she was on the Motorway, Anna was safe.

***

Anna wrapped her arms around her legs, her chin on top of her knees, eyes watering as she listened to Milo and Cheen sing. Then the monitor beeped. "Fast lane access. Please drive safely."

"We made it," Milo smiled in relief, driving on. "The fast lane."

***

"If you won't take us, I'll go down on my own," the Doctor decided.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Bran spun around as the Doctor used his sonic on the trapdoor in the floor.

"Finding my own way," he quipped. "I usually do."

"Capsule open."

"Here we go!" the Doctor smiled, opening the door and taking off his coat, tossing it to Martha. "Look after this. I love that coat. Janis Joplin gave me that coat."

"Get her back," Martha nodded, holding on to the coat.

"But you can't jump!" Valerie protested.

"Actually, Valerie, we can," Rose smirked.

"No, no, no, no, no, you're not coming," the Doctor shook his head, looking at Rose.

"Mara's always trusted me to look out for her," Rose glared. "Try and stop me, Doctor."

He growled, then held out a hand. "After you, then."

Rose nodded and dropped through the trapdoor, the Doctor jumping after her. He opened the next hatch, and they dropped in to find a man with very pale skin inside. "Who the hell are you?" the man asked.

"Er . . . Motorway Foot Patrol!" Rose plastered a fake smile on her face. "Just doing a survey. Are you enjoying your Motorway?"

"Well, not very much. Junction 5's been closed for three years."

"Thank you," Rose smiled as the Doctor worked on the next trapdoor. "Your comments have been noted. Have a nice day!"

***

"Try again," Cheen urged.

Milo pressed the button for Exit 1 on the monitor, only to get the same message as before. "Brooklyn turnoff one, closed."

"Try the next one!"

Milo tried Exit 2, which gave basically the same message. "Brooklyn turnoff two, closed."

"What do we do?" Cheen panicked.

"We'll keep going round," Milo answered as Anna tapped her fingers on her knee, sighing. She was getting bored. She was never usually this bored on an adventure. She didn't like being bored. "We'll do the whole loop, and by the time we come back round, they'll be open."

Anna frowned, hearing the growling again. "I still don't think those are air vents."

"What else could it be?" Milo frowned.

"What the hell is that?" Cheen looked around nervously.

"It's just the hydraulics."

"It sounds like it's alive," Anna tilted her head.

"It's all exhaust fumes out there," Milo scowled. "Nothing could breathe in that."

The radio suddenly crackled. "Calling Car Four-Six-Five-Diamond-Six. Repeat, calling Car Four-Six-Five-Diamond-Six."

"This is Car Four-Six-Five-Diamond-Six," Milo answered, picking up the radio. "Who's that? Where are you?"

"I'm in the fast lane, about fifty yards behind. Can you get back up? Can you get off the fast lane?"

"We only have permission to go down. We need the Brooklyn Flyover."

"It's closed. Go back up."

"We can't. We'll just go round."

"Don't you understand? They're closed! They're always closed! We're stuck down here, and there's something else out there in the fog! Can't you hear it?"

A large roar came over the radio, making Cheen whimper and Anna's eyes widen. "That's the air vents," Milo denied.

"Jehovah, what are you, some stupid kid?" the woman on the other line shrieked. "Get out of here!"

A screech came over the radio, making Milo frown. "What was that?"

"I can't move! They've got us!"

"But what's happening?"

"What's got you?" Anna grabbed the radio. "What is it?"

"Hang on," the woman told her. "It's here. Just drive, you idiots! Get out of here!"

"Can you hear me?" Milo asked. "Hello?"

"Just drive!" Anna pulled the radio out of his hand and pointed. "Do what she said and get us out of here!"

"But where?" Milo looked around.

"Just straight ahead, and fast!"

"What is it?" Cheen looked around as Milo sped on. "What's out there? What is it?"

***

"Capsule open."

A man in a bowler hat and pinstripe suit stared as the Doctor and Rose dropped in, taking away the scarves they had taken from another car. "Excuse me, is that legal?"

"Sorry," the Doctor coughed, Rose bending over double. "Motorway Foot Patrol. Whatever. Have you got any water?"

"Certainly," the man started filling tiny cones. "Never let it be said I've lost my manners."

"Thank you," Rose took hers. "Please tell me this is the last layer."

"We're right at the bottom," the man nodded. "Nothing below us but the fast lane."

"Can we drive down?" the Doctor asked.

"Well . . . " The man paused.

"There's three of us," Rose reminded him.

"But haven't you heard? The risks of the fast lane? I'd love to make it faster, I really would, but I don't know if I want the cars in those stories to be me."

The Doctor gritted his teeth. "Then excuse me."

"You can't jump!" the man protested as the Doctor opened the next hatch. "It's a thousand feet down!"

"No, I just want to look," the Doctor shook his head.

Rose froze when she heard the growling noise. "What's that?"

"I try not to think about it," the man shook his head. "It's also why I'm hesitant to go down there."

"What are those lights?" the Doctor squinted. "What's down there? I need to see." He stood up and went to the computer. "There must be some sort of ventilation. If I could just transmit a pulse through this thing, maybe I could trip the system, give us a bit of a breeze . . . " He connected a few wires together, then grinned. "That's it! Might shift the fumes a bit, give us a good look."

Rose gasped when she saw movement through the fumes. "Doctor, look at this!"

"What are those shapes?" the man asked.

"Oh, my God, something's alive down there!"

"What the hell are they?" the man backed away from claws snapping up at them.

"Macra," the Doctor swallowed.

***

"Go faster!" Cheen screamed as something kept hitting the car.

Milo swerved, looking around, trying to find a way out. "I'm at top speed!"

"No access above," the computer said.

"But this is an emergency!" Milo shouted.

"Thank you for your call. You have been placed on hold."

"Turn everything off!" Anna leaned in.

"You've got to be joking!" Milo stared at her.

"It's all fog out there, so how can they see us?" Anna pointed out. "It could be the engines, or it could be the sound, or the heat, or the light. It could be anything from the car, so you've got to make nothing come from it. Turn everything off, and they might not be able to find us."

"What if you're wrong?"

"Are you honestly willing to risk your son's life for that?"

Milo set his jaw at that statement and shut everything down, the lights and sound shutting off. The sound outside stopped, too. "They've stopped," Cheen whispered.

"Yeah, but they're still out there," Milo pointed out.

"How did you think of that?" Cheen asked.

"Smarter than I look," Anna said shyly.

"Well, can you think of something to get us out of this?" Milo gestured. "We've lost the aircon. If we don't switch the engines back on, we won't be able to breathe."

"How long have we got?" Anna asked.

"Eight minutes maximum."

***

"The Macra used to be the scourge of this galaxy," the Doctor explained. "Gas. They fed off gas, the filthier the better. They built up a small empire using humans as slaves and mining gas for food."

"They don't exactly look like empire builders to me," the man said.

"Well, that was billions of years ago. Billions. They must have devolved down the years. Now they're just beasts. But they're still hungry."

"And Mara's down there," Rose looked sick.

There was a clang on the roof, and the man scoffed. "Oh, it's like New Times Square in here, for goodness's sake!"

The Doctor blinked as a cat woman dropped in, wearing all grey and carrying a gun that glowed green. "Rose, we've invented a sport!"

"Doctor," the cat looked at him. "Rose Tyler. You're hard to find."

"No guns!" the man held up his hands. "I'm not having guns!"

"I only brought this in case of pirates," the cat shook her head. "Doctor, Rose, you've got to come with me."

"Do we know you?" Rose frowned. There was something about the cat . . .

"You haven't aged at all," she bowed her head. "Time has been less kind to me."

"Novice Hame!" the Doctor realized with a grin, giving her a hug. "No, hold on, get off. Last time we met, you were breeding humans for experimentation."

"I've sought forgiveness, Doctor, for so many years, under his guidance," Hame said. "And if both of you come with me, I might finally be able to redeem myself."

"I'm not going anywhere," the Doctor shook his head. "You've got Macra living underneath this city. Macra!"

"And Mara's stuck down there with them!" Rose added.

"You've got to come with me right now!" Hame insisted.

"No, no, no, you're coming with us," the Doctor shook his head, turning to the man. "You've got over three passengers now. We're going down."

"I'm sorry, Doctor, Rose," Hame shook her head. "But the situation is even worse than you can imagine." Rose tensed when Hame grabbed her wrist, then the Doctor's. "Transport."

"Don't you dare, don't you dare!" the Doctor shouted, but they disappeared from the car and landed hard on the stone floor of a building. "Oh, rough teleport!" the Doctor winced, getting to his feet. "Ow!"

"You've got a teleport?" Rose got to her feet. "Good, go straight back down and teleport people out, starting with Mara and Martha!"

"I only had the power for one trip," Hame shook her head.

"Then get some more!"

"Where are we?" the Doctor looked around the dark building. It seemed quite large, giving he seemed to have a slight echo.

"High above, in the overcity."

"Good, because you can tell the Senate of New New York I'd like a word. They have got thousands of people trapped on the Motorway. Millions!"

"But you're inside the Senate right now."

"What?" Rose breathed, looking around.

"May the goddess Santori bless them," Hame nodded, using her teleport bracelet to turn the lights on. Rose immediately staggered away when she realized she was almost standing on a skeleton. A further look around revealed the entire place was full of bones. "They died, Doctor, Rose. The city died."

"How long's it been like this?" the Doctor breathed.

"Twenty-four years."

"How did this happen?" Rose looked around.

"A new chemical," Hame answered, bending down. "A new mood. They called it Bliss." She used her gloved hand to hold up the patch. "Everyone tried it. They couldn't stop. A virus mutated inside the compound and became airborne. Everything perished. Even the virus, in the end. It killed the world in seven minutes flat. There was just enough time to close down the walkways and the flyovers, sealing off the undercity. Those people on the Motorway aren't lost. They were saved."

"So the whole thing down there is running on automatic," the Doctor realized.

"There's not enough power to get them out," Hame nodded. "We did all we could to stop the system from choking."

"Hang on, who's we?" Rose turned to her. "And how did you survive?"

"He protected me," Hame answered. "And he has waited for you these long years."

"Doctor . . . Rose . . . "

The Doctor blanched and ran out of the room, Rose following behind him. "The Face of Boe!" the Doctor breathed, running over to kneel by the head in the jar.

"I knew you would come," the Face of Boe told him as Rose joined him, resting a hand on the jar.

"Back in the old days, I was made his nurse as penance for my sin," Hame explained.

"Old friend, what happened to you?" the Doctor asked.

"Failing," he answered.

"He protected me from the virus by shrouding me in his smoke," Hame answered. "But with no one to maintain it, the city's power died. The undercity would have fallen into the sea."

"He saved them," Rose whispered.

"The Face of Boe wired himself into the mainframe," Hame nodded. "He's giving his life force just to keep things running."

"But there are planets out there," the Doctor frowned. "You could have called for help."

"The last act of the Senate was to declare New Earth unsafe," Hame shook her head. "The automatic quarantine lasts for one hundred years."

"So the two of you stayed here, on your own, for all these years."

"We had no choice."

"Yes, you did," Rose smiled. "You chose to stay and help."

"Save them," the Face of Boe whispered as the Doctor placed his hand on the glass. "Save them!"

***

"How much air's left?" Cheen mumbled.

"Two minutes," Milo answered.

"Daddy's going to get us out of this," Anna said confidently. "He'll think of something."

"Anna, no one's coming," Milo shook his head.

"Daddy always comes. He always will for me."

"He looked kind of nice," Cheen mused.

Anna grinned. "Don't let my mum hear you say that."

"Was that the blonde woman?"

"Yeah, that's my mum. She's brilliant."

"I never asked. Where's home?"

"A long way away," Anna mused. "Gone, actually. It's just me, Daddy, and Mum. And Martha, I suppose," she blinked. "She's with us now, too. And if she died down here . . . her parents won't ever know."

"So, er . . . I heard you call the blonde Rose," Milo turned to her. "Who's your dad?"

"He's the Doctor," Anna beamed. "You've got your faith, your songs, and your hymns. The rest of us have Daddy. And that's all we need to keep on going. Because he's going to save us. He always does."

Milo considered that, then nodded. "Right."

Anna smiled as the car rebooted. "Systems back online."

"Good luck," he added to her.

"And you," she smiled, clinging on to the back of their seats as Milo drove on into the claws.

***

"Car Four-Six-Five-Diamond-Six!" the Doctor grinned when he saw the monitor. "It still registers! That's Mara! Oh, she's good. Rose, hold that in place," he pointed to a cable. "Think think think think . . . take the residual energy, invert it, feed it through the electricity grid . . . "

"There isn't enough power," Hame shook her head.

"Oh, you've got power," the Doctor grinned. "You've got me! I'm brilliant with computers, just you watch. Hame, every switch on that bank up to maximum. I can't power up the city, but all the city needs is people."

"So what are you going to do?"

"This!" the Doctor grinned, throwing a switch –

And all the lights went out. "What?" Rose looked around.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" the Doctor groaned, looking around. "The transformers are blocked. The signal can't get through!"

"Doctor . . . "

"Hold on, Boe, not now," Rose called over her shoulder, watching worriedly as the Doctor worked.

"I give you my last . . . "

Power suddenly rushed through the building, and the Doctor spun around to see the Face of Boe close his eyes. "Hame, look after him," he ordered. "Don't you go dying on me, you big old face! You've got to see this. The open road. Ha!"

***

Martha looked up when massive amounts of clanging sounded above her head. "What in Jehovah was that?" Bran looked up as well.

"It's coming from above!" Valerie reported.

"What is it?" Martha asked as Bran stood up. "What's happening?"

Bran pushed open the roof hatch and gasped. "By all the cats in the kingdom!"

"What is it?" Valerie craned her neck to try and see, Martha laughing in delight. "What is it?"

"It's the sun!" Martha called. "The Motorway roof, it's opening! We've got sunlight!"

"Oh, Brannigan!" Valerie gasped, grabbing the basket of kittens. "Children, it's the sunlight!"

The monitor crackled, and then the Doctor appeared on screen. "Sorry, no Sally Calypso. She was just a hologram. My name's the Doctor."

"Yes!" Martha whooped. "He did it!"

"He's a magician!" Bran stared in awe.

"And this is an order," the Doctor continued. "Everyone, drive up, right now!"

"Is he serious?" Bran turned to Martha.

"Anna's still down there on the fast lane," Martha nodded, and Bran scrambled to get back into his seat. "He opens the Motorway, all the cars get out, she's free."

"I've opened the roof of the Motorway," the Doctor continued. "Come on! Throttle those engines! Drive up, all of you, the whole undercity. Drive up, drive up, drive up! Fast!"

"Here we go!" Bran took off the brakes.

"We've got to clear that fast lane. Drive up and get out of the way."

***

"Oi! Car Four-Six-Five-Diamond-Six!" Anna nearly squealed Milo's and Cheen's ears off when the transmission flickered on the monitor. "Mara! Drive up!"

"That's Daddy!" Anna pointed.

"We can't go up!" Milo looked out the window. "We'll hit the layer!"

"Just do as he says! Go up!"

"You've got access above," the Doctor said. "Now go!"

Milo obeyed, driving the car up and out of the claws. "It's daylight!" Cheen gasped when light hit their car. "Oh, my God, that's the sky! The real sky!"

"I told you!" Anna crowed. "I told you he'd save us!"

***

"Did I tell you, Doctor?" Bran's voice came over the radio. "You're not bad, sir! You're not bad at all! Oh, yeehah!"

"You keep driving, Brannigan, all the way up," the Doctor grinned. "Because it's here, just waiting for you. The city of New New York, and it's yours. And don't forget – I want Martha and that coat back."

"I reckon that's a fair bargain, sir."

"We're on our way, Doctor," Martha called.

"And Car Four-Six-Five-Diamond-Six, I've sent you a flight path," the Doctor added. "Come to the Senate."

"On my way!" Anna called.

"You're not going anywhere on your own for quite a while, young lady."

"Doctor!" Rose gasped.

He spun around, just in time to see Hame back away from the massive crack growing on the Face of Boe's tank.

***

"Good luck with your baby boy," Anna hugged Cheen when they dropped her off.

"Thank you," Cheen smiled. "Sorry again for taking you."

"It wasn't so boring in the end," Anna grinned, hugging Milo. "Thanks for getting me here."

"Thank you for helping us," Milo hugged her back. "And tell the Doctor we're sorry."

"I will," Anna backed up, waving. "Bye!"

They waved after her, and Anna walked up the steps to the Senate building. As she did, another car pulled up just a little ways down. A cat person stepped out, giving Martha a hand out. "Ah, so that's the daughter they risked life and limb to save!" the cat laughed.

"Martha!" Anna ran over.

"Anna!" Martha grinned, giving her a huge hug. "Oh, thank God! You scared the Doctor and Rose to death!"

"I know," Anna nodded, then grinned at the cat. "Thanks for keeping an eye on Martha."

"Tell the Doctor thank you," the cat bowed to her. "And it was our pleasure."

Anna skipped up the steps, Martha following. "Daddy?" she called, looking around. "Rose?"

"Over here!" Rose's voice called back.

"Mum!" Anna ran around the corner, then gasped, eyes wide. "Boe!"

"Hello, little one," the Face of Boe whispered as the Doctor and Rose turned to see her answer. "I so wished to see you again."

"Who?" Martha ran in behind her.

"Martha, meet the Face of Boe," Rose told her as Anna scrambled to sit in front of the Face of Boe, his tank shattered around him. "Come and say hello. And yes, Novice Hame is a cat. The Face of Boe is the one who saved you both."

"My lord gave his life to save the city, and now he's dying," Hame whispered.

"No, don't say that," the Doctor shook his head. "Not old Boe. Plenty of life left."

"It's good to breathe the air once more," the Face of Boe said.

"Who is he?" Martha asked.

"I don't even know," the Doctor admitted. "Legend says the Face of Boe has lived for billions of years. Isn't that right? And you're not about to give up now."

"The legend says more," Hame said.

"Don't," the Doctor shook his head. "There's no need for that."

"It says the Face of Boe will speak his final secret to a traveler."

"Yeah, but not yet. Who needs secrets, eh?"

"I have seen so much," the Face of Boe said. "Perhaps too much. I am the last of my kind, as you are the last of yours, Doctor, my dear Annakamara."

"That's why we have to survive, all of us," the Doctor nodded. "Don't go."

"I must. But know this, Time Lords . . . " The Face of Boe looked between them before he spoke his final words out loud. "You are not alone."

The Face of Boe took one last breath, then closed his eyes. "Boe?" Anna said timidly, even as Hame started to cry, Rose reaching up to stem tears flowing from her eyes.

"He's gone, Mara," the Doctor shook his head, hugging Anna close as the girl started to cry. "He's gone."

***

"All closed down," the Doctor looked around Pharmacy Town in satisfaction.

"Happy?" Martha smirked.

"Happy happy," the Doctor confirmed. "New New York can start again. And they've got Novice Hame. Just what every city needs, cats in charge. Come on. Time we were off."

"But what did he mean, the Face of Boe?" Martha wondered. "You're not alone."

"I don't know."

"You've got us," Rose offered. "Do you think he meant that?"

"I don't think so," the Doctor shook his head. "Sorry."

"Then what?" Martha frowned.

Anna looked up at the Doctor. "Do you think he meant it?" she whispered. "There's someone else out there?"

"I don't know, Mara," the Doctor shook his head. "Come on. Back to the TARDIS."

Rose started to follow, then paused when she heard a scraping noise. She turned to see Martha set up a chair, then plop down in it. "Are you coming or not?" she asked.

"Not until they talk to me properly," Martha stated, making the Doctor stop. "He said last of your kind. What does that mean?"

"They don't need to tell you that," Rose scowled.

"So I assume they've talked to you, then?" Martha raised an eyebrow. "All right. Why don't they ever say?"

Rose opened her mouth to argue with Martha when the voices of the choir sang from the distance. "Fast falls the eventide . . . "

"It's the city," Martha looked up.

"The darkness deepens . . . "

"They're singing."

"Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail . . . "

The Doctor looked down at Anna, then sighed and turned. "I lied to you because I liked it," he told Martha, setting up another chair to sit in. "I could pretend. Just for a bit, I could imagine they were still alive, underneath a burnt orange sky. We're not just Time Lords. We're the last of the Time Lords. The Face of Boe was wrong. There's no one else."

"What happened?" Martha's eyes widened, looking at Rose, noticing the blonde was setting up two more chairs. So that had been why Rose had tried to stop her from pressing earlier . . . she really did know what the Doctor was telling her.

"Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day . . . "

"There was a war," the Doctor said heavily, his arm around Anna as she leaned against him, his other hand entwined with Rose's. "A Time War. The last Great Time War. Our people fought a race called the Daleks for the sake of all creation, and they lost. They lost. Everyone lost. They're all gone now. Our family, our friends, even that sky." He chuckled. "Oh, you should have seen it, that old planet. The second sun would rise in the south, and the mountains would shine. The leaves on the trees were silver, and when they caught the light every morning, it looked like a forest on fire. When the autumn came, the breeze would blow through the branches like a song."

"The darkness deepens," the choir continued as the Doctor brushed Anna's hair over her shoulder, continuing to tell Martha of Gallifrey. "Lord, with me abide."

***

And of course, this one just had to end in such a dreary way, didn't it?

Anyway, I hope you liked that it was the adults chasing after the younger one! Anna would probably pass being an "adult," but I didn't realize that until I'd started writing so . . . oops. XD

Anyway . . . geez, why are all of these episodes so dark and dreary? "Kill the Moon" is next for Jessie!