Hunters of the Burning Stone

Part 6

Teddy's POV

As soon as we were done on Totter's Lane we went to my family's house in Denver. The house was empty. Furniture was overturned savagely. Pictures thrown all across the floor. I picked up one. It was of my family when Charlie was 2.

The glass was broken as if it was savagely thrown on the floor. It was like the people in the picture were unfamiliar to whoever lived in the house….no. To whoever was in the house. Yes, it was unfamiliar to whoever was in the house, before they left.

I saw the front door opened and went outside. I saw my family out there. They were carrying whatever they could for weapons making their way to the mountains where there were still caves they could hide in. I wanted to go after them but the Doctor shook his head. "They wouldn't know you."

I wanted to go after them anyway. "MOM! DAD! GABE! P.J. CHARLIE!" I shouted. They all turned and looked at me with curious eyes. Then they saw the TARDIS off to the side of the porch. Recognition crossed their faces then they looked at me again.

"Teddy?" Mom asked barely able to get out my name.

"Yes mom." I said. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine. I promise." I was going to keep that promise too. Now I knew our plan would work, we just had to get to the Promethian's platform to make it work

As I walked back into the house I saw Mrs. Dabney off to the side, roasting a cat over a feeble fire. Others were wanting the roasted cat for themselves and Mrs. Dabney fought them off sending the scurrying attackers back to the forest nearby.

I saw a video camera off to the side. Mom had taken to making a video diary of their time when I'm not at home. I looked at the tape and mom was speaking of her hosting job when the Promethian's beam hit. The video had them all looking up saying "Orb" as they were worshipping the sun. Their minds regressed to Stone Age cavepeople. I tried to stop from crying, but a few tears did fall.

"I'm sorry Teddy." The Doctor said. I nodded understanding, but it didn't make me feel any better.

It was like this everywhere on Earth. Everyone was confused, frightened, acting on instinct. And only the loudest voices were heard.

I saw on the viewing screen when I entered the TARDIS Za was making the rounds on Earth. In some cities he had been appearing to people. "I am Za, the leader. Listen to my words. The many tribes will join together and follow me! I will give you fire and meat and the burning stone!"

I shut off the viewer. "I've seen enough."

"At the rate they are going the Promethians will have indoctrinated all of Earth in a day or so." The Doctor said. I nodded, but then I turned and smiled.

"But we're going to stop them."

"We are." My uncle said. "Of course the Promethians will expect us to make a final grand gesture. One they will think is futile."

"Let's prove how wrong they are." I said as we set the co-ordinates back for the solar symbol. I was going to love seeing their smug smirks wiped off their faces. We had arrived and the Doctor and I stepped out of the TARDIS.

"Greetings, Doctor. Miss Duncan." Promethian 3 had said.

"Aloha Promethians." The Doctor had said. "Been having fun? Homo sapiens boiling away nicely? Ready to surrender?"

"Everyone gets a chance to give up, you see." I then said. "No one ever takes it, but there you go. How about it boys? Want to make history?"

"And what would you offer us in return?" Promethian 2 asked. The Doctor answered "Just a helping hand." As he held out his right hand, which had Monos's glove on it. "You gave this to Monos last year, Remember? He used it to cram his identity into every mind in Chicago, and he was just a kid."

"Imagine what a Time Lord could do with this, inside a psychic transmitter this big." I added.

Promethian 1 spoke next. "The gauntlet is useless here. Only our solar symbol can access humanity's collective consciousness. You cannot reach them Doctor, you are not one of them."

"True." I said. "But I have lived among them. Been part of a family of them."

"And I have been making a heck of a lot of house calls." The Doctor added before going into his explanation.

"Imagine for a moment that a second symbol had burrowed its way into the race memory of humanity. Something painted on cave walls, carved in stone, woven into tapestries and drawn on parchments. The same image, over and over again."

"People might instinctively recognize it—see it as a sign that they weren't alone." I added. That they had protection…and a friend, or two. Maybe three."

"Who knows?" the Doctor asked as Monos's gauntlet came to life as he started to draw a shape. "Maybe one day someone builds a big blue box that people use to call for help."

"Maybe that symbol surfaces and guides the design." I added. "Wouldn't that be a laugh?" Just then the symbol started transforming. The Promethians immediately got scared.

"What…what is this? Identify! Identify!" Promethian 1 shouted.

"Neuron platform is transforming!" Promethian 2 said. "I repeat NEURON PLATFORM IS TRANSFORMING!"

The Promethians were immediately scared as their platform settled into the shape the Doctor was drawing, an image of the TARDIS. "Took a long old while, and we needed a lot of prodding…" the Doctor said as he put the finishing touches on the design."

"But we finally figured out what was buried in man." I said. If the Promethians were scared before they were terrified now.

"NO!" they shouted in unison as I answered the question of what was buried in man. "Me, my uncle, and my daughter,"

At that moment the platform settled into the TARDIS designed and fired it's beam at Earth again. Only this time it was undoing the Promethian's transformation. Evolving them back to what they were. I thought of my family, and I knew they were back to normal. Well, Duncan normal.

"The world is waking up." The Doctor said. "People are remembering who they really are."

"They are looking into the dark, and they are not afraid of it." I added. I guessed Za was going to be upset that the 'many tribes' were turning away from him. The Doctor and I thought it best to get off the platform and somewhere safe.

"Well, this is….frustrating." Promethian 1 had said. Promethian 2 had told us that we would remain while they made the 'necessary repairs'. "Sorry fellas, not gonna happen." The Doctor said as he threw off Monos's burnt out gauntlet as we ran to the TARDIS. "I've just installed a permanent barrier. You'll never be able to access the race memory a second time."

"Humanity is firewalled." I added. The TARDIS almost in reach. The Promethians had other plans as Promethian 3 activated an energy field around the TARDIS. As we got close to it we were thrown back by bursts of energy.

"You will not be leaving."

Annabelle's POV

I felt mom and the Doctor come back, as we all saw the Promethians' platform change again. This time it had taken the form of the TARDIS and fired its beam back on Earth again. Checking the satellite network I found that the human race was back to being their old selves again.

I tracked a satellite image over Denver. I found the Duncans were returning to their houses. Everyone was waking up from what the Promethians did. It was as if a nightmare had ended for them.

But I knew it was not quite over yet. There were still the Promethians to stop. And Patrick was having his own ideas.

"Their defenses are down." Patrick said as he made his way to the weaponry controls. We've got a chance to end this. A full strike could take the entire platform out."

"The Doctor and Teddy have gone back in there Lake." Ian had said. That's obvious. You'd be killing them too."

"Anna lost her mom." I said. "You want me to lose mine as well?"

"We're at war Mr. Chesterton." Patrick had said. "And there are casualties in war Miss Duncan. You of all people should know that."

"And I'd rather avoid them if I can." I answered. "Anna lost her mom. I'd rather not lose mine." This caused Patrick to hold off for a while as I went to Barbara and Anna. "Any ideas?"

"One." Barbara said as she turned to Anna. "Anna, will you give us a chance to stop the Promethians our way?" Anna quickly asked "You've got a plan?"

"I wouldn't quite call it that." Barbara had said. "But I've learned to trust my instincts in my time with the Doctor. I think I know what to do." Anna considered Barbara's words and smiled.

"Sometimes instinct is all we have out here. Keep trusting it Barbara…and I'll trust you."

"Me too." I said. "So what have you got in mind?"

Barbara then saw the Hunters heading for the platform probably upset that the' many tribes' won't follow them. She then said "The Hunters want to learn a lesson, school is now in session."

Teddy's POV

The Hunters were quick to arrive. Za had taken the lead bellowing "SONS OF ORB! YOU HAVE LIED TO ME!"

The Promethians quickly tried to get out of trouble as Promethian 1 said "No, Za. We have upheld our end of the bargain. This man, and this girl, have betrayed you." Promethian 1 quickly pointed in my, and the Doctor's, direction.

"They wasted no time throwing us under the bus." I said. Za then brought forth his spear and shot out gold lightning. "Is it true?" he shouted. "Did you take from me the many tribes? DID YOU?!" I couldn't answer because I was shouting in pain from Za's lightning, as was the Doctor.

In the distance we heard Anna's portal activate. I heard Ian, Barbara and Annabelle come through. "Za, No!" Ian shouted.

"Don't hurt them!" Barbara added.

"Mom!" I heard Annabelle shout. I could also hear the Doctor say "Oh rabbits…who….invited…you three?"

"Speak…for yourself." I said as Annabelle stood as close to me as possible. _Don't worry mom. We have a plan._ she said to me telepathically.

"So, you have come at last." Za had said acknowledging Ian and Barbara's arrival.

"Yes." Ian had said taking control of the room like any teacher would. "You brought us here to teach you—well, the lesson begins now."

"Za." Barbara then said sharing Ian's lead. "You said you wanted to find 'the thing that is hidden'—I think I know what you meant. We showed it to you the night we helped you in the forest."

"Yes." Za said listening. The student was ready to learn. And since he was leader the tribe followed. "What you did…made no sense."

"It was compassion Za." Barbara explained. "It's what makes people look beyond their needs…when they feel another's pain as if it were their own. But it isn't a weakness. It's the greatest strength you can ever hope to have."

"It's inside you all." Ian added. "You can sense it, can't you? Believe us when we say that there is more to you than desire. More to you than revenge." I had a feeling the last part was more for the Lakes, and they were listening in.

"You are capable of higher concepts. Higher emotions." Ian had said.

"Love is within your grasp!" Barbara added. "Don't be afraid. Reach out and find it." Then taking Ian's hand and looking into his eyes she then said "Share it with us."

"Your words….are strange." Hur had said. But they seemed to be getting through to her, and the tribe.

"You may not understand their exact meaning Hur, but you feel their truth. Love can mean sacrifice. It "That's what this man, and this girl, has done for the many tribes. They protect us, they love us."

"And we love him." Barbara added. "As does the girl that stands by them."

"Yeah." Annabelle added. "I love them. And they love me. And all three of us love the many tribes of Earth. We would protect them with our lives." I smiled at Annabelle prouder of her than I had ever been. Looking at Za I saw him looking at Hur.

"You…belong to me." Za had said.

"Yes." Hur had said with a smile. And Za had followed with "And I belong to you."

"Yes." Hur had said as she and Za took one another's hands. An action the Promethians didn't care for.

"NO!" Promethian 1 had said. "This is unacceptable. You will not be corrupted in this manner. You will remain in your primal state. A hundred thousand years of preparation will not go to waste. IT WILL NOT!"

And on that note the Promethians fired on Ian and Barbara. They screamed as golden lightning struck them down. An action the Hunters did not take kindly to. Especially as they fired on the Promethians with their lightning spears.

"NO!" Za had shouted as the Doctor and I were shook loose from our energy bonds. "The teachers will not be harmed! Their words are strong! You have lied to us sons of Orb!"

Soon the Hunters all surrounded the Promethians and fired on them. "WE WILL PROTECT THE MANY TRIBES FROM YOU!"

The Promethians fired back. "Stupid ungrateful apes…WE GAVE YOU GODHOOD!" one of them said. Right now I didn't care which one. Around us Hunters and Promethians fired on one another. So explosive was the conflict that for a moment I thought I was back in the Time War. Hunters were dying around us, but they finally got in the killing strike against the Promethians.

"Np…N-no…th-this is unacc-…." He didn't finish his sentence as all the Promethians shriveled up and exploded in a burst of golden light and exploded. And like the Time War the Hunters were caught in the explosion leaving only me, the Doctor, Annabelle, Ian and Barbara.

"Is it over mom?" Annabelle asked.

"Yeah, sweetpea. Looks like it is." I answered. Looking around I asked "I wonder why the Lakes hadn't fired."

"I think I know why." Barbara answered as she looked up in the stars. "I think we had one or two additional students today."

"One definitely." Annabelle added thinking of Anna. "I think she knew that the Hunters needed this moment more than she or her father did."

"That reminds me." The Doctor said. "I think we'd better get off this platform. It's starting to disintegrate." Quickly we made our way to the TARDIS as the Doctor, Annabelle and I rushed to the console.

"So are we going home?" Ian asked.

"Yes." The Doctor said. "After one or two stops."

"One or two stops?" Barbara asked afraid she'd be back to the aimless travelling again. "Do we have to?"

"I'm afraid so Barbara." I said. "First stop is to talk to Patrick and Anna's superiors. See if we can get them to stop what they are doing."

"And what's the second?" Ian asked.

"Denver." The Doctor said. "I think Teddy would like to see if her family is all right." Ian and Barbara both nodded. "I can see that." Ian had said. "After what the Promethians had done you would want to see if they are fine."

Soon the time rotor started and we had arrived at our first stop. The HQ of Patrick's operation.

"Ian, Barbara, please stay here." The Doctor said. "I think it best if Teddy, Annabelle and I took point on this." Ian and Barbara both nodded and we three Time Lords stepped outside the TARDIS where Hugo Wilding and a whole bunch of secret agents were surrounding us.

"Stand down, everyone." Hugo had said. "This visit may not be scheduled but it is expected. Good morning Doctor. Miss Duncan. Miss Duncan."

"Hello, Hugo." The Doctor said. "Thought we'd pop by, see the new set-up. Oh you must be so proud. What a big control room! Look at all your buttons." I rolled my eyes at the Doctor's rambling and said "We'll find an elevator and you can push the buttons on that."

"Don't you mean a lift?" he asked. I sighed as Annabelle asked "Don't you have something to say to Hugo here?"

"Oh right." The Doctor then turned his attention to Hugo and asked "Can I offer you one little piece of advice…?" He paused for a moment and then said his peace.

"Pack it up. Bring your people home. You've seen what happens when cavemen jump from sticks to power tools. Learn from the experience."

Hugo however was not listening. "We are not cavemen Doctor, and we are not your children either. We are grateful for your, and your nieces' efforts in safeguarding our world. But it remains our world. We will defend it however we choose." Hugo cast a look towards me and said "Miss Duncan, you said so yourself. It is up to us to determine how we live and evolve as a species. That decision is not up to anyone else. And in our book, that includes you."

"True." I said. "But that doesn't mean I can't offer my own two cents if I see a problem." Looking around Hugo's control room I then said "And if you ask me this is quite a problem."

"Well it is a good thing we didn't ask you Miss Duncan." Hugo added.

Now it was Annabelle's turn. "Do you know what Earth looks like to the universe Hugo? A shiny red apple. Occasionally someone comes along and tries to take a bite. They get a slap and go away. But if you carry on with this, you'll become something else….a threat.

"And the universe will start to treat you very differently, that I guarantee." I added.

"So give it up." The Doctor said. "Start with Anna Lake. If you don't I'll tell everyone on Cornucopia exactly who 'Miss Ghost' is and why she's there."

Hugo wasn't budging. In face we found he had his own card to play. "You've been working very hard to erase yourself and your nieces haven't you Doctor? So many files wiped. So many records destroyed. But Earth is the one world where that isn't possible—as we have learned you are part of us." Hugo then gave his own terms, and we all had an idea where this was going.

"I promise you three this: If you expose Agent Lake then I will do the same to the three of you. Everything we have on you will become public knowledge on every information network in the galaxy. I will make all your faces—all your stories—famous throughout space and time. Then we'll see exactly how the universe treats a threat."

I sighed after that. We walked in with a full house, only to find Hugo had four of a kind. The Doctor however saw this as a stalemate. He liked chess. I was more into poker. Regardless, we weren't going to win this hand.

"Touche' Hugo." The Doctor said. There was nothing else we could do. We three Time Lords turned back to the TARDIS and made ready to leave. The Doctor cast a look back at Hugo and asked "By the way, what are you calling all of this?"

"Wonderland." Hugo said as we saw all the agents drawing their guns. I took that as a sign that we had worn out our welcome, if we even had one. We shut the door and dematerialized. Next stop, Denver.

"How did it go?" Barbara asked.

"Deadlock." I said. "We reveal Anna, they reveal us. And we've made a lot of enemies that would love to see us dead."

"And some of them think we are." Annabelle said. "And we'd like to keep it that way." Ian and Barbara were about to ask what Annabelle meant by that when the Doctor said "We've arrived."

"I quickly ran for the door looking to see my parent's house. Opening the TARDIS door I saw my house as I remembered it so many times. I wondered if my parents were all right when I saw the door open and mom and dad standing on the porch. "Teddy?" she immediately asked.

I decided I didn't want to say anything. I just ran to mom and dad and hugged them. Tears falling down my face as I was so glad to see them. "I knew you'd come back. I just knew it." Mom had said.

Dad called out Gabe, P.J., Charlie, Toby, your sister's here."

As soon as my siblings came out onto the porch I hugged each and every one of them. So glad they were alive. So glad they were them, and not what the Promethians wanted them to be.

"So what happened this time?" P.J. asked. "One moment we were all making a video diary entry for you and Annabelle and the next we were taken back to pre-pre-kindergarten or something."

"Stone age actually P.J." I said. I then explained about the Promethians, the Tribe of Gum-Gabe couldn't resist making a chewing gum joke of his own, and how we were able to beat them.

Mom smiled at me. "Somehow I knew you'd make everything all right Teddy. You, the Doctor, and Annabelle. I knew when I saw you next to that." She pointed to the TARDIS where the Doctor, Annabelle, Ian and Barbara stood. Mom then called out "Well don't just stand there, are you going to come in or not?"

Annabelle shot my uncle a look and said "I think we've been invited in." Soon we were all standing on the porch and I introduced my family to Ian and Barbara. "They're teachers from the 1960's." I said. "They were the first people to travel with the Doctor."

"And the first to turn me on to humanity." The Doctor then said.

"And the only ones he ever kidnapped to travel with him." Annabelle then said. This got a look from all the Duncans and a few chuckles from Ian and Barbara. "What?" Annabelle asked. "Someone had to say it."

"It was a different time." Barbara had said. Ian added "And it did the Doctor a world of good as well. He saw us as a species what potential we had."

"But we also wanted to go home." Barbara said. "And we did, until the Promethians came."

"And now you'll be looking to go back?" Gabe asked. Ian and Barbara nodded. P.J. however insisted that they at least stay for dinner. I asked "What's for supper?"

"Roast ferret." We all shot P.J. a look and he then said "Kidding." He actually made a great dish that we all shared as a family. Mom and Dad entertained Ian and Barbara about stories about me as a kid. She even showed them family pictures of my first incarnation, and some of my current one.

"I think I saw one of her next one." Mom said to Barbara. "She looked older."

"Oh, don't tell me I get old." I said in jest. Annabelle asked "Did you see any of a new me?"

Charlie then spoke saying the word used when we can't know too much. A word I think River had taught her at some point. "Spoilers." We let it go from there.

Ian and Barbara took a look at some of my old textbooks, and some of Gabe's. I believe they gave a mention of the American education system indicating that it needed improvement. I decided that there wasn't an education system that didn't need improvement somewhere. Even Gallifrey's needed some improvements from time to time.

It then came time for us to leave. Ian and Barbara needed to get back home. "Pity. You two would love a weekend in Aspen if it was ski season."

"Thanks, but no Teddy." Barbara said. "We need to get back home. We need to do something that is way overdue." She and Ian looked at each other and I knew what that something was. I said goodbye to mom, dad and my family saying that I would be back again. Mom said "Take care of yourself. You, the Doctor and Annabelle."

"We will mom. We always do." I said as we entered the TARDIS to take Ian and Barbara home. Straight home. To Coal Hill London, 1965.

As soon as we arrived in 1965, and we told the TARDIS to take us directly there-no detours, Ian and Barbara had their long awaited wedding. The Doctor served as best man. Annabelle and I were bridesmaids. Barbara was asked if she would marry Ian, and with some dialogue changes (like taking out the love, honor and obey part.[especially the obey part.]) she had said "I do."

"And do you Ian Francis Chesterton, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife…in sickness and in health…for richer or for poorer….for as long as you both shall live?" the reverend asked giving the same dialogue to him that was given to Barbara.

Ian answered "I do."

"Then I now pronounce you man and wife." And then Ian kissed the bride. The procession erupted in applause.

The reception was soon in full swing. Annabelle and Ian were mingling with other guests while I eavesdropped on a conversation my uncle was having with Barbara. "But think of all those hearts breaking right now across the time-space vortex. Poor old Ganatus, and Leon Colbert, and don't forget Nero. So many contests."

"Oh, stop it Doctor. You've turned into such a terrible tease." Barbara said. I sat at the table and said "Besides, they'll get over it."

"I'm sure they will Teddy." Barbara had said. She then asked one last question. "Look, there's something I still don't understand. When we were all together on Anna's spaceship, where did you and the Doctor vanish to?"

"Ah yes…" the Doctor said. "Well, a while back the TARDIS showed us something. A recording of Teddy, as she is now, inside the earliest control room."

"I hadn't understood what I was doing there." I then said. "Until Ian said something about 'never changing'. And suddenly, DING! Lightbulb on." I then went into the explanation.

"You see, the only way to win was to make sure the TARDIS would always remain the same—its image had to be imprinted on humanity's race memory forever. So I took out my sonic and used it to destroy the program that disguised its shape. It was called the Chameleon Circuit."

"For the longest time I thought it jammed because the TARDIS was in for repairs when I….'borrowed' her. But it turns out my niece wrecked it herself." The Doctor looked at me and I just waved my hand "You would have done it too. Besides, the TARDIS is ours. The Time Lords didn't want it back anyway."

Barbara raised her glass and said "So that blue box is always going to be out there, appearing whenever there's danger, whenever the human race needs help?" The Doctor and I raised our glasses as if giving a toast of sorts. The Doctor then saying "I'm afraid you're stuck with us Mrs. Chesterton…"

"Till death do us part." I finished.

And then we said our goodbyes. Ian and Barbara starting their own lives together. The Doctor, Annabelle and I going off on our own adventures.

There was still the matter of that 'Impossible girl' to look into.

THE END

Author's Note: And this is it. The final chapter. The end of the story. Hope you enjoyed this trip into the history of Doctor Who, and maybe even got a sense of nostalgia out of the deal.

And now the big question. What happens now? Well, as the last two words of the story indicate. This is the end. Sure there are other stories that could follow, and there's a continuation of the Wonderland storyline in the next graphic novel called 'The Blood of Azreal' which introduces readers to Clara Oswald. But I will not be doing those stories. The reasons why being I have told the story I wish to tell with 'Hunters', with Teddy Duncan as part of it. Also, I have had no reviews and no mentions of this story other than one or two from Ryan. So if no one is saying anything, and I have reached the end of the story. Why go on further?

I also have other stories I need to look at. So I think it's time I got back to those. I did this in part because I was burnt out with other works. Now I feel those batteries are more or less recharged and I want to get back to those stories.

If anyone else wants to do 'The Blood of Azreal' with Teddy and Annabelle, let Ryan know. But for me, it's the end. It's been a fun story, but I need to get back to other works. Also I am studying video game design, and that takes up a lot of time too.

So, that's it. Adios Amigos and Amigas. Hope you've enjoyed the history lesson from the Hartnell era brought into Matt Smith's period. Special thanks to Scott Gary from Panini comics for originating the story 'Hunters of the Burning Stone' and the stories that came earlier. And thanks to Ryan T. Morris for allowing me to do this story, which was for the most part Panini's 50th Anniversary tale for Doctor Who. And now that this story is completed maybe now people will review and enjoy it more.

Take care everyone, and remember if you have a story to tell…tell it…whether anyone reviews or not.

John.