An Alternate Death Of The Doctor (short story)

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***An Alternate Death Of The Doctor*** was a short story written by Danny Bunyan. It was among twelve prose stories submitted by fans to the *Doctor Who: Lockdown!* as part of the 2020 Turn Left tweetalong to receive an official release on the Lockdown! website.

## Summary

Taking place in Donna's World, the story begins with narration by Sarah Jane Smith, pondering what would happen were the Doctor to die before her.

While investigating Bubble Shock! on Christmas Eve, Sarah Jane is interrupted by the Racnoss invasion of Earth. After consulting Mr Smith, it is brought to her attention that the British Army and Unified Intelligence Taskforce are already at the scene, dealing with the invasion.

While dismissing this, she sets off to investigate the scene, although the Webstar is destroyed by the armed forces before she reaches the scene. Feeling a pain in her gut and a sense of panic, Sarah Jane hears the Doctor's voice call out her name. Wandering out from her car, she begins to sense that the Doctor has died and, in an ill state, staggers back to 13 Bannerman Road.

The next morning, on Christmas Day, she awakes still fully dressed. Her memories of the previous night return and her attention is quickly turned to the arrival of UNIT Soldiers. Amongst the arrivals is Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart and requests to speak to Sarah Jane alone.

Inside her home, Sarah Jane is told that the Doctor died the night before and Alistar confirms her concerns that the Doctor died alone.

Following the revelation of the Doctor's death, the story turns to his funeral, which is attended by many of the Doctor's friends including: Ian Chesterton, Barbara Wright, Ace, Jo Grant, Liz Shaw, Harry Sullivan, and three unnamed characters eluded to be Jack Harkness, Nyssa and Tegan Jovanka. While Sarah Jane waits behind, being one of the last people to leave, she spots Rose Tyler. Despite Rose being reluctant to relay everything that had happened, she is able to deliver one cryptic piece of advice: "Go to the Ascending Rain".

## Characters

* Sarah Jane Smith
* Mr Smith
* Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart
* Rose Tyler

## References

* Sarah Jane notes the Doctor left her the Sonic lipstick and K9 Mark III and that she met him again in School Reunion (TV story).
* Sarah Jane is investigating Bubble Shock!
* Mr Smith plays his fanfare as he unfolds from the wall.
* The Racnoss attack in a webstar, which is ultimately brought down by the British Army.
* Rose is believed to be dead after the Battle of Canary Wharf.

## Notes

* The title of the story is based on the Sarah Jane Adventures story: Death of the Doctor (TV story), in which Sarah Jane is told of the Doctor's death by UNIT soldiers who arrive outside 13 Bannerman Road, before attending his funeral. However, unlike the TV Story, the Doctor is genuinely dead.
* Sarah Jane echoes the same suspicion that if the Doctor dies, their companions can feel it - an idea raised by Sarah Jane and Jo in Death of the Doctor.
* This story refers to the company that creates 'Bubble Shock!' as Bane!
* Three guests of the Doctor's funeral go unnamed, however, their description bear similarities to characters in Farewell, Sarah Jane (webcast), leading to assumption the "quiet man stood quietly" is Jack Harkness, and the "couple from Australia" are Nyssa and Tegan.
* Rose's last words to Sarah Jane reference ascending rain, intended to guide Sarah Jane to the Royal Hope Hospital, where she would die in Donna's world, alongside Luke Smith, Maria Jackson and Clyde Langer