Day 1| Chapter 1
"Doctor what is that?" Clara observed. The Doctor turned his attention to a glowing door settled in the middle of a forest on the planet Adipose 3. He faced Clara, with a look of glee in his eyes and took off running. Clara sighed and smiled, then chased after the crazy man she had willingly followed through time and space. The Doctor reached the door, only a few yards ahead of Clara, and thrust it open. As he stepped into a bright light he heard a curiously familiar voice shouting.
"No don't let it-" the door slammed shut.
The Doctor's eyes began to adjust to the strange lighting. He felt a bit faint but caught himself. His vision cleared and he gasped.
"Oh this is just ridiculous! You idiot!"
The Eleventh doctor stood speechless as these words sprang from one of his previous regenerations. His fifth regeneration, to be exact, stood a foot away from him, searing with anger.
"Leave the poor chap alone." The third doctor chimed in.
"He's right; fighting will get us nowhere." The youngest but eldest looking doctor, his first form, spoke firmly.
This wasn't the first time the doctor had met himself. Although the occurrence was less-than frequent, he had on occasion met previous versions of himself. Why only a month ago he had personally met two younger versions. Together, along with the assistance of all the doctors, they had saved their home planet: leaving it frozen in time. Of course, no one remembered the event: timelines and all that. Regardless, he smirked while recalling that eventful day.
"Which one are you?" the first doctor inquired. "The fifth?"
"No that's not him" the sixth, seventh, and ninth doctor said in unison.
"I'm number five." The fifth doctor announced, standing behind Four.
The Eleventh doctor motioned to his face and said "eleventh."
"Aww that's brilliant! I mean this is very bad, all of us together like this" Ten began to ramble as he examined Eleven's face with high interest, "but this is just brilliant." He paused after scanning Eleven's hair, disappointed it was not ginger.
"Look I get you're excited, but we need to get out of here!" Nine pointed out, annoyed with the obnoxious character. A sudden bang sent the men into a fright.
"When I say run, run!" they heard the distinct voice of the second doctor outside the walls. They immediately dashed towards the door with means of escaping, but Two burst in and it was too late. The door closed.
"Oh dear. What's all this nonsense?" The second doctor's dark jacket and checkered pants were covered in dirt.
"Ahh. Here's the little fellow." The first doctor declared. At once every doctor turned to each other with looks of pure uncertainty. This was going to be difficult.
Day 1|Chapter 2
"I have to call the Brigadier and Jo." By broadcasting his need to get in contact with his companions, Three set off a chain of shouts. Each man fretted over his friends who were surely panicked and lost without him.
"Oh please be quiet!" Three ordered the men. "Now listen to me! We will get out of here! If we just-"
"If we listen to you we will be stuck here all day!" Two argued.
"Oh not this again" One muttered. He had been brought in to help them cooperate in the past and was tired of their childish behavior. An older man, wearing a brown leather overcoat and a Bandolier, angrily hollered for silence. The Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh doctors instantly recognized him as the darkest doctor: the war doctor.
One resumed. "The last thing I recall was being in the TARDIS with Barbara and Ian Chesserman."
"It's Chesterton doctor," Four reminded him.
"Ah thank you my boy." He paused to look at the man's decor. "And might I say what an interesting scarf." Four smiled.
"I don't like it." Six said.
The other doctors rotated and passed looks of disgust towards the rainbow outfit he wore. The older doctors looked at it with regret.
"What?!" Six demanded. "It's charming!"
They continued to stare.
"Well at least I still don't wear a stick of celery!" Offended, Five began to shout about the importance of his celery; how it turned purple in the presence of certain gases and how it was good for the teeth.
Through the quarrel, Ten leaned over to Eleven. "Nice bow tie."
"Thanks! I like bow ties. Bow ties are cool."
"Oh I agree." Three added.
"Oh dear all this frustration over clothes." One groaned.
Eight, who had been silent the majority of the time spoke up. "Instead of arguing over our wardrobe, why don't we come up with a plan of escape?"
The room the 12 men occupied was roughly the size of a decent apartment. The walls were splashed with a placid white, and it was extremely quiet.
"How did we all get here?" Eight proceeded. "Something, or someone has us trapped here."
"Could be Daleks?"
"Or Cyberman?"
"I'll bet it is Borusa!" Three suspected.
"Could be weeping angels?"
"Sontarons?"
"Nimons"
"The master?"
"The Black Guardian. I was told he wants revenge." Five pronounced.
"It could be anything." Four concluded.
One set his wooden cane to the side.
"What do we do?"
Day 1|Chapter 3
"What is the last thing you recall?" Seven inquired.
They all spoke at once but Eight's voice rose above the others. "I had just set the TARDIS's navigation to the planet of-"
"Set the navigation? The first doctor interrupted. "How did you do that? I have no control over where it goes."
"Well maybe she doesn't like you." Nine bragged.
"That's nonsense." Eleven said "The TARDIS is like a child or a pet. Just takes some time."
"Oh do be quiet! There's no use arguing about it." Three put an end to their squabbling.
"Gentlemen. I believe I have an idea." Five announced after a few minutes.
"Perhaps if we reverse-"
"The polarity-"Three interrupted.
"Of the neutron flow?" Four finished.
One by one a handful of doctors pulled out their Sonics. "Wait."
Eleven felt for the handle of the door and pulled. It didn't budge.
"Just double checking." he admitted.
Those who had theirs, pointed the screwdrivers toward the door. The war doctor rolled his eyes at the obscure holding and use if the instruments. "Are you sure those will even work? It seems far too complex." One asked.
"Yes of course it will work. Try and keep up old man." Ten teased.
"Not even the sonic screwdriver can get us out of this one." Four said doubtful.
After a song of buzzing, the Sonics sent out a rapid beep.
"Fantastic!" Nine shouted overjoyed. It had worked!
"Allons-y!" Ten rushed to the door. Instead of finding a way out, however, he met a wall. After the impact, he dropped hard to the ground getting the wind knocked out of him. "Right! Never doing that again!" he exclaimed breathless.
"Are you alright?" Sixth helped him to his feet.
"We need a new plan" Seven declared.
This was of course, obvious. Though no ideas they came up with seemed worth a try.
"Hmmm. hmm. hmm." One concentrated aloud.
After a couple minutes of quiet thinking, Four leaned over to Ten. Would you like a jelly baby?"
"No don't do that. Just don't." he advised. The men continued to think in silence.
Day 1|Chapter 4
For the next few hours, many of the doctors paced back and forth. Six met up with Five and paused. "I don't miss that." he said recalling his past regeneration. He never did like that appearance.
"Oh it isn't so bad. I've grown quite fond of this body." Five argued.
"You're one to talk" Nine muttered looking at Six.
"And what, I pray, is that supposed to mean?" Six shouted.
"Oh do stop fighting." the war doctor whispered, his head pounding.
"I'm just pointing out that your figure is a bit...round. Been eating far too many sweets. "
"Oh you sound just like Mel."
"Well, he does have a point." Ten admitted.
"At least I don't have the figure of a twig."
"Oi!"
Eleven laughed, "I call him matchstick man."
"If we would spend as much time trying to get out as you all do bickering, we would have escaped by now" Seven yelled.
"Reminds me of the time we had to work together." The Sixth doctor told the Second.
"You did?" Eleven asked.
"You don't remember?" The Sixth doctor questioned, surprised.
"He's grown forgetful." Seven realized.
"All those centuries of adventure, knowledge, and loss... look how it has left you." One sounded upset.
Eleven brushed them off, offended. "It doesn't matter."
"Ignore him he's the one that's a bit forgetful" Nine defended Eleven.
"That's what Susan used to say." One thought. Had he ever gone back for her? Had he ever seen his granddaughter again?
Day 5| Chapter 5
Nine opened his eyes and lifted himself from the hard floor. During his hour of sleep it had seemed all the doctors had changed places.
"I don't like sleeping." Seven said as he flipped open his fob watch.
He had noticed that it had stopped when he first arrived. Some nodded their heads in agreement. The doctor, unlike humans, didn't need to sleep for long, and could go days without it. Nine walked around the room stretching his legs. He eventually sat down next to the War doctor.
"Oh my. Those ears." the war doctor exclaimed.
"Hey watch now! I'm getting tired of your comments old man!" Nine growled angrily. They had been constantly bickering for days.
"Old man? I'm younger than you!"
"Oh shut up the two of you!" Six whined.
Tension was high as every second passed.
Day 7| Chapter 6
"Hi!" Ten approached five with a wide grin. "Uh hello." Five replied uncertain.
"We met," Ten clarified. "Do you remember? Our TARDIS join... No? Right, well anyway. Probably hasn't happened for you yet." Ten crossed his arms and put his back against the wall.
"So you traveling with anyone?"
Ten just shook his head. Then his eyes shined and he exclaimed happily "Oh but you'll never guess who I ran into?"
"Who?"
"Sarah Jane smith!"
"Sarah! Wonderful! How is she?"
"Fine. She's great!"
"Has a kid and everything!" Ten stopped at the sound of another voice.
"That is not true!" Two yelled startling the other occupants.
"My dear chap. This is not the time for pride." Three said sternly.
The others turned their attention to the argument.
After Two returned a witty remark, Three shouted "It most certainly is not!"
"Does anyone want a jelly baby?" Four asked trying to distract them and disrupt the conflict.
The room got silent. Nine began to laugh.
"What's so funny?!"
"To know oneself is to study oneself in action, with another person. Bit ironic this situation."
"Did you come up with that on your own?" Three asked.
"Nope." Nine replied awkwardly then said under his breath "It was Bruce Lee."
"Bruce Lee?" War asked shocked.
"Who is that?" One asked.
"Doesn't matter. What matters is that we get out of here." Eleven interrupted.
"We'll never get out." Two said frustrated.
Day 9| Chapter 7
"So why aren't you nine?" Eight turned his attention to the war doctor.
"Well-"
"Because you can after me. What are you 8 and a half?" He joked. The War doctor arose, not intent on continuing the conversation.
In the corner he exchanged words with the Eleventh doctor.
"Ignore him." Eleven advised.
"I'm not the doctor-"
"Yes you are. You were the doctor when none of us could be."
"But, why can't you be ten?" Eight continued, addressing Nine who sat across the room.
"Oi! I'm ten." The tenth doctor said offended.
"Yes and I'm the eleventh doctor." Eleven raised his voice and left the War doctor to think about what he had said. "You know I really love that #!" He appeared to space out and the others shook their heads.
When he realized the subject had been dropped, Eight starting singing quietly.
Day 11| Chapter 8
"Where are you at?" Eleven asked Ten. Ten yawned. "Just left San Helios. Met Christina."
The Eleventh doctor lowered his gaze. He alone knew what awaited Ten. Mars and Bowie Base One. The Master, the return of the Time Lords… and the upcoming grief.
"My time is almost up. Isn't it?" Ten spoke softly. Neither man looked at the other.
"Did I tell you about the time-"One started.
"Yes you did!" The war doctor replied.
"Would you like a jelly baby?" Four inquired.
"SHUT UP!" Two bellowed, then returned to his music. By now he had played every song he knew on his recorder. He claimed it helps him think.
"So how come none of you remember this?" One pondered.
"Perhaps we are trapped in a sort of temporal displacement in a still span or moment: something nonexistent." Six rambled. "Defying the laws of the universe. Or maybe none of us will remember this after."
"But how can that be?" Two asked.
"It's just a big Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey mess." The war doctor gave Ten a look.
"What on Gallifrey did you just say?" Three demanded. Embarrassed, Ten closed his mouth and looked down.
Hoping to break the awkward silence, Four asked "Would anyone like a jelly baby?"
"NO!" The other 11 men shouted in unison.
Day 17| Chapter 9
Would you like a jelly baby? Four whispered to Six. "HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY STILL HAVE SOME?!" "His pockets are bigger one the inside." Ten explained irritated.
Eleven marched over to Eight who was sitting on the floor, scribbling. "What are you doing?" Eleven inquired.
"Writing." Eight answered. He had discovered a pencil and pad of paper in his waistcoat. He, like all of them, had grown extremely bored and decided to occupy his time with a journal. He worked on his latest entry.
We decided that when, and if we get out of here, we will return briefly, together, to Gallifrey. As seven puts it...it's time to go home. One insists that he and Susan are exiles and many are in no rush to see the High Council of the Time Lords. Nine and the war doctor appear to be deeply reluctant; but they won't tell us why. The mention of Gallifrey makes them uneasy. Eleven, however, spoke to them privately and they agreed to come. We all agreed, well except for Ten... he doesn't want to go. These days he just sits in silence. He seems angry. We all are.
Day 19| Chapter 10
"I miss the TARDIS." Five said softly.
The others nodded their heads in agreement.
"You know I was going to steal a different one but I was advised by a young woman to take it. I'm glad." One announced.
"I miss my lab at UNIT and Bessie." Three admitted.
"I miss k-9." Four sighed.
At the mention of his dog, Ten looked up from his corner but remained silent.
"I miss Susan."
One looked up from the floor and cleared his throat. "Do I ever see her again?"
No one responded but looked at each other hoping someone else would.
When Eleven remained silent they realized the answer was no. But then he spoke.
"Yes. I saw her once. Popped back to 1978; didn't say hello."
He paused. "She was happy."
When he saw the expressions of peace and heard the pleased responses he knew he had done the right thing.
Day 21| Chapter 11
A loud firing of a gun rang out. Eleven glanced up, hearts racing. The door flew open. "Well HELLOOO sweeties! River Song stepped in awestruck.
"All of you! Oh the mind races! She glanced at One but he seemed to be oblivious to her presence. "A bit too young for my taste."
"River? How did you?" Eleven approached his wife.
"Oh you idiot. What did you ever do without me?"
Eleven, full of delight, jumped up to kiss her cheek. And in a flash, she was gone.
"River? River? River!"
"Doctor! Calm down!" The third doctor held him by the shoulders.
"She was-"
"It's this place. It's messing with our minds." Six said trembling.
Eleven's knees went weak and he collapsed down. They had been there too long.
"River? Professor River Song?" Ten asked quietly. Eleven didn't respond.
The doctors exchanged looks. All eyes were heavy but none could find the peace to sleep. The silence was deafening.
"So many regrets." Seven said aloud without noticing. "I'm sorry?" Three, sitting next to him, asked. "So many lives I could have saved; we could have saved.
"We did our best." Four replied trying to sound optimistic.
"Then why have so many died?"
"We saved who we could."
"We didn't save-"
"Those deaths were fixed points" Three defended.
"So what?" Ten spoke up.
Startled, Three rebutted. "We can't change them; there are rules."
"In the fight for survival, there are no rules." Eight uttered.
"Regardless, we can't go back and fix things that aren't meant to be fixed."
"Says who?" All eyes went to Ten.
"Says the laws of time, the time lords."
Steaming, Ten turned and sat down away from the others.
Day 23| Chapter 12
"Do you hear that?" Six asked aloud.
"Hear what?" Eleven pondered.
"Shh!" One hissed.
"It's the TARDIS!" Six exclaimed.
"What do you mean it's the TARDIS?" Four asked.
"I mean we are trapped in a part of the TARDIS!" Six answered loudly.
"What, all of us? How do you know?" Nine asked.
"Be quiet. You can hear its engines." Six explained.
"I don't hear anything." Seven barked.
"No. Wait he's right. Listen." Five closed his eyes.
The subtle sound of the TARDIS hummed through the room.
"Maybe you're imagining things." Nine presumed.
"No I hear something." The war doctor joined in.
"But how can it be the TARDIS?" Three spoke up. "Doesn't look like it."
"Maybe it's not just one." Eleven surmised.
"So they all combined into one? No that's rubbish that wouldn't make sense! Oh oh hold on! What if- no." Ten stuttered and paced back and forth holding his head. The other men were surprised he was speaking again.
"Come on Sexy what's wrong?" Eleven stroked the wall.
"Sexy?! You call her sexy?!" Two hollered.
The mens' spirits began to rise as they stumbled around thinking.
"Oh I am an idiot." Seven said slowly glancing at his watch."It's a time lock!"
"A what?" Eleven asked.
"It's a dimensional shift. You've heard of them." He said matter-of-factly.
"Maybe. It's possible." Eleven shrugged it off.
Ten gave him a quick, confused look. "So this is the work of the Trickster?" Ten confirmed.
"Perhaps." Eleven said under his breath.
Four threw up his hands. "That means if we can isolate a time trace we can disarm whatever's creating this temporal schism, and. Yes! That's it!"
"and we can escape." Eight finished.
Excitement grew as they shot out ideas and began planning their
release.
"It might work."
"It's possible."
"But do you think, with enough energy?"
"Surely you've done something like this before." One asked the group.
"Well, no. Well yes. Well?" Ten thought back and evaluated their
options.
"I have an idea." Nine ran to the door and held his screwdriver to it.
"We tried that already." Seven argued.
"We tried escaping. But what is this isn't the door. What if what we are seeing isn't in sync with real time." Nine continued flashing his sonic listening for a reply. It sent out a beep and he laughed. "HAHA! Fantastic!"
"What?" the war doctor demanded.
"It's searching for a time trace."
Suddenly Eleven's pockets began to beep. Nine lowered his arm and the room went quiet. "It's you."
"What?" Eleven scoffed. He put his hand in his pocket and dug out a strange sphere. "I've never seen this before." He studied its strange markings.
"Let me see that." One pushed the doctors aside. "Well I've never seen anything like it." He felt its smooth surface. A few doctors eyed Eleven carefully. "Where could it have come from?" Five wondered aloud.
"What's this? It- It has writing on it." One breathed.
"It's Gallifreyan."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"Let me see!" Three begged.
"It says 'speak name.'" One read.
"Seriously?" Nine shook his head.
"What if it's a trap?" Eleven advised.
Very softly, One pressed his lips against the sphere and whispered his name.
The sphere lit up. "Wait. What if-" Eight's voice was cut off from a piercing noise. The men covered their ears.
Day 23| Chapter 13
The noise died down. It was replaced by a new voice. "Are you alright?" A Scottish man helped the second doctor to his feet.
The men stood in a circle, facing the stranger. They were inside the TARDIS. It had a different interior than what most were use to. "It was newer." The eleventh doctor acknowledged.
"Who are you?" Three asked.
The man smiled back and adjusted his wool waistcoat. "Now then. Let's get you all home."
He passed Eleven a look. "So this is what I become." Eleven thought.
Day 23| Chapter 14
"Here we are. Earth." The fourth doctor tipped his hat and made his way to the TARDIS' doors. He felt his body move and the sound of the TARDIS landing rang in his ears as he exited into the light. He discovered himself in a field holding some ginger pop. "Well, come on, make your mind up. Has the Tardis brought us home or not?" The welcoming sound of Sarah-Jane brought his mind back to what had seemed like a lifetime ago, simultaneously forgetting the past few weeks with the other doctors.
The alternate TARDIS closed its doors.
Eleven made his way to the control panel. He handed Twelve the sphere. "I believe this is yours." Twelve took it from him. "It was my way of finding you." He explained.
"How did you know we were trapped." Eleven quickly realizing his question was stupid, changed the subject.
"How's Clara?" He whispered.
"Even if I told you, you wouldn't remember." The twelfth doctor replied.
"I know." Eleven said indifferently. Twelve lowered his eyes. "Well I do know this. She'll be mad if I don't get you back." Eleven smiled, although not satisfied. Twelve pulled a lever and the TARDIS' engines roared to life.
Day 23| Chapter 15
The twelfth doctor turned to Nine. "Right then. Where were you last at?"
"Oh let's see. Rose and I...and Jack, had just arrived in Cardiff after WW2. Fantastic Trip! We'd just met up with Mickey and we were heading to get something to eat."
The TARDIS flew through the vortex. As Nine began to depart through the doors, he realized Ten was following him. "And where do you think you're going?"
"This is where I am parked."
"What? Why would you do that?" Nine was startled. "You know I was here-That's a paradox."
"Right, I know I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I just. I had to see..." His voice trailed off. Nine stared at him briefly and then motioned him to the door.
They stepped into the sun of Cardiff. Nine checked his watch and realized he was a few minutes early. "Are you in the right place?" Ten asked.
"About a minute or two off; time will catch up." Nine replied. Ten shook his hand and turned to part ways. A collection of voices from across the square compelled him to stop. "Why don't you just fix the circuit?" Captain Jack's voice reached the two doctors. "I like it, don't you?" The ninth doctor from weeks ago professed.
"I love it."
This last voice forced the tenth doctor to turn around. Time began catching up and the ninth doctor disappeared. "Doctor?" Mickey asked. Jack, Mickey and Rose turned to see him standing yards away.
"Well that was strange." Mickey acknowledged.
Ten watched as a precious girl with blond hair ran toward Nine.
"Doctor what happened? Where did you go?" Nine took his companion's hand and grinned. In less than a minute no one would recall his strange disappearance or the weeks he had been gone. Ten approached slowly. "Rose" he breathed. She met this strangers eyes with caution.
Embarrassed and uncomfortable she whispered to Nine "Doctor, can we go?
Captain Jack and Mickey are waiting for us." Nine nodded and they began to walk off into the distance. Ten watched her depart, wearing a jean jacket and a scarf with her hair in braids.
"No one will remember any of this." Ten reassured himself. In a surge of impulse he ran to Rose, pulled her around and kissed her. When he pulled away, her face was full of bewilderment. "Wha-" No words came out. Nine just laughed, wondering what lay ahead for him, and lead the baffled Rose away.
Soon they returned to the exact time and spot; all previous events erased. "But that's what I meant. There's no police boxes anymore, so doesn't it get noticed?" Mickey continued. "Ricky, let me tell you something about the human race. You put a mysterious blue box slap bang in the middle of town, what do they do? Walk past it. Now, stop your nagging. Let's go and explore." The Doctor explained. "What's the plan?" Rose asked.
"I don't know. Cardiff, early twenty first century and the wind's coming from the east. Trust me. Safest place in the universe."
Ten turned around. He strolled down the path towards the TARDIS, alone.