Initially I had no use for this tale, it was just unrelated scenes, it was going to be a Malcolm story purely, then I hit on the 'John Smith' idea, so I've tied the two together.
This story is written in a series of short or longer scenes, more like a TV programme might be, rather than chapters, which will follow on from each other, or jump about as the story unfolds.
The story is an AU/Crossover and features The 12th Doctor and Clara, Malcolm Tucker and an OC female character. As well as character mentions from both Dr Who and The Thick of It. It is set after Last Christmas from DW point of view.
There are references to the Turn Left episode of The 10th Doctor and Donna Noble as well as the Family of Blood episode, with The 10th Doctor and Martha Jones. (Both of which are favourites of mine).
The events from the perspective of The Thick of It happen after Season Three, where Malcolm is forced to resign, and is later reinstated. A General Election is coming up and there is a real prospect of Nicola becoming PM. ( in TTOI season 4, this had already happened, so I've changed the order).
Later, Season Four of The Thick of It will be crucial, but I'll talk more about that later.
I will post a few scenes at a time, under the guise of chapters. Three scenes to each chapter, or two if the scenes are long.
As with Family of Blood, the Doctor, as human, has human feelings. He essentially becomes Malcolm, as he became John Smith, and Malcolm is bitter, driven and lonely.
Clara, is not His Clara, she is Malcolm's Clara, and the relationship is a little different, as you will see.
The seeds of Malcolm's relationship with Beth were sown before The Doctor takes his place and therefore continue.
This is the craziest idea I've ever had...its up to you, dear reader to decide whether it works or not. The whole concept of taking Malcolm's place is obviously not foolproof, there are anomalies but it is only a story, I'm not trying to tie up every single loose end, so bear that in mind, and we have to have a Malcolm to return to after its all over. Also there will be an awful lot of parallels between the lives of the Timelord and the Spin Doctor.
(I'm hoping Steven Moffat has come up with a plausible explanation for why there are people throughout history with The Doctor's face!) Which can explain why he's still there after The Doctor has gone, and why he was there in the first place!
ALL OUR TOMORROWS.
Scene 1
Clara circled the console and stood beside him, linking her arm through his. They did this now. He didn't seem to mind; hand holding, cuddles, the odd kiss, not a long deep kiss, but a kiss nevertheless.
"What ya doin?"
"I'm worried, Clara"
He pushed the screen in her direction and she looked, eyes widening, confusion clouding her face.
"Oh my goodness! He has your face! How can that be? Who is he Doctor?"
She watched as the doppelgänger sat on the park bench to share his coffee break with a co-worker.
"His name is Malcolm Tucker, he works as Media Advisor for the Opposition and was formerly Director of Communications for Her Majesty's Government."
"So, important then?"
"Well, he's a small cog in a big wheel. But that's not the point."
"He shouldn't be there, not now, not ever, but he is. Something he does, or doesn't do, is what's important, and I need to find out what it is and when, and why he's so important, but I can't...because...Timey Wimey. Crossing my own timeline. The consequences could be grave." He waved his hand dismissively.
"Is he a Zygon or something?"
"No, but there are certain similarities to me in his DNA, but there's no Timelord double helix. I've had Kate check him out, background etc...it appears he may not be a fixed point in time."
"God, Doctor what does that even mean?"
"Well, in one of my past regenerations, we encountered a point in time where universes converged, rifts happened, there were choices to be made. Donna Noble was at the centre of it...basically I had to meet her, and she had to make me do something, if I didn't...well...bad things happened. Whichever path was chosen, defined the future. I think this is another of those moments."
"But why does he look like you?"
"Because he is an echo of me, not as a Timelord, but as a human."
"You mean he's you, but with the Timelord taken away?"
"Yes." His brow furrowed.
"Which means that I may have to become him."
Clara gulped...
"I've done it before, to hide myself. Extracted the Timelord part of me, become human."
"Is it dangerous?"
"Very."
"So, the fact he's there means you've done it...or are going to?"
"Not really, he's there, regardless, but he shouldn't be...that's why I need to take him out of the equation. So that I can find out at which exact point in history, the pathways diverge."
"We need to 'collect' him. Have him here, safe in the Tardis. In stasis. I need Kate to create a false life for him, one that can be erased later. And I need to take his place."
He held a watch and chain out to her, she took it, turning it in her hands, tracing the Gallifreyan symbols on the case.
"I'm not liking the sound of that."
"That's not the half of it. You're going to have to help me."
"What? How?"
"We are both going to have to be part of the deception, if I'm going to be him, I need you to be part of his life too. You need to be the holder of the Timelord part of me. But you can't be you...you need to be someone close to him, and you can't retain your own memories."
"Doctor, this sounds really scary, more scary than jumping into your timeline."
"It's terrifying! I will forget every part of myself. I will be human. I will be Malcolm Tucker, feel what he feels, live as he lives. The Tardis will take your memories too, like a form of hypnosis, giving you an identity that matches with him. You will know nothing else. But there will be certain triggers. You will know the importance of the Watch and when I discover the defining moment of Mr. Tucker's career, the one that has such an impact, we will know to either prevent or encourage it, depending on which is relevant. And afterwards, I will pre programme the Tardis, to find us and bring us back."
"But isn't that messing with Time?"
"It's not a fixed point, just as Donna, turning left, was not fixed. No...I know you don't know the whole story, that's for another time, just know this...Two paths, one good, one bad, two choices, left or right. It could come down to something as simple as that. Something that Malcolm Tucker does, or doesn't do, that has far reaching consequences. We can't hope to influence him ourselves, to be in the right place at the right time. So we need to take him out of the loop. He has his own life, his own problems, but Kate will create a new persona and new background and I'll step in, then afterwards we put him back and he carries on as if nothing had happened. The fracture automatically heals. Time is, effectively, rewritten."
Clara sucked in her cheeks, with the enormity of it.
Scene 2
It began only a few days previously. He'd joined her on the park bench, where she usually sat for her coffee break. Nose in a book.
She'd sensed a movement near, and looked up, He was standing awkwardly beside the seat.
"May I?"
Fuck if he wasn't fed up to the back teeth. This emptiness, just didn't go away, he was sick of being alone.
She shifted her bag and jacket, shunted along to make room for him.
Trying to go back to her chapter, she had the feeling he was watching her surreptitiously, out of the corner of his eye.
She huffed, and looked at him, frowning.
"Sorry," he said," I'm disturbing you."
What a cow she was being, she thought. She marked her place and closed the book. Turning more towards him.
"It's fine." She said, "lovely day."
"What are you reading?"
"It's all about Leonardo Da Vinci." She replied, showing him the book cover.
"Wow! That looks interesting."
"It is actually." She said, " fascinating man...a genius too, I think. Certainly ahead of his time at any rate."
She looked at her wristwatch.
"I have to go."
"It's been nice meeting you." He smiled. He had a nice smile.
"You too. Bye."
She hadn't asked his name even, or really taken him in at all, except the smile. That was it. That few moments, on a bench, on a sunny morning.
He sat alone, after she'd gone, sipping his coffee.
From somewhere behind him and unfamiliar sound reached his ears.
'Vvvooooorrrrrpppp Vvvvvvooooorrrppppppp'
Scene 3
TheDoctorlooked down at the sleeping man. Clara stood beside him.
"It's weird." She remarked.
"Will he be okay...he seems a bit melancholy?"
"The Tardis will look after him, and when we return him, he won't remember a thing...it'll be like waking from a long sleep."
"But Time will be rewritten, he might be different."
"No, he'll pick up where he left off, and then continue on the right path, things'll be okay."
The Tardis main frame was wired and ready to go. The Watch clipped in position, The Doctor prepared for his transformation.
"Don't forget, after the transference we'll have time to leave the Tardis, and assume our lives. Then we're on our own. You'll have the Watch. Keep it with you at all times, for Gods sake, don't loose it. You will know the memory trigger when you get it. I will know nothing, except the moment I need to choose the path. The Tardis will stay out of Time until she is needed. She is programmed to find us when it's over. But it'll be down to you to get us inside it, because I'll need my Timelord self back, And I won't remember. That'll be down to you too."
"Sure...what could possibly go wrong, eh...Doctor?"
"How do you feel about being my daughter?"
"Distinctly uncomfortable, but I guess I won't know at the time, so it'll have to be okay! He doesn't actually have a daughter, does he?"
"Nope, but as far as everyone is concerned, he does now!"
"Doctor...before we do this...there's something..."
He turned towards her, and she stood on tiptoe, pulling him down, into a searing kiss, more loving, closer, deeper than they'd shared before.
When they eventually separated, his gaze was hot, face flushed, pupils blown.
"So not my daughter then!" He whispered, voice hoarse.
"Definitely not Doctor."
"When this is finished...we need to talk..." She said, "and seriously!"
He withdrew his hands from her hips, where they rested.
"Let's get this over." He said.
His head surrounded and fastened into the metal dome, wires protruding at odd angles. Sweat gathered on his brow. He gave her one last look and she flicked the switch. Sparks flew, flashes and crackles rent the air. His face twisted in pain, as the watch began to glow. His breath in gasps, then with a final yell he fell silent. Apparently sleeping.
She plugged herself into the console, using metal peg like grips he'd fastened there,
"Well, here goes, old girl, " she said. " look after us both...please!"
She pressed the buttons on the keypad as The Doctor had shown her. She felt as though her head were being boiled, melting. Then...nothing. It was done.
She freed them both, and the Doctor roused himself. He looked odd in the grey suit he'd chosen, so different from his usual attire.
Once outside, she closed the Tardis door and it immediately dematerialised.
She pointed the Doctor in the direction of the office buildings.
"Bye Dad, thanks for meeting me."
"See ya, love!"
He ambled away, and she headed to what was now her flat.