The Time Vortex

Amy kinda knew something was very wrong when she heard the deafening explosion echo across every single wall of the TARDIS.

The entire ship seemed to hurtle through the turbulence (even more so than usual), making the path from the Library to the Centre Console that little bit harder.

When she did arrive at the Console however, she noticed two things.

The Doctor was manically hammering away at the typewriter.

There were alarm bells everywhere.

"Doctor, what the hell is all this racket about? If you wanted to wake me up, I'm sure you could have just asked!"

The Doctor looked up, brushing his fringe away with both hands.

"Amy, does this look like a wake up call? You felt that time vibration anyway. And these alarms are not just for show!"

Rory emerged from a hideyhole beneath the console, wiping some oil away from his face in frustration. Always a first for her husband: fixing a time machine's engine.

"What the hell was that explosion anyway? A Time Vibration? What's that when it's home?"

"Rory shut up," the Doctor reprimanded. "All of time has been drastically altered around a single point. It's like if you met yourself, then touched them. Paradox. Right now there's a great big paradox on Earth and we need to fix it!"

"Isn't Back to the Future kinda like one great big paradox then?"

"Rory, Back to the Future was a film. But I knew I shouldn't have left the Master's TARDIS disguised as a DeLorean in California. Typical!" The Doctor adjusted his centre of balance, then turned to smile at the flabbergasted Amy.

Right before a plume of flames erupted from the centre of the Time Rotor, emerging the TARDIS into darkness.

"Great. Powercut!" Amy yelped, treading carefully to the cling to the scanner.

"Got it! Earth! London! 25th December 2011!" The Doctor danced happily, then was thrown off his feet as another Time Vibration rocked the console. As he fell, he hit a switch nearby, sending the entire room spinning.

More bursts of flames erupted from beneath the floorboards as they fell to Earth. Reaching for his sonic screwdriver, the Doctor used the device against the failing Time Rotor, which began to glow a bright neon blue colour.

"Hold on tight Ponds! Christmas here we come!"

24/12/2011, London, England 5.30pm

Sarah Parry stood behind the desk of Marks and Spencers, watching the last of the Christmas shoppers leaving the store.

It had been the busiest night of the year so far, with customers all eager to find some last minute bargains ready for their families.

Unfortunately for her, Sarah Parry didn't have any such family nearby to give her presents to.

Moping, she reflected how her Christmas Holidays would most likely be spent behind a computer, playing World of Warcraft or something. She wasn't quite sure how it happened: one minute she'd been an immensely popular young woman studying at Oxford. The next, she'd been dumped in Marks and Spencers and was currently lacklustre.

She examined herself in the store mirror, pretending to admire her reflection. Her jet black hair covered her sapphire eyes, and her slender figure suggested how she'd followed all the latest trends in the media.

Sarah Parry was desperate.

As she proceeded to the automatic doors with the keys, she noticed the man emerging from the dressing room.

Black leather jacket. Jeans. White shirt. Long brown hair. Perfect.

Shame the fez ruined it.

The man approached her, then gave her a dazzling smile.

"Hello, I'm John Smith. Do you fancy a date?"