Author's Note: So, I'm aware I have two incomplete FanFictions, for both I apologise – I may return to Highwayman just to finish it off, but due to the nature of Deception I cannot continue it. It is what it is and I apologise. Now on to this story. Back in 2014 I came up with the idea of this Multi-Doctor story on the forum I miraculously still roleplay on; it started fantastically but died a quick death due to… you know, I still have no idea. So taking those starting posts from that forum topic, I've decided to weave in a new story and complete it myself without other's input. This first chapter (or part of one), in fact is completely re-written from the original posts, especially as Twelve was extremely fresh back in 2014 and this topic starts a day after The Husbands of River Song ended. Please note, though, that despite being a Multi-Doctor story, this contains mainly the latter Classic Doctors (Six, Seven, Eight and War) and all bar the Tenth Doctor for New Who. Why no Tenth Doctor? Because I don't want a story revolving around that Puppy Dog – he's a great Doctor, but he's too loved and this allows the other, lesser loved Doctors a chance, especially Nine, even if it's just through my own making. Don't like that? Well tough. Right! Now that I've written all this info in this Author's Note segment, I hope you enjoy the actual story! Will hope to update every Friday and please review – it's nice to know I have some audience.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Doctor Who or Big Finish, although I wish I did!
Chapter One - The Light at the Start, Part 1.
Twenty-four years. They had barely lasted twenty-four hours on Darillium before the boredom set in and both were eying the TARDIS from afar, longingly.
The Doctor knew that once this date was over, that would be it. River Song would leave and he'd never see her again; oh she would have plenty more encounters with him, in his past, but never, until the day she met his tenth incarnation for the first time, would she truly realise his dilemma here on the planet of the Singing Towers.
River Song, on the other hand, suspected more than she let on but for once was cautious of what had to be said, and only when she could no longer drag out the ever-lasting night with her husband did she finally voice what was going on in her head.
"You know… just because the night lasts a very long time here, doesn't mean we have to actually stay here. Practically speaking" she held the alluring, mischievous tone the Doctor liked so much.
His strangely large eyebrows raised in momentary confusion, he looking over the table to her as he cocked his head, contemplating what she meant.
"Twenty-four years" River Song almost sang. "Imagine what we can do in that time, across time, space and who knows where else" she couldn't help but grin smugly, the Doctor it seemed catching on as he shared the smile.
"What did you have in mind?" he asked, his tone as playful as hers, the Scottish accent helping.
"Oh, you know – anywhere" she stated, jumping to her feet now, taking the Doctor's hand so he joined her, "I do know of a fantastic restaurant in deep space; some lovely robot butlers…"
"I think I've had my fair share of restaurants" the Doctor muttered, they now passing the maitre d who raised a quizzical eyebrow to which he gave an apologetic glance, not having the time to apologise as River Song threw open the doors to the TARDIS, still parked in the waiting area, and pulled him in.
"How about another visit to Jim the Fish?" River Song now suggested as she moved to the console, the Doctor closing the doors behind himself as he looked up at her, his smirk remaining.
"I don't think twenty-four years is enough time to cover Jim the Fish. Again" he commented darkly as he moved to the console, a frown now forming across his eyebrows, noting that River had stopped. "What is it?" he asked, cautiously.
"Gallifrey" was all River responded, looking over to the Doctor, concerned. "You saved it?"
"Someone did" the Doctor moved over to River, sparing a glance to what she could see. "Oh. This is a message from the past" he added, his eyes falling on the small blinking LED light, looking out of place on modern console.
"The past?" River queried, this beyond her knowledge of the TARDIS, space and time.
"A message from a past President, before the Time War, or at least before the Time War became what it was. I don't think I can ignore this, River. I think our twenty-four years might just have to wait."
"That's perfectly fine Sweetie" River took the Doctor's hand now as she forced him to look at her. "I'm with you, no matter what. Off the record" she winked, indicating this was one diary entry she wouldn't be making.
"Okay, not funny!"
Clara Oswald stormed into the empty console room, glaring at the central console like all she wanted to do was hit it.
"I was in the bath! How can you tip me out?!"
Indeed, she looked rather damp and disheveled, with a large bath towel wrapped tightly around her figure as she now marched up to the console and actually did punch it, the console making an innocent bleep of complaint back in her direction.
"It's not fair you know," Clara continued her rant, "The Doctor went out of his way to find me, I still don't know why, and all you can do is throw me out of baths or move my room, or displace me in your internal time in protest! It's not like I'm the first woman he's brought on board - you showed me them yourself. That redhead with the legs..." she added in dark mutterings as the console bleeped in reply. "Oh don't act all innocent!" Clara spat angrily.
Just at that moment an internal door opened, Clara spinning around, half expecting to see her future self again in some sort of TARDIS time-trap, when instead she was met by the Doctor. Her Doctor. Admittedly all legs himself but also with a charming quiff, strong jaw and attractively sunken eyes. She'd always thought he looked almost angelic in appearance, but that might have had something to do with him turning up on her doorstep dressed as monk upon his first arrival.
"Clara there you - oh!" He suddenly threw a hand up to his eyes and stopped on the spot. "You never said anything about dressing down" he complained, now feeling his way down to the console with his eyes covered.
Clara almost laughed as she sighed "It's okay Doctor, I'm all covered up. If you want to complain, then direct your arguments to the TARDIS - it was the one who threw me out of the bath."
"She, Clara, she!" The Doctor corrected her, ignoring everything else she'd said as he bound over to the console, Clara rolling her eyes, as he began to caress one of the panels. "What's naughty Clara done to you this time?" he crooned.
"Me?! I haven't done anything, it's her who -" Clara started to protest, but he waved her silent.
"This wasn't here earlier" he muttered audibly, his tone now completely different, "this light Clara, did you notice it?" he pointed to the small LED flashing insistently on the panel he was by.
"It's your TARDIS" Clara shrugged, joining him a little reluctantly by the light "how am I to know every little light you have on here...?"
"No, it's not that" he muttered thoughtfully, thinking. He closed his eyes as he searched, telekinetically, through the meaning of the light. Suddenly his blues snapped open as he gasped.
"What is it?!" Clara asked quickly, grabbing his nearest hand, all pretenses of annoyance gone now as she turned him to look at her, shocked to see both the deep sorrow and joy reflected back at her.
"Put some clothes on Clara" his voice quivered slightly, but he'd already started pulling himself away from her, getting manic quickly as he set coordinates and removed the break. "We're going home!" he finally added, the grin overwhelming the sorrow he felt within as he added, more quietly and for conformation to his latest companion: "Well, my home anyway."
"You know, if I were her I'd let the dust settle before heading back into battle" Captain Jack Harkness couldn't hold off his opinion any longer and had only spoken the moment the doors closed behind Rose Tyler.
"Well then it's a good thing you're not her" the Doctor pointed out, now leaning against the railing leading from the doors to the console platform, glancing absently somewhere just above Jack's right shoulder, contemplating.
"What?" Jack enquired, the silence passing between them strangely deafening.
"I was just thinking..." The Doctor's voice was faint, thoughtful as he continued, Jack not yet forcing him to go on, "did we do the right thing? Making Margaret Slitheen -"
"Yes" Jack replied firmly, his eyes locked onto the Doctor's. "We've gone through this, it was the most humane thing you could do, her other punishment -"
"But the people of Raxacoricofallapatorius will never get answers, never realising that one of the Slitheen family is growing up under their very... well, whatever they have for noses" the Doctor pointed out.
"It's better than death" Jack responded firmly, adding to back up his claim: "This isn't the Time War, anymore."
"I know that!" The Doctor snapped back angrily, he now looking away from the Captain and back to the central console.
Throwing himself from the railings with an angry grunt now, ignoring Jack completely he stomped to the console, looking over what he could, distracting himself with what he could, when he stopped. "That's new..." he muttered, almost inaudibly.
Cautiously moving over to the Doctor, Jack asked simply "What's new?" before he realised exactly what that was - a small LED was flashing on the mismatched assemblage of things that made up the controls. "Huh. I wonder why the TARDIS made that?" Jack asked, glad of a new subject.
But the Doctor wasn't listening; he'd placed a finger on the light as if to cover it from sight and had an odd, glazed, expression on his face.
"Doctor?" Jack was now worried for the Timelord.
"We need to go. Right now!" the Doctor had a troubled look on his face and Jack dared not countermand the statement, the Timelord flying around the console in a more manic expression of his normal self.
"Wait, what about Rose? We can't just leave her!" Jack remembered, worried.
"We don't have time to wait for her - oh the irony! - but she'll never know we were gone. I had a whole run-in of adventures between the time I first met her and the time she actually joined me."
"Right" Jack responded, almost dully as another question sprang to mind, the Doctor with his hand on a lever. "Where are we going anyway? Was that light a message?"
"To answer those questions in reverse Captain" the Doctor threw the screen around to face him, confirming what he already knew, "it was tether. A rope to pull me back into the past - to Gallifrey's past!" he was grinning now as he threw the lever down, the TARDIS starting up instantly.
Jack responded with an almost comical gasp.