A Christmas Carol part 2

"There's no use in trying to open it," I say pulling Kazran away from the door.

"Where is he going?"

"To get the number."

"Where's he going to get that?"

"You ask a lot of questions," I comment avoiding his question. Thankfully the Doctor runs back down the stairs.

"7258!" I rush over to the keypad and punch in the numbers. The Doctor spins the lock and we pull the door open. Kazran grabs his lamp and we head inside.

"Ah, there's fish down here, too," the Doctor points out the little ones in the room.

"Yeah, but only tiny ones. The house is built on a fog lake. That's how Dad freezes the people."

"Lovely," I comment looking at all the capsules.

"They're all full, but we could borrow one." Kazran stops in front of one of the capsules and looks inside. "Yeah, this one." The Doctor takes the lamp and lights up the face of the person inside. It's the same young women we saw in the future.

"Hello again."

"You know her?" Kazran questions in surprise.

"Why, uh…" The Doctor gets a look on his face and turns to Kazran. "Important, is she?"

"She won't mind. She loves the fish." Kazran punches some numbers on the keypad on the capsule.

"My name is Abigail Pettigrew, and I'm very grateful for Mr. Sardick's kindness."

"She starts to talk about the fish in a minute."

"And I could not have chosen this path were it not for the compassion and generosity of the real philanthropist and patron of the poor, Mr. Elliot Sardick." The Doctor and I start walking down the aisle as Kazran watches Abigail's recording. "But I'm also surrounded by the fish, the beautiful, iridescent, magical fish."

"What are these people here for?" I inquire of the Doctor.

"What's all this for?" the Doctor calls out to Kazran.

"My dad lends money. He always takes a family member as…He calls it security."

"Hard man to love, your dad. I suppose you know that," the Doctor comments as I walk back over to Kazran as he terminates the recording. The sonic warbles in the Doctor's pocket.

"What's wrong?" I ask noticing the look on the Doctor's face.

"Just my half of the screwdriver trying to repair itself." Kazran and I head toward the Doctor. "It's signaling the other half." The sonic in the Doctor's hand warbles and a beep replies in the distance.

"The other half's inside the shark," Kazran points out. The beeping continues to get closer.

"Yeah. Sounds like she's woken up. Okay, so it's homing on the screwdriver." The shark rises out of the fog and lunges at us. The Doctor ducks one way as I shove Kazran in the opposite direction.

"Run!" I tell him as I grab his hand and pull him through the aisles of capsules. We run for a few moments before I stop us. We listen as the beeping noise circles around us. We hear the shark growling. I push Kazran back into a crevice and place myself in front of him.

"In the bleak midwinter frosty wind made moan." We stand up as we hear a beautiful voice echo through the room. "Earth stood hard as iron. Water like a stone." We make our way back in to the main aisle and see the capsule Abigail was in open. "Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow." We see her kneeling in the fog and stroking the shark. "In the bleak midwinter long ago." We slowly approach her as she continues to sing.

"It's not really the singing, of course," the Doctor informs us as he walks up from behind.

"Yes, it is," Kazran states adamantly.

"Nah."

"Fish love the singing, it's true."

"Nah, the nose resonate in the ice crystals, causing a delta-wave pattern in the fog." The Doctor slaps at his neck. "Ow, fish bit me!"

"Shut up, then," Kazran demands. Abigail turns to look at us as she continues to sing.

"Of course, that's how the machine controls the cloud belt. The clouds are ice crystals. If you could vibrate the crystals at exactly the right frequency, you could align them into…" the Doctor slaps his neck again. "Ow! Why do they keep biting?"

"Look, the fish like the singing, okay? Now, shut up."

"Okay," the Doctor relents.

"You just got owned by a 12 year old," I mutter under my breath to him. I watch as Kazran marvels at Abigail and her voice. The Doctor finally moves toward Abigail.

"We need to get the shark in your capsule." Abigail nods and backs away. Together, we wrestle the shark into the capsule as she continues to sing. "Kazran, why don't you open the door to that police box."

"It's bigger on the inside," Kazran marvels as he opens the door.

"Yes, the color really knocks the walls back." The Doctor bangs on the window of the capsule. "Shark in a box, to go."

DWDWDWDWDWDW

"This is amazing," Abigail comments taking in her surroundings.

"Nah, this is transport." The Doctor rushes over to the doors of the TARDIS. "I keep amazing…" Abigail and Kazran race toward the door. The Doctor opens them, "Out here." In the clouds, we watch as fish swim through the fog around us. "Come on then." The Doctor drags me over to the capsule. "Let's get this shark out."

"Wah-hey! Look at them go!" Kazran exclaims. There is a loud chime that catches our attention.

"Ah! Sorry! Time's up, kids."

"Why?" Kazran questions.

"It's nearly Christmas day."

DWDWDWDWDWDW

"If you should ever wish to visit again…"Abigail trails off from her capsule.

"Well, you know, if we're ever in the neighborhood," the Doctor comments.

"He comes every Christmas Eve," Kazran tells her.

"What?"

"Yeah, they do, every time, he promises."

"No, I, we don't…" Kazran slams the door before the Doctor can finish his protest.

DWDWDWDWDWDW

We find ourselves back in the TARDIS after bidding farewell to the young Kazran.

"Are we really going back for every Christmas Eve?" I ask the Doctor.

"If we want Kazran to allow the ship to land, then we've got to do it."

"This is about to get very complicated. Why can't things ever be easy with you?"

"900 years, and I still don't know. It's time to have several very different Christmas Eves."

DWDWDWDWDWDW

The Doctor, young Kazran, and I all stand outside Abigail's capsule wearing Santa hats.

"For the record, we never speak of this again," I whisper in the Doctor's ear.

"It'll be our little secret," he whispers back. "Ready?" he questions Kazran.

"Let's do it." The Doctor opens Abigail's capsule.

"Merry Christmas!" we exclaim together.

"Doctor!" Abigail smiles at us. The Doctor grabs the reins from Kazran and runs for the door. "What are we gonna do?" Abigail questions as we run after him.

"The Doctor's got a great plan. Wait 'til you hear," Kazran exclaims with excitement.

DWDWDWDWDWDW

Outside of the house, the Doctor and I hook the reins up to the rickshaw.

"You are out of your minds, this will never work," Abigail points out.

"Oh! Don't think shark, think dolphin." The Doctor sits Kazran down in the rickshaw.

"A shark isn't a dolphin," Abigail states.

"It's nearly a dolphin."

"No, it isn't."

"Well, that's where you're wrong because…" the Doctor pauses as he realizes she is right. "Shut up." She gives me a sideways glance. I just shrug my shoulders. The Doctor activates his broken sonic.

"Oh, it could be anywhere," Kazran laments as the sonic warbles. "Will it really come?"

"No chance, completely impossible." As the Doctor finishes, we hear the beep of the other half of the sonic. "Except at Christmas."

DWDWDWDWDWDW

I watch as the Doctor helps Abigail and Kazran on to the rickshaw.

"Coming, Pond?" he questions looking over to me.

"I think I'll sit this one out. You have a good time."

"Are you sure?" Abigail questions.

"Positive," I affirm with a nod. "I'll keep my feet on solid ground." The Doctor hops on and grabs the reins.

"Your loss," he states before they take off in to the sky.

DWDWDWDWDWDW

The Doctor rushes in to the TARDIS.

"What a rush! You missed a good time."

"I'm sure you've got something great in mind for the next trip."

"Don't I always have a great plan?"

"Always," I reply sarcastically.

DWDWDWDWDWDW

"Merry Christmas!"

"Doctor!"

"Where to this time?" Abigail questions.

"Did I mention at any point all of time and space?"

DWDWDWDWDWDW

The next Christmas Eve has us all wearing fezzes.

"These will never be cool," I tell the Doctor as we make our way to Abigail's capsule.

"I think they're cool," Kazran comments. I notice the white button down shirt and the bowtie he is wearing. I just roll my eyes.

"Last time we went to China. Where to this year?" I question the Doctor.

"You'll see." He taps the fez and then opens the door.

"Merry Christmas!" we greet Abigail once again.

"Doctor," she says with a smile.

DWDWDWDWDWDW

"Don't you ever get tired?" I question the Doctor stifling a yawn. "Three whole days in one night."

"Time travel," he comments. "You've got to love it." We head out the doors and meet Kazran.

"You've grown," I tell him. He smiles at me shyly and walks toward his window.

"What did you do?" the Doctor questions.

"It wasn't me, it was puberty." The Doctor gives me a weird look. I just pat his shoulder.

DWDWDWDWDWDW

"Merry Christmas!" This time Kazran stands back shyly as the Doctor and I greet Abigail.

"Doctor!"

DWDWDWDWDWDW

"Aren't you a handsome young man," I greet Kazran pinching his cheek. He blushes as we head to Abigail's capsule.

"Merry Christmas!"

"Kazran," Abigail states in awe. The Doctor and I share a look before we head to the TARDIS. "You've grown."

"Yeah."

"And now you're blushing."

"Sorry," Kazran states in embarrassment.

"That's okay."

"So, Doctor. Where this time?" I question saving Kazran from further embarrassment.

"Pick a Christmas Eve, I've got them all right here."

"Might I make a request?" Abigail questions.

"Of course."

"This one." The Doctor smiles at her.

DWDWDWDWDWDW

The Doctor, Kazran, and I stand off in the distance as Abigail looks in on her family.

"Who are they?" Kazran questions.

"Her family," the Doctor informs him. "The lady's her sister. We met her once when she was older."

"Abigail's crying."

"Yes."

"When girls are crying, are you supposed to talk to them?"

"I have absolutely no idea." They both turn to look at me. I give him a nod and push him toward her. He smiles nervously and then heads toward her. The Doctor pulls me by the arm.

"What?" He shushes me and we make our way in to the house.

"Who are you?" Abigail's sister questions us.

"Doesn't matter," the Doctor states moving over to the window. "I've got a surprise for you." He opens the curtains and waves to Kazran and Abigail. "Come in!"

DWDWDWDWDWDW

"Pick a card. Any card at all." I watch as the Doctor tries to show a card trick to the little boy. "You memorize a card, you put it back in the deck. Don't let me see it." The boy places the card back in the deck. The Doctor shuffles them a bit and then pulls one out. "Three of clubs."

"No."

"You sure? Because I'm very good at card tricks."

"It wasn't the three of clubs." The Doctor chucks the card and reaches in to his coat pocket.

"Well, of course it wasn't, because it was the seven of diamonds."

"No."

"Oi, stop it, you're doing it wrong." Abigail's sister stands up.

"Tomorrow's Christmas dinner is cancelled, as my sister refuses to attend."

"Isabella!" Abigail protests.

"Instead, we'll have it tonight."

DWDWDWDWDWDW

As we sit around the table, each of has a hand on a Christmas cracker.

"Three, two, one, pull!" The little boy next to the Doctor pulls a playing card out of his.

"How did you do that?" he questions unfolding the card.

"Your card, I believe."

"No."

"Oh, shut up." Everyone laughs as Kazran raises his glass.

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." We all toast.

DWDWDWDWDWDW

"Best Christmas Eve ever," Abigail comments as she gives the Doctor and me a hug.

"Ah! 'Til the next one," the Doctor states.

"I look forward to it. Now I'd like to say goodnight to Kazran."

"Of course, yes." The Doctor steps back. "Well on you go."

"I think she wants to have a moment alone," I comment pulling the Doctor away. Abigail gives me a thankful smile.

"Right."

"Doctor," Kazran calls after us. "I think she's going to kiss me."

"Yeah, I think you're right."

"I've never kissed anyone before. What do I do?"

"Well, try and be all nervous and rubbish and a bit shaky."

"Why?"

"Because you're gonna be like that anyway, might as well make it part of the plan, then it will feel on purpose. Off you go, then."

"Now? I kiss her now?"

"Kazran, trust me, it's this or going to your room and designing a new kind of screwdriver. Don't make my mistakes. Now, go!"

DWDWDWDWDWDW

"I'm going to sit this one out," I inform the Doctor getting comfortable in one of the chairs.

"Humans and your need of rest."

"Not all of us can have two hearts. I'll have a quick nap and be good as new."

"Fine," the Doctor huffs heading for the doors. I smile before leaning my head on the back of the chair and quickly drift off to sleep.

DWDWDWDWDWDW

"Something happened," the Doctor states bursting through the doors.

"What do you mean?"

"Kazran doesn't one to do the Christmas Eve thing anymore, says he doesn't need me."

"This is bad," I agree. "Do you have any idea where things went wrong?" The Doctor just shakes his head.

"It's time for the Ghost of Christmas Present. We need Amy."

DWDWDWDWDWDW

"How did I get here?"

"You didn't. It's your turn to be the hologram. Since you're going to let a lot of people die tonight, I thought you might like to see where it's all going to happen."

"The singing. What is it? I don't understand."

"It's the Doctor's idea. The harmonies resonate in the ice crystals, that's why the fish like it. He thought that maybe it would stabilize the ship but it isn't working. It's not powerful enough." I look at the Doctor as Rory finishes. I can see the worry on his face.

"Why are they still singing, then?"

"Because we haven't told them. Sir, I understand you have a machine that controls this cloud layer. If you can release us from it, we still have time to make a landing. Nobody has to die."

"Everybody has to die."

"Not tonight."

"Tonight's as good as any other night. How do you choose?"

"Doctor? Jaz"

"Yeah?"

"Are you hearing this?"

"We can hear." The Doctor turns to me. "Go and get the younger Kazran, but stay out of sight.

"Doctor!" Kazran reappears in the room.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize."

"All my life I've been called heartless. My other life, my real life, the one you rewrote. Now look at me." I stand with a hand on young Kazran's shoulder as we watch the interaction.

"Better a broken heart than no heart at all."

"Try it. You try it. Why are you here?"

"Because I'm not finished with you yet. You've seen the past, present and now you need to see the future."

"Fine, do it. Show me. I'll die cold, alone and afraid. Of course I will, we all do. What difference does showing me make? Do you know why I'm going to let those people die? Not a plan, I don't get anything from it. It's just that I don't care. I'm not like you, I even don't want to be like you. I don't and never, ever will care."

"And I don't believe that."

"Then show me the future, prove me wrong."

"I am showing it to you, I'm showing it to you right now. So what do you think?" the Doctor questions the younger Kazran. The older Kazran slowly turns and looks at us. "Is this who you want to become, Kazran?" I move my hand as young Kazran approaches his older self.

"Dad?" Older Kazran drops his cane and moves to strike his younger self. Kazran pauses before covering his face and crying.

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry." He pulls his younger self in to a hug. "It's okay to be frightened. I'm so, so sorry."

"Kazran," the Doctor gets his attention. "We don't have much time."

DWDWDWDWDWDW

I watch as Kazran tries in vain to get the machine to shut down.

"We good to go?"

"The controls, they won't respond," Kazran laments.

"Of course they will, they're isomorphic, they're tuned to your brain waves, they'll only respond to you."

"They don't respond."

"Well, that doesn't make sense. That's ridiculous, why would…"

"They don't recognize this version of him," I tell the Doctor.

"Of course. Stupid, stupid Doctor."

"What's wrong, tell me, what is it?" Kazran questions.

"It's you," I tell him.

"It's you. We've changed you too much. The machine doesn't recognize you."

"I know my father programmed it…"

"No, your father would never have programmed it for the man you are now."

"Then what do we do?"

"Um…" the Doctor pauses. "I don't know."

"You could use this," Kazran pulls out the sonic. "See, I kept it."

"Half a screwdriver." The Doctor turns to look at Kazran. "With the other half up in the sky in a big old shark right in the heart of the cloud layer. If we use your aerial to boost the signal and set up a resonation pattern between the two halves…Oh, come on, that would work. My screwdriver, coolest bit of kit on this planet, coolest two bits…It could do it."

"Do what?"

"While my screwdriver's still trying to repair, it's signaling itself. We use the signal but we send something else."

"Send what?" young Kazran questions.

"Well, what? What?" older Kazran questions.

"I'm sorry, Kazran. I truly am."

"I don't understand."

"We need to transmit something into the cloud belt, something we know works," I tell him gently. "We need her to sing."

DWDWDWDWDWDW

"Her voice resonates perfectly with the ice crystals," the Doctor comments as we stand outside Abigail's capsule. "It calmed the shark; it will calm the sky too."

"Could you do it? Could you do this? Think about it Doctor, Jaz. One last day with your beloved. Which day would you choose?" The door unlocks.

"Christmas," Abigail states as she exits. "Christmas Day. Look at you," she says looking at Kazran. "You're so old now. I think you waited a bit too long, didn't you?"

"I'm sorry."

"Hoarding my days like an old miser." Kazran laughs sadly.

"But if you leave the ice now…"

"We've had so many Christmas Eves, Kazran, I think it's time for Christmas Day."

DWDWDWDWDWDW

"When you're alone silence is all you know." As Abigail sings, the Doctor checks the wiring.

"Well?" Kazran questions.

"Well? The singing resonates in the crystals, it's feeding back and forth between the two halves of the screwdriver now. One song filling the sky. The crystals will align and Ill feed in a control phase loop and the clouds will unlock."

"What does that mean? Unlock?" I ask him a little confused. "What happens when a cloud unlocks?"

"Something that hasn't happened in this town for a very long time now."

"When you're alone silence is all you see." We look up to see the clouds start to calm while Abigail sings. "When you're alone silence is all you'll be. Give me your hand. Oh come to me." We watch in amazement as snow starts to fall around us. Young Kazran laughs as we hold our hands out. People fill the streets and children laugh and run through the snow. We lead young Kazran back to the TARDIS.

DWDWDWDWDWDW

"How many snowmen does this make?" I question the Doctor as he rubs his nose to the carrot nose of a snowman.

"You know, that could almost be mistaken for a real person," we hear Amy's voice drift down the street. "Snowman isn't bad either."

"Ah, yes, you two, about time."

"Why are you dressed like that?" I ask them as Amy is wearing her police outfit and Rory looks like a Roman.

"I kind of lost our luggage," Rory stutters. "Kind of crash landed?"

"Yeah, but why are you dressed like that at all?" the Doctor questions.

"They really love their snowmen around here, don't they?" Amy questions dodging answering the Doctor's question. "I've counted about 20."

"Yeah, we've been busy."

"Yeah, yeah, you have." Amy laughs and then gives the Doctor a hug. "Thank you."

"Pleasure. Right. Come on, then. Let's go." The Doctor heads for the TARDIS. Amy raps an arm around my shoulders as we follow.

"Got anymore honeymoon idea?" Rory questions.

"Well, there's a moon that's made of actual honey, well, not actual honey. And it's not actually a moon, and technically it's alive and a bit carnivorous but there are some lovely views."

"Yeah? Great. Thanks." Rory enters the TARDIS.

"Are you…Are you okay?" Amy questions the Doctor.

"Of course I'm okay. You?"

"Of course." Amy pauses, "It'll be their last day together, won't it?"

"Everything's got to end sometime. Otherwise, nothing would ever get started." Rory comes back out the door.

"Uh, your phone was ringing. Someone called Marilyn. Actually sounds like 'the' Marilyn."

"Doctor?" Amy and I question at the same time.

"Tell her I'll phone her back and that was never a real chapel." Rory heads back inside.

"Where are they? Kazran and Abigail," I wonder aloud.

"Off on a little trip I should think," the Doctor comments looking up.

"Where?" Amy questions.

"Christmas."

"Christmas?"

"Yeah, Christmas." Amy smiles and enters the TARDIS. "Halfway out of the dark."

"Merry Christmas, Doctor." He smiles.

"Merry Christmas, Jaz."