Simeon seemed to observe the events in front of him in stoic disregard. "Indeed, another accomplice." He glanced behind the Sontaran. "Am I to presume you have been recruiting?"

"An already esteemed colleague of mine." Vastra had made her approach drifting to the side of the two women. "I couldn't help but intervene. The two young ladies don't appear to take well to your company."

Sara and Shae retreated a few steps as Simeon watched them, a calculating expression in his hardened exterior. "I was merely extending the courtesy of offering them shelter gathering they appeared disoriented."

"How kind of you." Jenny's voice was mocking as she stood next to Vastra.

"I'm capable of a great many things." The threat was implied in Simeon's tone and Shae's breath hitched in her throat. He turned to look directly at them. "Just as it appears the two of you are."

"Can we simply destroy him now?" Strax implored and Vastra's eyes seemed to glare at him through the veil.

"Such an apt question but for the sake of formality, it should be stated whether I intend to destroy you." Simeon's lips twisted into the impression of a smirk as suddenly several snowmen manifested around him, razor sharp teeth gleamed as they opened their mouths, expressions malevolent.

Sara started to panic as Shae quickly seized her hand. "Remember, from before. Imagine them melting."

Memories of the Doctor's advice to Clara drifted quickly through Sara's mind. "Melting. Yes." She desperately tried to focus on the mental picture inside her head when she let out a sudden gasp. A surge of bright blue energy discharged from her causing a few of the snowmen not just to simply melt but also to explode in a chaotic pattern.

Collapsing to her knees, she distantly heard Strax call out an order. "Remain in attack formation. Do not reveal our military secrets."

Shae had been stunned by the sudden display in front of her as small flames seemed to lick the very cobblestones but more Snowmen were approaching and for a reason she was unable to discern Sara appeared momentarily weakened. She in turn focused hard on the imagery, clearing her mind forced to push aside the longing for her son in her need to survive. Her eyes were closed when she heard Vastra spoke.

"Gone. Melted in the street."

"The same with Dr. Simeon." Irritation filled Jenny's voice. "There has to be something we can do."

"Indeed but now is not the time." The Silurion was examining the two girls just in front of her. "I believe we should see Miss Orr and Miss Thomas back to our home." Their approach was cautious. Sara flinched as she felt a hand rest on her forearm. Shae felt immensely weary as the couple approached her, frown deepening.

"We only intend to help." Jenny offered soothingly before glancing at her companion. "Should we call the Doctor?" She whispered softly.

"No need for that." It was the Doctor's voice. "I'm already here." Repaired sonic in hand, he approached the group as Shae looked up, her eyes meeting his in sudden apprehension.

"Sara," Shae mumbled to her friend, gripping the other's lax arm tightly. "Sara, we have to go..." But try as she might, she couldn't break contact with the Doctor's ancient eyes.

He wouldn't allow them to escape this time, they were much too dangerous. The moment he'd stepped off his TARDIS, he'd swept the town with his sonic and goggled at the readings he'd gotten. Unfortunately, he wasn't surprised at all when those reading lead him straight back to those girls. At least he now knew why Sara had sabotaged his sonic - she seemed well aware of the energy signature her body was generating. But Sara and Shae were too close together, and his sonic, unusually, wasn't sensitive enough, for him to differentiate between the energies of the two girls. He couldn't quite discern if all or most of his readings came from just one girl, most likely Sara, or if they were coming equally from Shae, or if one wavelength came from one girl and the other from the other. He would have to perform more tests once he got them safely inside his TARDIS.

He continued to hold Shae's eyes as he approached. The last time he had been more focused on Sara who had seemed the more menacing of the two, yet it had been Shae who had recognized the telepathic nature of the snow and devised a way to escape. Even he hadn't been aware of the snow's properties until his attention was drawn to it by that barmaid, Clara, on his way back to the TARDIS. But here, the girls had done far more than simply melting the snowmen. With his peripheral vision, the Doctor studied the damage that had been wrought in the little alley. Scorch marks and stones that continued to smolder dotted the alleyway, and Sara's obviously energy depleted form was just about collapsed in the epicentre of the carnage. If it was just one thing, he would need to take these girls into his custody, yet they displayed acute precognitive knowledge, abnormal psychic awareness, and impossible energy production. He dread to think what other surprises they might have in store for him...

"It's alright, Shae," he gently told the woman. The impression he'd gotten from her through their brief encounters was that she was simply afraid, and that Sara had fueled her distrust against him. With the other girl temporarily incapacitated, perhaps he could now gain control over the situation. "I'm not going to hurt you. I want to help you." He spoke in that calming manner that used to come so naturally to him, back before he lost everything, again.

He didn't allow Shae to break free of his eyes, but he saw her head shake minutely in denial. "The Doctor lies," he heard her whisper. He frowned internally and strengthened his own personal mental shielding. If she and Sara truly had psychic abilities, then holding her gaze may make him vulnerable if she was to attack. So far, he hadn't felt any reciprocation from her, but he wasn't about to take the chance.

He noticed Sara beginning to stir. He needed to finish this now. He'd already disabled her sonic screwdriver the moment he'd come within range, but he felt like he was so close to reaching Shae, and he didn't want the volatile woman to disrupt that.

"You're right. I lie all the time," he affirmed, "but not this time. You're lost, out of your time. Let me help you." He hoped she wasn't sensitive enough to recognise his deception. Once he had them in he custody, they would have to stay with him. He couldn't risk them running free in the universe.

Something broke in her expression, and her tears began to flow freely. "Can you help me find my son?" she begged.

His face softened visibly as he looked at the woman in front of him. Her son. She had been separated from her own child just as he had been torn away from his family. He had been a father once on Gallifrey. So many children. He thought to himself. Before he lost his Gallifreyian wife, Patience, the House of Lungbarrow had generations to carry on his name.

But that was gone. Gallifrey was gone. The human family he started to have her ended far too quickly. Amy and Rory were lost to him. River was….He swallowed, remembering the events of the Library, which came to the forefront of his mind. He loathed saying good-bye and he couldn't let River go. Even the semblance of her consciousness was better then nothing at all. Her data ghost trapped forever in the Library. The alternative seemed perpetually worse.

He squatted down in front of the despairing woman, while still maintaining eye contact. "I'll do everything I can." His tone was measured, still hypnotic. "Why don't you tell me about him?" Perhaps he could discern how these two women had ventured into the past from Shae's answers. She indeed was the less volatile of the pair. On that note, while not taking his eyes off Shae, he discreetly put his hand on Sara's arm who appeared to be on the verge of regaining all her faculties. As a touch telepath, while the temples were ultimately preferable leading to the most direct contact with the mind, any physical point of contact would do. A silent command quickly rendered Sara to sleep and he inwardly sighed with relief. Vastra and Jenny supported the girl while her body gave way to complete collapse.

The energy discharge must have drained her. In that he considered himself fortuitous that she needed time to regain her stamina.

His attention now focused completely on Shae with the telepathic link established, he marveled briefly at the strength of her mind that she was able to speak without his consent. Both women appeared to have that in common. She looked at him with continued hope.

"His name is Jesse. He's only two years old." Her voice started to crack. "My parents were there too and all I did was run into the kitchen to get him a band-aide." She swallowed. "Then I was here. That's all I remember."

"No strange sounds? Distortions? Tingling sensations or warmth? Any-"

"Warmth…yes." Shae said absently. "I was so cold and there was this pain. I could hardly focus but someone touched me and I felt this warmth." She grimaced, trying to recollect the memory. "Then the pain was gone and I saw Sara. She…." Shae took a deep breath. It was still disconcerting that this wasn't all a dream but seeing the actual Doctor, the events she just witnessed, she could no longer cling to that illusion. Still the Doctor's world was far from entertaining to experience and she had no desire to actually dwell in the stark reality of it. He was her best chance of getting back home, to her family, to her son. "Sara told me where I was."

The Doctor nodded to himself and offered Shae a disarming smile. He had to get both women off the street and back to the TARDIS, which he materialized only around the corner in the alley so it was out of sight. There were tests he needed to run once he had them safely in custody. He held out his hand, his voice still mesmerizing. "I need you to come with me, Shae." Her expression evaluated him nervously. "I promise that I will help you find your son," the Doctor told her, giving the woman his word, "but to do that, you need to come with me." He held out his hand in the impression as though he were offering a choice. He knew there wasn't one. They had to go with him.

To his relief, Shae trustingly took his hand. Now he'd established contact, he no longer needed to hold her eyes to retain his influence over her. He smiled at her gently and rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb in a comforting manner, before he carefully helped her to her feet.

"Sara!" The woman cried, finally able to direct her own gaze again.

"She's fine," the Doctor assured her. "She just wore herself out when she destroyed the snowmen."

Shae frowned as Jenny and Vastra lifted the sleeping form between them. He sensed her doubt beginning to niggle at her. He needed to get them inside fast.

"Can you help me get her to the medbay?" he asked her, "so we can make sure she's okay." Again he faintly felt her surge of emotions, this time concern for her friend. He smiled softly. Whatever else was going on with her, at least her heart appeared to be in the right place. He almost grimaced when he thought of Sara. She, on the other hand; he knew was going to be a handful.

Between them, the Doctor and Shae gently took the sleeping woman from the Victorian duo, him making sure to always keep direct contact with Shae's skin during the transfer. Sara's arms were carefully placed over their shoulders, and they were each reaching around her back, and linking their arms under her underarms to hold her aloft. The Doctor was easily taking the majority of her weight, but by allowing Shae the illusion of helping him, it gave him the opportunity and excuse to continue touching her hand.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Jenny asked him.

"Never better," he flippantly replied. "Now, I want you to find out more about Doctor Simeon. Find out about the snow, and find out his interest in these two." What had happened with Simeon didn't sit well with him, and it was exactly the reason he needed Sara and Shae on the TARDIS. Now, he needed to find out how much the other man knew about the girls and how much of a threat he was. The Doctor felt that he was now going to have to personally deal with the Victorian man, but not until he'd investigated his new companions and had them properly contained.

"I shall employ my superior skills at intelligence gathering using homing missiles and napalm," Strax declared.

"I believe you should leave the interrogation to us," Vastra corrected him.

"But you always refuse to use the molecular disintegrator," the Sontaran whined.

"Strax!" The Sontaran huffed but fell silent at the reptile's tone.

The Doctor sensed Shae's amusement through their temporary bond, but his own words as he addressed the group were flat. "Get it done."

He turned his attention back to Shae. "Come on, you'll love this bit" he assured her disarmingly. As he began to lead Shae back the way he'd come, he briefly pondered their link. Apart from her minutely projecting her emotions, he couldn't sense anything untoward about her, and yet both girls had seemed to display strong telepathic ability when they employed the snow against him. Another mystery he would have to investigate...

They rounded the corner, and he suddenly felt her delight bubble within her at the sight of his TARDIS. She shouldn't have had any knowledge of it at all and yet he sensed not only her recognition, but also her joy and wonder, however the feeling was bitter sweet. As awestruck as she was by his marvelous machine, to her it was also a means of returning to her family. She didn't know it yet, but with her abilities he wasn't about to allow her to leave his custody. Perhaps though, he could find her family and they could join her in the TARDIS. After all, he wouldn't want to deliberately separate a mother from her child, and if any of her traits were hereditary - Yes, he needed to track down her family, and probably Sara's too. He grimaced to himself. It would be like a sick parody of the Ponds. Having a family travel with him that would never be allowed to leave. At least he was able to encourage the Ponds to have a regular life as well as the travelling with him.

Shae grinned at the massive box in front of her. She'd seen it on TV so many times, but she'd never quite understood just how big it was. They approached awkwardly with Sara balanced between them, but even that didn't ruin the moment for her. The TARDIS loomed over them as they approached, and she felt like bouncing on the balls of her feet as she thought about the room inside. This would be her final proof. This would finally make it all real.

Off to her right, she heard the Doctor click his fingers, and the doors instantly swung open. While she'd known what to expect, knowing and seeing were two entirely differently things. It felt disorientating and wrong to see the inner dimensions of the TARDIS at such contradictory odds with the outside. She could now see why some people had such trouble accepting the reality of the TARDIS when first exposed to it, the effect was almost nauseating as her brain tried to reconcile the obvious impossibility the blue box presented.

With a slight tug, the Doctor drew her forward and between them they carefully carried Sara over the threshold. She tried to concentrate on her footing, but her eyes roamed around the console room that she'd seen so many times. She played close attention to the left hand side of the room, the side where there stood neither lights nor cameras nor crew. Her face was spit in a wide grin as she took everything in. Just like the box outside, the room was so much bigger than she'd ever imagined.

"Let's put her here for a moment," she heard the Doctor say. Together, they gently rested Sara on one of the jump seats - there were far more in this console room than there had been in the older one. Shae hoped the seat was more comfortable than it looked.

As soon as she was securely down, the Doctor leapt away and bounced around the console, pressing buttons, flicking switches and turning knobs. Shae laughed delightedly when the room filled with the distinctive sound of the TARDIS taking flight. Surprisingly, the journey didn't seem to be as rough as it was always shown on the telly. Perhaps the screenwriters took a bit of poetic licence, or perhaps he was being extra gentle with Sara unconscious on the jump seat beside Shae.

When everything finally stopped, the Doctor jumped out from where he'd been hidden behind the Time Rotor. "Well?" he asked, his arms spread as wide as the smile on his face. "What do you think?"

"Sorry," she said, not sounding sorry at all. "Can I play with the doors?"

The Doctor arms dropped limply and he gave her a perplexed look. "Play with..?"

"Yeah," she assured him with a grin. "I've always wanted to."

Always..? He smiled and waved his arm towards the doors. He wasn't concerned about her getting away, and if she was relaxed he might be able to learn more from her. He ran ahead of her and flung the doors wide. It wasn't just a jovial display, he didn't want her to discover that he'd locked the doors to his own bioprint. She literally wouldn't be able to open the doors if she tried.

She approached the doors slowly, her eyes shining brightly at the view. "We're back on the cloud," she whispered.

Back. She knew he'd been on the cloud before.

Shae giggled as she carefully stepped out onto the super dense water vapour. She took a moment to bounce on the slightly spongy feeling ground before she turned her attention back to the blue box.

"How long have you known about the TARDIS?" he asked lightly.

"I dunno." She laid one arm across the outside of the box, while she reached in through the doors with the other. She pressed her hand towards each other, marveling at the way they crossed through each other but never met. "Since I was little? You know, this would have been better with the old desktop, when the doors were flush with the inside walls rather than in this little foyer."

"I hadn't ever thought about it," he admitted, allowing a hint of humour to colour his voice, but inside he found it frightening how casual her knowledge seemed. She spoke about his TARDIS as though it was the most common thing in world. Her knowledge sounded too easy and instinctive. He dearly hoped Sara's perception wasn't nearly as acute as Shae's. The thought that it could be had him almost dragging Shae back inside so he could test them both in the medbay. 'Since I was little...' He shuddered to think of all those years Shae had wandered the earth unprotected, and he was deeply relieved to have her in his custody now.

Discreetly, he adjusted the water vapor so that if Shae decided to venture down the staircase, she wouldn't get far. Based on her behavior at present, her mind wasn't set on straying from the TARDIS but he decided it was better to be cautious. He exerted patience taking amusement in the way she examined the exterior surroundings. After all, if he appeared kind and as really fun as he used to be, prior to losing the Ponds, then having her accompany him to the medbay would prove less of a challenge. Perhaps she could shed some light on Sara, which might give insight as to calm the more volatile of the two.

He considered the matter only to find himself startled when the TARDIS phone rang and he retreated while never taking his eyes of Shae to answer it. He rubbed his forehead wearily and frowned. It was Vastra. Apparently, he was right about Clara and the fact it was her knocking on his door only earlier. When he traveled back to the cloud, he traversed at the same time to the morning. He was never one to want to wait for breakfast. Briefly his mind took stock on the different variety of pastries he had on board and he licked his lips in anticipation.

"Doctor?" Vastra was calling him to attention and he refocused.

"Yes, you were saying…about the girl." He answered, attempting to push breakfast from his mind.

"I gave her the one word test." Vastra's voice rang with significance.

He sighed. "That's always pointless." He shook his head. "What did she say?"

There was silence on the other end and he became somewhat impatient. "Well?" He paused. "Well?"

"Pond."

His breath froze as Shae glanced back at him. She recognised the dialogue and knew what it meant from the episode but the look of pain mixed with alarm that suddenly overcame the Doctor's features radiated from him in a way she did not expect. She knew what happened to his family and in that moment, feeling as separated as she was from her own child, she was overcome with empathy.

"Doctor?" She started. "Are you alright?"

He looked at her and he was disturbed that her gaze seemed so knowing and he cleared his throat. "I'll deal with it," he spoke into the phone, before setting it down and addressing Shae, forcing a smile. "Course I am. Everything is fine. D'you want to come inside now? Have breakfast?" Shae was about countermand him. After all, it had been night when he collected the two. "Know what you're about to say but on the TARDIS it's always time for breakfast." He took her hand propelling her back towards the console room thinking about the different flavors of Welsh Cakes he had on board to choose from. Dozens of varieties ran through his mind. "Jam Split or Apple Dragon?" He asked as they reached the door.

"I'm sorry?" Shae posed in confusion and the Time Lord turned to look at his befuddled new passenger.

"What flavor?" He was about to speak again only to suddenly freeze in his very pace, a serious look stealing upon his face. His other passenger, Sara was no longer asleep. His brows drew together in a frown as he immediately took to examining the console room.

She had entirely disappeared.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Sara had awoken finding herself in panic to be in the console room of the TARDIS. The change in color, nor streaming of lights in a various pattern did little to ease her fear…no. He was still the same man. She shuddered remembering the experience with the cuff the Time Lord Victorious enforced on her wrist so she wouldn't stray away from him. He'll probably do the same to me. She heard Shae's voice coming just outside the TARDIS and blinked. The same to both of us…Shae had no idea. She hadn't been able to tell her every detail of her imprisonment. How she had to watch Christina die in front of her. How often the Doctor had forced his way inside her mind. The pain of the experience. He had done it again. Forced her to sleep and she shivered, feeling tears come to her eyes as she stared at the console room with a sensation of despair. The door was open but she heard the Doctor's voice. If she ran, he would likely have her in seconds. No. She needed a better plan then that.

She carefully stepped forward and examined the controls nodding to herself that the switches for the deadlocks were still in place. It would suit for what she needed and at this moment, she couldn't leave Shae behind. She knew what the other woman was thinking. That the Doctor would provide her with a way back to her son. Sara grimaced. I should of told her before. Now her hand was forced and she would have to impart the information as quickly and gently as she could. Shae had to know the truth and that the Doctor intended to confine her indefinitely here forcing her to undergo one horrendous adventure after another. Or….She inhaled, closing her eyes. Locking them in one room unable to escape. Slowly going mad. She remembered the shadows in her room coming to claim her. I won't let that happen again. I can't. Licking her lips, she retreated down the small staircase and just inside the corridor so she could view the room but not be in the proximity and waited….her plan might not work at all, she knew but it was better then the alternative. To be dragged into the medbay. Strapped down again where she couldn't move for two days straight.

She heard the Doctor come into the TARDIS, talking nearly nonstop to Shae about breakfast only for his voice to suddenly stop and she watched him look around the console in slow examination.

"Stay here a moment." He said to Shae immediately rushing outside, which Sara knew was in pursuit of her.

There was no time to waste. Sara immediately ran to the controls startling Shae as she instantly located the switches she needed pressing one, then the other. The door slammed shut and the deadlock seal slid into place. Immediately, she heard knocking from the outside and then the buzzing sound of the Doctor using his screwdriver, likely trying to find a way inside. Sara probably didn't have long before he succeeded but if she could get the other woman on her side…

"What are you doing?" Shae started. "You can't just-"

"You need to listen to me." Sara told her. "You can't trust him. He's lying to you. I swear to you, he is."

"But he promised me he would held me find my son." Shae protested. "He gave me his word and-"

Sara took her hands, taking a deep breath as she looked the woman straight in the eyes. "I'm sorry Shae. Even if he would do it, he can't. I'm really, really sorry…our universe, there was an accident. A bad one." Sara swallowed. "The daleks and the reality bomb….our universe was moving faster ahead…"

"No…" Shae's breathing became staggered. She knew what Sara was likely about to say but…"No! Don't say it! Please don't…." Tears came to her eyes as a distinct buzzing sound resounded in her ears. Can't be real if she doesn't-

"I'm really sorry. It's gone. Our dimension is gone." She squeezed Shae's hands tighter in support, feeling the agony that surely Shae was experiencing now.

"NO!" Shae yelled, tearing her hands from the other's grip. "You're Wrong!" She shook her head in denial, backing away. "You don't understand. You've got it Wrong!"

"Shae, I'm so sorry." Sara didn't know what else to say at that moment. Shae needed to know, needed to understand, needed to accept what had happened to their reality. Only after that did they have any hope of escaping from the Doctor.

"No, you're wrong. The reality bomb-" she swallowed a lump in her throat, but powered on. "It was only focused on those people. They didn't use it properly..." Suddenly, it hit her - those had been real people. It wasn't just pretend.

Her legs gave way, and she fell to the cold deck, jarring her knees painfully as she landed on them.

"It wasn't just focused on the people. They were just put in the way of the beam to see the result. I'm sorry, but you had to know. I was going to tell you before but-" But they'd been too busy trying to escape the Doctor. Sara took a deep breath, her eyes brimming at Shae's pain. "It's just us. We're all that's left. I'm sorry, I wish it was different." She knew the other woman needed time to come to terms with things, but they didn't have that luxury. "Shae, he can't help us. He won't help us. He's never going to let us go, not ever. Look, the instant I was out of sight, he ran after me. Did you see? Did you see that? He'll trap us here forever just like-" She paused. "Just like last time." Suddenly the fear and grief overwhelmed Sara and she broke down equally with her last kin.

"What happened to you?" Shae asked softly after a brief moment, feeling empathy for the shattered girl.

Sara, instead of answering, asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Shae told her defiantly, her face harden as she spoke. "Because you're wrong." She pushed herself up and moved away from the other woman. She felt guilty. She felt like she should try to help, Sara looked so broken after all. But how dare she! She was wrong! There was no way that... There was just no way, no point even contemplating it... But a sliver of pain had already buried itself in her heart, and regardless how she tried to reassure herself and prove Sara's mistake, her fear for her family continued to grow...

Since she'd arrived she'd been terrified for Jesse. She had been reassured somewhat that her parents would look after him in her absence, but now... She hugged herself tightly, wishing that Rob was with her, comforting her. He wasn't one to take flights of fancy. He would assure her of how the world really worked...

And in the real world, Doctor Who was just a TV show...

This couldn't be real, it just couldn't be. She must be in a coma or had a mental breakdown. No! This wasn't real, and if this wasn't real, she wasn't going to engage with it any more.

Shae sat down where she was, tightly holding her knees to her chest and burying her head in what little darkness her posture allowed. She wasn't going to play with this world any more. She was going to stay here until she woke up.

"Shae!" Sara cried out crouching down right in front of her. "Shae, please. I'm sorry! I wish…." She took a deep breath. How could she reach her? Suddenly, Christina's last words came to her. It wasn't much. She didn't even know whether Shae had faith in a higher power but she couldn't simply let her retreat. Not now. The Doctor was just outside.

"Shae, just listen to me." Sara softened her tone. "I want to tell you something. I made a friend when I was with the other Doctor. Her name was Christina and she was…." Sara swallowed, feeling the lump in her throat. "She was wonderful. Saw how lonely and trapped I was so she offered to come." Tears came to her eyes. "She was there at Mars when…." Sara shook her head. "But something happened. An explosion and her artery was severed. She was dying but she told me….she would be my friend no matter where she was. That it never changed where she was going." Sara pressed her lips together at the pain of recalling this memory but she hoped it would help Shae. "My family and my friends that was lost. She said she would say 'hello' to them for me." Tears streamed down her face. "You see, your family, mine they're not gone. Not really. Somewhere, I know they're okay and waiting for us." Sara placed her hands on Shae's shoulders as she whispered Christina's last words. "He has freed you from your chains."

"For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling." Shae whispered, speaking the verse from the Psalms and Sara breathed a sigh of relief. It was something, at least. Progress. She was speaking to her.

"Christina told me we're never alone." Sara told her. "Sometimes…it's been so hard for me to remember. I…." It was difficult not to feel the despair, the brokenness.

Slowly, Shae looked at her, meeting her eyes. "What happened?" Her voice was hollow.

"I was touring the Tower of London with my best friend, Jessica and I fell through a crack. Woke up in the Black Archive with UNIT. I didn't know what was happening. Like you, I thought they were acting and then…." Sara took a deep breath. "I ran, tried to go back to my hotel. The Doctor found me there. I told him he was fiction. A character on TV but he kidnapped me. Forced me to sleep over and over again. Told me I only had one chance before he locked me up inside the TARDIS." She clenched her hands together. "I tried so hard to get away. Each time…." Her voice trailed. "He forced his way inside my mind and it hurt, Shae. It hurt so much. The pain is like nothing you ever felt. I saw him turn into the Time Lord Victorious before my very eyes." She closed her eyes briefly. "He called me a stupid ape and a murderer when Adelaide died. I ran but he found me, locked me in my room for weeks. I slowly went mad and wanted to die. Join my family but he found me and…." She glanced back at the door. "He strapped me to a table in the medbay for two days straight. I couldn't move." She looked back at the other woman. "Please you have to believe me. I wouldn't lie. Not about this. That Doctor, just outside, he commanded me to sleep before he brought you here."

Shae looked at her stunned. "No. He said you were worn out from blowing up the snowmen. He…."

"He lied. The Doctor always lies." Sara told her. "I'm not. I'm pretty terrible at lying anyway….please, you can't give up now. I know how hard this is but we have each other…I've just been alone for so long. I'm sorry." Her hands trembled. The lock on the door wouldn't hold out much longer. Sara hadn't thought the entire plan through reacting based on impulse. Once the Doctor got inside…..

Sara's eyes scurried around the console room premises and she darted forward, finding a spare utility beam in the corner next to a variety of equipment that appeared to be for repairs. She seized it, remembering how Amy Pond had caught the Doctor off guard and managed to render the Time Lord unconscious. Planting herself just behind the door, she waited.

She didn't have to wait long. The doors opened, flush to the inside as he strode in directly and Sara didn't pause, immediately lifting the beam to strike him squarely on the head. She brought it down only to gasp as he suddenly caught it in mid air, turning on her with a serious expression on his face, while she struggled with her makeshift weapon.

"Sara, just listen to me." His voice was still soft but firm. With his acute hearing, despite the doors being closed, he had heard the entire conversation that had taken place and it nearly broke his hearts. If it was true, they were victims. Casualties of the reality bomb and to make matters worse, Sara suffered abuse at a Time Lord's hands. His hands, regardless of dimension. He truly believed for a while now that despite the archaic believes that Time Lord's were transdimensional , it wasn't true. Too many factors considering the infinite number of possible universes rallied against this very notion. Now, he found a survivor of his duplicate but found himself disgusted. No wonder Shae had been so afraid of him from the beginning with what Sara experienced. He swallowed. It changed little. He was still a Time Lord. The girls had to remain in his custody but he needed to try to calm Sara down first. "It's okay. Everything's alright. I'm not going to-"

Casting him a glare, she suddenly relinquished the beam and at the angle, he was standing, he tripped falling down the two stairs directly onto his knees. Instantly, she was out the door, hearing footsteps behind her. She hoped it was Shae. She felt her heart pounding in her chest as she started to run down the stairs only to find herself suddenly trapped midway between the clouds and the Earth. The water vapor had solidified and she could no longer descend. "No!" She screamed in desperation as she placed her fingers on the moist surface. The edge….Clara was pulled off the edge. ButSara was already halfway down. Maybe the fall wouldn't be too far. She crawled forward to find the empty expanse, searching in sheer desperation.

She felt a hand grip her ankle, and she was yanked back towards the stairs. "No!" she cried out in horrified surprise.

"What are you doing?" the Doctor hissed in disbelief. He had allowed her to get a little ahead of him, thinking that when she realised the stairs were closed to her he would be able to talk to her and settle her down. Never once did he consider that Sara might try to escape over the cloud. A few more feet and she would have passed the point where the cloud had the integrity to hold her aloft, and a fall from this height would be fatal for her.

"Let me go!" The woman lashed out at him. He barely managed to hold onto her, despite her flailing limbs, which she aggressively aimed at him. He copped more then a few hits that he was sure would smart for a while, but he endured them as he sought to improve his grip. He considered just putting her back to sleep, and he would if he had to, but, considering what he'd overheard, he would try to keep that as a last resort. But manhandling her back onto the TARDIS could be just as damaging.

He eventually managed to pull her so her back was against his chest. he held her wrists tightly and bear hugged her so her arms were crossed in front of her chest. He held her body at a slightly tipped and twisted angle so her legs didn't have the room or leverage to kick back against him. "Sara, listen to me-" He quickly ducked his head aside as she tried to slam the back of her head against his face. He almost growled his frustration, and he tightened his grip on her wrists. Using that point of contact, he gently pressed against her mind, exerting his influence. He didn't make her sleep or usurp her control, but he did try to subtly settle her and lead her to a calmer frame of mind. "That's it, just settle down. I'm not going to hurt you." He felt her relaxing minutely in his grip, and relief began to ease through him - it could have been far worse. "It's okay, you don't have to be afraid." He changed his hold on her to try to make it feel like more of a comforting gesture than the shackles it was. He also seeded feelings of trust and comfort into her, just gently enough for her to think they were her own emotions rather than something being forced on her.

Suddenly, in a way that was reminiscent of a gong being hit by a train, he was forcefully and painfully ejected from Sara's mind. The shock was so intense, she tore herself from his grip before he could recover. Distantly, his ringing ears could almost hear a sound like the TARDIS materialising, but he tried to push the confusion aside as his eyes searched for Sara.

She was standing on the cloud again, close to the edge, too far from his reach. "I'm Not going with you again!" she spat venomously. But she took a step too far, and her balance wavered.

"No!" he cried reaching forward in desperation, but he was too late as she tumbled from his sight.

Author's Note: Thanks for the interest. I hope you will continue to follow Azaadin's story when she posts under the title Shae. Thank you to Our Brightest Star for giving me some much needed advice. It was greatly appreciated in terms of the last chapter. As for a couple of the guest reviews, it is really difficult to respond if you don't log in, but to that person, Afterimage was revised essentially and reposted under Worlds Within Worlds. We thought the beginning flowed better but it's the same premise. Thank you for all your interest.