Craig Owens was sat in the fourth row of St. Marks church on a Wednesday afternoon. Outside the sun was sweltering, and Craig could feel the sweat sticking his clothes to his skin.
He had been sat waiting for almost half an hour now to get the christening of his son Alfie underway. He'd had a bad feeling about how long we was going to be sat there waiting when Sophie had told him that she couldn't make it because of her work, but he had kept his thoughts private, for politeness and consideration.
But now he was in constant discomfort, the hard wooden seat he was sat on digging into his backside. A fly buzzed around his head that he could never seem to swat away.
He checked his watch: 2.12. He sighed deeply. Still another twenty minutes until it was his son's turn. He watched as the white - cloaked priest held a random parents' child over the holy water, and dipped its toes in to the bowl.
Craig had briefly entertained the idea of playing DoodleJump under his coat flaps, but decided against it, because out of the corner of his eye he saw three hooded priests who looked as though they were looking straight at him.
Craig had noticed how the priests never said anything, which he had thought was strange, but shrugged it off. He knew very little about christianity, and was only getting Alfie baptised on Sophie's wishes.
He looked over at his son, who was quietly sucking his thumb, sitting in his cradle on the seat next to him. He gave him a smile, and picked up his rattle.
"You as bored as I am, Alfie?" he whispered in a hushed voice. His infant son gurgled. Craig shook the rattle. "Who's a boring priest then, eh?".
He paused as he felt a small tap on his shoulder. He turned to face a very tall woman who was dressed in similar white robes to the priests, who raised a finger to her lips and spoke in an unnerving snake-like voice: "Silence, please".
Craig nodded politely, but rolled his eyes when she was out of sight.
He turned back to look at the front of the church. He prepared himself for a boring twenty minutes.
But at that very moment, he heard a faint roaring sound, like a lawnmower on LSD.
He smiled to himself. He had the noise twice before. It signalled only one thing.
Maybe his day wasn't going to be so boring after all.
(MEANWHILE)
Clara burst from the TARDIS doors with all the excitement of a kid in a sweet shop, only to be greeted with semi-darkness and claustrophobia.
She wrinkled her nose at a smell that reminded her of her old school changing rooms.
"Doctor" she said in a cynical and scalding tone. "The only danger out here is death by sock stink!"
The Doctor peeked his head out of the TARDIS doors. "He produced his sonic screwdriver. Satisfied with a small bleep from the device, he stepped out.
"This must be some kind of... closet" he said out loud.
Clara's face broke into a flirty smile that the Doctor could not see in the dark. "Now this is a snog box" she said, amused.
"I think I've found the door!" the Doctor yelled, pushing at a wooden surface he had found whilst clawing in the dark.
He yelled in surprise as the door gave way and he fell head-first through it. He landed face-down, and heard Clara laughing.
He stood up slowly (trying to retain some of the last of his dignity) straightened his bow tie, and began to examine his surroundings.
At first glance, he appeared to be in some kind of gothic mansion. The walls and stone floor had connotations of a Transylvania manor,a nd seemed to date back to the fifteenth century.
But Clara confirmed his suspicions as she exclaimed "Oh great! It's a church! I hate churches."
The Doctor picked up a brochure advertising fund-raisers, and nodded in agreement.
"It's a church all right. But what kind of church? A church of the Eigstynian Province, a church of the Endless Spiral, a church of the Cassidopyan Ranges of the Planet Thoom..."
Clara raised her eyebrows. "Or perhaps, a church of the Christian religion, on boring old Planet Earth" she said, in a bored voice.
The Doctor spun round to look at her. "Also possible. But don't make it sound so boring! When you travel with me, you get to experience all sorts of amazing wonders almost every time. So don't make fun of the church you get on this one occasion! Churches are cool."
Clara nodded with a cheeky grin. "I'm sure churches appreciate your stamp of 'cool' approval".
The Doctor was back in a thoughtful pose, hand on his screwdriver.
"So, why would the TARDIS bring us here? She must be trying to guide me towards something, but what?" he pondered, scratching his head.
Clara began to grow bored and she sat down on a chair, and started to swing her legs, singing the tune to Mission Impossible.
The Doctor threw her a look. "Do you mind? That is really distracting."
"Oh. Sorry" she said, with an apologetic face.
She waited a good ten seconds and started again, louder.
The Doctor decided to ignore her, and took a reading of the air with his sonic screwdriver.
Then the green end of the sonic device began to glow brightly and a loud wailing sound began emitting from it.
The Doctor held it to his ear, and looked worried.
Clara stopped whistling and hopped over to the Doctor, finally looking excited at the prospect of some danger.
The Doctor looked deeply concerned, however. "Its picking up some kind of signal. Extra-terrestrial."
A frown furrowed on his brow. "More specifically. Cyberman technology. Anyone in this building is in huge danger."
And with that he leapt into action, bursting through the huge oak doors at full speed. Clara gave an excited giggle and followed at her own pace.
Craig didn't know whether to be embarrassed or excited as the tall man waving his green glowstick burst through through the back doors of the church hall screaming "Everyone get out! Now! You're all in great danger!"
The priests looked angry underneath their white hoods at the entrance of the Doctor. Everyone in the hall had turned and was watching him run down the aisle towards the front. The woman who had told Craig off earlier began marching towards him, her heels clicking angrily.
"Listen to me! You all need to get out now!" the Doctor yelled fiercely at the dumbstruck crowd.
Craig found himself on his feet and running towards him too.
The white robed woman reached the Doctor and stared him down, before saying angrily "What is your business here? You are interrupting the sacred ceremony!"
The Doctor gave her a defiant stare right back. "Me? I'm trying to save you! Humans!"
The woman snapped "Get out of here now before I call enforcement." As if to announce themselves, the seated white robed priests on stage stood up and turned towards him, an intense but unseen glare upon their faces.
Craig reached the Doctor. "Uh, Doctor, what are you doing here?" he asked, breathlessly.
The Doctor turned to look at him and his face broke into a huge grin. "Craig Owens!" he exclaimed. "I could ask you the same thing!"
Craig returned the smile, but noticing the rising antagonism of the priestess, he gestured to the door. "Maybe we should have this conversation outside?"
The Doctor looked puzzled, but allowed Craig to lead him out of the aisle and out the back doors into the foyer.
Clara passed them, and after a look of confusion was shared between her and Craig, followed them back out.
"Okay, Doctor, what is going on?" Craig asked quizzically.
The Doctor clasped his shoulders. "It is good to see you too, Craig". He mime-kissed both his cheeks in his sign of affection he still thought was completely normal.
Clara looked as baffled as Craig did. "Doctor?" she said sternly.
The Doctor remembered himself all of a sudden. "Ah. Yes. The Cybermen".
Craig's eyes grew wide. "The Cybermen! Have they come back to finish me off? Am I going to be assassinated?" He looked intensely worried all of a sudden.
The Doctor looked straight at him. "Craig Owens. I will not let that happen."
Clara stamped her foot impatiently. "What on Earth is going on?"
Craig noticed her. "Who are you?"
The Doctor put one hand on both Craig's and Clara's shoulders. "Craig, this is Clara Oswald. Clara, this is Craig Owens."
Craig shook Clara's hand hesitantly. "I thought the Doctor was gay?", he muttered to himself.
Clara laughed. "Oh, I like you!", she said with a smile.
Ignoring their banter about him, the Doctor continued. "Clara travels with me now. Craig and I have met in the past. Twice. And had generally awesome adventures. And tea."
Craig and Clara both nodded, finally understanding a bit of the situation.
"But there's no time for this now!" the Doctor yelled. "There is cybermen tech somewhere in this building, and if i don't find it, we are all in trouble!"
Craig looked confused, but reached into his pocket an pulled out a set of keys. On one of the metal rings, hung a small silver rat-esque thing.
The Doctor paused, and looked very sheepish. "Ah. You kept the Cybermat? Why?" He looked confused, a face he rarely adopted.
Craig shrugged. "Good memories?"
The Doctor smiled. "Humans. You're so... nostalgic".
"Doctor. Whenever you show up there's always danger and horror. Whatever the reason why your here, its not good, is it?" Craig asked.
"Most likely not" The Doctor remarked, deep in thought.
Clara spoke up. "So, are you like his boy toy, Craig", she asked mischievously.
Craig looked shocked, and a little embarrassed. "NO! I mean, no way! I'm happily in a relationship with a child!"
Clara giggled. He was just as easy as the Doctor to wind up.
The Doctor kept thinking. Suddenly his eyes widened. "Craig?", he asked worriedly, "Where's Alfie?".
"Back in there." Craig gestured to the main hall.
The Doctor turned and ran suddenly through the doors. He was just in time to see the Craig's infant son being carried onto the stage by the white-robed figure.
Craig and Clara ran back in, in pursuit of the Doctor. "Wait up, Doctor!" they yelled, in unison.
But he wasn't going anywhere. He ran past the white-robed woman who had stopped him earlier, and towards the priests.
Without, warning, the lead priest turned around and drew a huge metal sword from a sheath on his back.
The crowd screamed, and began to file out of their seats.
Clara and Craig pushed past the screaming masses, and stood next to the Doctor, who stared defiantly at the armed priest.
"Let. Him. Go." the Doctor yelled at the white figure.
Suddenly the other three priests were on their feet, and swords drawn.
Clara looked alarmed. "Doctor? What are priests doing carrying swords?"
"They're not priests." the Doctor replied, matter-of-factly. "They're monks. Headless Monks."
As if to demonstrate their physical disability, the lead monk dropped his hood to reveal... nothing. An empty space where a head should have been.
The other three monks dropped their hoods too. All four began advancing, swords held level at their chests, and chanting loudly.
"They've got Alfie Doctor!" Craig cried in horror.
"No harm will come to the boy. We only want the Doctor", came a slithery, evil voice from behind them. The Doctor turned to face the white-robed woman.
"I never forget a face" The Doctor said to her, menace rising in his voice. "Madame Kovarian."
The Leader of the Human Silence smiled devilishly. "Oh, Doctor. You didn't really think you could escape us did you? You thought you could fake your death, and that we would believe it. We are far, far too smart for that."
"Doctor!" Clara yelled in fear of the closing trap around them. The monks' chanting was getting louder.
"This is where it ends, Doctor" Kovarian said with a smirk.
The Doctor didn't back down, or take any intimidation from these very final words. He just stared right back at her.
"Oh, Madame Kovarian. You really never learn do you?"
The chanting was getting closer.
"Through all your hatred of me, you'd think you would have thought his out better. This... trap. Because that's waht it is, through and through, a trap, using my friends as bait!"
"Doctor, you're cutting this a little close!" Clara yelled again.
Craig was shaking from head to toe. He was crying out "It's okay, Alfie!" to his crying son, still in the arms of the lead monk.
The Doctor continued, a deep smile flickering across his face. "Didn't anyone ever tell you? There's one thing you never put in a trap. If you're smart, if you value your continued existence, if you have any plans about seeing tomorrow, there is one thing you never, ever put in a trap!"
Kovarian looked on, amused. The monks were very close now. Clara reached out and took the Doctor's hand. He grabbed it, and held it tight.
"Go on then, Doctor. enlighten me, in your last moments" Kovarian said, victory seemingly assured in her eyes and facial expression.
The Doctor, smiling harder than ever before, grasping Clara's sweaty but soft hand tightly, raised his screwdriver above his head, slowly, like in an action film.
"Me."
TO BE CONTINUED.
NEXT CHAPTER: THE BELLS OF SAINT MARKS
AUTHORS NOTES: Thank you so much for all your feedback on the first chapter. As a fairly new Fan Fiction writer, it means a lot to have so many follows and favourites within five days of publication. I can only hope this second chapter raises the bar even higher and meets your expectations. One thing you should know is that, as big a supporter of Whouffle as I am, in this story their relationship is going to be a long slow-burner. If you're looking for something a lot faster, I can only recommend you check out some of the other great Whouffle stories on this website. If you liked this chapter, then all I ask is that you leave a review below. Whether it be praise or criticism, there's nothing I like more than reading a review. They fuel my creative fires, and make me more excited to write the next chapter. I'm having a blast writing this, as I'm such a big Doctor Who fan, and I hope I do the characters justice here.
So, thanks for reading, and I'll hopefully see you next time. Have a wonderful day.
SlyvsClockwerk.