"Philippi…"
Summary: The Doctor, seeking an answer to the mystery of Clara, has decided to turn to the one person who always has the answer…Even if she never tells him straight out. And gets a message from an old acquaintance…
Disclaimer: Who me? No commercial interest or infringement intended whatsoever…
Part II…
Groan…
"Clara? You alright in there?"
"Ohhh…Doctor?" eagerly at end, with groan following…
He frowned at River who shrugged…Crisis sit, sweetie.
"Hallo, I'm fine…How are you?" he called.
"Shot and bruised, thanks. But nothing permanent, I think."
"River's very sorry about that, crisis sit." He noted.
"Oh, now you're apologizing for me?" frown.
"Uh…Fine…" Clara had sat up, staring out the open door at them. "It's fine, so long as you're really ok. Are you?"
"Tip-top."
"Just peachy." River, plastic smile. "And I am sorry I had to shoot you if you are completely innocent."
Clara rising… "So…? You're…?"
"The Missus." Grin. "You know I like that, I think I'll be called that from now on." Grin to the Doctor who frowned.
"Sounds a bit egomad, don't you think? The 'one-and-only' Missus''?"
"Oh, and 'The Doctor' doesn't? STOP RIGHT THERE!" she caught sight of Clara rising and moving to the door.
"Best you stay in the TARDIS for now, Clara." The Doctor, apologetically. "Till we figure out why you and River seem to be producing whatever you're doing when you come into near contact. I promise you'll get a gander at the Falls up close, soon as we know it won't rip the Earth or the universe apart."
"Maybe it's only when we're very close…I was outside with her for a few, it only happened when we touched you together. And when she tried to enter the TARDIS…" Clara noted. "Say…" she beamed. "Maybe it doesn't like her either."
"The TARDIS? She loves me…Don't you ole girl?" River, frowning a bit, then chirping to the TARDIS. "Yes, you do…You know Mum loves you just like Dad, rightie?"
"Hmmn…You know I always think of her as sort of a maternal aunt rather than a daughter…" the Doctor noted. "But, however it works…"
"Lets have a walk and some private time…I've just earned several thousand years of it…" River urged. "Miss…?"
"Clara…" Clara frowned.
"We'll be back soon…Why don't you straighten things up and all that?" River suggested, sugary smile.
"Excuse me?"
"Maybe a little research on related temporal phenomena…You wanted to learn more about time travel and all. Just ask the console to display what it can for you." The Doctor suggested, frown at River who gave an innocent beam. "We'll be back shortly."
"Don't touch anything important, sweetie. She's ornery when she doesn't like people." River noted pleasantly, pulling the Doctor away.
Clara glaring after…
"Doesn't like her, bad sign." Hiss…
"River, there's no need to be rude."
"You mean until a Dalek stalk pops out of her head…" stare.
"She's not a Dalek puppet, I'm sure of that."
"Please…You didn't even check her energy signature, I'd bet. A pretty face, a sweet manner, big eyes staring up at you…And you're a lost Time Lord."
"She only kissed me a couple of times…And I was just glad to find her again after…"
Sudden halt…Stare…
"All right, tell me everything." River, insistent. "And I mean that as your wife as well as your problem solver travelin' buddy…"
"That what you are…?" shrewd grin…
"I'm waitin'…"
"Jealous…Oh, Amy would howl to see you." Grin.
"Mum would tell me to stick up for my marriage...And protect you, no matter who or what I have to…'Exterminate'." River, sharply. "And I mean that with extreme prejudice, sweetie."
"Melody Pond…What were your mom's...Most recent…Words to you."
"She said 'Be a good girl and look after him.' . You heard her and I mean to live up to that charge." Frown. "Thanks for not saying…'final'."
"I'm a lucky sot…" he beamed. "And you of all people know it's never over, even when it's over…"
"Then show your gratitude and tell wifey all…" she eyed him. "And show me Niagara Falls." Taking his arm.
"Hey…" Clara tapped the console, which seemed to be stubbornly refusing to call up anything but a view of the immediate outside, focusing on the strolling River and the Doctor. "I'm…The Doctor's friend…Uh…'The Companion'? How's about a little cooperation? Girl?"
Hmmn…She eyed River, now whispering something to the Doctor. "Well, don't they seem close? Happily married, are they? Is she from the Doctor's home place?…Planet? Come on…Uh, ole girl." She patted the console. "Give us a few answers, eh? Show me something about the Doctor and his Missus."
Sudden flash on screen…
"Whoa! Now, wait a bit!" glare. "We're going to have trouble if you're determined to be like that. And I should tell you I know how to deal with spoiled children."
"Twice? She died twice?" River looked at him, the Doctor shrugging…
"And came back, the important point."
"And she was a Dalek." Frown.
"Not really a Dalek per se…A human brain plugged into a Dalek running unit."
"Exposed to the Dalek hive programming…"
"She fought it off…She was still human at heart when…" he paused… "When I couldn't save her."
He paused…
"Just as I couldn't save her in the Victorian era…"
River, shrugging. "Well, the Dalek connection's what's worries me…Doctor, she could be a plant. A weapon the Daleks managed to get you to take into the TARDIS."
"She wiped me from the Dalek hive memory…They don't even remember me."
"You mean she told you she did." River frowned at him. "Big brown eyes, innocent smile…Dimwitted, two-hearted Doctor."
"She didn't even have a face…And I believe she was independent. Besides, why would the Daleks send a copy of her to Victorian England hoping to catch me?"
"Bait, lover. And if you know them, the Daleks know you."
"And why not blow me up in the TARDIS on our first trip? Not to mention just kill me at the Asylum if they weren't wiped? Hmmn? No, there's more going on here than a 'big plan' by the Daleks…They just don't have this much imagination, they like their solutions simple."
"Unless the plan isn't to kill you." River noted, rubbing fingers together nervously.
"It may have absolutely nothing to do with Daleks, River…It might be some kind of anomaly…Clara's guess might even be right and she's a descendant/ancestor and the records just got screwed up somehow."
"You called me in to try and figure this one out…" she eyed him. "If you're not prepared to consider she might be a threat, however innocent in herself…"
"Don't put it like that…I wanted to see you."
"How many years did you hover over Victorian London? And how many calls did I get?"
"I was upset…I needed some time…"
She stopped, staring…
Uh…
Uh-oh. Shouldn't have opened that Pandorica.
"You blame me, don't you? Because I told Mum to go ahead and follow Dad? She belonged with Dad, Doctor."
"River, I don't blame you…I don't blame anyone. Except that soddin' angel whose head I should've knocked off."
"Well, no need. Already done." She pulled a cement head from her large purse. A face contorted in agony. He blinked at it as she shrugged. Tossing it in mid-air and firing suddenly with the same small ray gun she'd used on Clara, the head shattering to fragments.
"No one separates me from my parents and hurts my husband and then goes skulking off to hibernate until its next chance to do evil anymore." She noted grimly.
"As I said, I'm a lucky sot in my Missus." smile.
"Remember that. Now, lets see the damned falls and you said something about a dinner?"
"Philippi, Doctor…At Philippi…" a voice whispered out of the shadows.
However it being bright sunshine…
"What?" River stared at him.