Reproduction

by LizzeXX

11/OC -Time Lady- The Doctor and Professor will face their toughest challenges yet. Not only must they deal with losing the Ponds, but a new (and rather impossible) companion. How will their quest to start a family fare when, after centuries of trying, nothing has happened? What will they do with Trenzalore looming? Seventh in the Academic Series.

7. The Snowmen

A/N: I don't usually include scenes that don't involve the Doctor and Professor being there, but I really wanted the 'one word test' scene so that's here :) Enjoy!

~8~

The Snowmen

The Doctor sighed to himself as he walked with his arm gentlemanly linked with the Professor's down the snowy alleys of London, circa the late 1800s. He was rather cross with the situation, having just come from a meeting with Vastra, Jenny, and Strax. The three of them had called him and the Professor down from the TARDIS, parked on a cloud high above the city, where they'd been playing a lovely game of chess, under the guise that it was something urgent. They'd gone down there, the Professor's sense of honor that they could at least hear their friends out kicking in. He hadn't been very happy with that, he was quite content to remain how he had been, losing his game of chess due to the distraction of her beauty before him, or so he liked to claim as the reason for his terrible losses in the game.

They'd grown so much closer since the Ponds…left. It had been a swift kick to the both of them, the Ponds having stayed with them much longer than their previous Companions after the war. The little ginger girl being the first one they'd met when they'd regenerated together, they had been such a large part of her life, much like she had been such an important part of theirs, along with her husband. They were both smarting from the loss, having JUST started to get closer to the opposite Companion, the Professor with Amy and the Doctor with Rory, and now…they were gone. It had hurt. Quite a lot in fact. But it had also made them realize something, well, made HIM realize something.

The Professor.

She was his one constant. She was the only person who had promised to be there for him, to stay with him, to never leave him…and managed to do just that. Even when the odds had been dangerously stacked against her, the war, the ultimate sanction, his actions with the Moment, she had survived, she had kept her promise, and she had found him again. She hadn't left him since.

Nor would she ever if he had a say in it.

It had made him aware of her in a way he hadn't thought possible. Every move she made he noticed, every moment without her made him feel like he couldn't breathe, even if she was just a foot away, every smile lit up his hearts and sent them racing. Well, they always did but now it felt so much more powerful. She was his life, his hearts and soul, truly the most important thing in the Universe to him.

In his mind, the rest of the world could burn as long as she was alive and with him.

And he would do anything for her, which was why they were back on Earth and not hovering above it. He shook his head, smiling just a bit when the Professor rested her head on his shoulder. She felt the same, he knew. She'd come so close to losing him so many times that now she was even more protective of him. She didn't like being away from him either.

They passed a young brown haired woman in a red dress, a barmaid, staring at a rather solid snowman with a toothy grin as they neared the road that would take them to their entrance to the TARDIS.

"Did you make this snowman?" the young woman asked.

"No," they called back, continuing to walk on.

They were both of the agreement that they didn't need anyone else but each other now. Before it had been that they didn't need anyone else, but wanted others to join them. And the last time it happened, the last time the Doctor had refused more Companions, after dropping off the Ponds at their new house, the Professor at least had been willing to bring along new people, but understood is reluctance. Now though, the two of them having lost so many, having lost the ones they'd sworn wouldn't end the same way, it had been too much for them both. Why take on the extra guests if they would just leave? Why do that when they had, in each other, someone who would always stay no matter what? Why should they need anyone else?

"Well, who did?" the woman continued, "Because it wasn't there a second ago. It just appeared…from nowhere."

The Doctor paused, looking at the Professor with a soft smile on his face. Her curiosity had been piqued by that, he knew. He could tell even without feeling the flash of curiosity race through her. He just knew her. And, he had to admit, his own had just a bit as well. He kissed her temple and they turned back to examine the snowman. He pulled on Amy's old reading glasses and looked at the snowman closely as the Professor reached out to touch a bit of it.

"Maybe it's snow that fell before," the Doctor commented, "Maybe it remembers how to make snowmen."

The Professor frowned, eyeing the snow in her hand, scanning it.

"What, snow that can remember?" the girl scoffed, "That's silly."

"What's wrong with silly?" the Professor frowned, slightly defensive. The Doctor was silly, and she loved the Doctor, therefore silly was fantastic.

"Nothing," the girl smirked, "Still talking to you two, ain't I?"

The Professor gave a little smile at that, looking at the woman intently, her voice…it was very familiar, actually…thinking on it…she looked familiar too. But…she just couldn't place it. It was almost like she was familiar for two different reasons. Her voice was the more familiar quality at the moment. She shook her head, she was probably just imagining the second familiarity, voices could often trigger vague ideas of what a person looked like so it had to be that.

"What's your name?" she asked the girl.

"Clara."

"Nice name, Clara," the Doctor commented with an indifferent shrug, "I prefer Katherine," he smiled at the Professor, tapping her nose as he took her hand, sparing a passing glance at Clara over his shoulder, "You should keep it though," and leading the Professor off, back out the alley, "Goodbye!"

"Oi!" Clara followed them, "Where are you going? I thought we was just getting acquainted."

The Doctor scoffed and shook his head, just walking on, the only one he wanted to get acquainted with, ever, was the Professor. That girl back there was just another human, nothing compared to his beautiful Bonded.

The Professor squeezed his hand at his thoughts, kissing him on the cheek for it, and tugged him on towards a carriage.

'So, what was in the snow?' he asked her quietly, knowing Clara was probably still listening, humans tended to eavesdrop.

'Nothing much,' she shrugged, 'It had a faint telepathic field, feeds off thoughts, but nothing too hostile at the moment.'

He nodded, 'Good,' but then noticed her expression, 'What?'

'The fact that it's here means that something needed it here,' she reminded him, 'Who knows what thoughts it is planning to feed it.'

He nodded, helping her into the carriage, smirking a bit to himself as he did so, she was in a dark purple dress, a floor length dress, again. He'd spent hours convincing her to wear it, to 'blend in' as he'd put it. Her typical attire wouldn't do well in the early 1800s. She'd reluctantly agreed, tripped three times so far, but he'd caught her each and every time, as he'd promised though she'd taken to holding the front of her dress up a bit to avoid that. He loved it when that happened though, because she ended up in his arms and he had an excuse to hold her close, not that he needed one. He'd hold her close, scoop her into his arms, whenever he wanted, it didn't matter who might be watching or what they were doing at the moment. He loved her and he wouldn't ever hide that.

'When we get back to the TARDIS we can run a scan for the origin of the field,' he determined, just wanting to make sure that the intentions were pure with the snow. For all they knew it could be that the children's thoughts were feeding it, making a spectacular Christmas. Or it could be some sort of invasion, some sort of army of snowmen, and he was not about to let the Professor get attacked by one.

She smiled, leaning back to kiss him before she moved fully into the carriage, not noticing Clara watching them closely as she glanced at the inn.

The Doctor closed the door and tapped the wall of the carriage, signaling for the driver, Strax, to move on.

"How refreshing to see you both taking an interest again," Vastra's voice sounded and they glanced at a small hearing device hanging from the ceiling, looking like an ear horn, "Was she nice?"

"We just spoke to her," the Doctor sighed, irritated he'd had to do even that. Humans were dull, they couldn't carry on or follow a conversation like the Professor could. Speaking of, he was starting to get irritated now again. All he wanted was to spend time with her, to show her how thankful he was she was still there, to show her how much he loved her…and people just kept getting in the way!

"And made your usual impact, no doubt."

"No, no impact at all. Those days are over."

"You can't help yourself," the Professor smiled at him. He might not have been able to see it, but she could, Clara was curious.

"Like you can talk," he smiled at her, a soft look in his eyes as he reached out and touched her cheek, stroking it, "I love it when you talk," he whispered to her, leaning in to kiss her when...

"It's the same story every time," Vastra continued, making the Doctor frown, if people would just stop and leave him alone, leave him be with the Professor, he'd be a happy man, "And it always begins with the same two words."

"I don't think she'll be able to find us," the Professor commented, feeling just a bit putout as well. She and the Doctor, well…they'd gotten rather dependent on each other, rather used to be the only ones holding the other's attention.

"She doesn't even have the name," the Doctor agreed, wanting to put an end to the conversation, it was always so much better with the Professor, she understood him much more than any human, alien, or reptile, "Doctor. What two words?"

Just as the Professor opened her mouth to tell him what the words were, there was a thump on the carriage roof.

"Doctor?" they could hear Clara speak from above them before the hatch in the roof opened and she popped her head down, hanging upside down, "Doctor who?"

~8~

The Doctor was kneeling in the snow, letting it fall through his fingers as he looked closer at it, the Professor beside him, standing, keeping watch on the carriage as it rocked, Clara's faint cries for help coming from within. Strax was there as well, standing at the mouth of the alley they'd hidden in, watching a Dr. Simeon entering his institute through electronic binoculars.

"They've taken samples from snowmen all over London," Strax called, "What do you suppose they're doing in there?"

"This snow is new," the Doctor remarked.

"Most likely alien," the Professor nodded.

"When you find something brand new in the world, something you've never seen before, what's the next thing you look for?"

Strax thought a moment, "A grenade!"

The Professor shook her head at that, "A profit."

"That's Victorian values for you," the Doctor brushed off his hands, taking the Professor's offered hand and standing, pulling her closer and into his arms as he smiled at her in thanks, leaning in to kiss her when…

"I suggest a full frontal assault with automated laser monkeys, scalpel mines, and acid!" Strax declared.

The Doctor let out a breath, closing his eyes as he rested his forehead to hers, exasperated, people just kept on interrupting them, "Why?"

"Couldn't we at least investigate?"

The Professor took a breath, shaking her head as she took the Doctor's hand, "It's none of our business Strax," she told the Sontaran as they walked past.

"Ma'am, permission to express my opposition to your current apathy?"

The Professor shook her head but waved him off, the Sontarans…had seemed to develop a reverence for her recently, most of them treated her like a superior officer when they came in contact with her, "Permission granted."

"Ma'am, I am opposed to your and the Doctor's current apathy."

"Let me out!" Clara shouted in the background.

"Yes, thank you Strax," the Professor frowned.

The Doctor glared, not liking the fact that Strax had made her unhappy with his comment, he knew where her mind had gone to that. Her time as a soldier, both times, when she'd held a certain apathy towards anyone else but him. He never wanted her to be that sad again and here Strax was, bringing it up, "And if ever we're in the need of advice from a psychotic potato dwarf, you'll certainly be the first to know."

He glanced at the Professor to see her smiling at him, 'My hero,' she called, making him blush.

"But if the snow is new and alien, shouldn't we be making some attempt to destroy it?" Strax argued, "Be reasonable."

"Let me out!" Clara shouted again.

"It is not our problem," the Doctor agreed, "Over a thousand years of saving the Universe, Strax, do you know the one thing we learned?"

"The Universe doesn't care," the Professor told him.

If it did, even a little, so many of their friends wouldn't have been lost, wouldn't have suffered, wouldn't have died. Their planet would still be there, their friends, their families, everyone. They wouldn't have lost so much.

"…in this cab!" Clara grunted, trying to kick the door, "Oi, Doctor! Let me out! Are you listening to me?"

The Professor sighed, nodding at the carriage, "Now, we have a problem of our own to worry about."

"Let me out!"

They walked over to the carriage, the Doctor pulling the door open.

"Oi!" Clara glared.

"Don't worry," the Professor told her as she slid into the carriage, ready to grab hold of Clara if need be, the Doctor standing in the doorway with Strax to block an escape attempt, "No one's going to hurt you."

"What is that thing?" Clara stared at Strax.

"Silence, boy!" Strax glared.

"That's Strax," the Doctor told her, "And as you can see, he's easily confused."

"Silence, girl. Sorry, lad."

"Sontaran," the Professor shrugged, as though it explained everything.

"Clone warrior race," the Doctor added.

"Factory produced, whole legions at a time."

"Two genders is a bit further than he can count."

"Sir, ma'am, do not discuss my reproductive cycle in front of enemy girls," Strax muttered, "It's embarrassing."

"Typical middle child of six million."

"Who are you?" Clara glanced between them.

"It doesn't matter because you're about to forget that we ever met," the Doctor told her.

The Professor nodded and turned to Strax, "We'll need the worm."

"Yes ma'am," Strax nodded and headed off.

"You'll need the what?" Clara's eyes widened, "The worm? What worm?"

"Don't worry," the Doctor made his way into the carriage beside the Professor, putting his arm around her, "It won't hurt."

"One touch on your bare skin and you lose the last hour of your memory," the Professor explained.

The Doctor looked over as Strax returned, "Where is it?"

"Where's what, sir?" Strax asked.

The Professor blinked, "I sent you to get the memory worm?"

"Did you? When?" and then he noticed Clara, "Who's he? What are we doing here?" and then he noticed the sky, "Look, it's been snowing!"

The Professor rubbed her forehead, "You didn't use the gauntlets, did you Strax?"

Strax looked at her, confused, "Why would I need the gauntlets?" before seeming to realize, "Do you want me to get the memory worm?"

The Doctor's jaw tensed in irritation, "…you…"

"Calm down love," the Professor put a hand on his arm, "She's only known us ten minutes, we still have 50 more before we start to worry."

The Doctor sighed, nodding as he turned to rest his head on hers a moment, "Best help him then," he nodded, opening his eyes to smile at her softly, "Or teach him a thing or two eh, Professor?"

She smiled, giving him a peck, the Doctor cupping her cheek to kiss her more, when…

"You're a professor?" Clara asked, blinking at them. It was…strange. They seemed so distant and cold to everyone else, but with each other…they were so different. Entirely different people.

"Doesn't matter," the Professor waved her off as the Doctor got out of the carriage, holding a hand out to help the Professor down as she followed, only to see Strax was under the carriage, trying to find the worm.

She glanced over to see Clara get out of the carriage as well, cautiously stepping around behind them to watch Strax.

"Well, can you see it?" the Doctor called, moving over to the Sontaran's feet.

"I think I can hear it," Strax replied.

The Professor looked over at the carriage and spotted something, shaking her head in exasperation when Clara seemed to spot what she had as well and giggled.

"Oi," the Doctor pointed at Clara, "Don't try to run away. Stay where you are."

"Why would I run?" Clara smirked "I know what's going to 'appen next and it's funny."

"What's funny?" he frowned.

Clara nodded at Strax, "Well, your little pal, for a start. 'e's an ugly little fella, isn't 'e?"

"Typical Sontaran," the Professor shrugged.

"He gave his life for a friend of ours once," the Doctor remarked.

"Then 'ow come 'e's alive?" Clara frowned.

"A friend brought him back," the Professor replied, before crouching down to call to Strax, "Though I'm not sure all his brains made the return trip!"

"Neither am I," Clara muttered.

"I can see it!" Strax shouted.

"Ooh!" the Doctor grinned, finally they were getting somewhere, "Can you reach it? Have you got it?"

Strax paused, "Got what, sir?"

Clara stepped past the Doctor and pulled a pair of Sontaran shaped gloves off the front of the carriage, "Because these are the gauntlets, aren't they?"

The Doctor looked up at them before sighing.

"Sir, ma'am emergency!" Strax called, "I think I've been run over by a cab!"

"Give me those," the Professor tugged the gauntlets out of Clara's hands and put them on. She walked around the other side of the carriage, pausing as she concentrated, staring at the carriage.

"What's she doing?" Clara asked as the Doctor stood.

"Listening for the worm," he replied.

"She can 'ear it?" Clara's eyes widened, the worm made very soft noises.

"She's got excellent hearing," he remarked as the Professor stuck her hand down quickly into the cab only to pull out the worm, squealing and struggling in her grip.

"Got it!" she cheered as the Doctor rushed over with a jar, holding it from the bottom as the Professor shoved the worm into it.

"There you go," the Doctor nodded.

The Professor let out a relieved breath as the jar was sealed, leaning down to look at the worm, "One touch and you lose about an hour of your memory. Let it bite you and you could lose decades."

The Doctor glanced over at Clara…still just standing there, "And you're still not trying to run."

"I don't understand 'ow the snowman built itself," Clara replied, "I'll run once you've explained."

"Clara who?"

"Doctor who?" she countered.

The Professor smiled at him, "Dangerous question that is."

"What's wrong with dangerous?" Clara smiled.

"Excellent answer."

The Doctor just smiled at the Professor gazing into her eyes, he loved he sense of adventure, as he explained to Clara what was going on, "The snow emits a low level telepathic field..."

"My snowman..." Clara breathed as she spotted a snowman literally popping up only a few feet away.

"It seems to reflect people's thoughts and memories and, because it's unusual, somehow it carries a previous shape and..."

"No, Doctor," she grabbed his arm and tugged them into the alley, "My snowman!"

"Ah," the Doctor nodded, eyeing it, "Interesting."

"Were you thinking about it?" the Professor asked, stepping closer to it.

"Yes," she nodded...

And another one appeared beside it, and another...

"Well, stop!" the Doctor grabbed the Professor's hand and pulled her back, trying to run, when another one popped up in their way, blocking their escape, "Clara, stop thinking about the snowmen!"

"Get down!" the Professor shouted as one opened its mouth and breathed ice at them. She pushed Clara down and pulled out her blaster, firing it at the snowman, only for it to burst into flurries and reshape itself, "Of of course," she muttered, "Can't blast it to smithereens if it's already smithereens..."

"Clara," the Doctor turned to her as the Professor bought them some time, blasting the snowmen to pieces, forcing them to take time to reshape, "Listen to me," he cupped her face, "The snow's feeding off your thoughts."

"I don't understand," she shook her head.

"You're caught in their telepathic field. They're mirroring you. The more you think about the snowmen, the more they appear."

"Imagine them melting!" the Professor shouted.

"Yes," the Doctor agreed, pointing at the Professor a moment before turning back to Clara, "Picture it. Picture them melted!"

Clara closed her eyes and concentrated as hard as she could...and they were all splashed with icy water as the snowmen melted around them.

"Well," the Doctor straightened up, "Very good. Very, very good. Ha!"

"Is that going to 'appen again?" Clara panted, leaning against a wall as the Doctor hugged the Professor in joy.

"Well, if it does, you know what to do about it."

"Unless I forget," she smirked.

The Doctor and Professor looked at each other.

~8~

The Doctor shoved Clara into the carriage, "Don't come looking for us," the Professor warned, "Forget about us. You understand?"

"What about the snow?" she frowned, "Shouldn't we be warning people?"

"Not our problem," the Doctor shook his head, "Merry Christmas," he looked up at Strax, the driver, "Take her back where we found her."

"Sir," Strax sighed, driving on as they turned and walked off, not noticing Clara had already slipped out of the carriage to follow them.

They walked to a small park, hopping over the railings, the Doctor smirking as he helped the Professor over it so her dress wouldn't get caught, walking along a little path, when the Doctor grinned and turned, suddenly bringing the Professor to him.

"What are you doing?" the Professor asked as the Doctor pulled her closer, winding an arm around her, taking her hand in his other.

He smiled softly at her, "Giving you your Christmas gift," he murmured, snapping his fingers.

She looked up, laughing as it started to snow. He just pulled her closer, humming softly in her ear as he swayed her gently, dancing with her among the falling snow, oblivious to anyone who might be watching them. She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder, he had given her exactly what she wanted for Christmas, a simple dance in the snow with her Bonded.

Neither of them noticed Clara watching from behind a tree, her eyes wide at how it was only snowing around them, how close they were, how content they seemed. This did not correlate to what she saw of them earlier, this happiness they exuded was so contrasting to the bitterness with which they treated everything else.

The Professor laughed as the Doctor moved from dancing with her to trying to tickle her sides, taking his hands as she stepped away from him, her cheeks red, her eyes full of love. He smiled and tugged her in again, kissing her quickly before he turned and hopped, grabbing hold of a ladder hidden in the dark of the sky with one hand, his other still holding the Professor's. It slowly fell down, the Doctor pushing it to the ground before straightening.

The Professor moved to the other side of the ladder, stepping on the last rung as he did the same on his side, resting her arms, crossed on a higher rung as he held onto one more near his waist.

"Going up," he smiled as he tapped the ladder, it lifting into the air, disappearing into the dark as a startled Clara stumbled out from behind her tree, trying to spot them again.

The Doctor stepped off onto a small platform, helping the Professor onto it as they made their way up an invisible spiral staircase that led them right to a cloud, with a familiar old phone box on the top of it. The poor old box had seen better days, seeming as sad as they were on the outside to have lost Amy and Rory, even her interior had changed, becoming just that little less organic and more her mechanical roots.

"Come along dear," he took her hand, walking with her across the cloud and into the TARDIS for some nice warm tea and a snuggle.

That was all they needed, each other and their old box.

~8~

The Professor smiled as she sat against the console, her head on the Doctor's shoulder as he read a book to her, Dickens, 'A Christmas Carol,' fitting. She laughed as he did voices too...when suddenly there was a knock on the door.

They frowned, looking up, who could possibly be knocking? Not even Vastra knew where they were, simply that they were on a cloud.

The Doctor got up and walked to the door, opening it, "Hello?" he called, looking around. He glanced back at her before stepping out, "Hello?" he looked to the left, hearing a noise and walked over to it, making his way around the box, "Hello?"

The Professor jumped up and ran to the door when she spotted someone run past towards the stairs, "Doctor," she called, stepping out and over to them as he made his way back around to the doors. She knelt down and picked up a very familiar red shawl.

The Doctor sighed, "Time to move the TARDIS...again."

She smiled, "It's your own fault you left the ladder down last time."

He nodded, taking the shawl and tossing it over the side of the cloud and headed in with her.

~8~

Clara blinked as she found herself face-to-face with Strax once more. She had returned to her job as s governess only to find the children, one of them, had been having nightmares of an old governess who died, frozen in a pond just outside their home. The other child had remarked his sister needed a doctor and she'd gone to try and find him...only to see the ladder gone but running into another woman who seemed to know of him and the Professor.

"Do not attempt to escape or you will be obliterated!" Strax stated, "May I take your coat?"

The young woman, Jenny she'd learned, led her into a conservatory where a reptilian woman sat in a peacock chair, surrounded by greenery, a glass of red liquid beside her.

"Sit," Jenny offered.

"There are two refreshments in your world the color of red wine," the green woman remarked as she sat, "This is not red wine."

"Madame Vastra will ask you questions. You will confine yourself to single word responses. One word only, do you understand?"

"Why?" Clara asked.

"Truth is singular," Vastra explained, the wise words of an old friend, "Lies are words, words, words. You met the Doctor and Professor, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"And now you've come looking for them again. Why?"

"Take your time," Jenny called, seeing her hesitate, "One word only."

"Curiosity," Clara decided.

"About?" Vastra asked.

"Snow."

"And about them?"

"Yes."

"What do you want from them?"

"Help."

"Why?"

"Danger."

"Why would they help you?"

Clara frowned, "Kindness."

"The Doctor is not kind."

"No?" she asked, clearly not believing it.

"No. The Doctor doesn't help people. Not anyone, not ever. He stands above this world and doesn't interfere in the affairs of its inhabitants. He is not your salvation, nor your protector. Do you understand what I am saying to you?"

She smirked, "Words."

Vastra returned it, "And how do you know that?"

Clara gave a gentle smile, recalling how she'd seen him act around one specific person, if he could be that kind to her, he had to have it in him to be kind to others, "Professor."

"Yes," Vastra nodded, "She is the only one he shows kindness to anymore," she sighed, "He was different once, a long time ago. Kind, yes. A hero, even. He and the Professor, the savers of worlds. But they suffered losses which hurt them. Now he prefers isolation to the possibility of pain's return. The Professor," she smiled softly, "Is the only one who has ever promised him forever and kept it. She keeps the pain at bay," she glanced at Clara, "Kindly choose a word to indicate your understanding of this."

"Human."

Vastra glanced at Jenny who nodded, despite the two being aliens, they were, at times more human than humans were, so she turned back to Clara, "We are the Doctor and Professor's friends. We assist them in their isolation but that does not mean we approve of it. So, a test for you. Give me a message for them. Tell them all about the snow and what fresh danger you believe it presents and, above all, explain why they should help you," she reached out and put a finger to Clara's lips, "But do it in one word."

Clara frowned.

"You're thinking it is impossible such a word exists, or that you could even find it," she pulled her finger away, "Let's see if the gods are with you. They know the Professor will require wit to be willing to help. And the Doctor will not if she won't."

~8~

The Doctor rolled his eyes as the phone rang in the TARDIS. The Professor was reading him Shakespeare's sonnets in that beautiful voice of hers, his favorite writings by his favorite author from his favorite person…and the phone just HAD to ring didn't it?

He sighed and picked it up, setting it on speaker, "Yes? What? The Professor's reading."

"Miss Clara and her concerns about the snow," Vastra said quickly, making the Professor look up, "I gave her your one word test Professor."

She frowned, "What did she say?"

Vastra was silent.

"Well?" the Doctor asked, growing impatient, "Well?"

"Pond," Vastra replied, making them look at each other, "Strax has already suggested where to start investigating."

The Doctor watched as the Professor pulled off Amy's reading glasses that they'd taken to sharing and stared at them sadly.

He swallowed hard, "We'll be down in a mo."

~8~

Dr. Simeon sat at his work desk in the study of his Institute, a large snow globe-like device set up in the middle of the room on a platform, snow whirring in it, electricity crackling around it, "Danger!" it shouted, "Danger!"

"What's wrong?" he got up, moving towards it.

"There is danger here. An intelligence. An intelligence beyond anything else in this time and place."

"Dr. Simeon, sir," a servant called, rushing into the room, "There're two people demanding to see you."

"No callers," he waved the man off, "Not in here, not ever. Did they leave names?"

"Sir, it's Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson!"

The doors flew open and the Doctor stepped in, wearing a deerstalker hat, a cape, holding a walking cane and with a pipe in his mouth, the Professor beside him, forgoing her dress for a moment and wearing a pair of black trousers and a tight black, almost military, shirt.

"Oh, nice office," the Doctor looked around, spotting the snow globe, "Big globey thing. Now, shut up, don't tell me!" he pointed at Simeon with the cane, "I see from your collar stud you have an apple tree and a wife with a limp. Am I right?"

"No," the man deadpanned.

"Do you have a wife? I do," he grinned back at the Professor, "Isn't she lovely?"

Simeon eyed her distastefully, before answering to both, "No."

"Oi!" the Doctor glared at him.

'It's alright,' the Professor called to him silently, though her gaze was on the globe, 'That just means he won't be looking at me.'

The Doctor blinked and had to nod, he liked it when men didn't look at her like that, before he turned back to Simeon, "Bit of a tree? Bit of a wife? Some apples? Come on, work with me here."

"I enjoy The Strand magazine as much as the next man, but I am perfectly aware that Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character," Simeon eyed the Professor, "And that Dr. Watson is a man."

"Typo in the printing press," she shrugged, "Joan became John," she sighed, "But believe me, far more similar I am to him."

"Get out!" Simeon snapped.

The Doctor ignored him and pointed his cane at the servant, "Do you have a goldfish named Colin?"

The servant actually had to think for a moment, "No."

The Doctor grinned, "Thought not. Now, ooh," he turned and plucked a card off Simeon's desk as the Professor wandered around the platform, "I see this is one of your business cards. It says so on the front."

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Simeon asked, snatching the business card away.

The Doctor just grinned, "This," he said, before dashing to the globe with his cane, "Wakey wakey!"

Simeon ran after him as he banged on the globe, "That is highly valuable equipment," he grabbed the cane, "You must step away now."

"Must I?" the Doctor smirked.

Simeon stiffened, hearing a whirring noise behind him and glanced over his shoulder to see the Professor holding her blaster to the back of his head, "No, actually, I think YOU must step away from my husband now Dr. Simeon."

Simeon let go of the cane and took a single step to the side, holding up his hands as the Professor moved beside the Doctor, her blaster still aimed at him as the Doctor wound an arm around her waist.

"Still sexy," he whispered in her ear, kissing her temple, nuzzling the side of her head with his nose, smirking as he felt her shiver in his arms, he loved that he had that affect on her.

"We are the Intelligence," the globe stated, pulling their attention back.

"Oh," the Doctor smirked, "Talking snow. I love new things."

"You are not of this world."

"Takes one to snow one," the Doctor laughed, looking at the Professor who just shook her head. He cleared his throat, "Right, let's see..."

"Multi-nucleate crystalline organism with the ability to mimic and mirror what it finds," the Professor stated.

He nodded, "Looks like snow. Isn't snow."

"You must leave here now," Simeon insisted.

"Shut up, I'm making deductions. It's very exciting. Now, what are you, eh? A flock of space crystals? A swarm?"

Simeon made his way to a dangling rope, pulling it to sound the alarms, calling for the servants.

The Professor eyed it, "The snowmen are foot soldiers, mindless predators."

"But you, you're the clever one. You're Moriarty," the Doctor continued, surreptitiously pulling out his sonic to flash the back doors, locking them, "So...you turn up on a planet..."

"You generate a telepathic field to learn what you can..."

"And when you've learnt enough, what do you do?"

She shook her head, "You can't conquer the world using snowmen."

"Snowmen are rubbish in July."

"You'll have to be better than that."

"You'll have to evolve."

Simeon eyed the two of them as they spoke in turn, when there was a banging on the doors, "Sir, it appears to be stuck!"

"What have you done?" Simeon ran to the doors, "Have you locked the doors?"

"You need to translate yourself into something more human," the Professor added.

"Kick it down!" Simeon hissed through the door.

"But to do that you'd need a perfect duplicate of human DNA in ice form."

"Where do you find that?" the Doctor wandered over to the desk.

"Sir?" the servants called.

"Get in here, quickly!" Simeon shouted.

"I've got a master key somewhere, sir."

"Now, let's see," the Doctor grinned, "Most opened file," he picked up a worn book, "Most viewed page," and dropped it down to the floor, letting it fall open to a news clipping of 'Tragedy at Darkover House,' "You know, you really should delete your history."

The Professor leaned forward, "Governess frozen in pond."

"Gotcha!" the Doctor laughed, taking her hand and running towards the back French doors just as the servants entered.

~8~

"Body frozen in a pond," the Doctor remarked as he walked along the ledge of the small frozen pond outside Darkover Manor, scanning it with his sonic, "The snow gets a good long look at a human being, like a full body scan."

"Everything they need to evolve," the Professor sighed, she was crouched down at the edge of it, back in her purple gown, the front end hemmed up enough for her to not worry about tripping, her hand skimming the top of the ice before she crossed her arms, sitting back on her heels.

"Pond," the Doctor gave a small smile, "Good point, Clara," he reached out a hand and helped the Professor up.

"What are you doing here Strax?" the Professor called.

The Doctor turned to see the Sontaran just turning the corner and kissed the Professor's temple. He knew her sense, her hearing and sight were better than anyone's, not for the best reason. She didn't often like using them, taking a bit of effort to dull them to average, but after dealing with the Gunslinger, Kahler-Tek, she seemed to have embraced them.

Strax simply saluted her, a weapon in hand, "Madame Vastra wondered if you were needing any grenades?"

She blinked, "Grenades? Are you sure VASTRA asked you that?"

Strax thought a moment, "She might have said 'help.'"

"Help for what?" the Doctor shook his head, winding his arms around the Professor as she stood before him, resting his chin on her shoulder as he absently swayed them.

"Well, your investigation."

"Investigation?" he frowned, "Who says I'm investigating? Do you think I'm going to start investigating just because some bird smiles at me? I wouldn't do that for anyone but the Professor," he kissed her cheek and turned around to look at the pond.

"Thanks love," she laughed, "Feeling's mutual."

He nodded, calling back to Strax, "Who do you think we are?"

Strax grinned, "Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson."

The Professor grimaced and shook her head, "Don't be clever, Strax. It doesn't suit you."

"Sorry, ma'am," he sighed.

"We're the clever ones," the Doctor agreed, "You're the potato one."

"Yes, sir."

"Now go away."

"Yes," Strax said, waiting till the Doctor turned around, before heading off, calling back, "Mister Holmes."

"Oi!" the Doctor turned, "Shut up. You're not clever or funny and you've got tiny little legs!" before spinning around to suddenly pull the Professor to him, dancing with her on the ledge, not even noticing the area around them turning warm gold from the firelight inside as a curtain in a window parted, "Not like you dear," he whispered, "Your legs go on for miles."

"Who would have thought you were a 'legs man,'" she laughed.

"Well you're a chin woman," he countered, nudging her chin with his own, "You know you love it."

"No," she sighed and he looked at her, "I love YOU. All of you, every part," she blinked, "So I suppose that includes your chin as well."

He smirked, "That sounded familiar."

She groaned and dropped her head onto his shoulder, recalling when they'd helped the Tenza George, how he'd made a comment about pantophobia not being a fear of pants, but everything…which included pants, "I'm starting to sound like you, must be getting old."

He laughed, "I'm only two years older than you!"

"Still," she smiled, "Older."

He laughed, about to speak, when a faint tapping reached them. They looked up to see Clara, dressed very primly, by the window, knocking on it to get their attention, waving at them before motioning for them to come in.

The Doctor sighed and looked at the Professor, resting his forehead to hers, "Ok, just tell her we're leaving, we're not going up. Leaving. Not going up," he turned and held up a hand, indicating five minutes and then a thumbs up.

The Professor laughed at that, "What was that about?"

He frowned at his hand, staring at it as though it had betrayed him, "Five minutes, where did that come from?" before pointing at it, "You..."

"Dear," the Professor cut in, "We'd best get inside."

He looked at her, "Why?"

She nodded at the ice, it was starting to crack.

~8~

The Professor and the Doctor were hiding behind a small puppet theater in a school room, readying a trap, when the door burst open and Clara ran in with two children.

"What do we do?" the boy shouted.

"Frannie," Clara turned to the girl as a living-ice statue that was shaped something like a severe nanny entered the room, "Frannie, imagine 'er melting."

"What?" the girl breathed.

"In your 'ead. Melt 'er!"

"I can't!"

"I'm getting impatient!" the ice woman shouted, "You have been very naughty!"

The Professor moved forward, about to help, there were children in danger, when the Doctor pulled her back and held up his sonic with a grin. She smirked and kissed him quickly, jumping up.

"Get back!" she half-barked at the ice woman as she stepped around the stage, her blaster out and ready, aimed at the statue.

"Professor!" Clara gasped, so relieved.

"Is that her?" Frannie looked at her governess, "The clever lady?"

The ice woman lunged at the Professor but she just fired, blasting the fingers off its left hand, "I said BACK!"

"Yeah," Clara breathed, "That's 'er."

"What about the man?" the boy asked her, "You said the man was here too, the cloud man."

"Where is 'e?" Clara looked at the Professor as she moved in front of them, protecting them from the ice woman.

"Where's the Doctor?"

"Doctor?" a slightly squeaky voice called from the stage. They looked over to see a Punch Puppet had popped up, "Doctor? Doctor who?" before turning and aiming the sonic screwdriver at the ice woman, shattering her.

The Doctor grinned, popping up as well, "That's the way to do it!"

And Punch turned and kissed him.

"Oi!" the Professor laughed, putting her blaster away as she made her way over to the Doctor, pulling the puppet off his hand. She pointed mock warningly at the toy, "Lips off my Bonded."

The Doctor grinned and leaned forward, getting a kiss from her a well.

"Where did she go?" Frannie asked, pulling them out of their moment, "Will she come back?"

"No," the Professor turned to her, "Don't worry."

"She's currently draining through your carpet," the Doctor added, stepping out of the stage, wiggling his sonic, "New setting."

"Anti-freeze," the Professor turned to him, "Told you it would come in handy."

He smirked, "Still waiting for that 'wood' setting."

She rolled her eyes, "Life needs challenges," she shrugged, "Some doors aren't meant to be opened."

"And some you just love kicking down don't you?"

"You know you love my legs," she nudged him in the stomach.

"Yes, I know," he rolled his eyes, "Leg man."

She just smiled and pecked his chin, "Chin woman."

He beamed about to lean in to kiss her, when Clara called, "Are you really flirting with a mad statue of living ice that just tried to kill us melting in the carpet?"

The Doctor sighed, dropping his head to the Professor's, before glancing at Clara, his eyes just a bit narrow, "You're very welcome, by the way."

"I'm very grateful," she nodded, "I knew you'd come."

"No, you didn't," the Doctor shook his head, "Because we don't."

The Professor had to nod, "This isn't the sort of thing we do, not anymore."

"Next time you're in trouble, don't expect us to..." the Doctor paused, spotting himself in the mirror, his drawn face, his expression sour. While he looked bitter, the Professor just looked sad and tired.

"What is it?" Clara asked, watching as the Professor made her way to his side and wrapped an arm around his waist, leaning on him as they stared at themselves, at the bitter people they'd become, those people…they weren't them, "What's wrong?"

"Sorry, it's just…" the Doctor shook his head, squeezing the Professor close, "Didn't know we'd put it on," he straightened his bow tie a bit.

"Old habits," the Professor patted his tie, "Hardest to break," she smiled at him sadly, "And not just the bow tie."

"It's cooler," Clara breathed, spotting ice forming on the windows.

The Doctor gave a little smile, "Yeah, it is, isn't it? It is very cool. Bow ties are cool."

"She meant the room," the Professor whispered to him, before heading to the frosting window and putting her hand on it.

Suddenly a bulge formed in the carpet and got bigger.

"She's coming back!" the boy shouted.

"What's she going to do?" Frannie gasped, "Is she going to punish me?"

The Doctor tried flashing the bulge with his sonic but it didn't do anything.

"Well," the Professor blinked, pulling out her blaster as the Doctor backed the trio of humans up, "It would appear she's learnt not to melt."

The Doctor glanced at Frannie, "Of course, she's not really a governess, she's just a beast. She's going to eat you. Run!" he grabbed the Professor's hand, the two of them dashing out with the children and Clara, the boy and girl stomping down the stairs.

"Children, what is the expla..." a man who could only be their father began, hearing them, only to spot the Doctor and Professor behind Clara, "Who the devil are you? What are you doing in my house?"

"It's ok," the Doctor held up his hands, "We are your governess's..." he trailed off, looking at the Professor.

"Physician and Tutor," the Professor supplied, "We were just upstairs talking to the children..."

"Captain Latimer!" a maid ran in as there was a knock at the front door, "In the garden, there's snowmen! And they're just growing out of nowhere, all by themselves. Look!" she ran to the door, throwing it open to reveal Vastra and Jenny standing there.

"Good evening," Vastra smiled, "I'm a lizard woman from the dawn of time, and this is my wife."

The maid screamed and ran into the house, trying to rush out the back…

When Strax stepped around the corner, "This dwelling is under attack. Remain calm, human scum."

The Doctor dashed forward as the maid fainted, "So, any questions?"

"Vastra, what's happening?" the Professor turned to her.

"The snow is highly localized and, on this occasion, not naturally occurring," Vastra told them.

"It's coming out of that cab parked by the gates," Jenny added.

"Ma'am," Strax turned to the Professor, "One pulver grenade would blow these snowmen to smithereens!"

"They're made of snow, Strax," she reminded him, "They're already smithereens. I've tried it."

"See, Clara?" the Doctor rolled his eyes, "Our friends again."

"Clara?" the father turned to her, "Who's Clara?"

"Your current governess is, in reality, a former barmaid called Clara."

"That's the way to do it!" the ice woman, now reformed, called as she appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Meanwhile your previous governess is now a living ice sculpture impersonating Mister Punch."

The Professor set her blaster up higher and turned, firing up the stairs at the statue, shattering her again. She turned around to see the humans staring at her, "What?" she shrugged, "She was irritating me."

'Now imagine how much worse it'll be when you're going through mood swings,' the Doctor had to smile at her, thinking about what she might be like if…no, when…was ever pregnant.

'You may want to lock up my blaster then dear,' she countered, making him pout at the small dig that she might just shoot him too.

"Jenny, what have you got?" the Professor looked at the woman.

Jenny pulled out a small red device and threw it up the stairs, a force field coming up around the small landing, "That should hold her if she reforms."

"Ma'am, this room," Strax called from a small study, "One observational window on the line of attack and one defendable entrance."

"Well done soldier," the Professor told him.

Strax beamed and seemed near tears at the praise, saluting her.

"Right," she nodded, "Everyone in there," she ushered the children on, "Now. Move it. You may have to carry her," she told the father.

Clara frowned and turned to the Doctor, "Why does 'e salute 'er so much?" she asked.

"Won't find a better soldier than her," he commented, flashing the ice woman with the sonic.

Clara frowned at that, concerned, the woman didn't look much like a soldier, but she supposed, how easily she handled a weapon should be answer enough. She dashed over to her employer, Captain Latimer, and helped him carry the maid, Alice, over to the study.

"Nice to see you both off your cloud and engaging again," Vastra smirked at the Doctor.

"We're not engaging again," he countered, "We're under attack."

"You missed this, didn't you?"

He glanced at the ice bits as they started to reform and back at Vastra, "Shut up."

"Doctor!" the Professor called, standing in the doorway of the study. He nodded and dashed off to her, Vastra following.

"Right," he gave her a peck as he entered the room, Vastra shutting the door behind them, "How long have we got?"

"They're not going to attack," she commented.

"No?" Captain Latimer looked up.

"No," she stated, "They made no attempt to conceal their arrival. An attack force would never abandon surprise so easily, and they're clearly in a defense formation," the humans stared at her again, "Why does everyone always look at me like that?"

"Because you're remarkable," the Doctor wound his arms around her waist, pulling her back towards him, "Brilliant," he whispered in her ear, "Sexy," he kissed her neck.

"Easily distracted too it seems," she murmured, kissing him.

Clara looked at the two of them, kissing in the middle of the study, while snowmen surrounded the house and a killer ice woman lurked on the stairs, and glanced at Vastra to see the green woman smiling softly, "Do they do this a lot?"

She laughed, "Wait till you hear them talking."

"So!" the Doctor shouted, pulling away from the Professor, startling the others with how suddenly he'd changed course, "There's something here they want."

"The ice woman," Clara guessed.

The Doctor pointed at her, "Exactly."

"Why's she so important?" Jenny shook her head, confused.

"Because she's a perfect duplication of human DNA in ice crystal form," the Professor explained.

The Doctor nodded, "The ultimate fusion of snow and humanity."

"To live here, the snow needs to evolve."

"And she's the blueprint."

"She's what they need to become."

"When the snow melted last night, did the pond?" the Doctor pointed at Clara, who just stared at him now along with the others.

"Yes," the Professor cut in when Latimer opened his mouth, "We do talk like this a lot. Moving on."

"No," Clara shook her head out of her thoughts.

"Living ice that will never melt," the Professor murmured.

The Doctor took her hand, "If the snow gets hold of that creature on the stairs, it will learn to make more of them. It will build an army of ice. And it will be the last day of humanity on this planet..."

The doorbell rang.

The Professor stiffened and eyed the others, "Stay here," she ordered them, tugging the Doctor with her out the door.

They had just stepped into the hall when the door opened again and Clara stepped out, "Oi, she told you to stay in there," the Doctor told her.

"Oh, I didn't listen," Clara replied.

"You do that a lot."

"It's why you like me."

"Who said we like you?"

Clara just reached out and grabbed his head, pulling him towards her to kiss him. It only lasted a moment before she was shoved back, a gun in her face, "Kiss my husband again and you won't have a head anymore."

Clara's eyes widened as she turned to the Doctor, stunned, "You're married?!" she'd thought they were just lovers, and even then they were flirty enough that she thought she might be able to sneak a kiss in…but never married!

"Every time," he muttered, "Every time someone finds that out they always give me that look," he gestured at Clara before turning to the Professor with a pout, "Why do they do that look?"

She smiled and stepped closer, putting her arms around his neck, "Because you're remarkable," she echoed his words, "Mad," she deviated, "Dashing..." she gave him a peck, resting her forehead to his as she smiled, "And about to save the humans."

He laughed, kissing her again before taking her hand and pulling her to the front door, a slightly confused Clara following. The Professor had gone from about to kill her to flirting with the Doctor in mere seconds.

They were strange those two.

The Doctor threw open the front door to see Dr. Simeon standing there, his face as grim as ever. They stared each other down for a moment or two before Simeon spoke, "Release her to us," was all he said, "You have five minutes," before turning to leave.

The Professor pulled the Doctor back inside and shut the door, "We need to get her out of here but keep her away from them."

"How?" Clara asked.

The Doctor glanced over at an umbrella sticking out of a stand, "With this," he grabbed it, "Do I always have to state the obvious?"

"Those creatures outside," Captain Latimer shouted, rushing out of the study to join them, "What are they?"

"No danger to you," the Professor assured him, "As long as we get that," she nodded at the ice woman who had reformed at the top of the stairs, "Out of here."

"You," the Doctor pointed at him and then the study, "In there, now," he turned to the stairs with the Professor sonicing the force field as she readied her blaster.

"What are you doing?" Clara called.

"Between the three of us, I can't wait to find out," he grinned as the force field extended to the steps, allowing them within it. He nodded, "Right, if you look after everyone here," he called to Clara, "Then we can..."

"Clara!" the Professor shouted, seeing that Clara had stepped into the force field with them.

"Duck!" she yelled, pointing at the ice woman as she swung at them.

They dropped down, running past the ice woman and up the stairs, to the top landing.

"That was stupid," the Doctor stopped to face Clara.

"You were stupid, too," she countered.

"I'm allowed!"

"He's good at stupid," the Professor agreed.

"Oi!" the Doctor turned to her.

"That's the way to do it!" the ice woman sneered as she made her way up to them, her body jerking as she moved.

"Why does she keep saying that?" Clara frowned.

"Mirroring," he explained quickly, "Random mirroring."

"We need to get on the roof," the Professor cut in, looking around the hall for the best means to get to it.

"This way!" Clara grabbed their hands and pulled them off.

"No, no I do the hand grabbing!" the Doctor cried, "That's my job. That's always me!"

Clara just ignored him and led them to a window with a small portion of the flat roof outside it, quite like the small lounge Martha had taken them too on the Moon.

The Doctor threw it open and hopped through it, turning to Clara who was between him and the Professor, the Professor insisting on being the last one out as she was the only one with a weapon that could slow the ice woman down a bit.

"Come on, quickly!" he shouted, scrambling onto the roof, only to see Clara stuck in the window, "What are you doing?"

"My bustle is stuck," Clara told him, straining to get through the window.

"Your bustle?" he gaped.

"You pull," he heard the Professor call from behind Clara, "I'll push!"

He rolled his eyes but grabbed Clara's arms, pulling her as the Professor gave her a shove, poor Clara falling out of the window and landing right on top of him.

"You're going to have to take those clothes off," he groaned.

Clara gasped, staring at him with wide eyes.

"What was that Doctor?" the Professor asked as she hopped out of the window.

He winced, "I didn't mean..."

"I know," Clara said quickly, not wanting him to end up on the wrong side of the Professor's blaster like she had.

"I just..."

"I understand, I do."

"Good," he nodded.

"What would be better is if you got off my husband Clara," the Professor called. Clara squealed as though just realizing she was still on top of him before she scrambled up, "Thank you," the Professor stepped backwards, closer to the Doctor, holding back a hand to him to help him up.

"Now, what's the plan?" Clara asked as soon as he was up, spotting the ice woman in the window.

"Who said I've got a plan?" the Doctor asked.

"Course you've got a plan. You took that," she nodded at the umbrella still in his hand.

"Maybe I'm an idiot."

"There's no maybe about that love," the Professor smiled.

"Ah, but I'm YOUR idiot," he smiled, moving towards her, about to wrap his arms around her when...

"You're not!" Clara cut in, seeing them about to start flirting, not really the best time what with the crazed ice woman currently trying to get over the window ledge with not legs to climb with, "You're clever. You're both really clever."

The Doctor wiggled the umbrella at the Professor who put her blaster away and took it, "Are you?" she asked, tossing Clara the umbrella.

"If I've got a plan, what is it?" the Doctor nodded, putting his arm around the Professor's shoulders, "You tell me."

"That's the way to do it!" the ice woman cackled, still mirroring Punch.

"Is this a test?" Clara frowned, eyeing them suspiciously.

"Yes," they said as one.

"What will it do to us?"

The Professor shrugged, "Probably try to kill us."

Clara frowned, eyeing the woman, something inside her told her that the Professor would NEVER let anything hurt the Doctor...she'd gone batty when she'd attacked his lips in a completely benign way.

"That's the way to do it!" the ice woman shrieked, before turning into a cloud of ice bits so she could flit over the windowsill on the wind, reshaping herself on the roof.

"So, come on then," the Doctor cut in, "Plan. Do I have one?"

"Oh, I know what your plan is," Clara smirked, tossing him the umbrella, only for the Professor to catch it in one hand, "I knew straight away."

"No, you didn't," he smirked as the Professor tossed it back.

"Course I did," she returned it, the umbrella going back and forth between her and the Professor.

"Show us," the Professor smiled, Clara was clever if she figured it out from just an umbrella.

"Why should I?"

"Because we'll be dead in under thirty seconds," the Doctor said, the umbrella being tossing back one more time.

"Go on," the Professor smiled, "Does he actually have a plan for once?"

Clara gave them a look before pacing to the side of the roof as she explained quickly to them, "If we'd been escaping, we'd be climbing down the building. If we'd been 'iding, we'd be on the other side of the roof. But no, we're standing right 'ere."

"My God," the Professor blinked, "She talks as fast as the last you!" she pointed at the Doctor accusingly, as though it were his fault.

He just held up his hands in surrender and smirked at Clara, "So?"

"So!" she reached up with the handle of the umbrella and pulled the ladder to the TARDIS down, just as the ice woman neared her fully formed state, "After you," she gestured at the ladder.

"After you," the Doctor shook his head.

"After you," she insisted, "We're wearing dresses."

The Professor laughed and nudged the Doctor, "Eyes front, soldier."

"My eyes are always front!" he made his way to the ladder and climbed up.

The Professor smirked, enjoying the view, "Mine aren't."

He glanced down at her, starting to blush, seeing she was eyeing his bum, "Stop it!" he mock whined.

She laughed, "Make me."

He started to smirk as well, hooking an arm around a ladder rung and turning to look down at her, "Yeah, well, maybe I will."

"I'd like to see you try," she challenged.

"You asked for it…" he moved to step down when.

"Just climb!" Clara shouted, while their flirting was rather sweet, there were FAR better times to be doing it than when the ice woman was nearly fully formed.

"Right," the Doctor winced, heading back up the ladder.

"Clara," the Professor turned to her, stepping on one side of the ladder, gesturing at the ice woman, "Would you like to do the honors?"

Clara stepped onto the others side of the ladder and cleared her throat as she turned to the ice woman, her speech proper again, the one she used when around the Captain and his children as opposed to her normal voice, "I understand you're the previous governess. I regret to inform you the position is taken. Goodnight," she tapped the ladder with the umbrella and it lifted into the air, the Professor giving a little wave at the ice woman as she tried to grab the air below them, just missing them.

The Doctor reached out and helped the Professor onto the small platform at the bottom of the staircase, the two of them moving to help Clara on as well.

"So you can move your cloud?" she panted, "You can control it?"

"No," the Professor shook her head, "No one can control clouds."

"That would be silly," the Doctor agreed, "The wind, a little bit."

Suddenly the platform shook. They looked down to see the ice woman had pulled the ladder down and was starting to climb up.

"She's following us!" Clara gasped.

"Exactly as planned," the Professor smiled, taking the Doctor's hand as they dashed for the stairs, "Keep her away from the snow."

"So," the Doctor glanced back at Clara as she followed them, "Barmaid or governess, which is it?"

"That thing is after us, and you want a chat?" Clara asked incredulously.

"Well, we can't chat after we've been horribly killed, can we?"

Clara moved to answer, when she noticed how high they were above the rooftops having not climbed all that many stairs, "How did we get up so high so quick?"

"Clever staircase."

"It's taller on the inside," the Professor called down as they reached the top of the stairs and hopped onto the cloud.

"What am I standing on?" Clara looked down, "What's this made of?"

The Doctor knelt down and flashed the cloud above the stairs, sealing it off, blocking the entrance, as the Professor answered, "Super dense water vapor."

He flipped the sonic and put it away, "Should keep her trapped for the moment."

"Do you actually live up here, on a cloud, in a box?" Clara asked, eyeing the old box as they headed towards it.

"We have done for a long time now."

"Blimey, you two really know 'ow to sulk, don't you?"

"We're not sulking," the Professor shook her head.

"You live in a box!"

"That's no more a box than you are a governess," the Doctor scoffed, moving to unlock the door.

Clara's eyes narrowed at the comment, "Oh, spoken like a man. You know, you're the same as all the rest. Sweet little Clara, works at the 'Rose And Crown,' ideas above her station," she moved to follow them as they made their way into the darkened box, "Well, for your information, I'm not sweet on the inside, and I'm certainly not…"

The Professor hit a switch and the lights turned on, the entire room a grayish-white, the console computerized with six-sides, a small railing around it, panels around the edge with two seats in the middle of it, and a top portion of the rotor that rotated with odd symbols along the rim of it.

"Little," she breathed, staring around in awe.

"It's called the TARDIS," the Professor smiled, she rather liked Clara, it was refreshing that a human could keep up with them, her spunk reminded her quite a bit of Amy and Donna, "It can travel anywhere in time and space."

The Doctor wrapped an arm around the Professor's waist, "And it's ours."

"But it's…" Clara looked around, unable to find the words, "Look at it, it's…"

The Doctor smirked, "Go on, say it. Most people do."

Clara just darted out of the box as they chuckled, running around the outside, before dashing back in, staring at them a moment before saying, "It's smaller on the outside."

The Doctor blinked, "Ok," he nodded, "That is a first."

The Professor laughed, "Much like Amy's 'I'm in my nightie,' eh?" she nudged him.

He nodded, hearing the hidden words behind it, Clara…was a lot like Amy, but…different, a good different, not a replacement. She was capable of handling this sort of life and would truly appreciate the adventures.

She was just what a Companion needed to be.

She was just the sort of person Amy would want them to have around.

"Is it magic?" Clara took a few more steps in, looking around, "Is it a machine?"

"It's a ship," the Professor explained as they turned to the console.

"A ship?"

"Best ship in the Universe," the Doctor agreed.

Clara stepped over to them, looking at all the buttons and knobs, "Is there a kitchen?"

The Professor shook her head, "Another first."

"I don't know why I asked that. It's just…I like making soufflés."

They stiffened, the Doctor looking over at her, "Soufflés?"

The Professor, on the other hand, her eyes widened, now placing the voice she'd been trying to find, Oswin. Clara sounded, JUST like Oswin. NO, not just, exactly.

"Why are you showing me all this?" Clara turned to them, not saying more about the soufflés.

"You followed us, remember?" the Doctor countered, "We didn't invite you."

"You're nearly a foot taller than I am," Clara pointed out to him, "And you're fit enough to jump that 'igh," she added at the Professor who had been staring at her curiously since she'd mentioned soufflés, "You both could've reached the ladder without this," she held up the umbrella, "You took it for me," she tossed it to the Doctor, "Why?"

The Doctor looked at the Professor a moment before she nodded and smiled, taking something out of the pocket of her dress and handing him it. He closed his fist around it and turned to Clara, as she spoke, "We never know why."

He nodded, holding up a key to the TARDIS, "We only know who," and placed it in her hand, closing her fingers around it.

"What's this?" Clara whispered.

"Us, actually giving in," the Professor nodded.

Clara smiled, looking at the key to them, her eyes shifting as they filled with tears, "I don't know why I'm crying."

"We do," the Doctor said softly, squeezing Clara's hand, "Remember this. Remember this right now, all of it. Because this is the day. This is the day. This is the day everything begins!" he turned and pulled the Professor back to the console, both of them getting to work…

When Clara suddenly screamed and dropped the key.

They looked over to see the ice woman had grabbed her and was dragging her out.

The Professor grabbed her blaster, but couldn't get a clear shot without harming Clara.

"Clara!" the Doctor shouted as they ran out after them, "Clara!"

"Get off of me!" Clara struggled.

"Water vapor doesn't stop ice," the Professor muttered, "Oh I should've realized!"

"Get off!"

"Let her go!" the Doctor ran for them, "Let her go now! Now!"

"Get off of me!"

"Clara!" the Professor called as the ice woman reached the end of the cloud.

"No!" the Doctor gasped, "Clara!"

But the ice woman just stepped off, falling off it with Clara.

"Clara!" they screamed, racing to the edge of the cloud, watching in horror as Clara fell back to the Earth…

"Come on!" the Professor grabbed the Doctor's hand and pulled him back to the TARDIS. They ran to the console, flicking on the monitor…only for their hearts to stop.

Clara was lying on the ground outside Darkwood Manor, no life signs detected.

"Oh my God," she breathed, her eyes filling with tears.

The Doctor pulled her to him, hugging her tightly for a moment before he pulled a lever. They wouldn't be able to go out and get Clara down in the manor, but THEY could bring her in with the TARDIS.

The Professor took a breath and stepped away, moving around the console to help him pilot the ship back, materializing around Clara's prone form, before they reappeared back in the manor.

~8~

The Doctor and the Professor stood in the console of the TARDIS, able to hear Strax from within as he examined Clara, whom they had placed on a table in the study. Sontaran technology, being so war driven, was able to revive a person for a short while, usually because a dying Sontaran might have some sort of useful information about the enemy and the rest needed to know what it was. He'd used it on Clara, bringing her back, but they just…couldn't face her.

It was their fault it happened.

The Doctor had led her up there, and the Professor had forgotten about the ice and vapors that had let the ice woman up after them.

The Professor glanced up as the door opened and Vastra stepped in before she went back to running scans on the monitor of the ice as the Doctor scanned it into the system with the sonic.

"Isn't the creature still a danger?" Vastra asked, eyeing the small chunks of ice, the remains of the ice woman, that the Doctor was sonicing, "It could reform."

"Not in here," the Professor remarked.

"Then you both should be with Miss Clara."

"She's going to be fine," the Doctor cut in, "We know she is. She has to be."

"Doctor, her injuries are severe. That equipment will bring back anyone for a while, but long term…"

"It was our fault Vastra," the Professor cut her off, "We are responsible for what happened to Clara."

The Doctor nodded, "She was in out care."

Vastra frowned at them, "What is the point of blaming yourselves?"

"None. Because she's going to live," he reached out and took the Professor's hand, picking up a small souvenir lunchbox of the London Underground that he'd put the pieces into and they stepped out of the box.

The Doctor paused, seeing Clara lying there, as the Professor gently took the box from him and handed it to Jenny before leading him over.

"Hey," the Doctor called as they moved to her side, the Professor taking her hand as he rested a hand on her head, gently waking her.

"Hello," the Professor smiled as Clara blinked.

She looked at them a moment, weak, tired, but fighting, "They all think I'm gonna die, don't they?"

"Well we know you're going to live," the Doctor countered.

"How?"

The Professor turned her hand, pressing the key into it, "As the Doctor said, we never know how. We just know who," before closing the girl's hand and squeezing it.

She looked at the Doctor solemnly, Clara's pulse was weak and growing weaker, her own scans confirming she didn't have much time.

"The green lady," Clara murmured, "She said you were the savers of worlds once. Are you going to save this one?"

The Doctor looked down at her, "If we do, will you come away with us?"

Clara blinked and gave a small smile, "Yes."

"Well then," he nodded, "Merry Christmas," he stood up and looked at the Professor, determined, the fire back in his eyes.

She smiled, reaching out to straighten his bow tie, "Very cool," she told him softly.

He grinned and took her hand, moving to snatch the lunch box from Jenny with the other as they headed out of the study and right for the front door, throwing it open to see Simeon standing there with snowmen around him.

"I have in my hand," the Doctor held up the lunch box, "A piece of the Ice Lady. Everything you need to know about how to make ice people. Is that what you want?" Simeon held out a hand, silent. The Doctor though just grinned, "See you at the office," and shut the door.

The Professor pulled out her blaster, powering it up as she smiled at him, "You ready soldier?"

"Oh yes," he nodded and they ran for the TARDIS, dashing past the humans and right to the console, Vastra joining them.

"So then," the lizard woman called, "Saving the world again? Might I ask why? Are you making a bargain with the Universe? You'll save the world to let her live?"

"Yes," the Professor nodded, flicking switches.

"And don't you think, after all this time," the Doctor added.

"And everything we have ever done…"

"That we are owed this one?"

"I don't think the Universe makes bargains," Vastra shook her head.

"But I KNOW it does," the Doctor murmured. They looked at him and he just paused and looked at the Professor, "It gave me you back."

She smiled softly at that, moving to his side to kiss him quickly before she sighed and turned to Vastra, "It was our fault."

Vastra shook her head but gave in, "Well then. Better save the world."

They smiled and began to pilot the TARDIS out.

~8~

The trio looked over as the doors to Simeon's study opened and the man himself entered. He strode right over to them, glaring as the Doctor sat with his feet up on the desk, Vastra behind him, the Professor walking around the snow globe for one last assessment.

"You promised us something," Simeon got right to it, "Have you brought it?"

"Big fella here's been very quiet while you've been out," the Doctor remarked, not answering.

"Which is only to be expected," the Professor nodded, moving back around to their side, "Considering who he really is."

"Do you know what this is, big fella?" he held up the lunchbox at the globe as he got up to join the Professor.

"I do not understand these markings," the snow globe stated, talking for the first time since they'd arrived there without Simeon present.

"A map of the London Underground," the Professor answered, "1967. Key strategic weakness in metropolitan living."

The Doctor smiled at her, "That's only because you've never liked tunnels."

"They're constraining!"

He laughed and put his arm around her.

"Enough of this," the globe cut in, "We are powerful, but on this planet we are limited. We need to learn to take human form," the Professor rolled her eyes and reached into the Doctor's pocket, pulling out the sonic, flashing the globe as its voice rose till it sounded like a little boy, Simeon seeming disturbed and greatly affected by it, "The Governess is our most perfect replication of humanity."

"What's happening to its voice?" Vastra frowned.

"Just stripping away the disguise," the Professor shrugged, putting the sonic back in the Doctor's pocket and patting it.

"No, stop!" the globe shouted, "Stop that. Cease, I command you."

"It sounds like a child," Vastra remarked.

"Of course it sounds like a child," the Doctor nodded, "It is a child," he turned to see Simeon leaning against the desk, his face pale, eyes wide, "Simeon as a child. The snow has no voice without him."

"Don't listen to him," the globe called, "He's ruining everything!"

"How long has the Intelligence been talking to you?" the Professor asked, crossing her arms.

"I was a little boy," the man breathed, "He was my snowman. He spoke to me."

"Snow doesn't talk, does it?" the Doctor shook his head, "It's just a mirror. It just reflects back everything we think and feel and fear. You poured your darkest dreams into a snowman and look…look what it became."

Vastra shook her head, "I don't understand."

"It's a parasite feeding on the loneliness of a child," the Professor explained, "And the sickness of an old man."

"Carnivorous snow meets Victorian values and something terrible is born," the Doctor sighed.

"We can go on and do everything we planned!" the globe shouted.

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Oh yes, and what a plan. A world full of living ice people. Oh dear me, how very Victorian of you."

Simeon glared, "What's wrong with Victorian values?" he moved forward and snatched the lunchbox.

Vastra frowned, the Professor should have been able to stop the man, she knew the woman was quicker than most. Her eyes widened, unless…

"Ah, ah, ah," the Doctor smirked, "Are you sure?"

"I have always been sure," Simeon pulled the lid off…only for the memory worm to bite him and latch on.

"Good," the Professor smirked as well, "I'm glad you think so, since your entire adult life is about to be erased."

"No parasite without a host," the Doctor nodded.

"Without you, it will have no voice."

"And without the governess, it will have no form."

"What…" the globe gasped, the lights starting to flicker as Simeon fell to the ground, "What, what's happening? What's happening? What did you do?"

"You've got nothing left to mirror anymore," the Doctor turned to it, waving, "Goodbye."

"What did you…did you…"

They started to smile as the voice faded…

Only for the snow to suddenly start to swirl in the globe, the lights brightening as the voice grew deeper and stronger, smug, "Did you really think it would be so easy?"

"That's not possible," the Doctor frowned, his eyes wide as he turned to the Professor, "How is that possible?"

"Doctor?" Vastra called, concerned.

"But you were just Dr. Simeon. You're not real. He dreamed you. How can you still exist?"

"Oh my God!" the Professor gasped, "I really am getting old…that or I've spent too much time with you love," she patted the Doctor's shoulder, "Or I'm just really out of practice…"

"I'd go with that last one," the Doctor said, knowing commenting on the first would get him a slap and the second was just completely untrue.

"What's going on?" Vastra shook her head.

"Now the dream outlives the dreamer and can never die," the globe laughed, "Once I was the puppet…"

And suddenly Simeon leapt to his feet, unnaturally pale, frost all over him, seeming more ghoulish than human, "Now I pull the strings!"

"The snowmen, the ice woman," the Professor explained quickly, pulling out her blaster, "He was trying to take on human form all along. Erasing Simeon gave him the space he needed. He IS Simeon now."

Vastra moved to attack the man only for him to knock her to the side with inhuman strength, grabbing the Doctor.

"More than snow, more than Simeon!" the globe/Simeon shouted, "Even this old body is strong in my control!"

"Argh!" the Doctor groaned.

"Doctor!" the Professor rushed over and, with a swift kick, sent Simeon flying back off him. She ran at the man, aiming her blaster down at him, but he kicked her legs out from under her, grabbing her one arm in his hand to hold the blaster down and pressing his hand to her face.

"Do you feel it?" he started to freeze the woman, "Winter is coming!"

Her jaw tensed and she reached up with her other arm, grabbing the man's wrist and snapping it, making him howl in pain and rear back. She used the momentum of it to flip them over, holding him down and aiming her blaster at him, powering up, the heat radiating off it.

"Feel this," she muttered, blasting his head right off.

She fell back off the body, reminding herself that it was NOT a human any longer, it was an empty shell, like Sky had been on Midnight, a host for a deadly alien. She glanced at the snow globe as it started to power down for good…but then…the snow inside it turned to water.

"It's turning to rain," Vastra breathed, spotting it as well, "All of it, the snow, look," she turned to the window, looking out to see that it was raining there as well, and back to the Doctor as he helped the Professor to her feet, "What happened?" she asked, sensing it wasn't just stopping Simeon that had done it.

"The snow mirrors, that's all it does," the Doctor remarked, running his hand along the Professor's cheek, warming it from where it still had a bit of frost on it, "It's mirroring something else now. Something so strong, it's drowning everything else."

She took his hand and they went to the window, opening it and reached out to the rain, "There was a critical mass of snow at the house," she murmured, looking down at her fingers as she rubbed the rain between them, "If…if something happened there…" she sniffed it, "Salt," she looked at the Doctor, "It's not raining. It's crying."

He let his head fall onto her shoulder, "The only force on Earth that could drown the snow…a whole family crying on Christmas Eve."

And they knew what that had to mean.

~8~

The Doctor and Professor stepped out of the TARDIS to see Clara lying there, looking closer to death than ever.

"I'm sorry," Strax told them, "There was nothing to be done. She has moments only."

The Professor nodded and they stepped to Clara's one side again, taking their same positions.

"We saved the world, Clara, the three of us," the Doctor told her gently, waking her up as he stroked her head, "We really, really did."

"Are you going back to your cloud?" she asked them, her voice a whisper.

"No," the Professor promised, "No more cloud. Not now."

"Why not?"

The Doctor swallowed hard, reaching out to take the Professor's hand, "It rained."

Clara's eyes fluttered closed and they looked down…

"Run," she breathed, looking at them from under her eyelashes, making them tense, "Run, you clever boy, you brilliant girl," their eyes widened at the familiar words, "And remember."

The clock chimed midnight.

"It's Christmas," the little boy breathed, "Christmas Day."

And Clara breathed her last.

~8~

Captain Latimer stood with his children at Clara's graveside, the aliens and Jenny standing a few feet away, watching, respecting their privacy.

"And what about the Intelligence?" Vastra asked the Time Lords as they stood with their arms around each other, "Melted with the snow?"

"No," the Doctor shook his head, "I shouldn't think so."

The Professor sighed and nodded, "It learned to survive beyond physical form."

"Well, we can't be in much danger from a disembodied Intelligence that thinks it can invade the world with snowmen," Jenny gave a smile.

Vastra smirked and nudged the Professor, "Or that the London Underground is a key strategic weakness?"

"What?" the Professor smiled back, "It is! Ask Strax if you don't believe me."

Vastra scoffed, "Any Sontaran in the Universe would agree with the 'greatest warrior of all.' He's biased."

The Professor nodded.

"The Great Intelligence," the Doctor murmured, looking at the card of Simeon's, "Rings a bell. The Great Intelligence…"

"Come along love," the Professor told him softly, seeing the family walk off. They made their way to the grave and knelt down.

"Doctor?" Jenny called, "Professor?"

"We never knew her name," the Doctor said quietly, staring at the inscription, "Her full name."

Clara Oswin Oswald
"Remember me for we shall meet again."
Born November 23, 1866
Died December 24, 1892

"Soufflé girl," the Professor nodded, recalling the words both Clara and Oswin had said, the soufflés, the running, "Oswin. It was her."

"It was soufflé girl again."

"We never saw her face the first time with the Daleks, but her voice, it was the same voice."

"Professor?" Jenny frowned, "Doctor?"

"The same woman," he began, looking at the Professor.

"Twice," she nodded, both of them staring to grow excited.

"And she died both times."

"The same woman!"

"Please," Vastra cut in, "What are you talking about?"

"Something's going on," the Professor told them, standing with him.

"Something impossible," he started to smile, "Something…right, you two stay here. Stay right here. Don't move an inch," he took the Professor's hand and they ran off.

"Are you coming back?" Vastra called.

"Shouldn't think so!" the Professor replied, before tripping around a headstone on her dress, the Doctor catching her.

Vastra couldn't help but smile and shake her head at that, for such a graceful and balanced woman, the fact that the Professor couldn't walk in a dress made her laugh, "But where are you going?"

"To find her!"

"To find Clara!" the Doctor cheered, "Ha ha!"

They ran around the house and back into the TARDIS, not stopping as they reached the console…well…the Doctor didn't. The Professor dashed off for the steps, wanting to get out of that dress!

"Clara Oswin Oswald!" the Doctor cheered, flicking down switches, turning knobs, "Watch us run!" he grinned, sending the TARDIS off…

~8~

"You really are remarkable you know," the Professor called as she entered the console room to see the Doctor, sans jacket, puttering around.

The Doctor looked over, smiling as he saw her wearing a light red dressing gown, the sash wrapped around her in a little bow in the front as she made her way to him. She really had hated that dress, rushed to get changed as soon as they were in as he got them into the Vortex to try and locate Clara.

"Oh?" he asked, turning to lean against the console, crossing his arms as she walked up to him and put her arms around his neck.

"Only you could save the world using a lunchbox and a worm," she murmured, giving him a peck.

He wound his arms around her waist, pulling her closer, "I bet you could save it using a kettle and some string," he smiled, recalling his words to his 5th self.

"Well," she smiled, "I always could think faster than you."

He laughed, "That you could."

She took a breath and pulled away, "I wanted to give you your Christmas gift before we went off to get Clara…"

He grinned, excited, "What is it?"

Her smile became a bit sad, she'd had a gift all planned out, hoped it would work out, but the tests she'd left running…

Negative.

There went that gift, and what a gift it would have been, could have been.

She shook her head, starting to smile again, true to her word she was a very fast thinker, had a second gift in mind as soon as she'd gotten changed. She took a step back, trailing her hands down his arms till she took his hands, tugging him closer to place them on the ends of the sash, of the bow.

"Open your present Theta," she smirked deviously at him.

He swallowed hard, feeling his mouth go dry as he tugged on the sash and the dressing gown fell open. His eyes widened before he ran past her, pulling her along with him as he hastily made their way to the bedroom.

She laughed, she'd gotten her hands on that pair of lingerie he'd pictured her in from when they'd gone to visit Craig before Utah, in green as he preferred.

A/N: :) Oh Keta you kill me! I think I died of flirt overdose in this chapter :) I really wanted them to realize how much they actually are there for each other. Like, they always knew they would be together, but losing the Ponds made them realize it really was only the other person who had stayed with them. And then BOOM! Flirting!

Quick question...we're going to be getting the kitten very soon, and I have a name I've been using for him, but it was sort of a placeholder if I thought of a better one. Still a little stumped. What would a Time Lord name a kitten? So, I'm open to any suggestions if anyone has any in mind :)

And we also get Clara! I will say that the Clara in this chapter has a MUCH different relationship with the Doctor/Professor than the Clara we'll be seeing. There's a reason for her kissing the Doctor here that will be explained later. It'll actually be an interesting dynamic for her and the Professor because, there was a tiny hint here that the Professor feels like Clara is familiar in some way besides her voice but can't place it. Can you imagine how insane that will drive her? Lol, she and the Doctor will develop the same relationship with Clara (to be seen later) but while the Doctor is more intrigued, the Professor is suspicious because she can't figure out WHY Clara is familiar.

I can't wait till we see it developing :)

Some notes on reviews...

Oh 11 and Rose...I seriously cannot wait for THAT confrontation ^-^ I'm actually hoping 10 and Rose appear BEFORE they found the Professor just to shock 10 a little :) But 11'll definitely be VERY Oncoming Storm with Rose there. I've sort of hinted in this series/Recollections that the Professor doesn't know what Rose said to 10 in Journey's End about her or why the Doctor seems to have done such a 180 in terms of his feelings for Rose. We'll actually see her find out about it in this story :)

Lol, was that the Billie/Matt kiss in that call girl show? I think Matt played some man named Tim who shared an 'intimate' scene with BP's character? I'm not really sure, I haven't really watched it but that's all I can think of :)

I'm not sure if she'd be able to make a cure for herself. With Amy, she knew the girl had been able to have children and then something was done to her that left her unable to. It was something that could be reversed-ish. With the Professor, for all we know, she might be perfectly healthy, nothing wrong at all, but...it's just not happening :( If there's nothing wrong/nothing to cure...the nanogenes and other things probably won't work. I can say that we'll be getting an original scene in JTTCOTD about just that, their fears about why it's not happening and some fluff :)