The Five Doctors and Hatters, part 7.
The Fifth Doctors TARDIS
Turlough and Susan stood by the console in the TARDIS while they looked up at the scanner, watching as the Cybermen as they continued working outside.
"Leader, the bombs are ready," one of the Cybermen informed his leader as they stood a little bit off to the side, watching the rest of the Cybermen prepare everything.
"Excellent," the Leader replied, "Prepare for detonation".
The Cyberman nodded and walked back over to the rest of the Cybermen, "Your orders are to move back," he told them.
"Lieutenant," the Cyberman chorused as they began moving away in a group.
"Do you realise what they're up to?" Turlough asked Susan, staring at the screen, trying to stop himself from looking too afraid in front of the Time Lady.
"What are we going to do now?" Susan asked fearfully, feeling herself shaking.
"Die, it seems," he replied grimly.
"You know, my Aunty Hatter would probably call you a barrel of laughs," Susan remarked with a faint smile, despite still feeling terrified. Somehow, thinking about her Aunt and Grandfather always made her feel safer.
"I know," Turlough agreed, smiling slightly too.
…..…Citadel, Conference room….…..….
The Fifth Doctor continued plucking the strings on the harp, trying to find the right tune that would hopefully reveal some sort of secret doorway while the Fifth Hatter stood beside him.
"Well, if it is a tune, what could it be?" he sighed, taking a couple of steps back from the harp, looking thoughtful, "A tune like…"
"There must be some sort of clue around here to tell us," the Fifth Hatter commented, looking around the room.
"Hang on," the Doctor said slowly, his eyes widening hopefully as he glanced at the painting hanging on the wall beside him, taking a closer look at it to see that the sheet of music in the painting was actually a real piece of music, a tune, "A tune like the one that's been under our nose all the time perhaps," he meet the Hatter's eyes and grinned.
"Oh, you brilliantly clever man," the Time Lady said, a grin slowly spreading across her face as she started laughing.
"I do try," he replied, still grinning at her as he walked back over to the harp, putting his back to the room as he positioned himself so that he could see the painting as he started playing the tune.
As he played, there was a couple of more clicks like the one they had heard earlier before the wall with the painting on it slide away to reveal a dark room behind it with different computer equipment and screens that they could only just make out.
The Fifth Doctor glanced at the Hatter, who gave a small nodded before they walked forward, stepping inside the hidden room as the door slide shut behind them. As soon as they entered, they were greeted by a large, pentagon sized device with different little models, models who looked very much like there past selves, the Master, and Doctors past companions, scattered over the lit panels, as if it was some sort of board game. Sitting right in the center of the device was another model, but this one appeared to be one of the Dark Tower.
The Fifth Hatter glanced around the rest of the room when she spotted Borusa, now dressed in all black robes and a strange looking gold coronet with purple, pinkish like gems on it as he bent over a control panel, fiddling with it. She grabbed the Doctor's hand and nodded her head over to Borusa, just as he looked up at them from the controls.
"Welcome, Doctor, Hatter," Borusa greeted them, sounding very calm, as if he hadn't just been discovered as being the one behind everything that had been going on as he slipped one of his gloves off and held out his hand to them.
"Lord President," they both replied, ignoring his hand as they stared at him.
"You both show very little surprise," he commented, taking note that they didn't appear surprised at all, more…disappointed then anything, perhaps even a little betrayed, "Can it be that you suspected me?"
"Not at first," the Fifth Doctor told him as the Hatter nodded from beside him, both having suspected that something was a little off about their old professor, but both having not wanted to believe it, "Your little charade fooled us for a little while".
"Yes, it was rather neat, wasn't it?" Borusa smirked, he had always known that it would be difficult to trick the Doctor and the Hatter, after all, he had known them since they were children, but that's just what made it all the more fun for him, "Such a pity about the Castellan," he remarked, "But then I needed someone to use for a diversion".
"A diversion?" the Hatter repeated, staring at the older Time Lord, horrified by what she was hearing and witnessing. How could this have happened? And Borusa off all people? "How can you possibly say that using another person's life like that as being a diversion, Borusa?" she demanded as the Doctor placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a small squeeze as he felt her shaking, "What happened to you?"
"You know how long I have ruled Gallifrey, Doctor, Hatter," he replied, holding up a hand to stop them as the Time Lady moved forward, stopping her from coming any closer, "Both openly or behind the scenes".
"Oh, you've done great service," the Fifth Doctor agreed, eyeing the other Time Lord carefully, "It was only right you should become President," he finished, knowing that despite what Borusa had become after all these years he had done amazing work throughout his lifetime for Gallifrey.
"President?" Borusa repeated, frowning as he shook his head, "How long before I must retire, my work half done," he shook his head again as he took a couple of steps before pausing, looking up at the celling, his voice full of ambition and passion for his work, "If I could continue…"
"Oh, I understand it now," the Fifth Hatter frowned, forcing her voice to remain calm and not show how truly upset and betrayed she felt, "You wish to remain as President throughout all of your remaining regenerations".
"Oh, you underestimate my ambition, Hatter," he shook his head, walking back around to them, "I shall be President Eternal, and rule forever".
"Immortality?" the Fifth Doctor questioned, shocked, "Oh, that's impossible, even for a Time Lord," he shook his head in disbelief.
"Rassilon achieved it," Borusa argued, "Timeless perpetual bodily regeneration," he said with an almost dreamy look on his face, "True immortality! Rassilon lives, Doctor, Hatter. He cannot die. He is immortal".
"Your insane," the Fifth Hatter breathed, staring at him in complete disbelief.
…..The Dark Tower, Tomb of Rassilon….
While Sarah Jane and Tegan set to work, kneeling on the floor beside the Master's still unconscious body, they quickly began tying him up tightly with thick ropes on his hands and feet to make sure that if you should suddenly wake up again, he wouldn't be able to get too far while the Brigadier stood behind the girls, watching over them carefully. The three Doctors and Hatters stood off to the side off the room as the Third Doctor and Hatter fiddled with a control panel on the wall.
"Well, I've reversed the polarity of the neutron flow," the Third Doctor informed the others, glancing at them over his shoulder while the Second Doctor exchanged looks with his First self, the Hatters merely watching, "So the TARDIS should be free of the force field now".
"Excellent," the First Hatter smiled, looking relieved, "I was ever so worried about dear Susan and Turlough".
"Susan's here?" both the Second and Third Hatters perked up, looking interested as they looked toward the First Doctor and Hatter for answers.
"Yes, my dears," the First Doctor nodded, giving them small smiles, "She's back in the young fellows TARDIS with another young man".
"Now, I'll try to get through to the Capital," the Second Doctor cut in as he and the Second Hatter stepped forward and started typing on a transmit control panel while the other Doctors and Hatters stood behind them and watched them work.
….….…The Fifth Doctor's TARDIS….…
Susan and Turlough watch the scanner anxiously as they saw the Cybermen move off to some distance away from the TARDIS, all standing in a group as one of the Cybermen walked toward the Cyber Leader, handing him the detonation device for the bombs surrounding the TARDIS.
"All is prepared," the Cyberman informed the Leader.
"Excellent," the Leader replied, taking the device when the TARDIS suddenly started to dematerialise, cutting off the scanner, right before the bombs were detonated, but luckily the TARDIS was already gone.
"They made it!" Susan called joyfully as she ran back around the console, "They made it!"
"Are we going to the Tower?" Turlough asked her as he ran around the side of the console to join her.
"Must be," the Time Lady grinned as she looked back down at the console, checking it, "We're on pre-set co-ordinetes".
…..The Citadel, the secret room…..
"Immortal, Doctor, Hatter," Borusa continued, ignoring the Hatter's last remark as he grabbed hold of the Fifth Doctor's and Hatter's arms, bring them closer together as he tried to make sure that they understood that what he was doing wasn't as bad as they thought, but that what he was doing was for the greater good, "Before Rassilon was bound, he left clues for his successor, whom he knew would follow him," he let go of them as he stepped away from them, gesturing to himself as he spoke, "Oh, I have discovered much, Doctor, Hatter. This Game control room, the casket with the scrolls, the Coronet of Rassilon," he gestured to the crown on top of his head.
"But not the final secret," the Fifth Hatter raised her eyebrows at him.
"The secret of immortality, Doctor, Hatter?" Borusa looked at them before glancing back to his models, "It lies in the Dark Tower, in the Tomb of Rassilon itself. There are many dangers, many traps".
"So, you sent us to the Zone to deal with them for you," the Fifth Doctor frowned, glancing to the model and back to him.
"I gave you companions to help," he replied as if it wasn't such a big deal as he smiled and picked up the model that looked like the Master, "And old enemy to fight. Well, it's a game within a game".
"Only you got it a little wrong, didn't you?" the Fifth Hatter said with a touch of anger in her voice, "You didn't realise that you were trying to get two incarnations of myself who were the same regeneration, only at different spots in there time line. You tried to grab two of my Fourth selves which then led to my young Fourth Self, the Doctor's Fourth self, and Romana ending up trapped in the time vortex, endangering our very existence".
"Oh, you need have no fear, Doctor, Hatter," Borusa told them calmly, standing as he started pulling his gloves back on, "Your temporal stability will be maintained. I need you both to serve me," he gave them both very serious looks.
"Oh, I would not serve you," the Fifth Doctor told him quickly, anger flashing through his eyes.
"And nor would I," the Fifth Hatter added angrily, "The Doctor and I are not your puppets or your students anymore, you have no power over either of us".
"You have no choice, Doctor, Hatter," Borusa said to them, taking no notice of them, "I wear the coronet of Rassilon".
"And very fetching it is, too," the Doctor remarked, not seeing what his point was.
"I think that a nice hat would look a lot better," the Hatter shrugged.
"It emphasises my will and allows me to control the minds of other people," Borusa informed them, not impressed by their pathetic attempts at humour, or there lack of knowledge on a subject that they should have known more about, "You bow down before me, Doctor, Hatter," he commanded them, pointing a gloved hand at them.
The Fifth Doctor and Hatter tried to battling against the power from the coronet, but the more they struggled the harder it became, and before they knew it, they had both found themselves giving in and falling to their knees on the floor against their will.
Borusa moved forward and placed a hand over both of their shoulders before walking past them, "Come, Doctor, Hatter," he ordered them, forcing them to follow him as they walked back into the conference room, the door sliding closed behind them, "It's time to go, Doctor, Hatter," he said to them as they were forced to look at him, "My immortality awaits".
…The Dark Tower, the Tomb of Rassilon….
The loud wheezing sound of the Doctor's TARDIS materialising sounding throughout the chamber as the blue police box suddenly appeared over in the corner of the chamber, Susan and Turlough stepped out a moment later and walked over to where the Doctors and Hatters were standing, still by the controls.
"Can you hear me, old fellows?" the Second Doctor called over the transmit device, the Second Hatter standing right beside him.
"Old fellows?" the Third Hatter frowned at him as she shook her head with mild announce of the idea of her future self being referred to as 'old fellow'.
"Calling the Capitol," the Second Doctor continued calling, not hearing the Third Hatter's comment, "Calling the Capitol. This is the Doctor speaking…"
"And the Hatter," the Second Hatter cut in.
"Ah, yes, and the Hatter," the Second Doctor added, glancing behind him to the other Doctors and Hatters, "Well, two of them. Can you hear us? Can you hear us, Doctor, Hatter? Is there anybody there? Calling the Capitol".
"Yes, we're here," the Fifth Doctor and Hatter came over a moment later.
"Ah, there we are," the Second Doctor smiled before shaking his head and quickly correcting himself, "I mean, there you two are," the Second Hatter gave him a look to get to the point, "We've reached the Tower. We're all safe. The barriers are down and the TARDIS is here. And I say, we've made the most extraordinary discovery…"
"We know what you have discovered," the Fifth Hatter said to them, her voice and face remaining blank and expressionless as she spoke.
"Do not transmit further," the Fifth Doctor added, just as expressionless as the brunette Time Lady, "Stay where you are and touch nothing. President Borusa is arriving to take full charge".
The screen went blank as the transmit ended.
"Touch nothing, indeed?" the Second Doctor frowned as he and the Second Hatter turned back to the others, "Who does he think he is?"
"And what about her?" the Second Hatter added, shaking her head, "Acting like she knows everything, I truly hope that's not going to become my future".
"They didn't want us to mention the Ring of Rassilon," the First Doctor commented, looking thoughtful as he exchanged looks with his Hatter as they started walking away from the controls, "Natural enough".
"Indeed," the First Hatter nodded her agreement, "Who knows who else may have been in the room with them, other than Lord Borusa…" she trailed off as she frowned, "Wait, did he say President Borusa?"
"Something's wrong, you know," the Third Doctor frowned, rubbing the back of his neck, looking at his Hatter thoughtfully.
"Yes, there was something odd about how they spoke," the Third Hatter agreed, looking concerned, "And the way they looked…those expressionless facieses…"
"You two haven't changed," the Second Doctor remarked, shaking his head, looking rather amused by them, "Still finding menace in your own shadows".
"I feel the same," the First Doctor and Hatter both said as the Second Hatter nodded her agreement with them.
"Yes, so do I," the blonde Time Lady nodded, pushing her glasses back up her nose.
"Oh," the Second Doctor raised his eyebrows at them all, "Well, we shall soon see, won't we".
They turned around to see at the end of the chamber the Fifth Doctor, Hatter, and Borusa arrive in a transmit cubicle before they walked out and over to the others, the Fifth Doctor and Hatter trailing behind him.
"Doctor, Hatter, are you all right?" Tegan asked in concern as she noticed something off about the two Time Lords.
"Be silent," Borusa ordered, pointing his staff at her, "Be silent, all of you. Do not move or speak until I give you leave".
All of the humans froze on the spot, the power of the coronet making them do as they were told as Borusa walked passed them, and up to the other Doctors and Hatters while the Fifth Doctor and Hatter followed.
"Gentlemen, ladies, I owe you my thanks," Borusa said to the younger Doctors and Hatters, "You have served the purpose for which I brought you here".
"You brought us here?" the Third Doctor and Hatter asked, frowning at him.
"He's after the Ring of Rassilon," the Second Doctor realised, "He wants immortality".
"Unbelievable," the Second Hatter shook her head in disbelief, looking completely shocked by the idea that Borusa could be the one behind everything.
"And you were the one who didn't sense anything wrong," the Third Doctor remarked to his Second self.
"He's a renegade," the First Doctor said quietly to them, eyeing Borusa, "No better than that villain down there," he gestured to the Master, now awake, still lying on the ground.
"We can't allow this to happen, you know," the Second Hatter told Borusa, crossing her arms across her chest, "We simply can't allow it".
"Yes," the Third Hatter nodded in agreement, "This Tomb was sealed for very good reasons, who are we to argue with that?"
"And as soon as we're back to our own time streams, it must be sealed again," the First Doctor nodded, "Permanently!"
The Doctors and Hatters went to move forward to try and stop Borusa, but he held up his staff, stopping them in their tracks.
"Doctor, Hatter, we need you," the Second Doctor tried getting through to the Fifth Doctor and Hatter as he struggled to fight through the hold that Borusa had over him, "Join us".
"They can't," the First Hatter shook her head as she looked closely at her future self and Doctors face, "They're in some kind of…mind lock. Something's taking full control over their minds and bodies".
"Fight it, my boy, my dear, fight it!" the First Doctor encouraged before looking to his future and the Hatter's future selves, "Concentrate," he told them, "We must be one".
The Doctors and Hatters closed their eyes and focused all the power of their minds on breaking the hold over there future selves. The Fifth Doctor and Hatter's eyes twitched slightly as they started walking forward until they stopped in front of their passed selves, and looked back to Borusa.
Borusa frowned as he struggled to try and fight back against the power of six incantations of the Doctors and Hatters used their minds to force Borusa to lower the staff, breaking the connection.
"You see, Borusa?" the Fifth Doctor asked him, "Together, we're a match for you".
"Don't mess with the Doctors or Hatters unless you really want to just end up making a fool of yourself, Borusa," the Fifth Hatter grinned as she linked her arm through her Doctor's arm, making him grin back at her.
"Perhaps," Borusa glared at them, "But you will never overcome me".
"We don't need to," the Fifth Doctor replied, "Soon, Chancellor Flavia will be here with her guards, or can you overcome the whole High Council?"
"Why not?" he raised his eyebrows at them, shrugging, "I am Lord President of Gallifrey and you are all notorious renegades. We shall see who is believed".
"This is the Game of Rassilon," a loud, deep voice suddenly called throughout the chamber, making them all look up and around the room in surprise.
Borusa turned and walked over to Rassilon's sarcophagus, the Fifth Doctor and Hatter moved to followed him but the First Doctor stopped them.
"No, wait, my boy, my dear," he warned them, putting his hands on their shoulders, and stopping them going any further, "That was the voice of Rassilon. It's out of our hands now".
"Who comes to disturb Rassilon?" the voice demanded.
"I am Borusa," Borusa told the voice, climbing up the steps to the sarcophagus, "Lord President of Gallifrey".
Suddenly, a large head appeared, floating in mid-air above the sarcophagus, like a hologram, "Why have you come here?" Rassilon asked.
"I came to claim that which is promised," he replied.
"You seek immortality?"
"I do".
"Be sure," Rassilon told him, "Be very sure. Even now, it is not too late to turn back".
"I am sure," Borusa confirmed, nodding.
"And these others?" he looked toward the Doctors and Hatters.
Borusa followed his line of sight, "These are my servants," he informed the other Time Lord.
"Is this so?" Rassilon asked the Doctors and Hatters.
"It most certainly is not," the Third Doctor shouted angrily.
"How dare you!" the Third Hatter glared at Borusa, crossing her arms.
"Don't believe him!" the Second Doctor called.
"We're Time Lords!" the Second Hatter shouted, shaking her head with a slightly offended look on her face, "We serve no one but our selves…" she titled her head to the side, "Well, I suppose it depends on what you call serve…" the Third Hatter stepped on her foot, quickly cutting her off before she could say anything else.
"It's nonsense," the Fifth Doctor nodded quickly
"Please, Lord Rassilon, we speak the truth!" the Fifth Hatter shouted, nodding.
"Don't listen to them, Lord Rassilon," the First Doctor shook his head, causing all of the others, save for the First Hatter, to look at him in disbelief, "President Borusa speaks to the truth".
"The First Doctor's right," the First Hatter called to him, nodding, "These others," she gestured to her future selves and the Doctors future selves, "They have no idea what they're talking about, but we know the truth".
"You believe that Borusa deserves the immortality?" Rassilon questioned them.
"Indeed I do," the First Doctor replied.
"I can't possibly think of someone who devisers it more," the First Hatter agreed.
"He shall have it," Rassilon deemed, turning back to Borusa, "Take the ring," he told him.
Borusa reached out his hand toward Rassilon's mummified corpse lying on top of the sarcophagus and removed a large ring off his fingers, holding it up in the air for all to see.
"You claim immortality, Lord Borusa," Rassilon spoke, "You will not turn back?" he asked.
"Never!" he shouted, fully committed to becoming immortal.
"Then put on the Ring," Rassilon ordered, Borusa did exactly what Rassilon told him to do, slipping the ring onto his finger while Rassilon continued talking, "Others have come to claim immortality through the ages. It was given to them, as it shall be given to you".
The fasces of the Time Lords carved into the stone along the sarcophagus suddenly all came to life, their eyes turning red as they started flickering around the room, while the Doctors and Hatters all looked at each other in surprise and shock.
"Your place is prepared, Lord President Borusa," Rassilon informed the other man.
Borusa groaned as he clutched his head painfully, "No!" he cried while the others could only watch, "No!"
The Ring disappeared from Borusa's finger, reappearing right back to where it once sat, on Rassilon's mummified finger, just before Borusa vanished completely and his face reappeared, carved into the stone in the blank space on the sarcophagus. Borusa's eyes flicked briefly until they all turned back into stone as the hold over the companions broke and they regained their ability to move once more, and looked at each other, trying to work out just what had happened to them.
Rassilon then turned to the Doctors and Hatters, "And what of you, Doctors, Hatters?" he asked them as they stared at the spot where Borusa once stood, stunned, "Do you claim immortality too?"
The Doctors and Hatters quickly held up their hands, shaking their heads as the Second Doctor hid behind the Third, the First Hatter nervously grabbing hold of her Doctors hand, while the Second Hatter tried pulling the Third in front of her to hide her from view as the Third Hatter rolled her eyes at her and pulled herself out of her past selves grip.
"That's very kind of you," they all started mumbling nervously, "No. No, thank you!"
"No, my Lord," the Fifth Doctor quickly said, clutching his hands nervously together, "All we ask is that we be returned to our proper place in time and space".
"It shall be done," Rassilon agreed.
"Ah, there are two of us trapped in th…" the Fifth Hatter started saying but was cut off.
"I know," Rassilon interrupted, "They too shall be freed," the Fifth Doctor and Hatter both sighed in relief, exchanging looks as Rassilon continued, "So shall the one who is bound," he nodded down to the Master on the floor, "His sins will find their punishment in due time," a moment later, the Master disappeared, "It is time for you other selves to depart," he went on, "Let them make their farewells and go. You have chosen wisely, Doctor, Hatter. Farewell".
And with that, Rassilon vanished, and the First Doctor started chuckling while the First Hatter smiled broadly. The Fifth Doctor and Hatter glanced at each other, frowning slightly as they turned back to their younger selves, "Did you know what would happen?" they both asked in unison, looking in-between there First selves.
"Hmm?" the First Doctor raised his eyebrows, turning to them as he continued smiling, "Oh, I'm sorry. I suddenly realised what the old proverb meant".
"Quite clever, really," the First Hatter added, smiling widely as she exchanged looks with her Doctor, "'To lose is to win and he who wins shall lose'. It was right there the entire time. It was all a part of Rassilon's little trap, you see? It was his way of finding out who wanted immorality and put him out of the way".
"Yes," the First Doctor nodded along with his Hatter, "He knew very well that immortality was a curse, not a blessing".
"Oh, of course!" the Fifth Hatter clicked her fingers together, shaking her head, "I can't believe I didn't see that," she looked back to her First self and smiled, "Well, I guess I did see it, after all. Nice work".
"Well, now it seems we must part," the Fifth Doctor cut in, sighing slightly as he looked at his past selves fondly, "Just as I was getting to know me," he smiled before turning to the other Hatters, "And, of course, getting to know you three all over again".
"So, you're the latest model, hmm?" the Second Doctor smiled as he moved forward to get a closer look at his future self.
"Yes, and the most agreeable," the Fifth Doctor replied.
"Doctor," the Fifth Hatter said in a warning tone, giving him a look.
"Certainly the most impudent," the Second Doctor gave his future self a look, but unable to stop the corner of his mouth from twitching with amusement.
"And our dress sense hasn't improved, much, has it?" the Third Doctor added, giving his future self the once over.
"Now, Doctor, I happen to think he looks quite handsome," the Third Hatter commented as she gave the Fifth Doctor a small smile.
"So do I," the Fifth Hatter grinned, linking her arm through her Doctor's, "And not to mention that lovely hat you wear, sweetheart, I really wish you had worn it today".
"Ooh, a hat," the Second Hatter smiled, "Love a hat me".
"Ladies, do you really need to start discussing the future Doctor's clothing?" the First Hatter asked, shaking her head at them, "You know, if this is what my future is going to be, then I may just start crying".
"Relax; Grandmamma," the Fifth Hatter grinned at her, her eyes twinkling with amusement, "You're going to start making us Hatters look bad, where's that sense of humour that were all so famous for?"
"Ah, it's nice to see that we've lost all sense of modesty in years to come," the Third Hatter said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"Yes, well," the First Doctor cleared his throat, noticing the Second Hatter about to open her mouth to say something, something that would no doubt lead to an argument from between the Third and Second Hatter again as he turned to his other selves, "Neither our manners," he remarked as he held out his hand to his future self, "Well, goodbye, my boy, my dear. You both did well, quite well. It's reassuring to know that my future is in safe hands," he smiled as he turned to the Fifth Hatter, who held out her hand for him to shack, only to be surprised by him taking it and kissing her pale knuckles, "And you, my dear, it has been a pleasure to see you".
"Oh, ah…" the Fifth Hatter blinked, looking rather shocked by his action as a faint blush spread across her cheeks, "Well, it was lovely to see you," she smiled, "I was once told by a companion of mine that you never forget your first Hatter, well, I think it's the same for you, Doctor. Goodbye, and try to take care of yourself".
"I will, I will," he smiled at her before taking his Hatter's hand, who gave a small wave and smile to everyone as they started walking over to the crowed of companions, "Come along, Susan".
"Goodbye, everybody," Susan waved to everyone, giving them a bright smile.
"Goodbye," they all chorused back.
"It was lovely to see you after so long, Susan," the Fifth Hatter called to her, waving back to her as she watched her past self, the First Doctor, and Susan walk over to where the TARDIS stood.
"Time to go, Brigadier," the Second Doctor smiled as he clapped his hands together and turned back to his future selves, "Well, goodbye," he held out both his hands toward the Fifth Doctor and Hatter.
"Goodbye," the Fifth Doctor smiled at him, shaking his hand.
"And good luck," the Fifth Hatter added as she turned and shook her Seconds selves hands, "Same with you, okay?" she gave her a smile, "Try and keep out of trouble".
"Not a chance," the Second Hatter grinned back at her future self, giving her a wink that made her future self-laugh, shaking her head as the First Doctor, Hatter, and Susan walked inside the TARDIS.
The Second Doctor turned to his Third self, holding out his hand, "Goodbye…fancy pants," he grabbed hold of his Hatter's hand and turned to leave.
"Doctor," the Second Hatter sighed.
"Scarecrow," the Third Doctor shot back, causing his past self to turn back and give him a sharp look before heading back toward the TARDIS, pulling his Hatter along with him.
"Doctor, don't be rude," the Third Hatter scolded, giving her Doctor a stern look while there future selves watched on with amusement.
"Doctor, don't you want your coat?" the Brig called to the Second Doctor and Hatter.
"Bring it along, would you, Brigadier?" the Second Doctor called back as he and the Second Hatter entered the TARDIS.
"Certainly," the Brig sighed, picking up the fur coat and putting it over his arm as he walked over to the Fifth Doctor, Hatter, the Third Doctor, Hatter, "Goodbye, Doctor, Hatter," he smiled at them.
"Goodbye," the Fifth Doctor smiled.
"Farewell," the Fifth Hatter nodded to him with a bright smile.
"Doctors," he broke into a grin, "Hatters".
"Brigadier," the Third Doctor nodded to him.
"Alistair," the Third Hatter gave him a small wave.
"Splendid fellows, all of you," the Brig said to them before looking at the Hatters, "And extraordinary ladies, all of you".
"Right back at you," the Fifth Hatter laughed as they watch him turn and walked inside the TARDIS.
"Well, goodbye, my dear chap," the Third Doctor smiled as he shook his future selves hand, "I must say, I've had the time of my lives. Haven't we, Sarah Jane?" he turned as Sarah made her way over to them, staring at the future Doctor and Hatter.
"Have we?" she asked him, "Well, I only have one life and I think I've had too much already," she smiled as she looked at the future Doctor and Hatter, "Goodbye," she hesitated slightly as she shook the Future Doctors hand and then the Hatters, "Eh, yes, it was really nice to meet you both".
"Thank you, Sarah Jane," the Third Doctor answered as the Fifth Hatter hid her smile, "It was very nice to meeting you, too".
"Yes, we really should do it again sometime," the Third Hatter added, meeting her future selves eyes and trying to hold back her laughter.
"What?" Sarah frowned at them, looking confused.
"We'll explain it later," the Third Hatter smiled at her, patting her shoulder fondly.
"Oh," she nodded quietly, "Fine".
"Well, it was certainly lovely to meet you, my dear," the Third Doctor grinned as he turned to the Fifth Hatter.
"And you, Doctor," the Fifth Hatter smiled, pulling him into a quick hug before stepping back, turning to her past self, "You take care of him, alright?" she told her, "Try and make sure he doesn't go to insane on Earth".
"Too late for that, I'm afraid," the Third Hatter laughed as she glanced at her Doctor and Sarah, "Well, I suppose we should be off".
"Yes," the Third Doctor nodded, taking her hand, "Come along, you two," they turned and walked over to the TARDIS, stepping inside.
The Doctor sighed as he turned to his Hatter, shaking his head, "I'm defiantly not the man I was," he meet her eyes as she laughed, "Thank goodness".
"Oh, come now, Doctor," the Hatter grinned at him, nudging his side, "They weren't all bad, I think today was a good way for us to be able to see how far we've truly come since all those centuries ago," she frowned slowly as she thought about he First self and how scared she had been in the beginning, and how she had slowly become comfortable with everything going on around them, it was nice to see that transformation happen over such a short period of time.
"Are we going home together?" Tegan frowned as she walked over to them with Turlough, glancing over her shoulder towards the TARDIS.
"Watch," the Doctor and the Hatter replied simply, nodding over to the TARDIS.
They turned back and watched as the Time Scoop appeared and starting taking the various Doctors and companions away, heading back to their correct time zones as if they hadn't left at all.
"Temporal fission," the Doctor explained to his companions, "Old Rassilon is very clever".
"That and he appears to have an odd sense of humour," the Hatter commented, thinking about how amused Rassilon had looked when Borusa had been turned to stone.
Suddenly, the transmit cubicle activated again and Chancellor Flavia stepped out, followed by two sets of guards in rows of twos behind her, trailing behind her as she walked towards them.
"You are safe, Doctor, Hatter," she said as more of a statement than anything else, "I feared President Borusa had…" she stopped as she realised that Borusa was nowhere to be seen, "Where is President Borusa?"
"Unavailable, I'm afraid," the Hatter told her grimly.
"It seems the legend about Rassilon is true," the Doctor added.
"You both must make full statements to the High Council," Flavia said to them, looking very serious.
"Oh, must we?" the Doctor asked, his face falling.
"Yes, that sounds awfully boring," the Hatter nodded, looking as if she was preparing herself to start running as far and as fast as she could so that she wouldn't have to do it.
"It can form part of you inaugural address," she told them, sounding rather pleased by the idea.
"My what?" they both asked, freezing on the spot as they gaped at her. How could they both be…but that wasn't possible…
"Doctor, Hatter, you have both evaded your responsibilities for far too long," Flavia said to them, looking stern and determined as the Doctor and the Hatter glanced at each other, looking rather nervous, "The disqualification of President Borusa leaves a gap at the very summit of the Time Lord hierarchy," she said mainly to the Doctor, "There is only one who can take this place," she told him as the Hatter bit her bottom lip, glancing in-between them both as she realised what was coming, "Yet again, it is my duty and my pleasure to inform you, Doctor, that the full Council has exercised its emergency powers to appoint you to the position of President, to take office immediately".
"Oh, no," the Doctor breathed, looking anything but happy by what he was hearing as the Hatter tried very hard to stop herself from smiling.
"This is a summons no Time Lord dare refuse," Flavia frowned at him, "To disobey the will of the High Council will attract the severest penalties," she warned him before turning to the Hatter, making her quickly become sober as all humour that she had been feeling suddenly vanished, "You, Dame Hatter of Blyledge, also known as the Gifted One, have also be evading you duties to Gallifrey for too long," she told the other Time Lady seriously, "It is time that you return to Gallifrey and your duties, effective immediately".
"Or what?" the brunette Time Lady asked her apprehensively.
"Or you too shall face punishment," she replied, "You will, of course, be expected to make a speech to the Council upon your return that will show to all that you are just as serious about your duties as ever before, and you will also be needed to swear an oath to," she nodded to the Doctor, "The Lord President that you will not leave your duties as you did before without his sole permission to do so".
"Ah, right," the Hatter muttered, glancing at the Doctor who gave her a small nod, telling her that he had a plan before he turned back to Flavia.
"Very well, Chancellor Flavia," he said to her, thinking quickly as he turned to the Hatter, "Now, my Lady Hatter, you wish to ask me something, I believe?" he gave her a pointed look.
"Oh, yes, I do, my Lord President," the Hatter nodded, giving him a small curtsy as she forced herself to remain serious, "I wish to ask you if I could possibly be given the right and freedom to travel the Universe, throughout space and time, from this day forward until such a time that you may deem that I must return to continue with my duties as the Gifted One, my Lord".
"Granted," the Doctor gave her a nod as he too tried to remain serious as they looked towards Flavia, "See that it's done, thank you," Flavia nodded to him, "Excellent. Now, you will return to Gallifrey immediately and summon the High Council," he ordered Flavia, "You have full deputy powers until I return. Dame Hatter and I shall travel in my TARDIS".
"Oh, but Doctor…" Flavia began.
"You will address me by my proper title," the Doctor turned back to her, giving her a firm look, leaving no room for argument, "I am President, am I not? You will obey my commands," he glanced at Tegan and Turlough, telling them, "Into the TARDIS," before looking to the guards, "You will escort Chancellor Flavia back to her duties," and grabbed the Hatter's hand as they turned and ran over to the TARDIS.
"Doctor, Hatter, wait!" Flavia called after them, but it was too late, they had already ran inside the time machine and closed the doors behind them, leaving her with no other choice but to go back to Gallifrey and back to work.
…The TARDIS…
The Doctor and the Hatter quickly ran back inside the console and rushed over to the controls, "Hold tight," the Doctor said to his companions as he and the Hatter dematerialised the TARDIS before the Time Lords could try coming after them again.
As soon as they had taken off and were save and sound in the time vortex, the Doctor and the Hatter looked at each other, sighing in relief as they both draped their arms around each other's shoulders as they started walking towards the doors that led off to the corridors .
"It'll soon be goodbye, then," Tegan said gloomily, glancing at them as they stopped in the doorway.
"Will it?" the Doctor asked, not understanding what she meant.
"Well, you're off to Gallifrey to be President," Turlough said to them, glancing at the Hatter, "And your off to carry out all of those duties you have," he clapped his hands together as he gave the Doctor a look, "I suppose your Time Lord subjects will find a TARDIS that really works and get us both home?"
"Wait, who said anything about the Doctor and I going back to Gallifrey?" the Hatter questioned them.
"Well, you, Doctor, told Chancellor Flavia…" Turlough started saying as he looked at the Doctor.
"I told her she had full deputy power until I returned," the Doctor corrected him, "And I also gave the Hatter permission to leave Gallifrey until I say so," he flashed the Time Lady a bright grin, "Which will never happen unless you ask me to".
"Don't get your hopes up, Doctor," the Hatter told him playfully.
"You're not going home?" Tegan asked them both, looking hopeful.
"You know, sometimes, Tegan, you take my breath away," the Doctor laughed, grabbing the Hatter's hand again and heading towards the doors once more.
"Eh, won't the Time Lords be very angry?" Turlough asked, making them turn back around to face them.
"Furious," the Hatter grinned.
"You mean you're deliberately choosing to go on the run from your own people in a rackety old TARDIS?" Tegan stared at the Doctor in amazement.
"Why not?" the Doctor grinned, shrugging as he exchanged looks with the Hatter, "After all, that's how it all started".
One more chapter to go and it's all original work, with a little over 8, 000 words, I believe and it will show what happened after the Doctors and the Hatters returned to their own time lines, so I can't wait for that. And also, did anyone else get upset when 11 regenerated? I had only just got over 10 regenerating and now they've gone and done this, oh, who am I kidding? I'll never be over any of the Doctors regenerating. Tell me what you thought, please review :)
