Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of its characters. I wish that I did, but alas…
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Chapter 7
"Doctor?" Clara called as she entered the TARDIS. "Doctor! Are you here?"
The resident Time Lord calmly walked into the console room, wiping his hands on his jacket as he went. "Right here, Clara. Is something wrong?" Seeing the look on her face, he rushed over to her, his hands on her shoulders and his head lowered so that he could look her directly in the eyes.
Just as Clara was about to respond, the TARDIS door opened again, pulling his attention away from her. The Doctor narrowed his eyes as their, well his, unexpected guest let himself in leaving Clara to look nervously between the Doctor and the newest arrival: John Smith.
Standing just inside the entry, John couldn't help but smile as he took in the beautiful ship. The briefly noted that the desktop had changed again, but it didn't matter. He felt her soothing presence wash over him - a feeling that he hadn't realized he had desperately missed. Yes, he and Rose had their own TARDIS, but it wasn't the same. She was only a child, but this ship, she was the Mother. She had been his constant companion for 900 years, metacrisis or not. He closed his eyes and basked in the glory of feeling her inside his mind once again.
"Ah," the Doctor said, watching John intently. "You shouldn't be here. Clara, why is he here?"
"I thought it might be best if you explained it to… you."
Ignoring the exchange between Clara and Doctor, John stroked the nearest bit of the TARDIS he could reach. "Hello, old girl." He grinned when the ship's lights flared in response. She was obviously glad to see him again as well.
Clara slowly walked over to John, hesitant to disrupt his obviously happy reunion with the TARDIS. She reached out to him, gently placing her hand on his arm. "John?"
"Right, yes," he said, shaking his head. "Sorry. It's just been…" he trailed off, smiling again. "Rose should-"
"No!" the Doctor interrupted. "Not Rose."
John's head snapped up as he glared at this newest regeneration of the Doctor and allowed himself a moment to really take the man in. He was certainly older, more distinguished than the future version that he had seen already in his mind. He carried himself with a hint of the old arrogance, but was obviously much more comfortable in his own skin. Still, there was more to him though. He knew things, remembered things. He no longer carried the burden of guilt with him. Not to mention that the man standing before him was…
"Scottish! How is it that you're Scottish? I always wanted to be Scottish," John whined.
The Doctor rolled his eyes. Still a child, apparently. "No. You always wanted to be ginger."
"Well, I didn't get to be that either, did I!"
Tutting in response, the Doctor shook his head and turned his attention to the time rotor. "You had that moment in Scotland with Queen Victoria, if you'd care to recall."
John smiled at the memory before glaring at the Doctor, who was making a point of ignoring him. "Knighted and exiled on the same day. Those were good times. With Rose."
Clara just looked from one man to the other. "Are you both finished?" she asked in a small voice. "Ready to move on?"
The Doctor smirked. "Born ready, actually."
"Oh, clever one, you," John replied. "That figures."
"Boys!"
"Of course," the Doctor said. "Sorry, Clara."
John once again narrowed his eyes. "What are you playing at, old man?"
"Noticed, have you? Looks as though you're getting there yourself, so good on you. Enjoy your humanity. Now if you don't mind, I've got some work to do."
"Doctor…" Clara warned. Rudeness was still something that transcended regeneration. "He knows."
"Not possible. And you shouldn't have brought him here," he scolded.
"Oh, it's possible," John countered. "It's happening right now, and I can see it unfolding as it goes. Bit different from what I remember though. Perspective, I suppose. Everything still in flux, can't see how it ends, although maybe it is the same as what I always thought, just with more players. But maybe not. Of course you'd know all about that, wouldn't you? Why else would you-"
"Shut up!" the Doctor roared. "How did anyone ever put up with you and that unforgivable gob?"
"Doctor!" Clara admonished. She was horrified by his behavior toward John, but not altogether surprised when she stopped to think about it. He was much like this when everything unfolded and he was faced with his former selves before.
"Why are you here," John said, much more calmly this time. All he wanted was an answer to that question.
"Just tell him," Clara encouraged.
"I can't."
"What d'you mean you 'can't'? You found a way to cross universes, come back to Pete's World. There has to be a reason. What is it?"
"You, of all people, should understand what I mean. Just know this, Dr. John Smith: Clara and I are here to protect you and your family. So go back to them, and allow us to continue doing what needs to be done so that we can go home."
"Protect us from what?"
"Doesn't matter. Just go."
As if to underline the Doctor's point, John's mobile rang. He pulled the phone from his pocket to find that it was Rose's name on the caller ID. He answered the phone with a quick "Just one moment, love," before hitting the mute button and turning back to the Doctor and Clara. "This isn't over. We will talk more later." And with that, he walked out of the TARDIS. "Shall I pick up dinner?" they heard his voice trailing behind as he walked away.
Still staring at the TARDIS doors, Clara shook her head. "Doctor, he knows. Why not tell him that they could be in danger?"
"He doesn't know everything, Clara," the Doctor explained gently, taking her hand in his. "Not yet. He will soon though, he'll get there very soon. And when he does, we'll be ready to act."
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It had been yet another long week for Rose, and Clara calling out sick yesterday hadn't helped things. Usually she could count on the girl to run interference for her, keeping the lesser problems associated with working at Torchwood at bay. Unfortunately, due to her assistant's untimely absence, she wound up dealing with all sorts of minor work-related headaches that resulted in her having to go to the office on a Saturday. At least she was able to catch up before the entire day was lost though. Heading home, she looked forward to spending a relaxing afternoon with her husband and daughter.
Entering the house, Rose walked into the kitchen where John was sitting at the table with Adelyn on his lap and wrinkled her nose in disgust. "What are you feeding my child?"
"I cooked, mummy!" Adelyn proudly beamed, noodles dripping from her mouth back into the mug in front of her.
John stifled a laugh at the look of horror on his wife's face. "Weeeeeeeeell," he began. "You know. She pushed the buttons on the microwave."
"Yes, but what is that?"
"Cup-a-Soup. We fancied a snack, didn't we, sweetpea?"
The child nodded and slurped up another noodle as Rose shook her head in disbelief. "Where did you even find that?"
"Long story. Seemed like a good idea at the time though." John shrugged and then with the skilled hands of someone who had maneuvered himself out of similar situations many times, he stood up and quickly placed Adelyn in her booster seat before she even noticed what was happening.
Once Adelyn had settled back into eating her soup, he gestured for Rose to follow him over to the doorway so that they'd be out of the child's earshot.
"What?" Rose asked, suddenly concerned. "What happened?"
"Have you heard from Clara?"
"No, not since yesterday. Why? Did something happen?"
"Can you call her? I think she needs to be here…"
Rose could feel her heart begin to race. "What is it? What happened?" There was a definite sense of both urgency and unease coursing through her mind.
"It's the dreams, Rose, the memories. Do you remember? Remember what I told you," he whispered urgently. "The promise that I made all those centuries ago when I chose to become the Doctor."
Rose nodded, still feeling dazed by the frantic turn of events. "Of course. 'Never cruel or cowardly. Never give up-"
"Never give in," John finished. "Well, I intend to keep that promise. So please, call Clara. And ask if her friend will come as well. We need to settle something."
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A/N: And so Twelve enters the fray as well… It just seemed time to move things along, so I hope you are enjoying it!
Reviews are always appreciated!
