Last chapter: "Are you okay?" the Doctor asked his impossible girl.
"No"Clara told him honestly. She held out her hand, the Doctor looked at it for a moment before he took her hand in his.
"Good. There would be something very wrong if you were" He told her before they followed Jack and doctor Chang.`
doctor Chang brought the Timelord and his friends to his office, it was a big office with in the middle of it a tank made of glass with a skeleton inside of it.
"Come in, come in. Going to need to take a reading off you" Doctor Chang announced.
"A reading?" Clara asked confused looking around at the office. Just like the Doctor she noticed that there was something wrong about this place
"Won't hurt" Chang said as he flicked a switch.
"What won't?"
"How does the body keep its integrity? Why isn't it just a bunch of bones floating about?" The Doctor exclaimed, he had been wondering this for a while.
"Each body is encased in a support exoskeleton" doctor Chang explained.
"An invisible exoskeleton?" Clara wondered.
"That's weird" Jack said with raising eyebrows.
"it's only invisible in the water. There's a specially engineered refraction index in the fluid so we can see the tank resident unimpeded by the support mechanisms" doctor Chang explained.
"So each skeleton is inside of something" the Doctor concluded giving the skeleton another look.
"Are you serious? X-ray water?" Jack said excitedly about something.
"It's so cool, look at this. We call it dark water" doctor Chang grinned when he took a glass jar filled with water from a table. He put his arm into the jar, his wristwatch and jacket sleeve vanished the moment it entered the water.
"Only organic matter can be seen through it. I keep saying they should use this stuff in swimming pools" doctor Chang announced proudly as he removed his arm from the jar and started to dry his arm off.
"YES! That NEEDS to happen, you're a genius" Jack exclaimed excited raising his hand towards doctor Chang waiting for a high-five. Chang happily gave him one.
"Why?" the Doctor asked confused.
"Think about it" doctor Chang said.
"I am thinking about it. Why?"
"Doesn't matter. 3W, what kind of name is that? What does it mean?" Clara asked changing the subject.
"Good point Clara" Jack winked at her.
"Well, you know, don't you? You're here on business or they wouldn't have let you in. Sorry. Should have checked. Who are you?" doctor Chang awkwardly said, suddenly realizing he could've made a huge mistake in letting strangers in.
"I thought that you would never ask. Sort out your security protocols, they're a disgrace" The Doctor announced getting out his psychic paper, showing it to the man.
"Another government inspection? So soon? Why is there all this swearing?" doctor Chang said surprised looking at the paper.
"Oh, I've got a lot of internalized anger. What does 3W stand for?" the Doctor stated.
"Well, the three words?"
"What three words?" Clara asked confused.
"Why three words? Why does it always start with three words" Jack groaned more to himself than to the others. Clara and the Doctor both shared a suspicious look.
"Seriously? You don't know"
"Never mind what we know and what we don't know, just answer our question" The Doctor demanded.
"Because people who don't know, when they hear about this, they can freak out" doctor Chang warned them giving them a serious look.
"We're not going to freak out" the Doctor promised them.
"If you've had a recent loss, this might be, this will be disturbing" the man continued.
"She'll be fine"
"Speak for me again, I'll detach something from you. I'll be fine" Clara warned the Doctor giving him a cold look, the time for games was over. She wanted Danny back, now.
"You know how people are scared of dying? Like, everybody" doctor Chang silently began.
"Of course. It's the most fundamental fear in the universe" the Doctor proudly shared his knowledge sitting down in a chair, Jack and Clara did the same thing as doctor Chang took place behind a desk.
"They'd be a lot more scared if they knew what it was really like" doctor Chang announced as he activated the see through computer screen on his desk.
"White noise off the telly. We've all heard it. A few years ago, Doctor Skarosa, our founder, did something unexpected. He played the noise through a translation matrix of his own devising. This is a recording of what he heard" doctor Chang activated something on his computer, then there was a sound wave of multiple voices. It was hard to make out what they were saying. the Doctor frowned.
"Okay, people, voices" Clara stated not really getting it.
"Don't get me wrong, I like voices but what's the point of this?" Jack asked confused.
"Over time, Doctor Skarosa became convinced these were the voices of the recently departed. He believed it was a telepathic communication from the dead"
"Why? Was he an idiot?" the Doctor rudely interrupted him.
"He was able to isolate some of the voices, hear what they were saying" doctor Chang continued ignoring the Doctor.
"So, an idiot then" the Doctor concluded. doctor Chang turned off the recording.
"Shut up, Doctor" Clara demanded slightly glaring at him, she needed more answers.
"What I'm about to play will change your life and not for the better. These are the three words which caused Doctor Skarosa to set up institutes, like hits one, all over the world, to protect the dead. If you'd rather not hear these words, there's still time" doctor Chang warned them giving them all a serious look.
"can you just hurry up please, or I'll hit you with my shoe" the Doctor threatened annoyed. doctor Chang turned on the sound again. the Doctor, Jack and Clara were all horrified by the following words they heard:
'Don't cremate me. Don't cremate me!' the voices kept repeating over and over again.
"there is one simple, horrible possibility that has never occurred to anyone throughout human history" Doctor Chang slowly said.
"Don't say it" Clara tensely said.
"The dead remain conscious. The dead are fully aware of everything that is happening to them" doctor Chang continued ignoring Clara. Clara let out a long breath she didn't knew she was holding. She suddenly became really scared about Danny, they were going to cremate him. She didn't want Danny to suffer anymore.
"For the first time I'm glad to be immortal" Jack announced leaning back into his chair not even joking about what he said. The Doctor had enough of this, he had noticed that this was making Clara sad. He didn't want her to be like this, she deserved better.
"Fakery. All of it. It's a con, it's a racket!" the Doctor declared not believing any of it.
"I promise you this is not a con" doctor Chang gave him a serious look. Then the computer started beeping.
"What's that beeping?" Clara asked trying trick her mind into not thinking about Danny, she failed.
"Never mind about beeping. Who cares about beeping? The dead are dead. They're not talking to you out of your television sets. They're just gone" the Doctor said quickly dismissing the beeping.
"and all these poor souls down there in these tanks, I'm sorry, but they're just dead and they're not coming back" he continued. doctor Chang ignored the Timelord and started to type on his computer. That was until a voice came out of nowhere, Clara felt her heart skip a beat when she heard it.
'Clara? Clara? Clara, are you there?'
it was Danny, definitely Danny. Clara would recognize that voice everywhere, and he was calling for her.
"Danny! I can hear you. Is that you? Oh, please say it's you!" Clara asked hopefully. Then the signal dropped out, Clara's eyes widened. She was so close.
"Just lost the signal. But I can track it back, I'm pretty sure" doctor Chang said typing away and acting as if these things happened more often.
"I don't, I don't understand. What is happening?" Clara asked carefully hoping that it was really Danny who had just talked to her.
"We've been scanning you telepathically since you came in. You said you wanted to speak to someone who'd passed, and we've found a match in the Nethersphere." doctor Chang explained to her.
"This isn't possible! The dead don't come back" the Doctor declared getting tired of all this nonsense. Right now doctor Chang was hurting Clara by copying Danny Pink's voice. He didn't like it one bit.
"It was him, It was his voice!" Clara told the Doctor, honestly thinking doctor Chang wasn't lying.
"if they scanned you telepathically, they could've lifted a voice print. It could still be a fake" the Doctor explained trying to talk some sense into her.
"He had a lovely voice though" Jack commented, wanting to be nice to Clara but just like the Doctor not believing doctor Chang.
"Getting him back, very nearly!" doctor Chang announced.
a moment later Clara heard the voice again.
'Clara, can you hear me?' she heard Danny ask.
"Yes, Danny I can hear you. Can you hear me?" Clara answered carefully.
'Yeah, yeah I can hear you!'she heard him say.
'Clara! Oh, god Clara!'
"What do I do?" Clara asked looking at the Doctor.
'who are you talking to?'They heard Danny ask.
"hang on just a second" Clara told him still awaiting for the Doctor's answer.
"Question him. Ask him questions only he'd know the answer to, be sure." the Doctor informed her, then he pointed at Jack and doctor Chang. "you two, with me"
"Where are you going?" Clara asked not sure if she wanted the Doctor to leave her in this room, she might need her best friend.
"I've got the check out those tanks. There's something that I'm missing" the Doctor stood up from his year, follow by Jack and doctor Chang.
'Clara?' Clara heard Danny ask.
"Sceptical and critical, remember? Be strong, even if it breaks your heart" the Doctor told his companion again.
"connection's stabilised. It should be okay" doctor Chang announced. Clara nodded.
"Good luck Clara" Jack kindly told her before they started to leave the room.
"Who would harvest dead bodies? I feel like I'm missing something obvious" Clara heard the Doctor say as he left the room followed by the other two. She was alone in the room now.
"Danny?" Clara asked hoping he was still there.
'yeah, I'm here'the voice answered.
"Danny, I'm so sorry but I'm going to have to ask you some questions" Clara sadly said, she really wanted to believe he's real but the Doctor was right, maybe they were just copying Danny's voice.
'Questions? I swear on anything it's me!'Danny said confused as if wondering why Clara didn't believe him.
"The very first restaurant you took me to. That first date. What was it called?" Clara asked not liking the fact that she had to ask him this questions.
'Clara, it's me' she heard him try again.
"Then what was the name of the restaurant? What was it" Clara questioned him hoping that he would give the correct answer.
'I can't remember' he answered desperately.
"My birthday. When is it?" She tried using a different question.
'November twenty third. That's right, isn't it? I got that one right' Clara heard Danny answer the question. But then she realised this could still be fake.
"It's pretty basic information. Anyone could know that. Say something only you could say" Clara sadly asked. "tell me something only Danny would know"
'I love you'
"No. no,no,no I'm sorry, but now. Anybody could say that. Anybody would know to say that. Say something only you could tell me. Prove to me you are really Danny!" Clara desperately said as she started to tear up, this really must be a copy of Danny's voice.
'how?'
Clara picked up all the courage she had and said one of the hardest things she had ever said to someone she loved.
"I love you means nothing right now. Not until I know who's talking. Say something only Danny could say"
'Clara'she heard Danny sadly say.
"Danny, if that is you. Wherever you are, whatever it takes, I will be with you again... I swear" Clara promised as a tear rolled down her face.
'No, you won't! You are not coming here' Danny's voice anxiously said.
"nothing will stop me, nothing in the world. As soon as I know it's you" Clara continued.
'there is only one way to come here, and you are not doing that'
"I'll do anything, Danny, anything. Just say something only you could say" Clara promised him.
'Clara, you have your life. You have your whole life to live, You have to stay there' Danny desperately said trying to convince Clara.
"No, I have to be with Danny Pink" Clara said with determination.
'I love you'
"Stop saying that! Don't say that. If you say that again, I swear I will switch this thing off" she told him sternly.
'Clara?' Danny slowly asked.
"yes?"
'I love you'
With a disappointed feeling Clara turned off the computer, this really was a computer copying Danny's voice. Danny was really dead and there was no way to get him back. It this didn't work what would? She had to accept the truth. Clara leant back into her chair, the chair had wheels so she could rotate around. She turned the chair thinking about what just happened, that when she saw a big metal thing. She recognized it.. it was a cyberman!
Before the tank stood a Cyberman, ready to kill. The skeleton in the tank behind the cyberman was gone.
"Doctor!" Clara call out standing up from her chair and rushing towards the closed doors. She tried to open them but she failed, the doors were locked. She had to find another place to hide, she didn't want the cyberman to kill her. She hid behind doctor Chang's desk hoping the cyberman wouldn't notice her.
She heard the cyberman stomp around but then he stopped by the desk where Clara was hiding. A moment later he pointed his weapon at Clara.
"STOP! You can't kill me" Clara quickly yelled at the cyberman, hoping desperately that he wouldn't shoot her. She quickly stood up from behind the desk fully facing the cyberman
"Incorrect" the metallic voice said.
"I'm a target of strategic value. Alive, I'm a tactical advantage. Dead, I'm your biggest mistake. You don't know who I am" Clara told the cyberman remembering what the Doctor once said against one of his enemies. A light came out of the cyberman's chest, he was scanning Clara.
"you are Clara Oswald. You are human. You are unimportant" the cyberman declared a moment later.
"Incorrect. You see, that is what you're supposed to think. That is what everybody thinks" Clara tried.
"You are Clara Oswald" the cyberman repeated itself again.
"Incorrect, you see. That is what you're supposed to think. That is what everybody thinks" Clara lied.
"Identify"
"Oh, don't be so slow, it's embarrassing. Who could fool you like this? Who could hide right under your nose? Who could change their face any time they want? You see I'm not Clara Oswald, Clara Oswald has never existed." Clara lied, now acting as if she was the Doctor. She just hoped that this would save her life.
"Identify"
"I'm the Doctor" She grinned a little trying to be more convincing.
"You'll come with me" the cyberman ordered waiting for Clara to follow him. This was better than being killed Clara thought. She followed the cyberman wondering where it was going to bring her. The Cyberman had just blown up the door not bothering to unlock it in a less breakable way.
"Where are you bringing me?" Clara asked when they had passed a couple of corridors. The cyberman stopped walking and turned around towards Clara.
"You must wait here" it ordered.
"Aren't you scared that I'll run away?" Clara asked carefully.
"These corridors are filled with cybermen, you'll be killed if you try to run" with that the cyberman turned around and stomped away. Should Clara run? The cyberman was right, she would get killed if she walked into another cyberman. And if all the skeletons became cybermen then she really had a problem. Clara wondered where the Doctor was, she hoped he was save. She couldn't bare to lose someone else.
Then her phone rang, surprised she picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
'#CLARA! Where are you?!'Clara heard the younger Doctor scream through her phone.
"Why?" Clara asked confused.
'#There are cybermen EVERYWHERE! I have to stop this' the eleventh Doctor began to ramble.
"Doctor"
'#Clara, I'm going to UNIT. Be save, I want you back in one piece. I'll save the earth' he announced, Clara wanted to stop him but he had already hang up on her. This was going to be bad, if the older Doctor was out there he will probably want to stop the cybermen too. Clara just hoped that if both Doctors met, knowing who they both were wouldn't create a paradox, they already had enough problems with the way things were now.
