Chapter 9
As the sun rose on a new day in 2060, as Nina woke up and then sat up, she blinked away sleep and saw her husband was already up and dressed.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm taking the new time manipulation device for a test journey. It's okay, I asked for permission and I have clearance."
She got out of bed, ran her fingers through fair hair messed up by sleep and walked over to him, the sunlight made her short silken gown look sheer as she met with him by a window reflecting a bright morning.
"Where are you planning on going?"
He looked into her eyes, and then he felt bad about the lie he was about to tell.
"Just a quick trip back to test the time line stretch – I fancied post war London, 1940s."
She looked intently at him.
"You're sure that is where you intend to end up?"
He smiled.
"Of course!"
Then her expression softened.
"Well be careful," she said to him, "You always worry me when you volunteer to test the new improved devices."
He kissed her and then tightened the time device about his wrist.
"Don't worry about me," he said, "I know what I'm doing."
Half an hour later, he was still in the apartment, claiming he was not scheduled to test the device until nine thirty.
Nina went off to work and then he locked the door, hurried through to the spare room and quickly got changed to be sure he looked the part when he arrived at his destination – and moments later, Raymond stood before the mirror as he smiled at his reflection and felt sure he would certainly blend in wearing his fine suit.
He had lied to his wife about everything, of course.
His true destination was Victorian London because he remembered much from stories he had been told as a child, and he knew there was a time and place he needed to be, because the Doctor and Clara needed his help...
After Clara had left the Tardis, the Doctor had followed, complaining loudly that the Tardis was refusing to start up her engines. And then Madame Vastra had spoken softy to him, seen confusion in his eyes, then noticed the deep scar to his temple and guessed before Clara had a chance to explain that something had happened, and that something had affected him very badly...
Soon Clara was sitting in the parlour on a sofa beside Madame Vastra as Jenny set the tea tray down on the table and then set about pouring the tea.
"No matter what's happened," said Jenny, "Its always good to see you and the Doctor."
And then she had glanced at her wife, whose reptilian features had softened into a fond smile.
"Of course," she replied, "We both agree on that statement."
And then as Jenny left the room, Madame Vastra briefly placed a cool hand on the back of Clara's hand, and looked intently into her eyes.
"Tell me some more. You said the Doctor had the transmitter removed, and he's been.." she paused, casting a glance across the room, where the Doctor sat by the window looking impatient as Strax scanned him, and then she lowered her voice, "He's been difficult, ever since?"
"More than difficult," Clara replied, "They said his personality could change for a while but he's getting so volatile -"
"I heard that!" the Doctor snapped, and then as he sat there he looked up at Strax.
"Hurry up with that scanner, my Tardis isn't working and I've got better things to be doing with my time than sitting here getting checked over by a no neck potato head!"
"This will not take much longer, Doctor," replied the Sontaran, and then as he read the results of the scan he glanced at Madame Vastra. Clara saw the look they both shared and felt a chill run through her blood.
"What?" she said in a hushed voice, and the Doctor heard that too.
"I need to get out of here, I don't have time for this!"
"I think perhaps the Tardis has locked down because you are intended to stay here for a while, for your own good," Madame Vastra said politely, "Surely you understand that, given the fact that you are an intelligent and vastly experienced Timelord?"
On hearing those words the Doctor's anger melted away.
"Well of course I understand that, it's just very inconvenient!"
"It is never inconvenient to welcome you into our home," she replied, and then she rang a bell, and in keeping with the pretence they kept up in public, Madame Vastra's wife returned, still behaving in the guise of her maid.
"Show the Doctor to his room," she said, and then as Jenny led him out, she turned to Clara once more.
"You can join him later my dear - we need to talk..."
As she sat there, worry reflected in Clara's eyes as she glanced to Strax and then back at Madame Vastra.
"What's wrong? You noticed something just now when he was scanned, I saw the look you exchanged!"
Strax stepped closer, read the scan results again and then put the scanner in the pocket of his butler's jacket.
"The Doctor has considerable complications with his healing injury," he replied, "He may quite possibly die...but please do not be distressed, Clara – I am sure all will be well!"
And then he smiled.
She gave a sigh of frustration and turned to Madame Vastra, hoping for an answer that would make sense.
"What is he taking about? The Doctor came through the surgery, he was well enough to leave in the Tardis – the only problem he's been left with is this change in his personality, and I was told to expect that, they said it could take five years to clear up. What else could there be?"
Madame Vastra glanced to her Sontaran companion.
"Strax, explain what you found on the scanner."
"The injury is healing leaving a considerable amount of scar tissue building up over the wound," he said, "This will only add to his confused state – and eventually seizures will be inevitable."
Clara looked back to Madame Vastra.
"But he was fine when we left -"
"Exactly when did he leave the facility where he had treatment? He should have been monitored."
"We left as soon as he could stand up."
Madame Vastra shook her head.
"Oh Clara, he should have stayed on to rest!"
"But they wanted to lock him up. We had no choice but to leave, and the Doctor said he was fine!"
Madame Vastra looked into her eyes.
"Answer this, Clara: Does he seem fine to you?"
"No," she replied quietly.
"He needs to rest, " Madame Vastra continued, "And we must hope the complications do not worsen – Strax can monitor his condition but for now, we do to have a means to treat the scar tissue – providing he rests while he heals and gets through the worst of this phase, his condition should not worsen."
"But the Doctor won't rest! You know what he's like!"
"Then you must persuade him to," Madame Vastra replied, and then she smiled.
"I see a clear difference in you since you last arrived here – I think perhaps your relationship with the Doctor has deepened? If this is the case, there should be no difficulty keeping him in bed, Clara. Although he is a Timelord, he is still a man with the needs of one, and I'm sure you can be persuasive and gentle with it."
Despite her concerns for the Doctor, Clara smiled on hearing those words.
"I'll certainly try."
And then as she looked at her, she drew in a deep breath and made a confession:
"I'm pregnant."
Strax stared at her.
"Have you humanoid species never considered cloning? It is much more convenient! How inconsiderate of the Doctor to put you in this predicament, with a small half human Timelord growing inside your body, which you will have to expel when the time is ready, causing you considerable pain! Did you not know this would be the consequence of mating?"
And then he pulled back his angry tone and smiled.
"Also, congratulations on your pregnancy, Clara Oswald."
And then as the Sontaran left the room, Clara looked in surprise at Madame Vastra.
"Well that was unexpected – I got a lecture and congratulations at the same time. I think he's happy for us?"
Madame Vastra gave a sigh.
"I am not happy for either of you," she confessed, "Really Clara, this is the worst possible time to be starting a family. The Doctor is ill, he needs rest, he needs to recover from the worst of his complications. He is not stable enough to take this on."
"Well I think he is."
"Perhaps you are right," she replied, "I hope so, I want to be wrong about this. But he is ill, you must remember that. Be under no illusion – his condition could worsen at any time and we are limited in the ways we can treat it. You could lose him."
"I won't," she said quietly, "He's strong, he's fighting this."
"If he fights too hard he will wear himself out," Madame Vastra replied, "Nothing can be certain, Clara. But I do wish you both the best and I will do all I can to help."
"Thank you," Clara said as she rose from her seat, "I think I'll go to him now. I won't tell him the results of the scan."
"Very wise," Madame Vastra replied, "I really don't think he could take bad news at this time."
And Clara left the room and headed for the stairs, knowing she could hold her own news back no longer, as she desperately hoped the Doctor would not take of her news of her pregnancy badly...
As Clara headed for the stairs, she was tapped on the shoulder by Strax.
"What do you want?" she asked him, "I need to be with the Doctor."
"This will be brief," Strax replied, "I shall not keep you long...May I?"
And he smiled as he held up his scanner.
She gave a sigh.
"Go on, then – and be quick!"
Strax lowered the scanner close to her belly.
"It is definitely half Timelord. Your child has two hearts. It is a boy!"
And she saw a sparkle in his eyes.
She laughed softly.
"So much for your lecture!" she exclaimed, "You really are excited about this baby, aren't you!"
"I should like to care for you during your pregnancy," he added, "I am a trained medic. And I am keen to deliver your child!"
His eyes were sparkling as he smiled.
She tried not to let her surprise show too much as her eyes widened, then she smiled politely back.
"We will have to see, I'm not sure how long we will be staying," she replied, "But thanks for the offer."
And then she hurried off up the stairs.
Clara found the Doctor in a darkly decorated bedroom that was smaller, but not unlike, his own room back at the Tardis.
He was standing at a window and looking out at a view of Victorian London, and as she entered the room he let go of the curtain and turned around.
"How long are we expected to stay here? What the bloody hell is the Tardis playing at? I know I have some minor repairs to make to the console thanks to the silver Cyber bastard that blew a couple of holes in it, but that's not a reason for her to dump us here!"
"You were brought here to rest," Clara replied, "So that you can heal properly."
And then she thought back to all she had been told. She knew the Doctor would need some kind of explanation, so she told him a little of the facts:
"Your scan showed you are not healing very well – because you're not resting enough. So the Tardis brought you here to rest."
The Doctor frowned, and she saw that troubled, confused look was back in his eyes once more.
"Clara," he said, "I know I'm not right. I've not felt right since I woke up from the surgery. I don't mind admitting it makes me feel a bit lost sometimes, and scared, too. I hate feeling like this."
Clara joined him at the window.
"Don't be afraid. All you need to do is rest, and you will start to feel better. And you're not alone, I'm here."
The Doctor looked into her eyes and for a moment he said nothing as he stood close to her, his gaze locked on hers. When he broke the silence what he said surprised her:
"My senses work slightly different to yours. Every time I'm close to you I pick up a certain scent. You smell like you're pregnant."
"That's because I am."
"Is it mine?"
She stared at him.
"Because you can't put the blame on me if its Danny Pink's kid, or anyone else, any of your other earth boyfriends, I'm a Timelord, my kid would have two hearts!"
Clara looked at the scar on his temple. She studied it and remembered why it was there, because it was only thanks to that scar that she didn't slap him again.
"Of course the baby is yours! Strax just scanned me and told me we're having a boy, and he has two hearts."
The news was sinking in despite his confused mind.
His blue eyes widened in surprise, and then he smiled.
"So you're having my baby?"
She nodded.
"Mine?"
She laughed softly on seeing such a look of surprise and wonder in his eyes.
"I'm glad," he said as he gently held her, then he kissed her and looked into her eyes again, his own gaze reflecting joy.
"I know you must have stopped taking your primitive but effective contraceptive pills, but that doesn't matter! I can over ride that medication any time I like because I'm a Timelord - and I've often thought about getting you pregnant without asking you! I don't mind that you didn't ask me!"
Her jaw dropped.
"You know?"
"Yes, and I don't care! I love you, I want this more than anything, Oh Clara, this is wonderful. Come here!"
And as he held her she embraced him as they stood by the window where beyond, the sun shone down on a day in Victorian London.
At that moment nothing else mattered but their happiness, and she clung to that joy as she felt new hope for a future that had before seemed so uncertain.
Then as she broke off from their embrace, she took charge of the situation, starting as she meant to go on:
"Right," she said, "If you want to be well enough to meet your son a few months from now, I suggest you do as I say. Go to bed and get some rest!"
Joy still shone in his eyes as he went over to the bed, kicked off his shoes and lay back on top of the covers.
"And stay there!"Clara reminded him.
"Yes Boss," he replied, and it suddenly occurred to her that for the briefest moment he had sounded like the man she used to know – she had seen a glimpse of the Doctor as he was before the shooting, and knowing that made her hopes soar even higher.
She climbed on to the bed next to him and they rested together as the sun shone through the window and for once, the Doctor's mood stayed light as he put his arm around her and talked softly of the future and how he felt as if his dreams were coming true at last - and for Clara, it seemed like the long, dark journey they had been through had finally reached an end, because at last the Doctor was starting to sound like the man she knew and loved once more.
It wasn't over.
As the tall man in the smart suit walked through the streets of Victorian London towards the home of Madame Vastra, he knew he had no choice but to visit this time and place, even though here his own mother was currently carrying him in her womb...
The Doctor needed help.
He knew this because he remembered all he had been told as a boy, about how his father had suffered for years before his head injury finally healed.
And he was here to set that right.
It would not endanger his own existence - he would make sure of it.
He would tell them nothing, even though his twin hearts were bursting with love and the heartache caused by so many years of separation.
They were yet to learn how they would know their young son for such a short time, or why he would be snatched away from them.
He could not tell them his life story, as much as he wanted to.
Nor could he tell them why his name was Lethbridge-Stewart instead of Smith, or why the Brigadier had been the one to take him in and raise him – because it had not happened yet, and he could not afford to toy with a time line that could affect his own future, because that future was a complicated one...
Raymond had reached the door of Madame Vastra.
He rang the bell, feeling a swirl of emotions as he ached to hold his mother and father and tell them he loved them, and he also longed to see Auntie Jenny and Auntie Vastra and funny Mr Strax once more – he had not seen any of them since he was six years old...
And only Raymond knew why, and he could give nothing away, for the sake of his own complicated time line.
He waited at the door, determined to simply help the Doctor and then leave - because to do more could endanger the path of his own future...
