The End of Time (1), Part one
The TARDIS materialised on the snowy Ood Sphere in front of Ood Sigma and the Time Lords opened the doors, stepping out as it snowed faintly, looking around. The Doctor was wearing his brown suit, but with a flower necklace hanging around his neck, a straw cowboy hat, and sunglasses, while the Time Lady was wearing a pair of rainbow framed sunglasses, with a matching flower necklace of her own proudly on display around her neck.
They had tried to avoid coming to the Ood Sphere ever since Ood Sigma's appearance outside Adelaide's house, and had managed to do so by going on numerous adventures, but soon enough the Hatter was forced to convince the Doctor that they couldn't spend the rest of their lives running, as much as they might like to do, and set a course to meet with him…after a few stop offs, of course. Oh, and there wedding and honeymoon.
"Ah!" the Doctor grinned, looking over to Ood Sigma, "Now, sorry. There you are," he closed the TARDIS doors, linking his arm through the Hatter's as they began to approach the Ood, who was simply watching them, "So, where were we?" he cast a look around the snowy landscape, sniffing slightly, "I was summoned, wasn't I? An Ood in the snow, calling to me. Well…" he dragged out the word, his grin turning playful, "We didn't exactly come straight here. Had a bit of fun, you know, travelled about, did this and that…"
"Got into a little trouble along the way," the Hatter remarked with a small smile, nudging the Doctor's side.
He laughed, nodding as he looked back to Sigma, "You know us," he grinned again, giving the Time Lady a wink, "It was brilliant. We saw the Phosphorous Carousel of the Great Magellan Gestadt," he shrugged, "Saved a planet from the Red Carnivorous Maw, named a galaxy Alison…"
The Time Lady's eyes brightened as she broke into a broad grin, "After my companion Alice," she cast the Doctor a look, rolling her eyes, scoffing slightly, "He wanted to name it Ariana".
"Hey, I think it's a pretty name!" he defended.
"Yeah, and the view from the sofa in the library is probably pretty, too," she replied, narrowing her eyes at him, practically daring him to try arguing with her on this, because as far as she was concerned there was no way she was going to name anything after herself. That was far too arrogant for her.
"Anyway!" the Doctor quickly turned back to the Ood, looking alarmed, "Got married…twice. The second time was a very, very big mistake," he winced slightly, rubbing the back of his neck as the Hatter laughed, recalling the trip, "Good Queen Bess…" he shook his head, shooting a look at the Time Lady, "I still don't understand why you find it so amusing".
She laughed again, "Oh, it wasn't a real wedding," she smiled, obviously still very amused, "And seeing one of the most famous Queens in human history turning to mush over you was simply hilarious," she shrugged and held up her hand with her wedding and engagement ring twinkling on it, wigging her fingers at him when he still seemed unconvinced, "Besides, a Uniting ceremony outweighs any other wedding, but I suppose it was strange to see my husband being snogged by another woman…" she frowned slightly towards the end, lowering her arm back to her side.
"Ah, so it did have an effect of you!" he exclaimed, looking pleased, and the Time Lady raised her eyebrows at him before shaking her head, amused that he still seemed amazed at her lack of jealousy, "Anyway," he focused his attention back onto Ood Sigma as they came to a stop directly in front of him, "What do you want?"
Sigma held up his communication orb and it lit up as he spoke, "You should not have delayed," he told them.
The Time Lords nodded, growing serious, "The last time we were here you said my song would be ending soon," the Doctor reminded him, his tone grim, "And I'm in no hurry for that".
"You will come with me".
"Hold on, better lock the TARDIS," he reached inside his pocket for the key and pulled it out, pointing it back towards the time machine, and pressing a button. The light on top of it flashed twice as it beeped, sounding like a car being locked as he looked back to the Ood, smiling smugly, "See? Like a car," he waved the key around as the Time Lady coughed, struggling not to laugh, "I locked it like a car. Like…it's funny. No?" he glanced back at the TARDIS as Sigma simply looked unimpressed, "Little bit?" he tried again, but Sigma shook his head, and turned away, "Blimey, try to make an Ood laugh," he sighed, slipping the key back inside his pocket.
The Hatter smiled reassuringly at him, patting his arm, "There, there, sweetheart," she comforted him gently, making him look at her, "I thought it was clever".
His eyes brightened, "You did?"
"Oh, yes, just next time you might want to choose your audience better".
He grinned broadly and linked his arm through hers once more as they quickly followed after Sigma, catching up with him, "So how old are you now, Ood Sigma?" he asked him as he took off his hat, ruffling his hair, just as something caught his eyes ahead of them, "Ah!"
The Hatter followed his gaze and broke into a broad smile as she took in the sight of a large city built into the very sides of the rock between a crevice, several spiralling towers carved out of more rock with ice and snow covering it all, making it look almost magical as snowflakes continued to swirl around in the air around them, and from where they were standing, she could make out the figures of other Ood's walking around.
"Oh, this is beautiful," she commented brightly, her eyes taking it all in.
"Magnificent!" the Doctor laughed in agreement, breaking into a wide smile as he glanced at Sigma, nudging his arm with a slight eye roll when he didn't say anything, "Oh, come on, that is…splendid," he nodded to the city.
The Time Lady sniffed the air curiously, frowning slightly as she sensed something…off, "Tell me, how long has it taken to build all of this?" she questioned, glancing at Sigma.
"One hundred years," he replied, lifting his orb.
Both Time Lords tensed, exchanging quick looks before looking back to the city, very, very concerned and worried, "Then we've got a problem," they informed him with frowns, "Because all of this is way too fast," they shook there heads, "Not just the city, we mean your ability to call us. Reaching all the way back to the twenty first century…something's accelerating your species way beyond normal".
"And the mind of the Ood is troubled," he nodded.
The Hatter looked at him in deep concern, "Oh, dear, what's happened?"
"Every night, Doctor and Hatter, every night we have bad dreams. Come".
Sigma turned and began to led them away from the sight of the city, passing more Ood as they moved towards a large cave that opened up into a tunnel, lit candles flickering along the edge of the stone walls as the Time Lords followed him, the Time Lady tucking her sunglasses inside her pockets as they did so, seeing as there was no point to wearing it inside a darkened cave, while the Doctor kept his on. Soon enough, the tunnel opened up into a much larger cave where several Ood in robes were gathered around a small table with incense burning in an enclosed pot, kneeling on the ground in the dimly lit space.
"Returning, returning, returning, it is slowly returning," the elder Ood, wearing a white robe, and sitting directly across from the pot called into the Time Lords minds, waving the smoke of the incense towards his face, "Through the dark and the fire and the blood. Always returning, returning to this world," the Time Lords exchanged concerned and confused looks, wondering exactly what was returning, "It is returning, and he is returning, and they are returning, but too late. Too late. Far too late. He has come," his voice breathed into there minds as all the Ood turned to look at them.
Whispers continued to echo around them as Sigma moved closer to the group, "Sit with the Elder Ood and share the dreaming," he instructed the Time Lords, gesturing to where the Ood's had made a gap large enough for them to sit in.
The Time Lords moved forward, the Doctor slipped off his sunglasses, both Time Lords lifting there flower necklaces over their heads, and popping them inside their pockets as they joined the circle, sitting down in the gap. They cast looks around at the Ood, who were all watching them, both feeling a little uncomfortable and even slightly nervous, but the curiosity for answers outweighed any nerves they felt.
"So…" the Doctor began slowly, almost awkwardly, "Right," he took a deep breath, fixing a smile to his face as he looked around at them all, "Hello".
The Time Lady winced slightly, shifting beside him, "Well…this is fun," she muttered to him, feeling a little unnerved by the entire thing.
"You will join," all the Ood began to chant at them, "You will join. You will join. You will join. You will join. You will join. You will join".
The Ood placed there hindbrain into their laps and joined hands, all the while the Time Lords watched on cautiously, exchanging a look. The Hatter, still unnerved, could only shrug in response as they took a deep breath, and took the Ood's offered hands. The moment they're hands touched, the Time Lords gasped and jolted, almost instantly snatching their hands back as an image of the Master, laughing madly, flashed through their minds.
"No," the Time Lady gasped, turning sickly pale as her eyes widened in horror, the sound of that awful laughter still ringing in her ears. She felt ill just hearing it as she glanced at the Doctor and she could tell he was having a similar reaction.
"He comes to us every night," the Elder Ood told them calmly, "I think all the peoples of the Universe dream of him now".
"That man is dead," the Doctor swallowed firmly, wanting to pull the Hatter closer to him, knowing that ever since The-Year-That-Never-Was, she had felt even more sensitive about the Master then any of her previous regenerations had, but as he made to reach for her hand, she flinched away.
The Hatter sighed heavily, casting him an apologetic look almost immediately as she realised what she had done, feeling guilt wash over her as she noticed the look of worry on his face, and knowing that he was no doubt feeling exactly the same way she was. That laughter was still ringing in her ears and she wished desperately that she could step outside to get some cold air on her face, feeling as if the walls and darkness of the cave were pushing in on her, but there was still more that they needed to know, and right now getting answers as to what was going on was far more important than any distress she was feeling. Lifesaving, perhaps.
"There is more yet," the Elder Ood contained, "Join us," the Ood offered the Time Lords their hand. They hesitated, both inhaling deeply, before they joined the circle again, "Events are taking shape. So many years ago, and yet changing the now. There is a man…"
The image of the Master flashed across their minds, still laughing.
"…so scared…"
An image of Wilf crossed their minds, sitting at his kitchen table with his hands clasped before him, looking worried and afraid as his hands moved to his mouth.
"Wilfred!" the Time Lords exclaimed in alarm, growing even more worried, "Is he all right? What about Donna, is she safe?"
"You should not have delayed, for the lines of convergence are being drawn across the Earth. Even now, the king is in his Counting house…"
A young woman and an older man, standing together as there pictures were taken, both looking satisfied flew through their minds, leaving the Time Lords frowning.
"We…I don't know who they are," the Doctor shook his head.
The Hatter's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, trying to match their faces, "Nor I," she eventually replied with a small sigh of frustration.
"And there is another," the Elder added, "The most lonely of all…lost and forgotten…"
The image changed and woman appeared in a darkened jail cell, crying softly as she sat on the edge of a bed. Lucy Saxon.
"The Master's wife," the Time Lady sighed sadly as the image faded, feeling her hearts go out to the woman, despite the fact that she had been the one who had shot her, thus resulting in her regeneration. She didn't blame her, not at all. She probably would have done the same thing in her situation, and Lucy was hardly in her right state of mind at the time, not after all that time having her mind influenced by the Master's.
"We see so much, but understand little," Sigma spoke up from behind the Time Lords, making them glance back at him, "The woman in the cage, who is she?"
"She…she…" the Doctor struggled to explain, turning back to the circle as all the Ood looked to them for answers, "…she was…it wasn't her fault…" he paused, taking a deep breath, "She was…the Master, he's a Time Lord, like us," he nodded to the Time Lady, glancing around as the Ood continued to look at them.
The Hatter hesitated, "We…we could always show you," she suggested wearily, really not wishing to relive everything from that awful year all over again, but if it meant that it helped, then she would do anything.
"Yes," he nodded quickly, sending her a comforting smile as he focused his mind on the memories, showing an image of the Master dancing through the conference room of the Valiant and over to Lucy, kissing her, "The Master took the name of Saxon," he explained to the Ood, "He married a human woman, a woman called Lucy. And he corrupted her".
The memory changed to show the Master and Lucy, with the Hatter's Ninth self, looking utterly furious and close to tears as she was held by the Master, watching as the Toclafane were released onto the Earth. The blonde flinched, cringing as she recalled vividly that moment.
"She stood at his side while he conquered the Earth," he continued the explanation, his tone grim as the previous image faded from their minds, and the Time Lady relaxed slightly, "I…we reversed everything he'd done so it never even happened, but Lucy Saxon remembered…"
The sound of two gun shots echoed through their minds as the memory of the Master being shot and cradled the Doctor's arms flashed through their minds as he died, the Hatter relieved that her own death wasn't visible.
"I held him in my arms…" the memory faded and was replaced by another, this time showing the Doctor setting the pyre with the Master's body on top of it on fire, "…I burnt his body. The Master is dead!"
"And yet, you did not see…" the Elder Ood told them.
The memory continued, showing the Doctor walking away from the burning pyre, just as something fell from the flames, landing on the ground.
"What's that?" the Time Lords frowned, their eyes widening slightly as they realised what it was. A ring, the Master's Gallifreyan signet ring.
As they watched, an older woman's hand reached down and picked the ring up as the Master's laughter rang through their minds, clutching the ring in her hand as if it was something precious.
"Part of him survived!" the Hatter gasped, horrified as her head snapped to the Doctor, seeing the same horror she felt written across his face.
"We have to go!" the Doctor tried to stand, growing almost frantic, but the Ood's pulled him back, holding both him and the Time Lady tighter, preventing them from escaping the circle.
"But something more is happening," the Elder informed them calmly as they looked around them, desperate to get back to the TARDIS, "The Master is part of a greater design," they struggled, trying to pull away, "Because a shadow is falling over creation. Something vast is stirring in the dark," the Ood's head snapped up, their eyes glowing bright red, "The Ood have gained this power to see through time, because time is bleeding. Shapes of things once lost are moving through the veil, and these events from years ago threaten to destroy the future, and the present, and the past".
The Time Lady swallowed thickly, glancing around the circle, "What does that mean?" she asked, a touch of fear entering her tone.
"This is what we have seen. The darkness herald's only one thing," all the Ood began to speak in unison, "The end of time itself".
They released there hold on the Time Lords hands and they bolted up as the Master's laughter rang through their heads, pushing them to run even faster away from the circle, back up through the tunnel, and out of the cave.
"Events that have happened are happening now," the Ood breathed into their minds.
The Time Lords ran across the snow, trying desperately to ignore the laughter still ringing through their minds as they raced back to the TARDIS, the Doctor pulling out his key and clicking the button, causing it to beep again, and they threw themselves inside the console room. The Doctor pulled his coat off and tossed it over the Y-beam, before joining the Hatter at the controls, pulling levers and buttons as they took off into the Time Vortex.
Sparks flew, but they ignored them, hardly seeming to notice as they simply continued. The Hatter grabbed the monitor, checking the results, and was slightly startled to find that the scanner was going wild. Definitely not a good sign.
They quickly locked onto Lucy and materialised, exchanging a quick look as they ran over to the doors, threw them open, and raced out to find themselves looking up at the rubble remains of a large brick building, the roof and half the top floor missing, bits of brick littering the footpath around where they stood, even the large metal gates had been ripped apart, and police tape had been put up around the destroyed building.
The Hatter closed her eyes, knowing that they were too late, far too late to stop the Master's return, before opening them again. She cast her eyes over to the rubble and she noticed a sign lying battered and burnt on the ground before them, the words 'Broadfell Prison' written across it.
"Well, he's back," she groaned tiredly, glancing grimly at the Doctor.
The Doctor looked back at her, trying to give her a comforting smile as he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close, "Everything will be okay," he whispered in her ear, wishing with both his hearts that he believed that, "We've done this before, we can do it again".
"It's not so much the idea of fighting him that bothers me. Sadly, I've been used to doing that for centuries. No, what's worrying me is what his plan is".
"We'll work it out. We always do".
"Yes, but before or after he set's it in motion?" she raised her eyebrows, shaking her head as she pulled back from him, and grabbed his hand, pulling him back towards the TARDIS, "Come on, there's no point hanging around here. He's long gone".
…
The Doctor and the Hatter carefully climbed a pile of dirt and stone, looking out over a massive shipyard as they continued there search for the Master, the sound of seagulls squawking as they flew over their heads. They both paused, their eyes roaming around in an attempt to spot him, having spent two hours attempting to use the TARDIS scanner to track him down, managing to narrow his location down to the shipyard. They listened closely and inhaled deeply, trying to sense there fellow Time Lord among the piles of dirt, rubble, and dumped wood.
The Time Lady titled her head, her eyes closing, "I think…" she began slowly after a moment, opening her eyes, sniffing the air again, just to be certain. Her senses had always been sharper then the Doctor's, "I can pick up traces of him. Its feint, but he's here," she nodded, her eyes growing more intent as they flew around.
The Doctor glanced at her, frowning slightly, but before he could say anything four loud metal beats rang out from somewhere close by, echoing throughout the yard as he tensed, and the Hatter grabbed his hand, holding it tightly.
"He's playing with us," she told him calmly, giving him a reassuring look, "It doesn't mean that he's…" she trailed off, interrupted by another set of four beats.
They looked in the direction it had come from before running off towards the sound, their hands still clasped as the banging sounded again, this time faster, and another time, even faster than the last.
They run across an old, rusted steel girder towards the sound, jumping over bits of metal and wood lying around, past more girder's stacked together, before coming to a sudden stop as they looked up to see the Master standing on a large of pile of stone a short distance away from them, wearing what appeared to be an old black hoddie and trousers, a red shirt poking out from underneath, and his brown hair now blonde.
The Doctor and the Hatter, slightly breathless, stared across at him as he glared at them, and shouted almost animalistic at them, full of rage and hatred as they could only watched, slightly shocked. He stopped shouting, his face red, and gave them a mocking grin before turning and leaping into the air, higher than any human or even a Time Lord possible could, laughing as he disappeared out of sight on the other side of the pile of stone.
Not wanting to lose him, they bolted after him, running as fast as they could up the pile of stone he had stood on, being careful not to trip as they ran down it, the Time Lady cursing as she stumbled once they reached the bottom, but the Doctor's hold on her hand saved her from falling, and they were off running again past more girders, before coming to a stop, catching sight of the Master standing a short distance from them, grinning madly down as them from where he stood on a set of stacked struts.
He continued laughing, as if it was one big game, which it probably was to him, and his face flickered to a skeleton and back again. The Hatter gasped in horror, realising what he had done.
"Please, let us help!" the Doctor called to him, alarmed and deeply concerned.
"That's why it took us so long to find you!" the Hatter shook her head, still looking horrified, "You're burning up your own life force from the inside out! After all that effort to come back, you're still dying!"
The Master's face flickered again as he smirked mockingly, laughing as he turned and jumped off the struts on the other side from them, disappearing from sight.
The Doctor and the Hatter run after him, but before they could reach the beams, Wilf and a group of elderly men and women appeared almost out of nowhere, blocking there path.
"Oh, my gosh, Doctor and Hatter!" Wilf exclaimed, delighted to see them as he tried to pull them into a hug, "You're a sight for sore eyes…"
"Out of our way!" the Doctor pushed past him, running over to the pile of struts with the Hatter, trying to look over it to see where the Master had gone.
"Did we do it?" one of the elderly men asked from behind them as Wilf laughed, "Is that them?"
"Tall and thin, big brown coat," another man remarked, "And blonde and pale, wearing a green hat".
The Hatter paused, giving up on looking for the Master as she turned back around to face the group, raising an eyebrow at Wilf, "Blonde and pale?" she repeated, sounding slightly amused.
"The Silver Cloak," one of the women in the group smiled as the Doctor, also giving up on the Master, turned back around to face the group, "It worked! Because Wilf phoned Netty, who phoned June, and her sister lives opposite Broadfell, and she saw the police box, and her neighbour saw this man and woman heading east".
The Hatter titled her head curiously at the group as the Doctor frowned, "Wilfred?" he glanced at him, not seeming to notice one of the men in the group eyeing him.
"Yeah?" Wilf looked in-between him and the Time Lady, still smiling.
"Have you told them who we are? You promised us…"
"No, just said you were doctors, that's all," he replied, shaking his head, the blonde slightly surprised that Donna had told him that she was a trained doctor, "And might I say, sir, ma'am, it is an honour to see you again," he saluted them.
The Hatter smiled at him, giving him a little wave, casting the Doctor a pointed look, and he half-heartedly returned the salute.
"Oh, but you never said he was a looker," the same woman from before broke into a grin as she looked the Doctor up and down in admiration, "He's gorgeous!" the Time Lords eyes winded, the Time Lady struggling not to burst out laughing as the woman handed a camera to a man behind her, "Take a photo".
"Not bad, eh?" the man commented as he took the camera, eyeing the Doctor, too, "Me next".
The Doctor took a small step back, looking shocked and slightly fearful as the rest of the group nodded in agreement, and the Hatter couldn't help but laugh, very much enjoying herself.
"What about her?" an elderly man further to the back joined in, nodding to the Hatter, who blinked in surprise as they seemed to focus on her, "Look at that beautiful smile!"
The rest of the group nodded in agreement, talking about her as the Time Lady began regretting laughing at the Doctor for once in her life.
The Doctor shot her a cheeky grin as he leaned closer to her ear, "See? I'm not the only one who loves your smile".
"Don't start, sweetheart. This must be what it feels like to be paraded around to all your grandparents friends, I never realised how lucky I was to miss out on that experience…or though, somehow I doubt any of my grandparents friends would be looking quite as admiring as that woman's looking at you. That seems rather…creepy, to put it mildly".
The woman stepped towards the Doctor, smiling up at him, "I'm Minnie," she told him, latching onto him, slipping her arm around his waist as he looked startled, "Minnie the Menace. It's a long time since I had a photo with a handsome man".
He looked at the Hatter, only to see that a few of the men in the group gathering around her, two of them linking their arms through hers as she seemed to be rather shocked, a feint pink tinge spreading across her cheeks as he heard them complimenting her. If he wasn't feeling so startled himself, he probably would have teased her. It wasn't very often that he saw her look so shocked.
"Just get off them," Wilf sighed as the group swarmed around the Time Lords, moving close together so that they would all fit into the picture as the Time Lords could only look around at them all, "Leave them alone, will you?"
"Hush, you old misery," Minnie scoffed at him, looking up at the Doctor, "Come on, Doctor, give us a smile," she smiled at him, grabbing his cheeks, and pulling his face into a painful smile, "That's it!"
The Hatter grinned broadly, only just stopping herself from laughing again as the Doctor sent her a hopeless look, still looking as if he was in pain as they all turned to face the camera, Wilf standing next to the man, shaking his head.
"Hold on…" the man clicked the camera, "Did it flash?" he asked the group.
"No, there's a blue light," Minnie shook her head at him, the Doctor cast his eyes around wearily for the Master, "Try again".
He smiled slightly, shifting the camera in his hands, "I'm all fingers and thumbs…"
"We…we're really kind of busy, you know," the Doctor began, trying to be polite, knowing that he would end up hearing about it from the Hatter if he wasn't.
"Oh, it won't take a tick," Minnie assured him brightly, "Keep smiling".
He sighed and looked back to the front, when he suddenly exclaimed, "Is that your hand, Minnie?" and jolted away from her, his eyes wide.
The rest of the group exchanged looks, apparently not surprised as the Time Lady almost shook with laughter, feeling her eyes watering from the strain to not burst out as she looked across at the startled and alarmed look on the Doctor's face.
"Good boy," Minnie smirked, giving him pat on his behind, causing him to quickly untangle himself from her, taking a large step back.
"Don't even start," he said telepathically to the Time Lady, noticing her struggle.
"Oh, sweetheart, you cradle robber!" she laughed into his mind, breaking into a broad grin, unable to stop herself. Honestly, how could she resist?
….
The bus that Wilf and the rest of his group pulled up on the curb of a street, "Come on, then," Wilf called to the Time Lords as the buses door folded open, "Here we are, hurry up," he and the Time Lords stepped out onto the street, feeling slightly relieved to be off the bus and away from all the compliments and admiring looks that they had received, "Bye!" he waved through the window as the door closed, Minnie blew the Doctor a kiss, "You behave, bye!" he pointed to her.
The Hatter laughed and waved as the bus pulled away from the curb, driving away, while the Doctor hardly seemed to even notice Minnie's kiss, or perhaps he was just trying to pretend as if he didn't see it. He had been sticking to the Time Lady's side ever since the photo incident…
"Over here," Wilf caught their attention and began leading them across the street to a small café, "Come on".
The Doctor frowned slightly, glancing around as they followed him, "What's so special about this place?" he asked, "We passed fifteen cafes on the way".
Wilf tried to laugh him off as they approached the door, "Yeah…" he nodded to a man as they passed him in the doorway, "Afternoon".
He led them further into the café and over to a small table close to a window, taking a seat as the Time Lords, exchanging a look, pulled out two chairs across from him, and sat down. For a long moment, no one spoke, simply looking across at each other.
"Oh, we had some good times, didn't we though?" Wilf eventually remarked, smiling, "I mean, all those ATMOS things, and planets in the sky, and me with that paint gun," he laughed, gesturing with his hands to shooting something, making a popping sound, but turned serious when the Time Lords simply looked worried, thinking about the Master. He sighed, hesitating, "I keep seeing things. I…this face at night…"
"Who are you?" the Doctor frowned at him.
He blinked, looking taken aback, "I'm Wilfred Mott".
"No," he shook his head, eyeing him, "People have waited hundreds of years to find me…us and then you manage it in a few hours," he smiled slightly as he glanced at the blonde beside him, "Only the Hatter's managed to find me throughout time and space".
The Hatter gave him a look, smiling, "Well, it does help when I'm a Time Lady and have my own TARDIS…" she trailed off, frowning slightly, "Had my own TARDIS, I should say".
Wilf shrugged, "Well, I'm just lucky, I suppose".
They looked back to him, "No, we keep on meeting, Wilf," they commented thoughtfully, "Over and over again like something's still connecting us".
"What's so important about me?"
"Everything," the Time Lady told him firmly, reaching across the table and taking his hand, giving it a squeeze, "And don't you ever forget that".
They lapsed into silence again as the Doctor glanced over towards the window, swallowing before looking back to Wilf, "I'm going to die," he informed him. He wasn't sure why he had said it, just that it felt as if he needed to tell Wilf.
The Hatter closed her eyes briefly before opening them again, letting go of Wilf's hand, and grasping the Doctor's, holding it tightly. She hated the thought of having to say goodbye to this him, just as she hated having to say goodbye to all his previous selves, but there was no point in pretending that it wasn't going to happen, nor that the possibility that she would regenerate also wasn't there. She just hoped that when it did happen, however that might be, that it would be doing something worth wild, not hitting their heads. That would just be embarrassing.
Wilf smiled, chuckling slightly, not understanding, "Well, so am I, one day".
"Don't you dare," the Hatter gave him a stern look as she glanced at the Doctor, sighing sadly as she noticed his eyes filling with tears, and wrapping her arm around him.
"All right, I'll try not to".
"But I was told," the Doctor took a deep breath, his voice shaking slightly, "'He will knock four times,'" he explained miserably, "That was the prophecy. Knock four times, and then…" he trailed off, unable to say it.
Wilf frowned and leaned closer to them, "Yeah…but I thought…" he hesitated, "When I saw you before…you said…your people could…change, like your whole body".
The Hatter gave Wilf a sad smile, "Yes, and it's called regeneration," she nodded, glancing at the Doctor, "But…we're not immortal, we can still die," she sighed, shaking her head, "You see, if a Time Lords killed before regeneration has time to kick in, then that's it. They're dead".
"Even then," the Doctor began, looking at the wall behind Wilf, his eyes still full of tears, "Even if I change, it feels like dying. Everything I am dies," he meet his eyes finally, "Some new man goes sauntering away…and I'm dead," he breathed, his lower lip trembling.
"Oh, my sweetheart," the Time Lady murmured to him, her own eyes filling with tears as she kissed his forehead, holding him even tighter as she leant her head on his, not caring that it caused her hat to almost topple off, "You are always, no matter what face you might wear, or what you might say otherwise, you are always the Doctor to me," she tried smiling, lowering her voice to a whisper, so that only he could hear her, "You are still little Theta Sigma, the boy I dropped a book on, to me, no matter what".
And it was true, because no matter how many regenerations they might have gone through, he had always been her best friend. It didn't matter to her in the slightest if he had a different face, or if he acted differently, that was simply a part of regeneration, and yes, it might take a few hours or even a day to get used to the personality changes, but that made it all the more exciting, it was like getting to know the Doctor all over again, seeing new sides to him. Regeneration wasn't something that she was frightened of, her last self-had been afraid when the moment had come, but she hadn't experienced it so long. No, to her it was like entering a new chapter in one's life. The thing that worried her most was that the Doctor, or even herself, would be alone in the end, she hated the thought of dying alone. Thank goodness they had each other.
The Time Lords looked up at Wilf, realising he hadn't said a word, to see him staring at something out the window.
"What?" the Doctor asked him, turning in his chair to look, only to see Donna getting her car key's out of her bag, just across the street.
"Donna," the Hatter gasped, a painful lump forming in her throat as she watched her. Oh, how she and the Doctor had missed her so much, and to see her looking so well…it was wonderful.
"I'm sorry," Wilf told them gently, watching their reaction, their eyes fixed outside the window, "But I had to. Look, can't you make her better?"
"Stop it," the Doctor shot him a look.
"No, but you're both so clever. Can't you bring her memories back? Look, just go to her. Go on, just run across the street. Go up and say 'hello'".
The Time Lady swallowed, forcing her voice to sound strong, "We can't, Wilfred," she looked back to him, meeting his eyes sternly, "She can never ever remember us, otherwise her mind with burn, and she will die," she shook her head, closing her eyes painfully before opening them again, "And no amount of our cleverness will be able to stop that".
They watched as a female traffic warden approached Donna as she unlocked her car, opening the door, and put her shopping bags away. She slammed the door and turned around, pointing at the traffic warden, "Don't you touch my car!" she fixed her with a warning look.
They laughed, the Time Lords exchanging fond smiles, "She's not changed," the Doctor grinned.
"Nah," Wilf agreed, chuckling, "Oh, there he is," they watched as a man joined Donna, carrying more shopping bags, "Shaun Temple. They're engaged…"
"What?" the Hatter's eyes widened in delight as she snapped her head around to Wilf so fast it cracked. Ignoring the pain, she broke into a broad smile as she looked back out the window, "Oh, that's brilliant," she laughed, overjoyed as the Doctor blinked in mild surprise at the news, smiling softly.
"Yeah," Wilf nodded, smiling warmly at the Time Lady's reaction, "Getting married in the spring".
"Another wedding," the Doctor remarked, glancing at him as Wilf nodded, before pausing, "Hold on, she's not gonna be called Noble-Temple?" he frowned slightly as the Hatter looked amused, feeling grateful that they didn't have that issue when they got married, "Sounds like a tourist spot".
"No, it's Temple-Noble".
"Right," he looked back outside, watching as Donna and Shaun put their shopping away in the boot of the car.
The Hatter smiled softly as she watched them, "Is she happy?" she titled her head, watching there interaction, "What about Shaun, what's he like?"
"Yeah, he's sweet enough," Wilf nodded, smiling, too, as he looked outside, "He's a bit of a dreamer…"
"Oh, there's nothing wrong with that," she laughed, thinking about how many times she or the Doctor were called the same thing in school.
"Mind you, he's on minimum wage," he continued, "She's earning tuppence, so all they can afford is a tiny flat," he paused, glancing at the Time Lords sadly, "And then sometimes I see this look on her face, like she's so sad, but she can't remember why".
"She's got him," the Doctor replied.
"She's making do".
The Hatter sighed, losing her smile as she glanced back at Wilf, "Aren't most people?"
Wilf looked at them closely, "Yeah, how about you?" he asked quietly, "Who have you got now?'
"Each other," the Doctor turned back to him, looking at the Hatter, "But we're travelling alone," he looked down at the table, his voice chocking up, "I thought it was better…" the Hatter grabbed his hand again, holding it tightly as her eyes filled with tears again to see him in so much pain, "But I did somethings…it went wrong…"
He gasped and covered his face with one hand, the other entwined with the Hatter's as he broke down.
"Shh, it's okay, my sweetheart," the Hatter tried to comfort him, blinking back tears of her own witnessing him in so much distress.
"Oh, my word," Wilf breathed, staring at the Doctor, holding back tears.
The Doctor rubbed his eyes with one hand, taking a deep breath as he looked across to the other man, "Merry Christmas," he scoffed at himself slightly, his face and eyes red.
"Yeah, and you two!"
The Hatter shook her head as they chuckled, glancing around the café, "Oh, would you look at us three," she commented, leaning her head on the Doctor's shoulder, and he placed a kiss onto her head.
Wilf watched them curiously, trying to think of a happier topic, "Donna told me that you two were engaged".
"We got married," the Doctor informed him, brightening as the Hatter, grinning, wiggled her hand at Wilf, showing off her rings, "Among one of the best day of my life".
"Congratulations," he smiled widely at them, grasping the Doctor's hand and shaking it, followed by the Time Lady's, "Oh, Donna would have been so happy," his eyes watered as they glanced back over to the window, watching as Donna and Shaun climbed into the front of the car, starting it up, "Are you sure you couldn't…"
"We're so, so sorry," the Hatter cut him off, giving the man an understanding look. If it had been the other way around and it was her granddaughter, she would have done everything she could to try helping her, "But there's nothing we can," she shrugged heavily, "Things have a way of working themselves out in the end, just be patient. Who knows what wonderful things will come to Donna living an ordinary human life? I mean, she's already getting married, anything could happen".
And it begins. Well, at least they got married, but in a typical Master fashion, he just had to have a hand in Ten's death. Next chapter, jelly babies, a furious Time Lady, and what is the Doctor so worried about concerning the Hatter? Tell me what you thought, please review :)
Guest reviews:
Guest: Yep, originally it was going to be the Three Doctor's, but I can always change that plan since I haven't even started writing it yet. Hopefully, once this story is finished, since I really want to finish this story before working on anything else, I'll find some time to start it. I think I feel sorry for really any Hatter who has to come into contact with her Second self, she really was like a six year on a coffee high. Thanks for the review :)