Well, here's another chapter that will make you slightly cringe. Like all the other chapters... :P I hope you enjoy and all of that! :)
A bit of Clara bashing, just saying.
(Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. Only my OC, Phoenix.)
As soon as The Doctor starts the Tardis, I start to glow golden again.
I sigh. "Well, time to go again. Orient express would have been fun… but hey, I'll see you later. Bye you three!" I say, then peck The Doctor on the lips and disappear.
I reappear inside the Tardis. 11's almost-twelve Tardis.
I look around, and notice The Doctor and Clara standing over on the other side, The Doctor sticking his hand out as if touching something.
No, damn it! Another regeneration!
I slowly walk around the console and hug The Doctor around the waist from behind.
He twitches slightly, surprised, but turns around and kisses me.
Eventually, we break apart, and I step back.
It was time.
He had a sad smile on his face, the one that always hid things.
"Please don't change." Clara begs, tears streaming down her face.
He smiles at her, then jerks back and when he comes forward, he's the 12th Doctor.
"Kidneys! I've got new kidneys. I don't like the color." The Doctor says, face all scrunched up and his 'attack eyebrows' pointed downward in a confused look.
"Of your kidneys?" Clara asks, just standing there, shocked.
Oh yeah, forgot about the Clara problem.
The Tardis then starts lurching from side to side, and I quickly grab the console.
"What's happening?" Clara exclaims over from the other side of the console, where she was holding onto a railing.
"We're probably crashing. Oh!" The Doctor exclaims as the Tardis gives a big jolt.
"Into what?" Clara exclaims.
The Doctor tries to press all the buttons and things.
"Stay calm. Just one question. Do you happen to know how to fly this thing?" The Doctor asks, turning to me.
"Of course I do! Scooch over." I say, and The Doctor moves over so I have clear take on the console.
I start flipping levers and pressing buttons, but we still end up inside the dinosaur.
"Yeah uh, we're kind of inside a dinosaur right now… in Victorian London…" I say sheepishly.
"What kind of pilot are you?" The Doctor asks, frustrated.
"Not a very good one, considering you never taught me!" I retort, laughing slightly.
The Tardis gives a huge jolt, and I go flying into the railing, probably giving me a pretty big bruise on my abdomen.
I get up, but groan as immense pain shoots down my spine.
This was going to be hard.
I slowly crawl over to the console, and press the lever that materializes us on the ground.
Thank god.
I use the console to stand up, and watch as The Doctor pokes his head out of the Tardis.
Wasn't a very good view however, because of all the smoke.
"Extractor fan on!" I exclaim hoarsely.
Soon, all the smoke is cleared from the room and I can see Clara, clearly disheveled.
The Doctor closes the door, walks two steps back into the Tardis, and then opens it again.
Clara walks over there quickly, but I slowly limped in that direction.
It took all my strength to walk, and I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to explain it to Jenny and Vastra.
I reach the door just in time for Clara to… semi introduce Clara.
"Oh, you remember, err. Thingy. The, err, the not-me one. The asking questions one. Names not my area." He says to her.
I giggle slightly, but put my hand on my side because of the shooting pain.
I limp out the door into view, and smile apologetically at Vastra and Jenny.
"Clara." Clara stats, frustrated.
"Well, it might be Clara. Might not be. It's a lottery." The Doctor says, weighing the options. I smile.
"It is Clara." Clara stats again.
"Well, I'm not ruling it out." The Doctor says, then we hear the dinosaur bellow. "Oi, big man, shut it. Oh, you've got a dinosaur too. Big woman, sorry."
"Doctor, listen to me. You, you need to calm down." Clara says, as if explaining something to a child.
My eyes start to blaze. He wasn't a child. Clara needed to get over this.
"I'm not flirting, by the way." The Doctor says to the dinosaur. I resist the urge to laugh.
It's funny how I'm ok with him flirting with animals but not humans…
"I think something's gone wrong." Clara says, concerned.
"Nothing's gone wrong." I say, slightly angry. He was fine, just needed some rest, like after all regenerations.
"Wrong? What's gone wrong? Have you regenerated?" The Doctor says to me. I shake my head and giggle. He just shrugs, then turns to Clara. "I remember you. You're Handles. You used to be a little, a little robot head, and now you. You've really let yourself go."
The dinosaur bellows again, and I look sadly at it, feeling sorry.
"Reduce the frequency." The Doctor suddenly says.
"I'm sorry?" Clara asks, looking confused.
"Your sonic lanterns, turn them down. You're giving her a headache." I explain, looking at Vastra.
"Giving who a headache?" Jenny asks.
"My lady friend. Just an expression, don't get any ideas." The Doctor says, and I giggle.
"How do you know?" Straxx asks.
I roll my eyes. Did they really not know he can speak any language?
"Come on, Clara. You know that I speak dinosaur." The Doctor says to Straxx.
"He's not Clara. I'm Clara." Clara says, pointing to herself.
The Doctor looks between the two, and scrunches up his face. "Well, you're very similar heights. Maybe you should wear labels? Why, why are you all doing that? Why are you? You're all going dark and wobbly. Stop that." He says. I limp over and grab him around the waist, and he immediately moves closer to me.
"I don't think we are." Clara says, giving me a confused look.
"Never mind. Everyone take five." The Doctor says, then closes his eyes and faints, me holding him up very barely.
Fuck, the pain in my side grew. I probably needed to get it checked out…
But not now. Right now, The Doctor was more important.
The other three just stare at The Doctor, like he was some sort of weird creature. I roll my eyes.
"What do we do?" Clara asks me.
"I don't understand. Who is he? Where's the Doctor?" Jenny asks, staring at him.
Oh, that's right, she doesn't know about regeneration yet…
"This is him. The Doctor is right here. We'll have to explain regeneration at some point. Now, I need help getting this big lump back home, else we're never going to make it." I say, and Clara, Straxx, and Jenny quickly walk over to help.
"Well then, here we go again." Vastra says, sighing.
We eventually get him into the house and up into the bedroom, and then they all leave the room, but I stay.
Really, how could I leave?
I grab his hand and trace shapes on it.
There wasn't much I could do but be here for him.
And maybe give Clara a stern talking-to.
Wait… I did that a while back!
What was that, like my 9th jump or something?
Wow, it's been a while, hasn't it?
I stare at The Doctor's new face, smiling as I do.
The face, it came from the family that he… we… saved at Pompeii.
I suppose I'll tell him someday.
The Doctor slowly wakes up, groaning slightly.
I let go of his hand as he sits up straight, and then looks at me.
"When did I get here?" He asks.
I grin. "About… 10 minutes ago. Had to carry you up here…" I say.
The Doctor nods, and looks around the room.
"Where's the chalkboard? This room should have a chalkboard." The Doctor says.
I giggle. "Don't worry, I'll get you one later." I say, smiling.
He smiles back at me, then randomly leans forward and kisses me, wrapping his hands around my waist.
Now of course, this took me by surprise, because 12 didn't like 'domestics'.
But maybe he just hid them. To avoid getting hurt.
After a few minutes, we heard knocking on the door, and quickly separated.
I got up and limped over to the door, then opening it to see Vastra.
I move out of the way to let her in, and then turn around to notice The Doctor acting like he was sleeping.
I take a deep breath to stifle my giggles.
"How is he?" Vastra asks, looking at me.
"Good. I think he's about to wake up anyways." I say, and on Queue, The Doctor starts to stir and 'wake up'.
He suddenly sits up straight, just like he did the first time.
"Where am I?" He asks, looking around the room.
"In our guest bedroom." Vastra tells him.
"Why isn't there a chalkboard in here?" The Doctor says, standing up out of the bed.
"Because it's a bedroom. There isn't supposed to be a chalkboard in here." Vastra explains, clearly getting slightly annoyed.
"It's simply misunderstandable to me. I don't know what it is. Who invented this room?" The Doctor asks, opening the door to make Jenny and Clara stumble in. I grin.
"Doctor, please, you have to lie down." Clara says, slowly walking toward The Doctor.
"It doesn't make sense. Look, it's only got a bed in it. Why is there only a bed in it?" The Doctor says, gesturing to the bed.
"Because it's a bed room. It's for sleeping in." Clara says softly.
I resist the urge to slap her and tell her to get herself together…
"Okay, what do you do when you're awake?" The Doctor asks, looking at the ceiling.
"You leave the room." Jenny says.
"So you've got a whole room for not being awake in. But what's the point? You're just missing the room. And don't look in that mirror. It's absolutely furious." The Doctor says, pointing at the mirror in the corner. I giggle.
"Doctor, please. You have to lie down. You keep passing out." Clara says.
I take a deep breath. Not now Phoenix…
"Well, of course I keep passing out. There's all these beds. Why do you keep talking like that? What's gone wrong with your accent? Why…" The Doctor says, looking at Clara, but gets interrupted by Jenny.
"Nothing's wrong with her accent." Jenny says.
"You sound the same. It's spreading. You all sound all English. Now you've all developed a fault." The Doctor says, gesturing to us.
"I'm not." I say, stepping closer to him.
"Finally, someone who can talk properly!" The Doctor says, grabbing my hand and squeezing it lightly. I grin.
"Doctor, I need your help with something." Vastra says in a Scottish accent. "I'm having difficulty sleeping."
She was surprisingly good at it.
"Oh? Oh, well, I wouldn't bother with that, I never bother with sleep, and I just do standy-up catnaps." The Doctor says, brushing it off.
"Oh really, how interesting. And when do you do those?" Vastra asks, faking interest.
"Well, generally whenever anyone else starts talking. I like to skip ahead to my bits. It saves time. Except Phoenix." The Doctor says, looking over at me and smiling.
I smile back as my hearts skip a beat. What he said, that's a lot coming from this Doctor.
Vastra gently leads him to the bed and they sit down. I sit down next to him, grabbing his hand.
"Save me time, Doctor. Project an image of perfect sleep into the center of my mind." Vastra says softly.
"What, do you want a psychic link with me? The size of my brain, it would be like dropping a piano on you." The Doctor says. I smirk.
Cocky as always…
"Be gentle, then." Vastra says.
"I'll try. Brace yourself. Piano." The Doctor says.
They put their fingers to the others temple. Then, The Doctor falls back onto the bed, sound asleep. I smile at his sleeping figure.
"I love monkeys. They're so funny." Vastra says, in her normal accent.
"Oh, I see. So people are monkeys now, are they?" Jenny says, sort of rolling her eyes.
"No, dear. People are apes. Men are monkeys." Vastra says, smirking.
We tuck The Doctor into bed. I planned on joining him though, later. If we had the time.
"So what now?" Clara asks.
"He needs rest." Vastra says.
"So what do we do? How do we fix him?" Clara asks.
Here comes the part that makes me angry…
"He doesn't need fixing." I growl, sitting on the bed next to him.
"Fix him?" Jenny asks, staring at Clara.
"How do we change him back?" Clara asks again.
"He doesn't need changing. He's fine the way he is." I say deeply.
"That's rich, coming from the one who dates of his faces." Clara says.
I growl, and stand up, walking over to Clara, before relaxing and turning toward the window.
I stare at the dinosaur sadly, feeling sorry for it.
It probably was having the worst time of her life at the moment.
And her life was now short lived.
A tear streams down my cheek.
Why couldn't Clara just get it? It's the same man! My fiancée!
"Jenny, I will be in my chamber. Would you be kind enough to fetch my veil?" I hear Vastra say.
"Why, are we expecting strangers?" Jenny asks, confused.
"It would seem there's already one here." Vastra says, walking out of the room.
"What have I done wrong?" Clara asks, confused.
I sigh, frustrated. Did she really not get it at this point?
The sound of a sad dinosaur drifts into the room. I put my hand on the glass of the window, wishing I could comfort it.
"The dinosaur doesn't seem very happy." Jenny says, changing the subject.
"What's wrong with it?" Clara asks.
"Her." I say.
"What?" Clara says, confused.
"It's a her." I stat.
"Fine, what's wrong with HER?" Clara says, putting emphasis on her.
"I dunno. The Doctor's the one that speaks dinosaur. Excuse me, ma'am. The wife doesn't like to be kept waiting." Jenny says, about to walk out of the room.
"Where did he get that face? Why's it got lines on it? It's brand new. How can his hair be all grey? He only just got it." Clara says, and I could tell she was looking at The Doctor.
"It's still him, ma'am. You saw him change." Jenny says.
"I know. I do. I, I know that." Clara says, but you could hear the hint of uncertainty in her voice.
"Good." Jenny says, nodding her head.
"It's just…" Clara trails off.
"What?" Jenny asks.
"Nothing. If. If Vastra changed, if she was different, if she wasn't the person that you liked?" Clara asks Jenny.
"I don't like her, ma'am. I love her. And as to different? Well, she's a lizard." Jenny says, grinning and walking out of the room.
After a bit of silence, I speak. "I know where he got the face."
"What do you mean?" Clara asks, turning to me.
"I was there. Well, will be there. We were at Pompeii. We had to… make the volcano explode to save the world. Killing millions in Pompeii. But a past companion, Donna, she convinces The Doctor to save one family. Just one. And that face was one of the people in the family. He put that face on to make him feel better about himself. He thought he blew up his planet for hundreds of years, for god's sake. Even if he doesn't know it, he put it on so he could feel like he can save people. He doesn't always. Many people have died that he could have saved, and many more have died in his name. This face, it's a way of comforting himself deep down." I say, staring up at the now night sky out the window.
Clara stays silent after that. I probably shocked her.
The Dinosaur starts to bellow and moan more.
"I am alone. The world which shook at my feet, and the trees and the sky, have gone. And I am alone now. Alone." I hear The Doctor mumble, translating the Dinosaur.
"Is he translating?" Clara asks, looking at me. I nod slowly, and limp over to his bedside, grabbing his hand.
"The wind bites now, and the world is grey, and I am alone here. Can't see me. Doesn't see me. Can't see me." The Doctor mumbles again.
"Who can't see it? I think all of London can see it." Clara says, frowning slightly.
"Boy? Madame Vastra is waiting." Straxx says, walking into the room.
"Okay. Whatever." Clara says dismissively.
"I will convey you to her chamber. May I take your coat?" Straxx says, sticking his arm out.
"Not wearing a coat." Clara remarks. I stifle giggles.
"What's all that?" Straxx says, pointing to her clothing.
"Clothes." Clara stats.
"May I take your clothes?" Straxx asks. I snort in laughter.
"Probably not." Clara says, rolling her eyes.
"Are you wearing a hat?" Straxx asks, looking up at her hair.
"It's hair." Clara stats, sighing.
"No, I think it's a hat. Would you like me to check?" Straxx asks.
I sigh, and say, "Oh just go you guys. Vastra is waiting."
Straxx nods, and Clara walks out of the room, Straxx following close behind.
I wait until I hear them going downstairs, before I close the door and grab the chalk from under the radiator.
The Doctor sits up immediately, and I grin and toss the chalk to him, which he grabs and starts drawing on the wall behind him.
I limp over and sit on the bed, watching him work.
Everyone once in a while he would glance at me, before turning back to his work.
Soon though, the pain in my abdomen grew worse, and I groaned in pain.
The Doctor immediately turned to me, and saw I was clutching my side.
He grabs my hand, and then puts his other hand on the area I was hurt, then regeneration energy started flowing onto it.
"You don't have to do that." I say softly.
He just smiles, and removes his hand, then grabs the chalk and gets back to work.
I was still wearing a dress, so I couldn't tell if he had healed it or not, but the pain was gone.
I stare at the back of The Doctor's head, smiling.
Sentimental rude spaceman.
MY sentimental rude spaceman.
Eventually, he had covered the walls and the ceiling, and was working on a little last part, before turning to the window after hearing the dinosaur moan.
He walks over to the door and opens it, but then immediately shuts it.
"Door. Boring. Not us."
He then walks to the window, and opens it, nodding.
"Us."
He holds out his hand, and I grab it smiling.
He climbs out the window first, then I try, him helping me slightly.
We stand on the roof, staring into the night sky.
It was pretty from up here.
Then we remember out mission, and we both start to carefully walk across the roofs, until we get close enough to the dinosaur.
"Oi. Oi. Oi, big, sexy woman. Oi. Sorry. Sorry, it's all my fault. My time machine got stuck in your throat. It happens. I brought you along by accident. That's mostly how I meet girls, but don't worry, I promise I will get you home. I swear. Whatever it takes, I will keep you safe. You will be at home again." The Doctor shouts to the dinosaur.
I frown, remembering something. The dinosaur was going to… burn!
The dinosaur suddenly bursts into flames. It roars in pain before collapsing.
"Stop that. Who's doing that? No, don't do that." The Doctor says, and we both frown, wondering why the fuck anyone would do that.
We walk along the roofs some more, until we see a horse and carriage coming along.
The Doctor drops into the tree first, me after him, and then he drops onto the horse.
That should have hurt…
He holds his hand out for me, and I take it, using it to help myself down onto the saddle.
"Halt. Sorry, I'm going to have to relieve you of your pet." The Doctor says, looking at the horse.
"You're what?" The coachman asks, confused.
"Shut up, I was talking to the horse." The Doctor says, and uses the sonic screwdriver to sever the traces and reins.
"What are you doing?" The coachman exclaims, shocked at the display before him.
"Forward." The Doctor says, and the horse gallops forward quickly.
I turn my head around and wave at the coachman, who was just sitting there, shocked, before turning back around and grabbing The Doctor's waist.
Well, now here's what I've been waiting for.
Well then... that was kind of fun to write :P This is my favorite episode from season 8, so I had been planning on writing this for a long while now! I hope you enjoyed! :)