CHAPTER 50: Fifty

Jenny, aged 1

"Come on, you lot, get in there."

The wooden door was slammed shut merely a second after we were thrown into the cell. The smell of dust crept through my nostrils as soon as my feet skidded across the hay, and I looked at our surroundings. It was dim in there. The few windows only let in a little natural light which bounced off of the stone pillars in the middle, meaning the corners of the room were left in shadow. I decided to keep an eye on those… Dad told me all about the Vashta Nerada, and I didn't fancy any of those adding to our problems at that moment. The Doctor, a couple of steps in front of me, flicked a piece of metal he'd found amongst the straw and already started working next to one of the pillars.

"Three of us in one cell?" Dad began, stood casually with his hands in his pockets. "That's going to cause some nasty anomalies if we don't get out soon," he frowned at the Doctor. "What are you doing?" The Doctor turned to us, his expression blank like it should have been obvious.

"Getting us out."

"Will a screwdriver work on that?" I wondered, turning to the other older man, the one Dad said was also a version of the Doctor, who was sonicking the door. "Isn't it too primitive?"

"Yes, it is." Dad nodded.

"Good work, Jen," the Doctor smiled behind him. I wriggled uncomfortably at the shortened name…My Dad was the only version of the Doctor allowed to say that. "Shall we ask for a better quality of door so we can escape?" I couldn't help the smile that fell upon my face.

"OK," Dad began, strolling around the pillars. "So the Queen of England is now a Zygon. But never mind that. Why are we all together? Why are we all here?" He waited for a response from the older looking man. "Well, me and Chinny," Dad continued, pointing at the Doctor. "We were surprised, but you came looking for us. You knew it was going to happen. Who told you?"

"Oi," the Doctor snapped, turning his back on the pillar next to him. "Chinny?"

"Yeah, you do have a chin," I shrugged, turning to Dad before he could reply (though Charlie and Dad were both chuckling heartily). "Anything we can do?"

"No, don't think so," he replied quietly. "Just make yourselves at home."

"A cell must be pretty familiar to you by now, huh Jen?" Charlie teased.

"Shut up." I grinned, pushing him towards the back stone wall of the room, where he happily obliged and sat himself amongst the hay.

"You alright?" Dad whispered, his head tilted down in my direction.

"So they're both you?" I asked in a low voice, nodding towards the other Time Lords.

"Yes." He sighed.

"The one with the chin and the hair and the bow tie-"

"The next regeneration, I'm guessing."

"And the old one?" He paused.

"A previous version," I frowned. "Best not to ask. Go and sit with Charlie."

"But-" I tried.

"Go and sit down, Jen," he ordered. "I'll call you if I need any help." I glared at him for a couple of seconds before following his instructions, stomping moodily across the cell. I felt the Doctor's eyes on my back as I walked.

"OK?" Charlie mumbled as I leant on the cold grey bricks.

"Yeah," I sighed. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you've just met two different versions of your Dad. It would be hard for anyone." He replied quietly. I turned my head to face him.

"They're not my Dad." I stated.

"But they're both the Doctor." Charlie frowned.

"Yeah…"

"So they're your Dad, right?"

"No," I shook my head, facing the three Doctors again. "They're all the Doctor. They're not all Dad." There was a pause.

"There was another you too," Charlie began nervously. "Does she think the bow tie isn't her father?"

"Another me," I breathed. "The future me," I paused. "He called me Jen."

"And she called him Dad." Charlie added.

"Suppose," I murmured. "The Doctor and Jenny. But not with you." I sighed loudly and rested my head on Charlie's shoulder.

"Guess not." He muttered.

"I don't know what I'd do without you around." I frowned, a sudden wave of dread and nausea hitting me right in the stomach. "Bringing me to my senses."

"Well, you carry on," he said. "You and the Doctor move on from me. I know you can."

"What do you mean we move on?" I asked, more snappily than I intended, lifting my head to look at him. I could feel his arm tense.

"I just meant," he stammered, returning my stare wide-eyed. "Whatever happens to me-"

"Shut up." I snapped.

"I'm just saying, whatever happens, good or bad, you two get over it and carry on," he said softly, then his tone changed. His voice became darker. "It might be easier than you think."

"What do you mean?" I demanded.

"Jen, could you come here and give me a hand?" The Doctor called from the stone pillar opposite us.

"In a minute." I replied, turning my head quickly back to Charlie.

"He wants your help now." Charlie said.

"As quick as you can, if possible." The Doctor called again. I sighed and climbed to my feet.

"This isn't over." I whispered to Charlie, raising my eyebrows as I walked to the pillar and the man with the bow tie.

"Jenny." The Doctor nodded with a smile.

"Doctor," I replied. He paused for a fraction of a second and stared at the pillar. "What do you need me to do?"

"Nothing." He said cheerily.

"Then why did you call me over?" I frowned.

"Because you were about to get Charlie to tell you your future, and that can't happen."

"How does Charlie know what's in my future? And how do you know he would've told me anyway?"

"Oh Jen," he sighed, and I flinched. "Charlie would tell you anything if you asked enough."

"What do you mean?" The Doctor glanced at me.

"How are you getting on?"

"Sorry?"

"Three of us," he added. "Three Doctors. Three Dads."

"You're not my Dad," I snapped. There was a pause in which my hearts dropped a little at the expression on the Doctor's face. "I'm sorry."

"No," he breathed, almost glaring at the pillar with the screw from earlier still in his hand. "Only natural."

"Are you really the Doctor?" I asked, leaning closer so Dad couldn't hear.

"Yes."

"Which regeneration?"

"Eleven," he replied quickly. "Although technically twelve counting Granddad over there. And then old Sandshoes' half human clone… thirteen then, I suppose," he stopped, his features widening for a moment. "Thirteen."

"And I was on the other side of that wormhole, yeah?" I continued. "The future me?"

"Yes." The Doctor confirmed after he'd slightly shaken his head.

"How old is she?"

"Eleven. Almost twelve," he grinned. "So you keep telling me." I let that sink in for a second.

"Ten years."

"Yes, ten years, and you will be just as wonderful as you are now," he smiled, crouching to my height so our eyes were directly opposite. "But with so many more stories to tell. You've got lots to do, Jen."

"I do?" I squeaked.

"Of course," he nodded, returning to the pillar. "All that running."

"Love the running." I smiled.

"You still do."

"In theory, I can trigger an isolated sonic shift among the molecules, and the door should disintegrate." The older looking Doctor's voice echoed through the cell all of a sudden.

"We'd have to calculate the exact harmonic resonance of the entire structure down to a sub-atomic level." Dad exclaimed.

"Even with a sonic, that would take years." Charlie added as he got to his feet.

"No, no, the sonic would take centuries," the older looking Doctor sighed, seating himself on a nearby box. "Well, we might as well get started. Help to pass the timey wimey."

"You've picked up the lingo well." I smiled. He grunted.

"Do you have to talk like children?" he asked the other Doctors wearily. "What is it that makes you so ashamed of being a grown up?" I watched their faces; Dad had a dark, fearful, and somehow guilty expression, and the Doctor just looked like he was constantly trying to forget a bad memory. It made me want to give them each a hug.

"Oh, the way you both look at me," the older looking Doctor continued. "What is that? I'm trying to think of a better word than dread."

"It must be really recent for you." Dad said.

"Recent?"

"The Time War," the Doctor replied. "The last day. The day you killed them all."

"The day we killed them all." Dad snapped.

"Same thing." At that moment, I was glad of Charlie stood behind me, like he was prepared to be there for whatever reaction I was going to have to the conversation. It turned out that I needed his hand, and I gripped it tight. Dad spoke about the Time War very rarely.

"I don't talk about it." The older looking Doctor, who was clearly the regeneration who fought in the Time War, said quickly.

"You're only talking to your daughter and Charlie. Other than that, there's no one else here." Dad cried.

"And Charlie already knows a lot." The Doctor added. Both Dad and me gave him a frown, which we then shared with each other.

"Did you ever count?" The War Doctor asked.

"Count what?" The Doctor replied.

"How many children were on Gallifrey that day." The Doctor stopped scratching into the pillar for a moment.

"I have absolutely no idea." At his words, I could feel Dad's anger rise up and he took a step closer to us.

"How old are you now?" The War Doctor questioned with curiosity.

"Oh, I don't know. I lose track," the Doctor replied reluctantly. "Twelve hundred and something, I think, unless I'm lying. I can't remember if I'm lying about my age, that's how old I am." A fleeting thought that the Doctor had aged three hundred years in the time I'd gained ten fluttered through my mind, but fury I shared with Dad overwhelmed it.

"Four hundred years older than me, and in all that time you've never even wondered how many there were?" The War Doctor continued. "You never once counted?"

"Tell me, what would be the point?"

"Two point four seven billion." Dad spat through gritted teeth, glaring at his older self furiously.

"You did count!" The War Doctor cried.

"You forgot?" Dad hissed at the Doctor, pushing me away from him slightly. "Four hundred years, is that all it takes?"

"I moved on." The Doctor replied.

"Where? Where can you be now that you can forget something like that?"

"Spoilers."

"No. No, no, no. For once I would like to know where I'm going."

"No, you really wouldn't." The Doctor snapped sharply, the first obvious anger spilling out of him.

"I don't know who you are, either of you," the War Doctor interrupted as they scowled dangerously at each other. "I haven't got the faintest idea."

"Dad, come on," I muttered under my breath as I tugged at his sleeve. "Calm down. Leave it." Slowly, Dad did step back from the Doctor and closer to us. As he turned around, Charlie gave my hand a tight squeeze.

"Are you OK?" Charlie asked quietly, concern for Dad all over his face. He looked like he wanted to reach out his other hand and pat him on the back, or squeeze his shoulder in comfort, but his fingers stayed wiggling uncertainly by his side as if something in his head was stopping him.

"Yes," Dad nodded distractedly, the anger fading gradually from his expression. "Sorry. Both of you."

"Just stay calm," I whispered. "Remember, he's you. That will be you one day stood there with a bow tie underneath that chin."

"I know," he murmured. I smiled, wrapping a comforting arm around his waist. He immediately hugged back and dragged Charlie with us. "What would I do without you two, eh?" Again, I felt a sad pair of eyes on my back.

"No." The War Doctor said. Dad let go of us and turned around.

"No?"

"Just, no." The War Doctor repeated. The Doctor, still scratching away at the pillar, chuckled.

"Is something funny?" Dad asked sarcastically. "Did I miss a funny thing?"

"Sorry," the Doctor grinned. "It just occurred to me, this is what I'm like when I'm alone."

"Four hundred years." The War Doctor breathed.

"Sorry?" I frowned.

"At a software level, they're all the same device, aren't they?" he explained. "Same software, different case."

"Yeah…" Dad replied.

"So?" The Doctor asked.

"So, it would take centuries for the screwdriver to calculate how to disintegrate the door. Scanning the door, implanting the calculation as a permanent subroutine in the software architecture and, if you really are me, with your sandshoes and your dickie bow, and that screwdriver is still mine, that calculation is still going on." Dad and the Doctor instantly brought out their screwdrivers.

"Yeah, still going." Dad exclaimed, the sonic by his ear.

"Calculation complete." The Doctor smiled.

"Four hundred years in four seconds?" Charlie cried.

"Exactly, Charlie boy!" The Doctor laughed. "We may have had our differences, which is frankly odd in the circumstances, but, I tell you what, boys," he grinned at his counterparts. "We are incredibly clever." At his final word, the wooden door (locked with iron bolts) burst open with a flash of brunette and blonde.

It was me. It was me in the doorway grinning and pointing at Dad and the Doctor, me with the same blonde hair, me in a deep purple T-shirt and tight black trousers, me wearing a leather jacket, me stood in a pair of off-white Converse, me with only a hint of a couple more years on my face.

"How did you do that?" The Doctor asked.

"It wasn't locked." The brunette girl with my future self replied.

"Right." The girl took a tentative step towards him.

"So they're both you, then, yeah?"

"Yep," the future me smiled. "You've met them before. Don't you remember?"

"A bit," the girl nodded, then focused more on Dad. "Nice suit."

"Thanks." Dad replied, looking just a little pleased with himself. I glared at him.

"Hold on a second," the future me interrupted, glaring at Dad very similarly to how I was. "Three of you in one cell, plus me and the genius over there," she nodded in mine and Charlie's direction, but I could see she was avoiding looking at the boy stood by my side. "And none of you thought to try the door?"

"It should have been locked." The War Doctor shrugged.

"Yes, exactly," the Doctor exclaimed. "Why wasn't it locked?"

"Because I was fascinated to see what you would do upon escaping," a familiar, haughty voice began, followed by Queen Elizabeth I herself strolling into the cell (or was it the Zygon?). "I understand you're rather fond of this world. It's time I think you saw what's going to happen to it."

-~oOo~-

Jenny, aged 11

I was excited before Clara pushed the wooden door of the Tower cell open. I couldn't wait to see Dad, and my first Dad, together… Anything that was supposed to be impossible was bound to bring about a bit of anticipation.

And then there was Charlie.

I was eager to see him again too. We'd come into contact in that alternative timeline, of course, when River decided she would rewrite a fixed point in time, but that wasn't real. I remembered telling myself, and River telling me, and Amy repeating it over and over, that the parallel Charlie was never supposed to exist and therefore I shouldn't get attached. I listened. They were right, and I had a lot to focus on what with finding Dad and fixing the mess that the universe was in. I managed to detach my emotions from the alternate Charlie, even when he was killed again in my arms by that eyedrive.

But the Charlie King who stood close by my past self in that Tudor cell was real. He was my best friend from a decade before, who was taken from us by Rassilon to Gallifrey in the darkest days of the Time War. And all of that he did in my place.

When we were stood in the doorway of the cell, I almost burst with happiness at the sight of my first Dad, the tenth (or eleventh) version of the Doctor. I never thought I would see him again; it took most of my willpower to simply stay where I was and not leap up with the tightness of a thousand hugs waiting in my arms. But I found that I couldn't look at Charlie. I just couldn't bring my eyes to focus on him. My hearts beat faster with the same grief I felt all those years ago each time I tried.

The blonde man in question was walking in front of me, my younger self by his side. As I watched myself smiling up at him, a surge of mixed emotions flowed through my veins: nostalgia for my personal history; despair that that part of my life was over; jealousy, especially as I glanced down just in time to spot Charlie squeeze my younger self's hand; and most overwhelmingly, confusion. How on Gallifrey did I not comprehend those feelings I had? Still had…

"Think of something else," Dad 11 said suddenly in my head. I hadn't even realised that he'd dropped back to walk with me. "It's hard, but you can, Jen." I sighed as he smiled down at me and took my hand.

"The Zygons lost their own world," Elizabeth I's voice echoed through the stone corridor, cutting straight through my internal monologue as we stopped walking. "It burnt in the first days of the Time War. A new home is required."

"So they want this one?" Clara questioned. The room we had come to was glowing red, the source of which appeared to be the Zygon technology below the balcony. We were all leaning over and observing them as Elizabeth spoke: Clara, Dad 10, Jenny, Charlie, me, Dad 11 and the War Doctor.

"Not yet," she continued. "It's far too primitive. Zygons are used to a certain level of comfort."

"Commander, why are these creatures here?" One of the red slippery Zygons growled, appearing from the stone archway behind us.

"Because I say they should be," Elizabeth, who was clearly a Zygon in disguise, replied authoritatively. "It is time you too were translated. Observe this. I believe you will find it fascinating." The Zygon grunted and stomped over to a small clear cube to our right, which was contrasting the red of the room with its blue glow, and placed its hand on top. The next second, the Zygon vanished, and our attention was drawn to the painting behind it: a painting of a desert scene that I'd seen recently. The only difference was a dark figure in the distance.

"The Zygon is in the picture now?" Younger me exclaimed.

"It's not a picture, it's a stasis cube," the War Doctor began, walking closer to the painting. "Time Lord art. Frozen instants in time, bigger on the inside, but could be deployed as-"

"Suspended animation," Dad 10 finished, joining his past self by the painting. "Oh, that's very good."

"So their plan is the Zygons all pop inside the pictures, wait a few centuries till the planet's a bit more interesting, and then out they come?" I wondered aloud. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Charlie's glancing smile in my direction.

"Yes, exactly," Dad 10 nodded. "Very quick, Jen."

"Thanks." I laughed.

"But why do it that way?" Clara asked. "Why not just invade in the time they want to?"

"You see, Clara, they're stored in the paintings in the Under Gallery, like cup-a-soups," Dad 11 explained. "Except you add time, if you can picture that. Nobody can picture that. Forget I said cup-a-soups."

"They can get in easily, without much panic." I shrugged.

"And now the world is worth conquering," Clara said. "So the Zygons are invading the future from the past."

"Exactly." Dad 11 nodded.

"And do you know why I know that you're a fake?" Dad 10 began, turning back to Elizabeth. "Because you're such a bad copy. It's not just the smell, or the unconvincing hair, or the atrocious teeth, or the eyes just a bit too close together, or the breath that could stun a horse," she was becoming more and more offended by the second. "It's because my Elizabeth, the real Elizabeth, would never be stupid enough to reveal her own plan. Honestly, why would you do that?"

"She's not Zygon." I whispered under my breath.

"Because it's not my plan," Elizabeth replied like she was speaking to a child. "And I am the real Elizabeth." Dad 10 paused.

"OK," he said, his eyes wide. "So backtracking a moment just to lend context to my earlier remarks." I raised my eyebrows and smirked as he turned to us rather sheepishly.

"My twin is dead in the forest," Elizabeth began, reaching underneath her huge Tudor skirt. "I am accustomed to taking precautions," I shared a grin with Clara as she produced a dagger. "These Zygon creatures never even considered that it was me who survived rather than their own commander. The arrogance that typifies their kind."

"Zygons?" Clara frowned.

"Men." Elizabeth exclaimed.

"And you killed that Zygon impersonating you?" Younger me asked.

"I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but at the time, so did the Zygon," she replied. Again, Clara and me smiled at each other as the Doctors and Charlie looked a little taken aback. "The future of my kingdom is imperilled. Doctor, can I rely on your service?"

"Well, I'm going to need my TARDIS." Dad 10 shrugged.

"It has been procured already," Elizabeth smiled proudly, and Dad 10 looked around at us happily. "But first, my love, you have a promise to keep." I groaned as the others looked bewildered.

-~oOo~-

Jenny, aged 11

"I now pronounce you man and wife." The clergyman declared.

"Woo hoo!" Clara yelled, glancing at me happily.

"You may kiss the bride." With that, Elizabeth practically pounced on Dad 10 as if all our lives depended on it. Clara threw a handful of confetti that Dad 11 had found in his pocket, evidently expecting the snogging session to end, but it didn't. I turned away quickly. He may not have been the current regeneration, but I still didn't want to see my Dad doing that. My younger self was groaning and stood with her back to the scene too.

"God speed, my love." Elizabeth exclaimed, giving me permission to turn back around.

"I will be right back." Dad 10 smiled. He immediately ran to the TARDIS, which was parked behind us, giving me a 'don't you dare say a word' look on the way. The rest of us followed him quickly.

"Three times," I muttered. "Three times I've seen you get married. Twice to the same woman. No wonder people think I've got issues."

"Right then," Dad 11 sighed, ignoring me as we entered the TARDIS. "Back to the future."

Jenny, aged 1

"You've let this place go a bit." The War Doctor commented as we entered the TARDIS.

"Oi," my future self exclaimed, gazing around at the coral. "I have missed this."

"Ah, it's his grunge phase," the Doctor sighed. "He grows out of it." I shared a look with Charlie as we skipped around the console.

"Don't you listen to them." Dad grumbled, patting the controls lovingly. Just as he did that, the whole coral room flashed. In the next fraction of a second our surroundings were changed.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"Desktop is glitching." Dad replied, shaking his hand to rid it of the shock.

"Three of us from different time zones. It's trying to compensate." The War Doctor said. The room was smaller with metallic walls and white circles embellishing them, a little bit of the coral left around the console. I wasn't sure that I liked it.

"Hey, look," the Doctor grinned, almost skipping around the room. "The round things."

"I love the round things." Dad exclaimed.

"What are the round things?" My future self frowned.

"No idea." Dad replied.

"Oh dear, the friction contrafibulator," the Doctor cried as a loud ringing sound burst from the console. "Ha! There, stabilised." Again, the room around us flashed into another setting; this one was completely metallic, darker and bluer with control panels behind us as well as on the silver console.

"Oh, you've redecorated," Dad noted, looking around at the ceiling. "I don't like it." I silently agreed.

"You will," my future self whispered, suddenly stood right behind Charlie and me. "Don't worry."

"Oh. Oh yeah? Oh, you never do," the Doctor was exclaiming sarcastically. "Listen, we're going to the National Gallery. The Zygons are underneath it."

"No, UNIT HQ," the brunette girl (I think she was called Clara) corrected. "They followed us there in the Black Archive," all three of the Doctors looked up at her simultaneously. "OK. So you've heard of that, then?"

-~oOo~-

Jenny, aged 11

"In the event of any alien incursion, the contents of this room are deemed so dangerous, it will self-destruct in…"

"Five minutes." The sound of Kate Lethbridge-Stewart's voice echoed through the TARDIS console room that my younger self was still frowning at.

"She's not…?" I cried as a countdown began.

"Sounds like it." Dad 10 nodded gravely.

"There's a nuclear warhead twenty feet beneath us. Are you sitting comfortably?"

"You would destroy London?"

"To save the world, yes, I would."

"You're bluffing."

"You really think so? Somewhere in your memory is a man called Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. I am his daughter."

"Science leads, Kate," Dad 11 snapped through the TARDIS speakers. "Is that what you meant? Is that what your father meant?"

"Doctor?"

"Space-Time telegraph, Kate," he continued. "A gift from me to your father, hotline straight to the TARDIS. I know about the Black Archive and I know about the security protocol. Kate, please. Please tell me you are not about to do something unbelievably stupid."

"I'm sorry, Doctor. Switch it off."

"Not as sorry as you will be," Dad 10 warned. "This is not a decision you will ever be able to live with." There was a pause as my Dads shared a look… a look of guilt and fear.

"Kate," Dad 11 interrupted. "We're trying to bring the TARDIS in. Why can't we land?"

"I said switch it off."

"No, Kate, please. Just listen to me!"

"The Tower of London is totally TARDIS-proof," I explained. "The Zygon Kate told us."

"But how can they do that?" Clara asked.

"Not with any current human technology." Charlie shrugged. I'd forgotten just how clever he was.

"Yep, it's alien tech." I nodded.

"Plus human stupidity," Dad 11 added. "Trust me, it's unbeatable."

"So what are we going to do?" My younger self asked. None of us came up with an answer.

"We don't need to land." The War Doctor suddenly announced. I raised my eyebrows.

"Yeah, we do," Dad 10 replied in a high-pitched sarcastic voice. "A tiny bit. Try and keep up."

"No, we don't. We don't. There is another way," he continued, stepping around the console towards an item one of the Doctors had picked up. "Cup-a-soup. What is cup-a-soup?"

"OK, we have a way," I grinned, leaping into action. "So we can take the seven of us and the TARDIS through a painting. Which one?"

"Gallifrey Falls, the other was smashed." Dad 11 replied with a click of his fingers.

"Right, good," I smiled. That can't have been an easy decision to make so quickly. "We need the painting in the Black Archive. Dad, call McGillop – before he was a Zygon – and get him to take it there."

"OK." He nodded, taking my instructions far easier than I imagined.

"Other Dad, Doctor, Charlie, Jen – fly the TARDIS," I ordered. "Clara, you and me are on the stasis cube. Everyone got it?" They nodded enthusiastically. "Good. Allons-y!"

-~oOo~-

Jenny, aged 11

Our plan worked.

With a brief experience of war-torn Gallifrey inside the painting (something I didn't want to see again) and a leap from the frame, we were all back in 21st century Black Archive. Two Kate Lethbridge-Stewarts were stood by a table.

"Hello." The War Doctor smiled.

"I'm the Doctor." Dad 10 continued.

"Sorry about the Dalek." Dad 11 added, indicating the dead pepper pot that flew through the painting with us.

"Also the showing off." Clara finished. I grinned.

"Kate Lethbridge-Stewart," Dad 11 began, taking a step forward with every name. "What in the name of sanity are you doing?"

"The countdown can only be halted at my personal command," Kate said defiantly. "There's nothing you can do."

"Except make you both agree to halt it." Dad 10 injected.

"Not even for three of you." She spat.

"You're about to murder millions of people." The War Doctor said.

"To save billions," she finished. "How many times have you made that calculation?"

"Once," Dad 11 replied loudly. "Turned me into the man I am now. I'm not even sure who that is any more." I reached out to him in my head, but didn't say anything.

"You tell yourself it's justified, but it's a lie," Dad 10 continued, joining him by the table. "Because what I did that day was wrong. Just wrong." I extended my comfort to him as well. He twitched slightly, looking at me wide-eyed for half a second.

"And, because I got it wrong, I'm going to make you get it right." Dad 11 declared, both of them flinging the chairs around and plonking themselves down.

"How?" Kate frowned.

"Any second now, you're going to stop that countdown," Dad 10 began. "Both of you, together."

"Then you're going to negotiate the most perfect treaty of all time." Dad 11 continued.

"Safeguards all round, completely fair on both sides."

"And the key to perfect negotiation?"

"Not knowing what side you're on." Simultaneously, they pushed their chairs back and jumped to their feet.

"So, for the next few hours, until we decide to let you out-"

"No one in this room will be able to remember if they're human-"

"Or Zygon."

"Whoops-a-daisy!" With a leap, they launched themselves on to the table and lifted their screwdrivers into the air, the War Doctor doing the same on the ground. I joined in with my own purple sonic, just noticing my younger self staring at the instrument in my hand. The countdown was getting dangerously close to zero, but as the six changed to 5…

"Cancel the detonation!" Both of the Kates cried.

"Peace in our time." Dad 11 breathed.

-~oOo~-

Jenny, aged 11

"You alright?" That familiar voice said, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked at him.

"Yeah," I smiled. "Great. Thanks."

"How old are you now?" My first Dad asked with interest, folding his arms as he leant back on the wall beside me.

"Eleven," I replied. "Almost twelve."

"Ten years and it's like you've lived a hundred," he commented. "Instructing us around like that in the TARDIS. All that cleverness."

"Well, that's all come from you." I smiled. He paused, looking down at me proudly.

"Really?"

"'Course." I chuckled, then turned my head back to face the opposite side of the room.

"How long have you been communicating through your mind?" Dad asked suddenly.

"Oh, not long," I shrugged, my eyes focused on the person examining equipment a few feet away. "A few months."

"Right. And how long are you planning on staring at Charlie boy over there?" I managed to tear my eyes away to look at him.

"Don't know." I muttered.

"I take it it's been a while since you last saw him." He said under his breath.

"Yeah."

"Jen," he sighed. "You never realise."

"I do now." I smiled.

"Then go and talk to him." He ordered. I sighed.

"I've missed you."

"I've always been there, haven't I?"

"Mostly," I giggled. "I just meant… you're the same. But you're different," Dad smiled slightly. "Your quirks. The way you say things. I love the next you," I nodded in Dad 11's direction. "But I just miss this you, and I didn't even realise till now." Dad didn't say anything. He just smiled and wrapped his arms around me in the same comforting manner as he always did.

Jenny, aged 1

I switched my gaze from Charlie to Dad and the future me. They were hugging just like Dad hugged me. I supposed that was to be expected, seeing as we were the same person.

"Hey." I smiled, finding myself right next to them. Dad smiled and let go of the future me, silently (for once) strolling away with a pat on each of our heads.

"Hi." Jenny said. There was a pause.

"This is weird." I giggled, taking Dad's place next to her against the wall.

"Tell me about it," she grinned. "We've seen our self before a couple of times, but not like this," I paused. "That's weird grammar to get our head around."

"Oh, definitely," I laughed. I waited until we both calmed down a little. "What's he like?"

"He's brilliant," she replied immediately, and I watched her eyes move to the Doctor. "He's exactly the same. But with a chin and no eyebrows."

"Yeah," I chuckled. "I noticed that."

"Who doesn't?" She grinned. "I promise you he's the same. Remember that."

"I will." I nodded.

"That's Clara," Jenny began after a couple of seconds, indicating the brunette girl across the room. "She's great. No, she's more than great, she's incredible," she smiled. "You'll find out."

"I'm looking forward to it," I replied. "And Charlie, he's brilliant too. Although you already know that."

"Yeah," she sighed, suddenly becoming quieter. "Listen, I'm going to go and talk to him. Why don't you introduce yourself to Clara?" I nodded and smiled as she started walking towards Charlie. "Oh," she paused on her way, turning and stepping backwards for a second. "She's a bit of a control freak, and her ego is way up here," she grinned, waving a hand above her head. "Just look past that."

"Thanks for the tip." I smiled.

"Hey!" Clara called across the room, and Jenny laughed heartily.

Jenny, aged 11

"Hi." I smiled when I reached him. I didn't really want to disturb him, examining Jack's vortex manipulator with such focus, but I knew I didn't have a lot of time to talk to him. The longer the three Doctors and the younger Jenny and me were together, the faster some nasty anomalies would present themselves. Charlie turned around quickly when I spoke.

"Hi," he smiled, and I couldn't help my own lips curving more. "Um… Which one are you?"

"Not your one," I replied, taking a seat next to him. "What are you doing?"

"Just looking at this," he said, pointing at the vortex manipulator. "Looks like some kind of time travel device, similar to the TARDIS, but a lot smaller," his smile faltered. "Is it OK?"

"Is what OK?" I frowned.

"To look at this?" he explained. "I can put it back."

"What are you talking about? It's fine, Charlie," I chuckled, then moved my chair closer. "It's a vortex manipulator. You're right, it's time travel without a capsule."

"I bet that takes a while to get used to." He grinned.

"A bit of a while, yeah," I smiled. "I had one of these. I got it just after you-" I paused.

"I what?" Charlie mumbled, looking worried.

"You left." I finished. We stopped, both of us staring down at the vortex manipulator.

"What happens to me?" He asked quietly.

"Can't tell you that." I shook my head.

"But I won't remember," he said. "After all this is over, and we go back to our correct timelines, our memories will reset, right? You don't remember this?"

"Suppose," I smiled. "I forgot how clever you are, Charlie," he smiled sheepishly. "OK," I sighed. "I know."

"You know?" He repeated, his sparkling blue eyes wide. I nodded.

"The Master goes through with his plan," I explained. "The human race becomes him."

"I'm sorry," Charlie whispered, lowering his head. "I should warn you and the Doctor."

"No, you shouldn't," I snapped, grabbing his hand. "Listen to me. If you tell them, it will cause a paradox and the world will be in a worse state than it was in the first place. We fix it. I promise," He looked unconvinced. "Charlie, don't you believe me?"

"Yes," he muttered. "Yes, of course I do."

"So don't tell them. Please." I squeezed his hand.

"OK," he nodded and took a deep breath. "So what happens to me? Is it the Master?"

"No," I replied with a sigh. "The Master brings Gallifrey in the final days of the Time War to Earth, along with-"

"Rassilon?" Charlie asked.

"Yes," I nodded. "The humans change back to themselves, and Dad sends Gallifrey back to the Time War, but Rassilon doesn't leave without a fight. He tries to take me with him."

"No."

"But you save me," I smiled. "You, Charlie King. You take my place, and you go to Gallifrey in its last days," he stared at me, right into my eyes as if he could see both my hearts. "And it hurt. It hurt so much, but Dad loves you for it, and I can never do anything that would amount to thanking you."

"Well," he whispered. "I can see why I do that."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." He smiled, glancing up and down at our entwined hands and blushing a little.

"I met your family," I said. "I showed them what you did, and they are so proud of you."

"You did?" He murmured.

"Yep. It was the least I could do."

"Thank you," he nodded. "That's more than enough." I smiled. He was one of the most beautiful humans I had ever encountered.

Jenny, aged 1

"I'm Jenny." I smiled.

"Clara," she replied, shaking my hand. "Jen said you're only a year old?"

"Yep," I nodded. "But I act older, I promise."

"I don't doubt that," she laughed, then nodded towards my future self and Charlie, who seemed to be in a deep conversation. "I've seen pictures of him, but she never says anything," she paused. "Sorry, you."

"Takes a while to get used to."

"Yeah," she grinned. "So who is he?"

"Charlie," I replied. "Human. He worked at UNIT in New York before travelling with us," I turned to face him and tried to ignore his hands wrapped around my future self's. "He's a genius."

"You love him." Clara stated.

"Of course I love him," I smiled. "I love all my friends."

"No," she shook her head. "Not in a friendly way."

"What? No," I snorted. "No way."

"Come on! It's obvious."

"How?"

"The way you look at each other," she smiled. I noticed her eyes drifting towards the Doctor. "You can just tell."

"Well, I'm not sure about that." Clara paused.

"There's only ten years between you and her, but you know what? There's a difference," she nodded towards the War Doctor. "Do you want to go and talk to him?"

"Yeah," I nodded, still a little confused. "Why not?"

The War Doctor was sat in a big leather armchair in the corner of the room, apparently completely lost in his own thoughts.

"Hello." Clara said as we sat down.

"Hi." I smiled.

"Hello." The War Doctor nodded.

"I'm Clara, and this is Jenny," Clara introduced. "We haven't really met yet."

"I look forward to it," he replied, then turned his gaze to me. "You are my daughter."

"Sort of," I shrugged. "Yeah, a little."

"They are very proud," he smiled. "It is one of the few things I am excited for in my future," we paused, Clara and me both staring at him sadly. "Is there a problem?"

"The Doctor. My, my Doctor," Clara began. "He's always talking about the day he did it. The day he wiped out the Time Lords to stop the war."

"One would."

"You wouldn't," she continued. "Because you haven't done it yet. It's still in your future."

"You're very sure of yourself." He said. I smiled.

"He regrets it. I see it in his eyes every day. He'd do anything to change it."

"Yes," I nodded. "Me too."

"Including saving all these people," he sighed. "How many worlds has his regret saved, do you think? Look over there. Humans and Zygons working together in peace. How did you know?"

"Your eyes," Clara replied. "You're so much younger."

"Then, all things considered, it's time I grew up. I've seen all I needed. The moment has come," the War Doctor turned his head and faced something behind us. "I'm ready."

"Who's there?" Clara asked as we frowned in that direction. "Who were you talking to?" But, when we span our heads back, he was gone.

-~oOo~-

Jenny, aged 11

We stepped out of the TARDIS and into a barn-like place. There was hay scattered over the floor like the cell in the Tower of London, but the room was lighter.

"I told you. He hasn't done it yet." Clara cried. Right in the middle of the barn, the War Doctor was stood with hunched shoulders over a glittering red button.

"Go away now, all of you," he muttered. "This is for me."

"These events should be time-locked. We shouldn't even be here." Dad 10 said from our right.

"Something's let us through." I sighed.

"Go back," the War Doctor continued. "Go back to your lives. Go and be the Doctor that I could never be. Make it worthwhile."

"All those years, burying you in my memory." Dad 10 began, stepping forwards.

"Pretending you didn't exist," Dad 11 added, joining his younger self. "Keeping you a secret, even from myself."

"Pretending you weren't the Doctor, when you were the Doctor more than anybody else."

"You were the Doctor on the day it wasn't possible to get it right."

"But this time…"

"You don't have to do it alone." Dad 11 finished, both of them resting their hands on top of the War Doctor's and the red button. My hearts beat faster and I grabbed Clara's hand. I could sense her tears forming.

"Thank you." The War Doctor whispered barely audibly.

"What we do today is not out of fear or hatred," Dad 10 began. "It is done because there is no other way." I shared a fearful look with my past self, who was clinging to Charlie's arm with two hands.

"And it is done in the name of the many lives we are failing to save." Dad 11 murmured.

"No…" His head snapped up instantly.

"What?" He asked, looking between Clara and me. "What is it? What?"

"No." I repeated aloud.

"No?" He frowned. I opened my mouth to explain, but no words came to me.

"You told us you wiped out your own people," Clara took over. "It's just… I never pictured you doing it, that's all," I squeezed her hand tighter as the barn went dark. "What's happening?"

"Nothing," the War Doctor replied. "It's a projection." All around us was Gallifrey. Gallifrey towns, its streets, ablaze. Time Lords and Ladies and children and families and friends sprinting around and hiding, running from the Daleks destruction of their planet which they wouldn't escape.

"These are the people you're going to burn?" I exclaimed with tears in my eyes.

"There isn't anything we can do." Dad 10 sighed fearfully.

"He's right," Dad 11 agreed. "There isn't another way. There never was. Either I destroy my own people or let the universe burn."

"Look at you. The three of you," Clara snapped. "The warrior, the hero. And you."

"And what am I?" Dad 11 whispered as Charlie reached for my hand. I gripped it gratefully.

"Have you really forgotten?"

"Yes," he replied. "Maybe, yes."

"We've got enough warriors," Clara shrugged tearfully. "Any old idiot can be a hero."

"Then what do I do?"

"What you've always done," she smiled. "Be a doctor." I gasped.

"You told me the name you chose was a promise," I said quickly. "What was the promise?"

"Never cruel or cowardly." Dad 10 began.

"Never give up, never give in." The War Doctor continued. Suddenly, the images of Gallifrey around us vanished.

"You don't have to." I mumbled. Dad stared for a second, then turned to his past selves.

"You're not actually suggesting that we change our own personal history?" Dad 10 exclaimed.

"You change history all the time!" I shouted.

"Yes," Dad 11 nodded. "We're suggesting far worse."

"What exactly?" The War Doctor frowned.

"Gentlemen," Dad 11 smiled. "I have had four hundred years to think about this. And yet, it's our daughter who thinks of it first," he turned and grinned at me. "I change my mind."

"What's going on?" My younger self frowned as he sonicked the red button away.

"There's still a billion billion Daleks up there attacking!" The War Doctor cried.

"Yeah, there is," Dad 11 grinned. "There is."

"But there's something those billion billion Daleks don't know." Dad 10 continued, realisation dawning on his features.

"Because if they did, they'd probably send for reinforcements." Dad 11 laughed.

"What?" Clara asked quickly. "What don't they know?"

"Jen!" He said, pushing me forwards.

"This time there's three of you." I beamed.

"Oh!" The War Doctor screamed happily, holding his head. "Oh yes, that is good! That is brilliant!"

"Ha ha ha, she's the most wonderful thing we've ever managed." Dad 11 declared, lifting me into a huge hug.

"She didn't just show me any old future, she showed me exactly the future I needed to see!" The War Doctor continued. Dad set me down.

"Eh? Who did?"

"Oh, Bad Wolf girl, I could kiss you!" I frowned at both Dads.

"Sorry, did you just say Bad Wolf?" Dad 10 asked with pain behind his eyes.

"So what are we doing?" Clara interrupted. "What's the plan?"

"The Dalek fleets are surrounding Gallifrey, firing on it constantly." The War Doctor explained, the seven of us crowding around into a circle.

"The Sky Trench is holding, but what if the whole planet just disappeared?" Dad 10 continued.

"Tiny bit of an ask."

"The Daleks would be firing on each other," I grinned. "They'd destroy themselves in their own crossfire."

"Gallifrey would be gone, the Daleks would be destroyed, and it would look to the rest of the universe as if they'd annihilated each other."

"But where would Gallifrey be?" My younger self asked.

"Frozen." Charlie gasped.

"In an instant of time, safe and hidden away." I finished, giving him a wink.

"Exactly…" Dad 11 whispered.

"Like a painting." The War Doctor finished.

-~oOo~-

Jenny, aged 11

"Hello, hello, Gallifrey High Command, this is the Doctor speaking." Dad called through the TARDIS console.

"Hello! Also the Doctor. Can you hear me?" My first Dad's voice sounded.

"Also the Doctor, standing ready." The War Doctor added.

"Dear God, three of them," the General on Gallifrey said. "All my worst nightmares at once."

"General, we have a plan." Dad 10 began.

"We should point out at this moment, it is a fairly terrible plan." Dad 11 injected.

"Oi!" I cried.

"And almost certainly won't work." Dad 10 added.

"And you!"

"I was happy with fairly terrible." Dad 11 said, ignoring me on purpose, but grinning cheekily in my direction.

"Sorry, just thinking out loud." Dad 10 replied.

"We're flying our three TARDISes into your lower atmosphere."

"We're positioned at equidistant intervals around the globe. Equidistant, so grown up."

"We're just about ready to do it." The War Doctor said as I set about ensuring that our TARDIS was prepared. In the tenth Doctor's blue box, my past self and Charlie were doing the same. I remembered.

"Ready to do what?" The General exclaimed.

"We're going to freeze Gallifrey." Dad 11 replied with pride.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Using our TARDISes, we're going to freeze Gallifrey in a single moment in time." Dad 10 explained.

"You know, like those stasis cubes?" The War Doctor added. "A single moment in time, held in a parallel pocket universe."

"Except we're going to do it to a whole planet."

"And all the people on it."

"What?" The General cried. "Even if that were possible, which it isn't, why would you do such a thing?"

"Because the alternative is dying."

"And I've seen that. And I never want to see it again."

"We'd be lost in another universe, frozen in a single moment in time. We'd have nothing."

"You would have hope!" Dad 11 shouted gleefully. "And right now, that is exactly what you don't have."

"It's delusional," the General sighed. "The calculations alone would take hundreds of years."

"Oh, hundreds and hundreds."

"But don't worry," Dad 10 smiled. "I started a very long time ago." And at that moment, the sounds of every Doctor who ever regenerated and lived rang through the speakers.

"Calling the War Council of Gallifrey. This is the Doctor."

"You might say I've been doing this all my lives."

"Good luck!"

"Standing by."

"Ready!"

"Commencing calculations…"

"Soon be there."

"Across the boundaries that divide one universe from another…"

"Just got to lock on to his coordinates…"

"And for my next trick."

"I didn't know when I was well off," the General said. "All twelve of them!"

"No, sir," another Gallifreyan voice replied. "All thirteen." I rushed to the monitor where I saw thirteen beautiful blue boxes whizzing around the burning orange planet, one of them us, and another with past me on board. The rest belonging to all the Doctors I'd probably never meet, but they were carrying out my plan. Their daughter's plan.

"Sir! The Daleks know that something is happening. They're increasing their fire power."

"Do it, Doctor. Just do it!"

"OK," Dad 11 nodded. "Gentlemen, we're ready…"

"GERONIMO!"

"ALLONS-Y!"

"OH, FOR GOD'S SAKE. GALLIFREY STANDS!"

-~oOo~-

Jenny, aged 1

When I told the Clara I'd like eight sugars in my tea, she barely reacted. It was unusual. For some reason humans tended to frown at me whenever I asked for that.

The gallery was clean and white, except for the three TARDISes in different shades of blue and the Gallifrey Falls painting on the wall.

"I don't suppose we'll know if we actually succeeded," the War Doctor sighed. "But at worst, we failed doing the right thing, as opposed to succeeding in doing the wrong."

"Life and soul, you are." Clara commented sarcastically.

"What is it actually called?" Dad frowned, stood next to his next regeneration in front of the painting.

"Well, there's some debate," the Doctor replied. "Either No More or Gallifrey Falls."

"Not very encouraging." The War Doctor grumbled.

"How did it get here?" The future me asked.

"No idea." The Doctor shook his head.

"There's always something we don't know, isn't there?" Dad sighed, raising his eyebrows at the Doctor as they turned around.

"Yeah, that's not going to stop any time soon." The future me giggled.

"One should certainly hope not," the War Doctor replied, getting to his feet. "Well, gentlemen, it has been an honour and a privilege."

"Likewise." Dad nodded.

"Doctor." The Doctor added with a smile.

"And if I grow to be half the man that you are," he continued. "Clara Oswald, I shall be very happy indeed."

"That's right, aim high." Clara chuckled, standing and giving him a hug.

"Don't forget us!" I grinned.

"Of course not," he smiled as my future self and me hugged him tight. "I look forward to meeting you. My daughter," he turned to the Doctors. "I won't remember this, will I?"

"The time streams are out of sync," Dad explained. "You can't retain it, no."

"So I won't remember that I tried to save Gallifrey rather than burn it," he sighed. "I'll have to live with that. But for now, for this moment, I am the Doctor again. Thank you," he glanced at the TARDISes. "Which one is mine?" We watched him stroll happily into the shabbiest box and close the door behind him.

Jenny, aged 11

I turned to Charlie as the War Doctor's TARDIS disappeared with that beautiful straining sound.

"Guess it's your turn next." I smiled.

"Guess so," he nodded, then glanced at everyone around us who appeared to be listening in. "I, uh… I just wanted to say that you were amazing back there in the barn."

"Thanks." I chuckled.

"No, really, you were amazing. Incredible. I-"

"Charlie," I sighed, putting a finger on his lips. "Make me a promise."

"Of course."

"Stay alive," I smiled. "When you get to Gallifrey, keep yourself safe. And in return, I give you my word that Dad and me will find you."

"We could go for a coffee?" He giggled.

"I'll hold you to that."

"And, also," he whispered, pulling me slightly to the side. The others were talking between themselves by that point anyway. "You visiting my family was more than enough in return for me taking your place with Rassilon."

"It really wasn't, Charlie-"

"It was," he interrupted. I raised my eyebrows. "So, to make us, you know, equal, I thought that maybe…" he stammered sweetly, not bringing his eyes to meet mine. "This…" Slowly and nervously, he placed a finger under my chin and gently lifted it. My hearts beat faster and time seemed to slow as his lips got closer to mine, but as soon as they reached me with a delicate kiss, the seconds passed way too quickly.

"Yep, that definitely makes us equal," I mumbled once we'd parted. "Where did that confidence come from?"

"You." Charlie smiled, still blushing. I chuckled and pulled him into a warm hug that never wanted to let go of.

"I love you," I whispered in his ear. His arms gripped my waist tighter. "And so does she. She just hasn't realised it yet."

Jenny, aged 1

"I won't remember either, so you might as well tell me." Dad said as I let go of Clara's hug and walked over.

"Tell you what?" The Doctor asked.

"Where is it we're going that you don't want to talk about." They paused.

"I saw Trenzalore," he replied as my future self and Charlie joined the group. "Where we're buried. We die in battle among millions."

"That's not how it's supposed to be." Dad muttered.

"That's how the story ends," the Doctor stated. "Nothing we can do about it. Trenzalore is where you're going." Another pause.

"Oh, never say nothing," Dad smiled, making me relax a little. "Anyway. Good to know my future is in safe hands. Keep a tight hold on it, Clara."

"On it." Clara grinned, and Dad kissed her hand. He turned to my future self.

"You're brilliant," he smiled, lifting her into a massive hug. "Absolutely brilliant. Don't give it up."

"Got it." She winked.

"Come on then, you two," Dad sighed, unlocking the TARDIS door for us. I waved at the Doctor, Clara and me as I entered the blue box and went into the coral with Charlie. "Trenzalore," I heard Dad say. "We need a new destination, because I don't want to go."

"Where to?" I smiled as he skipped back into the console room and closed the door behind him.

"Oh, loads of ideas," Dad exclaimed as he leapt around. "The Phosphorus Carousel of the Great Magellan Gestadt, Flane,…"

"How about all of them?" I suggested as Charlie hugged me to his side… something he didn't usually do in an ordinary situation…

"Right then," Dad smiled, coming to a stop next to the monitor. "Allons-y!"

-~oOo~-

Jenny, aged 11

"He always says that." Dad muttered, a slight smile on his lips. I remained staring at the spot where my first TARDIS was stood for a second.

"Need a moment alone with your painting?" Clara asked.

"How did you know?" Dad smiled sadly.

"Those big sad eyes," she stepped towards him, planting a small kiss on his cheek. "I always know."

"See you in a minute." I smiled, going to follow Clara into the TARDIS.

"Jen," he interrupted. "Stay with me."

"Of course." I nodded immediately.

"Oh, by the way, there was an old man looking for you," Clara called by the doors. "I think it was the curator." Dad gave her a thumbs up before we sat down on the white bench in front of the violent orange painting. I rested my head on his shoulder.

"You could be a curator." I thought out loud.

"Oh yes, I'd be great at curating," he chuckled. "I'd be the Great Curator."

"I can see you doing that," I smiled. "That would be nice."

"Yes," he whispered. "I could retire and be the curator of this place."

"You know, I really think you might." A new voice sounded. Or was it a new voice? I was certain I recognised it, but for a reason unbeknownst to me I couldn't turn to face in its direction. Even Dad took a few seconds to stand slowly to his feet, and only then did I follow suit.

"I never forget a face." He murmured once we'd reached the man.

"I know you don't," the Curator replied. He was old and white-haired, but it was undeniable that he had the face of a great Doctor once regenerated, a long, long time before. "And in years to come, you might find yourself revisiting a few. But just the old favourites, eh?" Dad winked as I wrapped my fingers around his arm, unable to bring myself to contact him through our minds. "You were curious about this painting, I think. I acquired it in remarkable circumstances. What do you make of the title?"

"Which title? There's two," Dad replied as we looked again at the painting. "No More or Gallifrey Falls."

"Oh, you see, that's where everybody's wrong," the Curator sighed. "It's all one title. Gallifrey Falls No More," Dad and me glanced at each other. "Now, what would you think that means, eh?"

"That Gallifrey didn't fall," I said, my voice becoming slightly uncontrollable with excitement. "Dad did it. It's still out there."

"I'm only a humble curator, I'm sure I wouldn't know." The man mumbled.

"Then where is it?" Dad asked eagerly.

"Where is it indeed? Lost. Shhh," the Curator exclaimed quickly. "Perhaps. Things do get lost, you know. And now you must excuse me. Oh, you have a lot to do."

"Do we?" Dad grinned. The Curator murmured in reply. "Is that what we're supposed to do now? Go looking for Gallifrey?"

"Oh, it's entirely up to you," the Curator said. "Your choice, eh? I can only tell you what I would do if I were you," he chuckled. "Oh, if I were you. Oh, perhaps I was you of course. Or perhaps you are me," the three of us giggled. "Congratulations."

"Thank you very much." Dad replied as they shook hands.

"Or perhaps it doesn't matter either way," he continued, immediately calming us before turning his unblinking gaze to me. "It has been a while." He whispered, lifting his palm to my cheek delicately.

"Yeah," I nodded, tears dangerously close to overflowing, but I didn't quite understand why. "A few years, eh?"

"Oh, more than a few," the Curator smiled, wiping a stray tear from my face. "But I think your future might be long, my dear," he took his shivering hand away, turning back to Dad. "Who knows, eh? Who knows?" And with a final tap of his nose, the Curator walked away.

-~oOo~-

The Doctor

Clara sometimes asked me if I dream.

Of course I dream, I tell her. Everybody dreams.

But what do you dream about, she'll ask.

The same thing everybody dreams about, I tell her. I dream about where I'm going. She always laughs at that.

But you're not going anywhere, you're just wandering about.

That's not true. Not any more. We have a new destination, my daughter and me. My journey is the same as yours, the same as anyone's. It's taken me so many years, so many lifetimes, but at last I know where I'm going.

Where I've always been going.

Home, the long way round.

LunaRoseDiCaprio: It's been a while, I know... But believe me, it's annoyed me just as much as you!

My original plan was to get this chapter complete and uploaded before Christmas, which didn't happen. Then my target was Christmas Day, as a present for you guys, but evidently that didn't come to fruition either. But I did just about hit my third aim! New Years Day, so Happy New Year to all of you who celebrate on 1st January and I hope you had a wonderful Christmas :)

For the time that I've taken with this chapter, I really hope it's a good one and doesn't ruin the brilliant 50th anniversary episode for you. I just couldn't bring myself to change much about it because the episode is so perfect!

Pssst! Wanna know a secret? … The whole structure of this fic was based on this chapter :) I planned out the titles of every chapter and which episodes would be used right at the beginning (over a year and a half ago) so that the 50th anniversary episode would fall on the 50th chapter.

I am now going back to every other Sunday, starting 11th January. I am going to try my best to get loads of writing done before I go back to uni!

Thank you to those of you reminding me to update... it really motivated me!

Next time, chapter 51 'The Time of the Doctor'.

Keep reviewing.

xx

UPDATE 21/02/15 - I am so so so sorry I haven't updated in ages. I'm just very busy for much of the time at university, and when I'm not, I've been finding it difficult to write. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and messaged me asking for updates. And I feel obliged to let you all know that you have a voice - my housemate has been reminding me to write for weeks ;)

Unfortunately I am going to put this story on hiatus, that way you won't be waiting for chapters that aren't coming for a while... unless I have a sudden break or writing spurt, the next chapter isn't likely to be up until early April. Again I am really sorry, but I am grateful to all of you who have/are sticking by this story :)

Thank you guys! xx