Awkwardly, Matt moved the Dalek chassis in tandem with the other Doctors, they arrived at the garrison and on cue they fooled every Dalek and sent them astray belligerently angry about the escaped Doctors and the betraying Dalek.

As they filed out of the garrison, the Doctor with the cape told Matt that now's the fun part, getting to the computer.

"Why couldn't we do it from the one we were just at?" Matt asked through the chassis, making his voice like a Dalek's and heard the response equally robotic.

"Even with our Sonic Screwdrivers and your penchant for wiring, we couldn't get through the access point through that particular computer. Even Daleks know better than that. Their computer's enclosed, you can't access it anywhere in the compound except up close," said the Doctor with the cape.

The Doctor with the bowl cut added, "And not to mention that Skaro has the administrative access. Even if we get there, we can't just use the computer, we'll have to think of something and get it off him."

Matt sighed as he muttered under his breath that he should've expected it to go this way.

He followed the other Doctors towards the main chambers and as they approached the large doors, the Doctor with the bowl cut stopped abruptly to look towards the Doctor with the cape.

"How do you figure we lure him out and get the administrative access?" he pointed out the questionable plan to the Doctor with the cape.

The Doctor with the cape explained that with Matt, they'll be able to get Skaro to bend the knee, so to speak.

"How?" Matt balked at the idea.

He heard, "You're sick, after all."

The plan involved having Matt get out of the Dalek chassis and act like a prisoner for them to get near Skaro.

Skaro's weary about pathogens and sickness as it is, so the fact that Matt's sick, it's as good as getting him to cry uncle rather than risk sickness.

Effectively, they'll force the administrative access from Skaro and he'll flee from the chambers because of Matt.

Matt's weary about this plan and he asked what he's supposed to do when they get inside.

To which, the Doctor with the bowl cut poked out of the seams of the Dalek chassis, enough to hand Matt a piece of sweet.

It's oval shaped, blue, and Matt's confused what he's supposed to do with it.

The Doctor with the bowl cut instructed him to eat it.

Wearily, Matt asked him what's the plan and the Doctor with the cape instructed him to do what he's told, they're running out of time.

Begrudgingly, Matt swallowed the sweet.

It tasted like any other hard candy sweet and he walked ahead of the Doctors as they posed as guards who found him.

Entering the chambers, immediately, Skaro called out to them, demanding answers as to why they've approached his chambers without his say.

He noticed Matt in view and grew belligerently angry as he demanded to know where his counterparts disappeared to.

Matt posed and claimed he didn't know where they went.

He's forced forward by the Dalek housing the Doctor with the cape and as he walked closer towards Skaro until he ordered Matt to stop.

"Where are the others?" Skaro demanded answers.

Matt told him that he didn't know and Skaro didn't believe him, rightfully so, and he demanded answers now, or else.

"I told you, I don't know!" Matt tried to convince Skaro.

Skaro inquired, "Why would they have left you be-hind?"

Skaro wasn't convinced and Matt expected the two Doctors to have a plan for it and they did.

In the way of Matt's gut.

He felt his stomach rumble and he didn't know if it's just him hungry or one of those funny feelings that sometimes happens once a while.

Alas, it's neither and he held his gut as he felt his stomach expel the contents of his stomach… into Skaro's face.

Well, thankfully for Skaro, it only covered his chassis' face and not his actual face.

Skaro shrieked in fear and revulsion as vomit dripped from his eye stock.

Covering his mouth, Matt gurgled, "Sorry!"

He's actually sorry for that.

Throwing up on a Dalek never crossed his mind until today and he looked towards the Dalek housing the Doctor with the bowl cut.

His sweet wasn't so sweet and caused Matt's stomach to revolt in hatred.

Skaro got the blunt of the hatred and he shrieked in disgust as he spun around, looking at the blue vomit stuck on it from the screen inside.

Suppose that's better than the alternative, but even Matt found that much.

Stepping away from the shrieking Dalek as he held his hand over his mouth, Matt watched as the Doctors made work of Skaro.

They worked quick but Skaro's able to get insults in as the Doctors withhold him from leaving the chambers just yet.

"You fi-ends!" Skaro shrieked at them as the Doctors override his control and forcibly gained access to the administrative controls needed to use Skaro's computer.

The Doctor with the cape calmly told Skaro, "Shut up, you brought this on yourself!"

It's rather out of character for someone like a refined man, but Matt guessed even they broke character every now and again.

Matt held his gut as he felt another round readying itself and the Doctor with the bowl cut warned Skaro that if he gave them any trouble, Matt will do it again, and this time it's in the inner chassis.

"You woul-dn't dare!" Skaro shrieked.

Matt didn't even need to see the Doctor with the bowl cut to know he's giving Skaro a toothy grin right now.

Skaro seemed to know it, too, and he decried the Doctors' attempts. He warned that eventually, the sound's stopping, and when it does, they might not like what happens next.

"You're lying again," the Doctor with the cape chided Skaro as he pointed the eye stock at the Dalek.

Skaro said he wasn't, but he's lied so many times, the Doctors didn't even give him a shred of doubt to work with.

Despite his latest attempts, Skaro couldn't convince the Doctors of the sound he and the Daleks heard.

If there's even a sound to begin with…

"Hrng!" Matt couldn't help his body as he doubled over and let out another stream of blue vomit, safely away from his dress shoes.

The sight's enough for Skaro to flee from the chambers and the Doctors to jump out of the Dalek chassises to tend to Matt as he held his stomach, visibly white.

"What… the… bloodyhell… did… you… give… me?" Matt questioned the Doctor with the bowl cut.

He heard back, "Just an expired sweet I had in my pocket. Don't worry, it won't bother your stomach, again."

Matt learned that the Doctor with the bowl cut had candy leftover from an adventure, but he'd forgotten them for so long, they went bad. He's told that the sweet won't bother him again, because his bother got rid of the rest of the sweet, and now he'll just have to pace his breathing for a bit until it goes back to normal.

Lowering his head, Matt groaned.

He chose to believe this all is a form of punishment for breaking his promise with Ripley.

After this, hell or not, Matt's not getting out of his bed. He'll even cuff himself to it just to be sure.

The Doctor with the cape rubbed his back as he coughed, leading him to the computer as the Doctor with the bowl cut used Skaro's administrative control on it.

It took time, but it's enough for him to get a line out to UNIT. As he's about to pull down the forcefield, there's a sudden counter on the top right, clicking down.

"Wait, what's that?" Matt pointed.

He heard, "A… countdown."

Should've expected that!

It seemed that Skaro wasn't so easy as they thought, he set it up that the Doctors accidentally trip the detonation code. More, he made it that the forcefield came down automatically, so the explosion wasn't contained within it, meaning that UNIT would've gotten caught up in it, too.

Skaro's already getting his men out of the compound and locked the Doctors in his chambers, making sure they couldn't get out.

"Bugger!" Matt cursed.

It's bad enough he has to deal with his cold, now he's dealing with the chance of detonation.

"Always expect the unexpected, even when there's none," the Doctor with the bowl cut told him.

The Doctors worked with him to override the explosion, but Skaro's smarter than he seemed and made sure their Sonic Screwdrivers couldn't easily override the controls and stop the explosion.

So, Matt's forced to get underneath the computer and with light provided, work his way to rewire the computer so the Doctors could've used it.

It seemed Skaro didn't account for the Doctors ability to rewire the computer, but that's probably because they obfuscate their intelligence to the point that Skaro probably thought it's more luck than them knowing what to do.

Matt tried his best not to panic as the beeping echoed throughout the chambers and he grabbed the wires at a time, finding where they went and if they were fake, as he did he heard the Doctor with the cape tell him to get a move on.

They don't have much time left.

Mumbling under his breath, Matt did what he did best and rewired the computer so the Doctors could use it, but they could only put up the forcefield again, they couldn't just stop the countdown.

Pulling him from underneath the computer, Matt immediately asked the Doctors, "What do we do?"

He rewired the computer enough as it is and he couldn't move around easily with it claustrophobically 's no way he can do it again, safely as he adds, without something else going wrong.

Thinking on his feet, Matt pulled out his mobile, and texted a short message to Jodie using the number she contacted him before.

"SOS, save my bony arse," Matt mumbled under his breath as he quickly texted Jodie for help.

He saw an immediate response, "On it!"

Exhaling sharply, Matt shoved his mobile back in his pocket and looked towards the Doctors as they shared a look.

In short, Matt told them, "I get text messages from my own TARDIS, now."

That's definitely a new one on Matt's book.

He expected text messages from say, automated services, not from a time machine of all things, but here he was, begging for help.

Impatiently, the men waited with baited breathes as they looked at the screen as the countdown closing in to the ten mark.

There's a sound of metal sheets rubbing against each other and the Doctor with the cape's TARDIS appearing before them.

Rushing in, the three Doctors fled from the chambers as the Doctor with the cape took control and brought them out of the compound to the safety of UNIT where the men bunkered down as there's an explosion in the distance.

The forcefield imploded into itself from the internal destruction that afterwards, there's only a circular crater where the compound stood.

Brigadier Tom met with the men as he looked exasperated by the whole ordeal. The Doctors helped keep his men safe and the Daleks retreated to wherever they called home.

As for the captured Dalek, it self-detonated eternally so that UNNIT couldn't torture it anymore, well, allow the Doctors the opportunity.

"Well, all in a day's work, hm?" the Doctor with the cape looked between the Doctor with the bowl cut and Matt.

Matt didn't even want to begin there…

"Thank you," the brigadier thanked them for the help and preventing an onslaught.

However, the Daleks still roamed free, but they'll know better to come back, so that's the best outlook UNIT could've hoped for.

Matt needed to ask, "Why were they here anyway?"

Made no sense to set up a compound near an enemy territory, much less knowing the enemy had ties to the Doctor.

Shrugging his olive drab shoulders, Brigadier Tom told Matt that neither he or his men knew why.

Thinking back on what Skaro told them, Matt realized he should've known the answer.

UNIT had more resources than a cabal of Daleks did, even despite their contact with the Doctor, they had to gamble and invade UNIT so they could've taken control of the technology.

It sounded off, for a Dalek, but the fear Skaro presented didn't seem manufactured. It's as though he's deathly afraid of the sound. Whatever it is. So, desperate, he did all this just so he could've had the chance to get his bearings.

Even though the Doctors didn't believe in him, Skaro remained convinced.

For someone like Skaro, it made no sense to keep up a ruse if it's evident that it's not working like intended.

Unless that it wasn't a ruse.

Matt waited for the brigadier to leave so he could talk to the Doctors in private, asking them about Skaro.

They didn't believe him and that they're sure they would've picked up on the sound that Skaro's insistent existed.

The two Doctors believed he's only mad and nothing more.

Matt's forced to take their beliefs face value and went with them inside the TARDIS where Matt's instantly besieged by ferrets.

There's a cream coloured one with beige stripes. A panda looking one with brown paws. A red bodied one with white accents. And of course, Starlight.

They clamored around Matt, asking questions, and genuinely worried about him.

Clung to, Matt sat down with the ferrets looking at him worryingly and he told them all that he's fine for the most part.

The Doctor with the cape told them to return to their carrier as he planned to give them to their intended owner after dropping off the Doctor with the bowl cut and Matt.

He shooed the ferrets towards the carrier, except Starlight, and she stayed clinging to Matt.

She thanked him profusely for helping her find her way back to the Doctor with the cape and Matt told her that he's only doing his job.

Another first, Matt received a kiss from Starlight, right on his reddened nose, before she scurried away from him towards the carrier.

Something about that kiss wasn't just the fact that a ferret kissed Matt, the kiss helped him recover from his cold and the effects of the sweet that the Doctor with the bowl cut gave him.

His reddened nose slowly returned to it's normal color and he took a deep breath without feeling like it's impeded. His stomach righted itself and it felt like his throat's good as new.

"How?" Matt's confused about the kiss.

The Doctor with the cape told him that they're space ferrets and that they're capable of healing those they like with their kisses.

Considering what Matt just went through, he's not even going to counter or badger for answers. All he wanted to do from then on, simply go home, and pretend none of this ever happened.

Easier said than done, he knows.

Standing up, Matt watched the Doctor with the cape go near the controls as he talked to the Doctor with the bowl cut.

The Doctor with the bowl cut's TARDIS' somewhere in UNIT and he's going back to it. He thanked the men for their help and shook Matt's hand.

As he went to the door, the Doctor with the bowl cut turned around. He cheekily said to Matt, "Just remember the golden rule, my boy, hm?"

Matt's caught off-guard by this response and couldn't ask the Doctor with the bowl cut for context as he disappeared out of the TARDIS.

The Doctor with the cape used the controls to send the TARDIS back to where Matt found it.

"This was a strange day," Matt sighed heavily.

He heard back, "Of many strange days to come."

Matt looked at the Doctor with the cape as he said this and he nods at Matt, affirming that this is one of many days a Doctor faces.

"And believe me, my boy, don't let Skaro fool you, he'll turn on you on a dime the moment you show any interest in his ramblings," he stressed heavily for Matt.

While Matt may think differently, Skaro had a long record of accomplishment of doing things like this, and by the next time he encounters Matt again, he'll have something else he'll try to convince Matt with.

Frowning, Matt replied, "Suppose you're right."

The Doctor with the cape thanked him for the help and Matt shrugged.

"It's what a Doctor does, right?" Matt looked at him.

Nodding, the Doctor with the cape affirmed that it's just like that.

Opening the door for Matt, he saw him off, but not without getting a jab in.

"Proceed with caution, or else you might need a doctor," he winked at Matt.

Matt eyed him as he crossed his arms.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Matt wanted to know what the Doctor's implying.

He smirked, "Well, when a loving couple really love each other…"

It took strength on Matt's part from face palming and he channeled it into saying, "I've had girlfriends before, you know!"

He didn't need the Doctor with the cape telling him something he already knew.

Matt's mum would've strangled him herself if he grew careless!

"You know what I mean," the Doctor with the cape jabbed him.

Oh…he…meant…
"How do you…?" Matt eyed him.

The Doctor with the cape reminded Matt, "I'm the Doctor, remember?"

Well, Matt spent nights at Ripley's place, but nothing ever happened, nothing like the Doctor with the cape's insinuating. Far from it, Ripley didn't want him going home late at night during construction.

Granted, they're chugging along nicely in their relationship, but Matt didn't want to prod Ripley on that sort so suddenly.

"Ah, but you're certainly thinking about it, no?" the Doctor with the cape looked at him.

Matt frowned and pondered before saying, "It's normal, though, right?"

Smiling, the Doctor with the cape patted him on the shoulder as he encouraged the two to be more open with each other on that front.

Certainly, a good advice, but one that Matt didn't expect from a Doctor.

It made more sense when Matt learned that the Doctor with the cape was married.

Was.

"Keep her close," the Doctor with the cape instructed Matt. Sadness in his eyes as it also showed in his voice.

Matt didn't want to prod in the Doctor with the cape's life so he left it at that, but thanked him nevertheless for the advice.

Stepping out of the TARDIS, Matt sighed as he prepared to return to his flat with the irate Ripley.

However, he checked the time, he'd only be gone for ten minutes!

As Matt looked at his mobile, the TARDIS behind him dematerialized.

Sighing as he looked back, Matt shook his head before he started walking back to the stairs.

Upon arriving back at the beetle, Matt saw Jodie waiting for him.

"Thanks for saving my arse, twice," Matt thanked her for helping him out.

Jodie raised a hand over her forehead as she playfully said, "Aye-aye!"

She noticed he wasn't sick and when he told her, Jodie shrugged as she told him what the Doctor with the cape said.

Matt didn't have the energy left to discuss the intimate knowledge of space ferrets, so he took them back to his flat.

He threw off his clothes, put them in the clothes bin, took a long shower, washed out his mouth, and relaxed on his bed.

Matt learned more than he bargained while dealing with Skaro and the Daleks. The two Doctors helped him learn the basics. It's rather concerning to him that he'd have to carry the sins of the other Doctors' trespasses as his own, even if he's not guilty of it. Yet, it made sense to him, as the two Doctors tried to tell him that there's more to being the Doctor than simply fixing problems.

People looked up to him, hated him, but the point was, he had to keep up the illusion he was one person. Didn't matter if it didn't make any sense to him and if it sounded obtuse to someone else, someone had to be the Doctor.

It's something he never expected to learn, but it's important to the Doctors he carry the burden as if it's his own.

Universes needed their Doctors and needed to believe that their Doctor would return to them, regardless if they're completely different persons.

Inevitably, it sounded that Matt needed to make a choice at the end of it all, whether to keep the title or move on.

He's much to learn and he's young enough that he can cram plenty more knowledge in his head.

THE END