Watching the Doctor

by RedRobyn2

The Doctor is stranded in prison, dealing with the revelations of the Timeless Child and the memories of her time travelling, all alone. Until the Tardis decides enough is enough and gathers her and some of her more recent companions to help her deal with her past and make some amends by watching her adventures. Characters watch the show, set after Timeless Child/Pre-Resolution.

21. The Time of the Doctor

Hello everyone!

Again I'm late (sorry) but again I've had a busy week (it never seems to stop at the minute) but this one is very long (I think it is the longest one so far) so hopefully that makes up for it.

Hopefully it also lives up to all the hype and your expectations. Next up is Deep Breath (to give me a break to find my sanity before going back to the angst with The Magician's Apprentice arc).

Please let me know what you think of the chapter and keep your episode suggestions/votes coming in!

As always, thanks for reading and hope you enjoy!

Robyn

---

As the group turned to the screen it turned black as it had done every other time, they watched in anticipation of the newest video title. They weren't let down as the next title appeared, 'The Time of the Doctor'.

"You know, I didn't think these titles could get any vaguer." Bill declared upon reading the title. The group was all glancing around at each other wondering if anyone would have any ideas about the video they were about to ask.

"I'm officially coming up blank for ideas." Clara sighed, glancing at the Doctor. There were so many things this could be about, but if it was continuing the theme of the past few videos, it wasn't likely to be very nice.

The Doctor grimaced, not liking how little clues she had to try and prepare mentally for the next video. She sighed, "Let's see what the Tardis has in store for us next." With that the video officially started, everyone watching eager, albeit nervous and apprehensive, to see who and what would be featured this time.

TASHA [OC]: Once, there was a planet, much like any other, and unimportant. This planet sent the universe a message. A bell tolling among the stars, ringing out to all the dark corners of creation. And everybody came to see.
(A huge space fleet of Judoon, Terileptils, Silurians et al is orbiting an icy ringed planet. Three tones are being repeated over and over again.)
TASHA [OC]: Although no one understood the message, everyone who heard it found themselves afraid. Except one man. The man who stayed for Christmas.

The Doctor's eyes had widened dramatically upon recognising Tasha's voice, her words and the pictures showing on the screen only confirming her fears, guess she was right and they weren't going to have a nice video. This was going to be painful to watch, the only silver lining she could think of was Amy, Rory and River getting a better understanding of why the Silence existed (which wasn't much consolation admittedly).

Clara's head had whipped around to meet the Doctor's gaze, she'd also come to the same realisation of what they were likely watching. "Is this-?" She couldn't finish her sentence but she didn't need to for the Doctor to understand what she was asking.

"Yes." The Doctor nodded solemnly. There were so many parts to this video – there was the Church, the siege of Christmas, her eventual regeneration, and then Gallifrey-. Well, she was trying not to think about that until she had no other choice.

"Either of you going to fill us in on what we're about to watch?" Amy asked, not liking how serious the pair was looking.

Clara and the Doctor exchanged a look before answering in sync. "Trenzalore."

The Doctor winced when she heard River's sharp breath, quickly trying to clarify. "The second time kind of. Well, the first time chronologically technically. Either way, not the thing you're thinking about River." River nodded quietly, glad for that but still not confident in what the video would show. She's heard lots of rumour about Trenzalore, and none of them good.

"You've mentioned Trenzalore before." Rose said quietly, they'd seen quite a few videos at this point but Trenzalore had come up several times at this point and none of the mentions had sounded good, making the name more memorable.

The Doctor nodded, unwilling to actually answer the unsaid questions she was being asked. They'd just have to watch and see what happened.

[Spaceship]

(The Doctor beams in to a large dark space, carrying a Dalek eye-stalk.)
DOCTOR: I bring proof of courage and comradeship. What is this ship and why are you here? Identify yourselves by species and planet of origin.
DALEK: Exterminate!

"I don't think they're going to be very happy to see you Doctor." Jack raised an eyebrow at the Doctor's appearance on the ship. The room had instinctively tensed upon seeing the Dalek.

"Especially not when you're holding that." Rory added, referring to the Dalek eye-stalk that Chinny was holding. Amy and Rory both felt a bit odd at seeing (who they thought of as) their Doctor, having adventures with someone else, Clara may not be on screen yet but she clearly knew what it was about. They'd seen it in the first video but it was still odd to watch despite having literally told the Doctor to find someone else. It was also worrying with the way they were referring to Trenzalore, and knowing that Clara knew the next Doctor's regeneration as well meant there was always that possibility.

"I don't think the eye-stalk matters, the Daleks are never happy to see the Doctor." Mickey snorted; arms crossed. It went the other way too, the Doctor (and them) were never happy to see Daleks.

(The Doctor communicates with an unseen accomplice.)
DOCTOR: Handles?
DALEKS: Exterminate! Exterminate!
(The angry pepperpots start firing. Their aim is awful at such short range.)
DOCTOR: Handles? Argh. Handles?
(The Doctor is beamed away.)
DALEKS: Exterminate!

The group let out a breath as the Doctor was finally teleported away out of danger, they didn't know who this 'Handles' was (bar Clara) but the Doctor had apparently been relying on them to get out of danger. They were just glad to see the Doctor escape unharmed, although they were curious about why the Doctor had been on the ship in the first place.

[Tardis]

DOCTOR: Every ship I go on, they just shoot at me. Handles, I said, put me on a ship. I didn't say, put me on a Dalek ship.
(The Doctor is talking to a damaged Cyberman's head attached to a stand on the console.)

"Are you honestly talking to a Cyberman's head?" Martha asked in fond exasperation.

The Doctor nodded, thinking fondly of Handles. "Handles was very helpful and a great friend." She defended him, barely refraining from mentioning how long they'd spent on Trenzalore.

"Only you Doctor, only you." Martha shook her head.

DOCTOR: Don't put me on a Dalek ship when I'm holding a broken bit of Dalek!
(The Doctor hits the head with the eye-stalk.)
DOCTOR: Ow!

The group snickered at the Doctor's actions on screen, glad to see they never really changed.

HANDLES: You did not indicate a preference.
DOCTOR: Use your head.

"I don't think he has much choice." Ryan grinned while Yaz groaned at his joke. The Doctor grinned proudly at him too.

(He takes it off the stand and paces with it.)
DOCTOR: It's not like you've got a lot of alternatives. They're all here. Daleks, Sontarans, Terileptils, Slitheen. And they're not even fighting, they're just parked. Why?
HANDLES: The message was received throughout the universe.

"Message? What message?" Bill asked, glancing at the Doctor who seemed to be having a silent conversation with Clara.

"It must be important for everyone to be there and not be fighting." River declared, the thought of it was shocking quite frankly and she wouldn't believe it if she wasn't seeing it. The only time something like this had happened recently was during the mess with the Pandorica.

The Doctor bit her lip, contemplating what to say before she answered. "You'll see soon." She decided on not answering at all, knowing any clue she could give would likely give it away. The room's eyes were on her full of questioning disbelief but no one pushed the matter for the second.

DOCTOR: Yes, yes, the message, the message. Even I can't translate it. I mean, why is everyone here if they don't understand it?

"The same reason you're there maybe, Spaceman." Donna raised an eyebrow at the Doctor who just grinned and waved to the screen.

HANDLES: You're here.
DOCTOR: Well, you know, I'm OCD. What's their excuse? What does this message mean?

"No, you're just incapable of keeping out of trouble and not investigating mysteries, especially mysteries this big." Amy grinned at the Doctor, though it wavered a bit in thought that that habit of their usually got them into trouble. Her mind had also jumped to the mess with the Pandorica and the cracks.

(The emergency phone outside rings. He puts the head back on its stand.)
DOCTOR: Oh, no. And remind me I've got to patch the telephone back through the console unit. This is getting ridiculous.
HANDLES: Attention. Information available.
DOCTOR: Okay?
HANDLES: You must patch the telephone device back through the console unit.
DOCTOR: No, no. No, no, no, no. No, not now. Remind me later.

The group started chuckling at that, relaxing around Handles. They'd been worried initially at the sight of the Cyberman's head but he didn't seem to be violent or out to hurt the Doctor, in fact the head reminded them a bit of Nardole oddly enough.

HANDLES: When?
DOCTOR: I don't know. Just later. Just pick a time.
HANDLES: When?
DOCTOR: I don't know. Just any old time. When you think I've forgotten.
HANDLES: When?
DOCTOR: Just pick a random number, express that number as a quantity of minutes, and when that time has elapsed, remind me to patch the telephone back through the console unit.
HANDLES: Affirmative.
DOCTOR: How those Cyber-evenings must fly.

The group kept chuckling at the Doctor's attempt to explain everything to Handles, glad for the comedic relief as they all had the feeling this video wasn't going to be pleasant.

(He opens the door, gets the telephone and brings the handset inside.)
DOCTOR: Hello, the Tardis.

The room's eyes turned to the Doctor making her shift uncomfortable with the attention and unsure why she was getting this attention. "What?" She gave up and asked.

"Why are you answering the phone like that?" Martha asked.

"Why not?" She shrugged, not seeing nothing wrong with it. It wasn't like there were many people with that phone number in the universe, and most of them were friendly (and by most she meant about half, on a good week at least). The group rolled their eyes at her but let it go for the moment. Clara was focussed on the screen; aware this was likely where she came in to the mess.

[Clara's flat / Tardis]

(Clara dashing between cooking and laying a table for dinner whilst wearing the paper crown from a Christmas cracker.)
CLARA: Emergency. You're my boyfriend.

The group had all glanced at Clara when the screen changed to how her, knowing she was at least aware of the video's contents (so likely apart of it) but unable to actually avoid looking at her when she did appear.

When they heard her first words Jack immediately broke out into cackles while the rest of the group started grinning at the sheer desperation and panic Clara was showing on screen, for once not in actual life-threatening danger. Clara, however, put her head in her hands and groaned, remembering the embarrassment about to occur.

"What kind of emergency requires the Doctor to be your boyfriend?" Yaz asked Clara with a grin.

Clara groaned again, ignoring the way the Doctor had joined in with Jack's cackles, "A family one."

"Understandable." Ryan nodded.

"No, it's not." Bill argued, eyes alight with mischief. "Out of everyone, you chose the Doctor as your boyfriend? I think even a stranger of the street would do a better job in a family situation."

"Hey!" The Doctor finally stopped cackling in order to protest.

"Oh, you can't talk Doctor! Remember what happened?" Clara said pointedly. Her words made the Doctor go suspiciously quiet.

"What did the idiot do?" Amy asked, eager for any blackmail material.

Clara just shook her head with her own mischievous smile and waved to the screen.

DOCTOR: Ding dong. Okay, brilliant. I may be a bit rusty in some areas, but I will glance at a manual.
CLARA: No, no, you're not actually my boyfriend.

"Good to clarify that at the start." Donna nodded in approval. "Don't want the Martian getting any ideas."

The Doctor groaned, "I told you Donna that's not what I meant!" Referring to their age-old argument from their meeting surrounding the word 'mate'.

(The turkey is nowhere near ready, although the roast potatoes look done.)
DOCTOR: Oh, that was quick. It's a roller coaster this phone call.

"Almost as much a roller coaster as these videos." Rory remarked with a small grin. It was always reassuring to see their Doctor acting like he normally did, though the comment had a tinge of seriousness – his statement was very true.

CLARA: But I need a boyfriend really quickly.
DOCTOR: Well, I hope you're nicer to the next one.
CLARA: No, shut up. Christmas dinner. Me cooking.
DOCTOR: So?
CLARA: So, I may have accidentally invented a boyfriend.

"I thought that was something that only happened in like films and books, not real life." Rose chuckled, feeling a bit of sympathy for Clara's unfortunate situation.

"I panicked!" Clara tried to explain, but the blush on her face revealed her embarrassment.

DOCTOR: Yeah, I did that once and there's no easy way to get rid of an android.

The room turned to stare down the Doctor, all a bit afraid to ask. "You know what, no, I have to ask. What the hell?" Bill said.

The Doctor had been grimacing, though her eyes held a bit of a wistful look at the memories. No one noticed her glance at the Master, before she turned to answer Bill. "It's a long story." She answered simply, not prepared to open that particular can of worms anytime soon. She got a few concerned and curious looks but they all recognised this wasn't something she was going to talk about now despite the light hearted comment.

CLARA: No, not an android. A pretend one, an imaginary one. And I said he'd be coming to Christmas dinner.
DOCTOR: Yeah.
(The scanner has picked up an unidentified new vessel in orbit. The Doctor drops the telephone receiver.)

"Doctor!" Martha sighed, "You were in the middle of a conversation! You can't just drop the phone." The Doctor just smiled sheepishly holding her hands up in surrender.

"In my defence there was kind of a situation going on."

DOCTOR: Handles, that's a new ship. Okay, we'll take the Tardis this time.

"You are about to land on a very likely hostile ship and outright declare who you are, aren't you?" Jack sighed.

"You really can't say anything Jack."

CLARA: I just need you to come for Christmas dinner. Just do that for me. Come to Christmas dinner and be my Christmas date.
DOCTOR: Sorry, missed that last bit. Got to dash.

"Please tell me you actually went and didn't completely abandon Clara on her own." Amy asked, crossing her arms.

"I did I promise." The Doctor immediately spoke up, avoiding how the dinner had ended (and started, really the whole thing had been a mess).

[New spaceship]

(The Tardis materialises, and the Doctor walks down a corridor carrying Handles.)
DOCTOR: Okay, don't be alarmed, I come in
(And sees Cybermen.)

"That's the second time you've gone onto an enemy ship holding a piece of one of them." Mickey shook his head at the Doctor's antics.

"Apparently I don't learn my lesson." The Doctor grinned.

"Anyone here could have told you that Sweetie." River sighed, fond exasperation clear in her voice.

CYBERMAN: Alert. Alert.
DOCTOR: Peace. No.
CYBERMAN: Intruder detected. The intruder will be upgraded.
(Lots of Cybermen leave their cubicles and start shooting. Really bad shots again.)
DOCTOR: Argh! Sorry.
(The Doctor makes it back to the Tardis. He gets inside and the phone rings, so he pops out to get it again.)

The group sighed in relief at seeing the Doctor yet again escape danger for the moment. The thought slowly building in their heads – if this (some of the Doctor's fiercest enemies) weren't the focus than how bad was the actual danger going to be?

[Clara's flat / Tardis]

CLARA: I need you. I'm cooking Christmas dinner!
DOCTOR: I'm being shot at by Cybermen!
CLARA: Well, can't we do both?
DOCTOR: Argh! Yeah, why not?

"I would never recommend doing both. Preferably not getting shot at by Cybermen ever is also a good idea." Rose grimaced at the memories of all her unfortunate encounters with Cybermen. The last time she'd seen Cybermen and Dalek together had been when Torchwood One fell, and that wasn't exactly pleasant memories either.

"I agree." Clara nodded, regretting having made that comment a bit, as they had certainly ended up doing both.

[Clara's flat]

(Clara's little family is tucking in to starters and alcohol whilst the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special is on the television. That makes it 5pm.)
TV: Happy Christmas!
LINDA: How's the turkey doing?
CLARA: Great. Yeah, yeah, it's doing great. Well, dead and decapitated, but that's Christmas when you're a turkey.
GRAN: Actually, maybe I will have a little more.
(Clara refills her glass.)

The group was all grinning at Clara's situation, although they couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy. Christmas dinner was always stressful, especially when you are making it yourself for your family, and add in Clara's fabled boyfriend, she was bound to be stressed out of her ears.

"Your grandmother knows how this is going to go." The Doctor teased Clara who just glared back.

CLARA: There you go, Gran.
DAD: Did you put it in early enough?
CLARA: Dad, I put it in when you phoned me.
DAD: I emailed you some instructions.
CLARA: Oh, you certainly did.

"Very long and comprehensive instructions that make you feel like you don't know anything?" Amy asked nodding in sympathy and understanding.

"You too?" Clara smiled back at the Scots woman, glad for a chance to actually talk to her properly after what they'd seen in the videos and the little the Doctor had mentioned during their travels.

"Yes. My parents seem to think I don't know how to cook." Amy rolled her eyes like that was the most ridiculous things he'd ever heard.

"That's because you don't." Rory added, already bracing himself for the inevitable elbow to the side. He at least gained a sympathetic look from his daughter who understood his plight.

[Outside the block of flats]

(The Tardis materialises noisily outside Clara's block of flats. She runs down the stairs and outside, losing her paper crown in the wind.)
CLARA: Whoops!

"The Doctor is going to make the situation worse, isn't he?" Martha asked with a resigned grimace.

"Is that even possible?" Mickey teased.

"With the Doctor, everything's possible." Clara grimaced in confirmation. While usually the comment would be very positive and reassuring in this context it was mostly the opposite.

[Tardis]

CLARA: Doctor, I so need you.
(The Doctor is without any clothing. Clara has to turn her back.)

A few people let out shrieked, instinctively covering their eyes at the glimpse of the Doctor sans-clothes. A few (namely Jack and River), however wiggled their eyebrows at the Doctor/winked and leaned closer to the screen while the Doctor just groaned, blushing brightly. She definitely regretted that decision now.

"Doctor!" Donna exclaimed.

"I had a reason I swear!" The Doctor declared trying to avert the storm he knew was coming. "Just watch, please." She ignored Clara's mumble of, 'please don't'.

DOCTOR: Clara!
CLARA: No, stop, stop, don't move. Don't do anything.
DOCTOR: Why? What is it? What's wrong?
CLARA: You're naked.
DOCTOR: Yes, I am naked. I wondered if you'd notice.

"Oh, so you did notice, I was wondering about that." Rory muttered a bit sarcastic.

"Oi, Roman! It's not hard to miss the lack of clothes, I'm not that stupid." The Doctor protested.

"Yes, you are. In one of the first few videos, you didn't notice you'd changed sex." Amy argued in an attempt to help her husband.

"Well Pond, changing sex is very different to noticing a lack of clothes." The Doctor argued with a huff. Amy rolled her eyes but let the topic go for the moment.

CLARA: Doctor, why are you naked?
DOCTOR: Because I'm going to church.

"That explains absolutely nothing." Bill declared, eyeing the Doctor in disbelief.

"Yes, it does." The Doctor argued pettily.

"No, it doesn't."

"Yes, it does."

"No, it doesn't"

"Yes, it does."

"No, it doesn't"

"Yes, it do-."

"Woah, woah, woah." Clara interrupted the two arguing like toddlers, aware that they could likely continue all day which no one wanted to hear. "How about we just watch the video?" While stated like a question the steel in Clara's eyes told them all it wasn't a choice.

(Zap! and he is fully clothed again.)
DOCTOR: Better?
CLARA: Oh, that was quick.
DOCTOR: Hologram clothes, projected directly onto your visual cortex.
CLARA: So you're still naked underneath?
DOCTOR: Everybody's naked underneath.
CLARA: Urgh, don't say things like that. It's Christmas. Come and meet my family.

"Don't need the insightful comments, just need to never see you anywhere near naked again." Mickey grimaced.

[Clara's flat]

CLARA: Hello, so, er, here he is.
DOCTOR: Hello, the Oswalds. Hello! Merry Christmas. Hello, hello.
(Handshakes for Linda and Dad, air kisses for Gran, who is the only one to look directly at him.)

Jack immediately noticed the way only Clara's gran was actually looking at the Doctor on screen and put two and two together, sending a sly wink at the Doctor. "Doctor, you dirty dog."

His comment immediately made River also connect the dots, hitting her forehead as she turned to a blushing Doctor. "Please tell me you didn't." The Doctor just offered a weak smile that was not believable in any way according to River's loud sigh.

DOCTOR: Hello, handsome. Anyone for Twister?
CLARA: So, this is the Doctor. My boyfriend. Isn't anyone going to say hello?

"What have you done this time?" Nardole muttered knowingly bit received no answer from anyone.

GRAN: Hello.
(Her glass is empty again.)
DOCTOR: Excuse me a moment. Listen, I've got an idea to break the ice. Why don't I project my clothes hologram onto their visual cortexes too?

"Doctor!" Donna exclaimed, louder this time glaring at the Doctor.

"Your poor family." Rory sighed in sympathy with Clara.

"River." Amy announced, a silent order in her words. The Doctor immediately found out what that order was when River punched her in the arm.

"Ow!" She wined in protest shooting a wounded look at River then turning to the main perpetrator, aka Amy.

"You deserve it, you idiot! I know you're socially awkward and more than a bit stunted socially (and emotionally) speaking, but wearing clothes is just common sense." Amy raised an eyebrow pointedly at the Doctor. Everyone was ignoring Jack, who was just cackling away in the background.

"If it was actually common, more people would have it." The Doctor argued.

"Not the point Spaceman!" Donna stated.

"Why didn't you just do the hologram thing for everyone?" Martha sighed, looking completely resigned to the Doctor's antics despite how much it pained her. The Doctor opened her mouth, likely to started coming up with excuses and explanations but shut it audibly when Martha held up her hand. "You know what, I don't want to know."
CLARA: So, to be clear, no one except me can see your clothes?
DOCTOR: Yes, and I'm starting to think it may be causing tension.

"You think?!" Yaz asked incredulously.

GRAN: Are we playing Twister now?
CLARA: Get in the kitchen.
DOCTOR: Eh? Sorry.
CLARA: Sorry. He's Swedish.

"Swedish? What do you have against Sweeden?" Amy laughed at poor Clara, enjoying teasing her as she knew what it was like to deal with this Doctor.

"Nothing." Clara declared with a groan, this whole situation had been embarrassing and then things had just gone downhill from there. "I just panicked and named a country so I could get him out of the room." That only made the group laugh more as she glared at the Doctor who was smiling, looking only slightly guilty.

[Kitchen]

CLARA: Doctor, please.
(He looks at the anaemic fowl in the oven.)
DOCTOR: Oh, that's never going to work, is it?
CLARA: What's wrong? Do you think it's not done yet?
DOCTOR: I think a decent vet would give it an even chance.

"Doctor, give the poor woman a break." Rose offered a sympathetic look at Clara.

"Like you don't agree." The Doctor shot back.

"Oh, no absolutely, but you've made her suffer enough." Rose declared.

CLARA: Okay. Well, use an app.
DOCTOR: An app?
CLARA: On your screwdriver. App it.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's not how that works." Bill muttered, barely holding back a comment about old people.

"I'm pretty sure it is." Clara decided, sticking firmly to the comment her past-self had made.

"Okay boomer." Ryan declared from across the room, before breaking out into laughter alongside Yaz and Bill.

"I'm not that old." Clara protested as the three snickered. She may not have been the same age as them but she had worked in a school before. Graham just shot her an apologetic look to which she smiled back, not really that offended, and frankly enjoying the humour while there was still some to be enjoyed (the back end of this video was going to be severely lacking).

DOCTOR: Most certainly not. It doesn't do turkey. Nothing does turkey. You'd need a time machine. What?

"You realise that you have a time machine, right?" Rory said.

"Of course, I do Rory the Roman. But Tardises are brilliant marvels of technology and not just used for trying to save hopeless turkey Christmas dinners!" The Doctor protested, gaining several groans and rolled eyes for the Tardis speech they had all heard a thousand times before.

[Tardis]

DOCTOR: You can't keep using the Tardis like this.
CLARA: Like what?
(She is carrying the poor uncooked bird.)
DOCTOR: Missed birthdays, restaurant bookings. And please, just learn how to use iPlayer.

"No wonder she doesn't like you." River whistled as the Doctor listed things. The Tardis didn't really like short trips for things like that unless you were the Doctor or someone they really liked to begin with.

"She doesn't like me for many reasons." Clara grumbled, thinking back to the key incident after Danny's death, her own death causing the Doctor to be tortured and all the little snide comments she'd made over their travels. The Tardis had immediately hated her and she'd done nothing to convince the Tardis to change their mind.

CLARA: Ooo, vortex cooking?
(She lays the carcass in the workings below the console.)
DOCTOR: Yep, exposure to the time winds. It'll either come up a treat, or just possibly lay some eggs.

"Personally, I'm hoping for the first option." Rose declared, mind drifting to the Slitheen egg incident in Cardiff although the situations weren't remotely alike.

HANDLES: Information available.
CLARA: What's that?
DOCTOR: Oh, just a bit of a Cyberman. He'll get us to the church on time.

"Because that is not a worrying and confusing statement." Martha announced pointedly, earning a nod of agreement from Clara.

HANDLES: I have developed a fault.
DOCTOR: The organics are all gone, but there's still a full set of data banks. Found it at the Maldovar market.

Jack nodded in understanding, "Fun place." The Doctor eyed him suspiciously knowing exactly what kind of place the Maldovar markets were.

(They zoom back to the snow planet.)
HANDLES: Planet identified from analysis of message.

"Oh good, we might actually get some answers." Donna sat up in anticipation before glancing at Clara, "Not that your family drama isn't entertaining."

"No please, let's move on from that mess." Clara muttered. It wasn't that she particularly wanted to see the new mess that was about to occur but they didn't really have a choice in the matter and it was probably better to just try and get it over with rather than drag it out.

DOCTOR: Right, cool. Go on then. Okay, tell us, what is the planet? Go on.
HANDLES: Processing official designation. Processing.
DOCTOR: Okay, in your own time, dear. Don't rush.

"Do rush, we want to know."

"Patience, Ricky." The Doctor said, a grimace on her face as she knew exactly what kind of mess the planet's 'name' would start.

CLARA: So why haven't you just gone down there and had a look?
DOCTOR: It's shielded. Even the Tardis can't break through it.

"That's some good shielding." River muttered, getting more worried by the Doctor and Clara's attitude and the continual mystery, even though she had her own suspicions of the planet's name.

HANDLES: Gallifrey.

"I'm sorry, did that thing just say Gallifrey?" Jack startled, eyes darting between the screen and the Doctor.

"That's not Gallifrey." The Master spoke up for the first time this video, eyes alight with anger leaning towards his madness, everything about his posture demanding explanations now. The Doctor knew how sensitive the topic of Gallifrey was for the Master (and her too if she was being honest, but she wasn't so she was going to ignore that thought) and figured no one was going to react well to this video. "That thing is clearly broken or delusional as that is not Gallifrey."

The Doctor and Clara exchanged a glance, a silent conversation happening over the course of a few seconds. "No, it's not."

"Then Handles is broken, right?" Rory asked cautiously, having a horrible feeling in his gut that wasn't the answer either.

"No." The Doctor answered simply, avoiding any attempts of eye contact.

"You aren't going to tell us anything, are you?" Amy crossed her arms, gaze burning a hole through the Doctor's head even as she refused to meet Amy's eyes. "You're just going to make us watch." The Doctor's stubborn silence was all the confirmation the group needed.

DOCTOR: What did you say?
HANDLES: Gallifrey.
DOCTOR: What are you talking about? Gallifrey? What do you mean?
HANDLES: Confirmed. Planet designation, Gallifrey.
(The Doctor grabs Handles and takes it to the scanner.)

The group all shot the Doctor concerned looks, aware of how sensitive a topic Gallifrey was to the Doctor especially after everything they had seen in the room. She was still determinedly avoiding their eyes, her own fixed on the screen.

DOCTOR: You see that? Gallifrey is my home. I know it when I see it. That is not Gallifrey.
CLARA: Doctor, are you okay.
DOCTOR: It's not Gallifrey. Gallifrey is gone.

"Gone?" Graham asked simply, a bit confused about the time line now.

The Doctor sighed but reluctantly answered the question. "This was after the first video for us, so I know I'd tried to save Gallifrey but I didn't know if I had succeeded at this point." Graham nodded in understanding, giving her such a grandfatherly look of concern that it made her hearts ache.

CLARA: Unless, unless you saved it. You thought you might have.
(They look out of the Tardis doors down at the white planet.)
DOCTOR: Even if it survived, it's gone from this universe. That is not my home.
(They go back inside.)
DOCTOR: It can't be.

"That's not Gallifrey." The Master ground out, eyes ablaze and leaving no room for arguments.

"No, it's not." The Doctor answered simply and quietly.

(There is a big fog horn blast outside.)
CLARA: What's that?
(They look out of the door again, at a big square Borg-style spaceship.)
DOCTOR: Papal Mainframe. It's like a great big flying church. The first ship to arrive. They are the ones who shielded the planet. They can get us down there.

"That's the church? The reason you're naked?" Rose queried, figuring the Doctor was more likely to answer questions that had nothing to do with Gallifrey at the moment.

"Yep." The Doctor nodded, injecting false cheer into her voice to try and hide the way her expression darkened in thought of both what had happened to the church and what a certain branch of the church had done.

(The Doctor bows to a large holographic face.)
CLARA: A friend of yours?
DOCTOR: Tasha Lem, the Mother Superious.

"An old friend of yours?" Amy asked with a raised eye and pointed look. The Doctor really didn't bow to anyone they thought didn't deserve respect, so they really must like or at least respect this, Tasha Lem.

"Yes, a good one till the end." She sighed a bit forlorn and wistful, ignoring the underlying point to Amy's question, her thoughts to focused on Tasha Lem's fate and help throughout the events of this mess. Her words gained a few concerned looks from the group, not enjoying the wording or the Doctor's reaction to Amy's question, this really wasn't going to be a nice pain-free video apparently.

(The hologram beckons to them.)
DOCTOR: Oh, she's inviting us aboard.
CLARA: Why?
DOCTOR: Because I asked her. Swallow this.
CLARA: What is it?
DOCTOR: Your hologram projector. You can't go to church with your clothes on.
(The Tardis flies inside the mainframe.)

"I think if you walked into any church on Earth naked you would be arrested." Martha said with a grimace at the thought.

"That's because 21st century Earth is boring and restrictive." Jack argued with a teasing grin and wink. "I could take some of you to the 51st century sometime and show you a good time."

"Jack!"

[Papal Mainframe]

CLARA: I don't feel like I'm wearing anything.
DOCTOR: I know. Relaxing, isn't it?

"Not the first way I'd describe it but kind of?" Clara admitted earning a wide grin form the Doctor.

CLARA: What is this place?
(They walk between two rows of military personnel.)
DOCTOR: The Church of the Papal Mainframe, security hub of the known universe.

"Then why have we never heard of it before? I thought those space rhinos, what was it." Donna thought for a second before continuing. "The Shadow Police! Were in charge."

The Doctor smiled a bit indulgent but fondly, "The Shadow Proclamation." She corrected, "They are a police force kind of. The Church, however, was only really around in the 51st and 52nd centuries and was more of a military force." She tried to explain, earning a few (dubious) nods.

CLARA: A security church?
DOCTOR: Yep. Keeping you safe in this world and the next. I venerate the exaltation of the Mother Superious.

"We're just moving past that then." Nardole was promptly ignored as usual.

(The Doctor bows low. Clara curtseys. A male Colonel standing near the Mother Superious greets them.)
ALBERO: Welcome to the Church of the Papal Mainframe. Your nudity is appreciated.
TASHA: Hey, babes.
DOCTOR: Loving the frock.
TASHA: Is that a new body? Give us a twirl.
DOCTOR: Tash, this old thing? Please, I've been rocking it for centuries.
TASHA: Nice though. Tight.

"Definitely my kind of old friends." Jack whistled lowly, waggling his eyebrows at the Doctor.

"Jack!" The Doctor immediately protested, her cheeks slightly red. "It wasn't like that."

"Of course not, Doc."

"Jack!"

CLARA: So, er, hello. Also here.

"Awkward." Bill muttered through her teeth, feeling a bit sympathetic for Clara. She felt a bit out of place during the Doctor's interactions with Missy, and not just because she knew Missy could and would kill her for no real reason.

DOCTOR: Clara, this is Tasha Lem, the Head of the Church of the Papal Mainframe. Tash, ho, ho, ho, ho. This is my, my associate, Clara Oswald. Miss Clara Oswald.
TASHA: We'll go to my chapel. All honours in place, no sacrifices required.

"Sacrifices?" Rory perked up worried, glancing at the Doctor before rubbing his forehead. "You know what? I don't want to know."

[Corridor]

DOCTOR: It was Tasha who shielded the planet. But you could sneak me down there, couldn't you, Tash?
TASHA: I would have conditions. (to Clara) I have confidential matters to discuss with the Doctor. Would you excuse us?

The group all raised an eyebrow at the screen, unable to decide whether Tasha just wanted to flirt with the Doctor (in which case Clara probably didn't want to be present), or if she was going to share actual important information (in which case Clara absolutely should be there).

DOCTOR: Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of Clara. Well, quite a lot of it. Probably about half. Maybe a smidge under. Actually, Clara, would you mind waiting out here, please?
CLARA: No worries. You two get yourselves a room.
DOCTOR: Yes, quite. No, stop it.
CLARA: Boss of the psycho space nuns. So you.

"You definitely have a type Doctor." River raised an eyebrow at her wife who squirmed in her seat, she knew River likely didn't actually have an issue with Tasha (their relation was very open) and was likely teasing her, but still she wasn't testing it with River's self-confidence issues on the matter.

The Doctor spluttered, "I don't have a type! I don't! What do you mean?"

Jack and River shared a look before raising an eyebrow at her in sync. Jack was the one who answered, "Your type is people that could and would kill you." His comment only made the Doctor splutter more as she tried to protest while the rest of the group snickered.

(Tasha and the Doctor go into the private chapel.)
DOCTOR: Well.
(Then she sees a mouthless creature in a suit, with three long fingers, approaching her.)
CLARA: Doctor?

Amy, Rory and River had shot straight up in their seats all recognising the thing on screen now that they were seeing it again.

"What is that thing?" Rose asked, glancing concerned at the trio, their behaviour was worrying.

"A Silent." Amy said, eyes never leaving the screen. The rest of the group exchanged a glance but didn't ask anymore.

[Chapel]

DOCTOR: That altar looks like a bed.
TASHA: That bed looks like an altar.
DOCTOR: Yep.

"Stop flirting Doctor. There's kind of a situation going on." Martha announced with a pointed look at the Doctor.

(He sits on it. Tasha offers him a goblet of blue liquid. He doesn't like it. She reaches across and touches a panel on the headrest, or is it footrest, and the three tone message plays. They get inside each others personal space.)
TASHA: That message is transmitting through all of space and time. What did it make you feel?
DOCTOR: Feel?
TASHA: Every sentient being in the universe who detected that signal felt something. Something overpowering.
DOCTOR: What?
TASHA: Fear. Pure, unadulterated dread.

"Understandable if Gallifrey is involved." River crossed her arms, glancing concerned at the Doctor. They would all appreciate an actual explanation for everything in this video but it seemed any time they got closer they were distracted by something else.

[Corridor]

(The Silent passes behind a screen then reappears again.)
CLARA: I saw you and then I forgot you. How does that work?
(He goes behind another screen and she forgets it.)

The group tensed upon seeing Clara back with the unfamiliar alien that seemed to terrify Amy, Rory and River. "Why can we remember seeing it?" Rory asked, glancing at the Doctor while his wife and daughter's eyes stay focussed on the screen.

The Doctor shrugged, also frowning at the screen. None of their experiences with the Silence were good. "Probably the Tardis." She guessed, seeing no other possible explanation.

"Would have been helpful earlier." Amy muttered, thinking mostly about the mess in America which may have been avoided if the Tardis could have done that for them. The Doctor gave her a small understanding look but couldn't offer any better explanations for anything.

[Chapel]

DOCTOR: Right. What's the signal? Where's it coming from?
TASHA: It's a settlement. Human colony, level two. A farm, basically.

"Humans. It's always humans." The Master grumbled from his corner. Of course, the Doctor couldn't find serious trouble without running into some annoying humans along the way.

DOCTOR: Right. Anyone been for a look?
TASHA: Any one ship lands, the rest will follow. There will be bloodshed. Fortunately we got here first, shielded the planet. We maintain the truce by blocking all of them.

"That's a good reason to not let anyone down on the planet." Ryan muttered.

"But if it's just a farm then what's so important that would cause a war?" Yaz asked, mind running through several theories as fast as she could and still coming up blank.

Clara and the Doctor shared a knowing look but didn't offer any answers.

DOCTOR: Daleks, Cybermen, one of that lot, could break through your defences.
TASHA: Perhaps. But they're afraid, remember? Nobody wants to go first.
DOCTOR: I do.
TASHA: I was counting on it.

"You're far too predictable, Sweetie." River shook her head fondly, though her tone was tinged with nerves as she had the feeling this planet was going to be Trenzalore and her own 'trip' there hadn't been anything nice. Add in the exchanges Clara and the Doctor kept exchanging and there was no chance this video was going to be pleasant.

"Is that a bad thing?" The Doctor asked with a grin, trying not to hide her apprehensiveness for everything coming (something she'd had lots of practises over the millennium). River just raised an eyebrow, whether as an answer to her question or to tell her she doubted her confidence the Doctor didn't know.

[Corridor]

SILENT: Confess.
(It comes up behind Clara, startling her.)
SILENT: Confess.

"Those things are officially horror movie creepy." Bill declared with a shiver upon seeing the Silent reaching for Clara.

"You have no idea." Amy frowned at the screen, shuffling closer to her husband who was also frowning at the screen.

"That's not worrying." Bill frowned; voice full of sarcasm. This video seemed to be getting worse with every minute, and there were so many more mysteries mounting and no answers appearing.

CLARA: What are you? Why do I keep forgetting you?

"Why does she keep forgetting them?" Rose asked.

"They are memory proof. You can't remember seeing them after looking away. Even if you saw a picture of them, you wouldn't remember it." The Doctor answered still frowning.

(There are now more of them. She backs up to the chapel door.)
SILENT: Confess. Confess.

"Confess what?" Mickey asked, glancing concerned at Clara who shivered slightly at the scene on screen. The more she watched the more she was glad she couldn't remember them properly.

"I don't know. Maybe their sins? They are in a church after all." Martha theorised.

CLARA: What?
(And runs into -)

[Chapel]

DOCTOR: Are you okay?
CLARA: Fine. Yeah, fine. Sorry.

"Not at all fine, but safer now you're away from that thing." Rory sighed relieved.

TASHA: Right. This is my personal teleport. I can put you down just outside the town. Find the source of the message and report back to me in one hour. And on your life, Doctor, you will cause no trouble down there.

"I don't think the Doctor's capable of not causing trouble." Donna snorted.

"I am so!" The Doctor protested.

"Did he?" Donna ignored the Doctor and turned instead to Clara.

"So much trouble." Clara grinned at Donna, the whole room grinning as the Doctor's protests fell on death ears.

(The Doctor enters the 'confessional' style teleport box.)
DOCTOR: When do I? Don't answer that.

"See even you admit it." Jack laughed as the Doctor gave up protesting, instead descending into quiet grumbles. She really couldn't say anything to that.

(He draws the curtain. Tasha pulls it back and holds out her hand.)
DOCTOR: What?
TASHA: I'm not an idiot. Everyone in this church is trained to see straight through holograms.
CLARA: Ah. Great.

A few people offered Clara sympathetic looks, they'd mostly forgotten the whole holographic clothes thing until Tasha mentioned it, but poor Clara seemed understandably self-conscious.

TASHA: Give now. You are taking no technology of any kind down there.
DOCTOR: What can I do with a key? You, in, now.
TASHA: You could summon your Tardis.

"She knows far too much which really wasn't helpful in this situation." Rose grimaced; things weren't looking promising. They'd all been hoping that the Doctor and Clara would have a backup plan when going to this mysterious planet which everyone else was scared of, but things never seemed to go their way. The Doctor just grinned mischievous, she knew that Tasha knew so she'd prepared accordingly.

DOCTOR: The Tardis doesn't work by remote. Fine. If it makes you feel any better, there we are.
(The Doctor gives the Tardis key to Tasha as Clara goes into the other cubicle. Tasha works the teleport controls.)
TASHA: Remember. I want you back in one hour.

"You better have a plan." Amy declared shooting a sharp look at the Doctor. The Doctor just grinned at her unbothered by Amy's temper (which she knew was routed in concern and worry over what this video was going to show).

[Forest]

(Snow is falling all around as the Doctor and Clara beam in.)
CLARA: Oh, cold. Very cold.

"It's snowing an you have no clothes. Because things can't get worse." Graham sighed, that was so very typical. "Hey!" Both Ryan and Yaz had elbowed him (admittedly fairly gently and not as hard as they elbow each other).

"Don't say that!" Ryan exclaimed.

"You'll jinx them!" Yaz added.

"I think it's far too late for that to matter." Graham replied, ignoring the disbelieving looks the pair were giving him for his blasé attitude.

DOCTOR: Okay, don't worry. There's a heat loss filter in your hologram shell. It'll kick in, just give it a moment. So, sweet little town covered in snow, half the universe in terror. Why? Why?

"That's what we're all asking." Donna threw her hands in the air in frustration.

CLARA: Oh, my God!
DOCTOR: What?
(Clara has spotted an arm sticking out of the snow.)
CLARA: There's something under the snow. It's
DOCTOR: What is it?
CLARA: It's cold.
DOCTOR: Okay, just stand back please, Clara.
CLARA: It's stone. It's just stone. It's only a statue.

"Don't look away!" Martha exclaimed, sitting straight up in her seat in recognition. Amy and Rory had also perked up upon recognising the arm.

"They're never just statues." Amy added, her concern rising at the appearance of yet more of the Doctor's enemies.

DOCTOR: Clara, step away from it!
(The hand grabs her ankle.)

"Don't look away!" Rory muttered, on high alert.

"What is that thing?" Bill said, eyes wide as the 'statue' moved.

"A weeping angel." Martha answered, eyes never leaving the screen.

"That explains nothing." Bill muttered but no one seemed about to explain any further, far too alert with the danger on screen.

DOCTOR: Clara, keep looking at it. Don't look away. Don't even blink!
CLARA: What is it?
DOCTOR: There is a Weeping Angel under the snow. It looks like a statue, isn't a statue. Can you get your foot out?

"That really didn't explain anything." Clara turned to the Doctor.

"It wasn't like we really had time for explanations!" The Doctor protested.

CLARA: Only if I get it out of my shoe.
DOCTOR: You're not wearing a shoe.
CLARA: Good point.
DOCTOR: Okay, pull hard. One, two, three!
(She comes free and they tumble backwards. Lots of Angels are starting to emerge from the snowdrifts.)

"There's more of them, of course there's more of them." Rory muttered getting increasingly worried, unsure where he should be looking.

"Doctor?" Amy asked warily, head turned to the Doctor even as her eyes never leaved the screen. "How aren't they coming through the screen?" All she could think about was her first experience with the angels, from everything she knew about them they should be coming through the screen.

"We're all watching them so the quantum lock is activated, plus the Tardis is likely protecting us like with the Silent." The Doctor offered explanations, her own eyes not leaving the screen just in case.

"Basically, you don't know." River read between the lines and through the Doctor's nonsense.

"Can you come up with any better explanations?" The Doctor shot back, to which River just grinned cryptically.

CLARA: They're climbing out of the snow. Oh, God!
DOCTOR: Keep looking at the. At all of them.

"There's too many of them for you to look at." Martha said worriedly, glancing between the angels on screen in an attempt to watch them all, she couldn't quite bring herself to risk that they wouldn't come through the screen.

CLARA: Why?
DOCTOR: Quantum locked lifeform. It can only move if it's unobserved.

"That explains why we are watching stone statues." Bill stated, with a glance at the Doctor. The rest of the group, the ones who hadn't met the weeping angels, had all been watching the screen despite not quite understanding the reason why. When the Doctor got that serious it was best to just do what they said in dangerous situations and get an explanation later.

CLARA: What is it doing here?
DOCTOR: Same as everybody else. Must've got past Tasha's shield.

"If they got past, what else did?" Rose's quiet question raised the tension in the room.

(They are surrounded, and cannot look at every Angel all of the time.)
DOCTOR: Keep looking!
(The Angels advance.)

"They're getting far too close for comfort." Amy worried, gripping Rory's hand tightly.

CLARA: I can't. I can't see. The snow's in my eyes.
DOCTOR: I just need to bring the Tardis down.
CLARA: You can't fly it remotely.
DOCTOR: No, but it can home in on the key.

"But she took your key though?!" Yaz asked, confused but hopeful that the Doctor was going to actually have a back-up plan for once. The Doctor grinned proud and waved at the screen while Clara rolled her eyes.

CLARA: But she took your key!
DOCTOR: She took one of them.
(The Doctor pulls off his wig to reveal a spare glowing Tardis key.)

There were a few shrieks of surprise and hilarity at the Doctor's wig reveal. Everyone turning to face the Doctor in disbelief and question, ignoring their relief at the escape plan in favour of digging deeper into the wig.

"You shaved your head?!" Amy asked, lighting up at the possibility of blackmail material.

"Yep!" The Doctor answered unashamed, even as she tilted her head at the screen trying to get a better angle to see her shaved head. She didn't think it would suit her now.

"Why?" Donna asked in disbelief. The Doctor just grinned (in an attempt to be mysterious) and waved at the screen, ignoring Clara's giggles in the background.

[Tardis]

HANDLES: Engines activating.
(The Tardis materialises around them.)

The group let out a breath upon seeing the pair actually escape from the danger of the weeping angels, it also meant they now had an escape plan which reassured them slightly.

DOCTOR: The old key in the quiff routine. Classic.

"I … don't think it is?" Bill muttered confused.

(He puts his wig on Handles.)

"That's certainly a look." Rose grinned.

DOCTOR: Okay, homing in on the mysterious message. Ooo yes, I like that. The mysterious message.

"You are a toddler." Amy declared bluntly, ignoring the Doctor's pout (which really only helped her case).

CLARA: You've shaved your head?
DOCTOR: Yep. Clever plan to get us past the shield.
CLARA: You got bored one night, didn't you?
DOCTOR: Yeah, tiny bit bored.

"At least you admit it." Rory sighed but was clearly smiling.

Amy just mouthed the word 'Toddler' again, to the entertainment of the room and annoyance of the Doctor who immediately started to protest.

CLARA: Is that what happened to your eyebrows?

Clara's comment only made the group burst out into hysterical laughter, the Doctor still spluttering from the last insult.

"You went from no eyebrows to all eyebrows." Clara pointed out with a wide grin. "You seem to have gotten the balance right this time though."

DOCTOR: No, they're just delicate. Right, setting us down near the signal source. I'm going to turn the engines on silent. Don't want to make a fuss.

The group openly gaped at the Doctor. "You never put the engines on silent." Jack whispered in shock, that only showed how serious the whole matter was if the Doctor was actually properly trying to be sneaky.

CLARA: Put it back on.
DOCTOR: Why?
CLARA: Your ears are like rocket fins.
DOCTOR: I know.

"You have no luck in the ears department." Rose chuckled, thinking mainly back to her first Doctor.

[Town]

CLARA: Oh, it's good to be wearing clothes again. That's so much better, don't you think?

"Good, you really don't need to risk hypothermia on top of everything else." Martha nodded approvingly.

(They are dressed for the weather. The Doctor scans everything with his screwdriver. The trees are decorated with lights so the village has electricity at least.)

"It's a sweet little village. What's so sinister about it that everyone wants to destroy it?" Mickey asked, tilting his head confused at the screen as if he was trying to find a hidden weapon stash or monster on screen to justify everyone's fear.

The Doctor and Clara shared a knowing glance before the Doctor answered Mickey trying to stay vague, "It's not the town itself, it's what's in the town."

"Well, that's totally not ominous at all." Bill declared quietly, voice full of sarcasm as the tension in the room rose again, having only just calmed down after seeing Clara and the Doctor escape the angels.

DOCTOR: Now, what do we make of this place? It's two o'clock in the afternoon. Must be very short days here. The message is coming from that tower.

(Two residents walk towards them.)
DOCTOR: Hello! Hello, there. Right, we're a couple from the next town. My name's probably Hank or Rock, something like that.
CLARA: Or Daisy?
DOCTOR: Shut up. Hello, good to meet you. Nice snow.

"Why are you both talking like that?" Amy asked, normally the Doctor was all smooth (or trying to be) and pulling out the psychic paper with a believable lie, not like this. The Doctor grimaced in memory before waving to the screen in answer, she'd hated the truth field as there was so much of her life that she needed to keep secret and quiet (which was the whole reason the field was there in the first place, so she would be honest about her name) and she hated it.

ABRAMAL: Most pleasant to meet you too.
MARTA: Most pleasant. Most pleasant.
DOCTOR: I'm the Doctor. I'm a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey. I stole a time machine and ran away and I've been flouting the principal law of my own people every since. That wasn't quite what I was meant to say!
(Everyone laughs.)

"You told them the truth; you never tell strangers like that the truth." Rose declared, glancing between the screen and the Doctor concerned, were they missing something?

River, however, seemed to have made a realisation about the mess the pair were in on screen. "A truth field?"

The Doctor grimaced again, nodding in confirmation. Only River, Jack, Nardole and the Master had any idea about what a truth field was but the rest of the group understood the gist based on the name (it was quite an obvious name) and the tension increased even more. They knew how much the Doctor relied on their ability to lie and keep secrets and having that ability removed wasn't going to end well.

CLARA: I'm an English teacher from planet Earth, and I've run off with a man from space because I really fancy

Martha, Rose and Jack all shot Clara sympathetic understanding looks as the room all realised what she was going to say. The Doctor shuffled uncomfortable in her seat, she'd largely tried her best to ignore Clara's going crush on her back then and she knew the young woman was well over it now, but it was something else to have it thrown back in her face unexpectedly like that.

MARTA: I think, perhaps, you should stop talking till you get used to it.
DOCTOR: Used to what?
MARTA: What did you say your name was?
CLARA: Bubbly personality masking bossy control freak.

"You admitted it! Hah!" The Doctor pointed at Clara, enjoying the statement in a way she couldn't the first time (and enjoying it now before everything went down the drain later).

"I did no such thing." Clara argued back, purely to annoy the Doctor.

"You did! It was on screen. Everyone else heard it, right?" The Doctor turned to the rest of the group for support missing the mischievous smile and mouthed words Clara was sending them behind the Doctor's back.

"Hear what?" Martha chimed in, her lips twitching with her urge to smile as the Doctor's excitement was quickly replaced with confusion.

"I didn't hear anything, what are you talking about Doctor?" Amy spoke up, trying her best to be serious despite the strong urge to laugh.

"I think you must be hearing things Doctor." Rose added, giving a false concerned look at the Doctor.

"But, but … what?" The Doctor asked, looking perplexed if a not suspicious. She turned to her wife for support. "You heard Clara say that right, River?"

"Say what, sweetie?" River answered back, face straight and the best liar of the group by a mile. "Clara didn't say anything just then. Are you sure you're okay?"

"What!?" The Doctor's expression was so bewildered that the group couldn't hold their laughter back anymore, exploding into chuckles and cackles as the Doctor slowly realised what had happened and started pouting again. "I hate all of you."

"No you don't, Sweetie."

"No, I don't." The Doctor sighed.

DOCTOR: I'm wearing a wig! No, ah, I see. Yes, of course. It's a truth field. Oh, that is so quaint. I haven't seen a truth field in years. I'm wearing a wig.

"Quaint they say. Which means they hates the idea and wants to leave now." Jack said giving the Doctor a knowing look, he couldn't exactly say he liked truth fields himself particularly but he could guess how much the Doctor disliked (and likely feared) them.

No one but the Doctor (who had been listening, paying particularly close attention to her this video) heard Clara's mutter of, "I wish he'd left."

ABRAMAL: No one can lie in this town. Especially this close to the tower.
(The couple walk on.)
DOCTOR: Doesn't that make life a bit difficult?
MARTA: Not at all.
ABRAMAL: Yes.

"There's a story there." Mickey grinned mischievously, Martha nudged him in the side for his remark.

DOCTOR: This town, what's it called?
MARTA: It's Christmas.
DOCTOR: It's July.
MARTA: No, the town. The town is Christmas. That's what it's called.

"Who names a town Christmas?" Donna exclaimed, looking disgusted at the idea.

"Why not?" The Doctor argued back.

"Why not? What do you mean, why not?" Donna raised an eyebrow, "It's a terrible name for a town."

"Are there any good names for places? What makes a name a good one?" The Doctor debated, getting more thoughtful towards the end, "You know there's a place in Scotland called Dull which, funnily enough, is paired with a town called Boring in America. Pairing towns, who thought of that? It's a cute idea, the town equivalent of a pen pall -."

"You're getting distracted." River interrupted her wife knowing they would never get anywhere if they allowed the Doctor to keep rambling away. She knew her wife well and realised it was also a likely distraction technique to stall them from watching the rest of the video, and it wasn't going to work this time.

ABRAMAL: Be happy here. Be well.
CLARA: How can a town be called Christmas?
DOCTOR: I don't know. How can an island be called Easter? Maybe it's just nice here. I almost hate to find out what's wrong.
(The three tones sing out across the roof tops.)

"That is … a fair point." Rory offered on the topic of Christmas and Easter as place names.

No one missed the silent conversation that the Doctor and Clara seemed to be having, their faces only becoming more troubled as they got closer to the tower, things were looking worse every moment and they were still no closer to any answers.

[Tower]

DOCTOR: There you are. What took you so long?
CLARA: What's wrong? It's only a crack in the wall.
(It is The Crack, the time field caused by the exploding Tardis in the Pandorica Opens / Big Bang stories, that haunted the first season with Amy Pond.)

"The crack?" Amy had shot up in her seat, her knuckles white as she clutched her fists hard, poor Rory's hand still holding one. "How is it there? I thought we sealed them?" She shot out questions rapid fire, both Rory and River looking equally worried as the rest of the room sat watching confused. The last time they'd seen the crack on screen (and only time) was the initial one in little Amelia's bedroom and no one had properly explained them then either.

"We did. It was … scar tissue for lack of better words, a left over remains of the initial explosion. It left a weakness in the fabric of the universe." The Doctor tried to explain, frowning as she spoke.

"A weakness that would allow Gallifrey to return." River finished the Doctor's sentence, her own frown clear on her face.

The Doctor nodded grimly, she turned to the group at large to give a better explanation aware of how confused they were. "The cracks in space/time like the ones we saw in Amelia's bedroom were caused by the Tardis exploding in another reality, sort of?" She paused for a moment, all the time bending and re-setting had gotten a tad confusing even for her at points. She hurried to continue upon seeing the group's horrified faces, "It was fixed don't worry! But it left some marks like hear and I think it is responsible for why people don't remember previous alien encounters on Earth like the Daleks moving Earth and those other planets." The last comment was largely directed at Rose, Mickey, Martha and Jack, knowing the others would have no idea about what she was talking about.

"That could explain some things." Jack nodded thoughtful, if not concerned by the idea of the Tardis exploding. He'd definitely been confused by Earth's ability as a collective to forget/ignore alien invasions.

"Knowing the Tardis, we'll likely see the whole mess later." The Doctor sighed, already resigned to it even as she dreaded the idea.

DOCTOR: I knew. I always knew it wasn't over.
CLARA: What is it?
DOCTOR: A split in the skin of reality.

"It looks like the wall is grinning at me and I hate it." Bill declared, glaring at the screen.

"How is a wall grinning bad?" Mickey asked the young woman who looked ta him like he'd said something stupid.

"Grinning can be evil! Just think of the Joker, it's that kind of grin." Bill protested, arms flailing around in the air as emphasis.

(As he touches it, he is remembers other times the crack was there.)
DOCTOR: A tiny sliver of the 26th of June, 2010. The day the universe blew up.
CLARA: Missed that.

"I think we all did." Martha muttered, eyes never leaving the screen as it showed other times the Doctor had encountered the crack.

"It wasn't something you wanted to be there for." Rory grimaced at the memories, killing his wife and protecting her body for two thousand years had held a place in his nightmares ever since.

DOCTOR: I rebooted it, put it all back together.
CLARA: That's good.
DOCTOR: Well, it was my Tardis that blew it up in the first place. I felt a degree of responsibility. But the scar tissue remains. A structural weakness in the whole universe. Whoa! And someone's trying to get through it from outside our universe, from somewhere else. Of course. Of course. It makes sense.

"Well at least it makes sense to someone!" Donna exclaimed frustrated. "Now are you going to share for everyone else in the room, Spaceman!" To further Donna's frustration the Doctor simply shook her head and pointed to the screen, earning a death glare from the red head.

CLARA: It does?
DOCTOR: Yes. If you were trying to break through a wall, you'd choose the weakest spot. If you were trying to break into this universe, you'd choose this crack, because. No. If you were trying to break back into this universe. (to Handles) You said Gallifrey. Why did you say Gallifrey?

"This is Gallifrey trying to get back through into the main universe after escaping the Time War as a painting." Jack connected the dots, getting even more tense and nervous about where this video was going. It was never a pleasant video when Gallifrey was involved – just think about the Timeless Child mess and the Doctor's time in the Confession Dial.

The Doctor nodded grimly, attention turning to Yaz as the young woman's face scrunched up in confusion. "But they didn't get back. The guy said in that other video, after your confession dial-." She hesitated before saying confession dial glancing concerned ta the Doctor who just nodded at her to continue, expression blank. "The guy said they didn't get back, that they were stuck at the end of the universe. So, what happens here because they don't come through, right?"

Clara and the Doctor simply exchanged a glance as the rest of the group grew tenser and tenser all reading into the silence of the two that had actually been there on Trenzalore.

HANDLES: Analysis of message composition indicates Gallifreyan origin, according to Tardis databanks.
CLARA: You said Gallifrey was gone.
DOCTOR: No. I said it was in another universe. The message is coming through here. The truth field is too, at a guess. If it's the Time Lords. If it's the Time Lords.

"Why are they sending through a truth field? What do they want to know so desperately?" Martha asked, piecing more and more of the puzzle together like many of the others in the room.

"The answer to the question." The Doctor answered cryptically, tone dull as she watched the screen. She didn't regret not letting Gallifrey through there, it had never been an option in reality but she couldn't deny she did, a small part of her did regret defending them for so long. She hated the part f other mind that whispered that to her.

(He takes a large round item from his trouser pocket.)
DOCTOR: Seal of the High Council of Gallifrey. Nicked it off the Master in the Death Zone. (Five Doctors) There is an algorithm imprinted in the atomic structure. Use it to decode the message.

"Why do you just have that in your pocket?" Rory asked at the same time several other questions were asked.

"The Death Zone?" Ryan blinked.

"You just kept it?" The Master asked the Doctor, annoyed and frustrated at the resurgence of the memory. That had not been a good day, five Doctors for him to save and they had all ignored and abandoned him in the end despite his genuine attempts to help them (with a small bit of evil on the side, yes, but he had honestly been there to save the Doctor too).

The Doctor glanced between the three, deciding which questions to answer. "I thought it would be useful." She directed at Rory, she'd slipped it in her pocket when she heard Handles say Gallifrey, aware it may be helpful to getting out of trouble. Then she turned to Ryan, "Yes, the Death Zone. That was the mess with five of me, and honestly you don't want to know. Maybe the Tardis will show us later." She glanced at the Master for a second before going back to ignoring him and facing the screen instead.

(He puts the Seal on Handle's forehead.)
HANDLES: Message decoding. Message analysis proceeding. Information available. The message is a request for information.
DOCTOR: It's a question. Why can't you just say it's a question?
HANDLES: It is being projected through all of time and space on a repeating cycle.
DOCTOR: The oldest question in the universe, hidden in plain sight.

"The question? The reason the Silence took Melody?" Amy asked, head snapping round to face the Doctor, realising now why they were watching this video, as everything seemed to be connecting, and eager for more answers as to why her baby was stolen from her. The Doctor's slight nod was the confirmation she needed, eyes immediately going back to the screen as she waited to finally hear what the question was.

HANDLES: Warning. Translation will be available to all lifeforms in range. Translation follows. Doctor who? (slightly different voice each time.) Doctor who? Doctor who? Doctor who? Doctor who? Doctor who? Doctor who?
(The Daleks hear it, and the Cybermen, and -)

[Papal Mainframe]

VOICE [OC]: Doctor who? Doctor who?
TASHA: Patch me through to the Doctor. Now!

"So much for not causing trouble." Jack quipped in an attempt to hide his worry as the situation only became worse. Now everyone would be out for the Doctor's head (not that most of them weren't before). The group had all noticeably tensed up, no one wanting to ask a question as it would likely only delay them finding out the answers they were craving.

[Tower]

DOCTOR: A question only I could answer. A truth field to make sure I'm not lying. If I give my name, they'll know they've found the right place and that it's safe to come through.

"I hate everything about this." Rose declared quietly, there seemed no way o f winning for once, even for the Doctor.

"That's why the Silence was so eager to kill you?" Rory asked, tone serious. He sounded like he'd already figured it out but was hoping the Doctor would tell him he was wrong.

The Doctor shrugged, playing nonchalant. "If I'm dead I can't answer the question and bring back Gallifrey." The way River nudged her in the side showed her wife's opinion on her self-depreciating humour.

"But you don't want to bring back Gallifrey!" Donna exclaimed, looking prepared to find a way to enter the screen or time travel so she could shout at everyone.

"Yes, but no one's just going to take my word on that. They wanted to destroy the planet just in case, as killing me had already failed, although they weren't going to stop trying that plan too." The Doctor sighed; her own tone unusually serious despite her continuous attempts at humour that no one seemed to appreciate based on their glares. She'd accepted all this a long time ago, only Clara had any sort of preparation for the mess, and no one was taking it well.

"I hate everything about this." Rose declared quietly, repeating her words firmly.

CLARA: The Time Lords? Okay, so what then? If you answer the question and they come back, what happens?
(The Doctor gives Clara a short round device.)
DOCTOR: Er, you need to take this to the Tardis and put it in the charger slot for the sonic.

"You're avoiding the topic." Nardole pointed out.

"No, I'm not, shut up Nardole." The Doctor shot back.

"You're trying to get rid of Clara." Amy realised; recognise the technique the Doctor had used on her during the whole mess with Sexy. The Doctor's blank look and Clara's annoyed one told her exactly how right she was.

CLARA: Why?
DOCTOR: Hell. All hell, that's what happens if the Time Lords come back. There's half a universe up there already, waiting to open fire. Now please, go to the Tardis and just do as I say.

"The Time War part 2." Jack said, voice full of dread. He was aware that clearly hadn't happened (he would have known about it, and like Yaz said – Gallifrey hadn't come back through) but he was hating how close it had come to happening and how the Doctor was being put in an impossible situation with no escape.

(Clara runs.)
TASHA [OC]: Doctor.

[Town]

TASHA: Speak with me.
(Tasha's holographic face hangs large in the sky.)
TASHA: Doctor! Face me now!

"She's not happy with you." Martha muttered, dread creeping in. How was the Doctor going to get out of this one?

(Clara runs into the Tardis and puts the device into the charger.)

Clara scowled at the Doctor, hating them for having put her through this. She understood his reasoning but she had wanted to be there, to help him and he'd kept turning her away.

[Bell chamber]

TASHA [OC]: Doctor!
(The Doctor goes up to the bell chamber above the clock face, which is very open to the elements and appears to house just the one bell.)
DOCTOR: Mother Superious, there is only one thing I need from you. This planet, what's it called?
TASHA: Trenzalore.

If possible, the room tensed further, all recognising the name. It had taken them a while for the connections to be made between the Doctor and Clara's earlier comments and the fist video they'd watched, but they'd finally done it.

"The planet where you die." Rose said bluntly, glare practically daring the Doctor to lie to her.

The Doctor sighed, feeling the weight of the whole room's eyes on her and the mental prodding from the Master. "Yes, but I already said I'm passed that. I wouldn't be here if I had died there." She tried to point out, hoping no one would make that last connection. She was trying her best to fortify her mental shields to stop the Master peaking into her mind as all she could think about was the memories of her regeneration.

The sound of Amy's sharp inhale of breath, told the Doctor her hope was falsely placed and someone had worked it out. "Not if you regenerated. You could die on Trenzalore and still be here If you regenerated." The Doctor avoided any eye contact as Amy's words settled on everyone. "Tell me I'm wrong, Doctor. Tell me I'm wrong."

"I can't." She whispered so quietly no one heard.

"Tell me, Doctor! Tell me!" Amy persisted, getting angrier as the Doctor said nothing and kept their gaze on the floor.

"I can't!" the Doctor finally burst out; hands white as she clenched them into fists. "I can't." She added quieter at the end. Silence met her declaration, and she finally glance dup taking in everyone's horrified, disbelieving and grieving expressions before darting her eyes away to face the screen again, unable to deal with the emotions everyone was projecting. "Can we just move on? This … this was a long time ago for me." No one said anything so the video continued, the group all tensed enough they were liable to snap.

[Tardis]

CLARA: Okay, is that it? Are you doing a clever thing?
(The Tardis engines are running.)

"A clever thing but not a good thing." Clara glared at the Doctor who looked back unrepentant and unregretful of her choices back then. She knew that Clara had wanted to help but she couldn't take the risk that Clara would have been killed in a fight, and she spent 900 years defending Christmas – humans don't live that long and she couldn't lose Clara like that.

[Bell chamber]

TASHA: If you speak your name, the Time Lords will return.
DOCTOR: If they return, they will come in peace.

"Unlikely." The Master snorted, eyes locked on the Doctor who was doing her best to ignore him. She couldn't help but be furious at him, she'd spent 900 years protecting Trenzalore and Gallifrey only for him to go an destroy it in the end over a stupid secret he'd found buried in the Matrix. A secret they couldn't even confirm or find more details on.

TASHA: It doesn't matter. They will be met with a war that will never end. The Time War will begin anew. You know that, Doctor.

[Tardis]

(The engines stop.)
CLARA: Done.
(And runs outside to -)

[Outside the block of flats]

The room turned to glare at the Doctor. They had already made the connection that they were going to send Clara away but they still couldn't help but direct a bit of their anger (anger at the situation the Doctor was in mostly rather than anger actually at the Doctor) towards them.

"You're not even going to try and let her help you?" Martha asked shaper than she intended.

"I couldn't, I had a good idea of what was going to happen and it was far too dangerous." The Doctor argued back.

"All our travels with you are potentially dangerous, what makes this so different?" Martha countered, although her determination wavered as she knew this was different to most of their usual adventures.

"Everyone would be outright trying to kill me and/or destroy the planet. I couldn't risk Clara getting caught in the cross fire." The Doctor stated, unwavering in her determination and unwilling to argue about it anymore. She'd made the only decision she could have.

CLARA: No. Don't you dare. No, no!
(The Tardis is starting to dematerialise as she puts her key into the lock.)

Jack and Martha both whipped around to face the Doctor as they realised what had happened to Clara, but the Doctor cut in before they could start speaking. "No, it's not like with Jack. The Tardis was actively trying to shake Jack off. As much as the Tardis disliked Clara, she'll protect her here." The rest of the group shot the trio questioning looks, but didn't get nay answers as Jack and Martha visibly calmed down from their spiralling panic. Clara got the faint idea that she had been lucky with that move.

[Bell chamber]

DOCTOR: They're asking for my help!
TASHA: And if you give it, war will be the consequence. I will not let that happen, at any cost. Speak your name and this world will burn.
DOCTOR: No, this planet is protected.

"Don't tell me you're going to do what I think you're about to do." River practically pleaded with the Doctor, knowing exactly what her wife was like and how she would react in this situation.

"I won't then." The Doctor answered in an attempt to be funny but it fell flat as River glared at her. She really hated her the Doctor's tendency to always chose to save people sometimes, especially when it put the Doctor in so much danger.

(He rings the bell.)

[Town]

(The residents gather. The Doctor comes out of the Tower.)
DOCTOR: So, you lot, a quick word, thank you. Spot of news. Christmas has a new sheriff. Hello, everyone. I'm the Doctor.

"You're going to protect the town." Donna said, it was a statement not a question. They all knew how the Doctor got when innocents where in danger and she could do something about it.

"I know you're skilled any all that Boss, but that's a lot of aliens out to kill you, even for you." Mickey added on, sitting up straighter. The Doctor didn't say anything, expression blank as her eyes never left the screen which only severed to worry the group more.

[Papal Mainframe]

TASHA: Attention. Attention all Chapels and Choirs of the Papal Mainframe. The siege of Trenzalore is now begun. There will now be an unscheduled faith change. From this moment on, I dedicate this church to one cause. Silence. The Doctor will not speak his name, and war will not begin. Silence will fall!
ALL: Silence will fall! Silence will fall.

Amy, Rory and River all flinched at the familiar words. Why Melody/River had been taken from them now made more sense but they still hated the whole mess (that had never been liable to change) and now they hated the reason too. Why couldn't anyone see that the Doctor was never going to bring Gallifrey back, then new the outcome of that, they just wanted to protect the planet? But no one was ever going to take that at face value, all too scared of the consequences and possibilities to ever risk it. All too scared of the Doctor.

TASHA [OC]: In the time that followed, the Papal Mainframe strove to maintain the peace between the Doctor and his enemies.

"Narration?" Bill blinked. "How much time passed?" The Doctor's avoidance of the question and Clara's sadness, almost grief, made the group even more concerned (and that was hard to do at the moment).

[Town]

(A set of vehicle tracks is appearing in the snow on the road into town.)
SKARR: We remain undetectable to the Papal Mainframe.
(The Doctor uses his screwdriver and we see the upper halves of two Sontarans. Clearly, they are clones of the same cell line as Strax.)

"Sontarans." Jack stated, that was yet another previous enemy of the Doctor that had appeared in the video. The whole universe really was watching the planet.

"Potatoes." Ryan muttered to himself.

SONTARAN: Commander Skarr. That's the detection warning. Our invisibility cloak is compromised.
SKARR: What's wrong with it?
SONTARAN: I don't know. I can't see it.
SKARR: Well, it looks invisible to me.

"They aren't the brightest, are they?" Rose smiled a bit, though it was hard to find humour in such a terrible situation and the Doctor kept avoiding looking at anyone which only made it worse.

(He hits the side of the semi-visible vehicle. Whoosh, kaBOOM!)
ALBERO [OC]: The Church of the Papal Mainframe apologises for your death. The relevant afterlives have been notified.

"At least they're polite about it." Nardole nodded approvingly. The rest of the group turned disbelieving looks at him, before deciding they didn't want to get into an argument with the weird little cyborg.

TASHA [OC]: As the days passed, and the years, the Doctor stayed true to his word. On the fields of Trenzalore, he stood as protector both of his own people and his new home.
(The Weeping Angels have mirrors placed in front of them, with With Love from the Doctor written on them.)

"Years!?" Amy picked up on Tasha's sentence immediately, eyes darting concerned to the Doctor as dread crawled in and settled in her stomach. The last time the Doctor had refused to answer how long she'd been somewhere it had been her confession Dial where she'd been tortured for 4.5 billion years.

"Years." Clara nodded, glancing at the Doctor but not giving away anything else to the group. She was too busy coming to the realisation that both times the Doctor had gone through long stays in one place (longer than a century at least) she had been around, and she despised that fact.

[Town]

TASHA [OC]: Over the years, his foes would find new, stranger ways to enter the town called Christmas.
(The children are playing a game of blind man's bluff. The blindfolded boy wanders around a little, then hears timbers creaking.)
BARNABLE: Are you there? Hello? Am I getting warm?
(The lad removes his blindfold to look up at a dull brown creaking Cyberman. He runs away.)

"A wooden Cyberman?" Mickey asked, looking bamboozled by the idea. He'd had a lot of experience with the Cybermen between the fall of Torchwood One and his time on the parallel reality but that was truly strange.

"Tasha was still keeping most technology out of Trenzalore, they had to improvise." The Doctor shrugged, eyes still not leaving the screen. She was wondering which encounters were going to be shown, and mentally debating how long it would be until everyone realised how long she'd been on Trenzalore.

BARNABLE: There's another one!
(The Cyberman's flame thrower misses him.)
BARNABLE: There's another one! There's another one!
(He rings alarm bells and the townspeople come out.)
BARNABLE: There's another one! Doctor, Doctor! There's another one!

"Another one? They seem pretty used to their home being invaded. How long has it been happening?" Rory queried, only to receive no reply. Clara had no idea about when things happened outside of her few visits and the end, and she didn't want to share the little she did know just yet, so she was just watching eager to see everything she'd missed the first time even as she hated the memories it brought up.

CYBERMAN: Incinerate. Incinerate.
(An older Doctor, leaning on a cane, comes out of his Tower home.)

"You're ageing." River's eyes widened, head snapping to face her wife who had retreated in on herself in the middle of the sofa they shared. Jack and the Master had made the same connection as River, and were both staring at the Doctor in shock (although the Master's was hidden from everyone bar the Doctor who knew how to read him).

"Wait, I thought the Doc didn't age? I mean she didn't in her confession Dial." Graham asked confused and radiating grandfatherly concern.

"No, she does, it just takes a lot longer than humans. In the confession dial she was dying over and over so didn't get the chance to visibly age like this. For him to have aged visibly like that means it must have been centuries for him." Jack chimed in with an explanation, voice serious and full of concern for the Doctor who seemed to be having a staring contest with the Master.

"They aren't worth it! They were never worth it! Why do you insist on being a bumbling hopeful fool and keep protecting those monsters!" The Master ranted having broken through a hole in her mental shields. She knew it had only been a matter of time, as the Master was far more skilled than her in those matters but she'd been hoping to keep him out a bit longer.

"It wasn't about Gallifrey, Koschei." The Doctor answered, the calm eye in the middle of the Master's furious storm. "I was protecting the town which was full of innocents. Gallifrey was never in real danger, as no one would be able to go through the crack an find them. I was protecting Trenzalore."

"Those pitiful humans weren't worth it either. No one is worth you. How many of them did you see die over the centuries? You outlived them all anyway, why couldn't you just save yourself that pain!" The Master continued to rage, words reaching a crescendo before silence reigned across the mental link, and he offered a final comment. "It's always the humans. You'd do anything to protect them but you'll never do the same for yourself. Or for me, Theta."

"Koschei-." The Doctor tried to start, unsure what she was going to say but unable to say nothing, but the Master had already retreated from the link, sealing it tight from his side. The Doctor sighed deeply, eyes turning back to the screen as she ignored the weight of everyone's eyes on her. Just when she thought things couldn't get more complicated it seemed the Master wanted to prove her wrong as always.

CYBERMAN: The Doctor is required.
(The Doctor throws a wooden rifle to Barbable.)
DOCTOR: There you go, Barnable.
BARNABLE: Thanks.
DOCTOR: Working fine. Nice action. Don't leave it out in the rain again.
(A wheeled toy is tossed to another child.)
DOCTOR: Fixed the wheels and the antigrav.

"You fix toys, really?" Martha raised an eyebrow at the Doctor before shaking her head. Of course, the idiot fixed kid's toys when he wasn't defending the town from constant invasion.

"You've always had a soft spot for children." Amy whispered quietly thinking back to the Star Whale and Star ship UK.

GIRL: The anti what?
DOCTOR: Yeah, may have gone a bit far. Now then, what do we have today? Don't you move one step further. Wooden Cyberman. Nice. Like it.

"Well, no one else does." Mickey muttered.

(He limps over to his foe.)
DOCTOR: Low tech, doesn't set off the alarms upstairs.
(There is a brief High Noon moment between the town sheriff and the newcomer, then the Doctor zaps it with his screwdriver before it manages to raise its creaky arm.)

The group let out a breath of relief at seeing the Doctor still had his sonic screwdriver despite the tech ban. Even a lone Cyberman could be damaging when unprepared or unaware, but the Doctor hadn't lost their skill despite the ageing (and apparent limp) and was prepared.

DOCTOR: Only bit of tech allowed in. Got in before the truce. Now, I just sent an instruction to your firearm to reverse the polarity and fire out the back end. Now, as we're standing in a truth field, you will understand I cannot be lying. If you like, you can scan my screwdriver, verify that's the signal I sent.
CYBERMAN: Signal verified.

"You just warned it! All it has to do is turn the flamethrower around, Doctor!" Jack pointed out, turning a disbelieving look at the Doctor. He knew they liked to brag but that was just stupid.

"Just watch Jack." The Doctor smiled mischievously, finally looking away from the screen to face Jack.

(The Cyberman's arm weapon turns around and fires its flamethrower through its chest.)

"What?" Jack blinked confused; he'd grown tenser at seeing the Cyberman do exactly what he'd said but that wasn't how it was supposed to end (not that he wasn't glad). The Doctor just waved at the screen.

DOCTOR: Yes. I probably should have mentioned this doesn't work on wood. You send your friends up there a message from the Doctor. You tell them the Doctor stays.
(He prods the Cyberman with his cane and it falls backwards.)

Jack groaned feeling for stupid for having forgotten the thing with the sonic and wood. Really the Doctor's plan had been genius, even when unable to lie they were able to save the day using their words and their sonic, just not in the typical fashion.

DOCTOR: Next.
(The village has a party to celebrate this triumph.)
TASHA [OC]: With every victory, the town celebrated.

The group smiled softly at seeing the Doctor interact with the town, especially the children. Glad to know he wasn't completely alone throughout the centuries, thought the pain of watching everyone slowly age and die around you was arguably worse than loneliness. It was also nice to see a place actually recognise the Doctor for what they did.

DOCTOR: And there's me arm-wrestling a Draconian. I remember that.
TASHA [OC]: In time, the Doctor seemed to forget he'd lived any other life.

The Doctor frowned at Tasha's words, eyes crinkling up in a bit of confusion and disagreement. "I never forgot; I just didn't think about it." She mumbled to herself, only River and Jack next to her hearing it, both sharing a concerned glance over her head as they were both aware why she didn't think about anything but his life on Trenzalore.

DOCTOR: Christmas is defended.
(He pins up children's drawings of their defeated enemies in the Tower.)

"That's sweet." Rose muttered, and it was, if not also very depressing to think about how many battles the Doctor had gone through and, how many of those kids he'd watched age and die.

TASHA [OC]: And the people of the town came to love the man who stayed for Christmas.
DOCTOR: You've got to be the drunk giraffe. You've got to commit! Don't be cool, guys. Cool is not cool.
CHILDREN: Cool is not cool!
DOCTOR: And what's the dance we're doing?
CHILDREN: The drunk giraffe!
DOCTOR: The drunk giraffe. Yeah, it is. Merry Christmas. Give me a hug. Bring it in.
CHILDREN: Yeah!

"Honestly, Doctor. You need to stop corrupting impressionable children with your terrible dance skills." Amy sighed, attempting the Doctor's tactic of humour to hide her concern for her best friend.

"My dance skills aren't terrible!" The Doctor protested, but snuck a sad smile at Amy, understanding what she was doing.

"We've discussed this Sweetie, yes they are." River interjected to prevent an argument.

(The Doctor mingles.)
DOCTOR: How's your father's barn?
BARNABLE: You've fixed the leak all right, but he says it's bigger on the inside now.
DOCTOR: Shush, they'll all want one.

"Doctor." River sighed exasperated with her wife's antics even as her heart tightened at the thought that even under siege the Doctor was still doing little things to help people, he'd found something he'd enjoyed doing (fixing things) and stuck around for once (albeit not completely by choice).

(There is the sound of a wheezing time rotor.)
BARNABLE: What is it? What's that noise.
(The Tardis is trying to materialise.)

The group had all recognised the Tardis immediately, glancing at Clara before back to the screen. They'd all been wondering where the Tardis and Clara had been for these apparent centuries but no one had voiced that question.

DOCTOR: Well. Where have you been for three hundred years? Ha!

"300 years." Rose choked out, eyes darting immediately to where the Doctor sat, blank faced and avoiding eye contact again. They'd already worked out he'd been there centuries but it was something else to actually put a number on it. None of them could imagine fighting a siege for so long, not that most of them physically could (human ageing and all).

BARNABLE: What's that?
DOCTOR: It's my ship.
BARNABLE: Your what?
DOCTOR: It's my Tardis. That's how I got here in the first place.
BARNABLE: Does this mean you're leaving?

"Yes. Are you finally leaving?" Bill asked, a hint of pleading in her voice. She knew they'd figured out the Doctor was going to 'die' (regenerate) on Trenzalore (and into the Doctor she knew) but she was still hoping they were wrong and the Doctor could get away now. The Doctor smiled sadly at her and wave at the screen but Bill already knew the answer was no.

(The Tardis fully materialises, with Clara still on the outside holding her key in the lock. He taps her on the back with his cane.)

Both Martha and Jack let out a breath at seeing Clara alive and (mostly) unharmed clinging to the side of the Tardis. They'd believed the Doctor she would be okay but it was still good to actually see it.

DOCTOR: What are you doing here?
CLARA: I was in space.
DOCTOR: Well, you were in the time vortex. She must have extended the force field. No wonder. No wonder she's late, dragging you around.
(They walk away from the Tardis.)

Clara shivered a bit at the memory of her time in the vortex, she couldn't really remember much thankfully, but she was very grateful for the Tardis's protection. It did hurt her heart to think she was part of the reason the Tardis had arrived late though, maybe if the Tardis had gone back immediately the Doctor wouldn't have gotten attached and left? She knew she was grasping at straws and the Doctor would have always stayed but she couldn't help but think about it.

CLARA: You tricked me.
DOCTOR: I saved you.
CLARA: You didn't even say goodbye!
DOCTOR: I'm furious with you!
CLARA: Well, I am not even talking to you!
(They laugh and hug.)

The group smiled a bit sad and wistful as the pair hugged it out. They were glad to see them back together even though the reunion was bittersweet with the whole 300 years late thing and the Doctor's regeneration hanging over their heads (all of them unable to stop thinking about how the Doctor was going to die). The Doctor always did better with a companion to offer help and advice and temper their anger when they went too far, but they knew Clar wouldn't have survived those 300 years and they'd seen what the Doctor would go through for Clara.

[Tower]

CLARA: Ha.
(She looks at the drawings and his workbench.)
CLARA: Oh, Doctor. Fixing toys and fighting monsters.

"What else would I be doing?" The Doctor asked Clara quietly with a small smile on her face that didn't reach her eyes.

DOCTOR: The turkey isn't done yet.
CLARA: Is it still asking the question?
DOCTOR: Oh, never stops. Come upstairs. It's almost time.
CLARA: What for?
DOCTOR: Dawn. The light here lasts only a few minutes. You don't want to miss it.

"Like at the Arctic circle in winter." Yaz muttered, the change in moods almost startling. It was calmer and quiet and honestly felt like the Doctor was saying goodbye to Clara.

[Bell chamber]

(He carries Handles up the stairs. A small fire is burning in the chamber.)
DOCTOR: Well, it's a standoff. They can't attack in case I unleash the Time Lords, and I can't run away, because they'll burn this planet to stop the Time Lords. Hey, after all these years, I've finally found somewhere that needs me to stick around. A town called Christmas. Could've been worse. Right, there you go, buddy. Comfy?
HANDLES: Comfort is irrelevant.
DOCTOR: How's that, is that better?
HANDLES: Affirmative.

"Of course, your only companion is the Cyberman head." Amy muttered, that was so typical Doctor and she hated how she was almost feeling thankful for Handles. The group was all watching trying not to get enchanted by the softer atmosphere, all reading through the Doctor's bravado after years of practise and far too scared of what was still to come.

DOCTOR: You just take it easy, buddy. He's getting old. I do my best for him, but I just can't get the parts, you know. Hey, I know the feeling.

The group flinched at the reminder of the Doctor's ageing, but couldn't help but be thankful for Handles; the Doctor didn't do well without a companion and it seemed Handles had been doing a decent job. Clara watched the screen quietly, reading a lot more into the whole situation now that she knew how it ended (not that she hadn't been able to see through the Doctor's attempt to placate her back then), and couldn't help but think if she had survived, she would have died a long time before leaving the Doctor grieving and alone as well as fighting. She still hated his trickery but she understood his intentions which only left her conflicted.

(He is roasting marshmallows on the open fire.)
CLARA: Where did you get those?
DOCTOR: I have a supplier. The pink ones are best.

"A supplier?" Martha asked with a suspicious look, they could all guess who his supplier was.

"You're at a constant siege and the supplies you want are marshmallows?" Mickey asked confused but aware he shouldn't be, that was such typical Doctor behaviour.

"They're important." The Doctor shrugged simply, answering Mickey but ignoring Martha's question for now.

HANDLES: I have developed a fault.
DOCTOR: Hey, don't you worry, Handles. you're just dreaming. The sun's coming up very soon. You just hang on in there.
HANDLES: I have developed a fault. I, I have developed a fault.
DOCTOR: Hey, Handles. Come on. Come on. One more dawn, you can do it. You've got it in you. Come on, just hang on in there.

"Don't give me feelings for a Cyberman head, come on." Bill muttered, heart sinking as she could feel what was about to happen. She hated Cyberman with a burning passion after what had happened to her, so she really wasn't prepared to like the head that the Doctor had apparently been using as a friend for 300 years, but here she was.

HANDLES: Attention. Emergency. Attention.
DOCTOR: Handles, what is it? What's wrong?
HANDLES: Urgent action required. You must patch the telephone device back through the console unit.
(Handles' lights go out.)
DOCTOR: Come back. Handles? Handles. Oh. Thank you, Handles, and well done. Well done, mate.
(The sun rises between the mountains, and birds sing to greet it.)

The group was quiet, giving a moment for Handles. They may have not known him, or particularly liked the idea of him but he had mattered to the Doctor, and the last thing they needed was someone pestering them or asking a question at this moment. They could all see her curled up on herself between Jack and River, staring sadly at the screen. Grief clear on her face and didn't want to imagine how many nights alone the Doctor had sat up at the tower and talked to Handles. They couldn't deny how beautiful the sunrise was though, and how it was almost perfect for the moment – a new dawn approaching at the cost of the night.

DOCTOR: What do you think of my new place? I come up here once a day for a few minutes, to remind myself of what it is I'm protecting.
CLARA: It's beautiful. Why did you send me away?
DOCTOR: Because if I hadn't, I'd have buried you a long time ago.

Clara flinched at the blunt statement, she'd spent a long time denying that fact, telling herself he wouldn't have stayed there if she'd stayed but he would have done it either way. The group watched the screen quietly, not wanting to intrude on what was supposed to be a private moment between the pair.

CLARA: No, you wouldn't. I would never have let you get stuck here.
DOCTOR: Ha! Everyone gets stuck somewhere eventually, Clara. Everything ends.

"You're very melancholy." Jack attempted a smile but it fell remarkably flat. This conversation and atmosphere, while appearing disarming at first, was more dangerous almost than the actual danger of the invasion.

"I'm old Jack." Everyone noticed the use of present tense, not I was old, but I am old. Through these videos they'd seen the Doctor's attitude to their existence take major hits and it seemed this was another time when they'd truly thought about death and come to accept it. It also seemed the Doctor was now still thinking about it. River and Jack shared a look, they'd need to talk to the Doctor again soon.

CLARA: Except you.
DOCTOR: Have you been paying attention? I'm an old man now.
CLARA: But you don't die. You change. You pop right back up with a new face.
DOCTOR: No, not for ever. I can change twelve times. Thirteen versions of me. Thirteen silly Doctors.

"Oh." River said quietly, coming to the realisation of something that should have been obvious, something she'd already known. Of course, the Doctor thought they were on their last regeneration already, no wonder he'd been accepting death – he didn't have a choice and only had time to think about it as he slowly aged alone.

CLARA: Okay, so you're number eleven, so
DOCTOR: Ha. Are we forgetting Captain Grumpy, eh? I didn't call myself the Doctor during the Time War, but it was still a regeneration.
CLARA: Okay, so you're number twelve.
DOCTOR: Well, number ten once regenerated and kept the same face. I had vanity issues at the time.

Everyone nodded at the reminder of the War Doctor although most were confused by the refrence to the meta crisis, Rose and Donna both noticeably perking up at the mention of him while Jack, Mickey and Martha nodded along again.

Twelve regenerations, Clara. I can't ever do it again. This is where I end up. This face, this version of me. We saw this planet in the future, remember? All those graves, one of them mine.

"So that's Doctor Eleven but face thirteen." Amy talked through her thoughts out loud, getting a small nod from the Doctor in confirmation. "But you didn't know about the Timeless Child thing then, so what happened with your regeneration?" The others quickly released where Amy was going with her train of thoughts, if the Doctor wasn't supposed to be able to regenerate had they known they could or had it been a surprise? How did they explain it?

Clara watched concerned as the Doctor sighed; a deep exhaustion clear on her face even as she answered. "Gallifrey." While they were tempted no one asked any further questions all too aware of how sensitive a topic Gallifrey was and how delicate a mood the Doctor was in to want to risk pushing any buttons.

(The sun is setting.)
CLARA: Change the future.
DOCTOR: I can't.

"We didn't need too." The Doctor said, aiming her words mostly at Clara who understood what she was talking about. "We just didn't know it then. The joys of time travel, eh?" Her attempt of a joke was met with Clara's doe eyes projecting enough sadness to make both her hearts ache and leave her speechless, she quickly turned back to the screen.

CLARA: You've got your Tardis back.
DOCTOR: Ha! You think I'm just going to fly away, abandon everyone?

"That was never an option." River said softly, stuck between being fond and proud of her wife's stubbornness and morals, and sad at what it always brought the Doctor – pain.

CLARA: Of course not. But you've been protecting this town for over three hundred years. Do you not think it's anybody else's go yet?
DOCTOR: There is no one else to protect it.

"What happens when you die?" Rose asked, quiet but firm in her question. "If there's no one else and you are going to die eventually, how does the town survive that?"

Clara and the Doctor exchanged another look, this time Clara answered with a bittersweet smile, "Gallifrey and the Doctor."

CLARA: It's not going to be you for ever. It'll end the same way, whatever you do.
DOCTOR: Every life I save is a victory. Every single one.
CLARA: What about your life? Just for once, after all this time, have you not earned the right to think about that? Sorry. Wrong thing to say. We shouldn't be having an argument.

"No, someone needs to be the voice of reason and actually bring up these thoughts." Rory shook his head, offering Clara a small smile.

DOCTOR: Clara, I've been having that argument for the last three hundred years, all by myself.
CLARA: But you didn't have your Tardis.
DOCTOR: Ah. Yes, well, that made it easier to stay. True.

"You wouldn't have left them even if you could have, not without finding a solution." Jack said, understanding in his eyes as he watched the Doctor. Despite how much the Doctor said it, the whole group knew he wouldn't have left Trenzalore to its destruction.

(Thunder in the darkening sky.)
TASHA [OC]: Doctor!
DOCTOR: Ah. Look who's woken up.
(The holographic face is in the sky.)

"How is she still alive?" Ryan asked confused. It had been three hundred years, and he (like many of the others) had just assumed she was human or similar enough to humans to have a similar lifespan.

The Doctor just smiled fondly, although it was tempered with a bit of grief at what she knew was about to be shown. He likely wouldn't have survived as long as she had without Tasha and the Church's help. "She was against ageing." She simply answered, smiling in memory of her old friend and yet another person he had lost on Trenzalore.

TASHA: The Church of the Silence requests parlay. Your rights and safety are sanctified.
DOCTOR: I'll be right up.
TASHA: I'm sending a transporter.
DOCTOR: Nah, don't bother. I've got me motor back.
CLARA: It's gone dark.
DOCTOR: Yeah, well, the sun's gone down.
CLARA: Already?
DOCTOR: Everything ends, Clara. And sooner than you think.

The group couldn't help but shift uncomfortable, that statement seemed far too foreboding and like foreshadowing. While Clara on screen was less able to see it (but not completely blind), they were all far too aware of how the Doctor had already accepted his death, wherever and however it may come. They were also nervous about this 'parlay', Tasha had seemed mostly friendly but that had been 300 years of siege before and they only felt dread in their stomachs which didn't fill them with confidence.

[Town]

(The Doctor spots a tiny hand behind the Tardis.)
DOCTOR: Hmm. Are you guarding my Tardis, Barnable?
BARNABLE: Are you coming back?
DOCTOR: Oh, come on. You know me.
BARNABLE: I'll wait.

"He's adorable." Martha muttered, but couldn't help think that the Doctor was either going to have to watch him age and die or would be killed. Either way there was no happy ending to this story, not really.

[Papal Mainframe]

CLARA: She hasn't aged much.
DOCTOR: No, she's against ageing.

"That doesn't explain how she does it though." Jack said, grinning at the Doctor though it was a bit weak, "Any tips you can share with me?"

The Doctor just smiled back, her own smile weak with sadness bleeding through, "You'd have to ask her." Jack had the horrible thought that doing that was likely impossible without a lot of time travel.

TASHA: Approach.
SILENT: Confess.

Amy, River and Rory were immediately on alert upon seeing the Silent again, they could never forget anything they'd gone through or the moon landing chaos despite literally having to forget the alien's existence every time they weren't looking at them.

CLARA: What are those things?
SILENT: Confess.
DOCTOR: Confessional priests. Very popular. Genetically engineered so you forget everything you told them.
CLARA: Told who?
DOCTOR: There you go.

"Kinda smart but very creepy." Bill declared, she wasn't sure she'd ever want to confess anything to those guys (not that she usually went to church at all or anything, let alone this church).

[Chapel]

(The bed has been replaced by a large table. Tasha places a big box in front of the Doctor. He looks inside.)
TASHA: Satisfactory?
DOCTOR: Where are the pink ones?
TASHA: E numbers. You're hyper enough as it is.
CLARA: So, this is sweet. Middle of a siege and you two have little chats?
TASHA: She's right. This situation cannot continue.
DOCTOR: It can't end, either.

Clara and the Doctor shared a long look, holding a silent conversation as they braced themselves for what was to come. Clara couldn't help but be curious bow often the Doctor met up with Tasha, who was likely the Doctor's only other constant apart from Handles. And with the way he was so fond of Handles, Clara got the feeling it wasn't often he got to have a chat with Tasha and just forget the siege.

[Papal Mainframe]

DALEK: Report.
(A Papal Mainframe colonel raises her head. She and her companions have short eye-stalks on their foreheads.)

"Oh no." Rory muttered; eyes wide as he went on full alert upon seeing the familiar Dalek puppet signs. Their time at the Dalke Asylum not exactly fond memories, despite how it had helped fix his marriage with Amy.

"What the hell?" Yaz asked, her own experience with Daleks was limited but that was creepy and … just wrong.

"Dalek puppets." Amy explained. "Which means they've infiltrated the Church."

"Which means Clara and the Doctor are in danger. Again." Yaz finished the sentence, she didn't need to know details to know that.

MEME: The Time Lord has entered the trap.
(The rest of the Papal troops and Silents have eyestalks pop out of their heads.)

"Wait, didn't the Daleks forget you?" Rory asked, the prominent Asylum memories reminding him of that. "Oswald, Souffle Girl, Clara, whatever. She deleted you from their memories?"

The Doctor nodded with a grimace even as the others watched perplexed. Clara was frowning mostly as she tried to remember it, she only had vague memories from her fractured selves and that one wasn't particularly clear which, from between what the Doctor had said and her trip to Skaro with Missy, she was glad about. "It didn't last long sadly. When they infiltrated the Church, they got their memories back." The Doctor explained, with a kind of 'what can you do?' shrug. It had been nice, if not a bit weird, while it lasted.

[Chapel]

TASHA: Why did you ever come to Trenzalore?
DOCTOR: Well, I did come to Trenzalore, and nothing can change that now. Didn't stop you trying though, did it?

"It was always supposed to happen, so it did." River sighed, all too aware of how time travel often turned out.

"Are you talking about fate?" The Doctor raised an eyebrow at River, "Didn't think you believed in all that."

River shrugged, "Who needs fate when you have time travel, paradoxes and fixed points?" She tried to joke, gaining an understanding smile from her wife.

TASHA: Not me. The Kovarian Chapter broke away. They travelled back along your timeline and tried to prevent you ever reaching Trenzalore.
DOCTOR: So that's who blew up my Tardis. I thought I'd left the bath running.
TASHA: They blew up your time capsule, created the very cracks in the universe through which the Time Lords are now calling.
DOCTOR: The destiny trap. You can't change history if you're part of it.

"Wait! No, no, no." Amy spoke up, eyes staring straight into the Doctor and daring her to lie. "So not only did they steal Melody to raise as a weapon, but they also caused the cracks in space to start with and was the reason we had to deal with the Pandorica mess."

"Yes." The Doctor answered, meeting the Scottish woman's eyes. She wasn't sure what else she could to say to that, the Church, Kovarian in particular, had been a major part of Amy's whole life without her even knowing half of it.

TASHA: They engineered a psychopath to kill you.
DOCTOR: Totally married her. I'd never have made it here alive without River Song.

The Doctor grinned happily at her wife, that was one of the few good things to come out of this mess (even if she would have loved for Amy and Rory to raise their baby like normal), alongside actually meeting and travelling with Amy and Rory. River smiled back, dread crawling up her throat as she realised they were only getting closer and closer to watching the Doctor die again, she'd seen it a few times now (several in person and on screen) but it was never going to be an easy thing to just watch and be able to do nothing about.

TASHA: I'm not interested in changing history, Doctor. I want to change the future. The Daleks send for reinforcements daily. They are massing for war. Three days ago, they attacked the Mainframe itself.
DOCTOR: They attacked here?
CLARA: How did you stop them?
TASHA: Stop them? It was slaughter.

"Oh no." Mickey connected the dots, "She's a puppet too." The room tensed as they registered Mickey's words, Clara and the Doctor were in far more danger than they'd thought (and they'd already thought the pair were in a lot of danger).

DOCTOR: Why didn't you call me? I could have helped.
TASHA: I tried. I died in this room, screaming your name.
DOCTOR: No.

"You need to get out of there, Doctor." Martha declared, eyes wide in concern as she watched the screen.

TASHA: Oh. I died. It's funny the things that slip your mind. Ah!
DOCTOR: No! No, no, no. Tasha, no, please, not Tasha. No. Fight it. Tash, fight it!
(A Dalek eyestalk comes out of her forehead, then real Daleks enters.)

"Not good, not good at all." Rory muttered, eyes darting around all the Daleks as he tried to think of ways the Doctor and Clar could escape – was this where the Doctor died?

DALEK: Step away from the Dalek unit, Doctor.
DOCTOR: You shouldn't even know who I am.
DALEK: Information concerning the Doctor was harvested from the cadaver of Tasha Lem.
DOCTOR: Bet she never told you how to break through the Trenzalore forcefield, though. She'd have died first.
DALEK 2: Several times.

The group was silent for several minutes, looking down at the floor to pay their respects for Tasha Lem. Yet again, someone they barely knew and yet someone that the Doctor trusted an considered a friend, someone who had helped the Doctor when they needed it and had died (several times) to keep his secrets and help protect him. In contrast, the Doctor hadn't looked away from the screen, focussing on one of the last images of his friend and couldn't help the thought of how Tasha was another name to add to the long list of people she had let down and hurt.

DOCTOR: Well, you'd better kill me, then. Go on. But before you do

"Stop it." Martha snapped at the Doctor, drawing the whole room's attention at the uncharacteristic attitude.

"Stop what?" The Doctor asked softly, treading lightly, an angry Martha was a scary Martha.

"Stop telling Daleks to kill you. This is the second time that I know of, but knowing you, you've done it more than that. Just stop screaming at the pepper pots that already want to kill you to do it!" Martha ranted, concern lacing with her anger. The Doctor's mental state was so fragile and she acted like a see saw half the time that Martha was scared this was another suicidal moment from the Doctor.

The Doctor glanced around the room, spying concerned looks (for both her and Martha) and angry looks from those who had heard her say similar stuff, before focusing back on Martha. "I'm sorry." She offered quietly in an attempt to actually be sincere. "I promise, it's not like Manhattan. I have a plan for once, I swear."

Martha stared at her for several minutes, trying to find any sign of deception before slowly nodding er acceptance of that for the moment.

(He sonicks the message into the room.)
VOICE [OC]: Doctor who? Doctor who? Doctor who?
DOCTOR: I'm a tough old bird. I'll be ages dying. Way enough time to answer a question. And, oh dear, what happens then, boys?

The group sighed in relief; it may be a stale mate but that was much better than the imminent death the pair were facing before.

(Tasha grabs Clara's neck from behind, and energy plays over her hands.)

"No!" Several people protested, eyes darting to check that Clara was still alive and well with them as 'Tasha' grabbed Clara on screen.

DALEK: You will die in silence, Doctor, or your associate will die.
DOCTOR: Fine, go on, kill her. Kill her! See if I care. But tell me, what you are going to do next?
DALEK: See how the Time Lord betrays.

The group's heads all whipped around to face the Doctor in disbelief, they knew he didn't mean it but to hear the Doctor even lie about it was shocking. Things had taken a turn for the worst all over again, and they were desperate to know how they escaped.

CLARA: You'll kill me anyway. What difference does it make? I'm not afraid. I'll leave that to you.

The group cheered quietly for Clara's bravado even if they could hear the slight shaky-ness in her voice. Unfortunately, they'd all been in similar positions at some point (if not at several points) but couldn't help but feel proud of Clara who seemed still semi-new at travelling with the Doctor in the video.

DOCTOR: You see, Tasha, that's what I'm talking about. That is a woman! I always knew you were a bit spineless, you and your pointless church. Why did I ever rely on you? Never trust a nun to do a Doctor's work.
(Tasha turns on the Doctor, releasing Clara, and slaps him. Then she blasts the Daleks into flames.)
DOCTOR: And she's back!

"That was your plan." Rose realised with relief, "Snap Tasha out of it. Risky." The Doctor nodded, indescribably thankful that she knew Tasha as well as she thought she had and that Tasha was as strong willed as she was. They would have both been killed there otherwise.

(The Doctor kisses Tasha. The eyestalk goes back into her forehead leaving a scar.)

DOCTOR: You never could resist a row.
TASHA: Kiss me when I ask.
DOCTOR: Well, you'd better ask nicely.
TASHA: In your dreams.

River raised an eyebrow at her wife who was smiling up at her sheepishly, hand twitching in their urge to move. The Doctor knew she hadn't done anything wrong (stars know how many people River kissed let alone married) but was still nervous despite herself. Thankfully, River's stern expression broke upon seeing how nervous the Doctor actually was, offering a reassuring smile to show she'd just been teaching.

River leaned closer to her wife, so she could whisper in the Doctor's ear. "Is she a good kisser, Sweetie?

The Doctor immediately went bright red, struggling to actually gather her words for a minute as River only grinned wider, "Not as good as you." The Doctor finally managed to stammer out, wanting to tell her rapidly beating hearts to stop it, she really shouldn't be this nervous and lovesick with her wife still.

"Right answer." River grinned back as the Doctor gulped, not even wanting to glance over to see Amya dn Rory's expressions.

DOCTOR: Right, get us back to the Tardis. Can you do that?
TASHA: Yeah, but quickly, the Dalek inside me is waking.
DOCTOR: Fight it.
TASHA: I can't.
DOCTOR: Listen to me. You have been fighting the psychopath inside you all your life. Shut up and win. That is an order, Tasha Lem.

"Oh Doctor." River sighed, feeling a bit of sympathy for Tasha. The Doctor had been trying to project River's struggles onto Tasha a bit and the situations weren't quite compatible enough.

(The Doctor and Clara get into the confessional teleport booths.)
TASHA: The forcefield will hold for a while, but it will decay, and there are breaches already.
DOCTOR: Then this isn't a siege any more, it's a war. It's all up to you now. Fight the Daleks, inside and out. You can do it, I know you can.

"Just lovely, because things can always get worse." Graham sighed as the situation deteriorate further even as the pair escaped.

"You did jinx it Graham." Ryan reminded him with Yaz nodding along as Graham sighed again, this time aimed at the pair's antics.

TASHA: Oh, I see. You've got your Tardis back, haven't you? Time to fly away.
DOCTOR: Tasha, please. Please. Thank you.
TASHA: None of this was for you, you fatuous egotist. It was for the peace. Fly away, Doctor!

The Doctor frowned sadly as she realised that would be the last time she'd ever see Tasha, and in the end Tasha had thought (or maybe hoped) she would leave Trenzalore to its destruction while she escaped.

[Tardis]

(The Tardis lands. A bell goes ting!)
DOCTOR: It's done.
CLARA: What is?
DOCTOR: Your turkey. Either that or its woken up.

"That feels like so long ago." Clara sighed, meaning both during the actual mess and watching it. Things were coming to a close now, she could feel that much even if she knew there was several centuries of fighting still to go for the Doctor.

CLARA: Do you want some?
DOCTOR: Go on, then.
CLARA: Got any plates?
DOCTOR: Do you know, I've even got Christmas crackers.

"You can have an actual Christmas dinner in the town of Christmas." Martha smiled weakly, they could all feel that things were coming to an end and they all knew how things were ultimately going to end for once (if albeit vaguely).

CLARA: One thing. Give me those big sad eyes, look at me so I know you're not lying, and tell me you will never send me away ever again.
DOCTOR: Clara Oswald, I will never send you away again.

Amy narrowed her eyes at the Doctor's tone and expression, glancing at Clara only to find the young woman staring down the Doctor with her sad doe eyes. "Rule 1: The Doctor lies."

(Clara kisses his cheek and goes down to get the turkey.)
CLARA: Turkey smells good!
DOCTOR: Yeah, smells great.
(The Doctor looks at young Barnable on the scanner.)
CLARA: Perfect.
(He puts the device into the charger as Clara removes the well done turkey from the vortex cooker.)
CLARA: Merry Christmas.
(When she comes back up the stairs -)
CLARA: Doctor?
(And goes outside to her block of flats. The Tardis dematerialises behind her.)

"You did it again." Donna said, staring the Doctor down. At this point they all understood the Doctor's fears but to lie t Clara's face like that? That wasn't okay by any stretch of imagination, and they could all feel the cold dread creeping in as they guessed there was about to be another time skip.

"Yes." The Doctor answered back, expression and tone blank as she went back to avoiding everyone's gaze. She couldn't bare to even glance at Clara who's eyes she could feel wearing a hole into her soul. On screen everyone could see the heartbreak and sadness in the young woman's eyes as she watched the Tardis dematerialize.

[Town]

BARNABLE: If you're not leaving, why did you bring it back?
DOCTOR: It's a reminder. Besides, I might leave tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the day after that.

"No, you wouldn't." Clara muttered, gaze darting between the Doctor and screen. They needed to have a proper talk about everything and soon.

(Time passes. Metal Cybermen beam in and start shooting. The villagers scream and run as the Papal troops and Silents fight back.)
TASHA [OC]: And so, to the fields of Trenzalore came all the Time Lord's enemies. For this was the winter of the Doctor. In time, when all other races had retreated or burned, only the Church of the Mainframe remained in the path of the Daleks. And so those ancient enemies, the Doctor and the Silence, stood back to back on the fields of Trenzalore.

"You thought with the Silence?" Rory exclaimed, looking a bit offended at seeing it.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that." The Doctor sighed, she hadn't had a choice back then but could understand why Rory (and Amy who was making similar faces beside her husband) hated the idea. The rest of the group was more focused on the relief at knowing it was only the Daleks left fighting, that narrowed the numbers and enemy types down significantly.

[Clara's flat]

(It was not a happy meal.)
TOY PENGUIN: Merry Christmas, everyone. Merry Christmas, everyone.
LINDA: Other fish in the sea, that's what I'm saying.
DAD: Linda, I don't think Clara wants to talk about it.

The group couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for Clara, having to go back to her family meal knowing the danger and situation the Doctor was in but having no way to go back or to help him. It didn't help that Linda was badgering her over her fake 'boyfriend' who was likely the last person she wanted to think about.

"I'm sorry Clara." The Doctor whispered quietly, but loud enough for the young woman to hear it.

Clara was silent for a few minutes, just watching the Doctor before she spoke up. "I know you are; you always are. But it's rarely for the right reasons and it doesn't stop you from going it again." The Doctor just nodded, unsure what to reply with when Clara only spoke the truth.

LINDA: I've got a suggestion, that's all. I've got a list of suggestions.
DAD: Linda.
LINDA: You could make a boy band out of my list.
CLARA: I hate boy bands.
LINDA: Of course you don't, not at your age.
GRAN: These crackers are rubbish.
LINDA: I bought them.
GRAN: I know.
LINDA: They're classy.
GRAN: They don't have jokes.
LINDA: Exactly.
GRAN: They've got poems.
LINDA: They're more dramatic crackers.

"This is a bit of a disaster of a dinner." Bill declared as the group turned their attention (thankfully away) from Clara and to the crackers. "Eh, no offence." She shot to Clara with a wince.

Clara just smiled in understanding; it had been a disaster really. "No offence taken."

GRAN: I like the jokes.
CLARA: Tell us a joke, Gran. You know loads of jokes.
LINDA: I think we're probably talking about my list now.
CLARA: Probably not.

"Probably never." Clara added for herself on screen.

DAD: Tell us how you met Dad. The thing about the pigeon.
GRAN: I saw him on a pier on a rainy day.
DAD: No, no, not that one. The one about the pigeon.

"Pigeon? What is it with your family and flying hazards?" The Doctor tried to joke feebly, referring to the leaf that had led to her parent's meeting.

"Must be a curse." Clara smiled back, equally weak but appreciating the distraction.

GRAN: I'd seen him before, lots of times, but he just looked so beautiful standing there.
DAD: The pigeon in the restaurant. You remember?
GRAN: I wanted everything to stop. I wanted nothing to change ever again.
(Clara starts crying.)

The Doctor curled in on themselves more as they saw Clara crying, all she'd wanted was to protect her but she couldn't even do that right it seemed.

GRAN: If he could just keep standing there, so beautiful. A long time ago. Don't hug me so tight, dear. You'll break something.
LINDA: Oh, that's nice. Crying at Christmas.
CLARA: Sorry.
GRAN: I hope you made a wish.

The group shuffled a bit awkward, this felt like a very private moment they were intruding on, and something Clara would have likely never shared. They couldn't help but hope though, all wanting her to make it back to the Doctor.

(The sound of a time rotor is heard. Clara gets up and runs out to the kitchen window to see the Tardis appearing.)
DAD: Clara? What's wrong, Clara.
CLARA: Everybody just stay put.
(She grabs a cracker from the table and leaves.)

The group were all smiling, small smiles but genuine ones, as they saw Clara rushing for the Tardis. All hoping the Doctor was inside, but knowing the worst was still to come. They couldn't help but grin at the sight of the cracker though, maybe Clara and this Doctor could have just one last Christmas.

[Tardis]

(The Doctor is not inside. A woman is.)
CLARA: You can fly the Tardis?
TASHA: Flying the Tardis was always easy. It was flying the Doctor I never quite mastered.
CLARA: What's happened to him?

The tension in the room increased tenfold upon seeing Tasha in the Tardis, all of them ignoring her comment in favour of focusing on Clara's question. The video was coming to an end, they could feel that in their hearts but they still had the Doctor's regeneration to go and the Doctor still had to find a solution to the problem.

[Town]

(Everything is in flames as people run to and fro.)
CLARA: What am I supposed to do?
TASHA: He shouldn't die alone. Go to him.

"Why are you dying?" Amy asked quietly, voice a bit hoarse as it fully started to sink in that she was going to have to watch her best friend die.

"I'm old." The Doctor answered simply, honestly, it was one of her nicer deaths. Dying of old age, even while under siege, was less painful than being shot or poisoned or falling or any other thing she'd dies from over the millenniums.

[Tower]

(The Doctor is working on a wooden dog.)
DOCTOR: Barnable?
CLARA: Clara.
(A venerable Doctor with thin grey hair drops the toy and looks around in his chair.)

"How long have you been there?" Rose asked so quietly the Doctor almost didn't hear it. Everyone's hearts were slowly shattering to pieces and they weren't sure how they were going to actually deal with the regeneration itself.

The Doctor considered if she should answer for a moment, before making the mistake of meeting Rose's eyes, which were filled with a deep sadness that she couldn't help but sigh before deciding to answer. "900 years."

"900 y-." Rose couldn't even finish her sentence, hoarse. To think the Doctor had spent that long defending Trenzalore alone, that was how old her first Doctor had said he was and even then, she'd though him old.

CLARA: Hello, Doctor.
DOCTOR: Were you always so young?
CLARA: Nah, that was you.
DOCTOR: Ah.
(He kisses her hand.)

Several people felt tears welling in their eyes at the pair's soft interactions. Everyone, both the pair on screen, and those in the room knowing the Doctor's time was up.

[Town]

DALEK: Seek the Doctor.

[Tower]

CLARA: Merry Christmas.
DOCTOR: Merry Christmas.
(They try to pull the cracker, but his hand isn't strong enough.)

Amy managed to choke back a sob at seeing the Doctor unable to pull the cracker, she'd never seen the Doctor this weak and she was hating it.

CLARA: Hey, it's okay. It's all right, don't worry.
(She helps him make the cracker go bang.)
DOCTOR: Ah! Is there a joke? Ha?
(Clara reads the slip of paper.)
CLARA: Extract from Thoughts on a Clock by Eric Ritchie junior.

"Those crackers are so boring, the ones with the jokes are the best." The Doctor spoke in a last-ditch attempt to reassure the sombre room. It didn't work.

"Cracker jokes are your level of humour." River smiled sadly at her wife, reaching out to grab one of the Doctor's hands, more to reassure herself than the Doctor.

DOCTOR: Is it a knock knock one? Those are best.
CLARA: I don't think so.
DOCTOR: Well, read it. Go on.
CLARA: And now it's time for one last bow, like all your other selves. Eleven's hour is over now. The clock is striking twelve's.

"Fate." Jack declared, eyeing the Doctor with concern. He couldn't help but compare this Doctor to the forcibly aged one during the Year that Never Was, they were both feeble and in horrible positions but still the Doctor. The Doctor smiled back softly, a glint in her eye telling Jack she knew where his thoughts had gone. She understood the note now, she had back then in fact, she'd just been in denial and putting on a brave face for Clara.

DOCTOR: I don't get it.
DALEK [OC]: Doctor! The Doctor will be brought!
(A huge Dalek Mothership hovers over the village.)
DALEK [OC]: The Daleks demand the Doctor.

"Your time is up." Rory announced sadly, holding his wife closer to him. They'd both seen the Doctor die before but this? This was final, no trickery nothing, their Doctor was dying and burning to be replaced with the next. The same person but not at the same time.

(A young man runs in.)
YOUNG MAN: They're here. The Daleks, we can't stop them. They want you.
DOCTOR: Oh, all right, Barnable. Are you Barnable?
YOUNG MAN: No, Doctor.
DOCTOR: It's okay, Barnable, don't worry. I have got a plan. Off you pop.

The group all took shuddering breaths as they realised it had been about 600n years since Barnable died, yet the Doctor still remembered him. It only severed to show how feeble his state was in the video, it would almost be a mercy for him to regenerate, but there was still the issue of the Daleks.

(The young man leaves to the sounds of explosions outside.)
DOCTOR: I haven't got a plan, but people love it when I say that.
CLARA: Doctor, what are you going to do?
DOCTOR: Oh, I don't know. Talk very fast, hope something good happens, take the credit. That's generally how it works.
CLARA: Doctor
DOCTOR: Not this time, though. This is it.
CLARA: No!
DOCTOR: Yes. We saw the future, Clara. This is how it ends.
CLARA: Change it.
DOCTOR: Ha.
CLARA: Like Tasha said, change the future.
DOCTOR: I could have once, when there were Time Lords. Not any more.

"You've just given her an idea." River noticed the gleam in Clara's eyes, or maybe she was projecting her own thoughts onto the screen. She had an idea but Clara needed to have worked it out too, and hope it worked.

The group's hope was slowly rising even as they knew that no mater if the Doctor beat the Daleks, they were still going to regenerate. That was just how this story ended, a bittersweet ending.

[Town]

(The Daleks are by the Tardis.)
DALEK: Locate the Doctor.

[Tower]

DOCTOR: No. You're going to stay here. Promise me you will.
CLARA: Why?
DOCTOR: I'll be keeping you safe. One last victory. Allow me that. Give me that, my impossible girl. Thank you. And goodbye.

A few people had to hold back sobs at that declaration, unable to stop themselves from thinking about times they were in similar positions with their Doctor, and mentally pleading with Clara to think of a plan as the Doctor wasn't going to apparently.

(He wipes away her tears and totters off up the stairs.)
DOCTOR: The trouble with Daleks is, they take so long to say anything. Probably die of boredom before they shoot me.
DALEK [OC]: The Doctor is required!

There were a few weak chuckles at the Doctor's last attempts for humour but they were all tense to really appreciate it, already grieving the Doctor on screen.

(Clara goes to the crack in the wall.)
CLARA: Listen to me, you lot. Listen! Help him. Help him change the future. Do it. Do something.
DALEK [OC]: Doctor!
CLARA: You've been asking a question, and it's time someone told you you've been getting it wrong. His name, his name is the Doctor. All the name he needs. Everything you need to know about him. And if you love him, and you should, help him. Help him.
(Clara finally turns away, then the crack snaps shut. She runs outside to join the villagers and the Daleks, who are looking up at the Doctor in the bell chamber.)

"The Time Lords don't love anyone but themselves." The Master spoke up, uncharacteristically quiet as he watched the screen. He'd seen the Doctor die several times, ben the cause (indirectly) a few times too but it was like rubbing salt on the wound to see the Doctor die protecting Gallifrey (again indirectly). "But they need the Doctor still." And that wasn't bitter at all. The Time Lords wouldn't risk losing their Timeless Child if they couldn't help it, wouldn't miss the opportunity to make the Doctor feel indebted to them if they could. Rassilon would never miss this opportunity. To think, if Gallifrey hadn't interfered or the Doctor hadn't been the Timeless Child he would have never seen the Doctor again after his brilliant 'Master Race' plan.

"I hate Gallifrey." Clara started, uncomfortable with her words on screen. She understood the Doctor's relationship with Gallifrey so much better now, and they didn't deserve the Doctor's love or protection but they certainly owed the Doctor everything. "But they were the only ones that could help."

The Doctor offered a grateful smile at Clara, she'd missed this the first time around, although Clara had told her vaguely about it later. She was grateful with Clara but conflicted with Gallifrey. She knew it was likely another manipulation from Rassilon but would she have been able to regenerate otherwise? She probably wouldn't have even tired, thinking she couldn't, and that would have gotten the town and Clara destroyed, so as furious and terrified and sick and conflicted as she felt towards Gallifrey she could help but also be thankful, thankful they'd inadvertently saved Clara and the day. She just hated how Rassilon took credit for 'gifting' her regenerations he'd maybe helped steal from her in the first place.

[Bell chamber]

DOCTOR: Sorry I'm a bit slow. I may not be at my best right now.
DALEK [OC]: You are dying, Doctor.
DOCTOR: Yes, I'm dying. You've been trying to kill me for centuries, and here I am, dying of old age. If you want something done, do it yourself.

"They can't beat you, even now." Jack smiled sadly, his mind drifting to the Game Station when they'd been outnumbered by Daleks with no way to win, where the Doctor had also regenerated.

DALEK [OC]: You will die, and the Time Lords will never return.

"Wrong and wrong." The Doctor mumbled. The Time Lords had returned just not to that place and time, and not for long thanks to the Master who was raging away silently in his corner. She couldn't actually read his thoughts because he'd pulled his shields so tight but she could feel the whirlwind of emotions and rage swirling around in his head even from across the room.

DOCTOR: You still can't work up the courage to shoot me, can you? You're still worried I've got something up my sleeve. Well, you knock yourselves out, boys. I've got nothing this time.

"You do, you just don't know it." Clara smiled sadly, knowing it wouldn't be long now.

The Doctor smiled back, "Thanks to you."

(Flying Daleks fire at the troops on the ground, making the townsfolk scream. Then the crack opens in the sky and golden regeneration energy enters the Doctor's mouth. His eyes widen in surprise and his hands begin to glow.)

The group felt hope blossom in their chests, things were finally looking better for the Doctor. Even if he was going to regenerate, and he was, he would take down the Daleks with him and save Trenzalore from destruction like he had spent 900 years trying to do.

DALEK [OC]: You will die now, Doctor. This is the end of you.
(The crack disappears.)

Amy let out a slow breath as the crack disappeared, the last crack in the fabric of the universe and it was finally gone. It was reassuring to see.

DALEK [OC]: The rules of regeneration are known. You have expended all your lives.
DOCTOR: Sorry, what did you say? Did you mention the rules? Now, listen. Bit of advice. Tell me the truth if you think you know it. Lay down the law if you're feeling brave. But, Daleks, never, ever tell me the rules!
DALEK [OC]: Emergency! Emergency! The Doctor is regenerating!

"The panic in their beady eye stalks." Mickey grinned, it was always good to see the Daleks on the retreat and panicking as the Doctor destroyed all their plans.

(The Tower clock strikes twelve. The Doctor is feeling more youthful already, although he doesn't look it.)
DALEK [OC]: The Doctor is regenerating!
DOCTOR: Oh, look at this. Regeneration number thirteen. We're breaking some serious science here, boys. I tell you what, it's going to be a whopper!

"And it was." Clara grinned at the Doctor; she would always miss her first Doctor but she had also loved Eyebrows who she had spent longer with. Bill was also grinning, excited to see her Doctor appear on screen for the first time (chronologically) even as she grieved the Doctor on screen that she hadn't met.

DALEK [OC]: Exterminate! Exterminate the Doctor.
DOCTOR: You think you can stop me now, Daleks? If you want my life, ha, ha, come and get it!
(The Doctor winds up his arm and fires a big stream of energy out from his hand.)

[Town]

CLARA: Get inside! Come on, quickly. Get inside, quick.

The Doctor nodded to Clara thankful she'd taken the initiative to protect the citizens while they had dealt with the Daleks. Clara nodded back, lips twitching towards a small smile.

(The Doctor fires of more energy from the other hand as Clara gets the survivors into the Tower. The burning remains of flying Daleks tumble to the ground.)

[Bell chamber]

DOCTOR: Love from Gallifrey, boys!
(Then a final blast from his head up to the Dalek Mothership. Mega KaBOOM! and the shockwave rips open the remaining Daleks on the ground. It even rocks the Tardis as it travels out of the town and through the countryside. Then silence falls.)

"That is scarily destructive." Martha muttered as they watched the Doctor obliterate and army of Daleks and then the mothership with his regeneration energy. It was times like this she was very grateful the Doctor was on their side.

[Town]

(Later, Clara leads the people out to survey the wreckage.)
CLARA: Doctor?
(She sees the Tardis' external emergency telephone hanging off its hook and replaces it, then goes inside.)

The group looked a bit confused, both by the drastic change of tone again, and by the phone, but they largely waved the phone off as unimportant, figuring it had been knocked out of place by the shockwave. Clara, however, was all too aware of the importance of that phone hanging like that, bringing her hands up to her face to hold back a sob. She'd really needed that phone call, without it she would have likely left the Doctor and that would have been one of the biggest regrets in her life.

[Tardis]

(The Doctor's village clothes are scattered on the floor, and a nearly empty bowl of fish fingers and custard is on the console. There are footsteps on the stairs. Her bow-tied young Doctor smiles at her.)

"Oh, Doctor." Amy whispered, tears shining in the corner of her eyes as she squeezed Rory's hand tightly upon the sight of the fish fingers and custard and the younger Doctor wearing a bow tie.

CLARA: Doctor!
DOCTOR: Hello.
CLARA: You're young again. You're okay. You didn't even change your face.
DOCTOR: Ha! It's started. I can't stop it now. This is just the reset. A whole new regeneration cycle. Ooo.

Any hope the group had felt upon seeing the younger Doctor was swiftly dashed, everyone tense with anticipation for the actual regeneration even as their hearts broke and they mourned for the Doctor on screen. It didn't matter if they'd known that face personally or not, it was still the Doctor, and they were still dying, at least this time there was someone with him as opposed to Eyebrows regeneration into the Doctor in the room with them.

(He finishes his custard.)
DOCTOR: Taking a bit longer. Just breaking it in. Oh. Oh. Gah.
(He starts the Tardis' engines.)
DOCTOR: It all just disappears, doesn't it? Everything you are, gone in a moment, like breath on a mirror. Any moment now, he's a-coming.
CLARA: Who's coming?
DOCTOR: The Doctor.
CLARA: But you, you are the Doctor.
DOCTOR: Yep, and I always will be.

Rose couldn't help but feel sympathetic for Clara, understanding too well what it was like to have to watch your Doctor change into someone new and have to relearn them, it was a hard thing to do. They seemed so similar at times and a completely different person at others.

The group was now all silent watching the Doctor's last few minutes unfold, weak smiles on some faces as the Doctor remained brave just for Clara, others ad just given in and tears were pouring down their faces.

(His hands are glowing.)
DOCTOR: But times change, and so must I.
(The Doctor sees a young Amy Pond run up the stairs, laughing.)

That was the last straw for Amy who let out a sob upon seeing the Doctor hallucinating little Amelia. Her heart shattering as she realised, even in his final moments the Doctor had been thinking about her. Glancing at Rory she could see his eyes shining with unshed tears, they were holding each other close. With River's regeneration they hadn't had time to properly mourn but here they had too much time, and this death was final.

DOCTOR: Amelia?
CLARA: Who's Amelia?

Clara smiled through her tears, glancing to Amy despite the blurry vision. She hadn't been able to see the Doctor's hallucinations the first-time round (obviously) but they made more sense now, and she couldn't help compare it to how 'she'd' appeared to give back the Eyebrow's memories before he had regenerated.

DOCTOR: The first face this face saw. We all change, when you think about it. We're all different people all through our lives. And that's okay, that's good, you've got to keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be. I will not forget one line of this. Not one day. I swear. I will always remember when the Doctor was me.

Most people had given up on maintain their composure at this point, giving in to the tears as they listened to the Doctor's heart felt speech. The Doctor herself, was one of the few with dry eyes, she was leaning forward to listen to her old self's last speech. It seemed she often found wisdom in the face of death, and his words were a good reminder for herself now.

(Then he sees a vision of a red-haired woman with black painted fingernails walk down the stairs to him.)
AMY: Raggedy man. Good night.

Through her sobs and tears, Amy managed to send a small smile in the Doctor's direction. "It was a good story, wasn't it?"

"Oh, one of the very best, Amelia Pond." The Doctor smiled back softly.

(They touch each others cheeks, and she disappears. The Doctor removes his bow tie and drops it on the floor. His face is in pain.)

River clutched the Doctor's hand tighter upon seeing him drop the bowtie he had been so very obsessed with back then. Her own eyes were shining with tears but none had fallen yet, her hearts aching as she watched him regenerate, it all feeling so different to the other times she'd watched him 'die'.

CLARA: No, no.
DOCTOR: Hey
CLARA: Please don't change.

"I had too." The Doctor offered softly to Clara; aware she'd never got to say anything back then.

"I know. I know." Clara mumbled through tears. "I know." That didn't mean it didn't hurt.

(The Doctor jerks backwards as Matt Smith and then forwards as Peter Capaldi. Tall, grey haired, piercing blue eyes and a Scottish burr. The new Doctor and Clara stare into each others eyes, then he jerks back and forward again.)

And with that it was over, the new Doctor, the familiar Eyebrows, appearing on screen for the first time (chronologically). Some people tried to clean up their tears and stop their sobs, others just letting out the emotions that had been building up in them for several videos now.

DOCTOR: Kidneys! I've got new kidneys. I don't like the colour.
CLARA: Of your kidneys?
(The Tardis starts lurching from side to side.)
CLARA: What's happening?
DOCTOR: We're probably crashing. Oh!
CLARA: Into what?
DOCTOR: Stay calm. Just one question. Do you happen to know how to fly this thing?

A few people gave weak chuckles at the Doctor's erratic behaviour, unable to stop comparing it to the other regeneration they'd seen on screen near the start of their time in the room. The Doctor looked around the room as the screen turned blank to signal the end of the video.

"I really need to stop flying the Tardis when I regenerate. That's three times and I've crashed each time." She muttered to herself, purposely loud in an attempt to distract people from the events of the video. It was also a serious thought, but knowing her she probably wasn't going to stop doing it.

Her comment earned some feeble smiles, emotions still running high. The Doctor sighed, deciding for once she was the most emotionally stable person in the room (which never happened. The Master was quiet in his corner, not looking at her, but he never counted). "How about we take a five-minute break just to calm down and then we'll carry on." As the group nodded in various states of mental distress, she silently pleaded with the Tardis to make the next video a nice, calm one.