The Doctor was unsure how he had managed to survive the Cyberman attack, but he had done it, somehow, waking up on the TARDIS floor before the console, the regeneration trying to take over, but still he refused. Not yet. Maybe later.
He had been surprised to see Raven slumped in her chair, almost asleep, but unconscious, too many bombs setting off random, she hadn't know where he and Nardole had placed them all.
She had regenerated, he wasn't sure if it had been from a Cyberman attacking or if she had set of one of Nardoles bombs hidden in the grass.
She looked peaceful, like she was sleeping, she was taller now. He knew she would love that, her skin had a bit more of a natural sun kiss look with short golden brown hair, the ends jsut brushing past her shoulders.
He was surprised to see her at all, she had gone with the Master and Missy back to his TARDIS to escape, to survive and yet, still, somehow had managed to get back up to the TARDIS.
Perhaps, like him, a guardian angel had saved them.
Still, he refused to regenerate, he was struggling to do it again, so many times he had done it now. He was tired. So, so tired.
Even slamming his hands in the snow outside, wherever he had landed. The south pole, he found out as he heard and saw a familiar face. His first face, his first body, together with him at the same time, in the same place. Both so close to the end.
"I'm the Doctor." he stood before his first self, the youngest him of all, though looking like the oldest.
"Oh, I don't think so." the first Doctor shook his head, "No. Dear me, no. You may be a Doctor, but I am the Doctor. The original, you might say."
"You. How can it be you?"
The first Doctor eyed him, "Do I know you, sir?"
"This is the South Pole. We're at the South Pole."
"Of course we are." the first Doctor scoffed at the madman before him, "Don't you know that?"
"This is where it happened."
"Where what happened?"
"This is it. The very first time that I, well, you, we regenerated. You're mid-regeneration, aren't you? Your face, it's all over the place, but you're trying to hold it back."
"What do you know of regeneration?" the first Doctor demanded, watching him, trying to figure out who he was, to sense his mind like Time Lords could do, "Are you a Time Lord?"
"You know who I am." the Doctor said, "You must."
"Hmm." the first Doctor couldn't place him, "Have you come to take the ship back?"
"The ship." the Doctor chuckled at that, "You still call it a ship."
"Oh dear," the first Doctor noticed the TARDIS behind the Doctor. His TARDIS, well, the older version of his own, "what have you done to it?"
"Nothing." he defended.
The first Doctor looked around the old box, noticing the changes from over the years, "The windows."
"I don't remember this." the Doctor murmured. He knew he had held regeneration off the first time, but not that long really. He couldn't remember meeting his future self when he had been him.
"They're the wrong size. The colour..."
"I don't remember trying not to change..."
"I'm sure it's changed." the first Doctor wasn't listening to the Doctors mumbling.
"Not back then."
"Look at it. It seems to have expanded."
"Well, it's all those years of bigger on the inside," the Doctor countered, finally responding to his first self, "You try sucking your tummy in that long. Why are you trying not to regenerate?"
"I have the courage and the right to live and die as myself." the first Doctor answered.
"Too late, it's started. A few minutes ago, you were weak as a kitten, right? Now you're fine. We're in a state of grace, both of us, but it won't last long. We have a choice. Either we change and go on, or we die as we are. But if you, if you die here, if your future never happens, if you don't do the things that you are supposed to do, the consequences could be..." he trailed off, watching the snow fall, or should be falling, instead the snowflakes seemed to be frozen in mid-air before them. "The snow."
"The snow?" the first Doctor gave him an odd look. There was nothing unusual about Earth snow. Very similar to the snow back on Gallifrey, coating the mountains around the Capitol.
"Look at it!"
The first Doctor did, squinting at the snowflakes frozen in the air around them, "How extraordinary."
The Doctor flicked a snowflake, it moved a moment to reappear back to where it was. Frozen in time.
"Everything's stopped. But why? Maybe it's us, maybe it's something else, but somehow, something has gone very wrong with Time."
"Hello?"
They both looked over at the voice, another figure slowly approaching through the snow, dressed in the uniform of the British army, a pistol in his hand, "Sorry. So sorry. I don't suppose either of you is a doctor?" he asked them.
The Doctor looked at his younger self, then back to the man before them, "You trying to be funny?"
A bright light appeared behind the man, he gasped, turning and staring at it in fear. They could just make out a figure in the light, "She's coming. She's coming. It's her."
"Not human, I think." the first Doctor frowned at it, "State your planet of origin and your intentions. This is Earth, a level five civilisation."
"And it is protected." the Doctor added.
"It's what?" the first Doctor turned to him at that.
The figure and light surrounding it merely disappeared, leaving them alone in the dark and cold again.
"Oh. Okay." the Doctor blinked, "That doesn't usually work."
"Protected by whom?" the first Doctor inquired. As far as he was aware, it wasn't protected by anyone, certainly not the Shadow Proclamation.
"Oh, it is early days, isn't it?" the Doctor groaned.
"May I suggest, for your own safety, you step on board my ship?" the first Doctor suggested, gesturing to the TARDIS, which only confused the confused soldier even more.
"What ship?" he shook his head. There was only the three of them in the snow, the random light that disappeared as easily as it had appeared and a random blue police box he recognised from back home.
"He means, get inside the box." the Doctor simplified.
"A little snug from this angle..." the first Doctor began, unlocking the doors with his own key. "But you might be in for a sur..." he gasped in horror at the new interior he didn't recognise, "My TARDIS. Look at my TARDIS!"
The soldier stared in shook, not expecting to see the small box was bigger on the inside, "This is impossible!" he breathed.
"Have I been burgled?" the first Doctor wondered.
"It's... but it's..."
"It's hideous!"
"Bigger on the inside than it is on the outside."
"You know, I thought it probably was." the Doctor commented, shutting the doors behind him, "I'm glad it's not just me."
"What is this place?" the soldier breathed.
"This place is..." the first Doctor began, disgusted with the new interior design, it looked far too homely than a time travelling ship, "or ought to be, my TARDIS."
The Doctor made his way to the console, showing him the first Doctors TARDIS in the snow on the scanner as proof, "technically, that is your TARDIS. It's about 70, feet that way, see? Always remember where you parked. It's going to come up a lot."
"Is this madness?" the soldier shook his head, "Am I going mad?"
"Madness?" the Doctor rolled his eyes, "Well, you're an officer from World War One at the South Pole, being pursued by an alien through frozen time. Madness was never this good."
"World War One?" the soldier repeated slowly. Why say a number in the war, unless...
"Judging by the uniform, yes."
"Yes, but what do you mean, one?"
"Oh, sorry." the Doctor winced, "Spoilers."
"I hate that word."
All three men turned at the female voice, standing by the stairs leading further into the TARDIS, stood Raven, awake and changed.
"I was gone for barely ten minutes." the Doctor muttered, "and you went to get changed?" he frowned at her.
Gone was her jean's and fur coat instead she was now in red tartan pants, tucked, into fashionable knee high black boots, a small black top, with a matching red tartan blazer over that, buttoned up slightly to the left. Her hair left loose with a golden headband over it.
"Of course," she scoffed, "you couldn't expect me to stay in those burnt and tattered clothes, could you?"
"Suppose not."
"Besides, one should always check her appearance, Doctor. Make sure ones suitable."
"You're alright though?" he eyed her. Funny, there was a small brooch on the lapel of her blazer, the wrong way round, hidden on the inside, like she was trying to hide it. He was sure he had seen that somewhere before.
"I think so," she nodded, "brains a little fuzzy." she tapped her head, "I'm assuming that's normal?"
"Enough of this!" the first Doctor cut in, rounding on his future self, "Who are you?"
"Er, you know who I am." the Doctor countered, ignoring Ravens raised eyebrows as she knew exactly who he was, but not knowing the young soldier with them. She would have questions, which she would eventually find out, when they did themselves, "You knew the moment you saw me. I'd say stop being an idiot, but I kind of know what's coming."
"I assure you, I do not have the faintest idea who you are." the first Doctor said, removing his hat and cloak, handing it to the Doctor to hold.
"Well, I know who you are."
"Is anyone going to explain what's going on?" the soldier shook his head, growing even more confused by the moment.
The Doctor held up his hand to his first self, the regeneration glowing over his hand, "snap."
"You really should stop holding it off, Doctor." Raven told him.
The Doctor ignored her as his first self, realised exactly who he was, "You are me? No. No."
"Yes. Yes, I'm very much afraid so."
"Do I become you?"
"Well, there's a few false starts, but you get there in the end."
Raven snorted, "Like you're the best one."
He rolled his eyes, "shut up."
"But I thought..." the first Doctor shook his head. "Well, I assumed I'd get er, younger."
"I am younger!" the Doctor cried.
"Except…you're not." Raven argued lightly, rubbing the side of her head. This was not something she wanted to wake up to. First having to spend 2 weeks with two different regenerations of the Master and now two Doctors. Her luck couldn't get any worse.
"You know, I really don't think I'm completely following." the soldier admitted, his head shaking, "oh. Oh dear..."
"Oh, you're in shock." the first Doctor moved to help him, "Let me help you."
"Not that one." Raven called, gesturing to her armchair on the upper gallery. The first Doctor looked at her, "please." she added.
The first Doctor gave her an odd look, but helped the soldier sit at one of the chairs around the end of the console, leaving the armchair, "Er, brandy. Get him brandy. Do you have any? I had some somewhere."
"I know where." Raven offered, moving to one of the roundels where she had last taken some brandy herself.
"Sit down here, my boy. Collect your wits."
Raven poured a small glass of brandy for the soldier, pouring a second for herself, "here." she handed one to him.
"Who are you people?" the soldier looked between them.
"I am the Doctor," the first Doctor told him, "and this is my..."
"It's complicated." the Doctor offered, "Actually, I am also..."
"My nurse." the first Doctor supplied as Raven snorted into her glass.
"Brilliant!" she smirked.
"Excuse me?" the Doctor frowned, insulted.
"I realise that seems a little improbable." the first Doctor continued as though they hadn't spoken.
"Well, yes."
"Because he's a man."
"What?"
"Older gentlemen, like women, can be put to use."
"Excuse me?" Raven raised her eyebrows at that little comment. She leaned towards her Doctor, "most of your companions are women, did they let you insult their gender like that?"
The Doctor just sighed, rubbing his head. This would be a long day. "You can't, you, you, you can't say things like that." he remarked.
"Can't I?" the first Doctor looked at them, "Says who?"
"Says me." Raven glared at him.
"Oh? And just who might you be, my dear?" the first Doctor asked her.
"Don't," the Doctor warned quietly. He wasn't sure himself who he was warning.
Raven held her hand up to him, "I'm the Raven." she told him, "I'm the girl who not only makes sarcastic comments but I'm the one who calls you out on your shit."
"Language." the Doctor sighed.
"The Raven?" the first Doctor repeated softly, placing the name. "Not..."
"Yes." she agreed, smirking.
"Oh," his eyes widened, "oh my, haven't you grown up."
She continued smirking, gesturing to the brandy the soldier held in his hand, untouched, hardly acknowledging it. "Drink up." she raised her glass to him and drank herself, the man hesitantly doing the same, his hand slightly shaking from his shock.
"Have you been drinking this?" the first Doctor asked her, seeing how low the brandy was in the bottle.
"Yes."
"I er, I don't understand any of this." the first Doctor admitted.
"Well of course you understand." the Doctor countered, "I am your future self."
"Are you indeed. And I suppose this is meant to be my TARDIS?"
"Our TARDIS." He corrected.
"What's wrong with the lights?"
"It's supposed to be like this."
"Why?"
""It...it's atmospheric."
"Atmospheric? This is the flight deck of the most powerful space-time machine in the known universe, not a restaurant for the French. Good Lord, what is that?"
"Please be a holographic tiger to chase you out." Raven quietly pleaded.
"Shut up." the Doctor nudged her, getting a nudge back.
"What is this doing here?" the first Doctor questioned, holding up the old electric guitar that had been left on the steps leading to the lower deck.
"Oh, is that yours?" the Doctor asked Raven, "Someone must have left it here." he covered.
"I say, it's some sort of guitar, isn't it?" the soldier frowned at it.
"Oh, is it yours?"
"No.''
"It appears to have been played quite recently." the first Doctor noted, running a finger over it, there wasn't much dust. "It's the only thing here that's been cleaned. Yes, in fact this whole place could do with a good dusting. Obviously Polly isn't around anymore."
Raven folded her arms over her chest, staring him down, "say that again." she dared.
"Please stop saying things like that." the Doctor pleaded, cringing at his younger self.
"I said," Raven stepped before the first Doctor. This regenerations height made her around the same height as him. She was definitely taller than she had been. She liked that. "Say. It. Again."
"Raven." the Doctor warned. "That's enough."
She turned to him, "or what?"
"What's wrong with you?" he murmured.
She blinked, stepping down, not expecting that, "nothing." she murmured, "I'm just..." she trailed. Maybe she shouldn't have gone to find a change of clothes, she should have gone back to sleep, wait until her regeneration was complete, but then again, with the men all here, they would have woken her up anyway.
The room suddenly shook, making them stumble, grabbing onto whatever was close.
"What was that?" Raven gasped.
The Doctor moved to the doors, opening them, knowing that whatever was wrong with Raven, and something was clearly bothering her, she would eventually blurt it out to him when ready, but right now the TARDIS was being hoisted up by chained, towards the sky were a large diamond shaped ship hovering about them.
"Try the engines!" he called over to Raven.
She did so, shaking her head as nothing worked, the TARDIS shut down, out of their control. "There's some kind of signal blocking the command path."
A female voice spoke outside the TARDIS from the ship they were now trapped in, "Exit your capsule. The Chamber of the Dead awaits you."
"Chamber of the Dead," Raven repeated, "sounds like a good place to have a picnic."
"Raven and I'll fix the engines while you keep her talking." the Doctor said, "shields up."
The first Doctor watched as the Doctor moved to Ravens side at the console, noticing them working together with ease. He knew the Raven, of course he did, the daughter of his childhood best friend. He had seen her grow up, seen how clever she was, such a daddy's little girl. And yet here she was, for some reason that he couldn't work out, she was with him in his future, in his TARDIS.
Raven switched the monitor on, the only thing that was still working, keeping an eye on the first Doctor as he stepped out of the TARDIS onto the ship outside, standing before a golden staircase in a large room, archways all along the walls above him, lighting up in a seemingly random pattern.
"Raven…" the Doctor began quietly.
"I'm fine." She instantly waved off his concern. Her tone of voice keeping him for digging any further.
"Look around you." the voice spoke outside the TARDIS, "You stand in the Chamber of the Dead. You are known to all here, for you are the Doctor of War."
"The Doctor, yes." the Doctor looked up at that, as the first Doctor answered the voice outside, "But the Doctor of War? Never, ma'am, never."
"We offer you a gift. Return to us the human on your TARDIS and in exchange, you may speak with her again."
"Speak with whom?"
Raven didn't hesitate to move outside seeing Bill Potts stepping into view. That wasn't possible, Bill Potts was dead. Bill had been a Cyberman, her dad had upgraded her.
"Raven?" the Doctor watched her go, catching sight of the monitor.
"Bill." Raven breathed, staring at her from the open doorway.
"Raven!" Bill grinned, hurrying before her, "I knew it! It is you, isn't it? Is the Doctor here?"
Raven silently nodded, stepping aside as the Doctor followed her out. Unsure what to make of seeing Bill here. Bill who was a Cyberman, and there was no going back from that.
"Doctor!" she laughed, hugging him tightly, not noticing him not hugging back as tightly as he should have done, "I knew it! I did, I knew it. I knew you couldn't be dead, you don't have the concentration. Doctor?" she frowned as he scanned her with his sonic screwdriver, "What are you doing?"
"Just keep still, please." he muttered, "Bill Potts."
"Yeah."
"Bill Potts was turned into a Cyberman."
"My own father turned her into a Cyberman." Raven added bitterly.
"She gave her life so that people she barely knew could live. So, let's be clear. Nobody imitates Bill Potts. Nobody mocks Bill Potts."
"Bill Potts is standing right in front of you." she insisted.
"It's not possible." Raven scoffed. Nothing could reverse a Cyber upgrade.
"Well, long story short. I totally pulled." she shrugged, smug.
"You, you did what?" the Doctor blinked, he glanced at Raven who could only shrug. Neither having any idea what that meant.
"Heather." Bill continued, "Do you remember, the girl in the puddle? Well, she showed up. She came for me."
"How romantic." Raven drawled.
"So where is she?" the Doctor wondered.
"Well, she's..." Bill looked back at the archway she came from, as though Heather would step out behind her. She did not. "She's..."
"And how did you get here?"
"I don't..." she shook her head, "I can't..."
"You can't remember." the Doctor nodded, "No, I bet you can't."
"That device." the first Doctor eyed the sonic screwdriver, "What is it?"
"It's a sonic screwdriver." the Doctor answered. He had forgotten there had been a time during the early days since he left Gallifrey when he didn't have his sonic. God, he couldn't remember how he survived without it. He relied on it too much sometimes.
"A what screwdriver?" he repeated.
"So, is she a duplicate?" Raven inquired, gesturing to Bill as the human stood before them, while she leaned against the corner of the TARDIS, arms folded over her chest.
"An audio screwdriver?" the first Doctor mused.
Raven casted her eyes to the first Doctor, "It's a sonic screwdriver, it's not a big deal."
"There are only three low-key markers indicating that she's a duplicate." the Doctor remarked, checking the results on the sonic.
"I'm not a duplicate!" Bill yelled at them.
"So, who has been stealing the faces of the dead?" he wondered, wandering up the stairs to the room at the top.
"Time travel technology, eh?" the first Doctor followed, "obviously."
"From the far future."
"I know." he nodded, frowning as the Doctor place the sonic glasses on his face, "sunglasses?"
"They're sonic." he said.
"Indoors?"
"Oh, this just makes me miss my sonic." Raven sighed.
"What happened to yours?" the Doctor frowned at her.
"It was in my ear when I regenerated." she rolled her eyes, "you couldn't expect that to survive."
She had felt it when she had woken up in her chair, quickly removed it, half expecting to be deaf from it, but both her ears seemed to be listening and hearing normally.
"No, suppose not." he agreed, making a mental note to change that as soon as he could.
There was a flash of bright light like before and the figure stood before them again, she was cleared this time, looking like a woman made out of glass, not just a body they could hardly see.
"So, what are you?" the Doctor demanded, his sonic sunglasses scanning her.
"We are what awaits at the end of every life." the woman stated, "As every living soul dies, so we will appear. We take from you what we need and return you to the moment of your death. We are Testimony." as she spoke all of the archways along the room lit up.
"You come from the distant future. You travel back in time, find people at the exact point of death, and what, you harvest something from them?"
"Yes."
"On behalf of the dying, what is it that we have that the future needs so badly?"
"And what has any of this to do with a War World One Captain landing at the South Pole in the wrong decade?" the first Doctor added.
"And why do you look like that?" Raven finished.
"We were returning him to the appointed time and place of his death." the woman told them, "An error in the timeline ejected him into the wrong time zone. Now his death must proceed as history demands."
"If I may..." the first Doctor began, looking at her through his monocle for a closer look, "Who were you?"
"She wasn't anyone." the Doctor mused, looking at the results from his sonic.
"Interface?"
"A computer-generated interface," the Doctor explained, "connected to a multiform, inter-phasing databank.
"Oh, for heaven's sake!" the first Doctor huffed, "will you put that ridiculous buzzing toy away and look at the woman!"
Raven snorted.
"You see?" he gestured to her, "Her face, it's very slightly asymmetrical. If it were computer generated, it wouldn't produce that effect."
"Yes." the Doctor muttered, actually looking at the woman through his own eyes, not through the sonic,
"You're absolutely right. I should have noticed that."
"Well, it might help if you could see properly." the first Doctor argued, removing the sonic glasses from the Doctors hand and dropping them to the ground.
"Er, excuse me!" the soldier called, stepping out of the TARDIS, having heard their conversation from the monitor the Doctor had left on, "Doctor?"
"Get back inside." the Doctor ushered him away.
"I'm not quite sure, but it seemed to me that this young lady's life was being offered in exchange for my own. As it happens, I think my number is pretty much up anyway."
"What are you talking about?" Bill shook her head at him, standing before the bottom of the stairs as she called up, "Doctor, what's he talking about? Raven?"
"So, might as well make it count for something, eh?" the soldier managed a smile, "I should be happy to take your place, if that would resolve this situation."
"Accepted." the glass woman stated.
"Not accepted." Raven countered.
"That is...that is not happening." Bill argued, "That's totally not happening. Agreed?"
"Tell me what to do, then." the Doctor looked down at her, "Bill Potts would tell me what to do."
"Do what you always do." she grinned at him, "serve at the pleasure of the human race."
"So, escape plan?" Raven turned to the Doctor, his mind made up. Whether it was the real Bill Potts or not, he was going to keep the solider away from his death for as long as possible.
"Here's what's going to happen." he explained, "First, I'm going to escape. You two with me." He gestured for Raven and his previous self to follow him back down the stairs, joining Bill and the soldier before the TARDIS.
"Where are we going?" the first Doctor inquired.
"Escape is not possible." the glass woman said.
"I thought that a few hours ago," Raven shrugged, "somehow managed it."
"Any idea how?" the Doctor asked her quietly.
"None." she sighed, her gaze lingering on Bill a moment longer than necessary.
If that was the real Bill and as she said Heather came for her it was entirely possible she had gotten them both back in the safety of the TARDIS as the Cybermen blew up.
"Because escape is possible," the Doctor continued, "and it is happening, and we're taking Bill and the Captain with us."
"Why are you advertising your intentions?" the first Doctor shook his head, "Can't you stop boasting for a moment?"
"No he can't." Raven sighed.
"Can't what?"
"Stop boasting. If he does, he will die."
The Doctor rolled his eyes at her, "shut up. We're taking Mr Pastry, too. I could do with a laugh."
"Escape is not possible." the woman repeated.
"Watch us." Raven said quietly.
"I'm going to do way more than escape. I'm going to find out who you are and what you're doing, and if I don't like it, I will come back and I will stop you. I will stop all of you!"
"Who the hell do you think you are?" the first Doctor demanded.
"The Doctor."
"I am the Doctor. Who you are, I cannot begin to imagine."
"Then let us show you, Doctor." the glass woman responded, "See who you will become."
Images appeared before them in balls of golden lights, flying around them, showing the worst of the Doctors past, and dealing with his worst enemies.
"Ooh!" Even Raven cringed at the images, knowing just how bad it was to show them to the Doctor, yet alone show the first Doctor a glimpse of the man he would one day become.
"No, no," the Doctor moaned, "that's not a good idea."
"The Doctor has walked in blood through all of time and space." the glass woman continued, "The Doctor has many names."
"The Destroyer of Worlds!" Davros cried as the golden ball with his image flew past, the crucible destroyed around him.
"The Imp of the Pandorica. The Shadow of the Valeyard. The Beast of Trenzalore. The Butcher of Skull Moon. The Last Tree of Garsennon. The Destroyer of Skaro. He is the Doctor of War." at her last words, the images faded.
"What...what was that?" the first Doctor breathed.
"To be fair, they cut out all the jokes." the Doctor muttered.
"Where's the good bits?" Raven agreed, "You know the comedy gold parts. The banter." she nudged the Doctors side, "our banter was brilliant, wasn't it great?"
"It was pretty great." he gave a low laugh, recalling their banter. How easily Raven started it, how long they could go on for.
"Why'd we stop?"
"You regenerated." he said simply.
"Right..."
The Doctor shook his head, they were getting distracted. "Right, do what I do when I do it." he flashed his sonic screwdriver at the hatch on the ground under the TARDIS, opening it to reveal the snowy landscape below. Sonicking the chains around the TARDIS as it descend back down to the Earth.
"Jump!" the Doctor yelled.
They all did as told, grabbing onto the four chains around the TARDIS, Raven grabbing the chain with the Doctor.
"You alright?" the Doctor asked her. He was almost surprised that he didn't have to yell at her again to make her jump with them. She had willing jumped when he said.
"Fine." She panted, tightening her grip as they slid down the chain, their feet landing on top of the TARDIS as they descended closer to the snow.
The glass woman back in the ship, stopped the chains, keeping them stuck in the air, above the snow.
"Jump!" the Doctor shouted again.
Once again the group jumped off from the TARDIS, landing in the snow below.
"That..." Raven sighed, still laying on her back in the snow, watching the TARDIS get pulled back into the ship, "is annoying."
"What?" Bill looked at her, "jumping?"
"No, them taking the TARDIS like that." for a ship was powerful as the TARDIS was, despite looking like a wooden phone box, she honestly didn't even think that a simple chain and wrench would be able to take the TARDIS.
"So what do we do now?" Bill asked.
"Run!" the Doctor shouted, the small group hurrying off after him.
"Where? They've got the TARDIS."
"Yes, that's exactly what they're supposed to think."
"But they do though." Bill gestured upwards, where the TARDIS was back in the ship, the floor hatch closing, "Look."
"They've got that TARDIS." Raven smirked.
"What, you've got Missys TARDIS?" she gasped. All that time with the woman in the vault, she had overheard them trying to find where it was, whether to get rid of it or move it to a safe place, she didn't know. As far as she heard, Missy kept it a secret.
Her smirk faltered slightly, "Not quite."
The Doctor, noticing the shift in Ravens expression, patted his first self shoulders, "over to you Mary Berry."
"Come on." the first Doctor headed off with them following, over to his TARDIS a few feet away, unseen by the ship.
"Everything alright?" the Doctor asked Raven quietly as they lagged behind.
She let out a shaking breath, "no," she admitted, sighing heavily, "Missy's dead Doctor. Dad…he...he shot her, after she stabbed him. Ensured she couldn't regenerate."
"I'm sorry," he offered.
"Me too."
"You didn't go with him. To his TARDIS."
"No."
"Why?"
"Like I said, he shot mum. I didn't want to be alone with him."
"Thank you." he murmured.
He knew the exact reason why she didn't go down the lifts with the Master. She may not say it, but he knew. And she likely knew he knew.
"Guess it was about time." She murmured, confirming his thoughts that she had actually come back to stand by his side and help him.
"Doctor," Bill looked back at them as the first Doctors TARDIS stood before them, "is that another..." she trailed a moment as the doctor was hit with a snowball to the back of his head, thrown by Raven of course, "TARDIS?"
"No. No." the Doctor shook the snow off him, "it's another of the same TARDIS. Really?" he turned to Raven who was wiping the snow off her hands.
"Just checking I haven't lost my touch." she smiled sweetly at him before heading inside.
Bill moved to follow only to notice the different window size to what she was used to, "Hang on, the windows are the wrong size."
"Inside, quickly!" the Doctor ushered her in. "Take off, now!" he ordered the first Doctor already at the console, "Deep space, anywhere."
"But it's different..." Bill looked around the stark white room, roundels around the room for storage. A typical basic TARDIS interior desktop. The original, never changed before.
"Just the interior." Raven told her, moving to the console herself.
"Excuse me, young lady," the first Doctor looked at her. She raised her eyebrows at him, "I am more than capable of piloting my own ship."
"So you say." she muttered, flicking a switch and the room settled.
"You'll get used to that." the Doctor told his past self.
"Tell you what." the captain stared around the room on awe, "These police boxes, they're ever so good, aren't they?"
"The navigation systems don't function properly." the first Doctor remarked, "I'm unable to programme our flight with any accuracy. So, my dear," he turned to Bill, "I presume you travel with him."
"Used to." Bill grinned, "Kind of miss it. You know I even miss Ravens insults. Never thought I'd say that."
Raven gave a mocking two finger salute.
"Well, he clearly misses you. That ship of his is in dire need of a good spring clean."
Raven head snapped back to him, another little dig at his gender, "say that again."
"Ah, no, no, no." the Doctor hurried between them. The threat at Ravens words, the insulted look Bill gave him. He needed to distract them, "Oh, look at the, look at the astral map. Look at all the lovely blinking lights. Look at that."
"He's you!" Bill gasped, realising it now. The same TARDIS, the way the Doctor, her Doctor, spoke to him. Even the way Raven spoke to him. He was the Doctor as well. "He is, isn't he? He's you. He's one of your old faces."
Raven snorted, "You worked it out from his sexist comments?"
"I worked it out." she defended, "that's something."
"I'm find I'm lagging behind a tiny bit again." the captain shook his head, "You..."
"Not those again." the first Doctor groaned, as the Doctor set the sonic glasses back over his eyes, "I forbid it!"
The Doctor ignored him, bringing up a hologram of the glass woman in the space before them, "There you go, I was right. Asymmetrical."
"I said that."
"Same difference." the Doctor shrugged, setting his glasses on his younger self, "If her face was based on a human original, perhaps identifying who that was will tell us what we need to know about Testimony."
"Why am I wearing these?" the first Doctor questioned.
"Because I love it. Never take those off."
"What's browser history?"
Raven laughed as the Doctor quickly removed the glasses and put them in his own coat pocket. She recalled his warning to Osgood about looking up his browser history. Now she was curious what he looked at.
"I'm trying to match her face in the TARDIS data bank," The Doctor explained quickly, "but there's hardly anything in it yet. We need a bigger database. Possibly the Matrix on Gallifrey. No. We need something bigger than the Matrix."
"What like..." Raven began slowly, "no…you can't."
"I do." he replied, grim.
She scrunched her nose in distaste at his plan, holding her chin high, "ok."
The Doctor frowned at her reaction. Surely she knew he meant a Dalek Matrix, she must do. It was the only Matrix bigger than the TARDIS, well, besides back on Gallifrey but it was probably best they didn't go back there, not right now. Honestly he just wasn't in the mood to deal with a large group of Time Lords, they'd probably try to take the TARDIS from him, anyway. Best not risk that. But yet, here Raven stood, perfectly calm with the idea of seeing a Dalek again, and not just any old Dalek.
"So basically, we're trying to track the Glass Lady, yes?" the captain tried to follow, frowning at the glass woman hologram before them.
Bill nodded, "Basically."
"A striking looking creature. Quite beautiful, really, isn't she?"
"Yeah, if you like ladies made of glass."
"Well, aren't all ladies made of glass, in a way?" the first Doctor laughed.
"Very good, sir, very good." the captain chuckled.
"Just ignore him." the Doctor murmured, his hand on Ravens shoulder as she tensed up, sending a glare his way.
"That's a struggle." she hissed.
"I know."
Bill crossed her arms, eyebrows raised in disbelieve at the pair laughing before her, "Are we now?"
"Oh, my dear." the first Doctor smiled at her, "I hope it doesn't offend you to know that I have some experience of the, er, fairer sex."
"Me too." she smirked.
"Ha! Yes, Bill!" Raven cheered, "shut them up!" Bill grinned at her, "You're one of my favourites."
"That's absolutely terrifying."
"What is?"
"You have not insulted me, in fact, that sounds like a compliment."
"Shut up." she said before moving back to the console and helping the Doctor land, without the breaks on.
"Where are we?" Bill asked.
"But you steered the ship," the first Doctor frowned, looking at the screen to see where they had landed, "You piloted her perfectly. We are at the very centre of the universe."
"This is what happens when you actually pass your exams." Raven told him.
"Oh, bring that up why don't you." The Doctor rolled his eyes. He turned to the others, "Out there is the most comprehensive database of all life anywhere. There is just one little problem."
"Which is?" Bill pressed.
"It wants to kill me."
"I mean, who doesn't." Raven countered.
"You don't."
"That's what you think."
"The Weapon Forges of Villengard." the Doctor sighed as they stepped out into the red planet, a destroyed war zone in the centre of the universe, "Once the nightmare of the seven galaxies, now home to the dispossessed."
"I say," the captain breathed, his eye catching something in the corner of his eyes, bit it was gone in a moment before he could really see it, "I think there's something moving over here."
"Step away, please." the first Doctor warned, moving to inspect the area the captain saw something lurking around.
"Probably just rats. I'm used to rats." he tried to assure himself only for a dark blob to leap onto his face.
The Doctor quickly flashed his sonic at it and it jumped off his face, scurrying away in green legs.
"Deep breaths, deep breaths." the Doctor patted his back, "Just breathe, Captain, you'll be fine."
"That creature," the first Doctor frowned after it, "it looked familiar."
"It's mutated a bit, but yes, I should think it did."
"Come along, my dear chap." the first Doctor reassured him, "You'll be fine."
"Get him into the TARDIS." the Doctor ordered, the first Doctor helping the man back inside.
"What are those things?" Bill breathed.
"What we came here for. The biggest database in the galaxy. They'll settle down in a moment."
"So, do we talk to them, ask them questions? How does it work?"
"We don't do anything. I do."
"You mean we." Raven corrected, gesturing between herself and him.
"No." he stated.
"Yes."
"Oh no, no, no, no, no, no!" Bill argued.
"You're going to wait in the TARDIS." The Doctor told them.
"Why?" Bill asked as Raven still refused.
"Because you need to look after the Captain."
"You don't need three people looking after him." Raven frowned at him, "I'm going with you, Doctor. We're..." she closed her eyes a moment before looking at him, "I'm standing with you, Doctor."
"Thank you." he murmured, taking her hands in his. Understanding her words. She wasn't the only one to stand with him. If one of them did, they both would.
"You're lying." Bill watched them, "you think I'm a duplicate, a trick."
He sighed, "I don't know what I think. But if there's the slightest chance that Bill Potts is alive and standing in front of me, then I will not, under any circumstances, put her life in danger."
"Again." Raven added quietly.
She had to tell herself. It wasn't her fault. She is not at fault to anything her father, or mother, or whatever, did. She was her own person, made her own mistakes. She would admit to her own mistakes but never take fault for someone else's.
"Seriously!" Bill cried, "You're looking right at me and you don't even know I'm here."
"Correct. I ask you to respect that, and respect me."
"You're an arse. Do you know that? You, you, you, you're a stupid bloody arse." she turned to Raven, "And you, you're a real bitch. I can never work out if you hate me or not."
"I'm the biggest bitch you'll ever meet." Raven dropped into a bow, "but I don't hate you."
Bill paused, "you don't?"
"If I hated you, I wouldn't make the effort to look at you, let along talk to you. I enjoy our conversations Bill."
"I have always respected you, Bill." the Doctor remarked.
The first Doctor poked his head out of the TARDIS, having heard the raised voices from Bill, "If I hear any more language like that from you, young lady, you're in for a jolly good smacked bottom." he waged a finger at her before going back to check on the captain.
The Doctor groaned, cringing at his younger self, "Can we just pretend that that never happened?"
Bill laughed, shaking her head, despite the embarrassment, "I'm a broad-minded girl. I mean, I know we have this whole professor - student thing going on."
"Can we just never, ever talk about this again?"
"I am going to remind you of that at every passing chance." Raven said honestly.
The Doctor sighed heavily, "of course you are."
Bill shook her head at them, "I hope we talk about it loads. I hope we spend years laughing about it. Come back alive."
"Be here when we do." the Doctor returned, heading off with Raven trailing behind him. Bill watched them go before heading back into the TARDIS.
"I'm worried about you Raven." the Doctor admitted as they walked off.
"Why? I'm fine." she insisted. "I mean...I'm as fine as I can be when my parents decide to kill each other."
He sighed, "It's not that."
"Then what?"
"You know where we going, who were going to see and yet, you volunteered to come willingly."
She stopped, turning to look him, "perhaps I'm just braver now. I'd like to think I'm braver now."
"Perhaps its recklessness." he countered.
Raven didn't believe it was recklessness, to her being reckless was running into the middle of a room surrounded by Daleks, this was cautiously prepared to talk to a Dalek they had, quite literally, seen inside. If anything it was probably just as affect effect of regenerating, the energy fuzzing up her brain and not letting her really think about the consequences. Maybe she just didn't want to stay behind the sexist comments and Bill who may or may not be the real Bill.
"You don't need to worry about me, Doctor."
"I'm always worrying about you."
She frowned at his concern, "you don't think my regeneration went wrong?"
"No, no." he waved her off, "I'm just not used to this you, I suppose."
"Well get used to it. It isn't going anywhere anytime soon."
"Good."
"I mean I'm not planning on regenerating again anytime soon." she added.
"I know."
"Just making sure you weren't taking that another way."
"I wasn't."
"These creatures." the first Doctor called, quickly catching up with them, having followed and left Bill to look after the captain. "What are they?"
"Scary." Raven offered. Not for him, but for her Doctor. Admitting that while she could stand by his side to face one, she was still afraid of them. She would always be scared of Daleks. They did tear her from her home, her life, after all.
"Old friends of ours," the Doctor replied, solemn, "but they've really come out of their shell."
"Out of their shell?"
Raven looked at him, "quite literally."
The Doctor gasped sharply, stumbling a moment as he leaned on some rumble to keep him upright.
"Are you all right?" the first Doctor eyed him.
"I'll be..." he breathed heavily, "I'll be fine in a moment."
"What's the matter?"
"I died a few hours ago, then I refused to regenerate. It catches up with you. You know, it's like a big lunch."
"I did exactly the same." the first Doctor mumbled.
"Why?" Raven questioned, genuinely curious. She just couldn't understand why they would want too, to embrace the change. The feeling of a new start. What was so wrong with it?
"I don't remember this." the Doctor shook his head, "Why are you refusing the regeneration?"
"Fear. I'm afraid. Very, very afraid. I don't normally admit that to anyone else."
"Don't worry," Raven smirked, "I won't tell anyone."
"Not even your father?" he asked.
Raven lowered her eyes a moment. She would have to get used to this. The mentions of her dad, of Missy, she would deal with this. She would mourn and remember them, and then wait for another regeneration to pop up in their timelines. "Cross my hearts." she crossed them both.
"Thank you," he nodded to her before looking at his future self again, "Why are you?"
He didn't get an answer as a laser bolt flew past them, just missing them as they looked towards the tower ahead that it had come from. They quickly hid behind a few rocks, watching, out of clear view.
"There's something in that tower!" the first Doctor exclaimed.
"Really?" Raven huffed, "never would have guessed by the laser bolts firing down at us!"
"Must be my friend." the Doctor offered, cutting the first Doctor off from speaking to Raven.
"Why do you call him your friend?" the first Doctor asked. As far as he was aware friends didn't fire lasers to you to try and kill you.
"He's got a great big gun. Are you suggesting I insult him?" he jumped into view as a bright light shone down, searching for trespassers, "Just scan me. Go on, scan me. Because I've got big news for you. I'm dying." the light ran up and down the Doctors body, scanning him, "You see, it's true. Dying. Now, be honest with yourself. Wouldn't you like to see that up close?" the light shut off and the doors at the bottom of the tower opened up, inviting them in, "Come on. Up and at 'em, Corporal Jones. I'd best go alone."
"I won't hear of it." the first Doctor stubbornly refused.
"That thing up there won't miss the chance to kill me twice. The paradox would rip the universe apart, and you know how much hard work it is putting it back together again. You keep a lookout down here."
"Oh, if you insist."
"I'll come with you." Raven insisted, "Please. I've dealt with him before. I can do it again."
He hesitated, sighing and hanging his head at the sincerity on her face, all those emotions that he wasn't used to seeing with her, "ok, fine. But stay close."
"Alright." she held up her hands, walking by his side.
"Because people don't believe there could be any such thing as a good Dalek." the Doctor spoke as they entered the tower, taking the stairs to the top.
"I am not a good Dalek." the Dalek in the room at the top stated, firing at them. Raven ducked behind the Doctor, to avoid the laser bolts, "you are a good Dalek."
"Now, Rusty, you know that I'm dying, and if you don't want me to go off and die somewhere else where you can't watch, you're going to have to stop shooting at me." they hid behind the doorway to the room where Rusty, the good Dalek, was waiting from them, firing away.
He stopped firing, "I agree to your terms."
"Well, I'm going to need some proof."
A moment later Rustys weapons slid along the floor to their feet, they cautiously entered the room where Rusty was linked to the computers, the cables glowing between him and them.
"You know what?" the Doctor managed to joke, "You are the very first Dalek that ever got naked for me." he sighed, "It's been a long time. Remember the good old days, when Raven and I got miniaturised and we climbed around inside you?"
"And you got slapped." Raven added, recalling the scene of Clara slapping him, rather hard she remembered. He needed as ice pack that night.
"You taught me to hate the Daleks." Rusty said.
"Billions of years ago." the Doctor nodded, "What have you been up to since then?"
"Destroying Daleks."
"Yes, all the ones who come here to murder you. Yes, we saw the mess outside."
"Why are you here?"
"As a Dalek, you are linked in to the Dalek hive mind. All Daleks are. Biggest database I know. We'd like to access it."
"Why would I help you?"
"Because helping me, in any way, does something wonderful. It hurts the Daleks."
Rusty didn't speak, wanting to hurt Daleks however he could, even if it meant helping the Doctor. He searched in silence through the database, before projecting an image of a woman by his eyestalk.
The Doctor read the information before them, "Professor Helen Clay, University Of New Earth, year five billion and twelve. There's footage. Can you run it?"
The woman began to speak before them, "The Testimony Foundation combines the resources of time travel, with the latest in memory extraction techniques. The near-dead can be lifted momentarily from their time streams, their memories duplicated, and then their physical selves returned to the moment of their dissolution without pain, distress or any recall of the process. Now the dead can speak again. We can hear the testimony of the past, and channelled through our glass avatars, they can walk among us again. This is Heaven on New Earth."
"That's not an evil plan." Raven frowned, the hologram pausing, "that's actually...kind?"
The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck, now unsure what to do, "I don't really know what to do when it isn't an evil plan. Why did you stop it? Rusty?"
"He didn't stop it." the first Doctor informed as he stepped into the room, followed by a glass figure, "they've frozen Time again."
"Who has?" the Doctor noticed the glass woman behind him.
"Not everything's evil, Doctor." the figure stated, morphing back into the form of Bill Potts, "You're not the only kind one in the universe."
"I knew you weren't real." the Doctor sighed, for a moment he had almost believe she could have been.
Just that little bit of hope.
"Oh, shut up and stop being so stupid," Bill huffed, "Of course I'm real. What is anyone supposed to be except a bunch of memories? These are my memories, so this is me. I'm Bill Potts, and I'm back, and so long as I'm here, what the hell do you mean, you're not going to regenerate?"
"Thank you." Raven spoke to her.
"For what?"
"Agreeing with me that he's an idiot."
"There has to be an end, Bill," he said softly, "for everyone, everywhere."
"What about the Captain? You know he has to die at his allotted point in time and space to correct the error."
"I'm so tired of losing people." he admitted, "If the Captain has to die, a request. This was our fault."
"How so?" the first Doctor wondered.
"Let us take him back."
The first Doctor was back in his TARDIS, with Testimony giving the Doctor back his own TARDIS, the captain moved into his, as they tried to fix the timelines. "How was this our fault?" he called on the monitor.
"You and I tried to die twice in the same lifetime. Our lives are woven throughout time and space. We caused the timeline error that put the Captain in the wrong place. We created a whirlpool in time that landed him at our feet."
"But why him? What's so important about one Captain?"
"Everybody's important to somebody, somewhere."
Raven leaned with her back against the console, arms folded as she watched the captain. He was just sitting there, almost perfectly at ease, "you alright?" she asked him.
"Yes, fine, absolutely." he nodded, "Just thinking. I told the wife I'd be home for Christmas. Funny how things work out."
Raven poured him another glass of brandy which he gladly took, clinking his glass to hers as they drank.
The two TARDISes landed side by side against a crater on No Lands Land in the middle of the war. The Doctor helped the captain back down the crater to his position at a standoff to the death with a scared German soldier.
"Thank you." the captain looked at them each in turn, "Thank you all. You've all been most gracious in the unfortunate circumstances."
"I regret, Captain," the first Doctor murmured, "that the universe generally fails to be a fairy tale."
"When time resumes, you will not remember this." the glass woman stated, no longer using Bill's form as she had no need to use it to earn their trust. "A perception filter will also render us invisible."
"Yes." the captain nodded, having no idea what those words meant but thought it easier to agree than question it, "One imagines some of those words were attached to actual meanings of some sort. One thing you could possibly do for me, if you were very kind?"
"Oh, anything." the Doctor agreed, "Name it."
"My family. Perhaps you could look in on them, from time to time?"
The first Doctor grabbed his lapels, "We should be delighted. What's the name?"
"Lethbridge-Stewart. Captain Archibald Hamish Lethbridge-Stewart."
"I shall make it my business."
"Wait..." Raven blinked, "as in..."
The Doctor nodded, "you can trust him on that."
Of course, that was so typical of the universe. Another Lethbridge-Stewart. He should have guessed by the moustache.
"Thank you so much." the captain offered them a smile despite the circumstances, "I believe I am now ready." he pulled out his pistol, aiming it at the German soldier as he did before. The glass figure disappeared and time restarted, the three Time Lords invisible as they watched, standing before their TARDISes.
The captain was unaware of the fact that the German soldier didn't actually want to kill him, neither really wanting to, but neither understanding the other.
But they both understood the singing that starting elsewhere on the battlefield, the German's quietly starting their Christmas Carol's, the British soon joining them.
"If I've got my timings right," the Doctor whispered, "and clearly I have, then we should be right at the beginning." the soldier slowly stepped out of their respective trenches, still singing, waving white flags in peace, "I adjusted the time frame, only by a couple of hours. Any other day it wouldn't make any difference, but this is Christmas 1914, and a human miracle is about to happen. The Christmas Armistice."
They watched as the captain put his pistol away, blowing into his whistle, yelling for help, to help the injured German soldier before him.
"It never happened again, any war, anywhere. But for one day, one Christmas, a very long time ago, everyone just put down their weapons, and started to sing. Everybody just stopped. Everyone was just kind."
"You've saved him." Raven realised.
"Both of them." he agreed, "Never hurts, a couple fewer dead people on the battlefield."
"So that's what it means to be a doctor of war." the first Doctor murmured.
"You were right, you know. The universe generally fails to be a fairy tale." the Doctor grinned at him,
"But that's where we come in."
"A madman in a box." Raven smirked, watching as the soldiers helped to tend to the wounded, helping both sides before starting a small game of football. a game that will be remembered centuries later.
"Doctor," the first Doctor held his hand out. They shook hands, both their hands glowing with regeneration energy, "I think I'm ready now. But I should like to know, are you?"
"You'll find out." the Doctor offered, "the long way round."
"Whatever you decide, good luck, Doctor."
"Goodbye, Doctor."
"Goodbye, Raven." he patted her shoulder as he headed to his TARDIS. "It's good to see the young lady you've grown into."
"Er, thanks." she said, unsure what to really say. She was silent as he disappeared into his TARDIS and dematerialized, ready to regenerate for the first time. Perhaps that's why the Doctor was worried about her, she had been so calm for her first time and he had been terrified.
The Doctor picked up an old tin cup on the ground before it raising it to the captain, who looked over at them and did the same, confused as though he knew he should recognise them.
"Are you ok?" the glass figure walked off, looking like Bill Potts again.
"Shall we go for one last stroll, Miss Potts?" he suggested, holding his arm out to her.
She smiled sadly, taking his arm as they walked through the quiet battlefield. Raven followed behind them as they walked, "Do you know what the hardest thing about knowing you was?"
"My superior intelligence," he teased as Raven snorted, covering it with a cough, "my dazzling charisma. Oh! My impeccable dress sense."
"Stop!" Raven gasped, "you're killing me!"
"Letting you go." Bill sighed, "Letting go of the Doctor is so, so hard, isn't it?"
"You see, that's, that's, that's not the sort of thing the real Bill Potts would say."
"That's because she is Bill Potts," Raven claimed, linking her arm through Bill's. "Aren't you?"
"I am the real Bill!" she insisted, "A life is just memories. I'm all her memories, so I'm her."
"If you say so." The Doctor sighed.
"Okay, I'm going to prove to you how important memories are. I've got a little goodbye present for you."
"Oh, that's nice. Will I have to pretend I like it? Because honestly, that rug..."
"Oh, come here, you." Bill rolled her eyes, kissing his cheek and then nodding behind them.
"Clara!" Raven noticed the young woman first, looking exactly like she had on the day she died. It didn't matter that there was the possibility she was still wandering around the universe in her own TARDIS on her last breath. This was a lovely goodbye for the Doctor.
"Clara." the Doctor smiled at her, his memories of her returning as though they had never been missing.
"Hello, you stupid old man." Clara smiled at him.
"You're back. You're in my head. All my memories are back."
"And don't go forgetting me again, because, quite frankly, that was offensive. And Raven," she turned to the girl, "it was sort of your fault."
She looked insulted at that, "thats so rude!"
"Memories." Bill grinned, "Important, right?"
"I know what you're thinking. Where is he?" Clara faded into the glass figure before a grinning Nardole appeared before them, "Hello."
"Oh, great." Raven grumbled, "You're here."
"And missing two weeks pay, ma'am."
"I pay you monthly."
"I'll be back in two weeks."
Raven rolled her eyes at that, "Wouldn't expect anything less from you, Nardie."
"When you're already dying, you're entitled to think that your day couldn't get any worse, but here you are." the Doctor muttered, "And both of you are here. How does that work?"
"We can be everyone." Bill smiled, "We are everyone."
"Anyone?" Raven repeated.
Bill smile turned sad, "Are you ready for that?"
"No. thank you."
"Yeah, it's good this, innit?" Nardole grinned, always oblivious, "Now I'm all made of glass, not just my nipples. Yeah, but they got my hair a bit wrong though, didn't they?"
"You don't have any hair!" Bill countered.
"I have invisible hair. Got a suggestion for you, then."
"Oh, there's a novelty." the Doctor rolled his eyes.
"Don't die. Because if you do, I think everybody in the universe might just go cold."
"Can't I ever have peace? Can't I rest?"
"It's your choice, Doctor." Raven cut in, standing off to the side as he spoke to his previous companions. "And only yours," she glanced at the others who nodded.
"We understand." Nardole assured him.
"No. No, you don't," the Doctor argued, "'You're not even really here. You're just memories held in glass. Do you know how many of you I could fill? I would shatter you. My testimony would shatter all of you. A life this long, do you understand what it is? It's a battlefield, like this one, and it's empty. Because everyone else has fallen." he lowered his head, "Thank you. Thank you both, for everything that you were to me. What happens now, where I go now, it has be alone."
"Come here," Bill pulled him in for a hug, which he allowed, "And you." Bill called over to Raven.
"I really don't..." she trailed off, joining the hug.
"Cuddle." Nardole giggled, also joining the embrace.
"No one mentions this to anyone else." Raven warned.
"No." Bill promised.
The Doctor sighed as he felt Bill and Nardole disappeared, leaving Raven with an arm around his back.
"Time to leave the battlefield." he whispered.
"Come on," Raven helped him into the TARDIS. "The universe will be quiet without you. Peaceful, even."
"When I said being alone..." the Doctor began.
"I understand," Raven cut him off as she sent them into the vortex, "well, no, I don't..."
"Saska!" Raven fell silent, a hand resting in the edge of the console as she listened to him, "please, stay with me."
"Ok." she nodded slowly. She wasn't sure if he had made up his mind yet, but whatever he decided on, she would be there, because he asked and she was trying to be kind and someone needed to ensure he had a proper respectful Gallifreyan burial. A burning of the body. She would look after the TARDIS, well, before the TARDIS shut down herself anyway.
"Oh, what the hell," he smiled across the console at Raven who was eying him curiously, as though expecting him to suddenly drop dead. "I suppose one more lifetime wouldn't kill anyone. Well, except me. Let's get it right this time, Doctor. I've got a few things to say to you. Basic stuff first." Raven respectfully ignored the Doctors words as he prepared himself for the next one to come along, "Never be cruel, never be cowardly, and never, ever eat pears! Remember, hate is always foolish. And love is always wise. Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind. Oh, and you mustn't tell anyone your name. No one would understand it, anyway. Except, ah!" Raven looked over as the Doctor collapsed against the console. She should go help him, but this was the regeneration finally being unable to hold back much longer, if she got to close it would seriously mess her up, even kill her. "Except children. Children can hear it sometimes. If their hearts are in the right place, and the stars are too, children can hear your name. Argh! But nobody else. Nobody else, ever. Laugh hard, run fast, be kind. Doctor, I let you go..." he breathed, allowing the regeneration to slowly stream out of his hands and head, slowly encasing him in the glow. Surprisingly he didn't scream, excepting the change.
Raven cursed as the cloister bells rang out, warning of a system failure, "No, no, no!" she hissed, "not, now! Please not now!" she very nearly cried as the engines failed, slowly stuttering before breaking completely.
"Oh!" the Doctor gasped, "brilliant!"
"Doctor!" Raven called over to him, er, her, now actually, seeing the new Doctor was looking at the reflection in the mirror. She was shorter now, a lot shorter, with cropped blonde hair, the biggest different was definitely the fact she was a different gender now, "cloister bells!"
"Right, good!" the Doctor beamed.
"We are crashing down to Earth!"
"Right," the Doctor nodded, stumbling around to stand besides Raven at the console.
The TARDIS tilted suddenly and Raven grabbed a tight hold to the console, the Doctor wasn't quite so lucky, sliding towards the doors, throwing her hands out to prevent herself from falling out as the doors were wide open.
"Shit!" Raven yelled, as the time rotor exploded and she scrambled back from the console, slipping herself to the doors, "Doctor!" she looked over to see the woman herself had already lost her grip and had fallen out of the TARDIS, falling to the Earth below.
"Raven!"
Raven panted as the console set alight. The TARDIS tipping, seemingly trying to force them out of the TARDIS.
Falling to Earth, without a spacesuit, no idea of the time period and honestly, not even sure if she and the Doctor would land even close to each other.
Never again was the Doctor regenerating in the TARDIS.
And that's the end of our lovely 12th Doctor and Raven :( goodbye banter. But hello 13 and our brand new Raven.
I picture the new Raven to look similar to Maya Hawke.
I'm going to take a small break from posting Raven with the 13th Doctor as I am behind in writing her series but I do have another story ready to be posted and so hopefully that will be uploaded sooner rather than later, and hopefully once I get a new laptop I will be able to post more regularly, because even I'm forgetting when I'm updating.