Hello, everyone! Yes, I know it's been a while, I'm terribly sorry. Real Life has been keeping me very busy. Rise of the Cybermen is going to be a bit tricky, but I think I mostly have it worked out. In the meantime, here's a little something to keep your appetites whetted. If you look closely, you might just catch a hint as to where the Doctor and Barry will be going next.

As always, thanks to Orioles2131 and LuciferRedeemed for the reviews, and Nimbus for bouncing ideas off of.

"So, that was Venus," Barry groaned, rolling one shoulder. "I'm gonna be sore for days."

"Worth it, though. Cuppa?"

"You need to ask?"

The Doctor smiled, switching on the kettle as Barry reached up to grab two mugs from the cupboard. The Doctor's was plain TARDIS-blue, while Barry's was a chipped one he'd gotten from a market in twenty-second century Earth, bearing Mjolnir and the legend

Whosoever holds this mug, if they be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.

"How about some nice fish and chips?" the Doctor suggested. "I know this great little shop in Piccadilly I went to with the Brig, back in the 70s…I think it was the '70s…."

"Eighty-three, actually," someone said, and both men spun to see a strange man leaning against the doorframe.

"What?" Barry exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "Who are you?"

"Hello there!" he waved. "I'm Mxyptlk. Just call me Mxy. Or Q. That's what Gene called me. Now, Doctor, I've been a big fan of yours for ages."

"Oh, yes. Barry Allen, Mxyptlk, Mxy, Barry. He's a fifth-dimensional imp and all-round nuisance."

"Aww, you're too sweet. Now, Doctor, I came to chat with you. See, I was hanging out with Music Meister, and he bet me I'd never be able to find out your name."

"No. You won't," the Time Lord said, rising slowly.

"Oh, don't be so sure, old friend! I'll give you motivation."

The Doctor drew himself to his full height and gave the imp the glare Barry had only ever seen him use on Daleks, slavers, and insurance salespeople. "Lay one finger on my friend…"

"Oh, no, no, not at all! I wouldn't dream of it. No, no. If you tell me your name…I'll let you see Susan one more time."

That made an impression, Barry could tell. The Doctor's eyes widened nearly to the size of saucers, and his breath caught.

"Who?" Barry asked.

"My…my granddaughter."

"You have a granddaughter?"

"Had," the Doctor said quietly, and there was a look in his dark eyes that proscribed any further questions.

"Fine," he added after a moment. "Bring her here, and I'll tell you my name."

"Why don't you tell me first? Don't you trust me?" the imp pouted. The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "I know the value of your word, Mxy. And you know the value of mine."

"Oh, very well, very well. Never let it be said I'm ungentlemanly."

The imp snapped his fingers. A moment later, a young woman about Barry's age was standing in the TARDIS. She looked around, and her eyes fastened on the Doctor.

"Grandfather?"

He watched the young woman run to the Doctor, watched him react in stunned disbelief and then absolute joy, watched them wrap their arms around each other and touch foreheads, closing their eyes.

After several minutes, in which neither spoke a word aloud (Barry, familiar with the Doctor's telepathy, assumed they were speaking mind to mind), she gently pulled back. He kissed her forehead, she stroked his cheek, and they smiled at each other. The young woman said something in what Barry presumed was Gallifreyan, which the Doctor tearfully echoed. She turned to Barry.

"Hello, Barry," she said. At his look of startled confusion, she added, "Grandfather told me about you."

"Oh, right, hi."

"Take care of him, okay?"

"I will," he promised. "He won't be alone. Not while I'm around."

"He gets into such awful trouble."

Barry snorted. "True. Couldn't find his way out a paper bag without us, right?"

"Right," she nodded, smiling.

"Be well," he said. "Good luck."

She smiled again, cast a last look at her grandfather, and nodded as she faded away.

"Right!" Mxy announced after a moment. "I've kept up my end of the bargain. Now it's your turn, Doc."

"You sure? You won't even be able to pronounce my name."

"Old friend, I'm an immortal, all-powerful being. I can speak languages even your brain can't imagine. I'm fluent in Old High Raxacoricofallapatorian, Excghborianopitrkgllelian, Quermi-Jaywoolian, Ancient North Martian…I can even speak Welsh."

"All right, fine," the Doctor shrugged. He leaned in close. "Fine. My name…the name written in the stars of the Medusa Cascade, the one that no other living being in this universe knows…my name, is Kltpzyxm."

"That's it?" the being frowned. "I was expecting something a bit more impressive. Kltpzyxm…oh, damn."

The Doctor waggled his fingers goodbye as Mxy began to fade.

"What did you just…" Barry started. The Doctor smirked at him.

"He's an imp from the fifth dimension, Barry. The only way to banish him is to make him speak or write his name backwards."

"Which is what you did," the speedster nodded. "Nice!"

They high-fived, and sat down to their tea as the kettle boiled.

"So, Doctor…"

"Mmm?"

"About your name…"

The Doctor laid a finger across the side of his nose, and smiled.

So, yeah, some feels, a couple shout-outs, little foreshadowing. Yes, it's a bit cheesy, but then, so is Mxy. See you soon, and stay safe!