Clara had done it. Her interference in the Great Intelligence's actions had saved the Doctor's life and the whole universe. But it was at the cost of her own. Everyone's lives had been restored, and they were conversing about it, except for the Professor. Clara jumping into the time stream had depressed him. More than ever. He had just said goodbye to his true love – for what he thought was the final time in his life. He rested his arms on a railing bar and sighed softly. He had seen what broken hearts did to people, and he was worried that the same would happen to him.

He went over to his father, and the two hugged when they overheard Madame Vastra. "We are all restored now. That's all that matters now."

The Doctor looked up. "We are not all restored," he said.

"Of course not," the Professor said. "There must be some way to bring back Clara."

The Doctor was looking up at the time stream and was thoughtful. He thought he could go in there himself, save Clara and bring her back to his son.

"You can't go in there," River Song said, reappearing again. "It's your time stream, for God's sake!"

"I have to get her back," the Doctor said thoughtfully.

"Of course, but not like this," River said.

The Professor looked at his father. "No. I have to," he said. "It's only right that I do it."

"But how?" Jenny asked, accidentally interrupting the moment.

"Is she still alive?" Vastra asked. "It killed Dr Simeon."

"Clara has one advantage over the Great Intelligence," the Doctor said. "She has found true love. I've seen true love work before."

"Which is why I should be the one to go after her," the Professor said.

The Doctor shook his head. "No. What if you don't make it?" He asked. "Doctor. Please listen to me. At least hear me," River begged.

"If I don't make it, but I manage to save Clara, at least you two will be happy together. Start a new race of Time Lords," the Doctor said, then he turned to the Paternoster Gang. "Now, if I don't come back, the Professor will take you home."

"There has to be another way," River said, approaching the Doctor. "Use the TARDIS, use something! Save her, yes! But for God's sake, be sensible..." She raised her hand and was about to smack his cheek when the Doctor turned and caught her arm. River was in shock. "How are you even doing that? I'm not here..."

"You're always here to me," the Doctor said in a sotto voice. "And I always listen. And I can always see you."

"Then why didn't you speak to me?"

"Because I thought it would hurt too much."

"I believed I could have coped."

"No. I thought it would hurt me. And I was right." The Doctor leaned in and cupped her cheeks in his hands. He placed his lips onto hers and kissed her deeply before pulling apart. "Since nobody else in this room can see you, God knows how that looked. There is a time to live and a time to sleep. You are an echo, River. Like Clara, like all the rest of the end, my fault, I know. But you should have faded away by now..."

"It's hard to leave when you haven't said goodbye," River said.

"Then tell me because I don't know. How do I say it?"

"There's only one way I'd accept. If you've ever loved me, say it like you will come back."

The Doctor took a deep breath. "Well, then. See you around, Professor River Song."

"Til the next time, Doctor," River said with a smile. "You will see me around soon. A storm is approaching. It will touch every land, and you will need me. More than ever." The Doctor nodded, although he was confused. "Oh, there's one more thing. I was mentally linked to Clara. If she's dead, then how can I still be here?"

"Okay. How?"

"Spoilers. Goodbye … Sweetie," River said with a playful smile before fading away.

The Doctor turned to the Professor. "You have to be the one to save Clara," he said. "I understand perfectly."

"That was River, wasn't it?" The Professor asked.

The Doctor nodded. "Yeah. She was mentally linked to Clara. Which means she's still alive."

The Professor nodded as he got ready to run into the time stream. "Reminds me of what Charming always says," he said. "True Love isn't easy, but we must fight for it. Because once you find it, it can never be replaced." He gave a soft smile before running into the time stream.


After floating through the brown time vortex of the Doctor's life, Clara landed at the end with a soft thump. Smoke clearing around her, she looked around when she heard a loud thud. The wind howled around her, and she looked around again, searching for something she recognised.

"Prof?" She asked. "Doctor?" She began to breathe heavily when she heard another loud thud. She crawled up, tears in her eyes. "Please, please. I don't know where I am! I don't know where I am!"

"Clara," the Professor said through the time stream. Clara looked up with a gasp. "I know you can hear me."

"I can't see you..." she said. "I can't see anyone..."

"Look around," the Professor said. "This is my father's time stream. Everything around here is him."

Clara looked around and saw figures of the Doctor. She stood up and saw the First Doctor walking past. "I can see him," she said as the Sixth Doctor ran past.

"Those are my father's ghosts," the Professor explained as the Fourth, Fifth and Ninth Doctors ran past Clara. "Every life of his is here."

Suddenly, there was a crash of thunder above Clara, and she looked up. "What's happening?"

"The time stream … It's a bit unstable now," the Professor explained. "Too many people have wandered in..."

"Then get..." Clara started to say but was interrupted by the Professor.

"No. Not until you are safely in my arms. You are the moon of my life, my little soufflé. I never want to be apart from you again," the Professor said.

Clara began to feel tears well in her eyes. That was the sweetest thing she had ever heard. "I don't even know who I am..."

"I'm sending you something. Something from your past. The first thing you ever told me," the Professor said. "Look up."

Clara did what she was told and saw a brown leaf flattering down to her. She stood up and reached for it.

"I enchanted it," the Professor began. "With it, you will remember who you are. Who you have been and who you will be. You blew into this world on that leaf."

Clara began to limp away when there was another thud. "Clara," the Professor said, his voice louder this time. And somewhat closer. She turned around and saw the Professor coming closer to Clara.

"Clara, come on," he said, urging her to join him. "Believe in us. Believe in our true love." "How?" She asked.

"Because it is impossible. But that's all right. Impossible things are how miracles happen."

Clara began to walk over to him before she was in his arms. "I love you," she said softly. "I really truly love you."

The Professor leaned in to kiss her deeply, placing a hand on her cheek and the other hand on her head before pulling away softly. However, when he did pull away, purple light – entangled with golden light - was emitted from his eyes and went to hers.

Once it was over, Clara blinked. "What was that?" She asked.

"That was me… Letting you into my life. To share life with you. To keep you safe."

Clara was conflicted. She did wish that the Professor had consulted her first. But then, she did understand where he was coming from. But most of all, she wanted out of the time stream. She leaned into him and burrowed herself into his chest. "Please … Just get me out of here..."

The Professor nodded. "I will," he said before looking up past her at an unknown figure. Clara turned around and saw the figure too. "Who's that?" She asked.

"No idea. But it has to be my father."

"How so?"

"It is his time stream. It just … It just has to be."

"But I've seen all eleven faces of the Doctor. If it were him, I'd know."

He nodded. "I know. But even my father must have secrets he keeps from me. I've seen all his changes except for one. One he just subtly implies that happened. If that's my father, then that has to be the missing link."

"But why wouldn't he talk about it?"

"I have no idea. Maybe it's cause he's ashamed of something. He once said that the name each Time Lord calls himself is a promise that one makes. He calls himself the Doctor because he wants to help people. Maybe this one never helped people and lived up to his name."

Clara nodded softly but then felt faint. She didn't know if it was the extreme adventure or the essence the Professor had given her. But she did know that she was going to faint.

The Professor knew she was going to and caught her just in time and held her in his arms, staring at the unknown figure.

"What I did, I did without choice," the figure said. "In the name of all that's Peace and Sanity." He turned around to face the Professor. "I want you to know that I did the best I could in such little time."

The Professor furrowed his brow in confusion. "I don't think I understand."

"Oh, but you will, my dear son," the figure said.

The Professor gave a slight nod, not too sure what to do. Finally, he took a deep breath and poofed him and Clara out of the time stream.