Professor What? Book One: The Old New Days

by troubleonelmstreet

What is the Shadow Proclamation? How does a sonic screwdriver work? Who decided mauve looks dangerous? Does the TARDIS have a manual? What does it mean to be a Time Lord? Elm Smith has loads of questions and, hopefully, the Doctor has some answers. Seasons 1-9 of NuWho rewritten with original character and chapters. First in the Professor What? Series. (9-12/OC).

4. The Unquiet Dead

A/N: So sorry for the long wait. I lost interest in Doctor Who for a bit, and this episode doesn't excite me very much. Thank you so much for all your lovely comments! They encourage me more than you know. Responses in endnotes.

Edited: 12/31/2022

Elm couldn't bring herself to leave the TARDIS's library. A stack of books sat next to the couch she lay on, some read, some waiting to be. There was so much to catch up on! Sure, most of the books in her reading pile were from the future, but she couldn't help but be curious. It was too tempting.

She didn't dare ask the alien man if she could read books published after her time. She was scared he'd say no.

So, with how enthralled she was, the Doctor's voice coming over the speakers startled her. Bad. Falling off the couch, excuses ready, Elm looked around the room. There was… no one there?

"This is the last call," the Doctor said, his voice coming from overhead speakers. "Christmas in Naples, 1860. You've got five minutes before we leave without you."

Eyes widening, Elm scrambled off the floor and gently placed her book page side down. Looking down to take inventory, Elm was satisfied with her outfit. She had shoes, at least.

Down the hall, two rights, two lefts, and through the pool she ran, all the way to the console room. The Doctor and Rose waited for her there, Rose dressed up in a period typical dress.

"Rose, you look beautiful!" Elm complimented.

"Thanks," the younger woman replied with a bashful smile. "Are you going to change too?"

Elm glanced down at her attire and shrugged. "No time, I'm late, aren't I?"

"You'll just have to deal with the scandal," the Doctor confirmed, gesturing to the door. "Ladies first."

Rose laughed and led the way, stepping out of the time ship and into the street. Elm grabbed a coat off the rack as she followed, pulling it around herself to combat the cold. Snow drifted down onto the time travelers as they looked around. It certainly looked like 1860, with old-fashioned buildings and gas lamps lining the streets.

The Doctor offered both the girls an arm. "To history?"

Ignoring the Doctor's offer, Elm grabbed Rose's hand and tugged her forward. "C'mon, Rosie!"

"Oi!"

With how late it was, there weren't many people out. A horse-drawn carriage passed them on the street, and Rose gasped. "Oh my god!"

"I know," Elm agreed, halting to take in the scenery. They got a few odd looks from passersby, but most of those out were too absorbed in their activities to care. Passing in front of the girls, the Doctor paid for a newspaper and frowned at what he saw. Elm and Rose approached him to see what was wrong.

He made a noise in the back of his throat. "I got the flight a bit wrong."

"I don't care," Rose said, voice faint. She was too busy staring at the nearby buildings to pay attention to him.

"It's 1869, not 1860."

"Close enough," Elm shrugged, eyes drawn to another carriage as it passed.

"We're in Cardiff."

Both girls froze and looked back to the Doctor.

"Cardiff?" Elm choked on a laugh.

Rose sighed. "Right."

"Can I see that?" Elm questioned, gesturing to the newspaper. The Doctor gave it to her with a shrug. Reading through the front summaries, she gasped at what she saw. Flipping a few pages further confirmed what she read. Charles Dickens, live on stage at the local theater. "Oh, wow."

"What is it?" Rose asked, trying to get a look at what Elm was reading.

"We've got to get to the theater!" Elm exclaimed, turning toward the newspaper boy. "Where's the theater?"

Startled at the sudden question, he just pointed down the street. Elm took off in that direction, leaving Rose and the Doctor to follow after. The Doctor caught up first, given he wasn't in a skirt. "What's going on at the theater?"

She opened her mouth to explain, but was cut off by screams coming from a nearby building. The Doctor ran off this time, Elm following close after with a stumbling Rose.

"What's going on?" Rose demanded through labored breathing.

Neither the Doctor nor Elm bothered answering as they rushed into the building. Coincidentally, it was the theater. People were streaming out, so the trio had to push through the panicking crowd to get into the stage area.

Elm froze when she saw the source of the panic. A ghostly entity flew around the room, screaming and cackling. It circled the room once before entering the body of an old woman sitting in the middle of the audience. The woman slumped backward upon entry, out cold. Elm couldn't help but stare at the sight in quiet awe and terror. Two people, a man, and a woman, picked up the old woman and dragged her out, Rose hot on their heels.

"Elm!" Rose shouted, snapping Elm out of it. "C'mon!"

Shaking her head, Elm followed her friend back out of the building.

The woman who stole the old lady away was trying to pacify Rose. "It's a tragedy, Miss. Don't you worry yourself. Me and the Master will deal with it. The fact is, this poor lady's been taken with brain fever, and we have to get her to the infirmary."

"That's not what I saw!" Rose argued, trying to get into the carriage they stuffed the old woman into.

Elm took a hesitant step forward and managed to touch the woman's forehead. She jumped back almost immediately. "She's dead!"

"What did you do to her?!" Rose demanded.

Something hard hit Elm from behind, sending her sprawling out onto the ground. Dazed and confused, she could hear Rose struggling, but couldn't find the strength to stand. Her fight left her entirely when a rag was pressed to her nose. She was out cold.

OoOoOoO

"Elm!" A voice shouted. Someone was nudging her awake. "You've got to wake up!" Blinking her eyes open, Elm woke to Rose's face very close to her own. Her friend's eyebrows were furrowed. "Are you alright?"

Elm sat up, wincing as she went. The back of her head throbbed. "I've got a bump, but I think I'm fine. Where are we?"

The room was dark and had both empty and filled coffins lying around. Rose and Elm were laying on a raised platform in the center of the room, from which they got up quickly. It was cold.

"That old man must have drugged us!" Rose exclaimed, seething with anger. "He felt me up. I swear he did."

The gas lights in the room flickered as a ghostly blue glow rose out of them. Elm felt her stomach sink as it went into one of the cadavers, a man. He lifted himself out of his coffin with a moan.

Elm sucked in a breath. "Oh, my God."

"You're kidding me, yeah?" Rose said with a nervous laugh. "This is a prank. A joke on us, isn't it?"

The blue light went into the body of an old woman, making her rise from her coffin as well.

Grabbing her friend's arm, Elm backed away toward the door. "I don't think this is a joke, Rose."

The bodies moaned louder. Both the girls let out terrified squeaks before rushing to the door.

Rose tried the knob. It was locked. "What do we do?" She banged on the door. "Help, please! Help!"

Elm turned to face the zombies and attempted to calm her racing heart. "Hello? Are you intelligent? What are you? We have a friend that might be able to-" she was cut off by one of the creatures grabbing Rose. It cupped its hand over her mouth. "Rose!"

The door slammed open, its handle hitting the wall with a loud bang. There stood the Doctor, a furious look on his face. He grabbed Rose and yanked her away from the zombies. Elm, unrestricted as she was, rushed to stand behind him as well.

A familiar-looking man stood to the Doctor's left. "This must be some sort of illusion!"

"No, the dead are walking," the Doctor replied, not taking his eyes off the zombies. "Rose, Elm, are you alright?"

"Fine," Elm squeaked.

"I'm fine, too," Rose responded, glancing at the other man. "Who's your friend?"

"Charles Dickens."

Elm spun around to get a better look. "The Charles Dickens?"

"Yes, I know, very exciting," the Doctor said before Elm could continue. "But let's deal with the imminent threat first." He focused on the now-stopped corpses. "My name's the Doctor. Who are you, and what do you want?"

The corpses answered in unison. "Open the rift. We're dying. Trapped in this form. Cannot sustain. Help us!" They let out a pained sound, and the blue mist flew back into the lamps from whence they came. Elm flinched at the sound of bodies hitting the floor.

OoOoOoO

They regrouped in the sitting room. Elm felt chilled and shaken, but the Doctor seemed determined to investigate. She sat on a stool next to the alien man, clenched hands in her lap. The girl from before, assistant and servant to the mortician, gave her a cup of tea to settle her nerves.

"Thank you," she murmured, taking a sip. It was made exactly how she liked it.

Rose, meanwhile, was interrogating the old man who kidnapped them. "First, you hit Elm. Then you drug and kidnap us. Oh, and don't think I didn't feel your hands having a quick wander!" she spat out, eyes cold. "You dirty old man."

"I will not be spoken to like this!" he objected.

"Then," Rose continued, still seething. "You stick us in a room full of zombies and leave us to die! So come on, talk!"

"It's not my fault!" the old man, Sneed, burst. "It's this house," he whispered. "It's always had a reputation. I never had much of a bother until a few months back. Then, the stiffs," he got a sharp look from Charles Dickens and coughed into his hand. "Er, dear departed, started getting restless."

The author laughed. "Tommyrot!"

Sneed raised his voice defensively. "You witnessed it! Can't keep the beggars down, sir. They walk. And it's the queerest thing, but they hang onto scraps."

Elm narrowed her eyes at the man. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well," Sneed began. "They remember things, from just before they died. One fellow walked into his own memorial service. That old lady went to Mr. Dickens' performance, just as she planned."

Mr. Dickens scoffed. "Morbid fancy."

"Oh, Charles," the Doctor said, frowning. "You were there."

"I saw nothing but an illusion," the author insisted.

"The zombies that tried to get at Rose and I sure weren't illusions," Elm said, shivering at the memory.

"Impressive illusions," Mr. Dickens doubled down. "But illusions, nonetheless."

The Doctor cut in before any more could be said. "If you're going to deny it, don't waste my time." He turned toward Sneed. "What about the gas?"

The old man shrugged. "That's new, sir. Never seen anything like that before."

"It's getting stronger. The rift's getting wider, and something's sneaking through." As the Doctor spoke, Mr. Dickens rose from his seat and left the room in a huff. After a moment of hesitation, Elm followed.

"Mr. Dickens."

"What is it?" the man snapped. "More ghost stories?"

"No," she paused and took a breath. "I'd just like to say that I admire your work. I have a complete collection at home, and they're worn from how much I've read them. It's an honor to meet you."

He seemed struck for a moment before nodding. "Oh. Well, thank you."

Elm smiled and held out a hand. "Thank you, for writing them."

The author was about to reach out as well when a faint sound reached both his and Elm's ears. Both of them turned toward one of the gas lamps. It was whispering. Elm took a step forward to listen, hairs on her arms standing on end. Mr. Dickens let out a huff and stormed down the hall.

Elm was about to follow when the Doctor exited the sitting room. "You get a chance to meet him?"

"Yeah," Elm replied with a nervous smile. "This is really amazing, despite the ghosts."

The Doctor smirked. "You afraid of a whispering lamp?"

"And walking corpses!" Elm defended. Sighing, she peered down the hall where Mr. Dickens went. "I dunno, Doc. Aliens I can handle, but ghosts and zombies? You've got to admit that this is strange."

Snatching her hand from where it was clenched at her side, the Doctor tugged her down the hall. "Let's figure this out then."

"Please, or else I'm going to have nightmares."

They found Mr. Dickens looking through an empty coffin. The Doctor watched the man for a moment before speaking up. "Checking for strings?"

Mr. Dickens glanced back at them before continuing his search. "Wires, perhaps. There must be some mechanism behind this fraud."

"Oh, come on, Charles," the Doctor sighed. He approached the man and patted his shoulder. "All right, I shouldn't have told you to shut up. I'm sorry. But you've got one of the best minds in the world. You saw those gas creatures."

"They weren't ghosts, then?" Elm questioned, taking a step into the room. She didn't get close to the bodies.

"Of course not. What does the human body do when it decomposes? It breaks down and produces gas. Perfect home for these gas creatures," the Doctor explained. "They can slip inside and use it as a vehicle."

"Stop it," Mr. Dickens demanded. "Are you saying that I have the world entirely wrong?"

"Not wrong," the Doctor replied gently. "There's just more to learn."

Mr. Dickens's face grew sad. "I've always rallied against the fantasists. I love an illusion as much as the next man, but that's exactly what they are. Illusions. The real world is something else, and I've dedicated myself to that. Injustices, the great social causes. I hoped that I was a force for good." His voice cracked. "Now you tell me that the real world is a realm of specters and jack-o'-lanterns? Have I wasted my brief span here, Doctor? Has it all been for nothing?"

"I wouldn't say so. We all do our best to make the world a better place, while we're here," Elm said in a murmur. "A part of that is being willing to see things from different perspectives. Even if they are wildly different from our own."

"Right that," the Doctor agreed before turning away. "Now then, Elm, let's see where Rose has gone. I've got an idea of what we can do to sort this out."

OoOoOoO

They found Rose in the pantry with Gwyneth. The Doctor paused just outside of the door to listen in on the conversation.

"You're from London," the girl began. "I've seen London in drawings, but never like that. All those people rushing around half-naked, for shame. And the noise, and the metal boxes racing past, and the birds in the sky. No, they're metal as well. Metal birds with people in them. People are flying," she gasped for a breath. "And you, you and your friend, you've flown so far. Further than anyone. The things you've seen. The darkness, the big bad wolf," something clattered to the floor as Gwyneth took a stuttering breath. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Miss. I can't help it. Since I was a little girl, my mum said that I had the sight. She told me to hide it."

The Doctor stepped into the doorway, followed by Elm. "But it's getting stronger, more powerful, is that right?"

The girls in the pantry jumped in surprise at their sudden presence. Gwyneth nodded. "All the time, sir. Every night, voices in my head."

"You grew up on top of the rift," the Doctor said, voice soft. "You're part of it, the key."

"I've tried to make sense of it, sir," she lowered her voice. "Consulted with spiritualists, table rappers, all sorts."

The Doctor grinned. "That should help, you can show us what to do."

"Wait," Elm cut in. "What exactly is this plan of yours?"

"We're going to have a seance."

OoOoOoO

"I really, really don't know about this," Elm murmured under her breath. "What if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing will go wrong," the Doctor replied with a scoff.

"No, no, I've attended one of these things before," Elm insisted, wringing her hands under the table. "At a party. It was stupid. The day after it the person in charge of the whole thing got into a major car accident. Nearly died."

"I'm sure that was just a coincidence," the Doctor said, grabbing one of her hands. "Or maybe it wasn't. Either way, nothing's going to go wrong with this one."

Elm frowned but didn't argue.

"We must join hands," Gwyneth urged, taking the hands of the people closest to her. "That's how Madam Mortlock summons those from the Land of Mists."

Mr. Dickens rose from his seat. "I can't take part in this."

"Humbug?" the Doctor said in a mocking tone. "Come on, open mind."

"This is precisely the sort of cheap mummery I strive to unmask!" the man exclaimed. "Seances? Nothing but luminous tambourines and a squeezebox. This girl knows nothing."

"Now, don't antagonize her," the Doctor said before grinning. "I love a happy medium."

Elm laughed, some of the tension draining from her shoulders.

Rose laughed as well. "I can't believe you just said that."

Looking pleased with himself, the Doctor turned back to Mr. Dickens. "Come on, we might need you."

The author sat back down, albeit reluctantly. Those sitting at the table joined hands, Elm grasping the Doctor's and Rose's tightly. Rose squeezed back in an attempt to comfort her friend.

Ready to begin, the servant girl closed her eyes. "Speak to us. Are you there?" she paused. "Spirits, come. Speak to us so that we may relieve your burden."

A cold feeling rushed over Elm, and she shivered in response. Low whispering could be heard all around them, and Elm tightened her grip on her friends.

Rose made a sharp noise. "Can you hear that?"

Mr. Dickens scoffed. "Nothing can happen. This is folly."

"You cannot tell me you don't feel that," Elm whispered. The hairs on her arms stood on end.

"I can see them," Gwyneth gasped. "I can feel them."

The same ghostly blue light from before drifted above them. The whispers grew louder.

"What's it saying?" Rose questioned, looking up at the lights.

"They can't get through the rift," the Doctor explained in a rush. "Gwyneth, it's not controlling you, you're controlling it. Look deep and allow them through."

Gwyneth opened her eyes. "I can't!"

The Doctor shook his head. "You can. Just believe it. I have faith in you, Gwyneth. Make the link."

The girl took a breath and closed her eyes once more. "Yes."

Ghostly figures rose behind her as her eyes snapped open. Elm took a stuttering breath.

"Great god!" Sneed gasped. "Spirits from the other side."

"The other side of the universe," the Doctor amended.

They spoke in childlike voices, Gwyneth along with them. "Pity us. Pity the Gelth. There is so little time. Help us."

"What do you want us to do?" the Doctor asked.

"The rift. Take the girl to the rift and make the bridge."

The Doctor pushed on. "What for?"

"We are so very few. The last of our kind. We face extinction."

"Why? What happened?" the Doctor continued.

"Once we had a physical form like you, then the war came."

"War? What war?" Mr. Dickens demanded.

"The Time War," the beings answered. Elm felt the Doctor's hand convulse. "The Time War raged. Invisible to smaller species, but devastating to higher forms. Our bodies wasted away. We're trapped in this gaseous state."

The Doctor took a breath and nodded. "That's why you need the corpses."

"We want to stand tall, to feel the sunlight, to live again. We need a physical form, and your dead are abandoned. They're going to waste. Give them to us."

"But we can't," Rose cut in.

"Why not?" the Doctor demanded.

"It's not," she struggled for words. "I mean, it's not-"

"Not decent?" the Doctor exclaimed. "Not polite? It could save their lives!"

The Gelth spoke again. "Open the rift. Let the Gelth through. We're dying. Help us. Pity the Gelth."

All at once, the beings disappeared, flying back into the gas lamps. As soon as they were gone, Gwyneth collapsed on the table. Rose stood immediately to help. "Gwyneth? Are you okay?"

Mr. Dickens stood as well, stumbling back from his chair. "It's true. It's all true."

Elm stared down at her hands, unable to sort out her thoughts on the matter.

OoOoOoO

After helping Gwyneth to a nearby chair to be tended to by Rose, Elm stood beside the Doctor. Mr. Dickens was drinking some alcohol by a lit fireplace.

"So they're not ghosts," Elm said after a long silence. "They're beings from across the rift, whatever that is, that want to use dead bodies as physical forms." She frowned down at her hands. "But how does that even work? Would the bodies keep on decomposing? And we never got a number from them, of how many they are. I really can't imagine this going over well with everyone."

The Doctor gave her a stern look. "What, you want to just leave them to die?"

"I didn't say that!" Elm replied, meeting his gaze. "But you can't deny there are a lot of holes in this plan."

Gwyneth groaned as she woke up, and Rose patted her head with a damp towel. "It's all right, you just sleep."

"But my angels, Miss," Gwyneth tried to stand, but Rose kept her in place and handed her a glass of water. "They came, didn't they? They need me?"

The Doctor nodded. "They do need you, Gwyneth. You're their only chance."

Rose glared at the alien man. "Leave her alone. She's exhausted, and not fighting your battles."

"I still don't understand," Sneed admitted. "What exactly are they?"

"Aliens," the Doctor replied.

"Like foreigners, you mean?"

The Doctor chuckled. "Pretty foreign, yeah. From up there," he pointed up.

Still not understanding, Sneed quirked a brow. "Brecon?"

"Close," the Doctor said. "And they've been trying to get through from Brecon to Cardiff, but the road's blocked. Only a few can get through, and even then they're weak. They can only test drive the bodies for so long before they revert to gas and hide in the pipes."

"Which is why they need the girl," Mr. Dickens surmised with a nod.

Rose frowned. "They're not having her."

"But she can help!" the Doctor insisted. "Living on the rift, she's become a part of it. She can open it and make a bridge. Let them through."

Mr. Dickens looked awed. "Incredible. Ghosts that are not ghosts, but beings from another world."

"It's a lot more reassuring than vengeful spirits, at least," Elm said with a shiver.

The Doctor nodded. "And it's a good system. It just might work," he glanced down at Elm. "With time."

Rose stood and approached the Doctor. "You can't let them run around inside of dead people."

"Why not?" the Doctor questioned. "It's like recycling."

"Seriously, you can't," Rose insisted, raising her voice.

"Seriously, I can," the Doctor replied, raising his voice to match.

"Well, nothing's going to get done if we bicker," Elm stepped in, placing herself between them. "This is strange and unprecedented, yes, but we can't just let the Gelth die. At the same time, I think it'll distress a lot of people to see their loved ones back from the dead."

"Those bodies were once living people!" Rose objected. "It's wrong. We should respect them, even in death."

"Do you carry a donor car?" the Doctor questioned.

"That's different," Rose said, glancing away. "That's-"

"It's a different morality. Get used to it or go home. You heard what they said, time's short. I can't worry about a few corpses when the last of the Gelth could be dying," the Doctor turned to Elm. "We can worry about the logistics after they're safe."

"I don't care," Rose exclaimed. "They're not using her."

Gwyneth sat up in her chair. "Don't I get a say, Miss?"

Rose turned around and gave the girl a patient smile. "Look, you don't understand what's going on."

"You would say that Miss," Gwyneth said, looking at the floor. "It's very clear inside your head. You think I'm stupid."

"That's not fair."

"It's true, though." Gwyneth smiled gently. "Things might be different from where you're from, but here and now, I know my own mind. My angels need me." She turned toward the Doctor. "What do I have to do?"

The Doctor frowned. "You don't have to do anything."

"It's your choice, Gwyneth," Elm added. "No one's forcing you."

The girl shook her head. "They've been singing to me since I was a child. Tell me."

"First, we need to find the rift." The Doctor turned to Sneed. "This house is on a weak spot, so there must be a spot that's weaker than the rest. Mister Sneed, what's the weakest part of this house? The place where most of the ghosts have been seen?"

The old man thought for a moment. "That would be the morgue."

OoOoOoO

The group was quiet as they walked into the basement, where corpses lay on tables under white sheets. Some had been sitting for a while, their skin turning purple. Elm stuck close to the Doctor, feeling uneasy in the cold space.

The Doctor hummed. "Talk about bleak."

"This thing is, Doctor," Rose started. "The Gelth don't succeed, 'cos I know they don't. I know for a fact there weren't corpses walking around in 1869."

"Time's in a flux," the Doctor explained. "It's changing every second. Your cozy little world can be rewritten in an instant. Nothing is safe."

Elm swallowed thickly. "So we could cease to exist at any moment?"

The Doctor gave her a long look and was about to open his mouth when Mr. Dickens spoke. "Doctor, I think the room is getting colder."

"Here they come," Rose said with a shiver.

A figure formed itself out of blue gas and stood under the stone archway of the morgue. It sounded happy. "You've come to help. Praise the Doctor. Praise him."

"Promise you won't hurt her," Rose demanded.

"Hurry," the Gelth insisted. "Please, so little time. Pity the Gelth."

The Doctor stepped forward. "I'll take you somewhere else after the transfer. Somewhere you can build proper bodies. This isn't a permanent solution, all right?"

"I'm sure the Doctor knows plenty of planets where you can live and feel the sun like you want," Elm assured them despite her uneasiness.

Gwyneth let out a happy laugh. "My angles! I can help them live."

"Where's the weakest point?" the Doctor questioned.

"Here," the gas being moved away. "Beneath the arch."

The young servant girl rushed under the stone to stand in front of the figure. Rose stepped forward as well and put a hand on Gwyneth's shoulder. "You don't have to do this."

"I do," Gwyneth said with a shake of her head. "I have to save my angels."

"Establish the bridge," the Gelth instructed. "Reach out into the void!"

"Yes," Gwyneth breathed. "I can see you! I can. Come!"

"Bridgehead establishing."

"Come to me," Gwyneth called. "Come, poor lost souls!"

The Gelth above Gwyneth laughed. "It has begun!"

Gwyneth opened her mouth and blue gas filtered out. It filled the room with apparitions. The Gelth above Gwyneth changed from blue to orange and smiled. "She has given herself to the Gelth. We ascend. The Gelth will come with force."

The hopeful feeling in the room changed to fear all at once as even more apparitions appeared. There were so many that they nearly filled the room, flying into whatever corpses were available. Elm watched in horror.

"You said you were few in number!" Mr. Dickens shouted.

"Mr. Dickens!" Elm exclaimed. "You should back away!"

The Gelth laughed. "A few billion. And all of us in need of corpses."

As it spoke, even more appeared, filling the room to the brim. The corpses already occupied rose from their slabs and turned toward Elm, Rose, the Doctor, and Sneed.

"Gwyneth!" Sneed shouted. "Listen to your master! Stop this! It's gone far enough. Stop dabbling and leave these things alone!" He approached the young girl, and the corpses surrounded him.

"Mister Sneed!" Rose gasped, though it was too late. One of the corpses grabbed his neck and snapped it with a sickening crack. Elm flinched at the noise and backed away with her friends as a Gelth took him over.

"I think it's gone a bit wrong," the Doctor admitted.

"A bit!" Elm squeaked, her back hitting a barred gate, cutting off her escape

Sneed, or rather, the Gelth, spoke. "I have joined the legions of the Gelth. Come march with us. We need bodies."

"Gwyneth!" the Doctor called. "Stop them! Send them back!"

The Gelth continued speaking. "Four more bodies. Convert them. Make them vessels."

"Doctor, this world of yours is too much for me," Mr. Dickens exclaimed, rushing out of the room and up the stairs.

Spinning around, the Doctor opened the metal gate, allowing Rose and Elm through before entering himself. He locked it behind him, trapping them in a tiny section of the morgue. Elm gripped her friend's hands.

"I trusted you!" the Doctor shouted. "I pitied you!"

The Gelth spoke through all of the corpses. "We don't want your pity. We want this world."

"Not while I'm alive!" the Doctor said, taking a defiant stance.

"Then live no more."

Rose shook from head to toe. "We can't die. We haven't even been born yet. It's impossible."

The Doctor looked down at his companions, a sad look on his face. "I'm sorry."

"It's 1869," Rose insisted. "How can we die now?"

"Time isn't a straight line," the Doctor explained. "It can twist into any shape. You can be born in the twentieth century and die in the nineteenth." He frowned. "It's all my fault. I brought you two here."

"We wanted to come," Elm objected.

"What about me?" the Doctor exclaimed. "I saw the fall of Troy, World War Five. I pushed boxes at the Boston Tea Party! Now I'm going to die in a dungeon. In Cardiff."

Rose sniffled. "Well, I'm very glad I met you, Doctor."

"Me too," Elm agreed.

The Doctor looked at his companions and smiled. "We'll go down fighting."

"Doctor!" a familiar voice broke the moment. Mr. Dickens ran into the room. "Turn off the flame, turn up the gas! Fill the room with it, now!"

"What?" the Doctor shouted back. "What're you doing?"

"Turn it all on, flood the place!" Mr. Dickens repeated.

The Doctor thought for a moment before letting out a laugh. "Brilliant. Gas."

Rose shook her head. "What, so we choke to death instead?"

"Am I correct, Doctor?" Mr. Dickens questioned. "These creatures are gaseous."

"Fill the room with gas, and it'll draw them out of the host!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Suck them into the air like poison from a wound!"

"Oh, like before!" Elm gasped, remembering how the creatures were drawn into the lamps.

Behind the three was a gas pipe, which they pulled out of the wall. Both Elm and Rose coughed and tried to cover their faces, though only Elm succeeded. She was glad she brought her jacket because zipping it up and burrowing her face into it proved to be decent protection.

Within a moment the Gelth were pulled from their hosts and into the air. They spun round and round the room, screaming in anger as they went. Elm let herself relax as the corpses fell to the ground, and they were able to leave through the gate.

The time travelers approached Gwyneth and Elm felt that something was wrong. She just couldn't put her finger on it.

"Gwyneth, send them back," the Doctor pleaded. "They lied. They're not angels."

"Liars?" the poor girl questioned.

"Your parents would tell you the same," the Doctor said. "They'd give you strength. You need to send them back!"

"Doctor, the gas," Rose gasped, trying to cover her mouth and nose with her hand.

The Doctor waved them off. "Get out, all of you. I'll get Gwyneth." He turned back toward the girl. "Remember that world you saw? Rose's world? None of it will exist unless you send the Gelth back."

"I can't send them back," Gwyneth responded. "But I can hold them here. Get out." She pulled a box of matches out of her pocket.

Rose gasped and coughed. "You can't!"

"Leave this place!" Gwyneth shouted.

"Get out now," the Doctor commanded. "I won't leave her while she's still in danger. Go!"

Mr. Dickens, being close to Rose, pulled the struggling girl out of the room. During this time, it finally clicked in Elm's mind what was wrong with Gwyneth. She let out a breath. "Not without you Doc."

"You need to-"

"She's not breathing," Elm argued. Reaching out and touching the girl's wrist, she confirmed her suspicions. "She hasn't got a pulse. She's dead, Doctor.

"What?" the Doctor frantically pressed his hand to the girl's neck. His gaze saddened. "Oh, I'm so sorry." He stepped forward and gently pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Thank you."

Elm sniffled and hugged the girl. "I'm sorry."

With nothing more to say, the Doctor took Elm's hand and they ran. They ran up the stairs and through the long halls of the building until they got to the street. The Doctor slammed the door as Elm took deep breaths of fresh air.

The building exploded into flames behind them, lighting up the night.

Rose, who was waiting with Mr. Dickens, ran forward and embraced Elm. "What were you thinking?" she exclaimed. "Why didn't you follow us?" She looked around frantically. "Where's Gwyneth?"

The Doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry. She closed the rift."

"At such a cost," Mr. Dickens closed his eyes in mourning. "Poor child."

"She gave herself to the Gelth, Rose," Elm explained, rubbing circles into her friend's back. "She wasn't breathing."

"But she helped us," Rose argued. "Spoke to us, saved us. How could she have done that if she was dead?"

"There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy," Mr. Dickens said in a solemn tone.

For a long moment, they all stood in the snowy night, staring at the burning building.

Rose broke the quiet. "She saved the world, and no one will ever know."

OoOoOoO

The time travelers and Mr. Dickens left before people came to put out the fire. The Doctor led them all back to the TARDIS.

"Right then, Charlie boy. I've just got to go into my," he glanced at the TARDIS, searching for words. "My shed. Won't be long."

Rose smiled at the author. "What are you going to do now?"

Mr. Dickens laughed. "I shall take the mail coach back to London, post-haste. This is no time for me to be on my own. I shall spend Christmas with my family and make amends. After all I've learned tonight, there can be nothing more vital."

"That's a great idea!" Elm said, patting his shoulder. "I'm happy you've opened your mind and expanded your horizons."

"As am I," he replied. "This morning I thought I knew everything. Now I know I've just started. All these huge and wonderful notions! I'm inspired. I must write about them."

Rose cocked her head to the side. "Do you think that's wise?"

"I shall be subtle at first. The Mystery of Edwin Drood still lacks an ending. Perhaps the killer will not be of this Earth. The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the Blue Elementals. I can spread the word, tell the truth."

"Good luck with it," the Doctor gave him a solid handshake. "Nice to meet you. Fantastic."

Rose shook his hand as well and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "Bye, then."

Mr. Dickens blushed. "Oh, my dear. How modern."

"I know I said this before, but it's truly been an honor to meet you," Elm shook the author's hand rapidly. "Good luck with your writing."

"It has been nice to meet you all, but I don't understand," he said. The Doctor paused as he was halfway into the TARDIS. "In what way is this goodbye? Where are you going?"

The Doctor grinned down at the man. "You'll see."

"It's one riddle after another with you," Mr. Dickens shook his head. "But after all these revelations, there's still one mystery you haven't explained. Who are you? Who are all of you?"

The time travelers stared at him, at a loss for what to say. After a beat of silence, the Doctor spoke. "Just friends, passing through."

"But you have knowledge of future times. I don't wish to impose on you any longer, but I must ask. My books," he seemed to hesitate for a moment. "Doctor, do they last?"

"Oh, yes!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"For a long, long time," Elm added.

"Forever," the Doctor finished before stepping fully into the blue box. "C'mon, Rose, Elm. Time to go."

Rose stepped in as well.

"In the box?" Mr. Dickens exclaimed. "All three of you? How shall you fit?"

Elm laughed and waved, closing the TARDIS doors behind her. They gathered by the console's monitor to look at the author through the screen.

"Doesn't that change history if he writes about blue ghosts?" Rose questioned.

The Doctor shook his head. "In a week's time it's 1870, the year he dies. He'll never get to tell his story."

"But at least he'll be happy," Elm said.

"Old Charlie boy," the Doctor sighed and pressed a lever down. "Let's give him one last surprise."

OoOoOoO

Elm retreated to her room as soon as the TARDIS dematerialized. After pulling off her boots, she laid out on her bed, mind racing. Sniffling, she tried to hold back tears as she thought about Gwyneth. That poor, poor girl. Then she remembered those people who died on Platform One. And those on the Titanic. And Krakatoa. And-

Her room suddenly felt much too small. Standing up, she paced. She needed something to do. A distraction.

A door appeared on her wall.

She approached it slowly, wiping away the tears that managed to force their way through. Turning the knob, she peeked through and sighed happily. The library.

Navigating the shelves upon shelves of books, she found her couch and book pile once again. There was, however, a new addition sitting atop the rest. She picked it up curiously.

"A Christmas Carol," she read as she settled onto the couch. "By Charles Dickens."

E/N: If I made a mistake somewhere, let me know!

Comment Responses:

FallenSoul62: Thank you!

ThatBigBlueBox: Haha, I get you. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! I like the Doctor's post-Time War angst as well. It makes for a very interesting character.

yellowroseofthenw: Oh wow, I'm glad you like it! I'm especially glad you like Elm. Thank you!

PrincessMagic: Thank you! I'm glad you do.

ShiroKuroe: Oh wow, I'm glad I've caught your interest. Elm going to three fixed points was both a reference to Clive's conspiracy theorizing, and a result of the TARDIS's 'low battery'. I'm looking forward to Elm and Jack too! They'll make an interesting duo. As for Father's Day, that episode will be a doozy. Thank you for commenting!

thehelpinghand: I'm glad you like Elm so far! I put a lot of effort into her character. As for the second part of your comment, I guess you'll just have to wait and see ;).

milkymou: Oh man, it warms my heart to see so many people enjoying Elm. And yes, it certainly was inspired by Clive. There will be more original adventures in the future! Thank you for commenting!

Galarvis: I'm trying to make sure Elm fits naturally into the narrative, which means she changes things. I'm happy you noticed! And yes, there will be more of it. Thank you!

Our Brightest Stars: Oh wow, this comment made me so happy. Lemme go through it point by point. First, I'm glad you enjoyed how I introduced her. I was a bit nervous at first, and re-wrote that bit about twenty times because of how important it was. I'm glad I got it right! As for Elm's backstory, I'm trying my best, thank you so much for the compliment. Your last point made me smile the most. I'm so happy Elm is coming off as natural. I've spent a long time trying to make sure she has flaws and fears, and making her a balanced character. Her levity and curiosity will most certainly get her into trouble! Thank you so much for commenting!

SnowKi: Your wish is my command.

That's Blanderdash: Thank you!

meowmixkitkat: Thank you! And yeah, it was a bit cheesy. I ended up changing it, if you'd like to re-read it. Thank you for the feedback!

CrystalVixen93: Thank you! I hope you've enjoyed this new chapter as well.

Thank you all for your fantastic comments!