Wanderer of Time: Darkness Within

by Tinker16

The powers within have been steadily growing, buying time until the moment of remembrance. The moment swiftly approaches. Wanda's fears are coming to a head as she realizes what has been living inside her has only one purpose in the universe. And it holds no qualms in destroying any who gets in its way, even those who Wanda loves. (Part Three of the Wanderer of Time trilogy)

20. Ch 20: Mr Clever

Hi everyone!

I hope everyone had a good holiday these past days. If anyone celebrated Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving! If there is any other holiday that was celebrated, I hope that day was just as happy! :D And for anyone who had no holidays to celebrate, I still hope your days were amazing and filled with joy.

I do have one more exciting update. If you noticed recently the covers of the story parts have changed. Each one now has a cover of each Wanda. The first part has First Wanda, second has Second Wanda, and the one we're on now has Third Wanda. Each with their own Doctor. These covers were a gift to me from a friend who had commissioned them to be drawn by an artist found on Twitter. This artist is SkeleTea and she's amazing! She did each cover beautifully! If any of you would like to request art from her, just find her on Twitter and send her some love. 3 :)

XxXxXxXx

Chapter 20: Mr. Clever

Clara could really not believe this was happening. She could really, really, really not believe it.

Not in a million years would she ever picture herself tying up the Doctor to a chair. Good god, this was the strangest thing she had done with the Time Lord. One minute, they were arriving here to this planet, Hedgewick's World of Wonders, coming here to have a good time with Angie and Artie Maitland, the two kids she was nanny to. Then in a blink, before she knew it there were Cybermen everywhere, she was put in charge of a punishment platoon, and the Doctor had been taken over by a Cyber-Planner. And she thought the day she had been 'preserved' in Victorian London had been the strangest of her life. This one, however, took the cake. Worst of it all, Wanda was not here to help out in stopping all of this from happening. Oh, Clara felt she was really going to need a drink after this was all over with. Or, at least, she hoped it would be all over with. Without the whole planet imploding, of course.

She glanced up slightly, seeing the chess set on the table in front of the Doctor as it had been placed there by his request. And in a corner of the room away from them, standing straight at attention with electronics attached to their heads, were Angie and Artie. Clara felt her heart twist in fear, feeling dreadful for allowing this to happen to the children. Then, standing beside the two children was poor Webley as he had been half converted into a Cyberman. There was no hope for him to come out of this in the end, but at least the Doctor had promised her that the children were just in a coma. And that they should be fine. Possibly fine. Okay, she should probably not really trust the Doctor's promise. He had a horrible streak of lying and never keeping his word.

God she really, really wished Wanda were here. The Time Lady would know what to do. Or at least help Clara keep calm for she was really starting to feel ready to scream at the moment. She was beginning to think she was developing a nasty case of anxiety at the rate their adventures constantly went to.

"Right, that's good," the Doctor said as Clara finished tightening the ropes around his waist. "I won't be able to move but hands free, good." The Doctor wiggled his fingers in the air as Clara stepped around to face him.

She stared warily at the metal networking piece that had been implanted into the side of his skull. It sent a shiver down her spine at the sight, making her fear spike up. But, as Wanda had taught her over the time they had been together, these fears needed to be pushed down until after everyone had been saved and things were normal again. Right . . . normal. Things were never really normal in their life. But at least they were stable . . . somewhat. Shaking her head slightly, Clara looked at the Doctor in question.

"You're playing chess with yourself?" she asked him, completely bewildered by this fact. The Doctor was brilliant in many ways, but could he really beat himself at chess?

"And winning," the Doctor replied with a confident voice. But then suddenly, his hand came up and ripped off the golden ticket that had been placed on the metal circuit of his head. The only thing that had been helping the Doctor keep control of his body by scrambling the codes of the Cyber-Planner's mind. Clara looked startled as the lights on the side of his head began to light blink and beeping could be heard.

"Actually, he has no better than twenty-five percent chance of winning at this stage in the game," came the low voice of the Doctor. No . . . not the Doctor. It was that Cyber-Planner. That . . . Mr. Clever from what the Doctor had briefly explained. The thing inside the Doctor that now shared part of the Time Lord's mind and was trying to take full control. Clara shifted nervously on her feet, not liking how the words were spoken from the Doctor. They sounded all wrong.

"Some very dodgy moves at the beginning," Mr. Clever continued to say as he stared darkly at the chess board in front of him. Once again, Clara did not like that dark expression on the Doctor's face as she knew it was wrong. Mr. Clever gave Clara a side glance, barely even looking at her as if she was a waste of his time. "Hello, flesh girl. Fantastic! I'm the Cyber-Planner."

"Doctor?" she asked carefully, hoping to have the real Time Lord speak.

"Afraid not. I'm working the mouth now," stated Mr. Clever confidently. He smirked naughtily. "Allons-y! Oh, you should see the state of these neurons. He's had some cowboys in here. Ten complete rejigs."

"You aren't the Doctor," Clara said coldly, trying to see what kind of mind this Mr. Clever had.

Mr. Clever stared at her, keeping the Doctor's green eyes sharply on her. "No, but I know who you are. You're the impossible girl. Oh, he's very interested in you."

Clara felt a strange wave of recollection go through her as she knew she had heard the term used somewhere before. Well, technically she had heard this term before used by Wanda many, many times. But Clara felt as though she had also heard these words from a long, long time ago as well. She did not remember where from, but . . . it felt . . . familiar. "Why am I impossible?"

Mr. Clever titled his head, giving her a knowing smile. "Hasn't he told you, the sly devil? Dear me. Listen. Soon we wake. We'll strip you down for spare parts, then build a spaceship and move on."

Leaning her hands on the table, Clara held a firm gaze. "More Cybermen?"

"They're waking from their tomb right now. You can either die or live on as one of us."

Clara narrowed her eyes. "The Doctor will stop you."

Mr. Clever grinned wickedly, contorting the Doctor's face into an expression Clara wished to never see again. And in a tone so chilling that sent shivers down her spine. "He can try."

Suddenly, doors burst open at the end of the room and slammed loudly in an echoing bang against the walls. Clara whipped around, terrified that it was more Cybermen arriving to kill. Were they here to capture everyone else, or simply kill them all? But relief flooded through her as she saw Third Wanda, in all her blonde glory, standing there at the doorway with a door handle in each hand. Clara noticed in amusement how red the Time Lady's face was and the left eye twitching like mad. Ooh, someone was not the best of moods. Mr. Clever was about to earn himself a rude wakeup call.

Peeking around Clara to see the storming Wanderer, Mr. Clever put on the most pleased smile he could. Giving the best puppy-eyed expression the Doctor's face could muster.

"Wanderer, my love! Oh, the moments I've counted awaiting your lovely arrival once more!" Mr. Clever exclaimed in a flourish. Wanda marched briskly up to him and he continued to have his cheery smile. "And how has my love b—."

WHAM!

The Time Lord's head whipped backward when Wanda's fist connected. Grabbing ahold of the Doctor's collar, Wanda jerked his head back up and glared in rage at the Cyber-Planner. Her breathing came out ragged through gritted teeth. Jerking up his head closer, she bared her teeth at him.

"Listen here you piece of tin," she growled. "I will rip you apart and burn your circuits so you know what it feels like to be in hell. I will make you rue the day you think you can take over my husband's body and use him for your stupid and pathetic plans by making every moment of your damned existence complete and utter misery to where you will be begging for me to let you go. You let my husband have his mind back right now so I can talk to him. Do you hear me? Right now!" The Doctor smiled meekly, holding up his hands in a shaking surrender.

"Um, Wanda, d-don't worry. It's all me now," he chuckled nervously. "He's been pushed aside for a while." In an instant, Wanda beamed merrily and her demeanour did a flip from enraged to giddy.

"Oh, hello, sweetie. Is everything going all right so far?" she asked, gently patting down the Doctor's ruffled coat. She smiled sheepishly when seeing the nasty red mark on the side of his face. "Heh. Oops. Lost my temper again there. Sorry." She leaned forward, giving the Doctor's cheek an apologetic kiss. "I've just come from being with Nine for a few days, and let's just say things did not go so well. It wasn't all bad, but having one moment where we have a row, then apologizing, then more shouting, then making up again, then another nasty row was not fun. Putting two people with bad tempers together in the same room is never a good idea. I'm surprised I didn't go insane. Good thing Rose was there to keep us both calm. Jack, too. Oh, Jack! I was so happy to see him again! He's beyond funny and I really think that—."

"Wanda, we need you to focus," Clara spoke up, tapping Wanda on the shoulder to get her to settle down in her rapid talking.

"Oh! Right, sorry. Okay, so, where are we?" Wanda went on, clapping her hands together for action.

"Right," the Doctor began to explain hurriedly, "I'm in a chess game of death at the moment. I've made a deal with Mr. Clever here. If he wins, I give up my mind and he gets access to all my memories along with knowledge of time travel, but if I win, he'll break his promises to get out of my head and then kill us all anyway."

"Is that it? Well, that sounds fun, then," Wanda said easily, shrugging her shoulders. She leaned back her head to stare at the ceiling. The Doctor and Clara started to talk, trying to get her to be more serious about the situation, but she shushed them, holding up a finger. There was a long moment's pause, about a minute of silence from the Time Lady, then she flipped her head back upright to stare at the Doctor again. "Right, then I suggest we make a new deal."

"New deal? What new deal?" the Doctor asked, confused by what she meant. Wanda walked away from him, grabbing a nearby chair and dragging it over. She sat on the chair from the other side of the table to face the Doctor, sitting down to get comfortable as she folded her hands to stare evenly at him.

"How about, instead of your mind, he gets mine," she stated evenly. Clara and the Doctor both looked at her in alarm, their eyes widening in shock.

"What?!" the shouted together.

"You can't be serious!" Clara exclaimed in utter disbelief.

"That is absolutely out of the question!" barked the Doctor, glaring in outrage at Wanda.

"It's the only option we have at the moment as time isn't going to run smoothly from this point forward," Wanda gritted, shooting them both a pointed look. She straightened in her seat, gazing evenly toward the Time Lord. "So, what do you say, Mr. Clever? What to make a new bargain?" The Doctor was about to protest, opening his mouth wide to begin an argument when his body jerked. His head hung forward for a second before slowly raising it to stare at the Time Lady across from him. He smirked shrewdly.

"What do you have in mind, Wanderer?" he said in a low tone, leaning back in his chair as he stared her down.

"A game of chess, of course," Wanda responded, relaxing in her own chair. "Just like you were doing with the Doctor, we're going to play a game. Only the stakes are going to be a little different this time around."

"Oh? And exactly brilliant stakes have you managed to come up with?" Mr. Clever snickered, giving her a humoured expression.

"We play a game, and if you win, you get me instead of the Doctor," Wanda told him smoothly.

"And why exactly would I want you?" Mr. Clever leaned forward, holding a snide expression. "He's much more clever than you are. Why would I give up such a brilliant brain?"

"Because I know the future." Wanda watched carefully as she saw the spark of interest within Mr. Clever's (the Doctor's) eyes.

"You're lying. No one has that kind of power."

"Look into the memories of the Doctor and see for yourself." She leaned forward, staring at him evenly. "I have abilities beyond Cybermen imagination. I know things, a million things. I can see not only one path of the future but all of them. All possible outcomes that anyone could ever make. Just think of what you could do with that kind of processing. You'll know everything in advance, and you never even have to lift a finger."

Leaning back into his large chair, Mr. Clever folded his hands together in thought, seeming to observe Wanda very carefully. "I can't look into the Doctor's more . . . detailed memories of you. He has your information more tightly sealed than even that of the Time Lords." A wicked grin grew on his face. "Though, he did let something slip out earlier before he locked you away." He made a clicking noise with his tongue, shaking his head. "A bad, bad boy he is. Keeping such a secret from you, the one he loves? Oh, how touching that he thinks he can save you." Mr. Clever laughed darkly, making both Clara and Wanda feel uncomfortable by hearing something like that coming out of the Doctor.

But Wanda kept her expression even as she stared coolly at him. "Be as it may, it's still a rather good deal, don't you agree?"

"Hmm." Mr. Clever seemed to take her in, judging her. "And what if you win? What then?"

"If I win, you will still get my body and mind." Seeing how Mr. Clever scoffed in disbelief, Wanda held up a hand before he could remark snidely at this. "But you must take your Cybermen with you and leave this place, allowing everyone here to live. This way, you can go off and conquer whatever place your little circuit heart desires, still get your clever mind, have an advantage over those you'll end up fighting, and everyone here can still be alive and well. A win-win for everyone on this planet. Deal?" Wanda crossed her legs, keeping her eyes trained on him. She saw how he thought this over carefully, and knew he could not pass up such a perfect deal.

Smirking, Mr. Clever leaned forward and held a hand out for her to shake. "Deal."

Wanda held up a finger. "Ah, but before we make any sort of finished deal, I would like a good gesture of peace."

"Peace?" Mr. Clever scoffed, finding this amusing. "What sort of 'gesture of peace' do you have in mind?"

"You let the children go. Now." Wanda pointed over behind her to where Angie and Artie were, where they still stood there blankly in their standby coma. "By letting them go, it shows me and Clara here that we can trust you." She saw the unwillingness cross over Mr. Clever's face, him snickering in amusement. "Oh, come on, you don't really need the children anymore. They're useless to you now. Why bother keeping them around anyway? They're just a liability."

Mr. Clever hummed, seeming to think this over. He saw the logic behind it and knew most likely it would lower the guard of the rest of the humans if they believed he could be easily won. So, smirking again, he snapped his fingers. "Done."

Clara rushed over to the children as they fell to their knees in a slump. The Cybernetworking that had been attached to the sides of their heads fell off and hit the ground, turned off for good. Angie and Artie stood up, looking confused by everything as Clara checked them over.

"You two all right?" Wanda called over her shoulder, though she still kept her eyes locked with Mr. Clever's.

"Where are we? What's going on?" Angie asked first thing, blinking in bewilderment.

"Oh, just a Cybermen attack. Nothing to worry about," Wanda replied casually. "Clara, can you point them the way out and to the platoon for safety." Clara nodded, quickly steering the two children out of the room. A second later, she was back, looking anxious but yet relieved for the children as she walked back over next to Wanda.

"Does this mean we have a deal now?" Mr. Clever asked snidely.

"After that gesture of peace, yes," Wanda concluded, giving a nod. Mr. Clever gave a nasty smile, holding out his hand to shake once more.

"Then, we have a deal," he said lowly.

"Good." Wanda shot up from her seat, not even bothering to shake his hand. She bounced over to Clara and grabbed the girl by the shoulders. "Now, before we start, I need to talk to my friend Clara here for a moment. Won't be long."

Before the Cyper-Planner could protest this, Wanda had steered Clara out the door and into the stone hall, moving a good distance away from the throne room of the castle. Once they were out of earshot, Clara pushed Wanda's arm away and glared in incredulity.

"I can't believe you!" Clara hissed out in an enraged whisper. "You're really willing to just throw away your life like that? Don't you realize what that will do to the Doctor? And not to mention I really doubt that Cyber-whatever-he-is, is going to just let us all go like that. In fact, I think it makes things worse by him getting your mind that knows everything in advance." The girl crossed her arms and nodded curtly as if satisfied in scolding the Time Lady.

"Yes, I know he's going to betray me. That's the point," Wanda replied, rolling her eyes. "Look, I have a plan, okay?"

"And what plan is that?" Clara questioned pointedly.

"It's a good one . . . Sort of . . . Hopefully. Anyway," Wanda shook her head to continue on, "listen, you need to get back there with that platoon. Help them out as best as you can. There's going to be more Cybermen on their way, so they need their leader."

Clara scoffed, shaking her head. "Yeah? And what exactly am I supposed to do? I haven't really been much help and most of the platoon is dying off because of the constant Cybermen attacks. And what exactly is it that you're going to do?"

"Don't worry. I've got this covered for a while." Wanda moved closer, placing strong hands on the companion's shoulders. The Time Lady beamed internally at how pleased she felt to actually being a little taller than Clara. Not by much, but hey, at least she was actually taller than someone. "Listen, I'm going to show you something that will help. But you're going to have to relax, okay?"

Clara raised a brow, appearing skeptical and nervous by this response. "Okay."

Wanda smiled, gently placing her fingers on the girl's temples. Focusing her mind, she made her way into Clara's. The girl in front of her gasped, stiffening from the strange intrusion into her mind. She felt Wanda shifting through, making their thoughts almost one as she settled in.

Oh. My god. You're in my head. Clara thought in a panic at the overwhelming sensation.

Ssh. Relax. You'll just make yourself sick if you try to fight it. Wanda told her calmly, trying to ease the girl.

Clara relaxed her shoulders, trying to let her mind be at ease. Okay, I'm calm. Now what? What exactly are you doing? Oh, this is so weird. I can't believe I'm talking to you with my mind. Wait . . . you can't see anything, can you?

Don't worry about that now. Wanda replied, sidestepping around that question. But, hey, at least you know what it's like for me and the Doctor every day. Anyway, look, I'm giving you information on what is to come. Get ready. As gently as she could, Wanda fed Clara images of what the Cybermen were planning and all the attacks they would make against the humans here within the castle. Giving Clara advanced knowledge that should help her keep calm and keep everyone alive.

Right, that's useful. Wish you could do that more often. Clara said after a moment when the information stopped coming.

Yeah, me too. Wanda replied in agreement. Pulling one hand away from Clara's temple and focusing to keep their mind connected, Wanda dug into her pocket and pulled out her sonic screwdriver, handing it over to the girl. She gripped the tool tightly in Clara's hand. You know what to do. Make sure to time it just right.

The companion nodded in determination, ready for action. So, what now? What's this big plan of yours? Clara raised a brow, trying to see what Wanda had in mind.

I need something from you. Do you know what a hand pulse is? Wanda showed Clara an image of the hand device the platoon has to use as a weapon against the Cybermen.

Clara nodded. Yeah, they have a lot of those in crates. Why?

No reason. Just need one in case of an emergency. Bring it when you can. So, go ahead and get back to your platoon. I'll yell for you if I need you. Just make sure to keep Angie and Artie safe in the meantime.

Oh, I plan to. Clara pulled away as Wanda let go of their connection. She blinked rapidly, trying to settle her mind back down. "That was too weird. Let's not ever do that again."

"Aw, you take the fun out of everything," Wanda joked lightly. She smiled, giving Clara a warm hug. "By the way, it's great seeing you again." Clara returned the hug and smile.

"You, too," she agreed with a pleased sigh. Turning, Clara walked away at a quick pace, in a hurry to get back to the platoon and get them ready for what was ahead.

Wanda took a deep breath and let it out slowly, preparing herself for what was to come. Turning around in determination with her head held high, she marched back into the throne room. She eyed the certain Cyber-Planner carefully as he continued to hold that nasty smirk. Something which Wanda hoped to never see on the Doctor's face ever again. She knew while she and Clara had been talking, he had already sent the Cyberman force to march towards the castle. To kill all humans and take over. But Wanda had already given this information to Clara, as well as what to do about it. The Time Lady knew that the companion would be in good hands. Walking edgily up to the table and sitting down, she folded her hands together on her lap and kept an even expression as she stared him down.

"That was a mighty good punch you gave me earlier," Mr. Clever suddenly commented. He snickered in the back of his throat. "I would have never expected such a tiny, tiny thing like you to be so . . . aggressive."

"As they say: Don't judge a book by its cover," Wanda responded in a curt tone.

"Oh, but aggression is so fun," Mr. Clever replied, giving a playful smile that seemed so wrong. "Just think, with your advanced knowledge and aggressive strength, I'll practically be unstoppable. This is just too good. It's like Christmas!" He threw back his head to give a manic laugh.

Wanda only blinked, her face showing a blank expression as she remained unfazed. "Let's just get started with the game, shall we?" She moved the pieces around, setting the board for a new game. Waving a light hand to the board, she held a light smile. "Cyber-Planners first."

Mr. Clever scoffed, but trained his eyes on the board, examining the pieces for careful calculation. Soon he moved his first pawn, giving a grin and waving a hand for the Time Lady to make her move. Wanda looked at the board for a moment before picking up her own pawn and shifting it across the board.

"You won't win you know," Mr. Clever said after he moved another piece. "For one, I have the Doctor's brilliant mind. And two, I have an unlimited processing capacity. I can solve riddles, calculate physics, create illustrations, and beat you at chess all at once." He smirked when seeing Wanda move one of her pieces, knocking it aside with his own as he claimed it.

"What an ego you have there," Wanda remarked lightly, moving another pawn only for it to be taken away as well. "Someone should really bring you down a notch."

"Someone like . . . you?" retorted Mr. Clever, knocking away one of her pieces harshly and making it fall to the floor.

Wanda glanced at the piece as it rolled across the stone floor. It was almost like watching her game slowly crumble. Shaking her head, she stared back at the chess board, carefully observing every placement. Moving another piece, while leaning back in her chair she kept the same even expression as before. Not showing a single sign of emotion. "I'll admit, I've never been good a chess. I'm rather horrid at it, especially against the Doctor."

"And yet, you made a deal to play against me." The Cyber-Planner across from her chortled loudly, grinning in triumph. "If you didn't have that future knowledge of yours, you'd be worthless to me. Worthless to the whole universe, I'd say. Pathetic little Wanderer who doesn't even know when she's already lost. Why does the Doctor even keep you around? I can't really understand it. Is it just to have a good sha—." His body jerked and electricity sounded off.

"Don't talk about my wife that way!" the Doctor shouted angrily. His body jerked again as Mr. Clever sneered.

"She's pathetic and you know it!" shouted the Cypber-Planner in spite. He then snapped his gaze back to the board, picking up a piece and slamming it down. Suddenly, he looked at Wanda in interest, giving a gleeful and nasty smile. "No wait, no. I know why he keeps you around. It's to keep the monster in check." He began to speak in a sickly sweet voice. "Doesn't want the Universe's Weapon to act up now, does he? Precious Time Lord wants his little Wanderer all safe and cozy."

"I'm not going to pretend to try to move you to understand what love is," Wanda replied casually, ignoring everything that he was saying. She knew he was trying to mess with her, wanting her to break down. But she needed to stay focused and alert. Knocking over one of his own pieces, Wanda made her first advancement on the board. "I know how you Cybermen are. You think all emotions are weak and useless. You're just like the Daleks and so many other lost species of the universe. When really, all of you always get it so backward."

"Do tell," snickered Mr. Clever. He watched as she moved another piece closer, frowning slightly at this move but brushed it aside. It was a small move, nothing to worry about. "What exactly do emotions do for you? Hmm? I'll tell you what. It gets you right where you are now. Stuck in a game of chess where there is no escape, where you lose your life over some strangers you don't even know, and for your precious 'husband' who will end up dying in the end someday. All in the name of love." He leaned forward, eyeing her with a dark gaze. "But the truth is, monsters like you can never learn to love."

Wanda did not even blink in response, only giving him a look that said 'seriously?' She moved another chess piece forward, keeping it to the side of the board. "If you're going to try to unnerve or frighten me, then you might as well just stop while you're ahead." Her fingers were folded together, resting her elbows on the table as she laid her chin on her clasped hands, keeping a relaxed manner in the way she held herself. "I've heard people say these things many, many times throughout the decades. Calling me 'monster' and 'the Universe's Weapon.' Frankly, I'm bored with all the snide remarks and no true threat behind the words. If you're going to make someone scared and nervous, then do try to be original about it."

With eyes widening momentarily then narrowing, the Time Lord's teeth gritted together as the Cyber-Planner appeared completely irked by this. He moved a knight over, slamming it down onto the board. It was still held in his hand as he leaned over the board slightly, glaring at the Time Lady. "You can pretend to be unmoved all you want. But I know how you are deep down. You're scared out of your mind for your husband, your friend, and all those little humans fighting down below. And soon, like always, your fears will consume you."

"I do believe you're thinking of First me." Wanda moved a bishop over carefully, placing it in a particular spot. "You'll find that I'm much more level-headed in this current incarnation of mine." She watched as he moved another one of her chess pieces, taking it off the playing field. She returned the favor and took one of his own after another turn. Glancing over towards a nearby window, she heard the distant sound of marching metal feet. The army of Cybermen were almost upon them. Looking back at Mr. Clever, she showed no sign of fear or worriment as the Cyber-Planner grinned wickedly. "It seems the Doctor is only allowing you to see old memories of me. Not new ones. So, really, you have no idea what current me is capable of."

He suddenly smirked snidely again. "Oh, I know exactly what you're capable of, Wanderer." Moving another chess piece, he folded his own hands together and leaned back in his chair. "Though we have no records of you or the Doctor in the data banks of the Cyberaid. Before today, that is."

Wanda moved another piece into position. "Oh? And why's that?"

"He's been eliminating himself and you from history. As a way to 'save you' as he likes to think." Mr. Clever then smirked darkly, flicking a chess piece lazily forward for his move. "But we know about you now. It's in the memory he had let slip. A nice little moment he likes to remind himself of. To keep himself on guard unless it happens again."

"Oh? And what's that exactly?" She picked up another piece, placing it on another edge of the board. All the while locking away his mentioning of the Doctor rewriting history for another time. Her hand around the large chess piece stiffened and tightened on it at the Cyber-Planner's next words.

"Alpha getting loose." His lips curled up naughty when seeing how stiff and tense the Time Lady suddenly became. "Ah, now that gets a scare."

Wanda's eyes wavered as she felt the one barrier within begin to stir. A few memories sparked forth as she recalled hearing this name before. Within the darkness of her mind, something opened its glowing eyes and growled sinisterly. She swallowed and slowly removed her fingers from the chess piece, eyeing the Time Lord in front of her. "Alpha?"

"Oh, yes. Mean old Alpha, stowing away inside and just biding her time of release." He flicked a rook forward, grinning when seeing the nervous eyes of Wanda. "She doesn't like it when I talk about her, does she?"

The barrier creaked angrily in response. Wanda felt a headache begin to form but ignored it as she knew dwelling on it would only make it worse. She realized that she should really change the subject and ignore the Cyber-Planner. He was only trying to get to her, to trick her. But . . . she could not help it. Too long had she been placed in the dark. She needed to know the truth, and it seemed this might finally be her chance to gain some insight into the mystery behind her past.

"You talk as if there's . . . someone else living within me," she asked the man across from her, leaning in interest to the topic. "I know there is . . . something there. But is it, she, whatever this thing is, just as aware of the world as I am?"

Mr. Clever began to laugh, sounding manic once more. "Aware? Aware? Oh, she's more than that. She's—." His body jerked harshly as the Doctor's hand came up and slapped him across the face. The Doctor gasped as he took control of his body once more.

"Shut up. Just shut up!" the Doctor yelled. He turned his eyes urgently to look at the Time Lady. "Wanda, don't listen to him. He's lying." The Time Lord's body lurched again as Mr. Clever gained back power of the body.

"Lying am I?" barked Mr. Clever in a laugh. "Ooh, that's just like you, Doctor. Making up excuses to blame others for the harsh realities of life. Don't you think your precious little Wanderer deserves to know? I think she does. I think it's time for a little wakey-wakey for the real monster in charge. Haha!"

"The only one in charge of me, is me," Wanda retorted bitterly, gripping her hands tightly on the table's surface. "And you can't scare me with lies. There isn't anyone else living inside my head."

"Oh? Isn't there?" Mr. Clever sneered, holding a nasty grin. "Face it, Wanderer. You're outmatched wherever you go. Whether it be in your own mind, or in a game of chess. Nothing you do, say, or try in your life is in your power. Ever."

Wanda raised a brow, smirking slyly. "Is it now?" She snatched up another chess piece and placed it sharply on the board, grinning cheekily. "What does that clever mind of yours think now, Mr. Clever?"

Blinking in confusion for a moment, Mr. Clever could only stare at the board in disbelief. He was . . . dumbfounded. A sensation that he had never experienced before. And the shock that he received from the Wanderer's last move had been the act to cause his astonishment. He even did a double take to make certain he was seeing it correctly. No . . . it could not be. She could not have cornered him into a . . .

"Stalemate," he muttered. His grip on the edges of the table tightened as he narrowed his eyes, trying to see a way around the chaos the Wanderer had created. But no matter which way he looked, there was nothing either one of them could do now. They were both at a draw.

"Yep, a stalemate," Wanda nodded lightly. She smiled brightly as she stood up, walking around towards the Time Lord. "I told you I'm not good at chess. I knew I couldn't really beat you. Not unless I cheated, of course, and I don't really like to cheat. Also, it would just be a waste for me to use my abilities just to see how to win a simple game. So, I decided on a different route." Her breath whispered in his ear as she leaned over towards him. "You see, I'm really good at making chess end in a draw. I'm notorious for it. Almost always by mistake, really. That's why the Doctor just hates playing chess with me."

Narrowing his eyes dangerously, Mr. Clever whipped his head to glare hatefully at the smirking Time Lady. "You tricked me."

She leaned away from him, giving him a mischievous expression. "I wouldn't really say 'tricked.' More like eluded you to the truth. It's why I never shook on our deal. I needed to get you away from trying to take the Doctor's mind, and giving you a new deal with a prize you just couldn't resist was just the ticket. And since the deal was based on at least one of us winning, then I needed to make certain that neither of us actually won the game."

The Cyber-Planner suddenly threw the chess board off the table in anger and snatched her arm, jerking her forward to bare his teeth at her. But still, she kept that damn calm expression that just irked him more. "It doesn't matter if you made the game end at a stalemate. I will have you."

"Now, see, there's another thing I sort of eluded you to." She smirked brightly. "You want to tell him, sweetie?"

Mr. Clever gritted his teeth together. "Tell me what?" The Time Lord's body suddenly lurched as the Doctor took control once more. Though, it seemed the Cyber-Planner remained in control of the hand that still held Wanda's arm in a vice grip.

"Tell you that there was never a deal in the first place," the Doctor said confidently, holding his own mischievous smirk. "You see, Wanda's mind was never a prize you could have obtained. You might have been able to take her body away from her, but not her mind. That is if she gave up her body willingly. If you tried taking her over by force, well, I'd say you would have found some trouble within. Her mind was always safe from the very beginning. It can't be controlled. Not by you or any other known creature in the universe. Ever."

"You're lying," spat Mr. Clever when he jerked the body back into control. But then the Doctor jumped right back into place.

"Am I? Funny, I think you did mention that I have a habit of that," the Doctor retorted smartly. "Not this time, I'm afraid. Wanda's mind is an anomaly that even you can't work around and figure out how to possess. She's also very heavily protected within. Too many barriers and defenses. So, basically, her mind is untouchable."

Mr. Clever jerked back into presence, gritting his teeth in irritation for a moment before letting a smirk appear. "Well played. But you both are still forgetting there are three million Cybermen outside. All upgraded, all ready to kill. No one is escaping here. Not either of you, not your impossible girl, or anyone else!" He pointed out towards where they heard the distance sounds of battle beginning to commence. Gunfire and robotic voices of the Cybermen, along with shouts from the humans. Mr. Clever grinned manically in victory. "You are all going to die, and no stalemate can stop us this time."

"Ha! You think I didn't see the Cybermen coming as well? I see all outcomes of time, remember?" Wanda laughed in a comeback. Grabbing the Doctor's other hand; she looked at his watch casually. "And three . . . two . . . one."

Suddenly, Webley, who had still been standing there mutely, shook as the electronics around his face and arms sparked with great flashes. The man's body quaked as he fell to the ground, and then he remained unmoving. His circuits had fried, leaving him to be nothing more than a useless body. The remaining trio could hear the echoing thuds throughout the place, indicating that many bodies were falling to the same fate. Then, cheering from the humans who had been fighting came next, indicating a clear victor.

Mr. Clever blinked, trying to understand what had just occurred. A heated gaze was directed at Wanda as the Cyber-Planner gritted his teeth, spitting each word spoken, "What did you do?"

"I looked into the possibilities," Wanda replied, dropping the Doctor's arm from her grasp. She felt the other raging hand tighten around her arm in a quivering grasp. "I saw another solution to our problem, a moment in time where you did not infect the Doctor like you did today. Where the Doctor had to figure out another way around stopping the Cybermen army you sent out. In another time, he would have found out about a little flaw in your Cybermen's upgrading system.

"See, none of you have ever realized, but every moment you 'upgrade' to counter an attack or weapon against you, this actually leaves you all vulnerable. An Achilles' heel, you might say," she continued on explaining. "In the split second each Cyberman begins to counteract an attack, their processing, internal drives, and pretty much everything else that's vulnerable, is wide open for a counteraction. And if someone had a sonic screwdriver handy, like, say, the one I gave Clara, they'd easily just have to get close enough and wait for the right moment to overload the systems and fry everything. Plus, since all Cybermen are linked together in a network processing system, it would not only affect the one Cyberman that is being rendered useless, but all other Cybermen as well. The only one not to be affected by this and who runs on a different upgrade program would be you."

At the end of this long explanation, Wanda beamed in merriment at the Cyber-Planner which glared so darkly at her. A smirk appeared on her face, knowing that she had won the true game of the day. Game, set, match.

"So, am I still pathetic and weak, Mr. Clever?" Wanda asked sarcastically. "Not as clever as you thought you were, are you?"

The Cyber-Planner began to shake in full fury, letting out a livid scream as he launched forward the best he could and wrapped both of his hands around the Time Lady's throat. He then slammed her down on the small table in front of him, holding her there in an unbreakable grip. Wanda gasped. Or, at least, tried to gasp. She could not even suck in the tiniest of breaths as the hands around her neck began to squeeze down viciously. On instinct, her own hands came up and clawed at the ones gripping her, trying to pry them off. She knew that technically, with her respiratory bypass system, she could go a while without breathing. But it still did not mean that the sensation of not breathing at all did not startle her greatly or feel painful. And who knew how long Mr. Clever would strangle her. Until she ran out of oxygen in her body completely?

"I will hold on as long as it takes," snarled the Cyber-Planner as if answering her internal question. "Until your stupid face turns blue!"

"No! Let go of her!" the Doctor's voice suddenly broke out in a cry, his body's expression changing from enraged to horrified.

"You'll watch, Doctor!" shouted Mr. Clever, yanking back control and placing back on his furious face. An expression so contorted that Wanda felt terrified in seeing it on the Doctor's face. "Watch as you kill your own wife!"

"No! Stop! Please!" the Doctor broke through to plead, to beg. His eyes were wide in dismay as he could do nothing to gain control of his hands, his hands which were slowly squeezing the life out of his Wanderer right before him. "Please, I'll do anything! Just stop this!"

"It's too late for that!" screamed Mr. Clever as he tightened hands around Wanda's neck. "If I can't win this day, then killing the Wanderer will be my last victory."

Wanda's hands reached for the Doctor's face, clawing lightly as a weak attempt to stop the Cyber-Planner controlling his body. She could only stare in fright at the Doctor's own distressed eyes. Her vision began to grow edges of black as her lungs begged for even a small breath after what seemed like an eternity. She knew she should have been able to hold her breath longer than this with her respiratory bypass system. But it seemed her body did not like suddenly going without breathing normally or not having a constant oxygen supply. Her mind went into a panic as she closed her eyes tightly. Not that her mind had not already been panicking before. The one barrier in her mind was slammed upon as something snarled in fury, ready to snap out of its cage and attack in defense. In the end, it never had its chance to break out.

"Doctor!" Wanda heard Clara shouting in a distance.

"Clara, quick! Get a hand pulse!" the Doctor returned in a scream. "Use Wanda's sonic! Amplify the pulser and then slam it onto my head!" Wanda heard a quick buzz of a sonic screwdriver, someone running up to them, and then a loud scream from a mixture of the Doctor and Mr. Clever.

Hands suddenly let go of her throat, making air rush into her lungs as she sucked in a deep breath. Hacking and coughing, continuing to suck in as much air as she could, Wanda rolled off the table and fell to the floor. She lay on the cold stone, curled up into herself as she gagged and gasped. Her body trembled somewhat from the shock she had undergone. That had really chilled her to the bone. More than she would have liked to admit. She was startled when she felt someone suddenly touching her, trying to check up on her. Looking up, she saw the Doctor hovering over her in concern and fear, the implants on the side of his head now completely gone.

"All gone?" she asked hoarsely, her voice sounding raspy. She reached a hand up, touching the side of the Doctor's face where the Cyber-Planner had been. He grabbed her hand tightly and she felt his own hand shaking as he held hers.

"He's gone. All gone," he whispered. Pulling her up, he tucked her right under his chin and rocked her against his chest. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Wanda felt tears hit her face, knowing that the Doctor had been more terrified of what had just happened than even her. Moving out of the Doctor's grasp, she got on her knees and pulled him in for his own need of comfort, holding him close as he buried his face into her chest and wrapped his arms around her. She returned the strong embrace.

"It wasn't you," she whispered into his ear as he sobbed against her. "It wasn't you. It was him, not you. Got it?" She glanced up as Clara came around and kneeled next to them, staring at them both in concern. The companion, without question, reached forward and held both Time Lords in a hug.

XxXxXxXx

After a while, they arrived back outside Angie and Artie's house, letting them happily return back home. Of course, not before each of them gave the Time Lords a hug in delight. Apparently, almost dying had actually made the children really respect and like the Time Lords now. Or well, mostly the Doctor really. Wanda was not sure if she had really been around enough for the children to open up to her just yet.

Then, after giving each Time Lord a very strong hug, Clara left as well. Waving a hand over her shoulder, she told them both she would see them again next Wednesday. Or whatever Wednesday the Doctor decided to show up or manage to arrive to. Wanda laughed at this while the Doctor pouted. The TARDIS was then sent off, letting the ship drift into the Time Vortex. The Doctor pulled down a lever, making the ship settle in flight as he stared up distantly at the ceiling, not looking at anything particular.

"The look on Clara's face when Porridge had asked her to marry him," Wanda began to say, trying to break the silence. "Finding out he was the Emperor had been shocking enough, but then marriage? Her expression was too priceless." She giggled weakly, looking over at the Doctor to see if maybe this would help him relax and calm down from the incident that had occurred earlier. He had been on edge since gaining back his body, almost as if he were fearful that Mr. Clever might just make a return. But she had reassured him over and over, even after scanning him repeatedly. There were no more implants within his system. The Cyber-Planner was gone for good.

"That was a rather shocking surprise," the Doctor agreed after a moment, turning his gaze to Wanda, having a light smile. "Too bad that Porridge had to blow up the planet anyway. It would have been fantastic if they managed to get the amusement park open again. But I suppose, best not take chances with the Cybermen accidentally being brought back to life."

His smile dropped as he saw the angry marks that were still around Wanda's neck. A memory flashed through his mind. An old memory recalling seeing those same marks on her neck so long ago. To think, all this time, he had been the one to cause them. He went to reach forward to touch them, but then jerked his hand away, almost as if he were afraid to touch her. Wanda scoffed, grabbing his hand and lifting it towards her. Pulling back the cuff of his shirt, she gently kissed his wrist, feeling the pulse of his hearts beating right on her lips.

"Remember, it wasn't you," she whispered after lowering his wrist away. She smiled kindly, moving closer to him and giving him a kiss. "I'm all right. And so are you."

"Yeah," he agreed weakly. He smiled again, pulling her up into a warm hug. "I love you, Wanderer."

"And I love you, Theta." Wanda rested her head right under his chin, enjoying the loving embrace they shared. After a moment for each of them to relax in their loving comfort, Wanda grew a slight frown and pulled back from the embrace to stare at the Doctor curiously. "I've got a question for you."

The Doctor raised a brow in interest. "And what's that?" He feared for a moment she might be questioning him about what Mr. Clever had been blabbing about Alpha and Wanda's mind, but it seemed the Time Lady had something else in mind.

"How come you told Second me how sorry you were about your marriage and how guilty you felt about me?" Wanda quizzed, raising a brow as she crossed her arms.

"Oh, that, well, ha, good question," the Doctor said nervously, backing up slightly, He grinned sheepishly. "I might have been trying to give Second you a warning about the whole marriage fiasco. Maybe hoping to . . . change the outcomes?"

"Theta," Wanda grounded out, her left eye twitching, "you know you can't change time like that. You're just lucky that I was so naïve back then or less it might have changed everything."

"You're still naïve," the Doctor muttered. He cleared his throat abruptly when seeing Wanda's left eye twitch rapidly. "Anyway! It was simply me trying to correct a terrible mistake I made." His shoulders slumped slightly, a guilt-ridden expression crossing his face. "I still feel awful for making you believe I was going to marry River."

Wanda shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Theta, we're both at fault in our misunderstanding. I've told you this before, so stop blaming yourself for it. It's over and done with, remember?" Reaching out, she grabbed his hand and began to pull him down the corridor from the control room. "Now, let's go and relax."

A cheeky grin appeared on the Doctor's face. "What sort of relaxing do you have in mind, hmm?"

"Something to ease us into the night."

"Ooh, sounds like my kind of relaxing." He began to snicker lightly.

Wanda snorted and rolled her eyes. "Get your head out of the gutter, perv." She steered him down into one particular room. A special room that had been built just for them. Smiling, Wanda pushed the door open to reveal the beautiful room made of stars. The very same room where the Doctor had proposed to her.

"It's been a while since we've been in here," the Doctor commented as they walked into the room. He turned around on the spot, gazing upward towards all the stars floating around above. Looking back to Wanda, he stared at her curiously. "What made you want to come in here?"

Smiling eagerly, Wanda glanced up at the ceiling. "Wanna give us a tune, Sexy?" The TARDIS gave a happy hum, turning on gentle music with a nice step tempo. The Doctor blinked in surprise but smiled when Wanda grabbed his hand and pulled him up close to begin dancing.

They started a waltz, with the Doctor leading Wanda around the stars that floated by. Swinging her out and bringing her right back into his embrace as he guided her in their dance. Wanda giggled as the Doctor dipped her at one point, kissing her forehead and pulling her back up to spin her around. Then she squealed with delight when he lifted her up in the air, spinning her around even faster now. She laughed for a moment longer, before suddenly feeling woozy. She wobbled on her feet when the Doctor set her down, gripping onto his shoulder with one hand as the other covered her mouth. She swallowed, trying to rid herself of nausea. That was strange. She had never been inclined to be so queasy before. Why would a simple spin make her nauseated?

"Sorry. I think I might have overdone the spinning just a bit there," the Doctor apologized, patting her back lightly.

"That's all right. I'm surprised that it affected me so much. I normally don't get so easily nauseous," Wanda said lightly, giving a crooked smile. She rubbed at her stomach, trying to get it to settle and not feel so on edge. Suddenly, the Doctor grabbed her hand, pulling it away from where she was rubbing. She looked up, surprised to see the troubled look in his eyes. Almost as if he suddenly remembered something awful.

"Wanda, can I check something real quick?" he whispered barely above a breath.

"Um . . . sure," Wanda replied in uncertainty. He reached around her neck, suddenly pulling off the necklace which held her wedding ring. The same ring which she always kept hidden safely under her shirt at all times. She stared at him curiously, wondering why he had decided to remove her ring. Then she was even more confused when he pulled out his sonic and did a quick scan of her. Flicking the screwdriver out, he examined the readings the tool gave. His face dropped significantly with a solemn demeanour seeming to take over.

"Theta, what's wrong?" Wanda asked, feeling extremely nervous by the Doctor's behaviour as he gently placed back on her necklace. He just stared at her, seeming so sad.

"Nothing, it's just . . .," he started to say but seemed unable to finish his sentence. Taking a deep breath, he gave a wavering smile. "Sometimes . . . the universe just isn't fair."

XxXxXxXx

. . . I really don't know what to say now. I'm a little worried for the two of them. :( I hope the chapter was a good read at least. Please let me know if there's anything I did wrong in the chapter or anything you wish for me to improve in a review. :) I love to hear what everyone has to say.

Reviewers:

All The Stories Are True 24601: Aww thank you! I'm so glad you liked the last two chapters. :) Well, I'm always wondering if I'm spelling the words correctly. Or using the right terminology from what is used in the UK. Having family from there helps greatly, but since I grew up mostly in the States I know I get a few things wrong lol. If there's anything you think would sound better for Wanda to say just let me know. :) Just thought maybe you all would like a chapter surprise! lol ;) I'm starting to worry about Wanda, too. Guess we'll worry together? haha

Racheeele: Thank you so much! :D Hope you liked the new one!

Justus80: lol Though that would be awesome, I'm sorry to say there is no crossover of the Guardians of the Galaxy and Doctor Who coming anytime soon. Sorry. But I hope the chapters are still good anyway. :) Hope your day is going great! Until next time!

singingKatelyn: 3 Thank you! :D You're too kind. You're an amazing reader! XD Oh yes, much better. Don't worry about little old me. I'm kicking life in the butt and keep moving forward. ;) Hope to see you again soon!

bored411: Yeah, it sucks how sometimes Wanda's wanderings does that. Wish she didn't have to jump away at all. Oh well, maybe in the future, eh? ;) I really hope you enjoyed the newest chapter! Take care!

Momochan77: XD So glad it's also your favorite! It's so funny with them just missing each other. I know it's a comedy cliche, but it's my favorite comedic moments in shows. :) Crossing my fingers that you enjoyed the new chapter. Until next time!

Ronin Kenshin: Thanks! So happy you liked it. :D

N7SpaceHamster: Hi! :D Everything is going very well. As I hope everything has been for you, too. :) Ah, I understand completely. Work and leisure never seem to want to mix. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me such time spent for wonderful reviews. :) OH yes, the Day of the Doctor. I have great ideas planned for that particular day, don't you worry. ;) Glad you like all the things from the chapters. Wanda's wake up surprise was great. lol Amy is just desperate at avoiding that wedding day, isn't she? Who knows, maybe it is an untapped market. haha ;) Well, maybe a little jealous. Yes, that was something that Wanda never seemed to have seen from her show. But that's more of something to be answered on another date. Yep, you're indeed correct. It is more or less just because Wanda has used her abilities over and over again through the years. So she's developing more of a resistance to her aftereffects. Though that doesn't say it's not affecting the barriers, either. But spoilers for now. ;) Amy wastes no time, does she? lol ;) Glad you liked the easter egg! That's one of my favorites from the show, so I couldn't help but add it in. :) At this point, Third Wanda really does except all companions as both the Doctor's and hers. She really has grown into a full Time Lord. :)
You're welcome! Thanks for reviewing again! Nope, definitely not. You'll just have to find out where she goes in the future. ;) lol Sorry, I just love teasing the readers. I have a bad habit of it. ;) I thought it would be interesting if the Matron was saved as the Doctor really did seem to want to help her and maybe change her ways. Glad you enjoyed that option! I thought it'd be a just punish/life changer for her. :) Hope you enjoyed the new chapter! See you next time! 3

Authora97: Well . . . at least Wanda wasn't being ominous this time around. Hope you enjoyed it though. :)

Crystal-star-Tyler: Thank you! You're just as amazing. ;) Also thank you so much for all the pictures you made! Can't say it enough, but they're brilliant. :D

Whovianeverlark17: You're very much welcome. :) Well, I'm not saying she did cheat. lol But some distracting could have been involved. Glad you liked that part. Thought it be something interesting to add in. Can't wait to see what you think of the new chapter!

Fandomsunited2014: I'm so happy you enjoyed it. It's my favorite, too. :) Yes, things have seem to have gone smoothly lately, haven't they? Maybe a little too easy. Hmm. Guess we'll just have to wait to find out if anything will happen next. ;) Until next time!

There we have it. All read up and at the end. Not sure what to say next. Hmm . . . Oh I know! Have a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious day! XD

~Tinker~