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)

57. Ch 57: Snowfall in London

How's it going, readers!

It's been a while since last time hasn't it? Sorry for the delay. Hope you enjoy the newest update. :)

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Chapter 57: Snowfall in London

To say that he was puzzled by sudden knocking from the TARDIS would be putting it lightly. It was far too strange. The Paternoster Gang would knock, sure. But they normally would let the Doctor know ahead of time before showing up to the TARDIS. They would have also chosen a better time of day than in the middle of the night. It was far too late to munch on biscuits and have a cup of tea with Wanda. The only question left was: If it was not one of the Paternoster Gang, then who could it be?

Before the Doctor could step towards the door to answer the knocking, almost the exact moment the knocking started, there came a sudden screech from a violin. The Doctor halted in place, turning to look back at the corridor in bewilderment. As well as feeling somewhat nervous now. It sounded as though Wanda had jerked her violin stick across the strings in a violent shudder. One would think that possibly the Wanderer had been taken by surprise by something. But the Doctor feared something far worse than that. So he started towards the corridor, wanting to get back to her room quickly and to see if she was okay. However, before he even made it past the first corner of the corridor, there came another sharp knock from the TARDIS door. This time much more firm than the nervous tapping from earlier. This made the Time Lord halt once again, torn between going to his wife and answering the door.

Then, however, he was surprised again as Wanda suddenly came rushing past him, heading straight towards the door in an all-out excited sprint.

"Wanda?" he called out to her, greatly concerned now by her behavior. She did not answer him. Instead, she flung herself out of the TARDIS and let the door shut with a snap behind her.

Wanda's hearts pounded with excitement, enthusiasm practically leaking from her as she whipped her head around the edge of the TARDIS to look for the source of the knocking. Seeing just a trail of a red skirt skittering around the back edge of the blue box, Wanda hurriedly made her way around the other side, trying to cut the retreating person off. She was met face-to-face with Clara Oswald. Or, rather, Victorian Clara, as the Wanderer liked to think. Or Barmaid Clara could always work. Even Governess Clara. Either way, it was brilliant Clara that Wanda had been waiting so long for. About five years now.

Clara gasped when running into Wanda, alarmed by there suddenly being someone there. Wanda hurriedly placed a hand over Clara's mouth, holding up a finger to her own and shushing her lightly. When hearing the TARDIS door opening, Wanda rushed Clara back around the back of the ship to hide her. She then spun around, facing the Doctor as he poked his head around the side.

"Wanda? What are you doing?" he asked her curiously, confused by her behavior. It was even more baffling when seeing this strange spark in her eyes. Like . . . it was happiness. Not that he did not want her to be happy, but what could have brought it on? And could he possibly replicate it so that he could make her happy more often? It might even help them get back on track in their relationship.

"Oh, nothing," Wanda replied, giving him a nervous smile as she leaned awkwardly against the TARDIS. "I was just . . . you know, enjoying the night. Suddenly felt like getting some fresh air. I've been cooped up too much lately. Have to stretch my legs every once and a while, you know?" The Doctor took a step towards her, frowning as he eyed her up steadily.

"Who was knocking?" he questioned.

"Jenny," Wanda answered quickly, sending him a crooked smile. "Sorry about that, should have warned you that she was bringing me something. It's been getting too hard in the early mornings for her to visit so late at night works a little better for her and all that. Maybe even Vastra, too. Strax could come as well now that I think about it, he hasn't been back in a long while. It'd be nice to have the whole gang over, don't you think?"

The Doctor blinked. Rapid rambling. That was something he thought he would never hear again. Universe knows he missed it. He smiled warmly at her, feeling a bit of lift in his spirits. Maybe he had chosen well having them retire. But then he grew suspicious and skeptical once more when realizing that Jenny was nowhere in sight. In fact, Wanda had nothing in her hands. "What had Jenny delivered, then?"

"Oh! Sorry, I dropped it in my hurry to look out in the city." Wanda reached around blindly, suddenly grabbing Clara's wool shawl and yanking it away from the barmaid. The Wanderer held it up for the Time Lord to see before wrapping it around herself. "I wanted a new shawl, something warmer and more woolly to go with an outfit I was putting together. You know . . . as something I wanted for Christmas. Jenny said sorry she couldn't stay to chat. She was in a hurry to get back home. Something about a case she and Vastra were working on. You know how it goes." Wanda gave him sort of a meek smile, hoping he would accept this response.

The Doctor sighed, not really believing her, but assuming she had a good reason to be nervous around him and avoiding him. He had lost their child, after all. He did not blame her for wanting to keep secrets from him. "Okay. Just . . . don't worry me like that again." With just a moment of hesitation, he went back into the TARDIS.

As soon as the ship's door had closed, Wanda turned back to Clara. "Sorry about all that," Wanda apologized, "it just wasn't time for him to meet up with you just yet. I mean, yes, I know technically you two already met tonight. Geez, it's Christmas already, huh? I lost track of the times. Oh well, anyway, yes, you two met tonight. But meeting him again at the TARDIS would have just made him decide to use that memory worm on you. And I don't want you losing any memories of him or what you need to do. That would just be bad news for everyone, let me tell." She saw how Clara blinked rapidly, taken back by the Wanderer's fast ramblings. Wanda smiled anxiously. "Sorry, ha, I forgot I talked too fast sometimes. I've hardly talked for five years now. Sort of forgotten in how my mind jumps around when I'm excited. Which I've also not felt in about five years now that I think about it."

Clara only blinked for a bit more before shaking her head. "That's all right," the girl replied. "I'm used to excited talk from kids. But what I really want to know is, who are you? Are you with the Doctor? Who is he? What is this place? How are we standing on a cloud? How is there invisible stairs? What is this box? How do you two fit inside it? Why is it blue?"

"Shh, Clara, you're rambling," Wanda laughed, placing a finger on the girl's lips to stop her. "You're about as fast as me when I ramble. Funny, I thought only the Doctor was that fast at ramblings." She laughed once more. Look more resolute now, Wanda held both of Clara's hands in a firm grasp. "Now, listen, I'd would love to answer all your questions, but we're short on time. Knowing the Doctor, he'll be back at any moment. But—," she held up a finger as Clara opened her mouth to speak, "I promise to answer all and any questions you have when we meet again. For now, I have something to tell you." She clasped her hands tightly over Clara's with a steadfast gaze. "After you meet the children tomorrow and listen to their stories, go to Paternoster Row. You're looking for a person called Madame Vastra. There, you'll find the answers you seek."

"How do you know all of this?" Clara questioned quietly, wary of the blonde woman in front of her.

Wanda smiled, realizing that she might be scaring the governess a little. A sudden crazed woman dressed in a black gown comes rushing at one in the night? And on top of a cloud for that matter? Wanda felt she might be a little put-off, too. "Um . . . let's just say I'm psychic for now. Too complicated to explain it all at the moment."

Clara scoffed. "Psychic?"

"Really? Me being psychic is what draws the line? Not the killer snowmen, short Sontaran, memory worm, or a blue box sitting on top of a cloud?"

Clara blinked, looking sheepish. "Yeah, you're right. Psychic is the least bit crazy at this point, isn't it?" She began to stutter in surprise as Wanda pulled her around and pushed her towards the stairs. "All right, I'm going. You don't have to push me."

"No time. He'll be here any minute." Wanda looked back warily at the ship door, expecting the Doctor to storm out at that second.

Clara turned to face the Wanderer at the top of the stairs; her expression as curious as ever. "When will I see the Doctor again? Or you, for that matter? Can you tell me that at least?"

With a bright grin, Wanda turned back to her. "Oh, don't worry. You'll be seeing us both again soon. Very soon. Now, off you go. You've got kids to take care of in the morning." Clara sent her one last fleeting glance before going swiftly down the stairs. And it was not a moment too soon as the TARDIS door opened up with a loud creak.

"No, now, really, Wanda, what are you doing?" asked the Doctor, frustrated at this point. "I know I heard voices. Who were you talking to?"

"No one," Wanda responded innocently, smiling as she walked back into the ship, stepping around him to do so. He stopped her short though when he pulled away the shawl that she still had. Quick to sniff it, the Time Lord began to analysis the smell in his mind. He recognized that smell. It was the same sent he picked up from that bar he passed earlier tonight. The same bar, the Rose & Crown, where that barmaid, Clara, came from.

"Barmaid. That barmaid was here, wasn't she?" the Doctor questioned, sounding stern. Wanda yanked the shawl back, huffing at him.

"So? Is it so wrong that a girl gets curious and decides to follow a strange man in the middle of the night? I mean, you did save her life, after all. I'd follow you home, too." Wanda replied smoothly, smiling as she wrapped the shawl around herself and walked briskly back into the TARDIS.

"We are not picking up any more strays," grounded the Doctor, voice strict as he shut the door behind him and marched after her.

"Oi!" Wanda turned around sharply, pointing a stern finger at him. "Listen here, Spaceman. No one we pick up as companions are strays, got it? They're family, and family are never strays."

"Say it again."

Wanda blinked, taken back by the sudden whisper of awe from the Doctor as he stared at her in utter amazement. "What?"

He stepped closer to her, reaching briefly out to touch her but held back. "Say that word again."

Trying to think of what he meant, it dawned on her which word he was talking about. It was something she had not called him in so long now. Did it upset him? He did not look upset. Though he did not look happy, either. "Spaceman?" She watched as he gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing. Slowly he turned and went over to the captain's chair, sitting down as he stared off in thought. Wanda shifted on the spot, not sure in what to do at this point. She wanted to go to him and make certain he was all right. But would he want that? He barely talked to her anymore. Obviously, he did not want her around for that kind of thing. She backed away to head to the corridor. "I'll just be in the library. Goodnight, sweetie." With that, she turned and walked away.

Spaceman. Sweetie. Words he thought he would never hear again. The warmest of smiles grew on his face as his hearts picked up in beat. She called him 'sweetie.' His smile dropped as he sat back in the chair, pondering over what this meant. In the short time of that barmaid being around, his Wanderer was acting more like herself than in the whole time of living in retirement. In such a brief encounter, that spark of his old Wanderer was back. Oh, how he missed her rambles. Her nicknames for him. This Clara though, did this mean . . . No. No, they were not getting involved. No matter how much people begged him. The universe could figure all this snow and barmaid business out on its own. He and his wife deserved their peace after everything they have been through. The universe owed them that much.

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Cold winds swept around Wanda as she stood at the top of the stairs, clutching the railing in a vice grip. She let out a shaky breath, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear that had been blown in front of her face. She wondered if she should have tied it up before coming out here. It was long enough to do that now. It had finally grown past her shoulders. But she had been in too much of a hurry to get dressed and out of the TARDIS to bother with much else. Thinking of dresses, she adjusted the one she wore currently, making certain she would not trip on her skirts when she would finally make her way down the stairs. It was the same dress she wore the very first time coming to 1890. Which had been much harder getting on without the Doctor's help than she thought it would be. Really, why did women of this time period wear so many silly layers? It was just astonishingly idiotic.

Glancing over her shoulder, the fear of the Doctor catching her in the act of leaving still made her wary. What if he noticed her absence? Not that he really would seeing how they hardly spent time together anymore. Knowing him, however, it would be the one time he would actually come looking for her in the ship, wanting attention for the day. Not that she would not have minded that. In fact, she craved any notice from him nowadays. But it was doubtful that he ever would. Not until she found them a companion to help him heal. Sometimes, even the Doctor needed a doctor.

Squaring up her shoulders, keeping the thought of her Theta in mind, Wanda marched briskly down the stairs to the ground. Halfway through, after she passed the low hanging clouds, she began to feel her hearts racing. Not from the fear of heights. No. It was from the terror of being around the outside world after so long. She did not have the aid of the TARDIS to keep her mind clear and sane. She was on her own now. What if she lost control again? What if she was not as stable as she thought she would be? What if . . .

Don't, Wanda. You can do this. I believe in you. came the encouraging voice of Alpha.

Oh? You actually want me to get the Doctor help? Wanda laughed quietly, keeping her focus on each step of the stairs.

If it gets us travelling again, yes. Whatever it takes. I'm sick of just staying in one spot. It's sssooo boring! Ugh. I never thought I'd miss the day of the Doctor dragging us around all willy-nilly.

Wanda snickered as Alpha whined away. What about Clara, though? What do you think of her? I felt you awake last night when I was talking with her. How come?

Truthfully? Out of all the humans we've met, I find myself enjoying her the most. Though I feel something different about her now. Something's changed.

Yeah. I feel it, too. Wanda tried pushing this feeling off as because it not being the 'first' Clara. This Clara was just a time echo from the moment future Clara jumped into the Doctor's time stream. But it did not quite feel like that, though. It was . . . strange.

Wanda paused as she finally reached the point of the ladder. The tension in her body eased as the ground was only meters away now. Not that big of a deal if she fell from this height. Glancing around the area, she saw luckily there were not anyone around the park at this point in the day. It was far too early in the morning, before the sun had even officially risen, for there to be any people travelling about in London. So, with making certain she was not to be seen, she hitched up her skirts and made her way down the ladder. Once she hopped down to the cold ground, she let the ladder go back up to lock into place. Unseen by even her now.

"Right. Okay. Here we go now," Wanda mumbled to herself as she brushed her skirts down to look presentable, adjusted her hat, and began her brisk walk towards Paternoster Row.

When Wanda finally reached Paternoster Row, she felt a lot more confidence in herself than she had in a long time. Things went smoothly travelling through the streets of the city, with London finally waking up as the sun rose higher in the sky. She passed by many people, but nothing unusual occurred. No headaches. No loss of control. She felt like her old self again. She could not help but smile brilliantly with a bounce in her step. Maybe things truly could go back to normal? She kept this hopeful thought in her mind as she knocked on the door of the house of the Paternoster Gang.

"Wanda?!" Jenny gasped the moment she opened the door. The maid stared at the Wanderer in astonishment, clearly taken back by the presence of the blonde woman.

"I know. I should have sent you lot a notice before just showing up. Very rude of me. But I couldn't do that without tipping the Doctor off," Wanda said lightly giving an anxious smile.

"No, no, it's just . . . you're outside the TARDIS," said Jenny in delight.

"Well," responded Wanda, shrugging lightly, "it was bound to happen eventually. Is Madame Vastra in? I wanted to talk to her. Not that I don't want to talk with you or Strax. In fact, I'd love to catch up after a talk with Vastra." The Wanderer beamed at Jenny, finding it amusing in how the woman opened and closed her mouth. Jenny ended up shaking her head and frowning at Wanda.

"But I thought you'd said you weren't ever comin' back?" Jenny asked as she opened the door up, allowing Wanda to stepped inside.

"No, the Doctor said that. I only said that I needed time away for a while. Well, it's been a while now, hasn't it? Time I got a move on again." Wanda followed along after Jenny as the maid led her to Vastra's exotic greenhouse.

"Well, I can say that it's good to see you again, ma'am."

Jenny and Wanda exchanged smiles as they stepped into the greenhouse. This had always been Wanda's favorite part of Vastra's home. It was so warm in the room, with so many tropical plants. There were even noises from some of the animals Vastra had managed to collect over the years heard throughout the greenhouse. Though none of these animals were seen as they were all well hidden within the many large plant life.

"Wanderer?" Vastra questioned curiously, sitting up straight in her peacock chair and setting her wine glass down on the table beside her. The Silurian smiled warmly, waving a hand in welcome. "Good to see you back amongst us. What's brought you out and about so suddenly?"

"Remember when we talked about needing a 'push' and all that?" Wanda replied, sitting down in the seat across from her. "Well . . . guess you could say I finally found my push needed to come out of my shell."

"I'm very glad to hear it," said Vastra, again smiling. "Will the Doctor be joining us shortly?"

At this point, Wanda became nervous, shifting in her seat. "Ah . . . about that. He doesn't exactly . . . know that I'm not in the TARDIS just yet."

Vastra was taken back. She would assume that if the Wanderer were to ever be brave enough to venture back out of the TARDIS it would have to be in accompany alongside her Time Lord. "I don't think he would appreciate you not telling him where you are. Did you at least leave him a note?"

"No. If I did he would have run straight after me and stopped me from coming here. But I needed to be here." Wanda frowned, then shook her head. "No, that's a lie. I didn't really need to be here. I just . . . wanted to. On my own. I wanted to test myself, to see if I could make it on my own and actually be my old self again." She then shrugged. "I also wanted to surprise him. It'll be fun to see what he thinks." The two sat up straighter when they heard a distance knock on the front door of the house. Wanda blinked in shock. "Oh. She got here quicker than I thought she would."

"Who?" questioned Vastra curiously, wondering if this person was the reason for Wanda's 'push.'

"Clara," Wanda answered as she stood up quickly. She went around Vastra's chair, heading deeper into the greenhouse. "Don't tell her I'm here. Go ahead and do what you normally do to those who ask for the Doctor's help." With that said, Wanda hidden behind a large, fan-leaf plant, not wishing to interfere with what was meant to happen next. She stood here anxiously, hearing Clara in the distance asking for Madame Vastra and help with the Doctor. Then, there was chatter from Jenny and Strax before Clara was led into the greenhouse for Vastra to test her.

"Madame Vastra will ask you questions," Wanda heard Jenny telling their new visitor. "You will confine yourself to single word responses. One word only. Do you understand?"

"Why?" she heard Clara responding, questioning the reasoning to such a demand.

"Truth is singular. Lies are words, words, words," Vastra replied smoothly. "You met the Doctor, didn't you?"

"Two," Clara responded, catching Wanda by surprise. She did not remember the woman saying this before.

"Two?" Vastra questioned, just as confused as Wanda.

"Woman," answered Clara.

"Ah, you met the Wanderer as well," Vastra said, seeming to understand what Clara was saying now. "Unfortunately, she does not have a say when it comes to whether or not you meet the Doctor again. That duty falls to me. Though, this begs the question of why you're looking for him."

"Take your time. One word only," Wanda heard Jenny said gently. It was clear that Clara was hesitating, unsure of exactly why she wanted to see the Doctor again so badly. Wanda knew that it must be this version of Clara that felt the driving force of her future self to help the Doctor by any means necessary. Just as all echo Claras would feel. It was the reason future Clara, the original, had leaped into the Doctor's time stream, after all.

"Curiosity," she heard Clara finally say.

"About?" asked Vastra curiously.

"Snow," Clara said curtly.

"And about him?"

"Yes."

"What do you want from him?"

"Help."

"Why?"

"Danger," when Clara responded this time, her voice was much more urgent.

"Why would he help you?" Vastra questioned, her voice strict.

There was a pause from Clara before she answered. "Kindness."

"The Doctor is not kind." When Vastra said this her voice was cold, even stricter still.

"No?" Clara sounded skeptical.

"No. The Doctor doesn't help people. Not anyone, not ever. He stands above this world and doesn't interfere in the affairs of its inhabitants. He is not your salvation nor your protector. Do you understand what I am saying to you?"

"Words." Wanda could not help but smile at Clara's response. Knowing that she had caught Vastra in a lie.

Vastra let out a sigh, knowing she had been caught in trying to push Clara away from her search in the Time Lord. "He was different once. A long time ago. Kind, yes. A hero, even. A saver of worlds. But he suffered losses which hurt him. Now he prefers isolation to the possibility of pain's return."

There was a long moment of silence after this was said. Wanda clutched at her chest, feeling her hearts weep in knowing all of this was true. All of it was her fault. But she would change that. She had to. She only hoped that she could. Or rather, that Clara could. It was like Wanda had said before in the past. Companions were always there to help her and the Doctor to see the best part of humanity. To see the light and joy of the universe that they themselves could no longer see. She knew he would be happy again in the future because of Clara. But that does not mean that time will not change if she did not act now in trying to get the Time Lord and companion together.

"Kindly choose a word to indicate your understanding of this," Wanda heard Vastra continue in her talk with Clara.

"Man," Wanda heard Clara after a moment of thought. This seemed to satisfy Vastra as she moved on in speaking.

"We are the Doctor's friends. We assist him in his isolation but that does not mean we approve of it," explained Vastra. "So, a test for you. Give me a message for the Doctor. Tell him all about the snow and what fresh danger you believe it presents. And above all, explain why he should help you. But do it in one word." Wanda could tell this statement shocked Clara as there was a brief pause before Vastra spoke again. "You're thinking it's impossible such a word exists or that you could even find it. Let's see if the gods are with you."

Wanda remembered this moment in her . . . in the timelines she viewed in the past. The clear shock from Clara in having to convey so much in just one simple word. It would have to be a word that meant everything. A word proven to be powerful enough to get the Doctor into motion to help save those below his cloud. Wanda knew what the governess was thinking. What word could be so powerful to convey such a message? Smiling, the Wanderer knew that soon, Clara would say . . .

"Pond," Clara finally said, voice full of resolve.

"Well then," spoke Vastra, sounding very pleased, "that is a very interesting word indeed. Wouldn't you agree, Wanderer?" Wanda stepped around the plant, smiling brightly as she walked over to the three females.

"Oh, yes. A very good word," she agreed warmly, smiling even more when seeing Clara's wide-eyed expression, taken back by the sudden appearance of the blonde woman.

"Who?" Clara questioned immediately, sitting on the edge of her seat in eagerness to learn of the mysterious Doctor and woman of his blue box. Wanda laughed lightly.

"Ha. Don't worry about the one-word test anymore, sweetie," Wanda told the governess, going over to gently take the woman's hand and pull her up from the seat. "You've passed with flying colours." The warmest of smiles was given to Clara as Wanda's eyes lit up with joy. "I've been waiting a very long time to meet you, Clara. A very long time."

"Why?" breathed Clara, taken back by a stranger to say such a thing. Blinking, Clara shook her head, trying to get herself to speak more than just one word at a time now. "I mean . . . why me?"

Wanda's smile dropped. "Because, at this point, you're the only one I think can bring the Doctor back to his old self." Wanda then turned to Vastra, though still held onto one of Clara's hands. "Go ahead and send Clara's message up to the Doctor. Get him started on the investigation you've been working on."

"Are you certain he'll help us this time?" questioned Vastra.

"Absolutely," Wanda responded with full confidence. She began to lead Clara out of the room. "I'll see to Clara now. She and I need to chat for a while. Oh, and Vastra," Wanda paused in the doorway of the greenhouse, smiling sheepishly, "only tell the Doctor where I am if he asks. I don't want him worried. You know how he gets when he's worried. So temperamental that husband of mine."

"Husband? He's your husband?" Clara questioned immediately. Wanda gave the woman a small grin and wink before looking back at Vastra.

"Thank you again, Vastra. You too, Jenny. Thank Strax for me while you're at it. You three have been the best," Wanda spoke kindly, nodding in graititude towards the two women.

"Oh, you would have done the same for us, love," Jenny assured the woman, holding a warm smile.

"Well, of course, but that's beside the point," said Wanda, nodding her head graciously before turning and leading Clara out of the home. The moment they stepped out onto the busy streets of London, the governess began questioning her.

"You never answered me. Is he your husband? You're his wife?" the woman asked, keeping up with the blonde as they made their way leisurely down the walkway.

"Yes. The Doctor and I have been married for quite some time now," said Wanda with a nod. "Though we've been together for much longer than that. Marriage is nothing more than a formality. We never really had to make vows officially, but we both wanted to do it. As more for a romantic gesture than anything else."

"All right, well, besides being the Doctor's wife, who are you?" Clara asked curiously, scooting along as they had to maneuver around a group of people. "That woman said your name was . . . 'The Wanderer'?" The woman frowned in thought. "Is that even your real name? Is the Doctor's name really that? Just 'The Doctor'?"

A light chuckle came from Wanda as she smiled pleasantly at Clara. She had forgotten in just how brightly curious the girl was about everything. Like most companions, really. But something about Clara's curiosity was more like . . . a child's. Full of wonderment and excitement. At least, later Clara was like that. This Clara, however, had more a dignified way of wording herself, keeping her composure as much as she could. That was most certainly the Victorian upbringing coming out of her.

"If it makes it easier for you, you can call me by my human nickname 'Wanda.' Almost everyone else does," Wanda said, shrugging lightly. "But yes, those are our names." She smiled when she spotted a small little courtyard by a church nearby. It was not much. Just a small patch of grass, a large tree, and a bench beside the tree. But it would be perfect for a chat. "Here we go. Why don't we have a seat?" She led the governess over to the bench, having them sit down on the stone to relax. No one paid them mind, continuing on in their daily business. Wanda tapped her fingers lightly in her lap, starting to feel more nervous as she moved about the world below. Her confidence was waning.

"That Madame Vastra spoke of loss the Doctor faced," Clara began to question, earning Wanda's attention once more. "If it's okay for me to ask, what sort of loss?" When seeing the Wanderer's hesitancy and sudden solemn demeanour. Clara stared at her in sympathy, reaching to hold her hand. "I'm sorry. You both suffered a loss, didn't you?"

"Yes," breathed Wanda quietly, slowly pulling her hand away from Clara's. Though she wanted the comfort, she feared that if the girl held on too long that she might hurt the governess. She did feel in control, but she did not want to take any chances. "I . . .," she swallowed as she unconsciously pressed a hand into her stomach, "I lost our child."

Clara gasped quietly. A hand automatically covering her mouth in her shock. She then placed said hand on Wanda's shoulder to comfort the blonde. "I'm so sorry. I—I couldn't even imagine." Clara saw how the woman closed her eyes tightly, seeming to be trying to hold in her emotions.

"It was my fault," spoke Wanda, her voice wavering.

Clara frowned, shaking her head. "Now, how is something like that your fault?"

"Because I should have seen it coming. Because I promised to protect our child and I couldn't keep it." The hand over Wanda's stomach tightened as her eyes stared almost distantly at the ground. Her mind wandering away in what she had been repeatedly thinking over the year. "I knew the Master was dangerous. I knew I should have warned the Doctor. But I wanted to give that man a second chance because the Doctor wanted to do so. In my carelessness in thinking we could win peace with the Master, he killed my child. I could have stopped it. I could have ended him before he had the chance. But I was foolish. A foolish, thoughtless idiot I am." Wanda blinked, realizing she had become lost in thought. Looking over at Clara, she saw the sad, yet puzzled expression on the woman. "Oh. Sorry. Didn't mean to bother you with all that rambling."

"No, you're fine," Clara said, shaking her head. She frowned, staring thoughtfully at Wanda. "So, I'm assuming you believe the Doctor blames you for losing your child?"

"I know he does," sighed Wanda. She stared away again to regain her composer before smiling back at Clara.

"Now that's just silly."

Wanda looked back at the governess, seeing the girl's strict frown. "What?"

Clara removed her hand from Wanda, crossing her arms. "How could your husband blame you for something you didn't have control over?"

"Because I knew it was coming, and I should have stopped it."

"Poppycock." Clara started wagging a finger at the blonde. "Psychic or not, you can't control things that happen. Bad things happen all the time. Can't go around blaming ourselves every time they do."

Letting out a small laugh, a wavering smile grew on Wanda's face. "You're right. I . . . I keep trying to tell myself not to always blame myself for these things. But it's . . . hard."

"Of course it is. You lost your child. It's only natural in feeling guilty and sad about it. Anyone would." Clara tapped her fingers on her arm as she pondered this over. "And this husband of yours thought that locking yourselves up on a cloud was the best option to recover from the loss? No wonder you need my help. That man has no idea. Reminds me of Captain Latimer. It's like all men are the same no matter where they come from." She turned, smiling in encouragement at Wanda. "Seems you lot need a good governess to step it. I've always said it helps having a third party to gain some new perspective. I'll do just that for you both."

The smile on Wanda's face grew with her eyes watering in happiness. "Thank you, Clara. I don't want to trouble you—."

Clara waved a hand in dismissal. "It's no trouble at all. You two are going to help me with the pond business. It's the least I can do in return in helping you both out from this bind." At that moment, Wanda swiftly pulled Clara into a large hug. The brunette smile, lightly patting the blonde's back.

"Sorry. Should have warned you that I'm a hugger," Wanda chuckled after pulling away. Both of them jumped, startled by the sudden loud ringing coming from the church.

"Oh, no. I lost track of time. I better get back to my duties." Clara stood up swiftly, starting to leave before turning back around. "When will I see the Doctor and you again?"

"This evening. After the Doctor's done more investigating," said Wanda as she stood up.

"Would you like to come with me in the meantime, then?" Clara offered kindly, smiling as though she very much wanted to get to know the strange blonde woman some more. Wanda smiled and shook her head.

"I'd love to . . . but I better go help Vastra and them. I feel like I might be needed there," she said, walking over to Clara to give the girl one last hug. "Thank you. For everything."

"I haven't really done anything yet," Clara laughed, patting Wanda's back lightly again.

"No. But you will."

The two parted from there. Wanda stood by the edge of the courtyard, smiling and waving at Clara. The governess gave a wave and smile back before disappearing down the streets within the crowd of people travelling about for Christmas in London. The smile from the Wanderer's face dropped as she began pinching her thumb and twisting it about. The worry she had been trying to subdue began to creep back. Things were not going to go well tonight. She just knew it. Because no matter how much she tried to look into the possibilities in her mind, things just kept going . . . fuzzy.

Fuzzy was never a good sign.

XxXxXxXx

Wanda spent the rest of the day with Vastra, Jenny, and Strax. It was fun being able to catch up with her friends after so long of being on the cloud. She never realized how much she missed being a part of the world below until then. It felt like coming back home after a long time aboard. It made her truly feel as though she were doing the right thing. Getting Clara and the Doctor together will work. Once they had Clara as a new companion . . . things would be perfect.

"He should be at Clara's establishment now," Vastra told Wanda as they made their way to the carriage. "He already phoned on what he found at Dr. Simeon's Great Intelligence Institute."

"Nothin' good, of course," added Jenny as they stepped into the cab. The carriage rocked as Strax steered the horse swiftly down the road.

"When is anything ever 'good' when it comes to the trouble the Doctor gets into?" Wanda joked lightly, trying to ease the tension in her that had been slowly building up throughout the day. Even though she felt at peace with being around her friends again, it was hard brushing away this feeling of uneasy. Something was going to go wrong. She felt it. But what was it? She looked back at the two females beside her, giving a smile in trying to keep things lighthearted. "Did he really dress up as Sherlock Holmes?"

"Did you expect him to dress any other way?" Vastra responded, smirking as Jenny and Wanda snorted and laughed.

They arrived at Captain Latimer's manor faster than expected. Wanda hopped out of the carriage first, glancing around to see if the Doctor was nearby. He should be in the garden with the pond from what she remembered. She heard Vastra giving instructions to Strax behind her as she made her way towards the garden. Just as she remembered, there was the Doctor, walking around the edges of the stone barrier that surrounded the garden's pond and scanning the frozen water with his sonic screwdriver.

"Body frozen in a pond. Where snow gets a good long look at a human being like a full-body scan. Everything they need to evolve. A pond," she heard him muttering under his breath. He stopped, placing his sonic back into his coat as he frowned in thought. "Good point, Clara."

"Well, it would be the one word to get your attention," Wanda said lightly.

"Yes, yes. Pond. Of course it would get my attention. Why wouldn't it," the Doctor said in dismissal, waving a hand over his shoulder. Wanda raised a brow, smirking playfully but said nothing else. Strax marched up to stand beside her, his feet making the gravel of the pathway crunch under his feet. The Time Lord turned when hearing the loud footsteps, frowning at the Sontaran. "What are you doing here?"

"Madame Vastra wondered if you were needing any grenades?" Strax told the Time Lord, looking ready for action with the large gun in hand.

"'Help,' Strax. She told you to 'help' the Doctor if he needed it," Wanda offered the Sontaran kindly, trying to remind him that not everything needed to resort to grenades and acid.

"Right, of course. 'Help,'" Strax corrected himself, looking embarrassed. "I knew that."

"Help for what?" said the Doctor, frowning even more now.

"Well, your investigation," Strax said as though it were obvious.

"Investigation? Who says I'm investigating? Do you think I'm going to start investigating just because some silly bird starts squawking at me? No, I'm not doing this for her. I'm doing this for my wife. Who do you think I am?" The Time Lord said this all in a rather cross retort before turning back around to face the large house.

Strax frowned for a moment before smirking. "Sherlock Holmes."

The Doctor turned sharply, pointing a finger for a second at the Sontaran as his face grew a tint of red. He then stepped down from the pond. "Don't be clever, Strax. It doesn't suit you."

"Oi! Rude!" Wanda scolded, flicking the Doctor in the head.

"Well, it doesn't" retorted the Doctor as he pouted and rubbed his head. Still not really looking at her though as if he did not realize she was there. Again, this made Wanda smirk as the Time Lord stepped back onto the pond's stone wall. "Now go away, Strax."

"Yes, Mr. Holmes," Strax said snidely before walking off. The Doctor shot one more look of annoyance.

"Oi! Shut up," retorted the Time Lord as he pointed a finger at the Sontaran as the short alien was heard chuckling away. "You're not clever or funny and you've got tiny little legs." Wanda giggled, stepping up onto the stone wall beside him.

"He got you, Spaceman. Admit it," Wanda laughed, beaming at him in merriment.

"He's not clever," muttered the Doctor as he looked out at the pond again. Wanda stood there for a moment, rocking on her feet and smiling at him impishly. Suddenly the Doctor blinked, spinning to face her as his eyes widened in awe. "You're—You're—You're out of the TARDIS? Since when?!"

"Since this morning," Wanda replied with a shrug.

"And you didn't tell me?!" the Doctor gaped at her, taken back that she would have braved leaving the TARDIS without him.

Wanda smirked, raising a brow. "If I did, would you have let me?"

"Of course not!"

"Well, then, there's your answer." She looked back at the pond with a smug smile on her face.

The Doctor could only stare at her, completely taken back. She left the TARDIS all on her own? Just like that? Did this Clara really leave such an impact on his Wanderer? It appeared so. That means he was doing the right thing after all, finding this Clara, helping her out, and then getting her to be their companion so that perhaps he and Wanda could finally get back on the right track. He looked away quickly when Wanda noticed him staring, gulping as he felt his hearts speeding up.

Wanda shifted on her feet. Uncertainty tugged at her as the Doctor refused to meet her gaze. Tentatively she went to reach for his hand that hung by his side. As well as reaching out for their bond. They had not allowed their shared bond to be connected for quite some time now. She knew how much it had always meant to him and felt guilty to have kept it at bay for so long. It always feared her in the possibilities slipping and causing agony through his mind if she could not stop from her losing control. But maybe now they could . . .

Her hearts fell when the Doctor suddenly moved his hand away, leaving her empty handed. Not even close to touching his hand. She even felt him flinch away from her trying to connect with him as well. She pulled back in trying to reach for their bond immediately, feeling ashamed that she had pushed him. It was too soon. Of course it was. Stupid for her to think they were close to being back to normal. She then realized that the main reason why he moved his hand away was to wave at the house in front of them. Glancing up, she beamed when seeing Clara looking out at them from a window on the second floor. A warm glow of candle light flickered behind her, making her features gentle in the night. The governess smile, waving politely. Wanda waved happily back, glad to see her again. Even if it had been a few short hours.

Clara started motioning for them to come into the home. In a hurry to speak with them. While the Doctor shook his head no and pointed at the pond, Wanda nodded and held up five fingers to let the brunette when they would be up. Clara smiled brightly, nodding while giving a thumbs up as she ignored the Doctor's response and paid more attention to Wanda's silent message. When she closed the curtains again, the Doctor turned with a frown to Wanda.

"Did you tell her we'd go to her?" he asked in disbelief. "I thought it was obvious we were staying out here?"

"And I thought it was obvious we were going to help her. How's staying out here by a frozen pond going to help anybody?" Wanda scoffed while rolling her eyes. She then hopped off the stone ledge, walking swiftly towards the house. "Come along, Mr. Holmes. We have a case to solve!"

The Doctor stood there blinking for a minute with his jaw hanging open. She—She . . . His Wanderer really was back. She was back! Ha! He beamed brightly, giddily bouncing down from the wall to follow her. He kept his happiness in check, though. Not wanting to scare her or push her too far. After all, clearly she was getting better because of Clara. Not because of him. Best he just keep his distance still until he was certain Wanda was back to her full self.

The moment they went into the home they knew something was wrong. They could hear panicked voices and loud, nasty yelling coming from upstairs. The Doctor rushed right around Wanda, leaving her behind as he ran to the danger, wanting to get to it first to assess the situation before allowing his Wanderer anywhere near. He hurriedly opened a door when hearing his name coming from a room. He saw it was sort of a tutoring room for children, with books, paper, drawing tools, and places for toys here and there. He even saw a large puppet show area for entertainment. But a sight that caught his interest immediately was the two frightened children (a boy and girl) huddled around Clara. Then, of course, there was the ice woman marching across the room, waving a strict finger at the children and shouting 'naughty' repeatedly.

Whipping out his sonic screwdriver, he hurriedly placed on the new setting he had installed not too long ago and aimed it at the ice woman. The creature of ice screamed. Its mouth opened wide with razor-sharp teeth. It reached forward with claw-like hands as if to grab the children. But it was still too far away to hurt anyone. Before it could get any closer, it shattered in pieces, scattering throughout the room. The three frightened humans jumped at the occurrence. Wanda came into the room at that moment, looking around wildly.

"Why didn't you use the puppet?" she asked as she watched the Doctor walk over to the wet spot on the rug where the Ice Governess had vanished. She recalled the ice creature was an imprint from the governess who took care of Captain Latimer's children, Digby and Francesca, before Clara took over the job.

"Puppet? What puppet?" replied the Doctor as he scanned the rug. He frowned when looking over his shoulder. "Why would I use a puppet?"

"To be silly, of course. I miss silly," Wanda said with a shrug, going over to Clara and the children. "Sorry we're late, dears. Had a bit of a delay. But we're here now!"

"I'm very grateful. I knew you both would come," Clara breathed a sigh of relief.

"No, you didn't. Because we don't," retorted the Doctor crossly, quite suddenly. He stood up from his crouching, snapping his sonic closed as he placed it back into his coat with a huff. Annoyance at the woman's assumption that she had the two aliens at her beck and call hit him hard. "Because this isn't the sort of thing we do anymore."

"Since when?" Wanda scoffed loudly, crossing her arms as she eyed the Doctor. "You know, I don't remember ever agreeing to our retirement. You mostly just made that decision for me. What gives you the right?"

"My TARDIS, my rules!" countered the Doctor loudly, pointing crossly at her. He froze when realizing what he had just said. Mortified that the words slipped through his lips, or that he had even said them to begin with. "No! I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean that."

"No. You did," Wanda said softly, staring at him evenly. "Because it hasn't been our TARDIS in a long time." She turned, trying to keep from crying as she marched out of the room.

The Doctor let out a noise of frustration before hurrying after his Wanderer, ignoring the remarks from the children and Clara as he stormed away. He found Wanda in an upper landing. Her arms crossed over her stomach tightly as she stared out the window. There was a puzzled look on her face as she watched the snow fall outside the window. As though she were trying to remember something important but could not recall the memory to surface. He came up behind her, hovering just there.

"That was wrong for me to say," he apologized, regretful that he had let a bit of his temper to flare back there. He reached forward, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "Of course it's still our TARDIS. It always has and will be. I'm sorry to have made you feel that it wasn't."

Wanda let out a sigh, turning around to face him. She looked as though she wanted to say something in return. Or rather wanted to say many things that were on her mind. But she paused, staring at him curiously. She gazed at his neck, reaching forward to pull down his scarf and play with his shirt collar line. "You're wearing a bow tie."

"Huh?" He tried glancing down as if to see, but of course the richly coloured bow tie was around his neck so there was no looking at it. So instead he thumbed at it to feel it there. "So I am. I didn't even realize I'd put it on. I was sort of . . ." 'Thinking of you,' he wanted to say. But felt unsure if he should admit it or not.

"I missed your bow ties," Wanda breathed in a soft whisper. She smiled at him. So tender in her expression.

He lifted a hesitant hand, stroking the side of her face. "I missed your smiles. Suppose there's a lot of things we've been missing lately. I think it's time we've fixed that."

"Yeah." Wanda nodded, smiling even more now. They both jumped when they heard the children beginning to scream.

"Damn! I forgot to warn them about her coming back eventually." The Doctor grabbed Wanda's hand and pulled her back towards the room, ready to save the children and Clara. All the while Wanda smiled, feeling elated. He was holding her hand again. She had missed the feeling so much. Meanwhile, the Doctor was thinking the very same thing with a large grin on his face. So happy that she was holding his hand again. He had missed her holding his hand.

The Doctor jumped into the room of the panicking humans, trying to get the Ice Governess to melt again with his sonic. Unfortunately, the ice creature learned how to not melt this time around after reforming. Wanda let go of the Doctor's hand to go over to the children and Clara, leading them out of the room to safety as the Doctor tried to think of something. The creature pulled itself out from under the rug, screeching at the Time Lord who was still in the room. He ran to the door, throwing it shut behind him as he went.

The noise going on in the house ended up waking up Captain Latimer. He stormed into the entrance hall, demanding to know what was going on. But before anyone had a chance to answer him, the maid, Alice, ran into the hall to shout about snowmen appearing left and right outside the house. The maid ran in a panic to the front door of the home, wanting to show them of what the snow had created. But when the maid opened the door, not only were there snowmen outside, there was also Madame Vastra and her wife Jenny at the doorway. When Vastra announced herself and Jenny, the maid ran screaming back into the hall only to run into Strax who stormed in with gun in hand. In the end, the maid screamed one last time before fainting.

"Oh, dear," sighed Wanda as she walked down the stairs and looked over the maid. Once seeing the woman was fine, she looked back at the Paternoster Gang. "You lot could have handled that a little more delicately you know."

"Not our fault some cannot handle excitement," Vastra said in humour as she and her wife stepped into the house, shutting the door behind them tightly.

Wanda rolled her eyes in humour, but grinned all the same. Gosh did she miss moments like this. She sat back and watched the Doctor and others start to form a plan of action, trying to deal with all the snowmen that were popping up left and right. Watching the Doctor spin around, with a bounce in his step and grin on his face . . . it was like seeing him being reborn again. She straightened to attention when the Ice Governess started to come down the stairs, ready to kill them. Jenny acted fast, throwing a portable force field generator (a little ball like device that glowed red) onto the stairs. The force field came up, trapping the Ice Governess on the stairs. Though this was only a temporary fix as the energy field could only last so long.

Wanda led Clara, the children, the recently awakened maid (who was a stuttering mess upon waking) and Captain Latimer away from the hall, wanting to get them to safety. Jenny escorted the group as well, holding a katana at her side in ready for a fight. Strax was already in the room, prepared to defend against an attack. They placed themselves into a small, study room. The Doctor and Vastra arrived shortly after, locking the door securely behind.

"Strax, how long have we got?" the Doctor asked the Sontaran.

"They're not going to attack," Strax told the Time Lord. "They've made no attempt to conceal their arrival. An attack force would never abandon surprise so easily and they're clearly in a defense formation." The Doctor turned after poring a drink of whiskey into a glass, grinning at Strax largely.

"Oh, well done, Strax. Still got it, buddy," the Time Lord praised as he gave the Sontaran a noogie in his giddiness.

"Sir, please do not noogie me during combat prep," grumbled Strax, though seemed pleased to have finally earn some praise from the Time Lord.

"So there's something here they want," Vastra concluded.

"The ice woman," Clara spoke up, nodding at them.

"Precisely," Wanda said, nodding in return at Clara. "A mix between their ice and human DNA. Replicate that and they'll have an army of ice warriors that don't ever melt."

"Exactly," agreed the Doctor he walked over and handed Captain Latimer the drink of whiskey. The Captain seemed to need it as he mostly stood in the corner of the room, still in shock and disbelief of everything that was happening. The Doctor then looked at himself in the mirror, adjusting his bow tie with a grin. Bow ties are cool. How could he have forgotten that? "To live here, the snow needs to evolve and she's the blueprint. She's what they need to become." He turned back around towards the group, rambling on. "When the snow melted last night, did the pond?" He snapped his fingers, pointing at Clara.

"No," replied the young governess.

"Living ice. It will never melt," said the Doctor grimly.

"And we can't let them get ahold of her," added Wanda, standing beside her husband now as they both addressed the room. "They'll take over the whole planet if they do."

"And it will be the last day of humanity on this planet," concluded the Doctor, finishing the dire statement for his wife. At that moment, the front door rang. The expression on the Doctor's face darkened and a storm grew in his eyes. Oncoming Storm could be seen clearly by all in the room as he cracked his neck to the side briefly before turning to the door. "Stay here." He then promptly slammed the door behind himself, leaving them all in the study room.

Wanda's shoulders slumped as she felt left out. Normally in the past, he would have always grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him. Well, most times, anyway. Sometimes he would have tried to make her stay behind for her own 'safety' and all that. Then, of course, she would just follow after him. Should she do that now? Did he want her along with him? He had been all over during this adventure in emotions, she was not sure where exactly they stood at the moment . . . Ah, hell with it.

"Come on, Clara," Wanda said briskly, grabbing the companion's hand and pulling her along. "I'm not letting my husband alone to be an idiot. We're idiots together." Clara chuckled lightly under her breath as she followed along, entertained by the blonde's statement.

"Oi! I told you to—," the Doctor began to scold them. But he was quickly silenced when Wanda grabbed him by his bow tie and yanked him down for a hard kiss. He stood there, stunned. Even after she pulled away, their lips parting with a smack.

"As if I've ever listened to that," Wanda replied sternly, though with a cheeky grin on her face. She let out a yelp when the Doctor suddenly pulled her forward and slammed their lips together once more.

Each of them let out a small sound of delight as she ran her hands through his hair and he held her fiercely to him, arms wrapped around her waist. He even ended up lifting her off her feet a bit, locking her to him as they both basked in the glow of their kiss. It had been far too long. Each of them kept it in their minds that, as soon as they got back to the TARDIS after this event was settled, they would make certain to do more kissing again. They pulled away from their shared embrace with a large smack. Each of them breathless as they panted lightly, faces lit up in dark blushes. All the while Clara stood there in the hall, staring at them with mild amusement and a humourous smile.

"I sort of feel left out," she joked playfully, grinning cheekily at them as they turned and looked at her with surprise, appearing to have forgotten they had a companion there with them. Then, the couple looked at each other briefly with grins showing up on their faces before moving to Clara. The companion laughed as each of them, at the same time, kissed her on either side of her face.

"There!" beamed the Doctor.

"Now you're not left out," giggled Wanda. Both of them grabbed her hands and marched to the door. Time Lord, Wanderer, and companion, all ready to face whatever the night threw at them.

XxXxXxXx

It looks like things are starting to get better for our two time travellers. :) I'm excited to see how it continues in the next chapter. Can't wait to see what you guys think of this chapter. Let me know in a review. I always greatly appreciate the time you guys give to support the story. :)

Reviewers:

TheBlueRiver: Here's more coming your way. ;) They really don't. At least it seems like things will go back to normal for them. Hope you enjoyed!

bored411: Agreed. I feel awful for them as well as wanting to push them into a cupboard to talk haha. Eh, you know how these two can be. Sometimes talking is just something they don't think about. Hope you enjoyed the new chapter. Especially with Clara around. I think she will definitely be what they need. :) Until next time!

All The Stories Are True 24601: Aww, thank you! I am, actually. I have stories planned for the future, though I fear that they might not be that good. The only two I've planned so far are from Jessica Jones and Boardchurch. Maybe Stranger Things as well. Again, not certain if I'm ever going to post them, but maybe I'll host a poll towards the end of part four. :) Until next time!

alwaystherereading: It takes a while to heal, but Wanda is getting there. I think they both are. :) People tend to forget to talk things through sometimes. Especially over very terrible things such as what happened to them. It was very rude for him to have done that. Though I do believe the Doctor had good intentions and really did not think it through on whether or not Wanda would have wanted them to know. You know how Eleven can be at times. Hope you enjoyed the newest chapter!

The Early Precambrian: Yep, very much better for the two of them. :) Wanda wants to push forward and move on. Though I feel as though the Doctor is still struggling in wanting to move forward. As Vastra said, he fears of him and Wanda going through another terrible loss. Though I believe both of them will come around. For this chapter really showed them both healing, I think. Vastra and Jenny truly are just so cute as a couple. They are one of my favorite married couples from television. :) Aww, thank you. Your words mean so much to me. Though I do still believe that I can always be a better reader, I'm just so happy knowing how much joy I can bring to you and others through my writing. :) Nah, your English is fine. I believe the word your searching for is 'evolved.' Which, yes, I agree completely. My writing style really has evolved over the years and I can't wait to go back and edit over part one to match how my style is now for part three. :) I'm so glad that you can still find joy through all this time. Truly hope that the ending of this part and the continuation of part four will continue to bring you happiness. :D Until we meet again!

swimmjacket: Glad you enjoyed it. :) I always wondered how the Doctor ended up on that cloud. So I thought I might do a little backstory with it. ;) Vastra and Jenny and Strax truly are great help for Wanda and the Doctor. But they still need someone else in their lives for an extra push. Which is where Clara comes along. ;) Wanda is excited for a new companion. Mostly because she thinks it's the only way to make the Doctor happy again. Wanda will do anything for her Theta. Part four will be right after the ending to this one, so we will be seeing Twelve in the future. :) Can't wait to see what you think of it all! Take care!

Arkytior's Song: Sorry for the tears. Though I am glad that you're enjoying the story. Even if it does make you cry. Hope you enjoyed the newest chapter. :)

mjahappy: Yay! :D

Authora97: No problem! Sorry that it took me so long to update this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. :) And that your days are not as crazy haha. Welp, there will be a part four coming. So . . . I hope that helps your concern a bit.

normandy1701: Welp, I think they're getting to that point. Just took them a while. :) Hopefully this chapter was a little less sad and a bit happier. Can't wait to see what you thought of it!

Momochan77: You'd be absolutely right. He really thinks keeping distance is what she needs, wants, wishes for, etc. Just as Wanda thinks that way as well. Glad to see that they're getting past that, though. Clara is definitely a large help with that and will continue to be so. :)

Isanxd: Welp, I prefer instrumental more than lyrical songs. Love all kinds of instruments types, but my favorites have to be the strings, such as cello, fiddle, violin, etc. Though piano is also a favorite. ;) I usually listen to Taylor Davis. She has a large number of songs on YouTube if you would like to check them out. :) It truly is hard seeing the two of them blaming themselves for this. But you're right, it is nice seeing Wanda find comfort in friends. Yep, Strax is there for her, too. Eh, any time that I get, really. I'm so busy that I gotta write and read whenever I find the chance to. :) Until next time!

Whovianeverlark17: Happy Silence Day! They really seem to have trouble with communicating, don't they? But they're getting there I think. :)

BeCent: Hello! And thank you, glad to be back and to see you again! :D haha Well, I'm just glad to have made you so happy. And that the story still brings you such joy. Yep, doing much, much better now. I bet it was a roller coaster. Sorry you came back at such an emotional time. :( Things will get better, I promise. I'm just excited to see how you will like all the future chapters. I can't wait! Hope to see you again very soon! :)

Thank you all so, so much! Take care everybody! :D

~Tinker~