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)

66. Ch 66: The Meeting of the Wolves

Hiya!

Welcome back to part two of the 50th anniversary! I hope that everyone liked the last part to this adventure. Been very sick lately, so not having much energy to do a whole lot lately. But I gathered up my energy to get us to part two of the 50th anniversary adventure. :) Enjoy the newest chapter!

XxXxXxXx

Chapter 66: The Meeting of the Wolves

"I have my own way of travelling," Alpha told the War Doctor curtly. Her voice came out in almost a grumble, sounding as though she did not wish to talk at all to any of them but had no choice in the matter. She walked away from the War Doctor, placing herself as far away from everyone as she could while she kept her hands behind her back and observed them all with hard, cold, calculating hazel eyes.

Her appearance was far different than what First Wanda had ever looked like. Instead of having such innocence of life just teeming away within every part of her, there was nothing but coldness and angry demeanour coming from her. Her chestnut hair looked dull in a way, hanging limply around her head and face. Dark circles were seen around her hazel eyes, and with how skinny she looked it made her face look almost sunken in from lack of good nutrition. As though she had been wasting away over the years. The clothes on her back were in about the same shape as her body. What was once a Time Lord's red robes, with shirt and trousers, that the Daleks had given her, was now ragged and torn. All in all, it looked like she had been through hell and back.

"I—I don't understand . . . Why is First Wanda here?" Second Wanda asked them abruptly, turning to the Doctors for answers. "What's going on, Spaceman?"

"I have no idea," Ten grumbled, looking ready to yank them all back from Alpha. "But that's not you, Wanda. I promise you that."

"Not yet, anyway," Eleven said more softly, gazing at Alpha warily yet much more gentle than his younger self did.

"Well, it sure as hell looks like old me," Second Wanda grumbled, looking back at Alpha with an uncertain expression. It was easy to see that the presence of Alpha unnerved the raven-haired woman very much so.

"Why are you here?" Ten suddenly blurted out, demanding to know what the hell was going on. "Why are either of you here? You shouldn't be here. This shouldn't be happening."

"And yet it is, and here we are," the War Doctor said calmly. "Though, Alpha here hasn't quite explained to me why she wished to join me." When all eyes turned on her, Alpha narrowed her eyes for a moment with a brief white flash in her hazel irises. She then looked at each and every one of the Doctors very carefully.

"I made a promise to a piece of my past," she spoke with a growl in the back of her voice. "I am seeing if the universe is truly a place worth saving. Let's see what you make of this day. Prove me wrong, Time Lords." She spat the last words out in so much disgust that it sounded as though she felt sick just saying them aloud. Her hatred for Time Lords even greater at this point in time than what would be in later life for Alpha.

Before any of the others could register how to feel about this statement, they heard quick footsteps running towards their location. Shouting and the clanking of armour came with the trudging, which indicated the arrival of armed men coming through the woods. They all looked to see a small army of sorts—that would be the Queen's men—coming at them.

"Encircle them!" they heard one man yell out in order. This was the better-dressed man in charge of the others. The men did as they were told, circling around the group and pointing their weapons at them. Ten and Eleven aimed their sonics at the armed men, bringing in the Wandas to be behind each of them so they were protected at all sides. Only Alpha and the War Doctor remained unmoving and unfazed.

The man that appeared to be in charge stepped forward. "Which of you is the Doctor?" he demanded in question. "The Queen of England is bewitched. I would have the Doctor's head."

"Well, this has all the makings of your lucky day," the War Doctor said in humour, finding the humans to be funny. He always was fond of humans, after all.

"There's a precedent for that," came a voice from the vortex which still swirled over their heads. All the humans in the area stared up in shock, then in horror at the sight of the vortex spinning in the air.

"What is that?" the one man asked in fear. The War Doctor glanced over when noticing what his future selves were doing with their sonics.

"Why are you pointing your screwdrivers like that? They are scientific instruments, not water-pistols!" he all but scoffed at them. "What are you going to do, assemble a cabinet at them?" The two other Doctors ignored him, staying at the ready to protect their Wandas. Even if their sonics could do nothing in the current situation they were in. But their arms were lowered by each Wanda as the females gave them each a stern gaze. Reluctantly, the sonics were placed back away in each Doctors' coat pocket.

"That thing, what witchcraft is it?" the man in charge of the Queen's men demanded from the group of travellers.

"Ah! Yes, now that you mention it," Eleven spoke up rapidly, stepping away from the group, "that is witchcraft." He pointed at the time fissure, getting closer under it. "Yes, yes, yes, witchy witchcraft. Hello? Hello in there, excuse me, hello."

"Clara, be a dear and . . . warn these mortals off from us, would you?" Second Wanda said in a teacher like voice. Almost like something Alice Rivers would have said.

"Wicked Witch of the Well, hello?" Eleven added in. Third Wanda smiled as she could almost hear Clara's grumble from the other end about being the 'witch' in this scenario.

"Prattling mortals! Off you . . . pop! Or I'll turn you all into frogs," came Clara's voice from the vortex, trying to sound as Wicked Witch from the West as possible in with her voice. The armed men around seemed fearful now, as to them the weak threat was all but real in their minds.

"Oh. Frogs. Nice," Eleven muttered before turning to the men around them and point at them. "You heard her."

"Doctor, what's going on?" they heard Clara ask.

"It's, er, a timey-wimey thing," Eleven answered offhandedly. The War Doctor looked to his future face in utter disbelief.

"Timey what? 'Timey-wimey'?" the War Doctor barked.

"I've no idea where he picks that stuff up," Ten muttered to his older self with a shake of his head as if disproving as well. Both Wandas snorted.

"Says the man who invented the phrase," the two females spoke together.

"The Queen! The Queen!"

They looked over when all of the armed men exclaimed this, seeing Elizabeth walking steadily through the woods towards them. The time travellers noticed immediately the smirking expression on the woman's face. Something seemed to be very pleasing to her at the moment. All of the Queen's men bowed to her immediately, while the time travellers remained on alert. Third Wanda glanced at Alpha, knowing that she had been rather quiet. Alpha seemed to not be bothered by anything which was happening. Merely observing them all with a rather bored and irritated expression. Clearly, she did not wish to be there at all.

"You don't seem to be kneeling. How tremendously brave of you," Elizabeth said to them all rather coolly.

"Which one are you? What happened to the other one?" Ten questioned Elizabeth immediately, needing to know what had happened. Though, from the way the woman eyed them, he felt the worst had already happened.

"Indisposed," the Queen answered, confirming the Ten's fears. "Long live the Queen." The soldiers around them repeated this phrase in unison, showing their loyalty to their Queen. Elizabeth pointed harshly at them all. "Arrest them. Take them to the Tower."

"That is not the Queen of England," Ten yelled angrily, jabbing a harsh finger at Elizabeth. "That's an alien duplicate."

"Ah, sure, like anyone from this time period would believe you on that," Second Wanda said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Then again, I'm sure you did get nice and cosy with that suckered tongue, am I right?"

"Venom sacs in the tongue," added Eleven.

"Oh, shut up," Ten grumbled at the two. Eleven and Second Wanda smirked, giving each other an under-handed high five. The older Doctor seemed to suddenly realize what Elizabeth said, though, as he stepped forward with a grin and pointed in different directions towards the soldiers.

"No, hang on. The Tower. Did you say the Tower? Ah, yes. Brilliant. Love the Tower. Breakfast at eight o' clock, please. Will there be wi-fi?" Eleven spoke rapidly, saying this rather loudly so that way certain people still on the other side of the time fissure in the future would hear him.

"Are you capable of speaking without flapping your hands about?" War Doctor said gruffly, still feeling rather baffled that he would ever become this bow-tie wearing man someday.

"Yes," answered Eleven, who had indeed been clapping and moving his hands around while he talked.

"No," said the two Wandas easily, both smiling slyly at their beloved bow tie Doctor.

"Silence. The Tower is not to be taken lightly," Elizabeth barked crossly, appearing annoyed that they all were not threatened in the slightest by her ordering them to be arrested. "Very few emerge again." She nodded, getting the soldiers to step forward to grab them and drag them back to the Tower. One man reached for the still quiet Alpha first, going to grab her roughly.

"Touch me and I'll rip your arm off," Alpha all but snarled lowly, eyes flashing as she coolly glanced over at the man. The soldier only hesitated for a second before grabbing her. It was a second too long before either future Doctor could make a warning to the man. Or even Third Wanda for that matter. For in a flash, Alpha reacted.

She did not rip the man's arm off. But she did break it by twisting it painfully around. The man let out a brief yell of agony before she was behind him and snapped his neck viciously. The soldier's body fell to the ground in a heap, dead before he even touched the dirt. Alpha's eyes glowed in rage, glaring at all the armed men. Each one visibly backed up in alarm. Even Elizabeth sucked in a breath, holding the skirt of her dress tightly in preparation to run away in fright. Alpha looked ready to jump at the rest as she crouched, preparing for a kill. Eleven and Third Wanda reacted fast, going over to Alpha.

"Alpha, stop," Eleven ordered her. "They're just humans. They're not going to hurt you."

"No one touches me!" she snarled, backing away from the two of them. "No one! And tell them to shut up while you're at it!" She threw a glare at the men, making them all back away even more.

"Of course, they won't touch you again," Third Wanda reassured Alpha. She looked to the soldiers and Elizabeth. "We'll come with you quietly, but no one touches Alpha. Got it? Just lead us to the Tower and you won't get any more trouble out of us." All the men looked to their Queen for what to do. Elizabeth nodded firmly, seeming to agree with this. She and the commanding officer then left first, walking swiftly away from the scene. The rest of the men circled around them, aiming their weapons for them to begin to move. Though none made the move to get any closer to the travellers. Fear of Alpha being far too great at the moment for the humans.

"No more killing today," Ten barked at Alpha in disgust, glaring at her. "Learn to control yourself."

"Don't tell me what to do, Time Lord!" retorted Alpha with a snap of her teeth.

"Oh. My. God. She killed him. Past me . . . killed someone," they heard Second Wanda breath in utter horror, her face pale as she appeared ready to be sick.

"I didn't agree to work with you today just for you to kill people," the War Doctor said calmly to Alpha.

"And I didn't agree to follow you around so just I can have vermin manhandle me!" Alpha yelled in return.

"All right, shut it!" barked Third Wanda when she saw Ten about to get angry and yell some more with Alpha. It was not a good idea to have the wolf getting angry with the Doctor. Any of the Doctors. Had they not realized how important it was for Alpha to see how good they could be for the universe? So far, nothing had shown the Universe's Weapon what good could come from the future with the Doctors all going at each other's' throats. And Third Wanda knew how much worse it would get between the three Time Lords later today.

"Look, Alpha, I know how you don't like to be touched, and how hard it's been for you to be a part of these events," Third Wanda spoke up carefully, getting closer to Alpha in a gentle demeanour to help her feel calm. "But please, you can't kill anyone else today. Please. Just let us show you what you've come here to see. I promise, you won't regret it. And if you need someone to trust, just know that you can always trust me, and her." She pointed to Second Wanda. Though younger her still looked unnerved by what happened, Second Wanda did put on a brave face, seeming determined to help with what she could.

Alpha tilted her head, taking a big sniff towards Third Wanda's direction. She appeared more curious now, asking quietly, "You're not a Time Lord. Who are you? You smell . . . different." Then, it seemed to hit her. The wolf's eyes narrowed in suspicion, taking in the sight of the blonde more carefully now. "You're me? How can that be? I'm supposed to be dead after today."

"If you come with us, I'll tell you everything you want to know," promised Third Wanda, smiling kindly at Alpha as she lifted a hand for the other to take.

"By the order of the Queen—," one of the soldiers was about to order them.

"Oh, shut up!" all the Doctors said together, looking briefly at the human before turning their attention back to Alpha again.

"Please?" Third Wanda whispered to Alpha, still keeping her hand out. Alpha regarded her for a moment longer before looking away with a sniff.

"Fine. I'll behave. For now," Alpha grumbled before stomping off, refusing to touch Third Wanda. "But only because I wish to know why the hell I haven't destroyed the universe yet."

XxXxXxXx

Soon, they were in the Tower where the soldiers led them. None of them were touched or roughed up, though. It seemed Alpha's earlier rage had really shaken the men. Good thing Alpha had not actually used any of her powers. Third Wanda suspected if she had, they would have just been ordered to be executed right there and then in the woods. The Three Doctors sort of went on to do their own thing once they were all inside and the door slammed shut behind them. Ten leaned up against the wall with his hands in his pockets. Eleven grabbed a nail from the floor and began to chisel into a brick pillar in the cell. Meanwhile, the War Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and started to scan the wooden door of their prison.

The two Wandas were closer in the back, almost near where Alpha was. Alpha had placed herself right into a corner, observing the lot of them with cold eyes as she took in the sight of things. Mostly keeping watch on the Doctors. It seemed she took her word seriously when it came to keeping a watch on them. Observing every little thing each of them did. Even if it did appear to bore and irritate her to do so.

"Is that really what we used to be? Were . . . were we even really ever human?" Second Wanda asked her future self quietly. Seeing Third Wanda's sombre expression, the younger Wanda let out a wavering breath. "I had a feeling . . . but I didn't want it to be true. Guess I'm still in denial about a lot of things." The raven-haired woman gazed away, eyes wavering as she still seemed to be trying to wrap her mind around all the revelations from this day.

The blonde stared at her kindly, wishing there was more she could do to ease her younger self. "How old are you?" Third Wanda asked curiously.

"Fifty-seven," Second Wanda answered with a weak smile. "What about you?"

"Nine hundred thirty."

Second Wanda could only stare for a moment, seeming to try to process just how old she would be one day. As well as how that really did not seem to add up to her. Then, she sighed and nodded. "Right. I'm a lot older than I think I am . . . aren't I?"

The blonde nodded, patting her younger self on the shoulder. "Yeah, kind of. But don't think about it for now."

Second Wanda gave a light laugh, shaking her head a bit. "Trust me, the only thing that's keeping me from freaking all out right now is knowing that I'll forget about all of this later. I'm just going to pretend everything I find out today is just all part of a dream. Which, it will kind of be for me . . . us, after today. Actually, how is it being a part of something you've technically already experienced before?" She gazed at her older self curiously now, wondering just how it was to be experiencing something one had once forgotten. It was never really explained all that well from the show before. So, she wondered how it really felt and if she would even remember wondering about what the feeling would be like one day for her in the future.

Third Wanda smiled lightly, knowing exactly what younger her was thinking. Given that she had once thought about the same things and all. "Memory's slowly coming back. You know how Time Lord minds work with paradoxes of meeting past or future selves. The future self will always remember everything in the end while the past self always forgets." Together they glanced over to Alpha, seeing how she still refused to move from her spot.

Second Wanda began to pinch her thumb, twisting it around. "She's really us? Who we used to be?"

"Not really, no. We won't exist until after this day is over." Third Wanda looked over, seeing the sudden taken back expression from her younger self. Smiling gently, she took Second Wanda's hand into her own, giving it a comforting squeeze. "I'd forgotten about that habit of ours. I haven't done it for centuries now."

The raven-haired woman frowned. "Four hundred years to finally stop a stupid habit? Well, that's lovely."

Third Wanda giggled, shaking her head in amusement briefly before looking serious once more. She knew there would be no avoiding the younger woman's questions. Knowing herself . . . she was too stubborn to not receive any answers."If things still work out correctly, Alpha will leave here and go into a pocket universe. And just before the paradox works in making her forget about today, she'll try to erase her memories and change who she is. In doing so . . . we'll be created from the aftermath."

"So . . . she's the thing that lives in us? The dangerous thing the Doctor always refuses to talk about?"

The blonde nodded solemnly. "Yes." They glanced at Alpha briefly, seeing the gruff nature of her. The way she tapped her fingers harshly against the wall she leaned on. The way she glared at almost everyone and everything. Especially the way the wolf's appearance was. So wild in nature. The blonde gave Alpha a look of empathy before gazing back at Second Wanda. "But she won't always be like this. Trust me when I say Alpha learns to move on after a few centuries. It'll take her time, but she'll finally get her chance to heal in the future."

Second Wanda nodded slowly, accepting everything of which older her said. "That's good . . . I guess. Still strange to think of someone else living inside our heads."

They looked over again at her, seeing how Alpha still watched the Doctors talking back and forth at each other. Not a very good conversation the Time Lords were having, either. The War Doctor had been asking about if his older selves had counted the children on Gallifrey. Eleven refused to discuss it, pretending to have forgotten, while Ten grimly stated the number. Two point four-seven billion. That was how many children there had been on that last day of the Time War. Two point four-seven billion.

"You did count!" War Doctor said suddenly when Ten answered the question of how many children.

"You forgot? Four hundred years? Is that all it takes?" Ten snapped, ignoring his younger self to confront his older face.

"I've moved on," Eleven said gruffly, glaring back at Ten.

"Where?" barked Ten. "Where can you be now, that you can forget something like that? And don't try to tell me it's because of Wanda. There's no excuse to forget something like that, even for a future with our wife."

"Oh, for Pete's sake, he hasn't forgotten!" Second Wanda snapped, earning the Doctors' attention. The woman crossed her arms and gazed back sternly. "He could never let himself forget. It's just become too painful to keep thinking about and letting the guilt eat him away."

"The man who regrets and the man who forgets," Third Wanda said somberly, staring steadily at the two Doctors. "Of course none of you could ever forget your regrets. But it's how each of you handles it is what has changed for each face of yours. Remember Nine?"

"Oh, don't remind of me that face," Ten muttered, stomping away from Eleven to lean against a pillar opposite of his older self.

"But it's true. The guilt is still eating away at you. Even with your Eleventh face, it's still there," Second Wanda said, shaking her head at Ten.

"And it won't ever leave," they heard Eleven say quietly. He stared at the engraving he had made into the brick pillar, looking so . . . sad. His eyes misted over a bit as he looked at his younger self. There it was, the haunted look in his eyes of a man who had lost so much. More than even his younger self could know of. "Of course I haven't forgotten. But I wish every day I could."

The room remained silent after that. After the heavy words from Eleven . . . None knew what to say or how to respond. Ten looked away from his older self, staring off and wondering why he felt unease in his hearts by the way his older face looked at him. As if those green eyes has been trying to warn him of something that was coming for him in the future. Eleven turned back to his engraving, trying to just focus on that now. The War Doctor stared over to his right, looking as though he were listening to someone speaking to him. The two Wandas stared at the Doctors in empathy, wishing there was more they could do to reassure their lovers. For Second Wanda, it was more of her wishing she could make the man, the man she was learning to love more and more every day, happy again in some way. As for Third Wanda, she wished she could say more to help soothe her husbands' woes. Especially Eleven as she knew he was thinking about their lost daughter when the subject of children and regrets came up. But she knew she had to keep her mouth shut on that. There was much of which the Doctors would have to go through on this day. Bringing up the subject of their future loss for both Ten and the War Doctor might just make it too much for the younger faces of the Doctor.

Suddenly, a dark chortle from the corner of the room earned everyone's attention, snapping them all out of their stupor. They all looked over, seeing Alpha being the one chuckling as she shook her head slowly.

"Is something funny? Did we miss a funny thing?" Ten grumbled at her. Alpha stopped chuckling, eyeing each Time Lord coolly.

"All these years I thought Time Lords didn't give a damn about their children," Alpha said smoothly, smirking snidely at them. "Yet you all act like you do."

"Of course, we care. We're not heartless," said Ten in a rather gruff tone.

"Could have fooled me," Alpha replied sarcastically as her smirk grew. Her eyes moved to each one of them now, staring hard into each of their eyes. "The three of you are about to make the decision to blow up an entire world filled with children and watch them all burn."

"No, he is the one who did that," Eleven said, pointing at the War Doctor.

"Still you, isn't it? You still kill all those people," Alpha spoke gruffly, sneering at him.

"We had no choice," Ten retorted with a snap. "Unlike you."

"'Unlike me'?" Alpha scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, like I'm not trying to do the same thing? 'End the suffering.' 'I'm tired of hearing all the screaming and the torment.' 'End it all now and no one else has to suffer.' That's exactly what is and was on your minds during the war. Tell me I'm wrong." She glared at each Doctor, seeing how they seemed to deflate when she had said this. For she was right. Those were the same thoughts that had run through their minds during the end of the Time War. The very same thoughts that were currently running through the War Doctor's mind. Scoffing, she leaned more heavily against the wall as she crossed her arms tightly, shooting them a reproaching expression. "See? You're just a hypocrite. Just like every other Time Lord. What makes you so special that you're supposed to change my mind, huh?"

"Actually, I think that's where we come in," Third Wanda spoke up, earning Alpha and the Doctors' attention. The blonde pointed to her self and the raven woman next to her. "I think it's time we have a family meeting."

"'Family meeting'?" questioned Second Wanda in confusion, frowning as she had no clue where the blonde was going with this.

"Family meeting," Third Wanda confirmed, walking over to Alpha now. "We need to have a little chat. I think you've been wanting to anyway." She grabbed Alpha's hand firmly, pulling her towards the door.

"Did I say you could touch me? Future me or not—," Alpha began to say angrily, a white glow forming around her to burn the blonde's hand.

Third Wanda merely laughed, smiling and saying, "Sorry, sweetie, but your powers don't work on yourself. So, all you're doing right now is tickling me. Just trust me, okay? From one alpha to another." Pulling the door open, she began to lead Alpha out to the stairwell on the other side.

"How did you do that?" Eleven blurted out in surprise, making Third Wanda and Alpha pause.

"It should have been locked," said the War Doctor thoughtfully.

"Well, it wasn't," Third Wanda replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Seriously, none of you ever just try to open the door the normal way," Second Wanda scoffed while rolling her eyes, coming over to the door with her future self and Alpha. "It's always: try to be all 'clever' with the sonic."

"Well . . . I mean . . .," Ten puffed out in a breath, rubbing at an earlobe in embarrassment. He then rubbed at the back of his head, looking at the other two Doctors. "Suppose we could have just tried the door."

"Three of us here and we never thought to do that?" Eleven mumbled, pouting at how idiotic he felt. The three Doctors made to go to the door, but each Wanda held up their hands, stopping the Doctors in their tracks.

"Oi, where do you lot think you're going?" Third Wanda, shaking her head.

"You've got some team building you three still need to do," Second Wanda agreed with a firm nod. "Think of it as orders from a Doctor."

"Figure out that riddle with the sonic screwdrivers why don't you. And take some time to really talk and get to know yourself," Third Wanda concluded. Both she and Second Wanda grinned brightly before they grabbed the door together and slammed it shut. With a flip, Second Wanda pulled the large bar down and made the door lock tightly, keeping the Time Lords inside for a good while.

"Think they'll be cross with us?" Second Wanda asked her other self as they marched Alpha away from the door, hearing the complaining voices coming from the other room behind them.

"Nah. We're his wife. He could never really be that cross. Even if he wanted to," replied Third Wanda smoothly as she winked at her younger face.

XxXxXxXx

The two Wandas and Alpha went deeper into the hallways of the castle. It was a very secluded place that they knew no one would run into them. It was dark without any windows. Their only light was that from a flaming torch on the wall. Alpha leaned against the wall behind her, crossing her arms tightly as she kept a steady gaze with the two Wandas who stood in front of her. Second Wanda looked rather unsure of where she fit into all of this, pinching her thumb behind her back and glancing repeatedly at Third Wanda. The older Wanda stood there much more at ease, taking in the sight of an irritated Alpha calmly.

"So, what's this 'family meeting' we're having, huh?" Alpha growled grumpily. "This better not be a waste of my time. Already this whole damn day has been."

"Oh, stop with the wolf act already," sighed Third Wanda, shaking her head at the growling wolf. Alpha pushed herself away from the wall, growling as she stood over the shorter blonde.

"I am a wolf! Or have we gone soft allowing ourselves to be tamed by a damn Time Lord!" Alpha barked, baring her teeth with a snap. She began sniffing the blonde, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "You smell funny. You're not really me, are you?"

"Not really," said Third Wanda with a shrug. She pointed to Second and herself. "We're Wanda. Or the Wanderer, if you'd prefer. As both our names, and the name of our species. That includes you, Alpha."

Alpha frowned, tilting her head. "So I just changed my name?"

"No, it's more than that. You tried erasing your memories, so that created me."

"Then, why the hell am I talking with you if you're not even me from the future?"

Third Wanda sighed in exasperation, shaking her head. "Look, we," she pointed between herself and the younger Wanda, "are you. We're just also . . . not. It's complicated. But please, you have to at least listen to us. That's all we're asking of you." She was glad to see Alpha backing down, going back over to the wall to lean against it once more. It seemed she was calming herself down to at least listen. Even if she did not believe a single word either Wanda would say, Third Wanda just felt relieved that Alpha would at least give them a chance.

"Well, I'm waiting," Alpha said gruffly, tapping her fingers on the brick wall behind her. "Explain to me why the hell I'd ever be with a damn Time Lord."

"That Time Lord is my . . . boyfriend," Second Wanda sassed angrily. Though her anger faltered a bit towards the end of her sentence, as the term she used for the Doctor had almost been something more than 'boyfriend.' Not that she would ever admit that.

"And my husband," Third Wanda said evenly, keeping a steady eye on Alpha.

"'Boyfriend'? 'Husband'? What the hell are you two talking about?" Alpha growled darkly, looking livid now. "I would never be with anyone. Especially not a Time Lord."

"Because you'll never move on from Shelly, right?" Third Wanda whispered quietly. Alpha looked truly taken back for a moment before becoming livid. Her eyes flashed and her whole demeanour seemed to flare up.

"Don't say her name. You don't ever say her name! You're not me. You don't deserve to say her name!" she shouted, shaking as she pointed a finger at the shorter Wanda. Her eyes flashed again and a white glow bristled around her body. But the white light disappeared in an instant at Wanda's next words.

"She's the reason you're here, though, isn't it?" Third Wanda watched as Alpha backed up, staring back in confliction.

Alpha looked conflicted for a second before shaking her head in disgust and gritting her teeth. "That . . . Whoever that was, that wasn't my Shelly. She just . . ."

"But it is, Shelly, Alpha." Stepping forward, Third Wanda gently grasped her hands, staring steadily at her. "She's just . . . changed. Like you will be someday. I know you don't believe me now. Hell, you won't believe me for a few more centuries. But . . . she changed herself for a reason. She sent you here for you to see what hope there is for you in the future." She saw how doubtful and wary Alpha looked as she tried to step away from Wanda. "Remember what Shelly promised you all those years ago?" Alpha stopped, tensing now. "She promised you that she would never leave you. That she would be there, making certain to keep you sane, to keep you, you when you needed that reminder of who you are and to not give into the insanity of the universe. That's why you're here now. Because she wanted to keep her promise." There was no response from Alpha, so Wanda pressed onward. "Just . . . give this day a chance. I could see you starting to break in there. I know how hard it is for you to keep yourself steady. But if there's any reason to keep trying, it's for Shelly. If there's anyone you can believe in, believe in her."

It was very quiet for a moment. It seemed as Alpha took this in, contemplating it in deep thought. Seeing how uncertain Alpha still looked, Second Wanda got closer, gazing steadily at the brunette.

"Look, I really don't know anything about what you've been through. From the sounds of it . . . it sounds pretty painful," the raven-haired woman said gently, placing her hands with her future self's onto Alpha's hands. "But . . . I promise you can trust us with this. Whatever it is you're hoping to see today, or maybe not even today but for some time in the future, we'll help you see it and see what hope to have for the universe. I promise." Alpha stared at the two of them for a moment, seeing the rather innocent eyes of the raven-haired woman and the soft, old eyes of the blonde. Soon, she nodded slowly, removing her hands from the two Wandas.

"Fine. I see what you mean," Alpha spoke calmly, almost subdued in a way. "I'll see what she's trying to show me by being around this Time . . . by being around the Doctor. Shelly . . . always did have her reasons for things." She then eyed Wanda carefully. "Don't think this means I believe you're me. Or that I still won't go with my plans on the universe."

"I wouldn't have it any other way. I just want you to keep in mind to be more calm and listen to what the Doctor has to say. He means well, even if it might not seem like it yet."

Alpha nodded to the blonde, following along more willingly this time around as she and the two Wandas made their way back down the stone corridor. Second Wanda glanced at Alpha, looking as though pondering something.

"Truthfully, I still don't believe that you're me from the past," she spoke up, smiling crookedly at Alpha. The brunette blinked, then for the first time genuinely smiled.

"Then you and I have something in common. Seems we're both characters out of place here," Alpha said lightly. Then her smile fell, and she became the gruff wolf once more. "Let's just get this day over with, shall we?"

XxXxXxXx

When the three females deeper into the castle, they could see blankets of suckers around the place. Something that the Zygons secreted occasionally, from what Third Wanda remembered. There were not many times she had ran into this particular alien species. Mostly because of the Time War, for the species had lost their world during the first days of the war. And her memories from the Doctor's earlier encounters with the Zygons never gave much away about the strange blankets of secretions around, so . . . She was sure she could always ask the Doctor about it later.

Speaking of the Doctor, she could see the three Doctors were now out of the Tower dungeon, standing around talking in an area above the lower level where the Zygon's had established some basic technology from their homeworld. Elizabeth and Clara were with the Doctors, talking with them as well. Behind the group, the three females saw the paintings. Or rather paintings that were Time Lord technology. A stasis cube, or rather frozen instants of time. The Zygons would go in there, awaiting the day for when Earth would be a better place (meaning more advanced technology) for them to take over the planet and finally have a world of their own again. Both Wandas felt glad that the Doctors would work things out in the other way. Why was it that other species that needed a new home did not just offer to share the planet? Why always resort to invading and such? It was so idiotic.

"Wait, wait, wait. Hold on, hold on, hold on. I didn't promise to anything of the sort," they heard Ten saying rapidly, watching as he backed away from the smirking Elizabeth. The three females behind the group stopped, watching the scene lightly. Second and Third Wanda had smiles of amusement while Alpha just seemed plain baffled.

"You gave me your word in marriage. I do not take vows like that lightly," Elizabeth said smoothly, now narrowing her eyes dangerously at him. "Whether it was to a Zygon or not, you proposed. Therefore, you must honour your promise of hand in marriage."

"But—But I'm married already!" Ten exclaimed, appearing very stuck in a bad place now. Still embarrassed he had proposed to another right in front of his fiancée, and that he had been that . . . neglectful not to think his plan could have backfired so badly.

"That can be easily changed," Elizabeth said, smirking devilishly. Ten gaped at her, seeming unable to respond to that. He looked at Eleven and the War Doctor, but neither seemed to know how to get him out of this situation, either. All turned when they heard the arrival of the three females behind them. Ten immediately looked relieved when seeing Third Wanda.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty. I just . . . need to prepare myself," he said quickly to Elizabeth before coming over quickly and grabbing the blonde Wanda's hand, leading her around to corner to talk with her. As soon as they were out of earshot of the Queen, he looked at his Wanda for answers. "So . . . think we should just run for it? Would explain why she wanted to kill me that one time we were with Shakespeare."

"Oh? You're really going to break a woman's heart and leave her at the altar?" Wanda scoffed, crossing her arms and raising a brow at him. "I thought you were better than that, Doctor."

"Well, what else do you want me to do?" Ten asked, wondering what ideas she had for him. Seeing how she merely stood there with a calm expression on her face, he shifted on his feet. "I know you're still mad at me . . . But—But you can't honestly say I have to go marry someone else when I'm already married to you."

"Technically, we're not married, we're engaged. So, technically, of course, you can marry someone else," Wanda said with a shrug.

"Oh, so you are only engaged?" they heard the voice of Elizabeth. Both glanced over, seeing the Queen just there and smiling very slyly at the Doctor.

"Yes, yes, yes. But that's not important. Elizabeth, please, I need a moment," Ten said gruffly, waving a hand for the Queen to leave them.

"I shall only wait so long for you, my love," Elizabeth replied smoothly before turning and walking off. Waiting until the Queen was out of earshot once more, Ten turned to the blonde Wanda again.

"Okay, I'll say yes, but then once we get outside to wherever she wants to have this wedding, we'll just say that we need to get to the TARDIS first and then—," he began to say.

"I'm not helping you with this," said the blonde calmly. "You got yourself into this situation. Now you have to get yourself out."

He sighed, rubbing a frustrated hand through his hair. "How? The only other face she trusts is your current face, so I need you for a distraction." When she made no response, he let out another sigh before nodding. "All right, all right. You're mad at me, so you want to punish me, right?"

Wanda smiled thoughtfully. "Hadn't really thought about it, but now that you mention it . . . Tell you what, your punishment can either marry her, or eat a soufflé from me. Your choice." Wanda smirked at him, finding it funny with his wide-eyed expression.

She stood there in amusement outside of the castle in the courtyard, by the tent the Queen had placed up near the TARDIS for the clergyman. A part of her wanted to be annoyed that Ten would rather go through an unwanted marriage than eat one of her soufflés. But seeing the current look on his face as he stood next to Elizabeth in front of the clergyman was just too priceless. She herself currently stood between the War Doctor and Eleven. Second Wanda stood on the other side of the War Doctor. Alpha stood next to Clara on the other side of Ten and Elizabeth. Alpha looked rather grumpy having been given confetti by Third Wanda to toss in the air when told to do so by Clara. Third Wanda thought it would be good for Alpha to get a chance to talk to a companion, someone more normal than the Doctors or two Wandas. It seemed to be going well. She thought she even saw a small smile on Alpha's face when Clara made a joke about the wedding.

"So, care to explain why you left us in the Tower?" Eleven asked Third Wanda quietly, leaning to whisper to her ear. "Or why you're letting my younger face marry another woman."

"One: it's punishment for not consulting me on plans," the blonde Wanda replied, smirking lightly. "Two: it was just too funny of an opportunity not to pass up." She snickered while Eleven chuckled, nodding in agreement. It was quite entertaining for him as well seeing the expressions his younger self was giving. She then grew a softer smile, looking to Eleven now. "As for leaving you three together, I have to ask: Do you realize the riddle of the sonics now?"

"What riddle? The way we disintegrated the door with our sonics you mean?" he responded curiously.

"Same software, different face," came the hoarse words from the War Doctor. The two next to him glanced over, seeing how he stared only vague interest at the wedding ceremony before him. Clearly, he had been more interested in listening to the two next to him. He glanced over at them, staring softly. "That was the riddle. For us three to see that, no matter how much we change, we are still the same man deep inside. Am I correct?"

"Precisely!" Third Wanda beamed at him, happy that at least one Doctor had gotten it. Then again, he was the only Doctor to see Bad Wolf from the Moment during this time. And that interface had been the one to give the War Doctor the idea about the sonics in the first place.

"I now pronounce you man and wife," they heard the clergyman say, making the ceremony before them earn their attention once more. "You may kiss the bride."

The Tenth Doctor looked, with a strained expression, at Elizabeth, trying to give the Queen the best smile he could manage at the time. Elizabeth yanked Ten down by the lapels of his jacket, snogging the life out of him. Third Wanda smirked while Second Wanda snorted and snickered. Clara whooped and tossing the confetti from her hands into the air, laughing as well when seeing the expression on Ten's face while the Queen of England kissed him. When prompted to do so by the companion, Alpha rolled her eyes and threw the confetti right at the two's faces as if to ruin their moment more than to celebrate it. But Elizabeth did not seem to mind as she still hungrily kissed Ten. Which was disappointing for him to say the least.

"You mentioned before, but, um, you are really going to be my future wife?" the War Doctor asked Third Wanda curiously. He seemed very uncertain about that thought. A painful idea for him at the moment.

"You don't have to think about that if it's too painful," Third Wanda said, knowing what he was thinking. She gently took his hand in hers, smiling so kindly at him. She could tell from the expression on his face that he appreciated her gentleness with him more than anything. She looked over when she felt Eleven grabbing her other hand. He smiled tenderly at her, seeming just as touched by her kindness in understanding him so perfectly. Even if it was another face. They looked back towards Ten and Elizabeth once more, seeing how he was trying to pull away but the Queen seemed to be enjoying herself a little too much.

"Is there a lot of this in the future?" the War Doctor questioned sceptically, raising brows at the sight of the two before them.

"Kissing? It does start to happen, yeah. Marriage, no. I'm only married to one woman," Eleven said to his younger self. He then smiled sweetly at Third Wanda, making her giggle as he kissed her. Second Wanda leaned forward a little, raising a brow at the two. She then smiled, looking to the War Doctor before giving him a very quick kiss.

"There! Now no one is left out," she laughed, grinning at the small blush that formed on the War Doctor's face. Ten in front of them finally managed to pull away from Elizabeth, rather frazzled from the whole kissing moment with her.

"I will be right back," he lied to the Queen, smiling the best he could in reassurance that he was going off to save the future kingdom from the Zygons. Which he was doing. But coming back part was not something on his mind to do. He jogged over to the TARDIS in quick speed, not bothering to look back. Elizabeth smiled lightly while the others moved towards the TARDIS. Third Wanda waved briefly at the happy Queen Elizabeth I before closing the ship door behind her.

"You know we can never come back here now," she said to Ten when she bounced up to the console.

"My thoughts exactly," agreed Ten with a relief face, nodding as if he would rather just forget about the entire occasion altogether. Which, in fact, he would do just that later.

"You let this place go a bit," mentioned the War Doctor as he slowly took in the control room.

"Ah, it's his grunge phase. He grows out of it," Eleven replied with a shrug.

"Oi, don't dis the grunge. I like the grunge," Second Wanda sassed, crossing her arms as she narrowed her eyes playfully at Eleven.

"Oh, hush you. You like all my desktop looks," Eleven teased her right back, bopping her on the nose.

"I mean, it's true, we do," Third Wanda said to her other self, smiling along with Second Wanda. They all looked over when they heard Alpha let out a long sigh. The brunette looked up at the time rotor. For the first time smiling so sincerely as she stared at the console.

"So, this is what the inside of a TARDIS looks like. It's so . . . beautiful," they heard her say quietly. They had no time to respond to this as an alarm suddenly went off within the TARDIS and the console began to spark. The Doctors all rushed to the console, going to see what was wrong. The walls around the control room changed in a blink, turning from the bronze-coral appearance to a white, lit up appearance with round circles around the walls.

"The desktop is glitching," Ten observed aloud as he and the others took in the abrupt change in the control room.

"Six of us from different time zones. It's trying to compensate," the War Doctor spoke thoughtfully, thinking on the large paradox being created at the moment with so many of them with past and future faces around. Eleven fiddled with the console quickly, making the controls spark. The desktop outlook shifted, turning into the current Eleven's control room set up of chrome Gallifreyan discs and upper levels.

"Oh, you've redecorated," Ten mentioned lightly as he took in the sight of the sleek design of the control room, staring thoughtfully around at it all. He then gave a frown. "I don't like it." Eleven looked up from what he was doing at the console, shooting a pouting glare at his younger self. The two Wandas, who stood by each other, rolled their eyes collectively and smirked at one another as Eleven threw back a retort at Ten, defending his choice of design. It seemed every Doctor was always picky about their past and future's tastes.

Once the TARDIS had stabilized in compensating, Eleven began to charter them back to the National Gallery. Though once Clara mentioned that the Zygons were actually in the Black Archive—the place which houses the most dangerous alien tech from UNIT. This information, of course, made all three Doctors grow very quiet. Each of them never quite liked the thought of the Black Archive. As well as knowing that if the Zygons were indeed there that it would only lead to disaster. Eleven rushed into action, setting up the space-time telegraph connection from the TARDIS into Black Archive. A gift from the Doctor to old friend Lethbridge-Stewart. It had been placed there so the Doctor could contact the Black Archive in case of emergencies such as this. When things were threatened so badly that the self-destruct had been activated, this being of the nuclear warhead twenty feet beneath the place. Something which would take out not only the Black Archive but the rest of London as well. All in the name to save the world. Not something anyone in the TARDIS wanted. Or, well, everyone except Alpha. She mostly just stood there in dull interest, gazing around the TARDIS instead of paying attention to what was happening.

When attempts to reason with Kate back in the Black Archive went south, and the Doctors found they could not get the old girl to land in the room thanks to the place being made TARDIS-proof, the three Doctors muttered with each other in thinking what to do next. They knew they had to figure out another way in. The War Doctor seemed to figure out the answer. Simply, all they would have to do was use the stasis cube Eleven had brought with them into the TARDIS, taking it away from the Zygons after they had all been placed into the paintings in the past. They could not have a piece of that technology falling into the wrong hands. But it would be the perfect thing for them to use. In swift motion, the Doctors acted. Ten continued to pilot the ship alongside of Second Wanda, while Third Wanda stood beside Eleven by the open door of the TARDIS, making certain he did not fall out while he used the phone to contact personal back from the National Gallery. He managed to get ahold of McGillop right after the moment Eleven from the past had just left with Kate. Current Eleven ordered McGillop to have the painting from Gallifrey to be transported to the Black Archive. Once that had been done, Eleven and Third Wanda closed the doors to the TARDIS, bouncing back over to the console.

"Okay! So, all we need to do now is connect the stasis cube to the Gallifrey Falls painting, and we'll be able to get right inside," Eleven said to the group hurriedly.

"Allowing us to stop London from being destroyed," Ten concluded, nodding firmly. He then let out a slow breath. "Won't be fun revisiting old memories like that."

"Suppose this means I'll have to see Arcadia fall twice today," they all heard the War Doctor murmur sadly.

"What?" Alpha suddenly blurted out in surprise, blinking herself out of the stupor she had been in. "Arcadia, what? What is it you're trying to drag me to now?"

"We're going into a painting from Gallifrey, the moment frozen in time from when Arcadia had fallen," Eleven told her calmly, seeing the edge her the woman's demeanour.

"If you'd paid attention you would have heard us," said Ten, still rather curt with her whenever he spoke to her.

"Oh, hell no. I'm not setting a damn foot into anything made by a Time Lord," Alpha spat, shaking her head and stepping away from everyone.

"You're in a TARDIS, aren't you?" Ten retorted crossly, shooting her an annoyed look.

"TARDISes are different," barked Alpha, shooting him a glare in return.

"It's the only way to go where we are going, my dear," the War Doctor spoke up, soundly much calmer and understanding than the other two. "But if you'd rather stay here, I'm certain we'll be back soon." Alpha eyed this Doctor up in particular, narrowing her eyes for a moment. Then she huffed and rolled her eyes.

"I have to follow you today, remember? I made a promise and I plan to keep it," she said gruffly, stomping towards the door of the TARDIS while saying this. She turned, facing them all squarely. "Where is this place we're going? Tell me the date and time."

"Why do you need to know that?" questioned Ten.

"Because I have my own way of travelling," was all Alpha said in return.

XxXxXxXx

Third Wanda currently leaned a shelf, taking in the scene of the Zygons and humans working together in discussions of a treaty. A treaty that would ensure the Zygons would be allowed a place on this world, for the exchange of promising never to harm any humans whatsoever. But, of course, at the moment, neither Zygon replicas of Kate, Osgood, or McGillop knew that they were indeed Zygon. Nor did the human counterparts know that they were human. All memories in the room had been scrambled using the memory filters that were scattered throughout the place. Something all of the Doctors had done using their sonics to ensure an equal ground so that way it would make both Kates call off the self-destruct and work together on a peace treaty.

She glanced over at the painting in the corner of the room, seeing the broken glass from it and the busted up Dalek piece. They would have to fix all of that later before they placed the painting back into the gallery. She was certain the Doctor knew how to fix it. How strange it had been coming out of that painting, that frozen—yet always in motion—moment in time. She supposed that the moment was sort of a more frozen loop than anything. Repeating in destruction over and over again if one were to step inside to observe it. It had been painful to see it. Though she had no true memories of such destruction from Gallifrey, she did recall what Alpha had seen back in her home when the Daleks had invaded and destroyed it. That had been during the first days of the Time War. No wonder Alpha absolutely refused to step through that painting. It would have been too painful for her. Even if she never wished to admit that she felt such sorrow anymore.

Speaking of Alpha, the wolf currently sat back on one of the desks in a far-off corner, taking in the scene as she had been with everything else that day. As she had promised, she had arrived here at Black Archive the same moment the three Doctors and two Wandas stepped through the painting. And there she had stayed, watching the whole encounter unfold with unwavering eyes. She did not even blink once it was all over and the Doctors went their separate ways to let the humans and Zygons discuss treaties. Eleven was busy fiddling with an assortment of things from the Archive shelves. The War Doctor was sitting alone at a desk, gazing forlornly about before turning his attention to Clara as the companion came over to him. Meanwhile Ten and Second Wanda were back in Ten's TARDIS as they were having the TARDIS park somewhere outside of the National Gallery. Not too far away from where Eleven's TARDIS was parked. Third Wanda knew that they would meet up with those two soon enough once all the discussions with peace were over. But that could take another hour or so until then. So, for now . . .

She moved away from the shelf she leaned against, going over to Alpha by the desk. Alpha gave no sign of noticing Wanda there beside her. Merely, she stayed staring intently at the scene before her, watching the group of humans and Zygons mixed together, still talking over of peace for their species. Wanda slowly sat down in a chair beside the desk Alpha sat on, looking towards the group as well.

"So . . . what are you thinking?" Wanda asked her, rather curious in how Alpha viewed what the Doctors had done. She hoped it would show Alpha that, well, there was more to hope for in the universe to come. That things were not so bleak as they seemed. Would this be the key to help Alpha change her mind? Wanda knew it had something to do with the Doctor's actions today that would change Alpha's mind. But what exactly that was, Wanda had no clue. Perhaps it might be more of something he needed to say to Alpha?

"I'm thinking this is all rather pointless," Alpha huffed, giving Wanda a side glance. "He's only delaying the war between Zygons and humans. Not preventing it. The universe always leads to war in the end. No way around it. So, why bother trying to delay the inevitable?"

"You mean the Zygon rebellion in the future?" Wanda asked her curiously, trying to see where Alpha was going with this. "That will be just a small group of rebels. The Doctor will stop them."

"Oh, sure. He stops them," Alpha countered curtly, turning to look more at Wanda. "And the next one. And the next one. But when does it end, huh? I'll tell you when: never. It never stops. And the Doctor can't do a damn thing about it, no matter how much he tries."

Wanda watched her look away, putting on an angry expression. But her eyes spoke otherwise. The sadness Alpha felt from it all could be clearly seen by Wanda. Looking away the blonde stared off, trying to gather the right words. "He'll always keep trying, because . . . he has hope."

"Hope?" Alpha scoffed, looking back at Wanda sceptically. "What does hope have to do with anything?"

"It's what kept you alive for all those years. It's what brought you and Shelly together." Wanda met the searching gaze of those hazel eyes. Eyes which she had forgotten what they looked like after all these years. She had forgotten . . . just how innocent they really were. "The Doctor . . . he has so much hope. Not for himself, no. There's just too much self-loathing in himself for that to be there. But he carries hope in him, to give it to others when they've reached their lowest point. To be the Doctor they need the most and help them see that there's always another way."

"And that's why I'm here? To be given 'hope' that I can choose another path for the universe? Because through all I've seen, done, and will see, hope is nothing more than a fairy tale to me."

"We all see the universe through different eyes."

Steady hazel eyes stared back at emerald, seeming to be searching for answers. "What do you see in the universe?"

"I see hope."

A light scoff came from Alpha as she shook her head, not understanding in the least of why Wanda kept coming back to this concept. "Again with hope? Why is it so important to us in the future? What's changed?"

"Because it keeps me going. Because it's helped me and you heal over time. You know I'm not you, and that you from the future lives within me. Things were hard for each of us to live together over time. But hope is what has helped us find peace. Hope, from people like him." Wanda nodded her head towards the arriving figure of Ten and Second Wanda. The two held hands and smiles as they practically bounced into the room and over to Eleven. The two observers watched as Second Wanda let out a sassy remark to the two Doctors before they laughed in response. Ten held the woman's hand a bit more firm while Eleven gazed at her with such love in his eyes. Third Wanda smiled softly at the scene while Alpha just frowned, puzzled by what the blonde was trying to tell her. "There's many out in the universe like him, so willing to help others. To be a healer to those who need to be healed. That's why I think the universe deserves to keep going. Because of people who don't give into despair. Who keep hope going and do their best to make things a little easier for everyone."

Alpha hummed, taking this in and thinking it over lightly. She continued to take in everything around them. The other two Doctors and Second Wanda, who were chatting together lightly, sharing light laughs as they seemed to enjoy seeing the humans and Zygons coming together in peace. Then she looked over to the War Doctor, who was sitting over by Clara at a desk, speaking quietly with the girl. This Doctor in particular interested Alpha more than anything. Mostly because he was there with her in wanting to give up and put an end to all the suffering. He seemed to understand more than these silly 'hopeful' people around her. "Do you say that he's the best the universe has to offer?"

Wanda nodded slowly, seeing how Alpha stared at the War Doctor. "One of the very best, yes."

"Why?"

"Because . . . as you're the Universe's Weapon, and he's the Universe's Doctor."

Alpha turned to Wanda, surprised by this statement. She blinked, taken back with this thought. She then looked back at each Doctor with more open eyes, ending with staring at the War Doctor once more. "Huh . . . I never thought of it that way. That makes sense, I suppose. It might be the reason why I've always seen his timeline clearly out of all the rest." She leaned back, looking at Wanda once again. "Doesn't mean I still haven't changed my mind."

"Well, maybe you still need to see how the Doctor will change his?" Wanda glanced over, seeing the War Doctor nodding as though finally coming to his decision for the day. "Why don't you go to the younger Doctor now? I think he's ready to leave." She nodded for Alpha to see.

Slowly, the wolf stood up from the desk, going over to the War Doctor. Wanda watched as she seemed to say something to the older man. He nodded in return. Then, Alpha grabbed his arm and they were both gone in a flash. Clara blinked, looking quickly back to Wanda to see her reaction to this. Wanda nodded, standing up and going over to the other Doctors.

XxXxXxXx

Third Wanda carefully stepped out of the TARDIS beside Ten. She glanced over briefly, seeing Eleven, Second Wanda, and Clara stepping out at the same time in their own ship parked right next to Ten's TARDIS. All of them had arrived in an old barn, with sunlight streaming from outside through the slits in the wood of the walls. Dust from the hay, leaves, and other debris that they walked on could be seen floating around the air within the sunbeams. In front of the arriving group was the War Doctor and Alpha. The younger Doctor faced a large, gleaming silver box that seemed to open up like a flower. On top of the box sat a gem-like button that was a scarlet red. A strange glow came from within the button. As though power teemed inside it. Alpha stood on the other side of this box, hands behind her back and watching the scene unfold before her intently.

"Go away, now. All of you," the War Doctor told them, sounding very tired and ready to get this day over with. All the while dreading every second up until the moment he pushed the button and for all the seconds to come afterwards. He turned back around to face the red button on the Moment, staring down at it with sad eyes. "This is for me."

"These events should be time-locked," Ten muttered to his future self, gazing around the barn with tense eyes. "We shouldn't even be here."

"So something let us through," Eleven concluded in thought, agreeing with his younger self and staring around just as warily.

"Of course," Second Wanda said easily.

"It's the reason all three of you had been brought together on this day, after all," added Third Wanda.

"Go back," the War Doctor said, earning their attention before the other Doctors had a chance to ask their Wandas in what each woman meant by what they had said. "Go back to your lives. Go and be the Doctor that I could never be." There was a long pause from the man as he seemed even sadder now. "Make it worthwhile." The two Doctors stared at their younger self with sympathetic eyes, understanding completely how the man felt. Slowly, together the two began to walk over to the man while the companion and Wandas stayed back.

"All those years burying you in my memory," Ten said quietly.

"Pretending you didn't exist," continued Eleven. The two Doctors almost speaking as one now about how they felt from the past. "Keeping you a secret, even from myself."

"Pretending you weren't the Doctor, when you were the Doctor more than anybody else."

"You were the Doctor on the day it wasn't possible to get it right." Eleven came up beside the War Doctor, staring at him steadily.

Ten came up on the other side, lifting a hand very slowly over the button. Over the War Doctor's hand which still remained hovering over the red button. "But this time . . ."

Eleven did the same, placing his hand over Ten's now. ". . . you don't have to do it alone." There was a heavy feeling of desolation that fell over everyone in the barn after the two Doctors said this.

"Thank you," they heard the War Doctor breath ever so quietly.

"What we do today is not out of fear or hatred," said Ten, keeping his voice as steady as possible as he readied himself to make this decision. "It is done because there is no other way."

"And it is done in the name of the many lives we are failing to save," Eleven whispered somberly, wishing he did not have to make this choice twice in his life. Everyone in the barn seemed to hold their breath. The three Doctors unmoving as each of them stared at their hands over the button. Still yet to press it. Still hesitating, trying to delay the inevitable.

"So . . . is that it?"

All eyes looked over to see Alpha standing a few feet away from the Doctors. Her arms were folded tightly together and she tapped her foot on the ground as if expecting more from the Doctors. As though she were a parent or teacher who had been made very disappointed. She shook her head, appearing completely baffled and at a loss of words.

"You're just giving up? The great Doctor of the Universe is giving up. Just like that," Alpha said crossly, scoffing as she shook her head at them once again.

"What else is there for us to do?" the War Doctor asked her, not sounding angry by what she was saying. More of he was curious if she saw another path for the three Doctors to follow that would not lead to such horrible destruction.

"There isn't anything we can do," said Ten, shooting her a sharp glance.

"There isn't another way. There never was," Eleven said heavily. Alpha let out a frustrated sound, beginning to pace while muttering.

"I can't believe this. All these years . . . Looked up to a moron . . . Gives up . . . Doesn't even see . . . Why even bother . . . What's the point . . .," they all heard her muttering rapidly under her breath. She stopped abruptly, turning sharply towards them. But instead of looking at the Doctors, or the two Wandas, or even Clara, Alpha looked past them all towards a certain spot in the room. "So, this is what you wanted me to see? The Doctor, giving up and killing all those children on his homeworld? What's the point of me seeing this when it's the same thing I'm going to do later? All your talk of 'hope' today and yet this is where hope leads us?"

"Who are you talking to?" Ten asked her, frowning as he looked over his shoulder to see if maybe Alpha was talking to one of his Wanderers.

"Bad Wolf. The one who brought you all here," Alpha said in annoyance, narrowing her eyes towards where she was seeing the entity. "Why else do you think there's three of you here today?" The two Doctors stared at Alpha in shock, slowly pulling their hands from the button. The War Doctor also removed his hand from the button but was not shocked in the least in what Alpha was saying.

"Sorry, did you just say 'Bad Wolf'?" Ten questioned her in utter disbelief. Eleven blinked, his mouth hanging open at a loss of words. He snapped it shut, growing a smile.

"Oh. Oh, I've been so thick," he said, laughing a bit with a shake of his head.

"What? What is it? What?" Ten asked his future self hurriedly.

"Remember what First Wanda told us?" Eleven said quietly. "'Because of what Rose did for Gallifrey.' This is it, isn't it? This moment. The moment in our future Bad Wolf sent out, not only messages to create herself, but a piece of herself to help us." There was more to the story of Bad Wolf than this, but Eleven knew it would get too complicated to explain it all to his past selves. But he knew. He knew what Bad Wolf herself had told him. Of the moment she sent out a projection to a certain point in time with Alpha and 'persuaded' the wolf to back down from destroying the universe. This must be this moment. This exact moment.

"Exactly," they heard Third Wanda say behind them. The three Doctors turned, looking back at the two Wandas who stood there smiling so brilliantly.

"Why do you think we couldn't stop Rose from becoming Bad Wolf?" Second Wanda said quietly. "Because interface from the Moment needed that piece of Rose for this day. Specifically, that moment of Rose. Or else things would have been just a little too different for it to play out like this."

"What do you mean?" Ten asked, baffled as to what exactly was going on here.

"Tell me, Doctor," Third Wanda said, stepping towards the three Doctors and grinning in excitement, "what exactly do you remember about this day?"

"Well . . . I remember getting the Moment, and then . . . big red button . . .," Ten started to say but kept trailing off as his memories were not exactly lining up. Slowly, his eyes widened in realization. He turned to Eleven, wanting to know if his future self was getting this, too. Eleven grinned, pulling out his sonic and making the Moment recede back into its original form.

"I just remember getting the Moment. Things were fuzzy after that. I had just regenerated, so—," Eleven began to say.

"—so I assumed my memories had been a mess from a fresh regeneration," Ten finished, grinning the same as his future self. "Gallifrey was gone. History said it had been destroyed from the war. I knew what I had been getting ready to use. But . . ."

"Oh! Oh, yes, that is good! That is brilliant," exclaimed the War Doctor, seeing now in why exactly he had been brought to his future faces. Because he would have always been brought to his future self. This moment was always meant to be. "She didn't just show me any old future. She told me exactly the future I needed to see! Oh, Bad Wolf Girl, I could kiss you!" The other two Doctors laughed, talking over each other as their minds jumped into coming up with a brilliant plan. A plan that had been slowly building up for four hundred years through Eleven, because of him always assuming of what he had done. For once, each Doctor was glad for the way a Time Lord mind worked in a paradox.

"So, what are we doing? What's the plan?" Clara asked them, confused as to what was happening but glad that it seemed they were not going to destroy Gallifrey. She had been on the verge of tears only a moment ago. Now, she was more than relieved in seeing things were heading towards a better direction.

"Remember the painting?" Second Wanda said to the companion when it was clear all the Doctors were off in their ramblings. Too excited amongst each other to hear what the three females were saying. "Well, basically we'll be doing that. Freezing the planet in a moment of time—."

"—within a pocket universe," Third Wanda spoke along with her other self. "Leaving Gallifrey safe from harm—."

"—while the billions of Daleks that are surrounding the planet and firing will be—."

"—destroyed in an instant by themselves once the planet is suddenly gone." Third Wanda looked over, sighing when seeing someone in the room glaring at them all. "Right. We're not out of the woods just yet. Oh! I like that saying quite a lot. Must use that a few more times before . . . Yeah, okay, thought for another time. Oi, Spaceman!" The Doctors stopped in their rambling, looking to the blonde now. Even the War Doctor. Third Wanda nodded slowly past them, making them turn to see Alpha, still there looking cross with her arms folded while her eyes glowed darkly.

"Come on, what more do you want from us?" Ten said to her, feeling a loss of what exactly they were supposed to 'prove' to the wolf. "We aren't destroying Gallifrey. Isn't that enough?"

"You were always going to save Gallifrey," Alpha retorted in her echoing voice of a million voices. "Just as in another time you've always burned it. You would have burnt it a moment ago if you hadn't realized of there being another way. You've proven nothing to me." She shook her head slowly, voice returning to normal. "For a moment there I'd thought . . ." She sighed, growing back to her emotionless and cold demeanour from before. "Not the first time I've been disappointed by Time Lords. Suppose I shouldn't be surprised anymore." No one spoke, not sure of what to say. What could they do to prove to a vengeful goddess that the universe was still worth saving?

"So, have you made your decision, then?" the War Doctor asked her politely, stepping forward to get closer to her. Alpha looked up, eyeing him coolly while seeing his calm, even kind, gaze on her. Even though there was still some weariness to him. Still so worn from the centuries of war. Just like her in so many ways. Something which still bothered her in them having something so in common.

"Yeah, I've made my decision," she replied snippily, not wanting to say anything more. She looked to Bad Wolf, seeing how the entity stared back with the same sad eyes as always. All it would take was for Alpha to touch one of them and then it would be the beginning of the end.

"Just as I had made my decision only moments ago," the War Doctor added quietly. Her eyes travelled to his. Each of them staring at the other with for a moment's breath. "Tell me . . . what's kept you from destroying the universe before today? What's changed your mind?"

"What?" Alpha blinked, taken back by this question. "Nothing's changed. I've just had enough, that's all."

"Like me, then."

"I'm nothing like you."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Why the hell would you even think that?" Alpha was getting annoyed now. Not really by him talking with her. But how calm he was in doing so. If he actually understood what she was, then maybe he would not be so calm.

The War Doctor waved a hand to those behind him. "You were brought here by Bad Wolf. The same as me. You're here seeing your future. The same as me. And you're here today to make a terrible decision in the name to end suffering to many. The same as I was trying to do. I have found my alternative way. That's why I have hesitated for so long. Because I have been holding out . . . in hopes of something else coming to me. But today, I lost my hope. I lost my way. Perhaps, you have, too?"

Alpha looked to Bad Wolf once more, seeing the warm hazel eyes from the entity. Eyes that reminded her so much of . . . Beginning to pace, Alpha walked back and forth in front of the War Doctor, thinking over everything carefully. She then stopped, facing him abruptly once more. "Fine. I'll give you that. I was holding out in hope, too. In remembrance to someone dear to me I had once lost. But hope is dead to me now. Years of the universe screaming in my head has shown me there is no other way. The only way to end this never-ending war that bombards the universe is to stop it all here and now."

The War Doctor nodded slowly, understanding how she felt and where she was coming from in saying this. "And yet . . . you still haven't ended the universe, have you?"

Alpha frowned, crossing her arms tightly once again. "Because I promised I'd watch you until the end of the day. Until then, I can't."

"What do you mean?" Ten suddenly spoke up, curious as to why this was.

"It means that . . .," Alpha began to say before sighing as though frustrated in telling them all of this, "Look, I had to figure out a way to fight my programming. How else do you think I did that? I've managed to trick my own mind to ignore orders and instead think of promises as an order to follow. Otherwise . . ." She gave a shrug. "You'd all most likely be dead already."

"So . . . So," Eleven mumbled, pondering over this. He clapped his hands together, grinning while he pointed at Alpha. "So, you need something new to promise to! Eh? Eh? We could do that. Give you a reason not to destroy the universe. Right?"

"And why would I promise anything to you?" Alpha scoffed, raising a sceptical brow.

"Because—because you've seen your future," Ten jumped in, looking as though they had her there. "You know that you've found a promise to make that keeps you from destroying the universe."

"Time can be rewritten. Seeing my future changes nothing," countered Alpha. She eyed each Doctor, at least the older two glanced at each other for answers while the War Doctor still held an irritatingly calm demeanour. She then looked at the two Wandas. "So . . . what does future me say to all this? Why has she not destroyed the universe yet?"

"Don't look at me," Second Wanda responded with a shrug. "I've got nothing."

"Alpha in Second me is asleep. She isn't aware of any of this," Third Wanda explained quietly, staring steadily at Alpha.

"And? What about you, then?" questioned Alpha. Looking away for a moment, nothing was said as the blonde gathered her words. Then, she looked up steadily once more.

"She's . . . still unsure how she sees the universe," the blonde spoke quietly. "She doesn't feel the need as strongly to kill everyone like she used to, but . . . she still says that she doesn't think things will ever get better. But she would like to add," Wanda said a bit louder when Alpha began to scoff, "that she is happier now than where she had been before. If that helps you."

"Happy? How can I be happy in a future which keeps me trapped in a mind of another?" Alpha shook her head, bewildered in what future her was thinking. Third Wanda merely shrugged, seemingly unable to answer that question. Tapping her fingers, Alpha let out a frustrated sigh. "So, no one can give me a reason, a good reason, to not just end it all now? Because at this rate I'm just ready to die along with everyone else."

"The universe is always worth saving," Eleven spoke quietly.

"Is it really?" Alpha spat sharply.

"Yes," breathed the future Doctor, staring steadily at her. The memory of the Ganger Wanderer gazing into his eyes the moment before choosing her own death in the hopes of saving so many jumped to his mind. The way she had said those last words so long ago . . . Eleven smiled softly now at Alpha. "Always."

"And can you give me a good reason why that it?" Alpha asked him in a highly skeptical tone.

Eleven shrugged sadly. "I don't think that's something I can answer. Each one of us has to find our own reason to keep moving forward and see the light the universe has to offer."

Alpha rolled her eyes. "So, in other words, no good reason to not destroy everything. Got it."

"What about all those children? All those billions and billions of children throughout the universe. Do they deserve to die?" Ten said angrily, staring at Alpha in rage now.

"Yeah, they do," Alpha replied smoothly, unflinching by her cold words. "They're the same as everyone else in this damn universe. They'll grow up committing all the same crimes as those who've come before them. Best just end the cycle here and now. I'll be saving them from themselves." Once more the two older Doctors were at a loss. Even Eleven, who had grown to know future Alpha well enough to deal with her, had no clue how to talk down the past Alpha who seemed so set in killing everyone and everything.

"Do you honestly want to destroy the entire universe, though?" the War Doctor spoke up, earning Alpha's sole attention once more. Suddenly, for the first time that day, they could see the uncertainty in her face. She did not answer him right away, shifting on her feet instead as she looked away.

"Truthfully? I don't know. All I know is the urge is there, the universe has been screaming for it for four hundred years in my head, and I have no reason not to do it," Alpha finally told him. She did not sound as uncertain as she looked. Rather just tired and ready to get it all done with.

"Would you like a reason to keep from destroying the universe?" asked the War Doctor. He glanced over to his future selves and the two Wandas. "Seems to me like you and I have quite a lot waiting for us in the future. Perhaps . . . we could make a new promise for you to keep?" He turned to her with a kind face. Alpha tapped her foot lightly, seeming to think about this carefully. She then let out an amused laugh.

"You? Out of everyone . . .," she chortled, shaking her head. Letting out a sigh, she looked up at nothing for a second before gazing back at him. "Very well. I can make a new promise. Just to postpone the end of the universe for now. You give me a reason, by the time you wither away from this universe, to let everyone and everything live, and I promise not to activate and kill all. But if you die before you show me a reason why the universe should live on, then I will fulfil my purpose. Deal?"

"I can agree to that," said the War Doctor, nodding before either Doctor behind him could say 'no' to this promise. Both Ten and Eleven glanced at one another, seeming at unease with such a deal.

"So be it," Alpha said, shaking her hand reluctantly with the War Doctor. She then moved back from the Doctor, sighing as though already regretting her decision. "This better be worth it." With that said, she looked to Bad Wolf beside her, nodded, and was gone in a flash alongside the entity.

XxXxXxXx

Third Wanda leaned against a wall far off from the rest. Taking in the sight of Ten, Eleven, the War Doctor, and Clara having cups of tea, chatting away in front of the painting of Gallifrey, brought a smile to the blonde's face. They had done it. Even though the Doctors still doubted that they had succeeded in their plan of freezing their homeworld in a pocket universe, she knew otherwise. Gallifrey was safe. Gallifrey falls no more.

"I wish we had more moments like these," came the quiet thought from Second Wanda beside her. The younger Wanda had her arms crossed, smiling a similar smile as the blonde next to her. "Moments where everyone lives. Seeing him so happy that like this . . ." The two Wanderers watched as the Doctors smiled and chatted away. True peace in their eyes while they contemplated over what was next for them in their adventures in the blue box of theirs.

"Yeah. I know what you mean," Third Wanda agreed quietly. "You'll have a lot more moments like this to come. Trust me. You watch us run."

"Stealing lines from River now?"

"It's a good line." Both of them chuckled and smiled at one another before looking back towards the group in front of them. "You'll have to go with Ten. You know that, right?"

"Yeah. Best go with a Doctor who'll forget all about this like I will. Leave fewer chances of confusion and paradoxes and wibbly-wobbly, time-wimey stuff." Second Wanda let out a breath, then turned to face Third Wanda more serious this time. "Nine hundred thirty . . . you've caught up with him now, haven't you?"

Third Wanda did not answer for a second as something caught her eye. The sad eyes of Bad Wolf staring back at her from around the corner of the Gallery. She averted her eyes to gaze back at Second Wanda. "Just about. There's still . . . a few more moments I could be with him. Still got maybe two months' worth of adventures. Maybe more."

Second Wanda stared at her older self for a moment, seeing the solemn expression on the blonde woman. "We're not going to make it onto Twelve . . . are we?"

Third Wanda shook her head, giving such a sad smile. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right. I've always had a funny feeling that we weren't meant to continue past Eleven. I mean, why else were we never able to wander into past Trenzalore? But that's all right. If I could ask for any moment of time with the Doctor, even one day would be enough. Four hundred is more than I could have ever dreamed." Second Wanda smiled along with Third. Each of them felt at peace with that thought. Giving each other one last hug, Second Wanda slowly began to stroll back towards the Doctors when she turned back around with a smirk. "I still don't believe you about the whole marriage thing."

"And you never will," Third Wanda laughed, grinning away cheekily. Second Wanda turned but stopped once again.

"And are you also not going to explain to me why we were able to see Bad Wolf?" the younger Wanda asked curiously.

"Spoilers," Third Wanda replied smoothly, giving a River Song wink. Snorting, Second Wanda rolled her eyes and then finally strolled back into the small gallery made just for the Gallifrey painting.

"It could still change, you know."

Third Wanda looked over, seeing Bad Wolf standing there beside her. Still looking so sad. She knew why the entity was so sad. It was the same reason why Bad Wolf had been constantly trying to contact her lately.

"You know it can't," she whispered to Bad Wolf.

"It can if you come with me back to your world," countered the entity.

"But then I'd be stuck there for the rest of my life, forever apart from those I love." Wanda shook her head. "I could never go through with something like that. You know that."

"I know. But at least you'll live." Bad Wolf smiled weakly. Gradually, she looked away with a sigh. "If this is your wish, then I will always help you. I will never go against your wishes. Just know that you're going to have to jump forward now. Into the last points in his time that you're needed before you move onto Trenzalore."

This time, Wanda was taken back, blinking and feeling stunned. "But . . . but I still have so many days I still haven't been to. There are probably months I could . . ." She stopped, seeing the sad look from Bad Wolf. Letting out a shaky breath, Wanda finally nodded. "No. You're right. I've been avoiding it like Ten avoided his regeneration and Eleven avoided Lake Silencio. Time to stop delaying." She stared at the Doctors, seeing how they laughed along with Second Wanda and Clara. "Will he be okay? Just tell me that. Please. Will he be okay in the end?"

"Always." Bad Wolf gave her a kind smile, reassuring Wanda of her Theta's life.

"Promise?"

Bad Wolf leaned forward and gave Wanda a gentle kiss on her head. "I promise. And I promise to always be there, watching over those who I know you care for. Even if I cannot do much, I will at least be there to guide them."

"Thank you." A small tear trailed down her face, feeling peace in knowing things would be okay once she was gone. Wanda looked back at the chattering group before her, smiling in knowing that things would indeed be okay once she was gone. "Bad Wolf . . . I still have a question though. There's been a name that has been following me around for some time now. 'Aleena.' Tell me . . . were there any other experiments that survived from Station Alpha?" She looked to the spot, seeing the entity was gone.

Slowly, she moved away from the wall, going back into the room. She saw that sadly the War Doctor had already left. At least Second Wanda had a chance to say goodbye. She watched as her younger self gave a smack playfully on the back of Ten's head before going into his TARDIS. She then had her goodbyes with Ten, giving him a kiss before he went into his ship and was off. Now it was just Eleven, Clara, and her left there in the gallery by the painting. The Doctor beside the two women held sad eyes as he gazed at the painting, taking it all in still.

"I'll just give you two a moment, then," Clara said to them, smiling kindly at them both. They returned the smile, glad how the girl knew them all so well. Once the door of the TARDIS was shut behind Clara, the two travellers sat down together on the white bench. Each of them holding hands as they enjoyed their peaceful moment together.

". . . Did he ask?" Wanda asked quietly, hesitantly in a way. She feared what Ten and Eleven had bee muttering about while in the corner away from the others a moment ago before Ten and Second Wanda had left.

"Of course," muttered the Doctor, his hand tightening a bit in its hold on Wanda's. "I assume he wondered about it the moment he saw it was just us and our companion."

"So . . . you didn't tell him about . . .," Wanda began to question.

"No," the Doctor answered quickly. "Though he did question me about it, and a few other things. But . . . I thought it best not to tell him or Second Wanda about Ember."

"Not even if they would have forgotten?" she asked curiously.

The Doctor smiled warmly, squeezing her hand tenderly. "I didn't want any lingering sadness after they lost their memories. Best let them both have a happy day."

Wanda smiled as she felt her eyes misting over a bit. Leaning forward, she gave him a chaste kiss, loving him even more than she thought she could. He returned the kiss in a caress, thumbing her hand as the two of the felt their bond bringing such warmth and light in their hearts. As they pulled away, they kept their foreheads pressed together, gazing into each other's eyes so affectionately as both felt their hearts beat as one. Moments like this . . . they wished they could live in them forever. Eventually, Wanda moved her head away from his and began looking over their shoulders, frowning in thought.

"What is it?" the Doctor asked her quietly.

"Nothing, it's just . . . well, I thought there was supposed to be the curator in here," Wanda told him. "He was supposed to have a talk with you. Guess time changed again."

"What talk was I going to have with the curator?" he questioned curiously.

"About the painting and its name." She smiled at him, grinning brightly. "Guess this means I get to tell you."

"The name? Which one, there's two? No More, and Gallifrey Falls."

Wanda grinned even more, bumping merrily against him. "Nope! There was a mix up when it was donated to the gallery. It's actually Gallifrey Falls No More."

The Doctor blinked. And then blinked again. Slowly, his eyes sparked with brightness as an elated smile grew on his face. He let out a watery laugh. "Gallifrey didn't fall. It worked? It's still out there?"

She gave him a warm kiss, beaming away. "You did it, sweetie. You saved them all." She out a long sigh as if a weight was lifted off her shoulders. "You have no idea how long I've been wanting to tell you that. It's been killing me."

"Oh, you brilliant, magnificent Wanderer!" Laughing, the Doctor stood up, hugging her tightly to him in joy and giving her a spin. He sat her down beside him, looping an arm around her shoulder and smiling while they stared at the painting. "So, when will we find it? Where is it? How far do we have to travel to next, eh?"

"Now, that's something for you to find out in the future." She gave him a wink, smiling at just how happy he was. "One day, perhaps not a very happy day, but, yes, one day you'll get there. One day, you'll be home again. I promise." They met for a tender kiss, leaning their foreheads against each other as they basked in the warmth of love they shared.

Eventually, the Doctor steered his Wanderer back into their TARDIS. Off to the next adventure for them. After the air settled in the room from the ship's departure, there was a stillness in the room. Distant sounds from the art gallery's guests could be heard from the room if one were to stand in the lone section of the building. The day itself seemed to be settling as a figure walked into the room. It was a young girl, wearing a deep blue peacoat, light-blue bellbottoms, and red chucks. The hood on her coat was up, only showing some of her brown hair that fell out from the hood. There was also a cord of earbuds going inside of the hood as she held a sleek phone in her hand. She bobbed her head lightly, indicating that she was listening to some music. The girl looked around the room curiously before slowly lowering her hood. Right away one would think the reason for her messy hair might be because of the hood from her coat. However, one would be surprised to know that her hair was always just so hard to keep in place. Brown eyes gazed around the room, taking in the plain white walls, the stillness of the small area, and the one painting at the end. She smiled as she walked up to the painting, gazing thoughtfully at it and taking in the unique and almost enchanting make of the art. It was nothing like any Earth painting the girl had seen in the gallery thus far. Eventually, she took out her earbuds, turning off the music.

"Suppose this would be a nice place for this," she murmured quietly to herself. She glanced over when hearing quick steps from someone coming towards where she stood. Petronella Osgood, the scientist who worked under Kate Stewart, walked swiftly into the room. She wore her white lab coat and long multicoloured scarf, with large, black-rimmed glasses on her face. Said face dropped from the smile that had been there as she seemed rather disappointed when noticing the room was empty.

"Oh. I suppose he's already gone," Osgood sighed in dejection, shaking her head as she looked down at the file in her hand. Osgood then blinked in surprise when seeing the girl just there in front of the painting. "Oh! Are—aren't you Aleena Tate? The one who donated the painting?"

"Yep, that's me," said the girl, Aleena. She smiled lightly, looking back at the painting. "Did it come in handy?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Osgood mumbled quietly, shaking her head at the crazy day it had been.

"Ha! Sounds like you had a blast, then," Aleena replied when hearing the woman, grinning brightly. "Wish I could have been there. It would have been groovy." She glanced at her watch suddenly, giving it a tap of her finger. "Ah, bugger. I better beat it. I'm gonna be late." She hurried around Osgood, going back into the main part of the gallery. The woman went after her.

"Wait! Did you know what the painting was? How did you find it? Why did you give it to us in the first place?" Osgood asked her rapidly.

"Let's just say, I found it in a drift. Story for another time maybe." Aleena briefly walked backwards, grinning at the woman with a wink before turning back around and hurrying in her pace. "Catch you on the flip side, Osgood! Oh! And fix that name for the painting, would you? I think the name got mixed up in the message I sent Kate. It's Gallifrey Falls No More. Put a plaque there if you must, or else people are gonna get the wrong message."

Aleena pushed her way out into the city, walking briskly down the sidewalk by the National Gallery. She looked down when her phone began to vibrate. Pulling out the cord from her earbuds, she quickly answered it.

"Hello, Rory!" she answered pleasantly. "What's happening?"

"You. Not here for our wedding. That's what's happening," she heard Rory Williams reply rather crossly on the other end of the line. She could hear loud noises on the other end as well. Clearly, he was calling right before the ceremony was going to begin. "Where are you?"

"Ah." Aleena tugged on her earlobe embarrassment. "Sorry, some things came up. You know how it goes." She glanced down again at her watch. A very strange watch with planets from the solar system circling around the central sun. "Seems I lost track of time . . . again."

"With you? Yeah, I'm not surprised," sighed Rory. "Well? When will you be able to get here?"

Aleena laughed, smiling crookedly. "Sorry, going to have to take a rain check on that. I got an appointment with a Doctor."

She hung up before Rory had a chance to say anything more. With a bounce in her step, she placed the phone away once more and kept her hands in the pockets of her coat, humming lightly to herself as she went. And with a flash of light, she was gone.

XxXxXxXx

Aww, it ended so well. Though I know there's probably one question on everyone's mind right now. Who is Aleena? Am I right? ;) Any theories on that? Leave a review and let me know what you all thought of the adventure. I always love seeing what you all have to say. :D

I'd like to apologize to all of you. I know I promised I would get back to replying to your reviews in this chapter, but unfortunately I'm in the hospital at the moment. Nothing serious, just an allergic reaction to some medicine I was given to help me get to feeling better. I wanted to get this chapter up today since it's been a while after the last update. I hope that's okay with everyone. :) Take care and don't get sick! haha

~Tinker~