CHAPTER 15

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WHERE IS THE MISSING SEGMENT?

"But, Mother, I don't like fish! I've told you that. I've never liked fish for as long as I can remember and more than likely I'll probably never like fish for as long as I live either. I've already told you that several times now so why do you insist on always giving me fish to eat?" Josette protested as Reinette brought her a plate filled with fillet surrounded by prawn tails.

As soon as Reinette had returned to Versailles, she had personally cooked herself and Josette a sumptuous meal in order to celebrate. Not that Josette seemed to be too appreciative of that at the moment.

She really wished that Sally wasn't still in her room sleeping. She had noticed some time back that Josette acted far better whenever she was around for some reason. They seemed to have quickly developed some sort of strange bond between the two of them, and she had even taken to calling her Aunt Sally for some inexplicable reason.

Reinette truly didn't mind that however. Sally had more than proven herself to her time and again by coming through for her in a crisis after all. If Josette wanted to think of her as family, she couldn't see any possible harm in such a thing.

"I said don't argue with me, Josette. Eat your fillet. I need to know that you have at least one good meal in you before you decide to suddenly go running off again to who knows where," Reinette teased her daughter with a mischievous smile.

Josette sighed as she said, "I said I was sorry. I won't do it again. I promise. Mon Dieu! You don't have to punish me for it as well."

"Punish you? I wasn't aware that the finest fillet in France, a fillet that I personally made myself and have been told by several visiting heads of state was one of the best meals that they've ever eaten, was somehow equivalent to the guillotine. I'll have to remember that in the future so that Louis can serve it at the Bastille," Reinette said in a sarcastic tone without a smile ever once leaving her face.

Even when Josette was completely disobeying her and being unforgivably rude, she still couldn't help but be amused at her antics somehow despite herself. Perhaps it was because she loved her so much that she could never truly be angry at her no matter what she did.

Or perhaps it was because she understood just how very like herself that Josette truly was and knew that she was receiving some sort of karmic payback for her own failings. After all, chasing off after monsters without a second thought in order to save someone that they loved was definitely a Poisson family trait that they both shared even if Josette wasn't her birth daughter.

"No, I'd never even suggest such a thing, Mother. Having to eat Clara's leftover soufflés is punishment enough for those poor souls in the Bastille regardless of whatever their crimes were I think. I've heard that they actually beg to be sent to the guillotine whenever they're served to them," Josette joked.

Reinette rolled her eyes at her as she said, "And where did you hear that from I wonder? Has Gabrielle been filling your head full of lurid stories about me and Clara again? I shudder to think what she says about me. I'm fairly certain that it's all true though whatever it is sadly enough. Well, at least my meals are still rated higher than Clara's at any rate. Then again that's hardly a compliment."

Mother and daughter then both began to giggle at once as Reinette said in a guilty tone, "We shouldn't tease her like this. She really does try."

"I don't mean anything by it. You know I love her. I love both of you," Josette reassured her.

"I know," Reinette said in a gentle tone as she kissed the little girl's forehead.

"I'm sorry if I don't always act as respectful toward you as I should. It's just my way of showing love to relentlessly tease people," Josette said.

"Uh, huh," Reinette said in a disbelieving tone as she hugged her.

"It really is," Josette insisted as she tried very hard not to smile.

"I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss her if I were you, Jeanne. After all, you're just as guilty of that as she is. You were just making several tactless remarks about my poor soufflés barely a minute ago or did you actually mean what you said?" Clara suddenly asked from behind them.

"Zut Alors!" Josette said as she cringed.

"That's right. You've both been busted. I heard the whole thing," Clara said with a teasing smile of her own that immediately let them both know that she wasn't really angry.

"Busted?" Josette asked in confusion.

"It's more future slang that she's picked up from the other Clara. It means that we've both been caught in the act of joking about her," Reinette explained.

Josette nodded as she said, "Ah. Sometimes I don't understand a single thing that she says. It almost makes me wish that I knew as much about the future as you do."

Reinette's face suddenly fell now which instantly caused Josette to say with concern, "Did I say something wrong? If it's because I won't eat the fish, I'm sorry. I'll at least try it. I promise."

Reinette immediately smiled and tousled her hair as she said in a reassuring tone, "It's okay. I'm not angry or upset with you, sweetheart."

"What is it then? Why did you suddenly get so sad?" Josette asked in a plaintive tone.

"It's . . . nothing. Nothing at all," Reinette said with a warm smile that she really didn't feel at that moment.

"Right," Clara said in a low voice as she gave Reinette a knowing look.

They both knew even if Josette didn't that she suddenly became so morose because the little girl had just unintentionally reminded her of what she knew about her own upcoming future. Clara knew that it couldn't possibly be a good one either based on how Reinette acted whenever the topic was brought up.

It was a future that she was desperate to prevent at all costs no matter what Clara Idris and the Doctor's precious Laws of Time said about it. She was a Baroness in the House of Bourbon after all. Laws were made to serve her and her family not the other way around. She and she alone had the final say in what did or didn't happen in France (and Louis too of course), and no one not even Time itself would dare to tell her otherwise.

In France, her will was absolute in all matters always.

"That's right, Clara. Always remember that time is not the boss of you," A familiar disembodied voice said from beside her despite there being no one there.

Clara instantly cringed as she said, "I hate it when you break into my thoughts like that."

"That's why I do it," Clara Idris said with an evil smile as she and the Doctor suddenly materialized next to her.

The Doctor glared at Clara Idris now as he said in an accusing tone, "You stole that line about Time from me. I always say that."

"And now I say it too. I automatically gained the right to use at least half of your dialogue as soon as I married you, Old Man. Of course most of it isn't really worth ripping off to be honest," Clara Idris said with a giggle.

Baroness Clara immediately looked relieved now as she said, "I'm so glad that you're okay. I was worried about you and if you'd be alright or not after that business with the Half-Face Man."

"Why? I'm indestructible. The entire universe knows that, yeah?" Clara Idris said with a chuckle as she hugged the Baroness tightly.

"Now you're stealing from the Master too," The Doctor protested.

"It's okay. He is going to be my future son-in-law one day so I think I'm allowed," Clara Idris said with a smirk as she continued to hug the Baroness because she knew exactly who she was really worried about at that moment and it certainly wasn't her.

The Doctor instantly shuddered in response now as he said, "Don't remind me."

"Doctor, this is about the Half-Face Man, isn't it? I'm certain that he's far from being truly finished despite my fervent hopes that it would be otherwise," Reinette guessed.

The Doctor nodded as he said, "No, he's not. In fact, he's coming straight here to Versailles once again, and it's entirely my fault this time."

Reinette looked at him questioningly now as she said, "What do you mean?"

"He means that he told the Half-Face Man everything that he knew about Romana in addition to the fact that opening an arched Time Lord's fob watch will return them back to normal again in order to save my life from him.* Unfortunately that's going to lead him straight here to you, Queenie. I'm surprised that he hasn't been here already really," Clara Idris said with obvious concern in her voice.

"I don't understand. What could any of that possibly have to do with me? Romana's not even here anymore anyway. She left in search of her body," Reinette said with a puzzled expression.

That was when the Doctor and Clara Idris exchanged a momentary glance of indecision with one another as if they were trying to come to a mutual agreement about something. Then after what seemed like an eternity to Reinette, Clara Idris finally nodded as if giving her permission to the Doctor for something.

"Maybe you should tell her instead. I'm never sure about how to talk to humans gently in this incarnation," The Doctor said to Clara Idris in a hesitant tone.

"Tell me what? What's happening, Doctor? What could that horrible mechanical man possibly want with me now? What possible connection could there be between me and Romana when she's not even here?" Reinette asked in a voice filled with growing irritation.

Clara Idris stepped forward now as she said in a compassionate tone, "She is here though, Jeanne. At least her body is anyway."

Reinette looked at her in absolute bewilderment at first and then her eyes suddenly widened as she said, "That's impossible though. I already know what happens to me in the future and it's not that."

The Doctor immediately looked at her in surprise now as he said, "I didn't know that you took that from my memories as well. You never acted as if you knew."

"I suppose I'm far braver than you ever gave me credit for then, Doctor, or maybe I'm just very good at hiding my true emotions," Reinette said even as she continued to give Clara Idris a questioning look.

"You're not that good. I knew. I always knew even if I still don't know what it is you're so worked up about," Baroness Clara said.

"What are you all talking about? Do you mean that you know what happens in your own future, Mother?" Josette asked with growing alarm.

The Doctor started to say something but was immediately interrupted by a furious Reinette who said, "Don't you dare say a word!"

The Doctor immediately backed away from her as he said in an apologetic tone, "I wasn't going to. I was just going to tell her that it's not a good idea to know too much about your own future."

"Yeah, like that's ever stopped you," Clara Idris said with a snort.

"I found out about Lake Silencio completely by accident. Amy told me without knowing it," The Doctor protested.

"What don't you want me to know, Mother? What happens to you?" Josette pleaded.

"Apparently not what I thought happened. I still don't see how that could be possible though. Wouldn't altering that event change history?" Reinette asked Clara Idris as she deliberately ignored her daughter.

It was the Doctor who answered her however as he said, "Not if you're extremely careful about it. I speak from more than a bit of personal experience there."

"Just a bit, yeah," Clara Idris said with a wink.

The Doctor briefly frowned at her disapprovingly as he said to Reinette, "Of course we still don't know for sure that anything will be changed. Just because Romana might want to change things doesn't necessarily mean that she will. Time is still in a state of constant flux around that event I'm afraid. All that we know for sure is that it must happen just as history says that it does. That doesn't always mean that it has to be permanent though."

Reinette gave him a wide grin as she said, "Only you would think that such an event wasn't necessarily a final one, Doctor."

"It won't be if I have anything to say about it," Baroness Clara said in a determined voice.

Josette looked at Reinette in horror now as she finally said out loud what she already knew, "You know exactly how you're going to die, don't you? How soon will it be?"

Reinette said nothing but the look on her face told Josette volumes.

Josette began openly crying now as she said to Reinette, "I don't want you to die now. You only just adopted me. You promised you'd stay with me. You promised!"

"I will. If there's any possible way to do it, I will," Reinette said meaning it.

"Why did you even adopt me at all if you knew that?" Josette said in tears.

"I wanted you to know that I loved you and I knew that the King and Clara would make sure that you were well taken care of later on if I made your adoption official," Reinette said as she held Josette close to her and started to stroke her hair.

"I would have done that anyway. I know how much she means to you," Baroness Clara admitted.

"I know but this way there was no chance of anything going wrong," Reinette said as she kissed the top of the weeping Josette's head.

The Doctor lowly cleared his throat now as he said in what he hoped was a gentle tone, "For once, I'm really not trying to be rude by saying something like this. This isn't what we need to be worried about right now. We need to find the last segment of the Key to Time. That's what Half-Face Man really wants, and he knows that only you know where it is or at least Romana did anyway. Do you remember anything about it?"

Reinette shook her head as she said, "No, nothing. I don't even remember being Romana."

Baroness Clara now gave her a startled look as she said, "Wait a mo'! So you're saying that you're really Romana? Is that why the two of you were so similar? You were both equally annoying."

"I'm afraid so. Think you could put up with her one day?" Reinette asked hopefully.

"She still wouldn't be you though. Even if you somehow survive whatever is supposed to happen to you by opening that watch, you'll still be gone. You'll be gone and a stranger will be in your place," Baroness Clara said in an upset tone as she took a still crying Josette by the hand.

Clara Idris shook her head though as she said, "That's not necessarily true. I thought that I wouldn't be me anymore when Idris merged with me, but I'm still the same as I ever was more or less. How I feel and think about things didn't change a bit. I just gained a new perspective is all. She'll still love you and Josette just as much as she ever did. I know she will."

Baroness Clara nodded but the expression on her face said that she didn't quite believe it. The expression on Josette's face however was far worse. It showed such a sense of complete and utter devastation that it immediately made Reinette have to use all of her self-control in order to keep from breaking down in front of her.

If she survived what was to come and became Romana again, she would still love her child just as much as she ever did. She promised herself that. Josette would never notice any difference between her old and new selves.

"Sorry to butt in again," The Doctor said after he loudly cleared his throat.

"No, you're not. You need to give her a little more time, Doctor. She's just had her whole life turned upside down, and she's still not sure that she's got much of it left or not," Clara Idris said with disapproval.

"I tried to be nice, Clara. I really did but we don't have time for that right now. We're still focusing far too much on the near future instead of what's happening right now. We need to find the segment before anyone else does and take it out of here. I'm sorry if that's considered being insensitive or whatever but the entire universe is in danger right now. We don't have time to be gentle about this," The Doctor said in an insistent tone.

Reinette nodded as she said, "Yes, you're right, Doctor. You're right. I know that I need to focus. I'm just not sure what I can do to help. I honestly don't remember anything."

"Think, Reinette. I know that whatever it is has to be something or someone near you. Romana would be sure to stay as close to it as possible. She might possibly even have it in her personal effects," The Doctor said.

Reinette thought intensely for a moment and then shook her head as she said, "No, I still don't know. I . . ."

Then her voice trailed off as she stared at Baroness Clara and said, "We were both born on the same day weren't we?"

"What about it? I mean it's a funny coincidence but nothing more. I always thought that it meant that we were always supposed to be sisters myself," Baroness Clara said with a shrug.

"What if it means much more than that though? Never ignore a coincidence," The Doctor said in a thoughtful tone.

Then he suddenly turned to Clara Idris and said in a triumphant voice, "Ha! I beat you to that one."

"Eh, I let you have it this time, Mr. Grim. I don't want to steal all of your fun after all," Clara Idris said with an amused smile.

"Oi! Talk about losing focus. Tell me what's going on, Old Man. What is it that you're saying about me? Are you trying to say that I'm the segment?" Baroness Clara said in a horrified voice.

"It all makes sense doesn't it? You're both born on the same day and live in the same general area plus Romana already knew who Reinette would someday become and how she would constantly interact with the royal family. You have to be the segment. That's the only possible answer," The Doctor said in an excited voice.

"No! I can't lose you too!" Josette screamed.

"Hey, no one's talking about losing her, okay? That's what we came here to prevent," Clara Idris said in a soothing tone as she put her arms around the child.

"I didn't mean to make her even more upset. I forget how emotional humans can be sometimes," The Doctor said to Reinette in an apologetic tone as he watched Clara Idris comfort the little girl.

"Children are especially so I'm afraid. Don't worry however, Doctor. Nothing's going to happen to Clara today. I won't allow it. It's as simple as that," Reinette said in a resolute tone.

"Oh, but it won't be as simple as that I'm afraid, my dear Lady Romana," The voice of the Half-Face Man said just as he stepped out from behind a long curtain in the back of the room.

"You were there listening all of this time?" Reinette said in a shocked voice as she realized that her enemy had only been a few feet away from Josette for who knew how long.

She had left her completely alone with him while she made the fish. The thought of what could have happened to her while she was gone shook her to her very core.

The Half-Face Man already seemed to have correctly guessed what she was thinking based on what he said next, "I never wanted the child. Either kidnapping or harming her would have needlessly distracted you and prevented you from effectively locating the segment. No, this way was far better. I knew that if I just stood nearby and listened long enough that between you and the Doctor an answer would eventually be found to the segment's location soon. Now I finally have it in my grasp at last."

"Not yet you don't, Cyborg Boy," Baroness Clara said as she quickly pulled a sword from the wall and brought it to his throat in the blink of an eye.

"You've got that right," Clara Idris said as she began to glow with power.

Instead of seeming concerned however, the Half-Face Man actually started to laugh now as he said, "Unfortunately I'm not the only one that you're going to be dealing with however. You're soon about to be completely outnumbered because you see I no longer need to divide my forces up throughout time and space in order to search for the missing fob watch anymore. Therefore all of my people are completely free to come straight here."

"Oh, boy," Baroness Clara said as she realized what that meant.

"Exactly," The Half-Face Man said with a triumphant smile.

That was when the sounds of gunfire, breaking glass, and panicked shouting started to come from all around them at once.

"This is the final end game at last. Every single one of my people is currently descending on Versailles at once. Sooner or later we will have the Baroness just through sheer numbers alone, and there's nothing that any of you can do to stop us this time. Soon the full power of the Key to Time will belong to us and through it we will finally reach the Promised Land. We will be freed from this world," The Half-Face Man taunted them.

*See Clara Who? Chapter 38.

Next: This story line continues in Clara Who? Chapter 39 which will be coming soon. If you don't read that story though, don't worry. In the very next chapter, all will be explained. It will have to be because what happens next will definitely impact Reinette and Baroness Clara's lives in a huge way. It all leads into the beginning of the end for Reinette. Is it truly the end though or just a brand new beginning?