*Clara*

Clara opened the doors of the TARDIS and stepped out into the sunlight. Slightly disappointed she turned around before the Doctor could follow her out and asked him for an explanation.

"You said we were going to visit the largest religious complex in the universe, and we're in a field. Why are we in a field?"

"Ah… maybe… I might have got the coordinates a bit wrong?"

He asked timidly, like a child confessing a parent that he'd done something wrong. Clara sighed and shook her head, surveying the entirety of the landscape and realising that off to the distance behind the TARDIS was a large temple complex stretching almost as far as she could see along the horizon.

"Right then, looks like we're walking. You try and land us again and we'll probably end up on the other side of planet."

Acting offended and hurt the Doctor went to argue back to her but gave up. Instead, he simply harrumphed and started stomping towards the temple. Over his shoulder he called back to Clara,

"Come along Clara! Visiting hours finish at sunset and we don't want to get locked in."

They set off at a brisk pace, the Doctor filling the time with trivia about the planet and the temple. Some of it Clara let wash over her, but she found the part where Merta was actually a two-headed alien woman interesting. Apparently her ship had crashed before the locals knew about aliens, and so they had worshipped her as their deity. Later everyone found out that she was actually from the planet Alfava Metraxis, and they continued to worship her not as a god, but as a wise woman, a mentor and a guide.

"Doctor,"

Clara began as a gust of wind brought a delicious smell to her nose,

"Why does it smell like apples? Are there any orchards around here or something?"

It was hard to get a read on the Doctor's expression, but it didn't look like a pleasant one.

"It's the grass… It's apple grass."

"What's wrong with that? Don't like apples?"

"No… they just… remind me of someone that's all…"

Before Clara could ask anything else he abruptly moved on, blabbering about some of the other interesting flora variations you could find that had originated from earth. Clara let it go and just kept listening. Five minutes later they arrived at the edge of the complex and from then on had to weave past other people and aliens, temple buildings, fountains, gardens and sculptures. Whilst Clara enjoyed oohing and aahing at all the sights, throughout the whole time she was conscious of a niggling feeling at the back of her neck, as if she and the Doctor were being watched. Then she noticed the cameras.

"Doctor, why are there cameras on every second wall?"

"Why shouldn't there be? Security of course! This isn't some ancient ruin or something, and some people actually live here."

"I guess I just assumed with the whole Aztec brick feel that they wouldn't have modern things like cameras…"

"Why would you think that? That's just silly! Weren't you even listening when I said earlier about this being a place where old religion and new technology thrived hand in hand?"

Clara thought back to his ramblings earlier, but then gave up and decided she must have been really zoned out at that point.

"Sorry…"

She mumbled. Never the less the cameras continued to unnerve her and she had the distinct feeling they were looking at her in particular, well both of them actually. She mentioned it to The Doctor and he confessed that he could feel something too.

"Do you think we should leave or something?"

She asked, concerned now that it wasn't just her imagination.

"No. There's no reason to believe that we are being watched for any malicious purposes or in particular for that matter and besides, if there is something going on here we should at least try and find out in case we can help."

They reached the centre temple of the complex, the original one that had been named after Merta and headed inside. The concern in the pit of Clara's stomach increased as they found themselves the only visitors to the largest building. The Doctor looked around in confusion too saying,

"Hang on… this isn't right… where is everyone?"

"Don't ask me…"

She breathed in reply. They kept on walking, sticking noses down corridors and doorways but still found no-one. When suddenly everything went dark Clara freaked out and clutched at the Doctor, afraid that if she let go she'd lose him in the darkness. They heard footsteps and shuffling around them and then the lights came back on. Where before they had been the only ones in the room, now they were surrounded by human soldiers in cameo uniform, chests decorated with a golden sashes. Each one had a gun pointed at them. From outside the circle a tall, gold, woman approached them. Her gold robe swept the floor and long wide sleeves covered her hands. A high collar also helped to ensure only a minimal amount of skin was visible. What skin was visible was painted the same gold as the robe. With dyed gold hair on top of that Clara half expected her eyes to be gold as well, but they were hazel, and the contrast against the rest of her was unsettling.

"Well then Doctor! I didn't think you'd be rash enough to come back after your last visit, and yet here you are… a fly in my spider web… And who is your darling companion this time?"

She spoke in a harsh, dominant tone, one that commanded attention and obedience. Clara looked at the Doctor accusingly, making a mental note to slap him once they were out of harms way.

"What? Sorry? I think you're mistaken – I've never been here before in my life!"

Protested The Doctor. Clara found this somewhat relieving because if he didn't realise what he'd done or had forgotten it then at least he hadn't intentionally taken them into danger without warning her.

"Don't act ignorant Doctor, it's over and you know it. This time you won't escape us and you'll pay for the catastrophe you caused with your life. Your companion is innocent however, and will come to no harm unless she is also proven guilty."

They were going to kill the Doctor. Whatever he had done that he was denying must have been serious. Clara looked across to the Doctor again, who was already looking at her. She knew what he was thinking without him saying anything – They don't want you, if you get the chance… run. Clara just glared at him, she wasn't going anywhere.

"Now then,"

Said the gold woman, looking across to all the soldiers and nodding her head.

"This way please, unless you want to be dragged unconscious."

Clara and The Doctor were escorted through building until they reached a set of stairs leading downwards. A labyrinth of passageways seemed to reach out endlessly below and as the group continued walking Clara decided that the passageways must span the width and length of the entire complex. They came to a stop when they reached a large cavern and Clara was shocked to see iron manacles along the walls, thankfully all empty. This was a temple for Gods sake!

"You will both spend the night here. Come morning, the Doctor will be executed. You girl will be thoroughly questioned and if found innocent, set free."

As she finished her sentence, another woman ran into the room and headed towards the gold one, eyeing her and The Doctor with unease. She wore the same gold robe, but her body had been spared the rest of the golden treatment. A disciple then, Clara mused. The gold woman must be high up in the hierarchy then. The new woman spoke a few hushed words in the gold one's ear, causing her eyes to widen. The gold woman smiled and nodded to the messenger, who left in the same hurry. Then she grinned back at Clara and The Doctor with glee.

"Well then! The Doctor and the TARDIS. The legendary time machine, and you were foolish to bring it with you. Well, it belongs to the disciples of Merta now! Would you like to see it?"

She led them away from the cell to another underground room where a few people were busy tapping away at computers that lined the room. A control centre then.

"Is it ready?"

The gold woman asked and the person closest to her nodded.

"Well then, let's bring it in shall we! See what prize the Doctor has supplied us with."

As she finished off her sentence the groaning noise of the TARDIS began to sound. Being forced into the complex without being properly flown sounded damaging on the engines, and underneath the noise she heard the doctor whispering to her.

"Clara please, run to the TARDIS and hide, if I can't follow you emergency protocols will take you home. The soldiers won't shoot you because they haven't deemed you guilty."

Clara stared up at him and shook her head, afraid of what he was suggesting, that she leave him behind while she ran. No. She wouldn't do it. She couldn't… The Doctor read her expression and asked again, more firmly this time.

"Clara, do as I say. I can't let them have the TARDIS and I won't take the risk they'll decide to kill you later. Please…"

The TARDIS had almost fully materialised and Clara made her decision. She was going to stay. She had to, she couldn't just leave him. But when the Doctor pushed her towards it she ran. She heard shouting but she ignored it along the horrible feeling of guilt in the pit of her stomach. She slammed into the doors, opening them and spinning around to close them as quick as she possibly could, but not before she caught a glimpse of the Doctor's smiling face as the doors closed between them forever. She rested her head against the wood and clenched her fists to hold back the waves of tears that threatened to overcome her. Then she turned around and stared at the TARDIS in shock horror.