The Moment

They followed the Queen through corridors. Through spiral staircases and deeper, finally reaching the depths of her dungeons. All around them, they could see Zygons. Eleven noticed that they were lined up, facing the various paintings. He was surprised, and a bit alarmed, to see that there were more paintings than the one he knew about.

"The Zygons lost their own world. It burnt in the first days of the Time War. A new home is required."

"So they want this one." Elizabeth turned to Clara.

"Not yet. It's far too primitive. Zygons are used to a certain level of comfort." Clara stepped back a bit as the last Zygon approached the Queen.

"Commander, why are these creatures here?"

"Because I say they should be. It is time you too were translated. Observe this. I believe you will find it fascinating." The Zygon put his hand on a glass cube with dents in the corners, then vanished. He reappeared in the 3D painting they had observed in the Gallery.

"That's him! That's the Zygon in the picture now."

"It's not a picture, it's a stasis cube. Time Lord art. Frozen instants in time, bigger on the inside, but could be deployed as-" Ten finished the sentence for him.

"-suspended animation. Oh, that's very good. The Zygons all pop inside the pictures, wait a few centuries till the planet's a bit more interesting, and then out they come." Eleven sidled up to Clara to explain more.

"You see, Clara, they're stored in the paintings in the Under Gallery, like cup-a-soups. Except you add time, if you can picture that." As everyone looked at him with varying degrees of confusion and amusement, he flapped his hands. He was awkward in this body and he knew it. He looked at Rose briefly and saw her slight smile. "Nobody could picture that. Forget I said cup-a-soups."

"And now the world is worth conquering. So the Zygons are invading the future from the past."

"Exactly." Ten approached Elizabeth, who stood her ground. Rose continued watching the entire scene, knowing how it would play out. She already knew this part of the story. She'd seen it in her husband's mind. She waited for the jealousy to flare but it didn't. She was just another long line of women besotted with the Doctor, herself included.

"And do you know why I know that you're a fake? Because you're such a bad copy. It's not just the smell, or the unconvincing hair, or the atrocious teeth, or the eyes just a bit too close together, or the breath that could stun a horse. It's because my Elizabeth, the real Elizabeth, would never be stupid enough to reveal her own plan. Honestly, why would you do that?"

"Because it's not my plan. And I am the real Elizabeth." Ten took a step back, confusion and uncertainty on his face. He opened his mouth twice before finally coming up with the words to speak.

"Okay. So, backtracking a moment just to lend context to my earlier remarks."

"My twin is dead in the forest. I am accustomed to taking precautions." She lifted her skirts and produced a dagger from her garter. "These Zygon creatures never even considered that it was me who survived rather than their own commander. The arrogance that typifies their kind."

"Zygons?" Clara and Rose both smirked.

"Men."

"And you actually killed one of them?"

"I may have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but at the time, so did the Zygon. The future of my kingdom is imperiled. Doctor, can I rely on your service?" Elizabeth turned again to Ten, who sputtered for a moment before answering.

"Well, I'm going to need my TARDIS."

"It has been procured already."

"Ah." Elizabeth sauntered up to Ten, pulling gently on his tie.

"But first, my love, you have a promise to keep." He gulped and glanced towards Rose. She still had that amused smile on her face. He expected her to be jealous. He certainly expected her to rescue him from his fate but with an arch of an eyebrow, he knew she wouldn't be.

~DW~~DW~~DW~

Rose Tyler stood watching the love of her lives marry another woman. She supposed she should feel jealous, but she knew that this had all been a charade by him to figure out the Zygon issue. It wouldn't be the first time that he'd used this ploy. She'd been the one to use it once or twice as well. So really, she reasoned, she couldn't be jealous. She was no longer nineteen years old. She'd lived lifetimes since the last time she saw him. Still, seeing him kiss another woman stung, just a little bit. But not enough that she would make a move.

The ceremony in itself was simple. Even hers had been larger. Really, the only ones in attendance were herself, Clara, and the other two Doctors. When the service was over, she and Clara both threw flower petals on the happy couple. She giggled softly to herself as Ten told Elizabeth he would be right back. She knew he wouldn't. That was why she wanted his head when he went on his adventure with Martha.

Once everyone piled back inside the TARDIS, the three Doctors busied themselves with trying to figure out how to stop this Zygon invasion before it could really start. Rose moved towards Clara, who eyed her with a bit of disbelief.

"He mentions you, you know. When he thinks I can't hear or when he thinks I'm not around. Just little things. I met you, once. I don't know if you remember. I – of all the companions he's ever lost, yours hurt him the worst. Not because of what you chose, but because of what he didn't choose. So he forgot. I think it worked. At least it did until you showed up again. But I've honestly never seen him happier. Thank you, for that."

"Do you fancy him, Clara?" Rose's tone held no reproach and as Clara snapped her head to look at the woman, she understood. Rose wasn't asking to be mean. If anyone would understand, it would be her.

"Yes, but I know that it could never be more. He...he makes you believe in him. He shows off. In a lot of ways, it's just a crush. Because no matter how impossible I am, his heart will always belong somewhere else. But I wouldn't trade my time with him for anything and when it's my time to go, I'll go gladly. Even now, I'm trying to distance myself from him and build my life because I know the time is coming, sooner than I would like." Rose gave her an enigmatic smile.

"Oh, Clara. You may be with him for longer than you think." With the, Rose pushed off the railing and joined the Doctors. They would be landing soon.

~DW~~DW~~DW~

The Black Archives held some of UNIT's best kept secrets. She found her picture, nestled next to Mickey and Jack. She smiled. She missed her oldest friends. When this was over, she would go see them. Besides, she had to drop Koschei off with them.

She watched her two Doctors as well. Eight and herself were only here as observers. He needed to see what destroying Gallifrey would do to him. If the waves of pride rolling off of him were any indication, he was pleased with the men he had become. True, they were childish, but it wouldn't be the first of his incarnations to be that way. The invasion was stopped, with plenty of time to spare.

As Rose watched the Doctors, Eight watched Rose. Through this entire thing, he couldn't really get a read on her. During their time in the War, he always knew what she was thinking and feeling. Since they had landed and met with his older selves, she had kept herself completely closed off. He would be worried, if he hadn't seen the looks on her face. Longing and nostalgia were the two most prevalent. And he understood. Really. She had been separated from him for centuries after living a love-filled life with him.

She looked at him and smiled, and it was almost like the sun breaking behind the clouds. And he knew that no matter what happened next, she would be there with him until the end. He glanced one more time at his counterparts before taking her hand.

~DW~~DW~~DW~

Back in the shed, Rose, Koschei, and the Doctor gathered around the Moment. Rose's eyes glowed slightly. She takes the Doctor's hand before he can reach out and press the large, red, rose-like button coming from the box.

"One big bang, no more Time Lords. No more Daleks. Are you sure?"

"I was sure when I came in here. There is no other way."

"You've seen the men you will become."

"Those men. Extraordinary."

"They were you."

"No. They are the Doctor." Koschei smiles. He and Rose answer at the same time.

"You're the Doctor, too." He's surprised. Even though he knows Koschei has changed, it's still odd to hear praise from him. The Doctor shook his head.

"No. Great men are forged in fire. It is the privilege of lesser men to light the flame, whatever the cost."

"You know the sound the Tardis makes? That wheezing, groaning. That sound brings hope wherever it goes."

"Yes. Yes, I like to think it does."

"To anyone who hears it, Doctor. Anyone, however lost." He heard the materialization and whipped around. In the corner, two different TARDIS' were materializing. "Even you."

Clara and Eleven stepped out of one TARDIS as Ten emerged from the other. Both Doctors look at the trio in front of them and freeze. They knew about Rose, but never thought they would see the Master. Before they could step closer, Rose placed herself directly in front of him, effectively stopping their advancement.

"What is he doing here?" Ten choked on the words. He'd just watched his oldest friend die not too long ago.

"Trying to talk some sense into you. Fat lot of good it's doing." The last was mumbled but he was smiling. Ten's eyes whipped between the three and the easy way they stood around one another. It didn't make sense! None of this really was making sense.

Eleven and Clara stepped ahead. He eyed Koschei warily but he trusted Rose. Even after centuries of not seeing her, she still always had his best interests in mind. So he would trust her today.

"See, I told you he hadn't done it yet!" This seemed to shake Ten from whatever trance he put himself in.

"Go away! This is for me and me alone."

"No."

"No?"

"I said no."

"And what exactly does that mean?" Eight eyed his counterparts warily as they surrounded the Moment.

"All those years I tried to forget you."

"To pretend you didn't exist." Eleven and Ten were alternating their speech. Even in the Archive, they had been weirdly in sync.

"To pretend you weren't the Doctor when you were the Doctor on the day it couldn't be done right." The placed their hands on the Moment. Clara choked back a sob. She'd just begun to realize what was happening. Eleven turned to face her, as did the others.

"What Clara? What is it?"

"I know you said you'd done it. That you destroyed Gallifrey. I just didn't think it would be this you."

"Oh Clara. It has to be done."

"Let's take a look." Rose waved a hand. The shed around them disappeared. Before them was carnage. It was the last days of the War. She had brought them to witness the Fall of Arcadia.

"This is what will happen to everything if the Daleks are not stopped. Once Gallifrey falls, the Universe will be at their mercy. The Daleks must be defeated here, in any way possible." The scene around them faded. Clara was still wiping tears from her eyes.

"But now, I think it's time we address the Moment. There are two choices here. But you have to make the decision yourselves. Know this, if you choose one path, the lives you have lived will remain the same. But if you choose the other, everything can change."

"What is the point if we can't remember?"

"Timelines must be maintained. If you remember, then a series of events will not occur. No Rose. No Bad Wolf. Your entire life, unraveled. And with it, the Universe."

Each Doctor looked at the other. It was Ten who spoke.

"Let's do it."

~DW~~DW~~DW~

Seeing all the Doctors together brought back memories for Rose and Koschei both. Where one had seen them through the eyes of her husband, the other had spent most of his life fighting. They both kept to the shadows. It would do for either to be seen at this point.

Rose almost sobbed when she heard the voice of her first Doctor as he joined the fray. It seemed that every Doctor, past, present, and future, was joining in the cause. There were more Doctors than Rose could count. She wondered, briefly, if he even noticed. But then she glanced at this Doctor, with his floppy hair and chin, and knew that he hadn't. He was too lost in the Moment. And what a Moment it was.

In a flash, Gallifrey Falls No More.