AN: Helloooooo. How's everybody's weekend going? I'm hoping to work on more chapters today or tomorrow...
Clara and Kat were still helping the Doctor along through the hallway. "Clara, the Cyberman is gaining on us!" Kat cried.
"I know. We have to find a way out of here! Even a grate or something would work since I have this!" Clara tried to hold up the sonic screwdriver, but couldn't because holding the Doctor was requiring both of her hands.
"Erm...Clara..." The Doctor mumbled.
"Yes, Doctor?" Clara said, not really paying much attention to what he was saying. She could hear the Cyberman's clanking footsteps and they were very loud.
"Grate!" Kat shouted, pointing to a silver grate a foot above the ground. It was pretty large one, about two feet across and a foot high.
Clara dropped the Doctor into Kat's arms and quickly used the sonic screwdriver to get it open. She and Kat shoved the Doctor inside and filed in after him.
"Let me go last, I've got FBI training," Kat said. Clara didn't feel like disagreeing so she dove through the grate after the Doctor. Kat jumped in after her, pulling the grate closed behind her.
They were in an air vent and it was freezing. Clara shuddered. She was directly behind the Doctor and couldn't enjoy the view for fear of her life.
"Get him to move!" Kat hissed. The Doctor was frozen on his hands and knees.
"How am I supposed to do that?" Clara whispered.
"I don't know! Shove him or something!" Kat replied.
Clara took a deep breath. "Sorry, Doctor!" She rammed into his hindquarters with her right shoulder. The Doctor stumbled forward and began to crawl. Clara and Kat followed after him.
"Is he...thinking straight now?" Kat asked. She was averting her gaze and staring at her hands.
"I'm not sure. It seems like it, but he hasn't said a word to us and I think he would if he were in his right mind." Clara responded, her knees already aching.
"I can hear you, you know!" The Doctor said. "I've had enough time to heal myself, which took two years of my life, but now I'm back and ready for action!"
"Great!" Kat said. "So, where are we trying to get to?"
The Doctor hesitated. "I don't know. But that's okay! I like not knowing things. It keeps everything interesting. I'd assume we're trying to get out or somewhere safe, but I do not know how to get to such a place."
"Let's just keep moving forward, and quickly. I don't know if that Cyberman is still following us." Clara said.
"A Cyberman was following us?!" The Doctor cried. He had been really out of it.
"Yes! And you gave me your sonic to use if we got in trouble! Don't you remember?" Clara asked.
"I did? Oh! Well, where is it? I knew something was missing!" The Doctor wanted to know.
Clara thought for a moment. "Let's see... I had it in my hand when I handed you to Kat and opened the grate... And then once I got the grate off, Kat and I shoved you into it and I put the sonic..." Clara reached into the pocket of her plaid dress.
"Here we are!" She put the sonic back into her pocket since she didn't have a way to get it to the Doctor.
"For a moment there, I'd thought you'd lost it!" The Doctor said, relieved. True, the TARDIS could produce another one for him, but he was quite attached to this one.
The Doctor came to a fork in the vent and he stopped abruptly. Clara ran into him and Kat ran into her. Clara was very glad she had worn leggings with her dress.
"Why have we stopped?" Kat asked.
"Left or right?" The Doctor answered with a question. He sniffed the air. Then, to Clara's disgust, he bent his head down and licked the bottom of the vent on either side.
"Ew, what are you doing?" Clara said.
"What is he doing?" Kat echoed.
Clara turned her head as far as she could to look at Kat. "He just licked the ground," she said flatly. Kat made a face.
"If we go right, we should get outside. Geronimo!" The Doctor announced.
Ten minutes later, the group reached another grate that led outside. "Clara, sonic!" The Doctor demanded.
"Clara, sonic, PLEASE." Clara corrected. Unbeknownst to Clara, the Doctor cracked a smile.
"May I please have my sonic, Clara?" The Doctor said sincerely, much to Kat's surprise. She had expected him to reply sarcastically.
Clara slid the sonic screwdriver along the edge of the vent to the Doctor. He stopped it in mid-slide and twirled it expertly. Them he used it to get the screws out of the other side. He watched as they plinked to the ground. After depositing his sonic in the special sonic pocket of his tweed jacket, he shoved the grate open.
The Doctor crawled out of the vent and gracefully helped Clara out by grabbing one of her hands and her waist. He held her in front of him for a moment but let her go when he heard Kat complain about not getting any help out.
The trio walked away from Central Warehouse 11 and found their way to the front where Bill, Rachel, Gary, and Dr. Rosen were standing. Clara noticed Bill was holding a metal hand similar to the one Kat had tripped on.
"Where's Nina and Hicks?" Kat asked.
AN: So there was a tiny bit of whouffle in this chapter... But more to come later on!