"What are you doing?" Clara screamed as the Doctor flung himself at a lever, sending the TARDIS in yet another stomach-wrenching spin. Clara was really starting to feel light-headed. "The Silence are chasing us through the vortex! I'm trying to increase speed!" the Doctor grasped tightly onto another lever and growled as the ship made an unhappy whine, and shuddered dangerously loudly for Clara's liking. "River, go to the engine and ask her what's going on! See if you can get anything more out of her!" the Doctor looked to his wife pleadingly, who nodded and vaulted over the railings and down a small hatch at the central column. "I can help old man," Raggedy said, looking up from the monitoring screen "though the energy strain could prove too much for the old girl." he continued, stroking the TARDIS. "Maintaining us in one reality hasn't destroyed her, and it will definitely increase our speed!" the Doctor agreed excitingly. Raggedy nodded and sprinted to the doors of the TARDIS. "Ready?" Raggedy looked to his elder self. "Ready!" The Doctor said. Clara noticed him pressing a large green button on the console. Raggedy clicked open the doors and stood at the entrance. "What are you going to do?" Amy asked him, worry etched into her voice. Raggedy grinned. "Geronimo!" he shouted and leaped out of the TARDIS into the vortex.
The group all screamed. "Hey, that was fun! River is right, jumping off things is cool!" the group fell silent at Raggedy's voice floating through the TARDIS. "Where are you?" Clara asked, annoyed by the man's apparent lack of care for his own existence. "Look at the monitor screen!" he answered like a child. The group did and were amazed to see the large-chinned man in an different version of the TARDIS they were currently in. "I called an earlier version of the old girl to pick him up." the Doctor explained. "Hold on, we're joining the two ships together, two engines, should increase our speed." Raggedy beamed as a clunking noise could be heard. "Speaking of which," the Doctor continued, "River! Have you found out what's wrong yet?" he called down toward the hatch River disappeared through before.
Silence yet again fell over the group before the TARDIS made a happy squealing sound and seemed to increase the frequency of her usual noises. "Take the break off, that might help, she hardly has any pads left. I'm going to have to spend hours fixing this, days even!" River's annoyed voice wafted from down below. The Doctor flicked a blue switch and the groaning noise ceased. "You as well Sweetie!" she said to Raggedy, who huffed and disappeared, again ceasing the groaning noise. "Blue boringers..." he muttered under his breath. "Handy!" The Doctor turned to the man. "How far are the Silence from us now?" Handy ran to the monitor, a smile spread across his face. "They're falling behind! Just a bit longer..." the group held their breath "Gone! Their engines have cut out! We've done it!" John cheered, his face washed with relief.
The group all danced with joy, hugging and spinning, laughing and congratulating each other as Raggedy jumped back through the doors and the other TARDIS disappeared. "It saves energy so the TARDIS doesn't explode again." Raggedy explained. River appeared from the central column and was quickly embraced by her parents who were all chattering excitedly at River about the amazing escape. The Doctors both smiled at their friends and family and stood at the console, admiring their greatest treasures in the universe. "We are truly blessed." The Doctor said, surveying the group. "Yes, it is a shame this has got to end..." Raggedy sighed next to him. The Doctor turned to his younger self. One day old friend, we will find a way..." the Doctor patted Raggedy's shoulder. "Oh look at us old man, we are quite sentimental..." Raggedy said, nudging the Doctor. "Or just plain old..." the Doctor nudged back. "Oi, spacemen!" Clara called from her group of Vastra, Jenny and Strax. "You promised us a wedding!" both men nodded with happiness and ran towards the Victorian trio and their current companion, but failed to remember no one was flying the ship.
The TARDIS of course lurched violently, nearly knocking the gang off their feet. A grinding sound could be heard before unhealthy clunking and spluttering noises signaled yet another lurch. Clara expected the end and shut her eyes. "All that danger and we're killed by distractions when driving... Well at least it's a good message for kids learning to drive...well fly, not that there's any one to see us die. Why can't this end!" she thought. Suddenly the noise stopped. Clara opened one squinted eye a tiny way and saw a blurred figure at the console with a halo around their head. "We're not dead!" shouted Rose but it sounded more like surprise than a voice of relief. Clara opened her eyes fully. The haloed figure was revealed to be River. Her famous scowl was directed behind Clara. She turned and saw two very disheveled Time Lords, upended over the railings, legs and arms foundering as if swimming in some invisible ocean. Both righted themselves and readjusted their appearance before turning and with very timid expressions, meekly walked over to their wife. "Thank you, Honey..." Raggedy whimpered to his wife, wringing his hands like a guilty schoolboy. River reacted simply by folding her arms over her chest and tapping her foot, the scowl, Clara noticed, was unchanged. "What would we do without you?" the Doctor continued breezily. River cocked her head to one side and turned back to the console, continuing to fly the ship. Both Time Lords looked at each other with an uncertain expression. "River, sweetheart?" the Doctor said, trying to intercept River as she moved around the console to pull a lever, River dodged him. The TARDIS shuddered then shook slightly, "Hold on!" River ordered, the crew obeyed. A few seconds of shuddering then the ride seemed to smooth out. River pulled a large lever and slumped into the pilot's chair.
Both Doctors ran to her side. "You stopped flying her when we were approaching a temporal fluctuation..." River panted for air, Raggedy ran to the console, River continued "I had to fly her out of there...she's in full stop now...I need to sleep...I've needed to ever since the excess energy was removed by the orb." the Doctor ran his fingers through her curls lovingly, River's eyes began to close softly. "Why didn't you tell us Riv?" The Doctor said, his voice sounded hurt. "Never show the damage... I was feeling weak, for long enough, thank you!" she replied sleepily. "Oh, Song, no more spoilers. If you're hurting, just let me know, I'll always fight the pain away." the Doctor nuzzled her nose. Raggedy smiled in the mirror fondly at his older self, then returned to his wife's side and also ran his fingers through her hair. River was nearly asleep by this point "My silly boys, I still hate you sometimes." The Time Lords smiled cheekily, "No you don't!" they both chuckled and both rested their heads in her neck and curls. River sighed and fell off to sleep and the Doctors repositioned River so she lay on the pilot's seat. Charlotte reappeared from the bows of the TARDIS, leapt onto the seat next to River, and curled up under River's arm. "Mummy...love you...Daddies love you...we're free...everybody lives." she slurred as she fell to the lures of slumber. The Doctor looked at his younger self, who nodded. "One more stop before wedding planning can begin." the Doctor said and started to fly the TARDIS. "Where are we going?" Clara asked. "I have a promise to keep to my daughter, and a present to give to my wife." the Doctor smiled. Raggedy span in a small circle. "Let's go old man!"