Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who
The Snowmen – Part Two
"Body frozen in a pond" the Doctor muttered to himself, as he scanned the frozen surface of a pond outside a place called Darkover House. "The snow gets a good long look at a human being, like a full body scan. Everything they need to evolve. Pond. Good point, Clara" he admitted, before looking up and seeing Strax, Charlotte and Laura. "What are you doing here?"
"Madame Vastra wondered if you were needing any grenades?"
"Grenades?"
"She might have said 'help'" Strax corrected himself. Laura and Charlotte smiled at the Doctor, but their smiles soon faded when he frowned instead. "Help for what?"
"Well, your investigation".
"Investigation? Who says I'm investigating? Do you think I'm going to start investigating just because some bird smiles at me? Who do you think I am?"
Strax paused, and then replied with a grin, "Sherlock Holmes". The girls couldn't help snickering a bit at this, and the Doctor scowled at them. "Don't be clever, Strax. It doesn't suit you".
"Sorry, sir"
"I thought it was pretty good" Charlotte remarked idly.
"No, it wasn't. I'm the clever one, he's the potato one".
"Yes, sir"
"Now go away"
"Yes, Mister Holmes" Strax nodded, turning to stride away; Charlotte and Laura covered their mouths, trying to suppress the giggles that threatened to bubble up from their throats. They couldn't help it; Strax was just funny, on screen or in person.
"Oi! Shut up. You're not clever or funny and you've got tiny little legs!" the Doctor retorted as the Sontaron left. He looked at the young women still there, about to tell them to go on after Strax, when Laura waved at the house. Looking up, he spotted Clara waving at them from an upstairs window. "Okay, just tell her you're leaving, you're not going up" he told himself firmly, "Leaving. Not going up".
Instead, he gave Clara a thumbs up and a 'five minutes' gesture. He stared at his traitorous fingers in annoyance, asking them "What was that about? Five minutes, where did that come from?" He walked away from the pond and towards the house, prompting Charlotte and Laura to follow him. He pulled up short and spun on his heel to face them. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Um, with you" Charlotte said, thinking it was kind of obvious, "So what's the plan?"
"The plan is, I go in there and you two" – he pointed back towards the gates, "Go back out through there".
Laura frowned and asked, "Doctor, is something wrong?"
"Did you follow me last night?" the Doctor demanded suddenly; the two of them were taken aback, glancing at one another and then at him.
"We – yeah, maybe, but so what?" Charlotte replied defensively, "We just wanted to see the TARDIS!"
"Why not just ask?"
"We thought you'd say no – you didn't want us on board, remember?"
"Do you remember promising to respect my privacy? That was the deal, wasn't it, that I'd let you spend time with me in return for leaving me alone when I asked you to?"
They had the decency to look ashamed, especially Laura. "You're right" Charlotte sighed. "We broke our promise and that was wrong, and we're really sorry; but please, don't shut us out" she begged, a few tears forming in her eyes, "This is…this is the last chance we have to prove ourselves to you". It really was, if he didn't take them with him after this adventure it might be months before 'The Crimson Horror' adventure, this was their best chance and she'd blown it, he'd been starting to trust them, she realised now, and she'd gone and broken that trust just to follow more of the 'episode'. She felt terrible.
The Doctor had felt betrayed, he'd been cross with the pair; but seeing them now, near tears, desperate to prove they were companion material so he wouldn't leave them behind; but he never planned to do that, they were lost in an unfamiliar universe and he knew how it felt to be without a home…before he could say anything, explain to them that he hadn't been testing them and to apologise for making them feel that way…the ice on the pond audibly cracked.
The three of them jumped at the sound, like a gunshot, and turned to the pond. The snow covered ice had cracks running through it, spreading out like spider webs. The sound of horse hooves clopping on cobblestones made Charlotte and Laura's eyes widen in fear. "Simeon's coming!" the latter hissed. The Doctor didn't ask; he knew they'd seen snapshots of his life in TV episodes, he guessed this was an adventure that had been televised, a Christmas Special probably.
Instead he simply moved to the front door of the house, sonicking it open. He put a finger to his lips, telling the girls to be quiet, before beckoning them to follow. They smiled in relief and sneaked through the door, shutting it as quietly as they could behind them. The three of them hurried upstairs and into a play room; the Doctor and Charlotte ducked down behind a puppet theatre, but there was no room for Laura, who pressed her back against the wall beside the door.
"What're you doing?" Charlotte hissed at the Doctor, who was fiddling with his sonic. Her heart was hammering in her chest with the adrenaline, tense, listening for the Ice Woman.
"Adding an anti-freeze setting" he replied absently, and her eyes widened in surprise and worry.
"I thought you had one already!"
"Well, no, I – shh!" the Doctor pressed a finger to her lips, shushing her as they heard the Ice Woman clump past. Charlotte's eyes darted over to Laura, who looked frightened, watching as the Ice Woman moved stiffly past. Laura sagged a bit in relief when it passed by, only to remember that it was heading for Clara, and the kids – they heard the door open at the end of the hall, and at the sound of a scream Laura impulsively ran out into the corridor. Charlotte darted after her, wondering what on earth her best friend was thinking.
"Bloomin' hell!" she heard Clara exclaim; the Ice Woman was ahead of her, stepping through a doorway, screeching "The children have been very naughty!"
"Get back, now, quickly!"
"You're doing your other voice"
"Yes love, did you notice?"
"Naughty, naughty"- Laura ran up behind the Ice Woman and shoved with all her might. "Run!" she cried; Clara pushed her young charges towards Laura, and all of them hurried down the corridor and into the play room. Laura and Charlotte shut the door and leaned against it, trying to keep the Ice Woman out. Charlotte grinned at Laura. "That was brilliant!"
Clara gathered the terrified children close to her. "What do we do?" asked Digby. Clara recalled how she'd stopped the snowmen, and quickly knelt down in front of Frannie. "Frannie, Frannie, imagine 'er melting!"
"What?"
"In your 'ead. Melt 'er!"
"I can't!"
"I'm getting impatient!" the Ice Woman screeched from the other side of the door, banging against it; fortunately, Charlotte and Laura were able to hold it closed. The weeks of hard chores and stretching had paid off a bit, it seemed. "You are being very naughty!"
"What about the man? You said the man was here, the cloud man".
"He is – isn't he? Charlotte, Laura, please tell me the Doctor's here!"
"He's here!"
"Then where is he?"
The Ice Woman shoved against the door again, harder this time. "Oh, for goodness sake" Charlotte huffed, looking over her shoulder, "Hurry up, Doctor!"
A Punch puppet popped up from behind the theatre. "Doctor?" it squeaked – Charlotte grinned and motioned for Clara and the kids to stay back, pulling Laura away from the door as the Ice Woman burst in. "Doctor? Doctor Who?"
The puppet, or rather the Doctor, pointed the sonic screwdriver at the Ice Woman; there was a high pitched whine and she suddenly shattered into pieces. Laura and Charlotte rubbed at their ears; they hadn't been prepared for the pitch, and now their ears were ringing. The Doctor emerged from behind the box, grinning. "That's the way to do it!" he cheered, looking at the Punch puppet…which kissed him, and then slapped him. "Oi, ow!"
Charlotte gave him an odd look as he wiped his mouth and stood up. "Did you just kiss your own hand?"
"It was the puppet" he replied absently, pulling out his sonic and scanning the area where the Ice Woman had been standing. "Where did she go?" Frannie asked nervously, "Will she come back?"
"No, don't worry. She's currently draining through your carpet" the Doctor reassured her, turning to Clara, "New setting. Anti-freeze. And you're very welcome, by the way".
"I'm very grateful" Clara smiled, "To both of you" she added to Laura, who smiled back. She looked at the Doctor again and told him, "I knew you'd come".
"No you didn't" he said immediately, "because I don't, because this isn't the sort of thing I do any more. Next time you're in trouble, don't expect me to…" he trailed off, catching sight of his reflection in a mirror. For a moment he didn't even recognise the tired old man staring back at him…but he recognised one thing. Clara came up behind him, asking in concern, "What is it? What's wrong?"
"Sorry, it's just…didn't know I'd put it on" he said slowly, reaching up to straighten his bowtie, "Old habits". Charlotte smiled at the sight, and then glanced at the window to see frost forming. Here we go she thought in anticipation. Clara noticed the drop in temperature and murmured, "It's cooler".
The Doctor had to smile at that. "Yeah, it is, isn't it? It is very cool. Bow ties are cool" he grinned.
"No, the room" she corrected, "The room's getting colder".
"Look!" Laura gasped, pointing at a rapidly growing lump in the carpet. Clara quickly pulled the children behind her as the Doctor aimed his sonic at the reforming Ice Woman. "She's coming back!" cried Digby.
"What's she going to do? Is she going to punish me?"
"Err, err, she's learnt not to melt" the Doctor determined, "Of course, she's not really a governess, she's just a beast. She's going to eat you" he told Frannie, taking the children's hands, "Run!"
They ran around the Ice Woman trapped beneath the carpet and out of the room, down the stairs. The children's father came striding out of a room. "Children, what is the expla- Who the devil are you? What are you doing in my house?" he demanded, staring at the Doctor, Laura and Charlotte.
"It's okay!" the Doctor exclaimed quickly, "I am your governess's gentleman friend, and we've just been upstairs kissing!"
"Really, that's the best you can do?" Charlotte asked incredulously, before adding to the bewildered father, "We're all just friends of Miss Montague and we were saving her and the kids from a monster".
Clara stared at Charlotte, wondering how she knew about the 'Miss Montague' alias, but there wasn't time to ask. The housemaid, Alice, came running in. "Captain Latimer. In the garden, there's snowmen! And they're just growing out of nowhere, all by themselves. Look!" she cried, hurrying to the front door. The bell was ringing, which could only mean one thing…
Alice pulled the door open to find Madame Vastra and Jenny standing on the doorstep. "Good evening" the Silurian greeted politely, "I am a Lizard Woman from the dawn of time, and this is my wife".
Alice screamed, which didn't seem to faze the pair in the slightest, and ran back into the house…only to be met with Strax holding a weapon. "This building is under attack! Remain calm, human scum" he ordered. Alice screamed – "Oi! This is no time to panic" Charlotte insisted impatiently; Alice stared at her, and then just fainted. Charlotte rolled her eyes.
The Doctor checked on Alice quickly, and then placed a hand on Captain Latimer's shoulder. "So, any questions?"
The poor man could only look up at Clara. "You have a…gentleman friend?"
Clara sighed in exasperation – did they have to do this now? The Doctor quickly changed the topic. "Vastra, what's happening?" he asked, moving over to a window and looking out of it.
"The snow is highly localised, and on this occasion not naturally occurring" Vastra declared immediately.
"It's coming out of that cab parked by the gates!"
"So Simeon's got a snow-blower" Charlotte remarked, nudging Laura with a grin, "And we thought it was just the Doctor who invented stuff too early". Laura giggled, and the Doctor shot them a mock offended look.
Strax stepped forward and suggested, "Sir, one pulver grenade would blow these snowmen to smithereens".
"Don't be silly, Strax" Laura shook her head at them, "They're snowmen, they're already smithereens".
"Exactly, Laura" the Doctor nodded, pointing at her. He looked at Clara, who was still on the stairs with the children and commented sarcastically, "See Clara, our friends again".
Captain Latimer frowned in consternation. "Clara? Who's Clara?"
The Doctor quickly explained, "Your current governess is in reality a former barmaid called Clara"-
"That's the way to do it!" the Ice Woman screeched, staggering into view at the top of the stairs. Clara quickly ushered the children away from it and the Doctor continued, "Meanwhile your previous governess is now a living ice sculpture impersonating Mister Punch. Jenny, what have you got?" he asked the young woman; Jenny stepped forward and threw a spherical device up the stairs. A force-field burst out of it, keeping the Ice Woman at bay. "That should hold it" she said confidently.
"Sir, this room" Strax called from beside the door to Latimer's study, "One observational window on the line of attack and one defendable entrance" he reported. The Doctor nodded and instructed, "Right, everyone in there. Now. Move it. You, carry her" he told Latimer, pointing at Alice who was still lying unconscious on the floor.
The others hurried to move, and the Doctor scanned the furious Ice Woman with his sonic. Madame Vastra remarked, "Nice to see you off your cloud and engaging again".
"I'm not engaging again, I'm under attack".
"With you it's the same thing!" Charlotte quipped from the doorway into the study. Vastra eyed him and smirked, saying "You missed this, didn't you?"
The Doctor looked between them, discomfited, as the Ice Woman battered against the force-field. "Shut up" he grumbled, moving past Vastra. The human and Silurian grinned knowingly at one another, Charlotte stepping aside to let the others pass before joining them in the room. Straight away the Doctor inquired, "Strax, how long have we got?"
"They're not going to attack" the Sontaron reported immediately, "They made no attempt to conceal their arrival. An attack force would never abandon surprise so easily, and they're clearly in a defence formation".
"Way, aye, aye" the Doctor grinned, rubbing the Sontaron's head with his fist, "Well done, Straxie. Still got it, buddy". He kissed the top of Strax's head, and then stuck his tongue out, grimacing.
"Eww!" Charlotte said, amused and disgusted…but mostly disgusted. Strax frowned. "Sir, please do not noogie me during combat prep" he grumbled.
Vastra surmised, "So there's something here they want".
"The Ice Woman" Clara stated; after all, what else could it be?
"Exactly" the Doctor replied darkly. Jenny frowned and asked, "Why's she so important?"
"Because she's a perfect duplication of human DNA in ice crystal form; the ultimate fusion of snow and humanity. To live here, the snow needs to evolve and she's the blueprint. She's what they need to become. When the snow melted last night, did the pond?" he asked Clara, snapping his fingers and pointing at her. "No" she replied straightaway.
"Living ice that will never melt… If the snow gets hold of that creature on the stairs, it will learn to make more of them. It will build an army of ice. And it will be the last day of humanity on this planet" the Doctor revealed ominously. Don't fan-girl Charlotte told herself firmly, It doesn't matter how badass he is when he talks like that, don't squee, don't even grin. Danger, real, not fun.
Unbeknownst to her, Laura was thinking along the similar lines. Focus, it's not the episode, this isn't on TV, it's real…but it's still awesome!
They were both startled from their thoughts by the sound of the doorbell ringing. Everyone looked at each other, none of them daring to go answer the door…then the Doctor cracked his neck and warned them, "Stay here".
He walked to the door and stepped through it, shutting it behind him. Clara moved to follow, but Laura suddenly caught her arm and implored her, "Clara wait, he said to stay here!"
Clara disengaged her arm from Laura's grasp and assured her, "Don't worry about me; keep an eye on 'em, won't ya?" she smiled, before ducking out of the room. Laura stared at the shut door in alarm; she moved to open it, but Charlotte darted in and pulled her away. "Don't even think about it" she scolded, figuring out what Laura was trying to do. Her best friend tried to protest, but she pulled Laura over to the side and whispered to her, "We made a pact, remember?"
"Is everything alright?" Jenny asked in concern, it…seemed like the pair were having an argument, and she'd never seen them do any more than playful bickering. Charlotte glanced over and gave her a rather forced smile. "Yeah, it's fine, she's just a bit nervous" she lied, nodding at Laura, who was pouting miserably. Madame Vastra eyed the pair; she could tell Miss Richards was lying, and Miss Seamer didn't seem nervous, no…she seemed upset.
Frannie asked, "What's going to happen to us?"
Then Digby inquired, "Why did Miss Montague follow that man?"
Straightaway Laura volunteered to go and fetch Clara. "And then what?" Charlotte asked her, trying to remind her without stating it outright, they had to let Clara die.
Laura frowned and replied, "And then the children would feel safe".
"They've got their father" Charlotte pointed out, nodding to the man. Latimer frowned at her slightly, taken aback by her forwardness. He cleared his throat and moved towards the door, saying "I've had enough of this; I want some answers".
He stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Charlotte reached out to put an arm around Laura's shoulders, but she pulled away and hugged herself. Charlotte sighed at the snub; but it couldn't be helped, they didn't know how much they could change and as far as she could see, Clara's unfortunate death was the catalyst that helped to defeat the Great Intelligence.
Captain Latimer returned to the study and helped Jenny rouse his housemaid. He needed her to take care of his children…he just couldn't cope, not after their mother…and now Miss Montague, or Clara, had run off with that stranger who was apparently her gentleman friend, to stop these snow monsters that were appearing around his house to capture a living ice replica of his previous governess. He shook his head and poured himself another drink…but then the green woman, Vastra or something, took the bottle away. "With all due respect, we may need you sober" she said pointedly.
Laura bit her lip, struggling to hold back tears. Unbidden, her memories of the episode flickered through her mind…the Doctor taking an umbrella, he and Clara dodging past the Ice Woman and making their way to the roof, climbing up the ladder to the TARDIS, the Doctor giving her a key, the Ice Woman grabbing Clara and…and…she couldn't do it. How could she just stand here and, and wait for a friend of hers to die? Forget the pact, time could be rewritten, she knew it could. There might still be a chance to save Clara, but how?
She was running out of time, the Doctor and Clara might be on the roof by now, she had to think of something quick! Laura didn't usually work well under pressure, but this was important, and as her eyes darted around the room they landed on an old fashioned telephone. Eureka!
Quickly, Laura hurried over and picked it up. "Madame Vastra!" she called, and the Silurian turned. "Can you tell me the TARDIS phone number?" Laura questioned urgently. Charlotte rushed over, shaking her head and protesting "No, don't tell her. It's not important".
"It is important!"
"So is stopping Dr Simeon!" Charlotte snapped, rounding on Laura, "And the less we interfere, the better!"
Strax stomped up and declared "If the human…female wishes to contribute to the plans of how to annihilate our enemies, then"-
"Ugh, not now Strax; this has nothing to do with you" Charlotte groaned impatiently.
"'Ere now, I dunno what's got you upset but you don't 'ave to take it out on 'im".
"I am perfectly capable of defending myself against verbal and physical attacks, boy".
Madame Vastra cleared her throat pointedly before a three way argument could begin, and turned her sharp gaze on Laura. "What do you want to know the TARDIS phone number for?"
"I just want to help the Doctor and Clara".
"They won't need any help" Charlotte tried to insist. Really, what had gotten into Laura? It was terrible that Clara had to die, but they'd already seen it happen in one form, from what she knew of the Laws of Time, these were fixed events now! Time couldn't be rewritten if you didn't know what you were doing. They could cause a paradox, summon Reapers, anything!
"What are they doing?" asked Digby. He didn't really understand what was going on, except that their mean old governess was now even meaner, and made of ice, and wanted to eat them…
"They're luring the Ice Woman away from those creepy Snowmen" Charlotte offered by way of explanation, "And up to the Doctor's home".
"You mean the box on the cloud?"
"Yeah, that's the one".
"But a cloud won't stop ice" Laura said firmly, pleading to Madame Vastra, "We need to call him, and warn him about that!"
"Laura, please don't do this!" Charlotte begged, "I'm worried about them too, but"-
"You're not worried. If you were, you'd be trying to help me!"
"I am trying to help you, I'm trying to stop you from doing something you'll regret!"
"I'll regret doing nothing".
"You'll regret this more; I warned you, Laura!"
"Warned 'er about what?" Jenny frowned. Charlotte tensed, before beckoning to Madame Vastra and Jenny. She beckoned them over to a corner and in a hushed voice, quickly explained, "We've seen this before, Clara doesn't make it, and I don't want her to – but it's fixed now, we've seen it, and I tried to tell her what would happen if she got attached too much".
"Clara dies?" Jenny whispered, eyes wide. "Oh, the poor girl…"
"Perhaps not" Vastra determined, "You may have seen her fate in one timeline, but your presence has altered the timelines slightly; perhaps enough to allow another change".
"I don't think Time works like that?"
"Do you truly know how Time works?" Madame Vastra inquired. Deep down, Charlotte knew that she didn't mean it as an insult or anything…but she was irritable, feeling guilty and angry…she scowled and muttered, "Fine, help Laura change the future. I give up. Catch me trying to maintain the timelines…" She strode…more like stalked…over to the window and stood with her arms folded, staring out at the yard and the Snowmen.
Laura felt a pang of guilt, but Charlotte just didn't understand…she had to try. She felt like she'd never forgive herself if she didn't at least try to save her friend. Madame Vastra told her the Doctor's number and showed her how to dial it…Laura waited for someone to pick up, wringing her free hand anxiously…finally there was a click and she heard the Doctor's voice ask, "What now?"
"Doctor, clouds don't stop ice!" Laura blurted out, praying that she wasn't too late, that she'd reminded him of this crucial fact in time – but then she heard Clara scream in the background, and the Doctor shouting "Clara! Clara!"
The line went dead. Laura slowly lowered the phone, eyes wide and filling with tears. She had been too late…worse than that, her phone call…it might have been what distracted the Doctor from keeping an eye on Clara, she might have…
"Laura, are you alright?" Jenny asked, concerned, seeing the girl close to tears. Charlotte looked round at that, and hesitantly moved towards her best friend. "L-Laura? What's…what's wrong?"
Pale faced, Laura opened her mouth and tried to force some words out of her sandpaper dry throat, but she couldn't, she could only shake her head helplessly…she flinched when they heard a thud outside.
"What was that?"
"It's Clara".
Please let something be different, let her have survived somehow, please!
"Dear God. Oh, dear God. Where did she fall from? We have to get her inside".
"Those things will kill you".
"She's hurt!"
"She's dead".
A sob tore itself from Laura…she'd killed Clara. Without thinking she ran from the room, hiding besides the stairs, just wanting to curl up and never talk to anyone again. Her hearts hadn't felt this broken since the day she'd come home from school and been told that her baby brother had died in the hospital…
"Laura?"
"Go away!" Couldn't Charlotte see that she wanted to be left alone?
"It wasn't your fault"-
"Yes, it was! I – I distracted the Doctor, I took his mind off Clara and now she…" the rest was cut off in a sob; Laura buried her head in her hands and shrunk further into herself, flinching when Charlotte tried to rest a comforting hand on her shoulder. A few tears sprang into Charlotte's eyes at that; in all the time they'd been best friends, neither of them had ever spurned the other's comfort.
She struggled to think of something to say to help. "Strax revives her, you – we can still say goodbye…"
"Just go away, Charlotte" Laura pleaded, looking up at her with glistening eyes. "Please, just leave me alone…"
Helplessly, Charlotte did as she was asked. When she stepped back into the study, the Doctor was laying Clara…Clara's body down on a cleared, blanketed table. He ran a hand over her hair, and then stepped back to let Strax use his technology to revive the poor girl. He looked up at Charlotte and asked solemnly, "Where's Laura?"
Charlotte couldn't even muster up the will to spin a lie… "She's under the stairs, crying her eyes out, cos she thinks that Clara's de- that Clara falling was her fault, and she won't let me…and if you blame her, I swear, I will punch you so hard your- your first self will feel it" she threatened tearfully.
For a moment the Doctor was confused, as to why Laura would blame herself for Clara's death – except she wasn't going to die, not on his watch – but then he realised, her phone call had distracted him. No, you selfish fool, you were already distracted. She was in your care and you took your eyes off her…the only one at fault here is you his inner demons hissed. He fought them back the only way he knew how – by helping other people fight back theirs.
Without another word he moved around Charlotte – she followed him, probably to make sure he didn't hurt her best friend's feelings. He found Laura, sitting beside the stairs, arms wrapped around her knees. The Doctor crouched down before her and reached out to touch her shoulder. "Laura" he murmured…she looked up at him, eyes red rimmed, looking utterly heart-broken.
"It wasn't your fault" the Doctor insisted before she could speak, "You reminded me of something I should have figured out for myself…Clara was in my care, she was my responsibility".
"But…but I knew…"
"We both knew" Charlotte sighed guiltily…there was no point keeping secrets now, though she'd looked back at the study door to make sure nobody was eavesdropping. "We've seen this before, in our own universe…Clara died, and I thought…we didn't know how much we could change, I was just trying to maintain the timelines, but Madame Vastra said that we might be able to change the future if us being here changed the timelines – not that I'm blaming her, I just"-
"I know" the Doctor said hastily, seeing her getting worked up. He rose to his feet and told them, "Don't blame yourselves…because Clara is going to live. Time can be rewritten when there's a Time Lord involved…for now, just…just look after each other. Strax has technology that can revive Clara, you can talk to her…I doubt she'd blame you either" he told Laura, implicitly letting her know that he didn't blame her either.
Laura sniffled, and looked from the Doctor to Charlotte, who was fighting back tears of her own…she scrambled to her feet and practically threw herself into her best friend's arms, the two of them clinging to each other like life rafts in a raging sea. The Doctor watched them with a sad smile, before squaring his shoulders and walking back to the TARDIS. He had a threat to take care of.
/
Laura and Charlotte stepped into the study just in time to hear Captain Latimer question, "That green woman said she was dead. How can she be alive now?"
"This technology has capacities and abilities beyond anything your puny human mind could possibly understand" Strax replied a bit callously, before hastily adding, "Try not to worry".
The others looked over as they entered the room, slowly approaching Clara. Her chest barely seemed like it was moving, and Laura had to remind herself that Clara was alive…right now…and focus on that. Jenny moved towards them, gazing at Laura with pity. "How'd you feel?" she asked gently, before wincing; that probably wasn't the best question.
"Awful" Laura replied honestly; Charlotte rubbed her arm, trying to comfort her. She gestured to where Clara was lying and hesitantly asked, "Can we…?"
Jenny nodded and stepped aside, motioning for Latimer and Strax to do the same. Laura took a deep breath and stepped up beside Clara, reaching out to hold her friend's hand, trying to offer a little bit of comfort. Clara's eyes flickered open, and she blinked up at them. "Hello" she murmured hoarsely.
"H-hi Clara…I'm so sorry" Laura sniffled. Clara frowned slightly at that, and inquired, "About what?"
"I…it's my fault you're d-dying…"
"No, it's not. Don't say that" Clara insisted. Laura opened her mouth to protest, but Clara wasn't finished. "No, don't say it. This isn't your fault…and who said anything about dying?" she asked, before wincing in pain. "Besides…if I die, I'll be in a better place. I'll be able to see my mother again…"
Laura swallowed another sob and nodded, taking comfort in her faith, in the fact that Clara…this version of Clara…would go to heaven. Charlotte didn't believe in that sort of thing, but she did believe that, if there were a heaven or some sort of afterlife, Clara would deserve a good one. Perhaps when an echo of the original Clara died, it returned to the original and made her whole again, but with extra memories. Yes, she liked that idea.
"I don't…I don't want to say goodbye…"
"Then don't"
Charlotte gently placed a hand on Laura's shoulder; she looked over, and noticed the Doctor standing behind them, but giving the pair space to pay their respects. She bit her lip, and said to Clara, "I'll never forget you, Clara. Thank you for helping us".
"Thank you" Charlotte nodded with a small smile, "and you're right, this doesn't have to be goodbye forever…just until we see each other again".
Clara smiled softly, thinking that Charlotte meant when they met in heaven, and murmured, "Until we meet again…you're welcome".
Laura squeezed her hand, and then she and Charlotte moved aside to let the Doctor speak to Clara. He handed a metal lunchbox to Jenny, which rattled, and moved to Clara's side. "Hey, hello…"
"They all think I'm going to die, don't they?"
"And I know you're going to live".
"How?"
"I never know how; I only know who" he reminded her, pressing the key he'd given her into her palm and kissing her fingers.
"The green lady… She said you were the saver of worlds once. Are you going to save this one?"
"If I do, will you come away with me?" the Doctor asked her. Charlotte tensed a bit at that, hoping he didn't mean that he was planning to leave her and Laura behind.
"Yes"
"Well then, Merry Christmas" he said solemnly, straightening his bow tie. He took the box from Jenny and left the room, returning a few moments later to ask Madame Vastra to accompany him and warn the others to stay there and stay safe. When he was gone Jenny asked, "What do we do?"
"What he said" Laura replied listlessly, walking over to Clara and holding her hand, "We wait". This time she didn't want to interfere, she didn't want to make things worse…it was hitting her more than ever, being in the Whoniverse wasn't just an adventure, it was…life and death, and everything in between. She was beyond grateful to her best friend for being there for her, and beyond guilty that her foolish attempt to change time and save Clara had ended up dooming the girl instead. A tear rolled down her cheek, and outside, a Snowman close to the house melted a little.
As Clara slipped away, despite Strax's efforts, tears appeared in the eyes of every human there. Before Laura and Charlotte knew it, Jenny was crying out in warning, "They're growing! The Snowmen are growing!"
"What should we do?"
"Were you not listening, sir? The creatures outside are in a defensive formation, they are guarding the device producing the snow from which they are formed. Whilst I admire your desire to engage the enemy, it"-
"Engage them? I want to do no such thing!"
"Where is your honour, man? Where is your fight?"
"Strax, stop it!" Laura cut in, frowning tearfully at the pair. Clara was dying, and they were bickering over fighting off those stupid Snowmen!
"Stay out of this, boy" Strax huffed, only to blink when Charlotte strode over and right up to him, glaring. "My friend is upset, and if you upset her any more I will take something sharp and pointy and ram it so far up your probic vent it will come out the other side. Understand?"
The Sontaron paused; normally he wouldn't find the slip of a boy – no, girl – all that threatening, but she'd brought up his one weakness…well, she'd actually brought up two, if you counted the sherbet fancies, but Strax would never admit to that. He stepped back and saluted her, replying "Understood".
Laura and Charlotte shared a hug as Strax moved to scan Clara again, only to find that her life signs were depleting faster than he could restore her. "No, you must fight. Hang on and fight, boy. You can do it".
Clara simply glanced over at her former employer, and murmured, "Captain Latimer. Your children. They're afraid. Hold them".
The man glanced over at Frannie and Digby, huddled with Alice, and cleared his throat nervously. "…It's not really my area…"
"It is now" Clara told him, closing her eyes as a tear ran down her cheek. Outside, there was a clap of thunder and it began to rain.
"They're melting" Jenny said wonderingly, seeing the Snowmen begin to crumble before her eyes. Charlotte moved to stand beside her and said quietly, "They're mirroring".
Jenny glanced at her and asked, "Mirroring what?"
"Us…"
"Captain Latimer?" Alice spoke up, and the man in question turned to her. "With all due respect sir, Miss Clara is right. You're children are going to need you" she pointed out, and Charlotte felt a new-found respect for the woman. Latimer gazed at his children, the children he loved dearly despite having no idea how to raise them properly, not since their mother had passed away, and nodded. "Yes…of course, of course" he murmured, beckoning them into his arms.
The TARDIS materialised a little bit later. "I'm sorry" Strax reported to the Doctor when he emerged, "There was nothing to be done. She has moments only". He stepped aside to allow the Time Lord to speak to Clara one last time.
"We saved the world, Clara, you and me. We really, really did".
"Are you going back on your cloud?"
"No more cloud…not now".
"Why not?"
"It rained"
"…Run…Run, you clever boy. And remember" Clara murmured, closing her eyes and breathing her last. The clock chimed midnight, and Digby realised sadly, "It's Christmas. Christmas Day".
/
A few days later, Clara had been buried in a graveyard, and they were paying their respects. Charlotte and Laura had come with Madame Vastra and Jenny, with all their modern belongings and clothes in a pair of bags lent to them by Jenny, for which they were very grateful. They had thanked Madame Vastra for all her help, and she had promised them that if for some strange reason the Doctor did not wish them to travel with him, they were still more than welcome at 13 Paternoster Row.
"And what about the Intelligence? Melted with the snow?"
"No, I shouldn't think so. It learned to survive beyond physical form".
"Well, we can't be in much danger from a disembodied Intelligence that thinks it can invade the world with snowmen".
"Or that the London Underground is a key strategic weakness" Vastra added, amused. The Doctor pulled out Simeon's business card and frowned thoughtfully at it. "The Great Intelligence. Rings a bell. The Great Intelligence…"
"Your second incarnation faced it" Charlotte reminded him, "It was using robot yeti".
The Doctor blinked, recalling that. "Ah...right. Are you okay?" he asked them, seeing that Laura still looked upset and Charlotte seemed tired.
"It depends"
"On?"
"On whether you'll let us come with you…to find Clara" Charlotte replied, deciding to tempt him a little bit more. The Doctor frowned, and replied "Clara's dead".
Charlotte simply pointed to the gravestone, from which Latimer and his children had moved. The Doctor moved towards it, his eyes widening as he read the words carved there. 'Clara Oswin Oswald. Remember me, we shall meet again. Born November 23 1866, died December 24, 1892'.
"Doctor?" asked Jenny, as he reached out to touch Clara's full name.
"I never knew her name, her full name" he realised, remembering Oswin introducing herself when he was sent to the Dalek Asylum. "Soufflé girl. Oswin. It was her". They had both said it, Run you clever boy, and remember.
"It was soufflé girl again. I never saw her face the first time with the Daleks, but her voice, it was the same voice" the Doctor stood up and turned to the others, growing more excited.
"Doctor?"
"The same woman, twice. And she died both times. The same woman!"
"Doctor, please, what are you talking about?"
"Something's going on. Something impossible, something - Right, you two, with me" he ordered, pointing to Laura and Charlotte, "You two, stay here. Stay right here. Don't move an inch".
"Are you coming back?"
"Shouldn't think so!"
"But where are you going?"
"To find her, to find Clara!" he laughed.
"Goodbye!"
"Thanks again, see you around!"
/
Laura and Charlotte ran after the Doctor, straight to the TARDIS. He opened the door and stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter. They both grinned, even Laura, and stepped inside the time machine, drinking in the sight. "It's bigger on the inside" Laura smiled; she'd always wanted to say that.
"This is so awesome!" Charlotte laughed, hugging Laura in delight. The Doctor watched them with a smile, before bounding up to the console and pulling the lever to dematerialise the TARDIS. "Clara Oswin Oswald" he said aloud, winking at his new companions, "Watch us run".