Thank you for the reviews.

I am sorry this is a little late. Things just got a little hectic before Christmas. I hope that you all had a good Christmas.

We will see how things go. If I still feel like I did on Christmas Eve morning, I want to quit my job like next month. Whether I will or not, I don't know yet. But if I do, I am going to treat myself by doing the things that I want to do. Like, write fanfiction. I may have realised that I put quite a bit of pressure on myself each week to get a lot down. Oh well, I don't do it now when I am young I will never do it.

Also, who is still not okay after Twice Upon a Christmas? I cried from beginning to end.


Chapter 15

The New Agreement

"Do you have to pack?"

Twelve smiled at Clara as she entered his chambers and sat down on the bed, beside his suitcase.

"I do. I might only be going home but I don't know how long the council will make me wait for their answer."

"Why does the council make all your decisions? Why not your parents?"

"Because we don't technically have parents. We are made on the looms."

"But the Lord of Gallifrey?"

"The Lord of Gallifrey is Lord John, the First, of Gallifrey. One is the oldest and until he dies, he is in charge. But just because he is in charge, doesn't mean that he is in charge, if you get what I mean. The council said when they wanted the Lord John's to be … made. It makes them believe that they have control over us. They are our parents really."

"Do you think they will agree?"

"Clara, at the moment, I will just be glad if they just entertain the idea of it all."

"May I join you?"

"On Gallifrey?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, that might not be the best idea."

"Why?"

"They might think that we have eloped or something. Don't get me wrong, I want to marry you. But I don't want to be frown upon by the council because I have brought you to Gallifrey before the arrangement has changed. Basically, I think I have enough to explain to the council without they jumping to conclusions."

"Then I will just have to wait for you to return."

Twelve didn't know where he got the urge from but after he zipped his suitcase up, he cupped her face and kissed her. He slowly pulled away, knowing it was something that he wanted to do more in the future. The little smile on her face confirmed that this was what Clara wanted as well.

"Something to remember me by while I am gone. I, hopefully, won't be long."

With that, he picked his suitcase up and left the room. The sooner he got to Gallifrey, the sooner he could return to Clara Oswald. He had to try and be as quick as he could.

"Basil, you've forgotten your guitar," Clara shouted after him.

He turned and started walking backwards. "I know. It means I have to come back."

The wide smile that she gave him was something he had made an instant memory of. It would keep him going on the journey back to Gallifrey and while he was on Gallifrey. Even though he was heading home, it felt like he wasn't going to where he was supposed to be.


Twelve had no idea why he felt so nervous. He was technically talking to the council about something that he wanted to happen. He wanted to marry Clara Oswald and the only way to make that happen was for the council to agree to the swap.

But he did know why he was nervous. He was scared that they would reject Clara's idea, that they would blame him for his arrangement with River Song falling through. Most of the backlash would probably fall on him rather than his brother, even if it was him who made the mess in the first place.

He took a deep breath before he stepped into the room. He took his spot in the centre and looked up at the council members.

"Lord John, the Twelfth. Why have you returned from Endor without your fiancée?"

"My Lords, that is why I stand before you. River Song, the one promised to me, has made it known that she wishes to break the agreement made by yourselves and her parents. She doesn't wish to marry me as I don't wish to marry her. But I have…"

"John the Twelfth, it was your job to marry the woman. Not to decide whether you want to marry the woman or not. We gave you time to find out about each other rather than just bring her to Gallifrey for you to marry. We were kind to you and your brother to give you time and you throw the agreement back in our faces."

"Wait, I have a solution."

"These agreements were made during a time of war. We needed the men. How can you possibly have a solution? Not marrying River Song will be looked as an insult."

"I have asked about and you never stated which Lord of Gallifrey would marry who, just that it would be sorted out at a later date. The agreement between yourselves and River Song's parents can still be upheld if you swap the Lord of Gallifrey that you have chosen for her. I have my suspicions that something had been going on between River Song and my brother, John the Eleventh. If they have been involved with each other that would undo the agreement between Eleven and Clara."

"John the Twelfth, get to the point."

"Basically, Lord John the Eleventh will be engaged to River Song and I, Lord John the Twelfth, will be engaged to Clara Oswald."

The council murmured. He didn't know whether that was a good sign or not. They hadn't completely shot down the idea but it didn't mean that they were going to agree to it still.

"These agreements were made a long time ago." They said as they quietened down.

"May I contribute to the argument?"

Twelve smiled as Nine joined him in the council room.

"Lord John the Ninth. What do you want to contribute?"

"There had been something going on between John the Eleventh and River Song but not enough to totally void the agreement made with the Oswalds." Nine looked at Twelve. "But you can't help who you fall in love with. I have this feeling that John the Eleventh and River Song may have fallen in love."

"We will debate the proposition brought to us by Lord John the Twelfth."

Both the brothers bowed lowly before they turned on their heel and left the hall. Twelve knew that now he had the long wait for them to talk over it. He turned to his brother.

"Thank you. You didn't have to do that."

"I did. Ten called and said what had happened. He was worried about you. Plus I know how you are feeling."

"Nine?"

"I had met Rose and asked her to marry me before Ten. I asked her before I went off on that secret mission, you know the one that only me and the now immortal Captain Jack Harkness came back from, just so I had something to come back too. I arrived back to find that she had married our brother. You saw as many horrors as I did during the war. You deserve happiness Twelve."

Twelve could only watch his brother walk away from him.