A/N: Well, have we truly landed in a parallel world? Are we about to be boiled over a cauldron? Let's find out!

Chapter 8: Seeing Double

I wasn't too far off. We entered into a clearing, around the edges of which stood around fifty tree houses. There were definitely tribal people around, well, tribal aliens, yet the village was also slightly modernised. Humans were dotted here and there, there seemed to be a structure to the layout, and some of the humanoid aliens wore modern clothing. There was even a road. I almost felt a twinge of annoyance at the fact that the people had to give up so much of their culture due to colonisation.

We strode towards the town centre, several faces peeping through glassless-windows and half-broken doors to stare at the two new, white people who had entered their village. There was no hostility however, just mere curiosity.

As soon as someone, who seemed to be the leader of the community, approached and asked who we were in some strange language, the Doctor launched into a reply as though he'd been speaking the tribal language his whole life. He was obviously explaining some story as to why we were here and he told me that the chief offered us a place to stay the night. He told us where to go, then left.

I looked around, feeling much more comfortable now they knew we were harmless, and spotted a sign. "What does that say?" I asked, pointing.

"Oh! There's a market down that way." The Doctor exclaimed, gesturing. "Do you want to go and wander around?"

I nodded. "Sure! But what are you going to do?"

He shrugged. "Wander around, find out what there is to do in this place, find out where exactly we are, that sort of thing. You stay out of trouble. I'll come find you soon."

I grinned. "No, you stay out of trouble. Last time you left me at a market we were chased by a Judoon."

He winked at me before sauntering off. I let out an exasperated sigh before heading towards the market.

Roughly half an hour and several delicious native fruit tastings later, I spotted a stall selling crafts made in the village. There was everything from woven baskets to wood-carved figurines. I admired the latter for a few minutes before choosing one that I thought the Doctor might like; it was tall and thin, like him, but had shining brown eyes. I reached to grab it and found my hand blocked by another.

"Oh, sorry!" we both said at the same time.

I blinked and turned towards the person. Then I started and jumped several feet backwards. She did the same, for we realised that we were identical. If anything, she was a year older.

"Parallel me." I muttered to myself. "Right. Hi!"

She blinked several times. "Parallel…no! No, no, I'm…well, I'm you from the future."

"What?" I gasped. "So…hang on. He was wrong, we didn't land in a parallel world, the TARDIS malfunctioning was because of the paradox!"

"Your TARDIS malfunctioned as well! How annoying!" future-me exclaimed. "You're travelling with the old Doctor, aren't you?"

"Yeah. Wait… we stayed with him after he regenerated?" I asked, pleased with the thought.

She nodded. "Sure! We wouldn't leave him, you yourself knew that."

I looked down. "Was it hard?"

She also stared at her feet and nodded. "Yeah. Especially those first few weeks. But he was very similar in many ways, and he was really sweet about it. He understood, even though he could never be as human as the old Doctor."

I gave a small smile. "I'm glad we continue to be happy, though. Is Amy with you?"

"Not at the moment. In fact, she just left to spend some time with Rory." She answered. "It was sort of a relief to get those two out of the TARDIS."

"Ugh, I can imagine."

We shared a laugh.

"Talia! I was just looking for…what?"

The Doctor's chirpy voice ended in utter confusion as he took in the two of us.

"Doctor," I began with a chuckle. "Meet future me."

Future me just stared, a hint of sorrow and longing showing in her eyes.

"Oh…not a parallel world…oh…hi!" he started off quietly but ended with his usual enthusiasm.

She smiled at him, but the sadness still showed in her eyes. "Hi…Doctor."

I noted how her voice was slightly off on that word.

The Doctor looked down at me with a frown, noticing himself. "Why does she seem so sad to see me? Do I do something to hurt you in the future?"

"No!" I gasped quickly. "Nothing like that. It's just…the regeneration was a sad event.

"Oh." He said again, looking somewhat sadly at the other me. "I'm sorry."

Her smile became more genuine. "No need to be sorry. Don't worry, we'll have a talk about it when it happens, before and after. It was just a bit of a shock when I saw you."

He nodded understandingly. "But you're happy with the next me?"

"Yeah, of course, otherwise I wouldn't be here."

I nodded. "Trust me…us…you know what I mean!"

He laughed.

The other me tapped me on the shoulder. "Can I have a moment with him?"

"Of course."

I told the Doctor and they walked off. I continued my browsing, wondering if I would remember this meeting as how I am now, or would I experience it again once I was older?

"Ah, there you are, Talia!" a voice which I recognised called. I turned around with a shock, to see the eleventh Doctor striding towards me. "TARDIS's fixed herself up. We're out of here, before the paradox, whatever's causing it, grows."

Without another word, he grabbed my hand and began pulling me towards where his TARDIS was parked.

"But…Doctor…!" I tried to explain, but he cut me off.

"Yes, I know, 'how has the TARDIS fixed up so quickly', 'we never found out what caused the paradox'. It doesn't matter, I just want to get out before it gets bigger. I'll explain in a moment."

"No, that's not what I…"

"Shh!"

I forgot how pushy he could be and hoped he wasn't like this to me too often. I huffed, but let him drag me into the TARDIS without a fuss. That is…until we started taking off.

"Doctor! Just wait a second!" I shouted, but he seemed completely deaf to me, firing up the engines. I started to panic when I realised we were now moving through the time vortex. "Doctor!"

Finally he looked up. "Alright, what is it?" he sounded annoyed.

"I'm. Not. Your. Talia!" I hissed.

He stared blankly for a few seconds. "What?"

"The paradox was because the old you and me landed there as well. I met the future me, who wanted to go and have a moment with the old Doctor. Then you showed up and thought I was her." I said very slowly as though explaining to a child, which the eleventh Doctor often reminded me of.

He blinked. "Damn."

"Mmm-hmm!" I gasped. "Now can you please take me back. Exact time and place, if possible!"

He blinked again. "Er…yes, yes of course. So sorry for the mix-up." He instantly set the coordinates. "So, you knew who I was even then, huh?"

"Yep."

"Why did you never hint?"

I winked. "Spoilers!"

"Oh! You know about River, too!" he gasped.

"Yep."

He rolled his eyes.

All of a sudden, I started feeling light-headed and slightly shaky. I shook my head, thinking it was just vertigo – although I had never before experienced it in the TARDIS. It only made it worse. The Doctor looked at me, noticing.

"Talia, are you alright? You've gone very pale." His concern produced a brief spark of gratitude.

"No." I mumbled as my shaking knees began threatening to give out. "I just started feeling…really weird."

He came over and kept me steady by putting his hands on my shoulders. My head felt so heavy that I couldn't seem to lift it higher than his bowtie. "Can you see me?"

"Barely." I breathed. What I could see of him was extremely blurred. My mind seemed to be spinning.

"Listen to me." His voice was urgent. "I know it's difficult, but you must think. Have you done anything today, consumed anything or touched anything that could have led to this?"

I forced myself to go back over the day. I was sure no poisonous plant or bug had gotten to me in the forest, as the Doctor had kept up a constant stream of information about every living thing we passed.

"I did eat some fruit in the market. I don't remember the names of a lot of them, though." I confessed. It became a much harder struggle to stay conscious.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of you."

Those words, heard to me in a different voice, were the last thing I registered before everything dissolved in a tumbling whirlwind of colour.

A/N: I'm surprised how long you all put up with me with the amount of cliffhangers I give you XD.