There was nothing worse than being stuck just outside the action, having to work from second hand information. From people describing the touch, trying to work out what they were seeing without the ability to look at it himself. He hadn't realised just how much Danielle's eyesight had needed correcting with her glasses.
He hated being stuck in the TARDIS. Normally his time machine was a help, but with her in such a terrible state all she had become a prison. An infinitely sized prison, granted, but still a prison.
Not only that, but his wife was just outside that prison. He could talk to her, he could see what she saw. But he couldn't touch her, he couldn't save her. She was saving him this time around. And she was doing a great job, but then again he'd never doubted her. His job now was no more than a data analyser. He took whatever she and Clara gave him and tried to work out exactly what was drawing the dimensions from the TARDIS and stealing people from the estate.
Clara.
Clara was really started to take liberties. He watched her hold his wife's hand, take her kisses happily and check her over when she was hurt. He had to stand at the TARDIS console and do nothing to stop her trying to show off, to entice his Danielle. She'd never fall for it, after all she loved him dearly, but watching Clara trying to pretend to be him and using it to get closer to his wife was incredibly frustrating.
He'd seethed as she'd cupped Danni's face, checking her over for a cut that was barely there and one that he should have been frantic over. He fumed because she hadn't protected his wife better, that she had been more bothered about her boyfriend than her friend. Most of all, he was angry at how she was able to touch his wife, and yet he was stuck in the TARDIS as they ran from the threat.
Without anything physical to do, he had to step up his game. Now he knew that they were dealing with something beyond their universe, which meant he had to shove all of his normal thinking right out of the window. Well, if he had a window. He did technically have a little door he could shove them through, but the sentiment really wasn't the same.
So, frantically musing out loud it was. At least Danielle did like to hear him work. She did love him being 'all smart'.
"This explains everything," he told them both, spinning on the spot in his excitement. This was something new. This was what travelling was all about. "They're from a universe with only two dimensions. And, yes, that is a thing. It's long been theorised, of course, but no one could go there and prove its existence without a heck of a diet."
"That's all well and good," Danielle replied. "But what do we do now? They just ate that couch up. We can't stop that, can we?"
"I'm working on that," he said dismissively. "Give me time, my Pet. This is all new even to me. Isn't it exciting?"
"The police woman died," Clara pointed out.
"But yes," Danielle said. "Apart from the death, and the fact you're stuck in the TARDIS. Well… maybe exciting isn't the best word… Should we head back to the source?"
From the monitors linked to their optic nerves, he could see they were already walking down the street, most likely in the right direction for the estate. "Yes, that would be best," he replied, moving away from the monitors and another part of the console, already calibrating exactly what he needed. "Now I know I'm not looking for something of this universe, I can increase the sonic's scan, look for parameters..."
"Sorry, what... that sweetie?" Danielle asked. "You… breaking up..."
He frowned, jogging slightly as he headed back to the monitors. The images were flickering, black and white static replacing the views he should be seeing.
"Oh, right, blowing out that window's possibly affected the earpieces," he explained. "Take them out and sonic them."
The screens went dark for a moment as the pair did what he asked, then they flickered back to life again. Clara's had a view of Danielle, who was moving shuffling the TARDIS around so she could hold it with both hands, which was mainly what he could see on hers. Then she looked up at Clara, whose minute facial expression said she was surprised to be caught looking at her. He glared at the screen; he'd told her about eyeballing his wife.
"Is that better, sweetie?" Danielle asked him. The screen didn't flicker, and her voice came in loud and clear.
"I would say so," he replied and on Clara's screen she smiled happily, relieved that they weren't cut off permanently. He had to admit that he agreed. Not being there to ensure her safety was the worst thing about being trapped in the TARDIS. At least the one good thing about Clara's silly little crush was that she would also do everything in her power to ensure the same.
Clara and the local started walking, but it became obvious pretty quickly that Danielle was falling behind, her eyes low and on both the ground and the TARDIS, like she didn't want it out of her sight.
"What's wrong, my Pet?" he asked. Her gaze quickly rose. He'd caught her out. Clara briefly looked back, but he didn't check her monitor to see what look Danielle sent her way to make her continue on without a word.
"It's just..." she started, trailing off for a moment. "Well, this is all new, and if it wasn't for all the death it really would be exciting and all that. But, it is new. What if we can't work out how to stop them? What if it's irreversible? What… What if you're stuck in there?"
Her voice hid none of her concern, and the way the TARDIS moved in her arms suggested that she was hugging it tightly. It was definitely a thought that had crossed his mind amongst the other hundred thousand he'd been trying to process. He didn't want to entertain the possibility, but it definitely was one.
"The TARDIS would eventually restore the dimensions she's lost," he explained, which was a guess on his part to be perfectly honest but he made sure to sound like it was an obvious answer. "You and Clara would just have to train in back to London instead."
"Really?" Danielle asked, sounding unsure and he shrugged to himself.
"Of course. Once the dimensions are being left alone, she won't have her efforts drawn away. It'll take a bit of time, but she'll repair herself. She always does."
"You're right," she replied. "I know you are. I would just rather be trapped in there with you than out here without you, that's all."
"Let me assure you, the feeling is entirely mutual," he promised. That also may not have been exactly true. Without the TARDIS she may have been stuck on Earth again, but if something was to go wrong then she would at least survive. However, he would always prefer her by his side.
She fell silent, but her walking didn't speed up and her gaze didn't raise from the floor. She still wasn't reassured that everything would be okay, and he hated that.
He glanced at the tiny doorway in the middle of the wall, shaking his head at himself. This was ridiculous, but at least it would work. And if she also felt better by it, then at least it wasn't purely for himself.
He walked over, knocking on the tiny door with his finger before opening it. Danielle had stopped and he could just about see her looking down at the box. He stuck his hand out, just to the wrist, blocking his view completely. But, a moment later her fingers linked with his and he heard her giggle.
"You sentimental old fool," she said softly and he gave her a squeeze. "Thank you."
"Do you have faith in me, my Pet?" he asked.
"You know I do," she replied like he should have known better. He just liked to hear her say it. "Always."
"Then I will sort this out," he promised. "You know I don't like you out of my sight for long."
She giggled. He had to wonder what a sight she was; walking down the street, happy smile on her face, holding a hand that was coming out of a small box. "All you have to do is tell Clara to look at me and you'll see me," she pointed out. "You're the one out of my sight."
"Seeing you through someone else's eyes just doesn't cut it, my Pet," he told her. "I like to watch you work in person."
"What? With my smart glasses?" she teased in reply.
"Hey!" Rigsy shouted from further ahead and the Doctor frowned to himself. "They can't do that. Hey! What you doing?"
~0~0~0~
Clara couldn't hear Danni, but she could hear the Doctor. She tried not to listen in, but it was hard when she had a direct line to his end of the conversation. It was sweet that he was trying to reassure her, but Clara knew him better than that. Danni might take his words as a promise to fix it, but she only heard him trying to give her hope that he could do it. At this point of time, though, it was false hope. If it was really from another universe, how were they supposed to kill it?
It didn't seem fair to lie to her like that. But, if it kept her running if and when they needed to, Clara could understand him doing it. And, hopefully, he would be able to pull through on the promise and she'll get to her date on time.
She and Rigsy stayed a little ahead of them, though, as if giving them privacy. Pretending that she couldn't hear him in his ear.
"Hey!" She snapped out of her thoughts as Rigsy stormed forward, into the tunnel with the murals of the missing people in it. "They can't do that. Hey! What you doing?"
She sped up in her steps, seeing the sight that had caused him such outrage. His community service group were in the tunnel, getting ready to paint over the images of the missing people.
"Our job," snapped the man he'd approached. He must have been the leader. She could see it, he seemed a bit of an arse. "You're on report, by the way. Late back from lunch."
She could understand the large reaction, though. His aunt had gone missing after all, and this was there to remind people that she had existed in the first place. She'd be furious if someone tried to paint over something that reminded her of her mother.
Danni appeared at her side and Clara tried not to scowl at the way her fingers seemed to be interlinked with the Doctor's through the TARDIS door. She was supposed to be her wife. How was being undercover going to work if they kept insisting on breaking it?
"What's going on?" she asked Clara with a frown on her face.
"Oh, they're painting over the mural," Clara replied and Danni turned back, looking at the walls with the frown not moving.
"The mural," she stated slowly before her eyes widened. "Oh my god!"
"Danielle? Talk to me!" the Doctor demanded.
"It's the murals. They're the people. Like PC Forrest," Danni quickly exclaimed.
"The missing people! They're in the walls!" the Doctor confirmed frantically. He quickly dropped Danni's hand, dashing back into the TARDIS, slamming the door shut behind him. Danni went back to hugging the box with two arms instead of one.
"What do we do?" Clara asked, firmly and calmly. They could panic but it wouldn't do them any good.
"Act normal, but get everyone out," the Doctor told them both.
Clara nodded to herself, leaving Danni at the entrance to the tunnel as she walked over hands in her pockets, pretending to be casual. "They're very realistic," she stated to the group. "Who painted them?"
Rigsy, who was still a little riled up, turned to her. "I don't know. A local artist," he offered, hoping that she was going to back him up. "Probably a grieving relative."
"Did you ever meet them?" she asked him, turning her back on the rest and meeting his gaze, making sure he knew how serious this was by giving him a pointed look. "Or did they just appear after people disappeared?"
"And who are you when you're at home, love?" the man in charge asked as Rigsy seemed to understand exactly what she was suggesting.
Clara reached into her bag without looking, brandishing the psychic paper to the man. "Health and safety!" she declared, with full confidence that the paper would reflect this for her. "This subway is unsafe. Everyone needs to leave right now."
The man took the wallet off her, then promply shut it and shoved it towards her. "This is blank," he replied, annoyed. "Try again, sweetheart."
"What?" Clara, Danni and the Doctor all exclaimed at the same time.
"That's impressive," Danni continued. The man didn't look particularly talented in that area, but she knew it was possible for people to beat the psychic paper.
"It takes quite a lack of imagination to beat psychic paper," the Doctor corrected.
"Stan. Do your job," the man commanded. A man stepped forward, towards the mural, paintbrush in hand. Danni shot forward.
"No, don't!" she screamed but it was too late. The moment the paintbrush touched the area he was sucked into the wall. The moment his image appeared, the rest started to turn, the paintings blurring as they moved.
"What is this?" one of the men cried. "What are they?"
"They're wearing the dead like camouflage," the Doctor told the pair.
"Forget Stan. Your friend's gone," Clara told them all.
"Danielle, get out of there!" the Doctor exclaimed and Clara definitely agreed with him. They had already started backing out slowly, so at least everyone's self preservation was in tack.
"We need to move," she said firmly. "Now."
None of the men were complaining and they turned and ran out of the tunnel. Danni didn't, but of course she didn't. She was watching the way the paintings seemed to melt off the wall, falling to the floor in a river of black water. She wanted to try and work it out, Clara could see the cogs moving in her brain, wondering if maybe they could build a barrier, or even if there was a way to bring them back to life. But they didn't have time for that.
She reached out, forcing Danni to let go of the TARDIS with one hand that Clara then held onto tightly. "Danni-Girl, run!" she commanded, practically dragging her out of the tunnel. It took a moment, but she felt Danni start to run and soon they were side by side.
"We need somewhere strong," the blonde told her. "Somewhere we can haul up in while we work out what the hell to do next."
"Preferably somewhere with a large, open space," the Doctor agreed. "Somewhere you can all stay far away from the walls."
Luckily the men had all seemed to have a similar idea, as they were all heading towards the railway station where the TARDIS had first landed. A large open field did seem like a good idea, but it also offered no safety. Clara's eyes scanned the area and spotted a large corrugated iron shed.
"In there!" she called to them, and they all dove into the large shed. The men ran deep into it, past all the train carriages. Clara didn't let go of Danni, but pulled out the sonic to scan the area. If anything was wrong, the Doctor would tell them about it.
"Are we really hiding from killer graffiti? This is insane," one man said.
"I agree," the Doctor replied in their ears. "We'll have to think of a better name for them than that."
"I'm not too sure the name is that important," Danni hissed frantically in reply. "Their friend just was sucked into a wall and we might be next. What do we do?"
"This is a vital stage," the Doctor explained quickly. "This little group is currently confused and disorientated but pretty soon a leader is going to emerge."
Before the Doctor could tell them that he wanted it to be Danni, before Danni even had a chance to agree with his words, Clara was striding forward, head held high. She was the Doctor now, she could totally do this. She was the boss, after all.
"I'm on it," she declared, leaving Danni to watch her in surprise. "George. George, isn't it? Can you watch that area? If you hear anything, anything moves, you shout, okay?"
As she walked towards the group, the leader stormed towards her angrily. "He will do no such thing until I get some answers," he told her but she continued to walk past like it wasn't fazing her at all. "Who are you? That's what I want to know. Impersonating a government official. Trespassing on council property."
She rolled her eyes in exasperation, suddenly understanding why the Doctor had no patience for people any more. Instead of being worried about being eaten by the walls, this man was petty enough to be angry about her breaking council rules. She turned. "Seriously?"
"Seriously!" he retorted. She stared for a moment at him, wanting to shake him for being such a bloody idiot, but that wasn't going to work. She needed to keep a level head, be in charge, keep everyone safe. If they didn't follow her, she had no chance of saving any of them, including Danni.
"Fine, I'll tell you who I am," she told him before leaning in closer. "I am the one chance you've got of staying alive," she hissed. "That's who I am."
Then she turned away from the group, leaving them to ponder on her words as she scouted an exit route. She confirmed that the doorway at the back of the room led somewhere they could navigate, then made her way back over to Danni.
The blonde had been watching her little performance with furrowed brows, and Clara couldn't help the little voice wondering if she had been impressed. Even from right at the start, after their first trip to Akhaten, all she had wanted to do was impress Danni. The woman hadn't seemed to like her then, and no one could dislike her. She had never been able to handle knowing that not everyone liked her even at her insistence otherwise. Now, though, it was more. If Danni was impressed with her act, then maybe she was just doing everything right.
The Doctor always took time to reassure her, even when the situation was dire. So she smiled at Danni, who tried to smile back but it didn't light up her face like it normally did. She was probably scared. Clara could sympathise. She reached out, cupping her cheek, keeping her smile big.
"Hey, we're going to be fine," she promised. "We'll get out of this."
Danni nodded. "Oh, oh, I know," she replied. "I'm just worried about… well, you know." She lifted the TARDIS slightly to illustrate her point and Clara let her hand slide down to her shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
"I know, but everything is going to be okay. Have faith in me, Danni-Girl. I'll get us away from here, you'll see."
Danni didn't reply, but the Doctor did. "Welcome to my world," he drawled. "So what's next, Doctor Clara?"
"Lie to them," she replied simply.
"What?"
"Lie to them," she repeated. "Give them false hope. Tell them they're all going to be fine. That's what you do with Danni all the time. Give her false hope when you don't know if you're going to be able to save her."
Danni continued to look at her with furrowed brows, confused by her words. Clara felt bad about bringing it to her attention, but that was what she needed to do next. Convince them she had everything under control so they didn't question her.
"In a manner of speaking," the Doctor admitted, validating her thought process. "It's true that people with hope tend to run faster, whereas people who think they're doomed..."
"Dawdle. End up dead. You always lie to her to keep her running," Clara retorted. She took a deep breath. She needed to get on with it.
"Is that what you just did?" Danni asked her before she walked off. "Give me false hope?"
Clara shook her head. "No, no, of course not," she replied reassuringly. "I'd never lie to you about to something like that. But you won't get worked up if I tell you that I'm not sure how yet. You understand, they don't. It's only false hope when you have no faith to back it up."
Danni nodded slowly. "Fair enough," she said. "Could you just..." she motioned to her ear. "Remove that from your ear for a minute? I need to have a talk with my husband."
Clara felt a little bad about getting him into trouble, but there was a tiny part of her that made her feel rather pleased as well. "Of course. I'll be over there," she motioned to the men. "Give me a shout."
Clara popped the earpiece out and walked off, leaving them for their moment. That was a mistake. The Doctor never gave people time for 'moments' when they had a gun to their head. She didn't really think about it until she was already away from the pair, but she knew Danni would be happier with the moment so she let them be.
"So that's what I sound like," the Doctor drawled and Danni shook her head to herself.
"No it's not," she said lowly. "I never thought I'd have to have the talk with Clara."
"The talk?"
"About how people seem to misunderstand my husband," she explained. "I thought she understood. She did use to understand. Something's changed."
The Doctor knew exactly what. Clara was starting to see Danni as more than the friend she had claimed she was. The feelings were starting to rise to the surface and she was trying to wedge a gap between the married couple. Luckily the last year had shown them both that no one would ever succeed with that, but he could spot the effort a mile away. He could only sit back and hope that she would realise her behaviour soon enough and they could get back on track.
"Being me is a lot of pressure," the Doctor explained. "Not everyone can be as smart and as talented..."
Danni shook her head, a smirk pulling at the corner of her lips. "You're an idiot," she retorted. "Love you."
"Love you too, my Pet."
"Do you have a plan?"
"Yes. Well, kind of," he replied. "And I think it's time to act on it."
She nodded. "Clara!" she called over and the teacher looked over. She motioned to her ear to let her know it was safe to rejoin the conversation. Clara popped the earpiece back in and walked over.
"Right, here's something that might help you," the Doctor said to them both, getting back to business. "Do you remember the graffiti from the estate?"
~0~0~0~
It was a shame that the two dimensional creatures hadn't wanted to talk in the way the Doctor had hoped they had. He'd really hoped that they weren't there to harm the people of Earth, and he really tried to hold onto that as the remaining group ran down into the depths of the tunnels and as far away from the threat as they could.
Well, actually, was it really possible to run away from them? They had no way of knowing where these creatures were, or how far spread their reach was. Perhaps they had cornered themselves deep underground, but it was the only option they'd had.
And, once again, he was stuck inside the TARDIS as his wife and his friend ran for dear life with what remained of the motley crew. Well, maybe not his friend. Apparently Clara saw him as something a lot darker than he had thought she had, something he had hoped he'd proven himself not to be. Not only that, but she was using the opportunity to try and win Danielle to her side again. Seemingly exposing how he was 'lying' to her.
Instead of dwelling on how he really needed to evaluate Clara's motives for being on the TARDIS, he set to work. Having seen the creatures in action and being able to get some readings off them, he sat down at his workbench and knocked up something that actually might be useful.
"Doctor, we've got nowhere to go," Danni told him. "The exits are all blocked. They've flattened the handles to all the doors."
"Rigsy, where's the next exit?" Clara asked.
"The only other one I can think of is where the old line joins the new, but it's a fair walk. Getting through that door would be quicker," the young man explained.
"But we can't, can we?" the Doctor heard the foreman snap. He rolled his eyes as he continued to put his makeshift gadget together; some people just were made to suck the hope out of every situation.
"I might be able to help with that door," he said out loud to the pair, overestimating himself just in case. "Give me five minutes."
"Should we wait here?" Danni asked him.
"No, we should keep moving," Clara answered before he could even suggest just keeping an eye on the area. He wouldn't be much longer with the device – which he really needed a name for – so leaving their best exit wasn't the best idea. "We can always loop back if and when..."
"When," he murmured to himself, slightly annoyed at yet another jab. Something really must have changed since the last time they'd seen her because she always showed off to Danielle, but this was something new.
"The Doctor finishes his thing. We don't want to get caught out by standing still." It was as if the more danger they seemed to be in, the more she needed Danielle to know she was in charge. He remembered a time when he could tell her to wait for him and she actually would stay where she was and wait. He'd not had any other companion who was like that, even Danielle liked to run into danger head on at times. Whatever happened to that Clara?
Oh, yeah, she jumped into his timeline. That probably hadn't helped.
Perhaps Danielle may have a point about his behaviour regarding her safety. Clara was obviously anxious to keep her out of immediate danger, so much so she was actually not thinking about the bigger picture and getting them all safe indefinitely.
He quickened his pace. He could work on that later too.
"What is it you're working on?" Danielle asked him.
"I think I've figured out a way to restore three dimensions," he explained, pushing the casing onto the device. He hadn't needed five minutes. He'd barely needed one. He smirked to himself. He was so clever. "At least on a small scale, say door handles."
"So, what's that, then? A de-flattener?" Clara asked, sounding less than impressed. He couldn't blame her. That was a terrible name.
He smirked to himself, pulling a little piece of masking tape off the roll and quickly scribbling on it. "We're not calling it a de-flattener," he replied firmly before heading for the doors. He held the device out of the tiny opening and Clara's hand snatched it off him.
"This should be able to restore dimensions," he explained. "You see what I've called it?"
Outside the TARDIS, Clara tilted the device to show it to Danni, who immediately giggled to herself. "Oh, that's so clever," she praised. "I like it."
"Two D is. Two Dee Iz?" Clara read off with a frown. She didn't get it.
"No, no," Danni corrected. "It's two and dis. You know, Twodis? Like TARDIS? It's a play on words. It's cute."
Clara cocked an eyebrow, baffled at why Danni thought it was such a good name. "You two are made for each other," she commented.
Danni nodded. "I know," she replied happily, like having puns in common was a good thing. "How do we use it?"
"Just point it at the handle and press the button," he replied as Clara strode over to the door. "Go on, then, give it a try."
She pointed the large sphere at the top of the Twodis at the door, pressing the button. A green light lit up on the end, illuminating the flattened handle. It shook, it made a whirring noise, then it started heavily smoking. Then, with a crack and sizzle, it turned off. The handle was still flat and she deflated slightly. Nothing was ever easy, was it?
"Long way round it is," she muttered.
Danni frowned as a quiet alarm came from her earpiece. "Doctor..."
"Danielle, Clara," he replied before she'd had a chance to ask. "I don't know how, but they're doing it again. They're leeching the TARDIS!"
"How? Your doors are closed," Clara asked.
"They've changed frequency. This time it's different."
"What do we do?" Danni asked, lifting the TARDIS up to her face. "How do we stop them?"
"You don't," he replied. "Not yet. We don't know how to. Here, pass me the Twodis."
Danni snatched it from Clara, surprising the other woman slightly, before opening the doors and pushing it through. "So more running?"
"More running," the Doctor confirmed. "Keep moving. I'm going to fix this."
"Are you safe, though?" Danni asked him as Clara headed back to the little group. "Theta, are you safe?"
There was a pause. "As long as you keep moving, I will be," he replied, which didn't reassure her in any way. But she tightened her hold on the TARDIS and jogged to Clara's side. She could keep him safe while they ran.
She didn't like how helpless she was. For some reason being outside of the TARDIS didn't seem like much of a benefit to her now. Inside she could have been more helpful. He could have directed her to help much easier, she could have done research. This was completely new and completely dangerous and nothing she had learnt over the last few hundred years could really help except 'get away as far and as fast as you can'.
"I don't know," Clara was saying to the last three men from the group. "He's not sure. He's getting readings all around." She pulled out the sonic screwdriver, trying to find a setting that might actually help them locate where the creatures were coming from. They needed to run, that was obvious, but they couldn't just run straight into the open mouths of the things that wanted to eat them.
"Oh, that's just great," Fenton, the leader, snapped. "Sounds important but means absolutely nothing. Can you tell your friend..."
Before he could finish a giant, 3D, hand reached out from the way they had been heading. It picked up another of the men – Al – and took him off down the tunnel. His screams echoed until he was no longer there to scream, and they all just stared after him in horror.
"Of course. The next stage," the Doctor whispered. "3D."
Danni tapped Clara on the arm repeatedly as the ground began to move, lumps appearing all over as the creatures followed through with their next stage. People began emerging from the dirt, their images flickering as they struggled to replicate the people they had stolen.
"Run. Run now!" she exclaimed and the group turned and ran away from the creatures. A quick look over her shoulder showed Danni that the creatures weren't going to sit by as their prey got away. They were being followed by a group of barely-together zombies. If she hadn't been in the middle of it, it would have been ridiculous.
~0~0~0~
"Doctor? The door. The handle's flattened!"
The Doctor looked up from his place, back at his workbench, then quickly finished off his alterations to his brilliantly named device. At least Danielle had appreciated his play on words. Hopefully, though, this time it would stand up to its fabulous name.
He popped the case back on then headed to the door, handing it back out to Clara. "I've boosted the output!"
She took it off him. "And it will work this time?"
He closed the door, hoping that he sounded more sure than he felt. "Absolutely."
He rushed to the console to see both women watch the handle pop back out into existence. The now-not-so fluorescent pudding brain opened the door and the group rushed inside, ready to run away.
"Clara, stop!" he shouted before they got far, an idea springing to mind that might actually buy them some time when they really needed it. "Use it again. It can reverse the process." She did just that, but then didn't move once it was flattened like she should have. What was she doing?
"Clara, we need to move!" he heard Danielle shout.
"Wait," Clara replied and he watched as the handle popped back out once again. She wanted to see if the creatures could reverse their reversal. That was very clever, actually. He should have thought of that.
"They have a new ability. Of course they have. Now they're 3D, they can restore dimensions," he commented, letting her know that she was right but in such a way Danielle would think he'd already worked that out.
He rushed back over to the blackboard where he'd been jotting down his own thoughts and equations. He'd been trying to work out what to do next, but there was nothing he could do from such a confined, powerless space. Even his workings seemed to just be scrawls of numbers and letters. If only he had more power. The Time Lords were masters with dimensions. The TARDIS was just proof of that. If he could just power her up, then none of this would be an issue at all.
In front of his eyes all his calculations seemed to come together and he rushed back to the console, checking just what he had at his disposal. It wasn't enough, but now now he knew how to get more. Each time the creatures changed dimensions, either for themselves of the environment around them, there was a large spike in energy all around them. If he could just gather that energy, pump it into the TARDIS...
"Clara, do you want the good news or the bad news?" he called to his friend and current counterpart on the outside.
"We're in the bad news! We're living the bad news!" she shouted back. He ignored her.
"The good news is I've come up with a theoretical way to send them back to their own dimension," he told them both.
"Get on with it, then!" Danni cried, sounding more out of breath than he would have liked. "There's only so much tunnel we can run down!"
"And that's the bad news," he broke to her gently. Clara had stopped in a small opening on the side of the tunnel. She was looking between Danni and where they had come. Hopefully he could see her in the flesh soon now that he had a plan. "The TARDIS doesn't have enough dimensional energy to pull it off."
"What do you want me to do about it?" Clara snapped.
"Apparently these things can pump it out as fast as they can steal it," he explained, giving them both a moment to see if they could see where his train of thought was going.
~0~0~0~
They pulled over into a well where a ladder led down to the new tracks down below. Clara placed her hands on her hips, trying to catch her breath as she looked down the tunnel. The creatures were mobile, but they didn't seem too fast.
"Maybe if I ask them really nicely, they'll fill you up again," she snapped back.
"There must be a way we can..." Danni started as Fenton reached forward. Surprised, she stepped backwards as he tried to snatch the TARDIS from her arms.
"Give me that machine! Hand it over!"
"Hey!" Danni shouted, pulling it back. The two fought for a moment, and Danni watched as, in slow motion, the TARDIS fell from her arms and down the hole where the ladders led.
"Theta!" she screamed, leaning over the edge, watching the TARDIS be eaten up by the darkness underneath. Her hearts froze as she heard the alarms blaring in her ear. She'd dropped him. The TARDIS was compromised, the shielding might not have held up. Something was attacking their home and she'd dropped it down into the dark abyss. "Theta! Answer me!"
She pushed up onto the railings, trying to climb over. Clara grabbed her arm before she could go over the edge. "What the hell are you doing?!" she demanded.
"I'm going after my husband," Danni snapped. "Let me go, Clara. He's down there and he could be hurt and I'm not leaving him!"
Clara stared at her as the sound of static echoed down the dark, damp tunnel. The creatures were closing in, but at least they knew where they were. Danni going down could be suicide. At least the Doctor was in the TARDIS.
"No," she declared firmly. "I'm not letting you."
She pulled Danni back and the blonde yelped as she fell to the floor, skidding on the few stones and concrete. She glared up at Clara, angry beyond belief.
"You're not letting me?!" she exclaimed and Clara nodded.
"The Doctor will be fine," she dismissed. "We, on the other hand are not, and I'm not letting you be stupid and get flattened because you can't control yourself!" She pointed down the tunnel. "Now do as you are told and run!"
Danni looked ready to hit her, but Clara didn't back down and for a too long a moment the pair stared each other down. Suddenly Clara realised just why they fought so much over this; the Doctor would only ever try and save her, and no matter what she would always try and chuck herself in the path of danger. But not under her watch.
Danni's eyes filled with tears and Clara almost relented because she looked so heartbroken. But then she nodded. "Fine," she snapped.
Still, Clara didn't want to take any chances, so she took a tight hold on Danni's hand and they all continued running away from the creatures.
"Theta, Theta, please answer me," Danni panted as they ran, glancing over her shoulder back. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, please answer me."
"Danielle, I'm alright," he replied and her pace sped up.
"Where are you?" she asked. "I-I couldn't see you, it was too dark."
"I don't know," he said and she whimpered as she cried. "My shields have gone. Structural integrity is failing. Another blow like that and I've had it."
"I'm going to come back for you," she promised him. "The moment I can get down I will."
"Um," he replied and she skidded to a stop, pulling Clara with her.
"Um? What's um?" she demanded.
"I'm on the train lines," he said lowly and her hearts skipped painfully. "And there's a train coming. Of course there is."
"Then get off the train line!" she screamed. She glanced back down the tunnel where the shadows of the creatures following them flickered on the walls, the emergency lighting giving everything such a creepy feel.
"Short-term re-materialisation? Not enough power," he listed off. "Teleport? Not enough power. Re-route the heart of the TARDIS through – not enough power! Not enough power!"
Danni shook her head. "No, there has to be a way," she whimpered. She needed to get back down to the track to save him, to save her husband and her home. She'd allowed Clara to pull her away when everything had screamed that she should have been by his side.
She tried to run back but Clara kept a firm grip, stumbling forward as she pulled her to a stop. "What the hell are you doing now?" she demanded.
Danni spun, eyes wide and full of tears. "I'm going back," she snapped. "Let go of my hand." Clara opened her mouth. "I've got to save him, Clara!"
"He can save himself," Clara retorted. "I'm not let..."
"You don't have a choice!" Danni screeched. "Neither of you get to decide what I do to save my husband. Now let me go!"
She yanked as hard as she could and Clara's grip faltered. She let her go and Danni, who hadn't actually been expecting to be let go, fell to the floor again with a large thud that took all the wind out of her. Clara stared down in surprise as the blonde coughed, curling up slightly as she tried to catch her breath.
It wasn't a lot, but it was enough time. Clara took a slow, deep breath, pushing down the panic and the anger that was threatening to overwhelm her. How could the Doctor let it get this bad that she was willing to risk herself for him? Didn't he know how precious she was?
Clara raised her hand to her ear. "Can't you move the TARDIS?" she asked.
"Clara, there is no power. The TARDIS couldn't boil an egg at the moment. Listen, do what you can to get Danni out of there..."
"No," she interrupted, looking over to see the lights of the train speeding towards where the TARDIS fell. "I mean you move the TARDIS. Like..." What was the best way to describe it? "Addams Family?"
There was no reply, just the sound of the TARDIS alarms going off. She quickly helped Danni up just as the sound of the Doctor grunting reached their ears and they both knew that he was trying. Danni held onto her best friend tightly as they both looked over the edge, the sound of the TARDIS in their ears being drowned out as the train zoomed past, blowing up dust and wind from the level below.
The train disappeared but all that Danni could hear was static. She didn't wait for him to tell her he was alright, she quickly swung over the edge and onto the ladder that led down below. Clara didn't stop her this time, instead she motioned to the two men to go down first before following.
"They'd be here if they were coming," Rigsy pointed out. "Where are they?"
Danni shrugged. "I don't know," she replied. "But I'm not waiting to find out."
Clara's biggest mistake was letting Danni go down first. She screamed after her as Danni took off down the tunnel, running as fast as she could as she headed down to the next set of ladders. "Danni! Come back!"
"Oh, no," Fenton breathed as he spotted just what Danni was running into. From the other end of the tunnel bright white light shone, and from the light stretched jerky shadows of the things coming towards them.
She honestly didn't care. All she was getting from the earpiece was static and she didn't have time to stop and fix it. She tried to remind herself that they'd been in worse situations than this, but it was hard to think of any when the TARDIS was in danger and unable to protect the most important thing in her life. If the train and hit the tiny blue box, was there even a chance that they'd both survive?
If the Doctor could tell her he was okay, he would have. She knew that and so his silence just made everything that much more terrifying. It didn't matter that her earpiece obviously wasn't working, it didn't ease her panic at all. She just wanted to know he was okay.
The ground started rumbling, the gravel that covered the floor shaking as another train began to approach them. She pushed herself harder, ran even faster, her eyes constantly looking out for the flash of blue she expected to see on the floor. If she could just see the TARDIS was alright then she could open the doors and check on her husband. She'd worry about them all being flattened then. Once she knew he was alright.
She stopped at the set of ladders where the TARDIS had fallen, holding onto the cold metal bars as she caught her breath. She couldn't see the TARDIS anywhere. Maybe she got hit further down the tunnel by the train? With the gravity off and the shielding down that was very much a possibility.
Her eyes scanned the area again, just in case she'd missed the brightest of blues when her eyes fell on a little silver box. She frowned, walking over to it because it definitely looked out of place on the train tracks.
She crouched down to pick it up and her tears welled up again. She didn't know a lot about Gallifrey, but she recognised Gallifreyan writing when she saw it. The little silver box, that could sit on her hand nicely, was the TARDIS with no cloaking. There was no doors, no way of getting in or out.
"No, Theta," she whimpered, turning the box over and over in her hands as if it would suddenly reveal the secret to getting her husband out. She sat on the floor, crying softly as the sound of the train seemed to die away. "Theta, answer me, please."
She sobbed, raising the box to her head and pressing it against her forehead. The metal was cold against her skin. If the TARDIS was this badly damaged that her disguise just had faded away and she'd shrunk so small Danni probably could have fit her in her pocket, then was there any hope at all?
Please, Theta, she begged in her head. He didn't reply, but she didn't actually know if he'd be able to reply to her anyway. She just hugged the box closer, all of her hope falling away as she cried.
The ground began rumbling again and she looked back to see the train barrelling towards her. She stood up, moving to the side of the tunnel, clutching the box to her chest and keeping a tighter hold than she ever had done before. She bent over it, curling up into a tight ball and keeping her back out towards the train. She wouldn't let either of them get hurt, not again.
She looked over her shoulder as two bodies fell out of the carriages, just in time for the train to be flattened. It turned into a painting on the wall of the tunnel, looking worn, like it had always been there. The creatures weren't even that close and their abilities were able to reach up the tunnel towards them. No wonder the TARDIS hadn't stood a chance.
She jumped as a hand fell on her other shoulder and her head snapped to the other side. Clara was stood over her, looking a bit windswept but no more worse for wear.
"Are you okay?" she asked and Danni shook her head. Clara took hold of her elbow and helped her off the ground. She frowned at the little silver box in her hand.
"Is that the TARDIS?" she asked, amazed. Danni glanced down at it, then nodded slowly.
She pulled the box closer, protecting it from both Clara and Rigsy. "Yeah, it is," she whispered.
"Can you..." Clara started. "Is the Doctor okay?"
"I don't know," she replied, just as quietly. "I can't hear him. There's just… nothing."
Clara swallowed, her own upset rising for a moment until she realised she didn't have time to mourn him. For a start, they didn't even know he was dead. Secondly, they really needed to start moving if the ever-increasing sound of static was anything to go by.
"We need to run," she told the pair. "Now."
~0~0~0~
The Doctor pulled his jacket closed, raising the collar before rubbing his hands together. The room was already plummeting in temperature. He couldn't turn up the heating, though. The console was all but dead, with only enough power to keep the lights on to make sure he was illuminated as he slowly froze to death.
"I don't know if you can still hear me out there," he called, hoping for some reply. There was none. "The TARDIS is not in Siege Mode. No way in, no way out."
He made his way to the monitor, willing for some sort of signal but there was nothing. He really was out of touch with everyone and everything. He didn't even know if they were alive out there. He didn't know if she was alive…
"I managed to turn it on just before the train hit," he continued because he didn't want to think about what could be happening. He needed to know that Danielle would be okay. He needed to believe in Clara's want to be just like him, because if it came through then she would do everything in her power to save his wife. "But there's not enough power left now to turn it off."
He continued around the console, arms wrapped around him. That dark, selfish, part of him that made him question if he was a good man just wished that his wife was in the dying box with him. They may have perished, but they would have perished together and he could have kept her warm until the last moments. Together or not at all had always been her mantra. Would this count? He would have said yes if their roles were reversed and she was trapped in the TARDIS. She'd want to be by his side. It was a solice he held onto as he tried to keep himself warm.
He headed over the small bridge to where the doors out should have been. Instead there was just a silver wall. Still, he pressed his forehead against it. "Danni," he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut. "Please, answer me."
He stayed still as long as the cold would allow him, then he started moving again. He needed to keep his body temperature up. If anyone could save him now, it was his Danielle and Clara.
~0~0~0~
The office looked like it hadn't been used for a long time, but it was the best place to stop and regroup so Clara directed them all in. It was dusty, but it was enough and she walked Danni over to a chair while the men explained to the train driver just exactly what was happening.
The way Danni let herself be moved without complaint was deeply worrying. It was like all the fight had just fallen out of her, and Clara couldn't blame her. If they couldn't find a way to bring the TARDIS and the Doctor back, that was her husband and her home in one swoop, just gone.
And, just like the last time, when she'd walked away from them both, Clara would be there for her. She'd welcome her into her home with open arms. She'd heal her as she broke apart, she'd be there to hold her while she cried. They'd mourn together. They'd move on together.
She crouched to the ground in front of Danni like she'd seen the Doctor do a hundred times before. "Hey," she whispered softly but encouragingly. "You'll be okay."
Danni's reply was to raise her gaze, silently meeting her eyes. They seemed so much duller than Clara was expecting, and she wasn't sure what she had been expecting but sadness. Whatever it was, the lack of belief Danni's face held actually cut her quite deeply and she placed a hand on her thigh, giving it a squeeze.
"We'll be okay," she promised again. "The Doctor may lie when he says that, but I'm not. I'll work this out. Just watch."
Danni watched her stand up, a thoughtful look on her face as she looked around the room. Clara really was trying, but her little mutterings as she wondered what the Doctor would do next were grating on her nerves. The Doctor wouldn't do anything next unless they could figure out a way to fix the TARDIS, and even then there was no guarantee that he would still be… That inside the TARDIS he wouldn't be…
She reached into her ear, pulling out the earpiece to sonic it again, putting every thought and feeling she could behind it. Think and point, that had always been the instructions for his screwdriver, so she thought and she thought and she popped the earpiece back in again.
"Theta, can you hear me?" she whispered, but there was no reply and Danni shook her head. That had been her last hope. Hoping beyond everything that fixing the earpiece would connect them again. It hadn't. He was still alone. The creatures had killed him.
Her blood burnt and she stood up, surprising Clara who had been pacing, trying to work out what to do next. She'd barely had any thoughts beyond making sure Danni was still safe, and the aftercare that was going to be needed if they couldn't fix everything.
"They killed my husband," Danni declared, storming over to Clara's side and slamming the silver box down on the table. She met Clara's gaze and the teacher was happy to see the passion raging in them again. "They won't get away with it," she told her friend with such conviction it kind of scared Clara. "They will burn for what they've done. We need to take them down."
"But how?" Clara replied. "All we know is that the TARDIS needed energy. The Doctor said if it gets energy, he can beet them."
"We don't know he's even alive," Danni snapped back. "We need to destroy them. We need to make sure they die."
"How?" Clara reiterated just as forcefully. "We tried to drive a train at them and they just flattened it into a drawing on the wall. Even if the… Even if he isn't alive anymore, if we can get the TARDIS up and running then we'll be able to use it to get rid of them."
Danni wanted to argue. She wanted to run out into the hallway, all guns blazing and just rip them down where they stood. However, even she wasn't stupid enough to think she stood a chance when a train hadn't. Clara was right. They needed whatever they could get on their side, and the TARDIS was the best weapon in the universe.
"Okay," she agreed and Clara relaxed slightly. For a moment she had genuinely thought that Danni was going to rush out into the hallway and she'd have to follow her again. Now she was being driven by her anger, she was actually a little less emotional. Who saw that coming?
The brunette looked around the room, searching for anything that could help. What did they know about the creatures? They could flatten things, and they could bring them back to their 3D form. It took energy, and the Doctor had wanted to use that energy to bring back the TARDIS.
But how to get it. What would the Doctor do?
What would Clara do?
She was spending so much time trying to be just like the Doctor that she was forgetting to be herself. Instead of trying to be one or the other, she should just try and be both. The best bits of the Doctor mixed in with the best bits of Clara Oswald. And what Clara did best was being the boss. She could boss anyone about. She could tell them to do something with such certainty that they would do as they were told she knew she'd never be in trouble. And right now, she'd tell the Doctor to get on with it and find the bloody answer.
A grin spread on her face and she turned. That's what she would do, and then what the Doctor would do slipped easily into place. She just needed… ah ha.
She picked up the large poster from a pile of discarded paper, rolling it out on the table in the middle of the room. She then turned it over, picking up the TARDIS smoothly with one hand and placed it on the paper to hold it in place. She then reached into Rigsy's backpack, pulling out the spray can she knew had to be in there.
"Clara?" Danni asked. "What have you got?"
Clara just shook the can up, it rattling as she grinned at her friend. What would be the… yes, that was it.
"Leave her," Fenton told them all. "She's lost it." He turned and walked to the door, however he paused when he realised that no one was following him.
"Are you okay?" Rigsy asked her and Clara nodded with a little laugh.
"Yeah, are you?"
"I think I will be," he replied.
"Clara," Danni tried again, leaning in front of her to catch her eye. That glint, she'd seen it in the Doctor's before. Eleven would get that look the moment he had an idea that could save them all, and it was rather strange to see it on Clara's face. Strange, but strangely comforting. "What is it?"
Clara chucked the paint can back at Rigsy. "Come on, Graffiti Boy, I've got a commission for you," she said temptingly and Danni's mind went into overdrive as she started to see Clara's plan.
"Oh, you are good," she breathed. That was so clever it might actually work.
"Trust me, Danni-Girl," she told the blonde, shooting her a grin she only ever reserved for flirting. "I'm the Doctor."
Rigsy looked down at the can in his hand, then shook his head. "I'm flattered but I don't think this is exactly the time..."
"Well, fine, if you don't think you're up to it," Clara retorted in challenge. It was a cheap tactic, one she'd used on her students time and time again but one that always worked. In the face of being told he couldn't do something, Rigsy chucked the can into the air, decided that he could and would, just to show her up.
"What do you need, exactly?" he asked, moving to her side and looking over the back of the poster, ready to plan it out.
"We need a door," she explained. "A door that isn't a door. It needs to look as realistic as you can make it, and it needs a handle in the middle that has been flattened."
"A door?" he repeated, confused.
"We need to channel the energy out of them. It needs to look like it has always been there. Do you think you can do it?"
She looked up at him expectantly and he nodded. "Just watch me."
As he quickly outlined his plan on the paper, Danni held her hand out to Clara. "Earpiece," she demanded and Clara quickly popped it out of her ear, handing it over. Danni soniced it in the same way she had done with her own before handing it back. "If he's in there, if he can talk to us, then I want him to be heard," she explained to her friend. Her hand only shook slightly. "I don't want him dying and no one there to hear."
"He won't die," Clara promised. "This will work."
~0~0~0~
Clara stuck the fake door up, and Danni placed the TARDIS on a ledge that was just behind it, at what she hoped was the right height. She placed a kiss on the box, closing her eyes. "You better be alive in there, Spaceman," she warned. "You don't get to leave me like this."
She really didn't want to leave the TARDIS behind, but if this was the best shot they had then she had to take it. She rushed back down the tunnel and up the ladders to the old tunnel above. Clara, Fenton, Rigsy and Bill the train driver we all sat waiting and she climbed in front of them all, looking over the edge anxiously. From down the tracks came an army of jittery, broken images of the dead that the creatures had stolen.
"You're going to get us killed," Fenton snapped, once again the voice of pessimism. "This plan's insane."
Clara had seriously had enough of him. "You want to walk? Walk. You want to stay? Then shush," she snapped at him. To his credit he fell silent.
Danni clung to Clara's hand, taking what comfort she could from her. "Please work," she whimpered. "Please."
~0~0~0~
The Doctor moved away from the console, still trying to keep moving even as the air seemed to get even thinner. Had he been human, he would have been dead by now. Yet again being a Time Lord just stretched out his suffering.
There was no power, the emergency lights were dimming. He'd tried to bring up a picture of his Danielle but there was nothing that could be done. Even the hallways had disappeared as the TARDIS tried to keep what little energy she had remaining on the main console room. He had to use both railings but he made his way up the stairs. She took so many damn pictures, there had to be one somewhere!
He didn't want to die without her by his side, not again. Walking away from her on Trenzalore when he'd thought it had been the end for him had been the single most painful thing he'd even endured and knowing it was happening again was killing him faster than the TARDIS was. He just wanted to see her face. He just wanted to know that she was alive.
He had to stop, though, as he made it to the top of the stairs, leaning against the railings. He panted, his own energy waning fast. He didn't have long. He was going to die in here.
"Life support failing," he called out although he knew no one was listening. "I don't know if you'll ever hear this." He squeezed his eyes shut, pressing his hand against his forehead. He didn't want to give up. He didn't want to end like this. "I don't even know if you're still alive out there. But Clara, you were good!" He took another deliberate breathe. "And you made a mighty fine Doctor."
He had to take another moment, but he had to get it out. If they ever fixed the TARDIS then she'd be able to find the recording and he needed to leave her something behind.
"And Danielle." He looked to the ceiling, wishing he was looking at her face. "My sweet Danielle." His whole body ached so badly. "You made me better. Your love made me an excellent Doctor." Again, he paused. He hated the idea of her on her own. Not just on her own, either, but stuck. No home, no TARDIS, no husband. "Please keep running, my Danni-Girl," he begged. "Run from the monsters."
He leant back against the rail, taking his last breath. He clenched his hand around the railing tightly, imagining he was holding her hand. His Danni-Girl, by his side. He didn't want to go like this.
He thought, for a moment, that he was imagining the sound of the TARDIS suddenly powering into life. But it was the feeling of being able to move, to breathe, to suddenly not dying that had his eyes shooting open. The lights were on and he spun around, dashing down to the console. Had they done it? Had they actually done it?
A couple of pressing of buttons on the console showed him that power was returning, and it was returning rapidly, almost too quickly for the TARDIS to handle. He quickly turned off Siege Mode and chucked the shields back up. They'd done it.
~0~0~0~
Danni's hand clenched on Clara's as the creatures stopped in front of the fake door, all turning in what felt like unison to face it. Arms outstretched, a visible trail of energy came from them all and his the flattened handle. They were falling for it. Their only experience of this universe had been flat things and 3D things. They couldn't tell the difference between what had been flattened and what was always flat.
Tears streamed down her face at the words that came in quietly through her earpiece, and she shook at the finality of what she was hearing. He wasn't dead, but he was dying. He was dying and she couldn't get to him. They were too late.
"Theta," she sobbed so quietly that Clara didn't even glance down. Her gaze was hard, watching the scene unfold in front of her with the certainty that it was going to work. She trusted her own instincts, and she trusted what she knew about the two Time Lords as well. The Doctor, when pushed, could be incredibly cruel and this twist would be exactly what he would bring down on the creatures that had hurt his wife.
"It's not working," Fenton pointed out angrily. "You've killed us all."
"This is going to save us?" the Train driver asked her. "Pumping energy into the wall?"
She shook her head without looking away. "No. Not into the wall, through the wall," she corrected. "Rule number one of being the Doctor; save your wife. Rule Two; use your enemy's power against them. I'm doing both. They can't restore three dimensions to a door that never existed."
Danni closed her eyes for a moment, Clara's words hitting her almost as hard as her husband's farewell, but it didn't last for long. The sound she had longed to hear, the sound that brought hope to everyone who heard it, echoed from down the tunnel and her hearts skipped a beat. The TARDIS was materialising, the TARDIS was coming.
And that meant so was her husband.
She watched from up high as the TARDIS landed with a thud in front of the creatures, a visible wave of energy sending the images back and keeping them away from the TARDIS and the ladder. A forcefield was in place to keep them away.
Around them, every speaker on the wall screeched into life and her whole being sang at the voice that came through them.
"I tried to talk," the Doctor told the creatures. "I want you to remember that. I tried to reach out, I tried to understand you, but I think that you understand us perfectly. And I think you just don't care."
Without a word, and without warning so anyone could stop her, Danni was off the floor. She pulled herself over the railings onto the ladder and headed down.
"And I don't know whether you are here to invade, infiltrate or just replace us. I don't suppose it really matters now. You are monsters. That is the role you seem determined to play. So it seems I must play mine."
Her feet landed on the floor as the TARDIS doors opened and the Doctor stepped out. His stance was strong and he stared down the creatures and Danni's breath caught at the sight. He was simply beautiful.
"The man that stops the monsters. I'm sending you back to your own dimension," he told them, his anger and his will to survive driving him on as the rest of the group joined his wife in the tunnel. "Who knows? Some of you may even survive the trip. And, if you do, remember this. You are not welcome here. This plane is protected. I am the Doctor."
He turned, making sure to keep Danni out his vision as he held his hand out to Clara. He didn't want to see her until this was over. Until he'd saved the day. Until he'd stopped the monsters. Luckily Clara knew exactly what he needed and she chucked his screwdriver at him. He caught it and swiftly turned back around.
"And I name you The Boneless!" He set off the sonic screwdriver, aiming it at the forcefield keeping the creatures at bay. Three pulses of the energy and they disintegrated, sapping all of their energy and sending them home.
He gave it a few moments, panting lightly at the effort of what he'd just gone through, before he slowly turned around, his eyes only for the woman who was waiting for him. She held her hand to her chest, her eyes were wide and she looked like she was barely breathing.
He remembered that look from long ago. Stood on top of a hospital when he'd just regenerated into his previous body, and he'd faced down the Atraxi, saving the world yet again just by being himself. She'd looked so different in every way except the look her face now held. Like she couldn't see anyone else but him. She had always liked a good monologue.
His lips twitched just slightly into a smile and Danni was running over to him before she'd realised she'd even moved. She chucked her arms around him, hugging him tightly as he gathered her up, squeezing her back just the same. She wanted to cry, she wanted to cheer. She wanted to jump up and down on the spot because he was alive and nothing felt better than that. Nothing in the universe could ever equate to knowing that he was safe and sound.
When he let her put her feet back on the ground, she pulled back just enough so she could see his face. The relief he felt was tangible, and hers echoed back just as loudly. He stroked his fingers down her cheek. "My Danni-Girl," he breathed and she nodded.
"My Doctor," she replied just as softly before they kissed.
Clara shook her head slightly, ignoring the twinge of jealousy she felt at the sight and allowing her happiness at the resolution fill her instead. She'd saved the day, she'd brought them all back from the brink of death and, yes, some people had died but most had not and that was all that mattered, right?
~0~0~0~
"You were an exceptional Doctor, Clara. Goodness had nothing to do with it."
Clara wasn't sure what he meant by those words, but he hadn't clarified further as he'd followed his wife into the TARDIS. She'd done well, she knew she had. She'd trapped the bad guys, she'd kept everyone she could alive, and most importantly her best friend was now holding her husband's hand instead of mourning his death. Everything was good.
Then why did she feel like she'd done something wrong? Like the Doctor was judging her on something that she wasn't entirely sure she'd done. Sure, she'd played up the 'wife' thing a bit much at the beginning, but that had died away when the danger had become worryingly real she had let that drop. All she had done from then on was make sure Danni was safe, wasn't that what he wanted?
"Here you go," the Doctor said from the console. "Right on time for your little lunch date."
She wanted to confront him for what was going on, but considering how close Danni and he were, she felt bad about interrupting that, even if normally she would have. They had thought the Doctor was going to die, after all. They all needed this to end on a win.
"Thank you," she replied. "I'm sure he hasn't missed me." She headed to the door before pausing, turning back around to look at the pair. "I'm glad that you're okay," she told him, making sure that she sounded as honest as she could. She really and truly meant it, but with the mood he seemed to be in she was worried he wouldn't believe her.
He nodded once, a little bow of his head. "Thank you. I'm glad you are too," he replied, also sounding sincere and it lifted her spirits immensely. She headed out the door and into the park outside. She wasn't too far from her and Danny's lunching bench, and hopefully they really were on time.
"Clara!"
She turned and saw Danni stepping out of the TARDIS, closing the door behind her. "Everything alright?" she asked the blonde. "I thought you two would be all over each other by now."
Danni nodded. "Oh, we will be," she replied offhandedly and Clara tried not to wrinkle her nose up at the thought. "I just wanted to thank you for saving my home and my husband."
She shrugged. "All in a day's work," she retorted, like it was nothing. "Go snog his face off and I'll see you next Wednesday."
Danni's soft voice caused her to pause mid-turn. "No, you probably won't."
She spun back around, thoroughly confused. "What do you mean?" she asked quietly and Danni's chest heaved with the heavy sigh she let out.
"I think we need to not see each other for a little while," she explained. "I mean, you're hiding us from Danny, and it's not good. We're not secrets to be kept, Clara."
Clara quickly nodded. "No, no, I know," she insisted. "I was going to tell him tonight, I promise."
"It's not just that," Danni replied and Clara could feel the panic rising in her chest. "You- You're supposed to be our friend, but today just proved that you don't know my husband at all."
"I don't understand…"
"People from the outside, they see this man who comes in, causes havoc and then runs away," Danni started, her hands clasped in front of her. "They see the man who lies, and who chucks away life in just a thought. But we who know him know that he's just not like that."
"Of course he's not," Clara agreed. "I never said I thought that."
"And he never gives me false hope," Danni continued pointedly. "He doesn't just save me and run. We may argue about him getting a bit over involved in saving me, but he will always save every single person he can as well. Just one person dying wouldn't be classed as a 'win'. I never thought that I'd hear you of all people say things like that."
Clara could see the upset in her face, but it was also joined with the conviction behind this surprise decision. Danni really was going to leave her behind and her heart and soul screamed at her to stop it.
"I'm sorry if I upset you," she said. "I mean that, I am. I was just doing what I thought the Doctor would do."
"I know, and that's what worries me," Danni broke to her gently. "If you think that man is my husband, then maybe you should really think about why you're not telling Danny that you're still travelling with us." She took another deep breath. "We'll see you in a few weeks, Clara."
"No, no, Danni, wait!" she cried after her but Danni didn't stop until she was in the TARDIS and by her husband's side again. He'd had the sense to fly away the moment Danni had reappeared and so Clara couldn't follow her in.
She leant on his arm and placed a kiss on his jacket. He replied with a nuzzle against her hair. "You're making a bigger deal out of this than is necessary, Danni," he told her softly.
"Probably," Danni agreed. "But she said she had chosen both of us. Both the Doctor and Danni, and Danny Pink. I don't think she has, and she's not going to be happy until she does. Hopefully this will push her into making the choice that will make her happy."
He placed another kiss on her hair. "That's not why you did that," he corrected. "You never liked to hear anyone say anything bad about me, even if it might be true."
She looked up at her husband and smiled at just the sight of him. He was her everything, and nothing was going to tear them apart again. "Well, yeah," she replied, a little sheepishly. "I've done a lot worse for a lot less to some people. I know she doesn't really mean it, doesn't mean I can't be angry for a little while."
He chuckled. "Well, my Pet," he purred. "While Miss Oswald waits for our return, where should we go?"
He reached out, fingers dancing temptingly over the controls. Danni, in return, caught them and held them where they were.
"Bed," she replied with a smirk.
~0~0~0~
On a spaceship, somewhere very far away and somewhere very safe, Missy sat with her tablet in hand. It was a rather old piece of technology, but sometimes there was nothing wrong with the classics. A good 21st century tablet worked just as well as any other one she could get her hands on. And she had hands everywhere.
On the screen was a link to a security camera, and on the camera sat a little stood of a woman, with blonde hair and holding a tiny blue police box. There was a hand stretching out from it, holding hers tightly and Missy could only shake her head at the sight.
"Oh, Danielle," she tutted. "He tried so hard to hold onto you. If only it had worked."
With a swipe of her finger the feed changed, to a clearer image of the same woman. She was unconscious, obviously, but she wouldn't be for much longer. Transporting her any other way had simply been out of the question.
"Don't you worry, my Pet," she continued, stroking the screen softly. "You're in safe hands now. I'm never letting you go."
She raised the tablet up to her perfectly lined lips, pressing a kiss onto the screen and the woman on it, leaving a pink mark on the screen.
"Never."
~0~0~0~
Sorry I missed this last week, but I hope this uber long chapter makes up for it!
I don't really have anything else to say, so feel free to leave me lots of reviews telling me what you think so I have more to talk about next time XD
Reviews :)
Seconds and Stars - Laughing. Always laugh when it's funny :P
LilactheDryad - I always thought that it was strange that she did answer it. She knows enough about time travel now to know that she couldn't go back once she'd answered it. Danni would always help her out like the ;)
whitedwarf - Thanks sweetie! Hope this chapter was good for you as well :)
serenitysaiyan - I hope this helped! Clara almost gets it. She can just about see it, can't she? Somethings gotta happen, though, to shove it right to the front. I wonder what that would be ;)
Serena - Thanks sweetie! I hope this was 'more' enough :P
Guest - Thanks sweetie!
bored411 - Thanks sweetie! I took it in a bit of a different direction there at the end, but I hope you can see why :)
Midnight Alley - Thanks! I know, so close! Another little teaser there at the end XD
Jojo - I definitely think so, yeah. He won't be forgetting that in a hurry, but that's for another day. They're just happy to be back together right now :)
silverhawk88 - Ever closer, eh? XD