WARNING: AGAIN, SPOILERS FOR "DARK WATER" AND "DEATH IN HEAVEN"

This chapter is proof that I don't own Doctor Who, because if I did, this is how the season 8 finale would have happened.

CHAPTER 23

As Clara was running towards the scene of the accident, horrible things were happening to the rest of the TARDIS family. Mickey, Martha, the Ponds, Shaun and Donna suddenly vanished, and new graves were discovered in various different cemeteries with their names on the tombstones. A grave for Tentoo, under a tombstone engraved with the name "Doctor John Smith" was also discovered. River suddenly found herself back in the library mainframe with no idea how she had gotten there. Jack found himself staring at his reflection in the mirror. He had aged significantly overnight, and was it just him, but did his head look larger? Nine, Ten, Eleven, their Roses, and Rose 10.2 vanished in an explosion of golden regeneration energy. All that remained of the merged TARDIS family were Clara, the Doctor (Twelve), and Rose (12), and they didn't even know it. It was as if everyone who had traveled on the TARDIS had had their timelines fixed in relation to the Doctor's the moment that Danny Pink had breathed his last.

Rose had hung up Danny's phone and embraced Clara when she arrived at the scene of the accident. Clara did not want to be comforted, however, and shoved Rose away. They watched in stunned silence as Danny's body was picked up and carried off to the morgue. Clara then turned on Rose in a fit of grief and anger. "This is all your fault! You were with him! How could you have let this happen?! Well, now you're going to fix it! You're going to call your boyfriend, lover, or whatever he is, and tell him to get his butt over here and prevent this!"

Rose was not offended by Clara's rage in the least. She understood completely. Unfortunately, she couldn't just call the Doctor and have him prevent this. He'd have to prevent it without either of them contacting him in order to prevent a paradox. For even if Rose used her telepathic bond to suggest that he save Danny's life, once Danny's life was saved, there would be no reason for her to contact him, therefore he wouldn't be contacted, he wouldn't go back and fix it, and Danny would die all over again. Which would likely cause Rose to contact the Doctor so that he would prevent it... and poor Danny would die over and over again forever.

But how to tell a grieving Clara this? Gently, she put her arm around the young woman whom she had started to think of in almost a maternal way, and guided her gently towards the waiting TARDIS. "It's not that simple, Clara, and I think deep down, you know that. But maybe he can help in another way."

Which is how the trio found themselves in the 3W facility facing none other than the latest incarnation of the Master who called herself Missy.

Danny awoke in a very strange room. It seemed to be an office of some sort. A man named Seb offered him coffee. He declined. Where was he, and how did he get here? Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice coming from another room.

"Oi!" Donna screamed. "Anybody gonna tell me what is going on here?"

Seb ran off to assist her. He was a little bit afraid of her temper. He didn't get very far, though before someone caught him in the hallway and caught his neck in their arm.

"You tell me where I am and what you've done with my husband or I snap your neck" Amy threatened. Seb didn't really believe she would, but was not willing to take chances. He turned to answer her before he received a punch square in the jaw from someone who had a nasty right hook.

It was Mickey. He picked Seb off the floor by the scruff of his neck. "You'll tell us where we are and where the rest of our loved ones have been taken or there will be a price to pay."

Donna and Danny emerged from their rooms and made eye contact with the other companions. Well, wherever they were, at least they weren't alone. The four friends teamed up together.

"So you kidnapped us all off of the streets and then kept us separate from each other. What kind of lousy excuse of an alien are you?" Danny interrogated Seb.

"Look! Will you all just let me get a word in edgewise?" Seb gasped. "Gosh. You all are worse than the Spanish Inquisition! I regret to inform you that you are dead, and this place is the Nethersphere. The afterlife."

"What?!" Donna slapped him so hard that he saw stars. Well at least he had a matched set of bruises on his face now. He had been warned that the TARDIS crew would not take the news lightly, and this was just four of them! Whatever will happen when the others arrive? Just as he had that thought, he heard the reception bell ring. Another new arrival. Seb made a hasty exit.

It was Rory. Unlike his feisty (and a tad bit violent back there) wife, Rory was calmly looking around the room and admiring the artwork. "Nice place." He said. "Uh, where am I?"

"I regret to inform you that you're dead." Seb said quickly before cowering behind the desk in anticipation of his reaction.

Rory just nodded. "Again? Oh well. It was bound to happen eventually. Is my wife here? About so tall and ginger?"

"Which ginger? The one who tried to strangle me, or the one who decided my cheek needed a bruise shaped like her hand?"

Rory chuckled. "Could be either. So, back this way, then?" He asked, pointing to the door from which Seb had emerged just minutes ago. The other man nodded.

As he turned around, he was met with Martha and Shaun who appeared to have arrived together. Seb informed them about their unfortunate circumstances and led them to the others. "That's funny." Martha remarked. "I don't feel dead. Don't remember dying either!"

The seven companions had a loud and happy reunion. They could have been in denial, but none of them actually believed that they were really dead!

Meanwhile, the trio who were still alive were busy with Missy who had either forgotten that she had already revealed her true identity to them, or it hadn't yet happened to her, for she was trying to convince them that she was a droid. Wisely (or perhaps unwisely, depending on how you look at it) they decided to play along.

They'd left her in the hall with the strange tanks that held skeletons and an unusual water. Suddenly, there was a voice cutting through the static on the television. "Clara? Clara, is it you?" Danny's voice. But was it really Danny? Rose and the Doctor left her alone so that she could say goodbye to the man she loved.

It was all Rose could do to keep from crying. It was so unfair that they were so young and so happy together, and now they were torn apart. And on Rose's watch, too! The Doctor held her close. Neither of them noticed the strange tanks of water were draining to reveal heads that were made out of metal. Cybermen!