CHAPTER 42

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A JOYOUS REUNION

As John Harkness appeared outside of Oswin's headquarters on Skaro, he instantly frowned. She wasn't there like she had promised she would be. Then again he wasn't really surprised by that.

She was always missing their dates these days. Whenever he told her about it, she would instantly apologize and promise to do better next time. She never did though.

He knew that it wasn't out of any malevolence or because she didn't care about him though. It was because she was just too busy with running Skaro and being a Guardian now to do much of anything else.

He had heard the same thing from Marissa and Oswin's other friends as well. Lately she had become too busy to see anyone from her past. He was beginning to wonder if their relationship would ever be what it once was anymore.

He sometimes briefly considered breaking up with her, but he really didn't want to. He truly did love her and wanted to make things work out so he had given her chance after chance to improve on things. So far she hadn't made much progress. He knew that it wasn't her fault, and he didn't blame her for anything especially since she had never asked to become a Guardian. That still didn't make him feel any better about the situation though.

The Daleks' attitude didn't help him any either.

"YOU WISH TO SEE THE EMPRESS?" Epsilon asked as he suddenly appeared around the corner.

"Yeah, she told me that she'd meet me here for a date," John said.

"SHE IS VERY BUSY. SHE MAY HAVE TO RESCHEDULE. YOUR DATE MAY HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOME OTHER TIME WHEN SHE DOESN'T HAVE MATTERS OF GREATER IMPORTANCE TO DEAL WITH," Epsilon said in a disdainful attitude.

"So you're saying that I'm not important then?" John asked with a smirk.

"PERHAPS I SHOULD REPHRASE THAT. OF COURSE YOU ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE EMPRESS IF NOT OF OVERALL IMPORTANCE IN THE OVERALL SCHEME OF THINGS," Epsilon said.

"Thanks. That makes me feel so much better," John said sarcastically.

"I AM GLAD THAT I COULD BE OF SERVICE," Epsilon said.

"You really don't like me, do you?" John asked.

"TO BE HONEST MY FIRST INSTINCT EVERY TIME THAT I SEE YOU IS TO EXTERMINATE YOU. I NEVER WOULD OF COURSE. THAT WOULD MAKE THE EMPRESS VERY UPSET," Epsilon said bluntly.

"Yes, it certainly would. Why didn't you tell me that he was here?" Oswin asked as she walked up behind Epsilon.

"I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU. YOU HAVE MATTERS OF MUCH GREATER IMPORTANCE TO ATTEND TO," Epsilon said.

Oswin became angry as she said, "You just didn't want him to see me again. You think that he's not good enough for me, don't you? I told you before that you're not my dad. Even if you were, that wouldn't give you the right to tell me who I can and can't be with. I'm a grown adult, and I can make my own decisions. Stay out of my personal life. Got it?!"

Epsilon's eye stalk drooped down as he said, "I AM SORRY."

Oswin patted the top of his dome affectionately as she said, "Apology accepted. I hope that you'll accept my apology too, John. I'm sorry that I kept you waiting. At least this time I was just a few minutes late."

"It's alright. You're worth the wait," John said smiling at her.

"It's not alright but thank you anyway," Oswin said as she kissed him.

Epsilon turned away from the scene in disgust. He had no idea what she saw in that man. He was a con man, a liar, and a rogue. There was nothing to like there whatsoever. He would never understand humans not even his favorite one.

"I'm going on a date now. If you need me, you can call me through my gauntlets," Oswin said.

"ARE YOU SURE THAT IT'S WISE FOR YOU TO GO OFF ALONE WITH THE THREAT OF THE THALS LINGERING OVER US? PERHAPS ONE OF US COULD ACCOMPANY YOU. PERHAPS DALEK OMEGA?" Epsilon suggested.

Oswin groaned. It was well known that Dalek Omega hated John with a passion. He would be doing everything that he could to keep them from having any fun.

"No. I don't need a chaperone, Eppy. I'm so sorry, John," Oswin said as she looked mortified and embarrassed.

"It's okay, Clara. I'm used to it. It just shows me how much you mean to them that they're this willing to give me grief over dating you though. I can't say I blame them for being concerned with your safety either," John said trying to make her feel better about the whole thing.

She smiled at him and loved him even more for trying to defuse the situation. She finally came up with a plan that she hoped would appease Epsilon.

"I don't really need a bodyguard since I'm a Guardian of Time now, but since you guys worry about me so much how about you send Marie along? I won't care so much if she goes," Oswin said.

"Marie?" John asked. He had no idea who that was.

"THAT IS AGREEABLE. MARIE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AMPLE PROTECTION IN CASE SOMETHING GOES WRONG, AND SHE WILL NOT BE AS OSTENTATIOUS," Dalek Epsilon said.

Oswin smiled as Marie suddenly appeared minutes later, and John looked at her in surprise. Marie was a beautiful woman in her mid 20s with short dark hair and a pleasant smile on her face. He had absolutely no idea what she was doing here on Skaro of all places.

"Hello, Marie. In the old days, I'd be telling you how beautiful you are, but these days I only have eyes for one woman. I'm not completely blind though so I at least had to make some comment," John said.

Marie blushed as she said, "Thank you. The Empress told me that you were a charmer, and she wasn't lying. Not that she would ever lie."

"Don't be so nervous, Marie. It's okay," Oswin said in a gentle voice.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you here on Skaro? I mean what is it that you do for Clara?" John asked Marie.

Marie looked confused for a minute and then said, "Oh, you mean the Empress. I forgot that was her real name for a minute. I am her personal bodyguard or at least I am now. I just got promoted. I hope that I won't fail you, Empress."

"You'll be fine. Don't be worried and please stop calling me Empress. I want us to be friends," Oswin said.

"Thank you . . . Oswin," Marie said. She had decided not to call her Clara since it seemed that only those closest to her called her that.

"You're our bodyguard?" John asked surprised.

He wouldn't have pegged Marie for a bodyguard. She just didn't seem the type.

Marie started to say something, but Oswin quickly cut her off as she said, "Marie has certain special abilities that could come in handy if we're in any danger."

Marie looked at her first with surprise and then with gratitude. John had no idea what was going on, but he was sure that there was something more than met the eye here. He decided not to ask any more questions.

"Let's go then. I think that we should go to the planet Paradise. Rose highly recommends it. They have a very romantic beach there. It's perfect there from what I hear," Oswin said.

"I don't care where we go as long as you're there, and there are no Daleks in sight," John said.

John could see Marie looking sad for a moment, and he didn't know why. Oswin put a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her which seemed to cheer her up. There was definitely something going on with her alright.

Soon the two of them were sitting on the beach of Paradise smiling at one another and talking while Marie stood by out of earshot but close enough to reach them if something happened. John quickly forgot that she was even there as he enjoyed the day with Oswin. It was the first time in a very long time that he had gotten to do so.

Then he noticed that halfway through the day she had started looking at him with such sadness. He finally asked her why.

"It's just that I don't know when we'll ever get to have a day like this again. I can't even remember the last time that we dated. It's been so long. I'm so sorry for missing so many dates or having to stop halfway through others and run off to help the Daleks or save the universe. You deserve so much better than that, John. I'm . . . I'm sorry. I've let you down. I've let Mari down and Molly and everyone else that I care about lately. It's just so much to have to deal with. Something has to be sacrificed to do everything that I need to do lately, and it always seems to be my personal and/or love life. I know that you're sick of it, John, because I'm sick of it too. I just want to have a life of my own again like I used to have," Oswin said in a sad voice.

John put his arms around her and held her as he said, "It's alright. I understand, Clara. I'm not angry at you if that's what you're worried about, and I don't think that your friends are either. As to getting your life back, couldn't you pass the Guardian role on to someone else? I don't know much about how Guardian powers work, but I do know that Mum said that Aunt Rose gave part of her power to Aunt Reinette once. Couldn't you give your power to someone else and let them do your Guardian duties sometimes?"

"I suppose so. I don't know what it would hurt. I suppose the universe wouldn't mind if I had a substitute Guardian sometimes as long as I picked the right person, would it?" Oswin asked as she started to consider this idea.

"I don't see what it would matter as long as you gave your powers to someone that you trusted. Maybe you could give them to Mari," John said.

"No, I don't think Mari would want them. She wouldn't trust herself with them. I would trust her completely, but she wouldn't think she was worthy of them," Oswin said.

"I'm sure you'll find someone. Just do that and maybe you can have your life back. I'm not asking you to do it for me. I want you to do it for yourself, Clara. I don't like seeing you so upset," John said as he kissed her and made her smile.

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" Oswin asked.

"That's supposed to be my question, isn't it?" John asked laughing.

Then this perfect moment was instantly ruined as several Cybermen suddenly appeared out of nowhere. They all aimed their wrist blasters at Oswin as they said, "You will now be eradicated, and the Daleks will be left without their leader. Without the head, the body will soon fall."

"Oh, that's just great. I was actually having a good time for once. One decent day for myself so of course someone had to come along and ruin it. You picked the wrong day to bother me, Tin Men, because I am so not in the mood for you lot today. Who writes your dialogue anyway, Time Lord Prime? It sounds about like him, the hack!" Oswin said as she began to glow with power.

Hey! What's with the hate? She must have been hanging around River too much.

"Don't even bother with them, Empress. Let me do some pest control for you," Marie said.

Oswin smiled as she said, "Be my guest."

A Dalek eye stalk popped out of Marie's head, and a gun stick came out of her hand as she started firing on the Cybermen. She started rapidly wiping out the Cybermen as John's jaw dropped open.

"She was a Dalek puppet! I never would have known," John said in shock.

"I know. That's the way I wanted it. I've been trying to help the Dalek puppets to become human again. I haven't been able to find a way of reversing their conditions, but I have made them much better than they were. I gave Marie as much of her old personality back as I could, and I've tried to rebuild her confidence in herself. She still feels like she doesn't belong among non-Daleks anymore even now though. That's why I didn't tell you about her. I was trying to make her feel as human as possible. You actually thought that she was a normal girl, didn't you? You couldn't tell the difference, and I'm so glad about that. She's really a very nice person," Oswin said.

John watched as a blast from Marie's gun stick tore one Cyberman in half and cut the head off of another one as he joked, "Yeah, I can tell. I'd hate to see what she would do if she wasn't so nice."

"You know what I mean," Oswin said as she playfully hit him in the arm.

Soon Marie quickly became overwhelmed though as several more Cybermen appeared and began to surround her. Oswin stood up and started to help her when suddenly Mr. Thanatos appeared standing right next to her and said, "Don't worry. I have this, Empress."

"You were standing there the whole time invisible?" Oswin said in anger.

"I apologize, Empress. Dalek Epsilon said that it was for your own good. I wasn't listening to you though. I was merely observing the area around you," Mr. Thanatos said.

"I can't believe him!" Oswin screamed as Mr. Thanatos joined a surprised Marie, and the two of them began to take on the Cybermen together.

"I'm not too happy about it either, but I'm certainly glad to see him. I think you and I are going to have to join the fight sooner or later though and just forget about our date. There are too many of them and more and more of them are joining in all the time," John said.

"I wouldn't worry about them. It's me that you have to worry about," a very familiar voice said behind them.

Oswin quickly turned around to see . . . herself. Or at least another Clara anyway. This must be one of Clara's echoes and judging from the clothes she was wearing she was one from the past.

"What are you doing here?" Oswin asked in confusion.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This isn't me doing this," the echo of Clara said.

"Doing what? What are you talking about?" Oswin asked.

Oswin saw no danger in an echo of Clara being there, but John saw it immediately from the pained expression on the echo's face to the look of terror in her eyes. Something was wrong here. He quickly grabbed Oswin's arm and started to punch in coordinates into his Vortex Manipulator even as a wrist blaster popped out of the echo's arm.

"What the?!" Oswin said in disbelief as John used his Vortex Manipulator to carry her and himself to safety just seconds before the echo could fire on them.

As the two of them left, the echo of Clara started to join into the attack as she helped the Cybermen against Marie and Mr. Thanatos. Tears poured down her face as she continued to attack the two of them against her will.

Oswin and John reappeared just in time to see the echo standing alone amid a pile of dead or dying Cybermen in a tense standoff with Marie and Mr. Thanatos. The three of them just stood there staring at one another without saying a word.

"Don't kill her. She's not responsible for what she's doing," Oswin ordered.

"I know. She told us," Marie said as she turned her head to show that she was crying now too just like Clara's echo.

"I was dead but I was somehow brought back to life and partially converted into a Cyberman without losing my outward appearance. I also still have my own personality which the Cybermen obviously weren't counting on. They brought me back to kill you, Oswin. They thought that since I was you that you would lower your defenses around me just enough for me to finish you off. I almost did too. You didn't even notice me behind you, but I couldn't do it. I was able to fight back against their programming just enough so that I could warn you. I'm so sorry. I don't want to do any of this. I'm trying to fight it, but I can't for much longer. You'll have to finish me, Oswin. Please. I belong dead anyway. I'm supposed to be that way," the echo of Clara said in tears.

"There has to be another way," Oswin said as she hesitated.

"I agree," Marie said.

"There is no other way. The situation is regrettable, but the safety of the Empress comes first. She must be eliminated," Mr. Thanatos said as he created a sword from his body and started toward the echo with it.

"No!" Oswin shouted.

The echo of Clara closed her eyes and said, "I'm ready. Do it now while you still can."

She began to cry as she said, "Please don't tell the Latimer children about this. I don't want them to know."

That was when Oswin suddenly appeared behind her and injected her with a needle from one of her gauntlets. Mr. Thanatos stopped and watched as the echo started to scream in agony.

"I'm sorry. It's the only way that I could think of to save you. It may wind up killing you too, but it's better than letting Thanny cut your head off. At least it should be over with quick now," Oswin said.

"What did you do to her?" John asked as he watched the echo's body spasm out of control.

"I injected her with Dalek nanotech in order to turn her into a Dalek puppet. It'll either turn her into a servant of the Daleks or both programs fighting against each other at once will destroy her," Oswin said sadly.

The echo screamed in agony, and then the wrist blaster dropped off of her arm and a Dalek gun stick popped out of her hand instead. She blinked and looked at Oswin in surprise as she said, "I feel like me again. Well, more or less anyway."

She looked at the gun stick in her hand with a frown and it quickly went back inside of her as Oswin said, "Yeah, sorry about that. Epsilon insisted that I keep that in the nanogenes. Luckily I got him to back down on the eye stalk though. You really wouldn't like that. It's a new and improved version of the Dalek puppet program. Epsilon made me keep it in my gauntlet in order to defend myself with. I was never going to use it as I didn't want to turn anyone into a puppet. It was the only way to save you though. It rewrote the Cybertech in your body and turned you into one of us. It makes you obey only me now. I would never do that to you of course. You're free to do whatever you want. That includes being free to die if that's really what you want to do."

The echo of Clara looked at her in confusion for a moment as she said, "I . . . don't know. I suppose everyone thinks that I'm dead now. The Latimers certainly must."

"The Latimers? Are you the Clara who was their governess?" Oswin asked in surprise.

"Yes, that's right. I died saving the Doctor from the Great Intelligence. I thought that was the end of me, and I was happy to go since I had done my job in keeping him safe. Now though I have a life where I can finally decide what to do for myself. I don't have to save anyone or do anything now that I don't want to. It's strange. It's also not right. I'm not really alive at all, am I? I'm still dead," the Governess echo asked.

"Yes, the nanotech in your body is animating you, but you're technically dead," Oswin said.

"I don't feel dead. I can feel, I can think, and I can still cry. I feel the same as I did before," the Governess echo said.

"I know. That's to fool people into thinking that you're still alive so that you're able to infiltrate into the enemy ranks. That was the Daleks' old way of thinking anyway. I promise I would never make you do anything against your will and certainly never use you to attack anyone," Oswin said firmly.

"I know. I know you better than anyone, remember?" the Governess said with a smile.

She stood there in silence for a moment and then said, "Would it be possible for you to take me back to the Latimers? I miss them. I know this would be a shock for them, but I just want to see if they're doing okay or not. Are they?"

"Well, yes and no. Their father died and then they moved in with a nice family who according to all accounts are very good to them. They still miss both their father and you though. The original Clara, well the original Clara of this timeline anyway, still visits them from time to time to check up on them," Oswin said.

"You've seen them? Do you think that they'd want me back?" the Governess asked.

"I can guarantee it," Oswin said.

Then she turned and said to John, "John, I'm sorry but I need to take her back to the nineteenth century. It'll just take a second. I want to let her go home."

John smiled as he said, "It's fine, Clara. This is your life. I knew that from the start. I think you're forgetting who my parents are. I'm used to a wild and crazy life where my parents sometimes have to disappear to go save the world. I just want to get to be with you a little more often. That's all."

"I'll do that. I'll make more time for you and all my friends too. I promise. I just need to find someone that I can trust to give my power to sometimes. That shouldn't take too long though," Oswin said.

Oswin quickly disappeared with the Governess as she took her back to the Nineteenth century.

Francesca Latimer was outside in her yard when Oswin appeared with who she thought was Clara. She looked at her in surprise as she saw her dressed up just like Miss Montague.

"Why are you dressed like that for, Clara? You don't have to do that for my benefit. I do miss her, but that doesn't mean that you have to go to all of that trouble," Francesca said.

"Hello, Francesca. It's so nice to see you again," The Governess said in tears.

Francesca's eyes bulged out of their sockets as she instantly knew just from her accent that this was Miss Montague. It was really her!

The two of them stared at one another in silent tears as Digby came outside and glared.

"Miss Montague?" Digby asked.

"How?" Francesca asked in a voice filled with wonderment.

"It's a long story, and I'm not sure if I can really explain it in a way that you'll understand since I don't really understand it myself. Does it really matter?" the Governess asked.

Both children shook their heads and hugged her with tears in their eyes. Oswin smiled and teared up as she watched their happy reunion, and in that moment she came to a decision. She was going to have time for a life. She was going to have her own family to welcome her home someday.

Oswin left the Governess behind and reappeared in the present day just outside of Clara Oswald's house. Clara immediately came outside to greet her as she gave her a short hug.

"I wasn't expecting you today, Sis. I'm always glad to see you though. What brings you here?" Clara asked.

"Clara, I have something to ask you. How would you feel about . . .?" Oswin started to ask and then hesitated.

Clara looked at her oddly as she hesitated.

"Go ahead. What is it?" Clara asked.

"Do you think that I should share my powers with someone? I really need to let someone else take over my Guardian duties sometimes so that I can have a life," Oswin said.

"I think that's a great idea. Who do you have in mind?" Clara asked.

Then she looked at her terrified as she said, "Oh, no. Not me! I'd be rubbish at it!"

Oswin started laughing at her terrified expression as she said, "No, honey. Not you. I meant Cydonia. Do you think that she would be a good choice?"

"Oh. Oh! Yes, yes. Of course. Better her than me," Clara said.

"I just wanted your opinion first. That and well, I wanted you to come along with me to convince her in case she doesn't want it any more than you do. Plus I thought I might take you to meet the newest Clara of the bunch. Or one of the oldest depending on how you look at it," Oswin said.

Then she told her about Miss Montague, and Clara laughed with joy. Both of them enjoyed the moment as they celebrated having one of their own returned to them. They were soon off to speak to Cydonia just as soon as they picked up John of course.

She was going to continue this date with him no matter what. Nothing was going to stop her this time.

She hadn't counted on this latest attack just being the Cybermen getting started though.

Next: The Cybermen attack again as Oswin, Clara, and Cydonia reunite with Miss Montague for the first time while Oswin tries to ask Cydonia to help take up her Guardian duties. Oh and John is still trying to finish that date too. Good luck with that, John, especially when the new leader of the Cybermen shows up to rain on your parade.

Here's a hint as to who it is: They like the color red. A lot apparently.