The next time Arthur jumps, he's landing on the snow on a small street. At first, he doesn't know where he is, but soon knows that once again, he's arrived in London during the Victorian Era, judging by the building, people's clothes, some carriage and their horse, and many more.
He got chills with the weather and tugs his green jacket closer as he's drinking his chocolate milk that Clara bought before he jumped. Well, at least he knows that his drink won't get any waste. He would be sad if his favourite beverage got wasted.
"They've taken samples from snowmen all over London," a voice that sounds like Strax stated. "What do you suppose they're doing in there, Madam?"
"This snow isn't like any other snow," another voice speaked. Claudia's. "Probably alien. Now, when you find something brand new in here, something you've never seen before, what's the next thing you look for?"
"A grenade?"
Arthur facepalmed upon hearing that.
"A profit, Strax. Profit."
Arthur decides to step closer. When he reaches the source, he can see Strax and Claudia, now in reddish gown and wearing a veil that covers her face. And not far from those two, there's a carriage that keeps moving alongside a woman's voice, protesting.
"I suggest a full frontal assault with automated laser monkeys, scalpel mines and acid," Strax proposed.
"No, Strax. We don't do that," Arthur replied, making them turn into his direction.
"Arthur," Claudia called, surprised to see him, looking intense while holding his shoulder. "What are you doing here?"
"I've just jumped." He looks around. "Where's the Doctor?"
The bluenette bites her lips. "He... he's not here."
"Couldn't we at least investigate?" Strax proposed.
"No, Strax. I won't investigate. Not now."
"But if the snow is new and alien, shouldn't we be making some attempt to destroy it? Be reasonable!"
"And?" She responded, crossing her arms at her chest. "Even if I wanted to, the Doctor would have disagreed. He never wanted to do any of this after... after Manhattan," she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "And frankly, I want to respect his choice. Among us, he's the one who suffers the most."
"Let me out!" The woman from the carriage insisted.
"Now, our problem," she muttered and walked to the carriage.
"Let me out! Oi!"
She opens the carriage door and Arthur gasps a little, knowing that woman as Clara herself, who presses against the opposite side. Claudia and Arthur proceed to sit across from her. "Don't worry. Just stay calm."
Clara gazes at Strax. "What is that thing?"
Arthur looking back-and-forth between Clara and Strax. It seems he's stuck in the past, but maybe far in the past. After all, this Clara doesn't know Strax as a Sontaran and Claudia acts like a stranger to her.
"Silence, boy!" Strax responded.
"That's Strax and as you can tell, he cannot tell the difference between genders."
"Silence, girl. Sorry, Madam."
Clara shook her head. "Who are you?" She gestures to Arthur. "And who's he?"
"Doesn't matter," Claudia said. "The worm."
Strax compiles but Clara starts to get concerned. "You'll need the what? The worm? What worm?"
"Like I said, it doesn't matter," she told her, but frowns when Strax returns without the warm. "Where is it?"
"Where's what, Madam?"
"The memory worm."
"Did you? When? Who's he?" He looks at Clara. "What are we doing here?" Then, he gazes at the sky. "Look, it's been snowing!"
Claudia slapped her forehead. "You didn't use the gauntlets, did you?"
"Why would I need the gauntlets? Do you want me to get the memory worm?"
This time, Arthur facepalmed.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
"Let me," Claudia insisted, taking the gauntlets and forcing Strax to move away so she can take the memory worm that he kept failing to do so. She takes the warm on a first try, stands up and puts the warm inside a jar Strax provides. "There," she muttered, suspiciously staring at Clara. "Why haven't you run?"
"I don't understand how the snowman built itself. I'll run once you've explained," Clara responded.
"You don't want to know."
"Really? Why?"
"Because it's dangerous."
"What's wrong with dangerous?"
Claudia takes something out of her gown. It looks like a pen. A black-and-golden fountain pen. She opens the cap, puts it at its finial, and clicks the clip. "Hmm. It seems the snow emits a low level telepathic field..."
"My snowman," Clara mumbled, causing Claudia and Arthur to turn back and see a snowman.
"Were you thinking about it?" Claudia asked, sonic it like the Doctor often does as they approach it.
"Yes."
Another snowman appears next.
"Then stop." They turn to run in the other direction and find a third snowman. "Clara, stop thinking about the snowmen!" More snowmen appear and open their mouths. "Clara, listen to me, the snow is feeding off your thoughts."
"I don't understand."
"You're caught in their telepathic field, they're mirroring you. The more you think about them, the more they appear. Imagine them melting, picture them melted!"
Clara closes her eyes and they get splashed by melted snowmen.
"Oh man," Arthur muttered. For a while, he thought he'd die.
Claudia sighs and forces Clara to get inside the carriage. "Don't come looking for me or Arthur. Just forget about us, especially to contact us. You're lucky I'm keeping your memory intact so you know what to do when you face those snowmen."
"What about the snow? Shouldn't we be warning people?" Clara asked.
"Take her back," Claudia looks at Strax, ignoring Clara. As Strax drives off, she grabs Arthur's arm and drags him somewhere else.
"Where are we going?" Arthur wondered.
"To meet the Doctor."
▪︎▪︎▪︎
"Why put the Tardis on a cloud?" Arthur asked as they arrived on cloud by a hidden stairs.
"He finds it much more magical," Claudia replied as they entered the Tardis. Once again, the interior looks different. "By the way, where were you before?"
"Uh, the future."
"Clau? Is that you?" A woman's voice called from below the console.
Claudia walks and leans over. "Uh, yeah, Mum. Climb in!"
From one of the stairs, a woman appears. She had blonde hair that tied into a chignon, light-hazel eyes, some tiny freckles at her cheeks. She seems to be wearing a gown that indicates her status much higher in the Victorian Era. "Arthur," she whispered, looking so shocked and proceeded to hug the boy.
"Uh, hi," was the only response he could give to her, hugging her back.
The woman let go of him and looked entirely confused. "You... you don't know who I am?"
Arthur shook his head. He feels bad for not knowing these people "Sorry."
"I... I see," she sighs, patting his head. She stands up and lifts up her hand, smiles. "Hello. I'm Delaney Redwood, old acquaintance of the Doctor. And Claudia's mother."
"She's a Whifferdill," Claudia informed.
"A what?"
"Shape-shifting species from the planet Xenon," the Doctor's voice echoed as the man himself, still in Victorian clothes, steps to the console. He had floppy brown hair and green forest eyes, the one with labels '11'. There's a sadness in his eyes that he tries to mask with his happy expression. "Hello, Sunny."
"Hello, Doctor," Arthur greeted, recalling the voice he heard from Clara's phone. This must be the man who called him before.
The man smiles, patting the blonde's head before letting go. "Tired?"
"Well, he's just jumping from the future," Claudia added.
Then, they heard a knock.
"I'll check," Delaney said, opening the Tardis. "Well, this is interesting." She closed the door behind and showed a red shawl.
"That must be Clara," Claudia realized.
"Who's Clara?"
"The girl that I accidentally bumped into." Claudia rubbed her forehead. "I told her not to follow us."
Delaney snorts, crossing her arms. "Sounds like someone I know."
"Oi!" The Doctor pouted. "It's not like I'm always causing trouble."
"Really? Like that one time you insulted a Sontaran and almost caused us to die?"
"Well..."
"Or that time you fixed the Scotland Spaceship, only to have the engines destroyed and all humans wanted to kill you?" Claudia added.
"I..."
"Or when Cleopatra almost married you..."
"Okay, okay! I get it!"
Arthur frowns with Claudia's question. "You married Queen Cleopatra?"
"That's not the issue!" He insisted and ran into the console room. "Since that girl knows our location, we must move now. That's the issue. I don't want other people outside to keep interrupting me. No one."
Arthur wants to ask, but he loses his intention the moment he sees Claudia and Delaney's expression, how sad and solemn they are.
"He never wanted to do any of this after... after Manhattan... Among us, he's the one who suffers the most."
What happens in Manhattan that causes the Doctor like this?
▪︎▪︎▪︎
The next day, in the morning, Delaney decides to come to a visit that Madam Vastra arranged. The woman wants some detail regarding Clara and what she personally thinks of her and if she can help the Doctor.
Delaney honestly wants Clara to join in. The woman has some spirit that companions often had. A spirit of adventure, of exploring. A spirit that she and her daughter had. But she can't act rash now. With the loss of Amy and Rory, Delaney understands the Doctor is in pain of losing them. And older Arthur... she can't even imagine what that boy must endure with what happen at Manhattan.
Frankly, she hates thinking that. That she can't be helpful to them. Heck, even Claudia's presence isn't helping the situation any better. She hopes, truly hopes, Clara can make a change of the Doctor.
"Claudia! CLAUDIA!" A woman shouted nearby, causing quite some commotion. The girl let a gasp upon a woman, who seemed to be from a high class one, just shouting over the sky.
"Excuse me," she whispered to some people, rushing inside the park to stop the woman, who she assumes as Clara, from causing trouble. "My dear. I think you should stop. We don't want to cause trouble here, do we?"
"I'm looking for Claudia. Do you know about her?"
Delaney smiles at the mention of her daughter. This is going to be interesting.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
Inside Madam Vastra's chamber, Delaney quietly drinks the wine that Jenny provided to her. She loves drinking wine. She used to drink so much, but after traveling with a man who barely can stand a glass of wine before spit it out of his mouth, she started to drink less wine. The rule about no alcohol inside the Tardis isn't helping at all.
She may or may not get into trouble for sneaking some wine in her bedroom. Then again, she can't resist some good wine. She's not a child, for universe's sake! Or even a human. But the Doctor always insist of that idea, fearing that Arthur might take her bad habit, which is stupid itself. That boy is too pure for doing that.
Delaney observes Clara gives Strax her coat and hat before steps aside, stops upon looking at her and Madam Vastra uncertainly.
"Please sit," Delaney offered, letting Clara sit on a chair.
"There are two refreshments in your world the colour of red wine. Unlike Delaney's drink, this is not red wine," Madam Vastra shared, sets her glass on table.
"Madam Vastra and Dame Redwood will ask you questions. You will confine yourself to single word responses," Jenny remarked. "One word only, do you understand?"
Clara nods. "Why?"
"Truth is singular, lies are words, words, words," Madam Vastra claimed.
"You met Claudia, didn't you?" Delaney asked.
"Yes," Clara replied.
"And now you've come looking for her again. Why?"
"Take your time. One word only," Jenny reminded her.
"Curiosity."
"About?"
"Snow."
"And about her too?"
"Yes."
"What do you want from her?" Madam Vastra asked.
"Help."
"Why?"
"Danger."
"If only that can happen," Delaney sighs. "As much as Claudia and I want to help, we can't. Because the Doctor would never allow us."
"Why?"
"He lost people he cares about. And it pains him so much, he would rather not do it anymore. Claudia and I... we're helping him as much as we can with his isolation," Delaney looks away. "But nothing works. He still insists on his belief of not doing anything else, fearing for our safety. Mind you, he used to be different. Always help people, no matter what. Especially when it involves children."
"Kindly choose a word to indicate your understanding of this," Madam Vastra denoted.
"Companion."
Delaney grins. Good. "I can give you an opportunity to make him wants to investigate. Tell him about what you, Claudia, and Arthur witnessed yesterday. But only one word."
Clara starts to look puzzled.
"It seems impossible, right? But believe me, if you can find the word, then he'll help. Take a time to think. If you find that word, let us know."
▪︎▪︎▪︎
Back inside the Tardis, Doctor helps Arthur and Claudia to decorate the Tardis in a Christmas theme. The Doctor realized how lonely the Tardis look on the console, so he decides to decorate with those two, to make it more lively.
Just as Claudia's about to decorate the pine tree, the console's phone's ringing.
"Yes, what?" The Doctor huffed, annoyed that someone interrupted his time with Sunny.
"I've just met Clara," Delaney informed as Arthur and Claudia quietly listened. "Nice girl. She mentioned the snow. So Madam Vastra and I gave her the one-word test."
"That's pointless, Delaney," the Doctor sighs, rubbing his eyes. "What did she say? Well? Well?"
"Pond."
Pond? Why's that word? But he's got even more confused with the Doctor's expression. He looks stunned while Claudia smiles. Like... like seeing hope.
"Strax has already suggested where to start investigating. You can help as well. Bring my daughter and Arthur. They might get bored."
▪︎▪︎▪︎
After some time pass, the Doctor immediately sneaks inside Mr. Simeon's house, pretending to be Sherlock Holmes while gathering some information he can find regarding the snow. Arthur and Claudia don't get inside the house since the Doctor fears for their safety, which is why they're waiting outside the house, just waiting until he gets out.
Even from outside, they can hear Mr. Simeon's scream and some ruckus from the waiters around.
"We've got to go!" The Doctor shouted from afar in a hurry. Claudia immediately knows that signal for them to run away from the house. And so, she holds Arthur closely and runs as well.
The trio stopped a few meters away from that place.
"What did you find?" Arthur asked.
"Simeon had a file about a governess that was frozen in a pond," he told them, panting. "I think that's our clue of his involvement in this. We should start there."
"So that means..."
"I'm not going to investigate, Sunny," he insisted, raising his hand for a carriage. "I'm just looking around, that's all."
"Very convincing," Claudia snorted as she and Arthur followed him, knowing very well the man missed this.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
At Latimer's house, the Doctor walks along the border of the pond, Arthur in front of him as Claudia scans the pond with her sonic pen. "Well?" The Doctor asked.
"A body frozen in a pond, the snow gets a good long look at a human being, like a full body scan," Claudia denoted, reading the result. "Everything they need to evolve."
"How did you get that?" Arthur wondered, gesturing at her sonic pen.
"I made it," Claudia winks. "Pretty cool, huh? Took years to do so thanks to someone I know." She gets confused when spotting Strax's walking to them. "Strax? What are you doing here?"
"Dame Redwood wondered if you were needing any grenades?"
"Uh... Grenades?"
"I think Madam Vastra said help, Strax, not grenades," Arthur clarified.
"Help for what?" The Doctor frowns.
"Well, your investigation."
"Investigation? Who says I'm investigating?" He turns to Strax. "Do you think I'm going to start investigating just because some bird smiles at me? Who do you think I am?" He turns away, annoyed.
"Sherlock Holmes."
The Doctor steps down and carries Arthur. "Don't be clever, Strax, it doesn't suit you."
"Sorry, Sir."
"I'm the clever one, you're the potato one."
"Yes, Sir."
"Now go away."
" Yes... Mr. Holmes," Strax said and walked away.
"Oi! Shut up, you're not clever or funny and you've got tiny little legs!" He shouted and gave a pointing look at Claudia and Arthur who giggled.
Light shines on them as Clara opens the curtains from the upstairs window. She waves, which Arthur and Claudia respond with a wave as well. Although the Doctor seems reluctant to do so. Clara motions them to come up. The Doctor points at himself, Claudia, Arthur, and then at her, questioning her intentions.
"I'm just tell her we're leaving, not going up. Leaving, not going up," he mumbled, turned back and held up his hand, signaling 'five' and gave a thumbs up before frowning. "What was that all about?" He smacks his head. "5 minutes, where did that come from?"
Claudia covers her mouth from laughing. "Honestly, Doctor? You just wanna go upstairs and cause mayhem. Not that I'm complaining."
"I agree," Arthur admitted, causing the Doctor to pout as they step forward to the house.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
Clara's helping the Latimer's children, Francesca and Digby, go to bed. Right now, she's sitting on Francesca's bed.
"Am I going to have the nightmare tonight?" The girl asked Clara, scared.
"Definitely not," Clara remarked.
"How do you know?"
"Because someone's coming to help."
"Who?" Francesca asked, scooting over on the bed to make room for her brother to come sit next to her.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Clara stated.
"Is it one of your stories? Your definitely true ones?"
"Huh! All my stories are true."
"Like how you were born behind the clock face of Big Ben?" Digby pointed out.
"Accounting for my acute sense of time."
"And you invented fish," Francesca added.
"Because I dislike swimming alone," Clara responded.
"So what's this one?" Digby asked curiously.
"There's a man called the Doctor. He lives on a cloud in the sky with his companions, and all they do, all day every day, is to stop all the children in the world ever having bad dreams."
"I've been having bad dreams," Francesca recalled.
"He's been on holiday. But I am confident he has now returned to work with three of his partners." Clara sees the candle on the bedside table flicker. "And as a matter of fact, he's right here..."
The door opens slowly.
"Aren't you, Doctor?"
The three look to the door and find Claudia steps inside, looking concern. "Clara, get everyone out!" She screamed, stepping away as a woman of ice steps through and Clara, Francesca, and Digby scream. The children scramble from the bed and Clara backs away near Claudia.
"Bloomin' hell!" Clara reacted.
"The children have been very naughty!" The Governess scolded.
Claudia stands in front of them. "Get out of here, quickly!" She warned Clara.
"Naughty, naughty children!"
"Run!" Clara shouted, holding Claudia's hand as they're running for the playroom and Claudia immediately bolts the door top and bottom using her sonic pen.
"What do we do?" Francesca asked.
"Frannie, Frannie, imagine her melting," Clara told her as Claudia keeps using her sonic pen.
"What?!"
"In your head, melt her."
"I can't!"
"I'm getting impatient!" The Governess snapped and opened the door by force. "You have been very naughty!"
"What about the man? You said the man was here, the cloud man and his partners!" Digby recalled.
"Doctor, that's your cue!" Claudia yelled inside the room, trying to shatter the ice woman using her pen. "And please just help me out!"
"Doctor? Doctor who?" A puppet appears with a child voice, not far from them, as a hand appears beside the puppet, uses the sonic screwdriver to help Claudia.
"That's the way to do it!" The Doctor mimicked his boyish voice and held Arthur beside him, who's actually controlling the puppet. He let go of him, letting Clara as his temporary supervisor as he helps Claudia inspect the remaining ice.
"Where did she go? Will she come back?" Francesca asked.
"Melting. And hopefully, she never comes back," Claudia replied, looking at the Doctor. "Honestly, can you at least install a new setting on my pen? Not cool you know, with only you got the antifreeze. I've got some trouble handling that ice lady."
"I'll promise to install one," the Doctor responded, smiling.
"I'm very grateful. I knew you'd come," Clara told them.
The Doctor stands up, walking to her, looking at Arthur so the boy won't hear this. "No, you didn't, because I don't," he whispered quietly so only she could hear his voice. "Because this isn't the sort of thing I do any more... which includes my friends. Next time you're in trouble, don't expect me or them to..." he stops talking and moves away from Clara. This isn't what he wants to become. But after what happened in Manhattan, he cannot help himself to become like this. Like a bitter man who lost his purpose as the Doctor.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Clara asked, concerned.
"Nothing, it's just," he looks at Arthur, "just concern."
"It's cooler."
"Yeah, it is, isn't it? It is very cool," he said, adjusting Arthur's bowtie that he let him wear. "Bow ties are cool!"
"Not the bowtie, the room," Claudia corrected as the room was getting colder. Arthur starts to see the rug moves... like something grows underneath it.
"She's coming back!" Francesca realized. "What's she going to do? Is she going to punish me?"
Claudia and the Doctor try to use their sonic again, but none of their devices work. Which is why, the Doctor ushers them to run away from the room. They run down the front stairs only to stop when a man confronts them.
"Children, what is exp... Who the devil are you?! What are you doing in my house?" He demanded.
"I'm your governess' closest friend," Claudia explained. "And these two," she gestures to the Doctor and Arthur, "are my... family."
A maid rushes to their location. "Captain Latimer, in the garden, there's snowman! And they're just growing, out of nowhere, all by themselves, look!" She proceeds to the front door and opens it, finding Madam Vastra, her wife Jenny, and Delaney outside.
"Good evening, I'm a lizard woman from the dawn of time. This is my wife and my good friend!" Madam Vastra introduced them, causing the maid screams that really hurting Arthur's ears.
She hurries down the hall only to see Strax. "This dwelling is under attack! Remain calm, human scum!"
The maid screams again and faints. The Doctor runs to the bottom of the stairs and looks at Latimer. "So! Any questions?"
Latimer just stared at Clara and Claudia. "You're... my governess' close friend?"
"Sort of," Claudia shrugged as the Doctor walked to a window in the parlor.
"Delaney, Vastra, what's happening?" He asked as three women followed him into the room.
"The snow is highly localised, and on this occasion not naturally occurring," Madam Vastra reported.
"It's coming out of that cab parked by the gates," Jenny added.
"Sir, one pulver grenade would blow these snowmen to smithereens," Strax suggested.
"Won't work, Strax," Delaney told him, shaking her head. "This is the snow we're talking about." She glances at Clara. "Hello again, Clara."
Latimer frowns. "Clara? Who's Clara?"
"Your current governess is in reality a former barmaid called Clara," the Doctor replied as the Governess of ice shuffles her way to the top of the stairs.
"That's the way to do it."
"Also, your previous governess is now a living ice sculpture intended to kill us all," Delaney added, taking a small ball that Jenny lent her before. The Dame proceeds to throw it that makes a red force field around it. "Probably get us some time."
Strax steps into the hall from the study. "Sir, this room, one observational window on the line of attack and one defendable entrance."
"Right, everyone in there now. Move it," the Doctor instructed, then pointing Latimer while gesturing to the collapsed maid. "You, carry her."
▪︎▪︎▪︎
Inside the room, the Doctor trying to discuss more about the ice governess. According to him, the reason why the snowman want her is because she's the perfect duplicate of human and snow, which is what the enemy needs for. To ensure their survival and creates more. To Arthur, that's quite scary. Considering the snow around London, who knows what kind of enemy he and others might face to face. And to be honest, he prefers not to face a deadly enemy that is potentially hard to be defeated by the Doctor.
Then, they heard a doorbell.
"I get it," Claudia said, standing up.
"No," the Doctor disagreed, giving her a pointing look.
"It's best if the enemy doesn't know you, Doctor. We need you and Mum's brain for this situation. Besides, if I'm right, the enemy knows your face. Better to expect someone else to lose their guard."
Before he could argue, Claudia left the room. Clara can only watch with amusement, knowing in her heart that she cannot follow her, in case something bad happens. But somehow... she can't let that happen. She can't let that girl just stroke into danger without somebody else.
So, she decides to follow her.
"Why are you following me?" The bluenette asked, looking wary at her.
"I'm just want to," Clara replied.
"You know you shouldn't, right?"
"Yep."
"But you're not gonna listen, am I right?"
"Yes. And that's what makes you like me."
"Who says I like you?"
And without any hesitation, Clara kisses her, making Claudia reacts in utter shock. She never got any kiss before, much less from a girl. Well, mouth-to-mouth kiss, to be exact. Her mother always kisses her cheeks when they're going to depart for a long time. She never stays inside the Tardis longer than any usual companions and often sails across the stars to help people around. That, and she also needs to take care of Jenny, the Doctor's daughter, at Messaline.
"You... You kissed me," Claudia whispered, still cannot believe that even after Clara pulls away from her lip.
"Well, you blushed," Clara teased.
"What's happening?" Arthur innocently asked from the room.
"Nothing!" The bluenette quickly said and Clara giggled at her awkward reaction, finding it very cute to see her like that. "Very funny, Clara," the girl added as they're walking to the door and opens it, finding Dr. Simeon standing alongside some snowman.
"Release her to us. You have 5 minutes," Simeon declared before walks away.
Claudia immediately closed the door as the Doctor and walks back through the hall. "Well?" He asked.
"He wants the Governess," Claudia confirmed.
"We need to get her out of here, but keep her away from them," the Doctor asserted.
"How?" Clara asked.
"With this." He pulls out an umbrella from the stand by the stairs. "Do I always have to state the obvious?"
Latimer steps from the room. "Those creatures outside, what are they?"
"No danger to you, as long as I get that thing out of here!" He points at Latimer. "You, in there, now." He orders and goes partway up the stairs and uses the sonic screwdriver on the force field.
"What are you doing?" Clara asked.
"Between you and me, I can't wait to find out," he admitted, moving the field behind him and both girls. "Right, if you look after everyone here, then I can..."
"Clara!" Claudia shouted.
"Claudia!" Clara warns as the Governess lunges at them, but they dodge past her.
Claudia soon gets Clara's hand and follows the Doctor upstairs. "That's reckless!"
"You and the Doctor also reckless!"
"We're expert on this. We can be reckless as we want!"
"What sort of logic is that?"
"That's the way to do it!" The Governess speaked.
Clara frowns. "Why does she keep saying that?"
They stop at the landing. Clara and Claudia are standing behind the Doctor who swings the umbrella at the Governess.
"Mirroring in random," Claudia answered.
"We need to get on the roof," the Doctor suggested.
Having an idea, Clara grabs the Doctor and Claudia by the hand. "This way!"
"I do the hand grabbing, that's my job, that's always me!" He protested as Clara led them to the roof.
Claudia opens the window and steps onto the roof. She needs some extra push since her gown got stuck at the window. "Here!" She gestures to Clara to hold her hand, pulling her in a force so she can get out. "Come ooon!"
They fall to the roof, Clara's lying on top of her. Both women's faces got flustered and they immediately stood up, not ready to face each other without getting their face red. "So," Clara clears her throat as the Doctor steps outside, looking confused with their reaction. "What's the plan?"
"Since when the Doctor and I have a plan?" The bluenette asked, raising her eyebrow.
"Course you've got a plan. He took that," she pointed out the Doctor's umbrella.
"For all you know, he probably doesn't have one."
"No. He's not, and so do you. You and the Doctor are really clever."
"Really? Do tell us, then."
The Governess appears at the window. "That's the way to do it!"
"Is this a test?" Clara asked.
"Yes," the Doctor affirmed.
"What will it do to us?"
"Kill us."
"Or save us," Claudia added.
"That's the way to do it!" The Governess repeated, turned into snow, blowing through the window.
"Come on, Clara. Prove it," Claudia challenged her, hoping that she's truly capable of being smart and impressing the Doctor.
"I knew straight away," Clara admitted. "If we'd been escaping, we'd be climbing down the building. If we'd been hiding, we'd be on the other side of the roof. But we're standing right here."
"Which means?"
Clara takes the Doctor's umbrella, reaches up to the air, pulls down the ladder. "After you."
"After you," the Doctor insisted.
"After you, I'm wearing a dress. Eyes front, soldier!"
"My eyes are always front!" He protested and started up the ladder.
"Mine aren't," Clara looks at Claudia in flirty ways. The girl just looks away, still shy, and climbs up, following the Doctor. The brunette admits she truly finds that girl amazing.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
"So you can move your cloud? You can control it?" Clara asked as they're arriving at the base of the spiral staircase.
"No, no-one can control clouds, that would be silly. The wind, a little bit," the Doctor elaborated.
The ladder begins to shake and they look down, finding the ice woman follows them.
"She's following us!" Clara realized.
"That's the idea. Keep her away from the snow," he alluded and ran up the staircase.
"Barmaid and governess," Claudia begins. "Which one are you?"
"That thing is after us, and you want a chat?" Clara frowns.
"Why not?" The bluenette shrugged, keep moving.
"How did we get up so high so quick?"
"Clever staircase, it's taller on the inside!" The Doctor replied as they reached the top of the staircase, the cloud. He turns around and aims the sonic down the staircase.
"What am I standing on, what's this made of?" Clara gestures around her.
"Super-dense water vapour. Should keep her trapped, for the moment."
They cross the cloud to the Tardis.
"So you and your friends actually live up here?" Clara asked. "On a cloud, in a box?"
"Not just any ordinary box," Claudia corrected, snapped her finger and let Clara see the inside as the Doctor watched in amusement.
"It's called the Tardis," the Doctor introduced and entered the box with Claudia. "It can travel anywhere in time and space. And it's mine."
Clara is still in shock. "But it's... Look at it, it's..."
"Go on, say it, most people do."
The bluenette runs in a circle before returning. "It's smaller on the outside!"
"Okay. That is a first," the Doctor responded, sulk.
The brunette walks around the console. "Is it magic? Is it a machine?"
"It's a spaceship," Claudia added, smiling. Oh, how long she's been waiting for this moment to happen. "That's able to move not just in space, but also in time. The best one."
Clara comes down to the console. "Is there a kitchen?"
"Why?"
"I don't know why I asked that, it's just... I like making soufflés."
"Soufflés?" Claudia repeated, confused, looking at the Doctor who looks confused as well, but seems different. Like he had a different reason.
"Why are you showing me all this?" Clara asked.
Claudia gives the Doctor a meaningful look. Maybe close to a hopeful one as the man looks at the console with uncertainty, but likely ready to open up. He reaches into pocket and walks to Clara. "I never know why. I only know who," he said, holding up the Tardis key before placing it in her palm and folder her hand.
"What's this?"
"Hope, Clara," Claudia answered, smiling.
Clara starts to tear up. "I don't know why I'm crying..."
"I do," the bluenette holds her left hand. "Because you created something wonderful, Clara."
But sadly, despite the happy moment they cherish together, it never goes smoothly as the Governess grabs Clara from outside, causing the brunette to scream.
"Clara!" Claudia screamed, holding her hands as she tried to grip her hand much stronger so the Governess won't drag her away. "Hold my hand! Just hold it!"
"Get off of me!" Clara yelled, keep fighting to let go of the Governess' grip.
As they're already outside the box, the Doctor aims his sonic at the ice woman. "Water vapour doesn't stop ice, I should've realised!"
"Get off!"
"Let her go, you stupid ice governess!" Claudia fumes, starts to panic as the Governess drags Clara near the end of the cloud. "Let Clara go! Just let her go!"
"Clara!" The Doctor shouted, holding Claudia's right arm, trying his best to pull away. But perhaps because the Governess has a strong strength, nothing's working.
Despite this situation, Clara realizes that she doesn't have any time left. If the Governess dragged her into their death, then Claudia and the Doctor would also die as well. She knows that those two won't ever let her go, no matter what. And Clara can't ever let that happen to them.
Especially... especially Claudia.
So before the Governess doing something dangerous, she takes a decision.
"Clara!" Claudia yelled as Clara let go of her grip at the same time the Governess took another step back, leading them into a fall.
In panic, she and the Doctor run to the edge and lean over, both screaming her name.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
Arthur heard a thud from outside.
"What was that?" Madam Vastra wondered as Arthur and Delaney look out the window into the front yard before gasping.
"Nonono!" Arthur screamed upon finding Clara's lying in the snow surrounded by snowmen. "Clara!"
Delaney looks at a handheld device Madam Vastra has.
"Dear God," Latimer whispered, looking out the window. "Oh, dear God, where did she fall from?"
"No," Delaney murmured as it read 'No Life Signs Detected'. "Oh my words... she's dead..."
"CLARA!" Arthur immediately runs to the door, not caring if danger's still around. She can't be dead. She can't be! He met her in the future with the Doctor and Claudia. How can she's alive in the future if she's dead here? That doesn't make any sense at all!
Delaney hurriedly catches him before he can get out. "Arthur, don't!"
"But Clara...!"
"I know, I know. But we don't risk yourself in danger," the woman warned him, hugging him as he cried on her chest, trying as much as she can to calm him down, to ease the pain of being unable to do anything to save somebody.
And the worst part? This boy will face so much loss and pain in the future... and she can't do anything to help him.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
Claudia watches Clara, who's lying on a table as Strax scans her with Madam Vastra's device. She grows frantic as a pulsing red light of energy keeps flying above Clara. She doesn't know much about technology like the Doctor, but she knows whatever that red light indicates doesn't mean well.
"Dame Redwood said she was dead, how can she be alive now?" Latimer asked.
"This technology has capacities and abilities beyond anything your puny human mind could possibly understand," Strax described. "Try not to worry."
She sighs, carrying Arthur who looks so heartbroken. And why wouldn't he? He just witnessed someone he knows will die in front of him. Again. "She's going to be okay," the bluenette assured him. "She's going to."
Because if she's not... then that means she's failed to keep someone safe.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
Delaney's kneeling on the Tardis' floor, helping the Doctor to gather some remains of the ice of the Governess and put it on a tin box.
"Isn't the creature still a danger?" Madam Vastra asked as she's enter the Tardis. "It could reform."
"No, not in here," the Doctor remarked.
"Then you should be with Miss Clara."
"She's going to be fine, I know she is, she has to be."
"Doctor, her injuries are severe. That equipment will bring back anyone for a while, but long term..."
"It was my fault. I am responsible for what happened to Clara, she was in my care!" He snapped, covering his face with both hands, shaking, feeling absolute dreadful and pain of this. Why couldn't he keep himself from endangering people under his care and around? His family, his companions... they all suffer because of him and the travel. And after what happened in Manhattan, he can't take it anymore.
And now, Clara's going to die, just like before.
Delaney kindly rubbed his head, making the man look at her eyes. "What's the point of blaming yourself? Hmm?" She asked him with sad smiles, knowing that's what he needs. Which is funny, because she's also used this same question to future Arthur whenever he got down because something bad happened. "Whatever happened has already happened, Doctor. Don't make this stop you from being a doctor. For being a man that I always know."
He smiles fondly. "You are always good with encouragement, you know."
"Well, between us, someone needs to be good with that," she nudged him, helping him to stand up as she, the Doctor, and Madam Vastra outside. He hands the box of ice to Claudia, who's so sad as she's carrying the sad blonde boy. Unable to see that face, the Doctor kisses his forehead, whispering some words of assurement, before carrying the boy himself as he steps closer to Clara alongside Claudia and her mother.
The bluenette leans over, takes one of her hands in her hand before gently grip it. Clara slowly opens her eyes.
"Hello," the Doctor whispered.
Clara smiles weakly at them. "They all think I'm going to die, don't they?"
"And I know you're going to live."
"How?"
The Doctor reaches into jacket pocket, "I never know how," he said, pulls out the Tardis key, and places it in her palm. "I just know who."
"Delaney said... you were always saving worlds. Are you going to save this one?"
"If I do, will you come away with me? With Claudia and Delaney?"
"Yes," she replied, smiling as she gazed at Claudia who started to cry. "I would love to..."
The Doctor stands and straightens his tie. He then takes the box from Claudia and leaves the room before returning again, strides into the Tardis as Delaney and Madam Vastra follow him.
"So then, Doctor, saving the world again?" Madam Vastra asked. "Might I ask why? Are you making a bargain with the universe? You'll save the world to let her live?"
"Yes!" He stares between her and Delaney. "And don't you think, after all this time and everything I've ever done, I'm owed this one?"
"Then, we better make sure it's all worth it," Delaney replied, gripping his hand with seriousness and courage before setting the Tardis into their destination.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
Delaney watches with utter silence as Dr. Simeon enters his own office room. "You promised us something. Have you brought it?"
"Big fella here's been very quiet while you've been out, which is only to be expected considering who he really is," the Doctor mentioned as he stands beside Delaney, holds up the box and moves to the center. "Know what this is, big fella?"
"I do not understand these markings," the snow speaked.
"A map of the London Underground, 1967. Key strategic weakness in metropolitan living, if you ask me, but then I have never liked a tunnel..."
"Enough of this. We are powerful, but on this planet we are limited. We need to learn to take human form. The Governess is our most perfect replication of humanity..."
The Doctor has taken out the sonic screwdriver and uses it on the snow, causing its voice to change, turning to the voice of a young boy.
"What's happening to its voice?" Madam Vastra frowns.
"Just stripping away the disguise," the Doctor remarked.
"No, stop! Stop that! Cease, I command you!"
Delaney slowly steps forward to Dr. Simeon, who falls back against the desk for support.
"It sounds like a child," Madam Vastra noted.
"Because it is a child," Delaney answered, still observing Dr. Simeon. "The snow talked to him as a child. In other words, the snow just mimicking his voice."
"Don't listen to them, they're ruining everything!"
"How long has the Intelligence been talking to you?"
Dr. Simeon blinks, looking so confused. "I was a little boy. He was my snowman... He spoke to me."
"But the snow doesn't talk, does it?" The Doctor asked back. "It's just a mirror. It just reflects back everything we think and feel and fear. You poured your darkest dreams into a snowman. And look," he points at the globe, "look what it became!"
Sensing Madam Vastra's confusion, Delaney decides to help her. "It's a parasite feeding on the loneliness of a child... and the sickness of an old man," she denoted, looking sad, thinking of her daughter Claudia, of River... of Arthur. Had the Doctor never come to their life or even guide them, perhaps their lives would be much bleak and darker. And she can't imagine how much she can handle those situations. "And it creates something... dangerous."
"We can go on! And do everything we planned."
"Oh, yes, and what a plan!" The Doctor mocked. "A world full of living ice people. Oh, dear me, how very Victorian of you."
"What's wrong with Victorian values?" Dr. Simeon asks as he lunges at the Doctor and grabs the box of ice. Delaney comes forward to take it back but the Doctor stops her.
"Are you sure?"
"I have always been sure!" The man opens the box and reaches in to take a piece of ice. Instead, he grabs the memory worm which bites his hand. He groans and keels over on his side.
"Good," the Doctor replied without mercy and bends over. He knows this is such a cruel thing to do, but this man, one way or another, is responsible for Clara's death and poses a threat to Sunny, Delaney, and Claudia. He won't ever let that pass like it's nothing. Not after Amy and Rory. "I'm glad you think so, since your entire adult life is about to be erased. No parasite without a host, without you, it will have no voice, without the governess, it will have no form."
"What... What's happening, what's happening, what did you do?" The Intelligent demanded.
"You've got nothing left to mirror any more. Goodbye."
"What did you... Did you... Did you..."
The voice and energy fade away before resuming as if nothing happened.
"Did you really think it would be so easy?"
Delaney staggers back. "What?" She whispered, looking completely shocked.
"That's not possible. How is that possible?" The Doctor argued.
"Doctor! Delaney!" Madam Vastra called, alluding at the window, at outside.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
"Oh no," Arthur whispered, noticing the snowmen getting bigger and scarier.
"They're growing! The snowmen are growing!" Jenny informed, staring at the window to accompany Arthur.
Latimer comes to the window. "What do we do?"
Claudia glances at the window and Clara, concerned. "Come on, Mum, Doctor, Madam Vastra," she pleaded, holding Clara's hand much stronger.
"No, you must fight!" Strax insisted. "Hang on and fight, boy, you can do it!"
The bluenette steps aside as Latimer comes to stand beside the table.
"Captain Latimer... your children... they are afraid. Hold them," Clara told him.
He looks to his children. "It's not really my area."
"It is now," she stated, looking at Claudia and a single tear fell from her eye.
"Look," Arthur mentioned as there's a flash of lightning. "Rain."
▪︎▪︎▪︎
Delaney grunted, holding her head that got knocked out by a chair.
"Delaney! Doctor!" Madam Vastra called, helping them out. "The globe. It's turning to rain. All of it, the snow, look."
Delaney frowns with Dr. Simeon just had his hands trembling before collapsing. The Doctor checks his pulse. "He's dead."
"What happened?" Delaney asked, still rubbing her head.
"The snow mirrors, that's all it does. It's mirroring something else now. Something so strong, it's drowning everything else," he runs to the window, opens it and lets the rain fall into his palm. "There was a critical mass of snow at the house. If something happened there..."
He licks it from his hand. Delaney and Madam Vastra also did it as well. "Salt," Delaney realized. "Oh. Of course. The tears. A whole family crying on Christmas Eve..."
She and the Doctor exchange a revelation look.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
The Doctor, Delaney, and Madam Vastra step out from the Tardis. The solemn expression on Strax's face and the silence from Claudia and Sunny are enough to give them some proof of what's happening.
"I'm sorry. There was nothing to be done. She has moments only," Strax informed.
Arthur glances at them as he rushes to the Doctor and hugs him tight. The man carries him and approaches the table, kneeling. "We saved the world, Clara, you and me. We really, really did."
"Will you go back... to your cloud?" She asked.
He looks at Claudia, who looks heartbroken and Delaney, who looks in pain. Then, he thought about Sunny. "No more cloud. Not now."
"Why not?"
"It rained."
Clara holds his hand and gives him one last sentence. "Run. Run, you clever boy. Cherish your family." Then, she gazes at Claudia. "And remember me."
With that, she closes her eyes forever as church bells from outside begin to ring.
"No," Arthur pleaded and cried louder.
"It's Christmas. Christmas Day," Digby solemnly informed.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
They watch from a distance as Latimer and his children visit Clara's grave. Madam Vastra's wearing her veil, to keep her true appearance from being exposed and Claudia, who's not wearing her usual veil, holds a bouquet of flowers, looking somber and sad, holding Arthur who looks sad as well.
"And what about the Intelligence?" Madam Vastra asked. "Melted with the snow?"
"No, I shouldn't think so. It learned to survive beyond physical form," the Doctor replied.
"Well, we can't be in much danger from a disembodied Intelligence that thinks it can invade the world with snowmen," Jenny guessed.
"Or that the London Underground is a key strategic weakness," Madam Vastra denoted.
The Doctor reaches into his pocket and pulls out the calling card. "The Great Intelligence... rings a bell... the Great Intelligence?"
"I think you met them," Delaney mentioned as they're walking to the grave. "A long time ago." But then, the woman frowns upon looking at the headstone. "Oswin?"
"Who?" Arthur asked, confused, as the boy's looking at Clara's full name, which is Clara Oswin Oswald
"I never knew her name, her full name," the Doctor admitted. "Oswin, it was her. It was Soufflé Girl again."
"We never saw her face the first time with the Daleks, but her voice, it was the same voice!" Delaney recalled, leaving Claudia and Arthur in complete confusion.
"Mum?" Claudia asked.
"The same woman, twice, and she died both times, the same woman! Don't you see what's happening?"
"I'm confused," Arthur simply stated, but at the same time, not at all. If somehow there's a way that Clara is still alive, then that means the future is still intact! That'll explain why Clara's still exists!
"Something's going on, Sunny! Something impossible, something..." he looks back at Madam Vastra and Jenny who stand without a clear picture of what they are talking about. "Right, you two stay here, stay right here, don't move an inch."
"Are you coming back?" Madam Vastra asked as the Doctor and others just moving away.
"Shouldn't think so!"
"But where are you going?"
Delaney stops and turns around, eyes full with hope. "To find her, to find Clara!"
"But Mum, she's..."
"I know, dear. I know. But trust me, you would love this!" Delaney assures her daughter as they enter the Tardis and sets off, in a mission on finding Clara.
Arthur might not know this whole thing about Clara. But he admits... he is genuinely curious about this whole mystery.