In Florida, at night, Canton and his husband just get out from a local restaurant, which is very unusual to them. Despite President Nixon approving their marriage status, it still annoys Canton that his husband still gets treated like a jerk from others.

"It's okay," Canton's husband, Mike, said. He is always very forgiving, despite how much annoyance Canton is with people's treatment of him. "They just don't understand. Let's just eat at another restaurant."

Canton sighed, but agreed with his request.

Just as they walk into their car, Canton hears a coughing voice. He slowly walks near, gesturing to Mike to stand by, in case something bad happens. But the moment his eyes can see a figure of a young boy in a nightgown, he looks bewildered upon it. After all, the child looks sick, very sick. His hands wrapping his body tightly as he's shaking. Not only that, Canton can see his terrified expression, looking so lost and confused. "Are you okay?" He asked the boy, worried. "Little boy, are you okay?"

"I... I don't know," he admitted. He felt cold and ill. He barely can move his legs, holding both hands at his body to keep himself warm. "I... I think... I'm dying."

He barely managed to escape from them, from his kidnappers. They've been experimenting on him with various chemicals he never knew. It's hurting him so much, he barely can do anything but to lay down as they keep injecting and testing something on him.

It's been months since they got him. And even now, he doesn't know what's really going on. They've been tampering with his memories a lot, he's not sure if he knows any details.

"I can... barely move now," he said to the man, coughing. "Maybe I need a... huh?"

Suddenly he's feeling warm, which is weird and wrong as there's nothing around here that can make him warm. But he soon notices how both man look bewildered at him. Then, he's slowly gazing at his hand and almost stumbling as both hands are glowing with yellow-orangey light.

"What the... I don't... I don't... I don't understand." He can only looking at his hands, terrified. He cannot say anything as the glowing release from his hands and head with large force, so much that he can only screaming at the heat and the pain that spreads across his body.

By the time it finally stopped, he looked around with confusion, feeling weird. His body doesn't feel cold anymore, but fresh and healthy, something he never experienced for a while. He also feels his clothes is a bit bigger than normal. When he checks his hands, he noticed his hands look different than he always knows.

He found a small pond near him. When he decided to see his face, he stepped backward, almost losing his balance to stand up. He closed his eyes, praying that this isn't happening, that he is still the same person as before. That there's not a stranger looking back at his reflection. That he is still Arthur Jonas.

He looked again, and his heart felt like it was lost to moving as he spotted his face. His appearance changes completely. Gone are the blonde hair and blue eyes that were replaced with hazelnut brown hair and light brown eyes. There's also some tiny freckles on his cheeks and his eyes seem a bit smaller.

Arthur doesn't understand anything. How can his appearance changes completely into a different person?

He touches his chest, sensing two hearts beating normally. He never suspects about having two hearts instead one. He did get super frantic when realising there's another heart at his chest. Even the adults at his oprhanage didn't know how that happened. They almost sends him to a hospital for inspection, but Mr. Derby didn't want that, fearing the boy would become a subject experiment. Arthur had to accept that, despite still wondering how he could have two hearts beating each other.

Maybe something's wrong with him. Perhaps whatever happened to him caused this to happen. Yeah, that must be it! After all, no normal human can change their looks and have two hearts inside.

He slowly tried to take a deep breath, to calm down first. He doesn't understand any of this, but he needs to take this into facts now. He's changed, physically. And now he's stuck in Florida in the year 1969. He knows the year because he managed to listen to their conversation about the moon landing. And he spotted a newspaper that's pointing to the year.

"Are... are you okay?" This time, Mike asked him. He and Canton can only glance at each other, not getting any of this. Mike knows Canton dealt with aliens a week ago, something that involved Apollo 11. He thought he's just kidding. But now, he might need to apologise for ever thinking like that.

"I... I think so?" The boy shrugged, before collapsing. The couple manage to get him first, fearing his head might bump into a street.

Canton checks his forehead. "His body burns," he noted. "We need to get him at home."

"Wait, shouldn't we bring him to the hospital?"

"Trust me. I've been dealing with this. The hospital is the last thing we need."

▪︎▪︎▪︎

And so, Canton and Mike bring the poor boy back to their house. Luckily, they live quite far from the lousy neighbourhood so it will be much easier for them to take care of the boy without causing suspicion.

"He seems okay. His fever slows down," Mike noted as he's covering the child with a blanket. His eyes look at Canton, who still looks confused as he's staring at the child. "What's wrong?"

Canton glances at Mike before slowly sits next to him with a nearby chair. "Mike, remember that mission I got from President Nixon a week ago?" Mike nodded, he continued. "Well... I've met some people during that time. One of them is a child that followed me. He looks exactly like him."

Mike looks at him, then glances at the brunette. "Are you saying... this child..."

Canton nodded with determination face. That alone made Mike start the child, even more confused than before.

And then, the ex-FBI agent remembered something. He walks out of the room, searching for a card that the child put on his coat. He never understood why he gave it to him. But now... he understands why as he reads the numbers that's written in it and makes a dial call from the man he met before.

"Doctor, it's me," Canton speaked. "I think I found someone."

▪︎▪︎▪︎

Just as he ended the call, Canton and Mike can hear a weezing sound. A sound that Mike never heard before in his life, but Canton did. The couple can sense a wind blowing behind them. When they turn around, they see a box. A blue box. Seems like a police telephone box, judging from the name and there's a phone service.

A door opens by force and a floppy-brown hair man with bowtie come out, looking for something, before eyeing them. "You found him?" He asked Canton.

Canton nods, leading him into a room where they put the brunette to lay down. He looks incredibly relieved upon seeing the boy as he's rushing to his side.

"Who is he?" Mike whispered beside Canton.

"The Doctor," Canton just said.

"How did he got here?" The Doctor asked them.

"He's just suddenly appeared at a local parking lot, sick and pale," Canton replied. "Doctor, his appearance just changed completely. One moment, he had blue eyes and blonde hair. Next moment, brown hair with brown eyes." Canton feels worried as the man's expression suddenly changes. From scared into rage. "Doctor, what's going on? How could Arthur be here?"

"It's complicated, Canton. And I'm afraid you must wait," he answered as the boy shifted his position, looking at his surroundings.

"Doctor...?" He murmured.

"Hey, Sunny," the Doctor said with a small smile. "How are you feeling?"

"... tired."

The Doctor brushed off his pixie cut hair. "Alright. Go to sleep, Sunny dear," he muttered, placing his hand at his temple before sighing, looking so sad and tired. He stands up, carrying the brunette gently as he's staring at Canton and Mike. The couple can see tears coming at his green eyes. "Thank you for finding him. Truly, I'm glad."

"No problem," Canton replied.

The Doctor frowns. "But how did you know my number, Canton? I never gave it to you."

"Technically, you don't. But someone did."

Canton's gazes at Arthur already gives the Doctor an idea of who might be.

▪︎▪︎▪︎

The room Arthur currently lays down is so, so familiar, despite he's not sure why. The room had a large bed, a large cupboard, and a large bookshelf. Seems like the Tardis decided to make stuff inside his room bigger. Why, he's not sure. But he admits, he does like the walls decorated with stars and cosmos. He always like them.

Right after he woke up from a long sleep, Arthur had managed to take a bath. He's actually surprised to see a bathtub at the toilet inside his room now. He wastes no time to take a time to relax at the tub, while also trying to process what really happened to him, but nothing comes up.

Perhaps he needs time.

After finishing cleaning up and finding suitable clothes (which is a red flannel shirt, navy joggers, dark green hoodie with brown sneakers), he decided to go to the main room, wanting to ask the Doctor more. He knows him. Maybe he can help.

And yet, when he arrived, the Doctor wasn't there. He's just... disappeared.

"Where is he?" Arthur wondered as he stared at the console. From the monitor, he can see two people nearly walking back to the Tardis. A woman with a 1920s outfit and a person with a spacesuit. Arthur cannot tell if the person inside the suit is a man or woman.

The woman leaves as the person enters the Tardis. Arthur spots the helmet revealing a back hair, not a face. "Sunny," the voice called him that he recognized as the Doctor, "can you help me, please? I'm stuck."

"Oh." He approaches him and looks around, trying to release him from the spacesuit. It took a while, since Arthur never knew much about spacesuits. Not to mention, he had a bad experience with it. But the boy managed to open it and free the Doctor.

"Thanks, Sunny," He softly said, slapping his cheek as he walked to the console and pressed some buttons.

"Where were you?" Arthur inquired.

"Managed to locate a spaceship that intends to destroy the Earth and set it off to prevent it," he elaborated while flapping his hands. "But that's not what's important." He set the Tardis off with a big grin. "We're going to grant a wish."

Arthur just stared at him. "A what?"

"You'll see."

▪︎▪︎▪︎

Eventually, they find a house outside the country that never got sell. The house itself was already in damage, but the Doctor managed to fix it up, to make it new. Arthur also helps with fixing the stuff that's left inside and making some toys for the Arwell children. The Doctor cannot help to be happy with Arthur's intention to help.

It took some time to finish it. By the time they finish it, they can heard the Arwell arriving.

"I'll open it!" Arthur rushed down as Madge kept knocking the door. But when he tried to open it, it didn't move. "Oh ow." He tries to pull it so the door can open. "Come... ooon!" He's stomping his legs, frustrated. "Come on... you... stupid... dooors...!"

Unfortunately, forcing a door to be open causes the door to fall down. Arthur looked at the door and popped his head at the Arwells awkwardly. "Uhm... sorry about that."

"It's okay, dear," Madge waved her hand. "Can you call Mr. Cardew?"

And then, the Doctor appeared beside him. "Well, come in. In you come."

The Arwells entered the house, confused. "Mind your step," the Doctor picked up the door. "Now, don't worry. The back door is still, broadly speaking, operational." He puts the door back in its hole. "Right then," he takes some steps, clapping his hands, "may I take your cases?"

"Thank you," Madge said as she put down her case. Her children, Lily and Cyril, also do the same.

"Lovely. Would you mind carrying them for me?" He instead walked past them. "I need to show you round."

"Oh no, wait!" Madge called, stopping the Doctor who was running up the stairs. "Who are you?"

"I'm the caretaker," he introduced. "And that is Arthur," he pointed at the pixie, brunette boy.

Arthur smiles at them quietly. "Hello!"

"But you're not Mr. Cardew," Madge insisted.

"I agree."

"I don't understand. Are you the new caretaker?"

"Usually called the Doctor," he stepped down. "Or the Caretaker or Get Off This Planet. Though, strictly speaking," he stopped moving, "that probably isn't a name." He shakes Madge's hand. "Hello, Madge Arwell."

Madge replied with his shake. "Hello."

"And Cyril Arwell." He shakes Cyril's hand. "And Lily Arwell." He also did the same with Lily. "Now, come on, come on. Lots to see. Whistle stop tour. Take notes, there will be questions."

▪︎▪︎▪︎

For the next few minutes, the Doctor and Arthur show the Arwells the layout of their new home. The sitting room with the chairs that can move around, the kitchen that provides a lemonade (it was Arthur's idea), Mrs. Arwell's room, before finally, they arrive at the children's room that is filled with many toys. Toys that Arthur made for them.

"I'm going to be honest, masterpiece. The ultimate bedroom. A science wiencey workbench. A jungle. A maze. A window disguised as a mirror. A mirror disguised as a window. Selection of torches for midnight feasts and secret reading. Zen garden, mysterious cupboard, zone of tranquillity, rubber wall, dream tank, exact model of the rest of the house, not quite to scale. Apologies. Dolls with comical expressions, the Magna Carta, a foot spa, Cluedo, a yellow fort," he showed, before wrapping his hands to the boy. "Thanks for the idea, Sunny."

"No problem," he smiles.

"Where are the beds?" Cyril inquired.

"Well, I couldn't fit everything in. I mean, all of these are made by Sunny. It's precious," he remarked. "There had to be sacrifices. Anyway, who needs beds when you've got," He pulled a lever and down from the ceiling come two hammocks. "Hammocks!" He gazed at them. "I know. Arthur's idea as well."

Arthur just smiled awkwardly.

Cyril walked to it, intending to get into the hammock. "But how do you get on?"

"Watch and learn, kid." The Doctor takes a run, jumps, and falls right between the two hammocks.

"For God's sake!" Madge commented.

He looks at the hammocks. "This hammock has developed a fault."

"Can you please stop talking?!" Madge snapped. "Can you please just stop!"

Arthur flinched by Madge's tone, at the way she's just yelling, something Arthur dislikes very much. A reminder of how the adults treated him like nothing at the orphanage he used to live in. Notice it, the Doctor walked to him and patted his shoulder to ease him. "Sorry," he apologised to Madge.

Realising what she had done to Arthur, Madge closed her mouth, feeling guilty for scaring a child. She's slowly saying, "Children, go downstairs."

"Why?" Lily inquired.

"Are we leaving?" Cyril asked.

"Yes. No. I don't know. Just please go downstairs!"

"You don't need to shout," Lily replied, reminding Madge, before she and Cyril leave the room.

"Why are you doing all this?" Madge asked softly, trying to keep herself from shouting. The last thing she needs is scaring Arthur again, which makes her ashamed of herself.

"I'm just trying to take care of things. I'm the caretaker," the Doctor answered.

"That's not what caretakers do."

"Then why are they called caretakers?"

"Their father's dead."

Arthur stares at Madge, not expecting that.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said. He glances at Arthur. The boy looks sad. He knows Arthur, in this timeline, hasn't known about his parents yet.

"Lily and Cyril's father," Madge slowly explained, "my husband is dead and they don't know yet, because if I tell them now, then Christmas will always be what took their father away from them, and no one should have to live like that. Of course, when the Christmas period is over, I shall. I don't know why I keep shouting at them."

"Because every time you see them happy, you remember how sad they're going to be," he grabs Arthur's hand, knowing what the boy's feeling, "and it breaks your heart."

"Mother, come and see!" Lily called.

"Mother! You've got to see this!" Cyril cried.

"Because what's the point in them being happy now if they're going to be sad later."

"Mother."

"Mother, are you coming?"

"The answer is, of course, because they are going to be sad later." He speaked. "Now, we'd better get downstairs. I think they may have found the main sitting room."

"Mother!" Cyril is still calling.

"I repaired it," the Doctor said.

▪︎▪︎▪︎

"Is this right?" Arthur asked, pointing to a cable that connects to a gizmo.

"Yes, Sunny. Just put it at that, and then use the sonic screwdriver," the Doctor explained, holding the gizmo tight as Arthur pointed his sonic screwdriver.

Right after he finished it, Lily entered the attic, looking at the duo. "You were lying about the panthers."

"Famous last words," the Doctor argued.

"Why have you got a phone box in your room?"

"It's not a phone box, to be exact," Arthur noted, scratching his head in confusion to fix the gizmo. "It's an 11-dimensional time machine that's bigger on the inside than the outside that allows you to travel beyond time and space across the world."

Lily just stares at him, clearly not believing any words he just said. Arthur reminds her a bit with his brother, Cyril, who often made lots of words. "Who are you? Really, who are you two?"

A small alarm beeps near Arthur. "Your brother... Where is he?" The Doctor asked her.

"Still in bed, asleep."

"Okay. Faulty, then." But then, the alarm beeps again. "You're sure he's still in bed?"

▪︎▪︎▪︎

Turns out, Cyril isn't in the bedroom. Arthur intends to inform Madge, but Lily and the Doctor forbid him to do so, fearing that Madge will react upon that news and intend to keep searching him at any places in the house.

Arthur soon finds an open present that seems more like a teleport into another snowy place. He heard some footsteps from behind. He tensed, scared that his kidnappers somehow managed to find him. But luckily, it's just the Doctor and Lily. The man crawls into the box as Lily stops.

"What's happening? I don't... What is that?"

The Doctor reaches out a hand. "With me, quickly, come on!" Lily takes his hand and he pulls her through. "You too, Sunny! Quickly!"

The boy follows him. As soon as he enters the box, Arthur gasps at his surroundings. After all, they are suddenly in a snowy forest.

"Where are we?" Lily wondered.

"In a forest in a box in a sitting room. Pay attention!" The Doctor huffed. "He's about 20 minutes ahead of us."

"But we just saw him."

"Time moves differently across the dimensional planes," Arthur stated as they're moving to find Cyril, still holding his flashlight.

"That's not an explanation!" Lily scoffed.

The Doctor stops and turns around. "We've gone through a dimensional portal... thingy."

"Well, what's that supposed to be? Where did it come from?"

"It was a present. And it wasn't supposed to be open till Christmas Day. Honestly, who opens their Christmas presents early?" He asked, confused.

Arthur and Lily just stare at each other, looking a little guilty.

"Okay. Shut up. Everyone."

▪︎▪︎▪︎

"I don't understand," Lily said as they kept walking. "Is this place real? Is it fairyland?"

"Fairyland?!" The Doctor rolls his eyes by that statement. "Grow up, Lily! Fairyland looks completely different." He gets down on knee to examine prints. "Now, these are Cyril's footprints, and these are the ones he was following. Notice anything?"

"The other footprints are getting bigger," Arthur pointed out.

"Correctamundo! Whatever your brother's following... it's growing."

"Well, then we have to get after him!" Lily runs ahead and brushes against a tree. Icicles drop and spheres form. She stops and stares, petrified.

"It's okay, you're fine. Don't worry," the Doctor assured her and holding Arthur's hand as he tenses up.

"Is that tree... alive?"

Arthur frowns. "Tree is alive."

Lily shook her head. "But is it dangerous?"

"Well, every rose has its thorns." They bend over to examine the spheres. Arthur just peeks at that tree with curiosity.

"They're like Christmas tree decorations."

"Yeah. Naturally occurring Christmas trees." The Doctor sniffs the pine. "How cool is that?"

"I don't understand."

"It's a big universe. Everything happens somewhere. Call it a coincidence, call it an idea echoing among the stars. Personally, I call it a brilliant idea for a Christmas trip. Or it should've... been. Do you know the difference between wind and trees talking to each other?"

"What?"

The Doctor licks the index finger of his right hand and holds it up to test the wind at the same time placing the index finger of his left hand to his lips. "No wind. I've been here many times, but I've never heard the trees so active. Something's wrong. What are you doing? What are you up to?" He murmured, looked into an ornament and his reflections morphs into that of a tree with a face. "I'm sorry, Lily. I really am." He takes her hand as he reaches into a pocket for the sonic, glancing Arthur nervously, "but there is something very wrong in this forest, and your brother's right in the middle of it."

Arthur gulps. This doesn't sound any good.

"Why would you bring us to this place?" Lily demanded as she, the Doctor, and Arthur walked faster.

"It was supposed to be a treat," Arthur defended.

"This is one of the safest planets I know. There's never anything dangerous here," the Doctor added as they hear a loud thud and the ground shakes. "There are sentences I should just keep away from."

"It's just irresponsible! How can you do this to my brother?!"

"It was meant to be a supervised trip!"

"To the future?"

"The future, yes."

"On a different planet?"

"Yes, very different."

"Where Christmas trees just happen."

"Well, sort of Christmas trees, they're not really Christmas trees," he elaborated as they finally arrived at the tower. "Oh, look at that!"

The Doctor heads for the door with Arthur. Lily follows. "What, are we going in?"

"Well, Cyril did."

▪︎▪︎▪︎

They enter the room first and see the seated statue. "Interesting..." he looks around the rest of the room.

Lily slowly walks forward. "What's that? What's that statue? What is it? It's like a king."

"A king, possibly, but not a statue," he whispered. "Look at the floor. This is what Cyril was following... the growing thing. Hatched from a bauble on a tree. Grew to this size in less than an hour, I'd say. Impressive. And so is this building! Yes. It's grown, see. This building, it isn't a building, it's a group of trees grown in the shape of a building, disguised as a building. Clever, I love. Clever, clever old forest. So, a forest grows a building. Why would it do that, Arthur?"

Arthur thought for a moment before answering. "A trap."

"Exactly. Thing about people, we can never resist a door."

"So, this is a trap?" Lily clarified. "We've just walked straight into a trap?"

"A people trap. Question is... why does a forest need people?" He wondered.

They turn their heads to look at the statue.

"We should go!" Lily suggested, heads for the door. "We have to get out of here."

"But Cyril is still upstairs," Arthur recalled.

Lily groans, clearly upset by the situation. The Doctor reaches his right hand behind him and Lily takes it. He holds Arthur's hand. "So, let's find Cyril."

▪︎▪︎▪︎

They come upon the closed door on the stairs. "Cyril? Cyril?" He gives Arthur the flashlight and takes out the sonic. "Can you hear me?" He slaps his sonic screwdriver. "Of course, it's wood! It's rubbish at wood!"

"It doesn't look like wood," Lily pointed out.

"It's disguised wood," Arthur elaborated.

"How can trees grow into a building?"

"Never underestimate a tree, Lily," the Doctor said. "I met the forest of Cheem once. She fancied me."

As he tries to get the sonic to work, Lily and Arthur look out the window. "Look at that!"

"It's amazing!" Arthur beamed.

"Busy, actually," he told the kids before addressing his sonic screwdriver. "Yes, I know it's wood. Get over it!"

"But there are stars," Lily noticed. "There are stars coming out."

"That does happen, Lily. Cyril!"

"But they came out of the trees," Arthur remarked as the Doctor did a double-take before coming to the window and looking out. "What's that?"

"Life force, Arthur. Pure life force, just... singing."

"It sounds beautiful. But also... sad."

"Doesn't it make you want to cry?" Lily wondered.

"Crying when you're happy. Good for you." The Doctor puts hands on Lily's and Arthur's shoulder. "That's so human."

A hissing sound comes from behind the locked door. They rush to the door.

"What's it? What is it?" Lily demanded. "Tell me, what?!"

"Cyril! Can you hear me?!" He asked.

Arthur turned at the sound of its steps. A dreadful feeling is already coming to him.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Lily whispered.

As the Doctor works on getting the door open, Lily and Arthur see the shadow of something getting closer. "Doctor, it's coming closer!"

"I'm trying, Arthur!"

"Open it!" Lily insisted.

"I'm trying!" The door unlocks with a loud click. "That wasn't me."

"It doesn't matter!"

Lily rushes into the room followed by Arthur and the Doctor. The statue turns its head. Arthur finds Cyril is unconscious in the chair. Lily runs to the throne and kneels in front of her brother. "What's wrong with him, Caretaker? Is he dead?"

The Doctor leans over and checks his pulse. "It's okay, he's just unconscious." He stands and walks over to the statue. "So, what are you, then? Not a king, a queen! The Queen Bee of the forest."

"Doctor! Look!" Arthur pointed out as they watched as the lights lifted from the trees. "It's like... the life force is leaving the forest."

The male statue arrives in the room and walks towards them.

"What are they doing?" Lily demanded. "Stop him!"

The Doctor takes out his sonic and uses it on both the wood statues as they advance. It does nothing. "Aliens made of wood! This was always going to happen, you know." They stop, flanking the chair. "It's okay. I think they just want to talk to us."

The wood couple look at Cyril and the circlet lights up. "They're scared," Cyril said. "Can't you hear them? The trees are screaming. Can't you hear?"

Lily runs back to her brother. The Doctor uses the sonic on the circlet. "No. But you can," he addressed. "You're connected to them."

"Why have the stars left the trees?" Arthur was confused.

Cyril tries to focus. "I think they're..."

"Just concentrate. What are they doing?" He asked, kneeling in front of Cyril.

"Evacuating. They're evacuating."

"Why?"

"They're... frightened of the rain. The rain that burns."

"Caretaker, please explain. I'm frightened," Lily begged.

"Those stars. They're pure life force. Souls, if you like. And they're trying to escape because they think their home is going to burn," the Doctor explained.

"Why can't they just float up into the sky?"

"They need to travel inside a living thing. Inside Cyril. You see, this..." he scans the circlet. "It's not a crown, it's a relay. They're turning your brother into a lifeboat!" He puts away his sonic. "That's what this place is for, then. It's an escape plan, is that it?"

The Queen reaches a hand towards Cyril and wraps it gently around his neck.

"Don't you harm him. Do not touch that child!" He warned.

The Queen speaks through Cyril in a distorted voice. "Your coming was foretold."

"My God, what is that? Why does he sound like that?" Lily asked.

"Oh, hello! Are we lip-synching now?"

"We had faith. Your coming was foretold."

"There's no such thing as foretelling. Trust a time traveller."

"We waited, and you came."

"So, you've got an escape plan. Why aren't you escaping?"

"The child is weak."

"You mean he's a child."

"No, he is weak. The forest cannot live in him. But there are others."

"There certainly are, and the good thing is, I look great in a hat. So, let's get this thing off, eh?" He reaches for the circlet.

"You are also weak."

"I'm really not. Let's save a forest, Cyril?"

"You are not the one. You are weak."

"I'm really not," he insisted, grabbing the circlet off Cyril's head and it shines fiercely in his hands. It struggles against it, gasping, groaning, screaming.

"Let go of it, just let go! Let go of it! Just let go! Please, just drop it!" Lily said.

"I can't!"

Lily and Arthur grab the circlet from him and it glows softly in their hands. The Doctor pants heavily on his knees.

"It's funny, isn't it? It's sort of... tingly," Lily admitted.

"I guess?" Arthur shrugged, only feeling heavy.

"Tingly?!" The Doctor complained.

The Queen speaks through Lily. "She is strong, but she is young. He's also weak."

Lily and Arthur pull away with a gasp, dropping the circlet.

"She's strong, me and Arthur are weak. Interesting," the Doctor muttered as he's checking Arthur, in case something's wrong with him.

"I'm okay," the boy assured him.

"Mummy?" Cyril called, back to his usual voice.

Lily goes to his brother. "Cyril, it's all right. It's me. Mummy isn't here, but we're going home to her right now. Aren't we, Caretaker?"

"No. I don't think we are," he said, looking at the window. The rain has begun falling outside. "The rain that burns. Acid rain. We have to get out of this forest, we're in terrible danger. This tower won't protect us for long."

"Where's Mummy?" Cyril asked.

"She's coming. You know she's coming, because... because she always comes, doesn't she?"

"Cyril, the way we came here, that door won't stay open forever. Now, I'm not even sure if I can get us through the forest safely, but if we're going to have any chance at all, we have to go now," the Doctor reported.

Cyril crosses both arms. "No. We wait for Mummy. Mummy always comes."

"Not this time, Cyril. I'm sorry, but not this time."

"Doctor?" Arthur called as he heard a loud thudding and the ground shakes. Through the window, they see the harvester.

"What's that?" Lily asked, going to the window.

"It's that... an Androzani Harvester?" The brunette guessed.

"You recognise that thing?"

"The Doctor told me about it."

"More to the point... I think I recognise the driving!" The Doctor pointed out.

Arthur tiptoed, wanting to get a better view. The brunette boy soon recognises Madge driving the Androzani Harvester.

"Madge has entered the forest! Come on, Madge, you can do it! You go, girl!" The Doctor cheered.

"Shut up, you ridiculous oaf!" Madge yelled.

"Come on. This way... you can do it, you can do it! Excellent driving! Hello!"

"Caretaker?"

"Yes!?"

"You're fired!"

"Oh."

Madge over-compensates and the harvester falls over sideways.

"It's okay, she's fine, don't worry," the Doctor assured the kids as he walks out of the room. "Stay here. Just stay here."

▪︎▪︎▪︎

Not long after, Madge enters the tower. Her children gathered with her. Arthur just watched happily with the Arwells... and sad as he never got a chance to do that with his parents. He wonders if his mother still misses him now, even after sending him to an orphanage for protection.

Suddenly, the Queen comes up behind the woman, holding the circlet. Lily pulls Cyril away and comes closer to Arthur. "What are those?" Madge asked.

"Mrs. Arwell, you must stay away from it," Arthur warned.

"You have to stay back," Lily agreed.

But Madge just looks at the glowing circlet without concern. "That's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Mummy?" Cyril asked, worried.

"See how it shines!" Madge remarked, letting the Queen set the circlet on her head. Soon, all the stars entered it.

"Doctor!" Arthur called. "Doctor!"

The Doctor rushes back. "What's wrong?"

Lily pointed out the circlet. "The stars are going inside her. She's taking the whole forest!"

"Oh, this is marvellous. Oh, this is really quite wonderful," Madge commented.

"Madge! Are you all right?" He asked her. "Talk to me. Madge, can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can hear you. I'm perfectly fine, thank you."

"Fine?! You've got a whole world inside your head!"

"I know. It's funny, isn't it? One can't imagine being a forest, then suddenly one can. How remarkable!"

"You're okay? She's okay?"

The Queen puts a hand on Madge's shoulder. "She is strong."

"That wasn't me," Madge admitted. "This is all really rather clever, isn't it?"

"She's strong? She's strong?" Then, he realised. "Stupid me! Stupid old Doctor! Do you get it, Cyril?"

"No."

"Lily, you do, don't you?"

"No."

Arthur gasped. "Oh, I see! It's a translation. Translated from the base code of nature itself! The Doctor, Cyril and I are weak. But Madge... She's a mother!"

"How else does life ever travel? The MOTHER ship!" The Doctor beamed.

The room disengages from the rest of the tower, powered by rockets at its base.

"What's happening?" Lily asked.

"No idea. Do what I do. Hold tight and pretend it's a plan."

They hold tight to the sides as the ship zooms off through the vortex. Once things have smoothed out, the Doctor moves to the window with Arthur. The brunette just looked in amazement of the vortex. Weirdly, he can sense something else upon witnessing the vortex. Something... calm. Like he belongs in here.

"This is... amazing," the Doctor mused. "Don't you think so, Sunny?"

The boy nods.

"Where are we?" Cyril asked.

"Technically, we're not anywhere. We've flown into the time vortex." He glances at the Queen. "You've got what you wanted... Those idiots down there can burn your old home and you'll be safe out here. But these people helped you, and they're in my protection. Now help them. How do we get home?"

"Think."

"Sorry, what?"

"She must only think."

"Madge, did you hear that?" The Doctor kneels in front of the chair. "You said it, but did you hear it? You've got to think."

"Think... what?" Madge frowns.

"Think of home, just picture it. Feel it! You have to really feel it. Can you do that?" He goes to the window. "Your mind is controlling this vessel. You can fly us all back for Christmas!"

"My head is full of trees, Caretaker. Can't you fly us home?"

The Doctor kneels. "I don't have a home to think of," he holds Arthur closer. "And, between you and me, I'm older than I look, and I can't feel the way you do, not any more. And you really need to feel it, Madge. Everything about home you miss, till you can't bear it, till you almost burst."

"Till it hurts? Is that what you mean, Caretaker? Till it hurts?"

"Yes. Yes."

Madge reaches into her pocket and pulls out the telegram. She grips it tightly in both hands, takes a deep breath. "Well, then... home in time for Christmas!" She declared, moans and the others grip the throne as they go through the vortex.

"What's happening? Where are we going?" Arthur asked.

"Show them! Show them!" The Doctor said. The Queen raises her hand and some of the translucent panes clear to make it easier to view what's outside. "Ha! The time vortex. Your mother is flying a forest through the time vortex. Be a little impressed! What are you going home for? What's pulling you there? Please, try. Please, think."

A memory of a man holding one of the children as a baby flashes in front of them before changing to him in uniform waving goodbye.

"Reg!" Madge called.

"Daddy!" Cyril said.

More scenes of Reg and the children appears before them, making Arthur smile fondly of the happy family.

"My Reg!" Madge realised.

"That's it. Focus on Reg. Be careful, but focus on him," the Doctor instructed.

"I don't know..."

"How did you meet? You and Reg, tell me how you met."

"He followed me home." The screen shows that memory. "I worked in the dairy, he always used to follow me home."

"Look at Father. He looks so young!" Lily noticed.

"He said he'd keep on following me till I married him! Didn't like to make a scene!"

"Just stay focused," the Doctor reassured. "Think of home. This thing, it works psychically... it'll find a signal and lock on." He uses sonic on her.

A war plane appears on the screen.

"No. No, please, don't show me that! Please, don't show me that!" Madge begged in tears.

"Is that Daddy's plane?" Cyril spotted. But Arthur gaped, realising what this means.

"Please, I don't want to see that!"

"Please, no! No, no, no, Madge. We can't break the signal now, I'm sorry!" The Doctor remarked.

"Not the night he died! I don't want to see him die!"

The Doctor and Arthur grip her arm, calming her as her children look at her, shocked to hear what she just said.

"What do you mean... the night he died?" Lily demanded.

"Please don't make me watch him die!" Madge cried.

"Mummy? Is Daddy dead? Mummy!" Cyril asked.

The screen shows them. Arthur watches as a man trying to pilot the plane. The boy can tell the plane's condition won't hold much longer. His hearts aches as Reg takes a photo of his wife and tucked in the windscreen as he fights to keep the plane in the air with tears, knowing he won't see his wife and children. Arthur can't help himself to cry. It must be very painful for him, unable to say goodbye to his family one last time. And to Madge and her children as well, for they witness how their father died.

Noticing the tears, the Doctor hugs him, patting his hair while speaking quietly to calm him down. The boy still doesn't know anything about his parents, and mainly his father, and the Doctor feels absolute pain for being unable to speak about them, knowing how much Arthur wants to see or meet them personally.

"Goodbye, my love. Goodbye!" Madge lamented as the ship flies through the vortex.

▪︎▪︎▪︎

Turns out, much to the boy's shock, Mr. Arwell is still alive. He and the Doctor don't know at first. They only discover this after they get out of the tower, knowing that Madge needs to tell the children about their father's death. It was until they got out that a miracle happened. A miracle of Mr. Arwell still alive.

"All that ends well," the Doctor said to Arthur as they watched the happy family before returning back to the Tardis.

"Doctor?" Arthur asked after they entered the Tardis.

"Hm?"

"You don't act surprised... with my new appearance."

The Doctor stops moving.

"Am I... am I a Time Lord?" The young brunette asked, nervous. Because that's the only conclusion he can come up with. He saw many Doctors with different faces and personalities. He mentioned calling himself as a Time Lord, but never into much detail, which Arthur starts to suspect that he did that on purpose. A Time Lord can change their look and personality. And that's what happened to him before. He changed.

The Doctor sighed. The man knows this will happen. "Yes, Arthur. You're a Time Lord... like me."

"... How?"

"Oh, that's a spoiler territory," he shared, rubbing his nose. "Your future self never told me about this until... until I discovered it by accident. Almost gave me a panic attack."

Arthur frowns. The way the Doctor said that... makes him nervous.

"Is that... bad? That I'm a Time Lord?" He asked. He always believes his entire life as a human boy, who somehow can jump into the Doctor's timeline. But now knowing himself as an alien, another Time Lord... just makes things weird and confusing.

The Doctor shook his head, stroking his hair. "No, Sunny. It doesn't change who you are. You're still Arthur Jonas. My Sunny Boy. I will always love you, care for you, in any version. Past and future. Always." He stands up and walks down the console. "You know, I never got a chance to give you this."

Arthur follows him and soon knows what he's holding. "My backpack!" He realised.

"You left it here the last time you're here..." he paused. "Anyway, I make sure everything inside is still intact and safe."

Arthur grabs it, smiling. "Thank you, Doctor. I..." he frowns. "Oh, now?"

"What is it?"

"My head hurts. I think... I'm going to jump."

"This soon?" The Doctor grumbled. Oh, why can't he spend some good time with him? "Okay, put your backpack on. And immediately write everything down in your diary. Don't forget that!"

Before Arthur can speak, he disappears in a glowing gold the Doctor always sees.

Note: INTRODUCING FREDDIE HIGHMORE AS THE SECOND ARTHUR

Did anyone predict Arthur is a Time Lord? Kudos to everyone to guess it right! But of course, if that's the case, then who's his parents? What's exactly he's been targeting? How even he got regenerated? Missing Time will provide those questions with each chapter.