Fictions Mentioned:

Episode 2

OP Song:

Kansas - Carry On Wayward Son (Official Audio)

Insert Song: Start

Amy In The TARDIS · Murray Gold

PART 1

"What the hell?"

That was the bewildering utterance of John Winchester because of one peculiar sight. After running for a while with this probe-like thing and following his gut, he managed to find himself a few slopes down the forest and locate what appeared to be... A blue box. It was parked near a large tree. It had the words "POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX".

John wondered what the hell was this thing doing all the way out in the forest. This was where that Doctor person was leading him too? A blue box in the middle of nowhere?

And as if in answer to the question, the probe would beep continuously non-stop before the doors of the box would suddenly open, surprising John. Looking at the direction where the doors were opened, he noticed something... odd... He could hear an odd sound coming from inside, like a beating heart.

Curiosity got the better of him. That and he felt a kind of alluring presence. It wasn't malevolent. It was nothing like all of the monsters that he had seen in this world. It felt... safer... It felt warmer. It felt like home.

John would notice the beeping subsiding before eventually becoming silent. He looks back at this strange box that seems more than it appears to be. Now, his hunter sense would probably caution him not to enter into an obvious trap. However, something told him that he didn't need to be cautious. The box would not hurt him. He wouldn't be heard. In fact, it felt rather protective of him, if that made any sense, and this sense of warmth embrace enveloped John.

It reminded him of his late mother.

Cautiously, he took a step. He slowly drew near the doors of the box. Was this even a box? Slowly but surely, he would find himself inside. And he would look to find a comparatively vast interior.

It was... It was bigger on the inside...

That was the common thought of one John Winchester who could not help but drop his shotgun to the ground and see something impossible with his own eyes. It was a different kind of impossible. This was a far cry from the impossible evil that exists in his world. This was different. It felt like, this is what the world should be like. Awe and wonder. Not horror and despair.

He couldn't say anything. Not a word. Not even a curse. Uttering a curse in these hallowed halls wouldn't sit well with John for some reason.

He could see the central console, and surrounding it were several metal half-arches, covered in circular holes resembling roundels. Clocks of all descriptions—but mostly mechanical ones — littered various nooks and crannies. Multiple light sources and an abundance of wooden surfaces gave it a more homey kind of feeling. Beyond all of this, John would notice a variety of furniture that were in the area.

This was less of a box and more of a home. It was something that John never thought would feel again. It was more than awe that John Winchester would feel. It was a feeling of wanting his family whole again.

It took all that John had to not break down and cry. He had a mission to fulfill, he thought. He needed to find Mary's killer, he thought. Despite the warm feeling that permeated throughout his grieving heart, he would need to find out what that Doctor wanted him to do and why he sent him here. An answer would come upon the beeping sound that erupted from the probe which would send a mental message to John to look over at the main console.

His eyes would find what appeared to be a futuristic sci-fi rifle. It was sleeker in design, and silver in color, with three circular holes on each side. The probe would indicate to him to draw near it. John would walk towards the main console and pick the rifle up. Upwards, he spotted something happening from the monitor and he would notice...

...The Doctor.

And of course, he's still being chased by the... Xy-whatever that thing was, John thought.

How long has the guy been running, now that John thought? He must have been running for about an hour or so. With the Doctor being his main focus, John could get back into his groove and take the role of a hunter once again, though the warmth that felt when he first stepped in never left him. Now, John wondered what the hell was he supposed to do now. He got the gun that this Doctor probably wanted to fetch him, but he didn't know what to do next.

Hell, he didn't even know how to operate the console which feels so out of this world and a bit Trekish compared to the gritty grounded realism that he is generally used to.

All of a sudden, much to John's surprise, the doors leading to the exit of this mysterious box would close. The wheezing sound would now erupt from the console.

Vworp Vworp Vworp

He could feel the box moving. No, calling it a box seems way too inaccurate at this point. But what else would John call it? Judging by the console, he would guess that this would probably need to be operated by some kind of engineer or pilot. Pilot was the right word, something whispered into John's thoughts which made him automatically stare at the main console room.

There was... There was something in this room.

No, more than that. Something was alive. He could feel it. He could feel... her... Yes, a her, not an it. This wasn't anything like he ever felt before. Whatever this her is, it's related to this box that he now found himself in. The box is her, a thought would occur in his mind. Shaking his head a little, John can only stare at the Doctor who was running back towards the place where John had left.

And John would notice the box opening the doors. John, by instinct, would hurry, with the rifle in hand. He would step outside and see the Doctor running around the open plains. All of the trees have been dusted at this rate.

"Well, you sure took your bloody time!" the Doctor exclaims in annoyance under his breath. He was still running in circles from the Xylop which was trying to catch up with him throughout the entire chase. "Use it!"

John didn't even need to ask what the Doctor meant. He meant the rifle that was in John's hands. Now, John didn't think he could operate something like this, this was a little too far beyond the norm for old military rifles, even for a Vietnam war vet like him. But then, for some reason, John would no longer have this dilemma of how to operate the rifle.

By instinct, he knew what he needed to do. And not a moment later, he sees the Doctor from the corner of his eye. He was getting closer, but so was the monster. John knew that he needed to act quickly.

"Aim for the center face! That's where its central heart core is located!" the Doctor exclaims.

John would heed the Doctor's instructions, already knowing what to do. It felt like he was back in Vietnam, being given orders from a superior officer. He would begin to kneel with his one knee and aim his rifle towards the creature. The Doctor was still in the way, so he couldn't get a clear shot for a few moments. He needed to be patient. Just a little more. Just a little more. He could feel like he was sweating underneath his brow.

And suddenly, the Doctor would change direction and drop himself to the ground. That was it. That was the moment. At that moment, John fired the rifle, with green-colored particles erupting from the rifle, and the three holes from both sides of the rifle glowed with green neon lights that lit up to brighten the area like a flash.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHH!"

It hit the monster at point-blank range, a continuous beam of light that sent the monster reeling. Something was happening to it. Whatever it was doing, it would essentially disintegrate the creature which was howling in pain. Afterward, the afterimage-like sushi figure, breaking down into pixels, would disappear as if it were never there. And then...

"...!"

John started to notice something odd. Much to his surprise, the once-deserted plains were now filled with trees again as far as the eyes could see.

"...Well, that worked alright."

John would turn around to find... an even more messier Doctor who was standing up. When the Doctor decided to drop to the ground by the time John fired the rifle, he landed on a pile of mud and well, obvious is obvious, no need for any further explanation. If John didn't know any better, this was the beginning of a comedic punchline. His doubts about the Doctor being a monster were wavering a little, if only because the Doctor was just plain ridiculous at this point. Maybe it was at all just an act to let his guard down, his hunter instinct would have thought.

Though even then, looking back at the box that was bigger on the inside, John realizes that even if he is some kind of monster, it sure as hell wasn't the usual type he'd find. John wasn't stupid. He'd recognized technology when he saw it, and what he saw there inside the box was the most advanced piece of machinery he'd ever encountered. John knew that he wasn't dealing with something supernatural here. Something was amiss. And he needed to find out.

"I may need a shower after this," the Doctor, sighing heavily while trying to wipe some of the mud off his clothing. He would look at John with a pleading and exasperated look. "I don't suppose that I could take a shower before I explain what just happened?"

...Preferably after this idiot would take a shower, John thought. Seriously, he thought, he could smell the foul stench from here.

Insert Song: End

Insert Song: Start

Dies irae 『Ewige Wiederkunft』

While the Doctor was busy taking a shower, John would sit comfortably on the sofa, reading a book that the Doctor would point to him from the shelf called "The Doctor's Hunter Guide For Ghosts, Monsters, and Demons - Non-Spoiler Edition. By: John Smith".

He took a read on it and, well, now John would tend to write down a couple of notes into his journal, and said notes are what he learned from that book that he deemed rather useful. And by god, John thought, it was honestly very useful and this would have helped him in past cases when he was just starting. Despite the self-proclaimed title, John would be able to recognize many of the monsters that were detailed in the book. John would already guess at this point that the Doctor was some type of hunter, if not in name, at least in practice, if only because hunters were the only people he knew that were this detailed.

When trying to hunt a ghost, monster, or demon, one needs all of the facts and details to not get their life taken from them so easily. In this line of work, a hunter knew that they could die at any time, hence the need to maintain the virtue of vigilance in the face of evil.

And as for the futuristic rifle that John used, he still has it by his side just in case. Even if the Doctor and whatever this box is isn't the danger, that doesn't mean danger is out of his neck of the woods just yet.

"Ahhh, I just loved a nice hot bat tub. Quite endearing to the skin."

John turns to find the Doctor stretching his hands a little with a smile on his face. He notices that the Doctor still has the same type of clothing that he first saw him, just more cleaner compared to the last. He would see the Doctor walking towards the console and would begin to press a few flicks and switches.

"Now then, I suppose I should park the TARDIS somewhere nearby the Impala so that you wouldn't have to walk for miles on end, wouldn't you agree, Johnny Boy!" the Doctor spoke while inserting a little humor.

"Don't call me that," John deadpanned.

"Awww, but I'd like to call you that in the future," the Doctor pouted a little before pressing a lever.

Vworp Vworp Vworp

"And voila, back to where you started," the Doctor spoke with a smile. One of the monitors would show an image of the Impala that was just right next to the TARDIS. The Doctor would turn back to John with both hands clapped, making a sound. "Now then," the Doctor would cross his arms while leaning in his console. "On with the questions, though I should warn you that depending on the question you would ask me, I may not be able to tell you everything."

"For starters," John would place the book on a nearby table and would stand up. He would close his hunter journal and put it inside his pocket. He would also grab the futuristic rifle and carry it to his side. "What the hell was that thing?"

"A XyLop, an interdimensional paradox creature that is not from this world, not even from this universe. See, this creature craves personal histories, eating them up and chewing them to its heart's delight, potential futures that would never make an impact on the world, but nevertheless formed a collective whole Best part is that even if the histories are consumed, the past remains the same, so nothing changes from the outside. Quite sentient and obviously hungry as you've witnessed the dust and ashes."

"And those trees that suddenly sprout out from that deserted dust pile," John asks.

"Oh that," the Doctor nodded while looking at the futuristic rifle. "Yes, what you have just fired was the DX De-Material Model 9000. One particular young lad would call it the Retcon Gun."

The way the Doctor lit up his face a little when he mentioned the term "Retcon Gun", John knew that there was something about the term that held a particular level of importance. What that was, he didn't know. For the Doctor, well, the term "Retcon Gun" was a term coined by none other than Dean Winchester at some point in the future.

The Doctor continued. "I only borrowed it from a certain organization that I was associated with as its Chief Ethical Humane Use Officer, so I thought to make use of it. Well," the Doctor shrugged a little. "Obviously, I didn't use it because I had hope at least that the XyLop could be reasoned with."

"Reasoned with?" John asks in bewilderment while looking at the man as if he was crazy.

"I know what you're thinking," the Doctor turns serious. "Why would I ever try to reason with a monster instead of trying to find a way to kill it so that it wouldn't hurt anyone else? Well, one, I'm the Doctor, not a hunter. I don't call myself the Doctor just for show. Two, the XyLop was a sentient creature, with thoughts, desires, and dreams even just like humans and other sentient creatures do. It has rationality and it has a free will," the Doctor grimaced a little. "Though I would readily admit that it has a certain preferred appetite. I wanted to at least reason with the creature and give it another chance at life, offering him another food source that wouldn't harm humans or anyone else again. Of course, he didn't take it."

The Doctor spoke the last part with a bitter sigh. John, still bewildered, would shake his head. He didn't understand the man's logic at all.

"You know, that kind of thing that you do would get you killed in the long run," John pointed out while slowly walking toward the Doctor. He was still cautious, but just not as cautious. For some reason, he felt like he could trust this man a little.

"Well," the Doctor looked a little amused. "It hasn't killed me yet in the last thousands of years."

"Huh?" John looked surprised and confused. A thousand years old?

"Never mind," the Doctor would wave one of his hands before placing them back to his elbow. "The point is, the Retcon Gun acts as a weak point for the XyLop and other interdimensional paradox creatures. When you fired the gun, it not only erased the XyLop from existence, but all of its past actions in this world have been undone, making it as if they never happened."

"Never happened?" John spoke with a raised eyebrow.

"As in, they never really happened. No disappearances, no dust and ashes, no law enforcement scrambling around, nothing. Everything is back to normal. Everyone is completely ignorant, including the victims who are now still alive and well, and they can go on with their happy lives without knowing what had happened here. Retroactive continuity and all that jazz. Now, as to why you aren't affected by the gun's effects, you were the one who fired the gun, ergo you were at the very center of the blast, so that made you immune by default. And well, as for me, well..."

The Doctor shrugs his shoulders a little while showing a sad smile.

"I'm not really human."

John... honestly suspected as much. He wasn't surprised by the revelation. Hell, he thought, this box that this man owned pretty much sold the idea."

"So what? You're some kind of... E.T. from outer space?" John would ask. His memory would take him back to the year 1982. He recalled John, his wife, and a young Dean once heading to a theater where this movie came out. The plot was about a young kid trying to help an alien out of its unfortunate predicament. It was a fond memory if only because this was a more peaceful time compared to the others.

"Oh, well, you could say that, yes," the Doctor nodded with a smile. "I'm what is called a Time Lord, and this..." the Doctor indicated the entirety of the complex. "...is my ship. The TARDIS. Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. And well, it travels through time, space, the universe... and to infinity and beyond," the Doctor spoke that last part with a sense of respect and awe that John could not help but feel its tone.

Hold on... John thought. Travel through time?

"...You said, "travel through time", is that what you said?" John asked because he needed to confirm something. There was a glimmer of hope and desperation, a complicated feeling, mixed in there. His hunter side of him thought that it was a fool's errand, but

"Let me cut you off from that line of thinking, John, because I know what you're trying to think," the Doctor would suddenly turn grave, making a chill pass through John's spine. "Yes, it is exactly as I said. I can travel through time, however," the Doctor emphasized. "Do not ask me to travel back to the very moment when your wife was killed that night. That is something I cannot do, for I would risk this world's history if I do."

"Wait, what do you mean by "risking this world's history"?" John asks. He tries his best to control himself, thinking rationally.

"Say, you travel back in time and tried to stop your wife from being killed, it wouldn't do you or anyone else any good. That event is what I consider a fixed point in time, meaning it's an important event in history. If you try to change that, there will be consequences. Just as magic in your world has rules and its consequences, so does time. Your universe runs on certain rules that are governed by a well intricate structured concept called the Natural Order. It has everything in it, life and death, people who live and who die, free will, everything, including history. Some events are so predetermined and so interconnected that they cannot be undone because as I said before, there will be consequences, trust me, I should know" the Doctor explained.

And the Doctor would know. More than anyone. In fact, didn't he once try to change a fixed point in time long ago? And that was related to one of his companions, Charlotte Pollard. Her death onboard the R101, the British Rigid Airship completed in 1929 as part of the Imperial Airship Scheme, was fixed. And yet, he changed it. And he had to deal with the consequences.

"What consequences?!"

John could not help but shout a little. A little of the grieving husband within him came to the surface. Pain erupted from his face. Anger and frustration were the lot of his heart. The traumatic experience of seeing his wife burn to the ceiling was still fixated on his mind. John would push forward and would begin to grab the Doctor by the collar, though the Doctor was unfazed, only staring at him with an empathetic expression. He didn't need it, John thought. He needed answers. He needed to know.

"What the hell is so bad that saving my wife wouldn't be a good thing?! What the hell is so bad that my children having their mother back wouldn't be a good thing?!" John would ask aggressively.

"Several," the Doctor, staring at John's eyes, would speak with a cold, but serious and understanding tone. It sends chills down John's spine. "Several bad futures would erupt if you try to change it. As I said, I am a Time Lord," the way the Doctor spoke of the title now made John feel that... that he was speaking to something else.

John let go of the Doctor's collar and took a few steps back.

"There are many things that I can see that humans can never see. A blessing and a curse. All Time Lords have it. We could see everything within our senses, past, present, and future. I can see which events are fixed and which aren't. I can see things that should be and things that should not be. If you try to change the outcome, you know what happens? In one timeline, you did try to change it, though you died in the process and failed to change a thing, leaving your children without parents. In another timeline, you couldn't change a thing, your wife still died, but now you are in a prison cell, framed for your wife's murder which you never really committed, and your children are forced to grow up without a father. In another timeline, people who should have lived had died and people who should have died would have lived in their place, that meant broken familes by the hundreds. In another timeline, the world underwent an apocalyptic nightmare where humanity is barely held by a thread. That last part... is very important for you to remember, because there is far more to your wife's murder than you could realize." the Doctor explained.

"...What do you know?" John gritted his teeth and could feel his knuckles growing cold. He realizes that the Doctor has more knowledge about what had happened during that night. This was his chance to find his wife's killer, and he could tell that the Doctor knew who it was.

"I cannot tell you what you already know," the Doctor gravely spoke with narrowed icy blue eyes. "You're hunting The Demon that killed your wife. But that fight has always been with you and The Demon alone. I cannot interfere in that battle. It would take away your future victory against him."

John would be surprised a little. "...You mean."

"Whether or not I tell you any information would be irrelevant to the predetermined outcome," the Doctor spoke with a serious expression. "You would finally kill The Demon and avenge the death of your wife, that is a fact. How long would that take, I cannot say. But that, like Mary Winchester's death, is also a fixed point. The Demon's fate was already sealed the moment he killed your wife, so I can tell you at least that your fight would not be in vain."

Mary's killer. The Demon who killed her. He was destined to die, at John's hands, from what John understood. That... made John calm down a little. It was his main goal after all. To find and kill Mary's killer. John didn't need to ask anything more. He was satisfied that in the end, he would kill The Demon who took his wife away from him. He didn't care how long would that take. Days, months, years? He didn't care. He just has the pleasure of knowing that The Demon's days are already numbered.

"...Alright," John would give up the time travel topic and focus on other priorities. He would sigh and calm down. His face would stare at the floor before it would turn throughout the ship. "...So, now what?"

"I suppose that Christmas is right around the corner," the Doctor reminded with a look on his face.

"...Yeah," John nodded. "But..."

"You should head back to your sons and celebrate it with them," the Doctor advised. "Hunting The Demon could wait. Your boys need their father. I know you intend to train them into hunting life eventually to better protect themselves from the nightmares of the outside world. While I do not approve of that method of raising children, I can understand the circumstances at least."

"Have you ever been a parent before?" John asks.

"Yes," the Doctor's eyes grew soft. "And and a grandparent. So I can understand why you want to keep your children safe."

"Right... You said you were a thousand years old or something," John shook his head. He would then indicate the rifle that was in his hand. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"You place it back to the main console. I'd rather not have history get accidentally changed due to futuristic technology running around. Let humanity advance at their own pace," the Doctor pointed out. "Oh, and take that shotgun with you because you would still need it."

"Right," John nodded while he would move towards the console and put the rifle back where it belonged while he would grab his shotgun in turn.

He could understand the Doctor's concerns at least regarding future technology lying around. Hell, if humanity had thought of the atomic bomb as such a good idea, how much more tempting would tech that could make it so that none of the experienced events would ever happen? It would be like trying to play god and John would have a bitter taste in his mouth thinking of that idea.

"...So, about the part when you said that you've already met me, but this is the first time meeting you," John would raise an eyebrow of curiosity and concern. "I suppose that meant that we'll be seeing each other from now on."

"Oh yes," the Doctor would smile a little, fondly recalling past Winchester encounters. "Expect me to bump into the Winchester's lot from now on. Naturally, I can't tell you everything that happened, but I can only say this," the Doctor smiled sadly at John. "Despite everything, you at least raised your sons to be better men that I had the genuine pleasure of watching grow up."

John was a little silent at that. Nevertheless, he was reassured.

"So I guess... this is goodbye for now," John spoke.

The Doctor's smile turns sadder. "...Oh, I'm not the type to do goodbyes. I tend to see everything as a new beginning."

"Right," John sighed before he eventually begins to head towards the doors of the TARDIS.

"Oh, and John, one last thing," the Doctor would call John who was near the door. John turned around out of curiosity. "One thing you need to know about a Time Lord, is well... Ever heard of a shapeshifter?"

"Yeah," John nodded. "The type of monster that could take the form of anyone down to its boots."

"Yes, well, the thing about Time Lords is that there is a process that we use to cheat death called regeneration. When a Time Lord is in grave danger of dying, the regeneration kicks in. I wouldn't advise going near me if I ever regenerate, because in my case, I may potentially get a little explosive if you will. Anyway, when a Time Lord regenerates, he changes his face to that of another face. Same individual, but different body, different face, and at times, a different personality compared to before, but it's still the same individual."

"Oh," John understood. "So you Time Lords can shapeshift in a way through this regeneration as you call it, only unlike shifters who shed their skin, teeth, and nails for a while, the Time Lords would change their face by letting loose a few energy in your body."

"Yes, in a way," the Doctor nodded.

"So if I would meet you at some point in the future, I may find myself possibly meeting you with a different face compared to who you are now," John spoke further.

"Exactly," the Doctor nodded.

"...Now isn't that just nice," John sighed a little. "Is there anything else you wanted to tell me?"

"Merry Christmas, John Winchester," the Doctor genuinely meant it.

Once upon a time, John would have taken that greeting in stride since he had heard of that phrase several times before. But now, since losing his wife, experiencing the life of a hunter, and being a lonely father having to raise two kids without a mother, he could appreciate the greeting much better.

"Merry Christmas, Doctor," John nodded before eventually opening the door and leaving, closing the door.

John Winchester would step outside the door of the TARDIS with his shotgun in hand.

Not a few moments later...

Vworp Vworp Vworp

The TARDIS would slowly disappear from John's sight, vanishing to parts unknown. The only thing John would now see is his Impala and nothing else for miles. John sighed a little. He may as well get back and check up on the boys. If there is one thing he agreed with the Doctor, it's that he needed to be there for Dean and Sam. Make this Christmas count. Hunting The Demon could wait. He would die eventually by his hand. For now, his sons need him, and I think that's what Mary would have wanted.

And without a second to waste, John would begin to put the shotgun back in the trunk and would head to the front of the car. He opened the left side and was now in the driver's seat, closing the door. He would now begin to start the engines by turning the keys. With the pedal to his feet, he stepped on the gas. Now he would drive the Impala as it swerves to the right, landing on the asphalt highway and en route towards Dean and Sam.

PART 2

December 24, 1983

What I thought was just yet another monster case in the forest of Oregon turned out to be a close encounter with an actual alien. Well, make that two. One was called a Xylop. From what I understood, it was some kind of creature from another dimension that feeds on the histories of people. Literally. They took everything from the victims and turned them to dust and ashes, maintaining the victim's pasts before they get consumed by the Xylop. The other alien looked human, looked like he was someone straight out of somewhere like Europe judging by the accent, and called himself the Doctor. I still don't think that's his actual name, even if he claimed that he is.

I wondered why he was even calling himself the Doctor, but I didn't ask since it didn't matter at the time. Maybe it was a thing among his species, Time Lords, the Doctor called them.

The guy had met me at some point in the future. Apparently, he's not just an alien but also some kind of... time traveller, is what I could say. So I would probably meet him again, from what the guy told me. He also told me that his race, the Time Lords, has a thing about cheating death by something called regeneration. Similar to a shifter, when a Time Lord regenerates, it changes their appearance, only with less gruesome and more explosive energy. So I should keep an eye out for any of the Doctor's faces that pop up in my neck of the woods.

Anyway, he and I went our separate ways after telling me a bunch of stuff that I needed to hear, and I headed back to where I left Dean and Sam with a hunter friend, to try to spend the holidays with them. It was what Mary would have wanted.

—Excerpt from John's Journal

Insert Song: End

ED Song:

The Famous Final Scene · Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band

Incarnation(s)/Regeneration(s) of the Doctor:

The Eighth Doctor - A: Paul McGann

The Winchesters:

John Winchester - A: Jeffrey Dean Morgan