A/N: Thank you to everyone who has followed, favourited and commented on this story
—
A young brunette woman, called Clara, dressed in a red dress gathers empty tankards from the tables at The Rose and Crown and takes the tray outside. There is a toothy snowman in the yard between the inn and the wash house causing her to pause, that wasn't there earlier. As she gazes at the snowman, two women and a man walk past her.
"Did you make this snowman?" She asks them before thinking.
One of the women pauses causing the others to do the same. She turns and smiles at Clara. "No. Did you?"
Clara slightly blushes at the attention when she realises how young the woman is, how attractive she is and how her blue eyes sparkle as she analyses Clara. Behind her lingers the man and woman also young, with their arms linked together. Likely married. She notes the man looks similar to the woman standing separately from them, probably siblings.
Clara hurriedly looks away from them to the other woman. "No, I didn't."
The woman shrugs casually with a scheming smile. "Well, who did then? Are you suggesting it appeared from nowhere?"
Clara feels her face redden further but she straightens herself, she almost feels she needs to impress this woman. "It wasn't there a second ago. It just appeared."
The man steps away from his partner and walks over to the snow, examining it. "Maybe it's snow that fell before. Maybe it remembers how to make snowmen." He murmurs.
Clara scoffs. "What, snow that can remember? That's silly."
The woman who's been causing Clara to blush a bit too much smirks at her. "What's wrong with silly?"
Clara swallows thickly and shrugs, trying to appear confident. "Nothing. Still talking to you three, ain't I?"
The other woman turns to her, and Clara can see something calculating in her gaze. "What's your name?"
"Clara."
The first woman smiles warmly. "Nice name. Clara. You should definitely keep it. Goodbye!"
She turns and walks away with the couple following her. Clara isn't going to let them go that easily! There's something almost familiar about them. Clara feels the need to get to know them, to follow them.
Clara follows them around the corner. "Oi! Where are you going? I thought we was just getting acquainted."
The woman pauses, waving on the couple, encouraging them to head off before turning to Clara. "You think I'm so easy?" She remarks. Clara wonders if she's flirting.
Before she can reply, the woman leaves and heads towards a carriage before getting inside. Clara starts to return to the inn, then changes her mind. She's not one to turn away from a challenge! She runs after the carriage.
Clara is able to reach it and climb onto it before pulling herself up onto the roof. She hears the woman talking inside.
"I'm positive. Don't know if me meeting her first does anything though." There's a pause. "No, you're right. Anyway, she just needs the name Doctor and we're sorted. Isn't that right Clara?"
Before Clara knows it, the hatch in the roof of the carriage that she was about to open, opens suddenly and she finds herself tumbling inside. The barmaid/governess takes a moment to recover from the shock and fall then pulls herself up onto one of the seats to find the woman sitting opposite with a smirk on her face.
"Hello, Clara. You do realise it's rude to listen in on people's conversations?"
—
Strax watches Dr Simeon from next to where they've parked the carriage near the secretive institute with electronic binoculars. Kathy analyses the snow in front of her. She and her investigative gang soon realised that this mysterious snow carries low telepathic fields which means it can detect and respond to the thoughts and memories of the people around it. Memory snow. Snow that learns.
Kathy knows this man's plans as well as her knowledge that this is the beginning of the Great Intelligence that she'd met before when she and the Doctor had met the modern day Clara. The beginning of an enemy that the Second Doctor will face in the Abominable Snowmen.
Thoughts of the modern Clara cause Kathy to glance at the carriage nearby that is rocking.
Stax's voice breaks through her thoughts. "They've taken samples from snowmen all over London. What do you suppose they're doing in there?"
Kathy lets out a hum before crouching down to touch the snow. "This snow is new, alien. When you find something brand new in the world, something you've never seen before, what's the next thing you look for?" She wonders out loud.
She soon realises Strax is the wrong confidant to debate with when he blurts, "A grenade."
Kathy huffs and turns to the grinning Sontaran. "A grenade. Why?"
"To destroy it." Strax replies as if it's obvious. To him it is.
"Strax, we've talked about this!" Kathy huffs as if she's speaking to a child, which she honestly feels like every time she talks to Strax. "Snow is already in smithereens what good will grenade do? Why do I have to explain this to you every time it snows, alien or not?"
The Sontaran butler pouts at her words. Kathy sighs, she knows she shouldn't be too harsh on him. "I meant a profit. If it was Victorian values driving him, but no. This Simeon is different."
"I suggest a full frontal assault with automated laser monkeys, scalpel mines and acid." Strax declares.
Kathy sighs. "Strax, that's not what we're going to do. We're going to tell the Doctor."
"And then launch a full frontal assault with automated laser monkeys, scalpel mines and acid?" Strax asks with glee.
"No," Kathy replies slowly, "to get him interested again, to investigate. But first," Kathy glances over to the carriage where Victorian Clara's yells can still be heard, "we need to take care of something."
Kathy opens the door of the carriage to the surprise of Clara who leans back, allowing Kathy to get back in and sit across from her.
"Don't worry. No one's going to hurt you." She reassures the alarmed girl.
Clara stares at Strax in alarm. "What is that thing?"
"Silence, boy!" Strax declares.
"That's Strax. And as you can see, he's easily confused." Kathy says pointedly to the Sontaran.
"Silence, girl. Sorry, lad." Strax somewhat corrects. Clara continues to stare at him wide eyed.
"Forgive him. He's a Sontaran. Clone warrior race. Factory produced, whole legions at a time. More than one gender is a bit further than he can count." Kathy explains casually.
"Madam, do not discuss my reproductive cycle in front of enemy girls. It's embarrassing." Strax grumbles.
Kathy waves him off. "Typical middle child of six million." She murmurs conspiringly to Clara.
"Who are you?" Clara questions, slightly red in the face.
Kathy shrugs. "I'm Katherine but you can call me Kathy."
"But what are you?"
"Doesn't matter. You need dropping off where we found you."
"Will we need the worm, Madam?" Strax asks her in the most indiscreet manner.
This alarms Clara. "Need the what? The worm? What worm?"
"It's alright. There's no need to be alarmed." Kathy doesn't plan on trying to use it as there's no point. This Clara is vital to helping them stop Simeon though Kathy wishes it wouldn't be at the cost of this Clara's life. "We're not actually—" She turns to say this to the Sontaran as well but finds he's no longer there. Oh, dear. "Strax?"
Strax appears once again with a blank look. "Madam?"
"What did you do?"
"Do what?"
Kathy lets out a long-suffering sigh. "You touched the memory worm, didn't you?"
"Did I? When?" Strax questions then he takes notice of Clara. "Who's he?" Strax looks around. "What are we doing here? Look, it's been snowing!"
When she watched this, Kathy was in stitches but now she's frustrated. "And you did it without the gauntlets, didn't you?"
"Why would I need the gauntlets? Do you want me to get the memory worm?" Strax questions conspiringly.
"No!" Kathy snaps.
"What happened?" Clara questions, looking like she's going to laugh.
"He touched the memory worm without protection and since one touch on your bare skin causes you to lose the last hour of your memory, Strax is now a tad confused. Though good job he didn't let it bite him, he could've lost decades." Kathy explains. "You know, I wouldn't be able to stop you yet you don't run." She smirks.
Clara returns it. "Why would I run? It's funny. Your little pal. He's an ugly little fella, isn't he?"
"Silence, boy! I am at the peak handsomeness!" Strax declares. Kathy and Clara share a doubtful look.
"In his defence, he thinks we look like pink weasels." Kathy remarks.
Clara laughs causing Kathy to do the same before quickly dropping it. She forgets that she shouldn't get attached, that this Clara will die and it will be the modern Clara that the Doctor will travel with, one that she likes very much.
"Madam, I'd appreciate it if you do not criticise my physique." Strax grumbles.
Kathy smiles softly at the Sontaran butler. "Sorry, Strax. Why don't you get in the front and I'll let you know when to head off."
Strax nods and walks off. Kathy steps outside of the carriage and realises Clara has followed and stands there.
"You need to get back into the carriage." Kathy tells her though she knows the barmaid/governess won't listen. Not that she wants her to.
"I'm not leaving till you explain how the snowman built itself." Clara declares, hands on hips.
Kathy sighs. "The snow emits a low level telepathic field. It seems to reflect people's thoughts and memories and carries a previous shape and—"
"Kathy!" Clara cries, grabbing her and pulling her to where she'd been staring down an alley to show a snowman standing there. "My snowman."
Ah, she'd forgotten about that. "It's because you're thinking about it." Kathy explains.
"What does that mean?"
Another one appears.
"It means you need to stop." Kathy tries to run, grabbing Clara's hand but more appear. "Clara, stop thinking about the snowmen!"
"How?!"
The nearest snowman breathes snowflakes at them. The two exclaim in fright. Kathy quickly grabs the girl's shoulder, forcing her to look directly at her. Kathy can't help but notice how red Clara's cheeks become. "Clara, listen to me. The snow's feeding off your thoughts."
"I don't understand." Clara says frantically.
"You're caught in their telepathic field. They're mirroring you. The more you think about the snowmen, the more they appear. Imagine them melting. Picture it. Picture them melted!" Kathy urges her.
Clara closes her eyes and suddenly they both get splashed with icy water causing both to exclaim at the sudden temperature change. Kathy looks up and sees the snowmen are gone.
She laughs. "Ha! Well done! Well, very good. Very, very good. Ha!"
"Is that going to happen again?" Clara questions. She has a pleased smile on her face as if she's happy to have pleased Kathy.
"Well, if it does, you know what to do about it," Kathy remarks. She grabs the girl's hand and pulls her back to where Strax and the carriage are waiting. "Now, best get you home."
Clara, slightly red in the face, frowns. "But why? Can't I come with you?" She questions as Kathy pushes into the carriage.
Kathy knows she's going to follow her as Kathy goes to visit the Doctor – she had been planning to do so anyway but this gives her more incentive to do so – but she can't tell Clara this and shakes her head. "No, you can't."
"What about the snow? Shouldn't we be warning people?" Clara questions.
"Don't worry. That's in hand, you needn't worry." Kathy reassures her. She closes the door and walks over to Strax, knowing that Clara is likely making her escape at this exact moment. "Take her back where we found her."
"Madam." Strax drives on. Kathy walks off, aware of her follower.
—
Clara watches in shock from behind a tree in the park as the woman, Kathy, disappears as she climbs a ladder that leads to nowhere. There is a clunk, and the ladder rises and disappears too.
After a moment, Clara comes out and tries to jump for the ladder. She's thankful it's late at night so no one sees her fall on her back. She gets it on the second attempt and she starts to climb. At the top of the ladder, she waves at passers-by, but they do not see or hear her.
"Hello. Invisible." Clara murmurs with a grin. She is at the base of a spiral staircase and can hear footsteps in the air above her. "An invisible staircase." The ladder retracts again as she climbs. Soon the rooftops are a long way below.
She reaches the top to find a blue box sitting on a cloud. Clara tentatively steps off the staircase into the cloud, goes over and knocks on the door. She hides around the corner when the door opens.
A man pokes his head out. "Hello? Hello? Hello?"
He steps out and Clara hurriedly moves around the box. She doesn't know who this man is, she was expecting Kathy. She continues to circle it, knowing the man is following, before suddenly bumping into someone. Clara gasps, jumping back before relaxing when she sees it's Kathy grinning at her. She turns to see the man, dressed in a gentleman's attire and a top hat. He's young looking. Clara tries not to think about how attractive she finds the both of them.
"Hello, Clara. Fancy seeing you here." Kathy remarks knowingly.
Clara's eyes widen in realisation. "You knew I was going to follow!"
Kathy shrugs causing the man to let out a grumble, "You let someone follow you!"
"Shush, Doctor," Kathy says to the man. What kind of a name is Doctor? And wasn't that a name Kathy mentioned before? The man, Doctor, huffs and pouts. Kathy smiles at Clara and hands her a card that has an address on it. "You should have this. You'll need our help and that idiot's soon."
The Doctor lets out an indignant cry, "I told you! I'm not helping anyone! Not anymore."
Kathy rolls her eyes. "Sure." She scoffs.
Clara watches the two amusedly. "Are you two married?"
She is simultaneously relieved and amused at the horrified looks on their faces.
"No!" Both of them cry at the same time.
Kathy shakes her head. "You'll need this card."
"For help with the snowmen?"
Kathy smiles. "You'll see. See you soon, Clara."
Clara smiles back and hurries off with one more look over her shoulder at the two. She hopes to see them again.
—
As soon as Clara leaves, the Doctor turns on Kathy. "I can't believe you go out and pick up another stray!" He turns and walks inside the TARDIS with Kathy following.
"Your companions aren't strays!" Kathy huffs. The TARDIS gives a hum of disagreement. Kathy glares at the console briefly. "Hush you." She turns back to the Doctor. "And you weren't doing it so I had to myself."
"Companion?! This universe isn't always the same as your show. Maybe this one I wasn't meant to meet her in this reality." The Doctor retorts.
Kathy shrugs. "Too late now and it was more of an accident. Anyway, I think you've made your usual impact with my help."
The Doctor scoffs. "What impact?"
"You can't help yourself." Kathy says. "Even now you're curious about what Clara needs help with and what we've found out about the mysterious snow."
"What's mysterious about snow?" The Doctor replies carelessly but Kathy can see a spark of curiosity in his eyes.
"A mysterious institute collecting samples, the snow's low telepathic field? I could go on but that would be spoilers."
The Doctor shakes his head and begins to walk away. "Those days are over."
"It's the end of humanity if we don't." Kathy calls after him.
He stops and then strides over to Kathy. "It is not my problem nor is it my business. Over a thousand years of saving the universe, Kathy, you know the one thing I learned? The universe doesn't care."
"The universe cares and it doesn't. That does not mean it's out to get you." Kathy replies defiantly.
The Doctor scoffs and walks away.
"You have to admit though." Kathy calls after him.
The Doctor pauses but doesn't turn around as he replies, "Admit what?"
"There's something mysterious about the girl. You could say there's something familiar about her." Kathy says.
The Doctor huffs before striding off. Kathy smirks, they'll get him soon enough.
—
Kathy sits in the greenhouse on Paternoster Row. This has always been Kathy's favourite part of the home. It is so warm in the room, with so many tropical plants. There are even noises from some of the animals Vastra has managed to collect over the years that can be heard throughout the greenhouse. Though none of these animals are seen as they are all well hidden within the many large plant life.
Ashildr and Carlyle retreated once it was clear the Doctor was coming back into the picture. Can't have him knowing about Ashildr yet.
Kathy and Vastra are sitting next to one another in peacock chairs and sipping some wine. The two sit up straighter when they hear a distant knock on the front door of the house.
Kathy blinks in shock. "Oh. She got here quicker than I thought she would." Then again she had given the girl an address to go to, save her from screaming into thin air in a park.
"Who?" Vastra questions curiously.
"Clara." Kathy answers. "Go ahead and do what you normally do to those who ask for the Doctor's help." She hears Clara in the distance asking for Kathy and help with the Doctor. Then, there is chatter from Jenny.
"Are you certain he'll help us this time?" Vastra asks.
"Oh, yes." If everything goes to plan.
"Do not attempt to escape or you will be obliterated!" Strax declares from the doorway. Kathy tries not to splutter as she drinks her wine. "May I take your coat?"
Clara is guided into the conservatory by Jenny now dressed in her governess outfit instead of the barmaid one. Clara looks at Vastra in surprise before looking at Kathy, her eyes lighting up at the sight of her.
"Sit." Jenny gestures to the seat opposite Kathy and Vastra.
"There are two refreshments in your world the colour of red wine. This is not red wine." Vastra remarks to Clara, putting down her drink. Clara takes an eager but also cautious seat.
Kathy rolls her eyes. "So dramatic."
"Madame Vastra here will ask you questions. You will confine yourself to single word responses." Jenny explains to Clara. "One word only, do you understand?"
Clara pauses, pondering for a moment before saying, "Why?"
"Truth is singular. Lies are words, words, words." Vastra explains. "You met the Doctor, didn't you?"
"Two." Clara responds, catching Kathy by surprise. She is once again reminded how her presence can change things.
"Two?" Vastra questions, just as confused.
"Woman." Clara answers, glancing over to Kathy briefly before looking away, a blush high on her cheeks.
"Ah, you met dear Katherine as well." Vastra says understandingly. "Unfortunately, she does not have a say when it comes to whether or not you meet the Doctor again. That duty falls to me. Though, this begs the question of why you're looking for him."
"Take your time. One word only." Kathy says gently with an encouraging smile. Clara is hesitating, unsure of exactly why she wants to see the Doctor again so badly. Kathy assumes this is what all echoes of Clara must feel, the driving force her original self felt to help the Doctor by any means necessary. It is the reason the original Clara had and will leap into the Doctor's time stream, after all.
"Curiosity." Clara eventually says.
"About?"
"Snow."
"And about him?"
"Yes." Though Clara glances over to Kathy as well.
"What do you want from him?"
"Help."
"Why?"
"Danger."
"Why would he help you?"
"Kindness."
"The Doctor is not kind." Vastra says coldly.
"No?" Clara asks almost doubtfully. Kathy doesn't blame her. The barmaid/governess had met more of a petulant child last night, not the oncoming storm.
"No. The Doctor doesn't help people. Not anyone, not ever. He stands above this world and doesn't interfere in the affairs of its inhabitants. He is not your salvation, nor your protector." Vastra explains harshly but Kathy knows Clara can take it. "Do you understand what I am saying to you?"
"Words."
"He was different once, a long time ago. Kind, yes. A hero, even. A saver of worlds. But he suffered losses which hurt him. Now he prefers isolation to the possibility of pain's return. Kindly choose a word to indicate your understanding of this." Vastra says sombrely.
"Man."
Jenny sends an earnest look to Kathy and Vastra from where she stands behind Clara.
Vastra sighs. "We are the Doctor's friends. We assist him in his isolation but that does not mean we approve of it. So, a test for you. Give me a message for the Doctor. Tell him all about the snow and what fresh danger you believe it presents, and above all, explain why he should help you."
Clara leans forward eager to reply but Vastra places a finger on her lips.
"But do it in one word. You're thinking it is impossible that such a word exists, or that you could even find it. Let's see if the gods are with you."
There's a long pause. "Pond." Clara finally says, voice full of resolve.
"Well then," Vastra speaks, sounding very pleased, "that is a very interesting word indeed. Wouldn't you agree, Kathy?"
Kathy smiles brightly. "Oh, yes. A very good word." She agrees warmly. "Will definitely get the Doctor to help."
"How?" Clara asks.
"Ha. Don't worry about the one-word test anymore." Kathy tells her, going over to gently take the woman's hand and pull her up from the seat. "You've passed with flying colours."
"Why?" Clara breathes. She shakes her head, likely trying to get herself to speak more than just one word at a time now. "I mean… why me?"
Kathy's smile drops. "Because, at this point, you're the only one I think can bring the Doctor back to his old self." Kathy then turns to Vastra, though still holds onto one of Clara's hands. "Go ahead and send Clara's message up to the Doctor. Get him started on the investigation you've been working on."
—
"He should be at Clara's establishment now." Vastra tells Kathy as they make their way to the carriage. "He already phoned on what he found at Dr Simeon's Great Intelligence Institute."
"Nothin' good, of course." Jenny adds as they step into the carriage. The carriage rocks as Strax steers the horse swiftly down the road.
"When is anything ever 'good' when it comes to the trouble the Doctor gets into?" Kathy jokes lightly, trying to ease the tension in her that has been slowly building up throughout the day. It was hard brushing away this feeling of uneasiness. She knows how it's going to go all wrong and she hates it. She looks back at the two females beside her, giving a smile in trying to keep things light-hearted. "Did he really dress up as Sherlock Holmes?"
"Did you expect him to dress any other way?" Vastra responds, smirking as Jenny and Kathy snort and laugh.
They arrive at Captain Latimer's manor faster than expected. Kathy hops out of the carriage first, glancing around to see if the Doctor is nearby. He should be in the garden with the pond from what she remembers. She hears Vastra giving instructions to Strax behind her as she makes her way towards the garden. Just as she remembers, there is the Doctor, walking around the edges of the stone barrier that surrounds the garden's pond and scanning the frozen water with his sonic screwdriver.
"Body frozen in a pond. Where snow gets a good long look at a human being like a full-body scan. Everything they need to evolve. A pond." Kathy hears him muttering under his breath. He stops, placing his sonic back into his coat as he frowns in thought. "Good point, Clara."
"Well, it would be the one word to get your attention." Kathy says lightly.
"Yes, yes. Pond. Of course, it would get my attention. Why wouldn't it." The Doctor says in dismissal, waving a hand over his shoulder. Kathy raises a brow, smirking playfully but says nothing else. Strax marches up to stand beside her, his feet making the gravel of the pathway crunch under his feet.
The Doctor turns, now facing them. "What are you two doing here?"
Kathy shrugs. "Where else would I be?"
"Madame Vastra wondered if you were needing any grenades?" Strax declares.
Kathy lets out a sigh while the Doctor looks baffled. "Strax…" The former mutters.
"She might have said help." The Sontaran admits.
"Atta boy." Kathy pats him on the head causing the butler to let out a grumble of displeasure.
"Help for what?" The Doctor asks.
Kathy rolls her eyes. "Your investigation. What else?"
The Doctor scoffs. "Investigation? Who says I'm investigating? 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 from them, back to the pond.
Strax frowns before smirking. Kathy presses her lips together, waiting for it. "Sherlock Holmes."
Kathy stifles a laugh as the Doctor turns, glaring at the Sontaran. He points a frustrated finger at him, stepping down from the stone barrier. "Don't be clever, Strax. It doesn't suit you."
"Uh, don't be rude!" Kathy retorts.
"But I'm the clever one, he's the potato one!" The Doctor argues. "Now go away, Strax." The Time Lord steps back on the stone barrier.
"Yes, Mister Holmes." Strax snidely comments before wandering off, chuckling.
The Doctor turns sharply again. "Oi! Shut up. You're not clever or funny and you've got tiny little legs!" The Doctor childishly retorts.
"Really, Doctor? Grow up." Kathy comments with a smirk as she too joins the Doctor on the edge of the pond.
"No, I don't!" The Doctor pouts, which really helps his case.
Glancing up, Kathy beams when seeing Clara looking out at them from a window on the upper floor. A warm glow of candlelight flickers behind her, making her features gentle in the night. The governess smiles, waving politely. Kathy waves happily back, glad to see her again. Even if it had been a few short hours.
Clara starts motioning for them to come into the home. While the Doctor shakes his head no and points at the pond, Kathy nods and holds up five fingers to let the girl know when they will be up. Clara smiles brightly, nodding while giving a thumbs up as she ignores the Doctor's response.
When she closes the curtains again, the Doctor turns with a frown to Kathy. "Did you tell her we'd go to her?" He asks in disbelief. "I thought it was obvious we were staying out here?"
"And I thought it was obvious we were going to help her. How's staying out here by a frozen pond going to help anybody?" Kathy scoffs while rolling her eyes. She then hops off the stone ledge, walking swiftly towards the house. "Come along, Mr. Holmes. We have a case to solve!"
—
Kathy and the Doctor enter what appears to be a schoolroom. It has books, paper, drawing tools, and places for toys here and there. They can hear what sounds like screaming on the other side of the door. The door bursts open with Clara and the two children running through, bolting the door. Kathy and the Doctor duck behind the Mr Punch standing on the corner as Clara tries to protect the children as the old governess bursts through the door.
The two frightened children, a boy and a girl, huddle around Clara as the ice woman marches across the room, waving a strict finger at the children and shouting 'naughty' repeatedly. Kathy recalls the ice creature is an imprint from the governess who took care of Captain Latimer's children, Digby and Francesca, before Clara took over the job.
"What about the man and woman? You said they were here, the cloud people." Digby cries.
"Well, they're not, are they?" Clara retorts.
"Where's the Doctor and Kathy?!"
"I don't know!"
The Doctor takes this chance to put the Mr Punch puppet on his hand with the sonic in the puppet's hands. "Doctor? Doctor? Doctor who?" The Doctor imitates the puppet's voice. The Punch puppet aims the sonic screwdriver at the Ice Governess. The creature of ice screams. Its mouth opens wide with razor-sharp teeth. It reaches forward with claw-like hands as if to grab the children. But it is still too far away to hurt anyone. Before it can get any closer, it shatters into pieces, scattering throughout the room. The three frightened humans jump at the occurrence.
The Doctor and Kathy leap up from behind the puppet stand. "That's the way to do it." The latter retorts, making Mr Punch kiss him. "Oi." Mr Punch 'slaps' him. "Ow."
Kathy sighs. "Alright. Enough of the silly, put it down." She takes it off his hand and walks over to Clara and the children with a smile. "Hello, you must be Francesca and Digby. It's great to meet you."
"How do you know their names?" Clara questions.
Kathy shrugs. "I know a lot of things."
"Where did she go? Will she come back?" Francesca asks.
The Doctor scans the floor. "No, don't worry. She's currently draining through your carpet. New setting. Anti-freeze. And you're very welcome, by the way."
"I'm very grateful. I knew you'd come." Clara says.
"No, you didn't, because I don't. Because this isn't the sort of thing I do any more." The Doctor retorts sharply.
Kathy rolls her eyes. "Well, I was." She grins and Clara grins back.
The Doctor glowers. "Not me. So, next time you're in trouble, don't expect me to—" The Doctor freezes, distracted by his reflection in a mirror.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Clara questions.
"Sorry, it's just. Didn't know I'd put it on." He straightens his bow tie. While Kathy is happy to see this moment, she can see ice forming on the windows and knows they don't have long. "Old habits."
"It's cooler." Clara murmurs.
The Doctor misinterprets her. "Yeah, it is, isn't it? It is very cool. Bow ties are cool."
Kathy rolls her eyes. Again. "Doctor, 19th century. She means the room. The room's getting colder."
A bulge forms in the carpet.
"She's coming back!" Digby cries.
"What's she going to do? Is she going to punish me?" Francesca questions.
"Er, er, she's learnt not to melt. Of course, she's not really a governess, she's just a beast." The Doctor hurriedly explains unhelpfully. "She's going to eat you. Run."
