{"It's the most wonderful time of the year."}
Near a planet with a thick cloudy atmosphere and a lovely view of the Horse Head Nebula. "Would all passengers please return to their seats and fasten their safety belts? We are experiencing slight turbulence." Things are going Bang! on the bridge, which is strongly modelled on the Starship Enterprise. "Both engines failed, and the storm-gate's critical. The ship is going down. Christmas is cancelled." The captain announced, "Entering atmosphere now. Level. Keep her level." The pilot spoke up as they started flicking switches and pressing buttons. "Level with what? I can't see. What is that stuff?" The copilot asked as they watched the window in front of them. "Clouds?" Someone asked throughout the room, everyone slightly concerned about the vast grey in from of them. "What kind of clouds?" Distress signal activated, "Are you sending a distress signal?" The captain snapped at her pilot. "It's not me."
Location: Honeymoon suite.
"Who's in the honeymoon suite?" Amy enters, wearing her stripper policewoman outfit. "I've sent for help." She smirked at the crew, "Who the hell are you?" The captain frowned with a glare. "Look, there's a friend of mine, okay? And he can help us. He'll come and with his wife, they'll save us." She smiled happily, "And what are you wearing?" The captain scoffed, looking her up and down in judgment. "That doesn't matter." Amy blushed, "Are you from the honeymoon suite?" The Captain asked again. "Oh, shut up." Enter a Roman Centurion husband, "Amy, the light's stopped flashing. Does that mean he's coming?" Rory asked her, the redhead nodded with a small smile. "Honeymoon suite?" The pilot asked with a raised eyebrow as everyone in the room silently judged the couple. "Oh. Oh, the clothes. Er. It is just a bit of fun." He laughed awkwardly, "Really, shut up." Amy hissed, her cheeks turns as red as her hair.
"Sensor loss on eighty percent of the hull." The copilot announces throughout the flight deck. "So, does this mean they're coming, or does it mean I need to change the bulb?" Rory asked, turning towards his wife with wide eyes. "They'll come. They always comes." Amy laughs with a nod, even if it wasn't the Doctor, she could always believe in Kate and Fay to come for them. "Right. Well, he is cutting it kind of fine." Rory scoffed with a shake of his head. "If we can't stabilise the orbit, we're finished." The captain shouted, "There's nothing to lock onto. I am flying blind." Copilot responded as buttons were pushed and levers were turned. "Come on, Doctor, Kate come on." Amy mumbled with her eyes closed, "There's something coming alongside us. Something small, like a shuttle." A voice called out, "Just this once, don't be late." Amy grumbled with a frown, "Ma'am. Incoming message. It's from the other ship." The copilot turns to them. "On screen."
Message reads - Come Along, Pond.
"What does that mean?"
"It's Christmas."
:••:••:••:••:
Down below the thick cloud layer is a bustling metropolis, dominated by a domed building sending an energy beam into the sky. A scruffy boy runs through a market area, slightly alien Dickensian. "On every world, wherever people are, in the deepest part of the winter, at the exact mid-point, everybody stops and turns and hugs, as if to say, well done. Well done, everyone. We're halfway out of the dark. Back on Earth, we called this Christmas, or the Winter Solstice. On this world, the first settlers called it the Crystal Feast." A man speaks, "You know what I call it? I call it expecting something for nothing." Hello, Ebenezer Scrooge. He turns from the little window and walks into a massive room with just a pieces of furniture around a large but empty fireplace. A poor family are waiting for him, a man, an old woman and a young boy. "Sir. Mister Sardick. We're only asking for one day. Just let her out for Christmas. She loves Christmas." A cryochamber is wheeled in, containing a young woman. "Does she? Oh, does she? I see. Hello. Wakey, wakey. It's Christmas. Do you know what? I think she's a bit cool about the whole thing. Ha, ha! That was funny."
The servants chuckle obediently. "She's frozen." He speaks up, "She's what, sorry?" Sardick questions, cocking his head to the side. "She's in the ice. She can't hear you." The boy explains, "Oh, what a clever little boy. You must be so irritated. How much?" A servant brings an account. "Er, it's four thousand five hundred Gideons, sir." The servant explains to them. "You took a loan of four thousand five hundred Gideons, and Little Miss Christmas is my security." How very Monty Python Merchant Banker. Another servant brings in a ringing candlestick telephone. "We're not asking for her back. Just let her have one day. Let her have Christmas with us." Benjamin replies with a frown on his face. "Sir, it's the President." A servant speaks up, making his way inside the room. "Tell him I'm busy. Now, where were we? Oh, yes. She's pretty, though, your daughter. Maybe I should keep her." Sardick snips with a smirk, "She's not my daughter, sir."
"She's my sister. She volunteered for the ice when the family were in difficulties many years ago."
"Sorry, sir. The President says there's a galaxy class ship trapped in the cloud layer and, well, we have to let it land."
"Or?"
"Well, or it'll crash, sir."
"Oh. Well, it's a kind of landing, isn't it?"
"It's from Earth, sir, registering over four thousand lifeforms on board."
"Not if we wait a bit."
"You can't just let it crash, sir." The sound of the Tardis arriving nearby. "Says who? Oh, give it here." Sardick takes the telephone. "Look, petal, we already have a surplus population. No more people allowed on this planet. I don't make the rules." Soot falls down the chimney, "Oh no, hang on, I do." Sardick hangs up the receiver, "Right, you lot. Poor, begging people. Off home and pray for a miracle." The Doctor tumbles out of the fireplace in a shower of soot, Fay follows close behind with a laugh in excitement. Both of them are covered in chimney shoot. "Ah. Yes. Blimey. Sorry. Christmas Eve on a rooftop. Saw a chimney, my whole brain just went, what the hell and my lovely daughter following after me." He smiled excitedly as a red light appeared, Kate stepping out with a small smile. The Doctor rushed over and gives her a big kiss, she laughs softly at the man she loves before they both turned to their daughter who was watching them with a smile of her own.
Theta pulls away and goes to the family standing there, watching us. "Don't worry, fat fellow will be doing the rounds later. I'm just scoping out the general chimney-ness. Yes. Nice size, good traction. Big tick." He winks at us with a smirk. "Fat fellow?" Benjamin asked with a cock of his head, "Father Christmas, Santa Claus or, as I've recently known him, Jeff." Fay spoke up with a small laugh as she watched the boy, "There's no such person as Father Christmas." The boy scoffs at him. "Oh, yeah?" Theta produces an old photograph. "Us and Father Christmas, Frank Sinatra's hunting lodge, 1952. See him at the back with the blonde? Albert Einstein. The fiver of us together. Brrm. Watch out. Okay? Keep the faith. Stay off the naughty list. My girls are on the Nice, not me though. Oops." He spots what looks like a big cinema organ, "Ooo. Now, what's this then? I love this. A big flashy lighty thing. That's what brought me here. Big flashy lighty things have got me written all over them. Not actually, but give me time, and a crayon. Now, this big flashy lighty thing is connected to the spire in your dome, yeah? And it controls the sky. Well, technically it controls the clouds, which technically aren't clouds at all. Well, they're clouds of tiny particles of ice. Ice clouds. Love that. Who's she?"
"Nobody important."
"Nobody important. Blimey, that's amazing. Do you know, in nine hundred years of time and space, I've never met anyone who wasn't important before. Especially my girls, I love my girls, my beautiful wife and daughter..." He pauses, taking note of my raised eyebrow. "Right. Now, this console is the key to saving that ship, or I'll eat my hat. If I had a hat. I'll eat someone's hat. Not someone who's using their hat. I don't want to shock a nun, or something. Sorry, rambling, because, because this isn't working!" Theta suddenly shouted, I sighed with a small shake of my head. "The controls are isomorphic. One to one. They respond only to me." Sardick smirks smugly as Theta slowly turns to face him with a frown. "Oh, you fibber. Isomorphic. There's no such thing."Sardick reaches over and switches it off then on again. All Theta gets are annoyed beeps, even with the screwdriver. "These controls are isomorphic." Fay giggles at her father as he pouts towards us. "The skies of this entire world are mine. My family tamed them, and now I own them." I frown at his words, a small shiver running down my spine. "Tamed the sky? What does that mean?" I asked him, crossing my arms as I looked the man up and down. "It means I'm Kazran Sardick. How can you possibly not know who I am?" Theta raises a finger and opens his mouth in exclamation. "Well, just easily bored, I suppose. So, we need your help, then."
"Make an appointment." Sardick snips in irritation, I cock my head to the side at his words. "There are four thousand and three people in a spaceship trapped in your cloud belt. Without your help, they're going to die." I speak up, taking the words from Theta's mouth. "Yes." Sardick gives me a raised brow as if he was trying to instigate me. Fay frowns and steps up, "You don't have to let that happen." My daughter glares at the old man who scoffs and looks away from her. "I know, but I'm going to. Bye, bye. Bored now. Chuck." Theta wriggles out of the clutches of a servant and goes to Sardick, who is settling into a tall leather armchair by the fireplace. Fay and I move out of their reach as well as we watch Theta talk to the man before us. "Ooo, look at you, looking all tough now." Sardick fake shivers in fear as Theta stands before him, Fay and I watching with small smiles on our faces. "There are four thousand and three people I won't allow to die tonight. Do you know where that puts you?" Theta asks him, "Where?" Sardick scoffs with an eye roll. "Four thousand and four." Fay speaks up, the man flinches slightly and looks away from our daughter, I raise a brow at the new information. My eyes slowly turning to look at the woman who was frozen in the chamber. "Was that a sort of threat-y thing?"
"Whatever happens tonight, remember you brought it on yourself." Theta warns the man, "Yeah, yeah, right. Get him out of here. And next time, try and find me some funny poor people." The boy throws a stray piece of coal at Sardick as he, his family, Theta, Fay and I are hustled out. Sardick runs over to hit the child, Fay stands in front to protect him. "No, stop, don't." Sardick stops in shock, flinching away from my daughter. "Don't you dare. You leave him." Benjamin growls towards the older man. "Get him out of here. Get that foul-smelling family out of here. Out!" Sardick yells in anger, "We're going!" The boy shouts as they are pushed out, Theta stays behind causing Fay and I to stay behind with him. "What? What do you want?" Sardick asks with a glare, "A simple life. But you didn't hit the boy and you flinch at the sight of our daughter. Why?" I spoke up, moving closer to them. Fay frowns from behind me as Sardick glances at her for a split second with a confused look on his face. Like he doesn't know why he's reacting to her that way. "Well, I will next time and I have no idea what you are talking about."
"You see, you won't. Now why? What am I missing?" Theta grumbled out, his eyes scanning over the room. "Get out. Get out of this house." Sardick demands, I watch with a small smirk as Fay jumps towards him causing the old man to flinch back. "The chairs." I stated, Theta spins to face me with wide eyes of realization. "Of course, the chairs. Stupid me, the chairs." Theta spins in another circle, "The chairs?" Sardick scoffs back in response, "There's a portrait on the wall behind me. Looks like you, but it's too old, so it's your father. All the chairs are angled away from it. Daddy's been dead for twenty years, but you still can't get comfortable where he can see you. There's a Christmas tree in the painting, but none in this house, on Christmas Eve. You're scared of him, and you're scared of being like him, and good for you, you're not like him, not really. Do you know why?" Theta asks, raising a brow at the old man who flinches at the sight of his own father. "Why?" Sardick asks, "Because you didn't hit the boy. Merry Christmas, Mister Sardick."
"I despise Christmas." Sardick snips in anger, "You shouldn't. It's very you." Theta replies, "It's what? What do you mean?" Sardick asks, "Halfway out of the dark." The servants return and we leave, "Get her downstairs with the others. And clean up this mess." We hear Sardick shout from behind us, Theta pulls out his 'super phone' as he likes to call it. Fay loves it. Amy is now on the phone with Theta, "Have you got a plan yet?" Amy asks, Theta and I are walking side by side as Fay walks in front of us; looking around. "Yes, I do." Theta lies, I smacked his shoulder causing him to wince slightly and stick his tongue out at me. "Are you lying?" Amy asks, having probably sensed the lie in his voice. I snorted as he flinched slightly, "Yes, I am." He admits. "Don't treat me like an idiot." We make our way outside as Amy lies to Rory about Theta not lying.
"Okay, the good news. I've tracked the machine that unlocks the cloud belt. I could use it to clear you a flight corridor and you could land easily."
"Oh, hey. Hey, that's great news." Lightning is flashing across the sky as we all look up at it. "But I can't control the machine." Theta explains to Amy who sighs, "Less great." Theta and I look towards Fay who is frowning as she stares off into the distance. My eyes turn in the direction she was looking at, a woman stands there; in the distance. I couldn't make out her face but she was smiling at someone, another woman who was standing near her. I slowly move to stand next to my daughter, who had tears in her eyes. "What's wrong, my darling?" I asked, she slowly turns to look at me; a single tear slipping down her cheek as she clears her throat. "I don't know." She whispers, I quickly move to wipe it away. Our attention is drawn back to Theta who comes forward to speak. "Yeah. How did you know?" He speaks into the phone with a frown. "Lucky guess." Amy replies from her side of the phone.
A man rushes up to us, "Sir? Sir. Ma'am's." He gives us a small bow. "Hang on." Theta speaks towards Amy who groans from the other end. "I've never seen anybody stand up to Mister Sardick like that. Bless you, sir, and merry Christmas." The man laughs in excitement as he shakes Theta's hand. "Merry Christmas. Lovely. Sorry, bit busy." Theta tries to move away, being as nice as he could. "You'd better get inside, sir. The fog's thick tonight, and there's a fish warning." I cock my head to the side at his words, Fay raises a brow but Theta doesn't catch what he says; at least not just this second. "All right, yeah. Sorry, fish?" And the penny drops, the man laughs. "Yeah. You know what they're like when they get a bit hungry." Theta looks back at us in confusion, "Yeah, fish, I know fish. Fish?" He asks me, I shrug in response. Must be a good reason for the fish, right; hopefully he doesn't let one eat something it shouldn't. "It's all Mister Sardick's fault, I reckon. He always lets a few fish through the cloud layer when he's in a bad mood. Thank you. Bless you once again, sir." The man walks away leaving us in confusion. "Fish?" Theta utters out again in confusion as he watches the man leave.
"Doctor, the Captain says we've got less than an hour. What should we be doing?"
There is a shoal of tiddlers swimming around a street light.
"Fish."
"Sorry, what?"
"Fish that can swim in fog. I love new planets."
"Doctor. Doctor, please don't get distracted."
The little fish nibble at Theta's outstretched fingers, Fay smiles brightly; moving over to copy her father. I watch them, my hearts soaring, not taking notice of a big shadow passes some way behind us. "Now, why would people be frightened of you tiny little fellows? Look at you, sweet little fishy-wishies. Mind you, fish in the fog, so the cloud cover. Ooo. Careful up there." He laughs gently, sending me a smile and wink as he speaks into the phone. I could practically hear Amy's eye roll, "Oh great, thanks, Doctor, because there was a real danger we were all going to nod off. We've got less than an hour!" The town clock shows 11 o'clock. "I know." The speakers near by, cut on and start singing. "Doctor? How are you getting us off here?" Amy shouts into the phone, Theta spins away from the clock. "Oh, just give me a minute." He moves to smack himself on the forehead, but I stop him before he can. He gives me a smile, kissing my forehead. "Can't use the Tardis, because it can't lock on. So, that ship needs to land. But it can't land unless a very bad man suddenly decides to turn nice just in time for Christmas Day."
"Doctor, I can't hear you. Oh, give the phone to Kate, would you? What is that? Is that singing?" Fay and I laughed as Theta rolled his eyes. "A Christmas carol." Fay calls, speaking into the phone when Theta passes by her. He has started to pace, running his hand through his hair as he tries to think of a way to save everyone. "A what?"
"A Christmas Carol."
"A what?"
"A Christmas Carol!" Just like that, a light bulb goes off in all our brains.
"Doctor?"
"Kazran Sardick." Theta breaths out, his eyes looking up at the home of the man who could control the weather. "Doctor!" Amy shouts one last time, before Theta disconnects the phone. "Merry Christmas, Kazran Sardick." Fay mutters out, Theta cheers excitedly as he grabs our daughter's hand and pulls her along. "Come on, Kate. We've got a story to tell!" He shouts back excitedly, I watch with a laugh. My smile slowly fading as a wave of sadness washed over me.
"Tik Tok."
:••:••:••:••:
The old Kazran Sardick is sleeping in his big leather chair, a video is playing in the background, a recording of a young boy in his pajamas. The young lad is making a video diary on his computer. "Hello, my name is Kazran Sardick. I'm twelve and a half, and this is my bedroom. Top secret special project. This is my top secret special project. For my eyes only. Merry Christmas." The young lad smiles at the screen, jumping at the sound of the door slamming open. "Kazran!" Old Sardick wakes at the shout from his father. The scene with his young self is being projected on the far wall where the main door is, Elliot Sardick grabs the young boy. "Kazran! Kazran, what are you doing? What are you doing? I've warned you before about this, you stupid, ignorant, ridiculous child." The old Kazran watches the screen in horror, "I was just going to make a film of the fish." The young boy tries to smile up at his father, only to get a dark frown in response. "The fish are dangerous." His father snapped in anger, "I just want to see them."
"Don't be stupid. You're far too young."
"Everyone at school's seen the fish."
"That's enough. You'll be singing to them next, like gypsies."
"The singing works. I've seen it. The fish like the singing."
"What does it matter what fish like?" Elliot asks his son, "People say we don't have to be afraid of the fish. They're not really interested in us." Kazran tells his father who scoffs at his son in disgust. "You don't listen to people. You listen to me." Elliot, the father, hits young Kazran, and old man Sardick flinches again as if he had been hit, like his younger self. "Ow! I'm sorry, Father." Young Kazran cries on the screen while his father continues to shout at him. "This is my house. While you're under my roof, you'll obey my instructions. I don't care what you..." Theta and I come up behind the old man who watches the video. Fay stands off to the side, behind his chair; Theta gently touches Sardick on the shoulder. "It's okay, it's okay." Kazran spins to face us, glaring, but with tears shining in his eyes. "What have you done? What is this?" He snarls in anger, "Found it on an old drive. Sorry about the picture quality. Had to recover the data using quantum enfolding and a paperclip. Oh, I wouldn't bother calling your servants. They quit. Apparently they won the lottery at exactly the same time, which is a bit lucky when you think about it."
"There isn't a lottery." Kazran hissed, I turn my eyes towards Fay who nodded back in reassurance. "Yeah, as I say, lucky." Theta's voice gains our attention, he quickly moves to sit in the old man's chair. "There's a fog warning tonight. You keep these windows closed, understand? Closed." Kazran flinches at his father's voice before speaking to us. "Who are you?" He asks, looking between the three of us. "Tonight, I'm a Ghost Of Christmas Past and these lovely ladies are my Angels." I smiled as Theta shoots me a wink, Fay smiles from behind her father's head. "Mrs Mantovani will be looking after you tonight. You stay here till she comes. Do you understand? Do you understand?" Kazran watches the video, slowly moving closer to the screen. Theta and Fay do the same, I stand back and watch them.
"Did you ever get to see a fish, back then, when you were a kid?" I asked, causing him to jump a little. "What does that matter to you?" Kazran asks, giving us a scoff. "Look how it mattered to you." Fay utters out, "I cried all night, and I learned life's most invaluable lesson." The man gives her a sad look, "Ah. Which is?" Theta asks, stepping in front of him. "Nobody comes. Get out! Get out of my house!" Kazran shouts at us, Fay and I follow after Theta; the three of us moving towards the door that hides the Tardis. "Okay. Okay, but I'll be back. Way back. Way, way back." He grabs Fay's hand, leading us through the door and into the Tardis, which dematerializes in the now and rematerializes outside Kazran's window. "See? Back." Theta opens the window, he climbs through, turning and holding out his hands to help us down through the window. "Who are you?"
We all turn towards the young boy, "Hi. I'm the Doctor, this is my wife, Kate and our daughter, Fay. We're your new babysitters." The boy cocks his head as he looks between us with a frown. "Where's Mrs Mantovani?" The young boy asks, "Oh, you'll never guess. Clever old Mrs Manters, she only went and won the lottery." Theta laughs out as he grabs Fay to bounce on the bed with her. I shook my head with a small laugh, I think our daughter was a little old for jumping on the bed now.
The thought made me sad.
"There isn't any lottery." The young boy breaths out, his face pulling into confusion. "I know. What a woman." Theta laughs, he was excited about this Christmas adventure we were about to take. "If you're my babysitters, why are you climbing in the window?" Kazran asks, I gave the boy a small smile. "Because if we were climbing out of the window, We'd be going in the wrong direction. Pay attention." I teased gently, Kazran smiles for a split second before frowning again. "But Mrs Mantovani's always my babysitter." Theta moves forward towards the camera, where we knew old Kazran was watching us. "Times change. Wouldn't you say? You see? Christmas Past." He leans in, Kazran leans away from him. "Who are you talking to?" Kazran asks, Fay moves forward and speaks up. "You. Now, your past is going to change. That means your memories will too. Bit scary, but you'll get the hang of it." Fay mutters gently, as she bends down to his height. I watch her give him a reassuring smile, and it makes me happy to see. "I don't understand." Kazran utters out, watching her; she laughs with Theta. "I'll bet you don't. I wish I could see your face." Fay murmurs out, standing up to face her father.
"Right then, your bedroom. Great. Let's see. You're twelve years old, so we'll stay away from under the bed. Cupboard! Big cupboard. I love a cupboard. Do you know, there's a thing called a face spider. It's just like a tiny baby's head with spider legs, and it's specifically evolved to scuttle up the backs of bedroom cupboards which, yeah, I probably shouldn't have mentioned. Right. So. What are we going to do? Eat crisps and talk about girls? I've never actually done that, but I bet it's easy. Girls? Yeah? I mean why talk about them when you've got the two loveliest ones in the whole world?" Theta smiles at us, I give him a smile as Fay shakes her head at her father; a hint of a smile on her lips. "Are you really a babysitter?" Kazran asks, looking Theta up and down suspiciously. Apparently, Fay and I look just fine as babysitters; I can understand why he questions my love though. "I think you'll find I'm universally recognised as a mature and responsible adult." Fay snorts, Theta shooting her a look as he shows Kazran the psychic paper. I watch in amusement as she quickly looks away to hide her laughter. "It's just a lot of wavy lines." Kazran points out, Theta pouts in response. "Yeah, it's shorted out. Finally, a lie too big. Okay, no, not really a babysitter, but it's Christmas Eve. You don't want a real one. You want us."
"Why? What's so special about you?"
"Have you ever seen Mary Poppins?" I asked the young boy, he shook his head. "No."
"Good. Because that comparison would've been rubbish. Fish in the fog. Fish in the clouds. How do people ever get bored? How did boredom even get invented?" Theta rambled on, "My dad's invented a machine to control the cloud belt. Tame the sky, he says. The fish'll be able to come down, but only when we let them. We can charge whatever we like." Kazran mutters with a small shrug, "Yeah. I've seen your dad's machine." I shiver as I feel something slink, turning to look out the open window. I frown slightly when I don't spot anything, I let out a sigh before I turn back to face them. "What? You can't have." Kazran scoffs at Theta, "Tame the sky. Human beings. You always manage to find the boring alternative, don't you? You want to see one? A fish. We can do that. We can see a fish."
"Aren't you going to tell me it's dangerous?"
"Dangerous? Come on, we're boys. And you know what boys say in the face of danger."
"What?"
"Mummy."
Later, the sonic screwdriver is dangling from a string passed through a lamp fitting in the ceiling and leading into the cupboard, where the other end is tied to Theta's finger. It was a little crowded, but we all managed. "Are there any face spiders in here?" Kazran asks, looking up to Theta. "Nah, not at this time of night. They'll all be sleeping in your mattress." Fay smacks her father upside the head, before I could; I chuckled with a shake of my head. "So, why are you so interested in fish?" I asked the young boy, "Because they're scary." Kazran responses to me with a shrug. "Good answer." Fay uttered out, giving the boy a small smile. "What kind of tie is that?" Kazran asks, pointing to Theta's bow tie. Fay smiles, excitement shining in her eyes. "A cool one." She breaths out, Theta turns to smile at her. He reaches forward and pulls her into a side hug; kissing her on the forehead. "Why is it cool?" Kazran asks, "Why are you really interested in fish?" I responded, raising a brow at the young boy; he shrugs. "My school. During the last fog belt, the nets broke and there was an attack. Loads of them. A whole shoal. No one was hurt, but it was the most fish ever seen below the mountains."
"Were you scared?" I asked, "I wasn't there. I was off sick." He explains, "Ooo, lucky you." Kazran slowly hides his face in his knees, a wave of sadness washes over us. "Not lucky." I breathed out, "It's all anyone ever talks about now. The day the fish came. Everyone's got a story." He shrugs, "But you don't." Theta slowly looks towards the camera he brought in with us; to make sure old Kazran could still watch us. "I see." The young boy frowns, looking up at Theta. "Why are you recording this?" He asks, "Do you pay attention at school, Kazran?" Fay speaks up, causing us all to turn and look towards her. "Sorry, what?" He asks, looking at Fay in confusion. "Because you're not paying attention now." She winks, giving us a grin as something starts tugging at the string. "Shush." We stand up, while Kazran stays seated on the ground. "Doctor, are you sure?" Kazran asks us, looking up with scared eyes. "Trust me." Theta winks, but Kazran doesn't seem to trusting. "Okay." He murmurs out, Fay smacks her father gently on the arm to get his attention. "Oi. Eyes on the tie. Look at me. I wear it and I don't care. Trust us."
"Yes."
"That's why it's cool."
Theta ties the rope to the doorknob and we slowly creep out of the closet. A fish is investigating the flashing sonic screwdriver. "Hello, fishy. Let's see. Interesting. Crystalline fog, eh? Maybe carrying a tiny electrical charge. Is that how you fly, little fishy?" Theta speaks to the tiny fish that was nipping at his sonic. "What is it? What kind? Can I see?" Kazran questions from inside the closet, "Just stay there a moment." I call out to him gently, "Is it big?" Kazran asks again, "Nah, just a little one. So, little fellow, what do you eat?" Then a shark swoops in and devours the little fish and the sonic screwdriver in one big toothy bite. Theta, Fay and I jump back in shock; Theta pushing us behind him as we stare at it in horror.
The thing was huge!
"How little?" Kazran asks, I scoffed in disbelief. Fay grabs my hand as we slowly move back towards the closet. "Er." Theta grunts out, trying find the right words. "Can I come out?" I immediately shake my head as I speak up. "No, no. Maybe just wait there for a moment." The shark turns in our direction causing us to pause for a moment. "What colour is it?" Kazran asks, "Big. Big colour." Theta grabs us and hauls us back into the closet just as the shark comes after us. Theta flinches as he falls against the door to keep it out, "What's happening?" Kazran asks as he looks between us with wide eyes. "Well, concentrating on the plusses, you've definitely got a story of your own now. Also, I got a good look at the fish, and I think I understand how the fog works, which is going to help me land a spaceship in the future and save a lot of lives. And I bet I get some very interesting readings off my sonic screwdriver when I get it back from the shark in your bedroom."
"There's a shark in my bedroom?" Theta scoffs and looks at him in shock, "Oh fine, focus on that part." The shark bangs against the door again, then quiet. "Has it gone? What's it doing?" Kazran questions, "What do you call it if you don't have any feet, and you're taking a run-up?" Fay and I shot Theta a look, before Theta takes off towards us. He pulls Fay down as I quickly move to pull Kazran into my arms, all of us dropping to the ground when the shark comes breaking through the wooden door. "It's going to eat us. It's going to eat us. It's going to eat us. Is it going to eat us?" The shark is stuck in the cupboard door. "Well, maybe we're going to eat it, but I don't like the odds. It's stuck, though. Let's see. Tiny shark brain. If I had my screwdriver, I could probably send a pulse and stun it." I hummed lightly at the idea, before smirking.
"Well, where's your screwdriver?" Kazran asks, "Well, concentrating on the plusses, within reach. You know, there's a real chance the way it's wedged in the doorway is keeping its mouth open, but my lovely Kate here can do better." I smile, my eyes glowing and the shark slowly comes to a stop. "Alright, I've only got two goes, and then it's your turn." Theta mutters out, "Two goes?" Fay and Kazran asks together. "Two arms. Right, then. Okay. Geronimo. Open wide."
:••:••:••:••:
Outside Kazran's bedroom window, the shark is lying stunned at Theta's feet. Fay and I watch him for a moment before looking up at the dome that is still under construction around us. "What's the big fishy done to you? Swallowed half of you, that's what. Half a screwdriver, what use is that? Bad, big fishy." Theta coos gently at his screwdriver, Fay watching her father with a small smirk on her face as I shook my head in amusement. "Doctor? I think she's dying." Kazran speaks up, gaining our attention. "Half my screwdriver's still inside, but yeah, I think so. I doubt they can survive long outside the cloud belt. Just quick raiding trips on a foggy night."
"Can't we get it back up there? We were just going to stun it. I didn't want to kill it." Kazran mutters sadly at the weak shark, he was sitting next to it; gently petting the poor thing. "She was trying to eat you." I muttered out, watching Fay move to sit next to them as well. "She was hungry." Fay speaks up, "I'm sorry, Kazran. I can't save her. I could take her back up there, but she'd never survive the trip. We need a fully functioning life-support." Theta explains to the boy; Fay frowns, opening her mouth to speak. "Dad, I cou..." She was interrupted by the boy. "You mean like an icebox? Okay." We all turn to face the boy with raised eyebrows.
Three minutes later, we all run down the stairs, there is a decorated Christmas tree in the room. "Ooo, a tree." Theta runs to the tree and smells it, Fay and I roll our eyes in amusement at him. Kazran gets a lamp and we follow him downstairs into a Cryovault area. "What is this?" Fay asks, cocking her head to the side. "The surplus population. That's what my Dad calls it." I scoffed as we try to open the door. "Oh, it's not turning. Oh, why won't it turn?" There is a keypad nearby. "Ah, what's the number?" Theta asks Kazran who pauses and frowns in disappointment. "I don't know." The boy mutters sadly, I give him a small smile, moving forward to press my hand against the door. "This place is full of alarms. It's not just the door. I need the number." Theta continues to ramble from behind me. "I need the number." I shoot him a glare, "I'm working on it, D. You should work on your patience." I snipped slightly causing him to pout. Kazran looks up at Fay with tears glistening in his eyes. "I'm not allowed to know until I'm older."
"Seven two five eight." I call out as I enter in the pin, the door opening. "Just what I was after. Thank you, my love." Theta gives me a kiss, I smile in response as we move inside the cryovault. "Ah, there's fish down here, too." Fay smiles as we walk through the icy room, fog covers our feet. "Yeah, but only tiny ones. The house is built on a fog lake, that's how Dad freezes the people. They're all full, but we could borrow one. Yeah, this one." We come to a stop in front of a Cryochamber; Theta grabs the lamp from Kazran and holds it up to the window. Inside, the young woman from before, Isabella's sister. "Hello again." Theta speaks with a smile on his lips. Kazran looks up at us in question, "You know her?" He asks us; Fay raises a brow at the boy and smirks. "Why her? Important, is she?" She teased, the young boy blushed at her words. "She won't mind. She loves the fish." Kazran punching in something on the side of the chamber, and a hologram of the woman starts to play; a recording. "My name is Abigail Pettigrew, and I'm very grateful for Mister Sardick's kindness. My father..."
Kazran speaks up over her voice, "She starts to talk about the fish in a minute." He states, "But I would not allow it. I could not have chosen this path were it not for the compassion and generosity of the great philanthropist and patron of the poor, Mister Elliot Sardick. But I'm also surrounded by the fish, the beautiful, iridescent, magical fish." Theta who had wondered off a little bit, turns to look at us with a frown. "Why are these people here?" He asks, "...they dash beneath the light as they dart through the fog." I watch the hologram with a frown. "What's all this for?" Fay asks, "My dad lends money. He always takes a family member as, he calls it security." And there are hundreds of them. "Hard man to love, your dad. But I suppose you know that." I murmured lowly, "Nature. I am not alone, and I am at peace." The recording ends. "What's wrong?" Fay asks her father as he stares at his sonic with a pout. "Just my half a screwdriver trying to repair itself. It's signalling the other half."
"The other half's inside the shark." I stated, giving him a pointed look. We all start backing away from the beeping noise that was drawing closer. "Yeah? Sounds like she's woken up. Okay, so it's homing on the screwdriver." And there is the shark again, it jumps at us; Theta and I jump out of the way, slamming into a couple Cryochambers. Fay and Kazran, however, take off running.
I grunt as I get up, Theta groaning lowly from behind me as well. "Come on." I smack his chest, "Time to see just how important she is." I muttered, my eyes glowing as I unlocked and opened the chamber.
"In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan. Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone. Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow. In the bleak midwinter long ago." Abigail is out of her cryochamber and the shark is calm beneath her hand as she sings, I watch with a smile as Fay and Kazran meet up with us; unharmed. "It's not really the singing, of course." Theta speaks up, his eyes landing on the young boy. "Yes, it is." Kazran replies, "Nah." Theta teases, shaking his head with a smile. "The fish love the singing. It's true." Fay speaks up, Theta chuckles as I watched them. "Nah. The notes resonate in the ice crystals, causing a delta wave pattern in the fog. Ow. A fish bit me." Fay and I snickered at his wince, he was adorable. "Shut up, then." I spoke up, giving him a smirk and a raised eyebrow. He moved over with a pout, "Kiss it better?" He coos out, causing me to laugh and roll my eyes. Fay fake gags from where she was standing. "Heaven and earth shall flee away..."
"Of course. That's how the machine controls the cloud belt. The clouds are ice crystals. If you vibrate the crystals at exactly the right frequency, you could align them into ow! Why do they keep biting me?"
"Look, the fish like the singing, okay?"
"Now shut up, Dad."
"Okay."
We all stand in silence and peace as we listen to Abigail finish singing to the shark.
:••:••:••:••:
"It's bigger on..." Abigail and Kazran are looking inside the Tardis. "..the inside." Kazran and Abigail speak together in awe as Theta and Fay lean over her cryochamber. I stand, my arms crossed as I watched everyone. "Yeah, it's the colour. Really knocks the walls back." I rolled my eyes at his words, Fay giggles as she looks at the shark in Abigail's cryochamber. "Shark in a box, to go." Fay smirks, looking up at me. I wink back at her with a smile, Theta watches us in silence. "My love, do you mind?" Theta asks, turning to look at me; I give him a small smile and nod.
Taking in a deep breath, my fingers slowly start to glow as the chamber lifts and floats into the Tardis. Abigail and Kazran watch me in awe, as we follow it into our home. "This is amazing." Abigail gasps in awe as she stepped further into the ship. Fay closing the doors behind us as I gently put the chamber down. I make my way up to the console, Fay following close behind as Theta starts on the controls.
"Nah, this is transport. I keep amazing out here." He winks at us, before we run to the doors. Theta pulls them open, and we are greeted with the clouds, among the fish. It was beautiful, absolutely stunning. "Come on, then. Let's get this shark out." Kazran takes a photograph as Theta releases the shark. "Hey, look at her go." Fay cheers excitedly, Theta closes Abigail's cryochamber and sees a set of dials on the front - 000 008. "Abigail, this number. What does it mean?" I ask, frowning at the sight of it. "It pertains to me, sir, not the fish." Abigail responds, "Yeah, but how?" Fay asks, speaking up from the other side of Theta. "You are a doctor, you say? Are you one of mine?" Abigail asks, looking back up to Theta who frowns and cocks his head. "Do you need a doctor?"The microwave goes ding! "Ah. Sorry. Time's up, kids." Kazran immediately frowns, "Why?" We all make eye contact with each other and smile.
"It's nearly Christmas Day."
We put Abigail back in her cryochamber. "If you should ever wish to visit again." Abigail smiles at us, her eyes shining with happiness and sadness all at once. "Well, you know, if we're ever in the neighbourhood." Theta grunts out with a shrug. "They come every Christmas Eve." Kazran speaks up, the three of us whipping around to face the young boy. "What?" Theta and I speak together, "Yeah, he does. Every time. He promises." Kazran replies with a nod. "No, I don't." Kazran shuts Abigail's cryochamber.
:••:••:••:••:
Then it opens again, with the Doctor and Kazran wearing red fur-trimmed hats. Fay and Kate stand behind with in Christmas dresses, "Merry Christmas!" They all cheer, "Kate!Doctor! What are we going to do?" Abigail asks, "The Doctor's got a great plan. Wait till you hear." They run out of the vault. The dials on Abigail's chamber click down to 000 007. "You are out of your mind. This will never work." They have a carriage with nothing to pull it. The Doctor points his half a sonic screwdriver into the sky. "Oh, don't think shark, think dolphin."
The Doctor teases, giving Kate a kiss. "A shark isn't a dolphin." Abigail replies, frowning at them. "It's nearly a dolphin." Fay responds with a shrug. "No, it isn't." Abigail shakes her head in denial. "That's where you're wrong, because. Shut up." Kate smacks The Doctor on his chest, causing him to grunt with a pout. "It could be anywhere. Will it really come?" Kazran asks, after letting out a small laugh at the couple. "No chance. Completely impossible. Except at Christmas." So the five go on a shark powered sleigh ride through the skies. "How are we going to get back?"
"I don't know."
"Do you have a plan?"
"I don't know." They buzz the roof tops, causing delight to them all; soon they were on their way back to the chambers. "Best Christmas Eve ever."
"Till the next one."
:••:••:••:••:
Another year, another Christmas, "Merry Christmas!" The group of four cheer again as Abigail's chamber opens once more. "Doctor. Kate, where to this time?" Abigail asks, looking between them with a smile. "Did I mention, at any point, all of time and space?"
:••:••:••:••:
And the next time, "Merry Christmas!" Another cheer, "Kate. Doctor. Fay!" According to the photographs, Egypt.
:••:••:••:••:
"Merry Christmas!" Kazran is a shy teenager, so he doesn't cheer. They are all wearing very long, striped scarves. "Kate. Doctor." Her counter clicks down to 4. They visit somewhere mountainous.
:••:••:••:••:
"Merry Christmas!" Kazran is now a strapping young man. "Kazran." Abigail breaths out as her eyes scan over him. Theta looks between them with wide eyes in realization and Fay giggles; I watch with a sad look as her clock clicks down to three. We quickly make our way inside the Tardis once more, so many Christmas' in one go is kinda exhausting. It's been years for them but seconds for us, I could tell Fay was growing tired as well. "You've grown." Abigail breaths out to Kazran as she watches him. "Yes." He replies, "And now you're blushing." She teases him, I bump Theta who blushes as well at my look. He reminds me of Theta, so adorable. "I'm sorry." Kazran breathes out slowly, "That's okay." Abigail laughs, giving us all a smile; Kazran clears his throat and moves around the console towards us. "So, Doctor, where this time?"
"Pick a Christmas Eve. I've got them all right here."
"Might I make a request?"
"Of course."
"This one."
We stand outside a home, inside, the family are preparing for Christmas. Abigail stands outside the door, whilst we stand a little way off. "Who are they?" Kazran asks us, his eyes filled with curiosity. "Her family. The lady's her sister. We met her once, when she was older." Abigail starts to cry as she watches them. "Abigail's crying." Kazran states, "Yes." I speak up, "When girls are crying, are you supposed to talk to them?" Theta shifts uncomfortable at the question as Fay and I both turn to look at him in question. We both watched him with raised eyebrows, "I have absolutely no idea." He breaths out, I scoff; gently pushing him as Fay pushing Kazran forward. Kazran goes over to Abigail, "My sister's family. They're so happy." Abigail smiles, despite her sadness. "They look very poor."
"They are very poor. Doesn't mean you can't be happy."
"Close the curtains." Their view is shut off, "And then why aren't you?" He asks her, his voice gentle. "Because this is the life I can never have." She breaths out, "Why not?"Abigail squeezes his hand. "I think you're blushing again." I quickly grab Theta's hand and pull him towards the home as Fay opens the curtains from the inside. "Come in." She cheers to them, waving them inside.
Theta tries a card trick on the youngest boy, who grows up into the Benjamin. "Pick a card. Any card at all." Fay and I then in amusement as Abigail talks to her sister and Kazran helps Eric. "You memorise the card, you put it back in the deck. Don't let me see it." My attention is drawn to the other two men for a moment as they try and fail to hang Christmas lights. "Is this what it looked like last year?" Eric asks his wife, who turns to give him a look. "It doesn't have to be exactly the same." She replies, "I'm starting again. Come on, Kazran, we're starting again." My attention goes back to Fay who is now passed out on their small couch and then to Theta who is still messing with the youngest boy in the room. "The three of clubs."
"No."
"You sure? Because I'm very good at card tricks."
"It wasn't the three of clubs."
"Well, of course it wasn't, because it was the seven of diamonds."
"No."
"Oi, stop it, you're doing it wrong and I'm trying to impress my lady." Theta yelps in horror as I start to laugh, gently shaking my head at him.
Soon, after the wonderful Christmas dinner we all enjoyed; after waking Fay, of course. We sit around the dinner table, crackers are pulled. "Three, two, one, pull!" Ben's has a playing card in it. "How did you do that?" Ben gapped in awe, "Your card, I believe." Theta winks as Ben picks up the eight of hearts. "No." Ben laughs as Fay bumps her father, I smile at them. "Oh, shut up." Kazran proposes a toast. "Er, Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas."
Under the table, Abigail and Kazran are holding hands.
Back at the vault, "Best Christmas Eve ever." She hugs us, "Ah. Till the next one." Theta smiles at her. "I look forward to it. Now I'd like to say good night to Kazran." A moment of awkward silence before Fay clears her throat. Theta's eyes widened in realization, "Of course, yes. Well, on you go. Oh. Oh. Yes. Right. Sorry. I'll, er, I'll go, then. Good night." He turns to Kazran, "Good luck. Night. Good night." He backs into another cryochamber. "Sorry." He quickly grabs my hand and yanks me with him. Kazran goes after us, "Doctor. I, er, I think she's going to kiss me." Fay nods with a smile, "Yeah, I think you're right." She teases him. "I've never kissed anyone before. What do I do?" Fay shrugs, "Don't ask me, I've never kissed anyone either."
"Well, try and be all nervous and rubbish and a bit shaky."
"Why?"
Because you're going to be like that anyway. Might as well make it part of the plan, then it'll feel on purpose. Off you go, then." I speak up, pushing him back towards Abigail. "What, now? I kiss her now?" He asks, looking back with wide eyes. "Kazran, trust me. It's this or go to your room and design a new kind of screwdriver. Don't make my mistakes. Now, go." Kazran returns to Abigail, who pulls him to her and kisses him.
"You came for me afterwards."
"Yeah, I know, but I should've came to you first."
:••:••:••:••:
In the future, Sardick looks at pictures of them both in front of the Statue of Liberty, Uluru - or Eyres Rock if you prefer - Sydney Opera House, Empire State Building, Eiffel Tower. One says California 1952 on the back.
The five are in front of the Hollywood sign.
:••:••:••:••:
A party is going on out of sight. Kazran comes to find his love, who is alone by the swimming pool. "Abigail, are you coming back? The Doctor is going to do a duet with Frank. Abigail? What's wrong?" Kazran frowns at Abigail who gives him a sad smile, "I have something to tell you." She breaths out, "A bad thing?" He asks, watching her with gentle eyes. "A very bad thing."
"What is it?"
"The truth."
The Doctor appears from behind a tree as Abigail and Kazran are kissing. His has lipstick on his face and Kate soon pops up, her lipstick smeared. "Guys, we've really got to go quite quickly. I just accidentally almost got engaged to Marilyn Monroe, Kate managed to get me away, but she's very persistent. How do you keep going like that? Do you breathe out your ears? Hello? Sorry. Hello? Guys, she's phoned a chapel. There's a car outside. This is happening now, not even Kate can stop her." The Doctor looks back in fear, his eyes taking holding fear. Kate quickly grabs him and pulls him along, Fay was waiting for them in the Tardis. "Yoo-hoo!" Marilyn cheers, "Right. Fine. Thank you. I'll just go and get married then, shall I? See how you like that. No, you're right Kate; bad idea. Already married to you, alright I'm sorry! Kate! Wait! Don't leave me!" The Doctor chases after Kate who heads towards the Tardis. Kazran and Abigail end their kiss, "What are we going to do?"
"There is nothing to be done."
Back at the Cryovault, Kazran and Abigail say goodnight before he seals Abigail in her cryochamber. "There we go. Another day, another Christmas Eve. I'll see you in a minute, eh? I mean, a year." Theta pats Kazran on the shoulder, the young gentleman looks at us with sad eyes. "Doctor? Listen, why don't we leave it?" He asks us, "Sorry, leave what?" Fay asks, her brows furrowing in confusion. "Oh, you know, this. Every Christmas Eve. It's getting a bit old." Kazran shrugs, I raise a brow in response. "Old?" I ask, he blushes and clears his throat in apology. "Well, Christmas is for kids, isn't it? I've got some work with my dad now. I'm going to focus on that. Get that cloud belt under control." Kazran replies with a small shrug. "Sorry, I didn't realise I was boring you." Theta grumbles out, his lips pulling into a pout. "Not your fault. Times change." Kazran replies, "Not as much as I'd hoped. Kazran. I'll be needing a new one, anyway. What the hell." Theta gives Kazran his half a screwdriver. "Merry Christmas. And if you ever need me, just activate it. I'll hear you."
"I won't need you." Kazran insisted as he looks between us. "What's happened? What are you not telling me? What about Abigail?" Theta pestered gently, "I know where to find her." Kazran breaths out, tears in his eyes. "Yeah." The counter on the cryochamber is down to 000 001.
Kazran returns to his room and takes the screwdriver from his desk drawer. The Doctor and Kate are standing outside the window, with Fay behind them. Kazran draws the curtains on him and puts the screwdriver back.
Time passes and old Sardick takes it out again.
Shortly after, the telephone rings. Sardick answers it. "Yes, what? Oh, Mister President, we've been through this. It's not going to crash on my house, so what's it got to do with me? Yes, I know. four thousand and three. As a very old friend of mine once took a very long time to explain, life isn't fair." A hologram of Amy appears, "Hello." Amy greets with a small wave, Sardick frowns at her. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" He asks, his tone slipping. "You didn't think this was over, did you? I'm the Ghost of Christmas Present." She winks, "A ghost? Dressed like that?" Amy is replaced by Rory. "Eyes off the skirt." Amy pushes him out of the way, "You turned into a Roman." Sardick blinks at her for a moment. "Yeah. Yeah, I do that. I also do this." She grins, "Do what? What are you talking about?" All of a sudden, the sound of singing rings out. "Silent night, holy night." All of the people within their vaults are singing through the holograms. "All is calm, all is bright, round yon virgin mother and child, Holy infant so tender and mild. Christ the Saviour is born. Christ the Saviour is born."
"They're holograms. Projections, like me." Amy explains, "Who are they?" Sardick asks, frowning in confusion. "The people on the ship up there. The ones that you're going to let die tonight." He scoffs lightly with a shake of his head. "Why are they singing?" He asks, after a moment of silence. "For their lives. Which one's Abigail? The Doctor told me." Amy asks, looking at him with a small smile. "Did he now?" Sardick asks, "AH, he doesn't hold back. You know the Doctor." Amy smiles, "And he does better with his wife and child by his side." She cheers lightly, "How do I? I never met them before tonight. Now I seem to have known them all my life. How? Why?" Sardick questions, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're the only person who can let that ship land. He was trying to turn you into a nicer person. And he was trying to do it nicely." Amy explains to the old man, "They've changed my past, my whole life." Sardick cries out, "Time can be rewritten." Amy responds with a small smile, "You tell the Doctor, tell Kate. Tell them from me, people can't." Sardick walks through the holograms, which vanish, to a particular cryochamber. "That's Abigail?" Amy asks, her eyes shining sadly as she cocks her head to the side. "I would never have known her if the Doctor hadn't changed the course of my whole life to suit himself."
"Well, that's good, isn't it?"
"No."
"Why is she still in there? You could let her out any time."
"Oh, yes. Any time at all. Any time I choose."
"Then why don't you?"
"This is what they did to me. Abigail was ill when she went into the ice. On the point of death. I suppose the rest in the ice helped her. But she's used up her time. All those Christmas Eves with me. I could release her any time I want, and she would live a single day. So tell me, Ghost of Christmas Present, how do I choose which day?" Sardick cried out in anger and sadness, he had fallen in love and lost her all in one. "I'm sorry. I really am. I'm very, very sorry. But you know what? She's got more time left than I have. More than anyone on this ship." Amy tells him, her voice gentle; Sardick glares with distaste. "Good."
"Rory, widen the beam." Amy demands and then disappears.
We listen to Amy argue with Sardick, "Doctor? Kate?" Amy suddenly calls after a moment of silence. "Yeah?" Theta speaks up, pressing the button to connect us. "Are you hearing this?" Amy replies, Theta looks towards us with sad eyes. "We can hear." I state, watching him. "They're here? Where is he? Doctor? Kate? Doctor!" Sardick shouts in anger and appears before us back in the chamber. "I'm sorry. We didn't realise." Theta breaths out in sadness, he was just trying to make everyone happy. "All my life, I've been called heartless. My other life, my real life, the one you rewrote. Now look at me." Sardick glares in anger, "Better a broken heart than no heart at all." I speak up, I would know. "Oh, try it. You try it. Why are you here?" Sardick snarls towards me, I flinch back slightly as Theta moves in front of me. "Because I'm not finished with you yet. You've seen the past, the present, and now you need to see the future."
"Fine. Do it. Show me. I'll die cold, alone and afraid. Of course I will. We all do. What difference does showing me make? Do you know why I'm going to let those people die? It's not a plan. I don't get anything from it. It's just that I don't care. I'm not like you. I don't even want to be like you. I don't and never, ever will care." Sardick shouts, Fay sighs as she moves forward. "And we don't believe that." She smiles at him, he scoffs, shaking his head. "Then show me the future. Prove me wrong." He snarls in anger, "I am showing it to you. I'm showing it to you right now. So what do you think? Is this who you want to become, Kazran?" Sardick turns around to see little boy Kazran standing there in his dressing gown. "Dad?" Sardick is about to hit his younger self when he remembers... And the time he nearly hit Benjamin's son, and kissed Abigail and put her back to live for ever. He cries. Kazran cries.
They hug each other. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. It's okay, don't be frightened. I'm, I'm so, so, so..." Theta steps forward, "Kazran. We don't have much time." Theta runs back to the Tardis to get ahold of Amy on the starliner. I could faintly hear Amy shout after him as he runs back, his shoes sliding along the floor.
Sardick is at the controls of his father's mighty Wurlitzer. Fay and I stand behind him, "We good to go, then?" Theta asks, looking between the three of us. "The controls, they won't respond." Sardick grunts out, "Of course they will. They're isomorphic. They're tuned to your brainwaves. They'll only respond to you." I explain to him, "They won't respond." Sardick cried out again. "That doesn't make sense. That's ridiculous. Why wouldn't? Oh. Oh, of course. Stupid, stupid Doctor." He smacks himself on the forehead,
"What's wrong? Tell me, what is it?" Sardick asks, turning to face us. "It's you. It's you. We've changed you too much. The machine doesn't recognise you." Theta rumbles out, Sardick's eyes widen and he shakes his head. "But my father programmed it." He whispered, "No, your father would never have programmed it for the man you are now." I speak up, "Then what do we do?" He asks me, his eyes tearing up in fear, sadness and despair. "Er, er, I don't know. I don't know."
"There must be something." Sardick insisted, Fay smiles and holds up her father's screwdriver. "This. You can use this. I kept it, see?" She winks at Theta, who cheers in happiness, giving her a forehead kiss. "Ha! A half of a screwdriver! With the other half up in the sky in a big old shark, right in the heart of the cloud layer. If we use your aerial to boost the signal, set up a resonation pattern between the two halves. Ooo, come on, that would work. My screwdriver, coolest bit of kit on this planet. Coolest two bits. It could do it." Theta smiles, "Do what?" Sardick asks, "Well, my screwdriver is still trying to repair. It's signalling itself. We use the signal, but we send something else."
"Send what?"
"Well, what? What?
"I'm sorry, Kazran. I truly am."
"I don't understand."
"We need to transmit something into the cloud belt. Something we know works. We need her to sing." We make our way back into the vault, all of us standing outside of her chamber. "Her voice resonates perfectly with the ice crystals. It calmed the shark. It will calm the sky, too." I explain to him, Sardick looks at me with sad eyes. "Could you do it? Could you do this? Think about it, Doctor. One last day with your beloved. Which day would you choose?" Theta looks down at me with sad eyes, I give him a small smile as Abigail's chamber opens. "Christmas. Christmas Day. Look at you. You're so old now. I think you waited a bit too long, didn't you?" She smiles at him, he leans into her touch as she places a hand on his cheek. "I'm sorry." He breaths out,
"Hoarding my days, like an old miser." She laughs gently, "But if you leave the ice now..." She interrupted him with a shake of her head. "We've had so many Christmas Eves, Kazran. I think it's time for Christmas Day." He cries with her. "Yes."
"Doctor!"
"We can't hold this. Time's up. We're going down."
"Doctor!"
"Captain, I've got. I don't know what I've got." Singing coming over the speakers. "What is that? What are you listening to?"
"This is coming from outside. This is coming from the actual clouds." The turbulence stops as a new song starts. Theta has hooked up the screwdriver to the beam transmitter in the dome, and Abigail is using it as a microphone. She smiles, staring to sing. "When you're alone, silence is all you know." Sardick looks towards us with wide eyes. "Well? Well?" He wants to know if they are okay, "Well, the singing resonates in the crystals. It's feeding back and forth between the two halves of the screwdriver. Now, one song, filling the sky. The crystals will align and I'll feed in a controlled phase loop, and the clouds will unlock." Theta explains to the old man, "What does that mean, unlock? What happens when a cloud unlocks?" Sardick continues to question. "Something that hasn't happened in this town for a very long time now." I tell him, my lips pulling into a gentle smile. "When you're alone, silence is all you see. When you're alone, silence is all you'll be. Give me your hand and come to me."
It is snowing and Abigail is singing beautifully. "When you are here, music is all around. When you are near, music is all around. Open your eyes, don't make a sound."
The shark glides overhead, "Hello, my old friend." Sardick smiles at it.
"Let in the shadow."
"Let's go." Young Kazran goes into the Tardis.
"Let in the shadow, let in the light of your bright shadow. Let in the shadow, let in the shadow."
We head into the Tardis and it dematerializes, leaving a clear square in inch or so of fresh snow.
"Let in the light of your bright shadow."
Later, Theta is rubbing noses with a snowman. I stand back a little as Fay moves in to join her father. "You know, that could almost be mistaken for a real person. The snowman isn't bad, either." Theta rolls his eyes at her words, "Ah, yes, you two. About time. Why are you dressed like that?" Amy and Rory laugh as they pull us into hugs. "Er, kind of lost our luggage. Kind of crash landed?" Rory gives us a pointed look, I shrug in response. It wouldn't be us if we didn't crash something, "Yeah, but why are you dressed like that at all?" Theta asks, looking at Amy and Rory in disgust. "Yeah, they really love their snowmen around here, don't they? I've counted about twenty." Amy smirks with a small laugh, "Yeah, We've been busy." Theta gestures to Fay and himself, Amy nods between them. "Yeah. Yeah, you have. Thank you." She turns to me with a nod, "Pleasure. Right, come on then, let's go." I stated, opening the doors to pile everyone into the Tardis. I smile when she hums, "Merry Christmas, beautiful." I speak to her mentally, it has been a long time.
"Got any more honeymoon ideas?"
"Well, there's a moon that's made of actual honey. Well, not actual honey, and it's not actually a moon, and technically it's alive, and a bit carnivorous, but there are some lovely views."
"Yeah. Great. Thanks." Rory goes inside the Tardis. "Are you, are you okay?" Amy asks, looking between us with worried eyes; we all smile at her in agreement. "Of course we're okay. You?" Theta asks, wrapping his arm around my waist. "Of course. It'll be their last day together, won't it?" I smile sadly and nod, "Everything has got to end some time, otherwise nothing would ever get started. We'll have our last day together sometime as well." I reply, Theta hums in agreement as he pulls me into a kiss. Rory pops his head out, "Your phone was ringing. Someone called Marilyn. Actually sounds like the Marilyn." I raise a brow with a small smile, Theta winced and shifts. "Doctor?" Amy asks, watching us in confusion. "Tell her I'll phone her back, not really though." Theta mutters, pulling me closer to him. "Where are they? Kazran and Abigail."
"Off on a little trip, I should think."
"Where?"
"Christmas."
"Christmas?"
"Yeah, Christmas." Amy joins Rory in the Tardis, "Halfway out of the dark." Sardick and Abigail fly past in their carriage pulled by the shark.
Fay smiles as she spins in a circle, her eyes closing in peace. "It's the most wonderful time of the year." She breathes out, moving towards the Tardis; not taking notice of the brown haired woman watching her with a small smile; before she faded away.
๑๑
Ok, I must say this first.
I'm sorry.
The fact that this has taken me a whole year to get out is insane.
I am so glad you guys have been patient with me!
Thank you!!
And I'm sorry again!!
I will try to get back into this one, but I wanted to give you guys something because y'all have been so wonderful.
I hope this makes up for it.
I love you all!!!!!
Please, be a little more patient with me.
11,731 Words