Not long after the events of Prisoner Zero, Arthur moved to London.
He couldn't tell Amy and Rory the real reason why. Only Mels knew, and that was because she knew Arthur's identity as the Doctor's companion. His job of looking after Amy for 12 years was over, and now Arthur had to move to London, where he would meet his father and his two daughters in 2014. At least, based on the visions he had.
Around 2009, Arthur managed to get to know Danny before his military career began. He wants to know Danny and not judge him for being a soldier, a sour subject for the Doctor and Claudia. With some planning, the brunette man managed to meet Danny at a small pub in London with his friends from high school. Maybe because of deja vu of their encounter as kids, Danny immediately became friendly with Arthur for three months before going to military training.
That doesn't mean Arthur can't attend Amy and Rory's wedding in 2010, though.
Mels has already said that she hates weddings, so she only sends letters on Amy and Rory's wedding while travelling to different countries. Which was quite helpful for River, given that the Big Bang 2 incident had just happened and it would have been weird if Mels and River were in the same location.
Of course, Arthur came to the wedding with other purposes.
River gives Arthur her diary as a bookmark to remind Amy of the Doctor. She couldn't have done it herself without causing a scene. It makes more sense for Arthur, the best man, to give her diary to Amy and Rory. Besides, his younger self still does not exist. Hence why, after giving the speech that he had come up with, he needs to play his part.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the father of the bride, Augustus Pond!" Arthur announced, letting his great-grandpa, Augustus Pond, stand up.
"Sorry, everyone. I'll be another two minutes. I'm just reviewing certain aspects," he remarked shyly before sitting.
"Your father, Amelia, will be the absolute death of me," Tabetha said. "Unless, of course, I strike pre-emptively."
Amy laughs but stops as she looks at the windows. Arthur knows that River purposely appears to evoke a dejavu to Amy. Amy stands, staring outside.
"Amy?" Rory called, looking at Amy who stood up with concern. "You OK?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm…" she looks frownie and sits, "fine."
"Are you sure?" Arthur inquired. "You're crying."
Amy touches her face, at the wetness in her cheeks. "So I am. Why am I doing that?"
"Because you're happy, probably," Rory guessed. "Happy Mrs Rory. Happy, happy, happy."
"No. I'm sad. I'm really, really sad."
"...Great."
"Maybe you're missing something," Arthur insinuated and slips the diary at the table in front of them. "Here."
"What's that?" Rory queried.
"Someone left it for you. A woman. Said it could help you to be okay."
Amy takes the diary and flips through the pages. "It's blank."
"Of course it's blank. There's no story in it."
Rory looks at Arthur in turmoil. "Arthur?"
Arthur gestured for Rory to be quiet. This is the time. Amy would remember the last piece to remember the Doctor. Arthur could have given the memory to Amy like his father did to poor Craig. But he didn't dare do it. Amy's brain could be troubled by so many memories that it couldn't be safely retained.
"Shut up, Dad!" Amy shouted, standing from her seat.
"Amy?" Rory was stunned.
"Amelia?" Agustus quizzed.
"Sorry, but shut up, please. There's someone missing. Someone important. Someone so, so important," Amy insisted.
"Well?" Arthur questioned her. "Who is?"
"My imaginary friend."
Everyone groaned, knowing where this was going. "Oh no, not this again," Tabetha hissed.
"The raggedy Doctor and Arthur the Explorer. My raggedy Doctor and Arthur the Explorer. But just like Arthur, he wasn't imaginary, he was real."
"The psychiatrists we sent her to."
"Tabetha, be quiet," Arthur snarled at her. He didn't need to hear another complaint from Amy's mother.
"I remember you. I remember! I brought the others back, I can bring you home, too. Raggedy man, I remember you, and you are late for my wedding!" she demanded. Soon, the glasses start rattling, very gently. "I found you. I found you in words, like you knew I would. That's why you told me the story. The brand new, ancient blue box." A strong wind blows the balloons around. "Oh, clever. Very clever."
"Amy, what is it?" Rory furrows.
"Can't you tell, Rory?" Arthur smirks as the Tardis begins to materialise in the middle of the ballroom. "Something old. Something new. Something borrowed. Something blue."
"It's the Doctor," Rory remembered. "How did we forget the Doctor? I was plastic. He was the stripper at my stag."
"Yeah, don't need to remind me of it."
"Sorry."
Amy, who had walked to the Tardis, knocks on the Tardis door. "Okay, Doctor. Did I surprise you and Delaney this time?"
The Doctor appears in a top hat and tails. Behind him, Delaney wears her usual dress, albeit in green colour. "Amazing," she answered.
"Completely astonished. Never expected that. How lucky I happened to be wearing this old thing," the Doctor added before he and Delaney walked outside. "Hello, everyone. I'm Amy's imaginary friend. But I came anyway."
"You absolutely, definitely may kiss the bride," Amy suggested.
"I think that duty shall fall to Mr. Pond," Arthur remarked, nudging Rory.
"I'm not Mister Pond. That's not how it works," Rory disagreed.
"It is for me."
"...Great."
"Right then, everyone. I'll move my box. You're going to need the space. I only came for the dancing."
▪︎▪︎▪︎
The party was really lively. Arthur couldn't help but laugh as he watched his father dance in the ridiculous style he often demonstrated in Trenzalore. Even Amy couldn't help but laugh when she saw his bad dance. All the children seemed to enjoy the dance. Delaney herself could only shake her head as he stood next to Arthur, dancing to the rhythm of the Queen's song that was playing throughout the room.
But, as much as he wants to stay, he can't stay any longer.
"I hate that we barely spend time together," Delaney huffed as they walk into Amy's house. Delaney knew that he couldn't blame Arthur for everything. Her boyfriend still had some things to take care of before he could spend time with her and their child. But she was too tired to wait long.
"Don't worry," he assured her with a kiss, trying to keep the memory of Trenzalore away from his mind. Right now, he needs to keep Delaney away from finding his younger self. The kidnapping needs to happen, no matter how much the memory stings his heart. "It will be worth it."
"It better be," Delaney warned playfully before giving him a kiss. "You sure don't want the Doctor to send you back?"
"I'm good," he responded, sounding a bit distant. His eyes caught Delaney's worried look at him. Arthur doesn't know if he can reveal the real reason why he stayed until 2014. Delaney wouldn't have lived after Trenzalore, so she wouldn't have met Danny Pink. But still…Arthur doesn't want to explain how Danny would trigger such a powerful conflict towards their daughter and Clara. "I'll let River take me back."
"Can't believe that she's your mum," Delaney admitted as they walked back to Amy's house, where the Tardis had parked, her head leaning on his shoulder. "I mean…with the way she acts…"
"Better that way. Nobody could tell that we're related."
"Can't wait until the Doctor knows that."
Arthur smiles, trying to hide the pain of what's going to happen in Demons Run. For them, it will be their future. But for Arthur, it's already in the past. The day everything changes for them all.
As they get closer, they can see the Doctor and River having a conversation. The Doctor looks flustered, while River looks pleased, enjoying it.
"Stop teasing him, you're gonna make him malfunction," Delaney remarked, covering her mouth to hide her wide smile.
River raises her left eyebrow. "Where's the fun with that?"
The Doctor shook his head. "River, Arthur…who are you?" He softly asked. He had known these two people for a long time, but he still didn't know who they really were. River and Arthur guard their secrets closely, and he can't be sure what their relationship is with each other.
"You're going to find out very soon," Arthur confessed.
"And I'm sorry," River added, holding her son's hand after she put the coordinates of his flat in London. "But that's when everything changes."
With that, they both vanish.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
Four years later, Arthur finally settled himself as the PE teacher in Coal Hill School. It wasn't relatively hard, since he himself managed to make some fake documents and history that will be good enough to persuade some teachers that he is, indeed, a PE teacher. Considering his skills and past, it would make sense to teach these kids as a PE teacher.
That, and he wants to be a teacher in this school.
"Morning, Jonas," Danny Pink, another maths teacher, greeted him.
Arthur smiled, returning Danny's greeting. Seeing Danny still alive and well made Arthur feel sick and sad every time he met him. He knows what fate will befall Danny Pink. He also knew what impact Danny would have on Clara and Claudia. And he also knew that his father wouldn't be happy with Danny, and Danny wouldn't be happy about the Doctor.
Nevertheless, Arthur couldn't hate Danny. Danny is a good man with a troubled past. He didn't have the heart to hate him, even though Danny will hate his father and daughter for simply their past for participating in a war.
"Those kids," Arthur grumbled at some children playing at the playground. "You lot! Not here. Over there."
"Busy as ever, Mister Jonas," Courtney snickers, passing him from the corridor.
"I heard that, Woods," Arthur warned her, to which she simply gave him a 'not care' expression before entering the classroom.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
"Which means, Jo, you'll have to cover for 8/4M in L3," Armitage announced to the teachers. "Hold on, there is just one more thing. Atif and Neil are off sick, so we've got two newbies. I did ask them to come along." There's a knock on the door. "Ah, here they are."
A tall figure in a brown coverall, holding a broom and a short figure with dark hair and black vest enter the room. Arthur can't help but silently enjoy the shock expression on Clara's face to see the Doctor and Claudia.
"I'm the new caretaker. John Smith," the Doctor introduced.
"And I'm the new science teacher, Claudia Foreman," Claudia greeted.
"Welcome to Coal Hill, Mister Smith, Miss Foreman," Arthur shakes their hand, trying to contain his laughter and simply play along.
"Thanks, Mister…"
"Jonas. Arthur Jonas."
"Mister Jonas. Yes, John Smith's the name. But, you know, here's a thing. Most people just call me the Doctor."
"Do they?"
He nods proudly. "So, if anybody needs me, just, you know, give me a shout. I'll be in the storeroom just getting the lie of the land."
"We will, don't worry," Arthur said as the staff left the room.
"Yes, nobody's taking any notice at all. Absolutely good news because it means—"
Claudia quickly uses her hand to press his mouth from talking. "He's just messing around," she joked to the remaining staff that started to give an odd look at the Doctor's words.
"Sorry, Danny, could I speak to Miss Oswald?" Arthur asked. "There's some stuff I need to discuss."
"Ah, sure," Danny replied, leaving them alone in the room.
As soon as they all leave, Clara finally demands at Claudia. "What are you doing here?"
"Deep cover," the dark-haired woman replied, shutting the door behind her. "What do you think of my hair?"
"Good," she admitted before shaking her head. "Wait. No. That's not the main issue." She glances at Arthur. "You know, don't you?"
"Uh, I can see the future?" He retorted back. "Nothing to worry about, Clara."
"Nothing to worry about? I understand why you were applying as the PE teacher here. But your dad and daughter, deep cover in my school?" She stops for a moment, glancing at the Doctor. "Where's Atif and Neil? What have you done with them?"
The Doctor wards her off with his broom. "They're fine. Hypnotised. They think they got the 'flu. Also a flying car and three wives. It's going to be a rude awakening."
"Is it aliens? Oh, my God, is that why you're here? Are there aliens?" Clara stares at Arthur. "Are there?!"
"Not at the moment," Claudia assured her.
"But there will be aliens in this school?"
"Listen," the Doctor interjected. "It's lovely talking to you, but I've really got to get on. I'm a caretaker now. Look, I've got a brush. And my son and granddaughter need to go somewhere else."
"You can't do this. You cannot pass yourself off as a real person among actual people," Clara disagreed, glaring at the Doctor and Claudia.
"You don't have a problem with my dad," Claudia reminded her, frowning.
"He didn't cause problems in this school for four years!" Slowly, she glances at him. "Did you?"
"No!" Arthur replied, rather annoyed than hurt by her distrustful tone. "I mean, I almost got into trouble for getting Tanya Adeola as our student, but it's simply just miscommunication!"
"Besides, I lived among otters once for a month," the Doctor pointed out. "Well, I sulked. River and I, we had this big fight—"
"Yeah, when you attract some Nimons at my 11th birthday at Asgard!"
"I didn't mean to!"
"Human beings are not otters!" Clara snapped, needing these two to focus back on the issue.
"Exactly. It'll be even easier," the Doctor agreed.
Claudia rubs her forehead, and cannot believe her grandfather just said that. "Don't worry, Clara. I'll make sure he won't cause a problem. I'll try my best."
The brunette nods slowly. "Okay. One question. And you will answer this question. Are the kids safe?"
"You do realise that you're standing with a soldier, a psyche, and a mechanic with orthodox mind."
She blinks. "Right. Fair point."
"Now, pretend you don't know me and Claudia," the Doctor told her. "Sunny, make sure Clara stays out of our way. The less she knows, the better. I'll explain it all later. Go and sing with the otters."
"I hate you," Clara hissed at him before leaving the room.
"That's fine. That's a perfectly normal reaction."
"Dad," Arthur gives him 'the look' that reminisces River's.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
Clara's bored class are reading Pride and Prejudice out loud. "'Though unheard by Lydia, was caught by Elizabeth, and as it assured her that Darcy was not—'"
The reading is immediately interrupted by a knocking. All students and Clara shift their eyes at Claudia, who's looking left and right, holding some books about physics. "This isn't science class?"
"That's on last period," Kelvin, the student who read the quote aloud.
"Oh, sorry. A young girl told me I should go to this floor for—" she stops talking and looks at the board that has written JANE AUSTEN-PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 1797 with an infamous quote, 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife'. "You know that's wrong, do you?"
"Excuse me. You are the science teacher, this is not what you do," Clara reminded her.
"Just pointing out!"
"This is my area!" Realising the confusion on the students' face, Clara clears her throat then addresses the class. "This is Miss Claudia Foreman, the temporary science teacher, and she doesn't know some things are not meant to be said out loud!"
Claudia gawked after hearing that statement. "Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice in 1796, not in 1797, because she didn't have the time. She was so busy doing all—"
"Oh, What? I suppose she was your lovely girlfriend, was she? And you went on some holiday together and then you got kidnapped by Boggons from space and then you all formed a band and met Buddy Holly!"
"First, Mister Smith met Buddy Holly, not me. Second, I read the book with my mother. Third, in 1796, she was so busy hunting wolves with her thirst in blood, she forgot to finish the book in time!"
The children giggle, both from how Clara made some mistake with the year and the ridiculous reasons Claudia had just said, as if she had been serious about it.
"Just leave already," Clara hissed.
Claudia leaves the room while giving a disdainful comment, "Thank God the Boggons aren't here."
The school bell rings before Clara can retort her back. Instead, she says while packing her stuff. "Right, that's it. Well done, Kelvin. Get going. See you all in a couple of days. Thanks very much."
"Miss, what about our homework?" Kelvin asked.
"Who asks for homework? Amateur."
▪︎▪︎▪︎
"We're lucky to have Mister Jonas in this school," Adrian shared with a proud smile and patting Arthur's shoulder, Danny just watched in amazement. As the Doctor working on a junction cabinet in the courtyard garden to fix some electrical problem that happened because a certain blue-haired girl accidentally caused a power down while showing an experiment, he can't help but be proud a bit with what his son had done for some years in this school his step-niece, Susan, had enrolled many years ago. "We got 4 medal awards in Basketball. Never happened before!"
"Okay, Adrian, you're embarrassing me," Arthur remarked. "Besides, I'm not as impressive as Danny here."
"Now you're embarrassing me," Danny commented, nudging him.
"Hey. Five years' military experience, sergeant, both here and Afghan? Not to mention, excellent in maths? You did great!"
"Not as great as you, Mister Exploring-across-all-world-who-also-great-with-music."
"Do you?" The Doctor enquired Danny after finishing his task, finding his job as maths teacher as a shock. "What, in emergencies?"
"No. I'm a maths teacher."
Arthur rolls his eyes. "Yeah, he's a maths teacher—"
A loud broken glass can be heard. "Mohammed, put that down!" Adrian yelled, chasing the student.
"How does that work? What if the kids have questions?" The Doctor asked. Oh boy, Arthur can sense some problems.
"About what?" Danny frowns.
"Maths."
"I answer them. I'm a maths teacher."
"But what about all the PE?"
"Uh, hello?" Arthur waves his hands around himself. "Do you forget that I, Arthur Jonas, teach PE here? Or are you that forgetful, Doctor?"
The Doctor looks rattled. Okay, maybe his memories are that bad. "I…well, it's not—What I mean…"
"Er…excuse me. Mister Jonas, Mister Pink, I think class 9M4 and class 9M3 are waiting," Clara notified them.
"Ah, of course," Arthur nods.
"Yes, you better run along, Explorer," the Doctor advised, thanking Clara for changing the subject. "That ball isn't going to kick itself, is it?"
The brunette man just eyeroll as he and Danny leave. "You're funny."
"Of course I'm funny," the Doctor agreed, blinking, and looked at Clara. "I am funny, right?"
Clara internally groans with his ridiculous questions.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
While another gizmo goes inside a drain grating, the Doctor observes the playground where his son and some students are currently doing exercise. Apparently, since the class just won another tournament during the School Festival, Arthur decided to let the children practise their skills in all sorts of sports.
Unfortunately, since the school's playground has a large chess board painted on with corresponding sized pieces, one of the children accidentally knocks a black rook over with a football.
"Boys!" Arthur called. "I said you could exercise, I did not say you could play football on the chessboard. Now, come on, help me out."
"But—"
"Now."
The Doctor chuckles as the kids help Arthur. The moment his brown eyes catch him, the Doctor whistles We Don't Need No Education from Pink Floyd's The Wall. Arthur just shakes his head in amusement.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
As soon as Claudia enters the Caretaker's storeroom, she can hear Clara's voice, asking, "What's that?"
"It's a scanner. I'm scanning," the Doctor answered. "Why do I keep you around?"
"Because your granddaughter would be upset?" Claudia responded, folding her arms. "By the way, I put the remaining devices, so any alien technology in this vicinity should show up."
"Good." The scanner displays a four legged machine which looks like a wheelchair with an alien sitting in it.
"What the hell is it?" Clara asked.
"That, my dear Clara, is a Skovox Blitzer," the bluenette revealed. "One of the deadliest killing machines ever created."
"Probably homed in here because of artron emissions," the Doctor alluded. "You've had enough of them in this area over the years. There's enough explosive in its armoury to take out the whole planet."
"Then leave it alone."
"Too dangerous," Claudia disagreed as they entered the TARDIS. "One way or another, it will appear and more dead bodies will show up."
Clara shudders. "So, your insanely dangerous plan is?"
The Doctor holds up a digital wrist watch with an expanding metal bracelet. "Cool, right?" Claudia asked with a smile. "The Doctor and I had made some upgrades. Watch this." She puts it on, presses a button and vanishes.
"Claudia? Ow!" She flinches. "Did you just flick my nose?"
"Yep."
"Oh, my God, that's incredible."
"It's simply a matter of reversing light waves. Hang on," the Doctor scans besides Clara and Claudia appears in it. "So, I give the Blitzer a tiny whiff of non-threatening alien tech, I lead it back here, but I don't want it to scan me or Claudia, hence invisible."
"So you're…you're leading the thing here? To a school? My, my school?"
"Got no choice," Claudia apologised. "Dad said this is the only suitably empty place in the area. The Doctor had set up a circle of time mines around the school."
"Chronodyne generators." He throws one of his little gizmos to Clara. "Bit unstable. I switch them on, the Blitzer gets sucked into a big old time vortex, billions of years into the future. It's dead easy. Tiny bit boring. I'll need a book and a sandwich."
"And me. You're not doing this alone," Clara insisted, and gives him the gizmo back.
"We can manage on our own," Claudia assured her. "I don't think we need Dad too."
"Good thing. I don't wanna make Sunny more traumatised," the Doctor admitted.
"He's almost 1000 years old."
"He's still my baby boy. Oh! Bring him with you tomorrow. We'll go somewhere nice. Ancient Egypt. Crocodilopolis. They worship a big crocodile there, so the name is a useful coincidence. Go and canoodle with your boyfriend."
Claudia looks speechless. "Wait. Have you already met him?"
"Technically, no," he rubbed his neck. "But…"
"You recognised him," Clara finished.
"Possibly reminded me of a certain dashing young time traveller."
"Oh, of course you recognised him. I. Sorry. Stupid. I…I underestimated you."
"It's easily done. There's a lot to estimate."
"And you, you like him?"
"Yes, I like him very, very much."
"You better tell me who," Claudia insisted as Clara exited the TARDIS. Clara never told her who his boyfriend is. Claudia had tried to be patient, to understand Clara's privacy. But it's been months now, she should tell her who's the man that piques her interest.
Still…some part of her, despite being happy about Clara's happiness, feels a bit hollow. And sad.
And…a bit jealous.
Claudia should not have felt jealous. She wanted Clara to be happy, even if her feelings were unrequited. She was already sure of that, especially when her grandfather asked after the situation with the 'creature that goes under the bed and grabs your leg when you wake up' upon learning that Clara had a date beforehand.
So...why, deep down, was the jealousy still lingering?
▪︎▪︎▪︎
"Ah, Miss Oswald," Arthur waves his hand as she walks to him and Danny.
"Are you still on for tonight?" Danny asked. "Cos you had your I'm about to cancel frown on."
Clara blinks. "There's a specific frown?"
"Unfortunately," Arthur mumbled, making Danny glare at him.
"And I was going to say, it's okay," Danny added. "Me and Arthur will be fine to go to our usual pub."
"But if you want, maybe…tomorrow instead?"
"Tomorrow's parents' evening," Clara recalled.
Danny befuddled. "Not all evening."
"No. Not all evening."
"So, what do you think of them?" Danny asked them as the Doctor came out of the storeroom.
"The caretaker and the science teacher?" Arthur inquired, trying not to smile. "The caretaker seems forgetful, but he certainly cares. The science teacher tries her best for her students."
"Where did they come from? What were they before? He doesn't seem like a caretaker and she seems much more like a PE teacher."
"That's a bit prejudiced," Clara remarked, not liking how Danny sees Claudia as a PE teacher. Sure, she was a soldier before. But that doesn't mean she can't be a science teacher.
"Oh. Sorry, I mean…What I mean is…"
"I think we know what you want to say," Arthur interjected. "So, pub?"
"Sure," he chuckles nervously. "See you there, Mr. Jonas."
"You too." Arthur nods before turning around at Clara. "Did you actually ever tell him about my father and daughter?"
"Of course I do!" Clara insisted, which the man replied by raising his one eyebrow. "...Okay, actually no. But I think it's fine. I mean, the Doctor and Clau know about him. And he seems okay with him."
"But my daughter doesn't."
The school bell's ringing again.
"I…I gotta go," Clara said and reluctantly left Arthur alone.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
"I told you, she was an alien!" Arthur insinuated as he and Danny walked out of the teacher's lounge room. "Like,the other day, she asked me if The Hunger Games will happen to our society in the future!"
"Miss Quill may be odd, but that doesn't mean she's an alien," Danny huffed after locking the door. "That's rude, you know."
"Wow, now you make me feel like my dad."
Danny's mouth ready to say something, when his eyes darted in front. "What's that?"
"What's what?" the brunette man repeated. His eyes went wide after realising there's a little gizmo blinking green underneath a fire alarm. "Danny, I don't think we should—!" He pulled it off anyway. The light turns red. "Put it back."
"Why?"
"Just put it back!"
His eyes narrowing, suspicion starts growing on Danny as his hand hangs tight on it. "Do you know the Caretaker, John Smith?"
Arthur blinks, not even perturbed by Danny's question. "What if I did? Are you going to think I had something to do with some government conspiracies?"
Danny just looks perplexed (and a bit frustrated too) before walking by himself.
"Whatever you're thinking, don't," Arthur warned.
He didn't bother and walked fast towards the storeroom door. "Hello?" Danny called, knocking on the door. He turns around and shows Arthur the gizmo. "What is this?"
"It's for safety."
"I'm not a moron, Arthur."
"I never thought you were."
"You hide something from me."
"Everyone has secrets that will never be shared."
Danny shakes his head. Arthur quickly holds his arm, stopping the former soldier from running inside the school. "Let me go, Arthur."
"It's not safe for you."
"Why? Why am I not safe?"
"You're not gonna believe in me."
"I barely trust you now."
Arthur grumbles. "Okay, fine. There's an alien going around Coal Hill. My father and daughter disguise themself as the Caretaker and the science teacher to stop it."
Danny yankees his hand off from him. "You're crazy," he muttered before running inside, not even bothering to realise the hurt in Arthur's face.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
The moment Arthur arrives in a gym, he finds the Doctor, Clara, Claudia, and Danny thrown into the floor. Some chairs scatter around, as if a big hurricane had just happened. "He'll be back," he announced.
"How long?" the Doctor asked, standing up.
"If he arrived late, 2-3 days. But if he arrives quickly, maybe tomorrow."
Claudia pinches her forehead. "Great."
"I told you it's not safe," Arthur scowls at Danny as Clara helped him stand up. "I TOLD YOU not to touch the device! I TOLD YOU to stay away! But you didn't listen at all!"
"He's been up to something, fiddling with the electric, but what the…?"
"Did you literally forget what I told you just a minute ago?!"
"That's crazy. That thing is…"
"Alien, we know," Claudia huffed. "Issue is, the chronodyne generators have to be precisely aligned to generate the vortex."
"But Maths here, he went and moved one," the Doctor added.
"But the chronodyne worked. It's gone," Clara argued.
"But not far enough. The vortex will open here again, but not in a billion years. Like Sunny said, approximately 2-3 days until he comes back. Tomorrow, the fastest. And, it has scanned me and my granddaughter. It will kill both of us on sight, thanks to Maths here."
"Clara, why are you talking to him like that? Why are you using words like chronodyne? Was that thing, a space thing?" Danny demanded, then he looked at Arthur. "Oh. Oh, my God, you're from space. I thought you said you're from Sheffield."
"I AM from Sheffield," Arthur exclaimed. "Everything I told you is real. All of them!"
"Even about life with time travellers, jumping to one place and another across time and space, married for 600 years while on a siege?"
Arthur takes a moment to stare at Danny, at the man he thought he could try to befriend. "You don't believe that?"
"I thought you were joking!"
"You thought…You really think I didn't mean any of that? You think I'm ridiculing you?"
"When you never clarified it, yeah!"
"How could you think of my father like that?" Claudia indicted. "What kind of soldier can be as thick as that?"
"I dunno," Danny shrugs, "maybe when his tale sounds stupid?"
"That is…that is really…really brilliant reasoning. HOW can you think that he's stupid when all of that is true?!" The Doctor snapped, shaking his head. "That's it. I'm going to hypnotise him. I'm going to erase his memory."
"Doctor, stop!" Clara and Arthur yelped as the Doctor tried to erase Danny using his screwdriver.
"I agree, he can't be involved with this," Claudia noted.
"He's Clara's boyfriend," Arthur shared, silencing everyone.
Claudia stares at Clara and Danny, at the way they look…close. "What?"
"He's my boyfriend," Clara said, being honest. "I thought you'd figured this out."
The Doctor blinks. "Him?"
"Yes, him."
"No, he's not."
"He is her boyfriend," Arthur insisted. "Been a while as well."
"But…But he can't be his boyfriend, Sunny! He's a maths teacher. She wouldn't go out with a Maths teacher. It's a mistake."
"I don't think it's a mistake," Claudia icily said. For some reason, Clara's eyes start to get teary. "She really likes him."
"Is this part of the surprise play?"
Clara sighs. He's still stubborn. "There is no surprise play."
"Oh, it's a roller coaster with you tonight, isn't it? What about the handsome one, the one with the bow tie?"
"Adrian?" Arthur realised, quickly shaking his head. "No, Dad. It's not right. Especially who he reminds you with."
"Who is he?" Danny suddenly motioned towards the Doctor. "To you, who is he? Why have you never mentioned him?"
"Yes, I would like to know as well," Claudia chimed in. "You never clarified that Danny Pink is your boyfriend.
Clara looks nervous. This isn't what she imagined their introduction to be. But if she wants to be honest? There's one reason she can't tell him. "Because…Because they're aliens," she answered to Danny, before looking at Claudia, ready to reply, when Danny asked again.
"And you all…actually, properly, had a time machine?"
Arthur groans, snaps his finger to show the time machine on the podium. "Believe me now?"
Dumbstruck, Danny nods, and asks another question. "And what about that thing? Did you bring that here?"
"No," Claudia replied sternly. "We're going to protect you from that thing. But thanks to you, it is coming back."
"This is a school! We have to evacuate, call the Army!"
"And if it doesn't work?" Arthur asked back. "You, of all people, know how the military reacts with something they don't understand."
"Still! We need to get help. This is an emergency."
"Look, take him away," the Doctor quickly requested. He can't stand Danny's behaviour. Especially towards his son and granddaughter earlier. "Shut him up, shut him down. Up or down, it doesn't matter to me. We've got a lot of work to do. Again."
Clara nods. "Will you be okay?"
"Why wouldn't I be okay? I was fine till you two blundered in."
"Dad, not helping," Arthur quipped.
"Am I just being ignored?" Danny asked.
"You too, not helping. Be quiet."
"Come on, Danny. Let's, er, get those legs moving," Clara denoted, taking Danny to the gym's door. "This can all be explained and everything will be fine."
"And when this is all over, you can explain to me as well," Claudia pointed out, folding her arms. "You haven't explained him to me at all. Don't you think I deserve some information as well?"
Clara didn't say anything and simply walked away.
"You know about him?" The Doctor asked after a while as Claudia took the chair back to its place. "Personally?"
Arthur nods. "And before you judge again—because you judged him before, don't deny it—he's a good person, he's just…really traumatised."
Claudia huffed. "I can see that."
"People react differently when in a war. Danny did…something he regretted. He hated it, and the remainder is just too much for him to cope. You two, of all people, should know the pain of being in a war."
"I hope we never see him again."
"You will see him again, even when the impossible happens."
The Doctor looks into his son's eyes, trying to see what he sees in Danny. If he's being honest? He never had any issue with Danny Pink as Clara's boyfriend. Really, he didn't, even if this will hurt Claudia's feelings. Danny clearly cares for Clara's safety, and he respects that.
Being a former soldier is just the downside of it.
▪︎▪︎▪︎
"Hey," Arthur greeted Clara the next morning as the Doctor and Claudia were building a big device. "How's last night?"
"I've er, I explained it all to him. He gets it. He took it really well," Clara replied, noticing that he's still carrying his backpack on his right shoulder. "I think you helped him with it."
"Pass me that synestic," the Doctor called, which Arthur quickly did.
"So, when the Blitzer comes back, are you going to catch him with that?"
"It'll be a long, fiddly job. It's going to take us at least 18 hours."
"If it comes back today, are you sure about that?"
"Don't worry, I made sure to stabilise the device," Arthur assured her, then frowning. "Is that fine to you, Mr. Pink?"
From behind, Danny turns off the watch, stopping the Doctor and Claudia from their work. "Are we using formality now, Mr. Jonas?"
"You seem content with it."
"Mr. Pink, why are you here?" Claudia asked, folding her arms.
"I want to test if your father didn't tell another lie," Danny answered, glaring at Arthur. "Apparently, you're not."
"Do you seriously think I did that on purpose?" Arthur retorted, his brown eyes narrowing without any emotion, but the Doctor knows better. There's ice and fire in those eyes that he had shown to the people who upset him. And now…now Danny had made his son upset.
"I mean, it's in the name, you know?" Danny shrugs. "'Time Lord'? Come on! It's obvious!"
"Obvious what?" The Doctor asked.
"Well, the accent's good, you taught him well, but you can always spot the aristocracy. It's in the…the attitude."
"Really. Attitude?" Arthur repeated, anger slowly rising in him. "Do you think we care so little?"
"I dunno. Do tell me, Time Lord, do you salute those?" Danny inquired.
"Definitely not," the Doctor remarked.
"Ah. Sir!"
"And you do not call me sir."
"Stop with the salute, it's rude," Claudia pointed out with a low tone, panting.
"As you wish, ma'am."
"Danny, stop!" Arthur pleaded, didn't like how agitated and hurt Claudia and the Doctor are right now. "Do you think this is funny to us? That humans are just a pile of toys? We lost people, Danny! Man, women, children—"
"As if you know what it's like to lose someone," Danny interjected harshly and stepped closer to Arthur, not caring if the man looked close to cry. "What's the point of seeing the future, if you can't do anything to stop it?"
"Danny!" Clara yelled, which he ignored.
"You know everything, yet do nothing about it, keep it a secret. You know how people might die and you let it happen. You just see their lives as a sacrifice of the so-called timeline. I bet you even let your own wife die as well—"
He didn't get a chance to finish it as Claudia slapped his face with teary eyes. "Get. Out," the bluenette whispered, tears shone in her eyes.
Danny silently rubbing his left cheek. "Immediately, ma'am," he sneered, looking at Clara. "One thing, Clara. I'm a soldier, guilty as charged. You see the Doctor? He's an officer. And that's all he taught to his family."
"He is not an officer!" Arthur snapped, his lips quivering as his hands clenched into fists.
"I'm the one who carries you out of the fire. Your father's the one who lights it."
"That's not true."
"And why not?"
"Because he's not the one who lights it. I did. I gave him hints on what he should and should not do. He simply does it because there's no other choice, because people's lives are at stake."
Danny stares at him, remembering how Arthur mentioned that he cannot save some people to preserve the order of time. That alone makes Danny…angry, the way Arthur makes that excuse. That he didn't try to save them, doesn't give a damn to save someone's life. "That didn't make you an officer," he said. "That makes you a monster."
"Out. Now," the Doctor growled, hugging his son protectively the moment his eyes were glossy. He heard enough out of this man.
"Right away, sir. Straight now?" Danny mocked.
That alone had made Claudia lose her patience with him since yesterday. The girl simply pushes Danny away from the Tardis and slams the door. She breathes heavily, her hand holding her chest. "He's not a good person, Dad," she uttered to her father, not even bothering to look at Clara as she ran inside the Tardis. "He's a good soldier."
"He doesn't deserve your kindness," the Doctor murmured to Arthur's ears as the brunette man's breath got shaky.
"He does," Arthur insisted. Danny didn't meant to kill that poor child. He didn't know and the guikty eats him. "He does."
And that's the last word he said before he disappeared.
None of them would understand what the Explorer ever meant…till the Cybermen's invasion led by Missy.