"People of Earth, you stand alone..." a voice announced over a loudspeaker of the spaceship, looming over Earth...when a series of explosion went off, "intruder alert! Intruder alert!"
The Doctor ran through the ship, barely keeping ahead of the explosions, his sonic out.
He had been trying to shut down the ships weaponry, but he must have crossed the wires somewhere because now the weapons were going off, just inside the ship.
He had never been so thankful that Thea was staying with Sarah Jane for a bit.
Though if she was here with him, this probably would never have happened.
So, he had bolted and of course he had tried to reset the HADS setting on the TARDIS, so the old girl had gone and left him.
Not good.
Which meant he didn't really have a way of the exploding ship.
But he had a plan!
He winced as more explosions went off, the walls around him crumbling.
He tripped, falling to the ground and wasted no time to get back up, flashing the sonic on a door and jumped inside. Shutting the door again a moment before another explosion reached him...
~.~
Despite surviving all that, somehow, only a few moments later, he found himself hanging over the edge of the ship, clinging to a thick wire for dear life.
He struggled to hold on to the wire, when he caught sight of a spacesuit laying nearby, "Come here, spacesuit." He tried to reach for it, "Come to Doctor."
He gave a yell as another explosion went off, sending the suit flying out into space, him following.
He maneuverer, managing to grab the boot of the suit and pull it closer, scrambling in it as he plummeted to Earth...
...And landed with a shout and a very loud BOOM!
He groaned as he found himself laying face down on the ground, unable to see or move.
He was definitely thankful that Thea was at Sarah Jane's.
"Hello?" A female voice called, "Hello? Hello, are you alright? Are you hurt?" The voice got closer, clearly to check on him, "Did you fall? Where did you fall from?"
"Helmet." The Doctor ground out.
"All right...just let me." The woman patted him down, "I don't want to hurt you," he heard her lift the visor, "Oh!"
"I can't see." He gasped, "I'm blind!"
"Oh no, love, no. I think you've just got your helmet on backwards." She laughed, "How did you manage that?"
"...I got dressed in a hurry."
~.~
It had been rather difficult work, the Doctor finding it hard to stand up by himself, let alone to walk to find where the TARDIS was, if it was even near by. He had no idea where he was and wasn't in a state to remove the helmet. Luckily it wasn't just a spacesuit, but an impact suit, so it would help him recover from the fall.
But the lovely woman had offered to help, leaving him in the crater he had caused, as she got a car to take him wherever he needed to go.
Very nice woman.
Her driving though, even though he couldn't see, was not a fun ride, she tended to jerk a lot and break suddenly, seeming to bump into a lot of stuff.
"I think I see it." The woman informed him, slowing the car down...only to suddenly jerk forwards.
The Doctor moaned in pain. He didn't think it was possible, but this woman seemed worse at driving than himself, "Did we just bump into something?"
"No, no." The woman quickly replied.
"We seemed to bump into quite a lot of things."
"Well, a lot of things get in the way. It's hardly my fault." He heard the car door open and the sound of the woman walking on gravel, "you need to take that silly thing off."
"Can't. Impact suit. It's still repairing me."
"Repairing you?" The woman questioned as she opened his door and helped him out.
"Yeah, well, you know, that's the idea."
"Won't it repair you all back to front?" She wondered, taking his arm to help him walk.
"No. No."
"Well, that's good..." The woman began when the Doctor turned and walked into a streetlamp, "Oh, that's a streetlamp."
"Yes, I got that impression." He grumbled.
"Round this way." The woman took his arm again and led him on to help find the police box he wanted to find, "don't you want me to take you to the hospital or something? You're welcome to come to our house."
"No, no, no. I'm fine. I just need to find the..." He patted himself down, realising he needed to get the key out from his jacket pocket inside the suit, "er, the key."
"Do you want me to do it with a pin?" She asked, pulling one from her hair, "I'm good with a pin." She moved before the door, getting to work.
"Multi-dimensional, triple encoded temporal interface. Not susceptible to pointy things..." He moved to lean in the corner of the box, but missed, nearly falling to the ground.
There was a click, "got it!"
"Okay...suddenly the last 900 years of time travel seem that bit less secure." He moved to hold his hand out for her to shake, completely missing where she stood, "Thank you for taking care of me. You didn't have to, you know. You've been very kind."
"Oh, don't be silly." The woman waved him off, moving round to shake his hand, "It's Christmas Eve. No one should be alone at Christmas."
"What did you say your name was?"
"Madge. Madge Arwell."
"If there's anything that I can do for you, let me know."
"How?"
"I don't know. Make a wish. That usually works."
"Does it?"
"It did for me." He laughed, "you're here, aren't you? Well, don't wait around here. Just off you go home. I'll just go and...and wait inside here..." He waved his hand, searching for the handle and stepped inside, promptly hitting his head on the telephone inside, "Ow! Wrong one." He stepped back out, "Do you think we could try again?"
~.~
Thea looked up as the doors opened and the Doctor walked inside, wearing an impact suit, his helmet on backwards. She probably would have laughed if she wasn't so cross.
"Your emergency call interrupted my chess game." She crossed her arms.
The Doctor removed his helmet, checking to ensure the impact suit hadn't tried to fix him back to front, looking over at her as she sat on the jump seat, arms crossed over her chest, her lips pursed in annoyance, "Well, you didn't have to come." He countered, "how did you even get in the TARDIS?" He frowned.
As far as he was aware, no one could teleport in or out of the TARDIS, but he also believed a pin wouldn't open the door.
"I connected Mr Smith to the chronon shell and bypassed the temporal shielding for emergencies." She explained standing up and moving to the console, "as for didn't have to come," she looked over at him, "Sarah Jane had that look on her face."
He didn't need to ask what look, "understood."
She shrugged, absentmindedly inputting coordinates as she walked around the console.
~.~
"They're here!" Thea called through the halls of a lovely manor house.
"I've not heard them!" The Doctor responded from another room.
A moment later they heard knocking at the front door and a woman's voice calling out, "Mr Cardew?"
"Never mind!" The Doctor shook his head as he headed to the main foyer, hearing Theas laughter from the other room.
He smiled hearing the two children outside, calling for their father as he unlocked the doors and pulled, but it didn't budge.
"Sorry, it's the door." He called, trying to pull it open, "it's developed a fault." He grunted a bit.
"Oh, hello?" He heard Madge Arwell shout, "Mr Cardew?"
The Doctor jumped to the side as the door fell back of its hinges. He looked down at it a moment before shrugging and stepping into the doorway, seeing the three Arwells staring at him.
"There we go." He grinned, "Well, come in. In you come." He stepped aside, ushering them in, "Mind your step. Now, don't worry. The back door is still, broadly speaking..." He crouched down and lifted the door back into the doorway, "operational." He clapped and spun to them, "Right then, may I take your cases?"
"Thank you." Madge set her cases down as her children followed.
"Lovely." He smiled, "Would you mind carrying them for me? I need to show you round." He turned to head up the stairs.
"Oh no, wait!" Madge called, stopping him halfway up the stairs, "Who are you?"
He looked back at them, "I'm the caretaker."
"But you're not Mr Cardew."
"I agree."
"I don't understand." Madge shook her head, "Are you the new caretaker?"
"Usually called the Doctor." He walked back down the stairs, "Or the Caretaker or Get Off This Planet. Though, strictly speaking, that probably isn't a name. Hello, Madge Arwell." He smiled, shaking her hand.
"Hello." She greeted slowly.
"And Cyril Arwell." He moved to shake their hands as well, "and Lily Arwell. You know, I have a daughter a few years older than you."
"You have a daughter?" Madge blinked, surprised.
"Yes." He nodded, "she's around somewhere, probably the kitchen...making a mess."
"Making cookies actually." Thea corrected as she stepped out of the kitchen, in her usual clothes, her stripes red and green as she usually wore for Christmas, a plate of cookies in her hands.
"Did you also make a mess?" The Doctor asked her.
She blinked, "...I cleaned up after myself."
"You didn't clean yourself up though." He chuckled, gesturing to her nose and seeing a few specks of flour, "my lovely daughter, Thea," The Doctor introduced.
"Hello," She smiled brightly, "I made cookies." She held out the plate of tree shaped cookies, "if mum says you can have them." She added, looking up at Madge.
"I promise they're edible." The Doctor added, "she is quite the little baker."
"Just never take one from him." Thea leaned closer to the family, as though telling a secret, "Last time he tried he added salt instead of sugar." She stuck her tongue out at the memory as the Arwells took a cookie each.
"It was labelled sugar." The Doctor huffed in his defence, "Now, come on, come on. Lots to see." He turned to head off, Thea setting the plate on the table by the door as she headed off with him, "Whistle stop tour. Take notes, there will be questions."
The Doctor threw open the double doors leading to the sitting room, a large room with sunlight streaming I through the window.
"Tour of the sitting room." He announced, "Just chairs. Bit pointless without a television."
"But nice for reading." Thea remarked, ducking under his arms as flopping back in an armchair before them, "surprisingly comfy chairs."
"But I did make some repairs." the Doctor leaned back, flicking a switch on the wall.
The chairs started whizzing around the room, with Thea giggling on one as it spun. The children watching in awe.
The Doctor grinned at their expressions, "I know."
~.~
"Kitchen!" The Doctor cheered as they stepped into the room and he pointed things out, "That's a cooker, probably. And these are taps. Hot, cold..."
"Lemonade!" Thea laughed, pouring herself a glass.
There was nothing better than a nice cool glass of Lemonade after dealing with an alien invasion. Everyone gathered around the table in the garden in the evening, celebrating a job well done.
"Lemonade?" Cyril blinked.
"I know!" The Doctor grinned.
~.~
They moved to the stairs next, the Doctor putting his foot on one, pouting as it remained stationary, "Staircase. It seems to have broken down. We'll have to walk up."
"Or we could run up." Thea knocked his arm as she ran past with a laugh, "race you!"
"Oi!" He shouted, quickly running up after her, "that's cheating."
~.~
"We sleep up there." The Doctor pointed up to the attic, "Stay away. Beware of panthers."
"Panthers?" Madges eyes widened.
"They're terrifying. Have you never seen panthers?" He walked on.
Cyril paused to try and take a peek upstairs.
"Cyril!" The Doctor called and the boy hurried after them.
~.~
Thea opened the door to a lovely blue and gold room, "Mum's bedroom."
"Grown up." The Doctor grimaced, "Your basic boring..."
"We saved the best room for last. The kids room!" Thea cheered, hurrying down the corridor and throwing open the door.
It was more of a toy room than a bedroom, toys and games covering every inch of the floor, not even the ceiling had been left, with planets hanging down.
"Lily and Cyril's room!" The Doctor threw his arms wide, "I'm going to be honest, masterpiece. The ultimate bedroom." He started rushing around the room, pointing things out as he went, "A sciencey wiencey workbench. A jungle. A maze. A window disguised as a mirror. A mirror disguised as a window. Selection of torches for midnight feasts and secret reading. Zen garden, mysterious cupboard, zone of tranquillity, rubber wall, dream tank, exact model of the rest of the house, not quite to scale. Apologies. Dolls with comical expressions, the Magna Carta, a foot spa, Cluedo, a yellow fort."
"Where are the beds?" Cyril cut in.
"Well, I couldn't fit everything in." He defended, "There had to be sacrifices."
"But that's why there are hammocks!" Thea laughed, pulling a lever besides the light switch as two hammocks dropped from the ceiling.
"I know." The Doctor grinned at the kids' expressions.
Cyril walked over to a hammock, trying to get on, "But how do you get on?"
"Watch and learn, kid." The Doctor ushered Cyril aside taking a run up to the hammock...
And completely missing, landing between them.
"For God's sake!" Madge cried.
"This hammock has developed a fault," the Doctor reported, jumping up.
"I don't think it's the hammock with the fault." Thea remarked.
"Oi! Can you get on?" He asked her, "without needing my help."
She smirked, stepping back and taking a small run up herself and jumping on the first hammock before him, beaming as she laid down, "that's how it's done!"
"Show off." The Doctor grumbled.
"Can you please stop talking?" Madge cut in, sounding near the end of her rope, "Can you please just stop!"
"Sorry." Thea breathed.
She took a breath, "Children, go downstairs."
"Why?" Lily frowned, "Are we leaving?"
"Yes! No. I don't know. Just please go downstairs!"
Lily put her arm around her brothers' shoulder as they turned to go, mumbling, "You don't need to shout." Under her breath as they left.
Madge looked down, waiting until Lily and Cyril's footsteps faded before looking over at the Time Lords seeing the Doctor helping Thea off the hammock, "Why are you doing all this?"
"I'm just trying to take care of things." The Doctor shrugged, "I'm the caretaker."
"That's not what caretakers do."
"Then why are they called caretakers?"
"Their father's dead."
"We're sorry." Thea breathed.
"Lily and Cyril's father, my husband, is dead," she swallowed thickly, thinking about the telegram she had received a few days earlier, lost over the channel it had said, "and they don't know yet, because if I tell them now, then Christmas will always be what took their father away from them, and no one should have to live like that. Of course, when the Christmas period is over, I shall...I don't know why I keep shouting at them."
The Doctor nodded understanding completely why the woman was withholding the news from her children, even understanding taking her emotions out of them, not even meaning too, "Because every time you see them happy, you remember how sad they're going to be, and it breaks your heart." The Doctor said simply.
"Mother, come and see!" Lily shouted from downstairs.
"Mother!" Cyril's voice followed hers, "you've got to see this!"
"Because what's the point in them being happy now if they're going to be sad later." the Doctor continued.
"Mother!" Cyril shouted.
"Mother, are you coming?" Lily tried again.
"The answer is, of course, because they are going to be sad later." The Doctor continued, placing a hand on Theas shoulder. "Now, we'd better get downstairs." The Doctor said softly, hearing Cyril shout again, "I think they may have found the main sitting room."
"We got you all a present." Thea smiled.
Madge sighed, turning to head out the room, the Time Lords following her back down the stairs to the main sitting room where they had gone out on the Christmas decorations.
A large Christmas tree stood in the middle of the room, heavily decorated with bows and ribbons, rockets whizzing about and a train circling the tree where a large box present sat wrapped up.
The kids looked back as they entered, "I know." The Doctor grinned.
"Look at that present." Cyril rushed over to look at the tag, "It's for me."
"No, it says it's for all of us." Lily corrected with an eye roll.
"I'm the youngest. I get to open it first."
Thea laughed at that as she and the Doctor left to give the family some privacy. She claimed that at Christmas at Sarah Jane's, she claimed that as the oldest she was the one who got to open their presents first. Sarah Jane had shot that down in an instant.
~.~
"...and now Sky has taken my room, because let be honest, I don't use it." Thea was saying, sitting before the Doctor in the attic that night, the man working on some wiring as he listened to her recall the past few days she had spent at Sarah Janes. A baby had been dropped on her doorstep, an alien baby who turned out to be a bomb and then turned into a pre-teen girl, so of course Sarah Jane had taken the girl in as her own.
"And if I did ever need it, then sleepovers!" Thea nearly squealed in delight.
It was safe to say she was very excited about the idea of another sibling and eagerly jumped into help the girl get settled in, even taking her shopping to find her own style of clothes and not her hand-me-downs. Helping to decorate her bedroom to her liking.
"Oh, hello Lily." Thea smiled, turning back to the door.
"You were lying about the panthers." Lily commented.
"Famous last worlds." The Doctor chuckled.
"Well, what are you doing?"
"Rewiring."
Lily followed the wires running into the TARDIS, "Why would you rewire a wardrobe?"
"Have you seen the way I dress?" He joked.
"Who are you?" Lily eyed them, "Really, who are you?"
The Doctor frowned as the light on the device before him flash, signalling the present was being tampered with, "Your brother, where is he?"
"Sleeping." Lily answered.
"Can you double check?"
Lily sighed but headed out to check on her brother.
"What do you reckon?" The Doctor looked over at Thea, seeing her frowning at the light.
"I think..." She began thoughtfully, trying to get a sense of...well anything really.
"Still in bed, asleep." Lily told them.
"Ok." the Doctor frowned at Thea, "faulty, then." She shook her head, "You're sure he's still in bed?" He asked Lily.
"Yes." Lily insisted.
"Did you see his head over the covers?" Thea asked her.
"What?"
"Come on," the Doctor stood up, "Let's go and see."
They headed down out of the attic and towards the children's room, cracking the door open to see a lump on one of the hammocks.
"See?" Lily whispered.
Thea snorted, glancing at the Doctor, both knowing Cyril wasn't under the covers, "it's the giant Teddy." She pulled back the covers to reveal the Teddy in place of Cyril, "oldest trick in the book. Works every time."
"Come on!" The Doctor grabbed Theas' hand, pulling her down the room and down stairs as Lily quickly followed them. Reaching the main sitting room to see Cyril reaching out from the now open present and grabbing a torch before disappearing back inside, "Cyril!" He dropped to see knees before the box.
"What's happening?" Lily cried, "I don't..." She trailed as the Doctor crawled inside the box, Thea dropping to her knees and followed, "What is that?"
"Come on," Thea gestured for her to follow, "We haven't got all night." She jumped down into the snow-covered forest.
It was rather like a winter wonderland, full of pine trees covered in snow.
The Doctor turned to help the girl down, "That's it. In you come. Brr, bit cold. Never mind. Cyril! Cyril!"
"Where are we?" Lily looked around.
"In a forest, in a box, in a sitting room. Pay attention."
"He's about 20 minutes ahead." Thea furrowed her brows, crouching before a hatched egg on the snowy ground, "too far for his human ears to hear us."
"But we just saw him." Lily argued.
"Time moves differently across the dimensional planes." The Doctor explained, as he moved to scan the egg with the sonic, "What do they teach you in schools these days?"
"But I don't understand where we are."
"We've gone through a dimensional portal thingy."
"Well, what's that supposed to be? Where did it come from?"
"It was a present, and it wasn't supposed to be opened till Christmas Day. Honestly, who opens their Christmas presents early?"
"Everyone." Thea stated. "You're the worst."
"Oi!" He turned to her, "I think you'll find you are worst than me."
"I wonder who I get that from?" She teased.
"You think I haven't noticed your wearing new shoes?" He raised his eyebrows at her.
It had been his Christmas present to her, they never really bothered with deep and thoughtful gifts but mostly just got them something nice they knew the other would like. He had noticed her converse were getting a bit old and worn out and thought she would like a knew pair. He had wrapped them up and hidden them, but he noticed earlier she had put them on. Hadn't said anything about it until now.
"Well, you always hide them in the wardrobe." She huffed. "But I love them," She kissed his cheek, "Thank you."
"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled as they headed off to follow Cyril.
If she wanted to open present early then so be it, it just meant she had nothing to open on Christmas day.
"I don't understand." Lily shook her head, confused, as she followed them, "Is this place real, or is it fairyland?"
"Fairyland?" The Doctor scoffed, "Oh, grow up, Lily. Fairyland looks completely different."
"Be weary of fairies," Thea mumbled, frowning at the trees, able to hear them whispering amongst the wind. Were they trying to warn them of something? "They will kidnap you."
"What?" Lily looked at her.
The Doctor crouched before a set of footprints in the snow, shining a torch over them, "Now, these are Cyril's footprints," and moved the light to the second set, "and these are the ones he was following. Notice anything?"
"The other footprints are getting bigger." Lily replied.
"Yes. Whatever your brother's following, it's growing."
"Well, we have to get after him!" She exclaimed, hurrying off after her brother, knocking some snow of a tree branch in her hast. She stopped and looked back seeing a a silvery bauble growing from the branch, dangling like ice drops.
"It's okay, you're fine." The Doctor assured her, "Don't worry."
"Is that tree alive?"
"It's a tree." Thea stated, "of course it's alive."
"But is it dangerous?"
"Every rose has its thorns." The Doctor shrugged.
"They're like Christmas tree decorations."
"Yeah. Naturally occurring Christmas trees. How cool is that?"
"I don't understand." Lily shook her head.
"It's a big universe." The Doctor sighed, "Everything happens somewhere. Call it a coincidence. Call it an idea echoing among the stars. Personally, I call it a brilliant idea for a Christmas trip. Or it should've been."
"Do you know the difference between wind and trees talking to each other?" Thea asked.
"What?" Lily frowned.
"There isn't any wind." She murmured, licking her finger and holding it up, "they're screaming..."
"I've been here many times," the Doctor remarked, "but I've never heard the trees so active. Something's wrong." He turned, eying the trees, "What are you doing? What are you up to?"
"It's not the trees..." Thea murmured, "its...something else..."
"What is it?" The Doctor turned to her.
She shook her head, "I don't know. I can't...get a sense..."
"I'm sorry, Lily, I really am, but there is something very wrong in this forest," the Doctor breathed, "and your brother's right in the middle of it."
"Why would you bring us to this place?" Lily demanded as they made their way after Cyril through the snow.
"It was supposed to be a treat." The Doctor replied, "This is one of the safest planets I know. There's never anything dangerous here."
There was a loud thump in the distance, shaking the ground.
Thea sighed, rubbing her head, "there are sentences you should never speak."
Lily shook her head, "It's just irresponsible. How can you do this to my brother?"
"It was meant to be a supervised trip." The Doctor defended.
"To the future?"
"Future, yes."
"The future on a different planet."
"Oh yes, very different."
"Where Christmas trees happen."
"Well, sort of Christmas trees. They're not really Christmas trees."
"Oh, that's beautiful!" Thea smiled as the footprints led them to the door of a large tower.
"What, are we going in?" Lily frowned as the Time Lords headed for the door.
"Cyril did." The Doctor reasoned, throwing open the door, seeing a wooden king sitting there. "Interesting..."
"What's that?" Lily asked, "Is that a statue? What is it? It's like a King."
"Not a statue," Thea shook her head, "this was what Cyril was following." She gestured to the footprints the large ones turning indicating something moving to sit down.
"Hatched from a bauble on a tree." The Doctor nodded, "Grew to this size in less than an hour, I'd say. Impressive. And so is this building. Yes. It's grown, see. This building, it isn't a building. It's a group of trees grown in the shape of a building. Disguised as a building. Oh, clever. I love. Clever, clever old forest. So, a forest grows a building. Why would it do that, Lily?"
"I don't know." She answered.
"Why is there honey in a honey trap?"
"Because it's a trap?"
"Exactly. Thing about people, we can never resist a door."
"You never know what's lurking on the other side," Thea murmured, frowning around the building. There was something about all of this that didn't fit quite right with her, and she was so irritated she couldn't figure it out or see something coming.
"So, this is a trap!" Lily gasped, "What, we've just walked straight into a trap?"
"A people trap." The Doctor nodded, "Question is, why does a forest need people?"
"Let's find out!" Thea announced, grinning as she spun to the stairs, where the second, smaller footsteps had gone, running up, round and round, until they came to the top, facing a closed door.
"Cyril?" The Doctor shouted through the door, pulling out the sonic to try and get the door open, "Cyril, can you hear me?" But it wasn't working, "Oh, of course. It's wood. It's rubbish at wood."
"It doesn't look like wood." Lily eyed the door.
"Neither does the rest of the building. It's all disguised."
"How can trees grow into a building?"
"Never underestimate a tree, Lily." Thea told her.
"I met the Forest of Cheem once." The Doctor commented, "She fancied me."
"Oh, really?" Thea looked at him, amused, she always did love hearing his old adventures, "how'd that go?"
The Doctor stiffened, swallowing, "she uh...burnt to death."
"Oh." Thea blinked. She really hadn't been expecting that and now felt bad for bringing that up again, "sorry." She whispered.
It didn't take a genius to know the woman would have burnt for him.
"Look at that." Lily called softly. "There are stars coming out the trees."
"Yes, that does happen, Lily." The Doctor replied, not even looking over as he bashed the sonic in his hands, "Cyril!"
"Yes, but out of the trees. What is that?"
Thea smiled, nudging the Doctor as they both looked out besides Lily to see millions of tiny specks of light glittering above the treetops, "pure life force just...singing."
"Beautiful." Lily breathed, "Doesn't it make you want to cry?"
"Crying when you're happy." the Doctor placed his hands on her shoulders, "Good for you. That's so human." He glanced aside, able to see Thea frowning in the reflection from the window, "what is it?" He asked quietly.
"They're not singing." She whispered, turning to him, eyes wide, "they're screaming."
"Why are they screaming?" He asked quietly.
She blinked at him, "to escape the rain that burns."
He was about to ask if she could feel anything about the wooden king downstairs when a whooshing noise and a golden light appeared behind the door.
"What's that?" Lily cried, as the Doctor ran to the door, "What is it? Tell me what?"
"Cyril, can you hear me?" The Doctor banged on the door.
A moment later they heard a thumping noise from down the stairs.
Lily's eyes widened as she caught sight of the King making its way up the stairs, "Oh my god. Oh my god!"
The Doctor focused on trying to get the door open as Thea peered down at the King, tilting her head at it, trying to get any sense about it.
"Caretaker, it's coming!" Lily gasped, "Open it!"
"I'm trying!"
"Open it!"
"I'm trying." Suddenly the door unlocked itself, "That wasn't me."
"Doesn't matter." Thea countered, grabbing Lily's hand and running into the room with her, the Doctor after them.
"Cyril!" Lily cried, seeing her brother slumped in a throne-like chair, a band around his head, with another statue, a woman in a crown, standing behind him, "What's wrong with him, Caretaker?" She looked up as the Doctor checked his pulse, "is he dead?"
"It's okay." The Doctor assured her, "He's just unconscious."
"So that's the king downstairs," Thea eyed the statue, "and you're the queen..." Her gaze flickered to the band over Cyrils head.
Lily looked over spotting something through the window, "look!"
The Doctor frowned, looking over, "It's like..."
"Like what?" Lily looked at him.
"Like the life force is leaving the forest." Thea stated.
They spun hearing thumps to see the king entering the room, stomping over to Cyril.
"What are they doing?" Lily gasped, "stop him!"
The Doctor flashed the sonic on them repeatedly, "annoying aliens made of wood!" He glared at the sonic, "It was always going to happen, you know."
"It's alright." Thea lowered the sonic, "they just want to talk."
The Doctor looked at the statues, who looked down at Cyril as the boy opened his eyes, "they're scared." He breathed as Lily knelt before him, "Can't you hear them?"
"Hear who?" Lily shook her head.
"The trees." Thea answered.
Cyril nodded, "the trees are screaming. Can't you hear?"
The Doctor scanned the metal band with the sonic, "No, but you can. You're connected to them..." He frowned, glancing at Thea.
"Why have the stars left the trees?" Lily wondered.
"I think they're..." Cyril frowned.
"Just concentrate," the Doctor told him, "What are they doing?"
"Evacuating...they're evacuating."
"Because of the rain." Thea added.
"They're frightened of the rain." Cyril agreed, "The rain that burns."
"Caretaker, please explain." Lily shook her head, "I'm frightened."
"Those stars." The Doctor gestured to the window, "They're pure life force. Souls, if you like. And they're trying to escape because they think their home is going to burn."
"Why can't they just float up into the sky?" Lily asked.
"They need to travel inside a living thing. Inside Cyril. You see this," he gestured to the band on Cyrils head, "it's not a crown, it's a relay. They're turning your brother into a lifeboat. That's what this place is for, then. It's an escape plan, is that it?" he looked at the Queen statue only for it to reach out for Cyril, "Don't you harm him. Do not touch that child!"
"It's alright," Thea told him, "They won't harm him."
The Queen rested a hand on Cyrils shoulder, the band growly brighter as Cyril spoke in a deeper voice than his own, "Your coming was foretold."
"Oh my God, what is that?" Lily demanded, "Why did he sound like that?"
"They're using him as a transmitter." Thea explained.
"They're speaking through him?"
"Correctumndo!" She cheered only to purse her lips at the word, "that's a terrible word."
"We had faith." The Queen continued to speak through Cyril, "your coming was foretold."
"There's no such thing as foretelling." The Doctor scoffed, "Trust a time traveller."
Thea opened her mouth at that, about to point out that they had barely gone a whole week without someone making a joke or comment about how she 'didn't see that coming.' She shut it again realising why he had said that he was really taking it seriously, trying to delete themselves from the universe. He really didn't want Kovarian trying to find them again, especially to try and use Thea to kill. He was trying to keep quiet on her psychic abilities and stop spreading them around.
"We waited, and you came." The Queen continued to speak through Cyril.
"So, you've got an escape plan." The Doctor looked at the statues, "Why aren't you escaping?"
"The child is weak."
"Because he is a child?" Thea frowned.
"No, he is weak. The forest cannot live in him. But there are others."
"There certainly are." The Doctor nodded, agreeing, "and the good thing is I look great in a hat. So, let's get this thing off, eh?" He moved to take the band of Cyrils head.
"You are also weak." The queen stated.
"I'm really not." He glanced at the Queen and back to the boy, "Let's save a forest, eh, Cyril?"
"You are not the one." The Queen insisted, "You are weak."
"I'm really not." He argued, moving to take the band.
"I wouldn't do that." Thea warned.
"It's fine." He waved off her concern.
Thea pursed her lips as he ignored her warning and made to grab the band, which shone brightly in his hands, hurting him, as he cried out in pain, stumbling back.
"Let go!" Lily shouted, "Just let go! Drop it! Let it go! Please, just drop it."
"I can't!" He grunted, falling to his knees.
"Oh, by the stars!" Thea huffed, snatching the band from him, holding it like it was nothing, "I told you not to take it," she grumbled, "but did you listen? No. So much for always listen to a psychic."
The Doctor panted, looking up at her as she held it in one hand, like it hadn't just caused him a serious amount of pain, "what?" He shook his head at her.
"I'm strong but...wrong." She glanced to the Queen at her words in her head. "Lily is strong but young."
"She's strong, I'm weak." The Doctor mused, "interesting."
"Women." Thea stated.
"Women are stronger than men to them." The Doctor said as he got back to his feet, "Lily is young, you're wrong. So what wrong is right?"
"Mummy?" Cyril called out, slowly coming round.
Lily eyed the statues before kneeling before her brother, "Cyril, it's all right. It's me. Mummy isn't here but, we're going home to her right now, aren't we, Caretaker?"
"It's too late," Thea murmured, turning to the window as drops slowly began to hit the window panel, "the rain that burns...acid rain..."
"We have to get out of this forest." The Doctor determined, "We're in terrible danger. This tower won't protect us for long."
"Where's Mummy?" Cyril asked, close to tears.
"She's coming." Lily promised him, "You know she's coming, because she always comes, doesn't she?"
"Cyril." The Doctor called softly, "The way we came here. That door won't stay open for ever. Now, I'm not even sure if I can get us through the forest safely, but if we're going to have any chance at all, we have to go now."
"No," Cyril crossed his arms, stubbornly refusing, "We wait for Mummy. Mummy always comes."
"Not this time, Cyril. I'm sorry, but not this time." He turned to Thea to see her staring out the window, watching the acid rain fall and moved to her side, seeing her frowning in the distance.
"Mummy always comes." She murmured.
The Doctor inwardly groaned at that, "Thea, we have to go."
"Go where?" She countered, "out there?" She gestured to the forest with the band still in her hand, "not even a Androzani Harvester could survive acid rain."
They both looked at each other at her words, when they felt the ground start to shake, a bright light appearing through the forest, attached to a metal box, wobbly making its way closer.
Thea snorted, "see, mummy always comes."
"What's that?" Lily gasped, rushing over for a look.
"It's an Androzani Harvester, but..." The Doctor began.
"You recognise that thing?"
"More to the point, I think I recognise the driving." He squinted, spotting Madge working the controls, "Ha ha! Madge has entered the forest! Come on, Madge. You can do it. You go, girl!"
"Oh, shut up, you ridiculous oaf!" Madges voice sounded over the speakers.
"Come on." The Doctor urged, "This way, girl. You can do it; you can do it! Excellent driving! Hello!"
"Caretaker?" Madge called.
"Yes?" he grinned.
"You're fired!"
"Oh..." His grinned faltered, as the Harvester fell over sideways, landing with a crash. "It's okay, she's fine." The Doctor quickly assured the kids as their smiles were lost, "don't worry. Stay here. Just stay here."
"I'll go get her!" Thea volunteered, running out the room and down the stairs before he could argue, reaching the main door as Madge ran inside her hood up and arms tucked inside to protect from the rain, already burning through her coat.
"Ooh, that is bad rain." Thea winced, "hold this." She handed Madge the band.
"Stay inside." Madge told her, "The rain is frightful." Before she turned and ran upstairs, calling for her children, "Lily? Cyril?"
Thea sighed at the sight of the Harvester, there was no way that would make it back through the forest.
She quickly ran back up the stairs to see Madge embracing her children, pulling back to scold them, with a look that had Thea keeping quite to not also get told off, "Oh, what are you doing? How dare you leave the house? Cyril, what have I told you about opening your presents early?"
"Sorry, mummy." Cyril hung his head.
"Something like this was bound to happen." She caught sight of the two statues, "what are those?"
"Stay away from it." Lily warned, "you have to stay back."
"Mummy?" Cyril looked in horror seeing the band in his mother's hand, "Why have you got that?"
"Oh," she looked down, only now realising she was holding it as it began to shine, running her hand along it, "see how it shines." She gasped as the Queen reached out and placed the band on her head and she slowly moved to sit on the throne.
"I hope you know what you're doing." The Doctor hissed at Thea. It was the reason he had kept quite when he saw Madge run inside holding the band. Clearly Thea had given it to her for a reason, but why she thought Madge was the right person for it. He didn't know.
Lily gasped seeing the stream of stars flowing into the band, glowing bright, "The stars are going inside her! She's taking the whole forest!"
"Oh, this is marvellous." Madge smiled, "Oh, this is really wonderful."
"Madge," the Doctor eyed her as the stream of stars stopped, all of them settled in the band on her head, "can you hear me?"
"Yes, I can hear you. I'm perfectly fine, thank you."
"Fine?" He exclaimed, "You've got a whole world inside your head."
"I know!" She laughed, "it's funny, isn't it? One can't imagine being a forest, then suddenly one can. How remarkable."
"You're okay?" He frowned, glancing at the statues, "She's okay?"
The Queen placed a hand on Madges shoulder, "She is strong." Before pulling away.
"Oh." Madge blinked, "That wasn't me. This is all really rather clever, isn't it?"
"She's strong. She's strong?" He shook his head, "she's strong. You're wrong." He turned to Thea.
"Yes." Thea nodded.
"Nope." He frowned, "still not getting it."
"You're a dad..." She started slowly, "but she's..."
"A mum!" His eyes widened as he realised, "Oh, stupid me. Clever you. Stupid old Doctor. Brilliant, fantastic, Thea."
"Do you get it, Cyril?" He turned to the boy.
Cyril shook his head, "No."
"Lily, you do, don't you?"
"No." She mimicked her brother.
"Course you do. Think about it. Weak and strong. It's a translation. Translated from the base code of nature itself. You and I, Cyril, we're weak. But she's female. More than female, she's mum. How else does life ever travel? The Mother ship!"
The room started to shake as the room rose, detaching from the rest of the tower.
"What's happening?" Lily cried.
"No idea." The Doctor replied, "Do what I do. Hold tight and pretend it's a plan."
"Oh my stars!" Thea gushed, staring out the window to see Madge fly them through the Time Vortex itself.
"This is amazing!" the Doctor agreed.
"Where are we?" Cyril asked.
"Technically, we're not anywhere. We've flown into the Time Vortex." He looked at the Queen, "you've got what you wanted. Those idiots down there can burn your old home and you'll be safe out here. But these people helped you, and they're in my protection. Now help them. How do we get home?"
The Queen leaned forwards to speak through Madge again, "Think."
Thea blinked, "Think?"
"She must only think." The Queen pulled away again.
"Madge, did you hear that?" The Doctor knelt before her, "You said it, but did you hear it? You've got to think."
"Think what?" Madge looked at him...rather dazed.
"Think of home. Just picture it, feel it! You have to really feel it. Can you do that? Your mind is controlling this vessel. You can fly us all back for Christmas."
"My head is full of trees, Caretaker. Can't you fly us home?"
He glanced at Thea as she moved to kneel next to him and gave a sad smile, "I don't have a home to think of. And between you and me, I'm older than I look and I can't feel the way you do. Not any more. And you really need to feel it, Madge. Everything about home that you miss until you can't bear it. Until you almost burst."
"Till it hurts. Is that what you mean, Caretaker? Till it hurts."
"Yes." Thea whispered, seeing Madges hand curl around the telegram in her pocket, "Think of him, think of home and your husband and your family."
She closed her eyes tightly, "Well then, home in time for Christmas!" And gave a cry out in pain as they raced through the Time Vortex.
"What's happening?" Lily shouted, "Where are we going?"
"Show them!" Yhe Doctor demanded of the statues, "Show them!" The queen raised a hand, creating a bigger window to show them as they flew through the Time Vortex, "Ha! The Time Vortex. Your mother is flying a forest through the Time Vortex. Be a little impressed."
"I know you don't want to, but you have to think of him." Thea murmured, looking up as imagines of the man they knew to be Mr Arwell even as the children cried out for their daddy.
"That's it, focus on Reg." The Doctor encouraged as the image changed to the man playing with the children in the garden, "Be careful, but focus on him."
"Tell us how you met him?" Thea looked at the woman.
Madge smiled, "He followed me home. I worked in the dairy. He always used to follow me home."
"Look at Father." Lily grinned seeing their partners walking through the woods, "He looks so young."
"He said he'd keep on following me till I married him. Didn't like to make a scene."
"Just stay focused." The Doctor told her, "Think of home. This thing, it works psychically. It'll find a signal and lock on." He flashed the sonic in the band...only for an image of Mr Arwells plane to appear.
"No!" Madge cried, "No, please. Don't show me that. Please don't show me that!"
"Is that Daddy's plane?" Cyril asked.
"Please, I don't want to see that!" Madge pleaded, "Please!"
"I know you don't want to, but you have to." Thea insisted, "home isn't the place it's the people. As much as it hurts, you have to remember him."
"Not the night he died." Madge cried, "I don't want to see him die!"
Lily looked over at her, startled by her words, "What do you mean, the night he died?"
"Oh, please don't make me watch him die!"
"Mummy?" Cyrils voice trembled, "is Daddy dead? Mummy!"
"Goodbye, my love." Madge sobbed, "Goodbye!"
A bright light filled the room.
~.~
"Wakey-wakey," The Doctor gently woke Thea up as they all fell unconscious from the rough landing. He had been the first to wake up seeing the humans looked to be alright, just unconscious. "It's Christmas Day. The one day of the year you're allowed to wake up early."
She peeked an eye open to look at him, "I never sleep on Christmas eve, Jeff quite likes to have a small chat with his milk and cookies."
The Doctor let out a laugh at that, helping her up, able to picture Thea in her pyjamas downstairs at Bannerman Road having pulled a very tired Luke out of bed to meet the one and only Santa Claus.
"Cyril, Lily, are you alright?" The Doctor looked over at the children awoke.
"Are they dead?" Madge asked, seeing the statue laying on the floor unmoving.
"No, they're just wood now. They've been emptied. The forest has gone from your head too, hasn't it?"
"But where is it now?"
"The life force of the whole forest has transmuted itself into a sub-etheric waveband of light, which can exist as a..." He trailed off seeing her blank look.
Thea laughed, leaning against his arm, "The souls of the trees are out among the stars, and they're shining!"
"And you got them there." The Doctor congratulated, "Well done, Madge."
"And where are we?"
"Home!" Thea cheered, "Christmas morning. The perfect day for a miracle."
The Doctor let out a laugh, shaking his head at her wink, wiping the condensation of the window to see they were back at the Manor, "We've taken a bit of a short cut. Haven't you always wanted to do that?"
"Mother?" Lily began.
"Oh, look at you." Madge walked towards them with open arms, "You've been so brave, you." They backed away, "look, we're home again, see?"
"What did you mean, watch him die?" Lily swallowed, "Where's Father? Where is he? Where's Daddy?" Madge slowly pulled out the telegram, "Why are you holding a telegram? Well, what does it say?"
"Please, just tell us." Cyril begged.
"Tell us!"
"I imagine you'd prefer to be alone." The Doctor called softly, his hands wrapped around Theas shoulders.
Madge looked over at them, "I don't believe anyone would prefer that. Stay close, please."
Thea nodded, "We will be just outside." She told her as they turned to get out only to both stop dead at the sight before them. "A Christmas miracle." She squealed, barely giving giving Doctor a chance to acknowledge the plane before them as she went running right back inside to prevent Madge telling her children the most heartbreaking news she ever would.
"You have to come outside!" She gasped as they looked over at her sudden interruption, "before all that," she gestured to the telegram, "Come on!" She ushered them out, "you're going to love this!" She gushed, leading them outside as she moved to stand before the Doctor, both smiling widely to see Mr Arwells plane on the grass before them.
"No stars to light the way, Madge?" The Doctor smiled at her, "there was one. Madge Arwell, who flew a whole forest though the Time Vortex...plus one husband." He gestured to the plane as Reg got out, looking stunned himself, "He did it again, Madge. He followed you home. Look what you can do, Mother Christmas."
"Madge!" Reg spotted her, "what am I doing here?"
Madge threw her arms out, beaming, "It's Christmas Day, my love! Where else would you be?"
"Christmas Day? How?"
"We took a short cut." She broke into tears as she and the children ran over to him, nearly toppling him off as he tried to catch them.
"Happy crying." The Doctor sighed, wrapping his arms around Theas shoulders, "Humany wumany."
"It's a Christmas miracle." She grinned.
"Did you know this would happen?"
"I had a feeling." She shrugged him off as he laughed and kissed the top of her head.
~.~
The Doctor stepped out the TARDIS that night, having watched from the doorway as the Arwell family celebrated Christmas with their own traditions before heading up to the TARDIS for their traditions. Not that they really had any Christmas traditions, but Thea had insisted on getting him to watch the Polar Express as it was her favourite Christmas movie.
He stopped just outside the box to see Madge had come up to the attic, staring at the TARDIS.
"Of course." She breathed, "it's you, isn't it? My spaceman angel, with his head on backwards."
"How do I look the right way round?" He spun around.
"Funnier."
"A ridiculous oaf." Thea offered as she stepped out after him.
"So, you came back."
"Well, you were there for me when I had a bad day." The Doctor remarked, "Always like to return a favour. Got a bit glitchy in the middle there, but it sort of worked out in the end."
"Story of your life." Thea laughed.
"Thank you." Madge moved to hug them, "both of you."
"Oh, you did it all yourself, Madge Arwell. But thanks for thanking me."
"Now, the last time I saw you, I went back the next day, but the police box had gone."
"Yeah. You want to see how it's done?"
"It's amazing!" Thea told her, "You'll love it!"
"No." Madge shook her head, "I want you to stay for Christmas, please."
"Ah, well, you see," the Doctor fumbled with an excuse to leave, "things to do, people to see."
"Of course." Madge nodded, understanding, "Yes. Family of your own."
Thea stepped on the Doctors foot making him wince but keep quiet as he opened his mouth to argue, "yes, family, friends that we need to be seeing." She gave him a pointed look. It had been ages since they had seen the Ponds, they really should go and tell him her survived Utah. They were probably worried sick about what she had been doing.
"It's a long story." The Doctor sighed, "But they all think I'm dead. Never mind. Anyway, watch my box do its thing. It's really cool. You'll love it."
"No." Madge said, crossing her arms, "No one should be alone at Christmas."
"We're not." Thea defended, "we have each other."
"I'm not talking about you two," she huffed, "I'm talking about your friends. You can't let them think that you're dead. Not at Christmas."
"Yeah!" Thea turned accusingly to the Doctor, "not at Christmas!"
"It's complicated." The Doctor nearly defended, "Very complicated. It's far too complicated to explain right now."
"Coward." Thea coughed.
"You must tell them." Madge stated firmly, using a voice that gave little choose to argue, "At once. Off you go."
The Doctor sighed but nodded, "Yes, Mum. I'll think about it." He walked back to the TARDIS, "Now, eyes on the box."
"Oh, Caretaker? What if I require you again?"
"Make a wish." Thea joked as they disappeared into the TARDIS, "It worked the first time." She joined the Doctor at the console as they dematerialised to leave the family to enjoy Christmas together.
"So?" Thea crossed her arms as she sat on the jump seat, watching the Doctor move around the console.
"Alright!" He huffed, "Fine, alright, okay, we'll go and see the Ponds."
~.~
Thea tried to keep the smirk off her face as they rang the doorbell on the blue door to the house they had left for the Ponds. She couldn't help but laugh at how everyone tried to be sneaky around her, but it was so obvious, well, to her anything, the Doctor, of course hadn't noticed the duck egg green car parked further down the road.
"If that is more carol singers, I have a water pistol!" They heard Amy shout from within, "You don't want to be all wet on a night like this..." She threw open the door aiming the water pistol, staring right at the Doctor and Thea.
"Not absolutely sure how long..." The Doctor trailed at the glare on her face.
"Two years." Thea whispered.
Amy nodded and proceeded to squirt the water pistol at his face as Thea ducked behind him.
"Okay." He wiped his face, "Fair point."
"So, you're not dead."
"And a happy New Year!"
"Did River tell you?" Thea asked, "we specifically told her not to."
"She did tell us." Amy nodded.
"Do promises mean nothing to psychopaths." She huffed.
"She's a good girl." Amy defended her daughter before turning her nose up, "Well? I'm not going to hug first."
"Nor am I." The Doctor mimicked her.
"If I do, can I go inside?" Thea asked, "Because I can see the car down the road."
Amy leaned out to see Sarah Jane car down the road, "we told them to park down the next street."
"So, hug?" Thea opened her arms.
"Oh, I can't say no to you." Amy laughed and embracing her tightly, "I told Rory you wouldn't be in jail."
"Hey," She pulled back, pouting, "you thought I'd be in jail? Unlike your daughter, I don't get caught with my murders," only to stiffen and look at the Doctor, sheepish as he raised his eyebrows at her, more amused than anything, "I mean..." She shrugged, not bothering to excuse her words as she hugged Amy.
"Oh, I have missed you!" Amy laughed as they pulled apart and she looked over at the Doctor once more, they waited a moment longer before embracing each other.
"Rory!" Thea shouted into the house.
Rory stepped out into the hall, surprised to hear her voice, "hey, I knew you wouldn't be in jail." He joked, hugging her.
Amy looked at the Doctor, "We're about to have Christmas dinner. Joining us?"
"If it's no trouble." The Doctor remarked.
"There's a place set for you both." Rory told him.
"But you didn't know we were coming. Why would you set me a place? Are you psychic too, Amy?"
"Oh, because we always do." Amy rolled her eyes, "it's Christmas, you moron."
"Come on." Rory turned back into the house, "there's a surprise in the living room."
"Again, the car is literally parked a few houses away," Thea shook her head, "not much of a surprise to know the gangs here." She stopped abruptly at the doorway to the living room, seeing Sarah Jane, Luke, and his new little sister, Sky, on one of the sofas with River and a familiar blonde on the other.
"So much for can't surprise a psychic." River smirked at her.
"My baby sister!" Thea squealed, lunging to hug Jenny tightly.
"I'm not a baby." Jenny grumbled.
"Yes, you are." The Doctor countered, leaning against the doorway, watching the two embracing.
"Hello, dad." She laughed, getting up and hugging him, "you didn't really think I was dead, did you?"
"I don't know how many times I have to say, we Time Lords are notoriously hard to kill." Thea remarked, linking her arms through Jenny's'.
"Well, I am only an echo of a Time Lord after all." Jenny smirked over at the Doctor. the man groaning at his previous words, hiding his face in his hands in embarrassment.
Thea grinned as she pulled the girl to sit back down besides her, River herself sniggering besides them how now it wasn't only Thea to call the Doctor out when he is wrong, but Jenny was more than happy to do so herself, right in front of the woman who they knew were not going to be too happy to hear the Doctor had said that to the poor girl
Thea took Jenny's hand in hers, smiling widely, "We are going to get along great!"