Thea rolled her eyes as she followed the Doctor through the snow-covered Victorian streets.
They had just come from a meeting with Vastra the Silurian, Strax the Sontaran and Jenny the human, the three of them were rather concerned about the Doctor sulking in the TARDIS in the 1800s and were trying to get them out of the TARDIS but the Doctor wasn't having it, which was why he was now sulking off in his Victorian suit, complete with top hat, hands in his pockets, not wanting to talk, occasionally he did glance back at the silence to check she was still walking with him and not gone running back to Vastra.
It had been hard enough to get him down from the cloud to speak to Vastra, she thought it was quite an accomplishment even if Vastra and the other didn't seem too impressed with the Doctors current attitude.
At least he has come down to speak with them, if only to complain about them trying to get him out and adventuring again.
Thea knew he was mourning the Ponds, their exit had not been very welcoming, and he was blaming himself for their deaths, not that they had technically died because of him, only sent back in the past and seemingly enjoying their life to the full in 1940s until dying of a natural cause of old age for humans. Still, that's not how he saw it especially as after New York he was planning on saying a proper goodbye and living with their normal life. It hit him hard.
She didn't really know why he had brought them to Victorian London when Vastra was around, nor why they were still here if he was just going to be sulking in the TARDIS the whole time.
Thea sighed, picking up the hem of her skirt to keep up with his strides as they walked past the local pub, 'the Rose and Crown'. She wasn't particularly fond of Victorian styles, especially the corset, but she dealt with it, if it got her out of the TARDIS she wouldn't complain, which was why she was currently dressed in a navy blue high collared dress with buttons down the centre of her waist where the skirt started, a slight bustle to it, but not as big as was typical for the times, her hair tied up and hidden by the matching navy bonnet she had on, tied with a black ribbon into a bow with matching black gloves.
Thea paused at the sight of a sinister looking snowman when a young brunette in a red barmaid dress stepped out, "did you make this snowman?" She asked.
"No." The Doctor replied, not even bothering to look back.
"Did you?" The barmaid looked at Thea.
"No." She shook her head.
"Well, who did, it wasn't here a second ago. It just appeared, from nowhere."
The Doctor stopped, looking back to see the barmaid was talking to Thea, the girl frowning intently at the snowman. He sighed and walked back over and putting on Amy's old reading glasses to examine the snowman, "Maybe it's snow that fell before. Maybe it remembers how to make snowmen."
"What, snow that can remember?" The woman laughed, "that's silly."
"What's wrong with silly?" The Doctor asked.
"Nothing. Still talking to you, ain't I?"
Theaa laughed, "what's your name?"
"Clara."
"Thea." She introduced, ignoring the pointed look the Doctor gave her.
"Nice name. Clara." The Doctor nodded, straightening, "You should definitely keep it," he took Thea's hand and tugged her off again, calling a curt, "Goodbye!" Over his shoulder.
"Oi!" She cried, following them around the corner, "Where are you going? I thought we was just getting acquainted."
He sighed, not stopping, "Those were the days."
"Mardy bum." Thea muttered under her breath as the Doctor helped her into the carriage Vastra had waiting for them.
"Oi," The Doctor frowned at her as he followed her in, sitting opposite, "less of the attitude."
"I wouldn't have such an attitude if you didn't keep me in the TARDIS all the time."
"I've told you, you're welcome to go and have tea with Vastra and Jenny as long as you let me know."
"I don't want to just go for tea." She grumbled looking out the window as their driver, Strax, headed off, "I don't like the bad snowman."
"It's nothing." The Doctor waved her off.
"It's bad!" She insisted, "therefore you have to stop it!"
"A faint telepathic feed is nothing to be concerned about, nothing Vastra couldn't handle."
As though hearing her name Vastras voice sounded from the ear horn in the corner of the carriage, "How refreshing to see you taking an interest again. Was she nice?"
"She was lovely." Thea smiled, thankful for the woman's interruption, she could tell they were getting very close to an argument, one she might even continue back in the TARDIS.
The Doctor rolled his eyes. "I just spoke to her."
"And made your usual impact, no doubt." Vastra remarked.
"No, no impact at all. Those days are over."
"You can't help yourself. It's the same story every time. And it always begins with the same two words."
"She'll never be able to find me again."
"I wouldn't bet on that." Thea mumbled.
"She doesn't even have the name. Doctor." The Doctor continued.
"Wait for it."
"What two words?"
"Doctor?" Claras voice sounded a moment before the panel in the roof popped open and Claras headed popped down, "Doctor who?"
~.~
"Really mature." Thea crossed her arms as she stood out in the snow, watching the carriage as it rocked slightly, Clara shouting from within.
The Doctor had locked the poor woman inside the carriage before he could decide what to do with her. He really didn't want to get involved, which was utterly ridiculous as he couldn't help but be curious about the snow. Even now, still stating he wasn't getting involved, he was most certainly getting involved and checking out the snow, letting it fall through his fingers for a closer look.
Strax stood at the mouth of the alley he had parked the carriage in, watching Dr Simeon returned to his institute across the street through advanced binoculars.
"They've taken samples from snowmen all over London." Strax reported, making his way over to them, "What do you suppose they're doing in there?"
"This snow is new." the Doctor mused, "Possibly alien."
"Definitely alien." Thea called.
"When you find something brand new in the world, something you've never seen before, what's the next thing you look for?"
Strax paused a moment, considering the question, "A grenade!"
Thea sighed, leaning her back against the wall, starting to get fed up, "a profit." She corrected.
"That's Victorian values for you." the Doctor sighed.
"I suggest a full-frontal assault with automated laser monkeys, scalpel mines and acid." Strax suggested.
The Doctor looked at him, "Why?"
Strax blinked and slumped his shoulders, "Couldn't we at least investigate?"
"Yes!" Thea jumped at the suggestion, surprisingly very good for a Sontaran, "bring out my old detective skills."
"It's none of our business." The Doctor said as Thea rolled her eyes and went back to slumping against the wall.
"Sir, permission to express my opposition to your current apathy?" Strax called.
"Permission granted." He rolled his eyes.
"Sir, I am opposed to your current apathy."
"Thank you, Strax." The Doctor turned to him, "And if ever I'm in need of advice from a psychotic potato dwarf, you'll certainly be the first to know."
"But if the snow is new and alien, shouldn't we be making some attempt to destroy it?" Strax questioned, "be reasonable."
"It is not our problem. Over a thousand years of saving the universe, Strax, you know the one thing I learned? The universe doesn't care."
"So, the universe doesn't care, meaning neither do you?" Thea raised her eyebrows at that. "Thats just..." She sighed, "shouldn't we just deal with Clara first? Future companions get locked in the TARDIS not carriages."
"She's not a future companion." The Doctor huffed, ignoring Thea's looked clearing say 'not yet' as he headed back to the carriage and opening the doors as Clara nearly fell out only to scramble back as the Doctor moved to get in, sitting across from her, "Don't worry." he assured her, "No one's going to hurt you."
But Clara was staring at Strax standing by the doors, "What is that thing?"
"Silence, boy!" Strax glared.
"She's a girl, Strax." Thea corrected him as she stepped in the carriage herself, sitting besides the Doctor.
"That's Strax." The Doctor told Clara, "And as you can see, he's easily confused."
"Silence, girl." Strax repeated, "Sorry, lad."
"Sontaran." The Doctor shrugged, "Clone warrior race. Factory produced, whole legions at a time. Two genders is a bit further than he can count."
"Sir, do not discuss my reproductive cycle in front of enemy girls. It's embarrassing."
"Typical middle child of six million." The Doctor whispered to Clara.
"Who are you?" Clara eyed them.
"It doesn't matter," the Doctor waved her off, "because you're about to forget that you've ever met me or my lovely daughter." He looked at Strax, "We'll need the worm."
"Sir." Strax nodded and turned to get it.
"You'll need the what?" Claras eyes widened as she peered around to try and see was Strax was getting, "The worm? What worm?"
"Don't worry, it won't hurt, but one touch on your bare skin and you lose the last hour of your memory."
"Has it really come to this?" Thea huffed, "missing memories are not fun."
The Doctor looked at her, for a moment actually regretting the decision to use the memory worm, but turned to the doorway as Strax returned empty handed, "Where is it?"
"Where's what, sir?" Strax blinked at him.
"I sent you to get the memory worm."
"Did you? When?" He noticed Clara sitting there, "Who's he? What are we doing here?" His attention moved to the sky, distracted by the clouds above, "Look, it's been snowing!"
"You didn't use the gauntlets, did you?" The Doctor sighed.
"Why would I need the gauntlets?" Strax asked, "Do you want me to get the memory worm?"
The Doctor looked over, hearing a faint giggle, to see Thea covering her mouth with her hands, "You knew he'd forget the gauntlets, did you?"
"Yeah." She replied.
"And you never said."
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Because I know what's coming and its funny."
~.~
The Doctor stood besides the carriage as Strax laid under it, trying, again, to get the memory worm. Thea and Clara both stood by the wall, watching in amusement, both knowing what would happen next. Clara knew Thea was right, what's coming would be funny.
"Well, can you see it?" The Doctor called to Strax.
"I think I can hear it." Strax replied.
The Doctor looked back wanting to ensure that Thea hadn't allowed Clara to sneak off, remembering them.
"Oi, don't try to run away." He pointed warningly at her, "Stay where you are. Thea, get her if she makes a break for it."
She mockingly saluted, "I will not be doing that."
"Why would I run?" Clara scoffed, "I know what's going to happen next and it's funny."
"What's funny?" The Doctor frowned.
"Well, your little pal, for a start. He's an ugly little fella, isn't he?"
"Maybe. He gave his life for a friend of mine once."
"Then how come he's alive?"
"Another friend of mine brought him back."
"I'm not sure all his brains made the return trip." Thea leaned over to whisper to Clara.
"Neither am I." She agreed.
"I can see it." Strax called.
The Doctor turned his attention back to the Sontaran, "Can you reach it? Have you got it?"
Strax paused, "Got what, sir?"
Clara stepped over to the side of the carriage and held up a pair of thick Sontaran shaped gloves, "Because these are the gauntlets, aren't they?"
The Doctor looked over to see Thea hunched over laughing, "it's not funny!" He pointed at her.
"Sir, emergency!" Strax cried, "I think I've been run over by a cab."
His words only made Thea laugh harder as she straightened up, trying to catch her breath, "it's a little bit funny." She bit her lip, "but if you want me to be in a mardy mood like you fine." She sobered up, crossing her arms.
"I..." the Doctor pointed at her, "you...you are very close to be grounded, young lady." He told her before snatching the gauntlets from Clara and putting them on to grab the worm himself, ducking under the carriage and struggling before giving a small cheer, the white worm with teeth on one end, wiggling in his hands as he carefully dropped it in a jar. "There you go. One touch and you lose about an hour of your memory. Let it bite you and you could lose decades." He glanced at Clara, "And you're still not trying to run."
"I don't understand how the snowman built itself." Clara shrugged, "I'll run once you've explained."
"Clara who?"
"Doctor who?"
"Dangerous question." Thea remarked.
"What's wrong with dangerous?" Clara countered.
"Nothing. I run straight first into danger." Thea shrugged, turning to look at something behind Clara shoulder. Clara followed her gaze, frowning, seeing nothing there...until a snowman appeared as she blinked.
"The snow emits a low-level telepathic field." The Doctor began explaining.
"My snowman..." Clara breathed.
"It seems to reflect people's thoughts and memories and because it's unusual, somehow it carries a previous shape and..."
"Yeah, no, dad," Thea cut him off, poking him on the arm to grab his attention and pointing, "snowman."
"Ah!" He stepped closer to it, "Interesting. Well, were you thinking about it?"
"Yes." Clara nodded as two more snowmen appeared.
"Can you stop?" Thea glanced at her, keeping her gaze on the snowmen as more popped up, surrounded them, "please! Please stop thinking about them."
Another snowman appeared before them, opening it's mouth and breathing snow and ice at them.
"Get down!" The Doctor pulled them both down, "Clara, listen to me." He cupped her face, "The snow's feeding off your thoughts."
"I don't understand." She shook her head.
"You're caught in their telepathic field. They're mirroring you. The more you think about the snowmen, the more they appear. Imagine them melting. Picture it. Picture them melted!"
Clara squeezed her eyes shut, imagining the snowmen melting and only opening them again once covered in icy water, the snowmen literally having melted.
"Brilliant!" Thea beamed, hugging the woman tightly.
"Is that going to happen again?" Clara gasped, staring at the puddles.
"Well, if it does, you know what to do about it." The Doctor shrugged.
"Unless I forget." She pointed out with a smirk.
"Ooh, she got you there." Thea remarked.
~.~
The Doctor shoved Clara into the carriage, realising he couldn't give her the memory worm and leave her defenceless against the snowmen again. "Don't come looking for us." He warned her, "Forget about us. You understand?"
"What about the snow?" Clara frowned, "shouldn't we be warning people?"
"Not my problem." The Doctor shrugged ignoring the tut from behind him, "Merry Christmas." He shut the door and looked over at Strax, "Take her back where we found her."
"Sir." Strax nodded and snapped the reins to send the horses off.
"Come on," The Doctor muttered, heading down the road in the opposite direction, "back to the TARDIS, no arguments please."
"Fine." She agreed quietly. "I could do with getting out of this anyway." She gestured to the wet patches from the melted snowmen.
~.~
The Doctor hopped over the small fence around the park, pausing to hold a hand out to help Theaa over before whistling innocently, checking no one was around.
Thea gave a small grin and jumped up, narrowly missing the bottom of the ladder hidden in the clouds above. "I got it!" She insisted as the Doctor moved to give her a hand. She jumped again, her hands grabbing the bottom rung of the ladder as she hung the air moment before her weight pulled the ladder down, "did you lower it?" She frowned at the Doctor.
She was sure it used to be hidden higher up, usually she couldn't jump high enough, and he usually had to pull the ladder down.
"You think I'd lower it just to make it easier for you?" He asked innocently, "never!" He stepped onto the ladder after her, climbing up behind her and pulling the ladder up after him, ensuring no one would find the random ladder in the middle of the park and walked up the invisible spiral staircase leading to the TARDIS parked on a cloud. The old box was looking a little bit worse for wear, even the interior had changed, going back to her more mechanical roots.
Thea let out a long sigh, glad to be back in the box, as much as she wanted to get out adventuring again and complaining about the Doctor mopping around all the time she did love come back to the TARDIS to relax and nothing was better than a warm cup of tea, reading a good box listening to the TARDIS' natural noises around them.
They had barely had chance to get settled when there was a knock on the door.
The Doctor tensed at it, glancing at Thea who shrugged innocently back at him before he moved to the doors, peeking out to see no one there, "Hello?" He called, stepping out, hearing a noise and heading around the box, "hello?"
"Hey!" Thea called, seeing a figure in red quickly running back to the stairs and she ran out of the TARDIS, finding a familiar red shawl to find Clara already halfway down the staircase.
The Doctor rubbed his head in his hands, "did you know she was following us?"
"I had a feeling." She shrugged.
"Thea..."
"You can't help her being curious." She defended, trying to hide her smile as the Doctor shook his head and headed back inside the TARDIS.
That young Clara might just be what he needs.
~.~
Thea smiled as she leaned her head on the Doctors shoulder, both of them sat in the console steps as he read 'A Christmas Carol' to her, a fitting book both with the fact it was nearly Christmas and because Thea had been calling him Scrooge, he was a lot less Scrooge like when it was just them in the TARDIS, more like his old cheerful self, it was usually only when Vastra called to get them to investigate something he got annoyed and mardy.
Thea lifted her head up, almost asleep, "phone." She murmured.
"What about it?" He asked her.
"Vastras calling."
He rolled his eyes as a moment later the phone rang, and he got up to answer it, not impressed with the woman calling yet again and interrupting his reading, "Yes, what is it?" He nearly snapped down the line. "I'm trying to read to my daughter."
"Miss Clara and her concerns about the snow." Vastra replied calmly, "I gave her the one-word test."
"That's always pointless. What did she say?"
"Pond." Vastra replied as the Doctor slowly removed Amy's old reading glasses he wore nowadays, "Strax has already suggested where to start investigating." She added before hanging up.
Thea waited a moment as the Doctor lowered his head, rubbing his eyes with his thumbs before she stood up, "I'll go get dressed." She smiled, knowing that this was something worth investigating.
~.~
The Doctor strolled through 'the Great Intelligence Institute' dressed up as Sherlock Holmes, complete with a deerstalker hat, a cape, a walking cane and a pipe in his mouth, following the servant who he had introduced himself too, alone.
He had refused to let Thea come with him for this despite her complains. She had argued and tried to follow, sneaking into the carriage after him, of course Strax hadn't noticed which was why he had called Vastra and Jenny to keep their eyes on her to prevent her from following.
So far, they seemed to be doing a good job of keeping her out the way.
The Doctor pushed the door open, barely giving the servant time to warn his boss of his guest as he strode into an office, finding a man with a rather long and grim looking face standing behind a desk. Dr Simeon, according to Vastra.
"Oh, nice office." The Doctor grinned looking around, seeing a large sphere like object in the middle of the room with snow fluttering around inside it, "big globey thing. Now, shut up, don't tell me!" He pointed his cane at the man, "I see from your collar stud you have an apple tree and a wife with a limp. Am I right?"
"No." Dr Simeon deadpanned.
"Do you have a wife?"
"No."
"Bit of a tree? Bit of a wife? Some apples? Come on, work with me here."
"I enjoy The Strand magazine as much as the next man, but I am perfectly aware that Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character." He glared, "Get out!"
The Doctor turned to the servant, "Do you have a goldfish named Colin?"
The man paused, seeming to consider the question, "No."
"Thought not." The Doctor grinned, "Now, ooh." He turned and plucked some cards of the desk, "I see this is one of your business cards. It says so on the front."
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" Simeon demanded.
"This," he said before whacking the globe with his cane, "Wakey, wakey!"
Simeon ran over, grabbing the Doctors cane to stop him hitting the glass again, "That is highly valuable equipment." He glared, "You must step away now."
"We are the Intelligence." A deep voice spoke from within the sphere.
The Doctor blinked, grinning widely, "Talking snow. I love new things."
"You are not of this world."
"Takes one to snow one."
No one laughed.
The Doctor pouted, Thea would have laughed at that, or maybe not, but she would have shaken her head, hiding a smile calling him an embarrassment, which was better than nothing.
"Right," he turned back to the snow, "let's see. Multi-nucleate crystalline organism with the ability to mimic and mirror what it finds. Looks like snow. Isn't snow."
"You must leave here now." Simeon demanded.
"Shut up, I'm making deductions." the Doctor moved around the sphere, "It's very exciting. Now, what are you, eh? A flock of space crystals? A swarm?" Simeon ran to the rope Bell, calling for his servants, "The snowmen are foot soldiers, mindless predators. But you, you're the clever one. You're Moriarty. So, you turn up on a planet, you generate a telepathic field to learn what you can, and when you've learnt enough, what do you do?" He slowly pulled his sonic behind his back, locking the doors, you can't conquer the world using snowmen. Snowmen are rubbish in July. You'll have to be better than that. You'll have to evolve."
"Sir, it appears to be stuck!" A servant shouted through the doors.
"What have you done?" Simeon glared, "Have you locked the doors?"
"You need to translate yourself into something more, well, human." The Doctor continued.
"Kick it down." Simeon hissed through the doors.
"To do that you'd need a perfect duplicate of human DNA in ice form. Where do you find that?"
"Sir?" A servant called.
"Get in here, quickly!" Simeon shouted.
"I've got a master key somewhere, sir..."
The Doctor ran over to the desk, shifting through some papers, "Now, let's see. Most opened file, most viewed page." He picked up a small book and dropped it letting it fall open to a paper with a newspaper clipping of 'Tradegy at Darkover House' "You know, you really should delete your history. Governess frozen in pond. Gotcha!" He laughed, running out the French doors as the servants entered.
~.~
"What are you doing here?" The Doctor asked as he strolled up to the frozen pond at the Darkover House to see Thea was already there, sitting at the edge of the Pond, her fingers running over the ice.
"I'm psychic." She smirked at him, "saw you coming. Also, Clara said about a pond so I had a look through Vastras recent newspaper clipping and saw this." She looked over at him, "I make a better Sherlock Holmes then you do."
He laughed, joining her by the edge of the Pond, "so Enola Holmes then, always one step ahead, eh?" He poked her side. "So, what have you deduced?"
"Everything else thawed in the morning, but not the pond. The ice is different, bad."
"Body frozen in a pond." the Doctor nodded, walking around the edge with the sonic to get a good scan, "The snow gets a good long look at a human being, like a full body scan. Everything they need to evolve. Pond. Good point, Clara."
"Hello, Strax." Thea called a moment before the Sontaran came around the corner and walked over to them.
"What are you doing here?" The Doctor asked him.
"Madame Vastra wondered if you were needing any grenades?" He replied.
"Did she really say grenades?" Thea raised her eyebrows at him.
"She might have said help."
"Help for what?" The Doctor shook his head.
"Well, your investigation."
"Investigation?" He scoffed, "Who says I'm investigating? Do you think I'm going to start investigating just because some bird smiles at me? Who do you think I am?"
"Sherlock Holmes."
The Doctor pointed at Thea hearing her snigger behind him as he looked at Strax, "Don't be clever, Strax. It doesn't suit you."
Strax lowered his head, "Sorry, sir."
"I'm the clever one, Theas the brilliant one and you're the potato one."
"Yes, sir."
"Now go away."
"Yes," Strax nodded, turning to leave, "Mr Holmes."
"Oi! Shut up," the Doctor called after him, "You're not clever or funny and you've got tiny little legs!"
They looked back towards the house, seeing a shadow on the ground as someone pulled the curtains open, to see Clara standing at a window, dressed primly, knocking on the window to get their attention as she waved at them to come up.
The Doctor sighed, "Okay, just tell her you're leaving, you're not going up. Leaving. Not going up." He turned and held up a hand, indicating 5 minutes and a thumbs up, "what was that about?" He stared at his hand as if it had betrayed him, "Five minutes, where did that come from?"
"I don't think you're quite ready to retire just yet." Thea remarked softly.
"No," The Doctor agreed quietly, "maybe I'm not."
"Good!" She jumped to her feet, "now let's hurry!" She nodded to the pond as cracks started to form.
~.~
Clara ran into the playroom with the two young children in her care, slamming the door behind them as they backed up away from the ice version of the old governess.
"What do we do?" The young girl gasped.
"Frannie. Frannie," Clara gripped the girls arm, "imagine her melting."
"What?"
"In your head, melt her!"
Frannie seemed to be trying to do so but was too scared to think of anything other than what was chasing them, "I can't!"
"I'm getting impatient!" A woman's voice screeched, pounding one the door before it flew open, revealing the ice woman, "you have been very naughty!"
"What about those people?" The young boy turned to Clara as she ushered the children behind her, "You said the man was here, the cloud man and his daughter."
"Well, he's not, is he?" Clara countered.
"Where's the Doctor?"
"I don't know!"
"Doctor?" A squeaky voice called, and they looked over to see a small puppet of Punch had popped up in their little theatre, "Doctor? Doctor who?" It turned, sonic in hand, to the ice woman, stilling her as the ice started to crack as Thea jumped out from behind a rocking horse, whacking the ice woman with a fire poker, shattering her.
"That's the way to do it!" The Punch doll cheered as the Doctor popped his head up as the puppet turned to him and bobbed his face, "Oi. Ow," he pouted, before making his way out from behind the theatre to Theas side as she examined a piece of the ice.
"Where did she go?" Frannie asked, looking around as the pieces of ice started melting, "Will she come back?"
"No, don't worry." The Doctor assured her, "She's currently draining through your carpet. New setting. Anti-freeze." He flipped the sonic, putting it away, "And you're very welcome, by the way." He added to Clara.
"I'm very grateful." She breathed, "I knew you'd come."
"No, you didn't, because I don't. Because this isn't the sort of thing I do any more. Next time you're in trouble, don't expect me to..." He trailed off, sighing as he glanced to Thea as she looked away, solemn.
He closed his eyes a moment, making his way to her side, "I'm sorry," He murmured, "I haven't been..."
"It's okay," She smiled, reaching up to tug on his bowtie. "You're mourning. It's part of a healing process. You're getting there." She flicked his bowtie.
"It's cooler." Clara commented, seeing first forming on the windows.
"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" The Doctor nodded, patting his bowtie, "It is very cool. Bow ties are cool."
"No, the room. The room's getting colder."
"We need to go!" Thea shouted, grabbing Frannie's hand to pull her out of the room as a bulge started to form in the carpet.
"She's coming back!" The boy cried.
"What's she going to do?" Frannie asked, "Is she going to punish me?"
"She won't get you." Thea swore, stepped in front of the girl.
The Doctor paused at the doorway, flashing the sonic at the carpet, "Er, er, she's learnt not to melt. Of course, she's not really a governess, she's just a beast. She's going to eat you. Run!" He turned, ushering them ahead as Thea led them off, the children following with Clara and the Doctor behind.
They ran down the stairs, running into an older, well-dressed man, the childrens father.
"Children, what is the expla..." The father began only to catch sight of the two people he didn't know, "Who the devil are you? What are you doing in my house?"
"It's okay." The Doctor held up his hands, "I am your governess' gentleman friend, and we've just been upstairs seeing if she would also be able to govern my daughter."
"She's done such a good job with yours, Captain Latimer." Thea agreed.
"Captain Latimer." A maid with red hair came running over, "In the garden, there's snowmen! And they're just growing out of nowhere, all by themselves. Look!" She ran to the front doors, throwing them open...only to see Vastra and Jenny standing there.
"Good evening." Vastra greeted, "I'm a Lizard Woman from the Dawn of Time, and this is my wife."
The woman screamed, turning and running away from the Lizard Woman only to run into Strax as he entered round the back.
"This dwelling is under attack." Strax reported, "Remain calm, human scum."
The poor woman screamed again and fell into a dead faint.
"So, any questions?" The Doctor asked, clapping his hands.
"Vastra," Thea turned to her, "what's happening?"
"The snow is highly localised, and on this occasion not naturally occurring." She replied.
"It's coming out of that cab parked by the gates." Jenny added.
"Sir, one pulver grenade would blow these snowmen to smithereens." Strax declared.
"It's snow, Strax," Thea rolled her eyes at him, "it's already smithereens."
"See, Clara?" The Doctor sighed, "Our friends again."
"Clara?" Captain Latimer frowned, "Who's Clara?"
"Your current governess is in reality a former barmaid called Clara."
"That's the way to do it!" The ice woman, now fully reformed, called, as she appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Meanwhile your previous governess is now a living ice sculpture impersonating Mr Punch."
"Jenny, what have you got?" Thea turned to her.
Jenny pulled out a small red box, throwing it at the top of the stairs, creating a red forcefield, keeping the ice woman back, "That should hold it." She smiled.
"Sir, this room." Strax gestured over to the study, "One observational window on the line of attack and one defendable entrance."
"Right, everyone in there." The Doctor instructed, "Now. Move it. You," he pointed at Captain Latimer and then the maid, "carry her."
"Nice to see you off your cloud and engaging again." Vastra remarked.
"I'm not engaging again, my daughter is under attack."
"You know I can handle myself." Thea defended.
"You missed this, didn't you?" Vastra laughed.
The Doctor rolled his eyes as they moved back into the study, "Shut up." He huffed, "Strax, how long have we got?"
"They're not going to attack." Strax stated, "They made no attempt to conceal their arrival. An attack force would never abandon surprise so easily, and they're clearly in a defence formation."
"Way, aye, aye. Well done, Straxie. Still got it, buddy!" He rubbed Straxs head, kissing it before grimacing as he realised what he had done.
"Sir, please do not noogie me during combat prep."
"So, there's something here they want."
"They want the ice woman." Thea remarked.
"Why's she so important?" Jenny shook her head.
"Because she's a perfect duplication of human DNA in ice crystal form." The Doctor answered, "The ultimate fusion of snow and humanity. To live here, the snow needs to evolve and she's the blueprint. She's what they need to become. When the snow melted last night, did the pond?" He looked at Thea.
But it was Clara who spoke, "no."
"Living ice that will never melt. If the snow gets hold of that creature on the stairs, it will learn to make more of them. It will build an army of ice. And it will be the last day of humanity on this planet." They looked up, the Doctor stiffening as the doorbell rang. "Stay here." The Doctor ordered them quietly, turning to open the study door to pause seeing Thea making to follow, "and you."
"Oh, really?" She groaned.
The Doctor shut the door as he slipped out the room. Thea waited barely a moment later before following him out, winking at Clara as the woman followed.
"Oi, I told you to stay in there." The Doctor at them.
"Did you really think I would?" She countered.
"I didn't listen." Clara said sweetly.
"I know you do that a lot." Thea grinned at her.
"It's why you like me."
"Who said I like you?" The Doctor eyed her.
She nodded to Thea, "she does."
The Doctor rolled his eyes, straightening his bowtie before opening the door to see Dr Simeon standing there.
"Release her to us," Simeon threatened, "You have five minutes." With that he turned and walked away.
The Doctor shut the door on the retreating man, "We need to get her out of here but keep her away from them."
"How?" Clara asked.
"Easy!" Thea called, grabbing an umbrella from the stand beside the door, "with this!"
"Those creatures outside," Captain Latimer ran out of the study, "what are they?"
"No danger to you," the Doctor assured him, "as long as I get that thing out of here. You, in there, now." He pointed back to the study, "be with your children." He told the man who nodded and turned back into the study.
"What are you doing?" Clara asked seeing the Time Lords stepped onto the stairs.
The Doctor knew better than to ask Thea to return back to the study, she would just sneak out again, but at least this way she would be in his eyesight.
"Between the three of us, I can't wait to find out." The Doctor beamed, holding up the sonic to turn the forcefield off, unaware that Clara was only a step behind them as the forcefield reformed behind them. "Right, if you look after everyone here, then I can..."
"She's in here with us." Thea cut him off, not even needing to look back to know the woman was following them.
The Doctor spun to see she was indeed in the forcefield as well, "Clara!"
"Doctor." She mimicked.
"Duck!" Thea called, swinging the umbrella at the ice woman as the Doctor and Clara quickly ducked as she opened the umbrella, using it to keep the ice woman from attacking.
"Come on," The Doctor took Claras hand and pulled her up the stairs as Thea pushed the ice woman against the banister, managing to get upstairs above her and quickly running up after them, closing the umbrella. What was the old Earth superstition? It was bad luck to open an umbrella indoors? She didn't want to think how unlucky she could get.
"That was stupid." The Doctor chastised Clara.
"You were stupid, too." She countered.
"I'm allowed. I'm good at stupid."
"And you bring your daughter into your stupid things."
"I think it's pretty obvious I'm the one keeping him alive from the stupid things." Thea defended.
"That's the way to do it!" The ice woman mimicked Punch, reminding them of the immediate danger.
"Why does she keep saying that?" Clara wondered.
"Mirroring." The Doctor waved her off, "Random mirroring."
"We need to get on the roof." Thea determined, "this way!" She grabbed Claras hand, pulling her off.
The Doctor laughed as he ran after them, Clara looking very confused as Thea seemed to know the way.
"There!" Clara pointed to a small window leading to the roof.
"I know." Thea rolled her eyes as the Doctor quickly flashed the sonic on the window, unlocking it, rushing through as Clara made to follow only to get stuck.
"Come on, quickly!" The Doctor urged, "What are you doing?"
"My bustle is stuck." She winced.
"Your bustle?"
"You pull, I push." Thea called as the Doctor took hold of Claras arms, helping to pull her through as Thea gave her a shove from the otherside, Clara falling out of the window and landing on the Doctor as Thea squeezed her way through.
"You're going to have to take those clothes off." The Doctor groaned, his eyes widening as Clara gasped, "I didn't mean..."
"I know." She nodded as Thea helped her up, "I understand, I do."
It was obvious the Doctor was married, or at least had been at one point to have a child and giving that they hadn't mentioned a mother (and honestly no mother would really let their child into such danger), she knew better than to ask about said woman. She was just glad the girl had a dad who seemed to care and want her in his life unlike Captain Latimer down stairs who just hired governesses to look after his children instead of being involved.
Not many fathers got involved in their children's life's.
The Doctor got himself to his feet, "Good."
"Now, what's the plan?" Clara asked.
"Who said I've got a plan?"
"You might not have a plan, but she does." She nodded to Thea. "She took that," She gestured to the umbrella in her hand, "and you didn't question it."
"I know better to question her."
"Yeah, but you're clever." She looked between them. "Really clever. Bet she gets it from you."
"I'm adopted," Thea smirked, tossing the umbrella to Clara, "but how clever are you?"
"That's the way to do it!" The ice woman cackled, still mirroring Punch.
"Is this a test?" Clara asked.
"Yes." The Doctor answered.
"What will it do to us?"
"Kill us." Thea stated.
"Not really something I want to happen to my daughter, if I'm honest." The Doctor added.
Thea grinned; oh she knew Clara was good! She didn't even need to be psychic to know that. She was brilliant and clever and certainly a match for the Doctor already. The Doctor only ever took the best, he never knew why, only who.
Clara was just who he needed, already he was getting right back into action.
"That's the way to do it!" The ice woman shouted, slowly starting to turn to snow to get through the window, reforming on the roof.
"So, come on then." The Doctor cut in, "Plan. Do we have one?"
"Oh, I know what your plan is." Clara remarked, tossing him the umbrella, "I knew straight away."
"No, you didn't." He argued, throwing it back to her.
"Course I did." And back to him.
"Show me." And back to her.
"Why should I?" Clara threw it back, but Thea interjected, grabbing it with one hand.
"Because we'll be dead in under 30 seconds," she told her. "So, plan?" She tossed her the umbrella.
"If we'd been escaping, we'd be climbing down the building," she reasoned, "If we'd been hiding, we'd be on the other side of the roof. But no, we're standing right here."
"So?" The Doctor shrugged.
"So!" She reached up with the umbrella and pulled the secret ladder down, "After you."
"After you."
"After you, I'm wearing a dress. Eyes front, soldier!"
"My eyes are always front!" The Doctor huffed but started to climb up the ladder.
"Mine aren't." Clara joked.
Thea pulled a face, starting to climb up after the Doctor, pausing a few steps above, knowing it was bad idea to leave Clara so close to the ice woman.
"Sorry." Clara laughed, stepping on the ladder after her, "Couldn't resist." She cleared her throat, turning to the ice woman, "I understand you're the previous governess. I regret to inform you the position is taken. Goodnight." With that she tapped the side of the ladder as it rose up into the clouds stepping off onto the small platform before the spiral staircase.
"No," Thea cut in as Clara opened her mouth to ask questions, "we can't control clouds, we just...shifted the wind a bit."
Clara blinked, a bit surprised she knew the answer to the question she hadn't even had a chance to ask, "how did you know I was going to ask that."
She smirked, stepped aside to allow Clara up the staircase first, "lucky guess."
Clara glanced back down, seeing the ice woman following, "She's following us!"
"That's the idea." The Doctor nodded, "Keep her away from the snow. So. Barmaid or governess, which is it?"
"That thing is after us, and you want a chat?"
"Well, we can't chat after we've been horribly killed, can we?"
"And that is quite the fall from up here." Thea commented.
Clara peered over the side seeing just how high up they now were, despite seemingly not having climbed that much, "How did we get up so high so quick?"
"Clever staircase." The Doctor grinned, "It's taller on the inside." He stepped onto the cloud, the TARDIS parked a few feet away, quickly using the sonic to shift the clouds to cover the entrance.
"What am I standing on, what's this made of?" Clara looked around.
"Super dense water vapour. Should keep her trapped for the moment."
"You actually live up here on a cloud, in a box?"
"We have done for a long time now."
"Blimey, you really know how to sulk, don't you?"
"He's does at least." Thea agreed.
"I'm not sulking!" The Doctor huffed.
"You live in a box!" Clara pointed out.
"That's no more a box than you are a governess." The Doctor scoffed, pulling out his key as he and Thea stepped inside.
"Oh, spoken like a man." Clara rolled her eyes, "You know, you're the same as all the rest. Sweet little Clara, works at the Rose And Crown, ideas above her station." She stormed in after them, "Well, for your information, I'm not sweet on the inside, and I'm certainly not..."
She stopped suddenly as the Doctor turned to lights on revealing the mechanical looking bigger-on-the-inside room.
"Little." Clara finished, staring.
"This is the TARDIS," Thea smiled widely as she held her arms around, "or home for us."
"It can travel anywhere in time and space." The Doctor explained, looking his arms around Theas shoulders, "and its ours."
"But it's..." Clara looked around, unable to find the words, "Look at it, it's..."
"Go on, say it. Most people do."
Clara bolted back outside, circling the box, double checking it was a tiny blue box on the outside as she re-entered to see it was still a large room inside, "It's smaller on the outside."
"Ok," the Doctor blinked, "that is a first."
"Is it magic? Is it a machine?"
"It's a ship."
"A ship?"
"Best ship in the universe!" Thea patted the console fondly, getting a hum in return, her grin faltering slightly hearing the hum wasn't as happy sounding as it usually was.
"Is there a kitchen?" Clara asked, making her way up to the console as Thea stepped back to allow Clara a closer look.
"Another first." The Doctor remarked.
"I don't know why I asked that. It's just...I like making souffles."
"Soufflés?" The Doctor frowned, glancing to Thea who frowned at Clara, not quite suspicious but curious.
Clara turned and faced them, hands on her hips, "Why are you showing me all this?"
"You followed us, remember? I didn't invite you."
"You're nearly a foot taller than I am." Clara pointed out, "You could've reached the ladder without this." She turned to Thea, "and you wouldn't need to reach the ladder with him around. You let her take it for me," she lightly threw the umbrella to the Doctor, "Why?"
"I never know why." The Doctor smiled softly, "I only know who." He stepped closer to her, holding up a key to the TARDIS and placing it in her hands, folding her fingers over it.
"What's this?" She frowned at her hands.
"Me. Giving in."
Clara sniffled, "I don't know why I'm crying."
"I do." He said softly, squeezing her hand, "Remember this. This right now, remember all of it. Because this is the day. This is the day. This is the day everything begins." He turned back to the console, starting to get to work...
Only to look up hearing a thud and a shout, looking over to see Thea had knocked Clara to the floor, the ice woman grabbing Thea and pulling her back as she struggled in her grasp.
"Get off me!" Thea struggled to get free but the ice woman's grasp was too tight, and too solid for her to kick her way out.
"Thea!" The Doctor shouted.
"Let go off her!" Clara jumped up and ran to help, trying to help pull Thea free.
"Get off!" Thea cried, struggling more to fend of Clara as she tried to help, but the woman refused to let go of her arms, even as they were both pulled back towards the edge of the cloud.
"Thea!" The Doctor shouted, groaning at his stupid mistake, "Water vapour doesn't stop ice. I should've realised."
"Get off!" Clara shouted.
"Get off me!" Thea told her.
"Let her go!" The Doctor flashed his sonic, hoping one setting, any setting would be enough, but nothing worked, "let them go now! Now!"
"Clara, let go!"
The Doctor let out a breath, hearing that, seeing how close to the edge of the cloud the ice woman was getting and Thea wasn't concerned about that, no, of course, she wasn't, a fall like that they'd easily survive. They'd both fallen from higher and only had the wind knocked out of them. No, she was concerned about the woman about to fall with her. Wanting to save the woman before herself. She always said that she would put herself before the humans but he always assumed she just meant protecting them from getting Slitheen bits all over them or would happily be live bait, but now realised she would easily risk her life for others.
"Let go!" Thea screamed at Clara, "please!"
The ice woman stepped over the cloud, Thea and Clara falling with her.
The Doctor lunged for the edge reaching over, "Thea!" He screamed, seeing them both falling to the ground, "Clara..."
~.~
The Doctor materialised on the ground below, materialising around the pair, rushing to kneel besides Thea, it was too late for Clara, no human could survive a fall from that height.
Thea groaned, rolling onto her side to see Clara's prone body besides her. She closed her eyes, she had tried so hard to save her, but the woman hadn't listened. If only she had let go, she would still be alive.
~.~
They had moved Claras body into the study, Strax using his advance technology to help prolong Claras life, it wouldnt save her, but it would at least give the family she cared for some time to say goodbye.
The Doctor stood in the TARDIS, examining some of the ice shards, as Vastra approached, managing to get him to come and see Clara, Straxs technology may have brought her back, but not for long, and Thea was fine, complaining of an aching back, that had Strax insisting she wasn't to move for a while and to rest. Which she didn't complain about, sitting besides Clara, holding her hand, silent.
"Hey," the Doctor murmured, moving to Claras side, a shard of ice in an old London souvenir lunchbox as he stood besides Thea before the young woman, "hello."
Claras eyes fluttered open, "They all think I'm going to die, don't they?"
"And I know you're going to live." The Doctor smiled at her.
"How?"
"I never know how." The Doctor took her hand in his, placing the key she had dropped back in her hand, "I just know who."
"The green lady." She breathed, "She said you were the saver of worlds once. Are you going to save this one?"
"If I do, will you come away with me?"
"And Thea?"
Thea smiled, "and me."
"Yes."
"Well then." The Doctor stood, straightening his bowtie, "Merry Christmas." He picked up the lunchbox and left the study, glancing back to Thea but he knew she wouldn't leave Clara side. Not right now. Not with the guilt she felt that wasn't her fault. He to the front doors, throwing them open to see Simeon standing there. "I have in my hand a piece of the Ice Lady. Everything you need to know about how to make ice people. Is that what you want? See you at the office." He shut the door again, hurrying into the TARDIS.
"So then, Doctor," Vastra followed him up to the console, "saving the world again? Might I ask why? Are you making a bargain with the universe? You'll save the world to let her live?"
"Yes." The Doctor nodded, setting the TARDIS in motion, "And don't you think, after all this time and everything I've ever done, that I am owed this one?"
"I don't think the universe makes bargains, and I'm sure Thea agrees with me."
"It was my fault." He said quietly.
"Now I might be wrong in assuming what happened but correct me if I am, didn't Thea shove Clara out of the way and miss Clara herself decided to try and help Thea, both of them taking the fall? Perhaps she's the one who feels at fault." The Doctor was silent and Vastra knew she was right in her assumption of what happened on the cloud, "Well then. Better save the world."
~.~
The Doctor sat at Simeons desk, eying the globe of snow, the suspiciously silence globe with Vastra standing besides him as Simeon stepped into his office.
"You promised us something," he got straight to the point, "Have you brought it?"
The Doctor nodded to the globe, "Big fella here's been very quiet while you've been out. Which is only to be expected, considering who he really is. Do you know what this is, big fella?" The Doctor stood and held the lunchbox before the globe.
"I do not understand these markings." The snow globe stated, speaking for the first time since they had arrived, now Simeon was there.
"A map of the London Underground, 1967. Key strategic weakness in metropolitan living, if you ask me, but then I have never liked a tunnel."
"Enough of this. We are powerful, but on this planet, we are limited. We need to learn to take human form." The Doctor flashed his sonic at the globe, the voices pitch increasing, sound like a young child, "The Governess is our most perfect replication of humanity."
"What's happening to its voice?" Vastra inquired.
"Just stripping away the disguise." The Doctor answered her.
"No, stop!" The globe shouted, "Stop that. Cease, I command you."
"It sounds like a child." Vastra frowned.
"Of course it sounds like a child." The Doctor agreed, "it is a child." He turned to see Simeon leaning against a desk, eye wide, looking pale, "Simeon as a child. The snow has no voice without him."
"Don't listen to him, he's ruining everything."
The Doctor eyed Simeon, "How long has the Intelligence been talking to you?" He asked.
"I was a little boy." The man breathed, "He was my snowman. He spoke to me."
"But the snow doesn't talk, does it. It's just a mirror. It just reflects back everything we think and feel and fear. You poured your darkest dreams into a snowman and look, look what it became."
"I don't understand." Vastra shook her head.
"It's a parasite feeding on the loneliness of a child and the sickness of an old man." The Doctor sighed, "Carnivorous snow meets Victorian values and something terrible is born."
"We can go on and do everything we planned!" The globe shouted.
"Oh yes, and what a plan," the Doctor rolled his eyes at it, "A world full of living ice people. Oh, dear me, how very Victorian of you."
Simeon glared, "What's wrong with Victorian values?" And made to snatch the lunchbox, moving to open it.
"Ah, ah, ah." The Doctor didn't try to stop him, "Are you sure?'
Simeons glare darkened, "I have always been sure." And opened the lunchbox only to get bitten by the memory worm, falling to his knees as his memories were lost.
"Good." The Doctor moved to knee before the man, "I'm glad you think so, since your entire adult life is about to be erased. No parasite without a host. Without you, it will have no voice. Without the governess, it will have no form."
"What?" The globe gasped as its lights started to flicker, as the snow swirled furiously, "what, what's happening? What's happening? What did you do?"
"You've got nothing left to mirror any more." The Doctor shrugged, "Goodbye."
"What did you, did you..."
The Doctor smiled as the lights faded from loss of power...
Only to brighten again, the deep voice returning, "Did you really think it would be so easy?"
The Doctor stopped, staring wide eyed, "That's not possible. How is that possible?"
"Doctor?" Vastra glanced at him. Seeing this was not part of his plan.
~.~
Thea lowered her head, resting it against Clara's hand.
Jenny gasped, catching sight of something outside to see snowmen popping up in the garden, "They're growing! The snowmen are growing!"
"What should we do?" Captain Latimer cried.
Thea looked up, "winter is coming!"
~.~
"But you were just Doctor Simeon." The Doctor shook his head, "You're not real. He dreamed you. How can you still exist?"
"Now the dream outlives the dreamer and can never die!" The globe shouted, "Once I was the puppet..."
And Simeon jumped up, unnaturally pale, frost all over him. "Now I pull the strings!" The globe cried, its voice echoing out of Simeon, "I tried so long to take on human form. By erasing Simeon, you made space for me. I fill him now."
Vastra moved to attack Simeon only for him to knock her aside with impossible strength as he advanced on the Doctor.
Simeon grabbed him, "More than snow, more than Simeon. Even this old body is strong in my control."
"Argh!" The Doctor groaned as he was pushed to the floor, Simeon pressed a hand to his face, freezing him.
"Do you feel it? Winter is coming! Winter is coming!"
~.~
"Cold," Thea shivered, "so cold."
"It's alright," Jenny moved a blanket over her shoulders, rubbing her arms, "You'll soon warm up."
Thea shook her head. She didn't understand. She wasn't the one that was cold. She looked down feeling Claras had shift in her own.
Clara looked up at her, her eyes struggling to focus, "you're still here."
"I'm not going anywhere." Thea swore.
"No, you must fight." Strax called, seeing a spike in his readings, that Claras life was fading away again "Hang on and fight, boy. You can do it."
"Not much longer now, Clara." Thea squeezed her hand gently, "It'll be over soon. We will meet again."
"Captain Latimer." Clara turned her head slightly as the man stepped up to her side, "Your children. They're afraid. Hold them."
"I, um..." He fumbled, glancing to his children standing off to the side with the maid that had fainted, "its not really my area."
"It is now." A single tear fell down Clara cheek as Thea leaned over to wipe it away.
Captain Latimer turned to his children, on his knees, his arms open and they ran into his embrace.
Outside the raging snowstorm turned to rain.
~.~
Simeon screeched, arching his back, pulling away from the Doctor who panted as the frost covering his face instantly began to melt. The snow inside the globe becoming rain.
"What's happening?" The globe cried.
"Doctor," Vastra called, moving to help him to his feet, "the globe. It's turning to rain. All of it, the snow, look."
They looked over as the snow melted becoming a puddle of water and Simeon fell to the ground, dead.
Vastra moved to check the body, "He's dead. What happened?"
"The snow mirrors, that's all it does. It's mirroring something else now. Something so strong, it's drowning everything else." He moved to the window, opening it and holding his hand out, catching the rain, "There was a critical mass of snow at the house. If something happened there..." he tested the rain, it wasn't like usually rain water, saltier.
"It's salty." Vastra grimaced, "Salt water rain."
"It's not raining. It's crying. The only force on Earth that could drown the snow. A whole family crying on Christmas Eve."
~.~
Thea stood up, hearing the TARDIS materialising, turning as the Doctor and Vastra entered the room. She didn't speak as she moved before him, just standing there a moment before he pulled her into a tight hug. No words needing to be said as he knew right now, she was craving his comfort.
"I'm sorry." Strax told them, solemn, "There was nothing to be done. She has moments only."
The Doctor nodded, moving back to Claras side as Thea shifted onto her knees besides him, "We saved the world, Clara, the three of us. We really, really did."
Clara smiled at that, "are you going back to your cloud?"
"No more cloud." The Doctor swore, "Not now."
"Why not?"
"It rained."
"Run." Clara breathed, "Run, you clever boy. And remember."
"Remember what?" Thea frowned, recalling they had been the same last words Oswin has said to them.
She didn't get an answer as the clock struck midnight and Clara closed her eyes one last time.
"It's Christmas." The young boy sniffled, turning to his father, needing his comfort, "Christmas Day."
~.~
The aliens and Jenny stood in the graveyard watching for a short respectable distance as the Latimer family paid their respects to Claras grave.
"And what about the Intelligence?" Vastra asked as she stood by Jennys side, "Melted with the snow?"
"No." Thea stated quietly, "We'll meet it again."
The Doctor sighed, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, "It learned to survive beyond physical form."
"Well, we can't be in much danger from a disembodied Intelligence that thinks it can invade the world with snowmen." Jenny tried to joke.
"Or that the London Underground is a key strategic weakness." Vastra smirked at the Doctor.
"The Great Intelligence." The Doctor mused, "Rings a bell. The Great Intelligence."
The Doctor watched as Thea silently knelt before Clara grave, running her fingers along the craving, pausing at the middle name.
'Clara Oswin Oswald.
Remember me, we shall meet again.
Born November 23 1866,
died December 24, 1892'
The Doctor frowned, seeing her stiffen, crouching besides her, reading the name, his eyes widening, "I never knew her name. Her full name. Souffle girl. Oswin. It was her. It was souffle girl again. I never saw her face the first time with the Daleks, but her voice, it was the same voice."
"Wouldn't know I heard Dalek, remember?" Thea looked at him.
"The same woman, twice. And she died both times. The same woman!"
"Doctor, please, what are you talking about?" Vastra shook her head.
"Something's going on." He turned to them, "Something impossible, something..."
"Intriguing." Thea offered.
"Right, you two stay here." The Doctor pointed at them, "Stay right here. Don't move an inch."
"Are you coming back?" Vastra called as the Time Lords took off towards the TARDIS.
"Not for a couple of months." Thea laughed.
"But where are you going?"
"To find her." The Doctor cheered, "To find Clara. Ha ha ha!"