And here we are - The Name of the Doctor!
Next time we have a Martha adventure with Gridlock
Enjoy!
"Wait!" Bill suddenly announced, "Was that Rassilon the same one as when Eyebrows went back to Gallifrey?" She had only just made the connection to the maniac that stuck her Doctor in a torture time loop.
"Only just made that connection?" The Doctor's smile was brittle.
"Didn't really think about a guy in a tomb being the same person you kicked off of Gallifrey. It seemed like a popular Gallifreyan name." Yaz defended Bill, chipping in with her own thoughts.
The Doctor shook her head, "No, it isn't that popular a name. The council brought back several important people to help with the Time War, Rassilon included."
"Not that it lasted long." The Master smirked, thinking back to his destruction of Gallifrey. Rassilon hadn't been on the planet at the time (due to the Doctor kicking him off) but he'd made sure to hunt him down and end him (several times).
The Doctor grimaced at him, before turning back to the group. "Let's just focus on the next video, yeah?" It wasn't really a question but apparently the Tardis was listening as the screen went blank as the next video title appeared.
"The Name of the Doctor?" Rose read out loud, "Are we back to people trying to work that out?"
"Do they ever really stop?" Amy muttered, sharing a look with Rory. The Doctor grimaced for a second, mind wandering back to the Silence and River's childhood. She had a sneaking suspicion what this video was going to be about and she couldn't help but glance at Clara. Unfortunately, Clara noticed her gaze and her eyes immediately widened as she made the connection.
"This is going to be interesting." Clara declared, glancing quickly at River. She wasn't sure how people were going to react to the mess they were likely about to watch, though it may explain a few things they'd seen before.
Yaz raised an eyebrow, "Well that sounds promising." Everyone could detect the sarcasm lacing her voice, none of them were excited to see the mess about to unfold (they didn't need to know what was going to happen to know it would be a mess – the Doctor was involved after all).
We hear Clara who says one day you meet the Doctor
"So which Doctor is it then?" Rose asked, already curious to know more about what they were about to watch. They knew they were back to the older Doctors that they knew based on Clara's appearance.
"It's probably Chinny or Eyebrows because Clara's around." Martha theorised, glancing at Clara for answers (they all knew they were more likely to get it from her than from the Doctor).
Clara took pity on them for once, "It's Chinny. And this video, if it's what we think it is-," She glanced briefly at the Doctor, "Will explain somethings we've mentioned before, and more importantly how the Doctor kept meeting me." The group seemed to perk up with that announcement, it was something that ad come up several times but they'd received no real answer to the reason so they were eager to know.
She continues that obviously, it is the best day of your life because he is brilliant and mad, and he really needs you
"God, don't tell them that! All the compliments go to their head and its big enough as it is!" Donna berated Clara teasingly.
"Hey!" The Doctor's protests couldn't be heard over everyone's laughter.
She says the trick is to not fall in love
The laughter immediately cut out as the tension in the room became a bit awkward. Clara grimaced as her old crush was brought up yet again, she was long since over it and knew that she and the Doctor never would have worked like that (she wasn't sure the Doctor would never be able to have any sort of normal relation like that – River (and regrettably the Master) were likely she would ever get ... or want really).
That wasn't to say she didn't love the Doctor, of course she did but more in a friend or family way then romantic. Plus, it was embarrassing to have it brought up again, even though she knew several others in the room understood all too well based on the commiserating smiles she received from a number of them.
Thankfully no one made any further comments, allowing the video to continue with minimal embarrassment (for the moment at least).
She says once you start running you start to forget, and after a while you stop asking who are you, where are you from, where are you going, and what is your name, you get used to not knowing
"Are you talking about you or the Doctor?" Mickey asked a bit unsure, "Because one is much more concerning than the other."
Clara considered it for a moment, glancing at the Doctor who only shrugged, offering no help at all. "The Doctor I think, but it would also make some sense for me because of … well I guess you'll see." She trailed off, not ready to bring everything up especially as they were likely about to watch it anyway.
Clara continues she thought she never would but was wrong as she knows who he is, where he began and where he is going. She learnt the truth and his biggest secret the day they went Trenzalore
"Trenzalore?" Amy's eyes narrowed, recognising the name immediately. "The place Chinny regenerated? Where you were supposed to die?"
The Doctor and Clara shared a long look before the Doctor turned back to answer Amy's question. "Yes, that Trenzalore. We may have visited it once before and this is that trip we think."
"It wasn't a fun one." Clara's grumble wasn't as quiet as she'd hoped based on the increased tension and concern in the room. She was just glad they were skimming over her remark about knowing the Doctor's greatest secret as it wasn't exactly true anymore.
Now we hear the Doctor, who declares Clara was impossible from the start, he met her at the Dalek Asylum and in Victorian London and both times she saves his life, and gave her life in the process
"And this video, this trip to Trenzalore apparently, is going to explain all that?" Yaz asked curious, glancing between the Doctor and Clara who kept sharing knowing looks (to the frustration of the rest of the group that just wanted straight answers for once).
"It should." The Doctor nodded; eyes locked firmly on the screen.
He continues now they're running together and she is perfect, always brave, funny, exactly what he needs
Clara's faced reddened at the unexpected compliments from her first Doctor. The Doctor's soft smile directed at her told her all she needed to know. Her companions were always what she needed to stay sane during her travels, despite the trouble and pain sometimes, it was always worth it to be able to share those travels and memories with the friends she found, the Doctor wouldn't change it for anything.
Too perfect. He thought he would get used to not knowing but he was wrong as he knows who she is, how she came into his life and what she will always mean, and he found out the day they went to Trenzalore
"Very dramatic." Ryan muttered at the Doctor's matching declaration.
"Isn't it always." Graham sighed.
In Gallifrey's Citadel, a very long time ago. An alarm is sounding and a Gallifreyan approaches another asking if something is wrong. The other replies the alarm is from the repair shop, and asks what kind of idiot would steal a faulty Tardis?
As once the group all turned to the Doctor (the Master included) with no hesitation, knowing full well exactly who would steal a faulty Tardis.
"She's not faulty. The Tardis is perfect!" The Doctor protested, distracted by the perceived slight against the Tardis to really take in the group's actions.
"So, we're meant to never land where and when we're wanting to go?" Bill raised a disbelieving eyebrow at the Doctor.
River smirked as she answered in the Doctor's place, "No, that's just the Doctor's terrible driving." The Doctor's spluttered protested were drowned out by the group's laughter. Though there was an edge to it due to the video starting with Gallifrey (they were a bit wary after everything they'd seen recently) and they were very curious about why they were starting so early in the Doctor's journey.
We see a white-haired old man in a black frock and a teenage girl getting into a non-camouflaged Type 40 Tardis
"That's when you left the first time." Rose's quiet words were a statement, not a question but it didn't stop the Doctor answering with a solemn nod, eyes focused on Susan rather than the whole scene like the rest of the group.
In the repair shop, Clara calls to the first Doctor who asks what she wants
"You were there? How were you there?" Martha asked bewildered. There must have been some extreme time travelling shenanigans occurring for Clara to be on Gallifrey during the Doctor's first departure.
Clara just shrugged, "Yes and no. As for how, you'll just have to watch and find out." She shared another knowing look with the Doctor, and then a quick glance at River who knew something of what had occurred, unlike the others watching.
"Well, that clears that up." Nardole muttered at Clara's answer.
Clara tells him he is about to make a very big mistake. Then off screen we hear her say she doesn't know where she is, she's broken into a million pieces and the only thing she remembers is she has to save the Doctor, adding he always looks different
"You're in his time stream." Jack realised quietly, eyes darting between the screen, the Doctor and Clara.
The Doctor blinked a bit in shock, "You worked that out quickly." She had figured Jack would be the first to put the pieces together but she hadn't thought he would do it so quickly. She was also putting all her focus onto Jack and the rest of the group in an effort to ignore the Master's eyes which seemed to be trying to glare a hole in the side of her head, the weight of the gaze only getting heavier as she ignored it longer.
Jack shrugged, "I've been around a bit Doctor. I've seen it before, once, it didn't end well." He finished with a grimace, everything he was getting from what Clara and the Doctor so far suggested this wouldn't be fun either but at least the pair were alive (ish).
"What does that mean? Clara being in the Doctor's time stream?" Rory asked, interrupting the weird stare off Jack and the Doctor were having.
This time Jack was included in the exchange of knowing looks, but it was Clara that actually answered with an understanding (albeit a bit pained) smile, "It's better to just watch. Everything will be explained … eventually."
No one seemed happy about that, the lack of clear answers already frustrating them, but as usually they weren't given much of a choice. Thankfully, the Tardis quickly resumed the video so they could move closer to the answers they so dearly craved.
The sixth Doctor walks across behind her, then the fourth Doctor with his scarf flying, as she calls out to them unseen. Clara continues saying she always knows it is him and she feels, sometimes, like she is everywhere at once, running to find him. The seventh Doctor dangles from the ice cliffs on the lower levels in Dragonfire, and Clara calls to him. She adds just to save him
"That's a lot of work for one person." Donna said gingerly, "This lump needs a lot of saving."
"Yea – hey! Donna!" The Doctor practically wined at Donna's teasing. She'd missed the undertone of Donna's statement, but Clara hadn't, offering the red head a small smile to try and reassure her she was okay.
The third Doctor drives past in Bessie. Then the second Doctor in his fur coat runs past her in a park, she tries to follow but falls onto a clear surface where the fifth Doctor flats below her in the Matrix in Arc of Infinity. Clara says the Doctor never hears her. Then we see the Eleventh Doctor in Victorian clothes, from the Snowmen, Clara calls to him
"Until he did." Amy said, "What made that time different?" No one answered her.
Clara corrected herself to almost never, adding she blew into the world on a leaf. A leaf, like the one that blew into the face of her father when he met her mother. She says she is still blowing and doesn't think she'll ever land. She is Clara Oswald, the impossible girl, she was born to save the Doctor
The Doctor's expression saddened at that, "Clara … that's not true. You know that right? You were born to be you. Saving me was a choice you were forced into, but it's not who you are."
Clara's own expression did a complicated cartwheel of emotions before she let out a small sigh, "I know. We were both still pretty new to each other then. But you're wrong about one thing – saving you wasn't a choice I was forced into; it's one I made and not one I regret. You need someone to look after you Doctor, we all know that."
The Doctor was quiet at that, staring contemplatively into the distance while the video restarted. The rest of the room had watched the exchange feeling like they were intruding on a private conversation yet not being able to do anything but stay quiet and try and give the pair time to say what they needed to say.
In a prison cell in London 1983, DeMarco repeats a rhyme about the Whisper Men, before saying one word from her would save him from the rope
"Creepy rhyme." Bill declared, eyeing the screen warily.
Vastra says to count on her silence
"Vastra!" Amy grinned as the group were treated to the sight of the familiar alien lizard. They were always happy to see the trio of Vastra, Jenny and Strax.
DeMarco argues he has valuable information and Vastra asks if he is bargaining for his life as he has the blood of fourteen woman on his hands, and no words will save his neck
"Why do I get the feeling he's going to know something important." Rory muttered with a grimace at the news of his kill count.
DeMarco says he knows about her dangerous friend, the Doctor. Vastra asks how, and DeMarco says there are whispers if you know where to listen, and the Doctor has a secret
"He has a lot of secrets." Clara said, glancing quickly at the Doctor. She may know what this is about but that didn't stop her statement being true.
Vastra counter the Doctor has many, but DeMarco pushes that he has one that he'll take to the grave, and it is discovered
"Your name?" Yaz asked a bit frantically, glancing at the Doctor for answers. "How did they discover it?"
Clara and the Doctor shared a look, "They didn't." The Doctor finally answered.
"But-?" Yaz tried to ask, expression perfectly conveying her confusion.
The Doctor gave a rueful smile, "Not all is as it seems."
Back at Paternoster Row, Jenny argues they can't let him live. Vastra decides he lives until she understands what he told her, adding the need a conference call and she'll send out the invitations if Jenny will fetch the candles
"How are they going to manage a conference call when they're in Victorian London?" Rose asked bemused.
River and the Doctor grinned, while Clara just sighed, "Just watch."
Jenny agrees, walking out of the room and hears voices whispering. Vastra asks where Strax is and Jenny reminds her it is his weekend off, so the usual
"Now that has me curious." Mickey grinned, "What does a potato do on his day off?"
Vastra wishes he'd never discovered the place
"Ooh, that only has me more curious." Martha matched her husband's grin.
In Glasgow, Strax and a big man are sent flying out a window. Archie demands he comes here so he can kill him, Scots accent thick
"He's in Scotland!" Amy grinned widely, glad to see her home on screen again (even just briefly).
Strax tells him to prepare to die in agony for the glory of the Sontaran Empire
"He's fighting people?" Rose raised an eyebrow before shaking her head, "Of course the Sontaran is spending his free time fighting."
The Doctor shook her head, "Don't be so hasty to stereotype, Rose."
A messenger boy interrupts them, Strax apologies to Archie for the delay which Archie says isn't a problem
"So, it's a friendly fight?" Bill asked, "Yeah I can see why Strax loves it."
The messenger boy gives him a telegram stating it is very urgent. Strax reads it and finds it is a conference call, asking Archie to render him unconscious
"What kind of conference call requires you to be unconscious?!" Donna asked alarmed.
Clara grimaced, ignoring the Doctor's grin, "One of Vastra's, unfortunately."
Archie raises his large mallet, but Strax interrupts him to give him a larger shovel saying it might take a while
"Ouch." Ryan winced at the thought of getting hit with wither of those weapons. He did not want to have to take part in one of these conference calls if this was how you participated.
At Paternoster row, Vastra and Jenny settle themselves into high backed chair around a five-sided table, telling each other to sleep well
The group smiled at the married couple, always glad to see them happy. It also appeared that Strax's method of going unconscious was, thankfully, not the only method that worked.
In a kind of higher/astral plane, they are still seated around the five-sided table but the décor has changed. Off screen a whisper declares the trap is set for the Doctor's friends and they will travel where the Doctor ends
"Very ominous." Nardole commented.
Jenny says she likes the new desktop, and Vastra adds the tea should be brilliant as it is drawn from one of her best memories. Strax joins them, complaining it better be important as he was in the midst of destroying some pleasant primitives. Vastra apologies but says there is urgent news about the Doctor
"When is there not?" Amy snorted, giving the Doctor a pointed look and receiving a pout in answer.
Strax asks who else is coming, Vastra replies the women
"Wait, women, as in plural? I mean Clara is obviously going to be coming but who else?" Martha immediately picked up on Vastra's wording, turning to the Doctor for answers. The Doctor just winked in reply as Clara sighed a long-suffering sigh.
In the Maitland home, the children are doing their homework. Angie hopes Clara isn't trying to make souffle again, but Clara is, saying it is her mothers and this time she will get it right and be Souffle Girl
Amy, Rory, Clara and the Doctor all exchanged a look at the old name. Both Amy and Rory were very interested in getting an explanation for how Clara had been in the Dalek Asylum without having actually been there, and it seemed this was the video that would explain all.
Angie asks how it is her mum's souffle if she makes it, Clara clarifies it is like her mother said, the souffle isn't the souffle, but the recipe
"Because that makes sense." Bill said, eyebrows crunkled in confusion. Clara just shrugged.
Angie asks if her mother was crazy and Clara says she was a great woman. Clara picks up an envelope with instructions to open when alone, she asks what it is, and Angie explains it arrived today for her
"I'm guessing that's your invitation to the conference call." Rory decided with a nod.
Yaz smiled, "Let's just hope you get the more peaceful option when it comes to going unconscious."
Up in her room, Clara reads the letter that Vastra wrote, explaining the Doctor gave her Clara's contact details for emergencies, and one seems to have arisen
"I'm surprised it took that long." Rose smirked at the Doctor, earning a chuckle from Clara.
The letter instructs her to find and light the enclosed candle which will release a soporific that will induce a trance state enabling direct conversation across the years
"Lucky you, you get the more peaceful option." Graham said, a bit surprised albeit pleasantly.
Vastra's letter continues that she knows Clara may not trust the letter and as such has embedded the same soporific into the fabric of the paper she is holding, so speak soon
The group just chuckled at that while Clara shook her head in (fond) exasperation, she really should have expected something like that from Vastra, she was aways one to have a backup plan.
Clara drops in to the higher plane, Vastra says she is glad to see her, but Clara asks where she is
"That's a very good question." Ryan muttered, watching the screen confused. He still wasn't sure how the conference calls worked, but he was sure he was about to find out.
Jenny explains she's still where she was but sleeping, and Vastra adds time travel is possible in dreams, and they are waiting on one more person
"The other women." Amy said, eyes narrowed at the screen. She had a sneaking suspicion about who would be joining the group.
Strax bemoans it being the one with the gigantic head, and Jenny corrects him to hair. River arrives in a puff of smoke, greeting Vastra
The room all turned to look at River who only smirked at the group, she knew her participation in these events wouldn't stay a secret long though she wasn't eager to see her parents' reaction to her essentially haunting the Doctor. She didn't have too many fond memories of her time as a data ghost before she managed to escape fully.
Vastra greets her as professor, and tells her to help herself to some tea
Amy and Rory shared a knowing look, both immediately noticing the use of 'professor' as it gave them a clue as to where River was in her time line.
River thanks her but creates a champagne bottle and flute for herself
"River." Rory sighed fondly at his daughter; he really shouldn't have expected anything less from her.
Jenny asks how she did it, and River says disgracefully. Vastra introduces River to Clara as the Doctor's companion, his current travelling assistant, as she realises they might not have met
"Awkward." Mickey muttered, even as Clara glared at him. She was fully aware that it was awkward (due to her crush on the Doctor and not knowing River was his wife) but that didn't mean that it needed to be said! Or that they needed to linger on it.
River introduces herself saying the Doctor might have mentioned her. Clara says he has, Professor Song, she had just never realised she was a woman
"Ooh." Ryan muttered glancing between the screen and the Doctor. River raised an eyebrow at her wife with a pointed look to match as Clara winced in memory. Amy and Rory shared a look.
"And what exactly have you been saying about me?" River stared the Doctor down who visibly shrunk, shuffling around in her seat as her eyes darted around the room practically begging from help. No one was going to risk River's wrath to save the Doctor.
"Erm, well. You see …" The Doctor managed to stutter out, still not meeting River's eyes as her hands fidgeted away.
River's stern expression broke into a grin as she broke out into laughter, "I'm just teasing Sweetie. I know what you're like."
The Doctor took a second to let out a sigh of relief before she caught up with River's words, "Oi! What does that mean?"
River just grinned cryptically as the rest of the group snickered.
Neither did Strax
"We know Strax." The Doctor sighed, Strax never changed.
Vastra says they should get down to business, and Jenny quickly agrees
"Please. Save me anymore embarrassment." Clara mumbled to the screen despite knowing that it wouldn't actually achieve anything.
Vastra explains DeMarco offered them space time coordinated in exchange for his life, claiming it is the location of the Doctor's greatest secret
"Which one?" The Master snorted degradingly. It earnt him a few wary looks from the group before they went with the smart idea of ignoring him.
Clara asks what it is, Jenny says they don't know as it is a secret. Vastra tells them the Doctor doesn't discuss his secrets with anyone, and if Clara still thinks herself and exception to that rule, just ask herself, what is his name?
"The Doctor only discusses their secrets under extreme circumstances and even than not always." Jack snorted, not unkindly, that was just the way the Doctor was.
Something invisible touches Jenny's cheek, the others don't notice. River says she knows it, and Clara asks her about it, River says she made him tell her
"It was more a case of telling you to stop you doing something stupid." The Doctor argued.
"And you would know all about doing something stupid, wouldn't you Sweetie?" River smirked at her wife. Clara shook her head at the pair.
Clara asks how, and River admits it took a while. Clare pushes that they're friends, then? River explains they were a little more than friends, a long time ago
Bill narrowed her eyes at the screen, glancing at the Doctor and River in the room with them. "A long time ago? Where are you in your time line?" They'd gotten used to the idea that River and the Doctor's timelines rarely lined up.
River glanced knowingly at the Doctor and Clara before she gave the younger girl a smile, "You'll see."
Vastra asks if he still hasn't contacted her, and River reminds her he doesn't like endings
The group all shared a look, that gave a hint to where River was in her timeline and it wasn't a nice hint.
Something is happening in Paternoster row where Vastra and Jenny are asleep
The group tensed up. Rose frowned, "Something wrong."
River asks what else did DeMarco tell Vastra, and she says he provided only one more word – Trenzalore, which she'd heard in connection to the Doctor before. River asks exactly how he described what he was giving her
"River's sensed somethings fishy with DeMarco." Rory smiled proudly at his daughter.
Vastra repeats his words exactly, and River says she misunderstood. Jenny interrupts them, apologising, as she just realised, she forgot to lock the doors
"Oh god." Martha's eyes widened, that didn't bode well.
Vastra waves her off saying it doesn't matter, pushing for River to explain the misunderstanding
"I think it does matter." Mickey declared, picking up on his wife's worries. The doors being open left Jenny and Vastra vulnerable.
Jenny pushes that she should have locked up before they went in the trance as someone has broken in, she can hear them. Vastra asks if she is alright, panicked. Jenny apologies repeatedly saying she thinks she'd just been murdered
"Oh, no, no, no." Amy's eyes widened in concern. That was more than just a little bit of trouble, that was serious.
It also didn't make sense. "Wait, Jenny's dead? How can Jenny be dead? We saw her with Eyebrows after this mess? Doctor?" Yaz asked, many others followed her lead in looking to the Doctor for answers.
The Doctor was frowning at the screen, having been absent for that part, although they had been told about it later. She finally met the group's concerned (and hopeful) eyes, "It's best to watch, all will be explained in good time but …" She took another glance at the group desperately hoping for good news, and for once she decided to be kind and not leave them in suspense, "But … Jenny is alive."
The group let out a breath of relief at that, although the room was still tense as the threat of danger remained imminent.
Astral Jenny starts to fade away as Vastra calls after her, and Clara asks what happened to her
Clara couldn't help but wince a bit at her statement, Jenny had literally said what had happened, but she'd been in shock and confused by the whole affair for it to truly register.
River, Strax and Vastra all call for Jenny, before River tells Vastra she is under attack and must wake up, now, she slaps her
"That's one way to wake up quickly." Graham shrugged, although his expression was worried.
Vastra wakes up asking the group of 'men' with just mouths, who they are and what they've done to Jenny, they snarl at her
"What are those things!" Donna asked horrified at the sight of the 'men' attacking Vastra.
"The Whisper Men." The Doctor stated.
"That only leaves me with more questions." Martha muttered, but she knew her chances of getting actual answers at this moment was slim. The Doctor wasn't even given a chance to try and answer before the video continued.
Back in the higher plane, River tells Strax him too, throwing the champagne in his face. He sits up in Glasgow, surrounded by the same creatures. They're also with Clara and River.
"You're all surrounded." Ryan said worriedly.
"But how did they know you would all be vulnerable at that moment?" Rose asked the question that brought a chill to everyone's spine. How did they know? No one noticed the look the Doctor and Clara exchanged.
The whisper men say to tell the Doctor. Clara asks to tell him what, and the face of the Great Intelligence appears (Holo-Simeon)
"That's the guy with the creepy snowmen!" Bill pointed at the screen as she made the connection.
The Doctor nodded with a grimace, "The Great Intelligence."
"That's not promising." Yaz muttered worriedly.
Holo-Simeon says to tell him his friends are lost forever unless he goes to Trenzalore, River shouts no, saying he can't go there, they know he can't
"When has the Doctor ever listened to 'can't'." Jack said, although his expression was unusually grim and serious rather than his normal teasing grin. He was worried about the idea of the Doctor going to Trenzalore, as was the rest of the group, because they all knew that was where this was all leading and the first time (for them, second for the Doctor and Clara) was bad enough.
Off screen the Doctor calls to the kids – Angie and Artie. River continues declaring the Doctor can never go to Trenzalore
"Welp, we all know where he'd heading." Amy sighed. That was the quickest way to get the Doctor to go somewhere - by saying they can't. They were like a child in that way.
The Doctor asks if he is getting warm. Clara wakes up in the Maitland home, at the top of the stairs, and spots the Doctor blindfolded, asking the kids if he is getting warm
"Ah, the kids tricked you." Rose laughed, quickly piecing together the picture they were being shown.
Clara goes downstairs and talks to him. The Doctor asks how she is and reassures her everything is under control
"Nothing is under control." Yaz snorted, shaking her head in fond exasperation at the Doctor. The slight levity was a nice break from the mess they'd just witnessed, though they all knew it wouldn't last long.
Clara asks what he is doing, and he explains Mr Maitland went next door so he agreed to look after the kids. He continues they wanted to go to the cinema but he said not until she wakes up
"So, they suggested a game in which you were blindfolded and they hid." Martha grinned, "Smart kids."
"Kids do sense weakness." Mickey nodded along with his wife.
Clara cuts in adding they suggested Blind Man's Buff at that point, the Doctor agrees asking where they are, and Clara tells him they're at the cinema as she removes his blindfold.
"Good to know, don't let the Doctor babysit." Donna teased the Doctor who was pouting as the rest of the group laughed at the Doctor's face as he realised what had happened (and Clara's exasperation was quite entertaining too).
The Doctor asks what is wrong, and Clara makes tea as she catches him up on what happened. Clara asks who the lady with the funny name and space hair was
Clara shrunk down to avoid the raised eyebrow she knew River was directing her way. The Doctor just smirked at Clara who was begging for help with his eyes, glad it was someone else facing River's wrath for once. The Tardis decided to be merciful towards Clara for once, swiftly resuming the video.
The Doctor calls her an old friend of his, and when Clara pushes, admits she was his ex. He says River asked for the exact words, what were they?
"Deflecting, Doctor." Jack grinned widely as the Doctor winced, avoiding her wife's pointed look.
Clara tells him and he cries, quickly apologising and clarifying it was definitely Trenzalore. She does and he apologises again, running out the house
The group wasn't quite sure what to say, they couldn't really understand what the Doctor was going through. They weren't sure how they would react to being told that one of their greatest secrets was at risk, and that they needed to go to the place they were going to die in order to save their friends. It wasn't exactly a common situation.
Clara finds the Doctor under the time rotor in the Tardis, prompting him to explain
"You've figured out his hiding spots." Amy nodded approvingly at Clara. She wasn't sure if the Doctor's hiding spots around the Tardis varied with the regeneration, but she knew most of Chinny's, and apparently Clara knew at least some of them. Sometimes it wasn't good to let the Doctor hide away, and other times it was. His was one occasion where it was better to hunt down the Doctor and make them explain.
The Doctor explains he knows the name, Dorium and a few others mentioned it, and he suspected but never wanted to find out what it was. He says River would know though; she always knew. He asks her to give him her hand, as the coordinates she saw should still be in her memory and he'll link her to the Tardis telepathic circuits and it shouldn't hurt a bit
"Which is Doctor for; it is going to hurt but it is better to not tell you that." Rory commented with a pointed look at the Doctor who looked unrepentant.
Clara cries out in pain and the Doctor admits he lied
"As you do." Amy muttered.
Clara asks what Trenzalore is and if it his big secret, he says no, and Clara pushes about what it is then. The Doctor explains that time travellers have one place they should never go, one place in all of space and time
"Your grave. And yet you've been twice." Rose said, raising an eyebrow at the Doctor.
"Well as it turns out it wasn't my official grave." The Doctor argued with a grin (a weak attempt to hide her apprehension about what was still to come).
"And when have you ever been one for doing what you're told?" Jack snorted.
Clara asks where and the Doctor comments she didn't listen, but they never do and that's the problem. He explains DeMarco meant his grave not his secret when he said it was found, and Trenzalore is where he's buried
"That makes more sense." Ryan admitted.
Clara asks how he can have a grave and the Doctor replies everyone does, somewhere in the future waiting for them
"Ominous." Bill said, wide eyed. "But true I guess." She conceded.
They go to the console as the Doctor continues that an issue with time travel is you can actually visit the grave. Clara tells him he isn't going as he just said it is the one place he should never go
"Which means of course you're going to go." River said, even if his friends hadn't been threatened River was sure the Doctor would have ended up at Trenzalore at some point before their regeneration. The Doctor was just like that.
The Doctor counters he has to, to save Vastra and Strax, and Jenny if it is still possible. He shares that they cared for him during dark times, never questioned or judged him, they were just kind and he owes them. He adds that he assumes there is no point in telling her it is too dangerous
"Nope." Clara announced with false cheer. It was a feeling that everyone emphasised with; there had been several times where things were supposedly 'too dangerous' but that had never stopped them before. No matter how much the Doctor wished it would sometimes.
Clara agrees and asks how they can save them, the Doctor replies by breaking into his own tomb, apparently
"Tomb raiding." Amy grinned, "Sounds like fun."
Rory shook his head at his wife, "You have a weird definition of fun."
They set the Tardis off, and it is a bumpy ride
Rose narrowed her eyes at the screen, "That's bad flying even for you. Something else is up."
The Doctor's expression wavered, unsure if to take Rose's comment as a compliment or not. In the end she just waved at the screen in answer.
Clara comments on the bumpy flight and the Doctor explains the Tardis worked out where they are going and is fighting against it as he is trying to cross his own timeline, he shouts at Clara to hold on in time for bangs and sparks before they get thrown over the railing and the Tardis powers down
"She really didn't like that." Donna gave the Tardis on screen a sad look, poor girl.
"None of us did." Clara grumbled.
Clara asks what now and the Doctor replies the Tardis doesn't want to land so she's shut down. When Clara asks about being there, the Doctor figures they must be close, opening the door and looking down
"Please don't tell me you're going to jump." Graham pleaded.
Yaz snorted, "It's the Doctor, of course she is."
The Doctor mutters about the angry volcanic planet below being where he ends up, adding he always thought he'd retire, try watercolours or bee-keeping or something, but apparently not
"Please Sweetie we both know that is never going to happen." River gave her wife a soft look despite the teasing comment, a million words hidden amongst her statement. The pair's stare off was only stopped by the continuation of the video.
Clara looks down and asks if they jump to get down, the Doctor tells her not to be silly and says they'll fall
"Because that is so much better." Mickey sighed.
The Doctor shrugged, "I never said it was."
They go back inside and the Doctor says the Tardis has turned off basically everything but the anti-gravs, so guess what he's turning off. He uses his sonic and Clara screams as the Tardis falls to the planet
"That's one way to get down." Bill grimaced in sympathy for Clara, that did not look like a fun trip and personally she was glad it was Clara and not her.
The whole group was tense as the pair grew closer and closer to Trenzalore and the trouble they all knew was awaiting them there. This was not going to be an easy rescue mission, even by their standards.
The Tardis hits the ground do hard it breaks a glass pane in the door and the Doctor says oops
"Oops he says." River rolled her eyes at her wife.
Clara asks if he is okay as they're visiting his own grave and anyone would be scared. The sky is dark with occasional lightning
"If that wasn't scary enough, the planet isn't exactly a welcoming environment." Mickey grimaced at the sight of the dark sky and derelict landscape.
The Doctor replies it is worse than that as he's a time traveller and done it more than probably anyone else so his grave is one of the most dangerous places in the universe. Clara comments on the gravestones being basic, and the Doctor shares it is a battlefield graveyard, his final battle
"Not this time." Clara disagreed with a frown in the Doctor's direction. Her memories of Chinny's regeneration still haunted her some days, and they been brought back up by recently watching that video. The Doctor may face their final battle one day, but it wasn't on Trenzalore.
Clara asks why some are bigger and the Doctor tells her they were soldiers, the bigger the gravestone, the higher the rank. Ahead of them is the biggest of them all, a familiar shape with a light on top – the Tardis
"Of course, it would be the Tardis." Rose said, expression dark, "Where else would you finally rest?"
Still the group watched the Tardis on screen with mixed emotions; the Tardis had been a home for most of them for a substantial amount of time and seeing it in this state wasn't a great feeling. They could only imagine how it made the Doctor feel.
Clara declares it the hell of a monument and the Doctor corrects her that it is literally the Tardis, and when they start to die, the dimension dams start to break down, it grows. What else would they bury him in but his future Tardis?
"Together in death, as you were in life." Jack snorted with dark humour. They really shouldn't have expected anything else of the Doctor.
The Doctor walks on but Clara hesitates, and River appears to her. River tells Clara to not speak or say her name as he can't see or hear her, only Clara can
"River!" Several people exclaimed at seeing the woman outside of the dream conference.
"Why can he not see you?" Bill asked curiously, eyes darting between the screen and the relevant people in the room.
"And why can you?" Ryan asked, focusing more on Clara in hopes of receiving an actual answer.
Clara just frowned and waved to the screen, knowing they would likely get the answer soon, and none of them would be happy with said answers. Amy and Rory shared a worried look, they had a working suspicion about River's state and they hated it.
River continues they're mentally linked from the conference call; she kept the line open
"Okay that explains part of it, but not everything." Graham conceded, still they didn't get any more answers.
The Doctor calls back asking who she is talking to as they need to get, he cuts himself off, saying River as he finds a grave with River Song carved on it. Clara says that can't be right, and the Doctor agrees for a different reason. Clara says River isn't dead and the Doctor corrects her that she very much is, has been for a long time. River tells Clara she probably should have mentioned that but it was never the right time
"That seems like an important thing to mention." Donna stated, with a raised eyebrow. The rest of the group were wincing and frowning as they realised where the pair were in their shared timeline. Though it did beg the question of how River was around if she was dead, and also provided some hope for her being okay. They knew she had escaped the Library eventually, based on some things she had said and her presence but they still didn't know how. Maybe that was one answer they would receive today.
Clara argues she met her but the Doctor waves her off saying it is a long story, continuing that River's grave can't be there
"It really is a long story." Clara conceded, she thought the Doctor was just saying that at the time but having seen what they'd seen now she understood a bit more.
They hear whispers as the Whisper men appear, they say the Doctor must fall as all men must and the fate of all is always dust
"Creepy people and creepy rhymes." Bill grimaced, "Why do they always seem to go together?"
The Doctor's sonic doesn't work on them. River remarks if it isn't her gravestone, what is it and Clara takes the hint to ask the Doctor a similar question. River suggests it is a false grave and Clara repeats her words
"An entrance?" Martha's eyes widened as she connected the dots. No one would second guess another grave until they looked close enough and knew enough to know River's grave shouldn't be there.
The Doctor isn't convinced until Clara, repeating River's words again, suggests it is a secret entrance to the tomb. The Doctor agrees that would make sense as they would never bury his wife out there, Clara asks his what?
The group couldn't help their chuckles at Clara's shock at the Doctor's unintentional announcement. That was certainly one way to tell your current traveling companion who has a crush on you that they're talking with your (supposedly/temporarily) dead wife.
He uses his sonic on River's headstone, a hole opens and they fall through. The whisper men continue that the man who lies will lie no more when the man lies at Trenzalore
Jack narrowed his eyes at the screen, leaning forward in his seat. "Why do they think the Doctor is going to stop lying just because they're at their grave?"
"Is the force field that prevents lying still around?" Rory proposed. Clara, River and the Doctor shared a long look but offered no answers.
Outside the tomb, Vastra and Strax wake at the base of the Tardis monument
The group let out a breath at the sight of Vastra and Strax awake and alive. Though they were still concerned about Jenny, and unsure how the other two would cope with her loss (even if it was temporarily according to the Doctor).
Strax shouts the base is surrounded and tells them to lay down their weapons for merciful deaths. Vastra shouts for Jenny, running for her wife's body
The group all frowned, hating the sight of Vastra's grief and Jenny's body. They hoped whatever happened to save her happened sooner rather than later.
Strax continues his threats but Vastra shouts at him to stop as Jenny is dead. He scans her and declares it a complete cardio-collapse from shock. Vastra tells him to get her back or she will cut him into pieces
"Oh, Vastra." River frowned in sympathy at her friend's grief. Grief did crazy things to your mental state, and it was clearly hitting Vastra hard. He hated that her friend was in that situation in the first place and was just very glad that they had managed to save Jenny in the end.
Strax tells her to unhand him, using his medi-scanner to transmit an electric pulse, Jenny coughs, and Strax says it was a standard electro-cardio restart and she'll be fine
The group let out audible cheers and whoops as Jenny started to breathe again. They were glad they didn't have to wait in suspense to find out how Jenny lived, and have to watch Vastra deal with her grief.
Vastra asks if she is alright and if Jenny can hear her, Strax continues the heart is a relatively simple thing
"I think we would all argue against that statement." River said solemnly, glancing briefly at her wife.
Vastra counters she hasn't found it to be so. The whisper men approach, Simeon/The Great Intelligence leading them
"One problem dealt with, now onto the next." Yaz said with wary eyes directed at the screen at the reappearance of the Whisper Men.
Simeon comments on them repairing their pet but it doesn't matter as he only wanted their attention, and he assumes he has it now. Vastra says it is impossible for it to be Simeon, and Jenny adds he died
"The dead don't always stay dead around us." Jack snorted, "But I think something else is at hand here, right Doctor?"
"You would be correct Captain." The Doctor nodded, although as usual, she refused to elaborate.
Vastra works out that Simeon died but the creature possessing him lived on, guessing she is now talking to the Great Intelligence. Simeon welcomes them to the tomb of a cruel tyrant, the slaughterer of ten billion, vessel of final darkness, the tomb of the Doctor. Cue the lightning
"Dramatic much." Bill muttered, frowning at the screen.
The rest of the group, however, were more focused on the wording of Simeon/the Great Intelligence's monologue, "Tyrant?!" Rose took offence, glaring at the screen.
"It's fine Rose." The Doctor tried to wave off the oncoming argument with mixed success.
"It is not-." Rose started, ready to argue with the Doctor, but was cut off by said person.
"Please, can we just focus on the video first at least?" The Doctor sighed, hoping that the rest of the video would distract the group enough to forget this. Based on the look Rose gave her (and several others), they were very aware of her plan – still they didn't argue as the video continued.
Elsewhere, the Doctor light a torch and when asked, tells Clara they are in catacombs
"Lovely." Donna grimaced, in her experience catacombs were never a great experience.
Clara remarks she hates catacombs before asking how she met his dead wife. The Doctor explains, casually, that he sort of made a back-up and you know what it is like when you lose someone close to you. River explains more that she died saving him and in return he saved her to a database in the biggest library in the universe, didn't even say goodbye, he doesn't like endings
The Doctor gave River a sad look, this was all hitting far too hard after recently watching River's 'death'. She still didn't know how River had escaped the Library, or even quite how she was here with them, but it wasn't something she wanted to question at the moment.
"Am I wrong, Sweetie?" River asked not unkindly, emotions conflicted as she remembered the Doctor had seen her the whole time but said nothing until the last second.
The Doctor frowned in response, turning back to the video instead of answering.
Whisper men are behind them and the Doctor shouts for Clara to run
"Trouble is here." Nardole said, eyes on the Whisper Men.
"When is it not when the Doctor is around?" Clara sighed; she was warily watching the screen in anticipation for what was still to come.
Outside the tomb, Simeon explains it was a minor skirmish by the Doctor's blood-soaked standards, but enough to finish him, too much for the old man
"Are they talking about your battle on Trenzalore?" Martha asked, unsure but figuring that Simeon couldn't really be talking about anything else.
The Doctor frowned, hesitating for a moment as she glanced around the room. "I presume so, but he is either uninformed about my regeneration or Gallifrey's interference altered the time line." She wasn't sure which it was, and she wasn't sure it mattered. Normally she would be apprehensive about her companions hearing Simeon's speech but the words were devalued by the fact they had all already seen the battle of Trenzalore – they knew what had happened and what the Doctor had done (mostly at least).
Jenny comments on Simeon's use of blood-soaked and Vastra adds the Doctor is many things but never blood-soaked
"Shows what they know." The Master smirked at the group, baring his teeth as a threat. Exposure therapy appeared to work, however, as most of the group just shot back glares or ignored him, focusing back on the screen.
Simeon counters to tell that to the leader of the Sycorax, or Solomon the trader, or the Cybermen, or the Daleks. He says the Doctor lives his life in darker hues and will have more names before the end – the Storm, the Beast, the Valeyard
"Valeyard?" Amy asked the Doctor, eyes narrowed as she remembered that name having been mentioned before.
"It's not important." The Doctor said immediately, she really didn't want to discuss that matter and turned to glare the Master into submission (knowing he would try to seize that opportunity to mess with her and her companions – for once he seemed to listen to her, a worrying thing that suggested he was up to something else (she made a mental note to keep an eye on him). Based on the look Amy, and several others, gave her none of them believed that but their desire to know what was going to happen was too strong for them to push the matter – for now.
Vastra doubts it but asks how he came by the information and Simeon says he is information. Jenny says he was only a mind without a boy last they saw him and Simeon admits he still is, pulling his face off to reveal an empty shell, his clothes tumble to the ground and a Whisper man steps forwards and become him
"That's … horrifying." Bill nodded; expression taken aback at Simeon's reveal.
In the tomb's basement, the Doctor bursts through a steel door, telling Clara to come in quickly. A whisper man grabs Clara's arm and they shout for each other, he manages to pull her out of its grasp and slams the door, eventually closing it properly
The group let out a breath as Clara and the Doctor managed to escape the grasp of the Whisper Men even temporarily. Any time they had to plan and breathe free of danger, was good time.
They go up the metal stars and the Doctor comments on it being a bit of a climb but he remembers the way, he then gets concerned about Clara who is feeling dizzy. He tells her she'll be fine, the dimensional forces in the Tardis' depths can make her a bit giddy
"Great, so you're under attack with no escape and you're under further disadvantage already." Rose declared, throwing her hand in the air in frustration. Why was it that whenever they found trouble things went as badly wrong as possible before they managed to figure it out or escape at the last moment? They never seemed to have any luck.
Clara says she knows that before asking how she knows that. The Doctor reassures her she's fine but Clara asks if they've done this before, then saying they have – climbing through a wrecked Tardis. Somehow, she is remembering Journey to the Centre of the Tardis which had a reboot so it never happened
Clara glanced at the Doctor; at the time she'd put it down to another life of a splinter but she wasn't so sure that was the case anymore. The Doctor suspiciously didn't meet her eyes.
Clara continues he said things, things she isn't supposed to remember. The Doctor tells her they can't do this now, and the Tardis is a ruin with the telepathic circuits awakening memories she should even have. Clara remembers the Doctor speaking about meeting her before – in the Dalek Asylum and Victorian London
"I want answers but this really isn't the time." Mickey said, eyeing the screen warily. They were all eager to know how Clara kept appearing and then dying without any permanence, but having this crisis while on the run from the Whisper Men wasn't really a good idea. Not that Clara seemed able to control it.
The Doctor asks what is wrong, Clara asks what he means that he keeps meeting her and he said she died but how could she have? The Doctor says it isn't a conversation she should remember but Clara pushes. The Whisper men speak about the girl who died he tried to save, she'll die again inside his grave
"I don't know what's worse; their looks or their creepy rhymes." Donna mused earning a disbelieving look from several members of the group that were less familiar with her.
Graham shot her an incredulous look, "I thought the worst thing would be their murderous intent."
Ryan just shook his head, "Don't bother arguing grandad."
The Doctor tells her to run. They make it outside the tomb to join the others as Simeon explains the door requires the key which is a word, and the word is the Doctor's. The Doctor says he is there, late for his own funeral, and is glad to see Jenny
"It wouldn't be you if you weren't late to your own funeral." Jack snorted, that was a very Doctor thing – they were rarely if ever on time to things but that didn't mean they were late when it was important.
Simeon orders him to open the door, to speak and open his tomb
"Why would he want to do that?" Bill asked, gesturing wildly, "Literally, like why? What does he gain? He'd have to give up his name and who wants to visit their own grave – that is a rhetorical question don't answer it." Bill pointed a finger at several people who looked like they were about to suggest they would explore their own tomb given a chance (normally she would number the Doctor among them, but this was what she was calling extenuating circumstances).
Yaz scowled at the screen. "I don't think they're going to give him much options."
The Doctor refuses and Simeon asks if it is because he knows what is in there. The Doctor refuse to open the doors or answer the question. Simeon continues the key is a word lost to time, a secret hidden and known to him alone, and answer to a question
"Now that's not true." The Master scowled at the screen, both her and River knew the Doctor's true name at least (as much as he hated that fact, it was true). He was leaning back in his armchair watching the unfolding events with forced nonchalance, though if you looked carefully, you'd spy how tightly his knuckles clutched the arms of his chair.
The Doctor refuses to open it and Simeon asks his name. He then orders his Whisper Men to stop the other's hearts
"And there's the incentive." Rory sighed; they'd known it was coming but it was still horrifying to hear. The group all watched the screen with increasing tension, afraid to see how this would go and eager to see how the Doctor would wriggle their way out of this one.
Strax declares combat formation as they are unarmed, Jenny argues they are too, and Strax argues back to not share their military secrets
"Oh, Strax." Amy shook her head fondly despite the grimace on her face. There was no way this was going to go well.
The Doctor tells him to stop it and leave them alone, as Simeon demands his name. Clara calls to the Doctor while Strax holds up a stick and hits a Whisper Man, cutting through its body but the hole closes up quickly
"Brilliant. Just brilliant." Martha scowled at the screen; of course, the Whisper Men had the ability to regenerate, because why wouldn't they?
Simeon asks Doctor who as a Whisper Man reached through Strax's chest and closes its hand around its heart
The group tensed even as some shuffled uncomfortable; the idea of those things reaching into their chest to manually stop their heart was horrifying.
The Doctor begs him to stop but Simeon is insistent and Strax demands to be unhanded. The Doctor begs for them to let him be but Strax tells him to not worry as he has him rattled
The group grew more and more tense as the Doctor's situation became more and more helpless, glancing frantically between the screen and the pair in the room with them – but neither of said people gave any hints. Amy and Rory shared a look, River had been suspiciously missing for a while; for her that means either something really bad or something really good was about to happen.
Another attacks Clara too and she calls for him while the Doctor begs. The tomb opens and Strax is released
Several members of the room blinked in confusion; the Doctor obviously hadn't done it so how had the door opened?
Others were less phased, Amy glanced at her daughter whose expression was schooled carefully but she was confident in her knowledge for that to not phase her. "It was River." She stated, no question about it.
The Doctor nodded with a fond smile for both mother and daughter.
River shares the Tardis can hear her too which is lucky. Strax asks the Doctor why he opened the door as he had them on the run, the Doctor is stunned as he didn't do it, River says she did it. The Doctor then focuses on the group asking if they are alright, especially checking on Clara who reports it was not nice
"That's one way of putting it." Clara grimaced, rubbing her chest in memory of the phantom pain. It was something she hoped to never experience again (and with the way her heart no longer beat anyway, she likely wouldn't).
The Doctor replies he knows and is sorry, turning to Simeon and asking if he knows what is in there. Simeon answers there is peace for him at last but for Simeon, pain everlasting, so why don't they go in? The Doctor forces the doors further open
"What does he want so desperately that's in your grave?" Rose asked with a serious expression. The Doctor wasn't normal by any standards but what was so special about their grave that the Great Intelligence was willing to go through all of this just to get it?
The Doctor, Clara, and River all shared a knowing look before the Doctor answered with a matching serious gaze across the room, "You'll see."
Inside the tomb which is the console room but altered to have a bright tangle of shining white energy tendrils in place of the time rotor and console. The cloister bell tolls in the background and ivy grows over the railings and other fittings
Jack whistled lowly, "That's not good."
"What is that?" Yaz asked, the whole scene was giving her bad vibes. No one, however, provided any answers; Clara, River and the Doctor just shared a look which served to reassure no one.
Clara asks what the light is, and the Doctor asks if they were expecting a body as he's had many and that's boring and not what his tomb is for. Vastra also asks what the light is, and Jenny says it is beautiful
"And dangerous." River said solemnly, eyes determinedly fix and the screen, "As most things are."
Strax asks if he should destroy it but Vastra shuts him up. Clara demands an explanation and the Doctor calls it the tracks of his tears
"Poetic but unhelpful, Spaceboy." Donna gave the Doctor a pointed look, arms crossed. The Doctor just grinned.
Simeon demands less poetry and for him to tell them. The Doctor does, explaining time travel is damage, a tear in the fabric of reality and this is the scar tissue of his journey through time and space from Gallifrey to Trenzalore. He taps it with his sonic and there are overlapping sounds of pervious Doctors. The Doctor continues it even includes the ones he hasn't lived yet, then he collapses
"Doctor!" Bill cried upon seeing the Doctor on screen collapse, eyes darting to the one in the room with them in concern. The Doctor offered a comforting smile which may have worked if Clara wasn't grimacing.
The rest of the group was watching the screen in near awe at the overlapping Doctors, trying to place the familiar ones and listening closely to the ones they didn't know.
Clara calls to him, and the Doctor says this is why he shouldn't be here, the paradoxes are very bad
"And if you're admitting that." Rose said with a grimace, "Then it's really bad." The whole group was tense, unsure how his was all going to play out and concerned about what Simeon could want with the Doctor's timeline.
Simeon steps forward and the Doctor cries out asking what he is doing and begs someone to stop him. Simeon shares the Doctor's life is an open wound which can be entered
"No." Surprisingly it was the Master that made the exclamation, his eyes burning in anger as his knuckles clutched the arms of his chair. "Doctor." His gaze locked onto the Doctor; a mental conversation not even needed to convey his question.
"It's been dealt with." The Doctor tried to brush him off nonchalantly, ignoring the way the rest of the room watched the pair in anticipation for something.
"Doctor." The Master persisted.
"It's over." The Doctor gritted out, leaving no room for argument. Despite that, the Master looked as if he wanted to try, however, the Tardis didn't give him a chance as the video promptly continued.
The Doctor says it would destroy him, and Simeon counters no, it will kill him but destroy the Doctor. He plans to rewrite his every living moment, rewrite his victories to defeats, poison friendships and deliver pain to every breath
"There's revenge and then there's … this." Mickey muttered quietly; eyes wide in shock. The rest of the group had similar expressions, all tense in their seats, faces set in shock. The very idea of Simeon achieving his goal was horrifying, and very bad for all of the, if not the whole universe.
The Doctor tells him it will burn him up and he can't go back, he'll be scattered through his timeline like confetti
Amy and Martha both narrowed their eyes in screen almost in sync, however it was Jack that verbalised their thoughts, "Oh." The three of them were pretty sure they'd figured out exactly how the Doctor was getting out of this, and more importantly how Clara kept appearing in the Doctor's timeline.
Simeon declares it doesn't matter as he thwarted him at every turn and it will give him peace to get revenge on every second of his life, goodbye. Simeon steps into the time stream ad the Whisper Men vanish, there is a big flash and the Doctor writhes in agony
The group were all frowning and grimacing, eyes darting between the screen and the Doctor in the room with them. They hated being able to do nothing, just having to sit and watch the Doctor suffer, even though they knew it was the past and all over it didn't make them feel any better.
"It's okay." The Doctor tried to comfort them, offering a reassuring smile to the group.
No one seemed very comforted by it. "No, it's not Doctor." Clara spoke up, not even looking away from the screen.
Clara asks what is wrong with him and what is happening, Vastra explains he is being rewritten, dying all at once, the Dalek Asylum, Andrezani. Clara asks what she said, caught on the mention of the Dalek Asylum
"Oh!" Bill made the same connection that Martha, Jack and Amy had ae earlier, eyes widening in realisation. "Clara goes in too! That's how she's everywhere!"
Clara gave the younger girl a strained smile, before glancing at the Doctor. This wasn't exactly either of their fondest memories for several reasons.
Vastra continues he's now dying in London with them. Off screen Simeon declares it is done, and the time stream turns red
"That can't be good." Rory declared, glancing frantically between the screen and the Doctor and his daughter in the room, "Surely there's serious consequences to removing the Doctor from the timestream."
"More than you can imagine." River declared solemnly; her own eyes locked on her wife whose gaze was focused determinedly on the screen.
Vastra comes to a realisation, worried, as she states there will be consequences of a universe without the Doctor, calling Jenny to her side. Clara is still stuck on the Dalek Asylum as she recalls the Doctor said she saved him, then in Victorian London, asking how she could have been there. The Doctor begs for it to stop, his whole life is burning
"Doctor." Rose said quietly, the urge to try and protect the Doctor strong despite knowing there was nothing she could actually do. None of the group could even imagine the pain the Doctor was currently feeling, and the Doctor in the room with them had her expression carefully schooled so as to reveal nothing.
Vastra, Strax and Jenny have left the tomb and Jenny asks her wife what she is scanning for, and Vastra says local star systems – because they're disappearing
"The consequences." Graham's expression was serious. The Doctor saved a lot of people, removing them from the timestream was going to have major impacts on the universe. It was strange to think if Simeon had succeeded, or if so, many other things had happened they would have never have met the Doctor, that was something he couldn't imagine now after everything they'd seen or done.
Jenny asks how they are disappearing and Vastra explains the Doctor's timeline has been corrupted, his every victory reversed, so think how many lives, worlds that man has saved. She remembers he saved jenny's life when they met, tuning to her only to find Jenny vanish
"Jenny!" Yaz frowned as they noticed her disappearance, it was startling to see the consequences of the Doctor's removal from the timeline. Jenny was having no luck during this mess – first she'd been murdered and now not saved? Killed in the past? What was the right term for these situations?
Vastra begs no, then Strax attacks Vastra calling her an affront to the Sontaran purity as she tries to tell him they are friends, and his past is changing but she swears they are comrades
"He's not going to believe that." Nardole muttered.
Strax continues trying to kill her, Vastra reluctantly raises her weapon but Strax vanishes
The group all grimaced and frowned at Strax's disappearance. Things were going very wrong very quickly.
Vastra calls for him desperately
"You need to do something and quickly." Jack declared almost desperately, "Before things get worse." His mind was whirling with all the consequences of Simeon's revenge and none of them were good. Realistically, he knew everything had been sorted a long time ago, but watching it like this he couldn't help but be slightly panicked.
Inside the tomb, Clara decides she has to go in the stream and the Doctor continues begging no. Clara realises she's already done it; he's seen her do it, she's the Impossible Girl and this is why
The group were nodding along with Clara's declaration, all of them having put together the pieces of the picture like Clara on screen had.
"Come on Clara." Martha cheered on the younger woman on screen, as much as they didn't want Clara to be in danger or hurt, they were limited choices for solving this mess.
River tells her not to do whatever she is thinking, and Clara asks what will happen if she steps in there. River explains the time winds will tear her into a million pieces, a million versions of her living and dying all over space and time, echoes
"Which is how you kept appearing in the Doctor's timeline, saving the idiot, and then dying, only to reappear with no memories of the previous encounter." Donna reasoned out, her words a confident statement and not a question.
Clara nodded in answer anyway, "We started to call them splinters. I have vague memories from some of them, some lives are clearer than others." She glanced at the Doctor who shared a grimace with her.
Clara argues the echoes could save the Doctor though, and River agrees even as she warns her they won't be her, the real her will die and they will just be copies
River's words frightened the group, none of them wanting the real Clara to die, but they were secure in the knowledge that she hadn't died (at least not here).
Clara continues they will be real enough to save him, repeating her mother's words about souffle being the recipe, and saying it is the only way to save him, isn't it?
"I still don't really get it." Ryan muttered.
River nods as Vastra renters to tell them the stars are going out, Jenny and Strax are dead, and there has to be something they can do. Clara suggests her idea to the Doctor and he begs no
"When have we ever listened when you told us to do something Doctor?" Clara smiled ruefully, not meeting the Doctor's sad eyes as they stared into her soul. She didn't regret her decision, and she didn't think she ever would.
Clara tells them if it works to get out as fast as they can and think of her every now and then, the Doctor begs her no, but Clara continues saying to run, run, you clever boy, and remember her
"Familiar words." Amy sighed. She recognised them from her own encounter with one of Clara's 'splinters' in the Dalek Asylum (the Doctor had told the what Oswald had said), and form watching the Snowman video. Everything was making a bit more sense now.
The Doctor shouts no as she steps into the time stream and it turns white again. We hear her starting monologue about now knowing where she is and running, saving the Doctor, again and again, and he hardly ever hears her but she's always been there
"And we've circled back to the beginning." Rose grimaced. The opening scene was making more sense now, unfortunately. The next issue was for the Doctor to figure out how to save Clara from their timeline.
Back on Gallifrey in the Tardis repair shop, at the very beginning with the first Doctor, she tells him he is about the make a very big mistake and to steal a different Tardis, as the navigating system is knackered but he'll have much more fun
"So, it's your fault!" Bill exclaimed, pointing a finger at Clara. "The Doctor's terrible driving!"
"Oi!" The group all ignored the Doctor's protests.
Clara just laughed, "Oh no, I think the Doctor's driving would have meant we would have never gone where we were meant to with any Tardis."
"Plus, it's much more fun this way." Bill conceded, with a matching laugh.
Clara in the Dalek Asylum saying to run and Clara in the tomb continuing with remember her
"It's very hard to not remember the same person who keeps dying." Nardole commented, earning a roll of the eyes from the Doctor, although she couldn't disagree.
There is a whiteout and then Strax is back discussing an unprovoked attack, and Vastra says they've all been restored and that's all that matters now
The group let out a breath of relief upon seeing Strax and Jenny returned safe, Clara's sacrifice had worked.
"Now you need to save Clara." Rory said, no question about it, it was a firm demand.
The Doctor smiled, "I think that's only fair after she's saved me so many times."
The Doctor counters they aren't all restored and River tells him he can't go in there as it is his time stream for god's sake
Jack snorted, arms crossed, as he glanced at the pair sitting next to him, "Really River, you should know better by now. When does the Doctor ever listen to logic?"
"I can hope." River sighed, almost fondly but clearly exasperated while the Doctor glanced between the two of them with a bemused expression, unsure whether she should take offense or not.
The Doctor declares he has to get her back, and River says of course but not like that. Jenny asks how and Vastra asks if she is even alive as it killed Simeon
"Sha has to be." Rose declared, not willing to take any arguments. Even if they didn't have direct evidence for Clara being alive (in the fact that she was here with them and they knew she hadn't died), she wouldn't have thought any different. The Doctor would save her, he had to.
The Doctor declares that Clara has one advantage over the Great Intelligence – she has him
"The Doctor raises a good point." Yaz said.
River begs him to listen to her, to hear her. The Doctor continues, telling the group about what to do if he doesn't come back, and he might not. River shouts at him
Amy and Rory shared a long look, the Doctor not being able to hear River's protests had to be killing her.
The Doctor pushes on saying to go to the Tardis as the fast protocol should be on and she'll take them home and shut herself down. River pleads that there must be another way, use the Tardis, anything, save Clara yes, but be sensible! She goes to hit the Doctor but he catches her arm in his hand
The group went silent in shock, all making the same realisation very quickly.
"You could see and hear her the whole time, couldn't you?" Amy said, expression blank with her eyes on the screen.
"Yes." The Doctor didn't even try to deny it, her expression was just tired. Tired of everything.
"The Doctor doesn't like endings." River repeated her earlier words, resigned to what had happened.
River asks how he is doing that as she isn't really there, the Doctor argues she is always there to him, and he always listens and can always see her. River asks why he didn't speak to her, and the Doctor tells her he thought it would hurt too much. River argues she could have coped and he corrected her he though it would hurt him, and he was right, he kisses her
"As touching as this is, it really isn't the time. Clara, remember?" Mickey hated to point it out, but Clara had limited time.
The Doctor worries about how that must have looked considering no one else can see River, before saying like Clara, River is an echo, like all of them in the end, it's his fault he knows, and she should have faded by now
The Doctor smiled proudly at her wife, "Should have known you'd work out how to escape even death."
The rest of the group was chuckling at the first part of the Doctor's statement. Vastra, Jenny and Strax must have been very confused about what was going on.
River argues it is hard to leave when he hasn't said goodbye and the Doctor asks her to tell him, how to say it. River says she'd only ever accept it one way, and if he ever loved her, say it like he is coming back. The Doctor says see you around Professor, and River replies till next time, the Doctor tells her not to wait up
Amy and Rory shared another long look, hating the reminder of River's death. Although, this video had given them more hope for her survival, and with how mixed up their timelines were there was no guarantee that nay meeting with River would truly be the last.
River says there is one more thing, and the Doctor replies isn't there always. River informs him she was mentally linked with Clara, so if she is dead, how can she still be there?
The group all grinned at the final confirmation of Clara's continued survival.
The Doctor asks how, and River declares it spoilers saying goodbye sweetie before vanishing. The Doctor steps into his own time line and there is another whiteout
The group leaned forward in anticipation, curious and a bit concerned to see the consequences of the Doctor entering their own timeline, even if they were eager to see Clara saved.
Clara continues that she doesn't know where she is, where she is going to where she has been, but she has saved the Doctor and her story is done
"Not yet it's not." The Doctor grinned at Clara who matched her expression, though both smiles dampened slightly at the reminder of the real ending of their joint story.
In the time stream, there is a thud and they're in a place that looks like the graveyard in Trenzalore, Clara calls to the Doctor
"Fun space to spend your time." Martha snorted; voice full of sarcasm. It did startle a small smile out of Clara however.
She begs for help as she doesn't know where she is. Off screen, the Doctor replies she can ear her, he knows she can, she argues she can't see him. He explains he is everywhere as she is inside her time stream, everything around her is him
"A horrifying thought." Donna announced with no hesitation.
"Oi!"
"Oh, you can't deny it Spaceman!"
The first Doctor walks past, and Clara says she can see him, more figures run past, all his versions. The Doctor explains they are his ghosts, his past, every day good and bad. Clara gets knocked to the ground and she asks what is wrong, he tells her he is inside his own time stream so it is collapsing in on itself
"That's not good." Nardole said.
Bill snorted, "That's an understatement Nardole."
Clara tells him to get out then but he declares not until he has her
Clara smiled softly at the Doctor, mouthing a sincere 'thank you' for their determination to not abandon them despite the risk. The Doctor smiled softly back.
Clara argues she doesn't even know who she is, and the Doctor says she is the Impossible girl and he is sending her something for her past, not his, look up. A dead leaf comes floating down
"The leaf that started it all." The Doctor smiled fondly at Clara even as the rest of the group watched on bemused. They didn't have the contexts for Clara's leaf yet.
"A leaf?" Rose asked confused.
Clara laughed, "It's a long story, maybe one we'll see later, but all you need to know is it's important to me."
The Doctor continues this is her, everything she was and will be, telling her to take it, and she blew into the world on the leaf so hold tight and it will take her home. She takes the leaf and stumbles forward as the Doctor encourages her on
"Come on Clara!" Yaz cheered, the rest of the group were leaning forward in their seats in anticipation. Clara smiled fondly at the group, unable to express how their support and care made her feel.
The Doctor is there and she asks how. The Doctor explains because it is impossible and she is the Impossible Girl, and just this once let him save her after all the times she'd saved him. He tells her to trust him, he is the real one, and just one more step. She stumbles into the Doctor's arms
The group cheered at seeing Clara safe with the appropriate Doctor, that was half the battle dealt with – now they just needed to get out of there, before it was too late.
The Doctor celebrates her being there before looking forward where a man is standing with his back to them. Clara asks who it is, and the Doctor trues to wave it off saying they should go back. Clara pushes and he explains it is him, but they need to go back. Clara continues that she never saw that one, and she saw all of him, all eleven faces as he is the eleventh Doctor
"Yes, and also no." Bill answered for the Doctor. The group quickly caught onto what, or more specifically, who Clara had seen.
DOCTOR: I said he was me. I never said he was the Doctor.
Jack and River shared a look over the Doctor's head. The group were all aware of how the Doctor had felt about their regeneration that fought in the war, learning the truth of the Time War may have bandaged the wound partially, but that didn't mean there weren't some lingering feelings.
Clara doesn't understand and the Doctor explains his real name isn't the point, the name he chose was the Doctor, and the name you chose it is like a promise you make and that's the version of him that broke the promise. Clara faints
"Clara!" Amy blinked as the younger woman fainted. They'd run out of time and needed to get out of there now.
The Doctor calls to her worried, picking her up in his arms. He continues that he is his secret, the man says what he did, he did without choice, the Doctor says he knows. The man continues it was done in the name of peace and sanity and the Doctor agrees but it was not done in the name of the Doctor. The Doctor turns around and carries Clara away, the figure turns around to reveal himself as the War Doctor
The Doctor sighed at the reminder of the Time War, she was very glad that she'd been wrong about the ending, that she'd managed to change it. She'd done a lot of things she regretted during the war, but she hadn't killed her own people – no that crime now goes to the Master.
"Dramatic ending." Bill muttered, glancing between the screen which had faded to black, and the rest of the room.
"That was … something." Rory said, breaking the silence that had consumed the room for several minutes. None of the were quite sure what to say about what they'd just witnessed.
"You got your answers." The Doctor shrugged, "Are you happy with that?"
Donna snorted, raising an eyebrow at the Doctor, "We got some answers concerning Clara, we have plenty more questions. Questions I think the Tardis is going to ensure get answered one way or another."
The Doctor grimaced, "With that … fun … reminder. How about we see what the Tardis has in store for us next?"
