#guess gallifrey really has got to me huh....

[nat-20s]

mini-fic time!!!

(all of these r also posted on ao3 lol)

Donna and The Doctor share a discussion about Christmas

~*~

It’s during one of their many little late night chats that the subject comes up. It even happens organically, Donna noting the soft glow of the fairy lights pinned about that were, technically speaking, Christmas lights, and how the entire family had apparently conceded to this being a year round fixture. Of course, instead of focusing on the noble-temple-mott-doctor clan’s terrible consistency with interior decorating, the Doctor throws on a downright cheeky grin and asks, “So. You still hate Christmas?”

She knows the answer he’s expecting. After all, this year’s event was, perhaps, ‘lovely” and ‘joyful’ and ‘bringing tears to her eyes a few times, don’t mention it’. But. Still. Eh?She grimaces and sucks in a breath through her teeth, which is enough for The Doctor to throw the non-mug holding arm in the air and ask slightly too loud, “Seriously?”

Donna shrugs and hides her face behind her mug. “I mean…”

The Doctor blinks at her a few times, and as she has no desire to provide further details, he replies, “Huh. Really? Ialways sort of assumed that, well. You didn’t like Christmas because you had mostly bad ones?”

“What, no.I had loadsof happy Christmases. Hell, there was a good ten years where it was the only day me and mum were actually nice to each other. I just don’t really care for it. I mean, sure, there’s...parts I like, I guess. I like the lights, some of the songs are okayish, and don’t get me wrong, I have loads of fun getting to spoil Rose rotten each year but. I dunno, it’s all a bit, ugh,you know?”

When she gets a downright agog expression in exchange for her statement, she can’t help but snort. “Why the hell do you even care? I can’t imagine that Time Lords are all that arsed about Christianity, and, by the way, if you tell me that you were Christ, I’m gonna tell you fuck off, no you weren’t.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Obviously.”

“Was one of the disciples though.”

“Fuck off, no you weren’t.”

The Doctor stares at her very, very intensely, giving away nothing. For all of about 3 seconds, when his nose wrinkles up in amusement and he waves a hand. “No, I wasn’t. I’m not sure I even know all their names. Think I have some reindeer mixed up with them. On Dasher, on Dancer, on Donny, on Simon, or something like that.”

Donna manages to just roll her eyes rather than enjoy the goof, because he is derailing the conversation, again. “So my point stands. What’s your big thing about Christmas?”

After a hum and a shrug, The Doctor replies, “Oh, it’s not just Christmas. Purim, Holi, Lunar New Year, hell, I adore a good Arbor Day.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. It’s..”

The Doctor looks to the side for a second, in that non-targeted way that Donna knows means he’s trying to remember something. She takes a sip from her cocoa and practices some of her hard won patience.

With a soft hum, The Doctor finally comes back to the present and tells her, “It’s not that Gallifrey never had holidays, of sorts. But they were all very traditional and very serious and very dour. It was all ceremony and diligence and respect, not,” he nods towards the Christmas tree, “fairy lights and colored powders and silly costumes.”

Grinning now, he continues, “You know, in all the lifetimes I’ve lived and all the species I’ve met, humans are utterly unparalleled in their ability to have fun. For all your lots’ faults, of which there are many-”

“-yes, thank you-”

“-nobody celebrates like a human. Any excuse, even the basic, or, ah, often not so basic, act of survival, and you’ll start singing and eating and dancing. You have such a capacity for joy it will leak from you. Happy crying, who the hell does that?”

“Hold on, I’ve seen you do that. Three times in as many days when you first got here.”

Tilting his head in acknowledgment, he counters, “Ah, but that’s only because of the company I keep. Your laughter is infectious, literally, in the year 16,000 it gets classified as a dangerous contagion.I mean, honestly, you lot could make a Dalek snicker. It’s...it’s incredible. There’s genuinely like nothing else in the universe, and, well, I can’t help but be charmed by Christmas as a small sliver of all that relentless joy.”

After a half second pause, he adds, “Plus, yes, the lights are quite pretty.”

Donna can’t quite contain a smile, replying, “I suppose I could see the appeal of it. Through that lens.”

The Doctor grins back at her, and they let themselves sit in a companionable silence. After a minute of simply letting themselves be, and polishing off the last dregs of their cocoa, Donna tells him, “Still can’t fucking stand ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ though.”

Hearing the burst of laughter that comes from The Doctor, Donna can’t help but silently agree with him. She thinks it’s not so bad being infectious, when that infection is joy.

#doctor who #tennant doctor #fourteenth doctor #donna noble #my fic #EHEHEHEHE #this isn't a christmas fic it's just. talking about it lmao

[sircarolyn]

when the air is quiet and the sky is blue i can’t help be reminded of you how your eyes are shut so you cannot see just how very close I keep you to me and in that dark little place you have made you’d swear all these pretty clouds are gray

#gallifrey #otp: i would never give up your soul #my writing #have to resist the temptation to just quote the whole song rip #was worried that i wasn't going to make it this week because let's just say i have been having A Time #but here we are! #think i'm going to be sad when these are done #i honestly hadn't expected to be quite so good at keeping up with it #usually i'd have fallen off the bus ages ago; i'm usually horrible at keeping to self-imposed deadlines #guess gallifrey really has got to me huh....

[worldserasingandcreatinginmymind]

Home | Part Three

Pairing: 13!Doctor x Daughter!Reader, Master x Reader

Summary: The Master introduces you to his new creation 

Word Count: 2000 and something 

Warning: angsty stuff 

A/N: so this is basically the plot of The Timeless Child minus the whole Cyberman stuff that happened before they were on Gallifrey... hopefully it will make sense when you read it! As always spelling and grammar is not my strongest skill so please be kind :)

Part Two | Masterlist

- - - - -

“Y/N, the fam are awake so we need to be getting ready-” the Doctor stops taking when she steps out the TARDIS and realises you're no longer there. “Y/N? Y/N?!”

She walks around the outside of the TARDIS looking for you, but you're nowhere to be seen.

“Y/N!” She shouts louder “What do I always say? My number one rule? Don't wonder off! And what do they always do?” She huffs and goes back into the TARDIS. She turns on the screen and does a search of the planet. 

“Mornin’ Doc” Graham greets her cheerfully as he enters the control room, shortly followed by Ryan and Yaz.

“Come on, she has to be here somewhere” The Doc mutters under her breath, impatiently tapping her fingers on the desk “You know one of these days one of you will wonder off and I’ll just leave you.”

“What’s she talking about?” Ryan says to Graham who just shrugs. Yaz stands beside the Doctor and watches the monitor.

“What are you doing?” She asks

“Looking for Y/N. I left her outside on her own for a few minutes and she’s gone”

“Well then let’s get out there and look for her” Graham says, walking over to the door.

“No wait!” The Doctor rushes over and stands in front of the door. “Outside those doors is a planet I never wanted you to see. Any of you. Everyone who lived there is now dead and the planet is on fire”

“Then what are we waiting for, she could get hurt!” Graham protests

“The planet is huge, she could be anywhere. It would take us hours to find her which is why we need to wait for the scanner to pick her up and we’ll know exactly where she is.”

“Uh, Doctor? You said everyone on this planet is dead, right?” Yaz says, not taking her eyes off the screen.

“Yeah, they were all killed” 

“Then why is the scanner picking up on two life forms…”

The Doctor runs back to the control and stares at the screen, eyes wide. She watches the two dots on the screen, both in the Citadel. One completely still while the other paces around. 

“There can’t be. He killed them all. Unless…” she rushes to the door again and the others go to follow. She turns to look at them.

“You lot stay here”

“No way, we’re coming with you!” Yaz argues

“It’s not safe”

“Then you definitely shouldn’t be alone” Ryan says

“I’ll be fine. I know my way around this planet”

“But-” Yaz tries to protest but the Doctor cuts in

“Please, for once just stay in the TARDIS. Don't follow me.”

They reluctantly nod and she gives them one last look before leaving and shutting the door.

Yaz goes back to the monitor and watches as a new dot appears on the screen and begins travelling toward the Citadel.

“At least we can track her on here”

“I wonder what planet this is” Ryan joins Yaz at the screen

“I don't know but The Doc says she knows it well so I guess we have to trust her on this one” Graham says, taking a seat on the steps. 

— — — — 

Your eyes slowly flicker open and you find yourself lying on cold hard floor in the centre of a large dimly lit room. You sit up and wince as instantly pain rushes to your head. You bring your hand up to clutch where the pain throbs.

“Ouch, sorry about that” a male voice draws your attention, and the Master steps out from the darkness.

“Where am I?” You ask weakly

“Still on Gallifrey. Welcome to the Citadel” he extends his arms out and spins excitedly “This room was once filled with the most powerful and important Time Lords in the whole universe. Do you know where they are now? Cold storage” he lets out a loud maniacal laugh and you just observe him horrified.

“You killed them? They’re… they’re dead?” 

“For now”

“Oh of course it would be you wouldn’t it” a familiar voice fills you with relief and you turn to see The Doctor stood in the doorway at the top of the stairs. She looks to you, concern in her eyes “are you okay?” She asks you and you nod. She flashes you a brief small smile then turns her attention back to The Master as she descends the stairs. “What do you want this time? Hm? Was destroying this planet not enough for you?”

“That was just the beginning. The next part, well this is where it gets really good” he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a device. Instantly The Doctor is frozen in place within a white glowing cage, paralysed so she cant even move her head.

“NO!” You jump up and try to get to her but he points a device at you.

“I wouldn’t, if I were you” 

“Leave her out of this, you’ve got me you don't need to hurt her” The Doctor almost begs.

“Oh that’s sweet. You actually do care about her don't you” the Master slowly walks over to you, getting his face uncomfortably close to the side of yours. You keep your eyes fixed on the Doc, you don't dare turn to look at him. “Get on your knees” 

“Don’t-” The Doctor says but he just points his machine at you and repeats.

“Get. On. Your. Knees.” he growls in your ear and you obey.

“What’s my name?” He asks as he brings the device to your forehead.

“M-Master”

“I cant hear you!” He shouts” What’s my name?”

“Master” you say louder, your voice shaking. You close your eyes tightly, attempting to stop the tears from escaping as you wait to see what he’s going to do.

“You're obedient. That’s good. Now, stay!” He removes the device from your forehead and takes a step back, giving you a warning glance before he turns his attention to The Doctor. “I want to show you something Doctor, something I’ve been working on. You see, I like to experiment and I didn’t know what to do with all these bodies I had lying around so… I upgraded them. Formed an alliance with an old friend of yours to create a new hybrid species. In fact, they should be here any minute now”

In the distance you hear the sound of heavy footsteps getting closer. You look at The Doctor and for once she looks terrified. She mouths to you ‘I’m sorry’ and you feel panic rising in your chest. As the stomping gets closer and closer, filling the room with noise you turn your attention to the entrance in time to see metal men marching into the room in formation. They spread around the sides, completely trapping you in with them. They come to a stop and suddenly the room is silent. Your eyes dart around the room, taking them all in. The identical silver soldiers stand motionless watching you. 

“Welcome my friends! I have been waiting for this day for so long.  Do you like them Doctor? Y/N? What do you think? Shall we test it out?” He turns and addresses one of the men “shoot him” he points at another. The metal man turns his head to look at the Master, and even though his face is expressionless you can tell he’s questioning him. This angers the Master. “SHOOT HIM!” He erupts and the metal man obeys, turning and shooting the one stood next to him. 

“Good dog!” The Master laughs as the now dead man falls to the floor. “Dead. Wait, could it be…” 

The dead metal man is suddenly enveloped in golden light as the Master laughs “yes it could!”

The once dead man gets up off the floor and rejoins his place in the line up.

“Behold your new Cybermasters Doctor. All born from you, but led by me! How does that feel? Huh?” He glances over to you then back to her “How does it feel that your precious daughter is about to become one of them?” He clicks his fingers and two Cybermasters march to you and grab you by the arms, pulling you up off the floor.

“NO!” You scream.

“DON’T YOU DARE!” The Doctor yells and the Master walks over, coming face to face with you.

“I know you're scared” he wipes a tear from under your eye and strokes his hand over your cheek in an almost affectionate way “But they’ll take that all away”

“Please-” you beg

“I’m doing this for you Y/N, you're going to be invincible” he grins and waves his hand. The Cybermasters start walking, dragging you out kicking and screaming. The last thing you see as your carried out the room is The Doctor begging and pleading with The Master, who just smiles and waves at you. 

— — — — 

The Cybermasters lead you down long corridor after long corridor, ignoring your pleas for them to let you go. No matter how much you fight you cant free yourself from their iron grip. Eventually you arrive at a set of doors. One Cybermaster lets go of you and opens the door, while the other pushes you through in front of him into a freezing cold room. 

“You will wait here to be upgraded” one of them says before shutting the door, leaving you alone in the dimly lit cold room.

You look around and your heart sinks as you realise you're surrounded by bodies. These must be the leftover Time Lords that haven’t been “upgraded” yet. 

“Let me out!! Please!! Someone!!” You frantically try to open the door and when you fail you search the room for another way out. But it’s useless. You're trapped. With your back against the wall you slide down to the floor hugging your knees tightly trying to keep warm as you wait. You wander what the Master is doing, what the Doctor is going through. Will either of you be able to get out of this alive? Then your mind wanders to the fam? Where are they? Are they safe? Will you ever see them again? 

After some time you hear the dreaded sound of metal footsteps approaching and the door unlocking. A group of Cybermasters enter the room and start collecting some of the bodies. You stay completely still, frozen in place until one of them marches over to you and pulls you up from your seated position.

“You will be upgraded” 

“NO! Please-”

The Cybermaster ignores you and escorts you out of the room, following behind the procession of other Cybermasters. They lead you to another room where the first Cybermaster places a Time Lord body on the table. You watch in horror as they perform the upgrading process, knowing soon it will be your turn. With each successful upgrade your panic grows more and more until finally its your turn. 

The Cybermaster holding you pulls you forward toward the table as you kick, scream, beg, do anything you can to try to get away but its no use. You're laid on the table and restrained. You shut your eyes tight and focus on the happy memories you’ve made with The Doctor and the fam as you wait for the process to begin. 

Suddenly you hear gunfire and the grip on you is released. You open your eyes in shock and sit up to see all the Cybermasters lying on the floor, “dead”. Looking over to the door you see Ryan and Yaz stood holding guns. They smile at you as Graham pushes past them and runs to you, helping you down off the table. 

“Are you okay?” He asks, deeply concerned as he puts an arm around your shoulder and leads you away.

“Yeah” you reply, shaken up and very confused about what is happening “where did you get guns? Never mind, we need to move before they regenerate”

“Before they what?” Ryan says, looking over your shoulder as the golden light begins shining from them.

“I’ll explain later- we need to save The Doctor”

Part Four

#doctor who #doctor x reader #thirteen x reader #thirteenth doctor x reader #Jodie whittaker #Jodie Whittaker x reader #13!doctor x reader #13th doctor x reader #13th doctor #Whittaker!doctor x reader #the master #master x reader #Dhawan!master x reader #dhawan!master #graham obrien #ryan sinclair #yaz khan #the doctors daughter

[youremyonlyhope]

War of the Sontarans

I literally just woke up from a nap and turned on my TV so I may have missed like 2 seconds of the episode while fumbling half-asleep with my remote.

Oooooooh. Howl’s floating castle? No but seriously, that floating house looks great. Nightingale?? We’re gonna meet Florence Nightingale? Ooof someone from the past knowing the name of the Sontaran is not great. I almost forgot about this throwback Sontaran design. Sontar-HA! Heyyyyyyy Greyworm! The floating diamond sounds familiar. Oooh no I couldn’t even admire the (I can’t remember what I was going to write here I got distracted) NO DAN DON’T YOU DARE GO GRANDFATHER EFFECT ON ME. OH NO NOT YAZ TOO. Awww I wanted to stay with this Mrs. Seacole and her British Hotel. Oh no the Tardis.  Oh thank god he’s just home. Please don’t let it be Angels or something about to pop up... OH SHOOT. CURFEW. HISTORY DID GET REWRITTTEN. I didn’t even get to comment on Yaz speculating that because they started turning blue and fading. Yeah a universal GPS would be nice. Oh it’s the 1820s guy. I still forgot to look up the script or summary of last episode to remember what his part of the episode was. And just like that, he’s gone again. I’m very confused by how he fits in. WWTDD. Cute. Ew, Sontarans that have always been here is so much worse than than just arriving in the 1800s. OH WOW. They really let the Sontarans take over Russia and China. Strax, is that you, sweetheart? Nope not Strax. Also no, I don’t know why I just called Strax sweetheart. My fingers wrote it before I could stop it. Also I’d never heard of Mary Seacole before but I love her. THE SHADOW PROCLAMATION. That hasn’t been name-dropped in a while. “The Doctor” *Gasps!* PRESIDENT? FORMER PRESIDENT? DOCTOR, WHEN WERE YOU PRESIDENT OF GALLIFREY? Did I know that already? When was this? Did I miss that in New Who or is it Old Who? Oooooh Doctor, I see your commander side coming out. Sontar-ho? That’s new. Also, I was wondering for second if he really WAS Strax and that this would be an explanation of how he ended up in Victoria times... then I remembered this is a Flux timeline so never mind. But that could have been fun. Oh wow, only been here 2 days in the present day, but forever in the past. Interesting. Hmm. I remember what I was gonna write earlier! I couldn’t even appreciate the elegant robes and make up before seeing some of them were burnt up. Time is evil? Huh? And I missed that last word, was it “seek its home”? Or its own? Eww the tongue. Flux strategy?? “And also, I wanted to ride a horse.” Understandable. Hey don’t point a gun at the future President of Earth and former President of Gallifrey!

Oooh calling her Doctress. Remember everyone being scared they’d change the Doctor’s name to Nurse because Missy chose Mistress over Master as a woman? Also, wow that was a sexist time in the fandom, they really collectively forgot that women can be Doctors and not only nurses, and that nurses can be men. Also, Master and Mistress are equal titles and only differ by gender so it makes sense that Missy could have either chosen to go by Mistress or just stuck with Master.

Oh boy I went on a tangent there.

Ew why are Blue and Grey Voldy here? Also, I think I should rename them to Purple and Blue in this lighting since that Grey now is much Bluer. Ok that’s not good Tempura command. Love it. I love that Dan doesn’t know the word temporal, but instantly recognizes Mary Seacole. “I’m gonna Wok right outta here.” Oh Dan... oh no... not the dad jokes... you’re not even a dad... Wait, is he a dad? I LOVE the trim on their coats. I hate them but I love the embellishment. I like the gold lipstick and veins up the face along with the gold eyeliner. Great design, I just can’t stand to look at them. Which I guess is the point. Very good job. YAY THE DOGGY’S BACK. I CAN’T REMEMBER YOUR NAME SORRY. “Soldiers pay the price for their commander’s mistakes.” Yep. “Gold star, and a sticker, for Ms. Seacole!” Yes! Well deserved. I did not like the dramatic music that played when the Doctor told the General to follow... Did not like that all. I’d just been thinking “Hmm... 20 minutes left. Maybe this plan will be one that works” and then that music played. These ships look like bigger versions of the transporter Mary had in Torchwood. That shot of them falling out the ship, hilarious. Ok. I cannot REALLY blame the commander guy for doing that, but yeah not great. “For your guilt you mean? Sometimes, men like you make me wonder why I bother with humanity.” You bother because of people like Mrs. Seacole. Oh the TARDIS is so sick. Oh shoot there isn’t time to find Yaz this episode... Ewwwww spider web things. Ok never mind, there’s enough time to find her, just not to save her. God I adore Grey/Blue Voldy’s coat so much. I don’t like Purple/Blue Voldy’s coat as much but it’s still nice. But Grey/Blue Voldy? That coat’s amazing. I honestly want to make it. It’d be a good opportunity to practice beading.

Ugh I guess I should call them by their actual names since this episode’s lighting made their colors look different. I don’t wanna though.

For anyone confused (including my future self since I’m sure if I reread this years from now I will be confused) Blue/formerly-Grey Voldy is Azure, and Purple/formerly-Blue Voldy is Swarm. Maybe I should go add this to my last episode’s post too.

Anyway, that was a fun episode! I gotta go read up on Mary Seacole now and ask why my education left her out (I assume because we’re American).

Oh shoot, while rereading I nearly forgot about Howl’s floating castle. I’m excited to see that again. Hopefully they go inside it.

#hope watches doctor who #dw spoilers #doctor who spoilers #doctor who

[bansheefox]

Sooo I am the only one who watched the coming soon trailer for next episode maybe a 100 times already and it's going insane?

I'm going try to break it down a recap what we are seeing, but since the screenshots I have were taken on my phone, the quality is horrible, so sorry for that.

So soon at the beginning we see this fella (top) here, wearing that neck piece that represents the high council (I guess?) and I seen a lot of people saying it's Rassilon, but I don't think it is.

Next (bottom) we have the one and only Gat back (is great cause I personally think she's very hot) but that could mean that what we seeing are images from the past, most likely what The Master is showing the Doctor. Gat is accompanied by two Time Lords or just regular gallifreyans, I can't really tell

Next (top) we have the Master offering his hand to the Doctor and by the background, must be very early on the episode, as soon as he got himself in Ko Sharmus . We also have in the trailer a little more ahead The Doctor pleading for him to save her friends and she'll do whatever he wants, so maybe it's in this moment, since the trailer does not make that clear

Next (bottom) we have Gallifrey destroyed, nothing new here, very standard at this point

Now it gets interesting since we are now looking at The Doctor at Gallifrey (top), facing the destruction. Not a lot to analyze here, but it's going to be brutal watching her confronting her trauma like this

Next (bottom) on we have the Master, looking very pleased with himself and looking up. On the ground we can see gallifreyan and and off camera by his side we see The Doctor trapped in something, some sort of contraption which seems very interesting. By the looks of things there are still in Gallifrey.

Next (top) we can see a Cyberman ship, I can't really tell if is the same one that is carrying the Cyberarmy and Yaz and Graham cause I really didn't pay much attention to the ship design last episode, but it's probably the same one. They are most likely landing in Ko Sharmus.

Next (middle and bottom) we have another interesting shot of the Cyberarmy actually in action on the ground, and as we can see, that's Ryan on the corner so we are definitely in Ko Sharmus now and in the next shot we see Ryan looking at the same Cyberman very scared/shooketh

Now let's get to the shots that left me trembling and screaming into the void. Here we have my granddad Graham looking very worried and bruised?? Is that a bruise on his cheek? WHAT THE FUCK GUYS. YOU CAN NOT LEGALLY HURT GRAHAM, THAT'S FORBIDDEN, and he is talking with Yaz and MY BABY YASMIN KHAN HAS TEARS IN HER EYES? I AM SEEING THAT CORRECTLY CHIBS? DID YOU MAKE HER CRY AGAING? THAT'S ALSO ILLEGAL! STOP HURTING MY FAMILY 2020!

Next on we have the Master snapping his fingers in The Doctor's face (maybe a form to establish a telepathic connection?) And telling the Doctor to brace herself.

And the next shot is of the Master's eyes, probably having made the connection and showing the Doctor something? I have no idea.

Now this shit right here left so scared I can't even form words correctly. In this next shot (bottom left) we have the Doctor looking very scared/shooketh/ and we can see metal with something blue shining in the middle in front of her, so probably Cybermen?

Next (top) we have someone (WHO LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE YAZ WOULDN'T YOU GUYS AGREE?) looking through something and crying. Here's where it get's tricky because I could swear she was trapped somewhere watching something happening to someone important to her (maybe she's watching Graham get that bruise?) BUT someone idiot had to plant the seed of paranoia in my brain and said that it looks very much like she's looking from the inside of a Cyberman AND WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK??? IT CAN NOT BE RIGHT???

Next (bottom right) we have the same shot of the Cyberidiots walking around like assholes and a gun pointing at them (Ryan or that old guy?)

Next on we have Ryan with a gun and that old guy with him entering somewhere that looks suspiciously a lot like where the Doctor and the Master where.

In the next shot we see the Cyberjerks shooting at my new crush, the hot girl with the hat *insirt here 'Quit playing games (with my heart) by Backstreet Boys* so R.I.P to my hot wife with the cute hat (thanks for that Chibs)

And in the last one we have The Master using a tiny guy (sorry but that's kinda hot?) And he seems to be in the same place where we just saw Ryan and the old lad (ohh look at me being British)

Okay, so next we have the Doctor and the Master standing somewhere (Desolation???? It kinda looks like it) not much to analyze here.

Next we have the Doctor yeeting herself at the Master ( ARE THEY GOING TO FIST FIGHT CAUSE FIRST OF ALL THAT'S HOT AND SECOND THAT'S WHAT I CALL SNAPING) and it look like she's had enough with his games. (Poor thirteen tho, she looks like she literally being dragged through hell)

And next we see The Doctor holding her head and screaming a la Jean Grey, and that poor baby is not really going to catch a break this episode huh. I JUST WANT TO WRAP HER IN A BLANKET, GIVE HER SOME ADVIL AND KEEP HER SAFE, IS THAT TO MUCH TO ASK? It looks like something is going wrong with the telepathy thing.

And last but not least we have another shot of the Cyberbutts looking like BITCHES as always

Next on we have Ryan screaming which filled me with fear and anxiety, cause he's screaming a NOOOOO so pained that it can only mean something is happening to either Yaz, Graham or the Doctor herself (my money is on Graham to warrent that reaction from Ryan, but worry not guys, I am halfway through selling my soul to keep my fam alive, safe and happy)

And in the last we have THOSE ASSHOLES AGAIN and that's it.

Soooo let's talk guys, tell what you think and let's theorize to survive until next Sunday.

By the way, if you guy wanna talk with my poor depressed soul, hit me up please, I would love to talk about the show with laterally anyone, since my cat is tired of hearing it.

#doctor who spoilers #doctor who series 12 #thirteenth doctor #doctor who #doctor who trailer #thasmin #yasmin khan #ryan sinclair #graham o'brien #cute girl in a hat that I'm now mourning WE COULD'VE HAD ALLLL

[mental-dilemma]

The Doctors Sister

The Doctor wasn't the only one to escape from Gallifrey, he managed to save his young sister. But now she can't leave the TARDIS and they're traveling to the end of time. So what happens when a mysterious girl lands on the TARDIS mid flight.

Word count: 1947

-----------------------

"Wow, that was fast for a refuel it usually takes you at least twenty minutes.” My voice rang from the hallway as I walked to greet my brother and Martha.

“Not in the mood Aster.” The Doctor's voice rang from the console room.

“Who was that?” Martha asked as I stepped into the room from the hallway, light-flooded through the doors as the Doctor rushed around pulling levers and flipping switches.

“Someone I knew long ago, I was a different man back then.” The TARDIS lurched and suddenly we were off.

“Who was it this time, did the Master come by to pick up the flowers you left him.”

“Aster seriously not the time,” he paused and looked at the time dial. “No. no no no no no this isn’t right.” For once my brother sounded confused, confused, and worried.

“What's going on,” I turned to Martha “and who did you see?”

“Well we went out for a refuel and he,” she motioned to my brother, “was explaining something about how the TARDIS recharges when out of nowhere an American with black hair came running up to us shouting for the Doctor.” I stilled, he wasn’t supposed to be alive.

“Doctor. Is he?” He looked up from his position on the console and turned to me.

“I wasn’t completely sure but I had a hunch.”

“And you didn’t tell me!”

“I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you there was a possibility that Jack may have lived. I was a little busy regenerating!”

“Ok, both of you calm down.” Martha was used to our fights, all in the nature of being siblings. Combined with the fact I was one of the few people who didn’t tolerate my brother’s god complex and ‘woe is me’ attitude meant that we butted heads a lot. It was honestly a miracle Martha’s stayed with us as long as she’s had.

“Fine, but we will be discussing this. Now, where are we going that has you so 

freaked out.” “The end of time.” His voice was so solemn, it reminded me of the stuffy old Time Lords the two of us hated.

“I thought that wasn’t poss---” I was interrupted by the form of a girl materializing right on top of me.

“Where am I? Who are you, people?” She began. I thought I saw the outline of a gun, but she was waving her hands about so I couldn’t make it out properly.

“Oi before you start going all shooty can you get off of me.”

“Sorry.” The girl mumbled in, I realized, a very American accent. When I was finally able to stand up I moved to get a better look at her. She had jet black hair in a braid down her back. She wore plain jeans, a white shirt, and a simple red flannel, welding goggles covered her eyes. I turned my attention to the Doctor and he looked flabbergasted.

“How did you--- when did you--- why?” He stumbled out.

“I think what he means to say is ‘Hi I’m the Doctor, This is Martha, the girl you were crushing is Aster and you’re on the TARDIS, a machine that travels through time and space.” Martha supplied, giving the Doctor one of her signature ‘get it together’ looks.

“Yes! exactly right Martha. Now who are you and how did you get aboard the TARDIS? Also, would you mind putting down the gun, I don’t need you taking out someone's eye waving it around like that.” He had obviously gotten over some of his surprise.

“Right She said suddenly, nervously. “Uh, so I’m Ella. Ella Harkness, I’m actually looking for my dad. I had a lock on his coordinates a few seconds ago but obviously,” she gestured to the room, “I must’ve gotten it wrong. I don’t exactly see him in here.”

“And who is your father?” Martha asked

“Jack Harkness.” The TARDIS lurched to a stop. The girl, Ella, was clearly not prepared for it because she crashed right into me, I caught her before she could cause us to fall again. “Thanks.” She said

“Yeah don’t mention it.”

“Ok, we’re gonna table the whole Ella situation for a minute because I need to see where we are. Do not go anywhere you two.” The Doctor looked at us.

“Oh yes because I’m such a flight risk.” I probably didn’t need to be so sarcastic but it was fun. My brother just rolled his eyes as he and Martha walked out.

“So uh sorry again for crashing into you,” Ella said a few moments after the duo left. She was awkwardly standing near the console while I had moved to sit on the railing. She finally took the welding goggles off her eyes and I saw her pupils were ocean blue, pretty easy to get lost in. I hadn’t realized I was staring until she let out a little cough.

“Huh? Right! Don’t worry about it, nothing bruised nothing broken.” We both kinda just stared at each other after that, neither of us really knew what to say.

“If you don’t mind me asking how come you’re traveling with the Doctor? It is Doctor right?” Ella finally said.

“Yeah, his name is the Doctor. And I mean it’s complicated and a pretty long story.”

“I think we’ll have the time.”

“Okay,” I took a breath and began, “So the Doctor and I are from a planet called Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. When I was a baby there was a war between the Time Lords, that’s me and the Doc, and the Daleks. It got so bad that Gallifrey was destroyed, and so were the rest of my people and the Daleks. I don’t remember much of it. I was a small child when it happened but I do remember the heat and the sound of explosions. Then nothing, nothing until I woke up on the TARDIS.”

“So he saved you?”

“Yeah, I guess he did.” We heard a commotion from outside and soon the Doctor's head was peeking into the TARDIS.

“Ok so I figured out why we’re at the end of the universe, I’ve also figured out why Ella landed her with coordinates fixed on Jack.” The Doctor moved aside and right after a familiar blue coat came striding forward.

“Jack!” I exclaimed practically leaping to crush him in a hug. Ella stood back frozen in space.

“Hey, kiddo.” He said laughing smile lines crinkled around his eyes. He scanned the TARDIS, “Geez Doc you don’t redecorate do you.” He stopped quipping when he landed on a similar set of ocean eyes.

“Uh… hi I’m… I mean my name is….” Ella stuttered as she couldn’t find the words.

“It’s ok, take your time.” I moved from Jack to her to offer at least a little bit of support. She took a breath. “I’m Ella. I’m your daughter.” Jack’s mouth opened and closed several times.

“I… I have a…. Who? When? How?”

“Uh ok who, remember that woman you met in New New York. Yeah, that’s my mom. As for when about seventeen years ago. And then for how, when two people like each other very much, or when they just get drunk, they---”

“Nope! I take back the how.” We all laughed, which helped to melt a lot of the ice in the room. “So Marge is your mom.”

“Yup she uh she gave me this.” Ella held up her arm to reveal a vortex manipulator. The Doctor came in at that exact moment and when he saw it he facepalmed.

“Oh yeah leave it to Jack bloody Harkness to give a teenager a vortex manipulator.”

“Ok hold up I didn’t give her anything.” He turned to my brother about to tear him a new one when Martha interrupted.

“Oi, you two stop the show off we’ve got problems out here,” Martha interjected before the two could start hurling insults.

“Oh thank god.” I mumbled to Ella, “If they had started it would’ve lasted for at least another hour.” She snickered.

“Martha’s right, the TARDIS can’t travel and we heard something on the horizon we need to move.” My brother said.

“What about Aster?” Jack asked.

“I’ll be fine, the TARDIS has enough energy for me. You guys need to get moving though.”

“Aster’s right. We need to go now.”

“Wait why can’t Aster come with?” Ella asked.

“Remember how I said I was young during the war?

“Yeah.”

“Well, I did take some damage and now. Well, now I can’t leave the TARDIS. We’re still working it out but something about the TARDIS helps keep me alive and if I leave well. Let’s just say I wouldn’t get very far.”

“Then I’ll stay with you.”

“You and your dad need some bonding time and what better than running from monsters.”

“Aster knows the TARDIS inside and out she’ll handle herself. It'll be safer for you to come with us.” The Doc said.

“You guys go I’ll be fine, it’ll give me some time to do maintenance anyway.” Jack and Ella moved to the door where the Doctor ushered them out.

“Stay safe, and don’t let anybody in.”

“I know, I’ll have tea waiting when you get back.” I waved and he ran out closing the door behind him. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and rolled up my sleeves. “Now let’s see what we can do old girl,” I said to the room ----------------------------- I don’t know how long passed between everyone leaving and when I heard a noise coming from the console room, it could’ve been a couple of hours or a day. All I know is that I woke up in the library with a book on top of my face, I must’ve fallen asleep reading. I sat up rubbing my eyes. The hallways were cold as I walked to the source of the noise. I hugged my sweater closer as I went.

“Doctor I think we need to turn up the hea---” I stopped when I saw it wasn’t the Doctor. I grabbed the closest object and pointed it at the man. “Who are you and where is my brother?”

“My dear I don’t think that banana is going to do much against me.” I looked down.

“Shit.” I threw the banana aside. “Ok, maybe not but I still know martial arts. Now I’ll ask once more where is my brother?”

“Hmmm, let's see I’d say left for dead on the surface. And I’d be happy to throw you out with him girl.” My eyes widened. What he was saying couldn’t be true.

“You’re lying the Doctor hasn’t died yet and he’ll be back.”

“Did you say the Doctor? The Doctor’s your brother?”

“What’s it to you?” I asked inching away from the stranger, although he had an air of familiarity around him I couldn’t quite place.

“Well, that would mean--- yes I see it now. You’ve grown dear Aster.”

“How do you know my name? I haven’t met anyone since Gallifrey…” I trailed off as it hit me. “Master you’re the Master.”

“The one and only my dear girl now. Now riddle me this why weren’t you out with your brother and his little band of miscreants.”

“I can’t leave the TARDIS. I’ll die if I do.” I began moving back to the hallway away from him. Before I noticed he pushed the lever and the familiar wheezing of the breaks sounded throughout the TARDIS.

“Well, it looks like you're coming with then.” He brandished a gun from who knows where and aimed it at me. “Might I suggest you come down so we can chat a little bit more?”

#Doctor Who #tenth doctor #david tennant #martha jones #jack harkness #simm!master #The Master #The Doctor #Jack Harkness coat #Doctor Who AU #Doctor Who OC #The dilemma writes

[plxnet-superior]

Old wounds never heal - 1/2

Anon Ask: “Hi, I am so sorry to hear abt. Ur cat sweetie. If Ur still looking 4 dat prompt U asked abt. last night might I suggest reader is a timelady/timelord who knew the doctor and the master back on Gallifrey. She somehow gets looped into the whole Kasavin mess and there's just ANGST. (You could change this if you want too, I hope you feel better)”

I’m kinda not happy with how I wrote this one, but I hope you enjoy, I have plans for the next one, might take me a while though. Thank you again for the ask!

A shrill ring throughout the Tardis, and everyone but the Doctor jumps.

"What is that?" Yaz, as always, is the first to question from the other side of the console.

"Better question Yaz, who is that?" The time lord stares at the phone on the console in hesitation. "No one's meant to know the number for the tardis." Her companions look between each other, and Ryan shrugs, before one of them decides to pipe up.

"Well pick it up then! Whoever it is, they might need our help. Does say it on the outside of your blue box anyway, Doc." Graham had a good point, but she was still cautious. She hadn't had a true call come through in god knows how long, so of course, the suspicion was natural as she brought the phone up to her ear.

"Hello?" There was a pause, and a thankful sigh on the other end of the line.

"Doctor, hello! Do you know how hard it is to find the number for this thing? Really need to work on that." Whoever you are, you're ranting down the phone about how bad her Tardis design must be to barely have a connection, let alone a working phone number. She doesn't appreciate it, but the ease at which you complain about her blue box feels largely familiar.

"Right, sorry, but who are you?" There was a light hint of offense in her tone, to which you couldn't help but smile. You knew you had the right number at least, no other time lord would get so defensive over you insulting their ship.

"An old friend, and we have a lot to discuss."

-

You'd landed in Australia, and, from the doctors explanations, it had seemed like quite a lot had gone down on your way here. Something about light beings and mi6, which to be fair, made your adventures look like a cozy night in with a cup of tea (which, let's be honest, most of them were).

Her companions were quite a lively bunch, too. Yaz, the plucky young police woman looking for adventure, and something more interesting than a mundane life. Ryan, arguably quieter than the rest, but not unsure of himself, and certainly not stupid. Then Graham, the oldest of the three, grandad to Ryan and the realist of the group, you could tell he wasn't as much one for the danger in this life.

Your introduction was brief, but it didn't take you long to get to know them with how welcoming they all seemed.

"I thought me and the master were the only ones left..." The doctor looked tired, haggard even, a very different face from the last time you'd seen the time lord, before the fall of Gallifrey. You both sat on the porch, away from the others, drinking something that was probably iced tea but definitely didn't taste like it.

"I guess you rubbed off on me too much...I followed your advice, in the end. Stole a tardis and ran off before all hell broke loose. I take it you know what happened after that?" She nodded. Your home planet was gone one moment, back the next, and neither of you knew what to think anymore. "But...doctor, there's something you should know..."

You didn't have the time, ironically, because 'O' had burst out the front door rattling off something about a code, and then the doctor was back in action, giving you a hand up. "We can continue this little chat later, yeah? It'll be nice to work with another time lord again."

"Likewise, Doctor."

-

The energy around the Doctor was not something you were used to anymore. Always on high, this little adventure was definitely something bigger than you'd all imagined.

Especially since she'd made you get all dressed up to infiltrate a party, bit extra in your opinion, but, you assumed, necessary.

'O' was the most interesting of the Doctors friends, that much you had noticed in the brief moments spent getting to know everyone.

"So...you're like her then?"

"Like who?"

"The doctor. You're a time lord aswell?"

"Yeah, basically." You shrugged. "Two hearts, all of my own, and a Tardis to boot... Why?" The mi6 agent seemed to be way more intrigued in your origins than you'd expected, but you guessed that's what came with having such an infatuation with the Doctor. He did own a whole shelf full of information about her, after all.

Although, you'd admit, the attention you'd gained from him wasn't exactly a bad thing.

"Sorry if that offended you...it's just, she said she was the last of her kind." You hadn't meant to come off as defensive with your question, but you did find your gaze drifting back to the other time lord at his words. It's never an easy life running from a past you can't change, even more so when you're by yourself.

"No, you didn't offend me, sorry, not used to people asking questions about me, that's all," you brushed it off calmly before carrying on, "I guess that's what she believed, and to be honest, I almost believed I was the last aswell,"

The agent was very attentive, listening to your every word, and you were really starting to understand the Doctors weird affinity for humans, "spent years trying to find her again, I'd almost given up... Maybe fate just has a funny way of bringing people together when they need them the most."

"Huh. That's a... nice way of looking at it."

-

This was...not what you were expecting. At all. Finding the Doctor was one thing, but finding the Master? Disguised as 'O'? That was...something else entirely, and suddenly, all of his previous questions were beginning to make sense.

"So this is what you do now? After everything!? What the hell happened between you two while I was gone!?" The Doctors got her sonic trained on the bomb, trying to slow it down atleast, and the Master's yelling in the background.

"Now, do you really think I would not make that sonic proof, Doctor!? Come on!"

"We...had a falling out! We can talk about it later, I dont know!" The Doctor's getting more wound up as the countdown doesn't stop. The Master tells you it's 'deadlock sealed, No parachutes on board'. This wasn't the same time lord you knew back on gallifrey at all, no, he was something else entirely, feeding off the chaos, and the wild look in his eyes only served to confirm it.

"Well this looks like quite the falling out to me!!" You argue back, settling once again into your old habit of calling her out after all these years.

Yaz is the only one of the Doctors companions to fire off a question despite the situation. This girl was starting to grow on you with her fiery attitude. Barton's gone, so this is definitely a death trap after all.

"Stick with me, Yaz, cos I control...everything. Even these guys." A snap of his fingers, and a spin. Dramatic, of course. That's his getaway ticket, and your cue to haul the Doctor out of the cockpit by her suit jacket, slamming the door shut behind you. The blast throws you both, and you know you're braced above her, but there's no time for embarrassment. Instead, you're glad to have atleast shielded her from the brunt of it.

However, now the plane's going down, and the Master just has to get the last word in.

"Everything you think you know... is a lie. Got you, finally." There's the split second after that last laugh, he's about to teleport, whisked away by his new 'friends', but you kick up from your position and practically leap over the Doctor to get to him in time.

You're not letting him go. Not now. Not without answers.

Your hand comes down on his arm.

You both faze out.

Checkmate.

#the doctor x reader #the master x reader #thirteenth doctor x reader #13 x reader #13th doctor x reader #dhawan!master #the master #the doctor #doctor who #thirteenth doctor #sacha dhawan #Jodie Whittaker

[saiilorstars]

Falling in Temptation

Previous chapters  || Sequel to Stars Dance

Fandom: Doctor Who

Pairing: 11th Doctor/ Female OC

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

Ch. 6: Road Trip Down Mystery Lane

Chapter summary: Lena Reynolds receives a letter that's meant for the Doctor. It takes only a short amount of time for the Doctor's companions to suspect if this is how he ends up in Lake Silencio where he is to die in 200 years.

Fairy Tale Memoirs (Companion story)

A/N: Disclaimer: This chapter's plotline is from Doctor Who's comic stories. Most of the dialogue is directly written from the comic. The plot is NOT mine.

Rory stood just by the console's threshold when both Avalon and Amy walked in. He was staring silently at something ahead and when the women followed his gaze, they saw the Doctor and the Sapling sitting by the console conversing.

"What is going on?" Amy asked after hearing a few rambles she couldn't quite keep up with.

"They're just talking," Rory said quietly. "I've been standing here for a good twenty minutes and neither have noticed me."

"Oh God they sound like the same person," Avalon brought a hand to the side of her head.

The Doctor and the Sapling were talking about Gallifrey, from what Avalon managed to hear, and it truly sounded like the Sapling had been on Gallifrey from the way he spoke. But of course that wasn't it. The Sapling held a good portion of the Doctor's memory so naturally he would have memories of the dead planet.

"I've been trying to decide whether or not to go up to them," Rory folded his arms. It sounded like the conversation was nice and he didn't want to interrupt.

"We're going to have to," Amy said with a peculiar sense of certainty. Both Avalon and Rory gave her the same puzzled glances. "I got a call from my Mother. Since she now realizes the Doctor was very real and not a figment of my imagination, she says one of our neighbors has a...problem."

"Problem?" Avalon raised an eyebrow. "What kind of problem?"

"The kind only the Doctor can help out with, I imagine. So, who's going to interrupt them?"

There was a quick exchange of looks before the trio started a competition of 'rock, paper, scissors'.

~ 0 ~

"Kushak?" Amy knocked on the door of her childhood neighbor. "Kushak? It's Amy! My mother said you needed help from, uh..." she looked over her shoulder to where the rest of the group stood. The Doctor, who wore one of his usual grins, wiggled his fingers in a 'hello' manner. Amy sighed and continued to knock. "Kushak?

Eventually, the door opened to reveal a short, olive-skinned man. "Ah, Amy," he looked so relieved when he saw the ginger that the others wondered what kind of problem he had. "You came!"

"Uh, yeah, and I brought the Doctor, along with my friends..." Amy made a languid gesture and really hoped that Kushak wouldn't pay a lot of attention to the Sapling. They couldn't just leave him behind, after all.

But it seemed Kushak didn't care. He practically yanked both Amy and the Doctor into the apartment. Once inside, no one had to ask what Kushak's problem was. They could see it plain as day.

"Are they...are they you?" Avalon rubbed her eyes twice before deciding to believe she was seeing at least a dozen of Kushak's younger versions in his living room.

"They've, um, they've been chased out of their own time periods and I couldn't just turn them away," Kushak explained, and even that made it sound like he was passed fearful and confused. He just wanted help to fix it now.

"Doctor, what do you think is going on?" Rory whispered to the Time Lord who had yet to say anything.

"I...need to pop back into the TARDIS really quick," he said and turned away so quick and was gone in the same speediness.

"What the hell?" Avalon made a gesture asking for anyone else to explain the reason for his behavior. But of course, no one could.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor hopped back into the TARDIS then took it into space and did a quick survey of the situation from the monitor. Very soon he found another problem, a big problem. There were countless Earth planets making a spiral in space as if it were a strand of DNA. "Well, that can't be good," he tweaked his bow-tie and turned back for the door after landing again.

He emerged in a Leadworth street but unlike the last time, it was nowhere near peaceful. There were soldiers shooting strange white lasers at anything in their pathway, including civilians. "Did I overshoot by a few decades?" He was sure that this time, Avalon would kill him...with the help of Amy.

"Doctor!" He heard Rory's voice. Rory was calling from the front yard of Kushak's home, hiding behind the fence along with the others.

"Get over here, you idiot!" came Avalon's chime.

The Doctor thought that was easier said than done. He crossed through the street until Rory yanked him behind the fence were they were huddling. "What's happened!? How long have I been gone!?"

"An hour!" the Sapling answered, though his tone seemed much more chippier than the others.

"An hour!" Avalon scowled.

"Those soldiers came out of nowhere!" Amy said.

"They're who my past selves have all been running from," Kushak explained and had the agreeing nods of all his other younger versions. "Apparently, they've never made it this far before."

"They call themselves 'Sixty-eighters'," one of the younger versions spoke up. "No prizes for guessing where or when they're from, right? They take everything. Up and down the decades they go stealing anything that takes their fancy and killing anyone who gets in their way. And that's what they told me!"

"They told me they started with the seventies and when they'd picked that decade clean they moved on," went another younger version.

"So they're basically intergalactic thieves," Rory shook his head. "Nothing we haven't met already."

"Alright, we need to get back into the TARDIS so we can fix this!" the Doctor poked his head over the fence and saw the chaos had yet to diminish. "We're just going to have to make a run for it. All past-Kushaks, get back into the house, alright? Present Kushak, just follow us. Ready?"

"NO!" went the others in a collective unison.

"That's the spirit! C'mon!" the Doctor made the gesture for them to follow him as he led the way into the street.

"I really hate him sometimes," Avalon groaned as she got up to follow. She grabbed the Sapling's arm and pulled him with her. He had yet to figure out how most of their trips went and she didn't want him to get stuck in a dangerous crossfire like this one.

"Okay Doctor, it's time to explain what the hell is going on," Amy warned the Doctor once they had safely gotten off the planet.

"Right..." he rubbed his hands together and turned to face the group, "Terran geometry won't really do it justice - unless I use dolphin geometry..."

'Dolphin geometry?' Avalon repeated in the most comical, confused manner. "Doctor, I know I say this a lot but this time I really do need the answer: what the hell are you talking about?"

"You're right, sorry. Let's try this way: the planet's turned into a four dimensional circular generalized helcoid."

Avalon, and everyone else, stared at him with blank faces.

"Are you saying the planet's gone squiggly?" Kushak asked after witnessing the countless Earths from the monitor.

"See, that we understand," Avalon pointed at the man.

"Plenty of wibbly-wobbly not so timey-wimey," the Doctor flapped his hands on each side.

"Wibbly-wobbley, timey-wimey!" the Sapling cheerfully repeated. "You used to say that a lot, huh?" The Doctor nodded with a small smile on his face.

"So time...has become space...?" Rory wanted to wrap his mind around the situation to better get the concept the danger they were facing. "And Kushak's past selves really just...walked into his house?"

"Yes," the Doctor nodded.

"Should we go get my past selves, then?" asked Kushak, pointing a finger at the doors.

"Nope! Sixty-eighters right? Those men had guns from space and the future, which is a hell of a combination. I have a feeling we can fix all of this with a visit to the swinging sixties."

But just as he was about to take control of the console, something else seemed to do it. A green glow bathed the console and suddenly, the TARDIS jettisoned itself and threw everyone to the ground.

"No! No!" the Doctor was quick to get back on his feet and ran for the console that seemed to be getting farther and farther from them.

"What's happening now!?" Amy picked herself up and was accidentally pushed by the Sapling as he chased after the Doctor and the console.

"We are running!" He cried happily.

"You know-" Amy looked at Avalon with a pointed expression, "-I know he's not biologically yours, but he does act like you."

Avalon rolled her eyes. "Shut up." It was far too weird accepting - and processing - that there was a small creature literally calling her 'Mother' all the time. He actually believed that she was his mother, and he was right. Technically, he was her son. She shuddered. She had a son. Her face went entirely red each time she remembered that she technically had a son with the Doctor. That was just too much.

The Sapling had extended his branch-like arms and successfully reached for the console. He put in the right sequence to get the controls back in place.

"Well done, Sapling!" the Doctor gave him a good hug before going to the console.

"I have postponed our certain doom!" the Sapling raised its extended arms into the air.

"You sure have," Rory gave him a side hug and laughed.

"The TARDIS' time circuits are extremely well insulated, so I thought we'd be immune from whatever this force is," the Doctor went around the console, his fingers dancing over the controls, "I guess I was wrong. How embarrassing."

"Why? You've been wrong plenty of times," Avalon came up beside him, flashing him a smirk that widened when he frowned.

"Shut up," he pointed at her, though he quickly pulled it away after Avalon made a move to bite him. She needed to stop doing that because one day he might not be that fast and she would actually bite his fingers.

"Something tried to siphon time from the TARDIS just like it did from the Earth," the Sapling moved up to the Doctor's other side.

"Like petrol from an engine, yes."

"Then we must return to the safety of the 21st century immediately."

"Yeah, somehow that doesn't like a good idea to me," Amy said, willing them to remember the chaos they left behind.

"Don't have much of a choice, Pond - hold on!" the Doctor grinned and pulled down the lever to return them to Leadworth. It was an even more bumpier ride than usual. The TARDIS ricocheted off the buildings until it came to a complete stop on a sidewalk. "Looks like we'll just have to visit the sixty-eighters the old fashioned way," the Doctor stepped out first into a much calmer night street.

"You want us to walk to 1968?" Avalon wondered if he had truly lost it now.

The Doctor stuck his finger into his mouth then raised it into the air. "It should take us about three and a half weeks."

"This is really happening?" Kushak had the same expression as Avalon.

"Yup! Better pack the travel kettle!" the Doctor grinned like he was talking about a casual trip.

"Doctor, shouldn't we go get the other Kushaks?" Rory asked since he assumed they were pretty important to the situation.

"Oh, damn," the Doctor scrunched his face. "Stupid, old man!"

"Um...I don't think that'll be a problem," Amy tugged on his arm and pointed a finger at a double-decker red bus driving towards them. The past selves of Kushak had gathered together and somehow acquired the bus.

"Success!" the Sapling said, prompting the Doctor to repeat the statement a second later.

"Roll up for the Mystery Tour!" One of the versions was riding on the outside and waved an arm for the group to go. "Found this parked up in the depo when the sixty-eighters attacked! We're headed for the twenty-thirties. Are you cats coming, or what?"

Well, there weren't many options so...this would have to do.

~ 0 ~

Four days.

It had been four long, excruciating days of nonstop travelling by bus. As it turned out, due to the time and space mishap, it was possible to drive through time. It was very boring.

"Alright, let's make a stop here," the Doctor rose from his seat. "Ponds! Ava! Take a break and stretch your legs!"

Amy and Rory rose from their seats, happy to leave the chattery bus even for five minutes. The Doctor then made his way down the seats until he came to Avalon's seat. She had the Sapling on her lap, fast asleep like her. Her head was leaned against the window.

"Ava?" the Doctor leaned over to gently shake her arm. "Ava, time to wake up. You need to take a break." The Sapling woke first, ironically, and as he started sitting up Avalon blinked awake.

"Are we there yet?" They both asked.

The Doctor smiled and shook his head. "Not yet. We're in 1985."

Avalon groaned and let her head hit the window again. "I hate road trips."

Suddenly, something red splatted against the window. Avalon's head flinched away with wide eyes. "Are those rotten tomatoes!?"

"You can't stop here!"

"Go back!"

"What's going on?" The Sapling pressed his face against the window for a few seconds before Avalon pulled him back.

Some of the Kushaks, along with Amy and Rory, had climbed off the bus to see the trouble. When Avalon, the Doctor and the Sapling followed, they saw several people yelling at them to go back to their own time.

"Eighty-five for the eighty-fivers!" Some of them collectively shouted.

"Are they for real?" Amy looked back at the trio. She'd seen a lot of insane stuff but this has to be in the top five.

"Enough!" the Doctor yelled over the protesters. "STOP! Look at yourselves! Look at what you've allowed your fear to turn into!" the protesters, now silent, exchanged glances amongst each other. "I have watched this nasty, gray pageant unfolding more worlds than I can count. And it always ends the same way. It ends with children cowering in rank hiding places, too frightened to breath. It ends in old men flinching at any sound louder than a twig snapping. It ends in an ocean of shame. Are you ready for that?" the Doctor ignored the fearful looks of his friends as he walked up to the protesters. "You lot have breathtaking potential and goodness knows you make me smile. But sometimes... sometimes you can be a hard species to love. Go home, all of you! Now!"

There was a moment of pure silence in the street as everyone - everyone - looked at each other.

The Doctor visibly relaxed once the protesters began to disperse. Major disaster well avoided. He turned to his fitness who were wearing almost identical smiles. "It's weird how you all do that," his finger moved between Avalon, Amy and Rory.

"Well done," Amy gave a mock clap that made the Doctor roll his eyes.

"We should probably be on our way. Better to make a stop somewhere else." He led the way back into the bus.

"Doctor, look who we found!" One of the 90s Kushak called as two more versions walked into the bus behind them. One of versions was an entirely new Kushak who was dressed like a cop.

"Isn't his ponytail great?" laughed the other Kushak.

"Hm, another Kushak," the Doctor seemed surprise as he grabbed the cop-Kushak by the shoulders. Without warning, he opened the man's hand. "Interesting! Very interesting!"

"Doctor, please take your hand out of the man's mouth," Avalon sighed. "And don't you-" she pointed a finger at the Sapling beside her, "-go doing that. We don't do that."

The Doctor grabbed his sonic and examined cop-Kushak from head to toe. "Of course when I said 'interesting' I really meant dire."

"Dire?" Rory caught on fast. He leaned forwards as he asked, "How can this be more dire!?"

As if to answer the question, a blinding light emerged within the bus. It was the same thing that occurred with the TARDIS console getting farther away from them. The bus seats seemed to be in warp speed along with the Kushaks sitting on them. It lasted for a few seconds but it was the craziest few seconds they'd felt.

"Is everyone okay?" the Doctor struggled to stay on his feet after the rumble.

"I feel...edited, mother," the Sapling leaned on Avalon's side, one hand rubbing the side of his head, "My deck has been shuffled."

"Same," she clutched her head. Everything was spinning in her eyes.

"Hey Doctor, are you okay?" Amy noticed the Time Lord was taking a bit longer to come back.

"Yes, yes," he answered but his face was still scrunched in pain. "Whatever's waiting for us in 1968 is still siphoning Time from surroundings areas. Whatever it is, it's never full." He took in a deep breath and finally straightened himself up, though he still kept a hand over the top of a seat's rail. "More and more Time is being converted into space, which means more past and future versions of people and places are being generated all the time."

"Question I'm assuming has a bad answer, but…" Rory raised a finger in the air, "What exactly happens when all of Time has been siphoned?"

"All motions stop. Change becomes impossible."

"I've got another question," Avalon raised her hand almost like Rory had, "Why haven't we met any past selves of ourselves?"

"Because we were off the planet when this happened." The Doctor planted himself in one of the seats and put his hands together on his lap. "You know what? I bet you breakfast on the Titanic there's a space parasite at the bottom of all this. It's always a space parasite."

"Hey, Doctor!" one of the Kushak's called. "You need to hear this!" he grabbed the cop-Kushak they'd just picked up. "Tell them what you just told me!"

"I've been to 1968! I got lost in the smoke. The whole year's sealed off by the biggest wall I've ever seen! The thing looks pretty much impregnable."

"But not impossible," Avalon started smirking, leading the others to wonder what she was thinking about. "I live to smash things — I actually broke into a house one time with Mels."

"Don't be proud of that," Rory pointed a quick finger at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Anyways, I was thinking we use our little Time situation to our advantage. If he's right—" she pointed at the Doctor, "—and we're getting more and more Kushaks along the way, why don't we make an army to break the wall?"

"I hate armies," the Time Lord scowled as he rose from his seat.

"Yes, but it's not the type of army you hate. I just mean we use all our numbers to smash that wall down."

"She's got a point," Amy said, leaning closer to Avalon. "We can get power tools and pretty much anything we could use to smash the wall."

"So we're just going to pick up more Kushaks until we get to 1968?" asked Rory.

"Aha!" Avalon grinned.

"Yeah, I guess we are," the Doctor shrugged. It seemed pretty logical and it wasn't at all the army he thought of.

And so, the rest of the trip was done quicker as it made more stops to pick up any Kushak that crossed their path. Each stop they also acquired more power tools to build up their muscle.

Until they finally reached the year where a huge, gray wall stood. Several double-decker buses pulled up to let the massive army of Kushak's selves.

"Am I crazy or can I hear Jimi Hendrix?" asked one of the versions as they gathered in front of the wall.

"I think I do hear some music," Avalon put a hand behind her ear, but the sounds were garbled with the louder electricity crackling at the top of the building. They were pretty determined to keep everything out, whoever was on the other side.

"Alright everybody," the Doctor stood in front of the army. "What's the first rule for dealing with bullies?"

"We beat them up before they beat us up?" Avalon was the first, and fastest, to respond. The Doctor shook his head at her. "What? We're not supposed to do that?"

"Oh for the love of — everybody!" Amy raised her axe in the air. "Smash the thing down!"

"YEAH!"

Everybody ran towards the wall and smashed it with all their might, but it only did so much. After half an hour, some of the Kushaks were beginning to get discouraged.

"It's not...working!" Rory took in a deep breath after one particular heavy smash.

"Yes, I know," the Doctor stepped back and pulled out his sonic. He tapped it against his chin as he wondered what more they could to do apply the right pressure against the wall. "Oh," he blinked and suddenly looked at his sonic. "I can calculate the natural vibrational frequency of the wall…"

"You couldn't have done this half an hour ago?" Avalon scowled at him, her hands gripping her own axe.

"I didn't think of it," he admitted in embarrassment. "Alright everybody, stand back!" he took aim on the wall with the sonic and in two minutes flat there was an explosion in the wall.

"Hey! Uncool!" someone from the other side yelled, "This is a private be-in, man!"

On the other side of the wall there seemed to be a party going on. A wicked party. People were dancing to the blaring music. The wall, from their side, were decorated with peace signs and other colorful pictures.

"1968 is a party!?" Avalon shrieked. "And we weren't invited!?"

"I don't think you're focusing on the right part, Ava," Rory came to stand beside her.

An older man with long hair swayed towards the group with a high-tech gun in his hand. "You guys look cosmic. Ordinarily I'd approve but I think I'm probably going to have to kill you quite soon. Sorry."

"Apology not accepted," scowled Amy who, like the others, had to put their hands up.

"That is Jimi Hendrix," Rory was looking at the very front of the party where a grand stage stood. A man - a very tired looking man - was sitting on a stool playing guitar.

The long-haired man nodded his head. "Yeah, man. His 50th set this month!"

"He doesn't sound very enthusiastic to me," Avalon listened to the strained voice of the musician. It sounded like he was close to falling apart. "Of course if you made me sing 50 sets in a row, I'd be ready to lose it too."

"I'm so confused right now," the Sapling admitted and looked at the Doctor for some help. "What's going on?"

"It's quite obvious my dear Sapling," the Doctor glared at the party crowd. "They're having a party that never has to end. And they're stealing from the future to pay for it."

The long-haired man pressed his gun to the Doctor's forehead, seeming angry for the poor description of their event. "We're not stealing anything, man! Everything we've retaken proceeds from this moment! Without us, you wouldn't have your wafer-thin TVs or your future phones. We birthed your world!"

"Oh, what a load of crap," Avalon rolled her eyes. "You didn't birth our world."

"Ava, let's not be so mean to the man holding a plasma weapon on me," the Doctor gently stepped away to be free of the metal on his forehead. "Where did you get that, by the way?" he asked the long-haired man.

"From the Wayfarer," the long-haired man pointed to a large, double set red doors opening up beside the stage.

"Two heartssssss," something hissed as tentacles started poking through the opening doors. "You reeeek of tiiiiiime."

A large tentacled creature emerged, resembling an octopus except that where the body should be was just one long neck with a lone eyeball at the top.

While everyone stepped back in fear, the Doctor took a step forwards and tweaked his bow-tie with a smile. "Well, thank you for noticing. Dab or two behind the ears before an adventure, you know."

"Bring meeee your box of deliciousssss tiiiime!"

"Doctor...what are we supposed to do...?" Avalon took another step back as the creature seemed to advance towards them.

"For the moment, let me talk," he mumbled before addressing the creature. "So, what are you supposed to be? You're too...tentacle-y for a Chronovore but time's clearly your snack of choice. The whole spatial conversion thing's a new one on me, by the way."

"I come frooooom the ssssstock of ssssstill outside. The Nunc-stans. Nnnno tick, tock, tick, tock. No chaaaaaange, no grooooowth."

"I see," the Doctor raised his head to face the eyeball looking down on him. "So you're from a timeless dimension where growth and change is impossible. You got your feed under the table of a nice, cozy decade and bribed the inhabitants with cheap alien weapons and even a cheaper party without end. I'm trying to decide which species I'm most angry with here."

"How about the alien that's manipulating humans?" Amy muttered.

"Enough!" snapped the Nunc-stan. "Bring meeee your boxxxxx of time!"

"Can't do that, I'm afraid," the Doctor wagged a finger. "And stop calling my TARDIS 'box of time' will you? She's so much more than that!"

The Nunc-stan dismissed him and instead picked him up with one tentacle. It gathered up Avalon, Amy and Rory with its other tentacles.

"Mother! Father!" the Sapling cried as the Nunc-stan dragged them in the air.

"She's my old and dearest companion!" the Doctor was arguing and perhaps caught a bug in his mouth during one go in the air. "She's a sanctuary - ah! - for the hounded and the wear! She's our home! And not to mention she's decades away from you so forget it!"

"Then what neeeeeed do I haaaaave for you!?"

"It's going to splat us like pancakes!" Avalon cried in horror. Her messy curls were covering most of her face.

"Home...?" The Sapling repeated. He hadn't lived in the TARDIS very long - well, he hadn't lived for a long time in general - but the TARDIS was a fun place so far. He always had long conversations with the Doctor about Gallifrey, and he had a lot of fun watching classic movies with Avalon. He was trying to learn how to heal like Rory did and Amy taught him more vocabulary than just repeating everything he heard. It was home.

"Hey...what's wrong with this thing?" The long-haired man noticed the Sapling's shoulders beginning to grow spikes. Even the top of his head was growing spikes too, and long ones.

"Home protected!" The Sapling growled. His feet took root on the ground and suddenly he soared in the air like a long tree, only this tree had a scary face. "Home protected!" It grew higher and higher, way over the Nunc-stan and seized several of the party goers as well as some of the Kushaks.

"Two heartssssss!" the Nunc-stan seemed to cry in pain as the Sapling's branch tentacle wrapped around its body. "Your creature issss killing meeee!" It was forced to let go of the travelers.

"You say feed on time, but know that's not true. Not really," the Doctor had gotten up fast from the ground. "Fear of change! That's what you really feed on! I know you used trans-dimensional tech to get here, so I suggest you hop it before my friend crushes you!"

The Nunc-stan wrapped its own tentacles around itself, pushing and forcing the Sapling to let him go. Gradually, it disappeared into nothing and that was fast.

"No! No! It's leaving!" the long-haired man cried. "Please don't leave us!"

But it was too late.

"Doctor, what are we going to do about the Sapling?" Avalon looked up at the high tree that'd become completely still. "Is he...is he dead?" Her voice had cracked. Oh God, what a 'mother' she was if she let the Sapling die.

The Doctor turned to see her anguished gaze on the tree. "I don't think so," he walked over and turned his attention to the roots. "Here, let's start digging."

Between them and Amy and Rory - since the Kushaks were busy dispersing the rest of the ninteen sixty-eighters - they pulled branches apart until...way at the bottom...

"C'mon Sapling," the Doctor shook off his coat and dug even harder. "This happened in a temporal anomaly so soon it'll be like it never happened. C'mon!"

And then, after one more pull, they found the Sapling tucked inside safe and sound.

"Oh thank God," Avalon visibly exhaled with relief. The Doctor reached inside and pulled the Sapling out.

"Is he alright?" Amy asked as they stood up together.

"Think so," the Doctor examined as best he could with the Sapling in his arms. He seemed sleepy but that was pretty much it. "You and I need to have a serious chat once we're on our way, young man."

The Sapling seemed to be holding onto something and when he uncurled his hand he held the Doctor's sonic screwdriver. His roots had picked it up after the Doctor had been taken into the air. "I...I broke your sonic screwdriver. Am I in trouble?"

The Doctor had a light smile on his face. "Don't worry about it."

~ 0 ~

After returning to the TARDIS - which was a much shorter trip since they had been transported back to 2011 with time being restored - the present-day Kushak was returned home. The Doctor explained he wouldn't be remembering anything since everything that happened was an anomaly. It was a huge relief being able to go home and leaving behind a safe Earth once again.

"We're going to have to work on controlling our powers," the Doctor sat beside the Sapling on the console stairs. The latter seemed very guilty over what happened earlier. He hadn't looked up from the ground ever since he'd awoken completely. "I know it's difficult, mostly because we don't really know what kind of powers you have, but...we can make an effort."

"I am very sorry, father," the Sapling said in a low voice. "I have learned from your example, primarily. Mother has not faced the dangers you have. I take after what you did during the War of Time, the terrible sacrifices you made..."

The Doctor scrunched his face. Of all the times to look at, of course the Sapling would zone in on that time.

"Is that why you went all killer-tree, then?" Avalon's voice pulled the Doctor from his thoughts.

As soon as he saw her coming around the console, he felt terrible. She knew everything about the Time War but he didn't want her to keep getting more and more stories of that awful time.

Avalon came up to the two and set her hands on her hips, her gaze landing on the Sapling who'd raised his head for the first time. "You did all that because you saw that's what the Doctor did back then?"

The Sapling nodded his head and the Doctor's shoulders slumped. Now he looked like the guilty one.

"Okay," Avalon drew in a breath before speaking again, "We appreciate what you did, Sapling, but...you can't go doing that willy-nilly. The Doctor's right. We have to control your powers somehow and I doubt creating that whole tree-thing was a good idea right now."

"I will try my hardest, mother, I promise," the Sapling offered one small smile, still fearful that his parents might still be upset with him.

"And you-" Avalon bent down in front of the Doctor, startling the man with her sudden proximity to his face, "-mister, I don't want to see that guilty face."

"What-"

"-soon as you hear 'Time War' you always do the same thing: you become guilty. You heard what the Sapling meant. He drew from the sacrifices you made during that war, not the fights you took part in."

"Ava-"

"-sorry, but that's what he said. So no guilty face." She straightened on her feet and put on a smile. "Now that we've got business out of the way, how's about we do another movie marathon?"

The Sapling jumped at the chance for a movie marathon. "Yes! I love all the movies you've shown me, mother! What are we watching tonight?"

"I don't know, maybe we can let the Doctor choose this time," Avalon held a hand for the Doctor to take since he had yet to say anything. "C'mon, Fairy Tale Man. Don't leave us hanging."

The Doctor glanced at the Sapling and saw the absolute excitement radiating from his childlike face. Avalon was also giving him one of her charming smiles. He couldn't say 'no' to either of them. He took Avalon's hand and just gave in - the story of his life.

#ocappreciation #doctor who #11th doctor #doctor who fics #11th doctor fics #doctor who imagines #11th doctor imagines #dw imagine #dw fics #oc: Avalon Reynolds #oc: Lena Reynolds #fic: falling in temptation

[ennn]

Disorganised initial thoughts - Doctor Who 12x05

WHAT? WHAT?! WHAT.

So I woke up and got a message from a friend telling me to avoid spoilers going in. And I did! Go me!

Also geez were my expectations sky high going in

Okay so within the first like 5 minutes, I guessed that Ruth was actually the Fugitive and that maybe some Chameleon Arch trickery was going on -- glad that the episode still managed to surprise!

You know something is up with a character when she’s so nice and friendly!

Oof – “Because you ask too many questions!”

Thirteen actually being outright snappy with her fam. LOVE IT. Give me all this sweet delicious angst and pain

Also sweet VALIDATION. See we knew the Doctor wasn’t fine. We’re actually getting some open conflict folks!

Also damn Doc I don’t think you should be going home to stare and brood over the burning wreckage of your home planet. That seems unhealthy

And also incredibly on brand because you’re an idiot

I really do love the Judoon. I really can’t hate these space rhinos.

Snapping off that horn was actually brutal

JACK 

Jack NO

Fuckin’ tease! We all know Jack’s gonna be back right? RIGHT? HE HAS TO MEET THIRTEEN

Chibs really knows how to lock down those spoilers huh

IT’S THE TARDIS?? IT’S THE DOCTOR???? WHAT IS GOING ONNNN

Okay so I’m choosing to think it’s simply part of the Doctor’s history that they can’t remember. Because they’ve lived a loooong time, maybe they got mind wiped way back when, etc. Plus it sorta kinda plays into how she can’t remember the Timeless Child either...? Gallifrey and Time Lords man. Shady.

"All rainbows and trousers that don’t reach” lolololol savage

Please tell me we’re calling her the Ruthless!Doctor? 

Oho. “Don’t take the moral high ground with me!”

To all the folks complaining about the Doctor’s moral compass. IT IS FLAWED AND THAT IS THE POINT. 

She’s literally judging and hating herself

Jodie pulled out those damn hurt sad puppy eyes for just a second last ep and then she dumped all on them on us in this one while looking absolutely beaten down and alone and I JUST–

Thirteen actually snapped at Ryan and tried pushing her companions away and my crops were thriving I tell you

#dw spoilers #doctor who #tv: doctor who #i'm getting my angst and i'm living right now

[fangirlinglikeabus]

i read some non vna dw books a while ago but because i am a Clown i’ve only just finished typing up notes on them...i think my next dw book i’ll make notes as i go rather than just marking the pages and Hoping I Remember. anyway! here’s my thoughts on thirteen doctors 13 stories. i have more opinions on some than others. 

A BIG HAND FOR THE DOCTOR

"...Susan, who was possibly the only person in the universe who could make the Doctor smile at the mere thought of her."

awwwwww

didn't really like this one that much - i wasn't too impressed with eoin colfer's characterisation of the first doctor (esp since pre-ian and barbara i don’t think he’d willingly attempt to stop some villains until susan was in danger)

THE NAMELESS CITY

Polly...once described him as looking like an unmade bed.

lmao

...he didn't know exactly what he was, though when he was growing up, he had heard tales of the legendary fairy creatures of the Unseelie Court who haunted Scotland's deepest valleys. He suspected the Doctor might be one of the dark Sith.

HEAVILY vibe with this concept the world is saved by bagpipes.......peak dw THE SPEAR OF DESTINY

"You know what I love about London?" he said, turning to her briefly. She sighed. "I'm sure I can't guess." "It's the only city in the universe where you can drive around in a car that's seventy years old and get away with it." "Who says you're getting away with it?" Jo muttered. 

nkdfsjksn

"Fire away!"

"Oh, Doctor, please. Not after that business at the museum."

no doctor is immune to the temptation of a good pun. no matter how inappropriate. actually i really like how jo and three are written in this generally. there's so many good scenes. also, when the doctor asks her why she doesn't know anything about the vikings: "Doctor, we did the Romans. Every year." rip jo

From a distance the Doctor watched as a group of about twenty men loaded the TARDIS on to the back of a large low wagon pulled by four sturdy oxen.

jo: the doctor told me about the perception filter on the tardis so it'll be fine! they won't even spot it. literally the next scene, immediately:

She longed to stand and give this old goat a piece of her mind, but she knew she'd most likely fall over if she tried, which wasn't the effect she was after.

aw jo :(

"Do you know they wash once a week?" "Could have fooled me," muttered Jo.

*desperately resists the urge to write down every jo line in this story*

"I have the ship. And I have the spear. What need have I of you any more?"

the master is betrayed. to the surprise of no-one but himself.

The Doctor held her by the shoulders. "My dear girl," he said. "That is very noble of you. You were right. Your aspirations /are/ the very noblest. But you're wrong about something. Nothing is more important than you."

me, sobbing:

ROOTS OF EVIL

realised as i was reading this that i don't own any books featuring leela.....a crime

"Surprise!" the Doctor said. "You know you were complaining that you missed trees?"

this is actually the cutest thing no-one look at me

She could never understand why the Doctor was so careless of danger. It was a good thing he had her to look after him, she thought, as he opened the TARDIS door and they stepped out together into dim, green light and the earthy, warm-compost smell inside the great tree.

phillip reeve gets the four+leela dynamic. like. he Gets it. 

"It will not hurt you," she promised. "It is called a 'scarf'. It is like a cloak, only pointless."

ousdofnsoksfd

"Did it look a bit like a gravel pit? You'd be amazed how many alien worlds look just like gravel pits..."

what is doctor who. without quarry jokes.

"I mean, he's wearing a bow tie!" the Doctor explained patiently. "Ridiculous objects! I wouldn't be seen dead in a bow tie!"

1) says the guy who wears an obnoxiously long scarf everywhere 2) honey, you've got a big storm coming

TIP OF THE TONGUE

there's a scene in this where nyssa and the doctor chill at a diner and they drink chocolate milkshakes together. this is all i care about.

Good Lord, was that celery he was wearing on his lapel?

Yeah We Know

"Are you British?" Nettie said, as if this was the most surprising part of the whole thing.

i mean, fair

He paused. "I don't suppose either of you would be interested in travelling?"

the fifth doctor: hey one of my friends died recently and i abandoned the other one but i really miss having a large crew so i was wondering if you two literal children would like to risk your life travelling with me :)

SOMETHING BORROWED

you'd think given this one is from peri's pov she'd be slightly more central to the plot. ah well.

"That's two storeys up!" I exclaimed. "And I'm in heels." "Well then, you should have worn more sensible shoes, shouldn't you?"

maybe she lives in hope that she won't have to do any running/scale buildings every time she steps out of the tardis. i get that. 

"Well, you are the expert when it comes to gaudy," I said, giving a meaningful look to his red-and-yellow plaid coat and green tie.

every six story is legally obligated to drag his coat

The Doctor shook the man's hand vigorously. "Yes, yes. A little different round the edges since our last meeting on Kiri 4, but all the charm and intellect are still here."

i love this bastard.......

"Love? That contrived, chemically driven state of idiocy?"

mood

A clatter of metal was the sole warning I had before a hole in the ceiling suddenly opened, and the Doctor came tumbling down to the floor, landing in an ungraceful heap of rainbow plaid. Nonetheless, he rose to his feet with all the dignity of an Olympic gymnast who'd just landed a perfect somersault.

not to sound like a broken record but i would Die for this idiot

withholding myself from using more quotes to illustrate my unbridled love for the sixth doctor whom..........

"You might regret not helping me with this one day," she  [the Rani] called over to us. "Your next regeneration may be sooner than you think."

Huh. I Wonder What That's Referring To

RIPPLE EFFECT

From the look on his face, Ace reckoned that a visit to the Time Lords was something similar to her having to visit the dentist back on Earth.

i mean to be fair.....the time lords are a whole lot worse although in this case the doctor's reasons for not wanting to visit are: (i) they're 'old, boring and judgemental' (ii) they have stupid clothes and a stupid non-intervention policy (iii) they treat him 'like a naughty schoolboy' (can't have that in front of your companion!)

i apparently didn't have many comments to make on this one. um...it was good. i liked the idea of an alternate universe with nice daleks. MOVING ON

SPORE

"They're all dead....everyone's dead, flesh turned to liquid. It moves...There are things! Moving things! They're alive..." Major Platt looked up at the Doctor. "The caller became incoherent after that and disconnected shortly after." The Doctor drummed his fingers thoughtfully against the top of the aluminium folding-table between them. "Hmm...That really doesn't sound very good."

YEAH YA THINK?

"I was at the opera," the Doctor explained, "when my phone went off."

this is his excuse for That outfit. really just copying everything from grace here huh

THE BEAST OF BABYLON

She also didn't yet know that he wasn't a man at all.

yeah cos he's non-binary duh

"So now we're landing on Earth," he shouted, "two thousand years before the birth of Christ..." "Who?" "He was a bit like Sherlock Holmes. Knew the answers to everything. Very good at solving mysteries. Some humans use him to measure time."

obsessed with the implications of this dialogue...

THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED COTTAGE

absolutely love the concept of this one...a world created from martha's memories of reading a famous five expy as a child

"What?" Martha said defensively, keeping her voice down. "That's how he was described in the books. Don't blame me. This was 1951. Everything back then was blinkered, sexist, and ever-so-slightly racist. It was a backward time." "Ah, yes," said the Doctor, "because 2007 has none of those things."

vibe with this convo

"Am I lonely?" Martha asked. "You're a particle of dust," the Doctor said. "Of course you're not lonely." "I sound lonely." "Well you're not; you're having a great time."

this conversation where the doctor tells martha to imagine herself as a particle of dust has exactly the same kind of energy as discussions you have at 3am at a sleepover

NOTHING O'CLOCK

Amy looked irritated. She wasn't irritated, but she liked to give him the impression she was, just to show him who was boss.

yeah...

ok the villains in this one are actually really fucked up like. it's been a While since i read it now because i procrastinated on making these notes but they were Good creepy. thank you mr gaiman. 

LIGHTS OUT

now THIS is one where the pov heavily contributes to the story...

He turns to look at me with piercing, hollow-set grey eyes, then furrows his impressive silvery brows. "I'm buying a coffee," he says. "For a girl."

so THAT'S why twelve took so long to find coffee for clara......he wasn't buying it on earth. good vibes

TIME LAPSE

i absolutely LOVE the concept for this one, which is that the year 2004 completely disappears from records

A typed envelope reading The Doctor, The TARDIS, Ex-Gallifrey followed by a long string of numbers, letters, and things that probably were letters but looked like they came from about eight different languages.

obsessed with the fact that (i) you can apparently send letters to the tardis, like it has an actual address (mel throwing a message in a bottle into space doesn't seem so unreasonable now huh...) (ii) part of this address is 'ex-gallifrey'

this dude gets rejected. and is so badly embarrassed that he erases 2004 from existence. i promise i'm not making this up.

#laura reads dw books #long post #oof i promise the other one i've got notes for isn't this long.....i just had a lot of Thoughts #aside from eoin colfer's i actually really enjoyed all the stories! would highly recommend this collection

[lucytara]

clara/twelve fic: but we’re so happy [4/7?]

Clara’s talking about her new job and he’s staring in that way he’s not supposed to stare, like he adores her, like he’s addicted to every word out of her mouth, like love itself is in the room with them strung along in the space between their bodies, but they’re all drunk and no one’s paying attention now, anyway, and fuck it all, he’s so happy it’s killing her. Outside, it rains like it’s rained forever, but instead of a storm she finds a beginning. [punk rock au. secrets are fun until they aren’t. an album isn’t exactly a secret, she resists pointing out. 13k words. explicit. part 1/2/3]

but we’re so happy

/4

January passes in a hazy blur of biting winter nights spent huddled together in the Doctor’s flat; the fireplace crackles endlessly like it’s on a loop and the sofa becomes home, turning pages beneath piles of blankets, choruses of chords. He shows her bare melodies and she offers advice; try an E flat, make this a G major 6, and she’s always right. He’s gone a lot in February, but he returns every weekend and plays her each song as the band records them, and she hears all the demos first - which is only fair, she argues, considering she’s the muse behind the brilliance - and it’s wildly flattering to listen to how he’s immortalized her and their relationship in his songs. She’s lying on his couch, arm over her eyes, absorbing every line of a track he’s tentatively titled ‘Death in Heaven.’

You said, “We’re already going to hell, so you might as well just fuck me tonight…”

He watches her grin, snarky. She says, “I was directly quoted. I want five percent of all royalties.”

He laughs under his breath. He’d spoil her to pieces if he thought it was actually something she wanted. “Threatening a lawsuit?” He teases, tossing a loose pillow at her.

She catches it, holding it to her chest. “Oh, absolutely. I’m all about the money.”

“So I’ve noticed.”

The CD pauses; the track ends. “Play it again,” she demands. “I missed some of it because of all your yapping.”

He rolls his eyes, but skips back; she’ll do this all day until she has every word memorized, and then she’ll sing along until she makes his own music sound sexy and he politely has to ask her please, for the love of God, stop.

She’s laying back and mouthing the words, lips barely moving, fingers tapping against her thigh; the moment is so untouched, untainted, right--

He says, “It occurs to me.”

Her eyes blink open slowly. “Yes?”

“People will be wondering,” he says. “Who I’m singing about, I mean.”

“They already are,” she replies, giving him a somewhat quizzical look. “After that stunt on New Year’s, what’d you think was gonna happen?”

He raises his eyebrows. The track ends again. “I don’t read YouTube comments,” he tells her pointedly.

She makes a noise of fake exasperation in her throat. “Plenty of theories so far. Fortunately the random girl seen with Jack out and about in London has not been included.” She extends an arm, gesturing for him to come closer.

He stretches out next to her on the couch, his head in the crook of her neck. She wraps an arm around him, hand rubbing his back. He says, “I don’t want it to frighten you off. Fame is - it’s awful, really. I don’t want you dragged into something you’re not ready for.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re young.”

Her hand stills. She turns her head and presses her lips to his hair. She says, understanding exactly where he’s coming from because she knows him better than anyone in the universe, “It’s not selfish of you to be happy and write about it. I’m not getting myself into anything I don’t want, Doctor, even if it may be difficult. Some things are worth the risk.”

“Like what?” He asks.

“Like love.” Her voice is coy. “But you knew the answer to that.”

He closes his eyes. “It’s nice to hear you say it.” He sighs into her. “I miss you when I’m away. Like I’m never quite sure which is my real life.”

The fire washes over the room in swathes of rich orange light. “Like you don’t know if you’re you when you’re with me or you’re you when you’re on stage?”

“Sort of,” he says. “Yeah.”

“I understand that,” she responds, and her fingers have started moving again, gentle and comforting.

“Though it’s better now that you’re the music, too,” he confesses, and then: “Actually, no, scratch all that. I feel more like me now than ever.”

She laughs quietly; he can feel her chest moving underneath his arm. “Guess I’ll have to stick around then, huh?”

He’s growing tired. “Well, I’d never want to force you into anything.”

Her other arm wraps around him in an embrace. “I think,” she says softly, lips against the shell of his ear, “that I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”

--

She comes to London with him once for a few days; Jack’s there as well, helping Donna manage their schedules, single and album release dates, possible tour locations, while she hangs back in the actual studio, getting to watch him in a slower, subtler version of his element. The method of recording Gallifrey One employs is a-song-a-day; they work from the ground up on each song individually, so that by the time the track’s finished, mixing needs are minimal and it sounds raw and recognizable and them, instead overly polished.

“It works better for rock and punk rock,” Shona tells her, “because it gives them room for artistry - they’re building out the song as they go, but every take sounds like a completed record. Each element on top of the other, blending seamlessly. They’ve been playing a long time, so it’s a preferred technique for them.”

“If we have to, we’ll go back in for a bit of brick by brick,” Psi says, “but that doesn’t happen often - only if a significant change has been made. We dedicate about three weeks total to the entire process on our end, but the band spends a few weeks before this practicing. Mind you, they’ve got to write all their material before this, and tour; that’s why there’s such a long break between releases. Their last was, what, a year and a half ago?”

Shona and Psi are great about explaining to her the mechanics of what goes into actually producing a record - she knows more than they expect, and the band spends a lot of time fucking around in the booth, so they’ve plenty of time to teach her what she’s unfamiliar with - and when Vastra notices her touching the soundboard, she grabs the mic and speaks into it.

“Any notes, Bosswald?” She jokes, and the Doctor glances up, grinning.

“What’s the button I press to talk back? I’m not used to this board,” she asks, and when Shona points out it, she clicks it in and says, “Actually, yeah.”

The Doctor raises an eyebrow; Vasta smirks expectantly. “I’m open to suggestions.”

“On the bridge - add a D Minor after the D7. It’ll connect to the chorus better.”

Vastra looks at her with an expression of mild appraise, and moves her fingers to the appropriate strings, testing it out. The Doctor watches too, listening carefully.

“Hm.” He pauses her, thinking. River spins her drumsticks in the background. “Let’s try it as a whole. From the chorus, no vocals.”

River counts them in, and to the surprise of everybody except the Doctor, Clara’s right. He takes out a pencil from behind his ear and scribbles the addition onto his sheet, tongue between his teeth.

Psi’s impressed. “Did you study music?”

“Combined honours,” she admits. “Literature and music. I was raised on it. My dad owned a smaller studio when he was younger - it’s how he met my mum. She could play a lot of instruments. Guitar, bass, piano…I’ve only got the keys down, though, but I don’t get to play a lot anymore.”

“Well, great suggestion,” Shona says. “The Doctor barely even takes advice from us.”

Clara laughs lightly. “Humouring me, I’m sure. Glad it worked out.”

“She also has absolute and relative pitch,” the Doctor says, apparently having overheard the conversation; Psi’s pressing the button.

Shona whistles, a little more impressed; the Doctor catches her eye and winks. Psi says to the band, “Alright, everyone, taking it from the beginning. River, if you would...”

Clara watches them play through the song five, ten, twenty times, Shona and Psi adjusting various levels and keeping the fade at a minimum, fine-tuning the song with every alteration. Shona notices her intent interest and says, “Ever thought about it?”

“About what?”

“Working in music.”

Clara blinks slowly. “Well, yeah...”

Shona grins. “You’re young, ain’t you? What, twenty-two, twenty-three? You got time.”

Clara pulls a face, grimacing. Getting to do what they do sounds incredible - music’s her passion, and of course she’d considered it, but after her mum had died...music had hurt in a way it hadn’t before. She hadn’t been ready, so she’d closed it off as a possibility. Studying it was one thing, but actually doing it was another; her fear had been finding her mum in every note, every beat, every chord, every song.

“I wouldn’t even know where to start, now,” she answers, sighing. “I mean, yeah, I’d love it. But it’s hard to break into, innit?”

Psi’s paying more attention to the band, but at that remark he throws a quick glance to her over his shoulder and a smile. “Sweetheart,” he says, “look where you are. I think you’ve probably made a few connections by now.”

“Like me,” Shona tacks on. “I work with plenty of artists that aren’t these four idiots, and I’ve a paid internship starting in May. I like you, and you clearly know enough about what you’re doing to at least manage an entry-level position - plus, you’re likable, charismatic. That’s important when working with oversized, temperamental children who want to believe everything they create is perfect the way it is.”

Psi leans in to give a note to the band and Clara says, in a state of shock, “It really is all about who you know.”

Shona laughs. “What d’you say?”

She has to shake herself out of it a bit, enough to answer, “I’d do anything to take you up on that opportunity, but I’m actually from Blackpool - that’s how I know Jack and the Doctor - and I don’t have the money to move to London at the moment.”

Shona screws up her face, thinking. “Blackpool,” she repeats. “I know a few people at 3W Recording Studios. I could give ‘em a call if you want to test out the market, see how you like it.”

“Are you serious?” Clara says, her body tingling. “Properly serious?��

“Absolutely!” Shona exclaims. “Why not give it a shot?”

“I don’t know what to say,” Clara responds, her voice wavering. She has no idea what she’s just gotten herself into, but had she really been planning on working in a club forever? She’d imagined writing, maybe, or teaching, but only at the lack of a viable path to what she’s truly passionate about. Music is her blood - perhaps it's time she let herself bleed again. “Thank you so much. I’d love to.”

“Give me your mobile, email, et cetera - I’ll take care of it, get you in touch.”

The song plays on in the background, fifty takes later, but now it sounds entirely new to her.

--

She tells the Doctor about it later over dinner, back at his flat eating Indian, and he’s unrelentingly supportive; as he says, he doesn’t understand why she hasn’t been doing it all along when she’s clearly got the right instincts for it. Jack, too, nods approvingly; “Look at you, gorgeous,” he says, digging into his curry and rice. “You’ve got the face for music.”

“I’ve no idea what that means,” she responds, which is not unusual for her when talking to Jack. “Is that an insult?”

“No, it’s a compliment. You’ve got the looks and the brilliance.”

She laughs, but the Doctor says, “Well, he’s not wrong.”

“Oh, look what I found today,” Jack says, whipping out his phone. “Jenny showed me, actually, since she’s the one on top of social media, but--”

He hands Clara his phone first - the Doctor’s busy tearing the naan apart - and it’s open to a Gallifrey One fan message board, on a thread purely about appreciating the Doctor.

“I can relate,” she says, and he laughs, but gestures for her to keep reading. The Doctor looks on curiously.

DoctorSaveMe posted:

Who’s that girl that’s been hanging out with the band recently? She’s pretty but looks super young? Anyone know the connection?

Straxxx posted:

do u have a pic? think i know who ur talking about but wanna make sure

TheDoctorIsIn posted:

from these pap pics?

She scrolls down and finds the shots of her from the first time she’d come to London with them, walking into Wahaca with Jack’s arm around her shoulders, the Doctor annoyed in the forefront.

DoctorSaveMe posted:

Yes! Her!

VastraNerada posted:

She’s jack’s girlfriend.

Straxxx posted:

yea thats what i thought too

DoctorSaveMe posted:

Oh really? Are you sure? That would make sense then, but I thought he was gay.

x_regenerated_x posted:

he’s bi I think. but yeah that’s definitely his new girlfriend. he’s been bringing her to a bunch of stuff recently. I think she knows martha too.

VastraNerada posted:

He posts loads of photos of them on his facebook. They’ve been friends for awhile but it looks like they just started dating recently.

The following posts turn into a debate about Jack’s sexuality and veer off of her, but still, the whole thing is surreal; seeing her own face on a forum dedicated to the man she’s dating, watching fans try to dissect her identity.

“These people are really...dedicated,” she says after, handing the phone to the Doctor. “Like, to know even that much about your personal life.”

Jack shrugs. “When I first started touring with them, I’d see posts like that about me, too. I used to be linked to River all the time. It worked in her favor back then, though.”

The Doctor finishes glancing over it, shaking his head. “Not that I don’t appreciate my fans, but I wish they’d fucking relax once in awhile.”

“They want to be the ones shagging you,” Clara says, smirking, “and as I said, I can relate.”

“They don’t even know me,” he replies, stealing one of her samosas.

“I used to have an account on your fanboard,” she reveals nonchalantly. “Dreams really do come true.”

He chokes in the middle of swallowing, and Jack slaps him on the back, laughing. Clara just grins evilly. “You’re fucking with me,” he manages to get out.

“Obviously.” She rolls her eyes. “Sometimes you hand me opportunities I just can’t pass up.”

“I hate you,” he says decisively.

“So there are two liars in this apartment,” Jack says, watching Clara take the Doctor’s face in her hand and press a kiss to his mouth.

“Maybe,” the Doctor says after, dazed.

--

Because he’s gone so often for the better part of a month and a half, room for concern and secrecy shrinks a little. They miss each other more than they’re trying to hide it. He comes to the bar; she meets him for pub food and a pint. When the weather gets a bit nicer, they walk around as disguised as they can be, on the off-chance any fans of his are out wandering the streets. They’re lucky at the moment, he tells her, because everyone thinks he’s in London working on the album; they don’t know he’s got someone he can’t stand to be away from.

Her camera roll fills up with him, and the two of them together: her favourite is one from a rainy day in early March, where he’s standing behind her and pressing a kiss to her cheek; it’d caught her off-guard and it shows on her face, alight with undeniable adoration. She makes it her home screen, blushing at the same time; he pokes her forehead and laughs.

He spends nights sitting on the floor of his flat, music sheets spread all around him, pages and pages of lyrics; he tells her what he’s having trouble with, sometimes playing her the notes, and she offers advice designed to cause ripples instead of waves, elevating the music to what he hears it to be in his head. One song in particular - it’s called Listen - has a chorus he can’t make work no matter what he does to it.

“All my songs are about you,” he says unabashedly, and then ruins it with, “so it’s only fitting that you get to write them, too. Control freak.”

She recognizes embarrassment of an overshare when she hears it; she grins widely, continuing to scratch out lyrics with a pencil. “Love you too, babe.” She passes the paper back to him.

Fear can shake you to your core but I’m not afraid of the dark

Touching behind closed doors and there’s more of you in the dark

“I’m an idiot,” he says.

“You just needed a fresh eye to change the order around,” she answers, patting him on the head. “But yes, you are an idiot.”

He snorts. “Fucking rude.”

She leans back against the sofa, reaching behind her for where her phone is plugged in, charging. She says, “You’re leaving again, so I have a request.”

At this, he glances up, amused. “Yes, dear?” He says, his inflection somewhere along the lines of anything for you.

She opens her camera and moves it to video. “Play me something.”

“Anything in particular?” He’s already reaching for his guitar.

“No. Doesn’t even have to be your own song.” She listens to him strum once and says, “Your G is flat.”

He grins and tunes the appropriate string; he loves the way they fit into each other, so evenly, so peacefully. He raises an eyebrow, waits for her to hit record, and starts playfully plucking out the opening to Slide.

She laughs, but she knows every word. “Are you flirting?” She asks, her smile extending to the sky. He winks and starts singing, filling in his own chords and arrangements for an acoustic version. Her video is all over the place - he’s getting up close to her phone, jamming out, barefoot and stepping on his own sheet music - and she can’t stop laughing until he gets to put your arms around me, what you feel is what you are and what you are is beautiful...do you wanna get married or run away?

It’s just a song, but the feeling he puts into it has her heart thrumming in time to the lulls, stopping and starting and stopping, a crescendo that never quite breaks. Her smile drops slightly as her breath holds itself in; she meets his eyes, and he looks back at her knowingly, the curve of his mouth soft and his voice softer. He finishes the last note and sets the guitar on the floor, his hands cupping her face, meeting her lips again and again. Her phone falls to the side, forgotten. It’s just a song but he loves her in ways he can only sing about.

--

She gets the call unexpectedly - “God, I’m sorry, Shona’s an arse,” the woman says. “I’m Ashley - I work at 3W. It would’ve been lovely of her to have given you a bit more information.”

“Oh, my God,” Clara says as it dawns on her; she’d been chopping tomatoes and sets the knife down gingerly. “Blimey, I thought she’d just forgotten. I wasn’t gonna mention it, honestly.”

Ashley laughs on the other end. “That’s typical of her too, unfortunately, but you got lucky this time. I’m so sorry for the confusion.”

“Not at all,” Clara says. “I should be apologizing to you. I’m sure I sounded right cross when I answered.”

“Am I interrupting anything?”

“Oh, no, just been listening to my dad rave about the government. That’ll put anyone in a state.” The remark gets another laugh out of the woman, and Clara’s feeling more confident about the whole thing already; at least she’s likable.

“So, I owe Shona a favour, but that’s not the only reason you’re getting a ring,” she explains. “It’s not terribly unconventional. From what I’ve heard, you studied it and haven’t quite figured out what to do with it. That’s all well and good.”

“Sounds about right,” Clara answers, wiping off her hands on a dishrag, pressing the phone between her shoulder and ear.

“I’d like to meet, have an interview, see what you know. Get a sense of where you are, what you’re interested in. Can we set something up, say, next week? I’ll send you an email with times and you can let me know what works for you.”

She stands blankly in her kitchen for ten minutes afterwards, too overwhelmed to do anything else; she thinks of her mum, notes that used to sting, and she finds only music instead of needles. She knows who to thank.

The Doctor answers her FaceTime on the third ring; he’s standing outside, she thinks, but the video’s blurry and he’s holding the phone away from his mouth. “Sorry, but I’ve got to take this. Cheers,” she hears him say, and then he steps back somewhere, his face coming into view.

“Aren’t you a sight,” he says, sighing. He’s wearing a deep blue hoodie with the hood up, and his glasses are on; she can see the wire from his earphones poking out from underneath. “I hate London.”

“So you always say,” she replies lightly, smiling. God, he’s beautiful. “Were you in the middle of something?”

“Nah. Fan stopped me for a photo,” he says. “They’re on River today - I popped off to get a sandwich.” He turns the phone slightly and the telltale glow of the Pret sign comes into view.

“Did you add in the fill?”

“Yeah.” He rolls his eyes mildly. “You were right. Helps give it a through line, and stops Strax from bollocking the key change before the bridge.”

“Miss you,” she tells him fondly.

“Miss you,” he echoes back. “What’s going on?”

She sets her phone against the window, propping it up so she can continue cooking whilst she updates him; she goes over the call, the date of their meeting, her nerves. He’s smiling softly at her - too softly, he’s in public, someone will notice tenderness on a man who otherwise looks so unapproachable - and when she’s finished, he says, “You’ll be brilliant. I’m happy for you. I’ll be proud of you once you get it.”

She laughs, now washing off a zucchini. “Thanks, dear. I appreciate it.”

“Of course.” He shifts his weight between feet, and then his fingers comes into view as he starts poking his screen. He says, “Babe, rain’s here. Mind if I ring you back in a bit?”

She feels her neck burning; for some reason, it really fucks her up when he calls her that - probably because he doesn’t do it too often, and when he does, it’s more of a slip up than an intention. “Protect your electronic devices,” she says.

“Ta,” he replies, hanging up.

She glances at the clock on the wall, trying to time her afternoon; she’s got to head into work around half past three, giving her another hour; he’ll ring her in about ten, depending on how many people stop him on the street. She smiles to herself, quietly, and something about the moment is so beautiful even in his absence. She’s content.

Outside, it rains like it’s rained forever, but instead of a storm she finds a beginning.

--

Jack’s not in until six; he’s stuck with the closing shift, but he does pull her aside immediately upon arriving, grinning eagerly. She follows obediently, not even batting an eye when he shoves her into a broom closet. “Check this out,” he says, shoving his phone in her face.

It’s the same forum, but a different thread with the caps-locked title I MET THE DOCTOR!!!

She’s torn between laughing and sighing, wondering if Jack’s just getting a kick out of people lusting after her boyfriend, but then she keeps reading--

He was outside a Pret in Westminster alone n he was rather covered up, didn’t fancy getting recognised, but he was so lovely n took a pic with me…

“Wait a minute,” Clara says suspiciously, skipping forward.

He got a facetime afterward n stepped away to take it. Said our goodbyes but listen - I reckon he was talking to a woman. He had this look on his face n all we heard him say was ‘aren’t you a sight.’

“Now, either he answered a call from you or he’s cheating on you, and we both know he’s forgotten people who aren’t you even exist, so by process of elimination--”

Clara smiles unwillingly. “It was me.”

SayGeronimo posted:

It’s top that you met him but I’d refrain from speculation. He doesn’t date. Please, everyone, remember the truck incident of ‘08.

mel_pond posted:

that was so embarrassing. i was ashamed of us all.

“What happened in ‘08?” Clara asks him curiously, trying to ignore the doorknob digging into her lower back.

“He said something about his car but the fans didn’t realize the context,” Jack explains, sniggering. “They thought he had a girlfriend and went wild until an interviewer finally asked him about the remark. He laughed in the poor guy’s face.”

She stifles her own giggling, picturing the scenario perfectly; the door suddenly swings open behind them, and she crooks her neck to find Danny standing there, looking absolutely baffled at what he’s just wandered into.

“I need the mop,” he says blankly, caught off-guard.

Jack reaches around Clara’s shoulder and grabs the handle, thrusting it towards him, saying nothing.

“Erm,” Danny says. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” Clara replies for him, offering a nice smile.

“Actually, no, hang on,” Danny says, snapping out of it. “What the fuck are you two doing in here?”

“Working,” they answer in unison. Danny stares at them for another ten seconds before shrugging helplessly and stalking off, muttering to himself. Jack rolls his eyes.

“God, remember when you were fucking him?” He says. “That was so boring. That was the most boring period of my own life.”

“Jesus,” Clara says, and hands Jack his mobile. “I’m leaving.”

“Yeah,” he calls as she heads over to the bar. “Get back to work, you fucking slacker.”

She flips him the bird behind her back, painting on a smile for a customer.

--

He convinces her to come down to London the weekend after her interview, as she isn’t working and he can ‘help take her mind off things,’ which she knows to mean ‘fuck her until she forgets about them.’ Plus, the album’s almost done and it’ll spare him a trip to Blackpool; he loves to drive, but his sense of direction’s terrible, and, well, she worries.

The interview itself goes exceedingly well; Clara’s more knowledgeable than expected, Ashley admits, though Clara chalks some of that up to having been in the studio so often during recent weeks.

“Even so,” Ashley says, “proves you’re a quick learner, doesn’t it?”

It turns out her last assistant had been fine as far as his actual work had gone, but no drive; it wasn’t a characteristic she’d admired and she decided to search for a fresh ear, so Shona’s call had come at a convenient time. All in all, Ashley’s not working on anything too high-profile at the moment, so it’d be a great period of entry for Clara if she decides she’s interested.

“I’ll make you a formal offer early next week,” she says, shaking Clara’s hand as they say their goodbyes. “Don’t let me down.”

She drafts her two week’s notice on the train ride down the next day, and then spends the rest of the trip watching videos of the two of them on her phone, scrolling through pictures; one in particular of him has her biting her lip - he’s standing in his living room with his guitar strung over his shoulder, glasses on, shirtless, the band of his Calvin Klein boxer-briefs poking out from his under jeans, which are hanging low on his hips - it’s so hot it should be classified as porn. She knows exactly what kind of weekend this is going to be.

She texts him, Start thinking of everything you’d like to do to me once i get there, and then i’ll decide if you get to do them.

He answers her almost instantly. been imagining that since last night, princess.

She scowls at her screen. Don’t fuckin call me that.

you’re not the boss of me.

We both know that isn’t true.

She knows he’s just trying to rile her up, but it works anyway. She crosses her legs, annoyed with herself for getting into a state so quickly. Well. That’s what she gets for having an unbelievably attractive rockstar for a boyfriend.

It’s early evening when she enters his building through the back alley, careful not to be seen; she unlocks the door with her and finds him sprawled across his couch in dark grey sweats with his mobile in his hand, flicking up the screen. He sits up when he sees her, grinning broadly, and her heart stops in her chest. God, damn it, he’s so fucking hot and she’s been fantasizing about this for hours.

She tosses her bag next to the door and strides towards him, and the look on her face is desperate, hollow, hungry. He knows that expression, knows the gnawing ache of it, the want; she drops to her knees in front of him, tongue darting out to wet her lips, and--

“Fuck,” he breathes out as she scratches her nails down his sides to his hips, hooking her fingers underneath the waistband of his sweatpants and dragging them down. He’s already almost hard, his cock throbbing at the sight; she smirks, fingers wrapping around the shaft, and he’s digging his nails into his palms so hard he’s sure he’ll leave marks. “Nice to see you too.”

Her smirk widens; she says against the tip of his cock, “I think sucking you off is a fantastic greeting,” and then she takes him into her mouth, tongue running along the underside, cheeks hollowing.

“Fuck,” he repeats, not wanting to look away but knowing it’ll be over way too quickly if he doesn’t; feeling her lips around his cock is one thing, but actually seeing her on her knees with her head between his legs does something else to him entirely. “Fuck, Clara.”

She hums in response, and the vibration has his hands clenching around the cushions in order to stop himself from curlings his fingers in her hair; he’s still fucking respectful, for Christ’s sake, and the two of them are so addicted to power play that he’s sure she’d stop immediately if he even touched the back of her head. She’s on her knees but she’s the one in control.

She hums again, trying to get his attention; he opens his eyes and she meets his stare dead on before taking him fully in her mouth, the tip of his cock touching the back of her throat, her head bobbing, and he--

“I’m fucking,” he tries to say, but he can’t get the words out. “Clara.”

She gets the implication but she doesn’t falter, and he involuntarily pumps his hips, unable to stop--

He cums and she doesn’t even blink, grinning up at him with her eyes as he groans, tongue still massaging his cock while she swallows; he wants nothing more than to pull her onto his lap and watch her ride him, but he can barely think anymore, let alone move.

“You’ve ruined me,” he says thickly, eyes shut. “Fucking hell, Clara.”

Her hand presses flat against his cheek and her lips catch his, kissing him roughly and open-mouthed; their tongues brush and he tastes the saltiness of himself, a moan echoing low in his throat.

She pulls away, smirking, and runs a finger hotly across her bottom lip; his cock twitches, still half-hard, blood pounding in his ears. She says airily, “I could use a shower,” and saunters towards the bathroom without sparing him a glance back.

He follows her the second he regains control of his body, wondering how he even made it this long without her.

--

Eventually she tells him more about her interview, and he gets around to explaining what’s left in the production process; they’re stretched out in bed, naked and exhausted, chatting aimlessly about nothing and everything. He idly counts her bones underneath her skin, admires the fragility of her spine, every ridge so deliberate it’s like she’d sculpted it herself just to entrance him; the sharp edges of her shoulderblades, looking like they could cut but instead gliding. He traces his fingers across her back and she hums contentedly, burrowing further into his pillow.

His hand slips lower, ghosting over her ass, dipping between her legs; he finds her still slick and she sighs out his name, a low burn growing in the pit of her stomach. He strokes her slowly, gently, building her up in a way that coats his fingers and has her trembling, pillow grasped tightly in her hands, entire body tense with pleasure.

“Being away from you like this,” he murmurs, “just makes me want you.”

She moans quietly, unable to respond, on the verge of unraveling; he pulls his fingers away, palming her ass, and she breathes heavily, shaking. “No,” she manages, protesting. “Don’t stop.”

He lays back beside her, and the movement forces her eyes open, trying to see what game he’s playing. He says lowly, “On top,” and she almost cums from the order alone.

“Fuck you,” she says, but she obeys; she pushes herself onto her knees and straddles his waist, guiding his cock inside of her and sinking onto it in one smooth, erotic motion - she’s so wet there’s no resistance - and he grins victoriously in a way he knows pisses her off, but she doesn’t have the willpower to fight him on this and so she doesn’t. She places her hands flat against his chest and grinds down onto his cock, her cunt tight and hot, her head thrown back and her lips parted.

There’s something oddly serene and untouchably, darkly sensual about the moment; the moonlight spills through his curtains, painting her in pale blue light at different intervals, and her voice is the only sound he hears, breathy moans patterned between his name, rising and falling on top of him, her nails digging into his chest.

It doesn’t take her long to cum, but he commands quietly, “Don’t stop until I say.”

“Oh my God,” she exhales, but continues moving, her eyes still shut tight; it’s so good but it’s so much, and he wants to see how far he can push her, how many times he can make her cum, how long. His fingertips grip her hips firmly, and he shifts up slightly, helping guide her, and her hands find the headboard and hold on, breath still spare in her lungs.

By the time he’s on the edge of his orgasm, thick and throbbing inside of her, she’s almost crying at the pleasure of it, her moans louder, less cautious, uncaring. He feels her about to cum again and he thrusts into her, pressing down on her hips until she’s tight against him, and cums, gasping, filling her.

Her entire body sinks into him, shuddering intensely; her arms fall to around his neck as she tries desperately to catch her breath, strung out, cunt still pulsing around his cock. He holds her to him, letting her ride it out, and catches her mouth and kisses her, fingers tangling in her hair.

“Fuck,” she whispers against his lips. “Fuck. That was - fuck.”

“Too much?” He asks, almost teasingly, because he knows it wasn’t.

“Fuck,” she repeats, still struggling. “No. God. That was the hottest fuck I’ve ever had.”

He makes a move to pull out of her as he softens, but she stops him, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

“Not yet,” she says tiredly, and adjusts slightly so one of her legs is thrown around his hip. “Give me a minute.”

Neither of them have ever put much stock in the connection of sex, but it’s only now in the quiet, two a.m. daze of a Saturday night that he recognizes the true intimacy of it all, the vulnerability of her dozing off on top of him, the comfort of their bodies together. Maybe there are some things, he thinks, that he doesn’t need the rest of the world to know about, even in music.

--

They fuck all weekend, which is exactly what she assumed was going to happen, and exactly his intention all along, anyway.

They just can’t seem to keep their hands off of each other, or their lips, though sometimes they use their mouths for other things - fake-fighting, for one, which is essentially their foreplay; they boss each other around until one of them can’t take it anymore and they end up fucking against whatever surface is nearest.

They leave his flat twice for food, stretching their legs, heavily covered up; he’s not recognized by anyone who can do any real damage, and they make it out mostly unscathed.

The only unfortunate moment occurs because of Jack; it’s always fucking Jack. He calls her twice but the Doctor has her bent over the bathroom sink and she’s sure as fuck not going to pick up until he texts her urgent, and the Doctor says cruelly, “Answer the phone,” stilling his hips.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” she breathes out, furious; he slips his hand around the front of her body and finds her clit, stroking lightly, staring at her in the mirror the entire time he does so. Jack rings her again.

“What is it?” She asks, trying to keep her voice steady; she bites her lip hard.

“I have a date tonight,” he says. “I need fashion advice.”

She grits her teeth; the Doctor moves again, pumping in and out of her at a painfully slow pace. “For the record,” she says, wavering, “this is not urgent, and I’m hanging up.” She tries to hold in a gasp and fails.

Jack’s silent for a split second, and then starts laughing hysterically. “Holy shit,” he says, “are you fu--”

She ends the call, because no way in hell was she about to answer that question, anyway.

--

By the time she’s due to head home Monday morning, she feels like she needs another weekend just to recuperate from this one. He snickers but kisses her sweetly before he heads to the studio, because despite their mutual attraction to rough sex, he really is obsessed with her.

“Love you madly,” he tells her as he leaves, flipping his hood up.

“Might want to hide your neck,” she replies helpfully, laughing as he curses. “Love you deeply.”

He jokingly sings Truly Madly Deeply as the door shuts, and she continues packing her bag with a smile on her face.

Love. If it ever had a tangible definition, she’s sure the two of them would be it.

--

Only one picture of the two of them surfaces, and it’s a fan’s picture, taken at quite a distance, revealing next to nothing. There’s minimal discussion and it flies right under the radar.

crymeariver poster:

oi are we positive she’s jack’s bird? she’s in that pic from yesterday w just the doctor.

amanda_in_space posted:

yuuup jack’s in london with them, i think they popped out for tea. remember jacks a good mate of his so im sure theyre mates too by now.

crymeariver posted:

fair enough. honestly kinda disappointing. she’s lush, i know she’s young but they look good together. i wasn’t against john and river either. pity.

GallifreyingAtTheSeams posted:

I actually agree lol...but also hands off!! He’s mine lol

--

He’s back in Blackpool mostly for good by the middle of the first week of April, which is great, she says, because maybe they can stop fucking like the world is ending and actually get something done for a change. He grins and presses his lips to the top of her head. Let it be, let it be.

Ashley’s offer comes through, and Clara accepts immediately; it pays a little more and she’ll be getting to do what she actually wants to do, which is really the draw of it. Her boss is slightly upset that she’s leaving, but she’d actually only ever taken the job as a favour, anyway; they’d been severely understaffed one holiday season and she’d stepped in in lieu of nothing else to do, and they’d kept her on.

Jack still has a bit of time working there - he’s only ever been a temp, so as disappointed as he is about her leaving, it also doesn’t affect him too greatly and he’s happy for her, regardless - but the first shift he has with her after her weekend, he corners by the back door, a shit-eating grin stuck on his face like the expression has been glued there.

He says, “I cannot believe you answered the phone while you were fucking him.”

She sighs loudly, pressing her palm to her forehead. “If you text me urgent again when it’s not urgent, I will block your fucking number.”

“Nice hickey,” he says.

“Cheers.”

He can’t hold back for long. “I bet you guys have the hottest sex,” he says. “You know what? I’m actually kind of jealous.”

“I’m sure you can find someone to have a proper shag with too, Jack,” she answers mildly while he daydreams, checking her emails.

“I haven’t had sex in two months,” he says seriously.

She rolls her eyes, moving on to her unread texts; two from the Doctor, one from her dad. “You had sex two days ago.”

“Days, months, it’s all relative.”

“Jesus,” she says, sending Love you too to the Doctor. “Well, if you want to live vicariously through us, please don’t.”

Her mobile buzzes; that’s nice, sweetheart, but didn’t answer my question.

“Christ,” she says. “Hang on.” She types back, Sorry, wrong person, sentiment standing. Yes, sounds good, meet you at quarter to seven.

Jack waits for her to finish her text and then says, “It’s, like, out of this world hot though, isn’t it. I know what kind of kinky shit you’re into, so I can only imagine.”

She smiles against her will. “It’s mind-blowing,” she admits, “and that’s all you’re gonna get from me.”

“Nice,” he says, and high-fives her. “Now, can we get back to talking about me? I have another date on Thursday.”

She texts the Doctor Love you too, making absolutely certain it’s him, as Jack hammers on about the boy he’s seeing in the background.

--

She meets her dad at his local for chips and a pint with his girlfriend, because she’d at last agreed to meet the woman. Linda’s the embodiment of what a future stepmother (Clara resigns herself to this likely fate early) shouldn’t be but always is; nice enough if a tad judgmental, cynical, and accidentally, but constantly, condescending.

“Am I ever going to meet this bloke?” Her dad asks again, after she mentions my boyfriend very briefly to Linda. “Clearly it’s serious, considering the mistaken message I received earlier.”

Linda says (condescendingly), “Oh, boys at her age are so immature; perhaps she’s worried he’ll make a bad impression and we won’t approve.”

Because that is totally and completely wrong, Clara decides that a bit of one-upping and passive-aggressive superiority is in order. She forces a smile and says, “Actually, the reason you haven’t met him and the reason he isn’t here today is because he’s famous.”

They’re both stunned into silence, and she feels a stab of satisfaction. What use is having a celebrity for a boyfriend if she can’t even stick it to somebody once in awhile? She knows he’d approve, anyway, so the guilt is nonexistent.

Dave recovers first. “Famous? Properly? You’re not putting us on?”

“Why do you think I’ve never even mentioned his name?” Clara points out reasonably, convincingly.

“What celebrities live here?” Is Linda’s question, as though she’s outraged she isn’t dating one herself.

This is where being an excellent repurposer of the truth comes in handy. “He lives in London, mostly,” she says. “It was a coincidence that we met.”

“Blimey,” her dad says, and then side-eyes her. “Why can’t you tell anyone? Is he ashamed of you?”

Linda gives her a similar look, and Clara gets the sense that she’ll be severely disappointed if they can’t turn this into something negative. “No,” Clara says. “He doesn’t want me scrutinized by the media. Which I’d also rather avoid, thanks very much.”

Her father raises his eyebrows, conceding. “Fair enough. Can you at least tell us what he does?”

“Actor?” Asks Linda. “Musician? Royalty?”

“Not royalty,” Clara answers, “and that’s all I’m prepared to tell you.”

“I’m your father,” Dave says, as if that gives him authority over who she dates at this point in her life.

She takes one last gulp of her cider, finishing it off, and says, “And I’m perfectly old enough to decide what I’d like to reveal about my own romantic life.” She forces a smile toward the two of them. “Linda, it’s been lovely, but as I’d told Dave, I do have somewhere to be at half past eight.”

She stands, kissing her dad on the cheek and gripping Linda’s hand in her own, beaming down at her as though it truly has been a pleasure (which it hasn’t) before leaving the pub. She waits until she’s out on the pavement, the last bit of sunset peeking through the clouds and fluttering down around her, before she starts to laugh and doesn’t stop.

--

The Doctor grins at the retelling, standing in the kitchen digging through a carton of chicken fried rice, her eating a bite of a dumpling in between sentences. The TV plays mutely in the background from the other room, unable to hold their attention nearly as well as they can hold each other’s. He says, sniggering, “What is my celebrity status good for if not to dangle over the heads of others?”

“Exactly,” she agrees, playful glint in her eye. “Why else do you think I keep you around?”

“Money, obviously.”

“Right, that too.” She sets her food down, wiping her hands on a napkin. “Speaking of money--”

“Here it comes--”

“--your birthday is next week.”

He groans. “I was hoping you’d forgot. I hate birthdays.”

“You love my birthday,” she points out, raising an eyebrow like a challenge of the memory.

“The older you get, the less likely I’m going to be crucified,” he says, smirking. “Despite the fact that we look exactly the same age.”

She smacks his arm lightly, snickering; he catches her hand in his and pulls her into him, arms settling around her waist. “Shut up. We do not.”

“I think I see a grey hair,” he tells her seriously, staring at the top of her head.

“Fucking Aries,” she snorts. “I’m dumping you.”

“How Sagittarius of you. The minute your patience wears thin...”

She reaches up, squeezing his face in her hands. “Focus,” she says. “What do you want for your birthday?”

“You, underneath me,” he tries to say, but the way the sound is muffled by her palms only serves to make her laugh. “Or, novel idea, bear with me - a new girlfriend.”

“You’re so difficult.” Her grip relaxes; she taps her fingers against his cheek, rolling her eyes. “Really.”

“You’re the one who said you were breaking up with me,” he says, but leans down and presses his lips to her forehead. “It’s a rollercoaster, this conversation.”

“You’re avoiding the question.”

He finally surrenders to her, the same things he’s been doing all along. “I’ve everything I need right here,” he says, and kisses her, and she doesn’t have the will to push him anymore after that.

--

She gets him a set of beautiful custom-made guitar picks - four are galaxy-themed, gorgeous prints of the cosmos, and the other two are industrial, saying You tune me on and Pluck off respectively - and a white t-shirt with the words GIRLS INVENTED PUNK ROCK NOT ENGLAND printed in black on the front, which he loves.

“Absolutely true,” he says, holding it up. “Punk rock came from a mindset. Kim Gordon’s a smart woman.”

But unlike her birthday, they decide to go out; they’re less risk-averse than they were, and they’re bored, mainly. Hiding out at home just doesn’t carry the same weight it used to; they’ve been doing this for almost seven months already. Secrets are fun until they’re not.

They walk down to the local, meeting Jack, Donna, and River, who is randomly in town - nothing like a little trip to Pleasure Beach, she says with a heavy innuendo and a wink - and for the first time, sitting together, laughing, drinking, talking, Clara finally feels like she belongs with them. Donna doesn’t give her a single dirty look, and River opens up to her about her travels, her life, her relationships--

“John and I still see each other, once in awhile,” she reveals casually, with a shrug that says what can you do. “It’s true that the publicity was too much for him - he felt he got too big, in a way. There’s a reason he writes under the penname Eleven. He doesn’t like implications that come with notoriety.”

“Fair enough,” Clara concedes. “But you still meet up?”

“Well, we didn’t fall out of love, did we?” She says. “We simply decided that maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to live our lives apart, and cross paths where we may.”

Clara doesn’t need to say it, doesn’t need to reply about the sounds of loneliness, the emptiness of space, of a barren, hollow touch. River’s hands measure distance in words, sentences, paragraphs folding over city lines, highland hills, oceans; she moves the way she drums, always steady, beating, searching, waiting. Clara won’t mention the longing, the desperate ache that comes with loss. River’s words are true but her eyes forgive the pity in Clara’s.

Across the table, Donna slips the Doctor a CD with Deep Breath written in sharpie across the case.

“Happy birthday,” she says, grinning. “Honestly, I think you’ve done it this time, mate. All of you. This is bloody brilliant, it is.”

“Well, I think we all know who to thank for that,” Jack drawls, winking at Clara.

River clears her throat. “Me, obviously,” she replies, smiling with all of her teeth. “Haven’t you heard? I’m a genius.”

--

They get back to his flat, four drinks in, his eyes hungrily scouring her body. She lifts her hand to his neck, nails trailing down, pressing her thumb against his pulse, throbbing under his fingers. She says quietly, “That first thing you asked for.”

He hums low in his throat, tips of his fingers melding to her hips, dragging her closer. “Yes?”

“You still want it?”

“Are you gonna make me say it?”

She smirks evenly. The room sheathes itself in shadow, in things only they’re allowed to see. “Yes.”

“Yes,” he breathes out, mouth hovering impatiently above her own. “I want you.”

“Where?” She murmurs, teasing him; she can feel him hard against her in his jeans. “Complete sentences, please. I have a literature degree.”

The noise that comes out of his throat is frustrated, sexy; he knows the game she’s playing, the same game they’re always playing. Someone has to be in control. Someone has to call the shots. It’s his birthday but she wants it to be her.

The twist of his mouth turns arrogant, cruel, hot. He can see the flash of her eyes, her understanding of the shift occurring, the imbalance.

“No,” he says, and her eyebrows raise, defiant and unmistakably turned on.

“No?” She repeats cooly, her nails sharp against his pulse point.

There’s a benefit to being bigger and taller than her, and he extorts it by backing her up against the wall, forcibly but non-threateningly, which is really the core of how they work; they’d never make the other do something they weren’t comfortable doing. They’re far enough along that they know their boundaries.

She swallows, looking up at him, one hand gripping a fistful of his shirt and the other tangled in the hair at the nape of his neck, pretending like she’s not waiting what to be told next.

“No,” he says again, slipping his thigh between her legs. She doesn’t change her expression, but he feels her grind down slightly against him, and he knows how turned on she is, know how wet she’ll be when he touches her. “Turn around. Hands against the wall.”

“Fuck,” she says, hating being told what to do but simultaneously finding it extremely hot. Her fingers spread, bracing herself. “Fuck you.”

One hand holds firm around her hip, and she can feel him undoing his jeans with the other; his mouth is suddenly at the shell of her ear and he murmurs, that stupid fucking smirk in his voice, “It’s what you’re about to do, darling.”

--

“No matter what happens,” Clara tells him later on, after they’ve worn each other out in bed and the sentimentality has its way of crawling through, “I don’t want to be like River and John. I want to live my life with you, not around you. Not by chance encounter.”

He only says, his arm curled around her waist and his stomach pressed against her back, “My sense of direction is terrible, so that’s definitely not an option.”

--

Her last day at work is boring. Her boss gets her a sticky toffee pudding while Danny looks on, heartbroken. Jesus Christ. She’ll never admit it to his face, but Jack had been right about him all along.

--

Jack rings her mobile a few nights after that, dead in the middle of April, chattering excitedly into her ear.

“Ten and Rose are back from uni in a week,” he says. “We should have a get-together.”

“They’re done with exams already?” Clara asks, surprised. The Doctor looks over at her from the other end of the couch. “Or are they going back for them?”

“Rose didn’t have any this term - but Ten’s aren’t until the first week of May, so they’re stopping by to see her family.”

“Oh, excellent,” she says. “So who do you want to invite?”

“Martha’s in town, and I think Rose wants to see Mickey.”

“And where do you want to host this many people?” She says, thinking about the last time they tried to fit even five people in her flat - disastrous. “I’m not sacrificing another piece of equipment to Ten; he absolutely destroyed my sound system trying to up the frequency of the bass last time.”

“To be fair, that thing was a piece of shit. He did you a favour.”

She grimaces. He’s not wrong. “So?”

“At the Doctor’s, obviously. That’s why I called.”

“You rang me,” she points out, flipping a page of the book she’s reading. “Ring him.”

He grows impatient. “He sucks at answering his phone - when I’m the one calling, at least - and you’re with him, aren’t you? Just ask him.”

She rolls her eyes, but obliges, sliding the phone away from her mouth. “Jack wants to have friends over here next weekend.”

The Doctor continues scrolling through the channels, unaffected. “Why?”

“Neither of our places are big enough.”

It’s a satisfactory answer. He shrugs. “Sure.”

She gets back on the phone. “Sure. What time?”

“Seven, on Friday.”

“Great. Now leave us alone,” she tells him, hanging up without waiting for a response. The guilt over the rudeness eats lightly at her afterward, though, so she texts him, Sorry, first day at the new job tomorrow, little on edge.

He answers understandingly, ur gonna do great, kid. luv ya with a bunch of heart emojis.

She shuts her book and curls into the Doctor’s side as he puts on Pointless, scoffing at the dumbass who offered The Yardbirds as a pointless answer for 1960’s British Invasion - twenty-two people wrote it down - and closes her eyes, trying, for once, to be dreamless.

--

Like most first days go, it’s not nearly as bad as she expects it to be. In fact, she finds with a swell of surprise, she loves it. She gets the tour and observes, memorizing as much as she can, and gradually throughout the week they allow her more involvement.

She’s mostly shadowing Ashley and another producer named Alice O’Donnell, who specialises in hip-hop and R&B, as they go through the daily motions of working with artists in the studio; Ashley in particular is working with a soul singer named Maisie Pitts, who looks like she could be straight out of the twenties, voice to match. Ashley has Clara offer up suggestions a few times, just as a practice to see how closely they’d align with her own comments, and she gets it on the mark more than once.

“You’re rather well-trained in pitch, aren’t you?” She asks after the third time Clara’s done this. “A lot of early audio engineers and assistant producers will start with tempo and flow and work from there, but you start backwards, with tone and pitch adjustments, even if they’re not technically wrong. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just more advanced.”

“And lyrics,” Clara admits. “I’ve taken more than one songwriting class. My mum always said if you don’t start with the true notes and words, the real music can’t come out no matter what you do to it. Flow and tempo are easy fixes.”

“She sounds like a wise woman,” Ashley says.

“She was.” Clara smiles fondly. Ashley picks up on the implication and mirrors the smile back to her.

“Vocal focus now, Maisie,” Ashley says, holding down the button that enables them to communicate with her. “Clara’s going to come in and switch out the mics.”

“Large condenser?” Clara asks, already standing up.

“That’s the ticket.”

“Alright.” Clara opens the booth door, offering a grin to the woman taking a sip of water between takes. “Hey, Maisie. You sound great.”

She smiles sincerely. “Thanks so much. It’s my first EP, so I’m a tad nervous.”

“Well, it’s my first week, so I understand that,” Clara replies, hauling over the stand for the new mic.

“You’re doing excellently, too, then,” Maisie jokes, and Clara actually laughs.

“I’d like to think.” She lays out the cords carefully on the floor, making sure they’re not waiting to trip Maisie up while she sings. “Can I guess your inspirations?”

“Go on,” Maisie says, seeming pleased at the attention to detail.

“Ella Fitzgerald,” she starts. “Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee. Billie. And I’d definitely say Anita O’Day as the big one.”

Maisie grin splits wide. “Truly? You’ve picked up on all that?”

“Of course,” Clara says, stepping back and adjusting the actual mic, speaking into it as a test. “You’ve a beautiful voice - smoky, dynamic--” Ashley gives her a thumbs-up from the studio, and Clara nods, “--smooth. Brilliant.”

“Thank you,” Maisie says earnestly as Clara walks out, throwing a wink over her shoulder.

“From the top,” Ashley says when Clara’s seated again, her smile approving, Maisie giving it all she’s got on the other side of the glass.

--

Friday, the end of her first week, is when she finally sees her friends again.

She actually meets them outside her own flat, because they don’t know that she’s dating the Doctor and she’d like to keep it that way - she imagines Rose’s gloating, the comments, suggestive prods and pokes - and even though Clara know she’d be supportive, she’s not ready. Jack understands and doesn’t press her on it, nor does the Doctor, who probably wouldn’t care one way or another at this point.

She’s waiting outside the gate when she hears loud footsteps approaching; she starts to turn her head and someone comes crashing into her side, squealing; she recognizes Rose immediately, and the two of them clutch each other for five minutes, overwhelmed and excited. Ten and Mickey are first behind her, grinning at the sight, followed by Jack and Martha, chatting.

“Rose!” She exclaims, finally pulling back and gazing the girl. “God, look at you, lovely as ever. Lovelier, in fact. Oh, I adore you.”

“I could say the same about you!” Rose chimes, holding her hands and examining her head to toe. “I swear, if I didn’t have a boyfriend…”

Ten leans in and hugs her as well. “Ta, Rose, appreciate that, but can’t say I don’t understand the reasoning.”

Clara laughs, only realizing at this exact moment how much she’d missed the two of them. “Ten, always a pleasure.”

“Cheers, darling.”

Jack flicks her on the forehead in lieu of a hug. “I see you constantly,” he says. “You’ve gotten old.”

Martha comes round Jack’s other side, rolling her eyes at him as she and Clara kiss each other on the cheek. “He’s as American as ever. Hi, Clara, wonderful to see you again.”

Mickey wraps her in a huge hug, and then Jack offers, “Shall we?” And starts to steer them along like cattle. Rose clutches onto her arm and tells her all about her modules, their year, where they’ve traveled and what they’ve seen, Ten chiming in occasionally to correct or add a detail. It’s a quick walk down the road, the evening air warm enough that they don’t need jumpers or coats just yet, and for once, it’s not raining. All the signs are there. It’s a good night.

They get to his flat and Rose whispers, “I can’t believe we’re going to the Doctor’s flat. He’s legendary! How did Jack manage this?”

Clara shoots her a somewhat quizzical look. “Oh, he’s here,” Clara says.

Mickey, overhearing, says, “I’m sorry?”

“He’s home,” she repeats. “He’s not lending Jack his flat unsupervised.”

“Oh, sorry,” Jack says, shooting her a look. “I forgot to mention that.”

“We’re spending a night with the Doctor?!” Rose exclaims, and even Martha laughs at her shocked enthusiasm.

“Not in the way you’d like,” Ten says, smirking.

“Oh, shush, you. Don’t have a go. This is exciting!”

Martha says, “Is it weird that I’m nervous, even though I’ve met him loads of times?”

“No, me too,” Mickey agrees. “Well I haven’t met him loads of times, but, you know.”

Jack leads them all up to the door and knocks once before letting himself in; the Doctor’s left it unlocked for them. He spreads his arms wide and says, “Ta-da! The Doctor’s living room. He spends a lot of time in here. Go ahead, phones out, take your pictures.”

A tut comes from the kitchen, and the Doctor steps into view, setting a few ciders on the counter. “I’m right here,” he points out, grinning. “Go on, take a photo of me. Sell it to the tabloids, that’s much better than some furniture I sit on.”

“And the man himself,” Jack says, again extending his arms like it’s a show he’s putting on. “You heard him. This is your opportunity to exploit fame and riches.”

Jack claps his arm in a greeting, sliding by him to where he knows his alcohol cabinet is. “You remember Clara,” he says over his shoulder.

“Of course,” he says, his eyes wicked, and this is sure going to be a harder night to get through than she’d previously imagined. “Clara, it’s lovely to see you again. Been awhile.”

She smiles charmingly. “Thanks so much for letting us crash your flat,” she answers, sickeningly agreeable. “We were gonna do it at mine, but I simply don’t have the room.”

“It’s no problem,” he says. “I’m hospitable, if nothing else.”

“Clara!” Jack calls. “Could use your help!”

She steps to the side, and Rose has an expression on as if Christmas morning has been wrapped up into a person and set right in front of her; Mickey sort of looks like his face is melting. Ten’s the only one that manages to control himself. “Doctor, this is Rose, Mickey, and Ten, Rose’s boyfriend,” she introduces them in turn.

He greets them all nicely, turning to Martha, and Rose breathes out, seemingly on accident, “Clara, come on, you didn’t have to tell him that.”

Clara coughs once, trying to restrain an inappropriate laugh. Well, at least she’s validated in her desire of him; Rose is two years younger than she is. She forgets what it was like to be a guest in his life. Ten says, “I’m feeling rather unwanted. Should I leave you two alone together?”

Rose shakes out of it slightly, laughing at her silliness. “Sorry, sorry. Being so close to greatness affects me.”

Jack calls for Clara again; she sighs. “Be right back. Make yourselves comfortable.”

She finds him with two beers in each hand, and an open liquor cabinet in front of him. He says, “I had to snap you out of it. You were on the verge of flirting.”

“We were not,” she responds exasperatedly, taking two of the beers from him. He reaches for the whisky, and then follows her back to the kitchen; bottles clatter on the countertop.

“Drinks?” He calls out. “There’s beer, cider, every kind of liquor imaginable--”

They shout out their requests from where they’re sprawled comfortably now about the living room, and the Doctor comes over, shooing Jack away. “It’s fine,” he says good-naturedly. “You’re guests tonight.”

“Oh, but not me?” Clara raises an eyebrow. “What am I, then?”

“Hot,” he says under his breath, grabbing the whisky. “It’s torture. I need to drink to forget about it.”

She laughs, but helps him gather the glasses and mixers; Ten wants an Old Fashioned, which is somehow so him, and Rose and Mickey just take beers, which is also so them. Martha opts for a whisky sour, and because Jack isn’t an ass, he also sticks with whisky, taking a Highball.

The Doctor’s spent a lot of time mixing his own drinks, and Clara literally used to bartend, so they’ve no problem pulling together the requests; he actually has fun with it, which Clara thinks is strangely cute, because he’s never really hosted a ton of people in his flat. She hands them around and then sits on the sofa that’s essentially become her second home, stretching out casually. Rose is telling some story about Croatia, and Ten almost falling into the harbour, when Clara catches the Doctor walking by with his glasses now on and a book in his hand.

“What are you doing?” She asks pointedly, and everyone stops.

Jack catches hold of the situation quickly and jumps in, not wanting her to betray herself. “Yeah, c’mon, man. Live a little,” he says. “Hang out with us. Kick back with your mates.”

“I will if you never say that again,” the Doctor responds, and Rose laughs loudly; even Martha manages a giggle.

“Hear, hear,” Rose says as the Doctor comes and takes a seat at the other end of the couch. “Anyway--”

She launches into another story, and Clara isn’t allowed to stare but she takes a glance anyway; in the warmth of the room, of company and light and laughter, his face grows softer, genuity along the lines. His defenses lower as he finds himself actively interested and engaged, talking with them, smiling at jokes, being honest around people who aren’t just her. She wonders how long it’s been since he’s felt trust, and familiarity, and family.

Clara’s talking about her new job and he’s staring in that way he’s not supposed to, like he adores her, like he’s addicted to every word out of her mouth, like love itself is in the room with them strung along in the space between their bodies, but they’re all drunk and no one’s paying attention now, anyway, and fuck it all, he’s so happy it’s killing her. He looks like he did on that first night, that first party, laced in champagne and eagerness and innocent embarrassment.

One day, surrounded by this same group of friends, she’ll talk about it. But not now. His eyes gaze at her over the rim of his glasses, his mouth in a tender curl. Not now.

--

“See?” Clara says knowingly, later, when they’re in the kitchen refilling drinks and murmuring to each other things no one else can hear. “It’s nice to have friends ‘round, isn’t it?”

--

It’s late by the time they wrap up; half past two in the morning, exceptionally drunk and giggling at everything, even if it isn’t funny. Rose nearly falls asleep on Ten, and they decide it’s their cue to not overstay their welcome by literally crashing there.

“Coming, Clara?” Martha asks, slipping on her coat, and Clara freezes entirely.

She’s taken aback at the invitation because the idea of leaving afterward literally never crossed her mind, like it probably would have if they were just friends. He pauses for the briefest of seconds, but continues; she recovers quickly. “Oh, no, go on,” she says, smiling. “I’m gonna help clean up - I don’t mind. I’m the closest, anyway.”

Martha doesn’t question the response, and neither does anyone else; they wave goodbye and trot out the door, stumbling over each other Jack being the last to leave and throwing them a wink.

“I forgot that’s what people do,” Clara says to the Doctor, loading the dishwasher unsteadily. “You think it looked suspicious?”

“Nah,” he says, focusing very hard on a single glass. “I think you covered pretty well - probably made them feel bad about not staying.”

She grins, and breaks midway for a yawn. He notices and allows the cutlery he’s holding clatter into the sink, uncaring about the mess.

“Fuck it,” he dismisses, rubbing at his eyes with a palm. “We can do it in the morning - let’s just sleep, I’m exhausted, and drunk, and definitely gonna break something.”

“Thank God,” she says, shutting off the water, and she exhaustedly heads into the bathroom to brush her teeth. She swears she almost falls asleep with her toothbrush in her mouth, but he catches her and laughs hysterically before running into the door, and suddenly they’re both awake again, stumbling around and giggling at everything like the universe is one big joke scrambled together for their own amusement.

--

“I feel bad,” Martha says, wrapping her sweater tighter around her body - it’s transitioned into a cool, damp night. “We should’ve stayed to help.”

“Nah, you’re the guests,” Jack replies, easing her guilt, his hands shoved in his jacket pockets. “I don’t think he cared.”

“Clara was a guest,” Mickey counters, “and she stayed.”

Jack’s quick, but not quick enough to hide his smirk from Rose. “Yeah, but she’s a good person, or something like that.”

Rose repeats slowly, locking eyes with Jack, “Or something like that.”

Shit; she picked up on it, of course she fucking did. Actually, he’s amazed that none of the others had, considering the way the two of them were fucking staring at each other all night. He’s got to give them a lesson in subtlety. “Shut up, Rose.”

Martha says, “What?”

Rose leans in to Ten, grinning widely. He wraps an arm around her. “I’ve known Clara for years, Jack,” she reminds him. “You think I can’t tell?”

“I’m not doing this,” Jack rejects. “Clara’s totally fine.”

“Doing what?” Mickey says, exchanging a puzzled look with Martha. Ten remains silent, probably for the first time in his life, but it’s clear he’s also in on the secret; he has that superior expression plastered across his face that drives Mickey insane.

“Oh, I know she’s fine,” Rose answers ominously, eyes wide, “because she’s not actually going home, is she, Jack?”

“Oh, my God,” Martha exclaims. “Are you saying--”

“No fucking way,” Mickey says, voice laced with accidental admiration. “They’re--”

“Everyone, shut the fuck up!” Jack commands, trying to suppress his own smile. In truth, he’s been dying to tell someone for ages. “Rose, I can neither confirm nor deny your suspicions.”

“You just did,” Ten points out, snickering as she ducks out from under his arm. “Shit, Rose, we leave for a few months at a time and look what we miss--”

“They’re, like, together,” she announces victoriously, almost singing, poking Jack in the sides; he smacks her hands away, laughing. “How long has this been going on?”

Jack gives it up; he’s done his best and it wasn’t enough. “I refuse to say anything more.”

“I don’t believe it,” Martha says. “The Doctor? Date anyone?”

He completely gets that perspective. Rose sneaks his phone out of his pocket and stops in the middle of the street, dangling it in front of his face. “Call her,” she says. “I’m gonna prove it, right now. Call her.”

Rose is stubborn to a fault, and Jack knows better when to argue with her - Martha’s the one in disbelief, anyway, so from his perspective, he’s blaming this outing on the Doctor’s inability to hide his affection. “Fine,” he says, rolling his eyes.

He finds Clara’s number in his recent calls and dials, and Rose puts the phone on speaker; Clara answers on the third ring, clearly exasperated.

“What do you want, Jack?” She asks, aiming for grumpy but sounds too cheerful for it. “You literally just left us like fifteen minutes ago.”

He grimaces. Rose raises an eyebrow and Clara’s use of ‘us.’ “How’d cleaning up go? I felt bad about leaving,” he bullshits, putting a finger over his lips.

Her tone softens slightly; she sighs, and he hears her shuffling around. “Oh, we gave up on that,” she says. “We’re gonna do it in the morning. We’re just going to bed.”

Martha’s jaw drops. “No,” she mouths.

“Okay,” Jack responds. “Didn’t mean to bother you guys - just wanted to let you know everyone had a great night.”

“We’re glad to hear it--” She cuts off; they hear the Doctor in the background ask, Hear what? And then Clara’s repetition of their conversation. He says something none of them can decipher and she laughs. “We had fun, too,” she tells Jack.

“No, go back,” Jack says, now grinning. This is their usual dynamic. “What’d he say?”

Clara snickers. “He said it’d have been more fun if it had just been him and I. He’s an ass.” She pauses while the Doctor talks. “What,” they hear her say, “you gonna kick me out?” Another moment of silence. “‘Mistreatment’?” She’s laughing. “Go write a song about it.”

The Doctor distinctly says fuck you in the background and then she’s back on the phone, the smirk apparent in her voice. “Sorry,” she says. “We’re breaking up now because I’m ‘too mean to him’ or something, so I gotta go deal with that.”

She’s clearly joking, and they’re all smiling evenly; even Martha can’t deny how cute they sound. “Okay, go,” Jack waves her off nicely. “Dump his sorry ass. You’re too good for him anyway.”

“See?” Clara gets further from the phone. “I’m not conceited, Jack thinks I’m way too good for you, too. He says I should dump you first--”

The line goes dead; everyone glances around without meeting each other’s eyes too long, like they feel almost bad about intruding on the couple’s intimacy.

“How long has this been going on?” Rose finally breaks the silence; from her perspective, the deceit was totally worth it.

“Like just over six months - I don’t know when they officially started dating, though. I think sometime in the middle of December.” He’d never pried about that one. “But they met at the end of last September.”

“It’s the third week of April,” Ten says. “They started unofficially dating just after they met? That doesn’t sound like Clara.”

Rose is gonna have a field day, he can feel it. “They...hung out, if you know what I mean.”

Mickey snorts. “They were shagging around.” Rose almost guffaws, she’s so ecstatic about this turn of events.

Jack shrugs. “I mean, I knew they’d like each other. I just didn’t know how long it’d take for them to actually admit it. So don’t say anything to them, don’t act like you know, don’t do shit - you wouldn’t believe what I had to go through to get them to this point.”

“I would believe it,” Rose says. “Clara has outrageous issues. She’s shite at relationships.”

“So does he,” Jack tells her, ushering them out of the way of an oncoming car and stepping back onto the pavement. “That’s why you can’t say anything. They’ll freak if people know.” He pauses. “How did you know, actually? What gave it away?”

“Yeah,” Martha chimes in, affronted. “I like to think I’m pretty observant, and I had no idea.”

“It’s probably because you see them a lot more often,” Ten explains. “So their natural progression didn’t stand out to you. But we haven’t seen Clara since last year - honestly, I don’t remember ever seeing her this happy.”

“But I didn’t notice nothing, either,” Mickey says, put-out.

“Well you’re a moron,” Jack replies, “so no surprises there.”

“It was a few things.” Ten breaks up a fight before it starts. “Clara kept her arms crossed every time she was near him, like she was actively trying to stop herself from touching him, and the way he smiled at her was the only genuine smile I saw him give all night. It had more of an edge to the rest of us.”

“Wow,” Rose says, impressed. “I just felt a vibe. And I saw them whispering in the kitchen when they were getting drinks, and it just looked - I dunno. Too natural, I guess. Like, you can obviously tell they spend a lot of time together.”

“They do.” Jack’s grinning to himself, quietly in a way. He’s worked hard. “It’s sickening.”

He doesn’t mean that at all.

#doctor who fic #twelveclara #whouffaldi #UM I LOVE YALL ON TWITTER??? HIIIIII UR INSPIRATIONS TO ME

[cranberrybogmummy]

Fanfic Triple Threat: The Storm that rocked the universe (Doctor who/Gravity Falls/Rick & Morty)

It must have been the middle of the night when the drifter showed up at the back door of the mystery shack. They couldn’t hear the faint scratching at the back door. So the drifter mustered all of his strength and knocked harder.

Eventually the door opened Soos looked down and saw a a stranger: a ragged,  burned, injured, man, collapsed on the porch, flies circled his head.

“Dude you alive?” Soos asked.

The man looked up at Soos. “Is…. this… Gravity….. Falls?” He said. Each word was croaked out in a painful way, also he sounded British?

“Yeah Dude, but you need to get a hospital. I’m calling 911.”

The man smiled slowly, he had an unnerving smile and squinty eyes.

The Man looked Soos squarely in the eyes. “No… you aren’t.”

Soos felt a weird twitch in his brain. “Naw, I guess not.”

“You… will… take… me into … your house  and care for me….” The man said.

“Yeah I will.” Soos said. Why not? It was easier then taking the guy to the hospital and didn’t they have some burn ointment in the medicine cabinet? Soos bent down and looped his arm over the man’s shoulder. The stranger really didn’t weigh much at all… It was easy to help him into the house…

“Just one more thing? Am …I at ….the mystery shack?”

“Yeah.”

The strange drifter smile deepened and he stifled a laugh that turned into a cough.

“You okay?”

“Oh, I’m so much better then okay, Jesus Ramirez.”

“Heh. You know my name…. that’s not suspicious at all.” Soos said sincerely.

~~~

The Stan o’War II sat in the Port of Portland.

“This is weird,” Stan said. “Soos should have been here to pick us up.”

“Well,  he’s just late, he’s running your business now, maybe he’s got other concerns…” Ford replied.

“Naw, he wouldn’t  be late, that’s not him.”  Stan said.

“Hey I think the Mabel and Dipper are here.”  Said Ford.

“GRUUNNNNNNNNKKKKKLLLLLLESSSS!!!!!!!!!” Mabel screamed running up to them and folding both of them into a big hug.

Dipper trudged behind he was still wearing Wendy’s old hat. He smiled in a tired way.

“I’m So glad to see everyone!” Mabel said. “Wait… where’s Soos, he was supposed to pick us up and take us to Gravity Falls.”

“That’s what we’re wondering,” Stan said.

“How long has it been?” Dipper asked.

“About a half hour,” Said Ford.

“Huh, that’s not like him,” said Dipper.

“He hasn’t even been in touch with us for two weeks,” Mabel said. “We usually video chat all the time. He was real excited, couldn’t wait to show you guys the new attractions him and Mel made. I called and texted all of them, no one answered.”

“So you’re saying this is suspicious?” Dipper asked.

“Yes, I suppose so,” Ford mused. “but we don’t know for sure.”

“I just texted Wendy, she said the shack’s been closed for two weeks, this isn’t good. Something’s happened, I know it” Mabel shouted

“Then why are we standin’ here gabbin’ about it, let’s find out what happened!” Stan said.

They rented a car, piled in and headed out to the falls.

~~~~~~~~

Melody was slightly shaking as she carried the tray up the stairs to the master bedroom, Soos and her used to share it, but the drifter and taken it over since his arrival.  She took a deep breath and knocked at the closed door of the bedroom. Soos opened it, his eyes blank, not seeing her.

“Ms. Melody with my brekkers, on time for once.” She’d once loved British accents, now they were ruined.

Melody looked down, she didn’t want to meet his horrible squinty eyes. Since he’d been cleaned up, the drifter it seemed had receding sandy colored hair and slight goatee, He was still covered with cuts and burns. He spent most of his time in bed, but had ordered Soos and Abuelita to ransack Stan’s old office also the room Ford used to sleep in.  She didn’t look at him as she walked forward and set the tray down on the nightstand.

“Eggs and toast with Marmalade!, looks scrummy! And there’s my tea, I hope Granny made it properly this time, don’t want her to suffer do we?” He said. “Aren’t you going to answer me, Mels?”

Melody tried so hard NOT to look at him. She didn’t want end up like Soos or Abuelita, hypnotized under his control.

“No.” She muttered

He sipped the tea. “Aren’t you going to look at me, Melody? Aren’t you?”

She didn’t reply.

“I know Stanford Pines hid the plans here. I know he had a secret lab, but I’ve searched this place top to bottom and still can’t get in it!” He exclaimed. “That doesn’t make me happy.”

She looked up, kept focused on Soos, who just stood there looking blank and miserable, it hurt her so much to see him like this.

“Look at that big lump! What did a smart girl like you ever see dummy like that?” He said. “Nevermind,  I know one of you KNOWS the code to that lab. I’ll get it out one or another. I’ll make him hurt you or his Nan, if you don’t tell me.”

Melody sighed. “I don’t know the code.”

There was an evil joy in the drifter’s voice. “Or should I make him hurt himself? Which would be worse for you? C’MON LOOK AT ME AND ANSWER! I AM THE MASTER AND YOU WILL OBEY ME!”

She looked up at that round, face with it’s squinty eyes and thin smirking lips. She could feel her brain starting to switch off….

”Nononononono- Little Bopeephaslosthersheepanddoesn’tknowwheretofindthemleavethemaloneandthey’llcomehomwaggigngtheeirtailsbehindthem Little Bopeephaslosthersheepanddoesn’tknowwheretofindthemleavethemaloneandthey’llcomehomwaggigngtheeirtailsbehindthem—“

She could feel her mental resolve coming back.

“—SHUT UP!” The Master lunged at her ready to strike.

There was knocking at the door, loud and obnoxious.

“SOOS, MELODY, UHHH SOOS’S GRANDMA! WE’RE HERE, WHAT’S GOING ON? OPEN UP!” It was Stan’s voice. Melody never felt so glad here that Jersey accent in her voice.

Soos began to stir, at Stan’s voice. “Mr. Pines? Is that really him?”

“Soos we brought snacks and glitter!” Mabel’s shout from downstairs.

“Oh my gosh! The Pineses are here. Pines? Or Pineses, I never can—“ Soos began.

“Be quiet!” The master chided irritably. “Wait….” he got out the bed and limped to the window and drew the curtains back glancing out he commented. “That’s Stanford Pines, we need him.”

~~~~~~

Stan, Ford, Dipper, and  Mabel had been waiting outside the shack for what seemed like an eternity when Abuelita Ramirez finally opened the door.

“Come in be careful we under new management.” She said.

“Where’s Soos and why’s the Shack closed durning prime business hours?!” Stan demanded.

“Quiet Stanley I think something’s wrong.” Ford said.

“Why are all the blinds down?” Mabel asked. “And why do I smell tea and burnt rubber?”

“Where’s Soos and Melody?” Dipper asked

“Sssshhh, will answer later.” Abuelita said.

They walked through the creaking dark mystery shack until they got to the office.  Soos stood by the door, so did Melody neither of saying anything their heads down. The chair was turn back to them.

Abuelita locked the office door behind them and the feeling of discomfort grew tenfold.

That’s when the chair spun around and the Master looked at them grinning from behind the desk.

“Who the heck are you?” Stan said. “And what did you do my shack?”

“Me? I’m the Master and you are going to be my guests for the summer!” The master said. “Wait did I say guests? I mean hostages!”

“I’d like to see you try, ya limey bastard!”  Stan yelled, grabbing his golden knuckle dusters.

“We’ll fight you!” Mabel shouted, defensive glitter clutched tightly in her fist.

“Whoever you are won’t get away with this!” Dipper said..

“…wait!” Ford said flinging his arm out. “This isn’t an ordinary human! If my calculations are correct we are dealing with dangerous alien, a Timelord from Gallifrey!”

The Master’s smile widened. “Bingo! Now give me access to your lab and papers! There is certain being a I need to make contact with… you know him as Bill Cipher.”

“What?! NEVER!” Ford Cried.

“Thought you’d say that so I’m going to——“ The Master began.

Then suddenly with a flash of light and smoke, a figure appeared:  a thin teen with patchy borne hair in a ragged yellow shirt and gray pants.  He pointed a silvery gun at the Master and in a  cracking quavering voice he spoke with that was oddly familiar he said:

“M-M-my n-n-name is M-M-Morty Smith on behalf of the Time Agency under t-t-the Authority of Time baby, you are under a—a—a-arrest, and I’ll KILL you if you don’t-don’t.—“

“Blendin?” Mabel whispered

“Why’s he calling himself Morty and what’s he doing here?” Dipper whispered back.

“Go on do it then and kill me,” The Master smiled.

Morty fired the gun, it sparked and crackled but nothing happened. “Oh time-shit! I’m screwed now!”

#Gravity falls #Doctor who #Rick and Morty #Crossover #Fanfic

[saxons]

– € for a bad memory that still haunts them AND – ✢ for a good memory that makes them smile AT THE SAME TIME

PEEK INTO MY CHARACTER’S PAST.

€ FOR A BAD MEMORY THAT STILL HAUNTS THEM ✢ FOR A GOOD MEMORY THAT MAKES THEM SMILE

“Did you know,” Koschei asks his best friend, “That homo sapiens on Sol Three have stories of a being named after me?” They’re lying on their backs in the fields surrounding his home. The blood red grass rolls on for miles. Theta rolls onto his side and frowns at him. “Really?” “Uh huh. My father told me.” “I don’t think it’s named after you, Kosh --” “Is so!” Koschei snaps. And he sits up quickly. “They have stories of a being called Koschei the Deathless. That’s me!” He points at himself. “Just you wait, Thete. I’m gonna live forever.” Theta looks at him, trying to tell if he’s lying. With his friend, it’s hard to tell. But then he smiles his bright, brilliant, smile, and changes the subject. “We should go there some day,” he says. “Sol Three, I mean. Earth.”

Thousands of years, and a countless blur of new bodies later, the man who was Koschei and is now the Master staggers back when the bullet hits him, and Theta -- the Doctor -- is there as he falls, catching him in his arms and slowing the impact as he collapses onto the ground. The Master, who has been a a burnt husk with his eyes floating in their sockets, an amorphous liquid, a creature barely clinging to life, is felled by a gun. He’s been shot by a simple stupid ape. Lucy. As the pain blossoms throughout this newest body, this latest in a long line of incarnations, he has just enough wherewithal to marvel at that. Lucy? “Always the woman,” he says, and he looks up at the Doctor. It’s been so long since he saw this version of him -- he’d spent the past year as a withered old man, after all -- but it doesn’t matter what he looks like. Behind his eyes, he’s still that little boy from Gallifrey, Theta, who used to run across his family’s estates, who used to point at the brightest stars in the sky and say there; we’ll go there. “I didn’t see her,” the Doctor says. The darkness is gathering now, and it’s not unfamiliar. The Master has died before. But it’s never been like this. He’s never been with someone. He can feel his oldest friend’s arms around him, and see the impatience in his expression, and it’s obvious what the Doctor is thinking. Why haven’t you regenerated yet? The Master smiles. The pain from the wound feels distant, like it’s happening to someone else. A dull ache. That’s a kindness, he thinks. “Dying in your arms,” he says, his voice rough as he struggles to catch his breath. “Happy now?” And, in that, he’s admitting what the Doctor hasn’t realised. And they used to say, at the Academy, that Theta was cleverer than Koschei. “You’re not dying,” he says, sharply. “Don’t be stupid. It’s only a bullet. Just regenerate.” It’s strange. He sounds impatient, expectant. Of course, the Master thinks, they’ve known each other for eons. This is what the Doctor expects of him. Never dying. “No.” He says it bluntly, and he feels, even as the pain sharpens to an agony, rushing through his chest, even as he can feel the blood seeping out of him, that this is all he can do. He’s lost his empire, his power, and now, Theta is going to take his freedom. He’ll keep him as a pet, as some specimen, some dangerous thing on a leash. That’s not life. He would rather be dead than be that. The Doctor’s face changes. It crumples like paper, and the Master can see the horror of understanding dawn in his dark eyes. He rocks him slightly, cajoling him, and the Master grits his teeth at the blinding waves of pain the movement causes. “One little bullet. Come on --” “I guess you don’t know me so well,” the Master hisses, and he feels, insanely, a sense of power, even here, in his oldest friend’s arms, with his hands cuffed behind his back. He can see the pain, the suffering, this is causing him. Good. He whispers, “I refuse.” It’s two, simple, words, but it says so much. He’s defying what the Doctor thinks of him, he’s proving him wrong. He’s taking this away from him, because it’s all he has left to take, and he has to take, take, take, from the Doctor. The reply is ragged, desperate, and the Master feels his friend’s grip on his failing body tighten. “Regenerate. Just regenerate. Please. Please! Just regenerate -- Come on --” His eyes are full of terror, and the Master knows why. They both know why. Because there’s no one else, because the Doctor will be alone, the last of their kind, and this will be the Master’s final, greatest, victory against his oldest enemy. He half laughs, though his lungs ache and his entire body feels heavy as waves of dull, constant, agony wash over him, emanating from the bullet wound. “And spend -- the rest of my life -- imprisoned with you?” he scoffs. He can almost picture it -- a cage, in the T.A.R.D.I.S., or a room, if he’s lucky, and if the Doctor is feeling kind (of course he will be, the sanctimonious moron). The bowels of the ship. The Doctor’s warm, patient, calm, gaze. His slow, steady, presence, so opposite to the Master’s restless, frenetic, endless, energy. Nothing but that patronising, infuriating, companion, and the noise inside his head. How did the Doctor put it? Now I have someone to care for. He would rather die, right here, than suffer that. And then the desperate begging starts. He looks up into his best friend’s face, and sees the tears glistening in his dark eyes, which were unchanged even when he was a wizened, tiny, creature. “You've got to. Come on,” he begs, shaking. The Master can feel every movement as he lies there, helpless, in the Doctor’s arms. And still, he pleads. “It can't end like this. You and me, all the things we've done. Axons. Remember the Axons? And the Daleks --” He sobs now -- real, pitiful, human sobs. Even after he had been transformed into an old man, even as a freakish dwarf in a cage, even after every single time when the Master thought he had won, he had finally beaten his oldest friend and oldest foe, the Doctor had never looked as broken as he does right now. This is it. This is his final, dizzying, painful, victory. “We're the only two left. There's no one else,” Theta begs. And he grits his teeth and shouts the plea. “Regenerate!” Through the agony, and the gathering darkness, and the drumming, the Master smiles. At last, he thinks, looking up into those ancient, kind, eyes. Here he is, his enemy, finally defeated. All it’s taking is his own death. Yet again. Except this time, there’s every chance his back ups won’t work, and this will be the end of the very, very, long line. And his friend since childhood will be alone. The last of the Time Lords. That will be his punishment, and the Master’s triumph. “How about that?” he says, softly, but he knows the Doctor can hear him. “I win.”

#[I DIDN'T NEED MY HEART ANYWAY] #question. #ooc question. #answered meme. #blood tw #death tw #gun tw

[doctor-who-hears-a-horton]

Above Ground (Ten x Rose)

Rating: Teen

Summary: On Gallifrey, the humans who were born there are subjected to live below the surface in an underground society, separated from the Gallifreyans. School teacher Rose Tyler aims to change things, even if it costs her her own life.Prince Theta of Gallifrey has always thought there was more to the humans than meets the eye… And Rose Tyler proves him right.

Chapter 5/?

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Read it on AO3 here!

Rose woke up confused, feeling more comfort than she ever had before, and she sat up quickly, feeling wrapped up in unfamiliar sheets in an unfamiliar bed.  She felt herself panting and looked around before remembering where she was.  She’d made it.  She was above ground.  Blowing out her cheeks, she flopped back onto the bed.  There was no clock on the bedside table, so she wasn’t sure how long she’d been sleeping.  But she felt safe now that she was awake.  

She laid there, staring up at the ceiling.  She was going to meet Rassilon, King of Gallifrey.  And he was probably going to kill her.  And if she survived that, she’d take Theta down to the underground.  She shook her head against the pillows. No, that wasn’t how it could go.  She had to do something else.  It had to go the other way.  She had to take him to the underground first, and then they would talk to Rassilon. Theta would have more to fight for, more to say, after he’d seen everything.  She’d tell him that, too, when he came back.  She sighed and sat up, running a hand through her tangled hair.  The nap she’d taken had been a powerful one.  

However, she couldn’t sleep anymore.  She got up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed and staring in the mirror that was over the dresser.  She didn’t look too bad, she supposed.  Heaving a heavy sigh, she got up and changed back into the clothes she’d been in before, pausing to look at herself closer in the mirror.  She liked seeing the sun come in from the window and touch her cheek, almost like it was caressing her with gentle fingers.  She found herself smiling a little at herself.  She didn’t even know what the best case scenario was for this, but she’d made it this far, so she could certainly be proud of herself.  

A knock at her door startled her, and she tried to calm her heart as she unlocked the door to see Theta beaming at her.  

“It’s been an hour and a half.  I see that’s been enough time for a nap,” he grinned, rocking back on his heels.

“Yeah…  Look, I think we need to rearrange some things.”

The smile slipped off his face.  “What is it?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to meet Rassilon yet,” she said carefully.  “Your words will hold more weight with him.  If you come down to the underground, and see how miserable the humans are… Your testimony of us will be more valuable to him.”

Theta gazed at her thoughtfully.  “You don’t want to speak to him.”

She shook her head.  “Not without your backup.  That wouldn’t be very smart.”

He tilted his head, seeming to consider this.  “Well… I’ll admit I’d like to talk to Rassilon as soon as possible, but!  You may have a point.  That would be an awful lot like presenting research with no evidence, huh?” 

She bit her lip.  “Yeah, a bit.”

“Well then.  I’ll say I’ve taken ill, and we can have dinner in my chambers a little later on.   “And then… Well, I may be the crown prince, but I still do a fair bit of sneaking around.”

She felt her lip twitch against her will.  “Have you ever been caught?”

He leaned against the door frame, tipping his head down towards her.  “Oh, once or twice, but not in centuries.”

“Nah, centuries?”

“Last time I got caught I was two hundred, barely out of the cradle.” Rose laughed.  “Okay, so you want to go on an adventure before I take you to the underground.”

He nodded, light dancing in his eyes.  “Yes, I do.  I think it might be good for me to see something like that from your eyes.  Life is- was, I should say, dull before you appeared.  I’m not allowed to do much, not since I was crowned.”

She cocked her head to the side. “So what do you want to do?” He smiled.  “Well, we could go to the shops, or… Oh!  There’s a play tonight, I heard some people talking about it a while back.”  

“A play?” 

“Yes! Have you ever been to one?”

“No, we don’t perform in the underground.  We’ve… We read about the Gallifreyan ones, in school.  I have the kids read them aloud.”

“But you’ve never seen a play.”

“I haven’t.”

“Ah!  Well, come on, let’s go do that!  We’ll have dinner in my chambers, and then we’ll go!  I’ll have tickets secured for us, what do you say?”

Rose found something blooming in her chest.  Could it be… Hope?  She smiled a little, nodding.  “Okay.  I’d like that.”

“Brilliant!  I’ll come fetch you for dinner, don’t worry about anything else.”

“And until then?” “Ah.  I’m afraid you’ll have to stay here,” he rubbed the back of his neck and smiled a little sheepishly at her.  “I have to tell a couple white lies to Rassilon to free me up for the night.”

She laughed a little.  “Okay.  I’ll be here.” He clapped his hands together, the spark of excitement lighting him up again.  “Alright!  I’ll be back, then.”

He disappeared down the hallway, and Rose laughed, shutting and locking the door again.  She knew it probably wouldn’t do well for anyone to catch her here, especially if the crown prince wasn’t supposed to have any company, or actually go anywhere.  She almost wondered if he wasn’t just as much of a prisoner as she was, just in a different way.

She wandered over to the window, peering out over the gardens.  It was different to see them from up here, too, and she smiled a little.  Outside.  That was outside.  Something she’d never thought she’d ever get to see.  She wasn’t sure she deserved it, that people like Martha weren’t up here experiencing it with her.  That the kids she taught weren’t getting to see the sky.

Guilt settled over her.  If she couldn’t fix this for the humans, if she couldn’t get the Gallifreyans to set them free… They would think that she’d just come up here on vacation, and for no other reason.  She frowned to herself.  She’d never live it down if she couldn’t make this happen.  

Closing her eyes, she leaned her elbows onto the windowsill, staring.  It felt like it went on forever, she could see the curve of the planet, just a little.  Everything had always been so… Flat.  Nothing had ever looked like this, not at home.  Just watching the clouds pass over the gardens felt magical.  She had lots of questions for Theta, about his childhood, about life above ground… Questions she could never ask.  Not really.   He was sort of an enigma, she had a feeling he’d never give her a straight answer.

She stared off, daydreaming, and wondering what she was going to do to make things right, another knock sounded at her door.  She almost forgot to answer, because the twin suns were starting to dip over the horizon.

“It’s me,” Theta’s voice came from the other side of the door.  She shook herself and unlocked the door for him and opened it before going right back to the windowsill.  She leaned up against it, staring out. “What is it?” He asked, coming in behind her, shutting the door softly behind him.  “Is someone out there?” “No, it’s the sunset.  Suns set?  Sunsets?”  She grinned over her shoulder at him when she heard him laugh.

“I guess I never thought about you not seeing one before.”  He came and stood behind her, chin near her head.

“It’s pretty,” She replied lamely, though ‘pretty’ didn’t even begin to cover it.  The colors that danced across the sky were ones she’d never seen before, and she couldn’t bring herself to take her eyes off them.  “It’s just… I’ve never seen colors blend like that before.”

“I suppose I tend to take things for granted.” His voice was soft, and very close to her ear.  “I never considered… Being underground for so long, you can’t even simulate things like this.”

“You can try,” Rose said softly.  “But… From what I’ve seen, it’s never worked.  There are just some things that are too fantastic to replicate.”

He huffed out a laugh. “You know, I think you might be right about that one.”  

They were quiet for a moment, just watching the sunset together. 

“I think… I feel like I should apologize,” Theta said softly, after a few long moments.

Rose bit her lip but didn’t turn to look at him.  “Why do you think that?” She asked.

“I’m the crown prince.  It’s basically my family, for lack of a better word, that did this to you.  To all of you.”

“Yeah.  But you didn’t do it.”

“I know, but-”

She turned over her shoulder, peering up into dark eyes the pierced right back into hers.  “You didn’t do it.  You’re trying to make it right.  You didn’t send me right back down that elevator, and that’s good enough for me.” He pursed his lips, staring back down at her.  “You’re a prisoner.”

“Not right at this moment, no.”

“But for your whole life-”

“If you fixate on the past, your highness, I don’t think you’ll ever live a truly happy life.”  She turned back to the sunset.  “If you don’t do something with what you’re given, it makes you no better than me, and all the humans that live underground.”

“I don’t think I’m better than you,” he said softly.

She smiled a little.  “That’s kind of nice to hear.”

They fell into silence as the room got dark around them, and Theta heaved a huge sigh behind her, shuffling his feet a little.  “Well, dinner is back in my room.  It should still be warm.  We’ll have to be quick.”

Rose felt her heart skip a little at the idea of danger, even though it probably wasn’t that dangerous.  She looked up at him.  “Okay.”

They rushed over to his chambers, giggling breathlessly by the time they were inside.  A dinner was set up for the two of them in front of an enormous bed, a collapsable table and chairs set up.

“How did you get them to serve you dinner for two people?” Rose asked, furrowing her brows.

“I just asked for two portions.  I’ve done it before.” “How are you so skinny then?” 

He just pouted at her, and she laughed again.  She dared, just for a moment, to let herself think that things might turn out alright.  Prince Theta could be her key to her life changing, and for the first time, she let herself have a good feeling about it.

#raylu writes fic #tenth doctor x rose tyler #rose tyler #tenrose #ten x rose #tenxrose fic #raylu ten x rose #ray lu writes fic

[saiilorstars]

The Beginning of Everything

Fandom: Doctor Who

Pairing: Female OC x 10th Doctor

(OC Face claim: Marjorie de Sousa)

// Story Masterlist //

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Ch. 13: The Secrets that Lie Within

Chapter Summary: After Jenny's death, Renata and the Doctor struggle to move on. The TARDIS, however, finds a way to bring them a bit closer with a surprise room just for Renata. Plus, Donna even gets a taste of the shifting mood thanks to the good old box!

(P.S This chapter serves as a prequel to the next chapter that introduces the second, permanent companion to the story, Gabby Gonzalez!)

Plus, we got a few secrets in this chapter! Enjoy!

Zuriah fidgeted while more guests entered the room she was meant to be playing host in. This was her foundation's first public event and she was more than nervous. She'd worked so hard to make sure everything looked good for this night, especially since it was basically the first event that would pave the way for investors in the future. Everything needed to go perfectly. Her graduation from the Academy was just around the corner as well, so it was a make it or break type of night.

"Keep your feet still," the Doctor startled her from behind. She squeaked - and immediately blushed for it - and turned around. "You look so nervous when it's meant to be a fun night!"

Zuriah fixed herself as more guests filled the room. "I am nervous because this is the night where everyone really learns about my foundation. I need everything to go perfectly so I should probably go check again-"

"Calm down, Zuriah. You being so nervous will help no one," the Doctor reached for her arm, comforting her. "Besides, you're not alone. I'm here and so is your family, right?"

Zuriah smiled softly at him. She didn't want to admit how much his mere touch gave her comfort, peace even. "Well, I guess-"

"Doctor?" both Zuriah and the Doctor looked back at the entrance doors to see a tall brunette coming towards them. The brunette was smiling kindly at the two, even more so when she saw Zuriah. "Good evening, you must be the leader of this foundation I've heard so much about."

Zuriah, though confused, smiled back at the woman. "Uh, yes. I'm Zuriah. Welcome to the Auxilium foundation."

The brunette woman nodded. "Asgari. This is a lovely foundation, as far as I've heard."

"Have you…?" Zuriah followed Asgari's gaze up to the Doctor's. "I'm sorry, do you two know each other?" she could see the Doctor was now fidgeting which, for him, was very unusual.

"We're betrothed," Asgari answered, chuckling since she thought it was the reason for his nervousness.

"Huh!?" Zuriah's eyes widened. "B-betrothed?" her eyes landed on the Doctor who could no longer meet her gaze. Yes, she knew the Doctor was getting ready to marry but she never thought she would actually have to meet the woman! Meeting the woman...made it real.

"It's been like this for a month now," Asgari chuckled again. She reached for the Doctor's arm and gently brought him to her side. "He's always nervous about telling people."

Zuriah felt her hearts constrict as she stared at them both. "Con...congratulations," she forced herself to say.

The Doctor finally met her gaze then. Like her, it seemed he was struggling. "Thank you."

The more she stared at him and Asgari, the more it felt like the room was shrinking in on her. "I-I, um, thank you for coming."

"Well, the Doctor has told my family all about this place. I think it's wonderful what you're doing here," Asgari said, but half of what she was saying wasn't registering in Zuriah's head.

All Zuriah could think of was the Doctor was betrothed.

The Doctor was betrothed.

Renata's eyes blinked open and met the darkness of her bedroom. She sat up on her bed and rubbed her face. Sensing she wouldn't be falling asleep anymore, the TARDIS went ahead and lit her room.

"Thanks," Renata said in a low whisper, but the box still heard and hummed in return.

She remained in her spot for a good five minutes before thinking about getting up. It'd been days since the Jenny incident and since then the Doctor hadn't even mentioned landing the TARDIS somewhere. Dinners had been postponed as well, and though the Doctor wouldn't say it to Renata for fear of hurting her more, he missed it. He missed the routine of having them sit together and talk about anything they wanted. He missed her.

There was just endless silence in the TARDIS now and none of the trio knew how to make it stop.

Renata eventually got herself out of bed and went for her closet. She needed to shower, whether or not she would be leaving her bedroom that day. She pulled out a long sleeved, green buttoned-up blouse and dark jeans. She was blow-drying her hair when she heard a knock at her door. When she answered it, she found the Doctor on the other side.

"Hi," the man seemed just as lost as she was.

"Hi," she greeted quietly.

"I need you to see something," the Doctor said, getting straight to the point seemed like the only way to go now.

"What?" Renata blinked. Her eyes darted to the side as if she would find whatever he wanted to show her right there.

"I just...I just found it and I think you ought to see it," the Doctor brought a hand to rub the back of his neck. "Especially since I'm pretty sure she made it for you."

"What?" Renata felt like that was her favorite word right now. A lot of the things she heard lately were warped because she wasn't in-tune with the rest of the world.

"C'mon," the Doctor gently pulled her out into the hallway. Renata, in her confusion, allowed him to take her down the hallway until they reached a door she hadn't yet seen since she'd gotten on-board (or since she was kidnapped).

"What is that?" she stared at the red door.

"Uh, well...I think it's best if you see for yourself," the Doctor gave a light shrug of his shoulders. Renata didn't know what was going on, but so far she was admittedly intrigued by the mysterious red door. She reached for the door knob and, after glancing at the Doctor for reassurance, she turned it and opened it up.

She was hit with a ray of warmth and slightly blinded by an orange and yellow glow. As she walked further in, the glow faded and once she lowered her arm from her eyes she was face to face with…

"Gallifrey?" she breathed in.

The TARDIS had re-constructed a room to look just like their old home.

Renata looked down at the mushy red grass under her feet, making her want to take off her shoes just to truly feel it. She saw the Doctor's feet coming up to stand beside her and when she looked up (still stunned, mind you) he was staring up ahead, looking more or less used to the idea now.

"I found it earlier," he said as if he'd been reading her thoughts. Even now, Renata had her mind sealed off. There would be no telepathic communication anytime soon.

Renata was still speechless. Her wide eyes looked ahead and saw the same two suns in the orange sky, along with the beautiful stars twinkling away. Dawn was coming, so it seemed, and so the silver leaves on the trees radiated like a fire was starting. The pair stood on a hill-like structure and looked down at the lake.

"She did this?" Renata whispered. "The TARDIS did this for me?"

Before the Doctor could respond, the TARDIS answered with one of her hums. Her driver smiled. "Guess that answers that."

Renata flipped her head in his direction, her blonde hair bouncing to one of her shoulders. "Why would she do that?"

"Because she loves you?" the Doctor said as if this should've been obvious.

Renata, however, was shocked to hear this. Her brown eyes widened till it looked like they would pop from her head. Her mouth opened but it took a while for actual words to come out. "I'm...I can't believe she would do this." She felt ridiculous but there were actual tears in her eyes. "Thank you." She started sitting down and laughed as even the grass felt real, like home. She pulled her legs up, knees to her chest, and gazed ahead.

The Doctor felt like she was finally getting some well needed peace. He turned to leave, intending on letting her soak it all in for however long she needed to, but she softly called out to him.

"You can stay."

He was, of course, reluctant to believe he'd heard right. He looked back down at her but she was smiling and gesturing him to sit down beside her. With his own smile, he turned around and returned to the spot next to her.

"Do you ever think about home?" she asked after a few minutes of silent staring.

"More than you would believe," the Doctor answered and side-glanced her. He didn't know where she stood with his decision to end the war on his own terms; he never had the courage to ask her everything they'd been through. "And you?"

"Definitely a lot more than I should," Renata gave a small nod of her head. "You know where my thoughts lay on this matter. I want it back...I'd love for all this to be real. See my friends again. My family."

"Your husband?"

Renata looked down for a moment. It pained her that she could not say 'yes' as quick as a widow would, as a widow should. "Would you like to see your wife again?" she found herself asking instead.

"Hmm, that'd be nice," the Doctor briefly smiled to himself. "We, uh, didn't have the best relationship, especially towards the end, but...if I did see her again, the very first thing I would do is profusely apologize to her."

"What for?" Renata stupidly asked. As soon as she did, she regretted it because of course he would want to apologize to his wife for running out on her to travel. "I'm sorry," she said afterwards.

But the Doctor knew she would never ask something like that to be mean. "It's alright. Asgari, that was her name she...she was a lovely woman. Our marriage was planned, like customary, and even though I made a promise to her, and myself, that I would make her happy...I failed her."

Renata felt like her stomach would churn if she kept this conversation going, but she couldn't force herself to stop. It was like a force driving her to keep asking questions like these. "Why would you say all that, Doctor? You didn't like her?"

"I didn't love her," the Doctor blurted and though he seemed regretful about it for a minute, he looked at who he was talking to and smiled. It wasn't like she would tell anyone. "I've never said that out loud…" his realization was shocking and yet...somewhere in Renata's hearts there was a brief flutter. "Centuries of keeping that secret and now...I can say it out loud. I didn't love my wife. I mean, I loved her in a sense that I wanted her to be safe and happy, but...not as in...I loved her." He took in a deep breath and looked at the Time Lady beside him, who was still wide-eyed. "Sorry."

"No, don't be. Sometimes letting it out is good, especially when they're all dead," Renata sighed. She lowered her legs and crossed them then put her hands over them, though her fingers seemed to fiddle with each other as she thought about her next words. "Can I tell you something?"

"Anything," the Doctor watched her carefully, sensing she was about to say a secret of her own. If he was right, she'd never been given that kind of chance due to her high class position.

"My husband...Elek...he was incredibly sweet. He was polite, funny...and he loved me. Our marriage was arranged for the benefit of our families. He loved me, despite all the arrangements around us, and I grew to love him too...I was even going to have his baby, but...I didn't...love him like a proper wife should."

"Really?" the Doctor's doubt was etched across his face. "But you're the pinnacle of what a wife should be. You're basically what the High Council wanted everyone else to be. A classy Time Lady."

"Well I'm not," Renata said in almost snap. It looked like she was tired of the perception people had of her...and with good reason. "I make mistakes, I made mistakes. I loved my husband but not the way he deserved. I kept secrets from him, from my family, from the world. I pretended to be what I was told be...but the truth is I was the worst. Good people don't keep secrets."

"Now wait a minute," the Doctor shifted so that he could face her. "Sometimes people keep secrets because they just don't want to share it with people. And that's okay. You have no obligation to. Take a look at me. I'm the hoarder of secrets."

"Really?" Renata scoffed. "Besides the fact you ended the war, what else could you possibly have for a secret?"

The Doctor knew she was putting herself as the worst woman in the world - an exaggeration only Renata would make - and thought she deserved to know that there were people worse than her. People who liked to think they were helpers. "The reason I didn't love my wife was because I loved another woman."

Renata was stunned and yet, the Doctor didn't look like he regretted his words. In fact, it seemed like he was finally...free. Liberated from his century-old secret.

"Her name was Zuriah. We were young back then - she was in her last year at the Academy when I met her. She was…" the Doctor paused as he tried to come up with the perfect word to describe the young Time Lady, "...bloody special." That didn't even come close to describing her. Even now, centuries after it all happened, the Doctor couldn't find the right words for her.

Renata swallowed hard, almost pushing a lump down her throat. "I, um…"

"She was the head of the Auxilium Foundation. She created it all on her own, actually," the Doctor said proudly. "She was young but she was determined. She was the opposite of me, you see. I was just sent to her to do community hours for a misdemeanor and while I was meant to be just working with her...I fell in love with her. I shouldn't have but...it was impossible not to. She was kind, proper, and do you know what?" a big smile came to his face the more he thought about her, "I irritated the hell out of her, made her face go red like her ginger hair at least three times a day. But I knew, I always knew...that I loved her."

Renata felt like her body was shaking. She was chewing on the inside of her cheek to keep tears from forming in her eyes.

The Doctor continued to smile, though now more softly. Zuriah was not a guilty memory for him. If anything, it was a beautiful memory with a tragic ending. And now she wasn't just a memory, she was something he could talk about with someone, making her real. "Zuriah has been my secret for over 900 years. And she doesn't make me a bad person. She actually made me better. So don't you think for one moment, Renata, that you are a terrible person for having your own secrets."

Renata sniffed and looked away to the sunlit scenery in front of them.

"Oh, Renée, you don't have to cry," the Doctor gently reached for the woman to hug her. As he wrapped his arms around her, she let her tears spill from her eyes. "It's our secrets now. And you can talk about 'em with me all you want."

Renata screwed her eyes shut for a good while. Yeah, she'd continue to feel like a terrible person.

~0~

Donna was not a nosy person, least she tried not to be. But right now, when she lived inside an alien box with two aliens...who didn't exactly eat as much as she did...she needed to be nosy and go through the kitchen cupboards like mad. She didn't ask for much. She wasn't posh or anything. A simple cereal box would do but she couldn't find one.

"What are you doing?"

"Ah!" Donna nearly fell back from the counter she'd climbed onto. She threw Renata a glare for her imprudence. "Oi! If I fall I break a bone, you know?"

"Sorry," Renata sheepishly apologized and came into the kitchen. Her eyes immediately settled on the mess of cups and plates, along with the cookie boxes and other debris typically stored in the cupboards. Well, she said debris and the Doctor said 'important stuff'. "Why'd you make a mess?"

"Because I'm starving! Don't you two eat regular food?" Donna started climbing down from the counter.

"Sorry, um...I don't really make breakfast in here. Doctor usually just grabs something or doesn't eat at all."

"Well, I'm a human! I like food on a regular basis!"

Renata smiled lightly. "Sorry, Donna. I'll start leaving some things inside for breakfast." She walked over to the counter and started gathering the cups and plate Donna had taken out.

Donna watched the blonde organize all the cups by height and then the plates by sizes. "Wow," she folded her arms. "You really are nothing like the Doctor, you know."

Renata smiled to herself. Story of her lives. "I think that's a good thing because if we were both the same - like him - the world would not be able to handle us."

Donna laughed. That sounded about right. "So...how'd you two ever fit with each other in here?"

"Did you miss the part where he stole me?" Renata's reminder, a sharpened but sarcastic one, made Donna chuckle. "He kidnapped me."

"Oh, right. That's still funny to me."

"Oh yeah. Ha, ha," Renata rolled her eyes and picked up a stack of plates to take to the right cupboard. "It was hilarious. I'm still laughing."

"But how could you be upset?" Donna couldn't finish understanding that bit. "I turned the Doctor away and the very next day I couldn't stand myself for doing it."

"Traveling was just not one of my things," Renata gave a light shrug of her shoulders. "Never has been."

"So then how come you're still here?"

Renata paused just as she was about to put the plates inside the cupboard. Donna made a good point. What was keeping her here? You know the answer all too well. But that wasn't the only reason. "Because the Doctor is the only other person of my kind. He's the only one who can understand me." Literally. "Our home is gone but it lives on with us, the two of us. If I leave...it'd feel like I'm losing my home all over again."

"But then why do you keep throwing that kidnapping thing in his face?"

Renata finished putting the plates inside and huffed when she closed the cupboard door. "Because he quite literally threw me over his shoulder like I was some kid! Some people don't like that, Donna. Plus, kidnapping is just rude."

Donna's lips stretched into what threatened to become a laugh. "Yeah, that's fair."

Renata's expression looked like she was asking Donna how long it took her to realize that. Still, the blonde moved to the last cupboard and opened up its double doors. "Oh," her face fell for some reason.

"What?" Donna turned in that direction and peered closer to see an empty cupboard.

"I had some snacks in here but I guess we must have finished them. No matter," she closed the doors and turned around with a big smile on her face. "We can go out. You want to go out?" Donna blinked. She almost looked around to make sure Renata was talking to her and not someone else in the room. Renata could assume what the ginger was thinking of and laughed. "I meant you, Donna."

"Oh…" Donna set her hands on her hips, not about to feel embarrassed. "It's just I've been here for a few months and you've never actually spoken to me this much...much less invited me out."

"I haven't, have I?" Renata bit her lower lip, clearly feeling guilty. "Sorry. I'm, um...I'm not that good making friends," she admitted. "It's a skill I never really mastered in this regeneration. I guess it just comes with the fact that I hid for a good part of this life."

"Come again?" Donna blinked, confused since she knew next to nothing about Renata.

"Sorry, guess I never told you about that either," Renata scratched the top of her head. "Well...would you like to have some breakfast? I know of this one place in New York. Lovely family-owned restaurant."

"Seriously?" Donna eyed the blonde as if she would rescind the invitation in the next moment.

"Yeah," Renata nodded her head, fairly certain about it. Maybe it was time to stop being so secluded. If this was the life she was choosing to live - inside the TARDIS with the Doctor - then she had to start doing some changes. She could start by actually talking to Donna, even if it was just for a bit.

"I guess so...should we get the Doctor?"

"Let's let him be," Renata took the lead in heading out. "He wanted to get some work done on whatever new contraption he was building."

"Don't sound too convinced it's going to work," Donna remarked as they got into the hallway.

Renata looked over her shoulder with what Donna would say was a knowing smile. "Because it probably won't."

If Donna didn't know any better, she would say that Renata knew more about the Doctor than she led on.

~0~

New York City, 2009.

Renata seemed to know her way down the city streets as she led Donna down a bustling neighborhood. It seemed like a Latin community, Donna judged by the many places that had Spanish names.

"Don't you think the Doctor will notice we're gone?" she asked Renata after a while of just walking. "Not to mention the fact you've moved his TARDIS?"

Renata just shrugged. She didn't look very concerned. "Don't think so. I'm telling you when he starts making contraptions he's gone for ages."

"How would you know, though?" Donna's question made Renata pause at an intersection.

Quickly though, Renata shrugged again in her best casualness. "Just what I deduced since I met him."

Still, Donna was looking a bit doubtful.

Renata made a turn to the right and walked a few buildings down before stopping in front of a local restaurant. The Castillo Mexicano was the name of the place. It didn't really stand out except for its bright green sign and curtains. Still, it smelled kind of good.

"You'll love the food here," Renata promised Donna as she pulled the glass door open for them.

"I didn't take you to like Mexican food," Donna mused. She looked around the spacious restaurant and smiled at its comfy atmosphere it gave.

Renata took her towards an empty booth by the glass window and slid down one side. "I tried it and I liked it. That's what happens when we taste new things."

"Oi, I'm not a child," Donna rolled her eyes.

"Just in case you were having any doubts. I came across this place when they were first setting it up," Renata picked up one of the menus, even her smile looking nostalgic. "Their food was homemade and...it was full of family traditions."

Donna picked up her own menu but even as she studied it, most of her attention was on Renata. "Yeah...the whole family and home thing seem to be your theme."

Renata playfully rolled her eyes. "Family is all we have, Donna. Be thankful you still have yours, as well as your home." Donna put her menu down and watched Renata for a good minute, probably even more time had Renata not caught her. "What? Is there something on my face?"

"You're just...odd." Donna hated how simplistic she'd sounded when that hadn't been what she wanted to say. "I meant to say...you don't make sense. You and the Doctor...you never talk about where you're from or who you really are. It just makes you look odd in my eyes."

"Donna, I'm not going to share my life story with you when I barely know you," Renata pointed out what she thought was a good point. How could she share her secrets with someone she didn't really know?

"Well who's fault is that?" Donna wasn't afraid to retort. "I'm always here. I like you. I like to think we're friends but... sometimes it looks like you can't trust me."

"It's not that... it's more like…" Renata sighed. "Things about me...are things that the Doctor can't know about. Don't ask me why because the answer is he just can't. And then other things... they're mine, you know? My life is one that-that you couldn't possibly understand."

One of Donna's eyebrows rose, her expression then turning into what one could describe as offence. "What do I look like to you? An idiot?"

"No, Donna. Of course not-"

"-then stop acting as if I was one." Donna's tone was harsh but not misplaced. Renata could understand her frustration and she wouldn't fight Donna on it.

In some parts, Renata liked Donna for it. Not anyone would be as snappy as Donna was, but Donna never snapped to be rude. She did it when someone wasn't listening to her, when someone needed a good snap back to reality. That was definitely a quality needed if you were going to travel with the Doctor.

"Alright blondie," Donna leaned forward on the table, ignoring Renata's startled look due to her sudden nickname, "Tell me something outrageously confusing about you that I'm not supposed to understand."

"Donna, I can't-"

"-you're the one who said I couldn't possibly understand, so c'mon." Donna made a gesture for Renata to spill. "Tell me something."

Renata couldn't deny there was an urge inside her pushing her to say something secretive about her, something that could perhaps quench the loneliness she felt from losing Martha, the only person who really got to know her. Her lower lip became like gum in that moment. "...like what?"

"I don't know, take your pick. Anything you want."

Renata did think of one thing but she never thought about admitting it to anyone. Even confessing that to Martha had been an accident and she practically begged the woman not to tell the Doctor. "And you won't say anything to the Doctor?"

Donna groaned exasperatedly. "No! Of course not! This isn't high school!"

"What's high school?"

Donna face-palmed herself. "Just talk bloody woman!"

Renata's shoulders seemed to slump forwards as she gathered courage to speak. "Well...this is something that truly makes me ashamed." Apart from other things, anyways.

"What is it?"

"You know that the Doctor and I - we change our faces when we're going to die, right?"

"Yeah. Kinda weird but then again you are aliens, so…"

"And you know about that war, right? The one that basically ended our home planet?"

"Also yes."

Renata released a heavy breath. "This-" she made a gesture at herself, "-is my 10th regeneration so I have 2 more and then...I'm done. But...during the end of my last body, during our war...the High Council offered me a deal. This deal, if I took it, would grant me a whole new cycle of regenerations."

Now this piqued Donna's interest. Even as Renata explained, using the briefest words, Donna knew that this deal had a whole lot more to it than what she was being told. "What'd you have to do to get it?" she finally asked.

"I had to persuade someone not to do something catastrophic," Renata wasn't sure if the Doctor had told Donna everything about the Time War and she was most certainly not going to tell Donna herself. That was up to the Doctor.

"How come they went to you for that deal? Why not someone of their own fancy council?"

"Because...my sister...was part of that Council." Even as Renata told the story, she still felt that raw anger towards her sister for bringing up the horrible idea that she go and talk the Doctor out of using the Moment. It made Renata feel like a tool for the Council. She loved her sister, she really did, but that was one of two things she would never forgive her sister for. "My sister thought that if anyone could do this task, it'd be me."

"...and did you do it?"

"No," Renata shook her head. "But I did get the new cycle."

Donna paused and looked at Renata for her words. That didn't make sense, but the more Donna stared the more shifty Renata got...until Donna realized what that meant. "Oh my God! You double-crossed them!"

Renata let her head hang in shame, admitting that she had indeed. "I was so mad with them...with my sister...so I did it. I lied and said I'd take their deal, but I made them give me the cycle first by telling them I was embarking on a treacherous journey...and then once I had the new cycle...I ran. I scammed them…"

"Oh my goodness, Renata!" Donna started to laugh. "I didn't know you could pull something like that!"

"Please don't tell the Doctor. He doesn't know about that," Renata pleaded. Her face was red from embarrassment and shame. "It was such an awful thing to do…"

"Oh, they had it coming," Donna sobered slowly and noticed Renata's outright terrified expression, probably out of fear that her secret would be told. "Oh c'mon, Ren. I'm not saying anything. I told you I wouldn't."

"Thank you," Renata said quietly. "I'll regret that for the rest of my lives but…" her face scrunched the more she thought about those moments. Her hand balled on the table. "I was just so mad. I'd lost so many things already - my husband, my own baby, a good part of my family - and then my sister comes up with this idea to save their own skin? I was furious."

"Hey, anyone in your place would've done the same," Donna said, deciding not to even touch the fact Renata confessed to having a baby. It already seemed like a raw topic.

"I don't know," Renata shook her head. "My husband, he was always so kind...he would've been ashamed of me. And the Doctor? He says I'm a good person who doesn't run out on anyone who needs help…" a light, humorless laugh slipped through her lips, "If only he knew who he was travelling with."

Literally.

"Call me crazy, but I don't think the Doctor would judge you. He doesn't tell me a lot about your home but I gather he wasn't very fond of that Council. He might have a good laugh, actually."

Renata severely doubted that. "So, there you go. There's one of my secrets."

"And do you feel better?" Donna's knowing smile made Renata roll her eyes.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I don't...I don't really know how this whole friendship thing goes. With Martha it was just different cos we were stuck together for a whole year and...well...she stuck her nose into my journal."

"Yeah, I won't be reading any diaries," Donna made a face, actually getting Renata to chuckle. "But being friends isn't that hard. You just have to trust me. And you can start trusting me by filling me in on things from time to time."

"I guess I can do that," Renata shrugged and looked at the counter. She noticed the family owners were bickering - or probably arguing - amongst each other. She wondered what it was about.

"So then, let's try some of that breakfast thing and we can keep talking. You can hear all about my terrible relationship in year 11. It was so awful."

Renata smiled softly at the ginger. There was a comfortable feeling she was beginning to get.

"Good morning," a young waitress stopped by to take their order. "What can I get you?"

"I'll take the chilaquiles with a vanilla milkshake," Renata ordered without even looking at the menu.

"That's a nice combination," the waitress chuckled as she jotted the order down. "And for you, miss?" she looked at Donna.

"Oh, um…" Donna skimmed the menu and ordered the first thing she saw, which was the huevos rancheros.

Afterwards, it became easier to talk amongst each other. Renata wondered if it really was this easy to make friends. Maybe Martha had it right. Still, Renata was cautious of how much she told Donna about her previous lives. She had to keep anything out that would give Donna clues of who she was to the Doctor before.

And she even got to learn more about Donna and the human lives in general. When Renata used to live amongst them, in hiding, she never really got to learn about them. She was always more focused on staying hidden, staying low. Even with Martha, Renata hadn't been the least concerned with learning more about humans while she was fighting against the Master.

It was kind of nice.

Too bad 'nice' didn't tend to last very long for her.

#10th doctor #doctor who #ocappreciation #ocapp #10th imagines #dw imagines #10th doctor fics #doctor who fics #doctor who imagines #10th doctor x oc #10th doctor fanfics #oc: Renata Cartwright #donna noble #fic: the beginning of everything #noblecrescentedit

[youremyonlyhope]

Spyfall Part 2

Yay part 2! I’m so ready. Give me more.

While on my lunch break at work today, I nearly opened tumblr on my phone. Then I realized it was after 2pm so the episode was currently airing in Britain. I could have been spoiled if I hadn’t stopped myself. 

I see the Doctor is still talking to herself. Old habits die hard. “Don’t panic.” Love Hitchhiker’s Guide. “RYAN.” HUH “RYAN SINCLAIR?” WHAT? This is reminding me of something... what am I being reminded of... BLINK MAYBE??? YES THIS IS JUST LIKE “SALLY SPARROW DUCK NOW.” THIS IS BLINK. IS THIS BLINK? BECAUSE THIS IS BLINK. ...Who in the world is this lady... “Obviously I’m a recording and can’t hear you.” THIS IS BLINK. Also this is throwing shade at Blink with the “Obviously” part...  It is his TARDIS!!!! IT’S A TARDIS. THE HOUSE IS A TARDIS. THE FANS WERE RIGHT. At first, I wasn’t sure if it was a TARDIS or just the Master making a joke by having the house fly by them. But nope, IT’S A TARDIS. I literally screamed “IT’S A TARDIS” out loud. “Magic Apparrating Man! Lady. Apparrating Lady! Every time...” That made my dad laugh. But I mean, 1100 years at least of being a man, not counting the 4 billion years in the confession dial. It takes getting used to. Marooned in the past. Chibnall, I really hate to say this, but this is becoming a little too similar to Blink. Just because of the being trapped in the past and leaving messages for the present thing. The lace bonnet had looked super.... weird in the other realm. In a cool way. A way that made me wonder what material it was made of and if she was really from the mid 1800s or if she was just an alien with clothing that imitated the style. Because the way the lace glowed was cool. Also. Why does Ada seem familiar to me? OH NO. Lol. “O no.” I didn’t even do that on purpose. That face she made as she realized the Master’s not in control was such a Doctor face. “Ada, I really do not approve.” Aww Doctor. Never change. I like the old lady taking a picture with an iPad. Yaz calling her mom is a very Martha move and I approve. The Silver Lady was in the Master’s TARDIS.... “From his master” oh ok. “Multiple time periods” OOoohhhhh. Not multiple Earth dimensions then. I was gonna say that I was thinking of Weeping Angels earlier in the day today... I’m not saying these are Weeping Angels... but getting the vibes from the time travel and pulling people in and out and stuff. Oh and I was right that they can transport people purposefully. Did I say that in the last post? I can’t remember. But when Yaz was transported last episode I was like “So they can transport people places?” and the answer is a definite yes, and also in time. Also. Ada Lovelace. I know that name... I know I know that name... “Deep breath” ok now I miss Twelve. Of course it’s WWII. This music reminds me of like... Star Wars... Something from the sequel trilogy sounds like this... or at least has this vibe... Also. I don’t know how I feel about an Indian man in a Nazi uniform. That just... they wouldn’t have let him do that, first of all. Second of all, can we not? These are all women so far that the Doctor is bumping into... And I feel like it’s meaningful... Why would he do that to his mom? Noor Khan, I feel like I DEFINITELY have heard of her. Important women in science? I’m guessing Ada was a mathematician I think, but I can’t really remember. “They promised us that a war on this scale would never happen again.” “This is not the first time?” Ugh. WWI and pre-WWI people finding out about WWII always hurts. IT’S THE DOCTOR DOING THE SOUND OF THE DRUMS. Just the sound of the drums gives me chills. Is this a Old Who thing? The mind reading? She said it was classic. “Not exactly the Aryan archetype.” THAT’S WHAT I WAS SAYING. OOoooooh a perception filter. So they think he’s white. Ok. Ok that’s better.

Also, I’m sorta glad they’re actually addressing race affecting time travel to different time periods. They didn’t do it with Martha enough/at all. They tried to do it with Bill, and I did appreciate the “History is a whitewash” and London being blacker than Bill thought it was, but because London was diverse it wasn’t really an issue (besides the racist the Doctor punched). But I’m glad this is an actual situation where being another race is genuinely DANGEROUS since that’s how it was.

“Look after my mum” So is she not dead? Or is he mocking them? They can’t have destroyed Gallifrey again. He’s lying It was probably the Master himself that killed everyone if he’s not lying. “How else would I get your attention?” Awwww. That’s almost sweet. It’s sweet by Master standards ok. Ok... letting Nazis attack the Master... for being a spy... while he’s a person of color... is pretty harsh... Of course the Nazis can’t do much damage... And the Master did willing side with them to find the Doctor... But still... Very harsh... I guess after everything the Master has done... Maybe he deserves to be on the receiving end of racism since he hates humans so much... But still. “Forget you heard that word.... Otherwise I’ve just disrupted the whole of history. Again.” Doctor. Babe. Control yourself. Ok so it was people who were important in the development of computers in general. Cool cool cool. I appreciate that Ada and Noor were the ones the Doctor specifically bumped into. “You kept clicking agree” Yeah... yeah... he got us there. “This is like the Matrix” - My Dad. OH wow the Master came the long way round. 77 years. I’d almost say poor dude. Conversion!?!? NO. NOT CYBERMAN! IF THERE’S CYBERMEN THEN IS THIS A 3-PARTER?! “Oh.” “That’s your name.” HA. HA, good one Doctor. “I forgot the plane!” No you didn’t, Doctor. Don’t worry. You can do it anytime, as long as you do it at some point. “Are we being replaced?” Oh Graham. But also, I want the next companions to be from the past. See in Blink we didn’t get to see the Doctor setting everything up like we’re seeing it now. So that’s cool. Imagine if we had seen Martha standing behind the camera annoyed, then running around to say “I gotta support him!” That could have been fun. I think I just want more Martha in Blink. “The Fascists. Do they win?” “Never” Yeah I really hope not, but time is repeating itself. I guess it will also repeat them not winning. That’s sweet that the Doctor still wants her to know that computers are a thing because of Ada. And I appreciate that the show didn’t try to be like “She helped make computers because of the Doctor.” because no, she made them because she was always going to. Oh wow we’re going back to Gallifrey?? We haven’t been in a while. Been wondering if we would.

I didn’t write anything for the last few minutes because I’m just like... HUH.

First of all, I knew the Master did it. Called it.

Second of all. I was like “Oh no. The Doctor just got Gallifrey back, do we HAVE to take it away again? To make her angsty?” Then we heard the Master’s reason for destroying it and I was like ok maybe there’s justification.

Third of all. The Time Lords have always sucked. We’ve known this forever.  The Doctor has said that the Time Lords went wrong at the end of the Time War and that they choose to remember them in a good way and forget the ugly side. So we know the Time Lords suck. That’s not a surprise. What is it that they did that was so bad, the MASTER of all people felt the need to put an end to it? The Master. As in the little boy who was driven crazy because the Time Lords chose to put the Sound of the Drums in his head and use him as a weapon. He didn’t destroy Gallifrey then, so what could be worse than that? Do I even want to know? They’ll tell us, but I don’t know if I want to hear it. We might be going very dark this season...

Fourth of all, yay! They’re asking the Doctor questions and she’s answering! Yay! And Yaz asking “Can we go to your planet?” was the second Martha thing she did.

And fifth, yay! We’re probably getting an overarching theme this season! And maybe the Master isn’t completely evil, since everyone’s so worried about Missy’s redemption! He’s just hurt by what he found, felt he had to destroy Gallifrey, and is still upset about it. When he said the Timeless Child I literally said out loud “OH. OH ok so we’re really doing this then.” because I felt like all the predictions of the Timeless Child being involved were probably right... but not like this.

EPIPHANY. What if he really was just doing all this to get the Doctor’s attention? He wants the Doctor share the burden of the truth, but doesn’t know any other way to get her to listen besides do horrible things. What if he didn’t kill, plot, and plan just for the hell of it and maybe rub Gallifrey in the Doctor’s face, but the ultimate goal was to get that message to the Doctor so the Doctor could find out about Gallifrey.

Honestly I’m concerned about what it is that the Time Lords lied about. What did the Master mean by “who we are as a species” like... I’m scared.

Also halfway through the episode my mom came in (she’s super behind, as in she hasn’t even watched Capaldi’s seasons yet) and she said “You have to stop screaming ‘IT’S A TARDIS IT’S A TARDIS’ of course it’s a TARDIS that’s what she drives.” So apparently my mom heard my freak out over the Master’s TARDIS. She heard me screaming last episode too when I was jumping at the Master reveal.

Anyway. Sorta Blink-esque in that Ryan, Yaz, and Graham being saved is an endless loop if causing itself because of previously planted messages from the Doctor. But also, we got a mini history lesson, which was the point of Doctor Who in the first place. Gallifrey’s gone and apparently Time Lords suck, but what else is new. And we got the Master finding out the effect that race has in certain (or all) time periods. Hopefully the Master’s back soon. We really were spoiled rotten by Season 10 when they gave us Missy in like half of the episodes. I need more Master. Give me more Master.

#hope watches doctor who #ignore me if you want #doctor who #dw spoilers #doctor who spoilers