If you want to help me financially, you can do it on
https://ko-fi.com/neverluckysmile
Danni tried to act chastised, but she couldn't help the smile on her face as she and the Doctor walked through the streets of London yet again. Snow crunched underfoot as the stars shone through breaks in the cloud above them. It was a lovely evening, actually, and it seemed a waste to not spend time in it.
"It's almost Christmas." She moaned, "I just wanted some of Strax's Christmas Pudding. For a creature that feeds through a tube in his neck, he makes excellent deserts."
"You can't keep running away, though." He replied, "You never used to be this much trouble." She turned, walking backwards as she stuck her tongue out at him.
"I'm not used to staying still!" She exclaimed, "Everything happens in order, I actually have to wait for Christmas now, I'm not just going to," she spun in a circle, "whiz off and celebrate it." She rushed forward, grabbing his arm, grinning so happily that no matter how hard he tried to keep the 'grumpy' act, he still smiled back, "I had a shower yesterday, and I let my hair dry on its own. Last time I did that, I ended up on that moon with you and Donna, remember? My hair actually froze, I thought I was going to go bald!"
"I did tell you the icy weather only lasted half an hour before the suns came out." He pointed out as they turned down another small alley.
"You try believing that when your hair has turned to ice." She protested, "My ginger hair…" She paused, stopping in her tracks, "I loved my ginger hair." She whispered. He reached out, brushing her blonde hair behind her ear.
"I love your blonde hair." He replied and she shied away from him slightly, slipping out from his grasp. She'd been slowly trying to let him hold her hand, or stroke her hair because it did feel brilliant. However, that nagging feeling that his touch meant something bad was about to happen still hadn't gone away, and outside of the comfort of the TARDIS it was more than she could handle at the moment.
"Plus, it's snowing." She continued, brushing the subject she really didn't want to talk about away, "How can you want to stay inside when it's snowing?" She pointed down an alley, towards the back end of a pub "Look, a snowman. Since when have you not wanted to build a snowman?"
"It's a rubbish snowman." He retorted, "Remember the ones we build in the Artic with Martha? Now they were good snowmen."
"I seem to recall yours falling over." She reminded him cheekily and he shook his head.
"No, that's not right." He dismissed and she laughed as they walked past the one she'd pointed out, a woman in a red dress, a barmaid if the tankards on the barrel next to her were anything to go by, stood looking at it as well. It had strange face, slanted down eyes and carved-in teeth.
"Did you make this snowman?" The woman called over to them but neither of them looked back.
"No." The Doctor replied, hating the fact they were being engaged. He just wanted to get them both home before someone tried to tempt them into helping. Helping always lead to dangerous situations and that was what he was trying to keep Danni out of.
"Well, who did?" The woman continued in a strong, London accent, "Cos it wasn't there a second ago. It just appeared, from nowhere." He growled slightly and they both turned to see the woman stood there, clutching at the ends of her shoal. Danni tried not to gasp as Clara stared back at them expectantly. Oh, this must be when they first meet! She stayed back as the Doctor stormed over, pulling out the reading glasses Amy had lent him in Manhattan. He put them on, looking over Clara critically, like she was an inconvenience he had to sort out, before turning and taking a pinch of the snow from the snowman, letting it crumble between his fingers.
"Maybe it's snow that fell before." He suggested gruffly, "Maybe it remembers how to make snowmen."
"What, snow that can remember? That's silly." Clara scoffed and he turned, staring at her in almost a challenge.
"What's wrong with silly?" He challenged.
"Nothing. Still talking to you, ain't I?" The Doctor smiled softly at her, taking off the glasses. Danni watched, wanting to clap slightly. It was always wonderful seeing that look on his face, that look of interest in the people he met.
"What's your name?" He asked gently and the woman straightened slightly.
"Clara." She told him. He nodded, still playing with his glasses in his hands.
"Nice name," He declared, looking up in thought slightly, "Clara." He said it purposefully before walking over to Danni, grabbing her hand, "You should definitely keep it." With that, he began walking the pair away. Danni looked over her shoulder, nodding to the Doctor pointedly, "Goodbye!"
"Oi!" Clara called, chasing after the pair and planting her hands on her hips as they fell still, "Where are you going?" She asked, "I thought we were just getting acquainted. You've not even introduced me to your lady friend." The Doctor turned around slowly, opening his mouth to correct her about Danni, to tell her that she was his wife when he spotted her stance. That look of defiance, like she wasn't impressed by him reminded him of Amy. His little Amelia Pond, who would never take any of his nonsense when he was trying to brush her off.
"Those were the days." He replied, surprising Clara with the sad look on his face. He turned back to Danni, tucking her hand in the crook of his arm, "Come on, Strax will be wondering what's taking us so long." He told her quietly and she nodded, following him and leaving the woman stood there, wondering on what he'd said.
"She seemed nice." Danni commented as they reached the carriage waiting for them, "Pretty." He opened the carriage door, letting her in first like the gentleman he was.
"I didn't notice." He replied honestly, because he didn't. All he'd noticed was how similarly built she had been compared to Danni's old body, the one he'd killed and he slammed the door slightly as he sat next to her, indicating Strax to get a move on.
"Did she have a point, though?" She asked as they began rolling over the cobbled streets outside, "Is there something wrong with the snow?"
"I don't know." He admitted lowly, "But it's not our problem anymore."
"'How refreshing to see you taking an interest again.'" Madame Vastra's voice came over the speaker hanging from the ceiling, crackling with the old parts being used in the new technology. Danni smirked while the Doctor glowered, "'Was she nice?'"
"I just spoke to her." The Doctor grumbled.
"She was very pretty!" Danni called and he shot her a look that she replied with her own innocent one.
"'And made your usual impact, no doubt.'" Madame Vastra replied and Danni nodded even as the Doctor rolled his eyes, shifting closer to her.
"No, no impact at all. Those days are over." He insisted and Danni shook his head. He narrowed his eyes and she smiling brightly and innocently.
"'You can't help yourself.'" Madame Vastra pointed out, "'It's the same story, every time. And it always begins with the same two words.'" The Doctor glared at the speaker handing from the ceiling.
"She'll never be able to find us again," He argued back, gesturing to the speaker, "she doesn't even have the names Doctor or Danni." Danni smiled, she knew he couldn't help himself when offered vague information, "what two words?" Before Madame Vastra could reply, the pair were startled by the flap on the carriage roof opening. Danni jumped, grabbing onto his arm in surprise as Clara's head appeared, dangling upside down as the young woman looked in from the outside.
"Doctor?" She asked, pronouncing the words purposefully, "Doctor who?" The Doctor stared at her, completely perplexed as Danni let out a bark of laughter.
"Oh, I knew I liked you." She cried, delighted, leaning towards the window and sticking her head out, "Strax!" She called, "Pull over, we've got a guest!"
"Oh no, she's not staying." The Doctor replied firmly, looking at Clara who was climbing in, "You're not staying."
"Your lady friend says I am, so I am." Clara retorted, pushing in between them and sitting down, smiling at Danni smugly.
"Yes, I do." Danni agreed, "She's just worried about the snow, aren't you sweetie?" The Doctor continued to frown, unsure how to feel about how happy Danni seemed to be about this strange woman having followed them. He wanted her to be happy, and the way her eyes shone was showing that, but he wanted that to be because of him, not some barmaid.
"Well she can worry someplace else." The Doctor snapped, looking at Clara pointedly "And she's not my 'lady friend', she's my wife." He stood up as the carriage turned to pull in, causing him to sway slightly. However, he was used to trying to stand straight whilst the TARDIS was flying so he still managed to push his way in between the two. He really didn't want this strange woman anywhere near Danni.
"If I'm not staying does it matter?" Clara challenged.
"Doctor, she's just worried about the snow." Danni reminded him gently, "You said so yourself that you didn't know what was wrong with it. That's not a good sign." She watched him smile ever so slightly, playing up to his ego worked but only for a second as he shook his head.
"It's not our problem anymore." He reiterated as the carriage jolted to a stop, "Stay here, I'll sort it out with Strax then we can go home." He made his way over to the door.
"Sure, I'll stay here with the strange woman you didn't want me near in the first place." Danni replied in a singsong voice as the Doctor opened the door. He paused and she nudged Clara, who wasn't even trying to hide her smile as he sighed.
"Fine, come on then." He grumbled and Danni pushed herself up off the bench, hurrying out because she knew what he was about to do next. Clara moved to follow them, but the Doctor slammed the door, sonicing the lock so she could get out.
"Hey! Let me out!" Clara exclaimed, rattling the door handle.
"Stay there a moment." The Doctor muttered, as if she had the choice before turning to Danni, pointing at her like an angry parent, "See? This is what happens when you run off. Now we have a problem we're going to have to deal with."
"We already have a problem." She retorted, turning and heading to a larger pile of snow, bending down, "What's wrong with the snow?" She reached out, picking up and letting it fall through her fingers, "It feels just the same to me."
"Sir!" Strax exclaimed, walking to the Time Lord's side, "Your wife says we have a guest. Do you wish for me to prepare tea?" The Doctor stared at him, not even knowing where to begin with what was wrong with that suggestion.
"No, that's fine Strax." He told the Sontaran, walking over to his wife and crouching down next to her, "Are you really that interested in the snow?" He asked her gently and she nodded, taking another handful and sprinkling it back on the floor.
"It caused a barmaid to chase after you, which quite frankly is my job." She explained, "Do you have any idea at all what's wrong with it?" He shook his head.
"No." He replied, reaching out to take his own handful, letting it fall through his fingers, "It doesn't feel right, though." Snow that didn't feel right? Now that was new. He briefly let himself wonder about it, going over the many different things that could make snow feel wrong yet still be snow, then he shook his head, chucking the handful away from him, "It's not our problem, though."
"Can we at least look into it?" She asked pleadingly, brown eyes looking up at him and tempting him, "If it's not immediately dangerous, we can leave it, I promise." She stared at him hopefully, eyes wide and her cheeks pink from the cold air.
Since she'd had the idea to escape to Madame Vastra last year, she'd practically been doing it every other day. He was sure she didn't even like being out of the TARDIS that much, and how they had argued about it, but she just wouldn't stay put. She just couldn't see that he couldn't do this anymore, he tried his best and he offered his help and all he got in return was more heartache. His wife had died, and she had died because of him. It didn't matter that she'd regenerated, he wasn't sure if he could ever get over the fact that he had been the one to send her to her death. He just had to make it right, make sure that he never had to see that again.
She was still so scared of him, and it was the one thing he had hoped would never happen. The whole universe could be scared of him, but not her.
"Fine." He begrudgingly agreed, "But if it's nothing, we're heading back to the TARDIS." She grinned, clapping happily before leaning across and placing a kiss on his cheek.
"If something strange has been happening, Vastra would have been looking into it already." She gushed, standing up and leaving him there, "Strax! We're looking into the snow!" She ran over to the Sontaran as he watched her, reaching up to his cheek.
She'd only been able to start to barely tolerate him touching her again, and he still couldn't surprise her, but she'd kissed his cheek. Maybe this was the best thing to do, after all.
~0~0~0~
Clara had thought they were going to let her out when the door opened, but the strange pair had climbed in and the carriage started rolling once again. She knew she should have been worried, after all being trapped in the back of a carriage by strangers was the start of stories which typically ended with 'They found her in the Thames a week later, they could barely recognise her'. However, she didn't. Her heart was racing but she listened to the Doctor explain that they were only going to look into it, and by no means must she think she had any place trying to help them.
Of course, they locked her back in the carriage again but she wasn't going to just sit there and wait to get in on the action. She began banging, demanding that they let her out right now.
"They've taken samples from snowmen all over London." Strax explained to Danni and the Doctor, both of whom were checking the snow again. He'd taken them to just outside the Great Intelligence building, where Madame Vastra was sure the trouble was stemming through, "What do you suppose they're doing in there?" The Doctor looked closer at the snow he'd picked up, letting it run through his fingers.
"This snow is new. Possibly alien." He explained, "When you find something brand new in the world, something you've never seen before, what's the next thing you look for?"
"A use?" Danni suggested.
"A grenade?" Strax suggested, sounding proud at his suggestion. The Doctor paused, rolling his eyes at the other alien.
"A profit." The Doctor declared cynically, standing up and chucking the last of the snow he had onto the floor, "That's Victorian values for you!" He held his hand out to Danni, who took it while worrying her lip. He wasn't wrong, but she hated the fact he didn't seem to care anymore. He used to make excuses, try and find the good in everyone.
She took his hand, linking her fingers through his to try and offer him some comfort. He smiled gently at her, taking her other hand slowly and linking their fingers there as well.
"So it is something?" She asked him and he nodded.
"Yes." He admitted.
"I suggest a full frontal assault with automated laser monkeys, scalpel mines and acid." Strax declared, smiling happily at the end. Oh, how he wanted to be in battle once again.
"Why?" The Doctor asked in exasperation, looking away from his wife and at the butler. Strax paused, did they need a reason to attack? Of course, he'd forgotten what a peaceful man this Time Lord seemed to be. He couldn't understand it himself, but he knew how to use it.
"Couldn't we at least investigate?" He suggested hopefully instead. Investigation might mean a battle.
"It's none of our business." The Doctor snapped back, turning back to his wife, stepping slightly closer. She hadn't let go of either of his hands, perhaps if he just dipped his head slightly…
"Sir, permission to express my opposition to your current apathy?" Strax asked and the Doctor's teeth clenched in frustration, hanging his head slightly.
"Permission granted." He replied and Strax nodded once.
"Sir, I am opposed to your current apathy." He declared and Danni smiled, letting go of his hands.
"Perhaps we should let Clara out now?" she suggested pointedly, "We've locked her in there twice now." He nodded.
"Thank you, Strax." He bit out, walking over to the Sontaran, "And if ever I'm in need of advice from a psychotic potato-dwarf," He slapped his hands on the side of Strax's head, slightly harder than he might of normally because he'd be so close, "you'll certainly be the first to know." He let the Sontaran go.
"But if the snow is new and alien, shouldn't we be making some attempt to destroy it? Be reasonable!" Strax complained. The Doctor put his finger on his mouth, stopping him talking.
"It is not our problem." He reiterated firmly, "Over a thousand years of saving the universe, Strax, you know the one thing I learned?" He moved his finger, "The universe doesn't care." Danni opened her mouth to protest, but he obviously wasn't done, "All I have tried to do is help, and in return the universe has taken my friends and destroyed my marriage. I have done enough." He looked over at Danni, who looked horrified at what he's said, "We have given enough." He told her, "Now, we have a problem of our own to worry about…" He turned and walked away from Strax, heading to the carriage. He'd changed his mind, the TARDIS was better than this. He opened the door and Clara stopped her banging, pushing herself to the other side of the carriage.
"Don't worry." The Doctor told her tiredly, climbing in and sitting across from her. "No-one's going to hurt you."
"What is that thing?" She asked, nodding towards Strax who was stood just outside the door.
"Silence, boy!" He snapped, confusing her.
"That's Strax and as you can see, he's easily confused." The Doctor snapped pointedly in reply, glaring at him and
"Silence, girl." Strax corrected himself, looking her up and down and wondering if there was as much difference between these humans as they seemed to think there are, "Sorry, lad."
"Sontaran." The Doctor explained, "Clone warrior race - factory produced, whole legions at a time. Two genders is a bit further than he can count."
"Sir, do not discuss my reproductive cycle in front of enemy girls! It's embarrassing." Strax hissed and the Doctor rolled his eyes.
"Typical middle child of six million." He told Clara, who just looked even more confused. She looked out of the door, wondering if she had a way to escape when she spotted Danni stood to the side, rubbing her arm in discomfort, looking devastated and Clara felt a twinge of sympathy for her. She had been nice, had talked to her while her husband seemed to sulk. She had heard everything they had been saying as she tried to break out, that can't have been nice to hear.
"Perhaps you should ask your wife first." She scolded the Doctor, becoming angry at the way the woman seemed to be upset.
"Excuse me?" He asked, confused and she nodded towards Danni.
"Maybe you should ask her before declaring your marriage is destroyed." She retorted, "You men are all alike. Thinking you know best, making decisions without even asking us. Does that look like a woman who agrees with you?" The Doctor looked out at Danni, immediately regretting his words as she met his eyes and smiled sadly.
"Maybe you're right." He muttered. She headed over, standing next to Strax and leaning in slightly.
"You really are okay." Danni promised Clara with a kind smile, "It's just a precaution, but you'll be on your way in no time." Clara looked between the two, still feeling more bewildered than concerned about her own wellbeing. Sure this 'Doctor' was incredibly grumpy, but the way he looked at his wife, like there was nothing else on the planet but her, didn't have her believing she was in any actual danger from them.
"Who are you?" She asked the pair. Danni opened her mouth to explain but the Doctor shifted, shaking his head.
"It doesn't matter," He told her lowly, "because you're about to forget that we ever met." He glanced at Strax, "We'll need the worm."
"Sir." He grunted, walking off. Clara dashed to the doorway, trying to see what Strax was doing.
"You'll need the what?" She exclaimed as Danni groaned, "The worm? What worm?"
"Oh, not the worm!" Danni cried, "You know I don't like that thing!"
"She followed us." The Doctor replied, "It's necessary."
"That's what you said about that little boy." Danni retorted, "But we walked into him! He was so confused, I don't like it." He glanced at Clara, not wanting to fight in front of her regardless of whether she'd remember or not, shifting closer to the door and leaning out.
"She can't know who were are." He insisted quietly and Danni put her hands on her hips, much like Clara had done before.
"And why not?" Danni snapped, "What's the worst that could happen? She's nice."
"I'm doing it for her own good." He promised, reaching out, hovering just in front of her with his fingers stretched. She sighed in annoyance and let him hold her hand, "Nice isn't safe around me, you know that."
"No, I don't, actually." Danni snapped before glancing at Clara, "But when have you ever listened to me?" He brought her hand to his mouth, placing a kiss on her palm and revelled for a moment in the fact she didn't yank it away.
"What's going on?" Clara asked worriedly.
"Don't worry, it won't hurt," The Doctor reassured her, "but one touch on your bare skin and you'll lose the last hour of your memory." Strax appeared next to Danni, his face holding no expression as he looked between the people there.
"Oh Lord…" Danni breathed as the Doctor frowned, seeing the Sontaran hadn't done what he'd asked.
"Where is it?" He asked and Strax frowned.
"Where's what, sir?" Strax asked in reply.
"I sent you to get the memory worm."
"Did you?" Strax asked, just confirming what they'd all thought, "When?" He spotted Clara, "Who's he? What are we doing here?" He turned and the Doctor shook his head, unable to believe what was happening, "Look, it's been snowing!" Danni nodded, rubbing the Sontaran's arm. He seemed so happy that it'd been snowing, he was so cute.
"Sweetie, you forgot to put the gauntlets on." She explained gently. He frowned.
"Why would I need the gauntlets?" He leant in closer to her, smiling evilly, "Do you want me to get the memory worm?" Danni shook her head.
"No, the Doctor did though." She turned to her husband, "Maybe this is a sign? Perhaps we should leave her alone." The Doctor shook his head.
"No, that's not good enough." He declared, standing up and shoving Strax out of the way in frustration, "You! Find that worm, now." He snarled, climbing out. Danni sighed and took his place, sitting across from Clara.
"He never used to be like this." She explained sadly, "But bad things happened. He's a real sweet heart, really."
"What happened?" Clara asked, intrigued and Danni glanced out at her husband, her Theta who was currently waving an empty jar at Strax. Who, to his credit, didn't look offended.
"A couple of our friends died." She replied quietly, "Then I died too and I think it was too much for him." She glanced back at Clara, who to her credit still looked confused, "It was a bad day. It took its toll on the both of us." Clara looked her up and down, trying to spot it.
"You seem fine." Clara told her, "You're not like Mr Grumpy out there." Danni laughed.
"No, but I can't kiss my own husband anymore." Danni explained, "Pain affects us all differently. We're both just still healing." She nodded towards the door, "You could probably run now, if you like. Go to Paternoster Row and look for a woman named Madame Vastra."
"Why are you helping me?" Clara asked as they both slowly climbed out of the carriage.
"Because you're nice." Danni whispered in reply, "Be safe, Clara." She nodded and went to run off when she spotted them. Large, black fabric gloves on the seat of the carriage, with only three fingers. She smiled and nudged Danni, nodding towards them.
"I think that I might stay." She whispered as Danni giggled, putting her hand over her mouth.
"Oh, this is going to be fun!" She muttered in reply.
~0~0~0~
The Doctor held the worm in his gauntleted hand, Danni's nose wrinkled in disgust as it flopped in the air. They'd finally got a hold of it, but as much as she tried to be open minded about all species, the memory worm was just gross.
"There you go." He declared, "One touch and you lose about an hour of your memory. Let it bite you and you could lose decades." Clara watched, also not particularly impressed either, "And you're still not trying to run." He pointed out and she nodded.
"I don't understand how the snowman built itself." She retorted, "I'll run once you've explained."
"Clara who?" He asked, chucking the gauntlets down next to the jar.
"Doctor who?" Clara quickly retorted and the Doctor chuckled.
"Oh, dangerous question." He replied and Clara looked at him, head tilted to one side.
"What's wrong with dangerous?" She asked.
"The snow emits a low level telepathic field..." The Doctor explained as there was a noise just down the next alley. Both Danni and Clara looked at the same time at the deep whooshing noise to see the snowman, with its evil eyes and slanted mouth, stood there was if it had been there all along.
"My snowman..." Clara breathed and Danni patted her arm, slowly walking towards it. How extraordinary, snow that really could remember how to build snowmen. She reached out, putting her hand on its chest. It felt solid and cold, like the frozen water it was. No heartbeat, no movement. Just snow.
Another snowman appeared next to her and she yelped slightly in surprise. It was the same snowman, with the same eyes. How was it doing that? Another one appeared.
"Danni!" The Doctor cried, grabbing her and pulling her back towards where he and Clara had been stood, "What do you think you're doing?"
"It appeared from nowhere." She replied, "How's it doing that?"
"Clara won't stop thinking about them." He snapped, glaring at the other woman, "Stop it right now."
"I can't!" Clara exclaimed, defensive because of his anger.
"Yes you can." Danni reassured her, "Think about something else, anything else." The Doctor grabbed her hand, not willing to wait for Clara and turned them both around, ready to run the other way. Another snowman appeared, this time very much animated and it roared, specks of snow firing towards them on its icy breath. The Doctor skidded to a halt, pulling Danni back with such force that she slammed into his side, crying out at the impact.
"Keep back!" He shouted at it, the panic in his voice, "Stay away from my wife!" He wasn't ready for this. If it had been just him and Clara, he probably could have thought straight. But as the snowmen began popping up, more and more until there seemed to be a small army of them, all he could see was them surrounding her, killing her.
"What do we do?" Danni cried, actually clinging to him back as Clara huddled into them.
"Nothing, there's nothing we can do." He rambled out, holding onto her tight, "Clara has to stop thinking about them. Don't let go of me." She looked down at Clara, who looked terrified.
"You have to help her." Danni told him, "She's terrified and I don't know what to do!"
"I have to protect you." He retorted, his mind now on one track and she shook her head.
"You can't." She told him and he looked down, devastated, "Not without helping Clara first. Look at her!" He did as she asked, looking down at the barmaid whose eyes were wide as she trembled under then threat. He let go of Danni, taking Clara's face in his hands and making her look at him.
"You have to focus." He commanded as gently as he could under the circumstances. Her eyes drifted from his as they were backed against a wall, "Clara, listen to me." He told her and her eyes snapped back, "The snow is feeding off your thoughts."
"I don't understand." She exclaimed, scared and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to get frustrated by her fear because he needed her to stop the snowmen more than anything at that moment.
"You're caught in their telepathic field, they're mirroring you." He rambled, "The more you think about them, the more they appear. Imagine them melting, picture it, picture them melted!" Clara squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating as hard as she could on the image of the snowmen in puddles on the floor, the cold water splashing them on the face and pooling on the floor, the stars in the sky shining in the reflection of the puddles.
"Oh my god!" Danni screamed as the sound of something popping filled the air and she was hit with ice cold water. She opened her eyes to see no sign of the snowmen and Danni stood there, soaked from head to foot with water, eyes wide at the sheer coldness of it.
She smiled, her heart-warming as the Doctor quickly let her go, almost pushing her out of the way to get to his wife, pulling her up against him in the tightest hug she'd seen a person give another. He held her like she would fade away, the feeling of relief causing him to pant lightly as Danni gingerly wrapped her arms around his waist, quietly reassuring him she was okay. If she'd had any doubt that the grumpy man felt anything but annoyance, it was washed away by the way he almost cried when Danni muttered that she loved him too.
~0~0~0~
Danni pulled the jacket tighter around her as the Doctor unlocked the TARDIS doors. Clara had managed to get out of having her memory wiped by proving she needed to remember to stop the snowmen. The Doctor had bundled her into the carriage and sent Strax off with her, but Clara had Madame Vastra's address so Danni knew it wouldn't be the last they'd see of the woman. She and the Doctor had walked back to the TARDIS, the Doctor gently wrapping his jacket around her shoulders considering how much of the melted ice had landed on her. He hadn't seen, but she had been pretty much surrounded when he'd been coaxing Clara into thinking the right thing. It was probably best that she didn't tell him, either.
She smiled gratefully as he let her in first, closing the door quietly behind them and locking it.
"I'm going to go get changed." She told him, taking his jacket from her shoulders and putting it onto the pilot seat, "I hope it's not too we…"
"Don't run off again." He pleaded, looking at her with wide, pain-filled eyes, "I can't lose you, Danni. I can't." He walked over slowly, trying to not scare her as he reached up and brushed her hair behind her ear, "I promise I'll work it out." He told her, "We'll find out why you regenerated, we'll find out how you got into the Time War, but I need you by my side as we do." She nodded.
"Okay, I promise." She whispered, seeing him physically let go of the tension he'd been holding with the worry over her, "Did you mean it?" He shook his head.
"Of course not." He promised in return, "Did you?" She shook her head before a large grin appeared on her face, her tongue behind her teeth in a way that made her look incredibly cheeky.
"Love you, Theta." She told him honestly and he beamed back.
"I love you too, Danni-Girl."