Clara skipped as fast as she could down the street towards where the Doctor always parked the TARDIS. She definitely was not running away from her family, but towards her friends because it was Christmas and who wouldn't want to see their friends? Right?
Her paper hat blew off in the typical London Christmas weather – cold, blowing a gale and no snow to be seen for miles. Even that she didn't care about, just giving it a quick wave goodbye as she darted around the people on the street, heading straight for the big blue box.
She knew Danni didn't like Turkey, and she'd never been overly fond of it, so she'd bought beef instead. Her father had not been pleased, had even tried to bring his own all the way from Blackpool but Clara had put her foot down and there was a joint of beef in the oven that would hopefully be ready soon.
"Danni!" She cried as she opened the TARDIS door, "I haven't told them about…"
"Clara!" The Doctor exclaimed, jumping out from around the console happily, arms wide as he greeted his shocked companion. He strode towards her, arms outstretched for a hug but she held her hand out, stopping him in his tracks.
"No, stop, stop, don't move, don't do anything!" She commanded frantically, turning to face away with her head in her hands. The Doctor frowned.
"Why, what is it? What's wrong?" He asked her and she crossed her arms, grimacing to herself.
"You're naked." She declared, because he was. Completely naked. Just-Just stood there, with no clothes on and she did not need to see that! She could have happily gone the rest of her life without having to see any of… that.
The Doctor looked down at himself, "Yes, I am naked." He agreed happily, "I wondered if you'd notice."
"Doctor, why are you naked?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest in the mimic of a hug.
The Doctor rolled his eyes; humans were so easily embarrassed, "Because I'm going to church." He grumbled before heading to the console. A quick flick of a switch and he turned back to face Clara, "Better?"
Clara turned slowly, just in case, but a big smile of relief at the sight of him in his full suit once again, "Oh, that was quick."
"Hologram clothes," He explained, walking towards her now she wasn't running away from him, "projected directly onto your visual cortex."
Clara grimaced again, "Still naked underneath?"
"Everybody's naked underneath."
A shudder ran through her body, "Eugh, don't say things like that, it's Christmas." She told him firmly before looking at the exit to the hallway, "Is Danni here?" She asked hopefully but before he could answer she heard the blonde calling from the hallway.
"Theta, we're going to have to come back! I don't care what Strax said, this pudding isn't cooked…" She trailed off as she saw the Clara over the top of the stairs. She quickly darted underneath the console where she knew she couldn't be seen, "Doctor!" She shouted, "You didn't tell me we'd landed."
"It's fine!" He told his wife, "I put the projection on, she can't see you." Clara couldn't help the pout that appeared on her face and the Doctor shot her a warning look, "I've told you about that." He murmured as Danni rushed up the stairs.
"I don't know what you mean." Clara replied innocently as Danni rushed over, pulling the other girl in for a hug.
"Merry Christmas!" She declared and Clara smirked as she hugged her back, shooting the Doctor a triumphant look over Danni's shoulder.
"Merry Christmas." She replied before letting her go, "Did I hear something about you making a pudding?" Danni nodded.
"Well, it's Christmas and it seemed rude to just turn up empty handed." She replied, "I've got Strax's recipe, but I still think it could do with a bit longer steaming before I take it off."
"It sounds wonderful." Clara told her honestly, touched that she'd thought to make some food to help her along with what was already a stressful day, "Do you need any help?" Danni shook her head.
"No, I'm just waiting for it to cook now. Why don't you two go sort the rest of the food out?" Clara checked the Doctor, making sure he was still fully clothed – or, at least, looked fully clothed – before making a judgement.
"Call me if you need any help." Clara told her.
"I'm sure it's more likely to be the other way around." Danni replied teasingly, "Keep him out of the cookie cupboard. I don't want him filling up on Jammy Dodgers before he's had his dinner."
"I'm not a child." The Doctor grumbled and Danni placed a kiss on his cheek to cheer him up.
"Of course not, sweetie." Danni replied, "You just eat like one." She turned, heading back into the hallway and to the kitchen, "Love you!" She called over her shoulder.
"Love you too." Both Clara and the Doctor replied in unison. Danni giggled as she disappeared into the TARDIS, missing the slight glare the Doctor gave Clara.
"You are too easy." Clara chuckled, skipping slightly as she headed out of the TARDIS and onto the street, "You too seem to be getting on well." She commented.
"Never been better." He agreed, wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulder, "I'm thinking of taking a trip to this lovely little cottage in Scotland and setting up another wedding. Fancy being her Maid of Honour?"
"I knew you felt guilty about Elizabeth," Clara exclaimed happily, "Or is this because of the younger her that appeared a couple of weeks ago?"
"Neither." He replied, meaning both. Seeing his red-headed wife before she knew anything, before she'd regenerated, with another version of himself had been hard. She'd not been best pleased to see him marry the former Queen of England, and he didn't blame her. Then, shortly afterwards, she'd appeared again. He'd been surprised because he knew she didn't jump so far, but then he remembered his Danni-Girl talking about meeting Clara in his future. A future she'd thought she'd destroyed by not dying in the Time War.
That Danni had been heading back to Manhattan, to the end of the Ponds and to his most horrific deed. He couldn't stop it, he couldn't even tell her. But he wasn't about to waste that time with her, was he?
"Was she mad about it?" Clara asked curiously, because she was pretty sure she would have been mad if her husband had slept with a younger version of herself. Of course, that involved her being both a Time Lord and having a husband.
"So, is it Turkey for dinner?" The Doctor replied, not wanting to talk about how his Danni had reacted to finding out about his encounter. It wasn't bad – oh, definitely not bad – but it was private.
Clara smirked slightly, "That good eh?" She asked as she let the Doctor into the building, "And no, we're having beef?"
"Beef? What kind of roast is that?" The Doctor protested, "Christmas is all about the Turkey, surely?"
~0~0~0~
Danni hummed happily to herself as she re-entered the console room only a few minutes after the Doctor and Clara had left. She'd been poking the pudding, wondering if she should have just taken one of Strax's premade ones after all, when it occurred to her that Clara might want some other Christmas goodies as well. With the help of the TARDIS she'd found a box of Christmas themed hats just outside the kitchen and was now wearing a Santa hat with pride.
She'd gone to ring Clara using her mobile when she'd remembered she had no pockets. She really did not like these holographic clothes. It didn't matter if they were projected into the sight of everyone who could see them, she still felt like she walking around naked and she didn't like that feeling at all. Only one person should see her naked, and he was out helping Clara with Christmas Dinner.
She skipped to the console, heading for the door and the phone when something caught her eye and she moved back to the monitor. She read the output then burst into a fit of giggles. Oh, poor Clara!
She headed to the door, checking to make sure no one could see her before quickly leaning out and grabbing the phone. She pulled the ever-extending cord so she could stand by the monitor, letting the TARDIS know who she wanted to ring.
"Hey, is everything okay?" Clara asked when she answered.
"Have you introduced the Doctor yet?" Danni asked, not completely sure which answer she wanted Clara to give.
"He's just gone in now." Clara asked, before he voice turned distinctly suspicious, "Why?"
"Well," Danni drawled, trying not to giggle, "Before we landed, we didn't have the holograms on. Because, well…" She trailed off, knowing Clara didn't want to hear that, "Anyway, the Doctor put them back on for you. But only for you."
There was a brief pause as this information registered in Clara's mind, "My Gran's in there!" She exclaimed in panic and the line went dead, leaving Danni in a fit of giggles as she stood by the console. While she was glad she wasn't exposing herself to Clara's immediate family, she wished she was there just to see their faces. The Doctor wouldn't care, either. He was too old and had too many bodies to be embarrassed by any of them. And he really had nothing to worry about, he was incredibly good looking.
Danni frowned. He was incredibly good looking. That was her good looking Time Lord. She held the phone to her ear again, listening to it ringing until Clara answered again.
"I got him into the kitchen, now what?" She asked desperately.
"Put him on the phone." Danni told her.
There was some shuffling as Clara handed her mobile phone over, "Danni-Girl! I may have made a bit of an error on the settings of the holograms."
"Yeah, I think you kinda did." Danni replied, "I could have been there, you know that, don't you?"
He paused for a moment, considering that, "Flip the blue switch underneath the monitor." He told her and she did just that, "Then press the red button next to it, then flip the switch back up again."
She did all that, "And now you're dressed?" She asked.
"Well, the hologram will now be projecting the image rather than the eyes generating it." He told her, which she took as a yes.
"Okay, I'll be up in a minute. The pudding'll be done, now."
"No, we're coming back." He replied, "Clara has decided to use the TARDIS to cook this beef." Danni frowned.
"Is it that bad?" She asked.
"I think if you put it back on the cow it'd walk away with only a slight grudge." He retorted and she giggled at Clara's exclamation of outrage at his comment on her cooking.
"Okay, see you soon, sweetie. Love you."
"Love you too, Danni-Girl." She hung up before smiling to herself. This was perfect. Just how it should be. Christmas day with her husband and their best friend. Their own little family, together.
"Information available." She glared at the Cyberman head, whacking it on the head with the phone before heading to the door.
"Tell him later." She told the head firmly. He'd become obsessed with that stupid message, but she couldn't see it leading to anything but trouble. They could have one Christmas together as a threesome, right?
~0~0~0~
The Doctor opened the TARDIS door, Clara following him happily with the beef in its dish in both hands, tea towels wrapped around it so she didn't burn herself on the dish. Danni took a look at the beef and grimaced slightly.
"Was that supposed to be ready now?" She asked Clara, who stuck her tongue out at her.
"Says the woman who managed to burn soup." She retorted and Danni frowned in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
"The Doctor told me about your attempt at mushroom soup. He said that…"
"You can't keep using the TARDIS like this!" The Doctor interrupted loudly but Danni narrowed her eyes, following him down the stairs behind Clara.
"What was wrong with my soup?" She challenged, "You ate it all!"
"I did, it was lovely. Very-very thick." He replied with a bit of a stutter. She had been so proud of that soup, he hadn't the hearts to tell her that soup was supposed to be drinkable. And edible, and definitely not have black bits floating in it. He'd eaten it but had warned Clara off it just in case Danni had offered to cook her anything else in the meantime.
He'd been worried about the Christmas pudding, but he had one on standby he was going to switch if hers was ruined. She'd never have to know.
"Missed birthdays, restaurant bookings." The Doctor listed off, going back to his conversation with Clara before Danni could question him further, "And please just learn how to use iPlayer."
"Oh, you know IPlayer sucks." Danni retorted as they walked over to the central column, "You know that everything is better when watched live."
"Not Bargain Hunt." The Doctor grumbled before lifting up one of the sections in the column.
"Ooh, vortex cooking?" Clara asked excitedly.
"Yep, exposure to the time winds." Clara set the tin with the beef inside the opening, "It'll either come up a treat, or just possibly produce some milk." He shut the lid with a bit of a slam.
"Information available." Danni rolled her eyes as Handles spoke up again. Honestly he really needed to work on his timing?
"What's that?" Clara asked, looking upwards at the platform above them.
"That's Handles." Danni replied, "His new pet."
"It's just a bit of Cyberman." The Doctor corrected, turning and bounding up the stairs, "He'll get us to the church on time."
"I have developed a fault." The head declared with a buzz in his voice. Clara looked at the head with a frown on her face. It was just plugged into the console through its neck. It looked like a head on a spike, which was rather unsettling.
"The organics are all gone, but there's still a full set of data banks." The Doctor explained to her, "Found it at the Maldovar market."
"You brought a Cyberman head on board?" Clara asked as he set the TARDIS into motion, sending them back to the mysterious planet with the message, "Even with how Danni is terrified of them?"
"Ah, well, that wasn't taking into consideration." Danni replied sardonically, "What I got to do was walk happily into the console room one morning and see a Cyberman head strapped to the console. Almost screamed the whole place down and didn't get a good night sleep for a week."
"Has he not been helpful?" The Doctor asked, still feeling slightly guilty about that. Honestly, it hadn't crossed his mind that she was still scared of them. Of course she was, especially after their last encounter with them.
"He sent us onto a Dalek spaceship with a Dalek weapon." She reminded him, "And onto the Cyberman ship whilst you were carrying him!"
"Yeah but…"
"And do I really have to remind you about the Sontaran ship?"
The Doctor pointed at her, "Ah! That was my mistake, not Handles."
"Is that supposed to be a good thing?" Danni retorted and he grabbed her, pulling her into hug even as she tried to struggle away.
"You know I said sorry for that, Danni-Girl." He murmured into her hair, before dipping her, a smirk on his face. She yelped in surprise and he leant down, kissing her all too briefly, "Am I forgiven?" He murmured against her lips.
"Fine." She replied and he righted her once again, "But not for the Cyberman head."
He kissed her again before standing her up straight once again, "Okay, we'll work on that later." He spun on the spot before propping himself up against the console next to Handles, "Okay, Handles, what have you found out?"
"Planet identified, from analysis of message." He replied.
"Right cool," He grinned, looking to Danni to make sure she was happy as well. He could see the smile tugging at her lips, the one she was trying to hide. She was just like him, though. Always up for an adventure, always looking for something new, "go on, then. OK, tell us, what is the planet? Go on."
"Processing official designation." There was a long pause, then; "Processing."
The Doctor rolled his eyes, pushing off the console, "OK, in your own time, dear." He replied sarcastically, staring to pace slightly, "Don't rush!"
"So, why haven't you just gone down there and had a look?" Clara asked, because she was sure that they would have by now.
"The church has sealed it off." Danni explained, "There's a shield around it that even the TARDIS can't break through. That's why we're wearing the holograms." Clara frowned, because while it explained why they couldn't land the TARDIS, it didn't exactly explain why she'd walked in on the Doctor naked.
"Gallifrey." All three of them turned to look at Handles at once as the head declared the results of its processing.
The Doctor turned back to face it slowly, eyes darkening slightly at the declaration, "What did you say?" He slowly walked back over to it, taking a glance at his wife. She had stiffened slightly, a look of dread flickering across her face. If the message had meant that Gallifrey had returned, no wonder she felt so uneasy when she listened to it. He'd still not completely convinced her that she was safe from the Master, even after all this time.
"Gallifrey." Handles repeated.
He leant in closer, whispering harshly to the head, "What are you talking about? Gallifrey? What do you mean?"
"Confirmed. Planet designation - Gallifrey." The Doctor angrily yanked Handles off the console, striding over to the monitor and holding it close so they both could see it. The planet down below was being shown, its swirling clouds and blue-tinted atmosphere.
"You see that?" He told the head firmly, "Gallifrey is my home, I know it when I see it. That is not Gallifrey!" He slammed the head down before storming over to the door, determined to have a look for himself. He heard the footsteps following him, but didn't look back as he opened the door.
"Doctor," Danni called after him, rushing over to his side as Clara followed.
"It's not Gallifrey. Gallifrey's gone." The Doctor declared firmly, even if he didn't want to believe it himself. He had been living off the fact that he had saved his planet, but he also knew he'd saved them at the point of war. He had no way of dealing with that, and he'd been ignoring that fact for a long time now.
"Unless... unless you saved it." Clara offered, peering over Danni's shoulder at the planet down below. It reminding her of Earth, but then again quite a few planets did, "You thought you might have."
"Even if it survived," The Doctor replied, emphasising the 'if' for his wife's benefit, "it's gone from this universe. That is not my home!" He pulled Danni back in before closing the door again, cutting off the planet from them once again. Handles had, for a brief moment, given him a hint of hope that had perked him up until he'd realised that it couldn't have been possible. It must have been broken data banks; it was a damaged Cyberman head, after all.
He strode over to the console, his anger dissipating into sadness until he lost the power behind his strides, "It can't be." He added quietly, leaning on the console."
"Theta…" Danni whispered, walking over and letting him pull her into the hug she knew he needed.
We'll find it, you know we will.
He looked down at the top of her head, smiling as she offered him that little bit of comfort, despite her own reservations at what they would find on the planet. He whispered his love in her head just as a loud air horn rang through the TARDIS, almost deafening the three of them.
"What's that?" Clara asked as she turned to the door again. The Doctor placed a kiss on top of Danni's head before pulling her over to the door.
"Papal Mainframe." He declared happily. Now he really could get to the bottom of what the mysterious planet was, "It's like a great, big flying church!" Danni looked at Clara.
"They were the first here," she explained, "They're the ones that put the shield around the planet. The Doctor thinks we can get them to let us down, although I'm not so sure."
"Why not?" Clara asked.
"Because the last time we went he started a fight with one of the monks."
"He was staring at you." The Doctor defended quickly.
"He was supposed to." Danni replied, "He needed to make sure we were actually naked, remember?"
"He looked for too long." He grumbled as a large hologram of a woman appeared across the entire visible surface of the ship.
"A friend of yours?" Clara asked as the Doctor bowed dramatically.
"Tasha Lem, the Mother Superious." He declared as the hologram appeared to crook her finger at them, ominously inviting them all aboard.
"Ah, as intimidating as always." Danni declared, "Nice to know some things never change. You always did like a bit of dramatic flair in your friends."
"Nothing wrong with that." The Doctor replied before reaching into his pocket, holding out a small pill to Clara, "Swallow this." Clara did what he asked without questioning it, giving it a quick chew before swallowing it.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Your hologram projector." Danni told her and Clara looked at her, surprised. Danni grinned, "Now you can be naked like the rest of us." Clara looked over at her like she suddenly remembered the blonde was naked. Her eyes widened slightly as the Doctor lead her back into the TARDIS.
"Shut the door, you're letting in a draft!" He called over at Clara, who blushed and slammed the door shut.
~0~0~0~
The Papal Mainframe had always felt ridiculously over the top to Danni. The walkways were all covered in red carpet, suspending over giant holes as if to remind you that if you stepped out of line, you literally would fall to your death. That was never comforting. Tasha Lem, Mother Superious, was stood at the end of one of these walkways flanked by two of her colonels and the walkway was lined with other members of the church. She always did like to make a show.
As did her husband, who gave yet another dramatic bow, bending almost in half as he did, "I venerate the exaltation of the Mother Superious." Danni gave a little curtsey of her own, with a little bob of her head, and Clara nervously copied her when she realised she had to as well.
"Welcome to the Church of the Papal Mainframe." One of her colonels greeted, his voice kind which helped relaxed Danni slightly, "Your nudity is appreciated." Clara, suddenly very aware again that she was naked, shuffled her arms around, trying to cover herself but released it was rather pointless. Everyone knew she was naked, at least they couldn't see.
"Hey, babes." Tasha greeted with a grin and the Doctor smiled, holding his hands out as he motioned to her.
"Loving the frock!"
"Is that a new body?" She asked, "Give us a twirl!"
The Doctor happily obliged, turning on the spot slowly, "Tash, this old thing? Please, I've been rocking it for centuries."
"I wasn't talking to you." Tasha replied before smiling at Danni, "Last time you were here you were ginger, I believe." Danni shrugged, also giving her a twirl.
"Oh, you know what it's like," she replied, "sometimes all it takes is a new haircut." The Doctor pouted slightly, although he did appreciate the twirl his wife gave.
"So, er, hello! Also here!" Clara stated anxiously, giving a little flutter of her fingers.
"Clara, this is Tasha Lem," The Doctor introduced, motioning to the woman in front of them, "the Head of the Church of the Papal Mainframe. Tash," The Doctor clapped his hands together, "ho-ho-ho, this is our..." He trailed off, continuing to motion to Clara until Danni rolled her eyes.
"She's out friend." She finished for him, "Clara Oswald. She's the best you'll ever meet, Tasha, you best remember her."
"Remember who you're speaking to, Danielle." Tasha teased in reply and Danni smirked.
"Oh, I am." She teased back. Tasha turned to her colonel.
"We'll go to my chapel." She told him before turning to the rest of the members, "All honours in place, no sacrifices required."
~0~0~0~
Clara had been quite the good sport, allowing Danni and the Doctor to talk to Tasha in private. Danni could understand Tasha's reluctance to talk in front of Clara, but she didn't like it. Clara deserved to be involved in everything they were, but she also knew the quicker they talked, the quicker they could get onto the planet and her Theta would feel better.
The message unsettled her. It made her feel afraid, something deep inside told her that she shouldn't be near it, but all that did was attract them both even more to it. A sucker for punishment, the pair of them.
"That altar looks like a bed." The Doctor declared helpfully as the three walked into a room with ornate red doors. In the middle of the room was an alter with a fabric top.
"That bed looks like an altar." Tasha replied as the Doctor and Danni walked up to it. The Doctor gave the top a quick press.
"Yep." He agreed, before turning and sitting down on it with a bounce. He then helped Danni sit next to him, pulling her close. Tasha walked over, carrying two glasses of blue drink. She handed one to each of them before going to fetch her own. The Doctor tried his but promptly spat it out, whilst the Danni sipped on her happily. It tasted like the tillis that she had first tried on Akhaten that had quickly become her favourite fruit.
"Excuse me." Tasha said as she purposefully leant too close to the Doctor, pressing a button on a small device on the altar/bed. The message began playing from it and Danni shuffled on the spot, the uneasy feeling reappearing, "That message... is transmitting through all of space and time. What did it make you feel?" She squeezed between the Doctor and the edge of the alter; smirking to make him feel uncomfortable. It worked; the Time Lord stood up, walking around to sit on the other side of his wife.
"Feel?" The Doctor repeated, confused.
"Every sentient being in the universe who detected that signal felt something. Something overpowering."
"What?"
"Terrified." Danni replied for Tasha, who looked at, "Absolute fear."
"Yes." She agreed, "Is that what you feel?" Danni nodded.
"Every time I hear it." She murmured, "I don't like it, and I want to find out why." She stood up off the bed, looking ready to start pacing, "It's coming from the planet right? Where from?"
"It's a settlement." Tasha replied, "Human colony, level tw- A farm, basically." She didn't sound impressed but Danni shrugged.
"Well, then, if you know what farm it is, have you been to have a look? Seen what's actually sending out the signal?" She asked, walking around the bed. Tasha turned in her seat to watch her.
"Any one ship lands, the rest will follow, there will be bloodshed. Fortunately we got here first, shielded the planet. We maintain the truce, by blocking all of them." She explained.
"So you need to go down without them noticing?" Danni surmised and the other woman nodded, "But I'm guessing with everyone on red alert you've not wanted to break the peace?"
The Doctor smiled as he watched his wife work. She didn't like to take the lead, she was more than happy to let him ramble and rant his way through any problem they came across, offering her help if she could but never taking command over it. She had to be rather unsettled by the message if she was trying to work it out, which he didn't exactly approve of but he did appreciate it all the same.
"Daleks, Cybermen - one of that lot - could break through your defences." He added, swinging his legs onto the mattress before skidding over and jumping up off the bed in front of Danni. She seemed rather surprised by the movement but smiled happily at him being closer all the same.
"Perhaps." Tasha agreed, also standing up but being much more graceful about it, "But they're afraid, remember? Nobody wants to go first." The Doctor looked down at Danni, as if asking her what they should do next. She looked thoughtful, as if she was giving it some actual deliberation then turned to Tasha, grinning.
"We do." She told the Mother Superious, who smirked back.
"I was counting on it." The three looked up from their exchange as the doors were thrown open and Clara rushed in like she was running for her life before falling to a stop and looking vaguely confused at where she was. Danni frowned, walking over to her. She'd only seen that look on a few people before, the Ponds being a couple. Her uneasiness at the entire situation was building, however if there were Silents here she'd still remember them, so she would definitely have noticed.
"Are you okay, sweetie?" She asked Clara gently, who nodded with furrowed brows. She had been in the hallway, wandering about, she wasn't sure why she'd even come into the room.
"Fine. Yeah, fine." She looked behind her before scratching her head; she really had no idea what had possessed her to come into the room, "Sorry."
Danni smiled softly, making her feel better almost immediately, "That's okay, we were going to come a get you in a minute anyway." She held her hand out and Clara took it happily, the pair walking over to the Doctor and Tasha.
"Right," Tasha declared, deciding that it was time to get her plan moving. She strode purposefully over to her teleport on the other side of the room, disguised like a confessional to go with the rest of the furniture, "this is my personal teleport. I can put you down just outside the town. Find the source of the message and report back to me in one hour." She stated as the Doctor entered one of the sides, "And on your life, Doctor, you will cause no trouble down there."
"When do I?" He retorted before pulling the curtain closed. A moment later he opened it again, "Don't answer that." He looked over at Danni, who was still holding Clara's hand, "Danni-Girl, with me." She grinned and rushed over, climbing inside the cubicle next to him. He closed the curtain, turning her around and placing his hand on her hips. The smirk on his face told Danni everything, and she leant up to meet him in the kiss that had suddenly popped into his head when the curtain opened again, Tasha stood there with her hand held out expectantly.
"What?" The Doctor snapped, "We were busy."
"Not in my teleport." Tasha warned lightly, "And I'm not an idiot. Everyone in this church is trained to see straight through holograms."
Clara, who had been stood awkwardly waiting for instruction grimaced at the idea, crossing her arms over herself, "Ah, great." Danni looked over at her.
"I wouldn't worry about it, you always look fantastic!" Clara grinned, nodding in agreement.
"Give now." Tasha commanded, "You are taking no technology of any kind down there."
"What can I do with a key?" The Doctor retorted before looking at Clara, "You... in... now."
"Be nice." Danni scolded even as Clara did as she was told, climbing into the other side.
"I'm always nice." The Doctor protested as he closed the curtain once again, "Very nice, I'll think you find."
The curtain opened again and Tasha held her hand out pointedly, "You could summon your TARDIS."
"The TARDIS doesn't work by remote." He retorted, closing the curtain again before rolling his eyes, opening them, "Fine, if it makes you feel any better, there we are." He reached around his neck, pulling his key and the chain it was on off and handing it to Tasha. She nodded in thanks then turned to Danni.
"Danielle?" She asked pointedly.
"Does it look like I have a key?" She replied, holding her hand up, "This is the only thing I'm still wearing," she told the woman, showing off her wedding ring, "try and make me take it off."
"There's no need for dramatics, Danni." Tasha replied with a roll of her eyes, heading to the controls.
"Of, you and I both know there's always a need." Danni replied and they shared an amused look of agreement before the Doctor closed the curtain once more.
"Remember. I want you back in one hour." Tasha called and in a flash a light they were gone.
~0~0~0~
"Oh my God it's freezing!" Danni cried the moment they appeared on the planet below. They had been transported to a snowy woods, apparently, but Danni was too busy not trying to freeze to death to notice the actual rather tranquil scenery they had found themselves in, "Why the hell would she send us here with no clothes on."
The Doctor wrapped her up in his arms, pressing his body against hers as he used his hands to try and warm her up, "The heat loss filter in your hologram shell should kick in soon, give it a moment." He told her and Clara, who was vigorously rubbing her own arms to try and warm herself up. The Doctor spun around with Danni still in his arm, taking in the surroundings, "So, sweet little town covered in snow, half the universe in terror. Why? Why?"
"That's what we're here to find out." Danni replied as they turned one way, "Which way is the town?" She asked him.
"No idea." He admitted freely, "We can't be too far from it, though."
"Oh, my God!" Clara exclaimed and Danni turned around as the Doctor tried to decide which way they should walk. Clara was slowly walking away from them and towards something she'd seen.
"What is it?" She asked.
"There's something under the snow," Clara replied, worried that it might actually be a human. The arm looked like it was reaching up, that was never a good sign, "it's..."
Danni, still feeling uneasy, took a step towards her, "You should probably leave that alone." She warned but Clara leant down. She chuckled slightly as she felt the cool surface of the arm.
"It's stone. It's just stone. It's only a statue." She stood up from her crouch, turning to Danni who was staring at the arm intensely, "Are you okay?"
"Clara, step away from it." Danni commanded firmly, "I think it might be an Angel."
"An angel?" Clara asked with a nervous laugh in her voice, "Why does that sound horrible?"
"Because it is." The Doctor told her firmly, having spun around at the sound of this wife's warning, "Step away from it Clara." Clara rushed over, cutting in front of Danni's eye line.
"No!" She yelled, losing sight of the arm for a moment. At her exclamation, Clara turned around to see that the hand had moved, its fingers now claw like as it reached out for her. She quickly moved to the couple's side.
"Run?" she suggested and the Doctor nodded.
"Run!" They turned and promptly tumbled down a slope together. The clearing they landed in was small, but even from the pile they had crashed into, Danni could still see the arms clawing out, of the snow. The Doctor yanked her up and they all stood back to back in a triangle, trying to see all the angels at once.
"They're climbing out of the snow." Clara exclaimed, horrified and amazed as the statues seemed to climb their way out of the snowy banks whenever she blinked, "Oh, God!"
"Keep looking at them. At all of them." The Doctor commanded as they turned in a circle as one, each trying to see the statues through the snow-filled air.
"Why?"
"Because they can only move if they're not being seen." Danni replied, "Quantum- something! Quantum…"
"Quantum-locked life-form." The Doctor quickly finished for her and she nodded.
"That's it. Just don't stop looking, don't even blink." Danni rattled off.
"What are they doing here?" Clara asked the pair.
"Same as everyone else, except getting past a shield must be pretty easy if you don't exist." Danni said in a panicky voice, "Just keep looking!"
"I can't." Clara exclaimed, "I can't see - the snow's in my eyes."
"We just need to bring the TARDIS down." The Doctor rambled.
"You can't fly it remotely." Clara reminded him, feeling him nod from behind her.
"Normally, no, you can't." He agreed, reaching out and grabbing Danni's hand, "Unless, of course, you wanted the most precious thing kept safe."
"What does that mean?" She asked as she felt the Doctor twist her ring, pulling at the skin.
"Sorry, I think we might need to use this now." He told her as her finger suddenly started burning. She yanked her hand away from him, "Grab Clara!" He quickly commanded and she did what he said as one minute they were in the snow and the next they were in the TARDIS.
"What the hell was that?" She asked as he walked over to the console.
"Emergency Transportation." He told her, "I put it underneath the diamond a couple of days ago, I thought we might need it." She looked down at her ring, which had started to cool down again.
"And that just works now?" She asked, amazed as he worked on the controls.
"No, just the once. The TARDIS is already working out the loophole in her shields." Danni frowned, letting her hand drop to her side.
"Well, that sucks." She declared simply before skipping over to him, "Are you going to do something incredibly clever and follow the message?" She asked cheekily and he nodded, spinning on the spot as he turned the dial.
"Always." He replied smugly, placing a kiss on her head. She turned to Clara, leaning on the console.
"Are you okay?" She asked the other woman, who shook her head.
"No." She declared decisively, "But I will be once I'm in some actual clothes." Danni's eyes lit up in realisation.
"That's the best thing I've heard all day!" She cried, running over and linking arms with her friend, "I'm going to find myself a hat!"
"Don't take too long." The Doctor warned them, "We've only got 50 or so minutes."
~0~0~0~
Clara had never really appreciated clothes as much as she had done when she'd stepped of the TARDIS into the cold street outside. The dusky evening had turned dark and the road they had parked on was lined with wood-burning braziers and what appeared to be Christmas trees.
"Did you really have to bring the head?" Danni moaned from in front of her as she and the Doctor walked slightly ahead of her, "People are going to notice you carrying a metal head."
"People notice him anyway." Clara replied, "He's not exactly discreet." Danni giggled while the Doctor decided to not respond.
"Now, what do we make of this place?" He asked them both, pulling out his sonic and quickly scanning one of the Christmas trees that lined the road. They had electric lights on, despite the flames that lined the streets, "It's two o'clock in the afternoon," He told the pair with a quick glance at his watch, "must be very short days here. The message is coming from that tower." He pointed to a clock tower that displayed the time brightly.
A couple were walking in their general direction a man and woman with linked arms, the man carrying a lantern, "Look, we've got a greeting party." Danni stated lightly, "I do like when that happens? What are we going with? Couple from the next town and our maid?" He nodded.
"I'll be called something like Hank." He decided and she shook her head.
"Nope, definitely a John." She teased as they strode towards the two, "Clara, sweetie, coming?" She called over her shoulder.
"Hello!" The Doctor greeted enthusiastically as they met the two in the snow, "Hello, good to meet you, nice snow." The Doctor told them. The man held his hand out, shaking the Doctor's firmly.
"Most pleasant to meet you too." He greeted sincerely, the woman he was with nodding very happily as well.
"Most pleasant. Most pleasant." She agreed and Danni couldn't help but smile at the lovely people. Always good to start off with nice people.
The Doctor waved a hand, intent on telling them their quickly made-up covers story, "I'm the Doctor. I'm a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey." Both Clara and Danni looked up at him in shock as he told the new couple his life story, "I stole a time machine and ran away and I've been flouting the principal law of my own people ever since." He slapped his hand against his mouth as the couple chuckled to themselves, "That wasn't quite what I was meant to say!"
Danni looked at him a bit confused before turning to the couple, "I'm Danielle Fielding." She started, "I've not had sex in almost two days and quite frankly it's starting to really fr-" She chucked her hand over her mouth, completely mortified as her cheeks burnt a dark red. Clara, who really didn't want to think of the two doing that, turned to the couple in the hopes of pulling all their attentions away from what the blonde woman had just declared.
"I'm an English teacher from planet Earth, and I've run off with a man from space because I really fancy..." Clara cut herself off with a squeak and the couple chuckled to themselves as all three of them stood there with their hands over their mouths.
The woman leant in a bit closer, "I think, perhaps, you should stop talking till you get used to it." She suggested.
"Used to what?" The Doctor asked and the woman turned to Danni.
"What did you say your name was?" She asked.
"Danielle but I only like it when my husband calls me that during-" She chucked both hands over her mouth.
"I'm her husband!" The Doctor replied, actually sounding rather happy to declare that fact, "No, ah, I see." He worked out, grinning, "Yes, of course. It's a truth field. Oh, that is so quaint. I haven't seen a truth field in years!" He wrapped his arm around Danni's shoulder, "I am her husband!"
"No-one can lie in this town." The man explained as he and his companion started walking once again, "Especially this close to the tower."
"Doesn't that make life a bit difficult?" The Doctor called after them and they paused looking back over their shoulders.
"Not at all." The woman replied.
"Yes." The man said fondly.
"This town, what's it called?" The Doctor asked.
"It's Christmas." The man replied.
"It's July." The Doctor checked his watch just to make sure, but he was right. July, which didn't really explain the snow.
Danni rolled her eyes, "They mean the town." She told him, "It's a very pretty name!" She told the two, who nodded.
"Be happy here. Be well." The man offered them before they walked off.
"How can a town be called Christmas?" Clara asked.
"Places are names all kinds of things." Danni replied, linking arms with her husband, "We once went to a planet called Barcelona. Not the city, a whole planet named after a tourist destination." She smiled up him, "It was lovely there."
"Maybe it's just nice here as well." He replied as they set off towards the tower once again, "I almost hate to find out what's wrong."
~0~0~0~
The tower was part of a church, so they started off by looking around through the storage area, seeing if the source was coming from in there before heading up the tower. The Doctor put handles down on a box as Danni and Clara wandered around behind him, his eyes caught by something very specific in the wall. Something he knew he would see again, and yet he still felt rather surprised to see it there. Where else would it be?
"There you are." He murmured, "What took you so long?" Danni frowned at his resigned words, he sounded almost defeated.
"What is it, swe-" she trailed off as she saw the crack, falling to a stop next to him, "How is that even there?" She whispered. Clara walked over, frowning at what had gotten the pair so worked up.
"What's wrong? It's only a crack in the wall." She commented, nodding at the crack. It was glowing, but that was probably just light from outside.
"I knew." The Doctor whispered, smiling cynically as he took off his jacket, "I always knew it wasn't over." He started to walk over to it but Danni grabbed the back of his vest.
"Don't, Theta." She whimpered, memories of Rory being erased coming straight to mind.
"What is it?" Clara asked them, wondering what had made them so worried that Danni was whispering the name she used for the Doctor without a thought.
"A split in the skin of reality." Danni replied, "The TARDIS exploded, the universe cracked and then exploded."
"Missed that!" Clara declared, surprised, as the Doctor walked over to the crack anyway, running his fingers along the seam of it.
"We rebooted it, put it all back together." The Doctor replied and Clara nodded.
"That's good." Clara agreed. Danni nodded as the Doctor started pacing, as he always did when all the pieces of a puzzle started falling together in his head.
"It was my TARDIS that blew it up in the first place. I felt a degree of responsibility." He explained, "And Danni, well," he looked over at his wife, who always made him smile. She was never going to let him leave her, even if he was erased she was right by his side. He was never alone as long as he had her.
"But the scar tissue remains." He walked back to the wall, "A structural weakness in the whole universe." As he stroked the wall, trying to get a feel of the scar when it finally occurred to him what actually might be going on, "Whoa! And someone's trying to get through it, from outside our universe, from somewhere else." He pressed his ear against the wall, as if he could hear who was on the other side, "Of course, of course. It makes sense."
"It might, but you're not." Danni replied, "What is it? I thought we closed them all up."
"If you tried to break through a wall, you'd choose the weakest spot." He explained, "To break into this universe, you'd choose this crack, because..." He gasped slightly, pushing off the wall, "No. If you were trying to break back into this universe." He walked back over to the Cyberman head, picking it up, "You said Gallifrey. Why did you say Gallifrey?"
"Analysis of message composition indicates Gallifreyan origin, according to TARDIS data banks." Handles explained.
"You said Gallifrey was gone." Clara stated slowly and he shook his head.
"No. I said it was in another universe. The message is coming through here. The truth field is too, at a guess. If it's the Time Lords... If it's the Time Lords…" He walked over, pressing his hands against the wall once again. If it was the Time Lords, he could save them. If it was the Time Lords, he could bring them back using the crack. He could save them all, surely? Or, at least, let them know they were in the right place to save themselves.
But that meant saving the Master, as well. Bringing that evil man back into the universe where he knew he'd stop at nothing, where the man he had become when they'd last met would have stopped at nothing to get to his wife.
The Master… Of course!
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a circular disc and rushing over to Handles, slamming it on his forehead, "Seal of the High Council of Gallifrey, nicked it off the Master in the Death Zone. There is an algorithm imprinted in the atomic structure." He picked the head up, as if it would make it work any faster, "Use it to decode the message."
"Message decoding. Message analysis proceeding." Handles declared, "Information available. The message is a request for information."
"It's a question. Why can't you just say it's a question?!" The Doctor snapped.
"It is being projected through all of time and space on a repeating cycle." The Doctor's eyebrows raised as he realised he didn't need Handles to translate what was being broadcast. He turned to look at his wife. His beautiful, wonderful, kind wife. Who'd always been at his side. This was going to hurt her, but they had both known it was coming.
"The oldest question in the universe, hidden in plain sight." He whispered and her hands flew to her mouth, her hearts aching as her breath caught. He couldn't mean…
"Warning – translation will be available to all life-forms in range." Handles warned, "Translation follows. Doctor who..." Her knees gave way as the Doctor rushed forward to catch her. Above them the message echoed as each of the ships above heard the message.
Theta, please… He looked down at her as she clung to him tightly. He placed a kiss on top of her head. They had both known that this was coming. That he was going to have to answer this question, that he was going to fall and not come back. They'd always been heading to this question, and now they were here neither of them were ready.
We need to get Clara way from here.
He was surprised as she looked up at him. Her eyes were red, tears had gathered in her eyes but she looked determined, If we stay…
You're going to die anyway. I'd like to see the Time Lords rip me from your side.
He smiled softly, stroking her head before placing a kiss on her hair. She was beautiful and he was entirely too selfish to not keep her by his sides until the end.
"A question only I could answer. A truth field to make sure I'm not lying. If I give my name, they'll know they've found the right place... and that it's safe to come through." The Doctor replied like the conversation they'd just had didn't take place.
"The Time Lords?" Clara asked for clarification. The silence they replied with told her everything, "OK, so what then? If you answer the question, and they come back, what happens?" The Doctor took one last look at the woman in his arms. He should send her back, he should tell her to go with Clara, but she wouldn't go and he didn't want her to. It was dangerous, but he was as scared as she was and they needed each other.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a cylinder he kept with him at all times. His final resort, "Ah, you need to take this to the TARDIS and put it in the charger slot for the sonic." He walked over to Clara, leaving Danni where she stood and pressed it into her hands.
"Why?" She asked.
"Hell." He replied, "All hell, that's what happens if the Time Lords come back. There's half a universe up there already, waiting to open fire. Now, please, go to the TARDIS, and just do as I say!" He was almost begging, and the sound of his voice had her glancing at Danni as she hesitated. The reassuring look on her face was what sold Clara, and she ran out of the church.
The Doctor turned to Danni, holding his arms out against she rushed into them, clinging onto him tightly.
"I love you." He promised, "I love you, always remember that."
"I love you too." She replied.
And it was that simple. Clara ran into the TARDIS, the TARDIS flew her away and to safety and the Doctor and Danni were left behind on Trenzalore, waiting for their home to come back.