Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

  There was a nice array of sandwiches on offer. That’s what Yaz was thinking about, anyway. It was easier to consider the more mundane aspects of what was happening around her, of how her day had gone, rather than pondering the way everything had changed. The shape of her life over nearly a decade (when she factored in those years stuck in the past) had been forever dented. The very essence of who she was had left her behind and now there was an aching gap where she had to discover once more who Yasmin Khan wanted to be. Without the Doctor. All in all, it was far simpler to just look at all the food that had been provided, mostly catered by Graham.

   This had been his idea, or so he claimed. Bringing together former companions and friends of the Doctor…just so they could talk to one another. There was nothing more than that. They were a select group of people united by a strange but shared experience. No one else could fathom what they’d been through, besides the support group they were now forming. They would swap stories, have a laugh, perhaps even shed a tear or two. All whilst eating the copious volume of sarnies that Graham kept offering to people, because he was now realising that he’d made far too many in his excitement and didn't want anything to go to waste. 

   Yaz could understand the need for support and a shoulder to lean on more than anyone, at least presently. The others had gone through the same thing as her over the years…over the decades…but she was experiencing it now . Barely a few hours since she’d stepped foot out of the Tardis for potentially the last time. Barely a few hours since she’d seen that face for potentially the last time. The potential was the thing that stung the most. The hope. As if there was still a chance that things could somehow go back to the way they’d been. The people surrounding her were proof that they never did. Life after the Doctor was a cavernous vacuum and it would take time to fill it, if she ever did. Which was why she was so grateful that this group had been created. Because they also served as a reminder that life did continue after the Tardis.

   Even so, it had been a difficult afternoon. No one was begrudging her reluctance to take part, with her feelings still fresh. In the main, Yaz simply listened to some of the stories that were being shared, some more ludicrous than the others. At certain points, it became too much and she chose to tune everyone out whilst she attempted to compose herself. She was now a part of a phenomenal collection of people - she was not going to make an embarrassment out of herself in front of them during their first interactions. The Doctor had taught her better than that. The Doctor had made her better than that. 

   It perhaps should have been disconcerting to see that she was just the latest in a long line of companions that the Doctor had travelled with, even if she’d known that it was the case. And yet, strangely enough, it was comforting Yaz somewhat, easing her heartache. Yes, it had taken nearly four decades for Tegan to be reunited with the Time Lord. Yes, it had been three decades for Ace too. Ian Chesterton trumped them all, of course, and hadn’t been granted the fortune of seeing the alien one last time. But they filled Yaz with a sense of optimism because, no matter how long it took, there was always the chance that the blue box would crash back into her life. And, if she’d become good at anything since that cold night on a train in Sheffield, it was waiting for the Doctor.

   “I think I’ve outdone myself this time.”

   Graham sidled up next to Yaz, having been watching her from afar for a few minutes, trying to gauge whether it was a good time to speak to her. He still maintained a bit of distance, only to give her the space that she might have needed. The last thing he wanted to do was pressure her into opening up. That would come, eventually. And he would be there for when it happened. For the time being, his job was to bring some levity into proceedings. It was a duty that he excelled at, in his humble opinion.

   He carefully studied her, observing the way she reacted to his presence. Yaz had jumped slightly at his arrival, signalling how she had been lost in her own thoughts. That had been Graham’s main concern, understanding all too well how easy it was to get lost in memories after losing someone you loved. She seemed almost smaller in her stature, attempting to close herself off to the outside world. He could tell that she was still completely overwhelmed by her grief. And yet she was doing her best to hide it behind a mask, her face attempting to crack a smile for his benefit. It was a trick that the Doctor had mastered, choosing to hide secrets rather than sharing them. It was the sort of behaviour that he wasn’t going to allow to slide.

   “You might need to be more specific,” Yaz said, still not able to truly meet his gaze.

   “The spread, of course!” He gestured triumphantly to the buffet on show. “I think it might just be my finest work, although I might have done something to my wrist after buttering so many slices of bread.”

   “You’ve done enough to feed the entire city, Graham.”

   “Well, I didn't exactly know how many people were going to turn up! The Doc’s touched a lot of lives, that’s what I’ve been starting to realise.” 

   He turned around, leaning his back against the table so that he could look at the rest of the room. Some people had already chosen to leave, with their lives refusing to stop. Kate Stewart had the small task of rebuilding UNIT once again and dealing with the massive insurance claim that came with an entire building blowing up. Melanie Bush was overseeing a sizable donation on behalf of A Charitable Earth, and she’d left in a deep conversation with Ace after saying their goodbyes. But there were still a few hanging around, taking advantage of the spare nibbles. 

   “It’s a good turn out,” Graham reckoned. “For a first meeting. And there’s loads more people that we can recruit, who have their own stories to tell.”

   “We could write a book.”

   “It’d probably be too far-fetched for even the fiction section.”

   Yaz laughed gently, which felt nice given the circumstances. “I’ve missed you, Graham.”

   “I only wish we were seeing each other in a happier situation.” He brought her close, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “But we don’t have to think about that right now. The whole point of this club is that we celebrate the Doc’s life, not the end of it.” A soft nudge got her to smile ever so slightly. “Anyway…I don’t know whether you missed me too much. You couldn’t have replaced me quickly enough!”

   Graham nodded his head at Dan, who was awkwardly standing in the corner of the room as Tegan said something to him rather heatedly. He seemed more than relieved when he noticed the pair of them looking in his direction, using it as an excuse to extricate himself from the conversation. Yaz shook her head at his behaviour as he slowly wandered over.

   “Are you jealous, Graham?”

   “Why would I be jealous of him ? I’m content in the fact that I knew you first. I’m the original, you might say. It did lead to quite an odd conversation when we first met when he had to explain who he was to me. He mentioned something about a dog…”

   “Let’s not go into too many details about that,” Dan muttered as he reached them. “I feel that, if you say Karvanista’s name too many times, he’ll suddenly appear right next to you and nobody needs that.”

   “I’m happy you got to have plenty of adventures with the Doc after me and Ryan left, Yaz. I know…I know how important she was to you. Is to you.”

   “We saved the universe together. Not to brag.” Dan pushed his chest out as if to make himself look stronger.

   “That was our average Tuesday, mate,” Graham countered. “Not that it’s a competition or anything.”

   “Of course not.”

   “Mainly because you can’t compete with me.”

   “ Graham ,” Yaz hissed in warning.

   “What’ve I done this time?”

   “Behave.”

   “...fine. But only because I’ve chosen to. It has nothing to do with you giving the order.”

   Dan smiled at the interaction. “It’s nice to see that I’m not the only one who’s easily controlled by her. She’s really frightening at times.”

   “Only sometimes? You mustn’t have been given the full experience.”

   Yaz gritted her teeth. “Graham, I swear…”

   “Right, yes, I’ll do as I’m told. God, what is it with the Doc choosing the strongest women to travel with? She’s always had great taste. Did you get to speak to Ace, Dan, before she rushed off? Let me tell you, she’s one hell of a firecracker of a woman. She can wield a baseball bat like you’ve never seen.”

   “I think someone’s got a crush,” Yaz said with a singsong voice, grinning brightly.

   Graham waggled a finger in her face. “Oy. This group is for swapping wholesome stories about our crazy adventures. It’s not for starting gossip .”

   “It sounds to me like you’re deflecting, Graham. Don’t you think, Dan?”

   He was only too happy to get involved. “I’d be quick to agree with you, Yaz.”

   Graham had his hands on his hips, clearly not impressed with how quickly the conversation had gone off the rails. “I don’t need this. I don’t deserve this. After all the trouble I’ve gone to…sending out invites…making perfect sarnies…”

   “Excuse me?” an old voice asked. Ian was standing just behind them, giving them a small smile. “I was just hoping to get a few more things from the buffet.”

   “Right you are, Ian, me old chum.” Graham saw this as the perfect opportunity to get away from the increasingly awkward chat. “What would you like? You can have as much as you want! There’s plenty to go around. I can even pack some up for you to take home with you. How does that sound?”

   “Well…I did have my eye on those cheese and pickle sandwiches in the corner. The ones that no one else has apparently wanted to go near.”

   Graham’s eyes lit up in delight, picking up the plate and leading Ian away with a guiding hand placed on the older man’s back. “I think me and you are going to get on splendidly, Chesterton.”

   Yaz knew that she wasn’t out of the woods yet. Graham had just been the first hurdle to navigate, knowing that he would return anyway at some point to continue his questioning. But Dan was standing there now, looking at her in that way he usually did, his face lined with concern. It reminded her of when they’d had one of the most important conversations in her life, whilst they’d been surrounded by Daleks on an incredibly confusing New Year’s Eve. She didn't want to talk about it, yet knew that she needed to. And who better to take that leap with than Dan, the one who had been with her when she’d reached some of her lowest points.

   “How are you doing?” he asked quietly, taking advantage of the fact that they were now alone. 

   “Fine,” she replied quickly.

   “You’re lying.”

   “...maybe.”

   “I thought we’d gone through this before…there’s no use in keeping these feelings to yourself when you have people to talk to about them. This support network we’re forming…it’s not just about the Doctor. It can be about more personal stuff too.”

   Yaz could already feel the tears forming again, when she’d thought she’d shed as much as her body contained. “I couldn’t save her.”

   Dan frowned. “That’s not what everyone else has been saying. Graham told me about how you marched across the surface of a planet on the brink of destruction, carrying the Doctor back to the Tardis all by yourself. That sounds as if you saved her when no one else could.”

   “I couldn’t save her from regeneration,” Yaz amended begrudgingly.

   “Perhaps. But that’s not your fault. I can’t claim to properly understand how it works, but regeneration seems to me like something that has to happen. Because the universe can’t go on without the Doctor so she keeps going, no matter what she ends up looking like.”

   Yaz looked at him, her hands shaking. “But how am I supposed to go on without her?”

   Dan waved his hand across the room. “By doing this. By talking to people. By allowing yourself to feel your emotions instead of bottling them away. It’s not going to dampen how much the pain hurts. But I reckon this group is going to give you a new purpose, one you didn't even know you had. And, if you get into enough trouble, what’s to say that’s not going to lead you right back to her?”

   “Maybe you’re right.”

   “You’d be surprised at how often that happens.”

   “I just wish things had been different. I wish that I’d stayed, no matter the changes she went through. Although…that might have hurt even more. Actually seeing her become someone else, the woman I…loved…no longer existing. That’s why she made me go in the end. To give me the chance to remember her as she was.”

   Dan nodded his head, looking at the ground. “You know…ever since you told me about what happened…I’ve been thinking to myself what might have happened if I’d stayed. Would she have been forced to regenerate if I’d been there? I know I can’t do a lot but my presence might have changed things. She might not have got hit by that laser beam, or whatever Graham was describing. I can’t help beating myself up about that.”

   “And this is coming from the man who was literally just telling me not to blame myself for what happened?”

   He smirked. “I never said that I have to follow my own advice.”

   “Everything happened for a reason, as much as I hate that it had to end. But that’s the thing…it’s not the end. I know I’ll see the Doctor again. Our story doesn’t end like this. I won’t allow it to. And it’s like you said - if we make enough noise on Earth, she’ll come running. Hopefully sooner rather than later. I can be patient. In the meantime…” Yaz gently touched her shoulder, feeling where the Doctor had ‘accidentally’ zapped her. In the corner, the hologram of the Time Lord appeared, waving enthusiastically in their direction. “...she ensured I would never be alone whilst I wait for that day to come…”

Chapter Text

“You wanted to talk to us about something today, Yaz?”

   Graham was looking at her earnestly, fielding the question after the group’s conversation had reached a natural low point. She’d been dreading this point, ever since she’d made the stupid decision to tell her friend about her plans. What had come over her, Yaz didn't really know. It was just that the other former companions (it still hurt massively to put herself in that category now) were sharing so openly, meaning she felt rather guilty for not doing the same. It was as if she wasn’t putting the effort in, when none of them thought that about her. In fact, she’d mainly been met with quiet understanding, the others knowing all too well what it was like in the days after leaving the Doctor behind.

   But this was something that she had to do, because it had taken a lot of effort on her part to reach this point in her life. Yaz glanced in Dan’s direction, still grateful for the role he’d played along this path she’d taken. It was entirely plausible that she would never have come to the same realisations if he hadn’t intervened, if he hadn’t been there for her. So she felt that he, more than most, deserved to hear this story. The others, now all looking at her with matching encouraging smiles…well, she still didn't know them nearly as well. But wasn’t the point of the group to work through those barriers? To form a united collective, bound by a unique, shared experience?

   Yaz slowly nodded her head. “Yeah…um…yeah, I did.”

   “The floor’s yours when you want it,” Graham told her, giving his friend a thumbs up.

   Her gaze landed on the smartly varnished wood that dominated the small town hall they’d hired out. It was easier to look at that, to centre herself, rather than acknowledging everyone looking at her. As much as she’d grown in confidence during her years in the Tardis, there was still an element of her that reverted back to the timid girl in primary school, deathly afraid of public speaking. Yaz could feel one of her knees start to shake, a nervous habit that she’d thought she’d moved past from. It was a worrying sight, not only because it suggested something that she’d been fearing most of all: what if all the growth she’d been through with the Doctor slowly faded away now the Time Lord wasn’t in her life?

   Tegan, noticing the small tick, placed a gentle hand on her leg, making sure to look her squarely in the eyes. She’d been taught that that was the easiest way to convey sincerity, to prove to the other person that they were there for them. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t really want to. We’d understand.”

   “Yeah,” Ace added, picking up on Tegan’s subtle look to get her to help. “Everything’s still fresh for you. It’d be perfectly natural for it to take longer for you to talk about this sort of thing.”

   “You could start small. Tell us about one of your more mundane trips in the big blue box, if there was ever a period where things were remotely relaxed. I sure remember there being very little of that in my time.”

   “No,” Yaz murmured softly. “I think…I need to get this specific thing off my chest. So that you can all understand where I’m coming from. And…for myself as well. I need to talk about it, otherwise it’ll continue to eat away at me.”

   Graham looked at her in a worried fashion. “If I’d known that you were struggling this much, I would have come to talk to you beforehand! You should have told me!”

   She gave him a half-hearted smile. “It’s alright, honestly. It’s not even the first time I’m opening up about it. Really…I want to tell you guys about the first time I went home after me and the Doctor went our separate ways…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Park Hill council estate, Sheffield, just outside Flat 34, 2022

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Fist hovering just in front of the door, Yaz hesitated. She hated herself for hesitating. This is her home. She should be able to walk in whenever she wants, freely and happily. But there was that aching pit in her stomach once again, the realisation dawning on her that this was no longer her home. That now came in the form of a wooden time machine that was bigger on the inside. And it was that thought that reminded her that she’d lost that home. Forever. She’d walked through those blue doors with the instructions on the front that everyone seemed to ignore, freely and happily. No longer. Her home had faded away in front of her, carrying with it her universe. No one was ever supposed to lose so much in one day.

   Yaz told herself that she was better than this. She’d grown to be better than this, standing taller in the Doctor’s presence until they’d reached the same heights together. Now wasn’t the time to think about the Time Lord no longer being there. It was about remembering the life they’d shared, celebrating it. That was why she was there after all, besides the fact that she had nowhere else to stay. The temptation had been to crash on Graham’s sofa just down the road, but Yaz had known deep down that she needed to do this. She needed to see her family. And they needed to meet Yasmin Khan, the true version of her, the one that refused to hide away for any longer.

   Yaz knocked.

   Once, twice, three times. All in quick succession, before she lost her nerve and ran away. That had always been her tactic, when she was forced to face something difficult. She was no longer the young girl who had fled home, only to be saved by a woman bearing the title of police. How that had happened twice in her life, she’d never know. It was funny how things worked out at times. The only issue was that Yaz wasn’t really in a laughing mood at the moment, instead going over in her head what she was going to say. She’d been practising it repeatedly, all throughout her frustratingly long train journey (the pathetically slow nature of regular transport was going to grate on her nerves for the rest of time, she was sure).

   “Fine! I’ll get it!” she heard a voice shout from within. “God, it’s not as if you’re basically right next to the door!”

   The door opened. Sonya stood there, the bored look on her face instantly transforming into one of shock. Yaz considered everything she’d been planning on saying, and felt the thoughts simply wash away. It took one look at her sister and she broke down into tears on the doorstep, no longer having the energy to keep up the fight, to pretend as if she was functioning remotely properly. She felt Sonya’s arms wrap around her, keeping her upright, guiding her inside. And realised, despite all her fears, that she may have still had a home after all.

   In the few moments after that first meeting, it was a bit of a blur for Yaz. She knew that her sister was there for her, like any sibling always was. They had that in-built sense, not having to ask any questions, just providing the support that was required. The explanation would come when it did, once Yaz was composed enough to give it. Yaz felt herself land on the sofa heavily, each sob violently racking her body. These were tears that had been locked away for too long, the tears she’d wanted to properly shed since her friend had been struck down, the tears she had held back to make it easier for both her and the Doctor as they’d said goodbye. Now they could run unabashedly. Yaz knew there would be no judgement from her sister.

   At the sound of the loud commotion, her parents entered the living area. Yaz did her best to lift her head to acknowledge their presence, though it was difficult to see them through her watery eyes. She felt so unbelievably pathetic, yet the entire experience was so cathartic to go through. How often had she repressed her emotions during her years on the Tardis, mainly because she didn't want the Doctor to see this side of her? It was good to get it out in the open, no matter how much of a mess she must have looked.

   “Yaz?” her mum asked quietly, worriedly. “What’s happened? Are you okay?”

   “Do you think she looks okay?” Sonya snapped.

   Yaz smiled up at her gratefully, but put a placating hand on her arm. “Hey, you don’t need to take it out on them. I appreciate the back-up though.”

   “Always. You don’t even need to ask.”

   “I’ll…um…I’ll stick the kettle on, hey?” her dad suggested, not knowing what else to do with himself. “That’ll give you some time to…you know…relax and get comfortable.”

   Her mum moved to the sofa, the three of them cramming on. It might have been uncomfortable, if Yaz hadn’t desperately needed the contact. Najia swapped positions with Sonya so that she could hold Yaz’s head, softly dragging her fingers through her daughter’s hair. It had been a good number of years since they’d done this, since they’d been this close. 

   “I’d say it’s good to see you, love,” she murmured, pressing a kiss onto her head. It was reassuring to hear Yaz laugh softly. “Are you alright to talk about it? Or we could stay like this for a bit longer?”

   Yaz slowly sat up, clinging onto the blanket that Sonya passed over. “I’m alright.”

   “For some reason, I don’t believe that too much.”

   “Really. I just needed to get that out of my system, I think.”

   “So, love…what could possibly make you react like this? You’re normally so strong and independent…”

   “That’s it, isn’t it? There’s this expectation that I have to be the strong one all the time. I’ve got to live up to those standards. It…it makes me feel bad when I get like this.”

   “No, no, no!” Her mum was quick to reassure her before another downward spiral started. “That’s not what I meant at all. It’s true that you’re normally so resilient…but that makes these moments so more precious for me. I shouldn’t really say that, should I? But it’s the truth. It’s a reminder that you still need me sometimes, when you’re typically off on your own, doing whatever you’ve been doing…” 

   “Well, what I need to say is sort of linked to that last point,” Yaz admitted, wiping her nose in what must have been a rather ugly fashion. 

   “You know I’m all ears. We’ve all been trying to figure out what you’ve really been doing over these past few years. Because it was pretty obvious straight away that it was more than police work.”

   Sonya nudged Yaz gently. “Let me tell you that they barely ever shut up about their theories. There was one time that dad thought you were doing this really important undercover work.”

   “I’m still sticking to my guns on that!” Hakim shouted from the kitchen, over the noise of the kettle brewing.

   Yaz rolled her eyes, feeling some of her playfulness return. It almost felt wrong to get a speck of joy given what she’d been through. “I suppose you could call it undercover work. At times. There was one point where I had to infiltrate a big organisation, but that’s a story for later.”

   “I knew it! Pay up, Najia!”

   “I can tell that you’re skirting around the main subject,” her mum said pointedly, ignoring her husband’s comment. “You know you can tell us anything.”

   “I’m scared of what you’ll think of me,” Yaz replied softly. “I’m terrified that you’ll see me as a different person.”

   “Have you done something wrong?”

   “No.”

   “Are you in trouble?”

   “Not anymore.”

   “What does that mean?”

   “It links into what I’m trying to say. It’s just…it’s like my brain keeps shutting my mouth when the words are close to slipping out. It’s a defence mechanism.”

   “Well, if it’s any comfort, you should know that, no matter what you need to tell us, it’s not going to change our opinion of you. Because it seems like it’s important to you, which therefore means it’s important to us.”

   Yaz breathed slowly, wanting to believe those assurances. “Do you remember my…friend? The Doctor?”

   “As if we could forget her. It’s not as if I get sacked every day of the week.”

   “This is about her…”

   “Has she done something to upset you?”

   “Not really.”

   “You don’t sound too sure.”

   “It’s complicated. She’s…gone. She had to leave me.”

   “What for?”

   “That’s a really long story.”

   “We’ve got time. Your dad always takes longer letting the tea bag brew than anyone else in the country.”

   “He claims it’s to make the most of his money,” Sonya chimes in. “He believes that big tea corporations have been making a fool out of everyone for too long.”

   “The Doctor…me and her…we travelled together.” Yaz felt her heart shatter once again as she was forced to describe it in the past tense. “Further than you could possibly imagine.”

   “Okay,” Najia said slowly. “So it wasn’t police work after all…”

   “She showed me things that were more important than work. And I know you’ll say that there’s no such thing, not when I need money to finally get out of your hair…”

   “Trust me, no parent wants that. Not really.”

   “The time me and the Doctor shared was so special and I’ve learnt so much from her. I wouldn't be who I am now if I hadn’t met her. But…factors outside of our control forced us to stop travelling together.”

   “Did she have to move away? For a job? Is she working at another hospital?”

   “She’s not that kind of doctor,” Yaz told her with a faint laugh. “But I guess you’re kind of right. She didn't want to leave me. I didn't want to leave her. It was just…the only thing we could do. Because forcing anything else would have betrayed everything that had come before, would have tarnished the memory.”

   “She sounds very important to you. I wish you would have brought her round more often if I’d known.”

   “The Doctor…she was more than important to me. I…I…loved her. I properly, completely, head-over-heels fell in love with her.” The words were tumbling out from her mouth with little thought, Yaz knowing that this momentary bravery wouldn’t last forever. “And before you say anything, it’s not the sort of love between friends. I wanted to be with her for the rest of my life, because I loved her more than I’ve loved anything before.”

   Najia didn't say anything at first, just choosing to bring Yaz into a closer hug. “It’s okay, love. I know how much a first proper heartbreak can hurt. You’ll feel for a period of time that you don’t have the energy to do anything, and that’s where the rest of us will help you. We’ll give you the time you need.”

   Yaz pulled away slightly, looking at the two other women. They were both wearing sad smiles. “You’re not…ashamed of me?”

   It seemed to puzzle her mum greatly. “Why would we think that?”

   “Because I’m…gay. I’m not what you thought I was.”

   Najia placed both her hands on Yaz’s cheeks, gently cradling her head. “You are Yasmin Khan. You are my daughter. If there’s more to you to learn about, then I’m incredibly excited to do so.”

   And that’s when Yaz broke down again, the final barriers deteriorating. She collapsed onto the sofa, allowing her mum and sister to hold her into place. How long had she been dreading this moment? How long had she denied her true feelings just because she was scared of how other people would react? Yaz knew that it wasn’t going to be plain sailing, even if this had gone well. There would be other people who would make comments, perhaps even look down at her, because of who she was. But, for the time being, she had her family, the people she needed to understand most of all.

   “Oh, mum,” she said softly, clinging onto her. “I’ve got so much to tell you. And so many people who I want you to meet.” She wiped at her nose, Sonya handing her a much-needed tissue. “It all started on a train…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Coal Hill Community Centre, Room 14B

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Yaz made sure to keep her gaze firmly on the ground, not wanting to see the reaction from the others. She had bared her soul to a group that consisted mainly of strangers and, now the adrenaline of telling the story had worn off, she could feel the doubts returning, wondering whether she’d made an utter fool of herself. She heard the sound of chair legs scraping clumsily against the floor, the noise of footsteps approaching her. Yaz closed her eyes when she felt Graham wrap her in an awkward hug as he got onto his knees, proving her with a sense of comfort that she hadn’t really known she’d needed.

   “I never knew,” he mumbled sadly. “I never knew how strongly you felt about her. You never said anything.”

   “It’s alright, Graham,” Yaz reassured him. “Because I didn't know. Well, maybe I knew but I told myself to ignore it. It was only recently…with a helping hand…” She looked up at Dan, who nodded his head. “...that I came to accept who I am.”

   Graham pulled away, though he still kept close to her. “I’m just…so proud of you, Yaz. And I know I’m going to sound like a right old man by saying this but…I never thought you could make humanity prouder than you already had done. But you’ve pulled it out of the bag, like you always do, because you’re taking the steps to show the world who the real Yasmin Khan is. And it’s going to be a far greater place because of it.”

   “Hear, hear!” Dan agreed.

   “And you shouldn’t feel ashamed about falling in love with the Doctor,” Jo told her. “It’s practically impossible not to! They represent something so… majestic …that all you want to do is grab a hold on and never let go.”

   “But that’s also the sad thing,” Tegan added. “Because, as much as you don’t want to, everyone eventually has to let go of the Doctor. You might be thinking right now that that means those emotions you’re feeling are pointless, simply adding to your pain…”

   “It couldn’t be further from the truth,” Ace continued. “That love you hold for the Doctor…you can keep it alive. You can use it to define everything you do. That’s the entire point of this group, to maintain and share that love we all have. Let me tell you, it doesn’t fade away. It might change, and it might be overtaken by other love you find in your life, but it’ll always be there.”

   “Just like the Doc,” Graham said, getting back to his feet with an audible grunt. “And just like Grace.” He gestured at Ian. “And Barb. They’ll always be with us. Sometimes, out of the corner of your eye, you’ll see them. And, whilst you might cry now, one day, you’ll simply smile. We’ll be there for you every step of the way, mark my words. There's no getting rid of us.”

Chapter Text

 Another successful meeting added to the list. Ever since her admission, Yaz had found the experience a lot less daunting, as if she no longer had to hide her true self. That didn't exactly mean that she was contributing a lot more, instead allowing the others to mainly take control. But she would listen to their tall tales with a soft smile, rather than focusing on how her story had come to an end. It was an improvement. Graham kept complimenting her on just turning up, as if he needed to continuously encourage her that this was good for her. Yaz appreciated the sentiment, even if she was starting to grow tired of everyone walking on eggshells around her. 

   Her favourite part of the afternoon, besides when the biscuit tin had made its way to her, was when Graham and Dan had gone into detail about their first meeting, after she’d realised that she didn't know how they’d come to know each other. Simply put, Graham had used a contact list specially curated by the Doctor, sending a mass email and hoping that someone would respond. He’d never expected that one of the companions that’d turn up would have come after his departure from the Tardis, leading to a certain sense of rivalry between the pair. In the meetings so far, they had constantly tried to prove themselves as the funniest of the group, as if they saw it as some sort of competition. 

   Yaz was planning on taking them both to one side, dragging them painfully by the ear, and smacking some sense into them (figuratively, of course. If she unleashed her true strength, neither of them would likely survive). As the session came to a close, she was almost looking forward to giving them a tongue-lashing, getting to tell them to grow up. But as other companions bid their farewells, some of them already discussing what they were going to bake for next time, Yaz noticed that the two men were peculiarly close to one another, involved in an animated discussion.

   She arched an eyebrow. “What are you two talking about?”

   They looked like they’d been caught doing something wrong, as if they hadn’t realised that anyone would be listening in. Yaz found it highly amusing, mainly because they resembled almost perfectly two young boys who were up to no good. It was apt then that she saw them both as just big children, and it didn't seem like they were going to change her opinion anytime soon.

   “We were just planning on going out together,” Graham answered as if it were obvious.

   She was more confused than ever. “You two?”

   “Why are you so surprised?”

   “Because all you do is bicker!”

   “That’s the best foundation for a friendship,” Dan reasoned. “If you can’t insult one another constantly, then what’s the point?”

   “Although I wouldn’t say we’re friends just yet,” Graham countered, holding up a hand. “Acquaintances, if anything.”

   “Way to ruin the vibe we had going on.”

   Yaz could only shake her head. “Where are you going then?”

   Graham grinned. “The pub!”

   “The mighty Liverpool are playing against the worst team in London tonight,” Dan added. “That’s West Ham, by the way. If you didn't know.”

   “I’m going to regret agreeing to this, aren’t I?”

   “Because you’re going to get hammered ? Do you get it? Because you’re the Hammers…and Liverpool are going to walk all over you…”

   Graham looked at the only other person in the room with them. “Please, Yaz, would you come with me? I don’t think I can survive a night of this on my own. Without killing him, that is…which would really go against what we’re trying to create with this support group.”

   “You made your bed,” Yaz said simply. “Now you’ve got to lie in it. As much as I’d like to watch you both get incredibly drunk and make fools of yourselves, I’m probably going to have an early night.”

   “It might do you some good to get out,” Dan suggested, giving her a hopeful smile. “Have some fun. Take your mind off things. Staying at home on your own isn’t going to help you forget…”

   “I don’t want to forget,” she snapped. Yaz caught his wounded look and immediately felt guilty, dragging a hand over her face, disappointed in herself. They were just trying to help, she had to remind herself. “Sorry. I think that proves I won’t be much fun on a night out just yet. Give it some time. I might consider it for your next pub visit.” 

    “That’s what we like to hear,” Graham said, giving her a thumbs up. “Because I don’t think I’ve ever taken you to the pub before and that’s something I want to rectify as soon as possible.”

   “Just don’t get in any fights tonight, boys. Remember…it’s just a game.”

   “Just a game ?” Graham nudged Dan in disbelief. “Have you heard her? Talking complete nonsense if you ask me. Just a game. I thought you might have converted her to the cause whilst travelling together…”

   “You were with her in the Tardis for a much longer time than me,” Dan countered. “You could have done it yourself. Not my fault that she’s got a dodgy opinion…”

   “Weren’t you stuck in the past together for over three years?” 

   “...I forgot that we’d told you about that. Even so…it wasn’t as if we could watch a lot of football in 1901. I didn't miss anything nearly as much as I missed Sky Sports.”

   “Have I ever told you the story of how the Doc accidentally took us back to the formation of West Ham as a club? I basically founded the club I support! I got to play with all the greats…”

   “How come she never did that for me?” Dan complained, looking to Yaz for answers that she couldn’t provide.

   Graham wrapped an arm around him. “I’m sorry to say that I was obviously her favourite. It’s a burden that I carried dutifully.”

   “Yeah right. We all know that Yaz was on a completely different level to us in the Doctor’s eyes. Is . I need to stop talking in the past tense. Sorry, Yaz.”

   “You really don’t need to apologise.” She hated the pity more than anything. “Go on, have a fun night. I hope the best team wins.”

   “Which is Liverpool,” Dan quickly said.

   “I’m not picking sides. Because I know whichever answer I give, it’s going to cause one of you to have a massive sulk. And that’s the last thing I need right now.”

   “That’s right, Yaz,” Graham commented as he gave her a hug goodbye. “Don’t say it out loud. You’d only hurt his feelings.”

   “ Go ,” she instructed with little patience, giving him a small shove. 

   “Do you need any help with tidying things up?” Dan wondered, looking at everything that was still out. “We’re not in any rush and I’d hate to leave you on your own…”

   “I’m fine,” Yaz replied, forcing a smile onto her face. “Honestly. I can manage it. I saved the entire planet the other week, and the universe about a year ago. I think I can handle tidying up. Now go ! I won’t tell you again.”

   “Gosh, she hasn’t lost her attitude over the years,” Graham mumbled as he and Dan walked into the corridor beyond, leaving the door slightly open.

   Yaz watched them leave for a few seconds, perhaps just to make sure that they were actually leaving. Her attention quickly turned to the state of the room around her, a sigh escaping from her lips. The circle of chairs had been left out, slightly disorganised from people rushing out to catch their transport home. A collapsable table stood by the wall, presenting the remains of the small buffet that they’d all contributed towards. Pastries, sandwiches, even some desserts left over. There was a food bank just down the street that she’d pop into so that nothing would go to waste. Dan felt really passionate about that sort of thing, and completing small acts of kindness made Yaz feel as if she still had some sort of purpose in the universe.

   “Take the help next time, yeah?” she quietly scolds herself. 

   Yaz sets to work, focusing on stacking the chairs one by one and sliding the individual towers into the far corner. From what she could remember, there was a zumba class that was using the hall shortly after them so they’d need as much space as possible. Yaz silently imagined what it would look like if the companion group stayed for the lesson, though winced at the thought of Graham in tight lycra doing unnatural stretches. A laugh fell from her mouth, and she covered her lips as if she’d done something wrong. Yaz couldn’t remember if she’d laughed at all since leaving the Doctor. It almost felt like a betrayal to do so, like it signified she had moved on when it couldn’t have been further from the truth.

   The first sign of something unexpected happening was when she heard hurried footsteps charging down the corridor, slamming heavily on the wooden floor and making one hell of a noise. Yaz presumed someone was just late for a meeting, or was really looking forward to zumba. She had her back to the door, focused on tearing off a bin bag to collect any discarded rubbish. A few weeks ago, she might have been curious about the strange behaviour, a trait the Doctor had instilled in her, but now all she was focused on was getting the job done and going home. It was best to keep her life simple for the time being, until she discovered what her life now had to offer.

   “Oh, I’ve missed it, haven’t I?” someone moaned loudly from behind her. “I knew this was going to happen!”

   Yaz spun around, no longer able to ignore the disturbance as much as she would have liked. A woman was standing there, panting heavily. The cause of the furious footsteps had shown herself, it seemed. She must have been a few years older than Yaz though she was likely the sort of woman who looked a lot younger than she actually was. Yaz had to admit that she was rather attractive too, the sort of thought she wouldn’t have dared have a year ago, nor the sort of thought she felt she deserved to have after so recently losing her first true love. 

   “Can I help you?” Yaz asked, a part of her hoping that the woman had gotten the wrong room so that the conversation would be cut short. She’d only just found the strength to talk to people she knew for prolonged periods of time - the prospect of talking to a stranger made Yaz tighten up anxiously. 

   “I’m late,” the woman replied, still recovering her composure.

   Yaz was steadily growing more curious about her. “Late for what?”

   “I got the invitation. But I couldn’t make the first few sessions. You know what life can be like at the best of times. I planned on coming, I really did. But work got in the way and it was something that I couldn’t really ignore. But today…I really wanted to join in after I realised it wasn’t some sort of trap. Work just…overran, to put it lightly…and then the bus was late…and now no one’s here except you.”

   Yaz held up her hand, only to stop the visitor from rambling too much. “Do you know the Doctor?”

   “Oh, thank god! The way you were looking at me then, I was sure that I was in the wrong place, which would have taken a lot of explaining to put straight.”

   “You were wanting to join the support group?”

   The woman nodded her head vigorously. “I thought it was a great idea when I heard about it. I’ve obviously worked with quite a few of the Doctor’s old friends over the years, but getting them all in one place is a special kind of feat. It’s the sort of thing that I just presumed must have been done before, but better late than never, hey?” She grimaced. “Well, besides me turning up late when everyone else has left.”

   “I’m Yaz.” She stepped forward, partially closing the distance between the two of them. 

   “Martha. Martha Jones. I…don’t think I’ve heard of you before, and I pride myself on knowing everyone the Doctor entangles themselves with.”

   “I just…um…I just finished travelling with her.” It still hurt to say it out loud. Why did she have to be the one to be left behind? Why did she have to go through this conversation?

   “Ah. I know how that feels. It’s truly the hardest point, and I know that’s really not what you want to be hearing right now.” Martha leant against the stack of chairs, threatening to topple them over and ruin all of Yaz’s work. “Hold on…you don’t mean that the Doctor’s a…”

   “Woman?”

   “Yeah!”

   “I’ve only ever known her like that.”

   “Lucky,” Martha commented with a wistful look in her eyes.

   “It seems you don’t know as much as you’d like to, Martha Jones.”

   “Oh, I can tell the Doctor’s been rubbing off on you with comments like that. You sounded just like them.”

   “Is that a compliment?”

   “Depends on how you view your Doctor…are they still a bit of an idiot?”

   “The biggest.”

   “But the sort of idea you can’t help but love?”

   “You have no idea,” Yaz sighed, the ghost of a smile threatening to tear through her mask.

   For a couple of seconds, Martha stared unnervingly at Yaz, before she reached some sort of decision and chose to remove two chairs for them both.

   Yaz watched it play out, mildly bemused. “What are you doing?”

   “We’ve still got the room for a little bit, haven’t we? And this is supposed to be a companion support group, yes? We’re both companions…and I feel as if you’re in need of more support than you’re allowing anyone to believe.”

   “I’ve told everyone that I’m fine and that’s the truth!”

   “The Doctor may have taught you a lot of things, but you certainly didn't pick up their ability to lie. Sit .”

   Yaz begrudgingly did as instructed. “I’m starting to see how much you’ve been influenced by the Doctor.”

   “Now that’s definitely not a compliment.”

   The two of them sat close to one another, Yaz finding it easier to look at the polished floor rather than the other woman. “What do you want to talk about then?”

   “You.”

   “I was afraid that you were going to say that.”

   “How did you meet the Doctor?” Martha rested her head against her arm, her gaze unwavering from Yaz. 

   “She literally fell into my life. Onto a train, in fact. I was a police officer at the time…only probationary…but she showed me that there was so much to the universe other than breaking up drunk women on a night out in Sheffield.”

   Martha chuckled. “The Doctor disguised himself as a patient at the hospital I was working in. That’s how we met. Well…we did bump into each other on the street beforehand but that’s a really timey wimey story.”

   “You’re a doctor too then?”

   “I was trained by the best. Not that the Doctor knows much about medical practice.” She smiled to herself. “I was captivated by him from the very first moment. Although that might have had something to do with the space rhinos kidnapping the entire hospital and putting it on the moon.”

   “Judoon?”

   “You’ve met them?”

   “They caused a massive scene in Gloucester a couple of years ago. We were on hand to stop them from following their law too strictly.”

   “I’m sure I caught wind of that…hmm, it’s funny.”

   “What is?”

   “The number of times I’ve scared people off by bringing up talking rhinos from space, and you just nodded your head like it’s a perfectly acceptable anecdote.”

   “That’s the point of this group, I suppose. To make us feel normal, when we’re exactly the opposite.”

   “What was your Doctor like?”

   “You sound as if you think they change completely when they regenerate. Isn’t there…some sort of crossover?” Yaz desperately needed some things to stay the same, so that the hope didn't fade that the Doctor would remember her. Would the regeneration make the Time Lord forget everything about their time together? Would the love she’d held disappear?

   “I can’t claim to be an expert on the process,” Martha admitted. “I’m just basing it off what I’ve heard from other companions when I’ve asked them about their time on the Tardis.”

   “My Doctor…she’s the greatest person I’ve ever known. And the most unbelievably frustrating.”

   “That settles it…the Doctor mustn’t change that much because you’ve just described the Doctor I knew.”

   Yaz smirked. “You have no idea how much I needed to hear that, even if you’re joking.”

   “Do you have any photos? I’d love to see what I missed out on.”

   Yaz reached for the phone resting in her pocket, her fingers working from memory as they selected the appropriate app. She had a full album of candid shots they’d taken over the years. Some of them were properly posed, snapshots of their adventures when they weren’t running for their lives. Others had been taken when the Doctor hadn’t strictly known that Yaz was holding up the phone, when the light was just perfect , framing the Time Lord’s golden hair in the ideal manner. Photos of the Doctor by the console, working away, attempting to fight the Tardis into a semblance of submission. They were always Yaz’s favourite pictures, the ones that were real and captured a specific moment in time. 

   She’d spent a lot of time recently looking through the album, viewing it as a form of comfort when all it did was make her cry again. Yet she couldn’t stop, clinging onto them to keep the memory alive. One day she would stop flicking through the collection, but would always know that the photos remained, no matter what happened. The memories would stay with her. They were memories that Yaz felt rather protective over and she hadn’t shown anyone else them before, but Martha Jones had flashed her a smile and asked politely, and who was Yaz to resist such a request?

   Martha’s smile grew wider as Yaz swiped a few into view, though she didn't show all of them. Yaz wanted to keep some for herself, to keep the moments between just her and the Doctor. They served as a reminder of something that was easily forgotten: her time with the Doctor hadn’t been a constant stream of disaster, having to save one civilization on a Tuesday, only to need to save an entire planet on the Wednesday right after. There were moments when it had just been the two of them, talking candidly, laughing, the Doctor showing more of herself than perhaps even she realised she was doing. Those had always been Yaz’s favourite moments aboard the Tardis, as much as she loved the running.

   “Now I understand,” Martha murmured.

   Yaz cocked her head to one side. “Understand what?”

   “I fell in love with the Doctor too.”

   “How…how did you know…?”

   “Because I was in the exact same position as you. I made the same mistake. I fell in love with the one man who couldn’t love me back.” She quickly held up her hand. “I’m not saying that the Doctor didn't love you. From the way she’s looking at you in some of the photos, it’s pretty clear that she did. But…she couldn’t love you in the end, I’m guessing. Because life with the Doctor always ends, and that doesn’t make for a good love story.”

   “She said…she couldn’t fix herself to anyone…” Yaz’s voice had grown quiet and sombre.

   “Because they’ve tried to in the past and had their hearts broken. I had to suffer through the aftermath of that. The Doctor made the decision to close himself off. I think that’s what happened to you as well, right?” She waited for Yaz to slowly nod her head. “In the end, as much as I loved him, I made the decision to leave. I saw that as the only one to stop myself going through too much pain.”

   “We both came to that choice in the end. I…I…didn’t want to leave her but…I couldn’t experience the possibility of what we had, only to lose it straight away. That would have torn me apart. Which is why I’m here now. Stacking chairs instead of racing across the universe.” There was a growing bitterness in Yaz’s voice.

   “Then it’s a good thing that I came here.”

   “I’m sure you’re going to tell me why.”

   “Slightly rude but I’ll let you off, only because I know what you’re going through…and I like you.” Martha gave Yaz a shy smile, some of her typical confidence slipping away. “I’m basically you. A decade down the line, which makes me feel really old. Right now, you’ll be thinking that there’s nothing left for you. But there are so many adventures to be had on Earth. I’ve battled more aliens without the Doctor than I did with him! I was late to this meeting because I was chasing a rogue Slitheen, for goodness sake! The one thing you have now is connections . You know people involved in the stranger side of the universe. You’ve got a ticket into that lifestyle. The adventures aren’t going to stop. They’ll just change.”

   Martha paused, reaching out to cover Yaz’s hands. “This isn’t going to be the last time you see me, regardless of my poor time-keeping skills. And I promise that, as baffling as it seems for you right now, I’ll show you that life can continue after the Doctor.”

Chapter Text

“I may look to recruit some or all of you .”

   That’s what Kate Stewart had said at their inaugural meeting and it seemed that she’d stuck to her word. The strange missive had come through the letter box, an ominous black envelope that had obviously caught her attention amongst the takeaway leaflets and window cleaning adverts. Yaz had made sure to pick up her letter straight away, thankful that she’d been the one to get to the post first. If her dad had seen her receiving such an irregular summons, then his conspiracy-loving brain might have just exploded right there and then. Especially if he’d known that the organisation wanting to speak to her dealt with extraterrestrial incursions on a daily basis. 

   “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

   Yaz looked to her side, watching as Graham nervously walked along the street. Ryan was trudging behind them, the two of them receiving the same message at the same time, which would have felt weird if they hadn’t known who was behind it. Being reunited with Ryan had been a bittersweet moment. His global expeditions had kept him away from home when she’d been dropped off for the last time, so getting to see him once again had been something she’d been looking forward to. As well as dreading, because she’d known what the topic of conversation would invariably be. It still wasn’t any easier to talk about the Doctor, though getting out the house would hopefully do her some good. It was far too tempting to just stay locked up in her room until the heartbreak eased. 

   “I can’t believe you’re having doubts about this,” she replied. “Are you nervous? I thought you’d been dealing with alien threats since you left the Tardis? This is just a more…professional and organised way of doing it, I reckon. Not that they gave us any pamphlets to read about what they actually get up to.”

   Ryan shoved his hands in his pockets. “I don’t think he’s the one he’s worried about…”

   It took Yaz a few moments to realise what he meant by that. “What? Me? Why would I be nervous about talking to UNIT? It’s not as if I’m signing a contract with them. They called it an introductory thing.”

   “It’s not that…it’s just…” Graham looked as if he didn't want to be talking about it, or that he didn't know how to word it. It was another example of people walking on eggshells around her. “...I’m concerned that it might be too soon for you. I mean, it’s only been a few weeks since it happened. I don’t want you to rush back into this. You should be taking as much time as you need to process what you’ve been through.”

   “So your suggestion is for me to cut myself off from the world?”

   “You know that’s not what I’m saying, but I understand your frustrations with me. It can be a difficult line to toe, trying to move on whilst also protecting yourself from getting hurt further. The last thing I want is for you to walk in there, see a bunch of stuff that reminds you of the Doc, and everything hits you like a ton of bricks.”

   “I appreciate the concern…”

   “I sense a ‘but’ coming…”

   “Couldn’t you have mentioned this before the very long and expensive train journey we’ve just been on to get here?”

   Graham chuckled. “I suppose that my timing could have been a bit better. I’m just trying to look out for you, and that’s not going to stop anytime soon.”

   “He’s like this all the time, Yaz,” Ryan commented. “Two years I’ve had this. Him, constantly asking me whether this is still what I want to do with my life. Me, giving him the same answer every single time, though it doesn’t stop him from bringing it up again literally five minutes later.”

   “You know I’m standing right here, right? You could try not to insult me directly in front of my face.”

   “Where’s the fun in bad mouthing you behind your back?”

   “What is your answer, by the way?” Yaz wondered. “When Graham asks you about this life?”

   Ryan shrugged nonchalantly. “Travelling around the world…it’s allowed me to feel more connected to it than ever. It was just a rock before I stepped foot in that blue. You know what I mean? But I saw things…I saw the potential future…and I realised that I couldn’t stand by and watch it burn. It’s given me a new purpose.”

   “He’s basically an activist now,” Graham explained, patting his grandson on the back. “He even got asked to do a few interviews for these environmental magazines.”

   “Not that I could go into detail about what inspired me to get into it…or about most of the things we get up to.”

   “I was meaning to mention…we met a woman called Jo and she’s massively into her environmental protection. It sounded as if she wanted to talk to you at some point. You can share ideas. ‘Cos who else has your interests and has also flown in the Tardis? You could finally give Tibo a break.”

   “Have you been networking for me?”

   “If that’s what the kids call having a chat these days, then yes.”

   Yaz grinned, enjoying the way the three of them could easily fall back into their old routine, although there was still that aching absence that she was trying to ignore. The Doctor would have jumped in by now, discussing some nonsensical story about how the trees on a certain planet took activism into their own hands (or branches) and turned on the inhabitants. Maybe Yaz wasn’t ready for this if she was now imagining absurd tales just to make it seem as if her friend was still with them.

   “I get what you mean though, Ryan,” she assured him. “And that’s one of the reasons why I’m giving this a go. I need a new purpose in life. Everyone in that companion group managed to move on and made something of themselves. I don’t have the police to fall back on now, and that’d seem so tragically small in comparison to what I was doing. Perhaps UNIT is an avenue I could go down. Martha was saying that she worked for them for a bit, and she’s amazingly cool.”

   Ryan nudged her gently. “Don’t tell me you’ve already got another crush…”

   Yaz’s smile fell. Graham looked on in alarm. “Ryan! Watch what you’re saying!”

   “Sorry, Yaz…I wasn’t even thinking about how that sounded…I know what you felt for the Doctor was more than a crush…I was just…making a stupid joke.”

   “It’s alright, honestly,” she assured them both. “You just thought that making light of things would make it easier for me. I understand. To be honest, this is what I’m most worried about. People know what happened so are gonna be constantly watching what they’re saying. It’s why I was so glad when Kate sent me that message…as if she was looking past my emotional connection to the Doctor and seeing the potential I’ve got.” She cracked the barest of smiles. “And if you met Martha, you’d also have an instant crush on her.”

   Ryan grinned. “I knew it! I never miss. Nothing but net for me.”

   “Besides when you play basketball,” Graham remarked, dodging Ryan’s attempts to whack him. 

   Yaz looked at the ground as she walked. “Out of interest…when did you know that I…had feelings for the Doctor?”

   Graham held up his hands. “I never realised. I’ve already told you that much. Although, as soon as you said it, it seemed to make perfect sense in my head.”

    “Graham obviously told me about what you admitted,” Ryan told her, throwing his grandad under the bus. “But there were moments scattered all over the place. I think the first time I knew for sure was when we were by that massive portal to Gallifrey. You walked right through that thing with no regard for what’d happen to you, just because the Doctor was in trouble. You rarely see that sort of dedication these days, and you acted as if it was perfectly normal.”

   “Not to mention those ten months you spent searching for her,” Graham added. “I should have seen it then. You thought about nothing else, completely disregarding your own health and sanity. You never stopped believing, because you felt that strongly about her. I suppose that’s why I’ve been so worried about you, you know? I’m scared you’ll put yourself through that again and, this time, there won’t be that happy ending to save you from yourself.”

   Yaz was rather taken aback by his open honesty. “Trust me…I’ve accepted that she’s not coming back. At least not her . I’m a different person to who I was back then. I’m stronger.”

   “Which is exactly why I summoned you.”

   The three of them practically jumped out of their skin at the sound of the unexpected voice. A figure emerged from the shadows of the alleyway adjacent to them, Kate’s face appearing before them. She smirked at their reaction, always enjoying when she could spook people who had seen much more terrifying things than her. She was wearing what she referred to as her ‘incognito outfit’, which mainly consisted of a dark blue trench coat, jeans, and a woolly green jumper. She couldn’t walk around the backstreets of London in a power suit without garnering attention from other pedestrians.

   “How long have you been standing there?” Graham exclaimed. “You damn well nearly gave me a heart attack!”

   “I was waiting for the opportune moment to enter the conversation,” she answered simply. “If I’ve learnt anything over the years, it’s that a grand entrance can work massively in your favour.”

   Yaz peered at her curiously. “And what are you hoping to use that for? Why do you need it working in your favour?”

   “I knew you were the sharpest of the bunch.”

   “I’m trying not to be insulted here,” Ryan complained, trying to ignore Yaz’s triumphant look as she silently gloated in his face. “I can’t believe I’ve been lumped into the same category as Graham.”

   “I have to admit that it’s my job to impress you,” Kate went on to explain. “We don’t have the facilities we once had, thanks to the small issue of our new building exploding into a million tiny pieces, so it’s up to me to do the heavy lifting. To show you that we’ve still got plenty to offer.”

   “You must really want to hire us,” Yaz remarked, feeling as if she had some bartering to do.

   “Well, you are the most recent travelling companions of the Doctor, so you’ve got the freshest viewpoints to bring to the table. After Mister Lewis flat-out rejected us, all my efforts have turned to you.”

   “Dan said no?”

   “His response was fairly comprehensive in that regard, yes?”

   “I suppose he left the Tardis to avoid getting into too much danger, so it wouldn’t make sense for him to then take this sort of job.”

   “Perhaps you’ll put a good word in for us once we’re done here and convince him to change his mind. We can never have too many recruits.”

   “Only if I like what I see.”

   “Oh, I like you.”

   Graham threw his arms up in the air, disgruntled with the way the conversation was going. “Do you just want us to leave then? It seems as if you only want Yaz around. It cost us an arm and a leg to get down here!”

   “I wish I could say we’d reimburse you but, like I’ve already mentioned, we’re having to clear up a massive insurance claim as we speak, so there’s no money to spare, I’m afraid.”

   “Starting to worry that we aren’t going to get paid for any work we end up doing,” Ryan said, folding his arms.

   “It’s the first time I’ve met you Mister Sinclair, and I’m hoping you’re not the sort of person focused on the money rather than the actual job at hand. If I wanted a bonus every Christmas, I’d be in a completely different business to this one.”

   “If you’re lacking funds, where on earth are you hosting a global operation?” Graham asked. “Is this just all one big scam? I’ve heard about this sort of thing.”

   Ryan looked at him doubtfully. “You’ve heard of alien-fighting groups sending letters to your house to ask if you want to work for them?”

   “Well…not when you put it like that, no.”

   “I am glad that you asked that,” Kate said. “Not the bit about the scam, which isn’t happening here, I assure you. But the point about where we’ve moved to since the incident . Please contain your gasps of shock until the end of the tour.”

   “You mean it’s around here? On this street of all places?”

   Kate didn't answer, just beckoning them down the same alleyway she’d been hiding with her hand. Yaz instantly followed, intrigued by what was lurking in plain sight. The boys were slightly more cautious, but that had always been a part of their group dynamic. They watched as Kate walked towards what looked like any ordinary metal grate in the ground, though, when she pulled on it, a larger chunk of the cobbled street pulled away as if she’d been gifted with super strength. The opening revealed a gloomy staircase leading further downwards. Graham got sent a look of disapproval when he asked whether they’d considered splashing out a few more lighting fixtures.

   Their footsteps echoing around them as they walked, the three of them were led down the steps and through a series of corridors, all non-distinguishable from the last. It felt as if they were being marched around a maze and they were worried that their initiation task would be simply finding their way out again. Kate seemed to know where she was going, which made sense since she’d obviously played a part in designing the place. There were multiple security checks that they were forced to go through, scanning their fingerprints and retinas, making them wonder how UNIT had gotten their hands on those details in the first place.

   When Kate opened the final, heavy steel door, she unveiled a large chamber that had no right to be sitting underneath the capital. The majority of the space was taken up by laptops and tv screens, with numerous people working by those stations. Yaz came to a stop by the door, taking it all in, admiring the pinboards full of notes and scribbles. It seemed a relatively primitive form of storing information, but one that she could resonate with following her ten month stint alone in the Tardis. Otherwise it was an advanced hive of activity, drawing her attention to every odd angle that her eyes could land on.

   “Welcome to the hub of our operations,” Kate announced, striding to the centre of the room. “As I said, it’s not as impressive as what Yaz got to see the last time we worked together, but we were lucky that we kept some resources locked away for a rainy day.”

   “And you had this place on stand by?” Graham asked, attempting to flick through a file of notes before it was promptly snatched away from him. 

   “As Director of UNIT operations, it’s my job to make sure that we have safeguards in case things go wrong and, let me tell you, they tend to do so quite frequently. We’ve got bases all over the world, mainly because we attract a lot of unwanted attention.”

   “You’re not selling the gig as much as you think, Director.”

   “How about I show you just what we get up to around here?”

   Kate knew she had them hooked when she saw Yaz’s eyes lit up in fascination. She moved over to one of the workers, a man in a white lab coat with their back to them as he worked at a computer. He jumped slightly when Kate slammed her hands on his shoulders and she tried not to laugh at his behaviour. She had to seem like an impassive leader after all to command respect.

   “Say hello to Malcolm Taylor everyone, head of our scientific division.”

   “Whilst Osgood is away on a top secret mission,” Malcolm responded. “Not that I get to know what that’s about.”

   “As you can see, we encourage people to speak their minds. Although I’d prefer it if they didn't choose to do so when I’m doing a tour. You’ll find people like Malcolm all over this place, working on individual tasks. Monitoring the Zygon populace, clearing up Dalek debris from their latest invasion attempts, ensuring that no Cybermen survived the explosion at HQ.”

   Yaz leaned forward, getting a closer look at the large screen he was working on. It seemed to be a schematic of the planet. “What are you working on at the moment?”

   “Monitoring a meteor that’s got a current trajectory with Earth, miss,” Malcolm explained calmly.

   “You mean to tell me that a giant slab of rock is heading right for us?” Graham was starting to sweat.

   Malcolm swivelled on his chair. “It’s truly nothing to worry about.”

   “You won’t be saying that if it lands on your house, mate.”

   “We’ve been picking up signals from this sort of phenomenon over the past couple of weeks. They have slightly different energy readings than what we’d come to expect.”

   “And they’re large enough to not completely burn up on entry through the atmosphere,” Kate elaborated. “We’ve sent teams to the spots they’re expected to make an impact, and yet, every time, there’s nothing to be seen. It’s driving some of our colleagues mad, not to mention the money we keep wasting on transport.”

   “Maybe you’re not looking hard enough,” Graham hypothesised. 

   Yaz rolled her eyes at his suggestion. “Or maybe someone’s taking them before you get there.”

   “What would anyone want to do with a burnt up piece of space rock?” Ryan asked.

   “I was hoping you’d be the ones to find out,” Kate said as she turned to them once again. “How do you fancy going on your first mission?”

Chapter Text

“So…go on…you can’t leave us on tenterhooks like this! What happened next? What happened on your mission?”

   Ace eagerly leaned forward in her chair, not bothering to hide just how much she wanted to hear the next part of the story. She’d always been someone who was interested in strange phenomena and things that didn't seem to have a logical explanation. It was a characteristic that hadn’t dampened over the years, perhaps even becoming more of a problem. Her nosiness (which she liked to call her investigative skills) had brought her back into the path of the Doctor, so she wasn’t about to start complaining about that part of her psyche.

   The companion group had once again reconvened, allowing some of the more recent friends of the Doctor to take the stage as they recounted their first tentative steps into the world of UNIT. Kate was with them, taking a short break from her busy schedule, and they were rather surprised at just how much information she was allowing to be revealed by the others. That should have been their first clue that the story, which had started off incredibly exciting and intriguing, hadn’t stayed that way. 

   With Ace leading the interrogation, other members of their newly formed society were able to take more of a relaxed approach. That was something that suited Ian, who much preferred sitting back in his chair with a cup of tea and the box of biscuits that no one had the heart to take off him. Tegan was the one who was just as prepared to fire in questions alongside her friend, never being one for patience when she wanted to know something. Jo was a bit quieter, though she’d been caught several times having a hushed discussion with Dan whenever she got a bit bored. 

   Yaz was excited to also see that Martha had made it on time at last, which had prompted a long line of introductions that had delayed their storytelling somewhat. Yaz got the impression that the other woman wasn’t used to speaking about the Doctor and that section of her life so openly. The only saving grace from the multitude of curious questions was that it had been Ryan’s first time at one of their meetings too, meaning their collective attention was split between two. Graham had chuckled at just how uncomfortable Ryan looked at being in the limelight, though his grandson was soon relishing it, wanting to go into detail about all the times he’d saved the universe. There had been a particular focus given to the moment he’d managed to defeat the Cybermen through the power of basketball, with neither Graham nor Yaz mean enough to remind him how he’d only taken out a very small portion of the army.

   “I’m afraid to say that it was a massive anticlimax,” Graham said to the group, watching as Ace pouted with a heavy sigh. “We ended up travelling all the way to Devon in a black SUV…which was actually a much better UBER service compared to MI6…”

   “Did you just say you worked with the secret service?” Dan wondered, his mouth agape.

   “What? Did you not?” Graham was trying to put on an air of disinterest, as if operating as a spy was something that happened to him all the time. “I guess the Doc only took her best friends to the really exciting stuff.”

   Yaz rolled her eyes at his antics. “How many times do I have to tell you that it’s not a contest?”

   “Until I stop winning.”

   She was wanting to get the conversation quickly back on track. “We got to Devon, found the exact spot that Malcolm had predicted the debris to land…and there was nothing there.”

   “Was it taken by aliens?” Ace asked excitedly. “Perhaps the meteors were like messages in a bottle, floating across the waves of space, as members of one species tried to reach out to their fellow comrade that crashed on Earth years ago…”

   “Has anyone ever complimented you on your vivid imagination?” Tegan wondered. “You could write a book with the number of crazy ideas you come up with.”

   “Already have. A bestseller. You can still buy a signed copy at my website. Do you want to write it down? It’s…”

   “Perhaps we shouldn’t turn this group into a spot for advertising,” Kate suggested, noting how Dan was innocuously returning a pen to his pocket after preparing to jot down the link. “I’ve already had words with you about how that book could have revealed highly classified information about how we deal with extraterrestrial threats.”

   “I can’t help what the public want to know.”

   “Sadly there wasn’t anything nearly as exciting happening there,” Yaz said, once again dragging everyone back in line. “The big mystery of why the pieces of rock were disappearing was painfully mundane.”

   Ryan grumbled under his breath. “You can say that again. Some old chap saw the first collision and decided to take it home with him as a souvenir. When they started to fall regularly, he thought he could open a little stall by the beach and sell them to tourists.”

   “A business that we promptly shut down,” Kate assured them. “As much as I love a local business, there’s no telling what sort of damage could have been done if numerous members of the public were walking around with things like this.”

   “Weren’t they just slabs of rock?” Jo queried. “I doubt many people would have bothered giving the salesman the time of day. Even I wouldn’t, and I’ve bought some questionable things whilst on holiday.”

   “We’ve got our team analysing all the specimens as we speak, just to be on the safe side. Malcolm was thrilled with that delivery. For all we know, they could contain something that we’ve never seen before.”

   Ace’s eyes lit up. “You’ll tell us if that’s the case, right?”

   “I can’t exactly divulge any secrets…”

   “That’s the whole point of the group!” Graham argued. “I think we deserve to know after we dragged ourselves all the way down there.”

   “I think it proved to be a valuable experience for you all,” Kate reasoned with a nonchalant shrug.

   “Of course you can say that,” Ryan moaned whilst he rolled his eyes. “You got to stay back at your fancy underground headquarters whilst I had to share the backseat with Graham for four hours.”

   “It’s not my fault that I bagsied the front seat before you could react,” Yaz pointed out with a triumphant grin.

   “You don’t understand…sitting next to him for that long is one thing, but he packed at least five cheese and pickles sandwiches for the journey.”

   “Trust me, I could smell them. I’m surprised the driver was able to concentrate for that long.”

   “I’m sure I caught him gagging at the services when we had a break.”

   “I shouldn’t have to put up with this,” Graham complained. “Can’t we focus on the fact that Kate actually believes that it wasn’t a wasted trip.”

   Again, the Director of Unit shrugged. “You need to understand that, compared to the hectic lifestyle that comes with travelling with the Doctor, the way we experience similar things down on Earth can be filled with boring and tedious matters. Which includes following leads that don’t always end up anywhere exciting.”

   “Not to mention all the paperwork I remember being forced to do,” Martha added with a dramatic shudder. “It’s one of the reasons why I left.”

   Kate gave her a pointed stare. “You’re not really selling the job as much as I’d like you to.”

   “I think it knocked me back a little bit,” Yaz admitted, her gaze dropping to the varnished floor. “How different it was. I’d convinced myself that it’d be an easy transition, that things would still feel the same. But, particularly with the end result, it almost felt…empty.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Devon, roughly a week ago (precise date and location classified by UNIT operations )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   “Hey, at least we’ve had a nice day out? Always gotta look at the silver lining, I say.”

   Graham’s attempts at levity were much needed but still fell somewhat flat. Yaz gave a half-hearted smile in response, as if he deserved some show of positivity for his efforts, but her heart wasn’t feeling up to actually meaning it. The afternoon was pleasant, though there was a bite in the air that had her reaching for the collar of her jacket to pull it tighter. In the background, uniformed men were carrying boxes out from the shack that had been attempting to sell the extraterrestrial metal. The poor man who hadn’t known it was such a bad thing to do was currently pleading with the UNIT operatives not to be sent to jail, even though he’d been assured on multiple occasions that that wasn’t going to happen. It left the three of them not really knowing what to do with themselves, as if their presence was no longer required.

   “I’ve got an idea,” Graham said to the pair of them.

   Ryan looked at his grandad dubiously. “Does it, in any way, involve food?”

   “Well…it might do.”

   “Why am I not shocked?”

   “I was just going to point out that we’re in a lovely part of the country that I’ve never visited before, and we shouldn’t waste such a blatant opportunity. I know it’s a bit nippy but there’s a beach a short walk away. We could get some ice creams and sit on the pier whilst we wait for the soldiers to do their work.”

   “I don’t think they call themselves soldiers, Graham.”

   “They certainly look like soldiers to me. You can call them whatever you like and risk getting locked up. I’m going to show them some respect.”

   Ryan looked down the road, where a wooden sign was pointing in the direction of the coast. “I do suddenly have a craving for a waffle cone. What do you say, Yaz? Especially if Graham’s going to pay.”

   “When did I offer that?” the man in question sputtered.

   “It was your idea so it was basically implied.”

   Yaz, however, wasn’t remotely tempted by the prospect, no matter if it was going to be free. In fact, her entire body had practically frozen as she’d listened to Graham talk. The memory of a beach long ago resurfaced, a moment in time shared by her and the Doctor in which they’d basically declared their feelings for one another, whilst still tantalisingly dancing around the subject. How long had Yaz waited for them to find that beach? How hard had the Doctor tried to give her that moment? How much had it broken Yaz’s heart to be rejected solely because the other woman loved her too much, the sort of response that had the power to shatter your feelings whilst simultaneously providing a sense of hope she’d never experienced before in her life.

   The memory hit her like a ton of bricks as she remembered the penultimate moment she shared with the Doctor, sitting atop that wondrous blue box as they looked down at the Earth she was now standing on, both of them trying to seek comfort from a simple ice cream. It had been the Doctor’s way of providing Yaz with a sweeter farewell than what might have been expected, the two of them deciding that it was best to remember one another as they’d lived, not in the context of a heart wrenching departure. The issue was that it meant Yaz couldn’t think about the dessert without being reminded of what had happened, a silly thing to get emotional over, really.

   “If…if you don’t mind, I might sit this one out,” she told them, immediately earning concerned looks from her partners.

   “Is everything alright, Yaz?” Graham wondered. 

   “Yeah, yeah…I’m just…you know…having a momentary low point all of a sudden.”

   He nodded his head in understanding. “You don’t have to explain that to me. I know all about it. Grief is so strange like that. It can hit you at random moments, completely out of the blue. That’s nothing to be ashamed about.”

   “We’ll stay here with you,” Ryan said. “I’d much prefer to make sure you’re okay rather than sitting on some beach.”

   “No, honestly…you should have some fun. Don’t miss out on it just because of me.”

   Graham could tell what she really meant, having been in that position himself not too long ago. “You need some time alone, don’t you? Come on, Ryan. I suppose this can be my treat. And Yaz…we won’t be too far away. As soon as you’re feeling up to it or just want to talk to us, you shout as loud as possible and we’ll come running.”

   Yaz watched them walk away, already discussing something else between themselves. She was relieved more than anything that they’d so readily listened to her without any need for her to go into the incriminating details. It wasn’t that she was ashamed of how she was feeling. She just believed that she was supposed to be much stronger than what she was currently showing, somehow letting them down in the process. They would probably strongly argue against that, but it wasn’t enough to prevent her from worrying about it.

   With them wandering off and the uniformed workers doing their job, she was able to secrete herself in a secluded corner. There was a path in between two quaint cottages, dusted with the faint hint of sand, signalling where it led to. Yaz didn't know what possessed her, and she knew that it wasn’t the best of ideas to go off on her own without telling anyone else, but she followed the path, walking between green hedges that soon transformed into tall, spindly blades of grass. The beach was down below as she found herself on one of the many sand dunes. Yaz plonked herself down, crossing her legs underneath her.

   She didn't need to press her shoulder for the other woman to show herself. It was as if the hologram knew what she really needed and had sprung to life accordingly. For the first few moments, they sat in comfortable silence, something Yaz knew must have been driving the Doctor round the bend. She didn't need to look at the interactive image to know that she was there, drawing comfort from her presence. It was so very like the time they’d stared off towards the sea in silence, and yet so painfully different.

   “I miss you,” Yaz mumbled forlornly, breaking the silence abruptly.

   “I know,” the Doctor replied and she sounded just as upset. “I’m sorry that this isn’t a good enough comparison…”

   Yaz craned her neck to look at her. “You don’t have to apologise for that. It’s not your fault that you set such a high standard.”

   “What’ve you been up to lately?” the Doctor asked conversationally, trying to cheer her companion up. “Anything exciting.”

   “Kate’s tried signing us up for UNIT.”

   “There are worse places that you could end up at. Although I don’t really like the thought of you being surrounded by so many guns.”

   “Didn't you give me one…?”

   “That was different. There was a pressing need. I couldn’t allow you to be vulnerable with him around.”

   “I wish I’d shot him whilst I had the chance.”

   The Doctor looked at her warily. “You don’t mean that.”

   “I do. If I’d done that, then you wouldn’t have died…”

   “I didn't die.”

   “You pretty much did in my eyes. I lost you. You may have spared me the pain of witnessing it happen, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s true.”

   “Yasmin Khan…have I told you how brilliant you are?”

   “You might have…mentioned it from time to time.”

   “Your brilliance stems from your heart…your love…I wouldn’t have wished for you to save me and sacrifice what makes you you in the process.”

   “I thought you’d say something like that.”

   “I suppose this hologram is accurate to the source material then.”

   “Scarily so.”

   “Is that a bad thing?”

   “It might be, in the long run. But, right now, I don’t think I would have been able to cope nearly as well if I didn't know you right by my side all the time.”

   “Why do you think I made it for you? I couldn’t bear the thought of you being remotely alone. And there was the selfish part of me too…in my final moments, I was comforted by the fact that I’d get to continue to be a part of your life.”

   “Forever.”

   “If you want me to be. You should know it by now, Yaz. I’ll always do whatever you want.”

   “Can you stay here? Just for now? Can we sit with each other and pretend like nothing’s changed?”

   “I’d do that for the rest of time if I could.”

   Yaz smiled. “That’s all I ever wanted. I used to think it was too much to ask of one person…”

   “Not when it’s for you, Yasmin Khan.” The Doctor attempted to nudge her shoulder before realising that she just passed through and flickered. It prompted a giggle from Yaz, which made the embarrassment worth it.

   The expression on Yaz’s face sombred. “If you’ve got the same thoughts and memories of the Doctor, does that also mean you have the same feelings?”

   “I’m here, aren’t I? I can’t give you everything…I might not even be able to give you much…but I can be there for you whenever you need me. There’s one guarantee that I can give that I wasn’t able to previously…and that’s that you’ll never lose me. You’ll go on carrying me through the rest of your life.”

   “Oh, Doctor…I never needed the hologram to ensure that’d happen. That’s the burden of love.”

   “Some might see that as a gift.”

   Yaz looked at the Doctor, before taking in their surroundings once again. “Yeah…maybe you’re right, Big Head.”

Chapter Text

 If there was one thing that being back at home was good at, then it was how quickly her family was able to shove her into normal life once again. There was still an unspoken understanding that they wouldn’t push her too hard, and that they would give her the space to grieve. Yaz had also come to terms with how she was going to be subjected to a lot of questions about her life over the past few years. Every so often, a query would crop up, perhaps at the dinner table, maybe when she risked wandering into the kitchen to see if there was anything good in the fridge, and she would be left to decide just how much detail she could go into about her adventures. It was a difficult line to toe, not wanting to make her parents worry about the extreme danger she’d constantly been in, as well as not wanting to talk about it too much in case the anguish swelled up once again over how it was over.

   Yet, despite the awkwardness and the curiosity, they still had her taking part in mundane chores. Yaz knew what they were doing. Her mum probably believed that it would help take her mind off certain things through the sheer banality of the tasks. It was about giving her a purpose, in their eyes, to make her feel as if she was just taking up space. Yaz didn't have a job to fall back on (she’d given up police work long ago, mainly because she’d never turned up), which meant there was a chance that she’d simply spend all of her time in her bedroom, crying about losing the Doctor and that part of herself. At every opportunity, her parents would suggest reasons for her to leave the flat, and she never had the energy to fight them on it.

   Which was why she was currently walking back from the local shop, carrying two heavy bags that were filled with groceries that she doubted they really needed. It had just been an excuse to keep her active. There would have been a time that she might have struggled with the weight pulling down on her arms, but her time in the Tardis had come with the added bonus of making her struggle. Three years stuck in the past with nothing better to do other than train would have that effect. The shopkeeper had been curious about her presence when she’d been paying for all the items, saying that he hadn’t seen her in months. She’d come up with some lame excuse about travelling, before hurriedly packing everything away.

   Strolling through the estate, trying to figure out how she hadn’t become a better liar over the years, Yaz came to a stop. Her chest started to pound as she heard that sound. The groaning and wheezing of a brilliant blue box. With little regard to what she may have looked like to an onlooker, she instantly dropped the shopping to the ground and started to run, following the noise before it inevitably ended. Charging across the paved area and in between towering apartment blocks, Yaz desperately pushed her body to the limit in the hope of getting there in time. It was landing, she was sure of that, instead of the dreaded alternative. Had something happened to the Doctor? Had she found a way of preventing the regeneration? Could they now stay together for even longer? Because, as much as she’d told herself that she was content with what had happened, Yasmin Khan wasn’t ready for their adventures to end.

   She skidded to a halt. She was sure that this was the spot it had been originating from, stuck between a closed post office and a bike shed covered in graffiti. It wasn’t the most glamorous of spots for their reunion, but Yaz didn't care wherever it happened. Yet there was no police box in sight, no smiling Time Lord awaiting her arrival. Yaz felt her entire body deflate in defeat, an entirely new sadness washing over her. It was the hope that was always going to hurt the most. As well as the stitch she was now suffering from after running so vigorously. 

   The only thing in sight was a fairly young woman standing by the shed, coughing and spluttering. It was only then that Yaz realised that the shack had a copious amount of smoke billowing out from within. Perhaps one of the local youths had found it funny to start a fire and this apparent good samaritan was trying to put it out. Or maybe it was the woman who had caused it, though she didn't look like your typical arsonist. Yaz wondered what she thought one of them was supposed to look like. All she knew was that, from what she could see, the other woman was rather attractive, her brown hair just about reaching her shoulders.

   The woman finally noticed that Yaz had spotted the incident and tried to smile through the panic. “Nothing to see here! I’ve got this all under control!”

   Yaz smirked at the response, folding her arms sceptically. She was more surprised about the accent, which, whilst definitely northern, didn't have the broad twang that usually resonated in these parts. “It doesn’t really look like it. Do you need any help?”

   “I think I should be able to manage,” the woman assured her. “It’s nothing that I haven’t dealt with before.”

   “Do you make a habit of being near a lot of small fires?”

   The woman frowned for a moment. “Fire? Oh! I suppose it must look like that, yes. Yes! It’s definitely a fire.”

   Yaz was starting to pick up on how the woman had a lot of the same mannerisms as the person she was currently trying to move on from. Something started to niggle at the back of her mind. “How are you planning on putting it out?”

   “It normally sorts itself out without much input. She’s got systems in place for this sort of thing.”

   “The bike shed?”

   “...yes.” The woman winced.

   Yaz’s eyes squinted in suspicion. “I didn't know that they usually came with in-built sprinklers.” She began to wander towards the other person.

   “No! You don’t want to do that! You don’t want to get too close! The last thing I want is for you to inhale a load of smoke just because you want to help me out.”

   “I reckon I can worry about myself, thank you very much.”

   The woman blocked the doors, attempting to make her slight frame cover as large an area as possible. “Honestly, I’m fine.”

   With their new-found close proximity, Yaz was better placed to make out more details about the woman. Her large brown eyes seemed to sparkle mischievously, even if she was supposed to be acting worried about the fiery situation. Her nose curled upwards ever so slightly at the end in a fashion that Yaz had no doubt many people referred to as ‘adorable’. And yet there was still a guarded nature to the woman, as if she had trained herself to keep things from others. Yaz had experience of dealing with people like that.

   “Are you hiding something?”

   “You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you.”

   “I’ll have you know that I’ve seen things that would baffle most people’s imagination.” She was sure that she could hear a recognisable thrumming that was warm and comforting. 

   The woman’s eyes appeared to flash in response to the challenge. “Fine then…but when your mind explodes at what you’re about to see, don’t come complaining to me.” She held out a hand before she allowed Yaz to go in. “Hold on…I still don’t want you to choke, especially with how much you’re intriguing me. Extractor fans on!”

   A whirring sound picked up and the cloud began to quickly disperse. Giving it a few seconds to properly clear up, she shifted out of the way, no longer barring entry, and Yaz eased open the corrugated metal door. It was surprisingly heavy, signalling a weight that didn't fit its appearance. That was the least of her concerns as she stepped inside. No matter how many times she had entered the magical blue box, nothing could have prepared her for the feeling as she realised the room within was bigger on the inside. It was predominantly white and pristine, very much like the Tardis she’d escaped Gallifrey in, the one she’d spent ten months living in, the one that had sacrificed itself to destroy a legion of Daleks. The console in the centre was small and hexagonal, the entire design of the ship so much more refined and neutral than she’d come to know.

   “It’s a Tardis,” Yaz whispered, her eyes pricking with unshed tears.

   The woman, closely following behind, came to an abrupt stop, as if Yaz had completely ruined her fun. “That’s…really not the reaction I was expecting.”

   Yaz arched an eyebrow. “What do you want? Do you want more eyes to go wide, to exclaim about the impossibility of it all, to run back outside to see if I’m going insane?”

   The woman crossed her arms. “It would have been nice to get the ‘bigger on the inside’ comment. He always said that that was the best part.”

   “I’ve already been through all of that, I’m afraid.”

   Yaz considered the woman more closely, a million possibilities running through her head as she attempted to make sense of this most unexpected of developments. The woman had a Tardis. Had she stolen it? Judging from the state it was in when Yaz had first seen her, it was entirely possible that she’d crashed there, suggesting she didn't know how to properly pilot it. Did that mean she wasn’t from Gallifrey? Or was she just a poorly trained Time Lord? For all Yaz knew, the woman could have been another version of the Master, and this was all part of an elaborate ploy to bring her back into the fold. The woman didn't seem to be fuelled by malevolent evil, but Yaz had already witnessed just how good an actor the Master could be. And if she wasn’t that particular Gallifreyan, then it left the possibility open that she was the other one .

   “Are you…are you the Doctor?” Yaz asked quietly, almost nervously.

   The woman laughed, a light and joyous sound as she flashed her white teeth. “Definitely not, though I’ve had to put up with those comparisons for years , so I won’t hold it against you. The name’s Clara. Clara Oswald.”

   Yaz breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't know what she would have done if this Clara had actually been the Doctor. She likely would have been a future version, perhaps even the one straight after the woman she’d fallen in love with, which would have put it beyond all reasonable doubt that there was no chance that they’d get back together again. She might have run straight out of the Tardis if that had been the case, with it too much to bear. As it was, Yaz was more curious about who Clara was and how she’d come into possession of a ship of her own. She didn't want to say she was jealous, but she was definitely envious. There was an important difference in Yaz’s mind.

   “Yasmin Khan,” she returned in introduction, never one to be impolite. “Yaz to my friends.”

   “It’s nice to meet you, Yaz .” 

   “Is there a reason why you’ve crash landed near my home?”

   “Ah, ah, ah. I get to ask the questions first around here.” Clara prowled in front of her, surveying her closely. “You know about the Tardis and you know of the Doctor…are you just an avid fan or a companion?”

   “A friend.”

   “You travelled with the Doctor then?”

   “Did you?”

   “Do you like giving evasive answers, Yaz?”

   “I don’t know who you are. I’m not going to throw around secrets, just in case. I don’t know whether I can trust you.”

   “That’s exactly the sort of mindset I’d be having right now…”

   “Is that a compliment?”

   “That depends on whether you like me.”

   “Like I said, I don’t know you.”

   “Then I suppose we’re going to have to change that.” Clara moved around the console, idly flicking a few switches in exactly the same manner as the Doctor tended to do. “I used to travel with the Doctor, quite a long time ago. It must be seven years on Earth since we left each other. I don’t like to keep count but it’s hard to ignore.”

   “Same,” Yaz admitted. “Yet I left her just a few weeks ago.”

   Clara’s hand slipped as she fought to steady herself. “The Doctor’s a woman?”

   “Well…she was with me…but she’s just had to…change…I have no clue what she looks like now.” It filled Yaz with an overbearing sense of despair.

   “I can’t believe I missed out on that! Tell me…was she attractive?”

   “I don’t think I know you well enough to be talking like this.” It was a poor excuse from Yaz, who was now thinking of all the tiny things that made her Doctor so wonderfully gorgeous.

   “You don’t have to answer. I can tell from the blush on your cheeks just what you think. The cheek of the Doctor to become a woman after I’ve left. I’d like to think that that’s a result of my influence…”

   “Was your Doctor a white-haired Scotsman?”

   “Did you know him too?”

   “No…the first time I met her…she mentioned the transition she’d been through barely an hour before she crashed into my life.”

   “Oh, Yaz.” Clara rested her head on her hands. “You’ve got it bad, haven’t you?”

   “What are you talking about?”

   “You made the worst possible mistake when it comes to that stupid alien…you fell in love. It’s so blatant. It’s written all over your face. That smile you’re wearing…even when they’re gone…”

   “You sound as if you’re speaking from experience.” It was easier for Yaz to deflect rather than acknowledging her own feelings, which really wasn’t a topic she wanted to be getting into with a stranger.

   “I am. That’s how I know what sort of pain you’re experiencing, especially with it being so raw. It’s unbelievably difficult to move on from the Doctor. Even after all this time apart, his shadow hangs over me.” Clara’s expression grew distant, as if she were picturing long-gone moments from her past. “We were torn apart before we could probably admit the way we felt about one another. That’s the part that hurt the most.”

   “I know that feeling.” It was still an open wound for Yaz. “Although…I told her…we just ran out of time before we could act on it.”

   Clara slowly nodded her head. “That’s the great tragedy of the Doctor: they can control time and still never have enough of it. And I know this isn’t going to help…I probably would have hurt anyone who tried to say this to me right after things ended…but I wouldn’t change anything looking back. I was so lucky to know the Doctor. I was so lucky to love him, regardless of the eventual heartbreak. It’s difficult but you have to remember that.”

   “The thing is…I don’t want to remember her…I want to be with her.”

   “It probably hasn’t helped that you’ve been stuck on Earth ever since it happened. I couldn’t imagine a worse fate.”

   Yaz smiled half-heartedly. “It’s not been too bad. I’ve been talking to other friends of the Doctor. We’ve formed a group.”

   “Where was my invite?” Clara asked indignantly.

   “How could we reach out to your Tardis? I suppose Kate would have a way at UNIT…”

   “Kate was there?! Now it really hurts that I haven’t been included…”

   “You could always come to the next meeting…”

   “It might scare a few people. I think I’m technically dead according to the official records. That’s what Kate will have been told anyway.”

   “I…feel as if that’s a story for when we know each other a bit better?”

   “Probably. It’s a sore point for me, as you can imagine.”

   “Is it safer territory to ask how you’ve even got a Tardis?”

   “I followed in the Doctor’s footsteps. There was one lying around on Gallifrey so I took my chance. I’m supposed to return it eventually, but I’m not letting that journey end just yet.” 

   “Is there a reason why you crashed here?”

   “I didn't crash!”

   “It certainly looked like it from an outside perspective.”

   “If you must know…I got into a bit of trouble taking down the mafia in Rebulos Four. I shut down their entire operation and they really didn't like that. They went as far as to put a hit on me but, through my excellent piloting skills, I managed to evade them. I just pushed the Tardis to the extreme and she needed a moment to recover. I don’t know why she picked here of all places to land. Maybe Earth is still my default safe location. Maybe she picked up on my emotional connection to the planet in a sense of emergency.” There was something mischievous about the way Clara was grinning at her. “Or maybe this is all down to Fate. I stole this Tardis and do you want to know how else I’m going to be like the Doctor?”

   “...I’m almost scared to find out,” Yaz replied.

   “I’m going to whisk you away from this boring life and show you the stars.”

   Before Yaz could react, the other woman was pulling the largest lever down. The room shuddered and then the central column was moving up and down, the floor underneath rocking violently. Yaz’s eyes were wide as she scrambled to hold onto something to keep herself upright, which, in a space that was so minimalist, was rather hard to do. She looked at Clara, who was practically dancing around the console, ensuring that things were running smoothly. After her previous bumpy ride, that wasn’t a guarantee.

   “What are you doing?” Yaz cried.

   “What’s wrong? I told you that the worst thing you could do is be stuck on just one planet! You need to explore, to get it out of your system, to move on! I’m trying to help! I’m doing this out of the kindness of my own heart!”

   “You could have asked me!”

   “What would you have said?”

   “...I don’t know!”

   “I’m taking that as a yes. Come on, it’s been so long since I’ve had someone to travel with. It’s Yasmin Khan and Clara Oswald in the Tardis! What could possibly go wrong?”

Chapter Text

“Do you make a habit of kidnapping people?!”

   It was quite blatant that Yaz hadn’t been in a Tardis for a short while because she was finding it remarkably difficult to stand up as the console room spun around. As much as this version of the ship was visibly refined, the ride was just as chaotic as she’d grown used to. It should have been concerning that that was the case, as if she’d been missing the frantic nature of her past adventures more than anything. She couldn’t exactly deny that that was why the boredom of normal life had been eating away at her, why she’d run so hard after hearing the sound of the Tardis, and why she wasn’t too upset about being whisked away.

   “Only when it’s a pretty woman.”

   Clara was grinning wolfishly as she danced around the console, flicking switches extravagantly that didn't really need to be pressed. This was an opportunity for her to show off, something she’d been sorely missing over the years. She was finding it surprisingly comforting to have someone onboard with her yet again. The Tardis was a brilliant companion to have, but to be able to watch another person stumble around during flight was a rejuvenating experience. It was almost enough to get her heart to beat again. Almost. 

   “Do you think that sort of cheesy line is going to work on me?”

   “I’m not the one who’s blushing.”

   Yaz attempted to cover her cheeks in response to the comment, just in case she was blushing, but that meant she had to sacrifice her grip on the console. One violent lurch to the left and she was spiralling uncontrollably and ungracefully towards the floor, only for Clara to be on hand to prevent her fall at the last minute. She was showing a level of strength that Yaz hadn’t been expecting, with the guest finding it strangely difficult to string two thoughts together. She must have had a thing for mad time travellers with perfect faces. The reminder of the Doctor was enough to make her push away from Clara once the ship was steadier, much to the other woman’s disappointment.

   “I get the sense that you planned that,” Yaz grumbled.

   “Perhaps,” Clara replied with a smirk. “I saw an opportunity and I took it. I’m not going to apologise for that.”

   “It’s scary how much you’re like the Doctor. You’ve got a constant need to show off .”

   Clara pouted. “Come on …it’s been years since I’ve had someone travelling with me. You can’t blame a girl for trying her best to impress.”

   “How come it’s been years?”

   “Well…there was someone a while back, right when this new chapter in my life started. But, in the end, it was like we were too similar, you know what I mean? It was inevitable that she’d choose to leave in the end. And, in truth, I always looked at her face with bitterness because she was technically the reason why me and the Doctor were torn apart. All in all…it was never going to work out.”

   “So you’ve been on your own since then…?”

   “There’ve been others, don’t get me wrong. But they don’t tend to stick around for long. Maybe…there’s an element of me pushing them away too, because it didn't feel right to be travelling amongst the stars with someone who wasn’t him .”

   “Yet you couldn’t have pushed me inside here fast enough.” Yaz couldn’t help but boast a little bit.

   “Like I said, I’ll do anything for a pretty face. And , I can tell that you’re different. You’re coming at this with a peculiar perspective. Right now, it’s my job to make you fall back in love with the universe.”

   Yaz laughed bitterly. “Good luck with that.”

   Clara was standing fairly close to her, leaning against the console. If Yaz had been able to think about anything other than her proximity, she might have debated whether the pilot had purposefully made the Tardis’ flight calmer so that they could have this conversation, delaying their arrival at whatever destination she had in mind. It was the sort of control that she’d only seen in the Doctor when she’d been taught to fly the Tardis, and even then the Time Lord very rarely chose to use it.

   “You’re already smiling,” Clara pointed out. “The Tardis has that effect on people. You can’t help but love her. I reckon my plan’s already working.”

   “You’ve got the same sort of brazen, unfounded confidence that the Doctor has too, by the way.”

   “I’m taking that as a compliment.”

   “You shouldn’t.”

   “You don’t realise just how much I’m going to enjoy having you around, Yaz. This is going to be fun .”

   Yaz was starting to sense that, and a massive wave of guilt washed over her. There was a nonsensical feeling plaguing her that she was somehow betraying the Doctor just by being there, even if she hadn’t strictly asked to be flown away. Barely any time had passed and she was already in another time and space machine with another woman. What if the Doctor happened to return just at that very moment, to discover that she’d apparently moved on without much second thought? It was a hypothetical situation that was incredibly unlikely to happen, and yet it troubled Yaz all the same.

   She shook her head, trying to get rid of those thoughts. For all she knew, this was going to be the last time she was ever able to travel into space. She wasn’t going to waste this moment by moping constantly. She’d already lost one connection to the stars. Surely it was an act of fate that had brought another portal to her door. What was the saying? You shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth? Yaz had to enjoy this while it lasted.

   “Where are you taking me anyway?” she asked curiously, finally allowing herself to be a part of Clara’s game.

   “It’d ruin the surprise if I told you.”

   “There’s just a lot of pressure resting on your shoulders right now. Pick the wrong place and your plan will crumble. Pick a place I’ve already been to and I might grow bored, which is a cardinal sin on a date.”

   Clara arched an eyebrow. “Is this now a date?”

   Yaz’s eyes widened. “I mean…yes…no…no? What I meant was…um…what I was trying to say is…”

   Taking pity on her new companion, Clara rubbed Yaz’s arm in comfort. “It’s officially a date.”

   “It’s just…well…I’ve never been on a date…with another woman before…”

   “What about the Doctor?”

   “We never did it…you know… properly .”

   Clara puffed out her cheeks. “Then there’s even more pressure riding on this than I first thought. It’s a good job that I’ve picked the perfect place.”

   “Are you going to tell me?”

   “A planet. The first planet that the Doctor ever took me to. If there’s anywhere that can make you fall back in love with the cosmos, then it’s this.”

   “You’re massively bigging it up.”

   The Tardis landed with a heavy thud and Clara was instantly heading towards the doors, making sure to grab Yaz’s hand before they left. “You’ll understand why in a moment.”

   They stepped out of the ship and Yaz found her feet landing on a red surface. She momentarily glanced back to examine what shape the Tardis had taken, surprised to see that it had transformed into some sort of market stall. She was curious as to how they would go about getting back inside since it seemed to lack the most vital of components: a door. But her attention was soon dragged to the rest of their surroundings, mainly because Clara was constantly tugging her to keep her moving.

   The machine’s disguise was perfect, since they’d parked right in the middle of what appeared like an intergalactic market. Yaz’s eyes bulged out of her head as she took in the appearances of all the different alien species, some humanoid, some very much not humanoid. She tried her best not to stare for too long, not wishing to incur the wrath of a particularly grumpy extraterrestrial. There were an abundance of items for sale, though none of the purveyors looked to be dealing in any regulated currency. Yaz could feel the corners of her lips turning upwards as she immersed herself in the scenery.

   “What is this place?” she asked.

   “Akhaten. Like I said, it was the first spot that the Tardis took me in all those years ago. I remember it well. There was a young girl and a god. Of course, the Doctor ended up angering the god and that became a whole ordeal. There used to be a huge star that loomed over this tiny planet.”

   “What happened to it?”

   “That was the god. It didn't stand a chance once I got involved.”

   “Are you trying to impress me?”

   “Is it working?”

   “...maybe a little,” Yaz admitted with a shy smile, not resisting when Clara interlocked their arms together.

   The pair of them walked arm in arm as they perused the many stalls, occasionally testing samples that ranged from the delectable to the horrifying. There weren’t many things that resembled anything from Earth and Yaz discovered that she was enjoying that. Clara had picked the perfect spot to exemplify how vastly different the universe could be to home, whilst still having parts that were distinctly recognisable. It brought home just how much Yaz had been missing out on whilst stuck back on her home planet, another reminder of what she’d lost the day the Doctor had changed.

   At one point, she’d felt it becoming a bit too much, like a starved person suddenly being faced with a massive feast. There was only so much that she could take in at once, so she’d kindly asked Clara whether they could find a place to sit. There was a terrace on top of one of the red stone buildings, with a seating area arranged to overlook the bustling streets. Gentle music was coming from somewhere, filling the air with its soft melody. It was a perfect spot for Yaz to compose herself without having to fully detach herself from the scenario. 

   “Everything okay?”

   Clara approached their little table, carrying a tray of what looked like milkshakes. She placed one in front of Yaz, who eyed the orange whipped cream warily, before taking a seat opposite her partner. She waited for the response to come instead of choosing to push too hard, understanding how much Yaz’s mind must have been at war with itself. It had been an eternity since Clara had been in her position and yet the echoes of that terrible time still whispered in her ear like a ghost who refused to abandon her.

   “Fine,” Yaz said quietly, focusing on mixing the drink with the accompanying swirly straw. Bubbles popped up from the beverage and floated away, unlike any refreshment she’d ever seen. “I just needed a break.”

   “It gives me the chance to get to know you better, at least.”

   Yaz looked at her dubiously. “I think I should get to ask some questions first.”

   Clara frowned and conveniently chose that time to take a sip of her milkshake, her face scrunching up as soon as she did so. “Ugh…I didn't expect this to be so tangy .”

   Yaz knew what she was doing but her intrigue was too powerful to ward off, forcing her to try it too. She sputtered almost immediately. “That…is…awful! What did they put in this? I’d rather have one of my dad’s terrible pakoras.”

   “It’s a good job that I don’t really need to drink. Though I wish I’d picked a better option to make the most of me actually choosing to do so.”

   Yaz leaned forward. “What do you mean?”

   “It’s a long story.” Clara looked distinctly uncomfortable, a far cry from the confident persona she’d been using up to that point.

   “I thought the purpose of going on a date was to talk to one another…”

   “You’ve got me there.” She contemplated taking another swig before opting to push the tall glass away. “It relates back to when I left the Doctor.”

   “You said that you were…I don’t know how to word this politely…technically dead .” Yaz winced. “Is that something you shouldn’t really bring up on a first date?”

   Clara chuckled. “Don’t worry. It’s something that I had to come to terms with a long time ago. But you’re right. I did die, back on Earth. A tragic accident all down to my own fault. And the Doctor couldn’t bear the thought of losing me, instead using Time Lord technology to pull me out of my own time right before it happened. I was able to walk and talk, but I was frozen in a second of time, not truly living. I’ve been like that ever since.”

   “That sounds…horrible.”

   “The Doctor was just trying to save me, not caring how far he had to go or how many of his rules he had to break in the process. In the end, that’s why we had to leave each other, because we knew that we became dangerous whenever the other one was hurt. He would have scorched the universe just to get one more day with him, and I’ve contemplated doing the same for him ever since we parted.”

   “He must have loved you.”

   “Perhaps too much. The Doctor has two hearts, which means they’re more susceptible to the pain of them breaking. That’s why it’s difficult for them to say those words. It’s why your Doctor couldn’t say them in the end, I imagine.”

   “It’s a stupid reason to ignore it,” Yaz grumbled, resting her chin against her lofted palm.

   “But one I understand.”

   “Is it normal to talk so much about your exes on a first date?”

   “Probably not,” Clara replied with a soft smile. “But nothing about us is normal.”

   “What was he like? Your Doctor?” She shivered slightly. “It feels weird to be using those pronouns for them.”

   “Which one do you want to know about?”

   “You…travelled with more than one?”

   “I was there when my first Doctor regenerated. I reached for his hand and, before I could grasp it, the fingers had changed. The man had changed…into the old Scotsman you’ve been told about.” Her gaze was distant, as if she were experiencing it all over again. “Before that…he looked younger. He was basically a big child with brown floppy hair…whose eyes betrayed just how many years he’d lived. I didn't know what to do at first when he changed.”

   Yaz bowed her head. “But you stayed with him?”

   “It was difficult, don’t get me wrong. I’d experienced regeneration in the past. I’d seen his previous faces. But actually losing my Doctor was almost too much to bear. I almost left him…when he needed me most. It took a while before I came to accept that he was still the same person.”

   “I feel awful,” Yaz admitted. “Because I left the Doctor when she was going through that very same thing. I could have stayed. Maybe it didn't have to end the way it did. Was I too hasty in agreeing with her to leave?”

   “Tell me…did you fall in love with the Doctor or the woman?”

   “That’s…a question I don’t really know the answer to.”

   “If the Doctor had looked different…if she was no longer the woman you first met…would your feelings have been the same?”

   “I don’t know. I’d like to say that nothing would have changed but I…don’t know.”

   “Maybe the Doctor knew that,” Clara suggested. “What if she knew there was a risk that things would change, that what you had would be damaged? Asking you to leave probably acted as a kindness to both of you, so that you could preserve the fond memories without them becoming tarnished.”

   “A part of me keeps thinking that she made that choice so that I didn't have to witness the end, so that I can still believe she’ll come back.” She hadn’t voiced these hopes to anyone else, and it felt good to get them off her chest.

   “Hope’s a nice present to cling onto, and sometimes the only gift that the Doctor can give.” Clara pulled a face. “God, how morbid did I just sound? This isn’t exactly going the way I expected.”

   “What did you think was going to happen?” Yaz asked curiously. 

   “Well, for starters, I wanted to keep that smile on your face, but now I’ve made you constantly look back on the Doctor. No wonder you look sad. People will start to think that I’m rubbish company, and that’s the sort of reputation I won’t be able to survive with.”

   “Nah, you’ve been…exactly what I needed, Clara. Thank you.”

   “Does that mean we get to do this again?” Clara sounded incredibly eager. “I’ve still got a lot of running left in me, and I get the sense that you do too. There are plenty of places left to explore…all you have to do is ask…”

   Yaz’s smile fell. There was that guilt again, chipping away at her spirit. There was a part of her that wanted to say yes. A surprisingly large part, which wanted to see what could happen and where this could lead. Clara was still a bit of a mystery that Yaz wanted to find out more about, and a person who she’d already discovered she could talk to with relative ease. And yet there was a section of her psyche that refused to overlook the glaringly obvious. It was too soon.

   “I’m sorry,” she said in a small voice.

   Clara smiled despite the response. “Was it the milkshakes? I knew I should have gone with something safer.”

   “This has been brilliant…and I really needed it. But…I’ve only just lost the Doctor…and this feels like I’m trying to replace her almost immediately. I think I need more time before I can move on so blatantly.”

   “I get the feeling. It’s why my attempts at getting a companion have always failed, because they can never match up to the Doctor. But Yasmin Khan…” Clara sighed heavily and wistfully. “...you would have done a very good job.”

   “So would you, Clara Oswald. This isn’t goodbye though, is it?” Yaz was suddenly very worried about the choice she was making. “You don’t have to be a stranger. You can always drop by and whisk me away, as long as I’m not holding the shopping like last time.”

   “I normally would say that I’ve done my best to steer clear of Earth. But you might just be reason enough to pop by…every now and then.”

   “Good,” Yaz said with a grin. “I’m glad. What happens now? You’re not going to leave me here because I rejected you, right?”

   “I could, couldn’t I? Because I haven’t put myself out there in a while, and you did just turn me down…”

   “I hope you’re doing that thing where you like to joke around and mess with me.”

   Clara slowly stood up, taking in the music that was still playing. “I’m not ready to say goodbye just yet. What about you?”

   “I’m not in any rush,” Yaz quickly said.

   “There’s music in the air…we’re all alone up here…and I’m accompanied by a gorgeous woman. I think the only logical thing to do is to offer her a dance.”

   She reached out a hand, which Yaz took without hesitation. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Chapter Text

“Did you ask her to join the group?”

   Another companion meeting, and another set of questions that Yaz had to field. When a lull in conversation had eventually come, the group content to sit for a few moments in shared quiet, she’d taken it upon herself to mention the small fact that she’d recently taken an unexpected trip to space. That had understandably prompted a deluge of pointed queries as to how she’d managed that, whether anyone else was going to get a go, and whether she was cheating on them with another companion. After ten minutes of intense interrogation, Yaz was starting to wonder whether it would have been best to keep her mouth shut.

   “She actually sounded pretty insulted that she never got an invite in the first place,” she answered Graham, who was leaning forward in curiosity. 

   “So she’s going to pop round? At this rate, I’m going to have to make more sarnies with how many friends of the Doctor we keep stumbling across.”

   Yaz smiled softly as she gently rubbed the sleeve of her jumper, more out of memory of what she’d experienced with Clara. She thought back to the unbridled chaos of the Tardis in flight, which shouldn’t have been as reassuring a sensation as it was. She pictured the alien stalls and the myriad of cultures she’d been given a snapshot of. And she fondly remembered dancing with the other woman for longer than either of them had anticipated, making it strangely difficult to say goodbye, even if she’d been the one to make that decision. It was the second time in quick succession that she’d been forced to watch a Tardis disappear as she walked away. It hadn’t gotten any easier.

   “I think Clara’s the sort of person who’ll make up her own mind whether she wants to say hello. Based on what I’ve seen, she’ll probably crash land the Tardis in here by mistake.”

   “She better not!” Graham protested. “Any damage to this place and we’re going to be hit by a massive fine! I’m on a bus driver’s pension…I can’t afford that sort of deposit.”

   “I’m sure UNIT would be able to cover the costs if anything went wrong,” Jo suggested.

   Kate was quick to shake her head. “I’ll remind you that we’re still in the process of dealing with one building being destroyed. Let’s keep it that way.”

   Mel chuckled, before turning her attention back to Yaz. “What was it like then? Akhaten? Is that what you called it? I’m sure I’ve come across it before…though Glitz took me to so many places that they practically blend into one at times.”

   “It was…chaotic,” Yaz replied honestly. “Like a busy bazaar, but completely full with giant creatures that just grunt at you if you get in their way. After being back on Earth for a while now, it was almost like a slap in the face, everything the universe has to offer being chucked at me. But…saying that…it was also completely magical.”

   She grinned again, picturing the dance for a second time within a few minutes. In truth, it was a moment that had barely left her mind since she’d returned home, besides during her return home when she’d had to explain what had happened to all of the shopping. The memory of the date (she couldn’t deny that that was exactly what it had been) was powerful enough to always bring a smile to her lips, regardless of how there was still an overwhelming sense of pain in her chest. The twinkling lights of the balcony, bathing them in a warm glow as they’d been cut off from the rest of the settlement. The soft music with lyrics that didn't make sense, and yet had suited the situation perfectly. Clara’s face close to hers whilst they held one another, so tempting and yet separated by a mental barrier that Yaz couldn’t quite cross.

   When she heard someone chuckling, she was forced to shake herself out of the reverie. Ryan was smirking, which was never a good sign, and Yaz narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion. It was the sort of look that made most people cower in fright, a look that Yaz had been trained to make by the Doctor for whenever they had to stare down Daleks or Cybermen, the darkest creatures of the universe. It was a look that was completely useless against her friend, who only seemed to get more enjoyment out of her disapproval.

   “What?” Yaz growled. “What’s so funny?”

   “I don’t think the setting had anything to do with how magical it was,” he answered easily. “Judging by the wistful look on your face when you were talking.”

   “What are you trying to imply?”

   He held up his hands. “Hey, I’m just glad that you were able to do this. In the long run, it’s going to be good for you. You already seem more…open…and happy.”

   She was surprised by the sudden left turn into sincerity. “...I didn't realise that I was being so miserable beforehand.”

   Ryan rolled his eyes. “You know that’s not what I’m saying. Losing someone like the Doctor…losing someone you care about…I understand how difficult that is, especially straight after it happens. You won’t realise that you’ve already made a lot of progress, but we can all see it clear as day.”

   “Hear, hear!” Graham agreed, lifting up a mug of tea in a sort of toast.

   Yaz bowed her head bashfully. “Thank you, guys.”

   She should have been wary of Ryan’s growing smirk even before he opened his mouth. “I could have guessed that all it’d take to make you feel more like yourself again was a pretty girl smiling at you.”

   The moment was nice while it lasted, but Yaz was straight back to glaring at her friend. “You just had to ruin it, didn't you? You don’t even know what she looks like!”

   “Have you seen how much you’ve been smiling? She was definitely attractive. Am I right?”

   “I’m not going to give you the satisfaction of answering that question,” which was a response that gave them all the answers they needed to know.

   “If she shows her face again and you don’t make a move, will you give me her number?”

   “ Definitely not.” Yaz didn't even need to think about it. Maybe she sounded a bit territorial. She didn't care.

   “I’m proud of you, Sheffield,” Dan remarked, seated on the opposite side of the circle to her. 

   “Can we not turn this into a therapy session for me, please?”

   “I thought that was the point of the group?” Tegan commented. “We’re all a therapist’s dream with what we’ve been through.”

   “I just wish that I could have had someone crash into my backyard and take me on an adventure,” Ace grumbled. “I’d rather that than the mounting pile of paperwork that’s on my desk in the office.”

   “You wouldn’t have to do any of that at UNIT,” Kate reminded her. “How many times do I have to offer you a job before you see the benefits?”
  “Don’t listen to her,” Martha warned. “I was only there for a short while and I’ve never had to fill out so many forms in my life. And I was a doctor!”

   “You’re definitely not going to be a part of our advertising campaign going forward.”

   “Just show them this group and anyone would run away out of fear,” Tegan joked. “At least we’ve found one another, otherwise I’d think I was alone in being insane.”

   “Speak for yourself,” Dan complained. “I got out of there whilst I could, which is probably the most sensible thing I’ve done for a number of years. I’ve got another date lined up with Di later this week, I’ve been able to put a deposit down on a new house thanks to a charitable donation from someone called Joan Smith…” He raised his eyebrows at that, wondering when the Doctor had taken his bank details and where she’d gotten the funds from. “...for once, I can say that my life is returning to a semblance of norma…”

   It was at that moment, as if the universe wanted to make him look like a complete fool, when he completely vanished from sight. He was taken in a blue haze, interrupted mid-sentence, leaving nothing but his now empty chair in his place. If that hadn’t been cause for concern for the rest of them, Tegan and Ace, who had seemingly been unfortunate enough to be sitting next to him, suffered the same strange fate. They were only able to send quick, worried glances at their fellow group members before they too faded away, taken in a flash of light.

   Perhaps disorientated from the burst of dazzling energy, it took the others a few seconds to process what had happened. They sat there in stunned silence, almost expecting them to return immediately. No such luck, which prompted Kate to stand up, holding out a small device as she scanned the seats they’d been using. Yaz was out of her chair, pacing around, and the air was quickly filled with everyone chipping in with their own thoughts and hypotheses. Graham was holding his chair up like a weapon, as if they were going to have to fight their way out of this situation whilst they were picked off one by one by this unknown force.

   “Are we under attack?” he asked urgently, though he doubted anyone could give him the answers he was looking for. “I knew it was a bad idea to put all of the Doc’s friends in one place. That’s an ideal target for her enemies, like an open buffet.”

   “Stay calm!” Yaz instructed him wearily, not needing his panicking right now. “I’m sure they’re okay. Right?” She looked at the UNIT Director hopefully.

   Kate’s expression was grave. “I’m picking up massive energy residuals from where they were taken.”

   “Taken?” Jo picked up on the specific terminology.

   “It’s all the hallmarks of a localised teleport. Whoever was on the other end of it didn't even bother to disguise it…which probably means that they don’t see us as a threat. I can’t determine whether that’s a good or bad thing at the moment.”

   “Alien technology certainly has improved since my day,” Ian said, still clutching his plate of finger sandwiches, though they’d rightfully been left untouched since the incident.

   “Are we sure it’s alien?” Martha asked. “Or…at least…an alien behind it? I mean, there are plenty of people on the planet who could have access to a teleportation device. It’s always the wrong hands holding the wrong thing.”

   “But why just those three?” Yaz was completely baffled. “I’m no expert…but surely something as precise as that must have been a targeted choice, yeah? Like…they wanted Dan, Tegan and Ace specifically. Why?”

   “That’s normally the question that comes later,” Kate told her. “The first priority is to figure out where they’ve been taken. Let’s hope we can track the heat signature that’s still lingering so we can locate them.”

   Ian pointed a shaky hand up to the ceiling. “I’m guessing they’ve been taken up there, haven’t they? That’s always the case.”

   “That’s the likely scenario. Fingers crossed that they’ve at least been taken somewhere they can breathe.”

   “I didn't need the alternative in my head, Kate,” Yaz replied, biting at her nails. She’d grown so close to Dan over the past year that she couldn’t bear the thought of losing him in some random act of fate. “Thanks for that.”

   Graham put an arm around her. “Don’t worry, Yaz. They’ll come back. We’ll sort this out. They have to come back…mainly because Dan still owes me twenty quid for the drinks.”

   She was so unbelievably close to hitting him, which was why he smartly made the choice to walk away, before they had to deal with a fourth suspicious disappearance.

**********

   Dan stumbled slightly when he felt a solid floor underneath him again, though he refused to open his eyes before he knew for sure that his body was settled from the disorientating experience. He’d been teleported once before, displaced by the Flux through time, so he understood the effects that he was going through. That mindset, in itself, should have been cause for concern, the fact that he was so used to going through such an impossible feat. The only reason why he eventually made himself look at where he’d been taken was because of the heavily accented gasp to his right hand side, the Australian twang coming as much of a shock as the apparent teleportation.

   “What the hell is going on here?!”

   “I could ask the same question?” Another voice entered the fray, one that was strangely familiar. One that shouldn’t have been there. “Who are you and what are you doing on my ship?”

   Dan wanted to stay out of the way for as long as possible but could tell that tensions were beginning to rise remarkably quickly. For once, it was down to him to inject some reason into the situation, which was pretty difficult when he discovered that he was onboard Karvanista’s ship, a location he had successfully gotten away from in the past and hadn’t expected to see again so soon. The gigantic dog had his furry arms on his equally furry hips, glaring at Tegan’s comparatively diminutive form. Ace was standing to one side, wielding her bat, poised to strike at any moment. Dan was wary of how Karvanista’s paws were itching towards his blaster.

   “You’re the one who put us here in the first place!” Tegan argued, refusing to back down, no matter how large her opponent was.

   Dan was rather enjoying the spectacle, getting to see someone stand up to the alien hound, until he was dragged into the conversation by Karvanista pointing at him. “I didn't want you! I wanted him!”

   “Me?” he asked in bewildered fashion. “Why’s that? You’ve actively pushed me away since I’ve known you. What’s changed?”

   “You know this… thing ?” Ace wondered.

   “ Thing ?!” Karvanista roared. “I’m of half a mind to throw you out of the airlock with that attitude.”

   “I’d like to see you try. What if I pretend to throw a tennis ball? Will you chase after it and not come back? Perhaps a big stick? You’d like that, I reckon!”

   “Do you want to find out just how much I’m more bite than bark?”

   “Can we go five seconds without threatening to attack one another?” Dan pleaded.

   “Dan, I’m talking to a giant walking, talking dog who’s currently flying a spaceship .” Tegan had her hands on her hips. “I think you need to do some explaining before I agree to calm down.”

   It was probably as good as he was going to get. “Karvanista is a…friend of the Doctor’s…and me, even if he won’t admit it.” He paused, waiting for an agreement but the creature just sniffed grumpily. “He helped us out a great deal when we saved the universe from the Flux, and then we sent him on his way with some other friends…who I thought might be here but I’m guessing they’re out.”

   “Do you trust him?” Ace was still ready to swing her bat at any sign of movement. 

   Dan smirked. “I’d say so, yeah. Mainly because it’d annoy him.”

   “You haven’t changed,” Karvanista complained. “You big idiot.”

   “It’s good to see you too.”

   “It’s all well and good you two getting pally, but that’s still not an explanation as to why we’re here,” Tegan pointed out. “I was about to put the kettle on! Graham’s going to have eaten all the biscuits by now, if they’re not going insane with worry about what’s happened to us.”

   “I’m sure he’d still find the time to eat,” Ace added, having experience with just how frequently the man in question liked to talk about food.

   Dan turned to their supposed captor. “They’re right. Why are we here? How did you get us here in the first place?”

   “Teleport,” Karvanista answered as if it were simple. “We’re species bonded, so my ship was able to pick up your unique signature and lock on, bringing you here.”

   “Hold on…if you’re able to do that, then why did you bash down my back door last year? Why did you shrink my house? If it was that easy?!”

   “The Flux had already played havoc with the onboard computer, which meant some of the systems were offline. And also…I wanted to cause a bit of damage to…you know…take out my frustrations with having to look after someone as inept as you.”

   “Okay…” Tegan sighed, feeling a migraine coming on. She pinched the sides of her head in discomfort, fighting back the nausea that came with their mode of transportation. “That accounts for how you brought Dan to your ship. But us? What did we do? We don’t know you.”

   “And you don’t know us,” Ace said. “Judging from the unruly reception we got.”

   “You were threatening him with a bat,” Dan reminded her, which didn't seem to be helping lower the tension.

   Karvanista looked sheepish, which was difficult for a dog to do. “Well…the thing is…I was hoping to bring the Doctor and Yaz with him, who are much more useful assets. The ship was able to pinpoint his location and determined that there were two females right next to him. I just presumed that it’d be them, not whoever you are.”

   Dan dragged a hand over his face. “You can’t be serious!”

   “It was a logical decision!”

   “I don’t spend all my time with the same two people! You’re just lucky that you accidentally picked up people who have been to space before, otherwise this would have been even messier.”

   “Take us back,” Tegan instructed. “You don’t want us. You don’t need us. I want to go home.”

   “There’s no time,” Karvanista replied, looking at a monitor on the wall nervously. “Trust me, if I could get rid of you, I would.”

   Dan stepped forward, picking up on his odd demeanour. “Why did you need our help? The Doctor and Yaz? Why did you want them here?”

   “It’s Bel and Vinder…there’s a reason why they’re not here…they’ve been taken and I didn't know who else to turn to. I can’t believe that I’m saying this but…I need your help.”

Chapter Text

The four of them were crouched behind a particularly large rock, nudging each other every so often whenever they grew concerned that they were exposed. With the large frame of Karvanista, Dan was sure that they must have been spotted by now but, so far, they hadn’t been shot at, which was always a positive. The landscape was barren and rusty, like the typical depictions of Mars you got on the television. Their oversized canine companion was quick to tell them that they were lucky they weren’t on Mars, because the locals tended to shoot first before asking any questions. Dan couldn’t tell whether he was joking.

   “At least the air’s breathable,” he commented as they scoped out the scene ahead of them.

   There wasn’t much to look at. It was like a red desert, though the sand underfoot was rough and sharp, meaning they kept trying to avoid supporting themselves with their hands as they continued to hide. There was a large cliff face up ahead, which seemed to have an opening carved in the middle of it. Karvanista appeared to be focused on the cave, so they followed his line of sight, constantly expecting something to happen. Since landing his ship some distance away and making the majority of the journey on foot, the escapade had been surprisingly boring.

   “It’s a good job,” Karvanista replied, his nose twitching as he smelt the air. “Because I forgot to check before we went outside.”

   Ace’s eyes went wide. “You what? !”

   “How could you not remember something as important as that?” Tegan cried.

   “It’s not as if I have to worry about having humans as companions very often!” the dog defended himself. “I’m getting used to it. It slipped my mind. I had every faith that the atmosphere was tolerable.”

   “And if it hadn’t been?” Dan wondered, frowning at his unorthodox friend. 

   “Let’s not get bogged down by hypotheticals when we have other things to worry about.”

   “You’re going to get us killed,” Tegan complained. “I just know it. I shouldn’t have agreed to do this. I should have made you take us back right away.”

   “I’m not putting the others at risk just to accommodate you,” Karvanista growled, reminding Dan of how his ‘people skills’ definitely still needed work. “We’re here now, so stop whining.”

   It was apparently not the right thing to say, with Tegan looking thunderous at the alien. “I beg your pardon?” She glanced at Ace, who grimaced at the way things were quickly falling apart. “Did he just say what I think he said?”

   “Maybe he misspoke?” her friend offered meekly. Ace reached out to pat the other woman on the shoulder. “Come on…there’s more important things to focus on, such as saving his friends. That’s why he’s so grumpy. He’s on edge, worried about their safety. It’s quite sweet when you think about it.”

   “I’d just like to add that he’s always this grumpy,” Dan interjected, not letting the opportunity pass him by. 

   Karvanista rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe this is what I got instead of the Doctor.”

   “You should have thought about that before you randomly teleported me out of our meeting. You could have sent a message beforehand to ask.”

   “There wasn’t any time for that. I was taking drastic action.”

   “A text? You didn't have time for a text?”

   “How was I supposed to know that you’ve managed to lose the Doctor in the short space of time since I last saw you? That’s your fault!”

   “Hey, it was my decision to leave the Tardis.”

   “Then you’re an even bigger idiot than I first thought, and that’s saying something.”

   “Listen, mate…the Doctor’s a bit of a sore subject at the moment. You’re lucky Yaz isn’t here right now, or she’d be having some choice words for you for the way you’re talking about our friend.”

   “I wish she was here. From what I saw, she was highly dependable and much better suited to a situation like this.”

   Tegan bristled once again. “I’ll have you know that we’ve been playing this game for a lot longer than Yaz!”

   “Yeah!” Ace agreed. “You should be considering yourself fortunate that you accidentally picked us up.”

   Karvanista seemed doubtful about that. “I wouldn’t think so judging from the headache I’m getting from listening to your increasingly shrill voices.”

   Tegan gasped. “I’m going to hit him. I don’t care if he’s twice the size of me, I’m going to hit him. Call the RSPCA, see if I’m bothered.”

   Dan was on hand to prevent a fight from breaking out, gently holding the Australian back just as she was about to swing at their ride home. He could have laughed at the mismatch, particularly with the way Karvanista appeared slightly concerned about what Tegan could do, as if he was quickly realising that he couldn’t insult them as easily as he did with Dan and get away with it. 

   Tegan glared at him angrily. “You better not be taking his side. Do you think I’m shrill? Because I’ll make sure that you stay here with him. I’ll be able to figure out how to sly his damned ship.”

   Ace raised a hand. “Does that mean that I get to go back with you?”

   “Don’t push your luck just yet.”  

   “Look,” Dan calmly said, not used to being the mediator in any sort of situation. He was used to the Doctor taking on that role, who was much more qualified for the position. “If we start scrapping, we’re going to kick up a fuss and inform the locals that we’re here. Even I know that that’s not a good idea when we don’t even have a plan.”

   “What locals though? There’s nobody here! We walked for literal miles across this godforsaken wasteland, and we came across no one !”

   “They mainly live underground, that’s why,” Karvanista explained. “From what I’ve been able to deduce, anyway. It’s not a planet that I’ve visited before. I don’t even know what its name is. When we first arrived here, we didn't even have any inkling that there was a native species.”

   Tegan folded her arms, which was some feat when she was still crouching in an awkward position. “If you had no clue about this place, who had the brilliant idea to come here?”

   “It wasn’t an active decision. We sort of…crash landed. Bel…she’s heavily pregnant at the moment.”

   Ace sucked in a heavy breath. “Why didn't you say so? If I’d known that, I wouldn’t have wasted this much time chatting! What are we doing, hiding?”

   “Just let him talk,” Dan said impatiently. “Bel? Is she alright? Nothing’s gone wrong, has it?”

   “Besides the usual growing pains. She wanted to have a turn at flying the ship but that infernal baby must have kicked at the wrong time because, the next thing we knew, we were heading downwards towards this place. Bel was fine after that, ironically enough. Until the wildlife appeared from that cave over there and captured them.”

   “Could you not fight back?” Dan asked.

   “I wasn’t risking having a wild shot accidentally hit Bel and her kid.”

   “It’s at least nice to know that you’ve grown something resembling a heart over the past year.”

   “Shut up.”

   “I’m guessing that that’s why you called in the Doctor. Your usual plan would be to just storm in there and take out everyone in your path.”

   “But a battle results in casualties and, as much as they might annoy me, I don’t want to lose anyone else. I’ve already had to go through watching my entire race die recently. Losing my family straight after would be too much to bear.”

   Dan smiled sympathetically at him. “I didn't know that you’d grown that close to them.”

   “I tried to kick them out shortly after we left you following the Flux, but they managed to stick around.”

   “I might be slowly warming to you,” Tegan admitted. “You should have shown this side to you from the very beginning.”

   “He’s got a reputation to uphold,” Dan remarked. 

   “The locals aren’t the sort to listen to reason from the little experience I’ve had,” Karvanista said, ignoring the man’s comments. “I don’t know what we’re going to do to get inside. Can’t blow it up. Can’t go in all guns blazing, especially because we don’t know how many of them are living there. There could be a whole army.”

   “Why were they so interested in Bel and Vinder?” Ace asked.

   Dan frowned. “And how did they get captured but you managed to escape?”

   “That’s the thing,” Karvanista began with a grimace, “I obviously didn't make an appetising meal in their eyes. I doubt they wanted to get through so much fur…”

   “You don’t mean…”

   “They’re going to eat them?” Ace finished.

   “If they haven’t already.” Karvanista nervously poked his head over the rock again, trying to sense whether they were still alive.

   Tegan was messing with her shoulder for some reason, but was smirking all the same. “Then it’s a good job that I’ve got a trick or two up my sleeve that I think could work.”

**********

   The proximity alarm went off, alerting the creatures to something getting too close for comfort. In a scramble, the residents left what they were doing to investigate. They were an ugly species, not that they knew anything else to compare their looks with. They resembled an oversized bug, walking on two legs, their faces almost humanoid besides the pincers that formed around their mouths. The appendages were the same colour as their skin, a pale blue that contrasted poorly against the red landscape. They didn't bother to wear clothes because they very rarely got visitors. It seemed that their day was going to be a fortunate one, with two sets of travellers coming to their door.

   It would make the evening feast one to remember.

   When they clambered towards the entrance, their bulging black eyes narrowed to accommodate the harsh brightness of the outside world. They were much better suited to the gloom of their underground burrow, a network of tunnels and constructs made out of the planet’s natural clay. It meant that, when they were greeted with the sight of the intruders, they were initially unsure as to whether they were seeing things, the twin suns distorting their vision and creating some sort of strange hallucination.

   There were two men there, both fairly old. They looked human, just like the captives they’d already claimed. Quite unattractive, but that was coming from the perspective of the strange bugs, whose tastes were obviously skewed. One of them was wearing a cricketer’s uniform (not that the natives knew that was what it was), with a stick of celery attached to the lapel. The other, the shorter of the two, wore a collection of question marks, complete with an unnecessary umbrella. It didn't rain on this planet, though he’d always keep it with him just to remain as fashionable as ever.

   When they’d been instructed as to what was expected of them, the two Doctors hadn’t been particularly pleased. After all, when the holograms had been created, they’d been intended as a helping hand for their former companions, a form of comfort to show that the love they held for them was still there. There had been nothing written in the handbook that claimed they would be willing to act as an enticing bait, a distraction whilst the others snuck in around the back. They’d complained, naturally, but they’d never once won an argument against Tegan, and that trend had continued without any chance of changing.

   Seven took off his hat and bowed in greeting. “Why hello there! We were just passing through and wanted to ask if you had any sugar.”

   “That’s the best you could come up with?” Five wondered in disbelief.

   “It’s not as if I’ve had a lot of time to prepare this routine.”

   “You’re an amalgamation of centuries of experiences and knowledge, and yet your improvisation skills are shoddy at best.”

   “I don’t see you coming up with anything better.”

   “Well, do you happen to know the native language?”

   One of the creatures spoke in a combination of clicks and grunts, prompting Seven to gesture pointedly with his hand. “I’m going to play safe and say no.”

   “Then what’s the point of all this?”

   “To give the others plenty of time to find their friends. Weren’t you listening?”

   “Do you think it’s working? They don’t seem very interested in us.”

   Seven bit his lip, noticing the way some of the crowd were beginning to edge slightly closer to them. He edged backwards cautiously, making sure not to bump into anything, in case his hologram flickered as a result and ruined the illusion. Sure, he was putting a bit of distance between him and his counterpart so the hungry locals went for him first, but he’d always been the most calculating out of his regenerations.

   “Actually…I think they might be a little bit too interested in us, if you know what I mean.”

   Five’s face paled considerably, which was testament to the quality of his graphics card. He was sure that he caught one of the creatures licking its twisted lips, with a tongue that was forked and, from the brief glimpse he was granted, seemed to have jagged edges. Even when you had the security of knowing that you were a hologram, it was still easy to forget that you were no longer real , meaning that the fear he was now feeling was genuine. 

   “They’re going to eat us, aren’t they?” he said quietly.

   Seven pulled a face. “That was sort of the idea.”

   “How quick are you at running?”

   “It’s been several decades since I had to, so it’s going to be interesting to find out.”

   “Even longer for me.”

   “At least we know you’ll make a tasty snack for them.”

   “I’m barely enough to be shared around! It’s not worth their time.”

   “They’re basically sharpening their knives and forks just looking at us. And I’m much smaller than you. They’ll go for you first as a result.”

   “I never liked you, I hope you know that.”

   “The feeling’s mutual.”

   “Race you?”

   “Gosh, I’ve missed the running. You’re on.”

   The pair of them set off, the cries of the natives signalling that they were being followed. The more shouts they heard, the happier they became as they realised this absurd plan was actually working. They just didn't want to consider how angry their pursuers were going to be when they discovered that their prey were nothing more than highly detailed figments of artificial intelligence that were far too advanced to be simple bait. The running was fun though, they had to admit.

**********

   Vinder’s head snapped up when he heard footsteps approaching. He was fully prepared to defend himself and subconsciously reached for his holster, before promptly remembering that his gun had been taken off him as soon as they’d been dragged inside. His hands reached through the bars of their cage, a surprisingly advanced jail that was frustratingly difficult to break out of, and he tried to make out the figure that was lurking in the shadows. He could sense Bel attempting to get to her feet, which was made difficult by her increased size, and gently helped her up.

   “Listen,” he called out to the darkness. “Let’s make a bargain. You can have me! You can tie me up and roast me over a spit. But let her go! Surely even you understand what it’s like to have a child. You must know what sort of pain it is to potentially lose them. So let her go, and feast on me instead.”   

   Bel hit him on the arm. “What are you doing?” she hissed.

   “Trying to save your life! And our child’s!”

   “Look, mate,” a recognisable voice echoed from in front of them. “I’m a vegetarian so I’ve got no interest in eating any of you. Although I don’t know what sort of diet the big lad here has…”

   Their eyes went wide when Dan stepped forward, jogging from his hiding spot. Vinder laughed, a carefree sound that hadn’t been possible to make since their captor. “Dan? What? What are you doing here? How are you here?”

   “You can thank me for that,” Karvanista answered as he hurriedly approached, Tegan and Ace following once they knew the coast was clear. “I called in some back-up to help us out of this latest mess.”

   “Is the Doctor with you?” Bel asked.

   Dan grumbled under his breath. “Am I not enough? I brought some other friends though.”

   Ace waved awkwardly. “Hiya! Lovely to meet you, even if I’m sure you’d prefer it to come under different circumstances.”

   “Being friends with the Doctor, you should be used to being locked up by now though,” Tegan remarked with a grin. “It’s quite a pickle you’ve gotten yourselves in.”

   “Yeah, and we’d like to get out of that pickle,” Vinder replied. “...if that even makes sense.”

   Karvanista grunted and, after a few heavy pants, ripped two of the bars from their hinges, creating enough of a gap for the two prisoners to squeeze through. Bel’s larger frame meant it was more of a tight fit, but she was able to do it with the guiding hands of the two other women. The first thing she did once she was out was hug the giant dog, wrapping him in a tight embrace that he pretended to not appreciate.

   “I knew you wouldn’t leave us behind,” she said softly.

   “Did you doubt it?” Karvanista asked pointedly.

   “We may have had the debate,” Vinder admitted. “But only a short one.”

   “Perhaps we can have a proper reunion once we’re properly out of here,” Tegan suggested, repeatedly looking over her shoulder.

   “Where is everyone? How did you get inside?”

   “We had a couple of distractions that we deployed. Trust me, if we can rely on anyone to talk, it’s those two idiots.”

   “But the locals could get bored at any minute,” Ace reminded them. “So it’s probably best if we get out of here sharpish. If we face any trouble, I can give them a good whack with the bat, but it might not be enough.”

   “It’s a good thing that I thought ahead,” Karvanista said, holding up his arm and pressing a small button on his armour. In the distance, what sounded like a car horn blared loudly. “Automatic recall of the ship. It worked when Bel chose to steal one of our fleet, so it should mean that it’s parked right outside.”

   It was one of the few times Tegan had genuinely smiled since being abducted, which was probably a natural response. “Thank god. Because I didn't even want to think of walking all that way. And I’m sure that we’ve got plenty of people worrying about us back home. I think I’ll leave the explaining to you as to what happened.”

   “Or I could drop you off and leave the hellsite that is Earth alone?”

   Dan smirked, patting the alien dog on the arm. “I don’t think you’re going to have any say in it. The companion group is going to love you though! And you’ve given me a story to impress everyone with. I knew there was a reason why I like you.”

   “The feeling’s not mutual.”

Chapter Text

Everyone was on edge, which was perfectly understandable when they’d watched a few of their friends disappear right before their very eyes. Even in their line of expertise, it wasn’t that common an experience. Graham, of course, had been on the receiving end of such a phenomenon before, when an old friend of the Doctor had scooped him up just as he’d been about to grab a slice of horrendously-designed cake. He was left hoping that this was another case of mistaken teleportation, but what were the chances of that happening twice? Maybe the process was more random than he’d been led to believe by old science fiction shows from the seventies.

   The only positive aspect about their predicament was that, as a group, they were all people who could deal with this sort of thing. The average Joe would have been left flummoxed by losing someone in a flash of light, but they’d been taught to anticipate the universe throwing an occasional curveball. Kate had taken charge swiftly, falling into her role as Director of UNIT, hoping to use the few resources they had left to track the energy signal of the source. Martha, having once been a member of the same organisation, looked perfectly at ease in attempting to find a solution to their latest problem. Graham could sense that there was a part of Yaz that felt she should have been towards the top of the hierarchy, having been the Doctor’s most recent companion, but there was also an element of the young woman that was simply enjoying the opportunity to learn from the professionals.

   Enjoying the opportunity besides the fact that it involved her close friend being taken from her.

   He hadn’t experienced this a lot during his life, but Graham found himself feeling strangely jealous of her reaction. He was envious whenever someone beat him in a queue to the last slice of dessert. He was slightly bitter whenever someone had an extremely expensive vase that had been collecting dust in their attic, not knowing how much it was valued at before appearing on Flog It . But that was pretty much how far it went usually. Until now, watching Yaz get all worked up over a man that Graham barely knew. It was silly and he knew it wasn’t a competition. Yet he’d been there at the start of their adventures, only to miss out on the end. Yaz had grown to care about Dan just as much as she seemed to care about him. Surely, as the original, he deserved a fraction more affection.

   Perhaps, if he got himself kidnapped by some unknown alien, he’d get to witness how that was truly the case.

   With everyone playing their part in trying to bring the missing trio back, Graham had been given the most mundane duty, which hadn’t improved his mood. Instead of getting to witness whatever technology Kate had up her sleeve, he was put in charge of keeping an eye on the hall. There was every possibility that the three of them would be returned to their previous location, and it was his job to inform the others if that were to happen. Or if anything else went missing. There was an element of danger, of course. The potential attacker could seek out another target and he’d invariably be right in the firing line. That’s what Yaz had said, anyway, to quell his grumblings about being nothing more than a lookout. 

   He’d travelled the world since leaving the Tardis. Roaming through rainforests and busy bazaars, running around council estates and climbing into volcanoes. He was made of sterner stuff than he felt people gave him credit for. Yaz had evidently forgotten what he was capable of, probably too busy looking at Dan with a starry-eyed expression to remember what Graham had accomplished during their travels. Because of his age, was he viewed as a liability? Was he seen as someone who couldn’t keep up with the young ‘uns? It would be him and Ian, wrapped up in their blankets, cheering from the sidelines. Cheering whilst Yaz celebrated saving the world, hugging her new best mate, Dan .

   If he were to be returned to the exact same spot, he would go through a bit of discomfort because Graham had moved his chair. Out of spite more than anything.

   After a while of little change (by which he meant absolutely none), Graham realised that he’d drunk too many plastic cups of the orange squash provided for their meeting. Desperate for the toilet, he reasoned that the hall would still be intact if he left it for a few minutes. So off he popped, to the little boy’s room, getting slightly distracted by the new-age hand-dryers that were in use. It seemed to be as much excitement as he was going to get that day, which shouldn’t have been the case when they were following up a kidnapping. 

   By the time he returned, however, he was surprised to find that something had changed after all. The room was no longer empty. A man stood innocently by the buffet table, helping himself to the sandwiches that Graham had personally slaved over. Judging by the number of used napkins he was holding, the man had already gone through his fair share of the food on show, and he was now eyeing up the canteen of hot tea that had been forgotten in the group’s haste to save their fellow members. From what Graham could tell, the man was of a similar age to him, with greying hair and a slightly round nose. In truth, they also shared a similar physique and fashion sense, making Graham wonder whether Yaz had replaced him with yet another updated version of himself.

   “Um, hello, mate,” he said to announce himself, before his loitering at the door became too weird. “That stuff’s for group members only. Unless you want to chip in a charitable donation.”

   The man jumped at the sound of his voice, turning around to smile nervously at Graham. “Ah, sorry! Nobody was here so I thought I was early. I was going to sit patiently but then I spotted those little sausage rolls from Marks and Spencers, and I couldn’t resist the temptation.”

   “Early? Early for what?”

   “Is this not the place? I made sure to check the email multiple times, just to be sure.”

   “Email?” He didn't remember sending one out but he wasn’t really in charge of the technical side of things.

   “I was surprised when it appeared in my inbox, but it looked fairly legitimate as an invite. And anything involving the Doctor is obviously going to pique my interest.”

   Things were slowly starting to click into place for Graham. “You know the Doctor?”

   The man’s eyes lit up happily. “So I do have the right place! This is the companion group, right? Friends of the Doctor meeting up for a chat? It sounded rather appealing from the minimal information I was given.”

   Graham stretched out his hand. “Graham O’Brien. I travelled with the Doc for quite a while. I wasn’t expecting any new recruits to be showing up today. It’s been quite a hectic time, to be honest.”

   “Is that why no one else is here?”

   “They’re currently dealing with an…issue.”

   “Do I only get to know the specifics once I’m a fully fledged member of the group?”

   “Maybe after I’ve gotten a name from you…”

   “Oh, of course!” The man hit himself lightly on the forehead. “Silly me. I tell you, I’m just too preoccupied by those sausage rolls. It’s Brian. Brian Williams. I travelled with the Doctor, but only once. It was my son who did that more often, along with his wife. You might know them…Rory and Amy?”

   Graham shook his head. “Can’t say that I do. The Doc’s befriended so many people over the years that it’s hard to keep track at times.”

   “It’s foolish really…one of the main reasons why I chose to come, other than mild curiosity, was the possibility of somehow seeing them again. Or hearing about their adventures, at least.”

   Graham leant against the table, now also eyeing up the baked goods since they’d been mentioned so much. “I think there’s an underlying story there…”

   “They got stuck in a different year, transported a century before they were born somehow. I never really wanted to know the specifics. They got to live with each other, which was what they only ever wanted. I just thought that this group might be able to connect me to them again after so long.”

   “Don’t you worry, mate. It isn’t just me here, thankfully for you. There are plenty of people involved in the group who I’m sure could shed more light on what they did with the Doc. And I bet you have plenty of stories to share yourself.”

   Brian waved a dismissive hand. “I’m not remotely as interesting as the people this group must contain. I’ve done a lot of travelling, all over the world. That seems to surprise people whenever I bring it up. I think they expect me to be the sort who spends all his time on the sofa in front of the television.”

   “You’re speaking my language, all that travelling. My grandson and I have been doing that lately. So many countries we’ve visited…it boggles the mind. I never thought it was possible before the Doc landed in our lives.”

   “Exactly the same thing happened to me! I was shown a completely new way of living life and I couldn’t let that slip away. I’ve seen all the major sights. The pyramids, Christ the Redeemer, the leaning Tower of Pisa, the Great Wall of China…”

   “Yaz said she went there…she’s one of the Doc’s closest friends…a bit more than that, if you catch my drift…I think she mentioned something about graffitiing it, but I don’t know whether she was joking.”

   “And she’s a part of this group?”

   “Can’t keep her away, even if she’d rather be travelling in the Tardis rather than swapping old stories.”

   “I’m an expert at swapping old stories.”

   “Then you’re going to fit right in. I reckon we’re going to get on like a house on fire. I’m glad you decided to show up.”

   “Even if my timing’s a bit off?”

   “Mate, I had to put up with the Doc for two years. Her timing was worse than anyone else’s.”

   Brian paused, his hand edging over towards another sandwich. “I’m pretty sure you just said the Doctor was a woman…”

   “You know, the number of times I’ve had to have this conversation now…”

   Graham was prevented from finishing his complaint when he noticed the cups of squash were shaking, the yellow liquid rippling ominously. It was like something taken straight out of Jurassic Park, and he was worried that he was destined to be more like the lawyer hiding in the toilet rather than Jeff Goldblum. The rumbling continued, coming from outside, seemingly from high above. It wasn’t enough to make the building shake entirely, but the plates closest to the edge of the table were dangerously close to dancing off. If there was one thing that Graham wasn’t going to allow to stand, it was wasted food, so he quickly instructed Brian to keep a close eye on the buffet.

   In the meantime, he raced over towards the window, accidentally tripping up on the chair he’d moved as a prank, which was the sort of cosmic karma that he wasn’t very fond of. The sun was still visible, which was reassuring. He’d almost expected it to be blocked from view by a gigantic ship, which would have been too much for him to deal with, just him and a new recruit. However, the ship that was clearly present, albeit much smaller than what he’d feared, was heading straight towards them. A part of him hoped that it was related to their friends’ disappearance, because he doubted the group could deal with two threats at once. Then again, one invasion was big enough of a problem when his plans for the day had solely involved taste-testing different butters to see which was perfect for the buffet sarnies. 

   This was exactly the sort of excitement that he’d been looking for, and he was excited to prove to the others that he wasn’t over the hill just yet. He was more than just a lookout.

   “What is that thing?” Brian asked, standing next to him.

   “I thought I told you to look after the scotch eggs!” Graham reminded him.

   “They’re in my coat pockets, nice and protected.”

   “Well…that, sir, is a spaceship.”

   “I gathered that much. I’m not an amateur. Do you know what type?”

   “...normally, I have other people to tell me that sort of thing. But remember that issue I said the others were dealing with? My spidey-senses are telling me this is somehow related.”

   “When I said I wanted specifics, this wasn’t what I had in mind.”

   “Come on. Only one way to find out what’s going on and that’s to meet it head on. And bring the pork pies too. Even aliens can’t resist those.”

Chapter Text

It was a good job that there was a grassy field just outside the community centre where they held their companion meetings, otherwise the ship probably would have been forced to land in the car park. With Graham’s motor left there, he was more than glad that the aliens seemed to have a bit of common sense. He doubted that his insurance would cover the complete destruction of his vehicle because an extraterrestrial spacecraft had managed to crush it. Really, with the way his life typically went, he should have had the forethought to stipulate that as a condition in the contract, no matter what sort of odd looks he received from the solicitor.

   He and Brian had emerged from the building in a mixture of trepidation and excitement. Sure enough, Graham’s new friend (was it too early to call him that? It just seemed that they were going to get on swimmingly) appeared rather giddy about the prospect of meeting another alien. He was prepared to rush out, evidently wanting to meet the ship where it landed. Graham was on hand to pull him back, knowing that they still had to keep their wits about them. It was quite nice, getting to be in charge for once. On too many occasions, he’d been forced to chase after an alien because everyone else seemed to have a death wish. Now, he could dictate the pace they went at. How much easier would their adventures have been if they’d just taken the time to hide for a bit longer?

   “Hold your horses, mate,” Graham murmured. “I appreciate the enthusiasm but we don’t know if these guys are friendly yet.”

   “That’s a good point actually,” Brian agreed, giving the other man an appreciative nudge. “No wonder you’re an old pro when it comes to this sort of thing.”

   “You know, it makes a nice change to be complimented, so thank you. Normally, I’m surrounded by much younger people who see me as the butt of their jokes. Particularly my grandson.”

   “And does he know about your dealings with aliens? Your grandson?”

   “Ryan? Oh definitely. He’s been right by my side from the very beginning. Besides now, of course. He went off with the others because he wanted to see how the professionals tackle an alien incursion. I think it’s only fair that he misses out after he left me behind.”

   “Thank goodness you were here though. Can you imagine what I would have been like if I’d been on my own, having to deal with a landing spaceship by myself? I probably would have hidden inside. With the amount of food on the buffet, I could have stayed in there for days if necessary.”

   Graham, crouching down in an awkward position that was starting to make his back ache painfully, slowly edged further away from the hall to get a better vantage point of the ship. With Brian obediently copying his every move, they settled on a spot right next to the bins, using the small gap in between the large waste containers to look at the potential invaders. The smell was particularly potent, and Graham didn't want to think about what other people were using the centre for. He was sure that he’d once spotted a vigorous zumba and fitness class in one of the larger rooms; from the odour of the bins, he reckoned they must have confined their sweaty yoga mats to the rubbish heap.

   “What sort of aliens have you dealt with in the past?” he asked his companion. “Just so I know what sort of expertise I’m working with here.”

   “Well…do you remember the invasion of the very small black cubes?”

   “I couldn’t drive the bus without going over a few every mile. And then they just disappeared. Thought nothing of it at the time. Was the Doc involved with that?”

   “Are you surprised?”

   “Not especially. It’s funny when I look back on strange things that have happened over the years, where I now know the Doc was probably responsible.”

   “He gave me the job of monitoring one of the specimens. I took the job very seriously. Probably more seriously than he intended, but I’m never someone to do something by half.”

   Graham risked another look at their target. No one had appeared just yet, though the ship still seemed to be going through the process of settling on the ground. It was going to leave quite an impression on the damp grass, and he doubted the guy he’d seen using the lawn mower a fortnight ago was going to be pleased when he discovered the mess. The craft itself was an odd thing to look at. Mainly silver with maroon stripes running either side and on the top, it was longer than it was wide, with curved edges flowing up and down. It reminded Graham a bit of a Chinese temple. He and Grace had planned a trip to Asia, long before the Doctor had crashed into their lives, and he could remember the colourful images that had dominated the many brochures his wife had happily shown him.

   “Is that it though?” he continued. “Cubes? You’re not filling me with confidence.”

   Brian puffed out his chest, not that Graham was looking, as if he was personally offended about not meeting the required standards. “What about dinosaurs?”

   “Dinosaurs? They ain’t aliens.”

   “What if they were on a spaceship?”

   “Now I’m listening…”

   “That was the first and only time I travelled in the Tardis. We ended up on what we thought was an abandoned ship, only for it to be overrun by prehistoric creatures! Can you imagine? It turned out that this species called…I think it was Smilurians…they’d taken the dinosaurs away from earth before the meteor hit. Obviously before. They wouldn’t have been much use afterwards. The only thing was that the Smilurians were killed by an invader who was looking for a tidy profit, but the Doctor soon put him in his place.”

   “I never got to meet the dinosaurs,” Graham complained sulkily. “I never thought of asking. I suppose it wouldn’t have been a great idea, if you believe Jurassic Park.”

   “Getting attacked by Pterodactyls whilst attempting to fend them off with a garden trowel is definitely the strangest thing I’ve experienced.”

   What looked to be the door to the ship slowly opened, lowering itself down towards the ground to become an impromptu walkway. The two of them stiffened at the sign of activity, waiting for the next thing to happen. For all they knew, they were about to be faced by a menacing army. Varied possibilities raced through their head, each thought becoming more severe and troublesome. Graham was starting to doubt whether it was actually a good idea for him to be doing this on his own. Why hadn’t he been wearing his laser shoes? He could picture the box with them in, carefully stowed away under the wardrobe so he didn't mistake them for a more innocuous pair. That would have led to some awkward situations, though he was wishing he had them on standby now.   

   “What happens if we need to defend ourselves?” Brian asked in a frantic whisper. “Do you have any weapons?”

   “Do I look as if I carry around a gun with me wherever I go?”

   “You can’t judge people from appearances. After all, no one would expect us to have travelled into space.”

   “You’re right about that, but this is just a support group. It ain’t a military base. If you’re looking for that sort of thing, you’d need UNIT but I don’t know where they’ve gotten to.” Graham pulled out his phone, tapping away on the screen. “I’ll just send Yaz a quick message, to tell her that something’s happening. Whether she’ll arrive in time before they blow up this place, we’ll have to wait and see.”

   “That’s not a possibility, is it? You’d tell me if there’s a chance of them using explosives…”

   “Maybe it’s a good thing that we’re by a community centre then, and not an army camp. Otherwise the likelihood of an explosion would have gone through the roof. Quite literally.”

   They watched agitatedly, waiting for someone to appear. A shadow formed on the walkway, though it couldn’t do its owner justice. Their mouths hung open as a looming figure stomped into view. A dog. A giant dog. A giant dog walking on two legs like a person. A giant dog walking on two like a person, with what looked like an axe hanging from its back. The creature was sniffing the air, which they supposed was a natural thing for a dog to do, no matter the size. Graham was at least thankful of their current stinky location, since it was likely masking their own scents from the alien.

   “Do you remember when I said the Pterodactyl thing was the strangest experience of my life?” Brian mumbled. “I take that back.” 

   “This is ringing a bell though.” Graham was sure of it. “Someone definitely mentioned an oversized dog in one of their stories. Or am I just making that up?”

   “Can you remember if the story mentioned whether the dog was friendly or aggressive?”

   “I suppose all dogs can be a bit of both, depending on who they’re dealing with.”

   “That isn’t helping, Graham, because I can imagine which side we’re likely to be on.” Brian chanced another look over the bins. “Can you remember who told you the story?”

   “I’ve listened to so many far-fetched tales recently thanks to the group that they all just blend into one.”

   “Was it that chap there?”

   Brian was pointing at the ship, with Graham having been lost in thought as he attempted to place the origins of his deja vu. When he followed the direction of Brian’s finger, he was surprised (and mildly relieved) to find Dan was now talking to the dog as they made their way onto the grass. Tegan and Ace weren’t far behind, though the people they were accompanied with weren’t recognisable from what Graham could recall. Then again, his memory had been lacking in certain areas as old age crept up on him, so there was every chance that he’d met them before and had promptly forgotten about it.

   “I think we’ve just solved the missing persons case,” Graham proclaimed. “I can’t wait to lord it over everyone else that we found them.”

   “Didn't they technically find us?”

   Graham was already standing up, but he made sure to glare at the other man. “Let’s not get bogged down by semantics.”

   As soon as he was away from their hiding place, the new arrivals picked up on his presence. With a wave, he began to walk towards them, hoping he hadn’t misjudged the situation completely. The closer he got, the more he realised that it was entirely possible that his fellow group members were being held hostage, and that the dog had come back to pick up some more. Or maybe he wanted to barter with someone for their safe return, although Graham presumed that they would have been in some form of handcuffs if that had been the case. Unless the dog was really confident.

   Brian was less certain about following Graham, taking a few more seconds to eventually push himself up from the ground. It was a pointed look from his partner that forced him to move, knowing that he couldn’t sit idly by and watch Graham stumble into trouble. It had been tempting to stay hidden, before Brian had reminded himself of what the Doctor had taught him. What would Rory have done? Probably waited for Amy to make the decision for him and, in this scenario, Brian supposed that Graham was his Amy. Which raised a whole number of questions that didn't need delving into.

   The alarming thing was that, as soon as they got close, the canine removed its weapon from its holster and was pointing it at them menacingly. The two of them immediately had their hands in their air in a show of surrender, before they started to wonder whether a dog could understand such a signal. In its proximity, the alien was much taller than they’d been anticipating, making it even more intimidating. Graham considered picking up an abandoned stick to see if that would distract it long enough for them to get away.

   “Who the hell are you?” the dog barked (not literally). “What do you want?”

   “Woah, woah, woah!” Dan yelled, quickly yanking on the creature’s arm so that the gun was lowered. “What are you doing? Graham’s part of the group we’re involved with! You know, the one you stole us from? I don’t know who the other bloke is, but that isn’t enough of a reason to shoot him!”

   “I’m Brian,” came the response, as the man timidly waved at the party. “It’s my first day.”

   Graham was slowly processing what was going on, trying to ignore the way his legs were shaking. “You know this…”

   “If you call me a mutt, I swear I won’t be held responsible for my actions,” the alien warned him.

   “What should I call you then?”

   “This is Karvanista,” Dan explained. “As you can tell, he’s not very good with people.”

   “I can’t stand them,” Karvanista butted in petulantly. 

   “I’m pretty certain I’ve mentioned him before.”

   Graham tapped the side of his head. “I knew I was onto something! Didn't I tell you, Brian?”

   “That you’d forgotten all the details?” Brian wondered.

   “You could have left that bit out and allowed me to soak up the praise.”

   “Where’s everyone else?” Ace asked. “We expected our return to kick up a bit more of a fuss than this.”

   “They’ve been running around, trying to find you, obviously! You went and vanished into thin air. I think they’ve been utilising UNIT’s resources to track you.”

   “Which means they’ll be on their way as we speak. Noted.”

   “UNIT doesn’t sound too good,” the man who Graham still didn't know commented. “Should we be concerned? I’ve already had to deal with being locked up once today, not to mention the enforced solitude I was put through on out-station Rose. I’m not going through that again.” He held out a hand and did his best to smile. “I’m Inston-Vee Vinder, by the way. But you can just call me Vinder. The gorgeous woman over there carrying our child is Bel.”

   Graham thought that Inston-Vee was a fairly peculiar name, though he’d once helped birth a child that was eventually called Avocado, so who was he to judge? “UNIT should be a doddle, don’t you worry. We know the woman in charge.”

   “They bring a lot of guns though,” Ace pointed out.

   “They’ll take one look at the big guy and start panicking,” Tegan added. “This could get very messy if we’re not careful.”

   Graham was growing concerned. “Well, if you just tell them what’s been going on, I’m sure they’re bound to listen.” He paused. “What did happen, now that I come to think of it? You haven’t explained.”

   “Karvanista was being a total sweetheart,” Bel explained with a smile that was sure to rile the dog up. “We got ourselves into a bit of trouble and he wanted to help. He thought the Doctor would be his best bet to get the job done…”

   “But his teleportation skills need working on,” Dan said bitterly. “Scooped me and the ladies up by accident.”

   “Did he just refer to us as ‘the ladies’?” Tegan commented sourly to Ace. “I might need to borrow Karvanista’s axe if he’s not careful.”

   “And that’s why you disappeared?” Graham concluded. “I suppose it makes sense. Though a head’s up might have been nice. It would have saved us a lot of panic. We’ve been planning for a full scale attack.”

   “There wasn’t time for a warning,” Karvanista growled.

   Bel pinched his furry cheek. “He was so worried about us that he wasn’t thinking straight. You can’t blame him for that.”

   “He got lucky that he got us,” Dan remarked, wrapping his arms around Ace and Tegan. “We’re much better than the Doctor. Managed to save these two from certain death, and got home in time for tea. That’s what I call a decent day’s work.”

   Tegan shrugged his arm off. “I don’t remember you doing a lot. It was our holograms that distracted those savages. And it was the dog who broke open their jail cell.”

   “I was there for team morale!”

   “The most important thing is that you all got back safe,” Graham said. “It would have been a tarnish on our sparkling record to lose three members of our companion group so soon into its formation.”

   “That’s all you were thinking about?” Ace asked with narrowed eyes.

   “I’ve got to think about our reputation! We want to attract as many friends of the Doctor as we can possibly manage, and they’re not going to come if there’s a possibility of getting killed. It’s a relief, really.”

   “Your concern is incredibly touching,” Tegan remarked sourly.

   “Hey, you’ve done your jobs. You’ve brought us three new recruits.”

   Karvanista twitched his nose. “What’s he talking about?”

   “I think he wants you, Bel and Vinder to become members of the companion group,” Dan told him. “Officially.”

   “You get a button!” Graham added, as if that would sweeten the deal. “I’m working on printing out certificates for everyone too. And, if people chip in, I could sort out matching shirts or hoodies. Maybe a full wardrobe.”

   “If people with guns are coming, we should be going,” Karvanista attempted to reason. “I’ve already spent longer on this planet than my worst nightmares could have predicted.”

   They could hear sirens in the distance, steadily growing louder. “I think they’re already here,” Ace said.

   “If you jet off now, they’ll probably not take to that too kindly,” Graham argued. “They might try to shoot you out of the sky. Or they might just be insulted that you left before seeing them, and the last thing you want is to be in their bad books.”

   “The last thing I want is to be standing right here when I could be on my ship,” Karvanista countered. “Thousands of miles away.”

   “I could do with a rest,” Bel interrupted, rubbing her stomach gently. “There’s been a lot of running today, and my feet are knackered. It’ll be nice to see other friends of the Doctor. Is Yaz going to be there?”

   “She’ll be the first to give you a hug,” Dan answered.

   “We’ve got food inside,” Graham mentioned casually.

   Karvanista was quick to pick up on that, his ears rising in recognition. “Food? What food are we talking about here?”

   “All the pastries you can get your paws on. A lot of sausage-based products that might take your fancy.” Graham was already leading the dog towards the building. “I could even fashion a giant bowl to put it all in for you, if that’s how you eat.” He received a glare from the large alien. “Or a plate! A plate will be much easier to source.”

   “Maybe we can stay…but just for a little bit.”

Chapter Text

“I’m telling you, this really happened! I don’t understand why you don’t believe me!”

   Graham found himself floundering as the centre of attention in the latest companion meeting. Beforehand, he’d arrived at their usual town hall with a bit of a spring in his step. The group was advancing nicely, with new members popping up every so often. Having a giant dog land right outside was always going to increase attention, though thankfully no local reporters had come sniffing around after the spectacle. The last thing they needed was a scandal so early into their existence. But, as long as they made themselves known, and friends of the Doctor continued to literally fall out of the sky, then Graham’s original plan to connect them all was working like a charm.

   He didn't like to toot his own harm, but he was a bit of a genius at times.

   There had been another major reason as to why he was so eager to see everyone and, for once, it didn't remotely involve the food waiting for him. He’d had a recent incident , as he was now referring to it as. Graham had arrived home, prepared to relax in front of the tv with a tube of Pringles and a cup of tea, but the incident had gotten in the way. Practising how he was going to relay this intriguing story, he hadn’t anticipated that his fellow companions would dismiss his claims so readily. Weren’t they trained to believe the unbelievable, to expect the unexplainable? Maybe Ryan had said something to them about his grandad, painting him in a bad light. Maybe he was picturing Ryan as much more of a supervillain than he truly was.

   “Let’s run through this again,” Yaz sighed. “You walk through the door and…”

   “All my furniture was broken!” Graham reiterated. “Well, not all of it. The dining table survived. But a couple of my chairs weren’t so lucky. I’m starting to think that they’ve got some sort of target on their back.”

   “And this is interesting because…?”

   “Well, I didn't break them, did I? Neither did Ryan. He’s always out now, trying to find new strange stories to send us across the globe. Chairs don’t just collapse on their own volition.”

   “Maybe they were tired of supporting your weight,” Dan suggested with a condescending smirk. “Finally gave into a sweet merciful death.”

   “Do you think you’re funny?”

   “A lot of people said that I could probably make it as a professional comedian.”

   “I don’t see it myself,” Graham grumbled. “Don’t you think this is weird?”

   “We’ve fought tanks controlled by squids, angry potatoes, even a weird snake that I’m not going to get into detail about,” Tegan responded. “This is mildly puzzling at the most. Things break after a while. The wear and tear of an old life.”

   “You’d know,” Ace muttered under her breath, though purposefully loud enough to be heard in order to antagonise her friend.

   “Just because I knew the Doctor before you, that doesn’t mean that I’m as ancient as you claim!”

   “It suggests it though.”

   “Can we get back to my story?” Graham asked with a defeated tone, the discussion not going the way he’d hoped.

   “I thought it was my turn to tell you all about the time all the occupants in the Tardis were shrunk into miniature versions of themselves,” Ian complained, though using his polite tone nonetheless.

   “I haven’t finished yet!”

   “I reckon I’d prefer that story,” Mel added to the chat.

   “I was shrunk once as well,” Jo added. “The Doctor was trying to get to Metebelis III, no surprises there if you knew him. But we ended up in this wild contraption called a miniscope, designed to entertain the rich elites! Well, it was one disaster after another if you ask me. If Ogrons weren’t bad enough, the Drashigs were insatiably hungry, and I was perfectly snack sized to them.”

   Graham waved an annoyed hand at her. “You’re all willing to believe this, but discard my story straight away?”

   “Now you’re starting to understand,” Dan replied, much to Graham’s growing frustration.

   The most annoying part was that everyone was now leaning forward eagerly to listen to the tales set out by Ian and Jo. When he’d been speaking, most of the ground had been laid back, or wandering over to the buffet. Graham didn't want to say that he was being disrespected. But it was exactly that. He was being beaten out by the old pros, by the companions who had basically lived in black and white. He couldn’t compete with that. After all his excitement, he was starting to realise that he may have needed something more substantial than a broken chair to entice a selection of people who had all travelled in a magical blue box. 

   “If that’s not interesting enough, there’s always the time that we were all transformed into exhibits in a museum,” Ian pressed on hopefully.

   “Save that for next week,” Tegan advised. “It’s not as if we’re overflowing with interesting conversation topics, if we’ve spent this long on a goddamn chair.”

   Graham was sure he was close to tears. “It’s only taking this long because everyone keeps interrupting me!” 

   Yaz put a soothing hand on his knee. “Why are you so pressed about this?”

   “Because…well…well…we all know who has a track record of landing on my furniture. I thought that she’d…you know…come back.”

   It was easy for Yaz to understand, not just because Graham’s emotions were clearly evident on his face. She felt a similar pang of sadness in her chest as she thought about the Doctor. At times, she’d focused on the loss she’d experienced and the pain of that, whilst inadvertently dismissing the heartbreak the rest of her Fam had gone through. It was like bile rising up in her throat, the realisation that she’d neglected to check how they were doing, as if she’d let them down.

   “We all want her to come back,” Yaz said in a low whisper, not really trusting her voice any longer. “But we also can’t read into things that don’t have any link to the Doctor.”

   “You don’t know if that’s true!” he pleaded, overwhelmed by the emotions he hadn’t even realised he’d been battling.

   “She would have stayed if it was her. Why would she land the Tardis, and then leave before seeing any of us?”

   “You remember the way I reacted last time she was that clumsy. She might just be embarrassed, or scared of what I’ll be like. She might even be on her way to intergalactic IKEA for all you know.”

   “You understand how much I wish this was her but I think it’ll hurt us a lot more if we get our hopes up, for it then to turn out to be something completely different.”

   “There are other perfectly reasonable explanations for this happening,” Dan said to him. “I’ve had a giant dog break down my door in the past. Strange things tend to happen to us lot. It’s why we’re here in the first place.”

   “Or it could be another Tardis,” Tegan suggested. “I mean, didn't Yaz stumble into that other friend of the Doctor’s a few weeks ago? The one that had Yaz blushing profusely as she recounted the story? I’m pretty sure you said she had one. If she learnt how to fly from the Doctor, then it’s basically a given fact that she’ll tend to crash it.”

   “But what if it is her? The Doctor?” Graham continued to implore them. “You waited ten months for her to come back once, Yaz. I saw what you went through. I tried to discourage you back then, but I don’t want to fall into that same trap. Not when the Doc’s capable of so many wonderful things.”

   “I appreciate it,” the young woman replied earnestly. “I really do. But, if she’s really trying to get back to us…maybe that Tardis of hers is playing up like it usually does…then she’ll try again. Once we see that, then there will be nothing in the universe that could stop me from getting back to her.”

   “What happens when she’s different?” Ryan countered warily, knowing that it was a difficult topic to navigate given the feelings in the firing line. “You know the Doctor’s regenerated. That’s why you left. They could be a…man.” He resisted the urge to shudder.

   “Perish the thought,” Jo remarked. “I would have loved to have met the Doctor as a woman. The one with the tweed jacket certainly haid spectacularly floppy hair, but that’s as close I’ve gotten really.”

   “I don’t care if they’ve changed,” Yaz snapped, aiming her ire at Ryan even if she knew he didn't deserve it. “If Graham’s right, and they need us, then I’ll be able to overcome whatever reservations I have.”

   “I hope you’re right,” Graham murmured. “Otherwise a broken stool is going to be the least of my concerns.”

**********

   The train journey home was innocuous, a humdrum affair that always paled in significance to the stories that were shared during their group meetings. After he’d gotten over his brief emotional turmoil, Graham had settled down somewhat, though he’d found it difficult to concentrate on much of what the others said. The possibility that he was onto something kept niggling away at the back of his thoughts, regardless of the neutral expression he plastered on his face to keep Yaz from worrying too much about him. Chairs didn't just break. No matter how many increasingly implausible explanations his friends gave him, Graham could tell that their hearts weren’t really in it. Just like him, they wanted it to be a sign that the Doctor’s return was potentially imminent.

   The issue was that, thanks to him floating this idea around, Graham now felt a huge chunk of culpability if he ended up getting them excited for no reason whatsoever. He needed it to be the Doctor, not just to be reunited with his favourite alien, but because of the look on Yaz’s face he kept picturing when he imagined telling her the news that the Time Lord wasn’t involved. After coming to properly appreciate the feelings that the former police officer held for the time travelling madwoman, he didn't want to be responsible for making the heartbreak resurface, not when she’d made such remarkable personal progress up to this point.

   Ryan tried his best to cheer up his grandad during the long commute home, though he was met with minimal success. Even attempting to goad stories out of the old man, which always seemed to work, didn't catch any bites. Graham O’Brien never missed the chance to regale his grandson with grand tales, because Ryan very rarely bothered to listen. So it was a sign that things wouldn’t be mended (quite like their living room furniture) until they got to the bottom of this latest mystery. 

   In truth, Graham’s meditated silence wasn’t completely caused by recent events. It was strange but, whenever he happened to travel by train (which was happening quite frequently now thanks to the group’s incessant need to be near London), he always thought back to how he’d first met the Doctor. The woman crashing through the roof of their means to get home. He’d been so furious at the time, clinging onto Grace like a shield, someone else he’d lost since then. How he wished he could go back. How foolish he’d been to let it all slip away in the end. But then he’d glance over at Ryan, making him realise the priorities he’d made, choosing family over adventures. It was just difficult when the Doctor felt like family too.

   “You gonna be alright?” Ryan asked as they walked towards their street.

   “Yeah, of course I am! No need to worry about me,” Graham assured him. “Why?”

   “I was just gonna head out with Tibo, shoot some hoops, that sort of thing. But if you’d rather talk about what’s going on…”

   “It’s nice of you to offer, but I know that both of us don’t want to go anywhere near that conversation. Go and have fun! I’ll still be there when you get back.”

   “Only if you’re sure…” Ryan was already edging away. “And don’t go breaking any more chairs!”

   Graham shook his head at the boy’s antics, whose voice drifted away and became quieter before he’d even finished the sentence. Left to head home on his own, Graham looked up to the sky, smiling softly at the pleasant, calm sky, wishing that his mind was just as tranquil. Putting the key into the lock after lightly jogging up the steps to the front door, he wasn’t to know that anything untowards or unexpected was waiting for him inside. He was prepared for that can of pringles and cup of tea that had cruelly been taken from him previously. He deserved it, after the way his day had gone.

   Only for a blue box to be parked right in the middle of his living room, putting an end to those hopes and desires. He was never going to get those crisps.

   “What the…?” Graham blurted out. “No you don’t!”

   Not willing to risk the Tardis leaving yet again, he raced over to the double doors and pushed them open, probably using more force than was strictly necessary. He was relieved to see, as he wandered inside, that it looked as if none of his belongings had become the latest victims to the destructive time machine. Though Graham didn't have a lot of time to consider that positive, too preoccupied by the sight of the pristine white console room, completely different to the crystalline home he was used to. Taking a few, slow steps further inside, he gazed around, mouth hanging open as he took in the minimalistic design.

   “She’s…she’s redecorated,” he said to himself. “I don’t like it.”

   It was remarkably similar to the Tardis he’d travelled in when they’d been forced to escape Gallifrey moments before its destruction, evidently designed as a mode of transport rather than having any personal touches. He doubted there was a custard cream dispenser to be found anywhere, much to his disappointment. There weren’t any multicoloured post-it notes either, like had painted that Tardis during their ten-month separation with the Doc. Graham’s mind drifted back to the torment Yaz had gone through during that period, almost thankful that she wasn’t there with him now. It might have been too much to relive the same experience.

   He heard footsteps coming up behind him and he spun around, staggering backwards slightly at what he found. Thankfully, the small console was behind him, supporting his weight and preventing him from falling over. It was a woman. Not the one he knew. He’d half expected that to be the case. She was fairly tall, a deep blue jacket obscuring an absurdly coloured shirt, with tinted glasses hanging on the end of her nose as she stopped to consider his presence. So this was who the Doctor turned into? She seemed to carry more authority without a need to say anything. Then again, his Doctor had certainly had her moments when she’d been absolutely terrifying, so that shouldn’t have surprised him either.

   “Who the hell are you?” she asked angrily.

   Well…that was unexpected.

Chapter Text

 “I asked you a question.”

   Blimey. The Doctor he’d known had been forward at times, but this was taking the biscuit. Did regeneration really cause the personality to change this much? Graham didn't have a clue. It was enough to process that she could change her entire appearance. The only solace he was able to take was the fact that she was still a woman; when he got to tell Yaz, he hoped that that would cheer her up somewhat about the whole situation. If anything was capable of that. 

   Of course, the main problem he was facing was that the Doctor had seemingly lost her memories, seeing as she couldn’t place him. Was that another side effect of regeneration? Graham didn't know whether he wanted that to be true, seeing as it was slightly bruising his ego that she’d already forgotten him. They’d only just saved the world together over a month ago. But there was no mistaking the mistrusting gaze in her eyes or the way her whole body was rigid, as if she was prepared for a fight. This wasn’t a performance. The Doctor truly didn't know who he was. 

   “You know, when someone breaks into my Tardis, I at least expect them to be able to come up with a decent excuse. Or just an excuse. I can practically hear your brain buffering.”

   Graham held up an accusatory finger. “Now, hold on a minute! I didn't break into your Tardis. I walked through the front doors. She let me in.”

   “A likely story. She’d have no reason to do that.”

   “Other than the fact that she knows me. You know me. It’s Graham!”

   The Doctor groaned, removing her coloured glasses. “Please tell me this isn’t what I’m thinking.”

   “I’m sorry, Doc, but you’re going to have to bring me into the loop. I’ve never been able to second guess what’s on your mind.”

   “Are you…are my companion?”

   “Well, I was, yeah. At least you remember that.”

   “No, I’m not remembering anything. You’re obviously from my future.”

   “Oh?”

   Graham hadn’t considered that. He supposed that it stood to reason, if logic could be applied to the situation. Though she hadn’t gone into many details over the years they’d travelled together, he knew that the Doctor had worn a fair few faces. Surely, if there were so many, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that he’d end up bumping into a new one. Or an old one, based on your perspective. But he couldn’t help but be a little disappointed. He so wanted to reassure Yaz that their favourite Time Lord was alright. She needed that comfort more than anyone. 

   “Tell me…what do I look like normally? From your point of view?”

   “Where to start, hey? You’re still a woman, if that’s what you’re worried about. Or you were the last time I saw you.”

   “That’s actually good to know, thanks.”

   “You had blonde hair. Wore rainbows quite a lot. Quite short, but you made up for that with your boisterous personality.”

   “You’re kidding, right?”

   “What do you mean?”

   “You travelled with her ? Out of all the ones waiting for me in my future? Why is it always her who meddles in my life?”

   “Frankly, she isn’t the one meddling this time around. You’re the one who landed in my living room!”

   The Doctor huffed. “It’s not as if I wanted to.”

   “Then why did you?”

   “The Tardis is a temperamental beast at the best of times. For some reason, she was drawn to this location. Perhaps through the emotional connection to you, if you’ve truly travelled with her. It’d explain why she let you inside in the first place. The Tardis doesn’t work on a linear plane. She knows and cherishes people from her past and future all at the same time. When you put it like that, it’s no wonder that she can be a bit tetchy.”

   “I’m…going to pretend that I know what you’re talking about.”

   “Something must have dragged her here by mistake. Has something happened? Something that could possibly overwhelm her emotional sensors?”

   “Like what?”

   “I don’t know!” The Doctor’s patience was a lot shorter than he was used to. “Why would she be so interested in you?”

   “I’m nothing special. All I’ve done of note recently is set up a support group. You might like the sound of it, actually. It brings together all your former companions. Or, at least, all the ones who were able to reply to the invite.”

   “Why would you do that?”

   “Because it’s a difficult thing, isn’t it? Experiencing a life with you then coming back to reality. It can drive you mad, especially when you have no one to talk to about it. This group are the only people who don’t think I’m mad when I tell my stories, even though they thought I was on the verge of losing it when I argued you’d first crashed into my home the other day. After you regenerated, I thought it was the best time to start the initiative.”

   “I regenerated?”

   “Not too long ago, yeah.”

   “So there’s been a regeneration, and a whole bunch of people with a psychic link to the Tardis congregating in one place? That explains why she can’t resist coming here. You’re confusing her! Different points in her time stream are basically coming together. All that concentrated artron energy collected over the years. It’s like the smell of a buffet enticing her.”

   “There is actually a buffet I put on for each meeting, if you’re interested.”

   “I’ll pass, thank you. It’s just good to have an explanation. It’s an easy fix, really. All I’ll have to do is replace the emotional filters and the Tardis will be able to make sense of what’s going on again. Then I can get back to doing what I do best: poking my nose into places it doesn’t belong.”

   “At least that hasn’t changed,” Graham said wistfully. 

   The Doctor shoved her hands into her pockets. “Alright then.”

   He gave her a bemused look. “Pardon?”

   “I’ll be on my way, like I just said. After all, the mystery’s solved now. The Tardis wanted to figure out what was causing the influx in energy. Since you organised the group, she came directly to the source. Not the most exciting discovery I’ve made, but intriguing nonetheless. So…it was nice to see you. Or meet you. I’ll probably be forgetting about this sometime soon, if there’s an open wound in time.”

   “You want me to leave?”

   “It’s so nice of you to offer.”

   “I’m not having that.”

   “You don’t really have a choice.”

   “Nah. You owe me. Not just because you made everyone else think that I was going mad. You broke my furniture! A set I’d just bought to replace the stuff you’d previously destroyed. I want compensation.”

   “I don’t carry money with me, sorry.”

   “I’m not asking for a fee. I’ll settle for a trip. One trip in the Tardis, and then I’ll let you go on your way.”

   “Absolutely not.”

   “Why not?”

   “Because I don’t even know you.”

   “We’re great friends, you and I.”

   “And I look forward to kickstarting that friendship in a few centuries’ time.”

   “What else have you got planned? It looks as if you’re on your own? No companions at the moment? What are you going to do? Drift mindlessly through space until you bump into trouble?”

   “It’s normally a very effective tactic.”

   “Come on. This…this might be the last time I ever get access to a time machine. There’s one thing I really want to do.”

   “I said no.”

**********

   If Graham was good at one thing, it was winning people to his side. Which was why the two of them were now standing at the top of a hilly outcrop, the Tardis standing guard behind them. The green landscape stretched on for what felt like miles, before the bustling city of Sheffield appeared on the edge of the horizon. Graham’s sigh was a heavy one, contending with a mixture of emotions that he wasn’t too comfortable showing in front of a stranger, even if she technically wasn’t one.

   The Doctor stood next to him with her arms folded, clearly impatient. She appeared to be waiting for something to happen, though Graham knew that she was going to be disappointed. There weren’t going to be any alien invasions or tears in the fabric of time. There were no threats to deal with and no one to save. That was all to come. But the Doctor was at least showing that she was still, deep down, the same person he’d befriended because she wasn’t badgering, no longer seeking to get this over with. If anything, Graham got the sense that she was interested in what was playing out before her.

   A few hundred feet in front of them were a group of three people, a group which had no idea that they were being observed. Graham knew that from personal experience, seeing as he was one member of that very trio. His past self was holding up two thumbs whilst a younger man cycled clumsily towards him. When they invariably tumbled to the ground, a woman raced after them, looking to ease the bruises that must have been forming. It was the woman Graham was most interested in, with his eyes welling up at the sight of Grace.

   He was starting to wonder whether this was a good idea. The urge to run towards them was almost overwhelming. What damage would it really do if he told Grace not to get on that train. If she missed that, then she’d never meet the Doctor. If she never met the Doctor, she wouldn’t end up falling from a great height, her grip slipping on the rails of a crane. But Graham held firm. He’d tried to rectify those mistakes in the past, believing he could kill Tzim Sha. Whatever he did, it was never enough. And he’d dealt with her ghost far too many times to risk seeing it up close again. 

   “This was before it all started,” Graham explained, expecting the Doctor to be confused. “In less than an hour’s time, we’ll be on our way back home and a blonde-haired woman will crash into our lives. That was you, by the way.”

   The Doctor didn't say anything. There was no snarky comment detailing how she’d already come to that conclusion. Because, despite the fact that they were two strangers brought together in a tender, emotionally charged moment, there was a certain level of understanding shared between the pair. Whilst she had a gruff exterior, Graham got the sense that, seeing as she didn't have anyone with her, she was out of practice when it came to dealing with other people. She was doing a pretty good job.

   “Down there, right now, none of us have any clue whatsoever just how much our lives are going to change,” he continued. “We don’t know the adventures we’re going to go on, or the friends we’re going to make. That bloke down there is more worried about what to watch on the tv tonight, rather than remotely contemplating which alien race is going to be waiting outside the door. And…and those people don’t realise that it’s the last day we’re going to spend together.” 

   He gritted his teeth, powering through the grief. “By the time night falls, that woman…my Grace…is going to die in the process of saving someone’s life. And I know that, if she had a choice, she would have preferred to go out in that fashion. It’s why she became a nurse in the first place, to help people, including an old fool like me. But, looking at her now and seeing that brilliant smile in person once again…I really wish that I could at least tell her what I’ve been through. She’d be so proud. She’d be impressed. She wouldn’t think that I had it in me, to be frank. Grace was always striving for adventure, so it almost feels unfair that I got to go on them, that I still get to search for them. But I do it in her honour.”

   “This is a risky spot to be in,” the Doctor said. “You’re viewing your own personal history. One wrong move and time could fall apart. It’s a good job that I hate following the rules, otherwise I’d be dragging you back into the Tardis before you could say another word.”

   “I’m not going to do anything stupid. I promise. I’m not going to speak to her, as much as I want to hear the sound of her voice. It’s just…I really wanted to see her face again. Not like in the photographs back home, or the videos I’ve got saved on my phone. They can’t capture how alive she truly was, always present in every moment. There’s a whole, glorious view to behold in front of us and all your eyes are drawn to is her.”

   “She sounds like an impressive woman.”

   “That’s an understatement. You’re going to love meeting her. Even if it doesn’t last as long as it should.”

   “I look forward to it. And I look forward to meeting you too, Graham.”

   “Is that actually a smile on your face?”

   “It might be…”

   Graham laughed, though it was a sound tinged with sadness. “He’s looking forward to meeting you too. That chap down there. He might not know it yet, but he is.”

   “Even if the Doctor you end up with isn’t nearly as cool as me.”

   “Let’s just say you have better dress sense and leave it at that, shall we?”

   Graham turned around. It took all of his strength to do so, turning his back on his love. He knew it shouldn’t have felt like abandoning her. She’d departed him far too long ago for it to feel like that. But it still hurt. It would always hurt. It was one of the main reasons why he was hell bent on looking after Yaz, because he knew from experience what she was going through. At least he’d been fortunate enough to be with Grace. Yaz hadn’t been able to live through the joy of love, instead being left with the resulting heartbreak.

   “Thanks for this, Doc.”

   “I’d prefer it if you called me Doctor , seeing as that’s my actual name.”

   “That might be a step too far, Doc. But I really appreciate this. More than you’ll ever know. I just…I think it’s time that I left now. If you stare at a memory for too long, you can forget to appreciate the life that’s passing you by.”

   “Of course.”

   “Although…there is one more thing you could do for me, if I’m not pushing my luck.”

**********

   Graham liked being the centre of attention. As part of the companion group, it was difficult to keep people’s focus for long, seeing as there were so many domineering personalities to contend with. Someone always had a better story to share. So, for once, it was nice to have everyone looking at him. Or, more precisely, his phone, which was currently showing off the selfie he’d taken with the Doctor onboard the Tardis, just before she’d gone on her way to explore the universe. 

   It was the first selfie he’d taken himself, so he was immensely proud of it. Normally, Ryan or Yaz would control the camera, not trusting Graham to successfully avoid placing his thumb over the camera or having it point in the wrong direction. The smile he was wearing in the picture was just as large as the one he was sporting now, getting to revel in the satisfaction of proving everyone wrong. He hadn’t imagined things. He hadn’t made it up. His chairs really did have a magnet attached to them that attracted a very specific type of time and space machine.

   “You’re not joking!” Tegan gasped as she took her turn to look at the evidence. “Blimey, that’s definitely the Tardis.”

   “It looks remarkably like the one I travelled in,” Ian remarked. 

   “And mine,” Jo agreed. “Which begs the question as to where this Doctor fits into the order of things.”

   “I didn't have much time to ask those questions,” Graham admitted. “I was too busy enjoying myself.”

   “But it’s definitely the Doctor,” Yaz said. “I used her hologram to outsmart the Master. You never got to see her as a tour guide in Gloucester, Graham.”

   “I’d already been kidnapped by that point, yeah.”

   “I can’t believe that I was this close to seeing her,” Ryan complained, his arms folded and a frown scarring his face. “I chose playing basketball with Tibo over this. I’m never going to be able to look him in the eye again.”

   Ace leaned forward. “What was she like? Was she friendly? Funny? Stern? Acerbic?”

   “What is this?” Graham laughed. “Twenty Questions?”

   “The whole point of this group is to tell people about your experiences. You can’t keep it to yourself. That’s like going against the rules. And, as the person who basically wrote them, your punishment should be more extreme.”

   “I quite like lording it over you, to be fair. You all doubted me.”

   “I didn't,” Brian reminded him.

   “You weren’t here for the last session!”

   “I think you’ll find that it still counts.”

   “I can’t believe that I’ve missed the Doctor being a woman and black,” Martha sighed. “I’m making it my personal mission to meet her. Just think about the power we’d have together.”

   “I don’t think the universe would survive the fallout,” Yaz joked, though Graham picked up on the melancholy in her eyes.

   “I’m sorry for getting your hopes up,” he said to her. “You know, about it being our Doctor.”

   “You don’t have to apologise. It’s not as if I believe you, is it? No harm done.”

   “You’d think she would have become a better liar by now,” Dan countered. 

   “I preferred it when you two bickered all the time, rather than working together to call me out.”

   “We’ve got to see this as a good thing,” Graham theorised. “This just shows that the Doc can fall out of the sky at any moment, at completely different points in their life. There’s nothing to say that it can’t be a certain blonde.”

   “I’m just disappointed that I didn't trust you,” Yaz replied. “If I’d investigated, I would have bumped into her with you. And there are so many questions I would have asked. The Doctor I knew was always so evasive. Maybe a younger version would have been more open.”

   “You think the Doctor would actually reveal stuff about themselves?” Martha wondered. “We had an alien dog sitting in this circle the other week, and that’s still the most ludicrous thing I’ve heard.”

Chapter Text

“And that’s why I think at least two Heads of State are secretly Slitheen. Or Zygons. Or some other shape shifting alien that has the ability to do some rather accurate impersonations.”

   A smattering of applause sounded as Brian returned to his chair following the brief lecture about his latest conspiracy theory. After becoming engrossed in that side of the universe, especially in documenting it, it seemed that it was now one of his main hobbies. None of the group had had the heart to turn him down when he’d offered to do a talk, including a PowerPoint presentation. In fact, it had prompted quite a lot of heated discussion as they debated which world leader could possibly be an extraterrestrial. Boris Johnson was a candidate high on the list.

   “Thanks for that, Brian,” Graham said, clapping his hands together and getting up to turn the lights back on.

   The rest of the group blinked wearily as the hall’s harsh lights came to life. It was another good turn out, which left Graham feeling immensely proud. The worry at the start had been that people would come eagerly for the first few sessions, before the charm and curiosity invariably faded. If anything, the members’ enthusiasm had only heightened with each gathering. At times, it was difficult to remember a point in his life when the group hadn’t existed, seeing as it was now a vital component of his schedule, an outlet that would have driven him insane if it disappeared.

   What was particularly nice was picking up on individual’s idiosyncrasies as they grew more comfortable with one another. For instance, Tegan was quite possibly the most abrasive member of the group, with her temper quick to boil. But, when she cracked, her laugh was easily the best sound to hear. Mel had taken to riding to their meetings on an orange Vespa and they were taking it in turns to get on the saddle, with varying levels of success. Ryan had surprisingly bonded with Ian, who, it turned out, was a massive fan of basketball himself, with the older man claiming that, in his day, his dribbling left opponents dizzy. 

   For Graham, though, the best part about the experience, other than connecting with people who’d experienced the same things as him, was that he was getting to watch Yaz stand taller with every meeting. He pictured what she’d looked like during that first session, slumped in her chair, unwilling to get involved. Now, she’d practically taken over from him as unofficial group leader, nudging conversation when the topic got boring or coming up with new things for them to do. She wasn’t fully recovered from her trauma, that was for certain, but the strides she’d taken were breathtaking. He’d said it to her himself that the Doctor would be proud, which had caused them both to break out into floods of tears.

   “I don’t know whether you saw outside, but the minivan arrived this morning,” Graham told them as he sat back down. “Most of you have given your contributions. I don’t want to be chasing after those who haven’t yet.”

   It was a simple idea. As much as talking to one another was a much needed comfort, and one they weren’t bored of yet, the itch to do more together was bubbling away under the surface. The plan was to potentially go on trips as a group. Whether that was in the form of straight forward holidays or sticking their noses into strange events across the country (or even beyond), that was left to be decided. All Graham knew was that he was looking forward to getting behind the wheel, as if it would rekindle his days as a bus driver.

   “I thought you were covering my portion,” Ryan complained.

   Graham frowned. “When did I say that?”

   “I asked the other Friday night. You’d just had your fish and chips with a nice, cold beer. Some quiz show was on tv. I was pretty sure you were dozing off.”

   “Then I can’t be held responsible for what I said if I was in that state!”

   “But that’s exactly why I chose that moment to ask!”

   “You have to appreciate the lad’s planning,” Dan remarked.

   Graham wagged a finger in his direction. “You’re not helping.”

   “I don’t think I’ve ever said I want to do that. When it comes to you, at least.”

   “Boys,” Yaz growled, giving them plenty of warning before she was forced to properly act.

   “Do you notice that she only calls us ‘boys’ when we’re in trouble?” Graham asked the other half of his newly formed double act. “It’s almost as if she thinks we’re being childish.”

   “What’s the point in being grown up if you can’t be childish sometimes?” Dan asked.

   “I think you might have stolen that line from the Doctor,” Tegan remarked.

   “It’s not as if they trademarked it.”

   “We should think about where we’re going to go first in the van,” Jo said to the group. “And we’ll have to come up with a name. What about the Mystery Machine?”

   “Now, that’s definitely trademarked.”

   “I’ve been hearing a few reports of peculiar activity in Blackpool,” Ace told them. “Odd-looking creatures storming the Pleasure Beach, from what I’ve heard.”

   “I think that’s just what people from Blackpool look like.”

   “You’re lucky Clara isn’t here to hear you say that, Dan,” Yaz said.

   “Why do you think I was brave enough to say it now?”

   “I might just tell her. You know, to see what she’d do to you. It might do you some good to finally receive some comeuppance.”

   Dan wasn’t one to be easily put on the backfoot. “Whatever you want to tell yourself to convince yourself to call your new girlfriend.”

   “Oh, he went there,” Ryan responded in a sing-song sort of voice.

   “I’m going to take it as a compliment,” Yaz remarked casually. “If he thinks I’d have the ability to pull someone like Clara, then he must think highly of me.”

   Graham could have applauded. Not just for the fact that she’d deftly returned his witty comment with one of her own, as if they were caught in a verbal tennis match. But it also highlighted the changes Yaz had gone through. If Dan had said something similar in one of their initial meetings, she likely would have been rendered a babbling wreck, either protesting the entire notion of liking someone or crying over the fact that she was seen to be moving on so quickly from the Doctor. There was still a modicum of hurt behind her eyes, signifying that she wasn’t yet ready to even think about dating anyone else, but her ability to take it square on the chin was more than commendable.

   “Well, I would like to point out that we still haven’t met Clara,” Dan pressed on. “So I don’t know whether it’s actually a compliment or not.”

   “I read online that there’s some new medical cure-all tablet,” Martha proposed to the group. “As a doctor, I had to take notice of that. It sounds too good to be true. When these things suddenly appear without warning, there’s usually some form of seedy backing.”

   “Extraterrestrial?” Graham asked.

   “It wouldn’t hurt to poke around and find out. The last time someone put a product like that on the market, lumps of fat started to walk on the street.”

   “I remember looking into that case, actually,” Brian commented. “The Doctor nudged me in the right direction when he found out that I was continuing with my vlog. I tell you, his hints were really helpful. Not to mention how surprising it is that people can just forget things like that happening. In the capital, no less.”

   “People probably didn't want to talk about it because it’d involve admitting you were taking weight loss pills,” Graham suggested. “Though I reckon I could do with a couple. One too many sarnies, if you catch my drift.”

   “Didn't you just hear the point about pieces of fat literally walking on their own two legs?” Yaz asked him. “Can fat have legs?”

   “I bet that’s not a question you thought you’d be asking today,” Dan quipped.

   “To be honest, it’s not the strangest thing I’ve ever had to ask.”

   “Getting back to my vlog,” Brian spoke up. “Before I forget to bring it up. As requested at the last meeting, I’ve set up the framework of a blog for our group. A networking channel, which will make it easier for us to attract other former companions that haven’t yet got the memo. We’ll be able to type up our stories so that they’re preserved. And, when we’re separated, we’ll be able to use it to contact one another if other forms of communication are down. Aliens are always crafty, targeting the phone lines before anything else.”

   “Good work, Brian,” Graham commended him. “I might need some teaching on how to properly use it though.”

   “I’m getting in there before anyone else and saying I’m not going through that,” Ryan hastily said. “It was bad enough when I had to teach him how to use the second remote for the tv.”

   “Why does a TV need a separate remote for the volume though? It doesn’t make sense!”

   Brian raised his hand, bringing attention back to himself before they could be distracted by the mechanics of household technology. “I actually had an idea, if you don’t mind me putting it forward.”

   “The floor is yours.”

   “I thought it might be good to do small interviews with each of us for the blog. You know, introducing yourselves to anyone who might be reading, detailing some of the wilder adventures you’ve undertaken. If there are other potential candidates thinking about joining, surely it would ease their minds to know that the people they’ll be working with are actually real.”

   The group members looked at one another uneasily, not really wanting to go to all that effort. After all, the point of the organisation was to get to know each other in person, rather than reading everyone’s life stories online. But Brian’s expression was so hopeful that none of them were brave enough to shoot the idea down. Facing Daleks and Cybermen was much easier than saying no to the kind man, who was just trying to show a heavy dose of enthusiasm, seeing as he was one of their latest recruits.

   Thankfully, the computer he’d been using, which was shared between the group for when such presentations were in order, began to whine. It prevented them from answering at that very moment, which was a weight off their shoulders. Sadly, any gratefulness they were feeling was quick to abate when they picked up on what was happening. It was Kate Stewart, at least according to the name printed on the screen in flashing red letters. Yaz was the first to jump up, taking charge, and allowing the call to come through.

   Kate’s face appeared before them, looking particularly dishevelled, with marks on her skin that were either grazes or dirt. It was difficult to tell with the quality of the camera. She was breathing heavily, looking as if she’d been running frantically. In the background, shouts could be heard, along with the distinct noise of gunfire. An old building acted as her backdrop, though her face took up the majority of the screen, her eyes wild with fear. It was a far cry from the usually reserved and well kept woman that was a part of their initiative.

   “This is an emergency transmission!” she said, which instantly got their attention, if it hadn’t already been grabbed. “I hope this finds the right people. And if you’re the right people, you’ll know it instinctively.”

   “Is this live or a recording?” Dan asked.

   “Shush!” Yaz hissed, putting a finger on her lips as if he hadn’t understood the message initially.

   “We were…we were looking into energy signatures we picked up in the area that suggested there was a massive time distortion,” Kate pressed on urgently. “Occasional spikes warping the expected energy readings. It all stemmed from this building. UNIT…UNIT has fallen. At least that’s what I can tell. None of my men who entered to investigate have come out. None of them are responding on our comms networks. It’s safe to assume that they’ve been compromised, which is the polite way of saying they’re probably dead.

   “If anyone is listening to this…if I manage to get it out…then let it be known that this is an urgent threat to humanity as a whole. UNIT can’t contain it. There’s…there’s too many of them. I don’t know how they got here undetected. I don’t know how long they’ve been here, or how long it will be before they branch out. But they have to be stopped. I’m ashamed to say that we’ve failed. We’re making a retreat as we speak. We need all the help we can get.”

   On screen, Kate’s face fell even further, if that was at all possible. Her gaze drifted away from looking directly at them, instead focusing on a point beyond, out of shot. If she’d been fearful before, then the expression on her face was now one of abject terror. Graham felt his blood run cold at the sight, remembering how disciplined and organised she’d been when they’d briefly worked with UNIT. What sort of threat could cause such a change in her demeanour?

   “Oh, dear god,” Kate whispered in dread. “They’ve found us.”

   The camera dropped, making them jump with how closely they’d been watching it. They could no longer see Kate, which was troubling them greatly. The dirty ground filled up most of the view, making it clear that the camera had fallen, and the same building could just be made out in the background. The only figure of note wasn’t moving, as still as stone. As still as a statue.

   “Turn it off!” Yaz instantly ordered.

   Graham looked at her in surprise. “What?”

   “Do it! Turn the camera off!”

   He promptly did as instructed, immediately waiting for answers. “What was all that about?”

   “That…was a Weeping Angel,” Martha murmured.

   Yaz turned to focus on her. “You’ve faced them before?”

   “And technically lost. Me and the Doctor were transported through time. We only managed to escape because we got lucky. We had some outside help.”

   “Are you really telling me that we’ve got to deal with those angels again?” Dan asked, his voice low and wary.

   Graham was more confused than ever. “What’s the big deal? Why did we have to stop watching?”

   “An image of an angel can, itself, become an angel,” Yaz recited. “If we’d continued to look at it, it might have appeared right in front of us. And then we would have suffered the same fate as UNIT.”

   Ryan leaned forward. “Which is?”

   “It’s like what Martha just said. Weeping Angels force you into a different time period with one touch. But they can only move when you’re not looking at them, even for a split second. Me and Dan didn't fare too well with them.”

   “I think I was to blame,” Dan admitted. “I accidentally made us look away and, by that point, it was too late. We were stuck in the past for three years after that.”

   Graham slowly nodded his head. “So that’s how it happened. It doesn’t look good if they’re here then. Why are they here? What would they want?”

   “They’re not bothered about conquering or invading, if that’s what you’re wondering,” Martha explained. “All they want to do is feast. On time energy. On their victim’s time energy. If you’re sent into the past, they get to consume all the possible years you would have normally lived.”

   “Is that…is that what’s happened to Kate then?” Tegan asked worriedly. “Has she been taken by these angels?”

   “It looks that way, yeah,” Yaz said simply, bowing her head. 

   Ace stood up. “Do we know what year? Are we talking a decade or two? Or centuries?”

   “I think it’s pretty much random. There’s no way to tell besides getting attacked ourselves. But if UNIT has been targeted by the same group of angels, then it’s entirely possible that they’ve all been taken to the same point in history. That’s how it worked with us, at least.”

   “I guess that’s some comfort,” Graham allowed. “Kate’s not alone, at least. If she has been caught.”

   “She wouldn’t have disappeared otherwise,” Jo pointed out. “We can’t skirt around the issue.”

   “Is there any way of getting them back?” Mel wondered. “If they’re not dead?”

   Yaz shrugged. “I don’t have a time machine lying around.”

   “There must be something we can do.”

   “Kate said it herself. The angels can’t be allowed to spread out. They have to be stopped.”

   “And you think we can do that?” Dan sounded highly doubtful.

   “I don’t know! All I know for sure is that we’ve got to try, right? That’s one of the main reasons why we started this group, isn’t it?”

   “I largely came for the buffet,” Brian admitted carefully. “But I won’t back down from a fight if one of our members has fallen. We have a duty.”

   “I understand that sentiment,” Dan said. “And I respect it. But UNIT are professionals when it comes to this sort of thing. If they couldn’t handle it, what chance do we have?”

   “I don’t think they knew what the problem was when they investigated that building,” Ryan theorised. “They were just checking the energy readings, right? They were probably ambushed by the angels before they realised what was happening. We have the advantage, then. Because we know what we’d be facing.”

   “Doesn’t change the fact that we have no way to fight against them.”

   “But who else is there?” Jo gave Dan a pointed look. “No one else is foolish enough to run head first into this mess. UNIT need our help. As a former employee, I owe it to them to try. You said that they were the professionals, but no one has the experience that we have. Just think about how many adventures we’ve been on collectively. The angels won’t stand a chance in my opinion.”

   “Do we even know where the attack happened?” Martha asked.

   Yaz risked looking at the computer, which had closed the video by default. “The emergency transmission came with coordinates that we can follow.”

   Graham was slowly heading for the door. “At least we’re going to get some use out of the minivan.”

Chapter Text

Tyres screeched across tarmac as the van came to a heavy stop. There was probably no need for the dramatics but Graham didn't know if this was going to be his only chance to be a stunt driver, so he wasn’t going to waste it. He was the archetypal action hero, as long as they tended to be behind the wheel of a minibus. Afterwards, he remembered that they were supposed to be being discreet, seeing as their destination was likely still haunted by statues that could move; his loud arrival had probably alerted the angels to their presence, if they had ears. 

   It explained why Yaz hit him on the back of his head for his antics.

   She was taking it upon herself to be the de facto leader of the group. Graham might have complained, seeing as he was the mastermind behind the collective’s original formation. But, when being in charge meant dealing with Weeping Angels and keeping everyone else alive, he was happy to take a backseat for a change (even if he was currently physically in the front seat). Yaz marched down the narrow middle aisle, weaving past everyone else, all of whom were looking at her expectantly. It was like, because she’d been with the Doctor most recently, she still carried that same authority the Time Lord was imbued with. 

   Graham couldn’t tell for sure, but he expected it was giving the young woman a delicious thrill, despite the circumstances.

   “Okay…plan of action,” Yaz began. “The first thing we need to do is figure out just how many Weeping Angels there are in the vicinity. We can only start thinking about ways to stop them once we know that tiny detail.”

   “Enough Angels to take out an entire squadron of UNIT soldiers,” Dan commented.

   “One Angel could potentially do that though,” Martha countered. “That’s how insanely powerful they are.”

   “The more I hear about them, the more I wonder why I tagged along,” Tegan grumbled, her arms folded as she nervously glanced out the window.

   “It’s going to involve us having to venture inside the building,” Yaz told them. “Kate seemed to believe that that was where they were originally based. They might have even somehow come from there.”

   “You want us to walk inside a dark, abandoned building that’s infested by creatures who specialise in attacking when you can’t see them?” Ace surmised, talking slowly as if that would make Yaz understand just how bonkers the idea was.

   “Think about it positively: they might have already branched out by now after dealing with that initial attack. They’ll know that their hiding place has been compromised.”

   “Are Weeping Angels the sort of aliens who like to hide?” Mel asked, raising her hand like she was in school and talking to the teacher. “I get the sense that they prefer the limelight. They’ve got nothing to be scared of.”

   “Not to mention the fact that, if they’ve left, that means they could be literally anywhere ,” Ryan pointed out. “We’d be back at square one.”

   “I’ve thought about that, Ryan,” Yaz said.

   “And?”

   “I’ve decided not to worry about it until we know that’s the case. What’s the point in fretting about a problem when we already have enough to deal with?”

   “Has anyone told you recently that you’ve started to sound scarily like the Doctor?”

   Yaz gave him a small smile. “I’m taking that as a compliment.”

   “What do we do if we find them inside?” Graham wondered. “Ask them to stand still so that we can count them?”

   “We’ll cross that hurdle when we get to it. Well…when I say ‘we’...I think it’s best if only a portion of us go into the building. At least at first.”

   “Then who? Are we pulling straws?”

   “I’ll obviously be going. That goes without saying, really. Martha’s dealt with Angels before, as has Dan, so we need their expertise. Ryan can provide the muscle…and yes, I’m only saying that to repay your earlier compliment, before your head gets too big…and Ace has shown that she can handle an alien invasion when it’s up close and personal.”

   Graham undid his seatbelt, standing up and waving his hands in the air. “Hold on! You’re benching me?”

   “You don’t need to put it like that.”

   “But that’s exactly what you’re doing! And I know that’s going on. You’re leaving all the old cronies to stay in the van! That ain’t fair!”

   “Did he just call me an old crony?” Tegan growled.

   “I’m trying to not take it personally,” Jo replied.

   “The thing is, I can’t really dispute that,” Ian added, leaning back and getting comfortable. 

   Graham wasn’t going to be so easily subdued. “I’m not that much older than Dan, but he gets to go? This is an injustice!”

   “You’re probably just grouchy because you like to have had your tea by now,” the man in question fired back at him. “What is it? Two in the afternoon. Yeah, you must be starving.”

   “Dan,” Yaz sighed. “You’re staying in the van.”

   The Scouser spun on his heel. “I beg your pardon?”

   “Look, if I don’t make this choice, I’m going to have to deal with Graham’s complaints until the end of time. And, when I’m relying on them being our lookouts, the last thing I need is for our comms to be being used to trade insults. So I’m making the executive decision…you’re staying behind too.”

   “And what if I complain?”

   “I’ve never taken them seriously when they come from you.” She yanked the side door open, hopping onto the road outside. “If you want to see it from a different angle, there’s every chance that we get caught by the Angels. We’re what humanity has left to defend it, and we can’t be all taken out at the same time. I need people I can rely on to stay and keep the ship steady if the worst happens. I’ve travelled with the two of you. There’s no one else I’d prefer to have as my second in command.”

   “She has a way of sweet talking that you can’t help but fall for,” Graham mumbled.

   “But I’m the second in command, right?” Dan asked. “You know, as your best friend.”

   “Hey, I met her first! I have seniority!”

   “That’s exactly the reason why you were benched in the first place.”

   “Can I point out that I managed to survive an alien invasion recently?” Tegan complained, glaring daggers at Ace, who she was sitting next to. “A whole building filled with Cybermen, no less!”

   “Daleks trump Cybermen,” Ace argued. “Those are the rules.”

   “In what world are those the rules?”

   “The world in which Daleks are more evil than Cybermen. Everybody knows this.”

   Tegan frowned at Yaz. “I don’t tend to do this often, but I’m siding with Graham. I’m being left like a rotten sardine in a tin just because I’m slightly older than Ace.”

   “There’s nothing slight about it.”

   “What are you going to do to the Angels? Blow them up?”

   “It’s worth a try.”

**********

   “First things first…we’re not blowing them up.”

   Yaz felt it was necessary to get that point out of the way, especially when she saw Ace edging her hand ever closer to the rucksack clinging onto one shoulder. The woman pulled a face in response, as if she’d really been looking forward to the prospect. But, even though she might have been a trained professional (a self taught one at that), the last thing they needed was to somehow survive the Weeping Angel incursion, only for them to end up getting caught in the building bursting into flames.

   “It wouldn’t work anyway,” Martha mentioned as they approached their daunting destination. “When the Angels got me and the Doctor, I had to put up with him talking about them for ages . He explained that, when they’re observed, they’re time locked, which is why they can’t move. But it also means that nothing physical in the present can affect them. Using explosives wouldn’t even leave a scratch.”

   “And you didn't think to say this back in the van?” Ace asked. “You could have supported me against Tegan’s backlash.”

   “I’m too afraid of her to go against her.”

   “She’s more terrifying than Weeping Angels?”

   “Easily. Just think, would you want to be stuck in the minibus with her right now? After she hasn’t got her own way?”

   “That’s an excellent point.”

   The walk towards the building was a nervous one, which explained why they were doing their best to make conversation. It was a way of making them feel more at ease, though Yaz doubted that it was actually working. She was just trying to keep a calm face, hoping that no one figured out that she was just as scared as them. She may have seen it as a source of pride that people tended to look to her in these situations, but it was still a level of responsibility that she was getting accustomed to. That final adventure with the Doctor, in which she’d been left on her own for most of it, had raised the expectations she and others placed on her.

   “I don’t want to focus on the negative outcome, but what happens if we do get transported through time?” Ryan wondered. 

   “We find a way to get back,” Yaz answered simply.

   “Is it that easy?”

   “Last time, me and Dan had to make use of a tear through reality to get back to the modern day.”

   “Do those tend to pop up frequently?”

   “Only when the universe is on the brink of ending.”

   “I can’t believe you’re making me wish for armageddon. That’s what things have come to.”

   “Are you forgetting that we have someone with a time machine on speed dial?”

   “Would you be willing to call the Doctor though?”

   “If it helped us to survive, yeah. Obviously.”

   “Even if it would mean acknowledging that they’ve definitely changed.”

   Yaz’s enthusiasm for the idea dampened. “I’d do what’s necessary. That’s all you need to know. I can’t put my personal feelings about your safety.”

   “What if they don’t respond? What if they don’t turn up? Or turn up in time? You know better than anyone just how unreliable they can be.”

   “I have faith.”

   “What if…what if they didn't survive the process? What if the regeneration didn't work properly? Can that happen? Because the Doctor was exactly the sort of person who wouldn’t tell you if something could go wrong, especially if it would have brought up more personal questions.”

   “Ryan,” Yaz snapped, forgetting herself for a moment. “Can you please stop? How many questions could you possibly have to ask?”

   “Sorry,” he murmured, bowing his head. “I’m just anxious. You can do this sort of thing for years and it never gets any easier.”

   “I know.” 

   Yaz’s voice softened somewhat, feeling guilty. It turned out that any mention of the Doctor was still a sore point, the perfect recipe to make her lose her composure. The thought of her having left the Doctor, only for it to be the Time Lord’s final moments was one that she hadn’t actually considered up to that point, and now it was all she could think about. Seeing the Doctor again, even with a different face, kept her going. What if she’d been alone right at the end? It broke Yaz’s heart, something which a leader couldn’t afford at times like this.

   “I was also worried about you,” Ryan admitted.

   She snapped her head to look at him. “Why?”

   “I didn't want to bring up the Doctor.”

   “That’s literally all we talk about at the group meetings.”

   “Yeah, but it’s different when there’s loads of other people around. This is more private. And I’d like to think that you’d at least show me your true feelings. You’re still finding it tough without her. You can pretend all you want. You can put on a brave face. But I can see right through it. I think it’s remarkable that you’re still going strong, don’t get me wrong. But going into this sort of situation with something else on your mind isn’t going to give us much of a chance for success.”

   “He’s right,” Martha agreed. “As much as you probably don’t want to hear it.”

   “The Doctor isn’t even a priority right now,” Yaz assured them. “We’re doing this ourselves. We don’t need our hands held. As long as things go smoothly, we don’t need to bring them into the equation.”

   “What are the chances of things going smoothly?” Ace asked.

   “I think it’s best if we don’t think about that.”

   Eventually reaching the abandoned building, even with the slow pace they were using, they headed for what had to be the entrance. A hallway could be seen beyond, with an alarming lack of light on show. The four of them eyed one another, as if they were daring one of their number to go first. Ace was standing closest, though that was probably because she’d never had first hand experience with the Weeping Angels before. If she had, she would have known that it was best to be wary. 

   “Should we be concerned that the door’s open?” Ryan wondered.

   “Maybe they just want to be good hosts for any visitors,” Ace theorised.

   “That’s exactly what I’m worried about.”

   “Come on,” Yaz said with steely determination. “If you need any motivation, just imagine what sort of reaction we’ll get if we’re seen to be scared. We’d never live it down.”

   “I’m more focused on continuing to live in the first place.”

   Yaz rolled her eyes, taking upon herself to step over the threshold. Her unorthodox pep talk seemed to do the trick, at least, because the others were promptly following, even if there were a few grumbles along the way. Their phones were instantly out, providing a source of illumination through their flashlights. It truly would have been impossible to see otherwise, the building feeling as if it had been purposefully shrouded in darkness, the perfect lair for Weeping Angels to reside.

   “Is now a bad time to say that I really don’t like horror movies?” Ryan whispered as they edged deeper into the angel’s sanctuary. “I can’t believe that I’m actually in one.”

   “You should have said something earlier,” Yaz said.

   “And put up with Graham’s taunts? No, I have a reputation to uphold.”

   Yaz smirked. “Whatever you say.”

   “Do you know why I hate horror films? It’s because the black guy always gets killed off first. This isn’t a good position for me to be in then. It’s an established trope. I don’t want to be a trope.”

   “You’re not going to die,” Martha reminded him. “The worst that could happen is you get transported back in time.”

   “Is that supposed to comfort me?”

   “Depends on whether it’s working or not.”

   “Absolutely not.”

   The first door they came to was closed, with Yaz cautiously placing her ear against it, before remembering that Weeping Angels prided themselves on being deathly silent. She looked back at her companions (it felt strange to be in a position where she had companions), who slowly nodded their heads, answering her silent question to proceed. Ryan’s acceptance came much more begrudgingly.

   “Remember…” Yaz began, “...whatever you do, don’t blink.”

   Except they didn't get a chance to steady themselves. As soon as the door was yanked open, they were met by frightened yells. As far as Yaz was aware, angels didn't tend to scream. Something which was further proved when they realised that there weren’t any in the room, the small group instead finding themselves face to face with a couple of people. A man and a woman, both with sandy, blonde hair, the two of them posed in the stereotypical fighting stance.

   “Please don’t shoot us!” the man cried.

   “We’re…not going to shoot you,” Yaz assured him, a hand placed against her chest to deal with the fright. “Why would we do that?”

   “We’re not even allowed to carry guns,” Ryan added. “The Doctor embarrassed me once around that subject and I’ve never been able to look at one again.”

   “You’re…not with UNIT?” the woman asked.

   Yaz frowned. “Not technically, no.”

   The man nudged his partner. “Did you hear that though? They know the Doctor.”

   “Yeah, we do,” Martha confirmed. “And we’d like to know who the hell you are.”

   “I’m…I’m Larry Nightingale. And this is Sally Sparrow. I suppose you could call us the experts on Weeping Angels.”

**********

   “I always knew that old age would creep up on me in the end, but I thought I had a few more innings left in me.”

   Graham was slumped in his chair, his head propped up against the cold glass of the window. He was probably the only person in existence who would be looking at such an imposing building forlornly. The atmosphere on the minibus was fairly muted. It was unsurprisingly awkward to find decent conversation when your friends were putting their lives on the line. 

   “I should be with them,” Dan moaned. “This is your fault. If you’d just kept your mouth shut…”

   “Hey, look on the bright side. You’ve been saved from getting up close and personal with Weeping Angels. You can thank me later.”

   “It’s not something I’m in a rush to experience again, that’s for sure. But it feels wrong to be on the sidelines. I know that I tried to leave this lifestyle behind me but, when it’s right in front of my face, it’s hard to ignore.”

   “Are you regretting signing up for the group?” Jo asked.

   “‘Course not. It’s been great. I just thought it was only going to involve talking. Maybe I was naive in thinking it wouldn’t involve more adventures. If you haven’t already noticed, I’m pretty good at talking.”

   “Yeah, we picked up on that,” Graham grumbled.

   “We’ve already been to outer space,” Tegan reminded him. “This shouldn’t come as a surprise.”

   “That was involuntary. That happened only because Karvanista is a madman. Or a mad dog. This time, it’s us who are being mad.”

   “Yet you still want to go inside,” Mel remarked with a raised eyebrow.

   “Like I said, mad. I know how dangerous those creatures are. And it’s not nice being told that you’re basically surplus to requirements.”

   “Yaz didn't put it like that. We’re just back up. We’re what happens when you break glass in case of an emergency.”

   “Don’t know who I feel more sorry for. The monsters having to deal with us, or the poor sods who are so desperate that they have to rely on us for help.”

   There was a polite knock on the door and the conversation died down. Graham was first to get up. “That must be them. Maybe they’ve realised the error of their ways.”

   “Hold on, it might be the angels,” Dan pointed out.

   “Come on. Who’s ever heard of aliens knocking?”

   Graham slid open the door, coming face to face with a horde of Weeping Angels. His face fell. “Ah. You’re going to be insufferable about this.”

Chapter Text

“You…you know about Weeping Angels?”

   Yaz took it upon herself to do the talking. Everyone else was running on adrenaline after the unexpected fright. Unexpected in the sense that they’d run into other people, instead of a pack of hungry angels. Her approach, with her hands slightly raised, was akin to someone trying to calm down a wild animal. Larry appeared to be quite alarmed, suggesting this wasn’t the sort of thing they tended to do. It begged the question as to why they were there in the first place then. 

   Sally, on the other hand, looked to be much calmer, though she might just have been a decent actor. Yaz knew all about pretending to be braver than she truly was, especially when it involved impressing people she’d just met. The woman was perhaps slightly older than she was, but it was rather difficult to tell, given the lack of any surrounding light. From the features that Yaz could make out, she had to accept that Sally was quite attractive, although that definitely wasn’t the sort of thing she was supposed to be thinking about under the current circumstances. And it certainly wasn’t one of the reasons as to why she was intrigued about their presence.

   The fact was that this was unchartered territory for Yaz. Since she’d somewhat come to terms with her sexuality, she’d only ever had eyes for the Doctor. Looking at anyone else would have felt like some sort of betrayal of the highest order, not to mention that she hadn’t truly known whether she was attracted to women, or just the impossible Time Lord whose charisma defied all stereotypical gender norms. Following her separation from the Doctor, the ensuing days hadn’t involved a lot of looking either, with it almost feeling in poor taste after her quasi-relationship had just ended. 

   If she was able to notice these things about Sally, along with whatever excitement she’d been feeling with Clara Oswald, it seemed to serve as a much needed confirmation of a couple of things. First of all, it alluded to the point that she was, indeed, attracted to the same sex. It wasn’t something that people tended to realise needed confirming repeatedly, especially in the early days after that initial epiphany. But that period is consumed by so much self doubt that it was nice to be reminded from time to time. 

   Secondly, it also confirmed that Yaz hadn’t been broken by the Doctor’s departure. Her fear had been that the experience would put her off ever getting close to anyone again. It could have easily made her hesitant to ever embrace that part of herself ever again, never again admitting the full extent of her true character. It wasn’t the most groundbreaking discovery, but it was important to Yaz and signalled the growth she was still working through. Who knew that personal assurances could be found in a haunted building?

   “You mean you haven’t heard of us?” Larry sounded distinctly disappointed. 

   “Should we have?” Ryan asked.

   “I mean, I thought my posts about our experiences did fairly well, but maybe it was a smaller audience than I first realised.”

   “If you know about the Weeping Angels, then why on Earth would you be foolish enough to go somewhere that’s infested with them?” Ace wondered.

   “You’ve done exactly the same thing as far as I’m aware,” Sally countered.

   “She makes a decent point. From an outside perspective, everything we do is a little insane, but this is taking the biscuit today.”

   “The first thing we need to clear up is how you two actually knew that the Weeping Angels were here,” Yaz said, her arms now folded. “I was under the impression that that would be pretty top secret stuff. You know, to keep the public from panicking. Unless UNIT’s security isn’t up to scratch.”

   “The only reason we know is because of UNIT,” Larry explained. “They sent out a video of the event to all known experts on the subject.”

   Yaz tried not to be insulted that the companion group hadn’t been the only people who Kate Stewart had reached out to. It wasn’t a competition, but it had gone a long way in boosting her pride over the group and the progress they’d already made. It seemed that UNIT had kept their options open, which she couldn’t blame them for. Although, the more she considered the ramifications, the more nervous she became about the Doctor potentially turning up. After all, they were the ultimate expert on dealing with the angels.

   “You saw Kate Stewart?” Martha asked.

   “Is that what the woman on the screen was called?” Sally hummed in thought. “It’s strange. Now that I know her name, it makes the attack feel more personal. Up to now, it was like hearing about a stranger on the news. Sad, but you’d be distracted by something else before long.”

   Yaz put a hand against her forehead. “I don’t know whether I’m following. You know about the angels, you know about UNIT, but you didn't recognise Kate?”

   “It’s been a while since we’ve been involved in this crazy part of the world. There must have been a few promotions since we had to deal with aliens.”

   “So you’re not like…official companions of the Doctor then?”

   “Hey, we got to go inside the Tardis!” Larry argued, wagging a finger as if that would help his cause. 

   “You’re not going to impress anyone here with that,” Martha told him.

   “Still…” Larry was quick to deflate. “...it must act as some kind of badge of honour, right?”

   Sally patted him on the shoulder. “Whatever you want to tell yourself.”

   Larry turned his attention to the others. “Have you seen any of the angels then?”

   “No,” Yaz admitted, sounding sadder than she had any right to be. “Have you?”

   “None whatsoever. We thought it’d be a good idea to place cameras around the building. You know, so that we can monitor all areas at the same time. Even if an angel is observed on a screen, it still can’t move.”

   “Smart.” Yaz watched as his chest puffed out like he’d been given an award. “Though I’m starting to get concerned that none of us have actually seen a statue of any description.”

   Sally moved so that she was closer to Yaz, who wasn’t going to complain about that particular development. “There definitely has to be some close by, right? They were on the video. Unless the people at UNIT like pulling practical jokes?”

   “Kate’s not the sort of person to crack jokes, I’m afraid. Especially one this elaborate.”

   “You know what I’m starting to panic about?” Ryan murmured.

   “I’m almost afraid to ask…”

   “We haven’t exactly been keeping quiet. Larry practically screamed like a girl when we walked in on them.”

   “Hey, I resent that,” the man in question countered with a frown.

   “We’ve walked right into the heart of where we thought the angels were. Why haven’t they come for us? Surely they’d at least poke around to have a look.”

   “Are you complaining?” Ace asked. “From my perspective, the longer they stay away, the likelier we are to survive.”

   “I might not have dealt with the angels specifically but, if they’re like any other murderous alien, which I’ve definitely had my fair share of encounters with over the years, then they’re not going to like a bunch of strangers strolling into their home. The longer we’re still standing, the more of a slight it is on their honour or something.”

   “He’s got a point,” Sally agreed. “When we first ran into the angels…I don’t even want to say how long ago it was because it’ll make me feel really old…but they were quick to target anyone who came near. I lost my best friend because of that hunger.”

   “I’m sorry to hear that,” Yaz said sympathetically. “It isn’t going to be any consolation but they got my best friend too. I was just fortunate enough to get her back in the end.”

   It was something that Yaz had been trying her best to ignore. Coming face to face with the Weeping Angels was a stark and unavoidable reminder of one of the worst days of her life. The last time she’d been tasked with fighting them, she’d been forced to watch as they converted the Doctor into one of their own, transporting her away to some unknown spot in the universe, or potentially further beyond them. What had ensued was a torturous three year hunt to find a way back to her. 

   In a sense, she owed the creatures some form of payback for what they’d put her through.

   “I’m happy for you. That you got her back. She must have been pretty special if she managed to survive that whole ordeal.”

   “Oh, the Doctor has always been brilliant in a tight spot. She used to boast about it all the time.”

   Larry’s brow creased. “Wait a second…are we talking about completely different people? The Doctor’s a guy. A really, really handsome guy with spiky brown hair and eyes you can kind of get lost in. Trust me, I’ve watched his video far too many times to be wrong about this.”

   Ryan nudged Yaz. “Do you want to take it this time?”

   She rolled her eyes. “I’m going to have to keep a tally of how many times we’ve had this conversation.”

**********

   On the bright side of things, he’d kept his footing. Given what he’d just been through, the only thing he could do was look at the positives. So, as Graham patted himself down, it was nice to see that all of his limbs were still intact. When a savage stone statue came barrelling towards you at the speed of light, you tended to worry that at least some of your extremities wouldn’t survive the fallout. 

   Looking around, it quickly became clear that he’d been one of the more fortunate members of the group. When the Weeping Angels had sprung their surprise attack, he’d at least been standing up, meaning he’d arrived in this new location on two feet, much to his delight. The others, however, had been sitting down in the minivan that was no longer present, meaning they were now groaning in discomfort as they rubbed their bruised backsides. To nobody’s surprise, concrete was nowhere near as comfy as the plush cushioned seats Graham had treated them to when he’d hired the bus. 

   He just hoped that it hadn’t been damaged in the process. There was no chance that their insurance would cover such an event. How would you even begin to describe it to those in charge? He was used to awkward conversations since he’d started travelling across the cosmos, but that didn't mean that he actively sought them out.

   “Is everyone okay?” he asked, rushing over to help Ian back to an upright position.

   The older man looked understandably pale, with his hands shaking as he clung to Graham’s arms. At his senior age, the fact that he was still going after such an ordeal was testament to his sturdy character, though Graham wasn’t going to take any chances. Even when Ian was standing up again, Graham made sure to keep a steady arm around him. A softly murmured thank you was the gratitude he got, knowing that the other man probably hated needing so much assistance. But their collective pride and egos had already been damaged enough after falling victim to the terrifying creatures.

   “A few bruises and scratches to add to the collection,” Jo remarked, dusting herself off. “Nothing more than that, thankfully.”

   “I’m still alive!” Dan gasped, sounding completely surprised about that outcome.

   Graham frowned. “I thought you’d dealt with angels before? Doesn’t that mean you knew they weren’t going to kill us in the literal sense?”

   “Not exactly. When I was first transported through time by them, me and Yaz saw this old couple get attacked for the second time. They crumbled into a pile of dust and rocks. We were told that no one survives a second encounter. Maybe…maybe that means a second encounter with the same group of angels? Is that why I’m still flesh and blood?”

   “All you can do is count your lucky stars,” Jo told him.

   “To be honest, I’m not feeling too good after hearing that,” Graham said. “It means that there’s more pressure to avoid another attack, if Dan’s right about this theory.”

   “It’s not as if I’m in any rush to experience that again,” Mel pointed out.

   “What…what happened?” Ian asked. “I can barely remember anything.”

   “You can blame Graham,” Dan grumbled.

   “How was I supposed to know that Weeping Angels are the only aliens I’ve come across who have manners before they attack? You have to respect their tactics. Knocking on the door? Fair play to them.”

   “ Fair play to them? We’re stuck in the past because of them! With no way of contacting help!”

   “I suppose you can’t make phone calls to another time period, can you?” Tegan surmised.

   “Even if we did, I don’t have my mobile on me. None of us do. Again, because of Graham.”

   He put his hands up, at least willing to hold accountability for that. “I thought it would be a good idea to store our phones on the bus whilst we travelled so that we’d actually speak to each other! You know, instead of just looking at screens.”

   “All we do is talk to one another!” Tegan reminded him. 

   “I don’t know whether I actually like knowing what it feels like now,” Brian commented quietly.

   Graham looked towards him. “What was that?”

   “I’ve always wondered. About the Weeping Angels. I guess it’s understandable, given what happened. I was curious about whether it was painful. You see, my son, Rory…he and his wife travelled with the Doctor. You know that already, seeing as I never shut up about them. But they were victims of the angels too. I’m now going through exactly the same thing as they did. Do you think they were just as scared?”

   Graham patted him gently on the back. “I don’t know how to answer that. But it sounds as if they were at least together during that. It’s the one positive we’ve got at the moment - we’re not having to go through this alone.”

   Tegan didn't look impressed. “Yeah, I’m really looking forward to building a new life with you all in… when even are we? What year is it?”

   “It’s not something I can just figure out by looking around.”

   Casting their collective gazes to the surrounding area, it seemed that they were still in London. That was only made clear by the old red bus that came chugging past on the main road. Though it looked to be much newer than they were used to. Some of their fellow pedestrians were giving them strange looks, probably because of how different their attire was in comparison. Clothes were dominated by pops of colour, women clad in short dresses whilst the men sported funky suits.

   “How do they work out the year?” Graham asked. “You know, in time travel movies?”

   “This isn’t a movie,” Dan reminded him impatiently.

   “I know that! But the tropes might still work. It’s all we’ve got to build upon.”

   “They usually look at newspapers, don’t they?” Jo suggested.

   Graham clicked his fingers. “I knew you were the smart cookie of the bunch. Except…I don’t have any money on me to buy one. At least probably not any legal tender they’d recognise.”

   “You don’t have to pay,” Tegan countered. “Just look at it. There’s a stall over there…”

   “If I get punched in the face for trying to steal something, you’re going to hear me complain about it.”

   “Because you keep the rest of your opinions to yourself the rest of the time…”

   Graham was left to mutter under his breath as he wandered away, though the others made sure to stay close behind, as if they didn't trust him not to get lost. The guy manning the newspaper stand was quite possibly the most stereotypical cockney, complete with a flat cap upon his head. He eyed Graham suspiciously, but he was more than used to dealing with this kind of person. This was his manor after all. And perhaps the proprietor could sense that he was dealing with another seasoned Londoner, because he allowed Graham to peruse the offerings without any verbal harassment. 

   “You…are…joking,” he whispered to himself, getting another queer look from the stocky man. 

   He was quick to return to his group, who were waiting with baited breath to learn the full extent of the news. Graham wasn’t going to say that he enjoyed the attention he was getting, but he would admit that he didn't mind the sensation of being a particularly annoying game show host who paused far too many times before revealing if the contestant had won a huge amount of money.

   “It’s 1966,” he said, ripping the plaster off.

   “You can’t be serious,” Dan was quick to respond.

   “Why are you so excited about that?” Tegan asked. 

   “Because it’s not just 1966,” Graham answered. “It’s July 1966.”

   “I’m still not following.”

   “We’re on the eve of England’s greatest ever success! I tell you something, I could kiss one of those angels if it wouldn’t potentially kill me! We might be able to witness World Cup glory! In person!”

   “Oh. Football.”

   “Football!”

   “Why would I care about England winning some trophy for kicking a ball around a field? I want to go home if I haven't already made myself clear.”

   “Like I said before, we’ve got to look on the bright side. Sure, we might be cut off from our normal lives…but I could put a bet on Geoff Hurst scoring a hat-trick and we’ll be in the money!”

   Graham noticed that, whilst most of the group were at least acknowledging the point he was trying to make, Ian had grown strangely distracted by something else. Following the older man’s line of sight, he spotted a woman approaching the same newsstand he’d just frequented. A bob of brown hair framed a rather pretty face, and Ian appeared to be mesmerised by her presence, a certain sparkle returning to his eyes. Perhaps the old dog still had some life in him yet.

   “Everything alright, Ian?” Graham asked, considering teasing him for having a crush.

   “Everything is more brilliant than you could ever imagine. Because that’s…that’s my Barbara.”

Chapter Text

  “I’m really sorry, Ian, but you need to stay with us.”

   Graham hated the fact that he was the one forced to tell the other companion the news. In a just world, another member of the team would have taken up the responsibility. In a just world, Ian wouldn’t have been faced with this torturous situation. But, ever since the Weeping Angels had reared their ugly heads, that sort of pleasant existence had been rendered obsolete. Which meant it was up to Graham to be the villain. It was times like this that he regretted ever creating the support group. He could have easily been sitting at home with his feet up at this moment in time otherwise.

   A strong hand was placed on Ian’s shoulder to keep him in place, though it wasn’t taking a lot of effort to make sure he followed the instruction. The old man simply didn't have the strength to resist Graham’s barricade, no matter how much he wanted to do so. No matter how shiny his eyes were as he watched the woman going about her daily business from afar. That almost made it worse for Graham, in a sense. If Ian had yelled and screamed and kicked up a fuss, then he could have channelled his discomfort into indignant anger. In these circumstances, it just felt cruel to be standing in the way.

   Worst of all, he could feel the judgmental gazes of the rest of their group, even though they should have understood where he was coming from. Surely they should have known that he didn't want to do this unless there was just cause. They were instead caught between glaring at him and watching Barbara like she was something akin to a zoo exhibit. She was, understandably, oblivious to the reaction she’d garnered from the strangers. For the time being, she hadn’t noticed that she was being observed so closely, but Graham knew that it wouldn’t be long before she realised that people were staring at her.

   “Come on, mate,” Dan said, his arms folded as he watched the scene unfold. “All he’d do is say hello.”

   Tegan was quick to join his side. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

   “You must realise how temperamental time travel is,” Graham pointed out, refusing to back down, regardless of how much it hurt him. “If he says the wrong thing, he could completely change the outcome of their relationship. I don’t like doing this, but the Doc taught us to be responsible when it comes to this sort of thing.”

   Tegan barked in laughter. “That infernal person never once listened to the rules. Why should we? It’s not as if we’re being supervised.”

   “You’ve heard how much he talks about Barbara,” Mel added. “You can’t expect him to miss out on this opportunity. If the universe didn't want this to happen, then it wouldn’t have made her come to this very spot at this very moment. I mean, what are the chances of that happening by accident?”

   “There isn’t some higher power in play,” Graham argued. “And, if there is, from my experiences, the universe likes to be a cruel place. I got to speak to Grace after she died and it didn't end well. I just want to spare him from that heartbreak.”

   “Can you please stop talking as if I’m not standing right here?” Ian asked, using perhaps the sharpest tone they’d ever heard from him. “I may be old, but I’m still clinging onto my autonomy.”

   Graham bowed his head. “Sorry, Ian. I wasn’t trying to take that away from you.”

   “I know. You were just looking out for your group, which you’re always doing. I understand that.”

   “So you’re going to leave her be?”

   Ian’s eyes were misty, the man unable to tear them away from his departed wife. It was like she was hanging around just long enough to tempt him, just long enough to break down his already fragile resilience. Graham’s grip had slackened but still Ian didn't move. He got the sense that his fellow companion was almost too scared to approach. It was a sentiment that Graham could resonate with. Weeping Angels were terrifying in a lot of ways but, in some aspects, they still couldn’t compete with phantoms from your past. 

   “She looks so young,” Ian remarked softly. “In my mind’s eye, that’s how I picture her. The woman I fell in love with all those years ago. I must…I must look so different. So old . I bet she wouldn’t even recognise me if I went up and said hello.”

   “That’s a good enough reason to go through with it,” Dan chimed in. “If she doesn’t even know who she’s speaking to, then there can’t be any damage done.”

   “Stop it,” Graham growled. “You’re not helping.”

   “I’m not trying to help you. I’m helping Ian.”

   “You know, 1966 was the year we came back to,” Ian explained. “Once the Doctor finally figured out how to get his ship to approximately the right place. Arriving in London was as good as we could have hoped for. We thought we’d end up back in 1963, the year we originally left, but the Tardis wasn’t reliable enough to be that accurate.”

   “She still isn’t.”

   “At first, we couldn’t imagine what it would be like, living in the same place but years after we’d disappeared. We worried about what people would say or what would have happened to our jobs. But we survived. Ultimately, I don’t think either one of us could have imagined our lives turning out any differently. 1966 was our time in the end. Our time to live.”

   Graham could easily sense that, the more Ian reminisced, the more tempted he grew to walk towards Barbara. He’d already physically stopped him from getting closer; it felt like an evil trick to also prevent from waxing lyrical about the past. The others were apparently getting absorbed by the stories, hanging on every word, riding along the emotional rollercoaster with Ian. He was barely this chatty during their group sessions, usually sitting back and enjoying the chance to listen to everyone else. The quasi-reunion with his wife had reawakened something within him, making him seem sprightlier and more enthusiastic.

   “I bet she’s heading down to the local market,” he pressed on. “She always preferred to visit those sorts of establishments, putting her money into small businesses. She was very opinionated about that. I wonder if she’s thinking of making her peach cobbler tonight. It was a particular favourite of ours. The peaches from the market stalls were always perfectly ripe. I imagine I’ll be sitting at home right now. I never ventured into town with her nearly as much as I should have. That was one of my biggest regrets, looking back.”

   Even Graham was starting to consider encouraging Ian to say hello, falling under the spell of the forlorn lover. Tegan’s arms, permanently folded as they were, had only wrapped themselves even tighter against her torso, accentuating what position she was taking in this dilemma. The only saving grace for Graham was when he noticed that Brian had slightly parted away from the group, scratching his head as he looked at something in the near distance. If there was any sort of distraction to take advantage of, then he was going to make the most of it.

   “Everything all right, Brian?” he asked, making the others look in the same direction. Besides Ian, whose focus wasn’t shifting away from Barbara any time soon.

   “Isn’t that the same building that we were investigating in the modern day?”

   Graham furrowed his brow, trying to figure out if the other man was onto something. It certainly looked startlingly similar, although they hadn’t been permitted to take a closer look (something they were all even more unhappy about following how that had turned out). It stood back slightly away from the main road, with a few buildings surrounding it that definitely hadn’t been there in the modern day. The strangest part about it all was that it looked older than the rest, just as it had done in their normal time period, as if it didn't truly fit. Those walking around didn't appear to be picking up on its odd facade, perhaps assuming that it had been designed that way. Humanity had mastered the skill of ignoring strange occurrences close to home, according to the Doctor.

   “I don’t mean to sound rude or anything,” Brian added. “I know that Ian is struggling, but I thought it best that at least one of us should be focused on spotting anything out of the ordinary. I feel as if we’ve forgotten that we’re facing mortal peril.”

   “We’ve already faced that peril and lost,” Tegan pointed out. “It’s the others stuck in the present day who have to worry about the Angels. As well as figuring out a way to get us back.”

   “If they even realise we’re gone in the first place,” Dan remarked.

   “Of course they will,” Jo countered. “They’ll notice that the bus is empty and reach the natural conclusion.”

   “Be that as it may, are we entirely sure that the angels are only in the present day?” Brian wondered. “If they consume time energy, could they not travel through it as well?”

   “He’s making an interesting point,” Graham reasoned. “That place looks just as haunted as it did when we first came across it. Those creatures could be lurking nearby.”

   “When they caught me with Yaz, there were angels in both time periods,” Dan reasoned. “So it wouldn’t be the worst idea to investigate.”

   “Except didn't you say something about how getting touched by one of them a second time could kill you on the spot?” Tegan reminded him. “Surely that makes it a terrible idea.”

   “We’ve never backed down before when there’s danger to deal with. The Doctor normally runs head first towards it.”

   “The Doctor can regenerate. I can’t, last time I checked.”

   Graham frowned in thought. “Still…if the angels can travel through time, we might be able to tag along and get back. That’ll impress the others, and prove that we shouldn’t be benched again. You know, if this sort of thing happens again, which it probably will, knowing our luck.”

   “So you want us to actually go inside there?” Mel asked cautiously. “With the angels?”

   “Aren’t you curious about this building? They might be using it to launch a wider scale attack! It might be up to us to stand in their way!”

   “Can you stop making reasonable points?” Tegan grumbled. “Because I’d prefer it if I could just ignore this problem.”

   “What else are you going to do? Stay in 1966?”

   “Would it be that bad?”

   “First thing that comes to mind is that there’d be no WiFi,” Dan commented. “Colour television isn’t even going to arrive until a few years, at least mainstream wise.”

   “Fine, I’ll take on the angels. You’ve twisted my arm.”

   “Was that all it took?”

   “I wouldn’t survive without my box sets. I’m only halfway through a murder mystery at the moment and I need to know how it ends.”

   “This plan might end with our murders,” Mel hissed.

   Graham rolled his eyes. “Thanks for the positive mindset.”

   “We’ve got another issue, though.” Dan was seemingly a provider of an endless list of those. “I don’t think Ian’s in any state of mind to venture away from here.”

   The man in question was only absentmindedly listening to the conversation. He jumped slightly at the mention of his name, as if he’d expected everyone else to forget about his plight once they found something more interesting and dangerous to occupy their attention. He smiled meekly in response to the remark, agreeing with the sentiment without actually having to verbally do so. Yaz had been right when it came to Ian - a man of his age simply couldn’t afford to be running about an unknown location with aliens hiding behind every corner. His involvement would only serve as a hindrance, something else for them to worry about when they needed their wits about them.

   “Don’t worry about me,” Ian told them. “I’ll slow you down and it doesn’t seem like a good thing with these creatures. I’ll stay behind and keep out of trouble.”

   “Are you sure you can manage that?” Graham asked.

   Ian glanced back once more at the oblivious Barbara. “I like to see myself as an honourable man, which is why I can’t lie to you. I’m not so sure what I’d do.”

   Graham sighed, at least understanding the sentiment. “Fine. I’ll stay here with you. We’re not leaving anyone on their own, particularly with the angels potentially being all around us.”

   “Hold on, weren’t you just the one person making a big deal out of us exploring the building?” Dan argued.

   “Yeah, but I’m also the only person here who can be trusted not to let Ian tamper with the fabric of time. Or are you saying you’d be able to stop him?”

   “...I really hate it when you make a good point.”

**********

   “Please tell me that there’s a lightswitch somewhere . Anywhere .”

   Tegan got her wish fairly promptly, though she probably didn't see that as a good thing. A loose piece of string dangling from the ceiling switched on a meagre lightbulb once tugged by Dan, illuminating the corridor they now found themselves in. The glow it gave off didn't help all that much, with the bulbs up ahead seemingly activated in the same way. One by one. As if the designers of the building had purposefully made it to be as creepy as humanly possible. Or as extraterrestrial-y possible, if that was a phrase.

   “I’ve got an awful feeling being here,” Dan murmured, keeping his voice.

   “It’s like a headache and stomach ache rolled into one,” Mel surmised. “Just happening all over my body. It’s nauseating.”

   “I think that proves we’re not supposed to be here.”

   “The way my heart is pounding proves that we’re not supposed to be here,” Tegan argued. “Is it too late to turn back?”

   “Straight back into darkness?” Jo countered. “I don’t think that’s a good idea at all. No, our best is to keep moving, finding safety in the light.”

   “The little light that’s provided,” Brian said, right in the middle of the pack. 

   “All I know for sure is that this place is wrong . There’s something dreadfully wrong about it. Graham was right that we should investigate why that is.”

   Tegan tutted. “Whilst he gets to wait outside. I know who pulled the short straw, and it certainly isn’t him.”

   They slowed every time they reached a light bulb, as if a spectre would be waiting to pounce as soon as it turned on. Thankfully, that hadn’t transpired thus far, but the sensation of being stalked refused to leave them. The sound of their own breathing acted as a soundtrack to their timid approach, the group staying close together, crowding so intimately that they kept catching the heel of the person in front. They didn't mind; as long as there was someone there to stumble into, it at least meant that no one had been snatched away for the second time that day.

   “What do you think the purpose for this place is?” Jo asked.

   “I reckon it’s designed to lure idiots in like us, before they close and lock the door,” Tegan reasoned. 

   “If it was designed to fetch the angels a tasty snack, don’t you imagine they’d make it more inviting? I can’t see anyone else fancying a nosey inside. If they did up the place…maybe a nice lick of paint, some new wallpaper, that sort of thing…then they’d definitely be more successful.”

   “What do you expect them to do? Put up a great, big sign by the front door inviting people in?”

   “All I’m saying is that it would make more sense. They can’t be very good if this is the full extent of their efforts.”

   “They were still good enough to capture us,” Dan reminded her.

   “Or we were just spectacularly bad and made it easy for them,” Mel deftly countered.

   “It’s not our finest moment, that’s for sure.”

   “Guys…there’s a staircase,” Brian pointed out, holding up the group with an outstretched arm. 

   Again, he was right about his observation. In any given normal situation, the presence of a set of stairs wouldn’t have been worthy of comment. But anything out of the ordinary stuck out like a sore thumb in a place like this, with the staircase a peculiar addition to the setting. Finished with red carpet and a rail painted gold, it was at odds with the sinister backdrop they’d been perusing up to that point. It felt like it had been ripped out of a completely different building.

   “You want us to go up there, don’t you?” Dan whispered, sounding full of dread.

   “I mean, it might not be as fun as getting the elevator, but I think that, if anything can tell us about what’s going on here, it’s going to be upstairs.”

   “Do you remember us just talking about how the angels needed to make the honey pot more alluring?” Mel put to the group. “I reckon they’re taking our advice onboard.”

   Dan’s smile was uneasy. “At least it’s nice to meet aliens who listen for a change…”

   Since it was him who’d come up with the idea in the first place, Brian was made to broach the staircase before anyone else. A baited breath was held by all as he placed his foot down, like they were expecting it to latch on like quicksand, with Brian never to be seen again. Much to their relief, nothing like that happened. It was, for all accounts and purposes, a perfectly normal set of stairs, allowing them all to venture to the floor above. Even if that took a few more moments of persuading on Brian’s part.

   It was slightly lighter than the first hallway, though that wasn’t a difficult thing to accomplish. The decor more accurately matched the stairs, with the carpet continuing onwards, inviting them to continue. The corridor’s walls were lined with doors on both sides, varnished numbers allocated to each one. The temptation was to push one of them open, but no one in their group was brave enough to do that straight away. Simply getting to the top of the stairs had been challenging enough, testing their mental strength. The realm of London in 1966 seemed like a long distant memory.

   “Is it just me…or does this place look like a hotel?” Jo theorised.

   “It’s not a hotel that I’d like to stay in,” Tegan remarked. “But you’re definitely right. It’s got the air of a seedy motel.”

   “How would you know what one of them looks like?” Dan asked, risking a cheeky smirk.

   “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

   “So, what?” Mel was frowning, which was probably the expression all of them were wearing. “Are we now thinking the angels are running some sort of creepy bed and breakfast? Because I can’t imagine them being very good bellhops.”

   “Why don’t you ask them yourself?” 

   Brian’s question made them all pause. Whilst they’d been taking a closer look at the numerous doors decorating the hallway, they’d failed to acknowledge the lone figure at the far end. Its shadow loomed ominously, arching wings creating an oddly serene silhouette that they knew didn't match the creature creating it. With their eyes trained on it now, it stood still, waiting for the briefest show of weakness. Tegan was sure that she blinked at least once, out of nerves more than anything, but the angel kept guard like the statue it was.

   “It doesn’t want to attack you,” a new voice calmly said, entering the fray.

   One of the doors had seemingly opened, someone potentially coming to their rescue. Or potentially coming to speed the process of their deaths up. None of them dared to look back to take in the appearance of the stranger, seeing the angel as the bigger of the two threats. They could have taken it in turns to keep watch, but they weren’t organised nor synchronised enough to do that. It wasn’t worth the risk.

   “If you truly believe that, then you don’t really know what a Weeping Angel is,” Tegan told the person. A woman, from what they could tell of the voice.

   “I know them better than anyone. I’ve had to live with them for years. And I know that, as long as you’re in this place, the angels have no reason to harm you. They’d be hurting themselves in the process. If you just slowly back up into my room, we can talk about this in a much calmer environment.”

   “You must think we’re fools if you believe we’d do that,” Dan muttered, his eyes beginning to water. “I’m not getting locked in a room if I’ve got anything to do with it.”

   “But…hold on…I know that voice,” Brian commented. “It can’t be.” 

   He spun on the spot, taking everyone by surprise, potentially condemning them all to a sobering fate. Brian didn't care once he saw who was talking to them. He stared at them with wide eyes in the same fashion he’d been looking at the angel. Taking in red hair and an equally shocked expression, his hands grew strangely clammy as the ramifications of the woman’s presence sunk in.

   “Amy?”

Chapter Text

 “So you’re telling me that you formed a group for people who have travelled with the Doctor?”

   Walking out of the intimidating building (much to everyone’s relief), Yaz was having to field Larry’s growing list of inquiries. He was endlessly curious, a trait that she would normally commend, apart from when there was a major alien threat nearby. The other established members of the group were seemingly leaving it to her to deal with his questions. The only comfort Yaz was currently getting were the frequent looks of sympathy Sally was sending in her direction, as if she was more than used to her friend’s behaviour.

   “That’s right,” Yaz said, peeking her head around a corner.

   “And we didn't get an invite?” Larry sounded incredibly offended at the omission.

   “You’ll have to take that up with Graham when you meet him. He’s the one who set up the mailing list.”

   “There’s absolutely no way that Grandad could work with something so technologically advanced,” Ryan argued. “He still struggles with the microwave, and just think about how many times he’s used it. It’s depressing to watch. I’ve got a video on my phone if anyone’s interested.”

   “There’s nothing to be disappointed about,” Sally reasoned. “We didn't travel with the Doctor. Not even once. We may have scrambled into the Tardis, but it left us behind, which isn’t something I’m going to forget anytime soon. The fear was palpable. Though I obviously don’t need to explain how scary the Weeping Angels are to seasoned pros like yourselves.”

   Yaz didn't particularly like being labelled in such a fashion. It made her feel old, when she was one of the youngest in their companion group. ‘Seasoned pros’ was supposed to refer to the likes of Tegan and Ace, though that wasn’t something she would ever dare say to their faces. The title also seemed to strike home the fact that she was no longer a ‘current’ companion. She’d been able to live in a partial fantasy up until that point, believing that her adventures would resume in the not so distant future. If a stranger could pick up on the shift, then it was surely time for her to accept it too.

   “Still…it would have been nice to be included,” Larry grumbled, as if the biggest concern he had at the moment wasn’t stone statues which could kill, but actually the fear of missing out.

   “Did you ever meet the Doctor?” Ryan asked. “If the Tardis ditched you?”

   “Only once,” Sally answered. “And very briefly. He was busy with something involving arrows and a lizard, from what I can remember. I say as if I haven’t ingrained that conversation into my memory forever.”

   “Hold on a sec!” Martha gasped. “That was you!”

   Sally frowned. “Pardon?”

   “I knew I recognised you!” Larry said far too loudly for the dangerous circumstances. “You’re in the video! With the Doctor!”

   “Can you explain this in a way that makes sense to people like me?” Ace wondered.

   Ryan raised his hand. “I’d also appreciate that.”

   “Where to start?” Martha mused. “Me and the Doctor were targeted by the angels and sent back to 1969. The only reason we managed to escape was because we had outside help.”

   “That was us,” Larry pronounced loudly. “The Doctor recorded a video using the transcripts of a conversation he’d have in the future. Yeah, the idea made my head hurt at first too. But Martha appeared at the very start of the video. It’s been a while since I watched it, which is why I didn't piece it together.”

   “You were the outside help,” Martha remarked slowly, coming to terms with the unexpected reunion. “You gave the Doctor the transcript.”

   “Before he even knew us. That’s, as he would say, wibbly wobbly timey wimey. I’ve got that on a t-shirt. I sell my designs online if you’re interested.”

   “If you managed to survive that ordeal on your own, then this should be a walk in the park.”

   “Thanks for jinxing it,” Yaz was quick to say. “If things go wrong, I’m blaming you.”

   “They’ve already gone pretty wrong. How much worse can the situation get?”

   “There you go again, jinxing it for a second time. It’s like you want us to lose.”

   Ryan looked at their latest recruits. “Is there anything else you want to tell us about yourselves? Not that I’m trying to make conversation or anything, but I really don’t like it when it gets quiet. That’s when the monsters usually pop out from the shadows.”

   Sally arched an eyebrow. “What do you want to know?”

   “Nothing specific. Things like…are you two together?”

   Yaz blurted out a snort of laughter. “Why is that the place you start? Are you interested?”

   “What?!” It was spectacular, just how wide his eyes went. “No!” He scowled. “That sounded ruder than it should have been. It’s not that I’m not interested. I wasn’t even thinking about it in that way! I was just hoping someone would talk to fill the silence!”

   “You’re doing that easily enough yourself.”

   “By making a fool of myself.”

   “No changes there, then.”

   “We’re not dating,” Sally answered, much to Ryan’s visible relief. “We used to. We gave it a shot.”

   “But we realised that the only thing we had in common was our experiences with the angels,” Larry added. “It wasn’t enough to keep a relationship healthy, so we ended things before the friendship was ruined in the process.”

   “Larry managed to find himself a wife. Thankfully, she’s not as interested in hunting down angels, otherwise she would have been dragged into this mess as well.”

   “And yourself?” Yaz found herself asking, sounding just as eager as Ryan had before. She swore that she could see him smirking in her peripheral vision. “Are you seeing anyone?”

   Sally smirked, for whatever reason Yaz didn't know. “Not at the moment.”

   Venturing into the light of day was a shock to the system, making them all blink wearily. They were making the most of it, knowing that such a response would prove deadly if any angels were hanging around. But the creatures were remaining strangely aloof. They’d almost expected the statues to be waiting by the door, seeking to keep them trapped inside. There was no such hindrance, giving them free passage to return to the van and take stock.

   A course of action that became increasingly more difficult as they rounded a corner. Yaz skidded to a halt, looking at where the minibus was still parked. She idly wondered whether the engine was still running, the sort of inane thought you tended to get when you were panicking. The vehicle was surrounded by a group of at least five angels, the side door just about still clinging to its hinges. If Yaz was able to come to any sort of conclusion, it felt like they were mocking them after what they’d done, celebrating their victory. The fact they didn't move was less down to them being observed and more to do with them purposefully gloating.

   “Oh my god,” Yaz whispered in shock.

   “When you talked about jinxes, I didn't think that you were being serious,” Martha commented.

   “What…what do we do?” Ace asked.

   “What about the others?” Ryan’s voice was growing frantically high pitched. “Have they been taken? What about Graham? Is he okay?”

   “I don’t know, Ryan,” Yaz responded, trying to sound calmer than she was actually feeling. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know.”

   “We’d have been told if the others were still here,” Martha theorised. “If they were surrounded, they would have called us. The fact that they haven’t…”

   “...suggests that they’re somewhere without a phone signal, yeah. I was trying to not think about that.”

   Sally placed a shaky but comforting hand on Yaz’s shoulder, but she couldn’t afford to avert her gaze to look at it. “There were others?”

   “Other companions. We all travelled down here as soon as we saw Kate’s video.”

   “They’re probably with her and UNIT though, right?” Larry proposed.

   “That’s the only silver lining we have at the moment. Because, even if they’re together, we don’t know where or when that is.”

   Ryan shifted closer to her. “Is there any sort of plan then?” 

   Yaz wanted to be more of an assistance. Yet she couldn’t tear away her gaze from the sight of the creatures, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, given their unique skill set. All she was reminded of was when she’d been forced to watch the Doctor be taken by the Weeping Angels, with her powerless to do anything. Now, more people she cared about had been stolen from her. Dan and Graham, two of her closest friends, had fallen victim to the attack and she’d been the one to tell them to stay there.

   “Don’t blame yourself for this,” Ace commented, as if she could tell what thoughts Yaz was fighting against.

   “How can I not?” she countered. “This was my plan.”

   “None of us stopped to consider that the angels would be vindictive enough to target a weaker group.”

   “And we should have done,” Martha said grimly. “Because it’s exactly the sort of evil thing they’d do.”

   “How did they even know?” Yaz wondered. “How did they know that they were there?”

   “They must have seen us coming, and decided to have some fun. Or what their sick and twisted mindset sees as fun.”

   With everyone else instinctively taking it in turns to stare at the statues, just in case they opted to attack, Yaz glanced down at her phone as she pulled it out. She was probably getting some confused looks from the others, but she was trying to solve her mistake on her own. It was something the Doctor tended to do a lot, coming up with plans without actually explaining them before they came to fruition. A few taps on the screen and the phone could be put away, with Yaz left with nothing else to do but pray that the message would be received.

   “We need to make a retreat,” she instructed the group.

   Ryan looked astounded, his eyebrows climbing up his head. “We’re just going to leave them?”

   “What else can we do? All we’d be doing by getting closer is offering ourselves up to the same fate.”

   Martha was more onboard with the idea. “Where do we go? We can’t exactly drive away.”

   “We can’t risk going back inside. An enclosed space would be exactly what the angels want. It’d be like a feeding ground for them.”

   “Any ideas then?” Larry whimpered. “Because my eyes are starting to water. I always thought that I’d be better at this if I had to do it a second time.”

   Yaz was growing slightly annoyed that she was the one having to come up with the entirety of the plan, but was at least understanding what it was like to be the Doctor. That was all she’d ever wanted, in a sense. Instead of answering verbally and giving the angels a hint as to where they were going, she turned on the spot and began running away, heading for the back of the building for some much needed cover. It only took a few moments for the others to follow suit, attempting to flee whilst also maintaining eye contact with the creatures.

   Everyone was breathing heavily by the time they made it, some of them glaring at Yaz for her unorthodox tactics. The area she’d stopped at was overgrown, with weeds and ferns ruling the land. It was just as unkempt as the rest of the area but it had one major positive on its side: there were no angels lurking as far as they could tell. They still waited in anticipation for the aliens to show themselves, taking part in the chase, but, for as long as they were out of sight, they were doing well.

   “You know,” Ryan gasped with his hands on his knees, his tall frame hunched over. Yaz thought he’d have been more used to running by now. Perhaps he was out of practice. “You’re scarily like the Doctor. She used to run away unannounced like that all the time.”

   “I’m taking that as high praise, even if you didn't intend for it to be that,” she remarked casually, with a strange grin fuelled by adrenaline.

   “Is it bad that I enjoyed that?” Sally asked, wearing the same sort of smile. “Like, I didn't know how much I’d missed the running.”

   “All it did was confirm just how out of shape I’ve grown since 2007,” Larry admitted, clutching his chest. “If it’s not the angels that kill me, it’ll be the exercise.”

   Ace’s head was turning from side to side, scoping out the vicinity. “Do we know why the Weeping Angels haven’t followed us?” 

   “You almost sound disappointed,” Martha pointed out.

   “I suppose I am, deep down. I want to get my revenge after they took Tegan from me.”

   “They’re not the sort of creatures that you can typically get revenge against.”

   “I can…by destroying them.”

   “Any ideas on how to do that? Because a baseball bat isn’t going to help in this scenario.”

   “It’s always worth a try.”

   “The angels can be tricked,” Larry mentioned. “It’s how we stopped them last time. The key to stopping them is through making them look at each other. Because, once that happens, they’re forever locked in place. That's why they usually cover their eyes. Just in case they happened to glance at a colleague. Are they colleagues? Or friends? Or relatives?” He quickly realised that the rest of them were slightly glaring at him. “Yeah, that’s not important right now. I get it. I’m just running on nervous energy.”

   “We can’t even contemplate tricking them if they’re not willing to pursue us.” Ryan checked behind him, as if he expected at least one of the aliens to show itself at that very moment. With the way things had been going up to that point, it wouldn’t have surprised any of them. “Are we not good enough for them? Not tasty enough?”

   “You could be onto something there,” Martha pressed on. “Those in the minibus were older than us. If they feast on time energy, that might have played a part in the angels going for them first.”

   “It doesn’t strictly make sense though,” Larry risked arguing, with Martha raising her eyebrows at the perceived audacity. “Only because angels consume potential time energy. In that regard, we’d be more filling because we…well…because we have more years ahead of us.”

   “Then we’re left at square one,” Sally surmised. “Why aren’t they coming for us? What are they waiting for?”

   “From my experiences, they like to get enjoyment out of a pursuit,” Yaz explained. “They mustn’t get a lot of entertainment, so they have to take what they can get. They’re making us sweat, right now. They’re probably laughing between themselves, seeing how panicked they can make us before they finally put us out of our misery.”

   “Great,” Ryan grumbled. “We’re dealing with one of the deadliest species in the universe, and they also happen to have a disturbed sense of humour. Because I didn't think this day could get any worse.”

   Ace nudging. “Don’t you remember her just saying that they want us to panic?” 

   “We can’t all be cool cucumbers like Yaz. And yes, that is the first time I’ve used that phrase. But why are you so calm, Yaz?”

   She felt her pocket buzz, as if the device was providing the response for her. Ignoring his comment for the time being, she quickly took in the message flashing on the screen, a relieved smile on her face. The others were likely confused as to how she could be at all happy in a spot like this, but they weren’t going to have to wait long for an explanation. Unlike the Doctor, the person she’d called in for back-up actually knew how to time her visits well.

   A breeze picked up at first, before transforming into a heavy wind. The sensation was a comforting one, as was the groaning noise of the engines that filled the air. If the angels weren’t thinking of pursuing them yet, then they definitely would have been thinking about it now once they realised what was arriving. A cylindrical ship materialised before their very eyes, just for the briefest of seconds, before it morphed into the spitting image of a tree, blending in with its new surroundings.

   “A Tardis?” Ace shouted over the noise.

   “The Doctor?” Larry yelled, growing excited.

   “She’d probably argue that she’s better than the Doctor,” Yaz replied, turning to face the doors as they opened.

   A familiar face came into view, a short brunette with a confident smile. Because, even in a time like this, Clara Oswald wasn’t going to miss a chance to show off. At least just a little bit. She gave the rest of the group a cursory look, but her attention was primarily aimed at Yaz. She couldn’t help but blush at the unashamed focus the other woman was giving her.

   “Yasmin Khan, as I live and breathe,” Clara said in greeting. “I was really hoping that you were getting in touch to sort out another date. But I guess fighting monsters is a worthy forfeit.”

Chapter Text

 “Oh my god. Brian?”

   Amy’s hand was shaking as it covered her mouth. Seemingly not caring about the Weeping Angel still standing sentry at the end of the hallway, the redhead barged past everyone else to hug the older man. Brian was just as dumbfounded as her, allowing the embrace to happen whilst not fully able to process how it was happening. The others didn't know what to say either, watching as it played out. Dan was left to be the unfortunate member of the group tasked with keeping an eye on the angel, something he didn't have an exceptional track record with. But, with it being such an emotionally charged moment, he wasn’t about to bring that up.

   “Amy,” Brian gasped. “It’s really you. I thought…I thought it must be a trick of the light.”

   “Are you sure it’s not some sort of trick?” She pulled back, her hands wandering as if to test how real and solid he was. “Because how the hell would you be here otherwise?”

   “It’s a very long story.”

   “The one thing you have in this place is time.”

   “Can someone explain what’s going on?” Tegan asked. “How do you know her, Brian?”

   “It’s Amy!” he answered as if it were obvious. “My daughter-in-law. She…she was taken by the Weeping Angels. I thought that I’d never see them again.”

   Amy looked at the rest of the group. “Who are these people?”

   “Friends. Close friends. And all former travelling companions of the Doctor, if you’d believe it.”

   She laughed, though it was mixed with the choke of a sob. “You know what? I do. Because he has a knack for finding people who would be dumb enough to get themselves trapped in here. Please, Brian…please tell me that you weren’t captured by the angels. There has to be another explanation.”

   “There’s only one answer that I can give, and it’s not the one you’re looking for.”

   She hit him on the shoulder. “ Why?! Why would you get yourself involved in something like this? Were you looking for us? Because, if that’s the case, those statues are going to be the least of your concern.”

   “Can someone take a turn at looking at this one?” Dan whimpered, feeling his eyes burn in agony. “I don’t want to get us all killed just because I blinked. That’s a lot of pressure.”

   “You don’t need to keep looking at it.”

   “I’m afraid that’s the one rule I’ve been given. The one rule I can actually cling onto in this mess.”

   “Once you’re inside, the angels won’t attack. I told you that. They’ll only kick into action if you try to leave. Whilst you’re inside, you serve a purpose. They won’t risk sabotaging that.”

   Dan didn't know what to do. On the one hand, he didn't want to end up like the old couple he’d witnessed in Medderton, reduced to rubble simply because they hadn’t listened to a fairly simple instruction. But Brian seemed to trust this woman. From the stories he’d shared, Amy was a seasoned traverser of the stars, meaning she knew a thing or two about aliens. And it went without saying that his eyes were watering a considerable amount, the pain becoming too much to bear.

   Taking an almighty risk, he turned so that he could properly be a part of the group. He braced for impact, for the delicate touch of the monster sealing his fate. But no such thing occurred. The others were frozen in anticipation just like him, waiting for the alien to descend upon them. Instead, it remained in place, maintaining its oddly serene expression. It was observing them, that was for sure. It was interested in what they would do next. But it wasn’t at all planning on pouncing, at least for the time being.

   “See?” Amy folded her arms now that they were no longer wrapped around Brian. “I told you.”

   “You can forgive me for being cautious.”

   “Trust me, the first days here, I was exactly the same. They instil this paranoia within you, as you can probably understand. But, after a while, it fades away.”

   It was odd to meet someone who was so unaffected by the creatures. They were some of the most terrifying foes to come across, taking advantage of an inherently natural and human weakness. But Amy was acting as if they were nothing more like ornaments, akin to the ugly gnome you might keep in the garden because it made you laugh one time in the shops. Dan’s biggest worry was that they would all be staying in the building long enough that they’d one day reach the same mentality, when his main instinct was to find the quickest exit route possible. 

   “Can you tell me why you’re here?” Amy repeated. “Because, as much as I’m delighted to see you, Brian, the thought of you being trapped here is breaking my heart.”

   “Have you seen anyone else come through?” Jo asked. “Any soldiers?”

   “Soldiers?”

   “UNIT. They were the first to be attacked. You might have seen a woman called Kate Stewart?”

   “Kate Stewart was involved?”

   “You know her?”

   “From previous alien invasions, yeah. Not because of this.”

   “She sent us a video, showing her and UNIT getting taken out by a horde of Weeping Angels,” Mel detailed. “We thought it best to investigate, to try and save them if that was at all possible.”

   “And don’t tell me…you ended up getting captured yourselves.”

   “Transported through time,” Brian said. “But it’s brought me back to you. That has to be a good thing. Maybe…maybe there’s a chance of saving you after all this time.”

   “...yeah.”

   Dan was quick to pick up on the energy the Scottish woman was giving off. It was noncommittal. She was obviously caught between being resigned to the fate she’d previously succumbed to and not wanting to dampen Brian’s spirits. The issue was that the other woman was seemingly deaf to her tone, his eyes shining in excitement at the prospect of getting his family back. It was such an understandable craving, but one that Dan expected to cause more heartbreak along the way.

   “Is Rory with you?” Brian was sounding more energised with each second that ticked by.

   Amy slowly nodded her head. “I think you should all come with me. It’ll be safer inside our room. There’s no point risking angering our security detail.”

   She opened the door she’d appeared from and, with one last look at the lone Weeping Angel, the group followed her instructions. Except, before they could enter, she held them up, raising a hand to keep them in position. Normally, they wouldn’t have been so obedient, especially the likes of Tegan. But Amy was able to convey a level of authority that they weren’t willing to stand against.

   “Rory,” she said. “I need you to be calm, okay? I know how you’re going to react.”

   With that, she gave them the signal to continue, wandering into what appeared to be a surprisingly standard hotel room. The decor was quite dated, though it may have actually been fairly modern, depending on what time period the location was actually set. A radio was playing soft music and a dark vista could be seen outside, making Dan frown in confusion. If he was sure of anything, and it was a very short list at the moment, then it was that it had definitely been daytime when they’d entered the building.

   From the adjoining bathroom, a man cautiously stumbled into view, staring at them in bemusement. Evidently, the couple didn't seem to have many visitors popping by. The group parted, Amy stepping aside so that the man - presumably Rory, unless she was keeping someone else inside - could lock eyes with Brian. The two of them froze, not knowing what to do. Numb to what he was experiencing, Rory absentmindedly switched off the radio, as if it didn't fit the moment. And then, without having to say anything, they both charged at one another, hugging even more ferociously than when Brian had seen Amy. Tegan’s eyes were notably misty as she watched the encounter, though she glared at Dan when she caught him noticing.

   “Dad?”

   Rory’s voice broke as he spoke. At least he was able to get a word out. Brian was too emotional, unashamedly allowing the tears to flow, to say anything in response. He just gripped his son even tighter, the two of them using the embrace to ensure the other one was truly there. It was as if they believed that, through letting go, the other would disappear in an instant. It felt awkward to be standing there and watching the scene unfold, like they were intruding on a moment that didn't involve them in the slightest.

   Eventually, Rory pulled away, but only because there was a new sense of fear in his gaze. “No. No, this can’t be happening. Because the only way you could be standing here is if…”

   “...the angels got me, yeah,” Brian finished for him with a weak smile. “We were too slow, I’m afraid.”

   “We?”

   It was like he hadn’t noticed the entire group of people standing in the small hallway of the hotel room. The door to the outside corridor had been closed, making it seem even more cramped. All they could do was wave meekly like the uninvited guests they were. Rory looked between them and Brian, occasionally sending a questioning glance to his wife. She didn't have the answers that he was looking for. None of them really did, until they figured out how the angels had brought them together. 

   “We formed a group. A group of old friends of the Doctor. It was meant to be like therapy, in a sense. Bringing together a select number of people with the same unique life experiences. We never expected that we’d end up doing missions together, but one of our own was in trouble and we had to act.”

   “Kate Stewart,” Amy added. “They’re claiming that UNIT are nearby as well.”

   “Because bringing guns into the equation is going to end well,” Rory commented. “I suppose they’ve already figured out that bullets won’t work against the angels if they’re already here.”

   “You’re obviously honorary members,” Jo said. “Of our little group. We’ve never been able to make your membership official because of…well…because of obvious reasons. You’ve been stuck here for quite a while, I’ve heard.”

   “Where even is here?” Tegan asked. “None of it makes sense.”

   “This is where the angels watch over us,” Amy responded. “When they caught me and Rory for a second time, this is where we ended up.”

   Dan idly wandered towards the window, hoping that the impossible nighttime view would ironically shed some light on the situation. His puzzlement only grew when he looked out at the skyline. Very much like London, it was a setting that was dominated by high-rise buildings and a fizzing, never-sleeping populace. But there were buildings in sight that were distinctly not from London. If he’d thought the situation was difficult and mind-boggling beforehand, then this was opening a new can of worms entirely.

   “Hold on,” he said. “That’s not possible!”

   Mel chose to walk towards him. “What isn’t?”

   He didn't need to say it. The others had joined him by the window at the sound of his consternation. But saying it out loud felt like it would dampen just how improbable the circumstances were. Although night had descended, yellow taxis could still be seen roaming the streets. And, in the distance, the likes of the Chrysler Building stood tall, with the Statue of Liberty nothing more than a speck on the horizon.

   “We’re in New York.”

**********

   It was difficult to come up with anything to say. It wasn’t really the time for small talk, but the awkward air between the pair was growing to be rather difficult to withstand. Graham had taken to fiddling with his hands, at least giving himself something else to think about. Being a bodyguard for a nonagenarian wasn’t something he’d expected to be signing up for. He especially hadn’t predicted being a bodyguard designed to prevent the nonagenarian from doing anything reckless, because how many people that age could seriously cause trouble?

   Ian Chesterton was a unique case, which shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

   As if Barbara was purposefully trying to torture the onlookers she didn't know existed, she was still perusing the stalls that the street had to offer. As much as Graham loved the sight of the city, looking as it had done when he was nothing more than a young boy, he wasn’t very appreciative of the amenities and distractions it had on offer. Not just because he wanted to take a gander at everything, making the most of this unexpected opportunity, but also because it meant the one woman causing all this trouble hadn’t thought about going home yet.

   “Why don’t we take a seat on that bench over there?”

   The suggestion stemmed from Graham picking up on the fact that Ian was looking rather worse for wear. He didn't want to outright say anything like that though, knowing that the other man was still clinging onto his pride. Ian didn't put up much of a protest, allowing himself to be led towards the bench in question. It still gave him a decent view to watch Barbara from afar, without looking obvious whilst doing it. It was a fine line to navigate. The last thing they needed was for Barbara to come up to them and complain about their voyeurism. Graham didn't think that the prisons in the 1960s were going to be too comfortable.

   It took a considerable amount of effort to lower Ian onto the seat. Graham was growing more concerned about his condition, noticing his pale, clammy skin. The situation was understandably taking a lot out of him. They just needed to wait it out. The others would find a solution. They would figure out how to get back home. By the end of the day, Ian would be resting in a lovely armchair with a cup of tea and a whole load of biscuits. Positive thinking was the only thing keeping Graham remotely calm. 

   “Do you remember the World Cup, my old chum?” he asked, trying to keep the topic light. 

   “Hmm?” Ian seemed distracted (not that that was a surprise), rubbing at his forehead in some discomfort. “Oh, yes. We…we had to cram around a television set with a large number of our neighbours. When that last goal went in…oh, I remember kissing Barbara so fiercely. I was never one for such displays of public affection. But that was one time I made an exception, over excited by that silly game. Sometimes…I wish I’d gone more out of my way to do things like that, showing Barbara how much I loved her.”

   Graham grimaced. Even the supposedly ‘safe’ subjects were producing dire results. Again, Ian palmed at his temples, a frown marring his face. His eyes were tightly shut, as if it was hurting him to keep them open. Graham sat up straighter, having made the momentary mistake of relaxing. He was wishing that he’d kept at least one other member of their group with him. He had no medical training, which meant he was practically useless if things deteriorated further. It was times like this that he wanted Grace by his side, an expert nurse who would at least know what to say to provide Ian some comfort.

   “Is everything all right?”

   “It’s my head,” Ian complained, now tugging at the collar of his shirt. “It feels all…foggy. And it’s pounding incessantly. I feel all…hot.”

   “You just need to keep resting. I’m going to look after you, don’t worry. Maybe I should get you a drink, yeah? From one of the market stalls. They must have some water.”

   If it took stealing a hose from someone’s house, then Graham was perfectly willing to do it. As the mind behind their companion group, he believed he had a responsibility to keep every member safe. That went deeper with Ian, who’d been expressly left in his care. He wasn’t going to lose anyone. He’d meant to watch over Grace and that had ended terribly. The same mistakes weren’t going to be made.

   “Sorry, I hope you don’t mind me sticking my nose into things.”

   Graham froze. He didn't even want to turn his neck or look up. He instantly had the icy feeling that the worst possible person was going to be standing just in front of the bench, her shadow blocking the sun from them momentarily. But, having been brought up to be a polite individual, he shifted his attention away from the struggling Ian and took in the appearance of the woman who was now speaking to them. The same woman they’d been spying on since their arrival in the sixties. A woman who was a lot more terrifying up close than she probably expected to be.

   “It’s just…I noticed that your friend appeared to be taking ill…and I was wondering if there was anything I could do,” Barbara said, hovering awkwardly.

   “Um…” Graham’s mind was going into panic mode. “Thank you very much, love, but I’ll sort it out. You must have loads of things to be doing.”

   “Are you sure?” She crouched down, perched right next to Ian. “He looks to be in a terrible state.”

   “He’s just eaten a dodgy kebab, don’t worry.”

   Were kebabs even a big thing in this decade? Graham couldn’t remember.

   Barbara was too busy placing a hand against Ian’s forehead to take in his remark. The man’s eyes drifted open, sparkling as they gazed at the woman’s features. Ian seemed to be in a fairly delirious state, losing a lot of his cognitive senses. Graham bit his lip, trying to figure out whether there was a polite way to tell her to bugger off. He’d made a big deal out of keeping the pair separated when the others had argued against such a course of action, and now he was making a complete mess of that plan.

   “Barbara?” Ian croaked.

   As expected, she looked more than shocked. “You…know my name?”

   “Just a lucky guess!” Graham blurted out but neither of them were paying him any heed.

   Barbara shifted ever closer. “It’s strange…I’ve got all these images in my head that I don’t remember, and yet it feels as if I should.”

   “I’d just ignore them. Nothing strange going on whatsoever.”

   “It’s like they’re from my life. A life I’m yet to live.”

   “You might have just caught his funny turn. I didn't know it was contagious. I should have been wearing a mask. Maybe you should keep your distance.”

   “I…I think I’d recognise those eyes no matter the circumstances. It’s you, isn’t it?”

   “Barbara,” Ian whispered.

   “Oh, my Ian. You got old.”

Chapter Text

Clara was able to convey a similar level of authority to the Doctor, which meant that the group had no problem following her instructions. That explained why they were quick to follow her into the Tardis, with the doors being promptly closed behind them. For Yaz, it wasn’t a particularly new experience, seeing as she’d travelled in this specific vessel in the past. The others, however, were looking around with eyes, taking it all in. The sleek, white surroundings were probably a stark contrast to what many of them had come to know with previous console rooms.

   “I thought I’d be able to react calmer than this,” Larry remarked. “You know, walking into the Tardis again. But it’s making my head spin just as much.”

   “It’s just tidier than the one we remember,” Sally added, clutching the arm of her friend.

   “You can say that again,” Martha agreed. “The Doctor we had to put up with was going through a grunge phrase, to put it mildly.”

   Larry slowly nodded his head, walking in circles to better appreciate every nook and cranny on display. “This Doctor obviously likes the modern look. It’s quite minimalist. I don’t know what I prefer. The other one probably had more character. Like it was obviously lived-in. That’s the way I’d describe it.”

   “First of all, I’m not the Doctor,” Clara pointed out as she moved over to the consoles. “Although I guess I take that as a compliment. Secondly, I’d be careful with what you say about my Tardis. She has an ego like any other, and she won’t hesitate in kicking you out. The outside world that currently contains Weeping Angels, if I’m not mistaken.”

   Larry’s face paled. “You…you wouldn’t let that happen, would you?”

   “That’s making the assumption that I’m ever in control of this ship.”

   Sally folded her arms. “If you’re not the Doctor, then how do you own his Tardis? And how did it change so much?”

   “Because it’s not the same Tardis. There’s more than one.” Clara pursed her lips. “I thought I was dealing with experts here.”

   Yaz rolled her eyes. “Play nice.”

   “Only because you asked.” The smile that Clara sent in her direction was enough to completely distract her from any type of terrifying monster. “As for how I came into possession of such a marvellous ship…well, I did exactly the same as what the Doctor did all those years ago. I stole a Tardis from Gallifrey and ran away.”

   “She might be the most badass person I’ve ever met,” Ace commented, earning a short curtsy from the woman in question.

   “I thought that I held that title,” Yaz grumbled. “I did technically save the planet from the Master, Daleks and Cybermen just a few months ago. At the same time.”

   Clara’s grin was sweet this time. “It’s not a competition. I’m willing to share the title.”

   “She’s a friend of the Doctor,” Ryan said, adding more context for their newest recruits. “Like the rest of us. Not that she’s come to any of our meetings. This is actually the first time we’ve seen her in the flesh.”

   “I’ve been busy! There are plenty of planets to explore in the cosmos, which is why I still haven’t gone back home like I was supposed to do.”

   “She’s also Yaz’s girlfriend, I think. Though I think Yaz was too nervous to make a move.”

   Yaz jabbed her friend with her elbow. “ Ryan. Shut up. ”

   Clara’s eyes danced with mirth. “So you’ve been talking about me?”

   “Maybe a little. But don’t let that go to your head.”

    “Are you dating?” Sally asked curiously.

   “Not that I like to admit this, but Yaz rejected me. Me . I still haven’t recovered from that. But please don’t tell me that I’ve got to fend off competition for Yaz’s affections. It’s one of the main reasons why I’ve come, to try my luck again. As well as saving you all from an untimely trip through history at the hands of some angry angels. Obviously.”

   Yaz caught Sally looking in her direction, her expression shy. The other woman was quick to avert her gaze immediately upon being spotted, but Yaz’s spirits were bolstered nonetheless. Even if Sally just had a passing interest, or even if she was just misreading the social cues, it was a nice boost to her ego. And it served as a reminder that there were people on Earth who could potentially fill the gap that the Doctor had left. Most people would have been envious of her position, being fought over by Clara Oswald and Sally Sparrow. It made her head dizzy just thinking about it.

   Yaz opted to move closer to the console, realising that they still weren’t out of the woods. “I should thank you for coming so quickly.”

   “As if I’d ignore your calls,” Clara replied. “I’ve been waiting by the phone like a lovesick puppy for weeks .”

   “You could have sent me a text or something.”

   “My pride is too much of a problem to be the one to message first.”

   “But you’re not too proud to be our getaway driver?”

   “Of course not! It’s just a minor miracle that I’ve been able to land. And land accurately at that.”

   Yaz’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean? You claimed that you were a better pilot than the Doctor last time we were together. Is landing such a difficult task?”

   “I don’t appreciate you doubting my skills. And yes , I am much better than the Doctor when it comes to flying. Not to mention that this Tardis is a more advanced model than the one he uses, meaning it should be able to contend with more barriers.”

   “Barriers?” Martha echoed.

   “Barriers trying to prevent it from materialising. Basically, this area is surrounded by a massive…ball of time energy, to put it in layman's terms. And, gosh, I sound so much like him when I say stuff like that. Sometimes I like to think that I’ve moved on from his influence but he’s still there, making snide remarks that I invariably copy.”

   “The angels?” Yaz surmised. “I’m guessing they’re made of time energy, if they consume the stuff.”

   “The building,” Clara corrected. It was quickly apparent that no one else was quite following. “The Tardis hates being here. You could say that she’s allergic to this place. It’s wrong. It’s a temporal anomaly, registering completely different time periods. Like it’s split throughout history. How that happened, I don’t know.”

   “Could the angels have designed it that way?” Ryan suggested.

   “I guess it’d make sense. Such a creation would be like an all you can eat buffet for them. It’s a constant store of time energy, a paradox so big that they’d never have to leave. It’s no wonder that they’ve kept to themselves, remaining under the radar. Why hunt when everything is back home in the fridge?”

   “Do you know what time periods it covers?” Martha asked. “Because our friends were taken, and it might be the key to finding them again.”

   “There’s too many readings to make sense of them,” Clara admitted. “It’s a jumbled mess, just how the angels like things. They thrive on chaos, and it looks as if they’ve finally mastered it.”

   Ace stepped forward. “What do we do then?”

   “We get out of here.” 

   Clara’s short response was perhaps too simple for their liking because they were soon looking at one another in concern. A few of them began talking over one another, competing for dominance and outlining their perspective. Clara just stood back and watched it unfold, unphased by the outbursts as if she’d expected them to come. If Yaz hadn’t been so concerned about the course of action Clara was suggesting, she would have marvelled at how relaxed the other woman appeared to be.

   “We can’t just leave!” Martha argued. “We don’t know where the others are!”

   “We don’t have much of a choice,” Clara countered. “Each second we stay here, the more desperate the Tardis is to leave. There’s a very real danger that she could be pulled into the grasp of the paradoxes in play, like a satellite being drawn into a planet’s gravitational field. There’s also the other pressing problem.”

   Yaz didn't even want to ask, but the duty fell upon her shoulders. “Which is?”

   There was no reason for Clara to answer in the end. The Tardis began to rock from side to side, sending them all flying to the ground. Only Clara managed to stay upright, suggesting that she’d anticipated the unknown attack. The movement refused to stop, keeping them off balance, the group trying to find any surface that would support them. The issue was that the minimalist design of the console room meant that those options were extremely limited, with a lot of open space for them to fall into.

   “I’ve felt this before,” Sally shouted over the continued chaos. “When we were last in a Tardis. It’s the angels, isn’t it?”

   Clara was clutching onto the console with an iron grip, doing her best to keep her focus on the monitor. “Sadly. Because, as much as that building is a buffet, this ship is like a food truck. With endless stores of energy. The angels want it for themselves. They’ll be trying for years to get through those doors but, if they’re one thing, it’s patient. They won’t give up.” She held out a hand, reaching for Yaz. “Well? Are you going to let me fly us away? Otherwise this banging is going to be the soundtrack of your life for the foreseeable future.”

   “Why are you so concerned about my opinion?” Yaz wondered. “I thought you were in charge.”

   “I’m making the effort to include you. You better appreciate that.”

   “Could we reach a compromise?”

   Clara hesitated, but her eyes were sparkling with curiosity. “I’m listening…”

   “I think we can use the building to our advantage. I think we can use it to get to the others, if my theory is right.”

   “And if it isn’t?”

   “I’ll owe you.”

   There was an excited look on the woman’s face now. “Are you trying to make a bet?”

   “Is it one you’re willing to take?”

   “If this works, I’ll take you on another date, in the hope that I can somehow improve on my lost offering. But if it all goes horribly wrong, it’ll be up to you to organise everything. If we survive.”

   It was a difficult act to complete, shaking hands whilst the Tardis was battered from both sides, but the two of them managed it all the same. Yaz knew that she wasn’t supposed to be feeling so energised when they were dealing with mortal peril. But it was feeling just like her many adventures with the Doctor, in which they could hold normal conversations amidst unrelenting carnage. She’d never expected to be able to recapture that sensation, and yet Clara represented it perfectly. So much so that Yaz almost felt guilty, as if she were replacing the Doctor with a new model.

   Maybe she just had a thing for hot time travellers.

   Surely everyone did.

   Once their hold on one another was unrelinquished, Clara danced around the console, kicking it into gear. Buttons were pressed and the main lever was yanked down theatrically, like she was showing off in front of her captive audience. The Tardis shuddered into life, for a much different reason than it had been rocking up until that point. The engines groaned and sputtered, signalling a new destination was on the horizon. Yaz was just hoping that they survived the trip.

**********

   Amy was frowning in confusion, but that had practically been her main expression since they’d made themselves known. The group were caught between gawking at the location outside the window and looking at their hosts for an explanation that wasn’t forthcoming. Dan was starting to feel a bit sick, the entire situation growing to be too much to handle. He was looking back fondly on the time he’d left the Tardis, choosing to focus on having a normal life, and wondered where he’d gone wrong.

   “Yeah…it’s New York,” Amy said slowly. “What else were you expecting?”

   “London,” Dan answered.

   Rory’s brow knitted together. “How’s that possible?” 

   “All we did was walk into this building. We didn't even know that it was a hotel until we reached your floor.”

   “It should all look the same. We’d know, seeing as we’ve been stuck here for years.”

   “The bottom floor was completely abandoned,” Tegan countered. “Like some sort of dusty warehouse. Like someone had only thought to start decorating from the staircase.”

   Amy’s face was showing her utter perplexion, a state she evidently didn't like being in. “That…can’t be.”

   “Is this building somehow connecting different locations?” Mel theorised. “Like multiple portals? Maybe we walked through one without realising.”

   “What if they’re not just different places across the planet?” Jo suggested. “We could walk through one portal and end up in an alien world! It’s not as if the Weeping Angels are locals.”

   Dan looked at the married couple. “What year is it?”

   “1940,” Rory replied as if it were obvious. “We arrived in 1938.”

   Dan had had the inkling that something like that was in play, but it still wasn’t the best thing to hear. He caught the others sharing nervous looks, showing that they were now grasping the true severity of the situation. Amy and Rory, however, were growing more visibly frustrated with every passing second that went by without an explanation being given. Dan felt sorry for them; they’d probably been settling down for the night, perhaps having a meal, and then they’d been interrupted by this mad gaggle of people.

   “The angels took us back to 1966,” Brian told his son.

   “Which means that this building is messing with time,” Dan added. “Creating gateways to various periods throughout history. There might be other decades on different floors for all we know.”

   “Have you not picked up on this before?” Tegan asked, curious as ever. “It seems like something you’d tend to notice. Have you not bothered wandering around this place over the years.”

   “The angels maintain strict rules,” Amy said. “You get used to them after a while, but they’re a constant presence. If you leave, when you’re allowed to lead your so-called normal life, then the angels escort you. Maybe they’ve been keeping us away from these gateways, if there are any.”

   “I’ve had to deal with multiple doorways leading to multiple time zones,” Dan remarked. “Trust me, it can happen. It’s the sort of thing I never expected to have to contend with twice, but I probably should have known that my life wouldn’t be that simple.”

   “What this tells us is that you weren’t attacked by the same Weeping Angels that captured us,” Rory reasoned. “Otherwise you would have been transported to the Thirties, not the Sixties. What is it like, by the way? Was everyone dressed like Hippies?”

   Amy slapped him on the shoulder. “Is that really important right now?”

   “We didn't exactly have time to do as much exploring as we might have wanted to,” Brian responded. “Our first port of call was to come here.”

   “If anything was going to prove that you’re all friends with the Doctor, then that just did it. It’s like he trains us to do completely stupid things.”

   Jo grinned. “We wear it like a badge of honour. It should be our motto for the companion group. ‘Keep calm and do something stupid’.”

   “Like getting purposefully captured by the angels,” Rory finished for her.

   “To be fair, we didn't actually know that they would be in here. We just had a mere suspicion, that’s all.”

   “Whatever the reason, it’s doomed you all.”

   “Thanks for the pep talk,” Tegan grumbled. “I know it’s been a while since you last travelled with the Doctor…that’s the same for a lot of us…but our group largely thrives on us thinking positively.”

   “It’s hard to do when you’re a captive.”

   “But Amy said that you get a normal life, right?” Brian asked hopefully, making it clear what sort of answer he was looking for.

   “We get to work and go to the shops. Things like that. Things we used to take for granted. But it’s difficult to appreciate that when you know you’ve got this waiting for you at home.”

   Dan didn't know whether he was lying or not. There was a part of him that suspected that he was sugarcoating the truth of their strange existence in an effort to stop his dad from fretting. For what it was worth, Brian appeared to have accepted Rory’s word without challenge, proving that he wanted to believe the best possible scenario. They were tiptoeing around one another, three people who knew one another intimately but had been separated against their will. Maybe they didn't share the same strength of connection anymore, which Dan had to view as understandable.

   He was distracted from ruminating on that odd family dynamic as he considered what this temporal conundrum meant for their future. Rory seemed dead set on the fact that they were going to be keeping one another company for the rest of their lives. As much as Dan liked everyone he was with - though he didn't really know the couple whatsoever besides the picture painted by Brian’s stories - he didn't exactly want them to be his sole companions. He couldn’t leave Di waiting for a second time in their young relationship.

   The thought of his girlfriend served as a reminder of how their time together had started. He considered what he’d gone through during the events of the Flux, remembering those gateways he’d brought up just a few moments before. Williamson had been able to crop up throughout history by walking through a selection of wooden doors. If their current circumstances worked in even a remotely similar fashion, then an idea was forming in his head. Which explained why his eyes lit up.

   “But this is…”

   “...horrifying?” Tegan supplied.

   “...brilliant!” Dan exclaimed.

   Rory looked suitably bemused. “How on earth is this brilliant?”

   “It means that there’s potentially a way out of here! For all of us. A way to get back to the present day. There’s just one problem.”

   Amy pursed her lips. “I have a feeling that I know what that problem is.”

   “We’re going to have to find a way to get past the angels.”

Chapter Text

Yaz was pleased that she was at least being listened to. She knew that it shouldn’t have been a big deal, that certain members of the companion group tended to look to her for advice since she had the most recent experience. But the fact that Clara Oswald was following her lead gave her an unbridled sense of excitement. She was the leader of this enterprise, the Doctor in everything but name. And it meant that people like Sally looked at her with something akin to adoration, perhaps the exact same expression Yaz herself had worn when she’d been around the Time Lord. It was something she could get used to, something that explained why the Doctor’s ego was so large.

   Naturally, hubris was going to get the better of her, with the universe hell bent on making her pay for believing that things could actually go well. With the Tardis safely landed, she and Clara led the way out of the time machine and into a dark corridor. Those who were quick to follow them into the new location scrunched up their faces at the sight, as if they’d expected a more appealing destination. Perhaps they’d half expected a semblance of sanctuary to be found after being attacked by the angels, though they weren’t going to be so lucky.

   “I’ve got the awful feeling that you’ve brought us straight back to that building,” Larry said with a shiver. “But you wouldn’t do that. You’re not insane enough to do that.”

   “I suppose you’re going to have to put me in a straight jacket then,” Yaz quipped, knowing that she needed to look composed.

   The performance was the key thing. As much as her confidence had grown over the months, there were still some keys to the whole act that she needed to hone to a fine skill. The Doctor always looked more confident than she was feeling, something that Yaz still tended to struggle with. Pretending to be all cool and unphased meant that the others were more likely to follow her into the darkness. And a fortunate by-product was that it meant the likes of Sally and Clara were more impressed by her, which didn't exactly hurt.

   The shame was that her performance was completely ruined when the Tardis doors slammed shut through their own volition. Yaz would have known that something was wrong regardless as soon as she took in Clara’s expression, which was etched with concern. The ship’s engines kicked into gear, not sounding nearly as healthy as they usually did, before the silver cylinder faded from view. It hadn’t even given itself time to disguise itself in an attempt to match its surroundings, which suggested that it hadn’t remotely liked the destination they’d brought it to.

   It took a few seconds for them all to process what had just happened. For a couple of moments, the hallway had been brilliantly illuminated, casting it in a much more inviting glow. The Tardis’ unexpected departure also robbed them of that light, making the entire place seem incredibly daunting. Many of her entourage were now looking at Yaz for an explanation. The issue was that she was looking at Clara for exactly the same thing, putting to rest any thoughts she’d had about being completely in charge.

   “Did…did someone accidentally press a button they weren’t supposed to?” Martha asked cautiously.

   “I think that was entirely the Tardis’ doing,” Clara admitted. 

   “It can…pilot itself?” Larry looked as if he wanted to take notes though he was scuppered by the fact that there wasn’t enough light, and he hadn’t thought about bringing a pen and notebook.

   “Not…exactly. But she has an attitude problem. I told you that she didn't like this area. She’s had enough. She’s run away, to put it simply. She’s either worried about the paradoxes destroying her engines or the angels getting a hold of her. In a sense, you can’t blame her for being scared. In another sense, I’m already plotting on clamping her, or at least giving her a strong talking to.”

   “She’s left us,” Sally pointed out. “In the dark. With no other means of getting out.”

   “Besides the front door,” Larry reminded her. “It’s more traditional, I guess.”

   “And more dangerous. Since we can’t even see where we’re going. And those same angels from outside could easily be making their way inside at any point. 

   “That means that we’ve got no choice but to pray that Yaz’s theory works,” Clara surmised. “If you care to tell us what that actually is?”

   “We’ve got a bigger problem than that,” Yaz responded. “We’ve lost a couple of members of our search party.”

**********

   The console room of the Tardis was going haywire, to put it politely. Lights were flashing, the central column was moving up and down impossibly fast, and the room itself wouldn’t stop spinning. It was a relentless assault on the senses, making it difficult for them to cling onto anything. Ryan found it difficult to maintain his balance at the best of times, so he’d gone for the option of wrapping an arm around the only solid surface he could reach and hoping for the best until it eventually stopped.

   When there was a merciful pause in between crises, Ryan found himself breathing heavily, lying on the floor and closing his eyes tightly to make the nauseating sensation cease. It took a great deal of effort to stand up, with all of his limbs alarmingly shaky. Images of what had just happened flashed through his head. He’d just been about to walk out the doors. If he’d been even a touch quicker, he would have made it, avoiding the resulting chaos by a fraction. Luck wasn’t on his side.

   Neither was it on the side of Ace, who groaned loudly from her position on the opposite side of the chamber. She was rubbing at her forehead, suggesting that she’d taken a hefty whack in the process of falling. Ryan had at least been fortunate in that regard, with it being a time for small mercies like that. He doubted that the woman was going to be best pleased to discover that she’d been left alone with him, viewing himself as probably the weakest member of the group. Larry and Sally, novices as they were, at least knew how to fight the angels.

   Nonetheless, he made himself known, using the opportunity of mild calmness to walk towards her. Ace didn't look as if she particularly enjoyed the fact that she required any assistance, but she took his proffered hand all the same. There was no room for pride in an emergency. The day seemed to have just been a series of emergencies, one closely following the next. So far, he’d been able to rest upon the support of people who knew what they were doing, or actually wanted to be in command. Ryan was just wishing that he’d stayed at home and played Fifa .

   “What the hell happened?” Ace complained groggily.

   “I wish I could tell you,” he replied. “I’m hoping that I haven’t done anything wrong.”

   “You and I both. I’m starting to think that I got too close to the console and I somehow messed with it just by being in its proximity. The Professor never liked me touching stuff. He said I had ‘destructive tendencies’...whatever that means.”

   “The Professor?”

   “Oh, right! It’s just a nickname I had for the Doctor. I reckon he felt it made him sound more distinguished, so he never complained.”

   “At least we haven’t been left in charge of their Tardis. I doubt the Doctor would want my finger on the button.”

   “It can’t go much worse than it already has. Right?”

   “I don’t want to say that you’re tempting fate…but…”

   “...it would be blooming typical of our luck, yeah. I get it.”

   “What you just said…does that mean the Doctor never taught you how to fly this thing?”

   Ace shook her head. “Not a chance. Judging by how concerned you look, I’m assuming that goes the same for you?”

   “I never trusted myself to accept her offer of lessons. Yaz nearly bit her hand off when the opportunity came up. But, as you might have noticed, she isn’t here. No one else is.”

   “We’re on our own. In an out of control Tardis, potentially being influenced by whatever temporal hoodoo is being cast by the angels. But we’ll figure this out. How complicated can it be? Really? The Doctor might be intelligent, but they’re also more than a bit of an idiot and they manage to keep things running.”

   The Tardis jerked to one side, as if to test that theory. Ryan thought they were in the clear when it lasted just a moment but then the carnage recommenced. They were standing next to each other one second, then thrown apart the next. An alarm blared, like the Tardis wanted them to pay attention to its distress, even though it was pretty obvious. Ryan simply cursed his luck, waiting for another reprieve and praying that Ace truly hadn’t jinxed things by being positive.

**********

   It was probably because it was so unbelievably, spine-chillingly dark that no one had picked up on the fact that their group was light on numbers. After Yaz had made her worrying declaration, the others had looked around frantically, searching the shadows as if they didn't want to believe that they’d been separated. It said something about the situation that they were hoping Ace and Ryan had been thrown to the ground, perhaps even knocked unconscious, by the Tardis’ hasty departure. 

   No such luck.

   It was beginning to dawn on Yaz that the responsibility lay squarely at her feet. It was part and parcel of being in charge, but it didn't make it any easier. She’d been the one to suggest this course of action, meaning that, if anything happened to them, she would have to live with it. If they were injured inside the Tardis, or potentially never seen again, then she would have to explain to the likes of Graham and Tegan what had happened. They would cry on her shoulder or point their anger at her. It was naive of her to want the perks of being the Doctor without any of the drawbacks.

   As if her distress was palpable, which it probably was, Clara was on hand to provide some much-needed comfort. Their fingers laced together, a silent reassurance. Yaz wondered whether she was such an open book that anyone could sense her unease, or whether she was just in tune with the other woman. As it was, Clara was perhaps the only one surrounding her who was suited for this position, who had experience of the negatives when it came to living the life Yaz aspired for, which meant she was the only one who could remotely calm her.

   Yaz held out her hands, which sadly involved losing that contact from Clara. “Okay, everyone. I know that it’s easy to panic.”

   The issue was that she was losing them. They’d been a united group beforehand but the stress of their misguided adventure was beginning to get to them. They were trapped and on their own in an abandoned building, seemingly overrun by creatures that thrived on being in the dark. It was no wonder that any semblance of control she’d held over them was slipping from her grasp. Yaz gulped, steadying herself, steeling her expression. She wouldn’t allow them to lose their heads if she had anything to do with it.

   “And I know that you’re all probably wanting to lay the blame at my feet,” she continued. “Which is fair. This was my idea. But you all know what the Tardis is like, even if it’s not technically the one we’ve travelled in before. She wouldn’t let anyone within her get hurt. In fact, I bet it’s a much safer environment than the one we’re in, so Ace and Ryan will be counting themselves lucky.”

   “That’s right,” Clara agreed, picking up on how Yaz was desperately searching for confirmation on that front.

   “I am feeling like I’ve pulled the short straw,” Martha told them. “Not that I dislike your company. It’s just, I’d much rather take on a malfunctioning Tardis than a group of Weeping Angels.”

   “I’m slightly jealous, I must admit,” Sally said. “The last time the Tardis ran away from the angels, it didn't bother to take us with it. I’m trying not to be offended.”

   “I’m choosing to see it as a good sign,” Clara claimed. “The fact that she’s taken such drastic action shows that we’re very close to the heart of the matter. It’s entirely feasible that the biggest concentration of time energy is around us.”

   “Is it safe for us to be walking around then?” Larry asked.

   “Probably not. But that’s part of the job, I’m afraid. Leaping into the unknown. Conducting a space walk without actually having a tether to the space station. That sort of thing.”

   Martha had her hands on her hips. “But what are we going to do with this time energy? Because I’ve done really well to maintain my skin care routine over the years, and I don’t want to be permanently aged by a time vortex, okay? I’ve seen what that looks like.” She shivered at the thought. “The Doctor looked like a walking, talking prune when it happened to him. Be glad that I don’t have any pictures of him in that state. You’d have nightmares.”

   Yaz wanted to delve into that tangent, curious about the misadventure Martha was alluding to. At the moment, any sort of distraction was a positive thing, keeping her mind off her own failings. The Doctor was a pro at letting her mind wander, something that Yaz knew she couldn’t copy. Maintaining concentration was proving to be difficult, and she was growing concerned that the temporal conditions were beginning to have an effect on her. 

   “I think there’s a very real chance that the others are in here,” Yaz explained. “I think they could easily be walking around us.”

   Larry raised his hand. “You’re not making a lot of sense.”

   Sally nudged him, as if she wouldn’t stand for any insult to Yaz. “Saying stuff like that doesn’t help. Maybe if you waited and listened, she’d get a chance to explain everything.”

   Yaz smiled shyly at the other woman. “Thank you. And, yes, there is an explanation of some description. Or at least a theory to cling onto. We’ve been around this building in the present day, looking like it has been completely ravaged by time. What if that’s because it’s existing outside of the confines of time, a permanent residency on Earth for the Weeping Angels. That would explain why there’s so much time energy being warped around this place. And it would mean that, potentially , different areas of the building could open up to different time periods. I know it’s difficult to see with the lack of lighting, but I’m pretty sure that the floor we’re on now is fairly different to the entrance we inspected earlier.”

   “Maybe the angels just like varied designs,” Martha suggested.

   “Maybe. Maybe I’m missing the mark by a mile. But it’s the only hope we’ve got left of being reunited with the others, because the angels connected to this place might only be able to send people to points in which the building is tethered to. There’s no other way of locating them. And I’ve led you into this maze, which means I’m desperately hoping that I’m right. Otherwise I’ll be the first to throw myself in front of an angel if it gives you all a chance to escape.”

   Clara scowled at her. “Don’t even joke about that.”
  Sally copied the energy. “Yeah. We knew the risks. We all ventured inside under our own volition. Maybe not on this particular occasion, but the point still stands.”

   “Which way do we go?” Martha wondered. 

   “You’re all…willing to follow me?”

   “Absolutely.”

   “It’s not as if we’ve got much of a choice,” Larry added, dodging out of the way of another attack from Sally. “But I’m alright with putting my life in your hands. No pressure or anything.”

   Yaz couldn’t quite suppress the grin that formed on her face. She didn't want to make a big deal out of it, however, instead turning around and reaching for her phone. The torchlight was a welcome companion, illuminating a thankfully empty corridor. The rest of the group copied her action, basking the hallway in bright light and guiding their way forward. Even so, their steps were slow and cautious, wary of an ambush at any moment.  

   As they went along, they took it in turns to open the doors they came across. Some were braver than others, kicking them open with an unruly sense of bravado. Others, such as Larry, were much more tentative, turning the handles painfully slowly, only to reveal an empty space beyond. With each doorway that presented itself, and with each doorway that revealed nothing of note, Yaz started to feel disheartened. She’d managed to bring the group together again; she didn't want that to be wasted. Which was why, when she heard gunfire behind one such door, she had the strange reaction of being pleased.

   It was Clara who nudged open that particular entrance, which took more effort than the others to force forward. That was their first clue that they were getting close to something worthwhile. Their second was the gun that found itself pressed against the forehead of the time traveller. Clara’s hands were up almost instantly, with the others seeing fit to do the same. Yaz considered slamming the door on their opponent, not willing to risk Clara’s life on a hunch. But their foe hadn’t fired straight away, which provided a glimmer of hope.

   “You know…I’ve had to deal with fighting with statues all day,” a woman’s voice remarked, “but I didn't think I’d have to face ghosts from my past as well, Clara Oswald.”

   “Kate?”

   She was looking rather worse for wear, but it was Kate Stewart who emerged from the entrance, lowering her weapon at last. She risked a relieved smile when she spotted the others, appearing as if she hadn’t once grinned at all that day. Yaz wanted to punch the air in the face of undeniable proof that her instincts had been right. Maybe the Doctor had trained her better than Yaz had given her credit for. 

   “You don’t know how good it is to see you,” Kate sighed. “I’ve had one hell of a day.”

Chapter Text

 “I don’t think you understand the situation. It’s not as if we can just walk out of here.”

   Dan had already been eagerly heading towards the door, his hand hovering over the knob following Rory’s verbal intervention. It seemed like the others were just as annoyed about the delay, glaring at the man who had dared raise his voice. For what it was worth, Rory didn't look to be backing down, though he was clinging onto the arm of his wife as if he was relying on her support. 

   “Why not?” Tegan asked. “You just brought up the fact that you’re allowed to leave for basic things. There’s no way that the angels will know what we’re up to.”

   “You think they won’t notice that a large group is trying to escape at the same time?”

   “I’m saying that, if you have an established list of rights, then surely they can’t bat an eyelid.”

   “Poor choice of words,” Dan remarked, earning himself a withering look from the Australian.

   “They’re not the sort of creatures who care if you have the moral high ground,” Amy pointed out. “They rely too much on the occupants of this building to let them slip.”

   “Why is that though?” Jo wondered. “Why are they so hell bent on keeping so many people in one place?”

   “Because we’re their food.”

   Mel shivered, though they could all feel the chill that entered the room. “That’s really not the sort of sentence I was hoping to hear today.”

   “The people who live in Winter Quay have all been taken out of their expected time period, meaning that, for every year they remain alive, the angels can feast on the possibility of what might have been. By concentrating so many people in one place, I suppose it makes the time energy stronger.”

   “Think of it like a cup of tea,” Rory added. “The longer you leave the bag in, the stronger the brew becomes. It’s the same principle.”

   “That might be the most English analogy I’ve ever been privy to,” Tegan complained. 

   Amy sighed. “Sometimes I forget just how English he is.”

   Rory smiled innocently. “You love it, really.”

   “I put up with it. That’s a more accurate way of describing our relationship.”

   “Still going strong.”

   She leaned in closer, her cheek pressing up against Rory’s. “I don’t regret a single thing.”

   “As much as you might be content to stay here, we didn't make that same decision,” Dan reminded them. “You’ve come to terms with it. We haven’t. Which means that we should at least get the chance to try to leave.”

   “Don’t you think we wanted to when we first arrived? It took jumping off the building itself to escape the angels, and even that wasn’t enough.”

   Brian’s eyes widened. “You tried to kill yourselves?”

   Rory grimaced in response. “It sounds worse than it actually was. We felt that us dying too early in the past would cause a paradox, and it worked. We ended up back in the present day. Only for a lone angel to get me whilst I wasn’t looking.”

   “He was too busy staring at a tombstone, like he wanted to get caught,” Amy grumbled.

   “I’m pretty sure that I apologised for that.”

   “I can still complain from time to time. It’s in the marriage contract.”

   “It definitely isn’t. I signed the same document.”

   “I added a clause in teeny-tiny writing.”

   Dan was frowning, trying to make sense of what they were going on about. “Did you say that there was only one angel?”

   “The paradox backfired and became too much for most of them, yeah,” Rory replied.

   “Then how come there were loads of them attacking UNIT? And us? Where did they come from?”

   The married couple shared a confused look, which proved to Dan that he was onto something. He felt quite proud of himself, in truth. When he’d been on adventures in the past, it had usually been left to the Doctor to do the clever stuff, figuring out complicated situations and getting them out of tight spots. When that failed, it was Yaz who carried the burden. For those three years stuck in the past, she’d never stopped leading them towards salvation. So, for it to be his turn to potentially do something clever, he’d been waiting for this moment for a long while.

   “I…don’t know,” Amy admitted.

   “How many angels do you tend to see?”

   “It’s not something we really think about. One is enough to make the message clear. One is enough to leave you terrified of stepping out of line.”

   “Just the one that was standing in the corridor outside your room?”

   “I…guess so! What are you trying to get at?”

   “We’ve already established that this building is somehow connected to different time periods. That’s a possible explanation for how the other angels arrived, like different squadrons teaming up to create one, massive army. But it might also mean that they’re having to keep an eye on multiple locations at once, hence why they can only afford to have one guard.”

   “If they’re distracted, that might just give us the chance we need to get out of here,” Jo said, sounding excited about the prospect of finally leaving. And perhaps excited about facing off against a monster.

   “I mean…you could be onto something,” Rory allowed, his words coming out slowly as if he was trying to come up with a reason to oppose the suggestion. “But they might also have more to lose. More locations means more time energy. They won’t want to lose out on that meal just because they’ve been careless.”

   “Or…” Amy was biting her lip, trying and failing to resist the temptation of hope . “...having so many eggs in one basket could make them careless. Picture it this way…if their temporal nest is like a buffet, then we’re the egg mayonnaise sandwiches that everyone chooses to glance over. If they were to drop off the table, no one would notice or care.”

   Ror’s eyebrows knitted together. “Are you comparing us to egg mayonnaise sandwiches?”

   “I’d like to see myself more as a bacon butty,” Dan commented.

   Amy dragged a hand across her face. “I was…just trying to be like the Doctor. He was always coming up with stupid analogies to make things easier to understand.”

   “Are you trying to say that you’re considering this?” Brian asked hopefully, eyes shining with optimism.

   “It…can’t hurt, can it?” she replied with an awkward shrug.

   “Yes, it can hurt,” Rory countered quickly. “I don’t know what happens if an angel touches you twice, but I doubt it’s anything good. And I’ve…we’ve…made a life for ourselves in New York. We’d risk losing that if we got caught. We’d risk being sent even further back in time.”

   Brian stepped closer to his son. “But you could gain… everything . You’d be able to watch your son grow up, as is every parent’s right. I missed out on that. We’ve got an opportunity for all of us to win it back! I say we should grasp it with both hands!”

   “Our…son?”

   Amy was quick to act, digging her fingers into Rory’s arm as she grabbed it. “Can I just have a moment with my husband? Alone?”

   Given the current circumstances, it was pretty hard for them to have any privacy. If they wanted an empty room, then that would have involved the group heading outside and coming face to face with the lone angel. The warden, as Dan was now referring to it as. The best they could do was crowd in the far corner, towards the hotel room door. With there already being limited space, it was quite a squeeze for them to all clump together, leading to some rather awkward hand placements that none of them were going to talk about afterwards.

   Amy and Rory’s discussion lasted a few moments and seemed to get surprisingly heated at certain points. Despite their close proximity, it was still difficult to hear much of what they were saying. Brian appeared to be the most invested in the conversation, for obvious reasons. If he was able to garner any information about their decision making process, then he wasn’t giving it away. He looked to be completely out of the loop, making the man appear incredibly nervous. 

   After a short while, perhaps prompted by the pointed tapping of Tegan’s foot, the couple broke away. Rory’s eyes seemed to be watery, which didn't fill Dan with much hope about their prospects. Amy stood in front of her partner, as if she were protecting him from the potential fallout. Whilst she was more of a domineering force in their relationship, at least from what Dan had made out so far, it was pretty clear to see that she was also struggling with something she was about to say.

   Amy gulped a few times before talking. “We’ll come. We’ll do it.”

   Brian’s eyes lit up. “You’re serious?”

   “It’s exactly like you said…what have we got to lose?”

   “Besides crumbling into a pile of rocks if the angel touches you,” Dan murmured.

   Rory stood straighter. “What was that?”

   Brian jabbed the Liverpudlian sharply in the stomach with his elbow. “Nothing! Nothing. Are you okay with this, Rory? You’re the one who had the most doubts.”

   “If…if there’s a chance that we can find a way back to the present day, I don’t think any number of Weeping Angels are going to be able to stop this group.”

   “Good,” Tegan said firmly. “Then it’s decided. Which I’m grateful for if just to get out of this room. It’s getting remarkably stuffy.”

   Dan glanced in her direction. “Do you fancy going first then?”

   Her smile fell almost immediately. “I never agreed to that. And, just for that cheek, I think it’s only fair that you go first.”

   She seemed to be rather pleased with herself that she’d managed to so easily turn the tables on him. With everyone now looking at him, and his manhood practically being called into question, Dan knew that he didn't have much of a choice. He’d told himself that he was being more like the Doctor and Yaz; this represented the ultimate test, the final hurdle to prove to himself that he wasn’t just kept around for the laughs. Do this, and he would finally have solid, irrefutable proof that he’d grown as a person because of his travels in the Tardis.

   Regardless of the prize at stake, Dan’s hands still shook as it reached for the door handle. The hinges of the exit sounded as if they were purposefully creaking as loudly as possible, making sure that any Weeping Angel in the vicinity would hear their would-be escape. He took it as a positive that the stony creature wasn’t lurking right in front of the door. It would have been a rather anticlimactic end to their rallying cry if he was instantly killed.

   To go along with the hinges of the door, the floorboards groaned under his weight as he left the confines of the hotel room. Dan tried not to take it personally, as if the building was alive enough to mock him. He blamed the number of buffets he’d been invited to thanks to the companion group. The grumbling floor was a bit of a comfort, however, since it signalled the arrival of every footstep of the others following him close behind. It would have been easy for them to stay in the room, locking the door and using him as some sort of guinea pig for an elaborate experiment. Whether they’d actually do that to him was a far-fetched notion, but he was too panicked to think rationally.

   Naturally, the first thing he did (when he was brave enough) was to look towards the very end of the corridor. That had been where the Weeping Angel had stood previously, and that was where it remained. Its face remained covered by its grey hands but that didn't stop the all-consuming sensation of being watched . There had to be a way for it to sense them looking away, after all, for it to expertly pounce in time. Although Amy had earlier promised them that the monster wouldn’t attack, they were now facing very different circumstances, which was why Dan was currently staring at it unblinkingly.

   “Y’alright?” he asked the angel. “We’re just nipping out for a bite to eat. We won’t be long.”

   Tegan hit his arm. “What are you doing? Why are you talking to it?”

   He shrugged helplessly, though didn't trust the situation enough to look away from the angel. “I thought I was luring it into a false sense of security. We’ve got more of a chance of being allowed to leave if we’re open and honest about it.”

   “But you’re not being open and honest with it,” she hissed, trying to keep her voice down as much as possible. “You’re explicitly lying to it.”

   “It doesn’t need to know that. If you keep banging on about it, it’s bound to take notice.”

   “All you’re doing is antagonising it.”

   “And you’re antagonising me.”

   “I’m of half a mind to push you right into its arms.”

   He would have looked her up and down if he wasn’t so scared of the angel. “I don’t think you’d be able to shove me.”

   “Is that because of my size?”

   “It’s more to do with my size, actually.”

   “Come on, guys, we don’t have time for this.”

   Dan was so on edge that the sound of Jo’s voice, with the woman having crept up right to his ear, was enough to startle him. So much so that he jumped in fright, much to his embarrassment. And, if public humiliation wasn’t enough, it meant that he’d also taken his eyes off the statue. It was an anxious moment as he looked back, relieved to see that the angel hadn’t bothered to move. Maybe it wasn’t interested in them after all, just as Amy had theorised. Maybe it just enjoyed taunting them, making them feel safe before pouncing. Maybe someone else had been looking at it during his momentary lapse in concentration, rendering all those doubts superfluous.

   It did raise a point that he hadn’t even considered up until that moment in time, and he glanced towards the others with a confused expression. Again, the angel didn't even consider edging forward, which was most definitely a relief. He didn't want to die just because he’d been cocky, or had been inspired by an unfounded belief that he now had the ability to come up with incredibly clever ideas just like the fabled Time Lord tended to do.

   “Have you ever stopped to think that it might be a dummy?” he asked the group quietly.

   Amy furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

   “If the angels are so stretched…dealing with various time periods…it might make sense for them to leave a copy lying around. With the way they operate, you’d be none the wiser and still remain obedient to their rules.”

   “I mean, if you want to test that theory out, you’re more than welcome to shake its hand,” Mel replied.

   “I’m just trying to think positively! This might not be as bad as we’ve been expecting. Now I’ve said it, you’re all hoping that it’s just a statue, and nothing more than a statue.”

   With that thought in mind, they all slowly turned to face the opposite end of the hallway, heading towards the direction they’d originally approached from. It was Brian who took the first step, all eyes on him. As his foot landed, they waited for something - anything - to happen. If they were to be sanctioned for misbehaving, for disobeying the clearly set rules, then they would have preferred for it to occur straight away. But it was like going for a walk under any normal circumstances, filling them with a faint sense of positivity for a change.

   Dan wasn’t going to say that he’d told them so, but he was planning on gloating a little bit if they survived the ordeal. As they began the short trip towards the staircase, he was wondering what sort of victory dance he would do. Their pace quickened the closer they got to potential freedom, whilst also doing their best to act natural, doing their best to look as if they were simply going for a bite to eat or going to the shops for a pint of milk.

   Then the light illuminating the corridor flickered.

   They knew they were in trouble immediately, but a quick glance backwards confirmed their worst fears. The angel had shifted alarmingly closer, now standing opposite the door to Amy and Rory’s hotel room. Its face was on full display, looking extremely displeased about what they were doing. It was remarkable how much emotion and anger a piece of stonework could convey, but none of them were about to compliment the creature on that front. It was taking too much concentration for them to look at it to consider doing anything else.

   But, with the lights faltering around them, even staring at the monster wasn’t enough. The space would be consumed by darkness for nothing more than a second in short, frequent bursts, but it was plenty long enough for the angel to edge ever closer. Its claws revealed themselves, pointed fingers poised to attack. Dan gulped, reliving a memory of this exact same fate that he’d done well to stop having nightmares about. He supposed he would be struggling to sleep for the foreseeable future. 

   If he was given the chance to ever sleep again.

   He supposed death was a kind of slumber, if frustratingly permanent.

   “So it wasn’t a dummy,” he murmured.

   “Nope,” Amy said.

   “What do you say? Should we run?”

   “Run.”

Chapter Text

Dan may have been a seasoned pro when it came to fleeing an alien threat, but that didn't stop the painful stitch taking hold in his chest. Despite the fact that they’d been viewed as the old guard, unable to cope in a situation exactly like this, the rest of the group were proving to be surprisingly spritely. Even so, they were beginning to look rather worse for wear, pushed to their extreme limits as they ran away from the approaching angel. It was a minor miracle that none of them had fallen down the stairs in their haste, with Dan accepting that he was probably the likeliest member of their party to suffer that embarrassing fate.

   Eventually, it became too much and he was forced to stop as they came to a lower floor. If the creature was still following them, it was being surprisingly slow. Or it might have just been waiting for precisely this moment, when they allowed themselves to relax. If Dan was feeling anything, it wasn’t relaxed, clutching at his stomach and regretting the loaded sandwich he’d eaten at the original meeting that had gotten them into this mess. The nearby wall was a much needed support as he caught his breath.

   “There’s no time to be lollygagging,” Tegan complained, skidding to a stop when she realised he’d paused his frantic running.

   “If you don’t mind, I’d also appreciate the break,” Brian admitted, wiping at his brow. “I’ve worked up a remarkable sweat.”

   Jo was slowly nodding her head. “It does seem like these floors go on forever. It definitely wasn’t this many flights of stairs when we were on our way up.”

   “The angels weren’t looking to stop you moving deeper into the trap,” Amy commented. “Now that we’re trying to leave, they’re going to pull every trick in the book.”

   “Are they capable of doing that?” Mel asked, cautiously looking towards the point they’d come from, as if she fully expected the angel to reappear at any moment. “Changing the dimensions of a building?”

   “I don’t think it’s about changing the building itself. They’ve managed to wrap multiple periods into one space. It’s…well, the only way to describe it is that it’s bigger on the inside. We’re not running through the building. We’re running through time. I’m sure that, if we took the time to look out a window, we’d see a completely different environment outside.”

   “Except there aren’t any windows,” Dan pointed out. “Probably because they don’t want anyone trapped in here to figure out what’s going on. There’d be an uprising, if people were brave enough to stand up to them.”

   “Or stupid enough,” Tegan grumbled. “Like us.”

   Brian frowned. “Can you hear that?”

   “But how many moments through history have they locked away in one building?” Jo wondered, completely overlooking the question as everyone tried to make sense of the improbable situation. “How many floors could we possibly go through?”

   Rory grimaced, looking like he really wanted to start running again whilst also worrying about the physical state some of them were in. “The simple answer is that we don’t know.”

   “So we could just keep running forever, endlessly being chased by the weeping angels?”

   “It’d certainly make the residents keep in line. It’s one hell of a deterrent, knowing that you can’t physically escape even if you manage to outrun them.”

   “Meaning this has been a complete waste of time,” Mel surmised, folding her arms wearily.

   Dan didn't want to see their spirits drop too much. “It was worth a try though, wasn’t it?”

   “We can’t just give up!” Jo countered. “That isn’t the lesson the Doctor taught us. There’s always a way.”

   “I just don’t think that some of us are in the best condition to keep running,” Rory argued. “We could be doing this for miles.”

   “And if there’s even the smallest chance that those miles could lead to a bright end point? Giving up now would doom us all! Running gives us hope . That should be enough to cling onto. Not to mention the fact that the angels probably aren’t going to welcome us back with open arms if we retreat with our tails in between our legs. Unless that’s exactly what they’d do. The last thing you want is a hug from one of them.”

   “I’m sorry, but can’t you hear that?” Brian repeated himself with more urgency.

   It was finally enough to get their attention, a silence descending upon their group. Dan listened attentively, trying to pick up on whatever the other man was talking about. He half expected it to be the dreaded sound that the angels seemed to make whenever they moved, a screeching noise that made your blood run cold, purposefully designed to put you on edge. If you were nervous, you were jumpier and more easily distractible, meaning you were more likely to look away at the inopportune moment.

   “It almost sounds like something…groaning,” Mel said, her nose wrinkled in thought.

   “Yes! Or some sort of wheezing!” Jo agreed.

   Dan’s eyes widened, as realisation began to dawn. “Whatever it is, it’s getting closer!”

   It wasn’t really enough warning to give them time to get out of the way. The wall they’d been standing next to completely caved in, rubble flying through the air. They were made to dive for cover, the invading object only just coming to a stop when it collided with the wall opposite, and even that was badly damaged as a result. Dan’s senses became consumed by a world of dust, rocks and plaster, making him sputter heavily as he struggled to get back to his feet.

   If the impact had done one thing, other than giving them all a few bruises and scratches, it was that it had revealed the outside world. It was a disconcerting sight. From Dan’s perspective, it should have been the bustling streets of 1930s New York. Or, more hopefully, a scene from the English capital in the sixties. To dare dream that it would be the modern day was too radical, too nonsensical given how cruel the angels tended to be.

   Instead, he was left with overlooking what seemed to be a hectic market on the Asian continent. The street was a sea of red, with floating lanterns attached by string and banners in Mandarin that he couldn’t make sense of. How the people, far closer than they should have possibly been, didn't notice the building standing there like a scar on the landscape was a testament to how skilled the aliens were that they were dealing with. It made the likelihood of them winning this battle seem like a ludicrous notion.

   He shook his head when he realised that the banners he’d been confused by were morphing. The inky black letters swished and transformed, soon revealing their secrets in perfectly crafted English. They’d been translated through some unseen force, as if he’d been granted a wish to find out what food was on offer at the market. If a translation circuit was in place, then it pointed to one conclusion as he slowly turned his attention back towards the large object that had proved so destructive.

   When it had arrived, with most of the brickwork now resting precariously on it, the vehicle was nothing more than a silver cylinder. It towered over them all, barely fitting in the corridor. But it was difficult to get a gauge on its full dimensions, mainly because its appearance kept twisting. It was seemingly trying to camouflage with its surroundings, but it couldn’t make sense of the peculiar environment. One moment, it was shaped like a hotdog cart straight from the streets of Manhattan. The next, it melted into a recognisable blue police box, trying to match the decade they’d first found themselves in.

   “You have got to be joking!” Tegan exclaimed, shoving a particularly large piece of debris that had come dangerously close to landing on her. “It’s the Tardis! It’s the actual Tardis!”

   “Maybe it’s going to be our lucky day after all,” Jo said, in the process of helping Brian back into a standing position.

   “It must be the Doctor, right?” Amy asked eagerly.

   Her eyes were shining in excitement, clinging onto her husband’s arm with a surprising level of might. It brought home the fact of just how long they’d been trapped in the past, and how long they’d been separated from their dear friend. She was practically clambering over the mess to reach the box in her desperation to be reunited with the alien. Dan wondered whether he would be consumed by a similar level of yearning once a decade had passed after his travels. He supposed Yaz would most certainly feel that hunger if that amount of time went by, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

   Except, when Amy eventually reached the doors, it wasn’t the Time Lord who opened them. It was an extremely distressed looking Ace, clinging onto the door frame like she’d been flung around a fair bit. Ryan, coming up behind her, was wearing an expression that suggested he could be sick at any moment. At least it was the perfect spot to do it if it became necessary; any mess he made would have been disguised by the wreckage of the corridor.

   “Ace?” Tegan gasped.

   “Tegan?” the other woman yelled, equally as surprised, and talking loudly as a result of the commotion she must have been put through.

   “I’m also here,” Ryan said shakily, waving a hand. 

   “ How are you here?” Jo wondered, taking a sneak peek inside the Tardis.

   Ace ran a hand across her face. “Isn’t it obvious? We inadvertently stole a Tardis.”

   Amy was, understandably, not following. “How do you inadvertently steal a time machine?” She looked back at the others. “And do you know these people?”

   “We mentioned that group we’re a part of,” Dan began to explain. “They’re a couple of fellow members. Companions of the Doctor. Though it looks as if they’re doing their best impression of actually being the Doctor.”

   “It’s good to see that you’re all in one piece,” Ace remarked, stepping out of the relative safety of the blue box. “We were extremely worried about your wellbeing when we realised you’d been taken away by the angels.”

   “No thanks to you,” Tegan spat. “It was your half of the group who made us wait there in the first place. You basically served us up on a silver platter!”

   “It wasn’t strictly my idea, remember? You can blame Yaz if you’re wanting to point fingers.”

   “You didn't disagree at the time. That’s just as bad in my books.”

   “I wanted to keep you safe! My efforts were extremely unsuccessful, but the sentiment remains the same.”

   Dan looked past the two new arrivals, hoping to see more familiar faces. “Speaking of Yaz…is she in there with you? Have you come to rescue us?”

   Ryan shook his head sombrely. “We were separated from the rest of them. Our guess is that they’re still in the modern day, but this place is so messed up that they could be anywhere or any when .”

   “But you just happened to stumble across a Tardis in the process?” Rory sounded suitably sceptical.

   “It belongs to Clara, before you start making accusations or something. I don’t even know who you are.”

   “Take a wild stab in the dark?”

   “Friend of the Doctor? You’d have to be if you’ve found yourself in this mess.”

   “Guilty as charged.”

   “Hold on…” Dan was really struggling to keep up. “...Clara? As in Clara Oswald? The one Yaz keeps drooling over whenever her name gets mentioned.”

   “The one and only,” Ace confirmed. “And, don’t tell her I said this, but there’s a good reason for the drooling. I can’t believe Yaz turned her down originally. If they get out of this tight spot, I reckon she won’t be able to say no.”

   It was strange but Dan didn't want to remotely think about Yaz leaving in any shape or form. He knew that he’d left her and the Doctor behind, but he’d been given a second chance to spend time with the incredible young woman, learning even more about her as the weeks went by. Was she actually tempted to fly away with another time traveller? Or was Ace just jumping to conclusions in the name of juicy gossip?

   “How come, if they had a Tardis at their fingertips, they let you run away with it?” Tegan wondered. “If there was anyone I wouldn’t trust at the controls of that thing, it’s you, Ace. And that’s saying something, because I watched the Doctor pilot that ship for years, and he was never once accurate.”

   Ace put a hand to her chest. “I take great personal offence to that! I bet I’d be great behind the wheel.”

   “The Tardis doesn’t even have a wheel,” Ryan pointed out.

   “Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to control. Has the Doctor ever thought about that, hmm?”

   “As for how we were left with it, we did say that it was an accident. The Tardis threw a hissy fit as soon as she landed inside this building. She immediately didn't like it. Clara mentioned something about the temporal energy radiating from it. I think it’s messing with the engines. We’ve been bouncing from place to place before we eventually, and thankfully, crashed. It’s not very often that I’m grateful for that.”

   “I fully expected us to be taken somewhere completely different, rather than just a different spot in the same location. It’s as if the fluctuating time energy is restricting the Tardis, meaning it can’t escape its influence now that it’s inside. She doesn’t sound happy or healthy at all.”

   “So we can’t get back to the others,” Dan said bitterly. “Or even think about getting back to the present day.”

   “Not with the Tardis at least.”

   “And it’s not as if we can keep running, like we were just doing,” Mel added. “We can’t leave the Tardis behind because the angels would just love that. Not to mention that this Clara person would probably have our heads if we lost it. There’s no chance of us carrying it to the exit, unless someone’s got an extremely large wheelbarrow tucked away on their person that they’ve failed to bring up until now.”

   Dan idly pictured how that scene would unfold. Would it just be one person pushing the nonexistent wheelbarrow? Would they all give it a try? Would they all attempt to pick it up like an outlandish version of the Chuckle Brothers? It would probably stop the angels from attacking, only because they’d be so confused by the scene playing out before them. Maybe they’d be so entertained by the comedy that they’d just let them leave out of the kindness of their hearts.

   That was more unbelievable than the idea that they could possibly carry the time machine.

   “That raises one of my concerns though,” Ryan said. “About the Tardis being here, and apparently being stuck. When Clara first arrived, it immediately attracted the angels. They were absolutely desperate to get their hands on a time machine.”

   “So there’s every chance that they’ll be able to detect its presence now,” Brian concluded. “And they won’t want to miss their opportunity for a second time.”

   “I think that explains why our particular guard has been taking so long,” Rory told them, his voice faltering somewhat. “It was calling in its mates so that they could properly tackle the Tardis.”

   He was looking back along the corridor, which was now occupied by a group of five statues all staring at them. The only good thing was that they didn't have the chance to move, seeing as they had numerous pairs of eyes now trained on them. Whether that was going to last, Dan didn't have much faith, but he was playing his part in keeping the monsters as far away from them as possible. With the damage already done to the building, he was at least hoping that it might have drained some of their power, meaning their tricks were limited. If the lightbulb above his head started flickering, he was going to have some very choice words to say.

   “Ace’s arrival has actually given me an idea as to how we can beat them,” Tegan mentioned cautiously, as if she were tempering their expectations.

   “What have I done?” the woman in question fired back at her. “Will I get to take credit if it works?”

   “Absolutely not! I’ll be wanting the plaudits, thank you very much. You can have the credit if it fails miserably. Deal?”

   “I’ll only agree once I’ve heard the plan.”

   “This place is still designed like a hotel, right? At least on the levels we’ve come across.”

   Amy slowly nodded her head. “We think so. That’s the best we can come up with.”

   “So it has hotel rooms? With bathrooms?”

   “Are you just needing the toilet?” Dan asked. “Because your timing couldn’t be worse. Although it’s not something the Doctor ever appreciates. I was always wanting a bathroom break when we were supposed to be dealing with universe-ending threats.”

   “No, smart arse. Bathrooms have mirrors . And if an angel looks at itself, it can’t move. I’m right about that, yeah? Otherwise you can tell me to shut up.”

   “You’re right, but it’s another thing to actually make them look in one,” Amy said. “They’re too smart for that.”

   “What if we’re smarter? What if we made them think that they were chasing someone ?”

   Ace was growing impatient. “Who?”

   “ Who , indeed,” Tegan said with a wry smile, gesturing to an innocuous spot on her shoulder that only seemed to hold significance to her partner in crime.

Chapter Text

 “You don’t understand how much of a sight you are for sore eyes.”

   Yaz wasn’t one to get jealous normally, but Kate’s fawning over Clara was bringing out a side of herself that she didn't necessarily like. It just seemed to suggest that Clara had been a brilliant companion of the Doctor, even making a name for herself at UNIT. It wasn’t a competition. It was ludicrous to view it like that. But Yaz couldn’t help but wonder whether she’d lived up to the same standards. If Kate was so happy to see Clara, then it suggested that she was the cream of the crop. Had the Doctor been comparing Yaz to the people who had come before her? If so, Yaz didn't know why she’d been kept around for so long.

   “The same can be said for you,” Clara replied. “I’ve been told that you went missing a short while ago. We were starting to expect the worst. But I should have known that it’d take more than a few Weeping Angels to send you to an early retirement.”

   “They tried their best, trust me,” Kate said, shifting her fringe out of the way to reveal some of the battle scars she’d earned. “I don’t think they expected us to fight back so doggedly after they captured us.”

   “Then they obviously had no clue who they were dealing with.”

   “Precisely. My men have been scoping out the vicinity ever since we were transported here. They haven’t liked what they found. Massive temporal surges. Too many anomalies and paradoxes to count. It’s a cauldron of potent energy that’s ready to boil over. But I suppose you’ve already figured that out for yourselves, seeing as you’re the experts.”

   “What time period were you sent back to?” Yaz asked.

   “The 1960s, judging from the outlandish dress sense. I thought you might have known that, if the angels got to you as well.”

   “I’ll have you know that we got ourselves into this mess all on our own, thank you very much.”

   “I don’t think that’s as much of a brag as you think it is,” Martha remarked.

   Yaz grimaced, understanding where the other woman was coming from. “Yeah, forget I said that. We managed to get here through the building you were initially investigating. We followed the signal left by your video. It was a good plan to get our attention.”

   “It was the last, desperate roll of the dice we had in our favour,” Kate told them. “I hated the fact that I was drawing you into this potential disaster, but I didn't know who else to contact. It’s not as if the Doctor has ever been good at answering their phone. But it is interesting, what you just said. The building acted as a temporal portal for you?”

   “A connection of different time periods,” Larry said. “Or, at least, that’s what they keep saying. I’ve just learnt to smile and nod my head when the complicated explanations start.”

   Kate peered at him carefully. “I feel as if I should recognise you…”

   His eyes widened. “Oh…um…I’m Larry Nightingale and this is…”

   “Sally Sparrow,” Kate finished for him with a nod of her head. “Of course. We’ve heard a lot about you. Nice work with the Angels in the past. It’s not often that civilians manage to outsmart them.”

   “You…know about us? UNIT know about us?”

   “Why else would our call for help have reached you? Like I said, we were impressed with your work. Not many people would survive that ordeal, so we made sure to keep tabs on you. Not a lot of points of interest recently, to be fair. You made the wise choice to lead normal lives after that incident in 2007.”

   “Before making the mistake of responding to your message,” Sally said. “It was too much of a temptation to ignore. And it hasn’t been all bad.”

   Yaz was sure that Sally cast her gaze towards her but there was one very important thing about her that hindered any butterflies forming in her stomach - Yaz wasn’t the sort of person who believed that someone else could possibly fancy her. There was a flirtatious element to the look that was sent her way, maybe even a hint of shyness. Yaz just wasn’t skilled enough to decipher it. But maybe there was a reason why Clara edged ever so closer towards her, as if guarding her territory. She’d never been in this position before, and it was starting to make her feel dizzy.

   “Well, if you can still have that mindset after everything that’s happened, then you might be more cut out for this job than you first realised.”

   “Is that you offering us a position?” Larry asked eagerly. “Because I would leap at the chance. And I know I’m not supposed to say that, because it means I won’t have a good position to bargain from when it comes to any wages, but I can’t miss out on this opportunity.”

   Kate held up a hand. “At the moment, UNIT has been brought to its knees. I can’t afford to be hiring people to an organisation that’s on the brink of collapse. We might be able to have a chat once we’re out of this mess. We’re always on the lookout for consultants. I’ve been trying to use their group for months to plug certain gaps, but I’m yet to properly entice them.”

   “Speaking of getting out of this, have you stumbled across an exit?” Martha asked. “I feel as if we’ve been walking around in circles.”

   Kate shook her head. “Do you think we’d still be in here if that was the case? We were transported to London, with that same building nearby. We made the mistake of investigating. I get the sense that, once you’re inside, it’s incredibly difficult to get out again.”

   “At least it’s a bit of a comfort to know where the others ended up,” Yaz commented. “I’m presuming that they were sent to the sixties as well. Maybe they were smart enough to steer clear and wait for help.”

   Martha gave her a dubious look. “Are you sure about that?”

   “It was nice to have hope for a couple of seconds, anyway. But the point still stands - it’ll make things a lot easier in terms of getting back to them now we know the period in time we’re looking for.”

   “If only we had a Tardis to locate them,” Clara grumbled.

   “I’m not going to blame you for misplacing it, but you were meant to be in control of your own ship.”

   Clara rolled her eyes. “I thought you’d be willing to give me some special treatment and let it slide.”

   Was she pouting? It was quite possibly one of the most attractive sights Yaz had ever laid her eyes upon, and it was almost powerful enough to completely distract her from being stuck in a building that didn't make sense. Yet, much to her relief and personal pride, she was still able to keep her wits about her. She knew what Clara was doing, or at least was attempting to do, and Yaz wasn’t going to make it easy for her. Yes, she had a particular weakness when it came to pretty women, but it would serve her well to send out a reminder that she wasn’t so easily manipulated.

   No matter how alluring those brown pools Clara called her eyes were…

   “And why would you think that?” Yaz asked, her hands moving to her hips.

   It appeared that Clara hadn’t been expecting such a rebuttal, perhaps anticipating Yaz to sputter and blush under her intense focus. As it turned out, Clara was the one left unbalanced, unable to form a coherent answer that wouldn’t reveal the true extent of her intentions. It gave Yaz an immense thrill that she had the power to render someone who controlled time at their fingertips into a floundering mess. It felt good to take such interactions in her stride, when she once would have panicked over ever taking in such a way to someone she liked .

   Kate ran a hand across her forehead. “Are you seriously telling me that you had a Tardis at your disposal, but you misplaced it?”

   “I can’t be held responsible for her actions,” Clara argued defensively. “You know just as well as I do how uncooperative Tardises can be. Even ones that are more advanced models. The swirling time energy made her sick, to put in simple terms. She couldn’t land properly.”

   “And managed to take two members of our search party with them,” Martha added.

   Clara narrowed her eyes at her. “Kate didn't need to know that little tidbit of information. She used to hold me in high regard. I can practically feel that respect slipping away.”

   “And there’s no chance that you can recall the ship?” Kate asked.

   “It’s not as if I can whistle loudly and she’ll come running like an obedient dog.”

   “I reckon it’d be a good idea to install that sort of software,” Larry chimed in. “You know, if the Tardis is constantly temperamental.”

   “Your idea is noted,” Clara ground out through gritted teeth, evidently not accustomed to so many people questioning her credentials at once. “Maybe I’ll set up a suggestion box.”

   Kate sighed. “I suppose we’ve got no other option but to keep walking and hoping for the best. It feels worse than I expected, having the hope of a quick getaway rudely snatched away from me. Having recently had my first trip in a Tardis, I really wouldn’t have minded another.”

   “I know I might be being slow,” Larry began.

   “I think that can be forgiven, given the circumstances,” Sally reassured him.

   “...but, if you were transported to the 1960s, does that mean we can get to that decade just by walking through the door you just came through?” He laughed quietly to himself. “Sometimes, it really doesn’t make sense that I’m so at peace with the idea of time travel.”

   “I wish it was that easy,” Kate responded, providing the answer that Yaz had been dreading. “We’ve been running through too many corridors and doors to keep track. If you’re right about different time periods converging on one location, then I can’t tell you where one entrance will lead to the next. But , I can safely say that we didn't come across the others whilst we were being chased…”

   “...which suggests that they wound up in a different time period,” Martha finished. “I don’t know whether that’s good or bad news.”

   “It means it’s going to be even more difficult to find them,” Yaz said grimly. “So we’d best keep moving. If we stumbled across Kate, then there’s every chance that we could repeat the trick with the others. Live in hope, yeah?”

   “I’d suggest that we don’t head back the way I’ve just come from,” Kate proposed. “There’s a reason why we were running, and it’s not because we needed to get our dose of daily exercise.”

   With a few mumbled words of agreement and a couple of nodding heads, the group started moving away from the entrance, heading deeper into the clutches of the building. Well, Yaz chose to believe that that was what they were doing. It was hard to keep track of which direction they were moving, with it feeling like an eternity since they’d first arrived. They were all quiet for the first few moments, knowing that was their best shot at figuring out if an angel was nearby, even though they were frustratingly silent most of the time. It was also the best chance they had at hearing any other people up ahead, Yaz praying that she would hear Dan or Graham’s voice in the not too distant future.

   Kate was walking right next to Clara, who seemed to be her biggest point of interest. “So…are you going to tell me how you got your hands on a Tardis? Because it certainly won’t belong to the Doctor.”

   Clara looked distinctly uncomfortable almost straight away. “What’s there to say? I did exactly what they did all those years ago - I stole one. End of story.”

   “There’s only one place you could have taken one from though, and it’s pretty hard to get there.”

   “Yes, I was on Gallifrey. Yes, I’m supposed to be going back. No, I don’t intend to do that anytime soon.”

   “I’m guessing this has something to do with how you’re standing in front of me.”

   Clara gnawed on her lip. “Do we have to talk about this? Can’t you just be happy that I am standing in front of you.”

   “I’m happier than you could possibly imagine. When news surfaced of your death, it truly broke me. Not just because I knew what sort of damage it would do to the Doctor.”

   “Is now the right time to be bringing this up?”

   “I’m just whiling away the minutes before we undoubtedly get attacked again.”

   It was fairly obvious that Clara wanted to avoid the topic completely. It was also obvious that Kate wasn’t going to back down, one of the few people there who wasn’t simply overawed by Clara’s presence. For what it was worth, Yaz was caught between not wanting to push her into discussing something she was clearly uncomfortable about, whilst simultaneously wanting to know every detail about what had happened. She’d scratched the surface so far, particularly when they’d spoken on their first and (so far) only date, but there was so much more to discover. She just knew it.

   One thing that was already interesting was the fact that Clara had been to the Doctor’s home world. Yaz couldn’t help but be a little deflated at the news, wanting to view herself as something special that she’d got to walk upon the ground of the planet the Time Lord had grown up on. Did they take all their companions to Gallifrey? And what did Clara mean about having to go back at some point? That was going to be extremely difficult, seeing as Yaz had played a (small) part in its complete and utter destruction.

   “I died,” Clara said simply. “That’s the unavoidable truth. I died on a random street in London, all because I wanted to be too much like the Doctor.”

   “But you’re…um…” Larry gulped, evidently not knowing how to carefully voice his point.

   “...walking and talking?” Clara finished for him. “That’s a long story. Because the Doctor messed with time to bring me back, stealing me away from the very moment I should have died. As you can imagine, the Time Lords weren’t too happy about that. They ruled that I had to go back. They just didn't specify when . It’s a loophole that I’ve been exploiting ever since, running as fast as I can. I learnt from the best.”

   “There was a…funeral,” Kate told her. “A service.”

   “Was it a good turn out? I’ve got a morbid fascination to know how popular I was.”

   “The point I’m trying to make is that…if there was a body…”

   “Then it proves I do go back. One day. Because time will crumble if I don’t. I know. I’ve come to peace with that. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that I like it when it’s brought up in conversation.”

   “If you think I’m going to apologise, then you have another thing coming. The Doctor always described you as impossible . I think this feat cements just how right they were.”

   Although she’d heard a snapshot of the same story before, it still pained Yaz to listen to Clara speak. Because there was a ticking clock on her life. It was precisely the same thing that had marred the Doctor, making the possibility of them being together an improbable one. Did she have a type? Was she solely attracted to women she was doomed to lose? Because she’d been close to properly opening herself up to the brunette time traveller, but this latest news threatened to make her pause instead.

   “I would have preferred it if you’d popped by and told us that you were still out there, amongst the stars,” Kate added.

   Clara shrugged. “I tend to stay away from Earth. Except for special circumstances.”

   Again, Yaz caught the other woman looking directly at her, as if Clara wasn’t at all phased by being too obvious. The more that Clara made it clear that she was interested , the more panicked Yaz became. Mainly because she knew she was feeling the same way, encouraged by a sense of eager curiosity to see what was potentially there, and it frightened her to no end. She liked to think that she’d moved past those fears, that she would have learnt from her mistakes when it came to the Doctor, but it appeared that the same level of terror was still present.

   A similar level of fear she was quickly feeling when she walked right into a Weeping Angel. 

   It was only because Martha was right behind her, and because she had good reflexes, that Yaz was saved from actually touching the statue. It would have been a poor way to go, lost in thought about a crush like some lovesick teenager. Thankfully, Martha was able to yank her away by the sleeve of her jacket, almost inadvertently causing a domino effect of them all tumbling to the ground. That scenario would have been a disaster, with them only being kept safe by the multiple pairs of eyes being trained on the monster.

   “I’m okay, I’m okay,” Yaz assured them, as well as reassuring herself. She risked a glance towards Martha. “Thank you.”

   “It’s what I’m here for,” the other woman responded.

   “I think we’re all okay,” Larry said, stepping closer to the angel.

   “Are you not seeing that thing right in front of you?” Sally asked, her eyes unblinking.

   “It’s not looking at us. It can’t look at us. Can’t you see what’s right in front of it?”

   He pointed to an object that had been placed against the wall. A mirror. A mirror bearing the image of the angel, the creature locked in a staring contest with itself. Yaz instinctively moved out of the way, lest she obscured its view and inadvertently set it free. None of them still risked touching it, just in case it was playing a trick on them. But Yaz did purposefully blink, finding no change in its appearance. As Larry had said, it wasn’t interested in them. It didn't have the capacity to be interested in anything anymore.

   “It’s a very clever plan,” Kate remarked.

   Yaz slowly nodded her head. “Yeah…I just want to know who put the mirror there in the first place.”

Chapter Text

“This is a terrible idea.”

   “It truly is.”

   “One of the worst we’ve ever been involved in, and that’s saying something.”

   “I feel as if you’re trying to make out that this is, in some way, my fault.”

   “I never said such a thing.”

   “It was implied.”

   “In the few words I just said? The statement in which we were in agreement with?”

   “It was implied in your tone .”

   Two Doctors walked casually along what they hoped was an abandoned hallway. One was perfectly ready for a game of cricket, whilst the other was prepared for any sudden downpours thanks to the umbrella hooked around his arm. On occasion, the two of them would flicker, revealing the truth of their existence. Two holograms generated by centuries worth of tinkering with artificial intelligence and records of their established consciousness. But the angels didn't need to know anything about that.

    Seven looked sharply at Five , who, in turn, sent a glare straight back. Although they were currently working with each other, that didn't mean they had to get along all the time. No one was best friends with themselves, especially someone who could literally talk to other versions of themselves. Seven rolled his eyes as Five complained about the imagined and purely made up slight on his honour, wondering whether his previous self had always been this easily wounded. There had certainly been an emotional melodrama to his character during that particular point in his life, something which Seven was extremely grateful about growing out of.

   He looked at his digital companion. “That’s just the way I talk.”

   “There’s always hidden messages behind your words,” Five argued. “You can’t help but speak in cryptic codes, giggling to yourself because you think you’re smarter than everyone else.”

   “We’re the same person. We share the same brain. Except , I have more years of expertise, which heavily suggests that I undoubtedly possess more knowledge. It’s an undeniable fact that, out of the two of us, I’m cleverer.”

    Five’s mouth was set in a thin line. “That might be true if we were the real versions of ourselves. As it is, we’re based on the same algorithms and code. We’re the same program down to the last binary input. We even share the same memory core, right up until the present day. We can’t be separated!”

   “If that’s what you want to believe, then I’m not going to convince you either way.”

   “It’s not as if one of us even came up with this plan!”

   “No, it was those intrepid companions bringing us into this mess. I would be of the opinion that this strategy had the potential to be clever, if they hadn’t gotten themselves trapped in the first place.”

   “We both know that we would have walked right through the same front doors if we’d been given the chance.”

   “That’s what I’m worried about. Do you ever get the sense that we’ve been bad influences on the people we’ve travelled with? After all, there’s no chance of a lot of them ever considering doing this sort of thing if they hadn’t seen us take risks.”

   “I don’t think we have enough space in our hard drives to start thinking so introspectively.”

   “I’m just trying to make conversation.”

   “You’re trying to lighten the mood, aren’t you? You’re scared. You don’t even have to admit it.”

   “There’s absolutely no reason for us to be scared. We’re holograms. The Weeping Angels can’t physically touch us, meaning their powers are inconsequential.”

   “It doesn’t stop the dread from crawling up your spine though, does it? The cold chill tapping on your shoulder? I keep forgetting that I’m actually a hologram.”

   “It’s brave of you to admit that.”

   “Are you going to admit it too? To make us both feel better?”

   “Absolutely not.”

   “I thought as much,” Five grumbled. “I don’t know why I expected you to ever admit even the smallest of weaknesses.”

   “Then it’s your own fault for having faith in me, for having faith in yourself .”

   “How many times are you going to make that same joke?”

   “As many times as it takes for it to stop being funny, and it hasn’t lost its charm yet over the decades.”

   “Do you feel as if we’re being used ?”

    Seven squinted at him. “That’s precisely what’s happening. They didn't exactly hide that fact from us.”

   “I just feel as if we were designed for a higher purpose. You know, something greater than being the proverbial canary in the mine shaft. Tegan and Ace seemed to view us as something more akin to tools , finally finding a good use for us.”

   “Is there any higher purpose than protecting our friends?”

   “I suppose that you’ve got me there.”

   “I did tell you that I was more intelligent than you. That’s another tick in my win column.”

   “You’re keeping score?”

   “You haven’t been doing the same?”

   “I’ve been a bit preoccupied, believe it or not. I’ve actually been focusing on the impending terror we’re surrounded by.”

   “It’s nothing that we haven’t dealt with before. That’s just a lame excuse conjured up by someone who’s losing .”

   “I’m not losing !”

   “I could reveal the scores so far if you’d like…”

    Five’s face dropped. “Perhaps another time. When it’s more appropriate.”

   “I thought you might say something like that.”

   “Because you’re so clever ?”

   “See, even you’re agreeing with that point now. It’s nice to have you onboard.”

   “I don’t know whether I’d prefer to face a Weeping Angel or spend another minute in your company.”

   “I think you’re going to get the chance to find out sooner than we’d both like.”

    Seven had come to a complete stop. It was only because Five forgot that he was a collection of highly advanced crystals that he quickly swerved the other figure. It was a good job that they didn't bump into one another, at least pass through each other, because it would have completely given the game away in front of the statue that was now looking at them. No matter how much they’d told themselves that there was nothing to worry about, natural instincts still kicked in. It was a testament to the depth of their programming that their fear felt so palpable and real .

   “Can you remember what they said the next stage of the plan was?” Five asked nervously.

   “They mentioned something about acting naturally, so that the angel chooses to follow us.”

   “Easier said than done.”

   Maybe the Doctor had made the holograms too realistic, because Five was sure that he was sweating, which shouldn’t have been physically possible. He was wishing that they hadn’t gone for that upgrade now, feeling that unnecessarily added to what was an already daunting challenge. How were you expected to act as if everything was normal when one of the most terrifying creatures the universe had ever come up with was standing just a few feet away.

    Seven lowered his voice. “I think the desired spot is exactly the way we were going. We have to make sure it believes we’re truly here.”

   “And if we don’t manage that?”

   “Then it’ll no doubt decide to go after our friends, who are definitely more susceptible to its lethal touch.”

   “That explains the nerves I’m feeling. I don’t remember there ever being this much pressure back in the day.”

   “That’s because you were younger. You were driven by the naivety of youth, which can blind anyone to the harshest realities of life.”

   “Are you saying that I got old?”

   “We both did. Just look at us!”

   “Our appearances are just the side effect of the emotional connection we share to Tegan and Ace. Oh, who am I kidding? We’re old . And that means we can’t run as fast if things go wrong.”

   “I only have to be quicker than you.”

   “You’re on. All that exercise, all that cricket…it’s finally going to come in handy, after all the snide remarks I’ve had to put up with over the years. You don’t have a diet of celery without becoming spritely .”

   “Ready? One…two…three!”

   At the same time, the two holograms closed their eyes, giving the angel the perfect chance to pounce. It was an unusual sensation, once they opened them again, to be happy about the fact that the statue had moved closer. Most people in a similar position would have been wetting themselves. But, for the two of them, it meant that the monster was convinced by their performance. At least for the time being. Its jagged claws were poised as if it wanted to rip them apart, so it seemed to be desperate for a hunt that they were going to provide it with.

   Standing at the fork in the junction of corridors, Five nodded his head to his left. “You said that they wanted us to go that way?”

   “They positioned traps all over the place, but that’s the closest one from my calculations,” Seven answered.

   “And how accurate are your calculations?”

   “We’re on the verge of finding out.”

   They didn't have to pretend to be hasty in their escape, their feet practically skidding against the floor in a cartoonish fashion. The pair hurtled down the hallway and, with their backs to the creature, the Weeping Angel followed dutifully. On occasion, they would glance back, spotting it frozen in a new position, always closer to them than they would have cared for. It just spurred them on to keep going, finally believing that the tactic might be a worthwhile one.

    Five even risked smiling when he saw the object they’d been desperately looking for, but he didn't slow down. They charged towards it, not fearing the seemingly inevitable crash. The sensation of the angel reaching out was frightening, the monster ready to leap and snag them. But, if it did choose to attack at that very second, its stony hands would have been met with nothing but air. The holograms flickered from existence, their presence wiped completely from sight.

   And the angel was greeted with its own reflection.

   The holograms reappeared, triumphant smiles on their faces. Five even punched the air in celebration, gloating right in front of the now permanently trapped opponent. They tried to high five one another, but their hands passed right through, leaving them feeling rather embarrassed at their act of relative stupidity. It was just a good job that no one was around to see them do it, including the angel, which wouldn’t be seeing many things besides itself for a very long time.

   “Yeah, I always knew that it was going to work,” Five exclaimed. “Not too scary now, are you? I should call you the angel in the mirror, which is a clever pun based on the Michael Jackson classic, if you didn't already figure that out.”

   “Perhaps we should only pat ourselves on the backs once all the angels are dealt with,” Seven suggested.

   “Can’t you just let me revel in this one victory for a bit longer? We don’t even know how many angels there are in total in this place. The work could last all day!”

   “Then it’s a good job that we’re not dictated by energy reserves.”

   “How are we powered? Is it through batteries? Solar energy? Wind? I’m sure I’d hear a turbine if one was near.”

   “You’re rambling because you don’t want to go through that again.”

   “It’s almost like you know me.”

   A collection of harried footsteps sounded nearby and the two of them instinctively pressed themselves up against the wall, hiding from view. Why they chose to hold their breath, they didn't really know. They didn't even breathe in the first place, which made the whole exercise pointless, but they were going to commit to the part they were playing.

   “Why are we hiding?” Five asked.

   “I was just following your example,” Seven replied.

   “When have you ever done that before?”

   “That’s a good point, actually.”

   “Angels don’t tend to announce their arrival through their footsteps.”

   “That’s also a good point.”

   Taking a chance, Five poked his head around the corner, spotting a group of people who were instantly familiar. One of the members had evidently got up close and personal with the Weeping Angel they’d just captured, because she looked as if she’d almost fallen in fright. Another woman was holding onto her and keeping her upright, whilst the others investigated the holograms’ handiwork. 

    “I’m okay, I’m okay. Thank you.”

    “It’s what I’m here for.”

    “I think we’re all okay.”

    “Are you not seeing that thing right in front of you?”

    “It’s not looking at us. It can’t look at us. Can’t you see what’s right in front of it?”

    “It’s a very clever plan.”

    “Yeah…I just want to know who put the mirror there in the first place.”

   “That’d be us!” Seven proclaimed, walking into view and completely stealing any thunder Five may have been thinking about keeping to his own.

   As expected when something slightly transparent appeared seemingly out of thin, the group yelled in fright at the sudden arrival. They probably thought that he was a ghost, given his spectral form, which really would have added to the haunted vibe that the building was going for. Five smirked to himself, as it served his cohort right for taking the limelight without even considering the notion of sharing. Only once they were suitably recovered from their shock did he also step from the shadows, some of the people he actually didn't know still on edge at his appearance.

   “It’s very good to see you all again,” he said. 

   The two of them had, of course, been in the presence of the group beforehand. During a few of their meetings, Tegan and Ace would activate their holograms so that stories could be recounted from the Doctor’s unique point of view. They were usually rolled out when the humans had run out of other things to say, as if the holograms were nothing more than a pair of show ponies tasked with entertaining them. 

   “Ghosts,” one of the strangers gasped, a man with dirty blonde hair.

   “Not ghosts,” Yaz said. “ Holograms . And a sight for sore eyes if I ever saw one.”

   “Don’t they belong to Ace and Tegan?” Martha asked.

   “I’ll have you know that we don’t belong to anyone,” Seven complained. “We’re simply connected to them. Tethered, if you will.”

   “But that proves that they’re both okay. They haven’t been taken by the angels, and Ace found a way out of the Tardis.”

   “It also means that they’re together,” Yaz added. “Which is an outcome I didn't see coming, mainly because we’re usually not that lucky.”

   Another of the newcomers (at least from the holograms’ perspective) raised her hand. “I’m sorry, but what the hell is going on? That’s the Doctor!”

   “Is it?!” the mousy haired one yelped, sounding like a particularly large fan .

   Yaz peered curiously at the woman beside her. “You’ve seen these versions of them before, Clara?”

    Clara nodded her head. “There was a whole incident with falling through the Doctor’s time stream. I got to briefly meet all of them. It’s a long story.”

   “You seem to have a lot of them.”

   “It means that you’re going to have to go on a lot of dates with me to hear them all.”

   “She hasn’t changed at all,” Five commented. “Clara Oswald. I didn't expect to see you here.”

   “You shouldn’t even know who I am. Not when you’re wearing that face, at least.”

   “That’s the pleasure of having all of my memories whilst getting to keep the superior interface.”

   Yaz stepped closer to them. “Can you tell us what you’re doing though? Why are you just roaming about the place? Have the others sent you to find us?”

    Seven waved a hand at the angel. “Have you not admired our brilliant trap?”

   “You did that?”

   “A clever trick,” Five said. “Activating and then deactivating in front of a mirror meant the angel didn't stand a chance.”

   “Because it thought you were real! That’s brilliant!”

   “I can only take a small portion of the plaudits.”

   “A very small portion,” Seven told them, not that he had to.

   “You’re going to need more hands on deck if we’re going to trick all the angels,” Yaz pointed out.

   She didn't wait to hear any counter arguments they might have had, quickly pressing her shoulder. Again, the easily-spooked man jumped in surprise when the Doctor appeared, sporting her blonde bob and rainbow-bedecked attire. She stretched and yawned as if she’d taken an especially long nap, though she appeared to just be doing it for dramatic effect, judging from the smirk dancing on her face. The smile promptly dropped when she properly took in their surroundings, not to mention the unexpected people greeting her.

   “Are we having some sort of party?” she asked. “A reunion?”

   “No way,” Clara whispered, her eyes shining. “That’s what the Doctor turns into? That’s the Doctor you travelled with, Yaz?”

   “Clara? It definitely is a reunion.”

   “I can see why you were so besotted by her.”

   “ Shut up,” Yaz hissed, her eyes widening.

   “I mean, how could I ever compete with that? She’s gorgeous ! Can I get one of those holograms? I won’t go into any details as to why .”

   Yaz blushed furiously when Clara winked, which was probably why she focused all her attention on Thirteen . “Doctor, we need your help.”

   “You know I’ll do anything for you, Yaz,” she said.

   “We need you to work alongside your other holograms to lure a horde of Weeping Angels into some traps.”

    Thirteen’s face fell. “I was hoping that you might just be asking for a hug or something like that.” Her spirits quickly brightened. “But I can work with those instructions!” She grinned at her other selves, going as far to bump shoulders with them, even if that wasn’t physically possible. “Tag, you’re it!”

Chapter Text

 Oblivious to the chaos happening within the Weeping Angels’ lair, Graham was currently trying to deal with his own crisis. He had one old man looking increasingly worse for wear, and a woman who was starting to remember things she really shouldn’t have been. He’d left his spot on the bench by now, pacing in a small circle, wondering whether it was too rude to take Barbara by the arms and drag her away. It was likely the only thing that was going to help Ian in his present state, or at least the only solution that Graham could come up with.

   Except Barbara’s presence was also the one thing that seemed to be grounding Ian to reality. Her sudden remembrance of their life to come (could that be described as remembering, or was it more accurately termed as having premonitions?) had given him something to cling onto. His eyes had opened, sparkling in adoration as he took in the features of the woman he loved. Graham didn't know exactly how long it had been since they’d been together but he instinctively knew that he would have been looking at Grace in exactly the same fashion if the positions had been swapped.

   “That’s really you, isn’t it?” Barbara asked, crouching down so that she was at the same eye level as Ian.

   “I…I don’t want you to see me like this,” the other man croaked, sounding embarrassed about his appearance.

   “Why not?”

   “I’m not the man that you know. Like…like you said…I grew old.”

   “I understand that. But I don’t get why you’re making that out to be a bad thing, my love. You’re sitting in front of me after a life well lived, aren’t you? If there is anything that I’d ever ask for, it is that you get to live for years and years. It looks as if I got my wish.”

   Ian’s eyes were brimming with tears, an expression that was matched by the brunette. Even Graham was struggling to maintain his composure, feeling as if he was intruding on an extremely personal moment. Yet he also knew that he couldn’t look away. The moment he took his eye off the ball was likely the moment that things got even more pear shaped. Which was why he had to watch with growing sympathy as Ian reached out so that he could hold Barbara’s hand.

   “There are so many things that I’d like to tell you,” he said quietly.

   Barbara hummed in thought. “Why don’t you start by explaining how on Earth you got here? After all, I shouldn’t fail to mention that I’ve left another version of you waiting at home. It won’t be long before he starts worrying about where I’ve got off to.”

   “It’s…tricky to explain.”

   “We travelled through time,” Graham told her, taking over the responsibility. “Accidentally, I might add.”

   It seemed to take a lot of effort for Barbara to turn her gaze towards him rather than having it trained on Ian. “And you’re accustomed to time travel? I thought I might be in a rather select group, though those numbers seem to be larger than I first thought.”

   “I knew the Doc, if that’s what you’re asking.”

   “The Doctor . He never appreciated it when someone called him by anything other than his strange title.”

   “It’s a good job that they mellowed out over the years then, isn’t it? Otherwise, I wouldn’t have lasted five minutes with them.”

   “Was it the Doctor who brought you here?” Her voice was filled with a sense of intrigue and excitement. “Is he nearby? Our goodbye was so abrupt in the end. It would be lovely to see him again.”

   Graham bowed his head. “I’m afraid not. Myself and Ian…well, we’ve joined a group of people who are lucky enough to say they’re friends with the Doc…Doctor. We were working as part of that group when we got ambushed by an alien species. They’re the ones who sent us back through time.”

   Barbara placed a comforting hand on Ian’s cheek. “What are you doing, still chasing aliens after so many years? I was sure that you said that you much preferred a normal life.”

   “The only normal life I wanted was with you,” Ian remarked. “Once that was no longer possible, there was no reason for me not to at least squeeze in a few more adventures before my time is done.”

   Graham grimaced. If being together at different points in their lives wasn’t bad enough, they were now broaching topics that could easily cause things to unravel. Paradoxes were a tricky thing to navigate, or so the Doctor had claimed on numerous occasions. He could picture her now, practically tearing her hair out as she considered the ramifications of Barbara knowing more about her life to come than she was supposed to. It was through that imaginary guidance that he always carried that forced Graham to step forward, his hand raised.

   “Now, we’ve got to be careful, guys. Too much information about your future could change that very future. I’m not a massive stickler for the rules, but that seems like quite an important one.”

   Barbara’s look in return was a challenging one. “What’s the harm in speaking? I’ve already told you that strange memories are coming back to me, ones that aren’t strictly memories but visions of what’s to come.”

   “That’s exactly what I’m worried about because that shouldn’t be happening. We could be causing a lot of damage right now. The end of time itself, starting at a random bench in London.”

   “If it’s so bad, then why is it happening in the first place?”

   “I’m not usually the one who has to come up with the explanations. There’s normally more intelligent people who take care of that.”

   “So you don’t know? Am I supposed to take advice from someone who is just as clueless as I am about all this?”

   Graham gritted his teeth, mainly because he knew that she had a point. If the shoe had been on the other foot, he certainly wouldn’t have been listening to any advice from a stranger. How did the Doctor so often manage to convince people she’d never met before? Especially people who usually started off by hating her? It wasn’t a skill he’d honed yet but he liked to see himself as someone who was good with other people, a charmer so to speak. His cockney charisma was a sure fire way to keep things under control.

   “The fact that I don’t know what’s going on should prove that I desperately need your help,” he argued. “I need you to work with me if we’re to survive all this.”

   “Are we in danger?”

   “With Weeping Angels about? Undoubtedly. I’m hoping that my friends are working on that as we speak, but my theory is that you’re starting to have thoughts that don’t belong to you yet because time is in flux. The angels have been messing with it and that’s causing everything to break down. As lovely as it is that you’ve been able to reconnect with Ian, it could prove fatal for a lot of people.”

   “So you want me to leave? That’s what you’re saying? Who’s to say that will make my memories disappear though? I could go on remembering these things.”

   “And…I don’t want her to go,” Ian added. “I’ve already lost her once. I don’t have the strength to go through it a second time.”

   Graham’s expression must have been rather desperate as he scratched at his head. He had absolutely no clue what to do. He was almost wishing that he was inside that spooky building, being chased by the angels instead of dealing with this emotional minefield. He glanced back towards where he knew the others were, hoping that they were still somehow safe and hoping that they managed to fix the problem before he had to personally break Ian’s heart.

**********

   If there was anything more pleasing than seeing multiple Weeping Angels falling for the same trap, then Yaz really wanted to see proof of its existence. As they worked towards finally finding an escape from their most recent hell, she was beginning to feel confident. She knew that was basically the kiss of death, practically ensuring that something would go wrong down the line, but she didn't stop the belief from coursing through her veins. Every angel that found itself looking directly into a mirror or an exceptionally polished piece of metal was a major victory. 

   And, as they raced through the corridors, it felt like old times. The Doctor was beside her, smiling enthusiastically as they bested an intergalactic foe. It felt like nothing had changed, that she was just on another adventure with the Time Lord. Their eyes would meet and everything was right again. The Doctor hadn’t left. The Doctor hadn’t died, or at least changed. She wasn’t stuck on Earth, left scrambling to make something of her life once again. It was her and the Doctor against the world.

   “I wish you looked at me like that,” Clara said, disturbing Yaz from her thoughts.

   The brunette had obviously been spying on her, though Yaz doubted that she’d been hiding her feelings very well. There was a hint of sadness to Clara’s expression as she looked at her, as if she understood the complexities of comparing people to the wild Time Lord. There were very few people who could compete. Yaz was starting to believe that Clara was one of the exceptions, one of the few people in the known universe who carried the same magnificence as the Doctor. And it was terrifying to be faced with that prospect again, as if it brought her own perceived brilliance into question.

   “I do look at you like that,” Yaz argued, for once not opting to hide behind bluster or awkward, stumbling words. 

   It was worth the risk, mainly because of Clara’s subsequent stunned look. The problem for Yaz was that running around and chasing after aliens left her aching for more. It was quite an unusual way of thinking. Most people in the same position would actively want to avoid any aliens ever again, yet the hunger for exploration had been reignited. If Clara represented anything, it was the potential to rediscover the universe. Had Yaz been grounded on Earth for long enough? Was there a suitable mourning period that she was disrespecting by even considering the idea? Was she betraying the Doctor’s memory?

   “You…do?”

   It was strange to see Clara so off balance. She would likely argue that it was because of the situation, that it was because she was so distracted by defeating the angels that she couldn’t very well maintain all of her cognitive strength. But Yaz saw through those imagined, hypothetical disputes. She saw Clara for what she was, and that was someone who was scarily like Yaz. The two of them had fallen in love with the Doctor and had, as a result, been left searching for something or someone to fill that hole again. It was like they were supposed to have stumbled into each other’s lives. It was like Clara’s Tardis had been fated to land near Yaz’s home all that time ago.

   “Hold on, I hear voices!”

   The only thing that had the power to stop Yaz from thinking about the complexities of their growing relationship was the sound of a thick, barely understandable Scouse accent. The speed of her steps increased, not caring about the possibility of it being an evil trick. She sprinted ahead, following the voices and the harried footsteps, until she ran straight into Dan. He was only just strong enough to keep them upright, perhaps surprised that she was hugging him when they’d very rarely shown such affection, especially in front of other people.

   Of course, there were other members of the group there just as eager to be reunited with their fellow companions. Ryan was just as hesitant as Dan when it came to Yaz hugging him in relief, whilst the likes of Jo and Martha were fussing over one another. Larry and Sally were left hovering awkwardly, waiting for introductions that weren’t going to come amidst the joyous chaos. The only thing that dampened Yaz’s spirits was a notable absence as she pushed away from Ryan.

   “Where’s Graham?” she asked. “He hasn’t…he can’t have been…you know…”

   “There was a complication before we even came into this place,” Dan assured her. “He’s safe, as far as we know. He’s at least not having to contend with Weeping Angels. Ian was struggling to cope with everything that was going, which is understandable, especially with Barbara thrown into the mix.”

   “Barbara?” Yaz’s eyes widened. “No. Kate mentioned you were taken to 1966 but I never thought…”

   “What are the chances, hey? And we’re left relying on Graham to make sure the proper flow of time doesn’t collapse. I think that just about sums up the day we’re having.”

   “But we’re back together now, all in one piece.”

   “A really large group,” Ryan pointed out. “A potential feeding ground for the angels.”

   “Then it’s a good job that we’ve been working to capture them.”

   “Has our plan been working?” Ace gasped, sounding exceptionally triumphant.

   “You can thank us later,” Tegan added. “Our quick thinking might have just saved the day. Not that we need any credit, of course.”

   “I don’t believe it,” Clara murmured, walking towards one individual in particular. An individual Yaz didn't recognise. “I know who you are! You came right before me, didn't you? Amy, isn’t it?”

   The red-headed woman looked a bit uncomfortable under the intense scrutinisation. “Yeah…I’m surprised that the Doctor brought us up. He doesn’t usually like to talk about things in the past.”

   “I had to force it out of him. There was one picture I found of you. It’s amazing to see that your legs are just as perfect in person as they are on a screen.”

   “Thank…you?”

   Yaz wasn’t the possessive sort, but she found her nostrils flaring as Clara absentmindedly flirted with someone else. Maybe she was doing it on purpose. Maybe she wanted Yaz to be jealous and to act all territorial around her. It was probably the best course of action for Yaz to let it slide, to not make her intentions too obvious, but that wasn’t an option she was going to take. She opted to slightly drag Clara away, pretending that it was done to save Amy her blushes rather than for any other, personal reason.

   “Is it weird that I recognise your voice if you supposedly came after us?” a man asked, hovering just as protectively around Amy as Yaz was doing with Clara.

   “No, you’re right, Rory,” Amy agreed. “There’s something about you that’s…strangely familiar .”

   “Ah.” Clara pulled a face. “There might have been a bit of a crossover. Something involving a Dalek perhaps? It’s far too complicated to go through now. It was a completely different life, which probably doesn’t help to explain anything.”

   “Another life?” Yaz echoed.

   “There’s still more for you to find about me yet,” Clara said with a cheeky wink.

   Yaz didn't know whether to be happy and relieved when the distraction came, though it was a rather destructive one. A worrying one at that. A section of the ceiling gave way unprompted, tumbling to the ground and thankfully missing their sizable number. Even so, most of them jumped out of the way, staring at the debris in disbelief. They shared concerned glances between themselves, wondering who was going to talk about it first, as if speaking it into existence would make it more of a pressing problem.

   “Is that…supposed to happen?” Dan asked.

   “This could be a bit of a problem,” Thirteen remarked, hands on her hips. She looked like she itched to get her sonic screwdriver out to scan their surroundings, finding that function sorely lacking in her current, holographic state.

   Yaz’s lips thinned. “I really don’t like the tone of voice you’re using. What’s happening?”

   “This entire building has been constructed by the warping of time energy,” Seven answered. “And it’s maintained by the Weeping Angels themselves. The more time energy they feast upon, the more secure and real the building becomes. That’s why it was able to maintain its presence in multiple periods of time!”

   “The problem is, we’ve been working to incapacitate the angels,” Five continued. “By making them look at their own reflections, they cease to be a living creature anymore, completely made out of stone. If they’re dead…well…”

   “...there’s nothing to maintain the building as a result,” Thirteen finished. “To sum it up succinctly…this entire place is failing and, presumably, on the brink of collapse.”

   Yaz slowly nodded her head, coming to terms with what was about to happen, preparing herself for the exercise awaiting her. “So what you’re saying is…run?”

   The Doctor nodded her head vigorously. “It’s not as urgent for me obviously. If I get hit by a fallen piece of rock, it’ll just pass right through me! But…I don’t think that’s the sort of reassurance you were looking for right now, is it?”

Chapter Text

  If companions knew one thing, it was how to run. That was coming in handy as they charged through the corridors, all hoping that the next corner would be the last. Much to their relief, the building was losing some of its ability to mess with them, no longer resembling as perplexing a maze. Sadly, that was a result of the very fabric of the building collapsing, the energy holding it together deteriorating. It didn't have to be a maze to trap them if it decided to collapse on top of them. Which was a thought that kept them running at full pelt, even the older members of the group who were admittedly a bit rusty. 

   Yaz led the way. She was joined by the Doctor on one side and Clara on the other. If she hadn’t been so distracted by the pressing situation, dodging the occasional bit of debris, she might have laughed at how obvious the universe was being. It was as if her past and potential future were running concurrently, making it clear what decision she would be forced to make. If she survived, of course. That was the one thing powerful enough to distract her from just how enjoyable it was to be running with Clara, as if they’d been doing it for years. 

   “A door!” one of them shouted amidst the chaos.

   Yaz was sure that it was Dan, given the Scouse accent, though it was entirely possible that someone’s voice had just become high pitched and strained because of the panic consuming all of them. Whoever it was, they were right, because there was a door. A door Yaz distinctly remembered from when they’d first made the mistake of entering the building, which felt like years ago. Maybe it had been. Maybe the angels’ final trick was to mess with time so much that years had passed for the outside world, leaving them behind.

   “Thank god!” Tegan shouted. “Because the stitch in my stomach was starting to become unbearable!”

   “I almost don’t want to get my hopes up,” Jo said. “What if it’s just an illusion? A mirage? Like the ones desperate explorers see whilst traversing a desert.”

   “We’re going to find out sooner rather than later,” Seven declared. “There’s no time to be dilly dallying.”

   “It’s quite comforting to learn that you’ve never had any patience, no matter what face you wear.”

   Seeing as Yaz was at the front of the group, she was the one who tried the door first. Much to her surprise, it opened instantly. She’d expected it to be more stubborn, one last barrier that would prove to be too much for them to overcome. Instead, it appeared to be the modern day, looking just as gloomy as when they’d left it. If they looked in one direction, they might have spotted the minibus that had taken them there originally, presumably scratched and torn asunder following the attack of the angels.

   “Is it safe?” Ace asked.

   “It’s got to be safer than in here,” Larry pointed out. 

   “You’re forgetting the fact that we left some of the Weeping Angels out there,” Sally reminded them. “When they tried to attack the Tardis. They’re probably still waiting for us to come back.”

   “And they’re not going to be happy about what we’ve done to their home,” Mel added. “Buying a property in London is difficult enough.”

   “It’s a risk we’ve got to take,” Yaz confirmed. “It’s not as if we can stay here. We have no clue what’s going to happen when this place finally implodes.”

    Five raised his hand. “I’ve got a hypothesis.”

   Tegan rolled her eyes. “Have we got time to listen to whatever long winded explanation is about to leave your mouth?”

   He looked suitably scandalised. “There’s always time for a hypothesis, no matter the danger. That’s rule number one when it comes to me.”

   “I thought rule number one was that the Doctor lies,” Clara countered.

   “It would appear that I lied about that then, which is funny when you think about it.”

   “Once this building collapses, the time distortion should cease to exist,” Thirteen explained, taking over from her predecessor, who looked rather dismayed that she was getting the limelight. “With the angels gone, there’ll be nothing to keep the paradox sustainable. Hopefully, everything will be put back where it belongs.”

   “Hopefully?” Yaz echoed dubiously.

   “That’s the best I can give you at the moment. Hope. But hope is always something to cling onto. All those time periods we saw…the connections and gateways to them will close. The people inside…previously trapped by the angels…they’ll be sent back to their appropriate year. The UNIT soldiers should be safe. Clara’s Tardis should be safe. It’s just about correcting the wrong that the angels have caused. We’re at the nexus point, the eye of the storm. But that relative protection won’t last for long if we stick around.”

   “Then, if that’s the case, we’re going to have to say goodbye.”

   As one, they turned around, following the sound of the distinctive Scottish voice. Amy and Rory were holding hands, looking at them with grim determination written on their faces. The redhead’s smile was sad, as if they’d come to terms with what was about to happen a lot earlier than this. Yaz started to piece it together, her heart breaking. Not just because of what they were implying, but because of the way Brian reacted. He staggered closer to them, confusion etched onto his expression.

   “What…what do you mean?” he asked, his voice shaking.

   He looked back at the others, as if they would be able to help them, as if they should have been just as panicked as he was. Whilst the other companions were consumed by anguish and slight uncertainty, they seemed to all make the collective decision to stand back, knowing that this wasn’t their moment. They were just mere bystanders to something awful in play, none of them wanting to be the ones to spell it out to Brian, who was steadily growing more unsettled by the lack of explanation.

   “Come on, what are you talking about?” he wondered. 

   “We can’t leave,” Amy told him sadly.

   “But…of course you can! All you have to do is step out that door! Stop being silly and follow us.”

   “I really wish that we could…”

   “Then do it…”

   “It’s not that simple.”

   “Because you’re making it needlessly complicated! The Doctor…or whatever that hologram thing is…said that everything will go back to normal once this building disappears. Don’t you understand? We can get our normal lives back! After all this time! Do you know how long I’ve been dreaming about that after I found out what happened to you? We’ve been given a second chance and, after all my years on this Earth, I know that that doesn’t happen very often. So don’t waste it!”

   Amy’s eyes were brimming with tears already. “Oh, Brian. We’ve been dreaming of this chance as well. Locked up in that hotel room left us praying for an escape.”

   “Then what’s the problem?”

   “Time is going to reset. The people previously trapped by the angels will be sent to their proper time, meaning the paradoxes don’t overwhelm reality. Once the building collapses, we’ll find ourselves back in Manhattan, a century before now.”

   “Surely it doesn’t have to be that way!” Tegan argued. “We’re always breaking the rules! Why stop now?”

   “It’s more than just protecting the laws of time,” Rory said, finally finding his voice.

   His dad peered at him in despair. “Rory? What do you mean? What’s going on? As far as I’m concerned, the laws of time can be pushed to one side, as long as I get my son back.”

   “That’s the thing though, dad.” Rory’s voice broke as he choked back a sob. “It’s about our son. You mentioned earlier that our son came to visit you. He was the one to break the news about us to you. The thing is…we haven’t had a child yet. Amy can’t, so it looks as if we’re adopting at some point in the future. We’ve got all that to look forward to.”

   “And…if we were to follow you to safety, we’d likely lose that son,” Amy added, her hands trembling. “We’d lose the chance to ever meet him. We’d lose out on finally having that in our lives.”

   Brian bowed his head. “And that has to take precedence. I get it, as much as I don’t want to.”

   “You’ve met him, dad,” Rory pressed on. “You know what he’s like. All of his quirks that he probably got from us over the years. If we did as you’re asking, he’d…well, he’d disappear. Your grandson would cease to exist.”

   “You’re making me choose between my son and my grandson? What sort of a decision is that?”

   “It’s not a decision at all. Because we won’t disappear with the building. We’ll continue to live. Maybe not in the time period we ever expected, but we’ll grow old together. Me and Amy, as we always dreamed. There are people - couples - who don’t get that privilege.”

   “You knew, didn't you?” Dan asked quietly. “I picked up on it when Brian mentioned your son. You knew from that moment on that this wasn’t going to set you free.”

   “Not unless we wanted to miss out on the child we’ve been searching for.”

   “But you still followed us. You still ran from the angels. Why? If you knew what was going to happen, why didn't you just give up?”

   “Isn’t it simple? If we’d done that, there would have been no chance that my dad would have left us. He would have stayed in our hotel room, ridden out the storm, and gotten used to the American lifestyle. I couldn’t allow him to do that. I don’t think it would have even worked, if everything is going to be properly reset. But this way…standing with him by the door…I can make sure that he does leave. If that’s the last thing I can accomplish…if that’s the last thing I do for my dad…then I’d call that a job well done, don’t you think?”

   Brian’s smile was watery and weak. “I would have cramped your style if I’d stayed behind.”

   “You wouldn’t have enjoyed sleeping on the sofa bed.”

   “I would have loved spending more time with you, though. With you both .”

   “That’s the one brilliant thing about today, dad. We got more time together. We got something extra that should have never been possible. How lucky are we that we got another day in each other’s company? How many people dream of that after losing someone they love? It might have been short lived, and it might have involved more running from Weeping Angels than I would have liked, but it’s something I’ll cling onto.”

   “I’m…I’m very glad to know that you’re both happy, and that you’re going to be happy. When Anthony told me that was the case, there was a part of me that felt he was just saying that to stop me from being too distraught.”

   “Anthony?”

   “Oh, bugger. That’s your son’s name. I shouldn’t have said that, should I?”

   Amy laughed. “I guess that ruins some of the surprise. Anthony . I like that. It’s strong. I can’t wait to meet him.”

   “You’re going to love him, I know it.”

   “And dad…” Rory began. “I’m glad to see that you’re happy too. I’m glad that you’ve found other people to keep you company. People who are just as mad as we are, and are just as brilliant as the Doctor always tried to be. I think that’s helping with what’s about to happen. When we were first attacked by the angels, I was left worrying about what you would have been like on your own. Now…those concerns have been lessened. Because I know that they’ll look after you.”

   “We promise,” Yaz said strongly. 

   “I can see why the Doctor was so distraught after you left,” Clara remarked. “You’re amazing. And you were a tough act to follow.”

   “I get the sense that it was a test you passed with flying colours,” Amy countered with a smirk.

   “You were brilliant,” Thirteen said earnestly. “Both of you were. And I never forgot you, not for one moment.”

   “I would have so loved to have spent time with this version of you, Doctor. And thank you - not for everything you did for me and Rory. Thank you for making sure you weren’t lonely after you lost us. You found some pretty decent friends.”

   “I’ve…got a knack when it comes to choosing them.”

   Yaz didn't know where to look. It was too painful to watch as Brian hugged his son and daughter-in-law for one last time. It felt like too much of a personal moment, as if she were intruding into something private. Yet she couldn’t look at her Doctor either, who looked crestfallen at the development, going through the emotions of losing her companions all over again. All that was left for Yaz to do was bow her head, realising that the Time Lord never got used to the sensation.

   She was helped somewhat by the presence of Clara, who took a risk and slipped her hand into Yaz’s grip, their fingers tentatively snaking around one another. There was none of the usual cockiness in Clara’s smile as she glanced at Yaz, her expression, just like everyone’s, tinged with sadness. Behind her, Dan put a comforting hand on her shoulder, a silent reassurance that he was there for her. Even Sally appeared to tell that Yaz was struggling, rubbing the other woman on the back in a soothing manner. Yaz simultaneously hated the fact that she needed so much support and loved the fact that there were so many people to provide it.

   There should have been a sense of victory when they all stepped outside, the triumphant moment they’d been waiting for after battling the Weeping Angels. Instead, no one said a word. No one knew whether there was anything appropriate to say. Brian, to his credit, was holding himself together even though he understandably looked as if he wanted to sob. He would have his time to cry once the day finally came to a close, away from everyone else, the memories of his children acting as his company. 

   “What happens now?” Ace wondered.

   She needn’t have asked. As soon as the door closed, separating them from Amy and Rory for good, the ground started to rumble. The wall of the building facing them burst with light all of a sudden, emerging through a crack in the brickwork. It was blinding and, as much as Yaz wanted to watch the scene unfold, it was difficult not to look away. The light grew in intensity, the wall deteriorating even further. Yaz could feel the wind picking up and some of them were forced to cling onto one another, keeping themselves steady and upright.

   Eventually, it became too violent, pushing them further back. The bricks fell away, kicked up into a whirlwind of chaos. The building was reduced to a torrent or bricks and mortar, swirling around in the sky, revolving around the piercing light. Faster and faster the debris spun around until, at last, it momentarily expanded before collapsing in on itself. With a satisfying pop, the building disappeared from existence, leaving nothing but the dirty ground in acknowledgement of its former presence. 

   They dusted themselves off, checking one another and making sure they were all safe. Some of them hugged each other in relief, celebrating their survival. Others took a few seconds to themselves in silent solitude, contemplating the events that had unfolded. Larry was scratching his head in disbelief, laughing as he shook his head as if he couldn’t quite fathom the fact that he’d survived the Weeping Angels for a second time. 

   Now that the building had gone, there were a few points of interest for them to appreciate. A large group of soldiers dressed in UNIT uniforms, sent back to where they’d started now that the building had reset the local time zone. Kate was quick to race over to them, evidently worried about losing numbers and the hefty personal insurance bill that was likely heading in her direction. Then there was the tall, silver cylinder standing proudly where the building had been just a couple of moments before, able to stay in one place now that things had returned to normal.

   “Oh, it’s good to see that she’s okay,” Clara said softly. “I don’t know what I would have done without her if she’d decided to leave for good.”

   “You would have been forced to stay here on Earth,” Yaz retorted. “With me.”

   “Huh. Suddenly, I’m almost disappointed that she managed to stick to one time period.”

   Yaz’s eyes widened, something coming back to her that she really shouldn’t have missed. “Graham! He’s still in 1966! Clara…I’m going to need to ask you for one last favour…”

   “I don’t mind. It means that you owe me big time.”

Chapter Text

Hearing the Tardis engines, even though the ship was leaving them behind, had to be seen as a positive. It meant that the temporal paradoxes that had been restricting its flight were no more, suggesting that the job was done at last. For Dan, watching as the blue box faded into nothingness, he didn't want to get carried away. Clara had taken Yaz with her so that they could pick up Graham and Ian from their wrong decade and, until they all made it safely back, he wasn’t going to celebrate.

   That wasn’t to say that the rest of them were praising their efforts either. There was a sombre air around them, weighed down by the unexpected but necessary sacrifice made by Amy and Rory. If there was any celebration, it came in the form of warm pats on the back, a couple of hugs, or the occasional hand holding. Brian was cut adrift, no one really knowing what to say to him after what he’d gone through. Dan gritted his teeth, taking it upon himself to make that first leap in the hope that it would encourage the others to do the same.

   “How are you holding up?” he asked as he walked towards the other man.

   Brian’s gaze was definitely directed at him, but there was a far away element to it, hinting at the fact that his focus was understandably elsewhere. “I never thought that I’d have to go through losing them again.”

   Dan was now regretting his decision, realising that he had no clue what to say. “At least you got that time with them again?”

   Brian slowly nodded his head. “Precisely. That’s the one thing I’m currently clinging onto. And it was good to see that events haven’t changed them. They’re still the same son and daughter-in-law I loved. It’s quite remarkable when you think about it, isn’t it? After everything they’ve been through, they still have the same indomitable spirits.”

   “We could probably learn a lot from them.”

   “If that gives me an excuse to talk about the two of them more during our sessions, then I’m not going to complain.”

   “I think that’s a great idea. That way, they can still be a part of the group as they deserve. You know, you could even bring Anthony to one of the meetings. I’m sure he’s got plenty of stories to share.”

   “You don’t reckon he’ll be intimidated by everyone? There are some large characters in our group, people who have gone through impossible things. We almost forget how strange our lives have been because we surround ourselves with people who have experienced similar events. He might think we’re all mad!”

   “If he’s got any sense, he will do,” Dan joked. “But, as long as we pick a day when Karvanista isn’t popping by for a visit, we should be alright.”

   Brian laughed quietly and Dan felt strangely proud. He’d done something good, something worthwhile. No matter how small, he’d made a difference. It reminded him of his time volunteering at the local food bank. If the people who came by left with at least a small smile on their faces, then he’d done his job. He almost wished that he could do it on a larger scale, glancing at Ace, who was in deep discussion with Tegan and Martha, and remembering that she was in charge of a quite sizable charitable donation.

   Perhaps it was worth having a conversation with her about a possible job opening. He could be the public liaison . He was great with people. They were always making comments about how charming he was. No one could ever resist a bit of Scouse cheekiness, which was the perfect ingredient to take that charity to the next level. It was like he was already pitching the idea in his head. He obviously had the credentials. Maybe he’d need a written reference from the Doctor; he started wondering whether it would count if he got one of the holograms - who had now switched themselves off - to do it. If they could even hold a pen.

   Further along the line of disorientated companions (or unofficial friends of the Doctor at the very least), Larry was looking at Sally in concern. His long time friend was looking rather morose, staring at the spot in which the Tardis had been standing only a few seconds prior. It didn't help that its circular imprint was still visible on the ground, a temporary shrine to what she was so obviously missing. Unless she’d been affected by the events that had unfolded; Larry knew that he wasn’t going to much use if that was the case since he could barely explain it himself.

   “You okay?” he risked asking.

   Sally appeared to have not noticed his presence, practically jumping out of her skin at the sound of his question. “Oh, it’s nothing. Honestly, it’s just silly.”

   “I’m as silly as they come, which means I’m the best person to speak to.”

   She rolled her eyes, as if she were frustrated by his efforts whilst simultaneously appreciating what he was trying to do. “I just…feel bad.”

   He frowned. “Why?”

   “Because people like Brian have had the worst day, and I’m sad because I feel as if I’ve missed out.”

   If it was at all possible, Larry grew even more confused. “Missed out on what?”

   “Do I have to spell it out for you? All those years ago, we brushed the Doctor’s life. I didn't get the chance to take it further, to perhaps even explore what the universe held. Now, another Tardis has landed in our lives and it’s gone again. I’m going to lose out on the opportunity for the second time.”

   “They’re only picking up someone. They’ll be back in a matter of seconds if they can get the timing right.”

   “It’s not as if Clara will want me around. She doesn’t even know me.”

   “Based on what we’ve heard, that’s basically how the Doctor finds his companions. It could work in the same fashion.”

   “I’ve seen the way her and Yaz look at each other. Trust me, they’re not going to want me to tag along.”

   “Have you asked?”

   “Of course not! We’ve been running for our lives for most of the day. And I don’t want to embarrass myself.”

   Larry was about to remind her that there was absolutely no chance of her stepping foot into the Tardis if she carried on with that attitude. He was about to tell her that he’d never seen her quite so defeated without first putting up more of a fight. It would have been the perfect pep talk, one that would have gone down in the ages. Sally would remember this moment as a key conversation in her life, the catalyst that kickstarted her travels amongst the stars.

   He was going to say that, except he was promptly distracted by the sight of a group of stone statues standing not too far away from them. His face turned pale and his fingers went numb. Because of course getting rid of the Weeping Angels wouldn’t be that easy. Because of course there would be a few survivors. Upon leaving the now destroyed building, they’d remarked that the original attackers could still be at large. Larry just wished that they hadn’t been quite so accurate. 

   “We…we might be doing some more running in a minute.”

   It became quickly evident that the others had picked up on the sudden shift in his demeanour for they were crowding around the two of them, looking in the same direction. Yet, strangely enough, it was Sally who broke from her reverie first, as if the presence of the angels had suitably reinvigorated her mind after her momentary lapse. Whilst keeping his eyes wide open, Larry tried to desperately reach out towards her, hoping to stop her from doing anything foolish. 

   “No, something’s different about them,” Sally commented, shrugging his flailing hand away. 

   Against his better judgement, he slowly followed in her wake. He might have been terrified of the creatures, but he wasn’t about to leave her on her own with them either. And, as he approached, he realised that she was actually onto something. The angels weren’t facing them. They didn't seem to be remotely interested in their presence, instead staring at one another. And, as a result, Larry began to laugh in relief.

   “What happened here then?” Dan asked. “Did they just accidentally look at each other and get stuck?”

   “I think we can technically take the plaudits,” Martha answered. 

   “You did this?” Tegan asked, not hiding how dubious she was about that claim.

   “Well…technically Clara. We were in the Tardis, about to take off, when the angels tried to attack.”

   “The Tardis leaving must have forced them to lock eyes,” Sally finished, a giddy smile on her face. “Just like when me and Larry first faced them. It’s always nice to see a return of the classics.”

   “So they’re…definitely stuck?” Ace wondered. “They’re not just tricking us?”
  “They’re nothing more than an art installation,” Martha said. “If anyone passes by, they’ll just think it’s something weird from a bygone age. It might even become a bit of a tourist spot. You never know what the public are going to like.”

   “Isn’t that…I don’t know…a bit dangerous?” Mel suggested. “What if someone accidentally moves one and then they’re free from the trap?”
  “It’d be absolute carnage,” Jo surmised. “And I don’t want to be held responsible for getting anyone hurt.”

   “Leave it to me,” Kate announced, striding towards them now that she had dealt with disorientated employees. “We’ll be able to safely transfer them to a secure location. We’ve done it before following the events at Wester Drumlins. My men have had a nice break in the sixties. They should be ready to get their hands dirty.”

**********

   Yaz wanted to enjoy the sensation of piloting a Tardis with Clara by her side, but she told herself that that could wait. It was wrong to find any fun in the moment when Graham was potentially still in danger, which was why she schooled her features into something more neutral. It wasn’t helped by Clara occasionally looking in her direction, smirking as if she liked what she was seeing. The other woman was evidently of the persuasion that their little trip promised something more in the future. It was very much like the Doctor, obviously pushing the actual danger to the back of her mind in favour of focusing on the positives.

   It was a relief to Yaz when the Tardis landed, thankfully not too long after they’d set off. After all, she wanted to find Graham. She wanted to give him a hug. She wanted to wrap Ian up in a blanket and give him all the biscuits in the world. Any relief she was feeling was down to being closer to rescuing them, not about having a few seconds of reprieve from Clara’s perplexing presence. There was still too much to deal with before she fully threw herself head first into that particular adventure.

   “How do we know that they’re going to be anywhere near where we land?” she asked as Clara headed for the door.

   “Well, we know that the angels transported everyone to the same spot as the building,” came the answer. “So, unless they’ve gone for a lengthy walk, they should be nearby.”

   Yaz knew that Clara was going to be eternally smug once they stepped onto the London street because, as predicted, there they were. Following the fanfare of the Tardis’ arrival, Graham had stood up from the bench, a beaming smile on his face. Ian remained seated, accompanied by a woman with a magnificently sixties haircut. Yaz was only stopped from running over to her friend by the subtle hold Clara suddenly had on her jacket.

   “Also,” she whispered. “I’m very good at what I do.”

   If Clara had intended to leave Yaz paralysed, then she’d done a very good job. The sensation of her warm breath as it rolled across her neck meant that Yaz was basically frozen to the spot. It shouldn’t have been possible that one person could have such an effect on her. Yet, instead of running towards Graham, she was more of the persuasion of jumping Clara right there and then. It could wait. That was almost the most troubling thing; Clara was making her feelings perfectly obvious, leaving the ball firmly in Yaz’s court.

   “Oh, I am so glad to see you!”

   Graham’s shouts were a much needed wake up call for Yaz, who somehow found the strength to focus on something other than the brunette beside her. He quickly enveloped her in a warm hug and she started to tear up, only now coming to terms with how worried she’d been about him. So much had happened that it had been easy to forget about his predicament, prioritising saving herself and the others who’d been under attack. But he was there. He was real. And he was breathing and smiling as if being stuck in a different age was a perfectly natural thing to go through.

   “But… how are you here? What is that thing? Who’s your new friend? You haven’t replaced me already, have you?”

   He rattled off the questions at an alarming pace, leaving Yaz barely any time to process them all. And yet she laughed because it showed that he hadn’t changed. Nothing bad had happened to him. He hadn’t been tormented by the angels. Out of everyone, he’d done quite well for a day’s work, if you ignored the fact that he’d initially been ambushed by the evil statues. Which was technically Yaz’s fault, a point she was hoping he glossed over.

   “I happened to find myself a Tardis lying around,” she answered.

   “Along with a chauffeur,” Clara quipped, holding out a hand. “You must be Graham. Yaz hasn’t stopped talking about you. You must be really important to her.”

   “Well, I try my best,” Graham remarked. “But you’ve got me at a disadvantage, seeing as I still don’t know your name.”

   “It’s Clara. Clara Oswald.”

   “You are joking !”

   “I didn't know that I was famous.”

   “You say that Yaz doesn’t stop banging on about me. Let me get this straight, she can’t go five minutes without bringing you up at our companion meetings.”
  Yaz’s eyes widened appropriately. “Graham! Now would be a good time to shut your mouth! Otherwise, I might reconsider this rescue attempt.”

   “No, I think he should keep talking,” Clara said with a large grin. “I reckon we’re going to get on famously.”

   “You left quite an impression on our Yaz, that’s where I’ll leave it,” Graham commented. “And if you’ve shown up just to help little, old me, then you’ve risen even higher in my estimations.”

   “Technically, I was drafted in to save everyone .”

   “Did you succeed?”

   “I don’t like to toot my own horn…but, yeah, I absolutely bossed it.”

   “With a lot of help,” Yaz reminded her.

   “My new friend Graham didn't need to know that.”

   He was smiling, evidently enjoying their dynamic on full display. “Is everyone safe then? Ryan? Dan?”

   “All accounted for,” Yaz reassured him. “And the angels are gone, which means we can finally bring you back home.”

   “That might be more difficult than you originally bargained for.”

   Graham nodded his head in way of explanation towards the woman who was now helping Ian up into a standing position. The pair slowly but surely made their way towards the Tardis, which they were staring at in barely contained wonder. Yaz felt like she was supposed to recognise Ian’s companion, though, given the year, that was surely a wild prediction to make. 

   “I should introduce you to Barbara,” Graham said, giving Yaz a pointed look that she quickly picked up on.

   “Oh,” she murmured. “ Oh .”

   “What?” Clara asked. “What is it?”

   “Barbara is Ian’s wife… was Ian’s wife, at least.”

   “You think things are finally working out and then life throws a curveball at you like that.”

   “This machine…” Barbara began, looking through the doors. “It can’t be! It’s the Tardis!”

   “ A Tardis,” Clara corrected. “But well spotted all the same.”

   “It’s a way home, isn’t it? For Ian?”

   Yaz didn't know what to say. “I…suppose it is.”

   “No, it isn’t,” Ian said. 

   “What do you mean?”

   “What if I stayed behind? Surely there’s nothing wrong with that idea. It’s not as if I have a lot of time left as it is.”

   Barbara took his hands, giving them a look that told them that she would take care of the matter. “Oh, my darling. I wish that was possible. But I’ve got my own Ian to love and take care of.”

   “But…I don’t have a Barbara to return to.”

   “I know…and it’s not fair that you’re destined to live without me. But that’s in my future. Those days you remember…the memories that are surely going to slip from my mind when you leave…I still need to live them. If you stay, those days might disappear. Our love might disappear. And that would be more heartbreaking than losing one another, because our love will outlive the both of us.”

   “I…don’t want to say goodbye. Not again.”

   “Then don’t. Simply…say farewell. After all, I’ll be seeing you very soon. You’re waiting for me in our cosy home, with no idea of what I’ve been through today. And you…well, you’ll see me whenever you close your eyes, I’m sure of it.”

   “You never leave me. I want you to know that. If you remember anything from this experience, let it be that.”

   “As if I ever doubted it.”

   “Are you sure that I have to go? The other Ian wouldn’t even have to know. I’d tell him I’m called something entirely different.”

   “From the sounds of things, you’ve got a number of people waiting for you in the present day…in my future…who really want to see you again. I couldn’t rob them of that.”

   “Can you say it first? I think it’d hurt too much if I went before you.”

   “Farewell, my love.”

   “Farewell, Barbara. Until…until the next time.”

Chapter Text

 “So…this is what the companion group really looks like.”

   After a day of chaos and carnage, it almost felt anticlimactic to be setting up the chairs once again. They’d gotten it down to a fine art by now, placing the seats in a perfect circle. It felt like the circle kept getting larger too with every meeting, more and more companions coming out of the woodwork. For Sally and Larry, it was the first time they were stepping over the threshold, an official moment they had to experience before they could even claim to be members of their collective. 

   “I feel like I don’t belong,” Sally admitted, hovering by one of the neatly placed chairs.

   The others were sinking down onto their own seats, most of them letting out rather loud noises of content. They’d been pushed to their limit throughout the day, doing a lot more running than they’d bargained for since leaving the Tardis behind them. For many of them, their advanced age (not that anyone was going to call it such out loud) meant that the strenuous activity had left them needing more than a good rest. There was sure to be a bottle or two of whiskey somewhere that would help them recover much faster.

   They weren’t at their full capacity, however. For some, the day had been too much, wanting to get back home instead of recounting what had happened. Brian’s case was an understandable one, obviously not feeling up to being in large company after his latest loss. It was reasonable too for Ian to be missing, who’d been dropped off on the way. His unexpected battle with time travel, and being reunited with his departed wife, had evidently knackered the old man out. For Kate, there was a lot of cleaning up to do, especially safely transporting the frozen Weeping Angels to a secure location. With their absences, it almost felt wrong to be celebrating their victory, the room relatively quiet as they settled.

   Sally noted that Larry had faced no difficulty in acclimatising to the group, perched comfortably on the first chair he’d found.

   “Why do you say that?” Graham wondered, looking directly at her.

   He’d wasted no time in getting reacquainted with the comforts of the modern world after his stint in the sixties. He was currently balancing two pork pies on the palm of his spare hand after making them stop off at the local supermarket on the way back. A cheese and pickle sandwich was being methodically inserted into his mouth, and it was a minor miracle that he’d been able to get the question out in the first in between bites.

   “Well…it’s not as if I’m a proper companion, is it? You’ve all experienced so much. I ran away from some statues fifteen years ago.”

   “Hey, we’ll not be having any of that,” Dan complained, waving a dismissive hand. “You’ve fought aliens just like the rest of us. Whether you like it or not, they’ve become an intrinsic part of your life.”

   “And the group isn’t just about being with the Doctor,” Graham explained. “The majority of our lives are actually spent away from that mad Time Lord. But we’re a select few who have shared similar moments, felt similar levels of fear and ecstasy. Being in the blue box is just a part of it. You should hear some of the stories based on what me and Ryan have been up to since we left the Doc. And I am going to tell you them. Everyone else has been forced to sit through those tales.”

   “Putting up with his long-winded story-telling is also one of the traumatic experiences we all share.”

   “Not to mention that, if you stick around, there’s no doubt that you’ll be dealing with more aliens and monsters in no time,” Jo said to her. “We seem to attract them, even when we thought this was just going to be a social club.”

   Sally smiled meekly at them all. “Thanks, guys. I suppose I’m just remembering that there’s so much out there still to explore. As dangerous as it was, taking on the Weeping Angels has reawakened that…hunger, I guess you could call it.”

   “If you’re mad enough to enjoy what happened today, then you’re going to fit in with the rest of us perfectly,” Tegan commented. 

   Yaz sat back and watched the interaction without actively contributing. It was strange to watch Sally. Yaz recognised a lot of herself in the other woman. Sally was very much like what Yaz had been before finding the Doctor, forever searching for something more in life. When the opportunity had eventually presented itself, it was difficult to not grow desperate to make it last. Yaz had been given the chance to do that same exploring Sally was looking for. When she glanced at the person sitting beside her, Yaz realised that she was being given the chance again.

   “It’s also my first time properly experiencing what the fabled companion group is like,” Clara said with a soft smile. 

   “Thanks for dropping us off, by the way,” Graham replied. “That was a big help. The bus was more damaged from the angel attack than I first realised. I’m never going to get that down payment back.”

   “I’m pretty sure that the UNIT insurance package could cover it,” Dan mentioned. “They’re even working on getting me a new house after mine was shrunk by Karvanista. Extraterrestrial attacks are covered under their policy, it seems. Once I found out that Kate had helped some bloke called Wilf pay for a retirement cottage, I was rubbing my hands. The spare sofa at my mum and dad’s has been painful beyond belief.”

   “I did say that you could stay at mine if you needed to.”

   “And listen to more of your stories? I’d rather put up with a stiff neck.”

   Yaz nudged Clara. “What do you think of our little group then? Are we up to your standards?”

   “You all obviously reached the Doctor’s standards so I can’t complain,” she quipped.

   “Enough to make you stick around for a bit longer this time?”

   Clara’s smile in response was melancholic. “My home isn’t on Earth anymore, as nice as it is to pop by from time to time now. I can’t walk around in public. My school held services in my honour. My family buried me. But that doesn’t mean that my life has to stop. Not yet. Especially not when there’s new possibilities on the horizon.”

   Clara was giving Yaz the same look she’d used when she’d first suggested the idea that they fly away together. That first time, Yaz had been strong enough to resist, or perhaps weak enough. She’d used the recent loss of the Doctor as an excuse, a hurdle that felt much smaller now that Clara was looking at her once again. The worst part was that she could feel the eyes of everyone else resting on her, as if they knew where this conversation was leading to, as if it wasn’t already difficult enough to contend with Clara’s mesmerising brown orbs.

   “What do you say?” Clara pressed on, seizing the initiative. “I’m really hoping that you don’t reject me for a second time.”

   “Yaz…”

   She might have expected Dan to be the one to encourage. She might have imagined Graham standing up and striding towards her in the hope of convincing her to do what she really wanted. In the end, it was actually Ryan who seemingly wanted to provide that support. Whilst she remained in her chair, he got down onto his knees so that he could take her hands, looking Yaz square in the eye with steely determination.

   “Yaz,” he continued. “I’ve known you for quite a while now. And you have changed over the years you had with the Doctor when me and Graham weren’t there. But I still know you. I know what thoughts will be bouncing around inside your head. I know what doubts you’ll be trying to fend off. Because I imagine you’re trying to convince yourself right now that there has to be a reason to say no. You’re trying to come up with an excuse, like you can’t allow yourself to be happy after losing the Doctor.”

   Yaz swallowed heavily. “Isn’t it too soon? Isn’t it like…cheating on her?”

   “It’s getting close to a year since she left, Yaz. You’ve been able to mourn her. She wouldn’t want you to stop living your life because of her. She let you go so that you had a chance to live that life.”

   “Just look at what me and Ryan did,” Graham commented, shifting closer to join in with the conversation. “Grace died and, the next thing we knew, we were in outer space! We could have stayed at home, reliving memories of her. But we chose to use her as inspiration to push us further than ever before! I wouldn’t have done half the things I did if it wasn’t done in her memory. You’ve almost had the best of both worlds, if that’s the right way to put it. You’ve mourned. You’ve remembered the Doctor. Now you’ve got the chance to follow in her footsteps.”

   “As good as this group is, I don’t know whether it can help you full term,” Dan contributed. “Because the whole point of these sessions is to look back, when someone like you should always be looking forward.”

   Yaz could feel herself tearing up. “You’re not going to miss me?”

   “Horrendously.”

   “I’ll always be turning to your chair to make a wise comment,” Graham agreed.

   “But we’re not going to stand in your way.”

   Ryan was slowly nodding his head. “The Doctor once said that we can’t have a universe without you. That means it’s been empty for quite a while. We should probably amend that.”

   “I feel like you’ve all been preparing this,” Yaz said, rubbing at her wet cheeks. “It’s far too perfect and rehearsed.”

   “We just knew that this would come one day,” Dan responded. “You’re too big of a character to be contained in this little community centre.”

   “It was just about waiting until you came to that realisation yourself,” Graham pointed out. “Obviously, we never fully expected that another Tardis would be popping up so soon, but life has a funny way of delivering precisely what you need when you most need it.”

   “As long as Clara is the right person to look after you.”

   Clara grinned at Dan’s protective look. “I have no doubt that she’ll be looking after me most of the time. As long as she is agreeing to come...I don’t want to get my hopes up until I hear that concrete ‘yes’.”

   Yaz gnawed on her lip. “It…wouldn’t hurt to see what one trip is like.”

   “Or two.”

   “We could even push the boat out to three.”

   “Oh, Yasmin Khan. You have made my day! If I had a heart, it’d be racing.” Clara quickly glanced at the others, who were frowning in confusion. “That’s a long story that I’m not going to get into right now. Maybe if I pop back soon, it could be one of the stories I share with you all. Though I’ll probably start with the more exciting tales. I’m guessing none of you have fought a literal mummy on the Orient Express. In space.”

   “It’s not a competition,” Ace grumbled, sounding as if she really wanted to experience that set of circumstances.

   “Could I come?”

   They all turned their heads, looking at Sally, whose arm was raised high in the air as if she was in primary school asking for the teacher’s attention. She looked incredibly nervous, as if she instantly regretted voicing the query out loud. Sally was resolutely not looking at Larry beside her, who appeared quite perturbed that she wanted to run away with a couple of strangers. Her focus was solely on Yaz and Clara, the two people who held her fate in the palm of their hands.

   “I know I’m pushing my luck and I know that you probably just want it to be the two of you alone,” Sally rambled. “But I also know that I’d kick myself forever if I didn't at least ask. I wouldn’t cause any trouble!”

   “That’s a shame,” Clara murmured. “Because I normally go looking for trouble.”

   “Are you…are you agreeing?”

   “I mean, there’s plenty of space in the Tardis. And I could never resist a pretty face. Yaz? What do you say?”

   Once again, Yaz found herself looking at Sally and realised what job she was being tasked with. Part of the reason for her reticence to travel with Clara was that it felt like a step back, like she was simply replacing the Doctor and becoming a companion yet again. But now, with Sally, she was being granted the chance to be the Doctor. She’d be showing the other woman the stars in the same fashion that the Time Lord had done with her previously. It felt almost right , like she was taking the next step along the path she’d been travelling upon ever since that cold night in Sheffield with a broken train.

   “Three girls roaming,” she said. “I can’t say no to that.”

   “That sounds like it has the potential to be a great TV show.”

   Sally jumped up, squealing in excitement. “You’re both being serious?”

   “I’ve gone from being alone to having two stunning women travelling with me. I’m not going to complain about that.”

   Sally wrapped them both in a hug, forcing them to stand up. Yaz and Clara shared an awkward look, having not expected the intensity of the embrace. Yaz couldn’t help but be excited about the prospect, about having the shackles unleashed. It felt like she’d been given permission to enjoy herself after holding back for so long. And yet there was still that sense of guilt eating away at her, which proved that there was still one last thing for her to get out of the way.

   “Could I just…have a moment to myself before we leave?” she asked, hating how small she suddenly sounded.

   Clara instantly agreed, seeming to understand that it was a private matter. And, with the number of questions that Sally was now throwing in her direction, it wasn’t as if she didn't have a distraction to contend with. Which gave Yaz the opportunity to leave the hall, walking through the corridor until she found a suitably abandoned room for her to occupy. Once she steadied herself, lifting herself up onto a table to sit on, she pressed a specific spot on her shoulder.

   The Doctor immediately flickered into view, beaming as always. Yaz wondered whether the holographic state of the figure meant that the smile was brighter, or whether it had always transfixed her in such a way. It was one of those thoughts that was designed to keep her from dealing with why she’d summoned the hologram in the first place. It was a conversation that she desperately didn't want to have, but one she knew would set her free in the long run.

   “Yaz!” the Doctor exclaimed happily. “You don’t need me to deal with any more Weeping Angels, do you?”

   “Nope. They’re all…accounted for.”

   “Good news. Which isn’t the sort of news you tend to get when the angels are involved. But I shouldn’t expect anything else from you. Excellent work as always, miss Khan.”

   “Thanks.”

   The Doctor cocked her head to one side. “You don’t sound as proud as you should do, Yaz. Because getting out of that predicament unscathed is a feat that even I’d struggle with. You really proved yourself as a leader, which I never doubted, of course.”

   “It’s just…I’m not here…to talk about the angels.”

   “That’s alright. It’s best not to think about them too much. Remember Claire? All she did was think about them and then she had a real one controlling her. Dangerous stuff.”

   “I’m going travelling,” Yaz blurted out, ripping off the plaster.

   “Excellent! You know I love travelling! I never stop. You must have caught the bug from me. I would apologise, except it’s one of the best feelings in the universe.”

   “I’m actually going to travel with Clara. In her Tardis.”

   Yaz had expected the Doctor to be sad about that, and yet her expression somehow brightened even further. “Two of my favourite ever people spending time together? That’s brilliant! Best news I’ve heard all week!”

   “I was just thinking though…before I leave…I feel as if it needs to be a clean break. A brand new start.”

   “Understandable.”

   “And I can’t do that if I’m carrying you with me for the rest of time.”

   Now the Doctor’s excitement did fade. “Ah.”

   “I don’t want to get rid of you!” Yaz quickly amended. “It’s just…when you’re physically a part of me, it feels as if you’re constantly watching. I need to learn who I am without you. Do you understand? Please don’t hate me.”

   “Yasmin Khan…I could never hate you.”

   “Is there a way of transferring the hologram so that it’s in a device? Like the one you gave me when we were separated during the Flux? Because I still want to be able to talk to you. I don’t think I’d be able to keep going if I didn't have that outlet.”

   “Of course, of course. I can do that for you.” The Doctor moved so that she was sitting right next to Yaz. “I guess there was a selfish part of me that didn't want to suggest that before. I wanted to be a part of you for as long as possible.”

   “That’s not going to change. You’re not leaving my heart just because I’m thinking of moving on.”

   “I should have known as soon as Clara popped up that she’d catch your eye. I couldn’t resist her charms, even during a point in my life when I firmly closed those doors shut. She has a way of getting inside your head.”

   “You’re not…jealous?”

   The Doctor smiled softly. “Jealous? Absolutely not. I’m so proud of you, Yaz. And if you’re venturing out into the universe again, there are planets out there that are going to be saved by your kindness. How could I stand in the way of that? I’ll get to watch from the side lines. And I’m sure you’ll tell me the highlights when we have these chats. Not to mention that you could bump into the real me.”

   “That’s one of the things that’s scaring me the most. I almost don’t want to see the new you. I want this version to be the one I remember. The gorgeous blonde with the most mesmerising green eyes.”

   “It’s a good job that I went for the expensive hologram model that has enough pixels to make them look realistic.”

   “Oh, definitely. Smart choice. But I can’t keep looking into those eyes forever. I have to let you go. Letting go of the Doctor is just one of the hardest things to do.”

   “You’re not the first person to say that.”

   “And I doubt I’ll be the last.”

   “I can’t wait to see what you do next, Yasmin Khan.”

   “I can’t wait to tell you all about it, Doctor.”

Chapter Text

There was an undeniable buzz around the group. That might have just been because of the fact that they’d been separated for a couple of weeks. After the Weeping Angel fiasco, which was now its official title, they’d all shared the understanding that they needed a break. A breather. They’d left the Tardis behind for a semblance of calmness so travelling through time at the hands of angry statues wasn’t really on the to-do list. They’d needed to recuperate, which meant it was nice now to be reunited. It was only through their separation that they’d come to realise just how important the group was to their daily lives.

   Undoubtedly, though, most of the excitement and eagerness to be back was down to the alarming events that had happened in London the weekend before. Because it always had to be London. An alien invasion from the looks of things. A spaceship crashing down to Earth. Reports of bug-like monsters roaming the back alleyways, starting a huge fight on a sleepy road that led to numerous explosions and insurance claims. They were led to believe that UNIT was involved and Kate Stewart’s absence suggested that she was cleaning up that particular mess.

   “Is this what it’s going to be like?” Dan asked.

   Graham looked at him curiously. “What do you mean?”

   “Well…I felt pretty hopeless whilst it was happening, you know? There was so much being posted on social media and a special report on the news, and I was stuck at home! I felt like I should be doing something, that I was letting those people who were involved down by not being there. I don’t know…it’s silly, really. I was just left thinking that I chose to leave the Doctor, which indirectly meant I’d chosen to stop helping people. Is it normal to feel bad?”

   “I think it’s perfectly natural,” Jo argued. “And we’ve all gone through it. There’s a level of guilt you have to contend with, as if it’s our responsibility to constantly save the world.”

   “It’s why the Doctor never stops running,” Martha added. “If they did, they’d hear about every disaster in the universe and wonder whether they could or should have stopped it. It’s obviously not a healthy way to live, but they’re not exactly going to change their ways after so many centuries.”

   “And it’s why we started this group, isn’t it? Because we can’t leave that life behind. Not really. And if the trouble is ever truly momentous, we’ll be on hand to help out.”

   “Like with the angels,” Ryan pointed out.

   “I’d almost forgotten about that trauma,” Tegan grumbled. “Thanks for the reminder.”

   “You’re very welcome.”

   “It’s hard to ignore the craving,” Graham explained. “You get so used to going on these magical adventures that life feels strangely empty without the adrenaline rush. Why do you think Ryan and I started travelling the globe? We may have chosen to leave the Doc ourselves, but that doesn’t make the urge to seek out danger any less powerful.”

   “So what do you do?” Dan asked. “When roads are tearing themselves in half?”

   “Well, you were in Liverpool at the time so it’s not as if you could have gotten yourself to London quickly enough to help. There are some things you just have to not worry about.”

   “You make it sound so simple.”

   “It’s really not. But it’ll come with practice.”

   “The main thing is to have faith in the Doctor,” Ace told him. “You have to believe that they’ll be there to sort out the worst of the mess. And, lo and behold, they did. They would have been running around London…fighting aliens and knitting those roads back together. I bet they were pretty smug when they managed to do that.”

   “You know, I’m almost glad that Yaz has decided to go travelling with Clara and Sally,” Dan admitted. “I don’t know what she would have been like if she’d been around to witness everything that was going on. Like you, Graham, I made the decision to leave, as I’ve brought up plenty of times. But Yaz…she was basically forced to. I think it would have devastated her if she’d been left with nothing to do other than watching the TV whilst it happened.”

   “She probably would have marched all the way there from Sheffield,” Ryan said with a smile. “Nothing can stop that woman when she puts her mind to something.”

   “Then it’s a good job she wasn’t nearby. Because the Doctor changed her face, didn't she? That’s the one thing Yaz has been clinging onto, the thought that the Doctor somehow managed to avoid that fate. If she was met with undeniable proof that her Doctor was gone…well, I’d still be providing a shoulder to cry on now. I don’t even want to think about the Doctor being different, and I only knew her for a fraction of the time Yaz did.”

   “She’d probably tell you to stop worrying about her,” Tegan reminded her. “She’s strong. Stronger than all of us, I reckon. Strong enough to go chasing the stars with another woman.”

   “You never know…it might have actually been those three who were dealing with the threat,” Mel suggested. “We’re just assuming that it was the Doctor.”

   “I got confirmation,” Martha countered. “I might not work with UNIT anymore, but I still get clued into things when I want to. Some of the secrets I’ve been told are scandalous.”

   “You get special treatment?” Ace complained.

   “Try not to take it personally.”

   “Kate called me and Tegan last time to help out! We’re the ones who should be getting told this stuff!”

   “You’re getting told it now.”

   “Indirectly. It feels cheaper somehow.”

   “Maybe it means Kate thought we did a poor job,” Tegan offered.

   “I parachuted off the top of the building and you fought Cybermen! What more could she expect?”

   Martha rolled her eyes. “Kate’s rushed off her feet at the moment. A new building to manage, an increase in funds, more employees to manage, alien threats crashing down around us. She doesn’t need to babysit any of us as well.”

   “So you’re saying the Doctor was there?” Jo wondered eagerly.

   “That’s what I was told. He was caught sneaking around by one of their newest recruits.”

   “ He ?” Graham echoed.

   “I wasn’t given many more details about his appearance for some reason, but they definitely described a man.”

   “Yaz will be heartbroken about that,” Dan said bitterly.

   “It was a good job that the Doctor turned up though. I’ve heard rumours that whatever attacked managed to enslave the majority of UNIT’s soldiers. They were doing the bidding of these aliens until the Doctor intervened.”

   “It’s no wonder that Kate hasn’t shown her face then,” Graham commented. “She must be sorely sleep deprived. I can only imagine the headache she must have been experiencing! Imagine all your colleagues turning against you.”

   “Sounds like a typical Monday morning,” Dan quipped.

   “It probably explains why she called me this morning,” Mel told the group.

   Instantly, the rest of them were looking at her with keen interest. There was a certain level of jealousness written on their faces, as if they’d been excluded from a secret Whatsapp group. First, Martha had admitted to being in cahoots with UNIT staff and now Mel was revealing that she was in direct communication with the head of UNIT operations. Normally, she was one of the quieter members of the group, which explained why she was looking distinctly uncomfortable with all of the attention firmly placed on her.

   “What for?” Tegan asked pointedly.

   “You’re not going to believe this but…she wanted me to come in as an advisor. A bit like what you and Ace did. I’m actually travelling down to their headquarters after this meeting.”

   Graham folded his arms. “Some people get all the luck!”

   “Let’s just hope that things are a little quieter when you get there,” Dan remarked. “You don’t want to be dealing with rogue soldiers or fiery roads.”

   Mel shivered at the thought. “Definitely not! But what’s the worst that can happen?”

Chapter Text

   “And then…there were two of them.”

   Graham, as was usually the case, had been in the middle of dunking a biscuit into his mug of tea, testing how much goodness it could absorb without actually breaking. Following Mel’s unexpected revelation, the drink and sweet treat lay forgotten, accounting for the light splash that happened. The biscuit had given up. A lot like his brain, which was struggling to make sense of what had been said. The only good thing, for his pride at least, was that the others were looking at the redhead in a similar state of confusion.

   Dan was glancing at their fellow members, looking like he was trying to figure out whether this was something that happened a lot. Tegan was scratching her head, whilst Ace leaned further forward in fascination. Martha’s mouth was hanging open. It had even been enough to force Ryan to look away from his phone as he finished uploading his latest Youtube video. In fact, the only other person in their support group who didn't look remotely surprised by the tale was Kate, but she had the excuse of actually living through the ordeal. 

   “...two of them?” Jo gasped, eyes shining in delight.

   “Two of them,” Mel confirmed.

   “As in…two Doctors?” Tegan asked warily.

   “Two Doctors, just as wonderful as the other. Something different happened with his regeneration. At first, I thought it was all a part of the Toymaker’s game because messing with the Doctor is basically his hobby, it seems. But you should have seen the look on his face. It was a picture .”

   Graham put a hand on his forehead. “Sorry…I’m just trying to catch up…you’re saying that the old Doc and the new Doc were standing next to each other after the regeneration?”

   “It sounds impossible, but I can’t deny what I saw,” Kate confirmed. “I was flabbergasted, which isn’t a word I use very often to describe myself.”

   “It was like the new Doctor was coming out of the other one,” Mel explained. “I had to help with the pulling, so I’m glad I’ve kept up with my exercise and carrot juice diet over the years. It was tough work. But…oh, cross your fingers that you meet the new Doctor. He was just absolutely gorgeous . The brightest smile you’ve ever witnessed.”

   “He was unmistakably the Doctor. The way he carried himself with such confidence and…lust for life. He was joyous. We couldn’t deny that he was the Doctor, no matter how strange his arrival was. I’m glad, really. The old Doctor, which doesn’t make any sense because he’s younger in reality, had been reunited with such a lovely face that it would have been a shame to lose it so soon.”

   Martha frowned. “What do you mean by that? ‘Reunited’ with a face? What does that even mean?”

   It was unusual to see Kate smirking so much. “Oh, I couldn’t possibly ruin that particular surprise.”

   “Is there a reason why Shirley wouldn’t go into details about his new appearance? She said the usual nonsense about levels of confidentiality.”

   “We can’t divulge secrets to non -employees. If you want to join the payroll again…”

   “Nice try.”

   “I’ll convince you one day.”

   “Maybe if you tell me what’s going on with the Doctor. What’s so important to hide?”

   “It’s not really a matter of being important . I’ve just always wanted to be the one protecting the spoilers . Don’t ruin my fun.”

   “I think if this proves anything, it’s that the Doctor is still as clumsy and as careless as ever,” Graham remarked with a laugh. “I mean, how can you get yourself killed so soon after getting a new face? I’d be more careful if I were them. What is it? Only a year since we last saw the Doc?”

   “God, has it already been a year?” Tegan sighed. “Since Cybermen and volcanoes and that particular Time Lord I don’t like to mention?”

   Ace cocked her head to one side. “The Master?”

   Tegan rolled her eyes at her friend. “ Yes . Thanks for that.”

   “You’re welcome.”

   “It’s gone quickly, hasn’t it?” Graham said, slowly nodding his head. “At that point, I never knew that I was going to start this group. I never imagined what we’d get up to and what sort of messes we’d end up involved in.”

   “That’s also the case for the Doctor,” Mel reminded him. “It’s been a year for us, but it could have been a lot longer for him. He might have been wearing that face for decades.”

   “Or a week, knowing their track record.”

   “But now he gets to keep it. I suppose he deserves that sort of luck after so many years. He barely talked about what he’s been through since I last saw him, but I could see it in his eyes that there’s been a significant amount of trauma. I’m happy for him.”

   “So he’s happy with the change?” Jo wondered.

   “I’m sure it’ll take some time for him to get used to the development, but it’s a chance for him to slow down, I guess. I wouldn’t call it a retirement because he still flies in that Tardis when Donna isn’t looking, but it’s as close as they’ll ever come. They’re settling down because the only way they’d ever be able to do that was if they knew someone they trusted was there to take over. Who else would they trust more than themselves?”

   “Did you just say ‘retirement’?”

   “Did you just mention Donna?” Martha asked, eyes wide.

   Mel grimaced, sending a quick and wary look at Kate. “I think I’ve said too much.”

   “I don’t think you’ve said nearly enough.”

   “The more things we learn about what’s going on in the Doctor’s life, the happier I am that Yaz is away at the moment,” Dan commented. “I know she would have loved to get these insights but…at the same time…”

   “This is basically what she always wanted,” Ryan finished for him. “She wanted an opportunity to be with the Doctor forever, to almost have a normal life with her. And then that opportunity comes right after they choose to go their separate ways. It’s not fair.”

   “She’s going to be distraught when she finds out.”

   “Then we’d best hope that she steers clear for a while,” Graham told them. “Because you’re right, it’s not fair. And if the Doc has retired, then you might understand why they’ve stayed away from us. It must be upsetting for them to know they missed out on having that life with Yaz. Turning up with a different face is just going to lead to more bitterness, making them think about what might have been.”

   “Do you think that Yaz would consider sticking around if she knew the Doctor was grounded on Earth?” Ace asked.

   Graham chewed on his bottom lip. “Honestly, I don’t know. That’s only something that Yaz can answer, and I hate pondering on something that’s so personal to her. All I know is that she loved the Doc. She fell in love with that daft face, didn't she? Does that love continue if the face changes? I don’t know how it works. It’s not as if it’s a typical situation.”

   “Not to mention that the Doctor is a man again,” Ryan added. “Yaz has never explicitly said whether that makes a difference to who she likes…”

   “And we’re not going to start discussing it now,” Graham countered sharply. “It’s an invasion of her privacy.”

   “At least she’s got Clara, hey?” Dan said, obviously trying to make the conversation a touch more positive and optimistic. “She’s exploring the stars. It might hurt less if she finds out at some point, because she’s been able to move on. At least a bit, anyway.”

   “You never know,” Mel began. “Yaz could be reunited with her Doctor one day. If this Doctor was able to split off, who’s to say the others didn't? In some other reality or timeline. It’s something to cling onto.”

   “Oh, I’d love that,” Jo gushed. “Just the thought of seeing my Doctor again, with his silly, velvet jackets and wild hair. You’re going to make me start reminiscing about the past again, and you all know how long I can talk for.”

   “Maybe we should focus on what happened more recently then,” Tegan interjected, a desperate move before Jo started telling another one of her stories. “We still haven’t been told how the Doctor… Doctors …stopped the Toymaker.”

   Mel smiled. “Would you believe me if I said that it involved a game of catch?”

   “Probably not, but hardly anything you’ve said today has made sense so why stop now?”

   “The Toymaker only obeys to a certain set of rules and they revolve around the concept of play. Catching a ball has a pretty simple rule at the heart of it - don’t drop it.”

   “So, there they were, the two Doctors, playing a game of catch with an eternal entity on my recently finished helipad,” Kate detailed. “I’ve seen some strange things but that probably takes the top honour.”

   “And the Doctors won?” Martha sounded as if she wanted the chat to hurry up, probably solely because she wanted more details about what Mel had let slip. “The Toymaker dropped the ball?”

   “Right off the edge of the tower. I’m hoping it didn't hit anyone on the head but, after what was happening in the city below, I doubt it was a major concern.”

   “The Doctors got a prize and they chose to banish the Toymaker from reality,” Mel said. “I was on hand to provide the box to trap him in, so I like to think that I had a big role to play in defeating him.”

   “And that box is now in the deepest recesses of the Black Archives, surrounded by a circle of salt to keep him at bay. Just in case he tries one of his tricks down the line.”

   Dan raised his hand as if he were in school. “The Black Archives? Am I supposed to know what they are?”

   “Don’t trouble yourself too much about it. You’ve been there before. Not that you remember, of course.”

   By the way his face dropped, it was clear to see that Dan couldn’t tell whether the head of UNIT was joking. Graham was in the same boat. Kate was an incredibly difficult person to read, a trait she must have picked up after spending so much time with various incarnations of the Doctor. She was smiling, which made him believe that she was telling the truth, but that just raised a boat load of more questions that he knew she was never going to answer.

   “With the Toymaker gone, his effect on the global population ceased,” Kate pressed on. “The giggling stopped. People returned to their senses and I’m afraid many of them will be left dealing with the consequences of their actions for a very long time. I only experienced the impacts of the neurological surge briefly, and that was more than enough time for me to completely make a fool of myself.”

   “But…we weren’t affected,” Ryan remarked, casually looking at the others to make sure they were in the same boat. “It wasn’t as if me and Graham started having a scrap in the kitchen. The whole world went mad, but we stayed sane.”

   “Consider that a parting gift from the Doctor. His theory was that those who have travelled through time were immune to the television signal that was causing all the chaos. Even when they leave you behind, the Doctor is always looking out for you. In their own, unique fashion.”

   “Even so, I saw some pretty messed up stuff,” Dan admitted. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more frightened as when my mum came at me with a frying pan all because I asked her if she wanted to have some lunch? She kept banging on about how she was perfectly capable of making her own food and that I probably hadn’t washed my hands as it was. I had, by the way. Before you start giving me suspicious looks. The only positive is that I found out how I got so good at using a wok as a weapon. It was passed down like genetics.”

   “It should be alarming at how many people were so easily influenced, transformed into these…raving lunatics,” Martha contributed.

   “As someone who went through it, we can’t exactly blame the people who were afflicted,” Kate challenged. “What I hope to see is that it causes some level of introspection, where people will start to understand that that darkness does exist within them. And that they need to work on keeping it at bay. This could all have some positive outcomes if we’re lucky. If people are willing to have honest conversations with them all.”

   “I sincerely doubt that,” Tegan said bitterly.

   Graham chuckled. “Did you see that politician on tv? He wouldn’t shut up about hating the British public.”

   Ace nodded her head. “He’s already been forced to resign. You can’t be the voice of the people if you don’t like them.”

   “I think plenty of people will be waking up to some emails they’ll sorely regret sending,” Dan joked. “I took my parents’ phones off them, just in case they started ranting on Twitter.”

   “To be fair, you couldn’t tell any difference in the behaviour of the commenters on Youtube,” Ryan chimed in. “They’re always bitter and angry. That was the only thing to stay the same.”

   There was a knock at the door, which was unusual enough because most people just walked straight into the community hall they used for their sessions. Graham looked towards the source of the noise, before returning his gaze to the others. Once again, they looked confused. It was becoming a recurring theme. Everyone, that was, besides Mel, who was fidgeting on her seat suspiciously, which should have told them that something was afoot.

   “Is someone late?” Graham asked. “Have we missed someone out?”

   “I didn't think that Ian was coming today,” Jo said. “I instructed him to stay on bed rest, the poor dear.”

   Mel stood up. “This is actually my doing. I thought it would be a lovely idea after what’s happened, and they were more than up for it. Just…don’t ask any questions until everything has been explained. I suspect there’s going to be some surprise.”

   “Thanks for leaving us in suspense,” Dan grumbled.

   Mel was the one who made her way to the door and it was starting to make sense why it had been closed in the first place, which they never tended to do. She’d been planning this from the very beginning. Graham felt like he had to give her some credit, though that depended on who the visitor actually was. The rest of the group, feeling as if this moment was going to be big , slowly got up from their chairs and followed in Mel’s wake, hovering by the entrance in anticipation.

   They all took a step back when the door finally opened. Graham didn't recognise the two people who appeared, both of them sporting wide grins. One of them was a man with spiky brown hair, slight stubble on his cheeks, and a deep blue trench coat that covered what looked to be a striped suit. The woman beside him had long ginger hair, sporting a colourful jumper and holding a large Tupperware box that Graham was instantly interested in. The two strangers seemed rather taken aback by the amassed group.

   “Well…” the man said. “This is certainly a welcoming committee.”

   The woman lifted the tray up. “I brought some of my mum’s tuna madras if anyone fancies it.”

   Graham quickly lost his appetite, which was a feat in itself.

   Martha’s eyes were narrowed as she prowled ever closer to the visitors. “You better start explaining yourself.”

   “I wasn’t expecting such a negative welcome back.”

   Except it wasn’t the man, nor the woman who made the remark. They were too busy preparing themselves for any sort of attack that might have been coming from Martha. It was another unexpected arrival who’d asked the question, understandably surprised by the harsh greeting. Because Yaz was standing there, Clara just behind her, wearing a nervous expression as she picked up on the tension in the room.

   “So…” she said. “I feel as if I’ve missed something.”

Chapter Text

 “Is there a reason why you look so startled?”

   Martha turned her head so that she could look at Graham, who’d been brave enough to ask the question they were all thinking. Apparently, it was taking quite some effort for her to detach her gaze from the man with the spiky brown hair and the woman carrying the strange curry. As well as being suitably confused by the situation, Martha looked a lot more wary about the situation ever since Yaz had unexpectedly shown her face, which gave Graham an explanation he was hoping he was getting wrong.

   Her voice was low and quiet when she spoke. “That’s the Doctor.”

   Understandably, Graham’s eyes widened in response to the statement, even if he’d had more than an inkling that that was the case. He eyed the supposed Doctor with a thin level of suspicion, mainly because he was now concerned about how Yaz was going to react when she found out. The only saving grace for the time being was that she had seemingly not been able to hear Martha’s whispered remark. It meant he might just have a chance of avoiding the impending catastrophe.

   “Yaz, it’s great to see you!” he exclaimed. “Why don’t you come with me?”

   Graham was instantly trying to put out the fire before it even breathed into life. Dan had made a move forward as well, suggesting he’d been thinking along the same lines. Graham silently reminded the other man that, as much as he appreciated the efforts, he’d been there from the very beginning, which meant he carried a lot more responsibility. Which was why he was approaching Yaz as if she were a startled animal, hands outstretched, almost in an attempt to obscure the Doctor from her line of sight.

   She skilfully dodged his attempts to harry her away. “What’s going on?”

   “We were trying to get to the bottom of that ourselves,” Tegan commented.

   “Well, it’s the Doctor, isn’t it?”

   It was Clara who said it out loud and Graham swore he had never breathed in so sharply. Instead of focusing his attention on the Doctor, as was the case for most of their group members, his eyes were fixed on Yaz, analysing her reaction. She’d grown still, nostrils flaring ever so slightly. If you looked closely, as Graham was doing, you could just about see the tears beginning to brim in her eyes. All of that hard work she’d gone through, moving on from the Doctor’s absence, was coming undone and it wasn’t even the blonde’s smiling face that greeted her.

   If there was any consolation, the Doctor was copying Graham’s behaviour. Whilst the other former companions clamoured to get a better look at him, he hadn’t looked away from the duo of Yaz and Clara. It was like he’d seen a ghost, which was only serving to confuse Graham to an even greater extent. If Clara recognised him, then that proved this was a face from the past. So how come his eyes were consumed by a sad recognition?

   “I know that face,” Clara pressed on. “Forget about falling through his time stream. There was one very dark day in the Doctor’s life when we faced Zygons and Daleks side by side. Not that you’ll remember that, if time was reset properly.”

   “Yet I do,” the Doctor commented and that was the first time Clara showed a similar level of surprise to the one scarred across Yaz’s face. “I remember how shiningly brilliant you were that day, and every day before and after that. I remember Cybermen in an abandoned amusement park and the Great Intelligence invading my tomb. I remember the mummy on the Orient Express and fights with Robin Hood. I remember how you were brought into the world on the back of a falling leaf, and how you used that story to stand in the way of a god.”

   Clara took a step back. “But…you can’t. Something’s gone wrong.”

   “Why does it have to be wrong? Frankly, I think it’s pretty great what happened. If you just give me a chance to explain…”

   “How have you got memories of your personal future?” Martha asked. “Because I said goodbye to this face.”

   “Like I said, if you just let me go through the details…”

   “And how is Donna standing there? Because I was told about what happened to her? My heart broke when I found out, so I don’t appreciate you just strolling in here as if everything is perfectly normal.”

   Donna (Graham presumed that was her name) raised her hand. “You don’t have to talk about me as if I’m not standing here. Trust me, I’d never let the Doctor speak on my behalf! It’s definitely been a confusing time…”

   “Maybe too confusing,” the Doctor added. “I should have known that this would happen. It’s too soon. This was a terrible idea. Look at you all, staring at me with your own memories of me, your own emotional baggage. The fact I thought I could handle seeing you all at once was ludicrous to begin with. I shouldn’t have let Donna talk me into this.”

   “But when we heard about the group, we couldn’t exactly ignore it. Mel brought it up over lunch and it just seemed like the right thing to do, like we were supposed to drop by and say hello.”

   Martha turned towards the aforementioned companion. “You knew about this?”

   “I was expressly instructed that I couldn’t divulge all the details of what happened at UNIT!” Mel argued.

   Kate stepped forward, her hands raised in what she probably hoped was a calming manner. “There was a reason why you weren’t allowed to know about the Doctor’s new face, Martha, and that’s because we knew you’d react like this. Frankly, if you were told without the proof standing in front of you, you would have branded us insane.”

   “You mean to say…”

   “ This is the Doctor. The current incarnation. Well…I don’t know whether that’s the accurate term for it anymore. One of the current incarnations. I’m still wrapping my head around the bigeneration malarkey.”

   A silence descended upon the group as they contended with the new information. They were looking at the Doctor in a different light, trying to figure out whether they were just being conned as part of some elaborate prank. And, throughout it all, the Doctor only looked towards Yaz and Clara, as if they were the only people in the room whose opinion he was truly worried about. If Yaz’s expression was anything to judge by, he was going to be sorely disappointed. 

   “The face…came back?” Martha asked quietly.

   “Yup.” The Doctor popped the ‘p’, seemingly just because he was so uncomfortable with the situation. “There’s been three different faces since I last saw you, Martha Jones. You haven’t changed though. Well…maybe you’ve somehow become even greater, but that doesn’t surprise me.”

   She arched an eyebrow. “You’re definitely a different Doctor to the one I knew. He wasn’t in control of his senses nearly as much as this.”

   The Doctor smirked. “I did a lot of growing up, if that’s any consolation. The people I travelled with helped me a lot with that. Many of whom are standing next to me now.”

   “Let me get this straight…” Ace began slowly. “...you’re the Doctor we worked alongside last year?”

   “Fighting Daleks, Cybermen and the Master at the same time. I should have realised that I would end up regenerating because of that.”

   “Can you not talk about it so casually ?” Yaz complained, her lips set in a thin line.

   “Sorry.” He quickly bowed his head. “Sorry. I suppose that’s my way of coping with the experience.”

   Yaz stepped closer towards him. “Is that really you?”

   “The thing that scared me the most about coming here today is knowing that there was a chance you would be here too, Yaz. I was worried that…you wouldn’t like what you saw.”

   “You remember everything we went through?”

   “All of it. A planet named Desolation. Rosa Parks. The Morax. The Flux. I remember how we sat atop the Tardis, trying to find a way of prolonging our goodbye because neither of us wanted to let go.”

   “But that’s the great thing!” Donna said, interrupting their moment. “You don’t have to let go now! The Doctor’s, for lack of a better term, retired! There’s no need to say goodbye. All of that sadness can be moved on from.”

   Yaz frowned. “What’s she talking about?”

   The Doctor shuffled his feet awkwardly. “Well…”

   “This was the part we really didn't want you to find out about,” Dan remarked.

   That obviously wasn’t the right thing to say. “Meaning you were going to keep this from me? For how long?”

   “It’s not as if we knew when you were going to come back!”

   “So you hoped for me to steer clear for a lot longer, yeah? And here I was, stupidly thinking that you’d be happy to see me.”

   “We are happy,” Graham tried to argue.

   “Then give me the details. The full details. What does Donna mean when she says the Doctor has retired?”

   “Exactly that,” the man in question answered. “Because, even though I regenerated recently from the person you knew, Yaz, I was fatally wounded again. I had to regenerate again. Only, this time, it was different. Myself and my next face split into two, meaning my successor was able to go gallivanting off across the stars, and I was finally allowed to slow down and take stock after all those years of travelling.”

   “Not that he listens to that advice,” Donna chimed in. “He’s always taking Rose in the Tardis when I’m not looking.”

   “Rose?” Martha squeaked.

   “Not that one. We’re not going to blow your mind that much.”

   “There’s two of you…?” Yaz said quietly.

   “Huh. I had that dream plenty of times, but never expected it to come true,” Clara quipped, earning herself a withering gaze from her friend.

   “There are,” the Doctor confirmed.

   “Are you saying that…” She looked like she was doing her utmost not to cry. “...that this could have happened when you regenerated last time? When you were my Doctor?”

   Graham prided himself on his ability to read people. As a bus driver, it came in handy rather frequently throughout his career, enabling him to chat with all sorts of people. Right now, he was using those skills to read the two people in front of him. Yaz’s comment had, for all intents and purposes, broken the old Time Lord. If he was using his retirement for therapy, then another hurdle to overcome had been added to the list. He was no longer the Doctor in Yaz’s eyes, and that was why they had originally parted before the blonde woman had erupted into golden flames.

   “I suppose it could have, yes. I don’t know why it happened this time. I think…I think it has something to do with me unlocking a realm of myths and legends, which helped the Toymaker come into our world. But that’s a story for another time, if we’d all like to sit down and share some tales.”

   “It’s not fair.”

   “Pardon?”

   “It’s not fair!” Yaz repeated herself, stronger this time. “Why didn't your other face come back? Why didn't you split into two when I was with you? You always banged on about not being able to tether yourself to anything or anyone, and then a few months later, you get precisely that opportunity.”

   “I didn't ask for this, Yaz. You have to believe me when I say I would have given anything for this to have happened just a bit earlier. But I can’t change the past. I know that better than anyone else. But…if you’re willing…it does mean that we can still spend time with each other. I’m on Earth permanently now.”

   “Well, I’m not,” Yaz said bitterly.

   “Am I missing something?”

   “We’re travelling together. Myself and Clara.”

   “Sally Sparrow also tags along for the ride, but she’s using our stop off as a way of catching up with Larry,” Clara explained, arms folded.

   “That’s…not a combination I was expecting to hear about,” the Doctor admitted. “But that’s good. I’m glad to know that you’ve found a way to stay connected with the universe, even if that isn’t by my side anymore.”

   “It took me a while, you know. It took me a really long time to get over losing you. So it’s not fair that you get to just swan in here as if that time hasn’t passed.”

   “That’s not what I was doing,” the Doctor pleaded helplessly. “Losing you hurt me too, Yaz. You have to realise that.”

   “I know. But I’m not the one who pushed you away.”

   “There was a reason for that. I didn't want this to happen. You used to look at me with such adoration, whereas now you can only view me as a stranger. Do you understand how much that hurts? With how much I…”

   “Don’t you dare say that,” Yaz growled. “Don’t you dare throw those words at me. Not now. Not when you weren’t brave enough to say them when they truly mattered.”

   “It’s true though. I might look different…I might now be able to express those feelings more effectively…but the feelings are still the same. They never left.”

   “Then it hurts even more to know that our time has passed. At least having a clean break would have helped me to move on.”

   “Yaz…I don’t want it to be this way.”

   “I’m not saying that it’s your fault. But it doesn’t make it hurt any less.” She wiped a hand across her forehead. “I…can’t do this. Not right now.”

   She turned away, ignoring the Doctor’s feeble attempts to reach out for her, to scramble for any words that could solve the problem. After working so hard to build her confidence back up, Graham hated that he was seeing her fall back down to where she’d once been. As a result, he tried to follow her so that he could provide some words of wisdom if he had any at hand. He just didn't want her to be alone, contending with her warring emotions in solitude.

   Yet he was stopped by a well placed hand by Clara. “It’s alright. I’ll go after her.”

   “You sure?” 

   “I’m seeing it as another test to see if I’m worthy of being by her side. If I can make her feel better after this, then I can manage anything.”

   “I sincerely hope you succeed.”

   Clara sent one last look at the Doctor before leaving. Graham couldn’t claim to know the intricacies of the relationship she’d had with the Time Lord, but there was the sense that it was fairly similar to what Yaz had been through. The fact that Clara had pushed her own vendetta to one side at least proved to Graham that she had Yaz’s best interests at heart, which was enough evidence he needed to support whatever relationship they were heading for.

   It was understandable that, once those two left, a hush fell upon the assembled people. It was difficult to come up with anything appropriate to say, knowing that the Doctor had been put through the emotional mangle right in front of them. Even so, their group was made up of some of the most inquisitive and curious people around - one of the reasons why they’d all travelled with the Time Lord - which meant that they were all bursting to find out more about the latest development in the Doctor’s improbable life.

   “Well, that was awkward,” Donna said. “I would have hoped that my first session here would be less…dramatic.” She scoffed. “Who am I kidding? I can never resist a bit of theatrics.”

   “Then you’re going to fit in perfectly here,” Jo replied.

   “I knew I was going to like you as soon as I laid my eyes on you.”

   “It is unbelievably good to see you again,” Martha said. “After the Daleks and Davros and the 27 planets…then I find out about what happened afterwards…I’m sure there’s quite a story behind you regaining your memories.”

   “The best story, for sure. No spoilers but it involves a Meep and the end of the world, so a pretty average day in my books.”

   “I’m guessing that there’s plenty of questions that need answering before we get to story telling though,” the Doctor reasoned. “Who wants to go first?”

   Everyone raised their hand at the same time and the Time Lord sighed. It really wasn’t looking like his day.

Chapter Text

 It took a few attempts before Clara managed to find Yaz, with the community centre unveiling itself as a surprisingly complex maze of beige corridors and crudely carpeted rooms. That invariably meant there’d been a few false starts, where Clara would poke her head into one of those rooms and find unblinking eyes staring back at her, other groups being disturbed from their meetings. There was a certain level of eeriness to a community centre that Clara had never contended with before, and it left her leaving each room rather sharpish to avoid the worst of the awkwardness.

   Eventually, Yaz was located through sheer dumb luck rather than any actual forethought. Clara should have realised that the other woman would have chosen a dark, gloomy space to shroud herself within. The lights hadn’t been switched on, though the warmth of the world outside flitted through the windows. It didn't seem to be remotely enough to penetrate Yaz’s cage of depression but that was why Clara had chosen to run after her. She wanted to believe that she was capable of bringing down those walls.

   Like she’d said to Graham, she was seeing it as a test of her merits.

   There was a brief moment when Yaz looked up to identify the intruder before her gaze promptly returned to the fiddling of her fingers. She was apparently doing her best to pretend that she hadn’t noticed Clara’s presence, or that she wasn’t at all bothered by it. The new arrival ensured her steps were slow, as if she were approaching a wounded animal. She knew that, if she were to make that remark out loud, it would have caused Yaz to bristle in offence. That might have been the perfect thing to coax her out of her shell, though it remained a last resort if her other tactics didn't work.

   The only positive sign - if it could be seen as such - was that Yaz didn't scuttle away as Clara approached. She simply remained on the floor, with her back pressed against a radiator that had presumably not worked since the Nineties. Without a word being shared, Clara wandered over to the same spot, lowering herself gently so that she was sitting right next to her new companion. With their legs tucked under their bodies, their knees tapped against their counterparts softly, a brush of contact that should have provided at least a modicum of comfort. For the time being, Yaz appeared to be immune to the sensation.

   The temptation was for Clara to leave it up to Yaz to start the conversation, to give her the time she needed to voice her feelings. After all, Clara was the one who’d invaded her moment of solace. And yet she got the feeling that that wasn’t going to work this time. As much as she wanted to care for her friend, there was a level of briskness that was going to be required if progress was on the horizon. She had to be direct, cutting to the chase, taking matters into her own hands. It was a good job, then, that being with the Doctor had forced her to learn all about that.

   “You looked surprised,” she said. “When I appeared at the door. Did you not expect me to check up on you?”

   “It’s not that,” Yaz mumbled.

   It was a start, at least. It was good to see that she was willing to talk without too much prompting. Clara had envisaged a tight tussle that neither of them would have liked, so it was a relief to see Yaz was receptive to the conversation. Even if the initial words had been tentative, choked out as if her mouth was betraying her mind, disobeying every instinct she’d come to know. Again, Clara saw that as a positive. She’d only heard a few murmurings of what Yaz had dealt with in the past, but the stories had made it clear that a change to her coping mechanisms was required.

   “Maybe I didn't expect you to be the one who came,” Yaz admitted, pressing on without the need for any further coaxing. “I thought it’d be Graham or Dan who tried to cheer me up. Maybe even Ryan. They’ve had a lot of practice when it comes to that with all the time we spent together in the Tardis.”

   “Graham wanted to come,” Clara told her. “But I stood in his way. Trust me when I say he didn't look too happy about that, as if he couldn’t believe I had the audacity to stop him doing his job.”

   “Why?”

   “Why?”

   “Why did you choose to come? Why were you the one to see how I’m doing?”

   “Believe it or not, but I like you, Yasmin Khan. And it hurt me to see just how heartbroken you were by what happened. The sort of hurt I haven’t experienced in a very long time, largely because I’ve avoided growing so close to someone that those sorts of emotions don’t come into the equation.”

   “What changed?”

   “I had a decision to make, didn't I? I could have left it up to someone else to look after you…”

   “I didn't need looking after ,” Yaz grumbled. “I’m not a child.”

   Clara rolled her eyes. “That’s not the point. I could have left it to Graham or Dan or anyone else. I could have pretended that watching you dart away didn't stab me in a heart that hasn’t beaten for far too long. But I wanted to show you that I cared. I made the decision to ignore my usual reservations and risk getting hurt in the process. I wanted you to know that, if things continue with us, that I’ll be there for you when things are difficult. Because, to me, this isn’t a fling. I want it to last. For the first time, I’ve got a proper reason for avoiding my date with Gallifrey and I’ll keep on running as long as you’re by my side.”

   “Even when I’m an emotional wreck?”

   “ Especially when you’re an emotional wreck, because that’s when you’ll need me most, in my extremely humble opinion. It’s easy being with someone when things are fun and lighthearted. It’s when things are more complicated that the tests really start. The last time I felt like this, I missed my chance. I focused on the possibility of being hurt rather than chasing after the joy and love I could have experienced. I wanted you to know that…by me being here…I’m ready to start the chase again.”

   Yaz gnawed on her lower lip, looking as if she wanted to respond but didn't know what words would do it justice. For what it was worth, if Clara’s heart had had the capability of beating, it would have been pounding so hard that it likely would have burst from her chest. Unlike how the interaction had started, she opted to give Yaz the floor for whatever happened next, if just because Clara herself wanted to avoid descending into a blind panic.

   “I really thought I was ready for the chase too,” Yaz said quietly after a moment longer. “And that’s not saying that I’m not!”

   She sounded panicked, as if she was concerned that the wrong choice of words would push Clara permanently away. It was an unbelievably endearing trait, leaving Clara with a soft smile on her lips as she watched the younger man try to make sense of her thoughts. Her face scrunched up in an adorable manner and it was clear to see just what Yaz wanted from their new relationship. It was just a matter of voicing that eloquently, which most people ended up struggling with the most.

   “The Doctor’s arrival has just thrown everything up into the air,” Yaz admitted. “When I chose to travel with you, it was because I was finally ready to move on from that point in my life. I was still sad about how things ended but…I’d learnt that I couldn’t let my grief define me. Things were going so well. I was enjoying my time with you and Sally so much, being able to touch the stars once again. And then the Doctor turns up with a new face, sprouting some nonsense of retiring , and it’s like I’m back at square one. I’m back in that park, watching the Doctor close the Tardis doors on me before I walk away. And it hurts so much.”

   In terms of starting a relationship, if that was what they were indeed doing, the two of them were breaking a rather important rule. A lot of their conversations had, so far, revolved around their exes, something you were never supposed to bring up in the early days of a budding romance. The fact that they both pretty much shared the same ex - no matter if they’d been sporting a different face and personality at the time - just made things a whole lot more complicated. 

   “I know how you’re feeling, if that’s any consolation,” Clara whispered. “I fell in love with the Doctor when he was all floppy hair and bow ties, and then he changed right in front of me. He was completely different. Older. Grumpier. Scottish .”

   “And what happened?”

   “I got to know him again, like it was a fresh start. And I fell in love with him to an even deeper extent.”

   “Are you saying that could happen with me and the Doctor too?”

   “Well…I’d be lying if I said I was hoping you’ll run back into his arms, because that’d mean I’d miss out. But I also realise that it’s infinitely more complicated for you. You fell in love with the Doctor when they were a woman. Now they’re a man, you might not share that same attraction anymore, even though they’re the same person deep down, and you’ll probably feel extremely guilty for feeling that way.” 

   “That’s the thing. It took me ages to come to terms with my feelings for the Doctor. The easiest part was that I got to push aside the idea of gender in the equation. I just loved the Doctor , you know? I didn't have to label myself. But is it wrong that I can’t picture being with them now? Am I betraying them? Were my feelings really that superficial to begin with?”

   “It’s not wrong, let’s get that out of the way immediately,” Clara responded firmly. “As difficult as it feels right now, this might be the thing that finally allows you to see who you truly are, and who you really like. It might even help you move on from the Doctor more than if they’d completely stayed out of your life.”

   “Because I know I like you,” Yaz blurted out.

   She was looking at the floor, evidently lost in thought as she spoke. Clara got the sense that she was talking without thinking, removing the filter that normally dictated what admissions she’d make. Clara wondered how long it would be before Yaz realised what she’d uttered, picturing the slow dawning of realisation on her face and savouring the hypothetical image her imagination had constructed. 

   “And that was the first time I acknowledged liking another woman after the Doctor,” Yaz continued. “Then Sally showed up and I started noticing things about her, things I wouldn’t have paid attention to when I was younger. So maybe you’re right - maybe this is the final shove I needed to embrace that part of me, rather than toeing the line. It’s like I’ve felt it was wrong to say I only like women, as if that involved abandoning who I was before this realisation.”

   “Please tell me that I’m not going to have to fight Sally for your affection,” Clara quipped, giving Yaz a soft nudge to break her out of her ramblings. 

   The other woman’s eyes widened. “I just said that out loud, didn't I?”

   “Pretty much, yeah.”

   “And you’re not going to do me the favour of pretending this never happened?”

   “Not in the slightest. Because you’re being honest with yourself. And I love that, because it proves one important thing.”

   “Which is?”

   “You’re no longer that same woman who watched the Doctor close the Tardis doors on you as you walked away. You’ve grown since then. You’re undoubtedly a different person to when you first met that infernal Time Lord and, as much as I would have enjoyed meeting young Yaz, I’m glad I bumped into this version. She’s pretty great.”

   Yaz blushed. “You’re just saying that.”

   “Nope. But that’s where you could return the compliment. If you’re feeling charitable.”

   “You’re amazing, Clara Oswald. You’re the only person who could possibly compare to the Doctor. And that’s why I feel so bad, I guess.”

   Clara’s eyebrows knitted together. “What for?”

   “Because you’re your own person. You don’t deserve to be just compared to someone else, as if I’m using you as a replacement. And I don’t think I’ve made that as clear as I could have done so far. I’m travelling with you because I like you . Not because you’re the second best thing. I’d hate for you to think that.”

   A hand was placed atop Yaz’s to keep her calm. “It’s okay. You can’t deny that you’re filling a gap in your life with something similar, but that doesn’t take away how special it could end up being.”

   They shared a companionable silence for a few beats. Yaz appeared to be using the brief pause in their discussion to enjoy the sheer relief of Clara’s understanding. A smile threatened to break out onto her lips, like she was holding it back but ultimately failing, and Clara discovered that she couldn’t quite tear her gaze away from the sight. Not that she was trying hard at all.

   “I didn't handle that very well, did I?” Yaz asked. “The Doctor’s return.”

   “That’s one way of putting it.”

   “What must everyone think of me? Just running away like that?”

   “They’ll see you as human .”

   “As I was leaving, I knew I was doing the wrong thing. I was repeating my mistakes from the past. When…when I was younger, I had some difficulty at some school and ended up fleeing home. I thought I’d grown out of that. But the first since of trouble and I was off again. I thought I’d fixed myself since then, but maybe it was more of a patch-up.”

   “You don’t need fixing,” Clara assured her, shifting so that she could look directly at Yaz and cup her face. “You’re not broken. You’ve gone through a lot of things and come out of the other side even stronger because of it. If travelling with me helps you realise that, then I’ll gladly spend the next few centuries proving it to you.”

   Perhaps she was acting on impulse like before, when she’d delved into a seemingly endless ramble about her feelings. But, one moment, they were looking at one another and, the next, Yaz was leaning forward and bringing their lips together. Clara had had more passionate embraces in the past, yet probably none that were so heartfelt. It was tentative and shy, as if Yaz couldn’t believe what she was doing, and Clara took it upon herself to hold the other woman in place, to reassure that she’d definitely made the right choice.

   When they broke apart, it was only because Clara didn't want to push her too far. It was evident that Yaz wanted things to progress, but that was born out of the storm of emotions she’d been processing up to that point. If they were to move further forward with one another, then Clara was perfectly happy to let things take their natural path. They had time, one thing neither of them had ever been able to have with the Doctor. And that probably explained the contented expressions painting their faces.

   Yaz spoke first. “Thank you.”

   “Am I really that good of a kisser?”

   Yaz’s eyes snapped open, hitting Clara on the shoulder. “Not that! Well…that as well, not that I need to boost your ego any further. But…just then…you mentioned spending centuries together…you said it with so much ease. That’s what I’ve been looking for. The Doctor could never tether herself to me, or anyone for that matter. But you were willing to promise exactly that, as if it was the perfectly natural conclusion.”

   “And I meant it too. I don’t want to be scared anymore. I’ve learnt to be brave over the years.”

   “Maybe that’s why I was so alarmed when the Doctor reappeared. I don’t know what’s happened to them, but they’re seemingly able to stay in one place now. For a second, I felt I was obligated to act upon what I’d wanted with them when they were my Doctor, even if that’s not what I want now.”

   “But if it had been your Doctor…”

   “It would have been everything I’d dreamt for. But then I wouldn’t have found this really charming and hot time traveller, so I can’t complain. There’s a universe out there where my Doctor was the one who kept her face, and there’s a universe where she gets to spend her life with that universe’s Yaz. And I’m sad that that didn't happen for me. But that doesn’t take away just how happy I’m feeling right now, in this moment.”

   “Does that mean you’re going to be able to talk to the Doctor now? Face to face? Because you can’t leave it with you running away. I tried ending things with the Doctor on a sour note once and it didn't help either of us.”

   Yaz groaned. “Do I have to?”

   “I think you know you do. But that doesn’t mean you have to go straight away.”

   “We can stay here?”

   “For as long as you want. For as long as you need. And I’ve got a few ideas as to how we can pass the time.”

Chapter Text

“So…could you have picked any of your old faces or did it have to be that one?”

   “I actually have no idea.”

   “When you bigenerated, was it like a banana being peeled?”

   “...no. And I think that’s one of the most horrendous questions I’ve ever been asked, which takes some doing.”

   “How come you still have your Tardis if there’s another Doc racing around?”

   “It involved a very large hammer and the remnants of the Toymaker’s realm of play, if that makes any sense.”

   “You mentioned that the two of you shared your clothes when the bigeneration took place, and that the future version of you was basically in a shirt and boxers…”

   “I already know what you’re going to say and yes, I was going commando at the time. Yes, it was surprisingly pleasant. No, I’m not currently doing it now. No, I’m not going to prove it either way.”

   “How long do you think you’re going to be retired for?”

   “No clue. Maybe for the rest of this life. Maybe for one more week. My opinion on that subject changes with each passing second.”

   “How did you afford to buy yourself a house? In London?”

   “UNIT have been paying me a wage since the 1970s. I never thought to cash it in before now, and they never thought to stop the payments, even when I wasn’t officially working with them.”

   “Have you brought the Tardis with you?”

   “Shaun - that’s Donna’s husband, by the way - actually drove us in his taxi. Donna thought it would be too much of a temptation to see you all again and have a time machine at hand. As if she believed that I’d invite you all inside on some madcap adventure.”

   “Is there a chance that you could do that in the future?”

   “As long as you distract Donna long enough. The issue is that I don’t think I can say no to any of you.”

   Understandably, the Doctor had anticipated that his arrival would lead to plenty of questions from his old friends. Maybe he’d hoped that it would be in a more relaxed fashion, instead of the quasi press conference he was currently being forced to navigate. As soon as one query was answered, another was escaping from the lips of a different member of the group. And all of them seemed to have an endless stream of thoughts waiting to be resolved, their collective curiosity insatiable. 

   When he’d claimed that he couldn’t possibly say no to any of them, he’d certainly been telling the truth. And that didn't even stem from him being unable to turn away any of their questions, answering them openly and honestly, despite the occasional embarrassment (why had Dan been so interested in his underwear situation?). But it stemmed from that nagging sense of guilt eating away at him, the one he’d known would resurface once he was reunited with so many familiar faces.

   There were people in the room who he’d let down. Whilst he’d partially reconciled with the likes of Tegan and Ace, thanks to more recent adventures, that didn't necessarily mean that the old wounds had completely healed. And then there were the likes of Martha, someone who was understandably wary around his present face after the less than perfect treatment he’d sent her way during their time together. She was the quietest of the bunch, which unnerved him greatly, picturing her waiting for the opportune moment before exploding at him.

   So, when he said he couldn’t say no to them, that was largely down to him wanting to make up for his past mistakes. If he answered their questions and listened to their concerns, then maybe the past wouldn’t have to be a horrible thing to look back on. His future incarnation - that brilliant, exuberant man - had spoken about the need for this incarnation to seek out some therapy. At the moment, this felt like the perfect - and quickest - way to do it.

   Naturally, if he was to properly deal with his demons, then there were two people currently out of the room that he needed to focus his energy on. It was bad enough having to contend with Yaz and what she represented, but throwing Clara into the mix was a spanner in the works he hadn’t anticipated in coming across. There was someone else he’d loved dearly, going to the very ends of the universe to save her, putting himself through his own personal hell to reach her again. That sort of adoration didn't leave you, no matter the face. Which explained why the Toymaker had used her ‘death’ as a means to get under his skin.

   Then there was Yaz, his most recent mistake, if that was how he wanted to look at it. The person he’d been most scared of seeing again, largely because of the way she would no doubt look at his new appearance. In the end, his fears had come true, with the young woman turning her nose up at him in disappointment. The issue was that he couldn’t argue against any of her resentment. From an outside perspective, it did look as if he’d waited until the very moment she was out of his life to change the way regeneration worked, which would have done wonders for their previous relationship. From an outside perspective, the Doctor was certainly nothing like the woman Yaz had fallen in love with.

   The question was how he was possibly going to ease that pain. If he managed to even get a smile out of her, then he would see that as a huge success. Getting close to that involved the two of them speaking - probably in private - but he doubted whether Yaz would allow that to happen. He doubted whether Clara would let that happen too, seeing as she’d appeared rather protective of the other companion. That was a development the Doctor hadn’t remotely prepared for, and one that only served to make things even more complicated.

   “So, Kate has snatched you up even before your first session with us? What sort of money are we talking about?”

   The question, for once, had been directed at Donna, who appeared delighted about finally getting some of their attention. She perked up having, having been slightly slumped in her chair whilst the Doctor droned on and on. She also made sure to send the Time Lord a sideways glance, as if it was completely his fault that she’d been forced to keep her mouth shut for so long. From the Doctor’s perspective, it was quite possibly the quietest he’d ever known her to be, a sweet state of affairs that was never destined to last.

   Donna flicked her hair. “A hundred and forty grand. Not to brag. And that comes with five weeks worth of holiday time.”

   Kate frowned. “Hold on…I’m sure that we negotiated a hundred and twenty thousand pounds…”