Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

 This is the way the world ends.

Not with a bang but a whimper.

Belfast, Ireland ~ 1911

Niall huffed out a laugh, eyes narrowed and focused on his new friend. “Okay,” he said, drawing out the word in confusion. “So you’re just going to get in your shed,” he flicked his finger to the small blue box behind Louis. “And, then what? Are you going to hide in there until I leave? I don’t understand how this is a goodbye.” He smirked, sure Louis was joking with him. He leant forward and whispered, “There’s nowhere for you to go.”

He wasn’t wrong. The two of them were standing in a deserted back alley, fenced off at one end. Niall had followed Louis down there with the impression that Louis had a specific destination in mind. All Niall could see, though, were a couple of crates filled with rotten cabbages and a wooden box. Its blue paint was peeling and one of its windows was cracked. The words ‘Police Box’ were printed in large lettering above the door.

To Niall’s surprise, Louis sent him a fond smile. Niall had the distinct feeling he was being patronized. He may not have been smart enough to finish his learnings at school, but he had enough about him to know when he was being talked down to.

“Oh, sweet, innocent Niall. You humans, you’re all the same. All so -” Louis waved his hands around. “I don’t know. You’re pretty unique, as a species. I’ll give you that.”

Niall frowned. “You know you’re right weird, mate? I honestly don’t know why I’ve taken a shine to you.”

Louis grinned again, pushing up the sleeves of his thick woollen jumper. He looked at Niall, his smile faltering. “I wish I could take you with me, Niall. We had a good time and you’re not half bad. It’s just a shame,” he said, catching himself and shaking his head before he divulged anything further.

Niall only became more confused when Louis coughed and stepped closer to him. “Don’t blink, mate. You might miss it.” Louis clapped him on the arm, shot him a final wink and opened the door to his box. Niall sent a cursory look around in the vain hope that there was someone else about who had a slim idea what was happening.

Louis gave Niall a final wave. With more confidence than any man should have walking himself into a dead end, he shut the door.

Niall responded with a small jerk of his arm, considering that Louis was, in fact, insane and that he’d only just noticed. He waited for Louis to come back out of the box again once he realised he had nowhere to go. The cold air began blowing through Niall’s thin shirt and he tugged his flat cap tighter on his head.

Except that, Louis didn’t come back out. Niall’s ears were filled with a whirring sound and the wind whipped around him, more ferocious than before. He checked down at his chest to see his shirt blowing in the gust. When he peered up once more, his jaw dropped.

The blue box was gone. It had vanished into thin air and Niall was alone, shivering and cold in the dark alley.

“Blooming hell.”

He spun on his heels and ran back down the alley to the main road, turning his head each way to see if Louis had got past him. He wasn’t sure how he could’ve, but there must be some explanation.

He squinted down to the far end of the road. As he tried to make out faces in the distant crowd he jumped, hearing the whirring noise again.

He watched, astonished, as the blue box materialised before his eyes, as if it had never been gone. Niall gulped, pulling his cap from his head and clutching it to his chest. He took several tentative steps closer before gasping and stopping short when the door was flung open.

“Oh, alright then. Stop giving me the puppy dog eyes,” Louis sighed, leaning against the door. His thumbs were sticking out from where he’d stuffed his hands in his pockets. He cocked his head towards the inside of the box. “Get in.”

Niall blinked, trying several times to form words. In the end he managed to spit out, “But, what the hell, Louis? Where did you go?”

“Well, I was thinking about visiting Karas don Kazra don Slava, to see the singing fish, you know? But then your stupid face kept popping up into my vision, guilt-tripping me.” Louis pushed away from the door of the box, lips pressing down a smile and eyebrows high on his forehead. “This is against the rules, you know, you coming with me. Like, technically.” He folded his arms behind his back, leaning into Niall’s ear. “Don’t tell your friends, or they’ll all want saving and I simply don’t have the capacity. ‘Sides,” he finished, shrugging. “Too many and it would change history. Don’t suppose anyone will miss one, er -” Louis frowned, giving Niall the once over. “Whatever it is you are. Engineer?”

“Shipwright,” Niall muttered, struggling to take in everything Louis had just said.

“That’s the ticket. What do they even need shipwrights for, on a ship that’s already been built? Seems inefficient, if you ask me. I’m doing them a favour.”

“What - What do you mean, ‘saving’?” Niall spluttered, catching up. He turned his gaze to the box, looking solid and inconspicuous once more. “You were there, and then you were gone. How did you -”

“Niall, this is a time limited offer, yeah?” Louis chided. “Get inside.”

“Offer to what?” Niall couldn’t just up and leave, he had a job lined up for after Christmas. He had a ticket for the Titanic, he was going to start a new life in America.

Louis shrugged. “To travel.”

Niall furrowed his brow, suspicious. “Travel where?”

Louis grinned, his eyes twinkling. Niall felt the overwhelming sense that there was a lot more to this man than he’d first thought. And he’d thought there was a fair bit to him to start with.

“How does all of time and space sound?”

Leeds, England ~ 1973

Zayn set down his spoon in the sink, taking his mug of milky tea back into the living area of his tiny bedsit and sitting down at his desk. ‘Desk’ was, really, a bit of an exaggeration. Zayn could only just fit his legs underneath the compact table, but it was all he could afford. He’d been pretty pleased with the results when he’d first brought it home. It was somewhere he could dedicate himself to his work. His writings were, as far as Zayn was concerned, all he needed to be concentrating on right now.

He levelled the blank paper loaded into his typewriter with a determined glare and opened his journal to examine his notes. If he was going to prove to Mr. Malton that he was worth a shot as a writer, he needed something good. Something spectacular. Something out of this world.

Letting out a frustrated groan, Zayn leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his long hair. What did he know about the spectacular? He’d hardly left Yorkshire, let alone experienced the world. What could he write that anybody would want to pay attention to?

He stared out of the fogged up window to the street beyond. Mrs. Doyle’s kids were playing out in the road again. Hopscotch, it looked to be, like he used to play with his brother. Zayn smiled, remembering Mrs. Doyle’s kind words the other day. She was one of the few people on the street that gave Zayn the time of day. He scowled to himself, thinking of his upstairs neighbour, Mr. Sutton. He knew he shouldn’t pay any attention to the old man’s bitter words. Sometimes, though, Zayn just wished that people could all be decent, that he didn’t have to -

Zayn was interrupted from his ruminations by a loud bang. He jumped back in his chair so hard that his notes fell from his desk, spreading out across the tatty carpet. Turning to see the source of the noise, his jaw dropped.

There, in the middle of his bedsit, had appeared a shimmering chasm. Zayn hesitated for a second, eyeing the mysterious object in indecision, his heart hammering in his chest. When it became apparent that he wasn’t about to die, Zayn stepped away from his desk to inspect in more detail. It was almost like a glistening pool of vertical water, suspended in the air. Except, it wasn’t his own reflection twinkling back.

Staring at him through the rift was a man, one Zayn didn't recognise. His face displayed the exact feelings of panic and wonder that were running through Zayn at that moment. From what he could see the other man was standing in a small room, morning sun spilling through the blinds behind. Zayn assumed it was morning, at any rate, as the man hadn’t yet got changed out of his pajamas. Zayn spied a television set playing in the background, though it was unlike any he’d ever seen before. It was vivid in colour and stretched across the length of the wall.

The man gave Zayn a small wave, shoulders rising in a laugh that Zayn couldn’t hear. Dumbfounded and unable to think of any other reaction, Zayn waved back.

The man smiled, dimples becoming prominent underneath pale, peach cheeks. Zayn watched cautiously as the other man frowned, bringing his hand up to the rift.

“I don’t think -” Zayn started, but the man was already poking his finger at the shimmering fracture. They both seemed to hold their breath, however the void just wobbled, like a pebble dropping into a pond.

It was with great trepidation that Zayn watched the man on the other side of the split, who’d bitten down on his lip in thought. Before Zayn could realise the full implications of what he was doing, the man took a running jump through the rift. He crashed onto the carpet by Zayn’s feet.

“Oh,” the man said in a deep voice, righting himself in the middle of Zayn’s flat. “This is,” he paused, taking in his surroundings. “Unexpected.”

Zayn blanched, at a loss. He reached down to pick up his notes from the floor, not taking his eyes off the man who had just fallen into his flat. As he stuffed the loose sheafs of paper into the front of his journal, he responded with the only words he could think of. “You’re in pajamas.”

“Yes. Yes I am.” The man grimaced, clutching at his curly hair with one hand as he eyed the void he’d just fallen through. “Um,” he hummed, turning to Zayn. “I’m Harry.”

“What are you do -” But Zayn never managed to get the words out. Before he could finish his sentence a shock of blue swirled beyond the void. He took several steps back, ending up pressed against the wall of his flat, eyes widening further with each passing moment. The other man frowned at Zayn’s increasing alarm before he turned to see the approaching disaster for himself.

The block of blue was hurtling closer to them through the void at a disarming speed. Just when Zayn scrunched his eyes closed, convinced he was about to be crushed, he heard the slam of door being opened.

“Come on! Hurry up!” a voice shouted in the darkness.

When Zayn opened his eyes once more he glimpsed a Police Box hovering a foot in the air, scraping at the ceiling of his flat. He shared an astonished look with Harry, who appeared only to be politely baffled by the current turn of events. Hands reached through the door of the box and pulled both of them inside.

The door shut behind him and Zayn stumbled up a set of steps in a daze. The man that had dragged him in was now busy running around a circular control panel. The room they'd entered was almost overwhelmingly unusual. Zayn looked on as the man pulled levers and pushed buttons in a seemingly random order.

The room shook as a loud rumbling echoed outside. Zayn grabbed hold of the railing next to him, swearing in alarm.

“No worries,” the new man yelled. He looked to be speaking more to Harry than he was to Zayn. “Just a bit of turbulence with the wormhole. I’m levelling us out now, give me a sec’.”

Zayn startled as a blond haired man in a loose fitting shirt and braces approached him. Apparently he’d already been inside the box. His hand was outstretched in greeting, ivory skin almost translucent in the light. “Alright, there? Niall Horan, esquire, at your service. Welcome aboard.” Zayn took in the stranger’s kind face and unassuming smile, but remained frozen to the spot.

Niall seemed to understand Zayn’s hesitance, dropping his hand with ease. He moved to stand at Zayn’s side, keeping a gap between them, and turned his head to the two other men in the room. “Don’t mind him.” Niall nodded towards the smaller man with the multi-coloured trainers. “He’s gone a bit doolally tap. More than normal, that is. Something about that lad.” He pointed to Harry. “And how he’s a ghost or some such. To be honest, I stopped listening after a while. The best thing for it, I reckon, when he starts to get a touch theatrical.”

Zayn stared at the two other men for a moment, now deep in conversation. He plastered what he hoped was a normal smile onto his shocked features. Silence followed and Zayn was aware that he should speak. “I’m -” he croaked out, before clearing his throat. “I’m Zayn. Zayn Malik. I’m a - a writer,” he trailed off, weakly.

Niall beamed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Zayn.” He considered Zayn for a moment, before saying, “Great name, ‘Zayn’. I like it. Zayn, Zayney-Zee, Zee. Yeah, I think I’m gonna call you Zee. Okay?”

Zayn let out a shocked laugh. What in blazes was happening to him? Was this a hallucination? Maybe he’d inhaled too much carbon monoxide on the walk home.

“See, mate,” Niall started up again. “I know this all seems a bit bizarre, but give it a moment and Louis will explain everything. Promise. He’s mad as hops, but he won’t let you down.”

Zayn wasn’t sure why, but there was something about Niall. It was as if he knew a secret that he wasn’t letting on. Not in a sinister sense, but it felt to him as if Niall was waiting for Zayn to find out for himself, rather than spoiling the surprise.

If there’s one thing he wouldn’t say ‘no’ to right now, it was a mystery. He took one more gaze around the room. How was it so big on the inside? He was sure it was just a Police Box when he’d been dragged in. He turned to Niall, letting out a breath and a shaky smile. “Yeah, alright then.”

Niall’s face split into a wide grin and he wrapped an arm around Zayn’s shoulder. “Just you wait, Zee. It’s gonna be great.” Zayn hoped it was. He hoped it was something spectacular.

Northampton, England ~ 2020

Harry adored stories, had done ever since he was little. His mum and dad had been fantastic storytellers. They'd made even the dullest events seem like adventures worthy of knights, shining armor and round tables.

One of Harry’s favourite stories they used to tell was about the day they met. About how Harry had arrived on a leaf.

Harry’s dad always started the story with a mischievous smile, pulling a giggling Harry into his lap. He’d tell of how he’d been innocently heading home one day when the fates had looked down on him. An autumn leaf, falling in the cool wind had struck him in the face. Blinded, he’d stumbled into the road and the path of an on coming car.

Harry’s dad always questioned whether the brave, young, handsome protagonist would meet his untimely end. Harry trusted that it would be okay, though. His mum had been there saved the day.

“Of course I was saved!” his dad would laugh. “Your mum would never let me get squished!”

Harry’s mum had pulled his dad back from the edge at the last minute, tucking her long hair behind her ear as he’d stumbled out a ‘thank you’.

His dad would explain that months after, when he first told her ‘I love you’, he had shown her that leaf. She’d smiled and asked him why he’d kept it.

Harry’s dad would kiss the top of his head, his mother singing to herself in the next room. He'd ask, “And do you know why I kept that leaf, my darling boy?” Harry would shake his head, even though he knew. He knew the story back to front. “It’s because that exact leaf had to grow in that exact way, in that exact place, so that precise wind could tear it from that precise branch, and make it fly into this exact face, at that exact moment.” Harry would smile into his dad’s neck, fidgeting with excitement to hear the end. “And if just one of those tiny little things had never happened, we’d never have met, and you would never exist. Which makes that leaf the most important leaf in human history.”

Of course, Harry wasn’t a child any more. He realised that not all stories had happy endings like that. He’d learnt that first hand when, at thirteen years old, his father had died.

He remembered now how he had lingered by his dad’s grave. All he’d wanted then was for time to turn back, for the hole in his heart to be healed. He and his mum had been surrounded by people. To Harry, it seemed that they were all strangers, all watching him with sympathetic faces.

Thirteen years later and Harry was questioning whether anything had really changed. It wasn’t that he was lonely, it was just that he was alone an awful lot.

He wasn’t complaining. He didn’t have a bad life by any means. He had a good job at the Council, he had a nice flat, he spoke to his mum back home in Cheshire almost every night.

But it wasn’t the same. He was meant for adventure, he knew it. He was meant to be making his own stories, just like his dad had. Right now, as he stared down at his microwave lasagna for one, he figured something had gone really rather wrong.

He huffed out a sigh, waving his hand over the sensor to turn on the T.V. and sat down on his sofa.

“Open email,” he said. He over-enunciated the words so the telly understood him and closed his mouth around a fork-full of lasagna. He groaned, however, as the screen failed to load. “Ah, for pity’s sake.” He set down his plate, pressing down hard on the network button to reconnect.

After receiving error message after error message he gave up, tossing the remote aside. “Fine,” he grumbled to the empty flat. “Don’t need the internet to have a good time.”

Less than twenty four hours later, however, and Harry was staring down at his phone. He carefully typed out the helpline number the woman from B.T. had given him. It turned out Harry did need the internet to have a good time. He needed it bad. He listened to the line ringing as he wandered around his living room, toeing at the fraying corners of his rug.

Finally an unsure voice answered. “Hello?”

Harry lifted his chin, pulling a face at the dubious tone. “Um, hi?” he replied. “I can’t find the internet.”

There was a pause before the voice at the other end spoke again. “Sorry?”

“It’s gone, the internet.”

“The internet?” The silvery voice on the other end of the line belonged to a man, as far as Harry could tell. His accent was more northern than Harry was used to these days, but it was comforting.

“Yes, the internet.” He sat down at his desk and unlocked his laptop. “Why don’t I have it?”

“It’s eleven seventeen.”

“What? Nah, it’s half nine in the morning. Wait.” Harry leant back in his seat, narrowing his eyes. “Am I phoning a different time zone?”

The man on the other end let out a small chuckle. “Yeah, you really sorta are.”

“Oh, Christ. Is this gonna show up on my bill?”

“I wouldn’t worry about it, mate,” the man dismissed. “Listen, how did you get this number?”

“The B.T. woman gave it to me.” Harry was beginning to wonder why the man was so interested. “She said it was a helpline. This is a helpline, right? I was promised the best in the universe.”

“A woman from British Telecom gave you this number?” The man sounded incredulous before he rushed out a muffled, “Shut up, Niall.”

“You alright? I’m not keeping you?”

“No, it’s okay. What woman, specifically?”

“I dunno. The customer service one,” Harry sighed. “But why isn’t there internet? Shouldn’t it just, like, be there?”

“Look, listen, I’m not actually - This isn’t the best -” the man stammered. He asked, in a reluctant tone, “You have clicked on the Wifi button, yeah?”

“I tried that the other day,” Harry responded, doubled clicking on the network icon. “Oh, hang on, it’s asking me for the password now. It wasn’t doing that yesterday, I promise I’m not that incompetent.” Trust Harry to make an idiot of himself in front a cute man. Not that he knew for sure this guy was cute, but he had a pleasing voice and Harry couldn’t really afford to be picky these days. “I’ll just type it in, make sure it works before I hang up. Um, right.” He muttered out loud as he typed, “Run … You … Clever … Boy … And … Remember … One, two, three.”

Almost before he’d finished typing the man asked, tone urgent, “What did you say?”

“It’s just a thing, to remember my password. R.Y.C.B.A.R. One, two, three. Run you clever boy and remember,” Harry answered distractedly. He concentrated on whether the network was going to connect as it was supposed to. “Oh.” He let out a pleased smile. “It’s working now! Thanks, mate.” He frowned, however, to find that the person on the other end had already gone. “Huh. Charming.”

Kilmarnock, Scotland ~ 1117

“What did you say?” Louis asked into the phone receiver, voice strained.

Niall hovered around him, trying to listen in to the conversation. They’d been in the middle of what Louis had called a ‘minor situation’ and what Niall called a ‘right balls up’ before the phone had rung. They’d simply been observing a wormhole in time and space when, as it usually did, something had gone wrong. Now said wormhole had unstabilised and was threatening to swallow them whole. Or something similar.

Such a situation might’ve worried Niall a few years ago. Since travelling with Louis, though, he’d learnt that these things happened with alarming frequency. If he were to worry about them all, he’d drive himself into an early grave. And so it was that Niall now approached life with an impractical and frankly irresponsible level of optimism.

Louis slammed down the phone, stomach lurching. “Oh, bloody hell. Niall! Niall! Where are you? Ni -” Niall fought to contain his smirk as Louis searched for him. He gave a light cough and Louis spun on the spot, eyes settling on him with a smile.  “Oh, there you are. Look lively. There was someone on the phone!”

“So I gather,” said Niall, stepping out of Louis’ way as he ran around the control board doing heaven knows what. “Shouldn’t we sort out this wormhole situation first?” he asked casually, as the Tardis gave a violent shudder. “You know, just before we move on to taking requests?”

“You don’t understand, Niall. He said it.” Louis stopped in his tracks, focusing his attention on Niall. Niall always got a bit of a thrill when he did so. It tended to mean something big was about to happen. “He said ‘Run you clever boy and remember’.”

“Okay,” he nodded. “I ain’t following.”

Louis rolled his eyes. “Don’t you remember? In Victorian London? We met that guy, Harold.”

“I remember him. ‘Course I remember him, he died trying to help us.” Niall was a little offended Louis had thought he’d forget something like that so easily.

“Yeah. And what were his last words to me?”

Niall gave a heavy sigh. “Were they, ‘Always fix a wormhole before you answer the telephone’?”

“No! They were ‘Run you clever boy and remember’,” Louis exclaimed, ignoring Niall’s sarcasm. “And that wasn’t the first time. I met a man that sounded exactly like him before, he was trapped in a Dalek asylum. He died too, and he said to me, ‘Run you clever boy -’”

“‘And remember,’” Niall finished, now intrigued. “And you think this guy on the phone is the same person? How can he be, if he’s died twice? Why would you keep meeting him?”

Louis shrugged, raising his arms in the air. “Maybe he’s an imprint of a departed spirit, or a time travelling triplet, or a con man across the universe. I don’t know, but we’re going to find out.” He gave Niall a wide grin before clapping. “Oh, this is gonna be great! What am I going to wear?”

“Same as you always do, I imagine,” Niall muttered under his breath. The Tardis shook again beneath Niall’s feet. “Oi!” he shouted after Louis, who had disappeared down the corridor. “But seriously, what about this wormhole?”

Northampton, England ~ 2020

Just as Harry hung up the phone on the helpline, an echoing crash exploded in his living room. It sent his heart into his throat as his jumped up from his seat.

Harry stepped forward, eyebrows high on his forehead as he took in the remarkable scene before him. It was as if a window to another place had opened up in his flat. He realised with a jolt that the room he was peering into, on the other side of the mysterious rift, seemed as if it belonged in the seventies.

He felt a little dazed. He knew he’d been daydreaming about something exciting happening to him, but this was a little much. Someone must be playing a prank on him. A gateway to the past couldn’t have opened up in his living room. That would be ridiculous. Wouldn’t it?

Harry’s eyes widened further when, from beyond the shining chasm a man stepped into view. He looked to be about Harry’s age with dark eyes standing out against his fawn skin. After staring at each other for a moment, Harry waved to the other man. He laughed a little at the peculiar situation they’d found themselves in.

When the man gave him a small wave in return, Harry let out a smile. Well, he thought, at least he wasn’t alone in this madness. In a fit of curiosity, and at a loss at what else to do, Harry decided to reach out and touch the invisible barrier between them. He thought he saw the other man shake his head, mouthing words of warning, but Harry couldn’t hear him. All that happened was the air gave a slight quiver.

This was his chance, wasn’t it? It was his chance to start the exciting story of his life. He wasn’t going to let it pass him by. Harry didn't think any further on the possible horrendous repercussions of his actions. He closed his eyes and ran forward, through the void.

It tingled as he breached it, like a cold shower, and he tumbled to the floor in the stranger’s room. He looked up to see the other man standing over him. Harry wondered what his name was. He looked a bit like a librarian, in his sweater vest and rolled up shirt sleeves. Mind you, Harry noted with a twinge, he was much more attractive than any librarian he had ever seen. His prominent cheekbones and chiseled jaw gave him an aura of strength and reliability. Not even the expression of shock on his face could ruin it.

Harry stood up awkwardly and straightened his pajama bottoms. “Oh. This is,” he said, looking around the old fashioned room with interest. “Unexpected,” he finished, smiling at the stranger.

The man dithered about for a moment, picking up pieces of paper from the floor before responding, “You’re in pajamas.”

Harry almost laughed. “Yes. Yes I am,” he said, self-conscious at the man’s words. Maybe he didn’t want to be involved in an adventure with him? “Um, I’m Harry.”

“What are you do -” the other man started, but rather than finish the sentence, he gazed open mouthed at a point over Harry’s shoulder. Harry frowned. What on earth could be more interesting than having a stranger from the future drop into your house without notice? He turned to see for himself.

What appeared to be a large blue shed was flying towards them before stopping abruptly, in front of the pair. Harry didn’t really know what to make of this development. Immediately a faintly familiar voice yelled from within the shed, “Come on! Hurry up!”

Harry was pulled into the box and was instantaneously awestruck.

The room he now found himself in was vast. He wondered just how it was so much bigger on the inside. It reminded him of the headquarters of a mission to space, with flashing lights and beeping control panels. In the middle of the circular room, on a raised platform, was a glass column. It reached up to the ceiling, seeming almost to pulse with light, the controls wrapped around it. Harry lingered on the steps up to the platform, eyeing the strange man at the helm. He was smaller than Harry and was wearing tight, black jeans. They stretched across his muscled legs complementing the large grey jumper he had rolled up at the sleeves. His bright multi-coloured trainers stood out against the translucent floor. Harry couldn’t get a good lock on his face, but his soft-looking hair was styled in waves across his head.  

“No worries,” the man at the controls shouted at him over the noise. He sent a charming grin Harry’s way and Harry couldn’t help but smile back. The man had a young looking face, white with a golden tan, but even in that moment Harry could tell he was intelligent. He had a wise countenance about him, beyond his youthful exterior. “Just a bit of turbulence with the wormhole. I’m levelling us out now, give me a sec’.”

As the man pressed a few other buttons the roomed calmed and the noise vanished. Another person that Harry hadn’t previously noticed stepped out across the platform. He passed the first man at the controls and flicked him on the ear before giving Harry a wink and running down the steps. Harry followed him with his eyes as he approached the attractive librarian from earlier.

When Harry turned back around it was to find the small man from the console staring at him. He fidgeted with his sleeve and tried to sound confident when he said, “Hello.”

“Harold,” the man responded. “Harold Styles.”

Harry wasn’t sure if it was a question or not. He briefly wondered how the man knew his name and added it to the long mental list of questions he needed to ask. “Hello,” he repeated.

“Harold Styles.” The man was beaming at him. It was rather perturbing.

Harry gave a nervous laugh. “Just Harry, actually.”

“Do you remember me?”

“No.” He bit his lip. “Should I? Who are you?”

“The Doctor,” said the smaller man, his eyes searching Harry’s face for a hint of recognition. “No?” He held his arms out wide. “The Doctor?”

Harry blinked. “Doctor who?”

“No, just the Doctor,” the man let down his arms, exasperation evident. “You phoned me. You were looking for the internet.”

“Oh!” exclaimed Harry, realisation dawning on him. “That was you?” He did a mental run down on whether it would be safe to flirt with this complete stranger. He decided it was. “You hung up,” he teased. “Very rude.”

The Doctor seemed taken aback for a moment before he smirked. “Yes. Inexcusable. Simply inexcusable. That’s -” he appeared distracted. “That’s, er, why I came. To apologise. Um,” he trailed off, craning his neck to check around the room. “Niall! Buddy, where are - Oh.” The Doctor stopped short when he noticed the blond man and the attractive guy approaching. Harry fought down a snigger. “This is Harold,” the Doctor introduced.  

“It’s Harry, actually,” Harry clarified, shaking the man called Niall’s hand.

The Doctor appeared to notice the darker man for the first time. “Oh, hello. That’s right, there was two of you.” He flicked his finger between him and Harry. “Hi, I’m the Doctor -”

“He’s Louis,” Niall interrupted, Irish accent prominent. Harry raised his eyebrows, looking over to the Doctor.

“I’m the Doctor,” he repeated.

“Louis,” Niall stage whispered and Harry laughed, taking in Louis’ thunderous expression. They’d only just met, but Harry thought Niall was pretty awesome. “I’m Niall. This is my good friend Zee,” Niall continued, patting the quieter man on the back.

“It’s Zayn,” the man said, sincere smile on his face as he gave a small, friendly wave, hands close to his chest. “It’s nice to meet you. Sorry,” he said to Harry. “I was a bit shell shocked before.”

“Do you two not know each other?” asked Louis, confused.

“No,” Harry and Zayn said together.

Louis spluttered out a laugh, sending Niall a funny expression. “Why on earth are you living together, then?”

“We don’t. He fell through the, er, wormhole, into my living room,” Zayn said. Harry considered his tone to be rather more understanding than expected. As though Harry had just tripped in the road. All perfectly normal.

“Oh bugger, I’m so sorry! I thought you two came together,” Louis apologised, Niall shaking his head in the background. He got the sense that this sort of thing might happen a lot around Louis.

“Nope, I think this guy’s from the future.” Zayn turned to him for clarification.  

Harry nodded while stumbling over his reply, “Um, twenty-twenty.”

Zayn raised his eyebrows. “I’m nineteen seventy-three. February seventeenth, to be precise,” he said, shrugging, his hands shoved in his pockets.  

Louis clicked his tongue, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. “That’s on me, sorry. Should’ve stabilized the wormhole before I came to find you.”

“That’s what I told you,” Niall mocked, voice sing-song.

“Nobody likes a know-it-all, Ni.”

“That’s not true. I like you.” Niall clapped his hands and looked around at them all. “Well,” he said. “This is a funny old situation, ain’t it?”

“So, this is a time machine or -?” Zayn asked, a frown forming on his face as he seemed to comprehend the outlandish nature of his question.

“Yep,” Louis replied, wide smile on his face and twinkle in his eye. Harry could tell he was enjoying himself. “Welcome to the Tardis. Time and Relative Dimension in Space. She can take you anywhere, any time you want to go.” Harry cast his eye around the room again as the Tardis made a metallic clunking sound. He got the strange feeling that it knew Louis was talking about it. “So?” Harry was brought back to the conversation by Louis’ voice.

“So, what?” he asked.

“Where do you fancy?” replied Louis, grinning again. “When do you fancy?”

Harry was dumbstruck. Holy shit. He’d been hoping for adventure from the minute he’d stepped aboard the remarkable ship. To actually have it handed to him, without any warning? Harry was almost lost for words.

“What,” Zayn scoffed beside him. “You’re really just gonna let us travel with you?” The panicked looks from earlier had completely vanished from his face. All that Harry could see now was excitement and anticipation.

“I said, didn’t I?” Niall teased, though he seemed just as keen as Louis for their answer. “He likes showing off, is the thing.”

“I’m a giving person. I like to share,” Louis said, sauntering over to the console and running a hand across the metal. “Where to, gentlemen?”

Harry turned to Zayn. In one look they seemed to agree. If you’re in, I’m in. They nodded and Louis smiled so all his pearly teeth were on show, while Niall fist-pumped next to him. “Wherever we go,” Harry interrupted. “Can we stop by mine first? I need to, like, get dressed. This wasn’t what I thought was going to happen first thing this morning.”

As Louis began fiddling with levers again, Harry silently prayed that he hadn’t just made a terrible mistake.

~

Forty-eight hours ago Harry was working his way through a stacked pile of petitions that had been dumped on his desk. Today he was off to travel through space with three perfect strangers.

He contemplated this for a moment while pulling on his shoes and picking a coat from his closet. This was a prime example of stranger danger, wasn’t it? But still, time travel. He couldn’t not do this. His mum would understand. She wouldn’t even know he was gone. Just to be on the safe side, however, he sent her off a quick text. As he pocketed his mobile again he heard a light knock on the wall of his corridor.

“Nice place,” said Louis, smiling over at him and cocking his head in the direction of the living room. Harry had to admit, it was a little strange seeing Louis, Niall and Zayn in his flat. It made the whole thing feel a lot more real than it had done before. “You ready?” Louis asked and Harry noticed several tattoos spiralling across the man’s forearms. They were all of a similar intricate, geometric design. He wondered what they meant. “If we don’t go soon The History Boys over there will have broken everything of value.”

Louis rested his hands on his hips, waiting for a response. Harry copied the stance and replied, “Yeah. Let’s go.”

They all filed into the Tardis once more, which was parked conspicuously in Harry’s doorway.

“So, comrades,” Louis turned to them, clapping his hands and taking a seat on one of the soft chairs at the side of the platform. “Have we decided on a destination?”

Zayn bit his lip. Harry was sure he was doing it out of hesitancy, but the effect was a little more seductive. He shot a glimpse over to Louis, relieved to see that the other man didn’t seem to take any notice of Zayn’s appalling good looks. Not that Harry cared either way, he thought, on the defensive.

“I know it might seem a bit macabre,” Zayn defended. “But I’ve been reading in magazines that we’re going to destroy the planet with nuclear bombs. That it’s inevitable. Because we have them, someone, someday is going to press the button and that’ll be the end.” He shrugged. “I guess it would just be reassuring to know if that’s how it happens, or not. If nobody minds.”

Louis considered Zayn for a moment. “You want to see the end of the world? Are you sure?”

Zayn nodded. “Not because I want to see the world destroyed or anything, I’m not a psychopath. But sometimes it’s better to know, you know?”

“You say that, but I’m not so sure,” Louis sighed. “I suppose it’s not like you’d be finding out how you die or anything. I think we’d be okay.” He turned to Niall and Harry. “You up for that?”

Harry gave a small nod in agreement. He didn’t really care where they went, just the fact that they were going somewhere was good enough for him.

“Fine by me,” Niall said. “But what’s this ‘nuclear’ nonsense you’re on about? Ain’t a bomb a bomb anymore?”

“Unfortunately not, my dear Niall,” Louis said. “Humans have come up with a glorious array of different types of ways to kill each other. You have a veritable smorgasbord of bombs to choose from.” In that moment Louis looked much older, almost weary. Harry questioned how he’d ended up here, picking up random people from time to travel with him. “Anyway,” Louis carried on, placing his hands on his knees as he stood up. “Let’s have an adventure.”

Chapter Text

Platform One, 156 miles above Earth ~ 5.5/apple/26

Louis sent an excited glance over his shoulder to the other three before he opened the Tardis door. “This is the year five point five slash apple slash twenty-six,” he announced, stepping out.

“‘Apple’?” Harry questioned to no one in particular.

“Five billion years in your future.” Louis turned to beam at them all as they took in the sight before them. The room they had arrived in was simple, empty but for several sleek stone benches all facing an immense window.

What was beyond the window, however, took the air from Harry’s lungs.

It was the earth. Like a round blue marble against the black backdrop of space, it seemed to twinkle, clouds of white swirling over the surface. He heard Zayn whisper, “Wow,” under his breath. Harry squinted, trying to make out the blocks of land against the blue of the oceans. He felt a giddy joy at what he was seeing, something only a handful of others had experienced before him. He noticed Louis walk to stand beside him, gaze studious on the planet outside the window. Harry opened his mouth to say something just when a burst of light caught his eye. The sun, shining down on the earth, erupted in an explosion of orange, travelling towards the planet at a steady rate.

“This is the day the sun expands,” Louis said, voice echoing in the quiet room.

~

“Shuttles five and six now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation and religion. Earth death is scheduled for fifteen thirty-nine, followed by drinks in the Barcelona Suite.”

They made their way down the deserted corridor. Harry listened to the computerised voice emanating from the speakers above them.

“What does it mean, ‘guests’? Are other people on the ship?” Zayn asked, skipping a step to keep in time with Louis’ quick strides.

“It depends what you mean by people,” he responded. Zayn shot Harry a funny look where he followed with Niall.

“Well, people. Other people, I don’t -”

“Aliens, Zayn.” Louis came to a halt, grimacing a little. He reached out and squeezed Zayn’s shoulder. “And, to be honest with you mate, it’s not really a ship. More of -”  He thought for a moment. “An observation craft.”

Zayn gave a breathy chuckle. “Are you two aliens?” he remarked, eyes flicking between Louis and Niall.

Harry blurted out, “‘Course Niall isn’t, he’s Irish.” Immediately after he said it, however, he panicked. Had he somehow forgotten what an Irish accent sounded like and just horribly offended his new friend? He chanced a nervous side-eye over at Niall.

“Harry’s right, I’m all human. The real McCoy,” he boasted, patting himself on the chest. “I’m from the nineteen hundreds.” At the surprised noise that came out of Harry’s mouth, he nodded. “Oh yeah. Edward the seventh and all that. He was no King to me, mind.”

“You’re from the Republic, then?” said Zayn, as the four of them resumed walking.

“Soon to be, if I get my way. Or I suppose I am now. Time travel, confuses things.” He frowned, apparently trying to rationalise it. “Anyway, this plonker here, he’s fully alien.”

Harry and Zayn both raised their eyebrows in Louis’ general direction. “But you sound northern,” Harry exclaimed. He was forming a crush on an alien. Perfect.

“Lots of planets have a north, young Harold,” Louis teased. “Nope, I’m a time lord.”

Zayn whistled, “Sounds fancy.”

He laughed. “I do my best.”

Before long they arrived in a large room, almost a hall, with a huge pane of glass at one end. It gave sight to the same awe-inspiring view as before. To Harry, it seemed almost to be modelled on a cathedral. The sound of their footsteps bounced off the walls.

Eventually Harry voiced a thought that had been troubling him since Louis mentioned it. “So people - aliens - are gonna just watch the planet burn?” He looked straight at Louis. “The end of the human race, and people are just watching?”

Louis leant forward on a stone podium stationed at the far side of the room. “Hold up,” he said, voice quick and catching. “Who said anything about the end of the human race?” He rolled his eyes and walked over to Harry, rested a hand on his elbow and pointed between him, Niall and Zayn. “You see, Harry, you humans spend so much time worrying about dying, like you’re going to get killed by global warming or asteroids or nuclear bombs.” He nodded to Zayn. “You never even consider that you might survive.” He smiled at Harry’s confounded expression. “There’s nobody left on Earth now, they’re all gone. Spread out across the universe.” He stepped back from them, reaching his hands out, spreading them above his head. “They say humankind has touched every star in the sky.”

“Pretty amazing,” Niall commented, gazing out of the window. Harry and Zayn both turned to him.

“Don’t you get used to it?” Harry asked.

Niall scoffed and Harry’s stomach warmed slightly when he spotted Louis send the blond a fond smile. “Sometimes it still gets you. I was born in this tiny village in the middle of nowhere. Now look at me! If my da’ could see me now, well,” he chuckled, rubbing his jaw. “He wouldn’t know what to do with himself, that’s for sure.”

Louis stuffed his hands in his pockets, scuffing his shoes on the floor. “It’s amazing alright,” he said. “Cost a pretty penny, too. Everyone on board has had to pay a small fortune to get hold of these tickets. So, you know.” He pulled a face. “Act like you own a yacht or two, you’ll fit right in.”

The sound of a door opening and closing rang out across the room and they all turned to face the source of the sound.

“Who the hell are you lot?” the new arrival asked, startling upon seeing the four of them. Harry bit his lip in a smile. The man was blue. Completely blue. He’d travelled five billion years into the future and was now meeting aliens. Maybe this was a strange dream.

“Charming,” Louis mumbled. He sent a calming wink Zayn’s way, who’d come over a bit panicked at the prospect of being caught. He stepped forward and pulled a battered leather card case out of his back pocket with a flourish. “It’s alright, we’re guests. See.” He presented the host with the card case. “I’m the Doctor and these are my, er, plus threes,” Louis said somewhat stiltedly. “Niall Horan, Zayn -” He frowned, spinning on the balls of his feet to face Zayn. “Zayn?” he questioned.

Zayn raised his eyebrows. “Oh, um, Malik.”

Louis beamed at Zayn, as if he was somehow pleased with Zayn’s surname. “And Harry Styles,” he finished, nodding at Harry. Harry immediately went to correct his posture. The host didn’t seem convinced, but inclined his head in acquiescence.  

As the host left again, presumably to greet the legitimate guests, Louis shoved the card case back in this pocket. “The paper,” he explained to Harry and Zayn. “It’s slightly psychic. Shows them whatever I want them to see. Pretty handy, actually.”

“He’s blue,” whispered Harry.

Louis sent him a bemused frown. “Is he?”

On his return the host began to announce the other attendees and they all gathered behind Louis like children. Harry and Zayn watched in awe as the guests greeted each other, exchanging gifts. Louis didn’t miss a trick and offered everyone, in return for their presents, ‘air from his lungs’. Niall wasn’t able to stifle a cackle when Louis first breathed over a slightly perplexed looking small, green man. Harry managed to retain several names. There were Trees from the Forest of Cheam, the Face of Boe and the brothers Hop Pyleen. Soon, though, he became overwhelmed with the sheer oddness of the people around him. He chanced a glance to Zayn. “You alright, mate?”

“Think so,” Zayn replied. He appeared as though he was simply storing everything away for later. Niall was smiling and waving to all those arriving. He was collecting the presents gathered in his arms. So far he had some twigs, an engraved golden triangle and a metallic silver ball, among others.

Finally the host was introducing the last guest. “And last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and gentlemen, trees and multiforms, consider the earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the last human.” This piqued Harry’s interest. “The Lady Cassandra O’Brien Dot Delta Seventeen.”

Harry balked. Even Niall looked taken aback at the person now entering the observation deck. She wasn’t like any human Harry had ever met. He couldn’t think of any way of describing her other than as a trampoline. A human trampoline. All there was to her was a stretch of pale rectangular skin, pulled out and attached to a metal frame. Her face rested in the middle of the rectangle. It came across flat and distorted, dark veins running beneath the surface.

“Oh, now, don’t stare,” said Lady Cassandra, voice simpering. “I know, it’s shocking, isn’t it? I’ve had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference. Look how thin and dainty I am. I don’t look a day over two thousand.” She giggled as a murmur of agreement trickled through the crowd. “Truly, I am the last human. My father was a Texan, my mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the earth and were the last to be buried in its soil,” she explained, her eyes downcast. “But behold, I bring gifts. From earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg. Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fire from its nostrils. Or was that my third husband?” Niall, Louis and Zayn snickered. Harry was too perturbed. “Oh, no. Don’t laugh, I’ll get laughter lines.”

His gaze flicked over the thin skin of Lady Cassandra. The strangeness of the other guests and the cold surfaces surrounding him became too much. He murmured to Niall about needing some air and stalked off down the corridor. The other guests chatted amicably among themselves as he left.

While he walked further away from the noise his pace slowed, his breath coming more easily. It was one thing to dream of adventure, of a story to tell, it was something else entirely to be dropped in at the deep end like this. At the end of the world.

He turned a corner, following the curve of the corridor. He stopped short and let out an alarmed gasp, though, when he encountered another person. He quickly laughed it off, however, at the other person’s equally shocked faced. They shared a smile. The woman appeared to be of the same species as the host, blue skin all over. Although she wore overalls instead of the lavish robes the host adorned himself with.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I was away with the fairies,” said Harry. When the woman didn’t reply he cast a look around the corridor, leaning forward to ask, “I am allowed to be here, right?”

The woman smiled, her cheeks bunching up. She said quietly, “You have to give us permission to talk.”

“Oh. Oh, er, you have permission. Of course you have permission.”

“Thank you.” She moved to kneel on the ground near one of the vents in the wall. “And, no, you’re not in the way. Guests are allowed anywhere.”

Harry nodded, though he felt as if he should confess that he wasn’t a guest at all, that he had no right to be anywhere. Instead he asked, “What’s your name?”

The woman squinted up at him from the ground, where she’d begun to unscrew the vent. “Tabassum, sir. I won’t be long. I’ve just got to carry out some maintenance. There’s a tiny glitch in the Face of Boe’s suite. There must be something blocking the system, he’s not getting any hot water.”

Harry hummed a laugh. “So, you’re a plumber?”

“That’s right.”

“They still have plumbers?” Harry muttered, almost to himself as he caught another glimpse of the earth from the window at the end of the corridor.

“I hope so, or I’m out of a job. Where are you from, sir? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“No, not at all.” He sighed. “A long way away. I just kinda hitched a lift with these guys. I don’t even know who they are. They’re complete strangers.” He pushed down the panic that had begun to rise within him. “Anyway, don’t let me keep you. Good luck with it.”

“Thank you, sir. And thank you for the permission.”

“Oh, no worries. I’ll, um, see you later,” he said, blush rising in his cheeks, before walking off again.

He ended up back in gallery fifteen, where they’d parked the Tardis. It made Harry feel a little more comfortable, knowing that they had a way out. He crouched at the edge of the window, staring at the whirls of light reaching out towards the earth. They inched closer every time he blinked.

“Harry? Are you in there?” Harry turned around to see Louis walking through the doorway. His face lit up as he spotted Harry in the corner. “Hello! What do you think, then?”

“It’s brilliant, it really is,” he stated as Louis clapped his shoulder, sitting down next to him with crossed legs. “It’s just, they’re so alien. The aliens.”

Louis giggled, fiddling with the hem of his jeans. “Very astute. Good thing I didn’t take you to the deep south.”

Harry studied him; his eyes, his nose, his mouth. He looked so human. “Where are you from? What planet do time lords come from?”

“None.” Louis flinched. “Not anymore.”

Harry gave a slight frown, but Louis just shook his head, looking back out of the window. Harry pouted, trying to think of a new topic. “They all speak English here.”

“No. You just hear English.” Louis nodded to the Tardis. “It’s the Tardis, she gets inside your brain and translates.”

Harry hummed. “You always say ‘she’.”

“‘Course. She’s a proper lady.” Louis’ eyes twinkled.

“Not like Cassandra,” Harry huffed

Louis scoffed, shrugging. “Different folks.”

“‘Spose. Don’t think you’d find me getting that done. It’s enough to put you off plastic surgery for life.”

“It is a bit extreme,” Louis conceded. “She’s happy.”

“Earth Death in twenty minutes. Earth Death in twenty minutes.” They both raised their gaze to the ceiling at the announcement. Harry let out a long breath.

“You alright?”

“Yeah. I am, I promise. I’m glad I came, it’s just -” He wiped away the condensation on the window from his breath. “It’s so far.”

There was a moments silence and Harry watched as Louis uncrossed his legs, spreading them out in front of him. Then, Louis nudged him. “I tell you what, give me your phone.”

“I don’t think I have signal here,” he said, though he pulled his phone from his pocket anyway, handing it over.

“Very funny.” Louis pulled an electronic device from his own pocket. The device was covered in flashing lights and metal, emitting quiet, rhythmic beeps. He ran the device across the back of Harry’s phone. “With a bit of jiggery pokery.”

Harry smirked. “Is that a technical term, ‘jiggery pokery’?”

“Oh yeah,” Louis replied, voice light. “Top of the class in jiggery pokery, me. What about you?”

“Nah, failed flim-flam.”

Louis sent a fond smile over to him, handing back the phone. “There you go.”

He looked down at his phone to see that he had full signal. Frowning, he pulled up his mum’s contact and pressed ‘call’.

As the phone rang at the other end, he fixed Louis with a suspicious glare, only receiving an amused grin in return.

“Hello love,” his mother answered.

“Mum?” Harry was shocked. He sent a questioning look at Louis, who simply ducked his head.

“How’s your trip? Where are you going, again? You never said.”

“Oh, um,” Harry stammered. “Land’s End.”

“That’s a bit far, isn’t it?”

He laughed and rubbed his lip. “Yeah, we’re staying over.”

“Who’ve you gone with? Are you making some new friends at last?”

Rolling his eyes, Harry wondered why he had been so worked up. “Mum. I have friends. But yeah, some new ones. They’re alright.”

“I know. I just like to know you’re not hiding away in your flat all the time.”

“I don’t hide. Anyway, I was just calling, just ‘cause I might not be able to skype tomorrow. What with the driving.”

“Alight darling. Have a nice time. We’ll speak in the week, then.”

“Yeah. Love you,” he said, chest feeling a lot lighter than it had minutes before.

“Love you too. Speak soon.”

“Bit of a mummy’s boy?” Louis asked kindly as he shoved his phone away.

“Shut up,” warned Harry, though it lacked bite. “More than a bit. She’s all I’ve got.”

“I know the feeling.”

Louis’ voice was more sombre than it had been, causing Harry to shuffle closer and say, “You’ve got Niall. Where is he, anyway?” He peered over his shoulder, expecting to see Niall magically appear. “Is he with Zayn?”

“Yeah, he’ll be looking after him. He’s used to all this stuff.” Louis twirled his fingers over his shoulder. “You’re not. It’s okay if you need some time to adjust. It’s a hell of a culture shock.”

Harry tucked his chin to his knees. “How long has Niall been with you?”

“Depends on your perspective. Five billion years,” Louis teased, turning to rest his back against the window, in line with Harry.

Harry shoved him. “Be serious.”

“You wouldn’t like me when I’m serious.” Louis rubbed his jaw, thinking. “For him, probably about six years. He loves all this stuff.”

“What about for you?”

Louis shrugged, “More like eighteen years. I drop him off home every now and then, so he can spend some time with his family. He’ll stay with them for a day or so, but I’ll be travelling for months, years, in that time.” Louis coughed and scratched his nose. “I don’t like goodbyes, is the thing.” He sent Harry a unreadable expression. “He knows it, he’s alright with it.”

After a moment Harry built up the courage to ask, “Are you, like, together?”

“Me and Niall?” Louis chuckled. Harry felt relief wash over him. “No, no. He’s a little too fond of the ladies for that.”

Harry leant back further against the window. “Thanks for that, with my mum. It’s weird. Five billion years later, she’s dead.”

“Blimey. Right bundle of laughs, aren’t you.”

At that moment the whole station gave a violent shudder. Harry felt his teeth shaking in his skull, as vibrations travelled up his spine. Louis stood up, staring at the ceiling.

“That,” he muttered. “Is not supposed to happen.”

~

“Honoured guests may be reassured that gravity pockets may cause slight turbulence, thank you.”

Louis scoffed at the host’s voice echoing around the ship. “I can promise you, Harry, that was not a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they sure as anything don’t feel like that.”

They were rushing back to the observation deck to regroup with Niall and Zayn. They were approaching the doors when Harry whispered, “What, do you think the host was lying? Is something wrong?”

“I’m not sure. Niall!” Louis yelled, causing several of the guests to stare at him in alarm. “Niall, we have to -”

“Investigate the so called gravity pockets?” Niall said, appearing at Louis’ side with a jolt and a frazzled looking Zayn in tow. “Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.”

Louis blinked. “I wonder where the engine room is. You holding up, Zayn?”

Zayn nodded as one of the other guests, Harry remembered her as one of the Trees of the Forest of Cheam, came up to them. Crann, he thought her name was. Her gown was a dark red with intricate, almost celtic embroidery. Her skin was brown, thick and bark-like, morphing seamlessly into coarse, short hair atop her head.

“I don’t know about the engine room,” she spoke to Louis, her voice low and throaty. “But there’s a maintenance duct just behind my guest suite. I could show you and -” She eyed Harry who was still standing close to Louis’ side. “And your husband?”

Louis pushed his hair out of his face, smiling at Crann. “He’s not my husband.”

“Partner, then?” she asked, her eyes not leaving Louis’.

“No.”

“Concubine?”

Zayn let out a shocked noise as Louis answered, “Nah.”

Crann narrowed her eyes, “Prostitute?”

By this point Niall was fighting down laughter. “I’m not bloody invisible either,” Harry interrupted. “If you’re quite done.”

“Sorry, Harry.” Louis squeezed his arm. “You coming, boys?” he asked Niall and Zayn.

Niall shook his head, still chuckling a little. “I think Zee wants to talk to some more guests. Right?”

Zayn grimaced. “You don’t mind? If you need me to come I will, it’s just, they’re so interesting, I -”

“It’s fine,” Louis stopped him. “Go talk some more. I’ll give you a yell if anything comes up. Crann, lead the way.” He ducked his head toward Crann, who smiled, picked up the front of her gown and stepped through the door.

“Earth death in fifteen minutes. Earth death in fifteen minutes.”

She led them down numerous corridors and finally towards a metallic door, feeling out of place in the marble wall. She pulled it open with a powerful tug and Harry stared into the dark void ahead of them. It wasn’t particularly welcoming but neither Louis or Crann seemed phased at all.

“So, Crann, do you know who’s in charge of Platform One? Who the captain is?” Louis asked as they entered the maintenance duct, the cold and damp hitting their skin.

“There isn’t one. It’s just the host and his staff.” She turned to survey them as she walked. “The rest of it is computers, controlled by the Corporation.”

“‘The Corporation’?” Harry asked, concentrating on where he put his hands. There was oil all over the walls and floor.

“They move Platform One from one artistic event to another.”

Harry almost choked, “‘Artistic event’?”

“Leave it,” Louis warned kindly, bringing his hand to Harry’s back for a second before raising his voice to speak to Crann again. “But there’s nobody from the Corporation on board?”

“It’s unnecessary,” she shrugged. “It’s all automatic. Nothing can go wrong.”

“Unsinkable,” Louis muttered.

“If you like. The nautical metaphor is appropriate.”

“When isn’t a nautical metaphor appropriate?” Harry joked, flicking Louis’ wrist. “Am I right?”

Louis smiled at him before he said, “There’s another ship that they said was unsinkable. Didn’t turn out that way in the end. Niall had a narrow escape from that disaster.”

It took Harry a while to work out what Louis meant. “Niall was supposed to be on the Titanic?” Louis thinned his lips, nodding. “Shit, he’s a lucky bugger.”

“Nothing lucky about it. I picked him up before he left.”

Harry stopped in his tracks, “You saved him?”

“I didn’t save him,” Louis explained, pushing him to carry on following Crann. “I was being selfish. If I was gonna save him, I would’ve fixed the bloody ship, melted the iceberg or something.”

“Still, I’m sure Niall’s grateful.”

“He doesn’t know.”

“What?” he asked, ducking underneath some low piping.

“He doesn’t know and you better not bloody tell him either,” cautioned Louis, voice stern. “Can you imagine? He helped build that ship. He’d blame himself for all those people. One thousand, five hundred and sixteen of them.” He shook his head, squinting in the low light. “He’d say he was fine, but he’d blame himself.”

“How does he not know?” Harry asked quietly. “Hasn’t his family told him?”

“No. Probably for the same reasons I haven’t, because they care about him. I won’t see him suffer over something he can’t change.” Louis levelled him with a look.

“But can’t you change it? I mean, you have a time machine.”

Louis’ gaze faltered. “It doesn’t work like that. There are fixed points in time that can’t be altered. I can’t save everyone. You can’t expect me to save everyone, it’s too much.”

Harry thought for a moment. “No, I suppose you’re right.” That kind of guilt would destroy someone. “That would be too much.”

Crann had come to a stop a few metres ahead of them. Her eyes were flicking between the two of them with an indiscernible look upon her face. Harry withered somehow under her gaze.

“So, Crann, what you’re saying essentially,” Louis said, seemingly oblivious. “Is that if we get in trouble there’s no one to help?”

Crann’s voice rang out around the maintenance duct. “That’s exactly right.”

~

Niall nodded along as Lady Cassandra spoke to the small crowd around her, though he wasn’t really listening. His thoughts were with Louis and Harry. Louis had been right, Harry sure looked like the Harold Styles that had saved them in Victorian London. Niall didn’t really know what to make of it. He didn’t think Harry was lying to them about who he was. He was sure, however, that Louis would figure it out in the end. He always did.

He felt someone nudge his side and turned to see Zayn smirking at him, before turning to pay attention to Lady Cassandra once more.

“Soon, the sun will blossom into a red giant, and my home will die,” she lamented, clearly delighted to have an audience. “That's where I used to live, when I was little, down there. Mummy and Daddy had a little house built into the side of the Los Angeles Crevice. I used to have such fun.”

Zayn stepped forward and Niall regarded him curiously, unsure of what Zayn was going to say to her. He didn’t much like the woman himself but the other man seemed intrigued by her.

“My friend says that humankind has, as it were, diversified.” Niall smiled to himself at Zayn’s tone. It was as if he were in a lecture, asking questions to a professor.

“Yes, it’s sad,” Lady Cassandra replied, not sounding sad at all to Niall. “The others mingled. I am the last pure human. Those ‘proto-humans’ and ‘digi-humans’, you know what I call them? Mongrels.” Niall was sure that if it could, her forehead would’ve creased in distaste. “I’ve kept myself pure.”

A whisper of discontent fluttered around the crowd and Niall scowled at Cassandra. Meeting Louis and getting to travel with him had made Niall question a lot of his previously held beliefs. More often than not, these days, he found himself defending those he might have previously dismissed. It was a tough time in his life when he’d taken a good, hard look at himself, but he’d had Louis to guide him through the whole way. He considered himself a better person now because of it. He had no time for people like Cassandra any more.

As he saw Zayn’s crushed expression, he felt his chest constrict. “Don’t you see what a josser you are?” he declared. “That ain’t no way to think.”

Cassandra levelled him with a pithy glare. “Oh, you don’t know anything about life. You’re a child.”

“Hey,” Zayn spoke up at Niall’s shoulder. “We were born on that planet and so was Harry, and all of our parents. That makes us officially the last human beings in this room, because you're not human. You've had it all cut off, smoothed and thinned until there's nothing left.” He waved his hand towards her metal frame. “All that was human about you has been lost. You're just skin, Lady Cassandra. Lies and bigotry and skin.” Niall stood, astounded, as Zayn blushed at his own outburst. “It was a pleasure talking to you,” he sneered before stalking off.

Niall remained with the crowd. A moment later he cackled, sent Cassandra a short salute and scurried off after Zayn.

~

The chilled air in the maintenance duct was starting to seep through Harry’s clothes, down to his skin. He shivered where he stood, watching Louis and Crann as they chatted.

“What’s a tree like you doing at the end of the world, then?” Louis asked casually as he bent down to examine the keypad at the side of the door they’d reached. “Not where you’d usually be found, for sure.”

“I could say they same about you.” Crann smirked as she spoke and Harry frowned, sure he was missing out on some sort of private joke.

Louis dismissed it, however. “There’s no usual place to find me.”

“No.” Crann folded her arms and leant her side against the wall. Harry cringed as he watched her intricate dress drag through the oil covering the surface. “I’m here to pay my respect to Earth.”

Harry was a little surprised when Louis turned to him to share a significant look. He smiled at the thought of Louis considering him enough of a friend to share looks with. As if they were sharing a private joke. He rushed to join in, raising his eyebrows in a mirror of Louis’ expression.

Crann huffed. “Fine. That, and it may be considered appropriate in business to be seen at the right events. Need to keep the share prices up.”

“Naturally,” Louis agreed. Harry couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.

“All the same,” Crann continued, her voice measured. “Earth is family. My ancestors were transplanted from the planet below. I’m a descendant of the tropical rainforest, you know.”

“So you are, like, actually a tree then?” Harry asked. “An actual tree?” He immediately regretted the question when Crann sent him a politely confused frown.

“What else would I be?”

“I don’t know,” he stammered, trying to ignore Louis giggling to himself near the locked door. “I just - Never mind.”

Louis carried on laughing for a few moments as he drew the beeping, electronic device Harry had seen earlier across the keypad. As Harry watched, Louis pressed several buttons and the beeping intensified. It stopped when the door made a clunking noise, opening to allow a small gap.

Harry’s jaw dropped. “What is that?” he asked, pointing at the device.

“Sonic screwdriver,” Louis said, his voice high pitched.

“Screwdriver?” Harry shook his head, smiling. “Thought you were a doctor, not a mechanic.”

Louis stepped aside to let Crann walk through. When Harry followed he rested his hand on his arm. “I’m not a proper doctor, Harold.”

“No, of course, Louis. That would be absurd, wouldn’t it?”

Louis ignored him, casting his eyes forward into the vast room they’d entered. He hummed and observed, “There’s a bit of a chill in the air, no doubt.”

Harry assumed they’d made it to the engine room. It felt larger than even the observation deck. There was a great metal chasm ahead of them, intersected by a thin, barrier-less bridge. Gigantic fans loomed overhead, spinning at a steady rate. They just missed the bridge as they turned, causing great wafts of cold air to fill the room. Harry narrowed his eyes, spotting a panel at the other end the bridge in the distance, practically cut off by the whirring of the fans. Like a obstacle course, really.

He was about to comment to the others when all three of them turned to the left, distracted by an unusual sound. It was the clicking sound of metal on metal.

He heard Louis before he spotted anything. “What the hell is that?” Louis asked, voice echoing around the chamber. He was pulling a face towards the edge of the room where there was a small, metal thing. It resembled a mechanical spider or crab to Harry. It had a small red light where it’s eyes would’ve been, jerkily moving about the room. Trying to find an escape, Harry figured.

“Part of the design?” Harry wondered out loud.

Louis stepped closer to the little robot. “No, I don’t reckon so.” Pulling out his sonic screwdriver once more, he cooed, “Hey there, little buddy. What are you, then?” Before he got a chance to do anything, though, the machine began to scuttle away towards a vent in the wall.

In an instant a deep green vine came whipping from Crann’s wrist. It caught the retreating machine and flipped it, so it’s legs whirred in mid-air, unable to find purchase.

“Nice liana,” Louis whistled, clearly impressed.

Harry smiled when Crann blushed. “Thank you,” she said. She pulled her forearms up to her body, protectively. “We’re not supposed to show them in public.”

“Don’t worry, love, I won’t tell anybody.” He crouched down next to the upturned robot, finally able to scan the device with his screwdriver. After a moment he squinted at the readings, before frowning up at the other two. “Right then, who do we think has been bringing their pets on board?”

“What does it do?” asked Harry, a little lost.

“Sabotage,” Louis replied, darkly.

The now familiar computerised voice echoed eerily around the vast engine room. “Earth death in ten minutes. Earth death in ten minutes.”

Louis levelled Harry with a concerned gaze. “And the temperature here is about to rocket.”

~

“Gallery eight. Doors opening.”

“Zee, mate, that was brilliant. You’re a brick,” Niall said, whooping as he followed Zayn into the empty viewing gallery. “That Cassandra needed taking down a peg or two.” The smile slid off his face, however, when he saw Zayn’s expression. “Alright, pal? Don’t let her get to you.”

Zayn was standing stock still in the middle of the room, his head bent and hands covering his face. Niall approached slowly. The closer he got the clearer it became that Zayn was having a tough job controlling his emotions. “Zee, are you okay?” Niall asked in a whisper. He nudged Zayn’s foot with his own, different shades of worn leather pressing against each other.

“It’s just,” Zayn started, breathing in sharply and jerking his head up. Niall had to take a step back to save himself from getting headbutted. “It’s billions of years in the future. Literally billions.” Zayn turned to face him, a defeated smile on his face. “I thought it’d be better. Surely people can’t still be so prejudiced, when they’re so advanced in everything else?”

Niall bit his lip as Zayn let his arms fall at his sides, at a loss. He stayed quiet as the other man walked to the edge of the room. Zayn pressed himself against the wall and slid down to the floor with a muffled thump. The electronic hum of the ship sounded around them. For all the time Niall had spent in the Tardis and in space, the technology of the future still felt so unnatural to him. It always seemed strange.   

“Do you know what I’ve learnt?” he said softly. Zayn looked up at him as he bowed his head, taking slow, deliberate steps towards the place Zayn sat. “Yes, people can be detestable, time isn’t going to change that,” Niall admitted. “It’s the scum that shout the loudest, wherever they go. They make the most noise.” He had reached the wall by now, sitting down next to Zayn and pulling out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket. Zayn’s eyes were wide as he watched Niall’s movements. “But that’s just because they know that nobody’s listening. Nobody wants to hear them, so they shout themselves hoarse with their last breaths.”

Niall brought a cigarette to to his mouth. He dug around in his pocket for some matches with one hand, while he offered the packet to Zayn with the other. Zayn sucked on his lips for a moment. He pulled out a cigarette from the packet and leaned in when Niall gestured with the small flame he’d lit.

Niall watched as Zayn took a drag. “It feels like there’s no end to it, though,” said Zayn, his voice rough. “Like I’ll never be free of other people shoving their opinions on me. I’ll never be good enough for them.”

Niall frowned. “You’re good enough for me. You’re more than good enough for majority of people out there. Those who don’t like it?” He shifted, so he could fully see Zayn’s face. “I know it’s cliche, it was cliche in my time too, but they’re not worthy of your attention.” Zayn sighed and nodded, staring doggedly at a point on the floor several feet away. A particularly bright flare from the exploding sun caught Niall’s attention through the window. He tried to change the subject. “Why did you choose the end of the world? Really, why did you choose it? Don’t give me any gubbins about bombs or the like,” he chided, grinning at Zayn’s newly bashful expression.

“I’m -” Zayn groaned, scratching his hairline, cigarette in hand. “Oh, it sounds so stupid to say it out loud.” He leant his head back against the wall, turning to squint at Niall. “I told you I was a writer, right? I’m trying to write a novel, but I just - I need inspiration. I thought this would be good for it. ‘The end of the world’,” he said, wiggling his fingers as he spoke the words. “Doesn’t get more dramatic than that, does it?”

Niall laughed. It made sense, really. If you were going to travel through time and space, you might as well go as far as you could imagine. “If you stick around Zee,” he said, slapping Zayn’s knee as he pushed himself up from the floor. He turned back, pointing a finger at Zayn. “And I hope it’s obvious that I want you to, you’ll get a shed load more inspiration than this. Maybe you’ll start having a good time while you’re at it, as well? Eh?” he muttered around his cigarette

“Yeah. Maybe. Hopefully,” Zayn responded, eyes following the thin wisps of smoke trailing around him.

“Oh man, you shoulda seen me when I was still a rooky,” Niall chuckled. He closed his eyes, his own past embarrassment coming back to haunt him. “Jumping out of my skin at every slammed door.”

“I can’t believe that.”

“Oh, you better. It was awful, it’s a wonder Louis still allows himself to be seen with me,” Niall muttered.

He watched as Zayn stood up, brushing down his trousers. “You two seem close.”

He shrugged, before sending Zayn a sly smile. “Hey, there’s enough Niall for everyone,” he joked.

Zayn rolled his eyes, turning away to look out of the window. Niall still heard it, however, when the other man mumbled a quiet, “Thanks, man.”

The sound of someone beyond the door travelled across the room. Niall and Zayn, however, were both focused the bright burning sun. As it edged ever closer to their home planet, they were so distracted, that neither of them noticed the click of the lock.

Chapter Text

Platform One, 156 miles above Earth ~ 5.5/apple/26

Harry, Louis and Crann hurtled back down the maintenance duct. The words ‘earth death in ten minutes’ were ringing in Harry’s head, filling his mind completely.

If Louis believed that someone on board was trying to sabotage the ship, what did that mean for them? The whole place was about to be subsumed by the explosion of the sun. If the controls for the protection of the ship had been damaged? Well, Harry didn’t want to think about it.

Ahead of him Louis came to a sudden stop, his trainers squeaking against the marble floor.

“What? What is it?” Harry asked, catching his breath as Crann hovered next to him.

Louis shot over a worried look before trotting to the door closest to him and pressing the button on the wall to open it. The door didn’t budge, though Louis slammed the button a handful more times.

“Louis, what is it?”

He didn’t need Louis to answer, in the end. He spotted the bright, white light cutting through the air from the gap at the bottom of the door. Smoke had started to stream from the the gap and fill the corridor in a dense, cloying vapour.

“Is the host in there? That’s his office,” Crann asked, alarmed, as she noticed the same thing.

“I’m pretty sure it’s him you can smell,” Louis muttered as he concentrated on fiddling with the keypad. “Someone, or something, has let the sun filter down. He’ll have been burnt to a crisp in there.” He continued to tamper with the controls for a few more moments. The computer, in an oddly distorted voice, announced, “Sun filter rising.”

Harry’s heart was pounding in his chest. Somebody had died. The host had died, someone who Harry had spoken to not an hour before. He couldn’t help but marvel at Louis’ calm demeanour. Even Crann was, on the surface at least, coping a lot better than Harry felt like he was.

“Alright, Harry?” Louis asked, still crouched down over the keypad, the sleeves of his jumper bunched up above his elbows. He had paused in his work, though, waiting for Harry to reply.

Harry nodded. Crann stepped over to him. She placed her hand on his wrist and offered him a smile. “It’ll be okay.” He knew she was lying, that she had no way of knowing what would happen, but he felt a wave of gratitude wash through him. Perhaps he’d been a bit quick in forming an opinion of her before.

“Bloody Nora.” Louis’ voice cut through the tense air. “There’s another sun filter descending. Gallery eight,” he rushed out, voice cracking as he hurried. He strode over to Harry and grabbed his arm, pulling him further down the corridor. “Come on.” He shouted over his shoulder to Crann, “Crann, can you go warn the other guests?” She nodded and headed down the hall in the other direction. “And tell Niall and Zayn to find us!” Louis yelled, as she turned the corner, out of sight.

Harry started to run next to Louis. “Is someone else going to get burned?” he asked, voice raspy as he ran.

“Not if I have anything to do with it.” Louis’ face was determined and Harry completely believed him.

~

Niall’s took a final drag of his cigarette, relishing the feeling. Louis didn’t like him smoking. He didn’t allow it at all on the Tardis. Apparently it was one of the many things that Niall enjoyed, which was frowned upon in the future. He wondered if it was still considered okay in Zayn’s time as well, or if Zayn was just someone who didn’t particularly care.

As he searched in vain to find somewhere in the bare room to snub out his cigarette, a loud alarm rang around the room, bouncing off the walls. Niall grimaced against the sound, jerking his head around to try to find the source.

“Sun filter descending.”

“Er.” He turned on the spot, head spinning to see Zayn. The other man gave him a panicked, wide eyed look and they both jumped up from where they sat, hurtling towards the door.

“Fucking shit,” Zayn swore loudly, as the burning light from the sun beyond began to burst through the top of the window.

“Sun filter descending,” the mechanical voice repeated calmly.

“I know it’s descending.” Niall gave a sarcastic yell. “I can bloody see for myself, thanks.” The top of the room was immersed in a bright light, smoke from the walls starting to billow down towards them.

“Let us out!” Zayn shouted, banging on the door. “Somebody, let us out!”

Niall moaned as the door remained locked. He dropped his head to the door, groaning, “Oh, Jesus.” He eyed the burning line of the sun’s rays, descending further down into the room with every second. Niall resumed his banging on the door once more. “Help! Open the door!”

“It’s not gonna open,” Zayn wailed. “Shit, Niall. What do we do?”

“I dunno,” said Niall. He felt as if he couldn’t catch his breath. What if they died? What if they actually died? His parents were expecting him back for cousin Fionn’s wedding. He’d just never turn up. They’d never find out what happened to him. “Watch it, get down,” he exclaimed, pulling Zayn down next to him, closer to the floor. The sun’s beams were almost at their head height. “Maybe we can lever it open.” Even as he said it, he knew he was clutching at straws.

“With what!?” Zayn grabbed at Niall’s arm, his fingers digging in the the skin. Niall found that he didn’t mind at all.

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph. I don’t know!” As the two of them continued to pound at the unmovable door with their last minutes, Niall prayed that Louis would find them.

~

“Gallery eight, gallery eight,” Louis mumbled under his breath. He squinted at the lettering on each of the doors they passed.

Harry had skipped ahead, determined to find the room before anything bad happened. At last he was able to shout, “It’s here. Louis, it’s this one.” The door itself seemed normal enough, through when Harry tried to open it, it wouldn’t budge. The keyboard to the right was flashing red.

He pressed his ear against the door, pulling back when he heard someone banging loudly on the other side. “Is anyone in there?”

“Harry? Thank Christ.” Oh God, Harry thought. That was Niall’s voice. What on earth was he doing in there? “Zee and I are stuck.”

Louis had joined him by this point, pulling his sonic screwdriver out and kneeling at the keypad. “Oh, typical,” he blurted out, shaking his head in frustration. “It would be you, wouldn’t it.”

“Louis! Lou, the door won’t open. We’re burning up in here!” Niall’s voice was pleading and desperate. It only took a few seconds of Louis messing with the controls for the the screen to stop flashing.

“Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising.”

Harry let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. He could hear the other two laughing in gratitude on the other side of the door. He shared a relieved grin with Louis, the other man’s eyes twinkling with excitement.

The mood was altered drastically, though, with the words, “Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending.”

“What?” Harry cried out, pitifully.

The banging on the door resumed and Harry heard Zayn shout, “It’s doing it again.” Louis scrambled up from where he had leant against the door, back to the keypad.

“Stop messing around!” Niall’s voice was hysterical.

“I’m not!” Louis shouted frantically, changing the screwdriving to different settings one after the other. “The computer’s getting clever,” he complained. “It’s worked out what I’m doing.”

“Open the door!” Zayn shouted weakly.

“Hold on, Zayn. I’m trying!”

Harry could see a faint line of sweat along Louis’ hairline. In that moment he realised, Louis was panicking. Though he remained stoic to the casual observer, it was clear to Harry that he was just the same as everybody else. He was just trying to save his best friend’s life. Harry thought back to Louis’ words from earlier, ‘You can’t expect me to save everyone, it’s too much.’

The banging had stopped and Harry could see where the sun’s rays were burning through the edge of the door. It was about halfway to the bottom. He hoped that Niall and Zayn had retreated to a lower point, feeling completely like a spare part as Louis worked away.

Finally, finally, the computer repeated, “Sun filter rising.”

Both he and Louis stood still, staring at the door as they watched the trickle of bright light retreat. He watched as Louis’ shoulders visibly relaxed when the sun filter was fully restored. They pulled the doors apart manually, grunting with exertion. Harry tried to contain is visible relief when he heard Niall and Zayn pushing on the other side as well.

When the doors eventually parted, Niall and Zayn were revealed. They looked slightly frazzled and significantly relieved, but otherwise completely fine.

“I leave you alone for two minutes,” Louis started, his voice loud in the otherwise silent corridor. “And you go and nearly get yourself vapourised by the sun. Nice move, you stupid idiot.”

Niall grinned. “I knew you’d find me. Just giving you a chance to show off, wasn’t I?” he teased, though his complexion still looked a little greener than usual. His eyes flicked towards Harry as he pulled Louis towards him for a short hug.

“What? What the hell just happened?” Zayn breathed out, clearly alarmed. “We almost died in there!”

Harry walked over to him, slinging an arm around his shoulders, overjoyed that this man he’d met not hours before was still with him. “Zayn, mate, I don’t think I’ve ever been so stressed in my life.”

“You were stressed!?”

“Something’s going on with the ship,” Louis said to the two of them as he and Niall pulled apart. “We need to figure out who’s behind it”

Without any further explanation Louis set off down the corridor. “Niall, c’mon.”

“Does this kind of thing happen a lot with you two?” Zayn asked, his breathing still coming fast and shallow.

Niall pouted. “More often than you’d think, yeah. Come on.” He set off at a jog. “Let’s hook it.”

“Earth death in five minutes.”

“Oh, shush,” Louis snapped under his breath as they entered the observation deck once more. The atmosphere was a complete contrast to that of twenty minutes ago. The guests were scattered around the room, huddled together in small, whispering groups. The nervous expressions on their faces told Harry all he needed to know. Clearly, Crann had explained to them what had happened to the host. Now everyone was a suspect.

“My computer has confirmed,” Crann spoke, her voice calm and clear to the anxious crowd. “These spider devices have infiltrated the whole of the ship.”

Lady Cassandra’s disbelieving voice bounced off the walls. It sounded harsh against the backdrop of soft whispers. “This isn’t possible. Our private rooms are protected by a code wall.”

One of the other guests stepped forward, their robes dragging along the floor. “Do we know who did it? Who’s controlling the machines?”

Harry raised his eyebrows as Cassandra yelled, “This whole event is sponsored by the Face of Boe, he’s the one who invited us all.” She wheeled her frame directly towards the Face of Boe. “Talk to the Face!”

“There is an easier way of finding out.” Louis’ voice was so quiet that Harry was impressed anybody could hear it. “Somebody brought their little pet on board,” he continued. The crowd turned towards him, desperate for answers. “Let’s send them back to their owner.” He walked over to Crann, taking the metal spider gently from her grasp and placing it upright on the floor. “Go on, buddy. Go home,” he said, nudging it forward like a fledgling bird leaving the nest.

The small robot seemed to pause for a moment and the room held a collective breath. When the mechanical spider stopped in front of Lady Cassandra’s frame, gasps could be heard all around. Harry felt a little shocked at his own lack of surprise. He hadn’t realised he was so cynical.

Cassandra let out a huff. She appeared to be more annoyed than scared of any retribution. “You’re too late anyway,” she dismissed. “My spiders have control of the mainframe. You all carried them as gifts, past every code wall.” She sent a wicked smirk towards Louis. “I’m not just a pretty face, you know.”

“Destroying a ship while you’re still inside it?” he responded, his fists clenched at his sides. “Pretty stupid if you ask me.”

Cassandra rolled her eyes. “I had hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous.”

“Why does it always come down to money?” Louis spat out.

“It’s not cheap, looking like this.” Harry took a step back as Lady Cassandra wheeled herself closer to their group. “I’m the last human, Doctor,” she sneered. “I am. Not those freaky pets of yours.”

“Earth death in three minutes.” The voice echoed around the cabin, which to Harry felt more like a cage now than anything else. He glared at Cassandra. He’d never felt so much hatred for one person before. How could she be so cold?

“I’m nothing if not adaptable, Doctor. You’re just as useful dead, all of you. I have shares in your rival companies and they’ll triple in prince as soon as you’re dead.” The other guests in the room began to murmur, panic setting in. “My spiders are ready to destroy all the safety systems on board. Get ready to burn, darlings.”

“You’ll burn with us,” Crann exclaimed, disbelieving.

“As it happens, no I won’t. I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but I’m such a naughty thing,” she simpered. “Spiders, activate.”

At her words the room gave a violent shudder.  Everyone jerked their bodies around, shock and panic on their faces. The explosions rocked the ship for a long moment before the air quietened once more. The silence was eerie and Harry felt as if he could hear the ship creaking, shifting and cracking at it’s core.

“Heat levels rising.”

“What’s happened?” Harry whispered to the others, trying not to let any fear show on his face.

Louis answered so the whole room could hear him. “She’s taken out the force fields shielding the platform.”

“And with the planet about to explode,” Cassandra cackled. She surveyed the room one last time before tittering, “Bye, bye my lovelies.” And she vanished, leaving the room in stunned silence.

“Heat levels rising.”

A tense voice sounded out from within the crowd. Harry thought it belonged to one of the brothers Hop Pyleen. “We can simply reset the computer.”

Crann’s voice was low as she replied, “Only the host would know how.” Her expression was solemn as she turned to Louis, trying to figure out what to do next.

“No. We can do it by hand.” Louis began to pace along the marble floor, his hand coming up to brush his jaw as he thought. “There’ll be a system restore switch.” He pointed to Niall, walking towards him. “Niall, you know ships. Wanna take a stab in the dark at where the switch is?”

Niall faltered for a second. “Engine room is your best bet. I mean -” He gave a nervous laugh. “If the builders had a clue what they were doing.”

Louis nodded. “Crann, can you work on a way to hack the computer, in case we don’t make it?”

Harry watched as Crann fixed her posture, face resolute. When she began to stride away to find an access point to the computer Harry muttered, “But we will make it?” His skin became colder as Louis didn’t respond but instead led him, Niall and Zayn out of the observation deck.

The doors closed behind them and blocked out the hysterical chatter coming from the other guests. Louis stopped in front of him and Zayn. “I can take you home,” he said, his voice level. His face was sharp and that, more than anything else that had happened before then, caused a shiver to run up Harry’s spine. “I can take you lot home right now. This isn’t what you signed up for.”

“Will you be able to save everyone else?” Zayn asked with a croak. “If you do that?”

Again Louis didn’t answer, though his eyes flicked over to Niall. When Harry turned to look at the other man, he was biting his lip. As he met Harry’s gaze he shrugged. Without another word Harry and Zayn considered each other. Harry didn’t think he’d be able to live with himself if he let everyone onboard burn, without even trying to help them. They couldn’t just abandon everybody, not if Louis could save them.

Niall coughed. “I’m with you. I’m always with you, you know that.”

Louis nodded, a grim smile pinching his features. Harry gave Zayn a final look. Zayn inclined his head, an action so small Harry almost thought he’d imagined it. “We’ll stick with you,” he said. “We’ll find the switch.” He couldn’t tell if Louis was pleased or not, his expression unintelligible. Harry tried to convince himself that it didn’t cause the knot in his chest to tighten painfully.

“Earth death in two minutes. Earth death in two minutes.”

~

As the four of them ran into the engine room Harry almost had to stagger back at the dry heat that engulfed them.

“Heat levels critical,” the computer stated.

Harry let out a hollow laugh. “Yeah, you don’t fucking say.” He pulled his shirt away from his sweating skin. “Jesus.”

“Heat levels critical.”

“Oh, shut up,” Niall yelled. He was gasping deep breaths with his head bent back and his hands on his waist, like he’d run a marathon.

“Right,” Louis panted. Harry watched as a drop of sweat trickled down the side of his face, following the line of his cheekbone. “All we have to do now, is pull the switch.” He blinked several times, looking around. “Which is … somewhere nearby?”

“Over there, I reckon.” Niall nodded, unamused, at the other end of the long bridge Harry had seen earlier. The large fans were working at double speed to try and lower the temperature, all in vein.

Louis groaned and kicked the wall. “Shitting, fucking, shit.”

“Pretty much.”

Harry stopped paying attention to them then. He stepped closer to the first fan, staring at it as it spun. It was quite relaxing, to focus on the lines of the propellers as they whipped past him. The slightly cooler air ruffled his shirt. There was no way anyone could walk through the fan’s cycle of spins, they’d get destroyed. He frowned at his feet and bent down closer to the floor. There was a gap, he noticed. If he got down on his stomach, he could probably fit through. It would be tight, but what choice did they have?

“I could crawl under,” he said, interrupting the other three as they discussed alternative routes across the bridge.

“Harry, no.” Louis’ tone was stern and only served to make Harry more enthusiastic. He could do this. He could help. He could do something important.

“I could,” he insisted, eyes pleading. “There’s a gap, I’m pretty flexible.”

Niall let out a startled snort, though cut it short at Louis’ mutinous glare. “Sorry,” he muttered. “Not the time.”

Louis stepped closer. “You can’t do it.” If Harry looked closely, he could see the tendons in Louis’ neck strain against his skin as he spoke.

“Why not?” he asked, getting more exasperated with each passing second, pushing his sweaty hair back from his face. They couldn’t just stand around arguing as the ship burnt.

“You might get hurt.”

Harry almost laughed, raising his hands to the air. “So might anyone else!”

Louis let out a frustrated breath. “But you - It’s - Every time before -” He made a strangled noise, clutching at his hair. “You just can’t,” he finished, sending a pleading look at Niall, who just shrugged.

“I’ll do it.”

Harry startled at Zayn’s voice. The other man had been standing a little apart from the rest of them, following the conversation with narrowed eyes.

“What?” spluttered Louis.

Zayn’s expression was nonchalant, but Harry was sure his heart must’ve been in his throat. “I’m skinny as anything, I’ll fit under there easily.” As Zayn spoke he had already started to remove his shoes.  

“Nah,” Niall dismissed, nervous enough for the both of them, cheeks flushed. He reached out a hand to Zayn’s chest, stopping him from moving closer to the bridge. “I’m sure we can find a way ‘round this.”

“Look,” Zayn snapped. “We don’t have time.” He bit his lip. “I’m the one that wanted to come here in the first place.”

Louis grimaced. “This isn’t your fault, Zayn. You’re not responsible, I promise. This would’ve happened anyway. This -” He got cut off, however, by the voice of the computer. Harry noticed with a twinge that it was more fragmented than before, as if it were running out of power.

“External temperature five thousand degrees.”

“Someone has to do it,” said Zayn, with an air of finality. “We’re wasting time.”

With that, Zayn knelt down and eyed the level of the fans. Now he wasn’t himself doing it, Harry felt a lot less confident that his plan would work. He stared, open mouthed, as Zayn laid flat on his stomach and began to slide himself under the first fan.

“Keep your elbows down,” Louis shouted to him, running over to the edge of the platform to get a side on view on Zayn’s progress.

It felt like forever until Zayn had pulled himself clear of the first fan. He’d almost kicked his legs up too soon, before Niall had yelled, “Not yet! Another six inches or so.”

The air was becoming unbearably hot, it felt to Harry as if his skin was blistering. As Zayn moved on to the second fan, they couldn’t see as much of him, but continued to call out words of encouragement across the gap. Harry’s heart leapt into his mouth when he heard a shout from Zayn travel over to them.

“Alright?” Louis yelled, immediately, squinting to try and see him better. “Zayn?” There was no response. “Zayn, mate? Are you okay?”

“Heat levels critical.”

Harry flattened himself to the floor, focusing on ducking his head below the fan line, so he could see where Zayn was. “It’s okay.” He would have let out a relieved sigh, but it got stuck in his dry throat. “He’s on the last one.”

The three of them waited with bated breath until Zayn shouted out, “I’m here! What do I do?”

“Oh, thank Christ,” Niall muttered.

Louis’ knuckles were white where he was grabbing the barrier of the platform. “Just pull the lever down then back up,” he yelled. “It’ll reset the system.”

After several tense beats and with mere moments to spare the computer announced, “Shields rising. Shields rising.” Harry felt his body physically sag with relief.

In bizarre juxtaposition to the mood of the room seconds before, the air was filled with the sound of joyous laughter. Niall clapped Louis on the back before running over to Harry. He slung an arm over his shoulder, pulling Harry down a little to his level.

“We only went and blooming did it, boys!”

Louis beamed and shouted over to Zayn, “You alright getting back, big man?”

Harry smiled as he heard Zayn’s laughter. “Yeah, I’ll just crawl back under. They’re slowing down now.”

He was right. Harry could almost feel the air around him cooling down, as if they’d just walked into the shade after being out in the sun for too long. He let out a shaky breath and he allowed himself to process that he’d been seconds away from dying.

“Exoglass repair.”

The words echoed around the ship as they ran back to the observation deck. The ship had not escaped without damage. Large cracks were visible on various windows and there were black marks on the floors and walls where the sun had got in and scorched the surfaces. A handful of people were having wounds tended to by others, looking dazed and confused.

As they entered the room, one of the smaller guests that Harry couldn’t quite remember the name of approached them. They seemed exhausted.

“Where’s Crann?” Louis asked, breathlessly.

The small alien faltered as they answered. “She - She passed, Doctor.”

“Passed?”

“She saved her family from the sun’s rays, as they breached the hall.” The alien bowed their head, stretching out an arm to indicate the remainder of the Trees from the Forest of Cheam. They were standing in a huddle in the corner, looking forlorn.

Harry bit his lip, peeking out at Louis from the corner of his eye. It didn’t seem fair, he thought, for Crann to die. She had been helping. She had been trying to fix it.

“Right,” Louis said slowly, his face set.

In an obvious attempt to comfort Louis, the alien said in a kind voice, “She will be hailed as -”

“Right, thank you,” Louis interrupted.

The small alien gave an understanding smile. “Peace be with you,” they said, before returning to the other guests.

Niall stepped closer to Louis. “Okay?”

“Yeah, Niall. I’m fine.” Louis took a deep breath. “Just - Yeah, fine.”

“Alright, pal.”

Harry and Zayn shared a glance behind the backs of the other two. Before Harry could say anything to Zayn, however, a collection of shrill, excited voices pierced his ear drums.

“You saved us!” came the cries and the four of them spun on the spot to see a small crowd of the blue-skinned maintenance crew heading towards them.

Louis’ eyes went wide as he held out his hands in a placating gesture. “Oh, no. I didn’t do anything.” He grabbed Zayn’s shoulders and pulled the other man in front of him. “Zayn here’s your man.”

Zayn sent Louis a betrayed glare as he began to politely greet the small crowd. Niall took pity and, after giving Louis’ shoulder a firm squeeze, went over to help Zayn out.

“She was nice,” said Harry quietly as he and Louis moved to lean against the wall. He couldn’t think of anything else to say. Louis didn’t look like he particularly wanted to talk about it, either.

“Yeah.”

They watched the other guests talked, keeping up the affable quiet.

~

Harry sat on the floor of the now empty observation deck. All the other guests had left now and the authorities had been given Lady Cassandra’s details. Platform One was on course to be taken back to headquarters for repair. At least, that’s what Louis had said would happen. At that moment the other men joined him on the floor, staring up at the repaired window. Fragments of the old earth were still whirling through space, all that was left of the planet. None of them had actually seen the moment when the earth was engulfed by the flames of the sun. They’d been too focused on reinstating the sun filters.

He let out a deep sigh and pulled his phone out of his pocket, checking the signal absent mindedly. “The end of the earth. It’s gone,” he said, simply. “We were too busy saving ourselves.”

“I think that’s a legitimate enough reason, Harry,” said Niall, fairly. Now that none of their lives were at risk, the easy, carefree feeling in the group had returned effortlessly. Having shared such an intense experience with the others, Harry felt remarkably closer to them all. Though he wasn’t sure if Louis thought it was anything out of the ordinary.

“Yeah, but, no one saw it go,” he lamented. “All those years, all that history, and no one was even looking.” A larger piece of earth debris drifted close by the window as he spoke. “It’s just sad.”

From the corner of his eye he spotted Louis’ stand up with a jump. Having been quiet throughout the entire conversation, it was somewhat abrupt when he said, “Come on, you lot. With me.” He held out a hand for Harry to take and pulled him to standing, before letting go. “I wanna show you something.”

They walked back to the Tardis and shuffled in, following Louis’ pointed cough. As he fiddled with the controls, they all waited for him to reveal his big surprise.

“Nineteen ninety-eight. Earth. Hey! The right country, actually, as well. Hole in one, get in.”

Louis grinned over at Harry, his open face and twinkling eyes displaying none of the panic and tension that had gone before.

Harry and Zayn were both quiet, though Niall chimed in with a casual, “Statistics, ain’t it. Everyone’s bound to get it right once in a while.” He strode up to the door of the Tardis, pulling a jacket on over his thin shirt. “Nowt to do with any skill of yours, for sure.” He pushed the door open, turning back to Harry and Zayn as Louis joined him. “You two coming, or what?”

They stepped out into the bright light. With a jolt Harry noticed the normalness of where they were. He watched a girl walk past him, metallic puffa jacket and streaky highlighted hair on full display. Clearly they weren’t back to the exact time Harry was used, but it was enough.

“Where are we?” Zayn asked, eyeing the landscape around them with a dubious frown.

“I dunno. Britain, definitely. Maybe England? Northish?,” Louis mumbled.

Harry rolled his eyes. “It’s Liverpool, Zayn. That’s the Tate Gallery over there.” He pointed to the building on the dock.

Zayn pulled a face. “I’ve never been to Liverpool before.”

Louis sighed. “It won’t last forever. Nothing does. People and cars and concrete, it’ll all be gone. But right now, it’s still here, living and breathing. You’ve got to make the most of what you have.” He clapped his hands. “The end of the world and Liverpool, all in one day. Don’t say I don’t treat you.” He turned to them, wind blowing his hair into his face. “Hey, let’s get fish and chips.”

Once they each had a paper cone full of chips cradled in their hands they sat down by the dock in silent companionship.

“What was that all about?” Harry asked sometime later. He squinted as he watched strangers walk past the red columns on the dock into the gallery nearby.

“The end of the world?” Louis asked, his voice scratchy. “I’d have thought it was pretty self explanatory.”

“No, before, when we first met. You asked me if I remembered you? Should I have?” Harry asked before he stuffed a ketchup covered chip into his mouth.

Louis shrugged. “I don’t think so. It’s just, you remind me of someone.” He fixed his eyes on Harry. “I thought maybe you were them, at first.”

“Yeah?” Harry licked salt off his thumb. “Who?”

“Good question,” Louis said. Niall and Zayn were busy trying to fend off a particularly ferocious looking seagull. Louis stopped to watch them for a while before he finished, “Someone who died.”

Harry thought for a while. It was pretty odd to get someone confused with dead guy. What had Louis thought? That he was some kind of zombie or something? Did he even mean to invite Harry with him in the first place? Harry cleared his throat and scrunched up his chip paper. “Well,” he said. “Whoever this guy was, I’m not him, yeah? I’d love to travel with you, Louis, but only as me. I’m not being anybody’s sloppy seconds. I won’t compete with a ghost.”

“No, I wouldn’t want you to,” Louis rushed out, clearly alarmed. “And I’d love for you to travel with us, I really would.” He turned to where Niall and Zayn were still eyeing the retreating seagull with trepidation. “Zayn, you too. If you’re up for it? Staying?”

Niall’s eyes went wide as he nodded, giving Zayn a light whack on the chest. “Yeah, come on lads, it’ll be great.” He reached out his arms in a reassuring gesture. “Look, Zee, I know you were a bit nervous to start with, but you saw how great it is. It’s travelling the world, the universe, even further. Ain’t nobody to tell you what to do.” Harry watched as Zayn bit his lip, taking in Niall’s words. “And Harry.” Niall smiled at him. “Yeah, it can get a bit hair raising, but it’s so worth it. You would regret it if you said no. You know you would.”

Niall’s expression was that of someone who knew they were right. Zayn let out a breathy laugh before he muttered, “Yeah, alright then.” Niall and Louis high-fived and the large grin on Zayn’s ruined his attempt at false begrudgery. Harry remained hesitant.

Louis moved to face him, standing closer than before. “Harry, don’t leave,” he pleaded softly. “I’ve got so much more to find out about you.”  

Harry scoffed. “There’s not much more to know,” he said, shrugging.

“Oh.” Louis gave him a playful grin. “I don’t believe that for a second.”

He couldn’t bite down his responding smile. “Okay,” he said finally. “Okay, yeah. I’d very much like to travel with you.” He felt himself blush at Louis’ delighted expression. “If you’ll have me.”

“Nah,” Niall joked, picking up his bag of chips once more. “Changed my mind now. Don’t want you anymore.”

He cackled when Louis shoved him, stumbling closer to the edge of the dock. “Shut up, you,” Louis laughed. “Welcome to the club, boys.” Harry stared as Louis let out a contented sigh. “Happy days.”

Chapter Text

Science is the captain

and practice the soldiers.

San Helios, Scorpion Nebula ~ 456 Siglon Quam

Liam crossed his arms over his chest to hide his trembling hands. He knew everybody was counting on him but he didn’t have a clue what to do. He couldn’t believe that this was happening to him on his first voyage as captain.

“Captain.” Third Mate Bora stepped up to his shoulder, as if reading his thoughts. “The swarm’s getting closer. What are your orders?”

He stared out of the viewscreen, grinding his teeth. He’d started with the company five years ago with dreams of running his own ship, having his own crew, and working his own commissions. He had spent so long reaching for success and working tirelessly to prove himself. Now, finally, he'd achieved something. ‘The Livonia’ was a simple trading ship but Liam had been filled with pride after being told she was his. His. Now it was all going to be for nothing. His ship, his crew and all the cargo were going to be destroyed. They’d be lost without a trace.

Liam locked his jaw and pushed those thoughts away. He had his crew to think of. He couldn’t give up, not without a fight.

He let out a steadying breath. If they couldn’t outfly the swarm, they could at least get the hell out of its way. “Are the upwards thrusters engaged?” he asked, trying to imbibe his voice with as much confidence as he could muster.

“No, all power’s focused on forward velocity.”

“Right.” Liam nodded, aware that everyone on the bridge was now watching him. “Redirect seventy percent of the power to the thrusters.”

“But we’ll lose forward momentum. Won’t they catch us?” Bora asked.

It felt to Liam like his lungs tightened on seeing Bora’s anxious face. The third mate was barely twenty-one. His face still held a hopeful, youthful roundness to it and his jaw was covered in only the lightest sprinkling of hair. Liam could still remember the first day he joined the company.

“Not if we go over the top of them,” he reassured, his voice rough. He hoped he came across as a leader and not the inexperienced crewman he felt like. “Go. Go, now.”

Bora nodded, already walking backwards out of the bridge. “Aye, Captain.”

Below them San Helios City was being ravaged. The glittering skyscrapers that Liam had been so excited to see were collapsing in clouds of billowing smoke. Already giant areas of the city had been transformed into vast seas of sand. As Liam watched he thought that most of the planet’s one billion population must already be dead. Reduced to dust.

The swarm of monsters speeding through the air behind them was gaining ground every second. If they caught up with the ship they would destroy it, just as they were destroying the world below.

The assignment had started out as any other. They’d only arrived in the city moments before the chaos started. They hadn’t even landed when the horde of invaders had appeared. The monsters had burst through the sky out of nowhere. Liam had initially thought that the swarm was just a cloud, just a storm they would have to weather. That was before the alarms started. Blaring noises began to ring throughout the city and people were running around on the ground, heading for cover. Liam hadn’t really understood the reason for their panic. Then he'd seen the rubble of buildings that had been standing proud mere moments ago. The swarm left dust in their wake, indiscriminate and universal in their killing. Liam had ordered a retreat within seconds and they’d fled for their lives.

He didn’t know what the swarm was, but he knew it was dangerous.

The crackling voice of the chief engineer came through the intercom. “Thrusters engaged, Captain. Ready on your word.”

There were seventeen souls on board ‘The Livonia’. Liam was going to save each and every one of them. There was no other option.

“Alright, Sahm. On three,” he said, voice echoing around the silent bridge. He watched as First Mate Hawon grabbed ahold of the control panel and signalled for the rest of the crew to do the same. “One.” He stepped closer to the wall and squared his feet to steady himself. “Two.” His eyes flicked to the rear viewscreen, where the swarm was approaching. It was close enough now that he could almost make out the individual bodies in the swirling mass of grey. “Three!”

Liam was pushed back as the ship shifted and shot upwards towards the twinkling dark sky. He kept one eye on the viewscreen, muttering under his breath as the swarm edged closer to them. His knuckles were white where he’d balled his hand into a tight fist. When the swarm finally reached them the ship wobbled a little, caught up in the pull of the mass below them. Liam narrowed his eyes, watching as the grey, shimmering mass moved underneath the ship. As a few echoing clangs sounded far away from them, Liam suspected a few individual members of the swarm may have collided with the hull. That was nothing, though. The ship could handle a few minor hits. They’d avoided the swarm and that was the main thing. They had survived.

“We did it.” He laughed in disbelief. “We did it.” He turned to his crew, most of whom were staring at him, as if waiting for his permission to be relieved. “Well done, men.”

The unabridged joy of the crew lingered for a few seconds only, when a metallic choking noise sounded throughout the ship. It filled the hearts of all the experienced crewman with dread. It was the sound of the engine stalling. There was a brief moment before the engine stopped where Liam’s lungs seemed to cease working altogether. Time stood still as he realised the reality that they were all going to die. “Brace yourselves,” was all he had time to shout out as the ship began to fall through the air. His stomach lurched and he pressed himself into the doorway of the bridge. The whole ship shook as it dropped, jarring his vision and rattling his skull. The planet below was now completely covered in sand, the swarm having done their job thoroughly. Liam hoped that the sand might provide them with a softer landing, that it might absorb the majority of the blow.

He scrunched his eyes shut to shield himself from the crash he knew was coming. He could hear his men screaming and yelling as the ship plummeted towards the ground. Hopefully they’d all be killed on impact, he thought in desperation. Even if anybody survived, what good would it do? On a now deserted planet with no power and dwindling supplies? He clenched his jaw as he heard one of his crewmen yell out for their captain. There was nothing he could do for them now.

The noise of the ship falling was getting louder and louder, filling his brain and vibrating through his body. The rushing in his ears was so loud that Liam couldn’t bear it anymore. Then there was nothing at all.

Northampton, England ~ 2020

Harry was tired. The couple in the flat above him had kept him up all night with their incessant arguing and disregard for the thinness of the block walls. It was funny to him that no matter how far in space and time he travelled, he could still rely on his neighbours to be continually annoying. He yawned and kicked his heels as he wandered around the dusty corridors of the town hall basement. He’d been down there for at least forty minutes now. He’d mumbled to Monica, the girl at the next desk along from him in the office, about going to find some old records. He was quite certain, though, that Monica had been too busy texting her boyfriend to notice him. Harry wouldn’t be surprised if nobody realised he was gone at all. He could probably stay down here for the rest of the day and his boss wouldn’t bat an eyelid.

Nothing had changed here, but Harry felt so different. He’d changed in the most undeniable way and yet no-one had mentioned a thing. He’d thought after travelling the universe with Louis, Niall and Zayn that everyone would know. That people would realise, instantly, that he wasn’t the same.

Each time he returned to work he would wait for someone to ask him what had caused his new found enthusiasm for life, but they never did.

If Harry was honest with himself, he couldn’t be sure it was the travelling that had changed him so much. In the past couple of months he’d spent with Louis, he was fairly sure he’d fallen head over heels in love with the man. The discovery had taken him by surprise one morning on the Tardis when he’d been up early. He’d stepped into the control room to find Louis leaning back on a chair. His feet were kicked up on the control panel and his attention focused on the book in his hand.

The light from the Tardis had dusted Louis’ cheeks in a warm glow and his eyes were crinkled as he laughed at an amusing passage. The light laughter had filled the room and Harry had known. In his heart he’d known; he loved this man. He loved being with him, he loved sharing stories with him, and he loved listening to him laugh. He loved him when he was loud, obnoxious, or vying for attention. He loved him when he was quiet, thoughtful, or scared. He loved him with every breath he took, and the realisation almost floored him.

Louis had spotted him a few seconds later. His eyes had flicked up from his book and a welcoming, “Good morning, young Harry,” had spilled from his lips. Harry had felt punch drunk for most of the following day, but had managed to get himself together well enough afterwards.

There was a niggling thought in the back of Harry’s mind though. It was one he couldn’t quite suppress; that Louis might feel the same way about him. It was a thought that made his stomach lurch and his heart skip a beat. The lingering looks, the tentative touches, the secret smiles. He was sure he wasn’t imagining it, but Louis was so alien, so unknown, that Harry was too scared to speak his true feelings. He couldn’t risk the time he spent with Louis, or with the others. He could settle on loving Louis from afar. He would have to.

So he was a coward in love. It was a story, Harry mused as he pushed open the old wooden door that led further into the basement. Not an original one; not one that would inspire sonnets, or move mountains, but a story nonetheless.

At that moment he heard the familiar whoosh of the Tardis materialising in front of him. He bit his lip and tried to push down the idiotic grin that he knew was creeping across his face. It would have been spooky that Louis appeared just when Harry was thinking of him. These days, though, Louis filled his thoughts every second of the day.

The Tardis door creaked open to reveal Louis’ impish face. “It’s strange, you know,” he said not bothering with a greeting. He stepped away from the door, Niall following behind him.

“What, you turning up uninvited?” Harry joked.

“I’m always invited, don’t lie to me.” Harry wondered if Louis knew just how right he was. The time lord continued, “No, it’s strange that I can just ask the Tardis to find you and she does. She shouldn’t be able to do that. It’s -” He frowned at Harry, who pushed his hair from his face, nervous under the scrutiny. “Strange.”

“I dunno, Louis. We hit it off.” Harry didn’t really understand what Louis was saying. The workings of the Tardis were far beyond him.

Louis hummed. “She does like you.”

“Well, good,” he preened, inexplicably pleased. “Did you want me for a particular reason?”

“Rhondium particles.”

Harry waited for further explanation. When none was forthcoming he gave a solemn nod. “But, of course.”

“They keep popping up and I want to track down the source. I think there could be a wormhole brewing. Niall reckons it’s a bad idea, don’t you?” Louis threw Niall and sideways glance. “I told him about it and he was all, ‘Remember the last time you messed with wormholes?’” Louis gave a rather poor imitation of Niall’s accent, though both Niall and Harry indulged him. “And I was all ‘Yes, I met my dear friend Zayn and my number one man Harry’ and besides, this is an entirely different type of wormhole.” Louis lent forward as if sharing a secret with Harry. His breath tickled Harry’s ear. “You see, Harry, Niall doesn’t understand the complex intricacies of it.”

“Oh, right,” Niall scoffed, perching on a dusty plastic crate by the wall. “And you know exactly what’s going on, do you?”

“Yes, Niall, I do. It may not always seem like it, but I do. So, you in?”

Harry smiled at the two of them, before sending Niall a small wave. “Hi, Niall.”

“Hello, Harry. How’ve you been? Your hair looks longer,” he said, nodded towards Harry’s head.

Harry shrugged. “Don’t think so, it’s only been a few days.”

Niall simply pulled a face before cracking a grin. “Must be because I missed you so much, then.”

“If you’re quite finished.”

They both turned towards Louis, who was waiting impatiently with his hands on his hips for Harry’s answer.

Though Harry knew already that he would say yes, of course he’d say yes, he held out a little while longer. Teasing Louis was always fun. “Are there aliens involved?” he asked, eyes narrowed.

Louis rolled his eyes. “There’s always aliens involved.” He flapped a hand towards his own face. “Me, for starters.”

Harry gave in and smiled at his boy. Louis could be his boy, even it was just in his head. “I’m at work,” he said. “I’ll have to tell them something.”

“Oh.” Niall stood up straight, taking a look around. “This is your work? It’s -” His eyes travelled over the dusty floor and mildewed walls. “Nice.”

Harry let out a weary sigh. “I don’t work in the basement, I’m just taking a break.”

“Right,” said Louis as he beamed. “Just tell them you’re ill or something. We’ll sneak a couple of days off, we can make a holiday of it!” He carried on grinning as Niall nodded encouragement.

Harry rested his back against the wall. He folded his arms and smirked at Louis. “Do you actually have holidays, though? Isn’t your life just one long holiday?”

“Sometimes you have to take a break from breaking, you know?” Louis replied, copying Harry’s pose with a grin.

“No. Not even a little.” He gave up. “Fine, I’ll say I’ve got a summer cold or something.” He pushed the door open back to the main building before he turned to the other two. “I’ll be ten minutes, tops. That alright?”

“Harold, darling boy. It’s a time machine,” Louis deadpanned as Niall cackled in the background. “Literally any time is okay.”

“Right.” As he tried to forcibly will away the blush rising up his neck he asked, “Is Zayn coming?”

“Uhuh,” Niall replied, voice still full of mirth. “We’re picking him up on the way.”

“On the way where?”

The glint in Louis’ eyes was undeniable as he whispered, gleefully, “To the hunt!”

Bristol, England ~ 1954

“I’m six in nineteen fifty-four,” Zayn commented as they strolled along the busy streets of the city centre. “What would happen? If I just took the train to my house now? Knocked on the door and said ‘hello’ to myself?”

“I wouldn’t recommend it, mate,” Louis warned.

“Why not?”

The four of them were looking rather conspicuous as they crossed the road. Harry tugged at his hoodie self-consciously, aware he was receiving some unwelcome glares. There was a little girl holding her mother’s hand ahead of them, pulling at her dress and openly pointing at all of Louis’ tattoos. Louis wasn’t helping matters as he held his ‘rhondium particle detector’ high over his head. The device beeped and whirred like something out of a bad sixties sci-fi film.

Louis remained blissfully unaware, however. “Because, time and shit, yeah?” he replied to Zayn. Harry snorted. Sometimes he found it hard to believe Louis called himself a scientist. “Haven’t you seen ‘Back to the Future’?”

“Um, no.” Zayn pouted, turning his shoulders to avoid a post box.

“Don’t think that came out until the eighties,” Harry chimed in.

Niall sent a confused expression over to Louis. “What’s ‘Back to the Future’?” he asked.

“Oh, nevermind,” Louis grumbled. “But you shouldn’t. You’d end up marrying your mother or something, cancelling out your own existence. The fabric of time would be destroyed. All the good stuff.” He shrugged.

“Oh, just the fabric of time,” said Harry lightly as he shared a smirk with Zayn. “Nothing too major, then.”

“Are you a sailor?” The high pitched voice came from around knee height and all four men stopped on the pavement. Harry looked down to see the small girl that had been pointing at Louis earlier. Her dress was a pale green. Standing out against her dark brown hair, Harry thought she looked like a miniature snow white.

“Linda. Don’t talk to him.” A harassed looking woman came running up to them, her hands clutching at grocery bags.

“Mum! I want to see!” the little girl whined, staring up at Louis.

“It’s alright, pet.” Louis crouched down to her level. “I suppose I am a sailor,” he said, voice soft. “I do have a ship.”

“Linda. Stay away.” Harry frowned as he watched the little girl’s mother eyeing the group of them in distaste. He tried to flatten down his hair.

“Where do you sail to? Have you been to Spain?” The little girl had a look of awe on her face, as if Spain was as far away as the moon.

“I have been to Spain. I’ve sailed all over the world.” A grin had started to spread across Louis’ face. Harry could tell he was about to begin a delightful adventure story. “Do -”

“Linda!” the mother interrupted. “Come here!”  

The little girl was pulled away by her mother. As she went she let out a sad, “Bye, bye.”

“Ta-ra, love.” Louis waved as he stood up, dusting off his jeans. Meanwhile Harry was hosting a civil war inside his body. His heart and his head were fighting, and they were fighting dirty. Images of Louis with their daughter were flashing through his brain; a little girl with dirty blonde curls, blue eyes and dimples, giggling as Louis played with her. But Louis wasn’t interested, he told himself. If Louis was, he would have done something about it by now.

Harry hadn’t even realised they’d resumed walking until Niall asked in a groan, “Are we just gonna be walking around all day, waiting for that thing to go off?”

Louis stopped abruptly, raising his arms in despair. “If you can think of a better way, great and powerful leader, I’m all ears -”

“Why don’t we catch the bus?” Niall waved his hand at the bus stop a few metres from where they’d stopped. “We would cover more ground that way.”

Louis stared at him for a moment, frozen, before relenting. “Fine. You’re paying my fare, mind.”

“I don’t have any money on me.”

“You think I do?” Louis scoffed.

They both looked to Harry. “Sorry,” he said. “I think they’re still on shillings and half pennies. I haven’t got a clue how it works.”

“Zayn?” Niall tried.

He and Louis both turned to Zayn, who pulled a face. “Don’t look at me. I was all for decimalisation. Cashed in all my old money, didn’t I?”

Niall gave Louis a nudge with his elbow. “Time for the old psychic paper, don’t you think?” He winked at Louis several times, making it seem as if he had a nervous twitch. When Louis didn’t react he ended up laughing at himself.

As a bus arrived and they started to board, they got a good look at the conductor. Louis hesitated. “I don’t think this guy has enough imagination for psychic paper,” he muttered to the other three. Spinning around on the balls of his feet, he approached the driver’s box. “Good morning. I’m afraid, idiots that we are, we left the house this morning and we all forgot our wallets, would you believe it?” Louis laughed. The conductor looked to Harry very much like he wouldn’t believe it. “Anywho,” Louis continued, clearing his throat. “The trouble is, my friends and I really need to get to, um, to the end of the line.”

“Pay up, or get off,” the conductor grumbled, patience clearly running thin.

“Yes, well, I thought you might say that. How -” Louis stuffed his hand in his jacket pocket and pulled out a handful of glittering jewels. “Do you feel about diamonds?” Harry swore he could hear Zayn’s jaw drop behind him.

Once the bus had set off once more with them all safely aboard, Harry gave Louis a small shove on the seat next to him. “Why do you have diamonds on you?” he exclaimed.

Louis looked baffled. “I have to keep them somewhere.”

“Jesus,” Zayn huffed as he took his seat next to Niall.

Niall leaned forward to rest his arm on Louis’ shoulder. “Got any more?” he asked with a grin. “I can look after them.”

“No you bloody can’t.” Louis flicked Niall’s arm away and turned his focus to the rhondium particle detector.

Harry took the chance to rest and get a good look at the other passengers on the bus. The gentle drone of Niall and Zayn’s muted conversation sounded in his ear. He smiled and took in the nineteen fifties atmosphere.

A couple sat across the way from them. They must have been in their late fifties, the woman’s carefully styled hair and the man’s immaculately tied tie clear to see. They reminded Harry of his granddad, who wore a suit and tie until the day he died. There was a girl sitting on the seat furthest back. Her blonde hair was pinned back and she wore a tight fitting sweater, with a long pencil skirt. Harry smiled. With her bright red lipstick contrasting with her white skin, she looked just like the classic movie stars from the films his mum loved watching. The only other person on the bus was a boy. Harry reckoned he must have been in his teens still, with long limbs and scruffy brown hair.  He looked to be utterly engrossed in the book he was reading. Squinting, Harry looked closer and saw that it was ‘The Day of the Triffids’.

He went to say to Louis about how that book had given him nightmares in his early teens. He was distracted, however, when the rhondium particle detector started beeping.

“Oh, boys. We’ve got some excitation here,” Louis announced in triumph. He narrowed his eyes, searching the bus as he muttered, “I’m picking up something very odd.”

“You’re odd,” Harry said under his breath. He sent Zayn an appreciative smile when the other man laughed.

“Shush, Harold.”

Niall leaned forward, pointing at the device. “The little dish thing is going ‘round. Is that good?”

“I think so,” Louis said, a frown on his face.

At that moment the woman across the way from them let out a gasp, her dark skin taking on a dull pallor. She sent a frightened glance at the four boys and grabbed her partner’s hand. Harry couldn’t imagine what had riled her. He wondered, not for the first time, if they looked overly intimidating to the average nineteen fifties person.

Louis hummed, still frowning at the device in his hand.

“What?” Zayn asked, clearly weary of the answer.

“Might -” Louis bit his lip and said slowly, “Might want to hold on.”

Niall sat up straight, grabbing the back of their seat. “Why? What have you done?”

“It’s not me, just -” He turned to face the rest of the bus and shouted, “Everyone! Hold on!”

Seconds later Harry was blinded by a bright light flooding through every window. He slammed his eyes shut and felt Louis grab his arm as the bus jolted forward. He was slung back in their seat. The yells of the other passengers joined together to form a wave of panic, crashing around him. Just as quickly, the bus came to a halt and Harry was shoved forward, the metal rail of the seat in front colliding painfully into his chest.  

“We’re alive. Nobody panic, we’re definitely alive.” Niall’s voice was a calming balm after the sharp shock moments before. “I think. Crikey,” he added, though Harry was sure the strangers on the bus couldn’t hear him.

Louis studied the landscape outside. “Lads,” he said, eyes still gazing out of the window. “I’ve a feeling we’re not in Bristol anymore.”

Once Harry opened his eyes, he had to agree. The world outside was covered in sand, as far as the he could see. Great waves of gold rose against the horizon and the sky above was a burning, cloudless orange. He couldn’t see any signs of life at all. They were completely alone.

“Yeah, Dorothy?” Zayn croaked from behind them, flicking Louis’ neck. “What was your first clue?”

As Niall and Zayn stood up to head outside, Louis sent Harry a smirk. It was like he knew that it was all just a game, Harry thought. Like he knew for sure that this was just part of their adventures, and not the end of them.

Louis made a move to go outside as well. As he went to follow, Harry overheard the couple beside them talking.

“We should get out too,” the man said, voice rough with age. “We can’t stay on board this thing.”

The woman who had looked so scared before replied, “I’m not going out there. They’re calling, all around us. The voices are crying.”

Harry stopped to linger, pretending to read his mobile.

“What voices, sweetheart?”

“The dead,” she answered. “We’re surrounded by the dead.”

With that Harry hastened to step off the bus. What was that woman talking about? There was nobody else around for miles, let alone any dead people. The other woman and the boy from the bus and joined them all outside as they stared at the long stretch of sand ahead of them

“It’s impossible,” the boy spoke up, eyes to the sky. “There are three suns.” He turned to the group. “Three of them.”

“We’re on another world,” said Niall, simply.

Harry shrugged at the boy and pulled off his hoodie. He was sweltering under the blaze of the three suns. He spotted Louis pulling at his own woollen jumper a few metres away.

“Why don’t you take it off?” he asked. He ignored the amused grin Niall had directed at him.

Louis gave his head a small shake. “Maybe later.”

When Louis turned away again Zayn came up to Harry’s side. “Oh, Louis,” he mocked under his breath, voice high and simpering. “Why don’t you take off your jumper, Louis? Show us some skin, Louis.”

Harry shoved him. “Shut up.”

Zayn simply laughed as the conductor approached. He’d done a circuit around the bus and inspected the damage.

“Still intact,” he announced, sweat patches already emerging on his shirt. “The chassis’s still holding together. The boss won’t be pleased, I can tell you that for nothing.”

“Can you still drive it?” the woman asked. It was the first time she’d spoken and Harry was surprised to hear a geordie accent tint her words.

The conductor gave her a quick look up an down. Harry noticed her bring her arm across her front in an awkward manner and he took a few steps closer. “Oh, no sweetheart,” the conductor laughed. “The wheels are stuck. Don’t know what they teach you in those secretarial classes, but wheels ain’t no good if they’re two feet in sand.”

The woman lifted her chin a little and thinned her lips. Harry looked over at Louis who was pulling a very sour face at the conductor.

Niall shifted his feet in the sand. “Bit of a nasty jar, ain’t it?”

“Did you do this?” the boy asked, his eyes narrowed in Louis’ direction. “You had that thing.” He pointed to the rhondium particle detector still clutched in Louis’ hands. “Did you make this happen?”

“No!” Louis gave an outranged squeal. “If you must know, we were tracking the wormhole, alright? But it was tiny! Suddenly it just got massive and we drove right through it!”

“But where is it, then?” the conductor grunted.

Louis scowled at the other man. It was funny, Harry had never seen him take so poorly to anyone who wasn’t actively trying to kill him before. “Alright.” Harry watched as Louis picked up a handful of sand and threw it in the air, behind where the bus was stuck. The air wobbled where the sand hit and, in the blink of an eye, it was gone. “We drove through that.”

“What is it?” the woman asked, eyes wide in shock.

“A door through space. Bristol’s on the other side.”

“Well then,” the conductor huffed. “What are we waiting for?” He scrambled towards the point where the sand had disappeared, his legs vanishing in the unstable ground.

“No,” Louis yelled after him. “No, don’t!”

Niall went to follow, arm outstretched. “Mate, stop!”

They were too late, though. Harry winced as the conductor ran through the wormhole, the air shimmering as he made contact. It was as if they were watching him through an x-ray machine. His screams washed over them and he became a pile of bones on the floor, vanishing just as the sand had done.

Niall ran his hands through his hair and let out a groan. The woman had both hands pressed to her mouth and the boy’s skin had become even paler.

Harry whined when Zayn hit him hard in the ribs. He grabbed at his side and pouted at the other man. “Why?”

“That,” he pointed to the empty space that used to be the conductor. “Is what could’ve happened to you, when you jumped through that wormhole in your flat.”

“What?” Harry squawked. “That was ages ago, why am I getting hit now?”

“Because I only just realised how stupid you were for doing it.”

“Worked out fine in the end, though. Different kind of wormhole.”

“That’s not the point.” Zayn had a stern look on his face, Harry thought it best not to argue the point any further.

Once everyone had taken a moment to recover, the boy asked, quietly, “What happened?”

Louis sighed. His skin had started to glisten in the heat. “It was the bus,” he said, waving his hands towards the vehicle. “Look at the the damage. It was protecting us, like a great big box of metal.”

“Like in a storm, right?” said Harry, nodding. “The safest place is inside a car.”

Though Louis nodded back, the woman let out a whimper. “But if we can only travel inside the bus?” she despaired. “We have to drive nine tons of bus, currently stuck in the sand, with no equipment?”

“That’s about the lot of it,” Louis replied. He gave a grim smile, his eyes reduced to narrow slits. “Right. Back inside, I reckon.”

“Is it safe in there?” the boy asked, walking quickly at Louis’ side as they all moved back to the bus.

Louis pulled a face. “I don’t know about safe, but if it’s a choice between baking in there and roasting out here.” He turned to the boy. “I think baking’s slower, don’t you?”

Harry couldn’t help but chuckle at the boy’s horrified expression. Nonetheless, he was similarly anxious about how they were planning to escape. He’d gotten rather used to that feeling, though, travelling with Louis. He was rather alarmed to find he might be growing immune to it.

Inside the bus the heat had become stuffy and cloying. He planted himself on the luggage rack. His legs dangled off the floor as Louis began to swivel on the spot. “Niall,” he shouted. “Niall, where - Oh, right.” He pushed his hair out of his face as Niall stopped beside him. “You’re good at people. So.” He made a shooing motion with his hands. “Team integration. Go.”

Niall went wide eyed before he cleared his throat and stepped in front of Louis. “Right.” He smiled politely at the worried faces ahead of him. “Introductions would be handy. I’m Niall Horan, nice to meet you.” The four other passengers made vague mumbled greetings at him. “This is Lou-”

“The Doctor,” Louis interrupted. “Er, my name is the Doctor. Hello, everyone.” He gave a toothy smile.

“‘The Doctor’?,” the boy scoffed, clearly bewildered. “That’s not a name, that’s ridiculous.”

Louis raised his eyebrows and folded his arm, gearing up for a fight. “Oh, yeah? What’s your name, then?”

“Austin,” the boy replied, leaning forward in his seat. “Austin Asher.”

“Well, Austin, I think your name’s stupid. So there.”

Before Louis could resort to sticking his tongue out, Harry stepped in. “Hey, now. Play nice.” Louis pouted at him, but remained silent.

Niall eyed them for a little while before continuing. “Okay, so this curly haired vision is Harry Styles.” Harry waved, ducking his head to hide a smirk. “And next to him is Zee - Zayn. His name’s Zayn Malik.” Harry watched as Niall pursed his lips. Zayn nodded to the other passengers.

The woman stood up. “I’m Rosalind Tamtun.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Everyone calls me Tams.”

Finally the so far reserved couple introduced themselves. “My name’s Eugene Walton,” the man spoke. He laid a supportive hand on his partners shoulder and wrist. “And this is Bertha, my wife.”

“Good.” Niall clapped his hands and raised his shoulders. “Well. Remember those, might test you later,” he joked. Only Zayn huffed out a slight laugh. “We’ve got ourselves into a bit of bother, but Louis here is going to help us out.”

“Thought he said his name was The Doctor?” Austin piped up.

Louis pointed an outstretched finger at him. “It is to you.” He looked around the carriage before speaking again. “So, the wormhole. Just an accident. Bit of a bugger, but that’s life.”

“No, it wasn’t.” Harry leant forward so he could see Bertha’s face as she whispered, “It’s a doorway. Someone made it for a reason.”

Louis didn’t dismiss her, instead he seemed intrigued. “Did they now? How do you know?”

Eugene beamed at the other passengers. “She’s got a gift,” he said. “Ever since she was little, she can just tell things.”

Harry flicked his eyes to Louis, wondering how he would react. “There’s an age old test for this. Never fails.” Louis stood up straight. From where Harry was standing, he could see he had three fingers raised behind his back. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Three,” Bertha replied almost instantly. Harry bit his lip and gave Niall a sideways glance. The other man was staring, a small frown on his face. “One,” Bertha continued, as Louis changed his fingers. “Four, three.”

Louis grinned. “Nice. Low level psychic ability.” He stepped closer to her. “What’s out there, Bertha?” he asked. “What can you see?”

Bertha was silent for a moment as she looked out across the vast waves of sand. “Something is coming. Riding on the wind, shining.”

Zayn’s voice was rough when he asked, “What?”

“Death. Death is coming.”

There was a pause before Niall joked. “Thank Christ. I was worried it was something bad.” He grinned over at Harry, who felt immediately relieved. Of course she wasn’t serious. Niall didn’t believe her, neither would Harry.

The other passengers broke out in a wave panic, however. “We’re going to die?” Austin squealed. “We can’t die out here, nobody will find us.”

“Will we be bones, like the conductor?” Tams asked in a shaky voice.

It wasn’t helped when Berthe added, in raised tones, “It’s coming straight for us.”

“Alright, alright.” Louis tried to get them to calm down, to no avail. Eventually he sent Zayn a look and the other man put two fingers to his lips, whistling loudly. Quiet settled on board the bus. “Thank you, Zayn,” Louis sighed. “Alright, nobody is going to die if I’ve got anything to do with it, yeah?” He took a seat on the front row of the bus. “You lot all have lives, right? Family, friends?”

Tams leaned forward, fingers clutched tightly around the rail of the seat in front. “I just moved here,” she said, voice tense. “Nobody would even notice -”

“What were your plans for today? Where were you going?”

Tams blinked. “I -” she started. “I wanted to see if they had the new Frankie Laine LP in the shops.”

“Well then.” Louis sent her a winning smile. “What’s better than that? You’re still gonna get to listen to that album. Because that planet out there, all three suns, wormholes and alien sand, that planet is nothing.” He stood up and making eye contact with each passenger in turn. “You hear me? Nothing, compared to all those things waiting for you.” He looked at Harry, Niall and Zayn and smiled. He turned his smile to Tams and said, “Family and friends and music. I promise I'm going to get you home.”

She nodded, though Harry notice her fingers were still twisted in her lap.

“What’s that?” Zayn interrupted, squinting out of the window.

Harry moved across the aisle to look at where he was pointing, spotting the dark outline of a person on the horizon. “Who’s that?”

“That is more of the unknown,” Louis mumbled. “At least we’re not bored.”

Harry, Louis, Niall and Zayn all left the bus to get a closer look at the man making his way towards them across the dunes. As he got closer, it became obvious he was ready for combat. He had heavy duty body gear on and his features were set in a scowl. Louis stepped in front of Harry, though Harry could still see over his shoulder.

“Alright, there?” Louis asked, deliberately casual.

The man stopped a few metres in front of them. He took several deep breaths, eyeing the bus behind. “My name’s Captain Liam Payne,” he said, his voice dry and scratchy. “And, I’m sorry, but I need to commandeer your vehicle.” Harry felt Louis tense as the stranger pulled a formidable looking gun from his side and raised it at them. “Right now.”

Chapter Text

San Helios, Scorpion Nebula ~ 456 Siglon Quam

“I mean, at least he’s polite?” said Harry. He grimaced and sent a wary glance over Zayn’s shoulder to look at Captain Payne.

Although the Captain hadn’t objected when they’d gathered to talk tactics, he still had his gun trained on them. Harry might not have been an expert in these matters, but was confident that Captain Payne wasn’t going to kill them. He had kind eyes.

“He’s not polite, Harry,” Louis snapped. “He’s pointing a gun at us.”

Harry huffed. “But he said he was sorry.”

“And he’s not shooting at us right now,” Niall added.

Louis sent him a betrayed look. “Niall! Whose side are you on?”

“Give him a chance.” Louis turned to Zayn as he spoke. They regarded each other for a moment before Louis let out a dramatic sigh.

“Why am I the bad guy? I’m just - Fine.” He spun around, sympathetic smile plastered on his face. “Captain Payne, was it?” he asked. The Captain gave his head a minute nod. “I’m afraid we can’t give you our bus. We need it to get home. But my friends think you seem alright.” Louis held his hands out in a question. “Is there another way to help?”

Captain Payne faltered for a moment. The hand holding his gun dropped so it was pointing at the sand covered ground and Harry felt everyone around him relax. The Captain had a slight frown on his face and it made him look almost childlike in his confusion. His white cheeks looked sunburnt and were glistening with sweat. With all that body gear, Harry wasn’t surprised. His heavy boots were sinking into the sand. Now he could get a closer look, however, it was obvious that his gear had taken a beating, rips and dents covering his body. Harry wondered whether he was in the military, taking in his brown hair, cropped close to his scalp.

“Help?” Captain Payne finally answered. “You - You want to help? You don’t want to capture me?”

“Capture you?” Louis laughed. “No. I thought you wanted to capture us?”

Captain Payne let out a similarly nervous chuckle. “No, just thought it would be good to strike first,” he said, scratching the back of his head in an embarrassed manner.

Louis smiled even wider. “That’s charming, that. What a fantastic strategist you are,” he mocked.

Harry stepped forward, whacking Louis on the chest lightly. “Don’t be rude, Louis.”

Louis grabbed his arm and whined, “Tell him to put his gun away, then!”

“Would you mind?” Zayn asked, nodding towards the gun still resting in the Captain’s hand.

“Sure,” Captain Payne started. “Sorry, I -” He struggled to get his gun back in its holster. “Sorry,” he said again. “I’ve had a really bad day. My entire crew was killed this morning.”

Harry, Louis, Niall and Zayn all exchanged looks. Niall kicked his feet in the sand and muttered, “Sorry to hear that, mate. All the more reason to help us get out of here, yeah?”

Liam nodded, his posture solemn. “Right. I’m Liam. I already said that, didn’t I?”

“Captain Liam, yeah,” Louis stepped forward with an extended hand. “I’m the Doctor.”

Niall followed suit. “He’s Louis. I’m Niall. This is Zee,” he said, clapping Zayn’s shoulder after he released Liam’s hand.

“Zayn.” Zayn smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Harry,” Harry greeted, shaking Liam’s hand as well. He tried not to flinch at Liam’s firm grip, especially as the other man appeared to be putting in little to no effort.

“His name’s Harold,” Louis staged whispered from beside him.

Liam’s eyes crinkled in confusion as he looked around at them all. “You guys do actually know each other, yeah?” he asked.

“Yeah!” Harry shouted out, reaching out to pull the other four close to him. “For ages. Like ‘The A-Team’, aren’t we?” he said, squeezing Louis’ shoulder.

Louis squinted up at him. “If you say so, Face.” Harry preened.

“Right,” Liam replied, clearly still confused. “It’s just, you don’t seem to have each other’s names down yet?”

Louis shrugged and stepped forward to stand at Liam’s shoulder. Harry tried to ignore the empty space next to him. “It’s a delicate issue.” Louis dismissed. “You’re crew was all killed, you say? That’s a bit shitty.”

Zayn let out a loud scoff. “Louis,” he admonished. “A little more sensitivity wouldn’t go amiss.”

“He said it first!”

“I - Yeah.” Liam looked down at the ground for a second with a grimace. “My ship crashed. Got taken down by the swarm.” He shrugged, as if he wanted them to see how unaffected he was. Harry didn’t believe it for a second.

“The swarm?” Niall asked, his accent sounding bizarrely alien to Harry, on this strange planet. “What’s -” He was interrupted, however, before he could get an explanation.

Eugene shouted out from the doorway of the bus. “Doctor? Is it safe?”

They all turned to see Eugene, Bertha, Tams and Austin gathered near the door, sending Liam curious and cautious looks.

“Yes!” Louis shouted, jolly once more. “It’s not death. It’s just the good Captain.” He grinned over to the passengers and waved at them to come and join the group.

“Captain? Captain of what?” Tams asked as they approached.

Harry heard Austin mutter under his breath, “Doctor, Captain. Have the bloody Queen out here next.”

“Oh.” Liam nodded a greeting to the other passengers as they gathered around. “My ship. ‘The Livonia’.”

“The late Livonia,” Louis added.

A pained expression travelled across Liam’s face as he said, “Yes, right.”

“So.” Louis clapped his hands together and took a few steps back to address the group. “All hands on deck. Isn’t that right, Cap?” He grinned at Liam and Harry forced himself not to scowl. Louis was allowed to meet new people and make new friends. It was fine. “Let’s get this bus moving again and get us all back where we should be!”

~

“Here we go,” Austin said breathlessly as he laid one of the seat backs from the bus out on the sand in front of them.

“That’s great that, Austin,” Niall replied, surveying the growing pile of seat backs in front of him. “Once we’ve got the rest out, we can lay a flat surface between the bus and the wormhole, see?” He turned to where Louis, Harry and Liam were watching their work. “Like duckboards. We can just reverse into it.”

“Nice work, Nialler,” Louis exclaimed, appreciatively.

Liam hummed. “If you let some air out of the tyres, just a little, it’ll spread the weight of the vehicle better.” He pointed to the the wheels of the bus, deep in the sand. “It’ll give us some better grip against the sand.”

“Oh,” Louis gasped, eyes twinkling. “Captain, that’s good.”

Niall had to laugh at the quietly panicked expression on Harry’s face when Louis and Liam carried on talking excitedly. As much as Niall loved Harry, the guy could be completely oblivious sometimes. As if Louis had eyes for anybody but him.

At that moment Zayn shouted from inside the bus. “Oi! We can’t find the keys.”

Eugene appeared beside Zayn with a disgruntled look on his face. “How are we supposed to drive this thing without the keys?”

Niall grinned as Tams rolled her eyes. “Buses don’t have keys, you amateurs.” She pushed herself off the sand and headed towards the bus. “They have a master switch. One button to start, another to stop.”

Eugene and Zayn both looked at her, blankly and Niall grinned again at Tams’ exasperated sigh. She was proper bit of frock; smart, practical and with a nice smile. Maybe Niall could convince Louis to let her travel with them for a bit, after this was all done.

“Oh, good grief.” Tams shook her head. “Never mind, I’ll do it.”

“You’ll drive the bus?” Austin laughed. “Do you even know how?”

“Did I not just explain precisely how? Besides, I used to work on a farm. I drove the tractors all the time.” She shrugged. “Same principal.” As she climbed aboard the bus she announced, “Step aside gentleman.” Niall spotted Harry laughing at Zayn’s raised eyebrows.

After Austin, Harry, Liam and Zayn had finished laying down the seat backs on the sand, Niall nodded to Louis. Louis gave an excited clap and sent a thumbs up to the cab of the bus.

Several minutes later though and the bus was still struggling to free itself from its sandy prison.

“This is painful to watch,” Zayn muttered under his breath. Niall hummed in agreement as Harry fidgeted beside him. It felt to Niall like they had to wait another age before the back wheels of the bus rose up. He grabbed both Harry and Zayn’s arms in excitement. His eyes were trained on where the wheels were inching their way onto the laid out seat backs.

Just as he heard Eugene let out a celebratory yell, the bus emitted a loud, clunking sound and the engine died. They all froze as Tams tried to start the bus again, though all Niall could hear was the grating crash of broken metal.

“Oh,” came Tams’ voice from inside the bus.

“‘Oh’?” Louis asked, looking at Niall with a with a worried expression. “Good ‘oh’, or bad ‘oh’?”

“Bad ‘oh’,” said Tams, voice wavering. “Definitely a bad ‘oh’.”

Louis groaned, turning his face to the still orange sky. “Shit. How bad?”

“Bad. As in, we’re out of petrol bad.”

“Fucking shit. Sorry, Bertha.” Louis grimaced at Bertha’s stern glare. “Just, damn it.”

“If we’re out of petrol,” Austin said. “Even if we get the wheels free, it’s useless.” The younger boy didn’t even look annoyed at any of them anymore, just distressed.

Bertha placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder before facing Louis. “You promised you’d get us home, Doctor.”

“That I did.” Louis nodded. He continued to stare at the ground for a moment. Niall shared a look with Harry. They both knew that Louis was thinking rapidly, coming up with another plan to save them. “Captain,” Louis exclaimed, making Liam jump. “Exactly how much of your ship’s left in tact?”

Niall couldn’t help but grin. It hadn’t even taken Louis ten seconds to think something up. “Got a plan, Lou?”

“Maybe.” Louis smiled, coyly. “The beginning of one, at least. Captain?”

“The framework’s still pretty sturdy,” Liam replied. “Why?”

“I think we might need to go scavenging.”

Liam frowned for a moment before his face broke into a smile. It made him look years younger. “Oh,” he said, comprehending. “I think we might.”

~

Harry, Louis, Niall and Zayn set off following Liam back to the wreckage of his ship. The others had been charged with guarding the bus. Louis had said to Harry that he didn’t think Eugene, Bertha or Austin were really up to it and he needed Tams to take charge of them. Harry didn’t disagree. Of all the people he’d met on their adventures, those three had placed somewhat far down the rankings. Though he felt mean thinking it.

Not Liam, however. Liam was certainly pushing for top. As much as it pained Harry to admit, the Captain had proven himself pretty invaluable so far. And Niall and Zayn liked him, too.

“Alright, Harry?” Louis asked, knocking shoulders with him as they walked.

“Yeah.” Harry took in Louis’ rosy cheeks and bright eyes.  “Why you looking so happy? We’re stranded.”

“Minor crisis,” Louis dismissed. “Besides I’m with my boy, aren’t I? So I know it’ll be fine.” Harry gaped for a moment, completely at a loss on how to respond. Luckily, Louis didn’t notice. “Can I borrow your phone?” he asked.

“Er, yeah.”

Niall let out an obnoxious whistle as Harry handed it over. “Oh, Harry’s letting someone touch his phone. Pigs’ll be flying next.”

Harry flicked a pile of sand at the other man with his shoe. “Shush.”

“Don’t make fun, Niall,” Louis muttered, before bringing the phone to his ear. “Listen, it’s the Doctor. It’s me,” he said after a few moments had passed. “It’s about the missing bus in Bristol, you must’ve been alerted by now?”

“Who’s he talking to?” Zayn asked Harry, squinting against the suns’ rays.

Harry shrugged. “Dunno.”

“Yeah. I was on the bus. Apart from that, we don’t really know much, except that where we are is very pretty and pretty dangerous.” As Louis spoke he looked Harry up and down and wiggled his eyebrows. Harry felt the blood rushing to his face as Niall snorted. Louis giggled, apparently please with the reaction. “No, I’m not laughing at - I’m taking this very seriously.” He bit his lip and Harry assumed he was getting told off. He wondered at the calibre of person on the other end, who had the guts to do so. “Look, we’re stuck here and I don’t have the Tardis with me. I need to analyse the wormhole.” There was a pause for a while and Louis began to smirk. “Reading my files? What was your favourite? Giant robot?” Harry watched as Zayn sent a threatening glare over to Louis, wiping the smile of his face. “No, right. Let’s sort out this wormhole first. Er, I need a complete full range analysis and a capacity scan. A full report, yeah?” He nodded again before rounding off the conversation. “Call me back when you’ve done it. Ciao.”

He handed Harry back his phone while mouthing the word ‘ciao’, like he hadn’t meant to say it.

“Who was that?” Harry asked, as they started to descend a rather steep sand dune.

“U.N.I.T.”

Niall laughed. “And who are they?”

“Unified Intelligence Taskforce,” Louis responded, succinctly.

Zayn sighed, trying to slow himself down as he headed downhill. “It’s gonna be one of those days, isn’t it? What’s the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, Louis?”

Louis grunted. “It’s a military body, designed to, I suppose, investigate extraterrestrial threats to earth.”

“Oh?” said Harry. He’d never heard of anything like that existing back on earth.

“Yeah.” If Harry didn’t know better, he’d say Louis looked a little uncomfortable. “I, er, I worked with them for a little bit, actually. In the seventies.”

“Louis!” Niall cackled. He raised a hand to shield his eyes and grinned at Louis. “You ain’t a swaddy?”

“Ni, I honestly have no idea what that means.”

“Are you a soldier?”

“No! No, no.” There was a slight pause before Louis relented. “Maybe,” he said. “Yes, a little bit. I - I used to be.” Zayn let out a low whistle. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“No, it’s fine,” Niall reassured, hands raised defensively. “You just never said.”

Louis shrugged, his hands stuffed in his pockets. “Allow a man a few secrets, would you. It’s not that important.”

“No,” Harry said. “But it’s nice to know things about you. Makes you seem more human.” It was true. It was odd to think of Louis having a life before him, or before Niall at least. Objectively Harry knew he had done. It always felt like a privilege when Louis spoke about it, though, it was so rare that he did.

“But I’m not.”

Harry gave Louis an unimpressed look. “You know what I mean.”

Louis smiled again. “Yeah, I do. But you know,” he said, voice clear. “I’ve got a lot of past. A thousand years of it. You’ll never get to know every detail, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Harry narrowed his eyes, trying to work out exactly what Louis meant. “I know that,” he murmured. “Just, little bits and pieces. They’re like a little surprise present that I didn’t know I was getting.”

“Alright,” Louis sighed. He gazed at Harry for a while before giving him a fond smile. “You daft thing.”

The group of them continued to walk through the sun-warmed sand for a few more minutes before Liam asked, in his friendly voice, “What are you then, if not human?”

“Time lord,” said Louis, voice soft.

Liam’s eyebrows flew up his forehead. “Get away!” he gasped. “That’s amazing.”

“Thank you, Captain. Good to know someone appreciates me,” he teased, shooting Niall a significant look. “How about yourself? You’re not human, for sure.”

“I’m framaan, from Pangier.”

“Oh.” Harry looked over at Louis’ awkward tone. “Well, no,” Louis continued. “Pangier. Lovely place, just lovely.”

Liam scoffed as Louis stifled a laugh. “Shut up.”

“What?” Zayn asked.

“It’s not lovely at all,” Liam said, turning to Zayn. “It’s just rocks. Rocks everywhere. It’s why I wanted to go into trade, you know?” He pulled his heavy duty jacket closer around his chest. “Get to travel.”

“Trade?” Harry asked. “So you’re not a soldier, then?”

“Oh, no.” Liam frowned. “Captain of a trading ship, nothing more interesting I’m afraid.”

Louis spoke up. “So, what happened to your ship?”

“Well, we were here for a trade visit -”

“Who were you gonna trade with?” Niall interrupted, and he spread his arms to indicate the vast emptiness around them. “There’s nobody else here.”

“There was,” Liam replied, clearly now keen to tell them the story. “This is San Helios, one of the largest settlements in the Scorpion Nebula.”

“This is San Helios?” Louis scowled, eyes raking over the sand surrounding them. “But, that’s over one hundred billion people. What - Oh, blimey. What happened?”

“The swarm,” Liam said, simply. “I don’t know what it was exactly, just this hive of destruction.” He shrugged. “Brought the entire city, the entire planet down.”

“Where’s the rubble?” Niall questioned. “I don’t understand?”

“It’s the sand. My ship only made it by flying over the swarm. Then the engine cut out.”

“What, you’re saying that the entire city; the buildings, wildlife, the hundred billion people -” Louis stopped in his tracks and turned to Liam. “You’re saying they’ve all been reduced to sand?”

Liam nodded and Harry baulked. “I’m sorry,” he croaked. “So we’re standing in dead people right now?” Nobody deigned to answer him.

“What could destroy an entire city?” Zayn asked. He appeared to be completely in awe of Liam’s story.

“I don’t know.” As they resumed walking once more Liam asked Louis, “Doctor, I was hoping you might have the answer.”

“Call him Louis,” Niall groaned.

Liam gave Louis a discerning look before saying, “You look like you’re going somewhere important, all dressed up.” He waved his arm at Louis’ black jeans. “But then you’ve got trainers on. Like you’re expecting trouble to run from.”

Louis smirked, Harry could tell he was pretty pleased with the description Liam had given. “Not inaccurate. I like you, Captain. You can call me Louis.”

“I’ll call you Louis if you call me Liam. I’m not captain of anything anymore.” At that moment they reached the crest of another sand dune. Further down, the remnants of a large metal spacecraft were half buried in the sand. “There you go,” Liam said, pointing at the crash site. “The Livonia. In all her glory.”

They all stopped and stared for a moment. It was sad, Harry thought, to see such a large vessel so void of life. “Storms coming”, Niall said eventually, pointing to a dark grey cloud in the far distance. “Better get inside.”

Zayn squinted, staring at where Niall was pointing. “It’s shining, though. Like metal.” He turned to the group, alarmed. “Can a storm be metal?”

“That’s not weather,” Liam warned, sending a worried glance Louis’ way. “That’s the swarm. Hurry up.”

Liam took them a long way around the edge of the spacecraft before they were able to climb inside. Harry didn’t like to ask, but he was fairly sure Liam was taking them on a route that would avoid the bodies of his lost crewman.

Inside the ship was dark and damp. Although the main body of the ship was intact, it had taken a hell of a beating on the way down. Harry silently wondered how Liam managed to survive at all. Eventually they came to a control hub type room, with wires falling out of the walls on every side. Harry jumped back when a spark flew from the panel next to him. When Liam kicked the screen at the front, however, it still flickered to life. A blurry image of the sand banks outside filled the screen, tinted a little greener than Harry suspected it was supposed to.

“This is a bit grim,” Niall muttered, looking around the room with a crinkled nose.

Louis, however, was running his hands over the equipment in front of him. “Captain,” he said. “Liam. Do you have external probes here? Would they still work?”

Liam stepped up to Louis’ shoulder. “Don’t see why not, if they weren’t too damaged in the fall.” He flicked a few switches near Louis’ left hand. A light buzzing emanated throughout the room. As Liam didn’t appear overly worried Harry assumed the noise was a good thing.

“There you go,” said Liam, pleased.

“Nice. Can you send them into the swarm? We need to see what we’re facing here.”

“Sure thing.”

Harry felt his pocket vibrate and pulled out his phone. “Oh, Lou. I think it’s U.N.I.T. calling you back.”

Louis pulled a face and brought the phone to his ear. “Tell me the bad news,” he greeted. Harry shuffled his feet nervously as he watched Louis nod along to whatever the other person was saying. He bit his lip as Louis covered the microphone and said to him, “It’s getting bigger, the wormhole.” Harry ground his teeth. That surely couldn’t mean anything good. Speaking back into the phone Louis asked, “And the analysis results? Interesting. Okay, thanks a lot.” He chucked the phone back to Harry, who fumbled catching it.

“Alright?” Zayn asked, clearly wary of the answer.

“Not particularly, young Zayn. Not particularly. Liam!” he almost shouted. “Do we know how far away the swarm is yet?”

“A hundred miles away, or so,” Liam replied as he dusted of the display screen. “Should be here in twenty minutes, if they maintain current velocity.”

“They’re headed for the wormhole,” Louis muttered, as if to himself. “The analysis -” He turned to the group, gesticulating wildly. “They swarm out of the wormhole, strip the planet bare, then move on to the next planet.”

“So they made the wormhole?” Niall asked.

“Must’ve done. Yes, yes!” Louis exclaimed, as though it had just occurred to him. “You see? There’s billions of them in that swarm, travelling round and round the planet, faster and faster.” He gripped Harry’s shirt and pushed him to look at the screen, arm reaching out to guide Harry’s eyes. “They carry on until they generate a rupture in space. Yes! They’re heading directly towards the wormhole!”

There was a nervous tension in the air as Zayn said, “But how do they get through? We saw it, that wormhole kills things.”

“No, look.” Louis fiddled with the controls so that the image on the screen zoomed in on the swarm. Harry could now make out individual creatures. They were like stingrays, but with a shining silver skeleton wrapped around the outside of their skin. “See the exoskeleton,” Louis pointed out.

“Metal?” Harry puzzled.

Louis nodded. “They eat metal and extrude it into the exoskeleton. The perfect design,” he marvelled.

Harry bit his lip and turned to Louis for reassurance. “But, I mean, it’ll be fine though. I know that the earth doesn’t get turned to sand in nineteen fifty-four. It’s still standing. It just - It just doesn’t happen.”

“Well, no Harry, that’s not right.” Concern flickered across Louis’ blue eyes and Harry felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. “I know I told you about fixed points in time, that can’t be changed,” Louis continued, his fingers rubbing reassuring circles on Harry’s forearm. “But they’re pretty rare. Generally time’s in flux. It’s changing every second. The history of the the world can be rewritten.” Louis focused all his attention on Harry, as though the other man was nervous he might wither and disappear. “We’ll make sure it doesn’t, though, okay?”

A loud clanging interrupted Harry’s stilted nod.

Niall’s groan had a slightly hysterical edge to it. “What now?”

“You say the engine cut out?” Louis turned to Liam and the other three followed suit. “Did you figure out why?”

Liam shook his head. “No, I was more bothered about getting out of here, to be honest with you.”

“We might have a problem on our hands,” Louis grimaced while running a hand through his hair. Harry listened out for any more strange noises, but couldn’t make anything out.

“Just add it to the pile,” Zayn muttered in a resigned manner.

Liam pushed himself off the control panel and moved towards the door. “We should just get the crystal nucleus and get out again.” The four of them waited only for a second before following him down the corridor.

“Hang about, the crystal what? What’ve I missed here?” Zayn panted, as they ran to catch up with Liam.

“Crystal nucleus,” Louis clarified. “Better than petrol. We’ll be away in no time at all.” He kept having to push his hair back out of his face as he ran. Harry wondered how he could remain so adorable, even in the middle of a crisis.

Eventually Liam stopped running and they all crashed to a halt behind him. Harry stayed back as Liam crouched down at the edge of a metallic well in the middle of the room. “Here we are,” he said. “It’s down there, fallen to the bottom. Damn.” He squinted up at Louis with a dubious look on his face.

Louis was unruffled. “No problem at all,” he muttered, eyes traversing the small room in search of something. “I’ll figure out a way to open the access shafts. You lot stay here, watch the shaft.”

There was a brief pause before Harry blurted out, “That’s what he said.”

Niall’s cackle echoed around the room as Louis squealed, “What!?”

Harry’s eyes were wide as his gaze travelled over Liam and Zayn for help. When none was forthcoming he simply stuttered out, “Sorry. Nervous habit.”

Louis blinked several times, a faint blush creeping up his neck. “Just, stay away from the edge. You -” He pointed to the still cackling Niall. “Make sure he stays away from the edge.”

Once Louis was out of sight Harry hung his head in shame. He felt Zayn grip his shoulder. “Hey, being subtle wasn’t working. You had to bring out the big guns sooner or later.”

He responded with a strangled groan. Keeping his eyes shut for a moment longer, he listened to the scuffling sounds coming from nearby.

“Um,” came Liam’s voice. “That’s for emergencies. What are you doing?” Harry finally looked up to see Zayn strapping himself into a harness that was attached to the wall. When he began to shimmy himself closer to the edge of the well Liam became more panicked. “We’re supposed to stay away from the edge.”

“No,” Zayn reassured, his voice the epitome of calm and collected. “Harry’s supposed to stay away from the edge. Ain’t stopping me. And I reckon this is an emergency, don’t you?” Zayn sent a dazzling smile Liam’s way before he jumped backwards down the well. The whizzing sound of the harness cord loud in their ears.

The three of them gasped, jumping forward to peer over the edge of the drop. Zayn had his feet pressed against the side of the well and slowly started to absail down, as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Have they opened yet?” Louis shouted from outside in the corridor. Harry almost laughed.

“Er,” Niall yelled back, stuttering slightly. “No, nothing yet.”

“Bugger, maybe -” Louis voice got louder as he re-entered the room. He cut himself off as Harry, Liam and Niall all jumped up, their guilt plastered clearly on their faces. “What?” he asked. “Where’s Zayn?” Harry watched as Niall sucked his teeth and pointed down the well. Louis rolled his eyes and crouched down at the edge of the well. “Zayn, this is starting to become a bit of a habit.” Harry could tell he was trying to sound stern, but the obvious fondness in his voice ruined the effect.

Zayn shrugged where he was hanging below them. “I need to experience life.”

“Jumping headfirst into danger is not the way to do it, mate,” Niall scoffed, banging his head gently on the ground where he lay.

“Does - Does he do this a lot?” The expression on Liam’s face was a mix of admiration and fear. Harry smiled. It was nice having Liam here to remind him how amazing his friends were. It was like meeting them all over again, when Liam saw what they were capable of.

“Yeah,” he said, smile wide as Zayn lowered himself even further. “He does seem to.”

“Use your eyes,” Louis shouted out. “You’re about to crash into the security grid!” He shuffled closer to the edge muttering under his breath. “Bloody ridiculous humans.”

Zayn stopped himself and Harry sucked in a breath. He was mere inches above a grid of dangerous red, buzzing laser beams, blocking his path to the bottom. “Okay, got you.” He stared at the lasers before asking, clearly stuck for options, “What do I do?”

“We’ll I’d advise not throwing yourself down a mysterious pit in the ground, but clearly it would be lost on you,” said Louis and Harry thought that if he looked closely enough he’d be able to see the sarcasm dripping off Louis’ words.

“Less of the sass would be smashing right now, Louis,” Zayn countered.

Louis sighed and rested his chin on his hand. “Try the big red button.”

“Aha. Convenient,” Zayn smirked. He pressed on the button at the side of the well, just above the security grid and they all watched as the bright red lights vanished.

“Might as well carry on to the bottom, now you’re there,” Louis yelled over Liam and Niall’s cheers.

When a familiar ominous clanging filled the room Harry sat back on his knees in alarm. He stared over to Niall, who looked paler than usual. “What the dickens was that?” Niall breathed quietly, as though he didn’t want to disturb anything. He and Liam were frozen mid high five.

A strange sensation was working its way up Harry’s spine. “Could be why the ship crashed in the first place?” he asked.

They all looked at each other. Nervous tension filling the room before Louis said, voice deliberately level, “Zayn, I think you should come back up now.”

Zayn didn’t appear to pick up on the serious tone of Louis’ voice however, as he continued to descend. “I can see it,” he shouted up at them and Harry watched as he reached out a hand to the bottom of the well. “Just a little further.”

The base of the well twinkled brightly. A diamond the size of a baby’s head was sitting at the bottom of the well. Surrounded by a dark metal case, it stood out against it’s dull and dirty surroundings. Harry’s heart leapt into his mouth when he noticed the creature resting next to the diamond.

“Shit. There’s one of the swarm there,” he gasped.

“Oh, it must’ve got in through the vents,” Liam groaned. “Caused the crash.”

By now Zayn had spotted the creature as well and was paused in mid air, his arm outstretched and hovering over the diamond. “It’s not moving,” he yelled, his voice hoarse. “I think it’s dead.”

“No,” Louis whispered frantically, his fingers tapping against the edge of the well. “It’s dormant because it’s so cold down there. It’ll wake up any minute, we’re heating this place up.”

“Better be quick, then.” Zayn’s determined voice filled the shaft.

Louis let out a pained whine as they watched Zayn with bated breath. “We need the plate thing as well, not just the diamond.”

In the blink of an eye Zayn had grabbed the diamond just as the creature began to make more deliberate movements. Liam and Niall pulled him back up and Harry could breathe again. As Zayn neared the top of the well he slammed the red button on the side and the laser security grid buzzed back into life. They all watched silently as the stingray creature collided with the grid. A violent crackle echoed around the room as the lasers zapped at the creature’s skin, trapping it at the bottom of the well.

“Brilliant,” Louis grinned, reaching out to grab the diamond and metal plate from a panting Zayn. “Okay then.” Louis’ eyes twinkled with success as his gaze travelled over them. “Let’s get back to the bus!”

~

It passed in a blur, them running back to the bus, the swarm in hot pursuit. They finally reached the vehicle and Harry cowered as Tams came striding towards them, expression fierce. “Where the hell have you been?” she yelled. “You left us here like sitting ducks!”

Louis ignored her shouts. “Just get ready to go,” he urged her. He turned to the other three and rushed out, “Everyone back inside. Niall, with me.” Harry followed the two of them. With the swarm approached so fast, he was feeling a little too vulnerable to be without Louis for long.

“So, what are we doing with the crystal?” Niall asked, his cheeks burnt red from the three suns. They were crouched down next to one of the rear wheels and Harry squinted as he watched the swarm approach from beyond the sand dunes. Neither Louis, nor Niall mentioned his presence.

“Oh, nothing. Don’t need it,” Louis dismissed as he chucked the priceless jewel over his shoulder into the sand. “It’s this baby we need.” He held up the dark metal plate reverently. Then he proceeded to pull it apart. Harry watched with a wary eye and wondered if Louis had finally lost his mind.

Louis stuck one of the pieces of plate on the wheel in front of them, a magnetic pull emanating from the plate keeping it attached. “Right, you two fix those to the other wheels,” he said, handing over the other three parts of the metal plate. “I need to make a phone call.” He stuck his hand in Harry’s pocket and Harry was sure he stopped breathing for a few seconds until Louis pulled out his phone.

Harry hurried over to the opposite wheel and stuck the plate on before rejoining the others. Just as he and Niall climbed on board Louis hung up the phone, with a smile on his face. “We’re gonna get through this wormhole in one piece, right,” he announced to the group at large. “And U.N.I.T. are on stand-by to shut it down after us and block off the swarm.” He waved Harry’s phone in the air with reassuring vigor. “It’s all going to be a-okay. Tams!” he started, and the Tams jumped in her seat in the drivers’ cab. “Let’s go!”

Harry curled his fingers around the railings of the bus. Adrenaline ran through his veins, buzzing under his skin. As Tams started the ignition the bus jolted, everyone abruptly reaching to hold on to something. Harry’s stomach dropped when he looked out of the window and saw they were ten feet in the air.

“You’ve got to be kidding. We’re flying!” Austin exclaimed, face pressed against the glass.

Bertha breathed, “It’s a miracle.” Her shocked smile raised Harry’s spirits even more.

Tams let out an excited wail. “Oh, wow,” she laughed. “This is your driver speaking. Hold on tight!” Harry watched, delighted, as she steered the bus around. He shot a stupid grin Louis’ way.

“Anti-gravity clamps. Didn’t I say?” Louis smirked, trying and failing not to look too pleased with himself.

“Doctor,” Bertha’s worried voice cut over the loud hum of the bus in flight. “Doctor, they’re coming.”

“Don’t worry guys.” Louis was confident as the rest of them ducked to look out of the window at the creatures. They were worryingly close. Harry glanced at Liam, who was biting his lip anxiously. “We’ve got this in the bag,” Louis finished.

They accelerated towards the wormhole, the air thick with tension. When they were seconds away from collision Harry slammed his eyes shut, trying to block out how ferociously the bus was shaking. A rushing noise pressed against his ears and it felt like he’d been submerged in water. Then, it lifted. The air was cooler, the light greyer and the ride smoother. Harry opened his eyes and nineteen fifties Bristol leapt to life around him. The bus filled with triumphant cheers as they hovered above a deserted road, a blockade of army personnel ahead of them.

“It’s Bristol,” Eugene cried.

Austin slumped back against the side of the bus, his face splitting into the first real smile Harry had seen from him. “We’re back home,” he said, weakly.

Harry felt someone grab his arm and give it an excited shake. He turned to see Liam’s relieved face staring back at him. “We did it!” the other man said. “We actually did it!”

“The wormhole, look!” Zayn breathed, eyes trained out of the window. They all craned their necks to watch the wormhole shrink behind them. When it vanished into nothing a loud crack echoed through the air. Harry was sure the whole city must have heard it.

“Yes!” Tams whooped from the front of the bus.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you have reached your final destination.” Louis smirked as he walked up to where Tams sat. “Welcome home.”

Tams landed the bus with a hard jolt in the middle of the cordoned off street. They disembarked in single file and a crowd of U.N.I.T officers greeted them. They all wore combat kit and relieved expressions, and surrounded them in applause. Harry grinned as Zayn ducked his head, embarrassed.

In and amongst all the congratulations Harry spotted Bertha and Louis standing off to the side. He headed over to them, intending to give Bertha the biggest hug he could muster, when he heard his own name mentioned. Instead, he took a step back and listened carefully. He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to hide, but something in the way Louis was frowning made him feel like he wasn’t supposed to hear this.

“Harry?” Louis said, in a question.

There was a clear smile in Bertha’s voice as she answered, “Yes.”

“What is he?”

Harry frowned. What did that mean? Louis knew what he was, where he was from. Then it dawned on him, Louis was still thinking about that other man. That ghost that Harry looked like. Had he not believed Harry when he’d told him he didn’t know anything about it?

“He’s a boy,” Bertha said, baffled.

Harry watched as Louis nodded. “Yes, but what kind of boy, specifically?”

Bertha let out a soft laugh. “He’s a perfectly ordinary boy. Very handsome, very smart and more scared than he lets on.”

There was a pause before Louis said, “And that’s it, is it?”

“Why? Is that not enough?”

Harry felt himself flush and turned away, not wanting to hear the answer. If Louis was still hung up on this other person, if he was uninterested in Harry himself, that was fine. Harry just didn’t need to hear it. He didn’t need to break his own heart in quite such a cruel manner.

He joined Liam, Niall and Zayn as they gathered around the other passengers to say goodbye. They all smiled fondly when Niall asked Tams for her address, promising he’d write to her. Tams acceded, fighting down a small but smug grin as she handed it over. Bertha and Louis joined them a few minutes later, and Harry stared doggedly for any signs of awkwardness around him, though there were none. He was as lovely as always.

After U.N.I.T. escorted Austin, Bertha, Eugene and Tams off to be debriefed the rest of them headed back to the Tardis. Harry didn’t think they’d actually been granted permission to leave. Louis had started walking, though, and the rest of them followed. Naturally.

When they reached  the Tardis Harry lingered at the door. “Liam?” he asked, eyebrows bunched together in a frown. Liam had stopped a few metres away from the blue box, eyeing it with hesitation. “Are you coming?”

Liam met his eye, looking a little lost. “Coming where? It’s just a box.”

Harry bit down a smile. It was very odd being on the other end of this conversation. “It’s not just a box, don’t be silly. It’s everything you could ever want.”

“Come again?” Although his expression was no more confident than before, Harry felt a comforting warmth in his chest as he watched Liam step closer.

“It’s a spaceship. And a time machine. It’s your ticket out, if you want.”

“I’m not sure the others would want -”

Liam was cut off by Niall, however, who appeared at Harry’s side. “Sometime this year, you two. We ain’t getting any younger,” he joked before slapping Harry on the arm and heading back inside.

Harry turned a smug grin to Liam. “You were saying?”

“I’m not - My - Harry,” Liam stuttered, fiddling with the buckles on his jacket. When he raised his head to look at Harry once more his expression was clouded. “I got my entire crew killed. I shouldn’t just be waltzing off with you lot for adventures. I should be, like, making amends.”

Harry paused for a moment before answering. “How would torturing yourself about it change what happened?” he asked. Liam shrugged, his mouth turned down. “Precisely. None of it was your fault. It’s a miracle you survived, Liam. You’ve got to make the most of it. This is your chance.” He sighed when Liam still looked unsure. “Look, if you want to leave, you can, at any time. Let yourself live a little, please.”

Eventually Liam nodded, his cheeks bunching in a smile. “I suppose you’re right.”

“Yes, I am,” said Harry, confidently. He slung an arm around Liam’s shoulders and steered him through the Tardis doors. He kept his eyes trained on Liam, keen to see his reaction.

Liam didn’t disappoint. His jaw dropped as they stepped over the threshold, the golden light of the control room washing over them. Louis, Niall and Zayn were crowded around the control panel, chatting loudly. As soon as Louis spotted the two of them, he approached, arms out wide.

“Alright?” he asked. “We were trying to decide where next. Niall says ancient Egypt, Zayn wants Eldorado. Don’t think there’s much in it myself.” Louis grinned at Liam, his arms folded tight in his chest. “Newbies choice?”

They all turned to Liam, whose eyes were wide, evidently still trying to take in the shock of the Tardis on the inside. “Er,” he mumbled, catching his breath. “I suppose Eldorado sounds pretty good?”

Zayn fist pumped while Niall slumped dramatically back into his chair. Louis sent an approving smile towards Liam and Harry. “Eldorado it is. Good choice. Hold on tight, my friend.”

Chapter Text

Isop Galaxy ~ 5th Petasecond

“What are you writing?”

Zayn stilled his pencil where it was pressed against his notebook and Harry felt a momentary flicker of guilt wash over him. He’d probably interrupted Zayn in the middle of some divine inspiration. Zayn didn’t seem to mind, however, as he looked up at Harry with a squint and patted the space on the bench next to him.

They were in the Tardis, drifting through space. The ship was quiet but for the mechanical thrum pulsing through the walls like a heartbeat, regulating and reassuring. At first Harry had found it hard to adjust to the extreme jet lag travelling through time and space caused. In the end he realised that the Tardis was their anchor. They slept when she slept and, right now, she seemed to be settling in for a relaxing afternoon.

“Well,” Zayn started, his voice soft and sounding like sleep. “When I started it, I thought it was gonna be a sci-fi story, you know. Based on all this nonsense.” He flicked the end of his pencil around the room, highlighting the very nonsense he was talking about. Harry let out a lazy laugh. It was pretty mad. They’d been travelling with Louis for almost eleven months now, and there were still corners of the Tardis that Harry had never seen. “But I think, actually,” Zayn continued. “It’s a love story.”

Harry let out a deep hum. “Isn’t everything?” he mumbled, and Zayn nodded slowly.

At that point Liam crawled out from underneath the control panel, taking both Harry and Zayn by surprise. His brow had a dark smudge of oil across it.

“What were you doing down there?” Zayn asked through a disbelieving laugh.

Liam shrugged as came to sit by them. “Nothing. Just having a look. I’m trying to learn how it works.”

“Does Louis know you’re trying to steal his baby?” Harry teased, glancing about the room for any signs of distress.

“I’m not stealing anything, I’m just looking,” Liam whined. “And I asked. Just in case.” Harry inclined his head. He imagined that if the Tardis had any issue with Liam looking under the hood, she would let them know about it. “It’s coming along then?” said Liam, nodding at Zayn.

“What?” Zayn questioned, oblivious.

Liam laughed, the corner of his eyes crinkling. “Your novel,” he clarified. “A romance? Sounds nice.”

“Yeah. Like, a love that crosses galaxies and all that.” Zayn tugged at the peeling edge of his notebook as he spoke. He seemed a little embarrassed, though Harry knew he was incredibly passionate and proud of his writing.

“It sounds brilliant,” Liam responded.

“Thanks. I’ve got the basic plot sorted and the first couple of chapters. I just want it to feel real, you know?” Zayn interlocked his fingers in front for his chest. “The feelings, I mean. I’m worried the whole space thing will put people off.”

Liam pulled a face. “Nah. Everyone can relate to love, whatever the setting. It’ll be great.”

Harry flipped his phone in his palm, his mind wandering as Liam and Zayn carried on chatting quietly. He hadn’t spoken to Louis about the conversation he’d overheard in Bristol. Louis hadn’t mentioned anything to him, either. The more Harry thought about it, the more convinced he became; they were in a relationship stalemate. They were leaving everything left unsaid and it wasn’t doing them any good.

He wondered how much longer they could go on like this before somebody snapped.

~

Niall stopped in his tracks as he walked down the empty corridor, listening intently. He could’ve sworn he’d heard something.

“Niall!”

Louis’ voice bounced off the metallic walls and Niall sighed to himself. Time lord or not, that man was a mess.

“Niall, I need your - Oh,” Louis stopped abruptly when he turned a corner of the Tardis to come face to face with Niall.

“Good afternoon,” Niall said, doing his best impression of the obliging valets he had come across over the years. “How can I help you today, Sir?”

Louis scowled. “Don’t be polite with me, you know I don’t like it.”

Niall squinted. “What do you want?” he tried.

“Better.” They both smiled fondly at each other for a moment and Niall counted his lucky stars for the hundredth time that Louis had come back for him in the alley that day. “Now,” Louis started, snapping one of Niall’s braces against his chest. “I want to spend some time alone with Harry.”

Niall stared for a moment, completely nonplussed. “But,” he stuttered. “What? You’re actually going do something about it? I thought you were just going mope after him for the rest of eternity, keep him wrapped in cotton wool so he can’t get so much as a paper cut!” He was suddenly excited. “You’re actually going to go for it?” His mind was running a mile a minute. This would be so good for Louis. He could open himself up to someone, to let someone love him, to let himself love somebody.

“Hold your horses. I just want to take him out somewhere, that’s all.”

Alright, so maybe Niall was getting a bit ahead of himself. “Okay,” he breathed. “Then we need to plan the best first date ever, so he sees what a trump you are. Don’t want him piping off you.”

Louis frowned at him. “If that means what I think it means, then that would be perfect.” Niall followed as Louis began to walk down the corridor, his pace quick. “And it’s not a date,” Louis snapped, flicking Niall on the wrist. “Just, you know, getting to know each other.” Louis ducked his head. “Spending some quality time together.”

“Making him fall in love with you?” Niall finished, unable to keep the grin off his face.

Louis groaned and stopped. He looked up to the ceiling with a pained expression. It seemed to Niall like he was praying. For what, though, he couldn’t guess. “Would you stop being ridiculous and just help me, please,” Louis spluttered. “I haven’t done this in about a hundred years.” His hand was running across his lips in a panic.

“Done what? Dated?” Niall smirked, though he stopped at Louis’ murderous glare. “Look, you know Harry. I can get Liam and Zee out of the way, I’ll take them to my family or something. You can show Harry the old razzle-dazzle.” Niall ignored the roll of Louis’ eyes and wiggled his eyebrows. “What does he like?”

“I don’t know,” Louis complained. “You know him as well as I do.”

Niall snorted. Louis could probably name Harry’s childhood pets, all the streets he had ever lived on and his primary school test results, if he wanted. Their relationship was seriously worrying in its intensity. “Don’t think so, chuckaboo.”

He watched as Louis stared at the ground for a while, apparently thinking. When, eventually, the other man met Niall’s eyes once more there was a pleased twinkle in them. Louis stepped forward and bent his head down. Niall leaned in as Louis asked, “How does this sound?”

A couple of hours of meticulous planning later and Louis and Niall entered the the control room. Niall was working hard to contain his grin.

He sent Louis one last parting wink before shouting out, “You lot, with me.”

Harry, Liam and Zayn all jumped up from where they’d been lounging on the benches. “No, not you, Harry.” He pointed at Harry, who eyebrows were raised in surprise. Niall flicked his thumb over his shoulder. “Louis needs you for,” he faltered. His mind had gone momentarily blank. “Something,” he wound off, weakly.

He bit his lip as he heard Louis mumble, “Nice one, twit.”

“Don’t worry,” Niall cackled, undeterred. Harry’s face had lit up at his words, it was clear he was delighted the unfolding events. “You’re in for a wizard time, promise.”

~

Avaitsah, Keniku Galaxy ~ 310876

Harry didn’t think he’d ever seen anything so beautiful in his entire life.

“Do you like it?” Louis asked as he hovered by Harry’s shoulder. He was watching Harry nervously and Harry almost laughed at the absurdity of the situation.

They had arrived on the most gorgeous planet Harry could imagine. Apart from the birds chirping away in the trees, there didn’t seem to be anybody else around. It was just before dawn, but still pleasantly warm, like the beginning of a British heat wave.

They’d settled in an open glade, green grass encircled by trees in bloom. Louis had brought a picnic along with them, which he was setting out on the cool grass. As he unpacked he looked up at Harry. “We’re on Avaitsah. The days on this planet only last for an hour. I thought we could sit and watch a couple of the sunsets,” he finished with an uncharacteristically shy smile.

“Louis, it’s -” Harry sighed, looking around at the stained orange sky and the clear river running beside them. “I love it. Thank you. I can’t believe you brought me here, this is amazing.”

“Good,” Louis smiled, his eyes crinkling. A moment later, over his shoulder, the sun bursted over the horizon, drenching the sky in warm light. Harry sat down next to Louis and took the glass of wine offered to him. This was going to be a good day.

The hours - or days, Harry thought to himself - passed by and most of their picnic had gone. The sun had risen and set a number of times and Harry felt content as he reached out to steal a grape off Louis’ abandoned plate. Louis smiled at him before ducking his head and letting out a light, laughter filled sigh.

“What?” Harry asked, smiling as well.

“Nothing,” Louis grinned at him. “It’s just, I promised Niall this wasn’t a date.”

Harry bit his lip. His cheeks hurt from the permanent smirk on his face. This was a perfect date. “How do you think he’ll take it?” His voice wavered as he tried to remain calm. “When he finds out you lied to him?”

Louis wasn’t having any of it. “Oh, shush,” he muttered and grabbed another strawberry, biting into it.

They watched the sun rise again. This time the clouds were a little denser and the creeping light was a vivid pink where it shot across the sky.

Harry’s eyes followed the path of a flock of birds, soaring their way across the skyline. This was such a lovely way to spend time with Louis, it was all he’d been praying for. He didn’t want to ruin it, but he knew he had no choice.

He turned to look at Louis. The time lord was lying on his back against the grass, staring up at the sky. Harry took in Louis’ profile for a moment, at his strong jaw and sharp cheeks, before saying, “Can we talk?”

“What do you think we have been doing?” Louis responded, glancing over at Harry.

“Yeah, but, about us?”

Harry’s heart sank as Louis sat up and let out a sigh. “But we’re having such a nice time. Why can’t we just leave it?”

“We have to talk about it sometime, Louis,” said Harry, his voice thick.

“Harry.” Louis turned to him. His face was sad, the morning light emphasising the faint dark circles under his eyes. “I do like you, I can’t imagine you haven’t figured it out already. It’s just -”

Harry braced himself, he knew what was coming. He was just another puzzle Louis needed to solve.

Louis shrugged, seemingly helpless. “I’m not human,” he sighed.

The words confused Harry, so different from what he had been expecting. “I know,” he said slowly, his forehead creased.

“Yeah, but I don’t think you do,” Louis grumbled. “You don’t understand what that means.”

Harry chewed the inside of this cheek. No, maybe he didn’t. “Tell me, then?” he asked.

Louis stared at him for a moment, struggling for the right words. “I regenerate. Do you know what that is?”

“You get younger again?” Harry tried.

“Sort of.” Louis ran a hand over his face, shifting on the grass. “It means that when I get hurt - if I die, essentially - I don’t.” His eyes lifted to meet Harry’s. “Die, that is. I turn into someone new. I get a new life.” Louis grimaced and Harry stayed quiet, scared to interrupt. “I remember everything,” Louis continued. “But - It’s - I’m never the same. I’ve regenerated so many times now. I only have a few left.”

Harry frowned. “So you might look different? I don’t care about that, Louis,” he dismissed.

“No, that’s just it.” Louis sounded a little frustrated. “It’s not just how I look.” He shifted so he was sitting directly facing Harry, his hands tangled in his lap. “It’s who I am. I wouldn’t be Louis anymore, I’d be some - Some imposter.” He shrugged and pouted at the ground. “It’s happened before. I get close to people, I think that we have a connection, I think that it’ll somehow be different to every time before. When I change, I’m always a disappointment. I’m never the same as I was before, I’m never quite as good, and then they leave. Maybe not straight away, but they always leave.” Louis turned to look over at the horizon, avoiding Harry’s gaze. “It hurts every time and I know it would hurt so much more if it was you and I’d let myself fall for you, and you - If -” He finally faced Harry as he said, “If I saw that look in your eye, like you miss me even though I’m right there. I couldn’t take it, Harry. I’m worried enough having to go through that shit with Niall and the others, let alone you.”

Harry stayed quiet for a moment longer. He had never really thought about what life was like for Louis. He knew that Louis was the last of the time lords, but he never seemed to want to talk about it, so they never did. It must be a very lonely existence. “But you’d still remember?” Harry croaked out. “You’d still remember me?”

The sun was higher in the sky now and the air around them was warmer once more. There was a small smile on Louis’ face when he answered, “Yeah.”

“You’d still be the same person. You’d have the same thoughts?”

“I’d -” Louis huffed. “It’s hard to explain. I’m always the Doctor. I just -” He waved his hands in mid-air as he searched for the words. “I express myself differently. It unnerves people, to have something similar, but not quite right.”

Harry could understand that. His life had felt so familiar to him after his dad died, that it was months before he stopped expecting the man to walk through every open door. Maybe it was thoughts of his dad that urged him to do it, but he decided in that moment not to hold back. He knew how he felt about Louis, he was done with hiding it. “I’ll always love you,” he said, his voice strong. “It doesn’t matter to me if you regenerate.”

Louis stared at him, the sound of the river babbling in the background. Harry held his gaze. “I don’t believe you,” Louis muttered, looking away. “But thank you for saying it.”

“It’s my choice, isn’t it?” Harry asked, shuffling closer.

He could see Louis watch the closing space between them before he said, “But it would be horrid for me too, if you stopped loving me and I couldn’t do anything to change it.” Louis pulled a handful of grass from the ground, toying with it glumly. “And even if you didn’t, if by some miracle you wanted to hang around, I’d have to watch you die. In the end you’d die and I’d still have to live.”

“Louis.” Harry fought to keep the fond smile off his face.

“I should stop making friends with humans,” Louis muttered, ignoring him. “It doesn’t do my hearts any good.”

“Louis.” Louis hummed, looking up at him through long eyelashes. “I still want you. Even if you won’t be the same forever. Nobody is, you know. But I know you. Deep down.” He cocked his head, smiling at the pale blush on Louis’ cheeks. “The core of who you are, that won’t change. You’d still want to be with me, even after you regenerate?”

“Of course I would.” His expression was soft as he reached out and held Harry’s hand.

Harry stopped himself from thinking too hard on what Louis meant. Did he mean he loved Harry now, and would afterwards? Or did he only mean that if he came to love Harry, that he would carry on? “Then I’d have no choice but to carry on loving you.” Harry squeezed Louis’ fingers where they were entwined with his own.  “And as for having to watch me die? That’s a bit grim.” He grinned at Louis’ shocked laugh. “I can’t tell you what to do. If you think it’s worth it. Personally, I don’t think that you should stop something good, just because you know it has to end.” He shrugged. “Everything has to end at some point.”

Louis sent him a discerning look. “How did you get so wise, Harold?” he asked.

“I could tell you, but I’d have to kill you,” Harry joked, though Louis didn’t laugh. The other man simply frowned a little. Harry sighed. “I know you’re still confused about this ‘ghost me’ thing. I thought -” Harry interrupted himself with a self-aware smile. “I thought you might only be interested in that.”

Louis rolled his eyes, staring up to the bright, midday sky. “I don’t think you’re a ghost.”

“But there’s something?”

“There is something,” said Louis, looking at him with one squinted eye. “But I don’t understand it. It hasn’t stopped me from feeling for you. It’s not the reason I care.”

“So you do care about me?”

Louis’s shoulders sagged. “Yes,” he said, aghast. “Yes, of course. I -” he stammered. “Of course I do, Harry.”

Harry smiled. Of course Louis cared about him. He was ridiculous for thinking otherwise. “I love you, Louis. Doctor. John Smith,” he teased and Louis let out another small laugh. “Whatever you call yourself, I’ll love you. I want to be with you for as long as I can.”

“I want you with me,” Louis responded, tugging at Harry’s hand.

“Well then, it’s a deal.”

Louis smirked. “Deal.”

~

Cheshire, England ~ 2021

Harry waited patiently on the pavement at the end of his mum’s road. He wrapped his coat closer around his chest as the cool March wind blew around him. An old plastic bag had caught in the breeze and he watched in captivated boredom while the bag flew high in the sky. As it soared above the tree line a pointed cough sounded next to his ear, causing him to jump in alarm.

“Shit, Liam. Was that necessary?”

The other man grinned as he took a step back on the pavement, obviously pleased with himself. “How do,” he said. He’d recently switched his clunky and worn combat gear for a more modern look. In jeans, shirt and leather jacket, he looked like he’d stepped out of a magazine.

Harry tugged at his coat, self-consciously. “‘How do’ what?” he snapped.

Liam blinked, confused. “You do?”

Unable to hold a grudge against Liam for more than a few seconds, Harry huffed and flicked him on the cheek. “Where are the others?”

“Still on board,” Liam replied, rubbing his face. “Niall was messing about with Zayn and spilt his coffee near the control panel. Louis’ giving them a dressing down.”

“An offence worthy of corporal punishment, if ever there was,” Harry declared, nodding sagely.

“For sure.” Liam picked up one of Harry’s bags and they began to walk down the street, Harry assumed towards where the Tardis was parked. “How was your mum’s birthday?” Liam asked as they walked.

“Good, yeah. We went to see ‘Twelfth Night’ at the Globe, which was cool.” Harry laughed at Liam’s bemused face. “You don’t know what I’m talking about?”

“Sorry,” Liam shrugged.

Harry shook his head. “No, it’s my fault. I keep forgetting you’re not human. She kept asking about Louis, though. I reckon she wants to meet him.”

“Why didn’t you bring him with you? You know he’d love to see her.”

Harry felt a drop of rain land on his forehead and blinked up at the grey sky. “Do you think? I was a bit nervous to ask. He’s kind of a free spirit, time travel and all.” Liam sniggered. “Thought it might be too normal.” He scratched his neck, grimacing at Liam. “I didn’t want to bore him.”

“Nah.” Liam scrunched up his nose in amusement. “He’d love it. He loves families and all that stuff, right? When I first spoke to Niall’s mum, I mentioned Louis and her eyes lit up, I’m telling you. Mum’s love him.”

Harry considered it for a moment. It would be nice, the two most important people in his life, getting to meet. “Alright then,” he said. “Maybe I’ll ask him next time.”

When they boarded the Tardis Harry shook his coat off, droplets of water gathering on the floor. Zayn greeted them with a bitten down smirk, as though trying to pretend he was at least a little sorry for his coffee related antics. “I’ve got to clean up,” he said, with his arms folded across his chest. “Help me find the cleaning supplies, yeah?” he asked Harry. “Louis’ in a mood, won’t tell me where they are.”

Harry and Liam both jerked their heads over to the centre of the room. Louis’ voice came flying over from where he stood next to the controls, “We’re not flying again until you sort this mess out! And I’m not in a mood, thank you very much!”

“Oh my God,” Zayn bursted out, his arms raised in exasperation. “It’s just some spilt coffee.”

Harry grinned at the floor and waited for Zayn to face him again. “And you think I know where Louis would keep mops and shit because?”

“You know more than me about this damn ship,” Zayn groaned.

“That, my friend, is because you are so rude to her,” Harry said, primly, as he ran his hand lightly down the ship’s handrail. “She won’t tell you anything if you’re rude to her.”

Zayn rolled his eyes. “Whatever, just lead the way.”

“Sure, just let me say hello to Louis first, then I’m all yours.”

Ten minutes later they were heading down the corridors of the Tardis searching for where Louis stored his brush and dustpan.

“He probably doesn’t even own any,” Zayn mumbled, kicking the floor. “Just sent me on a wild goose chase for no good reason.”

“Zayn,” Harry admonished. “Don’t sulk, it doesn’t become you.” Zayn, however, continued to pout, though a little more quietly.

After a time they came to a door that neither one of them had seen before. Shrugging, Harry pushed it open.

“Bloody hell,” he heard Zayn whisper, breath tickling his neck. It was a library. With six stories of wooden shelves on each wall, it was vast. The shelves themselves curved in large waves around the edges of the room, dusty lamps emitting weak light in the darkness. There must’ve been thousands of books there, waiting to be read.

Harry slumped with his hand still resting on the door knob. “Now this is just showing off.”

“This is amazing,” Zayn gushed, his previous mood forgotten as he pushed past Harry to walk further into the room. He began to run his fingers over the book spines as he circled the room, eyes wide.

Harry chuckled at his friends astounded expression. “Come on, Zayn,” he called over his shoulder after a while.

“What do you mean, ‘come on’? We can’t leave now!” Zayn hissed from the corner, where he was already cradling a pile of books in his arms.

“We can come back later.”

“What if we can’t find it again?”

Harry scoffed, “I’m sure we’ll be able to.”

Zayn didn’t respond, but simply turned to carry on looking over the shelves. Harry raised his eyebrows, but left Zayn to it. He strode further down the corridor, until he reached another unfamiliar door. This time, it stood a jar and a dim glowing light from within piqued Harry’s curiosity. For some reason, Harry couldn’t quite put his finger on, he got the distinct feeling he shouldn’t be there. Louis had never said anywhere on the Tardis was off limits, but something about this room felt like a secret.

Harry stepped inside.

It was an old-fashioned room, by Harry’s standards. It reminded him of a room in an ancient castle, dusty from disuse. Books in a language Harry didn’t understand, clockwork gadgets, old star charts, and other trinkets adorned the shelves that ran along the stone walls. Harry’s heart beat faster against his chest as he realised that these were Louis’ treasures. He was stood still in the middle of the room, taking it all in, when he spotted a wooden cot, hidden in the furthest corner.

The cot was tiny, meant for a baby, Harry thought. He questioned why Louis had it on board the Tardis. A metal mobile dangling with stars and planets hung above the tired blankets within. Adorning the chipped wooden panels were intricate circular patterns, just like the ones on Louis’ arms. Harry knelt down to run his hand over the carvings, wondering what they meant.

When he stood up once more he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, a large tome on the shelf behind the cot. The words ‘Encyclopedia Gallifreyica’ were printed in gold, peeling letters on the side. “Huh,” he said to himself, leaning over to get a closer look. It must be about Louis’ home planet of Gallifrey, he mused. A book about the planet of the time lords was bound to be a good read. He dragged it off the shelf with a hefty tug and let it fall open in his arms. The page in front of him began a chapter entitled ‘The History of the Time War’. Harry had never heard of such a thing. As his eyes scanned down the page he stopped when he saw the words ‘The Doctor’. He frowned when he read on a little longer, as the book started to call the Doctor by a new name. “So that’s his real name,” Harry muttered. He started to turn the page, to read more, when a loud clanging outside the corridor distracted him.

He quickly set the book down, resolving to return in the future to pick up where he’d left off. Outside the room was quiet once more, but Harry headed further down the corridor with tentative steps. By now he was sure he was deep into the centre of the Tardis. The air felt thicker, hotter, and more dangerous. Eventually he reached a dead end, the hall opening up into a large, open chamber. It was similar to the control room, with a beating, yellow light glowing from the centre, embedded in a metal shell.

He heard muted words echoing around the open space. The sound was muffled, though, as if it was being played on a warped record. Harry could only catch a few words; ‘Time and relative dimension in space’, ‘dimensionally transcendental’, and ‘time lord discovery’ were among them. He stepped closer to the pulsing light in the centre, the source of the noise.

Like a moth to a flame, he couldn’t help but reach out to the warm light. His hand brushed over the surface and a sharp shock travelled through his spine. The pain in his head was almost debilitating. He doubled over and scrunched his eyes closed, but the pressure wouldn’t stop.

Images flashed before his eyes, memories from lives he hadn’t lived. He was trapped underground, trapped in metal, trapped in the Dalek hivemind. The Doctor was there, trying to escape. Harry helped him to leave, but was left behind by himself. He died alone. No, that wasn’t right. He didn’t die, he didn’t. He was in London. It was snowing, with gas lamps and horse-drawn carriages. He found Louis and Niall discussing snowmen outside his Inn. Doctor Who? They took him up so high in the sky, but he fell. He fell, and it was cold and Louis was there, holding his hand as he closed his eyes.

“Run you clever boy,” he heard himself say. “And remember me.”

As soon as they had come, the images vanished. The pain in his head subsided and Harry took in several panting breaths, exhaustion and nausea washing through him. He crawled along the floor towards the corridor before summoning the strength to stand. Staggering out of the door he tried to get as much distance between him and the room of false memories as he possibly could. He managed to make his stumbling way around a few corners before he was hit with another wave of nausea, stopping in him his tracks. His vision swam and, as he saw the blurred outline of another person walking towards him, he wondered if he was imagining it.

“Harry, you alright? Zayn said you disappeared.” Niall’s voice sounded like he was far off in the distance. Harry blinked rapidly trying to get his friend into focus. “Are you okay?” Niall asked again. “Christ, stay here, I’m going to get Louis.” As if he could get very far if he even wanted to. He grabbed ahold of the wall to steady himself where he stood.

It felt like only seconds later when Harry heard the stomping of footsteps coming towards him. “This is what I’m talking about.” He felt relief run through his entire body as Louis’ irritated voice bounced off the walls of the corridor. Liam, Niall and Zayn followed in his wake and from what Harry could see, they all looked unnaturally serious. “You jump through wormholes, you spill coffee, you expose yourself to deadly energy sources,” Louis continued. “You’re all such liabilities, it’s absurd!”

“Louis, don’t yell,” Harry groaned as Louis reached him, dizziness taking over. “I really don’t feel that great.”

Louis’ expression immediately softened. “No, alright, just sit down,” he comforted, helping Harry shuffle closer to the wall and slide down to the floor. “You’ll be fine, I promise.” Louis took Harry’s face in his hands, forcing Harry to look him in the eye. “Harry. Harry, listen to me,” Louis’ voice was more desperate than Harry had heard it before. “Listen, yeah? I know sometimes it feels like secrets protect us, that they make us safe. I understand that, love, but this is not one of those times.” Harry groaned. He didn’t understand what Louis was talking about. He just want to lie down. “I’m trying my hardest to make sure you don’t die again,” Louis carried on, shaking Harry’s shoulders, his voice breaking. “But I can’t - I can’t always keep my promises.”

“What do you mean, ‘again’?” Harry asked, slurring his words.

“Harry, you saw into the heart of the Tardis. You saw what I mean.” He could make out the vivid blue of Louis’ eyes, giving him something to focus on. “Just tell me who you are.”

“You know who I am,” he said.

Louis’ fingers curled at the back of Harry’s neck, gently ruffling his hair. “I see you every single day,” Louis said, his voice scratching. “And I don’t understand a thing about you. Why do I keep running into you?”

Harry groaned. “Louis, you invited me here. You said this ghost stuff didn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t. I love you, Harry.” Harry closed his eyes and he felt Louis’ forehead rest against his own, the other man’s breath brushing his lips as he spoke. “I love you so much, but I need to know.” Louis pulled away and Harry blinked to see the time lord’s stern face in front of him. “I met you in the Dalek Asylum. There was a man in a shipwreck and he died saving my life, and he was you.”

“What?” Liam exclaimed.

“He really wasn’t,” Harry replied, ignoring the other man.

“Victorian London,” Louis persisted. “There was a tutor, who was really a bartender, and we fought off an invading alien army together. Niall remembers.” Everyone in the corridor turned to face Niall, who was standing a few steps away, his eyebrows drawn together in thought. “He died and it was my fault and he was you,” Louis said, his voice thick.

Harry wanted to cry. “You’re freaking me out.”

“What are you? Are you a trick? A trap?”

“This is mad,” Zayn muttered, running a hand across his jaw.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Harry cried.

Louis stopped and stared, the silence dragging on for several long moments. “You really don’t, do you,” he said finally, expression exhausted. He crawled closer, taking Harry’s face in his hands once more. “You’re just Harry. Just my Harry.”

“I don’t know what the hell this is about, but don’t scare me like this.”

“I’m sorry, I love you.” Harry felt Louis’ warm lips press against his cheek. “I’m sorry.”

“All those things that you said,” he mumbled. “The things that I saw. How we’ve met before, how I keep dying.”

“Don’t worry,” Louis soothed, running his fingers through Harry’s hair. “You’ll fall asleep and forget everything that’s happened. You can’t be exposed to the heart of the Tardis and come off unscathed. Your body will just reset itself to before the damage.”

“I don’t want to forget,” Harry sobbed. “The treasure room, I saw it. You were mentioned in a book.”

“I’m mentioned in a lot of books.”

“You call yourself the Doctor. Why? You have a name, a real one. I’ve seen it.” He was scrambling for answers now, pushing off the exhaustion for as long as he could, though he knew he couldn’t keep it up. His bones ached for sleep. Louis turned to the others, but Harry couldn’t hear what they said.

“You won’t remember that,” Louis murmured to him, close to his ear. “When you wake up don’t go looking for that name. Please, Harry.”

“You still have secrets.”

Louis sent him a sad smile, his eyes glassy. “It’s better that way.”

“My dad would’ve loved this, you know,” Harry muttered, feeling himself edge closer and closer to sleep with every passing second. He forced himself to keep Louis in focus for as long as he could. “Best story I’ve heard in a while.”

~

When he blinked his eyes open the following morning, Harry was a little alarmed to find himself in his own room on the Tardis. He hadn’t spent more than a handful of nights here in the past month, usually just sharing with Louis. His frown lifted when he saw the other man lingering in the doorway.

“Morning,” Louis whispered. Harry made to sit up, a deep throbbing in his head preventing him from moving too quickly. “How’re you feeling? You were pretty ill last night.”

“Was I?” Harry muttered. As he tried to remember what had happened after he came back from his mum’s house, he realised he couldn’t recall a single thing. “I’m shattered.”

“Yeah, you passed out early on. Body must’ve been drained. You best stay in bed today, recuperate and all that.”

Harry smiled. “Will you bring me soup?”

“I will bring you anything you so desire,” Louis replied, stepping towards Harry’s bed and sitting on the edge. He pushed Harry’s hair away from his forehead and said, “Do you feel safe?”

If Harry hadn’t been so tired, he would have laughed at the bizarre question. “What? Of course I do.”

“Give me a number out of ten,” Louis carried on. “Ten being Fort Knox with Merlin, Dumbledore and Gandalf to protect you, one being naked and alone in the middle of the amazon.”

“You’re being weird.”

“I need to know you feel safe. I need to know you’re not afraid.”

“Of?”

“The future. Running away with a spaceman in a box.” Louis smiled down at him. He looked as tired as Harry felt. “Anything could happen to you.”

Harry wrapped his fingers around Louis’ forearm. As he traced the lines of his tattoos with his fingertips, an immense feeling of deja-vu coming over him. “That’s what I’m counting on.”

Louis looked like his was about to reply when Zayn coughed from the doorway. “Sorry, guys,” he said before jerking his thumb over his shoulder. “Liam has a question about the rebuild for you. I can keep an eye here, if you want.”

Harry pouted as Louis stood up once more. “Get some rest,” the time lord said. He leant down and placed a soft kiss on Harry’s lips. “I’ll come back in a couple of hours, bring you that soup, yeah?”

Harry gave him a small smile, already sinking his head back into the soft pillows below.

Chapter Text

One may tolerate a world of demons

for the sake of an angel.

Dublin, Ireland ~ 1918

The old gas lamps running along the street flickered as Niall made his way along Clontarf Road, the sea air stinging his exposed cheeks. Coupled with the thick layer of snow that had fallen, the path was damp and cold. It soaked through Niall’s shoes and into his socks.

He tipped his cap and stepped to the side as a lady and gentleman passed him on the cobbles. Behind them was a man in a dark, billowing coat stomping towards him, almost hidden by the nighttime shadows. He had a large dog walking by his side. From where Niall watched, he was sure it looked angry. He headed to the right to walk on the drenched road, avoiding the dog and it’s owner. He was probably being over cautious, but ever since he was a boy he’d been nervous around large animals. Something to do with them sensing his fear.  

The path towards the entrance to St Anne’s Park stretched out in front of him. He was definitely going to be late at this rate. He wasn’t too worried about it. Louis had sent him a telegram with the time and place he’d pick Niall up, and he was sure Louis wouldn’t leave without him. But there was always a niggling worry that one day Louis would do just that. As much as Niall considered Louis his closest friend, he was well aware that the other man kept a lot from him. And from everyone else.

He picked up his pace as his thoughts turned to Harry. Lovely Harry. That’s how Louis had described him to Niall once. It seemed to fit. He was worried about him, though. He’d made a complete recovery after his incident with the heart of the Tardis, not that he could remember, but Niall was still unnerved by the whole thing. He knew Liam and Zayn felt the same, after Louis had explained everything. He couldn’t shake the feeling that it was all going to end badly, and that really wasn’t what he wanted for Harry. Or Louis. Or any of them.

The cold minutes ticked on until Niall reached the park opening. He’d only taken a step or two inside when he heard Louis’ voice call out to him.  

“Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to grace us with his presence.”

Niall stopped short, narrowing his eyes at the other man, who was sitting cross legged on a low stone wall by the entrance. He was facing outwards, apparently watching the gloomy view over to Bull Island.

“Shut your sauce-box,” Niall replied, flippantly.

“I don’t think I will. How’s Líobhan?” Louis leaned forward. “Did she ask after me?”

Niall sucked his teeth at Louis’ smirk. Líobhan was Niall’s youngest sister. At only six years old, she had become rather smitten with Louis on his last visit. A fact that Louis never failed to brag about. “She’s fine. She’s lost her first tooth, which was very exciting for everyone involved,” he drawled. “And yes, she asked Father Christmas for you to come visit again. Her future happiness is in your hands.”

“Perfect.” Louis clapped his hands excitedly, his thick gloves muffling the sound, and jumped up from his perch on the wall. “Just how I like it. We’ll have to stop by next time.”

“Make sure you do.” He flicked his chin to the Tardis stationed further inside the park. “Everyone inside?”

“Uhuh,” Louis replied easily, walking towards the door. “Sleeping.”

“Oh, okay.” The sound of their shoes scraping against the stoney path interrupted the still night. “Hey, Louis?”

Louis hummed, turning to him with raised eyebrows, his hands stuffed under his arms for warmth.

“I’ve got a letter, er, for Tams?” He scratched his ear at Louis’ gleeful grin. “Do you think we could stop by the fifties, so I could post it?”

He could tell that Louis’ was physically restraining himself from teasing. The other man nodded and said,  “We could make a longer stop if you want, Ni. You could visit her properly.” He pulled his key to the Tardis out of his pocket. “Just say the word.”

Niall had been surprised when Louis had dropped a letter from Tams on his lap, a few weeks after their adventure in Bristol. It had been addressed simply to ‘Niall Horan, the Tardis’. He had chosen not to question the physics of it, however, in favour of writing back. Since then, they’d exchanged many letters. Niall was beginning to grow very fond of her. “No, you’re alright,” he insisted. “I’m used to doing it this way, anyway. Letters and courting and the like.”

Small flakes of snow had started to fall around them and Louis shook his hair, flicking several drops at Niall’s face. “If you’re sure,” he clucked. “It’s going well with you two, then?”

Niall shrugged, suddenly shy. “She’s a nice girl. We’ll see.”

“Alright, Casanova,” Louis grinned, opening the Tardis door and letting them in.

The warmth was a welcome relief and Niall hurried to remove his wet jacket and hat. He was halfway through pulling off his shoes and socks when Harry’s voice sounded in his ear.

“Hey, Niall.”

“Fu -” he started, but cut himself off when he looked up to see Harry’s cheerful face. He kicked his shoes to the side and laid his socks over the handrail, ignoring Louis’ disapproving grunt. “Harry! Hi.”

“Do you want some?” Harry asked, raising a mug of tea, stream rising from the top. “Kettle’s just boiled.” He was dressed down in soft trousers and a thick hooded jumper. His toes wiggled on the floor beneath mismatched socks.

“A wet’d be spot on thanks, mate,” Niall all but groaned. “Can’t feel my fingers, if I’m honest.”

Harry grimaced and glanced down the mug in his hand. “Have mine,” he offered. “We take it the same.”

Niall grinned, delighted. “Oh, cheers.” He sat down on one of the soft chairs in the control room and closed his eyes for a few relaxing moments. Harry returned after a while with two more mugs.

“You’re a love,” Louis said with a deep sigh as he took one and sat down. “Thought you’d gone to bed.”

“Couldn’t sleep.” Harry followed him down. “Is it snowing?” he asked, brushing a couple of flakes off Louis’ shoulder.

“It is indeed,” Niall murmured. He quite liked spending time with Harry and Louis together. They had this nice way of making you feel included in their happiness, like they genuinely wouldn’t rather be spending time just with each other.

“Crazy,” Harry muttered, taking a sip of his drink. “It was the middle of summer when I left work this afternoon.”

“It was also twenty twenty-one,” Louis commented. “So there’s that.” He curled his arm around Harry’s shoulders at the same time as he tried to tickle Niall’s bare foot with his sock.

“No, I know.” Harry ignored Niall’s indignant squawk. “It’s just hard to know what to pack.”

Louis sighed, leaning back against the cushions with shut eyes. “Just bring your wardrobe,” he slurred. “S’plenty of room.”

They all drank their tea in companionable silence, the thrum of the Tardis quiet and repetitive. Just as Niall started to wonder if he’d get the chance to move the furniture around in his room like he’d planned, Harry sat bolt upright opposite him.

“Hey. Hey, Lou,” Harry whispered.

“What?” Louis breathed, eyes still closed.

“I’ve just thought, Louis, the Tardis.”

Niall narrowed his eyes and waited for Harry to finish.

“What ‘bout her?” Louis mumbled.

“It’s like, she’s the original mobile phone. Like, literally,” Harry said, grin plastered across his face.

Louis groaned and Niall smiled into his mug.

“I’ve had enough. Bed, I’m going to bed,” Louis announced. He leaned over to press a kiss against Harry’s still smirking lips before standing up and pointing to Niall with a click of his fingers. “See you idiots later.”

“Night,” Harry sang.

Niall stretched his legs in front of him. “I might get some kip, as well,” he yawned as Louis vanished around the corner.

“Oh, okay.”

Harry sounded disappointed, causing Niall to stop where he stood. “You alright?” he asked and sent Harry a concerned glance.

“Yeah. Just, weird dreams.” Harry gave a dismissive chuckle.

Niall didn’t know quite what to say. Was this a side effect of absorbing all those memories? Or was it just a by-product from living on the Tardis? Niall never remembered his dreams. “We all get them from time to time. Nothing too bad?”

Harry’s voice was unusually quiet when he muttered, “I keep dying.”

Niall shifted. “Well. Yeah,” he stumbled over his words, his hands fiddling with the handle of his mug. “That’s quite bad.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Harry shook his head. He sent Niall a bright smile, though he couldn’t quite disguise the way his lip quivered. “I’ll ask Louis to explain the rules behind what you can and can’t change in time. They’re so convoluted, should send me straight off.”

Niall gave a false chuckle and nodded. They headed towards the Tardis sleeping quarters together until it was time to part ways. As Harry turned to head towards his and Louis’ room, Niall blurted, “Harry?”

“Yeah?”

He didn’t even know what he wanted to say. Did he want to tell Harry the truth? Did he want him to talk to Louis? Did he want to write the whole thing off as nonsense? He lost his resolve. “Thanks for the tea,” he mumbled, lamely.

“No problem.” Harry sent him a bemused smiled and ruffled his hair. “Night, then.”

Niall shut his eyes that night with a distinctly unsettled feeling in his stomach. It was one he couldn’t shake, no matter how hard he tried.

Diagmar Cluster ~ 51st Century

“It’s a spacecraft!” Liam beamed as soon as they stepped out of the Tardis doors. “I love it when we get spacecrafts. Oxygen levels are high too. Good start.” He smiled and slapped Harry on the shoulder. Harry gave him a placating nod before stepping to one side and rubbing his arm.

He took a look around the vessel as the others milled about. It was dark. Really, depressingly dark. There was a damp smell in the humid air and stains streaked across the walls. As Harry looked to his feet he saw that the ground was covered in disused equipment, metal and plastic scattered across the floor.

“It looks abandoned,” Zayn remarked, sounding disappointed as he kicked a tangle of wiring out of his path. “Is there anyone on board?”

“Don’t reckon so. Nothing dangerous anyway. Well,” Louis stopped where he was leaning over some railings. “Not that dangerous.”

“Louis,” Harry warned.

“You know what?” Louis pondered, as he pulled a face. “I’ll just do a quick scan, in case there’s anything dangerous.”

Harry smiled at Niall’s obnoxious laugh and teased, “What a good idea.”

Louis pulled a face as his sonic screwdriver began to buzz. “Christ, they’ve had some cowboys in here, for sure. There’s a shed load of repair work to do.” Zayn raised his eyebrows, in mock surprise. “Weird. Look at that,” Louis continued, shoving the sonic screwdriver in front of Harry’s face. Harry cast his eyes over the flashing lights. It was absolute gibberish to him, but he nodded to a distracted Louis nonetheless. “The warp engines are running full blast, but we’re not moving. That much power could tear the universe a new one.” He came to a halt in the middle of the room, looking perplexed. “Where’s it all going?”

“Why’s it empty if the engines are going?” Harry asked. “Where’d the crew go?”

Niall stepped forward with a shrug. “Well. Better have a look and see.” He kicked a small pile of metal casing out of his way and pulled open a large metal door at the side of the room.

The door screeched against the floor as it was dragged open and Harry gritted his teeth at the sound. Behind it an empty room housing a beautiful fireplace was revealed, completely at odds with the rest of the ship’s harsh, metallic interior. A fire was burning brightly in the cast iron fender, with a large clock and other extravagant trinkets lining the mantelpiece.

“Well, that’s a bit odd,” Louis remarked. Harry heard Liam scoff. It was a little more than odd, he thought. “It’s eighteenth century,” Louis muttered, evidently still nonplussed by the turn of events. “French, eighteenth century. On a spaceship. Huh.” They all stepped closer as Louis reached out to run his hand along the mantelpiece. “Not a hologram, not even a reproduction.”

“What do you mean?” Zayn asked, his eyes flicked between Louis and the bright orange flames.

“I mean,” Louis said as he stepped back, settling his hands on his hips. “This actually is an eighteenth century french fireplace. Look.” He waved his hand towards the hearth. “It’s double sided.” Niall let out a disbelieving laugh as Liam quickly dropped to the floor to stick his head under the mantelpiece and take a peek. Louis looked on, smiling. “There’s another room through there.”

“There can’t be,” Niall dismissed, pointing to the small porthole like window, showing black space surrounding them. “That’s the outer hull of the ship.”

Louis sent them a smirk and shrugged, confident in his own assertion. Harry felt a wash of fondness crash through him. At that moment, however, Liam’s voice interrupted Harry’s admiration.

“Hello,” he spoke, timbre soft. Immediately they all crowded around Liam on the floor, to see who he was talking to.

As Harry’s eyes fell on the young girl kneeling on the other side of the fireplace, his jaw dropped. Now this was bizarre. Just as Louis had said, there was a room beyond the fireplace. From what Harry could see from his position squashed at Liam’s side, the room matched the antique lavishness of the fireplace. Harry shook his head lightly as Louis mumbled in his ear, “Told you so.”

“Hello,” the girl courteously replied. Her dirty blonde hair fell in ringlets by her shoulders. She wore only a politely curious expression at the five men that had appeared inside her fireplace.

“What’s your name?” Liam asked after a beat.

She smiled. “Reinette.”

“That’s a lovely name.”

Harry felt Louis shift where he was leaning over his shoulder. “Could you, by any chance, tell me where you are at the moment?” the time lord questioned.

Reinette giggled. “In my bedroom,” she said, as if it were obvious. Though it probably was obvious to her, Harry thought, she didn’t have to live every day travelling through space.

Niall laughed at Liam’s other side and Liam elbowed him in the ribs, quickly shutting him up. The side of Harry’s face was starting to heat up from his proximity to the fire and he tilted his head, trying to widen the gap.

“Where’s your bedroom?” Liam asked Reinette, patiently. “Where do you live?”

“Paris, of course.”

Louis clicked his tongue. “Paris, right!”

“Monsieur,” Reinette continued, ignoring Louis’ response. She was smiling at Liam with narrowed eyes. “What are you doing in my fireplace?”

There was a moment’s silence where Liam thought of an answer. He turned to the others for help, though none was forthcoming. Niall seemed to be thriving off Liam’s panic. “Oh, you know,” Liam eventually said with a shrug. He fiddled with the frame of the lintel, pretending to examine the delicate structure. “Just a routine fire check. All looks to be in good condition.” Harry had to hide his smirk in Louis’ neck as Liam grimaced through the awkward silence that followed.

Louis hummed before he enquired, “What’s the year, Reinette?”

The young girl frowned at them. “Seventeen hundred and twenty seven,” she said, incredulously.

“Lovely. A favourite of mine.”

“Good,” Liam interrupted before Louis could ask any more questions. “Good stuff. Right. So, you’ve been a great help, Reinette.” He paused for a second and Harry scrunched his eyes against the awkward goodbye he knew was coming. “Enjoy the rest of the fire. Night, night.”

“Goodnight, Monsieur,” Rienette said to Liam.

As they all scrambled back out from the fireplace Harry rolled his eyes at Liam. “‘Enjoy the rest of the fire’?” he repeated.

Liam’s cheeks were red from where the flames had heated them up. “What would you have said?” he squeaked.

“Didn’t you say we were going to the fifty first century?” Zayn asked as he pushed up the sleeves of his jumper and leaned against the concrete wall of the deserted spaceship.

“Yeah,” Louis replied, dragging out the word in thought. “But didn’t I say as well that the ship was generating enough power to rip a hole in the universe? I think we’ve found our hole.” Zayn raised his eyebrows and Louis bit his lip. “Must be a,” he began, pulling a face at Niall. “Spatio-temporal hyperlink?”

Out of the corner of his eye Harry spotted Liam scuffing his shoe on the hearth and stayed back to join him in investigating the incredible structure.

“You asking me, or telling me?” Niall joked, folding his arms and leaning back next to Zayn.

Louis sighed. “I didn’t want to say ‘magic door’.”

As Niall snorted, Zayn said, “So, on the other side of the magic door is France, seventeen twenty seven?”

Louis joined Harry and Liam near the fireplace. He ran his hand seductively up the side panel of the mantelpiece and Harry raised his eyebrows. Louis just smirked and turned  back to Zayn. “Bang on.”

With a flourish, he pulled down on on a cast iron lever at the side of the mantel and the the hearth jerked to the side. Harry clung on to the mantelpiece as the entire structure spun around. He glimpsed Niall and Zayn’s alarmed faces before they vanished and the fireplace came to a halt on the other side.  

They were in Reinette’s bedroom once more. It looked to be nighttime now, only one dimly lit candle in the whole room.

“Hello again,” said Louis brightly to the sleeping figure in bed.

Reinette woke with a start, sitting up in bed with a shocked expression. “It’s okay,” Liam assured. “Don’t scream. It’s us. From the fireplace? We were just talking a second ago. I was in your fireplace.”

“Monsieur,” Reinette replied. “That was weeks ago. Months ago.”

“Really?” Liam looked over the where Louis and Harry stood. Louis shrugged, walking over to the large window to peer behind the elaborately embroidered curtain. After a moment he walked back over to the mantelpiece. Harry flicked his side as he passed, trying to get him to pay attention. It didn’t work.

“What are you doing here?” Reinette questioned, sitting on her haunches in the middle of her bed.

Liam stuttered to answer. Instead he muttered under his breath, “I have no idea.” Harry huffed a laugh as he caught Liam’s eye. They both turned to Louis, who was still lingering near the fireplace. His face was mere inches away from the clock on the mantel. Now Harry’s attention was drawn to it, he noticed that its ticking was incredibly loud, the sound travelling right across the large room. The hands of the clock were stuck at eleven forty-five.

“Oh, that’s scary,” Louis whispered.

Harry stood up a little straighter. “What?”

Reinette chortled. “You’re scared of a broken clock?” she asked, clearly unimpressed with Louis.

“A little bit scared, love,” Louis responded, his voice high and eyes still focused on the clock. “Just a tiny bit. You see, if this clock’s broken.” He spun on his heel so he was facing the room. “And it’s the only clock in the room, then what’s that?” He raised his finger in the air, head cocked, listening. The other three listened too, to the desolate tick-tock cutting through the air. It felt much louder to Harry than it had done a few seconds ago. He let out a shaky breath.

“Because that’s not a clock,” Louis continued, his voice soft. “The resonance is too big, you can tell. Whatever’s making that noise, it’s gotta be at least six feet, I’d say. Taller than you, Harry.” Everyone turned to Harry at this and the hair stood up on the back of his neck.

Reinette breathed, “What is it?”

Louis stepped closer to her. “If you were a ticking thing,” he said. “And you wanted to hide in someone’s bedroom, what’s the first thing you’d do?”

Harry’s heart was racing, the mechanical ticking unrelenting in the large room. What was in there with them? His eyes flicked to the still clock on the mantel. “You’d break the clock,” he whispered.

“Right.” Louis nodded, his movements slow. “No one notices the sound of one clock ticking, but two? Might start to wonder if you’re really alone.” He crouched down by Reinette’s bedside and Harry’s gaze followed him down the the dark space underneath the bed.

“Reinette.” Liam’s voice was confident as he stepped closer to her, Harry coming around to where Louis was crouched. Liam held his hand out in front of him in a calming manner. “Stay on the bed,” he commanded. “Right in the middle, okay? Keep away from the edge.”

Reinette nodded and Louis pulled his sonic screwdriver from his pocket, slowly scanning the void beneath the bed. A few tense moments passed where nothing happened, before Louis jumped back and the device was knocked out of his hand.

Harry pulled Louis back, his fingers wrapped tightly around his arm. A figure had crawled out from under the bed to stand behind Reinette. Harry tried to calm his shaking hands as he took in the figure’s appearance. It wore clothes he imagined were typical for the century, with a long powdered wig atop its head. It was its face, however, that was causing Harry distress. Like a lifesize version of a porcelain doll, the figure had no eyes, just vacant holes where its sockets should be. Its jaw was elongated with a thin smile painted across its smooth white skin.

Harry felt like he was frozen, wide eyes locked on the horrid face in front of them. Liam’s breaths were loud. He spoke to Reinette, his voice wavering a little, “Don’t turn around. Stay where you are.”

“Reinette, can you look at me, sweetheart?” Louis murmured. He knelt in front of her, bringing the sonic screwdriver up to her face. “You’ve been scanning her brain,” he said after a moment.

“What could be in a little girl’s brain worth anything to them?” Harry wondered.

Reinette turned to face the figure and Harry was impressed as she showed no sign of shock. “I don’t understand. It wants me?” she asked. “You want me?”

Harry’s heart leapt in his chest when the figure responded in a clanky, mechanical voice. “No yet. You are incomplete.”

“Rude,” Harry muttered, feeling a little hysterical.

“What does that mean, ‘incomplete’?” Louis pressed.

The robot didn’t respond. The dim candlelight of the bedroom flickered against its porcelain face. Just as Louis opened his mouth to speak once more, the droid moved. Harry swore, as a shining blade extended from the robot’s hand and it headed towards Liam at an alarming speed.

“Monsieur, be careful,” Reinette gasped.

Liam stumbled backwards, towards the fireplace. “It’s alright. Just a nightmare, Reinette,” he said. “No need to worry. Everyone has nightmares.”

As Liam was pressed against the mantelpiece, Harry and Louis ran over to him. While Harry tried desperately to pull the robot away, clawing at its wig, its clothes, its arms, Louis pulled the lever again and they rotated back onto the spacecraft.

“Where the hell did you go?” was the first thing Harry heard over his and Liam’s grunts of exertion.

Harry looked over his shoulder to Niall and scowled before shouting, “Help, then!”

Niall and Zayn jumped into action as Zayn shouted, “What the hell is that?”

They all fumbled to keep the blade away from Liam’s throat and Louis reached for a large canister that had been abandoned on the ground. Harry heard a loud hissing sound before the droid was drenched in freezing cold spray, drops flying across Harry’s arms.

They all backed off as the android seized up and collapsed on the floor into a heap.

After taking some time to catch their breath Louis announced, “Apologies, boys. Got a bit distracted.”

Niall pushed his hair away from his face. “Um, where did that come from?” he asked, pointing at the robot on the floor.

“Seventeen hundreds. Paris, France,” Harry panted, kicking its long wig. “Can’t you tell?”

Louis curled his fingers around the edge of the figure’s face mask. As he pulled it back an oval of bronze clockwork was revealed in place of a head. The cogs were turning in rhythm, the loud ticking of before more prominent now the mask had been removed.

Liam groaned, eyeing the faceless robot in disdain. “That’s kinda creepy.”

“Oh, no, Liam. That’s beautiful, that,” Louis delighted, standing back to survey the whole of the android. “Space age clockwork. I -” Before he could finish his sentence, however, the body before them vanished in a shimmer.

Harry stared at the now empty floor. “Ah,” Louis said. “Bugger. Can’t have gone far,” he reasoned, looking around the room. “Only a short range teleport. It’s probably still on board.”

“What was it?” Zayn enquired, his tone deliberately casual.

Louis wasn’t having any of it, however. “Zayn, don’t go looking for it,” he warned. “I’ve had it up to here with you playing the hero. You too, Harry. Stay with me.”

“Why?” Harry puzzled. “Where’re you going?”

He was ignored, however, when Louis simply replied, “Back in a jiffy.”

“Don’t bugger off again!” Niall exclaimed, stepping closer.

Louis grabbed Harry by the arm before turning back to the others, “We’ll be a jiffy, Niall!” The two of them stepped onto the hearth and Louis pulled the lever to rotate them. Harry cackled at Louis’ outraged gasp when, at the last minute, Liam jumped on board with them.

“Sneaky,” Louis accused as the Parisian room came into view.

Liam grinned. “Keep up, Louis,” he teased with a wink. Harry sniggered as Louis turned to him with an indignant glare. “Reinette?” Liam continued, oblivious to the offence he’d just caused. “Just checking you’re okay.”

As Harry stepped off the hearth once more he bit his lip. This was not the same room they’d been in two minutes ago. This wasn’t a little girl’s room at all. It was clearer and more decadently decorated. There was a harp placed in the corner of the room and Harry strode over, unable to resist, to twang a few strings.

“Ahem.” Harry stopped abruptly at the sound and spun around to see a woman standing near the doorway. She wore a dress of light peach, delicate frills running along the hem and criss-crossing in bows along the front. Her bouffant skirt fell from her waist in a confident display and her blonde hair was braided away from her handsome face.

“Oh!” Liam started. “Hello. Er.” He sent the other two a lost grimace. “We were just looking for Reinette. Is this still her room? We might’ve been away a little while.”

A shout echoed in the distance, catching the woman’s attention.

“I will join you shortly, Mother,” she spoke in a clear voice towards the corridor. When she returned her gaze to the room she had a coy smile playing on her features. “It is customary, I think, to have an imaginary friend only during one’s childhood.” She raised her eyebrows. “You are to be congratulated on your persistence.”

“Oh, sh -” Liam balked. “No way! Wow. Well, Reinette!” He held his arms out at his sides. “You’ve, er, you’ve grown.”

“And you do not appear to have aged a single day.” Reinette walked towards Liam, her pace slow but deliberate. “Tremendously impolite of you,” she teased.

Harry’s eyes widened at Reinette’s playful tone and he turned to Louis to share a smirk. The time lord was already biting down on his lip. “Right,” Louis said, a little stiltedly. “Sorry, love. Great to catch up, really, but we best be off.”

Harry laid his hand on the back of Louis’ neck and joked, “Don’t want your mother finding you up here with a bunch of strange men, do we?”

Reinette didn’t take her eyes of Liam, however. It was as if Louis and Harry weren’t even there. “Strange? How could you be a stranger to me? I’ve known you since I was seven years old.”

Liam let out and awkward chuckle, tripping over the carpet as he tried to reverse away from Reinette’s onwards advance. “I came the quick route, I ‘spose.”

“You seem to be flesh and blood, at any rate, but this is absurd,” she laughed. “Reason tells me you cannot be real.”

Louis stepped forward, his tone dry as he said, “Don’t want to listen to reason too mu - Oh.”

Harry gasped, “Oh my God.”

The two of them stared, dumbstruck as Reinette pressed her lips against Liam’s. The seconds dragged on and Harry started to laugh as Liam began to kiss her back.

“It’s like we’re invisible,” Louis chimed, disbelieving. “Oh, I don’t like this.” He shook his head, eyeing where Reinette’s arms were wrapped around Liam’s neck. “I don’t like this at all.”

Harry laughed some more. “Can’t face someone else getting all the attention?” he joked. Louis glared at him, but Harry just pouted back. “Don’t be sad,” he said, nudging Louis with his hip. “We can have a go of it later, don’t you worry.”

“Shut up,” Louis snapped, though Harry counted the faint redness of his ears as a success. “I can cope without attention, thank you”. He crossed his arms. “And I’m not worried, I -”

A voice came from corridor as someone approached. “Mademoiselle Poisson!”

Reinette broke away from Liam. “Oh, I must leave. But I will see you again, I know it.” She turned to leave with a graceful swoop of her dress and the room was empty once more.

Harry and Louis waited for Liam to speak. His hair was in disarray and he had a somewhat bewildered expression on his face.  

“Wow,” he croaked, his lips red.

“Did,” Harry started, as something clicked in his head. “Did she just say Poisson? As in Reinette Poisson?”

“Wow,” Liam repeated, running his hand across his face.

“As in Madame Etoiles?” Harry turned to Louis, only to see his face had split into a mad grin. “As in mistress of Louis the Fifteenth? As in the uncrowned Queen of France?”

Louis’ laughter filled the room and Harry couldn’t help but join in. “Liam just snogged Madame de Pompadour!” Louis cackled, hand pressed to his stomach.

Once Liam had properly recovered, which took a lot longer than Harry had expected, they returned to the spacecraft.

“Niall! Zayn!” Louis shouted, after the fireplace locked itself back into position. “Niall? Where are they?” he muttered impatiently. “Zayn? Ni!” He raised his arms in despair. “Every time. The one thing I said, don’t go looking for it, and where have they bloody gone?”

Harry wrinkled his nose. “To go and look for it?” he guessed.

Louis sighed. “C’mon.” As they set off he began muttering under his breath. “Worse than children, I swear.”

Liam followed them in a quiet daze.

~

Niall weighed the metal canister in his arms, pointing the nozzle like a gun. If that robot was lurking around any corners, he was going to be prepared. He glanced to where Zayn was walking next to him. “Louis did say not to look for it,” he reasoned, taking in the determination etched onto the other man’s face.

“Yeah,” Zayn agreed. “He did.”

Niall shook his head in a laugh when Zayn failed to elaborate any further. They continued down the derelict corridor, eyes and ears wide open for any minor noise or disturbance. As they rounded a corner Niall noticed the mechanical whirring of a security camera turning to focus on them drawing closer, the sound still alien enough to him to register.

“Wotcher, pal,” he joked as he looked into the camera. When he leaned closer, however, he noticed something strange. Frowning, he caught Zayn’s arm as he passed behind him. “Zee, look at this,” he said, nodding towards the camera. “That’s an eye. Like, a real eye.”

Zayn pulled a face and narrowed his eyes. Right in front of them, instead of the lens of a camera, planted into the middle of the camera casing was an eye. The whites were bloodshot and pupil severely dilated, but there was no denying that it was most definitely an eye.

“Christ,” Zayn muttered under his breath. Niall watched as he approached the wall on which the camera was mounted, pulling at the hatch door underneath. It opened to reveal a complex maze of electrical wires and pipes. In the centre of the mess was a dark red mass, glistening wet. It moved rhythmically, as if it was being pumped from somewhere.

“What is that?” Niall asked, his nose scrunched up in distaste. “That thing, with all the wires?”

“Oh, this just got a whole lot stranger,” Zayn breathed. “That’s a heart, Niall. That’s a human heart.”

Chapter Text

Diagmar Cluster ~ 51st Century

Their footsteps were clipped as they hurried down the deserted corridors in search of Niall and Zayn. Harry kept looking over his shoulder to check that Liam was still with them. He seemed to have been deeply affected by Reinette’s kiss and Harry didn’t know whether he should laugh or cry. Either one might earn him a reproachful glare.

“There you are!” Louis shouted, relief unhidden in his tone.

“Gentlemen,” Niall greeted. “We found a thing.” He and Zayn were standing in front of a large panel of glass. It appeared to be placed in the wall at random, with no other defining features along the corridor at all. As they approached, it became apparent that it wasn’t just an ordinary window, however. Beyond the glass a vast ballroom towered above them. Harry gasped. Rows of gorgeous, glittering chandeliers hung low from the arching ceiling, with gold and intricately painted motifs lining the walls and vaulting. Reinette was there once more, on her own in the cavernous room. As Harry took in the tall windows and mirrors that lined the walls of the vast hall, he couldn’t help the smile that worked its way onto his face. It was beautiful. He made to look to the others and caught a glimpse of Louis staring back at him. Almost immediately, Louis turned his gaze back to Niall, but Harry could see the upturned corners of his mouth. He knew Louis had been watching him and it warmed his chest.

The beauty of the ballroom had distracted Harry somewhat, but when he came to focus on Niall and Zayn’s faces, he knew he couldn’t contain himself. “Liam made out with Reinette,” he blurted out in a rush.

“What?” Zayn spat out. He stepped back, looking Liam up and down, his mouth pulled back in a appalled frown. Harry preened. “Liam, that’s disgusting. She’s, like, twelve, what the hell is wrong with you?”

“She kissed me!” Liam whined, indignant. Harry could see Louis hiding a smile behind his hand as they watched Liam blush. “And she wasn’t twelve at the time, don’t be ridiculous. That’s her.” He pointed at the woman beyond the glass. “She’s older. Time and relativity, and the rest of it, isn’t it.”

“‘Time and shit,’” Zayn agreed.

“She’s not just Reinette though, guys,” Harry said sniggering still. “She’s Madame de Pompadour.” His glee was bridled, however, when he received only blank stares in return.

“Sorry Harry,” Niall drawled, not sounding bothered at all. “We didn’t really do much history at school.”

A wave of inspiration came across Harry at that moment and he pulled his mobile out of his pocket. “Hang on,” he mumbled, scrolling down the screen. “‘Jeanne Antoinette Poisson,” he read out, once he’d found what he was looking for. “Marquise de Pompadour, also known as Madame de Pompadour, or Reinette to her friends, was a member of the French court and was the official chief mistress of Louis the Fifteenth from seventeen forty-five to her death.”

“‘Louis’,” Louis murmured, with a smile. He nodded in approval. “Good, royal name, that.” Zayn let out a soft laugh.

“She was trained from childhood -’” Harry continued.

“Where are you reading that from?” Louis interrupted, cocking his head at Harry’s phone.

Harry looked up at the group. “Wikipedia,” he responded, simply.

Immediately Liam, Niall and Zayn chorused, “What’s wiki -”

“It doesn’t matter,” Louis cut them off, his voice raised a little. “We don’t need Wikipedia, we’ve got actual history happening right in front of us.” He wrapped his knuckles against the window next to them.

“Yeah, but why do we? It’s in completely the wrong place,” Niall whined. “What’s old-world France doing on a spacecraft?” He waved his hand towards the glass. They all watched in interest as beyond the clear pane Reinette checked her appearance in the mirror. It was strange, Harry thought, to see someone so undisguised in such an intimate moment. She was Madame de Pompadour, up there with the most celebrated women in history, and yet here she was, alone and nervous. Harry was pleased to see that she soon gathered herself together as she took in her own reflection, confident and in control once more.

“Never mind that. What are human body parts doing welded in to a spacecraft?” Zayn blurted over the quiet scene.

“What?” Harry choked, in alarm.

Turning to see Zayn’s horrified face, Liam scoffed. “Zayn, you’re gonna have to give us more detail on that one.”

“Niall and I saw it just now,” Zayn explained, running a hand through his hair and looking harassed. “A human eye for a camera, and a human heart. Like, an actual real life human heart for a - I don’t know, for something. They were sort of melded into the ship’s wiring.”

Harry grimaced, feeling a little ill. “Gross.”

“They must be interlinked,” said Louis. He squinted while he watched Reinette through the mirror. “These portals to the past are everywhere on board this ship. We’ve already passed a load of them. All of them to do with Reinette Poisson.” He sighed. “She was one of the most accomplished women who ever lived, it must be for a reason.”

There was silence for a while as the quiet of the empty ship enclosed them. “So she’s got her eyes on the prize, then?” Niall piped up, from behind Harry’s shoulder.

“Come again?” Louis asked, eyebrows raised.

Niall’s gaze flicked between Reinette and Louis. “Queen?”

“Nah, Ni,” Zayn responded, with a smile. “There’s already a Queen.” He slapped Niall on the arm. “Pompadour, she’s just the mistress.”

“Not just, Zayn,” Louis reprimanded. “But yes, that’s the general idea.”

Harry leant in closer to the glass, so that his face was mere inches away from Reinette’s. It was bizarre. He wondered for a moment if she could sense he was there. “Queen must’ve love her,” he muttered, taking the delicate arch of her eyebrows and the sharp cut of her cheeks.

Louis sniggered, his eyes crinkling when he answered, “Oh yeah. They got on very well.”

Zayn grinned like he didn’t believe it. “For real?” he asked. “The King’s wife and the King’s girlfriend?”

“France, ain’t it?” Niall murmured, as if that was a definitive answer.

“I’d stay out of it, Liam,” Zayn all but cackled, flicking Liam on the ear. “Might get your head chopped off or something.” Liam scowled at him, but was distracted as Reinette began to speak from beyond the mirror.

She had moved so her back was to them, speaking to a figure lingering in the shadows near the elaborate doorway.

“How long have you been standing there?” Reinette demanded, her voice echoing off the walls. “Show yourself!” Harry stood a little straighter at her authoritative tone. The figure complied and, as the porcelain face of one of the clockwork machines came into the light, the five men behind the mirror all jumped into action.

Liam grabbed the canister that Niall still had a hold of and shoved himself towards the glass.

Expecting the pane to smash, Harry braced himself for the impact, holding Niall and Zayn back with him. Instead, he was met with nothing. Harry blinked several times as he watched Liam through the glass, dowsing the robot in the container’s steaming liquid.

“It rotates. Like the fireplace,” Louis yelled, excitedly. “Come on!”

The other three surged forward and Harry was carried along with them, past the rotating mirror. It was in a slight daze that he heard Liam utter the words, “Hello, Reinette. Me again.”

“Fireplace man!”

Harry was pleased to see they disturbed look on Zayn’s face at the interaction, as all he could feel was joy. He needed someone to balance it out.

“Like the proverbial bad penny, I’m afraid,” Louis said, striding past all of them, arrogance in full swing. “My name’s actually the Doctor.”

Zayn drew out the words as he said, “I don’t think she was talking about you.”

“Doctor what?” Reinette asked.

Louis sent Harry a disbelieving look, as if to clarify how ridiculous Reinette was. “If you like.”

“What's it doing?” Niall interrupted their exchange, looking on warily at the frozen android. The five of them looked so out of place in the grandiose ballroom that even the dressed up robot seemed less anachronistic. Harry pulled down his jacket sleeves as everyone gathered around the droid.

Louis examined it for a few seconds. “It’s switching back on, I think. It’ll take a while.” He squared up to the robot, tilting his head up to face it. “Who are you? Identify yourself. Can you order it to answer me?” He spun around to hear Reinette’s answer.

Reinette, for one, appeared baffled. “Why should it listen to me?”

“I don't know,” Louis shrugged. “It did when you were a child. It’s worth a shot.”

She stepped forward, fixing the robot with a determined stare. “Answer his question. Answer any and all questions put to you.”

The crackling voice that emanated from the droid was as disconcerting as it had been the first time. “I am repair droid seven,” it said.

Louis jumped right into his questioning. “What happened to the ship?”

“Ion storm. Eighty two percent systems failure.”

“What's taken you so long to prepare?”

“We did not have the parts.”

Louis frowned at the machine. “There should have been dozens of crew on your ship. Where did they go?”

Harry coughed, patting down his hair as he whispered loudly, “They, er, they didn’t have the parts, Lou.”

“What?” Louis muttered. “Oh! You didn’t -” He clicked his tongue, almost disappointed. “So you used the crew.”

“What kind of system would be programmed to do that?” Liam asked, at a loss.

“Standard repair, Liam. You should know. No one told it the crew weren't on the menu.

“But,” Niall walked up next to Louis. “What are you doing here?” he asked the robot. “Why come here? You could have gone to your repair yard. Why here?”

The droid crackled as it replied, “One more part is required.”

“Then why haven't you taken it?” Louis questioned.

“She is incomplete.”

Harry shifted his feet. This didn’t make any sense. “What, so, that's the plan? Just keep coming back to check if she's done yet?"

“Why her?” Zayn asked. He waved his arm over to the operatic window, revealing the stars twinkling in the night sky. “They've got all of history to choose from. Why specifically her?”

“We are the same,” the droid said, one word at a time.

Reinette almost snarled. “We are not the same,” she spat out. “We are in no sense the same.”

The droid simply repeated, “We are the same.”

“Get out of here,” Reinette yelled, fierce with rage. “Get out of here this instant!”

“Reinette, no,” Louis pleaded, but it was too late. The android had teleported away. The ballroom felt strangely still in its absence. Louis did not waste any time, however. He jumped up, pointing to Niall and Zayn. “It's back on the ship. You two, get after it. Don’t, like, approach it,” he warned. “Just see what it does.”

Zayn rolled his eyes, dropping his arms by his sides. “Oh, so you want us to go after it now?” he huffed. “Make your mind up.”

Harry could see that Louis was about to respond with a sarcastic remark, no doubt, but Zayn grinned, cutting him off. He and Niall headed back to the revolving mirror without another word, as the other three focused on Reinette.

The sound of the mirror closing behind them reverberated around the hall.

~

“‘Don’t go after it.’ ‘Go after it.’ ‘Clean up the Tardis.’ ‘Don’t go poking around.’”

Zayn’s mocking words were the only sound Niall could hear as they trundled back down the monotonous corridors of the dilapidated spacecraft. “Will you stop dithering,” he snapped. He was only half serious, he knew Zayn had some valid complaints but he didn’t have to go on about them.

“I’m just saying,” Zayn defended. “He’s like Hamlet half the time.”

Niall rolled his eyes. “What? Honestly, I can’t understand a word you say.”

“You’re one to talk!”

“What?”

Zayn smiled, his eyes crinkling and Niall felt himself relax somewhat. “The other day,” Zayn teased, counting off on his fingers. “You used the words, ‘bun strangler’, ‘moithered’ and ‘gigglemug’ in one sentence. Anyway,” he shrugged as they stopped to check around a corner. “It’s Hamlet. Like, the man who couldn’t make up his mind. It’s a thing. Read a little, man.”

Niall scoffed. “I’m sorry, I’ve been too busy living in poverty for the majority of my life.”

“Oh, kitty’s got his claws out!” Zayn looked delighted at Niall’s mood and Niall fought down a smile. “I thought you were a shipwright?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t they pay shipwrights?”

“Not much,” Niall muttered, thinking back to his first job. He’d only been paid eight shillings a week when he started out, but he’d loved every minute of it.

“Hey, check this out.”

Zayn distracted him from his thoughts and he shuffled over to where the other man was squinting at the ship wall. “It’s not more Shakespeare, is it?” he questioned, suspicious.

“No,” Zayn laughed. “No. Look.”

He leant closer, only just able to make out faint writing on the dirty wall. “Gor blimey,” he whistled. “Well, at least that explains that.” On the wall, in faded black lettering, were the words ‘Madame de Pompadour’. It was the name of the ship.

“They must think she’s they’re missing part,” Zayn added, excited by the development. “They’re the same.”

As Niall opened his mouth to respond, his words morphed into a senseless yell. His heart leapt into his throat as he watched one of the clockwork androids creep up behind Zayn to grab him by the throat. A second later, Niall felt a cool, porcelain hand reach out and grab ahold of his arms. When he saw the droid holding Zayn down reach across and pierce Zayn’s neck with a large needle, he knew they were done for. He felt it when his own skin was breached. After that, it became a blur.

~

“Reinette,” Louis asked where they were still alone in the large dancing hall. His voice was unusually low, the serious tone sitting uncomfortably in Harry’s ears. “We need to find out what they’re looking for. There’s only one way I can do that, it won’t hurt.” He took several small steps towards her, but she sidestepped him gracefully, as if it was instinctive.

“Can he do it?” she asked, uncharacteristically nervous, her eyes glancing over to where Liam stood.

Harry shared a surprised look with Louis. “Liam? Er, y -” the time lord stumbled to answer. “Er, yes? I think I can work that. Um, Liam?” He turned his whole body around to face the other man. “Could you -?” He cocked his head towards Reinette. “You just need to keep a look out for anything that they might want.”

“Keep a look out where?” Liam was clearly unsure of himself as he sidled up next to Reinette. His on-trend, twenty-first century attire felt stark next to Reinette’s ornate dress. They looked like they were going to a fancy dress party together, Harry thought, the idea making him laugh.

“You’ll see,” Louis hinted, a small smile on his face. He proceeded to place his hands on Liam and Reinette’s foreheads, his fingertips resting gently on their temples. Harry watched in fascination as Louis closed his eyes to concentrate, scared to make a sound.

“Fireplace man,” Reinette gasped. “You are inside my mind.” Reinette’s voice was so soft that Harry blushed. It felt very much like he was intruding on a private moment, and he wasn’t even the one looking inside someone else’s memories. He wondered what other abilities Louis had that he was keeping to himself.

“Oh my God, I’m inside your mind.” Liam sounded significantly more alarmed at the turn of events. “What the hell, Louis?”

“Just go with it, alright?” Louis cooed.

Reinette was smiling, her closed eyelids fluttering as she spoke. “You are in my memories. You walk among them.”

“If there's anything you don't want Liam to see,” said Louis. “Just imagine a door and close it. He won't look.”

“Oh,” Liam startled. “Actually there's a door just there. You might want to cl -” Harry smirked a little as Liam’s face fell. “Oh, actually, there’s several.”

Reinette continued, regardless. “To walk among the memories of another living soul,” she said. “It is beautiful.”

Liam blushed. “I don’t - I’ve not done this before.”

That was it for Harry, he could not resist. He leant closer and lowered his voice. “This is his first time.” Louis scoffed at his words, but Liam and Reinette completely ignored him. He was only a little disappointed.

“What age are you?” Liam asked, his forehead creased.

“So impertinent a question so early in the conversation,” Reinette teased. “How promising.”

“No, not my question, theirs. You're twenty three and so you're not old enough, yet.”

Reinette didn’t answer. Instead she winced, a small pained sound escaping her lips as she tilted her head away.

Louis grimaced. “Sorry, you might find old memories reawakening. Side effect.”

“Oh, such a lonely childhood,” she whispered. “Oh, Captain. So lonely. So very, very alone.”

“What do you mean, ‘alone’?” Louis frowned, looking over his shoulder to Harry and pulling a face. “You've never been alone in your life.” A moment later, he added, loudly, “And when did you start calling him ‘Captain’?”

“Such a lonely little boy,” Reinette carried on. “Lonely then, though not so now. How did you bear it?”

Louis was focused on Liam’s face now. At Reinette’s words, Liam’s features scrunched up, distressed. Harry was certain he must be reliving memories he’d rather have left forgotten. A moment later, Louis’ broke the connection between the two of them, pulling his hand away from their temples.

He kept his hand on Liam’s shoulder, however, as he pointed to Reinette. “How did you do that?”

“A door, once opened, can be stepped through in either direction,” she replied, impressively calm and collected, Harry thought, considering what had just happened. “Oh, Liam. My lonely Captain. Dance with me.”

“I can't,” Liam stumbled, his breathing heavy.

“Dance with me.”

“This is the night you dance with the King,” Harry spoke up, aware of just how important Reinette’s first ball with the King was for her.

Reinette smiled, a deep and welcoming smile. “Then first, I shall make him jealous.” She held out her hand to Liam. “There comes a time, Captain Payne, when every lonely little boy must learn how to dance.”

~

There were thick leather straps digging into his wrists and ankles. When he opened his eyes, Niall was greeted with the dismal, dank ceiling of the spacecraft. A large, unidentifiable stain covered the patch of ceiling directly above where he lay strapped to a slanted metal table. Following a quick scan of the room, Niall saw that Zayn was similarly restrained to a table next to him. Two of the mysterious robots were lingering by a large console, covered in levers and wheels.

An alarmed grunt came from next to him and Niall turned to see Zayn waking up with a start.

“Eh?” Zayn mumbled, still half out of it. “What's going on? Louis?”

“Not here, Zee. Just these buggers.” Niall nodded towards the droids and Zayn followed his gaze, becoming more alert. “Reckon they're gonna try to chop us up, just like the crew. Haven’t seen the others. Must’ve been hours.” He pursed his lips. “Bastards,” he muttered.

Zayn groaned and hit his head back against the examination table. “Why’s it always us, Niall?” Niall huffed at Zayn’s words. He was right, it was always them. “Whenever the others are off having a good time, you and I get near enough killed. It isn’t fair.”

“You are compatible,” one of the robots spoke up, interrupting Niall and Zayn as they wallowed in self-pity.

“Oh, are we?” Niall said, verging on hysterical. He did not want his eyeballs to end up wired into the ship’s mainframe, thank you very much. “Well, you might want to think again on that one. We didn’t come here alone.” He pushed against his restraints, trying to emphasize to the robot exactly who he was dealing with. “Trust me,” he warned. “You don’t want to mess with our crew.”

“‘Crew’, Niall?” Zayn scoffed from across the way. “Really?”

“What. I’m being literal. We travel on a ship. We’re a crew,” Niall snapped, with an annoyed roll of his eyes. After a beat or two of silence the guilt inside him began to well up. “Hey, Zee,” he groaned, his eyes screwed up in a grimace. “Do you remember that time when we were captured by clockwork robots and I shouted at you?”

“You mean right now?” Zayn deadpanned.

“I’m sorry about that, bud. I’m just feeling a bit stressed at the moment.”

Zayn started to laugh. It was quickly silenced, however, when the android closest to them produced a small spinning blade from the tip of its porcelain hand and began to head their way.

“Oh, he’s right,” Zayn rushed out to the robot, fighting more fervently against his bonds. “Our crew, they - We’ve got the Doctor,” he said and Niall knew they were clutching at straws. “They have myths about him, legends, even. He’s -”

A crash followed by stifled giggling sounded from around the corner. Niall’s ears were met with slurred singing in the distance, getting louder and louder.

“L - Legend. He’s a -” Zayn stuttered, his eyes flicking from the android to the approaching noise. The gusto in his voice was vanishing quickly. “They call him -” he tapered off.

If Niall had thought he’d be grateful to see Harry, Liam and Louis again, he was mistaken. The three of them rounded the corner and into view. Their arms were slung around each other in a casual manner and they were singing, or shouting, really, a song that Niall didn’t recognise.

Upon seeing Niall and Zayn they stopped, liquid spilling out of the goblet Louis had clutched in his hand.

“Boys!” Liam exclaimed, smile wide and eyes crinkling shut. “Where’ve you been?”

Before Niall could respond Louis piped in, “Have you met the French? Fuck me, they know how to party.” At this Harry giggled from where he was practically hanging off Louis’ arm.

Niall bit his lip to prevent himself from rolling his eyes. “Oh, right,” he drawled. “Here they are.”

The two droids hadn’t moved from the places, poised to slice him and Zayn open. “Right when you need us, it looks like,” Louis grinned, detaching himself from Harry and Liam.

“Yeah and not a moment too soon, is it?” he scolded.

Harry pouted, his long hair in a tangled and frizzy mess. “Don’t be angry, Niall. We couldn’t say no to the Queen of France.”

“No.” Liam grinned at Harry, pointing both his fingers like shotguns. “Not the Queen, Harold. The not-Queen.”

“What have you been doing!?” Zayn half shouted. He was well within his rights, Niall thought. The droid’s blade was hovering a foot away from him.

Louis sauntered over to where the robot’s were stood and Niall kept a keen eye on his path. “Well, among other things,” Louis said. “I think I just invented the banana daiquiri a few centuries early. Do you know, they've never even seen a banana before.” He’d reached Zayn by this point, and patted him lightly on the forearm. “Always take a banana to a party, Zayn. Bananas are good. Right, Harry?” He turned his winning smile on the other man. “Harry, right. Am I right?”

Back near the corner Harry was looking a little pale. He raised a hand to his stomach and pulled a face. “So right. Bananas. I feel a little ill.”

Louis clicked his tongue. “Poor Harold here cannot handle his drink, bless. But!” He clapped his hands. “He does a lovely minuet, so I’ll forgive him.” Finally, he acknowledged the two androids standing next to him. “And you found the robot guys, I see. Well done, you two.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Niall said, letting out a sigh. “Took some real skill.”

Louis laughed. “You want to know why they need her to be thirty-seven, Ni? Because that’s how old the ship is.” He twirled his fingers towards the ceiling. “They think that then they’ll be compatible. Need a command circuit, you see. Need a brain. For some reason, they think the brain of Madame de Pompadour will do.”

“It’s because that’s what the ship is called,” Zayn told them, his voice strained as he worked to lift his head away from the blade.

“Huh?”

“The ship,” Zayn explained. “It’s called the ‘Madame de Pompadour’. It’s why they think they’re a match.”

One of the droid’s emitted a whirring sound, which caused them all to jump. It rounded on Louis. “The brain is compatible,” it announced.

Niall eyed Louis, wondering what he would do. All he did, however, was let out a weary sigh, slumping where he stood. “Oh,” he moaned. “I’m bored of this now.” In one fell swoop he pulled the android's mask away from its face, to reveal it’s clockwork innards, and poured the contents of his goblet onto it’s head.

The rest of them watched with open mouths as the robot seized up and Louis skirted around it to reach the console at the edge of the room. It was the work of a moment for him to find the switch he was looking for, and Niall whooped as both of the androids powered down. The lights inside them dimmed and they slowed to a stop, their shoulders hunched and heads bent.

“Right, you two,” Louis said brightly. “That's enough lounging about. Time we got this ship shut down.”

“Louis!” Harry shouted, distressed.

Louis’ reaction was instant. “What?” he asked, rushing over to Harry. His hands were cupping Harry’s face the moment he reached him. “Harry, are you alright?”

“I’ve -” Harry stammered. “I’ve lost my phone,” he whined. “No, Lou. I left my phone at the -” As Louis relaxed, his expression one of involuntary fondness, Harry tucked his head into Louis’ neck.

“You’ve not lost anything, you idiot,” he sighed. “I’ve got your phone. Honestly.” He shook his head at Liam, as if to say, ‘look at this, my ridiculous, lovely partner.’ “Can’t take you anywhere.”

“Oh my God,” Zayn shouted, unable to contain himself anymore. He shook his wrists in the restrains. “Will you let us out?”

“Alright, alright,” Louis muttered as he and Liam unbuckled the straps. Niall and Zayn sat up and Niall rubbed his red, sore wrists. They all gathered around the console, careful to edge around the lifeless robots. “Okay.” Louis stretched his hands out in front of him over the controls. “All the time windows are controlled from here. We just need to close them all down.”

“Why didn't they just open a time window to when she was thirty seven?” Liam asked.

“With the amount of damage to these circuits, they did well to hit the right century. Trial and error after that.” He pressed a couple of buttons with a confident strike. Nothing happened. “The windows aren't closing. Why won't they close?”

Harry spoke up from where he was leaning with his arm against the wall, carefully placed to avoid the damp. “Maybe they’ve still got a man in the field?”

“Must be,” Louis mumbled.

Now that Niall was closer to him, he could see paper confetti strewn across Harry curls. He decided not to try to remove them. He thought they worked quite well with Harry’s overall look. While he continued to smirk at Harry, the other man’s face became submerged in red light. A loud alarm filled the spacecraft and the five of them frantically searched for a source.

Louis bit his lip, turning around to face them with a grimace. “Right.” He waved his hands in a panic. “This is probably not good.”

“What is that?” Zayn asked, frowning at the flashing lights on the console.

“Shit.” Niall looked at Louis in alarm at his words. “I think one of the other droids must have found the right time window.” He ran his fingers across his temple. “They’ll be sending in the troops.”

“Well,” Niall said. He nodded and rubbed his hands together; he could already feel his resolve strengthening. They could do this. “Let’s go out a meet them.”

~

Harry felt rough. Louis was right, he couldn’t hold his drink. The wailing alarm on the ship had propelled him from being ‘enjoyably tipsy’ to ‘uncomfortable as hell’. Still, he was going to help Reinette in any way he could. That was how he found himself creeping out from behind a bookcase as a clearly older Reinette played the piano alone.

The room was much smaller than any other Harry had seen from the seventeen hundreds yet. Old books lined the cabinets, their bindings new, and tapestries covered the walls, though the air was clean. Reinette had her back to Harry. When he coughed lightly, she gave a start.

“Sorry.” He winced and approached her carefully, sitting down in a plush seat beside her. He was unsure if she recognised him without Liam. “Madame de Pompadour. Please, don't scream or anything. We haven't got a lot of time. I've come to warn you that they'll be here in five years.”

He let out a sigh of relief when she gave a solemn nod. Clearly she knew what he was talking about. “Five years?” she asked.

“Some time after your thirty seventh birthday. I’m sorry I can't give you an exact date. It's a bit unpredictable, but they are coming. It's going to happen.” He scratched his head, trying to think how to word it. Why did he have to do this? Louis, or even Zayn would have been a more likely choice. “In a way, for us, it's already happening. I'm sorry, it's hard to explain. Louis does this better.”

“Then be exact,” Reinette said. “And I will be attentive.”

Harry whined, “There isn't time.”

“There are five years.” Reinette smiled, eyes creased in a small frown.

“For you. I haven't got five minutes.”

She nodded and sat up straighter. “Then also be concise. What can be done?”

Harry smiled. She would be okay, he was sure she could deal with anything those droids threw at her. “Louis says keep them talking,” he rushed. “They're programmed to respond to you now. You won't be able to stop them, but you might be able to delay them a bit.”

“Until?”

“Until Louis and Liam can get there.”

“He's coming, then? The Captain?”

Harry forced himself not to smirk. Instead he said, “He promises.” He shook his head, sadly. “I’m sorry. None of this was supposed to happen.”

There was a small vase of iris flowers on top of the piano. The tiny petals were wilting in the dark evening light. “‘Supposed to happen’? What does that mean?” Reinette said, her voice soft. Harry met her gaze and saw her melancholy smile and the delicate, thin skin around her eyes. “It happened and I would not have it any other way. I would endure an endless wave of monsters if it meant I could spend a moment with him.”

Harry couldn’t come up with any words in response, but he thought he understood what she meant. If he could wipe out all the harm he’d seen with Louis, he wouldn’t be able to. Not if it meant wiping out Louis from his life as well.

“Harry?” Louis’ voice emanated from the time window behind the bookshelf. “Come on, love.”

Reinette smiled a knowing smile. “He calls for you.”

He felt hesitant to leave her. The small room was almost lonely now she had stopped playing and the air was quiet. After a moment’s indecision, he rose to his feet before bowing his head to her.

Back on the spacecraft, Louis looked harassed, his hair spiking up at the front where he must’ve run his hand through it a few dozen times. “Harry, there you are.” He wrapped his hands around the fabric of Harry’s shirt, lifted himself onto his tiptoes and pressed his lips to Harry’s. Harry responded in kind, dropping his hands to Louis’ hips and surging forward. He was a little shocked, they didn’t usually go for such displays in front of the other lads, but he wasn’t going to turn down an offer. When Louis finally pulled away, he grinned up at Harry. “See you in a bit,” he said, a little breathless. “Stay safe.”

“Always do,” he replied, with a bemused smile. With that, Louis spun around and headed off down the corridor, disappearing around the corner.

Harry raised his eyes at Liam, who’d been watching the whole exchange from the sidelines. Liam shrugged. “So, we found the time window where she's thirty seven. Right under our noses. Louis says you and Zayn need to stay on the ship and guard the Tardis.”

Harry paused. “‘Guard the Tardis.’?” he scoffed.

“Look, Harry,” Liam sighed. “I don’t have time to argue. That’s what he said. Will you just -” He nodded his head in the direction of the Tardis, which was parked a few metres away. “Zayn’s waiting.”

After pouting at Liam long enough for the other man to thoroughly understand the depth of his annoyance, he made his way to the Tardis. Zayn was lounging on the bench near the control panel, looking downright unimpressed. The screen above the controls was showing the Versailles ballroom in action. A ball was clearly in full swing, the muted colours of the ladies dresses and the fantastical decor of the room painting a gorgeous picture.

Even as Harry watched, however, the scene began to fall apart. A handful of droids emerged from the crowd, cutting a direct line across the swirling dancers and heading straight for Reinette. Harry bit his lip as they took a hold of her, forcing her to her knees. He could see that she was speaking, though couldn’t hear her words. It looked desparate. Surely the others would need their help?

“Louis told me to make sure you stayed here,” Zayn said, as if he could read Harry’s mind. “And I’m going to do it, so no funny business.” The look in his eyes made it feel like he knew more than he was letting on. It was a feeling that Harry had been experiencing with increasing regulatory and he was not a fan of it. He declined to answer Zayn and instead continued to watch the drama unfold on screen.

~

“Such a commotion. Such distressing noise,” Reinette spoke loudly from where she was held on her knees. “Kindly remember that this is Versailles. This is the Royal Court, and we are French. I have made a decision. And my decision is no, I shall not be going with you today. I have no desire to set foot in your world.”

Niall had to admit, she sounded formidable. If he was a clockwork android from the fifty-first century, he might think twice about crossing her. From their position concealed at the back of the crowd he, Liam and Louis waited for an opportune moment to help. Personally, Niall thought the most opportune moment would have been as soon as possible, but he suspected that Liam wanted to make an impressive entrance. And the man still tried to argue he didn’t have a hero complex.

“You think I fear you,” Reinette snarled, her voice strong. “But I do not fear you even now. You are merely the nightmare of my childhood,” she dismissed. “The monster from under my bed. And if my nightmare can return to plague me, then rest assured, so will yours.”

Liam seemed to have found his moment, as that second he began to push through the whimpering crowd, towards Reinette and the droids.

“Madame de Pompadour,” Louis greeted, voice projecting across the ballroom as he and Niall joined Liam at the front.

Reinette smiled at them as they approached. “Liam,” she said.

Niall cackled, the affronted look on Louis’ face enough to inject some humour into the situation. “Completely ignored me,” he huffed. “Unbelieveable.”

“Reinette,” Liam said, sounding to Niall like one of the hero’s in those cheesy films Harry made him watch. “They won’t take you.” Liam stood up, facing the androids directly and said, dramatically, “Talk about seven years bad luck. Try three thousand.”

It was only then that Niall realised he didn’t have a clue what their plan was. He leaned over to Louis and whispered in his ear, “What’s he on about?”

Louis shrugged. “Not a clue.”

They watched in shock as Liam swung his arm, throwing all his weight behind it. Niall had been expecting him to hit one of the droids, but he aimed rather for the tall mirror to the left of them. There was a smashing sound and then there was a brick wall where the time window once stood.  

Stunned silence fell in the ballroom before Louis yelled, “What the hell?” Niall had not heard him ever sound so angry. Yes, he’d seen Louis fierce in the face of the foes they’d face, but never angry. Never at one of them. “Liam? What the hell?” he continued, his face screwed up. He stomped over to Liam and shoved him in the shoulder, hard enough for Liam to stumble back. “That’s our only way home - How -” Louis let out an exasperated grunt. “No!”

Niall ground his jaw, uncertain of what was happening. “What?” he asked Louis. “What did he do?”

Louis did not answer, but sent Liam a mutinous glare. It sent a uneasy feeling up Niall’s spine.

~

“What happened?” Zayn yelled at the now blank screen, but Harry couldn’t process his words. “Where did the time window go? How are they going to get back?”

The Tardis, for all it’s home comforts and endless gadgets, instantly felt to Harry like the end of the earth. The others had no way of getting back to them. Louis was stuck in eighteenth century France and nobody could do a thing about it. “That fool,” he whispered, so quiet he doubted Zayn could even hear him over his own ramblings. “They’re trapped.”

“We can't fly without them!” Zayn panicked. He shoved himself away from the controls and stared at Harry. “How are they getting back?”

Harry was shocked to find that his eyes were wet. Zayn’s worrying was crowding his head and he realised in horror that he didn’t know if he’d ever see Louis again. Something must have shown on his face as, a second later, he felt Zayn’s long arms pull him into a fierce embrace.

“We’ll work it out,” Zayn reassured. Harry’s face was buried in his shoulder, his fist clenched tightly around the fabric of his jumper while he tried to keep his emotions in check. Zayn repeated steadily, like he was trying to convince himself, “We’ll work something out.”

~

Niall watched, open mouthed, as Liam rounded on the robots, who still had Reinette on her knees. The crowd in the ballroom all had their eyes on him. “Your link with the ship’s broken,” he said, he jaw set. “There’s no way back for you. It's over. Accept it.”

It was a face off. Niall could feel his heart beating rapidly against his chest as Liam stared the androids down. Then, as one, all of the droids began to power down. They released Reinette, dropped their arms to their sides and bowed their heads. It took a moment for the crowd of people to realise what had happened, once they did, the room filled with cheers. Louis stood stock still across the way.

“You alright?” Liam asked Reinette, extending his hand to help her up.

She took it gratefully. “What's happened to them?”

“They've stopped,” Louis explained. “They have no purpose now. There’s no way back to their ship.” He sounded so miserable that nobody stopped him when he stalked off, out of the ballroom on out of sight.

Several hours later, once everything had wound down, Niall was walking back through the now deserted hall. After all was said and done, he couldn’t help but feel like defeating the clockwork android’s was a little anti-climatic. Maybe it was a sign that he was too used to living close to the edge, when a brush with death wasn’t exciting enough.

He spotted Louis on the balcony, staring up at the night sky. Louis was surely taking being marooned on earth in the seventeen hundreds pretty hard. Niall knew it was one hundred percent about being separated from Harry. He wondered how Harry and Zayn were holding up.

He sidled up next to Louis, the cool air blowing through his shirt. “Don’t be too mad at him,” he said, holding out a champagne coupe.

Louis did not face him. He stayed staring at the stars. “I’m not,” he muttered. “I mean, I am, but I won’t be for long.” He faced Niall, then, squinting one of his eyes.  “There wasn’t really another way to stop them,” he admitted.

“We’ll get back to Harry and Zayn, you know.”

“Yeah?” Louis laughed, without humour. “How do you propose we do that, Niall?”

His friend looked so despairing, Niall had no words. Louis pulled a face as Niall remained quiet, apparently disappointed with his response. He looked back to the stars. Niall shifted, weighing up his options. He reached out to Louis and pulled the time lord into a hug. Louis went gladly and Niall kissed the top of his head as he held him tight. “We’ll figure something out,” he muttered against Louis’ hair. “Don’t give up.”

“I’d never give up on them,” Louis replied, his breath fanning against Niall’s shoulder. “Either of them.”

They both pulled apart when Reinette’s voice came out of the blue. “You know their names, don't you?” She was walking towards the balcony entrance from inside and for the first time, Niall noticed Liam standing in the doorway, partially hidden in the shadows. Reinette spoke again, unaware of Louis and Niall’s surprise. “I saw that in your mind. The names of the stars.”

Liam blushed, though Niall suspected it was due to being caught, rather than Reinette’s words. “Not all of them.”

“I have often wished to see those stars a little closer. Just as you have, I think.”

“A few. From time to time.” Liam raised his eyes to meet Louis’, an apologetic grimace etched on his face.

Reinette followed his gaze. “In saving me, you trapped yourself and your companions. Did you know that would happen?”

“Pretty much.”

“Yet, still you came.” She closed the remaining gap between them, raising her hand to cup Liam’s cheek. “So, here you are, my lonely angel, stuck on the slow path with me.”

“Yep, the slow path.” He raised the glass of wine he had clutched in his hand, inclining his head towards Reinette. “Here's to the slow path.”

Niall chanced a glance at Louis. His scowled had deepened as he stared at the point Liam and Reinette’s skin met. Niall wondered whether he should warn Liam that crossing Louis was not the greatest idea he’d ever had.

It may have only been a few hours, but a future where Harry and Louis were not together was looking very bleak indeed.

Reinette smiled. “To the slow path.”

Chapter Text

Château du Versailles, France ~ 1759

“To the slow path,” they toasted.

The dry, almost acidic tang of champagne hit the back of Niall’s throat, and he winced at the taste. He kept his eyes trained on Louis, who tipped his head back, finishing his drink in one go. The light breeze coming across the balcony blew his hair across his face, though it did nothing to remove the scowl that was there.  

Just as Niall thought the time lord was about to storm off, Reinette let out a sigh, her eyes on Liam. “It's a pity,” she said, softly. “I think I would've enjoyed the slow path.”

Louis scoffed and shifted where he was leaning against the balustrade. “Well, I don’t think we’re going anywhere soon.”

A coy smile crossed Reinette’s face. “Are you not?” She reached out a hand to Liam, who took it in an instant. “Come with me.”

They walked briskly through the practically deserted palace, up to the sleeping quarters. Niall felt more than conspicuous. He would normally have joked about it with Louis, but the determined glare on his friend’s face kept him silent. He followed the other three into a grand room, stopping short when he laid his eyes on a very familiar looking fireplace.

“It's not a copy,” Reinette spoke into the stunned silence. “It's the original. I had it moved here and was exact in every detail.”

“From your bedroom,” Liam rasped. He turned to her, questioning, “When did you do this?”

“Many years ago, in the hope that a door once opened, may someday open again.” Niall gaped as he stepped closer. It was all there; the hearth, the lintel, the firebox. It seemed like so long ago that they’d first looked through it. “Do you think it will still work?” Reinette asked.

As she spoke Louis had dropped to his knees on the hearth. “You broke the bond with the ship when you moved it,” he mumbled, his hands running along the inside of the fireplace in a rush. “Which means it was offline when the mirror broke. That's what saved it.” He turned to Niall, his bottom lip caught between his teeth. “But the link is basically physical, and it's still physically here.” Niall cast a glance at Liam who was watching Louis’ progress with a weary gaze. Louis pulled out his sonic screwdriver and grimaced as he reached into the chimney. “Which might just mean,” he grunted. “If we’re lucky. If we’re very, very lucky.”

Just then, a loud crackling sound emanated from the chimney flue. “Get in!” Louis whooped, his gleeful cheers bouncing off the walls.

Niall almost laughed. “What?” he asked.

“Loose connection.” Louis wiggled his eyebrows, his improved mood infectious. He jumped onto the hearth and wrapped his hand around the iron lever at the side of the fireplace. Niall joined him, turning an expectant gaze to Liam.

Liam hesitated a moment. For a split second, Niall thought he wasn’t going to come with them. To his relief, Liam then stepped up beside him, clasping the mantelpiece. “Wish us luck?” Liam said to Reinette, his words soft.

Reinette was stoic as she replied,  “My dear Captain. No, I shall not.”

With that, Louis pulled the lever and Reinette vanished from sight.

~

The Tardis door slammed open and Harry jumped up from where he’d been lying across the bench. His thoughts took so long to process that it felt like almost immediately Louis was reaching out to him and crashing their lips together.

“How long did you wait?” Louis asked, breathlessly.

Harry shook his head, trying to re-engage his brain. “It’s been two days,” he mumbled. He couldn’t believe it. Louis was back. He’d nearly given up hope.

Louis pulled away. “I’m sorry I scared you,” he said. His face was sweaty and red, and his hair was pushed away from his face. Harry was so happy to see him again.

“I wasn’t scared. I knew you’d come back,” he lied.

“You’re perfect, you know that?”

The Tardis felt brighter than it had done before, now Louis had returned. “I’ll always wait for you,” Harry responded, sincerely. Though he’d known how he felt about Louis before now, almost losing him made it real. Harry was going to stay with Louis and the Tardis for as long as he could. It didn’t matter which ridiculous place they ended up, Harry knew he wasn’t going to leave.

Zayn coughed from the corner and Harry blushed a little to see him, Liam and Niall waiting patiently for the two of them to finish. “Come on, you saps,” Zayn continued, without bite. “Let’s get out of here.”

Hours later when the Tardis was in flight once more Niall declared, “I still don’t understand it, though.” He wandered over to where they were all crowded around the control panel, towelling his hair dry from his shower. Harry knew he’d needed one to get rid of the smell of the spacecraft and human body parts. “Why did they think they could repair the ship with the head of Madame de Pompadour, just because the ship was named after her?

Louis took a deep breath. “The computer banks were completely wrecked,” he shrugged. “It probably just got confused.”

The subject was dropped and an unusual silence filled the room. Maybe it was because Harry had spent the past few days alone on the ship with only Zayn for company, but it felt like there was a certain degree of tension in the air. Zayn must have felt it too, as he leaned around the control panel to where Liam was resting against the railings on the other side.

“Liam,” he chorused. “Are you all right?

Liam had been avoiding the others since they had arrived back. Harry wondered whether he and Louis had even spoken to each other properly while they were stuck in France.  

“I will be,” Liam replied, a pained look on his face as he took a few steps closer to them. “Just a bit sad, I think.” He wrinkled his nose. “I mean, I know I only knew her for a few hours, but I liked her.” Harry watched carefully as Liam scratched the back of his neck, clearly more affected than he was letting on. “I suppose it’s a fixed point in time isn’t it? I can’t go back and just say ‘hello’?”

Louis’ words were cutting, when they came. Harry noticed Niall’s eyes widen a little, none of them ever having heard him speak so harshly to one of them. “No. You’d end up crossing your own timeline.” Liam flinched as Louis continued, “It’s not worth it.”

In an attempt to comfort him, Harry shuffled closer to Liam and said, “You’ve kinda already known her for her whole life, though, so it’s not like you’re deserting her. You had a good run.”

Louis scoffed nearby and Harry sent a glare in his direction. Louis, however, took no notice. Instead, the time lord pushed himself away from where he was leaning against the control panel and headed towards Liam.

“Look,” Liam started, looking determined. “I’m sorry I got us trapped, but there wasn’t another way.”

“You knew that did you?” Louis replied, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Harry sent a nervous look over to where Niall and Zayn were watching, warily. “Captain Payne, one hundred percent sure that there was absolutely no other way to fix it. No need to ask me or Niall?” Louis waved his arms in the air in mockery. “No, because you knew it was the only way to save your wannabe girlfriend!”

“Lou, come on man -” Zayn interjected.

“You’re not the Captain of this ship!” Louis exploded, stopping them all in their tracks. The Tardis thrummed around them as he spoke, his cheeks reddening with each word. “You don’t make the decisions!”

That seemed to be the green light for Liam, who stomped closer with a steely glare and a locked jaw. “So yours is the only opinion that counts, is it?” he yelled. “What would you have done? Was there another way?”

“That’s not the point -”

“Yes, it is!” Liam crowed. “Don’t tell me you didn’t think of it as well.”

“This is my ship!” Louis spread his arms out and walked backwards along the gangway, raising his voice as he went. “If you think it’s okay for you to maroon us, away from everything that I - My ship, my - You -” he stuttered. After a few seconds delay where he appeared to silently fume, he marched forward once more, pointing at Liam. “It’s not on, Liam. It just isn’t.” Louis’ voice increased in pitch as he dismissed in outrage, “And, so what if I thought about it? I didn’t do it. You should’ve said something to us first.”

Liam rolled his eyes. “You’re are such a hypocrite. If it’d been Harry,” Liam stuck his finger in Harry’s direction and Harry felt his face go red, horrified to be put on the spot in the middle of their argument. “About to get his head chopped off, you wouldn’t have hesitated -”

“But it wasn’t. Don’t compare Reinette to Harry,” Louis spat. “You didn't know her. Are you going to try to tell me you loved her? Don’t be so fucking -”

Harry bit his lip. This was getting too heated. He could tell that someone was going to say something they’d regret. “Alright,” he carefully interrupted, stepping in between the yelling men. “Guys, this isn’t helping. Let’s just -”

“No, screw this,” Louis snapped. “I’m going to bed.” He stalked towards the corridor. “You guys do what you want, clearly I’ve got no say in what happens on this ship, anyway.”

The three of them groaned. “Louis, don’t be like that. Mate,” Niall shouted at Louis’ retreating form. “Christ.” He spun around and shoved Liam’s shoulder. “Nice one, Liam.”

Zayn shoved Niall in turn. “Don’t you start.”

All the fight had left Liam, however, and he slumped down onto one of the benches, his face in his hands. “I couldn’t just let them kill her,” he whined. “I don’t think I loved her. I - I think she might’ve loved me. That’s worth something, isn’t it? I got my entire crew killed, I couldn’t let someone else die because of me.” He lifted his head to look at them. “I didn’t mean to upset him, I just - I know this is his ship. I know that.” He let out a strangled moan. “Crap, I don’t know what I was thinking.”

After a few moments Harry sat down next to him. He figured that Liam probably needed his help more than Louis. “It’s alright,” he said gently, clapping Liam’s shoulder. “He’ll get over it.” Liam pouted at him, unconvinced. “I’ll talk to him,” Harry reassured. “He knows you wouldn’t have done it if you didn’t think you had to.” He paused for a moment before saying, “You made the right call, Li.”

“Yeah,” Zayn contributed, folding his arms as he shrugged. “This is his ship. Doesn’t mean we have to just follow him blindly wherever he fancies.”

They watched as Liam nodded. Harry grimaced at Niall’s worried face. This wasn’t that bad, he thought. At least they were back together. They’d work this out and be back to normal in no time.

~

The atmosphere on the Tardis remained tense. Harry was beginning to worry that he wouldn’t have any teeth left, he’d been grinding them so much. Neither Louis nor Liam mentioned the argument in the following days. It seemed they had mutually agreed to pretend it hadn’t happened and, as such, were both being unflinchingly polite to one another. Harry was sure it was going to end badly and he, Niall and Zayn were all on edge because of it.

Maybe it was the underlying discordance on the Tardis but, to cap it all off, Harry was still having strange dreams. They were so vivid as well, almost like memories. It was late one night when, with a jolt, he woke up from from a particularly vivid dream. He squinted in the darkness, trying to figure out what was happening. Once he realised that he’d just woken up, he slumped back into the soft mattress and rolled over, pressing his face into his pillow.

The Tardis bedroom was hot and stuffy, and Harry pushed his arms out to cool himself down. He was expecting for his arm to meet Louis’ body on the other side of the bed. When his hand simply ran over smooth sheets, however, he raised his head and opened a bleary eye. Louis wasn’t there. Though this wasn’t too strange in itself, given the recent fight Harry wondered whether Louis’ was feeling bad. Maybe he needed to talk to someone.

Blinking, he began to sit up, working himself towards getting out of bed. He tried to remember what he’d been dreaming about moments before, but could only catch fragments. There had been falling autumn leaves and whispering. Lots of whispering. His dad had been there, he thought, though he couldn’t pin down why. Pushing the remnants of the dream aside he stretched his arms over his head, joints cracking as he did so. If he were a time lord and looking to sulk, where would he go, Harry pondered as his feet hit the cool floor and he headed out of the room.

The corridor was refreshing after the humidity of their bedroom and Harry felt the skin on his bare chest prickle. His sleep trousers fluttered in the artificial breeze. He searched for a while, not keeping track of time. In his drowsy state he wandered from door to door, checking each room for signs of Louis, though he found none. The thrum of the Tardis lulled him and he found himself closing his eyes as he walked, his feet leading him forward. He felt a strange sense of deja-vu as he headed further into the maze that was the inner pathways of the Tardis. He pushed his hair out of his face as it began sticking to his forehead in clumps.

He pushed open a potential looking door, stuck in the end of a long corridor, one that he thought Louis might sneak off to hide through. He was disappointed to find the dark and dusty room positively Louis free and was about to leave again when something caught his eye. The light in the room fell in a particular way. It illuminated the dust in the air and led the eye to an ancient looking book, stuffed into an equally ancient looking bookcase.

Harry lingered for a moment, biting his lip in indecision. He gave one last glance around the empty corridor before stepping into the room and grabbing the book. Sliding down to the grimy floor he let the book fall open on his folded legs. He ran his finger down the first page, his fingertip tracing over the printed title, ‘Encyclopedia Gallifreyica’ and feeling the texture of the old parchment.

“Do you really want to be stashing it up right now?” came Niall’s tired voice from the entrance.

“What?” Harry squealed. Taken by surprise, he fumbled with the book, pulling it close to his chest at the last minute. His voice was gruff, not having used it for a good few hours. “What’re you on about?” he muttered, coughing.

“You’re just gonna cause more drama.” The silhouette of Niall against the light of the corridor leant against the doorway. “You ain’t got no business going about poking your nose into things that don’t concern you.”

“How do you know it doesn’t concern me?” Harry retorted, a little put out and Niall’s assumption.

Niall shook his head, not bothering to explain. “I just do. Give it here.” He crossed the small room, his slippers sliding against the floor, and pulled the book from Harry’s hands.

“Hey -” Harry started, but Niall silenced him with a glare.

The other man hefted the heavy book in his hand, his eyes searching Harry’s face. “What’s even in here that’s so interesting, anyway?” he asked, flicking the corners of the pages.

Harry shrugged, poking the metal mobile that was hanging over the small cot next to him. He was a little confused as to why Louis had a cot on board his ship, especially one that seem to be decorated with the same swirling designs as his tattoos. Harry hummed, he’d have to remember to ask Louis about it when he saw him.

When he looked up once more he noticed that Niall had opened the book and was frowning as he read.

“Hey!” Harry exclaimed, his voice echoing loudly in the still night air. “You can’t read it if I can’t read it. That’s not fair!”

Niall scoffed, bringing the book closer to his face to read in the dim light. “This is weird,” he muttered softly. Harry huffed and scrambled to his feet, heading towards Niall to read over his shoulder. “I don’t -” Niall was mumbling to himself and Harry took advantage of his distracted state to lean over his shoulder and read the text. Harry only had a chance to read a small passage. ‘The second city of Gallifrey, Arcadia, soon felt the burden of war and was lost. The -’ His view was cut off, though, as Niall slammed the book shut.

“We need to find Louis,” he announced.

Harry rubbed his jaw, his body aching from exhaustion. “I was trying to find him earlier,” he said with a yawn. “That’s how I ended up here.”

“Come on,” Niall replied. His expression was uncharacteristically harsh and Harry found himself following Niall back up the corridor without question. The ‘Encyclopedia Gallifreyica’ was still tucked under Niall’s arm.

When they woke both Liam and Zayn up with loud banging on their respective doors, they were greeted with bleary eyes, yawning and much grumbling. Niall didn’t explain himself at all, but the group followed him towards the control room. Louis was seated in the middle of the room, as if waiting for them. Harry took in his ruffled hair, the stubble covering his jaw and the soft fabric of his clothes. He looked so handsome it made Harry’s heart miss a beat; from the expression on Niall’s face he was sure nothing good was about the happen.

“Hello boys,” Louis smiled up at them. His voice rough as he asked, “Couldn’t sleep either?”

Harry hummed in agreement as he took a seat next to Louis. Niall, however, ignored the question entirely. “Right,” Niall coughed. “I really don’t want to make a scene, but I just - You need -” He bit his lip, staring at Louis a little forlornly. “What the hell is this?” he asked, dropping the book in front of Louis.

For a second it seemed like Louis was completely lost for words, simply staring down and the dusty tome with a blank look on his face.

“What are you doing with this?” he asked, turning narrowed eyes to Niall, though his voice was alarmingly level. Harry dug his teeth into his bottom lip, eyes darting between Louis and Niall.

Niall sighed. “Light reading,” he deadpanned. “What’s this all about, Louis? What’s all this stuff that you don’t want us knowing about?”

Louis’ nostrils flared. “I don’t know, Niall. You tell me, you’re the one rifling through my private possessions.”

“Don’t get mad, Louis,” Zayn urged, folding his arms but staying off to the side. He and Liam were both taking in proceedings with cautious interest. Louis sent him a haughty glare, though didn’t respond.

“I’m just looking for some answers, mate,” Niall reasoned. He ran his hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated grunt. “You’re riddled with secrets, it’s getting too much. I need to know who I’m following to God knows where.”

“Hasn’t bothered you for the last nineteen years,” Louis snapped, standing up. The sound of his seat scraping against the Tardis floor grated Harry’s ears.

Niall dipped his head in acquiescence. “No, it hasn’t. But it does now. I don’t think I’m asking a lot,” he said, calmly.

Louis stared for a moment and Harry watched as he squared his shoulders, a little alarmed to see the a slight wobble in his lip.

“Is this because I shouted at Liam?” Louis eventually said, a humourless laugh in his words. “You’re all ganging up on me now?”

“No. Louis,” Niall shifted uncomfortably. “Just listen to what I’m saying -”

“How about you?” Louis interjected, turning his back to Niall and glaring down at Harry. “All that talk about knowing who I really am. About how you’d love me no matter what. That’s what you said. Or was that all just a load of bullshit?”

Harry felt his stomach lurch. How could Louis say such a thing to him? He blinked, trying to compose himself before he looked Louis in the eye and said, “No. Louis, I’m not - You know it wasn’t, don’t you dare try that on me. I’ve never asked you for more than you want to tell me. You know I don’t mind -” His voice wavered, “You don’t have to tell me anything.” Louis looked away, an ashamed blush colouring his cheeks.

“Harry’s right,” Niall spoke into the silence that followed. “You don’t have to tell us, but it’s a bit much to expect us just to pretend like we’re all completely fine with you having us do your bidding, sending us out into space blind.” He shrugged, letting his arms fall to his sides. “We don’t know what could happen.”

“So you don’t trust me?” Louis scoffed.

“Of course I trust you, Louis. You’re my best friend.”

“Doesn’t fucking sound like it.”

Zayn groaned, his eyes to the ceiling. “Louis, please -”

“No!” Louis yelled. His fists were clench at his sides. “No, I’ve had enough of this. I’ve had enough of you lot.” He took a deep breath, his eyes bulging in anger as he said, “Get out.” He pointed forcefully at the Tardis door. “All of you, get out. I don’t want you here any more.”

A disbelieving quiet fell across the group as they exchanged looks of shock. “You can’t be serious,” Zayn laughed.

Louis’ jaw was locked and his glassy eyes fixed on Zayn. “Do I look like I’m joking? Get. Out,” he growled. “You’re banished!”

Harry’s heart was racing. This couldn’t be happening, this just couldn’t. He’d wake up in a moment, back in their bed. This would just be another one of his strange dreams.

Instead of waking up, however, he just watched as Liam silently pouted and began to head towards the door. Niall reached out an arm, laying it across Liam’s chest to stop him moving.

“Banished, is it?” Niall repeated, somewhat hysterical. “You know what?” He took a step closer to Louis. “No.”

“What?”

“No,” Niall said again, folding his arms. “I’m not leaving. This is my home. This has been my home for over seven years, you can’t just chuck me out for no good reason.”

“This is my ship.”

“Yes, you’ve mentioned that,” Niall huffed. “What you haven’t mentioned is why it’s such a trial for you to trust us, when you expect us to have unconditional faith in you.”

Louis shook his head, his lips stretched in a frown. “I don’t expect that.”

Niall’s voice was colder than Harry had ever heard it as he said, “Yes, Doctor.” His eyes flickered between Louis’. “You do.”

They all waited for Louis to answer, but he didn’t. He stared at Niall for a while, chewing the inside of his cheek. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Niall let out a disappointed breath. “You know what? Actually? Fine, I’ll leave.” He pushed his way past Louis, who turned his face away. “I don’t want to be friends with someone who doesn’t even trust me to know if he had any pets growing up. If he was teased at school. Won’t even tell me when his birthday is.” He turned back to face them all as he approached the door. “You take too much, Louis, and you give too little back.” He sounded choked up and Harry jerked his head to look at Louis, willing him to respond.

In turn Liam and Zayn went to join Niall beyond the control panel.

Harry regarded Louis for a moment. For so long he had thought Louis to be this pillar of hope, now he seemed to be falling apart in front of him. Well, Harry wasn’t going to abandon him now. Harry wasn’t just empty words. He loved Louis, he did have faith in him.

He reached out, curling his fingers around Louis’ arm. He heard the other man suck in a sharp breath.

“Wait, please,” Louis cried out and Harry felt a wave of relief wash over him. “I’m sorry. Please don’t leave.” Harry raised his eyebrows as Louis rushed towards the others, skirting around them to plaster himself against the door, blocking their exit. “I don’t want you to go. Not any of you. I’m sorry.” Liam, Niall and Zayn all stopped where they stood, eyeing Louis carefully. Harry made his way down to join them, his movements slow as he took in Louis’ words. “Everyone always leaves,” Louis stuttered. “And I - I thought - What’s the point? There’s no point in getting properly close to people.” He brought his hands up to his face, his voice muffled as he said, “Don’t, please don’t go.”

Niall responded, his words strained, “We don’t want leave, you great eejit. That’s what we were just saying.”

“Do you wanna, I don’t know, talk about it?” Zayn suggested. His long hair was a mess and he looked like he was already tired of the night’s drama. “I understand that sometimes you can’t tell us everything.”

Zayn shot a quick glance at towards Harry and he wondered what on was so significant about Zayn’s words. He dismissed it, however, when Zayn continued to talk and figured that there were more important things to deal with right now.

“But a little bit here and there?” Zayn shrugged. “Would do a lot of good, I reckon.”

“Babe, you don’t have to,” Harry added, catching Louis’ eye. “It might help, though.”

Louis hit the back of his head against the door and slid down on to the floor. The rest of them shared a few bemused looks before they awkwardly joined him on the floor of the Tardis. “Stupid book,” Louis muttered.

The Tardis was still resting for the night and the air around them was still. Liam shuffled forward a little and scratched his head. “Where do you want to start?” he practically whispered.

Harry held his breath as Louis let out a deep sigh and licked his lips, ready to speak. “I’ve travelled with so many people. So many. You’d think that it would bore me, after a while?” He gave them a weak smile. “It doesn’t. People are so different. Every single person I’ve travelled with, they’re special to me. I remember them.” He looked down at his hands. “And I miss them.”

“Louis -” Harry began.

“You know my name’s not Louis.”

“I know.” He levelled Louis with a look. “It’s what we call you, though.”

“My name, it’s not ‘The Doctor’ either, really. I chose that name, when I was younger. My name - My real name, is in that book. I don’t like it.” He waved his arm over to the book, which still remained where Niall had dumped it on the control panel. “That’s not true,” he corrected himself, with a frown. “It’s not that I don’t like it. It just doesn’t feel like it belongs to me. It’s like some stranger, whose life I’ve stolen from them, or something. I’m not them.” He shook his head, a sad smile on his face. “I’m not really anyone. I’m just wandering.”

“Louis,” Harry chastised. “Don’t talk like that. You’re so much more than your name. So what you’re not really called Louis? Not really called the Doctor? That’s still who you are. You’re Louis and you’re the Doctor because you chose to be them. That’s more important than anything, isn’t it? Who you choose to be?” He turned to look at the others. Zayn was nodding along to his words. “That’s what you’d tell me, anyway. I’m sure of it.”

“What I chose to be,” Louis repeated. “I didn’t choose this to start with. I had a family.”

That was news to Harry. He startled a bit, not expecting this at all. Why had he never mentioned a family before? Surely, that’s the kind of thing he should’ve told Harry about? He noted by the other’s surprised expressions, that they hadn’t expected this particular confession either.

“I had - I had kids,” Louis continued, with a smile. He was looking at the floor in the distance, as if remembering. “My kids. Loads of them, such a handful. And - And a granddaughter. Susan. They’re dead now. Well, Susan -” he began to mumble, not maintaining eye contact with any of them. “She’s on earth. Time’s relative and all that. I haven’t seen her in hundreds of years.”

“Oh, Louis,” Niall exasperated. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

Finally Louis looked up at them. “I don’t like to talk about it,” he said, simply. “It’s like, if I need to, I can think about them, their faces, their smiles, but that’s for me. It’s not for anyone else.”  

Zayn spoke, lightly, “I hear you. Sometimes it’s nice to have something that’s yours.”

Harry couldn’t really understand that. He loved to talk to people about his dad. It felt like he was keeping him alive, or his memory, at least. Sharing the things his dad had done in his life with new people, it was like Harry was sharing a part of himself.

“I was married as well,” Louis said, almost casually. Harry didn’t fail to miss the brief glance Louis sent his way. He tried to ignore it as the life he’d imagine with Louis, kids and marriage and the rest, silently crumbled around him. He knew it didn’t mean the end, but just for a second, that’s what it felt like. “Not so long ago, in the grand scheme of things,” Louis continued. “River, that was her name. River Song.” He smiled to himself and Harry felt his jealousy swell. He knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t help it. Hearing Louis say somebody else’s name like that, it hit him hard.

“Lovely name,” Liam said, kindly. “Is - Did she die with your kids?”

Louis drew his eyebrows together. “Oh, no. River wasn’t - We didn’t have any children together.” He grimaced. “She wasn’t interested in your typical family stuff.”

“So, you’ve -” Harry cleared his throat, attempting to sound unaffected. “Um, there’s been a few?”

“Harry, I’m over a thousand years old.” Louis laughed, a fond twinkle in his eye. Harry tried not to feel too foolish. “Yes. There’s been a few. Not loads, but … a few. And I loved each and every one of them. River and I, we burned pretty bright. I mean, time travel doesn’t always work in your favour.” He reached out and Harry inevitably went to him, plastering himself to Louis’ side. Louis placed a kiss on his temple. “You’re my now. I love you and I’ll carry on loving you for as long as you want me.”

Niall had been watching them closely. It was with a slightly anxious lilt that he said, “You don’t have to say, alright? Seriously, if you don’t want, but.” He scrunched his nose, hesitant. “The ‘Time War’? Were you - Were you in that?”

It was a while before he spoke Louis spoke. “Yes,” he said. “Yes and no. I was, I was there, but it wasn’t me. I didn’t feel like it was me. I’ve kind of shut it down. Shut those memories down. That part of myself, I don’t like who I was.” He nodded at Niall, his eyes roaming Niall’s face.  “I will tell you about it. I might. I might do, but not now.”

At that moment, as though he couldn’t contain it any more, Liam bursts out, “I’m sorry, Louis. You know that, right? I’m sorry I trapped us in Paris without telling you about it first.” He bit his lip when everyone focused on him, seemingly a little embarrassed at his outburst. “I - I know the Tardis is yours.”

“Oh, God, Liam. It wasn’t about -” Louis cringed, covering his face in discomfort. “I didn’t mean that. I just got a bit,” he waved his hand in the air. “I didn’t think I’d see her again, I didn’t think I’d see Harry. I just - It was like the end of everything, for a little bit. I’m not so good at staying still.” He sent Liam an apologetic smile. “I don’t want this to end.”

“We know.”

“Maybe I should teach you how to fly her,” Louis pondered and Harry’s widened eyes met Liam’s in pleasant surprise. “Just in case.”

“Seriously?” said Liam.

“Gotta have a First Mate.” At Liam’s delighted expression, Louis grinned so wide that all his teeth were on show. “I don’t want you all to feel like you’re just passengers. I mean, if you want, I don’t want you guys to be temporary.”

“Louis,” Niall smiled, leaning forward on his knees to ruffle Louis’ hair. “I think the whole reason for this drama was because none of us want to be temporary.” He dropped his hand to Louis’ shoulder and squeezed. “We’re in for the long haul.”

The tension of earlier in the week had completely vanished and Harry felt a weight lifted from his shoulders.

“Well,” Zayn beamed. “This is lovely. I’m glad we had this chat, I really am. It was very hardcore.” He raised his clenched fist in the air with a solemn smile. “But also, I’m absolutely knackered and I need to go back to bed. Louis, bro. I love you, I really do, okay mate. I’m not going anywhere.” He stood up and stretched his back. “I will see you all in the morning,” he yawned.

Liam squinted up at him from the floor. “Mate, morning’s in, like, two hours,” he grinned.

Without missing a beat, Zayn replied, “I will see you all at lunch.”

“‘Night, Zee,” Niall said, with a laugh, as Zayn departed.

Liam and Niall eventually headed off to bed as well, lingering longer than usual in their partings with Louis. Harry stayed in the control room with him though. They were quiet, all of the necessary talking having been done already. Harry curled up next to him, tucking his head into Louis’ neck and waiting for the Tardis to wake up. He listened to the rhythm of Louis’ breathing, felt the beating of his hearts and took in the warmth of his skin. He would never leave him, he knew. Not willingly. He’d die for Louis. And he knew now, he could feel it, that Louis would die for him.

Chapter Text

If you hear the whisper men

then turn away your ear.

Northampton, England ~ 2022

The unnatural light in Harry’s bathroom did very little to soften the downtrodden face staring back at him in the mirror. He wasn’t a vain man, he thought as he inched closer to the mirror and ran his fingers through tangled hair, but this was a sorry state of affairs. He was absolutely shattered, and it showed in his face. His skin was pale, with dark circles smudged under his eyes. It felt like his mouth was constantly turned down in an exhausted frown and his hair was lank and lifeless, spilling down beyond his ears.

All five of them had spent the day before at Zayn’s place, in the nineteen seventies. Harry had been rather disappointed when he found that the world back then looked quite similar to that of his own time. He was expecting everything to be as sepia as all the old photos his mum had.

The visit itself had been a huge success. Zayn had introduced them all to his family; his tiny, unfalteringly polite father and his mother, who had clearly been bursting with pride. The Maliks’ house was a small terraced building on the outskirts of Leeds. As they had approached the house from the cobbled back alley, they passed through a small, walled garden. Washing was drying on a line hung between the garden wall and the house, swaying gently in the breeze. They had entered via the kitchen, with a linoleum floor and cabinets painted in pale yellow. Zayn led them into the small living room, where his family was waiting patiently. Harry had noticed the elaborately patterned carpet and wallpaper, all a different shade of orange and brown. The windows were covered in lace netting and the varnish on the table to the side of the room shone in the dim light.

He didn’t know why, but this was exactly the type of home he’d imagined Zayn coming from.

Zayn’s younger brother, Imran, still lived at home. He had hidden in the corner of the sofa for the first half an hour or so that they were there. Liam had tentatively asked him what he wanted to do when he was older and the young boy had sent him a shy smile, whispering that he wanted to be an astronaut. From that moment on Liam and Imran had got on like a house on fire. Harry could tell from the small smile on Zayn’s face that he had been pleased with the turn of events.

Zayn had told his parents that they all worked at his publishers, explaining away Louis’ outlandish nature with an overactive imagination. Harry had thought this was a bit of a tenuous lie. He had, however, told his own mother that Liam, Louis, Niall and Zayn were all travel bloggers who just happened to spend a lot of their spare time in Northamptonshire. He imagined sometimes parents knew when it was best not to question their children’s antics.

“What are you doing in there?” a voice came from beyond the bathroom door, rousing Harry from his memories.

He took a deep breath, mentally psyching himself up as he gave his reflection one final look. “I was just freshening up,” he said as he opened the door, revealing Liam’s face, eyebrow raised in a question.

Liam hissed, apparently pitying. “It’s not worked one hundred percent there, buddy.”

Harry groaned, his shoulders sagging. “Do I look like shit?”

“No,” Liam responded, a little too quickly, his voice cracking. “No, not at all. You just need to relax a bit, that’s all.”

He levelled Liam with an unimpressed glare. “Thanks for that invaluable piece of advice.”

The others had joined them by now, lingering in the narrow corridor of Harry’s flat. Harry was disheartened to see that they all had shoes and jackets on, clearly ready to head out once more. Over Niall’s shoulder he could see the remnants of the night before, pillows and sleeping bags bundled up in the corner of the living room.

Niall whistled, eyeing Harry up. “Mate,” he drawled. “Didn’t get much sleep last night?”

Harry rolled his eyes, turning to Louis. “Do I really look that bad?”

“No, love,” Louis responded, running a hand down his arm. His hair was natural today, soft and smooth, resting against his forehead. “You look right fit.”

The two of them both jerked their heads towards Niall once more as he barked out a laugh. He shrugged, unapologetic.

Liam pressed his hands together, waiting for the right time to speak. “Well,” he started. “We were going to go and investigate the town, if you wanted to come?” He scrunched up his nose as he spoke, knowing that Harry would say no.

“I -” Harry breathed. “I’m actually quite familiar with the town that I’ve lived in for over five years. Don’t let that stop you guys, though.”

Zayn laughed quietly and moved off towards the door, clapping Liam on the back as the other man pouted.

“Actually,” said Louis, hanging back from the group as they made their way out. “I’m a bit tired, to be honest.” He met Harry’s gaze. “I might just hang here?”

The other three muttered vaguely, all of them plainly aware that Louis was only saying it so that he could stay behind with Harry. It didn’t bother Harry as much as it probably would have done, if he had the energy to be annoyed at Louis’ pandering. He simply felt grateful for the company.

The three men left, shouting various goodbyes. Liam sent Harry a sympathetic grimace as he shut the door behind them. Harry wasn’t convinced they’d find anything too astounding in Northampton town centre, but was sure they’d entertain themselves enough.

As he and Louis trundled into the living room a loud bang sounded from the flat upstairs and Harry paused where he was walking to the sofa to squint at the ceiling.

“Your flat is so weird,” Louis announced. He fell back onto the sofa with a soft thump, bringing his legs up to his chest.

“Charming,” Harry laughed. He joined Louis, burrowing under his arm. Cranking his head towards the telly, he said, “Open movies.”

“No, but that guy.” Louis stretched his arm over his head to point towards the source of the noise. “Was shouting blue murder last night. Does he not realise we can hear him?”

“I’ve learnt to block it out. I don’t sleep much now, anyway.” He leant his head back. “What do you want to watch?”

Louis chewed his bottom lip for a while. “You should just move into the Tardis,” he said, ignoring Harry’s question.

Harry sighed, shuffling further into the small space at Louis’ side. “I don’t sleep any better there.”

“No, but.” Harry felt it as Louis shrugged. “I can keep an eye on your there.”

“Well.” He frowned at the menu screen circling on the television. “That sounds disturbing.”

“No, not in a creepy way,” Louis insisted. He ran his foot along Harry’s calf. “I can keep you safe.”

Harry smiled. He knew Louis had been worried about him recently, what with his strange dreams. The others had, as well. But he was also perfectly sure that if he was in real danger, Louis would have told him. He was just Harry. It wasn’t as if any space monsters had a vendetta against him. “I’m safe here, Lou,” he tried to reassure. He went to rub his hand against Louis’ chest, but Louis pulled him up into a warm hug. Harry sensed Louis’ discomfort and, for the first time, it began to dawn on Harry that Louis was more worried about his dreams than he was himself. The realisation caused a swell of tension in his stomach, which he tried to wish away. “Are you okay?” Harry asked quietly, after a while. When Louis didn’t respond, he continued, “They’re just dreams.”

“I know,” Louis mumbled somewhere above Harry’s head. Harry could feel the hair by his ear ruffle from Louis’ breath. “I just, I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you. You’re my impossible boy. I need you.” He growled, “I hate this not knowing.”

“Nothing’s going to happen to me,” Harry said, his voice a delicate murmur.

Louis seemed to come back to himself then. He sat up straight, pushing Harry off him a little. He plastered a winning smile on his face, his eyes twinkling mischievously, as if to block out the sadness of their conversation. “You could move to a nicer place. With less horrid neighbours,” he teased. “How about ‘Inhumans’?”

Harry hummed, a little wary of the sudden change in Louis’ mood. He flipped his hand across the T.V. sensor to select the film. “I can’t afford a nicer place,” he dismissed as the opening credits played. “I hardly go to work as it is.”

“I could buy you somewhere,” Louis replied, casual as you like.

Harry laughed. “Alright. Firstly, you don’t have any money. Secondly, -”

“I do have money.” Louis pushed his hips off the sofa and stuffed a hand in his pocket to pull out a handful of diamonds.

Harry gaped for a moment before laughing once more. “You better be joking. Do you just have those constantly on your person?” he squawked.

“‘Spose.” Louis pulled a face. “I’m saving them.”

“Whatever.” Harry shoved him and rolled his eyes. “Secondly, no.” He sent Louis a stern look as he shuffled around on the sofa, letting his legs fall across Louis’ thighs. “You’re not buying me a house.” He waved his hands over his chest. “I am my own person.”

Louis smiled at him fondly. “You could still be your own person. Just in a swanky penthouse.”

“I don’t want a swanky penthouse.” He pointed at Louis. “Put your diamonds away,” he asked, in a mock-command.

“Don’t you like them?”

“What? Of course I like them, they’re diamonds.” He shook his head as Louis stuffed the diamonds back in his pocket. “You’re such an alien sometimes, Lou.”

They both focused on the film for a few moments before Louis asked, “Could I give you diamonds, then?”
“If you want to give me diamonds, as a present, I certainly wouldn’t say no,” Harry relented.

“Okay. Sorted.” Louis grinned and flicked Harry’s ear, warning, “You better act surprised, though.”

Harry pushed down a smile. “You have my word.”

~

Harry was intensely aware of a pain in his neck. He shifted his shoulders, trying to find a more comfortable position when he realised that he’d fallen asleep on the sofa. He was still lying lengthways across the cushions, his legs draped across Louis, though he’d been covered with a blanket at some point. His body was all twisted so that he faced the back cushions. The television played quietly in the background, some cooking show as far as Harry could tell, artificial light soaking the room in yellow and orange hues. The sky outside was a deep, dark blue.

“Are the others not back yet?” he asked, still half asleep and groggy. “It’s getting dark.”

Louis turned to him, smiling with a cup of tea halfway to his lips. “Yeah,” he said lightly. “But it’s only six o’clock.” He nodded to the coffee table, where Harry’s favourite mug stood, steam gently rising from it. “I made you one.”

“Thanks.” He ran a hand across his face. “Six o’clock. Shit. I slept all day.”

“You needed it, I think.”

He stood up and stretched, feeling his back click a couple of times. Wincing, he made his way to the kitchen, coming back to crawl onto the sofa with a bowl of crisps and his phone in hand. An idea had popped into his head and he wanted to investigate.

“What are you doing?” Louis asked distractedly as he stole a handful of crisps, his eyes on the T.V. screen once more.

“Googling,” Harry replied, not elaborating any further.

He wasn’t lying, but he got the distinct feeling that Louis would frown upon his actions, if he were completely honest.

He typed the words ‘Imran Malik’ into the search bar and waited with bated breath. He wanted to know if the shy young boy he’d met yesterday became an astronaut or not. It felt important to Harry, to find out if he’d made it. It took zero point three two seconds for over ten million results to come back. Excitement buzzed through his veins and he surreptitiously glanced over to Louis, who was still watching telly. Clicking on the first link, he bit his lip, not expecting to find the right person straight away.

It was with surprise, then, that a vaguely familiar picture loaded on the small screen of his phone. He brought the device closer, narrowing his eyes at the screen. Under the picture read the words, ‘Imran Malik, 1959 - present’. Harry scrolled down the page in hast, keen to find out more. ‘Professor Malik played an instrumental role in the creation and installation of corrective optics within the Hubble Space Telescope during its first servicing mission in 1993,’ he read. ‘The Professor cites his brother, the renowned author Zayn Malik, as his inspiration to learn more about the world beyond his own. Zayn Malik’s early novel series set in outer-space found success worldwide in the late 20th Century, prompting a generation to begin pondering the planets and stars of the known galaxy.’

Harry’s mouth dropped and he chucked his phone to the side, not bothering to read anymore. He stood abruptly, knocking over the already half empty bowl of crisps at his side.

“Watch it!” Louis startled, raising his mug out of the way of Harry’s destructive path.  

Intrigued and excited Harry rushed to his dinner table trying to locate his laptop under the mess that he’d left there.

“What are you doing?” Louis repeated as Harry began to search through several disorganised stacks of paper.

“Looking for - Aha!” He held his laptop over his head in victory. “Championes,” he cheered, shimming a little as he walked back to the sofa, causing Louis to giggle. “Give me a second,” he muttered as he loaded up Google once more, this time typing in ‘Zayn Malik’.

Instantly he was directed to a website, ‘www.zayn-malik.com’. The landing page of the site showed a collection of about twelve books, with a picture of a much older looking Zayn in black and white, smiling enigmatically towards the camera. Text to the side of the page showed links to a biography, a T.V. and film section, and a news and events page.

A bar at the top of the page announced that Zayn’s most recent book, ‘Midnight’s Sun’ had reached the number one spot on the Sunday Times best seller list . The Express thought it was ‘an intriguing and insightful read’. The Guardian urged readers to ‘get lost in the life-affirming and entertaining prose’. Harry felt like he was about to have a coronary.

“Oh, my God!” he all but yelled.

“What?” Louis almost choked on his tea.

“Oh, my God!”

“What?” Louis insisted. “What is it?”

“Zayn!” Harry squealing. “Come here, look.” He gesticulated wildly at the screen. “Zayn.”

Louis crawled over to him, peeking over his shoulder at the screen. “Ugh, Harry,” he chastised. “What have I told you? Fucking ruining the surprise.”

“But, Zayn Malik, world famous author.” Harry was having an out of body experience. He was so proud of Zayn. “We have to tell him.”

“No. We have to do the exact opposite.” Louis sat back on his haunches, giving Harry a stern glare. “Harry, come on. How would you feel if someone told you what you were going to be doing in fifty years time? Not just what they thought you’d be doing, but actually, one hundred percent what you were up to?” He narrowed his lips, taking another sip of tea. “It would mess with your head.”

“But -” Harry whined. “But they’re making a movie,” he finished lamely, pouting at the screen where the words ‘Coming to a theatre near you!’ flashed across the top of the page.

“We all need to feel like we have control of our own lives, Harold. Let it go.”

“You’re no fun.” He knew Louis was right. Maybe he could just get Zayn a surprise present, as congratulations. He didn’t have to tell Zayn exactly what it was for. “Doesn’t mean I can’t snoop,” he added, pulling a face at Louis.

“Harry,” Louis groaned.

He waved a dismissive hand at Louis. “Oh, shush,” he grumbled, clicking through to the bio link and reading the first passage. “Oh,” he said, his face falling.

“You’ve found something you don’t like?” Louis asked, his tone void of any sympathy.

“Shut up.”

“Let me see.” Louis leaned over and grabbed Harry’s laptop, pulling it down onto his crossed legs. “What am I looking at here?”

“He’s married. Living in Bishop Auckland in County Durham.” He paused, reading a little further. “It says he does talks at the local university.”

“Right,” Louis drew the word out, eyebrows scrunched together. “What’s the problem?”

“Nothing, it’s - No, nothing.” Harry sucked on his teeth and shrugged. “It’s just, I thought he’d stay with us.”

“What do you mean?”

“I thought he’d stay with us, you know. The five of us, travelling around space and that. But he’s left. He’s not with us anymore.”

“Harry.” Harry could tell Louis was trying not to smile as he spoke. “It’s almost half a century in his future. He’ll be an old man now.”

“No, but he’s been married for years.” He pointed at the screen.

“Harry.”

He avoided meeting Louis’ disappointed gaze. “What?” he asked.

“Don’t be like that. You can’t begrudge him his happiness. It’s not for everyone, this life. Not forever.”

“It is for me.”

Louis smiled. “Zayn’s not you. If he needs to be -” He turned his eyes to the screen as he read a few lines. “If he needs to be with his wife, then that’s where he should go. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to be travelling with us now.”

“But, you said that you didn’t want us to be temporary?”

“No,” Louis admitted. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to be holding anyone against their will.” He laughed. “Did you think I wouldn’t let any of you leave, if you wanted?”

Harry ducked his head, a little embarrassed. “No, I didn’t,” he replied. “I just didn’t think anyone would want to leave.”

Louis smiled at him for a couple of beats before he pushed himself forward and pressed a gentle kiss against Harry’s hair line. “Don’t worry about it, love,” he advised. “It might be years and years before he goes.”

This didn’t do all the much to reassure Harry and he muttered under his breath, “But it might not.”

“Let this be a lesson for you not to go snooping around in peoples’ futures,” Louis quipped. “It never works out well.”

Harry turned back to the screen, lost in thought. “Do you think I’d find anything on Niall?” he asked, after a while.

“Don’t look,” Louis responded immediately, pointing an accusing finger.

He raised his hands in his defense. “I won’t. But if I did.” He smiled as Louis rolled his eyes. “Do you think I’d find anything?”

“I don’t reckon so, too far in history. Besides, he said to me the other day that he might stop going home so regularly.” Louis looked over to him, a small frown on his face. “I think he finds it too hard, stepping back into normal life, you know?”

Harry hummed before the loud buzzing of his phone caused them both to jump. He reached out for it, noticing that it was from an unknown number. He didn’t usually answer calls from people he didn’t know, but part of him wondered if it was one of the others trying to contact him after getting lost in the wilderness of Northampton.

“Hello?” he said cautiously into the receiver. Louis watched him as he spoke.

An eerie voice responded, sending chills down Harry’s spine. “The Doctor has a secret,” it said. It spoke as if in a whisper, voice hoarse and calculated.

“Sorry? Who is this?” he asked, his voice decidedly calm. He saw Louis shift closer out of the corner of his eye.

“He has one he will take to the grave. And it is discovered.”

Harry heart was beating faster in his chest. “What do you want?” He looked to Louis, whose eyes were wide.

“His friends are lost forever more,” the voice croaked. “Unless he goes to Trenzalore.”

~

As the smoke from his cigarette rose in front of his face, Niall sniffed. The three of them had made their way to Abington Park, having wandered through town already. Next to him on the bench Liam sipped on his coffee, circling his hands around the outside of the cup to try and keep them warm.

Zayn had pulled out his journal and was jotting down a few words, mumbling to himself every now and then before scribbling out large sections.

Niall sighed. The murky green of the grass and the bare trees continued for a great distance ahead of him. He imagined that the place looked idyllic in the summer, with it’s wide open spaces, huge boulevards of trees and calm baths of water. Now, though, it looked a little sparse.

He took another drag and watched as two small children tried to swing across the monkey bars that were set off the edge of the path. Liam laughed softly in his ear when the little boy got to the end, cheering in delight. A woman who Niall took to be his mother clapped, a wide smile on her face.

It had been almost six months since Niall had seen his own mother. Everytime he went to visit, his parents looked older and older. Objectively, he knew his ma’ had a good few years left in her, she needed to with a handful of kids still to look after. It was always a little disarming, though, to realise that your life would continue long after your parents’ lives had come to an end.

It didn’t help that he had hardly anything in common with them, nowadays. Apart from going to visit his little sisters, he almost felt like there was no reason for him to return. It was a thought that had been swimming around his head for a while and it made him feel a little ill whenever it came to mind.

“You think Harry’s alright?” said Zayn, breaking their companionable silence.

Niall hummed, sitting back against the bench. “I don’t know, Zee.” Pleased for the distraction, he added, “Louis’ll look after him, don’t think on it too much.”

“You think Louis’ got it covered?” Zayn asked with a raised eyebrow.

Liam huffed a laugh where he sat between them. “You don’t?” he countered.

“I didn’t mean that. I just don’t get why he hasn’t told Harry the full story.”

“He doesn’t know the full story. We don’t know the full story,” Niall advised, sucking on the final puffs of his cigarette. “It ain’t anything.” He could tell Liam and Zayn both knew he was lying. It was most definitely something. The fact that neither they, nor Louis knew precisely what was the biggest concern of all. If Harry turned out to be living other people’s memories, or some such, Niall wasn’t sure it would simply blow over.

It was clear that they were all treading extra carefully around Louis on the subject of Harry, as well. Niall knew it had been a long time coming when he’d confronted Louis about his past, but he was also keenly aware of how hard it had been for him to share all his personal history. Niall still felt a little guilty about the whole thing, especially as, since then, Louis had been trying extra hard to be honest with them all.

Niall smiled as he remembered a few days ago, when Louis had volunteered a story about the imaginary friend he’d had growing up. It had been good for them, and Niall loved him all the more for it.

The matter of Harry, however, still felt a little out of bounds to them all, including Louis, Niall thought. They were sailing blind on that one, though no one liked to admit it.

“Harry must suspect something’s up,” Liam said, thumbing the lid of his coffee cup.

“‘Course he does,” Niall scoffed. “He’s not an idiot. Reckon he just thinks he’s better not knowing. Probably right, as well,” he mumbled, standing up to flick his cigarette butt in the ashtray. He clapped his hands together, turning to the other two. “Come on, then. Harry’ll be having kittens, we’ve been out for hours.”

They waited for Liam to chuck his coffee cup away and headed back towards the entrance of the park. As they strolled down Christchurch Road, Niall felt uneasy. The temperature of the air felt like it had dropped unduly low, even for January. Without voicing his discomfort, he gave Liam a nudge up ahead, prompting him to walk faster. The street around them was empty, as the row of trees whistled in the wind. The overcast sky was reflected in the windows of the houses they passed. There wasn’t a single a car travelling on the road as they walked.

The three of them had fallen naturally into an uneasy silence. After a few more moments of hurried strides and prickling skin, Niall gushed out, “Where’d everyone go?”

Zayn shook his head and turned to look over his shoulder. “I don’t know, Ni. Is this the right way?”

When they reached a junction and stopped for a second, Niall swore the cold had spread. He could feel it latching onto his bones. Twitching his hands to try and shake it off, he strode further down the path, his breath rising in the air.

He could hear his heart beating against his chest, and the ragged breath of Liam and Zayn beside him. At once, a loud clattering sound echoed in a side alley, and they all jumped in surprise. Niall’s stomach lurched as he saw something black and cloaked move out of the corner of his eye. When he turned back to look, almost tripping on the pavement, nothing was there.

“Guys, I’m getting a bad feeling,” he called, slightly hysterical and not moving his eyes from where he’d seen the cloaked figure moving.

Almost before he’d even finished speaking, a loud bang erupted from behind them and they turned to each other in alarm.

“We need to get out of here,” Liam rushed, and he began to run down a side street. “Follow me!” he yelled to the other two.

It was non-stop now, Niall could feel ominous figures around him, they kept swimming into his peripheral vision as he ran. They never came close enough to see properly, but they were close enough for Niall’s pulse to race and his adrenaline to spike.

They darted around another corner, Zayn almost falling before Niall reached and pulled him up. They stopped short, however, upon noticing what greeted them. Further down the deserted road, five figures waited. Niall almost wanted to laugh at how exceedingly terrifying they looked. It was either that, or cry. They were clad in matching long black coats, with stand up collars and flowing neck ties, all adorned with a sleek black top hat and cane. The faces below the hats, however, were horrendous. Niall found he couldn’t look straight at them. It was as if a white rag had been stretched over a  human face, covering the eyes and the nose. The mouth was left open, though it looked dead; black and rotting against the otherwise white skin.

The three of them stood in horror as the creatures began a slow approach, their grotesque mouths opening wide in a silent scream. Niall made to turn away, but he was confronted with more of the figures, who had appeared behind him.

As they were surrounded, the three men backed closer together, the cold air morphing into thick fog, cloying at their lungs. At the last minute, Niall reached out his hands and grasped both Liam and Zayn by the wrist. He held on tight as the figures pressed close, leaning down to crowd Niall’s face. He scrunched up his eyes, letting out a faint cry as he felt a freezing cold hand cover his forehead.

His grasp on Liam and Zayn’s wrists loosened and he felt them fall at his sides.

~

“Sorry. And it was Trenzalore? Definitely Trenzalore?” Louis asked again, his voice wavering.

Harry worried his lip, his eyes travelling across Louis’ face, the colour all but gone from his skin. Whoever it was on the other end of the phone had hung up after they’d delivered their warning. Harry had tried to call the number back, but of course it hadn’t worked.

The dark outside his flat window now felt more ominous than it had down before, shadows in the corner all potential threats.

“Yeah,” Harry breathed out in reply, feeling guilty for having to confirm something that Louis was clearly dreading.

“Oh. Well, fuck. Sorry. That’s -” Louis paused to suck in a breath, trying to hold himself together. “Yeah, that’s not good.” He scrunched up his face and Harry’s heart stopped for a second when he realised that Louis was about to cry. “That’s - God.” Louis pressed his hands to his face and ducked his head, his cries wracking through his body.

Harry stumbled forward, wrapping his arms around Louis, his lips resting just above Louis’ ear. He didn’t have a clue what was happening or how he could fix it, but he needed to. He couldn’t have his boy crying by himself, not when he was there to share it.

“Louis,” he whispered gently, so as not to startle him. “What is it? What did they mean?” He crouched down to try and look at the time lord’s face. “‘The Doctor has a secret’. Is it Trenzalore, then? Your big secret?

Louis sniffed and pulled his hands away from his face, revealing his red eyes. “No,” he admitted, wetly.

“Okay. Well, what?”

“When you travel through time,” Louis started. “There’s one place you don’t ever, ever want to find yourself.”  He sucked in a breath and hurriedly wiped his cheeks, as if Harry hadn’t already seen him weeping.

“... Dinosaurs?” Harry offered, tentatively.

Louis smiled a little in spite of the tears still glistening in his eyes. Harry felt irrationally relieved that Louis hadn’t seemed to lose all hope. “No, I’ve been there,” Louis said.

“Have you?” Harry gasped, and Louis smile a fraction wider. “Don’t forget to tell me about it, after,” he warned, running his hands up and down Louis’ thighs where he crouched in front of him. “Where don’t you want to be, then?”

“Harold. You haven’t been listening, have you? Not properly. ‘The Doctor has a secret he will take to the grave. It is discovered.’ They weren’t talking about my secret.” Louis pouted again before he looked up at Harry through thick eyelashes. “He was talking about my grave. Trenzalore is where I'm buried.”

Harry frowned. “How can you have a grave?”

“Because we all do. Somewhere out there in the future, waiting for us,” Louis said, simply. “The trouble with time travel, you can actually end up visiting.” He sniffed and stood up, cocking his head to get Harry to follow him.

Once Harry realised Louis was heading out of the flat, he gathered his things in a rush. Pulling a jacket over his shirt and tripping over his untied shoes, he stumbled as he tried to keep up with Louis’ quick strides. Once Louis opened the front door to the block, the cool night air rushed in and he stood on the precipice.

“But if it’s the one place you can’t go?” Harry asked, letting the question linger in the air. He stared at Louis’ silhouette for a moment, a little unsure of his mood.

When Louis eventually responded, his voice was resolute, as if he was simply speaking out-loud of what was already decided. “I’m the Doctor.” He turned his twinkling eyes to Harry. “And I save people.”

They were off again, making a beeline for the Tardis, which was parked a few steps further down the street. “You once told me not to ask you to save everyone,” Harry panted as he joined Louis at the Tardis door. Moonlight bounced off the window panes, making the ship look even more ethereal than usual.

“Nobody has to ask me. They’re my friends,” Louis frowned. He finally seemed to come more to himself as he dropped his shoulders and scrunched up his nose. “Is there any point in telling you this is too dangerous?”

“No.” Harry shook his head, determined.

Louis let out a stilted breath. “You - Just -” he said, cutting himself off. “Okay, but don’t die.”

A laugh escaped from Harry’s throat and he pursed his lips, abruptly, to stop it. Their friends were in danger, it was not the time. “No, right,” he agreed. “I’ll try my hardest.”

Louis didn’t seem to believe him as they stepped up the Tardis gangway. He levelled Harry with an intense, indecipherable look. “Please do,” he urged, and Harry was unnerved to hear the softness in his words.

The now all too familiar motions of putting the Tardis into flight whirred around him, but Harry felt himself strangely detached. He looked at Louis, who was running around the control panel like a mad-man and was so strongly reminded of the day they’d first met. He’d fallen upon this beautiful alien and his box, and all the adventure he could want. Dread filled him to the brim as he thought what Louis was risking to go to Trenzalore, what Harry would have to risk.

He gripped on to the handrail as the floor beneath him shuddered.

“What’s wrong with her?” he shouted above the incredible noise now being generated from the efforts of the Tardis. Steam was rising from the engine below while the ship was flung from side to side.

“She must’ve figured out where we're going,” Louis yelled over to him. “Don’t think she’s too fond of the idea. Hang on!”

The violent flight of the Tardis continued for a few moments more until, without warning, it stopped entirely. The ship powered down and Harry felt a strange sense of seasickness as they were left floating in space.

“What have you done?” he asked quietly.

Louis shook his head, stepping closer to the control panel. “I didn’t do anything,” he said. “She’s shut herself down.” Harry watched as he placed a gentle hand on the the panel. “Love, please.” A pulse of light shot up the central column and Harry kept his focus on Louis, to gauge his response. “I know you don’t want to, I don’t want to either. But we have to help the others,” Louis muttered. His voice was soft as though he was speaking to a dear friend. “You’re scared. I get that, I’m scared too, a little bit. But we know that’s a good thing. Don’t we, my girl? Being scared is a superpower.”

The Tardis hummed as if in response, the lights in the control room surging and dimming once more.

Harry, to his own surprise, found himself overcome with emotion. Standing watching Louis and the Tardis, talking softly to one another. The thought that the Tardis was trying so hard to protect Louis, that it would try to save him when nobody else would? It pulled unexpectedly on Harry’s heartstrings, and he began to feel a threatening pressure behind his eyes.

Louis leaned across the control panel, so his face was mere inches away from the glowing glass column in the centre. He smiled as he turned his eyes to Harry and whispered to her, “Don’t you want to show Harry what you can do?”

After a beat the Tardis raised the lights once more and burst into life. The whirring sound of the engines rung around the room. Harry steeled himself for what was to come as they sailed towards the unknown realm of Trenzalore.

Chapter Text

Trenzalore, Lypimenos Cluster ~ 5149

It was quiet and the ground was cold and hard beneath Niall's back. He curled into a ball on his side, revelling in the calm silence. His body ached and he was loath to open his eyes and leave the numb comfort of the dark.

“Niall.”

He groaned and turned his face away from the noise. He felt jagged rocks press up against his skin, but doggedly ignored them.

“Niall,” the voice repeated. “Niall.”

With a great deal of effort he went to reply, only to be met with with a mouthful of dirt. “Oh, for the love of -” he coughed. Reality blossomed around him as he blinked his eyes open to take in the desolate landscape surrounding him.

When he eventually looked up he was greeted with the sight of Liam and Zayn, staring at him, wide-eyed and serious.

Niall sighed and heaved himself from the floor. He pulled off his flat cap, slapping away the dust. “What is it this time, then?”

Liam let out an abrupt laugh. “I’m flattered you think I’d have a clue.”

Niall smirked and looked out across the horizon. They weren’t on earth anymore, that was for sure. The sky was painted in a majestic display of blues and blacks and reds. The cloud was so dense that no light could break free and thunder rumbled through the air without a discernable source. The world around them was a barren slate of crumbling mountain rocks and dry, sandy soil. Clumps of long grass grew in patches along makeshift paths and the air was warm and thick.

“Check it out,” Liam said, pointing in the distance somewhere over Niall’s shoulder. His eyes were narrowed, like he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. Zayn squinted to where he was pointing and let out a low whistle.

When Niall turned to find out what was so interesting, he gasped. In the distance, its colours hazy from the volume of dusty air separating them, was the Tardis. It wasn’t like Niall had ever seen the Tardis before, though.

“What’s happened to it?” Zayn asked, incredulously. His long wool coat had dirt and grime imbedded into it, the fur collar matted against his skin.

Liam shook his head. “That can’t be the actual Tardis, though. What’s it doing here?” He raised his hands towards the giant structure, in confusion. “It’s enormous.”

He wasn’t wrong. The structure towered over the nearby mountain ranges, dwarfing the landscape around it. The Tardis itself appeared decrepit; wooden splinters protruding at all angles, glass smashed and broken, and paint peeling. It certainly wasn’t the Tardis they all knew and loved.

“Do you think there’s anymore of those creepy guys about?” Zayn asked as they all continued to stare.

Thunder struck nearby, echoing in Niall’s ears. “I imagine so,” he said, voice raised over the noise. “I don’t think they would have brought us here just for the hell of it. We should probably move, don’t you think?”

Liam nodded, his jaw locked. “Yeah. I’d say, head towards the giant Tardis statue?”

Zayn shook his head, at a loss. “Sounds as good a plan as any.”

They made slow progress, keeping the desolate shadow of the Tardis in their sights at all times. Niall was on edge, alert to every sound and sight. His throat was dry and he was in desperate need of a drink, his head pounding as he stepped one foot in front of another.

After what felt like an age the landscape began to change. The ground became flatter and the patches of grass were more regular. Soon they came across a wrought iron fence which trailed along the side of their path. It lifted Niall’s spirits to see even a small sign of civilisation, though only for a short while. Within moments Niall came to realise that the civilisation they’d stepped into was nothing more than a vast graveyard. Tombstones were visible as far as the eye could see. Some were tiny, ancient and broken, though others were huge monuments, casting shadows along the path.

As the three of them headed further into the graveyard, they exchanged wary looks. The thunder continued to rumble around them.

“Er, Niall?” Liam had wandered a few paces ahead of him and Zayn, but had stopped at the foot of one of the graves. “I don’t want to alarm you or anything, mate, but you might want to take a look at this.”

As he stepped closer, the ancient headstone that Liam was pointing to came into view. Though the shrubbery beside it threatened to overtake it, the faded engraving on the front was still legible.

“Is that -” Zayn began, his voice high and alarmed.

“My grave?” Niall croaked. He stared in disbelief at the crumbling headstone, the words ‘In loving memory of Niall Horan, Esq.’ carved into the granite. Underneath his name the engraving read, ‘Yet the storm is around thee, the hurricane roars; But valour and loyalty dwell on thy shores.’ Niall let out a long breath he had not realised he’d been holding. So that was that. His fate was sealed. He wondered how it happened, whether he was brave in the face of death, if it was loud and violent, or if it simply washed over him without ceremony. “Yeah,” he said as he felt the others eyes on him. “Yeah, I reckon it is.”

~

When the Tardis finally landed with a graceful thump, Harry ran his fingers along the hand rail. He felt like he needed to reassure the ship that it had made the right choice, though he wasn’t sure he believed that himself. He knew they had to try to help the others, but the unsure look on Louis’ face made him question if they actually could.

The look lingered a moment longer until Louis spotted Harry watching him. The other man plastered a smile on his face and strode deliberately towards the door.

“Come on, Harry,” he said, clapping Harry on the back. “Adventure awaits.”

Harry sighed and they left the Tardis together. They stopped short, however, upon seeing the dismal wasteland ahead.

“What happened here?” Harry asked. Bile rose in his throat as he thought of Louis being buried in such a place.

“I don’t know. Hasn’t happened to me yet.” Louis’ face was grim as he surveyed the landscape. In the distance Harry spotted a collection of blocks. They traversed the ground for miles, scaling the undulating hills and high into the mountainsides. Upon further inspection he noted, with a dull ache in his stomach, that they were gravestones. He felt frozen where he stood, overcome by the realisation that this was where Louis would die. That Louis was going to die. Maybe not soon, but he would die and Harry couldn’t stop it.

He came back to himself when he felt Louis tug at his sleeve with a gentle smile, pulling him towards the path.

“There are so many,” he mused, eyeing the approaching gravestones as they grew nearer.

“It’s a battlefield graveyard. My final battle.”

He ignored the unaffected tone of Louis’ voice, instead asking, “Why are some of them bigger?”

“They’re soldiers.” Louis waved a delicate finger towards some of the larger mausoleums. “The bigger the gravestone, the higher the rank.”

They rounded a corner and were faced with the largest gravestone yet. Harry had to crane his neck to see the top of the elephantine structure, though it was still far away. He frowned as he recognised the grave as a giant replica of the Tardis.

“It’s quite a monument,” he muttered, in awe.

Louis came to stand at his side, the backs of their hands brushing together. “It’s the Tardis.”

“No shit, Sherlock,” Harry joked, thunder cracking overhead.

“No, that’s not it,” Louis replied. He took Harry’s hand in his own, giving it a small squeeze. “When a Tardis is dying, sometimes the dimension dams start to break. Used to be called a size leak, I think. All the bigger on the inside starts to leak to the outside.” He was reaching out with his spare hand, waving it around as he spoke. “I don’t mean it looks like the Tardis, I mean it actually is her. My Tardis from the future.” He paused for a moment before turning to Harry with a rueful smile. “What else would they bury me in?”

They walked on for a while longer. Relief washed through Harry’s body like never before when, eventually, he spotted a group of familiar figures in the distance. Louis let out a breath beside him and rushed towards the group. Just before Louis reached them, Liam turned around, his face immediately splitting into a wide grin.

“Louis!” he called, opening his arms to welcome Louis in a warm embrace. “You found us.” He grinned at Harry over Louis’ shoulder as Harry greeted Niall and Zayn.

“‘Course we did,” Harry insisted. “We’ll always come for you. You should know this by now.”

Zayn made an odd, slightly alarmed sound at Harry’s words, as if he hadn’t expected Harry to be quite so honest. Next to him, Louis and Liam broke apart and Louis made to grab Niall. Niall, however, was stiff in his arms.

“What?” Louis asked, perplexed at their still downturned expressions. “What is it?”

Silently Zayn pointed to the nearest grave at the side of the path. Harry was confused for a moment before he properly processed the words engraved in the stone.

Louis gripped Niall’s shoulder. “But valour and loyalty dwell on thy shores,” he read out under his breath. “Niall.” Pity was written across Louis’ face and something akin to misery. “Oh, Ni. I’m sorry. I didn’t - I don’t -”

“It’s alright,” Niall brushed off. “So I’m a croaker? Ain’t like you killed me.”

“No, but -” Louis ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t have dragged you into this. It’s my fault you’re with me.”

Niall scoffed and folded his arms, raising a stubborn eyebrow in Louis’ direction. “I’m a grown man, Louis. I decide what I do. I don’t want to be anywhere else, I still don’t.” He dropped his hands to his sides, stepping closer to the four of them. “Look, to be honest, I know I’ve still got my family and I’ve been writing to Tams and that, but - I mean, she’s great, don’t get me wrong, but, I ain’t leaving for anything. I couldn’t leave this. If I die by your side? If that’s how it ends?” He clicked his tongue, shrugging. “I don’t think that’s too bad a way to go.”

Following his short speech Louis simply looked at Niall for a long time, an unidentifiable expression on his face.

“I wonder if the rest of us are here,” Zayn remarked out of nowhere, staring and the mass of graves around them.

“Christ, Zayn,” Louis said with an disbelieving laugh. “Can you not?”

“Just wondering,” Zayn replied, apparently chastised.

“I will be,” Harry thought outloud. He felt the truth behind his words. If this was where Louis died, if Niall was here too, he was certain he would have stayed as well. He and Louis belonged together. He wouldn’t want to leave him, not even in battle. “I’ll be here somewhere, I know it.” He met Louis’ eyes and found that he could smile at the thought.

Liam chimed in a moment later. “I can’t think of anywhere else I’d be,” he pondered. As Niall wrapped an arm around his shoulder, Liam carried on, “You guys are all I have.”

Thunder broke out again, nearer than it had been earlier, and they all squinted up at the dark sky. “We need to leave,” Louis muttered. “Even if it’s just Niall and I buried here, it’s still a complete mess.”

“What about the guys that took us?” Zayn asked as Louis made to leave.

Louis frowned. “Huh?”

“Well, they’re clearly up to something,” Zayn said, as if it were obvious. “Don’t you think we should investigate?”

“I think that’s precisely what they want us to do.”

“But, what if they’re planning to hurt some people, or, like -” Zayn grimaced, shaking his head as he thought of some words. “Invade somewhere?”

“Zayn, come on,” Louis scoffed. “It would be a trap.”

“It might not be, We can’t take that risk,” Zayn reasoned.

“Zayn.”

“He does have a point,” Harry interjected.

“Harry!” Louis turned to him, exasperated.

“I’m just saying,” Harry defended himself. “They must have a plan for something and I don’t think it’ll be anything good. We should stop them while we have the chance.”

Louis considered him for a moment before practically shouting, “Fine.” He began stomping down the path towards the Tardis mausoleum and yelled over his shoulder, “But let it be known that I said it was a trap.”

Harry laughed as the others followed behind him. “Noted.”

The winding path up towards the Tardis was long and narrow. They were forced to walk in single file, as the wind picked up and whipped Harry’s hair around his face. He concentrated on the back of Niall’s head as they walked and took a moment to curse the hundreds of hair ties he had lounging around in his flat back home. He was sure he even had a few in his room on the Tardis.

He heard one of the boys behind him say something, though it got lost on the wind.

“What?” he practically yelled, trying to make sure he was heard.

When a reply came, it was not what he was expecting. It sounded like someone was whispering in his ear. “The boy who died he tried to save. He'll die again inside his grave.”

“Come again?” he startled, turning to look at Zayn over his shoulder. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Zayn raised his eyebrows and checked over his shoulder. “Me?” he asked.

“What did you say?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

Harry frowned and kept his eyes on Zayn for a moment. He didn’t think Zayn was lying to him, but he definitely heard something. “Nevermind,” he said after a while. He turned back to follow Niall and muttered to himself, “It doesn’t matter.”

The base of the overblown Tardis was high on a mountainside and by the time they reached it, each of them was panting lightly with exertion.

Louis brought his hands to his waist, chest heaving as he said, “Awesome. Nobody’s here.” He scrunched up his eyes, bending his neck to look up at the structure. “Let’s go home, then.”

“Yeah, alright,” Zayn drawled. Harry secretly thought that he looked a little disappointed and had to remind himself that the others weren’t aware of how truly dangerous it was for Louis to be here.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Liam head to turn back, after a dramatic groan from Niall. They both stopped almost straight away, however, and began to back up towards the other three men. Harry opened his mouth to question them when he saw precisely what had sent them retreating.

A stranger, clad in an old fashioned, black mourning suit prowled over to them. He had a shiny black cane in his hand and wore a matching top hat. His face was gaunt and pale, eyes sunken and lips pale. A handful of figures followed behind him, their movements were muted and other-worldly. Harry took a few small steps backwards as well, though, when he saw their blank, eyeless faces and decaying mouths.

“I see you have found your pets,” the stranger said. It’s voice was curt and shallow. “No matter. I was only attracting your attention. I presume I have it.”

Harry glanced at Louis, who was glaring at the stranger with narrow eyes.

When Louis didn’t answer, the stranger let out an empty laugh. It threw its arms open, towards the immense Tardis behind them. “Welcome to the final resting place of the cruel tyrant. The slaughter of ten billion and the vessel of final darkness. Welcome to the tomb of the Doctor.”

The stood in silence for a moment before Liam announced, his voice the epitome of baffled, “‘Slaughterer of ten billion’?”

“It was a minor skirmish, by the Doctor's blood-soaked standards,” the stranger replied. Niall and Zayn’s heads jerked towards Louis, who had not taken his eyes of the stranger for a second. “Not exactly the Time War, but enough to finish him. In the end.” It rounded on Louis, a vindictive glint in its eyes. “It was too much for the old man.”

“‘Blood-soaked’?” Niall spat out. He didn’t looked scared and Harry was impressed. The faceless figures were causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. They seemed to be inching closer with every second the stranger spoke.

Zayn stepped forward, his arms folded and his face directly in front of the other’s. “Our Louis is a lot of things, but never blood-soaked.”

The stranger’s eyes flicked over Zayn’s face before it spoke. “Tell that to the leader of the Sycorax, or Solomon the trader, or the Cybermen, or the Daleks,” it barked. “The Doctor lives his life in darker hues, day upon day.”

And still, Louis remained silent. His jaw was locked, his eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared, but he said nothing.

Harry took a deep breath. “Even if any of that was true, which it isn’t, by the way, how on earth did you get all that information?”

The stranger sneered. “I am information.”

“What the blooming hell does that mean?” Niall exclaimed, his eyes bulging.

“I am information. I am everything that has ever been; power, victory, knowledge. I need no mortal form.” Harry balked as the stranger’s face seemed to disintegrate before him. It morphed and altered into a featureless expanse, as if in slow motion. Zayn let out an alarmed grunt to the right of them and Harry jerked his head to see the stranger’s face, molded from the blank canvas of one of the other figures faces. “I am the Intelligence,” it said, with a machiavellian grin.

“Right.” Niall dragged the words out, his eyes flicking between the figure that the stranger had previously inhabited and his new form. “That’s - Yeah, okay.”

The Intelligence brushed passed them all and approached the Tardis. It’s hand feathered across the wooden panelling of the door for a silent second. The Intelligence turned abruptly, eyeing them all once more. “The doors require a key. The key is a word. And the word is the Doctor's name.” It stalked towards Louis, not stopping until it was mere inches away. “Open the door, Doctor. Speak, and open your tomb.”

“No.”

Louis’ voice was so cutting that Harry was taken aback.

“Because you know what's in there?” the Intelligence countered.

“I will not open those doors,” Louis growled.

“The key is a word lost to time. A secret hidden in the deepest shadow and known to you alone. The answer to a question.” The Intelligence pressed forward like a predator, forcing Louis to step back towards the Tardis. Harry felt a little ill.

“I will not open my tomb,” Louis insisted. A clap of thunder sounded in the distance.

“Doctor, what is your name?” it asked, plainly. Louis refused to speak further and the Intelligence seemed to get bored. “The Doctor's friends,” it said to the other figures. “Stop their hearts.”

“What?” Niall burst out in shock.

The figures marched forward at a slow but unrelenting pace. Harry saw the panic quickly spread across Liam, Niall and Zayn’s faces as they were forced back against the Tardis wall.

“Stop it,” Louis shouted. “Leave them alone.”

The Intelligence did not relent. “Your name, Doctor. Answer me.”

One of the faceless figures began to make it’s way towards Harry. He jerked his head towards Louis, his breath becoming shallower with each step. “Louis?” he called.

The Intelligence advanced. “Doctor who?”

Harry watched in horror as one of the figures reached Liam. It stretched out a hand, pressing closer and closer to Liam’s chest. The moment the figure’s hand passed through flesh, Harry flinched and turned away. Liam’s panicked yells filled his ears.

“Liam!” he heard Zayn shout.

Louis stumbled backwards. “Please,” he begged. “Stop it.”

“Doctor who?”

Liam let out a strangled scream, the sound echoing around the walls of the ancient Tardis. Harry screwed his eyes shut.

“Leave them alone.” Louis was desperate now, his eyes pleading with the Intelligence. “Let them be.”

When the figure heading towards Harry began to reach out it’s hand, just as it had done with Liam, he yelled. “Louis!”

“Doctor who?” the Intelligence repeated.

Louis cried out, “Please!”

Harry felt dizzy. The figure hadn’t reached him yet, but a faint haze had washed over Harry, like he wasn’t quite there anymore. He blinked. Voices resonated around his head, muffled, as if from a great distance. More specifically, it was a voice.

‘Why do I keep running into you?’ Louis asked and Harry immediately recognised it as a memory. One that he’d forgotten. How could he forget? Louis’ worried face swam in front of his eyes. ‘The Dalek Asylum. There was a man in a shipwreck and he died saving my life, and he was you.’ He could see pages from a book, blurred words that danced across the page. ‘In Victorian London there was a tutor, who was really a bartender,’ Louis continued. ‘He died and it was my fault and he was you.’

“I remember,” Harry mumbled, his vision clearing. He felt half drunk as he staggered towards the Tardis door. “Louis,” he called, his voice little more than a whisper. “Your name. I remember.”

The Louis of present couldn’t hear him, though, too distracted was he by the continuing attack of faceless figures. Harry pressed himself against the door, his lips moving against the wood as he muttered the Doctor’s name.

The door cracked open with a loud screech. Dust bursted through the door, revealing a dark abyss beyond. Harry spun around on his feet to see that the figures had retreated in an instant.

“Why did you open the door? Louis, I totally had them,” Niall rasped as he leant his hands on his knees, breathing deeply.

Louis’s brow crinkled. “I didn’t do it. I didn’t say my name,” he said, baffled. “Is everyone okay? Liam, you okay?” After Liam gave him a wobbly thumbs up he hurried over to Harry, closing his hands on the side of Harry’s face. “Harry, what’s wrong. Was it -” Lowering his voice, he asked, “Was it you? Did you say my name?”

“What did you mean, you keep meeting me?” Harry said, ignoring the question. His head hurt and mouth was dry. He was finding it hard to piece his thoughts together. “You said I died. How could I die?”

Louis grimaced. “Shit. Hey, it's okay,” he reassured, running his hands through Harry’s hair. “You're fine. The dimensioning forces leaking from the Tardis, they can make you a bit fuzzy.”

Harry leant back against the wall, a dry sob wracking through his body. “I know that. How? How do I know that?”

“Harry, it's okay. You're fine.”

He ducked his head, looking Louis in the eye. “Have we done this before? We have. We talked about this before.” He saw Zayn move towards them in his peripheral vision. “You said things, things I'm not supposed to remember.”

Louis looked torn. He bit his lip and replied, voice soft, “We can't do this now. The Tardis is a ruin. The telepathic circuits are waking up memories you shouldn't even have. You shouldn’t be able to remember my name.”

Harry whimpered, “What did you mean ‘I died’?”

With a heavy sigh Louis pressed his forehead to Harry’s and squeezed his arm tightly. Then, with a last look towards Harry he turned and spoke to the Intelligence.

“Alright, Mr. Intelligence, whatever you’re called, do you know what's in there?”

The Intelligence set its hollowed eyes on Louis. “For me, peace at last. For you, pain everlasting.” It smirked. “Won't you invite us in?”

Louis’ eyes darted around the group, skirting over the ominous, faceless figures with trepidation. Eventually, he lifted a hand to the Tardis door and forced it further open.

The five of them walked for long minutes through the dark corridors of the ruined Tardis. The Intelligence and its collection of figures stayed ahead of them. Harry felt like he knew this version of the Tardis, though he couldn’t actively recognise any of it. It smelt damp, like it had been shut up for centuries.

Further into the depths of the ship the Intelligence came to a stop in a large room. Harry frowned as he felt a jolt of familiarity tug at his spine. It was the beloved control room, though it was worn and dark with age. Ivy grew from the dusty ground, circling the handrails and pillars almost as decoration. In the centre of the room, where the control panel would be, instead a great beam of blue light shone.

Harry looked closer and saw that the light was made of of hundreds of smaller tendrils, all twined in and out of each other. It was a beautiful weave of colour and light.

“What is it?” Liam marveled, his face cast in a light blue glow.  

“Were you expecting a body?” Louis gave a soft laugh. “Bodies are boring.” He shrugged. “I’ve had loads of them. That’s not what my tomb is for.”

“Louis,” Harry said gently. “It’s beautiful.” He went to stand at Louis’ side and was shocked to find the time lord shaking. He wrapped his fingers around Louis’ hand and held on tightly.

Niall turned a pale face to the two of them. “What is it, mate?”

There was a pause, which seemed to irritate the Intelligence. “Doctor, just tell them.”

Louis shuffled his feet, staring at the light with a grimace. “They’re scars,” he said. “Time travel -” he cut himself off, running a hand over his jaw. “Time travel is damage. It’s a tear in reality, right? These are the scars of my path through time.” He reached an arm out and pointed to the tip of the stream of lights, dropping it to the bottom in a delicate arch. “From Gallifrey to Trenzalore.” He gripped Harry’s hand again. “Even the paths I haven’t travelled yet.”

He sounded so calm that it was in shock that Harry watched him collapse to the ground, his hand still in Harry’s.

“Louis!” he shouted out, dropping to his knees at Louis’ side.

“No,” Louis groaned. Liam, Niall and Zayn all crowded around him, concern etched in every one of their features. “It’s the paradoxes. I shouldn’t be here.” He turned his face to the floor, his voice muffled as he said, “It’s very bad.”

“Oi, buddy,” Niall thundered, jumping up, as the Intelligence approached the timestream. “What you playing at?”

“Don’t let him,” Louis’ weak voice croaked.

The Intelligence pulled an ugly face. With a small movement of its hand, the figures that had been lingering quietly in the background began another advance. Niall shuffled back, to put himself between the figures and Louis’ collapsed body. “The Doctor's life is an open wound,” the Intelligence ranted. “And an open wound can be entered.”

Louis gasped. “Don’t be an idiot. It’ll destroy you.”

“You’re wrong, Doctor. It will kill me. It will destroy you,” it sneered. Harry could feel his heart beating frantically in his chest, staring at the others desperately. “I can rewrite your every living moment. I can turn every one of your victories into defeats. Poison every friendship. Deliver pain to your every breath.”

“Once you go through, you can't come back,” Louis coughed. “You’ll be cut up and dropped across my timeline.”

“It matters not. You have thwarted defeat at every turn. I know how to defeat you and that is to ruin you in every second of your life.” The Intelligence twisted to face the timestream once more. “Goodbye, Doctor.”

Louis screamed an earsplitting scream as the Intelligence stepped into his timeline. A flash of light burst from the centre of the room, bathing them all in warmth. When it had vanished, and Harry blinked away the light, the advancing figures had disappeared and the bright beams of light were vibrating wildly where they fell. Louis was writhing on the floor, his eyes clenched shut and jaw locked. The grip he had on Harry’s hand was painfully tight and Harry’s skin was white with pressure.

“What's wrong with him?” Harry yelled at the others. He didn’t have a clue what to do and Louis was in pain. A terrifying thought passed through Harry’s mind that this was it. Louis was dying. “What's happening?” he shouted.

“He's being rewritten,” said Zayn. He spoke quietly, as if not wanting to be heard. “He’s being cut out of all of time.”

The Intelligence’s voice reverberated around the chamber, without an apparent source. “It is done,” it said and the timestream turned a violent shade of blood red.  

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” Niall whimpered, holding onto Louis’ shoulder as the time lord continued to thrash about on the floor.

“What, Niall?” Liam asked. “What is it?”

Niall gulped, his tired eyes landing on Liam. “A universe without Louis,” he said in a strained voice. “This ain’t going to be good.”

Belfast, Ireland ~ 1911

In a busy pub in north Belfast, not too far from Duncrue Street, a strapping young shipwright sat at the bar, nursing his drink.

Belfast was bubbling, people pouring out of every building in every street. Or so it seemed. The man had travelled from Dublin to work there almost two years ago, where people and opportunities were everywhere. But the fresh faced young man wanted more. He dreamed of the fast-paced and the unpredictable. He’d spent almost all of his earnings from his Harland and Wolff shipbuilding job on just that. A one way ticket to America. To his new life.

Raucous laughter from along the bar interrupted his daydreaming. He listened for a moment to the conversation. Someone was telling another story about a mysterious disturbance down on the wharf. There’d been gossip going around the docks for a while that the wharf was haunted. The young man didn’t believe in such footle, though. He knew there was bound to be a reasonable explanation. He would go and investigate it himself, if he had to. Maybe he would, he thought to himself. The youngest Kearney girl had gone missing last week and he thought the two must be linked.

The door of the pub swung open and the man spun in his seat. He felt a strange tingling travel up his spine, although the doorway was empty. He frowned to himself. Maybe he’d had enough beer for now.

Returning his attention to the ticket clutched in his hand, the words ‘Titanic’ printed along the top, the shipwright grinned. “This is it, Niall,” he said to himself. “This is your future.”

San Helios, Scorpion Nebula ~ 456 Siglon Quam

A young framaan wandered the scorching desert that had previously been the shining city of San Helios. Without his ship or his crew, the newly anointed captain was lost, alone and stranded on the foreign planet.

He shivered despite the heat of three suns beating down on him. His heavy boots sunk into the fine sand beneath his feet as he made his way across the undulating dunes. Squinting into the distance, he spotted a large, rectangular vessel. Pausing, he bit his lip and pondered the best course of action.

Having no idea whether the ship was an ally or an enemy, the captain marked it as a threat. When he approached he spotted an adolescent boy, leant against the outer hub of the ship. He was crying. A youthful looking woman argued with a rather rotund man, sweat dripping down the side of his face. If the framaan looked closely, he could see the outline of two other people still inside the bizarrely shaped ship.

Gripping his gun in his hand he marched forward, heart racing in his chest. He could do this. He needed to do this. He had no choice. If the only way he could escape from this planet was to fight this crew, then that was what he would do. And he would win.

“My name’s Captain Liam Payne,” he announced, the words catching in his dry throat. “And, I’m sorry, but I need to commandeer your vehicle.” The three people stared at him in alarm, but he refused to feel sympathy. It was fight or die. The lonely captain raised his gun. “Right now.”

Trenzalore, Lypimenos Cluster ~ 5149

Harry blinked. That’s all he’d done. He’d closed his eyes for a second and when he’d opened them, Liam and Niall were both gone. Vanished, without a trace. The darkness of the lifeless control room seemed to enclose itself around them, until Louis, Harry and Zayn were all that was left in the world.

“Niall! Ni!” Louis groaned, tossing his head around to search the room. “Harry, where’s Niall? I … I need him,” he whined, voice cracking as his body jerked in pain.

Harry felt like he was watching a film, or something. Like this wasn’t really happening to him. His partner wasn’t dying in his arms. Two of his best friends hadn’t just been wiped out of existence. He wasn’t stuck on an inhabitable planet at the end of the universe.

He scrunched up his face, trying to keep the tears at bay. He leant down as close as he could, pushing sweaty hair away from Louis’ forehead. “He’s dead, love. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he whispered. His efforts failed him as his eyes welled up, threatening to spill at any moment. “He must’ve drowned, without you to stop him.”

But Louis didn’t seem to hear him. He continued to moan, “Where are they?”

Zayn crouched down next to Louis’ head and pulled his face gently to get him to look his way. “Liam and Niall are gone, Louis,” he said. He appeared calm, but determined. “There has to be something we can do.”

It dawned on Harry then, like a light breaking through the clouds. “The Dalek Asylum,” he said, suddenly. “You said it was me that saved you. How?” Louis frowned at him and shook his head but Harry would not let it drop. This could save them. “Victorian London,” he rushed out. “How, how could I have been in Victorian London?”

“Where’s Liam … Please ... stop. It hurts,” Louis wept.

He let out a breath, steeling himself for what he knew he had to do. What he knew he’d already done. “I have to go in there,” he said.

Zayn spluttered, “What? Don’t be ridiculous.” His eyes were incredulous as he spoke. “You saw what happened to the other guy.”

“But I’ve already done it. Louis and Niall, they’ve seen me do it,” Harry replied, willing Zayn to understand. He looked down to Louis, his beautiful face twisted with pain and fear. “If I step in there, what happens?” Harry asked. He needed to know what was going to happen to him. He didn’t have a choice, not really, but he wanted to know.

“Don’t,” Louis managed to say. “You’ll be ... ripped into ... into a million pieces. You’ll die ... all over time and space. They’ll just … just be echoes.”

“Echos that could help.”

“But they’re not you,” Zayn started, staring in horror. “The real you will die.”

Harry ignored him. “I’m going to save you,” he said, nodding to himself. “I’m going to do this.”

“Harry.” The time lord was all but sobbing now, his wet eyes scrunched up to mere slits.

“Don’t you see?” Harry pleaded. He leant down, their faces touching. His lips brushed against Louis’ cheek as he whispered. “I’m always with you. I’ve been with you your entire life, since the start.” He pulled back, reaching for Louis’ hand and looking him in the eye. “And I’ll be with you for the rest of it. Right ‘till the very end.”

“Harry, please,” Louis cried out. “Don’t leave me. Please.”

“You have to let me do this. This is my story, Louis.”

Louis eyes widened by a fraction, like he was really trying to see Harry though his tears. “You’re … You’re not a story to me.”

Harry bit his lip, to stop it shaking. “I love you,” he said and pressed his lips in a soft kiss against Louis’. He let himself linger for a second longer before he pulled away and stood up.

He tried to block out Louis’ protests as he turned to Zayn. The other man had already taken ahold of Louis’ now-free hand and Harry felt an overwhelming wave of love wash over him for his friend.

“Zayn, if this works you’ve got to get out straight away,” he said. “Promise me.”

Zayn simply nodded. “I promise,” he said in a rough voice.

Harry looked to Louis one last time. “You better run, Louis,” he said with a small smile. “Run, you clever boy, and remember me.”

He stepped into the the timestream, Louis’ shouts to stop following him through.

Chapter Text

The Doctor’s Timestream ~ Always

Harry didn’t know where he was. It was like he was breaking into a million pieces, floating across space. There was only one thing he could really remember; that he had to save the Doctor.

And he tried so very hard. In fleeting moments, where he seemed to come back to himself, he’d see the Doctor. And though the Doctor always looked different, Harry knew it was him every time. He recognised the person he knew, even when he didn’t recognise the face.

Time felt slow and yet undeniably fleeting. Sometimes Harry felt like he was everywhere at once, that his body spanned miles and centuries, light years in space and time. He was running every second just to find him.

Because he had to save him, that was the one thing Harry knew.

The Doctor hardly ever heard him, but that didn’t matter. Harry would save him without praise or acknowledgement. He blew into this world on a leaf and he was still blowing. As he floated through time, he thought that he would never land.

Harry was the impossible boy, he could remember that. He was born to save the Doctor. His Doctor. He was born to save Louis.

Trenzalore, Lypimenos Cluster ~ 5149

Niall felt strange. It was almost as if he was underwater, he vision swam and his hearing was strangely distant.

He blinked a few times. If he concentrated, he was sure he could hear someone yelling. It was muted though and he couldn’t make out the words. Dark shapes moved around him and he frowned, blinking rapidly again until the far images came into focus. It looked like - Yes, he was on the Tardis. Or was it? It didn’t look quite right.

He felt somebody grip his arm. A face filled his vision, mouthing words he could vaguely hear.

Zayn, he thought. He tried to form the words, but nothing came out.

“Are … okay … gone … hurry,” he heard, the sound crackling in his ears. The room was becoming clearer with every passing second and bright light shone from the centre.

“Zee,” he gasped, stumbling forward into a strong pair of arms.

Zayn laughed in his ear. “Ni, mate. It’s so fucking good to have you back.”

“Where did I go?” he asked, confused. Because he had gone somewhere, he could remember that much.

He spotted Liam, crouched onto the floor next to a distraught looking Louis.

Louis, Niall thought. How could he forget? The Intelligence. Louis’ timestream. He was going to be destroyed across all time.

“Where’s Harry?” he asked. He didn’t need a response, not really. He knew where Harry was. He’d known since the moment they’d walked in and seen Louis’ timestream, if he was honest with himself.

Harry wasn’t a departed spirit. He wasn’t a triplet, or a con man. He was just a boy who’d fallen in love.

“He went into the timestream, didn’t he?” said Niall, staring at the now twinkling blue lights ahead of him.

“We had to save Louis. We had to get you and Liam back,” came Zayn’s response. A flash of sorrow flickered behind Zayn’s eyes, which Niall was sure he was trying to mask. For now, at least. For Louis’ sake.

He staggered over to Liam and Louis, Zayn’s hand guiding him gently. He could hear the tail end of Liam’s words, soft and deep, “... we’re all restored. He saved us all, that’s more than something.”

“We are not all restored,” Louis replied, rising to his full height. The time lord moved closer to the twinkling lights, his eyes narrowed in thought.

Next to Niall, Zayn shifted slightly. “You can't go in there,” he said and Niall’s jaw dropped a little when Louis didn’t immediately shut down the idea. “It's your own timestream, for God's sake,” Zayn urged.

“I have to get him back.”

Niall bit his lip. “Harry wanted -” he started, but Louis cut him off.

“Just because Harry wants, doesn’t mean Harry gets,” he spat out, almost viciously.

His words echoed around the empty chamber, replaced only by the sound of hurried breathing. “Are you sure you can do it?” Liam asked, his eyes trained on Louis.

“I hope I can.”

Niall pulled a face. “But how?” he asked.

Zayn joined in, craning his head to look to the top of the timestream. “Is he still alive, though? It killed the Intelligence.”

“Harry's got one advantage over the Intelligence,” Louis replied, rolling up the sleeves of his jumper.

Niall folded his arms. “What’s that?”

“Me.”

Louis looked so determined and his gaze was so strong, Niall knew there was nothing to be done to change his mind. Of course Louis was going to try to get Harry back. Niall couldn’t imagine a world where Louis ever stopped trying to save Harry.

“Then you should do it,” said Liam, his voice quiet. “If you can. Bring him back. We have to try,” he continued, simply. When he reached up to squeeze Louis’ shoulder, he asked, tone serious, “Do you want me to come with you?”

Louis smiled fondly at him. “No, Li. Don’t want to risk both our lives.” The time lord rested his gaze on Niall after that, his expression soft as he said, “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Niall huffed a quiet laugh. “I know you are,” he replied.

They looked at each other for a moment or two longer before Louis coughed and straightened his shoulders. “Now, if I don't come back, and I might not,  take care of the Tardis, yeah? The fast return protocols should be on. She'll take you home, then shut herself down.” He turned back to Liam and grabbed his hand. It was a little surreal, watching Louis say goodbye to them, while trying to pretend he was doing nothing of the sort. “Li, I’m sorry I never taught you to fly her,” he carried on, voice rough. “I thought I’d have more time.”

Liam shook it off. “It’s okay, Louis, it is.”

“Zayn.” Louis heaved a sigh as he looked to Zayn.

“Yeah?” Zayn replied, dutifully. His words were curt and Niall could tell that he was holding back.

“Stay curious, okay?”

Zayn nodded and Niall waited with bated breath as Louis’ eyes landed on him. It seemed for a while that Louis was going to speak, though he kept stopping short. In the end, the time lord just smiled at him. Niall realised that was all he was getting and, somehow, it was enough. He sent Louis a small nod, needing him to know that he understood.

He watched, silently, as the other man stepped into the bright blue lights.

The Doctor’s Timestream ~ Always

Harry don't know where he was.

He just knew he was running. Sometimes it felt like he’d lived a thousand lives in a thousand places. He was born, he lived, he died. And always, there was Louis. Always, he was running to save the Doctor again and again and again. And Louis hardly ever heard him. But he had always been there.

Right from the very beginning.

Right from the day Louis started running.

He was born to save Louis, but now Louis was safe. He was the impossible boy, and his story was done.

~

The loud thud of his body hitting the hard ground brought him back to his senses somewhat abruptly. He groaned, every one of his muscles tired and exhausted. As he looked around him to try to gauge his surroundings, everything was foggy, as if the world had been wrapped in cotton wool.

Harry dragged his fingertips through the ground where he’d landed, raking up dirt as he went. This was real, he thought. This must be real. It looked like he was back in the graveyard at Trenzalore, though it was dowsed in an orange glow. The air shimmered as if everything in front of him was a mirage.

“Louis?”

The words were out of his mouth before he knew what he was doing. A loud thud sounded in the distance and Harry ducked his head to press his forehead to the dirt.

“Louis! Please,” he shouted, desperate. He quietened afterwards, mumbling into the ground, “Please, I don't know where I am.”

He laid on the ground for so long that he lost track of time. At first, he thought he was imagining it, the familiar sound of hurried footsteps. With great effort he pulled his head away from the ground to squint at the view ahead of him.

He wasn’t alone. Every now and again he’d see figures dashing past. They paid him no heed as he lay on the ground, rushing around him without hesitation.

Harry frowned, wondering where the hell he’d actually ended up.

“Harry?” A voice yelled in the distance. Harry’s heart leapt in his chest because, yes, he knew that voice. “You can hear me. I know you can,” Louis continued, his words getting louder and louder with every beat.

“I can't see you,” Harry shouted back into the space between them. He scrambled quickly to his feet, pushing his hair out of his eyes.

“That’s alright,” Louis spoke. Laughter bled through his words and Harry felt giddy with it. “I'm everywhere. You're inside my timestream. Everything around you is me.”

As he said it, the puzzle pieces came together. The figures that had rushed by, they had felt familiar. They were Louis. They were Louis’ past and present and future. Harry turned on his heel to see a tall, thin man speed by him, his long coat billowing in his wake.

“I can see you,” Harry muttered weakly. “I can see you!”

More people ran by him, each as if they were on a mission. Old and young, tall and short, friendly and aloof. All of Louis’ past swirled around him.

“Your different faces,” Harry shouted to the air. “They're here.”

“That’s my past. Every good day, every bad day. Might wanna take notes, could help you next time I’m pissed off because you hogged the covers.”

As Harry laughed, the ground began to rumble and the stones filling the graveyard crumbled around him.

“What's wrong?” he asked, reaching out to steady himself against a large mausoleum. “What's happening?”

“Well, I’m inside my own timestream,” Louis replied. “It wasn’t my best idea, but I couldn’t think of anything else. It’s collapsing in on itself.”

Harry huffed. “Well, get out then!”

“Not until I've got you.”

“I don't even know who I am,” he let out with a pitiful moan.

Louis scoffed. “Of course you do. You're Harry. I'm sending you something. Not from my past, from yours. Look up.” Harry leant back against the stone and Louis urged, “Look.”

Harry squinted, looking around for something to save him. He watched in disbelief as a dead leaf floated down towards him.

He caught it in an outstretched hand and stared. “You told me once, you blew into this world on a leaf,” Louis recalled. “That’s you, love. Everything you were or will be. Keep hold of it. That’s the most important leaf in the whole world. You know why, right?

Harry smiled, looking down at the crumpled, brown leaf in his hand. He took a breath. “Because this exact leaf had to grow in that place, so that precise wind could tear it from that precise branch, and make it fly into -” His voice caught. “Into that exact face, at that exact moment.” He sniffed as the world around him fell. “And if one of those things hadn’t happened, we’d never have met, and you would never exist.”

“You would never exist. I couldn’t live without you, Harry, in every sense of the word. That leaf is everything. The most important leaf in human history.” Harry could almost hear the fond grin on Louis’ face. “Hold tight. I’ll find you.”

He stumbled forward, pushing off the crumbling stone as the ground continued to shake.

“Harry! Come on,” Louis yelled. He sounded closer now and Harry almost cried in despair. “Come on, to me, now. You can do it. I know you can.

“I can’t,” he wailed.

“You can. How many times have you saved me, Harry? Just this once, just for the hell of it, let me save you. Trust me, love. Just a little bit further.”

He was staggering blindly at this point, his arms stretched out ahead of him. When his hand collided with the soft, thick wool of Louis’ jumper he let out an undignified moan. Louis’ arms wrapped around him and he felt warm breath flutter against his neck.

“Harry, my lovely boy,” Louis whispered. “You did it.”

~

If Harry thought he’d been exhausted that morning, it was nothing compared to what he felt now. Somehow they were back on the present day Tardis, though Harry had no recollection of getting there. Louis led him to their bedroom, stripping him of his dirty clothes while murmuring reassuring nothings. Liam, Niall and Zayn were all there with them, fuzzy in the warm light of the room. He settled down under the thick duvet as the others gathered around him.

He drifted in and out of a light sleep, the mumbled conversation of the four men lulling him where his body sank into the mattress. He caught slivers of what they were discussing, his brain not really processing what was being said. The sound of their voices was enough.

“So, what’s the secret, then?” Niall asked at one point. “If that was the grave, what was the secret you’re gonna take to it?”

“Wouldn’t be a secret if I told you, would it?” Louis responded, lightly. Harry could feel his fingers tracing circles on the back of Harry’s hand.

“Alright,” Harry thought it was Zayn who answered. “Be mysterious. That’s fine.”

Louis sighed. “It’s - It’s the Time War. It’s more than - I did some things, some bad things. It’s my biggest fear, that I did the wrong thing.”

There was a silence, where Harry drifted off even further and the words of the others were clouded by the beginnings of his dreams. “I was just kidding, Lou,” Niall breathed. “You don’t have to say. Just know, that if you want to, we’re here.”

Liam’s voice was the last he heard, as he said, “I’m sure whatever you did, you only did because you had to.”

And for the first time in so long Harry dreamt, not of death, but of the future. The future of the Doctor that he’d seen and the future with Louis and their friends, which he’d yet to even imagine. Their stories filled his head, pictures whirling around him; colourful and light and full of laughter.

~

“Hello, handsome.”

Harry pouted into his pillow. He didn’t want to wake up. He didn’t want to have to move his body.

“Come on, love,” Louis spoke softly at his side. “You’ve been asleep for ages. Frankly, it’s freaking me out.”

He let out a long sigh and rolled over, inching a single eye open to the bright room. Louis’ face filled his sight as he crouched at the side of the bed. He had a small smile on his face, like he knew Harry was being dramatic deliberately.

“Hey,” Harry mumbled into his shoulder, as he attempted to push himself off the bed.

“‘Hey’ yourself,” Louis replied. He sat back as Harry swung his legs over the mattress and sat up. He reached out to lay his warm hands on Harry’s knees. “How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Ouchy,” Harry huffed in a bout of self-pity.

Louis hummed, squeezing his legs a little. “Niall’s got some takeaway set up outside.”

“Outside?”

“Uhuh. Thought it would be nice.” Louis shrugged, waving a hand in the air aimlessly. “After all the trauma.”

“Trauma.” The Intelligence, Louis dying, Liam and Niall vanishing. Walking into the timestream. “Yeah,” he croaked.

“I was pretty worried, you know,” Louis continued, helping Harry to stand. Their bedroom was warm, as always, and quiet. “For a minute.”

Harry tried to think of some words he could say, something to try to show how heart-wrenchingly terrified he had been the night before. He couldn’t think of any, however. Words could not express how he felt about a life that Louis was not in. Instead, he settled for, “So was I.”

Louis’ gaze flicked between Harry’s eyes and he said, simply, “I love you.”

Licking his lips, Harry smiled as he replied, “Me too.”

“Come on.”

Taking his hand, Louis led him silently out of the bedroom and out beyond the control room, grabbing a thick jumper on his way. As they approached the Tardis door Harry could make out the sound of the other three chatting amongst themselves. The Tardis had landed in a small glade in the middle of a woodland. Long, overgrown grass covered the ground, a hint of sun breaking over the top of the trees. Due gathered on the grass and leaves, dampening Harry’s pajama trousers as he stepped out of the ship to join them.

“Alright, lad?” Niall welcomed.

“Yeah,” Harry breathed, pulling his top further down his body. Louis shoved the jumper at his chest and Harry pulled it over his head while Louis sat down against the trunk of one of the larger trees. Harry followed him down.

Niall winked at him, leaning over with a heavenly smelling plastic container. “Have some chow mein.”

“Thanks.”

They ate in companionable silence as the birds chirped and the sun rose around them. Harry savoured the taste of the noodles on his tongue. He was alive. He could hardly believe it, so convinced had he been when he stepped into Louis’ timestream that he’d never see any of them again. He looked around the circle, focusing on each face. Zayn, frowning slightly as he pushed his food around with his chopsticks. Liam, squinting as he stared up at the sun. Niall, meeting Harry’s eye with with a smile and a nod. Louis, holding his food close to his chest, his body turned to Harry like he’d been watching him the whole time.

“So,” Liam called, setting his empty container on the ground. “Harry saved the world, then? Not too bad for a day’s work.”

“Couldn’t not, could I?” Harry bit his lip, squinting at them all. “It’d already happened.”

“‘Spose,” Liam agreed. He knocked Louis’ foot with his own. “So the Harry - or Harold, whatever - that you two met in London? That actually was our Harry?”

“An echo of him, yeah.” Louis nodded, his voice light. “But not the real thing.”

“Weird,” Niall chimed in. “I’m mean, christ, he looked like you but I never thought,” he trailed off, shaking his head.

“Do you remember it? Like, all the different lives?” Zayn asked. The man looked tired and Harry realised that Zayn had almost lost all of them, Louis, Liam, Niall and Harry, all in one night. He reminded himself to speak to him later, when everyone else was distracted, and give him a hug.

“No. It’s strange.” Harry scratched his ear, trying to think. “It’s like I watched a film of it all or something. I know what happened, but I don’t remember doing it myself.”

“All turned out alright in the end though,” said Zayn, reaching out to clap Harry’s shoulder.

He looked over to Louis, who was staring at his own feet, brightly coloured trainers standing out vividly against the grass. Louis’ gaze lifted to meet his own, eyes shining in the light. “Yeah,” Harry sighed. “It did.”

Cheshire, England ~ 2022

“So, as it turns out, I’ve been dismissed.”

Harry dropped himself down into one of the rickety garden chairs his mother had placed haphazardly along the garden, the intense August sun shining down on his exposed shoulders. A herd of small children seemed to have appeared in his family out of nowhere in the past few years. He watched with envy as they splashed about in the paddling pool.

“Dismissed?” Liam sat forward in his chair, lifting his sunglasses onto the top of his head. “From what?”

Harry pulled a face. “My job,” he said. He had thought it was obvious, though maybe he was forgetting who he was talking to.  

“You have a job?”

“Yes,” he exclaimed, a little offended. He reconsidered after a second. “Well, no.”

They were at his mum’s annual family barbeque, his mother finally succeeding in getting them all to visit. The sun was shining bright and hot in the long garden and the sound of chatter surrounded them. The five men had taken up a space at the side of the lawn, to more easily survey all of Harry’s distant relatives. He stretched out his legs, curling a foot around Louis’ calf. Louis sent him a secret smile as he squirted ketchup over his hot dog, his sunglasses sliding down his nose.

“Been a bit lackadaisical with that recently,” Niall laughed. He swatted at a wasp that threatened to land on his chest, his braces pushed off his shoulders and hanging near his knees.

Harry raised his eyebrows, in acquiescence. “That’s the point. And now they’ve fired me.”

“Why?” Zayn asked, through a mouthful of vegetable kebab.

“Officially?” Harry sighed, shoulders slumping. “Gross misconduct. Apparently I took unauthorised leave when I’d been expressly denied permission to be absent and, er -” He scratched his chin and finished, lightly, “Serious and sustained abuse of the flexible working scheme.”

“That’s harsh,” Niall sighed as Liam chuckled.

“Well, not really” Harry pouted, squinting over to where his granddad was tottering across the lawn with a glass of wine shaking in his hand. “H.R. did try to encourage me to switch to a part time contract, but I thought there wasn’t really any point.” He shrugged. “I’m done with it.”

They exchange a few understanding nods and Liam stood up with a groan, stretching his back. “I’m going for a refill,” he announced, shaking his empty beer bottle. “Anyone else?”

“Aye, do your worst,” Niall put in, handing over his own bottle. Louis shook his head, continuing to absentmindedly twirl his sonic screwdriver around his fingers.

“So, what did you actually do?” Zayn enquired as Liam left. “I don’t think you ever said.”

“I was a Project Implementation Support Officer,” Harry explained. Upon seeing his friends’ nonplussed faces, he added, “Vital role. I’m not sure how they’ve been coping without me.”

“We couldn’t cope without you, bud,” Niall replied. He grinned at Liam who had arrived with more drinks, handing one over. “You’re a pippin.”

“Er, thanks?” Harry tried. Niall nodded to himself as he drank and Harry was relieved that he’d picked the right reaction, repeating, “Thanks, man.” He grimaced, looking over to where his mother was crowded around a few of his older cousins. “I’ve just got to work out a way to tell my mum. It’s not going to be pretty, I don’t think.”

“Tell her you’ve decided to become a travel blogger, like us,” Louis smirked.

“Shut up, you,” he kicked Louis’ leg without force. “It’s really your fault I’m fired. You should tell her,” he teased with a smirk.

“Nah.” Louis wrinkled his nose, looking off into the crowd of people. “Vivienne loves me. It’d break her heart.” He turned back to grin at Harry, eyes twinkling over his glasses.

“That’s true,” Harry relented. “On top of that, my landlord’s said he wants me out by the end of the month. Apparently I’m behind on my rent, too.”

Louis snickered, taking a swig of beer.

Harry rolled his eyes, leaning over to give him another whack on the arm. “That’s right, just laugh while my life is falling apart.”

Louis squealed and pushed him away while the others simply watched. “Your life is not falling apart, Harold. Don’t be so melodramatic.” After Harry backed off with a pout, he added, “And I’ve told you, the Tardis is yours.”

“I need a place on earth, though. As a planetary base.” He waved his hands in circles around him, motioning at the ground.

“Well, we can get a flat, then,” Louis muttered. “No worries.”

“No worries,” Harry echoed, smiling as Niall imitated Louis’ carefree shrug.

“What’s this I hear?” came a gentle voice.

Harry cringed as his mum rested a hand on his shoulder from behind. She leant her chin against his head and Harry could feel the inquiring smile on her face. “Are you two moving in together?” she asked. “You’ll keep him out of trouble, Louis, won’t you? He needs somebody to look after.” His mother brushed a hand across his hair, pouting a little. “Always been that way, ever since he was small.”

“Mother,” Harry whined as the others chuckled.

“Oh, hush,” she cut him off. “I’m just teasing.” She stood up and her bracelets jangled as she straightened her dress. “There’s plenty more burgers left, boys, if you’re still hungry.”

“Thanks, Viv,” Niall called after her as she left, raising his bottle at her back. He began to whistle a jaunty tune.

As the sun set on the garden and people began to file out, the five of them lingered to help Harry’s mum and aunts tidy away. After goodbyes that lasted so long Harry had to go around the group more than once, they made their way back to the Tardis. Harry’s mum had sent them off with bags brimming with leftover food. Harry dumped them all in the kitchen that he’d had Louis install not too long ago.

On his return to the control room he was welcomed by the sight of Liam, Louis, Niall and Zayn bickering about where to go next. The warmth of the Tardis enveloped him and he smiled to himself. It didn’t matter that it wouldn’t last forever. They’d always have each other, one way or another, and they’d always have their memories.

“Gents, hear me out on this one, okay? Harry’ll back me up,” Niall badgered, his voice was raised over the chatter and he winked at Harry as he approached. Everyone turned to look at him and he raised his hands in front of his chest, thinly veiled smirk on his face. He spread out his fingers, a glint in his eyes, and announced, “Mars!”

“No,” Liam moaned, slapping his hand on the console. “We should go to one of Pluto’s moons! Charon, maybe?”

“How about the Mary Celeste?” Harry chimed in, coming up behind Louis’ shoulder.

“What are you talking about?” Zayn shook his head at Harry, his expression eager as he turned to the others. “We should visit Caesar, or something.”

General chaos descended on them once more as they all tried to be heard over each other. Eventually Niall burst out, “Why don’t you let the Tardis surprise us?”

Louis raised his eyebrows at Niall, surprised and a little impressed. “Let the lady decide? What an nice idea.” He grinned and his cheeks bunched up. “You might live to regret it, though. She’s a devious thing.”

“I’m sure we’ll be alright,” Harry assured, arms folded as he smiled at Louis.

Louis cocked his head and pulled a face, like he was humouring them. Harry knew he was just as excited as they were, though. “Okay, then,” the time lord allowed. He clapped his hands together, grinning at them all. Louis pulled down hard on the console lever and the whirring sound of the Tardis taking off filled the air.

Now, Harry was no psychic, but he was sure that his future was going to be full of three things; love and adventure and friendship. With Louis by his side and his friends with him all the way, he knew the five of them had so many more stories to tell.

“Here we go again!”

The End

I'll be a story in your head. That's okay. We're all stories in the end. Just make it a good one.

- The Doctor