Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“What?”
It was whispered around the room, traveling like the wind. Nobody was really sure who asked, it didn’t really matter. “Yes, sorry what?” Ten asked, staring at the screen in suspense, pulling out his sonic screwdriver to scan the mysterious tv. “What is it?” Rose wondered, stepping closer to the familiar man. He frowned down at the device “Well it’s a tv”. Looks were thrown his way. “No I mean it's a tv! Just a regular old tv!” Ten explained flinging his arm towards the offending object. “But how did it get here?” Martha asked, shoulders tense. Nine rolled his eyes “It came out the roof, were you paying any attention?”. Martha scowled at the rude man, turning back towards ten for a better explanation. “Well you see-” Ten rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly “I don’t really know?”. Martha’s scowl deepened. “Fat lot of good you are then” Donna spoke loudly “Does anyone know?”.

“Why don’t we just ask?” River suggested, leaning against the console. “Right” Evelen clapped his hands together, walking towards the Tardis’s main controls. “We are asking?” Rose voice was tad more hostile then she had meant it to be. “Not him” River rolled her eyes “The Tardis”.  The other companions turned towards her with a critical eye “The Tardis? The machine?” Martha asked. River nodded, deciding to take this time to examine her nails. “Sorry but it’s just a machine, I know the doctor ‘talks’ to it but it can’t actually speak” Rose looked around the room for support “Right?”. Ten frowned “She is not just a machine”. Rose and Martha shared a sceptical look. As Ten opened his mouth to explain, Twelve cut him off “Don’t bother, those pudding brains couldn’t begin to understand how complicated the Tardis is”. Donna gasped in offense “Pudding-brain?!”. Twelve nodded in a rather patronising manner. The Eleventh doctor’s shout of triumph broke the tense moment. “Wait? Really?” He questioned, non-existent eyebrows raising. “Well what is it?” Amy demanded, crossing her arms. “Well it’s just- it was The Tardis!” Eleven fumbled. “What was the Tardis?” Rory questioned, a hand coming to run at his nose bridge. “The Tardis brought us all here!” He exclaimed with a silly grin that quickly turned into a frown “But she won’t tell me why! Just said something about timestreams and said to watch the tv”.

The humans looked at him in suspicion. “Is it safe?” Rory asked hesitantly. “Oh yes perfectly safe!” Eleven nodded, walking away from the console “Should I make popcorn?”. Martha blinked at him “Popcorn?”. Eleven nodded enthusiastically “It’s a Tv! You eat popcorn while watching tv right?”. Amy laughed lightly “Better than fish fingers and custard”. She lightly slapped Rory on the arm, the two walked away to find somewhere comfortable to watch the screen from. Donna and Ten shared a looked, before also deciding to watch the screen. “Wait so all we’ve got to do is watch this?” Rose asked, glancing between the screen and the doctor. “Nothing else to do” Ten shrugged. With a slight frown the Ninth and Twelfth doctors also agreed. Clara quietly, sat further away from the group. Making sure she still had a good view of the tv, she had a terrible feeling about of all this. One that was only Growing as the group continued to talk.

ASYLUM OF THE DALEKS

“Daleks!” Rose exclaimed. The others shuddered, no doubt remembering their own terrible experience with the aliens. Clara closed her eyes in pain, this was not going to be good. She’d done the best she could after her own death to sort through the mess that was her mind. Countless lives running amok. It was honestly surprising her head hadn’t burnt and left her a vegetable by now. After the doctor forgot her it was like all the mental barriers in her mind completely dropped, leaving her in agony for months. Years really. Before she got it under control. Sometimes she still slipped up every once in a while, sometimes she didn’t know where she was. Who she was. “Daleks” Nine muttered with hatred “Always daleks”.

(The Doctor is enjoying tea and a biscuit in a tea room when he sees a cloaked figure with no visible face sitting across the room. No one else notices. Then it is sitting opposite him.)

DOCTOR: I don't think I asked you to sit.

“Hang on! That’s you!” Amy pointed out. “Yes, good observation skills” Twelve muttered sarcastically. Amy scoffed at him. “I think we’re watching your life doctor” Donna mentioned “Or at least some of it? That’s why it said Doctor Who”. Ten blinked at her before nodding “oh brilliant, donna! That makes sense”. Twelve shuddered at the idea, there was much of his life he didn’t want to share. Stuff the Tardis had no right to disclose, especially not to this group. His eyes flickered to the mysterious girl with brown hair. She was sat a good distance from the group, he eyed her cautiously. Everyone else here was from his past but not her. Just who was she.

FIGURE: There is a woman who wants to meet you.

DOCTOR: That's nice, but I'm married.

Rose flinched at the reminder. “ooh you do know how to make a girl feel special” River flirted with a light tone. Eleven blushed slightly “Shut up, you!”. Nine rolled his eyes at the couple, wondering how on earth he’d gotten married. It was never something he could see himself doing, not since Gallifrey.

FIGURE: Your help is required.

DOCTOR: I don't discuss my business in public.

FIGURE: I know.

(A wave of the hand, and they are the only people in the tea room.)

DOCTOR: Who are you?

FIGURE: A messenger.

DOCTOR: Whose messenger?

FIGURE: Darla von Karlsen.

DOCTOR: Never heard of her.

(He stands up. The location has changed.)

“Woah, how did that happen?” Rory questioned. “Did you teleport?” Rose asked, looking between the screen at the Eleventh doctor. He shrugged his shoulders “Don’t know, hasn’t happened for me yet”. The curious gazes shifted to Twelve who sighed at them “No”. He didn’t offer any other explanation, simply kept staring at the screen with a furious gaze. He couldn’t recall most of this adventure and from what he remembered it wasn’t pretty.

DOCTOR: Where's the tea room?

FIGURE: You were never in the tea room.

DOCTOR: Oh. Of course. Psychic projection. Someone's sending me a dream message. Well, I hope I fell asleep somewhere comfy.

“Oh, so you’re dreaming” Martha commented “Do you remember this?”. Twelve nodded half-heartedly “Mostly, it was a long time ago”. Eleven looked at him uneasily “ How long?”. Twelves eyes hardened “Long enough”.

FIGURE: Do you recognise where you are?

(Children's laughter off.)

DOCTOR: Can't remember. How do you hang up on this thing?

FIGURE: You can't.

DOCTOR: Oh yeah? And what if I just wake up?

(In a deckchair on a beach.)

FIGURE: No, Doctor. The beach isn't real either. You are still dreaming.

(In space.)

FIGURE: Spacetime coordinates. You will meet Darla von Karlsen here. Her daughter is in danger, and only you can save her. You recognise the planet?

Nine and Ten paled considerably. “No, tell me it’s not” Nine whispered. “What?” Rose glanced questionably between the doctors. She hated being out of the loop. “Oh dear” River muttered to herself.  “What is it?” Rose repeated, frustration growing as nobody responded.

DOCTOR: Yes.

FIGURE: Say it.

DOCTOR: No.

FIGURE: Name the planet.

DOCTOR: I will not say that name.

FIGURE: Say it.

DOCTOR: No!

(The Doctor wakes up underneath the time rotor.)

FIGURE [OC]: Name the planet. Name the planet. Name the planet.

DOCTOR: Skaro.

“No!” Ten shouted, eyes wild “Tell me you didn’t go”. His voice was desperate, it was scary. “What?” Rose demanded, fear creeping up her spine “What is that place?!”. Nine had a haunted look in his eyes “Skaro, the home planet of the Daleks”. Rose gasped, feeling the fear shift into terror. “Oh god” Martha muttered, looking sick.

[Skaro]

(A scene of utter devastation and persisting rainfall. We pan around a giant Dalek statue covered in mould and mess.)

DARLA [OC]: First, there were the Daleks. And then, there was a man who fought them. And then, in time, he died. There are a few, of course, who believe this man somehow survived, and that one day he will return. For both our sakes, dearest Hannah, we must hope these stories are true.

(A robed figure wearing high heels turns to a shadow with the profile of the Doctor walking inside the eyepiece of the statue.)

DOCTOR: I got your message. Not many people can do that. Send me messages.

DARLA: I have a daughter, Hannah. She's in a Dalek prison camp. They say you can help.

“Daleks have prison camps?” Martha asked quietly. Each doctor had a dark look in their eyes. Martha shuddered, knowing the answer to question without it being spoken.

DOCTOR: Do they? I wish they'd stop. I love your choice of meeting place.

DARLA: They said I'd have to intrigue you.

DOCTOR: Skaro. The original planet of the Daleks. Look at the state of it. Who told you about me?

DARLA: Does it matter?

DOCTOR: Maybe not, but you're very well informed. If Hannah's in a Dalek prison camp, tell me, why aren't you?

DARLA: I escaped.

DOCTOR: (chuckles) No. Nobody escapes the Dalek camps. You're very cold.

Clara closed her eyes tightly. Knowing exactly what was going to happen, knowing exactly what had already happened. Listening to her talk, knowing she was already dead. It was… horrifying. Her eyes found Twelve’s, his eyes that used to know her so well. Now staring straight through her. She shifted under his stare.

DARLA: What's wrong?

DOCTOR: It's a trap.

DARLA: What is?

DOCTOR: You are, and you don't even know it.

(The Doctor backs away as a Dalek eyepiece comes out of her forehead, then a gun out of her right palm. He is shot, and a Dalek saucer appears in the sky.)

A scream escaped Rose’s throat, he hand reaching to clutch at Tens arm. Amy and Rory stared at their doctor. “You didn’t die” Amy murmured to herself, Rory rubbed her arm in comfort. “No, I didn’t die” Twelve rolled his eyes “Otherwise I wouldn’t be here”. Eleven smiled at the couple in comfort.

DALEK [OC]: The Doctor is acquired.

[Photoshoot]

(Amy is modelling for the cameras in a stately home when the Personal Assistant gestures to her.)

“You’re a model?” Donna asked in interest. “Not yet I’m not” Amy mumbled, staring at herself on the screen. Rory whistled lightly, Amy grinned at him. “well it certainly suits you”  Martha complimented. Amy smiled back “Thank you”.

AMY: I'll just be a minute.

PA: Your husband is here.

AMY: Hmm. I don't have a husband.

“What?!” Eleven squawked. “I’m with him! What!?” Rory questioned linking his hands with Amy’s again. “I don’t know” Amy whispered “Why wouldn’t we be married?”.  Twelve rolled his eyes “I’m sure it’ll show you”. Rory frowned at him “Well I’m sorry but I think this is important to know”. Amy nodded, Twelve felt the disapproving stares of his previous companions.

PA: Oh, well, apparently you still do.

[Dressing room]

RORY: You have to sign these.

AMY: And then we're not married?

RORY: Just like magic.

(Amy signs.)

AMY: Can't chat. Working.

“Oh god” Rory mumbled, squeezing Amy’s hand in an attempt to distract himself. It felt like his life crumbling down around him. Marrying Amy, Having a life with her, was all he’d wanted since he was young. All he’d dreamed of. Apparently that was gone.

RORY: Really? Thought you were just pouting at a camera.

AMY: Rory?

(Rory leaves and Cassandra the make-up artist enters. One of the bulbs on the makeup dresser is flashing.)

CASSANDRA: Sorry, love. Was I interrupting?

AMY: No.

CASSANDRA: Gosh, look at you. You've gone so pale. Come on, take a seat. We'll soon sort that out.

(But Cassandra sprouts a Dalek eyepiece instead.)

“Amy!” Rory yelled in disappear. “What the hell is going on?!” Amy questioned wildly. River frowned at her parents, divorce didn’t seem right. She didn’t think they’d ever do it. Concern swelled in her chest, as if divorcing wasn’t bad enough now they had Daleks after them.

DALEK [OC]: Amelia Pond is acquired.

[Bus]

(Rory gets on board.)

RORY: Cheers.

(He sit down. The bus driver stares at him in his mirror, then a Dalek eyepiece grows from his forehead. The bus is filled with white light.)

DALEK [OC]: Rory Williams is acquired.

Rory let out a small sigh of relief. “At least it was both of us” He offered, shooting his wife a small smile. She wacked him on the back “I’d rather it be neither of us”. Rory nodded, rubbing his shoulders in slight pain.

[White room]

(Rory wakes up on the floor of a circular room. Amy is standing nearby.)

RORY: Where are we?

(He gets up and looks out of the small window. There is a fleet of Dalek saucers outside.)

RORY: So how much trouble are we in?

(The door opens and a Dalek enters.)

DOCTOR [OC]: How much trouble, Mister Pond?

(The Doctor enters, under escort.)

DOCTOR: Out of ten? Eleven.

“Oh you just had to make a pun” Donna groaned but there was a teasing tone to it. Eleven shrugged his shoulders.

(The ceiling opens and the floor rises, lifting them into -)

[Parliament]

(A large domed area with a multitude of Daleks in tiers around them, and the White Supreme Dalek nearby, along with an organic Dalek and the Tardis.)

AMY: Where are we? A spaceship, right?

DOCTOR: Not just any spaceship. The Parliament of the Daleks. Be brave.

“God” Nine muttered “They were supposed to be dead, all of them”. The others shook their heads “They’re far from dead”. Clara was quiet, picking at her nails “They never die”.  Their eyes travelled to her. “You’ve met them?” Nine asked, watching her warily. Clara closed her eyes, wishing she’d just kept her mouth shut “Yes”. That was all she was willing to say. She turned away from the curious gazes, intent to make this disaster go faster.

AMY: What do we do?

DOCTOR: Make them remember you. Well, come on then. You've got me. What are you waiting for? At long last, it's Christmas! Here I am.

(The Doctor closes his eyes tight, expecting to die. The organic Dalek speaks.)

DALEK PM: Save us. You will save us.

“What?!” Ten asked, astonished. “No chance in hell” Nine crossed his arms, if there was anything  in the world that he hated it was the daleks. Rose rubbed her hands together anxiously, recalling a past adventure when she’d met a dalek. Mutated a dalek. Images of the day she lost the doctor- The day the ninth doctor regenerated overpowered the previous thoughts. Such hatred. All those deaths.

DOCTOR: I'll what?

DALEK: You will save the Daleks.

DALEKS: Save the Daleks. Save the Daleks. Save the Daleks. Save the Daleks. Save the Daleks. Save the Daleks. Save the Daleks.

DOCTOR: Well.

DALEKS: Save the Daleks.

DOCTOR: This is new.

Eleven nodded along, an almost delighted smile on his face “Love me something new”. He clapped his hands together in anticipation. The companions shared a smile together, watching their Doctors get excited and curious.

[Room]

(A musical box plays Carmen as a young brunette nails planks over the round window. It is a neat room with a hammock and a microwave.)

“Hang on!” Ten called out, swivelling around to face Clara “That’s you!”. Clara swore lightly to herself, she had honestly no idea how to explain this. Apart from the truth but for some reason she didn’t feel like that would go down well. Not now at least. “Just who exactly are you?” Donna questioned, a frown on her face. “That’s a very good question” River muttered to herself. She prides herself on knowing the doctor quite well, expertly well even, and yet she had never met this girl.

The silence rang around the room for a moment. Clara gathered up her courage, she was always brave, she would not stop now. “Spoilers” She teased with a rather convincing smirk. River blinked at her, sharing a look with her family. “Do you know us?” Rory spoke carefully, eyes flickering around. Clara felt a faint amusement run through her body, she didn’t like being seen as threat, not by these people. “In a way” Clara hummed mysteriously. Watching the group shift awkwardly, being thrown off by her vague reply, Clara decided that maybe it held some advantages.

“Do you know me?” Eleven carried on the line of questioning, nodding towards his other generations. He watched as a genuine grin lit up her face “Oh, very well”. Theories started to run through his head, each version. “How?” Nine demanded, staring her down in a way that might make someone want to confess their sins. Only Clara had too many sins to count, and far too many secrets to keep. For herself, and for those she loves. “How does anyone know The Doctor?” She replied with a shrug. The doctors all felt irritation rise in their stomachs. Ten’s expression was one that could have been called frightening, if it wasn’t for their environment. The Tardis might of not always felt safe to Clara but it had never been intimidating.

“Just tell me who you are” Twelve eventually spoke. One look into those sad, old, terribly familiar eyes and she crumbled. This was no fun anymore. “My name is Clara” She sent her doctor a soft smile “Clara Oswald, I don’t- I don’t think I can tell you anymore not now”. Her whole demeanour turned apologetic as she continued to stare in his eyes. The others frowned at that, feeling uncomfortable with the lack of information. “Then I ask you just this: Can I trust you?” Twelve spoke softly and Clara ached for the man in front of her. Ached for all the loss he’s experienced, all the pain. And she ached for herself, for the loss of their time together, all those brilliant maddening moments that time had forgotten. “Yes” She whispered back, putting all the love and care she felt into that one little word. The others watched as the tension bled out of his shoulders ever so slightly. Twelve took her word as a promise and turned back to the screen.

OSWIN [OC]: Day three six three. The terror continues. Also, made another soufflé, very nearly. Check defences. They came again last night. Still always at night. Maybe they're vampires. Oh, and it's my mum's birthday. Happy birthday, mum.

OSWIN: I did make you a soufflé, but it was too beautiful to live.

Amy snorted at her comment as the very brunt souffle in question was shoved into the bin. Martha smiled “Not a baker?”. Clara shook her head “I’m an excellent baker!”. Nine rolled his eyes “You sure about that?”. Clara scowled almost playfully “Watch it big ears!”. Rose laughed at his frown. The atmosphere that had been so heavy seemed to dissipate for a moment. Seeing an almost domestic moment on screen. “You’ll get better” Eleven declared with a grin “You just need practice! Everything can be done with practice- er well- not everything but most things! Humany things! Like souffles!”.  His family smiled at his ramblings. “Yes, I’ve got forever to practice” Clara whispered to herself wistfully, holding her wrist.

DALEK [OC]: You will let us enter! We will enter! We will enter!

(She turns up the volume on Carmen. Toreador blasts out.)

“Are those daleks?!” Donna asked, sending the brunette a concerned glance. “Definitely” Ten spoke seriously. “And you’re just ignoring them?” Rose wondered aloud. “What’s she meant to do then? Go around trying fight them without any weapons?” Clara’s question was obviously rhetorical so nobody answered. The doctors eyed her critically for a moment, storing that comment away for further investigation later.

[Parliament]

RORY: What's he doing?

AMY: He's chosen the most defendable area in the room, counted all the Daleks, counted all the exits, and now he's calculating the exact distance we're standing apart and starting to worry. Oh, and look at him frowning now.

(Dalek Darla is there.)

AMY: Something's wrong with Amy and Rory, and who's going to fix it? And he straightens his bow tie.

“You’re so easy to read, spaceman” Donna joked, nudging ten in the ribs. “I am not!” Eleven defended with a pout. “Oh sweetie, you are” River retorted. “Raggedy man, always trying to fix everything”  Amy chided fondly. Rory turned to her “I can’t believe we’d need fixing”. The despair in his eyes sent a shiver through Amy’s heart. “But it will be fixed, we’re meant to be together” She declared, just loud enough for his ears only. He nodded at her reassurance.

DALEK PM: We have arrived.

DOCTOR: Arrived where?

DALEK PM: Doctor.

DARLA: The Prime Minister will speak with you now.

DOCTOR: Do you remember who you were before they emptied you out and turned you into their puppet?

DARLA: My memories are only reactivated if they are required to facilitate cover or disguise.

DOCTOR: You had a daughter.

DARLA: I know. I've read my file.

“That’s awful” Donna mumbled. Ten rubbed her shoulder in comfort “It’s not really her, she’s already dead. It’s just a Dalek using her death to it’s advantage” He muttered darkly. “That is awful” Rose agreed, looking at the women in pity.

(The Doctor walks up to the Prime Minister, who is the organic Dalek.)

DOCTOR: Well?

DALEK PM: What do you know of the Dalek Asylum?

DOCTOR: According to legend, you have a dumping ground. A planet where you lock up all the Daleks that go wrong. The battle-scarred, the insane, the ones even you can't control. It's never made any sense to me.

DALEK PM: Why not?

DOCTOR: Because you'd just kill them.

DALEK PM: It is offensive to us to extinguish such divine hatred.

DOCTOR: Offensive?

“Offensive!” Nine scowled, “There’s nothing divine about hatred” Eleven muttered in contempt. Twelve scoffed at the daleks. Even River was taken aback by how much hatred was reflected in his eyes. The Doctor had always hated the Daleks, they were in the time war, they killed millions-billions! And yet this Doctor seemed to have an even stronger hatred than before. He utterly despised them.

DALEK PM: Does it surprise you to know the Daleks have a concept of beauty?

DOCTOR: I thought you'd run out of ways to make me sick. Hello again. You think hatred is beautiful.

DALEK PM: Perhaps that is why we have never been able to kill you.

(A hole opens in the middle of the floor. The Doctor and Darla walk back to it. A planet is visible.)

DARLA: The Asylum. It occupies the entire planet, right to the core.

DOCTOR: How many Daleks are in there?

DARLA: A count has not been made. Millions, certainly.

DOCTOR: All still alive?

DARLA: It has to be assumed. The Asylum is fully automated. Supervision is not required.

AMY: Armed?

DARLA: The Daleks are always armed.

RORY: What colour? I'm sorry, there weren't any good questions left.

The group snickered at Rory, as the man in question fumbled. “What colour, really?” Nine asked, raising an eyebrow. “This is the company you keep?” He pointed that question towards Eleven. “Oi!” Amy snarled at him, a dangerous glint in her eyes. “Rude” Rose pointed out, Nine shrugged instead of apologising while Rose shook her head nostalgically.

DARLA: This signal is being received from the very heart of the Asylum.

(Carmen comes over the speakers.)

WHITE: What is the noise? Explain. Explain.

DOCTOR: Er, it's me.

RORY: Sorry, what?

DOCTOR: It's me, playing the triangle. Okay, I got buried in the mix. Carmen. Lovely show. Someone's transmitting this. Have you considered tracking back the signal and talking to them? He asked the Daleks.

“You’re on the planet! The asylum” Martha muttered in horror, looking at Clara in worry. They didn’t know her, she could be dangerous, but she could be a friend. And leaving anyone at the mercy of the Daleks was not okay in her books.

[Room]

DOCTOR [OC]: Hello? Hello? Carmen

[Parliament]

DOCTOR: Hello?

[Room]

OSWIN: Hello?

DOCTOR [OC]: Come in. Come in.

“We’ve spoken before” Twelve mumbled to himself, trying to shift through his faulty memory to recall any of it. “You don’t remember?” Eleven asked, looking at his other self seriously. “No” Twelve revealed a lost look in his eyes. Donna shared a concerned expression with Martha.

[Parliament]

DOCTOR: Come in, Carmen.

[Room]

OSWIN: Hello! Yes, yes, sorry. Do you read me?

[Parliament]

DOCTOR: Yes, reading you loud and clear. Identify

[Room]

DOCTOR [OC]: Yourself and report your status.

OSWIN: Hello. Are you real? Are you actually, properly, real?

Ten frowned at her tone of voice, wondering just how long it’s been since she’d spoken to anyone if she sounded that awed. “she sounds so lonely” Donna mumbled next to him, he glanced down at her feeling his hearts give a tug. He’d missed Donna. With her sarcasm and her empathy, she’d always pushed him to do the right thing. The way his regeneration had been going after he’d lost her, well he certainly needed that push.

[Parliament]

DOCTOR: Yes, confirmed. Actually, properly, real.

OSWIN [OC]: Oswin Oswald, junior entertainment officer, starship

“Oswin? You said your name is Clara” Rose looked at Clara accusingly. “It is” Clara affirmed, feeling a headache coming along already. “So you gave a fake name?” Rory suggested, rather unhelpfully. Not that it was his fault. “No” Clara denied “It’s hard to explain”.  Nine jutted his chin out “Try me”. The brunette rolled her eyes and sighed “Look Her name is Oswin, My name is Clara, I’m her but she’s not me” Clara trailed off “Or is she me but I’m not her?”. The question was mostly to herself, Clara didn’t usually have a difficult time knowing the difference. Something about having all these questions thrown at her was frying her nerves. “How does that even work?” Rose asked pointedly. Clara shrugged her shoulders “Stuff happened”. Eleven’s eyed her “Stuff? I love stuff! What stuff happened?”. Clara didn’t respond. “ Earlier, you said ‘her’ not ‘me’ like she wasn’t you” Ten pointed out. “Well she’s her, I’m me, we’re the same person except we’re not the same at all” Clara offered. “That’s total rubbish” Donna declared with a frown. Clara groaned. There really was no satisfactory way to explain it, she was her but she also was not.  “Let’s just say neither of us lied and leave it at that, okay?” Clara spoke, adopting her teacher voice. God it’d been so long since she was an actual teacher, an on earth one anyway.

[Room]

OSWIN: Alaska. Current status, crashed and shipwrecked somewhere not nice. Been here a year, rest of the crew missing. Provisions good but keen to move on.

“An entire year?!” Ten exclaimed in horror. “How are you alive?” Nine asked the girl on screen, not the one in the room that seemed so similar. Eleven shook his head at the idea, it was preposterous to think one could survive in the asylum for a year.  “Is it that bad?” Martha asked curiously. “Worse” Twelve declared stilling all conversion.

[Parliament]

DOCTOR: A year? Are you okay? Are you under attack?

OSWIN [OC]: Some local lifeforms.

[Room]

OSWIN: Been keeping them out.

DOCTOR [OC]: Do you know what those lifeforms are?

OSWIN: I know a Dalek when I hear one, yeah.

Clara frowned at Oswin, it was so strange to see her like this. To see her face. Almost like an outer body experience, in her memory it was obviously all seen through their eyes. All felt through their hands. All heard through their ears. She had no idea she looked so… scared. Clara knew she was scared, of course, she could feel it. But it was different, seeing the haunted look in your own eyes. Clara shivered, her hands clenching around her wrist.

[Parliament]

DOCTOR: What have you been doing on your own against the Daleks for a year?

[Room]

OSWIN: Making soufflés?

[Parliament]

DOCTOR: Soufflés? Against the Daleks? Where'd you get the milk?

“Souffles? Do you think that would work for us next time?” Martha commented lightly “I’ll have to talk to Unit about it”. It was a joke, mostly, if this Oswin girl actually was able to survive against the Daleks for a whole year they might just have to recruit her. Get  her to work on their own defence systems. “Maybe if you threw one at them, you work for unit?” Nine asked curiously. Martha nodded, a smile taking over her face “Yeah someone got to defended the earth when you’re not around”. Nine nodded “I used to work for Unit”. Rose blinked at him “You? You had a job?”.  Clara smiled at the thought of Unit, she hadn’t visited Kate and Osgood in a very long time. Not since that once, after she’d died. The memories of them were good ones, mostly anyway.

WHITE: This conversation is irrelevant.

DOCTOR: No, it isn't.

[Room]

OSWIN: No! Hello? Hello?

Eleven cringed as Oswin wacked her control panel in frustration. “Sorry ‘bout that” he muttered to nobody. “The conversation was not irrelevant, actually it was important” Ten declared. “How so?” Rose asked. “Because! That means that a ship managed to get inside!” He responded as if it was obvious, which Rose decided it was not. “Not following” Donna agreed. “If something can get in…” Ten trailed off, watching in anticipation. “Something can get out” Twelve finished his thought, his dark tone setting everyone hairs on end.

[Parliament]

DOCTOR: Because a starliner has crashed into your Asylum, and someone's got in. And if someone can get in, then everything can get out. A tsunami of insane Daleks. Even you don't want that.

WHITE: The Asylum must be cleansed.

DOCTOR: Then why is it still here? You've enough firepower on this ship to blast it out of the sky.

DARLA: The Asylum forcefield is impenetrable.

DOCTOR: Turn it off.

DARLA: It can only be turned off from within the Asylum.

DOCTOR: A small taskforce could sneak through a forcefield. Send in a couple of Daleks. Oh. (applauds) Oh. Oh, that's good. That's brilliant. You're all too scared to go down there. Not one of you will go, so tell me, what do the Daleks do when they're too scared?

“Daleks can feel fear?” Amy questioned. “Everything can feel fear” Twelve waved off. Amy rolled her eyes at the non-answer. “But what could a Dalek have to fear?” Rory agreed, they were Daleks after all. The others shrugged, equally as confused. “Me” Twelve answered, determined.

WHITE: The Predator of the Daleks will be deployed.

DOCTOR: You don't have a Predator, and even if you did, why would they turn off a forcefield for you?

DALEK PM: Because you will have no other means of escape.

DARLA: May I clarify? The Predator is the Dalek's word for you.

DOCTOR: Me? Me?

“The predator?!” Eleven gasped, a look of disbelief on his face. “Doubt you could be a predator of anything” Donna muttered in jest. “Hold on, did that just say that you’re the predator and that the predator will be deployed?” Rose’s voice was worried, glancing uneasily at the doctors in the room. “You mean you’re going down there!” Martha exclaimed “that’s suicide”. Twelve shrugged his shoulders “It’s either that or get gunned down right there”.

DARLA: You will need this. It will protect you from the nanocloud.

(Two humanoids put a wristband on the Doctor's wrist.)

DOCTOR: The what? The nano what?

DARLA: The gravity beam will convey you close to the source of the transmission. You must find a way to deactivate the forcefield from there.

DOCTOR: You're going to fire me at a planet? That's your plan? I get fired at a planet and expected to fix it.

RORY: In fairness, that is slightly your M O.

DOCTOR: Don't be fair to the Daleks when they're firing me at a planet.

Amy lightly smacked the back of Rory’s head. “Sorry” Rory muttered, rubbing the back of his head. River chuckled at her parents.

(Rory and Amy have wristbands put on them, too.)

DOCTOR: What do you want with them?

WHITE: It is known the Doctor required companions.

“Oh, great” Rory grumbled “Now we’re getting shot at the planet too!”. The doctors winced, knowing that being a companion meant getting placed in dangerous situations. ‘Always ruing lives’ Ten though glumly, he honestly doesn’t know how long it had taken him to move on to another set of companions but he had an awful feeling it wasn’t long enough. It never was. He had thought he might of learnt from his experience but… looking at his next regeneration he understands. He is after all just a very lonely old man.

RORY: Oh, brilliant. Good oh.

DOCTOR: Don't worry. We'll get through this, I promise. Don't be scared.

(Amy's Look could melt granite.)

AMY: Scared? Who's scared. Geronimo.

DOCTOR: Ha! Oi!

“They’re always brave” Twelve muttered to himself, a sense of Déjà vu looming over him. Clara glanced over at him in concern but kept to herself. He probably wouldn’t accept any attempts at comfort right now.

(The humanoids push our trio into the gravity beam.)

[Gravity beam]                                                                                                                                    

ALL: Argh!

RORY: Wrong way up! Wrong way up!

(Rory plummets past the Doctor and Amy, head first.)

“Oh Rory” River chuckled fondly as Amy and Rory clutched hands. “I’m not scared” Amy declared looking into her husbands eyes. “No” Rory smiled weakly “But I am”. She’s been ignoring it, the fact that this was their future. Her eyes glanced over at Twelve, he was alone so they were already gone. Which means this could very well be the day that they die. Amy shook her head to clear her thoughts. Any day could be the day that they died. That was always a part of this.

AMY: Doctor!

(The beam splits into three.)

[Snowfield]

(Amy lands on a snowy landscape with a brilliant blue sky. A black man in white thermals drops his drill - labelled Alaska - and runs to them.)

HARVEY: Hello? Hello? Who are you? You okay?

AMY: Rory? Doctor?

HARVEY: I'm Harvey. No. Who's Rory?

(Harvey chases after Amy.)

HARVEY: Where are you going?

“There are others there?” Martha asked, eyeing the new man with interest. “Well there was a whole ship” Rose offered with a shrug. Donna shook her head “Oswin said there were no survivors except her”. Martha nodded at that, putting her head in her hand. A thoughtful expression on her face. “Maybe it was another ship?”. Ten scoffed quietly “I think she probably would of noticed that”. Martha frowned. The question remained unanswered.

(Over the ridge, a series of eyepieces pop up and down from under the snow to look at the Doctor.)

DOCTOR: Oh, ha, ha, ha.

(Then Carmen plays.)

OSWIN [OC}: Sorry, sorry. Pressed the wrong switch.

DOCTOR: Soufflé girl?

“That’s not possible” Nine muttered to himself. Dalek technology. This human was somehow using dalek technology. Ten watched transfixed at the screen, wondering how she’d done it. Eleven frowned, at the reminders of souffle’s. Souffle’s and milk. His mind repeated those two words, feeling in his hearts that they were important and yet his brain hadn’t figured out why yet.

[Room]

OSWIN: You can always call me Oswin, seeing as that's my name. You okay?

Twelve frowned, trying hard to remember this part of the adventure. Or how he’d got away. Twelve felt his blood run cold at the thought, he didn’t remember any of it. From this point onwards he was completely in the dark. Like there is just a massive gap in his memory, one moment he was on the dalek ship, the next he was back in the Tardis alone.

DOCTOR [on screen]: How are you doing that, eh? This is Dalek technology.

OSWIN: It's very easy to hack.

All the doctors protested violently. “I take it that it’s not?” Amy drawled, raising her eyebrows at the aliens. “No, I’ve tried” Eleven explained shortly, which was rather surprising. Sensing that it was a serious topic, nobody chose to comment further. ‘Who the hell are you’ The doctors thought casting their gaze to, Clara-Oswin-Whoever, The mystery in the room with them.

DOCTOR [on screen]: No, it isn't. Where are you?

OSWIN: The ship broke up when it hit. Somewhere underground, I think. You coming to get me?

AMY [OC]: Doctor?

(The picture starts to break up.)

DOCTOR [on screen]: Hey! Oi! Soufflé girl!

OSWIN: Damn.

DOCTOR [OC]: Come back!

[Snowfield]

AMY: Doctor!

DOCTOR: Amy! Hey, where's Rory?

HARVEY: There was another beam. There. Over there. Are you the rescue team?

(They run across the snow.)

[Room]

OSWIN: Hello?

[Snowfield]

(A shaft has been drilled through the snow and rock.)

AMY: Rory? Rory! Rory!

“Oh that does not look good” Rory muttered. “You can say that again” Donna agreed, feeling anxious for him. Everyone in the room was, none of them had the pleasure of knowing if he was okay. Nor how this ended. Amy turned to twelve with a determined eye “He’s okay. Right?! Rory is okay”. Twelve winced at his previous companion, his technical mother in law. River was staring at him critically “You don’t remember?”. There was a soft sort of anguish in her voice. Clara flinched at her words, only she knew exactly why he couldn’t remember. “What?! What do you mean!” Amy demanded, she looked terrified at the prospect. “I- I have some… Gaps in my memory, I thought-” Twelve swallowed hard “I thought they’d started after…”. He couldn’t finish the sentence but everyone knew what he meant. ‘After you were gone’. Amy looked devasted. “Gaps…” Nine muttered, glancing over at Clara suspiciously. Gaps in his memory. Oswin on the tv. Clara in the room. The only person here Twelve doesn’t recognise… It had something to do with her.
It had too.

[Chamber]

(Meltwater pours down the walls, and something green drips onto Rory's face, waking him up. There are lots of inanimate Daleks here. He touches one, but it doesn't respond so he pushes it away.)

Amy let out a quiet sigh at seeing Rory alive and unharmed. Rory smiled at her while she rolled his eyes. Twelve looked at them for a time, mind racking to come to a decision “You don’t die here, neither of you”. Rose looked at him critically “I thought you didn’t remember”. Twelve agreed “I don’t but I remember afterwards”. Amy let out a frustrated sigh. “Couldn’t you of said so before” Rory mumbled, glancing at his wife in sympathy. He didn’t particularly like fearing for his life like this either. “Well you could of gotten hurt still” Twelve reminded half-heartedly. Amy glared at him.

[Snowfield]

HARVEY: We came down two days ago. There's twelve of our escape pods. I don't know what happened to them.

AMY: Alaska? That's the same ship as soufflé girl.

(Harvey opens a hatch covered in snow.)

DOCTOR: Yeah. Except she's been here a year.

“Are you really going to go around calling her souffle girl?” Donna snorted. Eleven nodded seriously. “So is it the same ship? How can it be if it only crashed two days ago?” Martha queried, looking towards the doctor for answers. They all shrugged but there was a gleam in their eyes. One they got when they were working out a puzzle or a trap.

[Escape pod]

HARVEY: We should have some climbing rope long enough for that hole.

DOCTOR: Won't you introduce us to your crew?

HARVEY: Ah, yes, sorry. Guys, this is the Doctor and Amy.

(No response.)

HARVEY: Guys?

(The crew are desiccated corpses.)

HARVEY: Oh, my god.

Rose turned away from the screen, hating the sight of that many dead bodies. “It’s the same ship” Martha’s voice was filled with horror. Donna gasped, hand hovering over her mouth. “…No survivors” Nine muttered darkly. “You need to get away from him” Clara urged, staring at the screen. “Who? Harvey?” Amy asked confused “Why?”. Clara slowly looked around the room “Don’t you remember the start of the video?”. The doctors eyes widened, as did Rivers. “Oh! THICK! Thick stupid doctor” Eleven declared hitting his head with the palm of his head. “What? What is it, doctor?” Rory asked in concern. “The start of the episode” Eleven laughed “that is clever!”.  Nine scowled “Nothing to be happy about”. Eleven nodded, face serious once again “Of course not”.

“What is going on?!” Amy shouted, getting everyone’s attention. “Oh don’t you see? The start of the video when you all got taken to the dalek ship” Eleven explained poorly. Amy slowly came the relation “Oh god! The eyestalks in the heads!”. The group gasped.

(The Doctor does a quick sonic scan.)

DOCTOR: They're dead. All of them.

HARVEY: That's not possible. I just spoke to them. Two hours ago. We were doing engine repairs.

DOCTOR: You're sure about that, are you? Because I'd say they've all been dead for a very long time.

HARVEY: But they can't have been.

AMY: Well, they didn't get in this state in two hours.

HARVEY: No, of course. Stupid me.

AMY: Of course what?

HARVEY: I died outside, and the cold preserved my body. I forgot about dying.

“Run!” Rory yelled to his on screen wife, feeling dread claw up his back. Even if they now knew they wouldn’t die here it still wasn’t safe. “That’s what we do best” Amy spoke comfortingly hoping to distract Rory.

(Out pops the Dalek eyepiece. The Doctor grabs a CO2 fire extinguisher and lets it off in Harvey's face.)

DOCTOR: Amy, the door!

AMY: Come on, come on.

(Harvey is backed through a door that Amy manages to get open, then closes and locks again.)

AMY: Explain. That's what you're good at. How'd he get all Daleked?

DOCTOR: Because he wasn't wearing one of these. Oh, ho, ho. That's clever. The nanocloud. Microorganisms that automatically process any organic matter, living or dead, into a Dalek puppet. Anything attacks this place, it automatically becomes part of the on-site security.

AMY: Living or dead?

DOCTOR: These wristbands protect us. The only thing stopping us going exactly the way he did

AMY: Doctor, shut up! Living or dead?

“oh no” Amy sighed. “What is it?” Martha asked, eyeing the ginger curiously. Amy nodded towards the screen “Living or dead, all those corpses”. Martha’s eyes widened. “Oh no” Eleven agreed “I think we’re not done running yet”. Amy grinned fondly at him.

DOCTOR: Yes, exactly. Living or, or

(The corpses have glowing eyepieces, and are starting to move.)

DOCTOR: Dead. Oh dear.

(The Doctor kicks the zombies so he and Amy can get into the -)

[Cockpit]

(He pulls Amy's arm out of the zombie's grasp and seals the bulkhead door.)

AMY: Is it bad that I've really missed this?

“Yes” All the doctors responded in kind. “No” Rose smiled at Amy, fully understanding where she was coming from. Rose loved travelling with the doctor, all that excitement, all that danger, it was thrilling. “Yes” Rory pointed out, exasperated “running for your life is not the part you should miss”. Amy raised an eyebrow at him “You’re saying you wouldn’t miss it?”. Rory shrugged “The nearly dying part? Yeah not gonna miss that”. Amy shook her head at him, the look on her face telling. She didn’t believe a word he’d just said. “The running is half the fun!” Eleven argued with a grin.

DOCTOR: Yes.

AMY: Good.

DOCTOR: I know.

[Room]

OSWIN: Unauthorised personnel may not enter the cockpit.

“Cheeky” Eleven mumbled with a small smile, whoever this Oswin was she was growing on him. Most the others seemed to agree by the smiles present on their faces. However, Eleven made sure that he didn’t start to trust her too much. Not yet. Not when he didn’t know who she is… or what she is.

[Cockpit]

DOCTOR: Shut up.

OSWIN [OC]: Oh, Mister Grumpy.

[Room]

OSWIN: Bad combo. No sense of humour in that chin.

“oh, I like her” River decided with a smirk. “my chin?!” Eleven exclaimed, bringing his hands to hold said chin. “Oh don’t worry, dear, it suits you well” River winked, taking great pleasure in the way the doctor flailed at her comment. Eleven straightened his back, tugging at his bowtie slightly in pride “Yes, well”.

AMY [on screen]: Is that her again, soufflé girl?

DOCTOR [on screen]: Yeah, she. Oi, what is wrong with my chin?

OSWIN: Careful, dear. You'll poke someone's eye out.

“Oh it is not that bad” Eleven grumbled. “It really is” Ten pointed out with a superior gleam in his eyes. “You’re one to talk” Eleven shot back. Ten’s eyebrows raised “What’s that supposed to mean?”. The group watched the two doctor’s argue fondly. Rose rolled her eyes “Absolute Children”. Donna nodded. Clara laughed almost silently “Certainly not the most eccentric thing you’ve worn, Doctor”. The two stopped arguing to give her a look. “What?” Clara frowned at them, half a mind still stuck on that celery stick. “How would you… never mind” Eleven responded, turning his attention back to the Tv. Clara stared at his back, ignoring the curious glances from the previous companions.

[Cockpit]

OSWIN [OC]: Scanning you. You're in another of the escape pods from the Alaska, right?

[Room]

OSWIN: Same ship I was on.

DOCTOR [on screen]: How can you hack into everything? It should be impossible. You're in a crashed ship!

OSWIN: Long story. Is there a word for total screaming genius that sounds modest and a tiny bit sexy?

“Modest, are we?” River teased, giving Clara a rather long look over. “More like honest” Clara joked back, relaxing her shoulders finally. River hummed, a twinkle in her eyes. If Clara were a lesser women she might of been intimated by that look.

DOCTOR [on screen]: Doctor. You call me the Doctor.

OSWIN: See what you did there.

Nine rolled his eyes at the banter, still feeling distrust towards the mysterious girl. Clara felt a smile creep up her face without warning, a deep fondness echoing inside her chest. It wasn’t even soured by the overwhelming longing that came along with it. Gods, she had missed this man so much. Twelve caught her eye. The duo shared a long stare. Clara fought to avoid swallowing loudly, that look. It was so familiar yet it was missing so much in it. His eyes ever so complex, there was a wall. Blocking her from him. Blocking them from each other. And yet… in that moment she could almost trick herself into thinking nothing had changed.

(Beep.)

OSWIN: Check the floor. I'm picking up a breach at floor level. There could be a way out. See you later.

[Cockpit]

DOCTOR: Ah ha! Hatch. Looks like it's been used already and they've tried to block it off behind them.

AMY: Can't imagine why.

DOCTOR: The lower part of the pod is buried, so this must go straight down to the Asylum.

AMY: Where Rory is.

DOCTOR: Speaking of Rory, is there anything you want to tell me?

AMY: Are we going to do this now?

“Perfect time for it!” Eleven called out. “No, I’m not sure it is” Rory complained, although his heart wasn’t in it. He wanted to know too. He needed to know. Amy was the love of his life, the only one for him and he knew it. Deep in his heart. If he ever lost her, he’d be beyond devasted. Looking into his wife’s eyes he saw the same love held within. How could all that be gone?

DOCTOR: What happened?

AMY: Oh, stuff. You know. We split up. What can you do?

DOCTOR: What can I do?

AMY: Nothing. It's not one of those things you can fix like you fix your bowtie. Don't give me those big wet eyes, Raggedy Man. It's life. Just life. That thing that goes on when you're not there.

Ten and Eleven flinched at that, glancing sadly at their respective companions. Human lives, always so simple yet so delicate. So many experience crammed into such a short amount of time. That was the worst thing about humans, their lives are so short. In some ways that was also the best thing about human. They’re so full of life, so fleeting that every moment no matter how small seems so important.

(The Doctor gets the hatch open. A shaft heads down into the planet, with a flexible metal ladder hanging down it.)

AMY: Okay, so somebody else got out this way, then.

DOCTOR: Yeah, let's go and find them. Oh, hello, hello, hello. What are they up to?

(The zombies are on a small monitor on the wall, waving something at the camera.)

AMY: What's that?

DOCTOR: One of these. (a wristband) But where did they get it?

(They pulled it off Amy's wrist a few minutes ago.)

AMY: Doctor, they got it from me.

“God…” Donna whispered, concern lacing her voice. Rory looked worryingly at his wife. Eleven closed his eyes tightly, hating himself for letting his ponds get pulled into such a mess. The only comfort he found was knowing that they’d get out of this. Amy, Rory and Him. They all make it out. He didn’t think he could bare it of he lost them, if he lost another family it might just destroy him.

DOCTOR: Oh, Amy.

AMY: Doctor, what's going to happen to me? Seriously. Tell me what.

“Explain, Martian!” Donna called, whacking Ten on the arm. “Ow! What was that for?” Ten stared at Donna incredulously. “Explain” Donna commanded. “Well how should I know?!” Ten frowned down at her, Donna scoffed. “Oh Mister I’m a timelord aka so more intelligent than any of you humans could ever be, doesn’t know?” Donna mocked. Ten didn’t take her words to heart still being able to hear the fear in her voice. “Conversion” Ten mumbled, feeling a similar feeling of failure creep up his back. “What?” Rory asked, head snapping towards the Tenth doctor “You means she’ll turn into…”. Rory struggled to get the word out, he didn’t need too. The weight of such a prospect hung heavy around the room.

[Chamber]

(Rory is using the small penlight he always carries when he serves divorce papers on his wife to explore his surroundings. He kicks a piece of metal, and a Dalek's eyepiece starts to glow.)

RORY: Shush.

(Other Daleks start to boot up, too, making sounds.)

RORY: What? Sorry, what?

DALEK: Eg eg eg eg eg eg eg.

RORY: Eggs? You mean those things?

(The roundels on the Dalek's casing. Some have fallen off onto the floor.)

DALEK: Egg.

RORY: I don't, I don't know what you want. Those things. Are those things eggs? This? You want this.

DALEK: Egg. Stir. Min. Ate.

“Oh for gods sake, Rory, Run!” Nine barked, he might not know these people but he would. One day. He’d rather not watch them die before he’d even met them. “Getting that bit, thanks” Rory muttered, mind too occupied with thinking about Amy’s problem. Potential Dalekness aside, he needed to see her safe. “Rory, you idiot” Amy muttered against his ear “Why’d you try to talk to them?”.

(Rory drops the ball.)

DALEK: Exterminate.

DALEKS: Exterminate.

(One weapon blast just misses him. Rory tries to run the gauntlet.)

DALEK: Emergency. Emergency. Exterminate. Exterminate.

OSWIN [OC]: Run! The door at the end, run for it. They're waking up, but they're slow. The door at the end. Just run. Now! Now! Now!

“Finally common sense” Nine grouched out. Rory rolled his eyes at that Doctor, he was so different to the one he knew. In practically every way, it was almost scary. He couldn’t even place the two together in his mind. “There is no reasoning with the Daleks” twelve comments bitterly, a brief memory coming to his mind… one with Davros, he was dying and… something happened. Twelve blinked harshly, a headache forming quickly. Probably because of all the pudding brains around him.

DALEKS: Exterminate. Exterminate.

(The door rises up as Rory runs. He slides underneath and it shuts behind him.)

[Corridor]

OSWIN [OC]: So, anyway, I'm Oswin. What do I call you?

RORY: Er, I can't remember. Er, Rory.

[Room]

OSWIN: Lovely name, Rory. First boy I ever fancied was called Rory.

RORY [on screen]: Okay.

OSWIN: Actually, she was called Nina. I was going through a phase.

River whistled “a phase, was it?”. Clara hummed “A phase called life”. The majority of the group ignored the two women. “I should introduce you to my second wife, I think you’d get along” River commented absentmindedly. Rose turned to her with an unreadable expression “I thought you were the doctors wife?”. River laughed loudly “Oh I am, But it’s not like I’m the only person he’s ever married”. It was said in good humour but there was something more to her words. Something Rose couldn’t understand. It was hard to see the doctor marrying once, let alone multiple times. She gazed at the timelord sadly. Did she even know him?.

[Corridor]

OSWIN [OC]: Just flirting to keep you cheerful.

DALEKS [OC]: Exterminate. Exterminate.

RORY: Er, okay, any time you want to start flirting again is fine by me.

“Oi!” Amy scowled. Rory raised his hands up in surrender. “To be fair, as much as I hate it, we are getting a divorce on screen” He explained quickly. Amy scowled even harder at that. “Okay not the right thing to say” Rory noted to himself. He took one of her hands into his own “I love you, you know that”. Amy smiled back at him “I know, I love you”. She gently nudged him with her shoulder “I wasn’t actually angry”. Rory rubbed the back of his neck “Good, you can be really…” he stumbled over his words at Amy’s unimpressed expression. “Watch it, Mr Pond” She jabbed her index finger into his chest. ‘Still not how that works’ Rory thought but he knew better than to speak it aloud right now.

[Another corridor]

(The Doctor and Amy are climbing down the ladder from the cockpit into another corridor.)

AMY: So tell me, what's going to happen to me? And don't lie. Because I know when you're lying to me and I will definitely fall on you.

DOCTOR: The air all around is full of micro-machines. Robots the size of molecules. Nanogenes. Now that you're unprotected, you're being re-written.

Amy shivered at the thought. “So I get one of those sticks come out of my head?” She asked. “Eventually, yes” Eleven explained. “Eventually?” Rose wondered looking towards Eleven expectantly. “Yes, eventually, will you lot shut up so that doctor can explain it” Twelve demanded, pointing towards the eleventh doctor on the tv. “Good point” Eleven conceded, shooting Rose an apologetic smile.

AMY: So, what happens? I get one of those things sticking out of my head?

DOCTOR: Physical changes come later.

AMY: What comes first? How does it start?

DOCTOR: With your mind. Your feelings, your memories, and I'm sorry but it's started already.

AMY: How do you know?

DOCTOR: Because we've had this conversation four times.

“Okay, that’s scary” Amy admitted. “Understatement, it’s messing with her mind?” Martha questioned “Why?”. Nine shrugged, rudely “It’s a Dalek, why do they do anything?”. Clara rolled her eyes at his behaviour. “What do you think makes us human, Martha?” Clara asked, not unkindly. Martha frowned “Ah Our DNA?”. Clara nodded “Yes but aside from the physical, what do humans and Daleks share?”. Martha shook her head “Nothing”. The school teacher inside Clara tutted at that answer. “The mind?” Donna spoke hesitantly. Clara grinned at the women nodding “Yes, Humans and daleks are both intelligent lifeforms… so if you wanted to alter a human to be more dalek you’d start with the things they share”. Martha nodded in understanding “So they’re altering her brain to make it more Dalek like? Why?”. Clara smiled at her “Well the part of the human that fights back the most is the mind, so if you get that out of the way…”. Donna grinned in understanding “Then you basically have free range of what to change next! Oh that’s brilliant!”. Donna slapped Ten on the chest “Why can you never explain things like that?!”. Ten yelped dramatically as he hit him “That would be boring” he whined childishly.

“Why are you so good at that?” Martha wondered. Twelve had been staring at Clara as she spoke, noting that she did, indeed, do a much better job than him. There was more to it than that though. Clara’s whole posture had changed during her little ‘enlighten’ moment. She spoke clearer than ever before, and had this sort of confidence about her plus there was that ever present joy in her eyes. “Oh! I was a teacher” Clara replied happily. Rory hesitated to speak, he was very thankful if not a bit horrified that she’d been able to explain what was going on with his wife. “Was?” Rory asked warily.  Clara’s eyes dimmed “Yeah… was”. Her expression turned sad only for a moment. The kind of blink and you’ll miss it thing. “I guess you never really stop teaching” Clara laughed quietly “Like you never stop learning”. Martha shot a warm smile her way.

AMY: Okay, scared now.

DOCTOR: Hang on to scared. Scared isn't Dalek.

[Corridor]

(Rory's torch starts to flicker.)

OSWIN [OC]: Hey there, beakie boy.

RORY: If it's a straight choice, I prefer Nina.

OSWIN [OC]: Loving this. The nose and the chin.

[Room]

OSWIN: You two could fence. There's a door behind you.

“That would be a sight” Ten snorted, looking between the two. “Who do you think would win?” Rose asked, a smile gracing her lips. Ten turned towards her with a similar smile “Oh It’s gotta be the chin! Look at it!”. Rose laughed “You’re only saying that cause he’s you” She teased. “Well…” ten started with a grin, cutting of his remark to watch Rose laugh. He had missed her oh so much.

(The door rises and Rory runs through into a room with a large round platform in the middle.)

OSWIN: In there, quickly. Okay, you're safe for now. Pop your shirt off, quick as you like.

RORY [on screen]: Why?

OSWIN: Does there have to be a reason?

“Not in my experience” River mentioned. “Stop flirting with my husband, Oswin!” Amy complained light heartedly. “It’s a good distraction though” Twelve admitted “Certainly seems to keep your mind off the danger”. Rory raised a eyebrow “Is that what it is?”. Twelve rolled his eyes dramatically “Of course that’s what it is”. He started to mumble to himself something about ‘Apes’ ‘Pudding-Brains’ and ‘Superior timelord DNA’.

[Chamber]

(A door rises to let Amy and the Doctor into the place where Rory met the Daleks. The bad-tempered pepperpots are still repeating their favourite word some way away. The Doctor sniffs.)

AMY: What's that?

(They back out again.)

[Outside the chamber]

DOCTOR: Keep a look out. Don't open this door. Oswin!

(Amy's head hurts.)

DOCTOR: Oswin, can you hear me?

[Room]

OSWIN: Hello, the chin. I have visual on you.

DOCTOR [on screen]: Why don't I have a visual on you? Why can't I ever see you?

“Where would you see her? It’s a camera, doesn’t have a monitor” Rory pointed out. “No no, He’s got a point, where is Oswin? She’s on the planet but where?” Nine asked, hands clasped together as he thought. “Has to be somewhere with all that technology” Rose offered “For that hacking stuff”. Nine nodded at her in thanks. “She was on the crashed ship right?” Amy asked, looking equally as curious as the doctor. “Yes” Nine agreed. “So what if she’s still there?” Martha suggested, looking unsure of the answer. “No but we walked through that ship” Eleven argued “that ship’s technology would have been totally destroyed in the crash”. The group frowned, perplexed.

OSWIN: Limited power, bad hair, take your pick. There's a door to your left. Open it.

“Oh trust me, it’s not bad hair” Amy mused. “Yeah for being stranded the whole year on a dalek infested planet, you look great” Martha commented. “A little too great” Eleven agree, suspiciously. Glances were thrown Clara’s way. She felt the earlier tension return to her shoulders, making her sitting position far more ridged than comfortable.

[Outside the chamber]

OSWIN [OC]: I'm going to send you a map to that screen. I put your little friend somewhere safe. I can get you to him.

[Room]

DOCTOR [on screen]: Rory. You found Rory?

Rory smiled at Amy, they’d be seeing each other soon. “We’re getting the gang back together” Eleven muttered, a huge grin on his face. “has Rory been in the same room the whole time then?” Rose wondered. They shrugged “Possibly, not many safe places to be inside a dalek asylum” Ten’s answer was light but his expression was anything but.

OSWIN: I call him Nina. Personal thing. Hush now.

[Outside the chamber]

(Amy looks through the transparent panels in the door and sees a man in a suit standing in the chamber.)

“What?” Amy started, staring at the man in confusion. Nobody else was meant to be there. Only daleks. “Hallucination” Eleven explained, watching the screen in caution. He had an idea that Amy was about to do something she certainly wasn’t meant to. Amy gulped, A hallucination… it looked so real.

AMY: Who are you? Doctor?

(There are lots of people in the chamber now, men and women in various styles of dress from formal evening wear to a little red-haired girl in a ballet tutu. Amy opens the door and goes in.)

“Amy, Amy, Amy, no!” Evelen called, fingers tapping away at his knee nervously. Clara rubbed her wrist, staring at the screen in apprehension. Rory watched his wife walk towards the ‘people’. “Doctor, why is she hallucinating?” He asked, fear coating every word. “It’s the next phase” Nine muttered, gazing at the screen in anger. Rory wrapped his arm around Amy, pulling her into a sideways hug.

[Room]

DOCTOR [on screen]: How many Daleks directly ahead of me right now?

OSWIN: Ten, twenty.

[Outside the chamber]

OSWIN [OC]: Hard to say. Some of them are catatonic but they do have firepower.

DOCTOR: How do I get past them? Amy!

[Chamber]

AMY: Shush. It's okay, it's just people in here. It's just people.

DOCTOR: Amy, it's the nanocloud, it's altering your perception. Look again. Look again. Those aren't people.

(Now she sees Daleks.)

Rose shuddered, Daleks truly were the stuff of nightmares. “You guys need to leave” Martha mumbled to herself, eyes glued to the tv. Nobody could look away as they watched the Dalek spin in circles, just like a ballerina.

DOCTOR: Amy, come out. Take my hand. Run! Run!

[Corridor]

(They run back to the rope ladder, which is moving under the weight of descending zombies.)

AMY: Look, they're coming down!

DOCTOR: Er, oh yes, they are.

DALEK: Intruder.

DOCTOR: Run.

DALEK: Intruder.

(They hide in the cubby hole Oswin opened for the Doctor.)

DALEK: Intruder.

(It runs out of power. They come out of the cubby hole again.)

DOCTOR: It's damaged.

AMY: Okay, but what do we do?

DOCTOR: Identify me. Access your files. Who am I? Come on. Who's your daddy?

“Oh dear” River sighed, as the others snickered around them. “What?” Eleven asked “Okay, fine, never saying that again”. Amy laughed, the image of her raggedy doctor saying a similar thing inside a hospital coming to mind. It felt like so long ago and yet like it was only yesterday at the same time.

DALEK: You are the Predator.

DOCTOR: Access your standing orders concerning the Predator.

DALEK: The Predator must be destroyed.

DOCTOR: And how are you going to do that, Dalek? Without a gun you're a tricycle with a roof. How are you going to destroy me?

DALEK: Self-destruct initiated.

AMY: What's it doing?

DOCTOR: It's going to blow itself up, and I with it. Only weapon it's got left.

DALEK: Self-destruct cannot be countermanded.

(It's internal clock is down to 12. The Doctor lifts its lid and scans inside.)

DOCTOR: I'm not looking for a countermand, dear. I'm looking for reverse.

“Oh clever, clever doctor” Eleven grinned patting himself on the back. “I don’t know, you were a bit close to blowing us up there” Amy teased good naturedly. “Nonsense” Eleven scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest like a child.

DALEK: Forward, forward.

(The Dalek whizzes backwards into the chamber, bumps into a colleague and blows up.)

[Teleport room]

(The explosion is felt here.)

RORY: Oswin?

[Room]

RORY [on screen]: What was that? That was close.

[Chamber]

(Rory runs in to see the smoking remains of Dalek shells.)

RORY: Oswin? What happened? Who killed all the Daleks?

(The Doctor enters from the other side, carrying Amy.)

DOCTOR: Who do you think?

There’s tense air in the room. So suffocating that one could barely breath. The destruction on the screen so enticing, so beautiful, so terrifying. Somebody whistles loudly in the silence, successfully breaking the moment. “Showing off?” It’s said in jest, a comment made to distract. To bring some light back into the room, to shiels the group from the ever present darkness that lingers deep inside them all. “He’s always doing that” Donna laughs, and the sound rings around the room. Like a magnet connecting to a fridge, laughter follows laughter.

[Teleport room]

(The Doctor lays Amy on the teleport pad.)

RORY: Will sleeping help her? Will it slow down the process?

OSWIN [OC]: You'd better hope so

[Room]

OSWIN: Because pretty soon she's going to try and kill you.

“Oh well, that’s lovely” Rory snarked quietly, a little bitter. A little mean. A whole lot scared. Clara can understand that, this is his wife. River nudges him a joke on her lips “Nothing new there then”. The family laugh together, keeping comfort in their hearts. When Amy holds his hand, she erases his fears.

[Teleport room]

DOCTOR: Amy.

AMY: Ow.

DOCTOR: Amy. Still with us.

RORY: Amy, it's me. Do you remember me?

(Amy slaps Rory.)

RORY: She remembers me.

Rory rubbed his cheek subconsciously as everyone chuckles. “it’s the gingerness, makes ‘em aggressive” Nine commented, a teasing sparkle in his eye. He still can’t find it in himself to relax, he’s in a room full of strangers after all. Friends in a way. Enemies in another. Yet dangerous all the same. “Oi! Watch it, Martian!” Donna snaps, Amy grins at her in  full agreement. Ten puts his hands up in mock surrender “Wasn’t me!”. Donna rolls her eyes “He is you, Remember?”. He can only pout, no arguments because even though it’s true it is also wrong.

DOCTOR: Same old Amy.

[Room]

OSWIN: Do you know how you make someone into a Dalek? Subtract love, add anger. Doesn't she seem a bit too angry to you?

Rose frowned at her words “Is that how you make a dalek?”. Ten nods her way “Daleks don’t understand love, think it means weakness”. There’s a look of distant understanding on her face. “A bit like when cyberman convert people they get rid of the emotions, except not at all like that” Eleven chimes in, helpful in the most unhelpful of ways.

[Teleport room]

AMY: Well, somebody's never been to Scotland.

DOCTOR: What about you, though, Oswin. How come you're okay?

“Good question” Nine crossed his arms over his chest. “It is curious, don’t suppose you have an answer though?” Rose threw the question at Clara’s feet. Slowly Clara shook her head. Lies. All lies. Rose nodded, the smallest bit of resentment growing in her chest. She can’t help it. She hated the secrecy surrounding the girl, how unsafe it made her feel. How unwilling she was to share. The doctor’s all frowned, trying and failing at coming up with their own explanations.

[Room]

DOCTOR [on screen]: Why hasn't the nanocloud converted you?

OSWIN: I mentioned the genius thing, yeah? Shielded in here.

[Teleport room]

DOCTOR: Clever of you. Now, this place. The Daleks said it was fully automated. Look at it. It's a wreck.

[Room]

OSWIN: Well, I've had nearly a year to mess with them, and not a lot else to do.

DOCTOR [on screen]: A junior entertainment manager hiding out in a wrecked ship, hacking the security systems of the most advanced warrior race

‘How?’. The question on everybody’s mind. Eleven frowned to himself, he wanted answers. They all wanted answers. So why did he feel such an awful dread building up. “She’s one heck of a women” Amy complimented, a strange look in her eye. Martha agreed “Unit will definitely be interested”. Twelve stared, watching Clara’s face, trying desperately to put the scrambled bit of his memory together. There was a Clara, he thinks he travelled with her… right? Was that this Clara? Was there ever even Clara? The longer it had been, the more he forgot.

[Teleport room]

DOCTOR: The universe has ever seen. But you know what really gets me about you, Oswin? The soufflés. Where do you get milk

[Room]

DOCTOR [on screen]: For the soufflés?

[Teleport room]

DOCTOR: Seriously. Is no one else wondering about that?

RORY: No. Frankly, no. Twice.

“Yeah, priorities doctor” Clara muttered, fully to herself. Like an inside joke. That’s what she felt like most of the time, a pathetic little inside joke with the universe. She smiled sadly, oh how little things change. Her eyes flickered around the group, and how quickly times pass.

“Why are you so focused on that?” Rose wondered looking over at Eleven. “oh, you know” He waved off distractedly “no real reason”. Amy frowned at her doctor, he was evading the question. “You’re avoiding the question, why?” She demanded, sometimes it was like he thought they were children. Always trying to do everything alone even among friends. Eleven shared a look with his other selves, they’d noticed the little discrepancy. “Doctor” Amy repeated, more irritated than before.  “Milk expires” Twelve announced, as if that explained everything. “Yes? So?” Martha asked, hoping for a clear answer this time. “So, She’s been here a year” Ten explained instead. “A year… so where’d she get the milk?” Rose spoke through her understanding. Now equally as curious as the doctor, all companions looked towards them expectantly. “No idea!” Eleven clapped his hands together with a bright smile, bring frustrated sighs from the rest of them.

OSWIN [OC]: So, Doctor.

[Room]

OSWIN: I've been looking you up. You're all over the database. Why do the Daleks call you the Predator?

DOCTOR [on screen]: I'm not the Predator, I'm just a man with a plan.

OSWIN: You've got a plan?

[Teleport room]

RORY: That's all he is.

AMY: There's a nose joke going if someone wants to pick that one off.

DOCTOR: In no particular order, we need to neutralise all the Daleks in this Asylum, rescue Oswin from the wreckage, escape from this planet and fix Amy and Rory's marriage.

“Oh great plan!” Donna spoke sarcastically. “Well it’s better than anyone else, isn’t it?” Ten retorted easily.  Eleven nodded along “Yes, one of my best”. Martha shuddered “That’s one of your best plans? I dread to think”. Eleven sputtered in protest as River laughed in agreement. “Plans are so boring” River smirked.  Eleven grinned at his wife.

AMY: Okay, I'm counting three lost causes. Anyone else?

DOCTOR: Oswin, there's a Dalek ship in orbit.

OSWIN [OC]: Yes. Got it on the sensors

DOCTOR: The Asylum has a forcefield. The Daleks upstairs are waiting for me to turn it off. Soon as I do, they'll burn this whole world and us with it.

[Room]

DOCTOR [on screen]: So, Oswin, my question is this. How fast can you drop the forcefield?

OSWIN: Pretty fast. But why would I?

DOCTOR [on screen]: Because this is a teleport. Am I right, Oswin?

OSWIN: Yeah. Internal use only.

[Teleport room]

DOCTOR: I can boost the power. Once the forcefield is down, I can use it to beam us right off this planet.

RORY: You said when the forcefield is down, the Daleks will blow us up.

DOCTOR: We'll have to be quick, yes.

AMY: Fine, we'll be quick. But where do we beam to?

DOCTOR: The only place within range. The Dalek ship.

AMY: They'll exterminate us on the spot.

“I am not liking this plan” Rory pointed out. “Oh well, can’t win them all” Eleven commented nonchalantly. “It’ll buy you time” River reminded. “Hardly” Amy muttered, picking at the ground distractedly. “Any time is good time!” Eleven declared with purpose, wagging a finger at the couple.

RORY: Ah, so this is the kind of escape plan where you survive about four seconds longer.

DOCTOR: What's wrong with four seconds? You can do loads in four seconds. Oswin, how fast can you drop the forcefield?

[Room]

OSWIN: I can do  it from here, as soon as you come and get me.

[Teleport room]

DOCTOR: No, just drop the forcefield and come to us.

[Room]

OSWIN: There's enough power in that teleport for one go. Why would you wait for me?

“Because he’s the doctor” Rose spoke meaningfully. Donna and Martha nodded in agreement. “He’d never leave her there” Amy agreed fondly. Twelve frowned at the humans “…It’s a fair question”. He rolled his eyes at their protests “She doesn’t know me, I don’t know her, It’s a life and death game we’re playing. I am not infallible, do not put that on me”. Rose hesitated to speak, hurt in her eyes. This new Doctor was so strange. So… Alien. “You wouldn’t leave her there” Martha voice was convincing, who she was trying to convince he didn’t know. Was it him? Or herself?. “He’s right” Nine’s voice was strong “She has no reason to trust me”. Nine’s eyes flickered over to Clara, who’d remained silent throughout the short discussion of his ethics. ‘Nor I her’ He thought to himself.

[Teleport room]

DOCTOR: Why wouldn't I?

[Room]

OSWIN: No idea. Never met you. Sending you a map so you can come get me.

[Teleport room]

RORY: This place is crawling with Daleks.

[Room]

OSWIN: Yeah. Kind of why I'm anxious to leave. Come up and see me sometime.

“Just be quick” River muttered worryingly, already knowing he had to go find this women. She could only hope it all worked out. “Of course! I’ll run” Eleven responded with a chuckle. The group laughed along with him. Clara subconsciously rubbed her wrist, mind wandering. Quietly preparing herself for what she knew was to come. Oswin’s end had been tragic. A tragedy she’d created, all those years ago. But still not one she could bring herself to regret.

[Teleport room]

RORY: So, are we going to go get her?

DOCTOR: I don't think that we have a choice. Okay, as soon as the forcefield is down the Daleks will attack. If it gets too explody-wody in here, you go without me, okay?

RORY: And leave you to die?

DOCTOR: Oh, don't worry about me. You're the one beaming up to a Dalek ship to get exterminated.

RORY: Fair point. Love this plan. What about Amy?

DOCTOR: Keep her remembering, keep her focused. That'll hold back the conversion.

AMY: What do I do?

DOCTOR: You heard what she said. They're subtracting love. Don't let them.

[Corridor]

(The Doctor makes his way carefully.)

DALEKS [OC]: Emergency. Emergency. Prepare to be annihilated. Emergency. We are the Daleks. We are the Daleks.

[Teleport room]

RORY: Okay, look at me. I'm going to be logical. Cold and logical, okay? For both of our sakes, for both of us, I'm going to take this off my wrist and put it on yours.

“Logical?! How is that logical?” Amy spat, turning to glare at her husband. Rory gulped, knowing immediately where his future selves mind had gone. “Just… It would start to process over?” Rory lied hesitantly, she didn’t buy that for a second. Amy opened parted her lips, an angry retort already rearing up her throat. “Look, you can yell at each other later, let’s just watch” Martha cut in, feeling incredibly awkward. Like she was intruding on their relationship by watching them fight. “Fine” Amy snapped back. Rory let out a tiny sigh of relief.

AMY: Why? Then it'll just start converting you. That's not better.

RORY: Yes, but it'll buy us time, because it'll take longer with me.

AMY: Sorry, what?

RORY: It subtracts love, that's what she said.

AMY: What's that got to do with it? What does that even mean?

RORY: It's arithmetic. It'll take longer with me because we both know, we've always known, that. Amy, the basic fact of our relationship is that I love you more than you love me, which today is good news because it might just save both of our lives.

However Rory’s relief was short lived. “..what?” Amy whispered, her voice void of any warmth. Rory shifted uncomfortably “I’m sorry… but it’s true”. Amy’s face whipped around to his “How could you say that?”. Rory’s heart broke along with Amy’s voice. Tears started to pool in the red head’s eyes.

AMY: How can you say that?

RORY: Two thousand years, waiting for you outside a box. Don't say it isn't true, you know it's true. Give me your arm. Amy!

“Wait- Sorry, Two thousand years?” Rose asked in disbelief. Rory felt the weight of everyone’s gazes on him, clearly wanting an explanation. “It’s a long story”, It was a desperate attempt of distraction. A completely useless one. Rory hated the attention being placed on him like this, he hated fighting with his wife, he hated the entire situation. “Rory died, became a roman centurion made of plastic, shot Amy, placed her inside the Pandorica and stood guard outside of it to keep her safe until the Pandorica opened again” Eleven explained quickly, almost as uncomfortable as Rory “Did I miss anything?”. River rolled her eyes “Oh just the bit about you flying the Tardis into a crack in time and space, killing yourself and stopping the entire destruction of the world, nothing big”. Her voice was fond and yet there was an edge there. She clearly had a problem with the Doctors actions. “You did what?!” Outraged squarks admitted from everyone in the room.  Eleven grumbled to himself. Rory was just glad the attention was off him for a moment. Even if it wouldn’t last long.

(Amy slaps Rory.)

AMY: Don't you dare say that to me. Don't you ever dare.

RORY: Amy, you kicked me out.

AMY: You want kids. You have always wanted kids. Ever since you were a kid. And I can't have them.

RORY: I know.

AMY: Whatever they did to me at Demons Run, I can't ever give you children. I didn't kick you out. I gave you up.

A silence rang around the room. Sorrow and empathy swallowing up everybody’s beings. “…Amy” Rory whispered, voice thick with grief. “oh my god” Amy placed a hand to her lips, tears welling in her eyes. She turned towards her husband for comfort, letting Rory’s love overwhelm her. Taking comfort in his arms as the couple grieved their lose together. “We’ll work through this together” Rory promised. Amy was taken aback by the sheer honesty in his words, the truth in his eyes. She nodded once, managing to smile up at him. Albeit shakily.  The group watched the couple in sympathy, understanding their relationship was not a place for them to interfere.

RORY: Amy, I don't

AMY: Don't you dare talk to me about waiting outside a box, because that is nothing, Rory, nothing, compared to giving you up.

Twelve watched the couple comfort each other, his heart pulling uncomfortably. He’d missed them so much, he still did. He always would. Sitting in this room full of the people he’d lost, the people he’d been. It was awful, his mind kept getting swept up in nostalgia. In longing. Yet even when surrounded by his fallen friends, he felt so isolated. So alone.  He’s mourned them all in his own way, carrying their memories close to his hearts. His thoughts wondered to how broken he’d been after the Ponds, someone had found him. Dragged him back. Given him a reason to continue on. And yet he couldn’t remember them, he felt all their loses like an open wound. However this time there were no memories to sooth it, nothing to bandage the ache. Nothing for him to take comfort in. There was only hurt, only anguish for the face he couldn’t remember.

RORY: Just give me your arm. Let me put this on you. Just give me your arm!

AMY: Don't touch me!

(She is already wearing a wristband.)

“Oh clever clever Doctor”  Clara whispered to herself, a half-smile gracing her features. In her time with this doctor. It was strange, how much she felt she’d felt she was mourning a loss that was not her own. Amy and Rory, Martha and Donna, Rose. She ached for the Doctor more with every loss. She grieved for people she’d never known. For Susan, For Jamie, For the Brigadier, For Jo, For Sarah-Jane, And for Romana. The Doctor had lived so long, lost so much. Watching the companions here in this room , laughing and crying and breathing. Clara ached for the pain the doctor will be reliving.

RORY: It's the Doctor's. When you were sleeping

AMY: That Time Lord. What's the betting he doesn't even need it.

RORY: Why didn't he just tell us?

(Amy sees the Doctor straighten his bow tie on a monitor.)

[Corridor]

DOCTOR: Oswin, I think I'm close.

[Room]

OSWIN: You are. Less than twenty feet away. Which is the good news.

[Corridor]

DOCTOR: Okay. And the bad which I suddenly feel is coming?

[Room]

OSWIN: You're about to pass through Intensive Care.

[Intensive Care]

(The Daleks here are in cages.)

DOCTOR: What's so special about this lot, then?

OSWIN [OC]: Don't know.

[Room]

OSWIN: Survivors of particular wars. Spiridon, Kembel, Aridius, Vulcan, Exxilon. Ringing any bells?

“Oh No” Nine mumbled rubbing his face. “This just keeps getting better and better” Ten agreed, watching the screen with an apprehensive eye. Martha looked towards the two “Is it bad?”. The two didn’t respond, minds caught up in the past. The bloodshed. All that violence. “It’s bad” Twelve confirmed, Martha almost jumped at his voice. She eyed him slightly, he was the oldest Doctor, The quietest one here. There was a sort of prickly feeling about him, it had been warning her off of discussions with him. His body language screamed ‘Do not talk to me’.

[Intensive Care]

DOCTOR: All of them.

OSWIN [OC]: Yeah? How?

DOCTOR: These are the Daleks who survived me.

“Oh” River uttered in the stark quiet. There was nothing else to say. Nothing anybody could say, The dark look that covered each regenerations face. The quiet felt cold, pressing upon everyone’s skin in an uncomfortable way.

DALEK: Doctor.

DALEK 2: Doctor.

DALEKS: Doctor.

[Room]

OSWIN: That's weird. Those ones don't usually wake up for anything.

Eleven closed his eyes, to hide his pain. “When you said… When you said they survived you” Rose started her voice unusually quiet “What did you mean?”. She turned to Eleven, eyes full of questions yet fear for the answer. “You don’t want to see me angry” Eleven spoke as if it explained everything and in a way it did. Rose had her answer although denial slowly worked its way into her heart. The doctor was a good man, he wouldn’t of… but he had. Rose knew this as well as she knew her mother’s name. Rose had seen it, mostly in the ninth regeneration but it was always there. Lingering behind the tenth doctors eyes, hidden but present. She simply didn’t want to believe it. The doctor was a good but dangerous man.

DOCTOR [OC]: Yeah, well

[Intensive Care]

DOCTOR: Special visitor. Okay, door, but it won't open. I can't be far away, though.

[Room]

OSWIN: Hang on. Not quite sure. There's a release code. Let me just

[Intensive care]

OSWIN [OC]: Anything out there?

DOCTOR: No.

[Room]

OSWIN: Hang on, I'm trying to think.

[Intensive Care]

(One Dalek has been disarmed, literally, and chained up.)

DALEK: Doctor.

(It breaks its chains.)

“Oswin, it’d really time for some of those insane genius skills right now” Amy muttered, fear spread around the room like a disease. As they watched the Dalek stalk closer and closer. Waking up and reading for an attack. “Do something, spaceman” Donna scowled, using anger to mask her worry. Everyone was on edge, even the ones who knew it would all end up okay. “C’mon” Ten mumbled to himself, foot tapping the ground relentlessly.

DALEKS: Doctor. Doctor.

DOCTOR: Oswin, get this door open.

[Room]

DOCTOR [OC]: Oswin, open this door!

OSWIN: I can't!

“What do you mean you can’t! You have too!” Rose practically shouted at the screen, her emotions getting the better of her. Clara felt eyes darting towards her and back at the screen. Obviously wanting answers but to unsure to look away in case they miss something vital. “Why?!” Donna demanded, turning her furious glare to the brunette. Clara opened her mouth but quickly shut it again, the bits and pieces of Oswin’s life she could remember didn’t leave the information on the Dalek path web. She had no answers that could satisfy them.

[Intensive Care]

DOCTOR: Oswin.

(The Daleks are closing in.)

“You better figure it out soon” River’d words felt like a threat. One, Clara knew, that River would be all too happy to actually carry out. Clara wished once again that she could be sucked into the abys just to get away. The other companions seemed to agree with her, glancing at her with a mixture of expression: Anger, Fear, Pleading, Desperation. Clara could not give them what they wanted.

The Doctors had been almost silent during the whole ideal, caught up in what they presumed to be their imminent death. Twelve rolled his eyes at the dramatics, he was living proof that this wasn’t the end. Although whether or not he got out unscaved was another matter entirely. “He’ll be fine” He eventually called, his voice serving as a reminder that he’s from the future. That he lived long enough to get out of this situation.

[Room]

DOCTOR [OC]: Just get this door open!

[Intensive Care]

DOCTOR: Oswin! Oswin, please! Get this door open! Help me!

(A plunger is heading for the Doctor's face.)

DOCTOR: Stop!

(The Daleks stop, then turn away.)

OSWIN [OC]: Oh, that is cool.

[Room]

OSWIN: Tell me I'm cool, chin boy.

“what happened? What did she do?” Nine questioned, his vice almost harsh considering the girl had just saved his life. Clara sighed “You’ll find out”. The others looked sceptical, the doctor’s tone putting them all on the defensive. Nine squinted at the stranger, a frown still present on his face.

[Intensive Care]

DOCTOR: What, what did you do?

[Room]

OSWIN: Hang on, I think I've found the door thingy.

[Intensive Care]

DOCTOR: No, tell me what you did.

OSWIN [OC]: The Daleks, they have a hive mind. Well, they don't, they have a sort of telepathic web.

DOCTOR: The path web, yes.

[Room]

OSWIN: I hacked into it, did a mass delete

[Intensive Care]

OSWIN [OC]: On all the information connected with the Doctor.

DOCTOR: You made them forget me?

“…that’s impossible” Eleven announced eyes wide “I’ve tried”.  River looked as equally shocked as the doctor. “She did something even the Doctor can’t do?” Donna wondered looking a little bit impressed. “Because it’s impossible” Nine repeated, his frown only growing. “It’s more than just it impossible” Ten agreed looking entirely out of his depth for once. “Who are you” Twelve demanded, eyebrows furrowed. All their eyes stared straight through Clara’s own. Making her fingers twitch, she fidgeted uncomfortable “I can’t tell you”. Nine scoffed, the expression on the doctors faces were almost furious. Clara’s defence didn’t come from her own mouth but another source entirely. “Oh shove off, however she did it she just saved your life” Donna argued, crossing her arms for empathises. “She’s not the enemy” Martha was quick to agree, the two offered Clara a slight smile as the Doctors eventually backed off. Clara felt extremely thankful towards the two, even if it all had done was buy her time.

[Room]

OSWIN: Good, eh? And here comes the door.

[Intensive Care]

(The door rises.)

DOCTOR: I've tried hacking into the path web. Even I couldn't do it.

[Room]

OSWIN: Come and meet the girl who can. Hey, you're right outside. Come on in.

DOCTOR [on screen]: Oswin, we have a problem.

Clara closed her eyes, a pained expression on her face. “What?” Rory wondered aloud, looking doubtful. “What sort of problem?” Rose asked the doctors, as if they’d somehow know. It was time. Clara felt a phantom pain shoot through her head, her own pain mixing with Oswin’s until there was no way to differentiate them. Dread, Fear, Longing. Repeat. Her emotions were overwhelmed with Oswin’s anguish as she recalled the transformation. How violated Oswin had felt, how much terror had been inside her veins. All her desperate struggling that amounted to nothing. There was Oswin and then there was Clara and then there was the Daleks. Guilt squirmed in Clara’s stomach, all that misery, all that suffering. She was Clara and yet She was Oswin, the lines blurred along with her vison. Breathing deeply, hopefully. Trying to find a way out. Clara didn’t know… Clara didn’t know where she was.

“Clara… CLARA!” A voice yelled out, hands outstretched in front of the figure. It pulled Clara from the darkest reaches of her own mind. Blinking away her tears, the figures swim. Bleeding into one another in the same way that Clara herself had. One becoming two. Two becoming five. “Clara are you okay?”. The voice was familiar in a way. In another way it was completely foreign. Everything around her was. Where was she?

“Doctor! Doctor what’s happening?” Donna asked in worry. Clara had curled herself inwards so tightly, her hand cupping her head in a vice like grip. Tears streamed down her face, mouth propped open like she should be screaming… but no noise escaped her. “I don’t know” Ten admitted, looking equally worried and conflicted. The Doctor’s all had a similar expression, this girl was a stranger with too much knowledge. A possible enemy. But she was in pain, and he wanted to help her. “It’s a panic attack” Martha explained, Rory nodded at that assessment. The medical experts pushed the group backwards, needing the girl to have some space. “Clara, Clara can you hear me?” Rory asked the still lost girl. The group watched uncomfortably as the two helped calm Clara. Once she was calm, she practically flinched out of their hands, demanded that she was fine and sat herself even further from the group. They could do little to stop her, so they reluctantly took their own seats.

OSWIN: No, we don't. Don't even say that. Joined the Alaska to see the universe, ended up stuck in a shipwreck first time out. Rescue me, chin boy, and show me the stars.

The doctor’s minds were still on the previously crying brunette. Hearts tugging as she refused to look up at the screen. ‘Rescue me’ Eleven thought semi-bitterly he wanted too. He really did. The look on Oswin’s face was full of hope so completely contrasting Eleven’s on screen self.

DOCTOR [on screen]: Does it look real to you?

OSWIN: Does what look real?

DOCTOR [on screen]: Where you are right now.

“What do you mean?” Amy asked slowly, hesitant to talk after such an emotional display. “I… Don’t know” Eleven huffed, a quiet defeat in his voice. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. That much was evident. Oswin’s voice rang out through his head ‘Rescue me’.  He had an awful feeling creeping into his mind.

[Padded cell]

DOCTOR: Does it seem real?

“It is real” Donna spoke, confused “Why do you keep asking that?”.  Martha agreed looking just as annoyed at the lack of answers. “…the milk” Understanding dawned on the doctors in unison. A dark expression on each face, horror locked in their eyes. Ten scowled, hatred burning brightly for all to see. “What is it?” Rose repeated the question, unease seeping into her voice at their barely concealed rage. “Despicable” Nine spat intensely.

[Room]

OSWIN: It is real.

DOCTOR [on screen]: It's a dream, Oswin. You dreamed it for yourself because the truth was too terrible.

OSWIN: Where am I?

River’s understanding came next, a hand hovering over lips in shock. At the scared voice Nine barely held back from attacking the screen in his rage. Twelve didn’t seem to be handling the news much better. None of the Doctors were. Clara hid her head in her hands, praying that this would all be over soon.

[Padded cell]

(A Dalek has chains draped over it.)

DALEK: Where am I? Where am I?

“No” Amy whispered in horror “You mean that is…?”. Her voice trailed off, hands shaking lightly as the truth was revealed. Rory was in a similar state of disgust, a confusing mixture of negativity swelling in his heart. “Yes” Eleven muttered bitterly. The air in the room felt oppressive, a weight waying down on them all. Draining every bit of joy or hope that was inside them and leaving them empty and void. “what? What is it?!” Donna asked hysterically, head whipping in every direction. The truth was in her eyes but she didn’t want to accept it. “That is Oswin” River explained shortly, seeing that denying the truth wouldn’t fix anything. Oswin was a Dalek.

DOCTOR: Because you are a Dalek.

Martha’s tongue felt heavy in her mouth as she struggled to swallow. Putting Clara’s meltdown in a new light… but this couldn’t be Clara. Clara wasn’t a Dalek.  Rose’s thought pattern was similar to Martha’s. If Oswin was a Dalek then she couldn’t be Clara. Donna felt tears well in her eyes, empathy was always one of her best traits. Even if Oswin wasn’t Clara, she was still a person. She was still dead.

“They did a full conversion” Eleven explained, his usual joyous tone nowhere to be found. “That’s awful” Rose whispered. “Oswin is dead” Nine grumbled darkly “She was dead before we’d even met her”. Donna turned a critical eye towards him “How could you say that?”. Twelve shrugged “It’s true, she’s been dead a full year, she just couldn’t accept it” His voice was dark as he explained it away almost nonchalantly. The doctor’s words hung heavy in the room.

[Room]

OSWIN: I am not a

[Padded cell]

DALEK: Dalek. I am not a Dalek!

The despair in Oswin’s voice hurt everyone in the room as they listened. “How…” Rose started but her voice trailed off quickly, there was nothing she could say. Ten’s mind was running a mile a minute, the familiar feeling of failure felt heavy on his tongue. Just another life he failed to save. 

[Room]

OSWIN: I'm human.

[Padded cell]

DOCTOR: You were human when you crashed here. It was you who climbed out of the pod. That was your ladder.

OSWIN [memory]: Where am I? Where am I? Where am I?

Clara watched in almost morbid curiosity, she remembered to a degree. Remembered the pain and the fear, remembered clinging to her humanity because that was all she had. Oswin had her own life, she had her own family, her own hopes and dreams and the daleks had destroyed that. They taken her life away from her and yet they couldn’t destroy her. Because Oswin held onto her life, she held on the love she’d felt, he held on to her hopes and dreams and refused to give in. It was a terribly human thing to do.

“This is why you said you weren’t her right?” Donna questioned, eyes still incredibly sad “Because she’s dead and you’re…”. Donna’s eyes trailed to the floor, Clara was obviously here. Obviously alive. And yet Oswin was obviously dead. “I don’t understand” She uttered, heads turned Clara’s way hoping for an explanation. “No” Clara agreed “And you won’t for a long time yet”. Some scowled at that answer, wanting to understand now. But Clara’s mouth was firmly shut.

[Room]

OSWIN: You mean?

[Padded cell]

DALEK: Human.

DOCTOR: Not any more. Because you're right. You're a genius. And the Daleks need genius. They didn't just make you a puppet, they did a full conversion.

“It’s horrible” Amy whispered, tightening her hold on Rory’s hand. “It is” Nine agreed “Just like a Dalek”. Nine glanced back at Clara, he didn’t understand and she wasn’t going to explain. The only thing he could do was separate the two women in his mind, Oswin was a Dalek and Clara wasn’t. He could figure the rest out later, he’d just need to keep a closer eye on her.

[Room]

OSWIN [memory]: Where am I? Where am I? Where am I?

DOCTOR [on screen]: Oswin, I am so sorry, but you are a Dalek. The milk, Oswin. The milk and the eggs for the souffléss. Where, where did it all come from?

OSWIN [memory]: Eggs. I'm human. I am not a Dalek, I am human. I am not Dalek, I am human!

Bile rose in Martha throat. This was so difficult to watch. She turned her eyes away and noticed the doctor. The doctor’s, all of them, were watching the screen intently. Trying to take in every detail, scorching it across their minds like they never wanted to forget it. Martha couldn’t understand why. Why did they feel the need to look so deeply, to feel that pain.

[Padded cell]

DALEK: Eggs.

DOCTOR: It wasn't real. It was never real.

OSWIN [memory]: I am a Dalek. I am a Dalek.

OSWIN + DALEK: Eggs.

DALEK: Stir. Min. Ate.

“Oh no no no” Rose mumbled to herself, sitting on the edge of her seat. “Is she?” Donna’s eyes widened. “She’s accepting what she is” Ten muttered bitterly “The Dalek is taking over”. Rose turned to him in fear “But you get out of it, I know you will”. Ten nodded catching the eye of Twelve. This did little to stop the tension in the room.

DOCTOR: Oswin.

DALEK: Eggs.

[Room]

OSWIN: Stir. Min ate.

[Padded cell]

DALEK: Exterminate.

“C’mon Oswin” Rory mumbled “Snap out of it”. River came closer to her family, rubbing their arms in sympathy. The small family took comfort in each other as Amy wrapped her hand around Eleven’s wrist. As if to convince herself that he was alive and he was going to stay that way. Elven gave her a small smile but it fell quickly as he looked back towards the screen.

DOCTOR: Oswin. No, no, no, Oswin. Oswin.

DALEK: Exterminate!

DOCTOR: Listen. Oswin, you don't have to do this.

DALEK: Exterminate!

“Oswin…” Martha mumbled to herself a deep frown on her face. Donna and Martha did their best to comfort each other, as their doctor was too busy staring at the screen in horror. Horror yet grim acceptance. Like he understood.

[Room]

DOCTOR [on screen]: Oswin!

(Oswin is crying.)

OSWIN: Why do they hate you

[Padded cell]

DALEK: So much? They hate you so much. Why?

There was a collective sigh of relief throughout the group. Until they actually listened to Oswin’s words. Nine started bitter yet determined “Because they know I’ll stop them”. Eleven shook his head at the earlier version of himself. Shame curling in his stomach. Ten looked just as determined “Because I’d win”. Twelve looked over all his past regenerations, there was so many things he’d like to change so many mistakes made.

DOCTOR: I fought them many, many times.

DALEK: We have grown stronger in fear of you.

The doctors all flinched. “Hey!” Rose frowned “That’s not true”. Nine shook his head at the girl, feeling a strange coldness in his chest. It was true. Ten thought about all the lives he’d ruined. “Damn right it’s not true!” Amy agreed snappishly, staring the Doctor’s in the eyes “You know that right?”. None of the Doctor’s could meet their eyes. Martha nodded along “Not true in the slightest”. Donaa agreed readily “The daleks can’t just bloody blame you for them being murders”. The companions rallied together in defence of the doctor and yet the doctor wasn’t listening. “Sweetie, you know that’s not true” River tried, staring intently as her husband.  Eleven didn’t look up, he felt paralysed with shame. Twelve did his best to blend into the shadows. “…It’s not your fault” Clara agreed, finally speaking up, Twelve looked her way and yet she wouldn’t meet his eyes. She didn’t offer any more words either.

DOCTOR: I know. I tried to stop.

[Room]

OSWIN: Then run.

The doctor’s heads snapped upwards. “What?” Nine mumbled, eyes widening. The doctor’s shared a glance.

DOCTOR [on screen]: What did you say?

OSWIN: I've taken down the forcefield.

Hope filled the groups hearts. Hesitant smile growing on their faces. “Is she?” Donna started, eyes brightening considerably. “She is” River confirmed and equally bright look on her face. This is not where the doctor dies. This is not the end.

[Padded cell]

DALEK: The Daleks above have begun their attack. Run!

[Room]

DOCTOR [on screen]: Oswin, are you

OSWIN: I am Oswin Oswald. I fought the Daleks and I am

[Padded cell]

DALEK: Human! Remember me.

“Oh, oh! We will!” Ten promised with a laugh. Grins overtook their faces. “Thank you” Rose muttered, eyes closed. None of them will forget Oswin or what she’d been through. Nine laughed aloud taking Rose’s hand with ease. Rose smiled back at him, a nostalgic longing filling her head. Donna and Martha hugged Ten strongly, almost knocking the skinny man over. The pond family shared hugs and smiles and laughter, thankful to Oswin for giving them more time together.

In the background Clara smiled, a promise made in the memory of Oswin. She’s remember her and she’d tell her story. Like she’d told so many before. Every life sacrificed would be recorded and cherished because Oswin was right. They were all alive , they all deserved remembrance.

DOCTOR: Thank you.

DALEK: Run!

(The Doctor runs as the bombardment starts.)

[Room]

OSWIN: Run, you clever boy. And remember.

Twelve clutched his head slightly, a frown playing on his lips. Those words. They were important, they meant… something. Pain spread across his frontal lobe like every time he tried to remember his mysterious companion. But behind the pain a theory was only growing stronger, this women… this Clara it just might be her. Or at least it was related to her.

[Teleport room]

RORY: How long can we wait?

AMY: The rest of our lives.

RORY: Agreed.

(They kiss as things go bang around them and the Doctor runs in.)

A couple awe’s rang out the room, as the couple kiss. Rory and Amy grin, glad to see they’d properly made up. They share a quick kiss, eyes bright. The rest of their lives indeed.

DOCTOR: Right, go! Let's go. We're good. Let's go. Oh, for God's sake.

(The Doctor takes the control unit from Rory and activates it. Nothing appears to happen. Missiles streak in and the entire planet goes KaBOOM!)

[Parliament]

WHITE: The Asylum is destroyed.

DALEK: Incoming teleport from Asylum planet. We are under attack.

WHITE: Prepare to defend. Defend. Defend!

DALEK PM: Explain, Dalek Supreme.

DOCTOR [OC]: You know, you guys should really have seen this coming. The thing about me and teleports, I've got a really good aim. Pin-point accurate, in fact. Or, to put it another way

(The Doctor looks out of the Tardis door.)

DOCTOR: Suckers!

The high that the group felt due to their survival was failing to come down. Hearts were warmed and minds were relieved. “Oh Doctor” River spoke fondly watching the screen. Grateful they’d all gotten away.

DALEK: Identify yourself. Identify. Identify.

DOCTOR: It's me. You know me. The Doctor. The Oncoming Storm. The Predator.

DARLA: Titles are not meaningful in this context. Doctor who?

DALEK PM: Doctor who?

DALEKS: Doctor who?

DOCTOR: Oh, Oswin. Oh, you did it to them all. You beauty.

“She did?!” Eleven spoke happily, turning to Twelve with a question. “It didn’t last” Twelve answered simply, Eleven’s smile dimmed only slightly. But the Euphoria he felt wasn’t going away just yet “Oh well, at least it was there to stop us from getting killed straight away”.  Amy whooped and cheered, as Rory started at her lovingly. “Go Oswin!” Donna joined in on the cheering.

DALEKS: Doctor who? Doctor who?

DOCTOR: Fellas, you're never going to stop asking.

(He shuts the door and the Tardis dematerialises.)

DALEKS: Doctor who?

[Street]

(Amy and Rory wave goodbye as the Tardis dematerialises, then she goes indoors.)

RORY: Yes! Yes!

AMY [OC]: I can see you.

RORY: Okay.

“Rory” Amy smiled, at her husband. The dork was endearing her to him even more as she watched the Rory on screen. River smiled at her parents, content at the way the episode ended. Eleven watched the Ponds with fondness but there was a spark of sadness in his eyes. He’d probably have to leave them soon. They were getting older, They deserved to have the normal life Rory had always dreamed off. Maybe he’d visit sometime… maybe. Or maybe it would be too hard.

[Tardis]

(The Doctor dances as he sets the controls.)

DOCTOR: Doctor who. Doctor who. Doctor Who!