*whistles* Man . . . did we really get to the end of our beloved 11s so soon? It feels like just lost the 10s!

 . . . which, that was just the other day after "The Day of the Doctor and the Bad Wolf." *winces* Yeah . . .

But, here we are, with one last photoshop of gorgeous Smidarrio. The Doctor and the Bad Wolf make their last stand on Trenzalore, and the battle for the universe is quickly approaching. Silence will fall, but not without prices being paid.

Enjoy "The Time of the Doctor and the Bad Wolf!"

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"Once, there was a planet, much like any other, and unimportant. This planet sent the universe a message, a bell tolling among the stars, ringing out to all the dark corners of creation. And everybody came to see. Although no one understood the message, everyone who heard it found themselves afraid . . . except one man and one woman. The man and woman who stayed for Christmas."

+++

The Doctor and Wanda beamed onto one of the ships, the Doctor holding up a Dalek eyestalk. "We bring proof of courage and comradeship!" the Doctor announced. "What is this ship, and why are you here? Identify yourselves by species and planet of origin."

There a was a moment, then - "EXTERMINATE!"

Wanda threw up her hands, the Doctor flinching as she deflected Dalek lasers all around. "Handles!" he shouted.

"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"

"Jez!" the Doctor shouted, pulling Wanda back. "Pietro!"

They were teleported off, turning around to see Jessie and Pietro at the console, a damaged Cyberman head attached to it. "Daleks?" Jessie guessed.

"Daleks," the Doctor nodded, storming up to the Cyberman head. "Don't put me on a Dalek ship when I'm holding a broken bit of Dalek!" He hit the head with the eyestalk, which rebounded and hit him in the head. "Ow!"

"You did not indicate a preference," Handles said.

Wanda snorted as the Doctor huffed. "It's not like you've got a lot of alternatives. They're all here. Daleks, Sontarans, Terileptils, Slitheen."

"And they're not even fighting, they're just parked," Jessie scratched the back of her head. That was unusual for so many races. "Why?"

"The message was received throughout the universe," Handles said.

The Doctor snorted. "Yes, yes, the message, the message. Even we can't translate it. I mean, why is everyone here if they don't understand it?"

"You're here."

"So us being here is the reason?" Jessie raised an eyebrow.

"As if his ego needs boosting," Pietro rolled his eyes.

"Hey, I'm OCD," the Doctor defended himself. "What's their excuse?" He listened to the three-toned message playing, then shook his head. "What does this message mean?"

Pietro's phone rang in his back pocket, and he blinked, looking for it. "That's mine."

"Oh, we've got to patch the phone outside to the console," Jessie told the Doctor.

"Noted," he nodded.

Pietro looked at the Caller ID, then smiled and answered. "Hello, Clara!"

"Hi!" Clara's panicked voice answered. "Emergency. You're my boyfriend."

Pietro blinked. "I thought I already was."

"Yes, yes, you are, but . . . Christmas dinner, me cooking."

"And you told your family you've got a boyfriend," Pietro shook his head fondly.

"Please?" Clara begged.

Something on the scanner blared, and Jessie took a look. "That's a new one!"

"OK, we'll take the TARDIS this time," the Doctor nodded.

"I'll be there, Clara, don't worry," Pietro promised. "Just a second, though."

"Why? What's going on?"

The Doctor and Wanda went outside, the Doctor carrying Handles, and Pietro answered, "Doing rounds of the ships here."

"Ships where?"

More shooting sounded from outside, then the Doctor and Wanda sprinted back inside. Pietro got a glimpse of the shooters just before Jessie closed the doors. "Well, this one had Cybermen."

"Ah."

"Christmas dinner at Clara's," Pietro told the Time Lords. "She needs a boyfriend."

"She's got one," Wanda raised an eyebrow.

"I think that's his point," Jessie snickered. "Got it. To Clara's, we go."

***

Clara took a deep breath and went back into her living room, where the three members of her family were waiting. "How's the turkey doing?" Linda asked her.

"Great," Clara nodded, fidgeting. "Yeah, yeah, it's doing great. Well, dead and decapitated, but that's Christmas when you're a turkey."

"Actually, maybe I will have a little more," Clara's gran eyed her wine glass.

"There you go, Gran," Clara refilled her glass.

"Did you put it in early enough?" her father, Dave Oswald, asked.

"Dad, I put it in when you phoned me," Clara sighed.

"I emailed you some instructions."

"Oh, you certainly did," she grumbled, heading back into the kitchen. A moment later, she heard the sound of the TARDIS engines wheezing, and she grinned, running outside. She hurried down the stairs and towards the TARDIS, losing her paper crown in the process. She was about to go inside when Wanda poked her head out. "One second," she winced.

"What's that for?" Clara blinked.

She heard a whoosh inside, then Pietro was at the door. "Had to put clothes back on," he answered.

Clara did a double take. "You what?"

"Long story," he waved a hand before holding out his arms. "You look like you need a hug."

"Oh, I so need you," Clara sighed, hugging him tightly.

"Can we look now?" Wanda called.

Clara knitted her eyebrows, when she heard two zapping noises. "Yep!" Jessie's voice answered.

"Back to clothes!" the Doctor agreed.

"Oh, thank goodness," Wanda sighed, opening the doors.

Clara entered to see the Doctor and Jessie snickering by the TARDIS. "Hang on, were you all naked?"

"Yes," the Doctor nodded.

" . . . why were you all naked?"

"Pietro's the only one not anymore," Jessie laughed. "We're going to church."

"So . . . Pietro's the only one wearing actual clothes?" Clara's eyes bugged open.

"Hologram clothes projected directly onto your visual cortex," the Doctor nodded.

"So you're still naked underneath?"

"Everybody's naked underneath."

"Urgh," Clara shuddered. "Don't say things like that. It's Christmas."

"You said something about your family?" Pietro raised an eyebrow.

***

"Hello!" Clara grinned as she ran back inside, tugging Pietro in after her. "Here he is."

"The famous Oswalds," Pietro flashed a smile, well aware that at that moment, the Time Lords and Wanda were sneaking through the back way. Apparently, Clara needed desperate help with something else. "Merry Christmas."

"So, this is Pietro," Clara smiled. "He's my boyfriend."

"Hello," Clara's gran smirked, her glass empty.

Pietro raised an eyebrow, then looked at Clara. "Clara, didn't you want to show me what we were having for dinner?"

"Yes!" she nodded, tugging him off again. "This way!"

When they got into the kitchen, the Doctor was scanning the turkey in the oven. "Ridiculously undercooked," Jessie told her.

Clara groaned, putting her head in her hands. "Can you do anything about it?"

"Well, not without setting off the alarms in here," the Doctor looked up and around. "But I think a decent vent would give it an even chance."

"OK. Well, use an app."

"An app?"

"On your screwdriver. App it."

"Our screwdrivers don't do turkey," Jessie smirked.

"So we're adding turkey to the list?" Wanda asked.

"No, we'd need a time machine," the Doctor shook his head before blinking when Clara gave him puppy dog eyes. "What?"

***

"You can't keep using the TARDIS like this!" the Doctor complained, he and Pietro holding open the doors as Clara carried the turkey into the TARDIS.

"Like what?" Clara asked.

"Missed birthdays, restaurant bookings. And please, just learn how to use iPlayer."

"Vortex cooking," Jessie took the turkey from Clara, going to put it in the workings under the console. "Should come up just fine."

"Either that, or it'll possibly lay some eggs," the Doctor nodded.

"Let's hope for the first one," Pietro tilted his head.

"Information available," Handles suddenly said.

Clara blinked. "Why've you got a Cyberman head?"

"He'll get us to the church on time," the Doctor answered.

"I have developed a fault."

"The organics are all gone, but there's still a full set of data banks. Found it at the Maldovar market."

"Planet identified from analysis of message."

"Fantastic," Jessie smiled. "Go on, tell us. What's the planet?"

"Processing official designation. Processing."

"Oh, I hate waiting," Pietro huffed.

Clara looked at the snowy planet they were looking at. "So why haven't you just gone down there and had a look?"

"It's shielded," the Doctor answered. "Even the TARDIS can't break through it."

"Gallifrey."

All five of them spun around to look at Handles in shock. "What did you say?" the Doctor demanded, eyes wide.

"Gallifrey," Handles repeated.

"What are you talking about, Gallifrey? What do you mean?"

"Confirmed. Planet designation, Gallifrey."

"Er," Jessie frowned, taking another look at the snow-covered planet. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Doctor, but this is definitely not Gallifrey."

"No, no, no, that is not Gallifrey," he agreed.

"Doctor?" Clara frowned. "Are you OK?"

"It's not Gallifrey," the Doctor shook his head. "Gallifrey is gone."

"And we saved it," Jessie told him, going over to the doors and opening them, looking down at the planet. "Although . . . I can agree that this is definitely not Gallifrey."

There was a large foghorn blast, and she stumbled back into the TARDIS, closing the doors with a click of her fingers. "What's that?" Clara asked.

Jessie looked back out the doors, then turned. "It's the Papal Mainframe," she answered, all of them going to see. "Basically, it's a big flying church."

"The first ship to arrive," the Doctor added. "They are the ones who shielded the planet. They can get us down there."

A woman's face appeared as a hologram, and the Doctor bowed as Jessie saluted. "A friend of yours?" Wanda asked.

"Tasha Lem, the Mother Superious."

"And we've just been invited aboard," Jessie smiled as Tasha beckoned.

"Why?"

"Because we asked."

"Swallow this," the Doctor handed her a small device.

Clara frowned at it. "What is it?"

"Your hologram projector. You can't go to church without your clothes on."

Clara made a disgusted face, but reluctantly left the console room. Pietro was about to follow when he held up a finger. "We can see your clothes," he turned to the Time Lords. "And you can see ours . . . you can't see each other's, can you?"

"Now, where's the fun in that?" the Doctor grinned.

"I had to ask," Pietro pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head as he left, Jessie laughing hysterically behind him.

Why had he?

***

"I don't feel like I'm wearing anything," Clara mumbled as they walked between two rows of military personnel.

"I know," the Doctor nodded. "Relaxing, isn't it?"

"What is this place?" Wanda looked around.

"The Church of the Papal Mainframe, security hub of the universe."

"A security church?" Pietro raised an eyebrow.

"Yep. Keeping you safe in this world and the next." The Doctor stopped before the Mother Superious. "I venerate the exaltation of the Mother Superious."

The Colonel near Tasha nodded as the Doctor, Jessie, and Pietro bowed, Wanda and Clara curtseying. "Welcome to the Church of the Papal Mainframe. Your nudity is appreciated."

"Hey, babes," Tasha smirked.

"Loving the frock," the Doctor nodded at her.

"Are those new bodies? Give us a twirl."

"Tash, these old things?" the Doctor snorted, even as the Time Lords obeyed. "Please. We've been rocking them for centuries."

"And trust me, we have," Jessie grinned.

"Come on," Clara sighed as the Maximoffs snickered.

"Nice, though," Tasha smirked. "Tight."

Pietro cleared his throat. "And us."

"Pietro, Wanda, Clara, this is Tasha Lem, the Head of the Church of the Papal Mainframe," Jessie explained. "Tasha, these are fellow Avengers, Clara Oswald and Pietro and Wanda Maximoff."

Clara blushed slightly. After the Christmas Eve dinner, Steve had asked to see Clara spar against Jessie. It had been a close match, with Jessie winning, but he had been extremely impressed. "Hi."

"We'll go to my chapel," Tasha said. "All honors in place, no sacrifices required."

Wanda's eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me?"

"It was Tasha who shielded the planet," the Doctor said as they walked down a corridor. "But you could sneak us down there, couldn't you, Tasha?"

Tasha turned. "I would have conditions. I have confidential matters to discuss with the Doctor and the Bad Wolf. Would you excuse us?"

"Anything you have to say to us, you can say in front of them," the Doctor shook his head.

"After you," Jessie said instead, taking the Doctor's arm and looking apologetically at the companions. "Would you mind waiting?"

"You two have needed a room for a while, anyway," Pietro smirked.

"Not saying no to that," the Doctor grinned.

"Oh, just go," Clara sighed, waving them off. They went off, and Clara turned around, freezing when she saw a mouthless creature in a suit, reaching out with three long fingers. "Pietro?"

He turned around to see, and his eyes widened. "Silent!"

"What?" Wanda spun around.

***

Jessie quirked an eyebrow when they entered the chapel. "That altar looks like a bed."

"That bed looks like an altar," Tasha corrected.

"I'm remembering Pompeii," the Doctor smirked at Jessie as they sat on it.

"No ropes this time, though," she smirked right back before making a face at the blue liquid Tasha offered. "No."

Tasha shrugged, then pressed a panel on the headrest. The three-toned message beeped, and she leaned towards them. "That message is transmitting through all of space and time. What did it make you feel?"

"Feel?" the Doctor repeated.

"Every sentient being in the universe who detected that signal felt something. Something overpowering."

"What?"

"Fear. Pure, unadulterated dread."

***

"Fair warning, when it disappears, you'll forget it," Pietro told Clara.

"How?" Clara asked as it vanished behind a screen.

"We've yet to figure that out."

***

"Right," the Doctor nodded. "What's the signal? Where's it coming from?"

"It's a settlement," Tasha answered. "Human colony, level two. A farm, basically."

"Has anyone been for a look?" Jessie asked.

"Any one ship lands, the rest will follow," Tasha shook her head. "There will be bloodshed. Fortunately, we got here first, shielded the planet. We maintain the truce by blocking all of them."

"Daleks, Cybermen, one of that lot could break through your defenses," the Doctor pointed out.

"Perhaps. But they're afraid, remember? Nobody wants to go first."

They both raised their hands. "We do."

Tasha smirked. "I was counting on it."

***

"Confess," one of the Silence hissed. "Confess."

"What are you?" Clara asked as she and the Maximoffs backed up to the chapel doors. "Why do we keep forgetting you?"

"Confess," the Silence hissed. "Confess."

"What?" Clara asked.

The door behind them opened, and they stumbled in to join the Doctor and Jessie. "Are you OK?" the Doctor asked in surprise.

"Fine," Clara blinked, frowning. "Yeah, fine. Sorry."

"Right, this is my personal teleport," Tasha told them, leading them over to it. "I can put you down just outside the town. Find the source of the message and report back to me in one hour. And on your life, Time Lords, you will cause no trouble down there."

"When do I?" the Doctor asked, heading into a confessional-style box.

Jessie smirked. "Well, let's see - "

"Don't say it out loud, please," Clara sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Jessie stepped into the booth, then Tasha pulled the curtain back. "What?" the Doctor frowned.

"I'm not an idiot," Tasha raised an eyebrow. "Everyone in this church is trained to see straight through holograms."

"Ah. Great."

"Give, now. You are taking no technology of any kind down there."

"What can I do with a key?" the Doctor frowned.

"You three, in," Jessie pointed to the other box.

"You could summon your TARDIS," Tasha answered as the other three climbed into the other box.

"The TARDIS doesn't work by remote," the Doctor said, then sighed when Tasha didn't relent. "Fine. If it makes you feel any better, there we are."

He handed over the TARDIS key, and Tasha nodded. "Remember, I want you back in one hour."

***

The quintet appeared on the snowy planet below, and Clara shivered. "Oh, cold. Very cold."

"OK, don't worry," the Doctor waved at them. "There's a heat loss filter in your hologram shell. It'll kick in, just give it a moment. So, sweet little town covered in snow . . . half the universe in terror. Why? Why?"

"Doctor!" Wanda suddenly shouted, eyes wide.

"What?" he turned to look, only to blanch when he saw her looking at a stone arm sticking out of the snow. "Wanda . . . stand back."

"I'm backing," she nodded, backing away, not taking her eyes off the arm. "Don't blink."

"Exactly."

"Why?" Clara frowned. "It's just stone."

"Trust me, it's not," Jessie shook her head, looking around, seeing other hands emerging from the snow. "They're Weeping Angels."

"They're climbing out of the snow," Pietro looked around.

"Look at as many of them as you can," Jessie ordered.

"Why?" Clara asked.

"Quantum-locked life form," the Doctor answered. "It can only move if it's unobserved."

"What are they doing here?" Wanda demanded.

"Same as everybody else. Must've gotten past Tasha's shield."

"Doctor, we can't see them all at the same time," Pietro shook his head, watching the Angels climb out of the snow and advance.

"I can't, I can't see," Clara reached up to wipe her eyes. "The snow's in my eyes."

"I just need to bring the TARDIS down," the Doctor rubbed his hands together.

"You can't fly it remotely!"

"No, but it can home in on the key."

"But she took your key!"

"She took one of them!" Clara blinked as he whipped off his hair, actually revealing it to have been a wig, and held up a glowing key, the TARDIS materializing around them. "The old key in the quiff routine. Classic."

"Homing in on the message," Jessie worked the console.

"I like mysterious message," the Doctor told her.

"You've shaved your head," Clara stared blankly at him.

"Yep. Clever plan to get us past the shield."

"You got bored one night, didn't you?"

"Trust me, Clara, we never get bored on nights," Jessie smirked.

"You walked right into that one," Wanda snickered.

"You didn't see that coming?" Pietro laughed.

"Yeah, I did," Clara closed her eyes.

"Found it," Jessie said. "Setting us down near the signal source, engines on silent. We don't want a fuss."

"Put it back on," Clara looked at the wig in the Doctor's hands.

"Why?" he asked.

"Your ears are like rocket fins."

He grinned. "I know!"

***

"Oh, it's good to be wearing clothes again," Clara sighed in relief as they walked into the town. "That's so much better, don't you think?"

"Now, what do we make of this place?" the Doctor scanned around with his sonic screwdriver. "It's two o'clock in the afternoon. Must be very short days here. The message is coming from that tower."

"People coming," Wanda warned.

"Right," the Doctor nodded. "We're families from the next town. My name's probably Hank or Rock, something like that."

Clara snorted. "Or Daisy."

"Shut up," the Doctor shook his head, walking up to join the couple approaching. "Hello, good to meet you. Nice snow."

"Most pleasant to meet you," the man nodded.

"Most pleasant," the woman agreed. "Most pleasant."

The Doctor nodded, opened his mouth, and let loose a stream of words. "I'm the Doctor. I'm a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey. I stole a time machine and ran away and I've been flouting the principal law of my own people ever since." He clapped a hand over his mouth, eyes wide. "That wasn't quite what I was meant to say!"

Jessie patted his shoulder, smiling, then said, "I'm the Bad Wolf, born Jessie Nightshade. Born on planet Earth, turned half Asgardian when I stuck my nose into business it probably didn't belong. That's all right, because not long after that I met this mad man in a box and died and then - " Her eyes bugged open, and clapped a hand over her mouth. "What the hell?"

Clara shook her head, then blurted out, "I'm an English teacher from planet Earth, and I've run off with my boyfriend and his twin sister with a man and woman from space - "

"OK, we'll stop there," Wanda put a hand over her mouth.

"I think, perhaps, you should stop talking till you get used to it," the woman smiled.

"Used to what?" Pietro frowned. He could stop talking, yes - he wasn't entirely sure about the Doctor, though.

"What did you say your names were?"

"Bubbly personality masking bossy control freak!" Clara answered, then blushed in embarrassment.

"I'm wearing a wig!" the Doctor took it off to show.

Jessie sighed. "There's a truth field, isn't there?"

"Oh, a truth field!" the Doctor grinned. "I haven't seen a truth field in years. I'm wearing a wig," he added.

"Yes, we can see that, dearie."

"No one can lie in this town," the man said. "Especially this close to the tower."

Jessie looked up to see the tower, and Pietro asked, "Doesn't that make life a bit difficult?"

"Not at all," the woman shook her head.

"Yes," the man answered.

Wanda snickered. "This town, what's it called?" the Doctor asked.

"It's Christmas," the woman answered.

He blinked. "It's July."

She laughed. "No, the town! The town is Christmas. That's what it's called."

"Be happy here," the man nodded. "Be well."

Clara frowned as they left. "How can a town be called Christmas?"

"Well, Earth's got an island called Easter," Jessie pointed out. "I don't see why not."

***

They climbed to the top of the clock tower, the Doctor using a fireball to look around. Jessie looked around before pausing, glaring at something in utter distaste. "Doctor."

He turned around, and he instantly made a face. "There you are," he narrowed his eyes. "What took you so long?"

Clara frowned. "What's wrong? It's only a crack in the wall."

"Trust me, it isn't just a crack," Jessie shook her head.

"I knew," the Doctor shook his head, walking over to touch it. "I always knew it wasn't over."

"What is it really, then?" Pietro frowned.

"A split in the skin of reality," the Doctor answered. "A tiny sliver of the 26th of June, 2018. The day the universe blew up."

The three companions exchanged looks. "Missed that," Clara cleared her throat.

"That's because we put it all back together," Jessie patted her shoulder.

"That's good."

"It was Idris that blew up in the first place. We had a bit of responsibility there."

"But the scar tissue remains," the Doctor said. "A structural weakness in the whole universe." He scanned the crack, stepping back. "Whoa! And someone's trying to get through it from outside our universe, from somewhere else." He sighed. "Of course. Of course. It makes sense."

"What does?" Wanda asked.

"If you were trying to break through a wall, you'd choose the weakest spot. If you were trying to break into this universe, you'd choose this crack because . . . no, if you were trying to break back into this universe." He turned to Handles. You said Gallifrey. Why did you say Gallifrey?"

"Analysis of message composition indicates Gallifreyan origin, according to TARDIS databanks," Handles answered.

"You said Gallifrey was gone," Clara frowned.

"I did, but it's in another universe," the Doctor corrected. "The message is coming through here. The truth field is, too, at a guess. If it's the Time Lords."

"And we can figure that out, yes?" Pietro asked.

The Doctor nodded, taking an item out of his pocket. "Seal of the High Council of Gallifrey. Nicked it off the Master in the Death Zone. There is an algorithm imprinted in the atomic structure. Use it to decode the message."

He placed it on Handles, and the Cyberman head answered. "Message decoding. Message analysis proceeding. Information available. The message is a request for information."

The Doctor frowned. "It's a question. Why can't you just say it's a question?"

"It is being projected through all of time and space on a repeating cycle."

Jessie's eyes widened in horror. "Oh, no."

"Bad Wolf?" Wanda asked. "Do you know it?"

She swallowed. "The oldest question in the universe, hidden in plain sight."

"Warning, translation will be available to all life forms in range," Handles said. After a moment, he said, "Translation follows. Doctor Who?" The Doctor's face blanched of all color as the voice changed each time. "Doctor Who? Doctor Who? Doctor Who?"

The Doctor swallowed hard. "A question only Jez and I could answer. A truth field to make sure we're not lying. If one of us gives my name, they'll know they've found the right place and it's safe to come through."

"A secret I'll take to our grave, because I'm not giving it," Jessie shook her head.

"I know, gorgeous, I know."

"The Time Lords?" Clara clarified, and both nodded. "OK, so what then? If you answer the question and they come back, what happens?"

"You three, go back to the TARDIS," Jessie took out a round device from her pocket, handing it to Clara. "Put that in the charger slot for our sonics."

"Why?"

"Hell," Jessie said bluntly. "All hell. that's what happens if the Time Lords come back, and I made a promise to protect every single one of you. If that means sending you back to the TARDIS, I'm doing that. Half a universe is up there waiting to open fire. None of you would survive that. Please. Go."

Clara swallowed and nodded, running off. The Maximoffs took one long look at Jessie before running off as well. "Doctor!" Tasha's voice shouted. "Bad Wolf! Speak with me! Doctor! Bad Wolf! Face me now! Doctor! Bad Wolf!"

The two of them ran to the bell chamber, seeing Tasha's hologram in the sky. "Mother Superious, there is only one thing we need from you," the Doctor said. "This planet, what's it called?"

"Trenzalore," Tasha responded, making the Time Lords look at each other. Jessie closed her eyes and turned away, pinching the bridge of her nose as she realized . . . this was it. This was the battle they died in. This was the end for them. "If you speak your name, the Time Lords will return."

The Doctor frowned. "If they return, they will come in peace."

"It doesn't matter. They will be met with a war that will never end. The Time War will begin anew. You know that, Doctor. And you, Bad Wolf."

***

Clara ran into the TARDIS, looking around. "Sonic chargers . . . "

"Here," Pietro put the device into one of the chargers, looking up as the engines started. "I hope the engines are supposed to do that."

"The Bad Wolf said our safety was important," Wanda said. "The TARDIS may be protecting us."

The engines stopped, and Clara sighed in relief. "Done," she nodded, running for the doors.

The three of them emerged outside, but instead of the snow planet, they found themselves right back on Earth. "It was a trick," Wanda's eyes widened.

"No, don't you dare!" Clara shouted, running to the TARDIS and trying to put her key in the lock, even as it dematerialized, the Maximoffs grabbing onto the sides. "No! No!"

***

"They're asking for our help!" the Doctor shouted.

"And if you give it, war will be the consequence," Tasha countered. "I will not let that happen at any cost. Speak your name, and this world will burn."

"Ohoho, no," Jessie shook her head, reaching up and ringing the bell. "This planet is protected, sweetheart."

They went down the stairs as the people gathered, the Doctor nodding to them. "So, you lot, a quick word, thank you. Spot of news. Christmas has some new sheriffs. Hello, everyone. I'm the Doctor, and this is the Bad Wolf."

***

Tasha assembled the Papal Mainframe and stood at the head. "Attention!" she called. "Attention all Chapels and Choirs of the Papal Mainframe. The siege of Trenzalore is now begun. There will now be an unscheduled faith change. From this moment on, I dedicate this church to one cause: silence! The Doctor will not speak his name, and war will not begin. Silence will fall!"

"Silence will fall!" the shouts echoed. "Silence will fall!"

+++

"In the time that followed, the Papal Mainframe strove to maintain the peace between the Doctor and his enemies."

+++

Jessie smirked from where she stood atop the clock tower, aiming her rifle down at the vehicle tracks that were appearing in the snow. "Night night," she whispered, pulling the trigger.

A sonic blast rang out, and the vehicle exploded, sending bits of Sontarans every way.

"The Church of the Papal Mainframe apologizes for your death. The relevant afterlives have been notified."

+++

"As the days passed, and the years, the Doctor and the Bad Wolf stayed true to their word. On the fields of Trenzalore, they stood as protectors, both of their own people and their new home."

+++

The Doctor brushed his hands off, smirking as he left the Weeping Angels looking at their reflections, With Love from the Doctor and the Bad Wolf written on them.

+++

"Over the years, their foes would find new, stranger ways to enter the town called Christmas."

+++

Jessie looked up when she heard the alarm bells ring, and she looked at the older Doctor. He was starting to turn grey, while she, only on her fourth regeneration counting the Metacrisis incident, had not appeared to age a day. "That's our cue."

They headed outside, the Doctor using a cane to help him. "The Doctor is required," a brown Cyberman was saying, a young boy called Barnable the one that sounded the alarm.

The Doctor held up a wooden rifle and tossed it to Barnable. "There you go, Barnable."

"Thanks," he smiled.

"Working fine. Nice action. Don't leave it out in the rain again." He tossed the next toy. "Fixed the wheels and the anti-grav."

The girl blinked. "The anti-what?"

He sighed. "Yeah, may have gone a bit far. Now, then, what do we have today?" He tilted his head, looking at the Cyberman. "Don't you move one step further. Wooden Cyberman. Nice. Like it." He limped his way over, Jessie his constant shadow. "Low tech, doesn't set off the alarms upstairs." The two stared at each other, then the Doctor zapped it with his screwdriver as the Cyberman attempted to raise its creaky arm. "Only a bit of tech allowed in. Got in before the truce. Now, I just sent an instruction to your firearm to reverse the polarity and fire out the back end. Now, as we're standing in a truth field, you will understand I cannot be lying. If you like, you can scan my screwdriver, verify that's the signal I sent."

"Signal verified," the Cyberman said before shooting itself in the chest.

The Doctor smirked. "Yes, I probably should have mentioned this doesn't work on wood. You send your friends up there a message from the Doctor and the Bad Wolf. You tell them the Doctor and the Bad Wolf stay."

Jessie clapped her hands as the Doctor used his cane to topple the Cyberman. "Next!"

+++

"With every victory, the town celebrated. In time, the Doctor seemed to forget he'd lived any other life, but the Bad Wolf always remembered. The people of the town came to love the man and woman who stayed for Christmas."

+++

"You've got to be the drunk giraffe!" the Doctor taught the children his dance, Jessie giggling as she watched from the side. "You've got to commit! Don't be cool, guys. Cool is not cool."

"Cool is not cool!" they echoed.

"And what's the dance we're doing?"

"The drunk giraffe!"

"The drunk giraffe!" he agreed. "Yeah, it is. Merry Christmas! And is it just me, or does my wife look like she needs a hug? Go on, bring it in!"

Jessie laughed as the children threw themselves in a pile on top of her. "Merry Christmas, you lot!"

The Doctor chuckled, patting Barnable on the shoulder. "How's your father's barn?"

"You've fixed the leak, all right, but he says it's bigger on the inside now."

"Shush," the Doctor put a finger to his lips. "They'll all want one."

A familiar wheezing sound echoed, and Jessie's head shot up. "What the hell?"

"What is it?" Barnable looked around as a blue police public call box tried to materialize. "What's that noise?"

"Well!" the Doctor huffed, hitting the ground with his cane. "Where have you been for three hundred years? Ha!"

"What's that?" Barnable asked as Jessie jogged over to join them.

"It's our ship."

"Your what?"

"It's our TARDIS. That's how we got here in the first place."

Barnable slumped. "Does this mean you're leaving?"

Jessie couldn't help but laugh when she saw all three companions were hanging onto the TARDIS for dear life, all of them with their eyes closed. "Whatever did Idris do to deserve so many hugs?"

Wanda jumped off the TARDIS, opening her eyes, before she grabbed Jessie in a tight hug. "You tricked us!"

"Rule 2: I lie when necessary."

"We were in space," Clara said shakily.

"Technically, you were in the Time Vortex," the Doctor corrected. "She must have extended the force field. No wonder. No wonder she's late, dragging you three around."

"You still tricked us," Pietro scowled.

Jessie shrugged. "I saved you."

"You didn't even say goodbye!"

"Fine, yes, be furious, yada yada," Jessie held out her arms. "I'll have a hug."

He sighed and hugged her. "Why can't I stay mad at you?"

***

"Ha," Clara smiled as she looked over the children's drawings and the Doctor's workbench. "Oh, Doctor. Fixing toys and fighting monsters."

"Jez has been doing more of that lately," the Doctor shook his head, holding up his cane to emphasize the point.

"The turkey isn't done yet," Jessie added.

"Is it still asking the question?" Wanda looked over at the crack.

"Oh, never stops," the Doctor nodded, checking outside. "Come upstairs. It's almost time."

"What for?" Clara asked.

"The light of dawn only lasts a few minutes," Jessie smiled. "You don't want to miss it."

***

"It's a standoff," Jessie explained as they went up into the bell chamber, the Doctor carrying Handles. "They can't attack in case we unleash the Time Lords, and we can't run away because they'll burn this planet to stop the Time Lords."

"Hey, after all these years, we've finally found somewhere that needs us to stick around," the Doctor chuckled. "A town called Christmas. Could've been worse. Right, there you go, buddy," he put Handles down in a bundle of blankets by a crackling fire. "Comfy?"

"Comfort is irrelevant," Handles answered.

Jessie readjusted the blankets. "Better?"

"Affirmative."

"You just take it easy, buddy," the Doctor patted his head before handing blankets to the companions. "He's getting old. We do our best for him, but we just can't get the parts, you know." He chuckled. "Hey, I know the feeling."

Wanda blinked when Jessie handed her a long stick. "Marshmallows?"

"Where did you get these?" Pietro looked his over.

"We have a supplier," the Doctor grinned, sitting down. "The pink ones are the best."

Handles suddenly spoke, his voice wobbling. "I have developed a fault."

"Hey, don't you worry, Handles, you're just dreaming," the Doctor told him. "The sun's coming up very soon. You just hang on in there."

"I have developed a fault. I - I have developed a fault."

The Doctor's smiled dropped. "Hey, Handles," he crouched down. "Come on. Come on. One more dawn, you can do it. You've got it in you. Come on, just hang in there."

"Attention. Emergency. Attention."

"Handles, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Urgent action required. You must patch the telephone device back through the console unit."

Handles' lights went out as Jessie closed her eyes. "Rest in peace, Handles."

"Thank you, Handles," the Doctor patted the Cyberman head. "And well done. Well done, mate."

"Wow," Wanda's eyes lit up.

They looked out to the mountains, the sun rising, then the Doctor said, "What do you think of our new place? We come up here once a day for a few minutes."

"Helps us remember what we're protecting," Jessie said.

"It's beautiful," Clara nodded, then looked over. "Why did you send us away?"

"Because if I didn't, then we'd've buried all three of you a long time ago."

"No, you wouldn't," Clara frowned. "We would never have let you get stuck here."

"Ha!" the Doctor laughed. "Everyone gets stuck somewhere eventually, Clara. Everything ends."

"Except you," Pietro pointed out.

"Have you been paying attention?" the Doctor gestured to himself. "I'm an old man now."

"But you don't die," Clara shook her head. "You change. You pop right back up with a new face."

"No, not forever," the Doctor shook his head. "I can change twelve times. Thirteen versions of me. Thirteen silly Doctors."

Pietro tilted his head. "But you are number eleven."

"You're forgetting the War Doctor," Jessie shook her head. "He may not have had a number, but he was still the Doctor."

"That makes twelve."

"Well," the Doctor tilted his head back and forth. "Number ten once regenerated and kept the same face."

"We had vanity issues at the time," Jessie snickered.

"But that's twelve regenerations," the Doctor said. "I can't ever do it again. This is where we end up. These faces, these versions of us. We saw this planet in the future, remember? All those graves. One of them was ours."

"Change the future," Clara suggested as the sun started to set again.

"We can't."

"You've got your TARDIS back."

"You should know by now, Clara, we don't abandon everyone," Jessie told her.

"Of course not," she shook her head. "But you've been protecting this town for over three hundred years. Do you not think it's anybody else's go yet?"

"There is no one else to protect it," the Doctor shook his head.

"It's not going to be you forever. It'll end the same way whatever you do."

"Every life we save is a victory. Every single one."

"What about your lives?" Clara exploded. "Just for once, after all this time, have you not earned the right to think about that?" She paused, seeing the Maximoffs hastily shaking their heads, then raised a hand to cover her mouth when she saw a dark film drop over Jessie's eyes. "Er . . . sorry. Wrong thing to say. We shouldn't be having an argument."

"Clara," the Doctor said gently. "We've been having that argument for the last three hundred years all by ourselves."

"But you didn't have your TARDIS," Pietro pointed out.

"Ah," the Doctor winced. "Yes, well, that made it easier to stay. True."

"Doctor! Bad Wolf!"

Jessie raised an eyebrow when Tasha's voice called out, followed by thunder. "Well, how about that for dramatics."

Tasha's hologram appeared in the sky above them. "The Church of the Silence requests parlay. Your rights and safety are sanctified."

"We'll be right up," the Doctor answered.

"I'm sending a transporter."

"Nah, don't bother. We've got our motor back."

Clara looked around, as if just realizing something. "It's gone dark."

"Yeah, well, the sun's gone down," the Doctor shrugged.

"Already?"

"Nothing lasts forever, Clara," Jessie shook her head. "Everything ends, and sooner than you think."

***

As the companions entered the TARDIS, Jessie smiled, seeing a tiny hand behind the TARDIS. "Are you guarding our TARDIS, Barnable?"

He looked out shyly. "Are you coming back?"

"You know us," she crouched down and smiled warmly at him. "You answer that question yourself."

He smiled. "I'll wait."

She kissed the top of his head and went inside, the Doctor following.

***

"She hasn't aged much," Clara noted as they stood at the edge of the Papal Mainframe and looked forward at Tasha.

"No," the Doctor shook his head. "She's against aging."

"Approach," Tasha ordered.

The five did, the Silence all around them. "Confess," they hissed.

"What are those things?" Clara frowned.

"Confess."

"Confessional priests," the Doctor answered. "Very popular. Genetically engineered so you forget everything you told them."

Clara turned back to him, then blinked. "Told who?"

"There you go," Jessie patted her shoulder.

***

Tasha led them into her chapel, placing a big box in front of them. The Doctor took a look inside, and his eyes widened. "Satisfactory?" Tasha asked.

"He's looking for pink ones," Jessie snickered.

"E numbers," Tasha shook her head. "He's hyper enough as it is."

"So, this is sweet," Pietro raised an eyebrow. "Middle of a siege, and you have little chats?"

"He's right," Tasha told them. "This situation cannot continue."

"It can't end, either," Jessie countered.

Tasha frowned. "Why did you ever come to Trenzalore?"

"Well, we did come to Trenzalore, and nothing can change that now," the Doctor shook his head. "Didn't stop you trying, though, did it?"

"Not me," Tasha shook her head. "The Kovarian Chapter broke away. They traveled back along your timeline and tried to prevent you ever reaching Trenzalore."

He scoffed. "So that's who blew up my TARDIS. I thought I'd left the bath running."

"They blew up your time capsule, created the very cracks in the universe through which the Time Lords are now calling."

"The destiny trap," Jessie sighed. "You can't change history if you're part of it."

"They engineered a psychopath to kill you."

Jessie snorted. "Definitely my sister. We would never have made it here alive without River Song."

"I'm not interested in changing history, Bad Wolf," Tasha frowned. "I want to change the future. The Daleks send for reinforcements daily. They are massing for war. Three days ago, they attacked the Mainframe itself."

The Doctor blanched. "They attacked here?"

"How did you stop them?" Wanda asked.

"Stop them?" Tasha shook her head. "It was slaughter."

Jessie narrowed her eyes, putting one hand on her blaster. "And you survived."

"I tried. I died in this room, screaming your name."

Pietro blinked. "What?"

"No," the Doctor breathed in horror.

"Oh," Tasha blinked. "I died." She chuckled weakly. "It's funny, the things that slip your mind." She bent over double. "Ah!"

"No!" the Doctor ran over to her. "No, no, no, Tasha, no, please, not Tasha! No, fight it! Tasha, fight it!"

A Dalek eyestalk came out of her forehead, and Wanda was on her feet immediately when real Daleks entered the room. "Step away from the Dalek unit, Doctor," one said.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes, turning around. "You shouldn't even know who I am."

"Information concerning the Doctor and the Bad Wolf as harvested from the cadaver of Tasha Lem."

"But she never told you how to break through the Trenzalore forcefield, though," he smirked. "She'd have died first."

"Several times," another Dalek stated.

"Well, you'd better kill me, then. Go on. But before you do . . . " He sonicked the messenger in the room, and the question "Doctor Who?" relayed throughout. "I'm a tough old bird. I'll be ages dying. Way enough time to answer a question. And, oh dear, what happens then, boys?"

Wanda threw out a hand, and Tasha froze before she could get an arm around Clara's neck, and she did the same to one of the Daleks approaching Pietro. "Do not harm them," she warned with narrowed eyes.

"You see, Tasha? That is a woman," the Doctor pointed at Wanda, who blinked. "I always knew you were a bit spineless, you and your pointless church. Why did I ever rely on you? Never trust a nun to do a Doctor's work!"

Tasha suddenly spun around and slapped him, then proceeded to blast the Daleks. Pietro blinked. "Did not see that coming."

"And she's back!" the Doctor laughed in relief as the eyestalk retreated. "You never could resist a row."

"Tasha, can you get us back to the TARDIS?" Jessie asked.

"Yeah, but quickly," Tasha nodded. "The Dalek inside me is waking."

"Fight it."

"I can't."

"Listen to me," Jessie grabbed her by the shoulders. "You have been fighting the psychopath inside you all your life. So shut up and win. That's an order, Tasha."

She nodded, and the five got into the teleport booths. "The forcefield will hold for a while, but it will decay, and there are breaches already."

"Then this isn't a siege anymore, it's a war," the Doctor took a deep breath. "It's all up to you now. Fight the Daleks, inside and out. You can do it, I know you can."

Tasha narrowed her eyes. "Oh, I see. You've got your TARDIS back, haven't you? Time to fly away."

"Tasha," he interrupted. "Please. Please, thank you."

"None of this was for you, you fatuous egotist," she spat. "It was for the peace. Fly away, Doctor!"

***

As the TARDIS landed, another bell went off, and Jessie looked up from her scanner. "It's done."

"What is?" Clara blinked.

"Your turkey," she laughed. "Either that, or it's woken up."

"Oh, I've got to try this," Wanda grinned.

"Do you want some?" Clara asked the Time Lords.

The Doctor sighed. "Go on, then."

"Have you got any plates?" Pietro wondered.

"I think we've even got the Christmas crackers," Jessie grinned.

Clara paused, about to go, before turning and walking right up to her. "One thing. Give me whatever emotion you can in those eyes so I know you're not lying and tell me you will never send us away ever again."

Jessie put a hand on her cheek and said, "Clara, I will never send you away again."

She grinned and ran down to check on the turkey. "Wanda, a hand?"

Wanda went after her as Pietro went to go find the plates. "It smells good!" Wanda remarked.

"Yeah," the Doctor nodded, but he was looking at Barnable, who was standing right outside. "Smells good."

"Perfect!" Clara cheered.

The Time Lords exchanged looks, then Jessie took the round device back out of her pocket and inserted it into one of the chargers, the two of them heading out of the TARDIS.

Clara came up with Wanda, carrying the turkey. "Merry Christmas!" she smiled, only to freeze when she saw the Time Lords weren't there. "Doctor? Bad Wolf?"

"Pietro!" Wanda screamed.

He came running back in a flash, looking around. "Where did they go?"

Clara ran outside, looking around her block of flats, her eyes wide and filling with tears. The Maximoffs had barely taken one step out before the TARDIS dematerialized again.

***

Barnable watched with the Time Lords as the TARDIS rematerialized on Trenzalore. "If you're not leaving, why did you bring it back?"

"It's a reminder," the Doctor answered as Jessie headed inside. "Besides, we might leave tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the day after that."

"But before that happens . . . " Jessie came back out, cocking the sonic rifle she held in her hands. It powered up, and she smirked as her outfit morphed into full Asgardian battle armor. "The Mad Wolf's ready to eat."

+++

"And so, to the fields of Trenzalore came all the Time Lords' enemies. For this was the winter of the Doctor. In time, when all other races had retreated or burned, only the Church of the Mainframe remained in the path of the Daleks."

+++

The Daleks rolled forward into battle, screeching their favorite word. Jessie marched her way across the snow, her dark eyes now nearly black, swirling with the Aether and the Vortex, one hand clenching her blaster, the other one holding a crackling ball of electricity. Behind her marched legions of the Silence, the Doctor flying above them all, his emerald eyes narrowed, a fireball in one hand, the other hand holding spiraling tendrils of the Aether.

+++

"And so those ancient enemies, the Doctor, the Bad Wolf, and the Silence, stood back to back on the fields of Trenzalore."

+++

Pietro quietly entered the kitchen to see Clara bracing herself on the counter, tears running down her cheeks. She had stormed out of the dining room only seconds earlier, having heard enough from her family. Wanda had gone outside to clear her mind, and from what Pietro had seen of her, she was just getting extremely restless. "Clara," he said quietly.

"She promised," Clara sniffed. "She promised she wouldn't send us away."

"Rule 2," Pietro reminded her. "She lies when necessary."

"I wish she hadn't."

"I know," Pietro hugged her, letting her cry into his chest as he kissed the top of her head. "I wish she hadn't, too."

Clara nodded, then froze when she heard a familiar wheezing noise. "Pietro - "

They ran outside to see Wanda already sprinting down the steps towards the TARDIS, which was materializing. Pietro grabbed Clara just as she grabbed a Christmas cracker, speeding down to catch up with Wanda. When they entered the TARDIS, they didn't see the Doctor or the Bad Wolf inside. Instead, it was Tasha. "You can fly the TARDIS?" Wanda's eyebrows flew up.

"Flying the TARDIS was always easy," she nodded. "Only the Bad Wolf could master flying the Doctor."

"What's happened to them?" Clara demanded.

Tasha just pointed to a few controls for them to man.

***

When they emerged on Trenzalore, they found everything in absolute flames. "What are we supposed to do?" Clara looked around helplessly.

"They shouldn't die alone," Tasha answered. "Go to them."

***

When they found the clock tower, the door flew open, and Pietro hurriedly threw up his hands when he received a sonic blaster in the face. "Bad Wolf?" he asked, eyes wide.

Her eyes, now the color of black thunderclouds widened, and the woman snapped her blaster away. "Pietro," she breathed, hugging him tightly. "Oh, my God."

"Bad Wolf," Wanda choked, hugging her as well. "How long has it been?"

Jessie swallowed as she pulled back. "Far too long," she answered, leading them inside. "Doctor? We have visitors."

"Barnable?" an old man's voice asked.

"No," Jessie shook her head, walking over to where the Doctor sat at his workbench, now with thin, grey hair and many wrinkles. "Not quite."

The Doctor turned around to see them, and Clara swallowed hard. "Hello, Doctor."

The Doctor looked at them in surprise. "Were you always so young?" he asked.

"Nah. That was you."

"Ah," the Doctor nodded, gesturing, and she leaned down to give him a hug.

***

"Merry Christmas," Clara said.

"Merry Christmas," the Doctor took the other end of the cracker.

They pulled at the same time, then Jessie bent down to help him. "I've got you," she smiled, and together, they pulled the cracker apart.

"Ah!" the Doctor smiled as Wanda bent down to pick up the paper that came out. "Is there a joke? Ha?"

"Extract from Thoughts on a Clock by Eric Ritchie Jr.," Wanda tilted her head.

"Is it a knock knock one? Those are the best."

"I do not believe so."

"Well, read it. Go on."

Wanda read it over, a confused look on her face, then read it aloud. "And now it's time for one last bow like all your other selves. The third of eleven's hour is over now. The clock is striking the fourth of twelve's."

Pietro looked at the Time Lords slowly. This were their Eleventh and Third regenerations . . . was this a hint to the future? That they could change this? "I don't get it," the Doctor finally said.

"Doctor! Bad Wolf!" a Dalek voice shouted. "The Doctor will be brought!" They all looked up, seeing a huge Dalek ship descend on the tower. "The Daleks demand the Time Lords!"

"They're here," a young man panted as he ran in. "The Daleks, we can't stop them. They want you."

"Oh, all right, Barnable," the Doctor waved him off, then squinted. "Are you Barnable?"

"No, Doctor," he shook his head.

"It's OK, Barnable, don't worry. I have got a plan. Off you pop."

Jessie sighed as the man ran off, hearing explosions as well. "Why do we have to keep saying that?"

"Because even when we haven't got a plan, the people love it when we say that."

"So what are you going to do?" Wanda asked nervously.

"Oh, I don't know," the Doctor sighed. "Talk very fast, hope something good happens, take the credit. That's generally how it works."

"Doctor - " Clara began.

"Not this time, though," he shook his head, reaching out for Jessie's hand. "We decided before you arrived. This is it."

"No!" Pietro shook his head desperately.

"Yes," Jessie insisted. "We saw the future. This is how it ends."

"Change it," Clara begged.

"Ha!" both Time Lords scoffed at that.

"Like Tasha said. Change the future."

"I could have once, when there were Time Lords," the Doctor shook his head. "Not any more."

"Go outside, help the evacuation," Jessie told them. "Do what the Avengers do. Help people. Let that be our last victory. Let us know before we die that you do the right thing." She was answered by bone-crushing hugs by both the Maximoffs, and Clara did the same to the Doctor. They were out the door moments later, Wanda obviously brushing tears off her face. "You go on up," Jessie told the Doctor. "I'll be there soon."

"If I haven't died of boredom by then," the Doctor limped his way up the stairs. "The Daleks take so long to say anything."

Jessie watched him go, then walked over to the crack, bending down by it. "Listen here, you lot, and you better listen, because I know you can hear me," she narrowed her eyes. "I'm not begging for my life here. I'm begging for his. You've been asking a question, and I'm telling you as someone who knows the answer, you've got it wrong. My blood bonded helps people, and he has earned his name in every way possible. His name is the Doctor, and all he has ever wanted to do is help. He's helped you, and he never asks to be repaid, but maybe it's time someone did. He helped save you. If you have ever in one moment of your lives felt grateful to him for saving you, then get off your asses and do something. And if you don't . . . " She stood. "Well, then I know who the real cowards are."

She walked up the staircase, putting back on the expressionless soldier face. After all, if she was going to die, she was going to die fighting.

***

Wow. After "The Day of the Doctor and the Bad Wolf," this felt so bloody short.

Well . . . just the clock tower scene to go, then the episode. Oh, and I owe you guys a few more hints.

The actress is a Leo, and she has portrayed a form of a bad wolf before. ;)

The interlude will be up shortly!