Chapter Sixteen: Impossible Planet

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"THE GROUND GAVE WAY. MY TARDIS MUST HAVE FALLEN DOWN INTO THE HEART OF THE PLANET."

If Claudia wasn't so concerned about the TARDIS and the Doctor's grip on her hand, she would've spotted the man in the corner of the room smirking at her. Alas, her surroundings were still a bit blurred from her panic attack and the creeping anxiety from losing the only place that felt like home anymore.

"You've got robot drills heading the same way," the Doctor pointed out.

"We can't divert the drilling." Zack shrugged, walking around the command center.

The Doctor's hand tightened on Claudia's and Claudia looked down, fighting the oncoming panic attack. She needed to be strong for the Doctor. He needed her to be strong.

"But I need my ship!" The Doctor exclaimed, dropping Claudia's hand and meeting Zach on the other end of the command center. "It's all I've got. Literally, the only thing."

"Doctor," Zack looked at him. "We've only got the resources to dig one central shaft down to the power source and that's it. No diversions, no distractions, no exceptions." He paused, looking at the Doctor sympathetically. "Your machine is lost."

Claudia closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. The TARDIS was more than a machine, more than a ship. She was a beautiful source of life and adventure. Claudia spent more time talking to the TARDIS than she did talking to the Doctor and Rose upon her arrival. The TARDIS was telepathic and loyal and protective.

Claudia hoped she wasn't in pain.

"All I can do is offer you a lift," Zack continued. "If we ever get to leave this place. And that is the end of it."

As Zack walked away, Ita smiled at the Doctor. "I'll, em, put you on the duty roster," she informed him, looking to Claudia and Rose. "We need someone in the laundry."

"Open door one."

Ita walked off, leaving the Doctor, Rose, and Claudia staring at one another, each filled with a hopelessness and hollowness that neither was sure would ever go away.

"Close door one."

The Doctor walked to Rose and Claudia, leaning in between them and taking a deep breath.

"I've trapped you here," the Doctor told them quietly.

"No," Rose shook her head. "Don't worry about me."

"There are worse places to be trapped, I assure you," Claudia added, but she wasn't sure she meant it. If the 666 situation was anything to go by, perhaps this was a terrible place to end up. She hoped she was wrong. Hoped this was another alien thing the Doctor would figure out. And then...

They couldn't run away in the TARDIS together, so Claudia wasn't entirely sure what would happen after that.

A rumbling shook the space station and the trio looked up.

"Okay," Rose inhaled sharply. "We're on a planet that shouldn't exist, underneath a black hole, and no way out." She looked at the Doctor with fearful eyes. "Yeah, I've changed my mind. Start worrying about me." She let out a small, nervous laugh and the Doctor smiled sadly, tugging her into his arms and wrapping an arm around her.

Rose buried her face in his shoulder, and he looked to Claudia, who offered a half-shrug and a small smile. His eyebrows furrowed together, and she shook her head. A small smile fell to his lips, and he nodded marginally, closing his eyes. She smiled sadly at him, and they both looked away.

They'd worry about Rose first. And push away any feelings of loss or heartache. And then, once the dust settled and they situated out the rest of their lives — they could worry about themselves.

That was how it had to be.

—

The Doctor, Rose, and Claudia sat in front of the Enochian on the wall. The Doctor was scanning it with his sonic and Claudia was rereading the phrase, wishing she had the words to speak about what it was telling her.

Rose stood, walking to the other side of the room, but neither Claudia nor the Doctor paid her much mind.

Claudia leaned her hand on the writing, feeling a strange burning sensation and pulled her hand away. Looking at it, there was a soft glow to her hand and Claudia's eyes watered, realizing it was exactly what Castiel's hands looked like before he healed someone.

Was his grace healing her?

Why?

"You said you can read it," the Doctor spoke softly. "But it won't translate?"

Claudia shook her head. "The only word I know in English is 'Lucifer.'"

The Doctor smiled a bit, glancing at her disbelievingly. "Come on, Claudia, we both know that isn't real."

Claudia shook her head. "For someone who travels across the universe and seeks out mysterious: you can be very small-minded."

The Doctor watched her carefully for a moment, but she fiddled with her palm wishing the warmth on it was Castiel's hand, instead. He would be able to translate it. He always knew how to translate for her and her brothers.

"Claudia..."

Claudia closed he eyes, inhaling deeply. She couldn't let him get to her. She had to keep Rose safe. Had to keep the Doctor safe. She'd worry about her mind later.

"Are you alright?" The Doctor asked softly after a moment.

"Are you?" She retorted, meeting his eyes.

He didn't answer, and neither of them spoke again.

—

The lights flickered on and off and Claudia sighed, rubbing her temple. They were sat at a table near the Enochian, and Claudia was leaning against the wall, slightly. She sat at the Doctor's side and Rose across from him, but she felt disoriented, like her body was a beat slower than everyone else's.

Shit.

"Zack, we got a problem?" Ida asked through the communications link.

"No more than usual," he replied back. "Got the Scarlet System burning up. Might be worth a look."

"You might want to see this," Ida told them. "Moment in history."

Throbbing pain dulled Claudia's senses, but she nodded with a polite smile as Ida walked to the lever on the wall, flicking the shutters open above them.

Above them, the black hole loomed over, but a swirl of pink lights drifted into it, creating a burst of light.

"There," Ida pointed. "On the edge. That red cloud. That used to be the Scarlet System. Home to the Pallushi. A mighty civilization spanning a billion years disappearing forever. Their planets and suns consumed." The pink light slowly disappeared into the black hole. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have witnessed its passing."

Ida reached her hand to the lever, but the Doctor spoke up.

"No, could you leave it open?" He asked. "Just for a bit. I won't go mad, I promise."

"How would you know?" Ida smirked.

"He's already there," Claudia mumbled.

Ida smiled at her comment and looked to the young mechanic. "Scooti," she nodded. "Check the lockdown. Jefferson, sign off the airlock seals for me."

Both nodded, standing and leaving the room. Ida followed suit, heading through door eighteen, leaving Rose, the Doctor, and Claudia alone.

"I've seen films and things, yeah?" Rose started.

"Really?" Claudia teased sarcastically. "You've watched movies before?"

Rose scowled at her playfully, shaking her head. "Rude," she chastised lightly, before continuing. "They say black holes are like gateways to another universe."

The Doctor took a small breath. "Not that one. It just eats."

"A long way from home," Rose whispered.

The Doctor's eyes found her face and he leaned forward, pointing up. "Go that way, turn right, keep going for, erm...about five hundred years and you'll reach the Earth."

Rose perked up, grabbing her phone from her pocket. Flicking it open, she sighed. "No signal. That's the first time we've gone out of range."

Claudia pulled out her phone, glancing down at it. She hit Dean's contact information, just wanting to hear the voicemail, hear his voice one last time before she'd never see him again — but the line cut off. Her heart sank.

Fighting back tears, she shut her phone, clearing her throat.

Rose turned to the Doctor with a hopeful expression. "Can you build another TARDIS?" She laughed nervously, but the Doctor didn't move, staring at the black hole.

"They were grown, not built. And with my home planet gone, we're kind of stuck."

"Well, it could be worse," Rose's optimism made Claudia smile a bit. "This lot said they'd give us a lift."

"And then what?" The Doctor asked.

"I don't know," Rose shrugged, looking over the Doctor's face. "Find a planet. Get a job."

The normalcy made Claudia want to scream, her body already itching in protest. She tried that after Sam's death and only ended up time travelling with an alien through space. She wasn't built for normalcy.

"You live your life," Rose continued. "Same as the rest of the universe."

The Doctor breathed out with wide eyes. "I'd have to settle down. Get a house or something. A proper house with...with...with doors and things. Carpets! Me, living in a house!"

Rose laughed at his words but Claudia couldn't find it in herself to do the same. She knew the Doctor was hurting, putting on a show for Rose. He always was. She would normally do the same but didn't have the energy.

A house on a planet with only the Doctor and Rose for company. They were family, of course, and she loved them dearly. But what about when the time came, and they finally admitted feelings for one another? Would they have children? She'd just be a roommate, a footnote in their lives.

She'd move out, find another place to live and be on her own again.

She was always on her own.

"Now that," the Doctor grinned. "That...that is terrifying."

"You'd have to get a mortgage," Rose sung playfully.

Claudia closed her eyes, taking a sharp breath. "I'll be back," she shook her head, standing and walking briskly from the room, feeling suddenly very enclosed to be in the same room as them.

She opened door seventeen and closed it behind her, leaning against the hallway walls. Her heartbeat quickened and her breathing sped up and she fell to her legs, crying against her knees.

How was she meant to do this? How was she supposed to get them off of this planet when Lucifer was slowly breaking into her mind, chipping away at her own sanity? How was she supposed to go with the Doctor and Rose to some random planet and live out the rest of her life — which would probably be forever, with Cas' grace in her — without ever seeing Dean again?

She thought of the baby rattle on the TARDIS in her room.

Her niece or nephew would never know her. Dean would lose another sibling. He would be alone.

Sobs wracked her body and she tried to come up with a solution to get them out of here. To save her friends and stop Lucifer from escaping. To get the TARDIS back.

Oh.

The answer hit her like a freight train and as it did so, her body felt ten times heavier.

She could give herself to him. Sam would be free — Dean would have someone then — and Rose and the Doctor could live normal lives together. And Lucifer would be so content with her soul trapped in the pit with him that he wouldn't need to escape.

"Little bird..."

Claudia looked up, face morphing into pure pain when she spotted him. Standing above her, wearing her brother's body like an accessory.

"Have you decided yet?" He asked her. It was Sam's mouth moving, Sam's voice, but she knew Sam was locked away deep in the pit. This was Lucifer, he was toying with her.

It was always the same. He enjoyed playing with food before he ate it. He was tormenting her, finding amusement in her misery. He kneeled in front of her, a mocking look of pity on his face.

He wore the same outfit as when Sam fell into the pit, but his eyes were empty. Sam's warm, gentle, haunted brown eyes were filled with a cold, bitter emptiness. Everything about him was just wrong.

He reached a hand to her cheek, cupping it with a sinister smile.

"Open door seventeen."

He was gone and Claudia burst into more tears, knowing she was only minutes away from him taking her again.

"Claudia," the Doctor's voice was soft and he sat next to her, grabbing her hand tightly. "Talk to me, what's in your head, now?"

"You wouldn't believe me," she replied stiffly. "But just know whatever happens — I care about you. And Rose." Tears welled in her eyes. "And I want you to be happy," her voice broke, and she stared at the grate under her shoes, wishing she could disappear in it.

"Why does this sound like a goodbye?" He asked her, reaching a hand up to grab her chin gently. He turned her to him, and she choked on the worry in his eyes.

"Because I think it is," she whispered, reaching her own hand up to his cheek and resting it there. She moved her head closer, and his forehead rested against hers. "I'm sorry, Doctor," tears fell down her cheeks. "He's going to take me and I'm sorry that you won't truly understand why."

"Who?" His voice was soft, breath fanning her face. "Please talk to me, Winchester."

She leaned back and pressed a kiss to his head. "I don't know when it'll happen, but he'll get me. He always does."

"I can help you," he promised softly. "Just talk to me, love."

Claudia pulled herself back and wiped her face, taking a deep breath and releasing it into a heavy sigh. She stood up and offered him a hand. "Come on, let's not keep Rose waiting."

Worry danced across his eyes but he resigned to her refusal to speak and grasped her hand, allowing her to help pull him up. They stood next to one another for a moment and he looked down at her. Meeting his eyes, she realized how much taller he was than her. Not quite her brother's height, but still very tall.

His eyes were concerned and gentle. The same wary, exhausted look permanently etched into her soul reflected back to her through his eyes. They were the same in that moment. Just two people worn down by the weight of the universe.

The Doctor reached a hand to her face and gently brushed back a loose curl. She leaned into his touch, her worries disintegrating with the affections and tender care he offered.

"It will be alright," he whispered. "I'll get you out of this. I'll never let anything happen to you."

She knew it was only words. He'd pick Rose over her. He would have to. Rose couldn't defend herself as Claudia could and when the truth came out about her future with Lucifer...when she revealed her plans...he'd surely leave her in the dust. He might be wounded for a few days, weeks if she was lucky, but he'd be happy eventually.

"Thank you," she responded in the same fashion, her voice soft under the humming of the ship. She knew he couldn't protect her from her fate and if it meant his death; she didn't want him to. But she appreciated the sentiment.

Confliction flickered in his eyes, and he seemed like he wanted to say something else, but as he took a breath to speak, the door opened behind them.

"Open door seventeen."

The pair sprang apart and despite the innocent way they were touching, embarrassment and guilt toyed at her inside. She quickly pushed those feelings down.

"Hey, you two," Rose looked between the two. "I got a weird call just now."

Crossing her arms, Claudia observed Rose's eyes drifting between her and the Doctor, the crease in her brows. She ignored the twinge of guilt she felt — she'd done nothing wrong — and nodded to Rose's phone, which she held in her hand.

"What is it? What'd they say?"

"I thought you couldn't get service," the Doctor frowned. "Who's calling you?"

"He is awake," Rose explained nervously. "That's all it said."

"Fuck," Claudia whispered, running a hand across her face.

The Doctor looked between the girls. "Let's have a look around, yeah? I think it's time."

—

The trio bounded down the stairs of the Ood habitation center, Rose and the Doctor grinning. Claudia followed behind, a bit less pep in her step, feeling that with each passing moment she was growing closer and closer to her own demise.

"Only us!" The Doctor grinned at Danny.

"Hello!" Rose waved.

"The mysterious trio," Danny remarked. "How are you, then? Settling in?"

"Yeah," the Doctor leaned against the railing next to Danny. "Sorry, straight to business. The Ood, how do they communicate?"

Claudia looked down at the Ood, sitting patiently in rows across from one another. Her eyes softened and her heart felt heavy. This was a species. Innocents being forced to do labor for others, with no proper sense of identity.

It was heartbreaking.

"I mean, with each other," the Doctor continued.

"Oh," Danny shrugged. "Just empaths."

Claudia's mind flashed to Castiel. He used to communicate with her telepathically occasionally. He said it was unique to them, something he could only do with her, but he never explained how. Now that she understood about the Grace, perhaps that was why. The entire time, she'd held a piece of him.

"There's a low-level telepathic field connecting them," Danny explained.

Claudia leaned over the railing, eyes narrowing. She wondered if she could learn to wield the Grace differently. Was it only enough to keep her alive? Stop her from dying? Or would she be able to communicate with them too?

A weight set in her stomach. If she could possibly communicate telepathically to them — if any angel could — what was to stop Lucifer from doing so? What's to say he hadn't already?

"Not that that does them much good," Danny rambled. "They're basically a herd race, like cattle."

"That's a terrible thing to say about other living things," Claudia commented softly.

"This telepathic field," the Doctor looked down at the Ood. "Can it pick up messages?"

That was Claudia's question too.

"'Cause I was having dinner," Rose began, "and one of the Oods said something..." Danny raised his eyebrows. "Well, odd," Rose finished.

"Hmm," Danny nodded. "An odd Ood?"

"And then I got something else on my...eh," she looked at the Doctor, who nodded. "Communicator thing."

"Well, be fair," Danny smiled, grabbing a piece of equipment. "We've got whole star systems burning up around us, there's all sorts of stray transmissions. Probably nothing."

At the trio's unbelieving faces, Danny sighed. "Look, if there was something wrong, it would show. We monitor the telepathic field. It's the only way to look after them. They're so stupid. They don't even tell us when they're ill."

Claudia frowned. This reminded her of Harry Potter and house-elves. No species was bred for slavery, they simply weren't given a choice otherwise.

"Monitor the field, that's this thing," the Doctor nodded to the machine next to Rose. It was tall with numbers and two computers sat atop it. He slid his hand into Claudia's as he moved, pulling her to look at the machine with him.

Basic: 5, it read.

"But like I said," Danny continued, unbothered. "It's low-level telepathy. They only register Basic 5."

Claudia didn't know the other levels of telepathy, but she was absolutely positive Lucifer did and easily manipulated them.

As if reading her mind — which he very well could have been — the numbers quickly jumped...five...six...seven...eight...nine...

"Well, that's not Basic 5," the Doctor commented, his hand tightening around Claudia's. "Ten...twenty..." he looked back to Danny. "They've gone up to Basic 30."

"But they can't," Danny looked up, confusion written plainly on his face.

"Doctor, the Ood," Rose grabbed their attention and Claudia looked to where the Ood were sitting. They'd moved, in synchronization, turning and standing.

Claudia sighed, resigning herself. It was all a game. A big show. A threat to the people she loved most. A final offer.

Lucifer was in control of this base and he'd tear everyone on board apart unless she joined him. The Doctor's hand tightened on hers again and she found her eyes moving to his face. She watched the wheels turn in his mind, his brown eyes dancing across the room, coming up with different solutions. Intelligent bred him and loneliness raised him.

He was so much better than her.

Her eyes moved to Rose. Sweet, sunshine Rose.

Closing her eyes, Claudia took a breath.

"Okay," she whispered, promising Lucifer herself if he'd let them all go and let Sam be free.

The Doctor caught her as her body fell to the ground.

—

sooooooooo claudia is being bad making deals with lucifer smh. but she doesn't think she has a choice. as much as she trusts the doctor and knows he can get himself and them out of situations: they have no tardis, no help, and they're facing someone she's already previously locked up. the next episode will be a biiiiiit of the doctor's perspective and then we get satan's pit which will only be two parts. thanks for your patience loves<333 happy new year!!!
also: what was the doctor going to say to her? any ideas??
hehe i know what he was going to say.